Had a wonderful experience at Kellari Taverna yesterday. Husband and I had lots of time before a Broadway show and took a chance on this restaurant. It was fabulous. The food was superb. Staff was attentive and owner very nice. He brought over a dessert wine after dinner and we chatted a bit. They didn't rush us out and it was a totally wonderful experience. Great food! We will be back. read more

Great greek restaurant in midtown. Since the closing of Molyvos, fills a void in this area for Mediterranean cuisine. Love the octopus. Fish is always good here. Great ambiance. read more

Came here today for lunch with clients. I was blown away by the quality and value of the food. For $29, you can pick a pre-fix which include appetizer, main dish and desert. I choose lobster bisque soup for appetizer and grilled sea bass as my main dish, and they are just delicious! Our waiter is great, too! He took good care of our table and I enjoyed dining here. Will definitely return again! read more

I have been to this place many times and sadly, I think it is slipping.... the food is just not as good anymore. Bar was understaffed so the bartender was running amok and difficult to get a cocktail. Grilled shrimp was DRY and the butter they had drizzled over had solidified since the meal came out cold/room temp. The seafood stew was mostly mussels and seemed more of an appetizer than a main. Kellari chips were decent, if not healthy. Service was pretty good (except for the cold dinner) - attentive - but overall, I was disappointed last night. read more

Kellari will now be one of my go to spots whenever I am in the city. Between their attentive service and authentic cuisine, it didn't fail to impress. They have a wonderful selection of fresh seafood that you can choose from. Personally, I don't think there is anything better then being able to view your ingredients prior to them coming to your table. The hostess was absolutely lovely and greeted us with a warm smile as soon as we came in from the rain, immediately sitting us at our table and offering to help us with our coats. We started our night with the cheese board, Greek salad and grilled octopus...the perfect amount to share with a few friends. The Octopus alone was worth the trip, perfectly tender and seasoned....it wasn't a rubbery consistency that you find at most restaurants. We then moved on to the King Prawn and Lamb, both of which were incredibly divine. The lamb was melt in your mouth good and laid upon a perfectly cooked bed of lemon potatoes. The service was efficient and friendly. Our waiter always made sure our glasses and stomachs were full and satisfied during the meal! If you love Greek cuisine as much as I do, you'll never want to leave this place. I can not wait to go back! read more

NYC is back! Kellari proves it! Amazing service and grilled octopus that never fails!

Amazing brunch!!! Great atmosphere & friendly staff & very welcoming. A Greek heaven in the middle of midtown. Attentive service by the management. Amazing greek fusion cuisine and excellent deserts. Highly recommended read more

Food was excellent however we sat at the bar for our meal however the bartender Yannis was not friendly at all. Great place to go our hostess I believe her name was Stacy was phenomenal. Wish we would've sat at a table. Try the grilled octopus and Halibut soooo good! read more

Food is just okay, octopus is very salty. Yelp check in will get one free drink, I got one, nice. The fish tasted like nothing, no flavor. read more

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Excellent happy hour! Went there around 5 for a quick drink and snack, it certainly didn't disappoint. Hey the trio!

We had a great whole fish and a lobster ravioli with a very good ice cold Greek White wine. The service was a bit slow but we did not mind

I came here for dinner after a show. I really appreciated that fact that they were open around 11 pm. I opted for the post show pre-fixe menu. For starter, I had the spanokita which was okay. For my entree, I had the shrimp with corn. There was definitely more corn than shrimp (about 6). I wasn't a fan of the corn, literally just eat only the shrimp. My date had the salmon croquettes and the fish. I had some of his and it was pretty good and filling. The restaurant itself was really warm and welcoming. I love the fact that they had a display for the fish so you can see what you're eating. The waitress and host were really nice and the service alone was exceptional. I would like to try the whole grilled fish the next time since it was sold out. read more

