Been coming here since the days they were using giant teddy bears for social distancing, and it's still one of my favorite spots. The octopus here is hands down some of the best I've had, perfectly cooked every time. If you come, you HAVE to get the chocolate mousse for dessert. The staff is great and the whole place has that old-school, family-style vibe that makes you want to keep coming back. I also love when they bring out the sparklers for birthdays, it makes the whole place feel fun and celebratory. I'm coming from Astoria, the heart of Greek food, so that should tell you something about how good this place is. Always worth the trip. read more

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I had high hopes for this restaurant due to the amazing reviews but after waiting for my meal for over an hour, I was extremely disappointed by the chewy octopus. The reviews raved about how tender it was but it wasn't tender at all! The flavor was consumed by red bell pepper; that's all I tasted which was not pleasant. read more

Eleni's - Octopus. Chewy - Greek Near Me - New York, New York

Very mixed review for this place. I'm summary - inconsistent and overpriced. We ordered a few different fish entrees and they were actually very good. The appetizers, not so much. Spreads were average and the dolmas were cold, gummy, bland and just gross. There was a kids pasta on the table and that was utterly offensive - a huge pile of overcooked linguini with barely any tomato sauce. They clearly didn't give a single care about this dish. Then, strangely, the baklava was AWFUL. Not crispy at all and weirdly textured - like they had put it in the microwave. Overall there was a lot of food that was just too bad to eat and some that was great. At this high price point I don't think I'd sign up for this adventure again. Lastly I have to add that the bathroom is FILTHY. Incredibly disgusting like worst dive bar disgusting. Thankfully I had visited it after the meal because seriously if it was before, I would have walked straight back out of this restaurant. They should be ashamed. read more

Came here for my fianceé's holiday party lunch earlier in the month. Cool little vibe around the Union Square/Gramercy area. Because it was like 12-13 of us, we almost tried everything. Lots of veggie starters/appetizers. The Pikilia is a good choice to get an idea of the different dips (excluding the roe for me). The halloumi was one of my personal favorites too. The Melitzana Feta was something unique that I haven't seen before. That was tasty. No real veggie entrees, but they can make you a veggie pasta if you ask . To be honest, the pasta wasn't anything special, but I was impressed by the variety of veggie apps and starters that those can almost fill you up on its own. read more

I definitely recommend the octopodi sharas, it was delicious and flavorful. The fish for two was also fantastic and came with nicely lemon potatoes and broccolini. Our waiter was very attentive and nice. Restaurant also looked nice inside with florals. read more

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From apps to course. Everything was pretty solid. The octopus is theirs staple so I got it. But it's meh. But everything else was great. Def recommend if you are around this area. The steak was done well with their sauce. The mussels also. read more

Sipping an iced skim latte inside Eleni's is relaxing. There are two small round rattan black and white checked tabes each with two chairs. Counter seating facing the street has stools. Mithos, the cafe donkey, who wears a straw hat and the unnamed pelican keep me company. Valerie was the barrista who made my coffee and is a friendly person. Here there is a recharge machine for four iPhones at the entrance. I have not seen this anywhere as I don't charge my phone outside. Jams, oils, chocolates, juices, bottled water, ice cream pints made in-house, spices, pastas, Digestive biscuits, freshly made pastries are all available here. Outdoor seating is also popular with customers. read more

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Loved the prix fixe lunch. I had the octopus appetizer followed by the grilled bronzino - both were excellent. Our server was very friendly and attentive. Nice atmosphere, great food and a great deal. read more

