NAYA's one of my go-tos when I'm out and about and need a filling snappy meal. You can customize…read moreyour bowl to your heart's content (base, protein, veggies, dressing, and more), and I suggest incorporating the chicken shawarma, Lebanese pickles, and dips in some shape or form. The guy assembling my meal seemed slightly grumpy, but the woman at the register was super sweet. They should probably restock the napkins next to the paper bags, but there are napkins in another area closer to the windows. Download the app for rewards!

As someone who loved the food already but is now expecting as well, its a great choice of a meal to…read moreget my protein in. And if I'm not feeling too well, I just grab some pita and hummus. Definitely a go to in my family. This is my new go to location as I've been in the area more often and its always clean and the lines quick. Will definitely be continuing my patronage here.

Been to this place a couple of times and had great experiences. One nice perk is that you can earn…read morepoints through Opentable and redeem them for credit toward restaurant experiences, credit toward OpenTable reservations, or Amazon gift cards. You don't need to download an app, just sign up for an Opentable account at www.opentable.com. The place was exactly what we were looking for... Inexpensive, Turkish, and comfortable atmosphere! The place wasn't busy during lunch time but busy during dinner time. Amazing service and delicious food! The food was fresh and came out fast. Lunch specials are $21.95 for 2 courses while dinner specials are $36.95 for 4 courses. I had the Eggplant with Tomato Sauce and Beets as the first course and Lamb Adana Kebab as Entrée. Lamb Adana Kebab comes with salad, which I can't have since it's cold and raw, but they were able to accommodate me and replaced salad with more rice. I had Kabak Tatlısı, which has a nice sweet taste and is healthy. All were delicious, also gluten free, dairy free and soy free. Plus, the Turkish Tea as the fourth course was a great pair with my meals. Their menu offers a variety of choices, including options that are gluten free, dairy free, and soy free. I would definitely come back and suggest you give this place a try if you are in Hell's Kitchen or Columbus Circle.

Great mid-town spot for Turkish food. The staff is great and the food is generally above average…read more It's got that great NYC shabby/chic vibe. Well worth checking out.

This place is absolutely amazing. The second you walk in, the employees make you feel welcome…read more We started with the hummus and mixed dips with warm pita bread--absolutely delicious. You can tell immediately that everything is fresh. For the main course, we had a platter that came with steak, chicken, and lamb chops, and everything was cooked to perfection. The flavors and seasoning were top-tier. For dessert, we had the warm baklava, which was absolutely delicious with every bite. If you have kids, don't worry--they also have an appetizer that's similar to a mozzarella stick that was absolutely delicious. I just can't remember the name of it! They play all types of music, and even though the space is big, the personal and intimate connection with the employees is what really made the experience special. The manager, Joselyn, was incredibly warm and welcoming. Our waitress, Vivian, was on top of every single request. Bravo! I only wish I had been able to meet the chef because I would personally shake their hand. The food was truly amazing. This is definitely a place where you could throw a birthday party, have a professional dinner, or simply enjoy a beautiful night out with your wife. It has all the qualities of a great restaurant, and I feel like NYC is starting to lose sight of that kind of hospitality. Eating here honestly reminded me of my travels to Egypt. The hospitality was A1. BRAVO! And I can't forget the bartender--he definitely knows what he's doing!

Always on the hunt for a tasty kebab! Checked out Au Za'atar with some friends, and we shared the…read morespicy hummus, fattoush salad, and their mixed grill platter. The spicy hummus isn't spicy (unless you keep eating it repeatedly on its own, at which point there may be a very mild spice building up in the back of your throat but nothing crazy). Now it may not be very spicy, but it is damn well one of the best hummus I've had because it was so velvety smooth and perfectly pureed with that fragrant nuttiness (hence why I was devouring it on its own at a certain point). The mixed grill platter is a good plate to share because it has a variety of meats like chicken and ground beef - beautifully roasted and so juicy. Personally wish it could come with rice instead of fries, but that's just a preference. Fattoush salad really complemented the whole meal with its fresh greens and tangy acidity to balance the creaminess of the hummus and savoriness of the kebabs. With good service and a cozy rustic interior, I'd recommend Au Za'atar as a solid spot for Middle Eastern cuisine :)

I really liked this place too. I thought all of the ingredients were very fresh, and the lahvash…read morewas baked perfectly. I thought it was a tad expensive for a quick bite - $11.50 for a sandwich. But the sandwich was delicious and you could probably split it with someone. The space is small, but quaint and with a nice Mediterranean atmosphere.

