Avli

This place was fun to find. Have to first squeeze through a narrow alleyway to find the restaurant. We were lucky that when we arrived, we didn’t have to wait for a table. However, shortly after, it started getting very busy. Food was delicious - only minus one star because our variety platter that we ordered was forgotten. We had finished all our other dishes and I had to awkwardly remind the waiter to see if our platter was still coming for it to arrive. Overall, food was delicious, good atmosphere. Cute cats roaming through the restaurant. I really enjoyed our dinner here!

We came here for the second time a few days ago, as we first came here a year ago during our travels. As we remember, food is excellent. The best dish is the fried chicken - it’s not “fried” like a KFC, it’s cooked in a delicious spice-filled sauce that you just have to try. I also enjoyed the zucchini balls. The location is really cool in my opinion - easy to miss if you walk past, which gives it a cosy feel inside. It’s always busy, so get there just before they open to choose the table you want! People pile in quickly. There’s good reason - it’s a great place.

Avli is an unassuming gem tucked into a cute corner of Athens, serving amazing traditional food. Plates are perfect for sharing, portions aren’t too big but definitely generous for the price. Highlights included the τυροκαυτερή (spicy feta dip), κολοκυθοκεφτέδες (zucchini fritters), and the σουτζούκι with potatoes. Pictured is the classic χωριάτικη (we forgot to take pics of the rest because everything was so good!). Definitely get a little ouzo to share- it comes in a small bottle with ice and is perfect for sitting back and enjoying the atmosphere (and the cats).

Cozy, family-run taverna with great prices – €4 for 0.5L of house wine! Classic Greek food, though some staples like moussaka and pastitsio were missing. Lots of fried dishes. Very busy and touristy – we got lucky with a table, but many had to wait. Tables are packed in tight. Staff was super friendly. Tasty and authentic overall.

In a small courtyard, between two buildings, this small restaurant serves authentic Greek food. We had the tziki, zucchini fried balls, and variety plat. Everything was excellent. Didn’t need to wait too long and the host is super nice. We had a lovely time, highly recommended!

Exceptional place. It's great food in a great atmosphere. It's not polished it's not pretending to be insta friendly. It's all about decent traditional food. The queues come from large groups so come between 6:30-8 if you don't want to queue. It's a special experience that's worth it for the authentic Athenian night out.

I didn't go here with a lot of expectations because I know how western people exaggerate the term 'authentic' so much. Simply, is this place making the best food, most probably not, is it having the best service, no. Is it a comfortable place, most definitely not. It has really nice music, locals hanging out here are happy and it's very nostalgic. When it comes to food, I would say it's decent. We especially liked the 'fried pork' and liked the fact that they mentioned, some items in the menu are frozen, so not very fresh. Maybe those are good too, I don't know. It's a must visit place but do not wait in a long queue and get disappointed just because of that. Come back another time. Live the authenticity, not just witness :)

Fun authentic place for lunch. It's a little hard to find, but worth the effort. Skip the the variety dish, and other the starters and mains yourself. We loved the meatballs in red sauce.