Vibrant Palestinian & Middle Eastern cuisine, from traditional faves to a new upscale spot. Generous portions, especially the Ramadan special.
AYAT offers a vibrant take on Palestinian and Middle Eastern cuisine, with a new, upscale location recently opened. Reviewers often praise its traditional flavors and unique dishes, though some have noted inconsistencies and potential issues with service speed. The Ramadan special has been highlighted as particularly generous.
AYAT specializes in Palestinian and Middle Eastern fare. Dishes like lamb ouzi, spicy potatoes, and chicken maqluba receive high praise. However, some diners have found grilled meats to be bland and knafeh to be underwhelming compared to other establishments. There are also some recent concerns raised about health inspection grades.
"Customers frequently praise dishes like the lamb ouzi, spicy potatoes, and chicken maqluba. The Mezze Filistini (cold mixed appetizer) is also specifically recommended over the hot version. The Ramadan special is noted for its generous portions."
Overall, customers have a positive sentiment towards AYAT, frequently recommending it for its authentic flavors and generous portions. However, some recent feedback has raised concerns about potential health code violations and inconsistent service.
Important Note
Recent discussions on Reddit have brought up concerns regarding AYAT's health inspection grades, with some locations reportedly having 'grade pending' or past violations. There are also conflicting reviews on food quality, with some finding it bland or inconsistent, and one mention of a strong bleach smell during a dining experience.
"The author reiterated that Ayat is not among the best restaurants in NYC despite the food being not bad, and questioned its status as a media darling."
Negative"The author finds Ayat to be massively overrated, with just 'fine' food and inefficient service, questioning its media popularity and recommending Antepli for kunefe."
Negative"The author stated that Ayat's Knafeh is not better than Tanoreen's."
Negative"This commenter simply stated that Ayat is a scam."
Negative"The author questioned if Ayat's Knafeh is truly better than Tanoreen's."
Neutral"The author was disappointed with Ayat, finding it constantly recommended by media but underwhelming in experience, particularly their knafeh, which they felt could be done better elsewhere."
Negative"The author mentioned trying the Knafeh at Ayat."
Neutral"This commenter stated they like the maqluba at Ayat."
Positive"This commenter had a mixed experience at Ayat in the East Village, describing the first meal as heavenly and flavorful but the second as having poor service and long waits, though the food remained delicious."
Neutral"Following up on health code violations, this commenter observed that many Ayat locations in NYC have 'grade pending' and one had a poor score, contrasting with Tanoreen's 'A' rating."
Negative"This commenter noted that Ayat has reportedly been closed for health code violations."
Negative"This commenter had a very disappointing experience at Ayat in the East Village, finding starters good but mains dry, salads and pickles soggy, and also noted a strong bleach smell from cleaning during their meal."
Negative"This commenter suggested that Ayat might not excel at grilled meats or shawarma, recommending sticking to more traditional dishes on their menu."
Neutral"Expanding on their previous comment, this user found the grilled meats at Ayat to be bland and lacking spice, unlike what they expect from Middle Eastern cuisine, comparing it unfavorably to food for a hospital patient."
Negative"This commenter felt that Ayat was fine for a local meal but not worth traveling for."
Neutral"This commenter felt Ayat was glorified halal cart food and considered its sister restaurant, Al-Badawi, to be only slightly better but still subpar."
Negative"This commenter agreed that Ayat's food wasn't terrible but stated that many other restaurants in Bay Ridge offer better quality, particularly noting that grilled meats were bland."
Negative"This commenter found Ayat in Bay Ridge to be responsible for some of the blandest meals they've had in the neighborhood, suggesting the restaurant is overhyped compared to other nearby options like Yemenat."
Negative"This commenter is excited to try Ayat, which is opening near their apartment, based on how amazing it looks."
Positive"This commenter believes Ayat is the best restaurant on the Cortelyou Road stretch in Ditmas Park, highlighting its impressive quality."
Positive
