I first came to this place about 2 1/2 years ago and remembered the steak to be very tasty, I recently stopped by a few months ago and must say that I was very disappointed. The steak was dry and wasn't cooked to my liking, I had asked for medium rare. The decorations on the other hand are another story, it's strange yet cute at the same time. read more

Food here is amazing. If people weren't looking, I would of licked my plate. If you are willing to try anything you have to try the sweetbreads. Delicious! read more

Delicious. Cute, quirky casual decor. Slow but decent service, the chef comes out to meet you and his kid sits in the back doing his homework. The rabbit was delicious and the lamb shank was so tender it fell right off the bone. The chef's salad was very unusual and delicious- a regular green salad with tomatoes, but apples and a very interesting spice that gave the entire salad a totally unique flavor. The one weird thing was that they don't serve tap water, only bottles. (?) But other than that, I'd definitely come here again. BYOB. read more

I don't usually give one star but I had a really bad experience over there. First the food is very poor doesn't taste like real Egyptian food at all, took my gf so she can try some of the popular Egyptian dishes and it was awful. The service was even worse I will never go back there beside wasn't even decent price for a food like that. read more

The owner is a very amicable host who cooks amazingly good home food. While everything we tried was very delicious, Lamb Tajeen Over Couscous left me speechless--I couldn't believe anything might taste that good! It was definitely worth the long ride I took to get there from Brooklyn. read more

I watched Anthony Bourdain's show about Mombar years ago and was dying to visit. Three years ago I moved to New York and finally last night I went to Mombar, we were a party of 15. We were greeted with a smile by owner Chef Moustafa who cooked calmly behind the counter with a smile on his face peeking every now and then from behind the kitchen counter to make sure his staff are doing their job and service is prompt. The decor and eclectic art pieces, lovely tables (that the Chef made himself) creates a very nice ambience. Staff were cheerful, on it, very professional and checking on everyone including the little ones who had some dietary restrictions and fussy eaters. A world class restaurant customer service right in the heart of Astoria. We were bold and adventures and left it up to Chef Mostafa to feed us. First course was a freekah soup, excellent flavor, aroma, and incredible taste if you decide to try it, follow the chef advice to add lime to the soup it kicks up the flavors a notch. Second course was eggplant fatoush with garlic, parsley, and crispy bread. If you like garlic this is a great dish full of flavor and an explosion of garlic. Beet salad was also excellent balance between sweet and sour taste. Then the feast of main dishes started. Fetah, the best Egyptian Fetah I have ever had with the most authentic garlic sauce taste (Fetah is rice, broth, bread, and garlic sauce). My utmost favorite dishes were the chicken with Freekah it is a winner!!!! complex flavors with many spices, herbs, vegetables, it melts in your mouth. The Kebab Hala (beef cubes in brown sauce) is a grandma kitchen dish that can't be easily duplicated. I can't say enough good things about this restaurant, I am a world traveler and in my opinion it is the best Egyptian food I have eaten outside Egypt and possibly in Egypt as it is hard to find this quality of food unless your grandma is an Egyptian Iron Chef. This is a gem and I am glad to find such a great restaurant that introduced me to the finest Egyptian cuisine possible. read more

I cannot even recall the last time I've had such DISGUSTING food and service in my life. It took a party of three over 40 min to receive our appetizers and about one hour and ten minutes to get our meal. The baba ghannouj was beyond disgusting. It literally tasted like an ashtray and I've had baba ghannouj many times. My friend ordered the tilapia which was very dry and very strong as well as my other friend who ordered the salmon which was also bland with a very pungent after taste. I ordered the Mombar which consisted of several stuffed sausages with rice and seasonings. The sausage was tepid in temperature with zero consistency in texture and had a very bad after taste. Needless to say, we took maybe two bites, requested to go boxes and then tossed it in the trash bins out front. The bill was $90.00 and he received zero gratuity. I will never, ever go there again. read more

A couple of friends and I came here, just to say that we had tried Egyptian food. We were all pleasantly surprised, although I do not remember what everyone had gotten, other than the fact that one friend got a rabbit dish, and I had the hummus/couscous sampler. I do remember this place being a little pricey, but the inside was cute, and the waiter/chef (yes they are the same person) was nice and explained the menu to us. Overall the food was pretty good! read more

