Last night was fun, I am glad I came out . As always the restaurant was packed but we didn't have to wait too long . Food was delicious, service was kinda slow but they were extremely busy too . Thank you all for your hard work . read more

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At first glance, the area might not raise your expectations--it's a bit on the shabby side--but don't let that fool you. This place turned out to be a very pleasant surprise. Parking is convenient, with spots available on both sides of the restaurant and across the street, which is always a plus in New Jersey. Once inside, the atmosphere completely shifts. The interior is warm, inviting, and thoughtfully designed, giving off an authentic and comfortable vibe. The staff were equally impressive--attentive, friendly, and genuinely welcoming. The food lived up to the experience. Everything we tried was flavorful and well-prepared, though I would say it leans toward the more expensive side. Paying 18% and then 2 % card fee seems a bit much on the top of that the courses were a bit pricey. That said, the quality is there. The fresh bread and olives served at the start were exactly what we needed--simple, delicious, and perfect after arriving hungry. Overall, a great find that rises well above its surroundings. Definitely worth a visit if you're in the area. read more

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This food was so good. The service was great too. Went there on an early Sunday afternoon and it was surprisingly busy. We ordered the Chicken Adana Wrap and the Avocado Salad with Chicken. They immediately brought a large Balloon Bread to the table with olive oil, served on a wood serving board. The bread was steaming warm and was freshly made. Our meals were then served and you can tell the food was fresh. The pita wrap was also freshly made. The hot sauce that. came with the chicken wrap was fantastic. I was told they make in -house. I wish I could but that on it's own. I would definitely go back! read more

Zara Forest Turkish Cousine - Turkish Near Me - Staten Island, New York

This is my go-to lunch place and I work close by. Food, service and ambiance are top notch. Quality of food is always tasty and fresh. Highly recommended. The manager and servers are very sociable and great! read more

Came here to have dinner with my parents. Made a last minute reservation and upon arriving at the restaurant, we were greeted by the friendly staff that lead us to our table. The restaurant is very spacious. Love the tall ceilings! They have 2 parking lots, a small one right in front of the restaurant and another one across the street. Parking should not be a problem. We ordered hummus, Zara salad, lamb gyro small, chicken adana kebab small and lamb shish large. I like that you can choose small or large portions! The zara salad has cabbage, walnuts pieces, apple slices, carrots, spinach. We love the hummus. The complementary bread was also so good with the hummus. Their rice is also good! Who knows fennel seeds tastes so good with rice! All the dishes came with salad, if we had known, we would not order another full sized salad but the salad was good so we didnt mind it. The chicken adana kebab tasted peppery, the lamb shish was good. The lamb gyro pieces were so good!! read more

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Have eaten here several times already in the past year & the food is always delicious. On weekends it gets fairly loud & crowded. There are special family-style platters that automatically come with the entire serving crew surrounding your table & singing to Turkish music! Overall I think the prices are high and you should be aware that they automatically add 18% gratuity on your bill but I will still continue to patronize them because the quality of the food and service are worth it for an occasional treat! read more

It has been a while since our last visit to this location and this visit was just as good. We were greeted warmly on seated right away. The decor seems nicer in the evening when there colorful lights are on. The service was fast and friendly, at least 3 different staff members came to check on us, shows team effort and good customer care. The food was good. Our appetizer was the garlic shrimp, I had the lamb gyro and husband had the chicken mixed grill. read more

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The food was delicious. iI had the big puff bread, mezze platter, eggplant and Turkish pizza. The flavors were a good combination of spices and tender especially the eggplant. Service and staff were nice and nice vibe. Bathrooms are clean. read more

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We went here for my sister's birthday. I have to say the service was very good, they were very nice to me and my family. They kept coming out with their complimentary yummy bread! I got the lamb shank, it was absolutely off the charts. I would have to say me and my family will definitely be coming back here. It was a pretty nice vibe inside as well. read more

Zara Forest Turkish Cousine - Lamb Shank (Incik) - Turkish Near Me - Staten Island, New York

I don't have much experience with Turkish food so I wanted to go somewhere nice where I could sit and really enjoy the food. Came here on a recommendation and went right before the dinner rush. The place was immaculately clean and modern. The menu wasn't hard to understand and we were able to get our order ready quickly. Started with the falafel which was fried fresh and worked well with their hummus. For my main I had the mixed grill which has every roasted meat that they offer. Each meat was grilled to perfection and flavorful. Nothing dry here. Nothing left on the plate that's how good it was! Finished the meal with some coffee and knefeh. The knefeh is always the best part of the meal. If you don't know what that is you need to try it! Service was great. Food was great. Be warned though, they do charge a mandatory 18% service charge. What they do with that is their choice but because of that they get no additional tip. read more

