We visited with a good sized group. Reservations were able to be made. It was a great brunch - the price was fair for what we got, but do know this is on the higher end. Only issue is that we were charged $3 more for the pancakes than what was advertised. Another person in our group was credited for the mistake, but we were not.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Todd Massidda
A gem and a must try in Lawrence!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
aaron m
great food, great service
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
D
the cocktails were great. The dishes had great flavor and came out quickly. However, the two dishes we ordered had very little actual chicken. There were a couple chunks per plate. I am not sure if that’s how these dishes are normally served, but the ratios seemed off. Overall the portion was very large, but there were probably 3-4 ounces of chicken per plate if I had to guess.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Montira Clippard
🧆Culinaria Restaurant – Mediterranean Magic in the Heart of Lawrence, KS
We went to Culinaria for a double date and loved the lively, Mediterranean-inspired vibe. Our friends made reservations ahead of time (smart move — the restaurant was packed!). We only waited a few minutes for our table, surrounded by the buzz of laughter and clinking glasses.
To start, we shared the mezze platter and spicy roasted carrots — both bursting with flavor and beautifully presented. For mains, we split the Chicken Shawarma Fries, Mushroom Shawarma, and Chicken Shawarma Plate — every bite full of spice, crunch, and perfectly balanced sauces.
🍐The cocktails were just as creative — my favorite was the Pressed Pear and Pear Fumé, refreshing with a hint of Pear, perfect for date night cheers.
💬 What to know: When it gets busy (and it often does), it can get really loud. You might have to lean in close to hear your friends — which is kind of charming, but can make conversation tricky. Our waitress mixed up one order.
Pros 👍 • Delicious Mediterranean dishes with bold flavor • Beautiful indoor/outdoor setting & stylish bar • Creative cocktails and friendly staff
Cons 👎 • Gets quite noisy during peak dinner hours • Easy mix-ups when it’s super busy
🎯 Pro Tip: Make a reservation’s, nice weather—ask for patio seating if you prefer a quieter vibe, and definitely order the Mesa Platter and Spicy Carrots to share— they’re worth every bite.
Between the laughter, the flavors, and the vibe — Culinaria reminded us that great food tastes even better when shared with good friends. 🥂💛
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Peggy Kessel
Fabulous experience. Will definitely return!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
lizzie lively
came here with my mom for a little night out on the town. i can’t say enough good things about the drinks. i had the cola cocktail (forget the actual name) and my mom got a fruity cocktail and they were some of the best drinks we’ve ever had. the baba ghanoush and fried artichokes are definitely must orders for appetizers. they were so delicious. i got the chicken shawarma. normally, i love shawarma, but it didn’t come as a shawarma sandwich wrap and also the potatoes weren’t my favorite. but the chicken is really tender and seasoned very well. i’d probably order it again without the potatoes. my mom got the chicken hummus and it was very delicious, i definitely would recommend that. our server was very kind and was always around if we needed anything. my mom and i sat on the patio, and the vibes were amazing. we had a reservation and showed up pretty early, but they had no problem seating us. would definitely recommend this place to a friend!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Matt Pietri
The service here wasn't the best. It could have been an off-night, but our experience was a very distracted and unresponsive staff. But outside of that, dinner was spectacular. The food here is really made with love. Everything on the Mezze Platter was beautiful. The Crispy Cauliflower was my particular favorite, served with a chimichurri sauce that simply exploded with flavor. And for an entree I highly recommend the Chicken Fatteh. It's extremely rich and complex and it just feels like so much care and attention went into crafting that dish.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Mezze Platter
Francisco Ahumada
Pleasant experience, attentive waitress, always such a great atmosphere. I had the ricotta pancakes, she had the breakfast tacos. The hummus and pickled veggies were so so good that I ordered one to go!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mike \u0026 Krissy Stevens
Amazing food, great atmosphere. Best brussell sprouts ever. One of my new favorites in Lawrence.
I recommend going with a friend or friends. This is an experience not a meal. The best food, the best servers, the best.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mahsa
I love this place! Everything was perfect and so tasty. The mezze plate was amazing ,it reminded me of Izmir in Turkey. I’ll definitely come back here again with my Ouzo!
We came here on a whim for a bit of a celebration and were blown away by the quality of food, experience, and taste! We tried the Ultimate Culinaria Experience. Incredible bang for your buck with AMAZING food and drinks. We will be here again!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Dave P.
My wife and I went out to celebrate our 23rd wedding anniversary, and picked this kind of randomly. Finding it was interesting because it's tucked away behind another business but once we did get there it was absolutely fantastic. The service was quick and attentive, and the food was absolutely amazing. The only downside to it was purely we couldn't save room for dessert because the mezze platter and chicken shawarma was just that bloody good. I'm looking forwards to the next special occasion we get out with!
