Bustan NYC Reviews

I went there with a large group of adults and children; 5 adults and 4 kids but we were there before the dinner crowd anyway, still I realize it's a lot of people in NYC. The staff insisted on seating us at a table that would barely fit 5. I don't know what it was, but the manager seemed a little off as well...needless to say we hightailed it out of there to somewhere more comfortable.

We love this place. The hummus is the best. Flatbreads are to die for. Everything is just soooo good. Great wines, great cocktails, great service.

Enjoyed my meal. Service was solicitous. Offered me tastes of both roses by the glass. Accomodated our 4th who was late without a moment of grief. Had the 3 dips (spicy feta, hummus and tzatziki) with oven baked fresh bread. Roasted cauliflower - almost the whole head I think. Grilled octopus over beans was perfectly cooked altho the beans were bland. We chatted up the appetizers to the adjoining tables and received a free slice of semolina cake with fresh peaches and Chantilly cream. It was service with a smile.

Authentic Southern Europe, Western Asian and North Africa cuisine! Beautiful atmosphere, perfect attentive waiters. Outdoor dining in the back when weather permits. To even begin to describe the flavors just visit their website bustannyc.com ... you'll get the picture!

The food presentation was artful, the inside had a fun buzz and the patio was lovely! Unfortunately, these are the only highlights. It took 20 minutes with 4 requests (2 to our server, 1 to a bus boy and 1 to another server) to finally get a glass of wine. The 3 appetizers were unimpressive. The cigar's filling was hard to taste and oily. The eggplant was flavorless. We asked for the check after having a small bite of the octopus telling the server that it was soft like mashed potatoes, and not getting any apology from her. My husband politely suggested she ask the chef to taste it as it was... bad food. When reviewing the bill, my husband asked the server why we are being charged for the octopus. The server commented that "the manager is aware of the situation and will handle it" - obviously not by taking it off our bill which any descent restaurant would have done. Not wanting to ruin more of the evening, we paid in full and left. As we passed the manager, he asked how our dinner was, clueless about our situation and that the server he should have trained ... lied. Even after my husband told him the server said he knew that the food was bad and was handling it, especially the octopus that should never have been served, he looked stunned, had no response and let us glide out without an apology. My husband and I thoroughly enjoy the authentic, fine and traditional restaurants in the city and were thrilled to try a Mediterranean restaurant in the neighborhood. We travel extensively and have been to more than 20 countries in the past 2 decades eating some of the most amazing fresh and delicious food. This is the only restaurant we have walked out of without ordering main dishes. We simply had to cut our losses.

Loved the food and atmosphere- the wait staff was solicitous as we waited for friends to join but not annoying. Food was plentiful and delicious- interesting eclectic mix of Mediterranean dishes and standard fare.

Incredible selection of delicious dishes complimented by right out of the oven breads. Try everything and share! Service is terrific and attentive without being overwhelming.

++ + Relatively quiet +Warm and pleasant atmosphere in main dining room (but back “garden” is an afterthought) +Warm and fragrant rosemary bread — Desultory reception —Poorly maintained rest room —seating along long banquette in main dining room is cramped —Very limited menu, the only interesting special was sold out at 7:30. Waiter advised not to pay attention to wines in menu because it was “out of date”. —uninspired cooks —inattentive staff. Wine ordered at start was brought at end, after two additional requests. —Plenty of better options for $$$ nearby

A friend made a reservation for us since we were in town visiting. We thoroughly enjoyed the food especially the appetizer selection. The lamb tagine was excellent as was the margarita flatbread.

Had a lovely meal of small plates. Tasty, fresh food, well priced. We ate outside and when it started to rain the staff employed the retractable awning. 15 minutes later the rain stopped and they opened it up to the stars. Service was good but not personal.

From the friendly staff to the very comfortable bar stools (most comfortable I've ever sat in, it would be worthwhile just to have your drinks and dinner at the bar) this is a must stop for middle eastern dining! We were impressed by the variety and the ability to share and sample. Outstanding food with decent wine list. The bartender was also welcoming and mixed great drinks.

Stopped at this place in the Upper West Side for a quick lunch. Despite it being very busy we got a table in a few minutes. The food was quick and fresh. We ordered a chopped salad, steak and eggs sandwich and the star: the Bustan kebab. All was good, but order the kebab

A couple of friends and I went for a birthday celebration. It is obviously a favorite of neighborhood and those who enjoy Mediterranean cuisine. The eggplant appetizer was good as well as the humus which was prepared differently with some unmashed chick peaks. The homemade bread which was ordered separately was also good. One had a vegetable casserole of different dishes while I had the Branzino fish - quite good. Friend who does not eat much just had humus and shrimp appetizer. She would have had a chicken kabob but did not want it with lamb. For dessert we ordered a chocolate mouse dessert with ice cream and were given a meringue type of dessert for birthday celebration. The staff is absolutely wonderful! The only negative thing is that it is noisy so it’s not a restaurant where you can have an intimate conversation.

High marks on everything! Food was excellent, delicious hummus and bread - I had the striped bass daily special, my friend had a salmon dish; both were superb. Lovely wine and attentive and pleasant service. Great addition to the neighborhood.

We were waiting for this restaurant to reopen, and we're very happy that it did. The taboon bread, hummus, and wine list are the highlights for me, and the octopus appetizer earns rave reviews. Great all around.

Delicous roasted beet salad, bread, hummus with wild mushrooms, and the most perfectly cooked fish I've ever had. My friend can't eat salt and ordered it without it and I, a salt lover, didn't miss it at all! So flavorful with an herb rub, this was the juiciest, most delicious fish ever! Can't wait to return!

There were 12 of us for a family reunion so we chose to dine here Sun rather than Sat. But it made no difference as it was still very crowded and noisy . That being said we loved the food and fine attention we received. Our waitress was a lovely Russian young woman. We ordered multiple courses....salads, flatbreads, lamb, fish, desserts. The staff kept them coming in an orderly way...the bronzini was outstanding as was the lamb, octopus! We handled the noise by moving seats between us. We would certainly return .

My friends enjoyed their meal, I did not. Bustan holds itself out as a Mediterranean restaurant, but if you expect to find Spanish or Italian or even Greek influences you may be very disappointed. Instead the emphasis is on Israeli, Arabic and what I imagine are North African specialties. A meal that is not very highly seasoned will be hard to find. Also menu descriptions may not match your idea of what will come. As an example, I ordered lamb kebab. To me that means chunks of marinated lamb on a skewer interspersed with veggies such a grilled tomatoes and onions. Instead I got a baked pot pie with several balls of very highly seasoned ground lamb and also some tomato and onion (I asked to skip the hot pepper). The appetizers were fun and the desserts thankfully sweet. Prices were what I guess passes for affordable in this neighborhood. The restaurant was very noisy, and the service was very pleasant but slow.

The bar chairs are so comfortable, the bat is beautiful, the drinks perfect and the food delicious!! I've been here a half dozen times and have enjoyed it every time. Will be coming back. BTW, the bread is to die for.

The dishes made with quality products. The doing incredible food with excellent tastes. The vibe is very pleasant. Those people definitely know how to cook! I’ll probably visit this restaurant every time I’ll be in New York!

BUSTAN has become a go-to place for us, especially for a spontaneous, unplanned UWS lunch. We've now been many times. The food is always good, the service always helpful and hospitable, the wine recs dependable, the servings generous (we find that we always end up taking food home with us), the prices more than fair. Never crowded at lunch, in our experience, but probably hopping from Happy Hour on.

Seated in the sunny garden after walking through the beautifully appointed restaurant, we perused the multifaceted menu. So many delicious dishes to choose from . Our lovely waitress , Jessica, explained some of the exotic sounding dishes for us. Chef Paolo came out while we were dining. We complimented him and suggested he go on Chopt. Ironically, he is scheduled for next season!!!

The food here was really outstanding. My wife and I shared four appetizers (small plates): charred octopus, lamb shawarma, merguez sausage and cauliflower. Everything was interesting, unusual and excellent. But I give the restaurant only four stars because the ambiance, to my taste, leaves a lot to be desired. We dined on a Thursday evening in the summer, which is about as slow as it gets in Manhattan, and still the placed was jammed and too noisy for a real conversation. The only reservation we could get was at the bar and you don't really get a waiter if you sit there. The bartender takes your order and a busboy brings the food. It worked but we felt somewhat neglected. At these prices service should match the food.

