Right away we were greeted and seated. Amazing decor and very clean restaurant. Our table was in the middle of the restaurant too which was pretty cool but the food was amazing. My favorite was the honey cake which we ordered because it was the most recommended dessert and it did not disappoint!!! read more

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our server was so kind and sweet and walked us through the menu with lots of patience. I liked the overall food and kababs and trying kazahstan for the first time. the place had nice ambiance and overall was easy to get reservations. I appreciated the decor and the cleanliness. read more

This was our second time in this restaurant, and it never disappoints. We ordered Ukranian Borsch for an appetizer, pork dumplings, and aged grass-fed steak for the main course during our first visit. We also had chakak, noodles like for dessert and Kazakh tea for drinks. We ordered two tasty non-alcoholic beverages. Bakha was our server that night, and the service was excellent. The ambiance is very Instagrammable, and there is live entertainment, so we decided to return. That was in October 2024. Also, they had the traditional menu book. We were back yesterday, and I was impressed with how Bakha remembered us from our first visit. This time, they have menus on the iPad We got the Ukrainian Borsch, the same grass-fed steak, and honey cheesecake this time. I am telling you, their steak is the bomb! It's always our go-to order! The steak is good for two, but if you are in a solo mode, I bet you can also finish it, just like my hubby did in our first dine-in. Their cheesecake is delectable, just the right amount of sweetness. This is recommended if you are in the financial district or want to try different cuisines. read more

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It's rare to find authentic Uzbek food around, and this place not only has it, but it is very tasty as well! I ordered the Traditional Uzbek Plov ($22), which is a classic Uzbek dish with rice, mixed lamb and beef, carrots, and chickpeas. The rice was a bit on the oily side but very flavorful and tasty still. The carrots were surprisingly soft in a good way. The lamb and beef were pretty good. I also tried the Traditional Lagman ($16), which was a beef vegetable soup with hand pulled noodles. The soup had a pretty strong distinctive flavor that I am guessing comes from the unique mix of spices used in the Central Asian region. I have mixed feelings about it, but maybe that's just because I'm not used to that kind of flavor - it certainly was not bad though. The portion size was a bit on the smaller side. For dessert, I ordered the Mom's Honey Cake ($12), which was a soft layered cake with caramel and walnuts. It was not overly sweet like a lot of typical cakes, although it did still have some sweetness from the honey and caramel. The portion size was a bit on the small size, but it was tasty nonetheless. I think the prices in general are pretty fair for the quality of the dishes. I really liked the decor of this restaurant, as it is filled with Uzbek / Central Asian art throughout. The restaurant has a small entrance by the sidewalk but then there are stairs going down and the place expands out to a fairly large space. There is a dim, intimate vibe in there with a very traditional kind of feel. The staff are very friendly and the service speed is fast. I think many of the staff are actually from Central Asia, which speaks to the authenticity of the restaurant. Overall, if you are interested in trying authentic Uzbek food, then there might not be a better place to do it in NYC than Farida! read more

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The price on crispy on the outside, the beef one had sauerkraut, and spices to make a very interesting. In comparison, the chicken pie is bland and needs the tomato sauce to spice things up. The beef stew is really great, the beef is tender but not too soft, and seems to be a little bit hard on the outside which means they had to boil it, and then fry the little bit. Bit. The stock is fresh and the vegetables are hearty. The szaslyks are amazing, the ground lamb were juicy, the meat was great but I personally prefer if it has more cumin. The short rib were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside (a bit chewy). The chicken was amazing, with paprika and other spices, but not overwhelming. The baby lamb came in cubes and was very good. Overall great food experience. There were 2 people between us and and another family, who were loudly talking about the girl's relationship with profanity, the waiter was very nice and moved them to another, quieter spot. read more

