Nerai in New York
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New York, New York County, New York, US
Site: http://nerainyc.com/
- Monday:11:30AM–2:30PM
- Tuesday:11:30AM–2:30PM
- Wednesday:11:30AM–2:30PM
- Thursday:11:30AM–2:30PM
- Friday:11:30AM–2:30PM
- Saturday:4–11PM
- Sunday:4–10PM
A really great and delicious restaurant! It’s a little bit posh but still great. The food is delicious and tastes originally Greece. I‘d recommend the grilled octopus as a starter. The ambience is just beautiful and romantic. If you want a romantic date night, this is the place to go. Service is Great and friendly. Unfortunately I didn‘t take pictures because it was just not the atmosphere for it (would have looked weird).
It was our first day in NY and we hadn’t eaten all day. Mind you, it was a Friday night. We were hungry. But, we had no problem getting a reservation for 3 which was great to my surprise. The atmosphere here is great and really chic/cute, service was good, and the food was delicious. I was very satisfied with everything and I would definitely come back. 10/10 recommend. I want to come back to try more delicious plates!
The vibe there is great, outdoor yard is beautiful. Pastas are tasty, the watermelon salad is much overpriced.
The ambiance was beautiful and the service was exceptional! We ordered the Saganaki and Octopus for starters and they both were delightful. We had the Lobster squid ink pasta and the flavors were unexpectedly good. The sauce has a sweet but savory richness to it. For my entree, I ordered the Lamb chops and my friend ordered the Filet mignon - both were exquisite! When I travel back to New York, I’ll definitely be back to dine here.
Ambience and service was good but the food and beverage price were extremely high. Food portion was on the healthier side (read: small). I enjoyed our time there but will not go back. I ordered the grilled octopus as appetizer but disappointed because it wasnt a whole octopus. It was only 4 pieces of part of the tentacles!
My mom and l had an amazing experience at Nerai! The food was delicious, you can tell the chef uses the best ingredients because it was fresh and tasty! The Greek wine we ordered was amazing! Divine bland of native Greek grapes! Their wine list is very well done and offers lots of options, but l love Greek wines and would highly recommend them! The service was very friendly and attentive. I hope to dine at their beautiful patio soon!
Classic neighborhood spot for an incredible meal. Incredible service, fantastic menu. Outside space is welcoming.
2022 - It took three years to get back here, thank you Covid, but as it was in 2019, it remains stellar! Again, service is top notch, food wonderful as it was last visit. A shared trio of spreads to start - served with grilled pita: tzatziki, hummus & spicy feta. Could have eaten that all night. I had the octopus as an appetizer again and as I said three years ago, it is the best Ive had state-side.. For a main,. I had the Seafood Orzotto - saffron orzo, octopus, shrimp, mussels, loukaniko orange sausage, barley bread crumbs .... it was delicious. My wife had the Duck Moussaka - with pan seared crescent farm duck breast over beluga lentils and chanterelles fig jus. Not that I had room to finish hers I did anyway .. it was superb. Wines by bottle or by the glass including an excellent Greek Cabernet blend that would rival many of the over-priced California cabs! All of that and outdoor patio dinning made for another great dinning experience.2019 - Enjoyed this one! Atmosphere is nice, staff very attentive and professional, and food was excellent! The Octopus is a house specialty and was among the best Ive had in the U.S. Salmon entrée cooked to perfection, duck entrée also perfectly prepared. Very enjoyable dining experience on all fronts!
From service to quality of food, Nerai is a must have experience when in NYC. Paris, the owner/manager, was attentive and personable, giving quality recommendations and descriptions of each dish. An experience I didn’t want to end - I will be back. Thank you for a beautiful summer night ❤️
Had lunch at a beautiful Greek restaurant in Manhattan. Restaurants and bars in NYC have set up temporary outdoor dining booths (they have to apply for a government permit for the space as it is actually pedestrian lanes and roadside they’re using) due to no dine in restrictions earlier and I think most people do enjoy dining outdoors especially if its a nice weather. Its so European!Everything was lovely! The foods, the service, especially the ambience! We also noticed that most servers were Greek too. It wont go wrong choosing what to have with their recommendations. The highlight of our Greek lunch was the grilled LAVRAKI fish served with a side of sauteed spinach. Its a Mediterranean sea bass, a traditional Greek delicacy. Its delicious! We also ordered grilled octopus served over santorini fava with caramelized onions, roasted peppers, and capers as starter. Besides Lavraki we had seafood saffron orzotto. Wish we could have more space in our stomachs to try other dishes!
Good atmosphere, delicious food and drinks. Portions are on a smaller end which means you can try many different items and leave without feeling stuffed.I was there in the evening and enjoyed outdoor seating with cozy lighting and plants 🪴 creating that Mediterranean feel.I will say that I communicated with the hostess to obtained reservations when no availability was listed online and she was very pleasant and accommodating. I think that’s the biggest plus for this place. As you may know, more and more restaurants have good ambiance and food but customer service experience can be disappointing.
Authentic Greek Cuisine! The atmosphere, staff and food are all great! They have both indoor and outdoor seating for your preference. I felt like I was transported to an island in Greece with the atmosphere and decor of the restaurant. The food came out fast, hot and good! I will come back again!
I started thinking, why this restaurant has such a high rating? Do people even have taste? The lobster pasta is so sweet(yes, sweet), plus the nutty flavor in the pasta, it makes me vomit in the restroom. The price is also overpriced. I don’t understand why a bread + three dipping sauces cost 23$. The waiter is also quite rude. Listen to me: DONT GO
Not great unfortunately. I’ve been fortunate to have had many great meals on vacation to NYC. Nerai had decent reviews and food on socials looked good - so in planning for this trip, I booked here.This was a mistake. The service consisted of “ready to order?” And “ENJOY!” Being yelled at us after about 5 minutes of receiving food; just a weird experience.The food was mediocre and didn’t taste fresh. The spanakopita were cold and pastry soggy (reheated?). The salad and salmon was ok, the gnocchi was rubbery.I should have known something wasn’t right when we arrived, we were taken upstairs to what looked like a bunch of other tourists - while the outside dining looked nicer.I wouldn’t be back, I’m also not sure how the reviews are so positive. For the similar price point, we had an absolutely stellar meal at Crown Shy.
Mediocre flavor and overpriced.Tuna tartare is good--the fries at the bottom were good flavor.Bread was great.Lobster pasta is very mediocre, lobster is hard to chew and the sauce is too thick.Waitress first gave us a plate with food remnants and then poured water over our table by accident. I dont blame her because I usually dont care about service. But this place doesnt even have satisfying flavor for what it charges.Grilled octopus is okay. Not outstanding.Plating is pretty, but so what?Wouldnt come again.
Ive been to Nerai a dozen times while in NYC for various conferences. Every meal has been memorable. The Dover sole, moussaka, and octopus are all otherwordly. Even the basics, their lemon potatoes and chickpea fritters are delicious. And to top it off they make some of the best cocktails around. Ive had both quite two person lunches and large 16 person dinners (in their upstairs area). Theyve handled everything with aplomb. If youre in Midtown, they are absolutely worth checking out.
