{Overall: 4; Food: 4} Ambiance: 3.5; Service: 4 Had a really enjoyable brunch at Balaboosta. *Hummus: Very creamy and smooth, with nice soft bread to go with it. *Shakshuka: One of the better ones I've had. Eggs were perfectly cooked with runny yolks, and the tomato sauce was well balanced, not too acidic or bland. *Steak: Ordered medium rare but came medium well. Not dry though, and the seasoning on the outside was very flavorful. *Chicken shawarma: Very good. Was topped with a curry-type sauce that made it rich, and the chicken itself was moist. Portion sizes were generous. Service was friendly. The ambiance is simple and fine. Great for a casual brunch. read more

Delish! Everything was great...service good...not cheap but worth it! Would go back...one of the better restaurants in the west village. read more

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! read more

Balaboosta - The cockatil made with Fig Arak! It like a Manhattan but better! - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

Impressive start with whipped feta, ceviche, and Yemeni soup dumplings, but I was served a cut of short rib that was mainly blobs of coagulated fat. For $47, it was insulting. Also, a general comment here as I don't eat out as much these days: the prices of the vegetable dishes here were insanely high. When you consider you still have to play weird reservation games even at a neighborhood+ place like this, it's easy to understand why a lot of people just don't eat out. read more

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 read more

Balaboosta - Chicken and (purposefully and yummy) burnt rice - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

See all

I had a lovely dinner here on a Thursday night! The food was delicious, the service was above and beyond, and the space was elegant and welcoming. My friend and I shared the following.: 1) Hummus and pita bread - incredible! 2) Prawns - tasty 3) Skirt steak - great 4) Churros- delightful My cocktail was excellent, as was my wine. Our waiter Mark was wonderful- warm, attentive, and thoughtful! The space is beautiful and classy. I truly had an excellent meal here with my friend (who lives in the neighborhood) and look forward to returning! read more

Balaboosta - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

My friend and I were walking around the west village and we came across this bustling restaurant. We liked the menu, the staff were friendly, and we decided to sit at an outdoor table to people watch while we dined. The cauliflower and eggplant dishes were both great, as were the cocktails. I will definitely return! read more

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. read more

Balaboosta - HUMMUS TAHINA - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

See all

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! read more

See all

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

Balaboosta - Whipped feta, Moroccan carrots, steak, creme brûlée - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

Was able to grab reservations for a Saturday evening the day before, which was nuts to me. We got a table in the wine cellar, which was a regular room with a wall of wines haha, nothing cellar like. I perhaps will take a star away for their hostess, who just was spaced out and wasn't the nicest. The food and the wait staff were amazing - between the two of us we shared a bottle of wine, hummus, whipped feta, fried olives and cauliflower. We didn't intend for it to be a vegetarian meal, but that's what it ended being. The bread that came along with the dips was amazing! Can't wait to come back! read more

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. read more

Balaboosta - @cafeTAMbien Pastrami SHAKSHUKA - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

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). read more

See all

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. read more

See all

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!! read more

See all

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! read more

See all

The community gathers at this place. I was surprised by how much food came with my order. Employees are accommodating, down-to-earth, and true. This restaurant creates loyal customers. Include this restaurant in your options. read more

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 read more

See all

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. read more

See all

Great first impression when we were greeted by Meredith and later when she came by to speak with us again the deal was sealed. A very lively vibe, great playlist, delicious food and cocktails, excellent service by Michael. We are coming back and bringing more friends. read more

See all

Amazing Israeli food experience! My friend and I came here for a casual lunch. We couldn't choose what we wanted so had to get a few plates to share and try all the goodness! Let's start with the whipped feta with honey - an absolute must!! I've tried many whipped fetas before but this was has been a favorite! The hummus with meat was delicious and I would definitely recommend getting that as well! We split the chicken shawarma for our main - I loved the presentation and that it was already served in a pita. I'm not big on sweets, but I did find the challah French toast to be yummy service was great!! read more

See all

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. read more

Balaboosta - Chicken Shawarma, PAPAS BRAVAS, SHAKSHUKA - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

