Yum! Went there for lunch and sat outside. The servers were super friendly and the food was exquisite! If you love seafood you have got to come here. Calamari was so fresh it was cooked to perfection. Lobster ravioli was great, very creamy and filling. This review reflects the service, food quality, and overall atmosphere. I'll definitely be back again. read more

Varka Estiatorio - Greek Near Me - Ramsey, New Jersey

Genuinely authentic Mediterranean cuisine. My wife and I celebrated our wedding anniversary and we couldn't have been more delighted and satisfied. You could tell they use quality ingredients and the freshest fish. They even recognized our anniversary with a complimentary Baklava! I would highly recommend Varka to family and friends! read more

Came to Varka on a Friday night at 8pm with a reservation made ~2wks before for a party of 7. It was packed when we got there!! Arrived a little early so we grabbed a drink in the bar area before sitting at our table. Was pretty impressed they had a cab-Shiraz blend from penfold's since I haven't seen this Australian wine regularly in the area. When we sat, we took a while to look at the menu since it was huge and we also wanted to hear the specials. My husband and I split the stuffed grape leaves to start. A few others got the grilled octopus and tuna tartare. Both of those were very fresh and delicious!! The rice mix in the stuffed grape leaves was a bit hot; I've typically only had stuffed grape leaves cold so this was different but tasted great. They did fall apart pretty easily, which was likely because they were chilled or the rice wasn't chilled before stuffing. Still enjoyed them! For my main, I went with the diver scallops that came with an eggplant moussaka. The scallops were large and seared perfectly. The eggplant moussaka was absolutely amazing. The sautéed eggplant and zucchini mix was enclosed in a light breading and tossed in tomato sauce. Could have eaten ten of those!!! This main was the perfect portion. A few others got the salmon and sea bass special. The sea bass special was served with a Mediterranean cous cous mixed with veggies and the salmon has a wild rice and veggies on the side. Both looked great as well. Someone in the party ordered the pork that came with a potato mash. The pork was initially served fairly pink so it was sent back to be cooked through more. Pretty sure pork shouldn't be so pink, especially on the ends of a thick piece because the middle would have been even less cooked. Would definitely come back if in the area! read more

The best restaurant and service in New Jersey. Greek seafood is always fresh and cooked perfectly.

Fantastic Greek food. Really fresh fish. Tried the grilled octopus, tuna tar tar and the Bronzino. All City quality. Reminds me of a NJ toned down version of Avra. I will absolutely be back. read more

A friend and myself came today for lunch. I have to say I was so disappointed. The service was terrible. We kept looking around for someone to help us, fill up our waters ect. On top of the poor service the food wasn't good either. I got a salad with shrimp, it literally consisted of chopped lettuce & 3 shrimp. I was at least expecting some tomatoes or cucumbers something aside from lettuce! My friend ordered the beet appetizer which was good with a side of chicken. The chicken was so spicy and dry we couldn't eat it. We did let them know & they were kind enough to take it off the bill. Needless to say this wasn't what we were expecting. read more

Varka Estiatorio - Greek Near Me - Ramsey, New Jersey

So disappointed. IlWe heard great things and read the reviews. We love to eat s bar. I called to inquire if we could, I was told yes but it was a first come first serve. When we arrived, I went to sit dine and was told the seats are reserved. We told the bar staff what was told on the on the phone - they looked at us like deer in headlights. Train your st read more

Not an enjoyable experience at varka. This place has a cheesy front bar area with a couch up front. Open floor plan that is very very loud. We were seated near screaming children. The acoustics in the restaurant are terrible. You can hear every piece of silverware clink from the back to the front as if it's happening at your table. The surrounding area is a strip mall from the 1970's. Overall the food was very disappointing and service was slow and unprofessional. Most definitely skip this place. Update: as you can see by the business managers reply, they are not a classy group. I'll let that speak for itself. read more

Perfect in every way. Tuna octopus salmon calamari lamb the list goes on. Dinner ate the bar or dinning room service and never disappoints. Best meal every time. read more

Over priced Greek Diner food. The portions are tiny. The service is not good and the prices are rediculous.

My mom and I LOVE IT HERE!! Best Greek and Mediterranean food in the states. Varka is very pricey but you get what you pay for! Large selection of delicious wines, fresh fish, and the BEST hummus. I highly recommend getting the sea scallops. read more

I went to "Varka" by my friend's recommendation. And I was completely satisfied with the menu, quality of food and service. I just would like to make one remark regarding the the way the lemon was served. Now, when you squeeze the lemon to your food a lot of seeds go out. It could be wonderful if restaurant use special lemon bag for this purpose. After this, my rating will increase to 6 stars!!!!! read more

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I had my bridal shower here last July and nearly three months later I'm still so happy with my experience. Stavros and Carlos made sure everything went perfect! All of my guests were impressed by the abundance of food and more importantly how good everything tasted! The service was impeccable, all of the waiters were extremely helpful and kind!I mean every aspect was top notch!! More than pleased and would definitely host another event here! read more

Excellent choice of fresh seafood, great service. Nice ambiance. Me of the only places nearby for fresh seafood.