BECAUSE I AM BLACK, MAYBE?If you are not black you wont even understand this review. This restaurant is a beautiful place for rich people, even though the food is not that special, but let me tell you about my experience. I walked inside this place for the second time in a weekend (the first time was to check out the menu and the second time was to eat dinner) and from the first moment I entered I felt as though a human eye security camera system was watching me. I went with my white wife and her parents and also our daughter who is mixed color due to the fact that I am black. The staff (guards) were acting verbally nice to me, but they didnt want me there and in my opinion these people have been trained to intimidate black people that enter a predominantly white rich persons place. It was as if the staff had been trained how to talk to black people, how to look at them, how to greet them, and how to make them feel that they (we) are the weird ones.My dress code was a baseball cap, sporty jumpsuit, which would be nice among black people, but not here. If you are black be aware of this place; if you are inviting a black person be aware of this place.Being black, this type of environment is not new to me and I was ready for it, but I have to tell you that it seems that these people are not ready for the real change that the planet needs.
Food is good. The atmosphere is great outside however don’t make a 1:30 reservation as the kitchen closes at 2:00For dinner service. Needless to say we were rushed through our lunch. I group received appetizers and before we had 3 bites our entrees came out. Half way through our entrées the waiter came over and said do you want dessert the kitchen is closing. What ? I will$600 bucks later and it wasA horrible time. Never again!!
The best thing about our experience was the tuna tartare - it was the only part of our dinner worth the hype. The atmosphere definitely deserves 5 stars, but the service wasn’t the best and the other dishes were overpriced and underwhelming. There was nothing special about the pita bread and dips that were $28.00 and the pasta dish with “short rib” looked like a very expensive spaghetti and meatballs. The shrimp were nice size on the shrimp skewers, but they were just okay.
For New Year’s Eve, we were fortunate to book this restaurant in Midtown East at the very last minute. This was always on our list since outdoor dining was a thing as the pictures of its settings looked quite appealing. Most tables have their own electric heater that sat directly above the table, so it wasn’t too cold compared to other places. For what it’s worth, it was in the high 30s with some wind chills. We did dress warmer just in case though.
Visited Nerai for the first time on Saturday for a friends birthday dinner. We are both big foodies and we were not disappointed. Excellent food - we shared the trio of Greek spreads and a perfectly cooked octopus appetizer, then for entrees we had the loup de mer and the duck moussaka, both of which were beautifully cooked and flavoursome - combined with attentive and thoughtful service. The place was almost empty, probably due to the snowstorm, which detracted from the ambience somewhat, but you cant blame the restaurant for the weather - Im sure this place is normally buzzing. The relatively high prices mean this is certainly more of a special occasion place, but you do get what you pay for and I will certainly return here.
Great meal. Its a modern twist on traditional Greek dishes. The food is very good. The outdoor space is very nice and the heaters work very well. All the dishes were good except the spanikopita which was soggy and bland and didnt have Spinach. The duck mousaka was especially good. The galactoborico was just okay; I probably should have gotten thyroid baklava dish instead.
Nice view, good service, and yummy food! You must make a reservation before dining in because they limit the seating capacity during the pandemic!I want to thanks the hostess, Khiabet, for helping me with the order. Due to the language barrier, the server misunderstood my inquiry. After paying the bill, I told her about this. Khiabet helped me to get a tuna tartare for free.She valued customers’ needs. Also, I want to thank the server, Henry. He was very nice!
A little bit overrated. Really nice place and deco tho
I had a great experience at Nerai. The food was overall pretty good. The scallops were big and very tasty. The lobster pasta was a bit sweet for me but still pretty good. The zucchini, the octopus, and the walnut cake were all excellent. The ambiance has a classy feel to it but also vibrant with the noise level relatively high.The service was also great. There was this lady (maybe the owner?) who came around once in a while asking if everything was going well. I appreciated this gesture and other servers frequently checked in as well.The one bit I didnt like was how we had to wait despite the fact that we made a reservation at a specific time. A bit of wait is fine but we waited more than 15 minutes before I asked how much longer wed have to wait. The response from the floor manager was that it was going to be soon as theyre waiting for the previous guests to leave. This didnt make sense to me as that just meant they didnt really know when the guests were going to leave and therefore soon was actually whenever the guests decide to leave. People may disagree with me here but I expect to be seated at the reserved time, and if that means the floor manager has to politely ask the previous guests to vacate the table, then so be it. Upon pushing him to act, the floor manager went ahead and asked the guests to leave, and apologized after the meal for the inconvenience of having waited ~20 minutes past our reservation time. I guess I can be a demanding customer and kudos to the floor manager for dealing with my impatience.
I came here for lunch and the service absolutely stood out. the waiters were so considerate and were constantly checking up on our table. we got the pita and dips (the tzatziki was phenomenal), fig salad, lobster pasta, scallops, and two mock tails. the pasta was cooked al dente and the scallops were very flavorful and tender.
Great ambiance, excellent service and food to die for. I can see why everyone was raving about the octopus, its out of this world. Lamb chops were perfectly seasoned and cooked.Only thing I will say is the wine prices are a bit higher than they should be (charging$130 for a$28 bottle is kind of much) Yes food prices are up there but you have to expect that for this type of restaurant. You get what you pay for.
A very pleasant discovery. We didn’t know what to expect entering the restaurant but the food was delicious. We had the thanksgiving special and the 4 plates were really nice.I would definitely recommend!
Came here for lunch - the place is filled with businessmen on their lunch meetings so reservations are recommended.The food was pretty good, above average Greek cuisine. There is a lunch deal available. Found the portions a little small and the price a bit on the higher side.
I came with my family and after 1 hour we didn’t receive our food .. the check was over 700 usd .. not even because he was making a good tip we got our food on time .. our fish was cold and flavor less .. we should definitely stick to milos.
Truly an awesome dining experience! The ambiance, the drinks, the wine list, the cuisine, the service all were all flawless. To the staff at Nerai... Thank You for an amazing experience! :)
Midtown’s finest for Haute Greek cuisine. Did the full tasting menu as recommended with the wine pairings. Not only is every course delicious & presentable the dining experience and service live up to the expectations. Truly enjoyed every plate. My favorite was the squid ink lobster pasta it was cooked to perfection and so tasteful I wanted seconds. Have also done the lunch menu and the skewers were amazing!
This review is with all my heart... what food and the way they treat you is divine. Beautiful ambience, good collection of high quality Greek wine....and the food- please definitely get the lobster pasta...trust me, u won’t regrettttt. It is a-maziingggg. The lamb chops was great..the Greek salad is lip smacking.
