The food here is unbelievable. I would describe it as a burst of colorful flavors in your mouth. One of the best restaurants on the UWS. Friendly and attentive staff and beautiful welcoming interior. Family-owned restaurant. Garden in the back. Menu items are fantastic. Breads are made to order. Get the Branzino or Chicken Musakhan - you will not be sorry. I'm still thinking about this meal and how good it was. Go immediately! read more

My new favorite restaurant, and the best Mediterranean one I've been to. I've been here twice and can't wait to go back! Anything I've ordered so far is a gastronomic delight: roasted octopus, the burrata (artichoke chips were a nice touch), chicken musakhan, lamb kebab, the filet mignon (served skewered and so tender!)...sorry to my diet but I have no regrets. The fresh from the taboon bread is also a must-try, and I've made it a 2019 goal to try every dessert in their menu - I had the Kisses both times I was there because it was just so perfect. The ambience and music are great too, and I imagine it's just like being in Tel Aviv. Perfect spot to catch up with friends and unwind. An infinite amount of thumbs up to the owner, Tuvia (who is a rockstar btw), the chefs, and his excellent staff. -Bernie read more

Love, love, love Bustan with authentic and delicious Israeli food served by a friendly and efficient staff in a cozy atmosphere. Hubby and I had a perfect non-traditional Thanksgiving evening dinner there this evening. After 30 years of hosting very large, elaborate Thanksgiving Day meals, we ventured to NYC to break out of the mold. We had a chance meeting with Chef Eli who told us about Bustan and the Israeli food served there. We quickly cancelled our reservations at a well known mid-town restaurant and made reservations at Bustan. A fab choice!!! From the terrific made-to-order bread to the best ever hummus and tabouleh salad, perfect falafel, salad of greens with a huge slab of mild goat cheese, branzino fish -all totally delicious. I can't wait to tell my chef friends (and other friends) who are headed to NYC to pay a visit to Bustan!!! read more

Delicious! I highly recommend the fresh taboon bread and their hummus - it's the best I've ever had. Every dish we tried had wonderful flavor! read more

A friend and I were waiting for our table at a nearby restaurant and found this gem and popped in for a drink while we waited. We sat at the bar and had the Pear & Gin cocktail which was quite strong and delicious. Cocktails here will run you $12. The bartender said their HH is Sun-Thurs 4-7pm so we will definitely be back for happy hour and dinner. I love the decor, small globe lights hanging down from the bar and large moon/planet shaped lighted back drops in the main seating area. Very chic. Great service too. Shout-out to the bartender for tasty drinks. read more

Bustan - Pear & Gin - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

The 2 stars are for the food. We came in as a walk in 3 top at 6:30pm. We asked for a table outside on the patio. The host asked if we had a reservation which we did not. She then proceeded to tell us that the patio and dining room were unavailable due to reservations and all she could offer us was the bar. About 30 minutes later a party of two came in and asked for a table outside. She did not ask if they had a reservation and immediately sat them outside, no question. I don't know what kind of establishment permits this behavior. I live in the neighborhood and I was very offended. She didn't even offer us a table inside the dining room. Disappointed. read more

