Machneyuda

We started the meal with two appetizers: one was shrimp in an amazing sauce, and the other was a Kurdish pastry filled with fresh herbs and yogurt. We then moved on to the main courses, which included sea bass with vegetables in an incredibly flavorful sauce, and a dish of liver with potatoes cooked in wine. Both main dishes were perfect. The dessert was decent, but nothing more than that. I don’t remember its name. Overall, we left very satisfied. The service was excellent, warm, and heartfelt, and I highly recommend the place.

Avoid at all costs. The noise level is unbearable. Speakers are mounted above almost every table, blasting terrible music at a volume you’d expect from an event hall, not a restaurant. At some point there was either dancing or glass breaking — it was genuinely unsettling. The place is poorly maintained: scraped walls, visible rust, no table maps, and daily printed menus (hardly environmentally friendly). This is not a celebrity-chef restaurant — it feels like a neglected roadside tavern. The restroom was in bad shape as well: the hand dryer was broken and there were no towels. The food was acceptable, but massively overpriced. Four shrimp for a main dish is simply not reasonable and offers terrible value for money. The staff were polite, but unfamiliar with the menu — when I asked about a dish, the waitress simply said, “I don’t know, I haven’t tasted it.” On top of that, the space is so cramped that every interaction was a hassle. I left with a pounding headache that lasted long after we were gone. Never again.

It is loud and chaotic and absolutely epic. Food is fantastic and the tasting menu is incredible value, more like a feasting menu! As the evening wears on it becomes even more of a party atmosphere, so book later if that’s what you want, and earlier if that’s not your thing. Highly recommend.

Amazing place. You get all of Israel, Balagan and all.. in one room. The love, care, expertise, amazing service, recommendations, and more. The food is by far the best in all of Israel. This restaurant deserves multiple Michelin stars in my opinion. Definitely sit so you can see the kitchen. You’ll fall in love with Israel here… and you may not want to leave.

The place is packed and had a wonderful atmosphere. The hostess was kind and even accommodated us about 15 minutes earlier than our reservation. Food: Starters were great, really both delecisous and well presented. So highly recommend them as all we ordered was good. Sadly this doesn't follow through to the main courses which were a mess. Fish was extremely salted to a point that all you could taste was saltiness and not the fish. Spicy pasta was oily and greasy. The flavour was heavily overshadowed by oil taste. The brisket was the only main course which was nice. And probably worth a taste. Drinks: Cocktails and the G&T were simply bad. Even when asking to use higher tier of Gin the end result was not great. Service: The service was bad not because the waiters weren't helpful, but simply due to the fact there were like only 3 of them for a whole 2 floors. Which causes long wait times, missed orders and various mischiefs. To their credits the waiters tried their best. I guess we just expected a bit better from what supposed to be the best food in town.

We came with great expectations and ordered a table about a month ago. Overall the service was professional and welcoming, the atmosphere was live and happy, the products were fresh and wel taken care of, BUT not very tasty and fulfilling for the sole and stomach. Also very noisy to the point that it was impossible to say a word without shouting it for several times. We set at the upper floor and the tables were almost one above each other so it was uncomfortable. we almost shared our table with the one behind us. I expected more than this.

This restaurants is suppose to be the best restaurant to visit in Jerusalem. We did a reservation weeks before. When we got the the place they wanted to give us seats at the bar. We ask for a table as the reservations was made and they gave us the worst table on the restaurant. All the way to the back with no view and really tight. Since it was late we had no other option and we stay. Food was not good. The host was not nice. The service inside was better. These kind of restaurants if they want to survive for long time they should take care of their customers.

Excellent on all dimensions. We thankfully enjoyed our meal upstairs, which was not noisy, but main level a bit loud. Now for the food…direct from the famed Machane Yedhuda market nearby, hence its name, everything fresh and quality fare. We enjoyed five starters, some more than others . Creamy soft polenta was exceptional with shaved Parmesan and mushrooms served in a canning jar; raw cauliflower salad with pomegranate arils in a lovely dressing (silan?); Kurdish pastry which was filled with wild herbs and goat cheese, served with yogurt and schug (not my favorite as not a goat cheese fan, but these four pastries were perfectly cooked and not too goaty!); sashimi, good quality fish served on a light citrus base, very nice; and the table’s least favorite the shakshukit, maybe because we asked for the yogurt to be omitted, but the flavor just wasn’t there, nicely served on a base of humus, but that’s the only one I wouldn’t reorder. The mains were excellent too, loved the Denver kebab with bone marrow, cooked to perfection with slices of fat between each skewered piece, which of course was a major factor in its deliciousness and was served with beautiful crisp fresh green beans that while just in light butter were terrific (I don’t think I’ve ever commented on a green beans before); also had the drum fish which was served with a nice skin char in a light cream sauce over a bed of scalloped zucchini. Added some chenin blanc our server recommended and it was a wonderful meal. Service was attentive and professional and helpful. If you love food, this is your place.