Excellent resto offering an elegant Greek menu with the usual suspects. I’ve been here for business lunches, and I remember the fried zucchini chips with the thickened, garlic tinged yogurt dipping sauce- delicious. Dinner last night began with a truly beautiful salad, carefully prepared- all the greens were lush and soft to the bite, not crunchy at all. Snips of fresh dill in the salad and in the yogurt cucumber dressing added a lovely touch. Main course was lavraki- I think it’s often referred to as branzino?- which came to the table as a whole fish( as per my request- I like to eat it off the bone). The skin was crispy, the meat perfectly cooked and sprinkled with capers lemon and olive oil, and the inside stuffed with lemon zests. Dessert was three austere scoops of mango sorbet, pistachio ice cream, and chocolate ice cream. The manager comes to ea h table to introduce himself and offer his card- a thoughtful and elegant touch. It’s an expensive dinner but the service and the quality of the food made it eminently worthwhile.
Had a really wonderful dinner here with amazing service and delicious and fresh food. Meats were cooked to perfection and salads were healthy but filling. The Greek yogurts were unexpectedly one of the best and most satisfying desserts I’ve tasted in a long time. I will definitely be back.
The food was absolutely delicious, the overall service was not bad, our waiter was just okay. His mask was constantly below his nose or face, that it bothered my friends a lot. They got my order completely wrong, they were able to get me the right one pretty quickly and let me take home the wrong order. However, picking up our leftovers when we left was complicated and they gave us the wrong ones again. I will return, but hoping itll be a little more organized next time.
Cute, cozy and very yummy.I like the look of the dinning space. It is intimate and though right to walk through on a busy night, it is lovely. The food is wonderful and not always your typical Greek cuisine. They present and plate the food in unique ways. The bar up front looks like a nice place to meet friends for a drink. Ill have to try that next time. I went here for a birthday get together and enjoyed every minute of it, thanks!
I recently had lunch here during the work week and their outdoor seating is extremely charming!They have one section (on the street) with couch-style seating, and another section (on the block) with a more traditional layout.The food is very flavorful. I ordered the lamb chops and, frankly, it was the way to go!Pro-tip: Theres no such thing as too many lemon potatoes, so treat yourself to an extra serving. 🙃😊
I came here to celebrate my sweethearts birthday and was not disappointed. The space on the second floor is elegant and perfect for having an intimate conversation. You feel as if youre outside, even though youre inside. The service was very professional and the food was excellent, especially the grilled octopus appetizer which was perfect in every respect. The wine list has an excellent selection of Greek wine. The only thing that disappointed us was that the oyster appetizer was not available early in the evening. We really wanted to have oysters the night we dined here!
My love has a knack for finding outstanding places to eat. And Nerai certainly is one of those places. The food was so good! The wines excellent. We started with champagne and then chose Greek wines for our entrees. The dessert and dessert wine truly amazing. The service was top notch. The restaurant decor is so lovely.
The food was delicious, the atmosphere was tranquil. My only issue was how long it took the food & drinks to come out. My parents and I went on a Monday for my birthday. We ended up being there for 4hours and not by choice. It took a VERY long time for the food to come out. It was the same for the tables around us so Im not sure if it was a kitchen thing or a regular occurrence. But I will be going back to give them a second chance, everything was delicious!
The service is nice, walk in also accept it. However food is not good.. especially the labstor pasta. Its too sweet for us. Anyway I will not go next time.
High quality Greek food with excellent service.
Food is amazing... small menu bc they do what they do WELL!!!OUTDOOR SEATING IS A GODSEND for those with medical issues who cannot affford to risk covid.Great place, amazing staff and service!!
Rude, Arogant and Mediocre.A bad combination for a service oriented business, if you wish to call it that.Met a friend there that traveled across the Country so that we could enjoy our annual Holiday meal and share special wine that we brought, which wasnt on the restaurants menu.Arrived and presented my vaccine card and ID, was surprised to find that my friend from Cali didnt have to (OK maybe a one-off)Met at the bar, no listing of available pours, ok, tried a new bourbon, not bad, pleasant bartender.Got seated and provided two bottles of wine for breathing/decanting. The waiter advised, we do not do that, managements policy . WOW. We made the reservation 90 days ahead of time and found no mention of the no corkage on the website and wasnt a problem when booking. We asked to speak with management who gruffly advised us that if we wished to drink our wine, we wouldnt be able to do so here.Tried to engage a conversation, maybe a first time exemption, but instead, we got the folded arms NOT HERE.That was enough for us to pick up and head to our favorite Steakhouse Benjamins, where service is sublime and the meat Exceptional. The waiter was happy to decant, pour and provide proper glasses for each bottle.Strongly suggest one of the Avra restaurants for the best Greek in the city. Steer clear of Nasty Nerai.
First time trying Greek Cuisine and couldn’t have picked a better location(said by Greek Friends).Made a reservation and table was ready right away. It’s definitely a place to bring your significant other or date spot. We decided to try few appetizers and then 6-course Chef Tasting . Chef Grundman , really out did himself. I truly loved it . FOOD , I can’t begin to tell you how good it was . You just have to try it .Ambiance- 10/10Service - 10/10WiFi- Not SureReservation - recommendedParking - Good Luck
One of my favourites in the city. So good! The short rib youvetsi is always in my memory:)
Great place, beautiful environment and awesome services.Shrimp santorini spagettoni and short rib YIOUVETSI 👌Cocktails were really delicious: TSIPOURADA & CALYPSO
Delicious food, great interior and excellent service!They have heaters outdoors and check temperature of each guest before seating
Cool ambience, nice desserts
Wonderful flavors and beautiful dishes. We had the duck which was a recommendation and it was delicious. The idea of not leaving a tip was interesting, as we did not have a waiter, we were still taken care of by the staff. The wine was delicious as well.
Awesome experience, with menu that is a cross between new american and greek. Nice ambiance. Will be back.
Very nice greek cuisine modern slip is like paradise thank you very much your prices are too nice we will come back slip congratulations!!!!!!!!
It was my first time here. Ill return. Welcoming service. Great food. Have the meatballs!!!
Michael and his team always provide a wonderful dining experience. This was an anniversary dinner for us and it was a wonderful experience. We dined outside in the lovely courtyard area and enjoyed a fantastic dinner and dessert. Michael even helped select a fantastic bottle of wine for our dinner....as he always does. This restaurant is definitely one reason that you want to come to NYC for special events and even a casual dinner....Nerai always surprises and impresses us.
For the high price was expecting an outstanding food experience but it was bland..the service was good.
Great and attentive service, watermelon salad was delicious. The salmon was Also done to perfection.
The spinach pie was the best I ever had and my sister in law is Greek. The short ribs were so tender didn’t need a knife, the seafood was cooked amazing tender octopus not chewy. Posh place love the atmosphere. Great service but short staffed they worked very hard.to serve with style.
Absolutely fantastic experience. From the server, to the ambience, everything was perfect. We enjoyed our meal, it was memorable and deliciously prepared. We went for our one year anniversary and our server surprised us with the walnut cake. Would highly recommend!
I dined here with my four other friends, we had a birthday in our party. We werent aware that we would be charged $9 for water, our waiter only offered us sparkling or still as options. After the first bottle, they continuously refilled our glasses with new bottles of water unprompted. In total we had to pay $27 in addition to our dinner. Furthermore, we do not understand why they have a section to specify a special occasion when, in fact, it brought about nothing.
I have been here for more than five times and all my friends like this place. I especially like their pita breads and lobster pasta!
