Nick's Bistro serves seriously good Greek food, and you can tell the whole team takes pride in what…read morethey do--from the servers to the cooks and manager. I went on a quiet Tuesday and basically had the place to myself. They even showed me around the back, which was pretty cool and made me appreciate the operation even more. I tried the lemon stuffed cabbage because I wanted something besides the usual gyro. Remember to always eat your vegetables! The decor is great for a date, great lighting. I found plenty of street parking. It is a place that clearly cares about what they serve.

Intimate and cozy, this is where the locals of Forest Hills come to enjoy delicious Greek fare. The…read moreservers are all very attentive and helpful with suggestions. Came with some friends for lunch. We all got various combinations of the mixed plate and an order of fried calamari. The calamari was lightly breaded in a flaky batter that brought out the flavors of the squid. Cooked to perfection it was tender, not chewy. As for the mixed platters, we had lamb gyro and the souvlakis as well as the lemon potatoes and fries. The lemon potatoes were perfectly seasoned and had a nice tartness to each bite. The lamb gyro was tender. The chicken souvlaki being moist and flavorful is the barometer for the level of detail that goes into every plate served.

Safir was an amazing experience. The food was incredibly fresh, flavorful, and thoughtfully…read moreprepared. The grilled octopus is a must-have, and the lahmacun and mixed grill were outstanding. The bread and bread-based dishes were light, fresh, and delicious. The staff made the experience even better--they were warm, attentive, and knowledgeable, taking the time to explain the dishes and make great recommendations. We left satisfied without feeling overly full. I highly recommend Safir and will definitely be back.

My Turkish husband and I were meeting friends for drinks in LIC but we were super early so I…read moresuggested getting a quick bite at Safir, because we always like to try Turkish places and we hadn't been here yet. After our visit, I was left lamenting "why did we wait so long to come here?". We came in early on a Monday, before 6:00 and the place already had several tables full. We received a warm Turkish welcome and quickly settled in with menus. Our quick bit turned into mixed appetizer (hummus, babaghanoush, muhmmara, haydari and pink sultan), followed by sigara borek and lamacun. Everything was so good that we overate! I was full after the mezzes but the lamacun was so good...among the best we've had in the NYC area. Service was great too. Just a nice vibe with the friendly owners stopping by each table and saying hello. It was clear there were many regulars eating here and we anticipate more visits ourselves. They have some nice images of Istanbul on the wall and we were just in Turkey a few weeks ago so it felt like we were back there! This place is really a gem and I highly recommend it. Just make sure you bring your appetite because you will fill up when you eat here!

Everything was genuinely good! My son ordered the Jalab and Lebanese pasta, while I got the passion…read morefruit drink and the El Toum salad. We shared the baba ganoush and the semolina cakes, which were on the house, and everything was delicious. The portions were generous, the flavors were spot on, and it was all very reasonably priced.

Incredibly delicious. We ordered the lemonade, falafel(with hummus and baba), the lamb and the…read morewalnut baklava,

Went last night to a wonderful fundraiser at this restaurant last night…read more "Cocktails for a Cause", which raised much needed dollars for Life's Worc, Garden City NY, for individuals with special needs. It was spectacular! The owner DONATED, YES DONATED everything! The food was so delicious and the atmosphere was perfect. They opened the restaurant just for this event! They will be opening for business shortly, please visit. You will not be disappointed.

The food is good but pricey. I really like the fish,…read moreoctopus and chips. The service is fine. It is a nice restaurant.

I came here a bit ago and have been thinking of it ever since as I am not from New York. I was here…read moreon a bachelorette trip and this was the last restaurant we stopped at. I'm so glad we did. It was wonderful. Some of the best greek food i've ever had. The service was lovely. Thank you to Daniel. My friends and I ordered a bunch of stuff on the menu and it was absolutely wonderful. There is also very delicious complementary dessert. It is a small restaurant so it's very tight. Everyone is kind of crushed together. The food is a bit on the expensive side but absolutely worth it. I can't wait to come back one day. Amazing experience with wonderful food and service!

