I popped into Bustan on a random Sunday for brunch/lunch and while the food here was quite good, a few misses in other areas has them only getting 3 stars. To start, the hostess was very friendly and had us wait so they could set up a table with a high chair. So far so good. The table was a corner booth so there was plenty of room for the two of us and baby. Now, on to the trouble spots. Our waiter wasn't particularly helpful. After explaining what a haffogato was (just an affogato), he proceeded to bring my wife one, despite her not ordering it, and before it arrived, ordering a juice. Something tells me most people wouldn't order an affogato before eating and with a juice chaser. I digress. I ordered an iced tea (which for $5, yes $5), should be refilled constantly. It wasn't. I had to track the waiter down for some more tea and then when empty, no refill. The food here is quite tasty. The falafel, the lamb kabab sandwich, the Mazettim (little bits of dip with fresh warm bread) all were great. My issue with the food is the cost. The chopped salad, which is just Israeli salad, is $15.50. If you add falafel its $19.50. I know this is the UWS, but that is outrageous. It tastes good, but come on. The sandwhiches are a better bang for your buck, as they are huge and run around $13.00. In the end, while the food was great, it cost too much and the service was a little below average. Clearly, reading the reviews around the interwebs, I'm not alone in saying this about the service. Maybe it's time to fix it. I'd probably come back, but the downsides might have me hesitate. read more

This is the best restaurant I've been to in my life. I ordered apricot margarita which was quite spicy, beet salad with freakishly delicious haloumi, salmon flatbread and lamb terracotta. would have liked more tomatoes and less oil in the lamb. dough on the side was slightly undercooked but the top portion and the lamb itself are cooked to perfection this can easily be a death row meal for me come before it's impossible to get into read more

Delicious restaurant, great ambiance. The Gnocchi is amazing and the chocolate cake with gelato and cornflakes made me want to move to the upper west side to be closer to this establishment. Also, the bathroom has a separate sound system from the main restaurant which I thought was funny - very high quality jams. Highly recommend you try this spot. read more

Bustan - Main bar - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

I was there this past Saturday for brunch. We got to sit outside and enjoy the sun!! Waiter was very nice and the food was AMAZING! The only complaint I have was that the meals literally came out one at a time.... maybe next time we can all enjoy the meal together ;) read more

This review is not about the food which was very good, but more the lack of good service here. I stopped here last week on a whim (was going to Peacefood Cafe but decided to try something new). We were seated in the garden which was nice. When we ordered our meal, we asked the waiter if we could please do a flatbread without cheese or even put another topping on instead of cheese if they were going to charge us the same amount of money anyway. The waiter looked at me and said "the chef doesn't normally do substitutions". Awkward pause...."So, will he do it today?" Answer: no. Oh, and the chef also can take things off but can't put things on the flatbread. Sounds suspiciously like a way to be difficult and make money. It would have been nice if he actually took the time to ASK the chef. My boyfriend and I try our best to be as vegan as possible and this place was completely unaccomodating. After this interaction, the waiter clearly wrote us off and didn't come by to ask how we were doing, etc. The busboys here offer better service than the waiters. read more

Started out as a 5-star and slid down to a 3 by the time I left. Amazing starter snacks - we had the spicy feta, which was to die for, as well as pretty good hummus and good baba ghanoush. Delicious, with a fresh bread used for dipping. The flatbread (mushroom) was to die for, and we ordered harissa on the side which spiced things up a bit. But then I got the brunch entree, which was "jumbo lump crap" benedict - I actually thought I got the wrong order because I couldn't find the crab. My friend had to help, by lifting one of my eggs to find a few flecks of crab. Pretty disappointing. I basically had 2 poached eggs, a tablespoon or so of crab, over a piece of toast (and home fries and a few greens) for $17. The service was not great either. The server didn't ask how our food was, so I didn't bother telling him my breakfast was not good, because I knew he wouldn't care. When my beer arrived after 10 mins bec of a keg change, it was warm so I sent it back. Not a great experience. Would I go again, yes, because my dear friends love it there and have had many great experiences, and the first half was so awesome. I would skip my dish and go for the skillet baked eggs or a beautiful salad, which my friends had and which looked great. My 3 - stars is based on my experience, but I hope I have a 5 next time. read more

