Village Taverna

Iv been to this restaurant 4 times and every time food was delicious. Lady night we ordered grilled octopus, village salad (which had grilled soft cheese in it - never had it before and it was surprisingly good, it tasted like halumi but was soft almost like ricotta), lamb chops and chocolate cake. In the past Iv also had whole fish, grape leaves, chicken from the grill, and different salads. Everything was amazing! We got to the restaurant at 6pm and place was super busy already, by the time we were leaving it was PACKED and had line for table (which is avoid sign for Monday night). And one more thing - I really like service here, happened to have same server for last couple times and he is very confident about food and drink recommendations and very friendly.

OMG I was not expecting this quality of Mediterranean food outside of Greece! My wife and I decided we wanted something light after spending multiple days in NYC. We have been to Greece so there's always that wish that we will find a place in the states that comes close to the quality of authentic Greek food here in the US. I think we found it! We came early in the morning and could not have been more pleased with the food. Our dishes were fantastic, the service was impeccable, and the ambiance was so nice. Sadly, we live in California but if we ever come back to NYC, we are making a b-line to Village Taverna for a great time ☺️

This place is great. Large portions, upbeat environment and an all around fun time. I ordered the gyro platter which was really, really good. In fact, the portions were enough for two people to share. If you enjoy Greek food, then you should check this place out.

Service was insanely slow but our waiter once he was assigned was the man. Got off-menu organic chicken which was boneless / crispy and came with a great veggie spread. Cleaned the plate lol. My friend got the chicken gyro which was a massive portion (good value). House bread was fine.

Group of four went for Sat night dinner. It was recommended by a friend who said it was lively, decent food and reasonable prices. She was right on all accounts. We shared chopped salad (excellent and large), fried calamari ( delicious and large portion), shrimp souvlaki ( very tasty) and Lavraki- Mediterranean sea bass ( over cooked and not too tasty). We also shared a bottle of Pinot Grigio which was good but a bit overpriced. Overall a very nice experience.

Really lovely place to eat. We’ve been a few times and really enjoyed the casual fare and spacious, bright environment. The food is fresh. Waiters were very attentive but not hovering. Always had extras to take home which my kids love. We will return!

Excellent service, delicious food, and a sizable selection of options that cater to different tastes. Their cheese appetizers were especially notable.

The decor of this place is stunning. Our waiter was attentive, and asked if there were any allergies. Even the plates were pretty. We were served sliced warm pitas as a bread basket, and it was easy to overdo and fill up on them. The halloumi dish was delicious and had some tomato and cucumber salad with it. However, one of us is watching her salt and said it was too salty. Aside from the grilled chicken dish, we order pastitsio and moussaka. The salad that came with the grilled chicken was good. The chicken itself was not dry. The pastitsio and moussaka were okay. I think it's a matter of preference, but the seasoning was way too "fragrant" for me. There's 2 bathrooms on site that are clean, pleasant, and well maintained. We had a good time.

Absolutely amazing. I was in the area and I wandered in. What a flag of good luck. Greek cuisine always pulls at my taste buds. I had the lamb shank with orzo, I think. What a true delight. The service was excellent. Attentive, cordial and responsive. What a pleasure! I'll definitely be back soon.

Literally one of the best Greek salads in NYC...if not the best. Great neighborhood mainstay.

Great spot for greek food! The inside was relatively large with lots of seating. They started us off with fresh pita and olive oil. The olive oil was rich tasting and went well with the pita. We also orders an app with filo, feta and prosciutto, topped with a fig jam. It was very filling and the flavours complimented each other well. We ordered chicken with rice and a side of salad, as well as the lamb with orzo. The portions were huge, and really well worth it for the price. The lamb was so tender it fell off the bone. The orzo was very flavourful and went perfectly with the lamb. Service was fantastic. Our waiter was so friendly and provided great recommendations.

Everything was so amazing! The food and staff were great! Definitely recommend. Came around Christmas time and the decor was amazing!!!!

I had food delivered today and was sorely disappointed. I ordered the lamb chops - they were really grizzly (and expensive!) The Greek egg lemon soup was delicious.

