Al Badalwi was the most heartfelt dining experience I had during my short trip to New York. The atmosphere blends the comfort of home with the beauty of an artistic New York restaurant with the incorporation of murals and greenery. The service team works together to create a memorable experience for guests which is compounded by the quality of the food. I could tell the restaurant took pride in its services as it rightfully should. Despite how busy the restaurant became around 7:30PM, the food came quickly. The Baba Ghanoush and Salata bi Tahina ($13) were a great way to start the meal to warm up the palate and excite my taste buds for the main course. I enjoyed the texture of my Falafel Platter ($18) with all the dish elements complementing one another. The salad was acidic, sweet, and fresh with the restaurant’s specialty pomegranate molasses dressing. The falafel was spiced perfectly and had a great texture crunch. I’m not normally a sweets person but the dessert I had, mint tea and baklava, was very special. The crispy, flaky layers of the pastry with the rich pistachio and sweetness in the honey was textbook. The mint tea was otherworldly and ruined all other teas for me as none will compare to this quality. The tea was very bright, flavourful, and perfectly steeped, warming me to my core. I never knew something hot could be refreshing but their tea managed to do this. I will definitely come back when I get the chance to visit New York. Thank you Al Badalwi team!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Yasmine Fadil
I don't even know where to start this place was revolting. I'm actually disgusted. I thought I was treating my friend to something nice, and instead, I ended up embarrassed to even be imviting someone to Palestinian food. If I had known how bad this place was, i would ve sent him a car and had him meet me in Paterson, anywhere but here. The second I walked in, I knew this was going to be a disaster. Not a single Palestinian or Arab in sight not behind the counter, not even in the dining room. Red flag number one. And of course, no host at the door. We literally had to seat ourselves like we were at some fast-food joint. I ordered two well-known Arab dishes, and what was brought out was nothing short of humiliating. I was disgusted. It looked and tasted like something out of a microwave. My friend didn't know any better, but I did and honestly, it was a disgrace to even call that Palestinian food And the knafah? Whoever made that needs to be banned from ever stepping foot in a kitchen again. It was tragic. The only decent thing in that entire place was the water and even that felt like an effort. This restaurant is an embarrassment. Please, do not ever claim to represent Palestinian food again. You couldn't be further from it.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Elaine Ormonde-Hua
We sat outside on the heated sidewalk seating that is nicely done and abundant. Delicious food and giant portions (all 4 of us had leftovers that will make a whole lunch tomorrow). BYOB! Staff was great and attentive even when it got very busy at peak dinner time. Go and don’t forget to BYO.
Atmosphere- We sat outside; so it was nice to people watch and enjoy the weather. Decor inside and out was nice and themed with Palestinian motifs. Service- We went on a Saturday afternoon for lunch and it was slower to moderate busyness. Service was on the slower side for food and the waiters did not provide regular updates or refills. Food- Food was really good overall and cooked well. We got the salmon kebab and the mezze platter. The hummus was really grainy and nutty, but we enjoyed the rest of the dips, especially the tabbouleh and muhammara. The rice with the kebab was cooked well, but was on the plainer side in flavor. I think it would be good if they had a pick three mix and match dip option, because the mezze platter is a lot for two people.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 3
S.E Maghami
Food is good, nut was too hot inside without air conditioning
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 5
Service: 4
CA
this was my first time trying palestinian food and it was a good experience ! my bf and i got the ouzi lamb and the babaganoush! the lamb wasn’t what we expected, and personally for me, it tasted gamier than i expected but my bf loved the lamb when i loved the rice! the babaganoush was really good and i even brought some home for my family. overall, the staff were nice, the food was good and the vibes were cool!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Clara Moneir
Very cute spot. Kebeh was my fave of what we got. Lamb kabab was a bit tough I have to say. But the Mezze platter was great. My friends and I enjoyed it all. Very lovely staff, brought us baklawa at the end. I grew up eating that as a kid so I can confidently say it’s bloody delicious!!! Will return for sure. Would love to try more traditional Palestinian dishes next time. Isa. 💜🇵🇸
Subhi Bhuiyan
Had an incredible meal at Al Badawi — easily one of the best Palestinian restaurants I’ve tried. The Ouzi Lamb Shank was the highlight — the meat was meltingly tender and full of flavor. The Mezze Filistini hit all the right notes — an amazing appetizer platter if you want to sample a little bit of everything. I also tried the Mix Shawarma Flatbread, which was hearty and satisfying. Overall, a beautifully balanced and delicious meal — highly recommend!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
sp sk
love the atmosphere and food was great
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Rose
The food here is absolutely fantastic—homemade, fresh, and full of rich Middle Eastern flavors. I had one order that came late and with smaller portions than expected. When I contacted them, they didn’t just apologize, they remade the order for me. That level of care really impressed me—it shows they treat their customers like family and take pride in what they serve. Definitely a place I’ll keep coming back to.
