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Shalel, New York, NY

Shalel

4.5 (290)
$50 and over
Mediterranean
65 W 70th St, New York, NY 10023

Make a reservation

2 people
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
9:00 PM
Booked 15 times today

About this restaurant

  • Charming
  • Neighborhood gem
  • Romantic
Shalel has served New Yorkers since 2000 and is dedicated to the variety and excellency of Mediterranean cooking. Shalel draws its inspiration from dishes and design of the coastal Mediterranean: Morocco, Palestine, Israel, Turkey, Greece, Italy, the Côte d’Azur, and Spain. Shalel's unique underground space is a relaxed, candlelit setting where highlights include Shalel’s namesake waterfall, indoor plants, fresh cut flowers, and an “alimentari” market of various Mediterranean products. Walk down the rose petal covered stairs to this underground restaurant.

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Cocktail Bar
  • Hours of operation
    Bar Mon–Wed, Sun 4:30 pm–11:00 pm Thu–Sat 4:30 pm–12:00 am Dinner Mon–Wed, Sun 4:30 pm–9:45 pm Thu–Sat 4:30 pm–10:45 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Catering
    We offer a weekly Shabbat menu and are open to catering inquiries.
  • Private party facilities
    We have several private rooms appropriate for special events - please inquire by phone at 212-873-2300.
  • Delivery & takeout
  • Neighborhood
    Lincoln Square
  • Cross street
    Just east of the corner of Columbus Ave & W. 70th Street.
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Public transit
    Bus Station Columbus Ave & W 69th (M11 - M7) and Central Pk West & W 70th (M10 - M72) Subway Central Pk West & 72 St. (A/C/E), Subway 72 St. and Broadway (1/2/3)
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Delivery, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Vegan, Wine

What 290 people are saying

Shalel reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.5
4.5 based on recent ratings
  • 4.5Food
  • 4.5Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.2Value

NoiseModerate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Shalel offers a unique underground dining experience with a "romantic, private, and cozy" ambiance. Guests rave about the "wonderful service" and "absolutely delicious food," featuring a diverse Mediterranean menu. With "creative cocktails" and "conversation-friendly" noise levels, it's perfect for date nights or special occasions. A "hidden gem" of New York City!
290 Reviews
  1. Ariane

    Mississippi3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always love going to Shalel. Great food and wine options, service is always good, and the vibes/ambiance are super special. Good place to take people from out of town for a unique dinner.

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  2. Hans

    New York City3 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on May 10, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    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.

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  3. Riley

    New York City3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 10, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Wonderful ambiance, wonderful service, food, and drinks. Had the frozen banana cocktail-so summery! The starters were fantastic-dips, cauliflower, and beet salad. Our main dishes were excellent!

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  4. Jai

    New Orleans9 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 3, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This restaurant is definitely a hidden gem in the UWS. We were placed in a quiet private room with cute curtains and Mediterranean vibes. Our server was amazing! Very on top of everything but not overbearing. The food was great! Great use of authentic spices and the dishes were authentic. Very fun dinner experience and will definitely be coming back!

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  5. OpenTable Diner VIP

    Greater Boston4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 2, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Delicious interesting menu.

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  6. Jeri

    New York City3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 30, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Impeccable food and impeccable service! 10/10 would recommend

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  7. Fred VIP

    New York City1 review

    3.0

    Dined on April 26, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    Charming and very unique, but the food is disappointing

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  8. James

    New York City1 review

    2.0

    Dined on April 26, 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 5
    Appetizer was small for the price. Cocktails didn’t come until we finished our meal. Still hungry at the end but didn’t want to order more food and wait forever for round two of cocktails.

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  9. Mel VIP

    New York City67 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on April 25, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    Entering this restaurant takes a leap of faith, or at least courage. It is at the bottom of a narrow external metal staircase to the basement of a lowrise apartment building on a quiet side street. Then walk past the puddles about 20 feet to get to the front door. Once inside, the place is, uh, funky -- a series of small rooms, universally dark, with small tables and benches with cushions. Oriental carpets covered the floor in the small chamber we were in. Seating the sofa-like benches was a bit low for us. The table itself was perhaps 18" deep. Thankfully, the food is excellent. It made the entry adventure worth it, for sure. We shared an appetizer -- SPANAKOPITES ($18), more than enough for two-- "feta, mozzarella, myzithra, spinach, onions, wrapped in phyllo dough." We ordered two chicken entrees -- CHICKEN BASTEEYA ($35) "saffron, ginger, and cinnamon braised chicken, toasted almonds perfumed with orange blossom water, flaky pastry, topped with cinnamon sugar" and the RAS-EL-HANOUT CHICKEN KEBAB ($35)--"roasted vegetables, basmati pilaf, tzatziki, warm pita. The mix of spices of every dish was perfect--delicate, flavorful, surprising -- but not "hot". We'll probably come back here for the food.

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  10. Jordan VIP

    Washington DC2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 25, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Beautiful quiet underground experience. We sat near a mini waterfall which was beautiful. Food was second to none and so were the cocktails.

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FAQs

Shalel offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (212) 873-2300.

Shalel is rated 4.5 stars by 290 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. New York City
  4. Manhattan
  5. Lincoln Square

Make a reservation


Booked 15 times today
Google Map for Shalel

65 W 70th St, New York, NY 10023

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Just east of the corner of Columbus Ave & W. 70th Street.
  • Neighborhood
    Lincoln Square
  • Hours of operation
    Bar Mon–Wed, Sun 4:30 pm–11:00 pm Thu–Sat 4:30 pm–12:00 am Dinner Mon–Wed, Sun 4:30 pm–9:45 pm Thu–Sat 4:30 pm–10:45 pm
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Cocktail Bar
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Public transit
    Bus Station Columbus Ave & W 69th (M11 - M7) and Central Pk West & W 70th (M10 - M72) Subway Central Pk West & 72 St. (A/C/E), Subway 72 St. and Broadway (1/2/3)
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Delivery, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Vegan, Wine
  • Delivery & takeout
  • Phone number
  • Catering
    We offer a weekly Shabbat menu and are open to catering inquiries.
  • Private party facilities
    We have several private rooms appropriate for special events - please inquire by phone at 212-873-2300.
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
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