I've stopped by for lunch twice the service is good food is tasty. I like sitting out on the patio.

This is our one of our FAVORITE places in Atlanta to eat! We bring all of our guests here. I even included this is a place to go on our Wedding Website because we love it that much. We always order the hummus - it is the best I have ever had and the lamb kabob. Love this location and the Midtown location. read more

Great food and most importantly the delivery was quick. Lamb kabab tested awesome. I think the desert (ordered baklava and sutlac) can be improved but I'm spoiled because I live in NYC. read more

You can get some serious bang for your buck at this place. The lamb gyro is incredible and the small hummus is huge! Since I only use this place for takeout, I can only speak to that experience. My food is always ready in 10 minutes and it never fails to blow me away. Big thanks to this place for making the best gyro in ATL. read more

I walked in to a near-brawl at Cafe Agora, between Al and a guy who seemed to be a regular. As I didn't catch the beginning of their conversation, I can't say who was in the wrong, but there was definitely some serious anger being thrown back and forth. The customer stormed out in a huff, Al shook things off and smiled. There's no direction as to what to do when you come in here. Order at the counter? Wait for a server? Pay before or after? While I'm still not positive of the regular order of things, we ended up placing our orders at the counter and waiting until Al delivered our wonderful, wonderful food to us. We split an order of hummus, and dare I say it was the best hummus to cross my lips. Heaven, and the pita was equally great. My chicken gyro was equally great: well marinated, fluffy pita, and fresh tasty tzatziki. It was a ton of food, but I managed to scarf it down. Al brought out some pistachio baklava to end the meal and it was equally divine. He truly is a character and makes the experience all the more fun, just be sure to bring friends who are cool with this kind of thing. Not exactly the spot for stodgy business lunches or first dates. read more

If six were allowed, this would be my first six-star review for the simple fact that it provided me with one of the funniest dining experiences of my life. More on that later. Cafe Agora is located in the general area near 'Old Buckhead,' where there are still open restaurants and galleries - and if it wasn't for yelpers (thanks, yall!!) I would have never known about this place. I literally worked right across the street for over a year, and still never knew about it! Sad, but true. The little place is perched on a corner, with a bright blue awning. There are no more than a dozen tables in there, and you get the feeling that it's a lunch only kind of place, until you spot the wall o' bar - definitely enough libations to get you going on a Friday night. You can also imagine how dim lighting would create a whole new ambiance in the evening, too. A friend and I met up for lunch just before the usual big lunch rush - both of our first times to Cafe Agora. We were greeted by the owner (who I think his name is Ali). I mentioned was excited to try the restaurant and was with and head about it on Yelp. He suggested that we split a mixed maza platter, which includes hummus, eggplant, babaganush, and pretty much every possible thing behind the shiny glass counter. It was amazing. It's actually a good thing I didn't know about this place when I worked across the street, or I would have become verrryyy familiar with the sampler platter! We looked around as everyone else got their gyros, since we planned to split one of those as well, but ours never came out. Finally, Ali came over, admonished us for not finishing our platter, and denied our request for ordering more pita bread to finish it off - explaining that we would be too full to eat out gyro after. Now, mind you, he didn't say any of this in an unfriendly way, but more in a 'hilarious uncle' kind of way - just one of those owners with lots (LOTS) of character, a la Ann of Ann's Snack Bar. Since we were splitting the gyro, instead of giving us a knife, he explained how we were to just pass the gyro across the table to each other (but only if we were friends) and each take a bite out of it - which we did, juices flowing from the gyro and laughing from what was transpiring. But wow. The flavor of the gyro was ridiculously tasty. He also sat down to tell us the health benefits of the food, that the meza was extremely time consuming to make, urged us to finish our plate, and we also saw when he was back in the kitchen fighting off the lunch rush, had a girl at the next table go get her own ice and cup for her drink. He also gave us a baklava (and tried to comp our meal, but we circumvented that by stuffing cash in the tip jar!), which, surprise, surprise, was awesome, too. Though many of these sound like customer service faux pas, the character really just added to the experience - one of those unique, very local, very yelpy times - only enhanced by the hilariously unique and friendly owner. Good yelpy times! I officially love it here. Even if your visit isn't as entertaining as mine was, there's still plenty reason to go to Cafe Agora. The food was extremely good, and it's a versatile spot for everything from a quick lunch, to a really cute 'hidden unique date-y' kind of spot for the evening! read more

Cafe Agora - from their website - Turkish Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

This is really a 4 star joint, rounded down because of abracadabra pricing and boxed rice. Food here is good, pricing is weak. There is something about someone looking at you for a few seconds while going 'ahhhh' before blurting out a price. $13 for you! Coke, no Pepsi! Weak. Weak. Weak. The Kebabs are good, meats are cooked perfectly with good spice, the pita has nice chew, but the rice seems straight outta Rice-A-Roni (the Atlanta treat). $13 for this type of meal lightens the wallet too much for my taste for a quick lunch. Especially when the price is made up on the spot. I like Al, a good personality, but that doesn't make up for everything. Oh, don't forget your "free" dessert (of course just built into the mysterious pricing). Parking is a bitch, good luck. read more