Been a repeat customer of varka and have no complaints. It is what's expected with nothing exceptional nor bad. Food is good but not outstanding, service is same. Reason for the average rating.....the price. Understanding we're in an inflationary environment which suggest increasing costs I can't help but believe varka is a bit over the top. Hard to justify Manhattan prices near a strip center in Ramsey, $91 for a pound of king crab legs....keep it. read more

Fabulous! Food is impeccable. So fresh. We all had different fish dishes and everyone's meal came out amazingly. Great place to celebrate a special occasion. Only negative is the price- otherwise we would be there more frequently. read more

Always a wonderful meal and service. We went many times this summer. We had the best fish ever.

Excellent food but pricey Nice ambiance but noisy. The BEST a bread I've ever had. The mussels are wonderful

This restaurant is excellent. Varka is more of Greek fish and there was ample fish on the menu for me to eat. However i had my usual Greek salad which was fabulous. Everything was completely fresh in the salad. read more

So so so good!!! The lobster tail is amazing!! I usually dislike lobster and steer clear of it but my friends suggest I try it so I did. Thank goodness I did because wow!!! Will be going back just for that read more

Went for lunch March 29, 2022 on my birthday. Excellent food not my first time here. First of all they have a price fixed lunch which includes dessert. I ordered the bronzino which was delicious. Would recommend. read more

The interior in hindsight, failed to make an impression as it was incredible busy, loud, low lighting, staff bustling about, regulars greeting each other's tables. We were (rushed) seated in the rear corner near the stone wall so, I saw nothing. Extensive wine list leaning on over wrought. The bread was superb. The menu boasted fresh seafood prepared and served in a variety of executions. The four of us were excited. The string beans were cooked perfectly slight crips and bright green. The twin lobster tail appetizer was ok. I was under whelmed. My Lobster didn't look like the pictures (on social media sights we researched prior to coming) which alarmed me because it was sitting in a reddish broth which I wasn't anticipating. Wet, not my cuisine go to. I'm a seared, crisp, crunch, textural kinda girl. So you can imagine I wasn't pleased. We felt for the price, we should have left feeling pleased with our dining experience and impressed with our meals. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. We would be willing to try again though. read more

Lovely ambience. I've had most of the whole fish dishes, all of which have been excellent thus far. The service is hit or miss. Servers are sometimes excellent, sometimes inattentive/unfriendly. Would have rated 5 stars if not for the inconsistent service. read more

Food was good but... - restaurant was out of the wine, appetizer, entre and dessert my brother ordered and when he orders a replacement for dessert they did not bring it out - we asked for water no less than 4 times. Did not have water for almost our entire meal - when I asked the waiter to serve my nephew wine, he barked back that he could not serve him instead if politely asking for ID, which of course my nephew is over 21 - I also agree that charging 3 1/2 percent extra to pay by credit card is outrageous Overall I was not impressed read more

I used to go here a lot and the food, drinks and ambience were always good but I was turned off by some of the waiters. Older Greek waiters who made you feel like they were doing you a favor or that you weren't ordering enough. No hello no thanks for coming just " so do you know what you want?" Or "is that all you're ordering ?" Very rude so I stopped going. I went again yesterday and I warned my party about the sometimes rude service. Well I was surprised and happy to see those old rude Greek waiters replaced with a younger, more people oriented staff. Now we will definitely be back more often. read more

The best of the best! The seafood and ambience and service are all world class. The cheesecake is also outstanding.

