TAVERNA at The Mar Vista

Atmosphere: I loved what they did with the space. They have both indoor and outdoor seating, and a combo of seating at the bar, high tops, and regular tables. You can make a reservation on the Resy app, and it’s a great place to go if you’re looking for authentic Greek cuisine in a mid-century-modern setting. Service: Our server Zack was fantastic. He checked in on us just the right amount, made sure all of our orders were accurate, and even checked in with the kitchen to see what kind of animal’s milk was used for the feta cheese. Great news, it’s goats milk, so if you’re lactose intolerant you can most likely have their feta cheese! I also like that they note which things on the menu are Gluten Free with a GF next to the item name. Salad: I ordered the Horiatiki salad ($18) because it sounded refreshing, and that was exactly what Zack said when I ordered. The Horiatiki has tomatoes, cucumbers, green bell peppers, a lot of red onions (maybe a bit too many for a date), Kalamata olives (with pits in them, be careful!), imported Greek feta, olive oil, dried oregano, and capers. It was delicious and all of the vegetables tasted crisp and fresh. I also loved the goat feta cheese block on top - it crumbled perfectly and had the perfect flavor. Sides: If you’re looking for something to share, I’d recommend he Fasolakia ($14) large braised beans in a tomato sauce over the Fava Pita Dip ($8) because the Fasolakia has both better flavor and texture.