The decor and vibes at Taverna-Agora are homey and comfortable. We came for lunch on a weekday, and Lynne was an amazing server who took great care of me and my family. She had great recommendations and was attentive and kind throughout the meal. We started with the Greek Spreads Trio, which comes with tzatziki, sun-dried tomato hummus, and spicy feta. All three were delicious, and I'd recommend getting this to try a little bit of everything. I had a Dirty Martini and my sister had the Berry Ginger Press Mocktail, both of which were great. The Lamb Burger was savory and delicious, and pairing it with the leftover dips from our appetizer made it even tastier. My side Greek Village Salad was fresh and paired nicely with the burger. I can't wait to come back with friends for dinner! read more

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Such a fun rooftop, definitely don't skip sitting on the roof. When you arrive parking can be a bit difficult around the restaurant but there is street a couple blocks away if you don't mind walking. Walking in you'll feel like you've been transported to a village like, Greek atmosphere. To sit down you'll check in with the host and then be seated either inside or on the rooftop. We opted for the rooftop as it was a nice evening. To start I ordered the Baklava Old Fashioned (Bulleit bourbon, homemade baklava syrup, Angostura bitters, and Amarena cherries) which was amazing. Next we ordered the trio of all three spreads (Tzatziki, sun-dried tomato hummus, and spicy feta spread) and the calamari. Both dishes were excellent and I definitely prefer the spicy feta and tzatziki sauce. For my main course I ordered the Tomahawk Pork Chop (Chargrilled tomahawk chop, spinach, barrel-aged feta, herb aioli, Greek lemon potatoes) which was a bit disappointing. I probably should have sent the pork chop back as it was cooked well done and was very dry but was I was too hungry and didn't want to make my parents wait. For dessert I ordered Baklava Cheesecake (New York-style cheesecake with nuts and baklava filling) which was very nice and my mom ordered the Limoncello cake (lemon cake with lemon cream frosting) which was definitely the star of the show. If I'm back downtown I may try Taverna Agora again but will definitely avoid ordering the pork chop. read more

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Absolutely delightful! From the moment we sat down as a party of six friends, Diondre took excellent care of us. His service was greatly appreciated as all of us wanted to make it somewhere to watch The Canes game! He was efficient with opening the wine and getting our dinner orders in right away. Thank you Diondre for a great start to our evening. All of us raved over our food. Two of our friends had the Tomahawk Pork Chop featuring spinach, barrel-aged feta, herb aioli, and yummy Greek lemon potatoes. Both people agreed the kitchen team cooked them perfectly. One person absolutely loved his fire-roasted lamb chops that also had the delicious Greek lemon potatoes. Another one of our friends loved her Chicken penne Mykonos which we have ordered to-go many times. It looks even better in the restaurant as it has spinach, feta, mushrooms, tomatoes, white wine lemon cream sauce, and parmesan. This dish is a must try when you visit Taverna Agora in downtown Raleigh. Lastly, someone at the table exclaimed that their grilled salmon was one of the best salmon dishes he had ever enjoyed as its unique presentation features pickled beetroot, sautéed spinach, and a lemon caper sauce. I had the Poseidon Branzino which was fabulous. The dish had roasted branzino, medley of sautéed cherry tomatoes and onions, fresh herb rice, and skordalia (I had to look up what that is - a fascinating Greek garlic puree). The blending of all those flavors made for a scrumptious dinner, and thanks to the kitchen team for preparing it perfectly so that I could even eat the skin of the fish. We shared two bottles of Assyrtiko wine which is one of our favorite Greek wines after visiting Greece a few years ago. The wine list at Taverna is simple but thorough and fun to experiment with. Great job Taverna Team! read more

We came on a Sunday night and were seated right away. The hostess was very friendly and accommodating and suggested the rooftop terrace. The weather was amazing, and we really enjoyed sitting up there. Surprisingly, we've been frequenting the area and had never noticed this restaurant before--what a miss! I can definitely see myself becoming a regular here. We started with the sun-dried tomato hummus. While I'm more of a traditional hummus fan and wish they offered a regular version, I still enjoyed it, and the fresh pita was absolutely delicious. For my entrée, I ordered the lamb chops with roasted potatoes and substituted fries for the vegetables. Everything was excellent. The lamb was incredibly flavorful and cooked perfectly. At around $40, it was a bit pricey, but lamb isn't cheap these days and, honestly, most dining out isn't either. Fortunately, the portion was generous and well worth it. I took nearly half of it home and enjoyed it again for lunch the next day. Overall, the restaurant is beautiful, the service was good, and the food was delicious. It's hard to ask for much more than that. I'd definitely come back. read more

