The food was ahhhhmazing! This is my first time in Staten Island as I was visiting family. I passed this place while on the bus to my destination. It was not hard convincing everyone to order here since everything on the menu looked good. And, there were options for everyone. We ordered doordash on 23 April 2026 and it was delivered quickly. Everything was delicious (I sampled almost everything that was ordered). My cousin also stated that this is the best food he has had during his most recent visit to NY. I had the falafel platter. The rice was cooked to perfection but the falafel was a bit crunchy, but edible and good. I also tried the beef kebab and lamb and they were both amazing. The salad was good for me, but my cousin thought it was a bit too acidic. The hummus was good but the Dubai cheesecake was to doe for. 10/10 would recommend. If I am ever on SI again, I would absolutely eat from here again. read more

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5/5 Hummus (incredible with their warm pita) 4.5/5 Lamb 4/5 Chicken Inside is very spacious and very well decorated, great spot of a large group. read more

Ayat - Middle Eastern Near Me - Staten Island, New York

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Lovely spot. Nice high ceilings and many options on the menu and open concept kitchen. Beef shawarma Araby style was nice a little greasy and the fries were delicious. We had the lemonade which was great and the baklava was fine. Hummus was delicious. read more

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First time here. Menu is extensive. Pita bread , olives and zatar spice was placed on table with a nice carafe of cold water. -cold mezze platter was extraordinary. Everything was amazing. -cheese cigar rolls. Eh. I've had these a lot in middle eastern places. These were soggy and not a crunchy dough and too much cheese inside. -fried calamari went back. It certainly looked good when it came out but the smell and taste was way too fishy like it was fried in the same oil with other fish. Baklava Sunday was delicious. I actually never thought of putting a scoop of ice cream over baklava at home!! The pics on the menu make the portion size much larger though. Server was very nice and polite. Clean bathroom. Parking in area and a parking lot out back read more

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Good food but this location is no longer open for business. The decor was a bit odd with fake plastic plant vines to decorate the high ceiling of a former car body repair shop. read more

This was a good find! The interior is very spacious and the seating is comfortable. There are many artificial plants throughout which adds to the ambiance. Our server was friendly and the service was quick. The food was phenomenal. The pita bread came out warm and had a good texture. The dips were also good with a nice variety of flavors. The kabsa had juicy chicken and rice was seasoned just right. It initially looked that it would heavy, but it was not at all. The coffee was also yummy after adding some sugar. read more

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Fantastic! Everything was delicious. Everyone was so nice. Beautiful place and beautiful tasty food. There is so many things I was to try still. Will be back for more! read more

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10/10, amazing food and excellent portions. First time trying Ayat. I only ordered 2 appetizers and 2 entrees: Appetizer 1: hummus Appetizer 2: falafel Entree 1: mixed shawarma platter (comes with 3 sauces, 3 pita breads) Entree 2: araby beef shawarma (comes with pickled salad) When I opened up the beautiful bag and saw all of the generous portions, I started drooling and wanted to ravage through the food ASAP (but camera eats first). The taste and portions were very satisfying and I was already thinking of when my next order will be. I enjoyed filling up a pita bread with the mixed shawarma platter and delicious hummus. The mixed shawarma platter comes with soft Arabic rice at the bottom. Recommending this place to everyone I know and looking forward to dining in next time. read more

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What a unique place. The space is large and airy and beautiful and uniquely decorated with murals and paintings. The food is authentic and tastes completely home made. The lamb ouzi meat was tender and soft and fell off the bone. The rice is aromatic and well cooked The Maqliba is a definitely a must try but they have really good salads as well if you don't want to try the meat. The service is prompt and super friendly We were a large group and the service stayed efficient and friendly Great addition to enrich the Staten Island cuisine scene read more

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The lamb kebab and mint tea was really good. I liked the vibe and the staff were nice. read more

