A group of us were here for brunch on a Saturday and we had such a great experience…read more It's a huge beautiful space with both indoor and outdoor seating and we chose to sit indoors. The staff was extremely warm, kind and welcoming and a special shoutout to Irem who was amazing, gave us some great recommendations and took care of us throughout. I went for the $39 prix fixe brunch which is honestly such a great deal and comes with quite a spread. I had the muhammara, hummus, shakshuka and dessert and thoroughly enjoyed my coffee too. We also ordered the tuna Niçoise salad, which is by far the best I have had ever. One of my friends was accidentally served the wrong order and they immediately replaced it with the right one and made her meal completely complimentary, which was such a nice gesture and something we really appreciated. We also loved that nobody was rushing us and we could just sit, chat and enjoy our brunch. Great food, beautiful ambiance, wonderful hospitality and even the restrooms were spotless and very well maintained. Overall such a positive experience and easily a 5/5 for me.

We went for Mother's Day brunch. When we arrived a few minutes early we did have to wait a bit. The…read morerestaurant had two floors, nicely decorated and cozy. We were lead upstairs to a table. There were 7 of us The seating was cozy but not cramped. We started with 7 family style small dishes: Hummus with Falafel Pops (chickpea purée, tahini, falafel, olive oil), Spring Burrata (roasted cherry tomatoes, toast, basil oil), Hamachi Crudo (passionfruit vinaigrette, citrus zest, cucumber, mint, sesame tuile), Scallops (carrot puree, serrano pepper, brown butter sauce), Tenderloin Skewer (zaatar chimichurri, fresh herb salad), and Shiitake Stuffed Grape Leaves (tomato coulis, yogurt foam, herbs). Everything was delicious. The hummus was well seasoned the falafel had a nice crunch. It went well with the warm puffy gyro bread that came to the table. The burrata was wasm and creamy. I love the vinaigrette on the fish. I ended up eating most of it. The scallops were the sweetest, most tender ones I have ever had. The tenderloin skewers were tender and well seasoned. I liked the grape leaves but the rice consistency was very soft almost mushy and you can barely tell there were mushrooms. There was barely any mushrooms flavor. Next we all chose an entree. I got the duck breast, my husband and daughter each had the beef tenderloin. The duck breast was smaller than i expected. The skin was nicely seared and very crispy but boy did it give my jaw a workout. It was done medium rare. It was juicy but tough. The small beef tenderloin was tender and smoky. The waiter poured the sauce over the tenderloin for added flavor. Finally dessert was a fruit plate with ice cream and pudding. The fruit was fresh and the flavors of the ice cream and pudding unique. It was a nice end to a good brunch. The price was a little expensive at $85 a person.

Au Za'atar in the East Village is an absolute standout! This place boasts a warm ambiance…read moreexceptional staff, and incredible food. Every single bite was delicious, and the portion sizes were nothing short of a feast. The tableside shawarma tower and mezze & dips spinner were clear winners! This all paired with an incredible bar and cocktail menu created a fantastic dining experience on every front. Whether you're going with a big group or a close friend, this place needs to be added to your list!

First of all I've been talking up Au Za'atar since my first visit, have sent many friends their way…read moreand have gone a few times since my first meal. My most recent visit this month changed all that. I went with my son because we were in town. As it was the first place we knew we wanted to eat, I made a reservation well in advance and we showed up on time. It was noisier than usual and pretty hectic. We ordered a few appetizers and meals and a drink. No one ever checked in on us or refilled our water. I flagged someone down for to go containers as we wanted to save room for dessert and a second drink. They brought the containers and then we proceeded to sit again with no one checking in. We had been there for approximately 40-45 minutes total and were still waiting on someone to come back with the dessert menu when the host came to our table and said "there's a party with a reservation who needs tho is table so could you please leave soon?" Never has this happened to me. How insulting. When I expressed confusion stating we hadn't even received a check so why would we leave, rather than offer a proper apology and/or a "can we get you anything else?" She just said "oh that's not what I was told." And then a server brought us a check. I asked him if 45 minutes was the usual amount of time they give customers with dinner reservations and he said "I'm not sure. We're just really busy and probably overbooked." Again, no offer to make it right. Initially I wasn't going to leave this review. I reached out directly to the restaurant via email to tell them about the humiliating experience of being asked to leave when we weren't even done. Instead of offering to make it right (anything would have been appreciated - a dessert on the house next time - just some token indicating they valued me as a customer) they just explained that there was confusion and that they've talked to their staff so it doesn't happen to anyone in the future. Both the experience and the response put a horrible taste in my mouth and sadly I will probably not be back.

