My friends and I decided to visit Bustan after reading glowing reviews on Yelp... and the reviews were Spot On. Bustan was a fantastic experience. I applaud the quick, efficient, and friendly service. I asked if they had Happy Hour (this was something I saw online, but may have been from a few years ago), and the waitress helped double check this before confirming that they no longer do happy hour. We also informed her that we had a time limit and needed to leave in 45 minutes. The restaurant was able to accommodate bringing out all the food and drinks very quickly which we are very grateful for! It was difficult to choose since everything looked delicious from the photos we saw online. We decided on the housemade bread and three dips (Hummus, falafel, and spicy feta), Roasted Cauliflower, Burrata, and the fish chraimeh. For drinks we ordered Persian Lemonade, Tunisian Sour, and Smoke & Fire. Bread & Dips: The bread was deliciously seasons, and soft and chewy with a nice texture on the outside. I definitely wanted to order more so I could dip it in everything. As for the dips, Hummus and falafel was well done. The falafel was very crispy. But the star of the show was definitely the spicy feta: The sharp flavor of feta and a hint of spice was perfect with the bread. Burrata: I already love burrata but paired with sweet and slightly tart beets and crispy artichoke chips, the dish provided a fantastic medley of flavors and textures. Cauliflower: This was also very tasty. I really enjoyed dipping the cauliflower in the yogurt-like sauce on the bottom. There was definitely a nice fragrance from the sesame. Fish Chraimeh: The photos of the dish was what first drew me to it. This is a spicy tomato stew with fish served in a ceramic pot with a layer of bread baked over. When serving the dish, the waitstaff cuts open the top and rolls it back. Nice presentation, and so delicious! It was not very spicy at all, but the stew was just comforting and damn tasty with tangy notes from the stewed tomatoes, bright herb-y bites from the cilantro, and the fish was tender and meaty. We ripped off bits of the thin flatbread to dip into the stew intermittently. It was a perfect dish. Persian Lemonade: Refreshing, citrusy and rose(flower)-forward. I really enjoyed the taste of the rose. Tunisian Sour: I am a huge fan of egg white drinks. This cocktail incorporated Aquafaba (hummus water) which is very similar to egg-white properties/texture. The drink was nutty (reminded me of pistachio) and slighly creamy. Smoke& Fire: A very typical spicy mezcal drink. I only had a sip, but my friend said it was very well made. In summary, Bustan provides great service in a cozy yet contemporary space. The food and cocktails were fresh and well-paired, transporting you to a state of euphoria throughout the meal and you will leave satiated without feeling heavy and overwhelmed. read more