Well, even without Al's personal attention during our dining experience, this was the best Med food that any of us have ever eaten. From the awesome appetizer, to the most tender and tasty chicken kebobs we've ever eaten, this place passed our test with flying colors. When my girlfriend mentioned that she had only ever eaten good falafel when she was in Israel, Al quickly went in the back and had the bring up some of his falafel for the Pepsi challenge. It was terrific; I mean really, really good. The only thing that probably wasn't a slam dunk with everyone at the table was the dessert, but Greek/Med desserts have never been my favorite thing. And what can you say about Al? He's terrific. A genuinely kind and enjoyable person who certainly adds a whole other dimension to your dining experience. Be warned though, if you are the kind of person that likes to be left alone while you are dining, this place is not for you. read more

Very tasty gyros, nice selection of menu items. Great service and food was served fast. Ample parking and no wait for a table even on a Sat night. read more

My friend and I were looking for a place to get dinner on Sunday night, and we ended up here. Initially, we were put off by the lack of prices anywhere in the restaurant, but the owner quickly made us feel right at home. He insisted on giving us samples of the mezzas. He put a plate together, and instead of just handing it to us, he, um... fed us. This didn't come off as creepy as it sounds. He just seemed really enthusiastic about giving us tastes of the food. After he fed us each a bite, he did pass the plate over and let us feed ourselves. We ordered sandwiches (I got the falafel) and the Mixed Maza Platter. This was kind of a mistake because we were full after the sandwiches and didn't need to eat more. I ended up taking the platter home and eating it the next day (it was good, though I really wish I had asked what all of the items on it were). My falafel was good and was clearly made fresh. I'd say it wasn't quite as good as the falafel at my favorite place, but I'm going to reserve judgment about authenticity until I get back from my trip to Israel this October. Y'all best believe I'll be eating a ton of falafel there - is there a Yelp Israel? Between the food and the helpful and welcoming owner, I'd definitely eat here again. I just wish there was a way to know how much the items cost. read more

Well..... After reading reviews I wanted so badly to love this place. And I always hate reading and writing a bad review and don't find myself doing this pretty often. But I had to share my experience (and what seemed to be a similar experience to the patrons who left as I arrived here). So, when I found the place, I wasn't sure where to park, but found a spot on the side of the street with a parking meter. I ran in to ask for change for a five so I could pay the meter (which charges $2 per hour), but the guy behind the counter (I'm assuming it was this Al guy everyone talks about) assured me I could park at HiFi Buys for free (despite multiple signs posted that state the contrary). Regardless I didn't feel like going through the trouble as it was a cold and rainy day, and Al actually just GAVE me four quarters to go pay the meter and commented on my laziness. I laughed to myself and thought, "Hey, good guy, I'll tip him extra". ;D When I went back in I was mulling over the menu and different items in the display thingy. He asked me what I like, and I responded "I'm not sure what most of this is". Honest answer, as I don't know the name of every sauce and mediterranean concoction behind the counter and I always like to learn more. So he offered me a little sampler platter. Cool! A much appreciated gesture, once again, and I'm thinking I'll tip him even a little extra... DESPITE the fact that he creepily insisted on feeding it to me himself..... :\ But we'll get over it. It's just lunch and a bite of tabouli, eh? Ehhh? :\ Anywho, my friend arrives and we order our food, I was craving a falafel so I went that route, my friend just got the Spanakopita, I think. Well, when the food was served up, it smelled GREAT, but not falafel-y. In fact it wasn't falafel at all, not even a sandwich of any sort, it was lamb on rice with a side salad. Well, I'm thinking they obviously took their time to make this, its warm and fresh and smells good, so I won't complain, I'll just try something a little unexpected rather than put him and the kitchen staff through the extra trouble. (we were the only people in there so it wasn't like it was someone else's order either) The food was enjoyable, and time came to pay. My friend insists on paying for me when we go to eat (just a gentlemanly thing I guess), so he actually approaches another woman behind the counter to pay. She asks what we had, he replied with the numbers from the menu that we originally ordered. He tried to explain, he doesn't know what was actually given but that what we ordered was that number, so the man comes over at this point and just randomly starts YELLING. I turn around to see what's going on and he looks straight at me and starts YELLING at me! Why didn't I tell them he gave me the wrong order blah blah blah "NEVER COME BACK TO THIS PLACE!" he says. He starts spitting out random numbers for totals, and my friend is calmly saying he doesn't think that's what the menu says, so he spits out a new number for the total and says JUST GIVE ME THAT AND LEAVE AND NEVER COME BACK! Confused? Me too. Apparently this guy just likes to raise his voice and make up numbers and run customers away. As I was leaving I remembered walking in and hearing the SAME situation going on with two gentlemen who were trying to pay, and getting yelled at, but since I wanted my experience to be good I had perhaps naïvely written it off. SO, all in all. Go ahead, take your chances for a fresh and tasty meal and so-so atmosphere. Just maybe take this account into consideration. The only way I'll ever support this establishment again is: A. if I can't find a good substitute elsewhere in sprawling Atlanta, B. I can call in an order ahead of time for take-out, C. I have a friend go in to pick it up, and D. we have our totals UP FRONT. read more