Kellari is one of my go to spots in the city. As someone with a severe gluten allergy I am very cautious about where I eat. The staff at Kellari is always incredibly accommodating and on several occasions the chef has prepared delicious modified versions of some signature dishes. Kellari is a must for any foodie and especially those who are gluten free! read more

I arrived during restaurant week. I received stale bread as a starter. I ordered the surf and turf, requested the steak be medium rare. I had a bite and thought, maybe I'm crazy, the sauce was okay, the steak was well done. I sent the steak back and requested it medium rare. The new steak okay, but the shrimp were now completely undercooked. The octopus was amazing though. So go for the octopus, and leave immediately after read more

Enjoyable pre show dinner. Service was fine .lamb shank excellent. Ample space between tables. Relaxed dining. Noise level moderate host seemed very stressed only negative. read more

Wow, we just did a get together there today and Wow I was so impressed with the Staff, Sia, Jonathan and Jay, they were amazing. The food, the service and the staff are a 10. Thank goodness restaurants like this exist. Highly recommend it. read more

Amazing dinner tonight at Kellari!!! Best seafood in NYC! We had the grilled octopus, the Lavraki, & grilled calamari was to die for ! Love the greek desserts especially the greek yogurt cake. Excellent service & fun music! Looking to trying other entrees & greek wines. Love the greek music! Opa! read more

My husband and I came for Thanksgiving dinner, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The service was fantastic (everyone was very welcoming, friendly, and ensured we were doing ok throughout the whole meal), food was delicious (husband had the scallops, turkey dinner, and apple pie, I had the butternut squash soup, pasta, and baklava - the mashed potatoes and brussel sprouts were just ok, but the rest of the meal made up for it), and the decor was stunning. I'd definitely go back if I'm in the area! read more

Stumbled into this place while trying to find a brunch place during Veterans Day parade. What a great find! Service was great as was the omelette and especially the Bloody Mary's. Wonderful complimentary cookies were a great touch! read more

Kellari Taverna - Greek Near Me - New York, New York

Subpar overpriced food. Had the executive lunch, truffle fries, octopodi. Exec lunch soup broth tasted like canned or bouillon or some kind of industrial ingredients. Exec fish on top of pea and potato stew was another canned product. Fish was decent, but pea stew was out of a can. Definitely not wholesome ingredients. Truffle fries were not really truffle. The menu has cheap items, but charging like it's blue fin tuna or or caviar. Not worth it for us. The DC location has better menu selection, ingredients and better prices. read more

My husband and I had the prix fixe (he: youvetsi shrimp and orzo, me: sea bass fillet and spinach rice) and both started with a butternut squash vegan soup. Bread was fantastic; hummus really fresh. The food was fantastic and our waiter was attentive without being over solicitous; he was great. Size of portions were great, water glass always full. The only downer: a terrific but overpriced $18 old-fashioned. Would def come here again. From the photos you don't see how beautiful the place is -- actually quite fancy. Coat check was appreciated. Made our pre-theatre dinner feel like a special date. read more

I went to Kellari for dinner with my friends and I had an amazing experience. I ordered for my appetizer a Greek salad with kalamata olives that was delicious. My entree was the aged NY strip steak that I really enjoyed because it was perfectly cooked. The server named Jorge, was amazing, he recommeded us dishes and drinks, we loved the service given by him. I will definitely go again. read more

Wonderful meal, nice atmosphere, a bit loud but festive. The octopus was grilled to perfection. Spreads, appetizers, wine were all perfect. read more

Incredible dinner at Kellar! It was my first time there and I have to say that I was impressed by the quality of the products served. Very welcoming and caring atmosphere. Will definitely come back another time! Thank you read more

This is the 3rd time we've been here and we'll keep coming back. Amazing service, we feel like part of the family. And the food is spectacular, everything we've picked has been great. Thank you! read more