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This is a great new addition to the Upper West Side, a more adult feeling restaurant than most of the places in this area that cater mostly to families with little kids. We arrived at around 6:30 on a Sunday night and the place was packed, but we were lucky enough to grab the last table near the entrance. By the time we were done, there were a good number of people waiting for tables. The chef here worked previously at Barbounia, which is immediately apparent when you see some of the similar menu items here. There are a bunch of great new additions though, and it was indeed very tough to choose from the huge number of options, but we did our best and ordered way too much as usual: - Hummus Bowl ($11) with Beef Cheeks (+ $6) From this starter, you can tell you will be in for a rich, oily meal. This comes with a bowl of hummus and an optional protein to add on top of it, along with a really long piece of bread for dipping. We chose Beef Cheeks, which were deliciously tender, but a little fatty. The beef sat in a generous amount of oil on top of the hummus, which along with the oily bread made for a satisfying starter. The bread was actually a bit disappointing, as it was a little too chewy and felt borderline stale. - Falafel Basket ($7 for 6) This was another excellent starter, consisting of a basket with 6 piping hot little falafel balls, along with two dipping sauces. The lightly fried balls were so tasty and well seasoned though that I barely needed to touch the sauces. - Lamb Shawarma Buns ($9.50 for 2) These were a Mediterranean version of the Japanese style steamed bao buns we all know and love. The buns themselves here were not so great, as they fell apart under the weight of the lamb and became a bit soggy, but the lamb was great and make these worth trying. - Pastrami Carbonara Flatbread ($15) This was incredible. I've been seeing a lot of flatbreads lately on menus, and most of the time they are extremely disappointing. They are usually in the range of $15-$20 for a couple of bites of cracker-thin bread with little to no toppings on them. This was a major exception - covered with a ton of pastrami, heavy cream, parmesan, egg yolk and kale, this was an extremely satisfying choice. The bread was a little flimsier than it should have been, and each of the little strips of slices sagged a little much on picking them up, but the flavor of the slices was excellent. There are several other flatbreads available too, many of which sounded good enough to come back for. - Lamb Terracotta ($25) This dish was so good when I had it at Barbounia that I had to order it again here. It's quite impressive looking too, as it comes out as a huge dome of bread covering the large bowl. The server helpfully cuts along the perimeter of the bowl and peels back half of the bread, informing us that it can be used like pita and ripped off in pieces to eat with the piping hot bowl of lamb kebab, grilled vegetables, tahini and pistachios. At $25, it's more than worth it, as it is a lot of food and so satisfying with the hot, delicious bread surrounding the bowl to accompany it. - Moroccan Doughnuts ($9 for 3) We were beyond full from all of the rich savory food, but a few of the dessert options sounded too good to pass up. These were pretty great, as they were piping hot, slightly crispy on the outside, and very fluffy on the inside. There were 3 great dipping sauces too which added even more great flavor to the already tasty plain doughnuts. This is a great choice to end the meal with. - Flourless Chocolate Fondant with Turkish Coffee Gelato ($10) The server looked at us in disbelief when we ordered this in addition to the doughnuts, as we already ate enough for at least 3 people, and as he warned us, this dessert was VERY rich. He was absolutely right, as even I couldn't get through more than half of it after all that food. It was basically a ball of pure chocolate, that definitely needed the refreshing coffee gelato that was served on top of it. Once I was done with the gelato, I couldn't bare to eat anymore as it was so rich. This is a good thing though, as it tasted great, but I was just too stuffed to fully enjoy it. This was a great meal. Service was great, with the waitstaff and managers very friendly and checking on us several times throughout. Aspects of some of the dishes were a little disappointing, but overall everything was very satisfying. It is on the pricier side, but the portions are quite big and well worth the price for most of the dishes. There are so many more great things to try that I would definitely return. read more

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Spectacular Mediterranean dinner! Our server told us that the menu is limited due to a recent fire in the kitchen (preview menu), however I was completely satisfied and impressed with the menu options. Overall, the food was excellent - tasted, garnished and portioned perfectly. We started with the crudo, smoked eggplant carpaccio (similar to a baba ghanoush without mayo and a must try), and refreshing Israeli Salad. The restaurant provided complimentary housemade taboon bread that we could not stop eating with the eggplant. For entree we ordered the cauliflower and fish chraimeh. The presentation for the fish chraimeh was very interesting; it was served with a piece of pita bread bubbled over the dish that was uncovered table-side to reveal the delicious fish, sauce and chickpeas underneath. Cocktails and wine were also fantastic - I personally enjoyed the Lyric pinot noir. Lovely ambiance that is perfect for a romantic date night. Service was attentive with thorough and accurate descriptions of menu items. Look forward to coming back for many more delicious meals! read more

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Nice restaurant in the upper west side. There are lots of places to eat in this neighborhood, but this one is a highlight. Great service and a menu that is updated by the season. read more

Tasty food, but our service was unfortunately pretty terrible. I was only able to snag a reservation for bar seats, which would have been fine - the bar is quite nice - except that we didn't seem to have a designated waiter. The bartender took our order and a busboy brought us our food, but beyond that we were totally ignored. No one refilled our water glasses, asked my friend if she wanted another drink, or offered us a dessert menu. Furthermore, busboys kept auctioning off food (meaning they hold up a dish and ask you if it's yours) to everyone sitting at the bar, which was so disruptive. We shared the hummus falafel dish as an appetizer, and it was incredible. However, my beet salad was pretty bland. My friend did like her gnocchi. The food is great, but also pretty expensive. It would take a lot to get me back in here. read more