Don't mix it with other restaurant with a similar name, this one is on the UWS. Beautiful designed bar, the food WOW we ordered the humus bawl and the shrimps, Delicious as maid dish we had the Lamb and 2 kinds of fish great taste. Don't forget to leave some room for deserts we had 2 of them, to die for. There bread is so good, all is dune in the restaurant. Highly recommend to make reservation.

Bustan is one of those restaurants you have to hit just right. It is very trendy with a cutting edge menu and that makes it very popular. We hit it right and the four of us (no reservation), were seated immediately by the door. I normally do not like to be close to the door but their entryway is sheltered, so at no time did we feel a draft. Food ... excellent. My wife had an omelet which was tender and velvety. One of the best I ever had. I chose a salad of arugula, fennel and beet, with added octopus. Perfectly dressed, delicious, but the octopus could have been more tender. Hummus dishes were excellent, as was the bread which accompanied it. The waitstaff choreographed the meal wonderfully well. Nicely paced and we enjoyed our lunch and conversation, but by the time we finished, the entryway was packed with people hoping to do as we did. I certainly would consider reservations in the future. We were just very fortunate in our timing. Priced as one would expect for the quality of the food and the popularity of the restaurant.

We tried to eat here after it had just opened but the place was mobbed and way too noisy. We tried again on a Monday night several months later, and the place was still full, but somewhat less noisy. The food was really excellent...assuming you like this kind of food...and the service was good. My wife had an Israeli salad to start followed by an appetizer portion of mazettim and I had an octopus appetizer followed by the lamb terracotta. All of the food was very good, and reminded us of Istanbul. Reservations are a must. This place is very popular, for good reason.

I enjoyed a pre-Shakespeare in the Park dinner here. We ate in the outdoor garden space which is lovely. I found the food and service to be amazing. The portions are large.

One of the greatest restaurant in the upper West side I came here with friends after four months that I haven’t went out to during Covid the food was unbelievable the service was great the atmosphere was really good highly recommended I got a chicken it was delicious my friend got the fish I wanted to order the same but the place was so busy that they sold out this is just show you that all the food is really really fresh and really really good highly recommended

Couldn't rave enough. I love this place. Paulo, Chef extraordinaire always pays our table a visit, is always trying something new, is just really passionate about what he's creating. Great service, prices extremely reasonable considering the quality of cuisine that never disappoints. Fresh Mediterranean, authentic Israeli fare. Not to be missed.

The service was great. Warm, funny, engaging, attentive. The food was ok, but just ok. There is better hummus elsewhere.

Why is it that the food at a restaurant can be good enough that you would want to return, but the service is so poor that you won't? Rainy Sunday afternoon, seated in the back room. Water dripping down the wall and our feet in a puddle. Appetizers were flavorful and hummus was authentic. Whoops - forgot to serve one of the appetizers. After a very long wait, food was served. Whoops - 2 of the 5 entrees were served about the same time that the first 3 were finished. The food was very good - and very tasty. We were comped 2 desserts as an apology for the long wait. Waited for an eternity and then had to beg to pay the check so we could leave. While I would certainly be happy to eat the food here again, it isn't that good to look past the poor service. There are plenty of places that serve good food and appreciate your patronage and also treat you as a welcome guest.

From the garlicky humus served with yummy rosemary bread to perfect Branzino (fish) , tender lamb chops and an interesting vegetable dish encased in a crispy pita type bread called a terra-cotta. A limited menu but each item carefully prepared. A very enjoyable meal.

Excellent...could not have asked for anything better. My wife and I were visiting our daughter and were in the area of Bustan when we decided to try it. As we walked throug the door, we were welcomed and seated at a comfortable table where we could relax and easily converse. Drinks were wonderful, appetizers were delicious, bread was so tasty, main meals were very good - i had the filet along with a nice blend of vegetables. Full but had an excellent cocunut cake dessert. Would definitely go back.

We visited for brunch this morning for our second time and absolutely LOVE this restaurant. It's a rare gem! The Food was delicious and portions great. I had a vegetable frittata, and others in my party had delicious salads, egg scramble with salmon and a lamb dish. Everything was yummy and came with wonderful sides. The hummous and egggplant, tzadiki etc.. were also terrific. The servers were all very attentive and owner visited out table several times. I can't wait to go back for dinner!

We stopped here for a late dinner on our way back to our hotel. Food, drinks and service were all great. Enough vegetarian options too. A must try is their tomato and peach salad.

Bustan has it all including a garden in the back. The food was innovative and delicious. Definitely a 'keeper' for us.

I tried Bustan for the first time last night after a recommendation from a friend who had been recently. I was really hoping this would be a 5-rating place because the menu is more interesting than most new-comers on the UWS restaurant scene. The menu itself is very creative. They have many more vegetarian options than most places, lots of variety overall, and lots of unique variations to make it a regular place and never get bored. Unfortunately, the food preparation itself fell short of my expectations. Both items I ordered were supposed to be served room temperature but they were clearly made hours before and stashed in the fridge. When they arrived at my table they were so cold it felt like they had just come out of the fridge. I hate when restaurants do that and it really diminished my view of the food quality/attention to detail. I have read several reviews where folks have commented that the service was not quite up to par, but my service was excellent. The staff was friendly and efficient and seemed to truly care that I was enjoying myself. I will definitely give it another try. The UWS needs more creative restaurants and this chef is a good addition if the management can just get the execution right.

We had the good fortune to be seated at the 'Chef's Table'. After ordering our appetizers, main course and beverages, 'gifts' began appearing from the kitchen: fresh breads and steaming pita to accompany large scoops of hummus, spicy feta, tzatziki with crunchy pressed cucumber, taramasalata and smokey baba ganoush. Then large balls of falafel with mango and chili dipping sauces that made wonderful flavor combinations. Our appetizers were wonderful, dinner portions of braised lamb shank, braised short rib and halibut in an interesting tomato-cilantro sauce with Moroccan spices were all well executed. After dinner a dessert course appeared from the kitchen that combined gelato, a foamy custard and covered with shaved halvah--a delicious and refreshing surprise. We will return.

I’m actually a little surprised by some of the poor reviews. This place was very good. The lamb dish was especially good, and we had a few appetizers and all were good as well. They actually have a very good beer selection. Definitely worth going.

Our relatively large group of 6 was able to snag a table in a corner of the garden, but the restaurant was very crowded, and so service was a little slow. Because the backyard is surrounded by high buildings, there was no breeze and so we felt very hot. The Meditteranean style food is good, and the waiter allowed us to split some of the larger dishes.

My friends and I enjoyed this upscale Mediterranean restaurant . A bit tight in the seating and high energy( noise) level but still a great time. Our waiter was right on with his menue suggestions and the food was delicious , with great flavoring and presentation. We enjoyed our evening as you will too when you try this restaurant.

This place recently opened on the UWS and it's a welcome addition, sure. It's Mediterranean and high-end which means that you will pay ~$60 per person if you get an appetizer, entree and a glass of something alcoholic. The hummus plate is a must, it's excellent hummus, the tahini is really rich and good and the flatbread is great--basically you can't go wrong, get this app. But, if you ask for more flatbread, which my husband and I did (we're on a no bread rule at home, so of course we max out when we go out...) you will be charged for extra bread, $3 which, when you're paying $100+ is like, 'really? you can't bring an extra piece of bread? Restaurants need to have great free bread and olive oil. Period. Or if they charge for their bread basket/plate, if you ask for a bit more, they should give it to you since you just paid $20 for a hummus and bread appetizer. I know the rents are going up on the UWS and I want places like this, local, not a chain to stay, but still, give your customers an extra piece of bread. Anyway, the rest of the meal was very good: my husband got a fall off the bone lamb special with a couscous on the bottom and it was all excellent and I got the charred octopus which was delicious. On a rainy spring Saturday, we had a reservation for 7 pm and the place, including outside, was packed and noisy, but in a good way. The place is a bit tight on space--the round 5-6 seater table next to us, in the middle of the room, switched customers twice. Both groups were 60+ couples who both, amusingly, complained about the lack of space at the table. It's NYC, come on! There was space, it was cosy, but there was space. Bustan is solidly good but not a weekly or even monthly visit for us--for the value, Kefi, on Columbus is almost better (no hummus but excellent meat, lamb burgers, Mediterranean salads, octopus) and almost 1/2 the price. Oh, a bonus is that there is outdoor sitting IN THE BACK, which is kinda rare for the UWS and nice.

