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Al Bustan
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827 Third Ave.,
New York, NY 10022
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Official Website
Hours
Daily, noon-3pm and 5:30pm-10pm
Nearby Subway Stops
6 at 51st St.; E, V at Lexington Ave.-53rd St.
Prices
$23-$31
Payment Methods
American Express, Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Special Features
- Business Lunch
- Delivery
- Dine at the Bar
- Lunch
- Prix-Fixe
- Take-Out
Alcohol
- Full Bar
Reservations
Accepted/Not Necessary
Delivery Area
40th St. to 60th St., FDR Dr. to Fifth Ave.
Profile
Long a favorite of United Nations delegates and the in-the-know Midtown set, Al Bustan serves the most refined Lebanese cuisine in town. But does the kitchen do enough to justify the tariff, which can be two or three times what you'd pay for the same menu items at the typical Middle Eastern restaurant? Certainly, the cream-colored minimalist dining room and attentive service add some value, and the elegance of the presentations adds some more. Still, it's an expensive way to eat hummus.
NoteReservations are accepted only for groups of 3 or more.
Recommended DishesSamboussek (dumplings stuffed with minced meat), $6.50; grilled kafta (minced skewered lamb with chopped onions, spices, and parsley), $22.50
| 2.5 | "Not Recommended" Average Reader Rating on a Scale of 10 |
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This Orchard is rotten!
hammernet from | Posted on 11/11/03
| Food: | 6 |
| Service: | 1 |
| Décor: | 3 |
| Value: | 2 |
Never before have I written a review of a NY restaurant. Al Bustan was horrendous enough to encourage my first. Dinning for 6, only 20 minutes after ordering an opening round of appetizers (7) we were nearly threatened to order entrees OR ELSE we would be charged $25 fee. When I appealed to the uptight manager who seemed bothered to listen, I asked why this "rule" wasn't on the menu? His reply: because we just told you, it's a policy we enforce verbally. You must order at least 3 appetizers or 1 app. & 1 entree each! While the apps were generally tasty & fresh the tahini drenched Red Snapper wasn't, especially for $28. And the Lahm Meshwi (Lamb cubes) were basically just that, thrown onto a white plate with a barren bunch of grilled veggies, all for $22.50, that's not what I call value! Al Bustan = a poor representation of what NY's intl. restaurants have to offer. A WASTE OF MY TIME, MONEY, & PATIENCE with ZERO HOSPITALITY!
Arrogance thy name is Al Bustan
NewYorkLover from | Posted on 4/25/03
| Food: | 7 |
| Service: | 1 |
| Décor: | 4 |
| Value: | 1 |
If you not are willing to spend a lot of money, do NOT expect courteous behaviour in this restaurant. They expect you to spend at least $20 on appetisers otherwise you will be rewarded with rude and degrading comments. Delicious food does not warrant the arrogance and the apathetic attitude of the owner and managers. Oh and if you plan on going there with a kid or on a special occasion- Forget it!
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