Shalel is a beautiful space that really makes you feel transported out of the city. The interior is warm and inviting, and the whole experience feels a bit like an escape. Service was great, friendly and accommodating, even though we had a late reservation close to kitchen closing, which we really appreciated. The food was just as impressive, especially in both flavor and portion size. The baba ghanoush was delicious and tasted just like the ones I grew up eating. The mixed grill was a standout in terms of value, with tender, well-seasoned meats and a generous portion. The chicken tagine was equally satisfying, with moist chicken and vegetables that complemented everything nicely. We finished with the warm date tart, which was definitely on the sweeter side but perfect if you enjoy desserts like that. Overall, it's a great spot for flavorful food, large portions, and an amazing atmosphere. read more

Me and my friend just literally just walked by and the delicious smell stopped us. There is no signs just a menu outside by the entrance. We decided to try and OMG the first impression was absolutely amazing, I felt like I was in Morocco. The food we ordered were excellent and services were great. We not only dine we also met the locals who been dining there for years. I highly recommend this restaurant! I will be back very soon with more friends! read more

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A truly hidden (hard to find!) gem! The food was delicious, staff nice, and ambiance was so cute and cozy! Will definitely be back read more

Shalel - Meze , Jerusalem Artichoke Fritters , salad - Moroccan Near Me - New York, New York

Great spot for a drink! The restaurant is below ground and the vibe is awesome. You feel like you've been transported into another world. I only tried the drinks at the bar, but they were delicious and the bartender was friendly. I'd definitely recommend this spot! read more

We loved our first experience at Shalel so much that we came back with the kids. Bad. Decision. This time, the service was suspiciously fast--like "Are we being gently rushed out?" fast. We were in and out in 45 minutes, and the food... well... let's just say it peaked during visit #1. Here's the rundown of what went from "yum" to "meh": - Shrimp with Garlic - No. Just no. It had a funky taste, and shrimp should never be described as "funky" unless they're dancing. - Chicken Tagine - Tasty, yes, but we got two pieces of chicken. Two. The last time , hubby and I got at least four. What happened? Budget cuts? Chicken shortage? - Dates - These were actually delicious. - Cucumber Drink - Last time it was refreshing. This time it was... chewy? I don't know, but beverages shouldn't require chewing. And with that, I think we're done here... read more

Great date spot! I loved the little rooms and decor which made it intimate. Definitely make a reservation or be okay with sitting at one of the eight seats at the bar. We were a party of four and got this cute table in the back which felt so private. The service was great! I liked the pomegranate margarita; it wasn't too sweet and was refreshing. We also ordered a bottle of the Syrah which was great. Our favorite apps were the fritters and the bacon wrapped dates. I liked the lamb tagine, it was just a little salty for me. Overall, I would definitely come back. It was a little pricey for what it was, but the ambiance made up for it! read more

Shalel - Moroccan Near Me - New York, New York

Loved the vibe. The restaurant is a few steps below grade and comprised of all these small rooms around the main bar area. Food was flavorful. We got Tagine and mixed grill and a fatoush salad. Overall great experience and would love to go back with our friends read more

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This place was great with an interesting space subterranean like with a river flowing thru it...very private little knocks and crannies. The menu was interesting with Moroccan fare I liked my tangine and the Moroccan cigars too. read more

Shalel - Moroccan Near Me - New York, New York

The ambiance here needs to be seen to be believed! It's downstairs in a cave-like atmosphere, and very dark. One room has a trickling fountain, and rose petals are strewn everywhere. So romantic - although hard to see the menu, that's how dark it is. Service was great - our server continually checked up on us, and the somm came by to open the bottle of wine. Food was good but did not blow me away. The chicken kebab was the best of the mains. read more

Shalel - Bacon wrapped Baked Dates, Roasted Beet & Orange Salad, gambas - Moroccan Near Me - New York, New York

