Estia Greek Taverna

The only way to get more authentic is to visit Greece. You could be sitting in a restaurant in Pyrgaki; its that good. We were able to pick out our seafood nice and fresh. The North African prawns are out of this world! The ambience is just shy of loud, but the food is so good you don’t even mind it. The grilled octopus was spectacular. We have made it our special place to visit.

Service is excellent; friedly staff is a big plus. Food is very good; usually visited for lunch and ordered fish if the day and is very fresh and perfectly cooked. Today, Sunday, african jumbo prawns and langoustines for appetizer; where do you get that around?

Was really hoping that this place would live up to all the 5 star reviews, but in all honesty, it fell short with both the service and the food. During my few days in the Marlton area, I dined at two places that gave us the «bum’s rush». Estia and Dolsot House. Estia’s hours (on Unilocal) list an 11pm close on Saturday. In fact, that was one of the few places open in Marlton at that time of the night! Service was rushed and inattentive. What’s even worse was that the kitchen was also off the night we were there.
My lamb shank was served «lukewarm». Now anyone who knows food realizes that a braised piece of meat such as lamb shank, osso buco, a stew of any type, or large cut of meat has to be cooked in advanced and either warmed up or finished in the broiler/​pan/​or oven before serving. The side of orzo served along side the shank was piping hot, the meat was cool at the bone.
I asked the server to please have the kitchen heat the meat until it was hot. When he brought it back to me, it was still lukewarm. Not only is that sad, but it’s a potential health risk. Pre-​cooked food needs to be reheated to a temperature of 165 degrees to prevent the possibility of foodborne illness. If the kitchen couldn’t complete the task on 2 try’s, I wasn’t going to ask a 3^rd time ! Conversely, my friend’s grilled sea bass was served hot & delicious (albeit a small portion for the price).
I’ve eaten at the Estia in PHL, and it was satisfactory. Marlton branch… not so much. Additionally, it’s pricey. Lamb Shank with 3 oz orzo $ 29. Grilled Sea Bass with 3 oz of cooked greens $ 28. I’ll take pass on Estia my next visit to Marlton.

Amazing Moussakaaaa (in Will ferrel’s voice) and the Ekmek is great as well. Had the fish pita for lunch before + the traditional ground lamb pita too. Both are awesome. My only gripe would be $ 14 – 16 for a pita seems a little steep despite the quality, but it won’t stop me from going back.
It rivals the best Greek food I’ve had in NYC. Hopefully, the local area will support this non-​steak non-​Italian non-​American restaurant, and we can keep a little culinary diversity in the Marlton/​Medford bubble!

Finally! Marlton has nice quaint dining. We dont have many places like this in the area so it is surely appreciated. As everyone already has mentioned the ambiance is perfect and staff is attentive and friendly. The food is gourmet greek so I wouldnt say its authentic but still the food is delicious. If you’re looking to celebrate an occasion or have a romantic evening this is a perfect place but if you’re in the mood for Gyro you wont find it here :-)

Fantastic all the way, from appetizers to dessert. Best Greek food that I have had in any Greek restaurant I have been to in a long time. The waitress we had was excellent. The ambience was just perfect. Just one tiny, tiny negative, the dolmades are too sweet tasting. But OMG, everything else was superb! OPA

I visited the Marlton location. I was very happy, overall. Nice ambiance. Short wait. The grilled octopus appetizer, was awesome. After that, something they were calling «surf & turf»…it was lamb & prawns… very tasty! All of the seafood was fresh, and the food was cooked perfectly. Would go back a in a second.

Food was great! Service was timely. Staff were super friendly… Ambiance is beautiful no complaints

This is not authentic or well seasoned food as some have mentioned. If you have been to Greece or have been to some of the better Greek (or even mediocre) Greek restaurants in the US, you would find the food bland by comparison. They do use quality meats and fish, but if you are looking for tasty dishes, not so much. I was excited to have Greek restaurant within a few miles of my home, but I cannot recommend this one. It is expensive to boot which wouldn’t bother me if the food was good. I’d love to be able to get a great Greek meal even at a higher cost. But the quality does not warrant the price.

Hard to really put a star down here. Went with the family and got two orders of apps; calamari and the chips. Each dish had a hair on it. We sent it back and there went my appetite. As for the entrees, everybody enjoyed their meal. From the salmon to the chefs special rib eye; it was a good meal. Very pricey but for the type of food that was served its expected to have a high price. I probably won’t go back though.

Outstanding! The halibut prepared with peppers, potatoes and tomatoes was excellent and cooked to perfection– will definitely return when I am in town again. I only wish a gem like this restaurant was located near my hometown!!!

