Greek Taverna
292 Bloomfield Ave, Montclair, NJ, 07042
Greek Taverna Menu
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Address :
292 Bloomfield Ave
Montclair, NJ, 07042 - Phone (973) 746-2280
- Website https://www.greektavernausa.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Greek Cuisine
Greek food is a fine melody of the finest pressed olive oil, fresh fermented bread, colorful vegetables, juicy meat, sea food all cooked in spices and fresh rosemary. The people from Greek were great scholars who aimed to excel in everything they do. The results are quite visible in their food as they are the inventors of olive oil which is beneficial to health. Greeks also made different type of wines from the best quality of grapes fermented in controlled environment.
Today, you can find hundreds of restaurants offering authentic Greek food or popularly termed as Mediterranean cuisine in New York city alone. People wait in line to taste the exotic Greek dishes like saganaki, taramasalata, souvlaki, loukoumades, spanakopita, moussaka, and many more. One thing which most people like about these authentic Greek dishes is abundant use of lemon juice, olive oil, fresh rosemary and sea salt. A smart mix of few ingredients can virtually take you on the pebble streets of beautiful city of Greece.
For those who don't have time to enjoy fine dining should try tasting the famous souvlaki with pita which is type of meat dish, also a trademark Greek fast food. For those who are vegetarian, or vegan can try different versions of Greek Salad. So, if you wish to enjoy a hearty yet healthy meal that tastes divine then try dining at the best Greek restaurant in your city. Greek cuisine not only tastes good but also help maintain your body in a natural way through healthy diet.
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Amanda D.
THERE IS ONSITE PARKING. in the city of Montclair, this is a huge plus. I went to Greek Taverna for a rehearsal dinner. We had the back room At off business hours. The food was served family style. Be aware if u reserve this room you have to walk through the restaurant to get to the restroom. The food was delicious. They make a Greek shepards pie that was phenomenal. Their meatballs were great and desserts were amazing. They made their own pita bread and sides which were delicious. The wine selection was fair but the food was great. It's not a full bar restaurant. I would definitely go back for dinner with friends or as a couple.
(4)Mia S.
I've been here several times. Great parking lot!!! The servers are attentive and friendly. The food is good, but not the best Greek food I've had. Last night we ordered the seafood dish to share and spanakopita (spinach pies). Half the seafood was very good, the other was over cooked :/ the spinach pies were yummy, but the sesame seeds on top take away from the flavor. The waiter suggested our dessert, A cheesecake cream with a marmalade on top. Taste like sour cream cheese and baby food. Had to send it back. Overall okay food. They also allow dogs (nope wasn't a service dog) on the patio which is gross.
(3)Nicole B.
Greek Taverna has very good food and is slightly higher in price than other local Greek restaurants. The restaurant has two different rooms separated by a hall way in the middle. One is a very loud and active area and the other, where we sat, was smaller and quiet. I ordered the chicken platter that came with "fries" (sliced potatoes), salad, and pita. The pita was warm with a slight crisp. My chicken was very juicy, I was impressed that it didn't come out dry at all. I do wish that the salad was more than just lettuce. Some added feta or grape leaves would have made the dish complete.
(3)Luigi L.
Our first visit and we enjoyed our meal. The food was not top end Greek cuisine, but pretty good for its price range. We started with an appetizer of spanikopita, which consisted of 4 small spinach pies. We were 4 people, so the portion was perfect. We ordered 2 large Greek salads. They could have fed 3 or 4 people each! The salads were fresh and tasty. Our entrees were shrimp souvlaki platter, chicken souvlaki platter, and gyro platters. Portions were generous and the food was fresh and tasty. Not gourmet, but good. Service was friendly and attentive. Parking is tough in Montclair, and they have a large free lot. That moved a 3 star rating up to a 4!
(4)Elizabeth S.
What happened? I've been to Greek Taverna a number of times over the past couple of years, and it has slowly, steadily gone downhill. Last night pushed me over the "I'm not going back" edge. Ordered a chicken platter to pick up. Got the food, brought it home -- still hot. So psyched. Open my container, and half the chicken wasn't cooked through. Had to throw it away. The amount of raw herbs -- didn't recognize it, thyme maybe? -- thrown over the salad greens overpowered everything and made the salad inedible.. The rice was good. I can make rice. I don't need to go out for rice. Overall, the reviews for this place are up and down -- and while every place can have an off night here and there, when it comes to food not being cooked, I'm moving on.
(2)Mike O.
Went here as part of a reversal dinner so I did not really see the menu but the food was good, not great. The great thing Is this restaurant has parking in the back which is a big bonus in Montclair. Meatballs were good. Casual atmosphere. Worth giving it a try.
(3)Andrew A.
What a treat! Excellent and very authentic Greek cuisine. A feast for the taste buds and because of their skilled presentation, a feast for the eyes.
(4)DJ I.
Awesome service and food!! Great quite and the best service you can ask for I have gone to the one in EDGEWATER AND Now Here I ENJOED Both Places :)
(4)Lovely L.
