Mykonos - Platis Gialos beach warning

[Meanmum]

We are not ones to be taken advantage of easily, but today was an exception and I would hate for it to happen to anyone else - it happened to at least 5 couples that we saw on the beach……   

 

We took a bus to the beach - not a problem less than 7 euros round trip for two people.

 

Got to the beach - crowded - was approached by staff deco DK Oyster Restaurant and offered lounge chairs and umbrella the catch - buy an alcoholic beverage each! (Should have asked the price).   We got two “small” beers, ordered a Greek salad, talked into calamari, and said yes to bread.    We have had meals in just about all ports and figured it would be around 60-70 euros   Well at the end of the day 271 euros!!!!!!

40 euros per beer

151 euros for calamari

28 euros for Greek salad

14 euros for 4 small rolls

 

adding tax!

 

Yes we looked at the menu, after the fact and everything is very deceiving.  
 

lesson learned - and please learn from our lesson and stay away - go further down the beach where it’s 15 euros for two chairs and umbrella with no commitment to food or beverages 

[Hlitner]

This is very unfortunate and the problems with that restaurant have been documented, online, for some time.  Most of the restaurants along that beach are honest (and disclose their pricing) but DK is a very sad commentary on the inability of the Greek government to deal with a known problem.  They were recently fined over 30,000 Euros (for ripping off Americans) but have obviously been allowed to continue their practices.  There have been rumors about the owners, and the unwillingness of the government to deal with the issue (is there really a Greek mafia?).

 

DW and I really enjoy visiting Greece and have never run into such a situation (as DK) anywhere else in the country.  Last August, when we went to that same beach (we were on a Seabourn Cruise) we carefully avoided that particular restaurant (and its nice beach chairs).   I do think that cruise lines could be more helpful by warning cruise passengers about this place and they should also help in putting pressure on the Greek government to shut these folks down!

 

As a service to anyone going to Mykonos I am posting a related link:

DK Oyster Of Mykonos Fined Over €30,000 After Ripping Off American Tourists (greekcitytimes.com)

 

I will add that DW and I have been to that same beach ( a few times) and had no problems with other vendors/restaurants.  But folks are well advised to always inquire as to prices and demand to see a menu (with prices) before committing to buying a drink or food.   It is also a wise precaution to take a photo of the menu (and prices) in case there are any later issues.   We do not think that DK Oyster is typical of Mykonos, but if the local authorities fail to act that will be the impresson of many folks.

 

 

Hank

[c-leg5]

22 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

I will add that DW and I have been to that same beach ( a few times) and had no problems with other vendors/restaurants. 

Any recommendations?

[cruisemom42]

2 hours ago, Hlitner said:

But folks are well advised to always inquire as to prices and demand to see a menu (with prices) before committing to buying a drink or food. 

 

The above is sound advice.

 

And this kind of thing can happen wherever there are "bad actors" preying on tourists. I have read several reports, over the years, of restaurants in Rome pulling similar rip-off schemes on unsuspecting tourists -- some of them got burned much worse than the OP did, see link below:

 

Couple warns about restaurant scam after being hit with $470 dinner bill (today.com)

 

At the end of the day, when traveling you should NEVER order something without first seeing the price. Understand that in Europe many restaurants sell meat and fish by weight, so understand what the number on the menu really means in terms of your cost. Avoid recommendations unless you can confirm the price.

 

P.S.  To the OP, so sorry this happened to you, you're doing a real service to others by calling attention to these scams. 

Edited September 17, 2022 by cruisemom42

[Hlitner]

1 hour ago, c-leg5 said:

Any recommendations?

