The 35 best bars and drinks in Heraklion

One of the few actual bars left in Heraklion. Nicely prepared cocktails and good music. It can get very hot in the summer.

An amazing high quality bar! Dimitris is a very skilled bartended and all the cocktails were very good and unique, the alcohol variety is vast with a lot of special bottles, i would recommend visiting this place if you like high quality drinks and service

I recently discovered this hidden gem of a bar with an incredibly easy-going vibe that's perfect for a relaxing night out. The true star of the evening was the ingenious bartender, who whipped up amazing cocktails after I simply described my taste preferences. Each drink was a delightful masterpiece, showcasing his exceptional creativity and mixology skills. The relaxed ambiance and personalized service made the experience truly unforgettable. If you're looking for a spot to enjoy bespoke cocktails in a laid-back setting, this bar is an absolute must-visit!

Awesome tunes, awesome cocktails, pretty chilled which suits my "oh @#*, still haven't booked a hotel for tonight" kinda mood. Excellent White Russian (top..... 8 ever), a lovely local pale and a face full of fruit. Probably shouldn't have said that about the barman's mum. Only joking! Proof is in the photos 😄

We had a lovely experience there 🥳Dimitrius and Mikael are lovely people, knowledgeable, and fun loving. All drinks were good, some of the drinks were borderline genius, and the variety of bitters and spirits is pretty awesome! Get the beeftikia from the next door butcher, delish 👌

I can’t recommend this place enough! The owner is passionate about life and his craft. He enjoys teaching about his drinks and invites you into his communal home for a memorable and enjoyable experience. For this yummy drink in pic ask for a spicy tequila and ginger drink consisting of 3 bitters - it’s off menu

We don't know how we missed this place over the past 5 days!? 😲🤷 Great music (60s, soul, Motown, funk etc), cool atmosphere and friendly professional service from Marialena! 🥰👌

Thank you Stavros and to his colleague for a great night. We had delicious cocktails, so well made. We went back the next day to sample for goodness. Thank you for the recommendations of other bars and beaches around. We went to all of them ❤️

I hold this place was very nice. I had an amazing drink called Salty Skin that I would definitely recommend for anyone who prefers their drink more on the savoury side. I loved the atmosphere and it was a great place to sit and talk to my friends.

Stavros makes some of the best drinks with top-quality ingredients, even using his own productions. The menu changes every year, so there’s always something new to try. Great relaxed vibes with rock, blues, and jazz, and super friendly service.

My first report ever because this bar is amazing! The owner really knows his craft and shares stories about every cocktail. Best spot in town, no doubt about it! And best Boulvardier ever ❤️

If you want great cocktails, visit this bar before Athens! The Greek Negroni was the best!

Excellent array of cocktails made by a man who clearly has a vast knowledge and experience in drink making. If you wish to enjoy something with a taste of Greece in it I sincerely recommend the "Salty Skin" and for whiskey and whiskey sour enthusiasts I recommend the Bergamot Spicy Sour (smokey). Those were the personal favorites, but that doesn't mean that the rest of the drinks we tried were anything less than stellar.

Wonderful experience, staff were attentive. The drinks were excellent. Definitely worth a visit.

Unfortunately, Xalavro completely misses the mark. This place tries hard to come off as upscale and trendy, but it ends up feeling pretentious and overpriced. The music is unbearably loud and honestly just awful — more of a headache than a vibe. The drinks were a huge letdown. Cocktails tasted indifferent, like they were thrown together without any care or creativity. Presentation felt forced and meaningless — mine came with a random slice of watermelon peel that added nothing but confusion. Glasses were ridiculously small, and they even served our wine in a basic water glass. For the prices they charge, that kind of sloppy service is unacceptable. The only redeeming part of the experience was the staff. The girls who served us were genuinely delightful — always smiling, attentive, and eager to help despite the chaos around them. Their kindness and professionalism stood in stark contrast to the rest of the venue, and they truly deserve credit for doing their best in a poorly managed setting. Definitely wouldn’t recommend if you’re looking for quality drinks or a comfortable, enjoyable atmosphere.

Nice cocktail bar with tasty food and excellent desserts. Service was a bit slow at first, and one of the cocktails was smaller than expected for the price. That said, the staff clearly cared about the customer experience and checked in to make sure everything was okay. Overall, a pleasant visit with some room for improvement on timing and portion sizes.

We had a chicken fillet and a smash burger, and for dessert, a "chocolate textures" and the vegan mango sorbet with coconut pieces. Everything tasted delicious, and the service was excellent. The waitress wanted to bring me a free new mango lemonade because breadcrumbs had flown into the drink when she was serving the main menu. I personally didn't mind, because they were easy to get out of the drink anyway. The atmosphere was very quiet in the afternoon with jazz music in the background

Everything was top! The food was absolutely delicious, fresh, and beautifully presented. The staff were friendly, professional, and made us feel truly welcome. Great atmosphere and an experience we’d happily repeat. Highly recommended!

The service was phenomenal! All of the foods were amazing as well. The aburi sea bass nigiri (not shown in pictures) was delicious. The chocolate mousse dessert is probably the best dessert I've ever had. I highly recommend to anyone in Heraklion!

Its a very good place to have a nigh drinks. Its always crowded and they have dj-s and ypu can also get a food. They have very long list of cocktails whit intereting ingridiens and also some nonalchocolic drinks. With your drinks you get some popcorn or nuts and vegetables and at the dtart free water. Prices are okay. Its worth the visit, because there is no other night life most of the time.

This is a slightly higher end place, the octopus was hands down the best I had during my week in Crete - it was very tender and that’s hard to make - in other places I found it rather chewy. The fava puree was just so airy and the edamame was a nice touch. As to the vegan burger, the brioche did not seem too fresh, but it was fine. Definitely try the octopus!

Such a nice place, the personal is so kind, there is a girl so caring and nice, I asked her for her name, thank you I’ll for sure be back when in Heraklion

Location is very nice beside a beautiful church. The staff was very friendly and helpfull but we did not get our food warm and on time for the whole group. Even worse, one of us got really sick from the gyros later that evening.

Very tasty breakfast. The atmosphere is calm and you can enjoy a good latte.

Positive emotion at lunch time . Took coffe & omlet for breakfast. Nice waitress and cool place.

Nice ambiente, waiters aer very friendly. The food is very simple to be honest. We had cesars salad amd chicken with potatoes. Ceasars salad was very low on meat. Also the bread was from a package. The white brusceta was basicly just tomato, salmon and some sesam. I think the concept could be extended and uplifted for the price.

A great place to enjoy our free spirits while we can have a delicious meal, that absorbs us from our day life to a moment in time, enjoying our selfs while eating. In any case of doubt, it's a question of trying it.

The style of the restaurant is nice, but when it comes to the food, it’s really disappointing. I definitely wouldn’t recommend going there for dinner you’ll most likely regret it. Maybe it works as a place to grab a couple of cocktails, but that’s about it

Nice service and interesting (in a good way) cocktails. After a day in at the beach or visiting the port in Heraklion, I can only recommend you stop here for one (or a few) good cocktails.

Very nice coctails at this gaybar😁❤️ got free popcorn! Very nice vibe😁

Very good place with great music, delicious drinks and amazing atmosphere!

Nice chill cocktail bar on a side alley In Iraklio, good ambiance

Amazing service, creative signature cocktails, awesome popcorn assortisment. Also great design of the place and wide playlist of viby old school music. Totally recommend

The concept is very nice. Well elaborated cocktails with unique flavors. Try out the Mexicano cocktail!

