I have notoriously referred to the Upper East Side as a "food desert." Well actually I haven't, as I always paraphrase Anthony Bourdain who called it a "food wasteland." This way, anyone who disagrees with me is really disagreeing with Big Tony. It's a great way to grab the head-turning polarization of a hot take, but without any of the personal responsibility. A way to say something controversial without saying anything at all. A genius chess move to be sure, but complete and utter RAT behavior. I say this, my dear reader, as a reformed rat. All this to say, I recently moved to the UES and have been desperately trying to prove Big Tony wrong. One of my big bros recommended Chamoun's way, saying it's one of his favorite takeout spots in the city. I've been desperate for a decent, non-slop bowl takeout restaurant up here so I went the next day. I walked into a clean hole in the wall, and was overwhelmed by the sheer amount of choices on the menu, but ended up going with the Chamoun's healthy bowl ($14.99) and some grape leaves. After 1 bite my faith in the good lord, and in the Upper East Side, were restored. The chicken and rice were both phenomenal, but the veggies were really what showed out. The turnip pickles and jalapeno peppers were clearly fresh, which leads me to believe everything coming out of here is fresh. It felt like I was eating the home cooked meal of someone's Lebanese granny. The grape leaves were also clearly just wrapped, as the rice inside was warm with the leaf being room temp. You gotta respect this attention to detail. I've already been back a few times since, and it is my new goto takeout spot in all of NYC. I'll probably get it again tonight. BIG SHOUTOUT TO CHAMOUN FOR SHOWING ME THE WAY! IG @johnny.novo Tiktok @jnov__ Substack @johnnynovo read more

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Such an amazing place for a quick bite at lunch time! My wife works at MSK and I work from home nearby, so we always meet here for lunch. She always gets a falafel wrap, "their way", and I always get the beef shawarma rice bowl with extra garlic dip. The food is ok. It doesn't blow you away, but it is authentic Lebanese. That being said, I don't even care what the food tastes like because the servers are SO nice! When I bring my kids, they always leave with some free french fries. If I show up after the lunch rush, the owner is always around and asks me how I'm doing. When I get up after eating and start cleaning my table, the owner always just shows up behind me and amicably tells me to leave, and he will clean the table himself. You will always be greeted with a smile here, treated respectfully, and leave well-nourished. I wish nothing but success for this place! read more

In Tony Soprano's voice, "ten outta ten!". Does he ever say that in the show? Probably not. Food so good I forgot to take a picture of the beauty I ordered. Made my tummy and heart full. read more

We stopped here after visiting the nearby businesses. The spot has ample traditional Lebanese options as well as the usual kebabs and skewers to try. We tried the combo plate which comes with a selection of lamp beef and chicken kabobs. The chicken was excellent and the sides with the sauces were also well-balanced. The only gripe is that if you're sitting down to eat they serve everything on disposable plates since spoons. I wish for the prices it would have regular plates available. But that said maybe it is more of.to go establishment. The owner is super nice and very friendly and gave us some extra dips to try read more

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There are so many vegan offerings you almost forget it is a full service menu... until you see the delectable non-vegan offerings. So tempting! Fortunately the vegan offerings are just good enough to stave off the cravings for Lebanese meat specialties. read more

I didn't know what to order at first, but the man at the register made it super easy to decide - he chose the perfect menu for dinner and gave us complimentary fries and drink to enjoy with our meal. The food tasted amazing and the portions are huge. Filled me up! Ambiance is chill, cozy. It seems that there are regulars who come and catch up with their close friends - I heard a bit of very juicy gossip in the background. Anyways, 5/5, would go back! read more

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was hungry after visiting a friend in the hospital nearby and stopped in for a quick lunchX Received a massssive falafel wrap for $15, loaded with toppings (Chamoun's Way, can't remember the exact combo). Asked for it to be spicy and got a sauce cup on the side; it had the perfect kick. Tons of Mediterranean appetizers, sides, and entrees to choose from. Will be back if in the area again! read more

