Loi Estiatorio

We ate here with friends on a Friday night and it was amazing. Everything we had was incredibly fresh and authentic. The desserts were delicious too. Maria, the chef and owner, came by our table to talk which was a great treat, and the service all around was very attentive. In the warm weather their front doors open to the street which is a nice touch! We’ll be back.

Yummy yummy yummy. So delish. The chef is very talented and so warm. Actually came and sat down for a few min with us. Every course was incredible (did a pre fixe 3 course). I had Branzino which was really good, my hub had the chicken. I don’t normally order chicken when I dine out (except for «Le bilbilo»). but omg the chicken was in the top three of chicken dishes I’ve eaten! And… Dessert… The yogurt and honey was great but the BEST was the baklava. Amazing.
Warm service, great food and fairly reasonable prices (compared to Milos or limani that is!)

Loi estiatorio is simply the only Greek restaurant in NY that has amazing atmosphere, top quality food, impeccable service and of course Maria Loi, an extraordinary chef with huge heart for others that will make you feel immediately welcomed. This is my first and only post at Unilocal as Loi estiatorio very well deserves it. Five stars are not enough, I give this place 10 stars!!! Highly recommended *****

My new favorite Greek restaurant. The kind and generous owner treated us to an amuse bouche, a glass of wine, and a dessert. We sat at the bar and had excellent service. The portions were generous and the food was delicious!

I had heard good things about this establishment on social media and more recently on Kelly Rippa’s program, when Chef Maria Loi conducted a well-​received demonstration. We ventured over after the theatre and were greeted very warmly by the staff. We both ordered some ouzo on ice and were rewarded with a nice, healthy pour as we pondered over the menu. At almost 10 pm, we decided to focus on an array of appetizers, and the house accommodated by choosing for us. They were spot on with their choices: a traditional Greek salad of cucumber, slivers of onion and green pepper, and the most delicious tomatoes I’ve tasted in a long while with an EVOO drizzle, two savory pieces of the tastiest spanakopita made with a homemade phyllo dough wrapping, a mound of fava topped with a healthy portion of sliced octopus grilled to perfection and yummy, warm slices of grilled haloumi cheese. All of the above served with a bowl of crudités and warmed cheese spread. Needless to say, our appetites were satisfied but we couldn’t resist the tempting dessert offerings. Accompanied by a a large cup of coffee, we enjoyed a selection of 3 desserts: bite-​sized diamonds of baklava, a unique take on galatobouriko made with a yogurt custard filling on a bed of kataifi drenched in a sweet syrup and finally a scoop of Chef Loi’s homemade creamy yogurt drizzled with honey and ground nuts. We cannot say enough about the food and service all wrapped up in a clean, friendly atmosphere. We can’t wait to return for a pre-​theatre visit, hopefully, so that we can enjoy some of the wonderful entrees we saw on the menu.

Quite simply the best overall meal I’ve ever had.
From top to bottom, this restaurant coveighs excellence. Excellence in service, presentation, food, drink, and dessert.
The octopus was so good it made me shed tears of joy. The risotto dish with seafood was good enough to give a man the chills. Maria the chef asked me to describe the meal — words like rapture, orgasmic, and awe come to mind. I also had the branzino with the collared greens, which was exceptional.
For the best meal in the history of your life, go here! I know I’ll be back again soon.

The staff is welcoming. The food (especially the dips and the eggplant) is tasty and addictive. This restaurant features a terrific pre-​theater menu. This is my go-​to restaurant in a neighborhood barren of interesting food options.

When we walked into the restaurant, we were warmly greeted by the chef and from that moment on, the evening continued to be wonderful.
We ordered the octopus as an appetizer and it was everything we hoped for. Such a good amount of food with incredible flavor. Then we ordered the lamb shank and the seafood orzo special for our entrees. Each entrée was unique to its own and was full of immense flavor. The lamb shank was so tender that you didn’t even need a knife to cut off a piece. The seafood orzo special contained mussels, shrimp and scallops that were cooked to perfection. The sauce that the orzo was mixed with was amazing, I could’ve licked the bowl.
Even though we had no room in our stomachs for dessert, our wonderful waitress insisted that we get the baklava. We definitely weren’t disappointed. It was the perfect portion and was served with a delicious yogurt.
I loved how the chef was so interactive with us from the minute we walked in. I’ve never had an experience like that and I will definitely recommend this place to anyone visiting New York. Too bad I’m not a local or I’d be here all the time!

This is probably one of the best restaurants in New York. The food is phenomenal and the service exceptional. I highly recommend the scallops and the lamb shank. You MUST visit this place. ******* (7 stars)

What an unexpected treat for a Monday night!
Came home late from work and wanted to find a delicious meal to end my day on. Showed up at Loi at around 10:15, but since it was a quiet night, they were shutting down a little early. Nevertheless, Maria and Alex (master chef and manager) warmly invited us in, and got a table set up for us in no time.
Very shortly, a plate of delicious grilled octopus showed up at our table, followed by some giant, succulent, perfectly grilled scallops. We topped off dinner with a hearty plate of extremely tender lamb shank set in a bed of orzo. We basically inhaled everything.
We thought the apps and entrees were amazing… and then we had the desserts — and reached next level food heaven. The bakalava was made with thyme honey imported from Greece, so they had a unique fragrance and slightly savoury undertone to them, making them sweet but not heavy. The Ekmek Kadaifi was a killer, so was the chocolate cake (can’t believe it’s gluten free!). I wish I could have the homemade yogurt for breakfast every morning.
More incredible than the food though, was the warmth of the people at the restaurant. We felt like we were visiting family — like going to your favourite uncle’s house for a holiday dinner. I can’t wait to go back and hangout with Alex, Maria and the rest of the crew again!

