I am very picky with Greek Restaurants as I was living in Greece for a few years and don't like food that is "greeklike", but the food at Kellari was simply awesome and as Greek as it can be. The octopus, fish, everything was the best I had in years. Professional and polite stuff is just a cherry on top of the cake of Kellari's experience! Definitely will go again! read more

I'm leaning more towards 3 1/2 stars because of the salad that I ordered & the ill-flushing toilet. The salad was a chopped salad with tiny bits of feta cheese. Honestly, the flavor was okay but I was expecting chunks of feta-not microscopic bits. I got the price fix 3 course and I think that it was a bargain with nicely sized portions. You can't complain about the service or the staff-all very good and friendly. Perhaps the best part of the meal was the baklava and for that alone I would give 5 stars for that part of my dinner. I've tasted baklava from a genuine Greek mother who made it for the staff at the hospital every year for Christmas and it tasted exactly like what I had at this restaurant. For that reason alone I'm recommending that if you think that you love baklava go here and ask to sit away from the bar (too noisy for my taste). read more

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

In NYC? Times Square? Walk 1 block and try this place. Great lamb and everything has an outstanding Mediterranean flavor. Superb!!!

Absolutely Stunning ! I had a wonderful experience with my friends a couples of days ago ! Grilled sea bass was delicious ! The Greek waiter Sisois made us feel so comfortable and he recommend us the most delicious dishes ! Thank you Sisoi ! See you soon read more

Really good greek inspired food. Had dinner here with colleagues. Starters included greek olives, cheese and crusty bread. That's all I need for a good time but the menu called. Chose the shrimp with orzo in tomato sauce. Shrimp were good but orzo was overlooked. This was a small ding as I loved everything else. Service was very good but not fawning. Great atmosphere. Can't wait to return. read more

not very attentive service, food was ok and overproced. will not go back. The flaming cheese was cut into chunks, not how I am used to having this dish. the greek salad was all oversized tomatoes , cucmbers abd feta cheese and no lettuce. ugh.. I won't go back. read more

Came here for a work celebration lunch and good thing we had made a reservation because the place was packed. I was surprised by how many people come to such a fancy lunch but figured that was evidence that the food was going to be great. I must say that the appetizers and bread dishes that were brought out at first were terrific. My coworkers had taken care of choosing and ordering those as they have dined here before and they were really excellent. My favorite were the zuchini chips, but the tomato dish with feta cheese and cucumbers was quite good as well. my main course was not good at all and that is why I minused a star but that may just be personal preference. it was a lamb kebob (from the lunch menu) but tasted more like a bad hamburger to me. I didnt try dessert or coffee but my coworkers did and remarked on how excellent the coffee is. This place is too expensive for my budget so I likely won't be back unless my job decides to treat us again soon but if you can afford it, i would definitely recommend trying the place. just stay away from the lamb! read more

Amazing charcoal grilled lobster! It's so flavorful that you don't need the butter. They have very tender calamari. Very fresh seafood and they have a ice display where it you can see the seafood for that day. read more

Kellari Taverna - Seafood selection for that day - Greek Near Me - New York, New York

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Put it this way , when it is good it is pretty darn good, and when it is bad it is very, very bad. You never know what you are going to get. Last time, the whole fish came to our table already filleted and cold as ice. When we pointed it out to the expediter, he left all the side dishes on the table and took the plates of fish away. They returned 10 minutes later with hot plates of cold fish and now, cold vegetable remained on the table to accompany it. Yuk. And the waiter was surprised and spoke to the manager and they took the fish off the bill and gave us desert we did not want. Yuk. Don't go here unless you are going to the bar. You mAy leave hungry and disgusted.... read more

One of my favorite restaurants in New York City. I make sure to come with the fam every time. We loved the halibut and salmon dishes. read more

Kellari Taverna - Salmon with lentils and beets - amazing! - Greek Near Me - New York, New York

Kellari's a fine place. The wine list is good, the host courteous, the food top-rate, the clientele reeks of money and travel. There's just not much else to say about it. read more

This restaurant is a must! Warm, amazing food & the staff that runs it is like a family. Chef Pavlos went the xtra mile to please everyone. The manager was very gracious & very accommodating. . The food was incredible & the Bougatza dessert u have to try. Unforgettable evening & a true Greek experience ! read more

Summer menu had lots of Gluten-Free options. I had the octopus (meze) & sautéed spinach on the side. Absolutely terrific. It was very rich and almost heavy from the oils... plus the dish is pretty large. The waitstaff is terrific and asked me about my allergies in great detail. Less in the tone of tell me what if wrong with you so I don't mess you up, and more in the tone that they genuinely cared. I loved my dining experience here! read more

