We thoroughly enjoyed our dinner last night. We got the table I requested, were greeted warmly by…read morethe staff, the service was impeccable, and the food--delicious as always. Keep up the good work, Elea!

It was such a wonderful evening. The food was over the top; fabulous small plates and salads to…read morebegin, and knock out fish preparation to follow. Friendly and very competent wait staff, great ambiance and all of the people sitting around us were so pleasant; I guess other customers were enjoying the ambiance, food and service as were the people at our table.

Haven't written a review in awhile but felt compelled to leave a note after my experience here. The…read moredecor is stunning and tasteful. It's great for all occasions - a night out, date night, large parties, etc. The tables are very close together but thankfully not incredibly loud or distracting. I have not had Lebanese cuisine before and so I really relied on the staff for recommendations. Our server, Brian, came through with fantastic recommendations and really made our experience memorable. He was attentive and checked on us frequently even though he was managing several tables. The food comes in small plates and is meant to be shared. We ordered four items for two and were absolutely stuffed. Great flavors and spices that blended well together without being overwhelming. My favorites were the duck schwarma and mouhamara. In a city where there are thousands of restaurants, I truly believe the biggest compliment I can give is that I'll definitely be back.

Fantastic lebanese food has now arrived in the middle of Manhattan! I ordered Kibbeh Nayeh as a…read morestarter and as part of restaurant week, got the trio of dips (baba, hummous, mouhamara) and the Falafel Burger with Baklava for dessert. I ordered to go as I had to get back to the office. The thoughtful packaging was fantastic. the Kibbeh was on an ice pack to make sure it stayed fresh and cold. The falafel burger was 'fine', but the fresh potato/fries were YUM! The baklava was literally a bite. For the price (the reason for 4 stars v 5) I would have liked a bit more baklava, but the taste of everything was delicious!

Loved Avra! The interior was absolutely beautiful and the whole restaurant had such a nice…read moreatmosphere. The sushi with tuna was one of my favorites, along with the steak and the butter cake. The butter cake was SO good and definitely something I'd order again. The staff was really nice and attentive, and I also wanted to mention how kind the bathroom attendant in the women's restroom was. She was so sweet and made the experience feel even more welcoming. I didn't get a ton of pictures this time, but honestly this is definitely a must if you're in NYC. I'd absolutely come back!

We thoroughly enjoyed our time here. I brought someone visiting nyc who's never been or even heard…read moreof Avra and this was their favorite spot of the trip! We came in around 4pm on a Sunday and it was not busy at all. Good for us so we got sat immediately. For drinks we both got the Hugo spritz and it was indeed not disappointing. They then gave us their complimentary hummus which was actually delicious and so authentic. I hate when people put too much cumin in hummus but this one was exceptional. For starters we got the crab cake and the grilled octopus. The crab cake was packed with meat and the meat itself was flavorful. The octopus came sliced, was a generous portion, and was sooo tender. I'd get both again in a heartbeat. For mains we got the lamb chops, lemon potatoes, and the scallops. They knew we wanted to split everything so they plated the proteins table-side for us. Great service. The scallops come with a ton of spinach so if you're worried about ordering a vegetable that's got you covered. The scallops themselves were so flavorful and sooo tender. The lamb chops were also super flavorful. 3 chops but we only had 1 each. The lemon potatoes were also the perfect accompaniment for both entrees. Probably the star of the show. For dessert the coconut pie was also tasty, not too sweet. The one complaint I have is when packing the food away I wish they packed the roasted garlic head that accompanied the lamb chops. It would've gone great with them. Other than that I think Avra is very underrated and a sure fire way to impress anyone in the mood for great Mediterranean food!

