Came here in the morning with a good friend and ordered the mantu, lamb shank, and chicken kebab…read more The mantu were well spiced and served with a yoghurt sauce, and the lamb meat was so tender, it fell off the bone. Yet the unexpected star of the show was the chicken kebab!! It was so tender and marinated I still dream of it sometimes. The dishes came with some scrumptious rice filled with raisins and carrots, as well as a salad. Eating here reminded me that the expert in any field has mastered the basics. While the ingredients were so simple, they were cooked to perfection. And it was so enjoyable to eat this meal in a restaurant with decor that wasn't over the top, but felt like home. Service was great, but there is a mandatory 20% gratuity if you come here with a group.

My friend who is local to the neighborhood brought me here; I was immediately impressed with the…read moredecor and the spaciousness of the restaurant relative to how it looked outside. The food outshined its reputation and the service was great, very friendly staff with even a free milk pudding dessert! We got the traditional Uzbeki Qabili Pulao - THIS DISH my goodness, both my friend and I were thoroughly impressed by how the lamb was seasoned and cooked to perfection, we really enjoyed the rice with the carrots and raisins - even if you aren't a fan of those two items I would try the dish as it's meant to be prepared. For appetizers, we got the Sabzi which was a nice vegetarian option with spinach, as well as the small afghan salad (normal diced cucumbers and tomatoes), the mantu dumplings which were pretty good and the Afghan naan which is just a vehicle for eating the dips. I would 1000% come here again and bring a friend if I were in Astoria. It seems popular with both locals and larger groups of families; lots of the tables inside had kids. It appears to be BYOB though we stuck to sparkling water.

Awesome little spot! I've probably passed by this place countless times without realizing it was…read morethere, but today I finally decided to give it a try. I wasn't very familiar with Afghan cuisine or what to expect from a halal döner kebab restaurant, but my experience was excellent. One thing I really appreciated was the open kitchen concept. As soon as you walk in, the kitchen is right there on the side, allowing you to watch the food being prepared. Everything feels transparent and fresh. I ordered the chicken gyro, which was packed with flavor and incredibly juicy. I also tried the lamb tikka and beef kofta. Watching the cooks prepare the meat on the large skewers over the grill made the experience even better. The meal came with rice and a side salad, making for a satisfying and well-balanced plate. The food was fresh, flavorful, and clearly made with care. I'll definitely be coming back to explore more of the menu.

Found this place through Uber Eats and it's become a regular order for me -- three times and…read morecounting. The spicy jerk chicken platter is unreal. You get two tender thighs and a drumstick, all seasoned and spiced perfectly. The long grain rice is delicious, and the portions are genuinely massive for the price. The side salad and vegetables balance everything out nicely so the meal doesn't feel heavy. They include three sauces on the side, but honestly the chicken is flavorful enough on its own that I haven't really needed them. When I went in person to pick up my order, the place was really clean and well-kept, which I always appreciate. I also noticed they have desserts, so I'll definitely be trying those next time. I'd recommend ordering in person if you can -- you'll skip the extra Uber Eats fees and get the same great food for less. Hidden gem on Northern Blvd.

I ordered take out. It took 25 minutes, they said 15. No biggie, that happens. The real issues…read morewere the sides. The bread was incredibly stale.. looking at it further, it actually had a sticker with a sell by date, that was 2 days earlier! The salad was not seasoned, so basically unevenly cut tomatoes, and cucumbers for $9. The babaganoush was rancid! As in literally gone bad and inedible. The kabobs were actually great! The steak was over cooked for my taste. But others liked it. My favorite was the luyla, the ground beef, it was perfectly seasoned and cooked, juicy and large. The lamb ribs were very good. The liver was good, the napoleon was yummy... beef and fat layered together, not too fatty. The boneless chicken was juicy. So I guess, get the meat and nothing else. I was so disappointed which is why I only have them 1 star even though the meat deserves 4 stars.

came here for the skewers it was pretty good and comes with a quarter size of bread which is…read moretotally more than enough for two people. the service was good too even though it was super packed inside and cramed it was still wholesome and very family oriented. i wouldn't recommend the pilaf it was a bit gamey and greasy but i totally recommend the samosa type empanada beef thre

I've been going to Marani for years and had a lovely meal there last night. The evening started out…read morea little differently than expected, as our main course arrived before the appetizer, but the way the team handled it made all the difference. They were warm, attentive, and remade the dishes so my husband and I could enjoy everything in the proper order during a rare night out without the kids. I also received a very generous follow-up afterward, which made me feel that my loyalty and experience were genuinely appreciated. The kebabs are delicious, the food feels truly traditional, and the service will absolutely keep me coming back.

