Banzobar

Back in 2012, my coworkers and I would grab our lunches from Banzobar because we felt it was a healthy food option.
Falafel in white wrap with:
–chickpeas
–cucumbers
–feta cheese
–homemade picked turnips
–homemade slaw
–hummus
–mixed lettuce
–schoog (spicy peppers)
–sliced red onions
–spicy harrissa sauce
–tomatoes
It was pretty good at the time…

I was a fan, but walked there to grab lunch today and it’s closed — huge For Rent sign on the window.

This place has the BEST FALAFEL!!! The service is amazing — even late at night! As a fellow Manhattan resident, we get home late and dinner often is not until after 8pm. so walking in somewhere at 9:30 and getting a smile, fresh, delicious and healthy food — what more could I ask for?
Definitely recommend this place, it’s a great quick bite or take out place– a Mediterranean and trendier chipotle type restaurant.

Has potential but the place could use a Tabitha’s takeover overhaul.
First and foremost, what is the deal with the ticket situation? If you’re going to print it and it NEEDS to go to the next station to get your order ready, why doesn’t the cashier just give it to the next person (who is quite literally 2 feet away) instead of handing it to the customer who must know to give it to the server? I saw a guy standing around waiting with his ticket in hand for quite some time before being told he must hand it in.
Additionally, my friend and I on two separate occasions made comment that their pricing seems off. The board says $ 12.95 but I’m pretty sure I was charged around $ 14.50 for my entrée… No receipt was given to me. The food ticket only states your order, but I was too confused at the time to ask for a real receipt.
On to the actual food:
Got the salmon rice plate and though the salmon was cooked fine, it was left completely unseasoned. It was so bland so I had to heap it on my fork with the toppings, which were the highlight of the dish.
The Mediterranean salad and eggplant were super.
The yellow rice (served at prime lunch time, 12:30pm) was mostly dry and cardboard-​like. Very disappointing. Even the sauce couldn’t save it, because it was that dry it didn’t absorb.
Perhaps they’ll read this and change things up. Until then, not a fan and not going back. Too many other cheaper and better options in the area.

Get the salmon and spicy hummus. Carrots
And beets do the trick too. Great for a quick meal.

Terrible service. The server was very rude and he blatantly ignored customers. I come here occasionally because it’s close by but will never order here again. The food is okay but it’s a bit expensive for what you get and definitely not worth the frustration when talking to the server.

This place is great! Really clean and organized. I watched the server (maybe owner), wash and glove his hands before serving my food.
I had such a lovely experience from here. My server was friendly and sweet. I got to sample a lot of different things, the spicy chicken, falafel, jicama apple salad, I almost couldn’t eat my own meal!
I really enjoyed my experience here. A little pricer than other lunch places but worth it. The food and service is clean and friendly.

Although a little pricier than pita grill or other fast food Mediterranean options in the area– definitely worth it.
The owner is typically stuffing the pita himself, which is nice– but the real differentiation comes with the free toppings… Eggplant, israeli salad, multiple kinds of pickles, etc. not too mention the occasional free falafel I’ve gotten when going near closing time.
For a quick healthy option– definitely a good choice.

Falafel and beets were SO yummy! Excellent service. Very kind and polite! The wonderful man working here even asked how my food was after I was served. Not typical in a casual eating environment! Asked for 2 waters for my friends no problem!!!

Not impressed.
Ordered online an hour and 20 mins ago… Received email confirmation.
No answer, have called several times, my card has already been charged (including tip), this service stinks.
Disappointing. Their service and delivery has never been quick, but this is ridiculous.

Used to be great until they started acting stingy on the chicken in their pitas/​wraps. Its good, but not worth $ 11 for the way they are saving their meat. Take a walk and go to Omars.