After walking around Roosevelt Island on an extremely hot day, we were craving good food, cold…read moredrinks, and strong air conditioning -- and Anassa Taverna delivered. The décor was inviting and the service was genuinely warm from the moment we walked in. We ordered the beet salad, grilled lamb, spinach pie, and octopus. The beet salad was delicious and came with almonds and a spread that tasted almost like hummus. The octopus was a generous portion and surprisingly tender -- my son ate more than half of it, which says everything. They also served bread and beans on the side, both of which were fantastic. The spinach pie came as huge triangles; it was decent, though not my personal favorite. The lamb arrived much later than the other dishes, but it was worth the wait. Thick‑cut, cooked medium rare, and served with grilled vegetables -- it was perfectly done and surprisingly good. Overall, the food was fantastic and the service matched it. We'd definitely come back.

I had went here for my birthday in 2024 because they participated in Restaurant Week and I never…read morehad Greek food before. My waitress was great, the bus boy came around and he had poured water with no ice. I remember that I had to ask my waitress for ice water and she came back with it. I was told by the Hostess that upstairs was only limited to private parties. I remember it was packed and they probably get a lot of foot traffic because it's right across the street from Bloomingdale's. They gave me free bread and looked like humus. The appetizer was grilled octopus, the only problem that I had was they had charged an additional $12 because this is Restaurant Week we are suppose to get a deal. The entrée was a Branzino served with saffron risotto. I always wanted to try risotto because of the reality show "Hell's Kitchen" they mess up on this dish numerous times. The dessert I had was a sorbet and it changes so you have to ask what kind they have when ordering. For the drink they had a sangria and it was delicious, I had ordered another one. They had special drinks on the menu for $10. I remember the place gave an old school feel of Greece with the design of the bricks inside the restaurant and the plates. The bathroom was just one that everyone had to wait on. The bathroom was clean, but small. I said that I never had Greek food before, I never had octopus before, I liked it. I never had risotto before, I liked it. The reason why I give this restaurant five stars because I can't remember if the bathroom had toilet seat covers or not because that's a plus for me. Would I go back here again? Heck yeah! The food was great! The service was great! I have now become a fan of octopus, risotto was delicious and so is that sangria, I had to order it twice. So come check out this East Side gem.

I had a party of 15 people (four of whom were children under the age of 10) for a special event…read morethat I had to schedule last minute. The staff was extremely helpful, created a menu for us to confirm, and had the entire thing set up and planned the night before within an hour of starting the process. On the day of the event, the food was a-MA-zing. Starting with a selection of jams, honey, hummus, and muhammara, there were toast points and pita for dipping and snacking. As that was being enjoyed, we were served falafel (so incredibly crunchy on the outside without being dry inside; beautifully fragrant and fluffy interior) with tahini based sauce, two different cheese plates, and pide. Just as my guests were starting to slow down, the platters of shakshouka, mascarpone scrambled eggs, and tiny pancake bites with fruit came out, capping a wonderful meal. Along with the turkish coffee, tea, and (STRONG) endless mimosas, this was an excellent meal and a special event that the staff executed wonderfully even with last minute prep time. 5/5 stars, no notes, rave review, would recommend, would go back again.

Ambiance/Atmosphere Came here for brunch with a friend on…read morethe Upper West Side, and the space set the tone right away. Warm, cozy, and inviting, with a relaxed vibe that made it easy to settle in and linger over the meal. Appetizers We started with a cheese flatbread, boat-shaped and blistered at the edges, the interior molten and gooey with a bright basil leaf on top. Simple but done really well, crisp crust giving way to all that warm cheese. Mains The brunch dishes were the highlight. A sizzling skillet of eggs cooked over spiced sausage came out rich and savory, the yolks just set, perfect for scooping up with the basket of warm bread on the side. The tomato-based baked eggs were equally good, a deep, well-seasoned sauce with a little heat and fresh herbs on top. Comforting, generous, and full of flavor. Drinks The blackberry mocktail was a standout, refreshing and beautifully garnished with a cluster of fresh blackberries. Always great to see a thoughtful non-alcoholic option that feels like more than an afterthought. Service Attentive and warm throughout. The team kept everything moving smoothly without ever feeling rushed. Verdict Five stars. Delicious food, a cozy atmosphere, and a mocktail worth ordering on its own. A fantastic UWS brunch spot that I'd happily return to.

