Sometimes the restaurant gods shine down upon you when you arrive sans reservation but yet are still given a room at the inn. Or in this case, the maitre’d Alexis who made room for us to dine at the new Or’esh, one of the most coveted tables in town. Yes, just when you thought there couldn’t be a harder reservation than Corner Store or The Eighty Six, Or’esh has arrived. Or’esh is the latest and arguably the legacy restaurant from the same the guys who founded Catch. If you call yourself a New Yorker, you may remember the days of  their early work in the Meatpacking District at Abe + Arthur. Well twenty-five years later, and Catch proves that they’ve still got it. In lieu of a packed restaurant that turns into a club, Catch has evolved into serious cuisine with elegant supper-club A-list vibes. Don’t worry though, they still bring a scene that is still fun. We would say that by not packing in the crowds but rather curating the crowd, (yes that is Taylor and Travis next to you) the Catch group is better than ever.

All signs point to their streak continuing on at Or’esh, a Levantine restaurant. This isn’t a carbon copy though of any of the other restaurants. From the moment citrus and cucumber butler service greets you, it’s clear that Or’esh is going to do anything but dial it in. Like a place where the chef butchers his own meat is at minimum serious about the food. So yes, you’re going to get a first look review of Or’esh NYC.

Atmosphere

When I moved to New York a quarter of a century ago, I would not have predicted that the Alberta Ferretti store on West Broadway would one day be the hottest restaurant in town. But it was actually Principe that led the conversion of a retail store to restaurant just down the block from The Corner Store. While Principe for me was one of the unsung Italian heroes with a killer skillet English muffin, I think it’s only the arrival of Or’esh  that softens the blow of the former’s closure.

As a Levantine restaurant, Or’esh leans big into its Israeli roots which is reflected in the decor. Surprisingly unlike a minimalist trendy Tel Aviv vibe, Or’esh channels more Jerusalem for me. Atmosphere doesn’t quite cross over into cozy, (it’s far too elegant) but there’s definitely some cool grandma going on. Raynaud’s Allee Royal China gives off a vintage feel like you’re having Sunday dinner at your Bubby’s. For the record I only know the pattern because it’s the same one I have at home. Clearly I sometimes have my own grandma tendencies. But besides the small touches of the place settings and old Jerusalem-inspired water pitchers, Or’esh’s atmosphere is enhanced by the crowd. Catch’s super power has always been bringing beautiful people together, and Or’esh amplifies that in spades.

Food + Drinks

I’m not going to bury the lede here; Or’esh is one of the best new restaurants in 2026 because of the food and drinks. It shouldn’t be a surprise though as the chef in residence is Nadav Greenberg, whose resume most recently included Shmone. Like I mentioned, Greenberg butchers his own meat, so he’s taking the culinary experience next-level.

A Quick Guide of What to Order at Or’esh

To Drink: Grilled Dirty Olive Martini
Essential Table Share: Jerusalem Bagel
Raw Bar: Big Bluefin Slice and Ora King Salmon
Appetizers: Crispy Potato Pastel & Golden Ossetra Caviar, Grilled Halloumi Kadayif
Entrees: Waygu Steak, Lamb Kebab, Whole Red Snapper, Turbot, Prime Beef Short Rib

The cocktail list sets the tone immediately. The grilled olive dirty martini is a revelation — olives stuffed with goat cheese and brushed with lamb fat, then cooked off to something deeply savory and unexpected. It’s the kind of drink that makes you rethink the category entirely. The preserved lemon vesper and the charred pepper margarita round out an opening act that more than holds its own. This is a restaurant that takes the experience seriously without taking itself too seriously.

First Things First

The Jerusalem bagel is made to order in its coal-fired oven, and is essential to every meal. The bagel arrives with trio of traditional dips — baba ganoush, tomato spread, and a mint tzatziki. You’ll want to save the dips, if any are leftover for the other dishes in your meal. The Ora King salmon crudo is melt in your mouth, and the tuna curd is one of their specialities. In my opinion, the dish that commands the room is the crispy potato pastel with Kaluga caviar. You’re meant to bite into the crispy potato shell filled with mashed potato and topped generously with caviar while it’s hot. This is the one dish I’ve been searching for my entire life.

Moving Through the Menu at Or’esh

The grilled halloumi katayif is another dark horse of the menu, which you should order right away as it tends to run out. The Hokkaido scallop and the lamb kebab both reflect the kitchen’s flawless execution. The lamb is especially a standout as it’s butchered by Chef Greenberg himself, and put through the meat grind once, versus the traditional three. This gives it a unique meatier experience that you didn’t know you needed in your kebabs. The only dish that wasn’t a 10 for me was surprisingly the shrimp spaghetti which was a little heavy on the garlic and predictable. Still good yes, but not that extra something that the other dishes on the menu deliver.

The large format fish dishes are also a standout. There’s a a red snapper, where a portion of the fish is prepared sashimi-style as an appetizer and the rest is grilled as the entrée. There’s also a turbot that is on my list to return for stat.

Service

I think that one of the reasons that the Catch group has been so successful is that they treat everyone, even those they turn away, like human beings. For restaurants this high in demand, they could have bouncer attitude. But if you’ve been to Corner Store or Eight-Six, the bouncers themselves are friendly and don’t once-over you to decide if you’re worthy of entry. Instead it all depends on the maitre’d team, who themselves are bound by supply and demand boundaries. You’re not going to get an attitude though out of any of the touch points along the way. Service at the newer Catch restaurants is some of the best in the city, especially at Or’esh.

The fact is that most people won’t get a table as the newer Catch restaurants are completely booked. For those though who are lucky to walk-in or make it through Resy-roulette, everyone is treated like a VIP. The other aspect that the Catch team has clearly figured out is when people love their jobs, it shows through. The team at Or’esh clearly loves their job, and believes in what they are creating. That kind of hospitality — the gracious, genuine kind — sets the tone for the entire experience. The service throughout matched the ambition of the food: attentive, genuine, and knowledgeable without being performative. This is a team that is proud of what they’re serving, and it shows.

Overall: 8.6/10

They’ve set the bar high for 2026. Or’esh has arrived as one of the best new restaurants in New York.

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FAQs

Q: Where is Or’esh NYC located?

A: Or’esh NYC is located at:

Q: Do you need reservations at Or’esh NYC?

A: Reservations are essential at Or’esh NYC, and are available on Resy.

Q: What are the hours of operation at Or’esh NYC?

A: The hours of operation at Or’esh NYC are as follows: