Walking through the city in East Village, and ran into this little Mediterrane Restaurant…read moreLook pretty cool from the outside, so we walked in and gave it a shot. The ambulance was very nice and modern clean establishment. Service was great very tentative to all our needs And the food was very yummy. So delicious that the next time we're in the city. It is a must that we stop at this restaurant again. If you're looking for a great Middle Eastern food in the city, this would be a place to get your fix

First of all I've been talking up Au Za'atar since my first visit, have sent many friends their way…read moreand have gone a few times since my first meal. My most recent visit this month changed all that. I went with my son because we were in town. As it was the first place we knew we wanted to eat, I made a reservation well in advance and we showed up on time. It was noisier than usual and pretty hectic. We ordered a few appetizers and meals and a drink. No one ever checked in on us or refilled our water. I flagged someone down for to go containers as we wanted to save room for dessert and a second drink. They brought the containers and then we proceeded to sit again with no one checking in. We had been there for approximately 40-45 minutes total and were still waiting on someone to come back with the dessert menu when the host came to our table and said "there's a party with a reservation who needs tho is table so could you please leave soon?" Never has this happened to me. How insulting. When I expressed confusion stating we hadn't even received a check so why would we leave, rather than offer a proper apology and/or a "can we get you anything else?" She just said "oh that's not what I was told." And then a server brought us a check. I asked him if 45 minutes was the usual amount of time they give customers with dinner reservations and he said "I'm not sure. We're just really busy and probably overbooked." Again, no offer to make it right. Initially I wasn't going to leave this review. I reached out directly to the restaurant via email to tell them about the humiliating experience of being asked to leave when we weren't even done. Instead of offering to make it right (anything would have been appreciated - a dessert on the house next time - just some token indicating they valued me as a customer) they just explained that there was confusion and that they've talked to their staff so it doesn't happen to anyone in the future. Both the experience and the response put a horrible taste in my mouth and sadly I will probably not be back.

A group of us were here for brunch on a Saturday and we had such a great experience…read more It's a huge beautiful space with both indoor and outdoor seating and we chose to sit indoors. The staff was extremely warm, kind and welcoming and a special shoutout to Irem who was amazing, gave us some great recommendations and took care of us throughout. I went for the $39 prix fixe brunch which is honestly such a great deal and comes with quite a spread. I had the muhammara, hummus, shakshuka and dessert and thoroughly enjoyed my coffee too. We also ordered the tuna Niçoise salad, which is by far the best I have had ever. One of my friends was accidentally served the wrong order and they immediately replaced it with the right one and made her meal completely complimentary, which was such a nice gesture and something we really appreciated. We also loved that nobody was rushing us and we could just sit, chat and enjoy our brunch. Great food, beautiful ambiance, wonderful hospitality and even the restrooms were spotless and very well maintained. Overall such a positive experience and easily a 5/5 for me.

ilili is a wonderful spot to enjoy flavorful Lebanese cuisine, with beautifully presented dishes…read moreand a warm, inviting atmosphere! We started with the Hummus with Lamb, which was wonderfully creamy and complemented by the flavorful spiced meat. The Arnabeet Mekle (fried cauliflower) was another highlight, with a delicious combination of textures and flavors. The freshly baked pita bread was a great accompaniment to the appetizers.We also tried the Duck Shawarma, which was enjoyable and paired nicely with the creamy dipping sauce. The only dish that didn't quite work for me was the Mekanek (lamb sausages). While the sausages themselves were good, I found the pomegranate molasses sauce a little too tangy and sour, with the sharpness overpowering the other flavors. This was more a matter of personal preference than anything else. We finished with the Knafe Bil Jibneh, a lovely way to end the meal! Overall, a very enjoyable experience with beautifully presented Lebanese food and plenty of delicious options.

I've walked by Hummus Kitchen in Hell's Kitchen dozens of times and somehow never gave it much…read morethought. We finally decided to try it tonight...and what a great find! The food was incredibly flavorful and beautifully presented. The Mashwiya, a smoky eggplant spread, was delicious. Mom's Meatballs were fabulous...so tender and full of flavor. And the charred eggplant was a true melt-in-your-mouth experience. It's a small, cozy spot that's easy to overlook, but definitely shouldn't be. A real neighborhood gem that we're very happy to have discovered. We'll be back soon to try more from the menu!

Very nice and cozy place. Clean. The food was very good. Israeli and middle eastern dishes …read more Reasonably priced. Greta service by our waiter, Rami. Definitely worth trying !

I have been meaning to go here for quite some time. Finally visited last weekend. It is definitely…read morea great spot for hanging out with friends. It is a huge place with plenty of seating, and the decor is also. Food was fresh and tasted pretty good. Good variety of Cocktails and drinks to choose from as well. Hookah could've been better but that's mostly because my standards for Hookah are very high.

