Pylos

Ordered the baby lamb chops. It was pretty good. I have to say my favorite dish was the three cheese clay pot appetizer. Boy oh boy was the melted cheese good! My friend ordered the striped bass which was also really good. My other friend ordered the scallop and shrimp noodles and the seafood was pretty fresh. All in all, I had a pretty good meal here. Would come back.

Loved the style and design of the restaurant upon entering. The food was also excellent.
The hummus tastes fresh. Like someone picked it from a garden and mashed it minutes before being served on the table.
I was a bit bummed about there not being baklava. But the other desert that we had which was similar was also good.

The food is really tasty they really know how to manage the different ingredients and spice just to give the perfect taste.
Just love the food and the atmosphere of this Greek place.
We had
— the traditional lamb moussaka
— and the shrimp, scallops with pasta it was delicious.
They also had have a nice Greek bottle of beer and tasty wines.
it was a real pleasure :)

Let me start by saying that Pylos is a great restaurant. The food is delicious and the service is good. However, I’m pretty sure I’m not coming back after tonight.
I was invited to dinner by my parents-​in-​law who are visiting from Mexico. The bill came at $ 240 and my father-​in-​law tipped $ 36 (15%), which I believe is fair enough for good service.
Two minutes later, just before we stepped out, the manager came with a dramatic demeanor and asked if the food was fine, to which we responded «yes». He the asked if the service was fine and we replied again that it was ok. He then said he needed to make sure his waiters were well compensated.
Having lived on tips during college, I understand the importance of them. I lived out of tips for 5 years, and understand that although they are expected for good service in the US (unlike other countries where they aren’t like in Europe and Asia), they are supposed to be VOLUNTARY and NOT OBLIGATORY. Now, notice he DID tip 15%. However, the manager made us all extremely uncomfortable, as if we were ripping off the waiter. I’m not sure if the waiter complained about the 15% tip, or if this is normal routine for the manager. In any case, I couldn’t care less. It was RUDE and DISRESPECTFUL to us as customers, and it ruined the experience, especially for my girlfriend who felt very uncomfortable.
I have been 20 years in this country and have always tipped in the 15−20% range and I’ve never had anyone at any restaurant complain about a 15% tip. Completely unacceptable.

Always my Greek go to for a reason. This place
Is amazing ! As soon as you enter you notice the beautiful decorations and all the clay vases on the ceiling.
Our usual order for two includes the saganaki, spanakopita, horiatiki salad, and the short ribs. Wine selection is really cool as it features all Greek and Mediterranean wines. The service is always great and attentive.

Oh how I love it here! The ambiance is just great. cozy, lively, well-​lit and comfortable. When it’s busy they like to seat small groups around a «group-​table». we were once seated here but this wasn’t for us. and we got up and said we would wait for a table, and then they sat us right away!
We always get a mix of appetizers – always great – and an extremely well done Greek Salad that I consistently crave after eating here. The moussaka is my favorite entrée and very well balanced and nice presentation (it is stacked in cylindrical shape with bolognese on top)! Highly recommend!

Greek restaurants are always fun to go to because they’re always cute and cozy. Pylos isn’t the exception — when it comes to décor, they get a ⁵⁄₅.
On food, however, I’d say they deserve a ⁴⁄₅ because their octopus was a pretty chewy.
I’m a huge fan of Taverna Kyclades, which I think offers the best Greek food in the city, but it is definitely less of an experience. If you’re looking for a nice mix of ambiance and food, then this is the Greek spot for you.

Loved the décor of the restaurant. Very chic! the pots on the sealing were a nice touch as well. I came here for my 21^st birthday and overall it was a nice experience. The food was delicious! The only thing I didn’t really like was being seated so close to other people I could hear their conversations. Other than that this was a wonderful little restaurant!

