We stopped in for lunch when passing through Albany based on the ratings for this restaurant. We were seriously disappointed. Friends had visited early in the summer and enjoyed it and gave their recommendation, but as a couple who love traditional Greek food, this did not have the feel of Greek, nor were the dishes up to our standard. First, the Tzatziki had the consistency of stiff sour cream and none of the subtle flavors of olive oil garlic, and herbs. It was like the yogurt was just blended with cucumber with none of the other ingredients. Neither of us could eat more than a few bites as it was cloying and heavy, not fresh and light. Pitas were warm, but cut into slices that were largely dry. Where are the whole pitas that are soft that you can tear off and bend to scoop up sauce? Certainly absent in this restaurant. The dolmathakia were fine; nothing poor nor exceptional. We shared a main dish of seafood pasta, advertised as sauteed shrimp, scallops, musseles and salmon. There were four shrimp, 4 tiny mussels, no discernable scallops and the salmon was cut into quarter to half inch cubes and very few of those. We ordered the garlic cream version and got the tomato cream instead. All served over linguini, but you are paying $36 for a very small amount of seafood and mostly linguini. We were used to this dish served with lumps of seafood in a delightful garlic, lemon and butter sauce at other Greek places where the seafood was not mysteriously hiding. For dessert we tried the pistachio baklava, which arrived cold, dry and pretty much as disappointing as the rest of the meal. Service was decent, but there was only one other table occupied. Well, we tried it, but we won't make that mistake again. Did this place change hands? Some of the ratings indicated this was one of the best in the country, but having come from the amazing Greek Philadelphia area restaurants into Albany for a trip I can tell you that this restaurant is not authentic Greek. Their skimping on ingredients is perhaps indicating decline? read more

This is a fine Greek family restaurant which I have patronized several times, including most recently to celebrate my girlfriend's mom's 75th birthday. The food is delicious, healthy Mediterranean, fresh from the fields and the ocean, and the ambiance is both elegant and comfortable. We had a marinated roasted beet and cherry tomato salad and bread with a spicy pepper sauce for appetizers, with their Frassasas cocktail (bourbon, fig purée, sassafras bitters). If you prefer a gin cocktail, I have enjoyed their Santorini tonic(Greek gin, soursop purée, tonic). Our main entrees included Fish Plaki (baked red snapper), Moussaka, and grilled pork chop. And since it was a birthday celebration, we were treated to traditional laukoumathes (also known as honey balls) on the house for dessert. read more

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Best Authentic Greek outside of Athens. To say the least, the food was exceptional. This is not a "Gyro Joint", it's top flight Greek cuisine. Our server, Efe, was eager, attentive and accommodating to questions. This is a great place for a special occasion. Ambiance was wonderful. Highly recommended. read more

Dined here with family on Thanksgiving Day. Staff were all friendly and accommodating. Food was well prepared and delicious. We all had the prix fixe Thanksgiving meal and thoroughly enjoyed it. We were seated in the Taverna area and served by the owner/general manager, who was very gracious and affable. Great experience all around. read more

