I ordered the Mint Tea, the Lentil Soup, and the Chicken Kabob. Everything came to the table faily quickly. The lentil soup showed first. It was chilly out, so the soup was very appreciated. Not a hearty soup, but they are not shy about giving you plenty of breads for dipping. The chicken was "fluffy". Yup! That's the word that comes to mind, like these light flavorful clouds could float off the table. What they provide is substantial. I took some home with me. And yes, it is delicious when microwaved. The fairly large restaurant is situated on the corner. It's chilly today, but the place seems like prime hot weather real estate. There was club music in low tones. Conversation will echo here, which can be a bit louder than the radio. read more

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First time trying Palestinian food at @ayat.nyc and it was pretty good! I got the vegan platter where I was able to try a little bit of everything. All the food had a lemony citrus taste to it as well as olive oil taste to it, which I liked from the bread to the platter. From the vegan platter, I really liked the eggplant and Cauliflower. The grape vine was very sour. The portion sizes are really big here, and it feels you up! However, customer service could use some improvement. The service was slow and it took a while for the server to give us the menu, the servers also weren't very attentive or fast. They didn't continuously refill our water, like other restaurants I've been to. I saw people waiting for a while for the food. I also wanted to try the mint lemonade, and one of the severs said that they were out of it, but 10 minutes later, they served mint lemonade to the table next to us. The food was really tasty, but service could use some improvement. Price:$25 Rating: 8/10 read more

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First off, we were sat pretty quickly! Our table came with olives/ oil and zaa'tar, and man was the bread good. I mean like, seriously super darn tasty, pillowy soft and warm. They play Arabic music and the overall design at this location is super pretty!!!!!!! I love the brick arch deal they've got going on as well as the mural which gave it such an authentic feel. I got the Salata Filistini, which is like an Arabic cucumber salad. Super refreshing, and more so when you add extra lemon and some salt to it. My sister enjoyed the Koosa Mahshi and the lentil soup was tasty with a good portion. This place does their portions so well. Speaking of portions, don't be scared of the price of their rice platters. This mansaf, a dish that is the pride and joy of the Levant, was GINORMOUS. Probably enough to eat three meals out of, and I'm already a big portion consumer. It came with extra Jameed soup to pour over and the rice and almonds, as well as the meat, were worth every dollar and moment waiting for it. This is a place that feels like home and I'll be thinking about it until I come back. read more

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One word: serene. Beautiful and spacious interior. This is not a grab-and-go eatery. This is where you sit and enjoy delicious food amid gentle music. Everything is prepared with love and pride. The complimentary bread basket served with zaatar and green olives is divine. So are the mocktails. We ordered fried haloumi. We also ordered the large chicken kebab platter. Supremely good. Prices are reasonable and service is on point. read more

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In NYC for 48 hours and I was invited to Ayat. This place phenomenal the ambiance is very calming to be in the heart of NYC. This was my very first time trying Palestinian food so I entered with an open mind and empty stomach. The food was magical! The lamb was tender, the halloumi was savory and slightly sweet at the same time. This meal was a perfect 10/10 for me. The staff, the time is took for our food to come out, the flavors all a 10. I'll be thinking about this place until I'm able to get back to their tables. read more

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Came here after an Airbnb experience. Good: - I really liked the pita bread and it was free! - Super nice staff, they are like a family run business - Lots of seating inside - I liked the hallumi cheese and salad - the cheese was so savory and better than any one I've had before Bad: - The service took forever, though they gave us a baklava in exchange for waiting over 30-45 min for our food - The price is a bit high for the food Overall, this was a nice place to go on a rainy day! read more

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The food is incredible, the vibe is nice but casual, and the service was good too. I went for my birthday and was looking for something inexpensive and casual but nice enough to be celebratory. This was the perfect spot. read more

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Love the pork Kebob and all the other pork dishes. The owner makes the best pork chops