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Great upper west side Mediterranean: A review of brunch The interior is quite spacious as there's an outdoor seating area in the back, roof off during good weather and roof on in the winter. Since it was semi raining yet pretty warm, the roof was half on for our group. Starters: Focaccia and 1, 3, or 5 dips. I'd go with 5 for sure. This is a must to share with good sized portions of hummus to babaghanoush and unlimited fresh, warm flatbread focaccia (don't be shy about asking for more). Merguez Shakshouka: This is always my go to main dish at Mediterranean brunch. Bustan does it perfectly, though disclosure I love my food on the saltier side. The tomato based sauce was perfectly seasoned, piping hot. Egg was perfectly cooked with oozing yolk when popped. I opted for the lamb sausage, which came as heaping portion that complimented the sauce and egg perfectly. OVERALL: Excellent brunch spot for groups. Will be back to try the rest of the menu. read more

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Bustan is a local Upper West side spot that definitely hits the spot. We got the chicken dish as well as the tuna crudo and both were outstanding . The food is fresh and the service is great. They could do a better job on their cocktail selection but for the most part it's a great local spot, we will be back! read more

Bustan was already a favorite, from a number of lovely dinners in the past; we had another great meal there quite recently and the food, as usual, was healthy, unusual and delicious. Despite the restaurant being quite busy, the service was excellent - our waiter was considerate, pleasant and professional. We left quite satisfied, without realizing that I'd left my vest behind. To my disbelief and pleasure, I received a call from Adriana the next day, asking if I'd left my vest behind and to feel free to stop by anytime to collect it, which I did, today. This kindness and concern for customers reinforces my already established sense that Bustan is truly a neighborhood gem! Recommended with no reservations... read more

Food, service and atmosphere are all amazing. Nice booths and comfy seating. We ordered: - house bread - pita - hummus - labneh - eggplant carpaccio - cauliflower - lamb kebab The labneh on pita was my favorite thing we ordered. The eggplant carpaccio is very popular and while it looks impressive, for me the flavor was underwhelming. The lamb kebab was delicious and comes with tasty tahini and roasted veggies. The cauliflower and hummus were also delicious. The dips are a bit small for the price but they're so gassy it's worth it. Overall, excellent, great for a date or parents visiting or friends from out of town - classy, good food, but not annoyingly trendy. read more

A great Mediterranean on the Israeli side restaurant which is a 10 minute walk from the Beacon theater. From the Taboon bread to the grilled octopus to the schnitzel, everything was tasty, well prepared and pleasing to the eye! Our Waiter was informed and the servers/bussers attentive. Definitely a recommend for casual dining to a romantic date night! We will go there again! read more

Love Bustan! It was a very hot summer night so we didn't choose to sit outside in the patio but the decor inside is amazing - would have loved it either way. We ordered the greek salad and octopus as appetizers First they come with warm bread with was really soothing - with olive and olive oil. Octopus was grilled and chewy - we loved it. with three people, we were thinking of getting two entrees to share, turns out portion is huge and even just one entree would have been enough but so glad we ordered two because both were too good to be missed. Entree we ordered: Lamb Terracotta, Branzino Lamb Terracotta is a must order, literally everyone else around us ordered it. Branzino as well, sooooo good Didn't have space for desserts anymore but they look very tempting. Advice: come with a group of people so you can try as many dishes as you can! read more

We had a night out with three couples. We literally ordered all the main courses to share and to try out the place as it was our first time there. The food was beyond delicious! Everything was so interesting and colorful and the service was just perfect. They really made us feel at home in our backyard served by a talented chef that paid us a visit every here and there to make sure we are having fun. I am certainly coming back! read more

Bustan - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

Overpriced food and also the staff is a little racist. The food was not awful but should have been half the price. Train your staff to treat POC better. read more

Friendly staff. We lingered for a while after dinner and we were not rushed to leave at all. Beautiful outdoor Garden seating. Great family atmosphere. The food - Excellent! Fresh Breads took some time but with the few minutes of wait was worth it. read more

We only came to this restaurant because of a 80th birthday gathering and we are so happy it was there. The staff is super friendly. There is a really nice outdoor patio in the back. It was a set menu for the birthday. There were a lot of courses and it was served tapas style. We had Moroccan Beets, BURRATA, TABOON ROASTED CAULIFLOWER, ISRAELI SALAD CHICKEN "MUSAKHAN", MOROCCAN FISH 30, MY GRANDMA'S HOUSEMADE COUSCOUS, HOUSEMADE TABOON BREAD( which is freshly made and come to the table hot right out of the oven!) Hummus, Falafel, Spicy Feta. For dessert we had MALABI and Milky both were delicious. It was nice being able to try so many dishes everything was delicious! Can't wait to go back! read more

great service. wonderful creative food. exceptional deserrts. Danny the maite tre de, was warm and helpful. great night with wonderful friends read more

