We frequently go here for dinner. The food is exceptional, the atmosphere intimate. We always leave satisfied and with some leftovers. It's family owned and just a really nice spot to discover. The pita, the dips, the salad, and flavors are the kind that make your eyes close and all those happy yummy noises. Highly recommend, and always ready to return! read more

Salam Restaurant - Some apps to start - Middle Eastern Near Me - New York, New York

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Absolutely love the vibe, ambience, service, and food here. Really a gem and I can't believe I used to work in the area for years before I even set foot in here! Can't wait to come back! This review was made in connection with a Toast promotion. read more

I've been coming here for years , and I guess I just take it for granted. So I'm leaving this review to make amends. The food is always excellent I've never been disappointed, the service could not be better, and it's a nice quiet restaurant that's just very comfortable! read more

Back for our usual must go to Mediterranean restaurant. Had the meet massa. Wonderful food great atmosphere and not the usual loud and crazy restaurant. Wonderful service and great meal. read more

I'll be making this my regular dining destination. I noticed the spotless interior and welcoming feel. Everything on the menu had good flavor. The employees display exceptional warmth and the atmosphere feels completely comfortable. I found the quality acceptable to me. read more

The dishes here show what's possible when excellence is the goal. This spot earned my complete loyalty. The workers display natural kindness. Great visual appeal is undermined by heavy-handed salting. All components showed quality. read more

The lentil soup is to die for if you are into lentil soup and the rest of the food is very good. We have never had a problem getting a table which usually an indication that something is wrong, but I couldn't figure out any issues other than their bar offerings are very limited. Even though I typically don't like lamb, their spiced versions are very good, even to me. And the prices are great. read more

As a Syrian, I'm ashamed that this place claims to be anything close to middleastern food. It's probably the worst restaurant I've ever been to in my entire life, and I've been to some shady places before. All microwaved a few min after your order. Rude waitress. Ambiance is ok but I still don't recommend coming here. Save yourself an hour and DO NOT COME HERE read more

This cozy restaurant was completely Unpacked on a recent Saturday PM. I was anticipating the usual wait-and-see so I made a reservation for a party of 4 the day before. [Soon to be realized, this was unnecessary]. We were seated on a central location in the main dining room, and I immediately chose to seat among all the pillows and sofa setting against the wall. The lighting is also ideal for a date night, friends or otherwise. My party came as friends (means some wine and time). For appetizers we ordered the yogurt and cucumber salad, and house made hummus. The dishes are unique and a great source for conversation. Our server came immediately with pita bread and house olives, and H2O. [For non NYers, always ask for tap water; it's the secret to NY pizza and bagels -and always, always free]. The apps we ordered, and the pita, while top-notch , set us up for an amazing main course. Not so. My husband ordered the lamb curry and his assessment was 'unmemorable'. My friends and I ordered some variation of a salmon dish. Must be noted ,there are three variations on the menu, but they are all cooked the same way, semi-grilled, plus whatever sides (I had spinach and basmati rich , I could do this at home if I had the patience). Service: it seemed as if our waitress, perhaps either the owner or just being at this establishment for too long - seemed utterly bored. In the end, not too much traffic and my party was able to be the first in and the last out, without having to yell to make a conversation. This is notable for a Chelsea restaurant! read more

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My friend recommended this place as she said it was pretty good the last time she went. The time we went together? Not so much. It's a pretty cute place! Very cozy with not too many tables. The service was pretty bad and the food was just okay. We made reservations for 8:00 PM on Friday and it wasn't needed. There were only a few tables with customers. I arrived 10 minutes before our reservation and was seated immediately. Although it took 15 minutes to get a menu and water. After we got our menus it took about another 20-25 minutes to place our order. We decided to order everything at once because of how long it was taking. I would totally understand if the place was full of people but for being pretty empty, it was surprising. We ordered hummus, chicken curry and a spinach appetizer that I am forgetting the name of now. We got our appetizers in a decent time and the hummus was actually really good. I ordered the pomegranate sangria and I'm almost positive it was just a random red wine with ice cubes. It had no pomegranate flavor at all and didn't taste like it was made in house. My friend said her lemonade tasted store bought even though it says freshly squeezed. The time kept going though, we thought about cancelling our entrees because of how long it was taking and since we weren't getting checked on we didn't really know what the status was. Once we got our food, it wasn't terrible but it also wasn't memorable. We were also just full from so much bread. By this time it was about 9:20 PM. So over an hour to get our food while everyone around us seemed to get theirs. I wouldn't go back again but hey, great hummus. read more