Being in the Service industry I really don't often, if ever write reviews. However, I am going to take the time to write this experience so that hopefully the ownership might express to their staff the concept of hospitality and why people go to restaurants for enjoyment. May 23rd is an important day for my wife and I. We celebrate our wedding anniversary and usually have a wonderful night out doing different things in celebration. We started our day having a wonderful Lunch at Le Dong in Union Square. Quite elevated Vietnamese food and worth a visit if you can get a table. To bore you with the details of the day, we hit up the Old town pub for some drinks with an old friend having a rough time. On to the MET to look at some art!! Feeling the hunger kicking in, we all thought about some Greek food to cap the night off. Enter Eleni's into the mix. Our first time here and we just googled the place and remembered an old friend worked there at one point years ago. Off to eat Greek food!! As we entered the restaurant we were greeted and sat. Upon receiving our menu's we also we greeted with the most unusual assessment in Spanish from our server Willfred. Apparently our server didn't get the memo that most people in NYC understand the Spanish language. Actually maybe he didn't realize that Spanish is the second language here in America. Telling the back waiters that the "Borracho" table had entered. My wife was stunned. I was wondering how Willfred made the judgement and what his thought were regarding customers coming to dinner after having a drink on a special day. Watching the appalled back waiters knowing that he had made an error seeing we understood his use of language. I confronted Willfred and asked him why he said we were "Borracho"? He said he didn't understand what I was saying. Not wanting to make a scene or have our night negatively impacted by one servers comments we decided to stay and eat. The food was good. Not remarkable enough to be told we are drunk before even opening the menu's. The server thought he could talk about his table in jest to the staff because we were having a good time? Strange. I waited tables for 25 years, I always loved tables that wanted to drink and have fun whilst spending money. I know it's a totally different neighborhood, but if you want good service and great greek food maybe check out Paros on West Broadway. We should have gone there in hindsight. Thought to try a new greek spot to us. That was our mistake. If the server thought we were intoxicated maybe he could have followed the SLA guidelines to refuse service instead of serving us a bottle of wine and after dinner drinks? Well lesson learned here. Avoid the service at Eleni's at all costs if you have had a drink before going in for dinner. If you do have a drink, save your $317.93 for the dinner and just say " Eforisto Malaka", and go spend your money where the restaurant appreciates guests that want to drink... Glad I didn't order a Metaxa on the rocks in the beginning. He might have asked me to go to "AA"... read more

The food is lovely. Fortunately they don't overcook things like in Greece. The lamb was lovely. read more

Eleni's - Backgammon - Greek Near Me - New York, New York

Will was our very patient server as we couldn't decide on wines! the meal was exquisite and beautifully served, the wait staff all respectful and efficient. Will was very helpful with suggestions and descriptions, above and beyond. read more

Stumbled upon this place looking for a quick drink and light bites. We ordered a dip platter which normally comes with pita bread. Given my allergy, I asked him if I could have cucumber as well, so that my friend could have the bread and I could have a cucumber. They said that was no problem, but they would have to charge extra for cucumber. I've been to a few Greek restaurants now and that was probably the first time I've been told they are going to have to charge me extra for cucumber to accommodate my allergy. Then on top of that, the dip came and there was no cucumber - they seemingly forgot about it because it took me a while to get them. The restaurant itself seemed to be very popular in the area as it was crowded. The tequila drink that I had was good. It felt like I was on a Greek island drinking it. The bartender was very friendly. I'm not sure that I would go out of my way to go back. read more

Eleni's - Bar - Greek Near Me - New York, New York

A beautiful restaurant with a wonderful ambiance! Service was impeccable. We got the spreads, salad, moussaka, chicken and grilled octopus! Definitely would go back. read more

New favorite lunch spot! They have a great price fixed menu. All the food is so fresh and delicious. Service is always attentive and a nice cozy ambiance. read more

We had an awful experience!! We had many meals at this restaurant, and all were good. HOWEVER, on this occasion, besides the waiter forgetting one entree, we each ate separately. We had a $200 gift certificate that was given to us by our children. The check totaled $145 and they said that we lose the balance of $55. We then ordered a $45 entree for takeout. I Googled the NYS policy for gift cards, and apparently, what transacted with the gift card was illegal as the balance should be applied to another time. We will never go back and be careful when you buy gift cards at this restaurant. read more

