Abuqir Seafood
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Several friends mentioned that Abuqir served up some of the best food that they ever had in NYC, so naturally I had to give it a go during my visit. Upon arrival you're greeted with a small, no-frills restaurant that moves people in and out relatively efficiently. You start the process by moving to the front and picking out the fresh fish you'd like for your meal. The gentlemen up front will then weigh it out and ask you how you'd like it prepared. My group ended up grabbing calamari, octopus tentacles, scallops, and a whole fish. We also ordered some baba ghanoush and eggplant with tomato on the side. The scallops and octopus, both of which we ordered grilled, came out first and were excellent! The scallops were soft and buttery with great texture and flavor. The octopus was the star of the show with an excellent bite and texture and great flavor from the olive oil and garlic coating it. Our order of fried calamari was also super tasty. It seems like they sprinked a special spice blend over it to give it some extra kick. Our last fish course was a whole fish served Egyptian style with blackened seasoning. The skin of the fish was amazing. It had a citrusy/salty flavor that was followed by the freshness of the herbs stuffed inside the fish. Our sides were also great with the baba ghanoush being my favorite dip. I give Abuqir top marks for their food and service. The cooks were very helpful in assisting us with making our fish selections and everything was cooked to perfection. If you're looking for a nice seafood meal with a group of friends come give this spot a visit!
Came here for dinner in Astoria. We ordered babaganoush, half pound fried calamari, half pound pan seared scallops, half pound grilled tiger shrimp, grilled branzino When ordered you can order by the lb or half lb and choose the way you want it served (fried/grilled/etc) Best dishes were the fried calamari And SCALLOPS (order pan seared!!!) Scalllops were so good!!! Least favorite was tiger shrimp and would not order again. Branzino was a bit bland. I wish we ordered it blackened instead of grilled with olive oil. Overall, you need to come and eat here. Only gripe is the seating space is very limited like max 20 people so plan accordingly!!! Much better than hamido seafood and will probably be our new go-to!
Came here to celebrate my birthday with my in-laws. We ordered a plethora of various seafood. You go inside choose which protein then tell them how to prepare it. It was the summer so sitting outside wasn't horrible. But a bit dodgy when a car is parking just inches from your back seat. The food however is amazing. Everything we ordered came out cooked to perfection. The spices are unique and flavorful.
Super tiny but mighty seafood place. The service was friendly and attentive. There's only a menu for the dips and I got one of the best babaganoushes I've ever had. For the seafood you go up to the counter, point at the onea you want, order it grilled, fried or baked and they do the rest. You order the seafood by weight (.5 lbs being the smallest you can order). The grilled scallops and calamari I got were top notch. The server told me next time I come back I must get the fried calamari.
You are seated and wait to get called to order. Fantastic concept where you pick your fish and they make it your style. If you want to try Egyptian blackened, try the branzino. Of note, there are lots of bones so be careful! The scallops came in half pounds of 8 pieces and were delicious. Overall, came out to $70 for fresh, plentiful seafood.
Cuisine: 9 Service: 7 Decor: 6 Value: 9 Overall: 9 If you have never had Egyptian seafood, then you need to get yourself to Astoria. The trinity of these types of restaurants are Sabry's, Abuqir Seafood, and Hamido Seafood. I have experienced all of them many times over the years because they are amazing. Now, after visiting all three again recently, it's time to finally review them. Abuqir Seafood is by far the smallest of the three major Egyptian seafood restaurants. The words "hole in the wall" applies to this wonderful little shop, only steps away from its competitor Sabry's. You are either insanely confident or incredibly stupid to open so close to a neighborhood staple for years. I'll tell you the secret, they make mouth watering seafood as good as it gets in NYC. They really do everything pretty well. From grilled to fried, hard to find many problems with the cooking. For me though, they shine the brightest with their version of tajine. No doubt for me that they have the best tajine of the trinity, with its intensified flavors of tomato enhanced by loads of shrimp and calamari. Another top item is their gigantic prawns, which are grilled perfectly, dripping with a delicious garlicky sauce full of sour notes of lemon juice and various spices. Their succulent jumbo scallops were super tender and fantastic too ... ... yum! Fried and grilled tiger shrimps are great, but skip the white shrimps. I would like a bit more char on the grilled octopus and calamari, but they tasted great regardless. The blacken bronzino was moist, but lacked some flavor. For starters, the Greek salad, eggplant moussaka, creamy baba ganhoush, and seafood soup were all awesome. What always bothered me is that their pita is somewhat stiff and firm, by far the worst of the tree competitors. It is super disappointing not to have something at least serviceable to sop up all the great dips and sauces. Servers are always friendly, but no free tap water, hence keep in mind that you must buy bottle water or other beverages. Fyi, bathroom is tiny. Despite a few small issues, I have never had a bad meal here. I had this ranked as my favorite of the three Egyptian seafood restaurants, but it has recently fallen to number two after recent visits. I just cannot overlook the quality of the pitas that's crucial to the dining experience. If they can improve this aspect, then Abuqir can climb back to the top of my rankings.
