If I want delicious Israeli food and I'm not actually in Israel, 12 Chairs is my absolute favorite. The service is friendly, the atmosphere is lively. Getting a Cable without a reservation can be a long wait so, I highly recommend making a reservation. So many dishes that I love. Here are some of my favorites - The cauliflower - I order it every time I dine at 12 Chairs. The schnitzel with pita - The pita is warm, homemade and delicious. The schnitzel has great flavor and it's not greasy. The eggplant (matbucha) so yummy. The hummus, the real deal, flavorful and seasoned just right. Falafel with tahini - Great falafel and delicious tahini. Perogies - So good with the sautéed onions. Yum! I look forward to coming back again and again. read more

I was happy to get a walk-in seat at the bar. But it was confusing when I arrived as the three seats and counter had things on them. I had to ask the bartender about it. Apparently it was staff bags and coats. Maybe not the best place to put them. The shakshuka was really very mild and kind of lacking. My memory of the last time here was that it was at the top level of my comfort zone for spicy. This was not spicy at all. The fluffy pita bread was terrific. The bowl of what I guess was Greek salad was tasty. The bartender who waited on me did a good job. My stomach rumbled a lot for 8 hours after too. So all in all I'm not sure I'll return. read more

12 Chairs - Shakshuka - Middle Eastern Near Me - New York, New York

Cute brunch place in the West Village! Came here for late brunch on a Sunday and wow it was packed-- honestly it was so packed to the point where I could barely hear what my friend was saying. This is def not a good spot to come if you want to have a decent convo. - Israeli breakfast: 10/10 (loved the buttery bread and dips. Scrambled egg was meh.) - Shakshuka: 9/10 (decent shakshuka) read more

12 Chairs - Israeli Breakfast (GF) (V) - Middle Eastern Near Me - New York, New York

Me and my boyfriend had brunch here and were both super happy with our experience. I got the Shakshuka and added sausage, we shared some home fries, and my boyfriend got the eggs siniya. Everything was so yummy! I have zero complaints! I also ordered an iced latte and it was very good. They don't have any sweeteners besides sugar and Splenda though fyi. I also really loved how cozy this restaurant was, it felt super homey. Overall I definitely recommend! read more

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I love 12 chairs. My go to for brunch, birthday celebrations, date nights, you name it! For brunch today I had my go to borek- which is so amazing here pefectly crispy w potato and runny egg. Upgraded to an Israeli breakfast so it came with an OJ, coffee, delicious Israeli salad and bread and dips. I love how fresh the produce is! The labneh and tuna are my favorite dips but they are all amazing! My friend had the SMOKED SALMON SCRAMBLED- Soft-scrambled eggs over toasted challah bread, served with smoked salmon and capers with tea and grapefruit juice and really enjoyed it as well. She said the lox was very high quality and the eggs were perfectly cooked. We were not rushed at all and enjoyed a lazy, laid back brunch. We ended the meal with a chocolate pistachio halva mousse to celebrate her birthday that was exquisite. 12 chairs you will see me again! read more

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Must go place in west village!!! 12 chairs was an awesome experience. My friends and I went on our girls weekend and had a fantastic meal. Warning - The restaurant is very small. You're pretty much on top of the table next to you, but the music is loud so you aren't having intimate conversation anyway. All of the food was incredible!! We had a variety of dips like baba ghanoush, hummus, yogurt dip, hot peppers. The Greek salad was loaded with flavor and a great dressing. The chicken kabob was super tender with the perfect seasoning. The only part I was a little disappointed in, is that we could only do one order of food, so we couldn't order more if we wanted. Luckily our waiter helped us order the right amount the first time. I'm not sure if it's like that will the time, or just on weekend nights. Definitely a must if you like Mediterranean food!! read more

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Bryant Park Winter Village review, not restaurant review: 12 Chairs is a fantastic addition this year to the Winter Market! I've eaten here twice already with friends, noshing on the schnitzel with fries and falafel bowl dressed with various veggies like cukes, pickled onions, pickles, tomatoes and their white sauce which unfortunately drowned the bowl a little. The team was so welcoming ... makes me want to visit the restaurant at some point (or at least go back to this pop up location). read more

12 Chairs - Falafel bowl - Middle Eastern Near Me - New York, New York

Had a decent sized group and was able to sit in the newer side of the restaurant Overall thought the dips were good but not the best I've had in the city read more

12 Chairs - Middle Eastern Near Me - New York, New York

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Good was one of the best breakfasts I've ever had! What a delightful surprise I had choosing this amazing resturant. I was greeted immediately and we were seated quickly. Space is limited and seats are very close to each other, but that is what a family of friends place should be! Delish! My son got bacon and eggs and did try everything which was amazing! read more

