Last Saturday, we were invited to a large group dinner to celebrate our friend Rachel’s 29th birthday. Dinner was at Taverna Plaka, a Greek restaurant in Buckhead known for a party atmosphere — think belly dancers, napkin-throwing, and birthday celebrators dancing on the dinner tables. It’s definitely not an ideal spot for a romantic dinner, but it’s a lot of fun for groups, especially those celebrating birthdays, bachelorettes, and the like.

We had about 20 people and were crammed in among several other very large parties. Needless to say, a spacious dining area is not a priority, but it was… cozy. The music was loud and fun, and the belly dancers were highly entertaining. It took what seemed like forever to get our drink and appetizer orders, but we weren’t in a hurry. Our table shared the stuffed grape leaves and the fried meatballs. I’d say the meatballs (covered in a yummy tzatziki sauce) were definitely the favorite, and they were devoured within seconds of being set on the table.

Our waiter’s favorite dish was the “beef cakes” (basically little oval-shaped hamburger patties with more tzatziki sauce), Greek fries, and a Greek salad. Several of us girls took his advice and ordered the beef cakes – I think partly just because of the funny name. Craig went for the healthier option and ordered salmon. Dinner was pretty yummy all around, but the best part was definitely the atmosphere and the entertainment. By the time we finished dinner, the birthday girl was on top of the table dancing with a piece of baklava on a plate.  (It was delicious, btw. Baklava is one of my faves that I rarely find, and it always reminds me of the Greek restaurant that our family friends used to own at home.) Rachel danced with the belly dancer and she danced with a birthday boy turning 22. Napkin-throwing seemed to be the trend of the night. Napkins repeatedly ended up in our plates while eating, but that’s just part of the party. I think it’s kind of gross and kind of hilarious that people are walking all over the tables where we’re eating our dinner, but again…. just part of the party!