THE BEST: Greek food in Astoria

[Daniel]

Meeting a friend out to dinner friday night in Astoria. My only experience with the area is the occasional short cut taxi drivers take while coming home from the airport. I am looking for an amazing greek experience. Is there one place that immediately comes to mind that will provide a true greek feast.

Thank you,

Daniel

[Daniel]

My friend just suggested S'Agapo. Has anyone heard of this place.

[menton1]

The quintessential place to get authentic Greek food, ambience, and culture has to be the one and only Uncle George's. On Broadway between 33 and 34th streets, after 5 minutes you will think you were transported to Greece. Do not miss Uncle George's!! Uncle George's Web Site

Uncle George's

33-19 Broadway

Astoria

[Daniel]

So you say for me to cancel the reservation at Demetris and go to uncle georges. No problem.. I trust ya!

[Jason Perlow]

The quintessential place to get authentic Greek food, ambience, and culture has to be the one and only Uncle George's. On Broadway between 33 and 34th streets, after 5 minutes you will think you were transported to Greece. Do not miss Uncle George's!! Uncle George's Web Site

Uncle George's

33-19 Broadway

Astoria

NO, NO, NO, a thousand times NO!

Papa Georgi (Uncle George) may be the oldest Greek restaurant in NYC, but it has so deteriorated in terms of the quality of food and service and has so rested on its laurels I cannot recommend it at all. The last 2 times I had been there were an utter disappointment -- it was good 20 years ago, but it isn't now.

Check out Stamatis, or Christos-Hasapa Taverna.

[Sandra Levine]

Christos-Hasapa Taverna is a Greek steakhouse and, unusual for the area, a white tablecoth restaurant with a good wine list featuring, yes...serious Greek wines.

A more casual place, fairly new and not well-known, is Agnandi, 19-06 Ditmars Blvd. Very good food in the homey Greek style.

[SobaAddict70]

Second what Jason says.

I used to live in Astoria (7 years, baby!), and the most Uncle George's was good for was a midnight snack of roast chicken and lemon potatoes. S'Agapo is infinitely better, but Stamatis, as Christopher Walken would say, is "da shiznits" as far as Greek food is concerned.

Omonia otoh is amazing when it comes to Greek pastries and desserts.

Soba

[menton1]

Well, I guess we can all respectfully disagree....

The place is really too simple to be THAT bad-- As a matter of fact, it was just touted in a blurb in last week's Village Voice; Village Voice Mini Review

Not much of a risk either, low prices here! (If you go, please let us know what YOU thought!)

[Daniel]

Yeh i am looking for a little more of an upscale restaurant. I also just checked out some reviews on epinion and there were several people who questioned the hygien of Uncle Georges.. I wish someone knew about demetris because that place looks good to me. But as for now i am going to go to Stamis and then hopefully run back a demetris this weekend for lunch.

My friend gave me this review out of the queens gazette and this looks like this the place we are going.. As he said,"baby lamb to the dome piece"

http://www.qgazette.com/News/2002/0123/Dining_review/

Please continue the convo. I am going thursday.

[menton1]

Queens Gazette also did a sparkling review of Uncle Georges; I did not bring it up before because I think the objectivity of this little paper may be of some question as many of these small publications base their restaurant reviews on the advertising revenue generated in the past by the establishment they are reviewing. Queens Gazette Uncle George's Rave

[mikeyrad]

Are any of these places worth a special trip to Astoria?

[menton1]

Are any of these places worth a special trip to Astoria?

A/ Depends on where you are coming from, but B/ I think I might opt for Flushing as a better destination foodie neighborhood with lots of unique Chinese and other Asian delights.

[zora]

I've lived in Astoria for more than five years, and my favorite place right now is Agnadi, on Astoria Park (corner of Ditmars and 19th St.).

There's a whole section of the menu devoted to "Specialties from Constantinople," so there's a lot of stuff you don't see on standard Greek menus (same goes for S'Agapo to some extent, but more variety here). Try the Cypriot olive pie (they do their own phyllo--more rustic-style), and the bekremeze--stewed meat cubes in wine, with a little clove.

Truth be told, I have never gotten past mezes, because there are so many and they're so good (and I think the place is called a mezeria, so why would you order anything else?). Oh, once we did order just some plain old lamb chops, and they were flawless.

Very cozy in winter--they have a stove in the dining room--and lovely in summer, with sidewalk seats. Great pics of 40s and 50s Greek film stars.

Uncle George's--it's fine at 4 am, but any other time you can do better.

