I went to Bustan last night and everything was just delicious. Not only that but the decor was totally stylish and fun. We had the eggplant carpaccio, falafel and hummus for appetizers. The carpaccio was so tasty, I could taste the blend of all of its ingredients. The hummus and falafel were also very fresh and delicious. For the entree I had the chicken musakhan and I don't think I had a dish like that before. It was chicken, greens, and tahini in a bread bowl and it totally worked. Everything seemed to pop. I've been to several other Mediterranean restaurants in the city and Bustan is a cut above in the food and the vibe.

It was my first time at Bustan. We were greeted warmly at the door and waited only a few minutes for our table as we did have a reservation and we were a little early. It is suggested to always book a reservation as they are deservedly busy. The ambiance was wonderful with a great upscale bar/night club vibe and warm orange colors, lighting, floral decorations and large beautiful glass printed photos on the walls of the enclosed porch. The food quality was superb and all dishes were delicious and well executed. The service was attentive and warm. Will definitely visit again soon.

Their kebab was seasoned very well. I can't stop thinking about it. We also got the eggplant carpaccio and both the breads that they are famous for. It was a very satisfying dinner and I'd for sure go back.

I really liked this place. Our party of 4 sat in the "garden" in the back, at a long communal table. There was another party of 4 at the other end, but no one in the middle, between us. Especially great was the Israeli salad, which we ordered to share and then ordered another one. Falafel was freshly made, bright green inside, hot (temperature) and delicious. I agree with @Tushar S. that the hummus (and I guess the other "dips") were too small for even 2 people to share. A somewhat larger portion should be offered. The two hot breads they offer are both great! Get them both. Chicken Musukan (sp?) was really delicious. Two criticisms: (1) I thought the kitchen was heavy handed with salt. The food was well spiced & really delicious. They didn't need to use as much salt as they did. (2) I hated the silverware. All of the pieces were too heavy and too large. And the extra "steak" knives they gave you to, for instance, cut the puffy hot-from-the-oven breads were also too large and heavy and at the same time, inadequate (dull) for the task. That said, I will be back again soon!

So we were in the city with the kids for the day and booked a reservation for 8:15. We ended up being free early and they were able to seat us at 6:45 notwithstanding our later reservation for which we were very grateful as we had a train ride back home for later. The ambiance of the place when you walk in is very nice and trendy. We were taken to the back and it seemed we were put in a room that was a bit off with a flower wall and a red awning giving the room a strange light. Part way through our meal the rain let up and they opened the awning creating a very nice open air patio which made much more sense for the awning that was pulled back. The food we had was very good. I will note the taste had a good deal of flavor and spicing. The drinks were great and we never had to wait for service throughout the night. Our appetizers were good though the hummus bowl was a tad small for the order, but very tasty. The Israeli salad was a first for us and the wife and I loved the balance which was acid forward. The kids said they didn't like as much but my wife and I were big fans. For the main dish, the chicken "musukan" was very good. Be careful with the long pepper as it does have a big kick of spice if you're not a spice person. The lamb dish was ok though the lamb kebabs were a bit dense. We ended up having leftovers of the lamb and the salad and I tuned it into an egg dish over a toasted pita the next morning and that was an amazingly balanced plate for those who like that sort of thing. This place was good enough that the kids asked specifically about when we could come back and both my wife and I thought we would love to come back if in the area. Definitely worth the trip if in the area and the staff and service is top notch.

