Victory — Restaurant in Athens

We were just tired and hungry after a fun day of sight-seeing beautiful Athens when we came across this little restaurant on the outskirts of Plaka. We figured, why not, and walked in where Mina, a Russian looking beautiful lady, greeted us with a huge smile and funny remarks about we being a big group (family of six adults). She and her brother (at least I think that's what she told us he was) rushed to rearrange some seats for us, and even after that, she told us that as soon as another set of customers finished, she was going to move us to the other side because that had more airflow. She did as promise and then we ordered our incredibly delicious food. I actually don't know what to emphasize more: the food or the service. Both were many, many times better than I would ever imagine. She kept coming back to check on us, chat with us, and joke with us, as if we were in her house while she was throwing a party. This was not just a quick dinner grab (as we had thought it would be) but an actual Greek party. At the end, all good things must end (or so I thought), and I got up to pay for this amazing dinner, but to my amused surprise, they told me to wait and relax, paraphrasing: "just go and sit, enjoy what you ate with the family". I did as I was told because that made absolute Greek sense. We North Americans are used to treat food as a fueling activity, but this trip taught me that Greeks (and Italians) have a better sense of what dinner should be, so, when in Greece... After this we were treated to complimentary watermelon (thanks!), and, just a few minutes later (and the place had filled up with people now), Mina came with shots for everyone at our table and she told us to not drink it yet. She and her brother (again, sorry if I misunderstood this) then went and gave shots to all the adults in the other tables, and then, with a funny Spanish toast, we all drank the shots at the same time (she even gave me an extra shot when I went to finally pay the bill). I'm not saying that a party like this is guaranteed every night, but this review is not about the free shots, or the party-like ambience, but about the heart-warming care these people put into their service and their delicious food (man, everything we ordered was some of the best we've had in Greece, specially that octopus my wife ordered, yum!). Do yourself a favor and visit this place, you may or may not get shots, but the food and their smiles are already...

We recently visited Victory Cafe in Athens with my wife and little daughter, and I must say, it was a fantastic experience. The cafe is small but cozy, and from the moment we walked in, we were greeted with warm smiles and welcoming attitudes from the owner lady and her brother. We had moussaka, 2 souvlaki (pork, chicken), spaghetti bolognese, and Greek salad, and the food was absolutely delicious and of great quality. The portions were generous, and we appreciated the complimentary sweets that were served.

What really stood out to me was the hospitable nature of the owner lady. She treated us like guests rather than customers, inviting us to her world and making us feel at home. The cafe's intimate setting and warm atmosphere made the whole experience even better. It is essential to note that the food must be eaten at the cafe and not taken to go. By taking the time to dine in, visitors can fully appreciate the welcoming ambiance and enjoy the food in the best way possible.

In addition to her native Greek, the owner lady spoke well-spoken English and a little bit of other common languages like Spanish, Italian, and Turkish. This made the whole experience even more unique, as it showed us that she genuinely cares about her guests and wants to make them feel comfortable and at home.

Overall, Victory Cafe was not just a place to satisfy our hunger but a place where we felt well-treated by a gracious host. The decor of the cafe was simple yet charming, and the warm welcome made us feel like we were dining at a friend's house. It was a holistically great experience that I would highly recommend to anyone visiting Athens. If you're looking for delicious food and a warm, welcoming atmosphere, look no further than...

First vsited this place 3 years ago and came here for my first meal when I revisited Athens 2 weeks back.

Let me tell you guys one thing straight up: this is the only restaurant that I've been to and unequivocally felt that it deserves all the positive reviews it has received so far. The simple fact that there is literally no other places that has 4.9/5 over a few hundred ratings is a testament of how downright amazing this place is.

My partner and I spent 11 days in Greece and have tried a total of 6 moussakas across 4 islands and I daresay this is hands down the best one we have had. The Greek salad was really fresh and portions were really generous (if you can't already tell from the pictures others have posted here)

But let me say this: what's absolutely amazing about this place isn't just the food. When all is said and done, you will find that you won't feel as welcomed to Greece as you would be at victory cafe. Mina is passionate, positive, entertaining and there's no better welcome and sentiment goodbye to your Greece getaway than chatting with her. On my last day in Greece, she offered us 2 complimentary strawberry yoghurt drinks out of her own goodwill, on top of her repertoire of raki and dessert that she serves her guests at the end of their meals.

This place is more a restaurant. It's an attraction in itself and I can't emphasize this enough. So please, do yourself a favour and come visit this place if you happen to be near syntagma...