Ilis

Is Ilis Worth Booking for a Special Occasion?

Yes — if you want a fine dining experience that diverges from Manhattan's French-leaning tasting menu circuit, Ilis is worth the trip to Greenpoint. Chef Mads Refslund's Nordic-American cooking, set inside a moody warehouse on Green Street, earned the #1 spot on Esquire's Leading New Restaurants list in 2023 and has since climbed to #61 on Opinionated About Dining's North America ranking in 2025. For a celebration dinner that doesn't feel like a repeat of everywhere else, this is a strong choice.

What to Expect at Ilis

The format is structured around choice at two levels: a four-course menu (Terra or Flora) or a seven-course menu, with optional add-ons including market vegetables, caviar, or tuna done two ways. The kitchen leans heavily on sourcing from nearby regions, which means what's on the plate shifts with the seasons. Dishes like Spanish mackerel, lobster, squab, and duck represent the protein range, while grilled mushrooms with black garlic and a goat cheese yogurt with carrot granita illustrate the restrained, produce-driven approach that defines the cooking here. Flavor profiles tend toward earthy, clean, and precise rather than rich or sauce-heavy — closer to what you'd expect from a Scandinavian kitchen than a New York tasting room.

Because the menu rotates with the market and seasonal sourcing, timing your visit matters. Autumn and early winter tend to favor game-forward dishes , squab and duck are more likely to appear during these months. Spring and summer shift the balance toward lighter proteins, shellfish, and the Flora menu's vegetable-driven options. If you have a preference between the two menus, it's worth checking in with the restaurant closer to your booking date to understand what's currently anchoring each course. The seven-course format gives you the widest cross-section of the kitchen's range, and for a special occasion, it's the better investment.

The dining room itself , a large, warehouse-scale space with an eco-conscious fit-out , is better suited to a celebratory dinner than an intimate date where proximity matters. The atmosphere is moody and deliberate, not loud and social. Wine is handled by Wine Director Steven Flores and Sommelier Jason Santiago, with a list of 885 selections and 2,800 bottles in inventory. The program covers Champagne, Burgundy, Germany, Italy, and California at $$$ pricing, with a $75 corkage fee if you bring your own. For a special occasion pairing, the depth is there.

Ilis is open Tuesday through Saturday for dinner only (5:30–10 pm Tuesday through Thursday, 5:30–11 pm Friday and Saturday). Sunday and Monday are closed. Cuisine pricing sits at $$$, meaning a typical two-course meal runs $66 or more before beverages and tip. Budget accordingly for the seven-course with wine pairing , this is a full-evening commitment at fine dining prices.

Booking is rated Easy, meaning you don't need to plan months out the way you would for Atomix or Masa. That said, for weekend dinners and special occasions, reserve at least two to three weeks ahead. Google reviews sit at 4.5 across 235 ratings, which is a solid signal for consistency.

If you're comparing Ilis against other Nordic-influenced or produce-driven destinations across the country, the closest analogues include Single Thread Farm in Healdsburg and Lazy Bear in San Francisco for the same commitment to regional sourcing and tasting menu structure. For more on dining in New York, see our full New York City restaurants guide.

Quick reference: Dinner only, Tue–Sat from 5:30 pm; $$$; 150 Green St, Brooklyn; booking is Easy; wine list 885 selections at $$$ pricing; $75 corkage.

How It Compares

Frequently Asked Questions

• How far ahead should I book Ilis? Two to three weeks out is sufficient for most dates, with weekend slots filling faster. Booking difficulty is rated Easy compared to harder-to-crack Manhattan tasting menus like Atomix, but don't leave it to the last minute for a Friday or Saturday.
• Can I eat at the bar at Ilis? The database doesn't confirm a dedicated bar-dining option. Contact the restaurant directly to ask , Greenpoint's warehouse format suggests counter seating may exist, but it's not confirmed.
• What are alternatives to Ilis in New York City? For produce-driven tasting menus at a comparable price tier, Eleven Madison Park is the most direct comparison in terms of ethos, though it runs pricier and has a fully plant-based focus. For high-technique fine dining with more conventional luxury framing, Le Bernardin and Per Se are the benchmarks, both at $$$$. Ilis sits below those price points while delivering comparable ambition. See our full New York City restaurants guide for more options.
• Is lunch or dinner better at Ilis? Dinner only , Ilis does not serve lunch. The kitchen runs Tuesday through Saturday evenings from 5:30 pm, with no daytime service available.
• Can Ilis accommodate groups? No group-specific information is confirmed in the data. Given the warehouse-scale space, larger parties may be accommodated, but contact the restaurant directly to discuss options. At $$$ per head with a potential seven-course format, groups should factor in a significant per-person spend.
• Is Ilis good for solo dining? It can work, particularly at the four-course format where the per-head commitment is lower. The solo dining experience will depend on seating arrangements not confirmed in the data , worth asking when you book whether counter or bar seats are available for a more comfortable solo experience.
• What should I wear to Ilis? No dress code is formally stated, but the warehouse setting with OAD Top 100 credentials and $$$ pricing implies smart casual at minimum. Think dinner-out clothes rather than a suit , Greenpoint's dining culture skews less formal than Midtown, so you won't be underdressed in good separates.

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