6 of us all enjoyed our meal as we ate tapas style ordering several appetizers including Mazettim, Heirloom Cauliflower & Broccoli(so good), Greek salad, a Hummus bowl and 3 main course selections. Everything was delicious especially the specialty drinks!!

My husband and I hosted a birthday party for 16 at Bustan. The hostess called and offered us the garden area as it was a lovely night in NYC and easier to talk with a big group. The family style food was fun and delicious, the staff was helpful and attentive (except the drinks and wine took way too long), they accommodated our request to bring a cake and everyone had a wonderful time. One small glitch was that we needed wheelchair accessibility which the main restaurant had and one of the reasons I chose Bustan, but was not aware that the garden room required steps. Luckily we were able to make it work but it could have been a real disaster. The staff was very supportive and overall I was pleased with the party and evening. I would recommend it and look forward to going there again on our own.

There has been a recent proliferation of Mediteranean restaurants featuring food from the eastern Mediterranean and North Africa. Bustan stands out among this group, because they have creative twists on classic dishes that really work. Excellent use of spices. The hummus is special, and I couldn't figure out what they did. The classic chopped tomato and cucumber salad was served on tahini with a sumac. I loved it. Very good couscous dish with harissa. Branzino with fennel was standard and nicely prepared Very good staff, great bartender. Nice garden in the back. This is a popular UWS restaurant, so make reservations, unless you like to eat at the bar. (We eat at the bar and enjoyed it.)

Here on Friday night with friends who have been here on a number of occasions. Excellent excellent - friends had the Dorado - loved it - we had salmon and chicken - prepared beautifully - We ordered two appetizers: Roasted Cauliflower (ask for labana on the side) and a trio of Spicy feta, babagaush and humus. The bread is AMAZING.....served hot....service was superb - very attentive - we probably could have cut back on one appetizer so we would have ordered the lamb terracotta - next time. Without drinks and dessert, per person (tax and gratuity) was about $50. We will be back...we want to try the desserts!!!!

Unfortunately there aren't many very good restaurants on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Bustan is one of those few very good restaurants and one worth remembering. This fine middle eastern cooking is among the best in NYC. Service is excellent, and the atmosphere comfortable and refined.

Thoroughly enjoyed experience. We walked in and table was not ready. Owner was great offering us complimentary drink and you can see was shuffling tables to get us a table. Very attentive and wonderful staff. Food was great. Try the Israeli salad. Really healthy. Halibut nice and spicy. And the lamb chops cooked perfectly. We missed the bread which looked amazing. The table next to us reordered that. Not enough room for desserts but they certainly looked good.

We visiting Bustan, after having just flown into NYC. We took our chances and arrived without a reservation at 8:00 p.m. on a Friday night. We were told that the wait would be at least one hour and that there was also a wait at the bar. Oh well, this is New York and part of the experience. We decided to wait at the bar. Perhaps it was our deflated look of disappointment that caught the eye of Michael, the Manager. Miraculously, we were whisked away to their back patio (and it was a gorgeous, warm evening) and asked if we would mind eating at their communal table. Well, why not? What a lovely surprise and a warm welcome, after we had been flying all day. We were thrilled and so appreciative of this prompt entry to dinner. We thoroughly enjoyed the warm, friendly vibe and of course the delicious food. The appetizer three mushroom flatbread with ricotta, taleggio, asparagus and white truffle oil was almost a meal in itself. The grilled roasted eggplant with fresh crushed tomatoes, pinenuts, za'atar, tahini and mint was also out of this world. There were so many other interesting choices on the menu. I only wish we had room to indulge in dessert. Next time. We were so impressed, we made a reservation to come back for their Sunday brunch. We ordered their legendary green Shakshuka. Yum - o - la.

Very nice lunch with the Mrs. there yesterday, even better than our first visit more than a year ago. Good food, good wine, good choices, pleasant noise levels, excellent service. Will go back, for sure.

We had an amazing experience at Bustan. The service was incredible, our meals were served timely, and the food delicious! The pita bread was literally fresh out of the oven and the hummus tasted like it was made to order. We loved the lamb and chicken dishes. Great restaurant, and reasonable prices. We will definitely be back.

THe octupus was tough and the waiter rushed us through dinner. The rest of the food was fine. Not great and not terrible.

I wish I could speak about the entrees but the appetizers are so tasty and tempting that I invariably over order and make a meal of the appetizers. Favorites are the roasted cauliflower and the hummus bowl with wild mushrooms. It's all served with this wonderful warm bread. The staff is attentive and the drinks are well made. It is just a great addition to the Upper West Side.

On a recent warm autumn afternoon, options for dinner abounded on upper Amsterdam Avenue. We could have had Italian, Mexican, Japanese, Peruvian. Or same-same steak house or sports bar. Bustan [meaning: Orchard] offers modern Israeli cuisine, vegetarian influenced and spicy, in a softly lighted snug restaurant space. We sat in the garden. Sadly it was roofed. Instead of entrees we had six starters (3 for $20), 3 with meat and 3 vegetable. The beef kofta meatballs and Moroccan cigars of oxtail wrapped in feuilles were flavorful and hot. The standout dish was lamb Merguez, spicy sausage served in red lentil stew: Esau would give his birthright for this dish. Beet salad was cold cooked cubes of beet on turnip puree, sweet with bitter, a nice match. I was not fond of the Turkish chopped eggplant salad, which was gooey. We ate up all the roasted cauliflower and most of the slightly salted (Dead Sea salt?) flatbread lightly drizzled with olive oil. We finished with expresso and a dessert of mild ricotta-like cheese inside shredded filo, sprinkled with finely chopped pistachio, pomegranate syrup & topped with vanilla ice cream. We were too full to take the waiter's advice and have sticky toffee cake, although that would be worth returning for.

Very sour welcome from female employee. Was outside reading sidewalk board menu, female employee walked by and I asked if restaurant was open. She said no, turned her back to me , and opened restaurant door to go inside, I asked why the board menu was out , she responded because we open at 5 and went inside. That’s a great indication of service and experience, probably not a great choice, especially with the plethora of restaurants on the Upper West Side.

Everything served at Bustan shines, whether it is the appetizer dips (hummus, spiced feta, baba ghanouj); the merguez; the flatbread; the salads; or the inspired main courses like the lamb terracotta, the free-range chicken, or the branzino.

Four of us feasted on a selection of small plates. The mazettim--five spreads with fresh bread--were the standout. Falafel the only disappointment--in the fryer a little too long. Looking forward to sampling the mains.

I hesitated to give Bustan 5 stars. The food was reasonably priced and delicious. The service was sometimes attentive and sometimes non existent. I had the lamb pita which was really good. It must have weighed 3 pounds. The fresh baked flat bread delivered to the table was also a nice touch.

Lunch with 3 friends - we all loved the mezzes - delicious tadziki and hummus. Shaksouka varieties were decent, lots of options on the menu.

Excellent food and service! We shared 4 appetizers, 2 main dishes, and 2 desserts. Each one was just excellent. Service was attentive, and we has a great time.

My business colleague who lives around the corner took me here today for lunch and it was 5-star. Fantastic (!) food. Get the Mazetta with the peppered feta and hummus. The bread is to die for. Next time I am in NYC, I will go out of my way to eat there again.

I've been long in NYC for almost 4 years, and this is easily in my top 10. This is as much a great date spot as it is a great get together with friends. Here we go: Mazettim (flatbread) with eggplant, tzatziki, & hummus Chargrilled octopus Greek salad Lamb terracotta is a mysterious but playful dish We didn't have room for dessert, but wish we did because all the items looked delicious.

