It's not that the food was bad. It was OK but in a level you make at home for your kids when you don't have enough time. We felt cheated, not just because of the cost, more abut the fact that there are so many...good options is Tel Aviv and we wasted our time on this one. We don't get how this restaurant was listed as one of the best by "Time Out".More

With a new chef, we had great expectations from Pastel. The atmosphere was very good, the dishes were delicious, but - very tiny. In short: tasty, but the feeling we got was of a stingy place. So little food for so much money. However, let...us give the chef more time to adjust to the local scene: please enlarge the dishes. this is crucial.More

Last night in Tel Aviv and we went to this highly touted restaurant. Food was just OK. portions were small and prices were high. Not a place I would go to again nor a place I would recommend to others unless money is no object...and they want to grab a pizza after dinner.More

Some dishes were great (onion soup), some just okay (fish shawarma) and some disappointed (a fillet steak which was served almost cold and was rare even though we asked for medium and was coupled with uninspiring potato mash). Nothing was particularly bad, but for the...price, we hoped for much more.More

There's something about desserts restaurants in this country just don't get. Eventually, it's all about desserts. When they're done right, nothing else matters. And awe, what Pastel did should be taught in school. A first post-corona visit. I had a lot of horrible experiences in...restaurants here since the pandemic started. They didn't just all upped the prices, but shrunk the sizes of the dishes and put more cheap ingredients at the expense of the quality ones. But with Pastel, they added top notch dishes, and the sizes were decent even comparing to pre-corona era. I was quite underwhelmed by the first and main courses though. They weren't bad, we ate them all, but for a place who's now amongst the best in here and the price range, "Fine" is not enough. No real effort was put on the presentation, the risotto wasn't mushy at all, and the beef fillet with puree came lukewarm, which implied it waited quite a bit for the risotto to be ready. Nothing really elevated the dishes. Then came the desserts. The restaurant is located in the Tel Aviv Museum of Art compound. The museum's running a Yayoi Kusama exhibition for a few months now, and Pastel introduced special dishes inspired by her works. One of them was a Fabergé egg dessert. This was a very famous dessert by a now defunct restaurant called Mul Yam that closed about 7 years ago. It was considered the best restaurant in the country for years, and Pastel's executive chef used to be a sous chef there. I thought I'd ever have the chance to have it again. Although it was a different version (unfortunately with way too much cream that was supposed to be orange but just felt pure sugar, and not enough mandarin ice cream which was absolutely delicious). just seeing this nothing short than a marvel, covered in Kusama style dots, and breaking it with a spoon to reveal all the treasures inside - AWE. The other dessert we got, a Tarte Tatin, was almost as beautiful and even tastier. the ingredients were separated, the tart was replaced by small puff pastries, the apple was sliced thinly and rolled, and a delightful scoop of toffee ice cream was added on the side. What's made it beyond amazing is that none of the ingredients was out of the ordinary. It's the execution that was so impeccable, one by one and all together, that made it so remarkable. It was marvelous. With such desserts (plus another mini strawberry-kadaif-cream dessert on the house), who cares about what came before? 5 stars from the first biteMore

The restourant is very nice . It is very nicly decorated and the service is excellent. But the prices on the menu effects badly the culinary experience

Having had a very poor experience with this restaurant some years ago, I hesitated to visit it again. However, this time- everything was outstanding. The service, the waiters, the dishes, the atmosphere - I wholeheartedly recommend!

Amazing food (3 course meal), amazing service, very good vibes, food is fresh and cooked well, I'd come back anytime...

Family occasion. We were all well mannered professional individuals. Servers were unfriendly and at times condescending. Had Unwelcoming and somewhat robotic demeanor. Appeared unaware of the quality of a simple human smile. Food was mediocre at best. Garden is relatively nice but nothing more in...favor. Very poor value for the four figures check (in shekels). AvoidMore

Five for Shabbat lunch, table was a little cramped but others were seated 6 at similar tables, definitely cramped. Service was hit and miss (some waiters helpful and friendly, others couldn't care less. we were five with a table setting for four and when we...asked for a fifth the first waitress just shrugged. bread (paid for) took 10 minutes from order to table and bread plates were taken for some but not for others?. Food was again hit and miss; a lovely endive salad and stuffed cabbage were countered by oversalty beef tartare, nice gnocchi but pointless (and miserly) shrimp cocktail. worst was the fillet of beef, at 188 NIS it was small but you expect it to be hot, at least warm, it was cold as were its side vegs. when sent back same piece reappeared lukewarm (as if it had 30 seconds in a microwave.) and yes they charged for it even though we pointed that out. desserts were nice (Memories of Istanbul) ok (petit fours and questionable , chocolate ring. all in all ,at over 2000 not good VFM and not a particularly memorable experienceMore

Nice environment. Bad food. The green salad was swimming in vinegar. The filet beef was dipped in a dark color sweetener. It was accompanied by a over salted meshed potatoes. I asked to replace the dish, which they did but the goose leg was surrendered...by over sweetened cabbage. Looks like the cook is deeply in love and shares lots of salt and sugar with no holds barred. There are lots of good restaurants in Tel Aviv. Not this one. The waitress was nice and kind but she doesn’t cook unfortunately.More

I had a lovely experience eating at Pastel. The service great as was the food. Now, our server was attentive and helpful with our choices. The ambience is fabulous, the presentation of the food was beautiful although it was pricey. I highly recommend it to...people who want a special eating experience. I certainly will go back. Toby Shuster, Jerusalem, IsraelMore