While this place has a learning curve...there is no better for chicken gyros (which are rare) and hopefully control of the jukebox. The fries are amazing...there is a bar or just the restaurant part. I've been coming here almost 15 years. A main stay. LOVE. Ask for whole wheat pita. But eat in as gyros don't travel well.
(5)
Gina S.
I know 4 stars seems like a lot but it is a rare gem in a neighborhood full of tourist traps. The food was extremely fresh. The waitress was a doll. Granted the bathroom was scary and the decor was from the 70s but it was like stepping back in old New York
(4)
Lia P.
I love this place, I haven't had the problems that other people have...My husband and I like to share the gyro platter which is about $12. It's plenty of food and comes with meat, salad, fries, pita and a nice container of tzatziki sauce. The couple times we've eaten here it's always been fresh and tasty and totally a good deal. The only downsides to me is the so so service and the fact they don't take card.
(4)
Catherine T.
I'm kind of surprised that this place doesn't have more reviews given its proximity to the main NYU campus. Then again, I'm not that surprised since no one ever seems to be in here when I walk by. Seriously morning, afternoon, night, whenever. How is this place in business? To sum it up, the service was kind of terrible and the food was alright. Our waitress moved pretty slowly. She was brusque and a bit rude. And to top it all off she stayed us as we were leaving, in a very awkward way that was clearly about seeing if we had left her a tip. Yeah... I thought the octopus was nice. I'm used to cooking it differently at home, but it was definitely not overcooked the way it is at some places. The calamari was also good. It was lightly battered so it was slightly crisp but not overwhelming. I thought the baba ghanoush was really bland. The spinach pie was good, a nice balance of spinach and cheese with some butteryness. It wasn't the best spinach pie or spanakopita I've ever had but it was solid. The onion rings were fine but for all I know, they could have been the frozen kind. And the grilled meat platter was a mixed bag in terms of quality. The lamb was good. The chicken was alright. The beef was bad. Karavas seems like a "I don't know where to go. Let's just eat here" kind of a place. If you have to order something, I'd say the octopus and spinach pie are not bad choices.
(3)
Sarah F.
We were starving, it was there, it looked pleasant enough, and I have a fondness for restaurants that sport elaborate picture menus. I want to believe that means it'll be authentic and delicious. I did not check Yelp until we'd already ordered. Major flaw in the plan. The "cheese plate" was a mess of deli cheese slices (provolone, cheap cheddar, swiss) chopped into little squares, and some not-great little cubes of feta, all of it drenched in oil. I got the feta dip (a long name ending in "salata") and it didn't suck, but it wasn't great. The "mixed souvlaki" was a skewer of chicken cubes and a skewer of beef cubes, a side of Greek salad, and a side of fries that I had changed to hummus. I could not eat the beef, the chicken was definitely a pre-packaged frozen affair, the hummus was revolting and likely came from a powder packet. The salad was tasty. I will give them that -- they managed not to screw up the salad, but maybe my joy was due to the contrast between that decent salad and the rest of the trainwreck meal. My companion's falafel were weird tiny hockey puck-looking things, perfectly disk-shaped with sharp, angular edges, and were fried until hard. Again, undoubtedly these came prepackaged and frozen. They tasted awful. He said the fries were the best part, and they were basic frozen shoestring fries that weren't even cooked to a crispy brown -- still pale and slightly flaccid. There was almost no pita bread in the initial basket. When I asked for more, I got 4 wedges of wheat-looking bread that was so disgusting I almost spit it out... and then they charged me 75 cents for "extra bread." I don't know how this place stays open. Everything they serve is low-quality and half-assed, and barely edible. Don't waste your money.
(1)
Fadda M.
Funny, people are dirting on this place so bad! This is not a 4 star gourmet greek restaurant ! Sit in the dark rear lounge, or better, secret downstairs lounge, the philly cheesesteak is one of the few things they make really well, enjoy your drink, mad vibes here, don't sleep on it - they are from the old school, we need more of them and not some wack chain restaurant that cld never be this cool!
(4)
Michelle W.
Pretty good gyros! if you want the works, this is the place to go. One gyro is good enough to hold you off for the entire day. Served fresh and hot, quality meat, taste great. only downside is they put so much lettuce and tomato's that it's just overflowing and makes it incredibly hard to eat. Just ask for less and your gyro will be pure perfection.
(4)
Sarah R.
Came here during the day when we were the only ones there, so it was pretty much quiet and chill. We ordered the two platters and I really liked the lamb. Very tasty, very fattening but well worth it!
(4)
Jad M.
I stopped there on my way to west 4th street subway. I thought perhaps I would give this place a chance even though no one was in there at prime dinner hour - this should have been an alert. I ordered shawarma. The cook proceeded to give me an impossible to eat rotten lettuce filled stale pita - the chicken was not bad but the quality of the service and the attention to detail were pitiful - I threw away most of it after picking out too may old dark green wilted pieces of god knows what kind of lettuce crap that was. Very bad experience. NOT Recommended. I could have saved 8$.
(2)
Alyssa R.
This is my first & only 1 star review to date. Karavas is drab, dark, & dreary (alliteration what up), and on top of that, the service is downright awful. I came in with a friend around 11:00 PM on a Saturday night. It was pretty empty so we sat at a table. A waitress came over and asked for our order, and since we hadn't looked at the menu yet, my friend asked for a glass of water. She declined her request and responded angrily "this is a bar, you have to order a drink." We were a little taken aback by this interaction, so we decided to ditch the table and order from the bar. I asked the bartender for a Blue Moon. As she started pouring the beer, the waitress followed us over to the bar and informed us of a supposed "2 drink minimum". The bartender was totally confused (this is either not an actual policy, or it's a terrible one). From the outside, Karavas looked like a laid back place to grab a drink, but the hostility we encountered really turned me off. In conclusion, there are so many other great bars in this area, don't waste your time on a depressing bar with angry staff. Try four faced liar across the street :-)
(1)
Alexis G.
I eat here a lot. A group I am a part of routinely holds its meetings here, and the staff is always super welcoming and allows us to have a group of about 10 people come and eat, and mostly leaves us alone so we can work. It's amazing. If you don't need wifi, this place is a great place for meetings. Pretty quiet. Beef gyro is what's up. Super filling, super fluffy pita. Mmmmm. I look forward to it and crave it when I'm not around. And their fries? Somehow totally amazing. The service here is pretty incredible. Their beer selection is definitely not. I probably wouldn't come here to drink.
(4)
Tanisha P.
I ordered a Bailys and coffee but received Molly's instead. It was ok but I would have appreciated the bartender informing me before she poured to allow me to choose something else. My beverage was a muddy color and didn't taste good. One of my friends ordered a grey goose and grapefruit and asked the bartender to give her a full shot because she didn't pour correctly. The bartender informed us that she could not because her boss was sitting at the end of the bar watching her. The environment was gloomy and dark and very unfriendly. I feel that in a bar the environment should be inviting and welcoming. None of our requests were unreasonable. It seemed as though the bartender was afraid because she didn't talk to us because she was afraid of her boss. The vibe was a little weird.
(1)
Adrienne T.
*******THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE LOUNGE DOWNSTAIRS!!!!********** 'Twas a Friday night in the City. I told my friend that I didn't really want to go to a gay party or club night, just somewhere cool that we could have some drinks, maybe a bite to eat, and just chill. He said "I got you. Got the perfect spot". After driving around looking for parking for about 20 minutes, we parked in a nearby garage, and walked over to this place. I'm wondering why my friend has chosen a Greek restaurant for us to "hang out" in. To my surprise, we walked in, walked straight past diners and tables, asked if the downstairs was open, got the nod, and downstairs we went. WHOA! It's like a SECRET lounge down there! FABULOUS! Dimly lit, small bar, one bartender, and an INCREDIBLE DJ. This place is the best kept predominantly gay and predominantly people of color crowd- (secret) lounge in the City. The DJ's music is a blend of hip-hop, r&b, house, and dancehall. The drinks are POTENT. Bartender, John, was crazy/sexy/cool. You can order food down there. They even have these two raised dance stage things with bars, so it looks like whoever is dancing there is dancing in a cage (hot!). NO COVER. Nice plush sofas and chairs to sit on, or you can sit at the bar like we did. Not crowded, but perfectly populated. As the night wore on, it did get more crowded, but never stuffy. At 2am, they shut the lounge down, and move everyone upstairs to the restaurant. It goes downhill at that point. No more DJ, now you have an "pretty okay" jukebox. You can still order drinks and food, but the whole "lounge" atmosphere is lost. Now, you're in a restaurant. I think the downstairs may be called the "K Lounge". It's my FAVORITE NYC hangout thus far.
(5)
Mr H.
The genius owner decided to eliminate the one thing myself and nearly everyone I know absolutely LOVED about this spot. Lets face it, the place is a dive. It is not without its charm, but...a dive none of the less. There was only one reason and one reason only, food wise, to frequent this spot; The Spicy Honey Buffalo Wings Now...it just another bad, Gyro selling, wanna be Greek Bar Restaurant. @#$%! Karavas Place now and a special Bronx cheer for the Dumb ass owner who runs the joint. Moron.