Very disappointed by my pitiful experience at Kellari. I ordered off of the pre fixe menu at 6:45 because the waiter said we could. HOWEVER we were charged for each item individually. Had we had known, I would NOT have ordered that much food and would have ordered the octopus my dad had that was delicious, instead. The meatballs and fish I had were subpar and cold. I didnt really enjoy either dish and just pushed it around on my plate. The waiter essentially tricked us. I wont be returning. read more

Overpriced yet presentable. Fresh yet typical. Complacent yet longing. The description above is the best way that I can personify the dining experience at Kellari. I am a huge fan of greek fare and back home I have many spoiled experiences that I can brag about to other foodies. Yet, the refreshing part about Kellari is the atmosphere and the lovely decor. As far as food - the menu and its selection were made of "safe items" in terms of traditional greek food. The spice and richness of the fish and beef dishes could have used some help but you could tell that everything was freshly prepared. I would come here for a work related lunch or after theatre dinner considering the neighborhood selection but I would not go out for a special trip. read more

We stopped in for a quick round of apps a refreshments. New bartender Rocky makes a killer frozen Rose. Super refreshing on a hot day. Stop in and ask for it! read more

I went to Kellari Taverna on a platonic date (is there such a thing?) and both my friend and I were in the mood for Greek. I'm a big fan of Pylos and Thalassa, but we were looking for a midtown location close to our work, hence we figured Kellari Taverna would be a perfect choice. The atmosphere was lively/electric and decor was beautiful, however, that's the only good thing I can say about the restaurant. The service was so-so and I was disappointed in the food. Given that the bill was over $130 + tip, you would certainly expect much better. To start, we ordered the angus meatballs and calamari. The meatballs were rich in flavor, I'll say that. The calamari was slightly a step above the quality found at a Jersey diner (maybe I'm just spoiled and had some great calamari at those diners? haha) For my main course I ordered the black sea bass. It tasted fresh, however, the way it was cooked almost eliminated any flavor. It tasted very dull for my palate. The presentation was nothing special. For dessert we shared the baklava. Although good, it was not much better than the baklava that you can find in Astoria. As a restaurant alone, I would have given it 3 and a half stars. However, given its price and other Greek choices in the city, it's with regret that I give Kellari Taverna only 2 stars and if you're looking for a Greek restaurant in midtown, I suggest Milos instead. read more

Came here for lunch with an alumni from my college and I was very impressed with the service and food. Got here at 12:30 and had a reservation, so we sat down immediately. We were able to quickly decide what we wanted to eat - start with a greek salad to share, and I got the salmon and she got the sea bass as entrees. Immediately after we ordered our waitress brought us bread with hummus and olives, and only a few minutes later our greek salad was ready and on our table. The salad was perfect to share - it had two larger chunks of feta cheese and plenty of large pieces of tomato, cucumber, onions, etc - perfect for trying different bites of food. Our entrees took a bit longer to come out (but by no means too long) and they were absolutely delicious. The sea bass was huge and cooked perfectly and my salmon was cooked just how I like it - crispy on the inside, but tender and a little rare on the inside. After our entrees we each had a coffee, and our waitress brought us some complimentary little cookies to go with it. The whole meal took around an hour and a half and we were taking our time to eat - we easily could have finished in an hour our less if we had eliminated the coffee or the salad from the meal. Our waitress was very attentive as well and checked in to see how our meal was and make sure we didn't need anything consistently throughout the meal. All in all, the restaurant is a little pricey, but the atmosphere, service, and the food is completely worth what you are paying. Would recommend for anyone who loves seafood and greek food. read more

Gone Greek. I would have given only two stars because of the poor customer service, but the food was decent enough to warrant 3. Even though I made reservations for Kellari Taverna two weeks in advance, we had to wait for over 45 minutes when we arrived! Every single time I asked the hostess for an update, she told us "Your table will be ready in a few minutes." Well, those were some pretty long minutes to say the least. Surprisingly, though, it was packed for dinner on a Thursday evening. The crowd consisted mostly of sophisticated-looking executives in suits. Maybe their reservations included an expensed $100 "tip." For appetizers, we ordered the octopus, calamari, scallops & beets, and greek salad. For our entrees, we had the sea bass, salmon, shrimp and seafood yiouvetsi. We indulged in the housemade ice cream for dessert - the flavors (fig, espresso and hazelnut) were sweet and savory. We enjoyed the relaxing ambiance and lovely decor. The seafood was fresh and well-cooked but I have had better elsewhere. Honestly, the food was pretty good but not great. Even with the restaurant.com $25 gift certificate, I still think it's overpriced. read more

