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

Absolutely delicious food and extremely fast, kind service. I highly recommend the cauliflower/lamb stew if you eat meat! The za'atar labneh is also sublime. read more

I visited Ayat in Staten Island 2 years ago, had a disappointing experience, then swore it off. I visited Princeton recently, decided to give Ayat experience a 2nd try but the experience is even worse. I'll explain why. This review is based on my extensive experience in Middle Eastern food, considering my Arabic background (raised by a restaurant owner). I've eaten plenty of Palestinian, Jordanian, Syrian, Lebanese, Irani, Turkish, Egyptian and Moroccan cuisines. Food - the Hummus app is actually pretty good, but portions are on the light side. The Chicken Shawarma Sandwich is an international stable with varying degree of ingredients, depending on the country of origin. But the Araby Chicken Sandwich served by Ayat is an utter disgrace. It lacks not only taste, but leaves you with a disgusting aftertaste. Undercooked, flavorless chicken with toum in a toasted wrap is not tasty by any standard. Each bite leaves you with the stomach turning taste of chicken grease. Ordinarily, Lebanese make the best one, Syrians 2nd best. Whatever this one was, has no place in anyone's mouth. Service - is reminiscent of a school cafeteria or a lame diner. Staff lacks the authenticity expected from an establishment that prides itself in Palestinian identity. This place is zero Palestinian based on the staff and cooks in the kitchen. The posters fail to drive the message. Ambiance - the wall mirrors, the bathroom that opens to the dining room, the wiggly tables, all blend nicely with this non-recurring experience. I didn't try everything on the menu, but if you can't ace the most common and popular sandwich in the world, you should do better or just give up. I've given up after this 2nd try. Paying for this meal leaves a sour taste in my mouth! 80% of the food was doggy bagged and disposed. read more

Every bite confirms what repeat customers know. Their dishes are consistently excellent and the space is well-designed. The menu costs less than competitors. Their employees seem to genuinely care. This restaurant creates a special occasion. read more

I've exhausted my superlatives for this restaurant. Employees create a friendly environment. The value is clear when you see the serving size. This place outshines any praise I could offer. I'm excited to eat here again. read more

Gorgeous presentation and outstanding food. I ordered the vegan platter and the tahini cauliflower with pomegranate molasses was my favorite. Cannot wait to visit again. read more

Ayat - Vegan platter & Salaam Cola - Middle Eastern Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

I have been to the other various Ayat locations but this one hits home. Princeton is lucky to have it's first Palestinian restaurant be Ayat. The food was amazing, the menu is vast and has something for everyone. They are known for their traditional main dishes the Maklouba, Mansaf, and Mashwary along with many appetizers. I would describe the food as unique middle eastern food with delicious richness. The service was great and the staff felt welcoming. The inside feels warm and inviting, an artistic mural graces the wall. I highly recommend giving this place a try, I will be returning often! read more

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One of the best meals I've had in ages! We started with the halloumi watermelon salad and my husband had the most delicious hibiscus margarita mocktail. Then, our entrees! We shared the fattat lahma, an amazing meat, chickpea, and rice dish, and then the mansaf, a dish with bone-in lamb and fermented yogurt that I fell in love with in the first bite. It was literally the best thing I've eaten in forever and I've been thinking about it ever since--can't wait to go back and order it again. Service and vibe was impeccable as well, I am so very very very happy Ayat is in Princeton! read more

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I hate that I can't leave a higher review. I want to, I love Palestinian food and culture. and the food here is absolutely fantastic but the service we had tonight just couldn't hold it up. I believe our servers name was Christopher and he was slightly rude and very unattentive. All we wanted was bread and water and we had to ask multiple times for both.we sat and watched tables seated after us receiving bread before us also under his care and didnt actually recive any until we had both already gotten our entrees, and we never got water. It didn't seem particularly busy it's a monday night and there were quite a few staff on. my partner recalls seeing him standing around a lot behind me. The food was absolutely delicious like it always is this place is fantastic in that sense the service just really left a very sour tone on the meal. read more

while i was there (returning a lamb dish that the server told me had "received quite a few complaints" -- 4 pieces of unacceptable lamb for 26$) i watched the cooks prepare dishes by portioning them into plastic containers and then microwave. this is extremely dangerous. i leave this review hoping that the managers take heed and make necessary improvements. Also, can you ditch the plastic cutlery? read more

