Yemen Cafe & Restaurant

Great lamb salta! Delicious bread and salad as well, also delicious humus and babaganosh. Best Yemeni eatery on 5^th Ave in Bay Ridge. Reasonably priced with good sevice. Go for it!

Delicious. Their salta is full of okra –my favorite. Endless supply of bread. Husband ordered lamb haneeth. The lamb was so soft it was falling off the bone. Really good service too.

This place is a gem on 5^th Ave. They are very warm and welcoming. Their service is great.
The salad was delicious & the hummus was good too.
The haniss: oh my you have never had lamb like this before-​delicious and very filling.
The décor and ambiance is simple, but hey, we’re here for the food.

This Arab food is the real deal. It’s a bit heavy, and heavy on the meat especially, so you may want to mentally and emotionally prepare for a major post-​food coma. I would recommend sharing a dish family-​style. I had a hummus and shawarma appetizer and it was enough to completely fill me up. The flavors are great — their fresh bread and free tea are very good. I don’t like cardamon, but somehow they make it taste good in their super sweet tea. The surrounding area of Bay Ridge is lovely. The restaurant itself has a very austere ambiance, but nonetheless, the families sitting in there and the friendly staff give it warmth.

I love this place, its very nice. I love the seating all the way to the back on the left, it has couch seating, its very comfortable. They also have a phone charger for android phones and iphones. The food is amazing, the best plate there in my opinion is the Lamb Haneeth. The prices of food may be high, but its worth it. While waiting for the food, they give you a salad for free, a very good Yemeni soup, and bread to dip in the soup. You can get an unlimited amount of bread for free to have with the meals. The waiters are very nice and always seem eager to get you your food as soon as possible. When the place is packed it may take a little longer to get your food, but I guarantee you’ll get the food before you finish the soup and salad. Its a great spot. When done eating, you can also go and get Yemeni tea for free, its towards the back on the right where the fridge is for the drinks.(The tea is amazing). I will always keep coming and coming its a great place.

I’ve never Unilocaled an eatery but this place is honestly amazing. My friend showed me it once and I’ve been going back ever since. The staff is really nice. The food is so fresh and flavorful. The hummus and lamb haneeth is a must. I’m borderline addicted to this place for I come here at least once a week.

The best part of the meal was the complimentary lamb soup and fresh flatbread (both super delicious!) My friend brought me here and ordered a couple of entrees for us to share, which he said were usually much better. I’d be curious to try some of their other dishes in the future.

The food here is incredible. If you love hearty, rustic Middle Eastern food, this is the place.
I had the salta, a hearty potato and veggie stew served with a huge chunk of the best lamb I’ve ever had in a Middle Eastern restaurant. The lamb was from the back bone, an incredible cut of meat, stewed on the bone and fork tender. I ate it in the stew, with the amazing spicy chutney they brought me, and by itself and it was awesome every way.
The sides were just as good. When I first sat down I was immediately brought a bowl of green soup I couldn’t identify. Whatever it was was amazing. I could taste a hint of the lamb flavor, so I suspect it’s made with a base of house-​made lamb stock. I also received fresh, warm pita from the clay oven in the back. That unmistakeable taste of fire charring added so much.
A couple tips for a good trip — the wait staff is friendly and their English is great, but they are hands off. Seat yourself when you come in and if you need anything, just raise your hand while they’re looking at you. Second, the beverages are self-​serve. There is a fridge toward the back with the sodas; if you want a soda with your meal, just get up and grab one.
Definitely give this place a try. I will definitely be back soon and with friends!

BEST YEMEN FOOD IN BAYRIDGE!!!
I love this place! They have two locations but, this one is closer to my house and closer to the happy food place in my heart. While there location in downtown Brooklyn is nicer, as it is on the second floor/​smaller & more intimate the Yemen café in Brooklyn is never packed and is much bigger!
The Yemen café offers what i consider authentic and amazing food. If you are looking for a fancy place to take a date this is not for you! There décor needs a bit of help but who cares about that when the food and atmosphere adds to the greatness this place has to offer.
When you sit down, that is seat yourself the waiter will right away bring you over bread that they have cooked in the tandoor… Yemen flat bread that is straight addicting and some lamb soup. I don’t eat lamb which works in my friends favor because she eats two bowls! With this Yemen flat bread you can dip it in the soup or they bring over this spicy salsa looking contraption! The bread comes out hot and fresh!!! If they see you have ate all the bread because its so damm good you probably will, they will right away bring out another one!
The appetizer. you must try there hummus. Hands down best hummus in Brooklyn Ive tried hummus at multiple Turkish places and nothing comes close! It comes with more Yemen flat bread so be ready for a mountain of hot addicting flat bread at your table!
My favorite dish here is the chicken salta! Not only does it include this salta which comes out hot in a clay bowl literally boiling as they bring it to your table, but also includes baked chicken and rice. They do have a regular order of baked chicken and rice but you must try the salta! Once you take your bread and dip it into the salta picking up bits of chicken and chunks of potato you will see the explosion of flavors. With this entrée purchase not only does it include soups but also a salad with dressing that is straight addictive! I asked to take some home and the waiter was so sweet he packed me some!
Service is excellent, the staff is very attentive to detail. If you are out of tea he will right away bring you over some more! Tea (which is so flavorful you don’t need sugar but, they do have evaporated milk on the side) and water is also available. All you can drink tea and, water FREE and its self service. If your not feeling that they have lots of cans of soft drinks and some selection of beer.
This place takes the gold medal in the flavor department and it is my go to restaurant when I’m craving hummus or Yemen food. One chicken salta entrée and one hummus appetizer is more than enough food for two! With all the bread soup and salad included you get so full!
P.S YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED ABOUT THE BREAD. IT IS ADDICTIVE!!!

