George Southern Greek

We went to George for the first time as we pass it all the time in our neighborhood. Christina was our server and gave us a WONDERFUL experience. She was so sweet and accommodating and was very quick to speak with us about our order and recommend us her favorite menu items to eat or drink! We got the dips and all of them were incredible. The sauce served with the zucchini fritters was to die for. We also got spanakopita and lamb kabobs and it was also amazing. The drinks were good and Christina was quick to recommend me a delicious wine for my meal. We highly recommend George and can’t wait until our next visit!

Amazing food & exceptional service! We had the salmon and the sea bream and both were incredible! The salmon was cooked to perfection, and the sea bream was simply amazing – tender, flavorful, and a true taste of Greece. The staff were warm, welcoming, and attentive.

Ambiance (5/5): The restaurant is half opened but air conditioned on the inside. The inside is bright, welcoming, and nicely decorated. The back has a bar and there are a few outdoor dining spots as well. We sat outside with our dog! Service (5/5): We came on a Friday evening, slightly before their happy hour ended at 7pm. I asked the servers if I could still order a few drinks at the HH rate and the manager made a manual adjustment since we were only a few minutes short!! I knew from that moment that there would be amazing customer service throughout the rest of my dining—and I was right! We were serviced often and made some nice small talk with Demetrious, who provided us dish suggestions for our next visit. Food (5/5): Every dish was delicious and tasted authentic to the dishes I’ve had in Greece! Definitely will be coming back again. Table Bread (5/5): The free table bread was lightly buttered, toasted and soft. It complemented well with the side of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and tomato paste Saganaki (5/5): The lightly fried cheese came out on a hot cast iron and was deliciously warm and drizzled with honey. It went perfectly with the table bread. Kotopoulo Lemonato $24 (5/5): Upon arrival, a server came over for an additional helping of freshly grinded black pepper. The chicken was cooked to a moist perfection with a light lemon taste. Mousakka $23 (5/5): This was the best Mousakka I’ve had in a while (Comparing it to 2 Greek restaurants in Astoria and 1 in Greece). This is a classic Greek dish that is like a remix of a lasagna and shepherd’s pie. I thought the meat filling was nicely flavored. The potatoes and eggplant were cooked soft and each bite had a bit of everything from the dish. Pleasant experience from beginning to end!

A quaintly chic haven nestled in the Upper East Side. Warm and familiar service compliments an authentic cuisine that’s a refreshing departure from the oft-wearisome Mediterranean template that abounds in New York City. A can’t miss stop. Ask for Christina! *Edit* We returned on 1/26 and once again had a great experience. Still 5 stars, but the group agreed that the new menu has a poor layout and makes ordering a bit of a challenge. Hoping they make a change to the menu soon!

Georges has really amazing and authentic Greek food - they even speak Greek! The beef kebab and zucchini fritters were especially delicious. The sangria was really good, too. They have a full bar. The service was excellent and everyone was so nice. I can't wait to come back and try the octopus! 🐙

This restaurant is in my neighborhood and to be honest I didn't have high expectations but I was surely mistaken. Let's begin with the food, my wife ordered the Cod and it was seasoned and cooked perfectly. I had the Seafood Giouvetsi and I was pleasantly surprised by how savory it was. So if you find yourself in the Upper East stop by and give George a try you won't be disappointed.

Food was amazing - the seafood was super fresh. I ordered the grilled octopus appetizer, and grilled shrimp entree with lemon potatoes - it was phenomenal- the shrimp was beautifully grilled / the meal felt light and healthy - also a good selection of orange wines. 5/5 would recommend

Extremely tender, mouth watering and delicious souvlaki. Went here for Valentine's Day and the food couldn't have been better. The feta chunk on the Greek salad (picture not shown because too delicious forgot to take one) was so generous it didn't disappoint. We also got a aperitif at the end of the meal that was really good- the service was wonderful!

The restaurant is super clean, minimalist, friendly and warm for winter. The food is traditional Greek. I had the Chicken Kebab, which at $16$ was excellent value. There was plenty of chicken and amazing natural fries. I go to Cyprus and Greece often, so I was looking at that type of experience, and it did not fail. Also, from what I saw on other people`s plates, the salads looked terrific and genuinely authentic. I will go back to experience! The service was perfect and attentive also. Do give it a go; you will be satisfied with this authentic taste of Greece.