100% worth a stop for drink or three. Staff is super kind and pleasant, even near closing. Music is fun and people are mostly ok as well. We loved the graffiti on the side of the building and the decoration of the window!

Omg this is one of the best Avo and eggs breakfast i have had in grecee please try the egg dishes it’s amazing

Got superior V60 experience - tasteful and delicious. Great tasty sandwiches as well. We've got water with ice immediately just after sitting at the table - it was sooo nilice and refreshing for 35 deg heat! Great place!

An amazing restaurant and cafe in heraklion. It's very central. They have brunch all day and other meals throughout the day. They also have cocktails. I had the best chicken sliders there. Loved the curry mayo avocado sauce. And at one time I tried their avocado toast. It was tasty. The prices were good and the service was good. It's a must if you're looking for breakfast in the town

Great coffee with average food. First of all I want to mention that at this place we tasted one of the best coffees in Crete. Flat white and iced latte were perfect. Unfortunatelly the food was just acerage despite good coffee, interior and atmosphere suggested otherwise. We ordered Salty pancakes and one Sweet pancakes. The Salt pancakes are made out of pancakes with not bad cheese sause, egg on top and slices of ham between pancakes. The problem is that ham which is basically grocery store quality (you can see in photos) so overall the whole dish doesnt taste as good as it should because cheap ham ruins it. Then the sweet pancakes it was just pancakes filled with three color nutella nad few berries on top. The problem is that there were three types of melted chocolate, milk, white and strawberry, also strawberry chockolate was between pancakes. It was way too much of chocolate and there were not enough berries on top. It would be so much better to reduce quantity of chocolate and increase quantity of berries aswell as I believe there was cranberry sirup that gave a bit of sourness to contrast with sweetness of the chocolate but there was very little of that sirup (btw those pancakes didnt look pleasant either) overall I can recommend this place for the coffee, but keep in mind of average food at least from brunch section

Really cool vibe with a lot of outdoor seating! If you're there during lunch hour and it's a sunny day, it's a bit more difficult to find a seat outside. However, they have 3 different areas for outside seating - the front street side entrance, upstairs patio, and there is a small patio in the back of the restaurant. Or, if you're like me and want to get some work done, the inside tables will give you more room and there are outlets for your laptop. The Freddo Cappuccino was good, as well as the hamburger with grilled vegetables, and a local Cretan white wine. The service is excellent - everyone is friendly and helpful. It's a great place to spend an afternoon!

We went for brunch and left very happy. The coffee was great (great choices too). The food itself was also really good. Food value for money is incredible. The coffee is priced a bit more on the higher end, but it’s worth it. This is a lovely breakfast/brunch place. It’s located a few streets behind the Main Street in the center of Heraklion. Highly recommended.

Great roof top area when the weather is good. Very tasty pancakes (they call them blinis or something). Coffee is always great, if you do love a good coffee, hot or cold. There is also a waitress which sings pop hits quite often for the clients :)

Our dinner at Peskesi was one of my favorite in Greece. We were fortunate to be there on the same day they were named the Best Organic Restaurant in Europe for 2025. We started with tasting their olive oil and a dip made from beets and yogurt (pictured). I typically do not care for beets, and was surprised to find that I loved this dip. It was amazing. For our mains, we ordered the Local Lamb and a slow roasted pork. I forgot to take photos of these, but they were excellent. We didn't order dessert, but received two complimentary items. One was semolina halva, which I'd never had before and was very nice. The second was some type of pastry they were serving to celebrate their award. All in all, a truly incredible meal. Additionally, the service was very good, and the location itself was lovely. I would recommend to anyone visiting the area, and will go again if I find myself back in Heraklion.

We were drawn in by the beautiful design and atmosphere, and it completely lived up to our first impression! The food was amazing, every dish was great, but the lamb was truly exceptional. There were plenty of vegetarian options and even some vegan ones, all clearly marked on the menu. I also loved that each dish mentioned how many kilometers away it was first created – such a thoughtful touch. The wine was excellent, and although there was a small mix-up at first with our waiter, the service was great afterwards. We even got complimentary dessert and an aperitif. For such an upscale place, the prices were surprisingly fair, about €72 for a full meal, four glasses of wine, and sparkling water. Highly recommended!

We visited this restaurant back in June, and only now are we finally writing the review — but it truly deserves it! This is such a wonderful place with a very pleasant atmosphere and absolutely delicious, authentic Cretan cuisine. The flavors were simply incredible. Our waiter recommended a local wine that turned out to be the best we tasted during our entire stay in Crete - we even searched for it everywhere afterwards to take some home. That’s how good it was! The hospitality was outstanding: we were even treated to a complimentary dessert and raki. A special thank you to our amazing waiter, Kosmos, who made the experience unforgettable. If we ever return to Crete, we will definitely come back to Heraklion just to visit this restaurant again. Highly recommended!

This restaurant is outstanding in every way. The staff are friendly, attentive, and very knowledgeable about the menu, happy to accommodate any special requests. The food is incredible - the Dolmadakia were so tasty we couldn’t resist ordering more, and the meat dishes were excellent. The menu is clear and informative, showing the origins of each dish. We had a fantastic experience. definitely a must-visit.

Absolutely amazing experience at Peskesi - we arrived early afternoon as walk ins and were asked if we could wait an hour for a table which we were happy to do! We sat in the shade and were given menus, ordered some lovely wine based on recommendations, and were also given some complimentary cheese, olives, and tomatoes. We were happy to wait and the atmosphere was super calm and tranquil. The menu was really interesting to read as it goes into detail regarding the organic ethos of the restaurant and details how far away the food for each dish travelled to make to from farm to plate. A really good range of price points too! We ordered 4 starters and 2 mains and honestly for 3 that was too much, we were stuffed but very happy! The salads were beautiful, so fresh and light. The lamb just completely fell apart and the rice was amazing, while the chicken was moist, flavoursome, and hearty. Our selection of starters were all fantastic: baked potatoes with cheese, crispy cheese rolls with fig jam, and marinated anchovies - all beautiful. The staff were fantastic (especially the LFC supporting waiter), super attentive and made our experience absolutely gorgeous. The complimentary bread and beetroot dip was delicious, as was the rose raki and sweet treat at the end. Would highly recommend while in Crete!!!

Superb gourmand experience. This restaurant is real gem with its Cretan cuisine and excellent selection of drinks. We had amazing dinner here- we ordered too much in fact. Please order for main pescesi .

We were advised to go to this place by person from Heraklion and were really surprised how wonderful it was. From the first sign it might look that you are in crowded old town centre with a lot of tourists but near this is tiny street where you will reach amazing Peskesi restaurant with calmness and not noisy atmosphere! 🤩 Interior was like in museum and each detail seems orderly in its place. 😌 As well as food was delicious and served in a very aesthetic manner. Highly recommend this place!

The review applies for the restaurant : 1. very very average food. 2. they don't have POS, you can't pay with credit/debit card 3. the food menu on the website has different/lower prices than the real menu on the restaurant, which leads to misinformation of the customer. 4. VERY expensive prices and average taste 5. average service

I went to eat there and ordered a salad, there was A LOT of sugar in it, which wasn't stated on the menu. I have diabetes and therefore wasn't able to eat it, they didn't offer to replace it or refund it. Also aside from the sugar it just tasted straight up disgusting. I'd like to add that none of the four toilets there lock for some reason. Great for privacy. Oh and they blast music even at lunchtime so if you're looking for a calm place (or good food) this is not the place for you.