(1)
Leann G.
This is a great little spot. Sure, it's a little dark if you don't sit near the windows. Sure, the wood paneling is a reminder of the 1980s. At the end of the day, the food is cheap and delicious. I loathe the term "no-frills", but it's truly no-frills. If you're looking for a quick falafel platter or some kalamata olive tapenade, this is the place. I have no idea how they're able to stay open given the cheap menu and little business, but give it a try. I love it!
(4)
Louis R.
When I was a young buck, I used to get drunk here....a lot. The greek bartender was my gf at the time so all my boys used to swarm this joint looking for free beers on friday nights. They didn't get shit, but still continued to hit it up with me. The spot used to be a hub of pre-gaming, with dope tunes, dope-looking peeps, and relatively cheap drinks. I used to tear up the gyros on an occasional slow night when I just wanted to chill and not mac the NYU honeys. Now, its straight-up just a resto...no pre-gamers to be found. Dayum, I'm gettin nostalgic.
(2)
J M.
This is quite the chill out spot. I've been coming here for years..I frequent the Darkside aka the bar side.. which is kinda small, but Live. This section has a few booths and juke box. I love their Spicy Honey Buffalo Wings, thats usually what i order along with fries and a stiff martini or cocktail...The Juke box is usually blasting dope tunes...and oh how I love to control the Jukebox. It has a huge selection of tunes(mainly 80's and 90's music)ranging anywhere from LisaLisa to Nirvana to Janet Jackson! There used to be a lounge in the basement with sofas, tables, stripper poles and a live DJ spinning all the hotness on Weekends. But I think that was discontinued a while back. It was fun while it lasted though.. Me and a friend of mine had the privilege of being entertained by some drunk girls gyrating on the stripper pole in an attempt to be sexy..lol Service is always good and the atmosphere is pretty chill. Good for groups or a one on one.
(4)
Laura O.
This place is a great, no frills greek joint. the service is swift, and super friendly. i don't explore the menu too much, sticking to my fav of the greek salad and chicken gyro. both are huge and delish. to top it off, they have a ridiculously good draft beer selection. yum!
(4)
Heather S.
I don't have much to say about Karavas Place. I was here on a pretty crazy night (Halloween) and despite the craziness outside on the street, inside it was relatively sane. Standard Manhattan prices for a beer ($5 for Miller on draft, $6 for Brooklyn Lager). Bartenders were fairly attentive. Not a bad meeting spot for a drink before a night around West 4th. Bathrooms were meh and pretty sure it was cash only... which is absurd given the cost of a Miller Lite.
(3)
Alex R.
Just ordered delivery the other day. Very polite phone service. Delivery man arrived in only 10 minutes to my apartment. I ordered Gyro sandwich with fries: Generous portions. Yummy pita bread. Meat was moist and delicious. Fries were crispy and fresh. Highly recommended.
(5)
Daphne M.
This review is totally based on a simple plain slice of pizza after nights of mild intoxication in the West Village. The place itself looks grimy and the prices are nothing spectacular with a plain slice being $2.50. Yet despite this, I have to say this is my primary spot to grab food late at night in the neighborhood. The slice is hooked up with cheese, just the way I like it, and even though I don't normally like the end crust of pizza (don't judge me!) this one is pretty good. Light crisp but still soft and chewy inside. Not everyone will like this place, but for simple no-frills grub, this is perfectly comforting while being slightly inebriated.
(4)
Gabby D.
This was very disappointing. I ordered fried calamaris and it came to me very moist. My drink cost more than my appetizer and the main course..... lets just say this is one ill never do again... It should be a bar rather than a restaurant!
(1)
Tim N.
This place is awesome! After spending boat loads of Cash on über priced on other restaurants in New York City, it was a GREAT experience to have excellent food and drink for less than 30 bucks a person! Great view from the Corner looking onto 4 Street West and other cross streets. Drinks potent, food filling!
(5)
JP B.
A fine dining establishment this ain't. Take a few Greek specialties, leaning heavily on the mezze and grilled items, tie them together in sandwiches or on platters with Greek salad and fries and you get the idea. Round things out with burgers, desserts and a full bar. Just like an old school Greek diner transforming itself into a Greek restaurant as the second generation takes over. For all I know that's what happened here. Dinner for four, with a shared large app, a few glasses of wine, four mains and three desserts was under $120. Had we not bothered with the wine it would have been under $100 for four. So this is not an expensive place. My wife found it a little dingy, but we did choose to sit on the bar side of the establishment instead of the brightly lit restaurant side. (Our dining companions wanted to keep an eye on the Jets' game). Service was very friendly and attentive - so good that I nearly bumped this review up to four stars. But I don't think this is a four star joint, it's just closer than a place like this ought to be. What of the food? The Greek mezze app was uneven. It was great to see gigantes on the plate, but they tasted canned (still good, though). The single dolma was a little sad, too. The skordalia was very good, the taramasalata and melitzanosalata just OK. The tatziki was weirdly flavored with white pepper, and I didn't approve. Overall it was enough for four as a starter, and it was only $9, and only the tatziki failed to satisfy. The lamb shiskabob was a pretty generous amount of lamb for $16, cooked perfectly to order (med rare was just that, and med was med). Oddly they tasted like they'd been brushed with butter, and the out of season tomato chunks did nothing for them. But this dish was tasty and a fair value, as the lamb was very tender. The octopus plate ($14) was slightly less exciting, since at that price they could be nowhere near as generous with the octopus. But the octopus was flavorful, nicely grilled (maybe a little too much) and, again (most importantly) tender. The Gyro platter was generous, greasy and delicious - as it should be. The accompanying Greek salads were dressed with bottled Italian dressing (too bad), but complimented by a pile of perfectly cooked shoestring fries. You get the picture. I found it like being transported twenty some years back in time (the Police coming on the jukebox only added to this) to my late teens, when I took dates out to similar places. Remarkably similar places... So I was a bit charmed, even though Karavas seems a little out of step with 21st Century Manhattan. Maybe that's a good thing, though. For dessert we had two rice puddings (OK, if a bit heavy on the cinnamon) and a baklava. The baklava was less painfully sweet than many examples I've had, which made me like it more. For me this was not a four star place, but our dining companions loved it. I would go back, but for lunch - the sandwiches look like better deals than the platters, and the food was tasty enough. And a $6 glass of retsina on a hot day would be a nice afternoon indulgence.
(3)
Torquati A.
Nice family spot. I took the salmon on greens plus a side of giant greek beans and my son a gyros plate. We ate comfortably with absolutely no hassle since the place was not crowded and seems to be loved by local regulars which is always a good sign. The food was good and fresh and the bill was sweet.
(5)
Onnicha G.
Came here on a weeknight with my BF, we were looking for a place where we can sit, chill, drink, and unwind from a long day. I' m glad we happened to find this place. Nice, clean place, nothing fancy. It wasn't packed. It had a jukebox, a couple of booths, and a couple of tables. Music was cool, played a mix of what you would normally hear in a NYC club. They had the Yankees on so my husband definitely enjoyed his night. The place was divided into 2 parts, restaurant and bar. Even though we didn't eat, the food smelled wonderful. The bartender was sweet and friendly. He did his thing. He kept asking us if everything was okay and if we needed another round. He suggested that my husband try the "Purple Motherfucker", one of his specialties. So we took up on his offer, at first it tasted like cough-medicine, but as he kept sipping, it definitely did the job. Overall, this is a neat, comfortable spot. We liked it, and we'll be back. The only thing that sucked was the awful smell of the garbage outside.
(3)
Annie K.
As an avid Yelper, I am ashamed to say I did not Yelp this place before going. I should have turned away when I saw the picture menu in the window, but St. Patrick's Day drunken hunger and a less than pleasant situation made us stay. The menu was too big to choose and we really just wanted bar food, so all the girls opted for chicken fingers and fries. The food came fast, though the server was pretty rude (until she brought the check). Considering we weren't rowdy at all and the only ones in there, there was no need for rudeness. Three tiny chicken fingers came with about 15 shoestring, greasy fries and a Greek salad on the side. The fries weren't good at all. The chicken fingers were okay, but not filling and the meal was not worth $13. I did not want a salad after drinking, though I picked at it. After the meal, we walked down the street to go to an ATM and I saw a Chipotle not even two blocks away. I cursed myself for not walking just a bit further to find food.
(1)
Maasai K.
Just for the record, after a night of partying and drinking alcohol I have always enjoyed the food here. Its been a while, so things may have changed!
(4)
Cristina D.
This is a great lunch spot. The greek salad is always fresh, the taramosalata portion is huge, pita is great and my favorite is the lamb kabob. Usually kabob or souvlaki's are so dry, not here at all. Great grilled veggies. I can't believe this place get low stars - the food here is excellent (and I've spent time in Greece and live in Astoria and I know good greek food).
(4)
James P.
