Kefi

Good food, not so good setting. Dishes I tried were warm feta appetizer, mussels, and sheep milk dumplings. All very fresh, simple, tasty.
Setting was not so nice. It was quite loud and difficult to hear each other talking, even with the tiny tables. There’s barely enough room to place your utensils by your plates. We got stuck at a table in the middle and was getting bumped/​brushed by all the waiters walking by. Boo. I hear the basement area is nicer.

Wow, Kefi’s food is not only outstanding, the prices are so good. Note, that this place only takes cash.
My bf and I went on a Friday night at 8:30pm, and had to wait 25 minutes for a table of two. The restaurant is on the lower level of an apartment buildiing. When you walk in, you are greeted by the bar, and all the seating is in the back. The décor is just lovely and homey. The walls are painted white with candle lighting on the walls. The ceilings are decorated with blue and white fabric. It’s just a great atmosphere and kind of has a country-​style feel mixed in with living in a doll house.
All the food that came out was delicious. For appetizers, we had the grilled octopus and sheep’s milk dumplings. (And they came out relatively fast too). Never had grilled octopus so it kind of had the texture and taste of chicken. The sheep’s dumplings were tasty — the sauce, the lambb sausage, spinach, cheese all mixed into one dish. Both of these had a lot of flavor and nothing was bland. For our main entrees, we opted for the the bass and lamb shank. Both of these had very distinct tastes but if I had to choose a favorite, it would be the lamb shank. The fish was great as well, but I think when I was eating back and forth between the entrees it had a more sour aftertaste.
We paired our foods with Greek beer and a glass of the «X» red wine (the name is so long but it starts with an X). My wine was great.
To top it off, the service was excellent. The bus boys kept clearing off our tables, and our waiter was extremely knowledgeable about the foods, the drinks, and always came up to check on us to make sure we were enjoying the food.
I can’t believe I hadn’t searched for this place sooner on Unilocal,but this is now one of my favorite Greek/​Mediterranean spots. The food is great, and not greasy at all. Wow, I will definitely recco this place to my friends and fellow Unilocalers.

In one word, EXCELLENT!
PROS:
The food. Everything was excellent from the appetizers (grilled octopus, meatballs) to the entrees (braised rabbit (must-​have), sheep’s milk ravioli, lamb shank, pan-​seared bass) to the dessert (walnut cake with walnut ice-​cream) to the drinks (marathon beer to the red wines). The service was excellent and even though it was a little tight (for 4 ppl) I liked the atmosphere (very NYC). The best of all was the bill at $ 120 (includes tax and tip) was phenomenal.
CONS:
None.

The only problem with Kefi is the line to get in, and hopefully that will go away once they move to a bigger space on Columbus. If the food stays the same, then this amazingly-​priced Greek spot will be better than ever.
I dream about the shrimp and orzo dish, while the Greek-​style meatballs make for a perfect appetizer for the carnivore. For the price, I’m not sure this place can be beat for Greek goods anywhere in the Upper West, let alone the entire city.

Wonderful!
Best Greek place in NYC, maybe surpassed only by Kokkari in SF. The food is so good I could go here every night, and I’m not even Greek.
My only complaint is the place is too small! I was seated and was knocked into by waiters and guests constantly. They need to rearrange the set up or make it less tables (likely an unpopular suggestion for management, but still it is a problem).

I’m a fan of Mylos — but Kefi is really great… and unbeatable for the price. Dinner for four was $ 160 plus tip, for a bottle of wine, 5 appetizers, and 5 entrees. YES, 5 apps and 5 entrees for FOUR people. From my last experience there, the lamb chop entrée was so good, I had to order it for the table to try. We also split the grilled octopus appetizer.
I had the branzino, which was grilled. The skin was crispy and delicious, and the meat was tender and still moist. Along with the fish are capers, green olives, cherry tomatoes and new potatoes. The lamb chops are tender and crisp on the outside, rare inside. They are tempting to eat just like a lollipop, and it comes with creamy rice and spinach. I also tried the warm feta, anchovy, tomato and pita appetizer. I would only recommend it if you like salt, which I do. Don’t make the mistake of thinking it’s anything like a salad — it’s a dip.
Found out that Kefi is from the same owners as Anthos. They will be moving in two weeks to 84^th and Broadway. From 60 seats to 200! We’ll have to see if the low prices and high quality will last!

[EDIT: Kefi reopened in a new and improved location on 84^th and Columbus. The food is still great; it’s just a bigger space now.]
Quality Greek at reasonable prices. Got the mussels and giant beans, stuffed cabbage, sheep’s milk ravioli, and swordfish steak. They don’t stiff you on portions and I would recommend them all.

Surprisingly low prices make this upper west sider more bearable than if it had been priced according to the neighborhood.
The problem is that the service isn’t particularly great and the food equates its price rather than going above and beyond. When my friend and I arrived, the hostess ignored us for awhile before finally acknowledging us. Our waiter too, seemed tired and uninterested.
The food was fine, but better has been had. We started off with a selection of spreads, all of which weren’t remarkable. My appetizer-​sized entrée of sheeps milk dumplings with lamb sausage and tomato was very rich, but pretty good. My friend’s baby lamb chops, the special of the night, were good but not very tender, and the accompanying rice failed at its aspirations to be risotto.
Overall, fine, if you’re dying for cheap Greek in the area. Otherwise, don’t go out of your way.

