Au Zaโatar is a Lebanese / Middle Eastern restaurant which has quickly become a destination in the East Village for New Yorker’s and tourists alike, serving family recipes from Lebanon and other middle eastern countries. Drop in for mezze and a glass of Lebanese wine or beer and enjoy a romantic dinner or an intimate meal with friends and family. Our menu crafted by head Chef Tarik Fallous highlights the best of Lebanese and Middle Eastern cuisine with a focus on fresh, seasonal ingredients and homemade dishes.
Anand
a month agoThe restaurant is excellent. The food is delicious and the ambience is very inviting. The bar in there is cute and they have created ample room for dining I. A very small area. This is a great place for vegetarians as they have many choices. It is a bit on the pricier side the food is well with it. A friend of ours order Shawarma and the presentation was great. Would highly recommend to visit this restaurant. Only downside, the bathroom was always full. Could never use it. :-)
Johnny Novo
a week agoThere should be a picture of Au Za'atar in the dictionary next to the term Tourist Trap. High prices, small portions, and mid food is a devious combination. I knew I was in trouble when I sat down at Au Zaโatar and the plate and silverware were saran wrapped. The second strike was as I scanned the entree portion of the menu, I saw... "$32, $32, $29, $32, $44." I just knew it was going to be small portion sizes too. It was just me and my big bro, so we opted to split the Mixed Grilled Platter which rolled in at $68. We were seated outside on the patio, which is really just a sidewalk of the East Village. It was at this point a rat scurried directly over a girl's foot 2 tables away from us. It caused a huge commotion, and my big bro and I considered leaving, but decided to thug it out. Our Mixed Grilled Platter came, and they should really consider renaming it to "the 3 Kebab Appetizer Platter." Strike 4. The Beef Kafta kebab was borderline inedible. We were speculating if it was some sort of Beyond Meat skewer, as it didn't taste like beef. I ended up having to douse it in sauce, wrap it in the thin pita bread, plug my nose and eat it as I wasn't going to leave those calories on the plate when I was so hungry. The other skewers and fries were pretty solid to be fair, but just such a small portion for $68. Laughably small. We ended up going to Cello's Pizzeria after and getting 2 slices each because we were still so hungry. I do need to shout out our waiter Ben though, as he was the only bright spot of the experience. When my big bro grabbed my fake LV wallet and said "When you get this!?" I responded with a "What u mean... I BEEN had that..." Ben chimed in with a quick "Stop pocket watching!" That had big bro and I dying. It's tough to get big bro to laugh too. This is the first BAD meal I've had in awhile, but you need the lows to appreciate the highs. Otherwise you're just numb to everything. Idk when Au Za'atar became a tourist trap, but here we are. There is no soul in here anymore. If you're thinking about coming here, please make the 10 minute walk to Ayat for some QUALITY Middle Eastern food. IG @jnov_ Tiktok @jnov_reviews
Max Marsden
4 months agoI had a delightful experience at this charming place. The service stood out with attentive waiters ensuring our satisfaction. Opting for the mixed grill platter proved to be a fantastic choiceโit was simply amazing. This marked my inaugural venture into Lebanese cuisine, and I must say, it exceeded my expectations. The seasoning was spot-on, adding depth to every bite. I wholeheartedly recommend this place for anyone seeking a memorable culinary adventure.
Gopal Agarwal
3 months agoI went here with some friends and we all really enjoyed the time and food here. The restaurant has a great vibe (indoors can get a bit too loud sometimes). We got a table outside. The food was great and we'll visit again Batata harra - amazing, a must try (5/5) Spicy falafel - not great, wouldn't recommend. Liked regular falafel better (2/5) Traditional falafel - really good falafel (5/5) Spicy hummus - this was the best dish of the night (5/5) Sumac fries - good fries, felt a bit salty (3/5) Falafel pizza - really interesting, very good, a bit too cheesy for me (4/5) Pistachio baklava - did not enjoy this (2/5)
Sadam Al-Adwar
2 months agoVery fancy restaurant with a delicious mediterranean dishes. It's very expensive $$$$. Table Reservations is prefer in advance. As a restaurant offer Lebanese and Mediterranean cuisine I didn't see some Arab Staff among the team, nor the chef.