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    Balaboosta

    4.2 (133 reviews)
    Closed • 5:30 pm - 10:00 PM
    Updated 2 months ago

    About Balaboosta

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    BALABOOSTA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Trendy
    Romantic
    Classy
    Upscale

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    Recommended Reviews - Balaboosta

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    The cockatil made with Fig Arak! It like a Manhattan but better!
    Kam M.

    Amazing experience, cozy restaurant, super friendly staff, the food was tasty, we ordered the chooped salad, artichoke, tahdig ( definitely recommend) and wgyu kebabs. The cocktails are also uniquely crafted. Really unassuming restaurant but what a gem!

    Chicken and (purposefully and yummy) burnt rice
    Amy G.

    So good! The servers, chef, and owner were awesome. That wagyu kebabs were spectacular as well as the chicken!!!! Only thing I didn't like was that they only offered water and alcohol. A freezing cold Dr. Pepper at this fine establishment would've given this place 10/10. Oh and the ambiance was cool and pretty

    HUMMUS TAHINA
    Victoria G.

    Food 3/10 Overpriced Mediterranean in the West Village. A very limited brunch menu, and I felt uncomfortable and sick afterwards because of how greasy and oily the dish I got was. A very disappointing meal, as it went downhill after the pita and hummus. The duck pastrami was literally oozing oil. Atmosphere 8/10 Cute interior decor, quirky in a sense. Style over substance unfortunately. Service 7/10 Nothing wrong with the service, but nothing memorable either.

    Pastrami
    Charles B.

    If you look the perfect brunch spot up in the dictionary Balaboosta should come up! Everything is immaculate from the service to the food. I made a reservation for brunch at Balaboosta (highly recommended) and when my group arrived at the restaurant we were sat immediately. Once sat, the server came over quickly to greet us and took our drink order, all the cocktails/champagne were perfection! From there we placed our food order and here is what we had: To Share: - Hummus (must try! The warm chickpeas make this dish) - Whipped Feta (I have no words! But the date molasses was so good) - Pappas Bravas (if you like a good aioli this is your dish) Main Course: - Eggplant Shashuka (I love traditional Shashuka, but with eggplant this was truly elite; so much flavor) - Pastrami (never seen a dish like this, but the puff pastry and vegetables all go together in harmony!) The server continually checked in on our table and was warm and friendly; whenever she saw that our champagne glasses were running low she would ensure a new one was on the way. The vibes are super laidback with a touch of elegance. I love the fact that they use Aesop's soap in the bathroom. I cannot stop talking about how wonderful Balaboosta is and cannot wait to come back for dinner!

    @cafeTAMbien  Pastrami SHAKSHUKA
    Tamara S.

    Brunch at Balaboosta, NYC Cute spot but very oily-heavy dish left me feeling bad. Ordered: - Hummus Pitriyot: Mushrooms, caramelized onion, baharat, pita - Eggplant Shakshuka: eggs, peppers, tomatoes, feta, sour dough pan deietoast - Pastrami on a Puff Pastry with honey mustard and pickled fennel: While the concept and presentation were on point, the dish was very oily. The dough was greasy and the pastrami was thin and mostly fat. With thicker cut of meat and a less oily puff pastry, this could've been a standout.

    Whipped feta, Moroccan carrots, steak, creme brûlée
    Marianne F.

    Walked in and snagged a seat out front. Everything was delicious, service was friendly. The creme brûlée with halva was an excellent recommendation.

    Victoria X.

    There are mostly tables of 2 or 4 here which makes this place a great spot for groups of 2 or 4. The ambiance here is great for dates or a nice dinner out with friends. The food here is full of herbs given that it is an Israeli restaurant. The service here is attentive and friendly. We came at 6:30 without a reservation and was given a table (we just had to leave by 8pm).

    Catharine N.

