ilili

Name: ilili
Address: 236 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY, United States, 10001
Telephone: (212) 683-2929
Price range: $31 to $50
Rating: 4.7

4.7

6973 Reviews

$31 to $50

Lebanese

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Welcome to ilili!

We’re honored to share the cuisine and culture of Lebanon in the heart of New York City. Since 2007, our home in the Flatiron District has introduced the passion and generosity of the Lebanese table to hundreds of thousands of curious diners while comforting native Lebanese guests with a celebration of their homeland and values. Owner and Executive Chef Philippe Massoud expertly crafts a sophisticated blend of modern and traditional Lebanese cuisine drawing influences from the span of the ancient Silk Road trade routes.

Our warm and generous hospitality drives our mission to make every guest and team member feel genuinely welcomed and fundamentally honored.

We are here to share; to pass fresh pita bread and mezze amongst old friends and new; to celebrate life and its delicious bounty. We invite you to experience our old world hospitality, timeless generosity, and tireless dedication to uncovering and sharing the rich traditions of Lebanon.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Feb 8, 2023

7:00 PM

Booked 124 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Takeout

(212) 683-2929

Other options

Order online

Private dining

Book your next event with us

View details

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Cuisines
Lebanese, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
Hours of operation
Brunch Sat, Sun 11:00 am–3:30 pm Lunch Mon–Fri 11:30 am–3:00 pm Dinner Mon–Fri 5:30 pm–10:00 pm Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
Phone number
(212) 683-2929
Website
http://www.ililirestaurants.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Dress code
Business Casual
Executive chef
Philippe Massoud
Catering
ilili caters events from 5 to 500 guests, with the same spirit of hospitality as we provide every day in our restaurant. For further information, please visit our website www.ililinyc.com/catering/
Private party facilities
Private events at ilili feature classic Lebanese cuisine mixed with modern Mediterranean influences in a warm and inviting atmosphere. There are three private event spaces perfect for any occasion as well as the entire restaurant that can accommodate parties of up to 297 guests.
Private party contact
Private Events Manager: (877) 708-9210

Location
236 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10001
Neighborhood
Gramercy / Flatiron
Cross street
Between 27th & 28th
Parking details
Parking is available in a lot on 28th Street, between Broadway and 5th Avenue. Street parking is also available near restaurant.
Public transit
N & R Subway Lines 28th Street Stop. 6 Line on Park is near as well 28th Street Stop.
Entertainment
Entertainment is available upon request for private events.
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Delivery, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Vegan, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Featured in

The Best Restaurants with Vegan Options in New York City

Popular dishes

Tabbouleh$18.00
finely chopped parsley, tomato, & onion mixed with burghul in a lemon vinaigrette dressing
Lebanese Thyme Salad$22.00
handpicked micro-herbs with Lebanese olives, shaved onion and fresh lemon
Rkaykat Bil Jibneh$13.00
ilili cheese blend rolled in crispy pastry dough and fried
Chankleesh$16.00
zaatar dusted feta cheese mixed with finely chopped onion & cherry tomato
Warak Enab Bil Zeit$13.50
hand rolled wild grape leaves stuffed with traditional rice, tomato, and parsley
Arnabeet Mekle$16.00
golden cauliflower atop tahini labne & red chilies
Fattoush$18.00
Lebanese garden salad of fresh herbs with tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, radish, and crispy pita in a sumac citrus vinaigrette dressing
Falafel$13.00
fried chickpea & fava beans croquettes with a side of tahini sauce
Riz$10.00
cinnamon scented rice with toasted vermicelli & mixed nuts
Hindbeh$14.00
bitter dandelion greens seared with caramelized onions & pine nuts
Moussaka$13.00
ragout of roasted eggplant, tomato, garlic,& old world spices
Warm Eggplant$16.00
eggplant chips tossed in a tomato & tamarind molasses

Meat & Fish

Beef Fried Kibbeh$17.00
spiced ground beef & pine nuts dumplings fried in a beef and burghul shell served with a side of mint yogurt
Chicken Livers$17.00
pan roasted organic chicken livers in pomegranate molasses, lemon, and sumac
Black Iron Shrimp$18.00
cast iron seared shrimp with jalapeno, garlic and micro cilantro
Mekanek$17.00
sauteed lamb sausages with pine nuts in a lemon sauce
Kebab Kerez$18.00
lamb & beef meatballs cooked in a sweet & sour cherry sauce and topped with kataifi & scallions
Grilled Lobster$32.00
slow poached Spanish lobster with chervil, marble potatoes, hollandaise

