Yemen Cafe is one of those spots you keep coming back to. The food is consistently packed with flavor, the portions are generous, and the overall experience just feels comforting every time. If it is your first visit, the beef fahsa and lamb haneeth are the way to go. Both are rich, satisfying, and showcase what the menu does best. One thing I really appreciated was being able to self-serve tea throughout the meal. It is a small touch, but it adds to the experience and makes the whole visit feel more welcoming. I would definitely come back. read more

Super fast service! Lots of sitting, turn over is very fast and quick! It was a cold night, we got a table right away without wait! But there are always customers come and go! We took our seats, we ordered. Lentil soup came right away. They did not stop refilling the warm pita. We didn't even need to ask! They just come! Very comfortable, causal setting! Would def come back for more! read more

The food's pretty undistinguished for Yemenese, with flavors mostly of salt, and average-quality meat. But they do offer kibdah liver, which is rare, they keep coming around to offer bottomless bread, and the portions are humungous. read more

TLDR: I haven't even eaten there but wow was it good. Definitely will be returning, the baba ghanoush and both the lamb leg/stews were insane. Had this delivery at a friend's place and wow - everything was so tasty. Each order comes with this huge toasty pita that's perfect to mop up the sauces and plates. The baba ghanoush was the first thing I tried and I loved the texture. Not overly whipped or too smokey. Kinda of like rice pudding without the grains, that's just how it felt as I dragged the pita through it. The fahsah was this incredibly tender lamb stew that was my favorite. It's got a decent kick to it and that rich deep flavor. The lamb leg was also delicious, the edges are crispy but the meat literally falls off the bone. The chicken curry was tasty too along with the grilled fish. I can see why this place is popular, definitely will visit one of their locations again in-person. read more

Yemen Cafe - Middle Eastern Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Yemen Cafe's reputation precedes itself with being the oldest Yemeni restaurant in the US. Located on Atlantic Avenue among a string of other Arabic establishments, Yemen Cafe is one of the OGs and arguably the most famous. The atmosphere is no frills (except for a random tropical fish tank), and is essentially a large dining area with wooden tables and chairs. Once seated, you're greeted with complimentary broth, lemons, and some spices. The broth itself is bold and flavorful with tastes of lentils. We came in with a mission for meat and rice, so ordered their signature lamb haneeth and a side of hummus. The lamb is slow roasted for 6 hours and is noticeably tender and falls off the bone. We ordered one to share, though if you're very hungry and with company I would recommend a second entree as well. The rice was served with an okra sauce that was also delicious. The side of hummus was a full heaping plate topped with olive oil and paprika that was served with a side of their extra large pita bread. It also came with a free side of house salad that was simple yet delicious with its oil and spices dressing that gave it a tangy kick. The service is a little chaotic, I wasn't exactly sure who my waiter was but it didn't affect our meal. When craving a casual and comforting meal, Yemen cafe is a good choice. read more

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After a year, I returned to Yemen Cafe with a singular objective in mind - lamb haneeth. This time, I ordered the lunch portion ($24.95). On a Thursday at 2pm, the establishment had less than 20% occupancy, so my party of 5 received seating immediately. Both the flatbread and accoutrements and the marag side soup remained unchanged. The salsa-looking dip tasted herbal, vegetal, and well spiced. The marag side soup, a lamb broth, proved delectable. Clarity of texture combined with richness of flavor, while never overwhelming the palate. The sharp, earthy aromatics helped with that, producing the sort of contrast reminiscent of say, rosemary and steak. The lamb haneeth came with a large fall-off-the-bone tender lamb shank. Aromatics had soaked deep into the flesh, so no bite seemed bland. The rice pilaf also had lamb drippings and more aromatics. The lunch portion seems literally half the size of the dinner one. I think I'd rather order the dinner one and arrive with a ravenous appetite. read more

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I had the "vegetarian dish," which was a variety of vegetables cooked in a tomato sauce. It was served with seasoned rice, lettuce salad, lentil soup, two flatbreads, and some spicy salsa. The portions were truly enormous. The soup was delicious - savory, spicy, and hearty. The vegetables were also nice, with a robust tomato sauce and good variety of squash, carrots, and others. The bread is fluffy and truly huge, probably each a good 10" in diameter. I found this plus the rice to be overkill for the meal, but I just saved the bread for another day. The salad was nice to lighten things up, and the spicy dip added a nice kick to some of each bite. read more