We happened to be on the UWS running some errands and decided to grab a bite to eat. We stopped into Bustan with no reservation, thinking it might not be that crowded on a Wednesday night at 8:30. We were wrong. They were booked solid, and there was no way we would get a table, but there were two seats open at the bar. Great! First of all, the bar stools are really really comfortable, with soft backs (really just high comfy chairs, not bar stools.) The bartender was friendly and got our order quickly. We ordered several small plates. We started with the appetizer combo, with Hummus, Smoked Eggplant, and Spicy Feta. They brought it with fresh baked bread that was amazing, warm and soft with just the right combo of being light and fluffy while still a little chewy. It went perfectly with the dips. The eggplant was smokey, and when combined with the spicy feta made a perfect appetizer. We also ordered the shrimp in garlic sauce, yum. The grilled octopus was tasty, although it was a little tough for my liking. We also tried the lamb sausage. It had a nice consistency and a tasty spinach sauce. Our favorite thing was the Bigeye Tuna Tartare, which had just the right amount of spicy mayo inside a summer roll wrapper. We really enjoyed our dinner here and would definitely come back. read more

We sat in the garden and it was lovely, but the food was overpriced for the quality and wasn't too impressive. Our service was spotty, there were 2-3 different servers for our table so couldn't figure out who our main server was. We got their hummus with beef cheeks- the beef was too salty and not that soft, but the hummus itself was good with the garbanzo beans. The bread it came with made the dish as it was warm and freshly baked. The cauliflower was disappointing- do not get this. It was chunks of cauliflower boiled or steamed on top of steamed tomatoes- no flavor whatsoever. It literally tasted like plain, boiled cauliflower- it would have been good if it was roasted. For $14, it was a waste of money. The octopus was small pieces of charred octopus in a nice, tart lemony sauce- this was good, but for 6-8 small pieces of octopus on a small plate for $18, again, overpriced and not worth it. read more

Came here back in May with some of my family after looking up places near where we were with good reviews on Yelp, and I am glad we did. I had no idea that this place just recently opened because they really seemed to know what they were doing. I came in to ask whether they had a table for six and luckily for us they had one facing the street. The man at the front desk was extremely nice and helpful and made us feel welcome from the get go. The design of this restaurant is nothing like I have seen before; it is very colorful, lively and energetic. Even the table we were seated at (first one on the left when you walk in) is of an original design. We started with the mazettim plate with hoomoos, tzatziki and Moroccan turnip that comes with bread. Each of those were delicious and we could not get enough of it. I had the taboon beet salad and shared the lamb scharama: As for the taboon beet salad (which comes with kale, pomegranate, shaved fennel, celery, pine nuts, nigal and grilled halouimi), it was my favorite item. It was very fresh and each of the different flavors blended together to create one of the best salads I ever had. As for the schawrama (sweet & spicy tahini on Japanese sticky buns): I loved the idea and was craving schawarma for a very long time so was really looking forward to this dish but unfortunately it was disappointing. I stopped eating lamb about 12 years ago so this is the first time I recall having it since then. I usually get chicken or turkey shawarma but I decided to give lamb a try since this place seemed like it would make it worth it, which was not the case. I thought it was just me being unaccustomed to the taste of lamb but my cousin who is a big fan of it, did not care for it either. The one thing that did disappoint me about this place is after receiving such great service from the moment we walked in and throughout our meal (the same guy came to our table a few times to check on us and make a few jokes, he was very personable), we were feeling rushed to leave once we finished with our meal and were just enjoying each other's company. At the end of the day, I truly enjoyed this place and would love to come back some day soon. read more

