On my last visit to Elia's Corner (EC) earlier this week experienced a rebirth of this former Astoria staple that has been going strong for decades. Grilled whole fish is the way to go at EC. Have salmon or swordfish elsewhere if you must. Not that it isn't good at EC its that the whole St Peters or bass or red snapper are better, which incidentally our party ordered all three. Grilled to Greek perfection (A bit overcooked) and topped with ladolemono (an olive oil and lemon juice sauce that you must ask for). The combination makes is for an ideal mediterranean diet feast. What annoys me at EC is that they are cash only and no sides are served with the fish; it's ala carte all the way baby. The prices for the fresh fish are reasonable. My partner (business) and I laughed when the waiter returned to warn us that the close to two pound whole bass would be $40. We're accustomed to being rapped in the city. For example Milos charges $40 a pound for the same fish. So if you don't care about rubbing elbows with so-and-so but instead want fresh fish and a great meal, trek to Astoria and amongst all the great choices make sure to add EC to your repertoire. read more

This place gets hella crowded but luckily, since I got there at 6, the Greek man at the register promised that if I returned in fifteen minutes with my group of five, he would have a table available. I asked if he needed to write down my name, but he just pointed at his eye and then me, saying: "I remember you." I was sure this would turn into a hoax, but the man was true to his word and wordlessly escorted us to our table when we came back. Fish is super fresh, you can sit outside and there is no menu. All the Greek appetizers and sides you like such as: tzatziki, saganaki, grilled octopus and lemon potatoes are on the menu, but other than that it really is a fish fest. The fish comes complete with head, tail, etc. and there is nothing else on the plate. It sort of encourages you to really enjoy the process and all the flavors. If you're with someone who doesn't eat seafood (I know, but we were), the only options are pork chops and a chicken shish kebab. This place is a lot like Taverna Kyclades but there's more fish and not as many of the other options (like a seafood pasta, etc. etc.). Great for a beautiful day when you can sit outside and pretend the Queens highway is a mountain top in Corfu. read more

This place prides itself on its bespoke meats and fish, meaning they control quality from market to plate with only the best food. A favorite of ours for years. read more

Fresh, fresh, fresh! Was it worth the trek all the way out there? Maybe not, but was the food good? Yes, yes it was! This is my sister in law's favorite spot in the city, so whenever she comes to town she brings us here. Don't expect a menu or price tags, you have to know what you want. Traditional meditteranean dining that brings me back to my summer days in Turkey when the adults at the table just scream out items and the food comes out hot, steamy and good. If you're skiddish about the prices, be prepared to ask the waitress how much something costs before you say yes. CASH ONLY read more

I can't review the food because I didn't get a chance to taste anything, also not sure if this review would count because I didn't get any service either. Men's room was clean though, waited 20 minutes for someone to pay attention to me and my friend before I decided to visit the restroom. Our table was still completely empty (no plates, silverware or a glass of water) when I got back. We got a nice warm smile from the host when we were leaving though. That deserves a big bright a star! Edit: I added 2 more stars after getting an apology from the owner in my inbox. Thought that the owner reading reviews and responding accordingly should show care and deserves some credit. Will try again. read more

Kind and homely service. Large portions of octopus- flavorful and tender. Everything we ordered - branzini, spearings, salad, octopus - was amazing! read more

Get a table, preferably away from the glass door to the patio (awfully loud when it closes) Wait for one of the talented waiters to recite the appetizers and the kind of fish to have (Pay attention!). Order and get ready for a your delicious seafood. The food comes amazingly fast here, we haven't even half way done with appetizers when they tabled the big fish! Cash Only. read more

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Great Greek spot in Astoria - super authentic and great food! When you walk in, the menu items are outlined on the board and fresh fishes are displayed over ice. You're seated in the adjacent room with no menu. It's casual and a nice traditional Greek experience. Most of the apps are fried and we were trying to stay healthier so we ordered the Greek salad, octopus, whole branzino, and whole seabass. The octopus was juicy and nicely charred.. so good that we almost ordered a second portion. I preferred he branzino to the seabass. Overall, very tasty and would recommend you check it out! Know that it's cash only! read more

