When I used to work in Brooklyn there was a falafel cart that had the best falafel I'd ever had…read more Since then I've tried various falafel places and I've made them a few times at home. Nothing has come close. When I come to a decent sized city I look out for good restaurants to try. I was excited to see how the falafel was at Mazadar. Walking in I was greeted by friendly staff. There was a casual atmosphere. The felafel was the best I've ever had. I've had felafel all over the world in authentic restaurants. This was the best. From the bread to the balls to the salads to the sauces. Pure perfection. Everything was so fresh and so delicious.

I can't believe I haven't rated mazadar before. Their falafel wrap and spicy falafel burger are one…read moreof the few things in the area I crave and get regularly. Truly I think the falafel burger is the best vegetarian burger in Albany. The fried onion rings and bbq with their falafel is so good. And it's reasonably priced and comes with fries! Plus it's always super clean inside and the staff is very kind.

I was unsure at first, when I walked in here in the late afternoon. It was empty but then again it…read morewasn't lunch time and it was a bit early for dinner. I was excited to try their Mediterranean and Afghan cuisine based on so many good reviews that were posted. The place was cozy but clean and I was greeted immediately as I approached the counter area. It took a few minutes to look over their meal options and my questions were answered completely. I decided to dine in and ordered a strawberry refresher, a pistachio matcha and several soft drinks. Then, a badenjen (eggplant) appetizer that came with naan. A lamb kebab wrap, a Zafire (spicy) burger meal with fries, a chicken kebab bowl as well as a barg kebab (steak) bowl. I especially loved the choices I was given for toppings for the bowls. To name a few, there was hummus, baba ghanoush (eggplant tahini spread) various sauces, olives, cucumbers, pickled onions, beets and more. I was also able to ask for extra on the toppings that I really liked too. Everything that I had, tasted fresh and was made to order. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants a tasty quality meal that's well balanced and healthy. I will be back again soon, as this is definitely a place that I would go to regularly.

Great spot for a quick, nutritious and filling lunch! I stopped by after landing at the Albany…read moreairport in search of a casual bite to eat before beginning a road trip and was fully satisfied. The young lady at the counter helped guide me through their menu options and made sure that I selected an option that would be best for my dietary preferences. Pro tip - the brown rice is cooked with chicken stock so if you're vegetarian, go for the regular white rice. I ended up with the falafel bowl and added most of their veggie toppings as well as the tahini sauce, hot sauce, and a lemon vinaigrette sauce. Sauce me up. The serving size was generous and everything tasted fresh. Just what I needed to fuel the rest of the day's adventures.

Food was on point. Service is good, I did a take out. Would definitely try more stuff again soon…read more Beef Kebabs were great. I like the tomato n pepper charred and put on the rice concept. Great job serving real food.

I found legends kebab and pizza on Yelp... I ordered online- which was easy, and was teeny greater…read morewhen I arrived in the store and told it wouldn't be very long before my Order was complete... the shop was super clean and the service was quick and the price was well worth the quality... I got the chicken schwarma and rice- super fresh!!! I highly recommend!!!

I've been dying to come here ever since I drove by a month ago. Finally! It's a nice, clean…read morerestaurant with great service! We started with some appetizers of cigar rolls and falafel. Mmmm delicious. The cigar rolls were so good we ordered another one. It comes with five rolls and a side of tahini. Crispy and fluffy with feta. The falafel comes halved and was crispy and delicious. Everyone pretty much tried everyone's dish because you just had to. I got the chicken shish. It came with a generous amount of char grilled juicy chicken chunks on a flat pita with a generous portion of yellow rice and a side salad. Dinner mate got the braised lamb shank and the other got the braised short ribs. They both came with generous sides. The asparagus was nice and tender. The short ribs just melted in my mouth. The chicken kavourma came fancy and just bursted with flavor with lots of chicken and vegetables. I didn't get to try the lamb because it got gobbled down so fast. The strawberry mimosa was delicious too. A must try in that row of restaurants on Madison. We got the best spot in the house, the window seat, where we saw people walking their dogs and lots of friendly people waving with their dogs and cars with dogs and cool cars driving by. Very entertaining for a seven year old. Baklava with ice cream for dessert. Amazing! They do not have a kids menu so if you have a picky eater, plan ahead! We did make a reservation for a party of five.