Came here late at like 1 AM.. wasn't really impressed. smells good when i pass by it, so i tried it out. FAIL :( My server was this weird European woman trying to sell me things on the menu.. creeped out. lol I got the chicken/lamb gyro platter.. maybe it was because there was no business, but the meat tasted hard, not at all succulent.. the cucumber sauce was.. bogey.. everything was.. mehh
(2)
Mark M.
This place is legit. Great cheap gyros indoors! Unheard of. Wait, what was that?..... I can get a Miller Lite here too. Great late night gyro solution, which is my focus every night around 4 AM.
(5)
Mike D.
After spending 1/2 an hour walking the streets, I came here on a wednesday night expecting some decent greek food, what I was left with after eating here was regret. Regret that I didnt go somewhere else to eat. I got the lamb and chicken souvlaki platter and what ended up in front of me was probably the two driest meats I have ever experienced. It felt as though the meat was sitting ontop of a heater the whole night. To make things worse, their platters seems to be completely void of lettuice, onions, and tomatoes. This is the first greek place that I have been that did not serve their platters with any of the above, and if I had knew that was the case would have opted for the cheaper gyro instead. And to top it all off, the small amount of tzatziki sauce was very plain and below average. I do NOT recommend coming here for greek food, unable to comment about the bar since it was completely empty.
(2)
Ann L.
Pros: * Great location, Karavas Place is in the heart of West Village right by the West 4 Station. * Prices are standard and you get a lot per slice. Cons: * When a venue is an unkempt hole-in-the wall, you would expect the food to be exceptional to compensate. Unfortunately at Karavas, everything was just, MEH. The quality of the pizza was mediocre if not underwhelming. The crust tasted like cardboard. Will not be returning, unless I was in a drunken stupor and had no sense of judgement, and apparently Karavas is a huge hit for drunks at 4AM.
(2)
Madison R.
Their food is absolutely amazing ! I'm originally from Florida and moved to the bronx about 2.5 years ago. It's so hard to find good tasting gyros. I love the lamb gyro so juicy & the atmosphere is calming
(5)
Gloria F.
I was REALLY craving a Greek gyro and this place was close by. I read the Yelp reviews (DUH) and they are not so good. People talk about how bad the drinks are, how bad the music is, how bad the food is, etc etc. well you know what?! it wasn't bad. The place was cold! the service is a little shoty but, again, not bad, just nontraditional. We got a regular Gyro. it was quite tasty!! The lettuce and tomatoes were fresh and crisp. The Gyro meat was flavorful. The pita bread was perfect. Everyone was nice. When we asked the server for the check, she couldn't believe we were ready to leave!! haha it was cute. Is this the best greek food? no. It is NOT BAD. try it. You might be surprised. bottom line: Nice space..fairly good food
(3)
Zei K.
Sincerely regret going to this restaurant. Atmosphere was bland. For such an amazing location, there are many many many other options. For the price the food was really meh at best. And I'm not at all picky too. Ended up paying $33 for 2 simple sandwiches and a side of falafel with 1 ice tea. Might as well go to Naya Express or Taim for great sandwiches.
(1)
Mai Ling W.
Fabulous Greek music was playing. This place is so cozy! Great service. The owner was such a nice guy. Made sure everything was great! Food was excellent!! Had to bring some home for later!
(5)
Eugene E.
For being a late night crazy corner place with lots of street characters roaming in and out they have been on the block a long time and the food is actually pretty good esp the salads
(4)
Versace J.
Hands down best gyro in nyc. If your looking for a late night munchies and your in the city its a must . Great service this mom and pop shop is unique . Full bar and lots of draft beer if your looking for a buzz .
(5)
Al T.
AVOID THIS PLACE , Dirty, food quality was bad, Gyros tasted funny. The sauce was old . Could not finish paid and went dowstairs to filthy restrooms. Shamefull this place rocked for a long time.
(1)
Jose D.
I knew I should've listened to my instincts when I only saw one customer at the restaurant... Im giving them only one star because I cant go lower. This is absolutely the worst place I've been to in my life...wow. I ordered a beef soulvaki with a side of spinach and fries which was horrible, honestly. The spinach had a weird flavor to it, the beef was so over cooked that it became tough, and the white sauce they gave me looked old, but the fries were cooked very well, I must say. The pita bread was good too. I don't even have to think about it: I do not recommend this place at all.
(1)
Jennifer B.
We have been going here for over 20 years and hands down, they make the best gyros ever.
(5)
Sara S.
Anyone who thinks Karavas is good for a drink, you're better off going to the bars down the block. It really works better as a restaurant, and I mean post-drinking, late-night munchies kind of restaurant. I'm a little surprised by how long Karavas has been open though. The first time I stepped into this place was at least 5 years ago, and I have frequented Karavas every so often ever since. What I've witnessed over time is a certain stagnation. While I generally never had an issue with Karavas, it continues to suffer from what I note as slow business and a dullness in appearance both from inside out. One just wants to shake this place and give it a zap of energy. In spite, I still support Karavas as they've consistently provided pretty decent Greek food at sufficient portions and at cheap prices over the years. Menu seems to have changed more than a few times, but the food and the taste of their food has relatively stayed the same. When I speak of slow, dull, you may witness that there's only one or two customers in here at a time. It may deter one to step in, but I wouldn't be shy. And, this restaurant is very spacious and has plenty of seating with two separate rooms, one mainly for dining while the other is a bar. Wait service is certain to be attentive though, at least from my experience(s). The menu has a wide selection, but all items are more or less all related -- falafel, gyro, chicken sandwiches or platters, kebabs, Greek salads, side dishes, etc. I've ordered platters before, but it makes more sense to get their sandwiches; it's cheaper than the platters ($8 versus $13), but they are nearly the same size in portion. They don't skimp on any of the fillers either. You can ask for wheat or white pita. I recommend the side of fries; thick-cut potato fries and a great size for sharing (only $3). The gyro sandwich might be the best item here. It's actually not so bad; the lettuce is fresh, they load it up with flavorful strips of meat, and the pita is nice and soft. If you're feeling thirsty, they do have a lot of available beers on draft and bottled. Yes, they have water and soda too. Karavas serves good food, but it really does suffer from a slowness, and the ambiance can become mildly depressing on less busy occasions. This place has not changed much over the years, but I still feel there's a need for improvement. The decor is outdated, and it just doesn't feel very warm and inviting. Must note, the bathroom here is literally located in a dungeon. You have to walk past a banged up metal door and down a dark, dank stairwell to get to the bathroom.
(3)
Andrew C.
So-so Greek food. Between the three of us we got a Mediterranean platter, Souvlaki Platter with lamb & chicken, and Chicken Souvlaki over Greek Salad. On my Souvlaki platter (see my really bad pic), the lamb souvlaki was very dry. The chicken was better, but still had a couple of dry chunks. The tzatziki was thick and rather bland. The salad and fries were OK. The Mediterranean platter was not that good. The falafel were thin, overcooked and hard and the melitzanosalata (babaganoush) was really dry. The dolmas were OK, but a bit stringy. The hummus was the best thing and was still somewhat bland. The Chicken Souvlaki over Greek salad was the most successful with mostly moist meat. The server was friendly, but forgetful. We had to ask several times for water as well as ketchup for the fries.
(2)
Sean A.
Greek, this is not. Don't bother with this restaurant. Too many other Greek or other dining options out there. Food isn't authentic. Your local food cart is much better than this place.
(1)
Paul L.
I eat here every Saturday and it's the best part of my week. The food is terrific. I want to say best Greek food in the city but I don't know because it's the only place I'll go. Until they stop being so good it's the only place I'll need to try.
(5)
Arnab M.
After a loooooong day of semi-productive shopping, a cranky Richard B. and an increasingly edgy and tired self ran into Karavas for a much needed meal. It started raining soon after we were seated. The Greek waitress was delightfully forgetful but SOOO NICE! She told us about the specials, and what's hot and what's not as well as her personal opinion on our choices before she let us order. The food was served pretty quickly but we couldn't start because our waitress forgot to get us cutlery! The chicken kebab and the chicken souvlaki were DELICIOUS, and the pita went really well with tzatziki! AND there was no wait here, at 7 PM on a Saturday night!
(4)
Andy H.
Gone downhill. Have eaten here occasionally over the years and the gyros were always big and stuffed and tasty, and the star attraction was the thick and rich chicken lemon orzo soup which was prepared individually in a pan and was a delight. But lately they seem to be buying the cheapest ingredients they can find. The chicken gyro is chock full of hard tasteless chunks of gristle, though the lamb/beef/whatever gyro is a little better and at least still comes in slices, and with fewer mysterious hard bits in it. And the lemon soup is now thin, watery and is a mockery of what it used to be. If you really want a chicken gyro here, get the chicken souvlaki instead, which has EXACTLY the same ingredients but with slightly better white-meat chicken. We complained to one of the staff about the alleged chicken gyro and he apologized saying he sympathized, and that "everyone was complaining about them". He said he'd spoken to the owner about all the complaints they were getting from customers, but evidently nobody's listening. There's a pretty extensive menu here, and I'm sure some of the other stuff is probably okay, but if you're coming here for a good old fashioned gyro, my advice would be to just cross over 6th Ave and get one from the food truck that's out there most evenings instead. Cheaper and a whole lot better tasting.
