Petros

I don't want to be too much of a critic when the food is good. And it was.... How do I say this... If you are the Manager of a restaurant, I would think you would be the last person to be rude and make a woman feel uncomfortable. So, I may be back, but only if they have take out and not with my wife! more

The atmosphere is warm and inviting. The service top notch. But the food has to be experienced to be believed. Greek food with a healthy, high style edge. The wine selection covers all taste and price ranges. Be sure to save room for the dessert and Greek coffee. Whenever we want a fantastic dinner and then a slow stroll out to the pier for the sunset this is our place. A perfect place to celebrate Valentine's Day. Pros: Best fried cheese ever more

I have eaten at this restaurant many times and finally decided to do a review. We each started with a slightly spicy shrimp appetizer and then shared the best salad ever (the peach salad) The roasted chicken stuffed with feta was amazing and the fresh halibut was so tender and flavorful. We shared both dishes to try everything. I love dessert but the portions of the entrees were so big that I had to pass on it. The service was very good for the area. The waitress was very friendly, attentive, and knowledgable. Having worked in a restaurant before, it is not realistic or reasonable to expect the server to stand at my table for the entire dining experience. I have always had good to great service depending on the server and I have always had great food. Pros: friendly staff, great food Cons: ?? more

This was one of the worst dinning experiences i have ever had! And it was the third time it happened, so iI blame nobody but myself, since I came back twice after this originally happened. I'm writing this review only to help a few others save a night of frustration and starvation. Our dinner reservations for 8pm, so out of common decency we showed up a on time with our whole party in tow. And as we had experienced before, our 8pm reservation turned into an hour wait, while the host staff telling us every 15 minutes that our table was ""almost ready [and] the people using our table [were] about to get up."" This is what we became to believe as their common response from the host staff, as we heard this repeated to several other waiting couples and groups! Come to find out, they book there reservations one hour apart, and they clearly need to allow for more time between dinner reservations! I do not claim to be a 'reservations expert', but I believe you need to give customers an honest response to their seating time, since the food and drinks are not 'recession friendly priced' in Manhattan Beach! Needless to say, we ended up speaking with the owner, Petros, who 'offered' to expedite our food order to help ""make the food get to our table a little quicker"".....And good thing he did this - since it took 1hr. 15min. to get our food once it was ordered! And we never received one apology, nor an ounce of sympathetic acknowledgement during our 2+hour wait to eat. All in all, for spending over $450, as I mentioned before, this was an unbelievably HORRIBLE DINING EXPERIENCE, and no matter the location and attempt at ambience this restaurant offers, I would never subject anyone I know to this restaurant and horrible service, NOR will I ever spend another dollar at Petros. Pros: NOT ANYTHING POSITIVE - horrible dining experience!!!!! Cons: FROM START TO END - A frustrating & horrible experience! more

2 friends and I tried Petros for dinner and had such a horrible time, I have boycotted the place. It was a crowded Saturday and we arrived for dinner. The three of us were squeezed into a tiny table for 2 and waited for our waiter. No dips or pita were placed on the table, as is customary at most Greek establishments, and when the waiter finally arrived he was rude and looked obviously annoyed when we asked questions about the food. We are all well schooled in Greek cuisine, but this place is a sort of American fusion and some of the recipes were not traditional Greek. The waiter was noticably scoffing and rolling his eyes but we decided to overlook it. We asked for pita and were brought a SINGLE pita cut into 4 pieces and charged exorbitantly for it. When our overpriced cocktails arrived we asked for some appetizers and again the waiter seemed angry we weren't ready for the main course. He then arrived again asking if we wanted more drinks, even though our glasses were full and he again stormed off because we declined. The atmosphere was so tense and unfriendly, that we finally asked for the check after the appetizers since we didn't see the point in paying such expensive prices to be abused by our waiter. For three cocktails, 2 appetizers and a pita we were charged nearly $100 and hadn't even gotten to the main course. The food was in small french-style portions (unheard of at Greek restaurants), the service was downright abusive and the price was definitely not worth the whole. If you want great, filling Greek food with a festive atmosphere that is usually the norm at most Greek restaurants, this is NOT the place. I would recommend Santorini in Pasadena or Great Greek in Sherman Oaks. Friends and I have had great food and a very festive time at both places. Pros: not much Cons: bad service, mediocre food more

