Balzem

We had a reservation for 4 at 8:15pm but didn’t get seated until 9pm. It’s a tiny restaurant and really busy. Though the wait was long, the host gave us a glass of wine to enjoy while waiting. Once seated, we were able to order our food and drinks. The service was quick and attentive once we were seated. Definitely recommend getting the spicy feta dip and the grilled brochette. The potato gratin that came with the lamb chops was really good.

I haven’t experienced such a delightful culinary journey in a long time. The flavors and presentation of the dishes were absolutely perfect. The warm atmosphere and attentive staff made me feel truly special. It’s a place that stands out, and I will definitely be coming back!

We stumbled upon this restaurant and loved it! We came in around 10pm on a Saturday and were able to get drinks and appetizers at the bar without a reservation. The music was good and the food and drinks were great too! I recommend the seafood ceviche, it was delicious!

Had such a lovely dining experience with a friend! We each got a passion fruit gimlet and shared two mezze platters (one with dips and one with skewers). The spicy feta dip was our favorite! Everything was so yummy and the vibes were very nice and relaxing. Would definitely go back!

Amazing brunch spot! Went early on a Saturday and it wasn’t too busy. The waitress was very polite and the food came out very quickly. I got the eggs benedict with smoked salmon and it filled me up until dinner time.

What’s not to love. Beautiful place, rustic, cozy, dimly lit, romantic. Tasteful music. Charming atmosphere with friendly people. Extraordinary service & staff Haans is the best! Great part of town. Truly delightful. Food was just as pleasing. I sat outside, there is plenty of outside seating as well as bar seating & large tables to accommodate many guests. Thanks again I’ll definitely be back 😉

Balzem is a hidden gem that brings the vibrant flavors of the Mediterranean to life in an elegant, intimate setting. The restaurant’s menu is a delightful mix of fresh, high-quality ingredients that are artfully prepared and bursting with flavor. From their perfectly seasoned grilled octopus to the tender lamb chops, every dish is a tribute to Mediterranean cuisine. The warm ambiance, attentive service, and thoughtfully curated wine list make it an ideal spot for both romantic dinners and sophisticated gatherings. Balzem strikes the perfect balance between luxury and comfort, offering a dining experience that’s as memorable as it is delicious.

Andrés, the best in everything he does, how helpful and attentive he was with us, he would return to the place only for the good attention and hospitality of Andrés, thank you Andrés for the good treatment

The food is fantastic, different seating options, service is great! Atmosphere and decor is ambiance!

Grilled chicken sandwich and chicken Orzo soup were fantastic. This place delivers on the Mediterranean expectations. Tiramisu is really nice too. The service is not the fastest but I wouldnt complain about it, as it is faster than restaurants in this locality, which sometimes only one person facing the customers.Cons: Price might be a bit higher relativity.

If you’re looking for a good meal this is not the place. It’s gone so far downhill it’s really sad. Used to love it, but now will never go back. Menu is uninspired and food is closer to airport quality. Definitely do not recommend it

I recently dined at Balzem and it was an exceptional experience. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, perfect for a relaxing meal. I ordered the steak, and it was absolutely amazing, perfectly cooked and bursting with flavour. Highly recommend this place for a delightful dining experience!

The entire dinner was mid. We waited over 45 minutes for food to come and nothing was well seasoned - it was all bland. We had to ask for salt just to finish the dishes and we only got the most popular ordered plates so even more disappointing. Our server was nice but slow moving and forgot some of our meal requests that were allergy specific.Also the yogurt dip taste a bit expired.

We were food touring, so we were only trying a few small items on the menu. We had the shrimp artichoke dip, the branzini ceviche, and the crevette grill. The dip was rich and cheesy. The ceviche was light and fresh. The crevette grill was paired with arugula dressed in lemon juice olive oil and salt. It complimented the grilled shrimp well. Id go back to have a meal.

I mean wow, I’ve been thinking about their food since I left there a few weeks ago. We went for my cousins birthday and it was just 5 of us, the staff was cool and accommodating. The food was out of this world!!! We did the spread sampler and the spicy feta and hummus was TOP TIER!!!! The pita was fresh and warm and the chicken skewer was insane. As it got a little later, the lights dimmed and the music turned up, such an awesome spot! 10/10

Wasnt impressed. Ordered 2 dips which cane with 4 tiny pieces of pitta sp we requested more and was charged. My moules frites cane in a strange red sauce, not many moules and with wedges! We questioned this and they said they didnt do fries but Im seeing them here in the reviews, the steak frites also with the wedges, not what we wanted or expected. To top it off, the music was so loud we couldnt have a conversation and it was so dark we needed phone light to read the menu. This place missed the mark.

First time here, really enjoy the vibe, the service, food and drinks. Their playlist music was really delicious.

