ililiAmbrosiaThe food, service and attention to detail at Ilili was exquisite. I had an amazing experience and the food was supremely delicious.5/14/2013 12:00:00 AMA Vibrant Ambiance....We were there for Mother's Day and ilili Restaurant met our expectations with its delightful staff, the exquisite food, and wonderful table service. As large as this beautiful restaurant is with its lighting and high ceilings, we still felt that we were having our own party. We were served with complementary champagne to celebrate the day and the brunch was delicious. Our complements to the chef! We will revisit again and again....Thank you for making this special day memorable for my mom, our friends and I!
Hind5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMMom was very happyTook my Mom and we had a lovely meal and the restaurant and service was very friendly and knowledgable about the menu and drinks. We end up ordering mire then we could eat! But everything was great!
Looking forward to eat there again5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food, relaxing environmentMust try the bone marrow!
The only problem I found is they don't have big enough tables to fit the food and drinks for 6 people.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat dining experience allGreat dining experience all around, from friendly knowledgeable service, to absolutely delicious Middle eastern food. Falafel is superb. Try the garlic whip, add to various items. You won't be disappointed.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMThe waiter was terrific inThe waiter was terrific in guiding us on our food selections. The food was creative and delicious !5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMRecommend!I enjoyed everything about this place. Food: Every mezza was ordered was delicious! Some of the memorable dishes were the labne which was creamy and delicious, the chankleesh which was tasty and refreshing as well as the kibbeh bi laban (beef dumplings) which were submerged in this amazing yogurt sauce but were not as heavy as they sound. Has other mezzes as well which were tasty but those were the best, in my taste.
The service was impeccable. Our waitress often had recommendations to cater to our requests and they often brought fresh bread to eat with our dinner. Never had to ask for anything more than once and all went smoothly with the reservations.
Overall, very pleasant experience.5/8/2013 12:00:00 AMIncredible find . . .Ilili has everything going for it. The food was superb (as good Middle Eastern food as we have had anywhere in the world, including the Middle East); unusually beautiful presentation for Middle Eastern food; a large modern, lovely space and charming service. We literally have no quibbles.
We went for lunch (four people). Standouts: the muhamarra, the shrimp and the brussels sprouts. (Who knew that there was a Lebanese way to serve brussels sprouts.) Also the banana bread pudding for dessert. The portions are right-sized for sharing--we had a lot of fun exploring the menu.
David and I just spent the last week in NYC eating in excellent restaurants. Ilini was the standout.5/8/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent food and attentiveExcellent food and attentive service. A type of restaurant to go back to, so you can try everything off their menu.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMIlili restaurant has thisIlili restaurant has this modern look to it with all bamboo walls. Service very good, quick and polite waiters. The food nicely prepared. Brussels sprouts and tartar were delicious.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMPerfect birthday dinnerWe dined with a group of 8 for a birthday dinner on a Saturday night. It was a great combo of easiness and delicious food. Honestly we couldn't have been more happier with the experience. Our main courses were served at the same time than the last set of our starters, so we asked them to wait for a second that we finish. The waitress was happy to oblige, but then two minutes later she got screamed at by the restaurant manager in the middle of the dining hall, which showed poor taste from him. We made a point to tell him that we were really happy with the service and had requested the delay. Hopefully she didn't get into too much trouble, as they ended up bringing us a new set of mains. Anyway, amazing place!4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMThe varied mezze choices areThe varied mezze choices are some of the best I have ever had in NY. The server also was excellent about explaining the differences between the dishes.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMGood spicy food - playingGood spicy food - playing it a little safe. Service was competent and friendly. An overall food experience.4/18/2013 12:00:00 AMCreative lebanese-inspiredCreative lebanese-inspired food in a gorgeous "makes a real statement" kind of room. Delicious food, great service, should be much more well known.4/16/2013 12:00:00 AMSuch great food. What an excellentSuch great food. What an excellent evening we had.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent food, preparationExcellent food, preparation and presentation. Will come back!4/10/2013 12:00:00 AMGood food. Staff were extremelyGood food. Staff were extremely courtesy and helpful. Only two veg entree choices, but the semolina gnocchi was quite good. Many other options in the mezze. Interesting Lebanese wine.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMIlili was recommended by aIlili was recommended by a co-worker and I couldn't have been happier with her suggestion.The food was outstanding. My group wasn't well-versed in Lebanese cuisine, but it didn't matter. Our waiter was extremely helpful in suggesting different flavor pairings and he didn't let us down. Veal bacon, lamb dumplings, grape leaves to die for were some of the amazing dishes my party chose to eat. We ended up ordering a two round of mesas, small plates, and it was more than filling. I highly recommend Ilili for a different experience. You won't be disappointed.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMThis restaurant has amazingThis restaurant has amazing food and cocktails. Unique takes on middle eastern dishes. The smaller back room can be very noisy, but the staff is very accomodating. The afternoon I was there with a friend looking to catch up, they let us sit in the main room at a large table, so we could hear each other.4/2/2013 12:00:00 AMWish I found this place soonerI was looking for place with a nice atmoshophere which served brunch late on a Sunday. It was a very pleasant suprise. The menu had great choices, the wait staff was very knowledgable, the food was ethnically authentic, unique and overall very delightful. I highly recommend this place if you enjoy Mediterranean/Lebanese cusine, and/or if you want a refreshing break from the norm.3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMPerfect for first timers orPerfect for first timers or regulars of middle eastern diners!I had the lamb shank witch was delicious. The lamb was prepared perfectly and could be cut with a fork.3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMFood excellent but main courseFood excellent but main course portions small for hearty eaters. The service was excellent. Overall fun place to go with friends or family3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMMany great choices! We sharedMany great choices! We shared 6 smaller dishes and enjoyed every one. Good recommendations from our server too!3/26/2013 12:00:00 AMGood for veggies and non-veggies!We stumbled across ilili whilst wandering through Manhattan. The restaurant looks good from the outside and certainly lived up to first impressions. As my fiancee is vegetarian we struggle to find restaurants that offer sufficient menu choices for both veggies and non-veggies. The menu is interesting and extensive, providing plently of choice for vegetarians and non-veggies alike. Service was friendly, efficient and professional. The whole dining experience was faultless. The food is reasonably priced, if you don't drink alcohol the bill won't be scary. If you do drink a glass of wine is $12-14 so two people, two drinks each adds $48-56 to your bill! I have no hesitation in recommending ilili to others. Great find!3/25/2013 12:00:00 AMI had a great experience atI had a great experience at ilili! The food was very good and the service was great.3/24/2013 12:00:00 AMAmazing food and attentiveAmazing food and attentive service!