Incredible food, good prices, great service and a nice atmosphere. One of the highlights of my New…read moreYork Trip. Would 100% recommend!

Ate there multiple times. The food is always fresh and tasty. Falafel is perfect - crunchy on the…read moreoutside and soft on the inside. Nice soup. Grilled eggplant was a throwback to my childhood, but better. Nice selection of deserts. Friendly accommodating staff, even if you show up with no reservation. Relaxing atmosphere.

Came here for an early dinner and some drinks with friends and family. They did not disappoint! The…read moredrinks were pretty good, but the food was even better. Everyone loved the pesto halloumi, the hummus, and the special Buratta. The service was great! It was a small restaurant but very mighty.

Place didn't feel like authentic Greek. Flavors feel like Greek fusion of sorts which I couldn't…read morepin down. I got gazpacho (admittedly, probably got the wrong thing) which sounded delicious with sourdough, chili oil, pine nuts, cheese but tasted odd. Additionally, they gave us one itty bitty pita with our hummus appetizer. Waitress kept asking us if we were ready to order when the restaurant wasn't that busy. Came here on a Saturday night and it's the first place I've been to in a while where they just serve the table shots. If you're ready/into that vibe then it would be great but it wasn't what I was expecting.

i've been to this restaurant numerous times, from bday celebrations to one-on-one dinners, and it's…read morealways so lovely! the food is plentiful and so delicious. the service is always warm, quick, and attentive. i love being able to see all the arab decor that reminds me of home. my go-to order usually involves some mix of the mezze falastini, beitenjan, fattoush, pistachio flatbread, makloubah, fettat jaj, kefta, or honestly anything else. i truly love it here

Visited Al Badawi on Atlantic Avenue with a party of four. We had originally hoped to add a fifth…read moreperson to our reservation, but unfortunately they were unable to accommodate the extra person. Lesson learned: if you're going with a group, make sure you have your final number when making the reservation because adding someone later may not be possible. We started with the Mezzi Filistini, a mixed platter of babaganoush, muhammara, tabbouleh, salata, tahini and labneh. This was very good, and we tackled it with zest, devouring it with the accompanying pita bread. We also ordered the falafel, chicken shawarma platter and beef kebab platter. The chicken shawarma was decent, but I would have loved more chicken and bigger pieces. There was considerably more rice than chicken, which made the platter feel a little unbalanced. The beef kebab was better, with a good portion of meat and rice, and the accompanying vegetables weren't too bad either. One disappointment for me was the lack of a proper hot sauce. Something with a little heat and flavor would have paired really well with both the shawarma and kebab and, for me, would have elevated the meal. Overall, the food was good and the ambiance was pleasant. Service was also good for the most part, although I was disappointed that we weren't asked if we were interested in dessert before wrapping up the meal. Al Badawi is probably a place I would try again, but not one I'm in a rush to return to anytime soon.

yes. yes. did you hear me? yes. - from the summery patio, to…read morethe chipper waiter, to the first rip & dip of frena bread into the labneh, to the supple chicken, to the last bite of soft serve. - starting off with the frena bread was the start every meal needs. this fluffy pillow of garlic-drenched bread did not even need dip to be enjoyed. the roasted garlic on top served as its own topping. - we got the whole wheat pita too, which went well with the super nutty smooth hummus & the sweet, fig-lined & drizzled labneh. skip the pita & try the specialty breads... or get this to let the dips shine. the labneh was thicker than a block of cream cheese & broken up with the sweet garnishes. - the chicken was cooked astonishingly well. thick chunks of juicy meat with charred, salty skin. top it with a spoonful of their homemade garlic toum & it's even better. - the watermelon feta salad is a simple dish done with a flair. they add a tajin(-like) spice to add a spicy flair that is tamed by the refreshing, light watermelon & salty, savory feta. - the soft serve options are, of course, beautiful. the blueberry sorbet is intense, a fruity blast of bright, cold, light delicacy with a bold blueberry compote at the bottom. the "mic drop" is a nut lover's dream of tahini-based smooth ice cream topped with crunchy nuts.