Great service. The mushroom and truffle flatbread pizza was the best thing. Octopus app and babaganoush were also really good. The Manti app was forgettable. Cocktails were tasty but pricey and not that strong.

Balzem is a great place to have a lunch ! I really liked the service and food !!!

First time here. Octopus was absolutely amazing! The lambs skewers were delicious, but just a tad tough and chewy. Love the old nostalgic decor.

I have literally never left a review for a restaurant in my life… there are few places that can get this out of me… the grilled shrimp is SO AMAZING.. please give the chef a kiss! 🩵

We started with the Manti which I had never had but will again. I had the pasta with mussels and shrimp and it was very good. My friend also enjoyed the seared tuna. Everything was very good, Ive been here before and will continue coming back.

We ordered a side of asparagus which is $11. It came out with 5 on the plate.Super loud music indoors so we moved out to the street seating. The garbage smell was unbearable so we moved back in. Overall was not a pleasant experience.

Food and service was excellent! We ordered the tuna sandwich and the mushroom and truffle oil flatbread. Delicious!

Amazing origin Mediterranean food. The Lentil soup was just same as how its made in my hometown back in the days!

The mushroom pizza is the bomb! Octopus and baba ganoush were not bad as well. A bit pricey for the amount of food.

Vibe was great (outdoor tables). Service was great. Perfect fancy but not too fancy restaurant, prices affordable but for a menu more considered & elevated than most at these prices.Mushroom pizza AMAZING. Sautéed spinach — who knew it could be so good? Potatoes au gratin — divine. Shepherd salad super refreshing. Definitely coming back, merci everyone!

Always love stopping by for their mushroom truffle flatbread and a lemonade! The atmosphere is great and the staff is friendly!

We went for dinner with my friends! The drinks are delish and very well presented 👌The staff is very friendly and polite and very attentive! The food was good we got to share some of the plates as the portions are good sized.This guy was the star of the night! Everything we needed it was there! Thank you Leonard for making our night!

I came in for a late night meal. Service was great from the start. I asked for an off menu mocktail. The bartender gladly obliged and made me the best beverage Ive had at a bar or restaurant. It was not soda based, as often these end up being, and tasted incredible. That alone is worth the visit, but the food was amazing; highly recommend the chocolate and pear dessert. I had such a great experience here.

Yesterday I visited this beautiful restaurant, I really loved the cocktails and the service from the Bartender Hiko was excellent I definitely recommend it and I will go again

We stopped in for drinks Friday night 4/19 while waiting for our table at another restaurant. I cant remember the name if the young lady who seemed to be the hostess. I believe the guys name was Hahn. Something like that. The service was top notch and had a the atmosphere was great. Wish we couldve stayed longer. I highly recommend it.

Absolutely love this place. Went for dinner, and the food and drinks was amazing. Everything was so delicious! The service here is top tier — the manager waited our table and he was so friendly and super accommodating. Would definitely come back, highly recommend!!

Everything was so incredible. We got the greek salad and the truffle flat bread and they were both so delicious. Milo was so sweet, and he really make our experience amazing!! We will be coming back again so soon. 10/10!!

I was here last weekend with friends and family and we all enjoyed the food and the service. Food was delicious and the staff very friendly and professional at the same time. If you’re wondering to have some quality time with your loved ones, this is the place to go! 👌🏻

Really loved this place. Super cozy restaurant with great service and Mediterranean food. Nice wide selection of options as went with a groups of gals. My favorite was the different dips of feta and hummus so good as well as the tossed cucumber/ tomatoe Nice not heavy food- recommend

I found my new gem! I took my dad here and we had a great time. The food was so delicious, I had the ribeye sandwich on a ciabatta and it was out of this world! Perfect flavor and texture. The staff were very friendly and the service was quick. My ONLY regret was not taking pictures.😊I definitely will be going again!

Wonderful restaurant, the staff was very accommodating when some members of our party were running late. We were never rushed, our server offered a taste of wines we were considering, and even gave us a lovely treat at the end. I also loved that the food was so healthy and light, I will definitely be back again very soon!

Came here for a last minute lunch and am so glad I did, portions were pretty large but didn’t leave me feeling sick full. The vibe is great too. Will be back for sure

The customer service here was really bad. We were charged extra things on our bill because we were a big group. $2 extra for a slice of cheese on a burger is crazy when we weren’t told it was an extra charge, even after we literally asked. When we were trying to talk with the manager about the extra charges, he then proceeded to insult us saying we took up 2 hours of space in his restaurant to complain about $20 when majority of those 2 hours were us literally waiting for our food to come out. The food wasn’t even worth it. So, be aware to check your receipts before you pay, or they might charge you ridiculous fees.ps: it’s crazy how after me and my friends wrote our reviews, a bunch of good reviews were written at the same time saying opposite of what we said… the fake reviews from the restaurant are crazy and embarrassing…

We had dinner last night...this is such a romantic spot...the lamb chops meal...to die for...the ambience..the serenity...loved it..we will definitely be back...Oh..and the service..on point ...1.2.3.. no long wait and everything was hot and fresh 😋😋

Had a 7:30 reservation for 3 people, they said they were running 15 mins late. Then said we could sit at the bar and have a drink before our table was ready. We got a drink and then 20 mins later (so 45 mins after our reservation time) asked about our table, and they said we could get apps at the bar and that there was basically no table (even though we had a reservation). Overall just really weird vibes and bad communication, we ended up just leaving. Unfortunate bc the food looked good!

