Ariston Greek European Cuisine

A great loss to the Miami dining scene.

Drove by recently, and it appeared closed for business

Now closed…

This place is now out of business. The food was good but we were victims of a bait and switch with the wine. We vowed not to return after that. Restaurant owners should learn it’s not good business, the locals won’t come back!

I ordered the chicken wrap with steak fries. The restaurant was surprisingly empty for a Friday night. Service was decent and the food was very delicious. The only complaint I had was my wrap had too much tzatziki sauce which hid the flavor of the grilled chicken.

Getting there is easy, the parking is plentiful and the restaurant has a very nice vibe. The food is more than worth it, the traditional dishes are well represented, so is the fresh seafood and the numerous mazas or tapas, I wanted to try them all, but refrained as” I will be back”. I loved the spicy feta, the grape leaves were very fresh and the sausage as good as it gets, the bronzino was delightful and well presented so were the desserts with this amazing yogurt topping. Yum-​mm !! The Greek wines from small vineyards only helped to make this experience memorable.

The food was good, real good. Worthy of 3+ stars. Everyone in my group liked the food. Seating was cozy, as they have outdoor seating. The restaurant is situated on a corner that bends through Normandy Isles on 71^st and Rue Vendome, across from a little square. So you can sit on the sidewalk and watch the passersby.
That said, I would give this place 3 – 4 stars. But the service was lacking. I’m not really that picky, but when it’s lacking; it’s kind of noticeable. It was really our draw of servers. Our waiter was pretty unpolished and a little brash. Would I give it another try, yes but if I saw the same staff, I would avoid it.

This Greek-​European restaurant is in the same corner of 71^st Street location recently vacated by Ouzo’s Greek restaurant, although the restaurants are apparently not connected. We arrived on a Sunday evening around 6:30pm and were seated in the cool dining room immediately. We could have eaten at one of the outside tables but it was a little too warm. Water was brought right away, together with freshly sliced sourdough bread and olive dip, not exactly tapenade but similar. The surroundings are what you might expect from a neighborhood Greek place. Rough-​hewn white plaster walls with Santorini-​esque murals, giving it a Greek island or village feel.
We ordered the mixed dip plate, tzatziki, tarama, eggplant and hummus. with a basket of warm pita slices. It was more than enough for two hungry people. The waitress told us about a special for the Greek Easter celebration, spit-​roasted baby lamb — she told us it was a huge platter, so we decided to share it and order a grilled vegetable platter to go with it. We had two large (by the glass) glasses of Syrah to go with the lamb. When it came, she was right. It would have been too much for one person unless they were very, very hungry. It also came with a large helping of the most delicious potatoes, cooked in lemon and olive oil but not at all greasy. The lamb was just as it should be — tender but not dry and could be cut with a fork; it had a taste of thyme and oregano and the smoky flavor of the grill, redolent of eating outside on a warm Greek island evening. It was probably the best Greek meal I’ve had outside Greece.
The service is great, smooth, efficient and seamless. The waitstaff are pleasant and welcoming. The bill came to around $ 80 for the meal with three glasses of wine. The appetizer was for two, but we shared a main course, and the wine was $ 9 a glass.
I cannot wait to try some of the other items on the menu, especially the roast suckling pig. I looked at what other people were eating, a man at the next table had fresh grilled sardines which looked wonderful and at another table they were starting with Greek salad which looked lively, fresh and colorful.
The only drawback for me was that I thought the prices were just a little high, otherwise everything was superb.
I will be back there as soon as I can. You should, too, you won’t be disappointed. Four stars from me and I am tough to please.