I gotta say-​this place is the definition of mediocre. I used open table, and noted it was a 50^th Birthday dinner-​not only was there NO mention of it, but we got a crappy tiny table in an empty room. The waiter was even adequate, and at some point to endear himself-​brought over his phone and asked my partner if he was Irish, and said you look like my son-​showing him a phone picture? WTF?
I got home and was very hungry-​the $ 45 entrée had no sides or vegetables at all-​this is kind of ridiculous-​My partners meal was a very overcooked Kabob-​and he was not pleasedso we got out of there after the appetizers (which were actually good but over-​priced too), salad and meal for $ 80/​person? No drinks, no coffee/​desserts-​seriously?
The next night we went to a Great place-​and for $ 45/​person TOTAL-​we had an awesome meal — Filomena’s Lakeview… such an awesome birthday dinner! (Estia was lousy-​except for the Calamari and Chop Salad.

EXCELLENT !!!
$ 19.00 Business lunch lets you choose from 3 courses – with HUGE portions.
Hummus brought to the table was excellent-​so was the accompanying bread. Wait staff brought us more hummus. Delicious entrees.
Beautiful atmosphere.

Beautiful décor, open airy and cheerful. I had the fish gyro with a side of salad and both were delicious. I know even the salad. The warm bread with humus was a perfect start. My husband’s chicken souvlaki was also excellent. It is a nice oasis from the busy route 70. We will definitely be back

” — Food Perfection”
We stopped into Estia Greek Taverna tonight for dinner and from start to finish — it was great. We walked in to a nearly empty restaurant since we arrived before 5 PM and I found the interior décor to be truly beautiful.
Hand-​chiseled Jerusalem limestone floors, hand woven rugs, vaulted ceilings, antiqued whitewashed stucco walls, wood plank floors and exposed wood beams to evoke the traditional atmosphere. A series of dining areas feature rustic farm tables, dark wood chairs with beige cushions and dining nooks with upholstered banquettes. We were seated at a banquette facing the bar and it was comfortable with a great ambiance.
Bob our waiter, came right over and took our drink orders (I had a glass of Riesling) and upon his return he went expertly through the menu, making suggestions and noting favorites. We decided on the octopus and sardine appetizers to start and we both ordered the daily special for Sunday which was the short ribs stefado.
Prior to getting our appetizers, a wooden plate of rustic sliced bread and a delicious fava bean spread were brought to the table. I think it was fava (kouki/​) but it might also have been lathouri/​but it didn’t seem yellow enough. Either way — it was very delicious.
The octopus appetizer was charcoal grilled and served on top of a little fava purée with translucent onion shreds, capers and sliced peppers. Lemon juice was used judiciously and it was perfection. Tender grilled octopus (tenderized in a washing machine), lightly dressed with olive oil and lemon. My dining partner could have eaten an entrée portion and been very happy with that.
The sardine appetizer was equally succulent, deboned and grilled to juicy, yet crispy and utterly yummy. Both appetizers were outstanding and we practically licked the plates clean I have to say.
Our entrees came out just as our appetizer plates were cleared away, hot and aromatic. I had the short ribs stefado as described with the carrot mashed potatos and I loved them. Tender aromatic and flavorful chunks of short ribs kissed with pan sauce and coupled with the mash — sublime.
My dining partner does not like carrots so he substituted the mash for the horta. The horta was another new taste for both of us, a wild sautéed green very much like a dandelion green, evocative of chard and broccoli rabe in flavor without any bitterness. There was also a light herbal, floral note that really made it stand out and it paired amazingly well with the short ribs.
The horta is also available as a side dish and is described as steamed wild mountain greens with extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon. Again, the use of lemon was judicious and so it was the slightest hint of lemon that brightened the greens before disappearing with no sharp lemony residual aftertaste.
I was pretty full by this point, but I was dying to try the galaktoboureko (a traditional Greek dessert of semolina custard wrapped in phyllo with orange lemon syrup that I like to use as a barometer to test the authenticity of the pastry in Greek restaurants) but Bob suggested the ekmek (a dessert described as pistachios layered between shredded phyllo, custard and whipped cream) and I am very happy I went with his suggestion. It was AWESOME.
We finished with some coffee and after a leisurely hour and a half in the warm inviting tavern; the place was starting to fill up with groups of hungry customers and so we headed back out into the balmy rainy night.
We give Estia Greek Taverna two thumbs up, we will definitely be back and if you go, ask for Bob.

I have eaten at the Estia Center City Philadelphia location about 6 times with my parents over the past few years. Each time, the food was excellent but the service was slow and inattentive.
Estia recently opened this location in Marlton, NJ which my parents were excited about since Estia’s Philadelphia restaurant is (I think) their favorite restaurant in the area. They had been to the Marlton location a couple times before they took me there 2 nights ago. They said that they had had inconsistent service and inconsistent quality of their food at the Marlton location, however they wanted to try it again.
I had the «Tuesday Special» of braised, boneless lamb shank which was tender, delicately spiced, and very tasty.
My parents had their favorite entrée: the lamb chops. I’ve had these chops many times at the Center City location and each time they were phenominal. My parents and I joke that each chop was like a lamb lollipop! Tender, bite-​size, flavorful, without any extraneous fat or connective tissue.
The lamb chops at the Estia, Marlton location were chewy, cut too thick, and rimmed with a fatty connective tissue that was unappetizing to say the least. They were not the worst lamb chops I’ve eaten, though they are nothing close to the quality I’ve enjoyed repeatedly over the years at the Center City Estia.
The service was, however, pleasant and attentive.