Mousemare at Bustan last night. It started bad, and got worse. The four of us arrived at the time of our reservation, and the restaurant was empty, so we thought we'd get a really good table. Instead they placed us in a miniature booth at the window barely big enough for two, nevertheless four. I placed my purse and sweater on the banquette next me. As my boyfriend sat down and I moved over, my bag and sweater fell between the wall and the booth. I reached over to retrieve them - tried to lift them off the ground - but it felt like they were stuck to the floor. I finally pulled them up only to find that a large (5"x10") rodent glue trap was stuck to my bag and sweater. And yes I screamed (not proud of that), we all stood quickly, and thankfully my boyfriend grabbed the glued bag, sweater and trap and took off to the restroom to deal with it, as I dealt with the manager. Neither turned out well. The restroom's toilet was backed up, filled with paper towels and - yes - you know what. The sink wasn't draining. So my boyfriend stood in this awful restroom trying valiantly to extricate my bag and sweater from the rodent glue trap and not be grossed out by the open, gross toilet, and the backed up water in the sink. In the meantime I confronted the manager who tried to 'shush me' by offering to dry clean my sweater and bag. Not knowing what my boyfriend was dealing with in the restroom - we asked for a table in the main dining room (which was virtually empty). Instead, he tried to seat us at an angular table where the four of us would not be able to talk to each other, as the seats were too far apart and strangely angled. I asked for a "normal" table for four and was told they were all reserved. At this point my boyfriend escaped the restroom, and confronted the manager. "I'm so sorry. The night manager must have forgotten to remove all the traps last night". Really? That was the best he could he do? Trash the night manager and not do the right thing? And we all know what the right thing to do was. The right thing to do was simple - profusely apologize, offer to clean the sweater and the bag, and sit us at a "normal" table for four - and deal with his upcoming reservations later. Comping us a drink or appetizer or more would have been ideal, and would have been what most well run restaurants would do, but being comped anything wasn't the point. The rodent glue trap at the side of the table was inexcusable; the response of the 'so-called' manager was incompetent and unacceptable; and I would suggest that with 18,000 restaurants in NYC to choose from, you eat elsewhere.

Went with friends. First fine at the Bustan. We sat in the nice garden in the back. Very cozy friendly and attentive staff. The Chef Avi came out to say hi. The food is excellent some very well and combines healthy and fresh ingredients. I had the Chrieme fish which is a Moroccan style Spicy doke with cheek peas peppers and tahini, simply amazing a must at this place. The deserts are also excellent and fresh. Over all I would highly recommend the Bustan

In the past I have enjoyed dinner at Bustan but my visit last night was dissapointing. The problem was the wine. I was dining with two friends from Italy who find NYC extremely expensive these days. Mindful of that I picked theleast expensive wine. Malbec from Argentine for $34 seemed like a good choice. The waitress informed me that they were out of that wine and also of the next least expensive one, Sangiovese for $42. I asked what those two wines had been replaced with, and she pointed at the next level of price -- Cote du Rhone for $46. "But we have a special wine tonight", she said indicated pointing to the a bottle for $54 on the list of Specials of the Day. I made her aware that a bottle for $34 and one for $54 are not an either-or choice. She seemed unphased. We settled for a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. Really mediocre (almost sweet) wine from New Zealand. For $46.

Come in off Amersterdam and you step into another world, one of spices and delectable tastes. If you don't like unique spices this isn't your place. Lamb kebab is baked in a clay pot with an overlay of savory Tamboon bread. Spicy feta is the perfect accompaniment to the bread and then there is the succulent, crispy octopus. Baked cauliflower is yummy, even if you don't like the vegetable! Great service. Good cocktail selection as well as a few beers on tap. Now onto Laila - coconut cake - the perfect ending to a sumptous meal.

We had out of town guest and wanted something nice and I think Bustan was a good choice. The food was very good and a couple main dishes presented inside a bread shell. The restaurant is pretty inside. Service was good.

We had mixed appetizers, Turkish and shakshukas plus beet salad. Their hot bread and hummus are very tasty. Very popular place.

We love this restaurant on the UWS of Manhattan. Be sure to make a reservation especially on the weekend as they get very crowded. The appetizer dips and flatbreads are wonderful.

What a truly delightful taste experience! Every bite and every forkful was a burst of flavor that delighted our taste buds. This was our first visit to Bustan on the UWS and Ben, our waiter, made us feel so welcome with his attentive service and expert recommendations. From the eggplant carpaccio to the Branzino, we couldn't stop ordering more dishes to try. We sat in the cozy back patio, and it felt like we were being whisked away to a hidden gem, far from the bustle of the city. We’ll absolutely be back, and we’re already planning to bring friends along! Highly recommend this spot—wonderful job, and thank you for such a fantastic experience!

Today we had a hummus with mushroom bowl, melt in your mouth short ribs and roasted chicken. The chicken was tasty, moist and tender with crispy skin. It is high end Mediterranean, popular and crowded

I would live in bustan if I could. a restaurant with its own bakery, making incredible savory pastries, sign me up now. The food is beyond your wildest dreams, every dish here is the best you will taste of its kind. As a native Israeli, I have toured Israel for the best humus which is the national food, bustan easily goes in the top 5 I've ever had. the best humus I've had in the USA, try it and enjoy the sensations you recieve only from eating truly incredible humus. I try to go there at least once a week and it is currently my fav restaurant in nyc. Highly recommended for Mediterranean food lovers, their chef took this quisine to the next level.

Outstanding find!!! Because of a chance meeting with Bustan’s chef, we went there for our Thanksgiving Day dinner... after cancelling a reservation at our favorite midtown Manhattan Italian restaurant. I’m a foodie and always on the lookout for authentic ethnic food to suit my vegetarian-pescatarian habits. Bustan’s food ticked all the boxes!!! Attributes: small cozy intimate atmosphere, friendly and knowledgeable staff, impeccable service and incredible authentic meticulously prepared Israeli food. I’d had many of the foods before and loved them, but they were even better at Bustan.

I RSVP (Open Table) and arrived a bit late (could not find parking). The only table offered was a table by the door. The service is rude and we just gave up and left without dinner. Don't go!

I went here during a happy hour with a friend who recommended it based on her previous visit. The food is good, fresh and tasty whether you are seated at the table or at the bar. The bar menu and drinks however; are more affordable especially the drinks during happy hour. The barman was attentive and was in no rush to get us to leave, which is what you want when you are out enjoying yourself with friends. The price at the table is slightly on the high side.

Randomly decided felt like Turkish food, have lived in the neighborhood for years and went on a whim. Every dish was exceptional. Mezze to start were were all a cut above the usual for those dishes. Bread was also superb. Tried octopus and cauliflower and then a lamb dish. All very flavorful and well judged combinations. Totally full and were not going to order dessert, but they kindly brought one on the house - which. Blew us away. Highly recommend, best find on the uws? Maybe

The food and the service were outstanding. The noise level and the closeness of the tables detracted from the experience. Lovely decor. The burrata was wonderful with dates and procuitto, a fabulous combo! My friend felt the octopus was chewy. Excellent foccaccia. Excellent grilled asparagus. Hummus with tandoori chicken was spectacularly spiced with creamy hummus. The servers were at the top of their game, offering more wine discreetly but quickly if we said "yes". A bit too fast paced with the ordering and the food, no chance to linger. Very crowded on a freezing cold weekday night gives you a sense of the hunger upper west siders have for a good restaurant! This is it! Delicious!

A nice little find. Perfect garden out back. Great service, something for everyone and priced right. A great place to share dishes. Didn't care for chopped salad - over dressed, but many other items to choose from.

Discovered on a walk down Amsterdam ... southern Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and North African food ... a real Greek salad, not the deli kind, hearty cuts of veggies topped with a wedge of creamy feta ... tzaziki a winner ... and house bread for dipping, yum! Waitstaff had great suggestions ... lively, colorful decor ... background music a blend of old Beatles and Mowtown, a nice touch ...

from appetizers through mains and even dessert this was a taste experience that left all four in our party wanting to return as soon as possible. Different hummus combinations, delicious firm succulent prawns, roasted cauliflower and spicy feta were just some of the appetizers. The fishes we ordered were also fantastic. Have to come back for the meat dishes.