I went here for an early lunch with my mother today. We started off with the fried calamari and fried zucchini chips as appetizers, also of course with their seasoned toasted pita bread with a side of olive oil. The food came out very fresh and hot. The calamari was perfectly cooked and succulent, although the serving was a little on the small side, based on the slightly high price. We took our time and as soon as we finished the last bit, our server came over to give us our entrees. We both had the grilled salmon steak with their sautéed string beans. All came out hot and the salmon was seasoned fantastically. And you can't go wrong with their string beans in that stewed red sauce -- very tasty! From all of the seasoned food we were quite thirsty (I am a drinker!) So we had to wait for our server to come by to refill our waters, which took a little while. We ended our meal with two decaf coffees. I'm not sure what brand they use, but this was one of the best coffees I've had. Very rich and smooth. Overall, we had a great meal & the server was very accommodating! Will be back to try something new. :)
(4)Matt S.
Mediocre at best. Terrible hummus and tzatziki. Salmon was not great. Baklava was slightly redeeming, but overall it was a rough experience. There are a number of great restaurants around town; this is not one of them.
(2)Shari A.
We have dined here several times. We liked it so much that we met some friends at the Glen Rock location as well. But our most recent visit this past Mother's Day was disappointing if not outright awful. We had a 4pm reservation for 5 adults and two kids. The restaurant, as one might expect, was nearly empty at this early dinner time hour. It is still unclear to me if the place was just understaffed or if they were simply just providing horrible service, but our dining experience was neither pleasant nor delicious. It took nearly 20 minutes for our hummus appetizer to arrive and it arrived without pita. It then took another 15 minutes followed by two requests for the accompanying pita which was burned to a crisp when finally served. We ordered a large horatiki salad without red onions and it came with the onions. Having sent it back, we were then served with a large Greek salad! We were all so hungry we just went with it. It seemed like they forgot our main meal since it was about 45-55 minutes until we asked where our food was. The host seemed quite confused and while he was apologetic, he didn't really do much to improve the level of service. In the meantime, other large parties arrived and seemed to get their appetizers much more quickly. We were extraordinarily patient, particularly with two young kids in our group. The branzino arrived and was, as usual, good-moist, nicely grilled. The Horta greens accompanying the chicken souvlaki was also as expected...tasty. But the chicken skewers were dry as a bone and the spanikopita a little overdone...crispy is nice, but the phylo dough was not its typically beautiful golden brown. Forget dessert...we just wanted to leave after a two plus hour dinner with sub par food and service. Not sure if this experience was merely a result of dining on a Hallmark holiday or if the food and service quality has just gone way down. We will give it another chance since this was a truly unusual departure from what we have always known to be a solid place to eat. Hopefully it won't disappoint next time.
(2)Ellen P.
The place was empty, for noon lunch on a weekday. No one else being served, for two hours. The server was attentive and refilled water regularly. The lunch menu prices were too high. Most places have a separate lunch ( lower prices) then dinner. $7 to add chicken seemed high to me. I went for the salmon, additional $8.50 for about 5oz. There was so much dressing, the salad was soggy. So many onions, I thought I would gag. I told the waiter, his reply; I'm sorry to hear that. For $18.00, I could have had a feast at any Church Street restaurant. Now I'm not surprised it was empty. I've been here before. Like others have stated, they are going downhill.
(2)Gabrielle P.
Obsessed with Greek taverna! Their Greek salad is to die for. It's hard not to fill up on the pita bread because it's so delicious. The fish here is super fresh as well. Never get tired of coming here
(5)Justin F.
Good decor and parking which is an absolute rarity in Montclair. Solid Greek joint! Updated review 12/20/14 - we had our post baby Baptism lunch there on a quiet Sunday afternoon and the service was terrific. We reserved a large party in advance and they surprised us with the private room. We ordered a la carte versus the party packages and believe it was the right choice. Hot and cold appetizers were on the table upon our arrival as requested and it was a major success. Our guests were served family style with a combination of meat platters (not on menu) and seafood platters. Handled our BYO needs beautifully - champagne, wine, and cake.
(5)Jon S.
Horrendous food. Horrendous (and awkward) staff. Only plus was that we had the place to ourselves (which in retrospect should probably have been an indication).
(2)Claudia G.
Well that was a quick dinner! It all went into the trash can after a few bites. If a Greek place cannot get hummus right, then they have a problem. That was not hummus!! I make better hummus and I'm Latin. The chicken on my bland oily salad was re-grilled....my taste buds do not lie to me. If chicken is hard and dark, it's been on the grill on more than one day. My husband's gyro was old, you can taste the old oil in it. Just plain out nasty. We are eating the leftover pizza in our fridge now. $40 bucks down the drain.
(1)Liz R.
After walking around town & seeing movie in Montclair yesterday, we decided to have an early dinner. As we all could agree on Greek food, we gave this place a try. Firstly, the service was attentive and friendly. The waitress answered questions patiently and even went to speak w/kitchen about special requests. We ordered hummus and grilled veggies to start then Greek salad and grilled chicken, salmon and gyro. The food was fresh and tasty although a little bit bland (eg couldn't taste garlic in hummus and veggies could have used some fresh herbs). Overall a good experience and would return.
(3)Laura G.
pretty bad...ok very bad. Boyfriend & I went for an early dinner & were stared at the whole time by staff (probably because we were the only ones in there..which probably should have been an early indication). Food was terrible. Had to send back my meal (funky feta). Can't get any more basic than a Greek salad. Do yourself a favor & head over to Sefarat Kebab, it blows this place out of the water. A true shame this place is taking up prime real estate in the heart of Montclair.
(2)Kelle C.
