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It may be open 24 hours, but it’s no assimilated Greek diner—Uncle George's combines a lamb on a spit in the window, an eraser board listing specials in Greek, and an Astoria following that's made a name for the restaurant's rustic Mediterranean cooking since 1985. A fresh opener is the combo of tzatziki, fish roe dip and garlicky mashed potatoes, along with the crisply mantled, fried saganaki cheese sprinkled with lemon juice. Pinkish-white, sausage-shaped hunks of octopus vinaigrette are surprisingly supple, with the meaty texture of a tuna steak. In addition to barbecued pork and chicken, the kitchen prides itself on seafood, such as shrimp covered in melted feta, and a shimmery, whole grilled porgy, whose mild flesh is filled with tiny bones, but enhanced by a crisp, charred skin. The roast leg of lamb, a boneless, yielding piece of meat covered in gravy, has a simple, homecooked appeal, and the lemon-brightened baked potato is a standout among sides. The best tables in the house run along the floor-to-ceiling windows, which look out to the lively corner of Broadway and 34th Street—the center of a stretch of cafes offering after-dinner coffee and dessert. — Karen Hudes

Octopus vinaigrette, $12; roast leg of lamb, $11.50