My husband and I went here for dinner. We both really enjoyed our time at Farida! The decor is super cute and unique. The menu has pictures, which I really appreciated! Service was great and there was live music at the time. We both enjoyed our appetizers and main dishes. The food was hot, flavorful, and super yummy! The entire restaurant is a whole experience!

First time trying central Asian food and overall it was great! Don't know if I'd go out of my way to go to this place again but definitely worth a try for anyone looking for new cuisines.

Delicious food, there's something for all diets. And the ambiance is very unique and beautiful. It isn't a "trendy" spot which I appreciate. Lots of central Asian comfort food with dumplings and stews. I think I'd give this a 5 star experience if my server was a little nicer and didn't try to sell us on items so hard and give us attitude when we did not. We had a party of 4 and ordered quite a bit already.

Service was pretty quick. The cocktail i got was really strong and i couldnt finish it. I got the appetizer and you can mic and match the flavors and they were all pretty good. The rice couldve used some more flavor but overall a nice restaurant

You can get yummy Uzbek, Central Asian cuisine from @farida_downtown right in the financial district! I like ordering lunch delivery from them time to time, but their dine in environment is also really nice. Cozy vibes, live music in the evening, and super nice staff!

Good food, live music, and incredible service! This spot is a hidden gem in Fidi! I've also never had Uzbeki food but this was delicious!

A random evening brought me to downtown NYC after work. Hungry and searching for Asian food, I stumbled upon Farida, a Central Asian restaurant that caught my eye. Initially, I hesitated because I was craving East Asian cuisine, particularly Chinese food. However, the extensive menu quickly drew me in, and I was ready to explore something new. Upon entering, I found the place authentically decorated. I was promptly seated, and the friendly waiter patiently explained the menu. I decided to try a few dishes. I started with Uzbek milk tea, which I asked to be lightly sweetened--it was delicious and comforting, especially since it was raining that day. The food arrived shortly after. First, I tried the Umka puff pies with various fillings: steak, chicken, baby pumpkin, and baby spinach. Each filling was distinct and tasty, with a crispy exterior and juicy interior. Next, I had the veal liver with mushrooms. The liver, cooked in a creamy sauce, was tender and paired perfectly with the mushrooms. I also ordered the assorted meat platter, which included boiled and sliced beef tongue, Kari Kazakh sausage, and chicken roll. This cold platter was simple yet made me crave a cold beer. Then, the handmade manti steak arrived--a large steamed dumpling with hand-cut steak, served in a steamer. The four big dumplings, paired with sour cream, had a tender, soupy filling and a slightly chewy wrap. The waiter convinced me to finish the meal with Mom's honey cake, a layered dessert that was absolutely delicious. I ended up with enough food to take back to the hotel for another meal.

Another place where I was the only white person or the only person speaking English, telling me I was in the right place! Farida is down the steps of a below the street level spot in the financial district (they are closing their midtown location). It's steps away from Alamo Drafthouse, so that's what brought me there . . . but it was a delight! Farida focuses on central asian cuisine (and it's halal). Think Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakstan. My server was Uzbek and spoke Russian (he speaks perfect English as well, but thought it was super cool that he spoke to most other patrons in Russian).--This tells you this is a place where people who know go! I told him to order me what he would order himself. For the most part I went with what he said. Just for the record, he says he loves the dumplings, so if you're into dumplings, go for it. I just know I don't like dumpling texture, and that's a ME thing, not a them thing. I ordered the Umka puffs with with steak. Great flavors with the sauce, though a little chewy. Next time I would probably try to spinach and herbs. They also have baby pumpkin and chicken. The outside was crispy and hot and the inside was savory. My server explained it's best to eat with the hands, as the enzymes on our hands enhance the flavor of the dough. For hot appetizers, next time I wouldn't mind having the juicy meatballs (which the server also recommended, I was just by myself and could order only so much food). Also the fried Chuchvara (ground beef dumplings) looked tasty. I aso had the Kovurma Lagman (also styled Laghman). When Lagman House Duncan Cuisine in Sheepshead closed, I thought I had missed my chance to try this special kind of noodle. But Farida has a couple of Lagman noodle dishes. The noodles are chewy and hearty (in a good way) and the beef is tender and succulent. Lots of tasty veggies too. I sampled their shashlyk selection (salmon, veggie, chicken, crispy chicken, veal liver, beef filet, ground chicken, lamb, and more). I had the beef short rib at the server rec. Pretty good, but next time I would probably try another type. I had a couple cocktails, which were fine, but this is not a craft cocktail place. I think I would much rather try their interesting supply of mixed lemonades and teas. The menu here is huge. I can't touch on it all. But there is something for everyone, including vegetarians and vegans. Soups, stews, noodles, The decor is cool--retro in a way, exotic, colorful. They have a stage for live entertainment on some nights, and I would love to see the belly dancers! I loved everything--the vibe, the service. I am so happy to have tried this lesser known food region. My server was Jahangir. Please, everyone, give him all the tips and all the kudos! Thank you again! Will definitely be back for more of this gem!