(2)
Richard P.
Love this place when I am in NYC. I have traveled over 3 hours just to take a friend there. Everyone there was great. Depending on the bartender she will make you anything. In fact we had a night of her just hitting us with her specialties. The food is great and love the Meat Platter. Even the Bouncer was a great guy to know. Highly Recommend for the experience.
(5)
michelle s.
..plain and simple... this is my absolute FAVE 'hole in the wall' spot in the city!! The only reason I gave this place 4 stars instead of 5 is because a) they don't accept credit cards, and b) the bathroom is through this locked door (bartender is the keymaster) , down this loooong stairway. How are drunk people supposed to go down and up all those stairs? LOL
(4)
Melody H.
The $3.65 slice of pizza with fresh mozzarella (which actually ended up tasting like something different, but equally awesome) totally hit the spot. Can't speak for anything else there, but that slice was good. Grab a pizza and take it over to Fat Cat for some live jazz and games.
(4)
Alana C.
decent greek salad, good hummus, underseasoned falafel, reasonable portions, eh baklava (though it was warm - points for that). cash only
(2)
Alexis A.
A friend was raving about their greek salads and how addictive they are, not being a greek salad fan I had a falafel pita. It was only so-so. I tried her salad and it truly is addictive. So good.
(4)
Michael K.
My favorite place to get a gyro.
(4)
Nathan M.
The food here is better than you might think. It's good Greek food; not great, but good nevertheless. It is in a super busy part of the Village where restaurants do not need to try hard to be good to insure continued business. But this place tries. The service is super sincere, which I always like. If you go here, get a table by the window- it's fun to people watch on that corner as the world goes by.
(3)
Junior S.
I thought the gyro deserved 4 stars, but the baklava was so horrible, I had to take away a star overall (and I considered taking away 2). I'll definitely make a return trip, but I'll just skip dessert (something I should do far more frequently anyway!).
(3)
Melissa M.
I have been to Karavas once before and I remember it being pretty tasty. Last night - holy crap it was terrible. I shall paint a word picture. Our waitress was wearing a flowered purple top with matching purple earrings, her belly was hanging over her apron. She was drunk, no scratch that, wasted. 100%. My friends and I were worried she'd either hug us because she loved us one moment or kill us because the next moment she was grabbing things off our table and rolling her eyes at us. Mainly the eye rolling came when we asked her for things that we had already asked for. Now onto the food which left quite a bit to be desired: we all had the chicken souvlaki which was fine but definitely did not have enough veggies in it and was just a sad sandwich put on a lonely white plate - nothing on the side at all. We all left a little hungry. Mainly, the waitress was a crazy f#*k.
(1)
Jason C.
I came here for dinner on a Monday and thought it was okay, but not anything impressive. I had the falafel platter which was alright, but not that great. Our server was friendly, but not very attentive, and we usually had to get her attention, whether to remind her that we'd asked for water or to let her know that one of the plates she'd given us was dirty.
(2)
Michele W.
A dive, plain and simple: * Cash bar only. You can't start a tab and will need to leave to go to the ATM if you're not prepared. Ridiculous. * Cheesy decor. * So-so food.
(2)
Victor L.
For the NYU's, its a good place to get a hangover lunch. The gyros are good, not great, but its decent fare. Don't go here to drink, its really just for quick lunches/dinners/snacks/munchies/joneses/cravings/Âbites/meals/appertifs/this is annoying amongst the really crowded block/area.
(3)
michelle p.
This place is good for a quick lunch. I had a veggie burger which was delicious and I believe it was homemade. I can't remember what my folks had but they thought it was pretty good. The waitress was nice but a little bit weird. It is CASH only.
(3)
Justin C.
Outstanding drunken eats! Basically a Greek style pizzeria that serves really good gyros and Greek salads. Their gyros runneth over, I've never seen a place pack nearly the amount of meat into a single pita based sammy as these guys do. I usually get Feta too, and they add a small mountain of that, then an ocean of white sauce. When you've had half a dozen pints, stuffing one of these guys down your gullet causes you to reach a state of Nirvana. Only by force of sheer repetition of this very sordid act can I even try to vouch for their actually quality, but I've done it enough time to at least be pretty sure I'm right about this. It's located right off of the colorful Christopher St. block, which, if you've never visited late in the evening, is reason enough to go. Lots of boys who like to be girls guffawing and making merry 'round there.
(4)
John P.
I love that Karavas still exists and looks exactly the same as it did in the 70's. It's a total time warp. Gyro and fries are good. That's all I ever get here. I think the same drunks who were here in the 70's are still sitting at the bar over 30 years later albeit with gray hair now.
(4)
Tina S.
I think the food here is pretty darn good...the gyros definitely do the trick. The cash-bar only thing is kind of a bummer, but for a few drinks and to enjoy amazing music after class, it's perfect. The best thing about this place is the insane clientele who show up to get down with their bad selves...prepare to make friends with some eclectic and very talented dancing ass-clowns!
(4)
Larry B.
I'm sure the rest of the menu is good, but for me it's all about the cheap and silly tasty falafel sandwich, served gyro-style with the pita, lettuce, onions, and yogurt sauce. The mozzarella sticks are not to be overlooked either.
(4)
Toisha T.
for my money, this is the best place to eat in the west fourth area. the gyros are so good - always hot with fresh toppings! great fries, and that fried cheese dish that you squeeze the lemon on is also excellent. only thing that sucks is that it's cash only, which is always a bummer.
(5)
Bethany P.
i used to work here. the owner is insane, but the food is delicious and cheap. they used to have $1.50 drafts when i was bartending. shame they did away with them. still, very worth stopping in, especially for a late night drunken hummus sandwich or chicken souvlaki.
(4)
D S.
3.5 Stars After trying to get some vegetarian food in the area (all of which were closed), we decided to come into Karavas. It was on a Monday night so it was pretty empty. Our food was pretty good. Thumbs UP: the owner or manager, Mona, is the most kindest and hospitable woman ever. We ended up conversing for some time and I would totally go back just to chit-chat with her. Since someone in our group spoke Arabic (one of the languages Mona speaks), she offered us some dessert and coffee on the house, but instead I had some tea. I absolutely appreciated her genuine gratuity. Thumbs DOWN: our server was a bit robotic and bland, but I guess when it's dead I should expect that in NY? And the patron sitting two tables from us layed the most nastiest public fart ever. It was disgusting. But, none of this is a reflection on the food and management. I will be coming back here :)
(4)
Tina C.
Opa! Not entirely authentic Greek with a very heavy American flair of burgers and French Fries where my food finds venture here for dinner. Our party of two dined on a large bottle of San Pellegrino, one glass of Merlot, one Souvlaki platter at $13.00, one pita burger at $7.00 for a total of $32.70 was okay. Service is not with a smile from a disgruntled waiter, but somewhat efficient. Quality of food is okay. American Greek cuisine here. Atmosphere and decor is very dilapidated as it needs a serious structural cosmetic change. Patrons who wish to Opa for better Greek food elsewhere, Ouzaria has better quality food, decor and of course customer service on Ninth Avenue. There is no Opa at Karavas Place. N.B. Cash only as no credit or debit cards in any form is accepted.
(2)
Andrew G.
Karavas is one of the few Greek restaurants that makes a chicken gyro. OMG this is so good. Processed chicken on a spindle like a Lamb gyro. This is so delicious. I've eaten here a number of times and I always get the same thing. The chicken gyro. I highly recommend this dish. Why because its so hard to find a chicken gyro.
(4)
Alicia C.
Ehhh. The food was decent but didn't get a good vibe. The bartender decided she'd take a smoke break in the middle of our time there. She messed up the order and the beer was flat. I wouldn't go back.
(2)
David W.
Haven't been here in several months ordered a chicken gyro with everything on it they give me lamb I realize after 2 bites then the give me a replacement chicken this time no white sauce falling apart and leaking oil all over the place, when I requested a request they wanted to charge me for 2 gyros. Long story short no gyro for me. $9 gyro you figure they would get it right with only one customer.
(1)
Steven N.
BEST GYRO EVER!! I've eaten it a few times a month for years.. Get it for PICKUP because the service and atmosphere are the worst.
(5)
Alyssa R.
This is my first & only 1 star review to date. Karavas is drab, dark, & dreary (alliteration what up), and on top of that, the service is downright awful. I came in with a friend around 11:00 PM on a Saturday night. It was pretty empty so we sat at a table. A waitress came over and asked for our order, and since we hadn't looked at the menu yet, my friend asked for a glass of water. She declined her request and responded angrily "this is a bar, you have to order a drink." We were a little taken aback by this interaction, so we decided to ditch the table and order from the bar. I asked the bartender for a Blue Moon. As she started pouring the beer, the waitress followed us over to the bar and informed us of a supposed "2 drink minimum". The bartender was totally confused (this is either not an actual policy, or it's a terrible one). From the outside, Karavas looked like a laid back place to grab a drink, but the hostility we encountered really turned me off. In conclusion, there are so many other great bars in this area, don't waste your time on a depressing bar with angry staff. Try four faced liar across the street :-)
Elaine H.
