Uncle Nick’s Ouzaria Greek Tapas

Had a great lunch today here with some work mates. We all work nearby, but rarely venture down to 9^th for lunch. Today we did, and it was well with the trip.
I’ve had a few authentic Greek meals, mostly in Astoria at the legendary Uncle Jacks, and Nicks measures up for sure. We all started with a freezing cold bottle of a Greek beer called Mythos. Very crisp and refreshing. For starters, we spilt some octopus and a dish with cold potatoes and garlic with pita bread. Both were good, especially the octopus which was well cooked and in a nice sauce. For our lunch, I had the chicken gyro, one friend had a lamb platter and the other had a lamb gyro. We all enjoyed our dishes, but I do think next time I will have the lamb gyro, which looked dynamite. The platter looked good as well. The fresh salad looked crunchy and was dressed well.
Service was great and the price was standard for Manhatten.
Overall, a very good lunch and we will be back for sure. Check it out if you’re on 9^th.

I love this restaurant;it is the best Greek food in New York. The restaurant is quiet usually and the food is diverse and i have never been disappointed. A lot people in the neighborhood order their food take-​out, so i like to dine in and enjoy the quiet.

We just went for appetizers, but had an amazing baked feta and tomato appetizer as well as a vegetable appetizer and octopus appetizer. The octopus was out of this world. I can’t even begin to describe how good it was. That was plenty of food for two, and probably could have gotten away with just two apps. And just fyi, the carafes of wine are enormous. .more than a bottle, and a great value. Would love to go back if we had more time. Nice, homey atmosphere and good service. One of those places where it just feels good to go to.

«Do you remember what these streets smelled like in the old days?
Kabob.
Lamb kabob.» — The Kite Runner (2007)
Being in an awesome city like New York, there are so many choices for restaurant… you never know where to go or what to eat. After our Broadway show, our friends suggested going to Hell’s Kitchen area as it would be less crowded. We did some Unilocal searching and up popped this awesome Greek spot.
The service was great — quick attentive and they didn’t mind that our group showed up in waves. The two of us that arrived first were starving, so we ordered something to get started while we waited on our friends to arrive. We got the Saganaki — flaming cheese. The light it aflame at the table and it is topped with lemon juice. Delish! We annihilated it in short order. Too good to pass up.
By the time the rest of our crew arrived, it was kebabs all around. Some got lamb, some got chicken, some got beef. I opted for the beef and it was succulent and so very flavorful. Served atop worlds largest mound of rice bespeckled with herbs, I was happy. The huge chunks of beef were separated by lightly grilled, but still holding their shape and texture pieces of green pepper, red pepper and red onions — all delectably charred. The meat was a perfect mid-​rare and if I could have eaten the entire thing… oh wait, I did!
The ladies enjoyed a very large slice of baklava for dessert, but alas I cannot partake due to the walnuts (tree nut allergy, folks), but it looked and smelled authentic and amazing).
This is definitely bookmarked for a return trip.

Didn’t know anything about this — just walked along 9^th checking the changes there. The menu items caught my eye, but not the spinach pie or any of the other usual Greeky menu items. But when I saw grilled sweetbreads and the like I was down for the place. Decided on the sardines, which are about as difficult to get real as anything. Gotta be fresh, not overcooked, crisp skin, cleaned but not disintegrated, and actually grilled — like on a grill know what I mean. These were PERFECT. Only thing better would be in a taverna a few thousand miles east. Keep it simple like they do there, go for the grilled fish, and somebody check the sweetbreads for me.

this place sucks! the service is way too slow and their food were all over cooked and burnt, for the price it’s really not worth it :(
There’s actually another uncle Nick’s if you search for it on Unilocal and the ratings on that one aren’t as good as this one (same address).
I came here with a group of 10 people last friday night, we picked this place based on Unilocal reviews and really thought it would be a great place to eat at. I was so disappointed when our dishes came. The portions were ok, but for the price I really expected much more. The problem with all our dishes was that everything was over burnt. Our grilled octopus was just black when it came, the sauce was way too sour — too much vinegar (I usually like vinegar, but in this case they ODed) and the texture/​flavor was just bland and it feels like your chewing some kind of flavorless gum. It was actually pretty hard to cut them into pieces and no one in my group liked that dish… that’s how bad it was. We also tried their dip with pita and the popular flaming cheese as well as all kinds of other kebabs and gyros, the selection aren’t great and there were only so much we can pick from the menu that looked appealing. Beef kebab came and it was really dry and hard to chew, they had 5 pieces of chunky beef on a skewer with onions and peppers in between the meat, and they plated that on top of rice, Same for pork and chicken, gyro came in a bigger portion and with 2 kinds of meat, pork pieces and street meat style slices. We were all pretty much disappointed in the food and the bill came out to be $ 30+ per person, the food was totally not worth that price and I regretted picking that place.
Again here are some of the stuff we ordered
The Four Combo Dips
Pita
Saganaki-​tiri
Oktapodaki
Gyro Plate (prob the best out of all the dishes we tried)
Mosharisio Kebob (beef)
Hirino Kebob (porl)
Kotopoulo Kebob (chicken)
Flaming cheese was interesting to look at, they bring the cheese and put flames on it before serving and it’ll light up for 5 seconds then they put it out. The cheese itself wasn’t that special, it was just really salty.
If you want good greek food go to astoria instead, for the same dishes the prices are cheaper and they taste 100% better than what you’ll get here, this place deserves maybe 2 stars for the service but the food is definitely 0 to 1 stars… I’m still really disappointed… :(I used to be a really big fan of greek food and this totally changed my mind. Guess I won’t be getting greek food again soon.