I came on a Saturday night and it was BUSY! We were only a party of 2, and luckily there was a…read moreseating available at the bar with full menu service. If we wanted to get a table in the main dining room, the wait was estimated to be over 2 hours (we went around 8pm), so I highly recommend making a reservation if you plan to go. The staff were very quick with service and very friendly. We were offered toasty bread with some lemon and an olive spread while we waited for our food (which also came out super quick!). We ordered the octopus and lamb chops. The octopus was incredibly tender, the meat was very soft - I personally would've preferred a little more bite to it, but it still tasted good. The lamb chops were flavorful. The medium here is on par with medium rare at most other places, and one of our pieces was borderline rare. At the end of the meal we were also offered complementary desert, which was a pleasant surprise. We enjoyed our meal overall, but just know that it's a little on the pricey. The octopus and lamb chops came out to $80~ pre-tax and tip. Would recommend if you're a fan of seafood!

Maria's Mediterranean has definitely become one of my favorite spots on Long Island. I've been here…read moremany times, and my usual orders--the Grilled Chicken Breast, Beef Souvlaki, crispy Calamari, or the small meat platter--are consistently fantastic. There is something truly special about their seasoning that makes every single dish amazing. What really sets Maria's apart, besides the incredible food, is the outstanding hospitality. Maria and her staff treat everyone like family from the moment you walk through the door. It's that rare, warm atmosphere combined with consistently delicious food that makes this a place I always look forward to returning to. Food (5/5): Consistent and amazing. The seasoning is excellent, whether you're getting the juicy grilled chicken, perfect souvlaki, or the crispy calamari. Customer Service (5/5): Exceptional. Maria and her team offer the kind of genuine hospitality that makes you feel like part of the family. Decor (4/5): Warm, inviting, and comfortable--the perfect setting for a great neighborhood spot. Price: Around $35.00 per person.

I had been wanting to try this place and what a better day than a Saturday lunch afternoon on a…read moredouble date hehe. I was also crazing something lighter and Mediterranean so this fit the bill. On to the food, the sole and dips were the only thing we tried that was worth getting frankly. The chicken souvlaki was def the worst thing we ordered. It was too charred and completely dried. Just not an enjoyable entree. The sole was yummy but did not blow my mind. The Bifteki was good but not as good as the sole. It was on the pricier side. 3 entrees, 1 app was over 120$. The interior and staff were great! Unfortunately, I don't think I will return.

Chef Rafaeli helped me plan a beautiful engagement party he carefully helped me curate a menu that…read morehad so many different options for all dietary accommodations and everything was so fresh delicious and the service from the waiters was top-tier. Not only that, but he was with me every step of the way when planning the party he gave me suggestions and advice for music, decorations, desserts table, and so much more. I would highly recommend doing Events at Rafaelis Palace if you want a smooth process and for all of your guests to enjoy the delicious food.

Enjoyed the whole dining experience Our server - son of the…read moreowner Gave us some v tasty recommendations His Dad Owner/Chef came out to sit with us made us feel like family ( the good kind that is -lol) Good food Nice people Would highly recommend for lunch Dinner or a catered affair And the venue is very nice as well

