It's amazing sometimes where food cravings can take you. In this case, the desire for Turkish…read morespices led me to this rather unremarkable stretch of Union City (a place that 99% of New Yorkers couldn't find on a map) with the promise of out-of-this-world flavors. We started with the Eggplant in Sauce (Shakshuka), which was full of tomato and garlic umami, and just a small bit of capsaicin to get the senses tingling. The Fresh Green Beans, a last-minute add-on, were the perfect healthy and refreshing veggie dish to satisfy on a boiling hot evening. From there, we gorged on perfectly cooked Iskender Kebab, but it was my Ali Nazik (roasted smoked eggplant puree with yoghurt and tender lamb meat, served with fresh bread) that stole the show. If you want meat and potatoes but with an exotic twist--well, this beats steak and mashed potatoes anyday. My only gripe was that they were out of both the Manti and the Aubergine Kebab--my first two picks--when we were there. But I decided to forgive them after my first bite of Ali Nazik. Sweet heaven on a pita... Oh, and portions were enough for at least two meals. Deliciousness AND value? Only outside Manhattan....

Ordered: 1pc Lahmacun (~$9): flatbread dough topped with…read moreground lamb; served with garden vegetables Mixed Grill (~$38): lamb chop, lamb adana, chicken shish, doner kebab, and meatballs; served with rice and salad Finn Sütlac (~$6) Fresh Lemonade (~$4) Aya's take: Beyti Kebab considers itself one of the first Turkish restaurants in the US and I was pleasantly surprised to see it right here in Union City! The decor inside feels homey, nostalgic, and thoughtful. They weren't busy at all on a Sunday around 1:30pm so we were seated right away. We started with 1pc Lahmacun which is often called Turkish pizza. It's minced beef, tomatoes, onions, and spices on fresh flatbread. Their flatbread and even the complimentary bread we received before this was to die for! Some of the best bread I've ever had at a Middle Eastern restaurant. It was warm, fresh, and airy. The Lahmacun had delicious flavor and paired well with the vegetables it's served with. 1pc is plenty to share among 2 people. It was now time for the Mixed Grill which was presented beautifully! All the meat was outstanding, tender, juicy, smoky, you name it. I honestly didn't have a favorite because they were all delicious. I love that it's served with both rice and salad with the salad being on both sides of the plate making it even easier to share. This was easily sharable among 2 people and could even stretch out to 3 people if you order other appetizers. We ended with the Finn Sütlac which is a Turkish-style baked rice pudding. It was creamy and lightly sweet but the rice grains were still whole and slightly undercooked which I didn't particularly enjoy. I'm used to them being softer and even smaller in size. Beyti Kebab is easily a 4.5/5; some of the best Turkish food I've had across NY/NJ. Highly recommend!

Move over, Astoria--this unremarkable street block offers enough casual Arabic seafood spots to…read moremake any Queens resident take notice. And as a bonus, it has not yet been "discovered" by the Yelp Elite / food influencer crowd (besides yours truly). The Alexandrian Style Shrimp was huge and delicious, but the Grilled Branzino (and really, any whole grilled fish) is the big, belting diva of the menu and one you should not miss. Whole, ground spices are packed into every bite care of lovely marinade, and your teeth will rejoice at how tender the meat is. Entrees all come with generous, complimentary portions of salad, tahini and pita, as well as lots of fluffy rice, so you can't walk away hungry. The prices are on the higher side, sadly--it seems nowhere is immune to inflation these days--but at least you'll get a ton of bang for your buck.

A Little Unassuming Gem for Alexandrian Food in JC…read more I found this place on a Eater Jersey City list and wasn't expecting much but the food was surprisingly delicious. The space is small, about 8 tables, with dated, seventies decor, complete with plastic on the tables. Only one woman in the kitchen. We had the grilled Orata, which came with rice, salad, babaganoush and tahini sauce, side of eggplants with peppers in tomato sauce and the Alexandria style shrimp. Everything was fresh, the fish grilled to perfection and the shrimp well-seasoned. There is also a sandwich menu, but it was not available that day. This place as all of the elements I love in small businesses; no pretention, no gimmicks and no "fusion"...just authentic, simple, home made food, from kitchen straight to my stomach with no orchestra and fireworks. My only gripe is that the prices are high but given that food costs have risen so quickly in the last few years, I completely understand.

Went for lunch and was very pleased with the place. The décor is cute and modern, with very…read morecomfortable chairs. The food was fresh and delicious. I had the shish taouk, and my husband had the chicken shawarma sandwich. We both enjoyed our meals. The portions were generous, and I liked the presentation. My chicken was very flavorful and well-cooked, and the fries were also great. I am definitely going back to try more items from the menu.

Need to give this spot a 2nd try. We did takeout cause it's only 5 mins from my job. It did take a…read morebit longer than it said it would which I have to mention just in case other people order takeout and are in moreso of a rush or anything. But I guess the freshness was nice. We got each a shawarma. I liked them. Would come back for the falafel platter most likely. The falafel was good and fresh. We saw them making a frying it. (but again like I came in 20 mins after I placed my order why r u just starting to fry it lol!!! The arayes were ok. Fries were good just got soggy in transit. Garlic sauce good but a little thick for my liking. Need to come in and sit down here Believe this spot is newer so I will be back to try some other stuff. I feel the falafel was the best.

