Loi Estiatorio

“We had a business dinner there last. Maria came out to speak to our group. She was very warm and welcoming. They are the winner of the "Sofi" award which means they are the best Greek food in NYC. I would agree. We had a "set menu" since our group was large but everything was so good. The eggplant Parmesan and the spanakopita were off the charts and the baklava was really good too. I'd highly recommend this gem.”

“We enjoyed every dish, from the refreshing salad to mouth watering appetizers to wholesome yummy entrees. The branzino fish tastes so fresh and so soft, grilled just to the right point. The owners and chefs are lovely and kind, we feel extremely welcomed and will definitely come back :)”

“I LOVED this dining experience! The owners and staff make everyone who walk in feel like family. You can tell everyone is very passionate about the restaurant. The service was exquisite. My family loved the lamb. I’m a vegetarian but they had loads of vegetarian options for me (grape leaves, spinach pies, yummy salads, etc.) which were fantastic. Their tomatoes are also organic and you can tell. I had so much food and didn’t feel bloated/sick afterwards. They only cook with olive oil, no butter! So amazing and good for you! I Would highly recommend to people of all diets/ preferences. Very healthy and yummy too. I will be back again ❤️”

“I have been to this Greek restaurant twice, though I seem to have forgotten to write my first review from several years ago. My second time was about 2 months ago, and it was a late-birthday meal with two others. The first time we were sat outside, and while comfortable, I would recommend the inside as part of the lovely experience here, as the staff inside are friendly, and the inside is charming. This is especially true of Chef Loi herself, who is a character and makes everyone there feel special. To drink, for the first time, I am pretty sure I got the Xios Spritz which was enjoyable, refreshing, slightly sweet, and with a good anise flavor from the mastiha. The last time I had a glass of white wine. Both times, we were served nice, warm pita bread, which pairs well with their good-quality olive oil, which they sell alongside mezze and other Greek items. First time- Bone Marrow Soup (excellent) and Lamb Shank (very tasty.) The second time, I was with some others, and we shared a bunch of appetizers (honestly, too many, but they always order too much.) Their most unique appetizer was their take on Stuffed Eggplant for $28 with baby eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers, onion, tomato, and Anthotyro cheese. The cheese almost served as a semi-soft crust on top of the warm eggplant, with a lightly salty flavor, and the remaining ingredients were soft and earthy. This was good and easily shareable, and I think it could work as a main dish for a vegetarian. Their Spreads/mixed mezze for $27, which consisted of tzatziki, tyrokafteri, melitzanosalata, and hummus, were of pretty good quality. My preference of the bunch was their version of tyrokafteri, a spicy feta dip, which wasn't too salty compared to some other places. The melitzanosalata was also good, with a nice eggplant texture. The tzatziki was good, and the hummus was fine, though I generally prefer hummus from Middle Eastern spots, as the texture is thicker and the flavor is stronger. The toasted pita pieces went well with the dips. There was finally an alright Village Salad/Horiatiki for $26 with tomato, red onion, green pepper, cucumber, kalamata olives, feta, and olive oil. I prefer a bit less green pepper, and other spots have had better quality feta, but the vegetables were fresh, and the portion was large enough for the price point. This was standard, and there are better versions at similarly fancy spots such as Nerai nearby, among others. My main dish was the Seafood Pasta for $49, with the chef's seafood selection, tomato, onion, garlic, and feta over Greek pasta. I ordered this after confirming it didn't contain my usual allergens. The seafood consisted of many mussels, along with shrimp and scallops. The mussels were all open, which is a good sign, though one had a bit of sand. The shrimp were plump, while the scallops were large and tasty. The dish was savory with a bit of sweetness from the seafood and a bit of saltiness from the feta, and was overall pretty good. I believe the other two had the Branzino for $49 with seasonal greens (or horta,) lemon, and olive oil, which they gave me a bit of, which was also great. They had asked us upon arrival whether this was someone's special occasion, and as it was my birthday recently, they brought over a nice little dessert sampler at the end. The desserts included a baklava, yogurt with honey, and a chocolate cake. The baklava was very cinnamon-forward, which was a bit unique and was a tad dry. The yogurt with honey helped with the dryness, with the chocolate cake being dense, rich, and very mildly sweet. This was a kind gesture at the end of the meal, and we appreciate it. While not my favorite fancy Greek place, the food here is still tasty, and there is a certain charm that many of the other spots lack, thanks to the particularly friendly hospitality. I would definitely go back here for another dinner.”

“Had a really great experience here! The staff was super friendly and made great suggestions. The lamb was so delicious! Cooked perfectly and melts in your mouth. The food is organic with nothing fried or use of butter. Although the food was delicious, I could not fully give this place 5 stars because it just lacked full flavor. The food tasted very simple and very lightly seasoned, if at all. It was also pretty expensive which I understand because of the location, the services the dining space and so on. However, as someone who comes from ethnic background where things like flavor and spice are such a huge part of my culture, my taste buds left wanting something more so take my review with a much needed grain of salt. On the flip side, if you’re someone looking for food made simply but done extremely well with a more upscale atmosphere and impeccable service, you have to try this place! I’m not very familiar with Greek food so I can not say how authentic this is but based on Maria, (the owner) story, background and how some of the ingredients are directly flown in from Greece, I do believe it is. If you got the money, want to have a cool experience and love Greek food, I would highly recommend!”