Review Costas Taverna Greek Restaurant And Ouzo Bar - Christchurch

Costas Taverna is a nice family restaurant in Papanui northern part of the city in very popular area with many restaurants around. Very nicely decorated and modern with good atmosphere and attentive service. If you’re after just a drink only you have an Ouzo bar on site with famous Greek drinks. Regarding food - entrees are delicious and good to share, especially flaming saganaki , spanakopita and dolmades. Mains were ok, but nothing special - falafel was quite dry. Still worth coming back. Overall definitely the best Greek / Mediterranean restaurant in the city !

My partner and I had an amazing experience at Costas Taverna. We had a chicken souvlaki platter for 2 people and entree calamari and everything was delicious especially the chicken the marinate was excellent and very juicy. If you don't drink alcohol I recommend to try out the sour cherry Greek soda.

Beautiful food, great service, nice atmosphere, thank you for a delicious meal and lovely evening.

Beautiful food, beautiful people. Great options for those with allergies and coeliacs. Definitely will be back.

Lovely experience at this quaint Greek outfit at Christchurch. Was glad we booked this place the night before we left NZ. Ordered the recommended dishes (manuka smoked pork chops and the chicken “rice” dish), a calamari as well as mussels and spanakopita as entrees. All the dishes did not disappoint.

A wonderful evening, far too many delicious foods to choose from so we will be back. Thanks to our amazing staff who educated my husband how to pronounce the wine correctly over and over. It was great to have a laugh with you over this.

I’m from a country that has similar cuisine, so I know what I’m talking about: food at this place is amazing! I’ll definitely come here again.

This place is amazing. Some of the best Greek food I've ever had. Cocktails were amazing too. Fast and friendly service. If we lived in the area, we would definitely go back, again and again.

Thanks Costas, your food was fantastic, and the service team very accommodating. We loved the desserts.

Ordered the main lamb dish. Lamb was cooked to perfection. The fresh greens where fresh. The rostered vegetable where a touch cool but not cold so still delightful. The waitresses where friendly and worked hard.

The food here really is to die for. I went a bit out of my comfort zone and tried the moussaka, which was absolutely divine. I highly recommend this dish, or just the dining experience altogether. Cocktails were also great!

Visited Costas while on holiday and from the recommendation of the host at our accommodation. Did not regret coming here. The food was huge and flavorsome and myself and my partner both walked away happy. He ordered the beef patties plate and enjoyed the selection of dips and pita. I had the kleftiko which was great and massive. The lamb was exceptionally tender and the dish in general was loaded with veggies. It was a tad salty which made eating the feta on top hard as it became a bit too much but this is a small criticism. The staff here were lovely as well and very attentive.

I was super impressed with this restaurant. We went for dinner with a group of friends. Our waitress was friendly and prompt. I ordered pita breads with dips for a  starter and the hummus was the nicest I have ever tasted. I had fish of the day for a main which came in lovely creamy sauce with nice grilled veges. Our starter's and drinks came quickly and the mains did not take too long. I enjoyed the atmosphere in the restaurant. It is a little over the price range that I usually go for but I felt the quality really made it worth it. I was also very impressed by the environmental responsibility of this restaurant - we got our left over's in a takeaway container which was one of those cardboard biodegradeable ones and even the plastic bag it came in was biodegradeable.

Dinner on Anzac night to celebrate my mums birthday. Food portion are massive . Loved the lamb kebabs definitely will be back the only thing was the fries that I ordered with my food were too salty but it wasn't too much of an issue. Had a good night with good service

Loved the main meals, would have given full marks only the dessert was a real disappointment. Ordered chocolate mouse encased in chocolate.  But was really let down by the size of it.  It was laughable.  It would have been the size of two chocolates. They gave us a dessert spoon to eat it with, but the dessert spoon was bigger than the whole dessert.  (the price was only $5 for this, but they would have been better to double it and charge $10)  Will go back again, but wont be ordering dessert.

This is my partner's and I all time favourite restaurant. The food is piping hot and full of flavour. The chips are one of the best chips we have ever had. Everytime I go here I alternate between ordering the Costas Salata (chicken salad) and the Lemonato Chicken. My Partner usually orders the fish however has tried many items on the menu and has enjoyed them all.

Absolutely delicious food, amazing cocktails and a beautiful atmosphere. Can get busy but is definitely worth it. Watch out for two fir one deals on souvlaki platters - makes it very affordable. <br/>

I love the decor of this place, it's so beautiful and magical. The stars in the sky and the blue lights are a very nice touch. The service is quick and friendly and I like how they introduce themselves. They've got fantastic mocktails and the food is very good, you can always have a few entrees instead of getting a big main and it's a good sharing place!