So excited, a really good Mediterranean/Middle Eastern brunch right in the neighborhood! Out-of-town relatives wanted a Middle Eastern brunch when they were passing through our neck of the woods, so we searched yelp for a local place and found Bustan. What a find! Three of us ordered the shakshuka and it was excellent! I asked if I could have my eggs runny and they tried to accommodate. I loved the level of spice - a good bite, but not lip-numbing. My husband really enjoyed his "Greek eggs) which have haloumi cheese in them. One person had a salad that she really liked. Coffee is good, too. Definitely will go back to try dinner! read more

We live in the area and come here often, but the male host working here tonight was embarrassingly rude to the point where it was actually ridiculous. He completely unnecessarily treated us like garbage. I never write reviews but I was honestly shocked at how rude and unprofessional this guy was. Did not catch his name but he was head to toe in an orange suit and clearly had an issue. It was truly bad enough that I will never dine here again. Absolutely embarrassing for this restaurant that someone with this attitude is representing their establishment. Do better! read more

Great food and great ambience without costing a fortune! All the servers were so nice and attended to our needs well. The pita bread comes fluffy and right out of the oven! Loved the tzatziki and israel salad, my friend also loved his chicken dish. Well cooked, ambient atmosphere, a gem in upper west side read more

This place is a gem in the UWS, food is amazing with tons of Gluten Free options, the staff goes above and beyond service is superb, we walked in there with our small shitzhu in a carry on bag and were accommodated inside and they even brought him a small water bowl, the decor and ambience are both spectacular. We love this place. read more

How have I not discovered Bustan earlier?! Everything from booking a table, to selecting our meal choices, to finishing the night with dessert was perfection. The interior is super quaint, with a romantic ambiance and a nice outdoor patio in the back. Now to the food. WOW. The flavors were unparalleled. So much more taste than the many other Mediterranean spots in the neighborhood. We ended up ordering two small plates of the labneh, spicy feta, grilled eggplant, 700 degree cabbage and three taboon breads (to die for). The whole fish was cooked to perfection. Salty, crispy, fresh, flavorful. And the semolina labneh lemon cake was the icing on top. A neighborhood gem. (I ate the food too fast and only snapped a picture of the fish) read more

Brought my mother & grandmother here on a Sunday evening. We were looking for good food but nothing too heavy yet very satisfying. We really enjoyed ourselves & the food, as well as the service was great. My grandmother is a very picky eater, she refuses to eat junk or poor quality food & she absolutely loved everything especially the rose water ice cream dessert. Will definitely return & explore more menu options!! read more

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I've been exploring the UWS since one of my awesome friends moved into the neighborhood. We decided to stop by Bustan for dinner and it truly did not disappoint. I love the way the restaurant looks and it would be such an awesome date place. 1 - We started out with Homemade Focaccia bread and 3 dips (Hummus, Tzatziki, and Spicy Feta). Let me tell you this, the bread is delicious and we just couldn't resist requesting for another one. Of the 3 dips, Tzatziki was my favorite. 2 - Greek Salad. This was probably one of the best greek salads I have ever had. They have a block of feta cheese on top of the salad and it was really good. 3 - Lamb Terracotta was the heaviest meal of the night. It was beautifully presented in a large round bowl and it was topped with this pastry dough that was cooked for a short period of time. The lamb was a little gamey for me, but the pantry dough on top was delicious. Basically, I stuffed myself with carbs all night! 4 - Must order the Guava pureed champagne. You will not regret! read more

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Male host at front is incredibly rude and demeaning - should be fired. I asked him if he had a walk in table available and he said "no"; I checked on OpenTable and was able to make a reservation in front of him. He racially profiled me and then said "you've been here before right? You've tried that before?" . We did end up eating there (food is ok) but would not come back- that guy sucks. read more

So incredible. Food, wine, service, ambiance - perfection. Cannot wait to go back and bring friends & family.

