(212) 253-5410

78 2nd Ave
New York, NY 10003 40.7265 -73.9891

Get Map & Directions »

Neighborhoods: East Village, Downtown, Bowery

Hours:

M-T 4 PM - 11 PM

F-S 4 PM - 12 AM

SUN 3 PM - 11 PM

Price:

$$

Last updated 11.30.11

Category:

Restaurants

Payment Methods:

American Express, Visa, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Outdoor Dining, Lunch Spot, Date Spot, Cheap Eats

General Info:

Open 7 Days

Cuisine:

Mediterranean, French, African

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About Nomad

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

In Short – Slip behind the decorative facade to find a crowded, boisterous setting. The cuisine merges traditional fare from Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria, which is reflected in the murals, ironwork and wood carvings throughout the space. The maze of mezzes and mains range from brik--a glammed-up hot pocket filled with tuna, potato and chickpeas--tagines, and Couscous Royale, steamed over the amalgamation of meats, veggies and merguez (sausage) handmade by an Algerian butcher.

Editor's Tips

What to Drink:
The wine list shows off unusual pours from Algeria, Morocco, Lebanon and Israel.
The Extras:
Beautiful French-inspired traditional pastries like the Algerian Halavah dipped in chocolate, baklava with orange blossom honey and apricot filled linzer cookies are housemade by the owner's wife who moonlights as a baker for the restaurant.
ambiance
100.0% positive
  1. “All in all, Nomad is a romantic place with interesting food and a welcoming, funky vibe.”
  2. “Nice ambience, beautiful decor and a great addition to the”
  3. “And warmth we found aplenty in this cozy restaurant of the East village.”
  4. “the place is dimly-lit i had trouble reading the menus, even though the overall ambience is quite romantic.”
  5. “The decor was in theme and the bathroom was very clean and tidy.”
  6. “Beautifully designed interior, moroccan lamps, cave drawings on the walls, perfect fot a romantic date.”
  7. “The restaurant was very cozy and pleasant, service unobtrusive and helpful.”
  8. “We thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience - the food, wine and atmosphere.”
  9. “The decor is beautiful and very authentic.”
  10. “very romantic atmosphere on Valentine's Day, with African music and suffused lights.”
  11. “An enchanting arabic decor with a cozy warm atmosphere that would spellbind your senses.”
  12. “The backroom is cozy great for parties and intimate dates.”
  13. “Traditional food, romantic place, pretty expensive”
dessert
100.0% positive
  1. “For desert we shared the prix fixe desserts: an ample decent, not sweet, creme caramel (flan) and profiteroles.”
  2. “both desserts were really good.”
  3. “Shrimp with saffron and cilantro cakes, a more sophisticated dish, was also very good, if not the best of what I've tried.”
drinks
87.5% positive
  1. “think in the end we had the equivalent of two full glasses of free wine.”
  2. “We thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience - the food, wine and atmosphere.”
  3. “It's served in a brass teapot which gets rather hot to the touch but the attentive waitress or manager was always kind enough to pick it up and refill my tea glass.”
  4. “Finally, the tea service is great, whereas the bread is rather boring”
  5. “We tried the Mergez Moroccan sausage and the wonderful Cousous that came in 2 choices meat combination and vegetarian all of witch were delicious and goes great with a very well put together wine list.”
  6. “Our waitress, whose name I've regrettably forgotten, was very knowledgeable about wine and was able to help us pair our food with some lovely little wines.”
  7. “one of them came over to specially recommend a bottle of white wine ($25) to go with our meal.”
  8. “The wine list is impressive and the food is absolutely divine, I highly recommend the chicken in philo pastry appetizer although I have not tried anything that I did not adore!”
food quality
89.13000106811523% positive
  1. “My dining companion has certain food allergies and he worked with us to order the perfect dishes for her diet.”
  2. “Probably the first North African restaurant in the city with true authentic dishes.”
  3. “Excellent food from North Africa”
  4. “When the waiter took off the coned cover, I got a huge portion of cous cous with chicken, lamb and merguez sausage.”
  5. “The food was great and is something that you don't eat too often, making you wanting to tell people about it.”