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Food: I think this is pretty authentic although I don't think Central Asian Cuisine is really my thing. The puff pies were good. I'm usually a steak/beef person but the beef is cooked a bit more here so I actually liked the chicken. the matis (dumplings) were okay too. These are good items to get if you are warming up to the cuisine and not ready to level up just yet! We got the langman noodle soup and the regular one (no soup) which was good minus the string beans in the noodle soup. There was a spice we didn't lovee in the noodle soup but we finished off the dishes. One of us grew up eating blinis so we got an order of that and it was good. We got their plov which was savory and done nicely. The portions are a tad small but that's fine. We shared most of the items. We wanted to try the shashlyk but they were like $22 for one skewer so we opted not to. Food overall: 3.5/5 Atmosphere: I thought the workers were nice but maybe it's cultural - it felt weird for us fully grown women to be called "girls" lol and there were a few intonations where I understood where they were coming from but from a westernized/Americanized perspective, I just thought came off a bit odd/stereotyping. Two of us are people of color and one of us are white mixed. 2.5/5 The decor though - they've outdone themselves with the decor. It was intricately decorated and felt very authentic. It can get kinda loud since they have a small stage in the front so if you prefer to, you can ask them for a table inside. They're pretty spacious. 4.5/5 Bill: Do bring cash unless you want to pay a bit more for card. I didn't realize they did this (only thought Chinatown/cash preferred spots did this lol) but I wasn't aware until I saw the bill. Overall, I think we were happy to try something other than the typical Thai, Italian for dinner but there could def be improvements! Overall: More of a 3.5 read more

Very tasty - got the crispy eggplant salad and manti. And here's the kicker - they let you roll dice after the meal, and a double 6 gets you a free meal, and we got it! Excited to return and try more of the menu. read more

Farida - Dice - Uzbek Near Me - New York, New York

This was my worst experience ever. I visited this restaurant knowing that kazakh food is amazing and people are super welcoming but my experience turned horrible here. Our order was getting cooked for forever + waiting time for the tea was about 10-15 min. FOR THE TEA. Turned out the waiter didn't order it in their system. The 30$ beshbarmak is small and will barely have any meat on it. Chebureki are the size of your fingers and they charge 16$ for 4 of them... are you for real? I can't complain about the taste, it was incredible. The service also is super slow, we waited for everything FOREVER. Also when we got our bill we saw that they don't include any mandatory fee or mandatory tip which is great so despite the fact it was a long wait for everything we decided to leave at least something but in cash so that the waiters receive the full amount of tip. Instead when the waiter brought our card back with the receipts we saw that we were charged tip from our card. WITHOUT OUR CONSENT!!! When I asked the manager or whoever she is about why we were charged the tip when we didn't include it with a card - she said it's done automatically WHICH IS A COMPLETE LIE!!! It was also said in a tone as if I have to know it, I told them they should warn the customers they still charge a tip even though it's not stated anywhere but faced a rude tone from a manager or waiter or whoever it was. As someone who works in a restaurant I know it's not automatic but they probably rely on the fact that English speaking people won't pay attention or won't say anything. IT'S A CLEAR FRAUD and I don't recommend visiting this place. The design is beautiful but plate on a table was dusty so I had to wipe it by myself lol. Moreover, there's no soap in the bathroom. In the restaurant. Oh god. read more

New experience, tasting Georgian and other Central Asian dishes. Interesting and savory flavor profile. Dark and romantic interior, and the walnut cake for dessert is worth a visit to Farida! read more

Service was pretty quick. The cocktail i got was really strong and i couldnt finish it. I got the appetizer and you can mic and match the flavors and they were all pretty good. The rice couldve used some more flavor but overall a nice restaurant read more

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The chef's special pumpkin soup was out of this world and we also enjoyed vareniki and filet mignon kebabs. The wait staff were friendly and the live music and decor set a great mood. Enjoyed this unique cuisine as a break from the norm! read more