A wonderful evening. The service, food and wine were all excellent.
Came to this place for a birthday celebration which turned out to be a disappointment.Service: as I showed up with a cake, I was told ‘you know there is a 5 dollar charge for each slice right’ I was not planning to eat cake there anyways but it was off-putting to hear. Service was so so and pretty slow for a not so busy nightFood: disappointing for the price. The portion is fine with me but the taste is just mediocre. The lamb chop might be the driest I’ve every had.Overrated and overpriced for sure
I am a former staff member and this review has to do with the behind the scenes culture. I havent worked at Nerai in years but I think it is important to let people know what kind of business they are supporting. During my time we had a Maitred who told the staff they shouldnt give wine lists to women because women dont know about wine. The owner was there and he did NOTHING about that. I think that says a lot about the culture.
I adore Greek cuisine and am glad to have found a place where it can be prepared and served
Wonderful food. Great service. Amazing ambience. Highly recommended!
Very stupid service quality. Worst place i have been in Nyc. I sit in the bar for 15mins, nobody asked anything, no menu
My partner and I went for dinner. We wanted outdoor but a patio with heat lamps to make sure it was enjoyable. The patio here is large and feels like being in a garden, with plenty of heat lamps to warm you up. We ordered the trio of dips which were all delicious. We also ordered the meatballs appetizer which were piping hot and had great flavor. For entrees I had seafood orzo and he had the scallops. The octopus in mine was so delicious and tender and the sauce on the orzo was a bit creamy and citrusy, absolutely delicious. His scallops were quite large, tender, and buttery.Overall, it was an amazing meal, with amazing service, in an excellent atmosphere. Felt safe to dine outdoors and distanced. Would highly recommend.
Excellent food and friendly staff. Would recommend to try the greek omelet, and salmon plate with greek coffee.
Very good food and the wine advice of the server was good too.
Great business lunch. Quick and the food and service was great.
A++ meat quality. Soft smooth silky steak. The ribs were buttery and the sauce with the rice was phenomenal. The grape arugula salad with the blue cheese blended perfectly with some balsamic. The octopus was fresh, flavorful and complemented with nice salad
We are there last night. It was 35 degrees outside, so we were concerned. However, it turned out great. They have a semi-enclosed patio area that is very well heated. You still want to have your coat on but I had mine unzipped. I was very comfortable as was everyone else in our group.And the food and service were great. I think they do a great job there. I highly recommend.
Great Greek food and impeccable service. Highly recommended.
Great service during Covid pandemic. The outdoor seating area is covered in beautiful hanging lights, the staff all wore masks and all tables were all six feet apart. The food was incredible and the service was super fast. I would definitely come back here - and I felt super safe in the area where the restaurant is located. Perfect for date night :)
Found this place for a birthday dinner and couldn’t resist. The event planner Joy accommodated nicely for our big party. The ambience of this place was absolutely amazing. The staff made sure my party of 11 was taken care of. We started off with the spread in the appetizers which was great! The on tray was okay but the staff and location was phenomenal.
Fabulous Mediterranean restaurant, with a lovely outdoor courtyard. So many wonderful options to chose from, from appetizers to desserts. The Lobster Pasta was to die for. Service was very attentive and spot on.
Damn, a cute restaurant that also has top notch food in midtown? Nerai is definitely in a pretty exclusive group of restaurants that can check all those boxes. Unfortunately, it is pricy, but imo worth it. Make sure you get the lobster pasta and the octopus starter, you won’t regret it.
I went here for Valentines day 2021 and had the 5 course pre fixe menu. It. Was. STELLAR. THE CHEF KNOWS WHAT HE/SHE/THEYRE DOING! Course 1 was a beet salad with pomegranates, kale, and candied walnuts. Course 2 was an amazing lobster tail and light bisque sauce. Course three was a creamy black truffle alfredo. Course four was a generous amount of 28 day aged rib eye with mashed potato puree and succulent roasted carrots. Finally course 5 was a shared dessert consisting of warm and flaky custard and chocolate mousse and raspberry puree. This was an intimate and outstanding dining experience. No bases were left untouched and the cocktail and wine menu provides a variety of pairings with the menu. Definitely have to come back. Not to mention the amazing staff.
Very cozy restaurant, the dining area is spacious. As we sat down, the waiter gave us a very descriptive of the entrees. We were excited of how they deviate from preparing your traditional Greek dishes. We order the grill octopus and salad. Had the black ink lobster pasta and scallops. In the end a bit disappointed because the taste was nothing special. The main dishes were on the sweet side. Service was a tad slow. Very pricey.
I wish I could give this place 5 stars because the food was delicious! The service was very very poor. I called prior to going to the restaurant at 8:30 they said they seat the last table at 9 pm to hurry and get in. So we did just that. Arrived at 8:50. The hostess sat us and said our kitchen closes in ten minutes so order what you want as soon as possible. So I thought that was strange seeing how I just called and they didn’t say that. So we hurry up an order! 3 apps, 2 drinks, 2 entrees. All the appetizers came out at once, immediately followed by our meal. I said to the waiter can you take the meals back and can we sit and enjoy our food? And our drink? I only took one sip of my cocktail. I felt like we were so rushed eating the appetizers. He said I don’t want the entrees to get cold. I said okay don’t you have heat lamps? He said yeah I’ll put it under there. Mind you! There was a table next to us that was there already... eating appetizers! And didn’t even put in their entrees ! He took the table of four entree order right after my situation and I looked at him! Wow! How come they weren’t rushed we said to ourselves ? Then shortly after that.. a table of 3 walks in!!! So I was very taken a back. He kept coming back asking if we were ready for our food and we clearly weren’t. We were still eating our appetizers. Then when we were finished with our appetizers there was a delay in getting the food! Never at one point did he ask if we wanted an additional drink. We were in and out of there in 30 minutes. Super rushed. Poor service. By the time we left the table of four didn’t get their entrees yet- so clearly they weren’t rushed out. And the table of 3 just got their appetizers- also not rushed. Not sure why me and my gf were singled out to get pushed out. Super disappointed Bc the food was delicious. But all in all it was a poor experience. I never write reviews but this one had to be written.
Dropped in for an unexpected Brunch on a busy Saturday in December without reservations. Everyone was charming and friendly and could not have been more accommodating! Such a delightful surprise in an often hostile city. The food was excellent as was the service. The decor was glittery and Christmas-y but super tasteful and elegant. What a lovely experience!
Great place in midtown. The appetizers were really good, including the octopus and hummus. Seems to attract the business crowd since its in midtown, but the ambiance is nice and modern. Mushroom risotto and lamb chops were tremendous. Lobster linguine dish was over seasoned. Overall, top notch place to have Greek food!
Reserved a table for seven well in advance. Arrived only to be told we had an outdoor table along 54th street. It was 88 degrees and we were in business attire. Asked to be moved indoors, but was told sorry, we were full indoors. Food as ok, but not close to Ammos or Milos in quality, presentation or service. Not worth returning, ever.
Lunchtime or dinner drinks and Gourmet food. Pleasant large space. Diligent personnel. To dine in or take out.
