Time and time again does Shaya show consistency in both their meals and their service. We came after Art for Art Sake on magazine and were immediately seated. From the start of the mezza to the large plate of the chicken thigh and drum; they made us feel comfortable and warm. The star always shines in the fried chicken hummus but the chicken and drum large plate was close second. There's never a doubt in when to drop in for a quick bite or a romantic evening; Shaya delivers and stays delivering! read more

Shaya - Middle Eastern Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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This place has been so good for so long. Never had a bad meal here. We had some friends in town and we were hanging out uptown. Got some reservations to grab lunch and fuel some more shopping. All the hummus is good, but we started with my favorite the fried chicken hummus. Got a few other small bites. The star of the show was the chicken schnitzel sandwich. If you talk about the chicken sandwich wars this one wins it all. It's so crispy, crunchy, and full of flavor. First time I've tried this and I'm going to have a problem ordering anything else from now on. Service was great and my friend introduced our server to the term fridge cigarette for a Diet Coke, which was funny. read more

Shaya - chicken schnitzel sandwich - Middle Eastern Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Second time here! Both times were delicious! I love the homemade fresh pita First time I came here for dinner with my significant other. Was seated at the bar until a table was available. Second time I came for a private event. Very nice exclusive upstairs private event space and bar, I loved the interior. I had delicious pomegranate lemonade mocktail. I loved the fried chicken hummus, Mediterranean cucumber salad, Brussels chicken, steak the most. Everything was amazing and flavorful, I don't think you can go wrong. The cinnamon date dessert just tasted like bread XD but overall I would totally come back! I think I prefer the sister restaurant though Parking: limited parking lot, limited street parking read more

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Incredible dinner. We got so much food, it was all delicious. Great for big groups. Friendly staff took great care of us. read more

Shaya - Middle Eastern Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

After seeing this spot features on the feed phil series on netflix it was a must that I make it here if I ever found myself in NOLA. I'm glad I did. 5 out of 5 on all fronts and ELIZABETH was locked in and took great care of us, steering us in the right direction as to what to order. Eat here. read more

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Beautiful ambiance, excellent service, and delicious food! Britt made our experience even better with friendly and attentive service. The fresh pita and dips were easily the highlight- warm, incredibly fresh, and full of flavor. Everything felt high quality, and the atmosphere made it a great spot for a relaxed meal. Highly recommend! read more

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I can't believe I've never reviewed Shaya over the years. It's a great place to go with a group and share a ton of things. We had a reservation so our group of five was seated immediately. We decided to share a bunch of things so we ordered the fried chicken hummus, falafel, crispy halloumi, and 2 chicken schnitzel sandwiches with fries. I'm obsessed with their fresh pita and they bring fresh when you get low. The fried chicken hummus was delicious, but fried chicken really didn't add much. The falafel were nice, fluffy and came with a delicious tahini sauce and pickled cabbage. The fried halloumi was one of my favorite bites! The chicken schnitzel sandwich was fantastic and the chicken was perfectly thin and crispy. read more

Shaya - Middle Eastern Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

I first heard about this place from the Netflix series Somebody Feed Phil and decided to book it for my birthday lunch. The reservation process was easy, and I was able to find a time that worked well for us. We arrived and were seated promptly, and our initial order was taken without delay. We went for the falafel and hummus combo, along with a variety of dips like baba ghanoush and muhammara. The food was good and offered a nice spread of flavors. We were specially impressed with the muhammara .We also ordered drinks and had planned to get another round, but unfortunately no one came back to take our order, so we eventually decided to move on. The ambiance is beautiful--bright, airy, and very neutral with a beige-toned aesthetic. Seating was comfortable, though the noise level was a bit high, likely due to it being a busy lunch hour. Pricing reflects the restaurant's popularity and positioning. Overall, it was a decent experience, but not particularly memorable. If I return to New Orleans, this probably wouldn't make it back onto my list. read more