How in the world have I lived on the UWS for this long without trying Bustan? If I had to choose (and it's really really hard to choose...food indecision is so real) I'd say Mediterranean food is my favorite cuisine. So Bustan had been on my list for some time. After dining here on Thursday night, I can report with full confidence that Bustan is a solid spot and worth a visit if you're in the area. Bustan is a pretty versatile spot in terms of occasion. I happened to come here with a girlfriend but it's a totally viable option for a date as well. Dim lighting (at least around dinnertime, I know this is a popular brunch spot too), beautiful interior (sleek/classy but not too fancy) and great allocation of space considering the front half of the restaurant is on the narrow side. Overall, it's more sophisticated feel in comparison to all that surrounds it (Meatball Shop, Jacob's Pickles, Celeste, etc.). Small plates/dips are more than half the menu, so I'd say sharing is encouraged (though I literally say that in every review). In terms of logistics, I made a rez on OpenTable. We came here at 8 and the place was pretty busy, so I'd recommend making a reservation beforehand if you're intolerant of not being able to sit down right away (no judgment, it's New York, I get it). We didn't break into the drink menu at all, but I can at least report that Bustan has a solid wine list (as many Mediterranean spots do) as well as some solid beer and cocktail options. If you're in the mood for a cocktail, I'd ask about some of their infused liquors--had I been in the mood to drink I would've opted for a fig-infused vodka drink. Now how bad could that be? Foodwise this menu is just straight up Mediterranean. You've got plenty of dip options, a generous selection of small plates with a good number of entrees as well, tons of seafood and frequent use of feta, yogurt, dill, chickpeas, olives, etc. The friend I was with thankfully has very similar food affinities so we got a pretty stellar sampling. Our eats, below: Trio of Dips (Hummus, Baba Ghanoush and Taramasalata) with (unreal) homemade focaccia: A This focaccia was on another level, my God. For starters, it came out steaming and warm--as fresh as it gets. The only issue here was that the bread-to-dip ratio here was subpar. We finished the focaccia with plenty of dip left and this was us being as carb-ically conservative as possible. But don't worry, you can always order more. Dip-wise, it's hard to pick a favorite. I read a few reviews that said the hummus was pretty meh, but I loved it. I'm a sucker for extra texture (think chunky peanut butter/pulpy orange juice) and the hummus, along with some whole chickpeas mixed in, also had some nice nuttiness going on. Pine nuts maybe? In any case, it made the hummus for me. The baba ghanoush was also fantastic--super flavorful and rich. I suppose that leaves the taramasalata as my least favorite, but I still enjoyed it. Least best is a better term, I suppose. Grilled Roasted Eggplant with zhoung, pine nuts, fresh crushed tomatoes, zaatar, tahini and mint: B+ The ingredients/preparation looked promising but the execution here fell short for me. It wasn't *bad*but I found the flavor to be lacking overall. Am I a Top Chef judge yet? Don't worry South Park, I don't think I'm a real food critic. Anyway, the eggplant was fine but probably my least favorite dish of the night. The pine nuts added some nice texture I guess but that's grasping straws a bit. Call it a poor man's eggplant parm (or just a healthier alternative to eggplant parm). Charred Octopus with white bean masabacha, spiced crushed tomato, herb tahini, frisee and sumac pickled onion salad and cilantro oil: A- If there's octopus on a menu, I will almost always order it. It's certainly in the running for my favorite food. This octopus, though far from the best I've ever had, was still solid. And the preparation was not only aesthetically gorgeous but also interested, varied and flavorful. The beans, frisee and onions were worthy accompaniments and the cilantro oil was a beautiful, unique touch. The octopus itself was cooked decently but not fantastic. The outside could've been a touch crispier and it was softer than I typically like. Other than my extreme snobbiness around octopus, I found this dish to be wonderful and very thoughtful. Calamari a la Plancha stuffed w/ spicy feta, citrus salad, olives and yogurt mint sauce: A This was a serious home run. I'm sure people are stuffing calamari (in the culinary sense, at least) all over the place, but this was the first time I had tried it. And man, was it a slam dunk. How many sports cliches can I fit into a paragraph before getting my point across? The answer is a lot. Like the octopus, the preparation here was beautiful. The calamari was yummy and paired well with the feta. And overall, the flavors were fresh and varied. The yogurt/mint sauce was light and fluffy and was super tasty with the citrus. Order it. read more

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Five of us meet for dinner and luckily we were seated in their outdoor courtyard...a lovely spot on a warm summer night. The food was lovely and we could have stopped after the appetizers. But they had a $42, 3 course special that a couple of us decided to order so we sampled a lot on the menu...they were unusual, tasty, fresh and filling. They freshly baked flatbread was a hit and we ordered more. Instead of an entree, I had the grilled octopus and it was delicious. One of the drinks ordered had to be returned, as it tasted like cough syrup. And the service was very slow...otherwise I'd have given it 5 stars read more