Zara Forest Turkish Cousine - Zara Mix Grill - Turkish Near Me - Staten Island, New York

This place never disappoints, it offers an array of authentic Turkish/ Mediterranean dishes, that so far have been delicious, and please always order the hummus with their brick oven bread. The service is friendly and attentive, the day I went during Ramadan and the place was packed the owner, kindly made room for my family and I. The place is spacious with beautiful decor. I'll see you there soon. read more

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We ordered the lamb chops, mixed grill, shepherd salad, and large knafa--everything was hot, delicious, and generously portioned. The knafa was perfect for a company of four. The ambiance is cool, and the staff is friendly. I highly recommend this spot--enjoy! Plus, they have parking!!! Note: Chicken cutlet parmesan was on the specials menu (we didn't try it, but good to know). read more

Zara Forest Turkish Cousine - Lamb Chops - Turkish Near Me - Staten Island, New York

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Total surprise and a wonderful one at that! Service was terrific and the food even bettter!! read more

Zara Forest Turkish Cousine - Greeted with this fluffy yumminess - Turkish Near Me - Staten Island, New York

Each time when I am too tired to cook-my husband orders for us from here. Their lentils soup is something else Highly recommend for these who tired of pizza and burgers. This tastes like real homemade food read more

I'm still so full from this meal and it's often hard to think about food when I'm full BUT I really enjoyed this place so much that I have to write this review ASAP. I am fairly new to Turkish cuisine. After this meal, I am definitely wanting more! The restaurant was quite busy for a Sunday night. Thankfully, we made reservations. Service was quick, helpful, and nice. The mixed appetizer platter was so good that my family and I started to get really full before the main courses. I got the mixed grill meat dish and it was served on a wooden board. It had a great mix of meats (chicken, beef, lamb) and I had quite a health serving of each meat. Definitely a good choice for anyone who cannot decide on all the great meat options they had available. read more

Zara Forest Turkish Cousine - Zara Mix Grill - Turkish Near Me - Staten Island, New York

Went there for the first time upon a friend's recommendation. The food was very tasty. That was not the problem. I really didn't care for the fact they charge an automatic 18% tip for any size party, as well as a 2% (or 3%) surcharge for credit and debit card usage. I'm no bad tipper by any means but I feel the waiter should work to earn that tip. Our waiter was lack luster, had to ask several times for things and him walking away as I'm still speaking. I had to request for water refills 4 times for them to finally bring it after paying for the check and only filling our glasses half way. Disappointing experience. read more

We ordered to share the mixed appetizer with all the dips for the Turkish bread they give you & the Zara mix meal to try all of the meats & I must say the food was absolutely delicious!! The service was friendly & helpful & the ambiance of this place was so welcoming. Definitely going to be frequenting this place again & again! read more

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Turkish cuisine that is unbeatable! You can't beat it when it comes to Zara. They even make their own fresh bread... no one in this world can resist freshly made pita bread. Then you dip that fresh warm bread into your tasty appetizers... heaven on earth! You'll want to try it all here. Even the Lahmacun is amazingggg! The dessert will make you feel guilty, but your mouth will not. The meats are freshly cooked and grilled to perfection. The menu is amazing and the food is top notch quality. Plus, you get a nice amount of food when ordering your options. I can go on and on... must try! FYI: Parking lot across the street also, but this place gets packed so come at off times if possible. read more

Wow!! What an incredibly solid place. I've been meaning to go here for a bit, though better late than never. Zara Forest has great decor, good vibe- the high ceilings give great setting. My friend and I opened with hummus and this piping hot bread and I was so sorry for it to be completely eaten I ordered the large chicken shish kabob and the chicken was seasoned well and juicy. The servers were very nice and attentive. I also think that this is just slightly better than the original Zara location (which is quite amazing as well!) read more

Zara Forest Turkish Cousine - Chicken Shish Kebab - Turkish Near Me - Staten Island, New York

