The expensive Lamb Shank I ordered (almost $30, with the $5 tip for the servers), was awful, verging on disgusting. The lamb shank itself was far from fresh and kind of grayish. It certainly ought not have been served to a paying customer. I'd guess they figured I might not notice if they drowned it in lots of sauce and overcooked pasta. They were wrong. I did notice. With their standards this low, I'm certain to not return. What a rip-off! read more

Such a wonderful place with great food and my favorite server is Maria. She's got a great way of making sure you are happy when you dine in.... My favorite dish was the Chicken Souvlaki and this was amazing... Can't wait to tell all my friends about this place... Definitely a five star restaurant read more

I'm so surprised I have not written a review for Pithari until now. I've been going to Pithari for years for all kinds of special occasions or just when I'm craving some good Mediterranean eats. When you arrive, you always get served fresh hot pita bread with really good olive oil for dipping as well as some olives. Typically, I almost always order their lamb gyro dish. It's amazingly tender and always very satisfying. It comes with a choice of a carb and a small side salad as well as a piece of pita bread. In fact I really enjoyed all of their entrees and have never tried something I didn't like! I also recommend the dipping platter for about $15 you get to try maybe 5 or 6 spreads and you get hot warm pita bread to go with it. It's really great for groups because the portion size is quite large. I highly recommend it! The restaurant is also BYOB and you can feel free to bring your favorite bottle of wine or beer or whatever you would like. The restaurants never always very helpful and very nice. I always enjoy my time at Pithari. Parking can be tough because there's only a little parking lot outside which can't accommodate all of the restaurant guests so sometimes you have to park on the street or around the corner. read more

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Amazing gyro and spanikopita! Very attentive and friendly wait staff. 5 stars! My friends ordered Mediterranean chicken and lamb kabobs and both loved them. Free pita bread and olives were very yummy as well. read more

Pithari Taverna - Yum! - Greek Near Me - Highland Park, New Jersey

This is a cute place. Service is great. Their pita are so good and hot that I couldn't stop eating them. Humus was great. We tried chicken kabab n spinach pie , good was good . Just theBeverages are average so I took off one star. Other than that all is great. Will go back again for food read more

Pithari Taverna - Spinach pie - Greek Near Me - Highland Park, New Jersey

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We've eaten at this restaurant several times in the past and the food was always great. This time we decided to order takeout. Sadly to say, the order was completely incorrect and looked inedible. The food did not look like it came from the restaurant we have come from to enjoy over the years. We called the restaurant to speak with the manager. To say the manager (who would not tell us his name) was rude and spoke to us in a manner which was completely unacceptable, is an understatement. He raised his voice and proceeded to tell us never to call or eat at this establishment. I usually only leave positive reviews, but I was so shocked by this individual and how he treated us, I needed to warn any future patrons. Order and give your business to this restaurant at your own risk. read more

Went here for lunch today. It was the first time since before the Pandemic. The staff is welcoming, well trained and delightful to deal with. There are many food choices, clearly described, beautifully prepared and presented, in large portions. All are affordably priced, and it is a BYOB! We cannot wait to return. read more

One of my favorite Greek restaurants. I have to control myself from eating all the complimentary olives and pita bread before my meal gets to the table. My favorite is the lamb shank with orzo in tomato sauce. The meat is so tender and falls right out of the bone. You have to suck out the marrow from the bone, it's so good. The cheese they light up in flames, is a definite must for appetizers! The only thing that's stopping me from giving it 5 stars is the service. I swear every time I go, the server ignores my table. I have to practically flag them down every time, and even then...They act like I'm inconveniencing them. The bus boys there work so hard and clean up quickly. Half of the time, they're the ones helping me out. Most of the time I'd rather tip them than my servers. read more

Pithari Taverna - Greek Near Me - Highland Park, New Jersey

Very good and fresa food. Huge proportions! We loved the greek salad, vine leaves and spinokpita. Bring your own wine bottle read more

We got the beef and lamb gyros, way more food than I thought I'd get. We had a training waitress and everything was amazing. They do a great job with their service. The food was great and they are good on recommendations. Also had the baklava and it was the best I've had. Please try it! read more

My absolute favorite Greek restaurant. Enjoy the relaxed décor and enjoy superior food. I am going back this weekend.

