Truly my favorite place to eat down at the Jersey Shore! Terrific service, delicious food, BYO, and a great location. A summer down at the shore wouldn't be the same without a few dinings here. All is made fresh for the table by the talented chef-owners. I recently had the Lamb Shank special (a new favorite), and in the recent past have had the Lavraki, Trio (Melitzanosalata, Hummus, and Roasted Peppers), Greek Salad with sheep feta, Chicken Kebob, Galactoboureko, and Baklava. I'm especially impressed by how beautifully they cook and season their Orzo. Great place! read more

We were really disappointed with this restaurant which we have passed by so many times and always wanted to try. While the food was good; the service was horrendous! Our reservation was at 7pm. #1 annoyance- when we ordered water for the table, we were told that they do not serve tap water, you have to buy bottled water for $2.50 a bottle! #2 annoyance- after ordering more than $100 worth of appetizers to share (that is how we like to eat so we can taste a lot of different menu items) and being served a couple apps, we were told that if we did not order entrees we would be charged a $10 sharing charge per person. If we were told that when ordering or it was on the menu, we would have changed our order. Needless to say we had to after all the food, we also had to order an entree that we really did not want and took home. #3 annoyance- After ordering the many appetizers the waiter looked at us funny. When I said that if we wanted more food we would order more, his response was that the kitchen closes at 7:14pm. Really? We just got there at 7 and I can't believe (well, maybe I can) that they didn't have reservations after 7:14pm. #4 annoyance- after eating our mezza and awaiting for our salad we asked for clean plates. We were told that the dishwasher called out and there aren't many clean plates. If you looked around the empty restaurant, all the tables were pre-set with the same small plates, all they had to do was give us plates from another table. The waiter did bring out clean plates after all but had to give us more grief! #5 annoyance- I left the restaurant without saying anything about this horrible experience, but I decided to call the next day so that they could hopefully learn from this and improve. When I asked to speak to the owner or manager I was told that they were busy. I left a message that I was a new customer and had a delicious meal and wanted to give them feedback and left my name and number. You can guess what happened next- absolutely nothing. Needless to say, we will never go back. I don't like leaving bad reviews, but this was so frustrating and rude. read more

Worst experience ever -- and I didn't even have to step foot in the restaurant. When calling about our reservation, the lady on the phone was extremely rude and condescending. When I asked to push our reservation back by an hour, she responded unprofessionally, making comments about our party being "big" and saying our children "should be controlled," which was completely inappropriate. She then claimed she still needed time to cook the food and said we hadn't given her enough time, even though we were simply requesting a later reservation. Instead of trying to work with us or communicating respectfully, she abruptly said she would "just cancel the reservation." Just speaking to someone like this over the phone was enough to completely turn me off from ever wanting to try this place. Customer service matters -- and if there were an option to give zero stars, that's what this experience deserves. DO NOT GO HERE !!!!!!! In response to the owner- She hung up on us and literally said "just cancel your reservation" without giving me a chance to speak. I've been there before and the food was good but unfortunately your service sucks. Your owner was excuse my French, a b*tch and if you lost your chef then your restaurant wouldn't be in business, sorry to say. read more

Ordered take out. Greek salad supreme and chicken souvlaki on pita. Ordering was easy, pickup was equally as easy except they charge a 4% tariff for using a credit card which irks me. Food was delicious, plentiful and fresh. Really enjoyed the chunks of roasted eggplant and beets in the salad. Used to eat there and order the Greek eggplant but it's not on the menu anymore. They should bring it back. Roasted eggplant with feta and tomato sauce and maybe some Greek spices. Used to be amazing. read more

