Zesty Tabbouleh

I would highly recommend this restaurant! The owner personally took care of us and the food was amazing. His food reminded me of my grandmother’s Lebanese food. It was amazing. I would equate him to the Gordon Ramsey of Lebanese food. Presentation and taste are amazing. Please go here when in NYC! You won’t regret it.

What a gem of a restaurant the space is warm and inviting, with an ambiance that makes you want to linger. We were 8 people and the staff and chef were genuinely welcoming, making us feel like a regular from the moment we walked in. The food was outstanding. The falafel alone is worth the visit crispy on the outside, perfectly spiced within, and easily the best I’ve had anywhere. Every dish that came to the table was carefully crafted and full of flavor. If you’re looking for a spot that delivers on every level atmosphere, hospitality, and exceptional food this is it. A place I’ll be coming back to again and again. Pro move - BYOB

Wow—what an incredible find. Chef and owner Mohammad cooks straight from the heart, and you can taste it in every bite. From the fresh, vibrant tabbouleh to the beautifully prepared whole fish cage, everything felt authentic, thoughtful, and full of flavor. His warm smile is what first invited me in, and the food is what kept me wanting more. I’m currently on a ketogenic diet, and Chef went out of his way to make sure everything fit my restrictions. He customized dishes for me without hesitation and even brought out his homemade pickled vegetables and dolmades for me to try. That kind of genuine hospitality is rare, and it meant a lot. The restaurant has only been open for a month, yet all the 5-star reviews make perfect sense. Mohammad cooks everything fresh to order, so it’s worth taking your time, relaxing, and really enjoying the meal. I absolutely loved my experience here and will be recommending this place to everyone I know.

Hands down, one of the best middle Eastern food places I have eaten at in years. Loved the Hummus, the baba ghanouj, and grilled meat. Then came the sweet Muhalabiya, AWESOME. Ohh, the Pita bread was freshly made and in all honesty great. Staff extremely friendly and the owner welcomed us himself.

My wife and I had the opportunity to have lunch at Zesty today. As Brazilians raised and born in Sao Paulo (a city with a big Libanese community) we are big fans of their food! We were specifically looking for a plate that we love called sfiha, and Zesty has it on the menu as an entrance. It was delicious, really good. The restaurant is small, but has such a nice and cozy atmosphere. We were welcomed by their waitresses that, later we figured was her first day over there. She was super nice and kind. The food was so good! I had the beef shawarma and my wife had the Smake Harra. Besides delicious and tasty, a good word to describe those platters is WELL BALANCED, salt, seasoned and with the right amount of sauce! My beef shawarma came with French fries as a side, I mean REAL POTATOES, not that industrial frozen stuff. My wife's plater was also good, I can say that because, off course I had a good bite of it...hahaha The fish was so well seasoned, and they prepared it on a charcoal oven for sure ( I could taste that "smoked flavor" that makes everything taste even better) In a nutshell, this restaurant really worth my time and money, we are definitely coming back to try more platers from the menu. The chef make sure to come to our table to check if everything was good, he was really nice and seemed happy to see us enjoying the good food. He will see us over there more times for sure!

This is my favorite middle-eastern restaurant in the city from now on! The food tastes authentic with just the right amount of personal touch to make it stand out from the others. The owner/chef is very friendly and listening to him talk so passionately about his process was inspiring and heart-warming. He clearly loves what he does and it shows in the food.

The Halabi kabab was my favorite, well-seasoned, tender, and grilled to bring depth without overpowering the spices. The zesty tabbouleh was definitely zesty, the right hit of acidity, good amount of bulgur wheat and onions. I also tried the sfiha, which had a satisfying, savory filling on the soft dough, and the Halabi desert, which was similarly well-balanced and not too sweet. Overall, fresh ingredients, thoughtful seasoning, and a well thought out menu. A strong addition to the LES levantine list. Will return to try the shawerma & felafil soon.

My absolute new go to middle eastern spot. Food was incredible, the staff and chef were so lovely, and the place had the best atmosphere. So excited to be back, going to be dreaming about pesto hummus until then 🤌