Food: Surely unique middle eastern food. They call it modern Palestinian and I have to give kudos some of their items were unique. We enjoyed many items to be honest. But I felt like the common items like bread hummus were not so different. Mocktails were great. Pita bread style was different than Greek or Afghan style. Ayran was not fresh but bottled third party but was not bad. Overall food was good but be aware - food was kinda bland for us, very less spice and mild to low use of salt - but we were okay as we asked for hot chutney which helped Service: They did a good job and arranged for us as we were large party on a busy evening with just about 15 mins wait. They do not take reservation. But once seated the service was okay. Pita bread were given first but we had to ask for olive oil to dip after it was not served for a while. We had to ask for things all the time. Wish service was better for us to go again. Hence I do not recommend going again until it improves. The waiters would take orders and once done would be taking to each others rather then checking if guests needed anything or ensure food pairs were properly served like bread and oil for example. Ambiance: Was nice. Felt cozy enough. No issues. read more

Really great food and nice atmosphere! A great addition to the Princeton dining scene. The pita they bring to your table is so warm and delicious and the olive oil and zataar for dipping are both really good quality! I had the falafel frenzy flatbread and really enjoyed it. The service was attentive but didn't make us feel rushed. Lots of vegetarian options and overall a pretty big menu. Awesome spot for lunch, can't wait to go back and try more dishes! read more

Ordered delivery yesterday. The pizza warma was just as delicious as when I had it in the restaurant. Generous portion! Two people could easily share it and still have leftovers. The Nutella cheesecake was very disappointing. The cheesecake was both very dense and very dry, and the topping seemed to be Hershey's chocolate syrup. No Nutella taste at all. I threw it away. read more

We love midde eastern food, but was disapointed. Felt like a fast food chain. Tried it based in all the positive reviews, but either they were fake reviews or something else is going on. Lots of great resturants in Princton, but this is not one of them. read more

Unprofessional staff Multiple people were coming back because of a missed item on their pick up order Mains were good but the Kanafa was dry , disappointing read more

Had the appetizer sampler and maqluba and everything was great. Served with fresh pita bread right out of a brick oven with olive oil and za'atar. Ambience was funky and eclectic. Service was a little slow, but this was at 11 AM and they were clearly filling a lot of catering orders. Overall, a very good experience and I would definitely go back. read more

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phenomenal food, great service. Cold mezze appetizer, maklube fantastic. mint tea.....great experience

Today was my first time ordering from their Princeton location, and I'm a big fan of the sit down experience in the East Village. I placed a seamless lunch order for a mezze platter and chicken kabob. After the order was picked up by the delivery person they called me to inform me there were no chicken kabobs (???) in the order. I asked them if the delivery person could get them since this was lunch for me and my boyfriend, and I didn't have time to order from another restaurant. The man on the phone didn't understand what I was asking and said it could be delivered at 4:00 pm. I asked if I could place another order for any protein, and there was silence. I asked: yes or no, is there any meat? Silence. Only 4:30 pm was said again and again. This occurred at 12:30 pm and it seems insane that they were out of no meat. If it's busy, say so. If you can't fulfill an order, totally fine, I'll order somewhere else. Telling me that half my lunch will arrive 4 hours later is a bit much and giving me no reason bizarre. Avoid delivery from them, maybe the restaurant is better. read more

It's wonderful to have Ayat in Princeton. The menu is wide ranging and the food is excellent. The service and the staff are fantastic, friendly, welcoming and hospitable, and I love the updates they've made to the building: the atmosphere is joyful and uplifting. Everything is really well priced, and it's also very family friendly. We're lucky to have such a great place in the area. read more