This place makes some delicious food and drinks. My experience has been mostly with appetizers (below) but the Langoustines entree is amazing too! Our group ordered the spreads platter, varka (zucchini) chips, roasted beets salad, mini lobster gyros, some oysters, grilled octopus, and I had the Elderflower drink. Everything was delicious, and we literally could not stop eating until the plates were empty or our tummies were full. The langoustines are in this slightly lemony cream sauce that is amazing! It's a light but filling entree, especially after all the appetizers. Next time I'll definitely want to try the fish and steak entrees. My only complaint is that they add a 3.5% surcharge for using a credit card. They do have signs at the cashier saying this. read more

Varka is truly phenomenal. We came here for a team holiday lunch, after my boss raved about it, so the bar was set high, but fairly so, as we are all still talking about our delicious lunch. Stepping into Varka is like stepping into Greece - white and blue, high ceilings, gorgeous woodwork, an area set up to be a lounge, as well as the well-appointed bar, just draw you in, as you begin to take in just how gorgeous Varka is. Our first stop, as so often is the case with work outings, was the bar, for wine and mixed drinks, all of which were very well received (and the cocktails/mixed drinks were poured with a strong hand, which is always a positive). We were quickly sat at our table (which from what I hear is not the norm if you come for dinner, as this is a VERY popular spot - make a reservation!), and were brought delicious, warm bread almost immediately. The service at Varka on a whole is phenomenal. We were served and assisted by a number of waiters, each one warm and attentive. Service was quick, with drinks always being refilled, all food brought out promptly, and crumbs removed from the table before the next course. All of that attention to detail and friendliness just elevates the dining experience as a whole. For appetizers, we started with the Varka chips, which are thinly sliced eggplant and zucchini chips served with a tzatziki dip that I could eat by the spoonful. They were absolutely delicious, light, a vegetable so somewhat healthy (technically, right?), and the perfect way to start our dining experience. As far as lunch entrees went, there were choices that could accommodate everyone, even the pickiest of eaters. One of my coworkers is not a seafood fan whatsoever, but he had absolutely no complaints while eating his sirloin burger and fries (hugely portioned!). Both my boss and I ordered the Tuna salad, which may sound like something that could be ordered at a deli, until you realize that the Tuna is actually perfectly seared tuna (we asked for it as close to raw as possible, which was the ideal way to go) served over greens and with apples/walnuts. It was without exaggeration the best salad I have ever had. I couldn't even finish all of it, as the salad came in an enormous bowl (but you best believe that I ate every single piece of the seared tuna). I cannot rave more highly about this salad. Another coworker stayed on the salad kick and ordered the Nicoise salad, which was another huge portion with scallops, shrimp, tuna, and olives, and was devoured by him. Switching things up, my fifth coworker ordered the organic salmon. This prompted a discussion between all of us on how many at the table do not like salmon because of the fishy taste it often has had when we've ordered it before. After eating a few bites of her salmon, my coworker told me that I had to try it, because I needed to understand how good salmon tasted. To say it was delicious is an understatement - this salmon was beautifully cooked, and had absolutely no "fishy" taste. A perfect entree for lunch that will be known to me as the salmon that won me over. All in all, Varka is just incredible. From the amazing service, to the beautiful decor of the place, to the outstanding food and drinks, it makes sense as to why it is so well known in this area. I can't wait to go back again for another tuna salad! (Sentences I never, ever thought I would say). read more

Fabulous restaurant. We had a family birthday dinner and the food was amazing. For appetizers we had the Varka chips (a must), grilled octopus (perfectly done), fried calamari (again, cooked perfectly). Four of us got the lobster dishes (I had the angry lobster, spicy and again, perfectly cooked) and loved them. The chicken with orzo was a huge portion and excellent. They make a great martini too. Highly recommend. read more

The food here is delicious. Very fresh and perfectly prepared. A little on the pricey side, but I don't mind because they consistently deliver high quality cuisine every time. The zucchini chips are incredible. read more

Food is good. Fresh quality food. Very pricey but again food is delightful. My issue here is a credit card fee. Spending hundreds of dollars on dinner with high priced drinks and putting a credit card fee on the bill is over the top. It's not a pizza place with a $4 slice and a Coke. read more

Today was horrible! Guess you can't always be good. This is our 3rd time coming here and it may be the last as Sunday's seen to be too much for the restaurant to handle. Pros: We had reservations and were seated right away. Nice round table. Delicious grilled octopus Great bread Good babaganush Okay Greek salad (nothing special) Great saganaki Good Bronzino (nothing special) Okay filet mignon (2.5 out of 5 stars) Cons: Slow service. Very slow service! Expensive. $600+ for 6 people with shared main course. Horrible strip steak! Blah French fries Dry barbounia Nothing special langoustines Slow service Horrible latte Terrible Greek coffee We came in at 5pm and left at 9pm (waiting 20+ minutes for the check before having to ask the manager to help since I think the waiter fell asleep) We've been here two times before and it was delicious. Today, it was definitely not worth there 40 minutes drive to get there as the service was slow, the food was okay (at best), and they couldn't make a good cup of coffee! read more

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Went there for my anniversary. Food was good but service not so much, we ordered sparkling water and the server came with the pitcher of tap water and filled up my glass and on top off that we couldn't finish the second course when they brought the main course out like rushing us out. For the kind of money you spend you also expect a good service. read more

Absolutely love VARKA! A very upscale restaurant with a great seafood selection. I usually order the spreads as well as the calamari which is served with a delicious green sauce. The salmon is also one of my top 3 salmon dishes ever! read more

Just had the best dinner! Excellent on every level!!! Ambiance was great, food was amazing and waiter was totally awesome!!!! Loved this restaurant!!!! read more

Although a bit pricey which is expected based on its atmosphere. Very consistent with taste and quality of the food. The best Greek restaurant I have been to. read more

Great place! Love the food and atmosphere! Will definitely be back for next date night!

