Tried this place for the first time since we had an event in the area. Great food and service was good. Had grilled chicken w/ salad, beef with hummus and a baked cheese appy (btw these are not the official names of these dishes but can't remember what they were called). Prices and portions were reasonable. Will return. read more

The meat shawarm and the stuffed grape leaves were amazing, only 12$! Service was supper fast and attentive.

It is a nice little restaurant. The food was good, but I won't call all the dishes Lebanese. The dish that you have to eat is the shawarma sandwich, i am still dreaming about it. read more

Just a warning for vegetarians: I ordered falafel and received balls full of grounded up beef. Not the most pleasant surprise when I took a bite into what I thought would be a vegetarian meal. The manager was apologetic however only offered a refund or credit if I returned to the restaurant.is that a joke-- No thank you?! read more

Walking down the street; reading menus and found one that had New Zealand lamb chops. The meal: Balade Lamb Chops; charbroiled to perfection with rice and grilled vegetables was superb! ! For dessert, Ashtabula -white pudding with honey , banana and strawberries with Lebanese coffee. All recommended by Elson, an extraordinary waiter and food expert. A wonderful experience! read more

Balade - $antarctic culinary experience! - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

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This place is perfect! Nice staff, great fresh food and an well designed, well maintained spot. 5 stars

Being a lebanese person I can tell you it is the best Lebanese food I've had in America. It is very authentic and tasty. The staff is very nice and accommodating and the ambiance is great. The prices are also very reasonable. read more

Wow, this place was absolutely INCREDIBLE. First of all, it had great decor and definitely fit the date night vibe. We started off our meal with splitting the babaghanoush; the pita was okay but the spread was AMAZING. It was super savory and had a smokey kick to it. Our waiter then brought out two complimentary dough balls with a zatar spread; the dough was super soft and warm right out of the oven with steam coming out after you rip it. I had the Grilled Halloumi salad for my entree and my boyfriend had a Tarboush Chicken Pita Pitza. Both were absolutely delicious. We topped our dinner off with a shared bottle of wine from Lebanon. Overall, a fantastic experience: service was great, decor was lovely, and one of the best meals we've had in months. read more

The service, impeccable. The food, authentic Lebanese like no other. The atmosphere, perfect for a casual date. The manager is terrific. He was kind enough to provide us free appetizers and desserts. read more

Terrible service and high handed waiters deserve negative stars. My husband and I ended up there impromptu and in hindsight regretted going there. The appetizer course was a saving grace. For our main course we ordered the brazino and the sea bass with two sides. If you read the description the fish doesnt come with rice. When my husband got his main course it was literally 4 small cubes of fish, rice and some salad (with no dressing). They obviously screwed up the fish and tried to replace with rice and half a fish (could have been a side dish vs entree). The service was horrendous and even after pointing this out they never fixed the situation or comped our entree. Ambience wise music was loud and clubby and not appropriate for the setting. Will not return or recommend read more

We have been recommended this place by a friend, and I must say we are glad we gave it a chance. The food was extremely delicious, the service was beyond great, the staff was very courteous. I would also like to thank Mr. Yousef (the assistant manager) the fort he put to make our visit beyond great. I highly recommend Balade. Would definitely come back. read more

I came here a while ago, after an actual trip to Lebanon and really craving the real deal here in NY. Balade does NOT disappoint - I am a hummus snob, and their hummus is ON POINT. I could get fat in an hour with the amount of hummus I'd consume at Balade, no lie. After that came the falafels, which were real in and of themselves because they were right color (in what world is falafel GREEN? Come on, street food, that's not right). Their makenek brought back the good memories from my Syrian aunt, and their sambousik is what it's about. Also, a great selection of wines and the service is great - ambiance is nice and cozy, makes you feel like you're home, but also good for dates and romantic dinners (should you be so inclined). Overall, this place is amazing and hits the spot when you're in the mood for real Mediterranean/Middle Eastern/Lebanese/Syrian, etc. Looking forward to going back soon! read more

Great food great mood. Lebanese living in New York, hits the spot every time. Make sure to ask Youssef for recommendations. He's super helpful. Have a Lebanese beer or arak to accompany your meal. Makes all the difference. Deliveries are great too! read more