I just got back from a great gastronomic feast at Bustan in NY. Chef Efi Nahon is extremely creative and brings to you a celebration of tastes. I had brunch there on a Friday morning. The Shakshuka ( a Mediterranean egg dish) was simply outstanding as was the chopped salad and hummus. We simply had to come back again for dinner and loved the taboon grilled cauliflower, the baby beet salad and the branzino fish. The Silan dessert was simply outstanding. What was also unique about this gem of a restaurant was the warm and friendly approach of Chef Nahon himself, co-owner Tuvia Feldman and the restaurant manager and sommelier Guy. I will definitely be back and send all my friend there.

Went here to celebrate a birthday. The food was excellent as was the service. The sampler appetizer was delicious especially coupled with their delicious bread. We asked for a small plate of veggies because one of us Ed gluten free. It was julienne raw veggies and was sort of skimpy. Requested a second plate. When the bill came we were shocked to note that they charged us 20 dollars for a such. Bad decision because after spending 200 for dinner we will not return too soon. When does common sense come into play???? Poor decision on management.

Wow great food!!! So fresh and delicious every thing was amazing and the Chef Eli and Shir his wife take care personal of every single detail, so the food and the atencion is excelente We really enjoy dinner in Bustan today!!! It worth’s the visit to the upper west

A third visit affirmed the excellence of the food at Bustan. Went with a friend after the theater and had the crudo-delicately and deliciously seasoned and the roasted cauliflower, also delicious, as appetizers, followed by the special, dorade-with preserved lemon, roasted red peppers--done with a soft flatbread cover that soaked up the sauce perfectly. Along with the freshly baked bread that came with the appetizers, we mopped up every bit of sauce. Sitting in the back garden on a lovely day made it even better.

We found by chance this oasis of green peace in the middle of a pretty traficated area. Splendid outdoor garden, fun and speedy service, excellent food. From the falafel to the salads, fish or meat, we found a good selection and true passion, which makes so much of a difference . Don't miss it

I went to this restaurant for a late dinner with 5 other people. They have a nice seatng area outside in the back. It is a pleasant urban court yard. One of the tables is a large wooden one, seats about 10 and is very handsome. Our waiter was ok but seemed to want us to go faster than we wanted to. It was not that they needed the table, there were many empty seats. The food was good. The humus was excellent. My stew with a puffy pastry was very good although we all felt the pastry was doughy not flakey.

We've been to Bustan in all seasons and times as we like the food which is usually quite good. Yesterday we took a friend to celebrate. Ordered the full 5 mezes; salad; a basket of falafel fish and lamb. The falafel were over done almost burned and lamb was gummy and chewy. The "cheapest" wine bottle is short of $50.. All in all dinner cost ~$250 (tax & tip include). Next time in Bustan we'll order mezes and salad. That's what they are good for.

Small West side restaurant packed with reelers who know they are getting the best tahini and hummus made in house. Excellent service, go early 6 pm before it gets too loud.

The restaurant has an excellent selection of dishes sorted into small, medium and large plates and they recommend sharing. We sampled food across the groups and all of the food was excellent. They also have a nice wine list and other drinks. Service was friendly and the atmosphere was good. We definitely had an excellent meal here and will be back.

Good menu - traditional Middle Eastern food for a modern palate. Well priced and nice atmosphere! Enjoyed our food and wine by the glass. Definitely will come again!

We sat at the bar and were well cared for by the bartender through excellent cocktails, special appetizers, main courses, dessert and after dinner drinks. He was very knowledgeable about the preparation of each dish and all the various alcohol offerings. I must confess. I was not excited about going to a Mediterranean restaurant, but it was all DELICIOUS. There was not a thing we had that was not good. Hummus, lamb, chicken, fish, chocolate mousse, different drinks between the 4 of us. And the attention to service was beyond compare. AND, it didn't cost an arm and a leg.

We came here for date night and I don't think my husband could've found a more perfect spot. Ambiance: Gorgeous and elegant. The bar area is also very nice and appealing to sit at. Service: The manager, the waitress, and all staff were so nice and thoughtful. Fairly quick to get to you even though it was busy. Food: EXCELLENT. As a vegetarian, I really enjoyed the number of options on the menu and they all sounded delicious. The Indian Tahini ended up being one of our favorite dips and the falafel was well seasoned and crispy. Must try the Taboon bread, it's fresh and hot and perfectly seasoned. We also got the Israeli salad which definitely did not disappoint. The Malabi dessert was fresh, sweet, and a perfect ending to the entire meal. Overall I'd say this was a great experience and I would definitely come back and bring friends.

I tried to go to Jacob's pickles but was packed and I had to find another place for my brunch and I found this Mediteranean gem.

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.

We had a fabulous experience at Bustan this past Sunday. I took my kids and an out of town guest and we loved everything we ordered. My son's ordered the lamb burger which was incredible and the hummus was the best we have had in NYC. The service was great and friendly so it made everything even better. One of my kids tried the dessert with halvah and pistachios which was out of this world. We will definitely be back soon.

Had dinner there recently. Service was Good. Food was quick. Ambience is loud - but that is most of the NY restaurants. Good place and food is authentic. Lots of options overall. But very limited options for vegetarian or vegan. Overall I give it a thumbs up.

What a great night at Bustan. We started a few blocks down at The Owl’s Tail for an appetizer and some drinks and then headed to Bustan for The Main Event. We shared five small, medium and large plates between the three of us and loved it. We had the Humus with Falafel (awesome falafel by the way), Chicken Schnitzel with Creamy Potatoes, Cauliflower, Two orders of Pita Bread and My Grandma’s Housemade Couscous, and all were totally eaten, no second dinner on this night! The crowd was quite diverse from date night to families to old friends catching up; if you are looking for a fun middle eastern place on the UWS this is your spot.

This is our new favorite place! Food was outstanding! We sat in the pretty outdoor garden and loved the entire experience. The bread was out of this world and the feta mixed with yogurt was a unique blend of bold flavors. The main meal was great! My husband had the steak and I had a goat cheese salad. but the chocolate moose desert made the experience. The white wine from Portugal was smooth and the service was great. Highly recommend.

This is a wonderful restaurant with very special attention given to each party. The chicken dish is superb, moist and flavorful. The staff is gracious, professional and dining was not hurried. The music also perfectly sets the mood for the meal. Enjoy

We met here for a Sunday lunch - the line was out the door. They respected our reservations and we were seated quickly. It is long, narrow and "bustling" is the appropriate adjective. The staff was attentive and the atmosphere is Upper Westside trendy satisfying all ages, tastes and art forms. Beautiful walls, decor and lighting - clean bathrooms and just the right amount of noise. We could still hear each other across the table….and know that the tables are very close together. Sadly, It was only 1pm and they had already run out of Salmon and Crab so we had to order plainer dishes. We shared the "mushroom flatbread" which was light and tasty; and the "bacon benedict" which was "okay". We hoped for a better adventure with the coconut cake - it was good, but not over the top. So, overall this is a nice place with interesting food, good staff and large servings. The West African and Moroccon flavors did not come through in this trip - and it was a bit too expensive for "ordinary". ($59 = 2 lunch entrees + 1 dessert + tip) We might try it again - to find out why people were happy to wait on a long line to get in.

Well, I'm so sorry to report, this place was not up to the standard it once was. I genuinely hope it was an off night. We go to this restaurant when visiting NYC all the time. That's how good it was. Although talking to friends who have visited recently it was about the same of what we experienced. First, the waitress, I'll say again- maybe she was having a bad day..... that said, she was absolutely awful! Very aloof, disengaging. It took her forever to take our order, then she would disappear . We'd have to chase down another waiter to give us what we needed. Ok, enough about her. Let's move on to the food, WHAT HAPPENED TO THE DELICIOUS BREAD THAT THEY USED TO SERVE ? They have replaced it with a cheaper version. What HAPPENED TO THE GARLIC SHRIMP? Granted they were not prawn size, but they were a nice size, now they are these little skimpy shrimp, that honestly, I wouldn't buy at the market. Eh, with that said , food wasn't up to par. We used to spend hours in there ordering away, dish after dish. The flavors that would run across the tongue just amazing. Not anymore my friends. So disappointing.

