Taverna Agora

You really can’t beat their rooftop deck/​patio, it really is beautiful! It was the perfect spot for a Summer dinner. For me the appetizers kind of stole the show here. That greek village salad is so delicious. I think next time I will just get that as my meal! The saganaki was also super tasty. For dinner I went with the salmon and it was disappointing. It was super overcooked and dry. The top was literally hard and it was really chewy to eat. The orzo and vegetables that came with it were quite tasty though. I think they just kept the salmon on the grill way too long.
Our server was new, he was super friendly and pretty much always available throughout the night. The only thing I didn’t like was my friend didn’t like her martini, she asked for limes to try and help it which he gladly brought over right away. The limes didn’t end up helping and then she accidentally dropped a spoonful of above mentioned greek village salad into the drink and the martini was officially a goner. She explained the situation, he whisked away the completely full martini, and she ordered another drink that she was much happier with. When the bill came he charged her for both drinks, it would have been nice to only charge her for the drink she actually drank.
I will definietely be back and hope to get a spot on the patio again! Be sure to make a reservation, they won’t gurantee patio seating but they will put it in as a preference. We went on a Saturday night and people were being turned away for not having any reservation.

We had our rehearsal dinner at the upstairs venue and it was AMAZING! From booking the venue, working with the management on dinner details, and the event itself, the entire process was flawless. The managing staff was prompt on answering emails and directing us a timeline. The day of the event was great. Our friends and family couldn’t stop talking about the space and the food. The food was amazing and everyone was stuffed at the end. The waiting staff was amazing. They were friendly and prompt. Thanks again for a great event!!!

Appetizers shared around the table were pretty good — dolmades, keftedes and spanakopita. Ordered a special of hanger steak with olive tapenade and fried cauliflower; all of which were really, really over-​salted. Steak didn’t come with a knife, had to wait to start until the waiter was done taking another party’s order and walked by us. String beans and cabbage were really undercooked — practically raw — don’t know if that was intentional. Pork chop was really tough, not tender at all — looked like it was a loin cut. Hoping it was an off day in the kitchen. Sangria was awesome and so was the Greek Mule. Pretty surroundings. Love the rooftop! Would probably go back to try it again since I’ve heard such great reviews.

OPA!
I takes a lot to impress me on a restaurant.
And Agora did it!!!
The atmosphere was inviting and relaxing.
The food was ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!
Our waiter Brian was super nice, well versed on the menu and just a nice guy.
I can’t wait to go back for the awesome atmosphere, incredible food, and superb service!
Thanks Agora and Brian for making my mother’s birthday dinner so pleasant! Seeyou soon!

I love this place! Welcoming front door. Beautiful main level dining but the rooftop dining is exquisite! The apps were delish, my salad with salmon was awesome, and the galatobouteko was great! I will definately be back and of course will refer my friends in Rsleigh. I saw some other dishes that looked great also. Lamb tips with orzo. Yum!

How have I not written a review here?
We found this gem last week when visiting Raleigh for the first time.
I searched for greek restaurants and set out for this location, specifically.
We then realized that it was literally next to the parking entrance of our hotel. Very nice!
Our first visit I ordered the traditional gyro, and my girlfriend had gotten the chicken gyro, both outstanding. We were amazed at how good the addition of the basil to the fries came off, and decided a return visit was certainly warranted, later in the day.
When we returned, she had a Greek salad and I had the calamari.
Both, again, we’re absolutely outstanding.
The freshness of the ingredients was immediately apparent in her salad, and the consistency and flavor of my calamari was better than I had ever experienced before.
Now, a week later, we return for business and I found myself looking forward to staying at the same hotel, and visiting this fantastic restaurant right next door.
We’ll be back again next week, and we’ll absolutely be visiting Taverna Agora!

Came here with the wife and friends, Great atmosphere and great service. My water was never empty and the food… oh my the food. I can’t remember the exact name but try the flaming cheese. So delicious, and a really great appetizer. I had the stuff pork chops and was not disappointed. I hesitate to get pork at most locations because its usually overcooked and dry. This was moist and had great flavor. I will be back here again.