My friend and I came today for Sunday brunch during restaurant week. Upon being greeted, we were notified they "might be out of some of the menu selection "!!! Ok, we sat down, the waitress was very sweet, but out of the very limited menu options, they were out of half. We asked for the full menu, and were told they weren't serving from the regular menu, and this version was all they had. When we finally picked out what we did want, out of the left over options, they brought one of the entrees (poached eggs laid on lump crabmeat and pita bread) without one of the main ingredients, the crabmeat!!! I brought it to their attention, they took it away to fix the mistake, and bring back substituted tiny leftover pieces of smoked salmon!!! They were completely unprepared for restaurant week and we absolutely felt like second class citizens! read more

Very disappointed. Arrived on time with an Open Table reservation. Host couldn't find it in his computer and made us stand there for eight minutes even though the restaurant was half empty. Then we showed him our confirmation email. Then we were seated. Greek salad was very good. Spinach phyllo was cold and tasteless. Grilled fish was ok but had a lot of bones. Lamb chops were excellent. Service was appreciated--waitress tried hard to please. This is an expensive restaurant and the greeting and food quality should be higher. read more

Do I even have to check a star for this place? Got a seat right away which was promising, but just as soon as we were seated we didn't talk to a server for another 15 minutes. The server, when he finally showed up didn't introduce himself and wasn't apologetic for the slow service he was providing. Our whole table of seven almost left because the service was so poor. I recommend you not go to this place if you are in a hurry or if you are looking for a high level of service. read more

Not only beautiful, elegant decor with a cozy atmosphere but incredible food and service! I had an amazing experience. The tomatoes in the Greek salad were so flavorful and fresh. The bread is delicious and the olives they give with the bread (olives, sliced radish and hummus) were interesting. One was larger and more wrinkled. It had a very dense and super salty flavor. A kind of olive I had never had before. I loved it! The Halibut dish was remarkable! That fish was so succulent and cooked to complete perfection! Prices are a little high, but well worth it as the quality is there. OH...and when you check-in on Yelp, they give you a glass or Prosecco! I can't wait to come back! read more

I got the lamb chops which was a great dish. It was cooked perfectly with great flavor. Just wasn't overall a life changing experience.

It was easy to get a reservation for a Valentine's Day dinner. Upon arriving there we were greeted with a smile and offered to pick a table. Our waiter quickly brought bread and water and took our orders. They were offering prizes fixe menu that night as the only option. So, clam chowder was ok. Lobster risotto was over salted . Both grilled octopus and tuna tartar were not good. My main dish - lamb chops were very bland and lacking flavors. The bottom line is that for $110 per person we received mediocre food , good service and two complimentary classes of wine. Not planning to return. read more

My first visit was extraordinary. I had the lunch pre-fix menu and everything was amazing including the atmosphere and the service. But last Friday we had a really bad experience. First of all the waiter was extremely pushy about upselling which made us so uncomfortable. We weren't so hungry so we ordered bunch of appetizers and one main dish and we also had 4 cocktails for a group of 2 adults and 2 kids. Spicy Margarita was literally just a plain margarita and when we asked, our waiter said it's spicy margarita and left. We had to ask another waiter which I knew from my first visit (he was truly amazing) and he was so polite to offer to make it spicy. I know what spicy margarita is and I highly recommend you to upgrade your plain drinks with spicy rim salt, adding spice etc. I had really high expectations and it was a total fail. We paid almost $250 and we stayed for like little more than an hour so I don't really understand the pushy almost judge attitude as if we were not spending enough. Food is good in general. Definitely overpriced especially the grilled shrimp which was tiny 3 shrimps for like $25 I believe. read more

Love the decor, Mediterranean sea bass and pita with various dips. Come here often and can't wait to come back.