We stayed at this hotel for 3 nights during our visit to Heraklion. Upon arrival, the staff were very friendly and welcoming, offering us coffee or drinks. The room we had originally booked was under repair due to an electrical issue, so the staff arranged a different room for the night and promised to move us into our chosen room the next morning. They even waived the service fee to make up for the inconvenience. The next morning, we left early, and when we returned, the staff informed us that our original junior suite was ready and that they had already moved our luggage for us. Since we hadn’t unpacked the night before, this thoughtful gesture was very much appreciated. The rooms were clean, spacious, and comfortable exactlyas advertised. The location was perfect, with restaurants, coffee shops, and ice cream shops all within walking distance. We would definitely stay here again!

Absolutely fantastic experience at this restaurant in the heart of Heraklion! From the moment I arrived, I was impressed by the top-level service and warm hospitality. I ordered the Greek pasta with seafood — the portion was incredibly generous and the flavor was simply outstanding. Every bite was full of authentic Mediterranean taste! A special thank you to the waitress Mariam, whose friendliness, helpful attitude, and open-minded nature truly elevated the entire experience. Her sweet character and attentive service brought hospitality to the next level!! The terrace offers a beautiful view overlooking the nearby church and lively square — the perfect backdrop for a relaxed meal. Inside, the restaurant is modern and stylish, with a DJ station and a good music that adds a vibrant touch to the atmosphere. Highly recommend this gem in Heraklion — delicious food, amazing ambiance, and truly memorable service. Don’t miss it! ;)

It's just not possible to wait 1 hour to have a meat not even cooked the restaurant is beautiful only in appearance he puts a card with nothing available to flee the waiters are not friendly do not accept to make a gesture after a meat not cooked do not recommend

very friendly and pleasant staff, we ate at the restaurant where you eat pretty well

We stayed in one of the standard suites for two nights. The hotel is fairly new with stylish interior and modern functionalities but with a need for minor repairs especially in the bathroom. At arrival we were welcomed by some personnel in the reception but hereafter we didn’t see any personnel neither in the bar or the reception. This was a bit weird tbh and left us with the feeling of the hotel as a ghost hotel not being overseen by a staff.

Got rejected from this place for not being Greek ("needed reservations" which is the typical explanation when rejecting non-Greeks), but then I said I would buy a bottle and they let me in. I had a great time once inside, but I can't condone this outlandish discrimination.

I was trying for days to make a reservation via call then decided to text them on their instagram page and ask how to make a reservation they said they make reservations only through social media so i tell them to make a reservation for me. They left me on seen twice,never replied. very unprofessional. very hard to make a reservation.

The guys at the entrance were extremely rude. They didnt let us in with cheap excuses. Do not ever go there guys!

Only reservetion ;)

No reservation, no entry.

AMAZING

Rejected

Superb food and drinks! I’ve been there many time and it was always perfect! Great prices too!

Tasty breakfast and excellent service!! The waitress advised us to try hazelnut smoothie and protein smoothie with our eggs Benedict and both were extremely delicious! Definitely a must visit.

This place the DJ knows. Great playlist, not the usual bar clichés. Drinks were also great and the atmosphere friendly.

Lovely atmosphere with fast service. I ordered a lemon pie flavored pancake and it was exquisite. Great flavor and the size was pretty big, price-wise I found it very affordable for what they were offering. Overall if you like pancakes I would totally recommend this place, it's a must.

A great place to drink, eat and enjoy with friends, alone or with company ;) Had a wonderful experience in this place, and surely it’s very respectful and warm ambiance! A best choice when visiting Iraklion

Really nice spot , with loyal hospitality. Waitress was Realy nice and food was great. Thank you for your help with luggage 🤩

We waited for 1 hour and a half for 3 pancakes. The rest of the pancakes are still NOT here Edit: 20 minutes after I posted this review they brought us the WRONG order Edit2: my friend's pancakes with Bueno were very salty.YES SALTY

10/10 food and service. The beef tacos are a must and the salmon sushi on Sundays only was amazing! We also ordered the mushroom risotto and shrimp tacos and they were so good! And not to mention the spectacular view.

beautiful spot! my partner and i want to go back already cannot recommend it enough, the sunset was gorgeous and we had the perfect view. the staff is attentive and at any moment you can get their attention. food was delicious, definitely try the gnocchi, the chicken was also delicious but nothing special. mango salad was very good cocktails were also amazing- espresso martini and the mojito were chefs kiss

Wow! This place is beautiful! My husband reserved us a table for my birthday - we got seated at the edge and had a beautiful sunset view. The service is great and the staff is incredibly friendly! The food was amaaaazing 10/10. Would come back anytime we‘re in Crete again!

This is a beautiful spot to have a drink especially when you want a well made cocktail or a bottle of wine. The place has an excellent DJ with good lounge music. The furnishings are well chosen and the atmosphere is ambient with candles everywhere and good lighting. Unfortunately the dance club wasn't open on the evening that we came but I'm sure you will have a great time there.

Stunning ambience, really nice music, and there was a lot of stuff, all of them willing to help. The location ideal for sunsets. The cocktail list had variety, as well as all the drinks options. Highly recommended, but be sure to make a reservation.

Very beautiful place with amazing view to the sea. We listen lot of recommends to came here and we sure did, but i can said that the best from all was cocktails. Food was not something special, Mango Ceasar salad was huge but we dont like small chicken souvlaki inside(was without taste), Chicken Tagliata was really tasty meat but grill vegetables was very soft and without salt/herbs. Pork brouzoles was very hard to chew but tasty from grill, mashed potatoes cold but ok too ( i order french fries, but it doesnt matter to me a lot so i dont returned). Variety plate of cheese and meat was amazing! Over all we enjoyed the night and we cant complain about anything too much and thats important. They do really nice job and relax place to see sunset

Amazing food and cocktails. Service also very quick and attentive. The view is beautiful and the music is very vibey as well

Super nice bar. We were there for some cocktails and beer. Very friendly staff and gut music with a DJ. Thanks guys for your good job. We Will definitely come again.

Very nice place to have some beers and nice air conditioning inside, perfect for summer weather. Very nice and friendly service. And they have offer on Amstel 1.5l for €11.

A fun & unique bar with an awesome rum selection! Great bartenders. Nice crowd , comfortable setting!

Amazing bar with amazing staff. Great drinks, great snacks, even great customers. It is definitely the highlight of my short-trip in Heraklion. Ask for raki shots when you are here ;). Special kudos to Giannis and Anna!

Immaculate service, the barkeeper and the waitress were super nice to us. I will be back, to clear the rest of the liquor shelf👀😆 *the half full bottles look TOO sad*

If you love rock music and good atmosphere must visit in Heraklion. 🤟🤟🤟🤟👍

kinky hot place to drink some alcoholic beverages. while in it have seen lota of youth. music was goooood. i enjoyed the decorations.

This was by far the worst experience we had during our trip to Greece. We arrived as walk-in customers and were made to wait over 30 minutes while several local guests who came after us were let in without hesitation. It was clear there was a bias we were treated unfairly and overlooked repeatedly. Despite being decently dressed and respectful throughout, the woman at the entrance was dismissive, rude, and completely unaccommodating, we felt singled out and humiliated. Her behavior was not just unprofessional, but also hinted at discriminatory undertones that left us shocked and deeply disappointed. This incident tainted our overall impression of Greek hospitality. It’s unfortunate that such places exist, where tourists are treated with such disregard. I strongly urge others, especially international visitors, to avoid this club. No one deserves to be treated this way.

