Sofia Restaurant

Absolutely delicious cauliflower appetizer! Loved it. The indoor and outdoor ambiance was beautiful. Thank you for having vegan options…… my eggplant dinner not only looked beautiful but it was absolutely delicious. Looking forward to visiting again.

This restaurant had a great vibe on a summer Saturday night. Food was excellent and really quite reasonable. Really liked all of the wine flight options. Servers were always around, being as busy as it was, I was surprised by that. Would definitely go back to again.

Sofia Margate a must go to. Amazing experience from the minute we walked into this aesthetically beautiful restaurant from start to finish. When we walked in Maria M was so welcoming. We felt like we walked into her home. So kind and just made us feel at home. From the fresh oysters to the crab cocktail to the Tzatziki with fresh pita absolutely amazing. Our silverware was changed with each course. The salmon melts in your mouth and the surf and turf prepared to perfection. We have been to many amazing restaurants in our time and never did a server come and remove the lobster tail shell from the plate so quickly. That server is Rena. She was spot on with every move. The desert from baclava to the fig and honey ice cream just divine. The Greek coffee amazing with a nice touch of a dipping pastry. To Marie M, Rena and all the staff just amazing. Let me just say our Mom is 91 and has been to a lifetime of restaurants and she said nothing has compared to Sofia Margate. Honestly she is a tough critic. Don’t pass this gem by. Absolutely amazing.

🇬🇷✨ Greek island vibes in MARGATE, baby! ✨🇬🇷 From the instant Sofia herself and her fabulous daughter Maria swept us into their world, we felt like long-lost family. Think wrought-iron arches, candlelit corners, and a dining room buzzing with laughter, clinking glasses, and the aroma of garlic-kissed olive oil. 🤌🏼🔥 What disappeared from our table (fast!): 🥗 Crisp Greek salad drizzled in liquid gold EVOO 🥩 Lollipop lamb chops that melt on contact 🐟 Whole bronzino—lemon, herbs, perfection 🍤 Shrimp souvlaki skewers snapping with citrus 🍅 Greek-style meatballs swimming in tangy tomato bliss 🔥 And YES—we had the legendary flaming saganaki, lit tableside and devoured within minutes! 🍷 The Greek wines they presented to us come from the land of Alexander the Great and the demigod Hercules—bold, rich, and absolutely divine. Every bite screamed “Yasou!” and every sip of wine had us planning our next visit before dessert even landed. If you crave home-style Greek cuisine served with genuine love, this is your seaside sanctuary. 🌊💙 📍 Sofias, Margate NJ — Pack your appetite, bring your besties, and get ready to feast like a Greek deity. Tell Maria and Sofia the PhillyFoodFanatic says Opa!!!

Normally very good but our visit this week, our server was not focused. He was too busy talking to fellow servers and got my order completely wrong. When they put in the right order the salmon came out raw. They took the salmon off the bill they should have comped the entire meal. I still gave a nice tip, which I guess I should not have done so. Please have the servers pay attention to the customers not talking to everyone.

We had an outstanding dinner experience on the upstairs dining area at Sofia’s. Our waitress, Albassa, was fantastic. The humus, meatball ap, and Greek salad were exceptional. Loved my salmon. It was a great night snd we will definitely be back!

This place is absolutely gorgeous inside and outside which makes it perfect for special events and taking pictures. It was very busy but since the restaurant is so large and well staffed they were able to accommodate my party of 2 without a reservation (however, I always recommend making a reservation just in case). I was blown away by the cauliflower appetizer so I had high expectation for the entrees. My table ordered the Salmon and the Lamb chops of which both were very mid, 4/10. Salmon was dry, and the lamb chops were very fatty so I barely got any meat since they only give you 3 lamb chops. I would definitely go back just for the cauliflower. Wine and cocktails (spicy margarita and espresso martini)were decent, not the best I ever had but still very tasty. Anyways, our waiter was very busy but he was very efficient and able to give us great service. The server assistant did a phenomenal job setting up our table for every course and she was extremely attentive so we never felt neglected.

UPDATE: November 2024: We have been going down the shore on the occasional weekend and our first stop before even going to our apartment is to stop at Sofia's and sit at the bar for a quick dinner and drinks. We love all the food and they have a great wine menu. Drinks are made well. My only complaint is that their posted hours aren't really what they adhere to. We have been at the bar long before closing and tried to order food and the pizza oven was already shut down or "the kitchen staff all left" so we can't get dessert. And this might be about one hour before posted closing time. I wish they would give you final warning so we could get what we want. --- A little late with the review, but we sat at the bar for a quick dinner (reservations were unavailable) and we had an excellent time. The bartender was very attentive. The food was awesome. Can't wait for summer 2024 to go back. Will probably sit at the bar most times unless we are with more people!