My Fiancé and I came here for dinner on a Saturday evening. It was a lively environment with the waiters buzzing around serving the customers. Overall we enjoyed the food, as it was very tasty, and the service was quick. We see us coming up here in the near future. read more

I made it here for lunch, and this spot used to be Chen's Buffet. This hole in the wall literally transformed into a speakeasy lounge spot. There were many people but there were only two servers. Service was overall slow, but the food didn't disappoint. This spot would be ideal for people who never had Uzbek cuisine, and the dishes offered would serve as a good introduction to the cuisine. I did the lunch special where I would order a salad/ appetizer and a main Entree dish for $24.95. I also ordered their traditional tea with milk for $5 during lunch. Lunch is from 12pm-3pm. I ordered the mini umka pies. The lunch special order comes with four pieces. There are four umka pie flavors: spinach, pumpkin, steak, and chicken. The steak and chicken were already sold out, so I got the two spinach and two pumpkin pies. The pies are made fresh despite less filling in each piece. The dipping sauce that it came with was really good. For the main Entree, I ordered the authentic Uzbek Plov. I've read mixed reviews about this dish, and I enjoyed it. It was definitely pricey if I were to order it individually. I'd definitely return to try the other dishes and explore their desserts. read more

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I'm really glad that Farida opened a second location as they have some really great food. In addition to that, the staff is wonderful and super hospitable. Some of my favorites include the mantu and the plov. I tried the tashkent with beef tongue which was also great but definitely not for everyone. The only item I really wasn't a fan of was the Russian honey cake. I had it at Mari Vanna before and thought it was good. The one here has chocolate or jam I don't know exactly what it is inside of it but it ruins the taste of it for me completely. Basically, stick to the food here and you'll be completely satisfied :). read more

Farida - Uzbek Near Me - New York, New York

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Cute atmosphere and live music, superb service. The food was beautifully cooked but the portions could have been better for the price. I got the lamb and beef pilaf and it was only a couple of chunks of meat sitting on top. The umeks were good but they were smaller than I am used to from other places. The tea selection was phenomenal and although pricey, one pot is easily enough for 4 people. read more

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You can get yummy Uzbek, Central Asian cuisine from @farida_downtown right in the financial district! I like ordering lunch delivery from them time to time, but their dine in environment is also really nice. Cozy vibes, live music in the evening, and super nice staff! read more

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Was my first time trying Uzbek food in a spot tucked away in FiDi -literally just one staircase entrance you might miss. Inside though- a whole different story. Space opens up into this dim spacious dining room with Central Asian art filling the walls and interior. For food, started with umka puffs - crispy little pillows filled with meat, cheese, spinach or pumpkin. Plot twist: the vegetarian ones (pumpkin and spinach) actually outshine the meat versions. They've got this subtle spice kick that I didn't feel in the meat puffs -they were quite chewy. The star of the show is their Uzbek plov - picture perfectly cooked rice loaded with tender lamb, sweet carrots and chickpeas, all hit with these Central Asian spices that I couldn't name but definitely would come back to have. Long rice peices soak up all that flavor from the meat and vegetables so it feels quite moist + rich for a typical rice dish. Portion sizes are solid (meat is on the lower side) and prices won't make you wince (in Manhattan standards). Everything's halal, and our server (half Uzbek, half Persian) actually knew what he was talking about - none of the "everything's amazing" generic waiter talk, gave me a full rundown of the menu and of his usual go to dishes. Skippable dish: the soup was forgettable. But that Farida Platter with various kebabs I saw floating around to other tables-- definitely ordering that next time when I have a few more people with me. The dim lighting can get frustrating but it goes well with the theme of making you feel like you're sitting in a traditional Uzbek living room. I would definitely 100% recommend this spot for group dinners - kind of place where you want to order a bunch of their appetizers snd mains to share especially on one of their nights with live music. I assume based on some rebranding online that they're trying to expand their cuisine to cater to more central Asian dishes rather than just Uzbek food, I would be curious to visit then too! Bottom line: come hungry, and bring friends who eat.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ read more

