We couldn’t resist checking out phillymag’s list of Philadelphia’s hardest reservations—it’s totally our thing! We decided to start with Zahav, which was our first experience at a traditional Israeli restaurant, so we weren’t exactly sure what to expect. The menu design was unique: you choose one Mezze (small appetizer) per guest, one Al Ha’esh per guest (on the grill) or Mesibah (feast) for the table, and one Ha’sof (the sweet course) per guest.

Since it was our anniversary, we were welcomed with complimentary champagne, which was such a nice touch! While we debated what to order, the “in the beginning” dishes (a separate selection outside the main menu) arrived—and WOW, this was not your typical bread basket. Honestly, we’d go back just for this. The hummus was incredible, and every single accompaniment was absolutely perfect. We’ve never experienced anything quite like it. Take a look at the photos—it literally took up our whole table!

For our Mezze, we went with the Phyllo-wrapped Haloumi and the lamb tartare. I was torn because I really wanted to try the broccolini, and our amazing waitress overheard me debating. She surprised us by bringing it out on the house, which was such a thoughtful gesture! If we go again, the broccolini would be a must for me, and I’d probably choose it over the Phyllo-wrapped Haloumi since it’s a bit lighter, and you get so much food.

For the main event, we chose the pomegranate lamb shoulder to share, and the presentation was phenomenal. The sides were the perfect complement, too. I’m not usually a huge lamb fan, but since it’s one of their specialties, I had to give it a try—and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it!

As for the reservation process, if you show up right when they open, you can snag a seat at the bar. But if you’re like us and prefer a table, it’s a little more tricky. If you’re flexible with days and times, definitely get on the Resy notification list. We tried 3 times before getting the notification and striking out, but on the 4th try, we got lucky with a 5pm weekday slot. We knew we had to take it!

We’re already looking forward to trying some of phillymag’s other hardest reservations soon!