Ammos Estiatorio — Restaurant in New York

This Greek seafood-focused restaurant has somewhat dim neutral to bluish lighting, leading to a calm atmosphere. It's semi-formal in nature, with nothing in particular marking it as especially formal or casual. I'd bring the grandparents and in-laws here, maybe not very young children. I'd definitely be happy coming here with colleagues or for lunch with friends too, though. The atmosphere is perfect for date night. The bar is quite expansive.

The octopus appetizer was absolutely delicious and stunning in presentation, with a huge intact octopus leg being served that was cooked nicely - it had a char on it, but it wasn't overdone or rubbery. We had lamb chops for a main, which, nothing to complain about. My dining partner quite liked them, but I'm not a lamb person, so I'll take his word for it. The mashed potatoes were delicious.

We had a lobster mango salad as well, which was an odd combination, to say the least. Personally, I think a mango chutney would have been better. The textures of the mango chunks and lobster didn't quite go together, and neither did the tastes, in my opinion. It's quite hard to pull off unconventional combinations like this one, and in this instance, we preferred to eat the lobster and mango separately.

The desserts were lovely - a perfectly warm chocolate lava cake and a vanilla flan. These were rich and delicious. Standard, not exceptionally creative in any way, but very good renditions of the classics.

The service was fine. One of our servers was much more experienced and took good care of us, filling up our water and explaining the dishes well. However, when I dropped a knife and someone else came to give me a replacement, he told me to leave the knife on the floor when I bent to reach for it and said it's fine, he'd grab it later. Personally, because it was a serrated knife, I felt it would be a bit safer to pick it up immediately, or at least let me get it for him. I didn't like having it on the floor by my feet.

Overall, it seemed a tad disappointing for the price point ($265 for 2 people). Some good dishes, some bad, nothing that blew me out of the water, I guess. Not a bad place for a nice dinner, but in the middle of New York, I've had better at a similar price point. As others have said, if you have an expense account to use for a business dinner, this is great for that. But if not, the price doesn't seem...

This restaurant deserves a zero star review at best!!! A birthday lunch celebration turned into "why are we here" situation!!! Every dish ranges from mediocre to terrible!!! Starting with mediocre... Katsikisia salad was overdressed causing a wilty & oily salad. Then came the Octapodi (grilled octopus) which was chopped in chunks and so chewy and hard that it was difficult to swallow!!! Any octopus dish that's chopped in chunks and masquerades in a salty dark sauce spells NOT FRESH! Psites Sardeles (grilled sardines) was salty and overcooked. The worst dish was the Garides Santorini (Tiger shrimps with linguini in tomato sauce)...there were 3 lonely shrimps BUT the pasta was so mushy that could rival canned Chef Boyardee)!!! To make the dining experience worse, our comments to the manager went to deaf ears and topped with a horrendous attitude. He stated the "Tiger shrimp pasta dish" is of Santorini style, LOL!!! I've been to Santorini several times and THIS is NOT Santorini style!!! It's been almost 3 hours since we ate at Ammos Estiatorio and my mouth and throat are dry and thirsty. This is a sign of too much MSG was added to the food. Bottom line is, if management does not give a damn about what the restaurant is serving NOR proud of the quality of food they serve...STAY AWAY!!! Save your money and spend it at a restaurant where they value their customers. Go where they are proud of what they serve at ANY given price point! In summary, Ammos Estiatorio serves AWEFUL FOOD, OVERPRICED, AND OBNOXIOUS MANAGEMENT!!! Perhaps it's a tourist destination where they know people won't return!!! I...

Ammos Estiatorio is a favorite restaurant of mine, my family and friends. We frequent the establishment on a bi-monthly basis from upstate NY. The atmosphere is lovely, offering a haven from the hectic pace and noise of midtown. The food is consistently of high quality, and has been so over the course of eight years since we've been patrons. I have never had a bad meal, rather always appreciate the freshness and satisfying taste of the fish dishes, vegetables or whatever I've eaten. The wine selection is also wonderful, particularly the Greek wines. Adding to the wonderful food selection is the very professional demeanor of the restaurant staff. I have always experienced them to be attentive and responsive without ever hurrying us through a meal. Most recently I hosted a private event on a Saturday night for approximately 34 people. I was delighted by the assistance I received during the planning process from employee "Angela". She was extremely helpful and thorough in all aspects of planning my event, patiently allowing me the time to think through many options before making my decisions. I never felt rushed or pushed in any way. Rather, she was extremely reliable with a warm, calming demeanor, making it a very positive experience. Secondly, the staff who worked the event, "Amal" and "Daniel," managed the evening with great efficiency and professionalism. The party turned out to be a wonderful, lovely experience for all because of their assistance. Overall, I highly recommend Ammos Estiatorio for a wonderful dining experience and private...