MY FAVORITE!! My friend and I went here for dinner and holy moly, I don't think I've ever loved a…read morerestaurant more. This is officially my new go to spot and I'm going to be telling everyone about it. I got there right at our reservation time, but the uptown trains had completely stopped and my friend had to walk all the way from Canal St to the East Village. It took her about 30 minutes to get there (), but the staff were so kind about it. They never made me feel uncomfortable or pressured to order while I waited, which I really appreciated. I did end up ordering a couple things so there would be food on the table when she arrived. We got the za'atar fries and the falafel with tahini and pita. Delishhhh For our mains, my friend got the chicken kebab which looked fantastic, and I got the veggie couscous bowl. It was unbelievable. It tasted exactly like the couscous my mom and safta made when I was growing up, even down to the broth being served with it. Eating it honestly made me feel like I was six years old again. This was one of my favorite meals as a kid and I haven't had it like that in so long, so I was so happy to find a place that does it this well. The vegetables were perfect with zucchini, butternut squash, cauliflower, and chickpeas, and I loved the addition of raisins and onions. Everything was also really reasonably priced for what you get. The energy in the restaurant was great and I loved that they have hooks for coats so you're not crammed at the table with jackets and bags. Overall just such a fantastic experience. This is easily my new favorite restaurant in the city and I cannot wait to come back.

Lovely brunch food: the Moroccan eggs, halloumi eggs, and various mezzes (labne, baba ganoush, and…read morematbucha were all very good). The only reservation available the day before for a group of three was Saturday 10 AM, but I think we likely could've walked in later.

Food was made fresh to order. Not too long of a wait. The mint tea was so refreshing, I regret not…read moreordering another tea to go. So so good.

In one corner of the Essex Market is this vendor doing Moroccan cuisine. I thoroughly enjoyed their…read moreMerguez Sandwich that had a kick from the spicy lamb sausage, paired with some soucr pickles, creamy feta, and flavorful harissa seasoning. The pita it came in was fluffy with a good chew. Not much wrong to complain about except the service was somewhat slow and the servers could maybe smile a bit. Regardless, I plan to return to try more menu items.

Note- Menu has changed a bit since I was there, with the prices having been updated (especially the…read moretagine,) with there also being some new dishes on the menu. Recommendations- Bastilla/Pastilla, Tagines, Zaalouk. Grilled platters are alright. On a side note, some dishes, similar to other Moroccan places, such as couscous, are only available on weekends. As per many of my recent reviews, I was at this Moroccan spot a good while ago, with our host having heard about it prior to the place being featured in the NYT Top 100 as well as on TasteBuds, a highly recommended Instagram/TikTok account. The woman who helped us, whom I believe was one of the owners, was very friendly, and the place inside was casual and decently busy, especially for how far away it is from the subway. The food was overall very tasty, with a particularly good bastilla/pastilla, among everything else, and I can see why this restaurant has gotten so much publicity. My preference of the two appetizers was the $7.99 Zaalouk, or eggplant cooked in tomato sauce and marinated with charmoula. The dish reminded me a bit of Egyptian-style moussaka due to the mix, though less tomato-focused and more about the sweet eggplant. The chermoula was very light, with a hint of sourness and spice. Overall, this was delicious, especially with the bread. The other appetizer was the Moroccan Carrot for $6, which was a mix of sliced carrots with a spicy chermoula. Of everything we ordered, this was the least favorite dish of the night, as the cold carrots lacked much flavor, as there was a lack of chermoula flavor, just like with the eggplant. Best of the dishes was the $12.99 Chicken Bastilla, or Pastilla, listed as a traditional Moroccan pie stuffed with chicken strips, crushed almonds, and dusted with icing sugar and cinnamon. A lot of people might find this sweet and savory combination odd, but I have gotten used to it, and this was a very good version. The chicken was well-spiced, the pie was flaky, and it wasn't overly sweet. The previous place, which had the best version, was the long-closed La Shuk in Harlem, and this is better, though I do want to compare it to the other popular Moroccan spot in Astoria, Siham. Second favorite was the Lamb Tajine, or Tagine, With Prunes for $22, consisting of slow cooked meat with prunes, dried apricots, roasted almonds, and sesame, and served with rice. The lamb inside was very tender and fell off the bone. I liked the roasted almonds and sesame as the bit of nuttiness helped with the overall sweetness of the dish. We also liked this dish, and it paired particularly well with the rice. My preference from the grilled section was the $16.99 Merguez, listed as Moroccan merguez grilled over charcoal, and served with rice. The dish came with many pieces of sausage, which had a slight spicy kick and a bit of a snap. For the same price, there was also the Grilled Lamb, or tender lamb with a choice of rice or fries. The lamb was pretty flavorful, but some pieces were a bit overcooked. It was good, though, but not as notable. The fries on the side were a mixed bag, with some being crispy and some a bit soft, so between the two, I would recommend the rice more. While I didn't love the grilled platters, the rest of the dishes were delicious. Combine that with the friendly service, and we had a very good time. I wouldn't mind going back and trying again, though this might also be because I want to have more of their bastilla.