Pop quiz: Name the first Greek food item that comes to mind. You might have said "Gyros" or "Pita" or "Baklava" but those are easy. If you said "Dolmades" or "Octopus" or "Moussaka" the give yourself extra points. However, if you really want to learn what traditional Greek foods are this is the place to come. Their menu is full of items that are authentic and delicious that you will probably never get at a Greek food truck, festival, or diner (and I am from Greece, NY, a place that used to be full of Greek heritage and diners). My wife and I came to celebrate her birthday and found the place very pleasing to the eyes. In the board game community we have a phrase "dripping with theme" to describe a game where everything comes together to deliver an experience more than a game. This place was dripping with theme. From the lighting to the colors of blue and white on the tables to the music and artwork on the wall and the attentive staff, it was wonderful. We started with an octopus appetizer and a cheese/red pepper spread to go with the complimentary pita. My wife enjoyed the grilled octopus though described it similar to chewy, overcooked chicken. I tried it and agreed, though it had a fish taste. Perhaps that is how it is supposed to be? I loved the spread though it was salty. We brought half home. The complimentary olive spread on the table was also good with dark, briny flavors. I ordered hanger steak (I promised myself to not order a gyro) and my wife had the lamb shank stew with orzo. Her dish was excellent, with complex flavors that reminded me of Italian but not quite. My steak was very good, and the steamed vegetables were cooked perfectly. The steak didn't taste like a normal steak but had a deep flavor which must be the Greek preparation of it, and likewise the green beans and tomatoes didn't taste like average vegetables. They had a different, distinct flavor. I wouldn't eat them like that all the time, but it was really enjoyable to try new flavor profiles I don't always get a chance to experience. If the above paragraph sounds contradictory, just understand that the food was distinctly Greek and delicious! Their dessert menu is extensive. Not a single Brownie sundae or apple pie to be found. All Greek items, all homemade (except the lemon sorbet), and every one literally sounded awesome. We didn't order any as I had prepared something special for my wife at home, but I know I will be back just to sample their desserts. I am a real sucker for Greek desserts. It wasn't cheap, but it was a fantastic experience. I highly recommend this place! read more

New owners making a real effort, and it shows. Some staff turnover has led to training issues which slows things down, so be patient, and you'll be rewarded. Food was excellent. This has been one of our "go to" places for fine dining; we're very thankful that Athos seems to be back and on the right path. read more

Didn't take any pics but it is an attractive upscale restaurant. The service was very good. The waiter knew the menu and specials and was helpful. I had the Mediterranean bass. It was perfectly cooked, mild and just delicious. It was perfect snd I really care about well cooked seafood. Only four stars because I had the octopus first and I thought to portion was small and I personally wasn't crazy about the vegetables with it, to sour. The other meal was lamb shanks and they were also excellent. I hope to eat here again. The problem will be whether I can try something else because the bass was amazing. read more

Greek food!!! I miss Greek food. I grew up in the land of Greek diners, Greek restaurants and lots of Greek people. I'm a Greek food fanatic...and snob. There aren't many in the Saratoga/Albany area...there are a few Mediterranean places popping up now.... and some are pretty good....but a true Greek restaurant? Athos. It's really nice inside-we sat in the bar area and it still had a classy feel. Clean, modern with lovely wood accents and a good sized bar. Our waiter was funny and engaging. He juggled the bar and tables well since it wasn't crazy busy last night. We started out with warm, perfectly grilled pita bread and a delicious olive tapenade. We ordered three cold spreads/dips and the fried zucchini for appetizers. Wonderful! I couldn't stop shoving my face full of all of it....but I was especially excited about the taramasalata. I think this might be the only place in the area that has it! (Caviar/whipped olive oil dip). For dinner, I had the chicken gyro with a Greek salad instead of fries. The presentation was lovely-nicer than any other Greek restaurant that I've been to. I'm used to the whole pita wrapped up in a thin piece of paper with the salad or fries served on the same plate. This was much more artistic: sliced, grilled chicken strategically placed in a row with tomatoes and onions adding color on top of the warm pita. Salad was served in a separate bowl. Tzatziki was awesome. Others at the table had the traditional gyro sandwich, swordfish special and vegetarian platter. Everyone was happy. We shared 2 desserts-both delightful. Can't wait to return!!! read more

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We arrived in Albany midweek to see a sold out concert at the Palace Theater. There were no reservations to be had in the vicinity. We were lucky to be staying relatively close to Athos and were able to walk in, last minute, to such a popular resturant, a-bit farther out. The host was kind enough to speak to us ahead of time and assure us of a table. Our meal was authentic and delicious with large and satisfying portions. The moussaka was dense and creamy, filled with just the right proportions of meat to sauce to eggplant and potatoes. It came with a nice salad. I ordered a little feta on the sid, which he came in slices that were not to salty; just perfect. My husband ordered shrimp, which came with at least 8 beautifully grilled, large shrimp over lemon rice with a salad, as well. Although we were completely stuffed, (we ate every last bite of our main dishes) we had to try the rice pudding for dessert. It was lovely! We were delighted with our good fortune to enjoy such a wonderful meal at the last minute! I highly recommend going out of your way to find Athos if you enjoy Greek food. read more

Beautiful ambiance and delicious food. Very friendly owner who talks to customers and gave us free mini baclava for dessert.