I’ve dined here four or five times over a period of several years. The place is dependably friendly, attentive and welcoming. I ‘ve always enjoyed the food, though I am by no means an expert on Greek cuisine and cannot comment on the fine points of that art.
On our most recent visit, I was part of a party of four. After dinner, but before dessert and coffee, the manager very politely asked us if we would move to another table. He needed ours to accommodate a party of 8 or 10. In return, free coffee, dessert and digestifs for each of us. They were so nice, I would have moved and not thought twice about it. Rents are high and opportunities are important. But they went out of their way to make it good for us.
Now, beware. There is a lot of flaming food theatrically served in this crowded restaurant. And a lot of loud «Opa!» to go with the flames. If you have PTSD, this might not be the place for you.

I ordered based on the recommendations here. Yes to the fried cheese; what’s not to like? And the octopus has a nice balsamic dressing. One recommendation: if u get a gyro platter or the lamb, eat it when it’s hot! Otherwise it gets hard and … Well unpleasant

Like some other reviews, I also stumbled across this place and was pleasantly surprised by how bustle-​y it was inside. It’s a cramped space, but has a homey feel, like you could start a conversation with the table next to you and it’d be perfectly normal.
Unfortunately, the food was just A-​okay. It’s simple flavors, but there is something lacking — perhaps a crisp, clean, fresh taste? Positives would be that it wasn’t over seasoned/​salty, but it also does not blow you out of the water.
Our table opted not to get the cheese on fire (literally!) appetizer, but that seemed to be a favorite. There were cheesy explosions left and right, which was a fun sight to see.
It’s a pretty tight seating area, so watch your bags, tuck in your coats (my poor trench had footsteps all over it by the end of the night…), elbows in!

Made reservations here at the last minute for dinner with some girl friends. Service was. .. a bit slow. We were actually in just a bit of a time crunch because a couple of our friends had some studying to do, and we had some difficulty flagging down a waiter to take our order. Food took a while to come out, too. Redeeming factor? The food was pretty good. My friend and I ordered the combination platter of hot and cold tapas – which was well worth the money. But, for our friends who ordered entrees? Not too sure they really got their money’s worth.
Overall, for only having… 3 tables occupied in the restaurant (maybe ¹⁄₅ of the restaurant’s tables, then?), service was slow and the food was mediocre. Not too sure I’d ever come back unless I’m really craving tapas.

4.5*
Gonna start off with a hearty «I LIKE this place.»
Been here 6+ times now and wouldn’t mind making it a weekly place. The staff is always welcoming and happy– a must in competitive Hell’s Kitchen. And the food has been solid each time.
The first time I found my way into this place I was with a couple of others and starving, we were looking for dinner and drinks. We walked in late and without realizing the kitchen had been closed we ordered drinks. They were nice enough to make us up a couple of things so we wouldn’t starve to death.
… And just like that a new relationship was born! Hopefully one of those long lasting symbiotic ones.
The Baked sharp cheese is amazing, but it’s got to be devoured while melted– easy task to accomplish.
They have a greek salad which is more than solid; Haven’t asked for them to add the delicious gyro meat to it but I have liberally added it from the sandwiches which = amazing.
The pita sandwiches or gyros are great in all their glorious variety; I’ve had them all and they are all independently strong in their own way.
Respectable.

Great Greek cuisine. Meze platters, dips and main courses were all first class.
Strongly recommended

I was hunting for food, and that is no lie. Walking incessantly despite upcoming rain storms up 9^th Avenue in Hells Kitchen, wondering what I wanted to try next. And there it was. Ouzaria’s Greek Tapas. So I stepped up to view the menu. What? Grilled Octopus? The search was over (I’m starting to sound like Journey, I know… Journey for great grub! LOL).
So we sit down, and scanned through the menu. At the same time we were doing that, a friend stopped in, and highly suggested the saganika (sharp cheese served on a hot plate). He mentioned that his girlfriend loves that dish (and I quote, best thing she has put in her mouth… and let’s keep this G rated please!). Option #2 was made.
Then, what caught my eye was fish roe dip. But why stop there when you can get the dip sampler, right? Garlic Potato, yogurt and cucumber, fish roe and egg plant. Served with hot pita slices.
The Verdict:
1. The Dip Sampler — WOW. Exceeded expectations. All of them were excellent. The fish roe one was enough hint of roe and smooooooooth! The garlic potato? Outstanding.
2. Saganika (Sharp cheese). Served on the hot plate and splashed with enough liquor to make it sizzle. Thought I died and gone to heaven.
3. The octopus (the reason why we chose this place) — Charred to perfection. Very tasty. Very good. I am salivating again at the thought of eating this dish.
Top this all off with a straight up tini… made for a perfect evening. Even the heavy rain outside was a long distance memory!