This place never disappoints.
I’ve been here on different occasions with friends, parents, and dates. You may diagnosed me with a sick obsession with Pylos. Well, there are legitimate reasons. From ambiance to service to most importantly, food — I have only refreshing, good things to say about Pylos.
Recommendations:
Lamb chops
Moussaka
Baklava triangles

This place leans towards 3.5 for me. It;s like a first date that was not «Meh» but there wasn’t enough sparks for you to feel fireworks, but there is some chemistry there to come again — explore more. Okay, I’ll stop with the first date analogy — but basically I might need another go to feel more.
Atmosphere: Small and intimate. This is perfect for a small birthday dinner with friends or date night. Décor is pretty and it’s not noisy or anything.
Food: Delicious food for sure. I came later than the rest of my party so I cannot comment on the appetizers (they were yummy when I nibbled but I missed out). For my entrée, I ordered the lamb chops that came with the eggplant and potatoes. Loved them — and I finished every morsel on my plate.
Service: Good service — not over the top or anything. Didn’t blow me away or anything — food came out in a timely fashion, servers were attentive and nice, just nothing exceptionally good or bad to say about the service.
I had a good time here and would recommend this place to a friend — but it’s not my «go-​to» Greek spot in NYC.

I am not familiar with Greek food so I didn’t know what to expect from here, but as soon as I stepped in, it was gorgeous and so welcoming! They have the cutest wine glasses here.
We ordered different dishes: we started with 3 different dipping sauces and octopus. My favorite among 3 of dipping sauces was the yogurt one — even to me who’s not so into cucumbers LOVED it and they get you amazing, freshly baked pita breads and I was so amused. Octopus was truly delicious and I think the balsamic gave us a good «hit» of taste. Well cooked and super delicious. Their basic dipping sauce is also super good, similar to hummus.
I got lamb for main and my friend got wild stripe bass. I am a lamb-​lover who define good restaurant by eating lamb from the the place. They use such fresh baby lamb that it was just so mild in flavor. It was so soft and stuffed eggplant was there to get me through 4 pieces of lamb chops. I got to try a bit of my friend’s dish and I thought having crushed pistachio on top of grilled fish was a genius idea! It was such a fun dish to try.
Overall, the place is very generous in food portion, that we couldn’t think of desserts after eating all that. Next time, I’ll definitely try to manage to have desserts (:
The place is a truly gem of town and I am so in-​love with Greek food now. I will revisit the place and am so excited for the future visits!

My boyfriend and my experience at Pylos was amazing! The food was delicious! If you’re interested in meat that just falls off the bone and doesn’t require any kind of knife usage, this is the place for you! The lamb shank was AH-​mazing! It tasted like brisket. The staff is very friendly and the atmosphere is warm and romantic. I Highly recommend it!

A beautiful dining experience everything from grilled octopus, gigante beans, grape leaves and saganaki was glorious. I brought clients here for drinks and Meze but will definitely be back for dinner. It really took me back to my time spent in Greece island hopping with a friend whose father is a famous Greek chef he brought us to hidden spots that only the underground chefs world knew of my taste buds relieved that unbelievable experience thank you.

Great place, very friendly staff. Went with three of my friends and ordered the following:
1– beet root and mint feta (excellent, a little bit dry).
2– fish with pistachio, excellent but a bit salt.
3– musakka: wasn’t good, the tastes don’t blend. If you have had real musakka, this is not the same.
4– pasta with shrimps and scallop, very good.
I’d recommend trying this restaurant out. Would I come back? Probably not just because I want to try sth new.

First of this place is soo sexy– perfect atmosphere for a date or a special event. The place also has lots of space to accommodate large parties.
Everything I had was delicious!
The Grape leaves (stuffed with veal, so tender and moist, I’ve never had grape leaves with meat– usually vegetarian ones)
The fried eggplant and zucchini– very delicate and the sauce was a good compliment.
The Moussakka– usually a very heavy dish — i found out to be light and almost healthy.
The service was great and the presentation of the food was beautiful.
Probably my new favorite greek restaurant.

As always, I enjoyed an excellent meal at Pylos.
Our server was both very friendly and helpful. Our table started off with some excellent (and well priced) Greek wine and appetizers (3 mezze dips, grilled octopus, vegetarian moussaka, and grilled haloumi cheese).
For entrees, we got the braised beef short ribs, pistachio crusted black bass, and pastitsio
In all the food was great. The fish and octopus were slightly on the dry side, though still tasty.
Overall, great food, intimate atmosphere, and friendly staff — cant ask for much more.
I will be back!