When I went to Athenian Garden i felt as if I was walking into a Greek garden. Playing Greek music in the background made for a more authentic experience. They had two gentlemen working. They were friendly and courteous. Hands down best Greek food I've ever had! I ordered the trio app with hummus, roasted peppers, and Melitzanosalata. The hummus was creamy and paired well with the peppers and the Melitzanosalata (eggplant puree) paired well with the pita. All three were delicious, but I have to say that the peppers were my favorite - sweet with a hint of basil. I had the lentil soup (a warm hug in a cup). I also ordered the horiatiki - a traditional Greek salad- loaded with delicious imported feta cheese, cucumbers, peppers, onion and Kalamata olives. Super tasty and refreshing. I added the chicken skewer. Holy smokes! Juicy, tender and flavorful. You can taste hints of oregano. I'm definitely going back whenever I'm in town again. read more

All the food is delicious. , Delicious , marinated just right and the taste is delicious. read more

The food was great. We had the chicken kebob and Horiatiki. Both were amazing The service was fantastic. Both gentleman who served us were very attentive and polite. Everything was excellent. read more

Kind of interesting to see the juxtaposition of good/bad reviews here. Either way, I came here twice during my recent vacation in the area (which has a dearth of decent food in the immediate vicinity) - and in both cases we had a fantastic experience. The food itself was excellent. No complaints and the hummus and other dip options we tried as our appetizer were absolutely delicious. They were also very accommodating and kept the (yummy) pita bread coming! We tried several entrees including the Shrimp Alexander, Gyro Platter and also the Greek Salad. Everything was delicious, fresh and very tasty. The service was also very friendly and they were really great to our children which was an added bonus. Generally speaking the entire experience was solid and contrary to some opinions, this is not diner food. I would happily eat here versus some of the mediocre diner food we get up here in northern NJ/NYC. The only blip is they charged for water as they don't serve tap water. I drank soda so that didn't affect me but it did seem weird not to have tap as an option. However, this didn't detract from the overall experience which was favorable in terms of the food, ambiance and service combined. I will definitely be back again the next time I'm in the area. read more

Athenian Garden - Shrimp Alexander - Greek Near Me - Absecon, New Jersey

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Great food and service. The whole fish is amazing. Clean and in a nice area. Entire menu is good read more

Service: 5/5 Food 5/5 Atmosphere: 5/5 Value: 4/5 Total: 19/20 Haven't had the opportunity to visit this place in person in some time, and I feel the quality of the food is exactly what you would want from a Mediterranean Greek style restaurant. It's a cute place and the service was good. Would definitely be coming back, instantly a local favorite. read more

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My family group of 8 people visited for a late lunch. Nobody else was in the restaurant when we arrived. The room was uncomfortably hot when we arrived, but we either quickly got used to it or the A/C was cranked up. We were greeted and served promptly. We ordered various dishes to share, including a generous portion of the "trio of meze" -- with our choice of 3 appetizers. All meze were delicious with warm fresh pitas. We also ordered a gyro plate, Greek salad and an Athenian salad. All were generous and excellent. We were puzzled by the charge for tap water, since in our home state restaurants must provide free water. But this was not a big problem for us. On a sour note, we were charged more than the printed menu price for the meze. The price discrepancy was quickly refunded when we pointed it out. To be fair, I see that the online price is higher than the price on the printed menu. They should update the price on the menu to prevent problems in the future. read more

