I found this place by accident. I was heading down. Hylan, toward a diner that I like. I saw name on the sign, and it looked like a nice restaurant. Not knowing what type of a restaurant it is, I decided to stop in. What a pleasant surprise. It was a Turkish restaurant. There was a good amount of people in there, but it looked like I was the only "white boy." Everybody was very friendly, and the place was clean. I liked the atmosphere. I started with the baba ghanoush. I loved it. The flavor of the roasted eggplant was delicious. And the roasted flavor kept it from being too rich. It was creamy and delicious. I almost didn't have enough bread to put it on. And believe me, I was piling the bread high with that stuff. There was also a small bowl of marinated green olives on the side. I normally do not like green olives, but these were fantastic. The olive oil marinade kept them from being too bitter for me. For my main course, I had the Adana kebab. Ground lamb, red bell pepper, and paprika. I had a small, which was one kebab. It also came with a very nice marinated salad, and a decent size portion of rice, which was tender and had a good flavor to it. It also came with a red sauce and a tzatziki sauce.. the red sauce was too spicy for me, and the tzatziki I put some of it on the rice, and then the rest I dipped my kebab. The kebab wasn't spicy at all, and the red bell pepper, and the paprika gave it a great flavor, it was not gamey like lamb can be. It was also very tender. Everything was so good, I ended up finishing the entire dinner, and I was stuffed. I would've loved to try a Turkish coffee, but it was like 8 PM, and I didn't want to be up for the rest of the night... :). The price was reasonable. The only reason I'm taking off a star, is because they add an automatic 18% gratuity to the check, and then there's also a spot down at the bottom for a second gratuity. That's why you need to read your check very carefully. If you don't notice the automatic gratuity, you might end up paying a double tip. I thought the automatic 18% gratuity was more than fair. This was a great place. They also do breakfast. I would like to come in and try breakfast sometime. Thank you. read more

See all

Good food. Bad service. Shady tip suggestions. The food was good but the waiter never came back to refill water, check on us, or refill bread. They will come back to ask you for dessert, at which point, you aren't in the mood anymore. There was a mixup with one order in my group. I don't know if it was the manager's fault (who also was the waiter) or if it was mine. I pointed this out as soon as the food arrived at the table. The manager made ZERO effort to help fix the situation. He did not care at all. To further emphasize that this restaurant cares about money over customers, the receipt has ridiculous errors in it. It first assigns an 18% tip in the total for a group. But then at the bottom of the receipt, also lists tip amounts ranging from 18% to 25% to ADD ON TOP of your grand total which ALREADY included the automatic tip. So if you hadn't noticed that the tip was already in the total, you would be tipping them AGAIN on the total of food, tax, and automatic tip. There are many, many other Middle Eastern restaurants opening up all over Staten Island. Will be giving the others a try instead. read more

The food was so yummy! Service was amazing and the place is super cozy. If you are looking to have a Turkish meal, this is the spot in Staten Island. Check it out, you won't regret it read more

Zara Cafe Grill - Kofte Kebab - Mediterranean Near Me - Staten Island, New York

See all

Very tasty food. Heard many good things about this place and it's always crowded so that convinced me to grab lunch here. Had the lamb wrap with salad instead of the fries it comes with. The wrap was huge with thin strips of well cooked and well seasoned lamb. I really enjoyed it because it had so much flavor. The salad also had a nice dressing and was also a good sized portion. The place itself is quite large with indoor and outdoor dining. Service was okay and the decor is nice enough. read more

All of the Zara's on the island are amazing! Especially the ones with BYOB haha! The food is always fresh & tasty! We love all of the dipping sauces and especially the bread! Their chicken shawarma and kebabs are great too! The service is done with a smile! The Hylan blvd one does have bright lights but it's nice to sit outside in the warmer weather. The prettiest one is on Victory blvd! Xoxo read more

مطعم جميل للطبخ العربي و التركي. 8/10 taste and authenticity (they can to add more sumac and salt to the food) ‍ 10/10 service Way over priced but probably that's NYC prices. Ambience is very casual but very dull. No music and no cultural feel to it even though they added cultural designs. It would be nice if it was more vibrant. read more

Zara Cafe Grill - a woman sitting at a table - Mediterranean Near Me - Staten Island, New York

WoWa WeWa! You will not be disappointed by this gem, but I like their other location way better. This one is small yet comfy. read more

See all

Really great Turkish food. We ordered the Mediterranean salad and hummus for appetizers and I went with the lamb gyro for my main. The lamb is sliced thin & served with rice and a salad. My only complaint about the menu is their hot appetizer options. It had food like mozzarella sticks, fried calamari, etc. I wish I had more authentic options to choose from. Special thanks to Yosef for great service and overall respectfulness during our dinner. Highly recommend this spot for either dining in or taking out! Will be back. read more