Servers here don’t know what they are doing. Took them 15min each to get water and check. Food is just mediocre.

They literally forgot I was even there, gave my order to another table. Didn’t come to check on me. I waited well over 45 min. Really unprofessional and poor service. I had to go ask if they put the order in and they just said “Sorry, we gave it to another table.” Didn’t offer any solutions, I had to ask if I could get a side dish for free for my troubles. The food didn’t even taste good either, I got the Manti and the few pieces of meat that were even there were the size of a pea. Ridiculous. Overall, bad experience.

We had a wonderful experience overall, I would give this spot solid 4.7⭐️We went for lunch. Food was exceptional and great value for price-quality-size.Very polite staff. A bit of a European-family vibe in terms of service - but I do like it a lot, so no issues on my end.Cute-casual interior.

Had brunch there with a few friends for the first time yesterday. Very laid-back, low key place which we all enjoyed. Nice service, great food, good music & delish desserts! Recommend!

It’s a nice looking restaurant. However, I had the lamb brochette and it was dry and the sauces weren’t that good. For the price point, I would not recommend.

Amazing food and great outdoor dining. It was all of our first time and we really enjoyed this place. We give this one less star because we all did not like our waitress. She wasnt very nice and kept coming over interrupting our conversation (so American). Then she included a 20% tip without telling us! We almost paid more tip! Unbelievable. If they serve Mediterranean food maybe they should also have a Mediterranean mentality and let people truly enjoy their food and time there, and not include tip.

Amazing service! Cool crowd. We had a nice bottle of Vermentino. We came for a couple of appetizers - the escargot and bouchettes. Really enjoyed them.

I really wanted to like this place, looks like a great date night spot. The service was prompt, the space was cute, but oof. The wine glasses had lip marks on them (although they were also still wet and warm from being washed), the charcuterie plate was 4 different meats of poor quality, a few thin slices of stale bread, a small pile of walnuts, and a chipped bowl of olives. Unbelievably unpleasant to choke down, $72 plus tip for two glasses of wine (the Prosecco was slightly flat) and charcuterie plate that tasted of nothing but salt. Hopefully it’s just a bad Monday night and their other offerings are better, but I won’t go back to find out.

Go for happy hour! Cheap drinks and snacks. Cozy atmosphere. Good service.

Decent Mediterranean spot - the tapas are great, we had the breakfast platter, the fruit platter, the burrata, the spicy feta, the artichoke dip and the Mac and cheese. Barring the spicy feta, the dishes were delicious and fairly filling without being loaded. Servers are nice and welcoming.Went for their outdoor dining - great food and service. Highly recommend the octopus and the shrimp appetizers!

Food was extremely mediocre and unseasoned. Staff was nice.

I loved this place. The staff were very friendly. The food was delicious and the atmosphere was really joyful. I had a great time

This wasnt terribly memorable in terms of dinners but the location is good and the food is as well. Solid choice for a meal. Very good service and a decent number of vegan options. I recommend the falafel.

Service is always great, attentive and welcoming.Been here more than once & I enjoy coming back every time. The most memorable dish for me was the melon salad. It was simple, refreshing and outstanding in my books. And thats coming from someone that does not like salad, and definitely not a fan of arugula. In addition to that, My usual go to recommendation includes the burrata, grilled octopus, truffle mac and cheese, truffle mushroom pizza flatbread and the LEspice spicy tequila cocktail.

This place is amazing with a great chill vibe and awesome staff. Ive been a pescatarian for 12 years and this was my first week eating meat again. This had to be the best steak I have ever had, cant wait to go back. The fries here are also amazing.

The food was amazing. Each bite was another experience. Highly recommend the pear and chocolate dessert, curtesy of the bartender who was very generous and helpful. Would recommend this place to anyone who is in this area and need a great place for delicious food.

I really really loved this place. The squid was amazing!! I also had the cevichewhich was also great. The drinks were tasty. I look forward to coming back and tasting the rest of the menu.

Amazing food, great atmosphere! I definitely recommend this place!

