Marani Restaurant

This is my first time trying Georgian food so it’s hard for me to really rate it but I feel like it’s a solid 4. I would like to try other things… Sampler plus the Georgian bread- the bread is good, but nothing I’d rave about. The dips were okay. It wasn’t as flavorful as I expected but there were a lot of spices. Felt very clean. I wouldn’t get it again Adjaruli- the thing I think most people get. It’s good and better than I expected. Chanahi- the braised beef was a bit tough and my piece had a lot of that fat, and yes I still ate it lol. I did like that it tasted fresh for a braised beef dish but I’d try something else Def a nice experience and I’d like to try other things cus I’m sure there’s a better dish I’d like. Service was good.

This restaurant is such a hidden gem!! I've been to the Rego Park mall so many times but never thought to see what was behind it. I'm so glad that we decided to check out Marani. First of all, the customer service was impeccable! My friend and I were saying that it felt like we were in Europe, lol. The staff were attentive and didn't rush us through our meal. The restaurant was relatively quiet when we visited, which was nice. I liked the layout and simplicity of the decor. All of the food that we tried, with the exception of one thing, were amazingly delicious. 😋 We had the eggplant with a nut puree and pomegranate seeds as an appetizer (easily a five-star dish!), followed by the lamb and salmon kebabs, sweet potato fries, and bulgur with spinach and mushrooms. Everything was super tasty! We also tried the Georgian bread, fried cornbread (only thing we weren't a fan of), cigarette dessert, and local seltzer water. I hope to go back and try more of their delicious cuisine!!

Omg - you HAVE to come here! Such an authentic blend of flavor, presentation and impeccable service. Truly loved this place - felt like I was in someone’s home enjoying their delicious cuisine. We had just about everything - most of it I can’t pronounce but was delicious. Highly recommend the lamb chops, pimelimi (fried balls of meat), they also have a dish with an egg on top in a bread bowl which was AMAZING and I wouldn’t miss the Shish kabobs!! Check it out, you won’t be upset!

Words and pictures can not describe how good the food is here. The tastes and textures are so unique that you simply have to come experience it for yourself.

I thoroughly enjoyed the ambiance, and the service was exceptional. The prices are incredibly reasonable for the quality offered. While the food was a bit inconsistent, with some dishes shining while others fell short, overall, it was a very good experience. I would definitely return

Okay food. Big family portions. "Homely" in terms of flavor. Best to get food to go. Almost no service. The lack of service and explanation of the menu was not the best experience. Waiters just sat around. The lady filled the water. Not sure what I'm tipping for. And they forgot to pack my eggplant (the best dish) left over to go 🙁☹️. Booked a table for 2 almost a month in advance due their limited hours. Came on a Thursday evening. Not crowded at all. A reservation doesn't seem necessary because it was only us and 2 other tables. Even past 6pm it was just 3 tables including us. It was practically empty. We ordered the eggplant appetizer with pomegranate and was really great. We also had the freshly baked bread. Which was enough for a table of 4. The appetizers really made an impression in terms of flavor and texture. Went incredibly well with the freshly baked Georgian bread! This combo was the best from the whole meal. We got the meat pie/bowl with the egg. This was hearty, beefy, and flavorful. Really freshly made and came out piping hot. Excellent to share and good enough as an entree. This was another winner. The soup dumplings were interesting at best. Why no spoon with this dish? How am supposed to eat this with the juices all over the plate? Didn't seem right. They were big and beefy and came with 6. Juicy but the juices just ran all over with the knife and fork or am I supposed to eat with my hands? Not the best experience here. Or maybe I'm missing something? Finally, we had the lamb shank. Big enough for 4! Came with fries in on the bottom. This was fall off the bone tender. Not gamey. Lightly seasoned. There was a side of onion salad and cranberry sauce. Hearty and tender. Though rice is not included. I would describe this as "homely" in terms of flavor. The first two dishes really stood out; eggplant app and the meat bowl. The dumplings and lamb shanks were more "home style" in flavor. Huge portions but didn't really stand out in terms of flavor. The food was good with big portions. The price is almost justified. Almost. But the experience in the restaurant was not good at all. Would probably be better to order to go and eat at home and save yourself the tip and the waiting. The waiters just sat around until they need to bring out the food. The lady did mostly everything. And finally they forgot to pack the delicious eggplant appetizer even though there were 1/2 left 😢.

I’d say it’s a five star experience for the food. However, they should not be charging such offensively high prices for their dishes. I pay the same amount for restaurants in Manhattan such as LAVO. However, at LAVO, even they have cheaper options. Unlike this spot, you can expect to get an ALL-AROUND 5 star service in terms of service, atmosphere, AND interior decoration over there. If this restaurant wants to charge these prices, sure, go ahead. But be prepared to make sure it’s a 5 star experience all across the board. And saying this restaurant is kosher is no excuse. There are plenty of kosher restaurants in the area that don’t charge these ridiculous prices.

Amazing restaurant the food and services is always consistent. And the prices are very fair.