It started out great, we barely made the happy hour and our server was nice enough to still honor…read moreit. We were seated on the upper level which looks really nice by the middle tables sharing the space with other people. I noticed they had a booth available and asked our server if it was possible to switch which she was nice enough to agree and helped us moved. Food and drinks were great. Hookah was good and I loved that it's kept being refill without being asked! Since they weren't super busy and had mostly large groups coming in, we were enjoying ourselves relaxing. This changed when I believe our server left or changed shift. There was this black girl who kept going around and kept looking at our booth clearly wanting us to leave. She ruined it for us. I understand if they need the booth but didn't seem like it so found it very annoying her behavior, forcing us to leave. The first girls were super friendly and amazing but not her.

Amazing food, amazing staff, very quick accommodating and generous. The bacalhau and all chicken…read moredishes are great. Drinks too. Interiors are most beautiful in the uws.

The food tasted great. The restaurant is super vibey - feels very hidden and cave like. Pretty dark…read more(but not annoyingly so), IMO a great place for a date. We sat at the bar and service was pretty quick and helpful. I don't recall the bartenders name but he explained a couple of items that we had questions on, and checked on us regularly. The spanakopita was a little disappointing honestly and the portion was rather small. We also got the beet salad which was really good. The lamb tagine was delicious I could've eaten two of them.

I've been coming to this place for so many years. I've never left them a review but this time when…read moreI was in the city, I decided that I had to give him a good review as they deserve. The ambience of the place is very clean. They have seating inside and out. Service was nice, quick and easy very friendly people, especially for being in the city And the shawarma sandwich is probably the best shawarma sandwich you'll indulging while you're in the city You won't be disappointed

I haven't been here since the 1980s. So, I had the traditional falafel with hummus added and a Diet…read moreCoke for $11 -paradise !! Ate in a nice outside area that's in the street and consumed it like it was crack. Everything was fresh-tomatoes, lettuce, onion, tahini, hummus, the falafel was fried beautifully crunchy, but soft on the inside. Beautifully hot. And..get the hot sauce on the side- homemade and incredibly great. I would recommend this 1,000,000% to anyone.

This establishment has a long time good reputation l and I can honestly say it's the best Moroccan…read morefood I've had in a long time. The atmosphere is casual, inviting, and buzzing with the energy of a busy dining room, yet the service remains genuinely friendly and attentive. ​We started with an appetizer of naan with a jalapeño cheese sauce and an appetizer called paratha, which was like a flaky naan-type bread with three delicious dipping sauces. It was outstanding. ​For our mains, we shared the lamb shank tagine with apricots and prunes, alongside the mixed grill. The mixed grill was excellent--served with rice and featuring kafta, merguez sausage, chicken, and vegetables, all served as kebabs. Every meat on the plate was perfectly seasoned, juicy, and beautifully prepared. The lamb shank was equally superb and literally fell right off the bone. A great experience from start to finish! ​

I love a late brunch and Cafe Mogador's ends at 4 pm so I came on a Sunday around 1 pm without a…read morereservation. It was about a 10 minute wait- not bad. Had a good amount of indoor and outdoor seating, so good chance for walkins if you can't get a resy. Ordered the Halloumi eggs and Country breakfast, as well as babaganoush and a side of harissa. The babaganoush with the spiced pita from the plates was my favorite bite, but the labne that came with the omelet was a close second. The halloumi eggs were also delish, but that might be because I just love halloumi! Our server was really sweet and friendly too- overall a great spot for brunch in EV!

It was our first time in a few years to have Middle Eastern cuisine for dinner…read more Zizi was already bustling when we arrived, but our table was already waiting for us. Soon after we sat down, we were offered a sweet vodka shot while perusing the menu. To start, we opted to try a couple of Israeli beers, Malka and Efes. It suited well with our appetizers of grilled bone marrow served with toasted brioche and falafel. We then ordered the chicken shawarma and overnight lamb. All the dishes are delicious and perfect for sharing. The service was a bit slow that night, but shout out to Morgan; she saved the night. She kept checking on us, offered us another shot, and complemented us with the decadent dessert: Motek is an eggplant. Overall, we had a lovely dinner here. And I would not hesitate to recommend this place to family and friends.

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.

Afternoon Birthday Lunch 6/7/2026 We were seated as soon as…read morewe arrived( even without a reservation) We had the sweetest waitress. She was very helpful describing the dishes and even told us what ingredients were in the dishes. She made delicious and tasty menu suggestions. She refilled water glasses and checked in from time to time. Our dilemma was what to get Mr Picky for his birthday dessert. We ended up with a milk custard type dessert with crushed pistachios and sweet syrup. Perfect palatte cleanser after this delicious meal. Our starters were Kebbe as well as the shrimp appetizers. Both were very fresh, tasty, and delicious. Entrees we ordered the lambchops and tuna over salad. Now these were both amazing in flavor, and cooked to perfection. This restaurant is now in our after church rotation. If you are ever in the area...pop in here and let your taste buds enjoy the deliciousness.

Had dinner at Balade yesterday after a really long time because Fattoush (across the street) was…read moreclosed for a private party. The food here has only gotten worse since my last review, and the prices are now 2X. Additionally portion sizes are smaller than ever. We had the loubieh, hummus beiruty, eggplant entree (I forget the exact name), and the grape leaves. It was all average at best, bordering terrible. The best thing was the rice and the pita bread. I definitely won't return.