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We visited their Bryant Park pop up during the Xmas market and just... wow!! The Hummus was creamy and rich, the falafel was crunchy and herby, and the spicy sauce (shug) was a bit runny but fun flavor addition! The fries were fried well and were great to dip into the hummus!! Can't wait to visit their brick and mortar location! read more

12 Chairs - Hummus Falafel and Fries - Middle Eastern Near Me - New York, New York

Amazing. Immaculate. Delicious. Legendary. 12 Chairs is THATTTTT good. I've heard good things prior to coming to NYC, so I made sure I made a reservation here before my trip. I highly recommend doing so since they run out of reservation slots relatively quick. There was a lot available when I booked around 2 months out, however when I looked at it 2-3 weeks before almost everything was gone. The food - THE FOOD. The food here is a straight 10/10. I'm sad we didn't get more. We were still full from a previous meal earlier in the day so we opted in for their dip platter (I think that's what it was called) where you got to select 4 spreads that came with fresh, hot pita. We got their labneh, tabouli salad, falafel & tahini, and spicy platter (harissa, schug, hot pepper and garlic confit). This was the best falafel, labneh, harissa, and schug I've ever had. Everything was traditional, fresh, flavorful, and truly just outstandingly delicious. I don't know what they put in this stuff but it's working. Our aperol spritzs were very refreshing and made nicely as well. The ambiance is nice, it can be a tight squeeze between tables but that's NYC for ya. Our server was attentive and friendly too. You already know I'd 100000% be back!!! read more

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Very solid Israeli food! I can attest that this place does get packed so get a resy earlier or be prepared to wait. The space is very cozy and so it does require maneuvering the tables/furniture to get in and out of seats. Their baba ganoush was more milky than creamy, which was tasty with a lighter texture with the pita. I do think it could have used a bit more seasoning though. The falafels were crispy throughout the whole meal and I really like their thick tahini sauce. I really enjoyed the spicy platter with their harissa and schug, both of which were well seasoned and complemented the other dips/spreads. The tabouli salad had a nice mix of cucumbers, bulgur, and herbs. Loved the addition of pine nuts and pistachios to give it more texture. The shipudim featured this grilled chicken skewer that was super tender and exceeded my expectations. The sauces that it came with had a nice spice kick. Staff were polite. Food came out quick on a holiday weekend! read more

12 Chairs - Middle Eastern Near Me - New York, New York

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I have gone to 12 Chairs multiple times and it never disappoints. Great group spot or even for take out. Delicious food and fast service. This spot has some of the best hummus in the city. The bowls were really customizable with fresh tasting veggies and delicious chicken schnitzel! Will be going back. read more

12 Chairs - Chicken Schnitzel - Middle Eastern Near Me - New York, New York

Loveeeee these dips! One of my favorite spots- music gets a little loud on the weekends so hard to hear BUT so fun for a girls night! Food is always 10/10 here! Service is good as well. Will be back read more

12 Chairs - Labneh Matbucha Falafel & Tahini Babganoush Hummus Meat Pita - Middle Eastern Near Me - New York, New York

Had a lunch in this restaurant. Not as good as I expected but let me start with the good things. I ordered the roasted cauliflower as app and Moroccan fish as main. Bot dishes were delicious, especially the main. The jalapeno in roasted cauliflower added some freshness and spiciness to it. The Moroccan fish was basically sea bream stewed in tomato broth. the fish was placed skin-side-down so that the fat under the skin was retained and every part of the fish was juicy. Tomato broth was rich. Things need to be improved: service was horrible. First, my server hardly cared about my dining experience. It took me over ten minutes to let her. notice that I was ready to order. Second, most servers were busy around, walked fast, and did not look at people. There were two times when I was tripped over. Besides service, the restaurant should give customers more area. read more

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I really enjoyed the vibe and the ambience of the place. The food was delicious and the staff was very friendly. My biggest let down with this experience was the fact that we were sat about 30 minutes later then we reserved for and at around the hour mark at dinner with food still on my plate - I got up to run to the restroom and returned to find that they had cleared my plate and were asking us to leave for having hit the "time marker". Disappointing to pay that type of money and be pushed out of a nice dinner spot. We weren't loitering or lingering - but if you plan to go here, ensure you are going fork to mouth the whole time. read more