The rabbit pasta is great, but if you ate it once a week you would probably get gout.
It gets 5 stars rather than 4 because of the prices.

First thing, the décor is pretty neat. It’s a small sort of place that is easy to miss on the street, but when you get in, everything is nice and tastefully decorated. Space is a little small, but it’s not bad.
Foodwise, everything was quite good. I was adventurous and tried the sheep’s milk dumplings as an appetizer despite the fact that our waitress had nothing to say except that people liked another appetizer much better. The dumplings were very yummy, cheesy but not overwhelmingly so. I got the hangar steak as my main entrée and it was cooked perfectly, tender and flavorful. Not dry at all, which is the experience I’ve had quite a lot with hangar steak. My friends seemed happy with their fish dishes though I didn’t try any of theirs, and I don’t remember specifically what they ordered.

Meeting a girlfriend for late tapas and wine.
My girlfriend is a Columbia grad student so she lives in Morningside Heights. We decided on a happy medium on the UWS It’s been a long time since I’ve been to UWS. I forgot how much I enjoy it. So off the bat I’m already happy with the location.
If you are not looking for it, you will miss Kefi. It’s sunken from the street and even as you look inside it doesn’t exactly resemble a trendy tapas bar. When I get there they take us to a very cramped small dining room. I ordered the Greek sparkling wine, and 2 dishes– horatiki (Greek salad) and the sheep’s milk ravioli in butter sage sauce. My girlfriend sticks to water and ordered the grilled octopus (or was it squid?) salad and the crispy cod. The horatiki had a unique twist and in my opinion, it just missed the mark. Her salad also was very good, although I was skeptical since I don’t even like calamari (fried rubber bands, yuck) but I’ll try anything once. Both the ravioli and the cod were delicious, I was thoroughly satisfied.
The meal ended with a slice of their walnut cake with maple ice cream and 2 glasses of ouzo on the rocks. Yassou!

Been twice and loved it. Moussaka and rabbit pasta were my favorites. The greek salad was unique. Service is great, a little cramped.
This is one of the best values in NYC as far as I am concerned. No entrees were above 15 bucks I think.

Really fantastic food. Huge portions. Insanely cheap prices.
I absolutely loved the selection of spreads (appetizer). I’ve had better greek salad (kefi’s is too drenched in EVOO), but I did enjoy my meatballs. The yogurt and honey dessert is also divine.
The basement townhouse setting is really adorable, though I felt a little odd dining in a room with no windows. Beyond that, though, cute spot.
Waited about 15 – 20 min for a table for 2 at 8pm on a Monday. The waitstaff and bartenders are ridiculously friendly, and I passed the time by enjoying a great glass of Greek wine at the bar.
Overall, an enjoyable evening at a restaurant I wouldn’t have discovered without Unilocal

I had dinner at Kefi for the first time last week and was definitely very impressed with the food. What we ordered:
— Greek Salad (refreshing and light)
— Mussels with Gigantico Beans (very very tasty, I can drink the sauce by itself)
— Fried Sweetbreads (this was really well-​prepared; deep fried and tossed with garlic, spinach and olive oil. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!)
— Grilled Bronzino (very fresh fish, simple preparation but extremely flavourful, perfectly crispy on the outside + juicy inside)
— Walnut Cake w/​Walnut Ice-​Cream (yum, what more can I say?)
I intend on going back to this place again soon. Not only was the price reasonable, the food is really very good and the staff very friendly.
Caution: They don’t take reservations and this is a very busy restaurant, so be prepared to wait. I went on a Thursday night 6:30pm and there was already a big crowd waiting to be seated.
Also, this place accepts cash only!
The maitre’d informed us that in a few months, they’ll be moving to a new location a few blocks away which is bigger and they hope to be able to accept reservations & credit cards at that time.

Who could complain about very good Greek food, served in a cozy (cramped) room with plenty (too many) of tables to accomodate all of the very hungry (dying for a bargain) Upper West Siders.
No reservations about this place; it’s that good. Arrive early or late, or you will wait.
Bring cash, it works better for their accounting system or something. No credit cards.
Food is really quite good and reasonably priced.
appetizers: cod is excellent
calamari is good
octopus is nice
never had a bad one
pasta: rabbit is superb; get it every time
moussaka was OK but not what I expected, so-​so

main: steak is very flavorful and good portion, but can be tough
excellent seasoning
lamb shank is so tender and tasty, you’ll want more
fish plates can vary — make sure they do not overcook
wonderful usually
most appetizers are under $ 10, main dishes are 12 to $ 16.
Downside is it attracts a lot of AARPers and their mothers for the great bargain that it is. You also get many families with little kids, and big parties of what looks like Grandma’s 97^th birthday. No cool vibe here. Just UWS sensibility. It’s a bit dull, but nice food.