Extremely disappointed. This place used to be very good. I ordered a Balzem burger , a Ribeye burger and one order of Octopus. The burgers were burnt and black. The bread was burnt around the edges. The Octopus was super dry. Not sure if the chef was too busy or what. Will not go back ever again.

Great ambience and premium service at good prices. Loved the ribeye sandwich, the oil on pita was probably reused as it tasted not so great.

Excellent food and even better service. Tables are a little cramped but this is soho- so what can you. Food and vibe is really nice. It felt like a lot of first dates were dining around us, which made the experience even better (lol)

Love the atmosphere!! This place is really good. They have a wall garden indoor and makes the place so interesting. Oh! Their music playlist are awesome (when we were there). Food have good portions with superb flavor. Also, good varieties of wine to choose from. Definitely good place for brunch or you can just go there & chill with a glass of wine or two or more!

Loved this place! Food is delicious, service is great. A little pricey but worth it!

Solid Mediterranean spot, but not the best in the city. Everything we ate was very solid and they make manti (Turkish dumplings) which is a pretty special item in NYC to find. Not a place I’d travel the city to eat at, but if I needed a reservation and the top spots were taken I’d happily go back and enjoy my time for sure.

Always come from time to time... Chicken tavern and the lentils soup is the best

A nice SOHO restaurant/bar with extensive list of wines. For a summer hangout in NYC, good as can get.

Really cute restaurant! We got some appetizers and salads for dinner. The ambiance of the restaurant is great. The babaganoush was smoking tasting, which isnt my favorite but its pretty standard. The burrata was delicious and both salads were tasty. I got the quinoa salad with tuna and my friend got the Lazzoni Sea Shepherd.

This place was great! Service, food, drinks, and vibe are great. We got hummus and pita, very good, along with the grilled portobello to start. They were cooked to perfection. Our meal was the mushroom truffle oil flatbread...let me tell you something...I would fight someone for that Flatbread. The truffle mac n cheese is the best Ive ever tasted. My wife and I will be back.

Delicious food, very original vegan options! Lovely, helpful staff and pleasant, calm atmosphere!

Food is so good, and the setting makes it even better. Come at night, especially on nice days for indoor/outdoor seating.

Such a cute spot. The food was great, the shepherd salad with chicken was so fresh and the flavors incredible. Also nice to get a decent glass of red wine.Would highly recommend.

We popped in to grab a quick brunch. It was well meaning, but very ordinary. The service was good. The food did take quite a while and it wasnt that busy.They serve a little complimentary mezze with tired winter tomatoes and olives. Nice gesture, but tasteless tomatoes are not really worth serving even for free.They brought out the side dish before the main dishes. They make a decent scalloped potato.I wanted my eggs to not be overcooked on the egg skillet, but they said it couldnt be done so I ordered the steak and eggs. It came with a salad and some sort of pesto-chimichurri sauce. It was ok.The omelette was good.

Great serendipity! Chose it because of the number of high reviews and it was a thousand points that night taurant on an early summer evening. Open air view of the street, busy with good people and good conversation, flowers on the table, delicious chicken and steak brochette, wonderful service, and all in all a highlight! I highly recommend it!

The food is very delicious.

Great vibes .Good music.Intimate with beautiful fresh flowers and real candle lights.At $21, I had a glass of my favorite red. Thats Montepulciano dabruzzo from a region in Italy. Loved the wine to bits!Ordered a beautiful lamb kabob medium rare , deliver medium to well. Could not get the servers attention and was too hungry. That is why the low rating.

Fantastic food, great atmosphere, friendly service. We got the artichoke heart & prosciutto flatbread pizza, hummus, and the chicken broscette.

Very cozy place. Although the dinner menu ( small plates) wasn’t too fascinating(not many options to choose from). Def a unique menu. Liked their zucchini pancakes. The shrimp dish was a show stealer.. it’s a must do dish.They have a great wine list. The server talked very fondly of their desserts. We were all full so couldn’t try but I am assuming that their desserts are great 👍

Balzem looked great right off the bat in that it was full. I noticed a table for two and snagged it immediately (with permission from the staff). Our servers were amicable and prompt. The wine selection was great and we had a fantastic Garancha Blanca and Melon de Burgogne. The babaganush was very tasty and the artichoke and prosciutto de parma flatbread was delicious and very rich. I liked that they cut it 4 ways and down the middle making it an easy finger food. Give it a whirl!

Very tasty Mediterranean food with lovely intimate cozy ambiance. The service is very pleasant and friendly too. I wasnt as happy about the fact that most of main entrees seemed a bit overpriced to me (especially for Mediterranean).

Very tasty! The hummus can be better, but the chicken skewers were fantastic, and the truffle mac-n-cheese was incredible! Good service too.

They WILL let you know they want the table back the moment you are done with your food, so make sure to take your time with the meal if you want to catch up with your friends (I got that treatment about an hour into the dinner on a Thursday night at 7:30pm, with some tables open).