Absolutely superb, possibly the best kosher restaurant in NY. There are others on this level -- Barnea Bistro near Grand Central, the Bay Cafe in Sheepshead Bay, Bison & Bourbon in Park Slope, and of course the 2nd Ave. Deli for the non-black-hat crowd -- but Marani is really special. It's not cheap, but not outrageous, either: the wife and I went there for our anniversary tonight and had an excellent dinner with two glasses of wine and a brandy for around $130 plus tip. (Leave a good one, the service is first-class.) The food was FANTASTIC, and, of course, unique (you know of another kosher Georgian place?). We had a khatshapuri with meat (very interesting and tasty), beef dolmas (incredible), khinkali dumplings (take one taste then lay on the ground and moan obscenely for five minutes), and some Georgian bread (fantastic, and hot right out of the oven). The wine was also Georgian and was excellent. The place is very nice, too. It doesn't quite have the 'shine' it had when it first opened, but it's still a nice piece of design and very comfortable. Really, I can't recommend it highly enough. Very easy to get to by subway, and totally worth the trip to Queens.

What a great spot! It was my first time in New York and I had just left the US Open and was on the lookout for something completely new to me and lucky for me I came across Marani, a kosher, Georgian restaurant. I know very little of kosher food and absolutely nothing about Georgian food so I knew I had to try it. The inside was simple but nicely adorned. The staff were very nice and diligent and the food but new, exciting, and delicious. I started with the Lula kebab which is composed of ground beef and lamb and comes with a few slices of raw, white onion and a read sauce which I thought was tomato but after looking at the menu, may actually be a cranberry sauce. I didn't like the sauce initially, but after not having it, I added it to every bite of kebab and onion. I continued with the Adjaruli which is a bread bowl filled with beef, mushrooms, tarragon, and a perfectly cooked egg. Break that beast and mix it all together! This was so much larger than I thought it would be and was very tasty and with flavors that were both familiar and completely foreign to me. The dessert I had wasn't too memorable but it was some sort of dough with nuts and chocolate in it, dusted, with powdered sugar. Not bad overall and again something which seemed familiar but was completely new to me. Overall, a great experience. If you want to try something new from the old country, come to Marani; I'm sure glad I did!

Delicious, clean, upscale, well-priced, authentic. It's hard to find parking in this area. This place is special and a true eptiome of quality. It's Georgian (Caucasian) food. Waiters are good. Seems like they have live music some nights, and they have a bar area. Great place to go for a special occasion. Some of the flavors are very unique. Nothing was bland, might not be a spot for picky eaters.

I had this place bookmarked, and judging from Yelp, it had great reviews. I had to check it out since I was in the area. Went with a friend of mine who was down, too. After we ate here, she said that this was one of the best Mediterranean foods that she has had. Plus, it's a bit different since this is Georgian cuisine. Both of us have never had it before. When you walk in, there's a lot of wood tones, which makes it feel like a ranch that serves you southern foods, and you're not really greeted by anyone. Someone whose there just seats you. It was quite empty at 1pm. But once it turned 2pm, it got quite busy inside for a Sunday afternoon. We asked about a few dishes after looking at the menu. Decided on the kebabs, and my friend got the sweet potato fries (which was huge and large portion size), and I got the buckwheat rice that comes mixed in with mushrooms and spinach. The server recommended the side that I got saying it's a great dish, and he was right. Also, we got the bread bowl called the Adjaruli, which was recommended too. I would like to go back to try their other dishes to share with a group.

Kosher Georgian restaurant located near the Rego Park shopping complex. Restaurant is relatively big and service was good. Prices are high though for what you get. Unfortunately they no longer offer the cheese breads. The sampler starter is a must! It was very good especially the eggplant spread, followed by the spinach and lastly by the green bean one. The bread cost extra though but worth it! The bread is delicious, fresh, soft, and chewy! The portions for the entrees are large enough for two people. Our entrees of chichen tabaka and salmon were disappointing. I thought they were a bit bland. For the price of the salmon entree, there wasn't much salmon. I enjoyed the fries in the chicken dish though. Would get the eggplant spread again but would choose different entrees or stick with starters.

Great date spot! I love Marani! It is an incredible vibe. The waitstaff is friendly and helpful. I enjoyed my time here immensely. I walked in with my husband for a date afternoon around 1:30 PM. Merely sitting inside listening to the light music and eating fresh meal was so relaxing for us. We ordered kabobs, specifically salmon and lamb. What stood out to me were the details: the sauce provided with the salmon with the raspberry vinaigrette, the grilled onion and fresh cilantro on the lamb, and the creamy sauce for the dolmades. The dolmades (grape leaves) were filling especially with beef inside. The borscht was flavorful and so tasty with dill. Another item that I enjoyed was my raspberry mojito. Wow, it was strong! We walked out so satisfied that we couldn't fit dessert. That will be for next time. I definitely recommend this spot. So good!

Came here with a semi-large group for my buddy's birthday. Everyone had a good time, the food was great, and the hospitality was on-point. Very few of the folks in the group had Georgian food before and my buddy Eric passes by this place sooo often, he thought it would be fun to pop in for his birthday. I'm glad we did. When told we were getting Georgian food, I thought we were going to a small hole-in-the-wall mom-pop place. Marani was anything but. It was fairly elegant and maybe fancier than I'm used to. That said, the staff treated everyone so well and were super accommodating. There's plenty of space in here if you wanna dine alone, with a friend, or even a medium sized group. We were 8-9. I thought some of the prices were a bit high, but given the decor of the place and the size of the portions, I later thought they were appropriate. I had a chicken and fries (Cornish Hen). Flavors were great and portion size was large. Another big plus was the fact that it's all kosher. One friend felt much more comfortable having something he might not have had it not been. Everything that came out of the kitchen looked great. If I were to return, I think I'd want to try some of the kebabs. They too looked amazing and were large in portion size. If you're interested in trying something different and find yourself in Rego Park, I'd for sure recommend Marani. Note that it's slightly fancy and the prices are not fast casual, but you do eat well and the folks are super nice.

