excellent and memorable, best service I may have ever had.
Second time here and even better the second time around. Our server was excellent. I have an egg allergy and they were VERY accommodating. Do the price fixe dinner. We did that and shared the hummus (2 hummus flavors - absolutely delicious) and shared the salads and appetizers, then each person got their own entrée - but you could share the entrees among the table. The desserts are NOT to be missed. Great cocktails. Wish it was easier to get a reservation. The first time we went we got there before it opened on a Sunday afternoon in the middle of winter (and during a crucial Eagles game) so we knew we had a shot of getting in - and we did - had great seat at bar and again shared all the food around. Lots of food - but so many veggies that you won't feel terribly over stuffed or guilty about all the food you consumed. My brother in law and sister in law joined us this time around as prelude to their trip to Israel to do the In Search of Israeli Cuisine tour. They are even more excited now to go on the trip.
Thanks for another great experience. Zahav is never just a meal, it is always an experience to remember. As with every visit, absolutely everything was flawless as always. The kitchen never ceases to impress with quality, consistency and creativity. Our server James gave impeccable service as did all of the other support staff too.
Zahav has been a culinary pillar since it opened. Okan's team absolutely deserves being a 2018 James Beard Finalist for Outstanding Service. Glad to have you in Philly and good luck in May!
Awesome additions to the menu!
incredible food. Zahav isn't a meal: it's an experience. You can't go wrong with the tasting menu. The Mezze has options for both adventourous and conservative palettes.
Hopefully you go with someone who likes to share food.
Excellent! Best middle eastern food this side of the Atlantic! Worth the wait to get a reservation- I tried for many weeks. Will definitely return and recommend!
Was a lovely evening catching up with long distance family. The food was memorable. I appreciate the care that goes into vegetables. Everything was creative and delicious. Some were unexpected. Carrots and cabbage are elevated to unexpected heights. Servers were helpful and made the evening special.
Put it on the list - you won't be disappointed. Go with the tasting menu for larger groups, its overall your best value!
Excellent. Food was phenomenal.
Good meal. Better then our first visit
Foodie wife and I had been to Zahav countless times when we were living locally. Now living over a thousand miles away, we still make it a "must visit" when back in town. Zahav NEVER disappoints with creative cuisine, magical spices and a consistency of quality that never ceases to amaze. Chef Solomonov if always looking for some new twist with the old favorites that make Zahav one of the finest restaurants in the area, if not the country. There is an elegant simplicity and richness to toasted challah topped with sable and a fried egg. And that's just for starters. There's a reason why Zahav is among the toughest reservations in town. And worth the wait -- every time.
Read about this restaurant and chef. When we were going to Philadelphia (from NYC), we managed to get a 5 PM reservation on short notice. Ordered 3 tasting menus— good value, great variety of delicious food. Pricey wine list but interesting choices of Israeli and Palestinian wines. Loved the ambiance AND the food!
Service was excellent. Waiter went out of his way to accommodate special dietary concerns. Food was fantastic. Very difficult to get reservations!
Surprisingly unmemorable. The ambiance is not great. The dining room is not especially attractive and the music was blasting. The service was very good but FAST! In and out! The meal was good but there was no nuanced, unusual flavor. It was pleasant and good but not anything more than that.
Wonderful restaurant that I would recommend to anyone
Fifth time dining at Zahav. Nothing left to say, except that in the future, every time I return to Philadelphia I will be dining at Zahav. Food? It's too bad I can't give Six stars. Hummus like in the shuk, tehina like a velvety dream. Laffa bread with zaatar? Like I used to buy in the Old City of Jerusalem in the mid to late 1980s.Vegetables? Better than Tel Aviv (OK maybe not but still, as good as...) Small plates- authentic, tasty, beautifully presented. Meats? Perfectly charred, well-seasoned and simply delectable. Turkish coffee and dessert? The sahleb was BETTER than my mother used to make. Really it was (many she rest in peace.) And the Israeli wine list was diverse, and easy to navigate. As always, service was the "ne plus ultra" of service in a restaurant. Michael and Steve are to be commended, as is their managerial and waitstaff- and the kitchen staff. Never better. Never.
I have never left a restaurant review but here it goes. I went for date night/ birthday celebration the other day for dinner and everything was incredible. For starters, the drinks are incredible. My girlfriend and I had specialty cocktails made and they blew me away. Easily the best mixed drinks I ever tried and I lived in SoFlo for some time... Everything they bring out is incredible, my favorite was the steak kabobs. Honestly, the restaurant is such a gift to this city and is in a class of its own. The staff are incredible and it shows. If you are lucky enough, you will have Yazmin take care of your table. My advice, try a bit of everything and don't forget about the chocolate cake at the end.