I would have been stressed if I came here for the first time not knowing how to order. It's very fast paced and short service. You pick your seafood then pick the method of cooking: butterflied, fried, blackened, grilled, grilled with garlic sauce? Still not sure what all the options were and I'm sure they vary depending on the seafood you select. Have peace in knowing that whatever you choose - it will be delicious!! We got the Blackened Bronzini (not gf) and Grilled Jumbo Shrimp in garlic. Also got the Eggplant-vinegar-garlic side with some complementary Pita and this was one of my favorite dinners on this trip. As a seafood fanatic, I will say both our dishes were 12/10. Garlicky, smokey, fresh, herby, spectacular. I have been deadset on recreating the eggplant side dish since tasting it here as well. Very no frills, eat on the sidewalk tables, hole in the wall, family owned type restaurant. I eat out for the food, and I go out to drink for the ambiance. Fortunately did no drinking here but the food was amazing! I will be back.
Scallops, octopus, branzino, 100/10 No frills kind of restaurant Didn't get to dine in but will be going back again
Stopped by Abuqir and got the scallops, fried calamari, tiger shrimp and baked bronzino and baba ganoush with pita. This shop is a no frills place and the service is fast. All the seafood were cooked well and delicious.
Came on a Saturday afternoon and while it wasn't fully packed, had to wait a bit before we were seated - I imagine to allow the staff enough time to prep existing tables food? Either way, we were allowed in after 10 min or so, placed our order, and sat down. Just like the last time I was here, the seafood tasted super fresh and I left satisfied. A bit on the pricey side, but I'd rather pay that to know I'm getting quality!
The best branzino!!! Lobster was ok Calamari super good and light and crispy Egg plant tomato sauce is very tomatoy Fair price and very lovely local seafood place
Food: The seafood is very fresh and delicious here! We ordered a whole grilled fish, scallops, and octopus as well as sides of rice, tahini, and bread. The scallops and octopus were pan seared in olive oil and seasoning, and everything was very tasty. The seafood is on the pricier side - the total for those three seafood entrees and the sides was $150, but the freshness of the seafood was well worth the price. I would recommend this restaurant if you love seafood. Service: Staff are friendly and welcoming. Be sure to order everything you want all at once because you are only allowed to order food one time at the beginning. Ambiance: The restaurant is very small with only a few tables, and space is very tight. There are two small tables outdoors in front. Coming here with a large group might be tricky, but I am sure they can accommodate if needed by rearranging tables. Overall, I would recommend this restaurant!
Been here a few times....you go to the counter and choose your seafood and they cook it rhe way you like ie grilled, fried...Seafood very fresh and prices reasonable.