Amazing meal. All 4 of our appetizers and entrees were delicious. They were very sensitive to a guest’s allergY. SERVICE outstanding and friendly. The deserts were excellent. Especially the yogurts and flourless chocolate cake.
Will was amazing. We had a great meal, great suggested wines. He was attentive and knowledgeable- and the food was outstanding. Also, this has to be one of the best outdoor seating spots in NYC. Get the lobster pasta and the spicy feta and zucchini chips. A+
We’ve eaten at Nervi several times and we have never had a meal that we didn’t like. The food is invariably good, as it was again today, and the service is always efficient and pleasant.
Amazing food And service!
Great fish and very good spreads. Excellent service.
My husband and I did the 4 course prix fixe ($85). The appetizers (octopus and tuna tartare) were phenomenal. So was the pasta course.The entrees (duck and scallops) were good, but the scallops were not sweet and flavorful as I would have liked. My dessert (baklava) was a tad too sweet but overall a very good experience, including service!
Truly an awesome dining experience ! This place doesnt miss a beat. The ambience, the drinks, the wine list, the cuisine, the service.... all are excellent, flawless. The octopus appetizer and the scallops entre were impeccable. Locals and visitors to our city should put this gem on their must do list !
Great time with my friends. Delicious food.
Great place in midtown. The appetizers were really good, including the octopus and hummus. Seems to attract the business crowd since its in midtown, but the ambiance is nice and modern. Mushroom risotto and lamb chops were tremendous. Lobster linguine dish was over seasoned. Overall, top notch place to have Greek food!
Good service.My friends and I both thinks this is a great restaurant.
Nice place for drink something.
My first visit to Nerai warrants many more visits. The atmosphere is chic and the food outstanding. I had the best octopus ever as an appetizer. The portion was more in the size of a main entree. The Dover sole was fresh and very tasty. The bar tender let me try a few of the reds before settling on what I was looking for. However, for the cost, I thought that the subsequent pours by my waiter could have been a little heavier. This was my first no tipping restaurant experience and I felt the the final bill was very comparable to what I would have spent for a fine dining experience. Everyone working in the restaurant was extremely friendly.
The food is so delicious, the ambiance is nice and quiet which I love, specially for a dinner date. Service could be better, more connected and less fake.
Had an amazing dinner on their outside patio.It felt very safe and Covid compliant.Our service was very professional, attentive and hospitable.Dover sole was to die for.Can’t wait to return!
This is a no tip restaurant. The service is superb. The food is spectacular. Think: French style Greek. There was nothing among the three of us that was not extraordinary. If you are an octopus, stay away from this chef. If you never had octopus, this is the place to order some. If you are a fish lover, as in no nonsense, let the taste of the fish present itself, then you have found the right place. When I return, I will share an octopus appetizer with one of the fishes with my wife, a bottle of white wine and one of their desserts (we had the baklava). Another thing that I appreciated is that the service staff asked deliberately whether there were any food concerns that they needed to be aware of; in a family of children with nut allergies, I appreciate that focus.
Staff weren’t the most pleasant bunch, otherwise food was well prepared
Beautiful spot, great food and nice staff.
If youre looking for delicious, creative, sophisticated Mediterranean cuisine, and budget is not an issue -I recommend Nerai, without question. Located in mid town, in an unassuming street level spot, you enter into a modern, lovely, open oasis. The food is contemporary Greek which includes some traditional selections, like spreads, octopus and lamb, but done it a totally unique and refined way. As there were so many wonderful choices, we went with the 4 course tasting menu for $85 pp (note: theres an up charge for certain options) which includes a starter, pasta, main and dessert...and each course was better than the next! The braised short ribs over pacheri pasta was sublime - rich and flavorful. The duck moussaka was fantastic...seared perfectly and served over lentils...not like any moussaka Ive ever had. Even the dessert was heavenly - vanilla custard, chantilly cream and pistachios, light as a cloud, yet makes a statement. They also have a wine pairing menu, which, if youre a wine lover, would probably make sense. The service was attentive and friendly. This is a great spot to celebrate a special occasion or a business dinner on an expense account. Well worth it.
Excellent food, ambiance, drink menu, and service. Try the grilled octopus and their takes on spanakopita and baklava!
Sat at the Bar an completely enjoyed our Bartender from Athens who makes the best Titos Mojitos..my husband had an Old Fashion that was made to perfectionGreat atmosphereDelicious FoodWill return for Authenic Greek Cuisine
Probably the best business dinner ever! Really delicious meal-great greek wine. The staff greeted us with trays of wine when we walked up to our reservation. The vaulted ceiling made us feel like we were dining outdoors. The custom menus with our logo was a nice attention to detail. Great execution of food, quick and really good. The staff was conscientious but respected our meeting. Professional follow through with the emailed receipt that came with a thank you note. New place for our company dinners.
FINALLY an A list “intimate” restaurant that truly IS intimate! Beautiful ambiance, wonderful Greek cuisine, cocktails and wine... Everything without having to shout to your table mates to be heard 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽🥰
This is a nice restaurant, design and elegant place. Service is average, the hostess at the entrance is very cold and not professional at all, and this is sad because she was our 1st impression, and actually, without her, i would have rated this restaurant very good, we arrived just 10 minutes late (due to very busy traffic on a heavy rainy day) and she just said sorry the kitchen just closed, she didnt want to give us our table first aven if she could have call us before as she had all our details... Fortunately her manager was close to us and heard all the story and he gave us a table right away.Greek wines were delicious and so was the food, quite simple but some very original dishes and high quality products.
My favorite Midtown east restaurant. Healthy-ish yet delicious
Shared appetizers that were all delicious 😋 tuna tartar, arugula salad with grapes, hot shrimp appetizer. Good service nice hostesses
Excellent service, ambiance etc for a Midtown lunch. Greek salad was delicious and fresh, including a tomato paste that added another dimension of flavor. Seafood Orzotto was less impressive - great variety of seafaring critters but overly buttery and not very flavorful. Would love to try their other dishes!
Awful dining experience. The restaurant aesthetic is chic; however, the food quality can only be called typical Greek fare and certainly not evening above average. The drinks were disgusting and offensive to the palette. The atmosphere created by the waitstaff is conniving and uncomfortable. Like some previous customers, we were deceived into getting mezzas and forced into getting deserts. When I sought to have the waitstaff and then management correct these issues, we were ignored on several occasions. I do not recommend going here.
Great ambianceAmazing foodGreat service
Great atmosphere, excellent food and just overall a wonderful spot to eat! We did a pre-theatre menu and everything was delicious.Also, for all the wine lovers out there - highly recommend their Greek wine selection.
Beautiful outdoor space and just the right-sized menu! Roasted carrot salad with pomegranate seeds and nuts was a definite repeat as was a bottle of Greek red, Ramnista.
Very Nice outdoor space. The food is only OK.
