MP Taverna

We went to this restaurant for the first time last night. I heard that the restaurant had tried really hard to ensure they fit into the local feel of williamsburg — unfortunately they have missed the mark.
From the large laminated menus, to the family style dishes, to the large sterile windows, to the general lack of ambience — this place really feels like the suburbs. It appears (and the clientele last night suggests) that like Streets and other similar restaurants in the area, this restaurant will have to rely on Williamsburg’s stellar reputation for restaurants and the way it can attract people coming from outside the area to survive.
And now the food. The food wasn’t great, but it wasn’t bad. The hummus starter didn’t really taste of hummus due to the sundried tomatoes, but it was decent. I had the lemon chicken, chicken itself was good, but the lemon sauce had been sitting too long and had a custard like texture upon arrival. Wife had the branzino which was good — cauliflower and broccoli sides were ok also. My first wine was corked, the second was barely drinkable.
The server seemed to have been trained in TGI Fridays — a mixture of blunt and cocky. Service was generally slow.
This isn’t a neighborhood particularly suited to chains. They will certainly need to try harder if they want to attract a strong local following — maybe they won’t need it. I wish them the best of luck.

It’s unfair for me to review this location based on its event hall. It’s a crowded night. Open seating (which isn’t great for BBKINGS styled seating). Overwhelmed waitstaff. I drove over an hour in traffic. I’m staying, eating and enjoying the band. #lemonade

Amazing lamb chops. Went for restaurant week and were super happy with the service, the variety of meze and dessert. Every bite was delicious!

Disclaimer: This is about a deal they had on a crawfish boil.
It was awful. I’ve been to New Orleans 3x and real Louisiana people would (and should) be highly offended by what MP Tavern put out there tonight. The only times I’ve ever had crawfish was in NOLA, so my friends & I were excited to get it in NYC. They literally just boiled the crawfish, potatoes, and corn and served it. No seasoning. Not even salt. Cajun food is not supposed to be bland. Food from Popeyes tastes better.
This was just an event, so I hope the actual restaurant’s food is much better.

Yay, some good Greek/​Mediterranean in my hood!
I’ve passed MP Taverna many times on my way back from Yoga to the People, and was happy to finally have an excuse to try it when Café Mogador was reaching over an hour wait during early dinner.
Between three girls, we were trying to eat on the hearty but lighter side (you know… caloriesss), so we split a few items. Perfect amount of (delicious) food for all of us.
We started with the combo dip. I need to spend a hot minute on this dip combo, because one of the best appetizers and combination of spreads I’ve had. You get a good portion, plus PLENTY of pita (let’s face it… that’s always an issue).
If I were to rank the dips from least fave to most fave:
4 — Hummus: really good hummus, but I’m still learning to re-​introduce hummus in my life after my Israel trip and hummus overdose.
3 — Tzatziki: no complaints
2 — Spicy feta: not like other spicy feta dips. Nice kick to it and different consistency (like more of a dip than chunks of feta), but amazing.
1 — Tarama: this was my introduction to tarama. And confirmation that I need this dip more frequently in my life. It was addicting.
Following our binge fest on that, we had the octopus (tender, flavorful) and a side of the peppers (nice char son).
Decently far enough from the Bedford L to miss the crowds.

Thought I reviewed this from a summer dinner. Had a childhood friend visiting from San Francisco. We decided to walk here and dine early as the restaurant just opened for business.
We had fantastic service, meatballs, octopus, Greek salad, tzaziki, and branzino. Every dish was delicious. After living in Williamsburg for 7 years I can say this service was the best I’ve experienced after coming to Williamsburg for 15 years. No hipsters anywhere.
I liked the food here better than the Astoria location.

Before anything else — no voicemail, no hours listed on Google, and this branch doesn’t even appear on the Michael Psilakis website. It’s 2015.
The food is fantastic. Octopus, fish, chicken, lamb, dips, salads are all delicious and full of flavors that go beyond the ordinary.
Service can range from hipster-​slacker to cloyingly attentive to excellent depending on the day. Needs more uniformity.
Finally, it’s a great place for families on the early side — plenty of room and kids are welcome.