This is one of my favorite places to eat in bay ridge! The food here is really good. I first tried the one in downtown Brooklyn with my best friend but than we found out there was another location in bay ridge.
They start you with water, a salad with this amazing dressing they make, and a soup and a hot pita bread. My favorite appetizer to get is the hummus. They have the BEST hummus I have ever tasted!!! Dipping the fresh hot pita bread in it is the best and they keep bringing you the bread.
I have tired the chicken kabob and the chicken was really tender and flavorful.
I also tried the chicken salta which is a traditional Yemen dish. The salta comes in a steaming hot little bowl filled with veggies and spices! It’s awesome to dip the pita bread when it’s steaming hot. There is also pieces of chicken inside the salta. It comes with a half a chicken too.
You can also have tea. I love the tea with condensed milk it taste good.

While it smells good and the staff are nice enough, we left feeling rather dissatisfied. There is zero ambiance (perhaps takeout might be a better idea) and the food is overpriced for what it is – really bad quality chicken, mostly skin – and other cheap ingredients that make the food less than appetizing. This should not be a destination meal, I’m afraid.

I am huge food critic i rarely give any place 5 stars but these guys deserve it. I been several of times this place consistent the food is always on point and the service is on par. I always get the Haneeth it’s a flavorful dish the hits all the senses it comes with soup and salad. The bread is amazing. Try this place

Husband and I love coming to this place, we just never get tired of their food. Sometimes we just go there to grab the lamb soup. Trust me when I say you will not even be able to smell any lamb at all– the broth is THAT flavorful. It just warms you up on those chilly days, you know? We aren’t big lamb people, but the lamb haneeth is so succulent! HUGE portion so it can easily be split among up to 3 people. Another dish to try is the chicken curry. Make sure to get a side of vegetables to have with the rice if you’re a gravy person. After you’re done and stuffed to the brim, leave with some of their Yemeni tea– surely will hit the spot and relax you.

As soon as you enter the place, you’ll be greeted by smiling waiters and the smell of inviting food. Decent place, somewhat rustic in a sense but definitely «middle eastern». As you wait for your order, they pre fill you with bread, I’m assuming unlimited, and salad (pretty good, considering I’m not a fan of veggies), I recommend their lamb, the most popular fare. It’s tender that the meat comes right off the bone, and exquisitely complimented by basmati rice on the side and veggies. It’s probably my 4^th time here and I will come back again next time. Two thumbs up.

Lamb soup is delicious. Like very very delicious. And it’s $ 2. I don’t get it either, just come here and get some and be happy. Lamb here is spiced well with unique Yemeni spices, tender and served with great pita bread which again, tasted better than I’ve had in most places. The chef here knows what he’s doing and it shows. Service was nice too. Looking forward to coming back here and trying the other dishes. Venture out to this spot, you’ll be glad you did.

The Kabsa chicken was delicious. The babaghanoug amazing — and their huge flat bread, super yummy. Enjoyed the meal thoroughly — it’s not cheap but the ambiance is not great. Food is worth the trek out to bay ridge though.

If you seek the best of Arabic meat dishes you better search for Yemen restaurants, and if you’re looking for the best Yemen restaurants, then you better go to that place.
We’ve been going to this place for years and it’s always our first choice for Arabic food.
You could try it for breakfast, lunch and dinner…

My only problem with this place is I’ve been fortunate to have tried Bab Al Yemen– another Yemeni restaurant that used to be in the neighborhood that’s since closed down. If not for Bab Al Yemen, I’d give this place five stars. The pita here is exceptional but not quite as good as the pitas at Bab Al Yemen. Same goes for the lamb.
Is it lame of me to write a review of this place and end up talking about another restaurant that isn’t even in business anymore? Perhaps. But that’s how I felt after getting through my meal here. Ultimately the point I’m trying to make is that Yemen Café is in elite company but just shy of perfection.

This is the other location of Yemen Café that is located in Bay Ridge. This location was much nicer, probably because it’s not in a completely gentrified area. The food was delicious and the atmosphere was very cosy. It was crowded and full with families.
We tried the usual favorites: maraq soup, salad, chicken ogda, and lamb haneeth. All was good and I like this location much better than on Atlantic Avenue.
More information about Yemeni food:

Exotic & faraway flavors live here. Tables are numbered, I sat at table #5. Water comes in a metal cup… Start with the special salad or soup, I had lamb soup. The salad and soup were $ 5 together– cheap. The star of the show here is the flat bread. It is huge and hot out of the oven and dip it in everything. The dressing on the salad is tangy and a little spicy and is served in lieu of the white sauce you find on Turkish menus.
I went with the baby lamb chops…$ 18 served with rice (basmati)) and veg (potatoes?)
The lamb chops are advertised as expertly seasoned and they are something dynamite-​slightly spiced and tasting of smoke and meaty lamb– yum. Basmati was good, but are potatoes veggies? Yemen tea is sweet and a good finish. Service well…