A**holes hung up in our face on the phone when we tried to order delivery he couldn't understand the address!!!!! What in god's name kind of service is this!!! read more

This is my new favorite in Buckhead. Hands down, some of the best Greek food I've found. Al is a trip and made our first time there a fun and memorable experience. We tried the appetizer sampler, lamb kabobs, gyro, chicken, and rice pudding and baklava for desert and everything was a home run. read more

I am writing this review to comment on the experience as a whole and not just the food (which was very good.) I went there with a large group of people, but was paying only for the two of us. My food: $16.00 His food: $7.00 Drinks (3 beer @ $4.50): $13.50 Subtotal: $36.50 Tax: $ 2.55 Total: $39.05 Actual bill $47.00 Nobody in our group ordered appetizers. No one ordered dessert. There were about 15-20 of us there and we assumed that the owner was putting this stuff out there "Hey, you all try this stuff! Eat! Eat! eat it all of I don't serve anything else!") because we were spending a fortune with him anyway. Well, it turns out to not be the case. This stuff is pushed on you - you are never asked if you want it. BUT YOU ARE CHARGED for it, about $4-5 per person. That's not a lot, but it is not something you are expecting, and I consider it unfair of the owner to put food on your table that you did not ask for and then charge you for it in the end. I may go back to Cafe Agora with friends, but I will warn them that if they accept what appears to be the owner's generosity, they will be charged for it in the end. If this did not happen to us, I would have given this place 3-4 stars. EDIT: I also agree with another reviewer that the owner appears to just pull prices out of the air and put them on the bill. Just be careful when you pay. read more

Cafe Agora. I am really trying to like this place. First off! I can absolutely agree with the yelpers who mentioned "pricing scams." Dear Al or whom this may concern, Would you please, for your customers sake and sanity, create a menu that states the expense I will incur after placing an order. That way, when you charge me $13 for a mezza platter, I can easily confirm that is the correct price by viewing the menu. Although, I have seen a menu or two; it seems a bit inconspicuous. I am a little disturbed when every other visit I order the same thing but pay a different price. How difficult can it be to display a menu with the prices. Yes, I care about my quarters and my dollars because I earn them! So, I would not like to be charged what ever you decide you want me to pay. Now after that vent...Let us move forward! The food: My first visit consisted of two platters consisting of gyro meat and grilled chicken. The meat: in my opinion; dry and old tasting. It had the traditional flavor; however, it made me contemplate becoming a vegetarian. (Especially after seeing the raw kabobs displayed in the same case as the salads.) What keeps me coming back is the mezza platter; which, I always get to go because the atmosphere shuts down my taste buds. Thanks to the little sampler platter provided on our first visit, the mezza platter is all that I order. The hummus, tabouli, ezme, and yogurt are tasty. The dessert: The baklava is a nice treat. Pretty tasty but again: How much does it cost? Yes, I will continue to patronize this place as long as I crave a good mezza platter or until I find a place that can top it. I think Cafe Agora is a restaurant set in its ways...so when you visit, just go along with it. read more

I LOVE THIS RESTAURANT! It is so authentic and the owner, Al, is super nice and loyal to his customers. I remember the very first time I went to Al's and thinking that it looked a little sketchy...this was pre-yelp days and when Al's had just opened up. It did not have a bar or barely a table but I remember the wonderful service and the AMAZING food! I was able to relive that moment when I brought my boyfriend and friend for their first experience. I really enjoyed seeing their expressions and enjoying the atmosphere that Al had created since my first time. The food is so authentic and you can see it with the preparation and presentation. Huge portions and very fresh. It is also very reasonably priced! I gave it 4 stars because of he parking...there is none. Other than that, you must stop in and say hi to Al. Become one of his loyal customers...he treats you well! Thank you Al for always making my experience like the first one. read more

Sometimes I can be a picky eater. One of my pet peeves is excessive bread on a sandwich. I can always skip eggplant. And, most of all, I rarely eat meat. I avoid it not out of some ethical objection, but because the texture and taste are completely unappetizing to me. Cafe Agora may have changed that. Having abandoned falafel forever, I had a hard time deciding what to order. (I'm ALWAYS the last to order at Mediterranean restaurants.) After much deliberation, I chose the lamb and beef gyro. As I sat waiting on my food, I started to doubt my choice, but my mind was set at ease and then reeled into ecstasy when I tried the first bite. The meat was actually really tender and flavorful, and I devoured the gyro, gulping orange-carrot juice between bites. I also ordered pistachio baklava, which was moist and delicious. As discovered by my sister, Turkish tea=Earl Grey. ...really? Thanks to Cafe Agora, I'm now a big fan of Mediterranean food. It was totally worth the $5 rate for just one measly hour of parking to have lunch there. read more

