- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Athena Mediterranean Cuisine
Category: Restaurants Greek Greek [Edit]
535 6th Ave(between 14th St & 7th Ave)
Brooklyn, NY 11215
Neighborhood: Park Slope
(718) 965-4578
- Nearest Transit:
-
7 Av (F, G)
Prospect Av (D, N, R)
4 Av (F, G)
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Casual, Intimate
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
About This Business:
Agora Taverna features an extensive seafood cuisine followed by a traditional Greek kitchen, at modest prices. Our ingredients include seafood and meat… read more »
72 reviews for Athena Mediterranean Cuisine
Review Highlights
-
"Oh my gosh, I forgot to mention the bread pudding." In 7 reviews -
"Our favorites were the hummus, spinach pie, and the Greek..." In 5 reviews -
"...and fries, grilled vegetables and the lamb shank with orzo." In 4 reviews
Loading...
72 reviews in English
-
Review from Ilona J.
Brooklyn, NY
5/23/2012
Delicious food! We came here on a Wednesday evening around 7:30 PM, and had the pleasure of outdoor seating.
We ordered a special mushroom stuffed with spinach appetizer, which was delicious. My partner had a lamb philo streuddel which was a special for the evening, and I had shrimp in a tomato sauce on orzo. Both FANTASTIC!
They also serve homemade hummus with great bread, and for desert, definitely try the coffee or espresso!
The waiter/owner is delightful to talk to, and I would come back anytime! I am looking forward to trying their other locations. -
Review from Kate B.
4/30/2012
This restaurant is the most authentic Greek experience you will get outside of Greece! The staff is greek, the setting completely Greek, and the food is delicious.
The servings are huge and everything we ordered was perfect. The outdoor seating is really nice and the area is quiet so it doesn't affect dinner.
It is very casual - it is all about the food! -
Review from Shane C.
Park Slope, Brooklyn, NY
3/20/2012
Legit Greek good. Great service. I always love coming here especially when it's warm when I can sit outside and enjoy some wine or Ouzo.
Terrific atmosphere. They make you feel like an instant regular. I recommend this place for anyone who is a veteran of Greek food or for the beginner with a rookie palate.
The calamari is killer too. -
Review from Claire M.
Brooklyn, NY
5/10/2012
My boyfriend had a coupon for the restaurant, and I love Greek food, so we went on a random Tuesday night. There was only one waiter for the whole place - which, while small, needed at LEAST another person. We waited for ten minutes before he even brought us water. The food was overpriced for the quality - I didn't think the hummus was that good; the salad I got for $15 with grilled chicken was unremarkable; and my boyfriend got a lamb dish which he said was "fine."
-
Review from Karen B.
Roseville, CA
5/8/2012
Ate here with a groupon coupon for 2. We were the only people in the restaurant on a Thursday evening. Not sure why, as the food was pretty good. Not the best Greek food I've ever had but definitely good. We had the salad (which was great) the Tilapia (good but a little too salty), the 3 greek casseroles (my husband really liked these), and the honey cake for dessert. It was definitely worth the money I paid for the groupon $35.00 for two people. The only disappointment was that it came with two glasses of wine and the wine was awful! Yuck. And it seemed to be watered down too.
-
Review from Lauren B.
Brooklyn, NY
3/2/2012
Dinnertime in Park Slope: growling stomachs, grouchy frumpy people, babies. Harrowing stuff! Especially on a crummy night when you do not feel like crawling out from under your blankets. But crawl we did, right down the street to Athena, where a fire was crackling and the air was perfumed with roasted meats! Ah, heaven!
It feels like you are eating in your Greek aunt's living room (if her living room has a bunch of tables and young, perky waitpeople in it). It's super-small, not cool at all and just real sweet.
Good stuff: pita bread, tzatziki, giant lamb thingy (I dunno, but it was a main entree).
Meh stuff: meat platter - it seemed really plain and not well-seasoned to me, but it was also a ton of chicken, which I just think is a stupid meat unless it's deep fried, so...you know, don't take MY word for it.
Excellently weird stuff: the menu urges you to check out the Athena patriarch's internet cooking show. TAKE ITS ADVICE. -
Review from Kaxy m.
New York, NY
4/12/2012
Came to Athena on a Living social pre-fixe dinner for 2 voucher (I think that's the only way I go out these days...)