Beautiful, lively ambiance inside with low lighting and a cozy atmosphere. A popular restaurant in the area so always rather packed. They also opened a sister bakery a block north with the same name in the past year or so. A little bit on the pricey side - I had the fettuccine shrimp for $33 which comes in a light tomato sauce. The shrimp were large and great quality but I felt that some of them were on the verge of being undercooked. You also get a free pita(?) bread with a lovely fresh hummus dip. As well as a little piece of baklava. Service is quick and helpful. Definitely would dine here again, it's lovely. read more

I ordered takeout and when it was ready, I went to the restaurant to pick it up. I waited at the hostess's table for 10 minutes before anyone showed up. Extremely slow service here, my food was cold when I got home. read more

We came at that odd time on a Saturday, lunch is over since it's a little past 2pm but clearly too early for dinner. It's a spacious restaurant with inside and covered patio outside seating. Our server Will was great. He and my friend had a banter going back and forth that men sometimes engage in. The food was fine. Is it the best Greek I've ever had no, but it was solid and we had great service and a leisurely lunch that inched into them starting to fill up for the dinner service. What we ordered Dolmadakia - Grape leaves stuffed with rice, pine nuts, raisins, and extra virgin olive oil Gigantes - Braised imported giant Greek lima beans with traditional tomato sauce (we both agreed one of our favorite dishes) Melitzana Feta Roasted eggplant rolled and stuffed with feta cheese, tomato sauce, and organic parsley Imam Roasted eggplant, caramelized onions, topped with Greek Graviera Cheese in organic tomato sauce, herbs and olive oil Roasted Veggies Pan roasted zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, carrot, onion, tomato with yogurt and dill sauce (it's roasted veggies it was fine) Octopodi Sharas Mediterranean grilled octopus, onions, capers, fava puree, lemon and herbs (tender perfectly cooked) Patzaria Bed of arugula topped with pickled beets, walnuts, pieces of pineapple, feta and extra virgin olive oil Eleni's Chocolate Mousse Creamy house-made chocolate mousse, airy and cold (eh, just ok) Galaktompouriko Semolina custard with a light, soft filo crust, surrounded by honey syrup (we both enjoyed this) Sadly I didn't take photos as this was a date and I avoid taking photos and being on my phone. I'll have to go back and try some of the entrees since outside of the octopus it was primarily a vegetarian meal read more

We came here for a work dinner. The place itself is pretty small but very cute and really tries to give off the vibes in Greece. The menu itself was fairly large and there is definitely something for everyone. I would recommend making a reservation because it was fairly packed on a Tuesday afternoon! They have some bigger seating in the back so definitely able to have large groups here. The one downside is that they only have one bathroom which was fairly cramped and small. The food was really good though. -Imam: So delicious, the eggplant was so flavorful and went so well with the cheese -Octopodi Sharas: A table favorite - the octopus was so nicely roasted and the texture was so delicious -Calamari: Very basic but also very good -Garides Sharas: the shrimp was so tender and the flavors were amazing -Paidakia (Lamb Chops): I choose the lamb chops for my main meal and it was delicious Super tender and not tough at all. -Galaktompouriko: Highly recommend this dessert; so delicious and creamy Overall -- great vibes and great food; highly recommend coming here!! read more

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Service was abysmal. Food was nothing to remember- tried dips, soup, chicken souvlaki platter. Manager & hostess walking back & forth through dining room the entire time. Would never return. read more

Had a lovely dinner at 6pm on a Tuesday evening. It was empty but 20 minutes later the restaurant was packed and full of energy. Beautiful, lively ambiance inside with low lighting and a cozy atmosphere. The waitstaff was very attentive and helpful when alerting us to our dietary needs. (Gluten Free and Vegetarian). There were plenty to choose from. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes Greek food in a warm and welcoming atmosphere read more

Got food poisoning from this place. For sure from this place's meal, no if or maybe. You've been warned.