See all

Delicious but expensive. Every cocktail and plate that we had was delicious. The cocktails are unusual and delicious. The soup dumplings were very good. The Lamb Neck Shawarma was outstanding! We used the Tahdig Rice to capture all of the shawarma sauce. The fresh mint tea was a fitting way to end the meal. The service was helpful and attentive. read more

See all

Balaboosta is a lively spot serving up delicious food inspired by the flavors from Israel. This evening the restaurant was quite busy but the service was good. Hummus ($16)- one of the better ones I've had. It was smooth and creamy and served with pillowy pita. They charged quite a bit for extra pita ($5) so be aware as you devour the stuff. Beef soup dumplings ($17)- these little morsels were flavorful. The portion size was two dumplings, I wish it was larger, especially for the price. Branzino- the fish was well cooked and with complimenting accompaniments- a fresh herb and seed salad and a lemon and mango vinaigrette. Rib eye steak- the flavors were good- charred steak, creamy carrot purée, sautéed mustard greens and a potato crisp on top. I will say I was disappointed as the portion was VERY small. I was envisioning a whole rib eye steak for $41. Tahdig ($19)- the rice was infused with saffron and had a gorgeous crisp top that was scattered with barberries and pistachios. Overall, an enjoyable meal! I'd recommend for a special occasion. read more

Balaboosta - Rib eye steak, tahdig rice, branzino and brick chicken - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

See all

The Balaboosta experience starts with friendly staff at the door and behind the bar. Then comes the flavorful and fresh food, focusing on spices and herbs. Excellent wine list, cocktails, and mocktails. Lively atmosphere and modern ambiance. read more

Yep this one is a 5 stars location (and I do hand them over very rarely !) Chef Einat is providing her interpretation to traditional Arabic and Israeli dishes , and she does it masterfully and creatively , with the utmost quality. We had a blast on a casual Tuesday evening dinner and b/c the menu has so many appealing options we ended up ordering a bit too much ( we were a party of 3)...there we go : Starters : 1) whipped feta - one of the best ones we tried - the delicately-salted cheese with the raising and pine nuts , and a little bit of honey was an excellent yummy starter . The homemade pita bread was the real thing 2) shrimp kataif - shrimp coated with kadaif dough , topped with tahini sauce and fresh cucumber salad on the side - shrimps were fresh and chubby , the coating was crispy and a great fit for this dish . The cucumber salad added freshness and was a great addition 3) eggplants - with some breadcrumb fillings , was a really nice dish. The eggplants were roasted to perfection . If you're not too hungry I would not order this one out of the three starters Entries 1) lamb neck - this was IMHO the star of the dinner . A "do it yourself" large portion dish (enough for 2 people ) that comes with the same fresh pita bread , Hugh quality tahini and homemade schug (spicy dip) - the meat is so tender it easily falls off the bone and you make yourself little "shawarma" sandwiches with the ingredients. Incredible idea, that emphasize the creativity of the chef 2) papardelle pasta with wild mushrooms - very good dish , mushrooms were great and we had quite a few of them , the sauce feels like a deep dish meat-based sauce Desserts : 1) malawach Churus - another creative idea , where the chef used the traditional n non-sweet malawacch dough to create sweet "chrrus" with chocolate dip and strawberry deep , recreating the traditional formats sauce and schug that are typically served w malawach 2) halva cream brûlée- for this one you really have to love Israeli Halva , b/c the crème itself has halva inside and there's a lot of that on top . I would skip this one if you're not too sure if you like the strong sesame flavors We also tried 3 of the cocktails - 1) Avi bitter for me , which was yummy but is only for one that likes bitter flavors (think Campari) 2) simcha - which was sweeter citrusy and really yummy and refreshing 3) a virgin Rosemarie pomegranate soda cocktail- who would have thought Rosemarie can up lift a drink in such a way? Service was good and attentive All of this goodness came out to 180$. Very reasonable for the quality and creative you get back How can this establishment not get consistently 5 stars reviews ??? We will be back for sure read more

