Miriam - Upper West Side

“Fantastic lunch in a pleasant environment with friendly service. The food was really tasty, made with good quality ingredients. We loved the hummus topped with lamb shawarma and schnitzel dish. Real food, made with intention and served with organic but beautiful presentation. Great vibes all around, would definitely go back.”

“Miriam’s in NYC is an absolute gem. I love everything about this spot—from the warm, inviting atmosphere to the gorgeous décor, especially the beautiful tile work in the bathrooms. The food is always fresh, flavorful, and thoughtfully prepared. Our favorites are the Traditional Shakshuka and Miriam’s Famous Breakfast—both perfect, comforting dishes that keep us coming back. A wonderful place for a relaxed, delicious meal in the city.”

“Side note- The menu online has slightly different descriptions than what we had, so perhaps it changes a bit seasonally. I was at this Israeli restaurant a few months back with two others, having also gone to their more casual Miriam Street Food location in Brooklyn before. As usual with those two, we overordered, leaving us with leftovers, with the server happily obliging. I don't think I had anything to drink besides maybe a glass of wine, but I might be mistaken (I definitely didn't have a cocktail.) We started with a handful of appetizers and a salad. The Hummus for $16, with tadka-spiced wild mushrooms, harissa, and pita, was pretty solid. There were plenty of mushrooms, and the hummus had a good texture, being slightly thick but not too much so, and the pita was standard. The harissa on the side of the plate was a unique touch, adding some spiciness if desired, and reminded me a bit of having shifka or another type of spicy pickle with hummus or other dips. It was good overall, though I think the hummus is a bit better quality at a few other spots on the UWS. The Eggplant for $15, with tomato confit, melted feta, halloumi, mozzarella, and green tahini, was more unique. The dish was quite rich overall, and a bit salty, and the eggplant itself had a soft texture and was well-roasted. I would recommend it as a mezze, but only for sharing, as I think it will get a bit too rich eventually. The Halloumi Salad, for $23, with baby arugula, grilled artichoke, walnuts, string beans, cremini mushrooms, and walnut vinaigrette, was pretty good. The cheese was nice along with the mix of vegetables, but I found the dish overall a bit too sour and salty between the vinaigrette and the cheese. I think a slightly sweeter dressing would be more preferable. I think others might also find it a bit wet for a salad, but I didn't mind. My main is the Steak Levant, for $34, which is listed online now with tri-tip steak, Swiss chard, white and fava bean stew, root vegetable purée, and Jerusalem artichoke chips. Back then, or now, if the menu wasn't updated, it was simply served with roasted tomatoes and shoestring fries. The steak was pretty solid and quite tender, and while it lacked a bit of salt, the fries helped. The fries themselves were a mix of textures, with some pretty crispy and some a bit too soggy, though that was perhaps because some were in the meat or tomato juice. It was pretty good overall, though a bit one-note with a sauce likely helping with the fries. Another person got the Lamb Shawarma Terracotta, for the same price with majadra rice, slow-roasted tomato, harissa, yogurt sauce, and almonds. I tried a bit of this, and it reminded me of a better version of the same dish at either Acadia or Barbounia. At those spots, the yogurt is a bit too strong, and the meat just isn't as good as it is less flavored. For this spot, the lamb was cooked more properly, and the whole dish had a bit more balance with the harissa adding a nice extra kick of spice. This was good, and I preferred it over my main. I believe the other person got the same steak as I. We shared a dessert, which was easily the weakest thing we had. This was the Rose Babka for $15, served with vanilla ice cream. I expected it to have a rosewater flavor, given that the spot is Israeli, but in fact, the babka just really resembled one. I wouldn't have minded if the flavor was good, but the babka itself was very dry, and even though it looked like there was a good amount of chocolate, it was pretty lightly flavored. Outside of the alright ice cream, this was honestly terrible and the weakest dessert of any similar Levant spot in the area, with all three of us not wanting to finish it. This was overall a good spot, though I have preferred some others. It wasn't the best for any specific dish, but it was solid overall.”

“We ordered the Israeli Breakfast. It consists of scrambled eggs turkey bacon pita and Home fries. My home fries were cold and a little burnt however I put ketchup on them to mask the taste. My father and I had brunch here which I located by Google and it was close to their hotel. I ordered a mimosa and my father had ice water the service was top-notch and the food came out promptly. I thought the place would be somewhat crowded because the day was nice and the hours were between 12 and two which is considered lunch/brunch hours. There was no line and we were seated right away. Olive oil came with the pita bread which I tried but was not a fan of that olive oil. I do not know which brand they use but it did not taste good. Needless to say I ate my pita bread dry or I should have probably asked for avocado or butter on the side. The food was bland and needed salt and pepper which I had to ask for because it was not on the table. Overall the place has great service reservations are required online because I can imagine how busy this place can be on the weekends as we went on a weekday and in the early afternoon so we did not run into any issues regarding getting a seat quickly and it was only two of us. I would only recommend this restaurant if you are looking for food that is not rich in flavor. I know you cannot do too much with scrambled eggs however I was looking forward to those potatoes enjoying it with my pita bread and olive oil but I did not. The food felt very much thrown together and there was no synergy on the plate. I will not be back or recommend for a brunch.”

“I really wanted to love this place. It has all the right dishes for a Israeli mediterranean restaurant. The hummus was good and so are the pittas. The service is quick and nice. The price is good. but. The meat (schnitzel and shawarma) were not very good. The spices were great. The malawach we not fried/cooked through, the labane was boring, there was something plain about the shakshuka. Then the Kanafe was very bad, not sweat at all, the cheese too salty, and for sure undercooked.”