We recently dined at Bustan and had a wonderful experience. We arrived on a Saturday night with no reservation, and the gentlemen at the front (Danny and Udi) could not have been more welcoming and gracious. Although the restaurant was packed, they figured out a way to accommodate us and sat us promptly. From appetizer to dessert, the food and service were impeccable. All the small plates were delicious and some of the standouts from the medium/large plates were: tuna crudo, eggplant carpaccio, chicken "musakhan", and a special that night of smoked trout. We live in the neighborhood and this is truly one of the top restaurants on the UWS. Looking forward to our next dining experience at Bustan! read more

Bustan was all booked up on a Friday night. We nearly left but the hostess encouraged us to hang in for two at the bar, which is really just a another dining area anyway. That worked out. The package rates the four stars. Here's the details: Mazettim, single (hummus), 5: served with freshly baked flat bread; excellent and distinctive - you just think you've had hummus until you've had this hummus! I suspect there's some high-quality olive oil in there Lamb shwarma, 9.5: packed into two nifty chinese-style buns, tasty (someone posted a photo) Mushroom flatbread (pizza), 13.95: more of the flat bread, smothered in cheese, mushrooms, duck pastrami, tasty, but I wouldn't order it and a mazettim at the same meal top shelf whiskey, 15: Won't happen again with me. chardonnay, 14 TOTAL: 69.45 HERE is the promised second-visit update. We returned to the hummus mazettim (though we received the bowl by mistake). The rating holds firm. We'll be back. Some deets: Burrata, 13.5: really delightful and different than what I've had at other restaurants. Squid a la plancha, 10.5: nicely charred, a little chewy, a tasty tomato-based sauce, served over something I can only describe as Texas Toast - the bread is everywhere! even if it was a good sop for the sauce Whole baked branzino, 28.5: very well spiced and cooked with crispy skin and flavorful meat sauvignon blanc, 12 TOTAL: 86.6 New visit ... New deets! (19 Jul 14) We had smaller appetites - here's what we did: Mazetim, single, smoked eggplant $6 Hummus bowl with tandoori chicken $16 Greek salad $15 With booze ... TOTAL: 61 - and not too much bread! Shout outs to Scott and Elena for making us feel welcome BONUS: Good decor! BONUS: The staff wants you to return! BONUS: Promising outdoor space in back BONUS: The hummus from the Mazzetim selections at $5 is a good value SHOUT OUT: Some of the best hummus anywhere, anytime. It might be a lot of tahini. TIP: Booze seemed pricey, especially the "craft beer" list with some selections at $10. Beer at $9 was hard to swallow. I'm on a boycott! TIP: Make a booking! Probably inadvisable to go without one and there's really no where to wait TIP: Order carefully to avoid getting a lot of bread SHOUT OUT to Scott for keeping a couple of bar seats for us when we ran over on a Saturday around 730 PM for our second visit read more

The meal I had here the other night had its ups and downs. The drinks we started with were really great. The fig lemonade cocktail is a perfect choice if you're looking for something refreshing on a warm summer night. I ordered a red wine from Israel that was on the specials list for the night and I absolutely loved it. Really wish I wrote down the name (sorry not very helpful!). The other ups of the meal were the carrots special and the lamb shawarma buns. The carrots were cooked in duck fat so obviously they were tasty. The feta was a nice touch to the dish. The lamb shawarma buns were what really attracted me to try out Bustan. You get two fluffy buns, which are the sticky buns that are generally filled with pork belly at Asian restaurants. The buns were filled with a decent amount of lamb shawarma meat, which was incredibly juicy and seasoned well. The other two dishes my friend and I shared were not so great. The cauliflower was quite bland. The tzatziki sauce that it came with made up for it but there was only a smear on the side of the plate so there wasn't enough. The cured tuna flatbread wasn't a hit with me either except for the homemade bread. The toppings kind of just fell off in one big clump and they made the flatbread a bit soggy. I was really surprised at how big the menu was, plus they offer another specials menu on top of it. There were a lot of other intriguing dishes that I wanted to try out but we filled up too much with their delicious homemade bread. Service was top notch and the food was generally good, but not good enough to come all the way uptown for it again. read more