  6. “The wine list is impressive and the food is absolutely divine, I highly recommend the chicken in philo pastry appetizer although I have not tried anything that I did not adore!”
  7. “We tried the Mergez Moroccan sausage and the wonderful Cousous that came in 2 choices meat combination and vegetarian all of witch were delicious and goes great with a very well put together wine list.”
  8. “My favorite dish thus far is the saffron shrimp appetizer and for the entree I definitely recommend the seafood or chicken pastilla as-well as the lamb and prune tajine.”
  9. “All in all, Nomad is a romantic place with interesting food and a welcoming, funky vibe.”
  10. “One of the best dishes was the peasant, hearty lamb merquez appetizer with egg and vegetables.”
  11. “If you want to relax and enjoy a great meal, this is a wonderful place to do it.”
  12. “Great food, great service.”
  13. “The decor is beautiful and very authentic.”
  14. “The food is excellent with dishes from Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia.”
  15. “Lamb couscous wasn't bad, the lamb shank was juicy and nicely cooked, but again, not enough salt.”
  16. “We thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience - the food, wine and atmosphere.”
  17. “He enjoyed his meal as well.”
  18. “Pleasant evening and good food”
  19. “The biscuit platter was a really nice end to a fabulous meal!”
  20. “Ea dish was beautifully plated, and the food was flavorful w/o being overwhelming.”
  21. “It makes for an absolutely tasty combination.”
  22. “The meat dishes looked well prepared and my friends enjoyed the lamb and prune tagine.”
  23. “Traditional food, romantic place, pretty expensive”
  24. “one of them came over to specially recommend a bottle of white wine ($25) to go with our meal.”
  25. “Authentic food & Great Service & Zero Attitude”
  26. “Finally, the tea service is great, whereas the bread is rather boring”
  27. “Everyone in my party agreed that the food was very delicious and we ordered quite a variety from the appetizers & entrees.”
  28. “The octopus appetizer wouldn't be bad if there were more then 4 small pieces of (tender and smoky) octopus and less of everything else (oranges/fennel/sauce were a mess).”
  29. “The prices are decent for the neighborhood and low considering the amount of food.”
  30. “The best dish by far was my prune and almond lamb tajine, a lamb shank with velvety, mellow gravy, ample crunchy almonds and some prunes (which, while tender, could have been a bit more cooked).”
  31. “Shrimp with saffron and cilantro cakes, a more sophisticated dish, was also very good, if not the best of what I've tried.”
  32. “The food was amazing, some of their meat dishes are prepared on the sweet side, like chicken briwats with almonds, sugar and cinnamon or lamb with prunes, sooo delicious.”
  33. “You really can't go wrong with that menu, anything you order will be tasty.”
  34. “The dough was overfried, the seafood inside -dry and lacking spices.”
  35. “the food however was terrific, and the service was warm and friendly,knowledgeable, and efficient.”
  36. “Best dishes to complete the experience are the Chicken Briwats, Lamb Boureks, Merguez, and the Lamb and Prune Tajine.”
  37. “The meat was tender and the prunes and almonds in the stew were really delicious!”
  38. “Great food, great service”
  39. “it was a very good start to our meal.”
  40. “hoped that the high rating meant I might get a good vegetarian meal there despite it being a meat and seafood place.”
  41. “ordered the savory herbed calamari salad and found that it could've been a full meal if I wished.”
  42. “Once back from Paris - home to amazing Moroccan, Tunisian and Algerian food- my boyfriend and I had a craving for North African cuisine in New York.”
  43. “The only vegetarian starter foul, made with fava beans, was pile of old, leathery beans and not the lovely, oil drenched dish with fresh herbs I'd had elsewhere.”
  44. “Our waitress, whose name I've regrettably forgotten, was very knowledgeable about wine and was able to help us pair our food with some lovely little wines.”
  45. “Our waitress, Nassera, was very helpful in explaining the different dishes and their countries of origin.”
  46. “The vegetarian cousous was big chunks of boiled vegetables on some couscous with a broth-like sauce on the side--why not cook the veg in broth to add flavor?”
menu variety
83.33000183105469% positive