First time trying Taverna last night, and it was delicious. Very busy for a Tuesday night, so service was a tad slow, and one more bottle of water for the table would’ve been nice. Olive oil dip to start is amazing, and we also ordered the Greek Spreads Trio for the table. For my entrée, I ordered the Traditional Baked Pasta and loved it. I will definitely be coming back for more. Opa!

First time here and was surprised at how big it was. I came with a group of 5 and we reserved a table the day before with no problems and it was ready when we walked in. Get the spreads trio of the eggplant feta and taziki dips! I was scared of the dip to pita ratio at first but they will not let you run out of pita and you don’t even need that much dip in the first place. Sautéed shrimp was good but the sauce also kinda reminded me of spaghetti sauce which was semi-disappointing…the description makes it sound way different. There was a ton of fried zucchini so don’t plan on getting them for just 1 person like I did cause there’s no way anyone would finish them alone. Overall was good, I only wish they had a bigger selection of small plates to choose from. Outdoor balcony area is cool looking and if I had a BF I would definitely wanna sit up there during a summer night

I love how fresh everything here tastes! Their lunch menu is delicious and affordable and they have an amazing dinner as well. Nothing here disappoints! I had their gyro and fries for lunch and have had their salmon, chicken and lemon roasted potatoes for dinner, so good! Also the eggplant hummus and the spicy feta spread are amazing if you get an appetizer, yumm!

After a recent return for brunch, Taverna Agora held a slightly different experience. Overall, great atmosphere but average flavor and quality for the food. We visited for brunch and sat upstairs on the patio on a beautiful Sunday. Coffee cups were kept full with a steaming brew and an order was put in for baklava pancakes (served with a side of fruit) and spanakopita eggs benedict. Both sounded great in theory, but lacked on execution. The pancakes were a bit too try and fell apart easily, flavor was okay but not great. Eggs benedict were served as a poached egg inside of a cup of filo dough with spinach/​cheese mixture on the bottom and hollandaise sauce atop. The dish turned out to be incredibly messy and difficult to get a bite of each component all together. Overall, I’d skip both of these options in the future but might return to try something different if the opportunity arose. My recommendation for a visit to Taverna Agora: go for drinks on the rooftop on a good-​weather day for an enjoyable experience.

I’m not one for lengthy reviews so I’ll try to keep this short and to the point!
Everything about Tavern Agora is 5 stars. Fantastic wine and drink menu, the service we received from staff was on point, not to mention our waitress, Sue, who was wonderful! The appetizers & dinner entrees are so amazing you will lick your plate clean, in public, and not care who sees you.
I will go back, I will tell my friends to go, and I will rant and rave until my friends and family are annoyed. Thank you to everyone on staff who made my boyfriends birthday one of the best yet!

Great grub and atmosphere. A little on the cheesy side with the «Opa!» And cow bell, but hey: atmosphere. Environment very clean and a great place for family dinner or friend gathering.
Grub was excellent. Loved the pork shishkabob, seafood pasta, friend cheese appetizer, and warm complimentary bread and herbed olive oil. The stuffed peppers with ground beef were a it lack luster, but there were plenty of other year many things on the menu we could’ve tried instead.
Their specialty Greek imported dessert wine was to die for. Not overly sweet. Like a great tawny port. The desserts were decent too but I’m not fond of very sweet stuff and it was sweet.

I came here for the Elite gold event but will return for the rich atmosphere, splendid menu and charming wait staff.
I had the pleasure of enjoying the:
Housemade Greek yogurt parfait
The Greek Doughnuts
Baklava Pancakes
Spanakopita Eggs Benedict
Potatoes
Greek sausage
Pork sausage
Mimosas
I was literally STUFFER after one plate but it was all so good I just kept nibbling and trying it was a fantastic spin on Greek Food using things I was familiar with as well as trying some new things that I have learned to love.
After our meal we went to the second level and I was blown away by the breath taking view the light colors and atmosphere of the second level I literally decided that was where I wanted to have all my future events it’s so beautiful and still private and secluded while being bright and open. BRAVO!