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Bustan has just become my favorite restaurant on the UWS. Let's get right into the food first! We had the mazzetim served with homemade focaccia. I have to disagree with Mike C. here and highly endorse the bread. It was warm, delectably soft, and well seasoned. We got a trio of hummus, tzatziki, and spicy feta ($16). Three was more than enough for two; luckily we found a way to squeeze more food into our stomachs. The hummus was much more flavorful than most places. My personal favorite was the spicy feta. For my entree I had the lamb terracotta ($29) - ground lamb kebab, charred onion, tomato, tahini, and pistachio baked in a flaky bread dome. It was really tasty and enough for two if you have an appetizer. My friend had the hanger steak souvlaki ($29) and she was kind enough to let me try. The steak was cooked perfectly and the bone marrow was a nice addition. For dessert we split the Moroccan doughnuts ($9). They tasted a bit like zeppoles, and were complimented perfectly with three sauces: caramel, raspberry, and chocolate. You can't go wrong with this one! Our waiter, Omer, was top-notch. He dealt with all of my menu questions beautifully. I'll be back here for sure. read more

Bustan - Yum! - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

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UWS is getting better culinary wise . And this place is a great reason . Had a great dinner with a visitor Starting with the flatbread ,the mezzets (that you can chose out of 5-6 ) Continue with one of the best branzino i ever ate and fantastic lamb tarracota which will leave you craving for more. Excellent deserts (hard to chose frankly) to end a fantastic meal. Worth any kind of line and wait. read more

2 words, and that's all you need here: Green Shakshouka. Or even just 1, if you prefer to keep it simple: Shakshouka. Both options were delicious! The boyfriend and I enjoyed a brunch here after craving eggs that morning, as we wandered around the UWS looking for a place to eat. What I really liked in particular with the way they cooked these dishes was that the eggs were still runny when it came out onto the table. The yolks were a perfect addition, cutting the acidity from the tomatoes in the regular Shakshouka, and adding a beautiful richness to the meal, especially in the Green Shakshouka. I also loved the bread and olives that accompanied our food. It was elegantly presented and very tasty, too! I'm also just a huge olive fan in general, so that alone would have compelled me to rate this place with 5 stars. And the fact that it was complimentary, oh my! You just made my day! The weather on the morning we ate here was beautiful, so we opted to dine outside in the quaint area out back, while soaking up the sun's rays instead of being surrounded by noise and people inside. The space was really cute, and seemed more intimate. read more

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One of my new favorite restaurants on the UWS. Best hummus in all of NYC! My boyfriend who is Israeli said its one of the best hummus he has tasted compared to Israel! That's saying it. My advice is to make ressies because it gets packed. They sat us (party of 2) in the booth next to the kitchen. I was first pissed about it, but it was the best seat in the house! We received complimentary shrimp app and our food was served so fresh! We got the hummus/tahini/tazhiki and bread, falafels, & chicken entree. Everything was beyond delicious! Best part of the night was meeting with the owner. He was so gracious and hospitable! If you are looking for a great dinner night come here! read more

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When I first came here and looked at the menu it seemed a bit on the expensive side, especially for families. Even the bread they charge for which seemed stingy (sorry!) and fancy lemonades are $7 and cocktails $14. Drinks are certainly a bit on the high side...the bread was very good though...so we focused on food and skipped the drinks. That said, the food was absolutely excellent and one of the best meals I have had in a long time. Everything was fresh and perfectly well done. I love this type of Mediterranean food. Service was excellent. All in all, it's a bit expensive but again it's compensated by the quality. I left feeling good about the money spent and rate it a strong 4 1/2 stars. read more

