This'll be a simple review. The service was great, The Frozen Mojitos (I had 2 ) we're refreshing, the Feta Cubes had a great combination of sweet and savory with the honey drizzle, and the Wagyu Saganaki Burger with Fries was unique and filling. Also, a great busy atmosphere with really fun music. To all reading this review... Go there! You won't regret it! read more

My favorite place to eat Greek in Astoria ! Great ambiance and the food is amazing! Never fails this place is my go to

Online, this place seems to have a great presence. The in-person visit however is MEH at its best. Boring menu, blase decor and a wait staff who would most definitely rather to be doing something else. If you need something easy on 30th because you are hungry and desperate than ok, otherwise there are a billion other options that are just so much, much better. I would skip this place. Anyone who thinks this a Greek restaurant in Astoria worthy of a visit hasn't had good Greek. read more

I tried this place to take advantage of the happy hour. However, the bartender failed at informing me which drinks were included in the offer, and I ended up paying full price for a below-average draft. Quite inconsiderate and unprofessional. Won't be coming back. read more

Nice chill and man those feta cubes rock!!!! Service is great. Would recommend and I'm totally coming back. Love sitting outside when I can.

This place has a great fresh fun atmosphere. i have eaten at the bar as well as at a table with a big group. The service is fairly good and the dishes are creative. read more

Good happy hour specials during the week ($4 beer, $5 wine and $6 cocktails). Great outdoor seating and friendly staff. The food is solid though the menu could be a bit more specific in its descriptions. Overall a good local place to visit! read more

One of my favorite places! Grilled octopus is to die for, amazing drinks, great ambiance, hip dj, cute owners, friendly staff, good service and reasonable prices! Perfect for a date, family dinner, girls night out or just a drink. read more

Tried out this new-ish Astoria spot for brunch on July 4. Sat on the sidewalk -- comfy chairs. $14 gets you a meal plus a drink (mimosa or bloody mary) plus juice or coffee. The Bloody Marys were nice & spicy. The Ovelia Omelette was not your typical omelette (eggplant, walnut, & peppers were placed on top of the egg, not mixed in -- still tasty). My mom ordered one of their tiropita sandwiches (chicken, halloumi, tomato) -- looked delicious. The homemade sausage got good reviews, and I liked their option of braised fruit in lieu of home fries. Coffee was disappointing - more bodega than cafe, but I would definitely go back to this place for brunch or a drink. Service was nice and low-key -- didn't feel bothered. read more

Best Lamb Skewers Ive ever had, love coming to this place. Never disappointed with their food. Great place for drinks and dinner. When Im in the mood for Greek I go to Ovelia's. read more

I give this place three stars because the food is amazing however the wait staff can use a personality adjustment. My girlfriends and I go to Ovelia often they have great brunch the food there in general is great. We will usually sit at the bar because the bartenders treat us extremely nice they are very friendly the Waiters on the other hand could use an attitude adjustment. We did go there on rib Wednesday and had a blast at the bar. The ribs are amazing. They also serve an amazing Jam during brunch which is homemade.I wish they would sell the stuff because it is delicious. read more

I know this place keeps getting great reviews but my husband and I were extremely disappointed when we ate dinner at Ovelia. We were made to wait a long time for a table and the hostess was very ineffective. She also gave us an attitude while we were waiting to sit down. Once we were able to finally get a table, the service was extremely slow and not very helpful with making suggestions of what we should try. We waited over a half an hour before our food came out and it was only so-so. No one could even be bothered to refill our water glasses! We eat out a good deal in Astoria and after this experience I would not be inclined to go back. This would NOT be a place I would recommend to others wanting a positive food and service experience. Better luck next time. read more

The food is amazing, the staff lovely, but the service was a bit slow. That aside, I'd definitely return.

