Ayat East Village

Oof that was good. Let me start by saying that the service is impeccable - quick, and very friendly. The food is great. We had baba ganoush which was incredible - the smokiness of the eggplant omg!!! Maklouba was alright - I was a little underwhelmed as the chicken was a tiny bit dry for my taste but the cucumber yogurt sauce was incredible. Beef kebab was good. Overal, I’m happy I’ve finally visited this place. Will be back to try more.

We ordered a chicken and rice dish called Fattat Jaj and the Lemon & Garlic Roasted Chicken Ouzi. Both were very good. I will say that the food in my opinion was under seasoned. The spices were there but it could have used a little more salt. That being said, the olive oil was fragrant, spices were aromatic and sharp, and the portion sizes were huge! I felt guilty having to ask for a to-go box at the end but it was simply because I could not finish the meal. The staff is friendly and atmosphere is incredible. It is lovely, family style, and with amazing art adorning a rustic brick-laid interior.

Came here after an Airbnb experience. Good: - I really liked the pita bread and it was free! - Super nice staff, they are like a family run business - Lots of seating inside - I liked the hallumi cheese and salad - the cheese was so savory and better than any one I've had before Bad: - The service took forever, though they gave us a baklava in exchange for waiting over 30-45 min for our food - The price is a bit high for the food Overall, this was a nice place to go on a rainy day!

I truly loved the meal here. The food hit all the right notes! Flavorful and tasty, a variety of textures (softness, crunch, caramelization), warm full belly feel. Truly satisfying. The service was perfectly nice. I thought the lighting was kinda harsh (bright, white) tho hence only the 3 stars there. But I already went back after the first meal and I know I’ll be back, so overall 5 for the strength of the food alone. Great job all around!!!

We came here and loved it! The service was incredible, Roy was a fantastic host and server! The olive oil we got complimentary with the bread was INSANE (yes, I did purchase a giant bottle of it immediately - yes, they do sell it)! We got the Sahlab (orchid milk) and I’ve never had anything like it. We also got a lamb dish and a flatbread with some extremely well seasoned ground beef! Everything was so so so good! And if you have Roy at your table, make sure you tip him good!!