Wow did I speak too soon. I made reservations a week in advance for a Saturday night because I was so excited to try Bustan again. When we arrived, they seated us at the only table in front of the bar (immediately next to the hostess and the front door and completely separated from the rest of the restaurant). Huge groups of people were pouring in and blocking us completely, so the waiter did not even know we were there. We asked THREE times to be moved and they were EXTREMELY unaccomodating. However, the absolute worst part of the entire debacle was how transparently full of BS the waiter and hostess were. Both made the EXACT same comment to us. Literally word for word, "WOW!!!! How did you guys get SO lucky getting this table away from all the noise in back?!" Unbelievable. It was beyond obvious that this was the worst table in the house and that they had been prepped to say this to anyone seated there. We immediately left and could not believe how we had been treated. Look, the food is still excellent. I can't deny that. But I will not be coming back anytime soon until they figure out how to handle the high demand with class. read more

The sizzling shrimp is amazing - perfect balance of garlic and lemon zest. The focaccia is freshly made and perfectly seasoned with rosemary and sea salt, and the falafels taste light and fresh. The Israeli salad could not be outdone, and the tahini and hummus are homemade. I would definitely recommend this place for a guaranteed good dinner - with one hesitation: Every single item should have been $3 less. The falafel order came with 6 pieces and a side of hummus - $12! The sizzling shrimp was $19 (6 shrimp!). My vodka martini was $17 - Grey Goose... you guys, come on. $89 with tip for two people (and only one cocktail total) is objectively way too much for a Mediterranean dinner on the UWS. Am I just stuck in the '90s? At least they gave us the Pellegrino on the house, and I hadn't even complained about the bill. I knew the prices in advance, but it really does add up! read more

Definitely my new favorite place in the city! I got a couple of recommendation about Bustan and always thought it's too far to commute from downtown. My gf and I decided to take a stab at it tonight and how good it was. The beginning was a bit rough as we were sited near the kitchen (it was the best sit of the house!!) but our initial worries vanished as we witnessed the best service We had in a very long time! Food came right away. We started with the three Mazetim app which was amazing. The hummus and the green tahini were the best I ever had outside of Israel and the falafel was phenomenal! For main course we shared the free range chicken which was super good! As I mentioned before the service was amazing and I would definitely go there again!! read more

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felt like I entered a dysfunctional family dinner. horrible energy from the host/Sunday manager. it was a struggle to get anyones attention. had to ask for the same things maybe 2-4 x. the main dishes came out for everyone at wildly different times. again, felt like i was eating at someone's home but they didn't like me and wanted me to leave --- yikes!! will never return although the food tasted fine. read more

KenScale: 8.5/10 Bustan is a new Mediterranean restaurant from chef Efi Nahon featuring a lot of dishes cooked from a taboon, a Middle Eastern equivalent of a wood-fired oven fueled with wood and gas. I was very impressed with the food coming out of this restaurant, which drew influences from various countries around the Mediterranean. Any meal at Bustan must start with Mazettim spreads served with homemade foccacia bread. I ordered three (smoked eggplant, green tahini and Moroccan turnip), and liked all three of them. Taboon charred octopus with warm white bean masabaha was also a delicious dish with tender octopus working well with the bean stew. I was slightly underwhelmed with the whole heirloom cauliflower (despite the variety of colors that made them look more appetizing, I thought they somewhat lacked the crunchy texture). It was the two main dishes that I ordered that really started to wow me. The gigantic lamb terracotta (lamb kebab with vegetables baked in flaky bread dome) tasted as delicious as it looked, a pure decadence showing the versatility of Mediterranean flavor. I was also a huge fan of poached Moroccan halibut with spicy tomato sauce, which was perfectly cooked and had that refined flavor that I couldn't stop thinking about. The single dessert that I ordered, Silan (shredded halva with milk gelato, rice crispy brittle and caramelized nuts), was absolutely delightful and I kept digging even though I was beyond stuffed by the time the dish came in. The restaurant has a trendy vibe that is somewhat at odds with what you would expect from a place in Upper West Side, but I thought it still worked, especially with a charming outdoor garden in the back. Bustan has a full bar with some Mediterranean influenced cocktails (using spicy elements). Getting a reservation wasn't particularly challenging, but the restaurant started to get packed by the time I finished my early dinner. Bustan is another Mediterranean winner in Upper West Side (along with Tessa, which I had reviewed earlier), and I highly recommend the restaurant's awesome food coming out from the kitchen. read more