Good food with great portions Food: before we even ordered apps, we were delighted with bread, and soup! All of it was so delicious! For our mains we shared the haneethchicken and chicken saltah! The saltah was amazing! The haneeth was good but not amazing! I had a whole plate as leftovers! The portions are really great! They had tea on tap which was amazing Service: good! I like that they don't rush us, but it does take time to order and to get the check, so be wary! Ambiance: no frill kinda place! But it gets packed read more

Yemen Cafe - Chicken Saltah - Middle Eastern Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

This restaurant was on my list of places to go for quite a while and my best friend and I were finally able to visit on a Sunday afternoon around 5:30 PM. When we went the place had people, but thankfully there was no weight and the host was able to seat us quickly. We were pleasantly surprised at the full spread that was provided prior to us even ordering our dishes. The server brought soup, salad, pita bread, and water. We ordered two lamb dishes, pictured below, and both of them were simply amazing. The lamb was so tender for both dishes, and the stew was made to perfection. The food was so comforting. It made me start already planning future trips to return. The restaurant itself is very simple and is not recommended for people who can't climb steps or are in wheelchairs because there are a few steps that you have to climb up and they're pretty steep. The ambience was pretty lively and there was a family celebrating a birthday. The restaurant was nice enough to play happy birthday on their speaker system so that everybody could join in, which was really cool. read more

Yemen Cafe - Lamb Agada (Loubia) - Middle Eastern Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Ate here today after work as a paraprofessional at P.S. 12 Q and got my NYCPS ID as well. For the first time trying Yemeni food I had tried, brought, ordered and ate the lamb haneeth and it wasn't bad and it was pretty good but too gamey. The service there was also attentive and super fast. Finally, I would consider eating and coming back next time. read more

Yemen Cafe - Middle Eastern Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Its been a week since my first and last visit and OMG, Im still thinking about it and how good it was. I already want to go back and try everything else. Food: My mouth is watering just by remembering That Hummus with Lambs pieces. It was out of this world and if you combine that with the soup they give you. This combination could easily be the best combination in the city. The other dishes were tasty with rice well seasoned and soft meats; I will guarantee you a festive and delicious time. Service: The server was very patient and was able to provide the food in a timely manner. He was incredible when he mentioned that one dish would take around 20 min to be served! which is fine since we order appetizers and starters to enjoy. Atmosphere: Very Calm and plenty of seating with a nice little aquarium. I would recommend to RSVP during Peak hours as more people were coming in when we were leaving. Apparently This place is the first Yemeni restaurant in the country, so Im just saying that they make sure to keep a legacy going with a 5 for every visitor. read more

love this spot they give you free soup, salad, and tea. service is so nice. lamb was extremely tender, the chicken stew was above my expectation so crazy flavorful. they always come by to refill your bread before it's even half done. read more

Yemen Cafe - bread - Middle Eastern Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Came in around 7PM on a Wednesday and although the restaurant was pretty packed for dinner, was seated in less than 5 minutes. Service was great, with water, complimentary hot soup, salad, and bread being served almost immediately. You can refill water and get ginger hot tea with evaporated milk at a station in the back of the restaurant. The complimentary soup was hot and delicious dipped with the bread. The bread was huge, soft, and fluffy, although it was pretty salty. We ordered the lamb agada, which came out pretty quickly with rice. It was delicious, not spicy at all, and the lamb was extremely tender and falling off the bone. The portion was big enough for 3 people who weren't very hungry; would recommend getting maybe 2 dishes for 3 people since the portions are pretty alrge. Keep in mind there is a ~3% discount when paying with cash. read more

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Middle Eastern food is some of my fave for being so fresh, healthy, and offering a diversity of flavors via spices, quality meats, and vegetables. While I'm familiar with several of the cuisines in the region (namely Lebanese, Palestinian, and Moroccan cuisine), I believe this is my first time having Yemeni food, save for Yemeni coffee at shops like Qahwah House. Many of the flavors were familiar but I was excited to see many new-to-me dishes. We ordered a dish that's called "shak shookah (egg)" on their menu, and I fully expected shakshuka, or eggs in purgatory. I thought they'd be eggs swimming in a tomato sauce, but this dish was more like scrambled eggs with chopped up tomato. It was nice and light but I felt it could've used salt. I felt similarly about their foul (pronounced fool), which is kind of like a curried bean soup. I also thought this was light on salt for my palate but it's good for those who don't like their food as salty as I do. The charcoal grilled chicken was excellent, made nice and smoky and served with curried potatoes over rice. My favorite dish of the meal had to be the sliced Yemen bread with honey, butter and cream. Pretty basic of me to love this dish because what's not to love about bread, butter, and honey? The sesame seeds made it nutty and fantastic. The place was packed at 3pm on a Saturday with families enjoying a late lunch, so it took a while to get our food and the attention of our server. As we were in no rush this wasn't an issue and gave us more time to enjoy our feast. We never felt rushed out and enjoyed refills of their amazing coffee, served extremely hot. Lovely spot for a light meal. read more