I am mortified. My partner and I invited our neighbors out for dinner the other night. He hadn't been there in years and myself and the neighbors had never been. Now, my partner is Greek. We make and eat Greek food all the time. I had the lamb and it was excellent. That is the only good thing I can say about this place. Issue #1 it was so hot. They had ductless air conditioning units, but apparently didn't want to turn them on? Everyone in the restaurant had sweat on their foreheads and all the glasses were soaking the table with condensation. Issue #2 the server was incredibly slow, he didn't check in on us once during the meal. I had to literally say "sir" loudly across the restaurant for him to acknowledge us after trying to flag him down with hand/ make eye contact for 10 minutes. When we finally did flag him down, I asked for a refill on our 2 unsweetened ice teas. Literally 5 minutes later he came back with 1 tea. Issue #3 Our neighbor found a dead COCKROACH in her rice!! I was so incredibly disgusted and embarrassed that I suggested this restaurant. Issue #4 When we told the server about the bug and showed it to him, he was nonchalant and offered to take her meal off the check or re-make it. I just??? What? How was he not shocked or outraged. He didn't even say I'm sorry. Issue #5 My bald partner found a hair in his rice. When we left, we saw a woman with longer hair in the kitchen without a hairnet, so I'm assuming it was her hair. Issue #6 When our neighbors wrote a review about the COCKROACH, the restaurant responded accusing them of bringing it, in order to get a free meal. (A few issues with this. #1 she didn't eat more than 2 bites and once she found the bug, stopped eating, #2 I was paying for the meal, not her. #3 She ordered the chicken Kabob...it's like $8, our check was still over $100. She literally had the cheapest meal at the table. If we were going to bring a COCKROACH from home to get a free meal wouldn't we have put it in the most expensive dish??) Just overall the responses in person and online show a severe lack of professionalism. I will never come here again and I hope this review deterrs others. As a side note, when my partner asked for a side of feta for his dish, they brought out low quality cheap crumbled feta...like really? A Greek restaurant using shitty feta? Be f-ing for real. read more

Charming family owned restaurant. I have been going here since they opened - about 20 years, now I believe. The food is flavorful and delicious! Also, who doesn't love to have the exact wine that you love - BYOB is the best! And the service is always outstanding. I don't get to go too often anymore since I moved, If I lived in the area still, I would be there probably once a month. read more

We used to come to Athenian Garden when I was working for lunch. The food was alway good for lunch. This was my first visit for dinner. I must say the food was fabulous. We started with the Melitzanosalata dip (fire roasted eggplant with walnuts olive oil and garlic) which was delicious. I could have just eaten that for dinner. The crunch of the walnuts had a nice texture. For my main course, I got the Shrimp Alexander (Sauteed Jumbo Shrimp, Flambeed with Ouzo and Metaxa Cognac, Lemon Garlic and capers served with rice pilaf) and again was delicious. I'm not one for ordering shrimp out usually, but this was so good. My wife had the calamari with linguini. I had a bite and it to was delicious. The calamari was cooked perfectly and wasn't chewy at all. The service was fine, but didn't add to the experience. We also thought that they should have some music playing in the background rather than hearing some of the arguing going on between a server and the kitchen staff. The place itself is nicely decorated and there is some outdoor seating. My only other negative would be that when we asked for water we got plastic bottles of water, which I thought was tacky for such a nice place with great food. Looking forward to another great meal here. read more

Just tried this place for the first time and the gyro was delicious. Was crazy having a strong hankering for some Greek style gyro and this place did not disappoint! Super nice family that runs the place. It's a cute little restaurant off of new road. Available outdoor seating. No take out menus but you can order take out. I'm excited to try the many other Greek items next time! read more

Please read before going to this restaurant ! This was an awful night out as five friends tried to have a nice dinner. The ignorance of these owners to berate us ....yelling at us that they needed to close. Only to be met with verbal abuse when we tried to speak to them. Do yourself a favor ...save your money and don't go!!!! read more

So glad to being able to eat out again after being quarantined. The meals here always deliver such yum. Had the special: Lamb and orzo. My compliments to the chef and staff. It was delicious. They have a new patio and it is beautiful. Fresh flowers and greenery. Maybe next time I will eat al fresco. Thanks again for a wonderful meal!! read more

Ordered delivery from here, and was surprised at how fresh and warm everything was. I got a chicken kebab platter, which was large with a really nice salad. The tzatziki was very tasty, and the pita was fluffy and flavorful. A really good experience, especially for delivery! read more

Athenian Garden - Chicken kabob platter- very good! - Greek Near Me - Absecon, New Jersey

