Our Review is In: Souvlaki GR – Midtown East

Posted: March 3, 2023 Author: tawk_admin Comments: 0

Once you’ve been to Greece you literally never stop talking about it. It’s how most people who have been to Greece lose friends. But it’s also really hard not to wax poetic about all of the things that Greece does right…slow dining, adorable cobble stone alley ways, having an over abundance of kittens free to pet, cuddle, and kidnap. (I’m not into kidnapping cats, but you might be.)

After seeing beautiful photos of Souvlaki GR on my Instagram feed for, I don’t know, months, I had to check it out. I went with two girlfriends for lunch after a great trip to the MoMA and here’s how that went.

What We Loved:

Food: The food was good enough to make you do that thing where you shake on shoulder and try to hide a smile. I really appreciated the mix of familiar classics and some not so common ones. Although, that depends on if you eat Greek regularly or happen to be Greek. For instance, was thrilled that spanakopita and halloumi were on the menu as apps, but we also got feta wrapped in phyllo dough and topped with honey which I’ve never seen before. The halloumi was perfectly cooked, had the usual squeaky, meaty consistency and was topped with spices and olive oil.

I’m a huge saganaki fan, so seeing it appear as both an entree in the shrimp saganaki as well as croquette form for an appetizer was exciting. The skewers are a good choice if you’re hungry, but not so much so. Keep in mind you’re getting little “street food” portions on a wooden skewer, not Aladdin and the 40 Thieves Size on enormous silver swords.

Atmosphere: The interior really is reminiscent of being in Mykonos or Santorini. The blue chairs, white washed stone walls, cobble stone floors, hanging flower wreaths and overhead lights strung about. I’m impressed and thankful for the amount of detail put into this place. The concept is smart as this absolutely separates Souvflaki GR from most other Greek restaurants.

What We Didn’t:

As characteristic of Mykonos as the interior of Souvlaki GR was, I personally don’t see it as much of a date spot. It’s really tight, everything moves quickly, maybe even rushed if you want to make the argument. It wasn’t intimate in a cozy way, more so in a crowded way.

Perfect For:

Vegetarians and meat eaters alike. There’s plenty of options to keep everyone happy. As discussed, there’s a good chance that your “go to” options will be here for those of you who like to keep it boring. I wouldn’t be afraid to try something new here, the food is quality. This is a good spot for a quick, two or three person lunch or dinner. If you don’t want people hearing all about your sex life or that thing you stole from Costco, then talk really quiet, or like, in morse code. The PERK though, is that you can listen to other people talk about their dirty laundry.