Reviews & Ratings for Taverna Agora

06/22/11

pretty good....

by PanthersFan at Citysearch

The first two times i came here, the food was so-so. This most recent time, I ordered the Grilled Pork Chop(Hirini Brizola), and it was excellent!

The ambiance and staff are always very great.

05/14/11

one of my favorite restaurants

by stevenmartinfan at Citysearch

Absolutely have a wonderful experience everytime we go here. We have had birthday parties there as well as just grabbing a family dinner and the food, owners, waitstaff and entire experience ALWAYS exceed my expectations! Love this place!

04/15/11

Ridiculously overpriced for what you get

by ezee8 at Citysearch

Atmosphere was fun and inviting. The food was decent, not amazing but decent, but the prices were insane for what you got. The lamb was not cooked well. Will not go back unless I become very rich tho, dinner was $75 plus tip for what would have been a $30 bill in a small Greek place back home.

02/25/11

Disappointment

by papillon1003 at Citysearch

Disappointment, best describes our first dining experience at Taverna Agora where it seems like the term “customer is always right does not apply.” The decor is quaint and welcoming the hostess/manager is far from that.

Our server was not properly trained neither about Greek cuisine nor customer service, seemed to be in a rush.

We started with an appetizer of Pikilia Agora which consisted of three samplers with pita bread, the tzatziki had too much dill, melitzanosalata was runny and very green the tirokafteri lacked flavor. Unless one needs a sodium boost without flavor, stay away from this sampler. When I complained to the manager, she said “I have tasted it; I don’t know what you mean.”

For the main course I ordered the Mousaka, which was refrigerator cold on the inside needless to say at this point I had lost my appetite. My daughter ordered the Pastitcio which she said was good.

Unfortunately the only excitement we felt was our ride from Cary to Raleigh with the anticipation of having authentic Greek food. Next time I want Greek food, I will go to the food court at the local mall where I know that the food and the service is better. Instead of the attitude I will actually get a smile.

11/30/10

Great Food,

by rindel at Citysearch

From the initial greeting,it's exciting to be at Taverna. The rustic atmosphere lends itself to comfort and fun. Our server introduced herself as Gina. Though our server was a bit gruff and rough around the edges, it was not enough to spoil our evening. We always have had great service, so this one time was excusable. The food was great. Salad dressing so tasty and the dipping oil for the bread amazing. Our entrees were delicious with colorful presentation.. We usually indulge in a dessert, but we opted out mainly because we were full, but also for the need for silence. Gina was too aggressive.We will be back with the caveat of choosing our server (or which one not to have). Such a friendly atmosphere and the best Greek food in the region. In these days of mega businesses, we forget how wonderful and friendly "non-chain" restaurants can be.

09/12/10

Favorite restaurant

by BobLoblawEsq at Citysearch

Three years ago, this place was where my wife and I had our first date. We loved it. Since then, we have celebrated Valentine's, anniversaries, stolen nights away from the children, and many other happy occasions at Taverna's. The food is incredible, and the atmosphere is always wonderful. Sometimes, it can be a bit too loud or festive on belly dancing nights, but even on such nights, there is plenty of time for intimate conversation over a great glass of wine and candlelight. The staff has been great, and I have never had a bad experience there nor has any of the many people I have recommended to Taverna. Highly recommend this wonderful restaurant.

08/02/10

mixed reviews "I understand!"

by arm5280 at Citysearch

I write a ton of reviews and this one is tough. The place has a great feel to it(aside from the heat). The food full of flavor. But the most important part of a night out will ALWAYS be service. I witnessed multiple people just standing there waiting to be sat. None of them were even spoke to. This was our first time to Taverna and we almost walked out at the host station. The woman whom FINALLY sat us had to be related to the owners or something if not one of them. She didn't appear to have a welcoming bone in her body. The most important thing I've learned from previous years in the reastaurant biz is that the most important person in the restaurant is the host/hostess. They provide the first impression and in most cases the last. The lack of care seemed to be passed on to the service staff. If the hostess is an owner(friend of,or family) Please pass the torch and hope that revitalizes the rest of the staff.

It will be a place we revisit. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

• Pros: Strong Menu, Authentic Flavors
• Cons: Service Horrid, Extremely Hot inside

06/16/10

Awesome Event

by wuncebitn at Citysearch

I too have read the previous reviews and find them hard to believe as well especially since My wife and I were there as well. We had a delightful evening that night with no problems. Let me tell you about my experience with the event. We arrived amd were seated in an outside area that had obviously been prepared for us. Upon seating we were immediately greated by our waiter and the woman doing the wine tasting. This was no ordinary event they brought out tons of great appetizers and spent time with every group of people describing the wines and even helping us pronounce them properly. All of this was only $25. I for one found it to be a great value and will gladly go again to their next event. I found the manager to be gracious and delightful in is demeanor and enjoyed the entire evening.

• Pros: wonderful food and great people
• Cons: I live too far away

06/07/10

Fantastic Restaurant Overall!

by musicislife228 at Citysearch

First of all, I would just like to say that I am extremely surprised by the amount of negative comments about this restaurant. Everyone I know that has dined at this restaurant has nothing but wonderful things to say, and I couldn't agree more.

Upon entering the restaurant, the atmosphere captivates you - vines winding on a trellis and decorated with twinkle lights create the perfect mood for a romantic night out, or even a lovely evening with family and/or friends. The bar is a beautiful area, showing off their assortment of wines, and the wine barrels hanging from above offer a traditional look of an actual Greek tavern. I have had the pleasure of traveling to Greece before, and I can say that Taverna Agora does a fantastic job at capturing the feel of Greece.

The patio outside is my absolute favorite part of the restaurant. Vines covered with twinkle lights wind up and down the outer-edge of the patio and make you feel like you are dining in a mediterranean paradise. Weather-permitting, the patio is definitely the way to go!

Next, the food is phenomenal! You cannot go wrong with anything on the menu - I have been many times and have tried a variety of things on the menu, and I am never not satisfied. If there is ever a whole fish on special, it is a must! I have tried 2 of the whole fish that Taverna has had on special, and they have been simply fantastic...I feel almost as if I am sitting by the waters edge in Greece and feasting on a whole fish caught right in the ocean beside me and just freshly cooked. As far as red meat goes, I recommend the Lamb Shank!

The servers present a desert tray after the entrees, enticing their guests with sweets by allowing them to view their desert (which is definitely better than simply reading it on a menu!!)

Overall, this is one of the best restaurants in Raleigh! The food is made-to-perfection, the service is fantastic, and the atmosphere is beautiful! If you are looking for a night out with your significant other, friends, and/or family, Taverna Agora is definitely the place to go!!

• Pros: Atmosphere, Food, Service

06/03/10

Great Start / Bad Finish

by Happikarma at Citysearch

We went for the wine tasting event on Wednesday evening and had a wonderful time in the beginning. Food/wine/service was great. When it came time to get our check there was a mix up. Mistakes happen and that was fine. However, after waiting for over an hour for the waiter and manager to straighten things out, we were all a little put out. The waiter apologized but the manager was rude and didn't even offer an apology...nothing...he did not speak to a single patron. Never again.

• Pros: Good food
• Cons: Very poor management, bad customer service