Yara

Great experience at this great looking restaurant. Service was excellent and without any delays. Food presentation was great and the portions were good. Looking to go back soon to try more from their menu as this is one of most comprehensive Lebanese menus I have seen in a while!

We were looking for a last minute dinner reservation in midtown last week, and ended up at Yara because everywhere else we tried was booked (holiday dinners!). I went in with low expectations, but was pleasantly surprised. They have TONS of vegetarian options, and everything we ordered was delicious. For three people, we ordered:Falafel Spicy hummusSpicy potatoesFatayirCauliflower Yara TzatzikiTheir spicy sauce and spicy hummus were legitimately spicy without being over the top. Also, their portion sizes are pretty big compared to NYC standards, so this was more than enough food for three of us. Highly recommend checking them out...I know I'll definitely be back!

Ordered:Hummus ($13)Babaghanouj (~$14)Warak Einab (~$15)Tabouleh (~$17)Fatoush (~$16)Fried Cauliflower (~$16)Sambousek Meat (~$15)Sambousek Cheese (~$15)Yara Fries (~$10)Yara Mixed Grill (~$58): shish tawook, filet mignon, kefta, lamb chops and shrimp, served with grilled vegetables, rice and garlic aioliAya's take:We were looking for a Lebanese restaurant where we can have a family gathering (9 people) and was so thankful to have come across Yara! They have a semi-private dining section which is slightly tucked away from the regular dining area. It's classy, traditional, and cozy. From the brick wall to the colored wall to the chandelier, it actually feels like you're at home sitting in a dining room. About 2 weeks before, we contacted them to inquire and received a prompt response from Norman. Norman is the man!! He was super responsive and was there the whole time ensuring we had everything we needed, chatting with the families, and being entertaining lol. All the food came out in a timely manner and everything tasted delicious. Where do I begin? From all the appetizers we got to the Yara Mixed Grill, it was truly a taste of Lebanon in the heart of NYC. The must orders for me were the Hummus, Babaghanouj, Fatoush, and Yara Mixed Grill. You know the chef is talented when every piece of meat in the Yara Mixed Grill came out super tender, juicy, and well-seasoned. The Yara Fries were also super addictive! No matter what you order, you will not have a bad bite here. The chef even came out to greet us which was a nice touch. Being Lebanese and a native New Yorker, I couldn't have asked for a better place to have this event. I can't recommend Yara enough and look forward to coming back!

I reviewed Yara in the past when I ordered take-out. This time, we went to the restaurant to eat an early dinner. The food was delicious. I still stand by my earlier review, but overall very good and enjoyable in a beautiful restaurant setting. Will be back!

Lebanese cuisine seems to be the most universally popular cuisine. I have never met anyone who didn't like Lebanese food. And among the Lebanese restaurants in New York City, Yara is definitely among my favorites. The menu is rather extensive, but the food is consistently tasty. You will not find mulukhia on many other menus around here. The kibbe b laban is another favorite with its mildly tangy and garlicky flavors. Among the desserts, the sfouf (turmeric cake) wins me over with its simple deliciousness. Service is very gracious, and can take some time during the busy lunch hour as there is just one person manning the dining room. The dining room itself is bright and cheerful with fresh flowers placed on each table.

I've been here a few times and love the food and service here. This time I came for my birthday. The hostess was very thoughtful and offered a vase with water to place my birthday flowers in while we dined. They also sang happy birthday for me :)I always get the babaghanouj and kebab platter. The yara fries were so well seasoned. Great ambiance. Drink menu is a little limited.