Dar Lbahja was phenomenal from start to finish. We tried the lamb tagine, beef tajia, beef tagine…read morewith vegetables, and the chicken tagine, and every single dish delivered. The portions were generous, the meat was consistently tender, and everything was packed with rich, comforting flavor. This is the kind of food that really sticks with you. Even though we ordered to-go, the experience stood out. The staff treated us incredibly well during the wait and even offered complimentary Moroccan mint tea and bread. For a brief moment, it genuinely felt like a glimpse into Moroccan hospitality. I do not rave about places often, but this is absolutely one I would recommend to others without hesitation.

Most of the meats were quite dry, especially the sausages that I was looking forward to try. The…read morebeef chunks were delicious though. The cooked vege and potatoes were pretty cold when served with not much flavors, I wonder why they didn't heat them up in the back like how they heated up the lamb shank. FYI, they have a total of one 2 persons table and three high chairs for the side countertop.

Chicken couscous that they have on Fridays was fabulous, along with the mint tea and falafel…read more Everyone was very kind.

Great food, great service! The owner was very knowledgeable and the bastilla fritter is a great…read moretake on a favorite Moroccan dish. Check them out at Smorgasburg ASAP

From the owner: Handcrafting Moroccan food that's representative of the rich, evocative culture of Morocco is our…read moresingle overarching goal.

Soooo good…read more Mediterranean breakfast hit the spot. Sat outside with the dog. Service was good.

Miriam has always been great, we've been coming here for 4 years, but they keep changing the menu…read more Every time we come now it's different which I understand to a certain extent but we also come for the dishes we love. My husband LOVED the burek, but then they totally changed it and now it's just gone. The food is still delicious, but unpredictable of what we can / will order. The new space is beautiful and open and airy, but sadly the service has dipped. This place used to be almost too fast, we were in and out and we consistently knew we could come here and get out in a very timely manner. But now I literally had to flag down our waitress and I still didn't get her attention, another waitress came over to help us get our check. We also didn't get checked on at all, luckily our food was good and right. The table next to us didn't get greeted for water or anything so they had to flag down the guy delivering food to get a waitress. I thinkkk it may be because the wait staff is servicing here and the location next store but it's really impacted the experience. Totally understand that a lot of places are understaffed, but we've never experienced this before Miriam we love you, but pleaseeeeee stop changing the menu.

Complementary soup was so good to dip the bread into! The chicken stew was also very yummyread more

Yemen Cafe is one of those spots you keep coming back to. The food is consistently packed with…read moreflavor, the portions are generous, and the overall experience just feels comforting every time. If it is your first visit, the beef fahsa and lamb haneeth are the way to go. Both are rich, satisfying, and showcase what the menu does best. One thing I really appreciated was being able to self-serve tea throughout the meal. It is a small touch, but it adds to the experience and makes the whole visit feel more welcoming. I would definitely come back.

We took our Dad here to celebrate his birthday. He absolutely loved it. The atmosphere transported…read moreus to Morocco. The service was superb and the food was BOMB! We were stuffed! We will certainly be back .

I've been here several times and I love it! This will transport you to Morocco without the plane…read moreticket. The ambiance is truly incredible as it's filled with Moroccan furniture, artwork, rugs, pillows and light fixtures. Highly recommend going on a Friday or Saturday around 7-7:30pm. Their belly dancing show is around 8 and does charge a $3 fee. Bring cash to tip the dancer! It's a great experience while you enjoy your dinner. It is a prefix on the weekend, but SO worth it. The only option you can choose it the main which are choices of lamb, chicken or fish for your party. Pictured I posted are the dishes that were included with the prefix. They have hookah for extra charge. I would suggest making reservations as this place does get booked up. Highly recommend! Definitely go with friends or family. I assure you that everyone's going to have a great time!