Food was 4 stars. Service left a lot to be desired. It seemed like there were plenty of people but they were standing around on their phones and snacking (???). Table was not cleared in time for the next entre to come out, both after the appetizer and after the main meal. I had to flag the server for each thing. The mug for my water had gunk on it. It was not clean. The bottles of water on the table were filled with chlorinated tap water. It was a real turnoff to see servers hanging out at the kitchen counter and eat snacks with their fingers (no utensils; besides, why are they snacking while actively working?? Totally unprofessional) then carry dishes out without washing their hands. Overall my impression was of lack of cleanliness and disinterested service. Unfortunate. read more

Met friends for dinner in Princeton and settled on this place. Good Middle Eastern food, reasonably priced for amount served. The vegan selection was good and everyone ended up ordering vegan appetizers and entrees--and liked them! It was very loud inside but to be expected with big groups. Also BYOB which wasnt advertised but not a deal breaker. read more

Wonderful food in a warm atmosphere. Loved everything! Don't miss the peppermint tea.

Honestly me and my husband drive an hour every time to come eat here. I crave it on a regular basis. Shawarma chicken bowls are the best. And don't get me started on their fresh bread and olives with the za3tar. read more

I'm giving this review as a middle eastern person myself, Appetizers were good but why was grape leaves served very hot to a point we had to wait 10 minutes to eat it, it's supposed to be room temperature, they were okay in flavor, main food was good, dessert was below average, the baklava was cold, again needs to be room temperature and not served with ice cream,, service was good, it could be excellent but everyone lacks communication and understanding, tables were too small for the big dishes that they serve in, I'm giving it 1 start because i was very disappointed that they allow BYOB, you name your restaurant Ayat and it's also a Palestinian restaurant, very turned off by this, will not be going back or recommending it to anyone, I saw a lot of hajibi women there with family and kids, than I see drunk people on other tables, this is not a family Muslim restaurant read more

Amazing food and even better environment! Everyone was so welcoming and I felt so comfortable. The food was delicious and i enjoyed everything we ordered. I've already visited their Staten Island location and one in manhattan and they are all equally as great! They have my support always! read more

Excellent food and ambiance. My sister and I ordered the halloumi fried cheese and malfouf appetizer and then we shared maqluba for an entree. Definitely enough to fill both of us--we couldn't finish everything! We concluded with mint tea served authentically. Service was very good and looking forward to coming back! So happy to have this restaurant in Princeton! read more

We visited Ayat tonight and the food was delicious. The restaurant was beautiful. I got a lamb kebab and the sauce with it was so yummy! So happy to support a Palestinian restaurant in Princeton. The staff were friendly and sweet. read more

Amazing food, amazing environment. The highest quality, the highest service and hospitality. Great menu. So grateful that Ayat has joined the Princeton community. read more

I do not leave reviews but for this one I'm doing so in hopes they listen and get their act together because I really want them to succeed I'm giving it 3 stars outta kindness This was our second time there with our first experience being excellent but this go around was awful. Service was as if they're doing us a favour. Looks like a bunch of kids huddled up in a corner. Not all but most didn't seem to care. Food wasn't seasoned like the last time And meat was under cooked and tough. Messiah plate was ok but again lacking flavour unlike our experience prior. read more

I expected more from a mediterranean food the food was bad no flavor Bad experience bad service I didn't like the vibe read more

Was super excited to have this addition to Princeton's food scene. It did not disappoint! Their takeout system is really solid. We order the chicken shawarma platter and the bbq chicken platter. Both were delicious! The salads that accompanied them were spectacular. Loved the inclusion of pickled vegetables in them. Staff was super friendly and assisted right away. The ambiance and decor was clean, modern and an ode to the culture. read more

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I've eaten at Ayat's in Princeton three times in the last 10 days and I can't get enough! The menu is so extensive that each time I find something new to love, and the portions are huge, so I typically go home with a doggie bag. My only caution: don't get full on the free bread bc you'll kick yourself when the meal finally arrives. read more

Delicious food in a lovely ambience. Great experience start to finish. The staff was very attentive and friendly.