FYI: Be prepared for sticker shock when the bill comes and it's $70 (2 half pound items, 2 sides, 1 water). Bring Cash! It's a few $ cheaper instead of CC. Bring your own water, they don't serve tap - but do have plastic dixie cups. Finally went to Abuquir for an early dinner (Thursday - Saturday is the best for dining out & seafood Bourdain said). FYI don't go around Ramadan, when the baklava / kadayif bakery is open, but all the other restaurants close early. This restaurant is similar to Astoria Seafood, Hamido, & Sabry's where you place your order at the seafood counter first (including sides & drink) and then sit. Study the menu online, because the sides menu isn't posted anywhere except for the laminated sheet that the fishmonger hands you, waiting for your decision. The restaurant has about 20 seats (tables for 2 or 4) & more set up on the sidewalk. I got: $30.00 1/2lb Scallops (8 pieces) $18.54 1/2lb Tiger Shrimp (grilled, 8 pieces) $6.99 Side of Beets $6.99 Side of Babaganoush $2.99 1 medium 20fl oz. Poland Spring Water I was 1 of 2 early diners at the restaurant & everything came out pretty fast. The small cut up beets were delicious! There were big chunks of garlic marinated with it. Not a huge fan of Babaganoush, but wanted to try this there and it was very creamy & good too (no real strong flavor, a healthy drizzle of olive oil on top). IDK if the sides have been this size pre-NYTimes, but they are extremely small (6" diameter plate) for $6.99. There is lots of olive oil drizzle on top of things, take note if you're limiting oil. The bread that came with it was either overcooked - or it might have been the typical style? It was EXTREMELY leathery & almost dark tan pita-cracker like. I ate it with the meal but got extremely tired of chewing. Not sure if you can ask for free refills of bread. A google search for "Egyptian bread" shows some decent Soft puffy pita. There was a case with drinks: soda, mango juice, mediterranean fruit juice, maybe beer? The seafood was VERY fresh. Scallops large, very Lightly seasoned with a reddish seasoning. Was just slightly underdone for me but still good. The Tiger Shrimp was Excellent & cooked perfectly. It comes sitting on top of a pool of oil and seasonings/parsley, but the flavor wasn't strong enough for me to make out. I'm not sure what Egyptian seasoning for seafood is or should taste like; it wasn't very noticeable on the items that I ordered. Seems like the freshness of all the dishes were the focus. Staff is nice & attentive. The owner was at the table next to me putting in weekend orders. Chatted with him about a new café on the block. A few solo diners come in casually & seemed familiar with the place. Glad I tried it, but probably wouldn't go back because of the price point. read more
4 months ago
Several friends mentioned that Abuqir served up some of the best food that they ever had in NYC, so naturally I had to give it a go during my visit. Upon arrival you're greeted with a small, no-frills restaurant that moves people in and out relatively efficiently. You start the process by moving to the front and picking out the fresh fish you'd like for your meal. The gentlemen up front will then weigh it out and ask you how you'd like it prepared. My group ended up grabbing calamari, octopus tentacles, scallops, and a whole fish. We also ordered some baba ghanoush and eggplant with tomato on the side. The scallops and octopus, both of which we ordered grilled, came out first and were excellent! The scallops were soft and buttery with great texture and flavor. The octopus was the star of the show with an excellent bite and texture and great flavor from the olive oil and garlic coating it. Our order of fried calamari was also super tasty. It seems like they sprinked a special spice blend over it to give it some extra kick. Our last fish course was a whole fish served Egyptian style with blackened seasoning. The skin of the fish was amazing. It had a citrusy/salty flavor that was followed by the freshness of the herbs stuffed inside the fish. Our sides were also great with the baba ghanoush being my favorite dip. I give Abuqir top marks for their food and service. The cooks were very helpful in assisting us with making our fish selections and everything was cooked to perfection. If you're looking for a nice seafood meal with a group of friends come give this spot a visit! read more
8 months ago
Came here for dinner in Astoria. We ordered babaganoush, half pound fried calamari, half pound pan seared scallops, half pound grilled tiger shrimp, grilled branzino When ordered you can order by the lb or half lb and choose the way you want it served (fried/grilled/etc) Best dishes were the fried calamari And SCALLOPS (order pan seared!!!) Scalllops were so good!!! Least favorite was tiger shrimp and would not order again. Branzino was a bit bland. I wish we ordered it blackened instead of grilled with olive oil. Overall, you need to come and eat here. Only gripe is the seating space is very limited like max 20 people so plan accordingly!!! Much better than hamido seafood and will probably be our new go-to! read more
8 months ago