We always come back to Ilili: Never fails! Delicious Lebanese dishes in a beautiful setting with very friendly service.3/24/2013 12:00:00 AMUniqueWe had a great dinner! Beautiful space and happening atmosphere. Loved the food, especially the Brussels sprouts! We had a wonderful time and highly recommend ilili!3/24/2013 12:00:00 AMMixed grill was excellent.Mixed grill was excellent. Incredible banana bread pudding for desert. Will definitely return.3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMOne of the best dinning experiencesOne of the best dinning experiences I have evey had. Waitress was very well versed on the product. From the front door at the beginning of the night to the check it was a perfect place to be.3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMOur server was absolutelyOur server was absolutely amazing, and we thoroughly enjoyed each dish.3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food is EXCELLENT as isThe food is EXCELLENT as is the service. It was my first fancy experience with Mediterranean food and I went with a great friend who is Lebanese and very particular about her Mediterranean food and the menu pleased us both. I don't remember the names of all the dishes, but I recommend the Labneh, the sausages, the fattouch, the little lamb "pizzas," the beef dumplings, and the potatoes. So good.3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMBesides the impeccable service,Besides the impeccable service, they were willing to make changes according to our tastes without complaint and without having to explain. Everything was perfect!3/20/2013 12:00:00 AMCame here for my bday dinnerCame here for my bday dinner with family. Had reservation at 5:30 since we had tickets to the Met at 7:30. We informed our waitress and she made sure all the food came out quickly. actually, very impressed by it.
as usual, the food was great. got mouhamara, chankleesh, and falafel to split. entree was lamb, gnocchi, and fish. i really liked the gnocchi but know that its got a tart yogurt flavor. oh, get the meadow drink. its delicious
five stars3/20/2013 12:00:00 AMDelicious food. We orderedDelicious food. We ordered Tapas style but the Brunch Menu looked great.
Will recomend highly.3/17/2013 12:00:00 AMA definite must try restaurantMy first time here and definitely worth coming back and trying it again. Tried a Saturday brunch and I highly recommend it. Especially if you are tired of the usual brunch type menu. The service was superb and the wait staff was extremely pleasant. They even gave my friend and I a free cocktail for waiting too long for our entrees. We were having such a pleasant time we barely noticed the wait - that made our free drinks even more special. One thing - you must try the hummus. Best I have ever had in my life!3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMNot to be missed when you'reNot to be missed when you're in New York!
Brussel sprouts dish is worthy of a flight to NY just to experience3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMWhat A wonderFul Experience.What A wonderFul Experience. Food And Service AAA. I Highly Recommend!3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMGo!Great food, staff was amazing
We ended up staying for 4 hours when we came for brunch.3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent food is a lively,Excellent food is a lively, attractive setting--we were a group of 11 and all enjoyed!3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent Lebanon food. HaveExcellent Lebanon food. Have had a hard time finding "the real thing" since I was a child.. The food had t he standards and a lot of new meat dishes as well as vegetarian options. The service was friendly and non rushed. Seems like everyone in town was there. Would definitely go back. Highly recommend it.3/15/2013 12:00:00 AMAmazing food. Highly recommendAmazing food. Highly recommend the veal and beef meatballs. Tried many different items and all were very unique and flavorful. Hard to go wrong with anything on the menu.3/14/2013 12:00:00 AMCurrent NY hot spot foodie sceneIf you are looking for a standout spot in NYC , currently this is it. Lots of interesting and well done food choices in Mediterranean /Lebanonese themes, chic decor, fun NY crowd. Really fun but definitely not a quiet night out.3/13/2013 12:00:00 AMExceptional foodThis is my 3rd time at ilili - and again, they've delighted both me and my guest(s) with their excellent food. Oddly, I've never had a main dish - but we've always ordered multiple appetizers and small plates that we delightedly share.
The only additional comment I have to make is about the seating. When we arrived, it was early in the lunch hour and the restaurant was mostly empty. But we were escorted all the way to the far corner of the restaurant right near the entry to the kitchen where it was noisy and busy. We did ask the waiter to move us and he did that immediately.
Overall - I would come back again and recommend the restaurant highly!3/12/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Middle EasternA new, creative take on Middle Eastern cuisine in a tasteful, vibrant environment. The place is hopping until late. Try the kebabs and the shawirma, and don't skip the humus or the fatoush salad. Service is excellent.2/21/2013 12:00:00 AMFirst time at ilili and itFirst time at ilili and it was fantastic! We were a group of 4 and ordered 8 smaller plates. The food couldn't have been better!1/1/0001 4:00:00 PMThe food has the most interestingThe food has the most interesting tastes I have ever eaten. The tables are a little close together for me, but it is New York City, so I should expect that. If I had a way of eating those Brussel sprouts every day, I certainly would.1/1/0001 4:00:00 PM