If I could rate this even higher then 5 stars, I would. If you are looking for something different to try, look no further and just walk into Bustan. Before I explain the food - - I would like to caveat that I brought my friend here who is from Lebanon. So she is VERY picky with any kind of Mediterranean food and she RAVED about her experience here. The ambience is amazing. You walk in and all the employees are very welcoming. Warm vibes and a cozy / funky vibe at the same time. Now for the food. Everything was better then the last. First of all, the pita is incredibly fresh and so delicious. I'm not typically a bread before dinner person, but I would actually order the pita to go. Dipped this in the crazy feta (a typical fan favorite of mine) and the eggplant carpaccio. There was nothing left to the eggplant plate, it was that incredible. It was chopped into such fine pieces so it made it easy to end up being a great topping to the pita. Next was the octopus which was cooked to perfection. Very tender and the flavors were delicious. For the main course, we did the vegetable couscous which was good, but not something I would order again. We more wanted the vegetables, so it fit for what we were looking for but wouldn't recommend using this as your main course. The Moroccan fish on the other hand...just WOW. Such a different and incredible dish! I o the point where we looked around at the bar and there were 3 people sitting next to us, all having the fish dish. If that doesn't speak for itself, I don't know what does! It is baked with a bread dome over it that you need to cut open to get to the fish. Such a unique concept which I think adds an extra interesting concept to the meal. Prices were good. Ambience was a great NYC vibe (somewhat unique to UWS). Food was out of this world. Book a reservation here ASAP! read more

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The food was amazing. We fully enjoyed every dish and I'm so happy we found this place. I can't wait to bring my friends here so I can try out more of the menu. Highly recommend coming here. read more

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Overall: 5/5 had a really nice meal at Bustan Food: 5/5 everything we had was super tasty. The bread is to die for, with the perfect amount of rippability and chewability to make for the perfect pairing with one of Bustan's mezze dips - we had the whipped feta. Also had the octopus which was super tender. Some of the better octopus I've had in the area. For our main we had the chicken musakhan and it was superb, would order again. The tahini salad and super most chicken made the bread even more delectable. Drink: n/a no booze for us that night :) Ambience: 5/5 it's a small narrow restaurant, but the decor is very stylish. Service: 5/5 for how busy it was I was very impressed with the speed and attentiveness of service. Out waitress was really outstanding. read more

Bustan - Chicken Musakhan - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

The good was uniquely spiced and delicious. Our waitress was informative and attentive. I asked for a quiet section and that is what we got

Not joking this is the best place in town!!! The service is top notch! Udi was so kind, professional and warm! The food is soooo delish I can't even describe! Every choice was perfect! The place is warm, clean, viby and such a good energy! Will definitely come back! read more

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I came here with my family and had a reservation, we were seated by the window almost directly adjacent to the host stand which was a little crammed and strange. The light for the table was also off and we had to turn it on but other than that this restaurant was great. We ordered the lamb kofta, hummus, eggplant carpaccio and lots of their both types of bread. The spicy feta was the main stand out but the lamb was also great. The only thing I'd probably skip is the eggplant and their drinks. I'm not sure if it was just us, but the drinks were super watery and tasted like cheap liquor. Based on the food alone though I'd definitely come back. read more

Bustan - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

We met 2 other couples, college friends from way back. Ibadan drink at the bar, and Lindsey, the bar tender, made som delicious drinks. When the server took our drink order,we ordered som pre appetizers, think I made that up. We had the pita bread, hummus and the spicy feta cheese. All was excellent. Spicy feta was not so not, so no worries. For appetizers we had the artichoke special, Israeli salad and roasted trout. For dinner we had Moroccan Fish, chicken Musakhan, Mom's crispy Shnitzel and Kebab Halabi. Everyone was very pleased with our choices we shared everything. One more pita w dinner would have been nice. Place had a good vibe, the service was very good and I'll definitely recommend and return here. We came from NNJ and it took us 25 minutes. Street parking was not so bad read more

BEST MEDITERRANEAN FOOD I'VE HAD IN NYC (so far)! I stumbled upon this restaurant because it is near my favorite ice cream spot and I'm so Glad I did! I am a picky eater and not always open to trying new things, but after trying the food here a first time, I couldn't help but coming back a second third and fourth time all within a few weeks. We've tried the chicken main dish, the lamb main disk, the fish main dish and all the dips that go with the fresh pita bread and falafels. Everything was amazing, the flavors, the spices, the texture. Loved every bite of every dish we've ordered. I will be coming back another four times this upcoming month. If you're reading this review, I Hope to see you there! read more

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

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Great service & amazing food. I enjoyed their specials! The most memorable dish was the carrots with labneh. We sat at the bar and still had a great time. read more