Came here to celebrate my birthday with my in-laws. We ordered a plethora of various seafood. You go inside choose which protein then tell them how to prepare it. It was the summer so sitting outside wasn't horrible. But a bit dodgy when a car is parking just inches from your back seat. The food however is amazing. Everything we ordered came out cooked to perfection. The spices are unique and flavorful. read more
5 months ago
Super tiny but mighty seafood place. The service was friendly and attentive. There's only a menu for the dips and I got one of the best babaganoushes I've ever had. For the seafood you go up to the counter, point at the onea you want, order it grilled, fried or baked and they do the rest. You order the seafood by weight (.5 lbs being the smallest you can order). The grilled scallops and calamari I got were top notch. The server told me next time I come back I must get the fried calamari. read more
You are seated and wait to get called to order. Fantastic concept where you pick your fish and they make it your style. If you want to try Egyptian blackened, try the branzino. Of note, there are lots of bones so be careful! The scallops came in half pounds of 8 pieces and were delicious. Overall, came out to $70 for fresh, plentiful seafood. read more
6 months ago
Cuisine: 9 Service: 7 Decor: 6 Value: 9 Overall: 9 If you have never had Egyptian seafood, then you need to get yourself to Astoria. The trinity of these types of restaurants are Sabry's, Abuqir Seafood, and Hamido Seafood. I have experienced all of them many times over the years because they are amazing. Now, after visiting all three again recently, it's time to finally review them. Abuqir Seafood is by far the smallest of the three major Egyptian seafood restaurants. The words "hole in the wall" applies to this wonderful little shop, only steps away from its competitor Sabry's. You are either insanely confident or incredibly stupid to open so close to a neighborhood staple for years. I'll tell you the secret, they make mouth watering seafood as good as it gets in NYC. They really do everything pretty well. From grilled to fried, hard to find many problems with the cooking. For me though, they shine the brightest with their version of tajine. No doubt for me that they have the best tajine of the trinity, with its intensified flavors of tomato enhanced by loads of shrimp and calamari. Another top item is their gigantic prawns, which are grilled perfectly, dripping with a delicious garlicky sauce full of sour notes of lemon juice and various spices. Their succulent jumbo scallops were super tender and fantastic too ... ... yum! Fried and grilled tiger shrimps are great, but skip the white shrimps. I would like a bit more char on the grilled octopus and calamari, but they tasted great regardless. The blacken bronzino was moist, but lacked some flavor. For starters, the Greek salad, eggplant moussaka, creamy baba ganhoush, and seafood soup were all awesome. What always bothered me is that their pita is somewhat stiff and firm, by far the worst of the tree competitors. It is super disappointing not to have something at least serviceable to sop up all the great dips and sauces. Servers are always friendly, but no free tap water, hence keep in mind that you must buy bottle water or other beverages. Fyi, bathroom is tiny. Despite a few small issues, I have never had a bad meal here. I had this ranked as my favorite of the three Egyptian seafood restaurants, but it has recently fallen to number two after recent visits. I just cannot overlook the quality of the pitas that's crucial to the dining experience. If they can improve this aspect, then Abuqir can climb back to the top of my rankings. read more
I would have been stressed if I came here for the first time not knowing how to order. It's very fast paced and short service. You pick your seafood then pick the method of cooking: butterflied, fried, blackened, grilled, grilled with garlic sauce? Still not sure what all the options were and I'm sure they vary depending on the seafood you select. Have peace in knowing that whatever you choose - it will be delicious!! We got the Blackened Bronzini (not gf) and Grilled Jumbo Shrimp in garlic. Also got the Eggplant-vinegar-garlic side with some complementary Pita and this was one of my favorite dinners on this trip. As a seafood fanatic, I will say both our dishes were 12/10. Garlicky, smokey, fresh, herby, spectacular. I have been deadset on recreating the eggplant side dish since tasting it here as well. Very no frills, eat on the sidewalk tables, hole in the wall, family owned type restaurant. I eat out for the food, and I go out to drink for the ambiance. Fortunately did no drinking here but the food was amazing! I will be back. read more
7 months ago
Scallops, octopus, branzino, 100/10 No frills kind of restaurant Didn't get to dine in but will be going back again read more
8 months ago
Stopped by Abuqir and got the scallops, fried calamari, tiger shrimp and baked bronzino and baba ganoush with pita. This shop is a no frills place and the service is fast. All the seafood were cooked well and delicious. read more
1 year ago
