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    Sawa

    4.4 (52 reviews)
    Open 5:00 pm - 10:00 PM
    Updated 1 month ago

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    Crispy potatoes with garlic sauce
    Marianne F.

    Delicious - my faves were the hummus with beef cheeks, the snap peas with labne, lamb pies, octopus, and the crispy potato. Gem salad was ok but not the star. Would love to try the other dips. Friendly service. Not crazily expensive.

    Dips
    Mel J.

    Sawa has two inside seating spaces but we sat outside in the garden on a large table. The ambiance was lovely on a summer evening - sitting under the string fairy lights as the sky darkened. The food was delicious. We devoured 3 of the dips between six of us (my favorite was the baba gannouj) which come with warm fresh pita. We ordered extra pita for one each but I don't think it was necessary as they are large. The tabouleh was nice and refreshing. The heirloom tomatoes were also tasty and served with a chili oil and garlic toum. We enjoyed a few lamb dishes and all the lamb is from Australia so it tastes nice and not gamey. Lamb ribs and skewers were very good. The whole fish was also super nice, no bones and well cooked. The osmaliyeh was my favorite dessert. Service was a bit slow and weirdly timed with some odd breaks between, but a little bit pricey.

    baba ghannouj and warm pita
    Nik H.

    I took my daughter to dinner here. She picked it. It was an excellent experience. The interior space is designed well and offers the customers a decent amount of space. The space could benefit from some sound deadening as it was a little loud, but in all fairness, it was a FULL house. Our server greeted us with a big smile, and he made some excellent suggestions with respect to food and drink. We had some great cocktails and approximately 2-3 dishes each. I love the tapas format as it allows us to share. We tried the baba ghannouj, tabbouleh, rakakat, freekeh, pita, and sambousek. EVERYTHING was excellent. The food was expertly prepared and presented. The value was quite good for the quality and portion size. I was very satisfied, and you will be too.

    Heirloom tomatoes
    Alexandra L.

    Came here for a dinner with some friends on a Sunday with a reservation. Their reservations get pretty filled up so definitely place one ahead of time! Our waitress was very informative and helpful and recommended some dishes. We got the hummus and labneh for dips with extra pita. Their apps rotate seasonally so what we got might not be available anymore, just to note. For apps, we got the heirloom tomatoes, fried potatoes, and lamb ribs. For entree, we got the fish in tomato stew and lamb kafta. The dips were great, definitely do not skip on these. You have to get at least 1-2 dips I'd say! The pita is soft and delicious and you can actually see the pita being made when you walk into the entrance. The heirloom tomatoes were delicious and it was the last day to get it as it's a seasonal summer dish. It was so fresh tasting and seasoned great, I loved it. The lamb ribs were very tender and fell off the bone. The potatoes disappointed me because they were fried so crispy that the inside was not fluffy and it took a bit of force to stick a fork through a piece. I like garlic but these were heavily seasoned with garlic and then served with garlic dip on the side, it was an overpowering overall. The entrees were good but honestly the apps and dips were the star of the dinner. For the price point, I expected the entrees to be bigger. Overall, I did feel full and satisfied by the end of dinner. Flavor was not lacking at all in any dish and as mentioned, the dips and apps were the stars so I'd recommend going and getting several of those and maybe skipping entrees and the potatoes unless you really enjoy a crispy potato and lots of garlic.

    Chocolate tart
    Josh S.

    We sat in the outdoor courtyard on a lovely summer evening and enjoyed a long and relaxed meal. The ambiance was great! For food, we tried 3 dips, 5 mezzes and 4 entrees for a group of 5. Honestly we could have done with 2 less entrees or maybe 1 less entrees and 1 less Mezze - we were very full by the end. But we did squeeze in 2 desserts too. All the food was very solid. The lamb is from Australia and was great in the ribs, chops and sirloin formats. Service was very friendly, although the courses were pretty spaced out so it took a while. Overall the meal was very solid but the price felt a little bit high at the end so not the absolute best value.

    Brussels Sprouts
    Wenn S.

