Kokkari, pros, cons, comparisons?

[dietndesire]

Wondering if this place is worth a try. It seems quite expensive for Greek but maybe the room is much nicer than usual or necessary for this cuisine.
It seems to have a high rating but I am very skeptical. Can anyone compare it to Greek food in NYC(which is pretty poor and overrated with very few or maybe even only 1 exception)?
How about to some of the better joints in Greece, itself? Yes, food in Greece has been on the very slippery slope for the last 5/10 years but still has plenty of goodness.

Greek food is very simple to prepare and the dishes here are not some nouveau twists and thus it comes down to ingredients which perhaps are so great they justify the prices but it all seems a stretch. Simple but proper execution is necessary but it ain't that hard, though that has not stopped the majority of restaurants from screwing it up.

Thanks

[510jeff]

This is definitely upscale Greek. When I wanted Greek food when I was living in NY I would head to Astoria- the food was excellent and very reasonable.

[sfwork]

I love this place. Great food and great service AND great ambiance. I find it incredibly annoying when people consider certain types of food (say French) okay to be expensive and others not okay. If you don't want to pay for good Greek/Med food then don't go.

[rworange]

Previous Kokkari posts

Sep 18, 2005
I need the scoop on Kokkari
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/39704

May 09, 2004
Kokkari - yum!
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/29205

Jun 08, 2003
Kokkari - report
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/24506

Nov 27, 2002
Ever been to Kokkari Estiatorio?
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/22170

Aug 29, 2002
Kokkari and Alma - updates
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/21156

Jun 07, 2002
Kokkari Greek in SF--long
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/20141

Feb 17, 2002
Weighing in on Kokkari (longish)
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/18823

Sep 05, 2001
Dinner at Kokkari Estiatorio (long)
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/17421

Jan 25, 2001
Kokkari a BIG Disappointment
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/16482

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Kokkari Estiatorio
200 Jackson St., San Francisco, CA 94111

[walker]

This place is beautiful and every time I've been here (friends recount the same) service has been exceptional. I don't eat lamb but others really rave about the rack of lamb here. The fish is really fresh and I really like the apps.

[JasmineG]

I've always had very satisfying meals there. I've never been to Greece, so I don't have that to compare to, but I love the breads and spreads, the appetizers are all delicious, and I've had great lamb and fish dishes there. I tend to leave there very full, and they've always given out lots of bread (the pita is excellent), and more if I've asked.

[Judith]

I like Kokkari and Evvia its sister restaurant in Palo Alto. I love the gigantes, and I've enjoyed the lamb shank. I consider taramasalata the test, and theirs passes. I've never noticed that they were stingy about bread and I've certainly never left hungry. I don't know what your "one exception" is in New York. The only Greek restaurant I've been to there lately is Pylos, on East 7th street. The food was unmemorable, and we had a table near the door which meant that our feet froze every time somebody opened it. It wasn't worth the price and I wouldn't go back. If you want good old plain Greek estiatorio cooking in the bay area, try Athena Grill in Santa Clara.

[Fine]

The reasons this place is so expensive have to do with location, style, size, and the crowd it caters to--IMO.

I like it quite a bit though I've posted about several disappointments in the past.

It's got a special occasion feel to it and, unless this has changed--I haven't been there in over a year--its bar's a hangout for folks like Mayors Brown and Newsom.

It is very expensive.

If I was going, I'd do my best to find out when and till what (likely) hour it was offering fireplace-cooked local lamb, far and away the best thing I've tasted there.

[grishnackh]

As your special occasion comment alludes to, Kokkari can have a bit of a stuffy feel to it, especially at lunch. This is a restaurant dominated by an older, moneyed crowd, and it has the professional service and stultified atmosphere to match.

Your table placement at Kokkari can go a long way towards determining whether you enjoy your experience. After my third or so lunch there, I began to be given two-tops in their main room with the lit fireplace - definitely a nicer room to sup in.

In terms of food, I rarely stray from their lamb rib chops. Cooked extra rare as ordered, they never arrive without a nice char or a judicious coating of herbs. The thermosalata, fried smelt, and gigante beans are some of the best appetizer bets. As Fine mentioned, your meal here won't be cheap. But nor will it be rushed in any way, take place in drab surroundings, or be marred by subpar food.

[dietndesire]

Sugartoof, your piece is enough and as I suspected.
As for enjoying Greek for elsewhere, Rahir, well, better than bad doesn't mean much.

Thanks for the input.

[rahir]

Whoa, I never said it was better than bad. I just said it was much better than other (non-NYC since I haven't had Greek in NYC) Greek food that I've eaten.

[rahir]

I've always enjoyed my meals at Kokkari. It's upscale Greek with a contemporary flare. The service is always spot-on, and I always leave very satisfied. I've never eaten Greek food in NYC, but I've had it elsewhere, and I feel the experience at Kokkari is miles better, BUT you also pay more.

[sugartoof]

Nothing thrilling. Nothing from my meal stands out as good Greek food or a good interpretation even. I left hungry, and glad I was being treated. Some of the flavors were right, and the room is very nice, but it just misses the mark. If I have to nibble on my bread to ration it off because theyre handing it out like it's gold, then that's not going to make for a good Greek meal. In terms of the nouveau approach, the only thing I really noticed was the portion size, otherwise, pretty traditional.

[Stephanie Wong]

I've only eaten there once -- a lunch hosted by someone else just under a year ago.

We were there for a couple hours and dined very leisurely. The bread was replenished numerous times without our having to ask. The food server had noticed that we were using it to sop up the last droplets of sauce on the platters.

[sugartoof]

Okay, well imagine if they only replaced the bread once, and it was the only really exciting thing on the table. They served it so sparingly we weren't sure if we would be charged for it.