Been wanting to try this place since moving to Astoria, very nice experience, had a home kitchen kind of feel to it, no frills, go order and eat, I enjoyed everything and plan to be back, owner is down to earth peeps, very cool spot all the seafood was fresh and delicious read more

Best Greek seafood restaurant in NYC. We travel from Manhattan to Queens for their fresh seafood: amazing broiled scallops, fried calamari, grilled octopus, any grilled fish. Their green salad--so simple, so fresh, so tasty. Fried potatoes complete a phenomenal meal. This is a family-owned restaurant, with friendly and professional service. I would eat here every week, if I could. read more

CASH ONLY! No menus! The food is good but I give it the 4 stars because there are some quirks one needs to know before going in - 1. Cash only, 2. There are no menus. When you walk in there is a chalkboard above the fish on ice that shows what they have for appetizers/ sides and entrees. There are no prices as seafood is usually market rates. That being said $20-$26 is a fair estimate for most fish entrees. The place has an old school charm and is always busy as it is clearly a popular favorite. We come here for the brozini! It is the best quality brozini we have had in the city!! Their other fish are fresh and tasty but the brozini is the best. Another favorite is the grilled octopus as a starter as well as the greek salad. All the vegetable sides are grilled. This place is predominantly fish with a couple shellfish items or calamari. If you aren't a fan of fish and want some Greek kitchen favorites this isn't for you. read more

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My family and I have been coming to Elias for over 2 decades. I wanted to keep it to myself because it is one of the best Greek restaurants in NYC my teenagers grew up coming here and insist on coming back!!! read more

The fish was fresh and delicious, best fried calamari I ever had - very lightly battered and not like the stuff you get at a pizza joint.

Excellent food! Everything was fresh & perfectly prepared. Simple decor with simple quality food prepared using old school recipes. Greek salad was fresh & large portion Octopus was tender & flavorful Soft shell was on point The swordfish was amazing! & it's usually not what I order The chicken Kebob was juicy, not dry at all. We really enjoyed our meal. read more

I've tried the grilled octopus at nearly every Greek joint in Astoria, and I must say that I am not that impressed with the price vs. the satifaction at any of them. If you want great grilled octopus, make it at home over a smoking hot grill. But if you want someone to make it for you, the best I've had is here. Other than that, this is a no-frills, pick your fish Greek joint that you will have to wait for a table to eat at. Sometimes they act like you are lucky that they are serving you, but the pristine fresh whole fish can not be beat. read more

Came here for birthday celebration with my family. We were a party of 8. Our second time here. I like the no frills, no menu, homey experience. The server tells you the available fish options and you can order a whole fish or fillet. The entrees were excellent. The tzatziki was literally like eating garlic with some yogurt and cucumbers mixed in-- not appetizing at all. On the other hand, the grilled octopus was delightful- really tender and fantastic!!! For service: 16 thumbs down!! We were all put off by the staff. No matter how no frills a restaurant is, bad service is completely unacceptable. The servers acted BOTHERED by the patrons of the restaurant. The food took a long time. We sat at 830, and didn't leave until nearly 11pm, and this is without coffee or dessert. We got the check. Nearly $500 for 8 people. That's not terrible, except the food was $300 and we were charged over$160 for 2 bottles of table white wine, with no warning and no explanation of the prices!! We asked for house white, and were given a few choices. We felt ripped off and left with a really bad taste in our mouths, which is unfortunate, because the food itself, for the most part, was worthy of many return trips, and being a regular place for us. The owner should reconsider who serves his guests and how he prices his wine. Maybe offer a drink list, at the very least. read more

