I'd rate Al Badawi four and a half stars. I believe this restaurant is part of the Ayat restaurant group. Very similar restaurant decor and menu. Three of us dined in on a Monday evening. We shared the grilled halloumi, the falafel, a spinach pastry, and the mix shawarma platter. Everything was excellent. The shawarma was possibly some of the best that I can recall. It was served over super savory rice and topped with rich tahini sauce. They allow BYOB. There were two single occupancy restrooms. The one I used was spacious and handicap accessible. Only compliant was the pacing of the food. The mix shawarma was served way after the appetizers. I believe they changed the chicken spit; it was great to get the first cuts of a new spit, but we would have appreciated the notice. read more

Amazing service, delicious food and great ambiance. Love and highly recommend. Will come back for more. The hosting manager was an amazing personality and very accommodating. read more

Unfortunately, I really wanted to enjoy this place. We came with a party of 7 on a Friday. We waited for 10 mins before being seated. That wasn't the issue. We didn't get any water. We were being rushed to order and when we finally ordered. It took a longgggggg time to even get Mezze Filistini ($34)& Flatbread ($18) for 5 pieces. So we had to order 2. Didn't get the servers name, however, the things he recommended weren't ideal. The food was tasteless, oily, and semi appealing We went, we ate, and won't return. I've been to other Middle eastern restaurants. This isn't for us. Majority of my issue with this place is it's not ideal for big parties and they also charge a fee of a POSSIBLE $17.28 for a CC usage. Well they absolutely charged it and you get a 20% charge. For the way the food tasted. It wasn't pleasant nor was the atmosphere. We have no problem paying for a great meal and the ambiance. This was not it. Bill for the night was $432.09 for 7. The meal was not successful for our family outing. What could've been improved was more seasoning and the meat was not tender. It was actually tough and burnt. read more

Al Badawi - Pizzas & Lamb Kebab & other dishes. - Middle Eastern Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

The place was clean and the service was attentive. Food was very tasty and portion was generous. BYOB - bring your alcohol if you want to drink. read more

Another amazing Palestinian restaurant in the city! It was pretty easy to make a reservation here on a weeknight and there was plenty of space in the restaurant. My friend ordered the Fattoush with chicken and I got the Maklooba. I liked the Maklooba at Ayat better because the chicken was a little dry, but the portion sizes for both were huge and we probably could have just gotten away with splitting one dish. My friends dish was fantastic though. The servers were very welcoming and the pita bread was delicious. If I'm in the UES I would definitely come again. read more

Al Badawi - Maklouba - Middle Eastern Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Love it here. Very welcoming and great service. Huge portions and it's BYOB! Will keep coming back.

So so yummy. Came here on a Saturday night and didn't have to wait for a table for two. The mansaf was literally melt in your mouth. The broth that came with it was so rich and flavorful. We got the mezze filistini so that we could try a bit of everything and I'm so glad we did. I especially loved the babaghanoush and muhammara. Honestly one of the best meals I've had in a while. read more

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Could. Not. Recommend. ENOUGH! My friends and I ordered one of their shared platters where they charge per person (can't remember exactly which one) but everything was SO GOOD!! It was way too much food for all of us, but I was extremely happy eating the leftovers too! The service was also really great and helped talk us through the menu! It's also such a cute space! I 100% want to come back! Everything here was a 10/10! read more

Al Badawi - Middle Eastern Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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We had to make a reservation as this place is quite busy -- and for good reason. We started with the muhammareh (and that came with bread) and malfouf -- My family had the 1st and said it was delicious and well, malfouf is scrumptious dolma that I imagine I will go back alone for . Then, we shared the ouzi lamb and the mixed grill -- It was all good and enough for us 4. Thereafter, 2 of us had the baklava and 2 had the tahini ice cream (silky texture). The mint tea (Shay Na Nana) came in a beautiful cup that made it feel like an elevated drink. The service was fine -- though it is the food that is the real stand out. read more

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The service and ambience in here is absolutely wonderful. Portion sizes are great, especially for the price, without sacrificing flavor. Ordered the chicken kebab, kefta kebab, lamb chops, and mezze fillistini and all were incredible. The pita is also out of this world!! read more

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This place is great if you have never tried any Palestinian dishes. I came with a friend for her birthday and we were able to get some unique dishes such as maqlouba and Knafeh. We also got a chicken shawarma flatbread. I really loved the meat on the flat bread. The restaurant is very cozy, and decorated very well. It really transports you. The staff was super nice and attentive. They made my friends birthday dinner very special. read more

Delicious food, coffee, and cozy ambience. The staff were also very nice! Will definitely come back.