Ayat is a Palestinian cuisine restaurant located in the East Village. It was my first time trying this cuisine and as I was curious. I got chicken shawarma platter which can also be served as a sandwich. The sauce was good, but the chicken was dry. Given how busy they were service was attentive. read more

Ayat - Inside - pretty cool - Middle Eastern Near Me - New York, New York

Absolutely amazing Palestinian food with something for everyone. The restaurant gets busy for dinner so make sure to call ahead. The kitchen was surpassingly quick for how full the place was and the food did not disappoint. The only regret I have was not coming hungrier for all the amazing food we ordered. The place is nice and intimate with the tables pretty close together. And the wait staff is accommodating and kind to everyone. I highly recommend trying everything you can and maybe going for the platters if you're a large group. Do beware the portions are large and you can easily get full in just the appetizers. Just make sure to leave room for the knefe at the end! read more

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I was really excited to try Ayat but honestly it was a let down. I ordered a tea for my friend and I, and a tiny cezve pot came out. We barely got a cup each. I did enjoy the fresh mint but it was so little especially on a cold night. Kibbeh and the beef kefta were very dry and the meat was so salty. Sauces didn't taste handmade. And there were strange fusion items on menu that threw me off.. pizzawarma? And there was another Mexican inspired fusion which I forgot what it was. In such an extensive menu it just seems unnecessary for a fusion. I'd rather see a focused small traditional dishes that are executed to perfection. The price truly doesn't reflect the quality of the food here. Service is a bit scattered too. They're nice just not consistent. Also they charge fees if you use a card. Even a debit card.. read more

We were lucky to walk in here on a Friday evening and be seated within minutes without a reservation! We were recommended this spot by a bartender a few doors down, and I'm glad he put this restaurant on our radar! Important to note: the portions are huge. You can easily order a few things and split them at the table, or prepare to have a lot of leftovers. We ordered the beef shawarma plate, falafel appetizer, and chicken shawarma wrap. Two of us could easily have split an entree because of the large portions. The pricing is very fair and competitive for the quantity. Our food took roughly 30 minutes, which is expected on a busy Friday night at prime dinner hours. Both of the entrees were great, but I would pass on the falafel appetizer if I were to go back. I personally normally love falafel, but I did not like this one at all, so I couldn't finish it. Service was nice, even though it was a bit crowded. If given the option, I would suggest sitting outside as the inside was a bit crowded and the tables are close to one another. read more

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service was good. not too busy on a friday brunch. food was great and a decent portion. read more

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This review is based solely on the ambiance, server, and knafeh. WOW to all of them. The knafeh was absolutely delicious and I will be craving it. Staff were super friendly and welcoming. The ambiance was such a nice relaxing vibe. Need to come back soon to try the rest of the menu. read more

Ayat - Middle Eastern Near Me - New York, New York

Really enjoyed the dips Unfortunately got the meat platter and it was dry so would not get that Salad was decent and had good flavor to it Lots of seating options and staff were nice read more

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Qahwa Arabia Coffee and the Pizzawarma were great! Would go back. The Pizzawarma is very heavy could only eat half but it's good and unique. Was nice and quiet and cool. Fast service. read more

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I honestly really liked it. The pita was fluffy and good but nothing crazy but UNLIMITED so ++++++. The mezze platter was great loved the variety and I think recently I've just become a big fan of dips. My favorites were the yogurt dip and the red muhammarah dip. The hummus was also good. Mixed shawarma platter was good as well just kinda like good halal. The flavors were great and textures on the meat were also good. Happy with the variety of protein carbs and veggies. No real complaints. I did try my friends plates and they got the fattat jaj. Next time I would get fattat jaj instead I think it was similar but more unique, cooler dish. I really liked the crunch pita crisps in it and that it could be eaten like a dip. Inside it's decently big lots of seating. Very beautiful interior and decor. Service was also fast and great! read more

