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    Zara Austin

    3.8 (51 reviews)

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    Milk pudding
    Tanya K.

    Stopped by on a weekday night after seeing their store front and saw how busy it was! Even in a weeknight, the place was ~80% full. They just opened two months ago, and i was so impressed by their service and food quality. I saw earlier reviews note how bad/slow their service was, and I can confirm it has improved since. It was easy to flag servers down to order and my water was never empty. Now important part - FOOD. You get their famous bread baked fresh from their fire oven, served with olive oils and olives. Who can say no to fresh baked bread?? we got their grilled octopus ($22) which came with two perfectly grilled tentacles, albeit very tiny. It was served with grilled tomatoes and mashed potatoes. We also got their chicken kebab with yogurt which def packed a punch in terms of flavor - you get that char flavor from the grill then the spices which just adds to the flavor. Make sure you save some of the bread for your meat order! Lastly, we got their milk pudding with cinnamon and Turkish coffee which came with a chocolate covered Turkish delight. 18% is automatically added to your bill and the menu noted a 3% additional fee if you pay with card (although I didn't see the extra card fee on the receipt!) The place seemed large with high ceilings, comfortable seating with good amount of space between diners. But it does get pretty loud with everyone talking.. it's pretty echoey. And whenever there's a birthday celebration, they play the birthday song on the loud speaker!

    Can't remember the name, but tasted like cough medicine.
    Santia G.

    Came for a Friday dinner with girlfriends. Located in the heart of Forest Hills/Austin Street next to the Target. Made reservations and were immediately seated. The interior is beautiful, large open space and different types of tables and seating. We were put in the middle of the restaurant. There is a large bar seating area, they have a wood burning oven where they make their breads and food fresh. Also a salad prep area next to the oven. Right when you walk in, there is a large fridge displaying all the meats they offer. We were brought their popular bread to share with oil/olive to dip. We decided to go with plates to share, we ordered the platter of mixed meats which came with a small salad and rice on the plate and the shrimp skewer meal which came with 2 skewers of grilled shrimp with onions/peppers, arugula salad and rice on the plate as well. The food was outstanding, flavors on point, meat and fish cooked perfectly, and more than enough to share and have for take home too. They give sturdy take home containers and bags. We tried their drinks too. The Verde drink is a slam dunk, I would have never imagined matcha to pair well with liquor but I saw the light at Zara! It had a lychee flavor that made the drink even better. The lychee martini was as expected. The pomegranate drink was not great. Bill included tip and came to just under $170 for three people, full meals, and 3 drinks. I would suffer through the traffic and headache of parking to visit again!

    Chicken Adana kebab
    Indiasky B.

    Wow what an awesome experience! The ambiance is warm inviting and modern! Service was top notch! Handsome waiters! We ordered chicken Adana kebab, mixed appetizer, chicken shush kebab. The Adana was very flavorful. The pilaf rice was fluffy and tasted so well with the tabbouleh salad. The chicken shush kebab was so tender and juicey. The fresh bread they bring is a warm cloud of perfection that compliments the mixed appetizer. It has hummus, garlic yogurt, eggplant salad, tabbouleh and a spicey chickpea salad. I walked here but there doesn't seem to be available park lot. Lucky if you get on the street parking. Gorgeous restrooms!

    Lamb Shish (tough and dry)
    Essie L.

    Beautifully renovated space, and good service. The menu options are good, and we were all happy with the overall experience. The lamb shish could have been more tender (it was quite tough and a little overcooked), but other than that everything else was fine. The food quality is average, I'd say, but the decor makes up for it, and it's a good addition to this neighborhood.

    Dips and fresh pita
    Ellen C.