Ambiance (4/5): No frills space with the front windows and door open with fresh air coming into the restaurant. Service (5/5): The register worker (maybe owner?) was super chill and friendly who provided suggestions and checked in on us after ordering. We also wanted to help by clearing the table but he insisted that we leave it and he'd help clean up. The menu is extensive. We landed on a wrap and a plate. The chicken shawarma was better than the lamb--lamb chunks were a bit tough. It was unlimited toppings and all were very fresh. This would be a banger if their pita was better quality/ different recipe. Must get the hot sauce and tzatziki sauce was amazing. The wrap is ginormous so definitely worth the price point. Will definitely be back again! read more

Chamoun’s Way - Wrap - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

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Absolutely Phenomenal!and an absolute Gem! I had an amazing experience here! The food is high-quality, deeply flavorful, and tastes like authentic Lebanese cooking. Not only was everything delicious, but our server was also incredibly nice and very generous with the serving sizes. The ambience is not high class restaurant but the food is! To top it all off, the cheese dessert was out of this world phenomenal! It is a must-try. 10/10 highly recommend! If you want high-quality, authentic Lebanese food in NYC, this is the spot. Make sure you save room for the cheese dessert--it is seriously out of this world! I will definitely be back. read more

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Middle of the road Lebanese food. It wasn't bad but it wasn't amazing. Portions were decent sized but a little overpriced. There's ample seating. Service was friendly. read more

Chamoun’s Way - Beef shawarma bowl - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

Must try: Chamoun's Way Combo! Why: If you're a meat lover get the combo! Packed with chicken, beef, and lamb. I got vermicelli rice, tomatoes, onions, hummus, and baba ghannouj with tzatziki and lemon tahini sauces. Meats were mostly juicy and tender. Some beef had burnt ends, which added flavor and texture. Baba ghannouj had a nice smokey flavor. Hummus was creamy. Great portions for both dips and came with about 6 pita breads. Meal was great for sharing or saving as leftovers. Simple, delicious, and filling. Notes: I am glad I randomly found this Lebanese spot while walking home. Restaurant has many tables for large or small parties. I came on a Monday around 7pm and they were busy with dine-in and online orders. I ordered takeout and it was a short wait. Worker was hard at work managing all the orders and still made me feel welcomed. I thought $36 for the entire meal was a great deal. Coming back for more and to try other dishes! read more

Chamoun’s Way - CHAMOUN'S WAY COMBO ($35) - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

Delicious Lebanese food in the NYC area! It reminded me of a better version of Cava. Lots of variety and options. Service was fast and easy. The ambiance here is very simple but food was fresh and made to order. A great quick spot to grab a meal! read more

Chamoun’s Way - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

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Delicious and great service. The staff gave great recommendations for what to eat and the service was quick as well. Everything felt pretty clean and not heavy at all. Would go again read more

Chamoun’s Way - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

We order delivery from Chamoun's frequently and are always happy. The wraps and sides are excellent. This weekend, we visited with our one year old (who now happens to love Lebanese food). The gentleman who works there was truly the kindest, most welcoming person we've met at a restaurant this year. And our meal was a 10/10 (anything chicken here is a must). 5/5. Don't miss it, especially if you're uptown. read more

Chamoun is a hidden gem! Their beef shawarma plate with the garlic whip is the bomb! Their wraps are also very yummy but recommend passing on the desserts especially if you're not a fan of rose flavored items. Very solid option especially if you're at the hospital and need a quick satisfying bite. read more

It was ok. The owner was very nice and offered to do half and half for the protein when I wasn't sure what I wanted, which I appreciated. It was a lot of food for the money, which was great, but the hummus and baba ganoush had zero flavor, it was kind of bizarre. I noticed other people mentioning the same thing so maybe it was an off day and some batches are better than others. Everything is made to order so my food was fresh and hot, but it can take a little time to prepare so keep that in mind. I'm ok waiting for freshly made food. There are a fair number of tables if you decide to eat it, I noticed most people take it to go or are ordering delivery. I'd come back to give it another shot. read more