We had tasty fish and mezze on election results night, the flavor was only outdone by the atmosphere. Watch out for the bread racket: you get the $3 loaf to eat your hummus with, the bread is incredibly delicious, so you get another one... after all, it's only $3. Rinse and repeat until you're selling your organs on the black market around the corner to get another loaf to soak up the fish juices and one for the road. read more

Exceptional! We booked the reservation on super short notice on Friday night and the restaurant turned out to be a true gem. We loved each and every dish - falafel, 700 cabbage, eggplant carpaccio (my personal favorite) and chicken mousakhan. I also had Persian lemonade to drink, which was a bit too strong and sweet to my taste, but generally very good. The service was quick and efficient, we left full and happy. read more

Bustan! Just had a lovely, Sunday brunch experience here. This spot has an "A" rating for cleanliness- which is always refreshing to see. Our table opted for their $35 brunch special. Based on the menu prices, this is the best way to get the bang for your buck. For the unlimited drinks, I went with the Bellini. This was perfectly made and pretty tasty. I also tried their red sangria. I wanted the white sangria, but they didn't have any available. We all got the babaghanoush for our appetizers. The bread was fresh and warm. In hindsight, we all should have ordered something different and shared! For my entree, I went with the Crab Benedict. All of us felt like our entrees needed some seasoning. We asked for salt and pepper- that did the trick. It felt like the food was a bit bland/lacking in flavor. Also I will mention that the salad that came with the entree was a bit on the salty side- which was ironic. I chose the Silan for my dessert, but also tried the Rose Water Pannacotta. All in all, this was a lovely brunch. The spot was intimate and somewhat small, but it worked. The service was great. Our waitress was very attentive and I felt like we were very well taken care of. I'd definitely return. read more

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One of the greatest restaurant in the upper West side we went there if you are friends after four months as we have not to get out during the Covid the food was unbelievable the atmosphere is amazing we had that such a great time I got the chicken and my friend got the fish actually wanted to order the same but it's sold out this is to show you that the food is really really fresh because they're busy highly recommended read more

Bustan - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

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Great food. Cool atmosphere. Would definitely come back again. OT too expensive.

I found this place on Yelp. The photos were enticing and the rating was very good. It was pretty crowded and i didn't have a reservation so the lovely hostess sat me at the chef's table. I said great! I didn't know I'd be sitting next to the kitchen, listening to them scream out orders in a space that seemed small and forgotten. But it was the only space available so i sat down. I ordered the bread appetizer with 2 out of 5 choices of dips. I chose the hummus and jalapeno goat cheese. The bread was just okay.... bland, doughy amd unimpressive. The hummus was different and pungent. It reminded me of creamy organic peanut butter. It tasted roasted, nutty and creamy. I was not a fan. The goat cheese and jalapeno was great. Spicy, creamy, tangy, cottage cheese like texture. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The tropical rose drink... hibiscus flavor  was very present. Pretty strong for a girly drink. It normally comes in a tumbler but i was in the mood for something pretty so I asked the waiter to switch it up. The decor was very pretty with warm tones and great accents. The hostess was nice and the wait staff were very attentive. They get the stars. I did not care for the food. read more

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This review hurts me to write, but I felt like I had to share it. Bustan has done a horrible job of getting their establishment ready for outdoor dining. I am a huge fan of Bustan...it was my birthday yesterday and we came for a great meal. I think my major issue is the fact that Bustan is far from cheap and the experience was NOT worth it. Major negatives: EVERYTHING is served in plastic. Expensive entree, served in a to-go container. Nice glass of wine in a plastic cup. We ordered a variety of appetizers. We had our plastic plate from the beginning. Common sense would be to bring a new plastic plate for each appetizer but nope. Everything was just mixing together on our plate. I felt like I was at a bbq cook-out. During our meal, a homeless person came to our table without a mask, begging for money. That was uncomfortable. Pluses: The food was good, not great. Our server was nice...we've had her before. Overall, it was not an enjoyable experience and honestly not worth the hefty bill. Present the food in a real plate. Present the drinks in a real glass. We went to The Smith, not too far away and everything felt very professional and safe. Our expensive meal felt worth it with proper plates and glasses. Sadly, we won't be back to Bustan until everything goes back to normal. read more

If I had to choose one restaurant at which to eat every day for the rest of my life, it would be Bustan. Adding more detail, the cuisine was fresh and well prepared and left us feeling good rather than over salted following the meal and the next day. The staff was friendly and accommodating. I can't wait to go back. read more

