Miriam Reviews

Weekend brunch here was basically unbearable. Noisy, noisy, noisy, loud kids and louder adults, as if no one had thought of any acoustical design. Wait staff was stand-off-ish and unfriendly. Food was OK but nothing special, especially for the price. The kitchen was unforgivably slow. And, curiously, after eating, when I told the manager that the toilet in the restroom didn't flush properly, he had the nerve to suggest it was my fault because, he said, I "didn't jiggle the handle properly," meaning he knew it wasn't working properly. Miriam boasts an Israeli menu, and perhaps the level of unfriendly service for overpriced food in a noisy environment with a defective restroom toilet might pass muster of be considered acceptable in Israel, it surely didn't "pass muster" for a mixed clientele on the Upper West Side of New York City. My verdict: Never Again. And, I would suggest that the rude manager, as well as the wait staff, work on their low-class social, interpersonal skills.

Miriams is an amazing place to eat in NYC! GREAT food! I had a lamb burger and it was UNBELIEVABLE! Also had the falafel it was my first time trying it and it was great! I would definitely go back again!

We were looking for a place to have a late supper on a rainy evening. We bumped into Miriam, sat on their covered patio, and ordered three mezzes to share. Our waiter helped us choose. It is always fun to discover new foods! It was the perfect way to close our wandering day. Thank you.

This place is amazing, we went to the beacon theater last night , we past by before the show , the food was fantastic, we set on the bar the bartender was super friendly, and the atmosphere was magical. Highly recommended.

Unfortunately not as promising as it looks. Small portions, high prices, not even remotely resembling the great Israeli food or hospitality. Everything is calculated and the service is without any soul. Very disappointing.

Excellent brunch spot on the UWS! The Jerusalem bagel was the best I've ever had! The labeneh and zatar seasoning were perfectly blended. The challah french toast was delicious. Highly recommend this spot. The staff were friendly, and graciously handled a very rude guest that entered before us -- the hostess handled it with class and kindness.

Israeli food. Large portions. Three distinct dining rooms. Lovely decor. Great service. I had the chicken shish kabob.

Went to Miriam tonight for the first time. What a treat it was. Had reservations for 8 and they kindly seated us early as our table was already ready. We had a Jersalem bagel for bread which was so hearty, warm and delicious. We each started with Mediterranean Salad--tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, wrapped in grilled eggplant strips, sesame seed, za’atar pita croutons. topped with creamy French feta & tossed with light lemon herb vinaigrette. I saw a dish with a crust being delivered to another table and asked our lovely server what that was, and she replied that it was Lamb Shawarma Terracotta--Persian Rice, Shaved Almond, Lamb, Onions, Harissa & Yogurt Sauce with baked flatbread On A Terracotta Bowl. That was so hearty and delicious--it was big enough that we shared that as an entree. The server was so lovely. Each table has a decanter with mint water so that we could refill our glasses as we pleased. The atmosphere in the restaurant was light and happy. The bathrooms were the cleanest bathrooms I've ever seen anywhere--including Four Seasons, St. Regis. I can't believe it was my first time going. It will most certainly not be my last! I don't know what Israeli cuisine is, but I expect it is like what they serve at Miriam. I highly recommend it. No doubt it's a neighborhood favorite from how busy it was tonight.

The food is pretty good but the ambiance is lousy. It's loud and the lights are too bright. It feels almost like a dining hall at a college dorm. Worst of all, the staff hurry you through your dinner so they can fill the next table. We made the mistake of ordering our entrees when we ordered our drinks. They brought our food within five minutes of ordering. They act like they don't want you there. If you're in a hurry and need to get some food in you, it's not a bad choice. The food was pretty good though unremarkable. If you want a nice evening, go somewhere else. I think their attitude is obnoxious and I will not there again. Idiots.

My family of 4 dined at Miriam last Thursday night to celebrate my birthday. We ordered 3 dipping plates, pita, Beet and Frisee salad, Brussel sprouts, Sticky lamb ribs, and the lamb Shawarma Terracotta. For dessert we had the scrumptious Kanafeh. Everything was absolutely delicious. Everything was so fresh, hot and had a beautiful presentation. The service was excellent too. Zach was our waiter and he was so personable and hard working. If you want to have a fabulous dining experience, make a reservation and go ASAP.

We love this place for brunch, lunch and dinner and would normally give 5-stars. Today, brunch food and service were fantastic, however the table next to us spoiled our experience - approximately 5 adults and 5 children under 10. The adults completely ignored the kids outrageous behavior - jumping around, yelling etc. I realize it’s tough to turn away business or ask adults to discipline kids who need it, but I hope the restaurant develops a policy for kids so parents who don’t have manners or respect for others either rise to occasion or go to Applebees . Thank you!

This is a cute spot on the UWS with a great brunch menu. There were 4 of us and we all enjoyed our meals - and there were so many more options to chose from. I would definitely come back to try other dishes. It's pretty pricey - but so are most of the restaurants in NYC these days.

Miriam has an excellent menu and food to match but boy oh boy do they fall down on service. Our original waitstaff went home. We had to beg to order dessert and then waited an excruciatingly long time for that. Then it was another eon to get the check. Just ridiculous.