Best Gyro in Atlanta Hands Down! Best Baklava I've ever Had! I love the owner he is very colorful and a great host! Appetizer combination plate was fresh and delicious! Pita was very flavorful! I've been looking for an authentic Gyro for 18 months tried half a dozen places this is the place! Baklava and Rice Pudding arguably the top of the line fresh. AMAZING! Bonus is they are open for lunch and right near my office! read more

Deeee-lish! Quaint, cozy atmosphere...typical hole-in-the-wall place, but hot damn, is it good! I tried the gyro and tabouli- very flavorful gyro meat! I will definitely be coming back here again. I'm so glad I found this gem on Yelp. Tip: you have to park up the street at their new building (which is under construction). This restaurant may not be good for a large party because it is pretty tiny inside. read more

I honestly love this restaurant! We eat here at least once every two weeks whether we order out or sit down inside or outside ... I never get sick of the food and it's a great value. Additionally,the servers and owner are so nice and welcoming (ask for Nenad - he's our FAVORITE)! The food is tasty, consistent and well priced. Wine is also well priced- I really enjoy the Turkish Cab which is less than $40 a bottle! If you don't finish it all (which you probably will )- you can have them cork it to go. Oh, did I mention they allow dogs on their patio which is great because we love to bring our pooch along with us when it's nice outside! If you've never been here, order their cold meza sampler appetizer (large). I personally love the baba ghanoush and tabbouleh in the sampler and sometimes order just these two alone! This comes with piles of pita bread which is great for dipping as well as Greek potato salad, a carrot salad, bean salad, Hummus and tazitiki. Next, depending how on how hungry you are I recommend the Greek salad with chicken or lamb or the mixed grill (I usually split this with my husband) it comes with salad, rice, and pita as well as ALL the meats (it's like a sampler dinner plater and it's delicious). Overall a great place for dinner, lunch, or honestly just drink and a snack! read more

Honestly I can not really say much on the service here simply because my boyfriend and I went here to eat right when they were about to close everything, My boyfriend knows the owner Al so we got to eat anyways. The vibe that the place gives you is exciting. I am going to have to go back when its open and busy. The food is really good and they have some good cocktails. It is a very clean resturant and I will be back and update my review! read more

Cafe Agora - Turkish Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

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I think Cafe Agora could not live up to the super high expectations yelp has created for it. With so many reviews and such a high average, I was expecting much more. This place is one of those hole in the wall places - no problem... sometimes the best food is served at small mom/pop shops. It wasn't clear where to park. Was going to initially park at a meter in front of the restaurant. I went inside to ask if they had other parking available... it was difficult to even get the person's attention. He did tell me that parking was available a 1/4 block away. A bit confusing as the parking lot says it's paid, but it's not clear how you even make a payment. Upon returning I asked about the payment situation and the guy says, "no", in response to whether or not I needed to pay without even looking at me. Not looking for good service after this point. The food itself was good. First off we got a side of hummus. It was just OK. It comes with very little bread which is all cut up in to small squares. I didn't really like that. I'd rather they provide me with the full bread which I can break myself. Plus, they give so little. It's probably one pita for the entire plate of hummus. We asked for more bread and he forgot so we didn't get that until we were done with the entrees. He did apologize for forgetting. After bringing out the falafel sandwich, he never came back even once to check up on us. I wanted to get some hot sauce, but failed multiple times to get his attention. The falafel themselves were nice. Can't complain. I haven't had Turkish food very often, but it seemed to be a mix of Lebanese and Greek to me - the falafel being the Labanese part and the Tzaziki being the Greek part. That as opposed to having the normal tahini and hot sauce. It was still good, though. Good to have something different. Just wish the service had been better. After that, one nice touch was that we got these two little complementary sampler desserts. We got a little cup of rice pudding with cinnamon sprinkled on top. That one was just OK. We also got this baklava variant which was basically baklava wrapped in a roll with some pistachio stuffed inside. I remember they called these lady fingers on the menu. These were amazing! Just wish these things weren't so rich and sugar-full or I'd order some of them to go. Overall, I don't know what other Mediterranean options there are in and around the greater Atlanta area and more specifically in Buckhead. Hopefully there are some others. If not, I guess I might give Cafe Agora another try. read more