    New addition to the neighborhood and came here twice in one week. The interior blew me away compared to the old TGIF. They knocked down the walls and everything is so gorgeous and grand. Love how they bring out a ginormous freshly baked pita to the table at the beginning of the meal. It was sooooo good. Pro tip, if you're ordering any dips, ask the staff to wait for the dips to come out and to bring out the warm pita at the same time. Our first mistake after working out was to eat it right away. The first pita is complimentary but the second one is an additional charge. That's not really the issue but we were pretty full after chomping on the first one and then ordering a second one to use for the dips. We ordered an assortment of items to share. If it's your first time I would highly recommend the mixed meat platter to share. Everyone loved the shrimp casserole. The Turkish dumplings are fun to try. Cocktails are yummy here. Second time we also tried the branzino. Can't go wrong with branzino at a Mediterranean restaurant. Service was a little slow at lunch. Service at dinner was pretty attentive. Only issue was that they do this really loud presenting when any parties order the huge meat tray to share. At first we thought it was for a birthday but then realized that it was for delivering the tray. After the 5th time, it does get a little disruptive and annoying. We didn't order any dessert. Walked by and it didn't look too appealing or fresh. Great new addition to FH. Will definitely come back.

    The Octopus appetizer and the flat bread.

    Amazing place. Not sure what's better, the ambiance or the food. Order the octopus for an appetizer and the ZaRa Family plate for dinner (more food than you can imagine). Also, there is plenty of parking on the street, but if you can't find one there, there is a paid parking lot on top of the building (enter next to Target). Definitely give this place a try. You will be glad you did.

    Accidental Saturday night find in Forest Hills. Zara Austin just opened
    Nelson E.

    Visited Zara Austin on Saturday night after they had just opened Wednesday in the old TGI Fridays space, and honestly this was one of the better accidental finds I've had in Forest Hills in a while. The space has been completely transformed. Warm lighting, upscale without feeling pretentious, and the open dining room gives it a much more polished feel than the old chain restaurant setup ever had. You could definitely tell they were still in grand opening mode because the staff was everywhere in the best possible way. Plates cleared immediately, drinks constantly refilled, everyone attentive and eager to make a good impression. We started with the babaganoush and falafel. Both were excellent, but the fresh bread might have been the standout of the meal. Warm, fluffy, and clearly made to be part of the experience rather than an afterthought. For mains we had the beef and chicken kababs. Both were cooked very well, flavorful, tender, and properly charred without being dry. Rice and salad were fresh and balanced the meal nicely. Finished with baklava, which was rich without being overly sweet. For a restaurant only a few days into opening, they looked surprisingly polished operationally. Service was sharper than places that have been open for years.

    Zaras Family Plate
    Jenny J.

    Food was really great . Got the golden family platter for 9 ppl [including 2 kids] and it was more than enough. It came with rice and salad. When you order the golden it comes with loud music and a whole show of ppl clapping so if don't like attention I would ask to skip it lol. They have kids chicken and fries and apple juice boxes if needed. Fries are amazing. Octopus was also delicious. The service was ok the waiter definitely seemed overwhelmed but always helpful and kind. I think they need to hire more waiters. They also put on music for birthdays. The place is beautiful!

    Fried Calamari
    Edna L.

