Sultan Palace Clifton, NJ: Lebanese Syrian Restaurant & Lounge

If you are looking for a Lebanese Syrian restaurant in Clifton, New Jersey that feels like a full night out, Sultan Palace should be at the top of your list. This lively hotspot is known for its BYOB policy, live music, belly dancing, and big family-style platters that turn dinner into a real celebration. It is the kind of place where the food keeps coming, the music gets louder, and the night just flows.

We started with kibbeh mashawi, a charcoal-grilled meat dumpling with a smoky, juicy center and crisp exterior, and from there the table filled up fast. The appetizer combo brought all the essentials in one go: creamy hummus, smoky baba ghanoush, spicy, nutty muhammara, tangy labneh, and fresh, crunchy fattoush. Each dip and salad had its own personality and together they set the tone for a proper Levantine meal. We also tried sujuk, a bold and savory spiced beef sausage cooked in a rich tomato sauce, plus borek steak and a bright tabbouleh salad loaded with fresh herbs, bulgur, and lemon.

If you have never tried it before, kibbeh nayye is a must here. This traditional raw meat dish is seasoned and served smooth, rich, and delicate, a true classic in Lebanese and Syrian cuisine for those who appreciate authentic flavors. It is one of those plates that really shows off the kitchen’s confidence and respect for tradition.

For the main event, we went all in on the Sultan family-style platter. This huge mixed grill came loaded with eggplant and meat kebab, shish kebabs, chicken kebabs, and their signature kofta kebab, which really stands out for its seasoning and tenderness. Sultan Palace also does seafood right: the whole branzino was cooked beautifully, with flaky meat and a clean, well-seasoned finish, and for the more adventurous, there was beef intestine, bringing those deep, traditional flavors you do not see on every menu.

No visit to a Lebanese Syrian spot is complete without dessert and coffee, and Sultan Palace delivers here too. We ended the meal with muhallabiyah, a silky rice pudding that is lightly sweet and comforting, along with Lebanese sweet cake that added a richer, bakery-style finish. Paired with coffee, it was the perfect way to wind down after such a big feast. With its BYOB setup, live music, belly dancing, classic mezza, and generous platters, Sultan Palace in Clifton is more than just a place to eat – if you are searching for an authentic Lebanese Syrian restaurant in North Jersey where the parties go hard and the food tastes like home cooking turned up a notch, you need to try Sultan Palace.

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