Thanks to my buddy Kim L, I’m finally exploring Hell’s Kitchen and all of it’s great restaurants!
Grilled Octopus is REALLY good — tender, not chewy and served with simple olive oil and vinegar.
4 dips tapa– all were yummy and they refilled out pita bread fast
Spice meatballs — also tasty and great for sharing.
The four tapas (we ordered 2 of the octopi) and a bottle of wine made for a nice, light dinner. It was a beautiful day outside and we sat by the patio, people watching and discussing how great it is to be out in New York on a beautiful day!

We described this today as a «good sunday night place.» Not great enough to make it your main weekend dining experience, but solid and enjoyable enough to wrap up the weekend.
The Village Salad (with no lettuce) is great, as are basically any of their dishes with feta. Their rice is really good too, not sure why, but it is.
A few items not on the menu worth noting — veggie kebab and gyro platter.
They have sierra on tap, which is good, but it tasted like either their tap lines were dirty, or their temperature control system was on the fritz, or something. but it wasn’t what sierra is supposed to taste like.
Anyway, overall a fine place, just needs a few light tweaks.

The taramosalata reminds me of what I had in Santorini. Their bread is absolutely delicious! They have a wonderful selection of Greek wine and ouzo. Their grilled octopus is decent, but I much prefer the grilled calamari. Neither are overcooked, just that I’ve had better octopus elsewhere.
The space is dark, so it’s hard to see what you’re eating. The tables are really close together, so there’s not a whole lot of privacy. It’s in Hells Kitchen, though, so that’s to be expected. It’s a nice spot to have a few late night bites and a drink or two with some friends.

Delicious! I’ve been to Greece before and I can say that this place isn’t bad at all, pretty authentic.
I had the gyro– which was no on the menu. Remember to ask for the specials and they will tell you what else they have. The gyro was delicious. The fries that came together were great! You don’t get thin stringy dead limp fries. They were slightly plump, seasoned with herbs. The beef was thinly sliced, wrapped in a pita with yogurt sauce, onions.
I sat at a table but quite a lot of people sat at the bar and some sat outdoors.

Restaurant gimmicks. The proverbial auto-​tune or the Glenn Beck of the food world, they usually cater to the lowest common denominator. Near the «Glenn Beck» end of the spectrum are your venues like «Ninja» or «Mars 2112» and near the slightly more digestible end, you have Uncle Nick’s flaming saganki, flambé’d table side to a chorus of painfully forced «Oppah’s!!!»
We spared ourselves the indignity of ending up as a casualty of horrific genital scarring from an errant lap full of flaming cheese («Flaming Cheese» would be a totally metal band name) and demurely opted for a well portioned platter of 4 dips (probably the best deal on the menu), plump dolmades and hearty Greek sausages. These dishes, along with somewhat insipid spanikopita and humble braised dandelion greens were more than enough for two ravenous diners.
Quality wise, the food was merely adequate, and hit our table far too quickly to be anything but pre-​cooked and microwaved to order. But the service was attentive enough, and even doled out a free round of Muscat with the very sensible bill.
Uncle Nicks is far from the best Greek i’ve had in the city, but is nowhere near the worst. Despite the saginaki gimmick, it’s a reasonably passable place for a quick fill-​up.

If I had an Uncle Nick in my family I can picture him as the jovial type, full of gregariousness and a lust for life. If my family was Greek, this Uncle would call me over and offer me saganaki and santorini wine.
That’s exactly what Uncle Nick did for me last night at his ouzaria.
I’m a fairly novice fan of Greek cuisine, enjoying a gyro as much as the next person but never really probing deeper beyond the basic food court style offerings.
And while my experience at the ouzaria barely touched the tapas menu, I’d go back for more.
Tapas? At a Greek restaurant? Well, Uncle Nick’s is really two spots under one kitchen roof. There is the restaurant proper that has various fish on display in the window and then the more low-​key ouzaria that serves the exact same menu but in a more intimate setting. The tapas is known as mezedakia on the menu.
On a Wednesday after work the bar was almost entirely empty. I opted for the saganaki, a dish I first heard about and wondered if it was Greek or Japanese.
Picture a slice of your favorite pizza. Remove the crust and tomatoes. Take the generous amounts of cheese, add ouzo, lemon juice and light on fire. The end result is saganaki, a crowd pleasing display of culinary arson that tastes so good it should be criminal.
You’ll see a display of the act of saganaki creation in the uploaded photo.
The ouzaria has ouzo, of course, but also a respectable selection of Greek wines as well.
Our bartender was friendly and quite skilled with the flame.
For a pre-​theater, post-​work Greek tapas experience, consider adopting this Uncle as part of your culinary family.

Ate here on a July 4^th… elected to watch the fireworks on the TVs in here rather than walk where everyone else was going… to the river for the show.
Lamb chops, taramosalata… and the best grilled lemony octopus on earth. My dad and I could have had another order; this was simply sensational. But alas, my mom can’t stand the sight of octopus or squid and would not allow us to get another. Sigh.