Symposium Greek Restaurant

So back when this kid I know was trying desperately to win me over, he was being all smooth, trying to wine and dine me, claiming that he was going to take me to Symposium for a plate of flaming cheese. Myeh. Whatever.
Flash forward four years. That kid successfully wined and dined me after all, and guess where he took me for dinner for our four year anniversary? To Symposium! And, after all these years, he finally bought me that plate of flaming cheese.
Jeez, THAT took long enough. Ha!
Symposium is truly an old school joint in virtually every meaning of the term. Established in 1969, you can tell these walls have some stories, and virtually all of the older staff has likely been here throughout the duration of its time being open. A large communal table is the showcase in the center of the room, with old-​school booths lining the sides; these are the kind of booths that you don’t want to it in during the summer for fear of your thighs sticking to them. (Ha!) The service was friendly, shouts of «Opa!» abound every time a plate of flaming cheese came out to a table. When ours came out, the avuncular waiter warned me to tie my hair back and armed me with a plateful of lemon wedges to extinguish the fire!
The food was excellent, and the flaming cheese was as wonderful as the beau claimed it would be. The lemon on the heated exterior was magical. Think queso fundido, but more citric with pita bread. It’s so fantastic! The menu, though artistic, was actually a bit overwhelming to read; since «chicken gyro platter» stood to me, I went for it. He went for the traditional gyro platter. Both were delicious, though my chicken was a hair on the dry and fragile side; nothing that a few spoonfuls of their excellent tzatziki sauce couldn’t fix!
I’m glad the beau kept his promise after all of his years and got me my flaming cheese. Ha! This place is definitely a one — of — a kind spot!

Not quite sure how this place has been around since 1969. I like the interior. It has an old-​school, diner feel. The décor is outdated but sort of comforting for a long standing Greek joint; tight booths with higher than usual tables, as well as several tables spread throughout this basement level restaurant. Unfortunately, the food is just meh… (Less than decent).
The pita was good, was served warm and soft. The olives, I am almost certain, was from a can. I ordered the Red Snapper fillet poll Orzo for the rice and got a clumpy side of orzo with red sauce… it was cold and clumpy, must’ve been made yesterday. Who serves the leftovers… GTFOH!

Love this place!!! So old-​school. Cozy and delightful. I had a chicken gyro and baklava. Highly recommend.

Once upon a time, when Greek places like this were plentiful in NYC, they may have been taken for granted. Now, they are precious assets, to be loved and respected for hanging in there amid all the ^&*(we now call affordable dining.
This place is the bomb! From the taramosalata with warm pita, to the classic Hariatiki salad, to the moussaka, you will find nothing better to warm your heart at a reasonable price. The staff is warm and welcoming, and its proximity to Columbia University lends a fun, youthful buzz to the place that’s not obnoxious or hipster. The portions are generous, and everything tastes fresh.
Make it a point to visit if you love Greek food, even if it’s out of your way.

We’ve been eating here for over a decade and we just love it! Great fried calamari, chicken kebab, and moussaka. Décor is warm and cozy and the staff is wonderful. Highly recommended!

Traditional. Simple. Good. Reasonably priced.

One of the best restaurants on the UWS. The staff is friendly and the food is authentic, fresh, and delicious. My boyfriend loves this piece so I treat him to dinner here whenever I can :). I wish they had more options for vegetarians but other than that, I highly recommend this place to friends and family.

Really laid back environment. So laid back that you might happily fall asleep in your booth — like the old lady across from us. The service is super friendly and seems to know everyone in the neighborhood. Had the Symposium Salad & «Initiation to Greek Cuisine» which was more than enough for 2 and beyond delicious.

My shrimp santorini was 1-​star but my wife’s moussaka was 3 stars, plus the pita and appetizer plate were 5-​star and the space and service were old-​school and fun, so… Somewhere between 2 and 3 stars. The sides for both of us were embarrassing canned peas and green beans, overlooked, plus white rice and a boiled potato. Really? That’s the best you could do? But there is a vintage charm about the place.

It’s become one of my favorite places! My favorite dish is the Symposium Salad and the chicken kebob! Great food, great portions, great service! You can’t go wrong with anything on this menu!

Service was quick and friendly.
Food: Gyro platter was very good! Good price. However, the Dessert (baklava) tasted a bit old– the layers were glued together rather than being light and flaky. BF had chicken gyro which wasn’t as great as just traditional gyro (beef+lamb).
Will come back again.

the appetizer platter, had olives and some yogurt. but the babagounous was very bland not enough smoked flavor
chicken gyro is dry and came really odd slices and was cold, not warm or juicy/​fresh. The mash potato very mushy. the vegetables look frozen and not fresh, they are discolored and mushy.
The shrimp dish was much better, rice and broccoli. husband and I, wind up sharing the same meal, since my chicken gyro was not worth eating.