Two kids, two adults - perfect experience. Our 8 year old saw the movie about searching for Israeli cuisine and was obsessed with coming to Zahav on our trip to Philly. Our server, Nicholas, was amazing and explained everything to us with knowledge and patience. We decided to have the lamb, which was insanely phenomenal, as was every single other dish that came with it. Highlights were the sable, haloumi, salatim, and Turkish hummus. Every single thing was delicious. One of the best meals of our lives.
I heard about Zahav for a long time and saw chef Solomonov's Netflix special so decided I had to try it. Plan ahead to get a reservation, the wait is LONG!! I drove 2 hours from NYC just for the meal. I swapped out the reservation for a seat at the bar and was treated super well (Thanks Chris!!) we worked over the menu so that I tried most of the small plates. Holy cow, a great experience all around, food and service. Bite of the night for me was the Haloumi, great contrast between the salt cheese and the sweet jam underneath.
Go Go Go!!!
Lived up to high expectations
Each and every element of the meal was unique and delicious. Favorites were the fried cauliflower, tuna tartar, and of course the hummus. We had the chefs tasting which included the braised lamb. I was nervous as I'm not a huge lamb fan. Im a convert! We paired our meal with a pitcher of the Lemonanna. We'll be going back
Absolutely delicious..... definitely worth a 2 month wait!
As always, food, drinks and service were outstanding. Only negative, and not an enormous one, was the music being played. It was pretty hard core rock music, a bit too loud and intrusive.
Fabulous restaurant with unique food items and Excellent Service! Loved the pitcher of homemade lemonade with bourbon and mint for a great drink to start off the evening. Love wine and was fun to try new wines from Turkey and Israel.
Zahav was one of the most exquisite dining experiences that I have ever had. I went once and now I need to go back again and again. I highly recommend the tasting menu.
I've been to a lot of restaurants in my lifetime, and Zahav was one of, if not the best, food experiences of them all. As a self-proclaimed foodie, that is saying a lot. Every dish prepared by the chef was explosive as soon as it hit the palette. Keep up the great work Michael and I hope to be back again. The bar and open kitchen are not to be missed, and the music playing was a great mix and went with the vibe of the place.
Everyone should experience Zahav at least once! The food, service and atmosphere are unforgettable. The hummus is the best I’ve ever had and the wine selection was so unique. I definitely plan to return!
The service was beyond impeccable! Everyone was attentive, water never dipped below half, waiter was awesome and very attentive to wine selection and dinner choices! Second visit to Zahav and certainly not my last. The food does not try to be fancy, and is very well prepared and seasoned. Love it.
Exceptional--and I am gluten free and my date was vegan.
Can’t say enough about Zahav
Food amazing
Staff was super nice
Owner was there was a super nice guy
Took pic with us ( for memories)
Would definitely recommend
Food was amazing!! Worth the travel from NY. Service was adequately attentive and personable. Love the casual atmosphere. Overall, a great night!
Had friends in from out of town. Dinner did not disappoint. This was my second visit. Totally worth the effort to get those challenging reservations.
Amazing every time
It was amazing as usual but the service wasn’t as on point as it usually is. We waited for our table for about 25 minutes after the rsv and once we got seated didn’t have our order taken for another 20 minutes. So that was disappointing. But the meal was wonderful.
I loved my first dining experience at Zahav. My friend and I did the tasting menu and loved everything we tried! The hummus (with the beets!), Halumi, steak and cauliflower were my favorites. I would have tried more but my friend is a simple eater. The Lemonanna was delicious!
The owner and chef, Mike, has an amazing talent. He is also an incredibly kind, generous and humble man. I was honored to meet him.
Can't wait to go back!
Outstanding a true dining experience
I had a great meal at Zahav! We decided not to do the tasting menu but I wish I had. We had the Turkish hummus, chicken, and hanger steak. They were all delicious!
Chef Solomonov is a mensch! He came over to our table and had a conversation with our group. I’ve been to hundreds of restaurants and this was one of the most special dining experiences I’ve ever had. Thank you Zahav!
This was our 3rd time at Zahav. I think this is my favorite restaurant. There are so many choices and they are all delicious. Our main course was a lamb shoulder, so good. And the assortment of desserts was extraordinary.
Celebrated my birthday. Everyone absolutely loved it. Best service in Philadelphia.