Mais Alghanim: From Canteen to Culinary Treasure

posted on: Jul 15, 2026

By Jahnvi Chopra / Arab America Contributing Writer

Mais Alghanim is one of Kuwait’s most iconic and oldest dining establishments, famous for serving up high-quality Lebanese and Middle Eastern dishes. Located in the coastal region of the Gulf country, the restaurant stands out alongside the Kuwait Towers and various international embassies. The restaurant has a long and convoluted history, influenced by war, tourism, and the global COVID-19 Pandemic.

Humble Beginnings

Founded in 1951 by Edmond Barakat, also known as Abu Emile, the establishment was called “Alghanim Mess” for the employees of Yusuf Alghanim & Sons. The business wasn’t even close to what it is today. It began as a staff cafeteria serving extremely affordable meals to employees and locals, not yet recognized as a proper dining experience by a wider audience.

As time passed, the canteen established itself within the communities nearby, consisting of both locals and expatriates, and became well-known as a gathering place for all. Once a modest cafeteria, now a fully-fledged restaurant. In 1974, Emile Barakat, Edmond’s oldest son, inherited the business from his late father and expanded it, just as the founders had hoped.

By 1987, the name was changed to “Mais Alghanim,” and the restaurant moved to the old Kuwait television station, which had been remodeled and transformed into a cozy family eatery. Here, the business gained even more popularity, having expanded its ability to accommodate more customers and provide a fine dining service to all. The mission to acquire international status as a renowned culinary establishment remained.

Mais Alghanim moved once again in 2003 to its present location on the seaside near other landmarks. The building has a traditional Kuwait design, demonstrating their commitment to honoring tradition and their heritage, as well as uniting their cuisine with the local communities they’ve grown alongside since the beginning. Now in the final stages of the founders’ vision, Mais Alghanim has expanded further. The establishment has proudly opened another restaurant location in the Northern Kuwait city of Mahboula, and has partnered with countless food delivery services since 2010.

The Restaurant’s Recognition

Mais Alghanim specializes in Lebanese and Middle Eastern cuisine, famous for its flavorful soups, salads, raw meats, platters, pastries, and more. Despite the many good reviews for their quality food options, that isn’t the most notable aspect of the restaurant. Rather, it’s the company’s excellent customer service.

Mais Alghanim has been named the number one restaurant for the best customer service eight times. Similarly, the restaurant won two prestigious awards, the Excellence Award in the Call Center and the Excellence Award in Social Media Accounts, at the annual ceremony of the Kuwait Prize for Public Relations and Customer Service. TripAdvisor has also awarded them the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence Award 2019 and the Travelers’ Choice 2020. Mais Alghanim offers an outstanding hospitality experience to customers, and it has recently started to become more widely recognized due to increased media presence, tourism, and international recognition.

Through Changing Times

Mais Alghanim has played a unique role in Kuwait’s history. During the first Gulf War in 1990, most restaurants shut down due to the lack of resources and customers. Many people fled or stopped going out in public places altogether because the risks heavily outweighed the benefits, but not everyone was afforded this ability. For a lot of people, leaving wasn’t an option, as they had jobs and livelihoods that forced them to stay despite the ongoing invasion.

Mais Alghanim still operated through the war, continuing to prepare food from their kitchen and shipping it out to those in need at low costs or sometimes completely free of charge. The business worked alongside other restaurants, emergency aid organizations, and food and dishware suppliers.

During the first shutdowns due to the COVID-19 Pandemic in 2020, Mais Alghanim was one of the only restaurants to remain not only open, but fully operational and still delivering the same high-quality experience that their customers were used to. They adhered to government mandates and policies, making sure to always act in accordance with these safety regulations. They temporarily suspended their dine-in options and focused more on their delivery and take-away capability until the government restrictions were lifted. Then, as if nothing had changed, the restaurant was back to normal. But this time, they

Once opening back up to in-restaurant dining after about a year, Mais Alghanim did not abandon the safety measures they took during the initial waves of COVID-19. Instead, they amplified them to make their dining experience much more accommodating. They individually wrapped cutlery, dishware, and hygiene products in sanitized packets, separated the restaurant into far-apart sections that complied with social distancing mandates, and had strict cleanliness protocols in-house alongside regular screening for symptoms.

The restaurant expertly carried out these protocols, earning government recognition for its efforts. These are just a few of the safety practices that the restaurant implemented during this time, many of which continue today, proving why Mais Alghanim has and still maintains its leading title in the Gulf hospitality industry.

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