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Dinner tonight was Eriko"a choice, and she picked a winner. This is an Israeli Resturant. Healthy, light, and delicious! You have to make this one of your stops when here in NY City. Service was top notch. A tip, request a table in the garden. Take a look and stop drooling! This restaurant is outstanding. Delicious and unique. A high recommendation. read more

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been multiple times! best food selection and good service - would recommend to anyone. don't skip the batata it's amazing!!! ambiance is nice as well read more

Recently, Bustan catered an event for me at home for 25 -30 guests, what is called "drop off catering". I worked with Adriana and she was fantastic. I reached out to the restaurant online 48 hours before the event when another restaurant I was working with could not meet my needs. (I needed the food to be delivered around 7:15 pm and after first promising that would fine, the chef there said it could be delivered no later than 5 pm). Adriana responded promptly to my email and then guided me personally through the menu, Adriana listened to my concerns, made recommendations, was totally flexible on the timing of delivery, and on the evening of the event, sent two people from the restaurant (I believe one of them was a chef) to set up the delicious food and make sure everything was fresh and hot when my guests arrived. Adriana was sweet and kind and helpful every step of the way (as were the two people who showed up from the restaurant). The feedback from my guests on the menu and food quality was fantastic. My husband and I can attest to the same. Some favorite dishes included the roasted carrots and roasted cauliflower, the delicious fluffy pita and humus, the fantastic lamb kebab, the delicate and perfectly roasted branzino with watercress salad, and the couscous with roasted vegetables. And the flourless chocolate cake -- wow! Highly recommended in every way! read more

I am torn. Bustan is four stars with the potential to be five but there is just something not hitting for the full, amazing experience. The service was good but not great. I was stared at unrelentingly to the point of feeling anxiety because maybe I wasn't moving fast enough. I decided to skip the wine menu and uber focus on getting a food order in the girl's hands. The menu options are good but not great. I wanted to order the Hummus Bowl but was told I couldn't because it's not on the menu anymore. I pointed out that it's on the online menu and even the ordering take out menu. All the contents are located on the small plate section so why isn't the medium plate available in the dining room. I got a shrug. The small plates are hit and miss. I ordered both pita bread and Taboon bread which were great. The tahini was super bland. The hummus was very boring and tasteless, as well. The Spicy Feta was good. The Tzatziki was great. The falafel was okay but that tzatziki made it good. I did the medium plate cauliflower and it was okay but it's nowhere even close to as good as Miznon's at the Chelsea Market. I decided to call it a day and get out with the four star review but I encourage Bustan to up just the teensiest bit and they'll be gold. read more

The service is impeccable, they started to service us right away and were very courteous. The food was delicious. The ingredients felt super fresh and simple. It was a lovely ambiance with adults enjoying their evening in a quiet, romantic setting. read more

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Definitely recommend checking this place out. Staff were very professional and food came out pretty quickly. I loved the eggplant carpaccio, which had such a rich depth of flavor and their taboon bread was so light and airy and went so well with it. Octopus was nicely cooked as well. I think my favorite thing might have been the dessert though-- I got the Nemesis (chocolate mousse) which may honestly have been the best chocolate mousse I've had in my life, it's literally sheer indulgence. The Malabi looked really good too; I'll have to try it when I come back! read more

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I really liked this place. Our party of 4 sat in the "garden" in the back, at a long communal table. There was another party of 4 at the other end, but no one in the middle, between us. Especially great was the Israeli salad, which we ordered to share and then ordered another one. Falafel was freshly made, bright green inside, hot (temperature) and delicious. I agree with @Tushar S. that the hummus (and I guess the other "dips") were too small for even 2 people to share. A somewhat larger portion should be offered. The two hot breads they offer are both great! Get them both. Chicken Musukan (sp?) was really delicious. Two criticisms: (1) I thought the kitchen was heavy handed with salt. The food was well spiced & really delicious. They didn't need to use as much salt as they did. (2) I hated the silverware. All of the pieces were too heavy and too large. And the extra "steak" knives they gave you to, for instance, cut the puffy hot-from-the-oven breads were also too large and heavy and at the same time, inadequate (dull) for the task. That said, I will be back again soon! read more

The food was, service and ambiance was simply and wonderfully divine in every way! Everything we ate was delightful!

The food was delicious, staff attentive and good fast service and a beautiful atmosphere. And Danny our maitr d was superb. I recommend this restaurant highly. read more

Delicious! Ordered delivery and enjoyed every bite. Can't wait to order again. Recommend the little gem, carrots, trout and feta.

the food was excellent. Mediterranean, many vegan and not vegan items. Relaxed vibe, great service - we ate at the bar. Will be returning.