Interesting dining experience. The space is gorgeous and they had a live singer, although it made it hard to hear your group talking. Food is from all over Central Asia and I highly recommend getting their manti steak (Turkish dumplings)! The menu has photos and tells you where each food is from. read more

When in New York, I like to try foods that I can't find at home, and I've never had Uzbek food before! My partner and I ordered the Chuchvara and the Uzbek Plov. Both were delicious. The Chuchvara were dill-y, crunchy, and super fun, like a fried ravioli but lighter. The sour cream/yogurt sauce on the side was deeelicious. The Plov reminded me of Taiwanese beef stew + 油飯 (sticky rice). The meat was tender and the spices warm. Felt like home. The restaurant itself is small, intimate, and ornately decorated. There was also a live saxophonist walking around while we were there, which added a little extra magic. Worth a try! read more

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A random evening brought me to downtown NYC after work. Hungry and searching for Asian food, I stumbled upon Farida, a Central Asian restaurant that caught my eye. Initially, I hesitated because I was craving East Asian cuisine, particularly Chinese food. However, the extensive menu quickly drew me in, and I was ready to explore something new. Upon entering, I found the place authentically decorated. I was promptly seated, and the friendly waiter patiently explained the menu. I decided to try a few dishes. I started with Uzbek milk tea, which I asked to be lightly sweetened--it was delicious and comforting, especially since it was raining that day. The food arrived shortly after. First, I tried the Umka puff pies with various fillings: steak, chicken, baby pumpkin, and baby spinach. Each filling was distinct and tasty, with a crispy exterior and juicy interior. Next, I had the veal liver with mushrooms. The liver, cooked in a creamy sauce, was tender and paired perfectly with the mushrooms. I also ordered the assorted meat platter, which included boiled and sliced beef tongue, Kari Kazakh sausage, and chicken roll. This cold platter was simple yet made me crave a cold beer. Then, the handmade manti steak arrived--a large steamed dumpling with hand-cut steak, served in a steamer. The four big dumplings, paired with sour cream, had a tender, soupy filling and a slightly chewy wrap. The waiter convinced me to finish the meal with Mom's honey cake, a layered dessert that was absolutely delicious. I ended up with enough food to take back to the hotel for another meal. read more

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We decided to try this spot as it looked very interesting. The food was pretty good but was WAYYYYYY overpriced. We got several things and while they were good and a unique taste experience, I don't see the correlation for the cost. There was not much beef in either dishes. I looked up the recipe and I will try making the Plov for a lot less than it cost. The drinks were overpriced as well. The service was beyond slow. Nice wait staff, but they were not attentive at all. I had to ask for everything. Never came back unless I waived to them. Very interesting cuisine and I'll def make it at home, but not worth the price. read more

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Had never had Uzbekistan / Kazakhstan food and it's too bad it can't be gotten in more places in the country. The meat was tender, the veggies still had some snap and the spicing was amazing. There was a slight sweet hint that as a Chef I couldn't place so that was intriguing. Would have liked some butter, honey, something as the bread I was given was very thick and dry though it did have a nice chew to it. The waiter wasn't super attentive to me. The table of 3 in front of me and the table behind me that spoke the language were much more interesting to him. read more

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Fantastic live music and the interior is a whole vibe. Food is fantastic and drink menu is filled with unique options.