I am an afficianado of Greek food but apparently I never had a fantastic Greek meal and hospitality until I ate at Nerai. The service was so utterly special, attentive without being intrusive, punctual, flexible, like few experiences Ive had anywhere in the US. The wine steward has deep knowledge of everything in his collection, and steered us to delicious red and white wines. The waiter (Dmitri, the new standard by which I will measure them) provided us with detailed descriptions of everything we asked about, described them to us in detail when we were served, and seemed instantly present when we wanted anything at all. The food was out of this world: seared scallops that were tender inside as sushi, branzino grilled and served with a fabulous sauce, and grilled lamb chops so good that the person who ordered them only got to eat about 1/2 order. We will return again many times. Highly recommended.
Lobster pasta, grilled octopus, scallop with juicy pork belly, you will tell!
Great environment, slightly salty. Good dinner overall.
Awesome bread and bean dip. $42 duck moussaka totally worth every penny. Yum.
Beautiful place, good food, especially the fish
Classy greek restaurant. The service is as 5 star as the food. Remember there is a no tipping rule, but oh, the waitstaff is fabulous. We let our waiter make recommendations for us based on our food likes/dislikes or needs. I’m the group vegetarian and everything he recommended was amazing. Start with the trio (spicy feta, hummus and tzatiki) chips nerai. Lobster Pasta everyone said was amazing. My risotto was really to die for. Everything was great. The breads, the wines, the food, the entire restaurant. I will not only be back, but bringing the masses with me.a
Such a great dinner here. The food, service and ambience was perfect. Will definitely be returning!
Did our engagement party here and everything was great. The staff is beyond exceptional and the food is better than places Ive been to in Astoria...and Astoria is supposed to have the best Greek food.For private events the prices are more than reasonable and the staff will accommodate all your needs. Id give it six stars if I could.
This review is with all my heart... what food and the way they treat you is divine. Beautiful ambience, good collection of high quality Greek wine....and the food- please definitely get the lobster pasta...trust me, u won’t regrettttt. It is a-maziingggg. The lamb chops was great..the Greek salad is lip smacking
I dined with a friend on Friday evening and the atmosphere can be described as contemporary elegance and the food is outstanding and uses the finest quality ingredients. We started with watermelon feta salad which was fresh, delicious and the perfect summer starter! We continued with the fresh spreads which include tzatziki, feta and eggplant which again were nothing short of fresh, flavorful and wonderful. I ordered the Pan Seared Dover Sole which comes with Beurre Blanc sauce and capers. The meal was phenomenal, a nice large portion and I would give the dish 5 stars. The seafood was fresh and the light sauce paired perfectly with the white fish. A plus and can’t wait to return!
Lobster pasta and tuna tartare is a must try!!! Great food with reasonable price!!
Amazing elevated AUTHENTIC Greek restaurant. My girlfriend is from Greece and couldn’t be happier with the service and food offered. Would definitely come back if I’m in the area. Jonathan was an excellent waiter. Thank you!
Perfect place for date night or with a few of your close friends. They also have a beautiful outdoor set up with heaters for the ones who dont want to dine inside. The decor and ambiance make you feel like you are in Greece which ive been 3 times. The staff is very friendly and on top of things. They have a great selection of cocktails and wine. The food was delicious. We were not hungry but with the order from Cuomo we have to have a food item with drinks so we ordered the Greek salad and the shrimp appetizer. Enjoyed every bite and sip. Definitely a must try!!
Nerai is the place you want to go to for some authentic Greek food with a modern spin. Everything about my experience was A+++. The food was unbelievable. The Chips Nerai, Trio of Spreads, Risotto Strapatsada, Fingerling Potatoes, and Spinach Pies were simply amazing. The staff were very friendly and efficient. I definitely recommend you check out Nerai for some amazing food.
Very delicious and perfect for a business lunch
If youre looking for a creatively executed non-traditional Greek menu. This is definitely it!
I was just there with the hubby and we are food travelers. The tall guy who served us was very knowledgeable and polite. Besides that, the food was DELICIOUS!!!!!!! My favorite was the seafood pasta and duck. I also liked the ribs pasta. Meatballs were good and their in house made gelato. I liked the chesnut gelato. Love love it!
This review is with all my heart... what food and the way they treat you is divine. Beautiful ambience, good collection of high quality Greek wine....and the food- please definitely get the lobster pasta...trust me, u won’t regrettttt. It is a-maziingggg. The lamb chops was great..the Greek salad is lip smacking
Good ambiance, great food!
“Return!”We revisited Nerai on a recent trip to New York a year after previous reviews written - it was even better than we remembered. Food , service, atmosphere - do not hesitate to go there - Love the Octopus, and Chicken Lemonata. Bass broiled delicately. Brussel sprouts amazing. Roasted Potatoes and grilled asparagus. Too full for desserts which we have had previously and recommend all - esp. the yogurt. Servers very friendly as well as owners who visited our table several times to chat. This restaurant is our “go to” every time we visit NY - and even a reason to visit NY in the first place. (any dietary needs will be met graciously - and they even serve breakfast)
After the two hour journey from my cozy home on the UES- I arrived in midtown. Well, getting there didn’t take 2 hours. That took 25 minutes. Leaving the house with a 7 week old, while simultaneously running a small business and handling a 2 year old took two hours.Anyhow, I arrived at Nerai- an old stomping ground from my days working for the man over at 399 Park. Except this time I arrived wearing a baby. A baby who needed to be changed and fed immediately.The whole dining experience was pure joy from the moment I walked in. The hostesses were warm and friendly and immediately offered me a comfortable corner booth (despite the madness of a weekday lunch rush in midtown). Before heading to my table though, I asked if I could change my son somewhere- there’s no changing table in bathroom so they took me to the wine cellar/private dining room.I’m nursing my son before I change him so he doesn’t scream and disturb the nice private lunch next door- and in pops the sweetest waiter-Luca who offers me water telling me his wife also gets thirsty when she nurses. He even refills me a little while later and carries my enormous diaper bag upstairs for me.I sat at a wonderful table, enjoyed a wonderful meal of Greek salad, fish and baklava (my reviews are usually about the food and let me say the food is AMAZING, my favorite Greek in NYC- tomatoes in the salad are peeled, the red onion cut paper thin, just the right amount of feta, etc. But I’ve eaten there countless times and it’s their KINDNESS that floored me- that rarer than good food in the world nowadays sadly).My lunch date was a perfect gentleman. I madehim a little nest on the booth seat besides me and the waiter even offered me a table cloth if I wanted to cushion him even more.Nerai- I’ll be back a million more times for stolen lunch dates with my babes. THANK YOU!
Phenomenal food, amazing service really attentive and you will love coming here
Went here on date night and it was the best food I have had in NYC. We got the short rib pastichio, octopus, and lamb. It was all AWESOME!!! They serve local beers that we got when in Santorini that we have not found anywhere else. HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS PLACE!
We revisited Nerai on a recent trip to New York a year after previous reviews written - it was even better than we remembered. Food , service, atmosphere - do not hesitate to go there - Love the Octopus, and Chicken Lemonata. Bass broiled delicately. Brussel sprouts amazing.
Great service and atmosphere. Great sounding, good looking but mediocre tasting small dishes at top prices. Dish quality was spotty. Seafood orzo was barely passable (but not for this level of restaurant), but scallops were outstanding.
