Taverna Knossos — Restaurant in Municipality of Rethymnon

We really wanted to like Knossas Tavern based on several recommendations, but unfortunately, we caught them on a bad night—and not just for us.

From the start, the service felt rushed and unorganized. The owner’s son took our order and seemed unsure of basic menu details. When I asked about the fish of the day, he awkwardly tried to push the grilled sea bream instead, saying it was better for one person. I explained that my partner and I would be sharing, and he said his mother (the owner) would come over to explain the fish options—which is typical and expected at tavernas in Greece. She never came.

We ordered a Greek salad, bread, seafood tagliatelle, and a bottle of house rosé. The server felt distracted, like he wasn’t really listening. We also noticed other tables having issues—one group asked for a dry wine, and the server made up an answer, which led to a wine they didn’t like.

When food started arriving, it got worse. Our salad was first offered to another table, who denied it, and then the runner turned to us and asked if it was ours. It was. After that, we waited… and waited. No seafood tagliatelle, no rosé. Other tables who sat down after us were getting all their courses while we sat there increasingly confused.

Eventually, I went inside and told the owner we’d like the check and that we never got our wine or main dish. She looked stunned and asked her son, who lied and said he told me to go inside to ask her about the fish. That never happened. I also witnessed her going to other tables to describe the fish of the day—she clearly knew that’s part of the experience.

Trying to recover, she offered two glasses of wine “on the house” (we had ordered a bottle) and said she’d rush our dish in five minutes. Fifteen minutes later, it finally came out—confirming the order was never put in. We ate quickly, asked for the bill, and they even brought dessert as if we wanted to extend our time there. When the owner returned, she gave excuses: it was a long day, it was the server’s first day, etc.

And despite everything, we were still charged.

I work in hospitality and understand off nights happen—but this was a cascade of avoidable errors, poor training, and a lack of accountability. I’d be very wary of this place. We left feeling frustrated and unwelcome, which is the opposite of every other dining experience we’ve...

Cute taverna in the most touristical area of Rethymno....but that's it. Disappointing and sad experience. They are not careful with everybody because there is a flux of people all the time...so basically if you don't like it there are 10 other people in the line behind you waiting for a table. The ''4.6'' level of reviews is totally unjustified. Sorry but is the truth. The only restaurant that I've been hearing the owner gossiping and talking bad about customers with the rest of the people sat at the tables. Read below. The experience: I don't mind waiting 10 mins for a table, but being moved around from a table to another that's not ok at all. Totally disorganised. Had to wait another 10 mins for somebody to come to take the order, and when they were coming they were just leaving in a flash because they saw somebody wanting to sit at a table. And then again waiting. At some point I was thinking to go at the bar to order, but they told me to have a sit. Lovely. Brought us the wine and basically just left even if we were ready to order the food. "AMAZING" service. After we lost track of time the food finally came. Imagine after 40 mins or so, being starved, I received a cold and extremelly salty grilled sea bass. Keep in mind that main dishes are 20-25 euro each. I told the lady owner. She took it brought another one just slightly warmer. A couple sat at a table next to us started talking in french with the lady owner, about me and my girldfriend. Without realizing that maybe I understand, and I do understand french. The couple was asking the owner what happened and why I refused the order etc. Keep in mind the tables are half a meter away from each other. The lady owner reply was : I'm sorry for that happening but you know sometimes we have difficult and fussy customers. MIND BLOWING. Extremely rude and offensive. The only good thing was the location and a band of guys passing by and singing tradional greek songs that took our mind off the things going on. Conclusion: Almost 100 euro spent (20-25 euro main dishes, 40-45 a bottle of wine). And what you get in return...being moved around, left starved to death and offended. I'm not saying this will happen every time but there is a big risk that will happen to you or your couple....

Based on a good Google review score of 4.7 i was interested in this restaurant, so we went with our family to this idyllic small port area where only restaurants with sometimes ennoying waiters invited you to sit down on their terrace. However, we arrived at a the only full terrace where lovely odors of fish and garlic entered your nose wholes. The friendly owner removed some decoration vegetables on a table, so we could combine 2 tables with the 4 of us. We placed our orders: 2 pasta with seafood, 1 pasta with mussels only and squid for the youngest. As a starter (not mentioned on the menu), we received a delicious toast with fresh uncooked tomato salsa (with dried oregano and olives) accompanied by the famous Kreta olive oil. The wine of the house probably had some muscat grapes in it, just lovely. And then it came, the best seafood pasta i ate in my life, cooked in probably the most modest kitchen i have ever seen, full with fresh vegetables stored in the front area of the restaurant. While we were eating, another important fluid for Kreta was falling out of the sky with tons. First the friendly staff brought some extra umbrella's, but in the end we had to escape to the cosy first floor where we received local sweets as a compensation and lots of excuses for the...