Taverna Agora - Lamb Chops with side of fries instead - Greek Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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A lovely, nice but semi-casual, Greek restaurant! We started off with the traditional sampler, which included spanakopita, meatballs, calamari, tzatziki and pita. The sampler was just okay, a good option to share but nothing particularly stand-out. We saw many people getting the flambeed saganaki which is done tableside and quite the spectacle - will have to try next time. For the entree, I got a seafood pasta which came in a creamy sauce and included a lobster tail and a good portion of shrimp and bay scallops which tasted fresh. Service was attentive and the ambiance was relaxed. They have a covered patio area where we sat and would be perfect especially when the weather is nice out. read more

Taverna Agora - Seafood pasta - Greek Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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We had a really lovely dinner at Tavern Agora and would happily go back. For appetizers we ordered the grape leaves, spicy feta dip, and hummus. All three were excellent. The flavors were bright and well balanced, and everything tasted fresh. The spicy feta in particular had just the right amount of heat. For my entrée I had the lamb chops, which were cooked beautifully and seasoned really well. My wife ordered the more traditional shawarma and loved it. The kitchen clearly knows how to handle spices -- everything came out hot, flavorful, and well prepared. One thing we appreciated was the effort to accommodate different dietary preferences. They offer gluten-free pita (Greek pita bread) and also have several thoughtful mocktail options for those of us who don't drink but still enjoy a well-crafted beverage. Service was strong throughout the meal. Our server checked in regularly, kept water glasses filled, and offered helpful suggestions without being intrusive. The only downside was the seating delay. We had a reservation but still waited about 15 minutes because the kitchen was backed up. Not a huge issue, but enough to note. The atmosphere is very nice overall. Inside feels classy and comfortable, and the rooftop patio looks like it would be fantastic on a warm evening. I would probably skip the tables right out front due to road noise. Next time I'm planning to try the lamb shank, which seems to be one of their specialties. Overall I'd call it a 4.5-star experience, but since Yelp makes you choose, I'm giving it 4 stars because of the seating delay and the lack of gluten-free dessert options. Still -- great food, great service, and definitely a place we'd return to. read more

Taverna Agora - Outside menu - Greek Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

The rooftop patio is the reason to come here. It has that breezy Mediterranean vibe that makes for a really nice place to sit outside, have a drink, and enjoy the weather. We started with the saganaki and hummus, then decided to go all in and order the Grecian Feast for two. In hindsight, that was a lot of food after already getting starters. Definitely come hungry or plan to split the feast with 3. The platter itself is huge and comes with a dip, rice, salad and your choice of meats and/or seafood. The highlights for us were the spicy feta and the salmon, both of which had great flavor. The lowlight was the chicken, which was way overcooked and ended up tough and pretty tasteless. Service unfortunately dragged the experience down quite a bit. It felt like we waited about 15 minutes before anyone came by with menus, then another 15 minutes before our drink orders were taken. Once we finally ordered everything, the food actually came out fairly quickly. But by the end of the meal we were basically hunting for our server. At one point we both separately went to the bathroom (including a trip to the one downstairs) and still had not seen our server to try to get the check. Overall, come for the rooftop atmosphere, but I would recommend ordering all of your drinks and food at once so you can just sit back and enjoy the patio without waiting around for service. read more

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I absolutely love Taverna Agora and recommend it to anyone who is visiting the area. I recently came with a friend for lunch on a Tuesday. It was busier than I would have expected on a weekday. My friend and I had to wait quite a while for the server to come to take our drink order, then our entree order, and then to top off our waters. Ultimately, we ended up having to ask the manager numerous times for things since we kept seeing him walk by. He was very helpful. I got the Greek Lemonade cocktail. When it came out, it looked like a cranberry vodka, but indeed tasted like a lovely lemonade cocktail. My friend and I split the dips trio, which was delicious, and then both of us had the chicken gyro pita. Their chicken gyro pita is so good, and so are the french fries that come with it. We really enjoyed our lunch and were able to get in and out in an hour. Definitely a great place to stop in for lunch or dinner. read more

Taverna Agora - Greek Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Visited for a graduation lunch and from the get go the experience was positive. We were arriving late due to traffic and no issue. The drinks, appetizers and lunch was perfect. This family style restaurant is well worth the visit! read more

