Estiatorio Milos

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At a Glance

Full Review

You can find just about any type of cuisine that strikes your fancy in Las Vegas but until Estiatorio Milos, fine Greek food was as absent as the clothes on the sunbathers visiting Red Beach on Santorini. The arrival of this amazing restaurant at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas not only checks off a box on the list of ethnic specialties but moves that box to the top of the list of restaurants you absolutely need to visit.

The level of quality, attention to detail, and devout passion for all things Greek is almost mind-boggling. The honey they drizzle on top of their in-house yogurt? It’s made from bees raised on a small island in the Aegean Sea that feed on wild thyme flowers. The seafood that you peruse in the fish-market style displays? Many of them are often only found at restaurants that have a nice view of the Mediterranean.

Seafood is the focus here, which you’ll learn quickly as your server takes you on a tour of open displays and explains what everything is. Although you may not have heard of many of the choices, the staff can tell you what they are and compare them to something you do know.

After you have chosen your entree, head back to the table for one of their traditional Greek appetizers. I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to go for the traditional Mediterranean spreads (Tzatzik, Tarama, Ktipiti, etc.) or the fresh calamari, but you’ll be doing yourself a disservice if you don’t get the Milos special. It’s thinly sliced eggplant and zucchini, lightly fried to almost a potato chip consistency, and then stacked up like a Jenga board. Deconstruct it and you’ll find their signature yogurt and some warm, gooey Greek cheese to go with the chips. It’s quintessentially Greek and an absolute must-order.

As mentioned, the seafood options are wide-ranging, mainly consisting of Mediterranean specialties, but there are several more traditional choices available. My table mates went for a Dover sole and a fangri, which is a Greek favorite. All of the selections are lightly dressed in olive oil and lemon juice and then cooked whole in a contraption that suspends them above the grill. This helps to trap in the natural flavors and juices until it is ready to be prepared for serving (they debone it, add some rice or vegetables, and then bring it to the table).

I am not a fan of seafood but if it all tasted like these did, I’d make a major lifestyle change; fall apart on your fork tender and a simple yet robust flavor that is not at all “fishy” (the first time in my life that I actually endorsed the veracity of that statement).

If you, like me, don’t usually do fish, there are a few non-seafood options including traditional Greek lamb chops and some fine cuts of dry-aged beef. They happened to have a single serving of their prime rib eye (which is normally prepared for two) and it was one of the best steaks I’ve had in Las Vegas outside of places that specialize in steak – and better than many of those.

Service is terrific; attentive and knowledgeable. Don’t know what more you could ask.

The prices are about average for an upscale Strip restaurant, which is to say expensive. With an appetizer, wine, dessert, tax, and tip you’ll be looking at $75 and up per person easily. Those who have been reading my reviews for awhile will know that I rarely suggest that those kinds of prices are worth it, but in this case it absolutely is.

Estiatorio Milos is one of my favorite restaurants in Las Vegas.