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    ilili Box

    3.5 (62 reviews)
    ModerateMediterranean
    Closed 6:30 am - 9:00 pm

    ilili Box Photos

    ILILI BOX ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - ilili Box

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    Teresa L.

    Despite all the restaurants located in the heart of Times Square, it's not that easy to decide what to eat if you only have 45 mins. Pizza? Hmmm... Burgers and fries? Maybe next time. Thai or Italian? Well just had it the last few days. At the end, we decided to return to the City Kitchen. The Box seemed interesting. Got the Lebanese salad and pita chips. Pretty simple meal was what I wanted. Salad was fresh and pita chips were great. We sat by the window to get a view of 8th Ave from the second floor seating. Place was half empty and no lines for any of the eatery.

    Roasted Duck Wrap
    Adam B.

    I'm loving the location of this bougie food court. Lots of space (if you consider the hotel lobby too) and ample air conditioning (also look to the lobby). Perfect for a not-that-expensive and not-that-insane pre-theater meal. 8-Hr Lamb Wrap: So delicious! I didn't see a large spit roasting this shawarma, but it still managed to be nice and crispy without that griddle-to-reheat taste. The wrap was soft and chewy yet had some bits of crunch from the quick grilling. Tons of tasty sauces and veggies instead. Roasted Duck Wrap: Wasn't a big fan. Was hoping it would either have the rich duck confit vibe or be crispy like peking duck. It was neither, but tasted more like those roast ducks hanging in windows in Chinatown. Had the unappealing cold fatty taste. Phoenician Fries: Loved the garlic based dipping sauce. The fries by themselves weren't that exciting and a bit soggy at times, but totally doesn't matter thanks to the sauce. Labne: Was hoping the texture would be whipped and/or creamy, but it was more like someone took a tub of Philadelphia Cream Cheese out of the fridge. Also, no interesting spices to flavor it up. Lemonade: Standard.

    "Kimchee Wrap" .. that didn't have any kimchee.
    Ariel C.

    Kimchee wrap: hardly any kimchee, meat was mushy, contents were over salted, tasteless. Thankfully I had split this with a coworker so I was spared from eating the other half. The only reason we ended up at Ilili was because we were in a pinch to see a musical across the street and needed a quick option. Lo and behold, the only station without a line in this food hall was Ilili Box.. probably for good reason. Sad I didn't see the writing on the wall.

    Beiruti falafel wrap
    Mahmood S.

    3/5 because The food isn't really good Seems like they're understaffed and have an extensive menu to keep up with Considering the space I wasn't expecting a full restaurant menu but they have plenty of options to choose from The food arrived pretty quickly though it almost shows in the food how quick it was The place is clean Good sized seating area that is shared with neighboring markets, has space for plenty of people The service is friendly The quality that you get is below average even when factoring the smaller kitchen and staff Wouldn't come back here The falafel crumbled up like dry cornbread, not sure how that happened but the only way to eat it was with a spoon or fork The wrap fell apart and got soggy from the sauce even though somehow the inside stayed dry There isn't enough greens and pickles to offset the flavors dry falafel for a fresher taste Cool idea, cool menu, not great product

    'Employee'
    Dan P.

    Stick to the store front restaurant on 28st . Don't waste your time or money on bad service, expensive food where the fries have no taste. Fries seem to be the opposite of the actual restaurant these were precut frozen fries. Asked for salt after we all sat at our table to eat and unanimously stated theres no flavor. Did we order the wrong thing? which they were hesitant to do so they asked me to pay for salad oil, salt or seasoning to add to the fries. We were a group of five who ordered the fries at my recommendation which sadly we all threw away. Garlic whip sauce was only flavor to the fries. The fries had no parsley as described. The lamb wrap was ok, lamb and sauce of wrap were tasty. Green tea was surprisingly refreshing at first the taste is of lime. Update: See image attached as I was direct messaged by an "employee" who stated I was a liar. My intention was to advised yelpers of my experience and their response clearly shows the level of professionalism and customer service. Also My initial order was taken by a middle aged man, I was attended by a female employee when I was asking if there were any other variation of fries as I thought perhaps I made the mistake. Who rolled her eyes at every question without assistance. The other employee was a smaller young male working the grill whom I did not speak with. The older employee who took my order was not there when we went back to ask for help.

    Mint lemonade
    Lauren T.

    After checking in to our hotel, I pulled out my trusty Yelp app, and it lead me to City Kitchen: NYC Food Hall. After checking out all the options, I noticed that ilili Box clearly had the longest line, so it must be good! I loved my duck wrap! Not sure what the yogurty/white sauce was, but it was sure tasty! The duck was tender, plentiful and a little oily. Grab a lot of napkins, because it got really messy! My date and I sipped on mint lemonade, which was a delightfully refreshing. Great place to go for a quick meal on the go!

    Zarin A.