Gosh I love this place! Always leave happy & full.
Stopped on today my husband got the gyro; won’t eat it if it’s frozen. It can only be fresh off the spit.
All their food is fresh. Finally an authentic Greek restaurant in the area.
Not an impersonator.
From the atmosphere to the music to the fresh authentic food. Beyond satisfactory.
Can’t forget the service. Very nice hostess & server.
So I’m Greek their food is so delish it’s almost like my moms!

Visited Taverna Agora during «Restaurant Week.» We were seated upstairs and it was very pretty. I believe this area may be «open to the outdoors» during warmer months, but overhead heaters kept us warm and cozy in January. There is a parking lot across the street — you can pay with cash; call number listed and give card info; or download app to pay.
We tried different appetizers and the lamb — it was all very good.

We came here with a very large group and it was amazing that they seated all of us at the same long table. I got the stuffed pork chops, which was a little hard to eat because of the bones, but it was still good. My husband got the lamb dish which he said was good, but I’m not a big fan of lamb so it was hard for me to decide if it was good or not. They were both good, but nothing too memorable. I think I would give the food a 3 and the service a 5, which is why I gave this place 4.

Wow!!! Where do I start? Overall amazing from the minute you step in. The ambiance and décor or so relaxing and inviting. The staff is very knowledgeable. We had dinner at the bar, with Neal being our bartender and server. He was positively delightful. His wine selection was fabulous. We had the Chicken Mykonos and Fisherman’s Pasta ~ Macaronada Tou Psara. It was cooked to perfection and one of the best meals I’ve ever had at a Greek restaurant. Very impressive on all fronts. This will become one of my favorite spots.

I absolutely LOVE Taverna Agora lunches. In fairness, I’ve never been here for dinner, but if it’s anything like lunch (which — duh — of course it is), it’s probably fantastic. Aside from the quaint Greek café vibe, Taverna Agora really sets itself apart by infusing every dish with fresh Mediterranean flavors. You can taste the smokey flavor of the grill on your fresh pita bread. The saganaki is oozing with the rich taste of Uzo. The grilled shrimp and Greek salad are impossibly fresh, never saturated, and perfectly prepared. As an added bonus, most dishes reflect the healthy, produce-​laden ingredients that make Greek feel less like a splurge and more like a good life choice.

I’ve walked by here many times since it first opened, but it was never my destination until last night.
My friend and I came here without a reservation, and we were promptly seated. There is a ton of dining space in here, though I would advise you sit either the patio right as you enter, or the upstairs space, both of which seem to have a better and more private ambience for each table. I hate the blue mineral countertops and the white plastic chairs, but I love all of the windows and string light decorated wood beams.
Dinner opened with a comically small piece of warm bread for us to share with an olive oil dipping sauce. Strap yourselves in, we thought, this is going to be a ride of mediocrity. This was not made better when the dolmas we ordered were brought out; though dolmas should be small, it was the fact that we were brought a measly three scattered over a bed of lettuce that looked like it had been dumped out of a presealed grocery store bag that really turned us off. This was one of those moments to remind us all that yes, presentation is important. The dressing on the lettuce was actually quite good, and certainly better than it looked.
When I asked our waitress if I should get the moussaka vs the chicken Mykonos, she advised that I go for the Mykonos… «if I actually want to eat». Apparently the moussaka portions are awful, and not particularly enticing? My friend got the Athenian chicken.
I have to start by saying that the Athenian chicken plate looked like diet food. Boring rice that felt like it was straight of a box, with bland vegetables. The chicken was well prepared, but nothing to write home about.
My chicken Mykonos? The chicken was absolutely perfectly grilled; succulent bites with a hint of smoke and perfectly spiced. I liked the contrast between this and the richness of the pasta sauce. Now, my plate felt like what you actually want when you go to an Italian restaurant that disappoints you with a plate of pasta in bland but super rich pasta sauce; this white sauce was bursting with flavor, and the spinach and mushrooms definitely kept the texture interesting. I couldn’t finish my plate, and definitely had no room for dessert or drinks, but I wasn’t disappointed.
We had no room for dessert, but our waitress did make sure to describe the super sweet Greek dessert wine that Taverna Agora has, and noted that it’s the only restaurant in the state that carries it.
At one point during the dinner, the restaurant manager came in and checked on us. Personally, I hate this practice; it feels like a tacky attempt at harvesting compliments, and it also interrupts the sanctity of my meal. That said, I was particularly bothered by how much perfume this lady was wearing; the cheap floral notes lingered in the air for 10 minutes after she left, and totally affected my meal. I would expect her, as a dining service professional, to be more aware of such potentially interfering factors.