Nice and cozy, family owned, Georgian restaurant in Rego Park, Queens. I came here by myself, so I can try Georgian food for the first time. The restaurant was a recommendation from my friends. I had their special Adjaruli as a hot appetizer, although it can be easily a main course considering their generous portion. As an entree I ordered their famous lamb shank with potatoes (they were a bit undercooked, but not a big deal), peppers, onions, dry apricots and prunes. For drink I had Georgian red dry wine Saperavi, a full body wine with a hint of red beries and casiss. They do not have too many options for desert (napoleon, walnut cigar and sorbetti). Service is fast and not too pushy. The lady that served me today did an amazing job (she even charged my phone). Restrooms are clean. Prices reasonable for the quantity you get. If I may suggest, it would be much better if the music in the restaurant would be Georgian. I think the whole experience would reach a higher level.

I ate here for a late lunch on the weekend. The service we had was really good, I didn't catch her name but she was so nice. We ordered the : Marani sampler with bread (4.5/5) Borsch (3/5) Salmon kebab (4/5) And my partner ordered the adjurali. My favorite was the sampler with the fresh bread. I was hoping to order more breads or a vegetarian kachipuri but didn't see it in the menu so was a little bummed. Not the cheapest lunch spot but we did not go hungry! Overall a solid meal.

Food is 3/5 Service 5/5 Ambiance 4/5 Food was just mediocre, it's missing acidity and vibrancy. They try toning down the constant meat with marinara sauce but what these dishes need is lime or lemon, some fresh tomatoes, cilantro and parsley. Otherwise it's all meat and very filling. Only thing that was very good in my opinion was the bread.

Great food, service is always good. Definitely a little pricey especially with so many meat restaurants near but food is always good.

As far as ethnic kosher food - this is one of the top spots. The meat is excellent.

First time here , for sure wont be the last. What an amazing restaurant! Heard great things about it about it prior , just never made it in. Everything we ordered was delicious. Started with potatoes and mushrooms and onions appetizer, also ordered the fried Pelmini which are like little cavatellis filled with meat. I ordered the Lulla kebab which was ground beef and Lamb also had a bread bowl with ground beef , tarragon, and poached egg.

Best restaurant in the neighborhood! Service, food, interior, very friendly staff. Very clean environment.

I still don't know anything about Georgian food, so can't say legit or not; but definitely something different without being too exotic/risky for timid adventurers. They no longer have outdoor dining, even though there (was) a dedicated box on the curbside, but indoors seem pretty packed on weeknights; including Tues-Thurs. (Was there last Wednesday and it was almost full by 7:30pm.) Not sure if they forgot, but no one checked our vaccine card upon entering. Now onto the food. Yes, the bread is as heavenly as everyone says it is. The right amount of chewiness, the right thinness, and very good dipping sauce/complimenting savory ingredients depending on what you order. Our table got the popular Adjaruli bread bowl, I think it's a classic dish to try for anyone. Can't go wrong with meat, minced mushrooms and sunny side egg. From the waitress recommendations, we added the potatoes w/mushrooms - this was basically thick cut potato chips topped w/mushrooms and onions. Can't go wrong with anything chips, but probably would've picked something else that is more adventurous or different. Last, we also shared the beef stew. The portions look moderate, but filled our table of 3 in a very satisfactory manner. Minus one for what I think is on the higher priced menu for everything, on par with Manhattan restaurants. Yes, everything is more expensive in this day and age but just a note.

I just want to warn anyone who is considering coming to this restaurant, DONT! The owner is insane. I sat down in an empty restaurant on a weekend afternoon and the owner was upset that I had a sip of water from my own bottle and he went beserk. I ran out and didn't even order. Looks terrible anyway!

Unusual and tasty Georgian kosher meat menu. Tucked away in Rego Park neighborhood. Worth trying!

Good food and attentive service. We had lamb chops and the lamb shank dinner...good sized portion of well cooked and seasoned food. Definitely get the Georgian bread!

I'd been to Marani once before the visit of this review and am comparing this visit to that one a few months back. The food for our large group this time was very good but didn't fully compare to what I felt was an exceptional first visit. Service was great, our larger group felt taken care of. We were sad to hear their dairy kitchen was closed indefinitely, but hopefully one day we can come back to try it out! Vegan perspective: I am the vegan of the group and almost every appetizer was vegan which I loved. We ordered a sampler and the pickled plate as an appetizer and the sampler was small. The sampler had the phali/spread, the green beans with walnuts spread, and the eggplant with walnuts spread. While they were tasty, I am not sure the size justified the price. The pickled plate was great and was a perfect size to share with multiple people (definitely my favorite part!). We also ordered the baked Lobiani which was delicious and filling. I was quite disappointed that I only had one option for an entree (Lobio) which was a small cup of bean soup and cornbread. The bread was delicious, but the soup could have used some more seasoning (black pepper would have been great). If I do go back, I think I will stick with sides instead of ordering the vegan entree again. I did enjoy my meal overall, but the price did not really justify the quantity of food for me. The vegan option was a similar price to the meat options which doesn't make much sense in my opinion. However, that all being said, I would still definitely recommend it for people wanting a cute atmosphere, great customer service, and some warm bake-to-order bread pie.