How do I love Bustan? Let me count the ways...the food is extra special - each time. Truly a wonderful dining experience. The HOUSEMADE TABOON BREAD and HUMMUS, the smoked trout appetizer (one of the specials), the MOROCCAN FISH (Branzino) - off. the. charts, the ROASTED CAULIFLOWER - decadent, and the TUNA CRUDO - melt in your mouth. They do something so magical with the spices that make this a unique Mediterranean dining experience. The wine is also very lovely. I have been there many times and it's so consistently excellent. Beautiful service and ambience. read more

Delicious and flavorful food, there wasn't a dish we didn't like. Get a few of the small plates to share. My favorites were: -lamb merguez (must get!) -shrimp -charred octopus -hummus -eggplant salad -and for the main entree crusted dorado Service was friendly. Cozy ambiance. Restaurant was bustling...do make a reservation any day of the week for dinner! There's even an outdoor seating area in back. read more

Returned for brunch. Did not enjoy the green shakshuka unfortunately (spinach felt very cooked - almost cakey, and my eggs were undercooked and after tasting my friend's green shakshuka whose eggs were slightly overcooked and had no run at all to them) I asked for a chicken kebob pita instead which was amazing. The lamb kebob pitas got rave reviews too. We started with the spicy feta and overall had a great experience once the green shakshuka was forgotten. read more

The food is amazing. The description from yelp says it is a Mediterranean restaurant. It is a israeli one to be exact. The hummus and tahini is good. The dinner bowl/ stew is so delish. The bread is also great. Will be back :) read more

Bustan - Fish chraimeh - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

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Bustan was all booked up on a Friday night. We nearly left but the hostess encouraged us to hang in for two at the bar, which is really just a another dining area anyway. That worked out. The package rates the four stars. Here's the details: Mazettim, single (hummus), 5: served with freshly baked flat bread; excellent and distinctive - you just think you've had hummus until you've had this hummus! I suspect there's some high-quality olive oil in there Lamb shwarma, 9.5: packed into two nifty chinese-style buns, tasty (someone posted a photo) Mushroom flatbread (pizza), 13.95: more of the flat bread, smothered in cheese, mushrooms, duck pastrami, tasty, but I wouldn't order it and a mazettim at the same meal top shelf whiskey, 15: Won't happen again with me. chardonnay, 14 TOTAL: 69.45 HERE is the promised second-visit update. We returned to the hummus mazettim (though we received the bowl by mistake). The rating holds firm. We'll be back. Some deets: Burrata, 13.5: really delightful and different than what I've had at other restaurants. Squid a la plancha, 10.5: nicely charred, a little chewy, a tasty tomato-based sauce, served over something I can only describe as Texas Toast - the bread is everywhere! even if it was a good sop for the sauce Whole baked branzino, 28.5: very well spiced and cooked with crispy skin and flavorful meat sauvignon blanc, 12 TOTAL: 86.6 New visit ... New deets! (19 Jul 14) We had smaller appetites - here's what we did: Mazetim, single, smoked eggplant $6 Hummus bowl with tandoori chicken $16 Greek salad $15 With booze ... TOTAL: 61 - and not too much bread! Shout outs to Scott and Elena for making us feel welcome BONUS: Good decor! BONUS: The staff wants you to return! BONUS: Promising outdoor space in back BONUS: The hummus from the Mazzetim selections at $5 is a good value SHOUT OUT: Some of the best hummus anywhere, anytime. It might be a lot of tahini. TIP: Booze seemed pricey, especially the "craft beer" list with some selections at $10. Beer at $9 was hard to swallow. I'm on a boycott! TIP: Make a booking! Probably inadvisable to go without one and there's really no where to wait TIP: Order carefully to avoid getting a lot of bread SHOUT OUT to Scott for keeping a couple of bar seats for us when we ran over on a Saturday around 730 PM for our second visit read more