Came on a Saturday afternoon and while it wasn't fully packed, had to wait a bit before we were seated - I imagine to allow the staff enough time to prep existing tables food? Either way, we were allowed in after 10 min or so, placed our order, and sat down. Just like the last time I was here, the seafood tasted super fresh and I left satisfied. A bit on the pricey side, but I'd rather pay that to know I'm getting quality! read more
6 months ago
The best branzino!!! Lobster was ok Calamari super good and light and crispy Egg plant tomato sauce is very tomatoy Fair price and very lovely local seafood place read more
Food: The seafood is very fresh and delicious here! We ordered a whole grilled fish, scallops, and octopus as well as sides of rice, tahini, and bread. The scallops and octopus were pan seared in olive oil and seasoning, and everything was very tasty. The seafood is on the pricier side - the total for those three seafood entrees and the sides was $150, but the freshness of the seafood was well worth the price. I would recommend this restaurant if you love seafood. Service: Staff are friendly and welcoming. Be sure to order everything you want all at once because you are only allowed to order food one time at the beginning. Ambiance: The restaurant is very small with only a few tables, and space is very tight. There are two small tables outdoors in front. Coming here with a large group might be tricky, but I am sure they can accommodate if needed by rearranging tables. Overall, I would recommend this restaurant! read more
3 months ago
Been here a few times....you go to the counter and choose your seafood and they cook it rhe way you like ie grilled, fried...Seafood very fresh and prices reasonable. read more
Tiny store, we got outdoor seats on a sunny day which was nice. No alcohol in the area due to religion. The stars- Octopus, Dorade, Scallop. Although the octopus is quite expensive. Shrimp were good but not wow. Fried Calamari was the least fav. Regardless it was a DELICIOUS fresh seafood meal! read more
I loved my experience here! Everything was seasoned so so well and tasted so fresh. The must order items were the octopus and the striped bass but I genuinely enjoyed every bite. Would be a great spot to go to with a group so you can try more of the menu. Was stuffed by the end of the meal and had some leftovers as well read more
Excellent selection of fresh seafood. This is the place offering a good deal to letting you pay for the ingredients and the care of cooking! Very fair priced if you consider your cost in that way. Pick your own fish or other seafood with the quantity you like and the chefs will cook them right by the counter with the style you prefer. I personally recommend to try the egyptian blackened seasoning for your choice of ingredients! Plus the neighborhood is by a few cute bakeries where you can easily get a great home made baklawa after your seafood meal! read more
We finally made it to Abuqir Seafood after having it on our radar for awhile, and I'm really glad that we did. As many others have mentioned, this is the spot for incredibly fresh seafood that you pick from an enticing display, and then is spiced and expertly cooked pretty much in front of you. The restaurant is tiny, but lively and fun, and the service was noteworthy. Once seated, you are instructed to go to the counter and select what you're eating. They are happy to assist you in terms of type and weight of what you are choosing. Prices were better than similar spots, and the freshness would be tough to beat. Scallops, black tail shrimp, salad and rice were a perfect sampler for a late lunch. Everything was delicious. Next time we're here, we'll order whole fish (probably several) and octopus because we're not going to stop until we've tried everything offered. Abuqir gets the elusive five stars, and a guaranteed return from me. Fantastic and worth coming to from wherever you are. read more
A lively atmosphere, friendly atmosphere, and most importantly amazing food are what make Abuqir an A+ option every visit. The tagine is stellar and a must for sharing, the scallops here are always done perfectly, and I don't think I've ever visited and skipped the prawns, but ultimately this an opportunity to choose your adventure and whatever seafood and style you choose, there are very few bad options. Besides the obvious stars of the show, the seafood, and the side dishes make for a great supporting cast and the eggplant here is one of my favorite things on the menu. One of my absolute favorite places to take visitors to New York and they've never disappointed. The best of the best! read more
1 year ago
Excellent! Reminded me of a favorite seafood place in Granada and eating fresh from the fishers in the Philippine islands! Service was very warm, attentive, and welcoming. Vibes fun and casual and even familial. We had the scallops grilled, shrimp grilled, squid fried, and red snapper fried. All was cooked to perfection. Much props to the snapper fryer. Not greasy at all. Flavor was all there. Quality of seafood was impeccable and fresh overall. We also had the spicy eggplant dip, the rice, and the house salad which were also great. The pita low key one of the best. read more