Good startd with fried feta with sesame. The egg Florentine with spinach pie was very good. The salad was not tasty enough and too small. The restaurant has nice decoration. read more

I'm giving this place 0 stars because of its quality Food is just horible and over priced. Staff is rude and just don't care Strongly recommend everyone to stay away!!! read more

one star for the friendly waitress and one star because the spritz was good. negative experience with the hostess (although she could have just been a waitress, not sure) and as soon as we were seated next to the loudest table in the house, any shot at a decent conversation with my company was ruined. we waited a few minutes for our server, and then moments later a loud, large table was seated next to us again, repeatedly bumping into us, who were VERY clearly VIP. immediate attention, lots of special care that was blatantly obvious. our food took over a half hour. no update to our food, no apology. luckily, this friend of house table next to us got the gold treatment that perhaps I could receive if I were a respected customer. their food arrived to the table in ten minutes. as for us? we begrudgingly ate our mediocre food because we were already 45 minutes into it and were very hungry. i've heard good things, but i suppose only a select few get the "5 star" treatment. i'll never be back. read more

Absolutely love Ovelia!!! One of my favorite spots in Astoria. Great food, all fresh ingredients (you can tell by the delicious Greek salad). Peter, the owner, is always around and making sure his patrons are enjoying themselves - great guy. Very cozy atmosphere with indoor and outdoor seating. My personal favorite is the Greek salad, kolokithokeftedes (very tasty and light) and calamari (cooked perfectly - NEVER chewy like some places). Definitely a must visit read more

I went to Ovelia just recently for dinner. I liked the outdoor seating and did not expect too much from their food, but I was very pleasantly surprised. They have a wonderful menu, very diverse selection. Prices are very fair. Their "cold meze", which mostly consist of dips, are absolutely amazing. The only bad part is that they come with small plate of pita bread and they charge additional money for extra bread. Our other dishes were excellent, their meat is tender and well seasoned. We tried Greek wine, both white and red and loved it. When it comes to their service, it was a bit slow later in the evening, but I think it is mostly due to the fact that they don't have enough staff. The place was quite busy, all tables inside and outside were filled. There seemed to be only three servers, which was not enough, but they still managed to be polite and attentive. I will definitely go back to this place and I highly recommend it to all fans of Greek food. read more

Not worth it. There are better food options with sensible prices, and a more laid-back friendly staff than this restaurant. Astoria is continuing to grow and evolve it's restaurant culture, and I would definitely recommend other newer, fresher restaurants on 30th avenue than Ovelia. I've eaten here a few times, and the food isn't bad, but it is overpriced for what they give you. And my biggest complaint is the overall vibe. They seem to take themselves too seriously, so as a customer I never felt the human experience, that neighborhood spark that makes me love eating in Astoria. It's clear this place wants to be relevant in the neighborhood, but if you're looking for a dining experience you will enjoy from the good impression and experience you have, don't waste your time and money at Ovelia. read more

I've been here a few times and some were better than others . With that being said the sangria here is really freakin good !! The burger was good too . The kebab wasn't anything special . Got a cool trendy vibe and def . A good date spot . Pricey . read more

I'm just not feeling very generous because I know brunch in NY can be so much better. Especially for $15+ bucks. Admittedly, I ordered an extremely gross omelet - beet and goat cheese. I must have put some drugs in my coffee or something, because who orders that? But they seriously had like 5 brunch options! Lammmmesauce. You did get coffee AND a mimosa or bloody mary with your brunch, so kudos for that. And they did have this crazy delicious "hot fruit" side which I could have just eaten a giant plate of. I don't know. I like sitting outside and seeing cute dogs but not enough to eat another beet and goat cheese omelet. read more

Ok I don't really remember much about this place beside coming here last week w/a friend from yelp. We had small bites from Sweet Afton already so I wasn't really hungry but we came here to change scenery. First off, we order 2 shot ouzo which wasn't that bad and we order something to eat but I honestly can't remember. Anyway we were having so much funny that I black out. I think my friend black out too so somehow I made it back home in 1 piece. Anyway the next day I got one of the worst hang out and later on I talked w/my friends and she told me that we had like 7 shot total or each...I can't remember and she only knew about it because it was on her credit card. LOL Anyway it was a good nite of having fun without remembering anything. I can't really say anything about the food here or the service so I am going keep this at a ok.......funny sh$t! lol read more