This was one of the first authentic Greek restaurants I’ve been to, and it was great. The first thing that stood out to me was Taverna Agora’s plethora of choices from pastas, to lamb dishes, and beyond. Next was the atmosphere within the restaurant; lively, but somewhat romantic. The servers there were all incredibly nice, especially one in particular (can’t remember his name). Regarding the food, I shared the Chicken Mykonos dish with my girlfriend. There was a lot of cheese on it, so it got harder to eat the more I ate. However, I ended up eating the entire dish in spite of the overload of cheese. I have heard that the rooftop sitting at Taverna Agora is amazing, so definitely looking forward to eating there sometime soon!
Would somewhat recommend for a nice dining experience at downtown Raleigh!

My SO and I stopped by here for the first time in New Years Day. We had always wanted to try it, but never had the opportunity until today. What a wonderful lunch!
The waiter, Ryan, answered our questions and gave me a recommendation of the Gyro Salad — awesome choice. I can’t recall what my fiancé had, but she loved it.

It’s been a very long time since I have had such an amazing meal out. This restaurant was located right next door from the Holiday Inn hotel we stayed at in downtown Raleigh, NC. We decided to eat here since it was convenient and it was raining out. My husband was blown away by his meal, literally, I have never seen him so impressed. He had the Lamb Tips & Orzo. I had the Traditional Baked Casserole — Mousaka. And we both shared the Greek Village Salad which was large enough for two to share! The tomatoes in that salad are homegrown and taste amazing! All of our meals were on point. I wish this place would open near me!

On Dec 17 I took my extended office staff, 24 of us in all, to Taverna Agora for a Holiday Luncheon. This was not my first choice restaurant but I am so pleased we ended up there.
I was able to pre-​select a menu. Traditional Sampler appetizer plate, Greek Salad (exceptional), and three entrees. We had grilled salmon, grilled chicken, and traditional baked pasta. All were excellent! This was all served family style and there was more food than we could eat. This was topped off with baklava and chocolate Granache (sp?) for desert.
We were seated on the enclosed roof, a really nice spot for our meal, and for future outings! The staff did an excellent job of serving us with skill and great cheer. Thanks Donna for your hospitality!
You can bet we will return!

This place is nice inside and the food is good, but it gets so crowded. Got the hummus platter with eggplant. The desserts are good, especially the Greek custard. I wouldn’t care to go downtown often for here, but if I was in the city and wanted Greek I’d go back.

Had brunch here with a friend this weekend. So delightful. We both ordered the Spanakopita Benedict — phyllo cup with spinach, feta and poached eggs with hollandaise sauce. I was curious if it was a large enough portion to share, but even with the potatoes it wouldn’t be very filling if you shared. The cups are very light and tasty so you’d probably want to keep it all to yourself ;)
Loved the location, very nicely decorated and the staff was very friendly. I was told the first Friday has some live entertainment and their upper balcony has been winterized. We’ll have to come back!

The food and the service were amazing. I’m kind of bummed that we didn’t get a chance to have dinner there a second time before we flew home.
If you can, sit upstairs for dinner, the atmosphere is dreamy.