Went here for my birthday, I love this place! They have alot of options and I'm looking forward to my next visit. We had the hummus with beef cheek (soo friggin tender) and the beef canoloni. The portions here are HUGE and it tasted so good. I'm so happy that there is a Middle Eastern place in the area and i don't have to go all the way down to the flatiron district. And trust me, it's worth it. Our dessert was the traditional kenefi which is deep fried cheese with honey. It was soooo good, you should definitely get that as opposed to the other desserts which are ordinary (i'm sure it's tasty). I must warn you though, don't stuff yourself on bread! read more

The service was super friendly and attentive; the food was solid - wishing we had room for dessert at the end; the beer selection was varied and great; the seating areas were between cozy and bit tight; and overall, it was a great experience. We ordered: - small plate: squid a la plancha - who knew grilled squid and challah would work so well? Recommended - small plate: lump crab burekas - cool idea, but would skip - hummus with beef cheeks - definitely recommended. The beef cheeks were tender and maybe a little salty, but I think next time, I'd try with wild mushrooms. The hummus was delicious and the bread that came with it really was wonderful. - lamb terracotta - this was just a really awesome experience to peel back the dough lid to reveal the goodies inside. I'm not sure I'd get it again though - in terms of flavor, it's not a must-try, and honestly, there are just too many other entree options to try. tips: - the small plates are pretty sizable dishes - definitely not tapas size. Between two people, I'd go two small plates + one entree or 1 small plate / hummus bowl + 1 entree - the hummus bowl is a must. The bread it comes with alone is amazing. read more

After seeing the line for this place going out the door for weeks, I decided to try to sneak in a bit before the dinner rush and grab a bite. I tried the apricot and jalapeño cocktail ($13) which was a good amount of spicy. I had to try the hummus, which was very good, but....still just regular hummus. I tried the Tatziki, spicy feta and smoked eggplant. I loved them all, but the spicy feta was amazing! I found the service to be fantastic, but a bit slow to bring out the food. The French fries were good - but I found them a little soggy. I look forward to returning again soon! read more

This is as good as Mediterranean outside the Mediterranean gets. Every dish was incredibly tasty and the service was great. We started with five Mazettim as well as the lamb schwarma buns. These were basically a Mediterranean banh mi, and I continued with hthe lamb terracotta. They basically brought out a large skillet wrapped completely in a thin bread puff. Then they cut it open at the table to reveal the lamb dish cooking underneath. Not only was the dish unique and presented in a really cool way, but it was an excellent lamb dish. We finished off the meal with the Moroccan donuts - these were warm, soft, covered in sugar, and came with three different sauces for dipping. Not your average Mediterranean place; a lot better, in fact. We will be back. read more

I really wanted to like this place, but this was one of the most disappointing brunches I've had in the city. Nothing was quite right, not the food, not the service, not the atmosphere in their back room on a cold rainy day. Generally speaking I just don't think they can manage the high capacity that it has seating for, and they really should have just turned us (and many other people) away since we didn't have reservations anyway. I can overlook the bad service as it was clear that they were just understaffed and our waiter was very stressed out and trying very hard. But I can't overlook the food, it was just not prepared well and we heard the 2 tables near us complaining about their food as well. My husband ordered the Turkish shakshouka and it came out very dry with the eggs completely overcooked. The flavors were good though, so he just ate it as we both hate returning food. I ordered Merguez shakshouka with chicken foie gras. The eggs in my dish were, on the other hand, completely under cooked. I love runny yokes, but the egg whites should not be clear and completely watery as well. I ended up returning the dish but tried to nicely explain that i don't want my eggs well done either, just needed to be cooked a little more for the whites. In the end I got a dry shakshouka (with barely any sauce), well done eggs, and sausage instead of the chicken foie gras. The bread that is supposed to be served with these meals also came after my husband was completely done with his brunch...not that there was any sauce to dip the bread into anyway. We got a free drink in the manager's attempt to make it up to us for the slow service and the need for us to ask multiple times for coffee, drinks,etc.., and it was a nice gesture, but unfortunately not enough to make up for the disappointing meals. read more