Personal favorite for Greek food. Service is quick and food is absolutely delicious. Their veggie and seafood dishes always hit the spot and I'm personally a huge fan of their moussaka and white fishes. Great experience every time! Also, the vibes on the weekend are absolutely great.

Such a cute and cozy spot with nice decor to make the Greek family fun restaurant experience authentic. We had a nice bottle of red with our meal and started with delicious appetizers. The halloumi cheese, veggie chips, octopus, and pita bread with olive oil were all so tasty and decadent. We also shared a village salad with shrimp, which was fresh and delicious.

This was me stepping out of my comfort zone, I've never tried Mediterranean food. I won't say that it was nasty, I will just say the flavors were new to me. I order a steak skewer with rice and salad. My friends enjoyed their meals (they've had Mediterranean before. I wouldn't personally try this spot again, but it was very well put together. The decor and seating was perfect. Very nice place. Can be a bit pricey, so have a wallet handy lol. The staff was friendly. We say outside and it was such a nice lunch vibe. Try them out!

Very attentive service. Food was delicious. Very nice location. Great space. Friendly workers

Had lunch here while in NYC. Great experience! Decor is lovely- decorated for the holidays which made it even nicer. The server was friendly and gave us great recommendations. The food was great and the portions are large! Definitely will go again.

First of all I came here because my mom was craving Greek food. The ambience is cute but the service was terrible I think because we were hispanic. The waitress was giving me odd looks like not welcoming, I brushed it off and moved on then she sent another waitress to take our order. We ordered the Mixed Grill and a hummus and an eggplant spread and two glasses of Chardonnay one Californian and one Greek . When the wine arrived it was not cold at all more like room temperature. And my mom didn't really like her wine but nobody ever came back to check if we were happy with our beverages I think that's the standard. Then our food arrived and they literally crowded the table of food and the table was tiny, instead of adding another table because not even our plates fit but whatever. We ate and we poured our own sparkling water because nobody ever came back we never got serviced. My mom wanted a salad and we couldn't order it because nobody came back. There was a male server with salt and pepper hair he sat on top the table across our table with his arms folded staring straight at us was very uncomfortable for us. He never asked us if we needed anything. When the waitress came back after we finished our meal and we did not enjoyed it ask us if we needed another glass of wine I asked for the check and I complained to her that we never got serviced and we were ignored she said sorry but never brought the manager over. The other tables were getting good service because they were not hispanic. The male service when we left gave us dirty looks. This was a terrible service and experience do not recommended it at all.

Came with as a group of ten at lunch. We shared veggie chips (batters vegetables with tzatziki yogurt), beet salad, a platter of dips, pita and olives/ I ordered chopped salad with avocado. Food was outstanding! Great service. Pacing from order to table was great.

This amazing restaurant is located in union square and has both indoor and outdoor seating. My sister called 20 minutes before we went and they reserved us a table outside. The outside area is beautiful and the heater kept us warm on a cold night. Thinking about this dinner, makes my mouth water. The service was impeccable from the matre D to our waiter and the bus boy. I was really impressed. So attentive, constantly filling our water. Made sure there was no sesame in anything he brought out due to my recent allergy. He even kept checking on us to make sure we were warm enough. Now for the dinner. My sister and I shared the PSITO MANOURI which was manouri cheese with honey on top. It was so delicious. The waiter also brought us pita to accompany it. My sister recommended the best salad. It was a Greek chopped salad. The waiter was really amazing with modifying the salad. I just removed the red onions and my sister removed the green peppers. We both got gyro on top. Honestly, one of the best salads I have ever had. I can't wait to come back.

Very good food at affordable prices. Entrees are very good portions! Love the seafood and veggie chips as well meatballs, lamb. Reserve a table for indoors on Saturday: service wonderful too. Would return !

My friend and I came here for dinner. The interior-exterior decor was beautiful. They placed fresh fish by the entrance without any fish smell. Good! Miguel, the waiter, was good at taking our orders and questions. The table pita was average, like most the other Greek places. We shared Octapodi (Octopus salad) to start. This appetizer was to die for, but I live to eat it! I would have ordered two just for my dinner. Then I ordered the organic chicken, and my friend had the gyro platter. My dish was fabulous! The chicken was cooked perfectly and came out juicy and tasty. My friend's dish was pretty dry. I didn't care for the Gyro much. I thought the taste was just average. The Octopodi was the best part. I recommend this and the organic chicken for your dinner date.

