Tagine Fine Moroccan Cuisine

A beautiful experience with the presentation and tasty food. Great atmosphere. Traditional attractions, with belly dancing, live music. Beautiful and cheerful people. A little corner of Morocco in New York. Ps. Great service!

I went there about a week ago with friends visiting overseas. I had called earlier to make sure they had belly dancing show and they say yes it starts at 8:30pm. Not only did they deceive me because there was no belly dancing show at 8:30pm. Instead it was a live band that we were forced to pay $ 5 per head which was not mentioned and the belly dancer show was later in the night which my friends could not stay because they had to fly back home early in the morning. In addition they do not honor Unilocal free dessert discount and bluntly said they do not participate Unilocal.Service was slow and surly. Food was okay but pricey and ambience was nice.

Awesome! Fun, tastsy and a place we would love to come back to.

Owner has been reported to better business bureau. band gets 15% of food and bar revenue as stated in contract. Owner gave $ 20 as pay for 3 hours of performance instead of honoring their own contract. If you believe this sweat shop should stay in business, then please by all means go sell your soul. honest pay for honest work!

Tagine is really nice.
I went here last year after an average as hell dining experience from the nearby Bonchon. More on that another time. I found myself wanting to do something and the combo of hookah and drinks seemed ideal.
Now, the only terrible thing that occurred was that the Hostess sat me in this wonderful, plush back area, gave me water after asking what I wanted, and then no one saw me for a good thirty minutes for ANYTHING. I was fuming. I confronted a manager about this who apologized and then I was attended to for the rest of the night. I came to find out that the girl was merely the hostess, not a server, and forgot to inform someone of my arrival. As a former waitress, I understood and moved on. Things happen, mistakes are made.
My actual server was the most nicest girl ever and was new, but super attentive, helpful, and a pleasure to chat with! I seriously hope they kept her. She was the best! When my hookah arrived it was actually very rough, she tried it and agreed, and got me another one quickly. I’ve gone to places where they don’t care that your hookah is possibly burnt or rough, so this was appreciated. The second was tasty and as smooth as smooth could be.
I also helped myself to a fun spin on a screwdriver, made with the usual plus rosewater. I never thought you could… well «pretty» up such a common drink, but I was wrong! It was very refreshing. Sad to say I didn’t have any food, but from what I’ve seen/​heard I’m missing out.
Ambience was perfect with live belly dancers, fitting music, and middle eastern décor. Admittedly since I was in the back, I barely saw the belly dancers, but I was so relaxed that I didn’t care, didn’t want to get up, and didn’t want to leave!
I’ve been meaning to go back, but I’m off my hookah kick right now. I actually considered celebrating my birthday here as well too! Sadly, I declined because not everyone I invited was for hookah. For shame, such a cool spot.

I type this after being succumbed to total food coma with my husband. We couldn’t possibly eat another bite and yet the flavors still lingering makes us wish we could keep eating. Our mixed meze was on point, but it was the Tagine mains that destroyed us emotionally (i mean that in a good way) — so freaking incredible. The spices and rich unique flavors… take me now!!! I had the chicken with caramelized raisins… which is even more delicious than I was expecting. They kindly offered the chicken without bone as well which was wonderful as I am not a huge fan of it on the bone in tagines. Husbando had lamb with fig and rather a picky man when it comes to culinary delights — even he was floored by assault of incredible flavors. Even the breads were super tasty, but was too busy eating the dish to think about the herby crust bread — which says so much about the food actually. We went on a Monday night which was quiet and I wonder what the weekends are like — as for surely a place with food like this would be busy as hell. Bellydancer was great too — she looked like she was having a lotta fun even though it was a little quiet.