I can't believe I never tried this place before. This review is just for bunch, who h was fantastic. Clever and tasty Greek-infused dishes will keep me coming back. The shredded steak and eggs was huge and delicious. The feta bread was delicate and savory. Bloody Mary was solid. Can't wait to try dinner. Great service to boot. read more

My favorite restaurant in Astoria. I love their chicken , their spanakopita, pares piano. Every time I try a new dish it's always tasty. Ovelia never disappoints. The decor is also very nice if you want somewhere to go for a special occasion. I highly recommend this place. read more

I had been hearing great things about this restaurant, so I decided to check it out. I went on a Friday around 3pm. My boyfriend and I started with the Buffalo Style Fried Calamari, which was basically fried calamari in buffalo sauce, it was good, but not something I would come back for. I ordered the Salmon Burger, which came with a small soup, I got Lobster Bisque. My boyfriend ordered the Tuna Salad Sandwich. The lobster bisque was delicious, the best part of the meal. The first thing I noticed about the Salmon Burger was that it smelled like hot dogs, which I thought was odd. I then tasted it, it was not good at all, I believe the patty used was frozen and the accompanying sauce was rather spicy. The tuna salad sandwich was very dry, but the sweet potato chips were great. Although there were a few small things they got right, my Salmon Burger really turned me off. read more

So I just wrote out a long, favorable review but then when I had to log in Yelp deleted it. So rather than retype the whole thing I'll summarize -- all the food was delicious, service was great (we sat outside behind the bar so we ordered from the excellent bartender) and we'll definitely be back soon. read more

Never been, but the reviews looked good and we decided to brave the parking and go last minute. Nice atmosphere and good looking decor. Excellent food. We had a few dips, Greek salad and spanakopita, the salmon and the kebabs. All were really good. Topped off by nice service (thanks Max). Will definitely go back. read more

Went here for brunch this afternoon and our waiter was honestly a facetious dick. We thought we paid for an hour and a half of bottomless drinks. Our waiter spilled one without bringing another; he told someone in our party she had to "wait until enough people ordered to fill up a pitcher" to get another one. He then told us our time was up after an hour. The food was good but did not have the level of service you'd expect given the hundreds of other places in Astoria we could've went to. Will not be going back. read more

this place disappointed big time for Saturday lunch. servers disappeared constantly of which there were only two for a busy place. we were talked into ordering an extra plate of bread by the server who said the pita that came with the order was small yet the eggplant dip we ordered was a disportionate small amount that looked and had the consistency of cat food. now being stuck with too much bread, the greek salad I ordered had fig pieces in it that were moldy. we are seasoned diners and will not be going back there. read more

