Darci K.

Phenomenal! From start to finish, the entire experience was poetry in motion. If you're looking for an upscale restaurant that moves when you move, and just like that, you're having a glorious evening, you absolutely must dine at Aiona. Diners tip: make reservations. Valet parking is available, street parking is not. We started off our meal with the hummus platter that was served with warm wedges of pita. This easily could've been a girl meal and I totally would've been satisfied. The staff is really on top of Service and without blinking and I additional pita was brought to the table so that we could continue enjoying the hummus. Next, we had the lamb Slovakia. A lovely grilled combination of beef and lamb skewers. That absolutely were shareable. The meat was flavorful, and I may have enjoyed it with some hummus and pita. Perfect bite! Grilled octopus joined the table, and well, this wasn't my favorite bite, everyone enjoyed it For our entree, we then enjoyed the dry aged Bistecca, along with papa's brava, and grilled zucchini. The steak was presented and sliced, so that none of us had to fuss about how to cut, share, and enjoy this delicious steak. It was perfectly seasoned and prepared, medium rare, which is what we all had wanted, and despite how delicious it was, we all managed to share it. The zucchini was absolutely delicious. Literally everything was, and each dish that we enjoyed silently encouraged us to try more and more. The papas brava absolutely delicious. Who doesn't like delicious potato wedges that are crispy on both sides with a little bit of heat added to the top of them. I may have enjoyed a bite of potato with steak. Another perfect bite! We shared a tiramisu, which was easy because at this point we had all eaten so much and yet there's no way to not enjoy dessert. It's a moral imperative when you've had such an amazing meal and topping it off with a delicious dessert is indeed total perfection. Service is flawless, and we felt catered too, well taken care of, and there was never a glass that was left, emptied, a dirty plate that wasn't removed without notice, and replaced with the next dish that we had ordered. This is exactly what we all want when we want to enjoy a lovely evening out! The wine cellar is filled with so many choices, and I love the fact that it's visible. The decor while Greek inspired is clean, and this is the epitome of gentle elegance. Chef Deneb, you've created the perfect Mediterranean experience, and I cannot wait to come back and have have another wonderful meal!

Caroline E.

Amazing food!! This place is great to order a bunch of different things to share and try. We ordered everything at once and our waiter paced it out for us. We started with the hummus and village salad. Both great!! Then we got the souvlaki, half chicken, and papas bravas. Everything was incredible, with large portions so we had some leftovers. We really enjoyed the food and the inside is very aesthetic. The waiters were all very nice and attentive. Would definitely recommend and excited to come back!

Mondana D.

I really wanted to love Aiona because there was a lot to like. The atmosphere is beautiful, the vibe is warm and inviting, and the food itself was enjoyable. It's the kind of place that feels perfect for a special dinner or a night out with friends. Unfortunately, my experience took a serious turn after the meal. Within hours of dining here, I became extremely ill with symptoms consistent with food poisoning. Based on what I ate, I strongly suspect the calamari may have been the source. It was severe enough to significantly impact the remainder of my trip and required several days to recover. I don't write negative reviews lightly, and it's disappointing because the ambiance and overall dining experience were otherwise excellent. I'm leaving this review in the hope that the restaurant takes food safety concerns seriously and reviews its preparation practices. If not for getting sick, this would have been a much higher rating. The setting is lovely, but my experience after the meal unfortunately overshadows the positives.

Megan K.

Had to post a review about downtowns favorite new spot! The space itself is magnificent and the service was wonderful. Little details here and there that could probably be refined (we were given the lunch menu instead of dinner at 9pm, the lighting seemed incredibly bright for a late night, etc). Drinks were top tier. I had the "not a big dill" which was complex but delicious- slightly savory but well balanced. My bf enjoyed his cocktail as well. Carpaccio was our favorite dish by far. Mussels with chorizo were ok and lamb kebab was pretty standard. We opted for the short rib as well which is called by another name on the menu because they were out of our first choice of main. Overall, glad to see another elevated and thoroughly curated spot in downtown! It missed the mark for me a bit as the prices seemed high for the quality and value of the meal but we will try again soon.