This place is absolutely amazing. The second you walk in, the employees make you feel welcome…read more We started with the hummus and mixed dips with warm pita bread--absolutely delicious. You can tell immediately that everything is fresh. For the main course, we had a platter that came with steak, chicken, and lamb chops, and everything was cooked to perfection. The flavors and seasoning were top-tier. For dessert, we had the warm baklava, which was absolutely delicious with every bite. If you have kids, don't worry--they also have an appetizer that's similar to a mozzarella stick that was absolutely delicious. I just can't remember the name of it! They play all types of music, and even though the space is big, the personal and intimate connection with the employees is what really made the experience special. The manager, Joselyn, was incredibly warm and welcoming. Our waitress, Vivian, was on top of every single request. Bravo! I only wish I had been able to meet the chef because I would personally shake their hand. The food was truly amazing. This is definitely a place where you could throw a birthday party, have a professional dinner, or simply enjoy a beautiful night out with your wife. It has all the qualities of a great restaurant, and I feel like NYC is starting to lose sight of that kind of hospitality. Eating here honestly reminded me of my travels to Egypt. The hospitality was A1. BRAVO! And I can't forget the bartender--he definitely knows what he's doing!

Always on the hunt for a tasty kebab! Checked out Au Za'atar with some friends, and we shared the…read morespicy hummus, fattoush salad, and their mixed grill platter. The spicy hummus isn't spicy (unless you keep eating it repeatedly on its own, at which point there may be a very mild spice building up in the back of your throat but nothing crazy). Now it may not be very spicy, but it is damn well one of the best hummus I've had because it was so velvety smooth and perfectly pureed with that fragrant nuttiness (hence why I was devouring it on its own at a certain point). The mixed grill platter is a good plate to share because it has a variety of meats like chicken and ground beef - beautifully roasted and so juicy. Personally wish it could come with rice instead of fries, but that's just a preference. Fattoush salad really complemented the whole meal with its fresh greens and tangy acidity to balance the creaminess of the hummus and savoriness of the kebabs. With good service and a cozy rustic interior, I'd recommend Au Za'atar as a solid spot for Middle Eastern cuisine :)

This was a stunningly great meal! We had the Tabbouleh (best I've ever tasted), Hummus Beirute…read more(delicious), Balade Falafel (more below), and shared a Mixed Grill Platter (SO good and so much food!). We eat a lot of Mediterranean food but haven't had anything like the Balade Falafel before. Instead of the usual patties, the falafel was formed into cups and filled with tahini, pickles, and fresh herbs. Excellent balanced flavors and such a great presentation! The service was extremely friendly and attentive. Pleasant, quiet interior. Very good value for the money. Only wish we lived in NYC so we could revisit this wonderful place!

Had dinner at Balade yesterday after a really long time because Fattoush (across the street) was…read moreclosed for a private party. The food here has only gotten worse since my last review, and the prices are now 2X. Additionally portion sizes are smaller than ever. We had the loubieh, hummus beiruty, eggplant entree (I forget the exact name), and the grape leaves. It was all average at best, bordering terrible. The best thing was the rice and the pita bread. I definitely won't return.

Our party of 7 tried a number of mezze and platter dishes and there were plenty of vegan options…read morefor our vegan in the group to select from. Among everything we ordered included hummus and spicy hummus - both bowls were scraped clean, it was soooo good -- plus moussakaa, falafel, and cauliflower mezzes. Everything was delicious! I had the lemon sole, which could've done with a lot less salt, but the whole dish was delicious and I left nothing behind (except for some bones). Our dinner was made all the more memorable by our waiter who was funny/super nice! Knowing it was my birthday, once dinner was over, out came a birthday torch and accompanying baklawa w delicious cotton candy topping (on the house, which was a nice surprise). Two others celebrated their birthdays there while we were there, so it's quite popular for birthday celebrations. I look forward to returning some day soon, and I will recommend this restaurant to my friends.