The food here was delicious. I went with a large group and split several dishes. -Mezze-Pita - nice and fluffy, and came in a pretty large quantity which was good for a lot of people.Hummus - creamy and subtly flavored.Baba ghanoush - also very creamy, but with some welcome tartness. I would have preferred this to be a bit more on the smokier side.Beet falafel - crispy, with a subtle sweet and earthy flavor from the beets. I liked the variation here.Vegan warak einab - sour and herbaceous, provided nice contrast with the other mezze. Vegan kibbeh - crispy and filled with pleasant warm spices.-Platters-My group has the Yara mixed grill and shawarma beef, which they enjoyed. I didn't try these dishes because I'm vegetarian.Okra - great tomato sauce and pleasantly soft okra. Paired well with the rice served on the side.We got an enormous amount of food for a total bill of about $205. The restaurant itself is beautifully decorated and has plenty of space for large parties. Definitely give this one a try.

I'm not a huge fan of Mediterranean/lebanese food so I say I'm a rather harsh critic. But the food was good! The hummus was delicious and came with pita bread (5 decent sized pitas I counted lol). I got the goat fossolia which came with rice and the lamb was superrrr tender. Like you don't need a knife. My friends got the chicken shawarma and those fries were to die for lol along with the garlicky white sauce it came with. We also got the warak einab which was so comforting honestly. Our waiter was kind enough to tell us how to each certain dishes which was very helpful. Service was great and our waters were refilled several times. The place is rather quite fancy and upscale compared to places I usually go to but still casual enough for a random dinner! The owner I believe was super kind and even came outside of the restaurant to help us take a picture when we were struggling!! That was so kind of him and wanted to say thanks for making the pics perfect like he said he will!!!

The restaurant itself is imposing inside, but that's where it ended for me.I was the second person waiting to be seated. The abrupt concierge lifted a finger and asked me to wait one minute. There was "Welcome, sir" I am going to sit these guests, and then I will return to you". I waited for what seemed an age for her to return, and she asked me again without emotion to wait further.Eventually, I was seated - but again, it took several minutes before anyone arrived to give me the usual greeting water.I got some water, and what followed was quite shocking: stale pitas broken with mooli and vegetable oil. You´ll read just now how they recycle the pitas you do not use as a welcome starter.I ordered Falafel, followed by the Shish Tawook.When my Falafels arrived, they were tasteless, albeit well-cooked. Some of the accompanying sauce was very watery.Then, they arrived with what looked like bread wrapped in a serviette. That's correct, but it was, in fact, four pittas warmers put and tied in a plastic bag (those were recycled in your welcome starter). How crass is this? Have you ever had that experience in a so-called good restaurant? I never have!I complained about how awful it was to serve warm bread in a tied plastic bag, and she told me it was to keep them warm. That is a fair comment; it is not what you expect from an upmarket restaurant.I was three-quarters through my starter when my main course arrived. I was tempted to say, "Can't you see I have not finished?" and believe me, I am a pretty fast eater. It was plonked on my table again without any smiles or courtesy.By the time I started to eat, it was barely warm. Again, it looked nice but had little taste. They also added a cheap form of Aioli, which was awful considering it was so easy to make.This was a sad experience for me as I give everyone the benefit of the doubt, but the staff here need better training, the food could have more taste, and they need a more friendly manager to greet you and make you feel welcome. There is so much evidence of poor training here, on the floor and in the kitchen, when it could excel, having that fantastic ambience and location.

OUTSTANDING!!! What a gem of a Lebanese restaurant in NYC. We went for Valentine's Day and didn't know what to expect. The restaurant has lovely ambiance and beyond hospitable and friendly staff. The food is Authentic Lebanese cuisine. There's no fusion or funny business. This is Lebanese dining as if you're sitting at an eatery in Beirut. The Kibbe naye (lamb tartar) is out of this world. Very generous portion for the price charged. The best part was our server Charles whose knowledge of the menu and cuisine was very much appreciated. He checked in on us often and was extremely personable and attentive. We also had the pleasure of meeting Linda one of the owners, who was so gracious in making sure we received our complimentary heart shaped falafel and rose for the occasion. I watched her check in with every table to make sure that everyone was well taken care of and enjoying their experience. Yara far exceeded my expectations. It's warm, welcoming and most of all the food was outstanding. Can't recommend this place enough to anyone looking to enjoy a real Lebanese treat while in NYC.