The food is so so, more on the salty side. I think the place is overhyped and under delivered.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Lamb Chops, Semolina Cake
Teymour El Derini
Has all the buzz, but lacks in every department except being overpriced. Hummus is grainy, Kibbeh Nayeh has nothing to do with an actual Kibbeh, extra Pita is $4 that is unheard of. Lebanese food is eaten with bread and always given free, at sawa you pay for it and its not even authentic or good. The mudardra oh my $32 for a tiny portion of lentils that came with raw mushroom. The lamb chops were good but $48 for 4 small lamb chops is just ridiculous. You also feel rushed while eating your food because we where seated late by 20 mins not even an apology or anything. Was so excited that this place would be a spot I would go weekly to, not sure if I will ever go back.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 3
Coco L
The food was out of this world. Very fast service and attentive staff.
The restaurant is fairly small, so tables are close to each other and we overheard the conversation of other guests. It didn’t bother us too much but perhaps this is something to keep in mind if you come here for a business meeting.
Overall, very enjoyable dining experience.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Muhammara
Isabelle Ji
I thought the food was hit or miss and over priced. The beef hummus had an extremely gamey taste that was kind of like lamb (i do not like lamb). Also it only comes with one pita? For two people I think we should get at least two pita before we start paying for extras. Fish was good with the sauce, but some parts of it ended up being too fishy. Cauliflower was the best dish in terms of flavor, but it was very oily.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Aj Leap
This place knows flavor as everything was on point. Our favorite dish was the octopus but you honestly can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. Can’t wait to go back and try more given how great this first visit was
I heard all about the amazing food!!! Can't wait to come and visit.
Kate Jimenez
The food is good, but not exceptional. Wine options arent very nice, and the dessert was one note. The service is super slow (20 minutes between courses, not an exaggeration). The restaurant is also overly crowded (too many tables per area) even by New York standards - tons of space is taken up with the kitchen in the front and tables squished together in the back.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 3
Goldie
Really unimpressed. Overpriced for the quality. Dry chicken, meh service, I guess you pay for being in Park Slope?
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 3
Eric Sasson
While most of the dishes were excellent, the haloumi cheese rolls were mediocre, and the dessert- the pistachio mafroukeh -was actually pretty bad. The table next to me complained about it to the waitress, so I spoke up also when I heard them complaining. The woman said she was Lebanese and there was nothing Lebanese about the dessert--I'm Egyptian, and I agreed--the pastry had the texture of an Rx Bar. Our waitress told me she was going to take it of the bill. Then she came back and said she could not take it off the bill. I found this perplexing-- why say something and then take it back? It's kind of petty, and makes me not want to go back there, even though most of the food was great.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 3
jose Brunard
I really enjoyed my time at SAWA. My family and I loved the service, the food and the ambiance. If the weather permits, try the outdoor seating! I would recommend the lamb shank freekeh , the beiruti samka harra and definitely the hummus with meat. The cocktails were out of this world ! I can’t wait to come back.
The experience at Sawa was quite underwhelming, especially given the price point. The food lacked any standout flavors, starting with the hummus, which was overpowered by an excessive amount of balsamic vinegar. The cauliflower bites had a burnt taste, while the half chicken was simply average and lacked any real flavor. The kebab, too, was just okay, falling short of expectations. Even the halloumi sticks were bland and lacked the richness you’d hope for. Overall, it was a disappointing meal with no dishes that truly stood out.
P S
Service was excellent from the hostess to the busser. Attention was given to food allergies, food and wine recommendations were great. The hummus had just enough garlic zing but not too much to be overpowering. The lamb chops (medium) were amazing, a little too heavy handed with the finishing salt IMO. Wish the bed of sauteed scallions were not whole / they were difficult to eat with the utensils provided.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Lamb Chops, Pita Hummus and Labneh
David Johnson
So, while I may have some bias in this, there is too much to list for how special this place is: the owners, kitchen and servers elevate the entire experience.