The perfect post-workout meal given the generous amount of protein served The small size salads are big, so I can only imagine the larger ones. I tried the Dakos to get out of my comfort zone but I would suggest the village salad or other chopped ones on the menu. Price range is favorable in comparison to other mediterranean restaurants in the city, the staff is friendly and owner was present, and twas a clean environment and bathroom. I've been meaning to try Village Taverna out for a while and am glad I waited to dine in rather than having my first experience be with a takeaway order. Worth a visit if you're by Union Square!

We had a lovely dinner here -- sitting outside under their outdoor street structure. It was a warm day and the server was quite responsive -- We ended up ordering the special branzino (fish) with a base of squash puree and vegetables as well as lamb kebab with lemon potatoes and roasted vegetables. To start we had the special appetizer -- an arugula salad with a watermelon, feta cheese, and poached pear inclusion. All were fabulous -- even though the day was muggy -- so the sparkling water really helped. Oh and I almost forgot, they also brought us olives and pita. There were many gluten-free options to choose from -- though it was nice that the olives were separate from the bread.

I give it a solid three. You are provided with complimentary pita and olive oil. We had the organic chicken and also the shrimp platter and the social filo feta deep fried with prosciutto and fig jam on top. The full feta was good I think it was well balanced with the figs my friend felt it was too sweet. The pits was warm and tasty. Now my friend hyped up this organic chicken. It was good but not "life changing" as he claimed. It was moist and nicely flavored came with green liked asparagus and fingerling potatoes in a lemon hunter sauce. My friend said her shrimp dish was great and the rice pilaf she had with it was delish. It is a pricy spot so dint think your getting out without spending at least 30-40 per person.

Came here for lunch on Friday after we walked by and saw the cute outdoor decorations. So many flowers and made you feel transported to another country! I asked the waiter for his favorite salad and he said it was todays special, which was the watermelon salad with feta, heirloom tomatoes, and mint. It was really refreshing and yummy and the dressing was super flavorful. Only miss is that it was $23, which seemed a bit steep even for NY prices. We got fresh pita served at the table which was SUCH a highlight. The pita was perfectly crispy and had a herby flavorful, and the olive oil had a really unique olive taste. My friend got the chicken souvlaki and said it was amazing. The rice was also really flavorful (which I tried). Overall a great place, but taking down a star for the seemingly steep price of the salad (the souvlaki was $19) and we ended up having to wait 25 minutes for the check after asking for it. Would definitely stop by again!

We came here for brunch during the holidays before checking out the Union square holiday markets. Our pup was able to dine with us in one of the covered outdoor cabins which was heated and a little snug for a party of 4. We ordered a few appetizers and entrees for the table to share. The portions were large and perfect for all of us to share! The service a bit slow, and it was probably because we were the only table dining outside! Overall would recommend Village Taverna to try some Greek food in the Union Square area!

The best Mediterranean place in the city! Great vibes, portions and price! Great for takeout as well.

If you like Tzatziki (a salted yogurt and cucumber dip that's made of strained yogurt, shredded cucumber, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and herbs), I highly recommend ordering it at the Village Taverna Greek Grill. Lunched there yesterday August 05, 2023) and in my opinion, their Tzatziki is quite simply the best I have had in a very long time. The Keftedes (Greek meatballs) were equally delicious and my luncheon companions were thrilled with their chicken souvlaki. But the cherry on the top was the Galaktoboureko desert (a traditional Greek dessert made with layers of golden brown crispy phyllo, sprinkled with melted butter, and filled with creamy custard). The service was prompt but unhurried, allowing diners to relax, communicate, and enjoy their meal. And the overall ambiance of the establishment was light and airy - exactly what one needed on a hot summer's afternoon in New York City. Highly recommended.