We had a reservation for 4 people for 7:30pm on a Friday evening in August. When we arrived, we were told that we had to take table for 3. (They said, "Oh, that's a table for 5"). Well, not in my world. Not only was it a table for 3, but it was right in front of the door and was squished up against the bar, where others were seated. There were several empty tables for 4 available and when we asked for one of those we were told they could seat us at the community table. So, we left and to a perfectly customer friendly restaurant nearby of which there are dozens... The four of us will not be going back again to be treated like second class citizens...so beware if you still decide to go. read more

I came here for brunch with three friends on a Saturday. This would be a 5-star review if I could leave out the service. The food, drinks, ambience and outdoor seating were amazing, and made it one of my best brunch experiences in NYC. However, the service needs some work, which is what made me dock it a star. We sat in the garden, which was cool and artsy. The food was so, so good. We started with the Mazettim, which is basically a bunch of dips with pita bread. It was all really good, but the spicy feta and tzatziki were the best. I had the Bustan Kebab sandwich, was was deliciously spicy, sweet and savory all at the same time. My mouth is watering just writing about it, and I had it three weeks ago at this point. My friend had it too, and we were both raving. My other friend had the shakshouka, which she said was kind of oily but also good. The drinks came in copper mugs, and were fun and interesting. I really enjoyed my Fig Lemonade and Spicy Apricot Margarita. I would love to come back for dinner. The service wasn't rude at all - just awkward, really. Our server almost never even looked at us directly, so it was really hard for him to see us waving at him for help. We ended up asking the bus boy, manager and another waiter for things, because it was so hard to get in touch with him. We asked for a vegetable plate for our dips, and we had to ask three times to get it. The service was courteous, it just seemed unorganized. If they could get that together, this would be a go-to spot for me! I still think it's worth a trip, regardless, though. read more

I dined solo here at the bar during brunch hours... I had the Crab Benedict and the bourbon and apple cocktail...This is one of the best Benedict i ever had ... Service was on point too ! Will return for dinner soon! read more

Absolutely floored by every aspect of this dining experience. When we got there the host didn't just seat us anywhere but actually showed us a few different tables he had open and let us pick which one we liked. Our server was excellent in all regards. The food was spectacular. I had been to Turkey a few months before and it was even better than some of the dining experiences I had while I was there. Incredible evening. Will be returning. read more

Quite easy reservation. Came 1 pm Saturday. Immediate, friendly service. Good food and great as ambiance. We tried everything on the small plate menu. Excellent - lamb shwarmar, octopus. Too salty - me fondue : great presentation with flames! Overall, great place for groups. Filipino chef, great rendition of Mediterranean food. Cost : for 3 ppl - had everything on small plate menu (yup, tried all the tapas menu) samosas: $200 (not cheap but worth it) read more

Came here for a rainy day brunch and was not disappointed! Ambiance is colorful and casual. There is a back "garden" area which I would not recommend as it was very hot and dark. We stuck with the front area. Service was excellent. Had a coffee and Bloody Mary, both of which were good. Started out with the tzatziki which was light and delicious and came with a perfectly soft and well seasoned flat bread. Would not skip this! My husband had the lamb flatbread (lamb was perfectly cooked, loved the herbs, was not oily in the least and it was a large portion) and I had the traditional shakshouka which was good (I've never had it before) but I'm not sure if I would order it again as it was a bit plain. The tomato sauce was acidic with a hint of sweetness and the eggs were perfectly runny. Will be back for sure! read more