Ayat - Middle Eastern Near Me - Staten Island, New York

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It took me a while to come to this place . I have been through the Brooklyn one & it was a nice experience! But here The food & the service wasn't good at all! it's little expensive too! But I don't mind paying extra if the food is good & service is great tho ..! But here it was a total disappointment..! So I went there on a weekday evening, when I reach there it was almost empty! I waited 10 min before a server came to me. 2/3 servers walk by me , doing other stuff . They did see me & didn't even smile or say hi or welcome! I was very surprised! So I sat down by the door because it's less hot on that side ! I sat there 5 more minutes then a lady came by , asked for my order. She was nice, not that knowledgeable about their food . So I had to take a chance what to order. I also told her I am waiting for a friend, in the meantime I wanna order a drink! She recommended one & I ordered what she recommended. The drink came, looked good & taste good too. Only thing I liked was that drink ! Then my friend came & we ordered food . It took them half an hour just for one order. We didn't ordered much because we had other plans , so we just ordered the chicken kabab. Also they didn't give us any water, we had to keep asking & reminding them! By the time our food came the restaurant started to get little busy ! If you are not a huge eater then The amount of food we got was good for 2 people. Tasted good. Then we ordered Arabian coffee, our first time . And we didn't like it lol! I guess we are not used to Arabian coffee & the taste of it. The entire time we were there from start to finish the server only came to us 3 time . Getting the order, bringing back the food , then giving us the bill. Never came to check up how is everything! I have seen them going around other tables multiple times & asked them ! Don't know if it's because we ordered less food & we were only 2 people! But I was started to get annoyed about it. I was gonna try some other food & dessert but after that service I just left ! Will I come back again traveling from my side of the island , Spending money on Uber just to get here again , don't think so. Such a disappointment! I was really excited to learn that Ayat has opened here also ! read more

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I love Ayat -- it's probably our most visited spot in Staten Island. Not sure why it's always so quiet when we go (hopefully not politics-related), but the food and hospitality are consistently great. The kebabs, mansaf, and araby sandwiches are juicy and flavorful. The fries look better than they taste,a bit bland,but let's be honest, I'm only complaining about fries from a Palestinian restaurant. Do yourself a favor and get the mezze platter -- every spread is excellent, especially the babaghanoush. read more

They advertised Shermapizza on instagram looks amazing there but in reality diffrent story saggy dripping liquid and very sour looked and taste awful... I told the manager to remove it from the menu and concentrate on what they do good Mansaf Makloobeh Zaatar pizza I do not think they ll listen , I told my frinds not to avoid this Sharma pizza saggy cheese water horrible read more

Delicious food and shawarma Excellent customer service The ambience is very cultural and very unique. Loved how new it looks and clean. I would definitely come visit again. read more

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Ayat is located on the ever-so-busy Hylan Blvd in Staten Island, which makes it highly convenient to get to. For those who don't particularly enjoy looking for parking spots, Ayat's valet parking service got you. It's right on the corner and nearly impossible to miss. The establishment is more spacious that I imagined, you know, with the fake towering tree inside and all. Try to go early at 6 pm if you're getting dinner to avoid the rush of hungry crowds around 7 to 8 pm. I let my friend do the ordering, which was a first for me, but I'm thinking I should do that more often because the food was so delicious. We got the cheese manaquish for the appetizer. It came out looking like a freaking pizza! It would've been more than enough if I ordered that as my entree. We shared the large chicken kebab mashawy. It came with rice, hummus, baba ghanoush, etc. I was genuinely surprised that the chicken was juicy and soft on the inside but nice and crispy on the outside. I especially liked the garlic dip that it came with. We regretted getting the large because there was a lot leftover. If the cheese manaquish wasn't like a whole meal in itself, then maybe large would've been ok. The perfect way to wrap up the meal is with a baklava sundae. The presentation was so freaking cute but I wished the scoops of ice cream were bigger. It was definitely a struggle for me to break apart the baklava with the spoon. Weirdly enough, the ice cream made the baklava less sweet, which is why I usually stay away from baklava. I also got a limonana drink, which was refreshing but nothing to write home about. All their drinks are non-alcoholic iirc and sound like they're worth trying though! Halfway through my dinner, two guys up front performed some musical instruments. It was nice but it got way too loud for me and my friend to talk over the noise. read more

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Ayat is conveniently situated off of Hylan Blvd with parking in the back. It's beautifully decorated with wrap around windows in the entrance. We had been wanting to try Ayat for a while and went with my mother in law to celebrate her birthday. We ordered the Mezze Filistini, salmon kabob with rice, chicken kabob with rice, lamb kabob with rice, Mansaf A stew of bone-in lamb chunks and jameed yogurt sauce served over a bed of fresh bread and rice, topped with almonds, and a lamb shank with delicious rice. All of our dishes were perfectly seasoned and the meats so rich and tender. Our waiter was patient and gave us suggestions on what to order (I think his name was Raymon). The ambience and surroundings of this restaurant are simply an incredible experience. In addition to the traditional dishes we also had their tea and a mint tea mocktail. I wish we had taken more pictures, but we were too busy enjoying every single bite! Simply Amazing and we really can't wait to go back! read more

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Hummus, pita and falafel were pretty good. Kebabs were very dry and tough, almost inedible. Cauliflower dish was soggy and had a funny taste. 20% mandatory gratuity charged even if less than 4 people. If I did return, would just get the falafel... read more

Mark this spot on your map. This place turned out to be a winner. Their kitchen creates unexpected flavor matches that satisfy. Their service team's quick responses were helpful. The feeling here is perfect contentment. read more