[Eric_Malson]

Are any of these places worth a special trip to Astoria?

Frankly, I consider Uncle George's worth making a special trip to Astoria from Manhattan. Maybe it's not as good as it used to be--wouldn't know since I went there for the first time only a couple of years ago--but I have been unfailingly delighted with their barbecued pork, their lamb shank with orzo, their stuffed grape leaves, and the combination tzatziki/skordalia/taramasalata plate. And the price is certainly right.

[Daniel]

I've lived in Astoria for more than five years, and my favorite place right now is Agnadi, on Astoria Park (corner of Ditmars and 19th St.).

There's a whole section of the menu devoted to "Specialties from Constantinople," so there's a lot of stuff you don't see on standard Greek menus (same goes for S'Agapo to some extent, but more variety here). Try the Cypriot olive pie (they do their own phyllo--more rustic-style), and the bekremeze--stewed meat cubes in wine, with a little clove.

Truth be told, I have never gotten past mezes, because there are so many and they're so good (and I think the place is called a mezeria, so why would you order anything else?). Oh, once we did order just some plain old lamb chops, and they were flawless.

Very cozy in winter--they have a stove in the dining room--and lovely in summer, with sidewalk seats. Great pics of 40s and 50s Greek film stars.

Uncle George's--it's fine at 4 am, but any other time you can do better.

Does anyone know where this place is located or the phone number. I am very very unfamiliar with the area! thanks

[zora]

Agnadi is at the southeast corner of Ditmars and 19th St. Take the N or W to Ditmars, walk west on Ditmars (at the corner of Ditmars and 31st St., look for the Triboro and Hellgate bridges--go that way) and you'll hit it. If you're looking for the number in the phone book, it might also be under Agnandi. Don't know how they spell it in English.

Totally worth the trip--so much more than Uncle George's! (Though they are the only ones who do spit-roast lamb every night...but you can pretty much always do better on the food, and the price-to-quality ratio.)

[SobaAddict70]

Does anyone know where this place is located or the phone number. I am very very unfamiliar with the area! thanks

As a guide for finding street locations and addresses in Queens, all you need to remember is that orientation in Queens is reversed from Manhattan.

Most streets (with some exceptions) run generally in a north-south direction (as opposed to Manhattan, where the layout is in an east-west direction).

Most avenues (again, with some exceptions) are laid out in an east-west pattern (as opposed to Manhattan, where the reverse is true).

All addresses in Queens have two pairs of two digits, separated by a dash. The first pair of digits refers to the nearest cross-street or cross-avenue from that location. The second pair of digits refers to the number of lots a house is from that street. Therefore, the address 32-17 37th Street is near 32nd Avenue (aka Broadway) and is 17 lots away.

Make sense? Now you can use that information to find the coordinates of almost any street address in Queens!

Soba

[Daniel]

I want to start off by thanking everyone for the help. I really appreciate it. While pulling into my parking garage I was speaking to the attendant about my plans for the evening. I told him i was going to Astoria for greek food and he immediately said stamatis. Once i heard that, i thought it was a sign, and my decision was made.

Around 7:30 my friend from queens came to pick me up and was trailed by my girlfriends little sister and her friends who needed to follow us to the long island expressway. So, despite my mapquest printed directions, that told me to take the 59th street bridge, we took the midtown tunnel, and a short 30 half later, and two gas station stops, we were there!

We went to the original stamatis which i believe was on 23rd ave. It isnt much to look at, there are a few fish in the window, a bunch of unfriendly looking guys standing behind grills, and a few rows of six person tables. The decor was fine, it reminded me of a usual greek restaurant, with painted scenes of beautiful islands and cliffs on the walls.

We hadnt eaten all day so we were ready to order. Let me say, that the second you sit down, before the water comes, there is a heaping plate of garlic bread placed right in front of you. Screw some shnazzy amuse, this was a good indication of what was to come. Started out with the grilled octopus, saganaki, and eggplant salad. The grilled octopus was by far the best appetiser on the table. The saganaki which wasnt done table side, was a little too breaded for my liking. It almost seemed deep fried to me. However, how bad is fried cheese and lemons going to be. The eggplant salad, which i have only seen as melezanasalata, was actually written in english. It differed from the ones I have had in the past by them leaving it pretty chunky, and having pieces of feta in it. Very good, but I have had better.