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Soup, hot tea with milk and hot pita freshly baked in a brick oven. Count me in. Loved trying Yemeni food after a busy day exploring Manhattan and Staten Island. Took the MTA to Brooklyn. Watched the sunset from Brooklyn Bridge Park and then walked to the Yemen Cafe and Restaurant. No trouble finding a table for three on a Friday night. Hot tea and cold water are self-service. Menus are brought out followed by small bowls of steamy hot marag (soup), salad with a hot sauce dressing and pita. The homemade lamb broth with minced onions and mixed Yemeni spices is so warm and homey. The hot tea is so sweet and comforting. Started with hummus and foul as we waited for the entrees. The foul was addictively delicious....and I am not a fan of foul. Sauteed onions, tomatoes, and mashed fava beans. So good with the pita bread!! The lamb haneeth is their most popular dish for a reason. The slow-roasted lamb is seasoned to perfection. No knife needed to cut as the lamb is so tender that it just falls off the bone. Our daughter's mixed vegetable stew served over a bed of rice was also flavorful. A very comfy place for a family dinner. Food was delicious with lots of leftovers to go. Service for us was on point. Appreciated how our waiter kept refilling our bread and answered all of our questions about the Yemeni specials. Would definitely come again for dinner with family or friends. read more

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Easily top 5 restaurants I've been to in NYC. The service is phenomenal, they're super attentive and the hospitality is as if you were to walk into your best friend's family dining room. Food is just unreal, highly HIGHLY recommend. read more

Don't overlook this spot in Downtown Brooklyn! They have an AMAZING meat broth soup that comes complimentary with the meal. I enjoyed it so much I paid for a second cup. I feel like this soup could heal any ailment and truly get so happy just thinking about it! We were a group of five that walked in for a late lunch on a Saturday, where there was plenty of seating available. We ordered the chicken and lamb specials with rice, which were divine. The meat was succulent and cooked such that it was fall-off-the-bone and super flavorful and delicious. It was comforting and the portions were pretty huge and shareable. The service was friendly and could accommodate large groups. It was a bit expensive for the specials, but they were large enough to be shared by two people so not as bad. I will definitely be back here again to explore more items on the menu! read more

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Little mom and pop place, seems to be family owned. Food is super authentic and delicious. Highly recommend the Lamb Haneeth read more

Yemen Cafe - Lamb Haneeth - Middle Eastern Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Let's be clear this place is 5 stars. The lamb melts in your mouth. The Yemen style bread is phenomenal. They give you some kind of delicious soup and bread and tea right off the bat. The hummus and baba ghanoush were really delicious. Service is good, place is always busy and bustling with diners. read more

This is one of my favorite restaurants in all of NYC. - Food: the complimentary soup is everything I could ever want. The bubbling fahsah with their bread is one of my favorite dishes I've ever eaten. - Service: Very kind people working!! - Ambiance: No frills spot, you come for the food and you will 10000% enjoy the food read more

Yemen Cafe - Fahsah Massloug Lamb - Middle Eastern Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Good Arabic food I visited this restaurant more times in Brooklyn that's great I think anyone visit there will enjoy with a good foods read more

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Not sure what happened to my original review. But I will gladly leave a second one. This place has some of the most delicious Yemeni food in the city. And I like this location simply because it's centrally located on Atlantic Avenue. The staff is incredibly friendly. The food is like a warm hug, but the lamb soup..... it's everything and more. I usually get grilled dishes (chicken and/or lamb) here as the flavors mesh well with the fragrant rice, and stewed root veggies. The food here also reheats well the next day. Make sure to get yourself a cup of tea from the self-serve station and enjoy the wonderful atmosphere. read more