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It's August which means tons of restaurants with Coolinary deals. I decided to try Shaya's lunch special. I opted for the fried chicken hummus and it was delicious. It was a half portion but certainly plentiful for 1. Also ordered muhammara from the regular menu which is a fan favorite. For my entree I had the chicken shawarma which was also good and added a side of brussel sprouts. The sprouts were tossed in a citrus vinaigrette and I'd return for those alone. read more

Loved the coolinary menu!!! This was my second time dining at Shaya. First time I went for happy hour, and this time for COOLinary lunch! I have now tried the fried chicken hummus, the cauliflower hummus, and the mushroom hummus - I'm honestly having a hard time deciding which one's my favorite. The pita is so warm and fresh and fluffy ughh it's perfect! Service has always been nothing less than exceptional. I tried the Lebanese tea and the hibiscus tea - both were so good!! The hibiscus came with a whole pitcher!! So, we had plenty to take home with us. Proportion sizes are enough to share as well. Words cannot explain how delicious the shrimp was on top of my shackshuka. This is not something that they don't have on their regular menu and is only offered during COOLinary. However, they always participate in things that New Orleans restaurants do like COOLinary or Restaurant Week so keep an eye out for specials! This is definitely one of the best happy hour spots in the city. And I love their outside courtyard area. read more

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Came here Wednesday night around 7:30pm with a party of four and I am glad we made reservations. It seemed super busy with just a few bar seats open! We ordered: 3 Salatim: baba ganoush, smoked labneh, & muhammara Crispy halloumi Fattoush salad Lamb Kofta Kebab Gulf Shrimp Kebab Chicken Leg & Thigh Cinnamon-Date Babka King Cake I feel like this was the perfect amount of dishes to order for a group of four. I think we are were all in agreement that the smoked labneh was the best of the salatim we ordered so this is a must! As for the remaining dishes, everything was delicious but my favorite was definitely the lamb kofta kebab. It's only 2 skewers so keep in mind, it definitely on the smaller side but I think the lamb was cooked really well and all the flavors in the dish blended really well together. As for my drink, I always ask for tart and sweet and I was recommended Sunrise in Beirut which did just the trick! It was heavier on the orange juice side so similar-ish to a mimosa in that way. As for dessert, we got the cinnamon data babka king cake which came with a scoop of hazelnut gelato. The cake was warm and similar to a cinnamon roll and I loved the juxtaposition with the cold ice cream! read more

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Food: Yum!!! The hibiscus mango tea was so yummy hot, had such a beautifully fruity tasty flavor. ALSO loved the Arayes meal ~ very tasty and always am a big fan of tzatziki!!! Our server was super friendly, positive, and great (Jules J)!!! Ambiance: great vibes and clean bathrooms! read more

Shaya - Mango Hibiscus Tea - Middle Eastern Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Inventive, inspired, profound. Shaya hits every mark you'd expect for a high end restaurant, but adheres to a reasonable price tag. The first plate is complimentary. Fresh baked pita with rich olive oil and zaatar. Easily the best pita I've ever had, this was remarkably fluffy and subtle, but the perfect vehicle for the job. Our waiter was a hoot and gave us great recommendations. Water glasses were frequently refilled and the food came out quickly. I'd recommend doing the smaller hummus dishes so you can try more of them, as they all look amazing. We got the fried chicken hummus and the wild mushroom hummus and I was blown away. Creamy and smooth with flavorful additions that played exceptionally well. The space has a very warm and modern feel to it. Rarely will I compliment a vegetable, but the Mediterranean salad was bright and refreshing and served a good purpose for the rest of the meal. We got the Bakkafrost salmon for dinner that was fantastic. Well seasoned, delectably flaky, and served atop a couscous risotto highlighted with a crisp pop of summer flavors. Cannot say enough good things about my first time at Shaya and would suggest it to anyone. read more