Went to Shaleh with a friend on a Sunday night without a reservation, and we were seated fairly quickly. The restaurant had an intimate atmosphere, with dim lighting and a charming interior -- definitely a great date spot. The service was prompt and friendly. We tried the spread mezze, vegetarian moussaka, and butternut squash bruschetta. The portions were on the smaller side. The moussaka was on the oilier side. The food was decent, but nothing special, so the ambiance and service played a bigger role in enhancing the overall experience. read more

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Food and atmosphere was amazing. We shared the Jerusalem artichoke fritters, the salmon and steak kebabs were delicious! Blue pea flower tea to end the meal. Service was outstanding and the ambience was delightful! read more

Shalel - Moroccan Near Me - New York, New York

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The beau insisted we finally try this place after friends recently had a nice experience. I've always been hesitant because of the impression I get from the subterranean entrance. I'm glad we pushed through and went. Once inside you feel transported to a faraway land. It's dark and mysterious with a labyrinthine feel. We ate in the bar area which was quite lively and were able to watch the patrons come and go. This place was hopping on a Saturday night. Who knew?! Highly recommended for a romantic evening and something different. The food was good, the server was good (but never did deliver our pita) and the overall experience was enjoyable. read more

Shalel - Moroccan Near Me - New York, New York

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I came here on a Thursday night at 730pm with reservations. Half of us arrived early so we sat at the bar and ordered drinks. I ordered the Manhattan and my girlfriend ordered the pomegranate margarita. Both drinks were very good but a bit pricey. The Manhattan was $17 and the margarita was $18. When the rest of the party arrived we were seated right away and put into an almost private booth. The atmosphere is very rustic but cozy. We ordered the bacon wrapped dates and artichoke fritters as apps. Both were very good and I would order them again. For dinner I ordered the shakshouka ($20) and added the lamb meat (+$10 extra). The dish was very good but would have liked more bread to eat the dish with. Again the dish was good but a bit expensive for what it was. Overall service was great and food was tasty. I would say it's worth trying but due to price not sure I would come running back. read more

Shalel - Bar - Moroccan Near Me - New York, New York

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We had 5:30 PM reservations at Shalel near the Beacon Theater before a show and arrived exactly on time. Despite the charm of the room, the evening went downhill fast. The drinks were excellent. The food was outstanding -- the kitchen clearly knows what it's doing. Unfortunately, the front of house seems intent on sabotaging it. Our waitress was curt from the start. After dinner, we asked for the check. One member of our party stepped away to use the restroom. At 6:55 PM -- well short of two hours -- we were told they "needed the table." We said we'd leave as soon as our guest returned. Five minutes later, with our friend still waiting in a restroom line, the manager arrived to inform us we had exceeded the two-hour limit and had to vacate immediately. Our reservation was at 5:30 PM. That means 7:30 PM -- not 7:00. The math isn't complicated. I've worked in restaurants. If you need a table, there's a professional way to handle it. This wasn't it. It was graceless, inhospitable, and unnecessary. We spent over $80 per person. The dismissive treatment from both the waitress and the manager completely erased the charm of the space and the excellence of the food. With competent hospitality, this could be a great pre-theater option. Instead, it's a lesson in how to drive customers away. We won't be back. read more

This was one of the best meals I've had in NYC! Do not sleep on the Chicken Basteeya -warmed seasoned pulled chicken with cinnamon, saffron, and ginger in a flaky pastry. read more

Brought my mom here for her birthday dinner. Without knowing anything about the location, I booked the greenhouse which was a strange narrow storage closet at the entrance of the restaurant. I enjoyed the natural light and the privacy of the space, but once it got dark, I definitely wished we'd opted to sit in the actual restaurant. The space is really neat. Lots of little nooks and crannies that are unique and cozy. The food was great. We started with the MEDITERRANEAN MEZZE 25 (hummus, tzatziki, babaghanoush, tirokafteri, harissa, grilled pita), SPANAKOPITES, and SICILIAN CAULIFLOWER AND HALLOUMI CHEESE. For my meal I got the CHICKEN TAGINE A LA FEZ, and my mom got the FILET MIGNON KEBAB. All the food came out delicious and hot and our servers were very friendly. They stuck a candle in our olive oil cake for dessert for my mom which was a very kind gesture (although the cake itself was not great). read more