I need to write a rave review about Athos and their staff. Today, they opened up 4 hours early so my family and I could host a celebration of life for my father. We had originally said we would be there at 1pm, however we ended up arriving earlier than the planned time. They accommodated us as they set up the bar area for our friends and family. The food was incredible, the bar service was phenomenal (thanks to Terry and Kemena) and all of our guests were so happy. I would highly recommend Athos for any event or private affair!!! Thank you so much to the Athos staff! read more

This restaurant blew us away and wait staff was extremely inviting and kind. Right from the start , the Octapothi Tis Scharas, Dolmathes, and Spanakopita where top notch. If your like me you know how it is to find good octopus in the area and this dish was prepared perfectly (highly recommended). At this point I knew we where on to something special. The Macedonian Lamb was melt in your mouth and the Lamb Youvetsi was so good I immediately called family and friends after dinner to rave about it. I plan on making this one of our go-to restaurants from here on out! read more

Athos - Lamb Youvetsi , Macedonian Lamb - Greek Near Me - Albany, New York

The food is fabulous and the ambiance is wonderful. My wife and I dined at Athos and were greeted by our very nice waiter Ryan, who treated us like personal guests and made sure that we had a wonderful dining experience! I recommend Athos with highest marks! read more

Everything was so delicious! The feta cheese was better than we have ever had! The arugula was so delicious! Everything was superb! The new owners and staff are impressively splendid! read more

My friend and I were in town and wanted to get Greek food. We're so glad we came to this place. The service was excellent and the food was amazing. Cocktails were equally as good. Highly recommend if you are in the mood for Greek, good ambiance, and friendly service. 10/10 read more

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Athos is the Greek restaurant you go to for celebrations (especially when your parents are picking up the bill)! I've never been but my parents go on a pretty regular basis because they're only across the street. The place is beautiful, the service is impeccable and the food is good. We started off with 3 dips, the skordalia, the tirokafteri and hummus. The skordalia and hummus were great but I wished the tirokafteri was a bit spicier. I've had better other places. We ordered some a round of drinks, a martini for dad, a Ithaca flower power for hubs and glasses of wine for me and mom. Okay, I've got to admit it, I love Greek wine, love love love. The whites are sharp, crisp and minerally and Athos had a great selection at really reasonable prices. The wine we had, Santo Assyrtiko, retails for $20 or above and their by the glass price was $12 and if you know anything about restaurant wine pricing it was a pretty good deal. I got the chicken sovlaki and my husband got the red snapper both were good but not awe inspiring. When it was time to go, they boxed up our leftovers and even threw in 2 more pitas for me and mom to enjoy. I can't say enough about how great the service was, I felt pampered and well taken care of. The staff made us feel like we were special and that's so worth the price. read more

If you like minute amounts of shredded dark-meat chicken (thighs) added to your $18 salad (listed as "grilled chicken") for $8... a cup of chicken/lemon soup (listed as a "bowl") for $12... a small plate of tasteless hummus for $10... as well as mediocre and confused service - then the new Athos is the place for you. About the only positive one can say about this obscenely over-priced enterprise is that the ambiance is pleasant. Food quality is adequate at best and not close in value to what you are being charged for. read more