There was only 3 other tables besides us and only one waiter, who was clearly flustered. Everything was a wait and/ or a question. They were out of $30 wine so the waiter suggested the $42 wine which I was too polite to turn down. It was good but not $42 good...
The homemade hummus was delicious though! We had mussels, which were ok, although the sauce was tasty, there were a lot of empty / unopened ones. The Dolmata was pretty good. For mains, we had a chicken and pork skewer platter (a bit on the small side, but tasty) and tilapia, which was pretty well prepared. Deserts were kinda small but tasty. Overall a decent experience but nothing to write home about. -
Review from Cecilia D.
Brooklyn, NY
1/27/2012
Don't let the quite atmosphere of this place fool you. This place is a little GEM. Food, service and prices are great. I was at Athena twice this month, and both times I was very happy with it.
Meat platter is AMAZING (it's listed as appetizer but it's actually a full size dish). It has 4 different kinds of meat, tzaziki (very good) and delicious greek salad.
I also had the grilled octopus as appetizer which was good but small (it came with a chickpea pure which was a very good pairing).
Pita and hummus are complimentary.
Service is very attentive. Prices are fair.
I'm giving four stars only because in my opinion they use too much (olive) oil in some of their dishes. Now, I know olive oil is healthier than other oils and fats but I feel moderation is very important and it's what makes Mediterranean food so special and different.
Overall... very good food. Place is authentic and unpretentious. -
Review from Azuree M.
Brooklyn, NY
3/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
Courtesy of Groupon: My mom and I came here for dinner. We started with the pita and hummus. We shared the greek meatballs as an appetizer and kept the sauce for our entrees because it was soooo good. We then has the scallop special and the moussaka. The moussaka was a standout!! The potatoes were really creamy and the meat was really tasty. The scallops were good, but small portion. If you like greek food, check them out!!
-
Review from Gerry P.
Brooklyn, NY
Updated - 9/14/2011
This is indeed case of "as good as it gets" in terms of Greek food in Park Slope.
Returned here last night after several months, and was once again impressed with the exceedingly warm service and delicious food. The place now serves beer and wine, so you don't need to bring your own.
Once again, my friend and I started off with their tender and tasty grilled octopus and marvelous lima bean vinagrette. Once again, this was followed by an invigorating moussaka (even better than last time--fresher and more distinctively flavored). We finished with a 10-star homemade baklava and a smooth cup of decaf. Attentive, helpful, and caring service further sweetened to the delight.
This place should have lines out the door. Its off-the-beaten path location (on predominantly residential Sixth Avenue) is an asset for those who revel in the quietude there (especially when the weather permits use of the ample outdoor seating). But I'd be willing to give up the "quietude" to see this lovely and underrated restaurant thrive long into the future.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
4/23/2010
Hallelujah! My faith in Greek food has been restored. If you've been missing authentic, homemade… Read more »
-
-
Review from Vida O.
8/14/2011
I came in with a restaurant gift certificate of $25, with a minimum order of $35 only to be informed by staff that they were no longer accepting that and the minimum order has to be $50. Nonetheless, we were already seated and drank our water so we decided to give it a try.
I was definitely pleasantly surprised! The grilled octopus was flavorful and my lamb shanks were perfectly cooked!! Oh so yummy!! The lemon potatoes were delicious and there was nothing I didn't enjoy.
The restaurant is kind of dim on the inside, perfect for a date I guess. I would avoid outdoor seating because it is literally on the sidewalk and there is constant foot traffic at that corner.
Overall, I nice place and I wouldn't mind coming back to try the other specialties. -
Review from Christine G.
Brooklyn, NY
7/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great BYOB Greek place with no corking fee. The food is pretty decent, not especially awesome but for what they lack in goodness, they make up for in letting us bring in cheap wine.
The staff is really friendly and let you stay as long as you want. Definitely try the bread pudding! -
Review from R A.
Brooklyn, NY
9/28/2011
I was really surprised to read some of the negative comments on here about this restaurant, as I have been to both locations many times, and I have never had even the slightest issue.
Everytime we see the owner, he is friendly, outgoing, and really makes sure we are treated well. The servers are fantastic. My husband and I really appreciate how the owner hires people who genuinely know how to treat the customers. We particularly like Jessica, and the Spanish guy. He's talkative, but he's adorable, and really goes out of his way to make sure you have everything you need.
