Shukette, on 25th Street & 9th, is the answer

Don’t worry about the question. This place is not exactly a secret (NYT write-up here), but nestled away on 25th & 9th is a Middle Eastern bazaar-style restaurant—“shuk” is Hebrew for open-air market—that you should probably walk into or make a reservation at right now. On the walk-in, you will immediately feel like you are transported to another country, and that other country is filled with people a little more badass than you. Aughts-era bangers like Say it Right and Bad Girls are playing/bumping in the background, and a long counter runs all the way through the narrow space so that most of the diners can look directly into the open kitchen.

The house specialty is ripping and dipping (the appetizers are labeled “When You Dip, I Dip, We Rip”), meaning the breads and dips. The block-approved move is to start with the Frena, which is garlic/oregano Moroccan bread, and the Squash Chershi, which is a vibrant purple dip with tahini, pomegranate, cilantro. That rich, creamy, perfectly spiced medley of flavors will have your mouthset in the mindset of the controlled chaos that is the shuk, and with a seasonal cocktail like the Raspberry Gazoz, and you’ll find yourself inching closer and closer to the question. From there, the waiters will recommend to you the Joojeh Chicken, which is yogurt-marinated chicken that comes with its own saffron yogurt. You should take that recommendation; I’ll leave it at that.

Highly recommend.

Hav & Mar on 26th & 11th is a hidden gem

Hav & Mar is a hidden gem on 26th Street & 11th Avenue. Nailing the industrial loft look, this is an Ethiopian/Swedish fusion restaurant (yes, those two things can evidently be fused) by Marcus Samuelsson, who is also the head chef of Red Rooster in Harlem. The bar wraps around and while it says you need reservations, you really don’t most of the time (especially if you sit at the bar). NYT write-up here.

This place calls itself a “seafood house” but that honestly its selling itself short—it has a 10/10 lamb pasta and a 10/10 short rib biryani (which says it’s for 2-4 people, but unless those 4 people have extremely small stomachs, it’s closer to 2). The block-approved move is to get the seafood tower (called the “Black Mermaid Tower”) and then head for the Havatini 2.0 (rigatoni pasta with shrimp and crab) or the branzino. There is also a menu option to just let the chef pick for you, and after giving them a few preferences, you really should just go with that. Trust the experts.

Highly recommend.

Ci Siamo is the best place to eat in New York according to Yelp

The best place to eat in New York according to Yelp in 2026 is Ci Siamo, in Hudson Yards right near the back entrance of Whole Foods (yelp.com/article/top-100-us-restaurants-2026).

We can confirm that this place is absolutely bustling and nails the elevated but casual vibe. It is also huge for NYC, with tables near the bar that they almost seem to be reserving for walk-ins. My parents in fact visited NYC recently and, at my suggestion, wandered into Ci Siamo with no reservation on a Thursday night. The servers sat them down within 10 minutes next to the bar—and then really killed what we’re deeming the block-approved move: lamb chops and smashed potatoes. Brought us non-alcoholic cocktails and cookies after dinner for free and for no particular reason.

No pretentiousness for a restaurant of this quality. Highly recommend.