If you're looking for adjaruli khachapuri (the gorgeous cheese boat), keep in mind that Marani separates their dairy kitchen downstairs from the first floor which serves meat. Their dairy kitchen has different hours and you might also have to take the khachapuri to-go, so call in advance to confirm those details. If you're an uninitiated uncultured pleb like me, you might scan through pictures of food and think the adjaruli (beef bread boat with mushrooms, tarragon, egg) is similar to the adjaruli khachapuri. After all, they're both bread boats with 'adjaruli' in their names. You'd be wrong. The meat in the adjaruli ($20) upstairs has the consistency of soft meat buns from Chinese bakeries, but it has more depth of flavor. The bread was like a chicken pot pie. The kubdari reminded me of a larger rou jia bing. The orders were large, and I STRONGLY recommend coming here with a large group and splitting your items family-style because I guarantee you'll get tired of eating so much of one dish. Service was good and they replaced our carafes constantly. But I'm giving a preliminary 3 because I think the food is very overpriced for what you receive. I may bump it up to a 4 once I try more of their menu items, including their khachapuri.

The food and service here are all okay but be warned this place is not as it appears. This "Georgian" restaurant is not really Georgian at all-at best you could call it Georgian inspired but none of the dishes are made the way they would be made in Georgia. Secondly both google and yelp list this place as two dollar signs ($$) in terms of price but in reality this place is quite expensive--I spent $180 for a fairly modest dinner for three people. This would be okay if the food were authentic or at the very least decent, but even without comparing them to the original the dishes are mediocre. And in light of the original dishes they really are just poor imitations. There are other Georgian restaurants in NYC that serve better, cheaper, and authentic food.

3.5 Stars I have been eyeing this restaurant since they opened! I bookmarked it and honestly just forgot about it, until a friend suggested we go. (Thanks, Nga!) I was so disappointed that they were no longer serving their Khachapuri in the lower level. I have had this dish in other Georgian restaurants, and it's a fave item. They said they no longer serve this item but can provide a "to go" order, and we can eat it at home. (Huhh??) We opted not to do that, as we were having dinner in the restaurant, and it's just not the same if you don't eat it fresh out of the oven. Huge disappointment! Three of us shared a variety of items. Some were better than others but nothing really blew me away. Not even the bread. I usually love fresh, crusty bread but their bread was somehow lacking in flavor and almost cardboard like. Here are the other items we shared: - Marani Sampler (three kinds of spreads). Strangely, this did not come with bread and we had to order it separately. The spreads were ok, but nothing spectacular. - Fresh large salad (Tomatoes, cucumbers and onions) - a little pricey at $12, but it was fresh and tasty - Kebabs (lamb and chicken thigh) - we thought the lamb was a bit chewey, and both lamb and chicken were lacking in flavor. The kebabs were huge chunks of meat. - Chicken Tabaka (baby Cornish Hen) - this dish was better than the kebabs but I liked their french fries the most...go figure! Haha All in all, it was a good meal, not great. Maybe we should have ordered other dishes. Not sure. The restaurant itself was really nice; spacious and welcoming. Service was friendly, helpful and efficient.

Great service, friendly staff and tasty Georgian food. Haven't been here since before the pandemic and forgot how good it was. Get the beef tarragon bread bowl, Marani sampler and the bread! The bread is super fresh out of the oven because they have a bakery downstairs. There's also a different menu on the lower level if I remember correctly that services non-meat dishes. I would avoid the dumpling dish and the skewers in my first pic though.

As enthusiastic as I was to check out this restaurant, I wasn't too crazy about it once I was there. Don't get me wrong, the service was great and our waitress was very nice and friendly. Though the food itself did not deliver the taste I was desiring and it just didn't hit the right mark to merit it a 5 star. We started off with their sampler dish but since all the sampler came with the same walnut filling for their veggies, it just didn't taste all that different from one another. We also ordered a couple of kabobs and it tasted okay. It had more of a gas grill after taste then charcoal grilled. The portion size; however, was a good amount. As for the cornish hen and fries, I liked it but again it wasn't all that unique and just tasted average. Overall, I think this place can be great for others but unfortunately, it's just not for me.

Service is very intimate and lovely. The Georgian bread is to die for. It is extremely soft and melts in your mouth. It goes well with the dips in the Marani platter. My favorite was probably the roasted pepper dip, then eggplant, then spinach dip. I'd say skip the beef dumplings because nothing stood out from them. The skin is pretty thick on the dumplings and the meat didn't taste amazing. The lamb kebob was tender but nothing special either. The braised beef on the other hand was *phenomenalllll* --super flavorful and tender. The portion was large but I'm not sure it was worth $55. I think the price point and overall taste did not seem to be worth it but it was a nice dining experience.