Island of Desire in Crete was hands down the most disgusting and discriminatory experience we’ve faced as travelers. We were a group of friends visiting from abroad, told by the staff to wait in line since we didn’t have a reservation. We complied and waited for over 40 minutes, only to be outright denied entry without a single explanation—while every single other person in the line, all locals, were let in effortlessly. We were the only ones rejected, and the message was loud and clear: they didn’t want us there because we weren’t Greek. No justification. No apology. Just cold, calculated xenophobia. The staff were rude, smug, and shameless about it. If you’re not local, don’t waste your time or money here—this place is built on arrogance, not hospitality. Tourists are the lifeblood of Crete, and a venue like this that thrives off exclusivity and casual racism deserves to be held accountable. Shame on you, Island of Desire.

Don’t bother if you are not local. We were initially going to be let in as my girlfriend has very olive skin and can get away with looking Greek but once they saw me they could tell we are British and told us we needed a reservation. We patiently queued for 20 minutes as the lady let in any group of Greek girls that queued up behind us.

Amazing nightclub, amazing music, amazing vibe, amazing sound system, BUT HORRIBLE LAYOUT. Tables everywhere no dance floor. Please please renovate

would give 0 stars if i could, charged €10 when locals were allegedly getting in for free, rude and pushy staff who either totally ignored you or were trying to force you to buy drinks. no dance floor, just people standing around a bar, possibly the most boring and dead ‘club’ we’ve ever been to. you also had to pay to stand at a table….please save your money and don’t come here.

Alright music, but extremely unprofessional (dare I say racist) bouncers and staff. I'm white as Wonder Bread, but the moment they saw my friends with olive/native Greek skin they became abusively crude and thoroughly unpleasant. That's not acceptable for a normal free cub, let alone for one that tries to be "exclusive"

Biased to tourists, discrimination towards people with disabilities, and overall rude and ignorant attitude, which is unacceptable in the modern world. Shame on you and bad luck with your business.

Is an ok place mostly for takeaway. 8€-9€ for a takeaway cocktail with minimum alcohol in is a stretch. I get it, you have a recipe you need to follow to achieve the flavour, etc, but at least use smaller cups. Mine was literally 3 sips.

Incredible cocktails for an awesome price, a bit sweet indeed but with a generous shot of booze. 11/10 would drink again (and actually did). Take away to enjoy at the Harbour scenery

Really cool cocktail bar & cheap too, never seen anything like it before.

Incorrect advertising of drinks prices, cost an extra €2.50 for one drink. Bartender didn’t even tell us the price before pouring and charging.

The cocktails were amazing, the staff are probably the nicest people in heraklion and to top it all off, the drinks are perfect. go here if you visit heraklion!!!

Nice drinks. Gut price! Thanks we will come again!

Really great cocktails! We bought 5 of them for our group and they were all fresh and tasty. My favs were the Paloma and the mojito pirata.

If you are passionate about history or archaeology, then you must visit this museum. If not, don’t bother. The Archaeological Museum is, in my opinion, the second most important tourist attraction in Heraklion (the first being the Koules Fortress). I won’t describe in detail what you can see here, because there are plenty of photos online, but I’ll make a few clarifications, because during my visit I noticed quite a few tourists who seemed disappointed by the collections on display. 1. An archaeological museum is not the same as a history museum. In an archaeological museum, you’ll find collections of objects, artifacts, and exhibits that help you understand (or imagine) how people lived in ancient times. If you’re looking for details about important figures and major events (wars, revolutions, political assassinations, discoveries, etc.), that’s what a history museum is for. 2. Don’t waste all your energy in the first halls. Many visitors make this mistake (I know, because back in college I worked as a tourist guide): they spend too much time in the prehistoric sections, get tired, and then rush through the most fascinating parts. I saw the same thing here: tourists staring for ages at the hundreds (or maybe thousands) of clay artifacts on the ground floor, only to hurry past the magnificent collection of ancient coins displayed upstairs. 3. In the very first hall there’s a wooden model - a miniature reconstruction of the Palace of Knossos. Even if it’s not 100% historically accurate (you can read online about the controversies surrounding the palace), it’s still very interesting. In fact, before visiting the actual archaeological site, it’s a great idea to stop by the museum. Personally, I think it’s even better to visit the museum and, if you’re short on time, you could easily skip the site itself. 4. Finally, before leaving, don’t forget the hall of statues. After finishing the upper floor, when you come back downstairs, turn left. I mention this because, to my great surprise, I saw entire groups of tourists leave the building at this point, missing one of the most remarkable collections in the museum. Finally, two more points: The air conditioning doesn’t always work. If you struggle with the heat, it’s best to avoid visiting during peak hours when the museum is very crowded. The museum is surrounded by a garden, so after your visit you can relax in the shade and enjoy the view—it’s especially beautiful at sunset.

Some photos of Heraklion archaeological museum. Was really fun and interesting. But I feel I wanted more time then I had to explore it all. After the guide was done we had only 20 min to explore the rest or buy some suverni. Would be great if it would have been 1-1,5 hours after extra. But overall it was a great enjoyment.

The Heraklion Archaeological Museum is actually very well-curated. There are ALOT of artefacts that ranged from pre-Minoan to Minoan and Roman/Greek history. Not only so, the museum tries to make sure that there are explanations in English for each section of the exhibit and for specific artefacts, there would be added details, with english explanations available as well. We love it that the path for the visit is well-defined as well. Visitors just have to follow the path and complete the artefacts on the first level, which leads to more on the second level, before returning to see the Roman/Greek statues at the end of the visit. There are a few things that stood out from the artefacts for us 1. Unlike most people who “Go big or go home”, the Minoans “go small”. In fact, they started to specialise in this skill of miniature craft where you find very small pieces of art, intricately designed and sculpted. 2. People had personalised seals. There were different animals as insignia and the method of utilising the seal also varied, with one version we saw, carved on a roller such that the insignia is rolled over the document/clay. 3. Written language was already available 4000 years ago. Around 2000BC, they found clays with sort of hieroglyphics on it. What was interesting to us was that the documents had lines on it, just like how our exercise books would be. The words would be written on those lines to depict perhaps the accounts or a story. The other interesting we found was that since the words were written on clay and used only for temporary accounts (i.e. not to be kept for extended period of time), the clays in the museum were actually “accidentally“ preserved due to a fire, that caused the clay to be hardened for us to see it thousands of years later. For the full review of our visit to HAM as well as details of our 5 months Round The World (RTW) trip, visit 2bearbear today!

Had the option of coming here as part of a Knossos tour. It is a complete no brainer to choose to visit as the museum amplifies and expands your appreciation of the history of Crete particularly after visiting Knossos. I was unable to book tickets online beforehand, but the queue was worth standing in for 15-20 minutes, i'm unsure how long it is normally but there was on a Wednesday a later opening time of 1-8, so it was just a one of those things. However it was a superb building and rooms to view and look at the archaeological finds. Everything was densely packed in but was thoughtfully laid out and I could have spent much longer than the 1.5-2 hours I had available, and this was just prioritising the first floor with the Minoan finds.

Amazing place full of items mainly from Knossos Palace. I would recommend visiting this place prior to seeing Knossos Palace. There is a cafe with a great view over the part of Heraklion and sea port. To avoid the crowds i believe it is better to come in an afternoon.