Two of us had reservations, were seated in small room which had one table of 12 people and us . We were brought gluten Filled pita, asked for GF , it came charred . We ordered 2 apps , server came back , we ordered another app and 2 sm Greek salads . Server confused about order , brought out 2 apps , calamari OK , meatballs OK , one salad came , we reminded server we ordered 2 . Other app chicken wings came . They were ok . We finished , second salad never came . Server tried to have us order baklava, we said no . Bill $97 . 3 apps, 1 salad , I order charred , GF pita. Just had water to drink . read more

We decided to stop here on our way up to North Creek NY from Philadelphia. Best decision ever! We will come back just to eat here. The service was perfectly attentive with every detail for Covid covered - masked servers, touch less menu, distancing. Okay now onto the food. This was the best pita we ever had - we had a variety of items on the menu (because it's hard to choose just one thing) and they were all amazing. The saganaki, lamb gyro and oregano fries are a must! read more

Athos - Greek Near Me - Albany, New York

In these times of COVID, I'm always a little tentative to deviate from my old faithful, tried and true takeout places (looking at you, Sweet Basil). But, last week we did not feel like cooking, didn't feel like Thai, and decided to go *wild* and order from Athos. I have been to Athos many times for family functions and having Greek ancestry makes me crave dolmathakia every couple months, so needless to say I was jonesing for my fix. We ordered the "dinner for 4- gyro" with all the fixings for 2 chicken gyros and 2 lamb gyros and, because they were out of dolmathakia (sad face), we opted for the trio of 3 Greek spreads. We would have been stuffed with just the dinner for 4- there were 4 warm pitas, about 1 lb of cooked meat, an 8oz tub brimming with tzatziki, and another tub of fresh tomatoes and onions. It was perfect. The meat was so delicious, and by the end I wish we had just ordered all lamb meat because it was tender and seasoned to perfection. The trio of three spreads were: tzatziki (so we had a lot of that), hummus (which is hands down the best in the capital region), and tirokafteri (a feta and spicy pepper dip). They also came with basically 2 pita breads' worth of pita points... we had a lot of leftovers. AS A FINAL NOTE. AND WHY I WISH I COULD GIVE ATHOS 6 STARS: the pickup was so so easy. All we had to do was pull up to the curb, a young man got our order name, and within seconds brought it out to our car. Everyone was masked up, and for the first time in a while, I did not worry about any risk in the closeness of contact. I understand it is annoying/frustrating to wear a mask, and I've noticed people have the tendency to be a lot more lax recently. Here, the man who gave us our food was wearing a clean mask properly (read: covering his mouth and nose) and makes me a lot more likely to order takeout from Athos again. I feel confident that they still are taking the public health of their customers and community seriously. read more

The service, the food and the drinks were EXCEPTIONAL. Everyone was so kind, and helpful. The Lavender Daisy cocktail is a personal favorite. I am so excited to come back again! read more

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The food was excellent. The service superb. Ambiance was lovely. Enjoyed a birthday dinner with friends and everything was exactly as you'd want it to be. Our server, Connor, was exceptionally attentive and the owner was very actively ensuring that the dining experience was perfect. Highly recommend. read more

So good food great staff love this place a bit pricey but worth it the food is amazing

The food was very tasty. They give you complementary pita bread with a roasted red pepper dip of some sort. The drink was quite strong (stronger than what I like) but I guess that makes it worth it haha! Would come again for sure. Just a note if you want food from the tavern menu that it's a separate seating area and menu for that! I heard the gyros are delicious! read more

Athos - Sweet Pristine Cocktail - Greek Near Me - Albany, New York

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I just had a lovely dinner with my family at Athos restaurant. The food was excellent. The new owner made us feel right at home, he was very kind and welcoming. My family loved the platter of various spreads served with warmed pita. read more

Five stars again great place for dinner nice ambiance . Clean and neat and there food is traditional Greek food,Great waitstaff very helpful and courteous .I would give it a five star rating all day long .Definitely recommended ....... read more