    Super attentive service Delicious bites of food Love the cozy home atmosphere A great date night out for sure If you are dining with a friend make sure you order 4-5 things to share

    This was their ice cream desert with Tree Sap syrup and Turkish cotton candy, pistachios, and flower petals. Insane
    Cassandra B.

    Where to even start! Top 5 dining experiences I've had in the world. Service and food. I basically ordered everything because I like trying a bunch dishes. I recommend yall try every single dish we got! Tabbouleh salad (a MUST), hummus, baba ghannouj, labneh, muhammara, Chicory Salad, Caraflex salad, Halloumi Cheese, The Batata hara crispy potato, lamb ribs, kafta, Shish Taouk, and always extra pita! It's made fresh in the front of the restaurant Also our friend ordered the Jezzine Dream cocktail and loved it.

    Tart beer! I liked this!
    Anitha K.

    Really cute spot near Park slope! Would come back for the Batata (super crispy flavorful potatoes with toum), octopus dish and the kafta kebabs!!! We also tried the halloumi sticks and the hummus topped with wagyu - also really good. The wagyu has a slight touch of sweetness. Their drinks are super interesting as well. I tried the Jeelab - super refreshing and sweet drink with rose water dates, pine nuts, raises and pomegranate! I've never had anything like that before. The beer is also nice and tart! The only thing I didn't care for was the dessert mainly due to the flavor profile (lots of options with semolina, orange blossom and pistachio but if you are a fan of that then get it!) Service was excellent! Everyone was super friendly

    Kim X.

    I was able to get a table for two the same week of the reservation. The restaurant was on the smaller side with a very tight entrance which made it hard for multiple parties waiting to be seated. We got the muhumarrah dip which came with one warm pita. We paid an extra 4 dollars for an additional pita. I didn't really think much about it, but other reviewers did mention how ridiculous it was that they would charge 4 dollars for an additional pita. I guess I never really appreciated that Al Badawai serves unlimited warm pita. We split the chicory salad, octopus and lamb chops. Everything was done very nicely and well seasoned. The octopus was on a bed of heavenly green acidic sauce with couscous. The lamb chops came in four medium rare pieces on a bed of seasoned and cooked green onions and a spicy yogurt sauce with a kick. I would come back again if the reservation isn't hard to come by.

    Gin martini
    Spencer S.

    This was probably a top 3 new restaurant for me in 2024. Worth the hype and fighting for the res. The restaurant wasn't trying to get out over their skis on creativity - they executed what they advertised very well. Have recommended to a number of people. FWIW - I am not a huge Mediterranean restaurant fanatic, but I loved this. Staff was very polite. Ambiance was great. Low yellow lighting. Great for a date spot. We came here with a small group and ordered the following: Hummus Baba ghannouj Labneh - insanely good Muhammara Tabbouleh - so much flavor. Must get Kibbeh- must get Batata hara Lamb shank - my favorite. So tender Beiruti samka harra - amazing sauce Kafta Kastaletta Would definitely come back here. Very pleased with it.

    Samke nayeh (hamachi)
    Lily F.

    DELICIOUS spot for dinner! Try this spot if you enjoy Lebanese food :) We went as a group of four and thoroughly enjoyed the meal. We opted to split several dips and mezze and skip on the mains, and it was a perfect amount of food. One of the stand outs was the tomato dish with toum. So flavorful! The back patio is beautiful, and a great place to enjoy a meal if the weather is nice. The service was alright. We ended up getting a different dip than we ordered, but this was fine as they were all delicious! It was a busy night when we went. This did not at all detract from the meal and experience. Overall, absolutely recommend this restaurant!

    Lamp chops and fish
    Julie C.

    make a reservation!!! you'll need it even on a weekday dinner. interior is super cute and i'd consider it fancy. service is attentive and overall vibe upscale. definitely pricey - dips are teeny and don't come with the pita ($6/each on the side). personally didn't find the taste worth these trade offs. the pita was good indeed and we could watch them make it fresh though. overall portion sizes were a bit dissatisfying and the taste wasn't interesting enough to make up for it.

    JiHae L.