This place is Zagat Rated for a reason! Pithari has a multitude of delicious appetizer and entree selections AND very large portions, so there's always extra to enjoy later on. My favorite is definitely the Pikilia Cold Spreads since it offers a variety of flavors that can be shared with the table - the taste is never overbearing or too salty and they provide plenty of pita bread every time. I will definitely come back to try more things on the menu! read more

Food was fantastic! Yiannis, our waiter was fantastic, very friendly, informative, and made my family very comfortable. I would say that Yiannis made our week! Thank you Pithari Taverna for the amazing food. Thank you Yiannis for the hospitality!!! read more

Hannah was amazing. Very good service and very sweet personal. she also gave us a delicious desert on the house. 10/10!!

Always good food wether eating in or take out. Been there for years and the food is always good.

Been here a few times. Same delicious and fresh food all of the time no matter what you order. The Kalamari Tiganito is amazing as are all of their chicken dishes. I always ask for a side of their lemon potatoes because they are so delicious! There atmosphere is casual and the wait staff is super friendly. So if your in the mood for Greek food and in the area, I suggest stopping in for a bite! read more

Don't bother, save your money. This place literally doesn't even try. The meat is so dry can't even chew it, ordered a salad and it was the wrong salad. My husband ordered some sampler and it was just a plate of flavorless mush. Best thing that came was the bread. read more

Pithari Taverna - Pork souvlaki. - Greek Near Me - Highland Park, New Jersey

In the handful of best places I've ever eaten Went to Greece a few months back... and came here a few years ago... came back hoping for the best and it delivered! We got the Cretan salad like in Greece and it was fantastic. I got stuffed cabbage for my meal Boy oh boy is this place good. No matter what you get you won't be disappointed Btw came in at 9pm on a Thursday and still got excellent service read more

Excellent food, excellent service. Generous portions and a good vibe. BYO, which is always a plus.

Good service, delicious octopus, nice cold dip platter, they could have refilled the pita bread, ordered two juices for my toddler, would be nice for at least free refills for kids, great ambiance not packed at all on Friday night. The food is delish and affordable nice size, would definitely come back. read more

Pithari Taverna - Greek Near Me - Highland Park, New Jersey

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I always love Pithari but they've been extra awesome during the quarantine. They give you an order number for takeout and bring it out to your car wearing a mask and gloves. Same delicious food as always. Thanks for your hard work! read more

I really like this place. It's a really good quality Greek place, with great lamb and octopus dishes. I have had some hit or miss dishes, but for the most part I've been happy with my choices here. read more

I've received numerous recommendations to try this place and it did not disappoint! Went with wifey and our 2 boys for a nice byob dinner night out. We weren't sure if they were family friendly prior so we took our chances. The staff met us with open arms. Our waitress was amazing. She catered to all our needs from helping select dishes to making sure the boys were having a great time. They loved the fresh warm pita bread and I think the waitress refilled it at least 3x. We started with the grilled octopus which was phenomenal along with the Melitzanosalata (eggplant appetizer). I had the Arni Yiouvetsi (Lamb Shank) and the wife devoured her Mediterranean Chicken. The Lamb was falling off the bone but what made the dish for me was the Orzo. So when they ask you the side to pick with their dishes...stick with the Orzo. My boys had the Beef and Lamb Gyro and honestly it reminded me of when I was back in Athens. We can't wait to go back! read more

Pithari Taverna - Arni Yiouvetsi - Greek Near Me - Highland Park, New Jersey

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Amazing food! Clean and spices are just right. Every dish was just flavored to appropriate taste. Had Greek salad, chicken kabobs, and stuffed flounder. We all completely enjoyed our meals and savored every bite. Definitely a have to try dining experience. read more

We went here last night--not our choice--for a family holiday dinner to inaugurate our triumphant return to the Jers. Ambrosia this food was not. The mussels were alarmingly large and the octopus was too chewy. The Elliniki salad was fine, although uneventful with only just tomatoes and cucumbers as the star ingredients. The moussaka tasted premade and heated to order with understated flavor. The decor was straight out a Greek parody: think drawings of urns and plastic grape vines. Our family seemed happy with their meals but we tend not to discuss food quality lest we be accused of being snobs. Basically, if you want the Americanized version of Greek food, you'll like this place. If you like genuine, home-cooked Greek food, you'll leave disappointed. read more