I have never been spoken to with such rudeness, arrogance, and disrespect by any restaurant. Ever. We had a Saturday night reservation for 5 ppl at Sofia and were genuinely very excited. In a traumatic turn of events, our 2 dogs (yes, real dogs, not a made-up excuse) got into onion bagels and chocolate chip cookies that afternoon and had to be rushed to the emergency vet. We arrived at the emergency vet at 5pm (2 hours before our dinner reservation). As soon as I had a moment to breathe amidst the chaos, I immediately called Sofia to let them know the situation that we would not be able to make it for dinner. The woman on the phone was understanding, told me it was no problem, and said she'd cancel the reservation with no issue or penalty. That should've been the end of it. But 3 days later, I'm blindsided by a $125 charge on my credit card for a no-show!! I called the restaurant to straighten it out and was transferred to either Sofia or Angela, the so-called "owner." What followed was one of the most unprofessional and infuriating conversations I've ever had with a business. She cut me off before I could finish a sentence, aggressively accused me of lying, claiming that people "make up all kinds of stories" to dodge cancellation fees -- essentially calling me a fraud and a liar. When I offered to send her the timestamped emergency vet bill to verify the situation, she flat-out refused and continued to talk over me, raised her voice to tell me they're "running a business here", and made it clear she had zero interest in listening, let alone resolving the issue. Her final words? "Dispute it with your credit card company." No apology. No empathy. No decency. This is not how you treat any customers, especially those who called ahead and were dealing with an actual medical emergency. Instead of any grace or understanding, I was met with accusations, condescension, and a completely unjustified charge. This restaurant may serve food, but it serves up zero customer service and a hefty side of arrogance. I will never step foot in Sofia and if you value honesty, professionalism, or basic kindness, you shouldn't either.

We had an exceptional dinner experience on the outside dining area at Sofia's. Our waitress, Arvada, was outstanding! The humus, meatball ap, and Greek salad were outstanding. Salaam was delicious!!!! Atmosphere and cocktails were just perfect. We will definitely be back!

Light happy hour dinner at the bar. Split a Greek salad and a small pizza. Service was great, food was great and drinks were good. Lots of TVs to watch the end of the Phils game vs the Giants. We got lucky there were two open seats, wouldn't be this easy mid summer. Very pleasant atmosphere. I highly recommend.

Always have a great time. I tend to eat at the bar. Bartenders are great. Food is very enjoyable and love the happy hour.

Loved this place! The bar is so cozy. you feel like you're sitting at a bar in the middle of a forest. Stopped in for happy hour and it was great. We ordered an array of appetizers off their menu to share. Starting with Taziki, short rib and fig flat breads, greek sausage, greek salad and their signature ginger manhattan cocktail. Everything was fantastic. We sat at the bar and the service was amazing. Looking forward to visiting again when I'm in Atlantic City.

I had the opportunity to dine at Sofia's this past weekend. I was not impressed. The atmosphere was very nice and drinks were delicious. I was not happy that our server called me Sir twice. I had to correct her by telling her i was a woman. instead of her just apologizing and letting it go she continued to insult me, insinuating that I looked like a man. As far as the food, the rack of lamb could have had more flavor and potatoes were under cook. We will not be coming back.

Everything was on point, food was delicious, service was attentive, ambiance was perfect

Pay no attention to those Giving 2 stars to this restaurant. The food is still delicious. The waitstaff is professional, helpful, and just plain nice. The ethereal cauliflower appetizer is the best most people have ever eaten. We order heavy appetizers and a delicious dessert, although it is difficult to turn down the branzino. The bar crowd is always lively and inclusive making Happy Hour one of the nicest in the area. Obviously, I am a big fan of Sophia's, but with very good reason. Unpretentious and wonderfully delicious. Accommodating for vegans and others with food restrictions. It is a definite 5 star, more if available.