After coming here for Easter dinner for the last three years, I think we can officially call Greek Taverna part of our family tradition. It started as a one time respite from having to cook a massive feast, but it worked out so well that it's become the go-to. The service is consistently attentive and polite. The food is super fresh and the portions are huuuuge, don't be surprised to leave with a to-go box. Listen carefully to the specials; this good Catholic girl usually goes for fish or lamb. The mousaka and pastitsio are delicious, and big enough to share. My mom usually gets the prawns and raves about them. My dad and aunts did the whole grilled fish last year, which the waitress handily filleted tableside. If I lived closer I'd go more often, but as it is, absence makes the heart grow fonder.
(5)Beth L.
I must say I am surprised at all of the negative reviews on this place!!! (especially about parking. really?) I came tonight with a party of 11 and we all enjoyed ourselves. From age 2 to 91. Literally each one of us was very happy with our appetizers and meals. The staff was helpful and on point and very helpful. Also they kept the beverage refills coming which was nice. I love not having to ask for more water or soda, etc. The kids were given both water and milk with lids! (bonus!) fresh warm and simply seasoned pita bread. EXCELLENT and fresh Tzatziki sauce and the best grilled Halloumi I have ever had, to start. Very nice lemon chicken rice soup. The gyro platter was nice and HUGE portion. My 8 year old daughter had the $30 red snapper and ate every bite and claimed it was DELICIOUS. At our table we also had pork sausage with orange zest, Souvlaki and fresh salads. Very well done. And thank you for the extra slice of Baklava for my mom on her birthday!
(4)Tom C.
Grilled calamari not bad, but that's it. Noisy, nasty Asian hostess . Not even close to authentic Greek food. Much better Greek places around. This was our second time eating here so it must be the norm.
(2)Nikkie L.
Great service on a slow, late Thursday night. Meal starts with a big basket of warm pita. Good for dragging through the various sauces to come. Grilled squid appetizer was huge and delicious - filled with juicy tomatoes. Salmon entree wrapped in grape leaves was cooked well, but nothing to write home about. Braised lamb shank with orzo was excellent - a little heavy on the feta, but it was easy enough to take off what we didn't want. We foolishly ordered a side of stewed eggplant and other veggies to share. Tasty, but with the other mountains of food to climb, we barely touched it. Prices seemed a bit steep on first glance, but the portion sizes and flavors justify them. And we have plenty left over for lunch.
(4)Eric G.
Came in on a whim craving hummus and spanakopita and end up taking a full spread home for dinner with the wife! Couldn't believe the quality, freshness or service I received. I was impressed by the portions, not too big, but ample. Prices were low for the quality and amount of food. I arrived in between lunch and dinner and there was still a good crowd. That was impressive enough, but the speed at which they got my in house order and take out together was impressive knowing it is all cooked a la minute. Will definitely be back when I come through the area again.
(5)Sue C.
We went for lunch and were totally pleased with the service and large portions(plenty for leftovers)! Our waitress ,Dola,answered all of our questions and helped with food allergy concerns. They even have a parking lot which is a big plus for Montclair.
(5)Anthony M.
I love down the street from this place and I've never had a problem with the service or the food here. Portions are big and I always fill up on the pita bread. Food is always good.
(4)Emily K.
chicken souvlaki is to die for here with a lot of flavour and the tzatziki sauce was amazing! you could eat it plain. would come back soon.
(5)Peter K.
Came here for Easter with the family and it was a great experience. The food is made to perfection and they have a great menu. The restaurant is very traditional and it makes you feel as if you really are in a restaurant in Greece. The atmosphere is great and the staff is beyond helpful. They are accommodating and make sure that your meal is made the way you like it.
(5)Lainie M.
As a Greek I always try and frequent Greek places. What a disaster of a meal. From the paste like hummus, petrified pita, incorrect lame salad to the freshly grilled fish that was never grilled but baked in oil. Find out the Greek chef has been gone for two weeks. Sad- great atmosphere but horrible food. Run away. Only saving grace was free parking.
(2)Nicolas M.
Came for dinner tonight with the family before going to a movie. We'd settled on Greek food for the night since Greek Delights up the street closed down. It's a very nice restaurant with a large and open interior which gets good sunlight. Service was very good and attentive with me not having to ask for refills on drinks, like another reviewer has mentioned. Since there are SO many options on the menu and my mom wanted to eat light, we just ordered several appetizers to share to include mussels, a seafood platter for two, stuffed grape leaves, spinach and cheese dishes, and assorted cheeses though I was considering traditional Greek lamb. It all turned out to be very tasty and satisfying. Seafood was scrumptious with calamari and octopus, and for God's sake, I couldn't keep my hands off the pita bread, haha. I've had better stuffed grape leaves (though these were still very good) and my mom found the tzatziki yogurt too liquidy and for there to be more garlic in general on dishes, but overall, we'd come back and were not too full, but satisfied!
(3)Josh And Seema A.
Holy Lamb-Shanks, Batman, this place was good. As soon as you walk in you're tempted with the display of deserts, but the portions were so big that no one had room left to try them. Next time we go -- and there will be a next time -- we won't make that rookie mistake. They were not stingy with the pita bread to start and the eggplant dip was amazing. Diego, the server, told us that the Double Lamb Shanks are marinated for five hours and beautifully braised and he wasn't lying. The meat was the definition of fall-off-the-bone. It was so juicy and tender that I never had to use my knife to get to the meat. The pasta and feta were a great touch that turned a good meal into a memorable experience. The gyro platter was good. There was so much lamb on the plate and the white sauce went well with the herb-covered pita. Both meals were left more than enough for lunch the next day. Every employee that we came in contact with was very friendly, and Diego said that he has had every option on the menu and helped guide our choices.