I was really disappointed when I tried to come here for lunch and somehow missed this place, but instead only saw the "Agora" restaurant a few doors down that was closed. I had read the reviews on Yelp and was really looking forward to the place. But my curiosity got the better of me and I called them later on and figured out my mistake. So, we came back for dinner! We were greeted by Al, who asked us if we had been there before and how had we heard about it. He told us about all the glowing reviews he's gotten on Yelp and Citysearch (except for the one bad review on Citysearch that was based on "opinion and not fact", haha). He made us the sampler plate o' hummus-es and other treats (many of which I have no idea what they were), but they were all DELICIOUS. I typically just stick to more Greek-style stuff since that's what I know, but everything he gave us to try was really really good (he literally prepared the first bites for us at the counter, mixing things in fairly precise ratios). I do wish he had given us bigger pieces of pita bread though. After he commended us for finishing that sampler, he allowed us to order gyros. I wouldn't say that the gyros were the best I've had, but they certainly hit the spot. I would have liked a little more tzatziki (since my meat was not as juicy as some others have said) and I would have liked to have some tomatoes on my gyro. But still, pretty solid. The best part about the meal (yes, even better than the hummus platter) was the baklava. Oh sweet Jesus, the baklava. He gave us each a half piece to sample, and it was like a chorus of angels burst into song in my mouth. It was far and away the best I've ever had. It had the perfect balance of flavor, texture, and sweetness. It was very light, and not packed so tight that it takes you two minutes to chew. The honey was not so thick and gooey that you feel like your mouth is temporarily glued shut. It was not too drippy, it was not too dry. It was crisp and perfect, and had a sprinkling of pistachios on top. We bought 6 more pieces to take home and share, and he threw in 3 extra for good measure. (They were gone that night.) I really wanted to come back and get some to take back to Dallas with me but we didn't have time. Also, I noticed lots of people ordering food to go or for pickup, and most of them seemed like regular customers. It seems Al has realized a key ingredient of a great restaurant: there are so many restaurants out there these days and with review sites like Yelp available to savvy researchers wanting new and different places to try, that little extra of great customer service goes a long way in setting yourself apart from the rest. I'll definitely be back next time I'm in Atlanta! read more

So I was floored when I saw that not only does Cafe Agora have almost 300 reviews, but it also has an average rating of 4.5 stars! Especially when you see it's tiny little, hole in the wall location, directly across from the uber ritzy Capital Grille with its fancy parking lot full of Range Rovers, Mercedes and Bentleys. After seeing this (and for a nano-second thinking Cafe Agora had had its employees create hundreds of fake positive reviews), I had to try it out for myself to see if it lived up to the hype. Well my friends, it did. Although it's certainly not much to look at from the street (and can hold probably 40 people tops), this place is a gem of a Greek restaurant. I enticed my boyfriend to come with me for dinner there (he's a true Yelp believer even though I can't for the life of me get him to finish a single review), and we understood what so many others already know. The food is amazing and because it's such a small, intimate little space, the staff (a father, son team) are very friendly to every customer who walks in the door. As soon as we sat down, the son came out to get our drink orders and after looking at the menu (all of which sounded like great options), we got the mixed maza appetizer in order to try their hummus, babaganoush, ezme, kisir, piyaz, etc all in one go and the Agora mixed grill kebab plate to try their chicken, lamb, adana and kofta kebabs plus the gyro meat. I love places where I can try a little bit of everything all at once, and Cafe Agora did not disappoint in portion size or flavor. The maza appetizer than came out first came with a basket of fresh pita bread that was already conveniently sliced into bite sized squares. We dug in to hummus, tabbouleh, babaganoush, ezme, kisir, piyaz and a bunch of other goodies I've not tried before and it was all very tasty. The babaganoush wasn't quite as good as Opa's (in Suwanee), but I've yet to find anyone who can rival that one. Everything tasted fresh and light and definitely house-made. The Agora mixed grill was also excellent. Every different piece of meat was cooked well and laid over a bed of rice, a Greek salad and another fresh pita bread with some red sauce on top was served with it. My favorite meats by far were the gyro, the adana, and the kofta meats. They were just wonderfully seasoned and full of flavor. Mix that with a refreshing Greek salad, some pita and taziki sauce and you've got a winning combination. And Cafe Agora really scored points with its complimentary dessert for us: two mini baklava bites (light and airy and flaky), and two little servings of sutlac (Turkish rice pudding). It was the perfect bit of sweetness to end the meal, and I loved it. While Cafe Agora is certainly not much to look at (though I believe they're relocating to the old Thai Silk space just down the street, which would be a definite step up), they're a great find. The food's delicious, the staff's very friendly and attentive and the menu really deviates from the Greek cuisine you're used to seeing with some really special treats. Good job Cafe Agora, all the hype and your great rating is worth it. read more