Such a lively and popular Mediterranean spot that my friend recommended. Luckily we had…read morereservations, we I overheard walk-in wait times were over an hour on a Sunday evening. We got an outdoor patio table and I found it quite inconvenient for me to place my purse on the floor since the seats could not hang anything. The dips are where it's at here, so we got the Labneh ($13) and Smoked Artic Char ($14). Of course we had to get some bread to accompany the dips and got the Frena ($13) and Pita ($7). I really wish it came with more bread because this wasn't enough and it's quite pricey for the portion. The frena is definitely one of the best breads, which comes with whole garlic pieces on focaccia-like bread. The pita did get quite hard after awhile, so you need to eat this one fresh. We enjoyed both dips, but the labneh is a must in my book. We also got the Grilled Wings ($21) and Scallops à la Plancha ($30), which were both nicely grilled. The wings were full of spicies and come plentiful, but scallops are a smaller portion. We were pretty stuffed with all the food, but had to end it with the Tahini Softserve ($15). This is a popular item here as almost every table had it. It's creamy with nutty, tart, and sweet flavors. It's also quite the presentation with such a tall swirl topped with halva floss. It's a delicious spot with a fun atmosphere, but on the pricey side. The labneh and soft serve are a must here.

The $5 happy hour at Motek Flatiron is SO worth it!…read more We love being able to try a little bit of everything, so this was perfect for us. We got to sample a bunch of different dishes without committing to one big meal, and everything we tried was delicious. The laffa za'atar was definitely the standout for me, it was absolutely chef's kiss. So warm, flavorful, and delicious with the dip. I could honestly keep eating it forever. If you like trying lots of different things and want a great deal, I definitely recommend checking out their happy hour. We had such a good experience and would absolutely come back!

Walk-in for lunch. Hummus with Pita was very good…read more Zucchini Pancake was fine, very dense. Chicken Shawarma has way too much weird spice we didn't like it. Seems to have decent Happy Hour in the afternoon, can give another try.

After much Yelp research, I picked out Miriam as a weekend brunch destination for someone visiting…read morefrom out-of-town. Also plusses in Miriam's favor were the fact that I could easily make a reservation (they use SevenRooms) and its proximity to the Museum of Natural History. Many of the menu items looked appealing. Two of us ordered the latkes Benedict ($27) which I loved. Instead of Canadian bacon, you're served smoked salmon. And swap out the regular hollandaise for a harissa version. There was also za'atar labneh and a chopped salad with cucumbers and tomatoes on the side, also delectable. The third person ordered the traditional shakshuka ($24) which also earned acclaim. I have to give a thumbs up to the hummus. The hostess was peppy and welcoming. Our server was more scarce towards the end of the meal for some reason, but she was nice, and the busboy seemed cool. While there's outside seating too, it was a zillion degrees so the air conditioned and classy dining room was the right choice for us.

My friend and I came here for dinner. I made reservations, but my friend was running late, so the…read moreindoor seating was full and we had to dine outside. This was not my ideal outcome, as the interior was beautiful, elegant, and cooler temperature wise. Initially, I was planning to order the Lamb Shawarma Terracotta dish, but saw that the restaurant was partaking in Restaurant Week, offering a 3 course meal for $45. For the first course, I decided to go with the choice 3 vegetable appetizers, even though I really wanted bread. I selected Potato Salad, Moroccan Carrot, and Roasted Red Beet. The Potato Salad contained horseradish and pickle. This was quite tasty. Moroccan Carrot was cooked perfectly in flavorful spices. Roasted Red Beet was tender and juicy, with a bit of sweetness from the pomegranate. For the main course, I ordered the NY Strip Steak (came on a skewer) with a side of Majadra Rice. This also came with cucumber tomato salad, but I would've preferred the addition of Pita or Za'atar Laffa instead. The Steak was nicely charred, succulent, and well seasoned. I also enjoyed the Majadra Rice, which was full of lentils and crispy onions with a lovely blend of cumin, coriander, and allspice. I also got to try the Za'atar Fries and these were oh so mouthwatering, delightfully crispy, full of bold flavor. The Fries were truly addicting! The dessert I had was the Kanafe Custard Cups with raspberry, and served warm. This was delectable, lightly sweet, fragrant, and just the right blend of delicate kanafe and velvety smooth custard. Service was pretty good. Our waitress was welcoming and knew the menu well. Prices were decent. I would return to try the Lamb Shawarma Terracotta or Salmon and some of the bread with Labneh Tzatziki.