(4)Manny H.
Great food, great service! I stopped for lunch after a trip down from Cape Cod. The owner gave me a nice table in the window where I could charge my phone and computer as I waited for my gyro platter. Just what I wanted! Generous portion of meat with rice, pitas, and a salad. The tadziki that came with the meal was interesting. If you eat enough Greek food, you will learn that every Greek grandmother made her tadziki a little different. I loved this version. My beautiful young waitress from Lagos (not a Greek city) was very attentive and made me feel right at home. I only wish that I lived closer, but will definitely stop here again if I am within 25 miles! Thanxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
(5)Lisa D.
Outstanding service from Leslie who is also the manager.. I have been using Yelp for five years an I have NEVER had a merchant give me a gift for checking in. Also I will say this is authentic Greek food so if you only know cafe Gyros for $8 keep looking. My ten year old got the lamb chops---$23 and polished them off. Since I was paying for him and my husband I could only afford appetizers (just kidding). If you don't like sesame seeds let them know when you place your appetizer order.
(5)Chris L.
Me and my friends could not find parking for Cuban pete's so we all decided to come here. We were able to bring our own liquor. Our waitress was really nice and explained the specials to us. We were seated near the door and really close to the table next to us, Which was pretty bad because I had to sit at the end of the table and could not listen to most of the conversation, I got the huge order of the mixed grill. I could not finish it and had to wrapped to go. IT was a lot fo grilled meat that didn't wowed me. To top it off, the galactose booty call was cold and stiff. I've had great booty call before and I asked to have it microwaved. I don't think I would come back.
(2)Shanee O.
Was sat at a table and waiting for over 10 minutes before anyone passing by the table stopped to offer us water. Meanwhile pita bread had come...but no water, no glasses for the byob wine we brought, no word from a server, etc. Once she finally arrived and we were ready to order she wasn't at all informed about the menu. We asked about market price for whole fish and were told there were 2 different prices depending on size...but she couldn't answer what the difference in size was! Why even mention an option you know nothing about...or educate yourself first? Eh, wasn't feeling the place so when she returned 10minutes later with water (finally) we were getting up to leave. Headed to Escape down the road and had an impeccable dining experience.
(2)Steven H.
This place used to be pretty good, but tonight the food was almost tasteless. I've never had worse hummos and the grilled seafood platter was mostly rubber.
(1)Scott S.
I ate here for the first time on Saturday. We had to wait but they opened our wine to pass the time. We ordered some starters grilled squid (yum), Greek salads, and assorted dips (taramasalta, tsatziki, etc.). Pitas were very good. I got the Loup De Mer which was filleted table side. Still a bit bony but delicious. My friends hot lamb chops and veal in a bechamel sauce. They loved their food. We got dessert comped for the wait. Parking in the lot and friendly albeit a bit slow service. Not sure why other reviewers hated this place. I'd come back. $95 for a couple is not bad to me with tip. Tables are tight but not horribly so. Try it I like it.
(3)Dee C.
Sad update! Went back today for lunch. We were the only table in there. Placed our order at 12:10. It was freakishly quiet for about 5 minutes. Then they put music on - only to be turned off a few minutes later so the hostess could chat peacefully on her cell phone. Our meal didn't come out until 12:45. During this time, we got to watch the entire staff eat lunch over the prep area. Watched one guy actually comb his hair. Hostess was laughing on top of her lungs to what ever gossip was being spread to her on her cell phone, and listened to what everyone did the night before in Spanish. (don't forget this place has very high ceilings, so you can imagine what it all sounded like) Safe bet to only go when management is there.......
(1)Lor A.
This place is okay...not great, but okay. I've been here a handful of times with a friend of mine for lunch on the weekend (Sundays mostly) and it has always been okay. We typically split the cold appetizer platter (plenty for two or three people to share) along with some soups and salads for our main dish. My gripe with this place is that a table for two is way too small. By the time we have our appetizer platter, our pitas, and our drinks, there is no room left for anything else. The ice bucket for the wine stays on the floor and we have no room for our salads and soups. It's a combination of the dishes being oversized and the table being too small. We find ourselves taking over the neighboring table, provided no one is sitting at it, of course! That being said, we can take our time BS-ing and we don't feel like we're being rushed. FYI - this area of Montclair can be a little sketchy at night....
(3)Jenny A.
Very disappointed! We ordered take out and was excited to try a new place. We've been looking for a place for good gyros and figured we'd try this place. It was too expensive for the portion and the quality was poor. We ordered a gyro platter and even the little bit of salad they gave with the dinner portion wasn't even fresh! Unfortunately not good enough for the price. No wonder it was pretty empty for a Valentine's day. Not even the pitas were worth the price.
(2)Bob G.
Excellent food and service. Came across this place while we were going to another restaurant and they were closed. Huge portions, excellent fresh food. Beautiful room and location., host and waitress were excellent. I don't leave too many reviews but we really liked it here. .
(5)C T.
Nice decor , lots of parking. But go for the lunch special. Its cheaper and not as crowded. Im a sicker for the fyro so I have not tried anything else there. Its pretty good , let me know what else to try
(3)randy d.