Service was the issue. Rudest host I've ever interacted with in NYC. I still am in shock by his attitude and inability to work with us, with more than 75% of tables open on a Monday at 6PM. If you appreciate service and care, avoid Bustan. read more

I was delightfully surprised at how. much I enjoyed this restaurant. Went with a friend who, like me, loves Meditteranean cooking. Having traveled to different countries in Mediterranean, I learned it's more about the "farm to table" concept in preparation. You can appreciate the natural flavors of the ingredients when they come together. Well, Lo and Behold, the food at Bustan was delicious. Simply delicious. We had hummus and the portion was small and we wanted more. But instead of ordering a second, we went with Israeli Salad and then the branzino in a dish called Moroccan Fish. Yum yum. Their bread, the taboon bread, was delicious. We each couldn't get enough of the sauce in the Moroccan fish dish. Service was fantastic. Our waiter, Leonardo, knew the menu and was helpful. We weren't planning on getting desserts but then with his prodding, we got the Malabi and the halvah with ice cream. Both were so satisfying. I would definitely go back. Ambiance was lovely... very easy on the eyes. Oh I need to mention my cocktail, the spicy smoky margarita with an adjustment to go easy on the sugar was made to perfection. You won't be disappointed. read more

The place is cute, has a nice ambience, lively but not very loud. It's perfect to have a dinner for 2 or a big group if needed. The service is attentive, friendly and polite but a little bit slow (nothing that will detract from the nice experience, just come with time to enjoy and relax) I ordered a variety of menu items and all were delicious and the presentation is very nice but when you see the prices just now the portion sizes are very small and are meant to be shared so you'll have to order a lot if you're hungry and want a substantial meal. You definitely don't want to sleep on the pita and taboon bread (thank me later!). read more

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The food here is decent, but the dips are very good. I particularly recommend the labneh. Service is friendly.

Do I start with the friendly easy service or the outstanding food. Ok, I'll start at the outstanding food / we started with the roasted octopus, it might be the best I've ever had. Tender, juicy and just perfection. My friend had the whole dorado fish. It was done perfectly ( I had to show her how to filet it). I had one of the Tuna specials, a bit underwhelming but still delicious. It didn't fill me and had wanted to try the Humus. It was outstanding, served with a warm thick pita on the side ( I'd go back just for that at the bar). Our server was just so naturally friendly ( or she deserves a SAG award). But she so effortlessly took care of us. It made us feel so dam comfortable, that time went quickly. I'd go back anytime!! Sorry I didn't take pics was too busy stuffing my face read more

Had a great meal here last night with my wife. Authentic, cozy and sophisticated dishes with rich flavors. Our favorites were all the dips and breads, Moroccan fish, Halabi Kebabs, 700 degree cabbage. The malabi and chocolate cake are also excellent. Definitely come or even order from here. read more

Delicious food with a beautiful outdoor patio area. I went here for the first time last week and I will definitely be returning. The food was delicious and reasonably priced and the service was friendly and welcoming. Our waiter. Nikolai did a wonderful job describing all of the food options, and ensuring that we ordered enough for the table. I went with a wide range of people from vegetarians to meat lovers, and we were able to find some thing that satisfied everyone. Not only were the appetizers and entrées scrumptious, but the desserts exceeded all expectations. The baklava was warm served with delicious vanilla ice cream that really hit the spot! read more

I will keep coming back to this restaurant! It's one of my favorites nearby. Its a great atmosphere and the patio in the back is pleasant in the warmer months. My absolute favorites on the menu are the spicy feta with Za'atar pita, 700° F Cabbage, Cauliflower, and Moroccan Fish and Kebab Halabi. The fish and kebab both come in bread domes which are so cool and unique. The service is great - the manager (I think) who has been there every time we have gone is very friendly and attentive. We came for happy hour once with 4 people and he gave us a table so we didn't have to sit at the bar. I am already planning my next dinner there! read more

This is one of my favorite restaurants in NYC. The food is SO good. There are so many good veggie options and it goes beyond the typical Mediterranean food you get other places. They also have a great little back patio, that's great year round. In the winter they have it covered and it's perfect for big groups. I had my birthday there last year with around 10 people in January. It's best to go here with more people because it's meant to be eaten family style. You can just order a bunch of different things with their house made taboon bread. It's so good. They have good drinks too! Nice cocktails and some good wine. One of my favorite spots! Honestly haven't had anything here I didn't like. The cauliflower dish in particular was super good, same with the spicy feta. But honestly everything here is delicious. read more

The food here is flat out fantastic. Everything is super flavorful and well cooked. The house made bread is a must. The octopus is so tender and tasty. The lamb is tender and spiced perfectly. Our waitress knew the menu inside and out and was able to tell us the specials slowly so we could actually understand what she was saying. The ambiance is cozy yet fun. Would definitely come back here and we've actually ordered takeout from here several time afterwards read more