Their grape leaves are to die for! I refuse to eat grape leaves anywhere else. The consistency is perfect, and that vinaigrette is killer. Really, they're that good. The avgolemono soup is quite tasty. We tried it at the Smith st. location during the Smith st. soup festival, and my husband and I both agreed that it was our favorite of all soups on the block. It has a good tart lemon flavor, and a hearty broth feel. Their fish dishes are also very good, and not overdone. My husband really likes their mussels. My vegetarian friend also appreciates the vegetarian pasticchio. I will often go there for lunch, and get a salad, and it fills me up, and doesn't taste like they just threw it together.
It's nice that this location got their liquor license finally. The pricing is more than fair. They have something on the menu for every budget. It's a nice place to take a date, or to take out of town guests for a quaint meal. -
Review from Michael F.
Brooklyn, NY
8/10/2011
Seafood is bland, not much flavor besides decently cooked fish. I really liked the spinach/lentils under my salmon though.
They like funkily shaped plates. Have a decent looking bar and I think is byob as well. Interior is dark and deep and seems geared toward date night. The staff was great, but really the food just wasn't much. -
Review from Kassandra F.
Brooklyn, NY
6/21/2011
I had been wanting to go to this place for a long time. My boyfriend and I finally went for our 10 month anniversary.
We realized something was up when we walked in and were not greeted or seated by anyone. The bus boy and waitress/hostess were moving around by the bar so my bf and I just awkwardly stood while everyone in the small space just stared at us.
We order-even though I suggested to my boyfriend that we dip and dine somewhere else, because they gave us a pitcher with warm water, the waitress warned us half of the menu wasn't available and after 15 minutes there we hadn't received a customary peta basket, like every other waiting table there. While we suffer from greasy and feta cheese smelling fingers (appetizer) we realize we've been in Athena for about 25 minutes, and the bus boy hasn't given us a napkin and eating utensils.
The food finally arrives and I feel like they put hate into the meal.
My mashed potatoes are tiny slobs, they look like they are melting or disappearing, and my lamb chops look way over cooked.
I dig in with my butter knife to no avail, I have to ask the waiter to give me a "real knife"- of course he didn't think to get me one when he saw I order lamb chops. The lamb chops were hard to chew. Enough said. My bf''s, Spartan Platter wasn't too good either.
Overall, the night was kind of a disaster. Mid-way through our meal they started closing up and turning away customers explaining that they were having trouble with something tonight and had to close early. SINCE, they were apparently having an off night I didn't give them 1 star. And although the service was wretched, the waitress/hostess was calm, collected and new the altered menu very well. She handled being alone gracefully, and we liked her. The bus boy was a very sweet and like-able guy, although he didn't know what he was doing.
I hope one day I get the courage to go back and have a redeeming experience. Its hard to give it a bad review, its such a nice looking place and one of the few Greek restaurants in the area. But I have to be honest. :/ -
Review from Adam R.
Brooklyn, NY
7/2/2011
I love Greek cuisine and was really hoping to have a great meal with my girlfriend. We came with a http://restaurant.com discount.
It was Thursday night, which meant belly-dancing night (this happens ever other Thursday). At first we sat outside to enjoy the fresh air, but started getting bitten by mosquitoes. So we moved inside and sat by the window. (FYI: the door gets stuck on the tile if you don't push hard enough) It may have been the busboy's first day, but he didn't know the place had wine even though they had a full bar or if we could get extra pita. The waiter was okay and we started with some wine. However, the wine glasses that we were served were speckled and not wiped clean. I overlooked that and decided to order the mussels with wine sauce to share (nothing special). For an entree, I ordered the lamb shank with orzo and my girlfriend had the salmon (edible... that's about it). By that time we wanted to go since a family behind us with their loud kids were getting anxious about the upcoming performance.
Suddenly the lights dimmed as Greek music began to play. The belly dancer was good and got part of her audience up to dance with her which lightened the atmosphere. Soon after she concluded her performance we got the check and booked it. My girlfriend thought it tasted like reheated homemade Greek food, which I thought was an accurate description.
In brief, Athena is great for families, particularly if you have kids who love belly dancing! -
Review from Sacha S.
