Barbounia

Yes the space is gorgeous and the food is good, what there is of it. We were a very large party (10) for lunch and whatever pleasant experience could be derived from the interesting menu and inviting decor was quickly dampened by an incredibly slow kitchen and service that was beyond bad. Let's first address the food. Yes, the imaginative menu offered many interesting dishes and some were excellent. Many, unfortunately, were in portions that they should be ashamed of. Enough said. The kiss of death for us came in the form of impolite waiters who made rare visits to the table and looked like they were at a funeral. If you are going to keep people waiting an hour for a lunch entree, then at least be nice. Come over and say, "sorry for the delay, is there anything we can get you? More drinks? An appetizer or two on us?" Not here. They couldn't care less. Finally, the maitre d' came over and rattled off an apology that came too little too late. And as far as that coffee custard they rave about, it would be nice if it tasted like coffee. How this place will stay in business is Greek to me! Pros: Gorgeous space. Maybe ok for a drink and an appy at the cool bar. Cons: Dreadful service and impolite staff. more

We had a party of 14, seated at the large bar table-- we had a great time, the waitor(S) were so attentive and very personable. The food was hot and promptly brought out all together. The drinks were YUMMY and the decor was very trendy. We were in and out of there within 1hr 45min-- on a Sat. evening! It was perfect! Very pleased! more

We had a party of 14, seated at the large bar table-- we had a great time, the waitor(S) were so attentive and very personable. The food was hot and promptly brought out all together. The drinks were YUMMY and the decor was very trendy. We were in and out of there within 1hr 45min-- on a Sat. evening! It was perfect! Very pleased! more

Skip the rest of the entrees and order anything seafood! The NY Times gave the chicken a good review, honestly, I'm not sure what the reviewer was eating because the chicken was dry and unflavorful. The seafood on the other-hand, everything from the red-snapper to the skate was delicious and GENEROUS in portions. If you're going with less than a big group of people, the banquet seating is plush and gorgeous. Overall, an excellent place to dine! more

Skip the rest of the entrees and order anything seafood! The NY Times gave the chicken a good review, honestly, I'm not sure what the reviewer was eating because the chicken was dry and unflavorful. The seafood on the other-hand, everything from the red-snapper to the skate was delicious and GENEROUS in portions. If you're going with less than a big group of people, the banquet seating is plush and gorgeous. Overall, an excellent place to dine! more

My boyfriend and I went to Barbounia on Sunday night and ended up waiting quite a while for drinks and water and then our bill due to some sort of computer malfunction. The food was pretty good and we realized later that the only authentic mediterranian and enjoyable part of our experience was the maitre d' who was the only one to come over and check on us as we waited and waited for our food and then our bill. On our way out we caught her name and honestly Maya is the only reason we will return!! Pros: good host Cons: long wait for overall servic more

My boyfriend and I went to Barbounia on Sunday night and ended up waiting quite a while for drinks and water and then our bill due to some sort of computer malfunction. The food was pretty good and we realized later that the only authentic mediterranian and enjoyable part of our experience was the maitre d' who was the only one to come over and check on us as we waited and waited for our food and then our bill. On our way out we caught her name and honestly Maya is the only reason we will return!! Pros: good host Cons: long wait for overall servic more

If you believe you have a reservation STOP, think again and add an hour to that time. This pseudo Mediteranean restaurant has a great vibe when you walk in but it goes down hill very quickly from there. Poor service, pretty awful food (my fish was terrible and I was sent back and I never send back food) and an arrogance that is pretty high by NYC standards should keep you away till the next restaurant to fill Patria's void comes around. more

If you believe you have a reservation STOP, think again and add an hour to that time. This pseudo Mediteranean restaurant has a great vibe when you walk in but it goes down hill very quickly from there. Poor service, pretty awful food (my fish was terrible and I was sent back and I never send back food) and an arrogance that is pretty high by NYC standards should keep you away till the next restaurant to fill Patria's void comes around. more

I love the atmosphere in Barbounia, it's so lively, it seems like everyone is having a good time, but the music is still low enough to hold a conversation w/o straining your vocal chords. It's a good place to go with a group. The food is delicious; for appetizers, I liked the pikilia and especially the saganaki; as an entree, the grilled branzino is exquisite. The Turkish coffee at the end was really good. Pros: good food, great atmosphere, good service Cons: none more