12 chairs strikes again! One of my favorite restaurants in the city and every meal I've had here is always good. My friend and I shared a bunch of apps and split a main dish which was plenty of food for us. Everything we had was delicious and so fresh. The cauliflower starter comes with a tahini sauce which gives it some really nice flavor. I don't typically order Perogies but can never pass them up when I come here because they're so good and I love the sautéed onions that come with it. The hummus with falafel is always a must order and so creamy and delicious. For the main, we ordered the chicken skewers (shipud) which I've had many times and it always hits the spot. It comes with a spicy tomato salad and roasted potatoes. We made a reservation and were seated at the bar which made for really good service but the music was quite loud in the restaurant making it hard to have a conversation. Overall, 12 chairs is always a fan favorite and I always look forward to coming here! read more

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SERVICE - located in soho near the spring street station - can be crowded especially during weekend brunch - outside tables are european style where the seats are next to each other and face the street - tables are close together which makes it a bit awkward to maneuver with the group next to you - servers give thorough menu recommendations - food served relatively quickly - ambiance good for a semi casual meal MENU - large selection of israeli dishes for solo dining or to share - vegan and vegetarian options available - average price ($17 per entree) FOOD - hummus falafel (9/10): creamy hummus topped with five crispy falafel balls and a generous drizzle of herb sauce with sides of pickles, olives, and fluffy pita bread. This hummus bowl is a great shareable or for one. The falafel feel freshly fried as they are crispy on the outside and slightly soft on the inside. The green sauce is both spicy and herby which adds a nice contrast to the rich hummus. I liked the addition of pickles on the side for some acidity. WOULD I GO BACK? Yes! The food was good and there were a lot of vegetarian options read more

12 Chairs - Hummus Falafel - Middle Eastern Near Me - New York, New York

Not my first time here, but I'm back again for the cauliflower! Yes, it's that good. The restaurant is very tight, not a lot of room. The music is very loud... very lively like Israeli club music. So if you're coming for a quiet romantic dinner, not sure this is the place. But the food is really good. We ordered way too much for a party of 2 but planned to have a delish leftover lunch tomorrow. The Arayes is a signature dish and my son really enjoyed it. The 12 Chairs salad was very good and the falafel was perfection. The Dreamy Halloumi was a bit disappointing, I remember it being better last time I was there. But the cauliflower was so good. It's not your typical cauliflower. Lots of great seasonings and make sure you get to the bottom of the bowl where all the action is. We almost stayed for dessert but the dish I wanted was sold out ---Knafeh. I'll have to try it next time ! All in all a very solid restaurant. Make sure you have a reservation as they're very busy during dinner time. read more

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12 chairs is located in SoHo just off of Houston street and is near popular venues such as the Comedy Cellar. My group of friends attended on a Friday night. They advertise serving Middle Eastern food, specifically Israeli. Food: 5/5 - We ordered a variety of spreads and small plates which came with pita and falafel. The hummus was some of the best I've ever had, incredible! I also ordered the Arayes, which are crispy stuffed pita with spiced ground meat, which were also amazing. Service: 4/5 - Service was friendly and helpful, however we were reminded multiple times that the table after us needed to be seated by 7:30 (our reservation was at 6:00). We are not slow eaters and did not ask for more time deciding on drinks or food, so we felt that if we were taking too long that it wasn't on us. Atmosphere: 3/5 - We were packed in like sardines. Seating is in small wooden chairs. I was sat towards the end of the table and my legs were essentially on top of my friends' who was sat at the head of the table. It is also quite loud with upbeat music being played even when we walked in at 6:00. I was told that the restaurant is popular on social media and that they bring out tambourines and people get up and dance, however none of this occurred while we were there. None of the decor choices particularly stood out to me. All in all, delicious restaurant with wonderful food, but could be an uncomfortable or overstimulating experience for some. read more

12 Chairs - Small plates - Middle Eastern Near Me - New York, New York

Our reservation was at 9:30pm for a big group. This restaurant was busy and loud inside- you really have to raise your voice to be heard. They turn on music & the dancing on chairs is during the later night reservations. It's a preset family style menu & the food is delicious. The top standouts for me were the baladi eggplant & lamb. The only thing I didn't like is that there is not enough room to walk between chairs, too loud for conversation, & it feels too cramped for the space. read more

