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    Ayat

    4.0 (94 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

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    Chicken and beef shawarma plate
    Doris J.

    First time at a Palestinian restaurant. The flavors are different but similar to Mediterranean food. We ordered a chicken and red Shaw platter and it was great' the pickle is different than your American deli pickle as it is less crunchy and more pickled pepper like. It was tasty. The hot mint tea came in little decorative tea pot and two little cups. I was told that is how it is served in Turkey.. it was refreshing and the service is decent. The restaurant has mirrored walls so it appears bigger than it is. I'd go back again.

    Chicken Shawarma Platter
    Stania C.

    Came here for a girls dinner with my sister and a friend of ours. When trying to locate this restaurant we had some trouble because when you look up Ayat Princeton on Apple Maps it doesn't come up for what ever reason but eventually we did locate it. When looking up the restaurant make sure to search the address and not the restaurant name on Apple Maps. The restaurant was pretty busy for 8 PM. But luckily, we got seated fairly fast. I ordered the chicken shawarma platter and we shared the mezze filistini appetizer. Our food came out pretty fast which was nice but my chicken shawarma platter wasn't hot. I don't think the food is made to order just because of how fast it came out. I think most of the food may be pre cooked. I overall enjoyed my food. The chicken shawarma was good but the chicken was a little dry. As for the mezze filistini platter I would say I enjoyed some of the dips more than others. As for the service I would say they were friendly. Would I go back? Maybe

    Oven baked lamb shank with spiced rice encased with pita bread, pizza, and 2 flavors of chicken over rice, yummy.  will come back again.
    John N.

    Great food, service. Celebrated my daughter's birthday and Chinese new year's. We will come back again.

    Zahir
    Kebby B.

    This cozy spot near Princeton University serves mouthwatering Middle Eastern cuisine. I tried the Mixed Grill Mashawy and Mansaf. The Mashawy was awesome, offering a variety of juicy kebabs, especially the chicken ones. However, the Mansaf's portion was excessively large, requiring two people to chip in to finish it. I suggest the owners consider adding portion sizes to the menu to better inform guests. While the waiters were friendly, they lacked knowledge of the menu and failed to warn us about the generous portions. Despite these minor issues, this place is worth a visit for its delicious food.

    Fattat Jaj, Malfouf
    Madison C.

    Absolutely delicious. Highly recommend the malfouf, and the fattat jaj. I always come here to share plates with friends and appreciate how quickly the food comes. The mirrors are a bit disorienting but does make the space feel a lot larger. Definitely my go to choice to eat in the area.

    Tahini ice cream
    Mehaa S.

    New favorite Middle Eastern restaurant in Princeton! Menu was extensive and had many vegan/vegetarian options to choose from. First time trying Palestinian food and saw a lot of different options from the typical middle eastern fare. We got the falafel which was very crispy, the cold apps platter, Margherita pizza, and tahini ice cream. Hummus was solid and the other cold apps (launch and muhammara) were some of the best of had. My family doesn't typically like Muhammara but we really enjoyed this version. Pizza was ok, could've used more salt in the sauce and tahini cream tasted similar to kulfi which was nice but not worth ordering again. Bread was really interesting, was a cross between pita and Naan. Will definitely be coming back to try other items

    Samantha R.

    The food here was amazing! Everything on the menu look good. It was so difficult to choose what I wanted to eat. I was not disappointed when I got my food. It was flavorful delicious, and a huge serving. The staff there were nice and helpful. And inside was beautiful with murals on the wall and what looked like a huge tree. It really felt like you were in a different place. I would definitely be back.

    Mix Shawarma
    Sophie E.

    Such a new and refreshing find in Princeton! This is a Palestinian BYOB restaurant downtown. Ambiance was so cute, but the food was delicious! We ordered the cold appetizer mix "mezze filistini " SO Good! Followed by the Lamb kebab, mix shawarma and the bbq chicken. Beautiful plates (see pics). Super fresh and tasty! We will definitely be going back.