Brooklyn, NY
3/15/2012
the greek soup is great and the bread pudding is fantastic!!
-
Review from Elaine M.
2/21/2011
For some reason, I thought this would be a bustlin' place for authentic Greek food. We were like VIPS. The only patrons there for almost our entire meal. Our waiter was very attentive. To the point where it got a bit annoying.
We had the Greek sausage and fries, grilled vegetables and the lamb shank with orzo. I enjoyed the Greek sausage but for the price, there was only one link. A lil' steep there. Grilled vegetables were exactly as they are. Grilled Vegetables. The Lamb Shank is probably the only dish that helped make this a 3 star review. It was perfectly flavored and very tender. The Orzo complimented the shank perfectly.
Not so sure if I'd actually be back. The selection on the menu wasn't too appealing to me. It is said that on certain Thursday nights, there's a belly dancing performance. I do wonder if it's really true? -
Review from Albert W.
2/11/2011 2 photos
Bouncing off Sivi's review, I too used a certificate.
Unfortunately Jose was a bit too overbearing. You know how waiters always just loooove to check in? I wondered if it was his thick spanish accent or if he was given a script on the super long menu of specials describing every ingredient in them as if we've never had Mediterranean/ Greek food before. It irked me when he mentioned there was "sauce" in the soup and stew. I didn't go to culinary school but do chefs put "sauce" in soup/ stews? It's really not necessary to broadcast the fact that you're using tomatos from a can.
The food was good though. Lamb shank was tender, and the orzo was perfectly seasoned. The greek sausage was interesting but I wonder why there's only one on the plate as an appetizer. Grilled veggies were also ok.
I'm sure I would have given this place higher marks if the belly dancer was working last night and Jose was better at managing the restaurant. He/ the owner also didn't understand the fine print on the http://restaurant.com certificate. Towards the end of the meal, I was praying Athena would get another customer to walk in as we were the only ones dining for a good 40 minutes. Thankfully there was.Listed in: Park Slope
-
Review from Rica S.
Manhattan, NY
2/24/2011
This place is one of the best restaurants in Park Slope. Great quality food, very nice people, huge portions, what more can you ask for?? I have yet to have a bad experience here. They don't focus on trying to wow you with anything fancy, they just focus on good food here.
I'll be moving to the city in a week.. and I will miss you Athena! -
Review from Jeremy K.
Brooklyn, NY
3/16/2011
I've only ordered in from Athena, and the food is always delicious. There are some other Greek places in the neighborhood and the cuts of meat are never as nice as Athena's.
Tonight we ordered delivery and asked for a soda. It never came. I called to find out if they could bring it with their next delivery, and not only were they apologetic and humble, but actually brought over a delicious dessert! I wish other establishments had such good customer service. And I think I'll be ordering this Raisin Rum Bread Pudding the next time we order in! -
Review from Althea A.
11/13/2011
It's definitely a few steps up from a Greek diner, but, especially for this neighborhood, the atmosphere struck me as a bit stuffy and notably un-hip. It seems like they're going for a bit of an older crowd.
I got the grape leaves as a starter. I gotta say, these were some of the best grape leaves I've had - they came with some kind of amazing sweet and savory sauce on top, with feta and salad on the side. They also came out with a basket of toasted pita triangles and a little cup of hummus - also really good!
For an entree, I got the Spartan Platter - which isn't Spartan by any stretch of the imagination. It's all the Greek classics on one plate: spanakopita, pastichio, moussaka, and a Greek salad. They were all good, and it was a huge portion, but none of them really blew me away.
There was also a lovely and competent belly dancer performing - it wasn't very busy at the restaurant, only 3 or 4 tables were full, which made it slightly odd, but it was still a nice touch.
The atmosphere and entree would be 3 stars, but an extra 1/2 star for the excellent dolmas, and an extra 1/2 star for the belly dancer brings it up to 4. -
Review from Suzanne M.
Brooklyn, NY
2/21/2011
I had a great experience at Athena!
I thought that the service was great, very friendly without being too chatty. The food portions were very big, which is good because the food is a bit pricey.
We ordered the Spanakoptia (very good, but maybe a bit greasy), the steak entree (the steak was pretty good, and came with string beans which were by far the favorite part of the meal, and potatoes, which were the least favorite), the lamb shank entree (a large shank with a ton of rice), and a side order of greek fries which were very good. You also get a complimentary pita and hummus dish, which was a nice appetizer.
