"Diaskari" Taverna — Restaurant in Municipality of Sitia

We've got seated, nothing was prepared on the table (it is important for the end). When the waitress arrived, she was very unfriendly, no interaction, no smile. It was nice that we have received some appetisers. I have ordered the veal stake and others have ordered mushroom risotto, orzo seafood, fish, fried sardines and fried mushrooms. The steak was ordered medium but it arrived medium-well/well done. It was like chewing a rubber, it was veiny and full of fat. Sardines were just ordinary, almost like store bought. The fish and orzo were the only good things. Around the table there was a lot of cats! Many of those cats were sick and were begging for food. That is very unhygenic and unacceptable. During our meal, not even once the waitress came and asked if the food is good or to check on us. We were waiting for a very long time for a bill and when we arrived we've saw that a table charge (a cover) for 1 euro per person was added to the bill!!! As said in the beginning, the table was empty when we arrived and we didn't even receive any water. Extremely disappointing...

Edit: As you can see from the owner's response, he obviously cannot take critisism and tries to present me as animal and human hating individual. When we have entered the restaurant, many tables were free. I don't know why owner tries to do but tries to present like we insisted to be seated near the sea where people were already seated, like we wanted the waitress to move already seated guests and have us seat there instead of them... We switched seats once and even asked the waitress if it is ok to do it and it was BEFORE she even took our order. Do you really think people will believe such ridicilous claim? In regards of cats, it is not our concern that the restaurant have problem with them. The cats were swarming us, they were jumping on chairs and were around us all the time which is unhygenic and unacceptable to happen in a restaurant! I have a degree in hotel, catering and tourism and I assure you that the sanitary inspectorate would be very interested in the conditions in which people with sick animals eat. If the owner would really take care of the animals, they would be treated at a veterinary clinic and not having festering eyes, not bein able to see. If the owner is taking care of those cats, then he is not taking a good care as almost all cats are sick and should not be near food. As for letting the waiter know, owner ignored the fact that by gastronomy standards, the waiter should take interest in checking on us, especially when I have left half of the stake out and did not touch the rest while the owner lied that all plates were empty. The only empty plates empty were the fish and orzo which we praised. The owner claims that it was so simple to just tell the waitress etc...while waitress was unkind and not present. We waited 15 minutes for the bill and the only reason why we received it is because we had to ask the cook who was passing by us while the waitress took no interest in us which just is further proved by not checking on us during on after meal. In regards of the table charge, I didn't say it was illegal (something the owner in his response was very angry about), I just said that by the standards of all surrounding restaurants and all restaurants we have been in Greece, we were charged for appetisers only. The tables were not prepared, we did not receive water. Also, is is a custom in restaurants in the world to remove the table charge for appetisers if the guests order. The table charge is usually for prepared tables with cutlery, glasses and tablecloth. Anyway, I am sad that owner does not take any accountability for what I have mentioned in my opinion, blames us for everything, makes his tavern perfect and wants to make us look like a terrible people. I don't doubt that people like this place and opinions are indeed positive but just because most of them are positive, it doesn't mean that all is perfect and instead of taking the negative review as a space for improvement, the owner personally attacks the...

Truly bizarre experience. We were 7 people spanning 3 generations looking for something to eat, having been on the beach for several hours. As we approached the taverna, they were obviously busy, and our chances of getting a table looked slim at best. One grey-haired man with a beard and moustache was attending to the tables, and when we approached him to check table availability, he was unfriendly and unhelpful. By chance, an appropriately sized table became free and the eldest members of our group needed to sit down, so we decided to sit at the table instead of blocking the narrow road, especially as the youngest in our group was just 6yo. A moment later, the grumpy old waiter appeared to clear the table of the previous occupants' dishes. Without understanding our circumstances (the elderly struggling with walking and the heat), he was bizarrely confrontational and accused us of being rude, presumably for sitting down at the table before it was cleared. There was a brief exchange of words between my elderly relative and the waiter before we got up and left. Needless to say, this was disappointing. The waiter had seemingly misunderstood what was going on, but his aggressive approach was like nothing I've seen before. Perhaps he was just having a bad day. Perhaps he knew that they have a catchment area for tourists, so by making us leave, it would have minimal impact on his business. Hopefully, this review will prove otherwise. I will refrain from using expletives to describe the man, so you'll have to use your imagination. It was very telling that my 9yo girl was upset by what happened, and this is what annoyed me more than anything. I'm not the aggressive type, but if I was, this could've had a very different and much more...

From the moment I arrived at Diaskari Beach, I knew I’d found something special. Nestled along a pristine stretch of coastline, the beach is quiet, clean, and beautifully maintained – perfect for a relaxing day in the sun with the sound of waves lapping nearby.

But the real magic happens just steps away at the Diaskari Tavern, a classic Greek seaside eatery that captures the essence of hospitality. A heartfelt thank you to Dimitri, Stefania, Vlasic, Manos, and of course, Mike (excuse any mispronunciations – the warmth and kindness you all showed made me feel like family!). The service was consistently attentive, friendly, and genuine.

Now let’s talk food – absolutely the best in the area. Every dish was a standout: the fresh fish was grilled to perfection, the Greek salad was vibrant and refreshing, and the cheese croquettes? Simply addictive. Don’t miss the tzatziki either – creamy, garlicky, and made with love. And there was a local specialty that was truly out of this world – I won’t spoil the surprise, but trust me, you’ll know it when you taste it.

If you’re looking for an authentic experience in Crete – great food, genuine people, and a picture-perfect beach – Diaskari Beach and Tavern is where...