Ilili's Signature Mezza

Kibbeh Nayyeh$22.00
traditional Lebanese steak tartare with burghul, onion, & mint
Duck Shawarma$22.00
caramelized duck & chicken with fig garlic whip, lettuce, scallions, and pomegranate seeds
Beiruti Taco$20.00
taco style kafta on housemade pita bread with tomato, mayo, romaine lettuce and harissa
Crispy Brussels Sprouts$18.00
flash fried brussels sprouts tossed with grapes, walnuts, fig jam, and mint yogurt
Atayef Veal Bacon$21.00
Lebanese pancakes with house cured veal bacon, pickles, and hot peppers
Lamb Shawarma$21.00
roasted lamb & beef with oven baked tomatoes, sumac parsley onion served with a side of tahini sauce
Kibbeh bi Laban$24.00
Lebanese beef dumplings in a yogurt sauce with kouzbara, aleppo pepper, and dried mint
Phoenician Fries$14.00
hand-cut fries tossed in sumac, parsley, and served with garlic whip

Our Entrees

Signature Dishes for Two

Mixed Grill$72.00
chicken shish taouk, beef kebab, lamb kafta, lamb chops, seasonal grilled vegetables, served with a side of garlic whip trio
Hearth Baked Loup de Mer$78.00
whole Mediterranean branzino roasted in our hearth oven, served with seasonal grilled vegetables & a side of tarator sauce
Whole Roasted Chicken$65.00
48h marinated whole chicken roasted in our hearth oven,served with seasonal vegetables, house pickled kabis and a side sumac garlic whip
Traditional Lamb Shank$68.00
lamb shank with Lebanese spices & herbs served with dirty rice, mixed nuts, gravy and a side of cucumber yogurt

Main Plates

Chicken Taouk Duo$27.00
grilled chicken breast & thigh, seasonal grilled vegetables served with a side of sumac garlic whip
Salmon a la Plancha$32.00
served with a butternut squash caponata, pomegranate & hazelnuts
Lamb Chops$48.00
served with slow roasted herb tomatoes seared with a Lebanese salsa verde
Warak Enab Stuffed Grape Leaves$33.00
stuffed with lamb confit & rice served with a side of mint yogurt

Dessert

Knafe Bil Jebneh
inverted sweet cheese tart served with sesame pillows and orange blossom syrup
- Serves Two$20.00
Ilili Candy Bar$15.00
caramel fondant with sesame crunch & chocolate ice cream
Mixed Baklava$10.00
pistachio & cashew
Mouhalabiyeh$11.00
milk pudding with orange zest, orange blossom syrup & pistachio dust

Selection of Ice Cream & Sorbets

Ice Cream
arabian milk / pistachio / chocolate / hazelnut
- 3 Scoops$10.00
Sorbet
chocolate arak / pear / fig
- 3 Scoops$10.00

Coffee & Tea

Specialty Hot Tea - Damman$7.00
ceylon / ceylon decaf / chamomille / earl gray / green tea
Afficionado Coffee - Hot or Iced$5.00
Afficionado Espresso
- Single$5.00
- Double$8.00
Afficionado Cappucino$7.00
regular or decaf
Turkish Coffee$7.00

Signature Cocktails - Autumn

A Chill Arrangement$18.00
amass vodka, lillet blanc, chamomile cordial, scrappy's grapefruit bitters
Empire Spagliato$19.00
forthave spirits red, method spirits sweet vermouth, bedell cellars sparkling rosé
El Hogar$17.00
del amigo mezcal, tamarind-infused cocchi americano, agave, lemon
Spicy Sumac Margarita$18.00
rejón tequila, lime, pomegranate, mint
Somewhere Between Uptown & Upstate$19.00
branchwater gin, lime, cilantro-mint syrup, giffard pamplemousse, aquafaba
Benjamin Button$18.00
coppersea unaged rye, nikolaihoff elderflowersyrup, lemon
Beirut to Manhattan$17.00
old forester bourbon, orange-infused arak, roulot apricot liqueur, lebanese syrup
Miss American Rye$18.00
deadwood rye, clear creek pear eau de vie, sweet vermouth, fino sherry, orange bitters
Passion Project$19.00
grainger's deluxe vodka, passion fruit, custom maraschino blend, lemon

Wines by the Glass

Sparkling

La Caravelle Champagne 'Cuvée Rosé' Brut NV, Champagne, FR$26.00
La Jara Spumante Bianco 'Special Cuvée' Brut NV, (Prosecco), IT$17.00
Raventós I Blanc 'De Nit' Rosé 2018, Conca del Riu Anoia, SP$16.00