If you haven't been to Bustan yet on the upper west side then you're truly missing out on a great new restaurant. Well, it's not totally new, since it opened last February, but it was my first time visiting with my girlfriend last weekend. I'm a fan of Middle-Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine, especially from Morocco where I served as a Peace Corps volunteer years ago. Bustan specializes in the cuisine from Israel, where Proprietor Tuvia Feldman, Executive Chef Paulo Cortes and General Manager and Partner Guy Goldstein hail from. Our gastronomic experience was excellent, so let me fill you in on our adventure. We started out by whetting ourselves with a couple cocktails. My choice, the Bourbon Fizz (bourbon, apple, and cinnamon), was perfect. Strong and not too sweet, it went down quite smoothly. My better looking half decided on the Lavender Martini (gin, lavender, and lillet). I'm not a martini kinda-guy, but she enjoyed it. One of the things that which Bustan is known for is their one-of-a-kind-in-Manhattan wood-fired 360-degree rotating brick taboon -- a special Middle-Eastern oven. Our friendly server Troy told us that the traditional way to begin a meal at Bustan is with their taboon-baked foccacia, which comes complimentary with every meal. The foccacia was outstanding! To accompany it we ordered the Taboon Charred Octopus (warm white bean masabaha spiced crushed tomatoes, labane, frisée and sumac pickled onion salad and cilantro oil) and Sizzling Shrimp (evoo, garlic, parsley, espelette pepper, grape tomatoes and lemon juice). I've never met an octopus I didn't like, but this one was simply sensational. The texture and sauce of this magnificent creature was absolutely delicious. The shrimp was damn good too. For our main course Troy recommended the Lamb Terracotta, which is one of their signature dishes. We decided on that and the Taboon whole baked Branzino. Both were wonderful, but the Lamb Terracotta stole the show. I've had my share of kebab from my travels around the Middle East, and this was up there with some of the best I've ever had. Spiced ground lamb kebab with charred onion, taboon roasted tomato, sumac roasted peppers, oregano, tahini and pine nuts baked in a flaky bread dome, it's difficult to describe how good it really was. You'll just have to go try it for yourself. Another show-stopper was our side order of Crispy Kale Sprouts with feta cheese. You've never had kale like this before, trust me. Like potato chips but so much better for you and tastier too, I could eat these all day long. We finished off our meal with another set of fine cocktails, the Blood Orange Pop (run, blood orange, and basil) and the Fig Lemonade (homemade fig infused vodka, St. Germain, and ginger beer). The Fig Lemonade is similar yet different to a Moscow Mule, one of my favorite drinks. It was my favorite drink of the evening. No meal is truly finished without a dessert, so we ended with a Rose Water Pannacotta (early grey caramel and coconut with peanuts) and a traditional Levantine Kanafeh (shredded phyllo dough, ricotta, rose-water syrup, pistachios and honey-lavender gelato). We really liked the restaurant. The food was delicious, the staff friendly (especially our excellent server Troy!) and knowledgeable, and the ambiance warm and comfortable. We think you'll like it too!! read more