καλησπερα. θελω να δουλεψω στο εστιατοριο σας! ειμαι μαγειρας απο ελλαδα και θελω να σηκωθω να φυγω απο εδω. σε περιπτωση ενδιαφεροντος το mail ειναι dimosamaras@hotmail.com

Costas is a stunning blend of contemporary and modern dining experience with mediterranean fare. From the moment you walk into this place, the place has an air of elegance and fine dining but without being pretentious - which is good, because I can't stand pretentious.<br/><br/>It does feel odd to be eating what is essentially souvlaki on a plate, but that shouldn't take away from the effort that the guys at Costas put in. From the service to the meals themselves, you can tell that a lot of work and effort goes into making a good dining experience.<br/><br/>What food we have tried, which has been the Souvlaki platters and I have also tried the lamb shanks, has been fantastic. Souvlaki isn't the most elegant food to eat at the best of times, but somehow this is still achieved.<br/><br/>The restaurant itself is very popular and can be very busy, so pays to book in advance. There is ample parking outside. Do be prepared for a bit of noise however if it is busy.

Had a wonderful dinner at the place.<br/><br/>We ordered garlic bread and spanakopita as entrées. I would die just for the amazing smell of them. <br/><br/>For the mains we had lamb shanks and fresco lemonato chicken. I like the tastes of both. They were creamy and well seasoned, served with jasmine rice but kind of like risotto. The meat on the shanks can be ripped off easily and tasted really good. Compared with the nightmare lamb shank we had somewhere else last time we felt like in heaven.<br/><br/>The decent portion size of the dishes is a plus. Even though it was just rice but it is important I got enough to eat. <br/><br/>The service from Jo was great. Just the lady on training looked a bit awkward. Maybe a busy Friday night is not a good timing to train someone really new.

Very nice atmosphere inside. I have been here a few times and have had delicious food every time. The price is very reasonable for what you get. The staff are very nice. The fish was to die for.

Service was quick and the staff were friendly. The food was good, but definitely didn't live up to the 4.5 & 5 reviews on here. Pretty pricey for what you get.

We have got Canterbury lamb to share Bremen 2 of us and we were happy with the size of meal. <br/>I'd like how they present food and give you an opportunity to have your choice of dressing without keep asking.I liked the taste.<br/>Service was super fast:) <br/>I'd like to come back again

A most enjoyable dining experience. Food was excellent, staff very good. They went the extra as it was my birthday. Will definitely be returning.

This place is undoubtedly one of the best restaurants I've been to in Christchurch. Every time I go there, the food has always been excellent, service is always friendly, staffs always introduce themselves at the table. One time a waitress even came and said goodbye to us as she was finishing her shift and introduced us to the waitress who would be taking over. <br/><br/>I've tried many things on the menu and honestly it's hard to choose which one is my favourite. But being a seafood lover, I'd highly recommend the grilled tiger prawns. The prawns always taste so fresh and cooked perfectly (still a little bit crunchy, just how I like it). And boy is it good value, you get 10 tiger prawns! It always ends up being the biggest meal on the table. The chargrilled lamb salata is also beautiful! And for dessert, I'm personally not a big fan of baklava, anywhere, it's always too sweet for my liking. BUT the homemade baklava ice cream is a different story. It's amazing how it taste exactly like baklava, the texture and everything, but it's cold and a lot less sweet. I usually ask for three scoops of these. <br/><br/>I always recommend this place to my friends who are from out of town. If there's anything to complain about, it's probably the fact that they're not open for lunch but then again the business seems to do very well at night, always busy, they deserve a good rest during the day.

Had the most bazaar dinner here a few months ago. We arrived and the hostess was on the phone taking a very long booking, we stood and waited for 3-4 minute at which point another very large party arrived and filled the foyer. As we continued to wait, another waitress could see what was happening and chose to go chat to the idle bartender rather than help. Things went pretty smoothly until dessert, at which point our order got mixed up. One of our group ordered two miniature desserts and received one miniature and one full size instead, When we asked the waiter about what to do he said, and I quote "there is nothing you can do, you've already been charged for the full size". <br/>We were quite shocked by his attitude, and asked him to please go find his manager. He returned and told us that the dessert would be free. The whole thing was very uncomfortable. We weren't trying to get something for free, we just wanted to get what we ordered. All and all the food was fine (ironically the baklava that caused the whole incident was dry and underwhelming), but I won't be returning.

Great service and food can never go wrong does get busy quickly so plan and book ahead. My partner and I love this place and is a go to for special occasions.<br/><br/>Would not recommend Children under 12 years as tables can get seated too close together and the dinning room has a slight echo heard when music is playing.

Favourite restaurant- everything is good every time I've been here. Hard to go past the mini desserts following either a souvalaki or the chicken salad

Went here with a large group staff were brilliant and very helpful. Food was superb and would definitely recommend and come back again soon.

Great Greek food and easily the best customer service I have ever had in New Zealand. As we ate here on Valentines Day they threw in a glass of free bubbles. What a touch!<br/>

I went there for a meal the other day. Sports pub environment, so you can expect some noise in the background. Decent kiwi size meal, not too bad taste! It is a good place to have dinner .