I recently had a fantastic dining experience at Albadawi on the Upper East Side, and it's quickly become a must-try for anyone in the area looking for excellent Mediterranean cuisine. The food was truly the star of the show. We ordered the lamb chops and the kefta bi tahina, and both dishes were absolutely superb. The lamb chops were cooked perfectly—tender, flavorful, and seasoned beautifully. The kefta bi tahina was a standout; the savory meatballs combined with the rich, creamy tahini sauce made for a dish that was deeply satisfying and a true taste of the region. Beyond the incredible food, the ambiance at Albadawi was delightful. The atmosphere was warm, inviting, and contributed to a relaxed and enjoyable meal. It’s a great spot for a date night or a nice dinner out with friends. Equally commendable was the service, which was attentive, efficient, and genuinely good throughout our meal. In short, Albadawi delivers a top-notch dining experience with amazing food, a lovely setting, and solid service. I highly recommend checking it out!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Blasphemous Leafeon
tenderest chicken i’ve ever had + Palestinian
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Ingrid Baitar
Everything was extremely good, and our server was very nice and attentive.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Michelle David
An amazing restaurant - had a dinner for two people with a lot of left overs for $70!!! Also BYOB
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Emily Nguyen
incredible food - absolutely stunning mezze platter, i definitely would recommend !! + our server danielle was so accommodating & friendly - she even gave us the most delicious baklavah @ the end :-)
Al Badalwi was the most heartfelt dining experience I had during my short trip to New York. The atmosphere blends the comfort of home with the beauty of an artistic New York restaurant with the incorporation of murals and greenery. The service team works together to create a memorable experience for guests which is compounded by the quality of the food. I could tell the restaurant took pride in its services as it rightfully should.
Despite how busy the restaurant became around 7:30PM, the food came quickly. The Baba Ghanoush and Salata bi Tahina ($13) were a great way to start the meal to warm up the palate and excite my taste buds for the main course. I enjoyed the texture of my Falafel Platter ($18) with all the dish elements complementing one another. The salad was acidic, sweet, and fresh with the restaurant’s specialty pomegranate molasses dressing. The falafel was spiced perfectly and had a great texture crunch.
I’m not normally a sweets person but the dessert I had, mint tea and baklava, was very special. The crispy, flaky layers of the pastry with the rich pistachio and sweetness in the honey was textbook. The mint tea was otherworldly and ruined all other teas for me as none will compare to this quality. The tea was very bright, flavourful, and perfectly steeped, warming me to my core. I never knew something hot could be refreshing but their tea managed to do this.
I will definitely come back when I get the chance to visit New York. Thank you Al Badalwi team!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I don't even know where to start this place was revolting. I'm actually disgusted. I thought I was treating my friend to something nice, and instead, I ended up embarrassed to even be imviting someone to Palestinian food. If I had known how bad this place was, i would ve sent him a car and had him meet me in Paterson, anywhere but here.
The second I walked in, I knew this was going to be a disaster. Not a single Palestinian or Arab in sight not behind the counter, not even in the dining room. Red flag number one. And of course, no host at the door. We literally had to seat ourselves like we were at some fast-food joint.
I ordered two well-known Arab dishes, and what was brought out was nothing short of humiliating. I was disgusted. It looked and tasted like something out of a microwave. My friend didn't know any better, but I did and honestly, it was a disgrace to even call that Palestinian food
And the knafah? Whoever made that needs to be banned from ever stepping foot in a kitchen again. It was tragic.