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Food was OK. Service was extremely poor. Restaurant wasn't busy at all yet it still took over twenty minutes for waiter to take my order. Asked for diet soda with lemon and two cans of diet coke were just dumped on the table without even a glass. Food was average at best. Waiter never returned to ask how the food was or if we needed anything. When the check came there is an 18% auto gratuity for a party of two. Also additional credit card surcharge. On top of this there is a line for tip in case you' didn't notice the automatic gratuity. Walked away feeling like it was super scammy. Never to return. read more

Zara Forest Turkish Cousine - Turkish Near Me - Staten Island, New York

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This place is consistently fantastic. I've been there a bunch of times. The food is always excellent. I often get the family style menu when I'm there with a group because it's got everything you could want in it and it comes out flaming and the guys are all singing and it's a really fun event. Other times I've gotten specific other dishes that were all good. Mixed appetizer is especially excellent. The staff is always super attentive and friendly. Decor and ambience very nice as well. Definitely a great place for a date. Just make sure you make a reservation if it's a busy time like a Friday or Saturday. read more

TLDR; Came here for my birthday and boy am I glad! I picked to come here for my birthday dinner and from seating to dessert, Zara Forest was exceptional. Our server was truly on point with taking our orders, refilling bread and water, and even making jokes. To start, the various dips were really good and tasteful, but the star here was the BREAD! They brought out two types of breads and both were hands down some of the best bread around. Home run for sure. I got the Iskander Kebab and loved it! Kebab was tender and juicy, tomato sauce was savory and the yogurt gave the rich flavor. I came here for my birthday and definitely was not the only birthday boy. Multiple people were there for their birthday dinner and honestly I can see why. They shut down the lights and put a Turkish (assuming a birthday song) song and sing to you. Also, the dessert they brought out was really good. read more

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Very good BUT- Food quality when busy is terrible The spinach bread was SMALL and expensive... The dips - one large spoonful each... The mixed grill was burnt meat and scraps of what should've been chicken and beef A huge disappointment The high rating is because they are good people that usually have amazing food but- Lately... They need to slow down...NOT RUSH PEOPLE OOU BEFORE THEY ARE DONE EATING and we eat FAST...and give better product and service As a restaurant professional we get it- But You aren't Burger King read more

I recommend Zara on Arthur Kill Road the food is amazing and workers are too. I have been there several times and never disappointed

Very good Turkish food Mediterranean would say one of the better ones for someone who lives in Staten Island When you have places that you go to in Brooklyn, such as Istanbul or Anatoli, Gyro or Sahara this place is close in flavor and taste. read more

I celebrated my birthday here and I really loved this place!! 1. Food. Kitchen is doing a great job, babaganoush was very delicious, we also ordered kebabs with chicken and lamb we enjoyed them very much. Oh and bread if you really like fresh baked bread right out of the stove you will definetely like their food! 2. Service. All the waiters were really gentle and professional. In the beginning I mentioned I was celebrating my birthday so they do a little ceremony where they gather come up to your table and sing a Turkish song wishing you a happy birthday. That was very wholesome and I'm definetely gonna remember this . 3. Ambiance. I really liked the vibe inside the restaurant it was very authentical. They worked well on the atmosphere. So this restaurant is definetely worth paying a visit I really enjoyed my staying and I'm recommending it! read more

Just a really pleasant experience. The stuffed grape leaves were excellent. The lamb chops were great as well. The staff were all very polite and attentive. The dinning area is well lit and modern. I over ate a bit so did not get dessert but I will make sure I do next time read more

I went here for lunch and I was delighted to see breakfast, lunch and dinner choices not normally found in a Turkish restaurant! This is the upscale diner-style Turkish restaurant experience. The service was attentive and efficient. The dining area is very comfortable, and the prices are affordable too for the quality of the food. If I worked around here I would be coming regularly. And I love their complimentary fresh bread! And the meal came with a free dessert celebrating the end of Ramada! read more

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Absolutely amazing experience! Dishes were beautiful presented and full of flavor. I had the hummus, Ali Nazik and Dubai cheese cake with Turkish Tea for dessert. This place would be great for a birthday celebration. I witnessed a couple birthdays and it's quite a reduction. Staff is extremely attentive and warm. Highly recommend! read more

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I have frequented this establishment and keep coming back for the amazing food, incredible customer service, and beautiful ambience. The menu is authentic and quality of ingredients is superb. Please support this local establishment! See my photos read more