Loved the atmosphere. The artichoke and prosciutto di parma was delicious.

Amazing food and service. Would definitely go again. The seared Tuna was delicious.

I waited exactly 1.5 hours for my hamburger order, checking on it every 15-20 minutes. Eventually, the waiter informed me that my order had been lost and they were preparing it again. Frustrated and hungry, as I hadnt eaten anything since the morning, I asked for the bill. However, the waiter insisted the hamburger would be ready shortly, so I waited a bit longer. To make matters worse, I had put my phone on the charger upon arrival and expected it to be at 70% after 1.5 hours, but it hadnt charged at all. When I finally decided to leave, the waiter apologized, but it didn’t matter since I couldnt get my time back. The wait was not worth it, neither the taste of the burger nor the quality of service was satisfactory. I will not be returning.

Food was good but the server was very incompetent and messed up our order multiple times and knew nothing from the menu

Really trendy place in an upbeat neighborhood. The service is excellent. The cocktails are probably the best thing about Balzem but the food was decent as well.

We went on the Balzem website to make a reservation. There was open availability the whole night so we decided to just walk over without the rez. We came in and were greeted by Briget. The restaurant and bar were empty. Bridget told us we can be seated but need to promise to vacate in 90 minutes because the table was reserved. We offered to sit at the bar but were told they were all reserved. We decided to stay but felt very rushed and were treated rudely by Bridget the whole meal. Food was ok, and it took more than 30 min to get a refill on our drink, surprising considering there was such a rush to leave. Very disappointing and the negative attitude was not warranted.

Do not eat oysters. Tasted terrible and waitress admitted they were pre frozen

Nice ambiance , bar and music with good service. Food was actually good just way too small portions

Excellent! The food was fresh and delicious. Best Sheppard salad ever. The staff is super nice and attentive. I will definitely be returning.

Got the Steak Frites and was extremely disappointed. Neither the steak nor the fries had much (any?) flavor or seasoning at all (and the sauce provided didn’t have much flavor either!). The steak was also about 35% chunky fat - see pic. They wouldn’t allow any substitutions, and I think mashed potatoes instead of fries is a pretty basic one. The fries I got were terrible. Most were crunchy and over cooked or dry. Not even as good as simple deli fries, meaning they were probably sitting out for a while. Such a disappointing meal overall. Wait staff were fine, not rude but not friendly either. You can find much better places in the area. Will not be returning.

When you live in NYC you should never settle for subpar food and service. If it wasnt raining would have walked around to find anything better.

Great wine list along with great mediterranean dishes. only got to try a couple dishes so far but really impressed with the quality of the food. will be back for more.

The hummus was the best hummus I’d ever eaten. The mantee was also amazing! The shrimp casserole was okay.

The best place to eat Mediterranean food in NYC.The staff is always joyful especially the owner.If you’re looking for a great time in NYC and you want to feel immersed into the real Mediterranean vibe, this is the perfect place for you.

Overpriced mediocre food. Nothing special and the service was terrible. There are thousands of better restaurants around.

A big disappointment, bad service and taste, you failed, you need to improve your work more

Delicious food, wonderful ambience and a friendly, courteous staff. I was also very pleasantly surprised that the dishes were all so reasonably priced for the quality.

Fantastic food, and very friendly staff! Specially the girl from Cratia (forgot her name). I wasnt sure which wine I wanted to drink so she brought over my top choices for a quick taste and provided great recommendations. The zucchini cake, branzino and lamb chops were amazing! Will definitely go back soon

Stylish and cool place with excellent food and cultural richness. Cocktails are epic! Baklava is to die for. My new favorite go-to spot for dinner and afternoon refreshments

Great atmosphere.Good lunch special.

I had dinner here last night and got severely ill. I threw up all the food we had just eaten at the restaurant. The server came over and asked if I was ok, but stilll gave me a bill. This was an acute incident and so I know it was from what I had eaten there. I was disappointed and wont ever go there again. Plus the food was overpriced and not very good.

The restaurant atmosphere is romantic for couples but just not the ideal place for a group of friends to hang out. Otherwise, the Burger Balzem was on point and the restroom was clean and well-lit.

Best grilled shrimp and octopus!

I love the atmosphere and the service.I tried the branzino, it’s my favorite in the menu .

Hard to describe how much I love this place. The food is always so delicious, perfectly portioned, well-priced, seasoned to delight and ALWAYS consistent. (The octopus is the best in the city - crispy, grilled, seasoned. Their cocktails are great too!) Came here w the parents in 2016, came back for a birthday party w the girls a year later, have had great one on ones w friends and romantic date night dinners - and across all those different vibes the atmosphere here has always been warm, inviting, and the candles lit low. (Decor is great / lighting great for photos!) We met the owner (Harzam?) and his friends on our most recent Saturday night, and they even treated us to a round. Thank you! We love this place and hope it stays forever! Good places like this are hard to find!