Apparently athos is under new ownership, thankfully they kept the zucchini app ( thinly sliced zucchini chips, salt, vinegar) - I might come back someday but only for these. My partner and I each ordered souvlaki, chicken for him, lamb for me. The lamb was dry and didn't have that great flavor I actually think it was beef My biggest complaint is that the menu reads that the souvlaki comes with salad and rice and tzatziki ( if desired) - well it should call out that the tzatziki is an additional charge and it doesn't. We already had tzatziki from the zucchini app and would not have agreed to the additional charge. We also ordered pistachio baklava to go. $12 for three tiny pieces of sub par baklava. read more

Absolutely fantastic restaurant in Capital Region. Service is attentive and responsive. Elegant and clean establishment. Great menu - We over ordered to try out many dishes, they were all excellent. The grilled octopus was perfect. Bar made a great cocktail. We will certainly be back! read more

Delicious food and great service. They are prompt and polite. It's a very clean and nice restaurant. It's more on the costly side for their dinner menu. And no gyros on the dinner menu by the way. Only seem to be in the bar menu. But we have yet to have a dish we didn't love and wasn't authentic Greek. read more

Best meal I have had in Albany in a long long time. Sat in bar area and was served by the nicest most professional bartender who displays pride in what he does. Beautiful decor with an amazing underground wine dine area covered in glass, bar had all the right muted colors. My meal included pickled crunchy veggies with Greek yogurt sauce that had the right amount of pucker. Baby lollipop lamb chops came out piping hot and the perfect seasoned medium rare, I had tears in my eyes with every bite. I made room for the grilled octopus that reminded me of my meal in Crete. Finished it with a proper perfectly muddy Greek coffee that I expect will happily keep me up all night. This is truly 5 stars plus, I will return again! read more

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Pretty pricey. Long wait time for food even during lunch. Small portions. Bland food.

My office had ​our holiday luncheon here with our President and CEO. The private room set up and food was great! I especially loved the Greek Salad. The fresh and flavorful feta cheese with light herbs put it over the top!! Thank you Fred and Ali! read more

Athos has been one of those staples when we are looking for somewhere nice to go that's a little bit different and we haven't gone in a while Try any of their seafood or Lamb which is extremely good Also recommend you try the grilled Octopus read more

Hands down the best restaurant in the area! Me and my sister are foodies whom always looking for new places to try. We found this place a few days ago, this is our third night in a row out here! Ali the new owner is extremely nice and friendly. If you are looking for a nice dinner date or family gatherings, this is the spot. The pork chop on the menu might not catch your eyes, but that's one of the best pork chops we had. read more

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We were looking for a location to hold a small group dinner (45 guests). We are not from the area abs relied on phone/email to contact. Chris was extremely accommodating every step of the way. Both the good abs service was top notch! read more

Every bite was superb! Minor issue was our server, who was friendly and helpful, was handling a lot of tables, maybe they were short of staff, but here carriers were terrific, too. 4.8 for service. Atmosphere is very nice as well. Now food. I have never been served an olive assortment that was warmed, really elevates the flavors. They start you off with pita and minced roasted red pepper, delish. Our other appetizer was the goat cheese flambéed in ouzo, yummy. The server misunderstood my order and brought me lamb shank instead of the rabbit dish, but it was soooo good I kept on eating. My wife had the pastichio which she was having for the first time properly made. Portions were so generous on both plates we brought home the next days meal. Dessert was a rice pudding with essence of orange, very good. The topper for the whole meal was a flaky pastry filled with custard and served warm, the definition of decadence! We WILL return. This is a destination restaurant, make the trip. read more

My sister and myself came here for lunch and it was amazing from start to finish. I felt like I was eating in my Greek mother's kitchen. Everyone was so nice and friendly. We even heard the table next to us yelling OPA!!! The menu had a nice variety of old and familiar along with new. The food was amazing and you can tell it has heart in it. Just like mama's. Will definitely be back. read more

