I was really looking forward to trying this restaurant given all the highly positive reviews. To be clear - this is for the restaurant, not the market. Service - 1 star. After being the only two sitting in the restaurant for 10 minutes, someone brought us menus. Another 10 later, they came back for our order. It was a tad frustrating because an item I wanted to order had a well-worn sticker blocking it out. Placed our food and drink order. Several minutes later, someone different came from the back and said one of the two items was also not available. So another item was chosen. Drinks were not delivered (tea and a water) until the food came 20 minutes later. And the water was a tiny 8-ounce bottle of water. 1.5 hours and we were the only diners. That says something. Food - Of what we could order, the chicken tikka was good but not amazing. 4 stars. The lamb kabob was amazingly bland and tough. So disappointing as I typically love lamb. 2 stars. The hummus was thin and tasted too sour with no flavor dimension to it. Was it old? Better hummus has a slight nutty flavor to it and this needed more garlic. 3 stars. Rice actually had decent flavor. 4 stars. We had both the pistachio and walnut baklava. As a baklava connoisseur, the walnut was far better flavor and texture but both seemed dry and old. Bread was okay. When I look at the number or reviews from those in CA or OR with less than 5 reviews on their account (all giving 5 stars) - it seems clear that people want free baklava or hot tea, as they advertise at the table when you sit down. But they need to read your review first before getting the token item. I have better ethics and higher standards than that. Maybe the restaurant section is on the slide. For a $20 entree, not worth it. There is better in Boise. read more

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Great experience shopping here! Bought cheese stuffed jalapeños, walnut/bell pepper stuffed egg plant in oil, orange marmalade, cheese, and fresh pistachio dessert. Fresh, still warm pita bread was available. It was a little dry but delicious & I wish items had clear pricing. Highly recommend & look forward to going back. Definitely want to dine at their restaurant hooked on to the market. Cashier was friendly & parking was plentiful. read more

If you're looking for authentic arabic food this is the place for you. Our server was incredibly helpful and ready to answer questions about different menu items. I had ordered lentil soup with Kubbah and it came out very quickly. The dishes are well seasoned and tasty. Would recommend the place to anyone looking to try something new or get a taste from home. read more

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Best Dolma and Shawarma ever! Very relaxing and quiet environment, will be coming back.

This restaurant/market is filled to the brim with amazing imported items that you won't find ANYWHERE else. The fattoush is so authentic (I grew up in Dearborn, MI so I grew up with real Lebanese cuisine), and the Chicken Shwarma is amazing! Please, if you have a free morning (they do breakfast!), afternoon or evening, check them out! read more

Ishtar Market and Restaurant - Chicken Shwarma - Middle Eastern Near Me - Boise, Idaho

Wonderful food for a reasonable price! Would highly recommend if you're interested in trying new cuisine, or looking for a new local favorite. read more

The best middle eastern food in Idaho is served here. Family owned and operated with flavors that transport you into the culinary ocean that is Iraq. This time I got the falafel imshakal and my brother got the chicken shawarma sandwich. The expectations coming in where high but they somehow where surpassed if I can give more stars I would the oil was clean so the falafel and fries tasted fresh and I can go on and on but from some1 who eats falafel and Arabic food minimum 3 times a week at different establishments each meal.. this is top tier food. If ur local to Boise frequent this place and try everything, they don't miss. Thank you to the chef for an amazing meal Happy eating. read more

Ishtar Market and Restaurant - Falafel sandwich - Middle Eastern Near Me - Boise, Idaho

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Stopped for lunch at this cute restaurant, and was amazed with the food, the hummus was wonderful, the lamb kabob was outstanding and the Chicken Tikka was great! Will be back soon!! read more

Highly recommend, fresh , good tase of Middle Eastern food , nice decorations inside gave us vibes of home , calming music . read more

Ishtar Market and Restaurant - Highly recommend, the food is good , fresh & has the Middle Eastern taste - Middle Eastern Near Me - Boise, Idaho

We really enjoy the food here. Sometimes we take it home but this time we stayed and enjoyed the calm atmosphere. Excellent!

We love this family and authentic restaurant!! Always delicious if you want healthy middle eastern food. It's fun to look at the imported food too. read more

The best middle eastern food in Boise. A fully stocked market and a very nice staff that will answer any questions you may have.

I ate here with a friend. We shared hummus and Iraqi pickles. Both were very good. I also ordered a falafel sandwich and that was delicious. I have to come back again some time. The market had lots of great goodies too read more

Delicious chicken shawarma, rice, salad, hummus with warm fluffy sammon bread. Also ordered yummy warm dolma. My husband and I dipped our bread in the seasoned olive oil the dolma came with. We enjoyed the variety of international drinks supplied by the market adjoining to the restaurant. We would go again when we are in the area. read more