I love the exterior and interior of this place. Wow! Very cool. It was a little expensive, but the tea was great and the chef made us a dessert called "Surprise." Turned out to be bananas, currant, dates, with honey, cinnamon, and sour cream. It was actually really delicious. He came out and chatted with us a bit afterward. I love when chefs take the time to ask how their meal was/to greet you. Very friendly service and inviting atmosphere. Will definitely return for some tea and to study. read more

I visited this place about 4 years ago. I was impressed with the flavors and the decor. I was less impressed by the prices and the willy nilly attitude about the bill. I would consider going back if I ever visit Astoria again. read more

Great atmosphere, incrediblly friendly service, cozy environment and great authentic food. It's almost like having dinner in someone's home with the open kitchen and friendly chef. Sometimes there is a wait for food if it's busy because there is one incredible chef making everything from scratch. I highly recommend any of the tagines. I had Egyptian friends introduce me to this place who also hold it in high regard. read more

I finally made it to Mombar last Friday night. The decor is cute and kitschy. The mixed appetizer plate that we got with hummus, babaghanoush, foul and something else that I can't remember was fresh and tasty. Our entrees were good but I really can't say spectacular. What was spectacular was the service. Friendly, funny, attentive and polite. We felt like "regulars" on our very first visit. I think it's the personal attention that prompts people to give Mombar 4 or 5 stars. I would give them 5 stars on that factor as well. I didn't like the fact that you have to pay for water. Nevertheless, we will return again with our own drinks (which you are allowed to bring) for another visit. read more

Food was amazing. Im not egyptian so i didnt know wat to expect, but the food was very tasty & homemade. Not oily or greasy or salty. Ordered the lamb cheeks, lamb tajeen & lamb chops. All delicious. Chops were very flavorful & were perfectly cooked. Came with side of roasted potatoes, peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers with garlic..,,sooooo good. The tajeen was excellent. Had a light kick. Restaurant is BYOB & cash only. Chef himself served the food & cleared our table. Chef was very friendly. The guy who took our order (not the chef) was a bit slow to respond to us....we told him we had a bottle of wine but had to ask him for glasses after waiting for him to bring them. Also, had to ask for water instead of it being automatically served (maybe its a cultural thing tho). I highly recommend this restaurant for fresh good food. The restaurant is quite big. They have a large table for groups. Decor is intriguing & eclectic. Theres something homey about it. I plan to return to try the lamb brains & another dish. read more

Very authentic moraccan food. The chef made everything fresh. The steak and potatoes plate was amazing. Ask for hot sauce! The decor is amazing, I forgot I was in new york. I accidentally forgot my phone, and the chef/owner ran it out or me. read more

This place is a gem. I was out with a group of friends doing a tasting tour of the neighborhood, and we stumbled upon this lovely little restaurant. The chef-owner, Moustapha, and the staff who I assume are his family, are so welcoming and sweet. Moustapha is also the artist who created all of the art pieces in the restaurant, and Hebba, the hostess/waitress, told us that their goal was to make us feel like we had been invited into their home. As she offered us small glasses of hot hibiscus tea, they succeeded. We started with salads of roasted beet, onion, and apple, and artichoke hearts that were so hearty we almost didn't realize they were just starters. Then came amazing, complex, authentic hummus, baba ganoush, and foul served with hot rounds of pita. Then followed a lamb tagine, roasted duck, rabbit, and sausages served alongside a fantastic homemade hot sauce. We finished with an Egyptian bread pudding which came out bubbling in a veritable cauldron and 'chef's surprise', which was a confection of fromage blanc, succulent figs, lightly sweetened bananas, and shredded wheat. The food is incredible, the staff is lovely, the decor is charming, the ambiance is unique and transformative, and this place is a treasure. Go. Eat. You'll thank me. read more

