Gregory’s 26 Corner Taverna

It can be a Hit or miss it feels, but in general the food is quick, on point and simple. It’s no frills, basic, and kind of a hole in the wall. I’m not gonna lie, it is not fine dining. It’s just an old school tavern. But the closest to feeling like a Greek tavern that I have experienced in the states. It is what it is.
Octopus 90% of the time is the best octopus I’ve had in NY.
The meatballs are great and if they have gigandes beans and some good boiled greens you are all set.

I loved eating at Gregory’s because it was a restaurant with friendly people who just wanted to serve you good food. It’s just a little unassuming spot on a corner in Astoria, but it’s serving up some really yummy food in a charming atmosphere. I really loved the cute décor filled with photos of Greece and little knick knacks.
As everyone else says, this place is welcoming, unpretentious, and a solid dining experience all around. The food comes out quick and it’s easy to feel comfortable and at home here. When my boyfriend and I couldn’t decide whether to get a half liter or a liter of wine, our waitress reminded us that «it’s Friday night, guys!» And so we decided on a liter.
We each ordered the chicken souvlaki and were served really delicious bread /​olive oil mixture to start. The entrees came with the most DELICIOUS lemon potatoes, two chicken skewers, two large pieces of perfect pita bread, tzatziki sauce, and a small Greek salad. It was a good amount of food and I couldn’t even finish the chicken! I actually didn’t think the chicken was that flavorful, but the lemon potatoes and bread and tzatziki were good enough to make up for that.
Gregory’s is such a nice break from going out in the city or even certain places in Brooklyn, where you feel the need to dress up to go out and whatnot. I loved the super relaxed and leisurely atmosphere. I also loved that there seemed to be a bunch of regulars who knew everyone who worked there.

I went to gregory taverna today the place was clean the food is amazing and i also wanted to say i dont think the previous review was correct the boss cannot stop the customers from having a cup of coffee and talking politics they are paying customers and they can talk about anything they want…

Was a little skeptical about walking in with a health letter «C» in the window. I walked in anyway knowing that the Bd. Of Health gives out «C» for not even having a dirty place. The place stunk of cigarettes with the place full of Greeks talking politics and how bad this country is. The waitress who spoke bad broken English finally came by to see if Im ready to order. I would have ordered if I was given a menu. With the stink of cigarettes, loud talking and the smell of workers, I had to leave. I hope the owners read this and clean the place out of people that hang out over a glass of water and a cup of coffee.

A small friendly Greek restaurant tucked in a corner of a quiet street. What I liked most is the easy vibe and homey feel. You free relaxed like in a home setting.
The food was good but pretty much the Greek restaurants I ate in Ditmas neighborhood are all good and authentic. The olive dip that was served together with the bread was special and tasted great.
I would certainly be back again to try more of the Greek cuisine.

It’s an authentic neighborhood spot, food was okay. I had the fish and it could have been better seasoned. It has been a while
Since I went so
I think I should give it another chance.

This place is so delicious and authentic! I came here for my birthday and the grilled octopus and meatballs were memorable. A very cozy restaurant. We ordered a lot of food, and everything was YUM-​O! Service was wonderful too, and the complimentary desert they brought us at end was very tasty. I can’t wait to come back!

Gregory’s is the Greek food I’ve been looking for in Astoria. Yes there are tons of options, and yes they are pretty much all good, but Gregory’s has got to have the best quality: price ratio all while maintaining a completely unpretentious, welcoming atmosphere.
For $ 75 before tip, my date and I got the cold appetizer platter, grilled octopus, peppers stuffed with cheese, salted cod with lemon potatoes, and a half liter of house wine. Of the 4 dips on the platter, our two favorites were the babaganoush (super deliciously creamy and eggplant-​y) and something we couldn’t name that seemed seafoody with teeny tiny roe (surprisingly great). The peppers were also tasty, though a bit heavy for 2 people to split as you get I think 6 big pepper pieces. The octopus of course was perfect. And even though I wasn’t really in the mood for anything fried, I have to say the salted cod was very well done, lightly battered & fried and silky inside, not at all overdone or dried out.
The lemon potatoes and wine were the only two things I could directly compare between Gregory’s and Kyclades. The wine is perfectly on par, and while I don’t remember the Kyclades pricing I can tell you I was stoked to find $ 12 half liters and $ 24 full liters here. The lemon potatoes, however, were phenomenal. Significant step up from Kyclades. I had no idea I could appreciate potatoes so much.
The only off notes were the items that came free: the bread and dessert. Neither were terrible but just meh. Though the olive spread in olive oil that came with the bread was yum. Service was friendly and helpful throughout. I will definitely be back and recommend to anyone looking for a great Greek meal.