Came for Brunch (Sunday) with my aunt and sister and got to sit out back as the weather was perfect. Molly was our server and was on her A game. We shared several items from their Mezze section, I had their lamb kebob, the fries that came with, I think should be changed in my opinion. Family also had the Israeli salad and felafel. Their Za’ -Tar (sp?) bread was also very good.

The food was absolutely delicious. We were a group of 9 and everyone was very pleased with their food. The presentation, flavors and just different type of food made this a great experience. Our waiter offered suggestions with lots of detailed explanations and his advise was spot on. Dessert was also very good. Would go there again for sure.

I have eaten here twice and told many people about this place. And everyone who goes feels the same way. Outstanding in every way. Food is prepared with love and care and super fresh ingredients. Flavours are artful--interesting twists on many standard mediterranean dishes. The owner, his grandson, the chef, and all the wait staff are warm and personable--they actually seem to love their jobs. Eating on the patio is a real experience--you almost forget you are in NYC. Love, love, love this place.

Excellent night to sit outside in the garden earing great Israeli food! Went tapas style and ate a bunch of appetizer!

This is the second time we have had dinner at this restaurant within a span of two years and it continues to be an excellent place for Mediterranean food. The food is nicely presented, very tasty, and the service is excellent. There is a garden in the back--hence the name of the restaurant. You can eat inside or in the back garden. Highly recommended.

Previous meals there were great. This time our server was arrogant, didn't know his wine list, food runners were trying to cover for him when asked to explain the mezze, the steak temperature or the specific gelato. The noise and a slightly chaotic atmosphere eclipsed a well prepared meal.

The atmosphere was lovely - the help was good. The food was marginal. Our vegetable terracotta was like a pot pie but rather than assorted vegetables it was filled with starch and more starch - potatoes and an onion. Nothing more interesting.

My husband and I had been to this glorious Restaurant last summer. This is a Mediterranean Restaurant that awakens the tastebuds and nose to flavourful aromas and tastes from that side of the world! So we decided to treat our daughter and her husband for their 1 year anniversary . I'm happy to say Bustan did not disappoint !!! Everything was on point ? From our waiter, I forgot his name - But he has a British accent- we thought he was from Australia! Anyway he was so helpful w/ choosing dishes. The food there is just fantastic - we enjoyed everything we had tenfold . They will be returning w/ friends/ as we will the next time we visit NYC. Thank you Bustan, for your Great service and Delicious food! Hats off to the Chef!!! Oh and Ambience!!!☺️

One of our favorite places on the Upper West Side. I've been there many times and everything is simply amazing and delicious. You will want to eat several loaves of the Taboon Bread! The flatbreads are all out-of-this-world! Fresh fish, fantastic lamb and short rib. And try the house special Lamb Terracotta! Only reason i didnt give this 5 stars is the consistently poor service. Very nice servers, but seemingly always clueless and often inattentive. Its been a few months since we have been there, so maybe its improved? it would be surprising, but you never know! In any event, that is how good the food is -- i will overlook the service and return! If the weather is nice, sit in the garden. Its far more spacious than the cramped dining room.

We visited Bustan on recommendation from our Hotel Beacon restaurant list. It is described as mediterranean but felt more Israeli than anything else. We ordered 5 starters to share between 2 people rather than go into the entrees (main courses) and this was plenty of food. Octopus salad, shrimps and cauliflower were excellent. The little cigar shaped meat filled pastries felt a fraction over-cooked and the final dish, saganaki was very rich. We were used to saganaki grilled plainly in strips but this was a dish of melted cheese in the American cheese-smothered style. The bottle of Israeli wine was good and worth exploring. The service was excellent and the staff efficiently accommodated our request to share starters, bringing them in stages. 10 out of 10 for their efforts. On a Monday night the place was full indicating its deserved success.

The combination of tastes and textures is amazing! Mediterranean food but different. The special seafood appetizer of grilled shrimp was delicious as was the tuna crudo. But the main dish of fish chamrieh was outstanding. My cousin and I loved it. I want to come back and try more dishes.

Good Mediterranean food here but honestly I have had better at other places for less money. They do have good hummus and falafel here

Food is good but not fabulous. Chicken tandoori sandwich delicious. Greek salad so so. Some appetizers unusual but not as we had hoped. Deserts also so so. Just a bit disappointed.

If you love mediterranean cuisine that is not your typical hummus and pita variety, this is the place! There are many choices of appetizers and the main courses vary from exotic presentations and spices. The wine list is unique and delicious. We were a party of 10 and they were able to not only provide excellent service, but great advice on what to order. The fresh loaves that accompany the Metizze appetizer are amazing. The lamb dishes are exotic and yummy. The beet salad is the best I've ever had and the appetizer shrimp dish with pomegranate salad is to die for. I also like this restaurant because if you are driving into the city, it is easier to find street parking in this neighborhood as there are 2 schools on 84th east of Amsterdam and then you can park once school is out! A great night of warmth and fun on a frigid night in NY. You'll love this place!

The good: Lebaneh, felafel, pickles The so so: Kufta, shakshuka, the mild umba The awful: The service

We popped into Bustan at 6:15 on a summer evening and had another terrific meal. We had not been in about 9 months and forgot how good, varied and sophisticated the menu is here. The warm homemade bread/pita thing is incredibly good, and it is hard to suppress the urge to eat five of them before the apppetizers come. The menu is varied, with excellent meat and fish, but also some very good vegetarian options. We amazed on how busy the place was on a summer Monday in NYC, so reservations not a bad idea. Not a complaint, but Bustan is not exactly cheap. 4 appetizers and 2 main courses + 1 bottle of wine ran to about $110 per couple. That is not crazy for NYC and the portion sizes are generous. The pricing seems fair given the quality of the food, but this is not a cheap neighborhood night out, it is more upscale than that.

Went here after a matinee. Had an early meal just after they opened at 5. Great appetizers. Delicious hummus and bread. The baked cauliflower was fantastic. Staff was attentive and friendly. All in all a memorable dining experience.

The service was nice, and the food was delicious!! I am still dreaming about the mushrooms, ricotta, asparagus and truffle oil flatbread. As for the falafel pita, it could have fed two people! Not cheap for an everyday lunch, but not to miss if you are in the neighborhood!

We have eaten at Bustan many times as we live on the UWS. Tonight our dishes got totally mixed up and the wrong ones were ordered. Human error as we all have them, however the manager Michael was a gentleman and a prince. He took care of most of our bill and still sent us home with the right dishes. Both he and the waiter are both gentlemen! Our waiter we've had a couple of times (Israeli) and just a all around good guy with great service to his customers. As for the food it's a staple for us here on the the UWS and always good! Be sure to order the donuts for dessert! Thank you both for turning what could've been a disastrous evening at so many NYC restaurants into a total delight.

I was dinner with my husband and the waiter Coskia was really friendly with perfect service. It's a very nice city for dinner with nice furnitures and the food is wonderful. The lamb is very good and the cocktails are wonderful. Thanks a lot for all

The food here is unusual, at least to us coming from the West Coast. We shared a dorade, a delicious fish rare in our town. Also memorable was Bustan’s mouthwatering mazettim with foccacia bread. Bustan is a lively, festive place, with talkative waiters and tables talking to each other. Decor isn’t much, but the restaurant is so dark and bustling you don’t notice.

Went there with family. The appetizers and bread were good. Bloody Mary's were watered down and had to be sent back. One entree was not cooked and had to be redone. We waited a long time for the meal and they came out at different times. The wooden table was a polished slab with deep indents and a glass fell over and spilled. Not a great place.

We love Bustan for many reasons, the service is excellent, staff is very accommodating, food is amazing and the wine list is excellent! Highly recommended for brunch and dinner.

Wow! It is rare that we leave an UWS restaurant and say Wow! We did at Bustan. We've eaten at Bustan twice, and plan to eat there again, soon! The first time we sat at the bar, had an interesting conversation with our server, who was from the Ukraine, about the goings on in the Ukraine. But the food! We feasted on appetizers of various types, all, every one, delicious (hummus, eggpant, merguez, etc.), and then finished it off with a halvah dessert. My only quibble was that dessert was a bit too sweet. At the second visit, we did have main dishes as well as appetizers. Again, all fabulous. We sat at the front of the restaurant, a bit too close to the entry, which because of the popularity of Bustan, was very busy. I hope to try the garden, weather permitting. So, bottom line, for delicious mediterranean cuisine (not italian, kind of combo of israeli/turkish/greek/lebanese?) head for Bustan. I hope it can sustain the quality of food and service. A gem. (I said that already...)

