MUUN has opened in Beirut's Saifi district, adding a Japanese dining room to a part of the city already known for its design shops and galleries. Behind it is chef Tarek Alameddine, who also runs Beihouse and BUCO. The restaurant takes a contemporary approach to Japanese food, built around simplicity, craftsmanship, and a focus on the ingredients themselves.
The menu is wide without being crowded. Guests can order hand rolls made to order, along with a selection of premium nigiri that includes Torched Otoro and Wagyu. Beyond the sushi counter, the kitchen sends out sharing plates, crudos, salads, curries, and ramen, so a table can move between light, raw dishes and warm, comforting ones in a single sitting.
The Chef Behind the Counter
Alameddine is a familiar name in Beirut dining through his work at Beihouse and BUCO. With MUUN, he turns to Japanese cuisine and the idea of cooking that is stripped back rather than dressed up. The food leans on precision and clarity of flavour instead of complication.
He describes the restaurant as starting from a mood rather than a concept. "Before it became a restaurant, MUUN was a feeling. A sense of calm. A respect for craftsmanship. An appreciation for the beauty of things stripped back to their essence," he said in a statement.
A Room Built to Match the Plate
The design follows the same thinking as the cooking. Warm lighting, tactile materials, and sculptural elements set a calm and refined tone across the space. An open kitchen sits at the centre of it, so guests can watch the rhythm and precision behind each dish as it comes together.
That openness is part of the point. MUUN is positioned as a place where the cuisine and the room work together, with the cooking on view rather than hidden away. The aim is a space shaped by intention, transparency, and understated detail rather than spectacle.
Where to Find It
MUUN sits in the heart of Saifi, within reach of the district's galleries and boutiques. For a chef already running two established Beirut venues, it marks a move into Japanese food and a quieter style of dining than the city often gets.
Follow MUUN on Instagram for the menu and bookings.