Chamoun’s Way - Half Beef (lamb) kufta and half Beef (Lamb) Sujuk bowl with Baba Ghannouj and Hummus - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

I really feel like I ordered the wrong thing so I have to go back to try it again, so this review may not be that accurate but cheers to documenting any and all life experiences right? Came on a weekday night and the store was bustling. You order up at the front and if you dine in, you can sit at a random table and they will serve you the food. I ordered a base of vegetables with fish and hummus, baba ghannouj, yellow peppers, and tomato as the toppings. I think I should've ordered the beef kufta because the fish tasted pretty similar to tilapia and didn't have a ton of flavor. I did really appreciate the baba ghannouj though as there were still some chunky bits of eggplant in there. The yellow peppers were also nice to cut through the meatiness of the fish. Overall, I ordered the wrong thing and would return to try again. read more

Chamoun’s Way - Base of vegetables with fish and hummus, baba ghannouj, yellow peppers, and tomato as the toppings - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

This place is so so good, and owned by the loveliest people. Just go you won't regret it. So good!

Have been here a few times for lunch. It is very reasonably priced, large portions, and the food is great!! So many options too. Will be a go to spot for me read more

I had a chicken shawarma and it was the best shawarma I have had so far. Even the presentation of it was nice. The garlic whip surprised me because the ones I had before were very white and dense. This one is pure garlic and olive oil: magnificent read more

Was surprised by the price of such a large portion of food. Build-your-own pita offers great variety of options and staff was nice enough to let me split 50-50 chicken and beef. Beef was tough to chew and below expectations for quality of meat, although mixed with all other flavors was a decent pita sandwich. read more

Great find! I had the falafel over rice with tomatoes cucumbers tahini baba and tzatziki. Very freshly made. It's been a long time since I truly enjoyed a tasty fresh falafel. No frills casual atmosphere but still cozy. Staff is great you just order at the counter and they bring it to you unless you're taking it to go. read more

Chamoun’s Way - FALAFEL (4PCS) BABA GHANNOUJ tahini vermicelli rice - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

Fast service and delicious food. Great flavors that you would not find anywhere else. Great prices for decent servings and fresh food. read more

Chamoun’s Way - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

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Came upon this spot walking on 1st. Ave. Ordered the bowl, with Chicken Shawarma, baba ghanoush, and salad. It is also served with a really nice large half cut thin and pliable pita bread. The two sauces I chose were the spicy sauce and the garlic whip. After one bite I realized how authentic this was and immediately smiled that I found another winner in the neighborhood. Been there twice since my initial visit trying the lamb kebab but returning to the chicken Shawarma this last time. Every time I've gone the food's been top-notch, fresh, hot and tasty. The spicy sauce is done just right with wonderful mouth heat. Service is prompt and polite. The room is kept clean. The only suggestion I would have is to have a second napkin dispenser closer to the front of the counter, or that they provide napkins when serving your dish read more

Chamoun’s Way - Chicken Shawarma - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

Awesome Indian food and even better ambience. Stopped in on a random Tuesday and was pleasant surprised. Michelin rated.

Hubby and I had dinner here this past Thursday. When you walk in, there are a couple of 2 seater tables on the left and a couple of 4 seater tables on the right. Past the tables was where you order your entrees. You select the protein, carb, vegetables and sauces from the menu. I ordered chicken shish taouk with rice and vermicelli, pickles, turnip pickles, tomatoes, hummus, garlic sauce, and tzatziki sauce. My husband ordered the chicken shwarma with pickles, cucumber, tomatoes, hummus and garlic sauce. I enjoyed the shish taouk. The chicken was juicy and grilled well. The hummus was okay. I thought the turnip pieces would taste pickled, but they were bland. The garlic sauce was yummy. My husband didn't care for his chicken shwarma. I tried a little bit of the his dish and it was okay. The service was good. The orders were brought to us pretty quickly. Not much wait time. The place filled up quickly after we sat down. read more

Chamoun’s Way - Chicken shish taouk with rice and vermicelli, hummus, vegetables and sauces - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