What a great place!!! Always has been one of my favorite go to places and it never disappoints. I have tried many of the dishes and they are consistently delicious. Some of our favorites include the «saganaki» and the «bekri meze».
We recently visited with friends and they are as impressed as us. Our server Voula was extremely helpful with suggestions and recommendations and was quick to get us everything we needed. The whole vibe is very warm and inviting and we will definitely be back!

Great
Try the Octopus. It was wonderful.

As a Greek, I’ve always found that it’s very hard to find Greek restaurants that prepare food the way it is supposed be done and served in a manner that is reminiscent of traditional Greek hospitality, warmth, and friendliness.
With that said, Gregory’s — in my opinion — is 5 STARS all the way. From the moment I stepped in and was greeted by our wonderful server Voula, I was made to feel like I was walking into a small, local tavern somewhere in Greece. The restaurant is on the smaller side, with a corner location, outdoor seating, and is away from the noise and commotion of the elevated subway on 31^st Street; all VERY GOOD things in my opinion!
Our server Voula was extremely friendly, professional, with a warm and inviting smile — and she immediately made me and my party feel welcome. She told us the special of the day — which was Pastichio — and then gave us our menus and told us she’d be right back with bread/​pita for our table.
Looking at the menu there was plenty to choose from — from hot and cold appetizers «meze dishes» to main courses. When Voula returned with the bread and pita — and with a crushed olive and oil spread which was excellent — she asked us if we had any questions. I told her that we were going to do «meze dishes» and she immediately asked what we were in the mood for. Meat, seafood, etc — and made recommendations accordingly.
We ended up ordering the following:
Large Greek Salad
Saganaki (Fried Cheese)
Bekri Meze (Various Meats, Livers, Sweetbreads) sauteed in a Wine sauce with a tangy/​peppery twist.
Fried Calamari
Grilled Octopus
Fried Eggplant & Zucchini with Skordalia (Garlic Dip)
EVERYTHING was OUTSTANDING!!! Fresh, aromatic, great sized portions, and absolutely DELICIOUS!
I truly enjoyed my experience at Gregory’s and will DEFINITELY be going back to enjoy the food, atmosphere, and quaintness of this Greek Tavern — far from the land of Greece — but spot on with everything that is relevant to Greek taverns!

This Greek restaurant made me feel at home. The people dining here seemed relaxed and natives of the area, the people serving food seemed familial and generous. So my girlfriend and I decided to go eat here because she was craving Greek food.
We got the Greek salad, the saganaki, and the lemon potatoes. They were all on point… ESPECIALLY the saganaki. Oh MAN it was so delicious! It was the perfect amount of salt and lemon that just brought out everything from Greece in me! Plus they give you bread and an olive oil/​olive mixture to start!
The price was decent and the food was excellent. Definitely would come here again for authentic Greek food. A gem of the neighborhood!

If you’ve never had greek food this is a good place to come with friends. Order the combination plates and share them. Caveats: friends must be adventurous, If you have non– fish eaters don’t invite them and don’t get gyros. Cart gyros are delicious, you come to this place for fresh grilled octupus, dips, whole fish and lemon potatos. Great options for vegetarians, better options for pescatarians and if you are paleo bound this is a great spot too.
Limited outdoor seating. Not good for large groups (greater than 6 – 8).

Forget Telly’s, forget commercially rated stamatis, if you live in astoria, this is where the TRUE Greeks go: The food is like your in Greece and going anywhere else means you are a tourist. Bottom line.
This is the best homeland Greek and Gregory the owner, and his wife r always there… cooking or monitoring cooking for a true Greek experience only a local astorian would know.

Food is authentic and well-​priced. The hidden gems were in the appetizer section! Highly recommend the whole-​roasted fish of the day (happened to be Branzino when we visited). The octopus appetizer was tender and lightly charred. I don’t recommend this place for an early dinner spot. The restaurant is very accommodating to large families, however since it’s small, it can be a bit overwhelming.