We visited with a good sized group. Reservations were able to be made. It was a great brunch - the price was fair for what we got, but do know this is on the higher end. Only issue is that we were charged $3 more for the pancakes than what was advertised. Another person in our group was credited for the mistake, but we were not.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
A gem and a must try in Lawrence!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
great food, great service
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
the cocktails were great. The dishes had great flavor and came out quickly. However, the two dishes we ordered had very little actual chicken. There were a couple chunks per plate. I am not sure if that’s how these dishes are normally served, but the ratios seemed off. Overall the portion was very large, but there were probably 3-4 ounces of chicken per plate if I had to guess.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
🧆Culinaria Restaurant – Mediterranean Magic in the Heart of Lawrence, KS
We went to Culinaria for a double date and loved the lively, Mediterranean-inspired vibe. Our friends made reservations ahead of time (smart move — the restaurant was packed!). We only waited a few minutes for our table, surrounded by the buzz of laughter and clinking glasses.
To start, we shared the mezze platter and spicy roasted carrots — both bursting with flavor and beautifully presented. For mains, we split the Chicken Shawarma Fries, Mushroom Shawarma, and Chicken Shawarma Plate — every bite full of spice, crunch, and perfectly balanced sauces.
🍐The cocktails were just as creative — my favorite was the Pressed Pear and Pear Fumé, refreshing with a hint of Pear, perfect for date night cheers.
💬 What to know: When it gets busy (and it often does), it can get really loud. You might have to lean in close to hear your friends — which is kind of charming, but can make conversation tricky. Our waitress mixed up one order.
Pros 👍
• Delicious Mediterranean dishes with bold flavor
• Beautiful indoor/outdoor setting & stylish bar
• Creative cocktails and friendly staff
Cons 👎
• Gets quite noisy during peak dinner hours
• Easy mix-ups when it’s super busy
🎯 Pro Tip:
Make a reservation’s, nice weather—ask for patio seating if you prefer a quieter vibe, and definitely order the Mesa Platter and Spicy Carrots to share— they’re worth every bite.
Between the laughter, the flavors, and the vibe — Culinaria reminded us that great food tastes even better when shared with good friends. 🥂💛
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Fabulous experience. Will definitely return!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
came here with my mom for a little night out on the town. i can’t say enough good things about the drinks. i had the cola cocktail (forget the actual name) and my mom got a fruity cocktail and they were some of the best drinks we’ve ever had. the baba ghanoush and fried artichokes are definitely must orders for appetizers. they were so delicious. i got the chicken shawarma. normally, i love shawarma, but it didn’t come as a shawarma sandwich wrap and also the potatoes weren’t my favorite. but the chicken is really tender and seasoned very well. i’d probably order it again without the potatoes. my mom got the chicken hummus and it was very delicious, i definitely would recommend that. our server was very kind and was always around if we needed anything. my mom and i sat on the patio, and the vibes were amazing. we had a reservation and showed up pretty early, but they had no problem seating us. would definitely recommend this place to a friend!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
The service here wasn't the best. It could have been an off-night, but our experience was a very distracted and unresponsive staff. But outside of that, dinner was spectacular. The food here is really made with love. Everything on the Mezze Platter was beautiful. The Crispy Cauliflower was my particular favorite, served with a chimichurri sauce that simply exploded with flavor. And for an entree I highly recommend the Chicken Fatteh. It's extremely rich and complex and it just feels like so much care and attention went into crafting that dish.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Mezze Platter
Pleasant experience, attentive waitress, always such a great atmosphere. I had the ricotta pancakes, she had the breakfast tacos. The hummus and pickled veggies were so so good that I ordered one to go!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Amazing food, great atmosphere. Best brussell sprouts ever. One of my new favorites in Lawrence.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicken Shawarma, Hummus and Pita, Brussels Sprouts, Crispy Smashed Potato
Restaurantji Recommends
I recommend going with a friend or friends. This is an experience not a meal. The best food, the best servers, the best.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I love this place! Everything was perfect and so tasty. The mezze plate was amazing ,it reminded me of Izmir in Turkey. I’ll definitely come back here again with my Ouzo!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Mezze Platter, Chicken Shawarma, Spicy Carrots, Crispy Smashed Potato
This place passes the vibe check.
The venue is excellent—tucked away, cozy, and well-prepared.
The food is delicious and unique. I get the Short Rib Shawarma, she gets the Chicken Shawarma, and we share the House Hummus. No notes!
Bonus: Ask for the secret menu item. The waiter may say it doesn’t exist—but be persistent. It’s real. And it’s worth it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicken Shawarma, Hummus, Hummus and Pita, Crispy Smashed Potato
We came here on a whim for a bit of a celebration and were blown away by the quality of food, experience, and taste! We tried the Ultimate Culinaria Experience. Incredible bang for your buck with AMAZING food and drinks. We will be here again!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
My wife and I went out to celebrate our 23rd wedding anniversary, and picked this kind of randomly. Finding it was interesting because it's tucked away behind another business but once we did get there it was absolutely fantastic. The service was quick and attentive, and the food was absolutely amazing. The only downside to it was purely we couldn't save room for dessert because the mezze platter and chicken shawarma was just that bloody good. I'm looking forwards to the next special occasion we get out with!
Loading...