Well, this is a really cute place. So many clay pots on top, definitely attractive. The food was good, we tried the lamb chops, the octopus appetizer, and the steak, both of them were good. My hubby said the octopus was mediocre, but I think it was fine. The portions were big, and the price was reasonable. Meanwhile the service was amazing either. I will definitely recommend it to the people who haven’t tried it yet. I do love it. Absolutely :)

Best food I’ve ever had in NY. When I went, the waiter accidentally spilled someone else’s main course on my back, down my shirt and it was still a phenomenal time.
I had the pork shank, my gf had the brassiano. I was not a fan of her fish-​it was dry, but my pork was soooooo good.
I’ve suggested this place to others, and always with positive results.
Cannot wait to go back!

Pylos is a small Greek restaurant tucked away in the East Village (7^th St between 1^st Ave & Ave A), with ceramic pots stuck to the ceiling. The décor gives off a romantic, yet casual vibe, and there is a nice communal table in the back. Definitely recommended if you’re the type that enjoys sharing tables with other people.
Our waitress was bubbly and charming — and she also recommended some great tasting and affordable wine selections for our table. Since the portions are meant to be shared (family-​style), it’s best to order a starter and a few entrée dishes. The lamb chops we ordered came out first. They were so juicy, flavorful, and succulent! If I were to come back, I would order this again. Then came our shanks — a lamb shank and and pork shank. One served with a roasted garlic purée, the other with fingerling potatoes. The meat was so tender and just fell off the bone. It was the first time having my shanks prepared this way and I absolutely loved it.
Pylos is a must visit if you love Greek cuisine. I would definitely recommend it… and make reservations just in case!

Amazing food in detail. There are so many good restaurants but you always somehow find one little thing not to your satisfaction.
Well at Pylos everything is as it should be.

For the money spent at Pylos, I would say my experience at Pylos was just OK. I wish Unilocal had .5 stars, I honestly felt that Pylos was a 3.5. Giving Pylos 3 stars seems low, but 4 stars would be close to pushing it.
My lady and I came here randomly; it was one of those «go and find a restaurant with an intimate and upscale ambiance with great food» type nights. Our search led us to Pylos, a highly-​reviewed and rated Greek restaurant in Alphabet City, Manhattan. I made a reservation in advance considering that we were coming on a Saturday night right after New Years. Once we showed up, we were seated immediately within the dimly-​lit Greek atmosphere. I would recommend Pylos for a date night, as the ambiance is relaxing.
Wine
My lady is big on sweet red wines, but don’t expect that when coming to Pylos. We both decided to go with the white wine. I will edit this review once I can remember the wine we ordered, but both selections were less than desirable.
Appetizers
Let me start by saying the pita bread was very good, but once the bean and olive oil dipping sauce came into the picture, both items were devoured quickly. Pylos deserves kudos for the bread and dipping sauce alone. I ordered the maroulosalata (tender lettuces, dill, scallions and feta served with extra-​virgin olive oil and fresh lemon dressing), which was tasty. There was so much salad that I had to save the rest for later. My lady ordered the garides ouzo (large shrimp cooked in a light ouzo and tomato cream sauce); she liked the flavor and overall taste of the shrimp.
Main Course
My lady decided to order the grilled baby lamp chops (there really wasn’t much to think about for her at least), and I settled for the shrimp and sea scallops in a creamy ouzo-​flavored tomato sauce, served over greek egg noodles. My lady and I agreed that while the baby lamp chops were good, the overall quality fails in comparison to other restaurants that we have ordered lamp chops. As for me, I enjoyed my main dish. I felt that everything was cooked tremendously, and the tomato sauce was just enough to make the meal enjoyable.
Overall
We enjoyed our late-​night rendezvous at Pylos. Would I come back if I was in NYC? I think I make another visit, but not as quickly as other Unilocal reviewers. I would rather explore more food options in NYC to determine where Pylos stacks among the competition.

Pylos has been consistently good and serves slightly updated versions of very old Greek and Ottoman standards. Over the past few days I stopped by several times so I’ll describe both experiences because both were consistent:
We ordered:
— Pistachio crusted fish: good taste but dry
— Pastichio: Think lasagna with the tomato sauce replaced by bechamel and no mozzarella cheese; served in a individual crock: excellent
— Taramosalata: fish roe mouse: very good but I thought it needed more lemon
— Avgolemono soup: excellent
— Maroulosalata (romaine lettuce, dill, and scallion salad): good
— Mousaka (baked with layers of eggplant, meat sauce, bechamel): very good
Service was aloof and lacking and the overly eager bus boys made sure that the plates were cleared – whether or not we were finished with the dish. Wine overpours were rampant consistent with the service of untrained waitresses. Nevertheless the overall experience was pleasant and the food keeps us returning.