We order a three dip appetizer of labne, tahini and tomato. The labne and tahini had no taste and the tomato had a bite suggesting that it may have been rotten. We had the Tunisian salad, hummus, brussels sprouts falafel, spicy vegetables and two branzinos. The branzino was buried in tahini and it was impossible to taste the fish (awful). The salad and hummus had no taste and the brussel sprouts were pretty good. All told, the food was really lame. The server was hard to find when we needed him. I had to waive him down for drinks, missing napkins and for water. He may have been hanging out in the kitchen. During the meal a homeless person came to our table to ask us for money. He got right up to us and leaned over our table and food with his dirty clothing. I asked the server to have removed. He told me he could not have him removed. The homeless person went from table to table leaning over other guests’ food while begging for money. He was in the restaurant begging for about five minutes. When the check came, there was an additional $6.99 charge for use of a credit card. When I asked the server about it, he told that it was listed somewhere on the menu. I couldn't find it on the menu. I love middle eastern food. It’s very difficult to find bad middle eastern food in New York City, but I certainly discovered a place where it is readily available plus the added bonus of smelly homeless people, absent service and an extra surprise $6.99 charge for use of a credit (a charge which is on the bill before asking a customer if they are actually going to use a credit card).

We LOVED our dining experience at Miriam. I had made an online reservation about four weeks ahead of our trip to NYC. And the main reason I chose this restaurant was that we were going to a concert at the Beacon Theatre which is right next door to the restaurant. Service from our waiter Zachary was top notch, the appearance of the restaurant is lovely, and the restaurant is buzzing on a Saturday night. Our cocktails were delicious; we ordered “The Lavender” (this might be a seasonal drink) it was so good. We also ordered the Dipping Plate, Vegan stuffed Pepper, and the Lamb Shawarma Terracotta. Presentation for everything was excellent and tasted wonderful. For these dishes and four drinks before a tip it was approx. $160. I highly recommend Miriam and we’ll return there for sure on our next trip to NYC!!

Since I know the original (and excellent) taste of the dishes in the menu, it was a great disappointment to get the worse version of them here. We ordered Sabich, and that was poor poor experience. Beginning with the Humus, that was a cheap, cold and totally industrial paste, going on with softy and too oily aubergines and finally the dry thin pita. This dish should be warm, except of the salad, but everything on the plate was cold. Sorry, that is not the place to eat an Israeli food.

I love this restaurant. The vibe is upscale yet unpretentious. The food is absolutely delicious, with options for everyone. Make reservations or you may have a wait. Their patio is lovely. Service was on the slow slide but not by any fault of the server... more because they seemed understaffed. Still, I highly highly recommend.

Great vibe, obviously a fav with the locals as they were packed at 530 on a weekday. Very good Mediterranean food, lots of dips and spreads and small bites, entrees were very generous, pours on the wine not so much. Noise level is energetic. Reservations a plus, request a seat at the window. Priced as you'd expect in this neighborhood, on higher end.

We went to the Seventh Avenue location to meet our nephew and his fiancee for brunch. It is a very large place with lots of different rooms (so is deceiving from the outside). We had a lovely meal here with a very attentive waiter. No one rushed us as we sat and caught up with each other. I had the Miriam breakfast (eggs, pita, Israeli salad); other entrees were Challah French toast (looked yummy); another egg special platter, eggs benedict, all of which were very appetizing.

Incredible service, drinks and food! I wanted to go back every night for a week! Indoor and outdoor seating. This is Miriam, not Miriam's. Right at an Upper West Side subway stop and worth a special trip. I guess the original is in Brooklyn.

We were in NYC to see Jackson Browne at the Beacon Theater, and we wanted a restaurant within walking distance of the theater and our hotel, and Miriam's is right around the corner from the theater on Amsterdam & W. 74th Street. We had a delightful evening, and waiter Zach was instrumental in helping up maximize our Miriam experience. Catherine and I enjoyed a well made cocktail as we perused the menu, and she ultimately selected the roast beet & goat cheese salad (see photo), while I chose the Dipping Sauces with homemade flatbread (see photo). We shared an appetizer order of Miriam's hummus (see photo), which was to die for. The beet salad was delicious, as were the dipping sauces, but the hummus was the queen of the appetizer table. Is there anything tastier than freshly made hummus? We both chose the Lamb Shawarma Terracotta (see photos), and each of us received a mammoth serving, with a baked flatbread cover, and a yogurt sauce and pickled onions to add. It was outstanding, and one serving would have been plenty for the two of us. As it was, we're getting another meal out of it. Miriam's is a very popular place, and reservations were at a minimum, especially during popular dining hours. (We ate early because of the show, and that helped get a spot.) We found Zach and his cohorts on the wait staff to be pleasant, knowledgeable and attentive to our needs. I told Zach that I had some hesitation because I saw several less-than-stellar reviews, which focused on the staff, and he assured us that the new general manager had resolved any issues in that regard, and more recent reviews were highly complimentary. Our experience certainly reflected a sincere emphasis on diner experience with the wait staff. We don't get up to the 70s and Broadway very often, but it is worth the travel time to enjoy a wonderful meal at Miriams!

Small, beautifully decorated restaurant in a pretty part of the upper west side. Some dishes are very good, like Jerusalem bread and labneh. Main courses are rather mediocre, like chicken shawarma. It's best to stick with the starters and order several, with excellent bread.

The food is absolutely incredible. I had the chicken schwarma and hummus +pita. Always an absolute pleasure. Drinks and service were great too.

Generally good overpriced food, but terrible service and business practices. We ordered two starters -- one was served promptly, the other was delivered long after our main courses. We had asked our server about the missing starter and never received a follow-up. When it came time for the bill, our server tapped away at an iPad, then put down a credit card reader showing the total, without ever providing us an itemized bill. In addition, below the total, it offered three tip amounts starting at 20% and up, but without dollar values, so it was impossible to tell what was included in the percentage or how much the tip would be. When I asked to see the actual bill, the server acted as though I was the first person to ever be curious about the amount. Ten minutes later we were provided with a paper printout of the itemized bill, showing a credit card surcharge and cover charges we knew nothing about. Overall, really shady business practices.