Damn....I really wanted to like this venue. Had high hopes consider some of the reviews and the enthusiastic hostess. She had so much energy. We just finished a summerstage concert and looking for a good meal that wasn't too depressing on the UWS and Bustan was definitely busy that Saturday evening. We didn't have reservation but the hostess was going to set us for at the bar which sounded fun but this couple in front of us that had a reservation changed mind for some unknown reason and we scored their table. So let's get to my rationale for the 1 star. 1. The waiter (Radu) couldn't have been more of a "D". He was arrogant and outright rude. First, he was rude to us when we didn't like wine we asked to sampled. In fact, he made a scene asking how we could not like it. We thought he was joking but he wasn't. 2. He got all our orders wrong. We asked for three hummus to accompany the amazing facaccia bread. They only served us one hummus which was fine and we thoroughly enjoyed it. When we told him that we ordered three hummus, he quickly snapped at us and said "no, you didn't". We actually didn't care because the one hummus we ate was amazing with the freshly baked facaccia but was shocked by his attitude. 3. He also forgot our salad. At this point, we thought the bread was more than sufficient for our appetite so we simply ignore his memory lapse. 4. He pretty much ignore our a few requests such as more water or black pepper. At one point as we were in the middle of asking him a question, he turned when he recognized a friend's voice at the bar and he went over to hug and converse with her. It was pretty clear that he didn't give a crap about us or the other tables because we noticed other patrons getting annoyed with him as well. If there was time when the owner should consider firing someone...this was the time. 2. The entrees were not good. Perhaps it was poorly described to us by Radu. The Saganaki which was basically melted kefalograviera cheese over roasted squash marinated with brandy and spice was inedible. It was super sweet squash soaked in super sweet cheese. If this sound horrible, imagine eating and paying for it. The Lamb Terrracotta was exactly as described on the menu and nothing like what Radu described. It was spiced ground lamb kebab, charred onion, tomato, sumac roasted peppers, tahini & pine nuts baked in a flaky bread dome. Not only was that weird but also the grounded lamb was bland. No spice in the world could have save this dish and it was pretty much doom from inception. Who would ground up lamb to begin with...it's like serving hamburger meat. I had no one to blame for this one because despite what Radu described, this was clearly described on the menu - lesson learned. 3. The decor from the outside had promise but once inside...nothing made sesne. There were odd pictures of JFK, Marilyn Monroe and art deco furniture everywhere. If there was a middle eastern theme...I missed it. It was a very dated look and reminded me of the UWS in the 90s. Maybe we should have ordered something else. The one hostess that greeted with a big smile and facaccia bread were the two things worth mentioning for this sad and expensive venue. I wish the price matched the quality of service and food but it didn't :( Too bad there's no zero star rating option on yelp. read more

Bustan - The painfully bland Lamb Teracotta. - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

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Bustan is our very favorite restaurant! The food is outstanding and you will not be disappointed! On top of that, their staff is so personable and caring! During the pandemic it was my mother's 93rd birthday. They prepared and delivered to her a special steak dinner that is found on their dine-in menu. As an additional treat they included a "birthday gift" of their outstanding chocolate cake! Once the restaurant reopens for dine-in we will be there to celebrate! Thank you, Bustan! Jane read more

Absolutely loved it. Things are a bit pricy, though par with the neighborhood, so a group of four of us shared several small plates and two cocktails. Intensely flavorful all around and certainly the best lamb that I have had in the city (I've tried a LOT of lamb in this city!) The hummus was fantastic. We tried it with beef cheeks--fall apart amazing--and the lamb. I recommend both. The cocktails were cold and refreshing and just heavy enough. Our doughnut dessert was delightful. Service was thorough and attentive. It took me a long time to walk in the place. I've lived in this neighborhood for a year now and just went for the first time. It never seemed to be very populated when I walked by and the decor is a little overwhelming from the street. But I am so glad I finally tried them out! read more

Bustan was one of the most surprising dining experiences I have had. I went in knowing the meal would be good, but I was wrong, it was incredible. From the moment I walked in with a group of 9 people the staff were super friendly and helpful. The bartender made me an Ashkenazi Mule and it was a drink I will not forget, the spices and flavors were so complex. The food, wow. 2 items on the menu I was not overly excited about, the lamb and the Octopus both blew me away. In our group, I believe we ordered pretty much everything on the menu and I would order it all again. There was not a single dish I thought was just OK, each one was perfectly created and presented. I can't wait to return. read more

I've been to Bustan a few times for dinner. I usually fill up on the apps and get a salad for dinner. The burrata and the spicy feta dip are my favorites to start with. The spicy feta is sooo good! I also save some of it for my salad or take it home to dip with some veggies. My boyfriend loves to order a burrata anytime it's on any menu, but the one at Bustan is his top pick. Front of house is always welcoming and the service is quick, which I appreciate! read more

Not a fan. Went here for a birthday celebration a few months ago and our server (Radu) was horrible. He was was rude, slow and couldn't be less helpful. The food was very average but the service made the food taste bad if that make sense. We fell in love with the warm bread but it pretty much went south after that. The check was not cheap either. The four of us came out to $285 with a bottle of wine. Very disappointing. read more