Worst service ever. Horrible staff and hostess. Food was marginal at best! The people at Petros do not care about their customers!! You will have a bad experience! Pros: The bar Cons: Everything else! Service stinks! more

Petros in MB is really good greek food. The dips and pita platter to start is really good and the salads are fresh and crisp. Everything on the menu has fresh ingredients and taste light. They have a great outdoor patio too. more

We went to Petros for a Sunday brunch celebration and the service was slow and inconsiderate. We had 11 people in our party. The staff was very inattentive. Just getting the waitress to our table was a chore; we'd get her attention and she'd say she'd be right there, but then she'd disappear and not show up again for 15 minutes. Whenever the waitress did come over, she would apologize and say they were really busy, but the place was less than three-quarters full. It took 20 minutes to get silverware and menus, then 20 minutes to get water for everyone at the table, and they didn't have enough menus for all of us so we had to share. The food was ok but not worth the long wait; we've had better-tasting food at Greek restaurants in LA. After waiting 30 minutes for our drinks to be refilled, one of us got fed up and started walking around looking for a pitcher of water. We had to ask numerous times for everything; we had planned on ordering more food and champagne but after waiting so long for service, we decided to just pay the $500 check and leave. And as we were leaving, Petros stood facing our table and just put his head down as we were walking by him without saying a word; I don't know what that was about. When I got home, I looked at the check again and saw that even though they claim to add only an 18% gratuity, the one they added was more than 20%. Not cool, especially given the service we got. I couldn't tell if the restaurant was understaffed or if the staff was just woefully inefficient. Most of the people at our table were around 30 and my boyfriend thinks that they didn't see any point in treating us well because they didn't think we'd be repeat customers. After that kind of service, we'll be sure to take our business elsewhere. Pros: Near the beach Cons: Slow service, inattentive staff more

Last night was our second experience with Petros where the they did not honor our reservation time. Our first experience was a 30 min. wait and last night toped that with a 45 min. wat for a table of four. There were four women in charge at the front that seem to be clueless about who had reservations and who did not. The owner was actually confrontaional when he approached our table during our meal and his two deserts on the house did not make up for his behavior. Pros: location Cons: Service more

After dining all over L.A., I thought I had eaten some of the best lamb at The Little Door, but I was wrong. Anyone dining at Petro's must try the lamb with the baked feta on top. Absolutely delicous. Great atmosphere! more

Myself and wife were invited to attend a dinner at this resturant and found it very distrubing. As we waited to be seated i found myself watching the owner in a mood of kaos. He seemed to be so distracted and frazzeled that the mood in the place became very uneasy to myself and my wife. Not only was he running around he seemed to be yelling at his staff and making them feel very uneasy and timid almost. As an owner of a nightclub in the L.A. area i find this kind of supervision or ownership very unprofessional. I would think that someone in his position would present himself with more dignity and respect. We not only decided not to eat there but; left feeling sad about the staff and other customers. I do not recommend this place for anything having an owner who can not conduct himself in general public. My advise is maybe he should stay home and enjoy what he has and leave the resturant to his staff to operate. Pros: none to say Cons: none to say more

Wow! What a nice evening! We were celebrating an anniversary and we certainly were pleasantly surprised by the good service and the GREAT FOOD! From the salad to the dessert it was spectacular! Bravo!!! more

We ate here on a recent Saturday night to celebrate our wedding anniversary. When we asked to switch to a nearby table with a bit more room, we were told that it was being reserved for a large party. Needless to say, the larger party never showed up. I found the food marginal, and expensive. We started with the spanikopita, which looked like it was left-over from the night before. Nothing special. Then I moved onto the feta encrusted lamb which I was told was the specialty of the house. In addition to being overcooked, it lacked flavor. Fortunately, my wife enjoyed her meal more than I did. I doubt we will be going back. more

My boyfriend and I went to Petros for our anniversary. The service was excellent, atmosphere was very pleasant/inviting and the food was amazing, I had the chicken and my boyfriend had a lamb dish. The bottle of wine our server recommend was fantastic! She knew just what would compliment both of our meals perfectly! It was a magical night! We were both very pleased!!! Pros: Hostess/Server, Wine more