What can I say, the archaeology in this museum is amazing. The amount and quality of the finds on display at stunning. It covers all throughout the ages. We visited Knossos before visiting the museum, everything just slots into place and you get to understand the history and relevance of the finds.

Beautiful museum! Wish we had more time. We are on a tour and didn't get to see everything. I believe there's a gift shop and a little Cafe as well as bathrooms downstairs.

An interesting building and facade, but much more impressive inside in the courtyard. It is currently a government office building.

The busiest cafe downtown, and for a good reason. They have a huge pastry selection, and an excellent coffee! The only problem is that they don't have price tags or descriptions for the pastries so you have to ask the counter girls, which seems like tierd of answering.

Looks nice, it’s not really accessible, You can only see outside and the terrace

Nonetheless, we decided to first visit the Venetian Loggia and then follow the outer walls of the fortress and we had 2 amazing finds. At Venetian Loggia, one of the best views is this "bottom-up" shot of the facade that we took with 2bearbear. Along the outer walls of the fortress, we found that... For the full details of our visit to the Venetian Loggia and outer walls of the fortress, along with details of our 5 months Round The World (RTW) travels, visit 2bearbear today!

Lavish City Hall structure built in the Venetian period with an elegant atrium & hall for events. I visited in the off season so there was no one around which made it perfect for photography! You can only walk around outside and admire the exterior architecture. Easy place to swing by on your way to/from the town square.

Currently the townhall but before it used to be the seat of power of Venetian overlords. Picturesque building

I Very Please To Have Visit Here, I Was Amazing By The Beautiful Little Court Yard.

A flawless experience from beginning to end. While visiting on vacation, I loved it so much that I came back two nights in a row. Each time I was treated like royalty—the staff struck the perfect balance of professionalism and warmth, making me feel truly valued. An absolute must for anyone seeking excellence.

We came to this place after sitting for 20 minutes without any attention at the restaurant next door. As soon as we arrived, the amazing hostess Katerina greeted us warmly, showed us the menu, and arranged a table for us. Right away, someone came to take our order. Excellent service, amazing place, and incredible vibes everything was just perfect! The atmosphere was lovely, romantic, and welcoming. I highly recommend this place!

If I could give this place ten stars, I absolutely would! Mexico in Heraklion is not just a restaurant — it’s a culinary explosion of colors, flavors, and joy! Every bite tastes like a fiesta straight from Mexico City, yet with the warmth and soul of Crete. The atmosphere is vibrant, cozy, and irresistibly alive — the kind of place where you instantly feel happy the moment you walk in. The staff are super friendly, full of energy, and treat you like family. The dishes are a masterpiece — perfectly balanced spices, incredibly fresh ingredients, and mind-blowing presentation. Their tacos are pure perfection, the margaritas are the best I’ve ever had, and the music makes you want to dance while eating! This place is a must-visit them — easily one of the most unforgettable dining experiences in all of Greece.

Very good food, and interesting mix of Mexican and Japanese cuisine. Tempura crab roll was especially nice, nigiri was tasty, tacos and burritos also lovely. Good quality of ingredients.

If you're looking for the true taste of Mexico, this is the right place. I had the best slow cooked birria beef here everything was incredibly flavorful. hadn't tasted food this delicious since my last visit to Mexico. The guacamole and cocktails were excellent, and the service and atmosphere were really good.

This place is a 10/10. Truly. From the cleanliness, to the incredibly nice wait staff, the atmosphere, decor, the delish cocktails, and their food. Best tacos and sushi ever. This place is a must try!!!

Best sushi tasted in Crete! Great Mexican food, we tried two sushi rolls and chimichangas. Highly recommended! Sweet services

OPUS is a really cool place with a great atmosphere. The wine menu is extensive and features Greek wines from all regions. The food is delicious too. I’ve been here a few times and always had a good experience. The last time I visited we tried to order 4/5 different menu items that weren’t available because it was busy. I still reviewed 5*’s though because it was Greek Easter week so everywhere was busy and they were very apologetic about it and handled it nicely.

Great Service and food were great They do a professional service with a competent knowledge of wine. We had great wine and fantastic food. One thing that could be easily improved would be some type of sauce or herb butter that would have to be served with the steak.

We had the wine + ham experience which was just great. The atmosphere is unique in this quiet corner of a busy town. Highly recommended

Super friendly staff, delishes fingerfood, amazing cocktails. Mesmerizing atmosphere ! Nice music (jazz, bossa, latino, etc) I only ave 4 stars because i don't believe in perfection .. place to be !

A wonderful place to have a chat with friends. They know about Wine and culture. A great list of different flavours of greek wine. Even Local. Staff very friendly ad helpful.

Great atmosphere, very good service, interesting wine list, food is awful (except beef tataki), 130 euro for 2 people...

Good location and ambience with an extensive wine list available by the glass and not just a full bottle making it easy to match a wine to each course. The wine I had was excellent. However, our experience in terms of food was a very poor one last night. The over riding taste for both the prosciutto and the shrimp starters was that of sugar and for the mussels it was mustard masking out the main ingredient rather than complementing it. For the main course we both had risotto but when these arrived (plonked down before we had had a chance to finish the starters) they were basically inedible. Dry and undercooked rather than the expected creaminess and depth of taste. These were both sent back and to be fair there was no argument and we weren't charged for the risottos. While I admire the creativity and ambition of the menu, I think Opus needs to learn from its neighbour Peskesi. Paying attention to the basics, building on your culinary heritage and letting the main ingredients come through. Also a good risotto isn't as difficult as some people try to make out. Just need the right quality of ingredients and patience.

Within this spot, you will find yourself in a peaceful environment, that makes you feel like you're way outside Iraklion. The food is sublime, the waiter seems like a personal waiter, directly at your service. The environment is super colourful in a detailed way. We love this spot!

Didn’t have food so I can’t say. However, I came in here to have some whiskey but did not get the ones I wanted - Japanese or single malt so I decided to try the traditional Greek beer which Ella did well in suggesting a nice one. Her service was great too as she was full of energy and always smiling. She was very accommodating with attention to detail. Atmosphere is good with good music in the background. I recommend this place.

It was absolutely amazing. The Black Magic burger is really tasty, and my partners pasta with chicken was also really good. Certainly try the pofpofs as dessert! The setting is also really fun, with lots of colorful and funny elements everywhere. Would definitely recommend.

This place is amazing! Food was excellent and atmosphere is just fantastic! Our waiter Markos is very friendly and is quite a mind-reader with superb offers and lightning fast service - drinks and food came exactly at time we managed to blend in. Highly recommend!

Amazing dinner! Marcos was a great host and the food was truly outstanding! Homemade with care! We were 9, including 4 kids and Marcos made us feel super welcome! The ambiance is very nice and the location perfect!

Such a nice queer bar. A very welcoming place with changing activities every evening for example karaoke or Salsa night. The waiter is super friendly and we‘ll definitely visit again!

Unbelievable, simply ecstatic experience. The waiter, Markos, was just a brilliant human being - friendly, attentive, talkative and super friendly. He greeted us when we were checking the menu and offered to give us a Greek experience - to have little of each special food so that we could taste everything. Every single piece of food was absolutely amazing - the bread soft inside and crunchy outside, tzatziki, dolma and the special dishes he recommended were so, SO tasty we had to take pauses from eating to marvel over the fact HOW good they are. The service is impeccable, so perfect I don't have the words for it, and SO fast, we barely had to wait for anything. 😍 The interior was what caught my eye first, it's very artsy, beautiful with so much colourful and fitting details - from the plants to the black and white photos on the wall to the Warhol-like wall-art. The cocktails were amazing as well, so fresh and tasty! And the dessert! Lemon tart with ice cream made me feel like I had died and gone into heaven. Seriously! I'm just in love with this place, huge thanks to Markos and his mum who cooked all the amazing dishes! Such a memorable experience.