The place has a modern feel, very pretty decorations. There was a bit of a wait on Friday night so recommend making a reservation. The service is very friendly. The food was good and I would definitely come back to try more dishes. read more

Al Badawi - Pistachio Flatbread - Middle Eastern Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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I would say food was very good and ambiance super cute; for the amount of food you get, very reasonable prices as well. Only area that suffers a bit is the service, pretty sure our waiter forgot about us halfway through the meal (could not find him anywhere after a certain point) and we had to repeatedly flag different servers down to get anything. Which was a bit annoying but not enough to ruin my enjoyment of the meal (or dock a star because honestly the food was good enough to make up for it). Shared the sampler dip platter, which gives you like 6 different things to sample. My favorite was definitely the red pepper dip, with the babaganoush and hummus coming in after that. I ordered the fattat jaj, which I really really enjoyed. The crunchiness of the almonds and pita chips contrasted so nicely with the creaminess of the sauce, chicken was juicy, all around very nice flavors. My friend got the kefta bi tahina, which has a very comforting, home cooked vibe but we both agreed we preferred my dish. Would come again. read more

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I actually cannot think of the last time I have been so spoiled with quality and quantity of food, attentiveness of service, and coziness of environment. When you enter Al Badawi and are guided to your table, the first thing you notice is how the entire place almost feels like someone's kitchen. The second thing you notice is how, somehow, your glass of water ends up somehow magically refilled almost every time you drink enough of it. My party of three ordered the Mezze Filistini to start and for mains, the Mansaf and the Fattat Jaj. Pretty quickly, we were given a bowl of freshly baked bread (you could taste that distinct "someone just kneaded this into dough a couple minutes ago" flavor) along with some olives and spices. Olive oil and spices with the bread alone was divine and we had to resist tearing the entire bowl apart before our cold dips came, but it was a non-worry as the service was happy to keep us supplied with ever bigger bowls of fresh bread. The cold dip platter was both delicious and fun. There were many different combinations of very distinct flavors, most of which worked well with each other, to try with the delectable bits of fresh, hot bread. My personal favorites were the baba ghanoush and the muhammara. The portions were large enough that we eventually began just loading the pockets of the bread with spoonfuls of dip and devouring them in excess. As our 3rd bowl of bread hit the table, we were also served our 2 shareable main dishes. Both dishes featured an almost excessive amount of meat and other fun bits of food on a heaping mound of well seasoned and perfectly cooked rice. For the Mansaf, there was tender, juicy, fall of the bone lamb covered in a yogurt and mint sauce that imparted a more gentle, slightly sour taste that complemented both the lamb itself and the rice it rested on perfectly. The Fattat Jaj was an impressive layering of bits of chicken oozing with flavor, chickpeas, crispy pita bits, garlic sauce, slivered almonds, and the same mint yogurt on the mansaf. This was another fun dish, where one could experience a large variety of flavor and texture, but not a single bite was unpleasant or even average. By the end of the experience the rest of my party and I were filled to burst, but the food was so good we were desperately trying to eat what morsels we could still force down. Eventually the owner (?) walked by and made pleasant conversation, noting how much we had enjoyed the food and even offering some tea or coffee to help with our digestion. By the end, we still had plenty of leftovers - probably enough for a full meal or 2 for each of us. Quite honestly, this meal probably saved my entire weekend that began with a terrible experience at Aquarelle...it almost felt like the polar opposite of that - fast and pleasant service, solid food with solid portions and affordability, and a comfortable, home-y environment. I will gladly be taking whoever I can possibly gather back to dine here again. Also memorable: walking into the bathroom and getting distracted walking past the kitchen with the smells, setup, and watching someone make and bake fresh bread. read more

