First of all this place has been recommended from many friends so I decided to come try it out. Upon walking in, I could see that it was a full house tonight and we were a party of 3. The wait was for several minutes but the gentleman at the podium taking people to their seats were keeping us company by stories and laughs which was very pleasing. We also were able to just place the order down so once we were seated our food was already on the way. Super excited for the food. Had ordered the lamb souvlaki cooked medium and hummus and pita bread. When the food came I was super pleased because the meat wasn't gamey at all, the lamb was cooked perfectly medium and extremely tasty. My overall experience for this visit was great. Customer service was a plus and with a yelp checking we were given a free glass of wine. Super happy for that and grateful for the manager to supply us with jokes and stories while we waited for the table to be ready on such a busy night. read more

Maria's Mediterranean - Lamb kebab cooked medium - Seafood Near Me - Bayside, New York

It's hard not to compare Maria's with Avli. Two Greek cuisine restaurants within throwing distance of each other: Avli being a little more "blue collared" and easier on the wallet, and Maria's being more polished and commanding the higher price. They're both wonderful restaurants and we're lucky to have them. Maria's Mediterranean is a pretty restaurant. The two times we've gone here, the service was beyond stellar. It was impeccable. Studied, and impeccable (the service at Avli is just as warm and friendly, but maybe not quite as impeccable). So what about the food? We've been to both restaurants twice. So far, I wouldn't say that either restaurant has the edge food-wise. Both restaurants are fantastic. That in of itself might say "Go to Avli's because it's cheaper" but part of what you pay for the dining experience is the ambience. Maria's is a place you'd take a date to impress. Avli might be where you'd go for the food only. As I try each restaurant a third time, I'll try to update this review with Keftedes: A Fried meatballs. Nicely spiced, fresh, vibrant. My stomach is grumbling even thinking about these babies. I'd order them again in a heartbeat. Lemon Potatoes: A- If you're going to a Greek restaurant, these need no introductions. They're fresh and not overcooked, the way lemon potatoes can often be. Nice lemony overtones without being overburdened by lemon. Avgolemono: B- Ouch! This should be one of the best things on the menu. It was a nice soup, but was sorely lacking lemon. There was almost no lemon flavor. Comically, my mom asked for a plate of lemons, squeezed a few slices into her soup, and made this B- soup into a A- soup. Shame... Ding! Shame... Ding! Shame... Ding! Spanakopita: B- As with the avgolemono soup, this also should've been a home-run, but wasn't. It was in bad need of a sharp feta cheese. I felt the spinach could've been cooked more, and I prefer a crispy mille-feuille crust on spanakopita rather than the pie version. Crusty pastry outside works better with the spinach. Lamb Shank with Orzo: A- This was a special, so it's not on the regular menu. A divine cut of meat, that's for sure! Soft, fatty, moist. Delicious. It was in a tomato-based sauce, which was slightly weird, but it worked. The overall spice was something I, to this moment, can't put my finger on. I'm dying to know. I wasn't absolutely crazy about it...the sauce had a somewhat dull and heavy character. Maybe too much bay leaf? Not sure. I teetered between B+ and A- on this one. Fillet of Lemon Sole: B- A sad, lonely dish. Hopelessly bland, and at $22 a plate, I'm angry at myself for not sending it back. It doesn't seem like a lot of effort was put into making sole, which is a $12 fish, into a $22 meal. It needed to be propped by something to make it flavorful, like capers. maybe some extra sauce. Maybe something should've been put on the plate to make the fish less lonely looking. read more

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The food was absolutely outstanding! We had grilled octopus, feta saganaki, Maria's oysters, stuffed portabello, spinach pie, and fried zucchini. Every single time an app came it out it was better than the next. Service was great. Food was great. Next time saving room for dessert! read more

Maria's Mediterranean - Maria's Oysters - Seafood Near Me - Bayside, New York

Always a great dinner! Calamari melts in your mouth and the portobello mushroom is beyond delicious!!!!