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This is now my third time dining at Shalel and each time I loved my time there. The place is in a basement space. it is candle lit and the space is compartmentalized into small spaces with banquets and cushions. Very warm, intimate, cozy, beautiful ! You feel you are in a little bit of a labyrinth. Also, I think this set up makes it not too loud which is a very good thing too. The food includes all the classics of the Mediterranean sea: the moussaka, the tagine, the Lebanese salad, etc. etc. Everything is truly delicious ! The wine list is large of of good quality, you ll be able to choose between a chianti classico, a barbera d'alba, a tempranillo, an argentinian malbec, a cote du rhone, a chinon, etc etc.... And the service is efficient and sweet. Love it ! read more

Ambiance wins the day ( night) but food is amazing, fresh and well prepared. Great service to go along with it read more

Shalel - Moroccan Near Me - New York, New York

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A very cozy underground Mediterranean restaurant in upper west side. Perfect spot for a date night before a show at Lincoln Center or the Beacon Theater. Service was great. Food was delicious. Definitely recommend the spicy feta. The cocktails could be better. This was my second time here. The first time was just for feta and a drink at the bar. My drink then was just okay as well. read more

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A hole in the basement restaurant in UWS. I wouldn't say the ambience is romantic, while they dim the light really low that I couldn't even see what's in my food. The decor is morrocan but food is a mixture of Moroccan, Portuguese and Italian. The seats seem crowded and not comfortable. Don't book outdoor seating unless you want to be on a basement alley right under the sidewalk We didn't make reservation so we were seated at the bar, as we were told all the tables were booked. But the table right behind us that we asked for were empty the entire time even when we finished the meal, the restaurant didn't seem busy at all but they didn't want to sit three of us on the table. The service was awful. There were three of us but only two menus were available while the restaurant was only half full. Light was so dim and only candles were available, it was hard to read. Asked for the wine menu, we were also told that the menu disappeared. The food was mediocre for its price, lamb Tagine is $37 for couple pieces of meat on couscous. Flavor was alright, not very authentic to my taste compare to when you eat in Morocco. The only thing that stood out was the cod Croquets. The wine we ordered Shiraz was definitely a low quality wine but at a high price point. I don't see myself coming back here. read more

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Vibe: 9.2/10 Service: 10/10 Value: 8/10 Sicilian cauliflower with fried halloumi: 8.2/10 Chicken basteeya: 8.5/10 Mixed grill: 8/10 Overall: 8.65/10 (4.33/5) read more

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Loved the atmosphere. Definitely wished for larger cups of water. Poor waiter had to come back so many times to refill. But he was so kind. Loved the bacon wrapped dates. Butternut squash bruschetta was spicy and didn't have a ton of flavor. read more

Shalel - Baked Dates and Butternut Squash Bruschetta - Moroccan Near Me - New York, New York

Cute restaurant on UWS with a cozy basement setting and good food. Came here at recommendation of a friend who also joined us. Food is a mix of Moroccan and eastern Mediterranean, and while I found it tasty I will say it seemed a little overpriced for my taste. Reservations are strongly recommended. Our friend said we could just show up and he always get a table, but we ended having to sit at the bar. We asked for an empty table but was told that it was reserved, however, no one ever showed up so that was a bit of bummer. Bar seating was fine in the end. Service has room for improvement, our experience was borderline comedic. There were 3 people but only 2 menus, and it was a real effort to find the third one, which seemed odd given the intimate size of the restaurants. The wine menu couldn't be found either so we just had to ask about individual bottles and the bartender would look up the prices in the system. Food was pretty good. My favorite dishes were the Butternut Squash Bruschetta and Chicken Basteeya. The Bacalhau croquetas were just alright, in hindsight I might have ordered bacon wrapped dates. Overall the experience was fine but not exceptional. I hope they make improvements to the service. read more