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The restaurant is very nice. I loved the upstairs area! The house infused oil was great, as well as the zucchini cake appetizer. The entree is the reason I gave a 4 instead of a 5 though. I had the seafood pasta and it wasn't great. The sauce was a bit thin, causing it to pool like milk in the bottom of the bowl. I also had a bite of shrimp that seemed off. I stopped eating it after that. Other than that, the service was great and I enjoyed my drinks. I'd go back just for the bread and oil. read more

Taverna Agora - Greek Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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We decided late on Sunday to have dinner at Tavern Agora and we were both so glad that we did!! We were seated right away on the beautiful rooftop. It was such a perfect night to be outside. Jordan J was our server and she was wonderful! We started with cocktails and the traditional sampler. Everything on the sampler was so fresh and delicious. The spanakopita was amazing, the calamari was fresh and fried perfectly, the tzatziki was perfection! For our entree's, I had the Shrimp Souvlaki Dinner and my daughter ordered the Fisherman's Seafood Linguine. We both enjoyed our meals and were so glad we chose to have dinner at Tavern Agora. It was the perfect evening from start to finish. Everything was so fresh and delicious. read more

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Excellent dinner for 5. We all thoroughly enjoyed our dinner last week. We ordered a lot of food. First arrived an order of the Trio Dips of Tzatziki, sun-dried tomato hummus, and spicy feta spread and pita. We opted for a Greek Dinner for 5 which included Greek village sausage (loukaniko), herb marinated lamb chops, chicken souvlaki, and shrimp souvlaki. Served with Greek village salad, green beans, roasted lemon potatoes, pita, and tzatziki. Cost was $37 per person. The feast started arriving first came the Trio of Dips with soft warm pita. All were delicious and the favorite one was the spicy feta spread. Then the major food started being served...we ordered too much food. A really huge platter of meats and shrimp arrived. Ten perfectly grilled lamb chops. Not one morsel of lamb was left. I thought the weak link would be the grilled sausage but I was wrong. It was delicious. I just couldn't stop eating it. I gave up shrimp for more sausage. I was told the shrimp were tasty with the grilled char. Others loved the chicken. Needless to say there was no protein left. Plenty of tzatziki, pita, green beans, potatoes and Greek salad made their way home for leftovers. Service was great. Prices were reasonable for the amount of food we received. Highly recommend and definitely make a reservation in advance. Taverna Agora was packed when we left at 7:00PM after a 2 hour feast. read more

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Came here for Mother's Day and our server was very nice and attentive. All of the food was really good. The flavors were colorful and fresh. The chicken skewer from my entrée was juicy and flavorful, which made it really disappointing to try the pork skewer. It tasted like nothing but char and it was dry. Aside from that, it was great. We sat in the upstairs area, which was a sunroom, and the lighting/ambiance was wonderful. read more

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Went for lunch... Greek old fashion with baklava syrup was delicious . Had the spicy feta appt, chicken slouvaki platter and the gyro platter. Spicy feta app was not that spicy and very tasty. Chicken was well seasoned and gyro meat was tender and tasty. Need to return for dinner ! read more

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Came to Taverna for Downtown Raleigh Restaurant Week. They have a both lunch and dinner specials but be sure to ask for the Restaurant Week menu. I started off with the Halara cocktail, essentially a hibiscus infused margarita. It's both strong in liquor and strong in a floral notes. There are three options for each dinner course, I had the stuffed eggplant, lamb tips and orzo and for dessert the orange cake which the waitress recommended. Overall a solid meal but I wish both the eggplant and the lamb tips had a little more salt and seasoning. Dessert was my favorite, the cake was very moist. The waitress was very attentive and the restaurant was packed by 7pm. There are both indoor and outdoor seating but if weather permits I'd highly recommend the rooftop. There's a good breeze from the fans and a nice view to Hillsborough Street. read more

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The server (Lexi) and her trainee were outstanding!! Very attentive to our needs. The place was deceiving from the outside. Looked small but when you get in it's big! Great decoration. Great lighting. Clean. The music was loud enough to hear, but we were able to carry out a normal conversation. Calamari, main dishes, salads and desserts were amazing. Orange cake, lemon cake, baklava and baklava cheesecake. All were delicious. Lemon cake was the clear winner. Highly recommend this place!!! read more

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I really enjoyed the Mediterranean food here. It reminded me of Crete and Greece where you get a huge portion of fresh food. We started with the hummus and zucchini cakes. Decent hummus but I highly recommend the zucchini cakes. Then we went for the Grecian grill which includes the Greek village salad which we loved because of the huge tomato's and cucumber slices. The grilled meats were not memorable but delicious. Ambiance was like a mom and pop Greek restaurant so we love it. read more