Ayat - Mezze Filistini, Pita Bread - Middle Eastern Near Me - New York, New York

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I'm not sure what's been happening here as I've been before and had a great experience with delicious food, but I went recently and experienced very slow service. We had a reservation which was not kept (had to wait over 15 minutes) and ordered our food (and drinks) an hour after our reservation time. The food also took a very long time, even the pita, and we had to flag someone down to ask for water, refills, boxes, and the check. It felt like they forgot about our table. Every step of the meal was extremely prolonged. FYI No alcohol on the menu, but I believe it's BYOB. I did enjoy the pistachio pizza, falafel, and free pita but the mixed shawarma platter wasn't as great as it used to be. Meat was dry and not very flavorful, wish they offered a spicy sauce. The portions are large but still too expensive. Nothing else was very memorable. Maybe they are having a hard time keeping up with the popularity and finding good waitstaff. Hope it gets better again! read more

Ayat - Hot appetizer platter - Middle Eastern Near Me - New York, New York

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YOU ARE MISSING OUT IF YOU DO NOT GO HERE, DELICIOUS! The service is wonderful and I have run a hotel in NYC for over 13 years plus managed boutiques on Madison Ave-- the service is 5/5. go here. end of story. go ...go go. read more

Food was super delicious and the Mezze Filistini and Fattat Jaj were especially AMAZING. I loved the variety in spreads! The Fattat Jaj was so creamy and the chicken was very tender. read more

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REALLY great food. Yes the service is a bit chaotic and sometimes the staff seem confused on who is doing what, but our server was so sweet. Everything we got was delicious, starting with the mint tea and the amazingly fluffy pita. The mezze platter was tasty, with standouts being the muhammara and hummus. The baba ganoush was a little too tart. The halloumi and eggplant platter had some of the best eggplant my mom and I have ever had, and the halloumi was perfectly crisp. The baklava sundae was so yummy but the ice cream was quite hard so we had to let it defrost for a bit. You get SO much food and we walked away with plenty of leftovers that were still great the next day. Highly recommend! read more

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Can be a bit of a wait but it's worth it! Two of us split the fattat jaj and a tabbouleh. It was the perfect amount. We were maybe even a little too stuffed with the complimentary pita, but the olive oil and zaatar that cane with it was hard to resist. We ended with the tahini ice cream for dessert but I wouldn't recommend it - I was expecting a typical ice cream consistency but the texture was more like a hard frozen milk product. read more

SERVICE - located in alphabet city - expect a long wait especially during busier times. we got seated within a few minutes and the waiter took out order soon after but the food took almost an entire hour to be served - staff are polite but not overly friendly - indoor and outdoor seating available - good for smaller groups of 2-4 people - ambiance good for a semi casual meal - from what we saw the staff were going through takeout orders faster than dining in MENU - Palestinian comfort food - vegan and vegetarian options available - average price FOOD - vegetarian platter (7/10): wara dawli (grape leaves), mujadara (lentils and rice), zahir (fried cauliflower), falafel, and beitenjan (eggplant) with side salad and pickled vegetables. This is a great way to get to try multiple of the hot appetizers. The portion is very generous and can easily feed two people. I liked getting to taste each item individually and pairing some of them together. My favorites were the cauliflower and the mujadara. - mezze filistini (10/10): mixed platter of hummus, baba ghanoush, muhammara, tabbouleh, salata tahini, and labneh. This is similar to the vegetarian platter but comes with all of the cold dips. It is also served with complimentary pita bread for dipping. I could have easily just ordered this and been satisfied. My favorites were the hummus and the muhammara but honestly everything was very flavorful and fresh. Highly recommend ordering this one to share. WOULD I GO BACK? Yes! Although it was a long wait, I enjoyed the food. read more