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I can understand why this cozy restaurant is completely packed! The menu is simple and concise, the food is delicious and the service is warm and welcoming. I had the chicken platter and since I am trying to eat healthy I requested a salad in the side instead of fries. The server was so lovely and accommodating and the salad was simple and divine. I certainly ate every last bite! The serving was so generous I had to take half of it home ! I've had a lot of Lebanese food in my time - made by Lebanese grandma's and this is pretty close to it! Highly recommend coming here! You will be Welcomed and fed read more

We got the mezza for two and it was fine but I can name a dozen restaurants with better within ten blocks. The service was disintrested but generally pleasant. Cute space and you can sit there forever which is nice if your primary objective is to hang with friends rather than get the very best food in a place that needs to turn over tables. read more

I came yesterday for dinner with 4 friends. We ordered 5 dishes to share. I really liked the babaganoush and another dish that had curry. The rest were average. There was a dish that had grilled shrimps that tasted amazing but the lamb sausage was was too strong for me. The service was slow but really friendly and patient which is great for covid times. We had a couple of beautiful Moroccan tables on the side walk. The street has a lot of cars and ambulances passing by but not a lot of people walking so that's good. In terms of drinks, we all agreed that none of the alcoholic drinks that had mint really tasted minty. My mango mojito didn't taste like a mojito at all. It was like mango juice with rum and a few mint leaves. So I would improve the drinks. We shared baklava for dessert which was delicious but a bit oily. We ended up spending around $30 per person which I think is pretty good for NYC. It was a nice experience. read more

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I'm a tough critic when it comes with middle eastern food since I grew up there. This place is a little hidden, super cute and authentic. The food is alright. I mean, lacks flavor. The tabouli was 80% bulgur which shouldn't be the case. Ouzi lacked flavor as well. My favorite thing was the grape leaves. Absolutely amazing!! They saved the review. read more

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I've been coming to Salam for years . I love the fact that it is housed in a brownstone with a cozy , intimate and inviting Moroccan style ambience and tasteful , not blaring music . The food is very tasty with your typical exotic middle eastern dishes and the best sesame falafels I've ever had . And the shrimp or chicken Ouzi is to die for . A lovely and unique experience . And I tasted their peach home made ice cream which is the best I've ever had , as well . read more

I've been here a few times and it's always been great! I got the lamb with couscous and vegetables and it was delicious! My table also for the grilled chicken kebab with two sides (he got hummus and babaganoush) and vegetable curry. They're doing social distancing really well with spaced out tables, hand sanitizer, and the waitress wore gloves and a mask. I'll be back soon! read more

Really liked this place. Service was a little slow...they only had one waitress. But, I would not hold that against them. Their menu was unique and we all liked our meals. Definitely recommend it. read more

Just ate here with three other friends and we all loved it! Really delicious, diverse dishes, excellent authentic quality. I especially loved the Syrian cheese, falafel, hummus, babaganoush, and my friend couldn't stop raving about the chicken curry! This place seems really under-rated, it was quiet on a Friday evening, and we had lots of space among their cozy bench pillows and beautiful decor. Really reasonable prices too. Highly recommend! read more

gorgeous atmosphere, cozy, mosaic tables, fabric on walls, candles. i sat and wrote for two hours then friends joined for a feast. Everything delicious. I just wish they played Syrian music. Lorena the host is superb, made us feel at home. read more

Salam Restaurant - Middle Eastern Near Me - New York, New York

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Visited this place with my husband, hoping for a taste of home. We admired the decor and wanted to take photos (no people, who would want strangers eating in their photos?!!!). The owner (who was also the cook and server, along with son and husband who were equally rude) asking us to stop taking pictures because it's felony. When we tried to order, the rudeness continued. I read the name of the plate in Arabic as it was written and the Owner who was taking our order looked at me with disgust they were rude because were speaking Arabic. The way they looked at us when we were speaking and smiling and having a cosy time, made us feel like it was time to go and they kicked us out. read more

Great place. I have never, ever had a disappointing dish. Food, ambiance, and service are all excellent

This is such a cozy restaurant! I'm often in the city for work and typically dine out solo, but despite being alone, the very nice waitress offered me a beautiful booth right by the window. I enjoyed a glass of cabernet, and a salad with tomatoes and cucumber as my starter. I was shocked to see the size of the salad, it was much bigger than your average app. It went very well main entree, which was chicken kebab and hummus and baba ganoush on the side. Pita is complimentary and good, but slightly over toasted. I really enjoyed my meal and the service was wonderful. I'll be back! read more

we were a party of 3 and had 3 different entrees that we shared and each one was delicious, perfectly spiced with tender chicken and just the right amount of heat. the atmosphere is clans and cheerful. The service quick and very attentive. I will be recommending to my friends and family and will be back soon. read more

this good was so bad? and i wanted so badly for it to be good. the salad was doused in vinegar? why? the salmon was cold. and they put literally half a spoon of rice?????????? man wat in the world. i told the waitress but her reaction was "everything is fresh and this is what i ordered" why not Ask Why I approached you with "this is inedible." anywho Dub. also i shouldve known syrian place without a single non white person???! dawg read more