I don't know where all these bad reviews are coming from. I've eaten here many times and have never had a bad meal and I'm not easy to please! Was here last night, server was very sweet, attentive. bus boys a little green but tried to be helpful, host{ owner?] asked if all was well, greeted my friend[ who made the res} by name when he arrived and when we left! You don't see that often. Dinner- shrimp special that was lit on fire at the table, I could have made a meal of that alone, delish. Great Greek salad[ I don't remember the name} fresh, lots of cheese, olives, tomatoes. We could have stopped there. I had the lamb special with orzo, lamb was very tasty, tender, sauce for the orzo was good but could have had a bit more seasoning.My friend had the grilled chicken, not exciting but he said it was well prepared. No room for dessert, could have had a little more of a selection and maybe we could have been convinced. All and all a good meal. Go again, give it another shot if you weren't happy before.
(4)Michael S.
Great food - The lamb chops fell off the bone.
(5)Melissa R.
You should definitely visit the Greek Taverna. Especially if: 1. You want to drive around Montclair looking for a place to park on a Friday night at 8. 2. You want to wait 20 minutes past your reservation time to be seated. 3. You want to sit so close to the person at the table next to you that you touch elbows. 4. You cannot hear your dining companion speak because it is so loud. 5. You want your waiter to ignore you. 6. You want to wait over an hour for your entree. When you ask the manager to check on your food (because your waiter is in the back chatting with his coworkers), he asks you what you expected since you ordered a whole fish. 7. When your food finally comes, you have to spit a mouth full of bones out of each morsel of the "Greek Whitefish". The potatoes - which were a "specialty" - were nothing more than bland half-cooked boiled potatoes. (For the record, our appetizer - the cold app was basically just a plate of overpriced olives.) 8. You like paying $100 for a mediocre dinner that took nearly three hours to consume. I wish I could get those three hours of my life back. The only good thing that came out of it was that the hostess told me about Merit Wines which delivers in case you forget to BYOB. Overall, I won't go back and I was sorry that we wasted a sitter and our only date night for the month on the Greek Taverna.
(1)Adam D.
Parking in Montclair can be difficult, but this place has a lot. Authentic Greek cuisine with homemade desserts on display and great coffee to complement them. Great value. Great service. This place is tough to beat for the area. The first time I went here I had an excellent waiter named Gray (sp?) who I requested when I went back. Order the Branzino on the bone and they should filet it at your tableside. BOYB, and overall great food and great ambience.
(4)Mike J.
Went there on a busy Saturday night with a party of 14. The appetizers were mediocre at best with too much seasoning and the spanakopita was an insult to Greek restaurants. The entrees (2 of which came out 20 minutes after the others) were mostly overcooked. Shrimp kabob tough, chicken souvlaki overdone and dry, salmon overdone, etc. The worst part of it was how arrogant and smug the male host was. He glumly offered to prepare something else but his attitude and demeanor were downright insulting. No apology. No attempt to try and turn a negative experience into a positive one. Any place can have a bad night for any number of reasons. But poor relations and customer service combined with below average food is grounds for the 'never again' category. I'd recommend staying away.
(1)Grace P.
The worst Greek food I ever had. The seafood salad was completely charcoal. The hummus was not authentic. They need to get a chef that knows how to grill octopus! Never been served black charred octopus in my life!! Maybe they should get Italian chef to teach EM! Terrible!!
(1)Allison C.
I had a great time here. The food was terrific--I enjoy eating small plates.
(4)Brian C.
THe portions are unreal! I would definitely suggest this place. I came for a quick dinner and brought my own beer. They are very accommodating and the service was amazing. The Greek salad was worth every dollar!
(4)Rebecca P.
Great place for a date night. Has huge portions and pretty broad menu. Quick service. We had one side dish, two entrees, two desserts, and two beverages. Total $75. Not bad for downtown Montclair. BYOB.
(4)Steve G.
Pro's: an abundance of tasty olives on the $15 cold appetizer plate, HUGE shrimp (although overcooked), decent service. Con's: grossly overpriced-- at least 3x what a better meal would cost elsewhere, some dishes were absolutely horrible and the remainder were bad. Gigantic wedges of inedibly salty feta cheese on the cold appy plate. Lamb gyro was flavorless and cooked to shoe leather toughness. An absolutely nightmarish pastitsio, coupling seriously overcooked pasta with a beef paste which had the consistency of cat food. I'll probably gag every time I pass this place, and wouldn't eat here again if it were the last restaurant in creation. Quite likely the worst expensive meal I've ever eaten.
(1)Krysia K.
We stop there for late lunch on Saturday. The place was empty but we have very good experience. The staff was pleasant and always willing to help. We ordered Gigantes (Giant Lima Beans) and Grilled calamari for appetizer. Both dishes were very good. As main dishes we ordered Gyro platter and Gyro salad. Not complain everything were very good. The portions were big too. Very good food, very good service.
(4)Maria C.
Food is very good. Very fresh and very quick delivery. We ordered 3 gyro platters and other apps. I could not believe that they had the nerve to charge me extra for a little extra sauce for the gyros. Esp when we spent around 80 dollars.
(3)Stephen S.
We had lunch here on a Saturday. Service was terrific and the host couldn't have made us feel more welcome. We had the grilled chicken Greek salad -- it was great and prepared just the way we asked(mine with dressing and my wife without). Asked for tea and was presented with fresh mint tea -- again, couldn't have been better. Will definitely go here again.
