Anassa Taverna Downtown — Restaurant in New York

Came here for lunch during restaurant week. The place is deceptively large from looking from the outside. The decor is very traditional Greek coastal vibes, which has always been a favorite aesthetic of mine.

Service was a touch slow, but was also nice not to be rushed. But having had some meetings after lunch, a little more urgency would have been appreciated. That being said, I don't think I've ever had my water glass filled so many times in one meal, which was greatly appreciated. Nonetheless the staff were kind and patient with our party.

Food was good and very fresh. I started with the salmon tartare, which is paired with these very tasty potato chip like crisps to eat it with. For the main meal I got the chicken which was good, but not stunning in any way. The notable points though were the oregano fries on the side and the fresh tomato and dill sauce served on the side are what amped it up more for me. Lastly, was the highest point of the meal was the dessert, we all had the baklava which although just a small little portion, it was just the sweet little bit we wanted to finish...

1 star for the service. Food and vibe is good, however the service is far under par. This restaurant is across the street of our apartment and we treated like tourists as if we would not come back so no need for provide excellent service. We dined here for my birthday. When made the reservation, I put down it's for my birthday, but did not receive a simple "happy birthday" from anyone. Why bother asked the occasion. Our server is unprofessional. I made a mistake by asking him two recommendations, he simply chose the most expensive ones. Of course he would. We were not offered the complimentary bread until we asked. We ordered a steak and the server did not bother to ask which side ( options are grilled veggie or potatos), he just assumed everyone would choose potatos. My kid simply asked if they have a certain drink but did not order it. The check came with the drink on it. Super disappointed...

Really enjoyed this Anassa Taverna! The octopus was tender, the Greek salad is a big portion, they gave complimentary hummus & bread for the table (their hummus is delicious and more lemony than others) and the drinks were delicious. I don’t usually go for meatballs when I dine out but theirs had amazing flavor. Honestly we typically expect more kinks when a restaurant is so new but our waiter really knew the menu and was professional. Our food came out very quickly and as we requested…overall a perfect experience. The only thing to look out for is that if you dine outdoors, there were a lot of little flies that kept flying onto our table! So sit inside if that would bother you. I’m sure they’ll find a way to take care of that issue or maybe it’s just the time of year. We were well overdue for a nice restaurant to fill this space and so happy it’s a Greek place with...