Taverna Cretekou - Greek restaurant in Alexandria - 818 King St, USA

Food is 8.5 out of 10. Not bad at all, but not like surprisingly good. The location is great, and the service and ambiance are also good. Price is slightly high, but not too expensive considering the recent inflation. I'll come back for the convenient location, but nothing really unique or eye-popping.

The interior of the restaurant is gorgeous, the tables are a little close together as is to be expected in city restaurants, but once we were sitting down it didn't feel like the other tables were right on top of us. The platter options meant we were able to get a few bites of several classic dishes without breaking the bank and ordering multiple appetizers. The portions were significant, the food was delicious, and the price was affordable. You could definitely spend a lot of money here (and it would be worth it!) But if you choose carefully on the menu, you can have a wonderful and unique meal without breaking the bank.

Was so excited to go out and get Greek food on a freezing day. Servers and staff doing their very best could not make up for the comically terrible food. Burned/ dry/ reheated appetizer-size pieces of spanakopita served with undercooked broccoli, cooked but cold baby carrots, and cooked but cold vegetable I didn’t recognize. Potato? Yucca? Your guess is as good as mine.

You can take beautiful insta pictures here but that’s about it. The food was horrible and all premade/microwaved. The lamb was not fully cooked and tasted stale. The moussaka tasted like awful. Way overpriced. Waste of money and time. And what is with the canned broccoli and honey glazed cheap carrots?

Having been fortunate enough to visit Greece multiple times and take cooking classes - my husband and I love finding new Greek restaurants and this by far blew our expectations away! Wow. We eat here multiple times on trips to DC and the staff is incredibly attentive and friendly and wonderful. If you love authenticity and a romantic environment… come on with your come on - do not miss out on this amazing restaurant. You’re all welcome in advance. And the Mediterranean diet is one of the best ones!! Love love love and we will always come back here !!!

Stopped in for lunch after the Old Town Farmers' Market with our pittie & they quickly found a shaded table in the lovely back patio to keep the pup cool while we dined. The owner asked if he'd like a treat & brought a bone, severs refilled his water bowl with ice water, and he lapped up the attention. Our lunch was delicious - appetizer of grilled baby octopus to share, accompanied by fresh bread & delicious herbaceous olive oil for dipping, followed by Greek country salad, gyro, grilled salmon salad with a citrus vinaigrette, and a grilled vegetables platter. My only complaint was the meager selection of wines by the glass - sadly, they tasted like Aldi specials rather than a nice house selection. A few more refined choices (dry Provençal-style rosé, a dry chardonnay, & maybe a Vermentino or Albariño) would better accent the fresh fish & seafood offerings. Service was stellar - our waiter was attentive without being intrusive, water was promptly refilled without needing to ask (even for our pup), and best of all - NO dishes were removed from the table until ALL diners had finished their courses - a sign of true fine dining & sadly rarely found today. Despite a busy, sunny, Memorial Day weekend Saturday afternoon on their magical back garden, we were never rushed and enjoyed a leisurely luncheon. It is easy to understand why Taverna Cretekou has been an Old Town favorite for so many decades. (I first discovered this Greek delight in the mid-90s.) As any true Greek knows, the owners take great pride in their business and are ever-present and involved. They have hired only the most pleasant and customer-focused staff, and have taken the time to properly train & support them - from hosts to waiters to busboys. The food is fresh & delicious, and the secret & expansive L-shaped, off-street, secluded back garden is a delight. Besides covered patio seating - making dining in the rain magical - there is lush landscaping with Greek isle touches of floral-filled amphora & blues & whites to delight the eyes. Taverna Cretekou succeeds with a combination of delectable authentic Greek dishes, attentive & friendly service, and a lovely ambiance & setting - for both indoors & alfresco dining.

The food was amazing, and the staff really took an interest in serving us and made some amazing suggestions. I notice the staff was very interactive with most customers. It was like real service back in Greece where they enjoy making great suggestions, and it was appreciated.

Best Greek food I've ever had in the US. Fresh and incredible. They have a huge range of authentic dishes and all 5 of us tried something different and all were fantastic. My only regret is that i didnt leave enough room for dessert. The sampler dinner was amazing and so filling... we loved it. The decor is great and the staff is friendly and attentive. We loved it! Looking forward to our next visit!