Amazing food, loudish music, good service and a nice wine list! Get the lamb, any lamb, you wont regret it!

I think my experience qualifies as an epic failure. It was probably one of the worst dining experiences I’ve had in the last 5 years.First, we had a reservation, we specified on the reservation that we had just gotten engaged. When I arrived, the hostess did not even look at the reservation even though I specified that we had a reservation. We were seated and waited for a very long time to be greeted by the server. It was an odd, uncomfortable experience sitting, waiting, hoping someone would come talk to us.The server finally came, by which point we had our complete order ready. We received our drinks and they were mediocre.The food was profoundly disappointing. The baba ghanoush was bland and small. The Turkish Cheese rolls tasted like they came frozen from Trader Joe’s. After eating these two dishes and being grossed out, we decided to cancel the salad we had also ordered so we could close out.The server hesitantly obliged to cancel it. Then the cherry on top was that the busser started clearing the table and spilled a full glass of water all over my new fiancé’s pants.Nothing was taken off the bill aside from the salad we had canceled. Nobody cared to ask us about our experience or why we decided to end our dining experience early.Sloppy restaurant in a city with ENDLESS options. Steer clear. The one redeeming quality was it had nice lighting. Don’t be fooled by the photos online.*Edit to mention that I remembered we were even charged for the water that they spilled on my fiancé’s lap.

Amazing! Highly recommended and worth it! Had a large table, ordered a bunch of different foods to share. All good.

I came here cause they was having a anniversary to celebrate and today’s the last day so on Instagram and it says that we get a free complimentary drink and we get a flatbread so when I came they told me oh we changed the rules. You have to buy a drink first, but it doesn’t say that on the Instagram page, so it’s false advertisement I will not be coming here again. i will let everyone know not to come here at least my people ! it sucks ! u think it’s free but of course some will leave a tip maybe they think black people wont tip! and the manger worst but not a lot black people come here so of course they gonna pull that cart ! it’s annoying

Service was outstanding, food was great. Ideal for brunch. Good Covid protocols in place and all the staff were friendly and attentive.

A great place

Wonderful food 👍

This review is only for the 2 amazing cocktails we ordered at this place, one with a scotch base and the other with Vodka. I dont remember the names of either, but they were listed as a daily special at the bar, and both drinks had lime and cayenne pepper in it. They tasted absolutely delicious and had some serious punch in it.

It was a nice experience for drinks and the food was also delicious, the staff is great, friendly and attentive. I’ll come back. Thanks you guys

Small place but great atmosphere. The Greek/Turkish dishes we had were amazingly tasty.

Fantastic octopus! Delicious chicken and branzino. Very nice people as well and accommodating!

A new favorite spot in soho, glad we went! Great Mediterranean food, drinks, ambience, out door seating and staff.

One of the best place in New York City

Great meal and service.

Best Expresso Martini in nyc. Food very good 👍. And service and manager very friendly. I feel like home. Hi recommended.

Great food. Well priced for the quality. Surprisingly easy to find a table during lunch hours. Great ambiance.

Tasty Mediterranean food with nice decor inside.

Brunch was great but very slow service

After coming here with a party of 4, it was quite clear that the place offered an atmosphere that set the mood for a nice evening dinner. The octopus, mac and cheese, hummus and avocado hummus, as well as the shrimp were all well prepared and had sizable portions. The Greek salad however was exceptional. The main course option of the brochette also did not disappoint. All desert options looked very delicious, and we opted for the dulce de leche and tiramisu. Overall a great dining experience with ambient lighting, amicable service, and delicious food.

Enjoyed COVID safe outdoor dining today. Pictures are the barrata and chocolate mousse cake. We also had the hummus Balzem, phyllo rolls, and arugalu and spring mix salad. All delicious!

Did a birthday party there, all the food was delicious and the service was excellent. 10/10 would recommend!

This place is amazing!!! Wonderful staff at every turn, amazing wine, great atmosphere. Will be back for sure

This is not a personal favourite as there r very few vegetarian food options.Overall the food taste was average so I would avoid going there again!

Amazingly delicious food, wonderful friendly service and beautiful atmosphere. I can’t wait to go back! Menu was a great variety and everything we ordered we loved. They were very accommodating for our large party.

Our food was amazing. Ava was lovely and attentive. 10/10 service and food! Will be returning soon.