Taverna Agora was an exceptional experience from start to finish. I called a few days ahead to make a reservation for a Friday evening and the lady that answered the phone was polite and informed me that the first Friday of each month is their Greek Night. While some people might like a phone call reminder, I received two text reminders regarding my reservation.
The restaurant is located on hillsborough street and I wasn’t familiar with Taverna Agora when they were located on glenwood south. I thought the location was great as it is a few steps from Second Empire. The parking was a bit challenging and I ended up in a $ 4 lot across the street.
When we walked in I noticed all of the wood from the floor to the beams, I loved it! It did remind me of a restaurant I went to in Greece last fall. Tastefully and authentically decorated with a modern flare. We were seated immediately and our server Jordan came to our table right away. The restaurant was extremely busy however Jordan did an amazing job and never missed a beat!
We started with a bottle of their Pinot noir and the Greek tasting platter. The manager Albert greeted us at the table and indulged us with our wine questions. The platter had calamari, hummus, tzatziki, and spicy feta spreads. I loved everything except for the spicy feta spread although I’m not a big feta cheese lover. My friend at all of it and he loved it! For our entrees, we decided to share the paidakia-​lamb chops and the mousaka-​baked casserole. The entrees were amazing, seasoned well, and bursting with flavors. For dessert we tried the baklava cheesecake which was excellent.
Overall my dining experience here was excellent. I have to especially mention the service from Jordan and the manager Albert, one word AMAZING! I will definitely be back to try some of their other dishes.

Welcome to downtown, Taverna Agora. I can’t really tell you much about the old location, since it didn’t seem worth the drive from downtown. But, the new location is very nice, with good food, open-​window seating on the 1^st floor, and a great rooftop.
Taverna is one of the latest additions to what was a mostly-​abandoned section of Hillsborough Street. But now with State of Beer, Runologie, a refreshed Holiday Inn (was Clarion) and Taverna, there’s a bit of new life there.
Lunch is priced mostly reasonable, with gyros currently going for $ 9 and a gyro salad at $ 11. You’ll definitely get a cheaper Greek meal out of Shish Kabob in City Plaza or Jasmin Bistro over on State’s campus. But, Taverna Agora and Sitti (Lebanese) are the only two Mediterranean sit-​down options in downtown.
I’ve been to Taverna a few times for lunch and after-​work drinks, and service has been mostly very good. I’ve been happy with everything I’ve ordered. The Agora Lunch Platter is one of my go-to’s, since it has a bit of everything — gyro, pita, salad, and fries.
Opa!

The patio is absolutely gorgeous, perfect for a nice North Carolina evening! There’s plenty of seating and greenery is very nice, which makes for a really nice environment to grab a dinner or drinks. Service was also pretty good, a bit slow at times but with the nice weather and great atmosphere it didn’t bother me too much.
For dinner I ordered Pork Shishkabob which was very juicy and cooked very well. I liked the spices they used on the meat and the sides (rice pilaf, tzatziki and pita) went very well with the meal. I also had a blueberry lemonade which I couldn’t get enough of (and even though it was a specialty drink I got one free refill-​score!).
Prices are about mid-​range for Raleigh, a bit high for the type of food but the quality really shines in the dishes! I’d love to come back for brunch, I hear the baklava-​pancakes are amazing!

Life is too short — I have to rave about the baklava cheesecake dessert first! YUM! YUM! YUM! Definitely the highlight of my meal.
The restaurant itself is amazing! Especially, the roof top patio — incredible! It was really nice eating up there.
I also tried the blueberry basil lemonade, fried calamari, and the agora lunch platter. The lemonade had a nice flavor but could have been a bit sweeter. Pretty standard calamari and lunch platter.
Nice spot! Definitely a great option for lunch, brunch, or dinner. I am sure that I will be back :)