We went to the Ishtar Market and Restaurant for lunch on the spur of the moment. The first thing one notes is the aroma of spices from the kitchen. We entered the restaurant and sat ourselves at a booth. The restaurant is intimate, with a welcoming atmosphere, unobtrusive instrumental background music, and colorfully decorated. The menu includes all the Mediterranean lunchtime favorites and in many combinations, making it easy to find something customized. Between the two of us, we ordered lentil soup, hummus, falafel, kibbeh, and hot tea. Service was prompt. The staff brought out our meals within minutes, fresh from the kitchen. Portions are decently sized and priced, and comes with sammon bread (good for DYI sandwiches. My falafel was crispy on the outside, moist within, and the kibbeh also perfectly cooked. read more

Ishtar Market and Restaurant - Restaurant interior. - Middle Eastern Near Me - Boise, Idaho

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Inside out: It's in the same complex as the antique mall, plenty of parking, it's a little restaurant located in the same establishment as a grocery store. Service: friendly and fast service. Food: The food was delicious, my grandma likes try new things and she's 90 years old and she loved it. My parents enjoyed their dishes as well, the sandwiches seem to be a great value! I loved the rice and the hummus and the bread, actually everything was good. Their green tea with cardamom was both aromatically pleasing and tasty! Over all: it's a delicious place to grab some food, the grocery store is also really fun and we bought a lot of extras when we were leaving including that tea. It's always fun to try something new and it was well worth it! read more

We enjoyed this authentic restaurant The falafel and the humus as well as tabouli were all made from scratch. They use fresh lemon ..... not bottled.... The pita type bread was moist and was tasty as well as artistically presented. The staff were extremely patient with all my food allergy questions. The store was well stocked and off to the side was a nicely decorated dining area Not super fancy but authentic and quality There were subtle flavors we hadn't seen before .... A mango and spice dip that was good on bread and falafel The baklava is some of the best I have had .... Not too sweet but super flavor so you could enjoy the walnuts ..... will be back to try more PS the reason I didn't give 5stars .... They could improve the entrance. Needs to have better sine age on front doors read more

Ishtar Market and Restaurant - the interior of the restaurant - Middle Eastern Near Me - Boise, Idaho

Loved our falafel mushakal sandwiches. They were delicious and very filling. We were passing Boise and saw this on Yelp. Would definitely recommend to my friends and family. The falafel were nice and hot and moist too and a lot in the sandwiches. Loved the eggplant and salad and the chips in it too. read more

Highly recommend, the lamb and falafel were very good! I recommend trying the mango sauce with the falafel

The food at Ishtar is outstanding and fresh. First time there and we were really pleased. The restaurant is a modest addition to the market, however the food that they are serving is the best middle eastern food that we have had in Boise this far. This will now be our go-to for middle eastern food. The bread was fresh and warm on presentation. The tabouleh was amazing and freshly prepared. The babaganoush was smoky and creamy. I had the Mushakal Iraqi and both meats (chicken and meat (kofta)) were delicious. My wife's falafel sandwich could have used some more tahini, but was delicious. Basically, we felt like we had a home cooked meal prepared by the owners (who were so kind and attentive). So bottom line... try this place. It''s all about the food here, and so far I think this is the best in Boise! read more

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The most flavorful middle eastern food I've ever had! We got the lamb kebab and #19 (I can't remember what it was called but it was amazing marinated chicken and shawarma meat). Everything had incredible flavor. The staff were very accommodating and nice to us. We also got baklava and it was the best I've ever had. We enjoyed the soft music and the fun aquarium video playing! We will definitely be back. It's also connected to a nice market we got some goods at! read more

Ishtar Market and Restaurant - Lamb Kebab - Middle Eastern Near Me - Boise, Idaho

Unexpected and so tasty. Clean. You feel like you're out of the country during your meal which is a fun feeling.

From the moment I sat down I knew I had chosen the right place for a birthday celebratory lunch! It was a peaceful little corner, a quiet respite from the wild world. The chicken Tikka was delicious stuffed into puffy bread with some vinegary eggplant salad and hummus goodness , the Karak tea was divine...sweet, creamy and warming. The Baklava finish crispy, nutty, chewy and delicately sweetened. Happy 60th bday to me! Thank you, Ishtar! read more

Ishtar Market and Restaurant - Karak tea. - Middle Eastern Near Me - Boise, Idaho

Go-to in Boise. Best lamb shank and baklava. Staff are kind and atmosphere is casual. Prices are excellent.

"Amazing food, impeccable service, and a delightful atmosphere. A must-visit spot!" Great Place read more

When I try a new restaurant, great food is always one of the goals, but if I can also find exoticism and cultural exposure, for me it's the ultimate dinning experience, and for that there is nothing better than middle-eastern food. These old civilizations had millennias to perfect their recipes. I ordered one of their "Mushakkal" combo plates, the one with sliced lamb meat and ground lamb skewer, it was delicious! Their spices are subtle, not overpowering like some other places, the rice amazing, the meat tender, the falafel flavorsome, the bread fresh and soft, and the veggies and pickles just right. I finished with baklava and coffee, a great meal and a trip to a faraway land right here in Boise. read more

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We've been wanting to try this place for a while, but sometimes they are closed when their websites says they be open. It's worth calling first. Great food, the falafel and the chicken were amazing! The eggplant salad was good, but a bit sweet for me. Everything was well seasoned. The store has lots of neat items, but we didn't really need any groceries today. read more