This was one of the best meals I've had in Rego Park. The service was great, and the bread was out of the world. Marani sampler: paired with freshly baked bread, the three walnutty spreads (which included spinach, eggplant, roasted red pepper) tasted great. Adjaruli: the cheese bread with mushrooms was delicious! Maybe the only thing they could have done was season it a bit more Khinkhali: these big soup dumplings were pretty fun to eat. They still don't meet the match of a xiao long bao soup dumpling but was pretty tasty. Chicken thigh kebab: this was the best chicken kebab I've ever had- large juicy chunks of flavorful chicken Lula kebab (ground beef and lamb): this was juicy and flavorful as well Highly recommend coming here if you have a craving for Georgian food.

Came here on a busy busy Tuesday night with some friends to sample everything we could. For starters we had the bean, spinach and eggplant dip with fresh baked Georgian bread. Next was the adjaruli (bread bowl with mushroom beef and sunny side up egg). I really wanted the addition of cheese but being all kosher, you can only order the cheese bread to go which I highly recommend. Cheese and bread were made to be together so you have to try this Georgian classic. For entrees, we had the Chicken tabaka - flavorful but didn't wow me, the fries were good. Chanahi - this was some good braised beef, goes great with the buckwheat. Lamb / chicken breast / chicken thigh kebabs - all the kebabs were delicious, large portions of tender juicy flavorful perfectly roasted meat. Overall we all enjoyed the meal, I can definitely see myself ordering takeout in the very near future.

The place was clean and nice. The server was so warm and welcoming. The food know the other hand was well outstanding. So great to have real ethnic cuisine that is delicious. We ordered a dish that they said would take longer to make. The reason was they make everything from scratch. The didn't disappoint everything was delicious.

First time trying Georgian food! I have incredibly limited knowledge and all I know about them is based on basic googling. However, my curiosity lead me here and I finally had the opportunity to try this place. It was a nice evening and it wasn't too chilly so we still get to dine outside. They decorated the outdoor space beautifully with comforting dim lights. I ordered Adjaruli (wide bread bowl filled with ground meat and egg) and Khinkhali (georgian dumplings). The adjaruli were presented beautifully and came in deliciously large portion. Mix the egg yolk with all the filling, cut it, then eat it like a pizza. It was super tasty! Savory umami taste of meat with creaminess that came from the yolk blended well with the chewiness of the bread. The Khinkhali was unique and tasted almost like a soup dumpling, except the wrapping is more doughy than the Chinese soup dumplings. The filling is also fragrant of meat. Service was unfortunately a bit slow and confusing, but it's not a big deal. Overall it was a pleasant meal.

I was invited to an event held at Marani, by a sales representative at my healthcare facility. I walked into the establishment for the early evening dinner and presentation. Staff were warm and welcoming. The aesthetics of the restaurant are very cozy with soft, warm colored tones throughout the walls and furniture. They set up the space in which there was a projector toward the front of the establishment and lots of space in the middle of the room for mingling and service. Marani serves Kosher, Georgian cuisine. I'd never had Georgian cuisine before but I was very pleased with what was served and so glad I was open to it. We were served basically a 3-courses of family styled meals including appetizers, entrees, and dessert. The menu offered a variety of chicken, fish, and even vegetarian dishes. I was fasting at the time and consuming only fish so there were a lot of great options and pretty much something for everyone. Among my favorite - the fresh Georgian salad, adjapsandali (eggplant with peppers tomatoes), potatoes with mushrooms, and the fresh bread. There was also a salmon dish that featured salmon filets wrapped in mushrooms ontop of parslied mashed potatoes. The ingredients were very fresh and flavorful. I probably went for 3 or 4 portions after the first. The presentation was also very well done, I was truly impressed. I did not have a chance to try the dessert but it looks great. Wine was delicious as well. Again, staff were very attentive, warm, and welcoming. The bathroom was impeccably clean. Overall, a great experience and I'm really eager to return with friends. My only, only issue is parking. Marani is located close to Queens Blvd, so parking is a nightmare. Aside from that, I highly recommend!

So good! Apps and kebabs are great! Definitely want to go back and try some more! Loved it!

First time having Georgian food and I thought it was great. I don't know much about Georgian food so I really didn't know what to expect but I was pleased with my meal. I thought the decor was clean, modern and super inviting, I also thought the service was really welcoming and friendly. The server took the time to explain the menu to us and offered some recommendations, we really felt like our dinner went very smoothly. Also, since meat and dairy cannot be combined here, the dairy items are served in the bottom floor while the rest of the meal is served on the ground floor. The food: Adjaruli- Bread bowl with beef, mushrooms, tarragon, sunny side egg. This was my favorite bread as well as my favorite dish overall. I really loved the texture of the bread, it was soft yet had nice crunchy edges. The meat mixture inside was like a ground beef mixture but wasn't as intensely beefy how I was expecting but I really liked the flavor. I highly recommend this dish. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=QNDcjd8m6BvjxUWdbUkdUA&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA Potatoes with Mushroom- The potato and mushroom combo is not new, hell, it's not even really exciting but the flavors pair together for a reason, they taste delicious together. I enjoyed the flavors on this, potatoes were cut into these long thin wedges and the sauteed mushrooms were cooked nicely. This is not a fancy dish, it's not even visually appealing either but the flavors were great. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=5AdLlzfZIEy_4mOwX9qsgQ&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA Ojakhuri- Roasted lamb shank with home style potatoes, onions, apricots and prunes. The lamb itself was great, it was super fall off the bone tender and I really enjoyed the flavor. In general I have never been a fan of fruit in any of my entrees so I really didn't care for the apricots and prunes. The pieces of the potato were nice with the raw onions, but I wasn't a fan of either sauce, though. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=Uku7rI7ryqv97B1eYUROaA&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA Megruli- This was the better of the two cheese bread dishes. This was good, it kinda felt like a white pizza. The dough was great but it did kinda have a Domino's/Papa John's feel to it. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=ilThl2w_gL1LyCx6XUPTTA&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA Adzharauli- This is also called a cheese boat, the idea seemed great but I wasn't in love with the flavor. This is kinda the popular dish that you are starting to see a lot of on social media but it didn't do it for me. I thought the cheese bread came off greasy and heavy and it sat in my stomach like a brick. This is something to try for the sake of trying it but make sure you share this with at least four people. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=tuyu7AWpNFxVzYzHH--VtQ&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA Eggplant with Walnuts- Sliced eggplant rolled with walnut paste sprinkled with pomegranate. This was a unique dish since it was an rolled eggplant dish. The flavors were nice but missing that wow factor. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=yBjWnsGfJg6a1u4hI69DnQ&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA Blinchiki- Crepes rolled with ground beef and pan fried. I thought this dish was just OK, the flavors really didn't really stand out to me. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=b1uu-T7Z4d4sF57b1Fc1QQ&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA