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Let me start out by saying that I have run 2 Casino Hotels and have a longtime Hospitality background including Family Owned Hotels and Restaurants My wife and daughter and myself have dined at Athena's many times and have throughly enjoyed our dining experience It is our go to Restaurant Simply amazing We love the relaxed and elegant atmosphere with impeccable service The food is second to none Fresh homemade and levels above the competition Pride of ownership shines as the owners friendly greeting you at the door and personally oversee your meal by cooking it themselves The Greek Ceasar salad is creamy and refreshing and. Lows away the traditional Ceasar My daughters absolutely devoured the stuffed grape leaves and oregano chicken My wife loves the pork chop says it's the best she has ever had I love the seafood pasta dish but had the lamb shank tonight It blew me away Try it for yourself guaranteed to impress Our new favorite Restaurant Not just Greek something for everyone BYOB is a bonus I used to dine at the Casinos but no more We can't wait to go back again read more

Expensive not much variety Small place, no alcoholic bevarages Service ok Food was good but not to make us come again! read more

Absolutely horrible. The food was not what it was represented to be. I ordered the following: Half Chicken Oreganto Half Boneless Chicken marinated in Olive Oil and Spices served with Riganates Potatoes & Vegetables It was served on the bone. When I asked the waiter about this. He said it didn't mean that it was boneless; but, that's what it was called. It was extremely greasy. Also, the waiter put a sealed bottle of water on the table. He didn't say anything about it until we asked him. It was supposed to be Greek spring water and was $8 a bottle. We told him to take it away. Will never go near this place again! read more

We brought our parents here who haven't been to a real restaurant since they moved into an assisted living home. They knew the owners and there were lots of hugs when we arrived. The service was impeccable and the food was incredible. The dip trio was yummy and the pita disappeared quickly! And that dessert!! So so good. read more

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Classic Greek Fare done right !!!! If you find yourself anywhere near here & crave Greek food treat yourself & enjoy !!!! read more

Athenian Garden is the land of the upsell. The table asked for water and we were all given bottle water. $2 each, which was $8 for the table. No warning. The waitress stated "we don't serve tap water." Who'd a thunk it! Funny, the ice in the glass was most likely made from tap. So we were drinking $2 bottled water with tap water ice. So bizarre. And then we were warned many times by the waitress that some of the dishes take 30-40 minutes to make so we may want to order appetizers. Upsell! Look, I'm all for supporting restaurants, but these tactics were downright money-grubbing. Anyway, the food was good Greek diner food - tasty but nothing to write home about. read more

I can't tell you how BAD AG was yesterday (7/30/22). We went to AG with a very close friend, so there was me, my wife, and Avery close friend (Nancy). We had gone to this restaurant once before. The last time we went, we were surprised to learn AG would charge us $2.00 for a bottle of water that you buy from the grocery store. So, they charged $6.00. So, this time, we decided to "bring" 3 bottles of water. We got to the restaurant, got seated and asked the waiter for ice for the water we brought in to the restaurant. I noticed an "attitude" on the part of the waiter. We ordered and the meals were quite good. We finished up and asked for the check. The waiter presented me with the bill. There was a charge for $2.00 for water and $16.00 for a GRATUITY or 20%. I indicated that was OUTRAGEOUS. The owner started screaming, using the "F" word. I would NEVER recommend this restaurant to my worst enemy!!! read more

The chicken kabob was so tough I could hardly eat it.... And the rice was honestly disgusting. When I politely complained, the owner came to my table and yelled at me... loudly! She said her food was delicious! It was a Saturday night at 6:30pm and most of the tables were empty. The salad was so dry that we asked for extra vinegar, which they charged $2 for. I asked for water... but they brought bottles. He explained that they will not serve tap water. So it is $3 water or nothing. There are literally hundreds of better restaurants than this... please... go to one of them. Or you too can deal with the most obnoxious owner ever! By the way, the Moussaka was good and we told her that... but she kept yelling. In any case, the picture below shows the cobwebs on the ceiling above us. It was a awful experience. read more