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One of the best eating experiences I've had in Boise! I love it here. The owners are so friendly and they serve things quick, it's clean, nice and friendly on the inside. Can't say enough about how much I love it!!! read more

For us, the chicken shawarma is in the running for the best menu item in the Boise area. The baba ghanouj and hummus are fantastic to. I travel a lot so I've eaten at some great places. This is one of those places in Boise right up there with the best in the big cities. And they are very hospitable and friendly. Unfortunately, I don't think that master craftsman who made their deserts does that anymore. If that's true, please start making them again. The deserts he makes is like the middle eastern version of Pastry Perfection in Garden City :) read more

Ishtar restaurant is my favorite place to have lunch because every food they make it is so delicious so i recommend this place to everyone and all my friend the food i usually order is Iraqi kebab that comes with rice salad bread and etc read more

What a find. We went here for their breakfast. We had the fried eggs, hummus, cucumber, tomato, and also tried the huge samoon fresh baked bread that was served with a big portion of cream cheese, honey, and fresh cream. The coffee was the very best that I have had in Boise. The karak tea was amazing, too. It was essentially chai. The owners were very sweet and welcoming. We had a great time. read more

Chicken Kabobs were fantastic and the Turkish Delight after dinner was wonderful. It is a nice hidden gem that we loved so much that we went back two days later to have some more kabobs. read more

Very delicious food. I ordered a chicken curry. Fresh, tasty and enough to eat and take out the left over Very nice and clean. Respectful staff. I will come again. Thank you read more

Best food in the area, worth the money. Very fair price for the quality! I've been to several middle eastern cuisines. This one have very different and tasty ingredients. read more

This was my boyfriend and I's first time here and it was delicious. I got the Arabic sandwich: lamb Shawarma, it's soo good! For the arabic sandwich shawarma and an Arabic sandwich halabi kebab it's was about $30. A bit expensive but it's homemade and tastes amazing. Can't go wrong here. read more

Ishtar Market and Restaurant - Lamb shawarma w/ fries - Middle Eastern Near Me - Boise, Idaho

Amazing food, nice people and a cute little market! Looking forward to eating there again .

I'm visiting the area from Southern California and this is hands down the best Middle Eastern food I've EVER had! If I could give it more than 5 stars I absolutely would. I've never left a review for a restaurant before, but after eating here I knew I absolutely had to. I even made a Yelp account specifically for this! It's a small, family-owned restaurant, and everyone there was so incredibly nice! There is also an attached market with all the middle-eastern essentials. I ordered the Mushakal (pictured), I also had some of the falafel plate and bread which was shared with the table, and also some Baklava at the end. Literally every single component of these dishes broke the record for the best I've ever had. The sauces, seasoning, and flavors were all top-notch. But what really stood out was the falafel and Baklava. The falafel was so moist and delectable and the mango-y sauce that came with it (an Iraqi style sauce called amba) took it to a whole other level. The Baklava was also mouthwateringly delicious and completely homemade! It's not as super sweet as the Baklava I usually find, which was a very welcome surprise. The portions are also quite sizable. I had enough for leftovers, which I am very much looking forward to later. I could go on and on, but seeing is believing, so I just recommend that you go there yourself! I'm positive that you'll be glad you did! read more

Ishtar Market and Restaurant - Mushakal (#26) - Middle Eastern Near Me - Boise, Idaho

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Wow. Best falafel I've ever had, hands down. Moist, flavorful, and absolutely delicious with the in-house sauce reminiscent of a more savory mango chutney (the owners told me it was called amba, a staple in Iraqi cuisine; I am always hyped to learn about food). The baklava here is delectable. Not as sweet as the Levant-style baklava I'm used to growing up, but in many ways that was a huge bonus. The pistachio flavors really shine and it was all undeniably fresh. I could rave forever but, ultimately, I recommend you just go and find out for yourself. If you've never had authentic, family-style Mediterranean food, this is the place to get it. You might miss the polish and familiarity of a chain Mediterranean restaurant, but if you want good food, come here. read more

Ishtar Market and Restaurant - The Ishtar plate -- a nice sampling of the different proteins offered here - Middle Eastern Near Me - Boise, Idaho

The best Middle Eastern food in Boise. The food was fresh and well prepared. I was a little put off at first by the menu. Some items are only available on certain days. Our waiter was very helpful in giving us recommendations of food choices. The market is filled with wonderful spices and foods. read more

Ishtar Market and Restaurant - Middle Eastern Near Me - Boise, Idaho

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I enjoyed a delightful lunch here. Lamb is a favorite of mine so I ordered the kabobs. I wasn't disappointed. In addition I had the dolmas. Both were very good. Next time I would ask for the lamb to be medium rare, but I'm given to understand well done is the typical way lamb is cooked in the Middle East. The side herbs complimented the meal nicely and the humus was smooth and creamy, just as it should be. I've never had dolmas with tomatoes, but they go very well together. Quite a nice lunch. read more

Ishtar Market and Restaurant - Dolmas with tomatoes. - Middle Eastern Near Me - Boise, Idaho

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