For the main course we had the lamb chops and the porgy. Both were excellent, the lamb chops were cooked perfectly, they were really nice cuts of meat, and were left pretty much unseasoned. The fat from the lamb washed down with the house red wine. Awesome! The porgy was also grilled to perfection. The charred skin, mixed with the oily taste of the fish and the refreshing lemon. Oh baby! Served with lemon potatoes and mixed vegetables, it was a great meal.

Meanwhile, the staff was great. The waitress friendly, cute, and really helpfull. She steered us away from some things and gave her opinion.. In fact, funny story, me and my friend were going out for a cigarette, and she directed us to this backroom were the staff was eating this spicy feta dip and listening to loud music. She told us to try some of the feta dish and it was great. I dont remember what it was called, but i am getting it the next time i go back.

The meal ended with two rice desserts. One called halav i think and the other was like a rice pudding. Several oozo's and greek coffees later, we were sad to go. This place was alot of fun, the food was good. I would recommend the lamb and the porgy, I would get the octopus again, and try that spicy feta dip. But it has really started me on a quest to find the best greek place in astoria!

[LJC]

Stamatis has become my favorite but I know a few people who prefer S'Agapo especially for meats.

Although it fell out of favor with my family a while ago, I am surprised not to see a single comment on Elias's Corner. I guess they really have fallen from graces.

Oh yeah, while you are out there stop at the Athens Cafe on 30th Ave for a frappe or greek coffee and some melomakarana (type of cookie) not to mention a bit of local culture.

[Daniel]

Did you you get any of the things that i just wrote about.. Or no the name of that spicy feta dish. What did i miss?

[foodgeek]

The quintessential place to get authentic Greek food, ambience, and culture has to be the one and only Uncle George's.  On Broadway between 33 and 34th streets, after 5 minutes you will think you were transported to Greece.  Do not miss Uncle George's!!  Uncle George's Web Site

Uncle George's

33-19 Broadway

Astoria

NO, NO, NO, a thousand times NO!

Papa Georgi (Uncle George) may be the oldest Greek restaurant in NYC, but it has so deteriorated in terms of the quality of food and service and has so rested on its laurels I cannot recommend it at all. The last 2 times I had been there were an utter disappointment -- it was good 20 years ago, but it isn't now.

Check out Stamatis, or Christos-Hasapa Taverna.

I like Christos as well.

Uncle Georges has deteriorated so far...that it is not worth eating there. The food is terrible, the service bad, the place is crowded, etc.... It is a waste of time. It is especially bad off hours.

[menton1]

This reminds me of that old Yogi-ism, "The place is so overcrowded, nobody goes there anymore!"

Edited April 2, 2004 by menton1 (log)

[rich]

I lived in Astoria the first 29 years of my life and my mother still lives there. Uncle George's best days are in the past as is Elias' Corner (they moved and went down hill).

In my mind S'Agapo is the best. Their grilled octopus is worth the trip from anywhere in NYC. The wine list is improving and the service is friendly.

It's directly across the street from the Kaufmann Studios, so you can do some celebrity watching if you're so inclined.

[Fat Guy]

I'm planning to give very serious consideration to Zora's recommendation of Agnadi -- that will most likely be my next Greek hit in Queens.

In terms of the others, the three I've been to in the past few months are Stamatis, S'Agapo, and Christos. To get Christos out of the equation quickly I'll just say that if you want steak, Christos is a good choice, but not if you're looking for a more standard Greek meal. As between S'Agapo and Stamatis, I'm currently divided. S'Agapo is a more refined restaurant, and the cooking and presentations are a bit more precise. Stamatis is more upbeat and rustic. The past few times I've been out to Astoria, I've made the decision en route, based on mood. For example, when out celebrating a friend's son's birthday, Stamatis was totally the clear choice. When venturing out there with a group of picky eaters, there was no question in my mind that S'Agapo would be more approachable and reliable.

I don't consider Uncle George's, Elias Corner, or Telly's Taverna (is it still there?) to be viable choices anymore. My last meals at each indicated serious decline.

That being said, I'm not sure there's any Greek restaurant in Queens right now (leaving aside Zora's find, which I haven't visited) that I consider to be particularly good. Although pricier, I've been having much better Greek food in Manhattan at the semi-upscale places at the Avra level. I'll probably lose my Chowhound membership card for sure by saying this, but I'd happily pit the top Manhattan Greek restaurants against those in Astoria. The only arguments right now for Astoria, as far as I'm concerned, have to do with price and vibe. The food is better in Manhattan.

[Daniel]

I did a little searching and found this review on Agnandi. It also has the phone number and address. 19-06 Ditmars Blvd., Astoria

718-545-4554.

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