Ayat - Vegetarian platter - Middle Eastern Near Me - New York, New York

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Short notes: General NYC location review now that I've been to all of them- Al Badawi (Brooklyn Heights,) Ayat (original/Bay Ridge,) Ayat (here,) Al Badawi (Upper East Side,) Ayat (Industry City.) Recommendations in general- Mezze fillistini, zahir, maklouba, ouzi, mansaf, musakhan, mix shawarma sandwich. I went to the East Village location of this miniature Palestinian chain a couple of months ago with one of my groups. They used to be quite different than their sister spot Al Badawi, focusing more on the mezze, which is my preference, but now the menus are pretty similar. The temperature inside was a tad warm, with there being a lack of good air conditioning, and the service was fine. It did seem like the portion sizes were, though, a bit bigger here (at least in terms of mezze) compared to the UES Al Badawi location. As per the other location, they give you some tasty pita along with olive oil (with some olives,) and za'atar. The bread goes well with the spice mix, but I would recommend saving it for the mezzes. The Mezze Filistini for $32.75, consisting of a mix platter of hummus, baba ghanoush, muhammarah, tabbouleh, salata tahina, and labneh, was my favorite thing here by a mile as per always. The best things were their excellent muhammarah, which is a delightful mixture of red pepper and walnuts, which was delightfully earthy with some nuttiness, as well as the labneh, which was thick and slightly sour but not too much so. The hummus was above average with an excellent texture, while the baba/eggplant was nice and smoky. The salata tahina was refreshing with some light nuttiness also, while the tabbouleh was my least favorite, though that is more because I'm never been a fan of that salad. The Zahir for $13, consisting of fried cauliflower served on a tahini bed topped with olive oil and drizzled with pomegranate molasses, was also tasty. I would complain about the fact that they changed the presentation, with the cauliflower also not being as roasted as before, but it was still tasty, with the cauliflower having a good texture, the dish having some good sourness/sweetness, and the nuttiness from the tahini helped mix all the flavors. A newer option here was the pretty good Hot Appetizer Mix for $38.62 with falafel, wara dawali, malfouf, cheese rolls, kibbeh, fried halloumi cheese, and kousa mahshi. The wara, or warak dawali, was my preference, with nice warm and flavorful grape leaves with a nice texture, along with a good kibbeh which had a good texture and was nicely meaty. The malfouf was similar to the wara, though made with cabbage leaves, and is a bit more sour, with another pretty sour dish being the kousa mahshi. The fried halloumi was also nice, along with the other cheese. The falafel was just alright, being less flavorful than a handful of spots even in the area, which comes back to the fact that the majority of the sandwiches and mashawy are my least favorite dishes here. The dish overall was good, but I definitely preferred the cold appetizer mix heavily as I liked the textures more, and I found the flavors less similar. Our host (regrettably) ordered one of my least favorite dishes here, which is the Fattat Lahma for $29, which consisted of a 6-layer dish of meat, rice, chickpeas, garlic tahini, crispy pita, slivered almonds, and mint. The fattat (or fattet) is on the drier end, and she eventually asked for some extra tahini due to this, which helped, but it wasn't a good sign that this was needed. The meat inside was fine, and the dish had good texture, but as always, I just wasn't a big fan of it. Outside of the fattat, I had a good time here. The cold mezze are still the star here, and it's hard for me not to write this place highly just because of that one dish. I prefer a few other locations as said, but I'd still go back here. read more

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Loved finding this little gem near my apartment. The space is beautiful and cozy, and the service was great. I would recommend sharing plates, as it would otherwise fall a bit too expensive. That being said, there's unlimited bread and you can enjoy it with a variety of dips. The meat was seasoned and cooked very well. Definitely would be interested to try catering from here too! read more

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finallillyy got to try some Palestinian food!! we sat outdoors and it was a really nice fall day. the interior of the restaurant looked beautiful, we ordered the mezze platter and mansaf. the mezze platter was amazing, my favorite was the roasted red pepper dip. AND THE PITAS OMG. they're unlimited! the mansaf was a bone in lamb dish, but surprisingly on the sweeter side which I was not expecting. I loved the yellow rice and the lamb, but I think I still need to get used to the gravy taste. overall rly good and I would go again! read more

