Balzem

My date and I had a good time! I'll very likely return again soon.

We went to Balzem for happy hour. We had wine and hummus, so it's hard to comment on the food. Our table was outside and I enjoyed a nice summer evening with minimal noise/disruption from either the street or our neighbors at the next table. Seating is a little tight, but not unlike most NYC spots.

Expectional food. Truly impressed with the flavors of the special ceviche, seared tuna, and shrimp with zucchini appetizers. Lamb was great but the scalloped potatoes made the dish. Also, I love how much greens are used in every plate. Very happy With my visit... will be returning soon for another treat.

Blazem was a small, warm restaurant with friendly staff. Went for a double date and shared a few different apps and smaller plates, all the food was delicious. They offer a small but decent happy hour menu. Would definitely go back - easy, chill spot with pretty good Mediterranean food.

Had a great time, in a great place, with great food!

Great food and really awesome service by the staff. Loved it. Thank you.

Food was reasonable priced and there are lots of shareable dishes

Great serendipity! Chose it because of the number of high reviews and it was a thousand points that night on OpenTable. But it was everything you would want in a New York restaurant 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 vibe is great for drinks and small bites but entrees weren’t good so don’t recommend it for dinner.

It was great

Terrific food, nice service, but so noisy it was hard to hear my dinner companion.

We arrived 1/2 hour early and they were very accommodating. Great by-the-glass wine list, as well as by the bottle, if you want to vary by course. The octopus and hummus apps were delish! The lamb kebab was perfection. The Shepherds Salad would have been better with a few more shrimp. Overall, loved it and will go back next time in NoLita.

Place and location are nice, service is very good but the food is not great. Seafood didn't taste fresh. I had fun but wouldn't go back.

Ate here for late lunch/early dinner on a Saturday with 2 female friends. We had reservations and arrived on time. There were numerous available tables but the host tried to put us all the way in the back by the kitchen in a dark corner. We are all attractive , well dressed, older females. It is insulting to be treated that way. After asking, they did move us to a much more favorable location but it doesn't bode well when you are treated like a second class citizen. This restaurant is in the heart of NoLita and close to NYU so lots of youth abounds -- there is absolutely no reason to treat older customers in an inferior way and the hosts and servers should be cautioned. We are the ones that tip really well when treated well. The food - mixed grill, kabobs, mezzos, zucchini pancakes, hummus, were good - service was okay. I wouldn't go back because of the way we were initially treated. Don't want to sound like a snob, but there are too many other good restaurants that appreciate our business and provide service with a smile and respect.

My five rating, in all categories says it all. Will definitely go back.

Great place to have a first date or catch up with a friend! Mussels are amazing and the spicy feta dip was my favorite. Our waitress (didn't catch her name) notified us happy hour was ending soon so she let us place our drink order within seconds of sitting down. Food came out quickly and was delicious.

Eclectic mix of Mediterranean food - we had veggie maze selection, then couldn’t fit in a main course! Service could not be faulted and the atmosphere was perfect for a relaxed dinner.

Wonderful experience. Exceptional food and service!

I enjoyed my humus & pita. Also I forget the name of the dish but it was round balls of cheese and small tomatoes.

I chose Balzem because I was looking for a small restaurant that had vegetarian food on the menu for a conversation with a friend. It was quiet which was perfect for our talk. We were not bothered by waitstaff or loud diners and the food was delicious. They sat us in a corner which allowed some privacy which was nice.

The nice thing about not being bothered by waiters is that it's relaxed and comfortable. The disadvantage is that when you want something it's hard to get it immediately! All in all nice people, good food and a beautiful day.

Love this place! Excellent small plates that can be shared! Wonderful atmosphere. Good for date night or just a quick cocktail and snack.

Excellent tapas-style food and drinks. Romantic atmosphere and decor. Great service. Highly recommended.

I must say that Balzem exceeded my expectations, specifically with the food. The presentation and taste was simply on point. My lady had the lentil with sausage soup and grilled brochette rib-eye. I had the shrimp carnival with the potato truffle gratin. Everything was exquisitely seasoned, piping hot, and beautifully displayed. The place is small so there's definitely a crammed feeling. Regardless, the food and service compensates well for that.

I love this place. Its a great spot to go in for a causal dinner during the week or a date. The food is very good, recommend the humus and artichoke dip. I gave it overall 4 stars for service because we asked for bottle water and extra bread and both never came to the table.

Good food but service was slow. This may have been because there was a large birthday party at the next table...

Nice place with good atmosphere, not too loud, and lots of wine bottles to give it a “wine bar” vibe even though it dubs as a Mediterranean restaurant... prices are ok but what I REALLY didn’t like is being charged and outrageous $4 for ONE slice of American cheese on an $18 burger without being told that cheese come at SUCH a premium (and it’s not even gruvyere or something fancy!) or that it come at a premium at all. When ordering a burger that’s already more than burgers at most other places if you ask the patron if they want cheese you should tell them it’s gonna cost them 30% of the price of the whole burger!!!

Great meal and cocktail in a comfy yet cool ambiance. Slightly cramped

Great meal, great service!

We came in for an early brunch with friends. Great ambiance, great food, great mimosas. We will definitely come back!

Had a birthday dinner here for 12 people. I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to good conversations with people, but it was just quiet enough I could here everyone. Ambience was amazing, excellent staff, food was good, good price. Everything was perfect.

Food was bland and space was very tight

Great food and great service. Will come back for sure!

We very much enjoyed our experience at Balzem. Great happy hour choices, even on a Saturday. Excellent service and food was wonderful. Pretty restaurant - thank you!

The food was good , the bar was too crowded . Overall I’d recommend to a friend or smth

Fantastic experience each time I’ve dined here. The service and food is always incredible. I had been raving to my boyfriend about Balzem for a couple of years and we finally got to go over the weekend. The date night vibes make it even more appealing.

Although the entry of a walking tour threw the staff out a bit and service was a little erratic as a result, the food was good and I would return.

A fantastic restaurant! It’s a MUST TRY!

Ordinary food.
Reasonable service but nothing special.

Great, friendly service!
Unlike other NYC restaurants, we were never rushed to leave the table after we finished eating. We finished our wine and had water refills and given the check only after we asked for it which provided for a lovely evening of good food and conversation. Thank you Balzem!

The table in the corner by the window was really nice for my get together with friends. Food was ok. Nothing to write home about. Had one bottle of wine that was very good for the price. Second bottle of a different wine was terrible though. Overall I wouldn’t run back but fine in a pinch.

Such a cozy place with great food and wine! Perfect for date or catching up with friends.