This place is pretty consistent and tasty. Good quick lunch option and healthyish. It can get a bit on the pricey side, but everywhere in this neighborhood is like that! Look out for specials and you can save a bit!
Today I had an eggplant sandwich and the eggplant was a bit tough to bite through, not raw but almost leathery. It’s my least favorite thing I’ve had there.
The falafel is yummy! A falafel pita is $ 7 and, at least I think, is cleaner then the grease trucks in the neighborhood.
Try it out

This was an easy and fast alternative to other fast food stops. I think I’m spoiled with fantastic Mediterranean food. The falafel was a little dry and the sauces weren’t super exciting. It’s ok for a quick stop. Service at this location was a little slow too.

Food is actually pretty good, but I got delivery and it was 2 hours late. I tried calling the restaurant 45 minutes after the time they said the delivery would arrive and they didn’t pick up the phone, despite repeated attempts. Their voicemail system wasn’t even set up, the phone just kept ringing. That’s just unacceptable.
It’s too bad because the food wasn’t bad. If you go in person maybe you’ll enjoy it but I wouldn’t recommend delivery.

Banzobar is on the slightly pricier side for fast-​casual restaurants, but it’s worth it! It’s Chipotle-​style, but run by only one guy. I was pretty skeptical when I saw the bar, but I found the grilled chicken to be surprisingly juicy, and my falafel was also excellent (but pretty expensive if you buy it as a side). Portions could definitely be bigger for what you’re paying though.
Didn’t like the service too much though. He took his time and on top of that, he forgot our falafel. Our pretty expensive falafel. Good thing I caught it in time.
There’s a bit of seating (mostly 2-​seat tables and a bar at the window), but there was someone at each table when I went there. Banzobar looks rather modern and clean, which probably attracts a lot of people from the outside. You should try it too!

I ordered Seamless from here. Delivery time was supposed to be 15 – 30 minutes. At 40 min, I tried to call the restaurant but no one would pick up – the phone just rang and rang, and then a recorded message came on saying that the voicemail system wasn’t set up. Called again — same result. Finally I had to call Seamless to check on my order. Altogether it took an hour for them to deliver my food.
Food was okay, nothing super amazing. Especially after you’ve waited an hour and are starving, you’d think it would taste delicious.

I like their food a lot. They give a 10% discount if you show your work ID. Their mint lemonade is my favorite. I love their breakfast selection. I haven’t come here for lunch yet but will soon. The staff is very friendly and helpful. The place is kept very clean too.

I had this place a few days ago… very good! I had the pulled port pita wrap. The flavors were amazing and it was HUGE. The pita chips were very good as well! Another go to spot (well, actually, delivery :)).

Home of wraps so tasty they single-​handedly have me wanting to move to Midtown.
Laffa is the opposite of flavorless tortillas that make so many wraps a losing proposition from the start. This traditional flatbread is served warm here.
Inside start with any of a half-​dozen possible proteins, from falafel or chicken to more outré options like beef brisket or salmon. No matter what you start with, be sure to add in the crunchy onions, acidic spicy sauce and a smear of the hummus.
The line moves pretty quickly for a midtown lunch place, getting through a line nearly out the door in 5 minutes. The dining area is generous and set apart from the line. They’ve also made it easier to grab and go, with an app, easy to load mobile or desktop site and takeout options.
I don’t work near here, but I have a client in the vicinity. Since being turned onto this place by a colleague, it’s become a mandatory stop for any meetings that end between 11:30 and 2 pm.
Are there franchising opportunities?

Barbanzo is the new kid on the block. It’s not anything terribly exciting to write about but when nothing affordable around town is worthy of an appetite, I find myself wanting to eat at barbanzo weekly, especially when the promotional 10% off is going on. I love a good deal.
For additional dollars, you can upgrade your chicken or beef Shawarma, falafel, or hummus pita to a pita wrap or platter. There are a variety of toppings and sauces to choose from. Think of it as a Mediterranean Subway. I like my falafel pita wrap with hummus, radish, tomatoes, lettuce, and mint-​cucumber. The spicy Harrissa sauce is not spicy at all. I combine it with a little Tzaziki. Next time I will spring for a beef Shawarma. The beef pita wrap is a whopping $ 9.50 versus the falafel version $ 7.50
Barbanzo is clean and lime green. There is a big seating area. I always take my food to go. Go now and use the coupons they pass out by the door.