Yesterday, along with a bunch of others, I braved the smog (blame Canada) to go to this Algerian…read moreseafood place. It was pretty quiet inside, outside of the TV playing somewhat loud highlights from the World Cup on loop (why,) with the servers and staff being helpful and friendly. In comparison to the other pick-your-own seafood spots like AbuQir or Hamido, the spices are a tad lighter here, being almost closer to Astoria Seafood, minus the olive oil. I didn't mind, though, as the fish was all fresh and perfectly prepared. To drink, our table stuck with water, though there are a few mocktails and some sodas, including some Algerian ones. They put down some simple bread with a bit of garlic and herbs, which was refilled. For non-seafood dishes, we had a few. The first was the $8 Hmiss, or Hammis, a dip made with roasted pepper, tomato, and garlic sautéed in olive oil. The warm dish was earthy and garlicky, and went perfectly with the bread, with the flavor reminding me of a warmer version of some Turkish eggplant dips. There was also the Peasant Salad for $12, with cucumber, tomato, red onion, and Kalamata olives topped with feta, oregano, and dill. If you're familiar at all with Horiatiki/Village salad, it's basically the same thing, though with crumbled feta instead of a block, and it was refreshing and tasty. Finally, we eventually got an $8 side order of Basil Garlic Mashed Potatoes, which were decent. The first seafood to arrive at the table was the $16.99 Algerian Sardines, which consisted of sardines from Morocco with a spice mixture. The man in front recommended them fried, and the portion was nice, and the flavor was excellent. The fish was fried perfectly, with the bones fried enough that the entirety of it could be eaten. This was delicious, and one of the highlights of the meal. As we loved these sardines, we eventually got a small order of the other option, the "Marinated Sardines" from Spain. These were a bit more expensive by weight, being $10.56 for 0.48 pounds, but by comparison, these were much flatter and larger. The half pound consisted of three large pieces, which were broken down and divided among the group. While I slightly preferred the spices from the Algerian version, I liked the texture of these more, as they were more meaty. I don't think you can go wrong with either, as both were excellent. There was also one pound of Mussels for $17.99, which was available in one of two cooking preparations, Moules Marinière or a version with tomato sauce, herbs, and feta. I went with the latter, and they were excellent, with all of the mussels being open. The feta added a unique, slightly salty touch, with the broth being delicious. They had brought us out some extra bread, and we made good use of it. If I were here alone, I might have this along with some sardines and leave very happy. We also got two whole fish, which were both ordered grilled and butterflied. First was the Dorado, or Orata, for $29.24 for 1.54 pounds. As is typical for this fish, it was delicate and light, but had plenty of flavor. The other was the American Red Snapper, which was a bit more expensive at $37.90 for 1.58 pounds. By comparison, this fish was a lot thicker and therefore, a bit more flavorful. We enjoyed both, with a slight preference going towards the cheaper fish for most outside of me and one other. Another highlight was the Scallops for $37.23 for 0.98 pounds, which came out to 14 large pieces. As recommended, we got these sautéed, with the scallops coming in a delicious garlicky juice on the bottom with plenty of other herbs. The scallops were tender while staying plump, though I slightly preferred the more caramelized tops at AbuQir, with these having a more uniform texture. The rest of the people liked what I couldn't eat, the $24.99 Octopus for around half a pound. The octopus came out pre-cut, which made splitting it very easy. I can't comment much on the flavor or saltiness as some other reviewers brought up, or else I'd be in the hospital right now post-anaphylaxis, but people liked it a lot. If you don't want to bother with the lines or crowds at the other fish spots, I would highly recommend going here. The fish is fresh, perfectly prepared, and seasoned just enough to highlight the natural flavors. I would go back.

Le Petit Pecheur is one of those Mediterranean seafood restaurants where you select your fish and…read morechoose a cooking style. The prices of the seafood were not displayed. They do reservations but there were plenty of tables available on a Saturday afternoon. The service was ok; they could have been more attentive in refilling the water. The chairs were a little rickety and the bathroom door would not lock. Food was pretty good though. Complimentary bread is provided with free refills. The eggplant dip was good and garlicky. The fried calamari had a light breading and was delicious with the two dips (no marinara though). I wasn't fond of the grilled shrimp as the char made it slightly bitter. Sauteed might have been a better choice. The grilled branzino was light, delicious and slightly garlicky. The sauteed scallops were delicious and were my favorite. It was cooked perfectly tender with a delicious sauce. The rice was nicely flavored and a good side dish for the meal. I preferred this to Hamido's except for the grilled shrimp and bread. The seasoning is lighter than Hamido's (which can be overly salty) but I think it compliments the seafood better.