A very friendly neighborhood restaurant with pleasant servers. Sadly, they were a little slow during a Sat. evening rush (took us a while to get menus or order drinks). The food was very good, especially the grilled octopus and the cold appetizer plate (tzatziki, taramasolata, smokey eggplant salad and a spicy feta spread)!
The Bakaliaro with scordalia was tasty, but we didn’t remember it was fried so it was a little heavy and we could barely eat half. Glad to see dandelion greens on the menu, but they seemed a little overcooked.
The white house wine was not bad if seemingly weak, but relatively inoffensive.
Next time, we’ll order the appetizers first and wait to order the entrees as everything came a little too fast and all at once making things feel rushed. We’ll be back.

The best no frills classic Greek food in Astoria: Yes please!
The service is always very nice and welcoming. They start you off with fresh warm bread and the most delicious olive spread with olive oil to dip in.
The Fried Smelt appetizer was lightly coated and fried without being too greasy. They give you a lot in the order. Great finger food to munch on for the rest of the night.
The grilled octopus was nice and tender and simply cooked well. Very tasty but wished it had a bit of a char to it.
The Pork or Chicken Souvlaki platters came with perfectly cooked skewers with a side of fries and feta salad. I asked to substitute my fries with lemon potatoes and they happily obliged. They have the best flavored lemon potatoes in the area!
Bifteki can be stuffed with cheese if you’d like. I tried the one without the cheese and it was well seasoned and flavorful. They were like round balls of meatloaf seared on the outside but tender ground meat on the inside. It comes with rice or lemon potatoes.
At the end, they give you a small piece of cinnamon cake for dessert.

Great for the four of us. We ordered family style so we could all share. Delicious! I have had Greek food from Hawaii to salt lake city to Europe to NYC and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised to find such a good authentic and very affordable Greek restaurant.
The house wine paired well with the flavors of Greece. Our waitress brought a wheat dessert which was complimentary that she had made. She must be an owner because you can actually taste the heart and soul of the family in the food.
Highly recommend this classic taste of Greece!

Came here for dinner with a group of 3. We had no issues getting a seat. As we walked in there were plenty of open tables. It’s a nice cozy place.
We weren’t sure what to order so we asked the waitress to recommend some dishes. We ended up getting what she recommended. As she described her recommendations, it had a homey touch/​feel to it. It is as if she enjoys her cultural food so much that she is trying to pass it down to us.
The bread they gave us was surprisingly soft, warm and easy to eat. They give it to you with olive paste and olive oil. It was good.
For appetizers, we got the grilled octopus.
— this dish was amazing. The octopus was not rubbery. It was very soft/​tender. Much much different from others that I have tried. I definitely prefer this one. I was surprised by how tender they were seeing that the pieces were relatively thick! It was seasoned well. Could taste the olive oil, some zest, and some salt. It was well balanced.
For main course, we got the lamb chops, moussaka, and shrimp santorini with rice.
Lamb chops: they were grilled nicely. I would have preferred it they were a little more medium rare but the meat was still tender. The meat relatively fell off the bone without any issues. The meat was seasoned well with spices and herbs. The vegetables that came with the dish could use some more work. They were overcooked and soggy. They were seasoned well, just not cooked properly.
The moussaka was their special for the day. It was amazing. You could taste the subtle olive oil at the base of the dish. The potatoes were cooked to the point of being soft They had a nice subtle crisp and browning to the top layer of the custard. The meat was seasoned well, not dry at all. The eggplant was not fried, which is different from the traditional one where it is fried. I actually like it not being fried because it would have gotten soggy once baked. With each bite, the dish felt heavy and light at the same time. It looked like a delicate dish and once you cut into it, it fell apart easily. I highly recommend this dish.
The shrimp santorini with rice was good. The rice was a little al dente. I think the tomato sauce needed to be thicker and more flavorful. Not enough tomato taste to it. The size of the shrimps were good but they were a little over cooked. Dish was seasoned well with lots of flavor. Overall it was a well composed dish but lacking in some techniques to make this dish truly perfect.
Service was excellent. The staff did come by to ask us how were doing. Food came out almost immediately. Only thing we had to ask was for more water. The place was not busy at all so there wasn’t really any excuse. One nice thing they did was gave us some dessert on the house. It was really nice of them. I don’t know what it is but it tasted like rice pudding but in a cake format. It was overly sweet. It hit the spot just right. They did put too much cinnamon on it though. You can just dust it off.
Overall I consider this place a nice gem/​hole in the wall place and would highly recommend this place.

The restaurant is quite tight and small, but I walked in for take out.
For $ 13, the souvlaki platter came with a good amount of meat, a feta cheese salad, rice, pita, white sauce. It was enough to feed two people, although I pretty much ate most of it myself like a slob.
Spot on Greek food with great portions.