I must be getting better at finding decent restaurants out here in the 'burbs, because I'm giving out a lot more 4-star reviews these days than I did when I first moved back from Brooklyn. Add Pithari Taverna to that list. I had originally hoped to go to their sister restaurant, Taverna Ouzo, out in Monroe, because they have a full bar there. But our friends said Pithari Taverna is the better of the two, so we dined here and just did the BYOB thing. When I was in college at Rutgers, somewhere in my fifth or sixth year -- I lost count -- I used to live around the block from here on South 5th Street. Back then, all we ate was Highland Pizza and White Rose System, and as a perpetually drunk college student, this was pretty much all we needed to survive. I don't recall what was in this location back then, but I must say Pithari Taverna has to now be one of the best restaurants up in this area. It's a really cute space. Two large rooms, done up to look like you're in an actual structure straight out of Greece. I don't like how bright it is, but that's apparently the way the Greek like it. Service was great. Our waitress had a funny gruffness to her, like a loud Greek mother talking at her kids about what to eat. I'm glad I listened, because everything she recommended was really good. We started with some warm pita and tzatziki sauce to get us going while we uncorked our first bottle of wine. One thing I've learned about Greek food is that there is a difference between your standard issue tzatziki sauce that you get on a cheap pizza joint gyro, and the tzatziki sauce you get in a good Greek restaurant like this one. Wow, was it good. Next we ordered some apps -- the pikilia cold spreads and the saganaki, the latter of which is one of my favorite things in the world. "Flaming cheese" as I like to call it, you cannot go to a good Greek restaurant and not order it. Just trust me on this one. My wife ordered salmon for her dinner, which she enjoyed immensely. I ordered the Mediterranean Chicken: a hearty dish with chunks of chicken flambéed with ouzo and wine, feta and scallions, all in a hearty, stewed tomato sauce served over rice. I loved it. Way too much food, even for a big guy like me. But absolutely delicious. By the end of dinner, the four of us were two bottles of wine in, with the food coma firmly taking hold. I recall there being some baklava and maybe a flan of some kind at the end. Whatever it was, I don't believe I heard any complaints at the table, so it must have been good. Ironically, in a state like New Jersey, where there are more Greek diners than you can shake a stick at, it's actually hard to find a really good Greek restaurant. Well, look no further. There's one right here in Highland Park, and I absolutely recommend it if you're in the area. read more

We come here every few weeks for a quick dinner. We love the olives and warm pita bread to start. The portions are large so we rarely get an appetizer. I had lamb chops with lemon potatoes. They give you four delicious baby chops which were cooked just as I asked...medium rare. The lemon potatoes were good and there's also a very small side salad on the dish. My husband had a beef and lamb souvlaki gyro with Greek potatoes. He said it was delicious. We were the only table seated in the back room next to a large party of 16 people. It was so loud back there we couldn't hear each other. That was the only downside to our visit. The service was good as well as their prices read more

When I think Greek, lamb gyro is always the 1st thought that comes to mind well. ..... maybe the 2nd thought Lol. This place reeks Greek from the moment you approach on Woodbridge ave in Highland Park. Blue & white outside to inside. Fresh fish tank. Greek waiters that are quite knowledgeable about their menu. Of course I come for a lamb gyro and they deliver a perfect combo of traditional ingredients with spot on homemade tzatziki sauce. Lemon soup is OK, but I've never had one that rocked. Everything is fresh and clean. Sizeable portions, but they charge a premium, but make up for it by being a BYOB. Fairly large dining room with plenty of seating. Small parking lot, but ample street parking. Not a quick eats joint and above average prices. Nice for date night. 3.5 rounds up to 4. read more

4.0 ambiance. 5.0 hospitality/Katya 3.5 service. 3.5 food. Ambiance: Loved this place before I even walked into it. I could already see the Greek charm through the big windows from the sidewalk. When you walk in, it gets even cuter. Blue and white checkers on all the tables and just quaint, but detailed Greek decor everywhere. I regret not taking a photo. I think the windows in the area towards the entryway are able to open up in warmer weather. Hospitality/Katya: I was the first to arrive for my party of three. The other two who were to join me were my college roommates and my soon-to-be bridesmaids. I had plans on asking them that night at dinner. As soon as I walked in with two big white boxes in my hand, a man greeted me, immediately gathered they were gifts, and asked me if I wanted them to hold onto it for me. I had to think how I wanted to play it first, so I said I'd hold onto them. I loved that he noticed and asked, though. Then Katya came to greet me. She asked about the boxes, too, and when I told her what they were for, she looked more excited that I was lol. Service: Pithari Taverna is not a fine dining type of place where you need a server up your butt checking on you every two seconds and explaining the specials in detail (FYI they have a menu for daily specials). So 3.5 is because it was decent, standard service. Water glasses filled as soon as we sat down and were continued to be filled multiple times. They did miss the last round of water refills, and we stayed a bit after to talk, so I was parched lol. Food: I decided on the Chicken Souvlaki Platter. It comes with a choice of Lemon Potatoes, Rice, or Fried Greek Potatoes. I decided on the Lemon. Yumm! It also ended up coming with a big pita and shredded romaine lettuce, pickled onion, two slices of tomatoes, and a Tzatziki sauce. The chicken kebob was huge and came all on one metal stick; it was flavorful, a little dry, but I don't mind much because I love white meat. Loved everything. My one girl got the Beef & Lamb Gyro Platter, and the other got the Aegean Salad - a Mediterranean Seafood Salad. She was disappointed because, well, frankly she's a health nut, and the salad came with all battered and deep-fried shrimp and calamari. Luckily there were mussels she was able to eat just fine. As for the rest of the fried stuff, she literally peeled off all of the batter and ate what was just inside. But just an FYI to those who might order it since it doesn't have a description. I probably would have loved it lol. For dessert, we shared a Baklava (good and fresh, but not the best I've had, I'm sorry!) and Galaktoboureko (had this for the first time, intimidated by the size and look because it looked really heavy and rich, but surprisingly was light and delicious). read more