Great and huge Palestinian restaurant. Food quality was on par with Ayat's other location. I think this location is much nicer. Not sure why the reviews are less positive here. My hunch is that the folks are grumpier because they're on Staten Island However, once you eat here, your spirits should be lifted. Our friends eat vegan, so we tried to order as many items that were within their diet. We ordered the mezze platter, the vegan platter, the falafel pizza, and the fried halloumi cheese. (Skip this paragraph if you're disinterested in my side rant not related to this restaurant). I had a knucklehead moment thinking cheese was vegan friendly. My wife later reminded me that cheese is not vegan which was why our friends didn't eat it. I thought they just saw me oozing over it and let me have their pieces. This reminds me of the time I went to a kosher bagel shop and ordered a BEC. The server told me the shop was kosher, so I tried to a Turkey, egg, and cheese. Didn't quite click that Turkey was meat too. Anyways, everything was great. My favorite item was the fried cheese. So savory Crispy exterior too and served with a pickled vegetable which provided a perfect contrast. Loved that we were able to try over a dozen different items since we ordered two mixed plates. I also really like that they have family style options as well making ordering for medium sized groups of around six super easy. Laffa was phenomenal. They have a huge open storefront. High ceilings making for a very airy atmosphere. Two gender neutral restrooms which were spacious. One had a changing table. Service was attentive. Note that gratuity is included. read more

The food suck my family bring back the left over not even my dog will eater the meat is so dry you kidding me sorry no go in this place.

My family and I were the first to try the vegan kefta at the Hylan Blvd location. It's been years since my husband had kefta since going vegan. We were not disappointed at all. The flavors were so good and authentic. The char on the vegan meat also was *chef's kiss* We also had the fattoush which as always was delicious. We will definitely be back soon. read more

Ayat - Vegan kefta small platter - Middle Eastern Near Me - Staten Island, New York

This Palestinian restaurant really caught my eye from the outside and the inside is spacious with paintings on the wall. The fake plants were a nice touch. There were lots of tables. On a hot day, I wouldn't recommend coming here. I don't know if the AC was down, but it was hot. They had fans but it was blowing so loud and hard. The servers were attentive in the beginning then I think they got busy. They gave you bread and olive oil. They were good starters. I ordered a mixed shawarma platter. My friend got the stew. We shared a cardamom coffee which was pretty good. Never had it. Our dishes were huge! We took home leftovers for sure. I wasn't too impressed with the meats. It was dry. The sides and rice got me through the dish. My friend seemed to enjoy his stew and it came with a big side of rice. read more

Ayat - Cardamom coffee - Middle Eastern Near Me - Staten Island, New York

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This place is a gem. Extraordinarily fresh and tasty food. Friendly service. BYOB! Lovely ambiance. We sit under the olive tree when we can. Try the watermelon salad and lamb kebab!!!! read more

Ayat - Mezze Filistini - Middle Eastern Near Me - Staten Island, New York

Amazing food - every time! I have been to every location in NY/Brooklyn and I can honestly say that the food is consistently fresh and tasty. Highly recommend! read more

Ayat - The Whole Branzino - Middle Eastern Near Me - Staten Island, New York

I've eaten at the Bay Ridge location prior to this visit. This restaurant is beautiful. There's plenty of seating inside and out, plus an indoor/outdoor feel with accordion windows and lots of green inside. The food is generous and delicious. It's almost too much food. Limonona was great, raspberry mojito was delicious. Fluffy, warm pitas were delivered to the table from the start. Hummus and falafel were good. Our entrees were enormous and very flavorful. The detractors here are the mandatory gratuity added to the bill and the indifferent service. Our food was delivered quickly but our server to offer to refill water, serve our dish meant for two with a serving utensil, or bring us our check. After twenty minutes of waiting for our check I had to ask for it. Service could be better given the mandated tip. read more

Best authentic Middle Eastern food in NYC. Incredibly fresh and beautifully prepared., Waitstaff always good natured and helpful. we went to the one in industry city, the roof is just spectacular for summer dining! read more

Great food and great ambiance. They were kind and super welcoming. Highly recommend the salads and of course the maqlouba

Delicious food (generously portioned) delivered in the most beautiful reusable tote bag. Long live PALESTINE and its beautiful, generous people! read more

Always passed by here but never went in. I decided to try and the place was big. The staff and service was pretty good They helped on what kind of foods. We chose different kinds of foods and it was good. It came pretty fast. I wouldn't definitely come back here again read more

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Good food, a bit overpriced, some of the rice dishes are too rice heavy, great service and setting, great politics. Overall, they don't deserve the hype of the NYTimes article and other attention to their restaurant group, but they also don't deserve the hate they get for being Palestinian and having reasonable politics rooted in human rights and justice. They deserve better than their current overall rating, which apparently includes anti-Palestinian bigots rating without trying. read more