What's there not to love about this place? The ambiance 10/10 The service 10/10 The food 20/10!!! The complimentary starter soup is literally the STAR of the show. I would inject it in my bloodstream if i could!! It was served with salad and bread and it makes for the perfect appetizer. We also ordered baba ghanoush and best believe it was all done 10 mins after it was set on the table. For mains we had Chicken Kabsa and Charcoal Grilled Chicken(without the gravy). Tbh the charcoal grilled chicken is the CLOSEST thing you can get to an authentic Pakistani Chicken Tikka but even if you dont taste/see that its an AMAZING dish!!! read more

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Yemen Cafe is one of those dining experiences that help set New York apart as a true cultural melting pot. The average American may not know Yemen from a lemon but the country is rich in beautiful architecture, nature, and historical significance and it's emigrants are a quintessential stitch in New York City's tapestry; if you've ever gotten a baconeggandcheeseononaroll in any of the 5 boroughs then chances are the Ock who made it hails from Yemen. The ambiance here is nonexistent but this isn't a white table cloth spot. The tabletops are sticky, the chairs need some TLC, but whatever food you order and consume, you will probably love. Meat is obviously the star of the show but the soup and salad are nice to get in some texture and color. Lamb is probably your best move and Haneeth is fall off the bone tender and delicious. Generous in size, filling, and flavorful it's a dish that won't disappoint and a must on the first visit. I love their vegetable dishes as well and find they complement the hearty carnivorous meal perfectly. An NYC gem worthy of patronage for generations! read more

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We drove all the way to Brooklyn after I picked my wife from the airport(LGA) to get lunch at the famous Yemen Cafe. However, I believe the place did not live up to its hype. The ambience to start with was below average, as they did not clean up their tables quickly and the place can get to stink a little. For food, we ordered lamb Fassa and chicken haneeth. I absolutely loved the Fassa and I quickly managed to finish my portion. My wife got the haneeth and absolutely hated it. The food looked stale and awful. I'll probably give this place another chance in the future. I'd say my standards are always high for this cuisine as I've been to a few Yemen restaurants in the Dearborn area. read more

Yemen Cafe - Lamb Fasah - Middle Eastern Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Wholesome food but I will be honest in stating that I do not know enough about middle eastern food to give this a real critique. I did love the atmosphere and the fragrant tea was good. read more

The consistency here proves their commitment to quality. This spot knows how to create ambiance. Employees display exceptional courtesy and warmth too. The cost structure reflects the quality standards. I fully intend to return, perhaps regularly. read more

It was my first time trying yemeni food but I had heard great things about this restaurant. We ordered the baba ghanoush to start and it came out with their complimentary bread, soup, and a salad which we were pleasantly surprised by. The food was good and the portions are huge - I recommend sharing as we left stuffed read more

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Amazing food, service was fast and the people are kind and friendly, there were alot of seats available if you want to have a big party and all in all great experience! I think it was worth it for the price because of the giant bread, Salad and Soup they gave us that came with the Lamb Haneeth meal. Ambiance is casual and warm. read more

Yemen Cafe - Lamb Haneeth - Middle Eastern Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

The food. Let's start with the delicious lamb broth the hits the spot. Accompanied with the warm out of the oven flat bread - I was left speechless. We ordered the mixed grill with rice. Simplicity cooked to perfection. Delicious.... the 30 minute wait was worth it. In addition, they were extremely busy but their was on point. read more

Great food....huge portions....reasonable prices...very casual and laid back spot where you can have a hearty meal at the end of a long day...... read more

So good I couldn't stop eating! The dishes introduced unknown ingredients of high standard. I found this inviting place through a Yelp query. The workers provide outstanding attention to requests. The existing feedback properly describes this spot. read more

This unseeming restaurant has truly authentic Yemen/middle eastern cuisine and the food is incredible. It starts with traditional sweet tea which is complimentary help yourself too and then soup. While I'm a vegetarian I still have gone here half a dozen times and bring people who are not and equally think the food is spot on. You'll usually see locals as well eating here which is a good sign The food comes out relatively fast and the pricing is very reasonable. While it is a no frills restaurant and is not fancy it is certainly comfortable and always enjoyed my time here Everytime Ive gone. read more

Our dining here resulted in happy memories. The food items I've had show good flavor. Main dishes have appropriate prices, though additions make it expensive. The team combines assistance with genuine warmth. Yemen Cafe & Restaurant left me with a desire to return. read more