Ordered from Uber eats and never again! I ordered grilled chicken got steamed frozen vegetables from a bag smh I could of did that myself at home however I don't eat "frozen vegetables "....that's a disgrace coming from a "restaurant " ...... read more

A big Efharisto to the "The Chopped champion chef"for their award winning dishes. From appetizers, the pita bread and companying chick peas in tomato sauce, to the Seafood salad, then Tender beef ribs kokkinisto, and Baked egg plant with lamb stew, complemented by my first glass of Fix, We had a delicious palate satisfying indulgence. We liked the environment and of course what I share here we will he my next 5 star review on Facebook! I have had many great tasting Greek food in Queens, in Bayside, and this is among my big smiles and stretched out bellies. I was really quiet and wife knows that's when food tastes good. read more

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Really enjoyed the food here. I heard the owner/chef won on an episode of Food Network Chopped! Definitely order the grilled octopus. It's probably one of the best ones I've had. The chicken and beef souvlaki were very juicy and flavorful! read more

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Yep, place is real deal Greek food. Seafood was fresh and well prepped. Pastichio was divine. Normally not my fave. Menu has a good selection of fish, not just shellfish, which rings true of a great Greek spot. Will have pics for my next visit. Not much to say here other than all the press from Chopped is well deserved. read more

The service was outstanding. It is helpful when the servers are able to articulate the nuances of a menu and are confident enough to give a personal recommendation . The halumi app was delicious. The fish was tasty and perfectly prepared. read more

I want to let you guys know never go to this place for dinner or anything because I see things you don't want to know but I will tell you guys, first the fish was too dry and it looks frozen for days and they take it out when I order and the second thing is I saw the guys in the kitchen don't use gloves when making food and personally I think it's disgusting!!! Cause we still in the pandemic and some other people don't use mask and they don't have a hat to prevent hairs in the food it was bad experience for myself and my family. read more

I wanted to like this place. Celebrity chef. Free parking after 5. Nice decor and ambiance, and the menu identifies many items as gluten free. As it turned out, the Bifteki was mushy, like it had too much bread crumb. The flavor of both the patty and the dip were dialed down to a level of meh blandness. The pork Souvlaki was dry and tough. Perhaps just overcooked, but then that's also unacceptable for a reputable Greek kitchen. I have had too many succulent souvlakis in Queens to overlook this. The best dish was undoubtedly the octopus appetizer. No complaints about taste or texture. Just the $22 price, for something that is widely available at the same quality for $18 in Astoria. The beef souvlaki--at $24 vs. $16 for pork--was a much better cut of meat and also very enjoyable. I'm glad I tried this place, and will work my way down the list of other Greek restaurants before coming back. 3.5 star average for the inconsistent quality of food. Half star taken off for steep prices. read more

This was my first experience at Maria's. The service was very good. We ordered keftedis and fried calamari for appetizers. They were excellent. Very fresh and delicious. We ordered the lamb souvlaki, pastitio and shrimp scampi and fries. The souvlaki wasn't anything special, the pastitio was very good but really-frozen vegetables as the side? The scampi was good and came with lemon potatoes. They did serve the French fries very late in the meal. So late we were done with our entrees. We decided not to stay for coffee and dessert. The lunch menu is not available on Sundays. I think they were overpriced for lunch on Sundays and should offer their lunch menu. The environment is very nice and quiet - very relaxing. Overall I would try it again but do lunch from Monday through Saturday. read more

This place had the best chicken souvlaki that my husband's ever had. My grilled squid was also very Smoky and good. Next time we'll have to try their scallops. The servers were so very pleasant and helpful. The food is however, what will bring us back. Hats off to the chef. No wonder she won Chopped!! read more

Maria's Mediterranean - Grilled squid with vegetable rice. - Seafood Near Me - Bayside, New York

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Maria's is a great Mediterranean restaurant! A little further down Bell Boulevard, the competition is high in Bayside. There are a ton of Greek restaurants in The area but I would consider Maria's just as comparable. The restaurant is quite cozy and the decor makes you feel like you're right at home! When I went, I ordered the baked clams (yum!) IG: @twomorebites read more

The quality of food does NOT match the price. Everything tastes like its frozen food.