My date took me here and we had a wonderful time. It is BYOB and he brought this amazing malbec. We ordered three appetizers and they were all delicious. My favorite was the artichoke. The vegetables and couscous were very good as well. It did take a while, but we were in no rush and just enjoying the laid back atmosphere. I'm a vegan and found the menu very vegan friendly for the most part. So there were options for me, I'll definitely be back. read more

This was a very bad experience; me and my friends had to wait for long, food was cold, taste bad, few amounts, and expensive. And I am having a stomach ache for 2 days because of it maybe. I'll never visit it again. read more

I wanted to go to Mombar ever since I passed by the interesting facade. The decor inside is just as interesting as outside! Beyond that, my friend and I loved our food. I had the tilapia tajine, and it was very tasty, only I felt it was missing...something. But overall very good - I'd go back and try something new next time. (Though not the "organ" menu - those dishes are too unusual for me!) Out waiter was fantastic - he even brought me sliced carrots, cucumber and pear that I could dip in the hummus since I'm gluten-free. Yes, the service is on the slow side, but we were prepared for that thanks to other reviews. Don't plan to rush anywhere else - just enjoy the experience. read more

So this was my 1st time eating Egyptian food and it was awesome. Extremely friendly service and fresh food, I can't complain. It was my 1st time with a BYOB restaurant but great experience overall. I love the fact that the cook takes time out to come talk to you and the waiter really explains to you the menu so your not lost especially for people trying something new read more

Truly unique. The first thing that will strike you is the decor. The chef/owner is an artist, and Mombar is his masterpiece. The care he takes with his art, is transferred to his food as a chef. My favorite thing here is actually free - it is the bread and dipping sauce ("the yummy stuff" according to the waiter). Typically, I am not an adventurous eater, but I've learned to trust this place. Just thinking of the lamb cheek is making me very hungry. Also, it may seem simple, but the couscous is spectacular. I tend to get the lamb chops, and my wife swoons over whatever they make in the tajine. read more

Awesome experience overall, delicious Authentic Egyptian food, great ambience and super friendly service. The chef is an engineer, artist and a cook by profession. Loved my Lamb Shank, and my friend loved the duck and Molokheya, all appetizers were delicious (Mombar, Mokh, Kebdah, Lahmet Rass, Feteer Belzatar).. Yeah we didn't count calories last night and I meant to use Arabic transliteration for the appetizer names for you to figure out what they are when you get there be pleasantly surprised ;) We drank hot Karkade and Minted Tea and desert was a magnificent Om Ali.. :) Well done 'Ya Bashmohandess' Chef Mustafa! read more

5 stars for food and the experience. Felt like our own personal chef was cooking for us while we waited comfortably in his dining room. A chef who also came to our table and explained the menu to us as soon as we arrived, customizing the specials in accordance with our mostly vegetarian preferences. The atmosphere definitely transports you to a foreign land, and the food was delicious from the complementary "Egyptian farmer's bread" and olive oil to the couscous and vegetables tagine. These guys have been around for 15 years for a reason. The only thing that took a star away was a wait for the main course that was just long enough to make us realize we were already feeling full and sleepy from our appetizers. In the end it was worth it. As for the prices, we paid pretty much what we pay anytime we go out to eat in Astoria, and much less than what we would ever pay in Manhattan. And for the truly homemade quality, you'll get no complaints here. read more

The place is very different. The decor is not subtle and you will spend your entire meal trying to figure out what it all means. The food is good. Personally I don't get to eat Egyptian food everyday so I don't know what it's supposed to be like, but I did enjoy it. This is a nice place to go to when you want to try something new. It was pretty pricey though, so be prepared. read more

Wow.wow. WOW!!!! This place is amazing!!! I got the lamb cheeks as an appetizer and the lamb tarjeen.. DELICIOUS!