  1. “the place is dimly-lit i had trouble reading the menus, even though the overall ambience is quite romantic.”
  2. “Pretty much everything on the menu looked great.”
  3. “The Chicken tangine was great, as are al lthe tangine choices.”
  4. “Everyone in my party agreed that the food was very delicious and we ordered quite a variety from the appetizers & entrees.”
  5. “We tried the Mergez Moroccan sausage and the wonderful Cousous that came in 2 choices meat combination and vegetarian all of witch were delicious and goes great with a very well put together wine list.”
  6. “You really can't go wrong with that menu, anything you order will be tasty.”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “hoped that the high rating meant I might get a good vegetarian meal there despite it being a meat and seafood place.”
  2. “If you want to relax and enjoy a great meal, this is a wonderful place to do it.”
  3. “this place is a very very good place h recommend this place is a very very good place h recommend”
  4. “this place is a very very good place h recommend”
  5. “Went to Nomad last night with a friend, based partly on the reviews here, and mostly because I live nearby and it looks like a nice place.”
return potential
100.0% positive
  1. “This place is amazing--I can't wait to go back!”
  2. “highly recommend this restaurant and will return soon.”
service
92.5% positive
  1. “the staff were very nice.”
  2. “The service is very helpful and polite.”
  3. “Everyone was smiling, the staff was happy so we were happy, the owner was there working with his staff and was a very nice down to earth guy.”
  4. “The restaurant was very cozy and pleasant, service unobtrusive and helpful.”
  5. “the food however was terrific, and the service was warm and friendly,knowledgeable, and efficient.”
  6. “thought it was a little odd that we weren't offered a seat in the garden area, since I overheard the staff say about a hundred times that it had just been opened; but the back room, where we were, is perfectly nice, if a bit dark (as in, REALLY dark).”
  7. “The food was great and is something that you don't eat too often, making you wanting to tell people about it.”
  8. “She was friendly, polite, knowledgeable, attentive and provided the best service I've had anywhere!”
  9. “Finally, the tea service is great, whereas the bread is rather boring”
  10. “For an empty restaurant, the svc was a bit slow but very attentive when wait-staff were present.”
  11. “Our waitress, whose name I've regrettably forgotten, was very knowledgeable about wine and was able to help us pair our food with some lovely little wines.”
  12. “The staff & management very friendly and attentive.”
  13. “Great food, great service.”
  14. “Our waitress, Nassera, was very helpful in explaining the different dishes and their countries of origin.”
  15. “do not know about the quality of service on the week-end, so I would highly recommend "Nomad" on a weekday.”
  16. “It's served in a brass teapot which gets rather hot to the touch but the attentive waitress or manager was always kind enough to pick it up and refill my tea glass.”
  17. “Great food, great service”
  18. “The service was so friendly and accomodating, if you have trouble deciding what to order, just ask for a suggestion they are happy to help.”
  19. “The service is great.”
  20. “When the waiter took off the coned cover, I got a huge portion of cous cous with chicken, lamb and merguez sausage.”
value
100.0% positive
  1. “Waiting stuff was a little slow but compensated it with huge smile.”
  2. “The prices are decent for the neighborhood and low considering the amount of food.”
  3. “Prices were reasonable and portions were normal (not too much; not too little).”
  4. “Overall, the place is everything you would expect from a big name restaurant at a very reasonable price.”
  5. “Traditional food, romantic place, pretty expensive”
  6. “When the waiter took off the coned cover, I got a huge portion of cous cous with chicken, lamb and merguez sausage.”
  7. “Not too expensive for a good dinner, in fact the bill came up lower than i thought i would've been.”
  8. “Food is refreshingly well-prepared(especially octopus appetizer) and prices very fair.”
wait time
75.0% positive
  1. “For an empty restaurant, the svc was a bit slow but very attentive when wait-staff were present.”
  2. “Waiting stuff was a little slow but compensated it with huge smile.”
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