This is my new favorite Greek spot. Everything we ordered are delicious! Staff is very nice too. Their price is not that expensive but quality is really good. I will definitely recommend everyone to try this place. read more

Maria's Mediterranean - Grilled Octopus, definitely a must try! - Seafood Near Me - Bayside, New York

Went back again tonight and WOW! I didn't think it could get better. The host (maybe the owner?) was so nice to us when we went in (make reservations!). He even ended up doing the heimlich on a customer (everyone was staring off into space, but he came and saved the day!). Back to the dinner- We got tons of appetizers and a meal and everything was spectacular. Definitely get a salad (so fresh!) and the baklava! Yummmm!! Service was great, everyone was so nice. Highly recommend Maria's!! read more

My friend had purchased the Groupon deal for $25 which includes dinner for 2 covering an appetizer, 2 entres ( under $20), 2 desserts, and 2 glasses of wine. My friend had a called in advance and asked if ok to use the groupon deal during lunch. They said no problem. Upon our arrival, our waiter John, also stated no problem and suggested that we order from the dinner menu to make our deal worthwhile.. The restaurant is nice and spacious. Even though we came at 1, we were the only patron. As soon as we sat, we were offered water, our white wine (meh..), bread, and marinated olives. We ordered the the fried calamari for appetizer, i had the lemon filet of sole with greek fries ($19) and my friend had the salmon filet with the greek fries ($19)... First the fried calamari ($10)...it came fairly quickly....the texture of the calamari was strangely over tender and borderline mushy. the breading was not bad but it was quite oily. I am not sure if this is because they did not fry at high enough temperature or they didn't drain properly or what but anyways it was just too oily! We waited a while...like 15-20 minutes for our entree....which was quite strange since we are the only table in the restaurant and i can see at least 3 cooks in the kitchen...We joked that they needed to defrost the fish...i do think that was the case... The lemon filet of sole was GOOD. tender, flaky, and the lemon butter sauce was delish. The greek fries was ok. they were just fries cut in a different way, round slices ( like pringle style) with some white cheese ( i think mozzarela?) shaved on top. Since they only gave minute amount of cheese, i couldn tell what kind of cheese it was. My friend's salmon was average and nothing to write home about. After our meal, when we were ready for our dessert menus, the waiter came and announced that he was giving us a dessert "on the house". He said it was very deliciosu and it's an "apple....." i forget the name that he called it. There was no asking for our acceptance nor did he offer us the dessert menu. It was simply, they are presenting us this "apple" dessert "on the house" and that was it. When we got our dessert, it was either 1/2 or 1/3 slice of an whole apple poached in some liquid, with 1 or 2 raisins. This is something that i would never order but ok, whatever it is "on the house" . But I am confused by the "on the house" statement. Our Groupon deal includes 2 dessert of our choosing which you have not allowed us to order. Instead you have forced this apple dessert upon us. If the apple dessert was truly on the house, then that should been served to us IN ADDITION to the 2 dessert we would have ordered and not INSTEAD OF.... Anyway, the tactic is clear that you simply did not want to shell out the dessert. By this time, the restaurant had 2 other tables including ours makes 3. Our water was never refilled...i had to ask for my water to be refilled and then had to remind the waiter again. Our bill came and the total due is 12.90. The tax is based on the menu price the tax was 5.xx and there is an 18% gratuity ( based on menu price) of $7.xx automatically added on to the bill so total due was 12.90. Usually you get a steal from the groupon deal but in this case, we paid $25 + $12.90= $38 For $38 bucks there are 101 OTHER places in bayside to dine for way better food and value. read more

Great food, definitely NOT regular Greek food but delicious. Nice atmosphere. Highly recommended. What a pleasant experience. Delicious Greek fusion food with an attractive atmosphere. We didn't know what to expect with this new restaurant on Bell blvd. The word "fusion" threw us off a bit. There was no need to worry. It was delicious Greek food with a nod towards lighter tastier much less greasy food than some Greek fare. I had the pasticcio and my wife had the stew on rice. It was delicious. Highly recommended. Service was good and not rushed. They even gave my wife a long stemmed rose for Valentine's Day. With all the choices on Bell Blvd., this one is definitely worth trying out. read more