While this place has a learning curve...there is no better for chicken gyros (which are rare) and hopefully control of the jukebox. The fries are amazing...there is a bar or just the restaurant part. I've been coming here almost 15 years. A main stay. LOVE. Ask for whole wheat pita. But eat in as gyros don't travel well.
(5)Gina S.
I know 4 stars seems like a lot but it is a rare gem in a neighborhood full of tourist traps. The food was extremely fresh. The waitress was a doll. Granted the bathroom was scary and the decor was from the 70s but it was like stepping back in old New York
(4)Lia P.
I love this place, I haven't had the problems that other people have...My husband and I like to share the gyro platter which is about $12. It's plenty of food and comes with meat, salad, fries, pita and a nice container of tzatziki sauce. The couple times we've eaten here it's always been fresh and tasty and totally a good deal. The only downsides to me is the so so service and the fact they don't take card.
(4)Catherine T.
I'm kind of surprised that this place doesn't have more reviews given its proximity to the main NYU campus. Then again, I'm not that surprised since no one ever seems to be in here when I walk by. Seriously morning, afternoon, night, whenever. How is this place in business? To sum it up, the service was kind of terrible and the food was alright. Our waitress moved pretty slowly. She was brusque and a bit rude. And to top it all off she stayed us as we were leaving, in a very awkward way that was clearly about seeing if we had left her a tip. Yeah... I thought the octopus was nice. I'm used to cooking it differently at home, but it was definitely not overcooked the way it is at some places. The calamari was also good. It was lightly battered so it was slightly crisp but not overwhelming. I thought the baba ghanoush was really bland. The spinach pie was good, a nice balance of spinach and cheese with some butteryness. It wasn't the best spinach pie or spanakopita I've ever had but it was solid. The onion rings were fine but for all I know, they could have been the frozen kind. And the grilled meat platter was a mixed bag in terms of quality. The lamb was good. The chicken was alright. The beef was bad. Karavas seems like a "I don't know where to go. Let's just eat here" kind of a place. If you have to order something, I'd say the octopus and spinach pie are not bad choices.
(3)Sarah F.
We were starving, it was there, it looked pleasant enough, and I have a fondness for restaurants that sport elaborate picture menus. I want to believe that means it'll be authentic and delicious. I did not check Yelp until we'd already ordered. Major flaw in the plan. The "cheese plate" was a mess of deli cheese slices (provolone, cheap cheddar, swiss) chopped into little squares, and some not-great little cubes of feta, all of it drenched in oil. I got the feta dip (a long name ending in "salata") and it didn't suck, but it wasn't great. The "mixed souvlaki" was a skewer of chicken cubes and a skewer of beef cubes, a side of Greek salad, and a side of fries that I had changed to hummus. I could not eat the beef, the chicken was definitely a pre-packaged frozen affair, the hummus was revolting and likely came from a powder packet. The salad was tasty. I will give them that -- they managed not to screw up the salad, but maybe my joy was due to the contrast between that decent salad and the rest of the trainwreck meal. My companion's falafel were weird tiny hockey puck-looking things, perfectly disk-shaped with sharp, angular edges, and were fried until hard. Again, undoubtedly these came prepackaged and frozen. They tasted awful. He said the fries were the best part, and they were basic frozen shoestring fries that weren't even cooked to a crispy brown -- still pale and slightly flaccid. There was almost no pita bread in the initial basket. When I asked for more, I got 4 wedges of wheat-looking bread that was so disgusting I almost spit it out... and then they charged me 75 cents for "extra bread." I don't know how this place stays open. Everything they serve is low-quality and half-assed, and barely edible. Don't waste your money.
(1)Fadda M.
Funny, people are dirting on this place so bad! This is not a 4 star gourmet greek restaurant ! Sit in the dark rear lounge, or better, secret downstairs lounge, the philly cheesesteak is one of the few things they make really well, enjoy your drink, mad vibes here, don't sleep on it - they are from the old school, we need more of them and not some wack chain restaurant that cld never be this cool!
(4)Michelle W.
Pretty good gyros! if you want the works, this is the place to go. One gyro is good enough to hold you off for the entire day. Served fresh and hot, quality meat, taste great. only downside is they put so much lettuce and tomato's that it's just overflowing and makes it incredibly hard to eat. Just ask for less and your gyro will be pure perfection.
(4)Sarah R.
Came here during the day when we were the only ones there, so it was pretty much quiet and chill. We ordered the two platters and I really liked the lamb. Very tasty, very fattening but well worth it!
(4)Jad M.
I stopped there on my way to west 4th street subway. I thought perhaps I would give this place a chance even though no one was in there at prime dinner hour - this should have been an alert. I ordered shawarma. The cook proceeded to give me an impossible to eat rotten lettuce filled stale pita - the chicken was not bad but the quality of the service and the attention to detail were pitiful - I threw away most of it after picking out too may old dark green wilted pieces of god knows what kind of lettuce crap that was. Very bad experience. NOT Recommended. I could have saved 8$.
(2)Alyssa R.
This is my first & only 1 star review to date. Karavas is drab, dark, & dreary (alliteration what up), and on top of that, the service is downright awful. I came in with a friend around 11:00 PM on a Saturday night. It was pretty empty so we sat at a table. A waitress came over and asked for our order, and since we hadn't looked at the menu yet, my friend asked for a glass of water. She declined her request and responded angrily "this is a bar, you have to order a drink." We were a little taken aback by this interaction, so we decided to ditch the table and order from the bar. I asked the bartender for a Blue Moon. As she started pouring the beer, the waitress followed us over to the bar and informed us of a supposed "2 drink minimum". The bartender was totally confused (this is either not an actual policy, or it's a terrible one). From the outside, Karavas looked like a laid back place to grab a drink, but the hostility we encountered really turned me off. In conclusion, there are so many other great bars in this area, don't waste your time on a depressing bar with angry staff. Try four faced liar across the street :-)
(1)Alexis G.
I eat here a lot. A group I am a part of routinely holds its meetings here, and the staff is always super welcoming and allows us to have a group of about 10 people come and eat, and mostly leaves us alone so we can work. It's amazing. If you don't need wifi, this place is a great place for meetings. Pretty quiet. Beef gyro is what's up. Super filling, super fluffy pita. Mmmmm. I look forward to it and crave it when I'm not around. And their fries? Somehow totally amazing. The service here is pretty incredible. Their beer selection is definitely not. I probably wouldn't come here to drink.
(4)Tanisha P.
I ordered a Bailys and coffee but received Molly's instead. It was ok but I would have appreciated the bartender informing me before she poured to allow me to choose something else. My beverage was a muddy color and didn't taste good. One of my friends ordered a grey goose and grapefruit and asked the bartender to give her a full shot because she didn't pour correctly. The bartender informed us that she could not because her boss was sitting at the end of the bar watching her. The environment was gloomy and dark and very unfriendly. I feel that in a bar the environment should be inviting and welcoming. None of our requests were unreasonable. It seemed as though the bartender was afraid because she didn't talk to us because she was afraid of her boss. The vibe was a little weird.
(1)Adrienne T.
*******THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE LOUNGE DOWNSTAIRS!!!!********** 'Twas a Friday night in the City. I told my friend that I didn't really want to go to a gay party or club night, just somewhere cool that we could have some drinks, maybe a bite to eat, and just chill. He said "I got you. Got the perfect spot". After driving around looking for parking for about 20 minutes, we parked in a nearby garage, and walked over to this place. I'm wondering why my friend has chosen a Greek restaurant for us to "hang out" in. To my surprise, we walked in, walked straight past diners and tables, asked if the downstairs was open, got the nod, and downstairs we went. WHOA! It's like a SECRET lounge down there! FABULOUS! Dimly lit, small bar, one bartender, and an INCREDIBLE DJ. This place is the best kept predominantly gay and predominantly people of color crowd- (secret) lounge in the City. The DJ's music is a blend of hip-hop, r&b, house, and dancehall. The drinks are POTENT. Bartender, John, was crazy/sexy/cool. You can order food down there. They even have these two raised dance stage things with bars, so it looks like whoever is dancing there is dancing in a cage (hot!). NO COVER. Nice plush sofas and chairs to sit on, or you can sit at the bar like we did. Not crowded, but perfectly populated. As the night wore on, it did get more crowded, but never stuffy. At 2am, they shut the lounge down, and move everyone upstairs to the restaurant. It goes downhill at that point. No more DJ, now you have an "pretty okay" jukebox. You can still order drinks and food, but the whole "lounge" atmosphere is lost. Now, you're in a restaurant. I think the downstairs may be called the "K Lounge". It's my FAVORITE NYC hangout thus far.
(5)Mr H.
The genius owner decided to eliminate the one thing myself and nearly everyone I know absolutely LOVED about this spot. Lets face it, the place is a dive. It is not without its charm, but...a dive none of the less. There was only one reason and one reason only, food wise, to frequent this spot; The Spicy Honey Buffalo Wings Now...it just another bad, Gyro selling, wanna be Greek Bar Restaurant. @#$%! Karavas Place now and a special Bronx cheer for the Dumb ass owner who runs the joint. Moron.