Authentic Lebanese food at its best. Got the chicken schwarma amd it was amazing. Service is top notch

So good.....Recommend 100%.....Food and service incredible .....Great spot for something with friends

The falafel is usually good but at nite the reheats makes it dry and not worth the price. The labne is usually very good but at nite watery and half empty, not good at all or the two tiny dry pita they include The reheated food is NOT the way to get rid of leftovers falafel....never again read more

These people are the best people ever. They are so immensely kind. They make amazing food at a fair price. I love this place. I come here regularly. read more

We were undecided what to have for dinner and decided to scroll Yelp and we came up with Chamoun's Way (I liked Michael Jackson's music in the 80's - IYKYK). It was a very decent meal. We had: - Crunchy Chicken Fingers - good but a bit dry - Hummus - tasty but not the best we have had - Labneh - tasty - Baba Ganoush - good with a nice smokey flavor - Cauliflower Buds - very good - Chamoun's Healthy Wrap - tasty - Chaumoun's Specialty Salad - good - Garlic Whip - yum - Fries - good - Pickled Vegetables - tasty The food was good (not great). With all the options in the city, not sure I would order from again. read more

Okay so I saw a review from a Lebanese person who said that this was the only place that made them feel like they were back at home and when I read that I knew I had to try this place. This is a fast casual sort of place, but there's plenty of seating if you want to dine in. Healthy Bowl - aka the platter is essentially the thing to get unless you're looking for a sandwich type of thing which they also have. I've ordered takeout from here 3 times already, twice in one week. If you like Mediterranean/Lebanese food, you're going to love the food here. The garlic whip has such intense flavor. The babaganoush as well, with a really nice smokiness. Everything just tastes so fresh and next level. Like this is not your average takeout spot. The feta was nice and crumbly and strong tasting. The lemon tahini is a delicious addition to the fluffy, soft rice. I will say the only thing somewhat negative thing I'll say is that the anytime i've gotten the chicken (shawarma or kebab) it's been kind of tough. Not sure if it's because I get it take out and it cooks more in the tray before I dig into it 15 minutes later, but the beef/lamb mix was delicious. The thin, soft bread is the perfect accompaniment. Their stuffed grape leaves were also delicious and plump. I mean needless to say i will be back. Keep doing great work Chamoun's Way! read more

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Sunday lunch to go - ordered the bowl with rice base. Staff were friendly but based on food unsure if they were ready to serve lunch on a sunday. Very dry chicken and beef shawarma (tbh I doubt if the staff tasted it theyd be proud or eat it themselves). Rice and sides like tomatos and cucumber were fresh. Humus was ok. Pita was not heated well either. Added kufta which was the only protein i finished but i was very hungry. Clean/neat ambiance great for dine in but I expected better food based on the yelp reviews. read more

Got the 6 grape leaves and ate them so fast I started hiccuping. Great quality, I can't wait to come back to try more read more

Chamoun’s Way - GRAPE LEAVES - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

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Some of the best food I've ever had. The service was awesome, they really made you feel at home! And the decor was laid back and very comforting. Excellent place! 10/10! read more

Absolutely incredible food, and hands down the nicest people running it. A true NYC gem. Do yourself a favor and stop by sometime.

Stopped in for lunch on a very bad day and got a real lift from the marvelous food and friendly service. It is a literal hole in the wall on the east side and the lamb kebab on rice with vermicelli was better than at any fancy restaurant. read more

They are super nice. The food was freshly prepared for my order. So tasty and healthy. They have tables inside, this place is perfect for lunch. read more

The food tonight was exceptional! The lamb hummus was delicious. Kofta was perfectly spiced. They use great potatoes for the fries. So glad they are a staple in the neighborhood. The owners are always there making sure the food is delicious, hot and correct! This takeout or eat in is reliable and consistent and delicious. read more

Warm welcome, great service, excellent food. Chamoun is a wonderful host. We came to celebrate a birthday and we couldn't have felt more at home and welcome. Will definitely be back soon. read more