Pithari Taverna - Chicken Souvlaki Platter - Greek Near Me - Highland Park, New Jersey

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This placed really impressed me. First off, the interior is fantastic. Tables were lined with blue and white checkered table cloth, and there are all sorts of tiny details that really give this place an authentic feel. They started us off with some warm pita with rich olive oil (with whole olives). We had the octopus appetizer, which was one of the softest octopi (?) I've ever had. Nothing about this octopus was chewy or tough and the flavors were all there. (Pricy though, must have been about 14 bucks? for 2 small pieces) For my entree, I had a pork special, I forgot the name but it had feta cheese and tomatoes on top. When I took a bite of this pork, it instantly chucked me back to when I had BBQs in my old house. It had a perfect charred taste and was wonderfully juicy. My mom had the snapper (very thick and meaty) and my sister had this... Greek Lasagna thing? It was strange but not bad. And how could I forget, one of the best parts for me was the side of lemon potatoes. It comes with your entree so just be sure to choose that. It will surprise you. Overall, it was a great dining experience. I could tell that everything was made with high quality ingredients and with meticulous care. At the end of the meal my mom only said this, "I like this restaurant a lot but do you want to know my only complaint? These chairs are so hard. " read more

Great to see this place open. Service as always was very good but the food has taken a turn for the worst. Zucchini appetizers were still frozen inside. The beff pasteki we ordered smelled bad enough for me not to try it. The seafood platter clearly consisted of semi cooked, frozen, tasteless items. We ate no more than 20% of the food we ordered due to the poor quality. read more

I tried this place on a mission while trying to find a closer replacement for Taverna Ouzo (read my review). I will say that the decor is really welcoming with the white and blue. But cutting to the chase, I much prefer the food, services, and decor of Taverna Ouzo. The place is pretty large with 2 separate rooms. But for some reason, I felt like they were situated too close to one another. The place fills up pretty quickly, so get a reservation if going on weekends. I ate the beef/lamb gyro platter with their lemon potatoes. The food was good, but there was nothing spectacular about the experience. Overall, I wouldn't mind coming here again. But I wouldn't go out of my way or recommend this restaurant. read more

We went to Pithari last night for dinner wtih my family. It's as high praise as I can give to a restaurant when I say that they've maintained their amazingly high quality, but Pithari has gotten better to the point where the main menu has been changed around and the daily specials was a massively wonderful list of options. If it's on the list do not - DO NOT - miss the braised lamb with artichokes and dill in an egg-lemon sauce. The grilled octopus is so freaking amazing. Everything I said in the first review remains as relevant and true as ever. read more

This place is fabulous! Came here with my mom for her birthday dinner. Had the seafood platter special. It was out of this world. Nothing like clean delicious Greek food read more

If I had to pick a favorite restaurant close to my parents house in East Brunswick, this would definitely be it. I've celebrated birthdays, mothers day, fathers day and many other celebratory occasions here. I love this place for so many reasons. 1) BYOB. And in case you forgot to bring a bottle of wine, they also own the place next door that sells Greek specialty food along with wine. How convenient. 2) The atmosphere. So bright, friendly and welcoming. I feel like I'm in Greece at an outdoor Taverna when I come here. The owner is typically walking around, greeting tables. I usually always have the same waitress (It's been a couple of months since I've been there, but Im sure my family would remember her name). She's an older woman with a strong Greek accent. She's chatty and we always feel like family when she waits our table. It's always busy. There's usually a wait Friday and Saturday nights. 3) The food. When you walk in, there is fresh fish on display. They have organic olive oil and olives for dipping warm, soft pita into. I've tried so many things on the menu, but the salmon is probably one of my favorite dishes. It may have been a special that night. Creamy avocado based sauce. garlicky and delicious. I love how the side of Greek fries has crumbled cheese and herbs on them. mm. Ask for a side of tzaziki sauce and try dipping the fries and pita. If you're not a fish lover, there are tons of other choices for both meat lovers and vegetarians. Moussaka, Spanakopita, Gyro, etc. All excellent. Greek desserts are always really sweet, usually soaked in honey or filled with creamy custard. The fam usually picks 2 and we all share. Overall, this is such a great place for a date, family dinner, a birthday or any other celebration. They're very accommodating. It's not the cheapest choice in the area, but definitely worth spending a little extra. read more

