Karoun Restaurant

(617) 964-3400

839 Washington St, Newton, MA | Directions   02460

42.351693 -71.207617 View Website
  • Hours

    Tuesday To Thursday From 05:00 PM To 09:30 PM Friday To Saturday From 05:00 PM To 01:00 AM
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Neighborhoods:
Newton Upper Falls

Categories:
Restaurants
Cuisine:
Middle Eastern

Price:
$$

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Restaurant Special Features:
Live Music
Payment Methods:
Discover, MasterCard, Visa

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At a Glance ?
100% ambiance
“great food and fun”
100% drinks
“Very good food, good drinks, and the kind of personal service you find in a family owned/operated restaurant.”
95% food quality
“One of the most authentic restaurants”
100% menu variety
“beautiful young woman clad in authentic clothing put on a show for a half hour to a variety of Arabic music, it was mesmerizing.”
85% service
“The biggest problem was the service - extremely slow (probably the kitchen's fault), but the waitress had the nerve to add a 20% tip directly onto the bill (fearing, I suppose, that I was going to stiff her, which I wasn't).”
100% value
“Take it from an Armenian who grew up on this rich cuisine, Karoun does an excellent job of preparing homestyle, authentic dishes for reasonable prices.”
50% wait time
“The biggest problem was the service - extremely slow (probably the kitchen's fault), but the waitress had the nerve to add a 20% tip directly onto the bill (fearing, I suppose, that I was going to stiff her, which I wasn't).”

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Karoun Restaurant

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Tips for Karoun Restaurant

1.0
April 13, 2011

Surprise how this restaurant still in business. I am surprise,how this restaurant still in business. May be ,because of belly dancers. I won't forget my birthday party at this restaurant. First at all,waitress was very unprofessional. It seems to me,that she works part time, on weekends. She was always absent, removed unfinished dishes to the kitchen, while my guests danced. I've been told, that owner sometimes purposely increases bills. On my request to check my bill, I have been told, that "it's not my business to check it". So, potential patrons of this this establishment,avoid this restaurant at any cost. If you don't want to look bad in front of your guests .

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4.0
November 21, 2010

Great Food, Service & Atmosphere - Random Fun & Dancing!. So we went to Karoun on a Friday night. We were immediately greeted by a hostess who offered to sit us at a booth with a good view of the dance floor (for the "show"). Our waitress allowed us to take our time reviewing the menus; so that we could catch up with our friends before we ordered. When we ordered, the waitress suggested that instead of ordering the same items, that we order a mix so that we could share and try something else on the menu. Our waitress was very casual/friendly, making us all feel more as though we were enjoying a family dinner and not a meal at a "stuffy" restaurant.

Our appetizers came out very quickly. The lamejune was clearly made fresh and came warm and with plenty of spice. The Mouhamara spread was served with plenty of fresh pita and tasted like nothing we had eaten before. I was able to sample the lamb, steak and shrimp and losh kebabs. Each were worth trying and were seasoned/cooked to perfection. The kababs came with rice and vegetables on the side. I ordered the whole wheat bulgur in lieu of the pilaf and enjoyed it. The real surprise was the Dolma consisting of stuffed cabbage, zucchini, and grape leaves. We were particularly impressed by the complexity of the flavors in the spices in the stuffing.

Throughout dinner there was a gentleman singing and/or playing a violin live (with a backing soundtrack). We watched the impressive belly dancing show. The best part was the spontaneous dancing that broke out before and after the show. Karoun on Fridays (and presumably Saturdays) is like going to a wedding or birthday party of a distant friend. Tons of dancing and random fun to be had, if you are up for it.

Dinner at Karoun is an awesome experience all around. I totally recommend going!

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1.0
January 23, 2010

Horrible experience, not going back. I made a reservation for tonight. We showed up a little early, and were ignored for people who came in behind us. When we did get a table and had been sitting a few minutes (and had requested a dessert menu), we were informed not by the server, but by who I believe was one of the managers that they had 5 (!!) reservations for our table. We could not sit at the table, but were welcome to the bar (where we would not see the dancing). What would have happened if we DID have dinner? Would those other diners have been out of luck and a table?

I informed the manager that we had not been told when we made the reservation that there were any restrictions. The manager responded by insinuating that I was ridiculous. We left.

I had been to Karoun a few times before. We don't go for the food, it's ok...but really overpriced. We always went to see the dancing, and had dinner just because we were there. The dancing far outshone the food. We will not be going back. We will be looking for the dancer in other venues.

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5.0
November 30, 2009

great food and fun. food was great. Savory kebabs and fun atmosphere with music and bellydancing. Our server was friendly and knowledgable.

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5.0
November 22, 2008

top-shelf across the board. Fantastic restaurant. Brilliant ambiance and music, and simply outstanding food. What really stole the show was the belly dancing show at 9:30 PM...a beautiful young woman clad in authentic clothing put on a show for a half hour to a variety of Arabic music, it was mesmerizing. By the time we left we had enjoyed one of the better dining experiences of our lives.

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1.0
July 17, 2007

Horrible Service. I had a terrible experience at Karoun last weekend (July14). My husband and I went in to have drinks. We were told to sit at the bar. Bar tenders and waitress walked by us multiple times without saying anything. The restaurant was practically empty (on a saturday night: which should have told us something). Finally my husband got up to get the wine list. Even though a waitress was satnding right there she couldn't take the hint. after 15 minutes of being ignored we left the restaurant. The staff didn't say anything.

My message to the owner is: Please train your staff!

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4.0
October 24, 2006

Always a celebration. Karoun on a Friday or Saturday night is a celebration! Families, parties, groups of friends gathering to enjoy one of the most festive dining spots around Boston. Very good food, good drinks, and the kind of personal service you find in a family owned/operated restaurant. We had our wedding rehearsal dinner there and everybody had a great time--from the flower girls (enthralled by the belly dancer) to the Father of the Bride (also enthralled by the belly dancer--always a tasteful show). The food is different and delicious, especially the lamb and chicken dishes. Go! Enjoy!

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July 05, 2006

The flavors of Armenia have a home in Newtonville.. In Short
Armenian food is one of the great but underappreciated world cuisines, and this is one of the few places in the Boston area that does it justice. Karoun has served up kebabs for over 20 years, and other specialties include kibbeh (cracked wheat and ground meat) and patljan (eggplant, ground meat and tomato sauce). On Friday and Saturday nights, local belly dancers get the joint jumping.

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5.0
November 11, 2005

User review by bc2002. My girlfriend and I had a great night out at Karoun. The food was excellent and so was the service. No one rushed, they allowed us to eat at our on pace and even gave us a glass of wine on the house. Our waitress was especially good and friendly. If your looking for something a little different, you should definitely check this place out. Its good for couples, but also good for large groups. We our going to take our friends there sometime soon.

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5.0
November 04, 2005

Great Food Good Place to eat. College Parent's weekend brought us to Boston. Exploring, we found Karouns and decided to give it a try. We loved it. Great food, and appetizers. We tend to eat early so missed the music and belly dancing both times. Service was excellent. Owner/chef does an excellent job. Family run.

0

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