Athenian Garden - You can see the cobwebs above us. It's a shame. - Greek Near Me - Absecon, New Jersey

Very good food and attentive server. The restaurant is a quaint little house very conveniently located. We order the octopus appetizer. It was cooked perfectly and beautifully presented. I had a special seafood on orzo pasta. It was very good and a very large portion. My husband had the lamb kabob served with rice and vegetables. It was cooked perfectly. **they do not have a bar but you can bring your own. They also had us buy a bottle of water instead of water glasses on the table ** read more

This special Greek restaurant on Route 9 (New York Road) in Absecon is usually a quick chicken souvlaki pick up place for Ms. Megan. Their souvlaki is always done just right with all of the expected yummyness from the Greek treat. This Saturday after a long Friday night road journey it was time to sit down for something good. When you walk in there is the kitchen out in the open so that there are no tricks being played. A display window tempts you with a variety of veggies including the marinated beets and stuffed grape leaves that were my choice for the appetizer of the day. The beets were colorful and prepared with just the right blend of flavors. The stuffed grape leaves gave that simple Greek taste that wetted my mouth for more good food. And, as anyone who has read my YELPs knows I like soup. So, for this May Saturday afternoon's combo lunch-dinner the Greek traditional lemon chicken avoglemono soup was definitely in order. Rich and creamy; just right and it truly hit my soup spot! I went for the Lavarki. This Greek Trattoria is known for its seafood. They win rave reviews for their ability to transform fish, shrimp, and octopus into the warm flavors of the Greek islands. The Lavarki was perfectly prepared. Warm, flaky, and delicious filet cooked and covered with herbs, tomatoes, golden raisins and onions. The garlic mashed was extra special!! They took the hard way out by not only making spectacular potatoes but then they baked the blend to create a nice golden crust wrapping the soft flavorfully prepared mashed potato and garlic blend. GIVE ME MORE!!!! No room for dessert but lots of smiles from the friendly staff. Just a reminder for visitors to Atlantic City ... you can get off the Garden State Parkway at exit 48 head south on Route 9 for a great sit down Greek meal or to just pick up a chicken souvlaki to go. Or when you leave Atlantic City time it right and take Route 9 north for a calming delicious meal in a very pretty dining room before getting into the intensive traffic of the Parkway. FIVE STARS without a doubt! Thanks for making a special Saturday! read more

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This has been one of my favorite places for many years. However the prices have gone up so much I will not be going anymore. Not only did they raise the prices they cut back on the portions. Now it is over $20.00 for a greek salad. with less toppings and no protein, (after the tip and a drink.) They are charging $5.95 for a side of fries. The wait staff has changed and they are less than friendly. I am going to miss going there. read more

Spinakatiropita was Delicious, crispy, hot, and just the right touch of dill. Side Greek salad with a light dressing, creamy feta, fresh firm tomato, pepper, and lettuce greens, with kalamata olives (just fabulous). Then the rich steamy moussaka came! I loved it, but took most home. I don't regret it! Still amazing for dinner tonight... I HIGHLY recommend this restaurant. It is the highlight of my trip, as always. read more

Athenian Garden - Spanakatiropita, just like grandma's - Greek Near Me - Absecon, New Jersey

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First time eating here I got food to go. Food was delicious. Portion sizes were generous. I'm new to Greek food, but I fell in love! Will definitely be returning. read more

Athenian Garden - 3 Falafel Patties , Chicken Souvlaki on Pita - Greek Near Me - Absecon, New Jersey

Insanely delicious food, our new favorite place! The fresh lemonade and spanakopita were lovely! Dinner on a Saturday as wonderful as Tuesday! Service was good too! Can't wait to go back. So we went back for more and within minutes of being seated we heard horrible coughing and sneezing behind the kitchen. Decided not to eat there and got up, to be screamed at that we need to pay a surcharge of $5 per person just for sitting down. That it's "in the paperwork ". Then that they were calling the cops. We gave them the $20 but it will be the last of our money that they ever see. How horrible this experience and unfortunate for them since only weeks ago we brought a party of 14 in. Athenian Garden not do wonderful last night. How could you be so verbally abusive to your customers? read more

