Drakos Fish Taverna

Drakos Fish Taverna has been at the end of Mylopotas beach since 1963 — long before Ios developed its reputation as a party island — and the kitchen has stayed in the same family for three generations. George Drakos opened the place, his recipes passed down intact, and the dining room still faces the water with an unobstructed view of the bay.

With 893 Google reviews averaging 4.2 out of 5, Drakos draws a steady mix of repeat visitors and first-timers who end up wishing they had found it earlier in the week. The setting is uncomplicated: tables close enough to the sea that you can hear the waves, an open-air atmosphere, and the kind of casual pace that makes a two-hour lunch feel completely reasonable.

The address — Mylopotas 840 01 — places it at the far end of the beach road, away from the busiest concentration of sunbeds and water-sport concessions, which means the noise level at dinner is manageable even in high summer.

What to Expect

Drakos is a straightforward fish taverna in the Greek tradition: you choose what you want to eat, it arrives when it's ready, and nobody rushes you out. The menu centers on seafood prepared using methods the family has used for sixty years — grilled, baked, or served with pasta — and the ingredients are bought or caught locally.

The standout dishes listed on the menu include grilled fresh fish caught the same day, Mediterranean lobster served either plain or with pasta, and seafood orzo made with a house seafood sauce. Beyond those headings, the kitchen puts out the full range of Greek taverna seafood: calamari, salads, and whichever daily catch arrived that morning.

The atmosphere is relaxed by design. Tables are oriented toward the water, which means the sea breeze comes through consistently, and the sound of the waves is audible throughout the meal. The dining room is casual rather than formal — this is not a white-tablecloth establishment, and it does not try to be. Families, couples, and groups of friends all fit comfortably here.

The wine list and beer selection are adequate for the food — reviewers mention both positively without describing anything remarkable — which is consistent with a taverna where the fish is the focus. The kitchen closes at 11:00 PM every day of the week, and service opens at 1:00 PM, making Drakos a strong option for a long late lunch or an early dinner before the Ios nightlife picks up.

How to Get There

Mylopotas beach is roughly 2 kilometers south of Ios Town (the Chora) by road. From the Chora, you can take the local bus that runs frequently between the port, the Chora, and Mylopotas during summer months — the bus stop at the beach is close to the main cluster of facilities, and Drakos is a short walk further along the beach road toward the far end of the bay.

By car or scooter, follow the main road south out of the Chora toward Mylopotas; parking is available along the road that runs behind the beach, though space fills up quickly in July and August. On foot from the main Mylopotas beach area, walk west along the shore toward the quieter end of the bay — you'll see the taverna positioned directly at the waterfront.

Taxis from the port or Chora take under ten minutes and are widely available during the day. If you are staying at one of the hotels or rooms on the Mylopotas hillside, the walk down to the beach and along to Drakos takes around fifteen minutes.

Best Time to Visit

Ios runs a long summer season from roughly May through late September, and Drakos is open throughout. The beach itself is at its most crowded in July and August, and the road behind Mylopotas can be congested by mid-afternoon on peak days.

For the most relaxed experience, come for lunch on a weekday — the beach crowd starts to thin after 4:00 PM, and the taverna's 1:00 PM opening means you can beat the dinner rush. If dinner is the plan, arriving at 7:00 or 7:30 PM gives you good light on the water before sunset and a table before the later evening wave of diners.

The shoulder months of May, early June, and September offer calmer conditions: fewer visitors, cooler evenings, and the same fresh fish supply without the high-season wait times. The Aegean winds that affect Ios — particularly the northern meltemi that picks up in late July and August — do not make Mylopotas uncomfortable for dining, since the bay faces south and the taverna's position at the beach end provides some shelter.

Tips for Visiting

• Book ahead in high season. The taverna has an online booking link at drakostaverna.com and a phone line (+30 2286 091281). In July and August, turning up without a reservation at dinner risks a long wait.
• Ask what came in that day. The fresh fish selection changes with the daily catch, and the kitchen will tell you what's available before you order. This is the standard way to order fish at a Greek taverna, and Drakos operates on the same model.
• The lobster requires advance notice at some tavernas. If Mediterranean lobster is the specific reason you are coming, call ahead to confirm availability on your intended visit date.
• The seafood orzo is the most distinctive dish on the menu. Made with a house seafood sauce, it's the kind of preparation that doesn't appear everywhere on Ios and is worth ordering if you're eating a full meal.
• Combine with a beach afternoon. Drakos opens at 1:00 PM, which makes it practical to spend the morning on Mylopotas, move to the taverna for a late lunch, and return to the beach before the sun drops.
• Portions at Greek fish tavernas are typically generous. A table of two sharing a fish, a plate of calamari, and a salad will usually be well fed. Factor this into ordering.
• The location at the far end of the beach is quieter than it sounds. Mylopotas has a lively main section near the entrance road, but by the time you reach Drakos the pace is noticeably calmer.
• Check the website for seasonal changes. The current hours show 1:00–11:00 PM daily, but shoulder-season hours at Greek tavernas can differ; verify directly if visiting outside peak summer.

What to Order

The three signature items on the Drakos menu give a clear picture of the kitchen's strengths. The grilled fresh fish — whatever was caught that morning — is the most direct expression of what the taverna has been doing since 1963. Grilled whole fish in Greece is typically priced by weight and presented simply with lemon and olive oil; the quality of the fish itself is the point.

The seafood orzo (kritharoto or giouvetsi-style, depending on the preparation) uses a house seafood sauce developed over decades, and it represents the kind of slow-built recipe that a family taverna with sixty years of history can actually deliver on. It is a heavier dish than grilled fish and works best as a main course for one rather than a shared plate.

Mediterranean lobster — the spiny lobster common to the Aegean, distinct from Atlantic lobster in texture and flavor — arrives either plain with oil and lemon or over pasta. This is the most expensive item on any table that orders it, and at most Greek fish tavernas it is priced per kilogram.

Beyond these, calamari and fresh salads (horiatiki, tomato, or green) are the most frequently mentioned supporting dishes in reviews. Wine ordered by the carafe is common practice at this category of taverna.

History and Context

Drakos Taverna opened in 1963 under George Drakos, which means it predates the significant tourist development of Ios by at least a decade. In that era, Mylopotas was a working beach community rather than a resort, and a fish taverna there served a local clientele first.

The handover across three generations of chefs has kept the recipes intact while the island around the restaurant changed substantially. Ios shifted toward youth tourism in the 1970s and 1980s, becoming known for its nightlife, and Mylopotas developed accordingly with hotels, beach bars, and water sports. Drakos remained a sit-down fish taverna through all of it, which is a meaningful form of continuity on an island where businesses turn over frequently.

Sixty-plus years of operation also means the family has an established relationship with local suppliers and fishermen — the same sourcing infrastructure that makes a same-day fresh fish claim credible rather than decorative. This kind of long-standing local connection is not something that can be replicated by newer restaurants, regardless of their investment in décor or marketing.