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    Al Badawi

    4.0 (148 reviews)
    Open 10:30 am - 10:00 pm

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    Fattat jaj!! Very good
    Annie B.

    Food/drinks: delicious!!!! And very pretty Favorites were the cold appetizer tray with the dips (bread came out warm and delicious) + layered chicken dish Atmosphere: loud but sooo lively! I had so much fun eating here with a large group! They also do birthdays the best and at happy birthday from the speaker! Service: very busy when we went so service was just okay! Price: seems expensive at first but it's actually to match the portion! Most dishes are huge and meant for sharing!!

    Hummus
    Melody M.

    Great Palestinian spot with helpful service and lively ambiance. Food offers many different options for all interests, overall meat heavy (which we loved). We got 4 dishes to share with 4 people. We had bigger eyes than stomachs because we couldn't finish and took leftovers home. The only downside to the food was that the meat was fried/ cooked too hard in the Fattat Lahma and felt hard to bite through. I think it's because we came late and maybe the food had been cooked longer? Not sure. Nonetheless, all the other dishes, pistachio flatbread, chicken kebab and hummus were great. We brought our own wine and the restaurant provided us with glasses. Great service and food.

    Muhammara
    Austin K.

    Started with the muhammara and this version wasn't to my taste, a bit too heavy. Their complimentary pita bread was hot and pillows. The main dishes were great. The mansef and lamb ouzi were both good, although I liked the mansef flavor more while the ouzi has a roasted texture that is more familiar. The ouzi could be a bit too aromatic strangely. They also gave us complimentary pistachio baklava that was warm and a perfect level of sweetness! I wish it was crispier but I loved the nuttiness. The menu is almost the same as ayat.

    Mezze Filistini and Wara Dawali with warm Pita Bread
    Shantal H.

    My husband, cousin, and I came here on a Saturday evening. My cousin has been itching to go for a while, so we booked a reservation on the Resy app. The restaurant is on the corner of 89th and 2nd Ave in the UES. It was packed at 8:40pm, which gave me confidence that we were going to have a great meal! For starters, we ordered the Mezze Filistini, which is a mixed platter of hummus and other dips. Delicious!!! We also ordered the Wara Diwali, which are the stuffed grape leaves. Also very tasty. We unfortunately did not realize the portions were going to be so huge before ordering entrees, nor did we think about it being family style sharing. We should have ordered 1 MAYBE 2 entrees at most. Instead, we each got something: my cousin got the mixed Shawarma and cheese flatbread, I got the branzino fish platter, and my husband got the lamb chops. My branzino was just OK. It didn't look like the pictures and it needed more lemon and salt to cut the fishy taste. The rice and pickled veggies served with it were good. The other two entrees were amazing. I think if we had gotten a flatbread and maybe one of the meat dishes, I would have been happier. Still had a nice time and would go back. Oh and btw- it is BYOB, so make sure you bring your wine bottles. We ended up buying a bottle at a small store next door and the price was double than normal!

    mocktails $12 each
    Elena W.

    I saw an influencer make a video about this restaurant and so I came to try it recently. My boyfriend and I were at the restaurant at 7PM waiting for one of our other friends to join us (we were early for our 7:15 reservation). We had checked in with the restaurant and since it was so busy inside, I opted to wait outside and just read the other Yelp reviews about this place. I noticed a couple reviews that spoke about subpar service. I was thinking oof, sure hope this doesn't happen to me. I jinxed it lol My friend finally arrived at 7:15 so I told the staff that we our party was all here. They said they were still getting our table ready and that they would find us when it's time for us to be seated. We waited outside the restaurant for a while and I checked in with the staff again to see what was taking so long. I couldn't find the original guy that I was talking to, so I talked to a different staff member. He asked me if I had a reservation, to which I responded yes, he asked me what time, I said 7:15 (it was 7:40 when I was talking with him), he looked at his watch and told me that I'm too late and that they wouldn't be able to seat us. I was like...I've been here since 7 dude........ A woman staff member overheard this exchange and had seen that I had been waiting for a while and she apologized to me on his behalf. I really should have just left the restaurant since they don't charge for missed reservations but whatever they finally had a table for us. Pretty much everyone gets the Mezze Filistini app that comes with free pita. This place doesn't serve alcohol, which isn't a problem for me since I prefer to get mocktails anyway. I got the lamb kebab mashawy as my main entree and...omg...the lamb was mad overcooked like hard as a rock. I let my boyfriend and my other friend try the lamb and we all agreed it was so bad. Basically inedible due to how tough the meat was. They both got chicken mashawies and at least theirs was not overcooked. Overall unpleasant experience from the rude staff and mid food, also for pretty high prices. I will not be coming back and would not recommend this restaurant. I'm giving 2 stars instead of 1 because I think it could have been worse, it's just a little better than very bad imo

    Fattat Jaj
    Vanessa T.