I went to this new Greek spot a couple weeks ago with a group of six others. They are in some way related to Under The Bridge but not entirely. By comparison, the menu here is more standard Greek but I think they execute the food way better. The staff was friendly and accommodating and the inside is charming. To drink, I had the Mastiha Spritz for $14 with Skinos mastiha, prosecco, and club soda. Nice anise flavor from the mastiha but still balanced. It was refreshing. Another person had the Summer in Greece with gin, Skinos mastiha, blue curacao, and lemon which I presume they enjoyed as they had two. The presentation was nice with a vivid blue. To start, they gave us some bread with olives, olive oil, and a red pepper spread which had a bit of balsamic in there also. The bread was warm and crusty and the red pepper spread was a nice touch. My appetizer was the Gigantes for $14 with baked giant beans, tomato, carrots, fresh herbs, and EVOO. The gigantes were OK. I prefer other spots which cook them down more so they're softer and with more tomato sauce but they were still fine. They weren't as sweet as some other spots which is a bit of a preference. Another person had the Grilled Halloumi which they liked a lot. My main was the Whole Lavraki for $38 seasoned with ladolemono which was served with a choice of side. I went with the Spanakorizo or spinach rice pilaf which would normally be $12 on the menu otherwise. They asked when I ordered if I wanted to fish deboned and I clarified making sure that it wouldn't be a filet then and they said that no it would be the full fish but they would debone it which is the best of both worlds. The fish was presented butterflied as expected and the olive oil and caper mix was lighter than most but still very tasty. It was perfectly cooked and I really don't have a complaints. The price was well worth it especially with the side dish and said spanakorizo was excellent with plenty of spinach and a nice soft texture. I would recommend it as a side if you wanted something hearty and a bit sour with your meal. While the appetizer could be a bit better, the rest of the meal was excellent. It's not the best Greek food I've had but for it's style and price point, I don't have many other complaints. I wouldn't go out of my way to go here if you live by another excellent Greek spots but if you're in the neighborhood, I will check it out. Low 3 for the gigantes, mid/low 4 for the rest.

The restaurant is clean, austere and no frills looking. The food was well above average. The appetizers are large and meant for sharing. The main courses were also very large and priced fairly. It's a very solid taverna and a very nice addition to the neighborhood. The servers were friendly and attentive. I will go back.

The food is pretty good, solid serving size. The restaurant is pretty new and spacious.

The food here in incredible!! I typically get the chicken Kebab and I am so impressed every time. The fried potatoes are extremely good as well. If you dine in you get free bread and olive oil which is delicious. I always find the service nice and the staff to be very friendly. The atmosphere is nice and there is plenty of space so you don't feel cramped.

While the food was incredible. I was put off by the server who stated all the inexpensive bottles of wine on the menu (at least 6) were not available. Only $70 priced bottles and higher were available. After much back and forth the server found a bottle that was listed on the menu for $47 that was now available for $67, the least expensive, which I begrudgingly ordered. As a great former patron of "Under the Bridge", I felt this exchange really tainted the entire experience. With so may finer Greek restaurants in NYC, I probably will not return. RIP "Under the Bridge".

My wife and I were excited to try George. We live a few blocks away and this part of the upper east side was needing a new Greek option since Greek Eats closed. We tried the beef gyro, chicken gyro, tzatzki, and halloumi as takeout (pickup). Both gyros were EXTREMELY dry. I am honestly shocked they sold them like this. Anyone taking a bite of these would notice this immediately. It is a shame because the chicken and beef seemed to be of good quality and nicely cooked but seriously could barely finish these as how dry they were. We tried to add the tzatzki to the gyros but the portion was very limited (which was very unfortunate for the price of it). The halloumi was the only item that did not have a flaw. Overall, I dont think this restaurant is worth the cost. I recommend the owners try their food before they serve it. The food missed the mark.

Every now and then, and a lot more rarely than I had hoped when I moved back to New York in 1998, a coffeehouse, a cafe or a restaurant opens up that is so great, so friendly and so smartly designed that you wonder why the hell it wasn't there all along. Such unique places are not only marvelous ways to experience good food with good friends, but they can reshape a neighborhood for the better. Such is the case with George / Southern Greek Restaurant, now happily thriving here on the Upper East. And with good reason. Is it because the owners are Greek that the charming hospitality is inviting with an easy, unfussy warmth? Is it the attentive chef making everything 50% better than in my daily life? Is it the way the dishes are presented, in particular their Pan Seared Lavraki or Baby Lamb that pulls me back? Is it the bright, beautiful welcoming room on the sunny corner of 62nd Street? It is all of these things. Which is why I'll be back again. Next week.