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You can taste the care in the food and feel it in the service. The meals here are mouth-watering. The menu offers fair prices. Employees combined warm interactions with attentive service. This restaurant breaks from the ordinary! read more

The fixed menu was, fixed, for Valentine's day. We got a salad and a singular stuffed calamari. I got a Tagine broth dish which was good. My significant other got the salmon and she enjoyed it. 250 bucks. To each their own, aint my vibe tho. Waiter and service was good! read more

Ambiance: Amazing Cocktails: Good Artichoke Fritters: Amazing Mixed Grill Main Plate - Chicken: like eating rubber. I couldn't finish it - Steak: like eating leather, I barely finished it - Kabob: insanely good, but only one very small slice Overall this dish was terrible, I've never had chicken or steak so bad at a restaurant. The $45 price tag made it even more painful The main dish was so bad I left pretty upset, I could not recommend. read more

I had a lovely night at Shalel. This was my first time in, as I'd stumbled upon it after a long day at work. After walking down the stairs, I was met with a beautiful classy ambiance. Melaina greeted me warmly and assured me there was a space "just for me" at the bar. When I sat, Austin immediately offered me water. I've been many places where the staff ignores you, so it was awesome that everyone was so attentive immediately. The bartender (Andrew I think?) was even accommodating when I asked for extra cherries :) It was great to stop in here after a long day. I will definitely be back! read more

You get the essentials plus thoughtful extras here. The team's friendly nature is consistent. The local food scene includes this satisfying spot. The dishes demonstrate quality through taste and ingredients. I'm definitely coming back soon. read more

You need to come try the food in this cute underground grotto. The dim lighting and close seating lends itself to be the perfect date night spot. The service was impecable. Our waiter was very friendly and accommodating. The dishes are portioned well at the price point. We celebrated a birthday and they brought us out a piece of olive oil cake at the end. We were stuffed but it was good. It was adorned with gooseberries, lowkey my favorite berry and segmented oranges. As for the apps and mains we got so much. The branzino was perfectly flaky. The edges were crispy but beware it's not deboned so eating it was a little cumbersome. We got the mixed grill plater, it came with chicken lamb and steak. All three meats were juicy and tender and the rice was flavorful and soaked up the juices from the meat. We also got the lamb cigars, tirokafteti, and the spanakopitas. It was all good the spanakopitas were prolly the best I've ever had. They were huge. The lamb cigars came with this spicy sauce. tirokafteti comes with a generous amount of pita. I really have nothing bad to say. We loved our experience here. I do recommend making a reservation as the place is small. read more

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First attempt to come here didn't work out as we had dogs and their modest outdoor seating wasn't available. The second attempt took a little bit of time for a Friday evening, but was able to get a table for two within 15 minutes. Started off with the Housemade Flatbread ($11) - a personal pizza sized starter with zatar spice on top and olive oil to the side. Good flavor on the spices, but can get dry without a healthy serving of the olive oil. For the main course, ordered the Chicken Tagine ($28). Succulent meat brewing in dark broth, served with steamed carrots and cous cous. Chicken was great while the veggies and cous cous are an afterthought. Well worth saving the bread to sop the broth. Service here is friendly and the ambiance is great for a date night. Best to put a reservation in advance for dinner. read more

Shalel - Zatar bread - Moroccan Near Me - New York, New York

The owner had a mental breakdown in front of me and threatened to call the police if I didn't leave. It was obvious he was having an issue and it made for the most unpleasant experience. I have gone several times and this was a disappointing shock. Avoid at all costs!! read more

This spot has nice atmosphere. I kept finding new things to appreciate. Every plate shows care in arrangement. The team makes the space feel inviting. This restaurant is worth visiting right away! read more