The waiters were talking amongst one another, not attentive or friendly. Large selection is n menu but portions were small. Not the best Greek in town. Food was adequate at best. read more

The most friendly staff everrrr. Our workplace ordered delivery from Maria's and the lady who took our phone call was SO charming. It was a great delivery phone-call experience haha. On top of that, the food here is banginggg. We got the meat platter for 4. It was HUGE! We couldn't finish it and it was 5 of us. The meat platter had bifteki (ground meat patty), pork chops, grilled chicken breast, beef, and sausage, including pita bread and tzatiki sauce. We also got the Greek salad, vegetable rice, steamed vegetables, and lemon potatoes. Everything was on point. Best Greek food in Queens! read more

Maria's Mediterranean - Meat platter for 4, Greek salad, vegetable rice, steamed veggies, and lemon potatoes - Seafood Near Me - Bayside, New York

I feel like I was robbed! This place was so overpriced. The octopus was chewy and lacked in flavor. The head waiter was rude to a young lady because she was taking to long to make her way out of the restaurant because the table was needed for another party. She yelled at him that the service was poor and the food took too long. I won't ever go back here and I definitely won't recommend this place to anyone. I'll leave a copy of the receipt so you can judge for yourself! It was so uncomfortable to be eating there due to the lack of space on the table. This was a poor choice for the night! Next time, I will go to Astoria for Greek food! Kyclades has way better prices and quality! read more

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Dinner with a girl friend! Dinner done right. We got: Baked clams Octopus salad (one big tentacle on a bed of greens) Spinach pie Beef souvlaki Galaktoboureko Everything was delicious. Service was outstanding. Waiter was super cute and super friendly. He just had the best personality ever! They bring you pita bread and olives in olive oil before you order. Wasn't crowded at all on a Tuesday night. Great little find in Queens and I would recommend. read more

Bayside is turning up its restaurant heat... Watch out. The gold standard for Greek food in NYC remains Taverna Kyclades in Astoria. Hands down. I use it as my litmus test. However, it's not easy to get a table there and the location is not convenient for us. When visiting my in-laws in Bayside, we often choose greek cuisine. We used to dine exclusively at Avli, due to the Yelp ratings. However, today, we decided to change it up, so we went to Maria's. Such a great decision. Let. Me. Tell. You. about two items that blew me away: 1) Maria's Oysters: I have never put anything in my mouth that tasted remotely like these. Pure decadence, flavor and delight. Blown away part 1. 2) Lemon Potatoes: Hot damn. These are the best greek potatoes in NYC... *Better* than Taverna Kyclades'. They are thick, browned on the outside, warm and luscious on the inside with the perfect dose of lemon. The other food was good (i.e. horiatiki salad, antipasto sampler, baked clams, stuffed sole...) but still not at the level of Kyclades. There was one true disappointment - the Galactoboureko dessert. All 5 of us thought it was pretty bad, as it's a family favorite (one of those dishes we order in the heat of a political discussion - because we all melt and agree that we can agree on our love for this). They serve it in triangles instead of cut from a pan - so the ratio of bread to custard is off... there is WAY too much phyllo. Taverna Kyclades gives it to you on the house each time you eat there and it is perfectly divine! Even Avli's galactoboureko, which is down the street from Maria's, is much better. Overall, Maria's food is a notch above Avli, it's neighbor and competitor. However, the galactoboureko at Avli comes about ahead. Why not dine at Maria's and head to Avli for dessert? read more

Maria's Mediterranean - Maria's Oysters are from another planet. Please go just to try these. - Seafood Near Me - Bayside, New York

Food is amazing!! Service was attentive, knowledgeable and courteous. We had a wonderful experience and even a " novice" to Greek food found some new treats. read more