So it goes without saying the food is somewhat phenomenal.
Great Greek dishes with a bit of a modern twist.
But I will tell you why I gave this a 3 star rating before I get into the food
Service for me was lacking. I was shocked at how empty the place was on a Saturday night. I made reservations and was a bit early. The host asked if we’d like to sit by a window or closer to the exit. We opted for the window. He said okay and that table would be ready soon. 5 minutes table is ready. Great but he Never really specified what table just said it would be ready. Then came back and said «its ready you want to go ahead and sit?» But kind of like said it and walked away to the kitchen. And I think to myself there’s no way he just told us to go sit at a table and not take us to the table without menus? So he comes out of the kitchen and says «so do you want to sit at that table?» He doesn’t point, doesn’t walk us there so we start making our way to «the table» what table who knows. I’m thinking maybe that’s the way they do it here. Nope! Another server notices we are a little lost wandering there are so many tables to choose from! Like I said it was empty! Maybe 3 tables to serve tops. So the server explains oh the host probably meant this table if it’s by the window.
The rest of the night I didn’t let that stop me from enjoying the delicious food!
However one more interaction with the host really did it for me. He stops by our table to take our menus and I ask if we could keep one menu. We weren’t done ordering we had just ordered appetizers. Why wouldn’t anyone be remotely happy or even friendly knowing your customers want to keep a menu and possibly order more food. He didn’t even seem to be interested he didn’t acknowledge my question he merely had a really bad attitude about it and walked away. As if I was asking him for a huge favor LOL. Everyone at my table noticed it was super unpleasant. That reason alone would stop me from ever going to MP in Williamsburg.
Now to the good part food was spectacular
Octopus must have been the best cooked octopus we’ve ever had. My family and I are octopus enthusiasts. my father was a cook at a greek restaurant so we know good octopus. This was more than good it was grand!
I’m not a fan of chickpeas but the chickpeas and white beans are absolutely delicious!
I ordered baby lamb chops and those were cooked to perfection.
Pasta with the «prawn» was pasta super al dente with shrimp we really didn’t like that dish at all. (Chi – something it’s called) table next to us left the entire plate of this order. Not the best thing on the menu. Steer away.
Lamb burger is seasoned spectacularly! So flavorful.
Souvlaki was meh nothing outstanding really about it. I wouldn’t order this ever at MP. But the mash fries were really something!
So overall okay dining experience. Some food stood out and others wouldn’t make the cut again. I wouldn’t visit the Williamsburg location ever again. Maybe I’ll give the other MP locations another round.

Delicious octopus salad soft and smokey octopus, grandmas meatballs so good and the desserts yum. We had the mango and apple sorbet and this other dessert with phillo Apple and ice cream don’t remember the name. Our waitress was magnificent And so helpful since it was our first time at a Greek restaurant.

Great new addition to the neighborhood. There are a lot of good restaurants in Williamsburg. This is one of the best. The restaurant is very spacious and clean. We are not used to seeing restaurants this large in Brooklyn… this was a pleasant surprise.
The food. We ordered the humus, the lemon chicken, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, and greek salad. Everything was delicious. I have been there twice in the past month and ordered the exact same thing both times because it was so good.

AMAZING! The hummus appetizer was bomb. It could serve about 4 people, and it’s a unique take on your typical hummus dish. They added seasoning and some veg. Gave loads of pita too which is also nice.
Also ordered the octopus and lamb chops. Probably one of the most magical experiences of my life. Soooooooooooo great, I couldn’t stop smiling when it was over.
I will most definitely be coming back here!

First visit was amazing! Impeccable service (ginger server was a mind reader) family friendly, food presentation and taste was on point!
Adult sized cocktail that were made with love you can taste. Music selection was good and perfect volume for amount of tables filled. The Décor is very Restoration Hardware cookie cutter but who cares the food, drinks and service should fill the place (we are10 year neighborhood residents)
We will be back, I highly recommend this place, we were here for brunch and will be trying them out for dinner soon.