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Food The bread was so good and baked fresh in their stone oven constantly. You can get as many refills as you want and you will need it to soak up all of the different dips you can get. Falafel: so crispy and perfect, this was super flavorful and might have been some of the best we have had in quite some time. The tahini sauce was perfect and balanced. The eggplant dip was my favorite along with the brussel sprouts, they were a must get. The two salads were a pass, and okay, but did not stand out to us. Service: Server kept reminding us he was getting us wine, but seemed to forget a few times. Did not know what vegan meant despite us telling him, he didn't realize eggplant was vegan and gave us cheese on a salad when we told him to modify a salad without cheese for us. Took the menu back and did not seem to know the menu well or what could be modified for us or not despite us putting it on our reservation note and explaining at the beginning. Ambiance: Welcoming environment, the other staff was kind, there were plenty of tables and you felt warm during it. Good for dates, catching up, and we loved the chairs. They were comfortable and super stylish, please tell us where they are from! read more

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I certainly didn't travel all the way to New Orleans to get my fill on Middle Eastern cuisine... after all, this is New Orleans; I should be getting scarfing down Po' Boys, Gumbo, Beignets and grilled oysters. Oh, how I couldn't be anymore wrong... I met an Israeli in the lobby of our hotel and he recommended a few places; this being one of them. He added the infamous line, "TRUST ME"... so of course, I trusted a complete stranger. Clean and welcoming building facade (white with blue trim almost gelt like we were in Greece)... and stepping in is equally pleasing. White washed brick wall, nice accent walls with wood, nice looking bar with stone countertop, blue patterned wallpaper and a blue-tiled wood-fired oven. Since that first visit, we've returned 3 times and have always loved our food; and our service has always been spot-on (though we keep coming in for midday snacks and/or light bites). Some of our favorites bites have been ANY of their Hummus plates: The plain-jane TAHINI HUMMUS is unbelievably smooth... The CAULIFLOWER HUMMUS with caramelized onions was impressive... But it was the FRIED CHICKEN HUMMUS that blew my mind. I saw it on the menu and had Zero Interest but the waiter said it's very popular but I still wasn't interested but my wife and friends wanted to give it a try... oh wow, this was next level hummus. The spices and flavor and a hint a sweetness (maybe honey) was a game changer. We also tried some of their Salatim dishes (small plates of salads and spreads)... The one that stood out the most was the BABA GANOUSH; just like the Fried Chicken Hummus, the flavors were explosive. Last but not least... the pita that is used to dip all these heavenly tastes are constantly coming to the table fresh and hot from that wood-fired over... as fresh as can possibly be. read more

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That house-made bread..... ooaf, I have been thinking about it! A local recommended this restaurant to us, and on an off night we ordered delivery, which made our night-in a very decadent treat! I had the smoked labne ($7, smoked labne, lima beans, charred chili vinaigrette) and the bakkafrost salmon ($32, caramelized harissa, couscous "risotto", saffron lemon butter). The salmon was great, and I was really looking forward to the couscous, but there was a sweet component to the couscous that I did not like and I would have ordered something different if I had known about that sweet note. The smoked labne was delicious and the house-made pita bread was out of this world! It really reminded me of a bialy, minus the onion jam. You won't regret ordering an extra piece! read more

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While I unfortunately don't live in New Orleans anymore, I'm disappointed it took me this long to try Shaya. We had a great experience and already have it on the list of go-tos when we are back in the city, as we return fairly often. First off, that bread. My gosh, I could have just sat for an hour and eaten it alone. I love that it just keeps coming too - we never once had to ask for more; by the time we were finishing up the pieces there, another set was delivered. Heaven. We had not one bad thing. The ikra was the surprise of the salatims/dips - so good - and the muhammara was excellent as well. That fried chicken hummus was perfect - so creamy and a bit of a different texture than most other hummus, but it worked. We tried the lamb kebabs and crispy halloumi - both of which were solid; however, when they say small plates, they mean small. I thought the serving sizes were a bit tiny. Nonetheless, we were full before even making it to the larger dinner plates and settled on the chocolate tart and knafeh cheesecake for dessert; honestly, I could have done without both. They weren't bad, but they weren't very flavorful to me. Definitely a 5-star, but if it wanted to be a 10-star, I would say a bit larger portions, better desserts, and more friendly service (he did his job but didn't really seem like he wanted to be there). Go now! read more

Better food and selection than Saba. Good Lebanese wine and beer. Good service. Warm bread. I like the patio.