Absolutely phenomenal food. We had a large family dinner at Bustan and were blown away by the freshness, innovation and presentation of the dishes. The staff was gracious and patient with our group and we loved everything we ate, from salads to eggplant to hummus to Moroccan fish to lamb to the mushroom entree. The vegan options are abundant, which was important for us. I can't wait to go back. read more

The food was delicious! We got the falafel, pita, hummus, spicy feta, and Moroccan fish. Would definitely come back for the food. Some of ghee most tasty Mediterranean food I. NY. The portions were a bit small. We got the chocolate cake for dessert. I would recommend skipping the desert - didn't taste homemade. read more

Bustan - Chocolate cake - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

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I have eaten here several times-- I enjoy the food which has many vegetarian options. The maî·tre d however is very snobby and was dismissive to our group of 12. It was very awkward as some people arrived about 10 minutes early and he made no effort to try and make them feel welcome. it was clear that the table that had been reserved was not being "held" for us despite having a reservation. We ultimately sat down about 10-15 minutes late. For a party of 4-6 that might be acceptable, but disappointing that for a party of 12 we were not made to feel welcome. When one walks into the restaurant, the first impression is made by the person who welcomes them. It should be a positive and welcoming experience-- this was certainly not the case. NOTE: After contacting the restaurant, the owner personally called to apologize and was very appropriate and apologetic. read more

Went here for a quick snack/drink with a friend around 7pm on a Thursday. We sat outside but it was pretty busy at this time both inside and out. I didn't go inside but from what I could see it looked beautiful & cozy like a perfect safe spot. Service was a little slow but it seemed like there was only 1 waitress for all the tables so she was doing her best. I started off with this pink gin drink (I can't remember the name) but it was so delicious & very strong. Tasted almost like a lychee martini. I then got the hummus & pita bread. It was a tiny plate of hummus for $8 but oh my god it was delicious. The pita bread was also cooked perfectly and just the right amount of dough. Wow I will definitely be back to try more of their menu. read more

Bustan - Pita Bread Hummus - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

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It was my first time at Bustan. We were greeted warmly at the door and waited only a few minutes for our table as we did have a reservation and we were a little early. It is suggested to always book a reservation as they are deservedly busy. The ambiance was wonderful with a great upscale bar/night club vibe and warm orange colors, lighting, floral decorations and large beautiful glass printed photos on the walls of the enclosed porch. The food quality was superb and all dishes were delicious and well executed. The service was attentive and warm. Will definitely visit again soon. read more

I am giving 4 stars for the whole meal, but the Moroccan fish entree was 5 stars hands down. We started with the hummus, falafel and cauliflower. The bread it came with was good, but a bit too oily and salty. The hummus was enjoyable, the falafel were crispy and the cauliflower was cooked perfectly. All good for sure, but nothing that really stood out compared to other places we have eaten at. However the entrees were another story. We ordered the Moroccan fish and the Kebab halabi. Both come baked in a bread dome over a ceramic dish. The dome on each was tasty, but the dough around the edges of the dish was not fully cooked. The kebab was very good, the meat was tender and the dish had nice flavors. The fish was the real star though. Extremely flavorful, perfectly cooked with just a hint of spicy. I would go back just for this dish. The service was great and they have an amazing outdoor patio at the back of the restaurant. I would certainly go back and 100% recommend the Moroccan fish. read more

I ordered the mushroom musakhan, labneh small plate, and falafel small plate. The food was all quite good, but definitely pricey. The mushrooms are cooked to sort of a soft texture which could probably be polarizing. The decor on the inside is interesting, with creative lighting and table settings. The service was great! read more

Wednesday night out Pros: Great good, good service. No complains. For appetizer, I highly recommend the grilled octopus. For main, I had the Moroccan fish. First time I've ever tried it and absolutely loved it! It came in a hot clay pot with taboon bread on top serving as a seal. The bread is crunchy and flavorful. The fish is great. Cons: The edge of the taboon bread surrounding the side of the pot were thick and not cooked, it's almost like raw dough lol. Not sure if it's supposed to be like that. Not sure if you are supposed to not eat it... I ate half of the raw-dough edges and decided to stop. read more

Bustan - Moroccan fish - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

I went to Bustan last night and everything was just delicious. Not only that but the decor was totally stylish and fun. We had the eggplant carpaccio, falafel and hummus for appetizers. The carpaccio was so tasty, I could taste the blend of all of its ingredients. The hummus and falafel were also very fresh and delicious. For the entree I had the chicken musakhan and I don't think I had a dish like that before. It was chicken, greens, and tahini in a bread bowl and it totally worked. Everything seemed to pop. I've been to several other Mediterranean restaurants in the city and Bustan is a cut above in the food and the vibe. read more

We were in the area and stopped in for early dinner. What a great find! Everything was absolutely fresh and delicious. Staff was friendly. Atmosphere was nice. We will definitely return for more. read more

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