Kellari Taverna is a beautiful Greek restaurant in midtown. A large wooden sign above the entrance way greets you with the motto, "Enter as strangers, leave as family". While I scoffed at this cheesy slogan upon my entrance, I really did feel differently as I left the building later in the evening. The large L-shaped bar was full of people sipping large glasses of wine and sampling authentic (and free!) Mediterranean cheeses, breads, and olives. This communal snacking experience relaxed the highbrow mood given off by the high ceilings, classy decor, and stuffily dressed business diners. The wine list was spectacular and included many by-the-glass options, like the sweeter Cabernet and Tempranillo. Though we had a reservation at the packed restaurant, the hostess graciously let us postpone our seating to enjoy some wine and cheese at the bar. All we had to do was approach her an hour later, and we were immediately granted another table. The service was very accommodating throughout the evening, and the manager even stopped by to check on the meal. With all of this praise, I am sure you are wondering about my 3 star review. I would definitely rate this as more of a three and a half star, but, regardless, I just felt the food could have had a bit more flavor and a bit less sauce/spice. When I go to Avra a few blocks away, I am greeted with simple but fresh ingredients. I felt that Kellari spent too much time overcompensating with the seasoning. The Kellari Octapodi (grilled octopus salad) appetizer was a bit too oily and oniony. The imported whole Lavraki (mild Mediterranean bass) was fresh, but bland. The Plaki (Chilean sea bass) was served in a dense tomato sauce with onions, capers, and potatoes. The fish was ironically drowning in a sea of bland tomato goo, and I could do little to save it...I was frustrated that their food took on such extremes - either boring or too intense; there was nothing that was "just right". Well, until we arrived at the dessert course, that is. The Bougatsa was composed of a sweet semolina and ricotta custard wrapped egg roll style in a crisp cinnamon phyllo dough. It was accompanied by a scoop of fig ice cream so realistically full of fig essence that it even contained large pieces of the seasonal fruit within it. My friend and I celebrated the meal with a group of her friends who I barely knew. As we sampled each other's dishes, we bonded and really left as friends as the sign suggested. I really enjoyed the atmosphere, menu selections, service, and reasonable prices of Kellari. I just wish they were better able to enhance the true flavors of their dishes. read more

Solid Greek food in the black hole that is midtown. A friend and I shared about 4 of the mezedes: the eggplant & zucchini chips with tzatziki dip (delicious!), Melitzanosalata- traditional roasted smoked eggplant spread (good), spanakopita (good), and another mezede which escapes me now. The food is good, but the restaurant and the prices were just a bit too fancy for my taste. I've always associated Greek food with a homey mom and pop shop, so the cloth napkins, upscale decor, and glassiness of the whole place was a bit disconcerting. Nevertheless, if you're in the mood for some good Greek food while in midtown, this would be a good choice. read more

I came here for restaurant week & was pleasantly surprised! Pros -will sit you prior to entire party being present -4square checkin gets you a glass of champagne & our waitress gave us a whole bottle between 6 girls -without hesitation split our bill 6 ways on credit cards -food is prepared quickly Cons -no bottle service, only half bottles or carafes of wine. (carafe = 2.5-3 glasses) -the food is authentic, but pretty much no one is Greek/Mediterranean in this establishment On to the food: First dish scallop with pomegranate risotto- by far the BEST dish of the meal, I wish that was my entree. The scallop is perfectly seared, and juicy. The risotto was superb Second dish, Mousakka- a Greek casserole of ground beef generally with pasta on top & a cream layer. Here there was no pasta, just the cream. I happened to have forgotten what Mousakka was & made the mistake of ordering it. They did a great job preparing it, but it's more standard fare, not a fancy RW order... Desert, the honey cake with fig ice cream. I am accustomed to this cake being set in a sweet sauce to soak up the flavor, but rather it was dry... My friends orzo entree looked great & the beef was not a filling portion. The chocolate torte was amazing! I was a little disappointed with the deserts as they weren't too Greek with the exception of the baklava. 1 RW menu, + a glass of wine after tip & tax=$60. I'd cone back again, plus they have nice prix fix menus for before/after shows read more

I'm a Mediterranean from Marseille, so I can be very critic about this type of restaurant. But I have to say is one of the best sea food place. I love it. I went there many times and I can tell by my experience that the service is excellent, the place is well decorated and always full. The fish is always FRESH and you will never have issues. It's what I ask for a sea food restaurant at first. When you ask for Gambas or tiger shrimps, they delivers shrimps of 6 inches, not 2 inches like most of places! The "loup de mer" (sea bass) is well calibrated, with premium cooking and taste like in the best restaurants of the French Riviera. Also, the Lamb is one the best I had ever seen in any places, taste like in the south of France. Just worth it for everything. If you come from the south of France, Italy, Greece or around the Mediterranée, you will have a good chance to recognize the taste. read more

