Solid Middle Eastern fare. I'm Middle Eastern and my test for authenticity is always the baba ghanouj, and the baba at this place was really good. Not as good as my grandma's but that is an unfair comparison. read more

What a find!!!!! The most unbelievable menu with so many wonderful dishes and spices. You CANNOT go wrong! Been here a couple times and have yet to be disappointed. Combined with fantastic service and very reasonable prices this is our new favorite. read more

The food is exceptional and the service is great too. Good for a date or friends. They turned me into a Lebanese food addict. I've been back twice this week. read more

I'm obsessed with the chicken shish tawook, the toum is amazing. generous portion of tabouleh. excellent wine selection.

Food was really good but small restaurant and when we got there on time for our reservation they didn't seat us until 20 minutes after our res time. The table we were waiting for was done and had already paid their bill and the wait staff didn't do anything to move things along. We had to stand by the cramped bar watching people at our table just sit there and chat. Once we finally sat down they did nothing to make up for the fact that they sat us downs 20 min after our res time. read more

Very delicious meat shawarma. Nice well done with salad and juicy meat. The meat is well seasoned too.

I took my boyfriend to Balade for his birthday and it did not disappoint! He is Lebanese-American and was thrilled to indulge in the authentic cuisine. The staff was very hospitable, welcoming us from the start and checking in to make sure we were happy throughout the meal. There is a great prix fix that includes dessert, and the mezze are, of course, delicious. The mixed grill is a perfect combination of different meats, and the french fries are unbelievable. Make sure to ask for hot sauce! We had some great Lebanese beer, too. Thank you, Balade, for living up to the expectation! read more

For my first time trying Lebanese food I am now a big fan because of this restaurant! The staff were all so helpful, professional, kind, and quick! They were so open to giving us accommodations and answered all of our questions about the food. All delicious and worth the visit! Can be a romantic destination for couples or a fun place for groups of friends. Highly recommend this place! read more

This place is definitely a go to if you're looking for authentic Lebanese food. The interior is quite nice, cosy, lounge-like. I went for an appetizer, and "taste of Lebanon" mana'eesh, which didn't disappoint. The staff is beyond friendly and they make you want to visit again, and not just order take out. It took me a while to register that I used to order from this restaurant through grubhub a few months ago when I used to work late nights. The food always came well packaged, and warm enough that I don't have to reheat it like I do with some other food deliveries. I am definitely coming again to try other items on their menu. Did I mention that they make one helluva baklava? read more

The halloumi cheese and chicken shawarma platter were phenomenal. The service was also top notch. Really enjoyed this meal.

Takes Lebanese food to a new level. Fun place, young, gets crowded, hip decor, nice music. If you're in the East Village and looking for a nice dinner place, this will do it. I understand they also have a fab Brunch. read more

They serve A LOT of food, and it's really good! And the service is really good, nice and helpful too. I had the chicken shish tawuk and the beef shawarma, they were both really good! read more

An intimate neighborhood place with friendly service and pretty good Lebanese fare. I've eaten a lot of Lebanese food around the world and am a demanding judge but I thought the kibbe (crispy little seasoned meatballs) and Muhmarrah (dip of bell peppers, walnuts and pomegranates) were top notch. I'll definitely be back. read more

I had a unique experience here due to the fact that I went with a party of 23. Not exactly your typical dinning experience. We had a reservation for 8 and were not seated until almost 9pm. The birthday boy ordered for all of us and we wound up sharing a bunch of appetizers, entrees and desserts. Appetizers were wonderful, entrees and dessert were mediocre (I found the meat/chicken to be dried out). I've been to better Lebanese spots, but overall had a good experience. read more

Amazing amazing amazing authentic lebanese food. The closest it can be to be in Lebanon. Highly recommend the manakeesh, labneh, foul, shankleesh. read more

I'm a fan of this place. Mezze is the way to go. If you go on a Thursday night, you might get lucky and catch some great Arabic music. The ensemble has some real talent and that's why Balade gets the 5th star. read more

Can't get enough of their falafel wrap, I crave it more than anything! Delicious fresh ingredients and very fast delivery service. Baklava is so good too. This is my seamless go-to! read more

I was staying in a hotel at Chelsea and ordered from Balade. Grub Hub said the delivery time was 45 minutes and I was enjoying my meal in less than 35 minutes. Hummus Beirute and the falafel were delicious. Don't forget to order their home-made hot sauce. You won't regret it. Blends well with everything. Enjoy! read more

