Loi Estiatorio

Maria Loi is so nice - exactly like she is on TV!Her staff is so friendly and attentive.The food is INCREDIBLE. I enjoyed the octopus & a piece of the spinach pie appetizer, branding and lamb shank for dinner, and an amazing combination of baklava, chocolate cake and shared Greek creme brulee.Sorry for the lack of photos - I was too busy enjoying the food!

As I read other reviews I wondered if we went to the same restaurant. As a Greek American I found nothing authentically Greek about their food. I've also visited many different areas of Greece so I'm aware of regional differences in cuisine.The tzatziki dip was ok but I had to ask what the other dip was. It definitely wasn't melitzanosalata. We ordered octopus but it was nothing like we expected. Our fault we should have asked if it was grilled and served with oil and lemon.I order pasticcio and my friend a Greek salad. When my pasticcio came OH MY GOD IT LOOKED NOTHING LIKE IT!!!! I thought they brought me the wrong meal. I pulled up a picture from the internet of authentic pasticcio and showed the waiter. He agreed that what was in front of me definitely didn't resemble the picture. Where was the bechamel sauce? Where was the meat sauce? There were only miniscule pieces of meat. Can someone tell me what that pasta was?He asked me if I wanted another meal and I ordered the chicken. I figured what could you possibly do to chicken. I left it barely touched.We then ordered Greek yogurt with honey and walnuts. It arrived with not one walnut and barely any honey.You can fool the Amerikanakia with this food but not me

I had a wonderful experience at Loi. A comfortable and relaxed space with great service and excellent food. All the food is healthy and organic with many Gluten Free options (including Flourless chocolate cake or Yoghurt & honey for dessert). My favorite was the Octopus which incredibly delicious. The Lamb, Lemon Potatoes and Dolmades were also amazing. Chef Maria Lou is not only very talented but engaging, interesting and clearly loves what she does. I would love to come back again one day!

Such a wonderful restaurant. I had dinner here with my cousins. Delicious Greek food served in a warm, cozy atmosphere.Executive chef, Maria Loi owns this wonderful restaurant. She brings a menu that features fresh, healthy ingredients to all of her dishes. Nothing is cooked in butter. She uses olive oil, yogurt, wine, herbs to bring out the flavors of Greek cuisine. Friendly, knowledgeable servers that created a welcoming experience. I felt like the chef was cooking just for me. Started with the Grilled Calamari. Calamari over an Arugula salad , with Lemon, Olive Oil. It was so tender and melted in our mouths. Grilled Salmon - a nice piece of freshSalmon served over an Idaho Potato Purée, with Kalamata Olives. This was perfection. The salmon was cooked perfectly with a crisp outside and flavorful flakey inside. My husband had the Lamb Shank and he couldn't stop raving about it. It was a wonderful evening with delicious, healthy Greek food. If you're looking for something special look no further.

Without any doubt, this spot was a supreme and high-end choice of a Greek restaurant in NYC, appropriate for a birthday dinner in a small group. The ambiance is simple and elegant (with Obama and Biden photos on the wall), the service attentive. The food was wonderful, all organic and milk-free with everything prepared with olive oil. Branzino, lamb shank, seafood orzo, grilled halloumi, and octopus were wonder dishes.

Each time I come to NYC, I try new ethnic restaurants that are not as prevalent back home. Pastitsio is one of my favorite dishes of all time so when I found Loi Estiatorio in Yelp, that they had pastitsio, and that it was located less than a mile from my hotel I had to come and try it. I was greeted by a very welcoming woman who very well could be the owner with the genuine care and concern for everyone's taste buds and comfort that she expressed to every person in the restaurant. She took me to a table about halfway into the quaint restaurant where I was able to observe and engage with the staff - so much better than being put in the corner as often happens to single diners. The lovely Greek music was delightful to listen to as I ate. I ordered the Greek Lasagna (Pastitsio) and the Gigantes Me Spanaki (giant beans and spinach). While I waited for my meal to be prepared, deliciousness arrived to my table (AKA a cheese dip with strips of pita bread to enjoy). The wonderful waitstaff partnered together in ensuring that my glass was filled and my palette was happy. My meal was served along with a piece of their house cheese to enjoy along with my bean and spinach dish. I like the cheese by itself. It would be superb paired with bread, vegetables, and fruits - it has the perfect saltiness to go with its creaminess. Not sure if they sell it, but if they do I'd suggest taking some home with you. I probably wouldn't order the bean/spinach dish again as it isn't my preferred flavor. But I'm sure there are sides that I would love to devour. Loved the hint of nutmeg in each bite of the Greek Lasagne (pastitsio). The cheese layer at the top (elsewhere called a béchamel) was the creamiest and superb! The noodles were just the way I like them cooked. My only complaint was that there was not much sauce leaving the dish on the dry side.And then there was dessert......the baklava was PHENOMENAL!!!!!I will be back. Thanks, y'all.

This places was great!!!! Charming environment. Great staff. Wonderful food! Was in town for work, went with my bosses. Waiter let us try multiple wins before ordering a bottle! 6-7 soup options!!! I had chicken and my boss had lentil! Both yummy! King prawn - yummmmmm and huge. Salmon for my boss loved and cooked to temp. Brazino for my other boss. Served full fish! Great optjon!!

Great stuff!! Love the food. Can't wait to return. Looking forward to another dinner.

Loi is now going to be our go-to Greek in Manhattan! It is absolutely delicious and Chef Maria Loi only made our experience special! All of the dishes are made with organic ingredients and it is the most natural as you can get! Loi also make their own greek olive oil! We started with the Bean salad (made with fresh onions, herbs and lemon), stuffed eggplant (stuffed with carrots, and topped with a layer of hardened cheese), octopus (with a bean puree). For entrees we got the baked cod in papillote and also got a side of gigantes (my fav!) All of the dishes were exquisitely prepared. They also topped off our meal with yogurt dessert with honey. We loved our experience at Loi and look forward to going back asap!

I found this place online and let me tell ya the food was amazing, especially the feta yogurt/pita! We booked a reservation the day of and it was serene. Great service and a complimentary dessert for our anniversary. Will definitely come back next time I am in the city, a hidden GEM!!!