See all

Went here for brunch and it was good! We ordered the hummus pitriyot to share, eggplant shakshuka, pastrami, and quinoa latkes. For cocktails, we got the matos, yalla, and shamir. The server was attentive and friendly. It was also easy to get a reservation. The restaurant was also cute and cozy. read more

See all

Really enjoyed this meal! Def gets crowded inside so make sure you have a reservation. Go with a a few people, order a bunch of dishes to try. We also got a bottle of red to go with the meal. Everything was delicious, fresh, and different than anything I've had before. I highly recommend this place, def cannot go wrong with any of the menu items. The chicken dish for main entree is a MUST! So delicious. Ambiance is great for a date spot or catch up with a few friends. read more

See all

The Mediterranean brunch was great. The service was quick and attentive. The location next to the park was wonderful. And the atmosphere was comfortable and not cramped. read more

Not a fan...cute interior, to me, a limited menu. I had the Chicken Shawarma pita which was just ok, a bit too gooey with the aioli and caramelized onions, wasn't enjoying it. I regretted not swinging by a piteria and spending a fraction of the 21 dollar price. It was also a Sunday and perhaps the other menus are a bit more varied. My friend had the Shakshuka, very ordinary.. nothing remotely like the version that we had at Pressed Cafe in the suburbs outside of Boston..we shared the fried olives with homemade labneh and harissa oil which were unique to me and ok. We each had the Harissa Bloody Mary, was ok, and in a rather tall and slender glass..not much of a kick in spice or booze (14 dollars)...Some may love it here, you can judge for yourself. read more

See all

Truly an incredible experience! The atmosphere is warm, the staff is incredible, and honestly the food is some of the best you'll have. Don't miss the whipped feta, fried olives, and branzino and salmon are both out of this world for mains. A slightly tipsy person on the street remarked that the salmon was the best main on the menu, and dear reader I agree but feel that the branzino is equal in measure! read more

See all

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

Joseph the manager was most gracious and accommodating. Leah who was masterfully tending the bar, crafted the most exceptional drinks and recommended the most delectable food offerings - this intimate spot is a gem. Hope by posting this review will make it more difficult to get a future reservation Martin Weinstein read more

I was excited to finally try this cafe, as I love Taim and heard that Balaboosta was helmed by the chef who created it. However, I was quite disappointed with the quality of food. The restaurant is light, airy and cute, and has nice ambience for brunch. The service was okay, but we were seated in the back corner of the restaurant, and it was quite difficult to get service at times when we needed it. My friend and I had the green salad, and the shakshuka. The salad was fine, and I added on some pan seared dorade for protein ($9 extra). The food was just okay. It tasted like something I could have whipped up myself. Based on the food during this visit, I would not recommend or return. read more

Balaboosta - Green Salad with seared dorade - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

See all

5 stars for food, 2 for service. Overall, a great atmosphere with awesome, innovative takes on classic flavors. The food was really excellent we enjoyed a mix of things from different parts of the menu. Service needed work that evening, however. We ordered a number of different dishes from the snacks, sharing plates and large plates menu and thought nearly everything was superb. Fried olives, fried eggplant, cucumber salad were all great. Hummus, octopus and short ribs were amazing standouts. (Note: the hummus is, quite possibly, the best I've eaten anywhere. I know that sounds weird for something as mundane as hummus, but you'll know what I'm talking about when you try it). The chocolate fingers and ice cream with cookies we ordered were an awesome finish. Service was lacking, however. We knew it was going to be a slow night from the get-go. Our waiter was missing for a good portion of the evening. 10 minutes to greet us at the table. 5 more minutest for water. 10 minutes to take a cocktail order. More time to deliver the cocktails. He'd be "right back" to take our food orders, which was another 10 minutes. Then he was missing for most of the meal, which is odd, given that it's such a small restaurant. At times we found him setting up unoccupied tables, or bringing plastic tubs filled with who-knows-what behind the bar. After waiting a painful amount of time for the check, and then another 10 minutes to wait and see if he's take our cards, we finally just asked the hostess to run them for us, which she happily and promptly did. Per my friend "You know I'm not cheap, but this does not deserve even $15% tip.' But, I'll just chalk that up to one bad waiter having a bad night. The food is too good to write the place off. I will defiantly be back. read more