This turned out to be a nice meal. Hadn't been here in a while. Two people got the branzino. One got the pork special stuffed with prosciutto and feta and I got the seafood Pescatore. For apps we got the spanakopita and the saganaki cheese. One horiatiko salad. Our server was David who was great. Attentive without being overbearing. All entrees were enjoyed. My Pescatore had a good bit of seafood in it and the scampi sauce was good. I thought the spanakopita was very good. Overall a very good meal and I would go back

We have always loved Sofias, the food, the staff, the overall experience but the new chef has elevated the food to a whole new level. The menu has changed and while it took us a minute to adapt, we are so happy we did. Each thing we ordered was better than the next, we had dinner Thursday night and had such a great meal that we canceled our plans Friday and went back. A few of our new favorites were the Greek salad, the beet salad, the new octopus( which although different then before has sooo much more flavor), the tuna tataki, the truffle pasta is a steal at the price as well as new branzino which was amazing! Another treat was the updated outside seating which was so beautiful and relaxing, you forgot you were next door to Maynard's

The parking here was a bit tight, but the venue is beautiful. Our server was friendly, positive, super nice man. We got quite a bit of food for 2 people: A drink from the bar Eggplant dip Flatbread Asparagus Gnocchi Salmon Food was great. Good portion sizes, nice presentation. Per my husband, Without the sauce/marination on the salmon, the salmon itself wasn't anything special. We would come back!!

I went last night, we didn't have a reservation but they were able to get us in one of the high tops. It was busy! Let me tell you I can't believe I haven't been here before. The food was SO delicious!! I got the ahi tuna, husband got the mousaka. We started off with the Saganaki it was so good I probably could have eaten 2 melty hot cheese that they lit on fire was really cool. I am going back for more I really like a lot of things on the menu and I am very picky and don't eat red meat. Go there! Make a reservation if you can and don't be in a hurry it's a relaxed slow service. I

The food is fantastic, and the service is even better. Our usual server, Nicholas, is one of the best. His professionalism, attention, and knowledge of the menu - especially the wine - are second to none. His recommendations are always spot on. Combining all of this with the gorgeous ambiance, both inside and out, make for a wonderful dining experience.

Ambiance seems fun. Mix of old and young-ish? The rest? Not so much. First, our server was terrible. I think she might have forgotten us, and she definitely forgot my son's dinner. We had to ask the runner and a different server to check on his food because she never came back. He ended up getting his food after everyone was done. Yikes. Second, the food was okay depending on what you ordered. Half of us enjoyed and the other half did not. Third, when we spoke to the owner about our experience, she was AWFUL. What a horrible human being. What was supposed to be a lovely birthday dinner turned out to be a horrible experience. I definitely do NOT recommend.

Food: 7.5 Ambiance: 7.9 Service: 8.8 Bang for buck: 6.8 For food, not everything was a hit. The baked pizzas were unique and well made. Pastas had great flavoring. The hummus, sadly, was a miss for all of us- dry and lacking flavor. The service was the shining star, waiters were attentive and patient. I would return for the service.

Sofias is impressive ... besides being a tremendous restaurant that can prob seat a few hundred it's done with class and tons of detail. Everyone we talk to about this place says you like it now come back in the summer and dine outside. Our server was wonderful. She was so attentive and knew her stuff. She made great recommendations for food , drink , and even dessert / coffee. Best spinach pie I ever had, eggplant dip was the right call and then a delicious steak, chicken and lamb chop for 2 platter with asparagus and those lemon potatoes. Wasn't overkill either. Bill was substantial but worth it... a place you go twice a year and look forward to it. Last thing is the down beach express toll that's $2.25 each way no ez pass to get into margate city. Straight up weird.

Went there last night with a big group of 13 of us. I have a ton of food allergies and our waitress, Maria was very cautious and reassured me that what I ordered was safe to eat. She even wrote down all the things I couldn't eat and ended up remembering many of them and there are a lot (7 foods). She was kind and made me feel comfortable with ordering, while many other places do not make me feel that way. The food was delicious. Overall a great experience and much of it had to do with the great service!

sadly, we went there for my sons 20th birthday party and we waited three hours to get our food. Our waitress never came over to check in to see how we were doing. We were never offered any complementary drinks for waiting so long. When the check came at the end, we had to fight for a 15% discount for waiting so long and losing another reservation somewhere else for an after party with friends. Terrible service and the food was only ok at best. in talking to a few of our friends from Margate, they had a very similar experience. We will not be making any reservations for Sophia's again. Food was not worth the price or the wait.

Great place to sit and eat at the bar with a view of the bay. Four dip trio was delicious. Fire shrimp was perfectly cooked in a lemon white wine sauce.

Had a terrible experience at Sofia last night. Took a long time for the waitress to come over. Finally ordered drinks and the appetizers arrived way before they did. The octopus was very un appealing. Had an 8:15 reservation and by 9:40 still hadn't ordered dinner. The waitress wanted us to wait for some reason. They also changed the menu for the worse and were out of some key entrees like the crab cakes. We left and paid the bill before ordering dinner and got frozen yogurt instead! Won't be going back here for quite a while if ever!

Great place Great service Awesome ambiance Four is outstanding Went with a big group and literally had a waiter just for our group. Eat it!