Zara Cafe Grill - Lamb Gyro - Mediterranean Near Me - Staten Island, New York

See all

I waited an hour for delivery, finally got a message that my order was cancelled and that the money would be refunded within 3-10 business days. My family went hungry. Thank you for the service read more

Easily the BEST Branzino fish and Shrimp on this planet !Place ...I have always had a good experience here,,,,,well done

Very nice Turkish restaurant with amazing food, excellent customer service, and good ambiance We ordered meat combination platter and it was very delicious. Photo included. read more

Zara Cafe Grill - Combination platter - Mediterranean Near Me - Staten Island, New York

Zara used to be amazing, now it tastes very old and cheap. Food takes forever and they're honestly just overall very slow. There's plenty of items on the menu and i definitely recommend eating there then taking out; the food is much better as of my knowledge. read more

The restaurant decor is very Turkish with very comfortable chairs. The service staff is very helpful and friendly. After we paid, the manager made sure he thanked us for coming and made sure to tell us it was great seeing everyone again. The food is always fresh and delicious. My son had the lamb gyro, my wife had the beef gyro and I had the chicken. All were delicious. read more

Zara Cafe Grill - Mediterranean salad - Mediterranean Near Me - Staten Island, New York

Got chicken kebab - was dry as hell - tasted like Sheetrock/mealy cardboard - yuk! ______________________________________ read more

Great Turkish food and great service. Had the gyro platter and liver and they were very tasty. Always has a Crowd.

The ambience is lovely. The staff are attentive, courteous, and seem to really enjoy their job. The service was excellent. I had no knowledge about Turkish cuisine but soon found out my meal and choices were absolutely delicious. It was a little expensive. I didn't really appreciate the 18 percent added to the bill even though I usually give 20. My niece had lamb gyro and I had a chicken sauté. The food was hot and seasoned well. It had a little "kick" but was not overpowering. Really enjoyed it. I would go back again but I wouldn't go often because of the cost. read more

For past few months have noticed that the flavor of food has changed its taste, the manager has decided to go with cheaper & less spices on preparation. Also heard that the manager has been calling alot of costumers "garbage", ignores paying attention to customers requests read more

This place is amazing!! Although I have never ate at the restaurant, I have gotten numerous take outs from here and it has never disappointed. Not once has something gone wrong with the food or tasted different. What I order: Chicken Gyro: I love the chicken here it taste so fresh and the flavor is just perfect especially paired with the red sauce that comes with it if you like spicy. Lentil Soup: honestly I dont think I have had better lentil soup than this place... its red lentil and the soup is so smooth. Must try. read more

Food is always great!! Did takeout/delivery. Ordered Sheppard salad w grilled chicken. Great flavor

Still the best Mediterranean food - the rice is non comparable to other restaurants always delicious. The lamb, chicken or beef always great. Good service, good food, and the ambience is of course Zara style. read more

We stopped here for lunch on our way back home to Long Island on Saturday afternoon. It was our first time here. The ambience is casual and friendly. The service was amazing. We were immediately greeted and seated upon entering. The food did not disappoint. We ordered a Mediterranean salad which was enough to share among three of us. The salad was freshly prepared with the perfect dressing to bring out the flavors of onions, feta, corn, olives, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers. The babaganoush was excellent paired with fresh bread. Our entrees were generous portions even though we ordered the small size. The chicken and lamb were expertly cooked and so juicy! I can't say enough about this establishment and a must try right on Hylan Blvd. Please give this place a try! read more

See all

We visited Zara for the first time. Since we have kids, we generally avoid places where alcohol is served, so it was a bit uncomfortable for us on a personal level. That being said, the ambiance was lovely, the customer service was excellent, and the food portions were decent and satisfying. read more

Complimentary bread was warm and soft. Eggplant salad was perfectly charred with smokey and light pepper taste. The Zara mixed grill was more than enough for two to share. The chicken was tender, gyro a bit dry, lamb well seasoned, and beef a bit too well done. The service was wonderful. read more

Zara Cafe Grill - Zara Mix Grill - Mediterranean Near Me - Staten Island, New York

See all

I love Zara's, food is delicious especially the liver cubes and gyros. So glad they are nearby and deliver.