Cute restaurant with great vibes! Super busy and packed with patrons. I ordered the octopus with a…read morefew modifications and the chef was accommodating to my requests. The octopus was the most tender I've had in New York! My only complaint was that it is too small for the price. My photo is of 2 portions. I'm guessing one portion is only 2 ounces of octopus. Other than that, it was great!

Popular cute spot. Attentive service. Octopus was excellent. Horiatiki salad fresh but small and…read moredressing was bland. My risotto was very good. The Loup de marfish was ok, was not seasoned well and not super flavorful or super moist. Lemon potatoes good not great. wine by the class priced far too high even for NYC standards considering the bottle cost of this greek wine

Amazing food, and the most gracious service! My waiter was the owner of the restaurant, and you…read morecould tell! His passion for the menu was very clear. Their lunch special is an unbelievable good value for the neighborhood - so much food and every bite a delight! Vegetarian options plentiful and given every bit the same care and attention as the rest of the menu, which is always nice. Thank you!

Got brunch here with a group of 8. The staff were super kind and accommodating. The food was great…read morebut the service was really slow for drinks/tea/coffee.

Our party of 7 tried a number of mezze and platter dishes and there were plenty of vegan options…read morefor our vegan in the group to select from. Among everything we ordered included hummus and spicy hummus - both bowls were scraped clean, it was soooo good -- plus moussakaa, falafel, and cauliflower mezzes. Everything was delicious! I had the lemon sole, which could've done with a lot less salt, but the whole dish was delicious and I left nothing behind (except for some bones). Our dinner was made all the more memorable by our waiter who was funny/super nice! Knowing it was my birthday, once dinner was over, out came a birthday torch and accompanying baklawa w delicious cotton candy topping (on the house, which was a nice surprise). Two others celebrated their birthdays there while we were there, so it's quite popular for birthday celebrations. I look forward to returning some day soon, and I will recommend this restaurant to my friends.

3.5 stars, a beautiful dimly lit dining room and huge no less. There are a few steps walking up to…read morethe dining area. Great for groups of all sizes, reservations suggested but on this weekday visit, it was not too busy. We had a resy any way. Service was fair. Our waiter checked in with us once after we ordered and we had to beckon him twice - once for water refill and second for condiments/questions. What I didn't appreciate but understood, since we were two people dining, we got a corner table for two. It was not busy so we asked for the table next to us since we ordered plenty. They did not accommodate us saying they may need it for later. I did not think that was necessary since the place was not busy. This was 6pm on a Wednesday. And to boot, huge dining room - plenty of seating available. This was off putting as we said we ordered plenty. Our plates barely fit and they brought everything almost at once. Onto the food, I may not have ordered their popular dishes but nevertheless, nothing to rave about. Portions were shareable but it was just okay. There was not one stand out dish. I had higher expectations based on other reviews and photos but it was likely what we ordered. This was a vegetarian meal for me since I was dining with a vegetarian. - Moussakaa, this was a very tomato based sauce dish. Fried eggplant and chick peas combined had a nice texture. Mild flavors. - Arayess cheese - sorely disappointed. Very little flavor and I love my cheeses. It needed something to make it more appealing. It literally looked like cheese in a pita. And yes, by description it was. No condiments or side of anything to offset the plating. Visually flat. It could've used a sun dried tomato paste or some acidic side dipping sauce. - Yara Fries - shockingly simple, zaatar and spices. But they didn't put enough. It still looked like regular fries. And by the name, I expected more punch of flavor. It was not there. - Falafel - tricky dish if it's not cooked well. Simple again by name but the ingredients were just mild in flavor. Crunch was perfect. The chickpea, onions, cilantro and garlic was not pronounced. It was ok. Not memorable. - House wine, by the glass, decent and went well with what we ate. Would I return is the question... Likely not. The menu was so promising but nothing to bring me back.