Had a great night last Saturday. Lovely food, fantastic hostess and was able to talk to people and be heard without yelling to each other. Thanks Costas

The feel of this restaurant is very welcoming, soft and very beautiful for the space of it. The staff are all very efficient and they are really friendly and happy. The minute we sat they had water on the tables and they let us know the specials for the drinks and the fish of the day.I would recommend The meze platter for a group so you can enjoy the flavours of Greece. I Love Dolmades so I was really happy to have those. The calamari is really succulent and juicy and the coating is nice. My favourite main was the Steak, it was so beautiful cooked just as I like & changed the sauce for their eggplant sauce which was delicious!  My brother recommends the Chicken Souvlaki platter It fills a man he reckons with a healthy appetite and  this place is renowned for this dish. I would also recommend the Mommas Mousaka and  It has a beautiful flavour throughout and the béchamel sauce on top is so good with the eggplant. the fish of the day was also tasty and light, The sauce is beautiful on the fish. My brother celebrated his bday there with a group of 12. We were able to take our own cake in for him and they sung happy birthday too him with their own mini Choco mousse cake.Their selection of Mini desserts are the ultimate top off.... a nice small sweet treat... for desserts I would recommend the Olympic Donuts for sure.I can see why they are the peoples choice!

Fantastic restaurant, can't fault it!! Service and food is excellent. Had cocktails to begin then went for the chicken souvlaki platter as well as a mini dessert of Baklava ice-cream. Would definitely go back and recommend to all!

AMAZING! I love this place. It is our favourite restaurant by far. The food is delicious, plenty to choose from on the menu and the staff are very friendly and helpful. The portion sizes has decreased a bit since the earthquakes but you still get a great amount for your money. Their eggplant dip is the best!! I can't wait to go back.

Can't fault this place at all. My partner and I dined here late last week and were impressed with all aspects. Service was fast, efficient and friendly. Decor and feel of the restaurant itself extremely pleasant. Food was to die for, extremely delicious and have no complaints or issues with any of our many dishes.<br/><br/>No delay or compromise to any dishes even with a full house.<br/><br/>Will defiantly return and wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to anyone!!!<br/><br/>Thanks Costa's.

We went to Costa's as a group of four. The atmosphere was very nice and the wait staff extremely attentive and welcoming. Cocktails were well presented, averagely priced, but very flavoursome. All mains were delicious, large and reasonably priced. Being rather full from the mains, we settled for the smaller desserts, which were an awesome idea and equally delectable. In addition, everything ordered was brought out promptly.<br/><br/>Highly recommended.

MMmmm Very tasty!! My boyfriend and I went to Costas using a deal voucher. The staff were friendly and helpful. The meals were beautiful and decor was comfortable and alluring. Thanks for a great night Costas:)

My wife and I had a meal at their Cranford Street restaurant and were most impressed. Great selection of reasonably priced food, pleasant environment and very friendly and attentive staff. We will be back again.

Love Costas! <br/>Great meals, the lamb shanks &amp; souvalaki meal are our favourites. <br/>Love the pita bread entree with the amazing dips too, brilliant dinner everytime. Decent size meals which my partner loves &amp; makes it great value. <br/>Take away souvalaki bar in armagh street was fabulous too, hope they will be returning soon :)

My daughter and I love dining at Costa's, perhaps as much as 6-8 times a year. We love the food and the staff are fun and provide excellent service.<br/>We always feel spoilt by the attention and stellar service. We may not be in Greece but always feel as if we have been there for a little while, while we dine. The decor is exotic and the menu has to please all tastes with its variety. For a delightful atmospheric dining service, I rate it 5 star.

Four of us went to Costa's on a Friday night for dinner, I'll admit I was sceptical - I thought it'd be all souvlakis but the menu was great, lots of choice and the food was AMAZING.<br/>Service was great too, I'd definitely recommend!

Yummy food, absolutely divine. We all loved our mains. Slight mix up with our drink order by waitress but nothing major and this was fixed within minutes.<br/><br/>HOWEVER.. we will not be returning because of the attitude of front desk. This lady has no customer service skills and was absolutely appalling and rude to deal with. It's a shame that she (as the owner!) let down her entire team by ruining our evening. She tried to charge us for additional drinks we did not have. When I pointed this out to her I was accused of lying. Then she tried to charge us for a more expensive wine than we had (?)<br/><br/>Maybe she was having a bad day. But still Gordon Ramsey would have a field day with this woman. Maybe she needs to realise that if her staff muck up she shouldn't take it out on her paying customers.

Absolutely superb! Myself an a party of about 30 went to Costas last night for our work christmas dinner. The food was divine, brilliant atmosphere &amp; good, friendly service. Excellent value for money! I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a great night out.