We left full and with enough left overs for another meal or two. I totally plan on going back when the craving for mediterranean hits me again. -
Review from Sarah E.
Brooklyn, NY
2/19/2011
Love this place! We've been there four times in less than two months, even taking out of town guests.
The lemon-chicken soup is surprisingly fabulous and the moussaka is hearty and filling. We adore this place! -
Review from Aditi A.
Brooklyn, NY
5/2/2011
Whatever. Not the greatest. The search for awesome Greek food in NYC continues. I didn't know this place was BYOB, otherwise maybe I'd have B'd... but still, very mediocre. The owner was bombastically chatty (+1 for using bombastic?). And then he was all up in my grill like "do you know what you want? I mean everything on the menu's great" (not waiting for me to answer) "Do you know the specials? We have some really terrific specials, they're really fantastic. I have other locations of Athena too, in Bay Ridge, and Carroll Gardens... would you like to hear the specials list? We have some great specials--"
me: "Ok - what are the specials?"
Owner: stammerstammerstammer "Ummm.... I'm gonna need to check on that." He then scurries away, not returning for 10 minutes.
me, in my head: ...Do *you* know the specials??
Got the striped mediterranean bass which was alright, but nothing to write home about. The baklava was extremely syrupy.
Maybe I should hit up Astoria for real Greek deliciousness? -
Review from Daniela A.
Brooklyn, NY
9/26/2010
After a long tiring afternoon of biking with friends from Wiliamsburg to Park Slope, and being part of a photoshoot for a few hours - we were beyond starving (or at least I was). Since I was in the mood for Hummus - a friend looked up the closest Mediterranean places, and chose Athena. It was DELICIOUS. We had the grilled calamari - amazing. The platter with the 3 sauces - also very good... and for the entrée - we all shared 3 of the specials which were all extremely good.
We had lamb wrapped in Phyllo dough - which was probably my favorite.
Cornish Hen - also extremely tasty, and seafood atop of linguine in a red sauce. Everything seemed cooked and seasoned perfectly and all 5 of us really enjoyed it and left stuffed for $21 a person.
Service was great and the staff were super friendly. We brought some wine, and beers - no corkage fee! They also kept bringing us out more pita bread which was also extremely delicious...
Highly Recommend...will go back for sure...just maybe not by bike =P -
Review from donna s.
New York, NY
8/21/2010
Celebrated my birthday here and now want to celebrate EVERY DAY here. FOOD was AMAZING - it was a big party so it feels like we tried a little bit of everything on the menu - not going to get into each dish here - just know there wasn't a bad one.
SERVICE was GREAT! DECOR was GREEK! BYOB = YAY!
Highlights: Pita bread = one of a kind amazingness!
Lowlights: Ravioli was nothing too special, still delicious, but the other dishes offered a better experience! -
Review from Tibisay G.
Orange, CA
11/2/2010
Found this restaurant after reading reviews on Yelp and purchased my http://restaurant.com certificate.
SERVICE: EXCELLENT! Our server Jose was friendly and extremely knowledgeable of everything on the menu and all specials. I had called earlier to make a bday reservation for 6 and he acknowledge us when we came in. He was also proactive at making suggestions and lenient about checking with the chef to modify one of our dishes.
FOOD: was good in taste, portions and presentation. We started with some pita bread and hummus, which was good. For appetizers: the grilled calamari and stuffed mushrooms were the best. For entrees: we liked the branzino and the chicken oreganato (special). The only dishes I wasnt a fan of were the grilled octopus which was hard and a little burnt and the Pasticcio which lacked a bit of flavor and didnt taste fresh. For dessert, we ordered the rum raisin bread pudding and it was delicious! They also wrote Happy Birthday around the plate, which was a nice touch.
Overall, I was very happy with the experience. If you drive there though, it might be hard to find a parking spot. We went on a Sunday around 4pm and it took us a while. -
Review from Jeanne M.
Brooklyn, NY
3/13/2011
Nothing to write home about. Not the greatest food. Was expecting a completely different experience. I probably will not be going back. Friends recommended this place, as they have taken out from here. So maybe take out is the way to go.