Nerai is just lovely. For breakfast, lunch or dinner - its just a very solid spot that Ive love ever since they opened a few years ago. The Greek yogurt is delicious. And the service is fantastic - both at the bar and the tables. They were always a non-tipping restaurant, and changed that recently, which doesnt make sense to me. Otherwise, nerai is a very solid option in midtown.
Extremely over-priced, mediocre food. Greek salad was really tasteless and portion is very tiny, limited selection of fresh seafood.
Enjoyed the six course chef’s tasting menu with the wine pairing. Our six courses were: (1) Tsipoura Crudo (2) Horiatiki (3) Astakomakaronada [poached Maine lobster with squid ink pasta] (4) Kakavia (5) Paidakia sti Skara [lamb chops] (6) Kataifi Ekmek, Saragli, and Ginger gelato.I very much enjoyed every dish, but the Squid Ink pasta blew my mind. Everything was delicious. I do not eat tomatoes and devoured the greek salad, and prefer to eat my crude fish in sushi and throughly enjoyed the Tsipoura Crudo.The wine pairing was EXCELLENT. The service was great, and they even added a candle to my husband’s dessert because it was his birthday. Friday Nights they’ll have a DJ but it was music you can talk over and just adds ambiance.In my opinion this tasting menu and wine pairing are underpriced, but that’s better for my wallet! Will be coming back next week with a friend from out of town.
Very good bar service and seafood specially the octopus
Excellent service, beautiful outdoor dining experience, and really amazing good with good vegetarian options.
I purchased a veggie platter, and it was delicious. The staff was friendly, the food DELISH, and the price was great! My new vegan go-to spot!
From the moment we walked in the door they made the birthday girl happy. They gave us the choice seating and the staff Adrea and the cuisine perfect to the palete. Amazing meals as we ate from an amazing selection.
This is some of the best greek cuisine you will taste outside of Greece!! I was with a group of friends so had the great opportunity to taste many of the apps - they are all great so dont be afraid to try something new! But for me the octopus was as good as I have had anywhere in Athens, Pireas, Glyfada or Vouliagmeni! My main was a wonderful deconstructed moussaka, it was truly delightful!Now add the perfect wine choices by the wonderful Michael it truly was a night to remember!I look forward to my next visit!
Our team had an incredible dinner at Nerai. Thank you so much for the wonderful food and service.
Last evening, we joined another couple for dinner at Nerai (54th St. near Madison Ave.). It’s what I guess I’d call Nouvelle Greek, for lack of a better term. It’s a no-tipping restaurant (gratuities are built into the prices.) We started with wine and a shot of Old Rip Van Winkle bourbon at the bar, and then made our way into the elegantly attractive main dining room (there’s another room upstairs).It wasn’t very crowded for a Saturday evening – about half-full throughout the night -- but I think that’s likely a function of the midtown East neighborhood. I understand it’s jammed at lunch, with the business crowd.The Sommelier was excellent – he was very knowledgeable and quickly became attuned to our tastes. With dinner, we had a white: Hatzidakis Assyrtiko de Louros 2014 (which was unlike any other Greek wine I’d ever had, in terms of flavor, body, finesse, and price – more like a delicious white Burgundy), and an Italian red: Altare La Villa Langhe 2005. Service was top-notch throughout, expertly achieving that delicate balance between attentiveness and intrusiveness.For dinner, we started with: raw west coast oysters, hamachi crudo, tuna tartare, grilled octopus, and eggplant/zucchini chips. Given all of the starters, the four of us shared three mains: Lavraki (Greek fish beautifully grilled), rack of lamb, and duck moussaka, with sides: cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and zucchini tater tots. Portion sizes were modest, so we weren’t quite as piggish as the list of dishes might otherwise imply….We were too full to order dessert, but once we’d ordered coffee, somehow some complimentary desserts appeared, so we struggled mightily and managed to consume them completely. OK, I guess we were at least a bit porcine….
Oh wow! Amazing food with excellent service! This Greek restaurant in midtown NYC was perfection. Not one bad dish. I would highly recommend the lavraki, the tuna tartar, and the spicy feta.
Great menu. Got 2 different fish dishes and several appetizers and it was all great. Unique no tip restaurant, though tip is included in the prices. Good experience overall.
Wonderful place to start our nyc weekend! This place is beyond fabulous, my husband is a huge foodie and a wine snob as well. I picked this place off the web and hit a homerun. We chose the pre fix menu and added to it as well, whole fish, spinach pies, calamari, poached lobster as well as great wines from Greece. The service and ambience was awesome. We will put this on our nyc must do list! Loved, loved, loved it!!!
Wonderful place with delicious food and perfect service.
Quiet and intimate setting, excellent service, and terrific food. Thoroughly enjoyed this place. If you like Greek inspired food, you should check it out.
Food was delicious! And the staff was great! Try the lobster pasta and the tuna tartare... Also try the grilled octopus. Some amazing food!
Every dish was delicious, great service and recommendations from our waiter.
Upscale Greek restaurant. Slightly stuffy be great for a date night. Food was favorable and servers were attentive. But appetizers were on the smaller side and so were the drinks.
We visited for a family birthday dinner with a group of 12. Great service, atmosphere, and food. Highlights were the spanakopita and duck moussaka. Best Greek meal in NYC!
Staff and service was amazing, wine selection was out of this world. Everything we had was a 10/10. Ive been here before and never been dissatisfied. I highly recommend this place 5 stars
The food, the service, the ambiance, everything about this place is 6 stars, but this only allows 5, best grilled octopus anywhere! fish was cooked to perfection, grilled asparagus was phenomenal
Amazing Upscale greek restaurant!Great variety of seafood and traditional meats.Octopus and chips Nerai make a great starter.Their grilled Branzino, Salmon as well as grilled meats are very good as well.Desserts are traditional with a modern twist.
Generally great food and OK table service, but the traffic jam on a daily basis at the hostess stand needs to be fixed. How have you not figured out a more efficient process by now?
This is a gem of a restaurant. Stumbled upon it on my last visit to NYC. Amazing food, service and wine list. A must to try out!!!! Im Greek and loved all their gourmet takes on traditional Greek food. 😊
Everything was amazing just had my one year wedding anniversary there and It was awesome!
Best lobster pasta I’ve ever had. 10/10. Everything else is also super delicious.
Delicious food and wine. Great outdoor and indoor seating. great place to celebrate special occasions
Wonderful restaurant, impeccable service and the food was fantastic! A memorable dinner for our Thanksgiving in the city. We will be back on our next trip!
Absolutely delicious choices from the apps to entrees. Their octopus is to die for! Their wine list is extensive and the staff is extremely knowledgeable on how to pair wine with your food choices.
Very nice place, delicious food, helpful staff, a few vegan options
Cold night but the food and company was great
Friendly, authentic service, nice modern atmosphere, many vegetarian options.... I really liked this place
Im so in love with Newyork! The people, the weather, the cleanliness, the punctuality, and most importantly the food. We were at Nerai digging into some authentic greek cuisine, just living out our Mediterranean fantasies and I had some of the most delicious food here. It was absolutely amazing. Thank you!