We tried this for the first time on a Tuesday night early in the evening. My husband tried one of the pomegranate juices which was very refreshing. The 3 of us split 2 appetizers, the brussel sprouts small plate, and each had another small plate. Along with the fresh from the oven pita bread that was pillowy and hot, we were stuffed. All of the food was flavorful and hot served. The restaurant has a modern vibe and an outdoor patio as well. Our waitress was the most delightful young woman and was able answer all our questions about the menu items and make suggestions. The only downside was that we were sat right away at our 6 pm reservation then ignored for 20 minutes. We asked for a wait staff from the water person but nothing. We were almost ready to leave when our waitress appeared. She had been given several large parties on the patio. That we were fine with IF we had been told on seating and maybe if a another waiter had taken a drink order. Lots of ways to handle this over just ignoring us. We did notice that the manager wasn't present for the first 20 minutes and things changed once she showed up. This was the only reason for 4 instead of 5 stars. Once we got served everything was spectacular. read more

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Dinner at Shaya was a very happy accident, as the restaurant we had planned to eat at was closed. Best Plan B meal ever. The atmosphere of the restaurant is really stylish and casual at the same time. We loved sitting on the patio - it kind of feels like you are in coastal California. Service was fantastic and the food even better. We ordered a bunch of things off the menu and each one was outrageously delicious. If I had to play favorites, I would say do not miss the tahini hummus, crispy halloumi or israeli salad. They also make a proper cocktail and serve locally made gelato. read more

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A lovely restaurant with delicious food, excellent service and cozy atmosphere ! From the hostess to the server, everyone was warm, welcoming, and genuinely pleasant. I had the salmon, and it was seasoned and cooked to perfection, absolutely delicious. But the star of the meal? The pita bread. Freshly made in-house all day, it was soft, flavorful, and hands-down the best pita I've ever had. I could've eaten it nonstop. Truly unforgettable! read more

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Our experience here was unfortunately very disappointing. Our waitress, Amber, was extremely rude and aggressive, which made the experience uncomfortable. I brought the issue to management, and while they said they would "talk to her," I did not feel that my concerns were taken seriously, and there was no apology for what happened. Based on this experience, I would not return. I hope management takes customer concerns more seriously in the future. read more

If you're looking for some 10/10 hummus, come here. Their lamb ragu hummus was easily some of the best I've ever had in my whole life. Their pitas are little pillows of heaven that I wish I could keep eating and never get full. Sat at the bar and our bartender was so attentive and friendly. Need to come back to try more entrees! read more

Shaya - Middle Eastern Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

The food was incredibly fresh and delicious. We ordered the muhamara twice because we loved it so much. The pita is excellent. The service is attentive and quick, despite how incredibly busy they were when we went. It's a great place for food that doesn't make you feel overwhelmed after. And plenty of vegan/vegetarian options, which was important as the birthday girl was vegetarian. We've recommended this to so many people planning to visit NOLA so we will definitely return if ever in the area! Further--the restaurant is just PRETTY. Aesthetically pleasing without being overwhelming. Open, spacious, with a nice Mediterranean touch. Truly superb!! read more

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I wanted to come here because Phil did on his show -- Somebody Feed Phil. Honestly, it did not live up to my expectations. The food was amazing and flavorful and unique. But, the service was so slow. I usually try not to bring this up when I can tell it's an understaffing issue -- but it was bad. We sat upstairs which was too loud for my taste. I will be back to try again! The pita was to die for. The warm clouds and oil they bring out to start make the whole trip worth it. Just holding out my 5th star on the basis of noise and care. read more