Took my Granddaughters and their mother to Maria's and they were very impressed with the delicious food and Maria's visit to our table which made them feel special because of the fact that she is a Chopped Champion. It's really great living in New York and having access to really fine dining like Maria Mediterranean. read more

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Amazing food! Amazing service! Fresh always. The only thing is they are a bit pricey but i love the food

Great food and great service! Got the Groupon deal for 3 entrees for two with two glasses of wine They have amazing grilled octopus! A must get! The was grilled crispy on the outside and the inside so soft... For entree we had the salmon and the seabass. Both were flavored very good. The salmon was seasoned well For sides, the steamed vegetable were flavored with vinegar, which tasted kind of odd and the vegetable rice wasn't as good For dessert, they gave us baked apple, which was just ok The waiter was also very nice and attentive. Kept on coming back to make sure we were ok and gave us recommendation over the food Overall a very pleasant dinning experience. Will definitely be back again read more

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I now have eaten here twice. Once with just my wife and son, and the second time was with my parents and my cousin and her kids. The staff is very warm and friendly. The staff keep saying its a family restaurant. The are not uptight if the kids are loud for a moment. It's not a fast food Greek take out. It's like going to Astoria for Greek food but still staying near home. The food is really good. For appetizers the saganaki (greek fried cheese) is great. The grilled octopus and broiled oysters are also worth trying. The Mousaka is really good. It's firm so each fork full gets a little potato,eggplant and ground meat. It doesn't fall apart. The baby lamb that is cooked on a rotisserie is amazing. The lamb doesn't have a strong lamb taste and the skin is sooooooo crispy. Also try the fresh potato fries with cheese. I will return here to try even more good food. read more

Maria's Mediterranean - Seafood platter for 2 - Seafood Near Me - Bayside, New York

Went here last Sat with a friend for lunch. When we arrived we were the only table there but by the time we were done lunch time had really picked up. We ordered a few things from this Chopped Champion's menu and we were not disappointed. The food was good quality and priced right. I got the Grilled calamari lunch special with lemon potatoes (which were really good not a lot of herbs to overpower the lemon flavor which I like - that's the whole point). My friend got the seasoned pork chop which was also great. We had the Keftedes appetizer - which were juicy and ample portioned. My only regret - that I didnt get to try the Ekmet dessert as it's a fave of mine generally and would have loved to compare but I was running late!! lol. If you go here you will enjoy your meal and will feel satisfied both in your belly and your wallet! read more

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We ate at Maria's on a Saturday night with a large group. Although it was crowded they were still very accommodating and got us a table right away. The food was excellent. We shared the octopus, the steak souvlaki, lobster and a salad. Service and food were on par. We all enjoyed a relaxing evening and look forward to going back the next time i'm in the neighborhood. read more

Delicious! Vibrant flavors! Who knew grilled chicken could be so tender, bright and flavorful! Every detail is done well. Hot, fresh pita bread, served with a meze of black olives, marinated carrots and lemony chickpeas! The lemon potatoes are a delightful balance of fresh lemon and crispy edges! Thick, well seasoned tzatziki compliments everything. There is a question of what is sweeter, the homemade lemon pie or Christian, the awesome waiter and daddy to cutie, Sebastian! (I happened to be a customer when Christian and family were expecting baby Sebastian). It has been a couple of years since my commute brought me through bayside and it is delightful to see that Maria's has only gotten better! read more

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Stumbling on Maria's was one of those happy accidents that foodies love so much. We made our way to Bayside with the intention of dining at Avli. When we passed Maria's, I noted the large banner over their awning proclaiming their rating as #1 rated restaurant in Bayside on Trip Advisor. After being told there would be a 20 minute wait at Avli, we found ourselves seated at Maria's. Their signage reeled in two customers in for the evening. Our wonderful dining experience solidified us as two regulars for the future. Everything we ordered was delicious. Between us, we sampled the calamari appetizer, spread sampler, stuffed flounder, chicken souvlaki, lemon potatoes and rice. I consider myself something of a Greek cuisine connoiusseur. It ranks among my favorite types of food, and I've sampled a wide variety of dishes at restaurants throughout the city. Everything was well executed, and perfect in it's simplicity. Service was on point. Our waiter was knowledgeable and attentive without being overbearing, and management was friendly and courteous. I'd also note that everything on their menu is extremely reasonably priced, especially when taking into account the generous portion sizes. We ordered the large caraffe of wine, and were stunned at it's size as it certainly wasn't reflected in it's price.Additionally, I noted that while their menu had all the standard Greek fare you'd expect, they offered additional items not normally present at this type of restaurant, like their baked clams and broiled oysters. Try the desserts as well. They're all made in house, by Maria herself. read more