I really enjoyed my dinner at Athos. I loved the complementary pita bread with the olive dipping sauce. The Tzatziki sauce was good but I thought 2 dollars is a steep price for just a side order of the Tzatziki. Kalamarakia - the Calamari was very tasty with the right amount of crunch. I liked the tomato sauce which it was paired with. Sautéed mussels - the mussels were delicious and juicy. I loved the cherry tomatoes and roasted garlic. Dolmathes - the hand-rolled grape leaves were very flavorful. I liked the slight sour/tart taste of the grape leaves. The ground meat and rice inside were also good. Paidakia Arnisa - I really loved the double thick rib lambs chops. Market price was $38 dollars when I ordered. The portion size was decent and the lamb was cooked properly (I ordered medium) and well seasoned. I actually was not a big fan of the lemon potatoes. The strong citrus taste did not pair well with the potatoes. I would like to come back sometime and try one of the cheaper lamb options on the menu to compare. Whole Fish Tis Imeras - we had char grilled sea bass filleted tableside for us. Market price was $32 when we ordered. I actually was not that impressed with the sea bass. The fish was rather bland. I wish the fish was more tender and juicy. I wish the fish was more seasoned. read more

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Athos is relatively new to our rotation, but it is definitely a keeper. When most people think of Greek food, they think of the diner. This is definitely not that! The atmosphere at Athos is upscale and elegant. When you step up to the hostess station, you can see the wine room below through a glass inset in the hardwood floor. In the front there is a beautiful dark wood bar surrounded by high tops and a few booths. The back dining room is filled with comfortable white tablecloth seating and perfect lighting. The staff is professional and well presented in black and white uniforms. We were seated at a generous table in the dining room. Athos has great cocktails and a pretty extensive wine list, so I was eager to get down to business! I ordered a rose cocktail which consisted of vodka and rose liquor and a couple of other things topped with candied rose petals. It was strained and served like a martini. Fabulous, and not sweet. Husband ordered an Italian red blend, which was rich and full bodied. Our server returned with homemade pita and tapenade and gave us a few minutes to settle in. Might I just say that the warm pita with kalamata tapenade was delectable. We watched the table next to us have the saganaki (Greek cheese with Ouzo) flambeed. I love tableside service. Our server then came by with a tray of fresh fish, one branzino and one dorado, so we could view that evening's market offering. Those would be filleted tableside as well. I decided to go with the grilled octopus appetizer served with homemade pickled vegetables, followed by the veal chop. My husband ordered the keftedakia (lamb and beef meatballs with mint and onions) followed by the double cut lamb chops. The appetizers arrived at the perfect time and I switched to a sauvignon blanc to accompany. My octopus was just as delicious as the last time we were at Athos. They really know how to cook the octopus properly. It was very tender and the homestyle pickled vegetables went with it nicely, adding nice crunch and acid. Husband's keftedakia were also tender and delicious and spiced really well. Moving on to the entrees, you really cannot go wrong with the exceptional meat at Athos. I am always tempted by the beautiful fish, but I can't stop ordering meat because it's just so good, especially the lamb and veal. My veal was cooked medium rare, as ordered, and was a generous chop with unctuous fat and a good herby sear, yum. I requested vegetables only, which were green beans and roasted red peppers. Husband's lamb chops were done just as well, served rare and well seasoned, charred slightly with meltingly good fat in all the right places. It came with lemon potatoes, rice pilaf, and vegetables. My only complaint about Athos is that I think the sides could be less homestyle and pack more of a punch, but on the other hand, that is part of the charm. This was an excellent dining experience from beginning to end. Service was efficient and timed perfectly without being at all rushed. The food was spot on. We were stuffed and declined dessert, but took two pieces of pistachio baklava home, which we ate late night on the couch in front of the fire. It may have been the best baklava I've ever eaten. I can only say good things about Athos. Go try it and experience real Greek food in a beautiful setting. read more

No whole fish served at the table last visit. I get it, but that was good and I missed it. Seems a little tired. read more