Ayat - Mezze Filistini - Middle Eastern Near Me - New York, New York

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This is a great spot for incredible food. Theres no alcohol but they have other drinks. The mezze's are incredible. The shawarma is so good as well. We also loved the spicy chicken. The portions are HUGE. They have a great patio with lots of seats. If there's a wait, it's worth it. read more

Omg, this place is sooo good and the place is gorgeous! It's the first time I tried Palestinian food and it was amazing. Hubby and I celebrated my birthday here. They don't serve alcohol here but their mocktails were delicious. Definitely get the hot appetizer samplers, it was my favorite dish of the night. The meat stuffed pizza was good but a little too heavy for me. What I truly love about them is that they hold FREE annual community dinners to the public. What a wonderful way to promote community. 1000% we support them! read more

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Ayat is a delicious spot in EV with large entrees, great vibes, and cute decor. If trying to go on a weekend expect a wait but it's worth the wait! Platters are generous in size and could be shared. We will be back! read more

Ayat - Falafel Platter - Middle Eastern Near Me - New York, New York

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Pretty yummy mezze spread and falafel. Limonana is not too sweet. You definitely need to have a reservation because we were actually asked to leave after paying as they needed our table for another group. I did like the food but be warned that the service is incredibly slow. Yes they are busy but it truly felt like they forgot about our table multiple times. read more

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We came on a weekend without a reservation, but there was immediate seating available at the bar so that's what we went with! It was fun being able to watch them bake warm pitas and breads in front of us. They first start by serving warm pitas with some spices and oil. For food, I got the mixed shwarma place which was delicious. It came with chicken and lamb, I preferred the chicken, but both were good. It came with a generous portion, so I had lots of leftovers. We got the baba ganoush to share which was also a good portion and made perfectly. I would get this again. I tried sahlab for the first time and I really liked it! It was warm with a hint of cinnamon and sweetness. I will definitely have to get this again next time it was my favorite thing I ordered. It gets pretty busy here and we waited a while for our food to come out. But the servers were quick to take our order and to give us our bill. read more

Ayat - Araby Mix Shwarma - Middle Eastern Near Me - New York, New York

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I found this gem on yelp which just opened in Oct. I'm so happy to have a Palestinian restaurant in the neighborhood. Let me begin by saying the food was amazing! We ordered the Raman special. They give you so much food for just $45. We also ordered the spicy chicken kabob platter which came with rice, salad and pickles. The Limonana is to die for!! So so fresh! The service was amazing, everyone's so nice and attentive. As for the ambiance, I love how open the space is and how you have straight access to the kitchen and the Palestinian history on the menus and murals!! Just great food and service! Will be back for sure! read more

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I found this place randomly when I was searching for restaurants on the lower east side/east village. It looked interesting so I decided to give it a try. Came here with my friend from Thai Villa. This place is a Palestinian restaurant serving traditional Palestinian food. There's no alcohol on the menu so she got a Arabic soda and I got the hibiscus margarita, which is very refreshing. Food wise she went with the lamb kebab. Unfortunately, she found the meat a bit tough and dry and had a hard time chewing. I decided to go for the M'Sakhan, which is a traditional dish of half roasted chicken on a taboon bread covered in sumac and pine nuts. Chicken was moist, flavorful and absolutely seasoned on point. I was really happy I went with this dish. The bread was also very good, it was just really difficult to cut with a knife and fork. I think it's supposed to be ripped apart by hand. Taboon bread, as an aside, is a Palestinian traditional flat bread. Kind of reminds me of naan a bit. It's a tiny restaurant and you can see the kitchen and the oven they use to make a lot of the food. The only complaint I had were there were these two little girls just running around the entire restaurant the whole time, bumping into things, squeezing in between the tight spaces of the tables. I was generally getting anxious that someone was going to get hurt, be it the girls or they would run into a waiter carrying hot food or glass. Otherwise, it's a great little spot for some traditional Palestinian food. read more