(1)Leann G.
This is a great little spot. Sure, it's a little dark if you don't sit near the windows. Sure, the wood paneling is a reminder of the 1980s. At the end of the day, the food is cheap and delicious. I loathe the term "no-frills", but it's truly no-frills. If you're looking for a quick falafel platter or some kalamata olive tapenade, this is the place. I have no idea how they're able to stay open given the cheap menu and little business, but give it a try. I love it!
(4)Louis R.
When I was a young buck, I used to get drunk here....a lot. The greek bartender was my gf at the time so all my boys used to swarm this joint looking for free beers on friday nights. They didn't get shit, but still continued to hit it up with me. The spot used to be a hub of pre-gaming, with dope tunes, dope-looking peeps, and relatively cheap drinks. I used to tear up the gyros on an occasional slow night when I just wanted to chill and not mac the NYU honeys. Now, its straight-up just a resto...no pre-gamers to be found. Dayum, I'm gettin nostalgic.
(2)J M.
This is quite the chill out spot. I've been coming here for years..I frequent the Darkside aka the bar side.. which is kinda small, but Live. This section has a few booths and juke box. I love their Spicy Honey Buffalo Wings, thats usually what i order along with fries and a stiff martini or cocktail...The Juke box is usually blasting dope tunes...and oh how I love to control the Jukebox. It has a huge selection of tunes(mainly 80's and 90's music)ranging anywhere from LisaLisa to Nirvana to Janet Jackson! There used to be a lounge in the basement with sofas, tables, stripper poles and a live DJ spinning all the hotness on Weekends. But I think that was discontinued a while back. It was fun while it lasted though.. Me and a friend of mine had the privilege of being entertained by some drunk girls gyrating on the stripper pole in an attempt to be sexy..lol Service is always good and the atmosphere is pretty chill. Good for groups or a one on one.
(4)Laura O.
This place is a great, no frills greek joint. the service is swift, and super friendly. i don't explore the menu too much, sticking to my fav of the greek salad and chicken gyro. both are huge and delish. to top it off, they have a ridiculously good draft beer selection. yum!
(4)Heather S.
I don't have much to say about Karavas Place. I was here on a pretty crazy night (Halloween) and despite the craziness outside on the street, inside it was relatively sane. Standard Manhattan prices for a beer ($5 for Miller on draft, $6 for Brooklyn Lager). Bartenders were fairly attentive. Not a bad meeting spot for a drink before a night around West 4th. Bathrooms were meh and pretty sure it was cash only... which is absurd given the cost of a Miller Lite.
(3)Alex R.
Just ordered delivery the other day. Very polite phone service. Delivery man arrived in only 10 minutes to my apartment. I ordered Gyro sandwich with fries: Generous portions. Yummy pita bread. Meat was moist and delicious. Fries were crispy and fresh. Highly recommended.
(5)Daphne M.
This review is totally based on a simple plain slice of pizza after nights of mild intoxication in the West Village. The place itself looks grimy and the prices are nothing spectacular with a plain slice being $2.50. Yet despite this, I have to say this is my primary spot to grab food late at night in the neighborhood. The slice is hooked up with cheese, just the way I like it, and even though I don't normally like the end crust of pizza (don't judge me!) this one is pretty good. Light crisp but still soft and chewy inside. Not everyone will like this place, but for simple no-frills grub, this is perfectly comforting while being slightly inebriated.
(4)Gabby D.
This was very disappointing. I ordered fried calamaris and it came to me very moist. My drink cost more than my appetizer and the main course..... lets just say this is one ill never do again... It should be a bar rather than a restaurant!
(1)Tim N.
This place is awesome! After spending boat loads of Cash on über priced on other restaurants in New York City, it was a GREAT experience to have excellent food and drink for less than 30 bucks a person! Great view from the Corner looking onto 4 Street West and other cross streets. Drinks potent, food filling!
(5)JP B.
A fine dining establishment this ain't. Take a few Greek specialties, leaning heavily on the mezze and grilled items, tie them together in sandwiches or on platters with Greek salad and fries and you get the idea. Round things out with burgers, desserts and a full bar. Just like an old school Greek diner transforming itself into a Greek restaurant as the second generation takes over. For all I know that's what happened here. Dinner for four, with a shared large app, a few glasses of wine, four mains and three desserts was under $120. Had we not bothered with the wine it would have been under $100 for four. So this is not an expensive place. My wife found it a little dingy, but we did choose to sit on the bar side of the establishment instead of the brightly lit restaurant side. (Our dining companions wanted to keep an eye on the Jets' game). Service was very friendly and attentive - so good that I nearly bumped this review up to four stars. But I don't think this is a four star joint, it's just closer than a place like this ought to be. What of the food? The Greek mezze app was uneven. It was great to see gigantes on the plate, but they tasted canned (still good, though). The single dolma was a little sad, too. The skordalia was very good, the taramasalata and melitzanosalata just OK. The tatziki was weirdly flavored with white pepper, and I didn't approve. Overall it was enough for four as a starter, and it was only $9, and only the tatziki failed to satisfy. The lamb shiskabob was a pretty generous amount of lamb for $16, cooked perfectly to order (med rare was just that, and med was med). Oddly they tasted like they'd been brushed with butter, and the out of season tomato chunks did nothing for them. But this dish was tasty and a fair value, as the lamb was very tender. The octopus plate ($14) was slightly less exciting, since at that price they could be nowhere near as generous with the octopus. But the octopus was flavorful, nicely grilled (maybe a little too much) and, again (most importantly) tender. The Gyro platter was generous, greasy and delicious - as it should be. The accompanying Greek salads were dressed with bottled Italian dressing (too bad), but complimented by a pile of perfectly cooked shoestring fries. You get the picture. I found it like being transported twenty some years back in time (the Police coming on the jukebox only added to this) to my late teens, when I took dates out to similar places. Remarkably similar places... So I was a bit charmed, even though Karavas seems a little out of step with 21st Century Manhattan. Maybe that's a good thing, though. For dessert we had two rice puddings (OK, if a bit heavy on the cinnamon) and a baklava. The baklava was less painfully sweet than many examples I've had, which made me like it more. For me this was not a four star place, but our dining companions loved it. I would go back, but for lunch - the sandwiches look like better deals than the platters, and the food was tasty enough. And a $6 glass of retsina on a hot day would be a nice afternoon indulgence.
(3)Torquati A.
Nice family spot. I took the salmon on greens plus a side of giant greek beans and my son a gyros plate. We ate comfortably with absolutely no hassle since the place was not crowded and seems to be loved by local regulars which is always a good sign. The food was good and fresh and the bill was sweet.
(5)Onnicha G.
Came here on a weeknight with my BF, we were looking for a place where we can sit, chill, drink, and unwind from a long day. I' m glad we happened to find this place. Nice, clean place, nothing fancy. It wasn't packed. It had a jukebox, a couple of booths, and a couple of tables. Music was cool, played a mix of what you would normally hear in a NYC club. They had the Yankees on so my husband definitely enjoyed his night. The place was divided into 2 parts, restaurant and bar. Even though we didn't eat, the food smelled wonderful. The bartender was sweet and friendly. He did his thing. He kept asking us if everything was okay and if we needed another round. He suggested that my husband try the "Purple Motherfucker", one of his specialties. So we took up on his offer, at first it tasted like cough-medicine, but as he kept sipping, it definitely did the job. Overall, this is a neat, comfortable spot. We liked it, and we'll be back. The only thing that sucked was the awful smell of the garbage outside.
(3)Annie K.
As an avid Yelper, I am ashamed to say I did not Yelp this place before going. I should have turned away when I saw the picture menu in the window, but St. Patrick's Day drunken hunger and a less than pleasant situation made us stay. The menu was too big to choose and we really just wanted bar food, so all the girls opted for chicken fingers and fries. The food came fast, though the server was pretty rude (until she brought the check). Considering we weren't rowdy at all and the only ones in there, there was no need for rudeness. Three tiny chicken fingers came with about 15 shoestring, greasy fries and a Greek salad on the side. The fries weren't good at all. The chicken fingers were okay, but not filling and the meal was not worth $13. I did not want a salad after drinking, though I picked at it. After the meal, we walked down the street to go to an ATM and I saw a Chipotle not even two blocks away. I cursed myself for not walking just a bit further to find food.
(1)Maasai K.
Just for the record, after a night of partying and drinking alcohol I have always enjoyed the food here. Its been a while, so things may have changed!
(4)Cristina D.
This is a great lunch spot. The greek salad is always fresh, the taramosalata portion is huge, pita is great and my favorite is the lamb kabob. Usually kabob or souvlaki's are so dry, not here at all. Great grilled veggies. I can't believe this place get low stars - the food here is excellent (and I've spent time in Greece and live in Astoria and I know good greek food).
(4)James P.