    Beef Kebab SM
    Liz F.

    Olive oil and zatar seasoning are on the table so you can enhance whatever meal you get. Servers were friendly. Food came out fast. Music was a bit loud. Food was hot. Portions come with a lot of rice. I'd prefer more salad and pickles. I went early around 5pm, by 6pm on Saturday the restaurant was full with people waiting outside for a table.

    Pistachio Dream Cake and Baklava with ice cream
    Vince S.

    We dined here before the holidays and we both enjoyed it. Tucked away on a lesser known side street in downtown the place was almost empty during an early weekday dinner visit. The small space utilized mirrors, murals and vines with leaves to create a warm atmosphere. Much warmer than the staff, but I'll come back to that. We started with the spinach and cheese cigar rolls, I liked but would want to try the meat versions next. And we shared the Maklouba, a layered rice dish with half of a roasted chicken on the top. We both liked this too. Very good rice with layers that contained eggplant, carrots and potatoes I believe. The chicken was tasty too but I would have preferred it cut up, esp since this is a two person dish. We both had plenty, and my friend got to home the leftovers. For dessert we shared baklava and the pistachio chocolate cake. I liked the cake better. A few friends had already tried this place and although liking the food, had the same issue as us with service. It wasn't bad mind you, just really cold and standoffish. I attempted a few questions about the menu but couldn't get an answer about recommendations. Even when finally getting our check there seemed no desire to interact or be friendly. We left happy that we were able to try this cuisine but thinking we would probably only get takeout in the future. Pro-tip, if bringing good wine, bring your own glasses. I'm NOT a fan of plastic throwaway ones! The food I am a fan of, barely squeaking in a 4 stars

    Interior
    Shannon Z.

    Ayat is a Palestinian restaurant, decorated with an abundance of faux vines and large mirrors. It has a decent amount of seating. The service was slow, and my server didn't understand my Arabic. I do believe the team here is working hard to work out any opening kinks. The complementary pita was wonderful. We ordered the vegan platter specifically for the mujadara (rice with onions and lentils), which was unfortunately dry and tasteless. The fried halloumi was really delicious, but heavy. Perhaps the meat dishes here are stronger, I did not try any. Check out their bathroom, it's epic.

    Jalal B.

    Arguably one of the best dining establishments in Princeton, and in my opinion even edges out its East Village counterpart! Incredibly friendly and welcoming service with modern decor. To give you a sense of the food: I just had dinner and yet I still find myself salivating as I reflect on my lunch. Upon seating we were treated with some delicious, oven-baked pita with olive-oil submerged olives and za'atar. We decided to get the beitenjan to share (pan-fried eggplant, drizzled with tahini and pomegranate molasses), which was one of the most delicious eggplant dishes I've ever had. For my main I ordered "Fattat Lahma" from the Traditional tab, which is a six-layered dish of meat, rice, chickpeas, garlic tahini, crispy pita slivered almonds, & mint -- INCREDIBLE. All reasonably priced, especially considering the portions.

    Laureen Y.

    It was very busy there was a lot of people. I have not been here before but my sister has and told us to try them out. We ordered the cigar rolls with cheese and also the beef, lentil soup, chicken and beef. They gave bread for free. I didnt really know what to order but i feel like they should have pictures next to each item on the menu.

    Mix Shawarma Platter

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    2 months ago

    Fantastic food and people, check it out if you're in the area looking for great food and a nice space to eat in.

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    7 months ago

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    2 months ago

    Stale, under cooked food , pita was not cooked, did not receive full order, falafel was dry and tasted stale.

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    10 months ago

    Excellent food and authentic atmosphere! A great addition to the dining scene in Princeton.

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    Ask the Community - Ayat

    Do they take reservations?

    No they do not take reservations. Sometimes you have to wait on weekends, but usually they have space available right away.

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