(4)Kevin C.
Great find in montclair. Tasty warn pita bread brought to the table means no need to even order an app. I had the gyro platter w rice instead of fries. The gyro meat was fantastic. The rice a little undercooked. Others at the table had the chicken platter and swordfish. All left very full. Will return!
(4)Brad Q.
Can you really call yourself a Greek Taverna if you're serving frozen gyro??? Other highlights included fishy-tasting shrimp and bland, overcooked chicken kabobs. Needless to say, we won't be dining here again.
(1)Robu D.
"Meh" pretty much says it for me. I prefer quality over quantity... The portions here are large, but I didn't find anything remarkable. Decent grilled chicken, OK spreads for the pita, OK grilled fish, decent lamb chops. The prices were pretty high considering what we received in return. On the plus side, it has a nice interior space and the parking is great. But I would have a hard time convincing myself to go back. There is much better Mediterranean food to be found in the area.
(3)Will L.
I have a deep-rooted passion for the Greek culture. Beyond often being mistaken for being Greek, and having dated several Greeks, I have come to know the Greek lifestyle greatly - and this includes cooking and cuisine. My experience at Greek Taverna was very similar to my experience at Englewood's 'Solaia,' except much worse. Furthermore, I can't even give Greek Taverna points for beautiful décor or five-star service as my experience was all-around regretful. My introduction to Greek Taverna was nothing but stressful. After driving in circles, I was about to go home as I could not locate the entrance to the designated parking area. After making a brief phone call, I discovered the "entrance" was (literally) an alley. I drove through an alarming alley which could barely fit one car going each way, only to abandon my vehicle in an undesirable lot. When I entered the restaurant, I was taken back by the cafeteria-style seating and the less-than-eager to assist wait staff. The dishes were, not entirely shocking, completely unauthentic and *not* fresh. I was still optimistic, however. Judging by the less-than-lackluster experience I had thus far, I assumed that tonight's dinner was going to be a cheap one. Again - I was let down. At this point, between worrying about being carjacked, the visual layout of the wannabe restaurant, fast food service, and easy-bake-oven cuisine, I literally laughed out load when I saw the bill - maybe this time I was on MTV's "Punk'd." If a Greek-style McDonald's existed - I certainly discovered it this evening. I would not be exaggerating by stating that Greek Taverna is overpriced, times five. Two words: never again!
(1)Uchejo N.
I was less than impressed with this place. I went here one night with my boyfriend and was expecting a good greek food experience. I thought the food was tasteless and blah. I've never had greek food before, so I was unsure if it was the normal taste for greek food or this place was just blah. After talking to a few of my friends, they agreed with me and said the food here is just tasteless. I wouldn't go back unfortunately. To end on the positive note, the service was very good. :)
(2)Steve K.
Nice decor. Very expensive. I had fish which was very expensive but just ok. My kids had the gyros and the meat was very greasy. I was pretty disappointed . Service was very good though. Too bad the food isn't good. We were a large group and not many liked it.
(1)Phil M.
I have been here twice, once with a group of 4 and then with a group of 13, the service, and food were outstanding both times. My friends are from Cypress, and they raved about the authenticity of the food.
(5)monika c.
A really bland and forgetful meal. Their menu options are quite boring and the food was pretty much the same. Our waiter, although inexperienced, was very nice.
(2)Nina W.
Large, noisy but pretty space. Adequate Greek food, not as good as some other places around here, but it has a parking lot, which is a plus in Montclair. Service can be lackadaisical if the place is busy, and the aforementioned noise level can be, well, noisy. Love the cold appetizer plate with taramasalata, babaganoush, etc. The entrees can be iffy: gyro platter meat is like eating the soles of a shoe at times. Overall, it's okay, a bit pricey, but a good option to have in Montclair.
(3)Bernardo B.
Great attentive service. The traditional lamb arnika dish was yummy as was the grilled shrimp dish we ordered. The saganaki was undercooked and the gyro didn't have any flavor. Great to have an attentive place with parking and if you don't miss on one of the off dishes you might make out well.
(2)Julia A.
So this was my first time at Greek Taverna, Saturday for Lunch around 12PM. We were one of two tables. It's a strange building but I liked the way everything was set up. I see a lot of potential for private events etc. The noise level was NON Existent so that was nice. We split a bunch of stuff. Tzatziki which was VERY good, the pita was excellent. We then had the greek salad which was terrific, the Greek Chips with Skordalia which was amazing! My friend got the Keftedes which was prepared in an odd way, not traditionally but she said it was very good ( i don't do meat) The Grilled Haloumi was pretty good. I've made better but I would order it again. My only complaint was we ran out of pita pretty quickly and the waiter was no where to be found, the host was sitting in the corner texting. Overall it was a great experience. We ordered a ridiculous amount of food, we had plenty of leftovers. I will be back!
(4)G K.
We came here for an early dinner during montclair's restaurant week. This is a great BYOB with excellent food an service. Both of us ordered from the prix fix menu and were very happy. The Greek salad was huge and delicious. I had the lamb chops w potatoes, my boyfriend had the lamb shanks with orzo. Both were very tender and tasty! Finished with a generous helping of baklava. A great experience!
(5)allison o.