Omg so goodI love it here

Honestly, I don’t even know where to start. We were a large group and majority ordered burgers, the waitress told us no extra charges would be made if we chose truffle fries instead of regular. After ordering, the waitress then came back and said “we don’t normally charge extra for the truffle fries, but since you guys are a large group, it’s going to be $2 extra.” Most of us then declined. We waited over an hour for our food to arrive and when we got our food we were surprised at how small the portions were. I think my plate literally only had 5 fries on the side with the burger. However even with the wait, we did not complain or start a problem. Then we got the check, and we noticed they charged us extra $ for cheese on the burger?? We were not made aware that a slice of cheese on the burger would be an extra charge. We were also charged extra drinks. We spoke to the waitress and the manager about the situation and the manager said “you guys took up my table for 2 hours for $20, come on.” That just completely ticked us off. We did not wait there for that long just to waste our time, we were waiting on the food? On top of that we had to then tip 22% because gratitude was included. I would not recommend this place to anyone, food was not even good and their customer service was horrible. They completely rigged us and were disrespectful when we were a large party paying an expensive bill. After insulting us with the $20 comment, the manager then told us he would take the extra charges off. The situation could of been handled in a much more respectful and professional matter.

The food was good and drinks as well. Would recommend!

Balzem in NYC is like discovering a Mediterranean treasure. The dining experience is simply wonderful, with dishes that truly embody the flavors of the region. The place has this inviting vibe that adds to its charm, making it a cozy spot for diners. Its a hidden gem worth exploring for a taste of the Mediterranean in the heart of the city.

Slow service, and Im not sure why we cant get a bottle of wine if we order 4 glasses. Food was good, service too slow.

Absolutely loved it. Cozy place with a great Tapas menu. Enjoy with friends or date.

Absolutely amazing experience! My friends and I love Balzem. The service is 10/10

The place is cozy and the service is good. The food overall lacks the punch you would be expecting from Mediterranean place.

Amazing wine amazing ambiance amazing service. Get the spicy feta dip and the grilled portobello

Great sharable plates that are mediterranean inspired and cute ambience. Loved how it was also on a less crowded spot on the street but close to everything, too!

Great food, prices, and ambiance! Lunch special cant be beaten. Friendly service.

Burger was delicious. Fresh octopus salad.

What a fantastic meal - wonderful lambchops, shepherds salad and various hummus and appetizers with wonderful sangria! Great service too!

The food was outstanding and the atmosphere amazing. The service was awful. We had to go to the counter to order/ask for our food order to be taken or to pay the bill. The waitress took other order of others that came in after us, they took our menus before we could order...it was very weird.

Nice place to have a bite and a drink, liked their menu, good quality

Nice place...

Save your money and don’t come here!! unless you want to be yelled at from the manager because of THEIR mistake they made on the receipt and rushed us to get out because we “took too long” when the food was literally served 2 hrs later.. I started hallucinating at one point from hunger food proportions were small I wouldn’t call this the best Mediterranean restaurant ..there are other better places out there with peace and love

My favorite restaurant in new york city, the food is absolutely to die for… the ceviche is amazing and the lamb skewers with the white sauce is to die for, aside from the food the vibes are excellent and the music as well. definitely check this place out

Great food, great wine. Very nice staff. Definitely recommend.

We went just for drinks. Great wine and love the interior decor/vibes but the terrible service bumped this down to 3 stars.

Hard to say how much I loved this place! Located in one of the nicest areas of SoHo. The atmosphere in the evening is so cozy in here, reminding me of some of my favorite spots in Paris. The service was amazing. Had the best rosé in a long time. Id described their food as Mediterranean-american fusion cuisine which does not lack creativity (try the Truffle mac n cheese).

I love the espresso martinis there

The food was delicious! I never knew that I could enjoy a nice juicy burger at an Italian restaurant! Great food. Great staff. Great atmosphere. Id definitely recommend visiting this restaurant!

I love the food always and its great people.

Waited over 20 min to order, while seemingly the only table that hadn’t, another table was seated 10min after us and they ordered before us, literally had to signal the guy to get him to take the order. Then another 45 to get our food. They took our water, didn’t replace it until I asked for it. Messed up our order, giving me the wrong side. Were very apologetic about messing that up. But service was very bad.Food was decent.

I love this place

Came here for date night and sat outside. Probably the best service in the area. No rush, our server could tell when not to interrupt the two of us in conversation, and yes the food was great! Will be back.

Absolutely adorable amazing place with great drinks, music and atmosphere

Great place to eat or drink. Pleasant staff and quality ... I will return with pleasure !

This place is amazing the best vibe which u can get in sohoFood is amazingDrinks are fabulous and sooo well madeThe all staff is amazing and friendly and well experiencedHighly recommended to try to have a dinnerBalzem you are the best

Delicious food, only one server for the whole place so service was a bit slow.

One of my go-to spots. Great ambiance, friendly staff, tasty food, and nice wine list.

We went for happy hour drinks. Great value for good wine.

We didnt eat a lot of food, but everything we had (lunch/bruch) was very good and the service was very good.

