SENSE Rooftop Restaurant

We just had an incredible dining experience at SENSE. The first wow comes from the incredible and intimate views that greet you when you arrive at the restaurant. The second wow is the fantastic waiting staff who can recommend excellent wine selections from the menu and are constantly making sure you're having a pleasant dining experience. The third and most important wow was the tasting menu, which was both sufficiently copious but more importantly offered fantastic culinary experiences with each dish. Some of these will stay with us as being the most surprising and complex dishes we've come across. Definitely a Michelin star worthy experience.

We had booked it for an early dinner on Christmas day (at 18.00). We have invited some friends , so we have chosen Sense for the special Christmas menu that was published online. Moreover, we had confirmed twice the menu over the phone. Upon arrival, the waiters brought us the menu and I told them that we wish to have the special menu. They replied to me “today, there is no special menu, we have our daily menu”. When my husband complained to the manager/hostess, she replied to him that the special menu operates only for lunch, but nobody had informed us in advance. In my opinion, for a Michelin star restaurant, the service is as important as the food. There should be a notice regarding the special term of lunch time. It was really disappointing as we had invited our friends. All in all, there are 2 main dishes & 4 starters , that have nothing to do with the Christmas menu. The view is beutiful but the setting is just ok, especially when it is raining and window is leaking water.

The whole experience was amazing from start to finish. The view of the Acropolis and the sprawl of the city was gorgeous. We dined at 7pm which allowed some time with the setting sun followed by evening lighting. Moving on to the food, every dish was meticulously curated and the staff delivered the story of each item that created a simple theatricality to the evening. The staff were attentive without being overbearing, friendly, and really helped do justice to the chefs’ dishes. We opted for the wine pairing and the explanation and justification for those choices added to the whole experience. The elements of the dishes and paired wines worked in tandem to highlight and create counterpoint to both accentuate and harmonise flavours. Every dish was spectacular but I’ve added pictures of the dishes that stood out to me.

Like eating in an alternative world where your additional senses grant the power to eat twice as fast. Each poorly imagined dish comes as soon as you have finished the last one, with waiting staff leaning teaching across you with cutlery as you eat. Ingredients stories with only a tenuous link accompany every dish, only lessening the strict amount of time allowed at the table. The views don't compensate.

The Good, the bad and the rushed... So, the good points...the food is sublime. Every course on the tasting menu was so delicious that the chefs definitely deserve the Michelin recommendation. Unfortunately, that is where it ended for us. I felt that the restaurant description was quite misleading. I was led to believe there was a terrace on the roof and specifically asked to be out on the terrace when booking. There is no terrace, just open windows so you don't really have an uninterrupted view without a window frame blocking the way. We were seated by a lady with glasses who instantly made us feel rushed by telling us we only had the table for an alloted time. I was already aware of this when booking, but to mention it as one of the first things made us feel uneasy. We weren't given long at all to peruse the drinks menu and were only given a wine list so assumed there were no other options. We didn't have time to barely take a few sips and settle before the food started rushing out. As mentioned, the food was incredible, but we felt so rushed. Even our cutlery was being set for the next course while we were still eating the previous. I've never known this in any restaurant I've been to before and just made us feel even more rushed and uncomfortable. There was a point I got up after a course to go to the toilet, only to be told that the next course was ready and I didn't have time. This in itself felt so rude. I was told then that I had to request a break if I needed the toilet leaving me to feel a bit like a child. The lady with glasses said she had made us aware to tell them if we wanted a break but neither myself or my partner recall being told this. We'd asked for a wine recommendation and was told we could have that on the next course. 2 courses came and went without a recommendation. When we were recommended one, it wasn't to my taste as I'm not a fan of chardonnay, so I requested a glass of the same as I'd had before, however my partner was just ignored on being offered another drink completely and had to ask another member of staff for a eine list. It was then that were were brought a cocktail list alongside the wine list. This wasn't offered from the start. The service from the ladies felt very stern and scripted with no passion and very little service with a smile. The only person that made us feel welcome and comfortable was the young gentleman server with the glasses. He is the only reason we left a tip. Overall the experience was rushed and uncomfortable. We felt we were just bothering the staff rather than being looked after and drove in and out like cattle so we could get out before the next booking. I've eaten at many Michelin restaurants and never had an experience like this and left feeling angry and disappointed. As a person who has worked hospitality and front of house for many years, this is not how I would treat customers paying that much money.

Genuinely one of the best culinary experiences I have had. Incredible and flexible service. My initial table was not one with a view of the Acropolis so they offered to move me over as soon as one cleared, it was very thoughtful of them. All the food was delicious, but the sole and scallop dishes are worth a shout out.

The food is really great but you should come here for the view. There's no other Athens view that can rival this Acropolis and Lycabettus hill combined. On top of the remarkable view we took both menus, the regular tasting menu and the vegetarian one. Both were spotless, one unique dish after the other. We chose to order several glasses of wine instead of the pricey wine pairing. Evening breeze just added to a perfect meal.

Amazing rooftop restaurant with great menu and service! Highly recommended for large groups ( you can book the entire place private ) amazing acropolis panorama view