To be clear -- 5 isn't enough!! The ambiance alone is dreamy. Their romantic decor gets you at the door. The charm of this hidden gem pulls you in from the start of your experience. Delicious Lebanese small plates and mains. Their fattoush salad is very good and the filet medallions paired with Baba Ganoush or Hummus are great! Be sure to try the lamb. It's so juicy! This service is perfect -- prepare for an escape from the bussle and hussle of NYC. They don't subscribe to that pace, THANK GOD. They take you on a Mediterranean journey through your evening complete with exotic drinks and delicious flavors. Make a reservation before you come and if you're lucky, be sure not to miss their indoor romantic waterfall. There are two (only two) tables immediately facing this waterfall. While they don't guarantee seating, if you make a reservation and you're patient on arrival, things have a way of working out. Thank you to the staff of an incredible Birthday dining experience! read more

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The restaurant shows extraordinary skill. Staff members handled things rapidly, competently, and warmly. The whole party was impressed by their dishes. This place surprises with its affordable menu. This restaurant has secured my repeated business. read more

The restaurant space itself becomes part of the experience. The staff delivers strong assistance with kindness. They ensure you leave satisfied. I'm repeatedly impressed by their attention to detail. This restaurant shouldn't be missed any longer. read more

The subterranean adventure of Shalel was perhaps an odd choice for the end of a beautiful sunny afternoon but it did not disappoint. We had the lamb on the bone tagine and chicken a la fez tagine entrees which were both good but the standouts were the jamon serrano croquetas and the gambas al ajillo. There also has to be a special mention of the Lan Crianza, Tempranillo 2020. I have just ordered a couple bottles to enjoy at home. Ambiance was perfect. A not loud and very private table for two, a rarity in New York City. read more

So the best thing about this restaurant is definitely the ambiance, which is admittedly very cool. The restaurant is downstairs and it feels like you're in an underground cave. You're seated in these semi-enclosed spaces, which feels very cozy and intimate. The food itself though was average at best. I think the only thing I enjoyed was the lamb meatballs. Pita and dips weren't any better than the stuff you can find in grocery stores. Chicken tagine was tender but not very flavorful. Steak kabobs were surprisingly well cooked but all the components of the dish clashed with each other. read more

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Went with a party of 15, three generations ages 10-84 on a November Saturday night. Wonderful ambience, a space and vibe that transports you to another part of the world. Our room felt like a home, with all of us sitting on comfy cushions, able to see everyone's faces. Staff was super attentive, particularly with making those with special needs comfortable. Food was loved by all. Nice drink list. Not too pricey. Great spot. read more

Me and my partner were already having a bad date to start off the night from previously choosing another restaurant. Thankfully we were able to find this restaurant which fixed our whole night. If you want an intimate, quiet, and unique experience I recommend to go to this restaurant. The building and architecture of this restaurant is so unique and you never know where your going to end up. Each room has an entirely different vibe and decor which makes you want to go back just to see what each room offers. Although the portions were small we were surprisingly filled by the end of the night. The drink we got was the Kumquat Gin, definitely recommend if you like more bitter and citrusy drinks. We also got the Chicken Bastilla which could be best described as a chicken pie or chicken torta (Argentine). The Mezze spread was a good appetizer and gives you a good spread of different choices. Our server was super attentive and sweet. We could also see them cleaning the tables after each person left so the dining areas were very clean. Also fun note, if you come at a good time and with a larger party you might be able to score a spot on the couch. :) We will definitely be back! read more

Shalel - Mediterranean Mezze Spreads Chicken Bastilla - Moroccan Near Me - New York, New York

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One of my favorite restaurants on the UWS. It's kind of like being transported into another world which is hard to do in the city. Drinks and food are excellent. Great for either a date night or an intimate group gathering if you can book in advance. We celebrated my birthday there recently and everyone had an awesome time. Note: the entrance can be easy to miss as you have to take a staircase underground- i think that adds to the charm read more