Recommended dishes: Mansaf, Fried Haloumi Cheese and Salad, Muhamara
Stall Bro
Great place for some Palestinian
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
MOHD IZHAM ISKANDAR CHE ISHAK
Portion is big. BewareDietary restrictions: Halal
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Mansaf
Mizan R.
loved the food be sure to make reservations since the line gets long for waitlist i tried to make a review earlier but yelp prevented me so i lost the pics saved to the drafts. personally feel we should be able to post food reviews regardless anyways i got the yogurt marinated lamb with a bed of rice for 2 people but in reality it was for 4 ppl huge portions and i loved it ambiance is nice can get crowded since the min sometimes waits inside and they need a better system. overall i'll come back here really good eats
Vicki C.
I love how generous the portion and delicious the flavor Palestinian food are! Tried out the quite well known @ayat.nyc and the people there were super nice. I actually ended up liking the starters, especially the hummus and the labneh, more than the traditional plates, compared to other places. Next time I think I would order more of those to try!
Moin M.
Came to Ayat for dinner with a friend on a Wednesday. We went around 5:30pm so it was relatively quiet. The service was quick and the staff was friendly. We started off with some fresh baked bread (which kept coming throughout our meal), olive oil, and zaatar. We were in the mood for a spread and so we got the Mezze Filistini for the appetizer. It is a mix platter with hummus, baba ghanoush, muhammarah, tabbouleh, salata tahina & labneh. Everything, paired with the fresh bread, was incredibly delicious. We got a little carried away and may have filled up too much on the appetizers. We shared two main dishes: Kefta Bi Tahina as well as Maklouba. Both were amazing but my favorite was the Kefta Bi Tahina. This food tastes amazing as leftovers as well. Would highly recommend!
Greg W.
Not a good spot. Owners are not courteous; food is not good. Avoid - there are so many better options
Isabella T.
Written 11/16/23: I came to Ayat for dinner on a Tuesday at 6:30pm in a group of 4 people. We had a reservation which I would recommend since, even though the restaurant was relatively quiet when we arrived, at 7pm it became packed and there was a long line to dine without a reservation. This restaurant is very cute and cozy, it has brick walls, colorful mural paintings, and warm toned decor which makes the place feel very inviting and casual. There are big windows which makes it feel very open as well. We were seated promptly in a table in the corner. Our waiters were very friendly and helpful in answering our questions about what dishes to order. Food was all delicious! We tried: - Mezze Filistini: delicious spread of several dips. This is the perfect thing to order if you have a big group. Came with basically a lot of the apps you'd want to try on the menu and is very well balanced. My favorites were the creamy labne, the muhammarah which was a little spicy and tasted like roasted red pepper with nutty hints from the walnuts, and the Salata tahina since it was refreshing but also had hints of nuttiness from the tahini. Great with their freshly made pita! - M'sakhan: half chicken over a pita with grilled onions and suma. This was a very good concept, it reminded me of a pizza in a strange way since the edge of the pita was thicker than the center, like a crust. The chicken was a little overdone but the flavor was great. The pita, soaked in the chicken juices as well as flavor of the sweet flavor of grilled onions, was divine. Very filling and tasted really homemade (not oily, not super salty). - Fattat Jaj: this is delectable. I've had it before and it's probably one of my favorite dishes of all time. We ordered the small size since we were sharing other plates too. The layers of rice, chicken, chickpeas, mint yogurt, crispy pita, creamy garlic sauce, and slivered toasted almonds is just so rich and perfect. Very comforting on a cold day. A little bit on the heavier side but delicious when shared. - Mansaf: another hit! My first time having this and I was very very impressed. We were told it was the most popular dish here and I can see why. The lamb was so tender and just fell off the bone with the fork. It was so juicy and these juices complimented the bed of rice and Laffa the lamb came over so well! The fermented yogurt sauce was very mild and added a nice creaminess to the dish which made everything even more delicious and comforting. Would order this again in a heartbeat. - Tahini Brownie: I was so full at this point hit a friend highly recommended this dessert so we had to get it. This was a delicious brownie that was fudgey without being too sweet topped with a delicious tahini ice cream that was chewy and had a very nice flavor. The presentation was very aesthetic. Would highly recommend this one too! The food was truly incredible! My only complaint is that the service itself was pretty slow -- Our pita for the dips appetizer took 10-15 min to come out after we had the dips in front of us so we sat there salivating staring at the plate for the longest time. The bill also took another 30-35 min to get to us at which point one person in our party had to leave in a rush. While I appreciate not being kicked out of a place, the waits were longer than I was hoping for. This place is definitely one you want to allocate enough time to eat at so you can fully enjoy the ambiance and food without any rush or stress :) . The experience was excellent and I would definitely come back for the delicious food! Truly one of the highlight meals I've had in the city. Would highly highly recommend!!