White

Chateau Musar 'Musar Jeune' 2018, Bekaa Valley, LB$16.00
Chateau Roquefort (Sauvignon Blanc) 2020, Bordeaux, FR
- 3L$18.00
Pithon-Paille 'Mozaik' Chenin Blanc 2018, Anjou, Loire Valley, FR$19.00
Brooks Estate Riesling 2019, Eola Amity Hills, Willamette Valley, OR, US$15.00
The Eyrie Vineyards Estate Pinot Gris 2019, Dundee Hills, OR, US$19.00

Rosé

Domaine des Tourelles 2020, Bekaa Valley, LB$17.00
Clos Cibonne 'Cuvée Tradition' 2019, Côtes de Provence, FR$20.00

Red

Les Coteaux' de Chateau Kefraya 2016, Bekaa Valley, LB$17.00
Chateau d'Oupia 2018, Minervois, FR$17.00
Julie Benau 'Robot Cochon' 2017, (Coteaux du Languedoc), FR
- Magnum$18.00
Chateau Biac 'Felix de Biac' 2016, Cadillac Cotes de Bordeaux, FR
- 3L$20.00
Ioppa Nebbiolo 2019, Colline Novaresi, Piemonte, IT$15.00
'Cooper Hill' by Cooper Mountain Vineyards Pinot Noir 2019, Willamette Valley, OR, US$16.00

Arak

Dom de Tourelles Brun 5 Yr RSV
- Gl$20.00
- 1/4$55.00
- 1/2$105.00
- Btl$200.00
CH Ksara Ksarak
- GL$15.00
- 1/4$41.00
- 1/2$78.00
- Btl$150.00
Massaya
- Gl$17.00
- 1/4$45.00
- 1/2$90.00
- Btl$180.00
CH Musar L'Arak de Musar
- Gl$23.00
- 1/4$60.00
- 1/2$115.00
- Btl$215.00
Razzouk
- Gl$14.00
- 1/4$39.00
- 1/2$75.00
- Btl$145.00

Beer

Lebanese Michelada$16.00
Beirut Beer Pilsner, Clarified 'Not So Bloody' Mary Mix, Lemon Juice, Spicy Salt Rim
Almaza Pilsner, Lebanon$12.00
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, California$10.00
Maine Beer Co. 'Peeper' Pale Ale, Maine$16.00
Threes 'Vliet' Pilsner, Brooklyn, New York$16.00
Einbecker Brauherren Non-Alcoholic, Germany$11.00

What 6,973 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7

4.7 based on recent ratings

4.7Food
4.6Service
4.5Ambience
4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