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Had a delicious meal at Ayat last weekend. Food is authentic and fresh. I highly recommend the grape leaves, spicy potatoes, rice, and Filistine salad. Service is friendly and food came out quickly. The restaurant was busy so I recommend a reservation! The outside area is a bit awkward because it slopes but aside from that we had a great afternoon. We'll definitely return! read more

Service was terrible. When we arrived they asked if we wanted to be seated indoor or outdoor, we chose indoor cause it's freezing outside. We asked if we could be seated somewhere warm, the server said she'll ask and sat us in the back just for the manager to come and tell us we can't use the table because they need it to make a larger table. The manager kept telling us we go sit outside. Mind you they don't have heaters in the outdoor space, also the only black people in there. They were very rude and unaccommodating so we left! read more

Love Ayat! The inside of the restaurant is so cute and their menu has something for everyone. Particularly love their mint lemonade drink and their appetizer platter is a must order. The dips are so good and their bread is so fresh. Some of their entrees are definitely better than others but it's fun to go in a big group to try as much as possible! Only downside here is the service is pretty hit or miss and not particularly attentive, but hopefully they will improve that soon. Love supporting Ayat! read more

Visited Ayat, a Palestinian restaurant with multiple locations, and went to the East Village spot with two friends on a weekday evening, it was fantastic! I learned about it from an Instagram story, and the recommendation was absolutely spot on. The restaurant isn't huge, located on a corner in Alphabet City, but it has a good number of tables and a cozy, welcoming vibe. They don't serve alcohol, but there are plenty of nearby bars if you want to grab a drink before or after. They start you off with olives, the ordered a bunch of dishes to share: the falafel, the mezze filistini (a mixed platter of hummus, baba ghanoush, muhammara, tabbouleh, salata tahina, and labneh), the beef cigar rolls, the chicken shawarma platter, and the pizzawarma (a large pita filled with beef shawarma, halloumi, pickles, olives, pomegranate molasses, sumac onions, and tahini sauce). Everything tasted great and was super flavorful. The dips were an excellent start, great for sampling a range of flavors and perfect for pairing with the mains. The cigar rolls were a standout, crisp, savory, and delicious, I would certainly come back to try the other variations. The chicken shawarma was good, but the pizzawarma was excellent. The seasoned beef, melted cheese, warm pita, and sauce, came together beautifully. It was so filling that we only made it halfway through and took the rest home, and honestly, it was even better as leftovers. We finished with the baklava, which was sweet but light, the perfect end to the meal. I cannot recommend this spot enough, flavorful, casual, and so filling and tasty. A must-try if you're in the East Village (or near any of their other locations). read more

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Food was pretty solid but vastly overpriced for the amount that you get, especially the dips . Complementary fresh pita was a pleasant surprise even though we had to request it. Service was also incredibly slow and our dinner lasted over two hours. read more

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One of the worst experiences in nyc . Food was bland , probably not even fresh and same day made . The service is terrible . So called Palestinian food ..... They used to be good , used to be. SAVE your money . Plenty of other middle eastern food in Brooklyn and NYC . read more

I had a delicious Iftar meal at Ayat. My dad and I wanted some comforting and flavorful Arab food to break our fast on our first day of Ramadan, and Ayat was definitely a good choice. It is an authentic Palestinian restaurant with typical dishes from the country, and all the food was incredible - I especially enjoyed the muhammarah from the cold mezzes, the kousa mahshi and kibbeh from the hot appetizers, and the fattah main course. Everything was so fresh and bursting with flavor, and the portions were huge - we weren't able to finish it all! The restaurant itself is so beautiful - the decor is so aesthetic, and it really feels like you are in a part of Palestine. The staff were so friendly and accommodating, and service was great. Overall, it was a very positive experience - I'd definitely recommend Ayat if you're looking for comforting, delicious, and authentic Palestinian food. read more

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