Finally, an upscale Greek restaurant in the south bay!! We came into Petros last Sunday, with reservations at 8:00, and after a quick drink at the bar were promptly seated. The staff was friendly and accomidating, the hostess immediately moving us to a better table when a plant was obstructing our view. We split the Petros Horiatiki salad and the fried calamari...both were delicious and filling. For our entrees we both ordered the Feta crusted lamb, and the owner, who had been circling the restaurant recommended the perfect greek wine to compliment our meal. For desert we ordered the Loukouma, tiny Greek doughnuts drizzled with honey and cinnamon. Overall this was the perfect dining experience, delicious food, a very attentive staff and owner- we cannot wait to eat here again! Believe the hype, Petros is worth every penny! Pros: Great food and service. The owner was present and cordial, as was the staff. Cons: Was crowded over the weekend. Be sure to make reservations! more

I have to say, I have never had such great Greek authentic food before, the tastes were amazing along with an impressive atmosphere and very helpful staff. The location is perfect, I definately recommend outdoor seating- you get the ocean breeze, and candle lit tables- perfect for a date. The feta crusted lamb along with the peach salad are something everyone should try. Great for people watching, good looking people and fun for dates as well as family dinners. Try it! more

Finally, a upscale Greek restaurant in the south bay!! We came into Petros last Sunday, with reservations at 8:00, and after a quick drink at the bar were promptly seated. The staff was friendly and accomidating, the hostess immediately moving us to a better table when a plant was obstructing our view. We split the Petros Horiatiki salad and the fried calamari...both were delicious and filling. For our entrees we both ordered the Feta crusted lamb, and the owner, who had been circling the restaurant recommended the perfect greek wine to compliment our meal. For desert we ordered the Loukouma, tiny Greek doughnuts drizzled with honey and cinnamon. Overall this was the perfect dining experience, delicious food, a very attentive staff and owner- we cannot wait to eat here again! Believe the hype, Petros is worth every penny. Pros: Amazing food, attentive owner and staff Cons: Often crowded on weekends more

Petros and his staff majorly dropped the ball this weekend. We waited 40 min for a table we had RESERVED (que Jerry Seinfeld), our waitress was over worked and had a bad attitude about it, and lastly the lamb was so salty I couldn't eat one shank. I have lived in MB my whole life, and thanks god we have so many good restaurants around so I never have to go here again. The staff never offered an apology for anything that happened, and only threw more Uzo at the problem. The Uzo ran out before this Greek Sh** Sack even closed, if that's any indicator to how much they were attempting to make up for their obvious lack of staff on the floor and talent in the kitchen. When we tried to get Petros him self out to the table to make amends, all he offered was excuses. No Sh** stuff like this happens in a restaurant, people have bad experiences, and I understand that Petros. But it's what YOU do when you are understaffed and some guy is heavy with the salt that can turn a bad experience around. Thank got for the pizza window down the street so I got a decent meal before heading to Beaches. Hey Petros...I think they're hiring... more

I guess my title pretty much sums it up. We went there for a special occasion dinner for my girlfriend for a party of 12 people. We had a 8 pm reservations made one week in advance. We arrived 5 min early, but ended up having to wait 45 min until we were seated, with no apology for the wait. Once seated we had to wait another 15 min to even see the waitress. We then ordered our first round of drinks etc. which took another 20 min to arrive. So for a 8 pm reservation, our first cocktails came at 9:20pm. 3 of us then ordered the lamb special which was so salty we couldn't eat it. We let the waitress know and there was again no apology. We then asked for the owner Petros, who came over to explain that things happen in a restaurant, but made no apology for the poor service we were experiencing. His solution was to offer us free Uzo shots, which they ultimately ran out of. When the bill came, we had to argue to get the 3 lamb specials removed. I highly recommend people avoid this restaurant. This is the worst dining experience i have ever had in Manhattan Beach. I am a local Manhattan Beach resident, who has lived here for 26 years and i have NEVER had a worse experience. more

Went here on a date. Had very early dinner reservations. Only 4 groups in the entire restaurant. One would think that you would be seated with enough space between the groups to have private conversations. Nope. We were sat one table away from another date. Right by the hostess stand. Halfway through dinner another couple was sat next to us. Since it was not yet crowded, the standard background noise at any restaurant did not exist so we were forced to listen to another couple the entire time. Outside the window we we were sat by, there were teenagers skateboarding in full view beyond all the outside eaters. Food was good, not great. Waiter was very pleasant, but literally came back in 2 minutes when we said we needed a couple minutes more to decide. Should have asked for 6 to 7 minutes, since he was so literal. more