Happy to have tried something new but wasn't my thing. Expensive and I thought the food was…read moreunderwhelming. Marani sampler - 2/5 - 3 different phkali spreads (spinach, eggplant, and green bean). Bland. I like the spinach one the best. It would be nice if it came with bread or chips, but we got bread on the side and that was $5 extra. Lamb kebab - 2/5 - Tough texture. Expected it to be juicier? Khinkali - 3/5 - Thick shell. I always take note of broth inside of a soup dumpling. Wasn't super flavorful but decent.

There are not enough words to talk about this place. It was easily one of the most delicious place…read moreI've ever eaten at. I went during Ramadan with my partner to break my fast, and they were so accommodating. Tip: call them to make a quick reservation beforehand. Next, onto the food. We ordered the dumplings, lamb stew with naan, and their special noodles. Everything was absolutely mind blowing. The lamb was perfectly seasoned and fell right off the bone. The bread was soaked in flavor. The noodles are perfect for a cold night. The noodles are mixed in house and fresh, and you can definitely taste the difference in fresh noodles and store brought. Their service was impeccable. Our host was gracious and greeted us in Arabic as soon as we walked in. He took our order fairly quickly, and the food did not take that long to come out. Whenever he spoke, he had his hand over his heart and was so friendly. I cannot speak anything but praise about this place. It's amazing and I plan to go there soon again with my whole family. Everything was delicious and this restaurant could easily be one of the top 10 restaurants I've ever been to in my life.

Unfortunate there was no plov available at the time. However the manta were big and the jelly was…read morerefreshing.

Highly recommend this place! Delicious food, good service…read moreand plenty of seating places! A lot of food has Russian, Uzbek and Bukharian flavor. I'm definitely coming back here for more yummy meals

Not sure if there's been a change in ownership but the menu was updated and the service was much…read morefriendlier. We had the Israeli salad, bread, babaganush, and four skewers (not fatty lamb ribs, salmon, lalya, and chicken wings). We enjoyed everything except the lalya- never had it before. The music wasn't crazy loud so it was nice to sit and eat and chat.

Stumbled upon here and decided to give it a try. The decor is nice and clean and a good sized…read morespace. I ordered the royal mix grill to try some of their kebabs. It came with the beef kofta, chicken tikka, lamb chop, rice, salad, and pita. I also got an extra chicken kofta. It was too spicy for my taste. The beef and chicken kofta both tasted the same. Chicken tikka was ok. Rice was good, salad was a big soggy and pita could have been bigger considering this is meant to be shareable. Best part was the lamb chop. Wish it had one piece more. All in all it's ok.

Small, hole in the wall restaurant. Very very clean and…read morefriendly service. First off you'll have a little wait because it's being made fresh. Waited like 30 min. Got free fries as I waited for my food. What can I say, the food was exceptional and it tasted amazing. Definitely worth it. Inexpensive and tasty. The naga hot sauce isn't for the weak, so please be careful. Definitely try it out

Came for lunch on a Sunday and there was no wait for a table. You order at the counter then sit…read more Mixed feteer was incredible - so flaky and good and we had a ton of leftovers. I also liked the Fattoush salad, though it was very wet/vinegary so couldn't eat too much of it. Highly recommend for amazing feteer!

Even though we ordered delivery through DoorDash, Levant completely lived up to its stellar…read morereputation! We ordered the Mixed Fateer, and it was easily the highlight of the meal. It's kind of like a middle eastern quesadilla with cheese, vegetables, and meat but with a thinner bread layer that's crispy. The portion size of this was enormous--I'd honestly say it's enough for 5-6 people to share. Between the two of us, it stretched into 6-8 meals, and it reheated exceptionally well in the air fryer without losing its texture or flavor. We also ordered the beef shawarma platter and the chicken shawarma wrap (which was only around $13). I was pleasantly surprised by the chicken shawarma--it was flavorful, well-seasoned, and not overly dense or dry like shawarma can sometimes be. It ended up being one of the better wraps we've had! If you're debating whether this place travels well for delivery, I'd confidently say yes. The food maintained its quality remarkably well, which isn't always the case with Mediterranean food. That said, after this experience, I'm even more excited to visit the restaurant in person one day. One thing to keep in mind: the portions are generous and many of the dishes are quite hearty. If you're trying to eat lighter or are watching your calories, I'd recommend opting for one of their salads, like the fattoush, alongside your meal. Highly recommended whether you're ordering through DoorDash or dining in. We'll definitely be ordering again--and making a trip to Astoria to experience it fresh from the kitchen.