Cash Only? no menu, you just pick what kinda seafood/types of fish and how you want it cooked. the fishes come in WHOLE. and the calamari was tasty too. i'm glad i went with some ppl who know their fishes.. cuz i don't. to this day i'm still not very sure what type of fish we ordered. we chose one from looking at the neighboring table. the whole dinner turned out to be very affordable too with 3 fishes, 2 appetizers (grilled squid and calamari), and a greek salad. and some potatoes i think. for 6 ppl. not superb decor but good service and fresh food. read more

My party of five arrived at the perfect time to grab a table at 7. By 710 the restaurant was full although no one sat outside in the garden area. The space is humble but clean. The fish and appetizers were great. We shared the grilled zucchini, Greek salad, octopus, and potatoes for starters then had salmon, striped sea bass and some other fish. They have the freshest ingredients and they know how to prepare their fish. We were all pleased with the food. The portions are huge. However, the service was so bad we couldn't believe it. Our server seemed to be working the whole room by herself. The manager can hire some more staff to improve the quality of the service. Or train her on basic etiquette like not reaching over customers to serve them, making sure that the salad is dressed or that the table had the oil and vinegar to dress it ourselves (instead of having to ask other tables to share)or bring glasses for the beer AND pour the beer, etc. A for food; C- for ambiance; D- for service. read more

Great place for DATES. Economic and classy. I have been here three times with friends, dates and family. If you are a seafood person, you just found yourself the gem. My favorite appetizer: soft shell crap, grilled octopus, Greek salad BEST carb ever: lemon grilled potato. An amazing combo of nutrition and taste. Acidic potato with alkaloid lemon juice presents a wonderful palette even feeling full from the appetizers. My favorite fish: 1. Monkfish (cooked with filet), aka poor man's lobster. Most fish tastes soft and grimy when cooked, which explains that certain fish tastes better if being served as sashimi such as salmon, tuna, red snapper. However, cooked fish that has firm meat enriches the original flavor of fish. Adding lemon juice into it only makes it more appetizing. 2. Strip bass(cooked with bones): huge portion, prepare a second stomach or a togo box. Less firm than monkfish. It would be my second choice. Drinks: I never tried their drinks other than water. Bring your own drinks, for instance white wine. They would charge you a cork fee of $10. It's worth it. read more

Fish lover, definitely come here! :) Grilled octopus was awesome, octopus was grilled at the right temperature with right amount of time, so it's not over cooked! FRESH! we also ordered fried branzino, prefect! Fish is simply delicious, without over seasoning :) Service was good, but this place could get real busy! Oh, this place doesn't have balkava! We were disappointed! But on our way out, we saw a tray of balkava sitting inside the fridge!! We asked the waitress if she could sell them, she said no, I guess balkava is for staff or VIP only... @__@ read more

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If you like overpriced seafood and sh*tty service from completely disinterested waiters, this place is for you! Additional bonus if you're the type who likes having the restaurant jack a few dollars from you by giving you less change back than you're due. It's only a few bucks off an already inflated bill so you let it slide...but you'll stew, oh, you'll stew (and maybe review them yourself when you get home!). read more

Ok so the first time we stopped by it was a long line. Didnt stay just went somewhere else. But this second time we did stay. We had a small table which was fine because it was all about the experience! There are no menus, just a board in the front with everything listed. The waiter was super nice and chill explaining everything to us. We endes up getting this white fish that starts with a "B", AMAZING!! No fishy taste to it at all, very well seasoned and juicy. To die for, really! Along with the salad and bread. Free desert that was just as delicious! Great place all around and I may go pick up another fish tonight. read more

This place has incredible food. Aesthetically cozy and clean. Great back outdoor patio :) and staff is all friendly and attentive :) Amazing service I give it a 100% Wonderful place I'll be back read more

Extremely average octopus and fish that is outrageously overpriced. The decor is also shabby and unappealing. The house red was decent, which was a surprise. They also don't salt their food (!). Unsure of why this place has so many good reviews. You guys need to try better Greek restaurants. read more

We have been eating here at Elias Corner Regularly for 25 years & this is the best seafood restaurant for fresh fish in queens; no frills, no ambiance, just the best fish! read more

