Lychee Beirut Review

So, I missed the opening of this place and didn’t get a chance to try it till after a month or so after its first weekend. I went there on a Monday with Lori for a nice quiet dinner, and I must say, it was very enjoyable.

For one, it’s much closer to home, with barely a few minutes drive and you’re there. So, for all you Metn-Keserwen-Greater Beirut residents, that’s something to factor in given our beloved police forces always add useless checkpoints to make sure you don’t change the routine of 24/7 traffic inside Beirut.

For two, it’s set up is very cool. Everything is circular, with the focal point being the metal structure that houses the bar, any live acts and of course the wicked-awesome LED-light-disco-ball-thing. Around the innermost circle is another one lined up with medium-sized tables and the last one houses the bigger tables and lounges.

For three, the view is spectacular since you get a complete view of Beirut and the Port, as well as the surrounding mountains and highway just below. If you’re there early, you’ll probably get an awesome view of the sunset.

Now, for the most important part, the food. I ordered a chicken satay and a side of steak skewers with halloum bites. Both were amazing, the chicken was marinated with so many different flavors that you’d let every bite settle in a bit to try and figure out what the ingredients were. As for the halloum and steak, it took me a while to figure out it was halloum cheese, since it tasted so much better than what I was used to as a kid taking halloum sandwiches to school…

Lori had a nice chicken fillet which came in a very nice format. It was rolled up to look like a buche-de-noel Christmas cake, with different parts of the chicken spread out over each other, then rolled up into one neat, not too dry, not too moist and perfectly marinated chicken.

If you’re not looking for dinner, but some dancing, then head down there Thursdays and Fridays, where they host live acts followed by a DJ. If you’re not a big fan of live music, then go Saturday where it’s just DJs spinning some commercial favorites. To keep up to date, they have a Facebook page of the bands and singers they host.

Verdict: It’s a nice cross-over between a chilled-out lounge and a pumped-up rooftop club, could serve as both depending on what you’re looking for
Price: 50USD per person should let you wine and dine copiously
Location: Antelias seaside road
Atmosphere: Awesome view, quirky cool decor and lighting
Staff: Very kind and accommodating