It all started as a simple dinner a good friend of mine, Evanican'tspellhisname R. Now, I've never really had a good vibe about this place, I live a few blocks away, and have yet to try it. BUT my friend pleaded, so off we went. We sat outside, awkwardly sitting in between two tables. We ordered a round of drinks Malbec and the Pama Fusion and the hummus plate. Malbec= delicious Pama Fusion=leads to cavities. Although the hummus was delicious and came with a delicious whole chickpea concoction, the pita was cold and when we asked for more pita, it took a good 15 minutes before someone realized we were still waiting for the pita. We then ordered our main meals, Evan ordered the Lamb Fig Kebab and I ordered the Stuffed Chicken Breast (which by the way, they will warn you it takes "a very long time to bring out"). After about 20 minutes, the waitress comes out and informs us that the Lamb Fig Kebab is not longer available due to a "miscommunication error"... Not sure what exactly she meant by that because she then informed us that although that dish wasn't available, other lamb dishes were. Due to this "miscommunication error" Evan ordered Monastiraki Bifteki and we received a free round of drinks. As she walked away, I noticed one of the servers there close all the umbrellas and close the awning entirely... this would have been splendid except IT WAS ABOUT TO RAIN. Being the gentleman that Evan is, he opens the umbrella for me so that I can be sheltered from the pending doom that is wearing white shorts in the rain. Within one minute, the server comes back and closes the umbrella, stating that although it is, in fact starting to rain, the umbrellas were not allowed. Although i understand completely that this can be dangerous pending the wind, but so can an angry mob of greek people and a woman in white shorts. Next time, seat people inside once you noticed the wind and rain, prior to getting people wet. That may just be me and my peculiar way of thinking. As I fought with the server, the manager comes out and seats us inside. Sitting inside was great, especially when you sit near the kitchen and you see employees walking out picking their teeth. The décor inside is amazing, not only was there a picture of Jesus being crucified with the words "home depot" above his head, there are also mannequin legs with tutu's on and apparently on their menses as red paint is dripping from their lady-bits. HOT. To make this excruciating 2-hour epic story short, we receive our dinners only to find that they messed up Evan's order. MISCOMMUNICATION ERROR. Apparently I had the last plate of rice in the entire establishment so Evan was stuck with fries. After talking with the manager our meal was cut in half- nice gesture for a crap experience. Maybe it was a busy night. Maybe there was no fig, or lamb or rice. Maybe the mannequins were having their period and Jesus' crucifix was bought at home depot. All in all, go here on a sunny day, make sure it's not windy, and ask if they have enough rice for the day. read more

I love it here. I enjoy the outdoor and indoor seating. Their menu has a lot of options for all. The waiters are hospitable and fast. I came for brunch and had the Apple Tiropita Toast Sandwich. That sandwich hits all the tastebuds. It's sweet, salty and savory. I would come back just for that. read more

This was my second experience at Ovelia. The first time was for dinner and it was delicious. Then I just went there for Brunch and was equally impressed. The Feta Cheese with the Greek Honey is a must order. I will be going back for brunch and dinner again. read more

We visited Sept. 9 for dinner. I wanted to introduce the gf to haute Greek cuisine, and Ovelia not only filled the bill, it filled both of us, and made for an excellent first date. We had reservations, but at 8 pm on a Thursday they were unnecessary. Our greeting was warm and friendly, even though a subway malfunction made us late. We chose the outdoor seating. The tables on the broad sidewalk fronting 30th offer a fine cafe feel of being part of the bustling community. Around the corner, the bar is also open to the street, with stools to accomodate those who like tobacco with their drink. We started with appetizers, the Tiria Pikilia ($15), a sampling of broiled cheeses (feta, kefalograviera and halloumi), and Xtapodi Stin Sxara ($12.5), octopus braised in red wine and grilled). Both were such large portions they might have easily been entrees. The octopus was memorable, with the crunchy exterior of its grilling perfectly suiting the tender, succulent meat. Of the broiled cheeses, the feta did provide the night's only disappointment, being abnormally salty. Still unsure what to order for dinner, we consulted the extensive wine list. The gf had a blush, I a glass of Athiri (both about $8/glass), a fine Greek white, quite dry, very much like a Chablis, easy to recommend. Fine food, fine wine, the whole neighborhood strolling by, people shopping, talking, two young men flirting with a laughing girl, a cop car busting illegal right-turns on the corner: a lively and lived-in atmosphere. Our entrees followed. I chose Garides Ovelia ($23), shrimp wrapped in eggplant, roasted, then baked in a tomato-sauce casserole, then broiled with chunks of feta atop, and served with rice and orzo. A rich, hearty, and delicious dish, and huge: these shrimp truly defied their name. Blended with the other flavors, the same feta was much less briney. The rice is served in a side dish, however, requiring the diner to mix it theirself; if you choose any of the Casserole dishes, you might want to request otherwise. The gf decided on the grilled-pork Hirino Souvlaki ($12), and like everything else we had, it was tender and tasty, and enormous. Not easy to cook pork medium rare! Despite the truly staggering size of all the portions we somehow mamaged to demolish everything. But it was too fine a dining experience, and too enjoyable, to just go. Coffee and dessert had to follow, and once again Ovelia showed its dual flair for deliciousness and overkill. We both sampled Greek coffee ($3, double $5), much like the better-known Turkish, yet at Ovelia somehow both more robust and more smooth. The gf is a slight, slim thing, only 5'3", so no dessert for her, but I had to try the Banana-Nutella Crepe ($7) another Yelper had mentioned. Yet another huge plate of food! Three overstuffed crepes, sauteed in Amaretto, drizzled with honey, bracketed with (real) whipped cream: so good I managed to sway even her into a few mouthfuls. I've saved the best for last. Throughout our meal the service was attentive, helpful, quick, competent, and above all friendly. If titanic servings of excellent food at very reasonable prices weren't enough to earn Ovelia a 5, the teamwork of the staff alone would have been. And I cannot stress enough: you should ask for Bonnie! Friendly, gracious, competent, and a real trouper too: still had a smile on her face, even while rubbing her shivering tank-topped arms in the chilly outdoor breeze. On my Value Index (cost relative to merit) Ovelia receives an outstanding 5. Final note: you could easily feed a party of four with the amount of food we received, and no one would leave hungry. For out-of-towners like us, Ovelia is worth the trip off the beaten path. And don't forget to ask for Bonnie! read more