    Met my friend for dinner which turned out to be a great 3 hour experience This lovely restaurant is a BYOB and we brought two bottles of wine along with the amazing food we ate! The hummus was delicious! And I loved our platter unfortunately I am not sure how to pronounce it fully. We enjoyed the food and were enjoying our wine all to ourselves. The service staff were attentive but also spacious and I hope to be back again soon! The server who sat me in the beginning did mention he HIGHLY recommended making a reservation on the weekends due to the high volume of people dining in!

    Dolonchapa C.

    What an amazing place! I got a reservation a few days back through Resy. But they were full and highly recommend a reservation. Service is fast and efficient. Couldn't recommend this place more! FYI credit card payments incur a service charge of 4% I had seen the portion sizes from a food influencer before so knew to order the right amount. Their portions are huge so don't be fooled :) They started us off with some complimentary pita (flatbread?) with some olives, olive oil and zaatar. That bread was soft and impeccably made. You see they making the bread actually through their semi open kitchen We also ordered the meat triangle thing called Ikras Lahma - it's just the one piece but that's a big triangle. Only small thing - it would be the perfect dish if it came with like a yogurt based. Cooling sauce. The meat was warm and aromatic enveloped in that warm hug of a bread. Was missing something yogurt-y I guess. But their pickled veg was a great idea too We got the cheese and mixed shawarma flatbread. Had one piece each then boxed the four others. It was the same delicious bread loaded woth cheeses and their beauti Ft Tully shawarma meat (beef and chicken). Beware it's a full sized pizza type thing We shared the mansaf as well - this was a gigantic lamb shank made with subtle but punchy (yeah I know) spices. It was understated but overwhelming - I know I'm saying mixed tings but it was a beautiful l dish. It comes on a bed of saffron rice on a thin piece of flatbread similar to the Indian roomali roti) and with a side of a yogurt peppery sauce, highly recommend this dish but we had to box some of the meat too. Finally we ended our meal with the cardamom coffee which gets served in beautiful cups. Think cardamom (not the artificial flavor crap) in Turkish or Bosnian coffee Finally finally we couldn't resist or wrong the Knafa as it's my favorite dessert and it was amazing too. Huge portion again so order wisely. I have had better kunefes but this was pretty damn good too!

    Forum S.

    I was really excited to try this new local spot but was sadly disappointed. Service: Our server was really rude. He made us feel like we were wasting his time just because we didn't know what we wanted to eat within the first 2 minutes of being seated. When we did order, he gave us a hard time about the amount of food we had ordered. They rarely gave back to fill our water glasses even after we asked multiple times. I haven't had such rude service in a really long time. Food: The food felt average at best. Everything felt underseasoned and their bread was slightly raw (see picture). I really liked the concept of their Mezzo platter - we got so many different things and I thought it would have been fun to try it all. Unfortunately, most of the items were disappointing. Price: I think for the quality of service and food, everything felt overpriced. Ambiance: They have nice outdoor seating and inside feels like a small intimate set up.

    Free bread
    Glenn C.

    I went here months ago with a group having been both to their other location in Cobble Hill/Downtown Brooklyn right by me as well as their original spot Ayat. This was the first location where I could see the shrinkflation but that appears to be the same in all locations now unfortunately. I partially prefer the design of their Cobble Hill location but it still looks nice. The staff was fine like the other spot though it took longer to get things here. As per the other place, they give you bread along with olive oil (with olives) as well as za'atar. It's always tasty regardless of spot. The best thing here and still the most recommended by a mile would be the Mezze Filistini consisting of a platter of hummus, baba ghanoush, muhammarah, tabbouleh, salata tahuna & labneh. The portion has shrunk but it's still excellent with particularly good muhammarah/muhamarra and baba among other things. The Zahir Ma Laban or fried cauliflower on tahini with pomegranate molasses is also a tasty appetizer. The cauliflower was well roasted as per the other spots with enough molasses for some sourness and sweetness and some richness from the tahini. For main dishes, the Ouzi Lamb with traditional rice, minced meat, peas, carrots, onions, herbs & spices made with generous sized pieces of succulent chunks of roasted lamb and garnished with fresh parsley and roasted slivered almonds is definitely a lot smaller than it is used to be. The flavor is still outstanding and the lamb is perfectly cooked but it's harder to recommend. The Fattat Jaj with 6 layer dish of chicken, rice, chickpeas, garlic tahini, crispy pita, slivered almonds, & mint is also solid. Also tasty from the larger platters are the Maklouba or Msakhan which are other traditional Palestinian chicken dishes. if you want a meat platter, the Beef or Mix Shawarma is a better choice than the kabobs which tend to be a bit dry. The platters come with rice., lettuce, and pickles are solid. The Kefta/Kufta is also pretty solid though a bit dry for the price point. We also had Kanafe for dessert. This was a very solid version without too much sweetness compared to other spots and plenty of pistachios. I would recommend this as well. I'd still recommend this spot heavily even with the smaller portion sizes. The flavors are overall excellent though I'd stick with the mezze as noted as well as the larger plates than the kebabs you'd try in other similar Levant spots. Upper 3/low 4.