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OT
OpenTable Diner
New York Area
5 reviews
4.0
5 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
overall4food3service3ambience3
Solid experience, I do recommend if you want to venture out the norm and try Lebanese food around Gramercy.
JR
JacquelineR
New York Area
6 reviews
3.0
6 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
overall3food2service5ambience2
This is my second time and LAST. The ambiance disappeared. There was evidence of wear and tear on the leather chairs. It was dark. Depressing, I must say. The duck schwarma which I had was so sweet, I couldn't finish it. The quality of the food was mediocre. The best part of the evening was the waiter. He was amazing and gracious. I would never go back. I'm usually not that inflexible but this one, I wouldn't even set foot in.
OT
OpenTable Diner
New York Area
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 3 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Food was phenomenal. Entire meal came out quickly and service was on point the entire night. 100% will be returning
JT
JTN14
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 3 days ago
overall5food5service3ambience4
It was pleasant, food was tasty too. Lighting could’ve been a bit better, it was kinda dark for me.
TM
TarkaM
London
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience3
First time we visited Ilili. We have travelled quite a lot in the Mediterranean and love the food. Not many restaurants in the US are authentic. We all spent the entire lunch raving about the food. The waiter was really helpful and friendly and enthusiastic. We had so many delicious dishes we all overate. And now we’ve thought of all the people we want to take to Ilili. The tables were nice and large to accommodate all the dishes, and placed far enough from other tables to keep the noise down and ensure privacy. Definitely recommend.
CA
CAKD
New York Area
1 review
vip
3.0
1 review
Dined 4 days ago
overall3food4service4ambience3
No shawarma at lunch! Drinks were expensive and all ice, in awkward glasses. Food use to be amazing, now is just okay. Bland ambiance but service was very good.
N
Neee
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 4 days ago
overall5food4service5ambience5
Could add more vegetarian food options! Rest was really good
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 5 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Bel locale di tendenza a due passi dal Flatiron
OT
OpenTable Diner
New York Area
2 reviews
vip
5.0
2 reviews
Dined 6 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
I have been coming to Ilili for the last 13 years and have yet to have a bad meal or service. My favorite restaurant in the city!
OT
OpenTable Diner
Mexico City
4 reviews
vip
3.0
4 reviews
Dined on January 31, 2023
overall3food2service5ambience3
Todo muy rico, pero me enfermé del estómago. Servicio extraordinario
OT
OpenTable Diner
New York Area
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on January 30, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We went here for our 3rd anniversary. I owe it to this restaurant who made it special for us. When I booked through this app I simply mentioned that it was our anniversary. The food the service the ambience was top notch. Ilili even gave us a free dessert for our anniversary which I absolutely didn’t expect at all because this is in contrast to last year when I went for my birthday at Rothman’s stakehouse in East Norwich NY and they literally charged me for my birthday dessert in my bill. Thank you so much to the lady who was refilling our water, clearing our plates, to our waiter and everyone else involved. Thank you so much. Today was such a special day. My wife and myself will never ever forget our 3rd anniversary.
OT
OpenTable Diner
New York Area
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on January 30, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Ilili was amazing! Great food. Great service. We could not believe the quality and quantity of the food! An abundant amount of deliciousness and an excellent value particularly for restaurant week!! Can’t wait to go back and eat that deliciousness again!!
BD
BDNYc
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on January 29, 2023
overall3food3service2ambience4
Service and food at Ilili has deteriorated since Covid.
JN
JulienN
Montreal
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on January 27, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Everything was perfect. Felt like mom’s cooking.
CJ
CJNYC
New York Area
20 reviews
4.0
20 reviews
Dined on January 25, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
Good menu of food options, everyone enjoyed the food we ate. Some interesting cocktails/mocktails that were solid.
d
debbig
New York Area
9 reviews
vip
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on January 25, 2023
overall5food4service4ambience4
Too noisy. Food was great. Fatoosh salad on point! Mwarak with rice was amazing so was the hummus and the pita puff were pillowy fluffy light clouds of happiness! The Falafel was only so so. Could be improved and the baklava desserts were generic tasting like it was out of a boxes gift from the airport! Over all was a good experience and we would go back
OT
OpenTable Diner
Hawaii
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 24, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
AC
AlessandraC
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on January 24, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience5
The atmosphere and the service were great. Regarding the food, I think that the quality is not really aligned with the price and the dessert (baklava) was quite disappointing: bad presentation, totally uncared, and very dry.
h
hamzehs
1 review
1.0
1 review
Dined on January 22, 2023
overall1food1service1ambience1
took a friend out she was visiting the city and wanted a Lebanese food, the food was below average i never seen a tabouleh without burghul except here, and service was horrible, the waiter asked us 3 times if we finished our food while we still eating. don’t go and waste your money.
AM
AmyM
New York Area
8 reviews
vip
4.0
8 reviews
Dined on January 22, 2023
overall4food5service4ambience3
Lovely spaces but very noisy. Terrific food. Fun neighborhood.
N
Neha
New York Area
32 reviews
vip
4.0
32 reviews
Dined on January 21, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
Excellent as always
d
debbie
New York Area
9 reviews
vip
4.0
9 reviews
Dined on January 21, 2023
overall4food5service5ambience4
Service was friendly and attentive but not pushy. We never felt rushed even though the place was packed. And staff recommendations were spot on—every dish was really good. Don’t let the block fool you, the restaurant has a great ambiance and is surprisingly big inside.