    After failing to get reservations at Laser Wolf in Brooklyn, we wanted to find comparable Israeli food. Stumbled upon this restaurant and so glad we did! One of the best hummus I've had!! What we ordered: 1. Hummus 2. Eggplant 3. Lamb 4. Rice 5. Calamari 6. Crème brûlée My favorites were the eggplant, lamb, and rice! Overall a delicious meal and left feeling completely stuffed!!

    Nice outdoor eating area
    Rebecca S.

    Very delicious food, warm, accommodating staff and a choice of seating - indoor, outdoor (cabin or tables) or at the bar). Drinks were delicious! I rarely ever drink alcohol but my bf encouraged me to try his "yalla" and it was SO delicious! The ginger and lemon tasted super fresh. Definitely get the hummus and whipped feta to start Chicken entrée was our favorite- perfectly cooked and seasoned. Cauliflower side was also delicious. The table next to us was eating stuffed cabbage - it looked incredible so will be back for that! My brother really enjoyed his shrimp app- picture is so blurry bc he was too eager to eat it! It was my mom's birthday so they brought a delicious Israeli Tiramisu over with a candle for dessert, which was very sweet of the Balaboosta staff to do. The bite I snuck of the birthday tiramisu was delicious and refreshing- it was frozen! Almost like an ice cream cake :D

    Josephine L.

    Wine Wednesday, July edition, was held here because the spotlight was on Israeli wine. Sadly, they offer only one white and one red Israeli wine by the glass, otherwise you have to buy a bottle that starts at $65 and goes up to the three digits. So we stuck with the Midbar (white) and Jezreel (red). The lack of Israeli wines by the glass is my only complaint about Balaboosta. The. Food. Was. Fantastic. I've traveled all over the Middle East, and even recognizing that the restaurants here inevitably have to be diluted for bland American palates, it's still hard to find truly good spots to get my pita on. Ba'boosta doesn't pretend to be completely "authentic", but the fusion touches are well done. We started with the Whipped Feta and Cauliflower appetizers, both of which were stellar. The latter was better, IMO, but it's hard to go wrong with perfectly crispy little white trees mixed in a bevy of delicious spices. Entree-wise, we got the Branzino, Brick Chicken, daily special of Salmon, and Stuffed Cabbage. The first three were perfectly cooked (esp. the melt-in-your-mouth chicken). I didn't much care for the Stuffed Cabbage because of the mix of sweet and savory, but if your'e into that sort of thing, you'd like this. I wish they'd taken a chance with the dessert menu. Places like Qawah House don't shy away from authentic Yemeni desserts, and they're packed to the gills every hour of the day. Here the offerings were standard Western desserts with slightly Middle Eastern touches, such as the Malawah Churros and Baklava Ice Cream. Good? Sure. But if I wanted churros, I'd go to a Mexican restaurant, and Baklava Ice Cream is just a soggy version of fried ice-cream. Extra points to our wonderful server, though, who was almost always there for us when we needed her.

    Salad

    Everything we ate was incredible. The skirt steak was cooked to perfection. The salad was amazing. The mint lemonade was refreshing. Desert was the best. Wow! Service was exceptional.

    Chicken Shawarma, PAPAS BRAVAS, SHAKSHUKA
    Orrin E.

    Years ago we discovered Taim and it became a favorite spot for a quick bite if we were at The Village Vanguard. A friend gave me a signed copy of the Balaboosta cookbook, and there are some recipes in there that have become my "go-to" favorites, so for years I've been dying to try one of Chef Einat's sit down restaurants. We finally worked it out and snagged a brunch reservation for my birthday. It was a busy Saturday, we opted for indoor dining. We started with the mint lemonade and yalla drinks- which were both tasty and refreshing. We started with the Dip Sampler (tahini, labneh and my favorite, matbucha) and papas bravas. For main events we went with vegan shakshuka- which was amazingly flavorful and the Chicken shawarma which was a little disappointing. I was expecting the chicken to have that wonderful typical grilled taste but instead instead the chicken almost tasted like it was boiled and then tossed in the aioli- the pickled onion was a nice touch and the home made pita bread was very good. I later ordered a $2 side of harissa- and honestly after mixing that into the shawarma it was much, much better. I'm giving 4 stars, and I'm looking forward to trying dinner next time.