One of the best dinners I've had in a long time. Food is excellent - made fresh - well spiced. The chicken skewer is out of this world. Get the hummus!! Hot freshly baked pitas!! Don't hesitate and go here - best Greek in Nj read more

So not only do they have an overall aggressive attitude and behavior towards little things in their store, if you leave any criticism, not only do they respond them with an aggressive comment, myself and others have received personal, threatening messages to our personal inboxes here. This only further reminds us of our experiences and proves us valid in our original feelings. I don't even know how they are still in business. Although I have a feeling they're not doing so well. If they are throwing all ethical business caution to the wind and doing something as crazy as insulting and threatening the public. read more

Athenian Garden - Greek Near Me - Absecon, New Jersey

BYOB, friendly service Best greek food in the area. They have good hummus and grape leaves I enjoyed their lamb kabobs read more

One of my favorite places for authentic Greek. We often order take out here for us and visiting family. When we were able to, we loved dining in. It's a small dining room, but for a small group, what else do you need. I always get the supreme Greek salad and add chicken. Mostly so I can eat it again the next day. There is so much food! The grilled eggplant and marinated beets are some of the best I have EVER had. I am a beet girl and will order a side of this to have with dinner. Let me tell you about the grape leaves. Wow. An acquired taste (from my experience letting others try), but again some of the best I have had by the Shore. Between the typical items people order (gyro and salads) the more traditional entrees are to die for. There is so much love and attention to detail in every bite. read more

Looking through the existing reviews made me think I was in store for a really great Greek meal. Though I was not incredibly disappointed, it did not live up to some of the reviews. This is a solid 3 stars place who earns this through their food, not the service or ambience. Food Best part of the meal. It was authentic Greek food and packed with flavor. We ordered the mezze platter with grilled eggplant, tzatiki, and a garlic almond spread. Great way to get a taste of what they have to offer. The chicken gyro was grilled to perfection and had tasty tzatiki sauce on it. The falafel was cooked well and came with plenty of other things on the dish. The hand cut fries were fresh though not as crunchy as I was hoping for. The food was good, not great. Service The worst part. We asked for suggestions and the waiter replied with "Everything is good". He did not seem to offer any help or bring any personality to the table. We also brought wine to this BYOB and generally once they open it, they are polite and offer to pour everyone a glass, not at this place. I wish he had been a little bit more enthusiastic about us dining there. Ambience/Decor Not terrible, but it certainly did not add anything. It was a little dark and dingy for my taste. The curtains are very old and the chairs are not comfortable. There is very little there that reminds me of Greece or the Mediterranean, much to my disappointment. I imagine there are better places in the area, but its worth a visit. How often can you get Greek food? read more

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Beware- this restaurant refuses to serve tap water. Instead they place bottles of water on your table. We thought the bottles were $2.50 each, but when the check came, they were $8 each. Ridiculous- $24 for 3 bottles of water. We were a table of nine people, and for the most part we were happy. We will NOT go back. Shame on you. read more

The food was excellent and seemed really authentic. We started with an appetizer and picked three dips - we got the grilled eggplant, tzatiki, and this amazing garlic and almond purée which I absolutely recommend. I got the falafel platter; a bit over priced but it was fresh and good. The French fries are also truly freshly cut. The server, however, was pretty useless when it came to recommendations. Responses to questions like "so what do you recommend?" "Everything......." Or "is this like baba ganoush?" "If you think so...." Are totally not helpful. Plus they charged us an extra $3 for another basket of pita for the app without a heads up. For that, I had to drop it from a 4 to 3 star rating. BYOB is great. Plenty of parking. read more

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Delicious food. We love this place. Highly recommended especially for healthy meals! We stop in every Friday to start our weekend right!