This place just opened up a few weeks ago and i can't believe i waited this long to try it. It's BYOB, so i recommend stopping at the RiteAid a few blocks away before going. First of all, the place is tiny, with only about 10 tables inside and a few outside. The chefs do their cooking in an open kitchen right next to the tables. They also have a big tv on the wall looping a video-tour of Greece. All of these things contribute to the cozy atmosphere. As for the food, ill start with the free stuff. When you sit down (which might take a while during prime eating hours), you are supplied with a small plate of big, delicious olives in amazing olive oil with extremely fresh and soft pita bread. My friends and i ordered a couple of souvlaki platters, chicken and pork/lamb. They both come with lots of stuff - red onions, tzataki, more pita bread, fried potato slices with parmesan (greek fries), and of course a good helping of meat. The chicken was delicious and the lamb/pork combo was good, although a little fatty. All went very well with our six-pack of Harp. Didn't try dessert because we were so full, but i hear that the baklava is amazing. Next time... read more

When I lived in the area, I came here regularly. I can't think of a better Greek restaurant in NJ. It even compares to Greek restaurants in Astoria. I am Greek and let me tell you, eating here is like eating my family's home-cooked meals. The place is entirely run by Greeks, the staff is all Greek and the food is made by Greeks. Can you say "authentic"? I probably ate everything on the menu. I don't have a single complaint about anything. Unfortunately, the stuffed cabbage is gone, but then again, it was only a special. Still, they should bring it back. Sooo good. When you go, definitely have all the available courses. Everything is so delicious that you just can't stop eating. The staff is super friendly and the service was impeccable. I always asked for Angela. She is the best! read more

Pithari has some of the best Greek food I've had. Nice, quaint Mediterranean atmosphere, the staff is very warm and friendly. I usually am not a big fan of calamari, and won't normally order it for myself; but I tried a bite of my husbands and thought it was the best calamari I've ever had, miles better than any Italian restaurant I've ever had it from. The restaurant is usually packed, but well worth the wait. The baked lamb with orzo was delicious as was their cheese/appetizer platter. With Seven Hills being gone now, I think Pithari will be seeing us a lot more when we are in the HP area. read more

I rarely give restaurants a 5 star review on my first go but this place was really great (or perhaps I was just really hungry?!). The hubster and I went on a Saturday night for dinner, we had made reservations for 7:30pm and were promptly seated on arrival. The restaurant was packed, I was glad we had made the reservation because without it we likely would have been waiting for a while. The restaurant layout feels like two large connect rooms and there is seating outdoors as well. The service was friendly and attentive, our water glasses were never empty and we did not have to wait 15 minutes before someone came to say hello after we sat down. The menu is pretty large and varied, lots of dishes that looked great and are now on my list of "things to try next time." Between the two of us we had the dolmades to start, I ordered the stuffed chicken breast with lemon potatoes on the side and he ordered a mixed seafood dish in a spicy sweet pear sauce served over rice. Each dish we ordered was truly delicious! The dolmades were a great start, stuffed with well-seasoned rice on the inside. Our entrees were both great too! I was a little skeptical when my husband ordered his dish but I think his was better than mine! The sauce was not too sweet and had the right amount of tang to balance out the flavor. My chicken was just slightly overcooked but the flavor of the spinach and feta filling in the chicken was wonderful. Finally, our dinner was so good we just had to try dessert. I don't recall the name of the dish but it was a custard filling inside a phyllo pastry crust-- sooooo good! Needless to say, we left stuffed! I could barely walk after which is a sure sign of having eaten well! Can't believe we've lived here over a year and have never tried this place before, will definitely be going back. read more

Very nice place. Locals please go! Great for Spring and Summer with the open windows and patio. Weather was perfect and it was great to relax and watch people go by. We had dolmedes, octopus sta karvouna (+++++), cabbage with ground beef and Arni Fricase. Flavors were wonderful. Good service. It is BYOB so bring something you like. Put it on your list. Looked like it would be great for small 6-8 groups. Street parking is ample and not an issue. read more