    Paperdelle branzino and short rib

    We had a fabulous meal at Balaboosta tonight. Whipped feta, to die for... cauliflower with those pickled raisins?!? Get out of here. Rice w tahdig and the short rib?!? Too good! So many thoughtful and well composed dishes served with comfort in mind. Would def return!

    HUMMUS TAHINA

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    Great food and restaurants. Also have a nice selection of food on the menu all tasted great.

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    Ask the Community - Balaboosta

    Do they take reservations?

    Yes, through Resy.

    Do they have outdoor seating?

    Yep -- outdoor seating available during COVID.

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    Çka Ka Qëllue

    Çka Ka Qëllue

    4.5(308 reviews)
    1.3 mi•Midtown East
    Family-owned & operated
    Fine dining

    If you want to get to know a culture and its people, food is one of the best ways to do so. Çka Ka…read moreQëllue isn't simply a restaurant, its serves as a cultural center and museum where you get a true Albanian experience. The food is incredible and the service is top-notch in a setting that immerses you in Albanian history and hospitality. The menu is extensive and I found it helpful to ask the friendly servers their recommendations and suggestions. I really enjoyed the sesame baked cheese, mantia and sausage dip as appetizers and saved plenty of room for their mixed grill platter, which is generous and filling; ordering a salad along with their bread will complete any meal and you will leave more than satisfied by the taste and authenticity of all the dishes. Not just a meal but an experience!

    Cka Ka Qullue is an outstanding restaurant. I think the best part is how authentic it is - from the…read moremusic to the art/decor to the interior design. It feels like you stepped into a rustic little house that a family lives in. We really appreciated that they were playing Albanian music. The food is so filling and heavy so pace yourself. My husband and I shared the pepper dip and the baked cheese appetizers, which come with freshly baked bread. Seriously delicious. For entrees, I got the tava kosi, which is an egg dish with two pieces of lamb. Honestly I didn't love it. It's a LOT of egg. The lamb pieces were delicious, but I was already so full that I could only have one piece. I wish it had a bit less egg and a bit more other things, but I know this is their national dish. My husband got the qofte shari. It was perfect. Cooked so well, the meat was spiced uniquely, even the fries were great. I think I just ordered the wrong thing! I would seriously love to return and try another clay dish. We finished off the meal with Albanian coffee, which was like Turkish coffee, but smoother and better. All in all, left so happy and full. Service was so attentive, too. Go here for a unique meal in the cutest little restaurant.

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    Çka Ka Qëllue
    Çka Ka Qëllue
    Çka Ka Qëllue

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    ilili NoMad - Lamb & Beef Shawarma (6.5/10)

    ilili NoMad

    4.1(2.9k reviews)
    1.0 mi•Flatiron
    •$$$

    A group of us were here for brunch on a Saturday and we had such a great experience…read more It's a huge beautiful space with both indoor and outdoor seating and we chose to sit indoors. The staff was extremely warm, kind and welcoming and a special shoutout to Irem who was amazing, gave us some great recommendations and took care of us throughout. I went for the $39 prix fixe brunch which is honestly such a great deal and comes with quite a spread. I had the muhammara, hummus, shakshuka and dessert and thoroughly enjoyed my coffee too. We also ordered the tuna Niçoise salad, which is by far the best I have had ever. One of my friends was accidentally served the wrong order and they immediately replaced it with the right one and made her meal completely complimentary, which was such a nice gesture and something we really appreciated. We also loved that nobody was rushing us and we could just sit, chat and enjoy our brunch. Great food, beautiful ambiance, wonderful hospitality and even the restrooms were spotless and very well maintained. Overall such a positive experience and easily a 5/5 for me.