This was my first time dining at Kellari restaurant in New York . Everything was amazing from the moment we walked in , Our wonderful hostess Sia, to our delicious food , We had filet mignon , and chicken souvlaki , with a pistachio ice cream for dessert. The filet mignon was was cooked to a perfect temperature while still maintaining its tender flavor , and the chicken souvlaki came with the best tzatiki I've tasted in long time , the service was also very on point our waiter angel was outstanding , would absolutely recommend this restaurant to family and friends! read more

If you're a corporate weasel you'll love this place. If not, you might agree that the food is mediocre Greek and the decor looks like a Mediterranean themed "model home" in a development in the burbs. I bet you Zorba busts nuts tastier than this chow. _____ read more

From the deleted scenes of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding": _______________________________________________________ Mr. (Gus) Portokalos drives Toula and her waspy friends to school, proudly emphasizing the origin of many English words deriving from Greek. Gus: Girls, give me any word and I will prove to you it comes from the Greeks. Arachnophobia? Arachno - comes from the Greeks for spider and phobia is Greek for fear. Fear of spiders. You see? Waspy Girl: Okay Mr. Portokalos, how about SH!T? Gus: Sh!t....Ohhh, ahhh....Sh!T...[with questioning inflection]? [Pensive pause]. SH!T [triumphantly]. It comes from the Greek name Kellari, which means awfully overpriced, terrible service, and disgusting food...Sh!t. You see girls, every English word, it comes from the Greeks. Toula: Dad...[Hides behind her enormous glasses as all of the blood rushes from her face] *Disclaimer: this was actually not any part of the script, and the characters are not based on any real life situations nor people and any resemblance is purely coincidental. The writers of this movie have not authorized my artistic liberties. +1 Star for Mythos, the Greek beer. read more

DEEE-RISHUS! Restaurant Week was a great time to stop in for my first meal at Kellari -- a three-course meal for $35. Granted, Grandma was picking up the check anyway, but still... First of all, the place is HUGE. It's not a typical NYC restaurant that feels like you're on the subway crammed up to the strangers at the next table. There's plenty of space as the floor extends back past the bar for what feels like an entire city block. Notice the fresh fish as you head to your table; they're packed in ice and just waiting for you to reel them into your plate. And then your stomach. The calamari, which I started with, is not your typical breaded and fried dish. Instead, it's slowly baked in a decadent red wine sauce. I also tasted the seared scallop, which was very nice. Though it's known for its seafood offerings, I was in a chicken mood and got the roasted bird served over feta mashed potatoes. Really it was the potatoes that were calling my name. They didn't disappoint as they were creamy but not overly cheesy. I also tasted the trout, which was seasoned nicely and very good. For dessert, definitely go with the baklava. I had the vanilla custard wrapped in filo dough, and while it was good, the custard was a bit too mild for me. It had very little flavor. The baklava, though, was excellent, while the lemon tart was refreshing on a summer evening. Because of its midtown location, Kellari seems to be very popular with the business and theater crowd, so try to make a reservation if you can. It was empty when I entered at 5, but by 7 all the tables were full. Finally, unless you speak Greek, don't try to pronounce the items on the menu. Just point and say, "I'll have this one." Otherwise you'll sound like an idiot. Like I did. read more

One day after I wrote my original review, someone from the restaurant called me to interrogate me about who my waiter was, what he looked like, what his accent was, etc. He apparently got my number from my OpenTable reservation and called to see if I was the same Mary who wrote that review. Who was my waiter? I have no idea, can't you look at the ticket from that night? Why call to interrogate me? Don't you keep records? I felt bombarded and uncomfortable by this extended experience of Kellari. He also said he hopes I will give them another chance. That's it. No offer to redeem my experience with a discounted appetizer on my next visit or anything. It's okay, though. I wasn't planning on going back. But hey thanks for making that experience extra creepy. And if you read this, please DON'T call me again. read more

This place took 2 1/2 hours for my party to pay our bill, of $2,200 on my BIRTHDAY and never got offered any accountability. Only that we made things hard and confusing. Patrons that entered the restaurant when we 1st were try to pay our bill ate and left before our party had completed the bill. The employees looked around in embarrassment knowing this encounter was a nightmare. SKIP KELLARI read more

