Saturday, September 7, 2013

Meli Greek Restaurant

Another place I have walked by many times without noticing

Let us see what Yelp has--very good reviews, did not see any serious complaints, but then there were a LOT of reviews and I did not see them all,--it is just that you could the good markings went on and on...


Meli

4.0 star rating
50 reviews Rating Details
1 E 35th St
(between 5th Ave & Madison Ave)
New York, NY 10016
Neighborhood: Midtown East
(212) 481-6354
Photo by Marina M.
Delicious grilled octopus
Nearest Transit Station:
33 St. (4, 6, 6X)
34 St. - Herald Sq (B, D, F, M, N, Q, R)
5 Ave. (7, 7X)
Hours:
Mon-Thu 11:30 am - 11 pm
Fri-Sat 11:30 am - 12 am
Attire:
Dressy
Accepts Credit Cards:
Yes
Parking:
Street, Private Lot
Price Range:
$$$
Good for Groups:
Yes
Good for Kids:
No
Takes Reservations:
Yes
Delivery:
Yes
Take-out:
Yes
Waiter Service:
Yes
Outdoor Seating:
No
Wi-Fi:
Free
Good For:
Dinner
Alcohol:
Full Bar
Noise Level:
Average
Ambience:
Romantic, Classy
Has TV:
Yes
Caters:
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible:
Yes
Dogs Allowed:
No

Review Highlights   What's this?

  • "The octopus is to die 4 n the restaurant it's stunning." In 6 reviews
  • "Found this place through a Living Social deal." In 4 reviews
  • "The short ribs were melt-in-your-mouth and the mousaka had this great..." In 2 reviews
Rating Distribution | Trend
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50 reviews in English

  • Review from

    • 3 friends
    • 14 reviews
    Bronx, NY
    6/19/2013
    I am so putting this on my list of favorite places to go! Went with a friend in preparation for a european getaway (i know, i know)-it looks small from the inside but once you walk in all you can see is high ceilings, sparkly chandeliers everywhere, and gorgeous blown up pictures of the greek islands.

    We ordered the pililia to start; pita bread with three different kinds of spreads-the eggplant (melitzanosalata) and  tzatziki were my favorites-our waitress was extremely attentive and offered us her favorites, as well as some things to do in Santorini (thank you, Cristina!!!)

    For entrees, I had the moussaka, which comes bubbling in its own little pot,and i'm going to betray my italian roots here, but OH MY GOD-it was bubbly, and cheesy, and melty and delicious, AND there was eggplant and tomatoes and artichokes in it, so i could pretend it was diet friendly. Just order it. My friend had the pork chop, which looked beautifully grilled, and she raved about it as well. Another Waiter (Dimitri) kept our drinks filled and also offered some travel advice-the waitstaff here? fabulous :)

    Naturally, we also had to have dessert-we chose one traditional, Loukmades,
    which are perfect little balls of fried dough, drizzled with honey and served with fresh whipped cream-if you can find fault with that, i'm so sorry for you. We also ordered the sokolata, which is a chocolate lava cake (well worth the fifteen minutes they tell you it will take) which came to the table piping hot and oozing chocolate , with a scoop of cinnamon gelato on the side. ohhhhhhh yeah.

    And then we had ouzo-which, if you've never had it? is like sambuca. on steroids.
    All in all, an excellent dining experience, lovely atmosphere, and I will absolutely be back.
  • Review from

    • 17 friends
    • 60 reviews
    Forest Hills, Queens, NY
    8/26/2013 Seated via OpenTable 1 check-in here
    I had dinner here on Friday night and was whisked away as soon as I entered. The restaurant itself is very reflective of the Greek culture with videos in front of various cities in Greece including the beautiful island of Santorini and iconic photos in the main dining room. It has a nice decor and chic romantic atmosphere.

    We ordered the octopus, saganaki, and the sharing pita/dip platter for appetizer and all three were delicious! The saganaki is prepared by deep frying feta cheese and served with slices of watermelon which gives a nice contrast of sweet and savory. The pita was served warm and in the perfect size along with five different spreads which were all unique. The octopus was served sliced and simply grilled with a nice touch of olive oil.

    For our Mains, we shared the pink Mediterranean snapper for two along with some lemon potatoes and blackened kale. The fish was served grilled, with a simple dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, and capers. It was nicely prepared and tender with just the right amount of flavor.

    My brother ordered the moussaka and although I didn't try the dish myself, he devoured it so I presume it was quite tasty.

    Desserts-go out of your comfort zone and try the Greek yogurt with preserved rose petals. The yogurt was fresh and rose petals added a fresh aroma of sweetness. Be sure to mix up the two before digging in to get the right balance of the two.

    Tip: check in on yelp for a free dessert. If you're lucky, you may even find a promoter of the restaurant standing on the corner handing out cards for a complimentary glass of wine. Combine the two and let them treat your tastebuds to a whole new world of Mediterranean goodness!!!
  • Review from

    • 9 friends
    • 3 reviews
    BAYSIDE, NY
    7/15/2013 1 check-in here
    Food decent for price. Loud live music
    I would give it another change
    Great scallops,
    I was going to give 3 stars until I got
    The dessert. Ekmek kataifi was excellent
  • Review from

    Somerset, NJ
    7/5/2013 2 check-ins here
    The space is great.  Someone said stunning.  Maybe not but very nice.  Worth a visit.  Background music is interesting  - I would call it EuroPop - nice enough.

