12 Chairs

This place is a fantastic Israeli restaurant! 🇮🇱 12 Chairs Cafe servers a wonderful selection of classic Israeli dishes 🍽️ - definitely try the Chicken 🐔 Schnitzel Salad 🥗, Eggs 🍳 Siniya, and Hummus with Falafel! 🧆 Service is quick and staff 👨‍🍳 is super friendly and welcoming! Ambience 🎶 is wonderful and they have Israeli music 🎵 playing all the time! I wish I knew about this place earlier!

MacDougal is my favorite street in NYC to take a stroll down as it has such a rich history in just a 0.38 mile stretch. At the end of my 0.38 mile excursion, I always find myself running into a sidewalk FULL of people. So full to the point where I have to walk to the other side of the street or move like a prime Barry Sanders in traffic to get passed. This Coachella-like gathering of human beings is waiting to get into 12 Chairs. I whipped out my cracked Iphone 13 Pro Max and did a quick google search and realized it was an Israeli spot. After being to Israel a few times, I developed an arguably unhealthy love affair with the cuisine. Israeli couscous is literally CRACK. Anyways, all this to say I knew I had to get to 12 Chairs. 3 of us came late on a Friday evening, praying to Cthulhu that we would get a seat. Much to my surprise, we were seated almost immediately. Thank you Cthulhu. We sat on the heated outdoor patio and started with 4 small plates: Babaganoush, Falafel & Tahini, Matbucha, and the Beets Salad. All was served with warm pita bread that was to die for. The Babaganoush ended up being a bit of a let down, but that Beets Salad came out of NOWHERE to save the day. It was oddly reminiscent of when Carmelo Anthony went down in 2012 and Jeremy Lin came out of the shadows and put the Knicks on his back for 2 straight months. "BeetsSaladSanity." Easily the best Beets Salad I've ever had. I went with the Areyas for my main, which is pita filled with minced lamb. It was sensational, but was a little light on the portion size. The lamb is so juicy it kinda like squirts in your mouth on every bite. ahahahaha damn that was crazy phrasing but I really aint lyin. Overall the quality of food here is to die for, but I find the portion sizes to be a little light for the price point. I wish I could give 4.5 stars, but will give 5 here and 4 on Yelp. THANK YOU CTHULHU! IG @jnov_ Tiktok @jnov__

Sublime Israeli food! Fresh, bursting with flavor, and in portions most satisfying! The warm pita was divine. Got the spicy platter, falafel and tahini, Israeli pickles, and baba ghanoush as apps. Also delicious halloumi. And the Shakshuka was awesome too! I can’t say enough good things about this restaurant!! Completely neighborhood gem in SoHo!!

Holy moly this place was AMAZING. It’s the food of my people so my sister and I were so excited to stop here and they did not disappoint. We got a bunch of small plates to split. Hummus, Baba ghanoush, falafel, a lamb dish… it was all ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. The only slight disappointment was finding out they only served beer and wine (there is a school next door and that is NYS law) but honestly we split a bottle & we didn’t care once we were eating. I’m also GF so I was able to get a side of cucumbers to dip instead of pita.

5. So exceptional here. Service is warm and attentive. The food is packed with flavour and the portions are generous. You can’t go wrong with this menu - there is something for everyone - with many vegetarian and vegan options. The vibe is fun and the atmosphere is inviting. Great for a group with lots of options for sharing, but also lovely for an intimate dinner. The appetizers came out quickly and the pita bread was hot. The falafel was delicious and the Israeli salad was fresh and crisp! Also highly recommend the dips and the schnitzel! Bathroom is accessible and on the main floor. This location does not yet have cocktails- just wine and beer (but a nice selection). Also- patio seating is available.

Situated on MacDougal Street, 12 Chairs is a bustling spot for top notch Israeli/Mediterranean food. We enjoyed the perfectly cooked Falafels, the soft Pita breads, the delicious Cauliflower preparation, and the teas that were garnished with fresh mint leaves (both the hot and cold teas were great). The Tahini and Babaganoush dips weren't to our liking, with the Tahini having an intense flavor and the Babaganoush being rather bland for our taste buds. The service was super efficient, the place was packed and the music was loud, forcing people to strain their vocal cords to make conversation. All in all, it was a great experience and we look forward to coming back!

What a treat to eat here while visiting NYC! This was seriously some of the best Israeli food I've ever eaten. We stopped in last night after a show, and the server was happy to seat us (despite the fact it was already 10:30pm). We surveyed the menu and placed our order quickly. Everything came out super fast, and we devoured every morsel. So freaking good! I highly recommend the Hummus with onions and mushrooms. Can't wait to come back again next time I'm here.