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I celebrated my birthday solo at Shaya last year. My husband booked me a table and I had a lovely time meandering down Magazine Street from my hotel to the restaurant. It was my first visit to New Orleans, but it definitely won't be my last! I'm still dreaming about the wild mushroom hummus and the pillowy soft pita... At the end of the meal, they brought me a slice of labneh cheesecake with a candle at his request. The diners all around me wished me a happy birthday. It was a perfect evening. read more

I gotta tell ya. I didn't go to New Orleans to have one of the best Middle Eastern/Israeli meals or even think there was a place like this here. However, there we were, in the Garden District, at this cute place dining on all kinds of delicacies that are neither cajun nor creole. This is not my favorite cuisine, but my friends and my wife love it, so I figured we'd go and I would find something and "eat around them" as they enjoyed their meals. We started with not one, not three, not five, but all the appetizers (called Salatim). We dined on Baba Ganoush, Moussaka, Smoked Labneh, pickles, Ikra, and Muhammara. Yep, I had to look them all up as well. I actually liked the muhammara. Then they ordered a lot of hummus. There was a fried chicken hummus. I liked that one, too. They also ordered a couple other hummus flavors including tahini, cauliflower, and wild mushroom. I'd like to say we got on to the main course, but first there were small plates. They ordered falafel, crispy halloumi, sujuk pide, brussel sprouts, Israeli salad, and fattoush salad. I am a convert on the halloumi and the pide. Both were very tasty. Finally, we got to our main course. I ordered the halabi spiced hangar steak. It came with fingerling potatoes. Both were so good and so well prepared, that this is easily a favorite spot in New Orleans. I'm a dessert guy, and of course, no one had room left for dessert, but we'd be fools to stop our tasting of the menu if we didn't get dessert. So, we ordered the dark chocolate halva brownie, chocolate tahini mousse, and their seasonal sorbet/gelato. Man, do I love a good mousse, and this topped most mousse I've ever had. The service was phenomenal. Our server was extremely helpful selecting courses and pairing with some fun drinks. And they didn't rush us out when we were finished either. This is a place worth visiting not once, but often, and bring your friends as their food is meant to be shared. When I return to NOLA, I'm returning to Shaya. read more

Excellent food, service, ambiance and cleanliness. Loved the menu choices. Bread, mushroom hummus, babaganoush, salmon and salad. All were best ever read more

The restaurant is absolutely beautiful -- such a warm and inviting space with a great atmosphere. Everyone working there was super nice and friendly, which made the experience even better. We ordered the hummus with cauliflower, and unfortunately it tasted like it came from a package and not freshly made. My husband still enjoyed it, but I couldn't eat it since I came specifically for fresh hummus. Even though the hummus wasn't what we expected, the ambiance and service were really lovely. I'd come back to try other dishes, but I definitely hope the hummus improves. read more

Shaya - Middle Eastern Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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We were excited to dine again at Shaya. Our first visit was back in 2016, soon after it was recognized with the James Beard Best New Restaurant Award. Our first visit consisted of lunch in the main dining room, while this time we ate dinner on the back patio. The weather outside was perfect and the only negative was a pipe near our table blowing out hot air from someone's dryer next door. The best way to describe the menu is superb Israeli food made with Louisiana ingredients. Chef Alon Shaya is the owner. We loved our meal consisting of: * Cauliflower Hummus (caramelized onions, cilantro) * Israeli Salad (cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onions) * Chicken Leg & Thigh (served with aromatic rice, green onions, pistachio) * Hanger Steak (served with fingerling potatoes, coriander chili butter) Ruby was an excellent server. This meal brought back all the memories of our first time here! read more

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Authentic Mediterranean cuisine. It hit all spots. The best part, unlimited fresh out of the oven Pita bread! read more

