Restaurant Review: 12 Chairs

Looking to get a little more Israel in our lives, some lady friends and I went to 12 Chairs, a Middle Eastern cafe in Soho. It was empty when we got in around 7pm on a weeknight, but totally full by the time we left, around 8ish. The service definitely could have been better, but the vibe in this place is very casual and it is run by Israelis...so that should explain that.

We ordered Labaneh, which is a yogurt cheese dip with za'atar and olive oil served with pita. It was good, standard Labaneh, homemade, and a nice starter.

I don't see a lot of shakshuka on menus, so I tend to go that route if it is available. And, this would be the place to do it, right? Shakshuka, for those that don't know, is eggs poached in a spicy Moroccan tomato sauce served with bread for dipping. They also served it with Israeli salad. I had asked for my eggs to be over easy, but they came out more than medium and did not run at all, which is the best part. So, while the sauce was pretty good and authentic tasting, I was disappointed about the eggs and not overly impressed.

Left: Shakshuka
Right top: Labaneh
Right bottom: Israeli salad

My friends got the Goat Cheese Salad and the Greek Omelette. I didn't have either of them, but they both seemed content.

Goat cheese salad

Greek omelette

While this was not a mind blowing experience, I would go back to try other menu items, especially to try brunch. It is an easy, quick, casual, and very reasonable spot to grab food in Soho.