    I'm hardly in this area, but when I am I have to check out the different restaurants. This time around my friend suggested this place. We made reservations, so it wasn't a problem dining here. The place itself is very minimalistic in their design. Anyways, we started off with drinks so I got the non-alcoholic one called toot toot (more on the sweeter side) and my friend got the ksara merwah which is a Lebanese wine. I tried it and it was a bit on the dry side for myself so I just ordered the mocktail. The hummus with beef cheeks + pine nuts were just alright. The sambousek which are deep fried meat pies were really good. Last but not least the akhtabut was my favorite dish with the Octopus that comes with Couscous. All in all, this is a great restaurant if you're in the mood for light food.

    Hummus with wagyu beef

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    1 month ago

    Outstanding food and service. One of the best meals I have had in Park slope. The backyard garden is beautiful.

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    Ask the Community - Sawa

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    Nabila’s - Side of potatoes and cucumber and tomato salad that came with the fish

    Nabila’s

    4.0(64 reviews)
    1.0 miCobble Hill

    Lovely neighborhood spot with some delicious fare…read more Came here on a Monday night with a friend and no reservations. Arriving at around 7:30pm most of the tables were full but we were still able to be seated. There's a front area and a back-- originally, they tried to seat us at an awkward 2 person right by the front door, but when we requested a different table, brought us to the back. We opted to share 3 dishes and it ended up being plenty with us boxing up more than half of the final dish to take home. The dishes were: - Mouhamara: Solid dip to start with and the pita that accompanied it was good as well. Any pita beyond 1 does cost extra. - Fattoush: This salad was so good! If you're craving some bright, leafy greens this is the dish. Would order again. - Yakhnet Sabanegh: It was really tasty but I would say portion-wise it felt a little smaller than I would have hoped for the price. I would be borderline on ordering it again-- it was yummy but also I feel like it could be fun to try something different. I also got a red wine to go along with my food and appreciated how the server let me try two different ones before deciding on my glass. I would definitely say that it's more busy earlier in the night as by the time we left at around 9 pm it has mostly cleared out. If you're in the neighborhood, this is definitely a spot worth checking out.

    Food here is excellent 10/10. Coming from a Lebanese background it's authentic and true to taste…read more It's rare to find a tasty kibbeh but Nabila's doesn't disappoint. The service was also great with really nice staff. It would be great if they put some more love into the decor and aesthetic. They also don't have a liquor license which seems be out of their control but hopefully they get one soon as proper cocktails would be a great complement to this delicious food.

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    Nabila’s
    Nabila’s - Batata Harra

    Batata Harra

    Nabila’s - Atayef Ashta ($4.50.) Excellent. Would recommend.

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    Atayef Ashta ($4.50.) Excellent. Would recommend.

    Huda - Green almonds

    Huda

    4.4(47 reviews)
    2.9 miWilliamsburg - North Side

    I met a friend here last night who I haven't seen in so long, we sat outside and enjoyed an amazing…read morebottle of red wine while we chatted. Every staff member we encountered was friendly, happy and welcoming. Our waitress was super friendly and knowledgeable about the menu and pointed out a few must have items. We had Fattoush Caesar salad which was so good with some pita followed by the scallops over couscous and the flavors were divine with the scallops cooked to perfection. My absolute favorite dish was the Shish Barak (Beef stuffed pasta) I couldn't get enough. 10/10 recommend and will be returning.

    Came here for my sister's graduation dinner and it did not disappoint! Literally everything was…read moregreat. We ordered nearly the whole menu, including the desserts. I have a lot of Pros so i'm gonna start with really the only con. Con: it was pretty loud in the main room. Food: the Dorade and lamb meatballs were both awesome, the Chicken and Saffron butter was great as well. If youre gettting the pita and mezze, get more pita than you'd expect. It's some of the beg pita our family had ever had. The hummus was great but the babaganoush was killlerrrrr. My family had a field day on the syrian cheese and hot honey. I loved the grape leaves and charred eggplant. For dessert, ordered the tiramisu, date sticky pudding, and the rhubarb tart. The date sticky pudding was kind of like a date brownie and the toffee topping was insane. It was so rich and potent. tiramisu was good, but we could have done another Tart. It was so vibrant and refreshing, it was the first to go and if we wouldn't have already been stuffed, we would have ordered another. Service was great, and very accommodating. I can't have sesame seeds, and they took it off of everything we ordered, no mistakes there and much appreciated!