Ordered Efes Mediterranean on Uber Eats and it was amazing. Delivery was quick and everything was…read morepackaged well. The food was super fresh and full of flavor -- the pita was warm and the sauces were delicious. Reasonably priced and affordable .I got the chicken over salad with two pitas and a side of feta, and honestly it was one of the best meals I've had in a long time. Easy 10/10, highly recommend! Next time I will be dining in , instead of ordering so I can get the full experience

This place is basically a Turkish restaurant and not necessarily Mediterranean at all. If a…read moregeographical region needs to be associated with it then it should be a called mix of Aegean / Anatolian, as I am originally from that part of the World. Unfortunately, there is something very common in these type of Turkish restaurants and I am surprised not many people mention this. Most of the time the dishes, particularly the mezes are way too salty. The amount of salt they use is too much that it overwhelms the expected flavor of the dish and personally makes my tongue feel swollen. I am not sure if they do this partially on purpose to extend the shelf time as almost all cold mezes are prepared beforehand and not to order. They might be trying to keep the dishes from spoiling for 3 days or so. In any case and whatever the reason is it ruins the flavors for me. I'll try this place one more time then re-review with an update in the coming weeks.

Honestly the food isn't bad but it isn't great either. For…read morestarter's it seems way overpriced. Small platter comes with half a pita bread and I ordered the 5 pc falafel on the side for $6. In total my meal came out to a little over $17. For $11 at my usual halal spot i'll get a platter twice this size with chicken, lamb, 2 pc falafel, an entire piece of pita, and it comes with a free drink. Not saying it to bash this place but maybe if the food was made freshly per order then they could justify this price but to pay that much for food that was pre-made at the start of the day, if it wasn't due to the convenience of being closer i would have gone to my other halal spot.

My second experience was definitely not as good as the first one. This time, I decided to go with a…read morechicken and gyro mix. The chicken was dry and tasted like it was days old. A lot of the gyro was just huge chunks and not thinly sliced like it should be. Plus it was SO SALTY that it was difficult to eat. Needless to say, I will not be ordering a third time.

Food (5/5): Really delicious food especially the gappa chaat and the beef roll. The beef in the…read moreroll was flavorful and nice textures. The fries were also super crispy with amazing seasoning. I got the regular fried chicken sandwich which looked impressive. It was quite good as well although I liked the roll more. Service (5/5): Friendly and helpful service. We didn't realize the combo and just adding fries were the same price and they let me still have the combo. The food came out at approx 10ish min and we were checked up a couple times. They were generally very helpful with all requests. Ambiance (5/5): I really liked the Pakistani decor of the restaurant. It had a really nice vibrant vibe.

This food was incredible definitely not your average meal! I couldn't tell you what kinda wrap I…read moregot but it was chicken and it was delicious, the flavor was impressive and Alotta food and it was busting at the seams. The service was very polite and greeted with a smile. There is definitely seating inside and I would recommend sitting down to enjoy this!

I had heard great things about Seven Valleys and wanted to give it a try…read more I stopped in for a late lunch and ordered with chicken kebab plate with an extra beef skewer plus a cherry soda. The cherry soda was presented beautifully and had a tasty flavor, but there was way too much syrup. It was very sweet. The plate comes simply with rice, a small dish of cucumber tomato salad, your protein and a lime wedge. You also get hummus or a piece of baklava. I chose the hummus that came in a very small ramekin. When I order a mix grill or Persian food, the plate usually looks a little more exciting and robust. This seemed paired down. I could have used a charred onion or a pickled vegetable. The cucumber tomato salad was good, the chicken was moist and the beef was tender. The rice was a little disappointing. The hummus tasted a bland, like it needed more tahini, garlic, salt and lemon. I know I was one of the last people in for lunch, maybe my timing was a bit off. I've heard rave reviews from other people!

I visited recently with a very large group and because of our size, we were seated in the back…read moreglass outhouse area. Since it was a weekday in March, it was quite dark and chilly; while the staff did their absolute best to keep us comfortable, the outdoor heaters couldn't quite beat the early spring cold. There were a few hiccups with our orders being mixed up, but honestly, I think that was mostly due to our group's size being a bit overwhelming for the space. I have a feeling the service would be much smoother for a smaller party, but the food more than made up for the wait. I had the chicken breast kebab with a side salad, and it was fantastic--the flavors felt truly authentic to Persian cuisine. I'd definitely come back, perhaps with a smaller group next time to stay inside where it's a bit warmer!

Although I'm cautious on improbable fusion and restaurant names where the storefront name differs…read morefrom the delivery app brand (Mexiterraneo on Doordash), this place provides some clever vegetarian twists if you're feeling plant-based but not 100% salady. In the "build your own" option, I committed to the curveball premise by choosing Mexi-hummus over regular. In that vein, the Impossible kofta seems a better bet than the falafel, but I was quite impressed with the walnut chorizo. They clearly did their homework toward emulating the original, as opposed to places that mash up some black beans and call it a day. Delivery was brisk.

I've lived on First Street for a few years and was surprised when I stumbled on this restaurant on…read moreToo Good To Go - I had never noticed it before! All I can say is... I can't believe I've lived without this in my life for so long!!! I had the Moroccan soup that had a tangy tomato base with rice and chickpeas, mouthwatering falafel, miti miti (turmeric rice & baby spinach), black bean & yams, lentils & carrots, avocado aioli, whole wheat pita and last but DEFINITELY NOT LEAST cabbage salad . Don't get me wrong I do love my fruits and veggies, but I am a meat and potatoes kind of girl, and I can honestly say I didn't miss the meat at all. It was all incredibly filling and delicious. This is definitely my new go to spot!