KAVA Neo-Taverna 315 Shawmut Avenue, Boston, MA 02118

"Since it is a small venue, it would be wrong to go without a reservation. The atmosphere is very dim and chic. As a Greek, I can say that the food is amazing. We tried the sea bass, calamari and octopus, they were all delicious. We looked for a place to park the car for about ten minutes, but this can be a problem."

"Classic Greek food served in an intimate bar setting. Nestled in the residential neighborhood in South End, KAVA is a popular spot among the locals for authentic Greek cuisines served tapas-style. I recently took a visit for a light Mediterranean meal paired with wine, but the overall experience didn't quite live up to its good reviews. From their small plates, we got their signature Kolokithakia and Octapodi. Spiked into a cool and creamy tzatziki dip, the fried zucchinis were excellent bites with our drinks, and the grilled octopus had a nice smoky flavor. Since most of the things we ordered were seasoned with lemon and olive oil, we switched gears with the Saganaki Garides, a mildly spicy shrimp dish reminiscent of a tomato stew, which stood out with its tender shrimps. Our entree, however, was quite disappointing. We got the mixed grill to sample a variety of meats, but most of the meat skewers and sausages were notably dry. These were no better than the ones sold at Mediterranean fast food joints, and we ended up leaving the chicken and the sausage. The only thing that we liked was the paidaka - grilled lamb, which we found to be extremely tender. Overall, KAVA shines in its smaller seafood offerings and provides a charming ambiance for wine and conversation, it may not be the best option for satisfying Greek food. The intimate bar setting and modern vibe are its unique selling points, but for now, I'm not sure if I would return."

"Wonderful food! We ordered lots of small plates to split among the table and got lots of variety. The service was also great. There wasn’t anything jaw-droppingly good, but it was still overall a good experience with nice food."

"A staple, very good food and vibes. Highly recommend the zucchini chips and the lamb keftedes. Most of the tomato based dishes tasted identical - I don’t know if they use the same sauce for all dishes or what, but it takes away variety and excitement from the experience. Cauliflower was super spicy, didn’t expect the spice level. Cheese was okay, probably wouldn’t order again."

"Great place that I had been meaning to try for so long. Prices are normal for the area albeit still expensive but the food, ambiance was worth it! Pictures here are the zucchini chips (5/5), lamb meatballs (4/5), octopus (4/5), and cauliflower (3/5). I’d get everything again except the cauliflower - it wasn’t bad at all I would just want to try something else."