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You would never guess you were in the middle of the UWS when sitting on the relaxing, quiet back patio of Bustan. It's a lovely respite from the normal brunch busyness and the food is fantastic! We were easily seated for Sunday brunch around 1 PM in the back under the cool shade of an umbrella. Seriously, everything on the menu looked great from the mezze plates of olives and hummus to the mushroom omelette or challah french toast. The brunch drinks are bit pricey ranging from $10 for classics to $13 for a cocktail, but it's hard to pass up a classic mimosa nonetheless. Even so, I had to limit myself to one knowing I could easily get a carafe for similar prices elsewhere. Back to the food. I originally found this place because I was searching for shakshuka- that deliciously eggy, comforting, and spicy Tunisian delight that tempts me at every Mediterranean restaurant. Bustan has both the classic variety with tomato sauce and green shakshuka, which I tried. A piping hot cast iron bowl of creamy spinach sauce with melty mozzarella, and poached eggs adding the final richness. {Note to lovers or haters of truffle oil: their was truffle oil in the dish but apparently my palate was not so refined on that day or it was overly subtle as I couldn't detect it} The server asked if I wanted bread, to which the only answer is YES. It was hot, thick, brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with crunchy sea salt flakes and fragrant rosemary. It proved the perfect vehicle to soak up the creamy eggs. My mom had the egg sandwich, which came in a fresh, thick pita with avocado, tomato, an herby omelette, and the most savory and spicy feta! We both had major brunch food coma afterwards but it was completely worth it! read more

Bustan - Green shakshuka - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

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fabulous dinner! Food was superb, and service was outstanding.

I don't dine on the UWS terribly often, but when I do, it's normally with a large group and this time was no different! I made my reservation on Opentable for 6 people on a weeknight. I had to call twice to up to the number in our party, eventually stopping at 9 people. Every time I had to call Bustan to change the reservation, I was graciously accommodated. When I walked into the restaurant at 6pm to grab a drink with my brother at the bar before our party arrived, I was concerned about how empty it was. Within the hour, and 2 delicious mango jalapeño margaritas later, the place was bustling and lively. We were able to share the falafel appetizer while sitting at the bar. It was yummy, but not mind-blowing. Within the hour before our 7pm reservation, our party strolled in, and a bunch of drinks later, we sat down for our reservation. As for our meal, we ordered what seemed like everything off the menu; an array of the dips: hummus/tzatziki/baba ghanoush with warm homemade focaccia, which was fantastic! We also had the fried calamari, the burrata (YUM!), 2 chopped salads which we shared among all of us, and the heirloom cauliflower just to start! Entrees at our table ranged from, the steak, to the gnocchi, to the lamb terracotta, with several of the sides. I won't go into detail about each dish, but everything was phenomenal. It was great to share things, and everyone was able to taste all of the dishes. The staff was accommodating and attentive. Important to note, that with a huge group, and lots of drinks, came quite the large tab. Bustan isn't exactly on the lower end of the price spectrum, but it's well worth it for a nice meal. I'd recommend this place (and I have already!) to anyone looking for a great spot on the UWS! read more

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Even though this says Mediterranean there a lot of Israeli items on the menu. It's not clear if it was totally Israeli but it was delicious food. Everything is pretty pricey but everyone loved their food and it certainly worth it. You should also try the roasted cauliflower. They have many choices. The lamb terra cotta was superb. read more

Bustan - Lamb Terra Cotta - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

FOOD POSIONING NO ONE GO 1. they brought kofta even though I ordered kebab 2. Though I placed the order as a delivery, they made me go pick it up. I only ate two hours after I ordered 3. They brought three small pieces of kofta for $35 4. I was in the bathroom for TWELVE HOURS WITH DIARREA DO NOT GO HERE read more

Beet salad is good, you must order the bread and the Moroccan fish that comes in the bread dome.