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Authentic Greek family restaurant - as seen on Chopped ! Clean food, family atmosphere, personal service - indoor and outdoor dining options and takeout. Always top quality food and service. read more

Food quality ranged from average to mediocre, but the service at lunch was atrocious. Despite there being a bartender and a server and no other patrons in the restaurant we were unable to get water refilled. The waiter forgot to bring the dolma appetizer we had ordered. My Greek seafood salad was a strange combination that featured lonely bits of seafood mixed with some veggies smothered in some mysterious sauce. read more

Definitely worth a try. Very good Greek fare and good service. I went on a Sunday night. Wasn't crazy about the Lemon Chicken Soup, but very good Octopus Salad, lemon potatoes, Lamb Souvlaki, black striper fish, good atmosphere and Greek soundtrack in the background. Only weird thing to be aware of was that, while my $25 restaurant.com certificate was accepted without question, it was applied after tax was added, and by hand (in pen) waiter deducted $23, oddly. I didn't say anything until he charged my credit card based on the original (pre-discount) amount. I pointed this out and he fixed it, no problems, apologies accepted. He mentioned the error on his POS... that it disregards a discount when he splits the bill in half to charge two credit cards 50%. I don't think there was any fowl play intended; just pay extra attention when you get the check. read more

Definitely family style and large portions. Thankfully our waiter was able to caution us. Got the meatball which was a bit dry according to friend. The fried cheese which is a specialty was good but salty... I ended up putting it with a piece of bread and it was good. Complimentary olives platter and bread was nice. My son devoured the octopus!!! Salmon was delish.. perfectly cooked and seasoned. Lamb shank was good. Lots of gravy... a bit too much for my liking. Came on a bed of orzo. 2 people portions. Great for sharing. Greek salad was good, not fantastic. read more

Maria's Mediterranean - Salmon. - Seafood Near Me - Bayside, New York

Love the service! Quick, efficient and super friendly! Tables are separate by dividers and lot of outdoor dining if you prefer. Free wine with Yelp check in! Food was amazing, everything was flavorful and well presented . Portions were great! We had so much left overs from the spires we mezze platter ! Definitely worth the price! The grilled octopus was alright and tzatziki was great! Would definitely recommend for a easy dinner in bayside! read more

Maria's Mediterranean - Meze Platter! - Seafood Near Me - Bayside, New York

I came here and placed an order to go. It took about 25 to 30 minutes for my food to be ready, but it was worth it! I had the Chicken Souvlaki and it was excellent. The chicken was juicy and it went with the rice and vegetables perfectly. I'll definitely be back here, and maybe next time, I'll dine in. The Shrimp and Scallops on their menu sounds good, so I even know what to order next time I visit. read more

I love Greek food and in Bayside you have many choices. I have dined at Maria's three times and each time it gets better and better. This is my hands down favorite Bayside Greek restaurant. The service is warm and attentive. The photos around the dining room are authentic family photos. I learned last night that the family is from Northern Greece close to Bulgaria to the cuisine is more meat driven than seafood. That does not mean their seafood is secondary, I have had their Shrimp Mykonos and swordfish which were amazing. Their spreads are the best I have ever eaten. So fresh and bursting in flavor. I highly recommend this family owned and staffed restaurant. Great value and delicious food. read more

Maria's Mediterranean - Clay pot appetizer. So delicious. - Seafood Near Me - Bayside, New York

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