    I am so glad I stumbled on to this place. Thank you for the introduction MealPal! Every menu item is absolutely delicious! I especially loved the duck rice bowl. It's essentially a duck gyro with delicious tasing rice and sauce. The flavors are amazing. I've been to ilili for restaurant week and was blown away by the portion and taste and ilili bowl definitely met my expectations. I was glad to be able to try almost everything on their menu through MealPal. Im definitely going to order the Brussels sprout side dish next because the ingredients sound like they would taste awesome together. This location in City Kitchen is just amazing. The hotel has a wonderful green tea smell and there is a lot of seating space.

    a group of people sitting at a table
    Miriam S.

    Ordered the greek salad and was very good but the toppings were a little stale. Good customer service.

    the inside of a restaurant
    Sar A.

    Here's what I think of my visit to ilili Box, where I had a Spicy Chicken wrap (aka chicken shawarma). - The shawarma was good, but wasn't the best I've had. - The cold one wasn't a very good one. - Holy moly, that was some pricey meal. Almost $19 for a wrap and a drink in a NYC's food court. - Easy access from where I was staying at Row Hotel. Take out, lay back and bon appétit. Three and half Yelps.

    Chicken BLT, yummy!
    Cari S.

    The City Kitchen eatery is cute. Many choices, including The Box. We had the chicken BLT and the Silk Road Falafel. The falafel was fabulous. Crispy, full of flavor, including a cashew and sauce. The sauce on the chicken was also very good. Great place to sit by the window and people watch at 44th street.

    Brussel sprouts (a must) and duck shawarma
    Joseph S.

    Anytime I am passing by times square, I can't resist not to pass by this store and grab a box of Brussel sprouts and Phoenician fries and a lemonade juice. As good as the main Ilili restaurant on 5th avenue.

    Chicken rice bowl
    Bryan C.

    In a crowded space of med rice bowl places that includes places like Roti this one does not stand out. Portion was decent and food tasted okay. Spicy chicken did not have much spice. Also not much variety as only get a little bit of lebanese salad. They could use to add one free option from among feta, olives and onions for same price as for what get is a bit much. Also add some sauces like a garlic tahini or hot sauce. The homemade hot sauce cost 1 extra. Located within one of the food courts with a few other choices so really nothing to say about space other than when tried to log in to city kitchen WiFi was asked to provide row hotel room number. Most places like this provide free WiFi

    I liked the sauce in the duck rice bowl, but wish it had veggies too. I did get the Brussels sprouts as well, but they contained walnuts, which I am allergic to! And there was no mention of it on their menu board!! they should specify that for people with allergies! ---------------------- I just checked their website and do see walnuts under the Brussels sprouts there, but it was not on the menu board at this location

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    11 months ago

    Looks like they are out of business when I went and doors shut . This was in end of May 2025, but still here on Yelp?

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    3 years ago

    Love this restaurant so much! Amazing food and ambience. Will be returning in the near future.

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    7 years ago

    I LOVED the pork buns!!! They are my new favorite food! The bun was so fluffy and pork had a great hint of sweetness. I am obsessed!

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    7 years ago

    ITS DELICIOUS! This is one of my favorite places to order lunch from to work. They've never messed up my order and the food arrives intact.

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    Ask the Community - ilili Box

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    Çka Ka Qëllue

    Çka Ka Qëllue

    4.5
    (297 reviews)
    1.0 mi
    Family-owned & operated
    Fine dining

    I'm so glad my friend recommended going here because it's one of those restaurants that pique your…read moreinterest but you never really know how to navigate-- but lucky me, I had an Albanian friend to show me around. First thing you'll notice upon entry is how absolutely decorated it is. If you're a fan of Witcher, it's like walking into an an old-timey tavern. If you have no idea then-- it's like an old-timey tavern. I wouldn't be surprised of they had bard Fridays and homemade mead. It's also a big space. Reminds me of one of the last remnants of the bygone era that was the Obama-era glow. Like peak millenial where restaurants were starting to get viral but not to the point where they have to hyper compete with a gimmicky dish. The prices are a bit steep and was making me consider dropping my rating down a star but fuggit, I like their food. I played it safe and got the mixed grill meats but that's because I lack reading comprehension and thought the main dish (I don't know what it's called, it's just the 1st entree listed) was a baked meat pie situation, it was more grilled steak on a bed of mash potatoes but these mash potatoes were savory like gravy. I wish I got my friend's dish. The mixed grilled meats were a lot closer to doners or skewer meat. Different cuts but also different flavors. What they had in common was a sort of spice-forward sizzling taste. My friend got two appetizers (which I also don't know the name of) but were definitely the most beautifully presented foods I've had in a long while. They were both creams but one had a pepper in it (not the spicy kind). The pepper one was a light refreshing sourness and the other was a heavier but not heeeeavy savory one. Both great to dip your bread in. I wanted to try the lemon cookie for dessert but my friend got us all Tres Leches by accident. That was great but I would say the most non-novel out of everything we got. Delicious, just not something out of the norm-- which is what I go for when I'm trying a new cuisine like Albanian. I wouldn't say this is normal day-to-day Albanian (I have a few friends), it's more like the Americana equivalent, an upscale where Albanians go out to eat.

