ilili Restaurant Review

Being Lebanese, I found the food extremely authetic, and the contemporaneous twists in some of the dishes only made the experience better.

Their food is just amazing. And service is awesome. Prices are heigh but it is totally worth it. Katayef is just a little heaven in your mouth. You must try it for sure.

This is about the food. it was delicious. forget the service which was amazing, and forget the decor. the food is the reason i came from, and i got what i came for. absolutely delicious.

Yes, yes, and yes! I absolutely love this place! As a Lebanese, my heart is always so happy when I go there. The menus are incredible, the staff is just amazing, and the food is divine! Easily one of my top 3 favorite restaurants in NYC.

Amazing Lebanese food. Must try the Lebneh and Duck Shawarma.

Firstly this is a nice upscale fine dining. Great ambience n The interiors are so good. We came here for restaurant week dinner. It's a pre fix menu$42 per head. It's a for course meal, it was just perfect reach item was so good

Fascinating interior design, perfect service, food, drinks, music, and vibes. They even serve Jordanian and Lebanese beverages! One of my favorite restaurants in NYC.

Amazing middle eastern restaurant!
Modern twist, decor and food wise.

The closest thing to Lebanese cuisine in New York! The food is lovely! Go for the brussel sprouts, the warm eggplant, duck shawarma and mekanek! Those were my absolute favorite!

This was a bad dining experience. The prix fixe menu was mediocre - it began with good appetizers and then went steeply downhill from there. I ordered the chicken and got 3-4 balls of chicken with very minimal flavoring. 3/6 people ordered the lamb and not 1 person finished it. The dessert was AWFUL. Not sweet at all. In fact, one of the people in our party called the knafe "an appetizer." Another said it tasted like hand lotion.

The largest offense was from the person I assume was the manager. Half of our party had a show to catch. We were sitting around waiting for our "dessert" and were starting to feel time pressure. I went and spoke to the manager and asked him if we could expedite the dessert and bring the bill. He said, yes, of course. So, he brought out the dessert about 15 minutes later and soon after that brought the bill. We paid, and half of our party left. The other three of us still had coffee and tea to finish so we sat for another minute or so before the manager came over. He started his sentence with "I'm so sorry...." so I assumed he was apologizing that the dessert took so long to come out. No. Apparently he "needed the table." So essentially, since we had already paid, we were being kicked out. But WE are the ones who asked to expedite the meal and THEY are the ones who were taking a long time. Nothing like being shooed out when they are no longer waiting on your money...

Super Lebanese restaurant, tasteful, uncommon dishes. I warmly recommended if your are looking for an outstanding restaurant. Great ambiance and decoration. Definitely a perfect place for a date

Mixed grill and fattoush were delicious! A little bit pricey but you can not find any imperfections in the quality!

This was my first time here and I decided this place because I saw it online and I really wanted to try some Lebanese food for a long time ago. Long story short, I sat down at the bar and Hector the bartender recommended us a couple dishes and I do have to say.It was amazing the drinks as well. Hector thank you for the advice and knowledge on the food and drinks I am definitely coming back soon with some more friends of mine. Thank you!!

Had a really wonderful lunch here. Drinks were tasty, and the food was amazing. Some cool different takes on some typical Lebanese dishes. The kibbeh nayeh was delicious.

The server was very knowledgeable but unfortunately the food was not even close to the expectation

The brussel sprouts are superb. Even if you think you don't like brussel sprouts -- you'll like these.

Great spot for lunch - roomy, airy and unhurried but not stuffy.

This is our favorite go to place for any event. Excellent food, comfortable ambiance, great service; need I go on?

I keep trying to find an opportunity to come back here and keep getting thwarted. The food was excellent - I made a meal of different mezze, while one person in the group kept raving about the juicy lamb burger. Tried a couple of different middle eastern beers I d never seen before. The design main room itself is beautiful, and even the typography of the restaurant s name is elegant. While we were in the spacious main dining room, the back room looked a bit dark and cramped with tables close to each other.

Some of the dishes are hit or miss. The duck schwarma is easily the best thing on the menu, and is truly amazing. Beef kebab was also great; lamb was a bit gamey for my taste, but I prefer persian preparations versus lebanese.