Tried this place after the great review on nj.com I thought this place was really good! The appetizers and salads were phenomenal, our entrees were great. The service was great, too. Overall I thought everything was very carefully and authentically prepared. The atmosphere was also really nice. Great outdoor seating area. I'm frankly kind of confused about the bad experiences of the earlier reviewers. I even had some of the same dishes and thought they were great. I'll definitely be going here again!
(5)Boris B.
Good food, decent prices. Love their grilled vegetables appetizer.
(4)Carla L.
We had eaten here once before and really enjoyed it. Tonight, it was horrible. I asked the waiter if the sparkling water was a large bottle, because I know that is a rip off. He told me it was not, and a large bottle appeared at the table. I ordered a salad, and when it was delivered to the table, it had no dill which was one of the ingredients. It was tasteless, and I sent it back. When the hostess brought me another one, with the dill in it, it was so saturated with lemon, it was inedible. The soup was cold and had no flavor, and the spinach pie, was cold and Costco spinach triangles. The hostess whisked our plate away before we were finished. This was terrible eating experience, and we will never go back.
(1)Atno S.
The cafateria enviroment was a turn off at first sitting. I should have left at first sight. The food was mere low level Diner food, I have eaten at better diners in Jersey (Greek owned). It sucks you will not see me again.
(1)Skippy M.
THEY DON"T HONOR RESERVATIONS ON WEEKENDS!!! Had an 8:00 reservation and didn't get seated until 9:15 along with many others. By the time we were served and finished dessert, it was 11:30 and we were the last ones there. Not even a sorry or a free appetizer. Quite annoying. They seat walk-ins at 7:30 and expect tables just to appear at 8:00. People just linger and sit there for ever sipping coffee. Quite rude. Put a check on the table and turn those tables! There is no bar or waiting area so you're stuck standing crammed in the entryway. Bad experience. Food: Appetizers were just ok. Pikilia (dips combo) was lame, small portions and very poorly presented in ramikins. Hummus tasted store bought. Best thing was chunks of fresh feta in the Greek salad. Entree portions are huge. Mousaka was a giant casserole good enough for 2 people, FYI. Double cut lamb chops were best thing on the table. Stick to the grill. BYOB! I would never go back on a Saturday night, ever.
(3)Steven H.
Appetizers were good. Portions a bit small but very flavorful. We ordered both the mixed grill entree and the gyro platter. The gyro platter was ok. Kinda expensive ($15) for something that had neither more food or better food that a typical gyro off a truck. Mixed grill was ordered 2 ways on our table medium and a medium well. Honestly I tasted both and they were both dry. I mean really dry. Chicken had good flavor, and sausage was passable but the burger and kababs hard to choke down. When I requested some tzatki to moisten it upthey charged me $2.50. We would have been better off returning to kitchen. Service a little slow and confused. For the 6 of us we had 3 appetizers and 5 entrees with tip it came to over $180.
(1)Kevin S.
Do not support this place. Decor- Poor/tacky. Food-Greasy and unhealthy. Also, the pita was very stale. My wife and I just returned from a trip to Greece and the food here is completely unauthentic. I felt ripped off. Overpriced and understaffed. To top it all of as I was leaving the restaurant I heard the manager make an underhanded remark about Asians. Beware manager deletes reviews.
(1)Anthony P.
Nice atmosphere. Good food Price was not bad, and left stuffed.
(4)Victor J.
Greek salad was delicious and authentic Greek. The mixed grill and whole fish grill special was nothing special to right about. It pains me to say that despite the hype, any Greek diner is 10x better than this place. It may have been an off day for the staff, so I will give it one more try before dismissing the restaurant.
(2)Felicia K.
Decent Greek food. The atmosphere here is fine, but the tables seemed crammed together, which made things feel a bit uncomfortable. The service was somewhat impersonal. Will probably try somewhere else rather than returning to this place again.
(3)Sammy C.
Went there on Sunday for a couple a souvlakis w the kids ....we sat down ordered drinks ....the menus had no gyro sandwiches only 0platters for 16 dollars ....for dinner I can get with that but not for lunch w the kiddos ..so we left but had to pay 10 dollars for 3 drinks ....nat I was unhappy
(2)Zabrina K.
I was DYING to try this place. I love Greek food. Most of the time when I do Greek, it's either at or ordering take out from It's Greek to Me in Englewood. While I really like the food there, I thought it was time to try some place new ... hoping to find something a bit more on the upscale side. My first impression of the Greek Taverna was a postive one. I liked the decor and while there wasn't a wait, most of the tables were full. It had a good vibe. We were disappointed to find out it was a bring your own. (Usually a plus in my book). I totally forgot to check into this prior to getting there and there were no liquor stores within walking distance ... Anyway, here's what we ordered: Appetizer: The special seafood sampler (jumbo shrimp, squid, calamari, octopus) Dinners: Jason got the beef platter and I got the chicken platter We also ordered greek fries (a personal fave of both of us). Strike 1: Our appetizer came out with our dinners. I can recall this happening as a young girl and my dad automatically telling the waiter to take the meals back until we were finished. I also can recall wanting to hide under then table when he said this ... BUT ... I get it now. There was so much food that she had to slide the table next to us over to fit everything. I was not able to enjoy my food. I was neglecting my meal and leaning over everything to get a taste of the appetizer. In addition, the spices of the appetizer overpowered my chicken. Everything started to taste the same. Strike 2: The greek fries were replaced with some kind of "Greek Chips". There were sort of a thinly sliced deep fried zucchini. It was pretty good tasting .. but not what we wanted. Overall the food was ok. My chicken was very tender and Jason raved about his beef. We took our leftovers to go and had a nice lunch the next day but .... unless we were going with a group of friends who wanted to check this place out, we wouldn't go again. There are too many other greek restaurants that we want to try ( in Ramsey, Bloomfield and Tenafly). This restaurants just gets an ok in my book. P.S. We were dressed totally casual in jeans and sneakers and it was fine. I'm interested to read if others have a better experience here. It may help me to change my mind and check it out again. And, I'll be sure to let them know to bring my food out after the apps.