Came here for happy hour about a week ago.
Good deal with happy hour from 3 to 8 pm! :) The bartender was explaining how well organized the bar is, which is cool. She was nice. The prices were great.
The restaurant is spacious, nicely decorated and lit.
The food smells amazing and will definitely come back to try it.

This enormous establishment would fit in perfectly in suburbia, but is awkward and out of place in Williamsburg, even with the rapid rise of giant condo buildings. Everything about it feels tone-​deaf. Awful music plays loudly as you sit on furniture suited for the lobby of a chain hotel. The whole experience is so business casual you’re astonished that your waiter isn’t wearing a corporate costume covered in flair. Your luck will vary but I was seated under a blue-​tinted, mis-​aimed pin light, so it felt like I had a spotlight aimed at me the whole time.
The food is fine, but exceptionally overpriced for what amounts to little more than dressed up (but no less greasy) greek-​hued bar food. Thrice cooked potatoes is a bowl of oily fry with almost no potato left. Grilled broccoli was grilled, but also overcooked into a near mush. Crispy cod was too gross to eat. Grilled halloumi and peaches was good enough, but the cheese was too thick cut and the peaches overly blackened. And so on, everything we had was like this. Nothing was a stand-​out. For ~$ 45/​per person? No thanks.

I went to MP about a month ago and I was really happy I did. The restaurant was spacious beautiful and romantic. The food was delicious and fresh. We came a little early so we were promptly seated but with in a half hour it started to get busy. I would def make a reservation.
We looked over the menu and decided on
Meatballs with tzatziki and warm pita– crunchy and juicy on the inside. Just perfect! It comes with a cucumber garlicky yogurt sauce and lemon to squeeze over with nice warm pita. Perfect size to share.
Eggplant caponata– Again enough to share and so delicious it has just enough garlic. it also has peppers and onions and has a sweetness to it from the roasted eggplant. This also comes with warm pita
Scallops– one word DELICIOUS! This comes with cauliflower, dried cherries in brown butter. I had this as an entrée. The scallops were perfectly cooked and seasoned.
We also ordered the mixed grilled which came with lamb and steak with some veg splashed with lemon to brighten the greasiness. This was my least favorite.
For sides we ordered the twice baked potato. We thought this was different then what was written. We didn’t think it was dry fries. Womp womp
We also ordered mushrooms. This def made up for the fries! My god this was amazing really great! a MUST ORDER! I would have ordered more but it was a huge portion.
Over all a great restaurant I will def visit again to order different entrees.

A gem in Williamsburg. Gorgeous setting with classic yet modern feel and friendly staff. The food does not disappoint.
Start with a dip. The Tarama is creamy, tart and slightly salty. Who knew fish caviar could be so yummy. A popular dish is the octopus meze. Don’t sleep on this grilled treat-​so tender with Chickpea salad.
My daughter had the roasted tomato skillet that was cheesy and filling

Have been very much looking forward to the new (ish) kid on the block, and after walking past it almost daily en route home we finally decided to give it a shot. The converted warehouse still maintains a open-​space feeling with large pieces of furniture and a long row of chairs pulled up to a longer quartz bar. The décor is soft and balances the open feel of the space.
We were told to order family style, as everything is meant to be shared — always a preferable concept in my eyes.
The staff seemed nice and friendly; the host was either the best host in the industry or was actually a floor manager seating people — either way he was doing a great job at touching every table, running drinks, food, clearing & checking in with the floor staff. Great to see.
There was another guy as well who randomly just rocked up to tables and would deliver a drink or clear, he wasn’t dressed to be on the floor and looked like an owner trying to help.
Food was okay — I wasn’t overly impressed. I would have liked more flavour by miles. It was plated pretentiously without as much of a concern for taste. Portions were good to share between two or three people. I thought for what we had it was overpriced. We also would have like the dishes coursed out the way we ordered them. By the time we got the ravioli it tasted like it had been sitting under a heat lamp for ages waiting to be fired.
If friends in the neighbourhood suggest going again I wouldn’t be against it, I just don’t foresee myself being the one to suggest it.