06/01/11

Excellent North African cuisine

by Goodtaste tastesgood at Citysearch

This place is lovely, open patio to the street, but not jutting out onto the sidewalk so it's peaceful and comfortable. The chicken briwats are amazing, loved both the lamb and chicken tangines and have a list of several items I want to try next time. Portions are perfectly sized and the prices are right. Definitely will return.

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

02/10/09

Exotic Gourmet at a Reasonable Price

by EastVillagePrincess at Citysearch

I marvel at the fact I can get delicious, beautifully presented food for the price of an average meal. It was pleasant to walk into Nomad and basically escape into the North African world -- light tan walls decorated with lacy metal-worked and stained glass lights. I started with the chicken briwats which are flaky pastries filled with a sweet chicken and almond mixture. They were light, crispy and by the time I was done, I still wanted more. Also, portions are quite generous. I ordered the savory herbed calamari salad and found that it could've been a full meal if I wished. Since it was cold out, I decided to have a mint tea with the meal. It's served in a brass teapot which gets rather hot to the touch but the attentive waitress or manager was always kind enough to pick it up and refill my tea glass. I liked how they made me feel like a welcomed guess. The ambiance is relaxing too with the seductive beats of middle-eastern music in the background. Since I love cous-cous, I ordered the Cous Cous Royale for my entree. It came served in a traditional clay tangine. When the waiter took off the coned cover, I got a huge portion of cous cous with chicken, lamb and merguez sausage. The Cous Cous Royale also comes with a savory spiced red broth that you pour over the cous cous. It makes for an absolutely tasty combination. And of course, no meal is complete without wine. I saw that the wine list had Algerian, Spanish and French wines. I tried the wines and found myself to be partial to the Chateau Tellagh, an Algerian red wine from the Medea region. All in all, I was really pleased with the food and the pricing.

  • Pros: Food, service
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

02/10/09

Best Ethnic place in East Village

by AnaSob at Citysearch

I went there for my friend's birthday party. The food was amazing, some of their meat dishes are prepared on the sweet side, like chicken briwats with almonds, sugar and cinnamon or lamb with prunes, sooo delicious. I am definately coming back for more and recommending it to anyone I know. Beautifully designed interior, moroccan lamps, cave drawings on the walls, perfect fot a romantic date. Waiting stuff was a little slow but compensated it with huge smile. I loved it, loved it, loved it.

  • Pros: Food, ambiance, pricing
  • Cons: Loud music
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

06/06/08

very verry good

by kolokol at Citysearch

this place is a very very good place h recommend this place is a very very good place h recommend

this place is a very very good place h recommend

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

03/15/08

Great food, great service.. a great night out!!!

by Rin4 at Citysearch

We wanted to try something a little different so after scouring the net for ideas Nomad looked pretty good. We arrived at the restaurant at 8pm and were immediately welcomed and given a choice of tables. Our waitress (sorry I've forgotten her name) was lovely!! She was friendly, polite, knowledgeable, attentive and provided the best service I've had anywhere!! Pretty much everything on the menu looked great. Our waitress made a few recommendations and answered our questions.. For starters we had a sausage stew and prawns with chickpea cakes. Both were delicious but WOW the prawns were spectacular!!! I had the Lamb Tajine for main.. it was so tasty!! The meat was tender and the prunes and almonds in the stew were really delicious! My fiancee had the couscous royale which was also nice.. but not quite a nice as mine!! We were really full after all that food so for dessert we opted to share the biscuit platter and have coffee. The biscuit platter was a really nice end to a fabulous meal! They were all sweet without being too sweet and were light enough that they didn't leave us feeling over-stuffed!!! The restaurant its self was really cute.. The decor was in theme and the bathroom was very clean and tidy.

Overall we had a great experience!! Highly recommended!

  • Pros: The service was EXCELLENT and the food amazing!
  • Cons: There is only one unisex toilet

The Details on Nomad

Place Categories:

  • great food
  • great service
  • unobtrusive name restaurant
  • best perfect dishes
  • romantic place
  • very nice staff
  • fabulous vegetarian meal
  • very knowledgeable waitress
  • reasonable price
  • beautiful arabic decor
  • great entire experience
  • very good place h
  • enjoy warm profiterolles
  • love lamb couscous
  • cozy warm atmosphere
  • quite romantic overall ambience
  • big hit
  • very attentive svc
  • very clean bathroom
  • pretty good nomad
  • absolutely tasty meat combination
  • very friendly management
  • dry overfried
  • nice breeze
  • perfect fot