I’ll give Pylos an extra star because my experience here could have been terrible. Honestly, I would not have taken myself seriously as a customer.
Here’s the backstory: This restaurant is in the East Village. It’s right across from a place called «The Big Gay Ice Cream» shop. The prices are relatively reasonable for a nice meal where entrees are around $ 30. I thought this would be a fun date night with my friend and then walk around the park. (I mean, I had been day drinking since 2) I had NO idea the age range would be early thirties and older. People were dressed in suits, nice button ups, dresses, heels etc. I think I was the only female in there in jeans… thankfully they were dark washed. Not to say I wouldn’t have come… but maybe on a different night and worn a little black dress to blend in.
*Tip: Put in a reservation in the morning or at least a day before. I called in on a Saturday afternoon and was able to get a table at 8:30pm the same day.
Right when my friend and I walked in we were welcomed by the greeter at the front and she asked us if we had a reservation. We noticed there were 2 other couples waiting for tables, and we waited no more than a few minutes to be sat down. (They probably didn’t have reservations or still waiting on the other half of their party).
Service: 5+ stars: Our waiter was incredibly nice and told us recommendations of popular appetizers and drinks to get with our meal. After we placed our orders he brought out pita bread right away. He checked on us regularly, brought out all the food at perfect times, and we never felt rushed to leave our table despite the restaurant being packed. As he gave us each dish, he explained clearly what was on each dish like a calm and sincere robot. By the time we finished our meal, the restaurant was uncomfortably hot and full, so I just wanted to leave but our waiter insisted on us looking at the dessert menu (without being pushy).
Grilled octopus (3 stars): It was good, but not the best I’ve ever had. Maybe in my head I imagined this to be the best octopus because of reviews on Unilocal,but honestly I think it was just okay. If I were to come again, I would get a different appetizer to try more things on the menu. The tentacles were meaty/​delicious, but for some odd reason I just keep remembering the grilled octopus I had a Rubirosa and how I could eat that stuff for days.
Lamb shank (3.5 stars): HUGE portion and as someone who loves lamb, this is a great dish for lamb lovers. Again, I am not sure why but something was just off… if I could re-​order again I would have gotten the lamb chops. The lamb «fell off the bone» but it wasn’t as tender and juicy as I thought it would be. It was on the drier side.
Sirloin steak: I don’t think they hit the mark on this dish. My friend ordered it medium rare and it was on the medium to medium-​well side. You could tell as you cut into it, it didn’t look very juicy. This dish was also on the drier side.
Overall, the atmosphere is wonderful, the service is exceptionally great, and prices are very fair. I would definitely come again, but I would try different dishes (and not look like I just walk off the streets).

Only three stars? Not because of the food nor the service but for the seats that they were given to us wasn’t comfortable at all.
Went there on a Sunday night. I totally understand that we didn’t make any reservations so we would have to take whatever that’s available. But I was expecting something that’s at least more comfy than just a wood stool. Well before we sat they didn’t let me know that I was about to sit on a wood stool. My back started to hurt after 15mins. And the busboy kept bumping to my butt, I don’t know on purpose or by accident at least 2 times.
But anyway, for the food it was good as expected after all the only reason why I went was after reading all those reviews. If it wasn’t the food, I would probably give it one star.

I am surprised that I have not reviewed Pylos previously. Okay, if you want family home style Greek cooking then come here or go to Astoria. The pita is hot and quite delicious. The service is impeccable, the atmosphere with the clay pots all across the ceiling, and the perfect lighting all add to nice ambiance.
The food is great. We started with some mezzes, meatballs, and octopus. Who does not like Greek octopus? I love it! Since it was a working lunch we both had different versions of Greek salads. The whole fish is wonderful too.
Come and eat a great Greek meal in East Village, then walk across the street to the Big Gay Ice Cream shop.