Went to Bustan last night with two friends and the meal was epic. We were surprised with freshly-baked Jerusalem Bagel to start the meal (we expected focaccia) and it was highly addictive. Then onto the spreads, spicy feta and tzatziki, both delicious and the perfect excuse to eat more of their bread. Then we had the smoked eggplant carpaccio, tuna crudo an Israeli salad and the burrata with a beet ragout that was out of this world. We split the salmon, which was served over a sweet corn polenta that made me want to lick the plate. Despite being full we had to have dessert and were so happy we did. We got the baked chocolate mousse, called Nemesis, which was so decadent and a baked meringue called Neshikot (Kisses) that paired perfectly with Rose Water and Sweet Corn ice cream, which were specials that night. Will definitely be back! read more

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Bustan is one of the best Middle Eastern restaurants in NYC. Their bread is incredible, and every Mezze is homemade and delicious. The entrees are also unique, such as the Fish in tomato sauce with fresh bread on the outside. The drinks/wine are great and dinner here is worth every penny. read more

Love this place for a good UWS happy hour! Always down for a place that has happy hour food specials :))))) Go for one of their specialty cocktails (only $8 at HH). I got the tropical rose and my friend got a lavender martini. 100% delicious. For food we got the spicy feta dip, garlic shrimp, roasted cauliflower, and falafel bowl. Holy crap they were all so good. The best thing of all was that everything was $30 per person, tax and tip!! Check this place out if you're looking for an affordable and amazing HH. Make sure you sit at the bar though to get the HH pricing! read more

Excellent food - wonderful experience. The restaurant serves food that really are works of art. I was here for a bachelorette party and the waiter was extremely knowledgeable about every dish on the menu. Each item we tried was delicious and full of flavor. Each item was unique and unusual. I would rank this among my favorite restaurants in New York City. It is a spot I would recommend to out of town guests who are visiting. Favorite items: beef cheeks (sooo tender) and the taboon. read more

This restaurant never disappoints. It's maybe my 3 or 4th time. Always excellant food and service. The lamb in puff pastry, Branzino and mezze platter were out of this world This place is a must read more

A young first time visitor to NYC wanted Bold flavors. I immediately called Bustan all they had available that evening was the chef's table. The late great Joe Baum used to say make the worst table the best in the restaurant. Eating at the chefs table at Bustan is the perfect illustration of that shrewd counsel. Our young man's excitement at his first Israeli meal was overheard by the chef who was standing 18 inches from our table expediting. The happy result was we never ran out of their genius flatbread. Mezze tim was happily scooped up, the delicious sauce in the lamb terra cotta swabbed up, and I improvised a burrito of mejarda and warm flatbread. A whole dorado went straight from the Aegean Sea to the Bustan taboon and my happy stomach. And when the chef sees a young man getting happier and happier with every mouthful he can't help but send out extra dessert. read more

Have no words to describe the meal we just had . Thank you Bustan for reminding me the feeling of back home. The dishes one after the other were amazing and I will 100% come back !! Ps loved the Malabi thank you chef for an amazing experience. read more

Incredible experience, all around and is consistently so every time...! If you want some of the best Mediterranean food in NYC, Bustan is your spot! The tastes are amazing, and you can tell the level of care that the Chef places into every dish... Great atmosphere, and great service! I've been here for brunch and dinner... cant go wrong with either! Highly recommend...! read more

I got the lamb terracotta. The lamb was very tender and good. I thought there would be other vegetables to compliment the meat, however it was just a bed of onions and tomatoes. I do not like onions or tomatoes. It came with flat bread over the food, and the flat bread was good. If you do not like onions or tomatoes I would not recommend this. For me the meal was not bad. However, I would not get it again and it was not worth $30. read more