Prices were reasonable. Waitress was nice but flighty. Food runner was excellent. -
Review from Katie R.
Brooklyn, NY
2/21/2009
I walk by this restaurant every day and always wanted to try it out, especially with the way it smells walking by. I finally tried it tonight and was very satisfied with the experience. I love Greek food as it is, but the menu options here were excellent and the dish I ordered was very satisfying. I ordered a platter of Greek marinated meats with salad. The lamb and beef were tender, and the chicken and pork were so flavorful. You can bring your own wine (or any type of booze) so that makes the cost of the meal alot cheaper.
The restaurant is in a quiet area of Park Slope so there isn't much foot traffic down this street. This adds to the very relaxed atmosphere.
I definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone who enjoys Greek food. They offer brunch as well so I am definitely trying that out!Listed in: My Neighborhood
-
Review from Gary D.
Brooklyn, NY
5/14/2009
I'm about to go to Greece in a few weeks so I'm going to keep this short for now. I'll report more after. For now, all I'll say is this:
Brooklynites: You don't HAVE to go to Queens to get great Greek food.
It's rare to find a place that has great food and great service for a great price.
The food was excellent, the service totally solid and the price totally reasonable.
The chef came out and asked how the food was (and actually meant it).
The ambiance.. is.. fine. Not amazing. But totally clean and charming and everything you'd expect it would be.
The calamari - VERY fresh - not chewy at ALL and served piping hot. Cooked to perfection.
The flaming cheese - freaking incredible (then again - it IS flaming cheese)
Greek Salad - solid. Not mind blowing but totally solid. It's was a B ++
We just went for a late dinner/snack so that's all I have to report on at the moment.
Highly recommended!!! -
Review from Becca C.
Brooklyn, NY
1/8/2010
I came to dinner here with my mom and sister last night, and we loved the food and the experience!
We felt right at home as soon as we entered this hidden gem of a restaurant. The server was charming and welcoming!
We ordered a number of different dishes and each time we tasted a new dish, we raved about the taste of the food! (My personal favorite was the spanakopita)
They offer many traditional meals in vegetarian form, and had a long list of specials.
There is a real commitment to traditional whole food here and that is clear in the flavor and presentation of the food!
Bring your own bottle of wine, because they don't sell wine!
I also thought the meal was very reasonably priced for the quality and amount of food we ordered! (We took home a lot of the food, the portions were just too huge to finish!) -
Review from Music D.
New York, NY
10/8/2011
I found this place on yelp while I was in the area. The food was surprisingly delicious. I tried the chicken kebobs which were good but lacked some spice. The hummus and the spinach were delicious. I also tried few appetizers which were great. The service was really good. The food took a while to come but our appetizers came right away. The decor was cute even though it was a very small place. I would recommend this place if you are in the area and craving greek food.
-
Review from Maya T.
Brooklyn, NY
7/27/2009
I adore this place. It's family-owned, operated and run and they are the sweetest Greeks this side of slope! My boyfriend and I went there for Greek Easter this year and, albeit being strangers, they treated us like family. So warm, so cordial and gave us a few round of drinks on the house!
As for the food, scrumptious. We both had lamb with risotto and it reminded me of my Thea Noula's cooking, all the way in Patras, Greece. Now that's what I call authentic!
The family is genuine, the food is cooked with love and the location is spot on. I would definitely go back for more. -
Review from Phoebe O.
Los Angeles, CA
3/6/2009
Very quiet, friendly, restaurant. We sampled almost a third of the menu and it ranged from good to excellent. The service was excellent and the chef even came to our table twice to ask how we liked our food. Our favorites were the hummus, spinach pie, and the Greek grilled squid. The meat dishes were a bit too rich for us, but are sure to be popular with people who prefer heavy meat and cream. We asked for the food to be served family style, and they were happy to accommodate. Everything tasted wonderful. We were sad to be too full to order desert. They do not yet have a liquor license. They offered us a free glass of wine and invited us to bring our own bottles in the future.
Unfortunately only five of the tables were taken at 7:30 on a Friday night. Two of the tables had very polite, happy, families with babies. The babies were very well behaved... I think they actually added to the friendly atmosphere.
I will definitely return to this restaurant... if they can stay in business. Fingers crossed for them. They have put a lot of thought into their service and menu. -
Review from blair G.