This place is delicious.
Friend and I got two glasses of wine each and shared four dishes, and the price was around 60 each.
Greek Salad: plenty of oregano and feta, and the cucumbers were cut into sticks, which is weird and I liked it. There was also caramelized onions and both green and kalamata olives in there.
Pork Shoulder and Mussels Stew: Tons of mussels, and a good amount of tender pork shoulder. Broth was a tad salty, but it didn’t stop me from dipping the grilled bread into it. A nice amount of parsley and thinly sliced garlic. Don’t get this if you’re one of those weirdos who wants to make out with someone after dinner. Kinda leaves your lips greasy. Is that hot for some? I’m sure.
Hummus: Delicious, and a lot of it. Came with more pita slices than you can count. I can’t even count that high, but it was probably around 30. There was some fresh vegetables and chickpeas and black eyed peas on the top, which was a nice touch.
Crab Stuffed Squid: This was a special, but if it’s on there, try it. Tender squid, the stuffing was a little bland/​underseasoned, but when dipped in the sauce it was *kisses fingers* very nice.
I look forward to coming back! The space was huge and fairly empty, and very sunshiney.

What an absolute disappointment. Was excited to check it out, as I remember Michael Psilakis’ spots as quality. Here, it’s obvious he is phoning it in.
Like an Applebees for Greek food, it seems like he’s cashing in on Williamsburg and counting on the 20-​something crowd not knowing how tarama should taste. It was terrible, by the way.
Or perhaps that a sorry plate of warmed olives, feta and grape leaves could be a meze platter and get $ 25. Laughable.
Bad food, a dull room with horrendous lighting that glares in your eye, a wimpy international wine list with barely any Greek offerings, made my friends and I shake our heads.
Summed up in three words? Really. Quite. Awful.

I met my brother for dinner on Wednesday at Michael Psilakis’s new MP Taverna in Williasmburg. I have been watching Psilakis on the Food Network for years and was excited to finally be trying his food. Psilakis always sounds passionate when talking about his Greek heritage and taste buds.
The restaurant was surprisingly not very full being open for a little over a week. The space is huge and very open. When I arrived my brother was sipping on a Negroni at the bar. I of course had to order a glass of the Côtes du Rhôné Rose! It’s Rose season and there’s nothing stopping this one from enjoying her fair share. There was a ton of items that popped out on the menu. I will definitely becoming back to try the beet salad and the sardines and eggplant. For our dinner my brother and i ordered multiple plates and shared.
Eggplant Greek Dip: The eggplant is roasted then pureed and topped with grilled onions and peppers and is served with grilled pita bread. I loved the sweetness the red peppers brought to the smoky eggplant. There was more than enough toasted pita for the dip. I would been happy with just these Greek dips and a salad.
Barrel aged feta and olives: Feta is a cheese that doesn’t get all the rage it deserves like mozzarella and goat cheese. This feta was a little drier than I expected but not too salty and had a nice crumb. I enjoyed the olive oil drenched crostini with a bit of the feta crumb, a sliver of the grilled onion a little dollop of eggplant. Just the perfect mouthful. This would all make for a great Greek picnic.
Octopus: On top of a Mediterranean bean salad and yogurt. Octopus is one of my favorite things to eat. And this was easily in one of my top five. It was perfectly cooked. There was absolutely no chewiness that sometimes octopus tends to have when over cooked. I loved it with the meaty garbanzos and bright sauce. A very addictive dish.
Dorade which was called the Silver Snapper on the menu was good but not exactly something I would order again. It was just a simple, butterflied fish with a squeeze of lemon. I would have like a composed entrée instead of the a la carte fish.
Chocolate Halva Brownie: I had my reservations ordering a tahini ice cream and tahini everything! Halva is a treat made of sesame seeds. The halva chunks were reminiscent of a marzipan. The nutiness was a perfect marriage with the creamy ice cream and hot melty chocolate brownie. This was a very unique dessert and no better way to end our experience at the new MP Taverna.
Thanks Mr. Psilakis!
And a shout out to our bartender Shane and Dominic the manager who told us some amusing stories.