Alright. I love this type of food, I met up with a friend already there. I wasn't expecting to see rats running up and down those fake trees inside. I saw the leaves moving and thought it was the A/C and nope it was not just 1 rat but many. Im so scared to see the kitchen. I didn't order anything. read more

Ayat is a great family-style restaurant. Portions are huge, which justify the price. The meat is always spiced and seasoned to perfection. Anything on the menu here is great, and it never disappoints! The interior is also gorgeously decorated with flowers and murals. Sometimes, they have a band outside playing, which is so nice in the summer. Service is wonderful. read more

Ayat - Middle Eastern Near Me - Staten Island, New York

My first time here and it will definitely not be my last! Food was fresh and authentic. The service was absolutely amazing. Will definitely be back! read more

Ayat - Middle Eastern Near Me - Staten Island, New York

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My husband and I ordered Kabsa and a couple of meat pies. What a big disappointment that we couldn't eat it. The rice was way too oily and the meat pie was also greasy and overly spiced with too much cardamom this being said that my husband is Palestinian. read more

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OMG love this spot. The food 10, the service 10, the ambience 10, and another 10 for the hot bread lol. Do yourself a favor and check it out. No alcohol but it's cool with me. The lemonade is like a mojito. read more

Awful service! I received rotten malfouf. No number to call so I emailed right away. They led me on for days telling me I'll receive a refun and then some for the "trouble" that was the 18th and it's now the 27th and I get an email saying that they want me to contact Uber eats to dea with it. Thankfully they refunded me my money. So unprofessional and dishonest. I'm Palestinian and I would NEVER again give them my service specifically because of their dishonesty with this whole thing. read more

Ayat - Middle Eastern Near Me - Staten Island, New York

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We decided to check out this restaurant after hearing glowing reviews from friends and seeing it featured in newspapers and online. As we approached, the decor immediately caught our eye--a well-lit space adorned with thoughtful details from top to bottom. However, as enticing as the decor was, we were here for the food.Upon arrival, we noticed that the restaurant seemed a bit understaffed, with only two waiters and two busboys handling the crowd. Despite this, once our orders were placed, the food arrived within a reasonable time frame. As we broke our fast during Iftar, each dish was generously portioned and bursting with traditional Arabic flavors.We particularly enjoyed the chicken and lamb shawarma, which were cooked to perfection, as well as the impeccably prepared Bronzino. The appetizers, including the falafel and babaganush, were also delightful additions to our meal.Overall, we left impressed by the quality of the food and the inviting ambiance of the restaurant. Despite the minor staffing issues, we're already considering a return visit. read more

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Ayat has a great atmosphere and delicious food! Flavorful and plentiful! I'm already thinking about who I can bring to eat there again soon. Our waitress was very friendly and they give you space to enjoy your food and talk with your party. No one coming up to your table every two minutes while you're eating asking how everything tastes. She asked once and it was great! We didn't get to try any desserts but next time! Side note: gratuity included for parties 3+ and 4% for credit cards (this IS written on the menu. Don't say "no one told you.") read more

Ayat - Lamb Kebab and Lamb Ouzi Royale - Middle Eastern Near Me - Staten Island, New York

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We had a wonderful lunch at Ayat. I will begin with the 1 star deduction. The restaurant only has 3 high chairs. So even though we had a reservation with high chairs, they had been given away. Second, 18% gratuity was automatically added for 4. That just isn't good etiquette! Finally, when we finished our meal our table wasn't cleared even though dessert was served. On to the good stuff-the food! The whole reason one dines out. Excellent! We began with mezze filistini. My goodness! It was dipping bliss. The baba ghanoush is out of this world! The tabbouleh-excellent. The muhammarah-sweet and delicious! It's almost $30 but well worth it. Pita is delicious to dip with. We also had falafel app. It came with pickled something? Lol I asked what it was and the waitress said pickles. The flavors were so good all blended together. We also had kabsa. It was delicious chicken over sweet rice. I do wish they had an alcohol license. The raspberry mojito was too sweet. The limonana was just about right. Still a little too sweet but refreshing. Desserts are expensive. Baklava sundae is $14 and SMALL. It wasn't my cup of tea. The brownie sundae was good but still a whopping $13. Our waitress was excellent. She knew the menu well and was very pleasant. A few glitches that they definitely can easily fix. Ambiance is beautiful. We will be back! read more

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Im so glad I decided to try something new and ate here. The place itself is gorgeous. Decorated very well. Theres a large patio to sit outside if you like. The wait staff was very nice and helpful explaining the menu. The freshly made pita bread was so yummy! As a main dish I had the chicken kebab. Portion was large and very flavorful. read more

Ayat - Chicken Kebab - Middle Eastern Near Me - Staten Island, New York

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