It is the best pace the eat fish Don't spend money in fancy fish restaurant this place is amazing thank you Elias god bless your soul read more

While honestly the food is good and they have fresh fish and tasty sides, their business style is terrible. 1- they do not have a menu so you have no idea what each item costs 2- they DO NOT ACCEPT CREDIT CARDS. ONLY CASH 3- they don't tell you about the cash payment till after you paid ridiculous prices for items like the fish and octopus, let alone the cans of sodas that were $3 each Be warned , if you are to try this place out bring cash and ask what each item will cost you!!! read more

I've been going there for years because the food is amazing but the owners are just despicable. Worst attitude and sense of hospitality I've ever seen. Tonight I walked out before getting my food because of their horrible behaviors, from all of them!! This place is still open because the food is great and that's because of the cooks only. I know good things come at a price but not to the point to be treated poorly as a customer!!! read more

Just experienced the worst service here of all time. Elias Corner has no menu so I ask the permanently angry hag of a waitress to recite what they have. She acts like I asked her to run a 20K. I didn't catch it all so I asked her to repeat and she actually rolls her eyes. She leaves before I can make any decision. When she comes back, I ask about two fishes, and she doesn't know what to tell me or how to describe them, and tells me to go up front and look at the fish. As if looking at the fish raw is going to help me know what it will taste like. When I ordered, it took her half an hour to come back and tell me they ran out of the sea bass. So we order all over again and she doesn't bring us cutlery or napkins to eat with. I'm just sitting there waiting for a damn fork. When I ask her for one, she rolls her eyes again. She does not come around to refill our waters, she's not even visible, so I asked another one because I was dying of thirst from all the salt in the porgy, and she says "sweetheart I'm not your waitress" and she is so exasperated she leaves me her water pitcher so she doesn't have to come back herself to do it. I also caught a pricing error on our bill that she made. Shocked with this service and I wish I had gone elsewhere for fish. Oh, we ordered the calamari, mussels, tsatsiki, porgy, monkfish, and tea. We didn't enjoy the porgy (bitter and salty) or monkfish (tasteless). Glad I filled up on the appetizers. read more

I came here for a late dinner on a weekday and the place was crowded. The servers seemed over worked and bit annoyed. Our waitress came up to our table and was like what are you having? I was very confused since this was my first visit and hadn't read all the reviews on how this place doesn't have a menu. After I told the waitress I didn't know what they offer since this was my first time she sort of brush us off and told us to have the Greek salad. I said sure but what else do you have since I like to know all my options before I make up my mind. We ended up getting the Greek salad and grilled octopus. I have to say both were delicious and I'm so glad she was pushing the Greek salad since it was amazing. Now it was time to order our entrees and the same deal had to pulled teeth to get a list of what they had. FYI they only sell fish and most come whole unless you ask for it to be filet which I did. I got the branzino and asked them to filet it which they did and still brought me the head which I guess I could have deal without but since the fish was so delicious I didn't mind. Part of joy of going to a Greek restaurant is having some lemon potatoes since I adore them but she told us they had run out so we just got some grilled mix veggies. I missed the potatoes but the veggies were done to perfection. Not sure if they had dessert because she never offered us any. Overall the food here its amazing if you are a fish lover but doesn't expect great service. read more

I've never been ambushed this way in my life -- no menus, no price disclosures, no mention that it's cash only until the check came. Service was poor and slow, quality was mediocre and serving size was on the small side... But the prices are absolutely highway robbery! $10 for a bottle of Heineken? $5 for a can of Diet Coke? $30 per smallish entree of common (snapper, flounder) fish? I wish I could give a worse review than one star... I left hungry and angry, feeling like we just got jacked. Would strongly, strongly warn against! read more