Salam Restaurant - Grilled Norwegian Salmon Filet - Middle Eastern Near Me - New York, New York

An update to my review below: I recently checked my credit card statement to find that the restaurant overcharged me by a few dollars (I had a copy of my receipt and what they charged was not what I signed for, taking tip into account). I'd like to think that it was a careless error and not done purposely... regardless, this lowers my rating for them! Couldn't decide whether to give this 3 or 4 stars... the food was quite good. The falafel was piping hot and interestingly was covered with sesame. The kibbee (deep-fried goodness stuffed with ground lamb, spices, and nuts) was delicious. The babaganonouj was fresh and was served with warm pita. And the lamb macloubee (tender lamb simmered with tomato sauce and layered with eggplant and rice) was fantastic. I also loved the atmosphere- ceramic tile tables, dark/cozy lighting, middle eastern decor... and the service was actually fairly good (unlike in some of the other reviews!) My only hesitancy in giving Salam 4 (instead of 3) stars is the pricing- felt like the entrees were a bit on the expensive side for what they were! read more

Went there for lunch yesterday, and as a few others mentioned, the place was pretty much empty except for us (a few people came in for "to go" orders). I cannot, for the life of me, imagine why it wasn't packed. The lunch specials were made of fresh, delicious ingredients -- we both did the combination plates; I had a salad with their hummus which, as others have mentioned, was excellent; probably the best hummus I've ever had. The smartest thing I did, however, was get a side of chicken to add to my salad; holy smokes, was that delicious! My friend had falafel and grape leaves with her salad and enjoyed both. I definitely plan to return to try their dinner menu. But for an affordable, delicious lunch, I really recommend this place. Oh, and on your way of, pick up a pack of Altoids because, well, garlic... read more

Both good and bad qualities to this restaurant. As others have said, the service is not good. The waitress was very pleasant.... BUT it takes an extraordinarily long time to get your food (even when the restaurant is empty)!!!! Also, the pita they brought to nibble on was somewhat stale and they didn't even have olive oil on the table or anything to dip it in! However, when the food did arrive, the chicken ouzi was absolutely delicious. It was flavored perfectly and i couldn't stop eating. I think it should be served with some sort of green vegetable, however, as it is just a pastry filled with spiced rice and chicken. Something healthy on the side would add a lot to the dish. The pomegranate sangria was also strong and yummy. read more

Classic recipes and even some I've never seen elsewhere. Best quality ingredients. Try Shrimp Ouzi, puff pastry encircling curried, creamy shrimp, carrots and peas. Merguez sausage for an appetizer. Great atmosphere and beautiful decor. read more

Food was very good, great local place. Reasonably priced and wait staff attentive, menu had a decent selection. read more

Salam Restaurant - Vegetable ouzi spinach eggplant zucchini carrots peas - Middle Eastern Near Me - New York, New York

This is the best Mediterranean food I have ever had. I was recently in Greece and Israel, eating falafel left and right, and it didn't even compare to how good this unassuming restaurant is. Everything was absolutely to die for and you could tell the ingredients were high quality, and the food was made with love. I'll be coming back again and again. read more

Not much to say, just speechless about the rude service, I just feel like I wasn't there, throw the food on the table and disappeared!! So far the worst I had in general in NYC! read more

My husband and I had a wonderful meal. The atmoshpere is calm and lovely and the food was fabulous and the cost was very reasonable. This was my second visit and I will definitely be back! read more

Is this place still open? We went for lunch today and it was closed and there seemed to be one of those realtor locks on the door.

It's nice to know that after all these years this restaurant still makes the best baba ganoush I've ever tasted. The food here continues to make me happy whenever I eat it. The salads are crunchy and well flavored, the tzatziki has a good texture and lots of herbs, the lamb dishes are lovely and everybody I've ever brought here has thought it was a good meal. My favorite is probably still getting the mixed masa which includes bits of almost all the appetizers and is more than enough for dinner (It must be ordered for two or more). This restaurant has been around for close to 30 years if not more and has consistently turned out excellent food in a place that's very pleasant to sit in, or if you're lucky grab one of the small tables in front of on a nice evening. read more

I have been coming here for over 11 years. Every item on the menu is just delicious and most importantly, clean. I have tried all the appetizers and entres and I have never been disappointed with any of them. The Lebanese wine that they have goes with every single plate. Their sweets are fresh and they serve them warm as it should be. There is a good reason this place has been around for over 30 years, I highly recommend the sausage, kibbi, falafel and fatoush salad. Great atmosphere ( love the music they play) and service. Will keep on coming back for more middle eastern food. read more

