NYCReview
photo credit: Noah Devereaux
Kiki's
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We’d guess that every day in New York City at least a handful of people who have only voted in one presidential election send text dispatches referring to the Kiki’s as “literally so fun.”
Dining at this trendy Greek restaurant means participating in the greater galactic body of Dimes Square. You’ll eat big plates of grilled fish and drink house wine out of tiny glasses while a fashion-world-adjacent mob clops through the signless doorway in vintage boots and Vans.
Oddly enough, though, the food at this Lower East Side restaurant is much better than it needs to be. For all of these reasons–the quality of the food, the ridiculous-but-consistent scene, the prices, and the generous portions–we unabashedly love Kiki’s.
photo credit: Noah Devereaux
The most admirable thing about Kiki’s is its refusal to adapt to the Lower East Side crowd. You won’t find modern twists on spanakopita or sourdough toast topped with whipped tzatziki on the menu. Instead, you and some friends will eat comforting staples like squares of moussaka or soft giant beans in a slightly tart tomato sauce.
Once you get a table somewhere in the maze of dining rooms, fill it with juicy lamb chops—that remarkably cost less than $30—and a Greek salad that’s 60% feta. The dips at Kiki’s come with baskets of warm pita triangles, and you should opt for at least one—such as our favorite, the melitzanosalata. Our order changes every time we eat here, but there are two things we never skip: the grilled octopus chopped into coin-size slices and the cheesy, honey-dripping saganaki. They’re both non-negotiable elements of any Kiki’s dining experience.
At this point, Kiki’s has reached the status of cliched Lower East Side dining choice. (There’s virtually no chance you’ll be seated in under an hour at prime time.) But don’t let its popularity stop you from trying to get a table. Coming here with a group on a Friday always results in the same, time-tested night that’s “literally so fun” for a reason. Prepare for that night to start with a block of feta the size of a greeting card and expect it to end with an empty $24 carafe of Greek wine. You (and everyone else) are going to want to eat saganaki here all the time.
Food Rundown
photo credit: Noah Devereaux
Horiatiki
Yigantes
Melitzanosalata
photo credit: Noah Devereaux
Grilled Octopus
photo credit: Noah Devereaux
Saganaki
photo credit: Noah Devereaux
Moussaka
photo credit: Noah Devereaux