I cannot say enough great things about this amazing Greek restaurant! The host was extremely friendly. He fit us in, without reservations, on a very busy Father's Day evening. We ordered the veggie chips, which were outstanding. They were light and crispy, flavorful and delicate. The saganaki was not traditional flaming cheese. Instead, it came stacked with seasonal fruit (watermelon) and drizzled with honey that was scrumptious. We ordered the dolmas, which were good, but not as great as the other two apps. All of our dinners were delicious too, but we were so full from the other great food, we needed to take a lot home. We ordered grilled salmon, filet mignon and chicken and it was all so good and fresh. Our waitress was friendly and knowledgeable about wine selections. What a gem of a find!

Food was 10/10! We all devoured our plates. Very fresh and flavorful! Specials were so good like the baked half chicken. Interior vibes were also great! Only serves some beer on tap and variety of different wines. No cocktails.

This is NOT authentic Greek food. First, they serve about 10 triangles of pita as bread - why? Because their food is not good, so might as well fill up in the pita. The traditional Greek salad is wilted and maybe served with Kraft dressing. The fresh fish, ie branzino is bland. Waste of money. Also only only wine and beer bar. There are better options.

Loved the souvlaki, pita, tzatziki, and vegetable chips at this place. Always on the hunt for a good Greek restaurant and this place met expectations. Our only minor issue was that the chicken was a bit tough to get off the stick for the souvlaki but everything was well seasoned and delicious and felt like authentic Greek food.

Had the Dover sole (catch of the day) as well as the special salad and Horta. Great service and great ambiance. Food was delicious but overpriced.

*SERVED ME RAW CHICKEN* I ordered the chicken skewers and I will say the portions were great and the first 2-3 skewers were fine until I looked down and there was RAW chicken. I got my waiter and he sighed and shrugged and said "Well, you ate the rest of the skewers." I let the waiter know that I never noticed anything wrong with the other skewers but it didn't matter as this is raw chicken. He kept trying to argue with me of why I ate the other skewers (again, I hadn't notice anything wrong - and those others may have been fine). The waiter told me nothing could be done as no manager was on duty. He brought me another plate of the same dish and I said I didn't want it. I explained I am now sick to my stomach and could get sick. He kept arguing with me. He did take my plate off the bill but still argued with me even as we were paying. Horrible service and gaslighted me while they served me raw chicken. Also, I find it funny that there was "no manager on duty" for my issue, yet the same waiter spilt a glass of wine on someone and compt their meal and gave them a free bottle of wine. I did not want anything free - I just wanted to let a manager know what happened. Cute restaurant though.

Pretty Greek spot in East Village featuring a large selection of greek wines, many of which I had never heard of, and a delicious assortment of appetizers and entrees. A friend and I shared the meat platter while another friend ordered the gyro plate. We also ordered two appetizers - kolokithokeftedes and dolmades. We enjoyed the appetizers but could barely make a dent in the entrees since we were already full from the appetizers. Portions were much larger than expected and I think the meat platter could be shared with 4 people (see picture).

Really lovely and well priced spot in a convenient location. The restaurant itself is beautiful and the staff are friendly and extremely attentive. The food itself was pretty good. The portions were large and it was good quality, but taste-wise not anything to crave. The best part of the meal was the pita appretizer. Definitely recommend this spot if you're looking for a sound, healthy and affordable meal.

Based on some recent reviews I had read I wasn't sure if I should have too high of expectations for this place. It turned out to be an excellent lunch. The moussaka was a hearty delicious serving of my go-to Greek meal. The chicken souvlaki platter was also very good and perfect for my little ones to share. Perfectly grilled chicken skewers, good fries, pita, and a generous salad with tzatziki. My wife had the mussels appetizer special as her main and they were fresh and plentiful. The broth was great for dipping pita in. Service was excellent and there is ample seating not only inside but outside on the sidewalk as well. If you're in the mood for Greek this place is definitely a solid option.

Came here on a Friday night with a friend with no reservations. We were seated at the bar which was fine - it wasn't too crowded or noisy. We each had a glass of wine and I ordered the gyro platter. Lamb was delicious though the fries were a little soggy. Quick and easy Greek dinner.