Don't miss out on what will become a spot that'll be more and more difficult to attend, and jump in for the newly christened Brunch service.
Thank you, a thousand times over, to the owners and to Brayden for creating such a memorable meal for us!! The back patio was so charming and we were just thrilled the weather allowed us to enjoy all the atmosphere. Can't wait to get back!!
Dietary restrictions: Plenty here for those needing gluten-free/celiac-friendly options, too.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Batata Hara, Hummus with Beef Cheeks, Sambousik, Lamb Shank Freekeh and Kafta, Pita Hummus and Labneh, Tabbouleh
Maggie
Everything was divine with the octopus being a favorite!
The wine list is exceptional and our first dive into Lebanese wines. We tried the lightest of the white, red, and orange and all were refreshingly clean and earthy with nice minerality. Had to hunt the bottles to have at home!
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hummus with Beef Cheeks, Octopus, Kibbeh Nayeh
Andrew Kanouse
In the end, we enjoyed this meal and it was definitely worth trying but did we absolutely love it? I'm not sure we did.
We went for a later meal and the staff was super friendly and inviting, which was nice. The space is a BIT cramped and we happened to be between two large parties.
Started with the hummus and wagyu beef cheek. While the wagyu was bound to be good, I'm not sure if added much to the hummus. The hummus was fine (certainly not the best I've had) and the pita was actually a bit thinner than I would have liked. Got the rakakat, mostly because it's a fun word to say. This was like a fancy cheese stick. Overall good but nothing terribly special. Kibbeh nayeh was next, which I was on the fence about ordering (not a huge tartare fan) and was pleasantly surprised by this. Akhtabut was next and is a must. We were always going to love this dish and it really was the star of the night. Cooked perfectly and aesthetically a beautiful dish- I think all octopus should now be served with pearl couscous. We rounded out the meal with the lamb shank, which was also a really delightful dish with fall-off-the bone tenderness and plating that was very well executed.
The food is so so, more on the salty side. I think the place is overhyped and under delivered.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Lamb Chops, Semolina Cake
Has all the buzz, but lacks in every department except being overpriced. Hummus is grainy, Kibbeh Nayeh has nothing to do with an actual Kibbeh, extra Pita is $4 that is unheard of. Lebanese food is eaten with bread and always given free, at sawa you pay for it and its not even authentic or good. The mudardra oh my $32 for a tiny portion of lentils that came with raw mushroom. The lamb chops were good but $48 for 4 small lamb chops is just ridiculous. You also feel rushed while eating your food because we where seated late by 20 mins not even an apology or anything. Was so excited that this place would be a spot I would go weekly to, not sure if I will ever go back.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 3
The food was out of this world. Very fast service and attentive staff.
The restaurant is fairly small, so tables are close to each other and we overheard the conversation of other guests. It didn’t bother us too much but perhaps this is something to keep in mind if you come here for a business meeting.
Overall, very enjoyable dining experience.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Muhammara
I thought the food was hit or miss and over priced. The beef hummus had an extremely gamey taste that was kind of like lamb (i do not like lamb). Also it only comes with one pita? For two people I think we should get at least two pita before we start paying for extras. Fish was good with the sauce, but some parts of it ended up being too fishy. Cauliflower was the best dish in terms of flavor, but it was very oily.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
This place knows flavor as everything was on point. Our favorite dish was the octopus but you honestly can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. Can’t wait to go back and try more given how great this first visit was
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Cheese Rolls, Sambousik, Octopus, Semolina Cake
I heard all about the amazing food!!! Can't wait to come and visit.
The food is good, but not exceptional. Wine options arent very nice, and the dessert was one note. The service is super slow (20 minutes between courses, not an exaggeration). The restaurant is also overly crowded (too many tables per area) even by New York standards - tons of space is taken up with the kitchen in the front and tables squished together in the back.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 3
Really unimpressed. Overpriced for the quality. Dry chicken, meh service, I guess you pay for being in Park Slope?