I had perhaps the best meal of my life at Al Badawi! The pistachio flatbread is an absolute must, but literally everything we tried was delicious. And the ambiance is impossible to beat :) I don't normally leave reviews but I this warrants an exception. read more

Three of us had a wonderful experience here. We had a reservation for 6pm on a Thursday and when we arrived it was pretty empty, but by the time we left it was packed! We shared the halloumi, muhammarah, fattat jaj and maklouba. None of us had tried the latter two dishes before but enjoyed the flavors! We especially liked the fattat jaj for the creaminess from the mint yogurt. The chicken in the mouklaba was so tender. The fried halloumi was warm and crispy. We took home leftovers because the portions were large. The dining area is one giant room with a living wall spanning one side. It's stunning and we lucked out getting a table right next to it. The servers were extremely friendly and the owner/manager stopped by to chat with us and ask for feedback. I recommend you visit here with a couple friends if you find yourself in Cobble Hill / Brooklyn Heights! read more

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TLDR: Every dish was a hit! Started off with the dips platter and each one was so fresh and full of flavor. The baba ghanoush and labneh in particular were exquisite. We paired this with a pistachio flatbread that honestly could be eaten on its own but was really elevated with the dips. For a main course we shared some lamb chops and they were extremely tender and well flavored. The juices of the lamb chops also gave the rice a nice touch. The baklava was perfectly crispy but ladled with honey and a great way to finish the meal. read more

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It seems Atlantic Avenue, in the downtown Brooklyn section, is showing a return of more Middle Eastern restaurants. I couldn't be happier especially with my delightful discovery of Al Badawi. Although they found a home on Atlantic Avenue about two years ago, I recently made a first time visit. The cuisine is Palestinian and upon entry as walk ins, I was impressed with its ambience, aroma and spacious lay out. This restaurant is BYOB so keep that in mind. Fear not, if you want to complement your meal with wine or hard seltzer, there's a wine store down the block. If beer is your thing, head to Keyfood in the opposite direction. No corkage fees. We grabbed a High Noon hard seltzer and returned for what became a wonderful dining experience. Although the experience and food was a solid 5 stars, service was a bit slow. It wasn't long before the entire dining room became occupied. We started with the Grape Leaves and Stuffed Squash as appetizers. While waiting for it, a basket of pita bread was brought to the table accompanied by olives, dry spices and olive oil. I systematically dipped my bread in some oil and then in the dry spices. It was delicious. We devoured the Sqaush and Grape Leaves in no time. The Squash was stuffed with rice and spices (2 to a portion) while the Grape Leaves (meatless) included 9 average sized pieces. Each dish was flavorful and outlined the cuisine of Palestine. Absolutely delicious. For main we shared the chicken Fattat Jaj. Word of advice/warning--this is a dish that's meant to be shared. It could easily serve 4 people with the addition of appetizers. A unique and excellent dish that was described as 6 layers--rice, chicken, chickpeas, slivered almonds, yogurt, pita chips and mint/spices. I was blown away by the flavors. It really hit the wow factor since I've not tasted anything like it or even close to it. The rice was fluffy, chicken cooked to perfection and the marriage of spices and flavors was executed very well. The rest was packed to go; it is a highly recommended selection. Al Badawi is a little gem in the Brooklyn Heights area. Their food is amazing, portions are generous, prices are very reasonable and atmosphere-- cozy and quaint. Make your way to this hot spot if you're seeking great food. I can't wait to return. read more

Al Badawi - Middle Eastern Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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I came here for dinner with a friend during the week and there were plenty of tables when I arrived so they seated me right away. My friend did arrive 15-20 mins later so I did feel rushed to order my food as the waiter told us we only had the table for 1.5 hours, which is reasonable as the tables started to fill up. I ordered the stuffed grape leaves for an appetizer along with a mixed chicken and beef schwarma platter to start, then once my friend arrived we decided to order a second entree of ouzi lamb. The food itself was delicious, however it took an hour for the ouzi lamb to come out as they forgot about our order and had to quickly make it once we asked about it. I also don't believe the entree justified the high price tag (~$40) as there wasn't that much lamb on it but I guess given the neighborhood, this seems appropriate. I think everything else we ordered was great and the ambiance is super cute but the service was subpar and some of the main entree prices seemed inflated for what it is in my opinion. read more