Food was pretty good.. but the room we were in was kinda small

A M A Z I N G, for far, one of the best places I've been, food and service was incredible, totally worth

Great aesthetics as well as food. Multiple dining rooms so you might not be in the main and most beautiful section.

I would request it in your reservation if possible.

Excellent ambiance and decor - mixed grill was spectacular

Normally if everything happens without problems I consider that good service, this however was on another level completely, surpassing ever other restaurant I have visited by far. Plus the atmosphere and food is awesome!

The ambiance of ILILI is cozy and relaxed. However, their food is not quite surprising with its price.

Incredible food, service and atmosphere. I can't recommend it enough. Went with a friend for restaurant week and tried four different appetizers. The falafel was delectably crispier than normal and shaped like cake, the moussaka was a burst of flavor, the fattoush was refreshing and the muhummara was a deliciously different taste. Entrees were stellar but the best part of the dessert. The kanafeh was such a beautiful blend of cheese, sugar, rosewater, orange and pistachio flavor. I'm going to be craving this daily until my next visit. Can't wait to go back!

One of the best meals I ve had in NYC! The food was incredible and was matched by outstanding service. The outdoor seating area was spacious and every precaution was taken to ensure a safe yet fun environment for a night of dining out. 10/10 would recommend!!!!

Food is delicious and very famous place. Very crowded in the evenings.

I've been here many times. Always top quality food, drinks, and service. Duck Shwarma and Brussels sprouts are two of my favorite dishes.

Good, but overpriced Lebanese food. The mix grill is definitely tasty, but value-wise doesn't really cut it. I also found the muhammara a bit dry, but still good.

Very bad service five stars from the beginning was bad and treated the first Matakdlon restaurant very very bad psycho

WOW. Amazing service, perfect outdoor seating and the food was the best. The falafel was some of the best Ive had in the city and tahini was also brilliant. Def going back.

Consistently good food with plenty of space for large parties makes this an ideal for business dinners. Highly recommend trying the fine Lebanese wines of Chateau Musar, can even be worth the money to splurge on the more expensive Gaston Hochar.

One of my favorite spots to grab a drink in NYC. A little pricey, but the food, alcohol, and atmosphere is worth it

It's packed but service is great and the food is to die for. As a Lebanese person, I can tell you that this Lebanese restaurant is excellent

Amazing selection of beautifully prepared Lebanese dishes in a classy environment. We allowed our server to surprise us with dishes and were not disappointed. Don't forget their delicious Brussels sprouts and the Ashta for dessert.

A must try for any foodie- their specialty is the duck shawarma, but everything is delicious in general and their service is near exemplary.

Very good food. Service mostly good. Nice decor. worth your while

had a special lunch here with my mom, the food was ALL fantastic.

she got the lentil soup which i tasted and it was like no other lentil soup i have ever had, i liked it quite a lot. it was light, savory, and lemony.

At a very basic level, this place has excellent Lebanese food compared to what's available in the US and is good compared to what you can find in Lebanon.

Food: the atayef with veal bacon is excellent and creative, as is the majority of the grilled food in the main plate section. The chicken shawarma is bland, the cardamom an unwelcome distraction that doesn't compensate to the uninspired flavor of the chicken. Batata Harra is excellent, with crispy potato and perfected flavors. Overall, pretty decent, but for every dish we could name a couple of Lebanese restaurants that easily topped it.

Service and prices: rushed and overpriced. You're paying for the comparatively better Lebanese food pretty heavily. It's probably on the side of not worth it for a second visit but understandable given the investment in space and ambiance. Definitely go once and decide for yourself, however.

Small plates deliciousness taken to a new level. Each one is better than the last. What a gem this restaurant is! We cannot say enough good things about ilili!

Ignored by staff, waited past our reservation, finally gave up and left before being seated. No idea if the food is good or not.

Lady at the bar tonight is really rude n disrespectful looks like she doesn't want to be here

Loved the food, and the service was Great. One of my best returants.