Delicious dinner! milo was very helpful

The staff here is so friendly and welcoming, the atmosphere is great, and food is amazing. Highly recommend trying the ceviche and lamb!

Service was bad- they didn’t inform us about an extra charge with cheese on hamburger and wasn’t on the menu either. We were given an attitude and was told we were sat for 2 hours when it took an hour for the food to come. We were charged extra for truffle fries since we were a big group. And also got yelled at when we were disputing a charge and told that we were being basically being cheap. Proportions are also very small for the price you pay.

A group of 6 of us had a reservation here last night (Saturday), we even called to confirm that all was set for our reservation as we had a time constraint and it was confirmed. When we arrived, our table was not ready. We totally understood that this happens and isn’t always in the control of the staff at the restaurant. The host was amazing and really sweet, brought us complimentary bubbles which we appreciated. However, the 15 minute wait turned into a 45 minute wait (yikes!) and we were starving by the time we got sat. We were sat at a community table in the center of the restaurant and wait staff and patrons kept colliding with our chairs and dragging their coats across the top of our heads. It was insanely hectic sitting in the middle of the service pathway and so loud. At this point, our party was super hungry and ready for drinks. It took our server over 15 minutes to take our drink order and when we tried to put in food right away, he tried to deflect us and have us wait till he came back with our drink order. We insisted on putting food in and our server was clearly irritated. We ordered a taster plate for the table ($55) and when it arrived, it was clearly meant for 2 people. We had to ask for extra pita 4x and the portions they brought were minuscule. This share plate was insanely over priced for how little food it was and when we received our entrees, the “grilled” vegetables were practically raw, the lamb was tasteless and quality did not align with the price. Our server was clearly irritated with us when we complained and only offered remaking the entree for my friend instead of comping the meal. We were all mostly done eating so this made no sense especially since we had already been waiting over an hour for our food at this point. I had to call out our server and request the meal to be comped in order for us to be taken seriously, sooo uncomfortable. By the end, our server did send us complimentary desert which we appreciated but as we were already way behind in our schedule, didn’t quite suit the situation.

This restaurant was horrible we got charged extra for cheese on our burger? since when tf do u get charged for cheese on ur burger. keep in mind we were never aware of this until after we got our bill. since they were confusion going on with our bill the manager told us we took up 2 hours for just $20 like you go pay for the extra $20? We felt rushed when trying to pay our bill. And we also waited about 2 hours for our food to come out. Like why is making salad taking you 2 hours?Disrespectful and not professional at all and what happened to customers always right? also the meat in the burger was pink and not cooked well. this was for my birthday dinner but never again i shouldve chose the helal carts on the side of the roads. Don’t be surprised if they charge you guys for ketchup.overall i don’t recommend this restaurant

Quiet, romantic setting. Close to the train station. Pleasant service and delicious Mediterranean good

The service at Balzem was exceptional! The staff was attentive, knowledgeable, and passionate about the food they served. They were more than happy to provide recommendations and answer any questions I had, which made my dining experience even more enjoyable.

Cocktails were meh. Vibe was cool. Food was okay.

Good service, staff are friendly.Food is average. Can be better.

5 star quality Menu & Service.Reserve yourself a dining experience.

🎨

We came at 10pm and a guy at the entrance didnt let us in, telling us its closed, when it says 12am at google.

The truffle mac n cheese had no cheese taste to it. They simply sprinkled some cheese on top. The pasta was also half cooked. The burger was dry and my lamb chop salad came with nothing but arugula and a dressing. Total waste of money

Love the mushrooms truffle oil pizza.

Place is a great vibe!!! Amazingly fun bar atmosphere and great food/drinks!

Great ambience and wine list with a cozy setup. Definitely going back

Terrible customer service and the food was not nearly worth the price

Cute place. Made a reservation but they still put us outside…. Even though the restaurant was like empty. The service was a little slow, the food (we got the grill platter for 4) and the mac and cheese was delish!!

Like their truffle oil flat bread pizza.

The Manti - beef patty kabab is amazing

We tried several Mezze’s and everything was absolutely amazing

Great place for quick dine in or big party in Soho!

Good food, but the space is cramped and the cocktails are just ok.

Classic Italian - an overall lovely experience .

Great bar. Bartenders are super nice. Great beer.

Delicious octopus and grilled shrimp! Great ambiance.

Always a great time here and friendly staff.

Incredible food, hospitality, playlist and ambiance.One of my favorite spots in NYC! ❤️

Great place and everyone loved it here.

Chicken skewers were delicious, great service !

A lovely place for wine and dinner when in SoHo

Food was OK. The indifference of the wait staff was palpable. Took close to an hour for us to get our food. We had to chase down our waitress to get updates and it seemed we were inconveniencing her.