Andrew Dabydeen
By far one of the best restaurant experiences that I’ve had in NYC this year! Came here with about 6 people and ordered a wide array of dishes. Everything was delicious but what really stood out were the eggplant dishes plus the dips - I’d definitely get these if you’re looking for some options. The drinks were also great but not the star. Service was perfect though the food took a while to come out. Looking forward to coming back soon sometime in the near future!
Caitlin Persch
Fresh, quick, variety of classics. Everything was pretty tasty but nothing outstanding. Hummus, nothing special but good. Would come back because i believe its a repeatedly reliable source of good food & fun ambiance. Can be a bit loud if you’re looking to have a conversation with your company.
Chintan Patel
Wonderful dinner with same consistency we remember from 10 years ago. Our waitress was amazing along with the other staff. Highly recommend! Kid friendly too! Get the Harissa on the side..it's life changing!!
Peter Farejowicz
I thought ilili was a pleasant change of pace from the usual type of cuisine I go for when visiting New York. Their menu is fairly extensive and it’s best to order a few dishes from each category to split so you can try everything.
Walking up as a party of 1, I got a seat at the bar which does full service dining. The ambiance of the restaurant is lovely. It feels very upscale and clean with a warm vibe (plus it was festive for December).
The cocktail was ok, not my favorite. I ordered the Beirut to Manhattan and thought it would taste more unique given the ingredients but it just tasted like a regular Old Fashioned.
Food wise I was impressed. The best dish of the night was the duck shawarma, which everyone should try. The bread was stuffed with a generous amount of freshly pulled duck meat and it came with this delicious dipping sauce.
I also ordered the warm eggplant which has a nice sweet taste to it and the labne dip which I prefer to hummus.
Overall, I left very full and satisfied with my meal. Great spot if you’re in the mood for Lebanese food.
Patrick Wong
TLDR: Ilili is a great choice for Lebanese cuisine, if you're into Middle Eastern or mediterranean cuisine - you'll love this. The mouhamara is great and definitely give that burger a try.
Ilili was one of those places I wanted to try for a long time. The menu is quite extensive but our server helped us make some excellent choices. The mouhamara was something different from the usual hummus. A mixture of red pepper, nuts, a bit sweet - very tasty.
The waffle and fried chicken was brunchy but slightly different. My favorite though was the burger. Juicy, fatty but a nice blend of Lebanese flavors.
Food can get pricy here but if you're looking for a fine dining establishment beyond steak/sushi - this is a great choice.
Ora Levana
We've been to Ilili many times , but mostly for dinner. This time we decide to try brunch. The ATAYEF VEAL BACON were delectable and a great bite of light pancakes with bacon, fig jam, pickles, and hot peppers. Lamb & beef meatballs with cherry sauce (KEBAB KEREZ) and the LEBANESE BURGER with fries were juicy and flavorful. I wish the fries were a little more crispy though. The GRANDMA MARIE'S LEBANESE TOAST, their take on French Toast made from chorek brioche, poached figs, ricotta labne whip, and Lebanese syrup was very tasty. No too sweet and certainly a different twist on the traditional bruch staple. Finally, we fisnished the meal with the KNAFE BIL JIBNEH, an inverted sweet cheese tart, made with semolina crust, orange blossom syrup, and sesame pita pillows. The knafe was very good, with light semolina crust. But in our opinion, the pita pillows were not necessary. They came out of left field; and since the pita was not sweet took the dessert into a different direction.
Cindy Hao
came here for brunch which probably was not the best time to come here. didn’t realize they had a lunch and brunch menu and the lunch menu isn’t available weekends. it was fine and some items were def better than others.
eggs benedict looked like a salad
ilili country style breakfast looked pretty worth it
shakshuka was fine
Carlos E
Cool place to try Lebanese cuisine. For starters, would recommend the mouhamara. For mains, the duck shawarma is good. The lamb shawarma is also tasty. I did find both of them a bit dry. They come in portions of four pieces each so they are good to share. The tuna tartare is also good. For dessert, would highly recommend trying the mouhalabiyyeh (Lebanese panna cotta). It's a great alternative if you find baklava (also another menu item) too sweet.
The ambience here is quite nice. The service is great, and we didn't wait too long for the food. The dishes are on the pricier side, but if you want to try something new on a special occasion this place could be a good option.
Koby Ellick
Everything about this restaurant was spectacular. Service, food, atmosphere were all outstanding. Definitely go!
Jaye Aster Broder
I went here two years ago for brunch and really liked. I went here yesterday and still really liked it. The flavors were traditional and nuanced. There was a good mix of textures and spices. It’s a really beautiful space with high ceilings and gender neutral bathrooms. The bar looks like a nice space to grab a drink. You can make a reservation here. We had the hummus, labne, mekanek, Brussels sprouts, fatoush salad, shakshuka, ice coffee, and cappuccino. We didn’t feel rushed or like we were waiting long for food.
Susie Su
Duck shawarma was interesting, comes in 4 pieces so it was easy to share. The lamb shank was good and also very shareable - has plenty of vegetables inside.
The mezzes and pita were pretty average, the pita was very thin so not very chewy. Steak tartare was interesting. Overall a good vibe though.
Lakshya Bhat
The food is amazing, service is quick and ambience is top notch.
Highly recommend- Phoeccian fries, eggplant, labneh, Candy Bar
Dillon Zhang
ilili was a wonderful experience. The staff were super friendly and very accommodating of dietary restrictions. We went for a team dinner and reserved a private space. The food was delicious and my team had a wonderful time. I would be excited to go back and try some of their other options.
Bader H
Such a great spot, the ambiance and the food was great and the service is really good.
We ordered the Hummus (the standard of any Lebanese restaurant) and the fried kubbah (highly recommended). The main was the chicken shish tawook, the chicken was so tender and the taste was on point.
Recommend to book in advance as it is always busy, although they have two floors.
Enakshi Kaul
We went for brunch- even though the place is pretty big I do recommend booking it in advance.
To start with had the hummus and baba ghannouj which came with puffed up pita. Both were amazing and pretty light. We tried a hibiscus flavoured spritz and jet set- both were very refreshing perfect for a brunch.
For the main course we ordered American burger, shakshuka and eggs benedict. I especially loved the burger- it was light and absolutely juicy. The fries that came with the burger were some sort of herbed fries and went very well with the burger- I just wish they were a little more crispy.
We also tried the French toast- it was so flavourful and different.
Insiya Pardiwala
I have only had Lebanese food a few times before, but this place is absolutely gorgeous. The service was extremely friendly and helpful, everything Alex suggested was delicious. The portions are generous and the food was so flavourful. I recommend this place to anyone who enjoys a flavourful meal.
Edward M
Recommendations: Duck shawarma, Kebab Ketez (cherry meatballs), Phoenician Fries, Kibbeh Nayeh, Arak (alcohol that goes well with the Kibbeh), Knafeh (dessert).
My first trip back in a few years and glad to say it's still great. The food is a mix of traditional Lebanese along with some fusiony dishes, and they execute well on both fronts. I usually get a large selection of appetizers and desserts and rarely get to the main dishes, I've listed some of my favorites up top. Highly recommend getting Arak to pair with your food, even though their selection is exorbitantly priced (they're all good so getting the cheapest one is fine).
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