GARDEN OF IOS Sunset Bar and Restaurant

A hidden jewel between the village and the port. Unconventional, eclectic, artistic, almost spiritual, harmonious with nature. Very laid back even in the busy August season. Come to unwind and recharge. Great cocktails and service. We chose to have dinner and were very happy about the food. We had slow cooked beef and the chick peas.

I'm so glad we decided upon this place to watch the sunset. You're greeted by friendly waiters who tell you to enter the garden. At first we were unsure if we stepped it was actually a bar or perhaps some actual public gardens. The flora is beautiful with cacti and olive trees. We ordered an IPA and tried to order an orange wine but they were out. The waiter was really helpful recommending another similar wine. The experience itself was almost psychedelic with the sunset, the birds flying around and the background trance music. It's not your typical sunset club but a sophisticated euphoric sunset experience. 10/10 recommend

I was so tempted to give one star, but this place deserves to do better, so I’ll give them a chance. I’ll start off with the good. Gorgeous space, cleverly curated moments throughout the expansive garden, clearly aimed at the instagram world. It nails this with alacrity and is beautiful. The sunset views are arguably better at other spots like Ios Club and Alma, but this venue is more laid back, less crowded and relaxingly natural, encouraging diners to create their own journey through the spaces. The menu is finely curated (read: small), which is never a problem. Rather than doing lots of average food and drinks, doing a few items very well is a great idea… if you can pull it off. Which Garden of Ios seems unable to do. Now for the bad. We ordered a bottle of orange wine. The waiter came back to say it wasn’t available. We then ordered a bottle of rosé, the waiter sheepishly came back and informed us that was also not available. We then looked at some light snacks to start while waiting for a friend to join us and of the five starters, the one we wanted was not available. One of our party was allergic to beetroot, leaving 3 out of 5 starters available. We instead ordered some cocktails. Mine was to have bourbon in (a notably smokey spirit) and a stick of celery. My drink arrived with no celery and no flavour of bourbon. I asked the waiter if they had sent the wrong cocktail, as two of the four ingredients appeared to be missing. He confirmed they had no celery, but that it did contain bourbon. I declined the cocktail (which he graciously removed from our bill) and ordered a gin and tonic which came in a 30ml shot with no garnish, which in Greece is a little parsimonious, but was stated as such on the menu, so that’s fair. But perhaps ask the guest if they would like a single or a double. We then checked if any of the five non-vegetarian mains were missing, and with the look of a surgeon admitting he had amputated the wrong leg, the poor waiter confirmed that they did not in fact have the catch of the day. Again, to be fair, the menu does say it’s not always available - which for an island in the Aegean is odd, and for a menu with four meat dishes and one fish dish not ideal. It’s hard to rate the food above one star as little of it seemed to be available. I will say this, my heart went out to the waiter who was as good as he could possibly be under the circumstances. But this place has a lot of competition for both views and food on an island awash with incredible dining experiences and views. It has the air of a place that opened a week ago - while in fact having been open for a year already. It’s unpolished and unfinished and not the fault of the staff, but clearly whomever does the stock ordering needs to get their act together. What had started as a plan to have a three-course dinner ended in us leaving after one drink each and a beautiful sunset we had almost expected to be told was off the menu.

We booked for dinner and were advised to come for the sunset- a table was reserved for us overlooking the bay. Service was excellent, professional and friendly. The setting unique and the food excellent.

When in Ios, missing Garden of Ios would be criminal. Originality that's a game-changer, even by Cycladic standards (yep, Mykonos and Santorini included). Situated in Ios town, it’s on the steps from Chora to the Port. Let’s talk setting. Think massive enchanted garden with top-tier decor that brings nature to your table. The owner’s poured heart and soul and probably a healthy bank balance into this. And the result? Breathtaking. Tables spaced out, most with views to die for - sunset here’s a no-brainer. Add atmospheric lounge music to the mix. The overall investment in this place is obviously colossal. Let's just hope they’ve got a master plan to keep this magic place alive (we stumbled upon it by sheer luck, no promo strategy in sight). Service? Top-tier. Friendly, efficient, and they care. Now, the cocktails. Cocktails, made with organic ingredients, are inventive, but they won't drop your jaw. It's more like a "hmm, interesting" than an "OMG". Cocktail prices is on the extremely high side. But hey, the experience? Worth every penny. Bottom line? Garden of Ios is not just a place; it’s an experience. Don’t let it slip off your radar.

I never write reviews, but I stumbled upon this absolute gem and was blown away by how amazing this place was! This is not only the place for a destination sunset, but wine and cocktail bar! The wine list was absolutely beautiful, high quality natural wine presented without pretension. A must go if in Ios!

One of the most beautiful places we’ve been on the Cyclades. Whole garden is so lovely. Organic wine, food from own cultivation and production. Amazing sunset and very friendly service. A must see for everyone visiting Ios.

Best sunset experience in Ios! Wonderful wine list - try the Retsina Georgas 🍷 white wine. Great views amidst a natural Ios garden, and atmospheric music.