A hidden gem .... Amazing food, great ambiance and was a surprise delight as I was just walking by! Highly recommend

Dips were not good and became nauseous. Two i wouldn't touch after first bite. Wine was good. Staff was friendly.

Excellent food and service. Everything was very fresh and delicious. A great sidewalk cafe part in addition to air conditioned dining room.

I first noticed the place when I was walking by and they were setting up their outdoor seating (it's very beautiful and really inviting). I popped in for a bite to eat on my way home from a late night at work. The staff were friendly, and were patient when I asked them many questions about the menu. The food was tasteful and filling (I got two servings of the gyro plate). Having such a good first experience, I came back a second time months later with my family. We had more the same experience as I did the first time, and everyone enjoyed their food, especially the lemon potatoes!

Quiet quaint location with excellent food. Quick service and relaxing atmosphere. Worth a visit and can't wait to go back.

The food was delicious and reasonably priced with generous portions, and the ambience was really nice. The service was friendly and attentive. It was a very enjoyable place to grab lunch with a friend.

Nice but not original. This is what my Arabic friend saying about the food. I like saganaki kinda like a dessert and gyro, the roatate meat

The mousaka was very good and the pastichio was good too. Service for our very large party was spotty though. There were too few servers and a number of misses as a result. The outdoor eating set up looked looked inviting.

Big disappointment. The dips, Taramasalata, Tzatziki, were excellent. The main dish that I had was poor. I had Chicken with lemon potatoes. The chicken was very "chewy" and the lemon potatoes consisted of a few thin slivers and tasteless. This restaurant was great some years ago.

Lovely food and service! Everything was wonderful and the best Greek food in the city that I've had! Ambiance is quiet which is lovely and much missed considering the current trend is loud music in restaurants.

I got this on UberEats and the food was good, as were the portions. Nothing crazy but overall a reasonable price given the quantity and quality of the food.

We had an impromptu visit to this restaurant after watching a short film nearby. Although we didn't have reservations the host seated us outside at a table with a heater and a fabulous view The food was fresh and delicious! The servers were amiable personable and always smiling They were very attentive and courteous The appetizers were plentiful and presented beautifully The octopus was tender and juicy The chopped salad was fresh and flavorful The chicken was marinated perfectly and the lemon potatoes were divine If your in the area ... stop by for some wine and fresh pita bread and olive oil It Will be worth it Thank you for a great dinner

The decor is really nice and the food was fresh and tasty. Our waiter was pleasant and engaging. Everyone seemed to know each other. And even one of the older patrons stated "she never saw us there before and then told me I look like Diana Ross" super cute huh.. I would definitely revisit

I have been to Village Taverna several times and is always a go to whenever I'm craving Greek food. The interior is beautiful and spacious and the service is always welcoming. A favorite dish of mine is the Lamb Shank Yiouvetsi: the lamb is fall off the bone tender and the tomato sauce is yummy. Plus their free pita bread is one of the best I've had and they're generous with the serving. Def recommend!

This Greek restaurant is on a corner and feels very spacious in comparison to most NYC restaurants. I liked the dark wood decor and cute flower arches in the outdoor seating area. We came in as they were shifting from lunch to dinner, so it was not very busy. After listening to the specials, I decided to go with the organic half chicken since our server raved about how delicious it was. My friend ordered the lamb kebab. I was starving and ate all of the complimentary pita, which was nice and warm. The chicken came with some fingerling potatoes and asparagus. The chicken had some delicious crispy skin and cooked in a light buttery sauce. You could taste all of the flavors, but nothing was overwhelming. The ingredients all complimented each other. I tried my friend's lamb, but it was too dry for my liking. This place is expensive as the bill came out to around $70 each, and we only ordered 2 glasses of wine and 2 entrees.

The Octopus salad is excellent! Perfectly cooked octopus! Loved the atmosphere! Outdoor seating is the best in the city! My son loved his chicken gyro platter!

I am a loyal customer and had a problem the other day and the manager Peter called me directly and fixed it and explained it. he is terrific. the food here is always fresh and right! Peter is great also! highly recommend