Au Za'atar - Midtown East Reviews Summary

Category: Lebanese restaurant New York

Address: 1063 1st Ave., New York, NY 10022, USA

Phone: +12126253982

Rating: 4.5
based on 283 reviews.

Service

Pros:

  • "Service is great and friendly."
  • "Our waiter Gio was superb with the recommendations and the service, fun guy to talk to as well."
  • "The service was amazing and the food was very good too."
  • "Our waiter, Elyes was attentive and offered us such great recommendations as we are not too well-versed in Lebanese food!"
  • "Our server, Gio, was attentive during our entire dinner, he made great suggestions and ensured we had every thing we needed throughout our entire meal."
  • "The staff is attentive and very knowledgeable on the menu."
  • "The staff was very pleasant and attentive also!"

Cons:

  • "We waited 25 min for the waitress to take the order."
  • "The waiter responded with 'alrighty then' which I found rude and unprofessional."
  • "Our waiter named Eid was trying to aggressively upsell on food that we already selected."
  • "Our main server also displayed no concern or urgency to get the pita bread."
  • "Between the terrible service and the most unflavored underwhelming shawarma I've ever had, I will not be going back, and I do not recommend."
  • "They were very busy so our table side shawarma did take a long time but our waiter, Gio, was very attentive and kept us updated."
  • "Service was brutal."

Food Quality

Pros:

  • "Luckily the food was still great!"
  • "The food was an indulgent delight."
  • "Food was fantastic, as a Lebanese person I can guarantee it's as close as it gets to authentic."
  • "The food is…. AMAZING! If you’re reading this and like middle eastern food, stop what you’re doing and come here immediately!"
  • "The food was excellent and our server Gio was very attentive and accommodating to our special requests."
  • "The food, drinks and dessert were all good."
  • "The food was presented in a very cool way, even better was how it tasted."

Cons:

  • "Chicken was dry, ground kabobs were tasteless."
  • "However, the lamb shwarma was gross!"
  • "Taste was also not too good as compare to the price."
  • "The filet Mignon kabab was also not tasty at all at least to me."
  • "So much French fries, the chicken is juuuust okay."
  • "The chicken it tasted like unseasoned deer meat. Chewy. Gamey."
  • "It was BAD. NO TASTE OR well awful tasting."

Ambiance

Pros:

  • "The outdoor seating is amazing no ransoms walking over you or around you."
  • "The atmosphere was great. I had fish which was good but everything my friends got looked amazing."
  • "The ambiance is warm and inviting, complementing the rich tapestry of flavors."
  • "Atmosphere + music were lovely and the servers were kind and helpful."
  • "The atmosphere and music provide a fun yet romantic atmosphere."
  • "Whether you’re dining indoors or out on the patio, the ambiance of this restaurant is always delightful."
  • "The atmosphere was super relaxing and cozy."

Cons:

  • "Seating is a little congested, so a large group might not enjoy it there."
  • "There was a mouse in the seating area, after seeing that it ruined my mood and made my day one of the worst things."
  • "The room sweltering hot and we had already been there for more than two hours."
  • "Just one thing, the ambience is too dark for my opinion."
  • "Seated in outside plastic bound areas, which though is heated, they are flimsily stuck to the door frame with velcro."
  • "The dining hall is closed. They are renovating but never said anything on limited seating on or the renovation the website."
  • "Half the place is still under construction, even though it’s been open for like two years."

Price

Pros:

  • "Price is not bad at all too."
  • "Prices were very reasonable."
  • "A very good deal relative to the quality, and they're generous with sauces and little dishes."

Cons:

  • "There are dishes on the menu that cost over $ 150."
  • "I also thought the spicy rice was too expensive for a sad amount of rice."
  • "Expensive, and not the most filling quantity wise."
  • "Our dinner with 2 appetizers' and 2 main dishes, plus two drinks came to $ 220."
  • "Most expensive shawarma I ever ate."
  • "It was very very expensive for just four of us."
  • "The price for what it is, is ridiculous. ($11)"

Thanks! Your review is awaiting moderation.