GRADUATION DINNER REVIEW This is a special review for me. I graduated from medical school recently and was looking for a place to celebrate with my family for dinner after. I have been to Bustan a few times in the past and have always been impressed with the quality of food and how consistently top notch my dinners here have been. I reached out to their events coordinator, Adriana, to help me plan a memorable dinner after my graduation. I cannot begin to express how amazing the whole experience was. Adriana worked with me with a lot of patience, flexibility, and genuine care to make sure everything went smoothly. From being very flexible with me confirming my final party size only a few days in advance, to helping me keep my cake in the restaurant earlier in the day so we could come straight after my ceremony. For the event, I was offered a set family style menu for my party which we customized, and Adriana was kind enough to make these beautiful printouts of the menu for our table. The staff was amazing and all made us feel so welcome, celebrated, and not rushed. My party of 8 was sat indoors and there was plenty of space for us. We ordered a couple of bottles of wine to start and then got all our food. The portions were generous and everything was AMAZING! Highlights for me were definitely their delicious and fluffy taboon bread with the spicy feta and/or hummus, the crispy falafel with tahini and amba, the perfectly roasted and addictive cauliflower, as well as the kebab halabi with nice lamb patties and grilled vegetables baked covered with a taboon bread. Both desserts were also exceptional with my favorite being the flourless chocolate cake that was so decadent, rich, but not too sweet and perfectly paired with toasted coconut ice cream. Everyone in my party was mind-blown by how amazing the dishes were and agreed this may be the best Mediterranean food they have had in NYC. We finished by having them bring out a cake I brought to take some photos and eat a few small pieces (since we were so full by then!) Shoutout to the staff for being so attentive of our table and being on top of replacing our plates/bringing out new dishes. I was very impressed by their ability to help pace our table's dinner at the perfect tempo. Truly an unforgettable day! I have always recommended this place to friends for dates or smaller dinners but now can say that I highly highly recommend this place for anyone hoping to plan a more structured special event with a bigger party and looking for reasonable prices + notch quality of food and service. Thank you again to Adriana, and all the staff at Bustan that made this night so special for me! We are already looking forward to making our return in the near future:)

There a number of good Israeli restaurants in NYC. Laser Wolf is perhaps the best known. Bustan is among the best, and the best value. The chicken mushakan was particularly memorable. And the standard dishes, such as humus, were all as good as anywhere in the City. We will be back

Overall: 5/5 had a really nice meal at Bustan Food: 5/5 everything we had was super tasty. The bread is to die for, with the perfect amount of rippability and chewability to make for the perfect pairing with one of Bustan's mezze dips - we had the whipped feta. Also had the octopus which was super tender. Some of the better octopus I've had in the area. For our main we had the chicken musakhan and it was superb, would order again. The tahini salad and super most chicken made the bread even more delectable. Drink: n/a no booze for us that night :) Ambience: 5/5 it's a small narrow restaurant, but the decor is very stylish. Service: 5/5 for how busy it was I was very impressed with the speed and attentiveness of service. Out waitress was really outstanding.

I came here with my family and had a reservation, we were seated by the window almost directly adjacent to the host stand which was a little crammed and strange. The light for the table was also off and we had to turn it on but other than that this restaurant was great. We ordered the lamb kofta, hummus, eggplant carpaccio and lots of their both types of bread. The spicy feta was the main stand out but the lamb was also great. The only thing I'd probably skip is the eggplant and their drinks. I'm not sure if it was just us, but the drinks were super watery and tasted like cheap liquor. Based on the food alone though I'd definitely come back.

Our flight was delayed 3 hours so we had time for a quick dinner. I've walked past here so many times and I'm so happy to have finally eaten in this hidden gem on the Upper west side. Located in Amsterdam between 83 & 84th this place has some amazing Euro-Mediterranean food. The Tuna Crudo was a tuna carpaccio with fresh thinly sliced raw tuna drizzled with olive oil, citrus - lemon,lime and orange, and topped with pistachios. The tuna melted in your mouth and the combination of citrus and pistachio just popped. The Schnitzel was perfect. My husbands family is from Austria and he said it was as good, if not better than his mothers, grandmothers and aunts. Now that's a compliment! It was served with a side of mashed potatoes that were so fresh and creamy. Service was excellent. The restaurant was busy, we didn't have a reservation and the hostess not only got us a table, but she came back to check on us during our meal. Our waiter was excellent. We mentioned we were heading to the airport and he got our food out quickly. Great last meal of our trip. I can't wait to go back.