Amazing ambiance, like a nice big romantic garden. The drinks were very small in for €8, I can't lie! But tasty. Service is good. My brother came twice. I love the interior garden. I recommend it for a drink and then go somewhere else.

The outdoor seating is gorgeous and great music. I loved my meal of sushi and edamame. Great drinks! The servers are handsome and very kind. They even fixed our shaky table when we noticed it was rocking.

Just an amazing venue for drinks and to chill. The music really helps set a relaxing mood. The bar and the interior is decorated to make you feel like you're outside, and it is partially an open air venue. We really enjoyed the space and how we were able to actually hear each other talk.

Very hip place with a cool vibe. Open air, great music and delicious cocktails. Absolutely loved the atmosphere in this place. Great for a chilled hangout with friends.

The Best Cocktails 🌸✨ I don‘t drink Alkohol Elena recommended me a drink i'm absolutely in love. She is soo soo lovely & friendly keep that girl ! compliments to the bartender.. Good Job ✨

Great cocktail options and the sushi was fresh. I got the rainbow row, a classic. Spicy edamame was definitely spicy and hit the spot! Loved the ambiance and music and the staff was attentive. Very lively on a Saturday night 💕

This bar is really snazzy. The roofless dining room makes for an enjoyable patio like experience. Cocktails are evenly priced around 8-9€, good value. We tried four different cocktails and enjoyed them all. Very friendly waiters. Well worth a visit to this cute hipster bar.

Even though the waitress was nice, they got us the wrong order twice before we finally could eat what we chose in the first place, ie a platter of Greek cheese. No bread offer to eat the cheese. Not a lot of pieces for 14€. The atmosphere is good though.

We had such a wonderful experience we came 3 times at this bar near our hotel. Everyone was so nice and cheerful. We tasted a really good wine and the cocktails are really good too. I can only recommend you go there. Thanks a lot for the welcome !

We had the absolute BEST experience here. Theo selected several different wines for us to try and every single one was better than the last. We had small bites of Greek cheese and cold cuts which were beautifully curated for us and then even more delicious than it looked. Beyond the fullness and richness of the food and drink, the service was spectacular. We had such a great time just through the conversation we had with Theo and the others on staff. They made us feel so welcome and gave us an experience we will never forget. If I could give more stars, I absolutely would!

The place is really nice but a bit small. You can enjoy your coffee or choose from a variety of wines that are available. Food is served and it looked delicious. Service is very good and everything is prepared in front of you. The location has nothing to offer and parking may be a bit difficult as there are many other shops around.

Food and staff were amazing. The waitress was drop dead gorgeous and extremely sweet. You tip them and they bring you extra food and drinks free since tips are not required in Greece. Great location only a few blocks away from the main plaza in Heraklion Crete.

This is great place. You can spend your whole day here by having splendid wines, enjoying great service and delicious food.

The best all day wine bar - restaurant in Herakleio city. You can start your day with high quality coffee and snacks, continue with light lunch and close the day with a dinner accompanied with the most known Cretan wines and selected labels from Greece and abroad.

Excellent bar to have a good beer: we were delighted to find Voreia IPA here so that made our day! Spacious and with welcoming staff, will be back for sure !

Our favourite place to enjoy drinks and cocktails. Service is excellent, the people are friendly and the environment is very relaxing, despite being on a central and busy street. The music is always spot on.

A very average espresso martini but the outdoor seating and view of the church was nice

Very nice place, located in the heart of Heraklion, very nice location and pleasant view across the bar. Girl who served us our drinks was very nice and friendly. Very good music in the background! 🫶🏼

Love this little bar. Amy the bartending is amazing. She can make an excellent cocktail. Love the music and the vibe. It’s a must visit bar.

nice little café in a quiet side street. you have a nice view of the titos church. The service is really nice and accommodating. the cappuchino is of good quality.

Great coffee and nice service, we highly recommend this place :)

Our dinner was so bad we couldn’t even finish! The worst burger & risotto we ever tasted! Any frozen supermarket food tastes way better. The only price you pay there is for the view & ambience. Just 1 star because the waiters were at least friendly.

We received the wrong order. The administrator (she) was unfriendly. With every dish we got French fries — far too much, and not even any ketchup was provided. If you want to stay in this restaurant, be prepared to sit with dirty plates on the table.

Great location and an amazing view of the ocean. In the daytime it's a cafe/restaurant, but at night it's a nightclub. Great coffee and drinks, the staff are quick at their job. Prices are affordable. I recommend going there both daytime and nighttime to check out the difference between the two timings.

We went here for the kid-friendly environment and indeed the kids had a lot of fun playing. Service was very slow and we either had to sit inside or outside in other people's smoke

Very beautiful place with a great sea view! We order the stovecooked meat with pasta, they brought it with chips without saying anything! When we said that to the waiter he said oooh we had an issue with the pasta! He had to ask if you still want the plate incomplete... The chicken risotto was like someone puked on the plate and the rice was like a gum. Very disappointed from the food! The salad was delicious. Maybe a bad day for the kitchen but I have to review my personal experience and it was a bad day.

If you’re looking to enjoy a peaceful dinner with a nice beach view — AVOID THIS PLACE! Every night, this restaurant blasts unbearably loud music from dinner time until 3am — seven days a week! You can't even hear your friends across the table. Worse, if you're staying nearby, good luck trying to sleep — not even closed windows and earplugs help. This isn’t a beach club or an open-air disco — it’s supposed to be a restaurant! Have they ever considered that people live and sleep nearby? It’s completely unacceptable and inconsiderate. If you value your ears, your peace, or your rest, do yourself a favor and stay away.

Good food and massive portions but service was too slow, we could see dirty tables around us for over an hour and the place wasn't busy that much!!! I didn't enjoy coffee at all over there,had to ask for extra milk as was super strong and adding water,I'm a coffee lover and most of places in Crete have good quality coffee.

Love this bar. Buried in the back streets of Heraklion it's cool with a great range of drinks. In an old city mansion they fashioned a...night spot. While away a summer's night night in the courtyard out front or snuggled inside on a winter's night. DJ's play a range of music on different nights so check for the genre before you visit. It's not modern, not pretty, it's got graffiti... It's cool.

Liked the drinks, waiter and the atmosphere 👌🏼

Really cool place with an interesting vibe and theme. The bar tender was very polite and professional. Really bohemian vibe.

perfect atmosphere and incredible comfort

Nice place to share

Another great folk night listening Cretan music 🎵 played by 3 great musicians respecting tradition, performing a magnificent repertoire of traditional songs.

Fantastic place. Wonderful environment. Panagiotis was very erotic that night. Many pleasant memories from him. The music was excellent . We discovered a local band with the name Mixalis Tsaplatziotziks. Very nice violin. Would recommend!!!

Best restaurant in Heraklion for food or drink. Nice place to relax. You find the best chocolate made with a centuries-old recipe, which you can enjoy with strawberries, bananas, cereals or profiteroles.

"Beer from all over the world" - not really. Also not much real craft beer. But definitely more than a solid selection for a "cafe". The best beer I've seen was Orval :-) Fondue - tasty but not exactly my thing

Amazing restaurant with perfect and kind staff. I didn't taste the food but it looks amazing. My order was a beer and a double espresso. I got a small jug of milk with the coffee and nuts and chips with the beer

Delicious iced latte, super friendly staff, and such a sweet touch with the cookies! Great service — highly recommend!