How in the world have I lived on the UWS for this long without trying Bustan? If I had to choose (and it's really really hard to choose...food indecision is so real) I'd say Mediterranean food is my favorite cuisine. So Bustan had been on my list for some time. After dining here on Thursday night, I can report with full confidence that Bustan is a solid spot and worth a visit if you're in the area. Bustan is a pretty versatile spot in terms of occasion. I happened to come here with a girlfriend but it's a totally viable option for a date as well. Dim lighting (at least around dinnertime, I know this is a popular brunch spot too), beautiful interior (sleek/classy but not too fancy) and great allocation of space considering the front half of the restaurant is on the narrow side. Overall, it's more sophisticated feel in comparison to all that surrounds it (Meatball Shop, Jacob's Pickles, Celeste, etc.). Small plates/dips are more than half the menu, so I'd say sharing is encouraged (though I literally say that in every review). In terms of logistics, I made a rez on OpenTable. We came here at 8 and the place was pretty busy, so I'd recommend making a reservation beforehand if you're intolerant of not being able to sit down right away (no judgment, it's New York, I get it). We didn't break into the drink menu at all, but I can at least report that Bustan has a solid wine list (as many Mediterranean spots do) as well as some solid beer and cocktail options. If you're in the mood for a cocktail, I'd ask about some of their infused liquors--had I been in the mood to drink I would've opted for a fig-infused vodka drink. Now how bad could that be? Foodwise this menu is just straight up Mediterranean. You've got plenty of dip options, a generous selection of small plates with a good number of entrees as well, tons of seafood and frequent use of feta, yogurt, dill, chickpeas, olives, etc. The friend I was with thankfully has very similar food affinities so we got a pretty stellar sampling. Our eats, below: Trio of Dips (Hummus, Baba Ghanoush and Taramasalata) with (unreal) homemade focaccia: A This focaccia was on another level, my God. For starters, it came out steaming and warm--as fresh as it gets. The only issue here was that the bread-to-dip ratio here was subpar. We finished the focaccia with plenty of dip left and this was us being as carb-ically conservative as possible. But don't worry, you can always order more. Dip-wise, it's hard to pick a favorite. I read a few reviews that said the hummus was pretty meh, but I loved it. I'm a sucker for extra texture (think chunky peanut butter/pulpy orange juice) and the hummus, along with some whole chickpeas mixed in, also had some nice nuttiness going on. Pine nuts maybe? In any case, it made the hummus for me. The baba ghanoush was also fantastic--super flavorful and rich. I suppose that leaves the taramasalata as my least favorite, but I still enjoyed it. Least best is a better term, I suppose. Grilled Roasted Eggplant with zhoung, pine nuts, fresh crushed tomatoes, zaatar, tahini and mint: B+ The ingredients/preparation looked promising but the execution here fell short for me. It wasn't *bad*but I found the flavor to be lacking overall. Am I a Top Chef judge yet? Don't worry South Park, I don't think I'm a real food critic. Anyway, the eggplant was fine but probably my least favorite dish of the night. The pine nuts added some nice texture I guess but that's grasping straws a bit. Call it a poor man's eggplant parm (or just a healthier alternative to eggplant parm). Charred Octopus with white bean masabacha, spiced crushed tomato, herb tahini, frisee and sumac pickled onion salad and cilantro oil: A- If there's octopus on a menu, I will almost always order it. It's certainly in the running for my favorite food. This octopus, though far from the best I've ever had, was still solid. And the preparation was not only aesthetically gorgeous but also interested, varied and flavorful. The beans, frisee and onions were worthy accompaniments and the cilantro oil was a beautiful, unique touch. The octopus itself was cooked decently but not fantastic. The outside could've been a touch crispier and it was softer than I typically like. Other than my extreme snobbiness around octopus, I found this dish to be wonderful and very thoughtful. Calamari a la Plancha stuffed w/ spicy feta, citrus salad, olives and yogurt mint sauce: A This was a serious home run. I'm sure people are stuffing calamari (in the culinary sense, at least) all over the place, but this was the first time I had tried it. And man, was it a slam dunk. How many sports cliches can I fit into a paragraph before getting my point across? The answer is a lot. Like the octopus, the preparation here was beautiful. The calamari was yummy and paired well with the feta. And overall, the flavors were fresh and varied. The yogurt/mint sauce was light and fluffy and was super tasty with the citrus. Order it. read more

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Amazing in every aspect . The food is so delicious with special touches of spices and herbs that makes every dish unique. The service is so welcoming and friendly that makes you want to come back again and again. We enjoyed the vibe and music and had a great dinner. read more