Came here late at like 1 AM.. wasn't really impressed. smells good when i pass by it, so i tried it out. FAIL :( My server was this weird European woman trying to sell me things on the menu.. creeped out. lol I got the chicken/lamb gyro platter.. maybe it was because there was no business, but the meat tasted hard, not at all succulent.. the cucumber sauce was.. bogey.. everything was.. mehh
(2)Mark M.
This place is legit. Great cheap gyros indoors! Unheard of. Wait, what was that?..... I can get a Miller Lite here too. Great late night gyro solution, which is my focus every night around 4 AM.
(5)Mike D.
After spending 1/2 an hour walking the streets, I came here on a wednesday night expecting some decent greek food, what I was left with after eating here was regret. Regret that I didnt go somewhere else to eat. I got the lamb and chicken souvlaki platter and what ended up in front of me was probably the two driest meats I have ever experienced. It felt as though the meat was sitting ontop of a heater the whole night. To make things worse, their platters seems to be completely void of lettuice, onions, and tomatoes. This is the first greek place that I have been that did not serve their platters with any of the above, and if I had knew that was the case would have opted for the cheaper gyro instead. And to top it all off, the small amount of tzatziki sauce was very plain and below average. I do NOT recommend coming here for greek food, unable to comment about the bar since it was completely empty.
(2)Ann L.
Pros: * Great location, Karavas Place is in the heart of West Village right by the West 4 Station. * Prices are standard and you get a lot per slice. Cons: * When a venue is an unkempt hole-in-the wall, you would expect the food to be exceptional to compensate. Unfortunately at Karavas, everything was just, MEH. The quality of the pizza was mediocre if not underwhelming. The crust tasted like cardboard. Will not be returning, unless I was in a drunken stupor and had no sense of judgement, and apparently Karavas is a huge hit for drunks at 4AM.
(2)Madison R.
Their food is absolutely amazing ! I'm originally from Florida and moved to the bronx about 2.5 years ago. It's so hard to find good tasting gyros. I love the lamb gyro so juicy & the atmosphere is calming
(5)Gloria F.
I was REALLY craving a Greek gyro and this place was close by. I read the Yelp reviews (DUH) and they are not so good. People talk about how bad the drinks are, how bad the music is, how bad the food is, etc etc. well you know what?! it wasn't bad. The place was cold! the service is a little shoty but, again, not bad, just nontraditional. We got a regular Gyro. it was quite tasty!! The lettuce and tomatoes were fresh and crisp. The Gyro meat was flavorful. The pita bread was perfect. Everyone was nice. When we asked the server for the check, she couldn't believe we were ready to leave!! haha it was cute. Is this the best greek food? no. It is NOT BAD. try it. You might be surprised. bottom line: Nice space..fairly good food
(3)Zei K.
Sincerely regret going to this restaurant. Atmosphere was bland. For such an amazing location, there are many many many other options. For the price the food was really meh at best. And I'm not at all picky too. Ended up paying $33 for 2 simple sandwiches and a side of falafel with 1 ice tea. Might as well go to Naya Express or Taim for great sandwiches.
(1)Mai Ling W.
Fabulous Greek music was playing. This place is so cozy! Great service. The owner was such a nice guy. Made sure everything was great! Food was excellent!! Had to bring some home for later!
(5)Eugene E.
For being a late night crazy corner place with lots of street characters roaming in and out they have been on the block a long time and the food is actually pretty good esp the salads
(4)Versace J.
Hands down best gyro in nyc. If your looking for a late night munchies and your in the city its a must . Great service this mom and pop shop is unique . Full bar and lots of draft beer if your looking for a buzz .
(5)Al T.
AVOID THIS PLACE , Dirty, food quality was bad, Gyros tasted funny. The sauce was old . Could not finish paid and went dowstairs to filthy restrooms. Shamefull this place rocked for a long time.
(1)Jose D.
I knew I should've listened to my instincts when I only saw one customer at the restaurant... Im giving them only one star because I cant go lower. This is absolutely the worst place I've been to in my life...wow. I ordered a beef soulvaki with a side of spinach and fries which was horrible, honestly. The spinach had a weird flavor to it, the beef was so over cooked that it became tough, and the white sauce they gave me looked old, but the fries were cooked very well, I must say. The pita bread was good too. I don't even have to think about it: I do not recommend this place at all.
(1)Jennifer B.
We have been going here for over 20 years and hands down, they make the best gyros ever.
(5)Sara S.
Anyone who thinks Karavas is good for a drink, you're better off going to the bars down the block. It really works better as a restaurant, and I mean post-drinking, late-night munchies kind of restaurant. I'm a little surprised by how long Karavas has been open though. The first time I stepped into this place was at least 5 years ago, and I have frequented Karavas every so often ever since. What I've witnessed over time is a certain stagnation. While I generally never had an issue with Karavas, it continues to suffer from what I note as slow business and a dullness in appearance both from inside out. One just wants to shake this place and give it a zap of energy. In spite, I still support Karavas as they've consistently provided pretty decent Greek food at sufficient portions and at cheap prices over the years. Menu seems to have changed more than a few times, but the food and the taste of their food has relatively stayed the same. When I speak of slow, dull, you may witness that there's only one or two customers in here at a time. It may deter one to step in, but I wouldn't be shy. And, this restaurant is very spacious and has plenty of seating with two separate rooms, one mainly for dining while the other is a bar. Wait service is certain to be attentive though, at least from my experience(s). The menu has a wide selection, but all items are more or less all related -- falafel, gyro, chicken sandwiches or platters, kebabs, Greek salads, side dishes, etc. I've ordered platters before, but it makes more sense to get their sandwiches; it's cheaper than the platters ($8 versus $13), but they are nearly the same size in portion. They don't skimp on any of the fillers either. You can ask for wheat or white pita. I recommend the side of fries; thick-cut potato fries and a great size for sharing (only $3). The gyro sandwich might be the best item here. It's actually not so bad; the lettuce is fresh, they load it up with flavorful strips of meat, and the pita is nice and soft. If you're feeling thirsty, they do have a lot of available beers on draft and bottled. Yes, they have water and soda too. Karavas serves good food, but it really does suffer from a slowness, and the ambiance can become mildly depressing on less busy occasions. This place has not changed much over the years, but I still feel there's a need for improvement. The decor is outdated, and it just doesn't feel very warm and inviting. Must note, the bathroom here is literally located in a dungeon. You have to walk past a banged up metal door and down a dark, dank stairwell to get to the bathroom.
(3)Andrew C.
So-so Greek food. Between the three of us we got a Mediterranean platter, Souvlaki Platter with lamb & chicken, and Chicken Souvlaki over Greek Salad. On my Souvlaki platter (see my really bad pic), the lamb souvlaki was very dry. The chicken was better, but still had a couple of dry chunks. The tzatziki was thick and rather bland. The salad and fries were OK. The Mediterranean platter was not that good. The falafel were thin, overcooked and hard and the melitzanosalata (babaganoush) was really dry. The dolmas were OK, but a bit stringy. The hummus was the best thing and was still somewhat bland. The Chicken Souvlaki over Greek salad was the most successful with mostly moist meat. The server was friendly, but forgetful. We had to ask several times for water as well as ketchup for the fries.
(2)Sean A.
Greek, this is not. Don't bother with this restaurant. Too many other Greek or other dining options out there. Food isn't authentic. Your local food cart is much better than this place.
(1)Paul L.
I eat here every Saturday and it's the best part of my week. The food is terrific. I want to say best Greek food in the city but I don't know because it's the only place I'll go. Until they stop being so good it's the only place I'll need to try.
(5)Arnab M.
After a loooooong day of semi-productive shopping, a cranky Richard B. and an increasingly edgy and tired self ran into Karavas for a much needed meal. It started raining soon after we were seated. The Greek waitress was delightfully forgetful but SOOO NICE! She told us about the specials, and what's hot and what's not as well as her personal opinion on our choices before she let us order. The food was served pretty quickly but we couldn't start because our waitress forgot to get us cutlery! The chicken kebab and the chicken souvlaki were DELICIOUS, and the pita went really well with tzatziki! AND there was no wait here, at 7 PM on a Saturday night!
(4)Andy H.
Gone downhill. Have eaten here occasionally over the years and the gyros were always big and stuffed and tasty, and the star attraction was the thick and rich chicken lemon orzo soup which was prepared individually in a pan and was a delight. But lately they seem to be buying the cheapest ingredients they can find. The chicken gyro is chock full of hard tasteless chunks of gristle, though the lamb/beef/whatever gyro is a little better and at least still comes in slices, and with fewer mysterious hard bits in it. And the lemon soup is now thin, watery and is a mockery of what it used to be. If you really want a chicken gyro here, get the chicken souvlaki instead, which has EXACTLY the same ingredients but with slightly better white-meat chicken. We complained to one of the staff about the alleged chicken gyro and he apologized saying he sympathized, and that "everyone was complaining about them". He said he'd spoken to the owner about all the complaints they were getting from customers, but evidently nobody's listening. There's a pretty extensive menu here, and I'm sure some of the other stuff is probably okay, but if you're coming here for a good old fashioned gyro, my advice would be to just cross over 6th Ave and get one from the food truck that's out there most evenings instead. Cheaper and a whole lot better tasting.