3.5 stars, a beautiful dimly lit dining room and huge no less. There are a few steps walking up to…read morethe dining area. Great for groups of all sizes, reservations suggested but on this weekday visit, it was not too busy. We had a resy any way. Service was fair. Our waiter checked in with us once after we ordered and we had to beckon him twice - once for water refill and second for condiments/questions. What I didn't appreciate but understood, since we were two people dining, we got a corner table for two. It was not busy so we asked for the table next to us since we ordered plenty. They did not accommodate us saying they may need it for later. I did not think that was necessary since the place was not busy. This was 6pm on a Wednesday. And to boot, huge dining room - plenty of seating available. This was off putting as we said we ordered plenty. Our plates barely fit and they brought everything almost at once. Onto the food, I may not have ordered their popular dishes but nevertheless, nothing to rave about. Portions were shareable but it was just okay. There was not one stand out dish. I had higher expectations based on other reviews and photos but it was likely what we ordered. This was a vegetarian meal for me since I was dining with a vegetarian. - Moussakaa, this was a very tomato based sauce dish. Fried eggplant and chick peas combined had a nice texture. Mild flavors. - Arayess cheese - sorely disappointed. Very little flavor and I love my cheeses. It needed something to make it more appealing. It literally looked like cheese in a pita. And yes, by description it was. No condiments or side of anything to offset the plating. Visually flat. It could've used a sun dried tomato paste or some acidic side dipping sauce. - Yara Fries - shockingly simple, zaatar and spices. But they didn't put enough. It still looked like regular fries. And by the name, I expected more punch of flavor. It was not there. - Falafel - tricky dish if it's not cooked well. Simple again by name but the ingredients were just mild in flavor. Crunch was perfect. The chickpea, onions, cilantro and garlic was not pronounced. It was ok. Not memorable. - House wine, by the glass, decent and went well with what we ate. Would I return is the question... Likely not. The menu was so promising but nothing to bring me back.

I stopped here for a quick bite & enjoyed it very much- the chicken however was a bit dryer than I…read morewould've liked it to be but it was alright overall. The portion is more than adequate & it's any topping(s) that you want. I also wanted to give a shout out to Lara who is a really sweet employee & deserves all the best.

Fresh Mediterranean food. I opted for the chicken shawarma salad bowl…read more The salad consists of green lettuces and cabbage. I liked the plethora of toppings offered (sumac onions, jalapeños, cucumbers, tomatoes, banana peppers, feta olives and etc). The chicken shawarma was tender and I got a decent sized portion. The toum was garlicky and creamy. I really like the spicy green sauce! A pleasant deviation from C**a! I'll be back.

All I had heard about Hen House was their cozy, innovative dishes and was excited to go. They're…read moreknown for their falafel and other creative flavors and I went with the staple shawarma plate. It was served with lackluster presentation, standard ingredients, and lack of creative flair I was expecting and heard about. I wouldn't count Hen House out, but believe this was a one-off, standard, experience.

My friends and I arrived fairly early on Friday to dine in for brunch/lunch. We were greeted warmly…read moreby the cashier who told us to sit. The seating area is fairly small, which surprised me. We ordered the crispy garlic rice, the Piri Piri chicken sandwich, and the famous knefeh and chicken pancake. The server was so nice, she offered us a sample of the seasonal lemonade, which had rose water and turmeric. It did take a little bit of time for all the food to come out. We chit-chatted while we shared the garlic rice (a little crunchy, very mild) and the chicken sandwich. The PiriPiri sandwich came with a huge piece of fried chicken that was spiced and fried well. The chicken was juicy and not super dry. The little bit of pickled cabbage helped keep things from becoming too greasy. After a bit of wait, the pancake was served. It was such a fun experience with the crunchy kadayif noodles and the cheese hidden underneath a super fluffy pancake. The salty and cheesy flavors of the pancake went well with the rose maple syrup. The spice from the chicken added another note to the dish that made it such a great combo of flavor. I could not stop picking at this huge pancake. It's definitely meant to be eaten by at least two, if not three. If we had known, we probably wouldn't have ordered the other chicken sandwich. Overall the contrast in the chicken and knafeh pancake alone was enough to want me to visit again. The textural crunch, the melted pull of the cheese, the sweet syrup against salty and spicy flavors of the chicken. Not only was the whole presentation beautiful, but the dish itself tasted amazing. I would visit Hen House again for the experience.