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Thanks to Google maps for showing this spot when I looked up the Angelika theater!! This was very close to my express bus stop. Delicious Israeli restaurant. Varied menu from breakfast to dinner. Don't get mislead my the name. There's more than 12 chairs. It's intimate and smallish and a bit tight. I'm used to having my smoked salmon sandwich on a bagel. I wasn't sure how it would be on a ciabatta but it was amazing. Crunchy and not very bready Very generous amount of salmon. Comes with a delicious Israeli salad We shared potato perogi with the most delicious fried onions and sour cream. My friend had the eggs and salmon. It didn't come scrambled together but separate. Again a very generous salmon portion. I'd come back here anytime I'm in the area. There are so many different t interesting and healthy dishes to try. read more

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I was kind of underwhelmed by my experience at 12 chairs. I think the food is absolutely incredible, but I think the service and ambiance aren't great. The tables are extremely close together, the first table we were seated at was backed right up to another group that was already seated. We couldn't move our chairs an inch so we asked to be seated in one of the many other tables that were empty. As more groups were seated, we were practically sitting with the 2 groups next to us, it may as well have been a communal table. The music also kept getting increasingly loud as the night progressed, to the point where we couldn't hear each other at the end of the meal. We had to wait to put all of the order in at once, but it took a while for the waiter to greet our table and ask for our drink order. The food highlights for me were the schnitzel salad and the baba ganoush. Overall, I don't think I would return to dine in, but I would potentially return for take out instead. read more

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The place was packed. We had a reservation and good thing we did because they didn't have any empty tables besides our reserved one. You are basically sitting on top of other people. The food was incredible. The dreamy halloumi was absolutely dreamy. I don't know what they did to the garlic but it was soft and sweet. The pierogi were amazing as well. I really want to go back already. Portions are small for the price. read more

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We previously came to 12 Chairs for a friends' birthday and had a nice time and food was good. A few months later, we made a reservation for 6:30pm for 9 people (5 adults and 4 children) for family. We arrived 10 minutes late, because of pouring rain. We were reprimanded for being late, the table was set up for 8 not 9 as we had to be squeezed in. We were also told we had to leave by 8pm as they had another reservation (please note time constraints are not mentioned anywhere on Reservation confirms) We were told that if we didn't like it, we were free to leave. Which is exactly what we did. This is pretty common from what I see now in their reviews in that they overbook, pack space tightly and rush customers out. Even if their food is great, it creates for a poor experience. There are other great Israeli places to try....no need for this. read more

10/10! The best! Would eat here every day!! The entire menu is perfection from start to finish

One of the best Israeli food I had issue Israel ! The atmosphere is great , service is excellent , and the food is fantastic . What else would one need to thoroughly enjoy? Here's what we had - 1) falafel w tahini starter - high quality falafel (the green kind !) and Hugh quality tahini . Perfect match . 4.3/5 2) hummus w meat - their version has also mushrooms , pine nuts and fried onion . So good . A good size portion well . One of the best I had . 4.7/5 3) pita w schnitzel - a generous portion , fresh schnitzel , fried eggplant , matbucha- so simple and so yummy . 4.2/5 We ended w Turkish coffee and mint tee and have throughly enjoyed the experience Will be na l for sure ! read more

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A few of us stopped by 12 Chairs for brunch and it was a solid spot. The menu had a wide range of options, including Israeli dishes and typical American dishes. I went with the Moroccan fish, which was tasty and cooked nicely, but I thought it could have used a bit more spice. The cous cous was pretty plain, so it didn't really do much for me. However, the pita and hummus hit the spot! Even though the restaurant was pretty busy, the service was good. I'm not sure if I'd go out of my way to come back, just given how many other options there are in the area, but I still very much enjoyed it! read more

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THE MEAL WAS DELICIOUS! The restaurant was packed when we walked in for dinner with tables set pretty close together. It has a super lively atmosphere. - Hummus: Taste and presentation both 10/10. I could eat this nonstop! - Babaganoush: I still dream about this eggplant. Next time I'm in NY, I'm definitely coming back for this dish. It was cooked perfectly and paired beautifully with everything else we ordered. read more

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I didn't plan to have brunch at 12 Chairs but because the place I went, was too hype and ridiculous waiting time so I decided to walk around and I found this restaurant. I'm glad I eat here, I feel like I hit a jackpot. Food is great, nice cocktail, good service. I enjoy watching bartender making some interesting cocktails and the vibe of the restaurant is so welcoming. I saw that they have a section that can fit a big group so it is good for partying too. read more

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Not worth the hype in my opinion. We walked in and the music was BLARING. And keep in mind this is strictly a restaurant with a small bar that no one was at. Certainly not a party place but with the music I thought I was walking into a club. Most people there seemed to be there to eat and talk to their friends/date. My friends and I were literally screaming to talk to each other. So I thought that was strange. The staff was also rushing us to order and multiple people kept coming up to us taking our order. Very confused on who our server was. You also have to order apps and entrees together. The best thing we got was the babaganoosh. We also got olive, yogurt dip, and falafel. Those were okay. I got the Tunisian pita which was fine. Orange sangria to drink which was also very average. The place was not bad but it did not live up to the hype it gets in my opinion read more