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    Huda
    Huda - Macarona bil toum

    Macarona bil toum

    Huda

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    Mesiba - Bread

    Mesiba

    4.3(122 reviews)
    2.3 miWilliamsburg - South Side

    If you love Mediterranean food as much as I do, Mesiba is a must-visit!…read moreLove the atmosphere here - clean, calm, and beautiful. To drink, I loved started with the Strawberry Fields (think spritz!). Every item we tried was delicious: the Hummus, Falafel, Kreplach Dumplings, Roasted Carrots (some of the best I've had), Latkes (seasonal but should be year-round) and their unique take on Babaganoush, everything on the menu is worth trying. Their Frena bread is also incredible - so fluffy and fresh. I'd highly recommend!

    Gorgeous restaurant, but unfortunately the food is just ok. There's a ton of Mediterranean…read morerestaurants in the area that I would rather go to. I feel like the prices here are too expensive to justify the quality. My favorite thing was the babaganoush. Also, the service is not great. It feels like the staff haven't been trained properly. There were times that our waitress seemed lost and didn't know what she was doing. We had to ask other wait staff questions to get proper answers. Also, don't advertise a special menu on Opentable and give people the option to reserve the menu when you aren't offering it. Came here for latkes and caviar for NYE since it said it was on the menu when I reserved on Opentable. Got there and was told they only served it during Hannuka Hanukkah. Checked their IG and they were still posting they were serving it. Total let down.

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    Mesiba - Tableside hummus

    Tableside hummus

    Mesiba - Mesiba Ribeye

    Mesiba Ribeye

    Mesiba - Eli's Baba Ganoush 2.0

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    Eli's Baba Ganoush 2.0

    El Cedro - Lamb Kamounia Torta Ahogado ($16-) Braised in cumin, harissa, drowned in sauce, escabeche. Delicious mix of lamb/liver

    El Cedro

    4.1(29 reviews)
    1.1 miCobble Hill

    This place is such a gem in the neighborhood. Amazing food that blends Lebanese and Mexican…read moreheritages (some of the most delicious heritages around). Top that with super friendly service from the staff and you have a place that should have a line going around the block, but luckily doesn't. If I have to dock points, it's that I would love to have a beer with those yummy tacos :)

    El Cedro is a really interesting concept blending Mexican and Lebanese flavors, and I honestly…read moreappreciate how unique it feels compared to a lot of spots in Brooklyn right now. The ambiance was probably one of my favorite parts. It had cute decor with touches from both cultures that made the space feel warm and thoughtful without trying too hard. Food wise, it was a bit hit or miss for me. I ordered the watermelon salad and La Bandera (their mezze style sampler). The muhammara and labneh were definitely the standouts. Both were flavorful and paired really well with the warm pita they serve. The cilantro hummus was ok, but not greatest hummus. The chips were noticeably salty. The watermelon salad was okay, but the watermelon itself tasted a little old and could've been fresher/sweeter. One random thing I genuinely loved - they served really cold water, which sounds minor but was actually very appreciated. The staff was kind and attentive, although at times they hovered a bit too much, which made the experience slightly uncomfortable. Drinks are also pretty limited, mostly basic soft drinks and Jarritos, but many opportunities for cool fusion drinks with the blend of two cultures. Overall, I think the fusion concept is cool, especially if you like both cuisines, but some dishes felt stronger in idea than execution. TLDR: Cool Mexican-Lebanese fusion concept with a cute ambiance

    Photos
    El Cedro
    El Cedro - Lamb Kamounia Torta Ahogado ($16-) Braised in cumin, harissa, drowned in sauce, escabeche. Delicious mix of lamb/liver

    Lamb Kamounia Torta Ahogado ($16-) Braised in cumin, harissa, drowned in sauce, escabeche. Delicious mix of lamb/liver

    El Cedro

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    Sawa - lebanese - Updated May 2026

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