I now believe in love at first sight.
I came here on a Sunday evening and was blown away by the food, service, scenery, atmosphere, and everything in between.
First off, their rooftop is on point!
Beautifully decorated with dimly lit lights and plants all around– perfect for a romantic evening!
Service was great! My friend and I stayed for a good 2.5 hours and our server (Taylor, he’s awesome) was super kind and made sure we were well-​taken care of throughout the entire time!
Continuing on with the good stuff:
Their food was unbelievably flavorful.
My friend got their Athenian chicken, I got their stuffed pork chops.
I was super impressed by my dish– it was sooooooo yummy! I also asked to switch out my side dish for fries (yes, I am a big french fry lover) and I couldn’t have been any more satisfied.
My friends Athenian chicken was so juicy! I also liked the side of rice that it came with.
Overall, their food was really flavorful and I left happy and full.
Btw, they offer complimentary bread! It wasn’t the best bread I’ve ever had so I’d save my stomach for the real stuff if I were you ;)
My only complaint would be street parking. However, I will search long and hard for parking with this one.
Each meal runs at about 15 – 20 bucks. Definitely worth the bill!
Also, make a reservation if you can because it does get fairly busy!

Taverna Agora has that cozy, neighborhood-​spot feel with a menu of classic Greek comfort foods. Combine this with the fantastic roof deck and Taverna Agora is a winner.
For lunch I ordered the Agora Lunch Platter and my friend had the Lemon chicken soup & salad combo. The lunch platter had two skewers of tender, marinated pork souvlaki, tzatziki, salad, pita and their signature fries. The souvlaki was perfect and the tzatziki had a bold flavor, cucumber-​garlic flavor, not over powered by yogurt. The fries were spiced and we couldn’t determine the flavor, but they were delicious. The soup was served in a generous bowl alongside a heaping chopped salad. For dessert we had baklava and the baklava cheesecake. The cheesecake had a thin layer of baklava on top and combined the best of both. The piece of baklava was different than anything I’ve had before; it was like pie, with phyllo on the top and bottom, and a thick layer of nuts in between, rather than several alternation layers.
Taverna Agora has a selection of Greek beers and coffee, a bar area, and in addition to the roof deck, a porch — as they call it– that has wide glass doors that open street level. The dining room looks like it could easily accommodate a large group.

Talk about an upgrade! I had never made it up to the original Taverna Agora location but the new spot on Hillsborough Street, blew away my expectations. The space is large with lots of different rooms ranging from a porch, main dining room, bar area, secondary dining room and garden rooftop patio. All nicely and cleanly decorated in a Greek motif.
My lunch at the bar was quick and easy, I did a pork souvlaki pita with some perfect fried and spiced fries, yum! And a quick trip to the rooftop had me mentally book-​marking a return visit for some ouzo and Greek wine, nice…
So welcome to downtown Raleigh, Taverna Agora! They are definitely going to shake up the food scene a bit here with their convenient and beautiful location…

The new Taverna Agora is an incredible addition to downtown Raleigh’s Hillsborough Street. I have been watching excitedly as this street has slowly but surely changed with the additions of Runologie, State of Beer and now TAVERNA AGORA! I must admit, not only is this location new to me, but the restaurant is as well (I never visited at the old location). However, after attending a special grand opening event [shout out to the sexy Shannan C. for the VIP tickets!] I can definitely see myself spending many a nights at the lovely spot. The BALCONY is a must see spot! But the walk up to the balcony is pretty incredible as well. The space is beautifully decorated with all things Grecian with glorious wooden beams and an open floor layout that is still sectioned off nicely.
I can’t give Taverna Agora a five star review yet because since I did attend for an event, I did not order off the menu. However, we tried a lot of appetizers including an incredible shrimp cocktail, spinach and cheese pastry puff bites, chicken satay and a humus bar. The spicy feta humus was incredible, it was like souther pimento cheese but Greek-​styled! They have some fancy signature cocktails and a fully stocked bar as well (downstairs AND upstairs!) I tried their red house wine as well, which was quite tasty. I am dying to go back and relax in their amazing atmosphere and confirm their tasty treats! I only hope the entertainment is as good as it was on my first visit: people breaking plates and yelling «Opa!», sexy belly dancers with everything from bells to fire and a priest even blessed the restaurant [may not have been ‘entertainment’ but was definitely a first for me!].