Cozy neighborhood place with really wonderful food. Each dish bursting with flavor combinations that I had not previously had and all terrific. The wait staff and sommelier are attentive and knowledgable. Small plates and large, vegetarian and meat-everyone will be happy. My only complaint was that we could barely hear each other. Next time ear plugs while I reach a zen state with my food.

The best Hummus I have ever enjoyed without a doubt. The recipe is the Chef's secret and he's not letting it go. All the vegetable dishes are absolutely the best. Tandori Chicken a bit over done but enjoyable. If you find your self in the upper west side of New York, Bustan is a must. Garden seating is very desirable, so when making reservations make sure you make your desires known and get the name of who you spoke with. Communications sometimes is left wanting. Overall, Bustan is an experience you will not soon forget.

Oh yum. Just thinking about dinner at Bustan makes me smile. We were first introduced by friends who live on the West Side, and have been back with and without them, never to be disappointed. Last night was particularly wonderful. A small glitch of reserving for 2 rather than 4 was graciously remedied by Danny, who after just a short wait seated us in a comfortable and quiet banquette. It is hard not to over order small and medium plates, because we all wanted old faithfuls like Greek salad, cauliflower, hummus, taqboon bread and tzaziki, but the daily specials including grilled artichokes over labneh were enticing. And while we have ordered and shared a variety of large plates in the past, we each got Chicken Musakhan, except for the outlier who ordered the crispy schnitzel with silky mashed potatoes. The Musakhan, for anyone interested, is perfectly marinated and grilled chicken atop tahini atop puffy taboon bread, with watercress and radishes. So unbelievably good. Cannot wait to go back. It can be noisy, but is worth it. Danny and our waiter Nikola were thoroughly accommodating, and didn't mind that we stayed till the bitter end of the evening.

I went here with my friends for brunch before visiting the Museum of Natural History. It was very good. The food was great and the patio was really nice. The service wasn't the best, but they tried hard. They just weren't the most outgoing of people and kind of hard to understand as they spoke very quite.

Make a reservation, but if you don't mind sitting at the bar, no reservation required. If u are tired of the same old, same old eggs Benedict s, or two eggs over easy, come here. Mediterranean breakfast. Wow. I had green shakshouka... Taboon baked eggs with creamed spinach, artichokes, fior di latte, and white truffle oil... See pic. Plus warm pitas and hummus. Such a great change of pace and delicious!

This restaurant never disappoints. It’s maybe my 3 or 4th time. Always excellant food and service. The lamb in puff pastry, Brandi I snd mezze platter were out of this world This place is a must

In my opinion, the sole reason to come her is for the bread and the hummus. It is worth every penny. The other dishes on the menu (appetizers and entrees) are okay. These other dishes are rather overpriced.

I’ve been in the hospitality business for over 40 years and understand the challenges. So frankly, I’ve never written a negative review though I assure all that some places deserved a poor review. However, I also won’t write a positive review unless I feel an establishment deserved a good review. We love Bustan. We come from northern Westchester county to enjoy the great food service (thank you Gabriella, Sophia, and Tuvia) and value. Last night was my birthday dinner with family. As usual, it was a wonderful experience. Plates are generally to be shared. Some of our family members are “foodies“ and all would confirm that consistently this one of each person‘s most favorite restaurants. Fish was the best we have had at any restaurant both chicken dishes were awesome. I am not a big laminator, but those who had it loved it from the appetizers to the dessert everything was delicious.The vegetarian were thrilled. The meat eaters were thrilled. We are not big drinkers but for $30-$40 wine can have an incredible meal and experience We shall return.

Tried Bustan with friends and family. Amazing, fresh food, delivered by great people in a casual but elegant environment. Friendly and attentive staff were great, even with our kids, 10 & 13.

This restaurant is overrated. The mediocre food, combined with a truly uncomfortable environment, creates no incentive whatsoever to go back. The menu hasn't changed in months, if not longer. The seats are incredibly uncomfortable in both the front and rear dining areas, the space is always warm and close, and the staff openly unenthusiastic.Too bad. There are now many better restaurants in the neighborhood and the owners of Bustan should heed the criticisms of many recent reviewers and get their act together here.

Having to kill a half hour on Amsterdam Ave. near 84th St. at a late lunch time we wandered into Bustan, a more-or-less Turkish-based Mediterranean restaurant. We had never heard of it, this not being our neighborhood. The hostess took us to a pleasant table in the back yard garden, sheltered from New York's Sahara-like sun. The Begum Playaneuron being hungrier than I, we ordered a single portion of Shashouka and merguez and some unsweetened iced tea. Shashouka is a Middle Eastern dish of poached eggs in tomato sauce, and having had some before I was dubious. I needn't have been. It came in a small cast iron skillet, with glistening poached eggs and wondrous merguez sausage (spicy lamb sausage) floating in tomato sauce. There was a freshly baked (or at least warm) small loaf of middle eastern bread slightly glistening with olive oil on the side. The dish was fabulous, spicy but not overwhelmingly so, subtle despite the heat. The eggs and merguez were perfect. I went from not particularly hungry to ravenous, eating my half, soaking up the drops of sauce left in the pan with the crumbs of bread that remained. I imagine we will go back to try other things on the menu - if they are anything like the one dish we had this will be a permanent addition to our simple-bite-out rotation even though it is a bit far from home.

This restaurant has been around for a few years now and regulars know they are guaranteed a wonderful dining experience in a beautiful setting. One can enjoy the back garden, main dining area or very comfortable cushioned stools at the bar. The best dishes all emerge from the wood-burning oven that produces its signature fresh made bread for every table. This visit found me and my wife dining later than usual. So we ate lighter and shared an appetizer of falafel and a whole branzino. I reserve a fifth star as the service was slightly less attentive than optimal. But don’t let that deter you from enjoying this neighborhood favorite.

If you are young and hip, the noise level may not bother you, so disregard this review! This is definitely a "hot" restaurant in the city. Very popular. And the food was very good. They were nice enough to fit us in with no reservations, at the prime dining hour. The food was tasty and service was okay. The poached halibut was good and so was the beet salad.

Multiple restaurants on every block make choices on the UWS challenging. But we checked out Trip Advisor and went to Bustan. I'm a New Yorker who loves middle eastern cuisine and this did not disappoint. The mezzi's were superb and from salads to main dishes we were very satisfied. Service was attentive and drinks just fine. I'll return.

Very friendly service and a delicious meal. We were a small group coming in for an early dinner before going to the opera. We enjoyed the main courses we chose, as well as the dessert. Nice atmosphere, not too noisy.

This is a nice addition to the Upper West Side of New York....the Israeli / middle Eastern vibe of this eatery is superb. Everything we ordered was excellent. The hummus is just about as good as it gets - and the salads were fresh and interesting mixes. We shared dishes and there was more than enough to go around. Excellent wine cellar which was surprising for such a small and on the modest side restaurant. The only drawback = very noisy and as the evening goes on - hard to have a conversation. Well worth a try though.

Made a reservation for 7:30 and called the restaurant to say we were going to be 15 minutes late as we sat in terrible crosstown traffic. I was informed when I called that it was okay if we were late but they had a 9pm reservation for that table and we would have to be done by then. As we didn't want to start looking for another restaurant we went anyway. When we arrived, at 7:40 we were seated at what they call the chefs table, a booth across from the kitchen that had no time limit and we could stay as long as we wanted. My view was watching waiters fill water pitchers. How can they expect four people to have a drink, read the menu, and eat three courses in 90 minutes?? Food was really good, waitstaff friendly but not sure I would go back due to the attitude of the hostess.

I went to Bustan with a big group and, though it's a small restaurant, they were quite accommodating. The food is fabulous! Our waiter--a british guy with a confused accent-- was hilarious and really knew how to read us. The prices are ok... could be better, but could certainly be worse. Overall, I can't wait to go back and I loved the food and the drinks. **our waiter was also quite knowledgable about bourbon, which is always appreciated.