The concept is interesting and unusual: a repetoire of dishes cooked using the Moroccan style of baking dish, the tagine. This is a relatively flat, circular glazed ceramic dish topped with a high conical dome. Also available are hookah for (most) tables, and nightly showings of belly dancers.
I came with a colleague on quiet Thursday night. We ordered a number of appetizers and two tagines (and quite a few bottled beers). The appetizers– the olive tapenade and an eggplant dip– were good, especially the tapenade. Both come with a small loaf of semolina bread, cut into squares. The bread is especially good (think focaccia but with a softer and fluffier chew), but not easy to use for dipping with these slippery spreads. We made do by using a knife instead.
The tagines were very enjoyable, although it is hard to tell how «authentic» they are. It does not matter. My spring lamb shank with prunes and almonds was tender and blazing hot. We also did not try the couscous, available for a similar price. They have no brew tap, but do offer a number of bottled non-​American beers and wine, specialty cocktails, and a full bar.
The décor is bold but somewhat incomplete, kind of like that friend of yours who can’t afford finer things somehow still has dramatic, exotic tastes in her rented apartment: colorful scarves and bolts of cloth hanging from the walls, dim lighting, patterned throw pillows, but unchanged utilitarian light fixtures with with shaped colored bulbs, and narrow spaces repurposed as best as possible. Some of it looks like it might be geared to the romantic theater pre-​show crowd, but I didn’t see any of these on my night there. (The back room where we were sitting was less of a showpiece than the area near the bar.)
The staff is friendly, helpful, and speaks with unplaceable accents. Not fake foreign, but truly from somewhere else, hard-​working like everyone else, bringing what they know and upselling it for $ 25 a platter.
We also enjoyed the belly dancer show, about 15 minutes of undulating abs and well-​sculpted body performed by a true professional. A couple of unaccompanied guys were there just for her, it seems. But they weren’t the only customers; others were there for hookah with their party of eight.
Overall, I enjoyed it as a night of extended conversation with an unrushed meal. I didn’t feel like someone was trying to fake me out on the experience, even if there was an air of theater about the place.

The Hummus is so good here I think I could eat 2 orders of it that’s how good it is. The breads are amazing I ordered the veggies which came out in the coolest looking clay plate. Super exciting ! I would definitely come again the teas are also amazing. The service is great and very friendly.

This place is a true paradise. The décor and food is sublime. The server was the most knowledgable, hand-​mixing our sangria. The owner was more than a hostess. She really made us feel at home

My friend and I went there on a weekend night. Not many people in the restaurant.
So you would expect ncie service & all right? Well hell no.
Food:
— Food was so so. The couscous felt more like a mushy soup.
— They used sweet potatoes in our couscous! So this was not authentic cuisine. Any Morrocan can tell you that or as a matter of fact anyone who ate real Moroccan food in France or Morocco (I did)… They should have used turnips.
— The lamb was not well cooked, still raw… Come on, this is not beef.
And yet, it took them +40mn to get the food. Not enough to cook lamb properly?
Hookah:
— My friend told me it was like weak, diluted, not strong. I tested and I fully agree.
Poor Service:
It took hours to be served a glass of drink, to place an order, to get the check…
— We had to ask 2 times to get our wine glass, this took +30mn or so, as if they forgot.
— And another 15mn or so to get the check.
And yet, they were not busy. It was as if they didn’t want us there.
Did they do that on purpose because we made a remark on the lamb or we were not Moroccan? I don’t know. But what we know is that we’ll never return to this place.
Price:
— Given the quality, you are paying at least 35% too much on whatever you order.
Only good thing:
— The belly dancer knew how to dance. nice music and the interior decorum is nice and exotic.

First of all I don’t normally write negative review, but I would like to write for this horrible place!
I can’t believe it I asked for water 5 times they go decipher.
1. Don’t go if your hungry!
2. service SUCKS
3.Hookah sucks!
Food it’s OK & it took forever!
5.belly Dancer… She’s ok.
6. Music sucks!
7. Not satisfied with everything! Not worth $ 200bill.

Came here with a large group with a reservation. There was some initial awkwardness in figuring things out, but service was very responsive. The food was great – everyone enjoyed their dishes, which with such a large grouping varying tastes, you never know. Their namesake tagines really were lovely.
I hate noise and fuss and smoke and am severely asthmatic, so I’d definitely go early before belly dancers and hookas as become a thing (which we did and so has a great time).