They say the food scene in Astoria is amazing, and this place definitely proves it. Let me first issue a disclaimer: I am not ashamed to be "that guy" who will order the Aspro cosmo. Why is that? Because it's good, and it sneaks up on you. With that said, on to the food. Galeos = perfection. FYI, that's shark people. My friend, who'd never had shark before, likened it to steak in terms of tenderness and texture. I just thought it was really good haha. Though I will say I was disappointed that they had run out of shark on my second visit. However, the waitress, probably the friendliest waitress I've ever met, suggested another dish that was really good. Good enough to make me forget about shark for the night. But please be sure I'm coming back for that shark. read more

Ovelia, how I miss you. I lived in Astoria for two years and made Ovelia my go-to brunch spot. Now that I live on the UES I am struggling to find anything comparable. It's not a cheap brunch spot by any means but its a great spot and a great menu. The decor is funky - as in my mother thought it was weird. I think it's pretty fitting for the young vibe that is tackling Astoria. The food is amazing! Yummy french toast stuffed with greek honey and eggs benedict to die for. The regular menu is very tasty as well. They have a greek lasagna that is seriously decadent. The service is always super friendly and fast. I have never had to wait for a table. They also have outside seating when it is nice outside. I've been there many times and never left disappointed. Overall, I wish more places were like Ovelia. read more

Ordered the grilled chicken platter which was delicious. Service was good, maybe a bit slow for my lack of patience but the waiter was very nice. Definitely coming back!!! read more

If there is one place I could choose to be in Astoria, it would be Ovelia! The restaurant has a great ambiance, nice decor, good music, great outside seating, very nice staff. And it doesn't stop there! Both our food and drinks were delicious. The eggplant dip was outstanding so as my octopus, and my friend can't stop raving about the steak he got. They use a charcoal grill that gives everything an extra kick of flavor. If you go, you must try their metaxa mojito ;)! read more

Didn't even get to ordering food. Bartender was so rude and the waiter almost ran me over....Next!!!!

This place serves up decent Greek foods. I came here with Sharon T and ordered the beef platter for lunch. It didn't really blow me away. The highlight of the whole dish probably had to be the tzatziki sauce, the fries and the roasted tomato. I didn't think the beef was good at all. I was expecting legit beef chunks in skewers but I got 2 log shaped beef looking meats. The atmosphere was really calming and our waiter was pleasant but I don't think I would order the beef platter again. Overall, just an "okay" meal for the price. read more

My favorite Greek spot in Astoria - and that's really saying something, as it is one of the local specialty cuisines! Staff is super friendly and accommodating, food is outstanding, drinks are substantial, and atmosphere is nice. Bit pricey though, so be careful! read more