I don't know whether it was because we came in on a quiet Sunday night after work or if the place is usually always dead...but we walked in and felt strange right away. We had to seat ourselves and I had to go around the bar to grab the drink menus cause no one was assisting us. I was tired of walking and the sign outside that read "mango mojitos $5" caught my eyes. I thought this was too good to be true. And it was. The mojitos were just ice cubes with mango juice...no mint, nothing. I asked the bartender if there was any alcohol in it and he kept insisting us that there were. And came over to pour a ginormous amount of vodka into our glasses like it was no big deal...which just ruined the drinks even more. "Do you have any mint?" He goes to the back and brings over a stick with leaves on it...it clearly wasn't mint leaves as it smelled like garden leaves. LOL...I really can't make this shit up. He then suggested us a drink called "Rum-ade", which just tasted like watered down vodka. I didn't want to have to teach the bartender how to mix drinks so my co-worker and I just chatted for a few and left. I mean...what the hell was that all about? read more

I have the world's greatest Boss. He takes me to lunch. We drink at lunch. My Boss makes me love my job. On a Thursday at 1:00 we went to a deserted Salam. I felt really bad, the place looked so lonely. Just a few people enjoying the sexy atmosphere. Low light, GREAT smell, nice nooks to dine in. Shiver, I just realized that a lunch with my Boss was sexy. Only problem is, we both like men, so no illicit affair to post about. A pitcher of pomegranate sangria went down really well. The nice, but not overly nice waitress brought us extra bread after we had devoured the pita. Good salad. I had the mixed plate with a side of perfectly grilled, moist chicken. Spinach pie is actually spinach filo triangles - the small hummus is rather large, and the tabbouleh salad is fresh and good. Five of us ate for about $20.00 each - hard to tell the total cost, because my boss paid for me. I'd go back again on a real date. I'd take a corner spot, and I'd act like a trollop. Oh, and when I do this, I'll be sure to post a salacious update. Until then, a good, ethnic business lunch with a quiet atmosphere, generous portions and attentive staff (really attentive as the restaurant was almost empty). Oh and let me add that they use FANTASTIC china. It is mismatched, eclectic and I love it. And the corner with the two camels overhead - used to be three camels, but someone stole one. That is the corner in which I am planning my seductive date. I want to make out under the camels - is that weird? read more

I feel bad giving any place a horrible review, but I had such a different experience from the rave reviews below! The pita obviously came straight out of a package and I never send back food but the entree I ordered (the yellow curry) was inedible- vegetables sitting in tasteless heavy cream mixed with coconut milk. Instead of yellow, it was white due to the lack of spice and I couldnt help but wonder, since when does Moroccan food even use heavy cream? After sending back my $15 bowl of cream, I opted for a safe vegetable cous cous dish, which was fine but tasteless compared to other Moroccan places I've had the same dish at. My friends got the coriander and tomato curry, which tasted ok but was also strangely creamy. The service was subpar- but I don't mind bad service when it's a cultural thing rather than flat out rudeness, and our waiter meant well. The only plus about this place was the cute decor- moroccan lampshades and colorfully tiled tables. read more

Had a wonderful meal for a friend's birthday gathering last month. The ambiance and quality of the food is excellent. The service was wonderful and caring as well. We had the middle room which was quiet which was perfect for a small party of six. We had the combination kebab grill, the chicken coriander curry, the beef tagine. All were excellent and the best babaganoosh dip! A true hidden gem in the neighborhood. read more

Salam Restaurant - Mixed kebab grill - Middle Eastern Near Me - New York, New York

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I went here with a friend who is a regular and raved about the food. Although the service was slow (I blame this on my friend who is very familiar with the owner and the staff and pretty much acts like this is his second home and is treated as such) the food was fantastic! The hummus and the babaganoush were clearly made in house and were simply addicting. I damn near spoiled my appetite because I couldn't stop eating them. But I managed to save room for the main course. I ordered a tagine dish which was good but the real reason I am writing this review is because of what my fiance ordered- the chicken ouzi dish. After he offered me a bite of this it's fair to say I hijacked his plate. It was positively divine. It was beautifully seasoned curried chicken and rice, balanced with sweet golden raisins stuffed into a fillo dough pastry. This was a comfort food at it's finest. It was huge, (which is great because my fiance only got to eat half of it) and satisfying. I keep thinking about this dish and it will be the reason I go back. If they offered it on their lunch menu I would be a frequent visitor because I work in the area, but this dish is worthy enough to make this place a dinner destination for me. Don't expect fast, formulaic service and matching plates and glasses. This is more like a home away from home and the attitude is friendly and relaxed so if you have a time limit do yourself (and this place) a favor and skip it. This is a spot far removed from all that hustle and bustle of NYC. Savor it. read more