My husband and I went out for dinner tonight to this wonderful, Lebanese restaurant. We were in luck as there was a special, price fixed dinner. $25 was the cost for an appetizer, entrée and dessert. What a delicious meal we each had. I highly recommend the lemon lentil soup--fabulously lemony and so fresh tasting. The baba ghanouj was also outstanding. For entrees we had beef kafta, a delicious mix of ground meat, onions and spices, and shish tawook, a grilled, cubed chicken dish. We both could not have been any happier with our dishes. They were served with marvelous tahini and toum sauces. Finally, dessert arrived, a perfect end to a perfect meal--baklava and mouhallabie. I should also mention that the service was incredible. It began the moment we walked in when we were given a prime table that we requested and ended with a promise from Yusef that if we didn't like the mouhallabie, he would bring us another baklava. Needless to say that wasn't necessary. It is such a pleasure to go out to dinner at a reasonably priced restaurant, to get excellent food and to be treated so elegantly. Thank you Yusef and the team at Balade. We are already looking forward to our next visit. read more

This was my first time experiencing a middlle eastern cuisine. I went yesturday to a warm atmosphere with beautiful furniture and decor. The service was beyond exceptional i was able to try options of food, to suit my liking. The server especially made me feel comfortable with the many compliments and dicussions brought up. He was polite and yet patient with my innability to choose a meal.. read more

If you are looking for a taste of lebanon in the middle of NY city then balade restaurant must be your next stop. Not just the name of this cozy warm place that takes you back to our beloved lebanon but also the music that welcomes you once you step in. Friendly welcoming and a menu of great variety of lebanese traditional dishes. Service is very well and the food quality is simply excellent. read more

I am a big fan of Middle Eastern cuisine, and overall, I would say that I enjoyed this spot and would return. The food was tasty, and presented well. The atmosphere was nice and low-key, but classy. The service was attentive and understanding without being too pushy. Although I did get a sense that some of the staff are still in-training, they were very nice and quick to correct mistakes. It was a great spot to get caught up with a friend as we had no problem being able to hear each other across the table. read more

An authentic yet sophisticated Lebanese cuisine in NYC. My partner and I went here on a Friday night, the place was busy as hell and still we got excellent service. They were all attentative, gracious and the food - one word: Delicious! Also, liked their selection of Lebanese wines. read more

Wow, such a charming, delicious experience! I came with a big group for an office holiday party and the entire dinner was flawless. Every mezze plate we tried was incredible, the drinks were great, and the staff was super attentive. They even took the time to explain the origins and ingredients of each item, which was particularly helpful for the non-Lebanese in the group. The waiters and owner welcomed us in like family - these people seem to really take pride in providing good food and a good party. Definitely coming back for more on my own! read more

Great food . Great service. Youssef is a great waiter, very pleasant and professional. A great place to eat !!! read more

Amazing lebanese food and excellent service! Make sure to try Youssef's sangria .The grilled meats were all superb and the mazze was to die for. The music was popping and the ambiance was just right.i came with my date and the evening was perfect read more

Great delicious place that makes everything happen you could wish for! Drink as much Arag with Youssef as you can handle! read more

Nice staff and excellent service and the decor is classy. Best Mediterranean food I've ever had in New York. You won't o wrong in any order here. I highly recommend it read more

The food is amaaaaazing, almhomara is a must try. I will definitely come back . The service is very welcoming. The food is so yummy and the atmosphere. They have wine that is straight from Lebanon. I love it simply. You willnot regret the visit read more

Very impressive service, best hummus you can get in NYC. Highly suggest coming here for quality Mediterranean food & a relaxing environment.

Authentic Lebanese cuisine, great service, very cozy atmosphere and beautiful music on Thursdays. A real east village gem.