"But, you can't rate them poorly. You're the one eating the dry and burnt pieces!" "What? Are you kidding me? They served the dry and burnt pieces, didn't they?" Lemon Potatoes. Seems like I've gotten jinxed when it comes to good Greek Lemon potatoes. After Yefsi, even at Elias I got a bunch of dry and slightly burnt potatoes - albeit, mixed in with half a plate of tangy, soft potatoes that merited 4 stars. My first meal at Elias was a mixed bag. The Meltizanosalata (fish roe) dip was the least salty one I've had in the city (from memory), but the Tzatziki wasn't as creamy and garlicky as I am used to. The grilled octopus was soft and well marinated, and the taste of the Saganaki belied its plain Jane looks. Fish. The reason you go to Elias Corner is grilled fish. I don't even remember the 15 different kinds the server rattled off from the not-menu. Yes, their schtick is that there is no printed menu. But, the food is fresh. Served fast. Tables turn over rapidly. Don't linger for dessert. There is none. Cash only. In and out. No time for, er, wordplay. read more

Delicious and big portions, definitely to share. Must try the grilled octopus (superb), calamari (baby calamari was so fresh didn't even need marinara just lemon), fried cheese and chilean sea bass. Truly enjoyed every bite. Cash only venue. read more

Here are some tips to know on this local favorite. #1. No menu #2. You come here for fish and seafood thats it. #3. Don't expect happy, smiley service. #4. Environment is loud. The food is great, the prices are right. This local favorite is a must for fish and seafood. Service is bland but nobody cares. read more

Probably my favorite seafood spot in Astoria! Came with a fairly large group, and many of my friends dream of coming back here! Everything ordered, from the salads, to the lemon potatoes, to the kebabs were to die for. The number one thing I RAVE about, to just about anyone I meet...is the SHRIMP! Possibly the freshest I have ever had. My description cannot do it enough justice. There were literally no spices, no seasonings on the shrimp...but so fresh that the freshness gave it all the flavor it needed. Literally, drooling as I right this. (Don't worry, I have tissues near by) A few friends who ordered the shrimp, highly concur about this. The bronzino fish was very good as well. GET THE LEMON POTATOES! I'm deducting one star because the place is a little..."sketch" in some regards. No menus and no prices isn't "cool, trendy" or "traditional and cultured." It's actually quite suspicious and there is no need to not have a menu or pricing. Anyone who cannot immediately see the issue in this must not care about their hard earned money. We were not told it was cash only until the bill came, where several of us had to run to the nearest ATM. As long as you know this information before hand, you will enjoy your experience! read more

While I enjoy the idea of fresh seafood being cooked to order and the menu of the day varying based on the availability of fish that day, Elias Corner fell short when it came to actually preparing the seafood. We started with grilled rubbery octopus that left an awful bitterness on my palette that lingered while I prayed for water that was finally served to me warm. I had to ask for ice. Then came the sausages. I'll be honest. It's quite hard for a fatty sausage to taste bad. However, there was absolutely no complexity or depth of flavors. It was a bland, one noted sausage from beginning to end. Our two sides were lemon potatoes and zucchini. While the lemon potatoes were passable, although lacking seasoning, the zucchini was an insult. It was so charred that it was almost inedible. Also, a price tag of 6$ for a couple of slices of inedible zucchini was completely absurd. The entrees we selected were the filet of salmon and the monkfish. Upon arrival, I was immediately impressed by the size of the salmon - it was literally the length of my arm. On the contrary, the monkfish looked like a shriveled up piece of old leather. And it tasted like it. I had to chew through my first bite like it was a piece of dry Bubbalicious bubblegum. Needless to say, the monkfish had to be sent back. The salmon still lacked seasoning. Elias Corner's set back was the preparation of their food. Anything you ordered was basically grilled with olive oil, lemon and Greek oregano. While I love the simplicity, it made sharing a bit pointless because everything was so one noted. And the simplicity would make a bigger statement if everything were seasoned properly. Another issue was that their grill was too hot to begin with, which is probably what overcooked and burned everything and made everything taste bitter. It really is a shame to mistreat fresh seafood the way Elias Corner did. read more

where in the world did these folks eat? The mussels were disgusting. They tasted dirty and overcooked. And the broth was boring. My Grilled Salmon was plain and unseasoned. It was drenched in butter. It was our first time there and the waitress said "are you ready?" and we replied "yes" and we stared at her and she stared at us back and i said "what's on the menu? We dont know what you offer!" And then she recited the menu. WHY WOULD A WAITRESS ASSUME WE KNOW WHATS ON THE MENU? ridiculous. I'll stick to the Blue Water Grill for GREAT seafood. This is a no star crappy joint. read more

