Ethos Taverna

Went to Ethos last night after not having been in a few years. I was super disappointed with the food and sad that a great neighborhood spot had gone so downhill. We ordered the spreads sampler and the waiter actually warned us that the tzatziki was significantly more garlic-​y than usual. We still went for it and while it was pretty strong, it was even weaker than some of the other dips even! My friend had a few pieces of uncooked chicken and my greek salad with shrimp was just OK (definitely not worth the $$$).
The only positive was the service. Our waiter was really lovely and took quite good care of us. Hate giving a less than stellar review but I’d have to advise people to search elsewhere for quality greek food.

Too many good reviews??? For real? Pricey, below average food, smaller than crap portions.
I don’t get the reviews. Nothing really stands out but the people in my company love gatherings here and I haven’t a clue why.

Excellent lamb chops. Octopus appetizer and Greek salad was incredible. Service from Kaza, our waiter, and food absolutely incredible. Dessert excellent as well. A pleasurable mixture of ideal lighting and enjoyable music. Would highly recommend to tourists and natives alike.

Brought a group of five for a birthday party on a weekend night. I did think to make a reservation and it was a good idea for a group that size. The place does fill up. That’s the downside: they’re a little short-​staffed, so getting a waiter’s attention became an issue. It also gets pretty lively (i.e. noisy) when the place is going full-​tilt. But they were very nice and gave us a little dessert on the house.
On the plus side, Ethos has a nice wine list and good Greek food at reasonable prices for Midtown. (I lived for years in Astoria, so I know what I’m talking about) The charcoal-​grilled calamari was awesome, the tentacles were crispy and they were nor overcooked, which is pretty easy to do. The clay-​pot chicken with orzo was also very tasty and tender. If you’re ordering mezze, get the saganaki hot appetizer; they set the cheese on fire at the table, which will freak out your guests, but it will be fun.

Our staff had a wonderful and delicious Christmas party lunch at Ethos Taverna. Ethos was very accommodating of our group and our preferences and made sure we received top notch service, on top of eating tasty food ranging from Mediterranean «mezes» (salad, calamari, lima beans, spinach pie) to the main dishes of chicken souvlaki, bronzini and moussaka to name a few of the many savory items on the menu. Niko and Andreas were very efficient in serving our group and were quick to respond to all of our requests. Overall a fantastic and appetizing experience!

I had gotten a gift certificate off
and came to check it out! My friend said he had been there before and it wasn’t bad. In his opinion everything on the menu is standard affair for a Greek place except for the clay pot fishes, so the three of us each got a separate clay pot!
I got the moussaka, which actually didn’t come in a clay pot but was under that section. It was okay. But not bad. The green beans were a little over cooked though.
The other two people got the two lamb clay pots, one with potatoes and one with orzo. Both look amazing and tasted pretty good! The potatoes were crispy and well seasoned, and in both dishes the lamb was falling off the bone.
The octopus appetizer was really good as well, but it’s definitely not a baby octopus…

Stumbled upon this place while wandering the much less wandered east side parts (at least by me) and craving Mediterranean flavors. The service was on point and my salmon was perfect. I’m not sure when I can say I’ll be back, but if they open their doors on the west side I’ll definitely come through;)

Ethos is a great Kips Bay spot! I’ve been to Ethos a number of times and the food is excellent. The Domata salad is my favorite! I love that it’s just cucumbers, tomato, feta, onion, olives and a light dressing. I’ve also had the hummus a few times, which was pretty good. Other appetizers I’ve tried are the fried calamari, grilled calamari, and zucchini chips. My favorite dish to order is the rack of lamb. The lamb is cooked perfectly and so delicious! Also, they always give you this complimentary greek dessert at the end of your meal. It’s really nice that they do that, but I’m extremely picky and don’t love the dessert they give. Now that I know they always give the dessert, I tell them before they bring it that I appreciate the gesture, but I’d rather they save it for someone else to enjoy.
The one thing about Ethos is that it’s a little bit on the pricier side. Some of the main dishes I believe are a little over priced, but it’s worth it! If you’re in the area and like greek food, I would definitely recommend trying out Ethos.

WOW the food here was so. freakin. good.
Came with a friend on a weeknight and we were seated right away. We started with pita and Tsatziki, it was delicious, a sign of good things to come!
We both had entrees baked in a clay pot — they literally come out in a clay pot (woah). I had the Arni Giouvetsi: baby lamb oven baked with orzo, fresh tomato sauce and feta cheese. GET THIS DISH. It was one of the best dishes I’ve had, ever. The lamb was LIKE BUTTA, it fell apart in my mouth and it was so flavorful with the sauce and the cheese and I was just dying over how good it was. My friend had the Kotopulo Giouvetsi — basically the same dish but with boneless chicken breast. She said hers was delicious as well.
We weren’t going to order dessert, but they brought out a Baklava for us to share. Ok, if you insist.
I will be back here ASAP. No really.

Food: ⁹⁄₁₀
Quality & Service ¹⁰⁄₁₀
Restaurant Ambience ⁷⁄₁₀
It is a fantastic place for great sea food. I love these little restaurants that don’t have a very posh look and feel but in return provide the best quality food and service.

I like Ethos. It’s another one we get at the office quite often. Rice, lamb, steak, meatballs and their desserts are fresh and tasty. Definitely give them a try.

I came here the first weekend they opened and have not been disappointed since. Food is fresh and delicious and the service is always friendly and excellent. Whenever I have an opportunity this is my go to place. I’m always looking for an excuse to visit Ethos!