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If the food was horrible I would still be tempted to give it 5 stars because the service was so good, thank YOU LYNNE!!! What an amazing meal and experience! Everything is good and they clearly care! You won't be disappointed! Get the lemon chicken soup, we got two to go as well! read more

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Lemon cello cake was 5 stars!!!!! My kids loves it (all under 10). It was my daughter's birthday and the general manager came out and sang happy birthday read more

It's a cute little place! They don't have their own parking, but they do have street parking and a paid parking lot across the street. I was greeted and seated immediately even though i had to wait for the other 2 people in my party. Our server was really friendly. The food was good other than the burger my sister got. It's a bit expensive so I would probably only go back because my mom loves it. read more

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Waited 45 minutes to get seated for my birthday reservation of 6. I watched at least 50-100 people walk in without reservations for tables 2-5 people and get seated immediately including splitting a table of 8 to two fours to accommodate new customers. The restaurant claimed they were waiting for our table to open up but there was plenty of 4 top tables that they could've combined to accommodate. Food was okay but not worth the wait. Extremely disappointing service and off-putting for me. No other complaints from the waiter, food, or ambiance otherwise. I'd expect a wait for a walk-in but 45 minutes for a reservation is pretty ridiculous. read more

Taverna Agora - Front desk - Greek Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

We attended for their monthly Greek night and had so much fun! The service was excellent, ambiance is warm, just like you were in Greece. And the food is incredible- I have never been disappointed. The Mykonos pasta is delicious! As are the dips and pita! read more

Taverna Agora - Moscow mule - Greek Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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From the moment we walked in, everything--from the food to the service to the ambiance--was absolutely perfect. I was in town for work, and a coworker highly recommended this spot. I'm so glad she did--and equally glad she suggested making a reservation, as it definitely gets busy. We were lucky to be seated upstairs on a beautiful evening, and it truly felt like being transported to a Greek island. The breeze, the aromas, and the relaxed, charming setting all came together to create a magical atmosphere. We started with the Traditional Sampler, which was a fantastic introduction to the menu's bold and authentic flavors. The spanakopita and the meatballs were especially delicious, but honestly, everything on the plate was a hit. Since there were only two of us, we saved room for dessert--and I'm glad we did. I chose the Limoncello cake, which was light, bright, and the perfect end to the meal. Next time, I've got my eye on the baklava cheesecake. Our server was attentive but never intrusive, giving us plenty of time and space to enjoy our evening and conversation. If you're in town, this place is a must. I'll definitely be back! read more

Easter brunch was fantastic! Great variety and delicious for a fair price. We will be back.

We came for a late-evening snack, but I didn't love what we tasted. I wasn't a huge fan of the eggplant and I usually love anything eggplant. The sauce just tasted a little bit odd. The sampler was pretty good-my favorite thing from the whole meal was the spanakopita. I think we would need to come back and try some different things. Maybe we will ask what the favorites and best sellers are. read more

Taverna Agora - Stuffed eggplant - Greek Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Great ambiance, nice atmosphere, and the service was excellent. This restaurant has a very homie vibe while making you feel as though you've been transported to another location. Tried the Fisherman's seafood Linguini and it was exquisite. Would highly recommend! read more

Taverna Agora - Fishermans Seafood Linguine - Greek Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Great place for brunch! The rooftop is beautiful and has a great aesthetic, luckily I went when the weather was great! I got a Greek salad and it was absolutely delicious, it tasted so refreshing and even though I'm not a huge raw tomato person I very much enjoyed it with the dressing and rest of the ingredients. Our server was nice and helpful and suggested the doughnuts which my friend loved definitely recommend as a place to check out for brunch or lunch if you enjoy Greek food. read more

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The food was amazing. Tasted very authentic. The atmosphere was gorgeous. Service was a little slow but the food was worth it.