Marani is delicious! The Georgian bread and Harcho soup are tasty and filling. the stews are prepared beautifully. most imporantlLu, service is quick and excellent. highly recommend

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh Marani Love the food, the ambiance, the entire staff, Ana forever and ever! Was supposed to meet some friends here for dinner but with work meetings running late, I eventually showed up for a super late night last call dinner order. I grow in love with Georgian cuisine more and more at each visit. This restaurant is so inviting that those who keep kosher and those who don't both feel compelled to get her to eat! Because my dinner dates already indulged before I got there, I kept it light with an order of a their crazy succulent chicken thigh kabob, their addictive rice (I've asked for their secret in making their simple white rice this flavorful and amazing and at my first visit here all I was told was that it is cooked in pot ), the equally addictive sauteed mushrooms with garlic and tarragon in clay pot, the decadent adjaruli and a dessert sampler :) I always leave here with a full belly, great memories and a warmed heart because you're not ever treated as just another paying customer here. Ana painstakingly makes sure that everyone is taken care of from the minute they are seated to the minute they are ready to walk out the door. She takes great care and pride in everything that comes out of her kitchen and is always in ear shot to correct anything if anyone is not 100000 satisfied. If you've not been yet, you must go!

Great and convenient Georgian restaurant! Wet friendly staff. Excellent! Thank you! Good selection of wines as well.

Had dinner at Marani on Saturday night. Delicious and flavorful cuisine upstairs and some spectacular looking dishes in the downstairs dairy kitchen. Just make sure to save room for the savory cheese breads. Quality: Marani is the first Georgian restaurant I have visited. They have a unique setup to maintain Kosher compliance with meat items upstairs and dairy dishes downstairs. On this visit we stayed upstairs, but I know I need to return for the Adzharuli. For food we started with the excellent Adjapsandali, flavorful slow cooked eggplants mixed with peppers, tomatoes, and blend of herbs and spices. Next were a Chicken Thigh Kebab and a Lamb Kebab. Both were solid, though you should expect the lamb to be fatty. Finally was the Adjaruli, which I liked, but felt was missing something. Maybe it was the dairy products like cheese, but I think even some sauce could have helped the mix of beef, mushrooms, tarragon, and egg. But the slightly undercooked bread was remarkable, and I could eat it all day. Quantity: Each dish we ordered was large enough to share. The Kebabs were surprisingly large and filling. Value: $14 for the Adjapsandali. $7 for a Chicken Thigh Kebab. $8.50 for a Lamb Kebab. $22 for the Adjaruli. Ambiance: Marani is located in Rego Park, right near the Rego Center Mall. The restaurant has two floors, with the top floor set up for more formal dining and downstairs made for take-out. Upstairs, you are met with a bar and a large wine rack. A television hung over the bar playing a football game during our meal. The rest of the dining room is filled with tables illuminated by unique hanging lights. A simple instrumental soundtrack played in the background, but as the placed filled up it was drowned out. Downstairs is more informal with a counter to order your dairy items. It is set-up for take-out, which is not the most convenient, but I will definitely give it a try next visit. Crowd: This place gets extremely busy for dinner. Make a reservation in advance if possible. Service: Extremely friendly. The staff explained the different items on the menu that we had not encountered before and paced the meal appropriately. Parking: Some street parking throughout the area.

Great place the husband wife are incredible. They would bed backs for their clients just make sure to reserve that's the only caveat I have.

I waited 3 years to finally come here and it was worth the wait! We made reservations, arrived on time and were seated immediately. Excellent attentive servers took our orders, explained the menu, and answered our questions. I started with the Harcho soup (excellent hearty tomato pepper base with lamb & rice) Borscht (my brother loved it) Fresh Georgian Salad(fresh, tasty, perfect to balance out the heartier dishes)Adjaruli (probably the most photographed dish) beautiful and soooo fresh and delicious. Even the dough bowl was fresh and soft and crispy, tasted like it was just baked. The filling was meat, sautéed mushrooms and spices. We devoured this. They were out of Khinkali but the kind owner managed to find us the last remaining portion. Delicious fresh steamy flavorful soup dumplings with freshly ground cracked black pepper sprinkled on top. So delicious and fun to eat.The meal was hearty, fresh, and flavorful. The portions are generous. The service was excellent. The owner was present checking on everyone helping move tables around and just being her kind generous bubbly self. Loved every moment of this experience. Can't wait to return.