(2)Richard P.
Love this place when I am in NYC. I have traveled over 3 hours just to take a friend there. Everyone there was great. Depending on the bartender she will make you anything. In fact we had a night of her just hitting us with her specialties. The food is great and love the Meat Platter. Even the Bouncer was a great guy to know. Highly Recommend for the experience.
(5)michelle s.
..plain and simple... this is my absolute FAVE 'hole in the wall' spot in the city!! The only reason I gave this place 4 stars instead of 5 is because a) they don't accept credit cards, and b) the bathroom is through this locked door (bartender is the keymaster) , down this loooong stairway. How are drunk people supposed to go down and up all those stairs? LOL
(4)Melody H.
The $3.65 slice of pizza with fresh mozzarella (which actually ended up tasting like something different, but equally awesome) totally hit the spot. Can't speak for anything else there, but that slice was good. Grab a pizza and take it over to Fat Cat for some live jazz and games.
(4)Alana C.
decent greek salad, good hummus, underseasoned falafel, reasonable portions, eh baklava (though it was warm - points for that). cash only
(2)Alexis A.
A friend was raving about their greek salads and how addictive they are, not being a greek salad fan I had a falafel pita. It was only so-so. I tried her salad and it truly is addictive. So good.
(4)Michael K.
My favorite place to get a gyro.
(4)Nathan M.
The food here is better than you might think. It's good Greek food; not great, but good nevertheless. It is in a super busy part of the Village where restaurants do not need to try hard to be good to insure continued business. But this place tries. The service is super sincere, which I always like. If you go here, get a table by the window- it's fun to people watch on that corner as the world goes by.
(3)Junior S.
I thought the gyro deserved 4 stars, but the baklava was so horrible, I had to take away a star overall (and I considered taking away 2). I'll definitely make a return trip, but I'll just skip dessert (something I should do far more frequently anyway!).
(3)Melissa M.
I have been to Karavas once before and I remember it being pretty tasty. Last night - holy crap it was terrible. I shall paint a word picture. Our waitress was wearing a flowered purple top with matching purple earrings, her belly was hanging over her apron. She was drunk, no scratch that, wasted. 100%. My friends and I were worried she'd either hug us because she loved us one moment or kill us because the next moment she was grabbing things off our table and rolling her eyes at us. Mainly the eye rolling came when we asked her for things that we had already asked for. Now onto the food which left quite a bit to be desired: we all had the chicken souvlaki which was fine but definitely did not have enough veggies in it and was just a sad sandwich put on a lonely white plate - nothing on the side at all. We all left a little hungry. Mainly, the waitress was a crazy f#*k.
(1)Jason C.
I came here for dinner on a Monday and thought it was okay, but not anything impressive. I had the falafel platter which was alright, but not that great. Our server was friendly, but not very attentive, and we usually had to get her attention, whether to remind her that we'd asked for water or to let her know that one of the plates she'd given us was dirty.
(2)Michele W.
A dive, plain and simple: * Cash bar only. You can't start a tab and will need to leave to go to the ATM if you're not prepared. Ridiculous. * Cheesy decor. * So-so food.
(2)Victor L.
For the NYU's, its a good place to get a hangover lunch. The gyros are good, not great, but its decent fare. Don't go here to drink, its really just for quick lunches/dinners/snacks/munchies/joneses/cravings/Âbites/meals/appertifs/this is annoying amongst the really crowded block/area.
(3)michelle p.
This place is good for a quick lunch. I had a veggie burger which was delicious and I believe it was homemade. I can't remember what my folks had but they thought it was pretty good. The waitress was nice but a little bit weird. It is CASH only.
(3)Justin C.
Outstanding drunken eats! Basically a Greek style pizzeria that serves really good gyros and Greek salads. Their gyros runneth over, I've never seen a place pack nearly the amount of meat into a single pita based sammy as these guys do. I usually get Feta too, and they add a small mountain of that, then an ocean of white sauce. When you've had half a dozen pints, stuffing one of these guys down your gullet causes you to reach a state of Nirvana. Only by force of sheer repetition of this very sordid act can I even try to vouch for their actually quality, but I've done it enough time to at least be pretty sure I'm right about this. It's located right off of the colorful Christopher St. block, which, if you've never visited late in the evening, is reason enough to go. Lots of boys who like to be girls guffawing and making merry 'round there.
(4)John P.
I love that Karavas still exists and looks exactly the same as it did in the 70's. It's a total time warp. Gyro and fries are good. That's all I ever get here. I think the same drunks who were here in the 70's are still sitting at the bar over 30 years later albeit with gray hair now.
(4)Tina S.
I think the food here is pretty darn good...the gyros definitely do the trick. The cash-bar only thing is kind of a bummer, but for a few drinks and to enjoy amazing music after class, it's perfect. The best thing about this place is the insane clientele who show up to get down with their bad selves...prepare to make friends with some eclectic and very talented dancing ass-clowns!
(4)Larry B.
I'm sure the rest of the menu is good, but for me it's all about the cheap and silly tasty falafel sandwich, served gyro-style with the pita, lettuce, onions, and yogurt sauce. The mozzarella sticks are not to be overlooked either.
(4)Toisha T.
for my money, this is the best place to eat in the west fourth area. the gyros are so good - always hot with fresh toppings! great fries, and that fried cheese dish that you squeeze the lemon on is also excellent. only thing that sucks is that it's cash only, which is always a bummer.
(5)Bethany P.
i used to work here. the owner is insane, but the food is delicious and cheap. they used to have $1.50 drafts when i was bartending. shame they did away with them. still, very worth stopping in, especially for a late night drunken hummus sandwich or chicken souvlaki.
(4)D S.
3.5 Stars After trying to get some vegetarian food in the area (all of which were closed), we decided to come into Karavas. It was on a Monday night so it was pretty empty. Our food was pretty good. Thumbs UP: the owner or manager, Mona, is the most kindest and hospitable woman ever. We ended up conversing for some time and I would totally go back just to chit-chat with her. Since someone in our group spoke Arabic (one of the languages Mona speaks), she offered us some dessert and coffee on the house, but instead I had some tea. I absolutely appreciated her genuine gratuity. Thumbs DOWN: our server was a bit robotic and bland, but I guess when it's dead I should expect that in NY? And the patron sitting two tables from us layed the most nastiest public fart ever. It was disgusting. But, none of this is a reflection on the food and management. I will be coming back here :)
(4)Tina C.
Opa! Not entirely authentic Greek with a very heavy American flair of burgers and French Fries where my food finds venture here for dinner. Our party of two dined on a large bottle of San Pellegrino, one glass of Merlot, one Souvlaki platter at $13.00, one pita burger at $7.00 for a total of $32.70 was okay. Service is not with a smile from a disgruntled waiter, but somewhat efficient. Quality of food is okay. American Greek cuisine here. Atmosphere and decor is very dilapidated as it needs a serious structural cosmetic change. Patrons who wish to Opa for better Greek food elsewhere, Ouzaria has better quality food, decor and of course customer service on Ninth Avenue. There is no Opa at Karavas Place. N.B. Cash only as no credit or debit cards in any form is accepted.
(2)Andrew G.
Karavas is one of the few Greek restaurants that makes a chicken gyro. OMG this is so good. Processed chicken on a spindle like a Lamb gyro. This is so delicious. I've eaten here a number of times and I always get the same thing. The chicken gyro. I highly recommend this dish. Why because its so hard to find a chicken gyro.
(4)Alicia C.
Ehhh. The food was decent but didn't get a good vibe. The bartender decided she'd take a smoke break in the middle of our time there. She messed up the order and the beer was flat. I wouldn't go back.
(2)David W.
Haven't been here in several months ordered a chicken gyro with everything on it they give me lamb I realize after 2 bites then the give me a replacement chicken this time no white sauce falling apart and leaking oil all over the place, when I requested a request they wanted to charge me for 2 gyros. Long story short no gyro for me. $9 gyro you figure they would get it right with only one customer.
(1)Steven N.
BEST GYRO EVER!! I've eaten it a few times a month for years.. Get it for PICKUP because the service and atmosphere are the worst.
(5)Alyssa R.
This is my first & only 1 star review to date. Karavas is drab, dark, & dreary (alliteration what up), and on top of that, the service is downright awful. I came in with a friend around 11:00 PM on a Saturday night. It was pretty empty so we sat at a table. A waitress came over and asked for our order, and since we hadn't looked at the menu yet, my friend asked for a glass of water. She declined her request and responded angrily "this is a bar, you have to order a drink." We were a little taken aback by this interaction, so we decided to ditch the table and order from the bar. I asked the bartender for a Blue Moon. As she started pouring the beer, the waitress followed us over to the bar and informed us of a supposed "2 drink minimum". The bartender was totally confused (this is either not an actual policy, or it's a terrible one). From the outside, Karavas looked like a laid back place to grab a drink, but the hostility we encountered really turned me off. In conclusion, there are so many other great bars in this area, don't waste your time on a depressing bar with angry staff. Try four faced liar across the street :-)
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