I liked the food, but considering I live next to Cliffside Park,NJ (ton of mediterranean/turkish/lebanese food) and frequent the Village where Mamouns and manousheh are, well --the food is just ok in comparison. The decor is nice, the service was good, but the food in comparison to the other places I frequent was almost the same (albeit the MOUHMARA was definitely unique - i have not had it anywhere else, and it had a nice kick to it). So when you take into account the prices you pay - it's almost double sometimes compared to other places (on avg 20%, though). Well - I'd rather go to other places. Also the specials looked unique...but the flavor...yeah...it was ok. So - at the end - "A-oK" read more

I had a really bad experience besides the food was overpriced especially when they add 20% tip to the bill. The appetizers were ok, but the main course was absolutely uneatable. I ordered mixed grill with fries. The kebab was salty and tasted very awful and the fries was overcooked almost black; I couldn't even finish my meal. The next day, the food was still in my stomach (yes my stomach couldn't digest that food) and I had to throw up. I had a very awful experience in that restaurant. Never going back again. read more

So far so good! Been waiting for their opening and so far not disappointed. Lahem B'ajine was very good. Watermelon juice is good too.

This is probably the best Lebanese restaurant in NYC. Authentic, friendly, excellent service, delicious food, significant variety and decent prices. I've been living in NYC for a couple years now and it's been a struggle finding a place with all these attributes. After coming here a couple times, I am comfortable saying that this is definitely the place to be. The waiters are down-to-earth, friendly, and made me feel like I'm in Lebanon. Thanks for bringing this experience to NYC! read more

As an Armenian, the bar is set pretty high for me when it comes to middle eastern food. Their soujouk is some of the best I've ever had. Everything we ate was delicious. Staff was super friendly. Loved the Lebanese wine! I will definitely be dining here again. read more

They have the best Lebanese food I've ever tried! I've been to so many places but this one definitely stands out. The service is amazing too! read more

This is my first time having Lebanese food and now I love it. All the staff is friendly and attentive. The manager, Youssef, took excellent care of us. The vibe is great, mostly locals and super authentic but if you are looking for a place that captures the romantic vision of dining in a small NYC restaurant with the tight seating and the genuine, delicious food I highly recommend this place. Ashta for dessert is a must. Halloumi (cheese) was perfect. The Lebanese wine was intoxicating. Check this out for you first time and it won't be your last. read more

The service was one of the best parts of this place. Youssef provided us with great service. We had the lunch special : labne/pita bread, zaatar/house bread, grape leaves, chicken and meat shawarma followed by some lovely tea and baklava. Everything was good and I was completely satisfied! read more

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delicious & fresh Lebanese food; Youssef is a wonderful host, friendly and caring. one dish was better than the next. especially loved to halloumi which was not too salty and simply served over cucumber & tomato. the ashtar for dessert alongside warmed, bite-sized baklava was fantastic read more

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So authentic, charming, delicious! I took my Middle Eastern father here, and he loved it! Great for a group to share. Definitely recommend!

By far the BEST Lebanese/Middle Eastern food I've had in NYC -mind you I am Lebanese and have really high standards for good Lebanese food. Everything about this place is authentic from the food to the decor. Every dish is infused with mouth watering flavor. I brought my dad here once, who rarely likes to eat Lebanese food outside of his own house, and he was blown away by how amazing everything was. The service is impeccable -super patient and always upbeat. I've never had a bad experience here. I've even made my way down there from midtown several times just for their awesome lunch special. Lunch or dinner, on a date or going out in a big group- you HAVE to try this place. I promise you won't be disappointed. read more