Eden S.
Hands down the best Mediterranean I've ever had. The service was on point, the food was amazing, and the price point was just right. The Muhammara was phenomenal, with warm and soft Pita for a perfect combination. I had the Mix Shawarma plate and my partner had a Falafel sandwich, and we were both over the moon with our choices. We absolutely will be back, hopefully as often as possible!
Dia Q.
I've been here several times and yet it's never enough. The food and service have consistently been EXCELLENT. Their food is absolutely cravable. I enjoy sitting here as it's a calm and soothing atmosphere. They are always really great with my kids and very accommodating. I can't recommend them enough
Prooobably my new go-to Mediterranean place by me. Such a cozy restaurant with a good amount of seating and fast service (even during a dinner rush!!). Food? So. Freaking. Good. I loved that the dishes were unique and that I got to try lots of things I've never had before! +zahr ma laban: just a beautiful dish. Creamy and meaty and, as a lover of cauliflower, the perfect entree. Comes with rice! +beitenjan appetizer: good! Wish it was warmer but enjoyed the nuttiness of the tahini +falafel pizza: hm. I think I'd skip. Not very hot and falafel didn't seem fresh. But I've heard amazing things about the other pizzas and I'd love to come back and try them +fattat jaj (small): the small is enough for 2 imo. My impression was it'd be a pie but who cares it was so freaking good. Crispy little potato chips and garlicky sauce and juicy chicken and some almonds and then fluffy rice. Chefs kiss :)
Rick R.
Spectacular food. Great portions. The fattat jaj never disappoints. Hits so many notes. The muhammara is very flavorful.
Zehra M.
Incredible authentic Palestinian food and service. The interior features an open kitchen which added a nice homely atmosphere. We ordered the dip appetizer platter and their homemade house bread was phenomenal. We also ordered the m'sakhan and the chicken chops - both of which were excellent. For dessert, we had the tahini icecream which was the perfect finish to a great meal.
Angel R.
Amazingly tasty Every time I pass by it's always crowded... good sign. Worth the try ;)
Samah I.
What a spectacular dining experience. Already thinking about my next visit. I had the privilege of visiting the original Ayat in bay ridge and their sister restaurant Al Badawi prior so I was familiar with the menu already upon coming to manhattan's Ayat location. I was so glad for this opening of this spot in Manhattan because it meant I could finally go more often to a location that was a lot more easily accessible. The beauty of Ayat is that most platters are made for sharing so it is the perfect spot to bring friends and family and sample a number of their amazing dishes. Prices are reasonable for the sheer amount of food and the evident quality and long prep that goes into their dishes. You get free bread to start with the famous Palestinian olive oil and Zaatar. The fattat jaj has always been my favorite and having the chance to introduce it to my friends was such a treat because it's life changing. Garlicky well seasoned chicken, a garlic yogurt sauce, toasted nuts, crunchy fried pita. So amazing. Admittedly it tasted a little different from the one I had at Al Badawi so I'm assuming maybe the recipe is slightly different but it's still a crowd pleaser. The small size is also a lot of food so I recommend getting one of those and then one of the other bigger platters like the Maqlouba. Anymore than that amongst three people and you will not be able to finish. Trust me, my two friends and I couldn't even finish those two items and had the delusion of ordering a cheese manaqish too. We were too ambitious with how much we could eat lol. Bathroom was super clean and the beautiful murals and the message on the to go bag are plus points in my book. Of course I will be back again and again.