Came to have lunch with my friend. Lamb kebab was a little chewy. The other two dishes were delicious, specially the shrimps with lemon sauce. Service impecable, our server was from Russia and he was very friendly. Ambiance is good too, very nice decor. read more

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This was my first time trying Uzbek cuisine and I loved it. I'd definitely come back to try more dishes since the meat here is tender and flavorful. What we ordered Appetizer: 4 piece umka to try all the flavors - steak, chicken, spinach and pumpkin which were all very tasty. The outside is like a light pastry and it came out piping hot. The pumpkin filling wasn't sweet like I expected but was like a curry which was nice. Entrees: Uzbek Plov - I was excited to try this dish based on the reviews and was underwhelmed. It's kind of like a fried rice topped with carrots, beef and lamb and was much smaller than I expected. The flavors were okay and would have been better with more meat/spices. It came with slices of cucumber on the side and bread which I didn't eat with the dish since it had no sauce. Manti - basically giant dumplings filled with onion and steak. They were bigger than I expected and definitely entree sized. It came with this thin yogurt/sour cream sauce to pour on top. This was my favorite dish! My friend and I visited on a Tuesday and it was pretty empty except a couple tables. There was also live music (not sure if they do it every week). We also had to flag the staff down a couple times so not sure how the service would be if it was more crowded. read more

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We enjoyed both the taste of our food and the feel of the place. I've loved each dish I've ordered here. Staff members create enjoyable memories through service. You'll appreciate the warm environment. The place exceeded expectations; will return :) read more

Many best friend and I wanted to try something different and we did a quick Google search found this place and decided to pop in . The decor was beautiful. Fox was decent but not spectacular. The service wasn't the best but there was only 2 waiters tending to the whole restaurant. The bar had no ingredients to make any drinks which was a disappointment because they advertise a full bar and paying top dollar for cheap wine isn't my thing . The food was ok , flavorful but not something I would want to get again . Over all the experience was okay but I wouldn't return . read more

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It was pretty easy to get a table for two on a Thursday evening. The menu was quite overwhelming since they have so many items on it. Decided to get the mini umka perfect puff pies (you can mix and match) and eggplant caviar with lavash for appetizer, and my favorite were the cheese and prime steak puff pies. For entree, we shared the kovurma lagman and kyrgyz ganfan but we didn't realize the base was exactly the same which was a bummer. Definitely enjoyed the noodle dish more than the rice. The portion was a bit on the smaller side for the price. But overall, we enjoyed the atmosphere and the live music. read more

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The food matches the quality of the friendly service. The food delivers on flavor while being plentiful. The staff handles special requests gracefully. Limited capacity doesn't diminish its popularity. This restaurant creates a good vibe. read more

We tried this place with another couple friend of ours (same lady from my review of the Russian place in Phoenix, AZ). Every time she goes somewhere, she looks for Uzbek food because that is where she is from. We've had Uzbek food before so we were familiar with the cuisine. When you enter, you walk down the stairs and open the door into this dimly lit dining room. It sort of gives that vibe of a tavern. I think there were only 2 servers but luckily it wasn't very busy so food came fast. When you get beer, it comes with a little side snack, which I think is croutons mixed with some sort of spices but whatever it was, it was addicting. We started off with mini umkas, which are basically puff pies stuffed with meat. I don't remember which meat it was but it was very tasty. We also got manti, which is basically their version of dumplings, which were piping hot and freaking amazing. I think I got the kazakh besh baramak, which is basically like thick noodles topped with lamb and vegetables. My husband and her husband got the traditional Uzbek plov, which is a rice dish that is topped with meats and vegetables. It comes with Uzbek bread which I believe is also called naan. You can't get enough of the naan, it's very good. Despite eating a lot, we got the honey cake for dessert. Perfect sweetness to end a pretty salt-heavy meal. If you haven't tried Uzbek food, this is a good place to start. read more

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We visited this place in December, 2025. This place is overpriced for that small potion of the meal, we had.