I really want to give this place 5 stars as the food is so amazing. Truly I do, but I can't due to one major thing-head hostess. Talk about sourpuss! You can't miss her-bleached blonde, red lipstick and rude as hell. Get over yourself-you make the restaurant look bad with your rude self. First, food. Delicious bread with fresh humus and olive oil. Who doesn't love that?! On my first visit I ordered the eggplant & zucchini chips only to find out that is only zucchini chips (guess they ran out of eggplant). I had the Greek salad but added grilled shrimp to it and a side of grilled veggies. Absolutely amazing. The shrimp were huge and filling. The salad was beautiful with the perfect balance. My client got fish that looked awesome. The second time I went (about three weeks later), I entered and my cousin who was waiting for me immediately complained about the rude hostess. I agreed that last time I had the same experience and shocker-it was the same lady. I wanted the same exact salad since I loved it so much but apparently they can't add shrimp to my salad as its dinnertime. I didn't understand the difference as I would clearly pay for it as I did for lunch but dinner is different. I would have to order two meals to get that combo. I did. It was again delicious. I would give this 5 stars except for the rudeness of the hostess both times. Also, the second time I had two waiters that seemed as if they were competing with each other. I had to give my drink and appetizer orders twice because the second guy said it would be easier from him-so weird. Not sure what it means but the food was so exceptional that I'll go back despite these negatives. read more

"Enter as Strangers, Leave as Friends" So says the sign above the door of Kellari Taverna. This Greek restaurant is a welcome addition to W. 44th Street - a street with many hotels but limited restaurant options. Only 6 months old, it seems like it is already doing a decent amount of business. The space is enormous and well-designed - with big tables and soft lighting - appropriate for a business dinner, pre-theater dinner or a central location to meet a friend. It also looks like a great place to accommodate a large group. The staff couldn't be more nice. From the moment we walked through the door, we were treated with a warmth that is usually experienced only at small, family-owned restaurants, and it seems that they are eager to show off their talents in the kitchen. And talented they are - the menu is full of mouth-watering dishes, either classically Greek or modern versions of the classics. It was a hot, humid night after a grueling 12-hour workday, so my dining companion and I needed some TLC and a healthy light meal. It was exactly what we were looking for. I tried one of the Greek wines, Stelios Kenkris, which was rich and not too heavy - not terribly complex, but a good table wine. Once I had a sip of that, accompanied by the bean pepper spread, bread and olives that they put out at the start of your meal, I instantly felt better. For my meal, I had the Ocopodi and the Green Prasini salad. Octopodi is a dish of grilled octopus that was absolutely wonderful - huge chunks of tender, smoky octopus with peppers and onions is a savory marinade. Such a large portion I was struggling to finish it. My salad was a mix of baby greens and herbs, dressed with a light lemon yogurt dressing, and garnished with sliced tomatoes. Refreshing and delicious, and again, a very generous amount. I will definitely be back to try the flaming cheese, a grilled whole fish (they offer many varieties), or one of their braised meats. Bring your appetite and check out this new restaurant. They are on Open-Table, which is a nice convenience. Appetizers range from $8-10, small plates from $13-15, and dinner from $25-30. Since the serving sizes are so big, it would be a good choice to share plates and get the full range of flavors. read more

Baby, you can light my cheese on fire. Any day of the week. I might have to pop some beano tabs beforehand, but whatevs. For hating midtown as much as anyone can, I love this place. Its big and beautiful and quiet. There are large leather chairs and lines of wine bottles, and lobsters trying to claw their way free from the ice buffet. The spanikopita is heavenly. The feta is the real deal. And no parsley or dill or whatever green stuff they usually put in there, thank god. For my main meal, I got a sea bass appetizer with lentils, which was a perfect portion after so much hummus, home-made bread, and olives. Delicious. I would definitely go back here after a play or if I otherwise found myself stranded by happenstance in that neighborhood where the ny heart beats beneath the feet of thousands of out-of-towners. read more