The only decent thing in that entire place was the water and even that felt like an effort. This restaurant is an embarrassment.
Please, do not ever claim to represent Palestinian food again. You couldn't be further from it.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
We sat outside on the heated sidewalk seating that is nicely done and abundant. Delicious food and giant portions (all 4 of us had leftovers that will make a whole lunch tomorrow). BYOB! Staff was great and attentive even when it got very busy at peak dinner time. Go and don’t forget to BYO.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Mezze Filistini, Muhammara, Baba Ghanoush, Chicken Shawarma Platter, Babaganoush
Atmosphere- We sat outside; so it was nice to people watch and enjoy the weather. Decor inside and out was nice and themed with Palestinian motifs.
Service- We went on a Saturday afternoon for lunch and it was slower to moderate busyness. Service was on the slower side for food and the waiters did not provide regular updates or refills.
Food- Food was really good overall and cooked well. We got the salmon kebab and the mezze platter. The hummus was really grainy and nutty, but we enjoyed the rest of the dips, especially the tabbouleh and muhammara. The rice with the kebab was cooked well, but was on the plainer side in flavor. I think it would be good if they had a pick three mix and match dip option, because the mezze platter is a lot for two people.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 3
Food is good, nut was too hot inside without air conditioning
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 5
Service: 4
this was my first time trying palestinian food and it was a good experience ! my bf and i got the ouzi lamb and the babaganoush! the lamb wasn’t what we expected, and personally for me, it tasted gamier than i expected but my bf loved the lamb when i loved the rice! the babaganoush was really good and i even brought some home for my family. overall, the staff were nice, the food was good and the vibes were cool!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Very cute spot. Kebeh was my fave of what we got. Lamb kabab was a bit tough I have to say. But the Mezze platter was great. My friends and I enjoyed it all. Very lovely staff, brought us baklawa at the end. I grew up eating that as a kid so I can confidently say it’s bloody delicious!!! Will return for sure. Would love to try more traditional Palestinian dishes next time. Isa. 💜🇵🇸
Had an incredible meal at Al Badawi — easily one of the best Palestinian restaurants I’ve tried. The Ouzi Lamb Shank was the highlight — the meat was meltingly tender and full of flavor. The Mezze Filistini hit all the right notes — an amazing appetizer platter if you want to sample a little bit of everything. I also tried the Mix Shawarma Flatbread, which was hearty and satisfying. Overall, a beautifully balanced and delicious meal — highly recommend!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
love the atmosphere and food was great
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The food here is absolutely fantastic—homemade, fresh, and full of rich Middle Eastern flavors. I had one order that came late and with smaller portions than expected. When I contacted them, they didn’t just apologize, they remade the order for me. That level of care really impressed me—it shows they treat their customers like family and take pride in what they serve. Definitely a place I’ll keep coming back to.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
I recently had a fantastic dining experience at Albadawi on the Upper East Side, and it's quickly become a must-try for anyone in the area looking for excellent Mediterranean cuisine.
The food was truly the star of the show. We ordered the lamb chops and the kefta bi tahina, and both dishes were absolutely superb. The lamb chops were cooked perfectly—tender, flavorful, and seasoned beautifully. The kefta bi tahina was a standout; the savory meatballs combined with the rich, creamy tahini sauce made for a dish that was deeply satisfying and a true taste of the region.
Beyond the incredible food, the ambiance at Albadawi was delightful. The atmosphere was warm, inviting, and contributed to a relaxed and enjoyable meal. It’s a great spot for a date night or a nice dinner out with friends. Equally commendable was the service, which was attentive, efficient, and genuinely good throughout our meal.
In short, Albadawi delivers a top-notch dining experience with amazing food, a lovely setting, and solid service. I highly recommend checking it out!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
tenderest chicken i’ve ever had + Palestinian
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Everything was extremely good, and our server was very nice and attentive.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
An amazing restaurant - had a dinner for two people with a lot of left overs for $70!!! Also BYOB
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
incredible food - absolutely stunning mezze platter, i definitely would recommend !! + our server danielle was so accommodating & friendly - she even gave us the most delicious baklavah @ the end :-)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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