This restaurant looks small and unassuming on the outside, but opens up into the most incredible space on the inside. It feels like you walked into a hidden, secret place. The architecture and design is really breathtaking, and it's so nice that they have this cozy yet aesthetic bar/lounge area while you wait for your table. We arrived 30 min ahead of our reservation, but time flew by as we ordered some cocktails and relaxed in the lounge area ahead of dinner. Then we got seated promptly at our reservation time at 7:30. They were so punctual despite it being a full, bustling house on a Saturday night. Seriously loved the ambiance and vibes of this place. Perfect for a girls night or date night. The food is Lebanese tapas style and everything was sooo good and unique albeit on the heavy side. Can't even remember everything we ordered, but we asked for recommendations and shared lamb chops as an entree, so tried a bit of everything. You can't go wrong, everything was good!

ilili is truly an institution. It's one of my favorite places to take friends who are visiting from out of town. The design/architecture of the restaurant is so impressive and immediately sets the tone right when you walk in - the mirrored entrance, elevated ceilings, dark wood, and cushioned seating areas are such a vibe. The food is consistently quality. My favorites are the Brussels sprouts and the octopus. The bread with any of the dips is also great for sharing. Unfortunately the service can be hit or miss - the most recent time I've gone, our waiter was oddly flippant and condescending. Near the end of our meal, a new waiter introduced himself and said he would be taking over for the rest of the night, but then our old waiter returned after a few minutes. I haven't had this bizarre of an issue before, so hopefully it was just a one off incident!

I was pretty intimidated by this place at first, but was pretty relieved to see the menu didn't have extravagant prices. Inside is really nice and spacious with the most enigmatic/haunted mansion-like bathrooms We shared the country style brunch, moussaka and someone had the cheeseburger separately. Between 2-3 people, felt that the country style brunch was enough - especially with the veal bacon! I loved the sauce they put over the tomatoes- I want to say it's harissa? I can be wrong here The moussaka was nice but just not for us. It comes cold and had some garnishes, but I appreciated the presentation. I think very health minded customers might appreciate that dish more Can't wait to come back and try more otherwise!

The vibe of this restaurant was classy, aesthetic, and well serviced. We ordered a spread of items and I enjoyed everything. The candy bar dessert was TOO DIE for. Honestly a lot of their desserts sounded super interesting and I would be intrigued with trying them. Our salad was fresh, the pita was warm and soft, the octopus and lamp chops were tender. All round thoroughly enjoyed my meal. Our waiter was also friendly and patient with offering suggestions. Would love to return to ilili!!

Solid Lebanese restaurant. Duck shawarma (4.5/5) - For me, the garlic sauce shined - it was lighter and creamier and sweeter, and really surprised me. The duck meat itself was ok, not as flavorful as I hoped and I found a tiny bone in one of the wraps. Mouhamara (4/5) - The mouhamara was delightful, nutty and a bit sweet. The pita is fluffy and soft. A little dry together, but I loved the flavor. Lebanese Caesar (5/5) - So rich with a strong garlic flavor, which I love and wish more places did. The lettuce was crisp and refreshing, balancing the creamy, deep sauce. Fattoush salad (3/5) - Not a fan of the greens they chose, but ordered this solely for healthy veggies. Brunch (4/5) - I love the texture of the rice, has a really good chew. The hummus was really good, and a perfect complement for dipping the rest of the ingredients. The rest of the ingredients were just ok, I've also had juicier sausage. Overall great place to have Mediterranean dishes that feel familiar and are delightfully surprising.

I've been here before and had amazing food and service so I came back this week for Restaurant Week. I had the babaganoush which was delicious and flavorful especially with the touch of pomegranates. It comes with pita bread. I also had the beef meatballs which had some crunchy pieces on top with a spicy kick from the meatballs making the appetizer unique. I also tried the Phoenician fries which came with a delicious red pepper dip. For the main, i had a medium cooked beef kebab and it was cooked to perfection. It came with a small eggplant, grilled onions and peppers and hummus, making the dish memorable. We ended with milk pudding pistachio candied orange dessert that i would recommend trying. Service is great and the restaurant is large, great for a date night or a meal out with co-workers.

Tourist in town! Walked into ilili with no reservations and the dining room was full but no wait for the bar! they offer the full menu at the bar and the bar is where I prefer to sit anyways! Drinks: hibiscus spritz, my boyfriend got Lebanese Arak. Drinks were on point! Service: great service at the bar! Bartender definitely pointed us in the right direction for food. Food: cast iron shrimp, grilled octopus, fattoush, lamb chops. EVERYTHING was good! The lamb chops were the favorite - the cook was perfectly medium rare. Chefs kiss!! Grilled octopus was close to follow. Good quality, tenderness and flavor! Loved everything honestly but those two items stood out the most.

I dined at Ilili during restaurant week. The atmosphere of the place was lively and vibrant, perfectly matching the bustling energy of the city. The service shone through with its respectful and timely manner, keeping our table clean and ready for each course. The hot mezzas were a delectable start to our meal, complemented by the warm bread that arrived just in time to scoop up the rich flavors. While the cold appetizers such as hummus and baba ghannouj were satisfactory, they did come in smaller portions, which is somewhat expected during restaurant week offerings. Our entrees: the lamb makloubi was succulent and flavorful. Unfortunately, the chicken taouk was on the drier side. For dessert, the ilili candy bar, though modest in size, was a delicious chocolate finale to our meal, and was more than enough after the appetizers and entrees. Priced at $60 per person, the set menu provided great value for the amount of food included. One thing to note is that the alcohol does carry a premium price tag, higher than what you might find at other establishments in NYC.

Came for a birthday and made a reservation about a week in advance. This place is absolutely gorgeous when you walk in, there is a lounge to wait for your table along with the bar. Ilili is a large space with circle tables for big parties. Affordable drinks, all with great flavor, pretty garnishes, and perfect strength. The spicy marg had an exceptional balance of spice to flavor. The food has my mouth watering still, the pita comes puffy, hot, and fresh. Of all the appetizers, do not leave without ordering the cheese rollups, the labneh, the falafel was large and excellent, and the fries. For a large party, I highly recommend the mixed grill platter, it's comes with enough meat for at least 4 people, with all of the meats melting in your mouth, incredible steak, perfectly cooked chicken, and the best lamp chops you've ever had. If you are a mediterranean fan and looking for a vibey spot with shareable plates, check out ilili.