Brooklyn, NY
7/8/2010
The food was good, but the service was GREAT. They were attentive and always there. The waitress memorized all of the specials (they were numerous) and didn't deliver them in a script with BS words like "savory" and the like.
When we commended her memory I asked if she liked working there and she said she loved and they were good to her - which made me like the place a ton more.
It was BYOB (since they don't have a liquor license yet) and they put half of our beer in the fridge and upon our request brough more out - they even took it out and presented it to us - and OPENED IT. What service, especially when considering that it didn't increase the bill...
The portions were nicely sized and we were stuffed.
There was even pita and the creamiest hummus I have ever had.
Near the end of our experience the owner/chef came out (not sure, maybe both?) asked how everything was.
The bill was $66 for three people for three entrees and a $13 mussel appetizer (other appetizers were cheaper). Everything was fresh and I would definitely go back again (and again!).
The only thing that detracted from the experience is that the LIVE MUSIC(!!) was a bit loud, but when asked to turn it down, they did. Oh! and there was a belly dancer with cymbals and a ring of candles balanced on her head and everything! -
Review from Amy B.
Brooklyn, NY
1/26/2010
The food is delicious! I went with my parents on a whim when I moved to the neighborhood and they were floored, particularly because they had just gotten back from Greece and said it was as good as any food they had eaten there, and that the Lamb Strudel (not on the menu, but always available, definitely ask for it!) was better than anything they'd had. The owner and servers are very nice and the atmosphere is quite cozy.
Lunch is well priced, dinner is a little more, but well worth it for the quality of food. Also, it is BYOB, but they will serve you a glass of wine with dinner if you eat there. My fiance and I eat here all the time and have had all sorts of things off the menu and have never been disappointed! -
Review from Joe M.
Brooklyn, NY
3/27/2010
Among the best Greek experiences I've ever had!
At least, we have an authentic Greek restaurant that is not a diner! I first stumbled upon this neighborhood establishment by accident. It's decidedly off the beaten path, being tucked away in an otherwise purely residential corner of the South Slope, but it is certainly worthy of remembering for the quality of both the food and the service.
I've now visited this restaurant several times, and am happy to say that each time, I came away impressed.
Twice, I have had one of the house specials -- an orata fish, which the owners apparently fly in from Greek waters. Coated with oregano, lemon, and olive oil and grilled, this is a breathtakingly mild, buttery example of why Mediterranean food is both delicious and healthy.
Plenty of other choices are equally worthy of praise. The standard Greek choices are all done very well. My notoriously finicky sister -- who, as a grown adult, once cried simply because I dragged her into a Moroccan restaurant -- declared Athena's spanakopita (spinach pie) the best she'd ever had. But this is also a great location to sample harder to find Greek cuisine - even the sauteed horta (dandelion greens).
Service has been friendly, prompt, and sincerely gracious on every occasion I've visited. My only hesitation in giving Athena five full stars (a rating I typically reserve only for dining experiences that practically move me to tears) is the decor, which, from certain angles, gives one the feel of dining in Aunt Thea and Uncle Nick's furnished basement. Then again, maybe that just reinforces the down-home style of the food.
May I have some more baklava, please? -
Review from Ian J.
9/21/2010
Went here once, and probably won't go back. It was far too overpriced and the food was greasy and cold. Not really my cuisine of choice, I suppose.
I'm not educated in Mediterranean cuisine to make a proper assessment of the taste and style, but in my opinion, it was as mentioned above. Oddly enough, the place was empty (possible indicator, or location?)
Service was friendly, and the people were overly determined to make us come back. -
Review from naima b.
Manhattan, NY
1/30/2011
Just went here for the first time, it was kinda late on sat night and quite empty inside, luckily that was no indication of the quality of the place.
our waitress was great--knowledgeable, helpful and sweet.
the mussels and stuffed mushrooms (both specials) and the spanakopida were absolutely delicious. im gonna have to go back soon just for the spanakopita. we also got grilled calamari, which i wasnt a big fan of, but my boyfriend liked. the atmosphere is nice, formal with white table cloths, yet cozy lighting and (fake?) fire going. ill definitely go back.
also, its byob (maybe temporary) which is pretty sweet. my boyfriend and i stopped at big nose, full body on 7th. it was a great date night.