Repost from
You might totally miss this little place on 79^th, but inside is some awesome Greek food. It’s cramped and not good for groups, but still totally worth checking out. The food is super flavorful, the ingredients are fresh, and portions are just right. There are so many menu selections that we can’t wait to come back and try every single one. You’ll be surprisingly full just dining on the appetizers, tapas-​style.
Pricing: Cheap
Venue: Sit Down
Cuisine: Greek
Favorite Dish (es): Spreads selection — Yogurt, Caviar, Eggplant, Chickpea ($ 9.95 appetizer), Grilled Octopus and Bean Salad ($ 9.95 appetizer), Meatballs ($ 5.95 appetizer)

I was in Greece this past summer — and had a «true» Greek food experience… and this was fabulously close to that. the appetizer small plates were delish and fresh — i recommend the calamari, and hummus/​eggplant/​yogurt dill spreads with pita. Saw a greek salad at a nearby table and wished we ordered that too! The pork souvlaki entrée was delicios but good to split as its a generous portion — especially after our appetizer warm up ;-)
to add to the overall experience, the blue and white décor made you feel like you were in Greece, almost a nautical theme/​feel… service was great (attractive and attentive, too!)
plus, i always enjoy Unilocaling about my fav spots around town, and now its nice to finally have one in my ‘hood that i’m proud to boast about… all around, excellent spot… can’t wait to go back!

Great, solid Greek food.
The spreads to share are fab, and the pork souvlaki is ridiculously good. The wine list is also nice (by the glass and the bottle.)
Cash only is kind of annoying, but whatever, I suppose they can get away with it.
Mondays at 7 there is no wait!

You know that favorite photo of someone you know (or yourself, you egotist)? I’m not talking about the arty black and white pic or the one with the amazing background. It’s just a straightforward shot that captures a smile/​facial expression you’ve seen in tiny glimpses during shared laughs or perfect moments (or you’ve never been able to replicate in front of a mirror, you self-​absorbed ass). Think of it as capturing that person (or you, you vain fuck) in the best natural light.
Change ‘best natural light’ to ‘best natural flavor’ and that’s how I felt about the seafood I had at Kefi.
The grilled octopus ($ 10) on bean salad was transcendent. The half-​foot long octopus leg is about two fingers thick and amazingly tender and flavorful. There are no bold spices — just straightforward flavors (e.g., lemon, olive oil) that bring out an essence of the cephalapod I’d never experienced before. The bean salad — a mix of chickpeas, greek beans (fasolia), and sundried tomatoes — was equally delicious.
The grilled branzino entrée ($ 16) came with two thin filets on top of a mix of potatoes, cherry tomatoes, olives, and some olive oil. The whole dish had a wonderful roasted flavor. The fish was nice, light and flavorful in a way that seafood and non-​seafood lovers can both enjoy (same goes for the octopus). The potatoes went well with the fish but I was more impressed with the taste of the caperberries (look like stemmed olives) on the plate.
The bartender talked me into the cheese flan dessert ($ 6) which was (thankfully) more savory than sweet. It reminded me of a lighter, subtler version of cheese bread I’ve had as a starter to some meals. A shredded wheat topping somehow worked too. The side of rice-​based ice cream and mandarin oranges complemented the dish well.
I had a glass of red wine that was reasonably priced ($ 6) and reasonably good.
Can’t speak much for the vibe/​décor as I stayed in the front area by the bar vs. the dining area. I can say, though, that the waiting area filled up around 7:30PM on a Tuesday night. No reservations. No credit cards.
This is my new favorite less than $ 50/​person dinner spot on the UWS and I only add the $ qualifier b/​c I haven’t sampled many of the pricier spots…(i spread out my dough…:))

Outside of the high-​end that is pervasive in the UWS, this might be the best new establishment I’ve found in a very long time.
I’ve never been to Kefi any time other than a weekday. But in full view of the other reviews, I can honestly say I’ve never waited more than 10 minutes for a table.
Not a single entrée hits the $ 20 mark, only one is more than $ 15 and the food here is special.
The Greek Salad is fantastic: fresh, diverse flavors but with the staples you’d anticipate in such a dish.
Skip the trio of spreads and just ask for a full compliment of Taramosalata. It’s not on the menu but they do this for us every time we go. It’s flat out the best Taramosalata I’ve ever had. The Crispy Cod is outstanding as well.
For a main course I’d recommend the Shrimp and Orzo, Roasted Chicken or Grilled Branzino in that order. The last night I visited Kefi offered a Lamb Chop special that was terrific. Great value.
The Cheese Flan is flat out one of the best desserts I’ve had in a long time. Simple, well executed, unique and delicious.
The staff is warm and gracious. Our server was very sweet and from Greece so very knowledgeable. Kefi is not taverna style as you find most garden variety Greek restaurants to be. They add some flare to everything they do so if you want a stock gyro sandwich, go to a street stand. Don’t come to Kefi looking for something they aren’t, and then bash it as a lot of folks I see seem to feel a need to do. The interior is inviting but not distinguished in any profound way. When full, the dining room is boisterous.
***No credit cards taken so remember to bring cash***