Astoria, Queens has an abundance of restaurants reflecting world cuisine. And Astoria, Queens has its share of Greek cuisine. The best Monday September 4th, 2023 lunch is to dine at this Greek restaurant with your Italian buddy and his mother. Paul himself remains an Astoria, Queens resident at heart, though he has moved away to Yonkers. And having done Italian food the previous two times we decided to hit TKA when it is less crowded. Taverna Kyclades Astoria has been around the neighborhood a while. The folks have a good pulse for service and food. They have to. The restaurant name originates from a group of islands renowned for beautiful beaches, dazzling sunrises and downright delicious food! It is exhilarating to walk into a restaurant where the "good morning" is as wide as the smile of the person greeting us. The wait to be seated was minimal and in that time we decided to do a light lunch fare. And the ideal start to a Monday lunch is with sparkling water, red wine (Amethystos Red, dry aged in French Oak, flavors of red forest fruit, goose berries and blackberries), and Kyclades signature Mastiha Mojito (Mastiha liqueur, Empress Gin, mint, blueberries and lime). Mastiha liqueur is a sweet liqueur from Greece that's made from mastika resin, a sap from the mastic tree, which is native to the Mediterranean region. The liqueur supposedly is good for digestion and had some medicinal properties. Will remember Evan our server, as he had a right sense of humor, and at his suggestion I ordered the mojito. And yes we ordered the faves, Traditional Greek Salad (straight from their backyard garden), Spanakopita (Spinach Pie), Grill Kalamari and once again at Evan's suggestion Pikilia (Assortment of Dips), Greek style spreads. skordalia, tzatziki, taramosalata, tirokafteri, accompanied by pita. The food speaks for itself for good price of $100 for three people. And we had a nice, relaxing conversation while experiencing fantastic food. Looking around the bright restaurant, with its white tables and bright blue exterior, sitting inside at our table, I can only imagine the white and blue of the islands the restaurant takes it name from.

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Taverna Kyclades to celebrate my birthday, and it was truly an amazing Greek experience! This restaurant specializes in seafood, and it shows in the quality and authenticity of the dishes. From the moment I walked in, I was welcomed with warm hospitality that set the tone for the evening. The service was top-notch--attentive without being intrusive, and they really made me feel special on my big day. Now, let's talk about the food! My favorite dish was undoubtedly the grilled octopus. It was cooked to perfection, tender and flavorful, with a hint of smoky char that was simply divine. I could taste the authenticity in every bite, and it's clear that the chefs take pride in their craft. If you're looking for a fantastic seafood experience with a genuine Greek flair, I highly recommend Taverna Kyclades. I can't wait to return and explore more of their menu!

I went here on a weekday for lunch. Their main dishes are prepared very simply with few seasonings, come in the option of grilled or fried, and lemon to squeeze on top of each dish. The amount of food for the lunch menu costs were definitely worth it. The fried calamari was standard, but I like that they use their own version of calamari sauce instead of the standard marinara. The grilled shrimp are massive and cooked well along with the grilled sardines and whiting. The lemon potatoes nice and lemony with a deep yellow color. The fried potatoes were disappointing because most of them were probably cut too thick and were soggy. I like that they had a large choice of Greek wines, including organic ones. They don't have a dessert menu, but I thought it was a nice touch they provide a rolled baklava on the house at the end of the meal. And of course free bread for the table is always appreciated. The service was really good! The servers are quite busy running around, but their personalities come through and are very attentive. The restaurant is bright with white walls and tables, bustling because it is always quite busy, and the seats are close together. The seats were so close that I got to know our neighbors and traded them for some delicious grilled whiting. I would definitely recommend coming here during lunch. It probably be a place I'd recommend for dinner because of how busy, bright and expensive the menu is during that time.

