Avra

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141 E 48th St (at Lexington Avenue)
New York, NY 10017

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(212) 759-8550
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Avra - New York, NY
Reviews
( 14 )
( 15 )
( 5 )
( 3 )
( 8 )

Best

All wait staff and manager's were wonderful and the service was outstanding, great food and a great range of choices. A must try for dinner or lunch with inside or outside option ...

Worst

Just awful... mediocre dishes for an over-rated dining experience.

Editorial review from Citysearch 11/17/2013

Came here for my birthday party over the weekend. Great food and décor. Did not have to wait long for the food to come. Worth the 20% Gratuity. more
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not worth the attitude 5/31/2010

I used to love this place but over the years the hostesses grew leaner and meaner. I live part-time in the neighborhood so I enjoy frequenting the best restaurants during the week, regardless of price. I also LOVE greek food but this place is no longer worth the attitude you get from the second you walk in to the minute you pay. I've watched people come in with a slew of empty tables that were never filled and they waited hours to sit down. You think the owners would have more brains for profit but they try to play the game of exclusivity even though it's no longer in vogue. What a shame as it used to be one of my favorites but I will not go back again. Pros: good food, nice ambience (aside from staff) Cons: bad attitudes from hostesses and staff, pricey more
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Good music but mediocre food and service 5/25/2009

Ok-ambience is fine but exorbitantly priced brunch menu. Poach a few eggs at home will be more ideal. Pros: live band Cons: brunch menu not recommended more
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Outstanding food and service 5/20/2009

All wait staff and manager's were wonderful and the service was outstanding, great food and a great range of choices. A must try for dinner or lunch with inside or outside option in eating. more
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Would LOVE to rate the food but mine never came 4/29/2009

I mean seriously... horrendous. my food didn't come to our table of 4 at the other time as the same 3. Or ever. Even worse, cocky waiter says ""it will be 7 minutes"". 25 minutes later my husband, sister and brother in law are done with their main course, with mine nowhere in sight. The waiter has the gall to say ""oh, it never came?"" like I'm to blame. He wanted to bring me a FOUL greek yogurt dessert as a consolation prize. Should I have felt lucky? To add insult to injury, nothing, not ONE thing, comped on the bill. Poor excuse for greek food (nigerian prawns and maine lobster? really?), positively barbaric manners, and i will most certainly go out of my way to steer every manhannite i know away from this measly little engine that couldn't. Pros: if you love attitude Cons: oh so many more
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Great raw sampler seafood 4/13/2009

I went back for the second time, after the waiter called ""honey"" the first time, because I really enjoyed the food.We were seated all the way in the back,closed to the bathroom and close to a large party!! The waitress came, never smiled, took our wine order, opened the bottle and that`s about it!! All she did was filling our white wine glasses!! We finished the bottle even before we were done with the apps!! Another waiter took our order and never worried about us! So we had to wave to get someone attention!! so the service really sucked!! Again!! The food is great!! Pros: Very fresh seafood Cons: Service more
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Great ambiance, pathetic service 3/4/2009

A truly disappointing experience. My girlfriend and I were intrigued by the beautiful restaurant we past on 48th, but were greeted with rolling eyes and attitude at only 9 pm. I should probably add that we both put ourselves through college as servers in a 3 1/2 star resort. Once our wine was served, we nearly had to throw something to be noticed, and our water was not refilled a single time. A true let down. The food was sub par. The menu indicates that the fish are deboned, but my girlfriends meal was riddled with bones. I have never once written a bad review, being a server makes you very understanding of the pains and trials that servers endure, but this experience was that bad. more
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Boring and Rude 12/29/2008

What a sad evening. Second time there. First was in the summer and the waiter was excellent and the sardines were great so I brought in clients from all over for dinner in late November. They embarrassed themselves. Service was terrible, the waitress was rude, forgot our sides, was absent. Food so was boring, no life, no passion, no quality. It's played. more
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I can't wait to go back 10/18/2008

The service was classic and elegant with a nice formal presentation. Pros: service,food more
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awful!!! 9/18/2008

Just awful... mediocre dishes for an over-rated dining experience. more
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Good Greek, but a few negatives. 9/18/2008

What you read below is true - Great spot, especially if you can get a table NEAR the front, but not out on the sidewalk (too noisy for me, at least.) The interior is very well-executed, although the crowd and noise does take away from the serenity promised by the decor. more
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Amazing! 8/15/2008

Absolutely amazing. The best Greek Food in NYC!!!!!!!!!!! Excellent service. I've been to Avra for lunch and dinner several times. more
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Nice place! 5/7/2008

Food is good, fun atmosphere. A bit pricy. Best enjoyed off hours, when they aren't too busy: late afternoon , not a weekend evening. more
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Beautiful restaurant with Amazing Seafood 4/3/2008

