Sabry's Seafood

A seafood haven in Astoria

February 24, 2025

Sabry’s sits along a strip of Steinway nicknamed Little Egypt

Rating: 8.6/10

To say it’s been cold in New York City the past few weeks is an understatement. I never used to be bothered by the chill, so much so that up until a couple of years ago I didn’t own a proper winter jacket. Perhaps it was my parka purchase two seasons ago that marked my entry into the ‘always cold’ crowd, but for whatever reason, the chill gets to me these days. With that in mind I found myself walking along the Astoria Boulevard highway with wind nipping the hairs on my neck as I walked in search of something to warm me up.

That warmth came from an unassuming seafood spot situated in the Little Egypt portion of Steinway street in Astoria. Sabry’s, which has been around for quite some time, sits next to a French bakery called Noisette where regulars hold court, as well as next to Abuqir, the other Egyptian Seafood spot on the block that seems to get all the press. While I have been to Abuqir, Sabry’s, and Hamido (another highly covered Egyptian seafood spot), and they are all great in their own right, Sabry’s has a special place as my first introduction to Egyptian Seafood 8-10 years ago. Let’s hear it for the little guy.

Upon entering Sabry’s you are greeted with sights of a flickering fire. Highly skilled cooks churn out fresh flatbreads that adorn every table. Straight ahead lies an ice chest with whole fish and other oceanic delicacies you can pick and choose from. Mr. Sabry himself often sits at a table, like a benevolent king looking at his empire.

The Food:

On this specific trip, a friend and I had several of items on our mind, one of which I hadn’t eaten in years, but perfect for the cold day. As the waiter came by we rattled off the order without hesitation: Fried eggplant with tomato sauce, baba ghanoush, chopped salad, and the showpiece, seafood tajine with shrimp and calamari! One not so big secret at Sabry’s, is that all of the dishes come with bread. Not just any bread, but potentially the best complimentary bread in all of NYC, full stop.

A single bite provides multiple experiences. A slightly crispy exterior, giving way to a pillowy inside with a chew having equal parts resistance and give. Needless to say, they could charge for the bread and I’d order it every time. Thankfully no such complication is needed. Although near perfection on its own, the bread served the even greater purpose of sopping up the eggplant and tomato sauce, and baba ghanoush appetizers.

The eggplant dish was a nightshade party that I didn’t want to leave. Umami on umami, a single hot pepper floated on the top of each piece of eggplant, with a heat level the might cause the faint of heart to cough (hand raised).

Freshly baked bread comes with every meal

The baba ghanoush elicited a different sensory experience. The pureed eggplant was kissed with smoke as if it had been charred from the inside out over open flame. Smokiness gave way to the nuttiness of tahini.

Sabry’s smoky baba ghanoush

Shrimp and calamari tajine

While I could have filled up on apps, I would have been a fooling myself if I thought I could practice any self-control when the Tajine came, a big earthenware pot that bubbles as it hits the table. The plump shrimp burst with every bite, the calamari chewy like a savory gummy worm; all floating in a sauce so deep with tomato flavor one might not be able to find the bottom. We finished the entire thing, scraping the bowl with torn pieces of bread, and making sure every last bit of sauce was accounted for. Beyond full, I happily sat there contemplating what it might be like eating a dish like this in Alexandria, where Mr. Sabry himself emigrated from.

Location: 2425 Steinway St, Astoria, NY 11103 | Website: https://sabrys-seafood.com/