Yemen Cafe & Restaurant — Restaurant in New York

Great to have Yemen Cafe finally in Staten island. I think this location can do so much better with a few tweaks. The portions were much smaller than the Brooklyn locations. I still think they have great potential to improve. One of the main things I dislike is the type of oil used is processed oil that is highly inflammatory and unhealthy. The soup and bread made fresh are really good. I had the lamb shank which was soft but could be a lot more tender like I have had in the Brooklyn locations. Please have an option for whole wheat bread for people that are sensitive to white flour, plus its very unhealthy. The sauce that comes with salad and soup is really good and packs a lot of flavor. Vegetables Stew that comes with the lamb shank and rice was also good. For the Yemeni tea, please have the sugar on the side as some of us are sensitive to sugar. Looking forward to having desserts on the menu with tea like Sha'ee Adeni. Staff was friendly and welcoming . Overall great décor and wishing the place best for growth and success. I will update my review with batter experiences.

Last time I went there was a hair and a dead bee hair in the salad. When I pointed it out to the waiter, there were no apologies. He just brought me a new one which I didn't want. Still tipped well as its not the waiter prepping food.

Update 12/14/24 Place is open again under the original mgt. Lamb Haneeth (shank) dish price jumped even higher to $32.50. Portion was a bit on the smaller side and we didn't get the 2nd bread with chicken haneeth that we were told we would. Salad was good and Fatah was good as well which is homemade as well. Haisa desert is a hard pass with artificial food coloring. There should be more sauce given on the side when the dish is served so we don't have to wait for it. Great service though. Wish they made the haneeth rice less oilier. Service was good but had to wait a few times to ask for things. Place looks a lot busier than before.

1/25/25 Went for dinner with a friend and still think the black seasome bread and lamb haneeth are the best they have. Great addition to the meal with the salad and the soup! Good addition of Adeni tea to the menu!

10/6/25 Went for dinner Monday night. Party of 2. Got two lamb shank orders. Was a bit disappointed that they were mostly not tender. That is what we came for. The bulk of them were not soft which is a deal breaker to pay such a high price for as it keeps going up. Now $32+. I hope they can get better and have the same level of tenderness as the OG Brooklyn location. Otherwise I would have to stop going.

10/11/25 Went in for dinner with a friend on Sat night. Asked the server about specific cuts and asked for the cut I wanted for tenderness. Server was very nice and explained the differences. If done right, this is a great...

Eating at Yemen Cafe felt like being welcomed into someone’s home. From the moment we walked in, the owner was so kind and made us feel instantly comfortable. The food came out quickly and every dish tasted like it was made with love.

The hummus with lamb was rich and flavorful, and the shakshuka, a simple egg scramble, tasted exactly like something your mom would make fresh in the kitchen. It was hearty, comforting, and full of warmth. The bread was fresh, soft, and perfect for dipping, and the homemade hot sauce they gave us was out of this world. It had just the right amount of spice and made everything taste even better. The baba ghanoush was creamy and smoky, another standout on the table.

We decided to try the fatah with honey not really knowing what to expect, and it ended up being one of the best desserts we have ever had. It came out warm, sweet, buttery, and completely comforting, almost like the ultimate bread pudding but even better. Every bite just melted in your mouth. Both my husband and I agreed that it easily made it into our top three desserts of all time. If you go, do not skip it!! I promise you it’s worth it.

But honestly, what made the experience so special was the way we were treated. It was clear that the people here genuinely care about their guests. At the end of the meal, they have a little self-serve tea station where you can pour yourself a hot cup of tea. It was the perfect final touch and made the whole meal feel even more personal.

We left full, happy, and already planning our...

We had a really frustrating experience at this restaurant Waiting for nearly an hour without receiving any food is certainly unacceptable. without any clear explanation or updates provided by your staff. This prolonged wait time not only tested our patience but also disrupted our evening plans. After, We ordered our food we almost 12 people left us waiting and then came up with we only have 4 orders from what we order, After another 1/2 they said we only have 1 order from the 12 orders As customers, we deserve to be treated with respect and receive timely service. Unfortunately, our experience fell far below the standard of service we anticipated from a reputed restaurant like yours. The unacceptable wait time and the failure to provide any food has left me feeling extremely dissatisfied and compelled to bring this matter to...