Not exactly.  If you go to that beach via bus (or most taxis) you are dropped off on a road that intersects with the beach.  You walk along the walkway with the sand/sea on your right and some restaurants on your left.  The loungers on the beach are generally operated by the facilities on the opposite side of the walkway.   Everything is somewhat of a negotiation.  If you see empty loungers that you like you look for the beach attendant and ask about availability and the cost.  You will get everything from "we have no rentals" to various deals which might include a daily rental cost and perhaps the requirement that you order drinks or eat lunch (from their restaurant).  If food and/or drink are part of the deal you would want to see a menu with prices.   In simple terms, know the deal before you sit!   The deals are often somewhat better as you walk further along the beach (away from the road that has the bus stop).  

 

DK Oyster Bar is somewhat infamous for not providing any menus with prices.  They have a nice web site with no prices.  It is a place to be avoided!  With their reputation, I have no clue how they survive but they somehow manage.  They also have a reputation of physically intimidating (with very big waiters) customers who later balk at their prices.  Another of their scams is to sell seafood by the gram (or 100 grams) but leaving that detail to the fine print.  

 

The really sad thing is that it is a nice beach and most other places seem quite friendly and reasonable.  Over the years we have been to that beach three times and always been fine with the places we have chosen.  Prices were typical for beach prices (somewhat inflated) and we have had good service.   Americans do not often know grams (figure about 26 grams to the ounce) and DK takes advantage.  So if you see fish advertised for 20 Euros you might think that is a good deal.  But in very fine print, somewhere on the menu, it may say that it is 20 Euros per 100 grams!  That means that a 1 pound fish would cost you about $100!  

 

Hank

 

There is a lesson here for all tourists.  Have some degree of skepticism and always know the details.  When places talk about drink and food minimums make sure to look at the drink and food prices.

 

[wineoclock]

Mykonos is notoriously expensive & attracts a generally wealthy crowd. We know a few people who have been this year (land holiday) and won’t be going back. 

[Hlitner]

2 minutes ago, wineoclock said:

Mykonos is notoriously expensive & attracts a generally wealthy crowd. We know a few people who have been this year (land holiday) and won’t be going back. 

Do not confuse normal resort island pricing with an absolute crook (DK Oyster Bar).  And if you live in London (what it says with your signature) you certainly should not be complaining about Mykonos pricing :).  

 

Hank

[wineoclock]

Very true 😂 but these are London residents who commented on the prices which would mean the DK place will be even worse - which is what I was trying to say! Just not particularly well. 
 

We are currently in Cyprus & are surprised at how much prices have gone up here also compared to when we were here last year. Ukraine v Russia seems to be affecting them as well. 

 

 

[Hlitner]

3 hours ago, wineoclock said:

Very true 😂 but these are London residents who commented on the prices which would mean the DK place will be even worse - which is what I was trying to say! Just not particularly well. 
 

We are currently in Cyprus & are surprised at how much prices have gone up here also compared to when we were here last year. Ukraine v Russia seems to be affecting them as well. 

 

 

Inflation is a real bi&^%.  Come over to our side of the pond and you will be in for an even bigger shock.  During our recent visit to Europe we found prices in the Czech Republic and Poland to still be somewhat reasonable, but we heard some grumbling that nothing was cheap!

 

Hank

[wintertexancruiser]

Our shore excurison was just cancelled in Mykonsis. No others available on the ship.

Is this port easily walkable when getting off the ship? Anything to see or do walking distance. Thanks much

[NeilonBoard]

On 9/18/2022 at 12:06 AM, Hlitner said:

Do not confuse normal resort island pricing with an absolute crook (DK Oyster Bar).  And if you live in London (what it says with your signature) you certainly should not be complaining about Mykonos pricing :).  

 

Hank

We ate at several tavernas along Platis Gialos beach. Fortunately DK Oyster Bar was not one of them although I vaguely remember seeing it. We found the prices quite reasonable given the high quality seafood and the beachside location.

[Hlitner]

7 hours ago, NeilonBoard said:

We ate at several tavernas along Platis Gialos beach. Fortunately DK Oyster Bar was not one of them although I vaguely remember seeing it. We found the prices quite reasonable given the high quality seafood and the beachside location.