Great little spot for authentic Mediterranean food! We ventured down Murray Hill one evening to find this restaurant– it was recommended by a co-​worker and I’ve never really been to this part of town.
The space was brightly decorated and pretty full for a weekday. The food was very fresh and authentically presented.
I dined here a year ago but remember the food being delicious– I had a whole roasted fish which was prepared over the grill with some fresh herbs, a little olive oil and some pepper– such a simple preparation yet I still remember it now, the wait staff was very nice and have a very festive and laid back vibe! I would come here again if I were ever back in the city!

1. Hotter than Santorini in August
2. Lousy service — slow, apathetic
3. The lamb tasted good
4. gyro was over seasoned
meh
overall i wouldn’t recommend

After a mediocre dinner, I decided to keep this Thursday night going in Murray Hill. Met up with a friend and decided, on a whim, to come to Ethos.
It was quiet around our 10pm arrival. Bar was only ¹⁄₈^th occupied and the restaurant was about ¹⁄₃ packed. We sat at the bar and immediate attention to our presence was given.
Went with a glass of red and friend got a gin and tonic. Really nice selection of wines by the glass. Peeping out the menu, everything sounded delicious. The small plates average around 11 – 12 $. We asked the bartender what dishes he recommends and decided that the Kalamari Yesmito sounded amazing — stuffed kalamari with greek cheese, roasted red peppers and fresh herbs (14 $). (Greeks spell it with a k while Italians spell it with a C. And if you didn’t know this prior, then you’re welcome for the day’s TIL =P) It’s plated as 3 pieces with some of the tentacle pieces along side. The texture and flavors were there, but WHOA! Super salty! I’m a big fan of salt, but this was overwhelming. Something that can definitely be worked on.
Since my friend came out to meet me, I paid and when the check came I noticed the drinks were on the house. Hmmm… I wasn’t about to make a correction but karma pays off. I tipped 100% of the check. After that, one of the servers came over with a to-​go container with dessert in it. On the house yet again! I was elated! They’ve really got some excellent service going on here!
Since this place is close to where I work, I might come back here for a quick lunch.
(And because I always repay kindness)
(4÷2015)

The food is great. Really have a great lunch special prefix menu that you can get for 1999 which will include an appetizer salad your meal and dessert.
The reason I give it three stars is because there is no air conditioning in this place and it is 85° outside, while it is 105° inside. I do not like being more liquefied that my beverage.

I have been there twice for lunch. They have excellent Greek fare and the prices are modest. (Greek food tends to be expensive in Manhattan.) If you go, make sure to order the avgolemono chicken soup — it’s divine.

Gave me pita and some free pastry dessert on the house when j got delivery. Came in twenty minutes, amazing octopus. Highly recommend.

We’ve been to Ethos Taverna several times for various occasions and it’s always been a delight. The restaurant is cozy but has high ceilings and an open window front so it feels spacious. The service is excellent.
APPETIZERS: The saganaki is most wonderful and tasty! Seriously, what could be better than cheese wrapped in pastry dough that’s flambéd at your table with a squeeze of lemon on top. Delish! The grape leaves are also great. And, when in doubt, you can’t go wrong with the hummus or assortment of spreads to go with the warm pita bread.
MAIN COURSE: I almost always get the moussaka. It is superb! Eggplant, potato, meat, and cheese, served with a side of green beans. The portion is huge so it always take some home because it makes a fantastic lunch the next day that your co-​workers will be jealous of. The kebabs are also good.
WINE/​DESSERT: They have a nice happy hour from 4−7pm with excellent Greek white and red wine. Also, for some reason, every time we’ve eaten dinner at Ethos, the manager brings us dessert. The cheese filled flaky pastry puff is absolutely fabulous. I’m not sure if we’ve just gotten lucky every time we come here, or if this usual treatment of all its patrons. Either way, I’ll always take free dessert!
The price is right here at Ethos. The portions are generous, the food is tasty, and the service is wonderful.

My friend and I wanted to catch up and do a girls night for dinner but couldn’t decide what restaurant to go to in the Murray Hill/​Kips Bay area that would be a «healthier» alternative, without the «Murray Hill crowd.» After brainstorming numerous options, I remembered this gem, located right in the heart of the area, yet I had never eaten there before. Looking back, this was an excellent idea.
We ordered three appetizers and an entrée to split and it was more than enough food for the two of us, we didn’t finish it all.
Hummus– I am typically not a fan of Greek-​style hummus (I’d much rather have Israeli), but this one surprised me. It wasn’t too grainy and had just enough salt.
Halloumi– Decent. I’ve had better and I’ve had worse. The good part is that sometimes halloumi can have a very rubbery texture and this one didn’t. I do think it could’ve been more flavorful though, perhaps with extra lemon or lime to bring out its taste.
Domata– This dish was under the salad section of the menu, so naturally I assumed all the ingredients would be tossed in some dressing, but rather, it came out like a platter filled with a generous amount of olives, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, and cheese. It tasted very good too and was a nice addition to our meal.
Moussaka– I think this is one of my new favorite go-​to dishes at Greek restaurants. It was a fairly large portion that came with a side of green beans that I didn’t particularly care for. The moussaka itself was pretty good, there was a lot of meat but I would’ve liked for there to be more eggplant. Would I order it again? Yes.
We then asked for the check and the waiter brought out a complementary dessert, which I assume was their version of galaktosuriko. Put it this way, I’m happy we got a free dessert but I would’ve been disappointed if I ordered it. Rather bland in my opinion but a nice gesture nonetheless.
Greek food is always known to be on the pricy side, so when our total came out to just under $ 50, it was a pleasant surprise. $ 25 each, stuffed, free dessert, and a nice evening? I’ll be back soon.