Pylos

Almost walked right passed this place, nothing special on the outside, but once you walk in, it's a cute cozy Greek atmosphere. Hostess and wait staff were all super-attentive and friendly for our party of 3. Started with a bottle of Greek white wine (sorry don't know which) which was tasty, light, and crisp. On to the starters... olive-oil-rubbed beets filled with mint and feta mousse (great presentation and phenomenal flavor) and the sauteed haloumi cheese (which we were hesitant to order but the sweet/savory combo of the grapes and cheese were delish). Entrees ranking from fave to just ok: stripe bass, lamb chops, poached salmon. Stripe bass was light, served with a tomato caper sauce (not on the menu) and celery root puree was just as creamy as mashed taters. Lamb chops were juicy and tender but lacking that robust flavor. Poached salmon was subpar, presentation was nice but unimpressive in taste. We split Mouzo for dessert, a chocolate mousse spiked with ouzo... thick with a kick, a great end to our evening, especially combined with a glass of the muskat :)

Plase go: the food is delicious, well prepared and presented (try the scallops, they melt in your mouth), Greek wines which are very good and reasonably priced, the service is good , the decoration is beautiful -intimate , charming, hip. And if you are lucky you just might see Uma Thurman munching on a Greek salad. Highly recommended

Great whole fish, better than any anyplace. giant beans, superb. soups can't be beat Looks like you are in greece , Feels like you are in greece and the food convinces you that youare in Greece cannot wait to go back again

I went with a party of 10 and agree that you don't come here for the service. We were basically asked to leave in the end as we were holding up the table and we felt our waiter kept trying to force us to order more appetizers and wine (though we had spent close to $60 a head- so it wasn't like we didn't order anything). We also had the weird issue that others had of the waiter ordering appetizers and then going back around the table to order entrees- with a big group- if someone hadn't realized that- the waiter was a bit rude. Also, their policy for large parties of requiring $25 a head for food- while it wasn't an issue for us- is quite ridiculous for NYC. As to the food- there were some great standouts- the Greek Salad, the meatballs (more like meat patties) and the sagnaki as well as the warm pita, and one of my friends really enjoyed the short ribs. We didn't really like the grape leaves stuffed with meat- Dolmathes Avgolemono, I didn't think the whole fish was that great which I ordered for an entree. All in all, it was a good meal- just order right and don't expect much for the service.

Food: Had the Artichoke Moussaka which was pretty good. It was pretty creamy. I guess I was ideally hoping for a little less potatoes, but it was decent. The fish dish I had was also pretty good, but not outstanding. I think my expectations were much higher, but the food was still good, don't get me wrong. I loved the fact that they brought nice warm pita out with a great bean dip as soon as we sat. It was a nice touch, and not very common in Greek restaurant. Service: Our waiter was great... he recommended great wines and was very knowledgable and resourceful. Water was filled pretty frequently. However, when our mains came they delivered it to the wrong table., and the woman almost took it, but I had to stand up and try to get the person who was delivering the food's attention. It didn't work, but I told another waitress and she helped sort out the problem. Servers were courteous, professional and helpful. Value: decent. Atmosphere: Decor was really nice. It was cramped, but it's the EVil, and was less cramped than other EVil restaurants.

My experience at Pylos was as pleasant as ever. The staff was incredibly nice to me and warmed up to me and my mother even more when they found out we're Greek. The food was delicious, just like at my grandparents house. I joked with the waitress about how my mom makes the Avgolemono less salty and that the chef should take a hint. You people are too demanding. If you understood the Greek culture at all, you would know its not about where you're seated or if the waitress does this or that. Its about having a good time, enjoying your delicious food, and being jovial. If the waitress gives you attitude, laugh it off and take another bite of your meal and another sip of your wine. The only thing that stopped you all from having a lovely dinner was yourselves.

I'm responding to this because I was your waitress, and I remember your table. Perhaps you've never dined in a restaurant before, but it is customary to order your appetizer and entree at the same time. I did not 'snap' at you when you refused to do so, but rather explained that our entrees take 30 minutes to prepare and so our kitchen expects you to order all at once. Another waiter was sent over since you kept sending me away, and you told him that you needed more time not that you'd already ordered. Once again I went to your table and when you still weren't ready I was told by the host to explain to you that we had another seating in 2 hours time. You'd already been occupying the table for 40 minutes without ordering anything other than wine. Our menu is not designed in 'mezedes'/'small plates' style, as we are not a tapas bar. For that matter, did you really think it was appropriate to eat an appetizer and then have the menu brought again to choose an entree? Where is that done? After all that, you finally submitted your total order- 3 appetizers and 2 entrees for 4 people. Nice. FYI, a normal turnaround time for a table is 2 hours- EVERYWHERE. It's something we're forced to adhere to particularly on a Thurs/Fri/Saturday night. Although YOU may not mind waiting 30 minutes for your food we cant afford to lose the next seating. Your party sat for over 3 hours, staying long after the bill was paid and everything cleared away. Please understand, a restaurant is a business like any other and we maximize profits by turning tables. As for being seated by the door, there's nothing a server can do about where the host seats a table. If you dont like where you are, ask the host/maitre d' to be moved. Our curtain cant be "closed" because people are walking through every 2 minutes- when you left it was nearing the end of the night so foot traffic was no longer as much of an issue. Short of standing behind your table all night and holding it closed myself, there was nothing I could do- which is exactly what I told you- that I was sorry, but nothing effective could really be done. But yes, "blast the waitress" for things beyond her control, that's absolutely the appropriate response. You obviously have no idea what it's like to work in (or perhaps even go to) a busy restaurant, and it seems you may have confused the word 'server' with the word 'servant'- regardless, we're terribly sorry you wont be returning.