The Greek Spot of Manalapan — Restaurant in Manalapan Township

My friend and I had a great meal together at The Greek Spot this evening. The portions were generous, the atmosphere was lively and fun, and the service was great. Water glasses never empty. Nothing took too long but our waitress Maria did pace things so the table wouldn’t be too full at a time—much appreciated. They start you off with a basket of freshly cut, warm pita bread and tri-colored olives in olive oil. There was sea salt and olive oil on the table with a little tea light as well for some decor. The plates, glasses, table, seats, and bathrooms were all clean. The lighting was bright enough that you could read the menu.

It’s BYOB; and, if I had known that I would’ve brought a bottle of Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio to go with the delicious Mediterranean spread we ordered. We started with dolmades (grape leaves stuffed with aromatic rice), tiropitakia (feta in filo dough fried into triangles), broiled octopus, and cold spreads. My friend ordered a chicken gyro-type platter with Greek cheese fries as a side. I ordered the spanakopita (spinach and feta baked in filo dough) as it comes (with a chopped Greek salad—which is their house salad). We ended the night with a tiramisu made by a local Greek baker that makes some of the desserts for this small business.

The dolmades were warm and delicious. They smelled so good and the rice was cooked perfectly. They fell apart a little bit, but flavor made up for the slight lack of structure when some were picked up. This was served with sour cream (or Greek yogurt?) and two strands of roasted red peppers overtop for dipping. The same sauce was served for dipping with the crispy tiropitakia—which was super flavorful and crispy. This was my friend’s favorite appetizer we ordered. They were crispy and cheesy; they tasted fresh and not like a frozen reheated appetizer you might get somewhere else like large food chains. My favorite appetizer was a tie between the four spreads and the broiled octopus. The broiled octopus came with a bean spread and a light sprinkling of red onion. It was perfectly cooked and tasted fresh and delicious. It wasn’t rubbery or overdone at all. The cold spreads were also phenomenal: it came with hummus, tzatziki, melitzanolsalata (eggplant spread), and a spicy feta dip (that I honestly forgot the name of but it was so good) and every single dip tasted fresh and delicious. Our pita bread was quickly refilled and we were ready to go. The tzatziki was thick and had fresh dill and cucumber in it. It might be the best tzatziki sauce I’ve ever had. And the portions were great. There was a cucumber loosely dividing each of the dips as well.

For the main courses, the Chicken gyro was delicious and came with enough for my friend to have for lunch tomorrow. The fries were great and there were plenty to share. The Spanakopita I ordered was so good that I think it was my favorite part of the night. It was a huge slice that I couldn’t possibly finish; and, it tasted fresh and delicious. It is probably the best spinach pie I’ve ever had; and, it’s what I order at every Greek restaurant I go to—so that is saying something. It wasn’t overstated and it was cooked just right. The big chunks of feta were definitely appreciated—so good! The chopped house green salad that came with it was just as fresh and delicious as everything else I was served. It was refreshing and balanced the savory flavor of the spinach pie.

We ended the night with a homemade tiramisu provided to The Greek Spot by a local Greek baker. It’s nice to see one small business supporting another. It was light and nicely made. The presentation was neat and cute. It was also a good size for $7–definitely worth every penny. A sweet way to end the night.

I would highly recommend you check out this restaurant. Friendly staff, delicious food, attentive...

The Greek Spot was my mother’s very favorite restaurant. She came frequently. She passed away 2 weeks ago and we were such loyal customers that we didn’t even consider catering her memorial service with anyone else. We obviously chose the Greek Spot. We ordered $2,500 worth of food. Eric told us he has never run out of food at a catered event before. He was confident we had enough food. When he dropped off our order to our church, he again stated that he had never run out of food at a catered event before, and if we DID RUN OUT OF FOOD HE WOULD “WHIP UP SOME MORE AND BRING IT OUT-FREE OF CHARGE. “ This man, in front of about 10 witnesses, said he would bring us more food if we were to run out, for free, for the day we are laying my mother to rest. This was beyond kind and I told him so. How thankful I was that we were able to use them to honor my mother on this special day. I thanked him profusely and he left. About an hour later, we had run out of one of the main dishes. I called him like he instructed me to, and I asked him what our options were. He was very obviously taken aback and short with me during this call, and basically said I can order more and he would let me know how much I owed him. In my disbelief that he would reneg IMMEDIATELY and rudely, I said ok that is fine. He brought the food, and a bill. Monday, he sends me a text saying I owed him over $500. I did not respond right away. Tuesday someone else from the store calls me and leaves me a voicemail asking for a credit card. I called her back and paid the bill. For the food he said would be free. To say I have a bad taste in my mouth is an understatement. I do not think I am entitled to free food, I didn’t ask for free food. It was offered. If you aren’t going to follow through why would you say that to a customer? Today we got a bill IN THE MAIL. With a note asking for payment. Like, be so for real. My mother just died. I have not even had a chance to grieve her passing. And I’m dealing with bullshit from a money hungry snake. I did not need to deal with this. This could have all been avoided had he not opened his mouth and lied to my face. It’s not hard to be a good human, for some people apparently. Also just to note, to be specific, I ordered an additional 80 sticks of chicken souvlaki. According to the catering menu that Eric sent me originally, IF I HAD ORDERED 90 sticks, which I didn’t, the total should have come out to $505. I understand how tax works, but I didn’t order 90. I ordered 80. So he overcharged me the second time. Honestly I thought he was overcharging us for the first order that was $2,500. But being such loyal customer we didn’t say anything. For the love of god, we ran out of food. And we spent $3,000 on it. It was cheaper to cremate my...

Title: Authentic Greek Cuisine in Manalapan!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)

Review: I recently had the pleasure of dining at the Greek Spot in Manalapan, New Jersey, and I must say, it was a truly delightful experience! From the moment I stepped inside, I was greeted with warm hospitality and an inviting atmosphere.

The menu at the Greek Spot offers a fantastic array of authentic Greek dishes that cater to all taste buds. I had the classic Greek salad, and it was a refreshing including tangy feta cheese, and a delicious dressing that perfectly captured the essence of Mediterranean flavors.

For the main course, I opted for the moussaka, and I was blown away by the rich layers of eggplant, ground meat, and béchamel sauce. It was an absolute delight, and each bite transported me to Greece with its incredible taste and authenticity.

The staff at the Greek Spot are attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable. They were more than happy to provide recommendations and answer any questions I had in regards to translating the menu. The owner Erik is great making you feel like you are in his personal home.

The restaurant itself is beautifully decorated, with a charming ambiance that captures the essence of Greece. As soon as you walk in you are miles away from the strip mall you originally parked in.

In conclusion, the Greek Spot in Manalapan is a hidden gem that truly brings the flavors of Greece to New Jersey. With its authentic cuisine, welcoming atmosphere, and exceptional service, it is a must-visit for anyone craving a taste of Greece. I will definitely be returning to the Greek Spot for another memorable dining...