Nikos Taverna Mykonos — What to Order
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The verdict. Skip the fashionable beach clubs, sit on the Nikos waterfront, and order whole fish by the kilo with a spread of house meze — the honest Mykonos meal.
What the Nikos Taverna Menu Actually Is
Nikos Taverna has cooked on the Mykonos Town waterfront since 1976, and the menu is exactly what a Greek taverna should be: a long list of meze, grilled meats and the day's catch, priced honestly and cooked without concession to tourist taste. Our Nikos Taverna review reads it as the town's most reliable traditional table. Fish is sold whole, by the kilo at market price, which is the signal that the kitchen is buying fresh rather than plating a set portion.
What to Order at Nikos Taverna
Order broadly across the meze first: tzatziki, taramosalata and melitzanosalata, all made in-house, with warm bread that stays on the table. The saganaki, pan-fried cheese crisped at the edges, is a Nikos standard and the plate to anchor the start. From the grill, the lamb chops over coals are the meat order, and the whole fish from the day's catch, silver snapper, sea bream or whatever came in, is the reason to be here, grilled simply and dressed with lemon and oil.
Round it out with grilled octopus, dolmades and a Greek salad, and let the staff pace the meal in the unhurried island way. Carafes of house wine refill quickly and cost little; the bill sits at the $$ register unless you order a large fish, which is where the cost climbs. This is meze-and-grill dining, not a coursed menu.
When to Go and How to Book
The waterfront tables are the most-requested seats and the taverna keeps a first-come rhythm in high summer. Our read on the no-bookings system at Nikos explains how to land a good table and when to turn up. Come early for sunset on the water, or late once the day-trippers thin out.
The Smart Play
Order a wide spread of meze for the table, one whole fish to share, and a carafe of white, since that is the meal Nikos does best and the way locals eat it. It is a fine choice for a relaxed first date or a big group dinner on the water, and it belongs on any short list of the best Greek restaurants. Set it against Interni's garden dining and Hippie Fish on the beach, and see the wider Mykonos dining guide for the island picture. Menu-guide sibling: what to order at Malini Uluwatu.
View Nikos Taverna on Restaurants for Kings →
Related Reading
- Our full profile: Nikos Taverna review.
- The wider island: Mykonos dining guide.
- Getting a table: the no-bookings system at Nikos.
- The category: the best Greek restaurants.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should you order at Nikos Taverna in Mykonos?
Order a wide spread of house meze to start, then a whole fish from the day's catch and lamb chops from the grill. The tzatziki, taramosalata and melitzanosalata are made in-house, and the saganaki is a Nikos standard, so build the opening around those. Grilled octopus, dolmades and a Greek salad round it out, and a carafe of house white is the drink locals reach for.
How much does Nikos Taverna cost?
Nikos sits at the $$ register for a meze-and-grill dinner, which makes it one of the better-value tables in Mykonos Town. Meze and grilled meats are modestly priced, and house wine by the carafe costs little. The one place the bill climbs is whole fish, which is sold by the kilo at market price, so ask the weight before it goes on the grill if you want to keep the total in check.
Is the fish at Nikos Taverna fresh?
Yes. Nikos sells fish whole and by the kilo from the day's catch rather than as a fixed portion, which is the clearest sign a Greek kitchen is buying fresh each morning. Expect silver snapper, sea bream, octopus and whatever the boats brought in, grilled simply and finished with lemon and oil. The taverna has run this way since 1976, and the family kitchen still buys and cooks to the day.
Do you need a reservation at Nikos Taverna?
Nikos runs largely on a first-come basis rather than a strict booking system, so the surest way to a good waterfront table is to arrive early, before the sunset rush, or later once the day-trippers thin out. Our booking read explains how the seating works in high season and which tables are worth waiting for. In peak August, be ready for a short wait for the most-requested seats on the water.