    This is a late review- I went on the 2nd day they opened. It was a very quiet opening, no announcements or anything. We figured the food would speak for itself! We came for a late lunch, were seated promptly as they weren't very busy yet. Had the complimentary baloon bread, and ordered fried calamari, the Zara family plate for four people, and the chocolate soufflé for dessert. The fried calamari, although evident of good quality squid, was different. It wasn't as fried, the batter quickly falls away from the squid, wasn't crispy, and overall very flavorful but a little bland even with the squeeze of the fresh lemon wedge. This one was a little disappointing. The Zara family plate had a beautiful presentation, with its meat platter or lamb, chicken, and beef. They explained there's also supposed to be falafels but as it was their second day of the restaurant opening, they didn't have it yet. There were two kinds of lamb, two kinds of chicken, and 1 kind of beef. The lamb was cooked nicely, and one of them had a minor kick to it. The chicken skewers were nice and flavorful, but the chicken bites were overly dry. The round beef patty was nice and wish we actually had more of that. In addition, the family plate came with 4 portions of sweet rice and salads. Overall a good dish to order if you're looking to try a variety of things. The chocolate soufflé was nice and full of chocolate lava from the center and paired nicely with the vanilla ice cream. Very heavy on the chocolate flavor so that was great! For the 2nd opening day, I'd say not bad but they still need to get things together in terms of how they cook the food. I probably won't come back for a while until they are able to cook the meat properly so it isn't as dry. There was a portion of the meat platter we just couldn't eat because it was dry and hard, particularly the overcooked chicken. However, presentation was on point and the open flame added that wow factor. Not to mention, the renovation of the restaurant was spectacular and has a more upscale feeling to it. The staff were nice and checked in once in a while as you're eating to make sure all is okay. But if you're waiting for them to come to you because you need something, it does take a while. They have different wait staff standing around. There's two who stand by the wall and they are mostly in charge of cleaning up. The waiters themselves who take your order, or answer questions regarding the food or gives the check, wear the same color clothes as the clean up crew and are running around quite a bit so it did take a while(over 5 minutes) if you need something. It was a little confusing at first why the clean up crew looked directly at us, watching us raise our hands, did nothing, and then watch us eventually put them down and sit there for a long long time unassisted. That was a little frustrating as we knew there were only the handful of window tables filled in the restaurant. But then again, for the 2nd day of the restaurant being open, it is understandable that they were still trying to figure things out and hopefully will be able to find their groove on operations and dry chicken.

    Dining area
    Farah M.

    Food and ambiance were great! Love to see a new halal spot in the neighborhood. Real authentic Turkish food. Service was a bit hectic probably due to how busy it was. But overall great experience. Definitely recommend for date night or group celebration!

    Ken W.

    The bread and hummus appetizer came quickly; the latter was somewhat bland, though it was smooth. The chicken thighs were visually appealing and generally grilled well, though a touch dried. Service was disappointingly inattentive as we didn't get our water refilled and we needed to flag someone to pay the bill, but perhaps the operations will improve.

    Balloon Bread
    Vivi L.

    My friend and I went here after looking for a place around Forest Hills to have lunch. There aren't many Turkish restaurants on the area and the other reviews on Zara looked promising. The food was amazing, wells seasoned and everything came out hot. The place is surprisingly spacious and well decorated. The staff was also quite pleasant. I'm definitely coming back :)

    Iskender Kebab with yogurt
    Kevin A.

    Tried Zara Austin in Forest Hills (the old TGI Fridays spot) and loved it. The Iskender Kebab was one of the best dishes I've had in a long time -- perfectly spiced sliced lamb gyro with yogurt on the side. So delicious. Prices are comparative. They also give fresh balloon bread and olives with the entree fresh from the clay oven, delicious. Service was very attentive too. Only difficult part is finding street parking on Austin Street as we all know.

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    13 days ago

    It was fast service large portions. Prices were decent beautiful inside friendly people.

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    The food is delicious and fresh and the service is excellent. Great place for a celebration!

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    Safir Mediterranean

    Safir Mediterranean

    4.6
    (154 reviews)
    5.8 mi

    Located in Hunter's Point, LIC, this spot is a gem. The ambiance is casual and cozy and the staff…read morewas absolutely so friendly and welcoming. As it was my boyfriend and I's first time trying Turkish food, they helped explain some of the dishes to us. We got their appetizer spread, their lamacun, and their manti. Everything was phenomenal, but I highly recommend their appetizer spread and their lamacun. I loved the spread as you got the chance to try multiple different dips and it was a huge portion. Their lamacun was also the first I've ever had and it made me think: "Why haven't I had this before?" It was so good. Will definitely be coming back.

    Safir is a small, cozy restaurant that makes for a great, relaxed meal. The service was warm and…read moreattentive, and it ended up being the perfect way to wrap up the weekend. The atmosphere is comfortable without feeling crowded, making it easy to settle in and enjoy the meal. The food was excellent from start to finish. The sigar borek were perfectly crispy, cheesy, and just the right amount of salty. The lamb beyti kebab was packed with flavor, and the accompanying sauces really elevated the dish. We also had the manti, Turkish dumplings that were well-seasoned and incredibly satisfying. Portions were generous across the board, and everything tasted fresh and high quality. It's the kind of place that leaves you looking forward to your next visit.