Terryann T.

Finally, a new restaurant on K Street! Aiona is located at the base of the Esquire Building where I work. We were already looking forward to it because they catered the building Christmas party and the food was so good! It recently opened up so I came for lunch with 2 of my coworkers. The restaurant is gorgeous and we were sat outside. Our server Reid was amazing and so knowledgeable about the food and we had alot of questions. The menu is not large but the food was delicious. I had the kalamari, it was good but I did not like the garlic butter dip. My coworkers got the Aiona Verdure and the Wagyu Burger. The stand out for me was the potato leek soup. I would come back alone for that! It is pricey but it's delicious. Just for the convenient location alone I'll be back.

Sheldon C.

Great restaurant in Downtown Sacramento. Food was delicious! Textures in all three of our dishes were perfect. Very impressed by the chef. The bucatini texture was perfect. Super tasty dish. Wished it was a bigger portion though. The rotisserie chicken was ridiculously good. Great blend of flavors. Surprised by how tasty the roasted grapes and onions were with the sauce. The papas bravas was the IDEAL potato texture. If I were ever to get home fries anywhere, I'd want it to have this crunchy, crispy, airy texture. Perfect. (Update: microwaved these potatoes in a hotel the next morning and the crunchiness shockingly held up - this is a five-star dish!) Outdoor patio was very nice. Ambient is cool and modern. Bonus for being pet-friendly!

Alex S.

Aiona is a new live fire restaurant next to the IMAX theater by the same head chef that operates Allora. The atmosphere and food were amazing! The only tip off that they are a new restaurant is that there was a little bit of a wait for our reservation (about 10 minutes), but other than that, the service was very smooth and professional. They were packed, and it's only week 2, so all considered, this was a great experience. To start, we ordered the tahini old fashioned and a glass of moscato. The lamb souvlaki appetizer was amazing! I hope they add a lamb souvlaki plate as an entree offering in the future because that was my favorite dish all night! The salad we ordered was a nice, light complement to offset the richness of the other dishes we ordered. My husband and I split the risotto and the porchetta for our entrees. They were both incredible! The flavors were amazing. I don't think the porchetta needed the fruit chutney it was served with, but my husband enjoyed it. For dessert, we ordered the date pudding and a glass of Hungarian dessert wine recommended by the sommelier. Those were also amazing. Such a unique combination of flavors. Highly recommend both! We were celebrating our wedding anniversary, and I'm so glad we took a chance on a new restaurant! I hope we'll be back at Aiona for more special occasions in the future.

Caity T.

So cool to see this place come together. It's got an old-Hollywood-meets-Greece ambience, which I love. Got served by Brett at the bar, who evidently developed the opening cocktail menu (slam dunk, sir). We came for the happy hour specials and everyone was VERY happy with their drinks. In particular, I loved that the Kind of a Big Dill cocktail is rimmed with sugary, ground dehydrated orange that makes the curaçao pop. The sliced cucumber ribbon not only looks chic, but adds a delicious, fresh essence to the whole thing. 10/10 For food we ordered the papas bravas (if you like paprika, order these now!) and the calamari. Potatoes were delish. Calamari wasn't cooked in hot enough oil and was more soggy than crispy. Brett noticed we were avoiding them and asked if there was anything wrong. I sheepishly told him the issue and he was quick to correct it. Excellent service. We felt taken care of. Only word of caution, it smells amazing to be in here-- I think there's a wood burning stove or something that infuses the whole place with a rich woody aroma-- but you will also be infused with this scent. Not quite "campfire" level, but your clothes will smell edible when you leave. Lol

Christine L.