I've never been to Ramsey before so I didnt know what to expect. Heres the scoop.... Picture it.... Lunch on a 75 degree day at Varka...... Sexy Atmosphere-Sexy Inside, Sexy Outside, Sexy Bathroom, Sexy Cars in the parking lot. Rich people galore, Lady with dog in her purse....Check. Older man with wife/maybe daughter?......Check. Housewives.... Check. Other wealthy folks who are not working mid Friday afternoon.....Check. I almost forgot that I had to return to work myself. Food was excellent but pricey, Service was a bit slow and stuffy. The lobster wrap was made with a "lobster sausage" Homemade im sure, very interesting. No free refills block them from a 5 star review. read more

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This was my second time at Varka and both were memorable...I really love the ambiance. I have to say that they accommodated our large party of 9 very well with a nice round table. Our visit was for my mom's 60th birthday on a Sunday night in spring. The restaurant was pretty noisy, so with a big party it was hard to feel intimate. My husband and I arrived early so we grabbed a spot at the bar and had a few cocktails. $50 later for 4 cocktails and I was only slightly disappointed because the bar tender really owned his craft. I ordered a blood orange jalapeno margarita and the bar tender started to question me. He was concerned and admitted that customers typically return it because of the heat. I can handle heat but I responded that I would just have a Negroni because my husband's tasted awesome. The bartender proceeded to whip out their homemade jalapeno infused tequila to give me a taste. Once I confirmed that the heat was just right, he whipped me up the margarita. Classy guy. Two drinks later I was nice and toasty for dinner!! This place is seafood dominant so come prepared. You can order a steak but that would be strange. They have their seafood on display so that you can see what you are getting, specifically freshness. We started with tiger shrimp and langostino for the table. Super yummy. My husband and I split the stuffed calamari which I HAVE TO recommend as my favorite. I had the shrimp sacmpi which felt lame to order, but I was in the mood. The risotto that accompanied it was a hit. Super creamy and the shrimp were plentiful. The molten chocolate cake, cheesecake and the doughnuts were to die for!! Dessert is a must. I would definitely recommend Varka for a nice intimate dinner our with a couple or your significant other. It was a little too noisy for a party of 9 but no one left feeling unsatisfied in the end! read more

Varka Estiatorio - Greek Near Me - Ramsey, New Jersey

Why have I not eaten here before?! Food and service are too notch in Bergen County! I'll be honest, I originally heard about Varka while watching RHONJ a few seasons ago. A restaurant can't be that good if they find the need to advertise on reality television, right? Boy was I wrong. Came here on a Sunday night with my parents. When we first arrived there were a few tables occupied, but most of the room was empty. The restaurant is a big open room that is able to accommodate a lot of diners. When it was time for our entrees, the place started to fill up. To start things off, they give bread for the table with complimentary hummus, onions, olives, and olive oil. The bread is really good. So if you aren't on a carb diet (which I usually am at home, but I usually give in on my cheatday when eating out), you'll be asking for more bread. We ordered the grilled octopus appetizer to share. It's a bit pricey at $26, but more than enough to share between 3 people. The octopus is a must order. It's so tender, and the mild grilled taste on the outside compliments the octopus really well. If you don't like seafood, then this isn't the place for you. For entrees, I ordered the grilled shrimp over corn risotto. I would probably order the dish for the risotto itself, it was that good. My mother ordered the swordfish. It was average. Nothing amazing, but by no means bad. My father ordered the plaki, which was Chilean sea bass. He liked it a lot, and the portion size was really good. We skipped out on dessert because I wanted to try the bakery down the street since there's the new chef, but they close at 4pm on Sundays. Who knew... Overall, we really enjoyed our dining experience here. The service was much better than a lot of places we've been to around Bergen county. Water was refilled very quickly. Servers were very polite and friendly. It's not a cheap place, but it doesn't break the bank either. Expect to spend about $60-$70 a person after tax and tip. Keep in mind that they have a full bar here. read more

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