i don't know what authentic egyptian cuisine is, all i know is that what i had at this restaurant was delicious. i loved the baked stuffed chicken....it was so worth the 30 minute wait (we were pre-warned that it would take this long to make). also, gotta love how the chef comes to your table and tells you today's specials and ask how the food is. this is probably one of the friendliest little restaurants i've been to. the only thing i didn't like was they didn't serve new york's finest tap water (gasps!). i'm not cheap, but i just hate paying for water and $2 for each small bottle of poland spring adds up if you know what i mean. read more

having lived in manhattan all my life, i had actually never ventured out to astoria before! blasphemous i know. so i got a few friends together, and somehow picked the coldest and windiest night of the week to go... i got off at the Astoria Blvd stop on the NW line, walked 8 seemingly long blocks to steinway, and was grumbling to myself that i was not liking this experience already with cheap stores and rundown delis passing me on both sides. suddenly i see this beautifully decorated store that really pops out from the rest of the neighborhood vibe. i walk in and the warmth of delicious aromas envelop me. the decor was random but homey. the tables were decorated with buttons and you could really see the effort that the restaurant-owner put into it. (yep, he decorated the whole place himself) we had a group of 6, and we couldnt decide on an appetizer so we did the (in japanese) 'omakase' style of ordering and had him put together a hummus plate for 6ppl. the food took an exceptionally long time to come out (esp since it was just hummus -- unless they blended it there), but with only one guy in the kitchen and one at the helm, i could see why. they were so warm and friendly though, with their at-home service that it was hard to be rude or demanding. when the appetizers did come, it was delicious and so flavorful. i was never much a fan of hummus bc it was usually so bland to me, but whatever the chef put in it made me love the dish more and more. the entrees were delicious as well. my favorite was the glazed duck that just fell off the bone when you touched it. this was my first egyptian dinner experience, but with their warm service, homey decor, and comfort food, i felt like i was invited to his home for dinner. =) the only downer is they close around 11pm, its cash only, and BYOB. but there's a liquor store around the corner (on steinway & astoria blvd) so just stop by there before heading in. read more

So the appetizer was pretty good.. I was expecting the main course to be on the same line but it wasn't. The lamb was nice and tender, the chicken was mixed with chick peas, carrots, and over all ok, again I was waiting for more exotic (african?) flavors. The waiter (owner?) was not super friendly at all. VERY pushy. Gave us the check with out us asking for it, with all the tables empty, then he was checking to see whether we had paid yet or not every 3 minutes, he finally realized we were having a good talk/time with friends. He complained about the tip... good luck! read more

I went there with my girlfriend for Valentine's day. The food was delicious and the atmosphere very nice. We had the lamb tajeen over couscous and the eggplant boat for entrees, and the sampler appetizer (with babaganoush, hoummous, and ful) and beet salad for starters. The waiter and the cook were very friendly. Also, it's a BYOB, which can be very nice if you have your own bottle of wine. read more

i'm torn about this place. if i didn't know about the brother's restaurant just a few doors down, i might have been thrilled to have discovered an astoria gem with eclectic decorating, a byob policy and excellent appetizers. but since i've been to kabab, it's impossible to not compare the two restaurants, and mombar just isn't the same. we went recently because kabab was closed. it was crowded on a friday night so they sat us in the back corner at benches with a low table. they were pretty nice about it and said we could stay there to eat so we did. mombar is 2 to 3 times the size of kabab, and the host (is that the brother, or is the brother the chef?) comes over and gives a very similar spiel about the specials. we pondered the $30-per-person tasting menu but it sounded like we'd get more variety by just ordering separate things. we got the hummus/babaghanoush/foul appetizer, stuffed sausage, and an artichoke salad. then we split two entrees-one with baked eggplant and the other with lamb. before the appetizers came they brought us this amazing oily roti-esque bread. all the appetizers were excellent (i loved how smoky the baba was, and the spicy fava bean spread was the table favorite) so we were excited for our main courses. that's where the disappointment set in. though they sounded quite different from his descriptions, they looked identical. a clay pot filled with peas & carrots & zucchini and then you had to dig around for the main ingredient. they were both good but we knew that had we been in ali's kitchen he wouldn't have permitted us to order two dishes that were so much alike. maybe it's our fault that we ordered incorrectly, and if i do go back maybe i'd just have the appetizers and skip the entree. but chances are that whenever i find myself in little egypt it'll be to eat at kabab cafe. sorry, mombar! read more