    Not all that busy at lunch today.  They have an affordable lunch special at $22.00.  We ordered from the regular menu. My guest and I split the pikila - which is four cold spreads served rather elegantly -  tasted very nice as well. My guest went with the "fish of the day" two white fish filets served with spinach. Good.  I had the lamb souvlaki - good but the seasoning could use some help - served with a green salad and some decent french fries with Greek seasoning.

    Our server was very good.  Maybe just a bit less attentive than I would have liked when I was looking for the check.

    Wine by the glass was $13.00 for an average sized pour.  More than I would have liked to have paid but a good Greek wine.

    I think that this would be an excellent place to stop by for tapas and a glass of wine.  Appetizer menu looked more interesting than the lunch menu.

    If you have a few more dollars to spend, wait to see their fish specials.  Our waiter brought out a display tray with a huge red snapper- $46 - and something similar to a branzini - $39 - and super jumbo tiger prawns - $12 each.

    Nice place to bring a date.
  • Review from

    • 77 friends
    • 6 reviews
    Fremont, CA
    8/9/2013 1 photo 1 check-in here
    Very good! Great service and the ambiance is beautiful. The food is super delicious. I highly recommend this place!
    The waiters make great suggestions, so don't be afraid to ask! :)
    • Delicious!
  • Review from

    • 13 friends
    • 20 reviews
    East Elmhurst, NY
    8/23/2013
    I was with my friend Marcy shopping at Lord and Taylor and driving me crazy. We recalled a new greek type restaurant in the area and I can use a glass of Cabernet to ease my torment. Was greeted by a beautiful hostess who was very tentative to our needs. We were seated near the bar which happy hour was still in effect. I was going for the wine but the waiter recommended me a fruit type martini which was so good I forget the name of it but it was orange color. I will try to include a picture. We ordered the spread with the whole wheat pita chips forgot what was that called. Also ordered 2 other platters which forget the name a meatball type dish. Plus a spagetti with lobster in it. was so nom nom nom. The Martini the bartender kept making for me rules!! the place is gorgeous and so was the hostess lol, In all seriousness I def have to bring a date here just to impress.
  • Review from

    • 1 friend
    • 30 reviews
    LONG ISLAND CITY, NY
    7/31/2013
    I write this as I finish my leftovers from dinner last night..............Food - incredible, Atmosphere - incredible, Greek Wine - incredible, and Service - incredible!  I VERY HIGHLY recommend Meli!

    I ordered the Goge (spelling?) which is cheesey greek past and my husband ordered seafood and a risotta side, we both were in awe.  also recommend the greek salad, fried cheese, and dessert.  we never once had to ask for a server, he/she was always there when needed to pour wine, ask how our meal was, or ask if we needed anything without being intrusive or overbearing.  We were never rushed and it was hard to leave bc the atmosphere is so gorgeous and relaxing.  the restaurant is all white and features brightly lit real pictures of greece throughout so you don't even feel like you're in midtown manhattan.

    My only regret was not having a drink at the bar, which looked lovely.  Next time we will enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail.

    i have absolutely no complaints about this place, as everything was absolutely perfect.  best greek restaurant i've been to in a long time which was well deserved for me and my husband.  Last Valentine's Day we made reservations for Thymari greek restaurant in Astoria, Queens and were treated so horribly, we walked out.  Glad that we found a new Greek restaurant that we love.  Meli is now one of my all time favorite restaurants, so we'll be sure to make reservations there for Valentine's Day this year and will be spending many occasions and nights out at this gem!
  • Review from

    • 0 friends
    • 3 reviews
    Woodside, NY
    8/28/2013
    The food was decent but a bit over priced. The service was good and the decor was great. Def recommend the Pikilia and the Greek yogurt with rose petals preserve.
  • Review from

    • 2 friends
    • 151 reviews
    Hoboken, NJ
    7/13/2013 1 check-in here
    Very good service, new restaurant in midtown east. We started off with a Greek salad and the octopus app- both we're excellent and good sized portions. Ingredients are very fresh. For the entree, my wife had the tuna and I had the rabbit. Again, both were delicious although the tuna was slightly overcooked for medium rare. The wine list offered some great value. We had a delicious red from "mount Olympus" that paired very well with the food. Overall, a good choice if you're looking for a quality Greek meal.
  • Review from

    • 27 friends
    • 5 reviews
    New York, NY
    5/7/2013
    Ah, Meli - I found this place using FoodFan Select and wish I'd known about it sooner since I work close by. Great spot if you live/work in Midtown East. The space is bright and open with high ceilings and the staff is very friendly. I've been here a few times to use my 15% discount and so far tried the meli burger, raki salmon, and the pikilia for an appetizer.

    The pikilia was an assortment of dips, of which the eggplant was definitely our favorite of the four. Another thumbs up for pita bread that came out fresh and warm. The burger was tasty with crispy onions/goat cheese/arugula between two pieces of pita; it's a big burger so be warned it may get messy, especially if you are a natural 5-napkin-minimum kind of person like I am. Raki salmon was delicious! It's a dish of thinly sliced salmon cured in raki (a type of alcohol), something I never tried before and will order again. Satisfying and light, exactly what I was going for since I wasn't looking to induce massive post-lunch food coma. They have a pretty extensive menu so it's definitely worth checking out more than once.

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