Food: As you know by now no menus, so take a good look at the fridge when you first step in. Pretty traditional Greek fare here, heavy on the seafood selection and pretty limited on meats that come from landlocked animals. My favorite was New Zealand mussels drenched in garlic/white wine sauce. Doesn't sound exceptional since every restaurant seems to offer this dish, but the sauce is made from, oh about 99% white wine. Upon first chew the alcohol hits, then the garlic slowly takes over, but its not so overpowering where it masks the sweetness of the wine as you finish off the mussels. The grilled octopus is good. Kind of like any other decent Greek restaurant. I can't say anything else about octopus anymore, besides that the Greeks have grilling octopus down to a science. Greek salad is like all other Greek salads but the feta cheese is not super salty like all feta cheeses are. Guess that makes the salad here superior. For the main dish we chose the flounder. From the other reviews it seems that they serve the fish whole. But our flounder was either born without a head or it got lopped off in the kitchen. The meat was extremely tender and juicy. Fresh too, since there was absolutely no fishy odor, even though it's a fish. Oh yea, everything served here comes with half a lemon or a whole lemon. Drink: They could have stepped up their beer game a little. Coors and Bud and two choices of Greek beer. I went with the Marathon Greek Lager. Not a good choice guys. A can of soda is like 2.50 here. I say stick with the water or hit up the beer garden right across the street afterwards. Service: We had a super friendly waitress. But I hear the service is kind of hit or miss here. Cash only BTW (ATM located in bodega on opposite corner). Crowd/Ambiance: Exterior and first room as you enter looks like a local fish market. Restaurant in back gets semi-crowded, but seating becomes available quickly. The tables are REALLY low. Kind of uncomfortable for taller people. Fit my girl perfectly but I had to slouch a little. The place is located on a corner so windows all around. Not much of a view since it's under the tracks (chatter and music drowns out train) but you can get a fair amount of natural lighting. read more

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Has very quickly become my favorite restaurant. Food is undeniably incredible and so fresh. We had calamari, Octopus, the spicy cheese and the lamb chops. Absolutely everything was delicious and cooked beautifully! Service was top class and very friendly. Great atmosphere in the dining room to top it all off! This is the best fish restaurant in Queens. Anyone that claims the food and service here isn't excellent hasn't a clue what they're talking about, and should try Popeyes a few blocks down instead! read more

I have always wanted to try this place, and I finally did this past weekend. The decor of Elia's itself is kind of "divey". Nothing is too upscale, almost has a cafeteria sort of feel. The restaurant does have outside seating and a separate indoor room that was closed when I was there.. maybe for private parties? I guess every restaurant has their only gimmicks or maybe its just that they are so old-fashion, but they do not offer you a menu, nor do they take credit cards. The waitress will basically just ask you what type of food you are in the mood for (helps if you have some general knowledge of the types of food typically served in greek restaurants). The wait staff is generally unfriendly (although I think this might be a Greek cultural thing) and completely unaccommodating. The restaurant ran out of lemon potatoes, one of the things we were really looking forward to having. Waitress was unapologetic, and when asked if maybe we could order another side and possibly get some sort of lemon sauce on the side, the answer was just 'NO'. Essentially take the food how they give it to you, or don't order it at all. In the end the prices were cheaper than I expected, but the food was only so/so an service was poor. I would much rather go to Taverna Kyclades or Bahari for good Greek food in Astoria. read more