The food at Tagine is consistently delicious. They use the highest quality fresh ingredients and great authentic Moroccan recipes that make their dishes outstanding and by far the best in New York City. Among my favorites is the lamb tagine. The lamb is slowly cooked to perfection, turning out soft and tender and the combination of spices brings out wonderful, unique flavors that make this dish extremely enjoyable.
The ambiance is always fun. Tagine often has live Arabic music and lively bellydancing shows. It is difficult to keep from dancing and most of the customers end up joining the dancers on the floor and having a great time. This restaurant has fantastic, magical energy.
I also love the hookah at Tagine. It is among the best in the city.
The staff is always friendly and welcoming, making the customer feel at home and making sure one has the best experience. I have been going to Tagine for several years and have never been disappointed. It is a wonderful adventure that I strongly recommend. I am certain you will love this place!

The worst restaurant I’ve been to. I’m not just saying this it literally is the worst ever. The service was horrendous. No sense of urgency at all. Waitress took our appetizer order and we ordered a hookah at the same time and the she disappeared for 30 mimutes. Literally 30 minutes. I had to go find her to put our entrée order in and find out where our hookah is. She said the hookah will be out any moment. Another 15 minutes goes by and my husband got up to ask where the hookah is she responded «oh, the chef thought you wanted it after the dinner» what does that even mean? We didn’t speak with the chef.
After a long wait with an empty restaurant our entrees arrive and the Waitress did not know what the dish was. The food was mediocre. We ordered 2 jack and cokes and the glass was filled up on ¾ of the way. They charge $ 14 for 1 jack and coke. I don’t know who this place thinks they are the owner really needs to research prices on drinks in Manhattan. The W hotel doesn’t even charge $ 14 nor does a club in meat packing district. We then order coffee and the Waitress comes out to pour the coffee at the table but nothing comes out. She actually brought an empty coffee pot without noticing. I am not one to write Unilocal reviews but I think the people of the city needs to know that Tagine is a waste of time a waste of money and a waste of space in Manhattan.

My cousin and his friend are from out of town, visiting from Ukraine. Went to smoke some hookah which was 35 $, then when the bill comes they added another 20 $ charge for «entertainment» which was in a totally different room. In addition, they asked if they were from out of town and since they were they decided that there should be another 10 dollars each on top of everything.
Whatever business practice they have, it is crooked and meant to rip you off!
Unbelievable, please beware!

1. Came here on a Saturday night would a few friends and the restaurant was barely half full.
2. Average age of people there was 50+ — not fun for a 20something crowd.
3. The belly dancer was terrible, she looked like she hated her life and didn’t interact with the customers at all.
4. After her, a back of ‘60s weird music came on singing in a fake language — if you’re gonna have a weird night, warn people before they walk in, it was so loud and you couldn’t talk, and you had to listen to music that was really terrible.
5. Took over 45 minutes to get a plate of olives which were covered in spices.
6. Hookah came AFTER an hour!!! Terrible service, weak hookah and I have hookah regularly so I know good hookah.
If I could give it 0 stars, and get a refund, and close the place down I would. A terrible hookah place and all the food and drinks were back too. Don’t get their sangria! So gross.

Didn’t accept the Unilocal deal. So that’s why they don’t deserve more than a star on Unilocal.Honesty is above all. Other than that the experience was good.