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Absolute perfection. The schnitzel pita was one of my fav meals i had during my week in NYC. Paired well with the harissa on top. The baladi eggplant was also yummy. read more

12 Chairs - Middle Eastern Near Me - New York, New York

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Absolutely LOVED my meal at 12 Chairs--every dish we got was better than the last--fresh and delightful. It was only two of us so we shared a few dishes, but so many more we have to go again. The staff was fantastic and the restaurant was buzzing. The only reason I cannot give 5 stars is the space/noise. It is EXTREMELY tight with all the people packed in and you can't hear anyone speak--to get out of the restaurant we had to have multiple people get up from their chairs so we could get to the exit. I cannot wait to go back to 12 Chairs to try more dishes--so many looked good and we could not eat them all! Every time a dish came out to a table near us, we immediately asked what it was so we know for next time. read more

We were so lucky to get a table outside because everyone says the inside is noisy. We ordered a ton of food and to be honest too much since no one finished their main meal. We started with the small plates of labneh, matbucha, beets salad and falafel and hummus meat. I then had a fabulous lamb burger with amazing sweet potato fries but wish I had enough room to finish it. Everyone else ordered the chicken and potatoes which was a huge portion and could have been split. I would definitely go back. They do Israeli food well! read more

Came by for a lunch, didn't make a rez in advance but they had a table for us. Seating is a little cramped inside, the tables are close to one another. Casual ambiance. We ordered the hummus meat, falafel and the schnitzel. I absolutely LOVED the hummus meat! I thought the flavor was great and I could have eaten the whole thing myself. I would 100% get this again. The falafel was surprisingly good, it's so easy for falafel to be dry but these tasted fresh and they weren't dry at all. They come with some pita. Most underwhelming was the schnitzel, it was just okay. I came with my boyfriend who's Israeli so his/our bar is a little high but overall we were really happy with the meal and the experience. read more

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I can't even count how many times I've been to 12 Chairs. Incredible every single time. The service is always incredible, the staff is lovely. Fun atmosphere and great vibe. The food is amazing! I love the Shakshuka so much read more

12 Chairs - Shakshuka, Hummus, Falafel - Middle Eastern Near Me - New York, New York

Loved this place!! It was so so good! I came across this as a rec on TikTok which can be a 50/50 shot at it actually being good lol. My friends and I snagged a resy here and it was a fairly small restaurant indoors and they do pack it to the brim lol but so worth it. I've heard their other location is a definitely a party spot they party on top of tables but it's not this location. The food was so fresh and so good. We did the pick 4 sides which were perfect and the pita was so fresh and fluffy. All our dishes were amazing and we enjoyed every bit of it. Service is great, I would highly recommend a reservation so you can get a table because it does get super packed even on a weekday night. read more

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Wonderful food and service . Had Yemenite soup (glorious) and schnitzel sandwich accompanied by salad. She had tuna pita w salad. Others sitting next to us had pancakes and borscht which looked incredible. Def recommend. read more

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12 chairs is a super cute spot and the staff is so friendly and attentive ! I ordered the beet salad , falafel and fried cheese . It's a must read more

Bought a couch and celebrated with a big lunch! We did a few Yelp searches for lunch spots in the area of the store we planned to stop into and 12 Chairs caught my eye. I love love love Israeli food so it was an easy choice. We put our name on a list for 2 around 1:30 and circled back about 35 minutes later to a free table outside. Outside space is very limited (I think there was just 3 tables on the sidewalk) and veryyyyy cramped. It was comically tough to squeeze in and not have my tush knock something over on the next table. We started with the dreamy halloumi and the pelmeni. Both were amazing. I think the pelmini might have been my favorite dish of the entire meal. They were small Russian meat dumplings packed with so much flavor. If you are only getting one app and want it to be heartier than just a dip, get these. The halloumi was also incredible and loved the garlic confit it was served with. For my entree, I got the masabacha: Slowly cooked chickpeas, tahini, spicy lemon, cumin, onion and a brown egg (served warm). It was basically like a hummus stew, but in the best way. It was warm and cozy and loved the sliced brown hard boiled egg it was served with. It went perfectly scooped up with some pita. I tried a bit of the borek which was also a winner. I really don't think you can go wrong. Enjoy! read more