Surprisingly there was no wait on a Saturday for dinner (esp given how small this place was), but I guess it was really cold that day and Astoria is quite the trek from Manhattan. This no-frills spot serves fresh seafood that you pick for yourself at the counter, prepared with simple but delicious cooking methods! The prices are not bad at all for fresh seafood. We ordered scallops, calamari, a whole fried fish, and a salad (gotta eat your veggies) to split between two. Initially, I was thinking that we would definitely have leftovers, but it was so good that we finished everything. Service was also super friendly and they were patient with answering our questions. read more
One of the good pick your fish and cook your Mediterranean restaurants in the area. Highly recommends getting a dip, salad and calamari (grill) start. The scallops are fresh and toasty, and the grilled Bronzino was well seasoned without being too salty. I've eaten at the restaurant twice and took out once. I would recommend to others and bring a tourist if they want experience this type of food. read more
1 year ago
Order 1/2 minimum of any seafood. They cook it for you with their choice of seasonings. They know which seafoods should be fried or grilled. Avocado salad was delicious. Fish is super fresh, inside is clean and cool and doesn't smell like seafood. They line each table with a clean piece of butcher paper and have quick service for seating and the food comes out quickly . Amazing. Scallops are buttery. The grilled octopus wasn't my favorite. read more
Not going to lie, I was a bit surprised by just how delicious the seafood is at Abuqir. I've never had Egyptian seafood before but I'm already planning my next visit. The concept is fairly simple, you sit down, you look at the seafood they have, and you tell them which ones to cook. You can tell them how you'd like it cooked, though I just took their recommendations. You then have the opportunity to order sides to go along with the seafood. To put it short, everything was delicious and cooked perfectly. The seasoning they used was great and paired well with the seafood. The baba ganoush, Mediterranean salad, and other sides were great as well. Abuqir is fairly no frills, but the cooking has a lot of depth. Please do yourself a favor and stop by when you're hanging out on Steinway Street. read more
Food The food were amazing. You pick the seafood for them to cook. I really don't think there were any bad dishes at all. My favorite is the scallop. Service Thats why I had to deduct 1 point off. They were very rushed. It reminds me Seinfeld episode of the soup nazi. You have to be ready. The owner told us that you can only pick 1 time, meaning you can't order it again, so you guys better know what you order ahead of time. Another thing is that the menu/pricing is on the wall. I can barely see it since I was so focused on the fish. It said on the bottom of the menu that you have to order 1 whole fish, or least 0.5 lb of seafood per item. He also told me this when he asked how many shrimp I wanted. I had said "10 shrimp, 2 per person", which he said "no, at least 0.5lb." He will keep saying, anything else..like rush you to finish your order Newbie like me definitely was struggling to order. Then at the end, i had to wait 10 minutes for my check. You can see the owner a bit stress out when he slam the dishes that blocked his ordering machine. Ambiance Nice set up, couple of tables outside. There were like 10 tables inside as well. It wasnt packed when we walked in, but the staff still made us wait like a waiting in line at night club. We sat inside so we can also observed what other people order as well. I will definitely be back to try some other fish. Hopefully, I won't struggle to order again. read more
But for the owner/ manager, this would have been 5 stars! The owner's behavior should have dropped the place down to 2 stars.. But the fact is the food is great! We were a big party, 13 people. You can't make a reservation, and so we had to go and hope to be seated.. it took a while, and they moved some other people to accommodate us, which was very nice. We had to be seated outside, so some people got a little baked. They don't have tap water, and they don't serve alcohol, and you're not allowed to bring alcohol. They don't have fresh lemonade which is expected from an Egyptian seafood restaurant. But don't sleep on the mango juice! It's literally fresh blended mangoes. Absolutely delicious. But know that is it thick! As a self proclaimed expert on Egyptian seafood, my advise is to come in a large group and order almost 1 of everything. That way, you can try all of different styles of fish. The octopus was grilled to perfection; the calamari and the shrimp were perfectly cooked. The winner for me were the fried barbooni fish... it was crispy, yet juicy, full of flavor.. The grilled baranzino with the cornmeal was good, but not super flavorful.. it was a good, basic fish. The baked red snapper was delicious. The other real star was the striped bass baked with veggies. All the fish were cooked perfectly. As for the appetizers/ salads, the herring salad was surprisingly good. I've never had it before. It was creamy, with diced veggies and had a little kick, I would recommend it. The 2 different eggplant dishes were both really