The decor-beautiful but the service-meh. Seriously-MEH! A bottle of wine will make up for the ridic glasses of wine or cocktail prices. but it's average considerig the hood..... The Octopodi meze-appetizer for $20 mind you....was Okay. Flavorful but bland. Asked for hot sauce. did i mention it was $20.....ehhhh....chew longer to make it worthy. For fish- we wanted Fagri (Greek Islands) Firm tasty white snapper (Limited) & Sargos (Greek Islands) Aegean sea gray bream. But was informed that both of those choices were not available... FISH HEAVEN and you out of FISH, PSSHHHHHHH..... When the menu says limited, I have a feelig everything is LIMITED and the waiter will ORDER FOR YOU regardless so stop wasting your time deciding. Everything you possibly want (Fish Wise) will probably be unavailable... so he suggested the Lethrini (Greek Islands) Red sea bream (Limited) for TWO. was meaty and a really good consistency but again, BLAND.. nothing about the food really makes up for its epic decor and fanciness. However, a side dish. has made up for this restaurant's inconcistency: THE RISOTTO! with wild mushroom and truffle oil! MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM From now, the only dish I will get here if i was to come back is the RISOTTO! MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM Did I mention, the service was MEH? read more

The sommelier's explanation and recommendation for wine was perfect. As was the soup, lobster, oysters, baklava, coffee and service (thank you Andra). We probably will only get to eat dinner out one night while we are in NYC, and I am glad we were able to eat it here. read more

Kellari Taverna - Greek Near Me - New York, New York

Promotions sometimes work. I booked Kellari to bag 1,000 Open Table points and I'm glad I did. The space is surprisingly cozy in spite of high ceilings, and has a farmhouse feel. Although not new by any means, the restaurant is beautifully maintained and immaculately clean. A young co-worker and I both chose the three course $26.95 prix fixe lunch. I started with the Cretan meatballs, which our waiter assured us were hand rolled "with love." I have to agree with him. The three ovals were tender, sparked with cumin, and surrounded by a chunky tomato sauce. My main course was a daily special of baked halibut on a cold vegetable medley, including cauliflower, which is an atypical Greek ingredient. Dessert was galaktoboureko, a stiff custard wrapped in phyllo with an apple infused honey sauce. My companion had the spanikopita appetizer, the lobster ravioli (not exactly Greek either) and the baklava. Everything was well prepared, fresh and generously portioned. Our server was delightful if a bit hyperbolic. He assured me that my dessert was the best in the universe, which, even if true, would be hard to quantify. But his enthusiasm was contagious and we felt well taken care of and well fed. In other words, just what lunch should be. read more

I'd probably give Kellari three and a half stars. Our group met over here before dinner one night for early evening drinks, mostly because it was convenient to where we were staying. The scene at happy hour was definitively Midtown suits and the cougars who claw for them, but that was just great eye candy for our relatively younger party. Anyone who knows my love affair with dudes in business suits would appreciate the crowd, I'll leave it at that. Our waitress was ok, she kind of screwed up a few of our orders (gin and tonic, instead of vodka, that sort of thing), but was nice about remedying the situation. One of the main highlights of this place is that they give you free cheese and bread and olives during happy hour. Being a Greek restaurant, I've got to say that the quality of these items might be reason enough to return (and probably to actually sit down for a full meal). Wow, back in my younger years, I think I would have made a meal out of it! So is Kellari anything fantastical? Probably not, but if I somehow found myself in the Twilight Zone and was nearby again, you might just find me in there, sucking on an olive or three, and who knows maybe even sporting a tie for the occasion. Opa! read more

Been this restaurant so many times and tried so many different dishes. I liked their Langoustine (special) and steak. The service is great! read more

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The food is good and the service even better. The hostess was very gracious to accept my last minute reservation and modifications. Found the ambience nice and cozy. read more