No.
It started out so promising… the lighting, the music, the smells, the company and (it would seem) the service were spot on and we were quickly seated and chatted up by our waiter who was sufficiently flirty and helpful. We ordered a Greek salad and some drinks which came quickly and satisfied. The salad was especially delicious, big hearty tomatoes, salty feta, olives are served with hummus and bread/​cuke slices.
I ordered the Sardines app for my meal and my companion got something gluten free and after taking our order we literally never heard from or waiter until he dropped the check 40 minutes later. Had he (or anyone) asked «how’s your meal,» I would have said «mediocre.»
OMG the fish was so boring. Fresh fish should NEVER be boring. Maybe a teesy drizzle of Beurre Blanc or a dash or raspberry coulis might have saved the dish… or even a lemon, just something to leaven and enhance the freshness of the flavor profile.
Just four incredibly fresh, boring tasting-​fish.
Honestly I don’t even remember what my bestie got because it was obviously not memorable.
Food: Hit or miss
Service: Hit or miss or miss or miss
Dessert: we went to Friendly’s instead
Setting: Above average
Company: Stellar

Everything– décor, cocktails, food, ambiance, menu, food, service and variety was superb. I will definitely be going back for some more delicious Greek food and cocktails. They’re on opentable as well if you like to use that app for reservations.
I would say after reading the reviews, Richard R.‘s review is most accurate. Being that he is an Elite ’14 reviewer for Unilocal,I can see why.
For those that said its top overpriced, too small of portions, too loud, not Greek enough…
— I do not think its overpriced for the quality of food you are receiving. Everything we received was extremely well done.
— Portion size too small? I’m not sure what the reviewer ordered or if its changed since the review was written but all four of us (two couples) had food left on their entrée plate and we went in starving.
–Too loud? Not where we were sitting. It was busy and we still had a nice conversation.
— Not Greek enough? I felt they had a nice selection of options but it is definitely «Americanized» but not to the point that it could ruin the experience in any way. However, I respect that if you are Greek and expect certain things, there may be things that bother you…
All in all we had a fantastic time, our service was on point and we were well taken care of. We had Octopus, Calamari, and Tuna Tar Tar to begin with (since we all we so hungry) and all 3 plates were cleaned up– two people had never had octopus and loved it. It had a great texture and flavor and simply was cooked perfectly. Calamari and Tuna Tar Tar was exactly what you would expect, which is always a bonus.
I had the Salmon, boyfriend had the Bronzino, other couple had the chicken and lamb. There were no complaints. The veggie side was delicious and a must try too.
We ended the meal with Greek coffees and espressos, baklava & gelato. It was all perfect!!!
Being a girl from West Palm whose lived in Orlando, Nashville, Memphis (the TN cities having phenomenal food options) and now lives here, this has been my favorite spot so far in Marlton. I don’t care for chain restaurants and I love good food with a beautiful atmosphere.
Definitely try it out. :)

Enjoyed it very much. Walked in Saturday night with my wife and two daughters and the hostess said it would be a 2 hr wait. We were disappointed and stood there for a minute deliberating. The manager could tell we really wanted to eat there, and somehow manages to free up a table for 4 immediately. That was a pleasant surprise! The service was great. Atmosphere was pleasant and food was very tasty. Portions were a little smaller than one might be accustomed to for the price, in South Jersey.
All in all it was a very good experience and we would go back.

We went to Estia Taverna on a rainy Sunday night. I was pleased when I learned Pietros was converting to Estia Taverna as we had wanted to try the Center City location. I was also surprised they converted Pietros as it was always busy.
Estia Taverna is really beautiful inside. It is very simple and elegant. The use of wood and stonework is really well done and it just feels very nice. They have a small bar and also a small lounge for waiting. There is also a raw bar and some fresh fish displayed on ice.
Our waiter did a nice job on explaining the options and menu. The menu has a good deal of fish but there are some chicken, lamb and meat dishes available. They serve fresh bread and hummus with your meal but everything is a la carte. The service was very good and attentive.
We had the grilled calamari for an appetizer that was stuffed with cheese. That was really excellent and the grilled taste was spot on. I had the lamb chops and they were fantastic, they were marinated and grilled. My wife had the Bronzino which was also grilled and moist and delicious. My brother in law had the Sea Bass which he also thought was done very well. We tried a bottle of Greek white wine and it was a very good meal. We had coffee but we were too full to try the desserts.
Estia Taverna is not an inexpensive restaurant. It is up there with the higher end restaurants in the area. Our meal was about $ 40.00 per person without tip and without dessert.