Incredible food, outstanding customer care! It is so rare, even in one's own home, to have food cooked and served with so much love. We've been to Eleni's a few times over the years and I decided to order for our get-together on the Fourth of July. Each and every staff member I interacted with - Mohammed, Srna, Bernadette and Yanni were outstanding. I did not get the name of the gentleman tending the bar, but he was terrific as well. Usually having a direct view of the fireworks, we curate our July 4th get-together in terms of the attendees and the food. This year, the food surpassed any I have ordered in the past. People took as many as three helpings! A four year-old it declared the meatballs fantastic. The Gigante's were licked off the bowl, friends asked to take the few remaining meatballs home. My husband greedily ate the dolma, leek rice and the roasted eggplant the next day for dinner. The portion sizes were very generous. I ordered for 7 and fed 10 and still had leftovers. They were also very kind to send two bowls of hummus and several portions of custard gratis. The only thing I would complain about is the excessive pita bread. Nobody eats this much carb or gluten anymore so I would've happily not had so much. Had to compost half of it. Nobody minded that fireworks had moved south and we watched the show on the telly. Could've gone to many a next-door neighbor's terrace to see them, but everyone was too busy stuffing their faces! read more

We stepped into Eleni's in a cold December evening when our usual Greek place in East Village area was closed for some unknown reason. I didn't want any other cuisine but Greek, so after some search on Yelp, found that Eleni's wasn't too far and the prices were reasonable. The decor made you feel like you are in Greece in the middle of summer. A good place fora date, but the tables are pretty close together like most East Village places. We ordered quite a bit since it's a new place and wanted to taste variety of dishes. I would say that this isn't a a place known for seafood. I didn't try any meat dishes, so I'm not sure if that's their thing. However, the octopus dish was quite nice. Tender and flavorful. We also ordered variety of dips, there are 5 different kinds. They were good but I wasn't too crazy about their pita bread. It was too doughy and soft for dipping. I personally like a bit of crunch and soft in the middle kind of texture. The horiatiki salad is nice but not as plentiful as my go-to Greek restaurant. The most disappointing item was the spanakopita. They were little triangular shapes, like the frozen spinach pies you get from Whole Foods. There was just not enough spinach and feta. The other Greek restaurant serves a slab of pie full of cheese and spinach within layers of phyllo. We also ordered a shrimp dish in tomato sauce. The sauce was lovely. Wish I had some rice with it as I was getting tired of the pita bread. I have to say, they do give you plenty of pita bread. Service was lovely as was the ambience. However, for good Greek seafood, I will stick with my old haunt. read more

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Great Greek restaurant. Decor is beautiful. Server was attentive and not overbearing. The food was out of this world! The lamb shank and octopus are not to be missed! read more

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I dined here recently with my son and then decided it was so good i took 8 of my clients and colleagues here for a holiday dinner. Eleni's did. it disappoint! I cannot say enough good things about Eleni's. Amazing, authentic Greek food that keeps me coming back for more. The photos here were from my lunch but holiday dinner we had the works with Demetrius as our server. I'd let him recommend /select everything for our party, too! Everything from the grilled octopus to shrimp to salad to mixed grill and dessert platters ... so good and we will definitely be back again. Portion sizes are also very ample and they have a wonderful lunch special with fair prices too. As a Greek food lover, I feel confident to say I'm sure if you try Eleni's, you will leave very happy. read more

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Loved the ambiance inside and the service! But the food itself is mid. The pasta was overcooked and the calamari was soggy which was disappointing. Can be good for a casual big group dinner but wouldn't come again for the food. read more

Eleni's - Salmon Eleni's Pasta - Greek Near Me - New York, New York

Service was kind of spotty, was sat outside where they tend to forget about you. The Greek cuisine was ok and after a few overpriced apps we left. read more

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Cute, cozy spot in Gramercy. Loved the decor and the beautiful flowers. It was a bit difficult to get the waiters attention as he missed us a few times but he was helpful. I liked the appetizer (spinach pastry) and dessert (the best baklava I've had in a while) more than the main course. For main course we had the moussaka and special of the day which was swordfish. The swordfish was a bit dry for my taste especially in comparison to other Greek spots I've had this in but my friend seemed to enjoy the moussaka. Will definitely give this another shot if/when around the neighborhood or I may just crave the baklavas :) read more