MK
MahwishK
San Francisco
1 review
vip
4.0
1 review
Dined on January 21, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience5
Good food amazing ambience
OT
OpenTable Diner
Washington DC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 21, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
No expectation gaps….which is rare in NYC
DM
DanielM
New York Area
8 reviews
3.0
8 reviews
Dined on January 20, 2023
overall3food2service4ambience4
We used to really love Illili, we dined there very often, but last night we left disappointed, for starters the loved pita breads have changed, before there used to be fluffy but consistent, now they are fluffy but much too thin, therefore the flavor changed, we ordered the hummus which used to be creamy and delicious, but this one was somewhat dry and tasteless, we also ordered the lamb shawarma which was lacking taste, we had to order some hot sauce for we were charged extra (?) The small sausages appetizer was good and a new dish that we tried the Lebanese pancakes with lamb bacon was very good and very tasty, however for the price of $ 22.00 they should serve 4 units (they are very small) instead of just 3 (for a party of 2) summarizing, we think that chefs were probably changed. We are not sure that we will come back.
J
Jude
New York Area
15 reviews
5.0
15 reviews
Dined on January 20, 2023
overall5food5service4ambience5
Excellent food and service better than our previous visits.
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 19, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Beautiful thanks
YA
YolandaA
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 19, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
it is a very loud restaurant but the food and service is SUPERBE!!!! I cannot wait to go back one day during my next visit to NY!
OT
OpenTable Diner
New England
22 reviews
vip
2.0
22 reviews
Dined on January 17, 2023
overall2food3service1ambience2
We were surprised by how underwhelming our experience was compared to the ratings and reviews from others. Our salad was way overdressed and the dressing overpowered the ingredients. The other (4) dishes weren't great either with odd textures and overwhelming lemon dressing on everything. We coukd have gotten a better meal from a halal street vendor. The sole highlight was the Moussaka, which is oddly served cold. Our server was terrible. We had to hunt him down, waiving arms to order or try to pay without actually catching his attention, while the rest staff refused to take the check because only the server can ring it up. The ambiance is very minimalist corporate cafeteria with no charm at all. Our experience is so disappointing that I will not even give this restaurant a second chance, since clearly no one cared while we were there.
TV
TedV
New York Area
8 reviews
5.0
8 reviews
Dined on January 16, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
I will keep going back due to excellent experience.
w
wendyz
New York Area
7 reviews
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on January 16, 2023
overall5food5service4ambience4
Delicious food
C
Crepes
New York Area
35 reviews
vip
5.0
35 reviews
Dined on January 15, 2023
overall5food5service3ambience3
Food was excellent. Service was slow and not very friendly.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Mexico City
1 review
vip
2.0
1 review
Dined on January 15, 2023
overall2food2service4ambience3
It’s nothing spectacular - over rated…. the lamb shank came between warm and almost cold. We didn’t say anything cause the waiter was lovely and went out of his way to make us feel welcomed and well-served.
C
Csf1
Philadelphia
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 15, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Very pleasant relaxing brunch. Food and drink were both good
C
Christian
New York Area
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on January 15, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Ilili is a great place to go for a special evening. The atmosphere, the food, and the service are all top notch. One member of our party can't eat gluten. The menu was very easy to navigate and our server was very accommodating when we wanted to find sharable dishes that we could all enjoy.
LM
LaurenM
Philadelphia
2 reviews
3.0
2 reviews
Dined on January 14, 2023
overall3food5service5ambience5
Incredible food but they charged us $18 for water that we never ordered.
F
Foodie
New York Area
15 reviews
vip
5.0
15 reviews
Dined on January 14, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Food and drinks were amazing! Spicy Sumac margarita an absolute must! Nice ambiance and lovely decor. Special shout out to our waiter Miguel. All of his recos were on point. Looking fwd to returning.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Baltimore
5 reviews
4.0
5 reviews
Dined on January 14, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience2
Good food, great service. Ambiance leaves something to be desired. Good for casual lunch.
s
slope
New York Area
4 reviews
vip
4.0
4 reviews
Dined on January 14, 2023
overall4food4service3ambience3
Food remains as good as I remembered it to be, which is the reason I came back here. Another reason is because the place is large enough, so social distancing is not a problem. I wish the host didn't seat this large and boisterous party right next to our party of 2 when there were plenty of other large tables to accommodate them. I brought with me a friend who was here for the first time, so I asked the waiter to comment on a few dishes, and all the server did was basically reading from the menu something that we could have done on our own. I wish the waiter was as knowledgeable (and genuinely nice) as the waiters I was used to talk to on my previous visits to Ilili. I recommend the place (but before I say "highly recommend", like I did in the past, I need to wait changes in the quality of services).
m
mydinnerexperience
Los Angeles
8 reviews
vip
3.0
8 reviews
Dined on January 14, 2023
overall3food4service4ambience2
We were seated upstairs and it felt like we were in a cafeteria. Unfortunately didn’t enjoy the ambiance , although I had made the reservations in advance we felt like we were just put upstairs and it was not enjoyable.

Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitizing
- Surfaces sanitized between seatings
- Digital, disposable or sanitized menu provided
- Common areas deep-cleaned daily
- Contactless payment available

Screening
- Sick staff prohibited in the workplace
- Staff is vaccinated

FAQs

You can order delivery directly from ilili using the Order Online button. ilili also offers delivery in partnership with Postmates and Uber Eats. ilili also offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (212) 683-2929.

ilili is rated 4.7 stars by 6973 OpenTable diners.