Truth be told, the line at Jacob's Pickles was too long so we went to Bustan. The atmosphere was very nice and the cocktail menu was tasty; however the meal and service was just ok. Nothing was bad, but my food was somewhat under seasoned. We shared the falafel basket which was good...and we ended up with a free but VERY sweet desert. I wouldn't rush back to Bustan, but I wouldn't avoid it. read more

Bustan - Vegetable Terra-cotta...we were seated under a heat lamp which is why the background is reddish. - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

We were first introduced to Bustan by friends who live on the West Side, and have been back with and without them, never to be disappointed. Last night was particularly wonderful. A small glitch of reserving for 2 rather than 4 was graciously remedied by Danny, who after just a short wait seated us in a comfortable and quiet banquette. It is hard not to over order small and medium plates, because we all wanted old faithfuls like Greek salad, cauliflower, hummus, taqboon bread and tzaziki, but the daily specials including grilled artichokes over labneh were enticing. And while we have ordered and shared a variety of large plates in the past, we each got Chicken Musakhan, except for the outlier who ordered the crispy schnitzel with silky mashed potatoes. The Musakhan, for anyone interested, is perfectly marinated and grilled chicken atop tahini atop puffy taboon bread, with watercress and radishes. So unbelievably good. Cannot wait to go back. It can be noisy, but is worth it. Danny and our waiter Nikola were thoroughly accommodating, and didn't mind that we stayed till the bitter end of the evening. read more

Thank you for an amazing evening with (i) very delicious food, (ii) a very pretty venue, and (iii) the best service I got for a very long time. (i) We were four girls and ordered three appetizers, Hummus with Falafel, lamb shawarma, something else and I forgot the name, bread and one main dish, the chicken entrée. We also shared three different desserts. The food was very tasty. Everything came at the same time as we asked for and it was definitely enough for all of us. I wish we could have tried even more. (ii) We were lucky and were seated in the backyard. The restaurant itself has a welcoming and fancy but not uptight atmosphere. The tables are arranged in a way that allows you not to overhear every word your neighbor says. (iii) Everybody was extremely helpful and funny but in an annoying or insincere way.No, they were actually very nice and we enjoyed the little chit chat we had. I highly recommend going there, even if this means that I might not get a spot the next time I try to get a reservation. read more

Completely fantastic and great service. The hummus was terrific and just everything was a delight to my senses, particularly my taste buds. Would go again in a heartbeat. read more

Yum yum delicious ..... Homus with wild mushroom served with focaccia to die for! Lamb terracotta delicious Service casual, informative and sharp! read more

A couple of my friends and I came in for brunch. We started with the three mazettim and chose the hummus, smoked eggplant, and spicy feta (I think the spicy feta was my favorite). They were all good, except the bread-to-dip ratio was too small (and so a star comes off). The three mazettim only came out with one flatbread, when sliced up only came out to about 3-4 pieces per person. I think they should have given at least a few pieces of pita bread, because unless you are going to start shoveling the hummus into your mouth with a spoon, it just goes uneaten. For the main, we decided to give the shakshouka a try. I had the green shakshouka, which I would highly recommend. It had all the right balance of flavors. Mine was perfectly cooked, but the eggs in my friend's dish came out pretty raw... the whites were still uncooked. Thankfully, they brought it back to the kitchen and cooked it a bit more. The inside is nice--it has an upscale feel without the requisite upscale price. I'd probably come again if I need something to mix up the usual brunch food. read more

Loved it!! Service was excellent, walked in without a reservation and they seated us within a few minutes in the outdoor garden on a very busy night. Food was delicious! Every meal! Dips are great for starters, then shared a salad, Moroccan cigars, lamb terracotta is a MUST! Cocktails were refreshing and some served in the copper cups. So many other yummy dishes on the menu, will be back for sure! read more

