Meli Estiatorio

This Greek restaurant is a fantastic spot for an unforgettable dining experience. The service is excellent and friendly, attentive, and never overbearing. The food is amazing, with every dish packed full of flavor. You can really taste how fresh the ingredients are, especially with the live seafood display, which is such a nice touch. The interior is beautiful, with a warm and inviting atmosphere that makes you want to settle in and enjoy your meal. The menu is extensive, so there’s something for everyone, whether you’re into classic Greek dishes or something a little different. And the live DJ adds the perfect vibe, making the whole experience even better. Great food, great atmosphere, and great entertainment, I’ll definitely be back!

Meli Estiatorio is an upscale Greek restaurant in a gorgeous setting, right on Metropolitan Avenue in Forest Hills. The food and service is extraordinary! The Meli chips, lamb chops and octopus are excellent. Great cocktails too! Don’t wait for a special occasion, go now.

Solid upscale Greek restaurant. Walked in with my wife and 1 year old early on a Friday night. Cocktails, food, and service were all good. Seems like it gets louder and maybe clubby later at night. Good spot for a special occasion. Expect Manhattan prices and vibes.

Restaurant Review: Meli Estiatorio in Forest Hills Meli Estiatorio is a stunning new addition to Forest Hills, offering an unforgettable Greek dining experience. From the moment you step inside, you’re transported to a Mediterranean paradise. The décor is breathtaking, with vibrant flowers cascading from the ceiling and a huge, inviting bar anchoring the space. A DJ was spinning great music, adding a lively, upscale vibe to the evening. The food was nothing short of spectacular. Every dish was bursting with authentic flavors and freshness. The oysters were unbelievably fresh, the octopus perfectly tender and flavorful, and the saganaki was a showstopper. Their extensive menu of Greek specialties left us wanting to try everything. The Dover sole, however, stole the show—easily the freshest, most delicious preparation I’ve ever had. Make sure to save room for dessert because Meli’s Greek offerings are divine, the perfect sweet ending to an incredible meal. The service was outstanding—friendly, attentive, and impressively seamless, especially for opening night. It’s rare to see a restaurant operating so smoothly right out of the gate. Plus, the added convenience of valet parking makes the experience even better. Meli Estiatorio is a must-visit for anyone craving exceptional Greek cuisine in a gorgeous setting. I can’t wait to go back!

Awesome vibe, friendly staff and great menu with high quality, flavorful ingredients. We were amazed by the extensive wine list — great selection and reasonably priced. We enjoyed a Cotes de Beaune Burgundy pinot noir. Tuna tartare, zucchini chips and Greek meatballs were amazing. Couldn’t go wrong with the Lavraki fish which was shipped straight from Greece — super fresh. They have a pastry chef in house making desssrts which was obvious because of how good they were. Baklava was out of this world. Can’t wait to go back and try more.

Bravo! I had a great experience out with friends for my birthday. Great drinks and portions! The food was divine! Can't wait to bring more friends!

A Wonderful Greek Experience! I had the pleasure of dining at Meli Estiatorio, and it truly blew me away! The Greek food was absolutely delicious—each dish was full of flavor and freshness. The service was fantastic, with the staff making us feel so welcome and well taken care of. The interior is just stunning, creating the perfect atmosphere for a relaxed and enjoyable meal. I’ll definitely be coming back for more!

Amazing dining experience! Meli knows how to bring traditional Mediterranean dining to a higher level, while still maintaining the authenticity. The drinks are amazing, recommend the Dark & Salty (a refined espresso martini). The food came hot and in a timely manner, and you can taste the freshness of the ingredients. The wait staff were friendly and professional while also providing insight on the menu. Phenomenal new gem in Forest Hills. Will be going here more often!

My husband and I visited Meli on a Friday night a little over a week after it opened and it was an exceptional dining experience all around. The restaurant is gorgeous with high ceilings, ambient lighting and beautiful flowers and natural decor. We also really enjoyed the eclectic music mix that ranged from minimal house to traditional Greek music to Motown. There's a definite vibe for a night out. I had a whole fish that was very helpfully filleted and came with a side of horta (sautéed greens) along with a refreshing glass of Greek white wine. My husband had the veal chop. All of the food was fresh and delicious, and we were both too full for dessert. The wine, cocktail and mocktail menus offer an impressive variety, especially for Forest Hills. Everyone we encountered was exceptionally friendly and welcoming, and our server was very helpful with food and wine recommendations. I will definitely be back for a special night out. My only regret was not dressing up a little more because this is a true fine dining experience. Really happy to have such a fabulous restaurant in the neighborhood!

An unexpected culinary experience! Everything we ordered was AMAZING. As appetizers we had crispy fried calamari and grilled stuffed with feta calamari, also fried cheese -to our delight we ordered 2 . Raw clams not a great experience as they were crunchy with sand. They can work a bit on the lemon potatoes recipe. Pork chop- perfect cut, buttery taste with a bit of green salad and home fries, red snapper with lemony sauce and capers and little shells pasta with shrimp. We did not go away for desert. It was delicious right there. Anyone can see the menu. Drinks : Stela and wine Service : professional We loved the warm plates The wait between the courses perfectly timed Ambiance: the place is a symphony of white ivory and red that gives the impression of an outdoor garden. The music was low volume european - nothing Greek... and that was just fine. We loved the modern approach. ONE SINGLE COMPLAINT: the chairs are painfully uncomfortable. They are nade if wood and beautifully threaded cotton. The wood frame is killing and as you sit you dip in the seat - they should add pillows to the seats. It is a HIGH END restaurant so be PREPARED

Terrible service. Food on par with most Greek places. Nothing spectacular, but the ambience is very nice.