Pretty unique place all around Crete and highly popular. I always choose a chocolate drink and have started experimenting with various flavors. If you go for a chocolate fondue avoid the chocolate drink as that would be too much and rather go for a nice cup of tea. There are also many beer labels available, some scarce among them. Snack are good nothing special. Highly recommended when in Heraklion city center.

Very good cacao. Cosy place. Recommended if you want to have some time out of the crowd. Also very comfy seats so you can read a book.

Nice !! Greek coffee is the best 😍😍

We intended to dine at the "Ntore". Unfortunately, no tables with the so-often advertised view (along with the "unique" gastronomy) were available, and they suggested the sister bar "Toucan" on the same floor. What they failed to tell us was that the bar had no actual views, unless one stood on his chair and looked back. The two venues share the same menu. However, the gastronomical experience was the least to say pathetic. Most flavours were overemphasised with spices (sort of a Magreb-Mediterranean fusion approach) and rather mediocre. The octopus in split pea cream was sticky boiled (and probably just finished on the grill) with an unpleasant aftertaste (because of the spices). The fish "Bianco" was a miserable melange of ingredients, lacking the signature garlic essence. Not to mention that the fish (sea bream) was anything but fresh. The wine list was uninteresting, the signature cocktails were amateurish, the music was unexciting, and the service was very polite yet inefficient. To cut a long story short, save your money and your evening...

We visited on a warm Tuesday evening and had a fantastic time. The drinks were well mixed and very reasonable and the staff were exceptional. We felt very special and looked after us. The sunset was awesome and the general vibe was incredibly funky. There was a DJ from the moment we arrived at 7 :30 who started off with chilled house beats and progressed onto more upbeat house throughout the evening. We had nachos which were excellent and reasonably priced. We had cocktails which were excellently mixed and wine. Even on a Tuesday the whole place was busy and chilled and upbeat. Thoroughly recommended.

Amazing rooftop bar, amazing tasting cocktails in a wide variety for a good price. A must visit when visiting Heraklion for a few days

A beautiful place to watch the sunset. Very friendly staff and excellent cocktails. We've been here twice this week and would recommend it!

Great place for a cocktail and to watch the sunset

A wonderful, central location within the city with a stunning terrace view of Heraklion. The food is incredible, tasty and of high quality (prices represent these aspects). The staff is kind and abided by the covid and safety guidelines. Vast variety of tropical cocktails. Bookings are strict and you ought to be punctual due to high demand. Would recommend.

Great place , wonderful service !!! Beautiful view!!!

Overrated place. The tables outside were dusty and poorly maintained. The food was terrible and disgustingly looking, however prices were moderate but absolutely unmatched with quality. They offer tap water for free but reusable bottle smells and the water itself has suspicious taste. A waitress was kind and polite.

We came here for breakfast two days ago. It wasn’t busy at all, so we got a nice outdoor spot right away. Food came out super fast & tasted good, too. The only thing: considering how pretty the place is – especially the interior – we were a bit surprised that the food wasn’t presented all that nicely. A bit more effort on the plating would totally match the vibe. But overall, it’s a solid spot. Just speaking for the breakfast here – and that was totally fine. 🥐

Phenomenal place. Great food, I'm no vegetarian but my wife's eggs on sourdough with avocado looked like an Instagram picture. Fries for my burger were also unusual, with slightly crunchy edges, very nice! Popcorn for beer :) large pleasantly breezy space inside with comfy chairs. Now, at least today they lacked staff, it was all day and fresh but there were a few moments when we had to wait a bit (not much though). Also I'm taking half the Service star for the condition of the toilets, everything worked, but the overall impression was not the best, e.g. the water flowing poorly in the sink. Those bits aside, we still EXTREMELY liked the place and marked it for return.

Came here over heated .... Got cold water without even requesting it.... Got filter coffee, beer, fruit salad and yogurt with chocolate. The fruit salad was super fresh and delicious. VERY good coffee ....yogurt was one of the best desserts my husband had had on this trip (that's a quote). Really great prices, cute waiter who was really efficient. This place is right next to Starbucks.... Black chairs.... You will be happy here.

They make a great aperol spritz and bring you a little bowl of homemade popcorn every time you order a drink! One of my favorite places to stop and have a relaxed drink

Came here a little late for brunch but still enjoyed some delicious and affordable pancakes

Very nice little and modern Bar Cafe Restaurant.Very delicouse Foot and Drinks 🍸.

Very tasty food. We had the avocado salad and mushroom ravioli. Both dishes were excellent. They also treated us raki and dessert. Very cool atmosphere. We can definitely recommend it

We recently had the pleasure of dining at Mavros Katis my partner and I, and I must say, it was an extraordinary experience from the moment we walked in until the last bite. The service was impeccable. The staff was attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable, making sure that every aspect of our dining experience was flawless. Our server provided excellent recommendations and was attentive without being intrusive, ensuring we had everything we needed throughout the meal. The food was nothing short of spectacular. Each dish was a masterpiece, beautifully presented and bursting with flavour. The menu offered a diverse selection of dishes, catering to a variety of tastes and dietary preferences. Considering the exceptional quality of the food and the overall dining experience, it offers excellent value for money. The portion sizes were generous, and the pricing was reasonable, especially given the high standard of service and cuisine. Whether you’re looking for a romantic dinner, a celebratory meal, or a casual night out with friends, Mavros Katis is the perfect choice. The versatility of the menu and the welcoming atmosphere make it suitable for any occasion. In conclusion, it exceeded our expectations in every way. It’s a gem of a restaurant that I highly recommend to anyone looking for an exceptional dining experience. I will undoubtedly be returning to enjoy more of their culinary delights in the near future! Ευχαριστούμε πολύ για όλα παιδιά, σίγουρα άξιζε το κόπο να σας επισκεφτούμε! Καλές δουλειές!

“A place unlike any other…” Right in the heart of Heraklion, hidden inside a passageway you’d easily walk past, I stumbled upon Mavros Katis. A mystical spot, with a courtyard unlike any other — full of greenery, coolness, and an inexplicable sense of calm. It’s not the kind of place that tries to impress with noise or flash, but with its atmosphere. The people who gather here seem to come from completely different worlds: from the most well-dressed gentleman to the quiet artist reading poetry at their table. A rare place of coexistence, with beautiful music, unique flavors, and a vibe that makes you feel… somewhere else entirely.

Thanks a lot. Our first meal experience in Crete and it was amazing. Great food and great service. The waitress was super friendly and helpful.

Great back yard with hipster vibe. Menu has more options comparing to other local places. An experience which shouldn't be missed in Heraklion.

Amazing food, wonderful hospitality. Really beautiful restaurant, we would like to go back.

This is a eating house surrounded by three block of flats. Well decorated and without the sound of the city. Food is very nice and prices are ok. I can recommend the beer called Mamos from the city of Patras and the beefburger. A cosy place with trees to enjoy your night.

wow!!! We really loved this restaurant, the vibe in it is soo special and the inside is furnished in such a cool way! The drinks and the food all tasted really good and we had a great time in the restaurant! Super kind and quick service, definitely a must do in Iraklion!

We were in big rush. Food was fresh, it came really fast, we ordered 2 salads and they came super speedy. Also the bill was brought to us with the terminal immediately. We very really satisfied with the speed and the food taste because in our situation these things were crucial. Thanks!