Great food, great service. Absolutely large family run which adds to the atmosphere. Prefer to sit in bar area. Cleaning solution odor emanated from bathroom area towards end of night where we were sitting. Otherwise would have given it a 5/5

Wonderful experience at Sofia on MDW no less. On reservation was on time and the service was impeccable. There was a "manager" or main host that gave us a weird vibe as she seemed very overwhelmed and took it out on customers/her staff. Didn't effect us, but figured I'd add as I wouldn't want to get in her way if I worked for her. Any who, our experience was top notch and the food was delish! What we snagged: -Dip Trio (Great sauces and the pita was well cooked. Whatever the red pepper dip was, I need the recipe) -Filet (cooked perfectly) -Crab cakes (FIRE. Wish we had 4 to a plate! Highly recommend) Overall, great experience and for great value. Will be back for another special occasion down the shore!

We were in Margate for the weekend and my brother in law had made an online reservation at another restaurant down the street. There was some glitch in the system and they never received his reservation. Luckily we were able to be seated promptly at Sofia. Sofia is a large restaurant with outdoor patio dining, limited inside dining and also and upstairs outdoor deck. We were seated on the upstairs deck. Sofia is a beautiful restaurant. The menu is fairly big and has a good selection of Mediterranean and seafood dishes. I ordered the lamb lollypops and chicken soulvaki. The lamb was excellent and well seasoned. The chicken was also good but a tad on the dry side. Service was fantastic all evening. Tables were spread apart and everyone had masks and gloves. We had a very pleasant evening at Sofia.

Amazing lollipop lamb chops, grilled shrimp and spanakopita! Ate at the bar. John and Damon are the best bartenders! I love this restaurant!

Sofia used to be our go to for a good drink and great meal. Food has gone down hill considerably.

We had our wedding celebration there last night. The service was excellent and food delicious. Angela couldn't have made it easier to organize our party. We love this place!!

Happy hr is excellent ...beautiful bar setting ...wide choice of cocktails & food items for happy hr....

Great happy hour! The food was good but the service was above and beyond! Our waitress Irene was amazing! She was funny and pleasant and truly accommodating! I will come back just to see her!

Extremely slow. Almost not worth it to go. And they did not compensate us appropriately.

Best place for either happy hour or dinner I've never been disappointed here and I literally can't say that about any other restaurant in the area and yes I've been in Margate for years.. The staff is amazing and always will accommodate you.. Don't know the secret but they make the best cosmos

I went with my family to Sofia's last night. Wow, each and everything we ordered was extraordinary!! Definitely on our weekly rotation! They have really stepped up their game!

Maria was a great waitress!!! She recommended great options for our large party. Our food and drinks were great! The service was efficient.

Food was amazing, service was also amazing. If you're looking for good food, drinks, and vibes go here

Service was A+ tonight. I ordered the grouper special, which was accompanied by polenta, and purple cabbage. It was stellar in its presentation, and the combination, sprinkled with pomegranate, was absolutely delicious. We treated our guests for their 50th wedding anniversary, and it really hit the mark!

My husband's dinner was 5 stars from start to finish. Unfortunately, my spanakopita starter was meh. I then had the sea bass special with dreamy lemon risotto as my main and again it was "okay". My husband, however, had the scallops entree plus the sautéed spinach side and loved every morsel! His honey fig gelato was also a standout.

A great spot for a private party - thank you Sofia's! Although, I do wish they allowed for a few more choices.

Excellent food, really good and pleasant servers. You can't go wrong there. The only reason I don't give them 5 stars is the dress code. You get young girls going there with shorts (missing a lot of fabric) and tops so short they might as well be wearing a bikini. Guys with tank tops. I know it's a shore town, but a nice place like that should have a basic minimum dress code.

The best part about Sofia is the beautiful ambiance and environment. The outdoor area is filled with beautiful flowers and plants, blocking you from the street. You feel like you're in a little oasis. The service at Stella is also fantastic. Everyone is friendly and helpful from the hostesses to waiters to bus boys. Giving 4 stars as a rating relative to the other restaurant options between Ventnor and Longport. The food here is good but nothing that will blow your mind or draw you back. For appetizers I had a ceaser salad (standard), octopus (tiny and rubbery), and 3 dip trio (dips were average and pita was cold). Honestly the free bread and pesto oil was better than all of the apps ordered. For an entree I had the seafood plaki which was delicious - large portion. Overall, I would go back here for the ambiance and drinks but wouldn't rave about the food.