Try each appetizer and ask for extra artichoke chips! Really warm , helpful waiters The chardonnay is also delicious

Loved the roasted beet salad. Amazing bread that came with the mezze. They gave us more bread free of charge bc the original serving didn't suffice for the delicious hummus & tsatziki. Falafel was disappointing, but everything else was good. Friendly, quick waiter. Delicious but pricey cocktails.

Lots of good choices on the menu. Execution was a bit mixed. Some of our sides were cold and they are very rigid about substituting a side, even if it’s something you can’t eat. Gets VERY loud at pick times.

The Moroccan Red Lentil Soup ($11), WITH exaggeration, is a soup with every Moroccan spice possible in it, with, in my opinion, no noticeable taste of lentils. The Taboon Hanger Steak ($31), a special of the day, was requested to be served medium and was served closer to well done and it was dry. It was served sliced, at room temperature (which often happens in restaurants when they slice any type of steak in the kitchen), without much flavor, accompanied by a small amount of sautéed onions, a baked potato and a nice tasting bone marrow.

First, the cauliflower appetizer is very good and recommended. The humus is also well prepared. However, the Moroccan halibut was quite bland as was the lamb terracotta. Not one of my favorites.

First, let me say we had one of the most delightful lunches we have ever had. The restaurant is beautiful and we chose to sit at the bar because it was so inviting. Both a waiter and a manager took turns getting our drinks and food. You could tell everyone enjoyed working at this restaurant and that made our dining experience that much more enjoyable. Second, let's get to the food! The best Mediterranean food we have ever had!! I started with the grilled octopus cooked to perfection. You will have to look up the menu on line to see all the ingredients in this dish. I highly recommend it. My husband started with the lentil soup with lamb sausage. It was outstanding! Again, please look up the menu to see all the flavorful ingredients. I had a lamb flatbread;incredible! I loved the seasonings used in the lamb and the picked onions. My husband had the lamb pita, again super delicious! We both had a take home bag and got to enjoy this yummy food again the next day. My husband asked the manager, Scott, what was in the jar at the bar. He told us it was figs marinated in vodka and they have a favorite drink called fig lemonade. My hubby ordered one. It was so tasty. Definitely order the fig lemonade! We were too full for dessert, but that menu looked wonderful. If you are in NY, definitely put Bustan on your short list. Scott said reservations for dinner are a must.

We ate here on Saturday night with some pals and loved it!! All the small plates were delicious and the lamb tagine was incredible. I highly recommend Bustan!!!

After marvelous afternoon at the opera, we headed for dinner at the charming Mediterranean restaurant on Amsterdam Avenue: Bustan NYC. It was a perfect choice for both us because we are still craving Israeli food since our return from our fabulous trip in late March-early April. My husband had Kebab Halabi (Lamb Kebab, Roasted Onion, Tomato, Long Hot Pepper, Tahini, Pistachios. Baked in Bread Dome). It was delicious - his kebab looked very appetizing, so I couldn’t resist. I decided on a lighter meal: Eggplant carpaccio (Fire Roasted Eggplant, Long Hot Pepper, Shallots, Sesame, Pomegranate Molasses, Fresh Herbs). We also ordered yummy Taboon bread and hummus. Perfect dinner, prompt welcoming service and lovely ambience.

It was hot on fathers day. We sat out back in the Garden. Sun had heated it up and the buildings blocked any air circulation. but enough with conditions. Food was excellent, and they did cater to my grand daughter's allergies. Service was very good.

This is a terrific mix of different Mediterranean styles - some flavours are Turkish, Israeli, Lebanese... overall everything is done well and a bit different from the usual brochettes and hummus. The dish that truly stands out is the Lamb Terracotta that comes draped in a nan-bread like cover - opened at the table by the waiter. The decor is eclectic and very cool - and there is a garden room in the back. Very beautiful restaurant and the service is 10/10 - Highly recommend.

When we couldn't get into our first choice restaurant for Saturday lunch, we got a table at Bustan. This Mediterranean restaurant takes some large steps with flavor combinations. Some work, some do not. My felafel was delicious, the sauce that was on top of the tahina was less than a good match. Once I worked through it, the felafel came to life but the first few bites were very off-putting. One of our party of four felt the same ways about his lamb sandwich. The food was fresh and to be fair, another in our party thought his tuna in baked crust was the best. Service was slow to standstill. Our waiter was very animated if we asked about him, not so much when we discussed the menu. When the discussion was about the food, he was stiff and not very interested. There were very long periods of absence on his part and it made the meal uncomfortable. I definitely think they could use more waiters. The gelatos are very tasty and we shared and all recommend those. The decor is inviting and interesting. The tree photo on the wall to the right of the entry is spectacular. At the end of the meal, we were a bit surprised at how much a light lunch cost for four of us. This is not on my "must come back" list.

First of all the food here is very creative Mediterranean influenced food. For example I had a roasted beet salad with pomegranites among other ingredients. I have been there twice with groups of 7 and got to try a variety of flavorful dishes. The restaurant can be a bit hard to get a reservation. One tip is to show up at the restaurant and see if they can squeeze you in between reservations. If you are willing to commit to be finished by their next reservation they try to fit people in. And if you can't get in there are plenty of other good restaurants within 3 or 4 blocks (and some are on the same block). They also have a nice outdoor seating in the back.

The first thing that struck us was the architecture, especially of the spacious marble bar and the extraordinarily comfortable (and wide!) bar stools. But then the menu and service were outstanding. The chef (and part owner) sat near us, introduced himself and told us the history of the place. Really interesting. The Village Voice rated this as the Best Upper West Side Restaurant in 2014 -- and we agree. This should not be missed.

First visit and I'm impressed - and that's not easy! Special note: this was New Year's Eve and our expectations were adjusted for what we know can be a challenging experience. Not so for this place. Regular menu with specials, excellent service and the food was fabulous. Really fabulous. Obviously made with care and pride, each dish oozed freshness and well-balanced flavors, genuinely successful effort to represent truly authentic Mediterranean fare. SO good. Oh - the Taboon bread. Do not skip it. We had three. Four of us shared small, medium and large plates and desserts, which is how we prefer to dine, especially at an establishment new to us: Grilled Octopus was fantastic, Smoked Trout, Hummus (not your garden variety in those refrigerated containers, my friend!), a bowl of well-seasoned olives and then the lamb baked in a bread bowl were all really, really super. I must especially mention the 700 degree Cabbage. No idea what that would be - wow! Not a cabbage fan - I'm converted and craving it! Desserts - baklava, a coconut pudding with rosewaster and something else with shaved halvah (can't recall it fully. I blame food coma). Nice cocktail menu, drinks well-made and special requests easily accommodated. Returning for sure, bringing others to share the delish!

Came here last night with a friend for dinner and were seated outside in the back courtyard which was amazing. We didn't realize how incredible the food would be and also, oddly enough ended up ordering most of the menu's italian style offerings. We split a burrata cheese appetizer which was incredible with the salted olive oil bread, then split a margarita pizza and a truffle ricotta gnocchi and were blown away. Definitely order the Moroccan style donuts for dessert - you won't be disappointed!!

We were immediately taken by the beauty and coziness of this place. After a warm welcome at the front the service continued to be excellent and very professional. The drinks and wine come quickly and are well mixed . We tried a lot from the menu . It all was very tasteful and beautifully prepared. Far above most NY restaurants. We will be back.

Our second time at Bustan for dinner. Very good Mediterranean food, a bit pricey. Octopus appetizer is excellent as is the hummus and falafel. I had the lamb terracotta for my main course and it was a very large and a very good dish. Staff is attentive and ambiance is good and it's not too noisy. Spicy Apricot Margarita was delicious too.

This place is an amazing find. I could eat there several nights a week it's that good. We started with the Mazettim with the homemade focaccia. We couldn't stop eating the bread! Then the Moroccan cigars, amazing! Then the Lamb Terra-cotta. I can't even begin to tell you how good it waster waiter was also amazing. Englishman whose cousin was Brian May. He had great stories. I'll be fast. Go there! You will love it! Believe me I don't hand out compliments lightly! Cheers