Fantastic lunch. Delicious food and nice atmosphere. The restroom is spotless and clean. Waiters are polite and professional. Highly recommended and definitely will go back when I'm in town. I live in Savannah GA and I visit Staten Island to see my family and friends. read more

Fairly new Turkish establishment but recently added breakfast into the mix so that's more up my alley Very interesting twist with a Turkish flair. Good coffee. Breakfast platter is a very interesting mix of an egg, feta and Armenian string cheese. A few meats, olives, salad. Also had a spinach and feta cheese omelet which beats the hell out of any diner omelet. Delicious Turkish bread , amazing (cherry I think) Jan, honey and butter. Very clean place. I think this has just become my go to spot for breakfast. They also have pancakes read more

"The best Turkish restaurant on Staten Island! The kebabs were delicious, authentic, and perfectly cooked. Great portions and friendly staff. I'll definitely be back!" read more

I ordered Chicken Shish on Turkish bread. I received a huge (and I mean HUGE) portion of bread and what looked like mixed greens, two slices of tomato and two slices of onions. The rest was greens and maybe 1/4 was dry-tasteless chunks of chicken packed inside. The food was so dry that I actually had to add mayo. I specifically requested utensils and a full menu which I never received. This place is on par with Grand Sahara down on Hylan in Dongan Hills. Flavorless, dry and over priced. Welp, I tried it and now that's two places I know not to recommend. read more

Zara Cafe Grill - HUGE portion of Turkish Bread - Mediterranean Near Me - Staten Island, New York

See all

I really wanted to give this place a better rating but unfortunately I can't. The food isn't that good unfortunately and they charge a lot. The ambiance is good because you can sit out or in. The indoor area isn't that nice. The service is slow but very nice. read more

The lunch specials are awesome. I have the lamb kebab and my buddy has the chicken kebab. There was more than enough to eat. The lunch specials came with super yummy rice and a salad. The restaurant is gorgeous. I loved the vibe. If there was anything to complain about. I would say the checkout service was slow. The waitstaff was pretty good though read more

Been coming here for years and will be coming for many more! I love their mixed grill dish which has a little bit of everything. Their portions are so big theres always enough for leftovers (which is always a plus). I always enjoy their hummus and bread as a starter and their chocolate lava cake and tea for dessert. If you are sitting inside then it can feel a bit cramped and like a lot is going on so we typically order out. We've never had a problem with delivery and the portions are the same size as in the restaurant, they package everything extremely well also. Every time we order we know exactly what we are getting and how it will be and it never veers off path. Only thing is their outside Christmas lights are up all year so It is quite weird to see a reindeer lit up on the roof in the summer. read more

PICTURED: Chicken Shish Kebab Platter, Fried Calamari and Chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream Zara is a Mediterranean restaurant with Turkish cuisine. Location: 1995 Hylan Blvd, Staten Island, NY 10306 Ambiance: modern, spacious and comfy Price: reasonable prices, one small platter is priced at $11.50, fried calamari around $10 and lava cake around $10. Menu/ food: 8.5/10 there is a large variety of Turkish food and their food is made fresh and tastes delicious especially with the white and hot sauce. read more

See all

We've been to Zara and we're very pleasantly surprised by the food! It was very tasty, and well presented. The service was fine as well as the ambiance. Would recommend giving this place a try!!! read more

Food good and was prepared nice ..byob Which is good ..they r nice to customers .. Very casual ..always go when I visit my son and family in Staten Island ...and we r fussy eaters read more

do not drop anything out of your pockets you will not get it back lost my ear pods called the very next morning let the guy on the phone where I was sitting he put me on hold said I check came back said I found them told me they would be put in register I called the next day so I can pick them up & I was told they belong to the server liars will never order anything or visit it again people are so disgusting hope all are listening thieves read more

Overpriced food. Ordered chicken and beef shish platter. Beef was good, but chicken was very dry. Plate was full of plain rice. Paid around $30 for each plate full of plain rice. Small salad on a side yes but it is not enough. At least add some veggies or something into rice. Was very excited to try this restaurant for a while, and just spend almost $70 for 2 people, and we basically had 2 plates of plain rice and a lot of bread on a side. Reduce amount of rice, or make not plain rice instead or lower the price of the platter. read more

Zara Cafe Grill - Mediterranean Near Me - Staten Island, New York

I ordered a few gyros , they came in wraps instead of pita bread; I was not given the option when I ordered over the phone w AHLEY. The lamb meat was sliced so thin and it was a bit dry. The white sauce too watery. It just did not hit right. Maybe the chicken is better; I'll try that next time. read more

We got there late , they were closing, so we only had sweets. The rice pudding is really good . That's all I had Maybe next time I'll try something else read more

I just came here for a Turkish coffee, but I ended up staying for a gyro. Both were quite good. It can be easy to miss this place (across one street from the Colonade diner; across another street from Nissan). read more

See all

My son recommended this restaurant to my fiancé and myself. It didn't disappoint. Staff was very helpful and quick to respond. Everything was delicious read more

See all