Balade is a small, beautifully decorated restaurant. With a rustic atmosphere, romantically dimmed lighting, and quiet background music, Balade is perfect for a casual date night. We were greeted by Jen, the hostess, who sat us down immediately. What I loved the most about Balade was the wall décor. I loved their incorporation of trees alongside the wall in order to give of an earthy feel and also the cultural paintings that they used to emphasize their Lebanese heritage. We were presented with a traditional Lebanese menu and began our dinner with drinks. I ordered the Massaya Classic Blanc, a mixed grape white wine, and Amanda asked for the orange, apple, and carrot juice. The juice is originally three different types of juices, but our waitress had told us that she would combine the three ingredients to Amanda's liking. The Massaya Classic Blanc had a sweet, yet bitter aftertaste that all wines have, but I loved the fact that I was able to taste the distinct taste of the grapes with every sip. The juice that Amanda had gotten had a fresh and sweet taste; the acidity and sweetness of the apple and orange had been perfectly balanced out by the milder taste of the carrot, making it a delightful drink. For our mezze (appetizer in Lebanese), we started off with the Kebbeh Kras. The Kebbeh Kras is Lebanon's national dish, a mix of lean beef and cracked wheat filled with a mix of ground beef ,diced onions, and pine nuts. Served with a side of a light Lebanon yogurt dip, the Kebbeh Kras was light and seasoned perfectly. While the Kebbeh Kras can easily be mistaken for falafel, its tastes are completely distinctive. We absolutely loved the meaty flavor given off, but even more the fact that this mezze actually tasted like an appetizer. Next came our sampler of the Lebanon pizza. We received three mini Manakeesh: cheese, Lahme Baajin (meat), and Zaatar (Lebanese spices). The pizza dough was made from pita bread, giving it an extra crisp from having been cooked in the oven. The cheese pizza had a similar taste as a white pizza, with the sharp and creamy cheese thickly covering the pita dough. The Lahme Baajin was my personal favorite - it had a hearty serving of meat placed on top of the pita and had a great balance between sweet, sour, and spicy tastes. Zaatar, Lebanese spices, had a unique mix of fresh, zesty, and nutty tastes, but it was certainly light enough to keep us wanting more of this delicious traditional Lebanese food. Our main dish arrived shortly after we had finished our pizza sampler. We had ordered the Balade mixed grill, consisting of beef kafta, lamb kebab, and chicken tawook with French fries and char-grilled vegetables. All three types of meat have been grilled as kebabs and still had the smoky taste of the grill. The meats had been seasoned perfectly and were served with garlic aoli and Lebanese hot sauce to liven up the natural taste of the meat. Although the beef kafta and French fries were too salty for my taste, I absolutely loved the lamb kebab and chicken tawook. The lamb was cooked so tenderly that it melted in my mouth and required no extra sauce for flavor. The chicken tawook went perfectly with the garlic aoli, combining the succulent chicken with the taste of the garlic. After we finished our meats and vegetables, we were faced with a slice of pita bread that had soaked up all of the meat marinate, making it a delicious finish to our Lebanese meal. Everything served at Balade is light, flavorful, and authentic in its heritage. My first Lebanese food experience was far greater than what I had expected and has led me to discover a hot spot for ethnic food. I strongly recommend Balade Lebanese Pizza and Grill for people who are in search of great diversity in food and for people who want a romantic date night with exciting food. I give Balade two thumbs up for great ethnic food. read more

I stopped here while walking down 1st ave. because I saw there was a lunch special for 10 dollars. Upon walking inside I was promptly seated by the waitstaff who then took time explaining the dishes from the three courses of the lunch special. The decor inside was beautiful and the music playing in the background added to the ambiance. All three courses were delicious and extremely filling-- I ended up having to take half of my sandwich home because there was so much good food. When the bill arrive I left a 30% tip because it was so great. Can't wait to come back here. read more

My new fave spot for Arabic food. Everything was excellent.

I like the decor of this place very much. It is small and cozy. It feels like I'm back in the Middle East. The drinks are very innovative. The freshly baked pita is out of this world. The staff are very friendly and helpful we get great service. The good is fresh. It is a great dinner after work hangout even for a cozy date. read more

I've eaten here since it opened years ago. A bit pricey, but always good Lebanese food. Today was my last time. I ordered the Lahme Baajin for delivery and a salad. It took over an hour, and it was dead cold. I called and had to convince them this was not acceptable. I asked for them to send me another one. Should have known better, as this is how the second one arrived. http://i.imgur.com/JHQNyVu.jpg The quality has been going down steadily, but this was ridiculous. read more

Great example of authentic Arabic food nice and simple but great flavors ... Makes me think of home .

The service was excellent but the food was not as good as we expected. Their special didn't have a lot of flavor. It was pretty good but not exceptional. read more

Extensive menu. Great food. I recommend the variety of flavored falafel balls. The jalapeño flavor was great. We ordered a bunch of different items on the menu. Only compliments from our group. Cool ambiance. Great music and attentive staff. Will be returning. read more

Just had an delicious lunch at Balade. I had never been here before but have wanted to try it and am glad I did! I (along with the rest of my group) chose the lunch prix fix. Great value for great flavors. The grape leaves, fattoush and chicken shwarma were are so flavorful and savory. However, the icing on the cake was our sweet waitor, Peter. He was so pleasant and engaged. Looking forward to the next time I go to this spot! read more

Food was fabulous. Shrimp, baba ghanoush, falafel, chicken pita.. All very tasty - no complaints!!

This is the best Lebanese/Mediterranean food I've ever had. We walked in to our 630 reservation 45 minutes early and we were sat immediately. Server was a bit standoff-ish when we asked for a wine he didn't have chilled. He eventually found a chilled bottle for us and ended up as an amazing waiter too, attentive and knowledgable. We ordered the baba ghanoush, shrimp, falafel and the chicken shared plates and we were stuffed. The price for dinner was reasonable. We had a bottle of wine and two beers all for $130....a bargain in NYC. Honestly Some of the best Lebanese food I've ever had. I will absolutely go back. read more