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This gem of Gramercy, tucked in at the corner of 19th St. and Third Avenue, brings a Mediterranean menu to life. If you take the time to savor their offerings, you will not be disappointed. Our party of four started with appetizers, including Pakilia which features carp roe (Tarama), melitzanosalata (egg plant), spicy feta, tzatziki, and pita to dip. All expertly seasoned to create contrasting and complimenting tastes. Followed by Saganaki Graviera cheese, seared with grill lines and offering a bitterness to prepare the palate for what came next: Octapodi Sharas, which was grilled octopus with capers, fava purée, lemon and tarragon. The Horiatiki consisting of diced tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, onions, olives, feta cheese, and olive oil was a nice salad that we all shared. Then came the main courses. Oh my. Seafood orzo consisting of huge sautéed green mussels, shrimp and scallops over orzo pasta simmered in a spicy tomato sauce. Absolutely fantastic. Followed up by a stimulating sweet digestif called Mastiha which has a pine essence which we were told derives from the "Lentisk Tree" grown on the island of Chios. This feast was followed up by a dessert of Galaktompouriko custard with a filo crust and honey syrup washed down with Greek coffee. Perfection! The only drawback was the single, small unisex bathroom which accommodates one person at a time which is inadequate for a restaurant of this size. Nevertheless, this establishment earns an enthusiastic 5 stars. read more

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My go too restaurant for the best service, attention, food! Love everything about Eleni's!

Love this place! My go-to for authentic Greek style food. Love the pre-fixe menu for lunch as well. The service and ambiance are always great. read more

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Absolutely delicious food. The fettuccini with salmon was to die-for, and we adored the cocktails. The galactoboureko was absolutely melt-in-your-mouth lovely without being too heavy. Wilfred may be the best waiter at work on the entire East Side. He was warm, helpful, attentive without being obtrusive and above all made us feel well taken care of, like it was his pleasure to make our evening great. You can't ask for better. read more

Haven't tried Greek food in a formal setting...i.e. real Greek restaurant and this was such a great introduction. The outside is so cute and clean along with the outdoor seating and covered area. Inside it's like stepping into a different world with the decor so lively. I love the 'lemon' trees to help break up the space along with the various plaques with Greek words to help immerse yourself into the setting. The service was amazing and so patient as we took at least 20 minutes to decide what to get with so many options! Once we finally decided, the list was long. Dolmadakio - grape leaves..never had before, and will be adding to my list of things to get at other Greek restaurants. Octopodi Sharas - octopus...first time with this as well and wow, It was cooked great, not chewy and the char on the outside made it so flavorful. Horiatiki - veggie salad...again, didn't disappoint with the flavors right on point Eleni's - Salmon linguine....well...after those apps..didn't really eat this here...took it home...and again, very flavorful and salmon cooked well even after reheating. Lavraki - Bronzini, whole fish..and cooked perfectly. Melted in your mouth and was so moist...man....delicious! Once the mains came out...our 2 seater table was filled to the brim...and without hesitation, they opened the 1/2 leaf to give more space! They know peeps like to enjoy and pre-planned that you'll have enough space! Love it! Dessert..can't pass that up. Eleni's Chocolate Mousse, looks like ice cream...however, was wonderful and light. Paired nicely with the Galaktompouriko - a custard that had a flakey top and creamy inside. Last by not least the Baklava...one of my favorites! Needless to say...this is why it took us so long to leave as we couldn't let that go to waste. read more

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The experience at the restaurant was excellent from start to finish. They were kind enough to find us a table to accommodate my daughter's new baby and her bassinet stroller which was AWESOME considering the shortage of space in the city! The food was excellent and we could not have bee ANY happier with the service provided by Filippos P. He knew everything there was to know about the cocktail menu and the food menu, was able to make adjustments to our entrees without a problem and he was attentive, polite and efficient. He is an asset to Eleni's and to the hospitality industry in which he works. read more

