Rick’s in Kifissia is approaching its first eighteen months, and each time I visit I notice something new in this beautifully crafted, emotionally charged space that had escaped me before. The deep red walls, the gilt frames and the portraits drawn from American cultural mythology create the feeling that you’re stepping into a cinematic universe that isn’t afraid of grand references. The allusion to Casablanca is certainly a bold one, yet here it somehow works.
The Manhattan we all first encountered on screen — long before we ever experienced it or even imagined that we might one day — was a different kind of place. And that difference has been distilled at Rick’s in a way you pick up on immediately. This is a restaurant designed first around how it wants you to feel, and only then around what you’re going to eat.
What’s interesting, though, is that despite the clear emphasis on atmosphere, the food doesn’t come second. On the contrary, it is thoughtful, flavourful and carries forward the same narrative on the plate.
The group’s executive chef, Dimitris Stamoudis, has shaped a menu rooted in the post-war tradition of New York and New Orleans steakhouses. This was a school of cooking that looked to French cuisine for technique while embracing a more indulgent style of seafood dining. It was the era in which even the simplest oyster would be transformed into an Oyster Rockefeller, more for the pleasure of flavour than for any purist respect for raw freshness. At Rick’s, the Rockefellers are rich and buttery, with the spinach bringing an appealing earthy depth. The old-school shrimp cocktail is handled with care, and the obligatory dip into the cocktail sauce turns it into something truly addictive.
I revisited the well-executed prime rib tartare, a juicy chorizo sausage with a lovely smoky finish and the baked truffled Brie de Meaux glazed with port. Among the newer dishes crafted by the talented chef Angelos Andrianakis, the standout was the Black Angus meatballs, which carry a rustic depth of flavour. It is a dish with real character, perfectly fried and so genuinely comforting that you reach for your fork again almost without noticing. I also enjoyed the pappardelle bolognese, where the coarsely chopped meat gives structure and richness, and the tomato sauce spreads its warm, gentle sweetness across the plate.
We finished with an American prime rib that was genuinely delicious, and it would be a real shame to visit Rick’s without trying Thanasis Stamoudis’ lavish croquembouche. Service is professional and warm, the wine list is notably well-curated, and the bar turns out excellently made cocktails that are well worth ordering. The group’s general manager, Nektarios Dallas, is often present at Rick’s, which adds an extra layer of care and reassurance, like a quiet guarantee that everything is running exactly as it should.
- Rick's
- Phone: +30 210 7548348
- Address: Pentelis 1, Kifissia, Attiki, Greece 14562, , Βόρεια Προάστια
- Website: https://ricksathens.gr/en/
- Open: Mon. to Fri. 6:30pm - 00:00am, Saturday 1:00pm - 00:00am, Sunday 1:00pm - 8:00pm
- Price per person (€)*: 70 - 100
- * we do our best to reflect the actual price range per-person of a full meal including first and main courses, desert, water and half a bottle of wine or one beer depending on the type of restaurant.
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| *"arrow-symbol": the up arrow to the right of the rating, if it appears, symbolizes a restaurant that is close to moving up to the next ranking rung. | ||||||
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