good. I did not like the babaganoush at all.. but my friends did. The beets were nothing special, and the tahini was a solid basic that you need with all the seafood. The fisherman's rice was decent too. So, after getting seated, you go inside and order your main seafood dishes. This is where the owner was a complete jerk... as I was looking and selecting the fish, he basically told me that I don't know what I'm doing. Then he sarcastically asked if i go into the kitchen of every restaurant and and select what I want cooked...I asked him, if that wasn't the point in his restaurant, with the fish on display to choose from. His response was a snicker. Then he repeated about 4 times that I'd better order all I want now, because I won't be allowed to order any more later. I asked after I'd made my selection if he thought that was enough for 13 people, and all he said was I should know that I won't be able to order more later... he was not remotely helpful.. and his comments were truly unnecessary. He got into an argument with another person, who left before she was even seated. He yelled at the staff on our presence. Honestly, if i want there with such a big group, i would have left and gone somewhere else. The wait staff were friendly, helpful and polite... I'm really not sure if I'll go back just because of the owner/ manager... is a real shame because the food was epic. read more
This place is truly an unique experience. When you walk in, you are directed to be seated at your spot but you have to go up to the front counter with fresh seafood on display to make your order. What you see is what is available for the day. The process can be confusing as the instructions aren't written anywhere and this place seems to always be busy. The seafood aren't labeled nor priced so you will have to ask the staff how much everything is when making decision on your selection. They also ask you how much as well and how you like it prepared. You better be prepared before going up to the counter because you can only put in your order once per table. (I think this is to encourage faster dining experience since their seating space can't accommodate many?). Food: 10/10 The food was amazing! The seafood tasted so fresh and was packed with flavor. We love the seasoning mix they used for the octopus. Our table saved it and used it to dipped the other seafood we ordered. I highly encourage coming with a group of 4 so you can try all the different seafood family style. We also got scallops, fried calamari, fish, seafood stew, shrimp and a side of hummus, rice, and eggplant. They also provide complimentary pita bread. It's a seafood paradise! Ambiance: 6/10 The seating areas were crowded and limited but that's because it's a small restaurant. However, I did not like how chaotic it felt seated inside as people are constantly getting up to place their order and the waiter was so busy delivering to multiple tables. I would recommend sitting outside for more peace if the weather is nice. Service: 6/10 This place was so busy during dinner time. It was difficult to get the waiter's attention at times. They also did not explain their menu well. We were constantly confused on what items are available to order as sides (the dips, rice, etc.) and how much or whether we would be charged for it or not. I don't like how not transparent this place is on their price. It would be so helpful if they created a brochure or menu describing their system. They probably have a high number of old and returning customers - but some descriptions would be nice for the new customers. The octopus was one of the best bite of octopus I had. Even with the chaotic dining experience, I still find this place worth making a trip just to eat here. We have been informing all our friends about this place and can't wait to come back again. read more
The food was good overall, but I wish there had been more variety in the sauces, they all tasted pretty similar. Some dishes were a bit too salty, and the fish was unfortunately overcooked. On the upside, the fried calamari was great, especially with a squeeze of extra lemon. My favorite was the salad and pita with eggplant and tomato it was full of flavor and really well balanced. Prices were a bit higher than I expected, so keep in mind that it's charged by the pound. read more
2 years ago
Hands down one of my favorite seafood restaurants in Queens. The seafood is fresh, well prepared and seasoned, and decently priced. Once you get into the restaurant, at the back, there's a whole section of seafood that you can pick and choose how to cook it. We mostly chose grilled. We got: - shrimp (5/5) garlicky and juicy, a must get! - scallop (4/5) love the taste, good but nothing too surprising - fish (5/5) delicious! - fried calamari (4/5) crispy on the outside and tender in the inside read more
1 year ago
(3.5/5) I would go here just for the scallops and the garlic eggplant. The seafood was good, not great. I think there's other options in the neighborhood w better seafood but I was happy to try Egyptian seafood. Maybe it's my fault for eating the black part on the Egyptian style fish (apparently ur supposed to only eat the inside lolllllllzzzz). It was a cool experience to see the fish in front of me and pick it but you can also get that experience at astoria seafood (which also doesn't have the best seafood in the neighborhood, but has more options). The overhead lighting gives the place a very casual feel. read more