I'm actually surprised that this place has a lot rating. It's consistently great Mediterranean food and great drinks (try the Espresso or Key Lime). Whole grilled Branzino 10/10. Wish I could eat here every week. **TRY THE FLAMING CHEESE! It's their cheese soaked in ouzo (licorice alcohol) and they bring it to you and light it on fire. Served with pita. So good!

This place was fantastic, really great food, superb service.. our waitress Maria was really nice and informative.. the owner greeted us and made us feel welcomed.. there was a bar area in which I could watch the Bama game, drinks was good.. definitely will be returning!!

Went for dinner and everything was excellent Our server Rena G was outstanding. Very attentive and a nice personality The restaurant has an exquisite decor. Absolutely beautiful. This was our first time there but will definitely go again. Thank you for a great dining experience!!!

I'll preface this by saying the food is great. Hummus is some of the best and the flatbread was amazing. However the service here is horrendous. Our waiter took our order and that was the last time he stopped by. Also, what restaurant has you order appetizers and dinner at the same time?? Our wine wasn't served until we were done our food (two glasses of wine). We had to ask a food runner for our check after waiting 30 minutes. Then our waiter returns and just drops the check. Not a "sorry we've been busy" or "can I get you anything else". We wanted more drinks and food but were never offered anything. Then when I told the waiter that he only came once, he proceeded to argue and say that we were attended to by the cleaning staff....that's not an excuse. I said "what if we wanted something else" and then he goes "well did you want something". Then he walked away. When attending a dinner we expect at least a decent service but to never show up again is unacceptable. The manager only apologized, then walked away. Will not be back for a while.

Not only was our meal outstanding the ambiance and service at Sofia's is top tier. Vinny the waiter is the best and enhanced our experience so much and gave GREAT recommendations! From the time we walked in to leaving the staff at Sofia's are so amazing. The best restaurant on the island by far.

This review is based solely on the bar as I've never eaten here. The restaurant is beautiful inside. Very warm and inviting. Once seated at the bar, I asked the bartender for a drink and he stated "I love to use fresh lime juice for that!" I was really excited, because honestly, how often are bartenders able to use freshly squeezed lime juice? As I watched the preparation of my cocktail taking place, I was absolutely appalled to see the bartenders idea of what fresh lime juice was. He took the container of cut limes off of the garnish station and poured the liquid into my cocktail! Seriously... This happened! When he served me the drink, I thought to myself "well, maybe he knows something I don't." I took a sip, and it was extremely bitter because of the lime pith and not at all what it should've tasted like. As I sat there, I kept thinking about what the bartender did, and how absolutely disgusting it was. He poured juice out of a container where peoples hands are in and out of all night long. Who knows if any of them even wash their hands. Needless to say, I paid for this poor excuse of a cocktail and left. On top of that, another another bartender, who was obviously ready to go home and have us leave, stood in front of us, put her coat on, and asked us what else she could do for us. Basically saying it's time for you to leave. When we came in and asked to sit at the bar, the hostess could've let us know that they were wrapping up for the night, and we would've happily moved on to our next destination. Do better, Sofia!

Sorta surprised this place isn't higher rated. Maybe we hit it on an on rather than off night, but everyone loved the food. Service was excellent. Def a bit pricey but it was excellent so in the end, who cares.

This place is so overrated and overpriced. The crabcakes are made from canned crab and had shells in them yet they're charging $36 for an order..??? The ambiance is the only thing saving this place from closing down because the food ain't it

Four of us dined there recently. We checked in & while waiting to be seated, sat at the bar, which is centered around a tree whose branches are decorated w/ tiny white lights. There was a festive buzz in the air, and the place was full and lively. We were shown to our table within 10 minutes. Our waiter, James,was professional, helpful courteous & friendly. He answered all our questions and listened attentively to everyone's requests. Very impressive!! Apps: We ordered Greek salad ( shared), lamb chops, tomato crab bisque soup and oysters. Everyone enjoyed their appetizers. Along w/ the pita and tzazicki dip ( yum!) The entrees were also very well received. There was an order of crab cakes, Corfu capellini w/ shrimp (w/ red sauce), bronzino, Aphrodite pasta w/ crab meat and feta . They were served warm and tasty. Service flowed very well from start to finish. Sadly, we were all too full to enjoy dessert. Next time we'll try to pace ourselves!! Tip: Upstairs is an open courtyard and several tables were on the terrace. On a lovely night, w/ low humidity... a great place to dine. Also, it would serve as a great space for a small private dinner.

Doesn't get any better than sofia. the restaurant is beyond beautiful. And the food is just as good. From the spanikopita to the octopus- just perfect. The flatbread is great. But the seafood plaki was the clear winner. Highly recommend!