We loved Marani! What an amazing gem in Rego Park! The food was new, exciting and delicious and you got to eat the meat and cheese dishes on a different floor. I have never had such amazing cheese bread before! This restaurant is very unique because it is Glatt Kosher. So the cheese dishes are served downstairs and the meats and other foods are served on the first floor. We ordered the Megruli (cheese pizza with stuffed cheese), Chanahi (eggplant, tomatoes with stewed beef) and Khinkali (Georgian meat and soup dumpling). Our waiter suggested we eat our entrees first, then go downstairs to eat the cheese bread. This is not set in stone, the waiter explained that the order just depends on what dishes we ordered. The chanahi was melt-in-your-mouth beef with sweet tomato sauce. Great take on a familiar dish. The Khinkali was like a minced meat large soup dumpling. Very juicy and very filling. I loved the Megruli, which tastes very unique, buttery and cheesy. It tasted like smoked feta and smoked gooey mozzarella with a crispy cheesy crust. It was the best combination of comfort food on a cold winter's day. I wished we ordered all the cheese breads but the three of us couldn't even finish one. I loved the service too! The servers were very polite, and timed our meals so when we finished our entrees, we could go eat our cheese bread. They explained their customs to us and helped us keep the cheese leftovers and boxed our entrées when we went downstairs to enjoy the cheese. What a wonderful meal! We will be back!

Dairy items are served downstairs, and meat is served upstairs. We didn't know (our first time eating kosher) and chose the meat section, when we had come to try the cheeseboat. Thankfully you can order it to-go and pick it up on your way out (whoop!). My other half got a lamb dish that he still talks about, and I may have eaten their version of the soup dumpling incorrectly (whoops) - you have to hold it by the stem, bite a hole and slurp, and discard the stem (or, you can choose to eat it too). It was all so incredibly delicious and well seasoned. I tried the cheeseboat at home after heating it up in the oven and throwing an egg on top. I swear the skies opened up and there was singing, magic dust and sprinkles. Yes, it is that good. Note to self: after consulting my kosher expert friend - one can eat downstairs (first) and then come upstairs after for meat.

I love Eastern Europeans! Food. Wait. Let me start over. I was invited by a group of food enthusiasts to recently check out Georgian food. Not men. But their food is freaking fantastic. I had never had Georgian food but was especially enthusiastic about coming here because there is nothing I love more in life than consuming a boat of cheese and butter and egg encased in bread. Serious food coma walking out of here. Things to keep in mind: This place is Kosher. Which is kind of cool. It generally means for the biggest thing on the dining and menu that you have to eat meat and cheese in separate rooms. A restaurant has a room dedicated to only cheese. . . . . . sign me up! Drinks were just okay. I'd honestly settle with getting wine instead of a cocktail. You get a free one with the purchase of an entree upon a Yelp check-in. For starters we split among a large group: A variety of spreads - walnuts ground up with spinach, green beans, and beets. It comes with fresh enormous flat bread out of their ovens. Their bread is so amaaaaazing. The spreads were all surprisingly tasty and probably vegan. I think my favorite was the spinach. Watermelon avocado salad - Refreshing and lite. Entrees were shared among all of us as well. If you get anything here, trying Georgian dumplings is a must and life changing. Khinkali are these enormous purses stuffed with savory beef, lamb, juices and herbs. It comes out piping hot in a pot and you pick them up by the doughy nob (you don't eat) and sprinkle black pepper on the bottom. They're like Eastern European soup dumplings. I need to find more of these in my life. Second favorite thing here is their Adjaruli and the cheese version of that downstairs. Its like a bread boat stuffed with beef, mushrooms, and tarragon and topped with a runny egg. The cheese version is the same idea but with so much cheese you will be exploding by the end. The Chicken Tabaka with fries and the Chanahi with braised beef in a stew of eggplants, tomatoes, peppers, onions, and potatoes were decent as well. But just decent. The tkemali sauce (a sour cherry plum sauce) is outstanding and you will want to put it on everything. Back to the CHEESE ROOM. I could live in here. But it's hot. So you might want to make your cheese experience brief. You'll break out into the cheese sweats. There was cheese pie, double cheese pie, and the Khachapuri with the boat and the egg. The last is the most worth it. The double cheese was surprisingly not as good as the regular cheese. Do all of these things. Then go back upstairs and regret ordering desert. Because the flaky Napoleans are dynamite. My Georgian food experience won't be my last. I'm already heavily anticipating my next visit and seeking out where to find these Khinkali dumplings closer to Brooklyn.

First of all, their Georgian cheese bread is the bomb dot com! You can only get it to go from their downstairs kitchen but man oh man is it worth it! I've also fined upstairs with several of their meat entrees and while they were good, I wasn't moved enough to add it to my shortlist. Bottom line - the above rating is for their awesome Georgian cheese bread downstairs! Come here for that and you won't be disappointed!

