Philotimo

"We decided on philotimo and didn’t realize that we only had the choice of their restaurant week menu. We were there with another couple. My friend and I Got the lamb dish, my wife got the squid, and my friend’s wife got the branzino. A total of 4 drinks were ordered as well. The portions on the lamb were comical. There was barely 5-6 oz of meat total. The portions on the squid were small as well. At the end of the dinner I figured it was $125 per person to eat there. The overall experience was not worth the cost, there are many better choices available in this city."

"A beautifully designed atmosphere with a great selection of wine. While the food was delicious, the service was not up to par for the price point. I also believe the portions were pretty small for what you were paying. I ended up leaving hungry because it took so long to try and order additional items (it wasn’t even very busy either) that we just chalked it up to a bad experience and left (after paying of course). I don’t think I’d go back or recommend it to friends."

"The ambiance was definitely a highlight, creating a welcoming and contemporary atmosphere. The service was another strong point - the staff was not only helpful and attentive but also genuinely kind, adding a pleasant touch to the overall dining experience. However, the highlight of any restaurant visit should be the food, and this is where my experience took a disappointing turn. A specific example was their take on ‘Manti,’ the traditional Turkish dumplings. Priced at $28, the dish consisted of 12 pieces, surprisingly small in size, which initially struck me as poor value. But the real letdown was in the preparation and flavor. The dumplings were served in a plate swimming in oil, making the dish excessively greasy. The dough of the Manti was thick and undercooked, detracting from the texture one would expect from such a delicacy. Furthermore, the filling was overwhelmingly spicy, overpowering the subtle flavors typically associated with this dish. This dish’s execution starkly contrasted with the restaurant’s promising ambiance and excellent service, suggesting a need for a serious reassessment in the kitchen"

"After being closed for over a year - the long awaited reopening of Philotimo is finally here… And there is lots of buzz around it. My friends and I decided to have dinner here, and overall it was a great experience. The restaurant is absolutely stunning, with extremely high ceilings, show stopping chandeliers and trendy, spacious seating. Considering it is a Greek restaurant, I was quite surprised by the menu as they have a wide selection of what I would consider to be quite non-traditional options!! This of course is not a bad thing… It’s always refreshing to see traditional dishes reinvented or fused with other cultures. We went with the Horiatiki Salata (close to a traditional Greek salad), Keftedakia (beef and pork meatballs), Tirokafteri (a feta cheese spread) and Arnaki Lemonato (grilled lamb shoulder and loin). The preparation with all of these was great, fresh, well seasoned and made to perfection. I’ve knocked off a star because it felt that the music and generally noise level was very loud at. Ordinarily I wouldn’t usually mind this - but having to speak so loudly to be heard on your own table wasn’t quite comfortable. There is also some room for improvement with the service, both at the restaurant and with their booking system. I had made a mistake with the date of the original reservation and was unable to change it online, the telephone number is still not reconnected since the restaurant was closed for over a year, and both emails I sent asking for the change were never responded to!! I had to physically go to the restaurant the week before to have the booking changed!! Considering there is a $25 per head holding fee to make a reservation, I thought it pretty cheeky that I had to go through so much to amend my reservation."

"Love the food, the vibes, and the service at one of Chef Nick’s restaurants. The food is amazing and flavorful. Highly recommend the melizanosalata (roasted eggplant) and the pantzaria (heirloom beets). Love the fish of the day as well. Look forward to returning soon!"