Usually all the places have a minus of something, food is not good ,decor or service but this place is just perfect!Atmosphere and decor is so cool! Service is good and the food is just amazing! Good place for dates and diner with a friends ! Will came back there again ! read more

The new edgy, hip Mediterranean kid on the block has acquitted itself quite well tonight. The decor is fresh as is the thoughtful menu. Bustan has taken Mediterranean fare to new heights. Our server was one of the best in NYC. From the beginning he made the experience pleasant and memorable. He made great suggestions and we took them. The cocktail & wine selection was creative and interesting. The Mezettim was served with a homemade bread, hummus, tzatziki, spicy feta, smoked eggplant and salmon fish roe. (ONLY complaint - they charged us for a second serving of bread - not classy considering the pricey menu). The Small Plates were intriguing and the salads refreshing. Mary shared and we all enjoyed the Hummus Bowl with fried avocado and pickled hard boiled eggs. Sam and I shared a Taboon Whole Baked Black Sea Bass which was perfect along with a yummy potato basket and grilled asparagus. Turkish coffee gelato and Moroccan donuts made our coffees and cappachino's sing. We'll be back for sure read more

I'm sorry - bad service negates good food in my book. Our waitress was ice-cold to the start - never checking in with us and unable to crack a smile. Okay...whatever. We're boring, simple people that never cause any problems. Cool. What annoyed us was the following - We ordered the dips ($16) that came with complimentary bread. Note that everyone already receives complimentary bread. So when the spreads couldn't accommodate the 1st piece, we naturally asked for another. Boom - charged extra for that and we got an attitude when we asked. Okay. No biggie - but being that we sat next to a table that was getting complimentary appetizers valued at $16 and extra attention...you can't give us an extra piece of bread that was supposed to be free anyway? We're already dropping $80 on a meal, so a piece of bread shouldn't seem like a big deal. But whatever. I'll go to Kefi instead. Thanks. read more

The sizzling shrimp is amazing - perfect balance of garlic and lemon zest. The focaccia is freshly made and perfectly seasoned with rosemary and sea salt, and the falafels taste light and fresh. The Israeli salad could not be outdone, and the tahini and hummus are homemade. I would definitely recommend this place for a guaranteed good dinner - with one hesitation: Every single item should have been $3 less. The falafel order came with 6 pieces and a side of hummus - $12! The sizzling shrimp was $19 (6 shrimp!). My vodka martini was $17 - Grey Goose... you guys, come on. $89 with tip for two people (and only one cocktail total) is objectively way too much for a Mediterranean dinner on the UWS. Am I just stuck in the '90s? At least they gave us the Pellegrino on the house, and I hadn't even complained about the bill. I knew the prices in advance, but it really does add up! read more

We had a really great brunch here. Firstly, the ambiance is fantastic. The service was impeccable. Not overly attentive, but there every time we needed anything. They served a bread to start that was warm, homemade, and served with an incredible olive oil I will be thinking about all day. Next we ordered the buratta. It was a la Italy. I asked for extra olive oil, poured it over the top, and consumed every bite. Lastly we ordered the lamb Murguez (???) something - (don't judge) it was perfection. Tomato, lamb sausage, & eggs over easy. Delicious. This is not used lightly. I'd jump on this quickly before people start finding out about this place and you can't get a table. read more

Bustan - Incredible meal. We ordered the Buratta, Lamb Murguez and both were incredible. The bread before the meal was perfect! - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

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Very nice place with a cool terrace in the back (perfect for the summer and not on the busy Amsterdam avenue). Our waiter was super friendly! - not sure they were all like ours though. Hummus and bread are very good. We then tested the octopus (perfectly cooked, very tasty), the salmon tartare (great!) and the lamb speciality with the crust on top (extremely refined and good!! We loved it). So generally food is very good - only down, the ceviche which was missing a "kick" either lime, lemon or pepper, but note that the fish quality was premium. Very nice address. read more