Balaboosta - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

See all

Absolutely wonderful Birthday dinner at Balaboosta in the West Village on Hudson and 12th. Extremely chill interior -great chill playlist for the music - and friendly greeting from the Hostess as soon as we walked in . All staff were really nice . Started with a couple cocktails, the Yalla and the Matos which was a tasty rye drink, get that . Started with Hummus and warm bread with that delicious green hot salsa on it and what tasted like good quality tahini. Get this. Delicious. Also tried the Shrimp Kataif which was 3 shrimp wrapped in crunchy kataifi with cucumber salad and a great sauce, absolutely delicious. Recommended. I asked for more bread too and that was brought out . I ordered a glass of the Sicilian white wine with my main which was the Salmon. It had a tangy green sauce and is fine but next time I'd try the Branzino. My friend got the Adobo steak and loved that. Got Potato Sabzi side dish which is spiced fried thick potato wedges with a white sauce and green onion, I really liked this too. Get it . For dessert we got the Baklava ice cream with a candle in it but next time I'd try the chocolate mousse or the churros. This is an awesome place with great food and service, also has seating at the bar but FYI they don't open til 5.30pm for dinner. Go to Balaboosta! read more

See all

Hidden gem in NYC. The foot is like home cooking All the food was Fresh and flavorful. For the appetizers the whipped feta and hummus is one of the best I have had. The cauliflower was also excellent. The brick chicken with a couscous sauce was so moist. The short ribs melted in your mouth. Definitely want to go back soon. Small but good wine collection. The Israeli red was unusually good Definite would recommend read more

This review is on the last year Autumn outdoor dining experience. We two people stumbled upon this place because the outdoor setting looked so cute and the waitstaff(w/ braided hair) was so welcoming :) Food tasted GREAT. The ambiance was so cool and the weather was perfect for outdoor dining. The service was excellent! We waited for about 20 minutes in the nearby adorable park until they sent us a text message. We ordered an appetizer to share, two main dishes(eggplant and chicken), and two cocktails. All the food was sensational and the cocktails recommended by the staff definitely elevated our dining experience. It was a memorable late lunch. Thank you :-) read more

See all

Chef Einat recently closed the original location of Balaboosta and moved it into this new location, replacing her other restaurant, the younger Bar Bolonat. As at all of her restaurants and at her growing mini-empire Taim, the food is excellent. While this is a somewhat loud, bustling spot, it is the least casual of them all and perhaps nicer for a date, with dark lighting and candles. The food is all great, starting with small snacks like hummus with ground beef ($14) and cruncy kohlrabi ($7) to the larger dishes like Brick Chicken ($28) and Wild Mushroom Pasta ($25). Every bite we tried was worth ordering and ordering again. Definitely get the Cucumber Salad ($13), which came recommended from the chef herself and was as good as she said it would be. Don't skip dessert either - the Kasata ($11), a version of an ice cream sandwich with tahini cookies and served alongside some berries is solid, but the Halva Creme Brulee ($12) is the one you must make sure to try. read more

See all

They place is nice and cozy, service is ok, it's just the food is nothing really special as i was expecting,i man in paper it looks really really good but when you have it in front of you it just isn't. I had a really poorly made cucumber salad which in this Mediterranean restaurant i was expecting to be a very tart cucumber and tomato with olive oil and Vinegar maybe a touch of onion and fennel but instead i got a cucumber spaghetti with a watered down yogurt... awful. But then i gave them a second chance with their artichokes wish were even worse because for almost $20 You get a couple is badly cooked artichoke bottoms on a tasteless tomato sauce. I tried the cauliflower and the Brussels sprouts... nah! Sorry guys, maybe you need more salt, Lemmon or a new chef. read more

Balaboosta - This are the artichokes - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York