Al Badawi - Ouzi Lamb - Middle Eastern Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Some of the best middle eastern food I've ever had. So flavorful with huge portions. Love the ambiance. Beautiful design and very warm and welcoming. My waiter was excellent. Very funny, warm and entertaining. Definitely will be back read more

The food was excellent but the service was really off. Table for four, 8pm on a Saturday. We sat down at 8 and weren't given menus until 8:15. Then we ordered at 8:30. We received our appetizers at 9:00, and our entrees at 9:10. When I said we had just received our appetizers, the waiter just gave me a look like "What do you want me to do?" It wasn't a pleasant experience. The dinner came to $200. We brought a bottle of white wine, and to chill it the busser gave me a kitchen "8 pan" half fulled with icy water. He did not offer to serve wine, that was left to us. I dunno, I'd like to try the family platter (which requires the participation of the entire table although the menu doesn't say that). Maybe things are more synchronized with that one. read more

We were told the restaurant opens at 11, so we drove all the way from Yonkers to Brooklyn. When we arrived, they said they don't open until 12. Very disappointing and unprofessional. If you post business hours, you should respect them -- customers plan their time based on that read more

If I had a personal list of my top 5 favorite new restaurants in the city, then Al Badawi would definitely be on the list! I find myself coming here at least once a month over the past several months - when friends come from Manhattan come to visit the neighborhood, this is the spot I usually take them if no one can decide where to go. The food is so incredibly good. For fans of Ayat in Bay Ridge, apparently it's from the same owners. Some highlights for me are the ouzi lamb - incredibly fragrant and spiced rice with fall apart meat. The pistachio flatbread is incredibly good, and that olive oil that is on it just seems next level. The service is incredibly and helpful. I also like that they give you a big jug of water at each table so you're never waiting to have your glass refilled. And the best part - BYOB! Don't think there's a corking fee either. There's a wine store next door if you forget to bring something. The place is usually pretty easy to walk in during lunch, but for dinner it gets busy fast - I recommend making reservations if you plan to come in the evenings. read more

Al Badawi - Middle Eastern Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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There were many resy options for dinner on a Friday night! I made one for a party of five for around 7:15pm. It was busy filled with small and large parties enjoying a family style meal with BYOB! This seems like a great place for a birthday party! We were given a huge jug of water in a cute heavy clay pitcher. This really did add to the experience! We shared the app with multiple dips called the mezze filistini with unlimited warm bread from the brick oven! The labneh was divine with the most creaminess that I ever tasted and never knew I would appreciate. We loved the babagonush as well as the red pepper dip. We then split the pistachio flatbread, which was my favorite! I would definitely come back to try their other flatbreads. For the mains, we may have over ordered as we were a little full already. The mixed kebabs plate was just average. The lamb tasted super dry but the chicken and the beef were good. The hummus felt extra given we had already devoured it as part of our app. The mansaf was good, but nothing spectacular. I didn't appreciate how delicious the maklouba was until the day after when I had it for leftovers. If you're looking for a great byob place with good food in the area make sure to come here! read more

Al Badawi - Middle Eastern Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Mezze Filistini $31 hugeeeee portion. The two of us had this for three different meals. Once at the restaurant, twice as snacks. Zaatar Pixza $14 lots of seasoning. Great with the Mezze. Felt like it was a bit pricey but since the Mezze lasted us three meals, it's not bad. Would have enjoyed if the bread came out a bit warmer. read more

Al Badawi - Mezze Filistini $31 huge portion. Delicious taste. Would get again - Middle Eastern Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I've been to Al Badawi five times now, and every visit just keeps getting better. The food is incredible, and the staff are super friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful. Anytime friends or family come into town to visit, I make sure we go out to eat at Al Badawi. read more

Ordered take out from here. I got the beef shawarma platter. It was so delicious. Came with beef, rice, hummus, baba ganoush, salad, and two fresh baked pita breads. I mean, it's just so delicious. I had ordered through door dash. After making my order I called the restaurant because I really wanted extra tahini sauce. The person I spoke to was courteous and said, of course. When my food was delivered, there was extra tahini sauce!!! I'm very happy. read more

