Balade East Village

I came here on a very nice Saturday night in late August with two others. We had made the reservation over the phone earlier that day but they also accept reservations online. I live in the neighborhood and have always noticed the placing being crowded. I would recommend a reservation. The night we went was a lively and fully packed restaurant primarily filled with people in their 20s (as are many places in the east village). There was a mix of groups as well as couples. The restaurant is small and the tables are very close together. There is outdoor seating but I wouldn’t recommend sitting outside as it is very busy. The staff at the restaurant were all really lovely and that they wanted everyone to have a good experience. Our particular server seemed like he didn’t primarily work in that capacity and was filling in for a shortage, but overall the restaurant provided good service. The menu was a mix of small plates, platters, and appetizers. I really enjoyed the Fatoush salad as well as the falafel. The portions are fairly large by NYC standards. Overall I enjoyed my experience. I would go back and I would recommend.