My husband and I walked inside and sat down. The busboys were clearing up adjoining tables and we looked around. We saw the pictured menu items on the wall but, prices were not indicated. Nobody said anything or came up to us. So, we got up and started eyeing the various appetizer dips in the refrigerated display case. That's when, we assumed it was Al, asked if I'd want the "sample plate". I said yes and wham, blam I was handed the plate with 5 to 6 varieties of smooth veggie dips and a plate of pita bread. Then I heard: 'You go and eat all of this before ordering any food'. I looked at Al with one eyebrow raised and my right forefinger pointed at him and said: 'Yea, look, I know all about you. We're going to order our food.' My husband chose the mixed grill plate and with that Al said that it would be plenty for the both of us. We sat at our table and began to eat away at the veggie appetizer fare. The babaganoush was pretty good as it had that smoky flavor I wanted. Hardly any garlic, though. We got the mixed grill plate and I looked at it. Man that was enough food just for my husband! So, I got up and ordered the Kofte Kebab plate. Al was adamant that we had enough food already. I just looked at him and said: 'Just get me my food' with a raised eyebrow. He obliged. Being our first visit we wanted to be food tasters. The char grilled lamb, beef and chicken were delicious. The rice was just the way I remembered it as a kid. I could eat that rice every day. The plates with meat are basically served with rice and salad with a sweet dressing. Al came over to check on us from time to time to see how we liked the food. I told him all was good, except there wasn't any garlic in the food. He proceeded to relate how he had to modify the garlic content for the American crowd. I told him, next time, I'm bringing my OWN garlic. Being the hospitable host, he said: 'Just tell me you want more garlic and we'll fix it special for you'. Time for dessert. Al started waxing poetic about his baklava and that he'd bring some out. I said that I already make my own, that I wanted to try my childhood favorite: Kunefe. Wouldn't you know they didn't have any? Al said that it's one of those things that don't move as fast on the menu so they often don't make it or if they do, it's a small amount. So, I gave him a counteroffer. I said: 'I'll give you my phone number and you can call me when it is available' We had a little laugh and ended with a small plate of some samplings.. Then, I got the Turkish coffee. When all was said and done our bill came to about $25 per person. We were stuffed like sausages. When you eat at this place, you DON"T know how much anything costs. Al begins to compute your bill when you approach the cash register at the end of your meal. Compared to regular American restaurants, this is an unconventional place. To be honest, it was a step out of my comfort zone the way the whole order/supply on hand/bill process went down. Except for the lack of garlic, the food is almost as authentic as you'd have at your multi-generational Middle Eastern/Mediterranean family get-togethers. (I say almost because families have their unique style of flavoring and cooking). Next time, I'll make sure to ask for the garlic and I'll call ahead to make sure they have Kunefe, Al is entertaining in a weird way. I know the culture and I enjoyed the banter. The main reason for being there is the food which is fresh. Café Agora has a selection of beers and liquor. I wouldn't say that there is a FULL bar. If you go, be prepared for an experience. read more

I ordered the mixed maza platter and tabouli. The tabouli was nothing but parsley and lemon. The mixed maza was definitely mixed, couldn't tell what was what and looked terrible. It was delivery and did not include any spoons, forks or napkins The whole purpose was not to leave my hotel room and had to head out to get utensils. Took a couple of bites and just gave up, texture, and presentation was not up to par for any delivery service. $37 to much! I will be calling and sharing my experience. read more

Cafe Agora - Turkish Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

After all the hype I heard about this place for a while, I decided it was time to try it out. Friday afternoon around 6 pm...traffic around the area was awful and parking was a nightmare. The parking lot across the street was full and the parking lot behind the building with 15 sweaty valet guys running around was only for patrons of the restaurant/bar/club next door. We ended up driving to the next side street and just parking at a meter. Since it was Friday afternoon we put in an hour and half for good measure. Upon entering the restaurant, it was obvious we didn't need it...there was only one other occupied table. We got the Mixed Maza Platter and the Lamb and Beef Gyro. Both were great, the mixed platter was an assortment of different spreads/hummus/other dippables and accompanied by a plate of hummus. The gyro was well seasoned...normally I'm not a big fan of lamb but I liked this one. The complimentary baklava for dessert was amazing. The total for the platter and gyro not including tip was about $22. If I were closer to my normal hunger scale it probably would've easily been in the $30+ range, which is why I can see how it could be seen as a little on the pricey side for the atmosphere. Service was fine, neither neglecting nor overbearing. Overall a pleasant experience, and I'd go back in a heartbeat. read more

I work around the corner from Cafe Agora, and this is one of my favorite places to grab lunch. Everything I'd had here has been delicious - solid falafel (can be vegan without the yogurt sauce), yummy baklava, good dolmas, and AMAZING meat, and perfect bread - the kind that is more flatbread than pita (which is my favorite.) The mixed meze platter is fantastic and can be made vegan. The small is plenty of food for one person and is $7.99. My favorite thing to get is the Agora salad with lamb. The lamb is wonderfully seasoned and perfectly tender. It comes with fantastic dressing, feta cheese, good crisp lettuce and huge piece of that delicious flatbread. At $8.75, it's comparable to other Buckhead lunch options. I've only ever done takeout, but the service is always really friendly, and the atmosphere is cozy. One time I came to pick up my food and it wasn't ready yet, so I sat at the counter and they brought me free [delicious] hummus. I always get a nice greeting when I pop in to pick up my food. Definitely the best Mediterranean/Greek/Turkish food in Atlanta, and some of the best I've ever had, period! read more