Kismet is one of my go to Mediterranean restaurants. I have tried a good number of their dishes and…read moreeverything has been delicious. You can tell they use good quality ingredients and everything is fresh and full of flavor. The restaurant is on the smaller side, but has a good number of tables and is nicely decorated. They also have a few outdoor tables in the warmer months. They offer lunch and brunch on select days. I would definitely recommend this spot, it's perfect for a date night or gathering with friends.

Excellent legit Greek food…read more Recommend the mezze platter as a starter: hummus, tzatziki, ezme, eggplant tomatoes, and tirokafter. All super flavorful and decent size portions for a starter. Can serve about 4. Also recommend the keftedakia grilled lamb & beef seasoned with garlic, mint, parsley & onion and served with tzatziki. Also decent sized for an appetizer. Can't go wrong with any fish here. Service was excellent both times we went. Online ordering via Toast https://order.toasttab.com/online/athos

Great food, everything tasted fresh and the restaurant was very clean. Service was amazing and not…read morerushed but also moved. I ordered Branzino filet and husband ordered beef souvlaki. They were out of the short rib but his was very good. The bourbon drink on special was amazing! I was nervous to go because it was a little out of my comfort zone but it is a wonderful date night spot.

Great food. Very nice people. The hummus alone is worth the price of admission. Excellent pita…read moresandwiches!

Before Mamoun's Falafel, I would have confidently told you that I'm not a falafel person. Turns…read moreout, I just hadn't had good falafel before. And now that I have, it's actually a bit of a problem -- because whenever I travel and order falafel somewhere else, it almost always ends in disappointment. Mamoun's completely changed my opinion. The color, the texture, the seasoning, and that perfectly crispy bite in every mouthful -- whatever their secret is, this is the falafel that made me love falafel. The owner is also one of the kindest and most welcoming people you'll meet. Always polite, well-dressed, and genuinely warm. If you see him there, say hello -- he's a pleasure to chat with. Beyond the falafel, I've tried most of the platters on the menu. The kebabs are very flavorful and juicy. The baba ghanoush, hummus, and falafel are consistently fresh and delicious. The bourani might actually be my favorite way to eat spinach, and the mjadra is a fantastic, flavorful alternative to the usual white rice. I've been coming here for years and the quality has never changed -- which is rare and worth appreciating. I sincerely hope it stays exactly the same for many years to come. PS: unfortunately they are open just for take out since Covid-19

Noticeably spotless! The staff all smile and really seem to love being there. Very upbeat and super…read morefriendly. I did not realize there were several locations in the capital district. There is one closer to me so I think I will be visiting there real soon. I got a toasty Big Chicken Shawarma wrap. It was stuffed full of fresh ingredients. Every single ingredient complimented the other I can't even describe it. It was a nice size and I ate it all. Absolutely delicious. I don't think I've had a toastier wrap ever. It was perfect. Pics included! A nice relaxed atmosphere with apparently several locations. I would encourage you to try one!

Staff are very welcoming and pleasant. Food very good…read more Tomato soup excellent. Shawarma bowls very good with fresh quality ingredients. Rice and pita bread very good. Fair pricing. Quality utensils. Quick service. Place and bathrooms are clean. Management/owner doing a fabulous job! Will always return! And will try the desserts next time.