When people ask me for restaurant recommendations in NYC, this place always tops the list. I can't emphasize enough how good this place is. To start, I've never had to wait for a table, even on a busy Friday night at 7pm. As soon as you sit down, you're immediately provided with a salad, lamb broth, and bread as starters, and the Yemeni tea is self-serve. You can tell the bread is fresh from the oven, as it's hot and steaming, and the lamb broth was masterfully cooked, filled with flavor. If you finish the bread, they'll come by with more. So by the time you put in your main order, your table is literally already filled with food! And the mains come so fast, like within 10 minutes max. My friend and I got the lamb fahsah and chicken haneeth to share. * lamb fahsah - SO GOOD! lamb was tender, the soup was bubbling. 10/10 * chicken haneeth - also very good! i find that the quality ranges from night to night, from all right to meat-is-falling-off-the-bone amazing. 8/10 For the price (~$25pp tax / tip incl), the portions are sizable with the starters. I almost always have leftovers for the next day. Service is all right, but can be a little slow (not the food, but specifically finding someone to get the bill). I usually don't mind though, as it can be nice to hang out for a bit after the meal and sip on more cups of free tea. read more

Yemen Cafe - chicken haneeth; lamb fahsah - Middle Eastern Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Tread lightly before coming here. This is not for those with a soft pallet. The food comes on strong and will hit you in ten thousand ways before, during, and after consumption of this delicious food. Unless you know what you are doing, consult the friendly staff to ensure you are eating this cuisine correctly. Improper eating of this delicious food could cause incessant belching, mood swings, a weird craving for more water, death of a feeling, and a dry feeling in the back of your throat. Please partake with generous caution the tandoor flatbread as too much of this product will cause increase in waistline. Use all available spices at your table liberally to ensure the best flavor possible. Get any of their lamb dishes and get as much as rice, vegetable, and sauce on it as possible for a out of this continent tasting experience. Do not operate heavy machinery after consumption. Before coming here, please ask your doctor if Yemen Cafe is right for you. read more

Yemen Cafe - Middle Eastern Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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This is the spot if you're in the mood for authentic Yemeni food. They give you a complimentary salad, lamb broth soup, and bread with each meal. Portions are also huge and definitely a place where you can order a few things to share. The lamb dishes and appetizers are usually my go to. The lamb is super tender and falls off the bone. The chicken dishes are pretty good as well. There is also complimentary self-serve tea you can have. You can spend hours here and no one will bother you. Really chill spot in the area. This is definitely a must in the area! read more

Yemen Cafe - Middle Eastern Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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There's an old saying: Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. This means I won't be returning as I learned my lesson from my first and last time experience here. One star for the very delicious rice, but as far as everything else, it was downhill all the way. I just don't share the majority of stellar reviews from other Yelpers here. I've been wanting to try this place for a long time although I wasn't entirely certain how pristine their kitchen practices were. Ignoring this sentiment, we decided to dine here. It was a specific choice since I craved roast chicken, Middle Eastern style. We sat outside in the curbside dining area. Upon sitting, two complimentary bowls of lamb soup were brought to the table, but it was sent back since we don't eat red meat. Moving along, a warm pita and two salads were brought to the table after placing our order for the Roast Chicken with a side of long grain Basmati Rice. And 2 diet Pepsi drinks. Communication with regards to getting a straight answer about certain dishes was a struggle and a headache. Rather than say the chicken was grilled, the waiter described it as burned. Okay, fair enough. We got the point but it was the service that left us with a sour taste. In less than 10 minutes, the chicken was brought to the table confirming it was cooked in advance. I thought things were going well since the rice was delicious and aromatic. But the chicken was bland with no spices or distinct flavors. Once I got to the breast, I was choking on it since it was clearly overcooked and lying around for who knows how long. Remember the Diet Pepsi? Never arrived. In fact, no one ever came by to refill the water glasses. This meant eating overcooked chicken without anything to drink. Unacceptable. I couldn't finish the rest. We just wanted to leave already since we were ignored throughout the meal. When the check was brought over, there was another extensive wait since we wanted to pay by card. Completely fed up, we scraped together the cash for the total amount including tip (mistake number 2 since they didn't deserve any) and went inside to drop it off. When we mentioned the service was poor, the reaction was unfriendly and unapologetic. BTW , the indoor dining area appeared chaotic. Never again. read more

Yemen Cafe - Middle Eastern Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

The food is tasty, and the service is attentive. Love to come back. The self serve Tea is so good we have to come back for a few times read more

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Portion size was still substantial since the last time I came. Lamb was very tender and rice was fragrant. Bread was crisp and went well with baba ganoush. read more

Yemen Cafe - Middle Eastern Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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