I was there last night for light dinner with a friend. As usual, the restaurant is a pleasure with a spacious feel, very good service, and excellent fresh food. The hummus and olives is a nice touch - very good. The waiter recommended their Greek white wine - similar to sauvignon blanc - very delicious. We ordered the Greek Salad, grilled octopus, grilled shrimp and that was perfect for both of us. Other people that I have introduced the place to all love the restaurant and have been repeat visitors. When the restaurant was full, we were still able to carry on a conversation. Even though it is near time square, it is out of the tourist-crowded areas. read more

This is such a fantastic spot. Great ambience along with fabulous food. Really enjoyed my evening and would recommend this restaurant to anyone. read more

Just had the most delicious meal - definitely one of the best Greek restaurants in NYC! The staff was incredibly friendly and helpful, the ambiance beautiful, and the food and wine perfect. I highly recommend the Lavraki and Baklava - they were absolutely delicious! read more

Pros: Nice environment, waiters are friendly and responsive Cons: the Food. Extremely underwhelming and so overpriced. we came here for valentines day, and they were only offering a fix menu ($85 pp). Appetizers were okay, for the main course, we got the Astakos Hillopites and the a fish dish, and we couldn't even eat half of it. Felt like we just threw over $200 out the window. Even for the dessert, we didn't have any options, they just gave us the dish without consulting about food allergies. I wouldn't reccoment this place to anyone read more

My wife and I love Greek cuisine, having had the joy of sampling it from chefs throughout the States and in Greece, among other spots. Pavlos, the chef at Kellari, is a wonderful artist and great technician, honoring the food and even designing new and delightful tastes for traditional favorites. We enjoyed (oh so much) the country pie (the best version of spanakopita I recall ever having); a succulent, perfectly prepared and very ample octopodi dish with a fabulous hummus accompaniement; a very fresh and also generously portioned Greek salad with an exquisite homemade dressing; mousaka kroketes which are a different and intriguing turn on my favorite Greek dish; a perfectly prepared and seasoned Branzino, and a delectable homemade dessert. Just can't recommend Kallari enough. Not only delicious fare, but a very nice bar and fun ambience. Go there!! read more

I dined here earlier this week with Carino and we opted for the Pre-Theatre menu (he shared his Baklava dessert). I ordered the Sardine appetizer with the Roasted Chicken entree and both were OK. I hadn't anticipated the Sardines being served whole, bones and head attached...and the waiter didn't mention it being served as such, so I was surprised! The Chicken was huge and a bit overcooked, but delicious. My piece of Baklava was very yummy. The restaurant was crowded but we sat in the back, so it wasn't very noisy. The wait staff were pretty attentive but we could tell they were busy. I'd definitely recommend eating here, especialy pre-theatre, since they're very good at getting you out of the restaurant on time. read more

I came here for lunch on a weekday. Everyone was wearing business attire so I felt out of place wearing a hoodie. The place is pretty fancy shmancy but not overly so. My group all ordered the lunch Prix Fixe meal. We started with a salad (shredded lettuce with what tasted like Kraft ranch dressing) and grilled squid. The latter was pretty tasty. As my main, I ordered the grilled chicken with green beans. The chicken breast was very dry. Another person ordered a seafood burger which was quite bad. The buns were stale and the fries were cold. Dessert was good though. I had the Yogurt Cake which was soft and moist. Someone else had the Baklava which was also good. Service was attentive. A decent business lunch place. read more

Have been there once, I ordered lamb burger and it was good, the girl I went with had a frozen tomato in her salad, not the best thing to happen. Another girl from work goes there all the time and likes the Greek salad and grilled calamari every time and loves it. I went her again for a business lunch and had a more diverse meal and everything was very good. We started with a tzatziki and pita, it was nice thick Greek yogurt and very tangy. We also had sea bass fritters that we on a bed of hummus, they were lightly fried and very tasty. For lunch I had lamb salad, it was served with fried eggplant chips, and a Greek baba ganoush. It was really good. The Greek baba ganoush was rich, smoky and tasty. Than lamb was cooked well. I am glad that I came here again, the overall meal was very good, and improved the first review I gave it The service was a little spotty, but the entire restaurant was packed for lunch. The restrooms are tucked away to the left of the bar and offer roomy private stalls. Clean and stocked, a nice restroom situation, 4.5 Flushes. read more

I had the vegetarian mousaka, which was really tasty and light. I sat at the bar and partook in the unlimited massive tray of olives which acted as my appetizer. Coupon was honored again, place seemed quiet, but still had plenty of customers. Prices are a bit high here, but everything they serve is quality. Not massive portions, but normal sized portions. I forgot was those were. it was nice enough for me to go back a second time. read more