    Food/drinks: Everything we ordered was really delicious! Want to come back to try other items on…read morethe menu, this was my first time having Albanian food Thought the bread that came with the dips was just okay cause it was dry but I'm not sure if that is how it's supposed to be Atmosphere: really cute and cozy inside, there is an outdoor back section that is also cute! Service: friendly! Servers explained menu and provided recommendations Price: as expected in NY

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    Çka Ka Qëllue
    Çka Ka Qëllue
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    ilili NoMad

    ilili NoMad

    4.1
    (2.9k reviews)
    1.0 mi
    $$$

    Gorgeous upscale dinner spot in midtown! We came as a group of 7 and were seated comfortably, lots…read moreof room within the restaurant. Great place to share several food items with a group. It was a little hard to hear and converse at times as it gets crowded, but the food was delicious and there are really unique items on the menu. Food: The duck shawarma was one of our favorites! The lamb and scallops were also flavorful and tender. The dips were delicious with the pita, but I wish the serving size for the dips were bigger. The fries were great - well seasoned! Also recommend the milky pudding, it was a nice refreshing way to end the dinner. Service: Our server was super helpful in letting us know what items are more shareable and his suggestions for cocktails. Definitely try some of the arak based cocktails. Vibe: Gorgeous interior, the mirrors and lighting really elevates the space and makes it a lovely spot for group dinners or dates.

    We went for Mother's Day brunch. When we arrived a few minutes early we did have to wait a bit. The…read morerestaurant had two floors, nicely decorated and cozy. We were lead upstairs to a table. There were 7 of us The seating was cozy but not cramped. We started with 7 family style small dishes: Hummus with Falafel Pops (chickpea purée, tahini, falafel, olive oil), Spring Burrata (roasted cherry tomatoes, toast, basil oil), Hamachi Crudo (passionfruit vinaigrette, citrus zest, cucumber, mint, sesame tuile), Scallops (carrot puree, serrano pepper, brown butter sauce), Tenderloin Skewer (zaatar chimichurri, fresh herb salad), and Shiitake Stuffed Grape Leaves (tomato coulis, yogurt foam, herbs). Everything was delicious. The hummus was well seasoned the falafel had a nice crunch. It went well with the warm puffy gyro bread that came to the table. The burrata was wasm and creamy. I love the vinaigrette on the fish. I ended up eating most of it. The scallops were the sweetest, most tender ones I have ever had. The tenderloin skewers were tender and well seasoned. I liked the grape leaves but the rice consistency was very soft almost mushy and you can barely tell there were mushrooms. There was barely any mushrooms flavor. Next we all chose an entree. I got the duck breast, my husband and daughter each had the beef tenderloin. The duck breast was smaller than i expected. The skin was nicely seared and very crispy but boy did it give my jaw a workout. It was done medium rare. It was juicy but tough. The small beef tenderloin was tender and smoky. The waiter poured the sauce over the tenderloin for added flavor. Finally dessert was a fruit plate with ice cream and pudding. The fruit was fresh and the flavors of the ice cream and pudding unique. It was a nice end to a good brunch. The price was a little expensive at $85 a person.

    Photos
    Ilili Restaurant NYC's outdoor dining
    Ilili Restaurant NYC's outdoor dining
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    Ravagh Persian Grill

    Ravagh Persian Grill

    4.0
    (1.2k reviews)
    0.8 mi
    $$

    We visited New York from California and didn't expect to find such incredible Persian food, but…read moreRavagh completely exceeded our expectations. Every dish was full of authentic flavor and perfectly prepared--it quickly became our favorite spot in the city. In fact, we ended up dining here three times during our one-week vacation because we just couldn't stay away. The quality, consistency, and warm atmosphere made it feel like a home away from home. A special thank you to Moosa and Joel, the restaurant managers, for their generosity and outstanding hospitality. They truly made our experience even more memorable. We will definitely be back on our next trip!

    First time visiting New York and I was seriously craving good kabobs after a long day of exploring…read more We found this place and it ended up being such a gem! We made a reservation earlier in the day and everything from start to finish was smooth. Everyone was so welcoming and kind, which made the experience even better. The food was AMAZING, super fresh, top quality, and the portions were huge. Definitely worth every penny. The kabobs were flavorful, juicy, and honestly some of the best I've had. You can tell they really care about the food and overall experience here. If you're visiting NYC or even local and looking for delicious Persian food, definitely give this place a try. So happy this ended up being one of our first food spots in New York!

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    ilili Box - mediterranean - Updated July 2026

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