Lebanese Taverna Restaurant Group: A Family Legacy of Tradition, Community, and Authentic Lebanese Cuisine

From War-Torn Beirut to American Dream

In the darkness of a summer night in 1976, Tanios and Marie Abi-Najm made a desperate decision that would change their family’s destiny forever. With their five young children—Dory, Dany, David, Gladys, and Grace—they boarded a cargo ship in the middle of the night, fleeing Lebanon’s brutal civil war. They arrived in Arlington, Virginia with just $600 cash and a few pieces of luggage, staying initially with relatives in Rosslyn, Virginia, carrying nothing but an unwavering dream of owning a restaurant.

The family immediately went to work. The children became bussers on their second night in America, while their parents took jobs painting houses and working in local restaurants. Every dollar earned went into the family pot, saved meticulously toward their shared dream. Marie, who had married at 14 and had four children by 21, possessed only a third-grade education, as did Tanios. Yet their determination was limitless.

In 1979, their perseverance paid off. The family purchased Athenian Taverna, a sub and pizza shop in Arlington’s Westover neighborhood. In a pragmatic move that would become part of restaurant lore, they kept half the original Greek sign to save money, creating the name “Lebanese Taverna”—a beautifully accidental fusion that perfectly captured their immigrant story.

Building a Regional Institution

What started as a humble corner restaurant has blossomed into a beloved regional institution with over a dozen locations throughout Washington D.C., Baltimore, and Northern Virginia. Today, the restaurant group operates six full-service restaurants, seven fast-casual “LebTav” cafés, and their flagship Lebanese market in Arlington.

The early years weren’t easy. Grace Abi-Najm Shea recalls customers helping her with homework at night in the restaurant because her parents couldn’t. “The people who became our customers helped us,” she remembers. “They helped me with my homework at night in the restaurant because no one else could.”

The breakthrough came when a Washington Post writer discovered the restaurant and wrote about the family. The business took off, and the community embraced them wholeheartedly. In 1995, the family formed a partnership with Henrik Suhr, a Cornell School of Hospitality graduate who became Dany’s fishing buddy and eventually his business partner. Together, they opened eight additional locations, carefully expanding while maintaining the restaurant’s authentic character and family values.

In recent years, the group has adapted to changing consumer preferences by launching the “LebTav” fast-casual brand, rebranding three Maryland locations to cafés and reducing their footprint to align with fast-casual dining trends.

A True Family Business

Nearly five decades later, Lebanese Taverna remains entirely family-run. All five Abi-Najm siblings actively manage the business, with their parents now retired but their legacy firmly embedded in every location. As patriarch Tanios Abi-Najm wrote: “Each night my children still greet old friends and welcome new ones into the restaurants where they grew up. Lebanese Taverna has come to symbolize the realization of dreams, where good food is enjoyed in good company.”

Each sibling brings unique strengths to the operation. Dany’s vision for expansion and his economics degree from George Mason University helped guide strategic growth. Gladys has become synonymous with the restaurant’s charitable efforts, particularly with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Grace manages operations and community relations, while maintaining the welcoming atmosphere that defines the brand. David partnered with Dany on the second location, and Dory has been instrumental in maintaining the restaurant’s authentic Lebanese character.

The family’s connection to renowned chef José Andrés runs deep. The Abi-Najms helped develop recipes for his restaurant Zaytinya in 2002, with all Lebanese recipes coming directly from Lebanese Taverna. Grace notes proudly, “The hummus was called ‘Lebanese Taverna style’ on the menu. That puffy bread? Does that look familiar?”

Current Operations

The restaurant group is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, with the five Abi-Najm siblings leading the company. Their comprehensive services include:

Full-service dining restaurants
Fast-casual cafés (branded as “LebTav”)
Lebanese market (flagship location in Arlington)
Full-service catering division (Catering by LT)
Cooking classes
Private dining and large group accommodations

The company’s philosophy emphasizes making guests feel like regulars on their first visit, treating the dining room as an extension of their home.