If you are looking for authentic, fresh super-​yummy Greek food… well, look no further.
The hospitality is unparalleled and the food is to die for.
So nice to know that a place like this exists on the other side of the pond.
Love you Maria Loi — you rock!

I’d say, «I have no words for how charming a spot this is,» but that would be untrue. I popped in for dinner and sat at the bar solo and had a quintessential Manhattan evening complete with an attentive and charming bartender (who was accommodating and helpful with my food sensitivities, since I’m celiac) and delightful seatmates also in from out of town. As I was leaving, the chef popped out and asked me where I was visiting from. I answered, «Seattle — far from home,» and she replied with a smile, «You’re home here!»
The food was perfection; the vibe was beyond. This spot is the perfect mix of «Why don’t I live in Manhattan, again?» and «Maybe I should book a trip to Greece.» My parting words to the bartender were «I’ll see you the next time I’m in Manhattan,» and I meant it.

Had an excellent dinner here. When I walked in was greeted by the chef — a blond Greek woman and it was all over — I have a thing for blond Greek women. So rest of this review may be biased. Food here is upscale Greek — all straightforward and natural, best in class ingredients, nice Greek EVOO on table. Nothing fancy tho, bit nicely done and served in cute place. Hopping busy too.
They serve a feta cheese based dipping spread with fantastic pita bread and small biscuits which were great — never had them before here or in Greece. Ordered simply grilled Bronzino with Horta and gigantes beans on side. Perfectly done, EVOO and lemon. Horta was sautéed chickory. Wines a bit limited but nice Greek selections, reasonably priced. Unfortunately no retsina by glass — only bottle. Cocktails at bar very nice. Not the trendy «artisanal» cocktails but very nice at small bar in front.
The food is good here but the distinguishing thing about this place is the great vibes from the owner and staff, and you can see it reflected in the happy and chatty customers on a busy Friday night. A bit pricey — but it’s midtown. Combination food and good vibes here in this modest place right in midtown is great. Recommended.

Five stars for service they were incredibly attentive and made sure everything was perfect. Chef Loi was a very gracious hostess. I only rated three stars because the food was EXTREMELY BLAND. My lamb shank came out dry and flavorless on a bed of orzo also without spices. Salt-​and-​pepper are not provided on the tables so no luck there.
The Branzino came out with a side of boiled flavorless greens.
The starter of melted feta had no distinct flavors.
The yogurt for dessert was almost all yogurt and not enough honey to flavor it.

If I could give Loi a review for only the service, it would be 5 stars without a doubt. Impeccably attentive and knowledgable wait staff.
However, the food was… Okay. It tasted fine, but was not at all worth what we paid for it. My lamb shank, which I was told was the chefs special, was very tender but bland, as was the orzo.
The corn shortbread was very good, and the dollop of Greek yogurt and honey they served for dessert was luscious.
The head chef, Maria, spent the majority of the evening not in the kitchen, but chatting with regular customers up front.
Again, there’s nothing really wrong with the food, other than it should be way, way better for charging $ 50+/person.
I would not go here again or recommend it to a friend. Hit up Ma Peche a few blocks away or City Kitchen a few blocks off of Times Square.

Always a pleasure to visit Maria. Delicious food and gracious service. Perfect choice prior to visiting Carnegie Hall.

I’ve been here for Chinese New Year Special Menu. Impressive to the chef, she is good at Greek and Chinese food. I had a great dinner here!

This place could warm the heart of the coldest, «seen it all» New Yorker. The service was among the best and friendliest — in a sincere and authentic way — I have ever experienced. It began when the chef greeted us at the door, clearly proud of her establishment and the stellar cooking coming out of the kitchen. This is a spendy menu, with Midtown prices, but worth every penny.
The pita with four spreads appetizer was a great starter, with excellent tzatziki in particular. The waiter — opinionated in that great, «take my advice, I already know» NYC way — was adamant in his recommendation of the spanakopita appetizer. He was correct, it was the best I’ve ever tasted.
For entrees, when we asked Chef Maria her recommendations she said that the branzino was a must, as was the lamb shank. Wow, was she right! The branzino was perfectly prepared, light and flavorful. The lamb shank was out of this world amazing, served with orzo and a sauce that was a spectacular complement to the meat (a good sized portion). The send off with a taste of the homemade Greek yogurt with honey was the piece de resistance. An amazing meal served with love plus a wave goodbye from the chef. I’ll be back!

A lovely little restaurant that is warm and inviting. The service is off the charts. Attentive but not invasive. The food is creative, and comes with the love and attention you would expect from your Grandma’s kitchen. The salad is fresh, the spanakopita is non-​traditional but very flavorful and the walnut cake for dessert bursts with flavor. There is a lot of yogurt that is served with every course but it’s homemade and not what you would expect — much better. The chef offers you lots of little treats throughout the meal. It did get loud as the crowd got bigger and the entrees are pricey so best for a special occasion. It’s a short walk to Central Park so you can finish off your night with a lovely stroll.

E-​Scale: ¹⁰⁄₁₀
First, the food is amazing. For appetizers my friends and I got the 4 dips, the octopus, the sausage, and the eggplant. Everything was well seasoned and I hear the eggplant is excellent (that was the only thing I did not personally eat). For the entrée, I got the rooster. The meat was falling off the bones! The sauce and little square pasta was amazing.
Second, the cocktails are fantastic. The bartender is super friendly and if you want something not on the menu, just ask! He made me a couple of different cocktails but my favorite was his cosmos. Lots of people mess it up, his was excellent.
Third, the place is clean, quiet, and cozy. Everyone who works there is friendly… including the owner!
Highly recommend Loi. Get the rooster!