    Peta W.

    I loved the outside seating with sun beaming. Initially popped in for brunch and chose a seat outdoors. Immediately got menus but no one came around for 15 mins to take our orders. We decided to not just walk out on the table. My parter flagged her down and she finally came over. We decided only to get a latte and mint tea and not stay for food. Personally I didn't think I'll go back. Ambiance/ view won with lively crowd, inattentive service, mediocre latte.

    Kefta Kebab
    Lauren B.

    The food was pretty good, I've had better Palestinian/middle eastern. I ordered the beef kefta kebab platter, and sampled the dip sampler platter, pita bread, and the chicken shawarma plate. The meat was a bit dry and tough (both the beef and chicken). The flavor was good but a bit lackluster. The dip sampler was probably my favorite. The pita bread was yummy. Service was interesting, it might have been our server's first day.

    Lamb Shank
    Melissa S.

    Great ambience paired with truly top-notch ingredients -- and let's talk about that olive oil... OMG. Authentic Palestinian cuisine done right, with stellar service to match (shout-out to Bertin, the manager, for making the experience even better). The lamb shank was solid and comforting, but whatever you do, don't skip the pistachio cheese flatbread -- it's the kind of dish you keep thinking about long after the meal is over.

    issa vibe
    Jenny L.

    Great food all around with interior vibes being laid back. The food was delicious. Muhammara was on point. The salmon kabob plate could be shared with 2-3 people if you're ordering appetizers. Hummus and insalata were honestly just okay, and I might not order the mezze again because the yogurt/labneh, baba, and muhammara were the stand outs. The desserts were pretty good, the baklava being the favorite. I think service could be a little better. Meaning the waitress could have been friendly and acknowledge us, but I think the gentleman working the night we came who was the general manager, he was very accomodating and a 10/10 professional picking up the slack and asking if we needed anything. Great service.

    Chicken flatbread

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    Food was good. But it did not knock me socks off. Was expensive too. I understand it's family style but it still felt pricey.

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    Ayat

    Ayat

    3.9
    (44 reviews)
    1.7 mi

    Been wanting to visit an Ayat location for some time now. Went with a party of 4. Traveled from…read moreManhattan. The food was great here. The Mansaf was phenomenal. The lamb dish was also great. The mixed grill and hummus too. Interior is inspiring, including rows of olive oil, the giant olive tree. Beautiful artwork. the gentleman wearing the Mexico jersey was very kind and took our order correctly, checked on us at accurate times. Might not return to this location but will try Ayat in different areas. I wish them all the success here.

    Delicious Palestinian food! This was my first time at this restaurant and I was not disappointed!…read moreThe staff is very kind, the place is very cute, and the food is great! Not to mention that you get a lot of food! My friend and I started off with the hummus, which was accompanied with some pita. I have no complaints- it was delicious! I would love to try the red pepper one next time! My friend ordered the watermelon salad for lunch which looked absolutely delicious as you can see in the pictures- the perfect dish for a hot summer day. I ordered the mixed platter that came with a salad, rice, different kinds of meats. I loved that I got to try a variety- I honestly couldn't pick a favorite because I enjoyed all of it. My dish was so big that I even had leftovers for dinner and lunch the next day. If you're looking for somewhere to eat in Astoria I definitely recommend this restaurant! My only complaint is that it was hot inside the restaurant. Not sure if their HVAC wasn't working that day but the warmth was not pleasant on a summer hot day.