I never write reviews but I felt compelled this time because the experience we had here was so special. This incredible place is one of a kind and I'm very surprised it isn't more popular. We came on St Patrick's weekend and it was quite empty. The entrance was adorable and inviting, perfect for pictures. The interior is beautifully decorated and spacious with intimate booths and a bar. I think they might also have performances and live music here. The stage was empty when we arrived as we were the only ones there but I did see a microphone and a guitar. We were greeted and seated by a kind lady. I don't think I got her name but she gave us a nice background on Uzbek and Kazakh history and comprehensively explained the entire menu along with the cultural significance of the dishes. It was awesome and felt pretty educational. We ordered taking her suggestions into account. I was very impressed with our waiter Zack who was so professional and kind. He also gave us many suggestions and presented the dishes well. He had on this indie rock playlist that was nice and mellow and he shared the playlist with us because we liked it so much. I could see him being a cool person to hang out with. When it came to ordering basically everything on the menu looked delicious. We ordered : - Nomad Kazakh beshbarmak: delicious flat noodles in a shallow hearty broth and slices of beef and potato. The flat noodles really shine in this dish. - Handmade manti beef dumplings: these beef soup dumplings were good for sharing as they can be filling and they come with sour cream - Kovurma lagman: this one was my favorite, it is said to be spicy but it wasn't spicy when we had it. - Moms honey cake - A kind of Cinnamon citrus tea All came out to around 100 dollars Everything was amazing. Entirely worth the price especially considering the experience. We will definitely be coming here again!

Staff are exemplary. All the waiters and servers were super friendly and talkative. Appreciated that we talked in Russian, and asked us a lot of questions about ourselves, while also sharing their journeys. Superb hospitality. Highlight of our experience. Cozy, warm decor, consisting of heavy, wooden furniture and culturally appropriate lamps and tchotchkes. Good was solid. Not the best Uzbek/central Asian I've had, by a stretch, but a filling, quality meal, nonetheless. $22 lamb manti were tasty, but the second they cooled Down, the lard that was inside, congealed and started sticking to utensils the roof of the mouth. So. much. Lard. It overpowered every other taste and texture. Never ate manti with such insane amount of unmelted lard. Not a pleasant after taste. $32 lamb shank was disappointing. Meat was bland, lacking all flavor. Vegetables were the highlight--they soaked up the juice and tasted sweet and crunchy and delicious. Our waiter recommended short ribs, and I wish I'd listened to him. Get the ribs! $30 beef fillet mignon kebab was juicy and flavorful. Definitely overpriced for the portion, but if you're spending money, this is the dish to spend it on. $6 mash potato was okay. $15 Napoleon was very expensive for the small size. But, Napoleon is never cheap. It wasn't sweet, and was mildly flavored, which I appreciated. Overall, a decent meal, but definitely overpriced. You can find better. But the service and staff are what will be the highlight of your experience.