Ambiance (3/5): This is my first time at their new location. We were sat immediate for a party of 4 at 7pm inside. The tables are nested extremely close to each other that you feel like you are sitting on top of each other and other guests bodies are squeezing beside you. As the night progressed, it definitely got louder and harder to hear. There's plenty of outdoor seating as well. Service (4/5): They are extremely busy but attentive. I wouldn't say staff members were overly nice but they were efficient. Assorted Dips (4/5): The dips come with a phenomenal pita bread. It is warmed, soft, and generously seasoned. We had to ask for a refill! I wasn't a huge fan of the potato-based on but the rest were good. Octopus (5/5): The grilled taste with the oil and vinegar was cooked to absolute perfection!! Kyclades Special (for 2) (3/5): Definitely a sizable portion for 2 to share! The scallops were by far my favorite but both the scallops and the baked calms had some grit in them! Sucks to have bites of sand. The lobster tail was overcooked so a bit tough. The filet sole was bland. The stuffed shrimp was decent (but I don't really eat shrimp). Lemon Potatoes (5/5): Surprised by how tasty these were and how the lemon flavor was really infused with it. FREE dessert (5/5): A decadent slice of a pudding-like treat which was a pleasant end to the meal!

Always a family favorite! You can never go wrong with some fish and lemon potatoes! I love getting my branzino and the staff will even fillet it for you if you request it! They have amazing octopus that is so tender! All the salads are also so refreshing! Come early or else you'll end up waiting!

Amazing grilled octopus and Greek salad! Love that they serve everyone a desert on the house. The service is quick and friendly. Perfect for outdoor dining on a cool summer night. Pretty sure they bottle their own wine - the Sav is ok

Ordered: Small Greek Traditional Salad (~$14): romaine, cucumbers, Kalamata olives, onions, tomatoes and feta Red Snapper (M/P ~$45): grilled & fillet, with side of fried potatoes Aya's take: This has become a monthly visit for me and I'm not complaining one bit. Whenever we come, there's a wait but luckily we were able to grab bar seating right away. The Greek Salad is a must-order when we come here. I love the freshness of all the ingredients and the feta is some of the best I've had in a Greek Salad. It also goes well with the complimentary bread and of course, the seafood. We tried the Red Snapper this time and got it grilled; they also offered to fillet it for us which was great as we didn't have to sort through tiny bones. The side of fried potatoes is my favorite side here; the sprinkle of seasoning on top really goes a long way. And as always, we ended the meal with a sweet bite of the complimentary dessert. Taverna Kyclades is busy enough but if you haven't had the pleasure of dining here yet, do yourself a favor!

Came to Kyclades for Mother's Day and opted for an outdoor table since the wait was shorter. The wait was about an hour and a half but it was well worth it. First off, I like that they call you when your table is ready instead of making you stand there waiting the entire time so you're able to go for a drink nearby or even a quick bite to hold you over. The food was absolutely delicious. We're more of appetizer folks so we got plenty of apps with my favorites being: 1) Spinach Pie, it was so fresh, warm, and flakey. Recommend it 100% 2) Saganaki, it was so good we had to order a second. 3) The assorted dips are a must, they go with everything on your table. Amazing! 4) Lemon potatoes are another must order, deliciousness. 5) Calamari, the fried calamari is incredible here and I'm not big on calamari. 6) Greek Salad, it's fresh, generous portion of feta and goes well with the rest of the food you'll get here. The outdoor seating was nice, I've never sat inside since they moved to this location so can't say much about the inside. Overall, highly recommend and be patient if the wait is long, it's worth it!

A fantastic family dinner with outstanding - friendly, attentive, and efficient - service, buzzing ambience, and excellent food. We started with oysters, which brought just the right level of briny/ocean taste, and followed with the sampler of four Greek dips with pita. The skordalia and tzatziki were my favorites, but all four were terrific. Next was the Greek salad, served family style. This was a beautiful and fresh salad, with lots of tomatoes, olives, and cucumbers topped with two generous squares of feta. We had the souvlaki and biftekia for the meat eaters and the branzino and black sea base for the seafood lovers. Each drew rave reviews and portion sizes were plentiful. We all had leftovers that made a complete meal the next day. Complimentary dessert was yummy even though we were more than stuffed. We finished the meal with a shot of strong ouzo, sipped slowly with an ice cube. We left very happy and committed to returning to Taverna Kyclades soon.