A lot of food. We wanted to explore different style of food. From seeing other reviews on Yelp, we went with Marani. What we didn't realize is that food portion was quite huge. We ordered two appetizers (won't even attempt to spell what we got) and four entrees amongst the four of us. We left holding onto our food baby. Service was okay. Not crazy attentive but not left on our own. Overall, it was an interesting experience and warrant another visit. Absolutely love the stewed beef

AMAZING! A new style of food. I was skeptical at first, but then was glad I tried this place out. Best meat and bread! Check it out!

When it came to being me, one of the things you learn to do is to dish out pain with subtlety and garnished with kindness. Think of it as like an ice pick to the back covered in lidocaine, and applied slowly in the form of a manly pat in the back. Take for instance the double edged sword of the pastry bakery at Marani. Some people might ask - what bakery? It's downstairs - Marani is in a Bukharian Jewish area (formerly Ashkenazi), and as such, they follow glatt kosher laws - they close on Friday nights and Saturdays, consume no pork and separate meat and dairy food items, serving meat dishes upstairs and dairy dishes downstairs using separate kitchens and dining equipment. The top level is all about the Khinkalis (Georgian style dumplings) and garlicky walnut sauced chicken, while downstairs it's all about the katchapuri. So what exactly is a katchapuri? Well, you roll out a buttery doughy bit of bread, you shave out some Georgian Salguni cheese, you add enough cheese to make Bob Saget cringe, and then you add more. If you do the adjaruli version, you crack a raw egg on top. You then toss the entire thing into a NASA-hot convection oven so it cooks quickly. When you get the adjaruli you take a fork to the egg and mix it into the cheese so it turns into a thick custard-like bit of culinary insanity. There's another version where it is cheese cheese and more cheese to the point where you cannot fathom the possibility of more cheese without questioning quantum probabilities, but no egg (because that might upset your cardiologist just a tad). Wash it down with some Zhandukreli pear soda for that cool effervescence. So where is that theoretical ice-pick to the brainstem? Oh, picture this. Serve it to a mid-age Asian couple (with kids) and watch them ohhh-and-ahhh over its creamy pastoral deliciousness (oh that salty creamy pastoral cheese, that fresh-out-of-oven crisp, that pizza-like texture but without the heartburn eliciting tomato sauce, a white slice but with much more cheese than you can imagine, except it's dairy with subtlety). Now wasn't that good? Of course it was, it was irresistible. Now what should we do about dessert? Why, the Q23 bus to Corona for some delicious lemon ice from Benfarimos, so cold and refreshing on a summer's day. What's next? A beautiful stroll through Flushing Meadow park (3 short blocks away) for the Unisphere or the famous flying saucers observation tower and maybe some aquas frescas from the local chuzo vendors. By this time the lemon ice, the Georgian soda and the salguni cheese would have had some time to mingle and get to know each other. If there is a constant in life, it's death, taxes and the inability of middle age Asians to tolerate large amounts of lactose. By this time you should be near Arthur Ashe stadium, an area that is devoid of public restrooms except for the comfort station near the Willets Point subway entrance. Say, do you know who is the fastest human on planet earth? Some say it is Usain Bolt. You might be half-right. In my opinion, it's an Asian couple with the fear of containment failure bee-lining for the restrooms when the katchapuris come knocking for a way back out through the old Hershey Highway, followed by their kids wondering why mommy and daddy are hightailing towards the comfort station. If you time it right, they will be temporarily closed for cleaning, or most stalls will have no toilet paper. Try to contain the cackles while they ride the thunder bucket into oblivion and beyond. For that additional twist of the knife, offer their kids toilet paper to bring into the stall for mommy and daddy. They should breathe in that sense of regret. That uncle Kevin is a real son-of-a-bitch. So yes - I love Marani. Their katchapuris are truly delicious and comes highly recommended. Just don't go there too much lest you are planning to date a cardiologist. If you are East Asian like me, pop a Lactaid first. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Excellent Georgian cuisine. Service is adequate. No much in the way of ambience however,

Service here is amazing! Although we had a "main" waiter, all the staff would periodically check in as they passed by which was excellent. I would recommend making a reservation if going over the weekend, it seemed really packed on Saturday night. The tables are evenly spaced out and there's a very calm and relaxing atmosphere here. From the grill menu we ordered the Lula kebab, lamb kebab and chicken kebab. For me, chicken was the best! Juicy and flavorful. Fries are seasoned well and come out hot! The Chashushull was amazing! The beef was tender, tomato sauce seasoned to perfection and the bread baked on top was soft and warm. Almost everything is GF (gluten free) as well if that's a major concern for you. Needless to say, I will be back.

Rounding up from a 4.5 here. Was all the food I've had there amazing? No. The meat pie was a little dry and some other dishes were forgettable. But... those meat skewers, juicy and flavorful, keep me coming back. My favorites are the lula (ground beef and lamb mix) and chicken thigh. They also get points for serving non-pork soup dumplings (khinkali). The waiter's explanation of how to eat them were... memorable. On this last visit, we also tried the potato and mushroom appetizer, which was really good. I wish there was a third area you could have dairy and meat together, as I have yet to make it downstairs for the dairy offerings and have wanted to try their khachapuri.

It was REALLY good! The service is A+ and the atmosphere is clean and beautiful. The lamb fell off the bone! We didn't have a reservation but they squeezed us in.