Great food, atmosphere and culture mixed in a welcoming atmosphere. I used to love going there with a former fried. the friendship ended, but the place remained in my heart! read more

Food is good. However, as several of the other reviews also mentioned, service, particularly delivery, is lousy. My last 2 orders have involved more than 1h 30m wait times (30-40min estimate in seamless). Also, when I called to inquire, they were rude and dismissive. Not worth delivery wait. read more

The loveliest spot. Perfect for a Friday dinner with good friends. The atmosphere is super warm, cozy and the food is delicious. Must try the hummus, fattoush and try the last dessert on the menu "Ashta". Absolutely delicious and creamy! read more

Dined here on Saturday night with a group of 8 girls. Our reservation was for 8:30, I arrived with some of the group around 8:15. There is a tiny bar area and very limited space to wait for your table in the front of the restaurant. Since the bar was full, we were uncomfortably waiting basically in the middle of the restaurant, being bumped around by servers and getting understandable glares from diners trying to enjoy their meals without people standing on top of them. Our table wasn't ready until 9PM, the manager comped our 4 glasses of wine we had ordered at the bar. Note: beer and wine only. Our server was pretty aloof and did not speak very good english. She did not understand basic questions we had about the menu. Food was good, we started with the Mezze Supreme which is 8 appetizers, ranging from delicious haloumi cheese, meat filled dough, and your standard Greek dips and spreads. We did not know what many of the appetizers were because the bus boy who brought them over to the table also did not speak english and could not explain what we were eating. The main courses were also good but not great. Very large portions--the falafel pita pizza was a hit at the table, as was the lamb kebabs. The haloumi was so good in the appetizer we ordered a side to share with dinner. While the food is good here, it is not great and certainly not good enough to excuse the poor service. read more

Food is delicious and well-priced. I went with a small group and we enjoyed hummus, babaganoush, tabouli, pita, chicken kababs, shrimp... I could go on. All of it was amazing! read more

So incredible!!!!!!! The food is amazing, they don't rush you out like other restaurants do, and the staff is fantastic. I cannot wait to go back! read more

This place was so up my alley I wanted to love it but we didnt. We got there at 8:30 and had a choice of seating (no reservation needed). We ordered the appetizer sampler plate, hummus, halmi cheese, falafel and tzseki. It took 45 minutes to receive our appetizer plate and it was all premade. We had a movie to make so we alerted our waitress, who ignored us most of the night but said the food was "on its way". The appetizers arrived, and 3 minutes later our entrees came. We shared the shwarma salad and the greek pitza. The meat on the salad was good, but otherwise unimpressive. The pitza was overly bland, too much cheese and uninventive. We didnt get to enjoy our meal beause it arrived so late. The belly dancer that performed for 15 mintues with the music blarring took my friend and made him dance while he was still chewing. The table next to us ordered after us but got their meal way before we did. One other thing that put me off was when our watiress asked us in the beginning is we wanted flat or sparkling water, assuming flat was their version of tap, we said flat. Two small glass bottles of water arrived to which i voiced confusion. There was never an option of tap. Weird. I had such high hopes, maybe they had an off night? read more

As a lebanese who lived few years in Beirut, I can say that Balade is an amazing lebanese restaurant! Great food quality, amazing taste and reasonable prices. When I want to share some of the lebanese culture with local friends, I always go to Balade. For me this is the best in town! read more

Balade - How do I love thee? Let me count the ways: In food quality, ambience, proximity to my apartment, overall dining experience. I have been here several times, and have always left entirely satisfied. (I have also ordered in from here, and that was yummy too). The staff is wonderful - friendly and knowledgeable. The food is fabu. Love the Zatar, and the fresh warm pita and the lamajun (sp?). Excellent lamb! Love all the appetizers, and I like to order a whole bunch with friends to share with a bottle of wine. Heaven. read more

Not good. Ordered delivery. Lentil soup was half full and tasted awful. Chicken salad was edible but sub par.

Having dinner at Balade reminded of the amazing Lebanese cuisine I have when visiting my home country every couple of years. The food is prepared to perfection, the staff are lovely, in this case I'm referring to the wonderful Ukrainian waitress who goes out of her way 45min before closing to make sure we are having a great experience. I highly recommend this place for people looking to have a taste of Mediterranean cuisine read more

Pretty lackluster food, IMO. Falafel was brown and dead of any flavor. Hummus had no flavor. I'm disappointed!

Very good Lebanese food, and filling. 5 of us decided to share 2 platters of Balade mixed grilled platter and the vegetarian maz mez, then 2 desserts. We were all completely satisfied but not stuffed. The service was friendly and attentive. read more

This place is excellent. Ignore any of the negative reviews. They're super-friendly and you can sit here all night if you like. Very, very fresh food. read more