I love the atmosphere in Barbounia, it's so lively, it seems like everyone is having a good time, but the music is still low enough to hold a conversation w/o straining your vocal chords. It's a good place to go with a group. The food is delicious; for appetizers, I liked the pikilia and especially the saganaki; as an entree, the grilled branzino is exquisite. The Turkish coffee at the end was really good. Pros: good food, great atmosphere, good service Cons: none more

got there, it was a pretty setup, except for that odd feathery thing hanging from the ceiling...bartenders were great, recommended good wine,...and then, our table was late, very late...but the hostess more than made up for it with her attentive service in a packed place...sent us some free amuses at the bar, and a glass of wine while we waited...the food was well worth it, from the octopus salad to veal medallions to delicious risotto which makes a great late night snack when leftover...and then a complimentary desert to make up for our wait... Pros: food, scene, hostess Cons: wait, crowd more

got there, it was a pretty setup, except for that odd feathery thing hanging from the ceiling...bartenders were great, recommended good wine,...and then, our table was late, very late...but the hostess more than made up for it with her attentive service in a packed place...sent us some free amuses at the bar, and a glass of wine while we waited...the food was well worth it, from the octopus salad to veal medallions to delicious risotto which makes a great late night snack when leftover...and then a complimentary desert to make up for our wait... we could have left grumpy and angry about the service, but they did the best they could with a smile and really exceeded our expectations. not a bad looking crowd, either... Pros: food, scene, hostess Cons: wait, crowd more

I had walked past Barbounia several times and was attracted by how pretty it was, even on the outside. I finally tried it for dinner and it exceeded my expectations. The restaurant is beautiful, comfortable and welcoming. The cozy banguets with cushions and flowy curtains add to the ambiance. We shared the Greek salad and a hummus dish for an appetizer and I had snapper for dinner. The food was great, the service very attentive and it had a great wine list. We liked our dessert so much - the apple phylo cigars, so much that we ordered a second portion! The atmosphere was lively but not too loud that we could not hear each other. Very fun and intimate at the same time. Pros: great atmosphere, good food, attentive service Cons: none more

I had walked past Barbounia several times and was attracted by how pretty it was, even on the outside. I finally tried it for dinner and it exceeded my expectations. The restaurant is beautiful, comfortable and welcoming. The cozy banguets with cushions and flowy curtains add to the ambiance. We shared the Greek salad and a hummus dish for an appetizer and I had snapper for dinner. The food was great, the service very attentive and it had a great wine list. We liked our dessert so much - the apple phylo cigars, so much that we ordered a second portion! The atmosphere was lively but not too loud that we could not hear each other. Very fun and intimate at the same time. Very enjoyable and not like every other place out there. Pros: great atmosphere, good food, attentive service Cons: none more

This restaurant is awesome and I didn't think all that expensive, comparing to a sushi place not too far away. Pros: Service, Food, Ambience Cons: Front door too close. more

One star only?, Why?, this place deserve at least 2 stars. But, Chef Michael Cressotti knows is the best place in town, excelent food, friendly and great service. Thanks Barbounia! more

This restaurant is awesome and I didn't think all that expensive, comparing to a sushi place not too far away. I've been going to this newly opened restaurant since it opened, and although the menu changed a bit it's still great. The cold cuts and cheese boards are a great way to start, but their spreads on their bread is unbeatable. The service has always been outstanding and even when we didn't have a reservation they worked something out, where I agreed to keep our meal to just eating. I highly recommend this place, great food, great service and the place is beautiful. If there's one thing I'd say they could fix is the door. When both doors open, a gust of cold wind rushes into the main room, if you're sitting in the path you'll feel it. Pros: Service, Food, Ambience Cons: Front door too close. more

One star only?, Why?, this place deserve at least 2 stars. But, Chef Michael Cressotti knows is the best place in town, excelent food, friendly and great service. Thanks Barbounia! more

Sometimes you need to disagree with a famous newspaper food critic and try a restaurant for yourself. I decided to try Barbounia which I am truly glad I did. I am not sure what the food critic was thinking but my overall experience was extremely satisfactory. One you walk in notice the crystal and feather chandelier in the middle of the room. Place is decorated to give it a modern yet comfortable feel. Open kitchen always makes me feel good about a restaurant. Our table near the kitchen gave us an advantage point to see the Chef Michael and his staff in action also the occasional flames and captivating smells. Food is based on traditional Greek specialties as well as other Mediterranean influenced flavors with a good selection of Greek wine to match your taste. Definitely try the Saganaki, Lamb Chops and the Yogurt panna cota with Turkish coffee. Pros: Nice Ambience, Tasty Food, Excellent Service more