Food is decently good from what I was able to actually try, but it is by no means, spectacular. The complementary pita was amazing and fresh, and the hummus was also fine. Not the best hummus I've had by far, but a few notches over store bought hummus. The fried halloumi was strewn over a bed of arugula and drizzled with balsamic. The cheese was quite salty and strong, and it was a bit intense paired with the sweet and sour from the balsamic. Arugula was just arugula. Because I've never had kibbeh before, and this was my first time trying it, I don't think I have enough "context" to truly judge Ayat's kibbeh. Maybe it's due to a lack of understanding of what makes a good or bad kibbeh, but overall, I was unimpressed. The fry was good, but the filling was dry and bland. The yogurt (not sure if it was yogurt tbh) sauce was also bland, and it didn't detract or add much to the dish. Outside of the appetizers, we had ordered their Branzino, lamb ouzi, and coffee. Sadly, we did not get to try our other dishes, as it took too long to get out. We were one of two tables at the restaurant before 6pm, and we placed our order shortly after being seated. It took over 30 minutes for the appetizers to come out, and I requested to cancel and left the restaurant after another 20 minutes. We noticed other tables receiving food before us, and we were, truthfully, a bit frustrated. Our waitress was kindly able to help remove the branzino and lamb off of our bill (the coffee was never ordered). She informed me, only after I gave her my card, that the branzino typically takes 25-30 minutes-- the same cooking time as their hummus! I thanked her and went on my way. Now, I try to be reasonable. We ordered a lamb stew and a fish. Even though the waitresses did NOT explain to us the longer wait time when we placed our orders or when we inquired about our long wait 35 minutes into our experience, I still did expect the entrees to take a little longer, but 50 minutes was ridiculous. Also, 30+ minutes for hummus is outrageous. To the restaurant's credit, it did seem like they were receiving and completing A LOT of takeout orders, but they also had an entire army of staff in their kitchen not doing much. It seemed like 1-2 people in the kitchen were the only two cooking and everyone else were grilling pita. Lastly, the ambiance. The restaurant is quite small and dark. As you walk in, the first thing you notice are the giant mirrors lining the walls. As you look up, you'll see bushes of vines, covering the ceiling. The lighting is dim, and the open kitchen was lined with giant bottles of olive oil. I really enjoyed their dinnerware! The ceramics were very nice. However, the tables are teeny tiny. I am a big backed girl, and I tend to order many items, but there was barely room for our appetizers. Overall, it was a pretty negative experience. My boyfriend and I left feeling quite frustrated and disappointed. I was really excited for this restaurant too, and I'd hear so many good things. Maybe I should try going in for lunch instead of dinner for a better experience. 2.5/5. read more

Very disappointed with the food. It didn't taste like authentic Palestinian cuisine at all. The meat was tough and hard to chew, and the chicken was served lukewarm. On top of that, we had to wait a very long time for our food. Definitely not what I expected. read more

The food is great and quantity is huge. Ever worth the price. Ambience, service is pretty good. I ordered lamb Mansaf. The lamb is so tender and juicy. It just melted in the mouth. One of the best lamb dish I had in recent times read more

A mouse casually strolled through the restaurant during lunchtime. The reaction of the wait staff made it clear that this was a routine occurrence. oMg read more

Wonderful authentic Palestinian food. The food is delicious and not too expensive. Great location.

Finally made it here and unfortunately won't be coming back. Service wasn't the greatest and the food was mediocre as many other reviewers have noted. Lot of other good med options. Hopefully they can figure it out. read more

Amazing. Authentic delicious food and lovely people. Definitely recommend. I love to travel and try the local cuisine- this definitely scratched that itch. If I lived closer, I'd be a regular. read more