Customer Love and Testimonials

Lebanese Taverna has earned exceptional ratings across platforms and generations of loyal customers. The restaurants consistently receive strong ratings across multiple platforms:

Ratings:

OpenTable: 4.7 stars (across multiple locations)
TripAdvisor Tysons: 4.2 of 5, ranked #11 of 80 restaurants
TripAdvisor DC: 4.3 of 5, ranked #36 of 1,915 restaurants
Yelp: Consistently 4+ star ratings

Customers rave about signature dishes like kibbeh, chicken and lamb kabobs, baba ghanoush, taverna platter, chicken shawarma, lentil soup, and tabbouleh. Reviewers particularly praise items like pumpkin kibbeh, falafel, mujaddara, and fatteh lamb. One reviewer captured the essence: “The Food is definitely the star of the show here! The Baba Ganoosh is phenomenal! Hummus, Shrimp Arak and Stuffed Grape Leaves are all wonderful Mezza.”

Positive Feedback:

Customers highlight the excellent service, authentic Lebanese flavors, fluffy rice, rich hummus, fresh salads, and warm puffy pita bread
Diners appreciate the spacious and welcoming atmosphere suitable for both casual and group dining
Many describe it as one of the best Lebanese restaurants in Northern Virginia
The wine list features hard-to-find Lebanese wines
Service is consistently personable and attentive

Constructive Criticism:

Some reviewers note that service can be slow or inattentive at times
A few customers find grilled items occasionally dry
Parking can be limited at certain locations

What distinguishes Lebanese Taverna isn’t just the food—it’s the atmosphere. Customers describe feeling welcomed like family from their very first visit. The restaurants’ spacious, warm environments accommodate everyone from solo diners to large family gatherings. As Grace explains, “We’ve become more than food to people. And people have become more than customers to us. It’s really what keeps us going.”

Multi-generational loyalty defines the customer base. Grandparents, parents, and children have all been regulars for decades, creating a community that extends far beyond the dining room.

Giving Back to the Community

The Abi-Najms never forgot where they came from, and giving back has been central to their mission from day one. Even during tough early years, Lebanese Taverna donated catering for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital galas and fundraising events throughout the D.C. region.

Gladys Abi-Najm met St. Jude founder Danny Thomas when she was just 13, and has carried that connection throughout her life. She even named her oldest son Jude after the hospital. Recent campaigns have raised over $10,500 for St. Jude, and her younger son Luc has independently raised approximately $10,000 for the cause.

When thousands of Afghan refugees arrived at Dulles Airport in August 2021 after their country fell to the Taliban, World Central Kitchen’s first call was to Grace Abi-Najm Shea. Could they produce 1,000 meals within a couple of hours? “We rallied the troops and got a couple hundred meals from each of our locations and delivered them,” she recalls. “It was a no-brainer.”

Grace spent two weeks rising at 6 a.m., preparing meals of lamb, rice, and spinach. She even called Homayon Karimy, a former Afghan employee who had worked at Lebanese Taverna for 12 years starting at age 16. He immediately came to help translate signage that read: “Hello friends, welcome to America. All of the food is halal.”

The family also partnered with World Central Kitchen to provide meals following the devastating Beirut explosion, launching a fundraising campaign where a dollar from all hummus sales went to relief efforts. The gesture resonated deeply with their loyal customers, many of whom donated additional funds beyond their meals.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, when shifting to takeout and delivery only, the Abi-Najms’ first priority was their employees. They encouraged hundreds of hourly staff members to take food home to their families, knowing they would be most impacted by the crisis.

The company actively helps local immigrants in the process of becoming legal citizens, continuing to support the community that once supported them.

Notable Recognition

Numerous media outlets and publications have lauded the concept for having the region’s best Mediterranean cuisine. The restaurants have been featured in major publications and consistently rank among the top dining destinations in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area.

An Enduring Legacy

After 46 years in business, Lebanese Taverna represents more than successful restaurants—it embodies the American immigrant dream realized through hard work, family unity, and unwavering commitment to community. The Abi-Najms have helped immigrants in the process of becoming legal citizens, supported countless charitable causes, and introduced authentic Lebanese cuisine to generations of diners throughout the capital region.

Their restaurants have become gathering places where memories are made, traditions are honored, and everyone truly is treated like family. As the business continues to evolve with fast-casual concepts and modern service models, the core values remain unchanged: authentic food, genuine hospitality, and the belief that a restaurant can be much more than a place to eat—it can be an extension of home.

From that desperate midnight escape on a cargo ship to becoming a beloved regional institution, the Abi-Najm family’s journey reminds us that dreams, determination, and family can overcome any obstacle. Lebanese Taverna stands as a testament to what’s possible when refugees are welcomed, supported, and given the opportunity to contribute their talents and traditions to their new home.

www.lebanesetaverna.com