Great spot! Mansaf and muhamara were pretty
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Mansaf, Fried Haloumi Cheese and Salad, Muhamara
Great place for some Palestinian
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Portion is big. BewareDietary restrictions: Halal
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Mansaf
loved the food be sure to make reservations since the line gets long for waitlist i tried to make a review earlier but yelp prevented me so i lost the pics saved to the drafts. personally feel we should be able to post food reviews regardless anyways i got the yogurt marinated lamb with a bed of rice for 2 people but in reality it was for 4 ppl huge portions and i loved it ambiance is nice can get crowded since the min sometimes waits inside and they need a better system. overall i'll come back here really good eats
I love how generous the portion and delicious the flavor Palestinian food are! Tried out the quite well known @ayat.nyc and the people there were super nice. I actually ended up liking the starters, especially the hummus and the labneh, more than the traditional plates, compared to other places. Next time I think I would order more of those to try!
Came to Ayat for dinner with a friend on a Wednesday. We went around 5:30pm so it was relatively quiet. The service was quick and the staff was friendly. We started off with some fresh baked bread (which kept coming throughout our meal), olive oil, and zaatar. We were in the mood for a spread and so we got the Mezze Filistini for the appetizer. It is a mix platter with hummus, baba ghanoush, muhammarah, tabbouleh, salata tahina & labneh. Everything, paired with the fresh bread, was incredibly delicious. We got a little carried away and may have filled up too much on the appetizers. We shared two main dishes: Kefta Bi Tahina as well as Maklouba. Both were amazing but my favorite was the Kefta Bi Tahina. This food tastes amazing as leftovers as well. Would highly recommend!
Not a good spot. Owners are not courteous; food is not good. Avoid - there are so many better options
Written 11/16/23: I came to Ayat for dinner on a Tuesday at 6:30pm in a group of 4 people. We had a reservation which I would recommend since, even though the restaurant was relatively quiet when we arrived, at 7pm it became packed and there was a long line to dine without a reservation. This restaurant is very cute and cozy, it has brick walls, colorful mural paintings, and warm toned decor which makes the place feel very inviting and casual. There are big windows which makes it feel very open as well. We were seated promptly in a table in the corner. Our waiters were very friendly and helpful in answering our questions about what dishes to order. Food was all delicious! We tried: - Mezze Filistini: delicious spread of several dips. This is the perfect thing to order if you have a big group. Came with basically a lot of the apps you'd want to try on the menu and is very well balanced. My favorites were the creamy labne, the muhammarah which was a little spicy and tasted like roasted red pepper with nutty hints from the walnuts, and the Salata tahina since it was refreshing but also had hints of nuttiness from the tahini. Great with their freshly made pita! - M'sakhan: half chicken over a pita with grilled onions and suma. This was a very good concept, it reminded me of a pizza in a strange way since the edge of the pita was thicker than the center, like a crust. The chicken was a little overdone but the flavor was great. The pita, soaked in the chicken juices as well as flavor of the sweet flavor of grilled onions, was divine. Very filling and tasted really homemade (not oily, not super salty). - Fattat Jaj: this is delectable. I've had it before and it's probably one of my favorite dishes of all time. We ordered the small size since we were sharing other plates too. The layers of rice, chicken, chickpeas, mint yogurt, crispy pita, creamy garlic sauce, and slivered toasted almonds is just so rich and perfect. Very comforting on a cold day. A little bit on the heavier side but delicious when shared. - Mansaf: another hit! My first time having this and I was very very impressed. We were told it was the most popular dish here and I can see why. The lamb was so tender and just fell off the bone with the fork. It was so juicy and these juices complimented the bed of rice and Laffa the lamb came over so well! The fermented yogurt sauce was very mild and added a nice creaminess to the dish which made everything even more delicious and comforting. Would order this again in a heartbeat. - Tahini Brownie: I was so full at this point hit a friend highly recommended this dessert so we had to get it. This was a delicious brownie that was fudgey without being too sweet topped with a delicious tahini ice cream that was chewy and had a very nice flavor. The presentation was very aesthetic. Would highly recommend this one too! The food was truly incredible! My only complaint is that the service itself was pretty slow -- Our pita for the dips appetizer took 10-15 min to come out after we had the dips in front of us so we sat there salivating staring at the plate for the longest time. The bill also took another 30-35 min to get to us at which point one person in our party had to leave in a rush. While I appreciate not being kicked out of a place, the waits were longer than I was hoping for. This place is definitely one you want to allocate enough time to eat at so you can fully enjoy the ambiance and food without any rush or stress :) . The experience was excellent and I would definitely come back for the delicious food! Truly one of the highlight meals I've had in the city. Would highly highly recommend!!