This place is great. My friend and I were looking for a place to eat and would have walked past Mombar without noticing had it not been for the tantalizing garlic aroma wafting through the open door. We just had to stop. The owner was so friendly that we decided to stay. The food took forever to arrive because it was being prepared fresh and upon tasting it, it was well worth the wait. At least mine was. I had the stuffed chicken and it was simply amazing. The meat was juicy and tender and the skin was perfectly crispy. Even the vegetable and rice were great. My friend had the lamb tagine and although it was good, it wasn't out of this world. Really though tagine should not be ordered in any restaurant that is not Moroccan. It's asking for trouble. Anyway I highly recommend this restaurant and I will be going back for sure. read more

One of my favorite places in Astoria. Very warm service, feels like you are family friends instead of at a restaurant.. Food was delicious. We are adventurous eaters so we had the special menu with the liver, veal testicles, lamb cheeks, bone marrow, and some lamb sausage stuffed with rice. All were beautifully cooked, very subtle dishes. Im looking forward to going back soon. read more

I stopped in this place with two friends from out of town who wanted to try Egyptian food. The place is definitely cute from the outside and inside. That's why I give this place 1 star and not 0. The rest was an overall bad experience. The service was VERY SLOW. We waited about half an hour before we were able to place our order. We wanted to leave, but then thought maybe the food was worth the wait. This turned out to be wishful thinking. The food was simply Blah...sooo disappointing, the two appetizers and the fish dish were just bland and the lamb shank was overcooked and dry. At one point, one of the customers sitting next to us said to the owner, who is also the server (and apparently the cook which somewhat explains the very slow service) that he would step out to the mosque for his prayer and hoped his order would be ready by the time he returned. The owner rudely snapped back at him " you're wasting your time, don't bother praying, the gates to paradise are already shut". You can tell the poor guy was embarrassed. After this guy walked out, the owner loudly kept complaining to other customers why people bother praying, how stupid they are.. etc.. Really, skip this place. Bad food, lousy service and stupid management. read more

love the authenticity of their food and ambiance of the restaurant. everything is freshly made so it does take a bit for the food to come out. but its well worth the wait. read more

great food..."yummy" appetizer was really great. (that was what the server called it) very home made and so is the ambiance. our server/owner? was very friendly. The service was great, but we came in for a very early dinner on a saturday and it was just us. I had the lamb with rice and it was excellent for my taste. read more

Terrible made us wait for two hours! Only to serve us undercooked food. Yuck, stay away

This place is great! A very unique and cozy atmosphere. It feels like you are in the chefs home and he is preparing a dinner just for you! Would HIGHLY recommend... lamb chops and anything tajeen!! You won't be disappointed. Went last night and already thinking about when I will be going back:) read more

this is one of my favorite places in ny! the food is great but what makes it special is that the owner is a fantastic artist who did the decor himself. he made the tables and had the vision to transorm elevator doors into art. everyone is always amazed that such yummy food comes out of such a small kitchen. i would go and just eat bread with the spiced oil and dessert ever day if i could. read more

Really good! Friendly service. Great cook! Everything is fresh and made to order, so not a quick bite. Good time to catch up with friends! read more

Great ambiance, empty on Sat night at 8. Personalized cooking, take your time. Cash only. Get Artichokes app, and hummus is great/tangy . Moustafa is great! Had tasting menu. No koshari. read more

I ate here last night with a group of five friends, it was an amazing experience from the time we walked in until when we left with new friends. The Decor is unbelievable, you won't believe your eyes! So much love put into all of the handmade artwork and tiles in every nook and cranny. It feels like you could be in someone's home, and that is only the beginning of the amazing night we had. The chef came out from the kitchen, and took our order according to our personal tastes and eating habits. He told us it might take a while to eat, because he makes every dish from scratch by himself. We were very hungry, but every dish was worth the wait! He brought out each dish himself as though we were eating in his home, something very rare these days in a city full of restaurants competing for more tables and faster turnaround. What really made our experience at this restaurant an A+ is our very charismatic, dedicated, and highly intelligent waiter. We can only imagine that at the tender age of 15, he will grow up to run the restaurant as nicely as his senior! My friends and I will definitely be making the trek from Manhattan more often knowing that gems like these exist. Thank you for the wonderful meal and gracious hospitality. read more