Came for a birthday party last week. Our waiter recommended we try the whole fish from the grill. This was the best seafood I've had in a LONG time. The branzino was so mild, and it was filleted right at the table, so you could see all the fresh herbs that were stuffed in the fish for grilling. It's served with a small side of lemon olive oil, which made for such a healthy, simple flavor. Beautiful interior, great affordable wine. Definitely coming back! Pros: Fresh Seafood, Beautiful decor more
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Greasy Lamb Kebob 7/23/2007

Lunch at Avra on a nice, sunny day was a real treat. They have a prix-lunch menu for 30 bucks which is a bit pricey. However, the area is in the pricey side. You have a good variety to choose from on the prix menu. I chose the grill squid for 1 course and lamb kebob w/fries and yogurt. The squid was made to perfection. But the lamb was so greasy. I ended up eating only 1 of 2 kebobs and throwing the rest out. There is dessert - choice of cookies or cake. Our waiter was nice and we were seated promptly Pros: professional waiter staff Cons: greasy food more
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A Greek Island in the middle of Manhattan 7/16/2007

A wonderful experience, the Loup de Mer is a must ! We've been going to Avra for a few month now and keep going back with the same gastronomic pleasure. We had our wedding lunch organised at Avra on 7-7-7, we can only thank Arturo and all his staff for making it a perfect day for us ! more
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Great food. Very fresh! 5/18/2007

It has to be one of the best seafood experience that I ever had. Very fresh. I love the grilled octopus! It is the best I have ever had. We got married last year in Greece and wasn't too impressed with the food there. Now I know what we missed!!! Pros: Great dishes; very fresh; lively environment Cons: A bit on the pricy side more
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Wonderful Place! 3/30/2007

I took my brother and girlfriend here for a late lunch and was very pleasantly surprised, despite the place being packed--we were seated within minutes, despite a line of waiting patrons. I am not much of a midtown fan (with a few exceptions) when it comes to dining, but loved Avra. Think Milos or Thalassa, but with a much deeper menu. Perfect cheese & olive plate, Stuffed Grilled Octopi were fantastic, my salmon wrapped in grape leaves was new, interesting and delicious, brother's swordfish was perfectly cooked and seasoned well. Assortment of desserts (to appease my girlfriend's sweet-tooth) were all amazing. For a fraction of a second, I thought our server wasn't going to come over, but as soon as i lifted my head to look for him, he was there and remained attentive the rest of the meal. Not inexpensive, but you won't spend what you would at Milos. Avra is a very lively restaurant with amazing authentic Greek cuisine and fine service. Pros: lively atmosphere, amazing food Cons: couldn't find any more
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If you are a fish lover with a flair for something original this is the place to go! 3/18/2007

We walked in on a Friday night without reservations and were seated promptly. The restaurant was buzzing with couples, families, businessmen and singles. There were two couches and a table in the small bar area that we asked to eat at. Although, I do not think this is a normal request they were happy to accomodate us. The atmosphere was relaxing, the lights were dimmed just right and we had a view of the beautiful falling snow outside. We began with three dips (eggplant, yogurt/cucumber, and fetta with roasted red pepper). Each one had its own unique flavor, the ingredients were fresh and the serving size was generous. The main course which was a wild alaskan salmon wrapped in grape leaves served with roasted vegetables was simply the best I have ever had. The flavor was outstanding, the portion was generous and the presentation was inviting. My husband had the tuna which was served exactly to his liking, rare! Pros: Enticing Menu Choices, Generous Portions, Great Location Cons: Slow Service more
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Great seafood 1/20/2007

I went here for lunch and ordered the crabcake burger. They were unlike a lot of crabcakes I am used to-- there were large pieces of fresh crab and less of the breading. The oregano fries it came with were alright, as it got cooler, they were quite cold. I also tried a piece of the lobster ravioli, you could really taste the lobster. Can't really come here on a regular basis though, its pretty expensive! Pros: fresh and tasty seafood Cons: too pricey more
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Menu for Avra


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Fine Greek dining with an emphasis on fresh seafood features a lengthy wine list and outdoor tables.

Owner Message

  • Avra specializes in grilled seafood using only the freshest and most flavorful ingredients available. "Simple cooking is the best cooking," is our mantra at Avra. A beautiful lithrini from the Mediterranean or an American snapper from the Atlantic dressed only with extra olive oil, fresh herbs and lemon, or a classic octopus grilled to perfection are dishes that exemplify Avra and the essence of Greek cooking.

    Innovative Greek architect Yianni Skordas has turned the spacious Avra interior into a cozy dining environment which also includes a courtyard for al fresco seating in the summer.
    Everything about Avra is homey. From the flowers to the limestone floors and stonewashed walls of the interior remind one of the traditional white walls and blue roofs often seen in postcards of Greece and its famous islands.

Editorial

  • Fine Greek dining with an emphasis on fresh seafood features a lengthy wine list and outdoor tables.

  • 11/21/2005 Provided by Citysearch
Additional information
  • Hours: Mon-Fri 12pm-4pm, 5pm-12am Sat 11am-4pm, 5pm-12am Sun 11am-4pm, 5pm-11pm
  • Payments: Visa, Master Card, American Express
  • Neighborhoods: Midtown Center, Midtown
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