2 years ago
I came here at the end of summer with my husband and son for a seafood night - and wow what a phenomenal hole in the wall!! When you walk in, they have a variety of seafood on ice - we ordered a whole branzino (blackened), shrimp (with garlic and lemon), and calamari (fried), along with their rice and dips. We did not have a single bad bite!!! The food was so incredible and so fresh - you can tell the quality of the food was very high. I felt like I was in Europe! I removed a point because the bathroom was absolutely filthy and the wait staff was not the most attentive - I'd definitely come back for the food though, maybe takeout! read more
The seafood here is so fresh and the seasoning they use is delicious! The only reason I'm knocking off a star is because it can be quite pricey, but you do get what you pay for on quality. You start by going to the fresh seafood counter and picking out what you want and how you want it cooked. Then you get seated at one of their few tables since the space is pretty small and casual. Aside from the seafood, make sure you also order their Egyptian rice - it's so flavorful with seasonings. The food also came out so fast. My group of 5 was done eating within 45 min of sitting down! read more
first off -- amazing service!!! they made for us even moving parties around their restaurant for our party. highly appreciate their hospitality and customer care. a small restaurant but they will fit you in! next, the food... immaculate. every single thing we got! highly recommend the fried calamari and shrimp!!!!! the pasta was also sooo good. the seafood is SO fresh and flavorful without being too salty. chefs kiss! get your fresh seafood here! read more
We came on a Saturday night and waited a little over an hour for a table for 4. The restaurant is very small so I wouldn't come here with a huge group unless you are willing to sit outside. Similar to other places, you pick the type of protein you want and how you want it cooked. I liked how the person behind the counter handled all of the protein so you don't have to touch the protein yourself. You only have one chance to order what you want, so make sure you get everything you want to try when you are at the counter. Ordering is a little chaotic since it's a small restaurant and they are trying to churn out orders fast. I don't think I saw a list of the different ways you could choose to prepare your protein, so that would have been nice to see the different options available. We got the following items: 1. Scallops - this was fine; we got it grilled. I didn't think anything was outstanding about this compared to other restaurants. 2. Octopus - this was sooo good. We also got this grilled. The flavor was very fresh and the octopus wasn't too chewy. I wish we got 2 instead of just one. 3. Shrimp - this was also really good. We got this grilled as well. It was very flavorful. They don't use butter here but they use olive oil instead, which adds a nice flavor without being too heavy. 4. Branzino - we got this blackened. I'm not the biggest fan of cooked fish because of the small bones, but the fish was tender. 5. Calamari - we got this fried. You can't really wrong with calamari - the seasoning they add on top was really good. This was the favorite of the night. 6. Clams - we got these steamed. These were our least favorite of the night. They didn't really clean it well so there was some sandy texture. I would come back during off peak hours but I'm not sure if it's worth the wait during peak hours since it's not a novel concept in the area. They do have quick service once you are seated, so it's a solid option if you are craving seafood and come when there's no huge lines. read more
Super fresh Egyptian seafood restaurant in Astoria! They don't have a menu- you just go up to the counter, choose the seafood and tell them how you want it cooked (fried, grilled, blackened). The price is based on weight. Very fair pricing. It's a small restaurant with outdoor seating. There was no wait on a weeknight. Would come back here for my next seafood craving! read more
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More info about Abuqir Seafood
24-19 Steinway St
Astoria, NY 11103
Astoria
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(718) 274-3474
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http://www.abuqirseafoodqueens.com
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Ask the Community - Abuqir Seafood
Do they accept credit cards?
Yes I was there back in December and they were definitely accepting credit cards.
Are they BYOB? Edit: They don't allow BYOB or serve alcohol but the food is excellent?
No alcohol
Is there a bathroom for customers?
Yes it's at the back of the kitchen. It's very small but you can use it. Just ask the waiter
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Abuqir Seafood - mediterranean - Updated October 2026
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