Simply put, this place is really good.
We got 2 appetizers and an entrée:
— the saganaki appetizer was a good choice to go with the pita and dip they bring you shortly after ordering.
— the artichoke moussaka appetizer was really good and filling, it could even be ordered for an entrée if you wanted
— the pastitsio really hit the spot and finished off the meal
— for dessert, tried the galaktobourekakia. It was okay, nothing too special. Next time I’ll leave it to the apps and mains.
We ordered a bottle of Oenos, which was a good choice if you don’t know much about Greek wine and like Pinot Noir.

Having not spent much time so far wandering through Alphabet City, I’m a bit envious of all the great eating spots scattered around here. I had heard about Pylos from a friend who raved about all the lamb offerings, especially the baby lamb chops, and the fluffy pita bread and hummus they provide as a complimentary starter.
Naturally, I decided not to go with any of the lamb items, and ordered the braised short ribs instead. These flopped off the bone with a mere prod of the fork. The mashed potatoes came packed with chunks of rich mushrooms. I suppose I can be called a pretty big eater, but this was made even more evident when I basically cleaned my dish, while my friends, who had ordered some variation of salad/​wine, had enough leftovers to pack up for lunch the next day.
It’s a little pricey, but I wouldn’t hesitate coming here for a birthday dinner. And I like that they take reservations, so if you plan ahead, you won’t have to wait for a table.
NEXT TIME: shrimp and scallop noodles; tower of phyllo triangles; lamb shank; pistachio crusted fish; moussaka

A friend came into town and remembered that this was one of her favorite places for Greek food when she lived here 6 years ago so of course, we had to go.
Overall, kudos on ambience, décor, service, and the FOOD.
We split 3 appetizers and a main dish:
Shrimp — probably my favorite dish because of the creamy sauce
Octopus — delicious with the capers and balsamic sauce but probably not the best I have ever had
Meatballs — i thought these were okay, menu said they were light as air but I’ve had meatballs at Carmine’s that I think are way lighter and tastes better
Moussaka with beef — hearty dish and great for sharing
Overall, we probably spent about $ 40 each which I think is a steal for a good meal at a fine establishment.
Service was top notch and the waitress really knew the menu and was able to give her honest suggestions.
This is a small place with one row of seats in the front and one row of seats in the back and a communal table.
My only suggestion is that they change the stools at the communal table (which is marble, very nice) — they are so uncomfortable if you are going to be sitting down for a long time and eating.
Loved the brick walls and clay pots hanging from the ceiling.

This place is a real find. I took a few girlfriends here one Friday night and BOY am I glad we had reservations. Even though we arrived promptly, we still had to wait a little bit. The popularity of Pylos is not lost on me. Let me tell you why.
The ambience can’t be beat. All those mesmerizing pots on the ceiling, hanging (precariously?) like that? Come on. That’s a nice touch. This place heats up and gets real loud, real fast. This isn’t the kind of place you come for scintillating and intimate conversation. You kind of have to scream across the table to be heard. But that’s half the fun!
As my fellow Unilocalers recommended, I ordered the classic Greek salad. As always, they were right. Everything in it was so fresh, so flavorful, and delightfully inventive. A redo for sure.
Pylos is the kind of place you take your friends to show them how trendy and up to date you are with the hot spots downtown. It may not be undiscovered, but it’s certainly worth the wait.

Came here on a Saturday night with my boyfriend for date night and we were lucky enough to get seated right away, right next to the window.
We got two apps: the salmon cakes ($ 14) which were REALLY good; the sauce that came with it was sweet and perfectly complemented the cakes, which were delicious and juicy. We also got the calamari ($ 14), which was fried enough to perfection that it melted in your mouth (yay for not being chewy!)
As for the entrees, my boyfriend got the lamb chops ($ 28) which were cooked to perfection and had some really great flavors. I definitely have to say that his dish was better than mine, which was the braised short rib with puréed potatoes ($ 26). Not to say it wasn’t delicious because it totally was, but I would definitely suggest to get the lamb chops instead. Also, their serving sizes are very generous! For the first time in a long time, I had to get a portion of my dish packed to-​go.
The only reason I took 1 star off is that it was just uncomfortably hot inside. I wore a sleeveless top and somehow, I was still sweating! Not cute!