So I almost never write reviews but this restaurant definitely deserves one. We live right around the corner and dined here tonight for date night. This restaurant is everything the neighborhood has needed in terms of high end steak and seafood restaurants. The ambience is incredible, the staff are amazing, and the drinks and food are great albeit VERY expensive. $300 for dinner for two is a special occasion dinner but not the average weeknight dinner. We started with the crab cake appetizer which was probably one of the best we ever had. The crab was beyond fresh and delicious. For our entrees we got the filet mignon and lamb chops. My husband loved his filet mignon and said it was comparable to any great steak house filet. The lamb chops however fell short for me. I love lamb and get it anywhere I go but these were mediocre at best. The flavor was great but for $64 they only gave me 3 tiny lamb chops that were mostly covered in fat. Definitely not worth the price unfortunately. Despite this I still had the baklava for dessert which was beyond exceptional. Overall an amazing restaurant and date night but please when you charge $64 for lamb chops get better quality ones. Definitely a big bummer.

Meli is a fantastic new Greek restaurant offering exceptional food, expertly crafted cocktails, and a vibrant atmosphere. With a menu that blends classic Greek flavors with modern creativity, guests rave about the quality and presentation of the dishes. The ambiance is elevated by a stylish setting and a live DJ, making it a lively spot for a night out. Easily one of the best restaurants in Forest Hills.

The place is quite lovely and the food was good, but their prices are absolutely ridiculous!!! Where do they think they are? Madison Ave?!?! Re-think your prices and have them reflect the neighborhood. Good luck

First time here. It was loud, very loud. Wasn't expecting the DJ playing club ish music. Waiter was so nice but we never got a bread basket like others. Shared the Meli Chips. They were ok. My friend had the stuffed calamari and mashed potatoes. I had the dorado fish that comes with sautéd spinach. Overall it's a new spot. Bathrooms are super clean. Food is fresh.

Second time we are here in two weeks. My wife and I love the beautiful decor, fun ambience, attentive service, high quality seafood, meat, and vegetables. I heard they fly in their fish from Greece. I can tell how fresh the fish is, based on how soft and flavorful the lavraki and the tuna tartare were. The wine list is very reasonable as well for the quality you are getting. Manhattan restaurants would charge double for those bottles of wine. My wife had the steak and I had the lavraki and we paired it with a Burgundian pinot noir. Can't wait to go in for lunch!

Went there today for their grand opening I think we were the first table seated. It was really lovely , the inside is just beautiful. The staff was fantastic. The food was excellent. We had a whole bunch of the appetizers to taste. Everything we had was amazing -the crabcake , we had the Greek salad , we had the assorted dips we had spanakopita. We had desserts, wine martinis. It was really very good food. Highly recommend.

Food was good. Staff seemed a bit overwhelmed it was only the second night and it was crowded so they might be working the kinks out. Listed pictures of the menu.

After much anticipation, we were thrilled to have dinner at Meli for their grand opening! It did not disappoint. All of the apps were great, the fish, pasta and steak were delicious and the desserts (a must!!) were next level. Also enjoyed a lovely bottle of wine with great music in their beautiful new space. Felt like we were transported to Mykonos. Glad to have such a good spot in FH. Finally! Can't wait to be back!

Never went in , will try it soon looks nice , not sure no one I know said anything, upscale looks , we will see ,

First off, this is a very pretty, impressive looking restaurant. Design wise, it gets real kudos. Staff is friendly and attentive--also great. But then we get to the food. There I'm afraid the picture changes. The menu is way overpriced, we're talking some tony neighborhood in Manhattan. And most important it's not worth it. Wine list was fine (wish they had retsina though). Salad was perfectly OK. Then, my friend and I had Shrimps Santorini. It was perfectly edible, but not great and certainly not worth the $40 price for the dish. Most of the entrees were in that neighborhood. Then we had baklava for dessert. We were told that it was created in-house by their own pastry chef. It was pretty bad. First sign something was amiss....a dollop of confectioners sugar was on top of it (who puts confectioners sugar on top of baklava??). Very coarsely cut pistachios and walnuts together (?), soggy filo dough and pretty bad tasting honey or whatever they used. Just about edible but not good. It's a new place so you've got to cut them some slack and I'll try again in a couple of months. I hope they get it right. We've got some really nice, smaller eateries in the neighborhood but this would be a really nice addition. But they've got to get the right chefs and make the food match the beautiful decor.

New place so not going to be negative. Dish timing was an issue but those are growing pains. Happy to see it was busy on a cold Sunday night in February. Ambience and vibe top notch with a great bar. Loved the Portuguese Sardines which made me want to explore the menu more. Having all the fish dishes at Market Price is understandable if it's all fresh and not farm raised, but maybe some of the prices could be defined by the server by opening time, just for some guidance-again, maybe growing pains. Will be back for sure-a real elevation in the local cuisine.

Cocktails, appetizers, mains, and dessert were all fantastic! Great service. Highly recommend the stuffed calamari.

Went to Meli Estiatoria and will definitely be returning. The food & cocktails were amazing!!!! Every app that was coming to our table was delicious. Highly recommend the octopus and the kolokithokeftedes. The store has been built beautifully! Great job and can't wait to return!

went on the night of their grand opening and had excellent service and great food. will definitely be going back again!

Place is Beautiful the decor is stunning. We ordered the Octopus as an appetizer and the Meli chips. They were exceptional. My wife ordered the Lavraki which was moist and not over cooked. I got the Lamb Chops I was stunned to see they offer Colorado Lamb Chops . I knew once I saw them on the menu they would be good. The server was pleasant and very knowledgeable. We were happy to find out that the fish is wild and ownership will not offer anything farm raised. I am glad that this place opened up in the neighborhood and we finally have an awesome restaurant near by.