Bustan - Lamb terracotta - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

Love the outdoor seating that Bustan offers. Instead of street-side al fresco dining, they have a backyard that is much more quiet and intimate. Love that they take reservations! Indoor dining seems to be on the dim side. Funny enough, though they don't have music playing in the main dining area, they blast the music inside the restrooms. My friend and I both ordered the Bustan Benedicts. It comes with either a side of home fries or salad. When our plates arrived, I couldn't tell whether I had an order of home fries with a side of eggs benedicts or an order of eggs benedict with a side of home fries. Similar situation with the salad. But the home fries were delicious, contrary to many other Yelp reviews that I read. Although the home fries were on the soft side, did anyone ever say that home fries had to be crispy? I liked the potato-iness. The eggs benedict was delicious although honestly, I couldn't really taste the mint that was supposed to be in the yogurt sauce. I loved that the eggs came on top of challah bread instead of the typical english muffin. I love challah bread. Though iced coffee is not on the menu, they did serve iced coffee when I asked. At the end of our meal, my friend and I shared a kanafeh, which is honey-lavender gelato on top of a warm pancake made of shredded phyllo dough, ricotta, and rose water syrup. It was mediocre, and we could've done without. Overall, I enjoyed my experience. Attentive service and a great atmosphere. I live on the UES, however, and because Bustan didn't really wow me, I wouldn't trek out here for a second time at Bustan. read more

I had a wonderful meal here last week with a friend of mine. We arrived a bit before the dinner rush, around 6:30 pm, and asked to be seated at the bar. The bartender who took care of us (both food and drink orders) was really excellent -- she gave us menu recommendations, answered our questions, and checked on us often. The entire wait staff was also very knowledgeable about ingredients/allergens, and helped point us in the direction of the dishes that could be made vegan upon request. I was very surprised and impressed with their accommodation of a vegan diet, as well as the extensiveness of the options available to me. We started off with two lavender martinis, which came recommended by the bartender. She mentioned that the lavender syrup is made in-house and the drink is quite popular/one of her favorites. These were delicious; the flavor was mildly floral and somewhat sweet. I would definitely return for this cocktail! In terms of food, we navigated the menu with the intention of sharing a lot of small dishes between two. We started off with a trio of mazettim: hummus, spicy feta, and baba ghanoush. While the spicy feta obviously contains dairy, the other two are 100% vegan and so is the (incredibly delicious) homemade focaccia bread. We next split three appetizers: the falafel basket with a side of tahini and pickled mango sauce, taboon roasted cauliflower, and grilled roasted eggplant. All of the sauces were placed on the side, which enabled myself and my (non-vegan) friend to enjoy the same dishes and customize them to our individual preference. Overall, this was a satisfying meal that enabled us to sample several dishes. The most impressive aspect of the experience was, again, how readily the staff could modify menu items to please people with different dietary preferences. The prices are a tad high, but so is the quality, so it is a generally fair value. Based on the price point and atmosphere, this is definitely an "occasion spot," but I will certainly return in the future when I have family or friends in town and want to go out for a nicer meal. read more

Bustan - 3 mazettim with homemade focaccia: hummus, baba ghanoush, spicy feta; 3 appetizers: falafel, roasted cauliflower, and grilled eggplant - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

We had dinner here this weekend and everything we tried was fantastic! I ordered the schnitzel, which seemed out of place on the menu, and it was perfect. The mashed potatoes were also very good. My wife had the Moroccan Fish. The presentation of the dish was neat and taste was even better. We will definitely go again! read more

My party and I were looking for a nice evening at this restaurant--we called ahead in advance and were told that although they didn't take reservations, they would be happy to have us and encouraged us to come. Upon arrival, we learned that 1) they did take reservations and 2) were rudely dismissed by the host, who upon being told the above, chuckled and said "I don't think so." We were disappointed in our experience--the staff should not set unreasonable expectations as we planned our night around this. read more