My son had stopped here on the way to visit and based on some of the leftovers, we knew it had to…read morebe on the list. Traveling within about 5 minutes on the way to visit a good friend, and it happened to be right around lunch time, the opportunity finally came. It's a casual place, lots of 2 and 4 top tables, but what caught my eye when we went in was the cooler full of amazing side options. Then you look up and there's a beautiful oven and a dough station. This is looking great. We sat and ordered lamb kebab and doner kebab. A couple minutes later, a large (~11x17?) wooden tray appeared with a piping hot lavash bread and a plate of dill yogurt sauce. If the meal had stopped there, I would have been a happy camper. We had just had a few pieces when the kebab arrived, each with a pepper, tomato, some red cabbage, and onion. Both meats were authentic and delicious. My favorite way to eat my doner was with a bit of the bread, a bit of the dill sauce, some onion and cabbage, and a bunch of meat - a mini gyro, if you will. We took away about 1/3 of the generous portions and ordered a large mixed plate (all 10 of the sides) and baklava to take to our friend. It's a bit of a drive for us, but any time we're anywhere close, we're going to be back for sit down (if it's mealtime) or takeaway if it's not. I highly recommend you do the same.

Alibaba is probably the oldest Turkish restaurant in the Albany area, and it recently got a nice…read moreupgrade -- from the furniture to the serving plates and menus. The place feels much more modern and inviting now. Our family especially enjoys the beyti kebab, the güveç, and their pide. I haven't tried the pizza yet, but since their pide is very good, I imagine the pizza would also be solid. For me though, the real highlight at Alibaba is the mezze. In Turkish cuisine, grilled meats and kebabs are almost always enjoyed with a variety of mezze. They might technically be sides, but they're a big part of the whole experience. These days there are several Turkish kebab places in the area, but none of them offer a wide selection of fresh, house-made mezze like Alibaba does. At many places you're lucky if you find one or two options, often just a basic ezme. At Alibaba you'll find around ten different mezze and each one tastes distinct and freshly made. Every time I tell myself I'll just take a little... and somehow I end up filling a big mezze plate. Honestly, even when we grill at home, our motivation is picking up mezze from Alibaba to go with it. I'm not sure if it gets the credit it deserves, but don't skip the mezze here -- you'd be missing out. In fact, start with the mezze and figure out the rest later :))

Just went for lunch, tried their lamb sandwich. Came w/white…read moresauce- tasted great. Nicely seasoned. Didn't try other items But enjoyed the food enough to want to go back & try more. Very reasonable prices.

Solid restaurant. It's situated within a tiny store plaza building. Friendly staff, and clean…read moreinterior. I ordered dolma, which is rice wrapped in banana leaves and covered in a sour sauce of sorts. Very well priced, and tasted great. I also ordered chicken kebab, which the taste of the meat blew me out of the water. It was crisp, well heated, and deep in flavor. I noticed a lot of take-outs and delivery. I sat in, and I had to buy bottled water since they supposedly don't give tap. My dishes were served in paper plates and plastic utensils. I recommend doing delivery here.

food was great highly recommend seafood Alfredo it's amazing very nice waitress and very cleanread more

Excellent lunch menu! Food was FIVE Stars. Moderate, fair…read morepricing for the good quality of food served and for the skilled preparations. Ordered: *Calamari app with marinara sauce --average; crispy coating was light and bland. Salmon with white beans, rice and vegetables -- *Salmon was cooked perfectly, moist not dry, fresh veg. Medley was not overcooked, flavorful. $20. *Strip Steak with mushrooms, baby potatoes and veg. -- Steak was cooked medium as ordered. It was tender and juicy, not fatty or tough. Liked it very much. The fresh mushrooms on top were good. The sauce/gravy was plentiful, a little too much for my palette. $25. White cloth tablecloths and cream cloth napkins on tables were very nice and elevated the dining experience. There was one pleasant server who did everything. She was very busy, so it took a little too long to pay bill. Warning to anyone with mobility issues-- There are eight steep steps to reach the front door. There was a good railing on one side. The restroom is up a long flight of stairs on the second floor! Happy I did not need to use it.