    Photos
    Ayat
    Even my dog didn't want to eat it
    Even my dog didn't want to eat it
    Salata Filistini Salad $9 (very small serving; comes with fresh pita)

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    Salata Filistini Salad $9 (very small serving; comes with fresh pita)
    Duzan

    Duzan

    4.1
    (806 reviews)
    2.2 mi
    $$

    Duzan is a certified spot in Astoria. It is one of those places you can rely on for consistently…read moregood food without overthinking it. The portions are huge, everything is packed with flavor, and the quality stands out compared to your typical food truck. It is very no-frills, but that is part of the appeal. You are leaving full and satisfied every time. If you are torn on where to go and want something casual, this is an easy choice.

    Cuisine: 7 Service: 6…read moreDecor: 5 Value: 8 Overall: 7 With all the delicious options for food in Astoria, I am glad to see Duzan still succeeding after all these years. The food has always been freshly prepared, in large portions, and cooked quite well. I'm thankful that has not changed much. On my most recent visit, we got a Mix Grilled and Vegetarian Plate to share between four people. There was so much food that we did not have dessert next door as originally planned. Prices are higher nowadays, but you are receiving great value for what you pay. Both chicken shawarma and the beef kufta from the Mix Grilled tasted great, especially with the provided zesty white sauce. I also added hot sauce to mine, which made it more satisfying. The chicken kebab was not bad, it had a nice char, but slightly dry. All of the accompanying humus (a bit salty), salad, rice, and garlic pita were excellent too. For the Vegetarian Plate, though good, I would like the falafels to be fluffier. The best things I enjoyed on the plate was the fried eggplants and baba ghanosh. It also comes with cous cous, which was good. Fresh middle eastern cuisine, made with quality ingredients and care, this restaurant may not be my first choice in Astoria because it's not as sexy as some of the other offerings, but I'm glad that they are still around when I just want a quality meal at a reasonable price.

    Photos
    Order area, few tables to sit.... Will they ever finish their reno?
    Order area, few tables to sit.... Will they ever finish their reno?
    Chicken Shawarma Bowl
    Chicken Shawarma Bowl
    Tabouleh Salad

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    Tabouleh Salad
    Levant

    Levant

    4.6
    (57 reviews)
    2.2 mi

    Came for lunch on a Sunday and there was no wait for a table. You order at the counter then sit…read more Mixed feteer was incredible - so flaky and good and we had a ton of leftovers. I also liked the Fattoush salad, though it was very wet/vinegary so couldn't eat too much of it. Highly recommend for amazing feteer!

    Even though we ordered delivery through DoorDash, Levant completely lived up to its stellar…read morereputation! We ordered the Mixed Fateer, and it was easily the highlight of the meal. It's kind of like a middle eastern quesadilla with cheese, vegetables, and meat but with a thinner bread layer that's crispy. The portion size of this was enormous--I'd honestly say it's enough for 5-6 people to share. Between the two of us, it stretched into 6-8 meals, and it reheated exceptionally well in the air fryer without losing its texture or flavor. We also ordered the beef shawarma platter and the chicken shawarma wrap (which was only around $13). I was pleasantly surprised by the chicken shawarma--it was flavorful, well-seasoned, and not overly dense or dry like shawarma can sometimes be. It ended up being one of the better wraps we've had! If you're debating whether this place travels well for delivery, I'd confidently say yes. The food maintained its quality remarkably well, which isn't always the case with Mediterranean food. That said, after this experience, I'm even more excited to visit the restaurant in person one day. One thing to keep in mind: the portions are generous and many of the dishes are quite hearty. If you're trying to eat lighter or are watching your calories, I'd recommend opting for one of their salads, like the fattoush, alongside your meal. Highly recommended whether you're ordering through DoorDash or dining in. We'll definitely be ordering again--and making a trip to Astoria to experience it fresh from the kitchen.

    Photos
    Beautiful Lighting!
    Beautiful Lighting!
    Lotus Feteer. $23. Not too sweet even with the biscoff and powdered sugar. Excellent
    Lotus Feteer. $23. Not too sweet even with the biscoff and powdered sugar. Excellent
    Levant

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    Abuqir Seafood

    Abuqir Seafood

    4.5
    (401 reviews)
    2.2 mi
    $$

    My wife and i tried several items…read more 5 stars: tajin seafood stew, rice 4 stars: whole fish, baba ghanoush, eggplant Overall i thought very high quality at reasonable prices. The biggest challenge depending on time of day is parking.

    FYI: Be prepared for sticker shock when the bill comes and it's $70 (2 half pound items, 2 sides, 1…read morewater). 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.

    Photos
    Abuqir Seafood
    Black Tiger Shrimp (~$13): grilled
    Black Tiger Shrimp (~$13): grilled
    Calamari

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    Calamari

    Al Badawi - mideastern - Updated August 2026

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