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| Rating | Avg. Dinner Entrée |
|---|---|
| $$$$$ | Greater than $25 |
| $$$$ | $18.01 - $25 |
| $$$ | $12.01 - $18 |
| $$ | $7.01 - $12 |
| $ | Less than $7 |
| Food | ![]() |
Value | ![]() |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service | ![]() |
Atmosphere | ![]() |
Posted by A. Frank on 04/15/2012
Decent food, poor service
We were seated within five minutes of arrival on a busy Saturday night, but once our water was poured that's the last our party of 4 saw of any service people for 20+ minutes - I had to flag down three busboys before our waiter arrived. We ordered. 20 minutes later the other couple we were dining with got their cranberry juice. 10 minutes after that the waiter came back to tell my wife that the kitchen was now out of the calamari she had ordered 30 minutes previously. After an hour and 15 minutes, and several inquiries, our friend ran into Chef Loi and mentioned the inattention to our table. Within minutes several waiters and a manager came over with our appetizers. Service thereafter was still spotty, with our waiter continually (and distastefully) blaming the kitchen for everything. The food was good but not great, and definitely not a great value - prices are quite high. My spanikopita was fine, my wife's octopus (substitute for the calamari) was very good, and our friends enjoyed their dishes. The baklava was okay, but frankly I think the baklava from Uncle Gussy's truck on 51st and Park is better (as is, I think, the spanikopita). The bar room has been updated, as has the dining room (from the days the restaurant was Compass), and overall the atmosphere is quite nice, formal without being stuffy, and very comfortable. If only the service had been good. Or even mediocre. The restaurant did the right thing, offering us complimentary drinks and comping our desserts as well, which we appreciated, but it was too little and way too late. The most memorable thing about our evening were the pig and lamb roasting on open spits outside the restaurant in anticipation of Greek Orthodox Easter the following day. After that - a sight not normally seen even on the UWS - the abysmal service was, unfortunately, the standout here. We had high hopes for Loi, but it is highly unlikely we'll be returning.
Posted by Anonymous on 03/10/2012
Disappointing experience
After much anticipation, my friend and I tried this place on a recent Friday night. We decided to sit at a table near the bar since it was a bit more casual than the main dining area and the full menu was available. After sitting for what seemed like an eternity, we asked the hostess for the waitress and then had to order quickly as to not lose sight of her again. The food came to the table quickly, but we had to chase for wine, water and bread. Food quality could have been better given the hype and reviews. The waitress did cover the drinks to make up for the spotty service. Overall....overpriced, spotty service, and food could be better. I wanted to like the place, but will have to pass next time.
Posted by Jonathan Bernstein on 02/27/2012
Good but overpriced
I had dinner with my wife here 2 weeks ago and was not impressed. The portions were on the small side and way overpriced. Kefi has the same type of food, better portions and is half the price. The chef is very nice and came over to our table and treated us to dessert which was a nice gesture. The problem is that grilled octopus is not a $19 dish and Greek home cooking is wonderful but not haute cuisine and should not be priced as such.
Posted by Steven on 01/04/2012
Excellent new place
An excellent new place, priced more than reasonablly for the quality of the food and the service! I am assuming that the price, while not cheap right now, will go up as they build up a clientele and name. I would recommend going now while the restaurant is still being discovered.
Posted by reinerlaw on 12/26/2011
Finally, the Curse is Broken
At last, there is a very good restaurant on the UWS at a venue in which a long list of predecessors has failed. After a warm welcome (including from the Chef), the three of us enjoyed our apps (a fine grilled octopus with roasted hazelnuts; luscious spoons of sea urchin roe; a fair crab cake; and a generous salad with smoked cheese). Olive oil had been poured, but we had to ask for bread to go with it. For mains we had a perfectly prepared branzino filet, a generous, aged and expertly charred steak, and a rooster stew over tastily sauced pasta with freshly grated cheese. The captain's choice of a wine from Santorini was a good one. We had just enough room to enjoy the better than usual flourless chocolate cake and a dish of refreshing thick, Greek yogurt in honey which, however, lacked the ground nuts that were promised by the menu until we requested them. The restaurant is new, and the apparently competent, friendly staff should have no trouble overcoming the little glitches I have mentioned. The noise level in the full house, while lower than it had been under prior owners, still needs work, even without the addition of the canned music that played, occasionally and inexplicably, albeit at low volume, in the background. The prices are a tad high but might become more acceptable once those in charge of running this welcome addition to the scene gain their full stride.
Posted by Anonymous on 12/16/2011
Excellent
Excellent food and service. I hope this will become a neighborhood staple for years to come. Beautiful large space. Great lounge/bar area in the front as well.