Hands down the best Mediterranean I've ever had. The service was on point, the food was amazing, and the price point was just right. The Muhammara was phenomenal, with warm and soft Pita for a perfect combination. I had the Mix Shawarma plate and my partner had a Falafel sandwich, and we were both over the moon with our choices. We absolutely will be back, hopefully as often as possible!
I've been here several times and yet it's never enough. The food and service have consistently been EXCELLENT. Their food is absolutely cravable. I enjoy sitting here as it's a calm and soothing atmosphere. They are always really great with my kids and very accommodating. I can't recommend them enough
Restaurantji Recommends
Prooobably my new go-to Mediterranean place by me. Such a cozy restaurant with a good amount of seating and fast service (even during a dinner rush!!). Food? So. Freaking. Good. I loved that the dishes were unique and that I got to try lots of things I've never had before! +zahr ma laban: just a beautiful dish. Creamy and meaty and, as a lover of cauliflower, the perfect entree. Comes with rice! +beitenjan appetizer: good! Wish it was warmer but enjoyed the nuttiness of the tahini +falafel pizza: hm. I think I'd skip. Not very hot and falafel didn't seem fresh. But I've heard amazing things about the other pizzas and I'd love to come back and try them +fattat jaj (small): the small is enough for 2 imo. My impression was it'd be a pie but who cares it was so freaking good. Crispy little potato chips and garlicky sauce and juicy chicken and some almonds and then fluffy rice. Chefs kiss :)
Spectacular food. Great portions. The fattat jaj never disappoints. Hits so many notes. The muhammara is very flavorful.
Incredible authentic Palestinian food and service. The interior features an open kitchen which added a nice homely atmosphere. We ordered the dip appetizer platter and their homemade house bread was phenomenal. We also ordered the m'sakhan and the chicken chops - both of which were excellent. For dessert, we had the tahini icecream which was the perfect finish to a great meal.
Amazingly tasty Every time I pass by it's always crowded... good sign. Worth the try ;)
What a spectacular dining experience. Already thinking about my next visit. I had the privilege of visiting the original Ayat in bay ridge and their sister restaurant Al Badawi prior so I was familiar with the menu already upon coming to manhattan's Ayat location. I was so glad for this opening of this spot in Manhattan because it meant I could finally go more often to a location that was a lot more easily accessible. The beauty of Ayat is that most platters are made for sharing so it is the perfect spot to bring friends and family and sample a number of their amazing dishes. Prices are reasonable for the sheer amount of food and the evident quality and long prep that goes into their dishes. You get free bread to start with the famous Palestinian olive oil and Zaatar. The fattat jaj has always been my favorite and having the chance to introduce it to my friends was such a treat because it's life changing. Garlicky well seasoned chicken, a garlic yogurt sauce, toasted nuts, crunchy fried pita. So amazing. Admittedly it tasted a little different from the one I had at Al Badawi so I'm assuming maybe the recipe is slightly different but it's still a crowd pleaser. The small size is also a lot of food so I recommend getting one of those and then one of the other bigger platters like the Maqlouba. Anymore than that amongst three people and you will not be able to finish. Trust me, my two friends and I couldn't even finish those two items and had the delusion of ordering a cheese manaqish too. We were too ambitious with how much we could eat lol. Bathroom was super clean and the beautiful murals and the message on the to go bag are plus points in my book. Of course I will be back again and again.