This is a lovely lunch spot! The food was fresh and good and the service was great. We had: - Traditional Greek Dips - Spicy Feta and Carp Roe were stand out greats - Eleni Chips - very good and nice greasy - Meatballs - very good - Jumbo Shrimp in Olive Oil - very good - Greek Salad - fresh and delicious - Lemon Potatoes - good and not the best we have ever had - Greek French Fries - very good Overall a lovely meal and host was great! read more

Thank-you Eleni for your hospitality and quality. Yesterday I had visited this restaurant and felt so welcomed. I enjoyed the bright and joyful ambience that mirrors the friendly staff. The feta cheese melted to deliciously creamy while enjoying, and the wine our server paired it with was so completely complimentary. Have a great fall season, Nadine read more

Eleni's - Greek Near Me - New York, New York

I will never come back to this place again, I was denied drinks and this is unacceptable. I was told I wouldn't be served anymore after only a couple drinks. That was unacceptable. I was not drunk, wasn't slurring and sober, I am a 70 year old woman. read more

I was at this nice Greek restaurant a while ago as per most of my other recent reviews with a group of others. The clientele was mostly older which is fine as I tend to find out to be the case for nicer Greek spots and the service was friendly with a warm interior. They also have a sister spot next door selling coffee, snacks, tea, and more breakfast and lunch items as well. They gave us some Pita with some Olive Oil and Hummus which was a nice touch compared to the usual plain pita with olive oil at most other spots. To drink I went with the Aegean Breeze for $17 with masticha (more commonly spelled mastiha/mastika) liqueur, over-proof ouzo, lemon, black tea, and jalapeno peel. This had a fun presentation with a boat on top of the cocktail sandwiched between a lemon peel. The main two cocktail ingredients were two Greek liqueurs with the former having a bit of a pine flavor and the latter being more anise flavored. As per this, this was more of a refreshing cocktail with some herbal flavor and some bitterness and I liked it. I think a couple others has a glass or two of wine throughout the meal. I started with one of my more commonly ordered Greek appetizers, the Gigantes. For $16, this consistent of braised imported giant Greek lima beans with traditional tomato sauce. This was an alright version. The beans were cooked down nicely with a good texture but the portion size was a bit small compared to some of the other appetizers and the tomato sauce wasn't as complex as some other spots I've been to. Perfectly fine but there's better choices. Another person had the Octopus which they said was outstanding and I tried the Horiatiki which was a very good version of the better version of the Greek salad. I think another person had the Avgolemono Soup. My main dish was the Makaronia Me Kima consisting of braised ground beef in a tomato sauce over linguine for $24. I thought of getting the lamb shank and I probably should have but I decided to get a little bit cheaper of a main dish. The portion size was quite large with properly cooked pasta. There was maybe not enough ground beef in there but it's hard to complain for the portion size. The tomato sauce was of course similar to the gigantes. I unfortunately don't have a photo of the pasta but if you're looking for a filling dish at a pretty reasonable price, I would probably order it again though I would more likely order fish or something else next time. We didn't get dessert at the end I believe. This is a perfectly good Greek spot with a nice atmosphere. The prices are a tad high but the portions were definitely decent for the price and they're in the Gramercy Park area so of course it's going to be a bit expensive. Excellent service as well. There's better Greek spots such as the pretty similarly priced Pylos and the more expensive but much better Nerai but I think the food here is a step up from spots like Souvlaki GR or similar. I'd go back. Upper 3 read more

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It's one of the old Greek places in town. The whole experience was just so so, from service, food to bathroom cleanliness. They do daily lunch till 3pm. There was no lunch menu given at 12:30pm until I asked for it. I accidentally touched the plate placed on table and it was oily. The upside was, food was alright in taste and portion was very generous for the price. Desserts were placed on a large plate and we were given small plates to share. Those small plates were full of residue that we had to ask for replacement. Although bathroom looked okay clean, it had an unpleasant smell. Don't think I'll be returning. read more

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