(2)Colette P.
ordered octopus appetizer had to send it back, couldn't tell if it was sour or just marinated way too long. replaced with calamari half was good, other half like rubber but i hate to send food back so we just dealt. for dinners fish was not the freshest, completely edible but could have been fresher, saute was bland and maybe staff could have recommended somehting fresher? mousaka was generous portion o.k. but not what you would expect from a such a nice looking greek restaurant. a little dry. do not get greek coffee unless you like a big glob or instant coffe on the the bottom of you cup. really for $100 dinner i would expect much better, never again.
(1)Karen p.
Our server was very friendly and helpful. They are BYOB but my friend and I forgot to bring wine, so the waiter helped us order wine from a local store who delivered it very quickly. I had a shrimp dish that was absolutely yummy! Another plus is that this place has a parking lot (not common in Montclair).
(4)Harper S.
We headed to Montclair to see a show at the Wellmont Theatre. The place we wanted to eat was a 45 minute wait and the others were BYOB so we stumbled upon this place and decided Greek sounded great to us. There were a lot of people there so it seemed like a good thing. I decided to order an appetizer for my main course (Taverna Grilled Vegetables) and a side of potatoes. My dad got soup and a fish dish. We ordered a diet coke and lemonade and the waiter came back to us TWICE asking what we wanted to drink. He was in la-la land. He had no idea what he was doing or how to be a waiter or remember anything. We ended up getting a greek-ish salad because the people next to us had it and it looked good. After my HUGE plate or vegetables came out, and my dad had already picked on his soup and salad, we decided he didn't need his fish and there was no time to eat it if it wasn't ready yet. We talked to the waiter, he said he would go check on the fish, he came back and said it was ready. If it's ready then where is it? Bring it to the table. Oh wait, it's actually not ready and needs a few minutes. The guy was an idiot. We told them we needed to leave, they huffed and puffed and gave us the check and we left. Honestly the food was really good, the fact that I enjoyed all the veggies (minus the mushroom) in my dish is great but the service was really unbelievable.
(3)Hilary M.
We're pretty much loyals of It's Greek to Me, but decided to branch out and try something new. We'll be returning to our usual place next time. My main issue with this place is the acoustics - it's ridiculously loud - the noise bounces off the wooden floor and decor and it's impossible to hear anything. Our waiter had to repeat a special that we were interested in because we couldn't hear the full description. My husband was literally hoarse from trying to hold a conversation. And, the restaurant was only about 1/3 full. No matter how great the food is, the noise level completely taints the experience. The food was pretty good and plentiful - both my husband and I brought home leftovers (I almost never have leftovers). We had the pikilia appetizer to start - they substituted hummus for tzitziki with no problem, which I appreciated. The dips were pretty good - really liked the potato garlic and roe dips, especially. I've had better eggplant dip, but it was ok. The pita was covered in oil and quite greasy - if I was to return, I would ask for it plain. I had the gyro platter and the meat was terrific - soft and tasty- I really enjoyed it. The tzitziki sauce was delicious - tasted homeade and was one of the best I've had. My husband had a combination grill (chicken, lamb and steak) and thought it was excellent - came with his choice of side, as well. We were completely stuffed, so we didn't try any dessert. The service was pretty good - our server was trying hard. All in all, if it hadn't been for the horrible noise level, we'd probably go back - if we lived closer, it could be a good takeout option.
(3)Pa G.
ok i decided to go here because the food was very good the last time i was there. so i went back w 3 of my friends and was very embarrased. the place on a saturday night around 7-8pm was very crowded, it is so loud you cannot hear yourself speak! this is ok, and was acceptable enough but when my friend accidently splilled her water i asked a waitress nearby if she could help, and she stood there stared at me like i was nuts, we caught a waiter who said i will be right back, and 5 minutes later he still never came back. we ended up running around the place looking for towels still NO waiter to be found the towels sat there on the table another 5 minutes..they were not the kind of towels to soak up liquids so the whole table was still had water on in and the dripping..meanwhile we sta there with the loudness of the restuarnat and wait and waited...then the intial female waitress came over with a better towel but left all the other towels on the table for our waiter i guess? he was still NO where....the second waiter comes and walks right by like he never was asked anything..i had to ask him for a new plate for my friend because the other setting was now taken away....and i had to ask him to take the towels away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! he was going leave them all there in the middle of the table now 10minutes ....then finally when all was said and done our little waiter came over and said oh did they help with the water spill? i was so irate at this poiint i wanted to punch him out....the second lazy waiter that never helped at all whispred in his bosses ear what was going on as i watched they both laughed....and seemed to conspire against me!!?? i dont know what this was all about but i dont care how good the food was i will never go back there again!!!
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