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    Zirve Turkish Grill

    Zirve Turkish Grill

    4.5
    (6 reviews)
    4.2 mi

    I used to be a big fan of the prior Turkish restaurant and when the new management took over I was…read morecurious to check it out. My friend and I decided to come here for lunch and we really enjoyed our meal. They start you off with some warm pita and a spread that seemed very similar to hummus but not quite. This was a great way to start my lunch. I decided to go with the chicken Adana which is ground chicken with Turkish spices. It comes with salad and rice. The chicken was amazing and very welled seasoned. I loved the rice and salad that came with it. We decided to end our amazing lunch with some baklava and Turkish tea. Both super tasty and a great ending to a great lunch. Our waiter was very attentive and made sure we enjoyed our meal.

    4/5 They start you off with a bread typa thing that comes with this amazing dip…read more Sometimes they give you tea when you're done, they gave us the last time I went in the summer, but they didn't give us this time. I really wish they had cuz it's brick today. 4/5 Yogurtlu shish $25- juicy 4/5 yogurtlu chicken $24 4/5 kofte kabab 4/5 lamb shank- has the lamb smell, but this was so tender it was almost falling off the bone, I'd get it again, wanted lamb chops, but they ran out 4/5 rice - flavorful, buttery? 4/5 chicken Adana L $20, kofte kabab lg $20 3/5 stuffed grape leaves $10 3/5 lamb chops $34 4/5 cheese pide $18.75 3/5 Sucuklu Pide $20- "A thick dough crust stuffed with Turkish sausage and mozzarella cheese. Stuffed dough dish" 3/5 Kusbasili Pide $20 - "Special pide topped with chopped lamb, geen/red peppers, tomatoes and cheese" 3/5 Ground Meat Pide (Kiymali Pide) $19.75- "A thick dough crust stuffed with ground lamb and seasonings. Stuffed dough dish" 2/5 Sucuk (grilled Turkish sausage) $11.50- too salty & too $$$ for 8 slices of sausage 2/5 manti $25- too yogurty, couldn't taste the filling, prefer Tibetan/nepali momo 4/5 rice pudding $12- creamy 2/5 kunefe $12 - too sweet 2/5 baklava $10- too sweet 2/5 trilece $12- too sweet

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    Tea
    Tea
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    Loft
    Kebab House

    Kebab House

    4.6
    (11 reviews)
    6.9 mi

    We were delighted to find one of our favorite digs had reopened across the street from its old…read morelocation! Kebab House has been a fixture of the neighborhood for ages. Their food is always tasty and service amazing. When they closed at their old location more than a year ago, I was heartbroken. So glad to have found them again today. Their new dig is bigger and better, has a separate bar section from the restaurant. The food is as fabulous as before. We enjoyed every dish and bite (we were very hungry and forgot to take pics of the appetizers). The owner/chef came out to say hi, the server was friendly and professional. The entire experience was simply superb. We will be back again soon!

    Came in for dinner, and wow! Delicious food, and excellent service, and a wonderful evening! For…read morestarters, the bread is out of this world! We had sigara borek and hummus as appetizers, and the hummus in particular was so fresh and flavorful - definitely the best hummus I have ever had. We ordered a couple of entrees and unfortunately the wrong food came out. We didn't initially realize and thought they had put out two meals on the platter (and they were just small portions) and included some extras as well, until our waiter came over a few minutes later and apologized. Unfortunately, because we received the mixed grill instead of our two chicken entrees, the solution of charging us the price for the mixed instead of our two meals only took roughly $10 off the bill but resulted in us having less than half of the food we otherwise would've had. That aside, the food was delicious enough that Kebab House still warrants five stars and we will be back, just more aware of what to expect as far as portions.

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    Kebab House
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    Inside

    Zara Austin - mediterranean - Updated August 2026

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