Shaya - Cauliflower hummus - Middle Eastern Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Shaya is a very popular restaurant located on Magazine Street in Uptown. It's Israeli cuisine. This is my second time to this location so I had a pretty good idea of what I would be able to eat. This was a couple of days after the big New Orleans snow storm and it was back to business like usual. I did not have a reservation so I was asked if I could sit at the bar (which I don't mind). The place wasn't too busy yet but more people did end up arriving while I was there. There was a bartender who was nice and kept my water filled. I ordered the Wild Mushroom Hummus. I've learned from my previous visit that the Hummus alone is enough to satisfy my appetite and still come home with leftovers. The bread is actually the most filling item. You can really can not finish more than one of them. But they come out nice and piping hot and you just want to eat it all while it's fresh! Service: It was okay. My water was kept full which was the most important part for me. Drinks: Full bar! Parking: Street parking. Reservations: Yes! This restaurant is pretty popular so it's almost better to make a reservation in advance. Outdoor Seating: There are a couple of tables on the outside. read more

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Malcolm was our server and such a delight. He was very attentive and engaging. It was my son's 17th birthday and he made it very special and had a wonderful smile the entire time we were there. I guess our early dinner fell into the Happy Hour window which was unintended but a pleasant surprise when the bill came. Food was great as always. Ambience is always serene. A neighborhood gem. read more

Exceptional flavor, quality, and service. We made a reservation using the open table app. Upon arrival we were greeted by the friendly hostess who was kind enough to sit us early. The vibe in the restaurant was infectious. Everyone was enjoying their conversations while enjoying their shared plates. The room is kept at a great temp by their large pizza style oven with homemade pitas being made. We ordered the Baba Ganoush, Israeli Salad, Chicken and Leg Thigh, the Halabi Spiced Hanger Steak and for dessert, we enjoyed the Labneh Cheesecake. Baba Ganoush was flavorful and had a nice touch of charred green onion on top. Israeli Salad was fresh, and lightly dressed with the vinaigrette. Chicken Leg and Thigh was brought in a large flat bowl with aromatic rice and tzatziki sauce. The chicken skin had a great bite to it but yet the chicken was moist. Halabi Spiced Hanger Steak came on a plate pre sliced served next to roasted potatoes and amazing butter sauce that was flavorful. The steak was cooked to perfection and the flavors were spot on. Cheesecake was a round piece served with a little bit of Carmel sauce, beneath an amazing mixture of nuts, with a scoop of vanilla gelato on top. The combination was something I have never had before and was exceptional. If you're looking for a restaurant with exceptional quality and flavor then look no further. We are from the Bay Area and can't think of a place near us, that comes close to this. read more

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Perfect little restaurant. The James Beard award hanging on the wall is well deserved . Our waitress Lola was so helpful and kind. We started with the 3 Salatim for which we chose baba ganoush, heirloom tomatoes and muhammara , all of which were generously portioned, complex and delicious. The crispy halloumi with peaches was a fun blend of flavors and textures. Salmon with couscous was divine. The dark chocolate halva brownie was soft and warm and the perfect ending. read more

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Vegan friendly and such a wonderful spot on Magazine. Always have great service and the food speaks for itself. read more

Went for Happy Hour from 4-6pm. Hummus was really smooth and the Pita bread was super fresh. They also have a great wine-list! Service was very friendly and the overall ambience of the restaurant is great! read more

I loved the food, the ambiance, the service .. the whole experience was so lively and the menu so fun that I came back the next night! Cocktails were scrumptious! read more

Shaya - muhammata and pita - Middle Eastern Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

The food was delicious and the portions were most reasonable. The chicken dishes and salads (fattoush and Mediterranean specifically) were great. The service was attentive without being intrusive. I look forward to returning there soon read more

Shaya has always been on our list when visiting New Orleans, so naturally this time our kids voted to eat here. While the staff and service were great, it is not the same. The lamb ragu hummus was bland, which was not the case before. The beautiful pita bread was not baked to the puffy glory it used to be. Alas, I think Shaya and I have broken up, which makes me sad. read more