I knew Aiona was a vibe from the moment we walked in. The hostesses were on top of it--welcoming, organized, and set the tone right away. The entire staff was friendly, and you can tell they work seamlessly as a team. I watched this place get built from scratch and waited a full year to finally dine here--and it was absolutely worth it. I'm not easy to impress, but Aiona made it look effortless. They clearly understood the assignment. We started with a dirty martini ($22), and honestly, it was one of the best I've ever had. From the eggplant to the lamb skewers, everything was exceptionally well-seasoned--flavorful and tender. The wild prawn bucatini was cooked perfectly al dente. Not a single flaw all night. We sat at the small tables across from the bar. Our server, Alexander was incredibly sweet, knowledgeable, and professional--you could tell he was properly trained, which made the experience even better. The overall execution here is top-notch. With the perfect combo of great food, excellent service, and standout cocktails, I don't have any reason not to come back--especially since it's so close. See you again soon, Aiona

Jerry H.

Food Some great items here. My top 3: 1. Hummus! Oh my, I think it was our favorite item on the menu. What a surprise! Super soft and warm handmade pita with hummus topped with a chili-garlic type sauce and some crispy garbanzo beans. Excellent. 2. 72 Hr. Short Rib was wonderfully tender and served with one of my favorite things... labneh!(Warning: May look a little fatty and raw, but this is slow cooking perfection!) 3. Fire Roasted Beets. Charred to perfection on one edge and tender the rest of the way. I think it also had a white sauce (labneh?) and some nice great toppings like pistachios and grapefruit pieces. Items that we would not order again: - The bucatini came with these amazing looking prawns, but even after being remade, just too raw for our taste. It was like eating it sashimi style (which I love with fish, but not with prawns). You might love it, but not something we would choose, again. - Papas Bravas. We wondered what great chefs could do with fries... this was NOT IT. Definitely the most disappointing thing we ordered. Ambience The wife put it like this: much nicer than the pictures. I would describe it as similar style as Allora (same owners, I think), but "pink instead of green" and a bit some casual. Service Mimi was great and very helpful with our Bucatini issue. Overall service was nearly perfect (except we were asked twice if we wanted more pita, but it never came until we asked for it directly (third request).

Mike R.

Pretty disappointing follow up visit. After a great first experience shared with some friends and after happy hour being advertised as 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm made pre-show dinner plans to come back, only to be told happy hour ended time had changed and ended at 5:00 pm (less than 10 days from being advertised - and post is still up)

Melanie L.

5/5 interior and decor Located next to a parking garage near the Wells Fargo building I believe it was. The doors were a bit tricky to get here. 4/5 Service - very sweet front desk staff. Food took a bit to come out during lunch hour. 3.5/5 Risotto well presented but lacked some flavor 3.5/Waygu burger with side salad The decor looked beautiful but for the price I was a bit disappointed in the food flavors.

Young C.

We planned our visit around happy hour at Aiona, only to find out the hours had changed without any notice. What was advertised as 3-6 PM is now 2:30-4:50 PM pretty significant difference, and one they made just one week after announcing happy hour. The ambiance of the place is modern but warm, and loved the murals. The drinks and food was delicious. Both the cocktail for dirty martini and gin and tonic was very well balanced and the presentation was beautiful. Burger was delicious! Definitely tasted the wood fired char, and the meat was thick and hearty. I thought the house made giardinera really complemented the dish. House salad was simple, but very fresh and unfussy with the ingredient and loved the shaved vegetables & fruit. With that being said, the service was just horrible experience. One of the worst I've ever had. After our initial order, we were completely ignored the entire time. We had to grab our server's attention multiple times just to get one cup of water. They never once checked in to ask if we wanted to order more drinks or food. We wanted to order more of delicious cocktails... but since we were ignored, we never got the opportunity. When it was time to pay, I tried to get the server's attention repeatedly and got nowhere. I held my credit card out hoping they would notice. Still nothing. I ended up having to wave my hand with my credit card in the air before the manager finally came over to settle the bill. Just comical experience... It was a really disappointing experience because Aiona has so much going for it. The ambiance is beautiful, the food is delicious, and the drinks are outstanding. But the service completely overshadowed all of that. I really hope they improve and wish them the best of luck. Will I be back? Probably not after being ignored multiple times.