From start to finish, everything met or exceeded what I hoped for. The service team maintains high quality during all my visits. Their cooking is always top-notch and the surroundings are pleasing. Staff doesn't rush you and the food is worth the wait. Excellent food and friendly service. read more

this place was truly magnificent. the food was well made, delicious and it felt like home. the staff was incredibly kind and the service was excellent. they truly served us well; replacing new plates, taking old ones away, kept asking if everything was good. we are coming back here in March. I highly recommend ordering a little bit of everything and doing family style. the honey cake was soo soft and creamy, just the way it should be!! we came here with 10 ppl and everyone was very well accommodated. and the quality was exceptional! read more

Some of the worst service I've ever gotten. 20% auto gratuity (with a party of just 5) + charge for using a credit card. I ordered a beef stew and it came with about three bite size pieces of beef. They also overcharged us with a price higher than what was on the menu. It's like this restaurant just wanted to take your money. Please do yourself a favor and don't come here read more

My husband and I went here for dinner. We both really enjoyed our time at Farida! The decor is super cute and unique. The menu has pictures, which I really appreciated! Service was great and there was live music at the time. We both enjoyed our appetizers and main dishes. The food was hot, flavorful, and super yummy! The entire restaurant is a whole experience! read more

Farida - Puff pies - Uzbek Near Me - New York, New York

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Man, I hate writing bad reviews, especially when the food is pretty good. But you are forcing me to do it. I walked in with the intent of takeout. Great, told the waiter, got a menu, placed order, all is good. Sometime later food comes out, I get the bill, I take out my card, the waiter walks over with his handy wireless card reader, scan, all is good..... Bang, the screen shows 4 options 22% 25% 30% and cash. The % might be slightly off. If there is a no tip option, i didnt see it. When handed to me it was preset to 25%. Seriously, no Seriously...are you suggesting I give you gratuity for picking up food? The waiter says "I packed it really nicely for you" and continues to hover over me as if to think that I would be affected by this or be embarrassed to not tip. No, I am not that guy. I pressed on cash grabbed my food and got up. As I proceeded to the exit the waiter stayed close staring at me with bewilderment waiting for his cash tip. What is happening here? How did we get here? What have we become? read more

This is a hidden gem! I had never seen this restaurant before and decided to go in. The food completely blew me away. I never tried Uzbek food, but I sure will be trying it again. Stepping through the door you're immediately transported elsewhere. The dim lighting and decorated booths really set the scene. The service was excellent! Our waiter, Zak, explained all the dishes to us and offered suggestions on pairings. All his recommendations were a hit! We ordered the Farida Platter with 5 shashlyks with beef, short ribs, and lamb. It also came with it with 3 kind of salads and traditional Nan bread which complimented the meat perfectly. We also ordered the Uzbek Tashkent Salad, and it was delicious. My only regret was that I ate too much and had no room for dessert. Just means I need to go back again to try the honey cake! read more

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Excellent place. The food was delicious and the service was great. I loved everything we have ordered from the appetizers to desserts ! read more

Uninspiring. For drinks we had 2 signature cocktails since they didn't know how to make a Manhattan. Both were extremely sweet. Food was just blah. We started with eggplant caviar which tasted right out of the jar from a store. Definitely not home made. Meat manty were ok, but meat inside was very dry and lacked flavor. Again, tasted like defrosted from the store. For mains we had grilled lamb, which was the best dish of all, but still just ok. And oxtail stew that was a disappointment. When you think 'stew', you think 'flavor'. This dish had zero flavor. It was just boiled oxtails, no spices or herbs, accompanied by equally tasteless chickpeas. Decor was nice and cozy. Live drums were a nice addition although maybe a bit too loud for Sunday night. Service was choppy, slow at times (waited a long time to place our order) and rushed at other (my plate was taken away while I was still holding my fork with the last bite). Ended up a very expensive ($170+ for 2 with mandatory 20% tip included) mediocre dinner. I wouldn't come back. read more

Delicious food, there's something for all diets. And the ambiance is very unique and beautiful. It isn't a "trendy" spot which I appreciate. Lots of central Asian comfort food with dumplings and stews. I think I'd give this a 5 star experience if my server was a little nicer and didn't try to sell us on items so hard and give us attitude when we did not. We had a party of 4 and ordered quite a bit already. read more