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 3
While most of the dishes were excellent, the haloumi cheese rolls were mediocre, and the dessert- the pistachio mafroukeh -was actually pretty bad. The table next to me complained about it to the waitress, so I spoke up also when I heard them complaining. The woman said she was Lebanese and there was nothing Lebanese about the dessert--I'm Egyptian, and I agreed--the pastry had the texture of an Rx Bar. Our waitress told me she was going to take it of the bill. Then she came back and said she could not take it off the bill. I found this perplexing-- why say something and then take it back? It's kind of petty, and makes me not want to go back there, even though most of the food was great.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 3
I really enjoyed my time at SAWA. My family and I loved the service, the food and the ambiance. If the weather permits, try the outdoor seating! I would recommend the lamb shank freekeh , the beiruti samka harra and definitely the hummus with meat. The cocktails were out of this world ! I can’t wait to come back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
The experience at Sawa was quite underwhelming, especially given the price point. The food lacked any standout flavors, starting with the hummus, which was overpowered by an excessive amount of balsamic vinegar. The cauliflower bites had a burnt taste, while the half chicken was simply average and lacked any real flavor. The kebab, too, was just okay, falling short of expectations. Even the halloumi sticks were bland and lacked the richness you’d hope for. Overall, it was a disappointing meal with no dishes that truly stood out.
Service was excellent from the hostess to the busser. Attention was given to food allergies, food and wine recommendations were great. The hummus had just enough garlic zing but not too much to be overpowering. The lamb chops (medium) were amazing, a little too heavy handed with the finishing salt IMO. Wish the bed of sauteed scallions were not whole / they were difficult to eat with the utensils provided.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Lamb Chops, Pita Hummus and Labneh
So, while I may have some bias in this, there is too much to list for how special this place is: the owners, kitchen and servers elevate the entire experience.
Don't miss out on what will become a spot that'll be more and more difficult to attend, and jump in for the newly christened Brunch service.
Thank you, a thousand times over, to the owners and to Brayden for creating such a memorable meal for us!! The back patio was so charming and we were just thrilled the weather allowed us to enjoy all the atmosphere. Can't wait to get back!!
Dietary restrictions: Plenty here for those needing gluten-free/celiac-friendly options, too.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Batata Hara, Hummus with Beef Cheeks, Sambousik, Lamb Shank Freekeh and Kafta, Pita Hummus and Labneh, Tabbouleh
Everything was divine with the octopus being a favorite!
The wine list is exceptional and our first dive into Lebanese wines. We tried the lightest of the white, red, and orange and all were refreshingly clean and earthy with nice minerality. Had to hunt the bottles to have at home!
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hummus with Beef Cheeks, Octopus, Kibbeh Nayeh
In the end, we enjoyed this meal and it was definitely worth trying but did we absolutely love it? I'm not sure we did.
We went for a later meal and the staff was super friendly and inviting, which was nice. The space is a BIT cramped and we happened to be between two large parties.
Started with the hummus and wagyu beef cheek. While the wagyu was bound to be good, I'm not sure if added much to the hummus. The hummus was fine (certainly not the best I've had) and the pita was actually a bit thinner than I would have liked. Got the rakakat, mostly because it's a fun word to say. This was like a fancy cheese stick. Overall good but nothing terribly special. Kibbeh nayeh was next, which I was on the fence about ordering (not a huge tartare fan) and was pleasantly surprised by this. Akhtabut was next and is a must. We were always going to love this dish and it really was the star of the night. Cooked perfectly and aesthetically a beautiful dish- I think all octopus should now be served with pearl couscous. We rounded out the meal with the lamb shank, which was also a really delightful dish with fall-off-the bone tenderness and plating that was very well executed.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Octopus, Kibbeh Nayeh
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