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I have been consistently ordering Zara forest Turkish for delivery almost once a week since I moved to the area about a year ago. The food is always consistent, hot and delicious. Yesterday, I decided to go in for dinner with two relatives. We got the ezme (comes with ballon bread, falafel plate, mixed grill, and Iskender kebab. I usually get ezme, lamacun and mixed grill, but my cousin wanted to try the falafel. It was all delicious as usual and the service was really good. Exceeded my expectations. Food was pretty well priced. I'm happy I was ordering from a really nice restaurant. I expect to come back soon. read more

Zara Forest Turkish Cousine - Mixed grill - Turkish Near Me - Staten Island, New York

Great takeout service they were very kind and attentive to my questions they even let me try something I was curious about which was so sweet. I ended up loving the grape leaves!! I want to come back to dine in to try some other options. It's a very beautiful place and great location! read more

Zara Forest Turkish Cousine - Turkish Near Me - Staten Island, New York

There are 2 Zara in Staten Island One in human and one in forest , this locations it's way more cool that the one in hylan , good food , good place for party special for birthdays read more

Zara Forest Turkish Cousine - Turkish bread - Turkish Near Me - Staten Island, New York

I drive past this place all time and each and every time it's always crowded. I decided that I wanted to try it out today but I didn't feel like going out so I did the next best thing. I ordered through Uber eats . I'm sooo glad I did! The food was absolutely delicious and the portions are HUGE!!! Next time I'll dine in to get the full experience. I think this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship. read more

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So i am on my tour of Staten Island restaurants. My daughter picked this one. Easy to get to. Right off the highway. The place is big. But it did get busy. So you might want to make a reservation. It was a warm day. And the AC didn't cool the place so great. It didn't ruin the evening. Just wish it was cooler. Lots of waiters. And they were all helpful. We shared the hummus. Which was ok. The bread was good. I got the lamb kofte. It was good. My daughter got chicken kebabs. They were juicy and delicious. My son in law got the mix grill. Which was insane. Prices were not insane. They add a tip. And charge extra to use a CC. Great food. Highly recommended read more

Zara Forest Turkish Cousine - Zara Mix Grill - Turkish Near Me - Staten Island, New York

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What an amazing experience. Decided to try Turkish cuisine for a birthday dinner on a Thursday evening 4pm ish . The staff were friendly and pleasant. We expressed this was our first time and our server was patient and very helpful in our decision upon ordering. The puffed pita bread and olives were so good. We ordered the hot pastrami humus as appetizer and it was delicious. The dishes were also very good. The happy birthday presentation from the staff was outstanding. Desert was a cake from their in house bakery, it was a chocolate, mouse banana cake with pistachios, OMG!!!! read more

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I've been wanting to try this place and finally decided to go for a late lunch. We were greeted once we walked in and seated. The place is open and spacious and I love the see thru windows and the natural light. The food was superb, tasty and flavorful. The service was on point and we never went without water or had to ask for it. Now the rice pudding was simply divine and a winner. Creamy and not overly sweet. The rice wasn't mushy and it was topped with enough cinnamon. I am definitely going back. read more

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First time there. Place is beautiful service impeccable, manager walked around checking on everyone. Staff was friendly. Food was delicious. We tried a lot of new Turkish delicacies. We started with the hummus, which was delicious. I had a lamb Gyro delicious. My husband had lamb chops. They put a bread on the table that was out of this world and we tried another dish that you had to roll. I forgot the name of it, but it was very good it was like a flatbread pizza, but it was with ground beef. It was a little spicy, then we had the baklava for dessert and my husband tried the Turkish coffee read more

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This is the first time we visited this wonderful Turkish restaurant in Staten Island, NY The place is clean, beautiful decorated, glass windows on three sides. There are plenty of servers and busboys that continuously check on everyone. The food is decently priced and big platters to share all around. The food is excellent; authentic Turkish cuisine! This place is a great place to try when you're in a mood for Mediterranean food. Give it a try There's parking spots in this busy place. read more

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Zara on Forest Avenue in Staten Island today is one of the best and beautiful Turkish restaurants in the whole New York city. They have amazing traditional food , bakery and Turkish tea. The atmosphere was very warm and inviting. The service was excellent and so very pleasant. Great and so tasty spices. We had a Caesar salad with lamb gyro which came with beautiful fresh pita bread and olive oil, Shepard salad with feta cheese, fried calamari and mix appetizer. Authentic food with plenty of choices. We tried 4 different dishes with different meals-Iskender Kebab , Salmon scaloppini , Branzini and Manti . They bringing am exceptional flavors using the freshest ingredients and the best cuts of meat prepared with the right combination of exotic spices cooked to perfection. read more

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