Al Badawi - Middle Eastern Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Al Badawi is my favorite restaurant on this stretch of Atlantic, serving a variety of Palestinian dishes in a beautifully designed space. We order from and dine frequently at Ayat from the same owners, so a lot of the dishes were familiar, but the menu here has even more to choose from. We often get flatbreads because our kid loves pizza, usually the 7 cheese and the mixed shawarma and cheese. Both are excellent. We're also big fans of the mezze filistini, the sampler that comes with hummus, baba ghanoush, labneh, muhammara, salata, and tabbouleh. Not only has everything we've tried here been delicious, but portion sizes are very generous, so great food and value! read more

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Heaven is stuffing your face with smoky shrimp kebab, buttery rice, fresh herbs, and fluffy flatbread, which can all be found at Al Badawi. Sitting in their outdoor dining shed on a temperate day while platters of delicious food piled onto my table was my version of bliss, and I urge anyone with the right idea to book a table there, pronto. They say a good rule of thumb is to eat [naturally occuring] colorful food, because generally that includes lots of nutritious fruits and vegetables. Al Badawi made this easy with their mezze platters, which any [eastern] mediterranean meal would be remiss without. Their enormous mezze filistini was just the ticket I was after-- smooth hummus, smoky baba ganoush, spicy muhammara, creamy labneh, fresh tabouleh, and fragrant tahini salad was a perfect platter to share and would have been more than enough for me to sing the praises of this place. I am also quite picky about falafel but had absolutely no qualms about theirs, which was so pleasantly bright green in the middle, from all the fresh parsley and cilantro they use. While the mezze filistini would have been enough food for me, I also grubbed on the shrimp kebab plate, which sat on a bed of buttery rice and a side of cucumber salad. I love rice and shrimp and the charring on their version was so delicious not a single bite was left on the plate. As so often happens my eyes were bigger than my stomach and I ordered one too many things. When the pistachio flatbread hit the table I was already full, and while I thought the bread was fresh and delicious, the flatbread fell a little flat for me as it didn't have the same breadth of flavors and textures of the other dishes. Still, they made for great leftovers with the falafel I took home. Meals like this are ones I live for living in New York, where the world's cuisines are at my fingertips, and a platter of the freshest and most flavorful veggies I could dream of are just a train stop away. read more

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Fantastic Palestinian food. Super quick service -- lovely servers. I had the shwarma plate, and was impressed with the portion and the quality. I'll be back. read more

Bad service, food was ok at best, over priced, nice ambiance but the heat is unbearable and when we asked the manager to lower the temp he gave us an attitude. Not an authentic place for sure, none of the workers spoke Arabic. If you're looking for an authentic Middle Eastern spot this is not the one for you. I will not go back there again. read more

Loved our time here! There was live music. Everyone was so kind. Meat was delicious. It's BYO!! Great for our large party. I'm still dreaming of the lamb!! read more

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Al Badawi is a busy place! Even on a Wednesday night, the place was packed. Freshed goodness in every bite, everything was baked fresh on the spot! Pitas coming out was hot and fresh, maybe could be cooked a bit longer but I didn't mind. Falafel was some of the best I ever had, not too dry and still crispy and crunchy, light and airy. Probably my favorite. My friend enjoyed the lamb chops, cooked amazingly. The hummus was fresh smooth and decadent as well as the baba ghanoush. The flavors were lacking a bit in seasoning however it was still finished! read more

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A solid middle Eastern spot in dowtown BK. Food: we ordered family style which seems like the best way to go here! We started with the Mezze platter which comes with pita bread and veggies. I really like a few of the mezzes - like the muhamarrah - it was one of the most flavorful mezzes! We ordered the cauliflower and lamb, chicken kebab, lamb chops, salmon, ouzi chicken, and fattat jah. The fattat jah is amazing - it does take 1 hour to cook but I would come back just for that. The chicken kebabs were also amazing. The portions are pretty large Service: good service! Price: given the portion sizes I thought it was very reasonably priced. Ambience: the set up of this place was really nice. It is great for a group setting especially read more