I have a fundamental problem with places that try to rip you off, and this place tops the list of rip offs. Beware: The prices on the menu are not what you will be charged. I went to the restaurant with a friend to grab a quick sandwich, we ordered a falafel and a gyro sandwich and were shocked to see a $37 bill. We asked for a detailed receipt and found that we were overcharged for every item. The Falafel and Gyro sandwiches were advertised on the menu for $7.01 and we were charged $10.50 each. The small Mezza plate was suppose to be $7 and we were charged $11. A single piece of Baklawa was $4.50 ouch. When i confronted the dude, he tried to give us some BS explanation of how dinner sandwiches are priced differently. What a scam. I don't mind paying for a good meal, but when the menu states a price and i am quietly overcharged, it feels like a ripoff. The food is OK, but not exceptional. Needless to say, i will not be going back, nor will i recommend it to others. read more

Glad I found this spot. We enjoyed the sampler appetizer. Just wish they would start us out with more pita bread so I don't have to keep asking for more! But the food was top notch. I usually go with a gyro platter at Mediterranean restaurants and have never had any this good. The combo platter was very filling and the meat was so juicy and full of flavor. I love how they tease you with the baklava at the end. It was so good. Made me want to buy a bunch to take home. Service was cool. It was not super evident what to do when we first arrived. Didn't know if we should sit or walk to the counter and order. But we ended up walking to the counter and letting them know we wanted to dine in. I'm a little disappointed about this Al guy though. Heard so many great things about how jovial he is but did not once look our way. I know I sound like an a-hole complaining about being offended by that but he gave everyone else there great attention and we got none. Maybe we didn't look like first timers or something.. Who knows. read more

After living in the northeast for many years, I became accustomed to flavorful Mediterranean food. Usually, they were mom and pop places that may have lacked fancy finishes but delivered on the good flavors. I ventured out a solo lunch date to Agora after a recommendation from a co-worker. I was looking for a great gyro. Agora is a nice location on East Paces Ferry next door to the new Bottle Bar. The inside was neat with a clear menu above the kitchen and of course as you have read, I was greeted by Al. To be welcomed to a restaurant by the person who is clearly in charge is a rare, rare thing. I gladly told him I was referred by friends who raved about the place. He smiled knowingly and proclaimed that his restaurant was the best....I soon would agree. I had gone to Agora planning to feast on a delicious gyro. However, once I walked in and saw the offerings, my plan fell apart. I knew that I needed to try everything. I ordered the mixed grill. This is the granddaddy of them all platter. 4 types of cooked meats, slices of seasoned pita and then fresh sides. It was a very healthy portion and I could easily tried to keep some for later. But there was no freaking way that was going to happen. DOWN THE HATCH!!!! It was freaking delicious. I want to go back and try everything on the menus. As I walked in I was given a sample of the hummus and salad and as I left I was offered a delicious lady finger like baklava.... sweet, exotic and a delicious finish to a very good lunch. See you soon, Al and Agora!!!!! read more

Favorite hole in the wall place in Buckhead! Cannot wait for him to expand to his new location a few doors down! Definitely recommend the mezzo platter and chicken or fish shish kebab. So tasty!! And Al, the owner, is so nice! Ask him about his adventures coming to own Agora. He's very interesting and I love supporting him! read more

Where do they source their ingredients? How can such a simple combination of parsley, olive oil, salt, and the precious few other elements that go into their dishes taste so lively and delightful? Honestly, this place is extraordinary. Their mezze platter will make you feel alive. The mixed grill is astonishingly good for such a simple dish. And the dude that runs it is great--affable, professional. I love it. read more

I had to try this place after hearing all the rave on Yelp. The food was ok and the people are pretty friendly. Why a 2? There were some serious problems. The biggest problem is that I have to agree with Lee L. about the "sketchiness" in the way they charge you. For that, I will never return. The experience was pretty good initially. We got the nice greeting and he practically forced us to try this sampler place in a way that implied that it was gratis. We really weren't expecting such a large sampler so we all felt bad and ordered much more food than we normally would have been to be polite. They definitely charged us for the sampler even after suggesting that we wouldn't be. There also aren't any prices on the menu, which added to the surprise. Perhaps there was some problem with communication on the sampler. In that case, I feel a bit uncomfortable with his forcefulness in making us order the item. I was also a bit concerned with his handling of the food - preparing dips onto the bread and handing them to you to eat??? I'm not thrilled with people putting their bare hands all over my food right before I eat it. There was also some carrot dish that smelled and tasted of chlorine. I'd detail the food here normally but I think there are plenty of people who have done that here. Summary: Decent food. Maybe some concerns on cleanliness. I'd give this place a 3.5 if Al would be more up-front with the billing. read more