We went to Nerai because of the great reviews. The place was crowded and noisy, we could barely hear each other. The restaurant is very nicely decorated and has a good staff. However, the food was only average and the prices a bit too high for what you get. Overall, it was a mediocre experience.
Amazing 11/10 will definitely be going back loved everything about this restaurant. Every plate was a different experience
Lovely outdoor patio, excellent service and many diverse food options.
I love coming to this restaurant.. The service its always great and the food always reminds me of back home. Great ambience as well
We were at the bar having drinking - stoli elite martini to be exact. Christian savaglia, the person behind the desk taking reservation interrupted me and said that somebody had reserved a bar seat. We obliged and gave away a seat but asked the person whether he had a reservation, he said. Than we asked the bar tender whether spots were reerved at the bar, he said no. So Christian absolutely lied, he was dishonest. We paid without finishing our drinks and left. I will not go there again, this was my fifth time there and its sad that we had to contend with a moron like Christian. I like the place but will not go again until he apologizes.
Excellent cuisine with great service. Highly recommend. Salads are great, same as the desserts. Fresh fish on the menu.
We had an event at Nerai that proved to be both elegant and delicious. Outstanding service , food and drink quality superb. Excellent attention and service . Would recommend in a heartbeat.
Great atmosphere with fabulous wait staff.The food was delicious and great to shareNot really noisy, so good for conversation
Food is on par if not a little better with the other 800 pound gorillas of greek dining in midtown. I will say the stand out is the decor and the dessert at this place, the baklava (they call it saragli) and the lavender mousse were outrageous.
The food was good, as was the atmosphere. However, the prices were way too high... Id like to go back again, but for the cost, there are much better options.
Very nice ambiance, food good but trying too hard to make different
Greek restaurant with a variety of mediterranean dishes. The food was not not bad but a bit bland for my taste. Given the cost of the food here I would probably spend the same amount for a meal elsewhere.
Great food and service. There is a room downstairs that can be reserved for small private events. It can get pretty noisy down there when every table is having and engaging conversation.
Great place and delicious food 😍😍👏🏼 10/10 try the salmon dish👌🏻
Good foodSome items better than others but really grear Zucchini Chips
Total reviews rating 4.5
199 Reviews for Nerai 2023:
Review №1
2022-06-22Nerai is good, with a wide variety of options on their dinner menu. We ordered the zucchini chips, the chicken, and the squid ink pasta. The chips were good, the pasta was okay, and the chicken was exceptional. While the food was good, their service was slow, and the food was very expensive. While we enjoyed our visit, we didnt return on this trip to NYC, even though our hotel was across the street.
Review №2
2022-02-15Valentine’s Night post. This is one of my go to spots for solid Greek/Mediterranean dishes. It is uptown between park and Madison with close proximity to fifth Ave shops and Central Park. The one thing that I have to highlight is the service over the phone, it is very quick, easy and accommodating. The service was great along with the dishes. The menu was set with two options for the entree: New York strip or halibut. We went with one of each. The halibut was dry and the flavor was very bland. Everything else was fantastic. It was disappointing that a separate cocktail menu was not available at all upon request and only one cocktail was available.
Review №3
2022-06-12Very rare to find a restaurant that has 5/5 service and food. Modern Greek cuisine. Indoor and outdoor (seating area) decor transforms you out of the city from the moment you walk in.Service was very on point. Our server was very attentive, gave good recommendations and checked on us every time with a smile. We felt welcomed and not rushed.We got the grilled octopus (tender and flavorful), zucchini chips (delicious and table fave!), fried cheese, Brussel sprouts (this was recommended by our server, this was one of the best Brussel sprouts Ive had - next time i come back Im getting 2), aged steak and lamb were both cooked well and not overcooked. Must leave room for dessert. The yogurt sundae (recommended by server) was our fave. There were a lot of flavors that blended very well together in one bite. The yogurt trio each had a unique taste that was very easy to distinguish.We came on a Sat night and had reservations for 530pm (perfect time if youre able to go early as the restaurant was busy but not packed yet).
Review №4
2022-02-16The food was absolutely delicious. The atmosphere was very romantic. The service was amazing- everyone is so kind and helpful. I came here for a special birthday celebration and it did not disappoint. I’ll definitely be coming back.
Review №5
2022-02-15We had the Valentines day tasting menu. Nice atmosphere, tasty food and great service. As a Greek restaurant, I think its better than the Michilin star restaurant in Athens I went to two months ago.
Review №6
2022-04-16Nerai is one of my favorite destinations for upscale and delicuous Greek cuisine. Lobster pasta is beautifully seasoned with natural sweetness from the lobster. Lavraki is simply grilled branzino and offers decent portion at a reasonable price. And you cannot miss the yogurt trio for a perfect end of a romantic dinner.
Review №7
2021-10-19Had made reservations for a friends birthday for 8 pm on a Thursday evening, and we managed to get reservations 3 days before our preferred date. Reservation process was fairly straightforward for a group of 4 and a 2 year old.They had this amazing outdoor seating what they refer as Outdoor Courtyard... they were these 3, well lit beautiful booths, where we really wanted to seat, but werent given those. From the time we entered to the time we left, 2 of them were unoccupied. Dont understand the rationale behind that especially when we were celebrating something special!Anyway, that however, isnt indicative of their excellent, and friendly staff that made us feel very welcome and were very attentive throughout our dinner course here. We ordered a few delicious cocktails, which average at about $18 each. Cocktails were great.We started off with Traditional Trio Spreads ($23) and Spinach Pies ($18) to share. Our server was kind enough to include an extra pie because it was the 4 of us. This plate typically comes with 3 pies. 1 star just for this kind gesture! Appetizers were good and quite tasty. Sadly those were the best dishes we had.We had ordered Pasta for dinner which included Seafood Orzotto ($36), Lobster Pasta ($46), and a Summer Risotto ($29). My risotto was really bland and did not nerai any standout flavor. All I could taste was cheese and I was hoping the snap peas and trumpet mushrooms along with mint would have added some refreshing taste... but no. It was just bland and no spice whatsoever!Service overall was excellent and their garden seating was very comfortable including a very fancy high chair for our little one! We had a decent experience.
Review №8
2021-12-05Absolutely stunning, order 2 Greek beer, none of those let me down,For the Greek salad, it just give you lots of flavored seasoning and components, definitely recommendFor entree, the lobster pasta is a must try if this is your first time, it wont let you down
Review №9
2021-08-24It isn’t too often that I find a restaurant that really knocks my socks off with every dish, however, this one really did. Even from the tzatziki at the start, I knew we were in for something special. The octopus is arguably one of the best I’ve ever tried. The texture is perfect—not gooey at all. The lobster pasta with squid ink was fantastic too. Even the spinach pies were flawless. If you’re in the area, definitely check out Nerai!
Review №10
2022-06-25We were here a few year back. Food was OK but nothing like the greek food in Montreal. Also very pricey to what we are used to but then again it is NYC.