Come for the eclectic ancient-​Greece-​esque interior design and stay for the tzatziki sauce, babaganoush, grape leaves, and pita. I literally just come here for appetizers whenever I have a Greek craving because personally i find the mains pretty rough around the edges (think overly dry meats and overly mushy vegetables) despite the two dollar sign prices. I will definitely vouch for their apps and side dishes though, and honestly if you get enough of them you’ve got a decent meal. It’s a nice place to go with groups especially because of the old school ambiance, and their pitchers of shareable Greek sangria seem to be a hit.

Symposium is classic, old-​school, and delicious. I don’t usually use the word «unique» to describe restaurants because I quite frankly think it’s trite and not especially revealing. With Symposium, however, I am at a loss for words other than «unique,» from the charming service (our waiter drizzled oil and vinegar over the salad table-​side) to the understated bohemian décor to the cartoonish, handwritten menu. Warm pita, spicy tzatziki. Try the superb spanakopita – a really generous slice. Nowadays, there is almost nothing like the timeless dining experience you’ll enjoy at Symposium.
That…that’s unique.
Pro-​tip: Pay cash and receive 10% off your bill.

Great Greek food with great staff and good prices… loved the platter and the deserts! Must visit if you are in the area…

An interesting place visually. I had hoped I would get a great Greek meal. The lemon egg soup was very good, but my food arrived at the table when I was only half way through it. The waiter dropped off the food and NEVER came back to the table until he brought the check. I was the only person who was eating; there were 2 other tables but they were finished. The pasticcio was not good; the bottom was hard, (almost like it was cooked to the bottom of the pan), the top half was dry and flavorless. The potatoes and veggies (soggy beans and peas mix) were flavorless also. I sat for about 5 minutes before the busboy came and took my plates. I asked for a refill and received it (was charged $ 2.25÷12 oz glass, is this a NY thing?), and was ignored for another 10 minutes until the waiter arrived back with the check. $ 22+ for this???
I rarely am so disappointed in both food and service that I don’t want to even leave a tip (maybe twice in my life). I had to force myself to leave a tip here.
The two stars are for the soup. Everything else earned 0 stars.

I think this place is my favourite around Columbia. The moussaka is a must-​try. It is cooked to perfection. The Greek Sangria is nice, too.
We are yet to try the salad platter, but the owner said that it would be too much food and recommend that we have it next time. Pity, but we will definitely visit again.
(The owner is really friendly, although he seems to have an idiosyncrasy of sitting solo diners between couples.)

Good service, nice food, and affordable prices. Love the greens in the gyro platter and their vinaigrette was amazing! It’s a must try at this place.

One of my absolute favorite restaurants in the city. The food is solidly great – I always get the Greek salad to start which I highly recommend. The sangria is also top notch. The ambiance is cozy and unchanged by the passing of time – it really is the perfect old family-​style Greek restaurant!

LOVE LOVE LOVE this place. Food is always fantastic and always a friendly atmosphere. The meats are tender and juicy, and rice and vegetables always cooked to perfection. The lemon chicken soup is the best in the city, we come here almost once a week because the soup is THAT good. The pita bread is warm and soft and better than I thought pita bread could ever be before I found this place. The «old man» waiter is an absolute DELIGHT. He is always there but always in a good mood making us feel like family. Chatting with him is always a treat. To the insensitive prick who posted a picture of him napping, grow up and appreciate his hard work all day everyday at this restaurant. Most people his age are not or can not even work. He may need to rest here or there but he is obviously more of a man than you are with a GOOD HEART.
We will be coming here often for years to come.

Was für eine Enttäuschung !
Auf Basis (umfänglicher) deutscher Erfahrungen, aber auch von Besuchen in französischen griechischen Lokalen und nicht zuletzt solcher in Griechenland selbst, kann ich nur sagen: nie wieder !
Für einen US-​sozialisierten Esser mag dies anders sein, aber an sich waren dies gerade (Gyros Platter) Null-​Komma-​Null Punkte.
Okay, der Wirt wirkte ganz freundlich (Der Ober aus der Dominikanischen Republik schon weniger.) und man sitzt mittags zwischen lauter Columbia Professoren. Dafür fairerweise einen extra Stern, aber Hingehen kann man da wirklich nicht.
Gruselig !
Wer in der unmittelbaren Nähe was sucht: Ich mag den Burger im ‘Le Monde’ und dann natürlich, ein wenig weiter weg, das ‘Flat top’. Neu eröffnet, ganz in der Nähe, sieht von aussen ganz ordentlich aus: ‘Farm to Counters — Dig Inn’.