We took the kids, one of whom has multiple severe food allergies, and our server and the restaurant's attention to our orders were impeccable. We ordered the family feast for three of us to share while our kiddo ordered an allergy-friendly meal separately just to be extra safe to avoid any potential cross contamination. Everything was delicious and it was so much food, but most importantly, our kiddo was able to safely enjoy a delicious meal that was different than the usual options he has at other restaurants. The greek salad was honestly my favorite part, but the shrimp skewers and meatballs took a very close second. He had the lamchops, lemon potatoes, and green beans -- and ate all of it! Highly recommend and will be back! read more

Took my husband here for a surprise birthday celebration, and it turned out to be such a memorable evening! The vibe is amazing -- you truly feel like you've been transported to Greece. From the décor to the music and overall atmosphere, everything felt special. The staff were friendly, attentive, and really helped make the evening smooth and enjoyable. The belly dancing was the highlight of the night -- so fun and lively! It added such a unique, festive touch and made the whole experience even more worthwhile Food wise, chicken Platter - Absolutely delicious! Generous portions, great flavors, and beautifully presented. Lamb Shank - This one wasn't really our thing -- a bit too heavy on the tomato flavor for our taste. Might be an acquired flavor, but just not for us. Orange Cake - A sweet surprise! It was free for the birthday person, and it was light, zesty, and the perfect end to the meal. Total cherry on top! All in all, it was a fantastic evening. Great food, warm service, fun entertainment, and thoughtful birthday touches. I can't wait to go back again! read more

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The service is amazing! The food is phenomenal and perfectly portioned and you can tell the ingredients are fresh! I recommend eating upstairs because the vibes are beautiful out here. read more

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This is an updated review! We came on a Sunday for brunch and sat right at the bar. I tried the gyro hash and did the carafe of pineapple mimosas. The mimosa was good of course. The hash was like the perfect size amount for my hunger that morning. It has two eggs on top with potato's, gyro and some other things in it. Glad I came back for a second time and tried something different. read more

Taverna Agora - Pineapple mimosas carafe - Greek Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

I'm usually pretty stingy with my 5-star ratings but this outing gets no complaints from me. Parking was a breeze, though I had a wait a couple minutes for someone to open up a spot for me. Worth it - I parked right outside the restaurant! The host let us pick our own table by the airy front door. Thomas the server was laid back and cool. I had the Chopped Marouli Salad. That's romaine, mix of fresh herbs, Manouri cheese, red wine vinaigrette - but no cheese for me. It was heavy on the oil, but that's okay. Then there was the Gemista. Slow-roasted tomato and bell pepper, filled with rice, tomato, fresh herbs. Served with seasonal vegetables. In this case, the "seasonal vegetables" was string beans. It was the highlight of the meal. My niece had the grilled salmon, which I did not try. We were wrapping up to leave when Thomas asked if we wanted dessert. We said no, though this was a late birthday dinner for me. Hearing that, Thomas informed that birthday customers get a free dessert. Since "free" is my favorite word, I ordered the Limoncello Cake - lemon cake with lemon cream frosting. It was delicious, as was the Greek Coffee. However, that coffee packed a real punch. Great place! Go tonight! A. read more

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Update, The business owner commented on my review to say "please email me so that I can resolve this with you", which I did. I got an auto reply "Thank you for your request. A ticket has been created and a support representative will be reviewing your request and will send you a response in 24-48 hours. If this is an urgent matter, please call your area or department manager" Spoiler alert, 48hrs passed with no response. All I'll say about this place is Caveat Emptor. read more

Great day for lunch and I just had to try the Mykonos Chicken Penne. It was so yummy and had left overs to take home. Service was great and we got to sit upstairs where we had the nice warm sun. First time to have lunch here and I highly recommend it. read more

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Large restaurant with rooftop and indoor seating. Rooftop was beautiful and filled with real plants. Friendly staff who took great care of our big group. Lamb burger was moist and delicious. Lots of great appetizer options to share. Drinks were well made. Would come back. read more

Taverna Agora - Lamb Burger Lunch - Greek Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Delicious food and such a cute patio! The servers were attentive and friendly and love that they offer mobile pay. Grew up in a Greek household and I'm pretty picky with my Greek food, but this was delicious! read more

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Stopped by for a late lunch with a big group and the folks at Taverna were very accommodating. We sat in the upstairs greenhouse which is so beautiful, bright and open. We ordered a couple of cocktails which were very yummy. I highly recommend the mixed berry mule. I ordered the lunch gyro with a side salad. It was very good and fresh. Ate everything! One member in our party went for the moussaka and absolutely devoured it. We had a great lunch and excellent service. Definitely try this place as it is something different to try. You won't be disappointed! read more

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Service was slow but the food was fantastic! Inside is a step into the Mediterranean, the ambiance was great! We would definitely come back.

We have come here a few times with other couples and have always had great experiences. We are always fortunate enough to get rooftop dining with a fun view and decor. Baklava cheesecake is delicious! Staff was attentive and food is fresh and flavorful. read more

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