Run do not walk. The food here is absolutely spectacular, large filling portions, It will have you wanting to come back immediately. Staff are friendly and the food came out pretty quickly. Open kitchen layout as well. Came on a Sunday evening, no wait but still obviously a popular spot. Most entrees range between $20 - $40 however definitely worth it, as you will almost certainly have leftovers. Will be coming again. read more

Al Badawi - Mixed Grill - Middle Eastern Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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My friend and I loved the food. It was flavorful, fresh and light. The portions are big for sharing. We started with the pistachio flatbread and then got Fattat jaj which is a 6 layer dish of roasted chicken, rice, chickpeas, mint yogurt, crispy pita, garlic sauce & slivered almonds - yum! Our favorite. It's BYOB so don't forget to run by the bodega or wine shop and you'll enjoy it even more. The service was great. The ambiance is lovely and vibrant. Would definitely return, try more things and recommend to friends. read more

Al Badawi - Fattat Jaj - chicken, chickpeas, rice, mint, parsley, yogurt, garlic, crispy pita, sliced almonds - yum! - Middle Eastern Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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I came to Al Badawi for a Ramadan Iftar with a big group, and it exceeded all my expectations. I have had Palestinian food before, but this was on another level. The food was all exceptional - I think this might be the best Middle Eastern restaurant I have eaten this year so far. All the mezzes were to die for, and the flatbreads were delicious - especially the zaatar flatbread. All of the main meals were so yummy, but my personal favorite was the fattat jaj - it is genuinely one of the best fattahs I have ever had - the flavor was perfect and I couldn't get enough. The restaurant itself is so artsy and beautifully decorated and has such a calming vibe, and at the same time it is so elegant and chic. This is definitely one of the best restaurants I have tried recently, and I 100% recommend this place for someone looking for an authentic, mouthwatering, and aesthetic Palestinian dinner. read more

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I've been wanting to try Al Badawi for a long time since I've heard they have amazing Palestinian food. I made a reservation with a week or so in advance for 6:15pm on Saturday, although it seemed to me that some smaller groups of people were able to just walk in and be seated so a reservation might not be necessary. The restaurant is very spacious and has more of a casual feel to it. There is cute decor and many tables available for seating. Our server came by right away to give us water and shortly brought out freshly baked pita with some olive oil, olives, and what I think might have been zaatar on the side. The menu is pretty extensive and everything sounded delicious. For food, my boyfriend and I shared: Hummus: creamy and delicious. More on the denser side as opposed to other hummus dishes I've tried before but not chunky. I thought the consistency of it was very nice and went well with the thinner pita (also made the portion feel more abundant since it wasn't runny at all and went a long way with spreading!) Very good flavor, prominent in tahini. Good appetizer to share and enjoy their pita with. Muhammarah: first time having it but very good! Had a strong roasted red peppers taste with a mild spicy kick of onions balanced by the subtle tangy, sweetness of pomegranate molasses. Loved the little chunks of walnut in it that added crunch to it. Also amazing! Kibbeh: I have not had kibbeh in many years but this was exceptional. Perfectly crispy exterior and flavorful ground beef inside spiced with some cinnamon and other spices that worked very well with the umami flavors of the meat. Comes with a side of tahini to add some cool creaminess on top. Fattat Jaj: also first time having this but wow--my mind was blown. I wish I hadn't filled up as much on the appetizers because this was such a flavorful, and complex dish. It came with a soft warm rice pilaf with chickpeas, some delicious, well seasoned and tender chicken in generous quantity. It was topped with this amazing garlic sauce, mint yogurt (mint not super prominent), crispy pita chips, and slivered almonds. Truly something special! The portion is also massive so can probably feed you for a few days. 11/10 would recommend. Overall, very positive experience here! The service was great and efficient, the menu was varied and the quality of the food was exceptional. Really cute and clean too. Will be coming back if I find myself in Brooklyn Heights! read more

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Very cute spot for dinner with the girlies. Waiter was very friendly and helpful since we didn't know what to order. We got their mixed grill and the Maklouba which was delicious! It's like Palestinian biryani ! Oh also the cauliflower appetizer was bussin I forgot to take a pic read more

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