    We went for Mother's Day brunch. When we arrived a few minutes early we did have to wait a bit. The…read morerestaurant had two floors, nicely decorated and cozy. We were lead upstairs to a table. There were 7 of us The seating was cozy but not cramped. We started with 7 family style small dishes: Hummus with Falafel Pops (chickpea purée, tahini, falafel, olive oil), Spring Burrata (roasted cherry tomatoes, toast, basil oil), Hamachi Crudo (passionfruit vinaigrette, citrus zest, cucumber, mint, sesame tuile), Scallops (carrot puree, serrano pepper, brown butter sauce), Tenderloin Skewer (zaatar chimichurri, fresh herb salad), and Shiitake Stuffed Grape Leaves (tomato coulis, yogurt foam, herbs). Everything was delicious. The hummus was well seasoned the falafel had a nice crunch. It went well with the warm puffy gyro bread that came to the table. The burrata was wasm and creamy. I love the vinaigrette on the fish. I ended up eating most of it. The scallops were the sweetest, most tender ones I have ever had. The tenderloin skewers were tender and well seasoned. I liked the grape leaves but the rice consistency was very soft almost mushy and you can barely tell there were mushrooms. There was barely any mushrooms flavor. Next we all chose an entree. I got the duck breast, my husband and daughter each had the beef tenderloin. The duck breast was smaller than i expected. The skin was nicely seared and very crispy but boy did it give my jaw a workout. It was done medium rare. It was juicy but tough. The small beef tenderloin was tender and smoky. The waiter poured the sauce over the tenderloin for added flavor. Finally dessert was a fruit plate with ice cream and pudding. The fruit was fresh and the flavors of the ice cream and pudding unique. It was a nice end to a good brunch. The price was a little expensive at $85 a person.

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    ilili NoMad - Ilili Restaurant NYC's outdoor dining

    Ilili Restaurant NYC's outdoor dining

    ilili NoMad - Brussels Sprouts

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    ilili NoMad - Glass of Chateau Ksara 'Blanc de Blancs' 2023 (~$17)

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    Turkish Kitchen - Yum.

    Turkish Kitchen

    3.8(637 reviews)
    1.3 mi•Kips Bay
    •$$$

    Turkish Kitchen is my neighborhood mainstay, I can't even count how many times I've been over the…read moreyears. The birthday coupons are what had brought me in every year, but even though they stopped during Covid, I still enjoy visiting. My go-to dish is the Iskender Kebab - delicious slices of lamb with tomato sauce and yogurt over baked pita bread. I also enjoy the combination platter with dips - the baba ghanoush is delicious. The atmosphere is classy but down-to-earth. The cocktails are tasty. The service can be slow, but it means we are never rushed out. The prices are mid-high, but commensurate with the quality of food. I recently came with a large group, including kids. Service was welcoming despite the chaos. Our bread was frequently replenished and our bottles of wine poured. On top of that, we were given tastes of dessert & liqueur - such a nice treat at the end of a long meal. I especially appreciated that the head guy alerted us that gratuity was already added to the check. We had such a great time, that we opted to tip more! I was happy that my group had such a positive experience, and surely will continue to return.

    A group of my friends were in town, and we happened to pick this place just by walking down the…read morestreet in the area until we saw something that looked tasty. We could not have been happier with what we got for a place that we picked totally randomly. First of all, the place is popular and we did not have resos, but the staff were super nice and found us an open table that we could eat at as long as we put in our orders quick so they could get the table ready for a later reservation in an hour. Then the food itself arrived and was really delicious and well presented, just look at those kebab plates and dips! They also gave our group free baklava at the end I think just because they felt a little bad they had to rush us, which wasn't even their fault and was super appreciated. Also, the interior decoration is fantastic. The restaurant feels super classy and elegant. Great vibes for a date, a business dinner, or just a fancy dinner. Overall, easy 5 stars. Great food and amazing service. Oh and the wine was delicious too.

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    Turkish Kitchen
    Turkish Kitchen
    Turkish Kitchen

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    Balaboosta - mediterranean - Updated October 2026

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