Like you, we did quite well at that beach.  We arrived via the public bus (which drops you relatively close to the infamous DK Oyster Bar) and strolled along the pedestrian walkway making inquiries about renting loungers.  We rejected some places because their beach loungers "sucked,"  some others because we did not like their beach umbrellas, and finally got to one that had decent loungers, decent umbrellas, and a reasonable menu (offerings and prices).  Our last visit was on a very busy day so we had no leverage to negotiate a lower price on lounger rentals (sometimes you can work a deal if you promise to eat/drink).  During the busy season some of the beach places reserve most of their loungers for nearby hotels so folks might need to do as we do and make multiple inquiries.  It is a decent beach, there are plenty of OK cafes/restaurants, etc.  That DK Oyster bar gives a wonderful beach a bad name and it is a shame that the local authorities have long "looked the other way" and allowed them to rip off numerous customers.  One would have to assume that the "fix is in" and DK is somehow above the law.  Tis a shame.  

 

Hank

[NeilonBoard]

On 10/19/2022 at 10:18 PM, Hlitner said:

Like you, we did quite well at that beach.  We arrived via the public bus (which drops you relatively close to the infamous DK Oyster Bar) and strolled along the pedestrian walkway making inquiries about renting loungers.  We rejected some places because their beach loungers "sucked,"  some others because we did not like their beach umbrellas, and finally got to one that had decent loungers, decent umbrellas, and a reasonable menu (offerings and prices).  Our last visit was on a very busy day so we had no leverage to negotiate a lower price on lounger rentals (sometimes you can work a deal if you promise to eat/drink).  During the busy season some of the beach places reserve most of their loungers for nearby hotels so folks might need to do as we do and make multiple inquiries.  It is a decent beach, there are plenty of OK cafes/restaurants, etc.  That DK Oyster bar gives a wonderful beach a bad name and it is a shame that the local authorities have long "looked the other way" and allowed them to rip off numerous customers.  One would have to assume that the "fix is in" and DK is somehow above the law.  Tis a shame.  

 

Hank

All the reputable tavernas will have a menu on display with all prices clearly marked. It was while looking at each menu that we enquired regarding sun loungers and usually got them free so long as we patronised that taverna. Despite five ships being in Mykonos we did not find this beach overly crowded and the public bus was only a couple of euros. If you got to Platis Gialos and found it too crowded you could always use the water taxi to go to neighbouring beaches.

[pdmlynek]

I too concur with others that one has to be on one's toes about unscrupulous vendors.  I agree.

 

However, there is more at play here.  Like it or not, the beaches on the western half of the couthern coast of Mykonos are considered the playground of the rich.  The homes that you see above these beaches rent for 6,000 to 12,000 Euros/Dollars per night.  These ridiculouos prices, such as 40 EUR/beer, are not something out of the ordinary for the decamillionaires and centimillionaires (or wannabes) that frequent these beaches.  

[Hlitner]

On 11/6/2022 at 12:16 AM, pdmlynek said:

I too concur with others that one has to be on one's toes about unscrupulous vendors.  I agree.

 

However, there is more at play here.  Like it or not, the beaches on the western half of the couthern coast of Mykonos are considered the playground of the rich.  The homes that you see above these beaches rent for 6,000 to 12,000 Euros/Dollars per night.  These ridiculouos prices, such as 40 EUR/beer, are not something out of the ordinary for the decamillionaires and centimillionaires (or wannabes) that frequent these beaches.  

Yes, it is a "high end" part of the island with ridiculous rents.  But do not confuse that with the misleading, deceptive, and intimidating behavior of DK Oyster Bar.   You might want to look at the numerous negative comments about this place that can be found on Tripadvisor (sister site of CC).  I do not have an issue with a restaurant/cafe charging ridiculously high prices as long as they fully disclose this fact!  What happens at DK is akin to a "con" where numerous customers report having been misled, scammed, physically intimidated, etc.  If you got out of DK by ONLY paying 40EUR/beer it would be your lucky day.

 

Hank