To Tsipouradiko mas — Restaurant in Patmos Municipality

Tsipouradiko, Skala Patmos – A Masterclass in Arrogance

I don’t often write furious reviews, but this one is well deserved. Tsipouradiko in Skala Patmos was, hands down, one of the most unpleasant dining experiences I’ve had in years — and I’ve eaten my way across five continents.

We arrived and were told with a straight face that “they don’t take reservations.” Fine — we waited. But what followed was nothing short of infuriating: guests kept showing up and were ushered to tables clearly held for them. Reserved. One after the other. Meanwhile, we stood there like fools, completely ignored. We didn’t exist.

The lady in charge — and I say this with no exaggeration — was the most arrogant person I’ve ever encountered in this industry. Cold, smug, and uninterested in even pretending to be professional. Her attitude set the tone for everything else.

Greek hospitality is world-renowned, but Tsipouradiko is a stain on that reputation. It takes a special kind of entitlement to run a restaurant like this — where locals or “preferred” guests are treated well, and others are left standing like afterthoughts.

I will absolutely make sure my readers know to steer clear of this place. There are far better spots on Patmos that value their customers and treat them with basic respect. Tsipouradiko doesn’t deserve your time, your money, or your...

I went there with my wife without a reservation and we got a table right away .We got lucky, it was the last available one but of course, it was closest to the street. All the tables are across the street from the restaurant right by the water, so the ones closest to the water are first to go. The waiters were all friendly and rushing to serve a packed house. Bring mosquito repellent. The food: we weren't particularly hungry so my wife got the salad with the octopus and squid which had little croutons in it. It was delicious. I got the fava beans with the caramelized octopus, which was simply amazing. I want to go back just for that. This is a dish you have to try. They had run out of grilled sardines so we got a grilled fish (I forgot the name) which they had mostly deboned and it was cooked right and tasted great. With two glasses of house white, it cost about €45 We were very pleased with the experience. It wasn't the speediest service, but you can see it's because they are so busy. Definitely...

We had a dinner by the seashore. Except for the very slow service, the food was perfect. Steamed mussels are top-class great sauce 10/10. Simi style fried baby shrimps perfect 9/10. Octopus with fava, the caramelized sauce is amazing, however it’s so strong that you don’t get the octopus taste 8/10. Shrimp saganaki with tomato and cheese is great 8/10. Cheese saganaki flambé was fine 8/10. Fried Galeos with tartar sauce, it’s the best tartar sauce I’ve eaten. We had to wait to order for 30 mins, and the food arrived after another 30 mins. Amazing seafood, super slow service. The sauces of all food were superb. Complimentary...