I soooooo love Mediterranean food and Cafe Agora alone. I have been here several times but this is my first time writing about the best Mediterranean spot in Atlanta. (forgive me, if you don't believe so...) The owner of this place is so alive and happy. He is usually there. Or so he has been when I go... he always gives you a little sample of the hummus and tabouleh before you get your order. I normally get the lamb kabobs. The plates (all of them) are a good helping. The kabob plate comes with meat, rice, salad, and some pita bread. The owner will make sure to send you off with a tasting of the rice pudding and baklava before you leave. A little pricier than some of the other Med joints I've been to but I think it is well worth it. Also... parking can be a pain- but oh well. It's the City of Atlanta read more

This is the real deal. The place is small, not a lot of room for dining in, but a worthwhile experience if you do (not from the ambiance). I think they are opening a larger location very close to this one in January. I had chicken kabob, my friend had lamb gyro and we started with hummus and the meza plate. Everything was incredible down to the mini rice puddings and mini pistachio baklava, that showed up at our table after dinner. I will be back, my friends and family will be back. Generous portions, very reasonable prices. read more

I can't even handle how delicious the food is at Cafe Agora. I ordered the mix grill plate and was delighted to see a plate full of meat. Lamb, chicken, gyro... oh my! No two meats tasted the same. You can distinctly make out the individual spices and flavors in each lovable bite. Also had the meze platter which is as good as everyone says it is. Very light, fresh, and full of flavor. I can't wait to go back!!!!! BTW the lady finger baklava is to die for. Melts in your mouth. Oh god, so good.. read more

A group of us had a concert to see at the Buckhead Theater on Sunday night 11/14/10, so we looked for places to eat a day before the show and decided on Cafe Agora since it was only a block away and we were on the lookout for a good Mediterranean place. Upon walking up to the door, the owner, who was outside, summoned us inside, claiming over and over how good the food was. He was friendly, but by the middle of our meal, we were all just a little worn out and thought it was over the top. Maybe it's just a cultural thing, but he was loud and in-your-face and kind of pushy. Fortunately, his claims about the food being delicious was TRUE - it was!! - but ambiance is important, too. I'd give this place a five if it weren't for the following issues: 1. I was put off by being pressured to step inside and try his food. I mean, we were on our way there anyway so it worked out, but that's kind of annoying. He got up and in our way and tried to usher us inside! 2. There were people who arrived way after us and got their food before us. 3. He brought out a sampler of some sort, which was really good, and ended up charging us for it. I'm not an idiot - I figured he would, but this is just tacky in my book. Also, it was $10 platter. You can't just assume someone can pay for that. When we ran out of pita bread pices for the platter (there were 6 of us!) he said he wouldn't give us anymore because then we wouldn't order food because we'd get full. 4. Never got refills on our water. 5. We waited fooorever for a menu. Another employee came to us with pen and paper ready to take our order and he seemed put off that we didn't know what we wanted. When we said it was our first time, he chuckled and said something about how "people usually know what they want when they come in there." 6. The owner was loud. Very. He talked loud, he was aggressive, and he tried to feed me - FEED ME - a gyro that I ordered (which, again, was probably the best I've ever had). Nooo thank you. I'm not even weird about my personal space but that's a bit much - to have a stranger feed me my food? Nuh uh. 7. It also took foooorever to get our bill. It was a Sunday night. Not many people in there. A group came in about an hour after we did he started in on them again about how good the food was. It's one thing to be proud of your food but to push it like that is just tacky. 8. He did give us a sample of baklava desserts, which were wonderful. All in all, the food was great. I'd go back to try new things, but inside, I dread having to deal with him, and I'm an outgoing people person! Just no yelling at me when I'm trying to eat or adding stuff to my bill and not telling me or trying to feed me and we're good, okay? Okay! For the record, everyone loved what they had - we stuck to falafels and gyros and it was really tasty and not bland at all. Mmm! FYI: Aside from the sandwiches, the other dishes like the kebabs and platters hover around $15. read more

The first time I went to this place, the owner came out and fed my dinner date and many other guests from this little sampler platter he was carrying around. I mean, fed them... like, fork-to-mouth fed them (he used clean forks, I should note). While this should have been a SUPER creepy and invasive move, it felt like the exact opposite. It felt like genuine, warm Turkish hospitality- like we were in some family's dining room in Turkey. And you can taste that love in everything they serve. I now know that platter from which the owner was hand-feeding guests is the Maza Platter, a sampling of all the small plates offered on the menu. To me, it's one of THE BEST dishes in the city and everyone I bring there says the same. Except for the bread, the actual plate is quite healthy too. Order the large one with the balloon bread, share it with the table and thank me later! :) read more

You know, I had expected more from these rave yelp reviews but I just wasn't all that into Cafe Agora. I felt like the decor of this place was lacking and the owner seems a bit sketchy. We were with some friends so thankfully it seemed like they knew what to order and sort of knew the owner, but I would kind of be scared that they'd charge us random prices and offer us things and then charge us for things if we came here ourselves. Also, the parking situation is a disaster. I'll pass. read more