*Review for happy hour during NYC Wine Week Only*
Very nice bartender who was great at showing me the menu, giving recommendations and chatting with me as I sat at the bar. But that’s about all I liked from Tagine. To be honest, had it not been for NYC wine week, I may have never stepped into this establishment.
Inside it was quite dark and one of my pet peeves is not being able to see the meal I’m eating. I tried their sangria which was highly recommended by the bartender, and it was too tart for my taste (but at the $ 4/​glass NYC wine week special, can’t really say much). I also asked them what the appetizer was that came paired with their NYC wine week, and was pointed to their Maaquda (potato croquettes). Tasty and I liked their aioli on the side, but a little too oily after the 3^rd croquette.
I think what stood out to me is that the establishment didn’t quite know what they offered for NY Wine week for sure. It was good that the bartender asked the Lady Owner lots of questions to make sure we weren’t overcharged, but she changed her answers quite a bit. The most annoying thing is that she would speak very loudly from the other side of the bar whenever she saw him doing or saying something that wasn’t right. And she would do this in French so she could scold him without the customers understanding. Well as it turns out, I speak French and could fully understand how she was talking to him and what she was saying. I think there are more professional ways of handling your servers without having to do it in another language and in front of the customer. And even if I didn’t speak the language, like my friend who was sitting beside me, it still makes for a very awkward experience.
Bottom line — would i come back here? Most likely not.

Place is nice enough but the décor is a bit dated. I really liked the background Moroccan music which was prominent. Staff seem fine.
I had the traditional Chicken Tagine cooked with olives and preserved lemons. Comes out in a sizzling Tagine pot. Seasoning was a little light but I would order it again. For dessert I had the «Moroccan Cigarra» which was tasty but a small portion; the rolled pastry was cut into three small slices so the cigarra shape is missing. Pastry was very tasty — dates and chocolate and a little phyllo — presented on a pretty plate with grapes.
Worth a try if you like or want to try Moroccan food. but I think Barbes Restaurant on East 36^th Street has similar tagines and much nicer décor and better service. Barbes is significantly more expensive.

Came here with my girlfriend for our second anniversary, and it was our first time having Moroccan food.
We had the Bastilla (pheasant pie) and lamb tagine as our entrees and enjoyed both immensely. The Bastilla was flaky, sweet, and fragrant, and the tagine reminded me of unique take on stew, with the lamb cooked tender enough to cut with only my fork. We also had Maaquda as an appetizer and a nice sampling of various desserts (free with Unilocal offer) which were both very tasty. Finished our meal feeling very satisfied, and my wallet didn’t take a large hit in the process.
Staff was amicable and very helpful in suggesting options, and the environment had a nice vibe. Low lighting set a good mood but I did have to read some of the options off to my girlfriend since she had trouble reading the menu (not really a complaint though). Would like to come back with a group to enjoy dinner and a hookah, since the hookah would be more affordable with a few more friends in tow (girlfriend is not keen on smoking and couldn’t justify going solo). Hookah aroma from nearby tables added nicely to the ambiance. We also caught a brief portion of a belly dancing performance but had to leave soon after it got started to make a show elsewhere.
Would definitely try again in future forays into the city.

This place is a real SCAM. They are real thief.
My friends are visiting NY for the first time, we wanted to go out for Ramdhan special ftour, which I usually do at Nomad restaurant downtown. I heard about that Moroccan restaurant. I thought we might give it a shot to change a bit, we wanted the special Ftour which is basically a small soup, an egg and couples of dates. This alone costed $ 25. While eating, we noticed that there is no borak which we thought was included! We got the bill and noticed the Outrageous prices made up without an actual menu.
When asked the waiter, he pointed me to the Manager who started laughing at me and pointed me out to some women whose supposedly the BOSS! A real Joke.
It’s a Shame.

Couscous parfaitement exécuté …cuisine savoureuse, accueil très sympathique Beaucoup d’ambiance …un patron aux petits soins pour ses clients …
Bravo adresse à retenir
Un plus… le patron parle le français.

The food was fine (fine, not great), but everything else was terrible. The service, the price, …
To start, while the food wasn’t bad, it was absolutely overpriced. Not only did we pay 20+ dollars for a tiny entrée, we also waited almost two hours for our food. When served the wrong dish, the server INSISTED she remembered what we ordered and refused to give us the correct meal. The music was too loud and it was impossible to have a conversation. I’m not even going to go into the «entertainment» charge of 8 dollars we had to pay. Lastly, when trying to use our Unilocal coupons, we were told we could only use them on specific items and, even worse, only use 2 of them (although we were a large group).
The food may be ok, but not worth all the frustration you have to come up with.
tl;dr? Do not come here.