Nice place warm atmosphere and very nice staff friendly you feel like home...and delicious food made in a perfection way ..good job

Brussels sprouts, falafel...great. Fresh, fluffed and hot pita. Kebab platter and dips v good. Outstanding service...they remember to fill your water glass before it empties. Moose was our wonderful server. Thanks.

FANTASTIC! BEST LEBANESE FOOD! LOVE this place 1st pic for guests

The food here is very tasty though quite pricey. Love the atmosphere and the service.

Great service and amazing food. We were a party of 6 and what worked best for us was the round table with lots of space in the middle (since we shared nearly all of the dishes). I have several food sensitivities and the server and chef were very helpful in pointing out or modifying the dishes. One friend was from Jordan and could assert the authenticity of the food.

My personal favorites included the brussel sprouts with walnuts, rice, mixed vegetable mezze, chicken main course served with savory garlic mousse. The fish was a Branzino that was somewhat overpriced for the size. The pita is absolutely perfect.

This is my #1 most favorite restaurant of all time. A bold statement and totally serious. I recommend this to everyone.

Great food...tapas style starters are awesome...chicken kabab is a must try. Cocktails are worth the money

OMG the labne (strained yogurt) and kebab kerez (meatballs in cherry sauce)! Can't imagine any wrong turns here after that combo.

Great vibes especially in the bar/lounge area.

My Lebanese friends always take me to ilili. They say it's the best in NYC

The Ambience the service the food.. Oh my.. I love it.. Perfect for a date night.. Vegetarians and Non-vegetarians alike.. Find plenty in the menu to share

Great Ambience. Great selection of small plates. Pita was so soft and fresh. Service was pretty good.

To start this is a great place from what I can tell and the crowd. The appitizers were really good but there was just one okay tasting main dish if that is a concern for you

Great service. Good food but I like baba ganoosh or however u spell it with no dairy and there's had dairy. Little expensive for mains but u r on the island of Manhatten so u pay for that.

Really great aesthetic - very clean wood lines, with relaxing color schemes and clean layout. There is a long hall with a casual lounge area and bar adjacent to a more formal dining room. The food is really good - fresh, authentic and filled with spice (interesting flavors and aromas). Everyone was very polite and all the facilities were very clean. A lot of families and couples - there was an intimate atmosphere. Would certainly recommend.

We had a great experience here, starting with the original cocktails, and creative Lebanese cuisine, meant to be shared. The waiter helped us find the more original dishes. My only , very minor complaint., is that the wine list is very limited. Would definitely return.

One of the few favorite restaurants in nyc. Great food, ambiance and service. Never had a bad experience.

Amazing food, great atmosphere. And cubed falafels! The warm eggplant is to die for! Highly, highly recommend!

This is a beautiful restaurant and delicious food also. I came across this restaurant after I came from an appointment I had. I was hungry for some great food and I loved it I hope I can come back with my boyfriend to enjoy more the place.

Lots of meze to pick from, though the vegetarian options are pretty limited.

Had a lonely date here during the pandemic. Food was delicious and the server was friendly.

The tables are pretty tiny so if you re with tall people, it could be a bit difficult. We almost flipped the table over a few times.

That being said, we had a great experience.

lebanese food at this location - great. i will be back with my coworkers.

We celebrated Thanksgiving dinner here and we couldn t have asked for a better dining experience. From the food to the staff, everything was perfect. We look forward to visiting again to try out their regular menu.

September 2 2017 1040 pm the girl at the front table is a biaaatch she was making a big deal I was waiting for my husband to park the car while it's RAINING OUTSIDE AND IM PREGNANT. Food was great overall and service was great besides the girl (biaaatch) in the front

We spent White Day in ilili. The appetizers are really really great and we didn t order the main course.

Food is awesome and so is the staff. We ate at the bar and they were amazing even with having to deal with the Christmas holiday crowd

Great food but space is large, loud and not at all cozy or comforting. Also bring a large wallet!

Hands down best Lebanese food period (shh don't tell my relatives. Great weekend brunch $29 Pre-Fix

Fabulous vegetarian options, amazingly helpful and courteous staff!!! Really good food