This place had an amazing vibe! I felt like I was at one of our restaurants back home. It gives you a lounge vibe with great dining, amazing service and top notch drinks. Stop by if you’re in Crete at the City Center.

Favourite restaurant in Heraklion. Delicious food and sushi. Staff are very attentive and polite, best experience dining out on holiday i definitely recommend to others. As a vegan I had many options😋

What a lovely café in the heart of Heraklion! Its central location is just a short stroll from Lions Square, making it quite convenient. The coffee is delightful, and the prices are quite reasonable. Moreover, the service is truly exceptional!

Wonderful sushi 🍣 , burgers and salad. Nicely decorated place. Very professional team. Top waitress: Nena

The food was amazing! Really recommend it! The cocktails are also really good!

An aesthetic looking place, nice workers taking into consideration our request to watch a specific football game and putting it on for us. It was a Friday night so extremely busy and did have to wait over 20 mins for our drink. It is expensive therefore 4 stars in my option. But definitely worth a visit.

Just amazing! The music was the best….the stuff was very friendly. I totally recommend this place. The sischa and cocktails were very good and tasty. The best bar in Malia))

I had really nice few hours here. All guys are really nice and funny, they know how to do it 😉 But I want to thank especially the Man behind the bar. Thanks for the time and this nice memory.

Really friendly and lively bar on the Malia strip. Good music and fantastic service. Highly recommended daytime or evening. It's well positioned on the strip too. Great to just sit in the afternoon watching the world go by.

Zoo Bar is one of the best spots in Malia! Great cocktails, chilled lounge seating, and a fun, welcoming vibe. The staff are super friendly, and the shisha is some of the best around. Perfect place to relax, watch the game, or party late into the night. Highly recommend if you’re in town!

Good people, good vibes. Amazing managers, bartenders and waiters. In particular the Italian one. Never met anyone professional like him. I'll be back for sure

A nice place located not to much far away from the center... the waiters are very friendly... the service was really very fast and good I recommend to visit this nice place..

My wife and I grabbed breakfast here and were very impressed! We wish we would have had a chance to grab dinner during our vacation as well. Menu was impressive and offered a variety of options. We opted for the omelette, yogurt and granola, and the banoffee pancakes. All 3 dishes were full of flavor and very enjoyable. We ate outside and got to enjoy the weather. Service was good and consistent. Overall, very happy with our breakfast here and would go back if it wasn’t for just finding this place on our last day.

Every time we visit News Cafe, it feels like coming home. We especially want to give a big shoutout to Eleni, Despina, and Nestor! (of course rest of the team as well) They are incredibly friendly, welcoming, and genuinely kind people. It is like being greeted by old friends every time we walk in. The service is top-notch fast, attentive, and always with a smile. They truly go above and beyond to make sure everything is perfect even in rush hours. And the food is absolutely delicious. Everything we have tried has been fresh, full of flavor, and clearly made with care. You can tell they pay attention to every detail both in the kitchen and at the table. Thanks to the warmth, hospitality, and consistently great experience. News Cafe has become one of our favorite spots. We highly recommend it and we will definitely be back next year! Love Onur & Emine

Nice place. And especially happy to find my single malt whiskey. Highlight of the visit is the classic burger. The best burger I have ever had. Very tasty and I love the poached egg added - all for 9.50. Food is indeed cheap In this part of the world.

Good clubsandwich and free table water in a nice glass bottle. Fries were not my favorite (they absorbed a bit too much frying oil)

Been here twice and love it! The drinks are fun and the food is spectacular. This place was about a 5 minute walk from my hotel, so it was a great place to meet up after a long day. My favorite dish that I got here was the salmon salad, which was perfectly refreshing and tasty. We ordered a hookah at each visit here and had a wonderful time. At one point, my friend of mine felt sick from smoking too much as he hadn’t smoked before. The staff was so kind and gave him water, ice, and a place to rest while he recovered. I think that this shows best just how kind and caring the staff is. I highly recommend this restaurant. Thank you so much!

Large Portions and Lots of Atmosphere! Aka All Day Cafe has three different dining settings in an excellent location. Lots of young adults gather outside, but we chose inside for Non-Smoking. Ordered the Mixed Grilled Plate which is enough to feed a family of 4.

We had a great evening here! The owner is a very welcoming and cool guy 🥳

Worst service don't bother. We sat down the waiter ignored us. I then went inside to be ignored again. Sat back down. The waiter finally came out to clear a table. I asked do you have a menu ? How do we order ? He said he will bring us a menu. Then we got ignored again so we just left. Absolute worst waiter I've come across he just lent against the bar and could not be bothered to help anyone.

A very relaxing place to drink a coffee have a waffle or have an early cocktail before you head out to Matala for a night out.

best service ever and a very beautiful place in matala! Both the woman and the men in the service are always kind and are doing a perfect job! keep going like that!

Bad and overpriced cocktails. The waitress ignores our table for 1 1/2 hours and reacted really rude when I complained. (Actually I just informed her that we couldn't order anything, on which she directly reacted offensively) On top of that she gave out free shots for everyone except me after we paid the receipt.

Very beautiful place and service. The best.

I was here during the winter period. Iam so stoked when the summer hits in this place. Lovely people and the views are amazing. On the street there will be drawings all of the town which I haven't seen before anywhere. I've met a owner of a restaurant and he told me that people are coming from all over the world to see this place, drawings and scenery. I will be visiting this place again in juni and hopefully for many years to come. Just one of kind this place.

Fani und Aris are the best. Looking forward to see you soon. Best double Greek Coffee in Matala, Kamilari, Petsidia....; Next time with Music

Excellent tables, great atmosphere, and friendly staff. The cues and felt are top-notch, making every game smooth and enjoyable. Perfect for a night out or casual fun. Highly recommend—five stars!

Crazy, should be a tourist activity. I wanna go again there, it was a good location and friendly stuff. Recommendable spot. Its not expensive, we were there for a long. Time and paid 20€ for 2drinks, billiard, boxing and pingPong

We found this gem while on a short stay in Crete. My friend loves pool halls and this was by far one of the nicest halls we’ve been to (especially compared to the US!). The owner was so sweet and gave us special drinks, and some easy snacks to wash it down!

This place is amazing! Such wonderful staff and amazing drinks. The tables and place are very clean. Definitely one of the best pool halls I have ever been too!

Very nice atmosphere very excellent pool tables fully recommended

Amazing pool bar and super cheap! Tourist friendly !!

the best billiards in creta and the nest coctails

Amazing food, service and view. Not too expensive considering the quality of everything

Very nice place for spending time!

(Translated by Google) A wonderful space beautifully designed where you can listen to various musical groups. The place is not very big but it is very beautiful, I have visited the place several times. I would recommend it whenever you have time Friday or Saturday Visit it I think you will be very pleased the staff are kind happy smiling (Original) Ένας υπέροχος χώρος όμορφα διαμορφωμένος που εδώ μπορείτε να ακούσετε διάφορα μουσικά σχήματα. Ο χώρος δεν είναι πολύ μεγάλος αλλά είναι πολύ όμορφος έχω επισκεφτεί το χώρο αρκετές φορές. Θα το συνιστούσα όποτε έχετε χρόνο Παρασκευή η σαββατο να το Επισκεφθείτε νομίζω ότι θα μείνετε πολύ ευχαριστημένη το προσωπικό είναι ευγενικό πρόσχαρο χαμογελαστό