Athenian Deli & Café is a great lunch spot. I usually order the gyro, and it never disappoints. It's filling and the service is fast.

This place is now Cafe Amman but still has the old sign out front. Stopped in for a quick coffee because I was in the area and couldn't have been more pleased. Coffee was delicious and made with such care. Also the people working there couldn't have been nicer. Was going to come back for a late lunch but they close at 3:00 PM... I will definitely give it a try next time I am out here read more

Athenian Deli & Cafe - My delicious Americano - Greek Near Me - Oakland, California

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The service is great and the flavors are spot on. It is clean, open and airy. They have a wide screen TV which usually has Premiere Soccer games on as the owner Fitsum is a long time youth coach. It's a good spot. read more

Such a charming and delicious spot!! I've passed by many times but finally gave it a try and I wish I tried it sooner. Had the most delicious orange blossom latte and a falafel wrap. Both were soooo good. Highly recommend and the vibes are incredible! Really beautiful spot :) read more

Athenian Deli & Cafe - Orange blossom cream top latte - Greek Near Me - Oakland, California

Surprise: best espresso in Uptown. Just happened to walk by this lunch spot and noticed they were open for coffee. Better than Farley's. (And more expensive than already-expensive coffee, but... clearly the best!) Oh, great lunch too. So interesting to have it across the street from (formerly next door to) Shawarmaji because the menus are nominally so similar but the Greek and Jordanian versions are so different. Not going to say one or the other is better - but Shawarmaji got all the press a few years ago while the Athenian is easily an equal. Sometimes I want the middle eastern kick of Shawarmaji with a side of toum, but the Athenian gives everything a brighter flavor profile emphasizing the fresh flavors. (Not saying Shawarmaji isn't fresh; it's just how the spices change things up. The lemon and cucumber pop more at the Athenian and even the Tabouleh stands out brighter at the Athenian - and bonus it's a free side not extra charge.) read more

My favorite gyro in the area! I've stopped in a couple of times now and the meal is always so satisfying. They have good fries, but I've been ordering the gyro with a side of their Cucumber Salad and it is refreshing and delicious. The gyro meat is high quality and the portions are great. You might be left wanting another one, but only because of how delicious they are. The service has been super friendly and quick considering the gyro is made to order. The inside of the cafe is also very nice - it almost looks like you're stepping into another part of the world entirely! Don't hesitate to stop in - great to have them in the neighborhood! read more

Athenian Deli & Cafe - Gyro and Cucumber Salad - Greek Near Me - Oakland, California

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The service is really friendly The food is amazing special the burger plus the spot is good read more

Athenian Deli & Cafe - The most burger I like is there plus there is a lot of stuff that I need to try - Greek Near Me - Oakland, California

Welcome to the neighborhood Athenian Cafe . I have been coming here since they opened. The portion is huge and delicious . You can tell they use quality ingredients . Staff is friendly and quick . read more

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I am so happy Athenian is back open! The food is so delicious. I go there at least once a week and get the gyro plate. It's so fresh and flavorful. You also have to try their traditional tea, so yummy. The owner and stuff are always so sweet and welcoming. Please go and support this family owned business. read more

Compared to the many Middle Eastern restaurants in the Bay Area, Boston, and New York where I've eaten, the Athenian Deli & Cafe is the best I've ever been to. An unpretentious yet stylish restaurant, in an unpretentious location in Oakland, serves the best, fresh, and slightly spicy falafel I've ever had - including having eaten falafel in Israel, Egypt, and other counties. The babaghanoush is smooth and redolent of charred eggplant. The vegetarian plate is excellent: 2 falafels covered with tahini, babaghanoush, hummous, Greek salad and beet salad, along with other small salads and vegetables cooked with Ethiopian spices, plus warm pita. I will order this again and again. Today was my first time at this place. It's well worth a trip - whether driving or taking BART (not far from the 19th Ave. BART station. This is a small business whose excellent cook-owner is well worth supporting. read more

Small, spotless, friendly cafe serving fresh Greek-Lebanese street food as good as any I could find in Athens or Beirut. Absolutely delicious. The babaganoush was the best I've ever tasted, the falafel yeasty and soft. I hope this hidden gem gets the recognition it deserves soon!!! read more

The service is wonderful and the food is excellent. We just discovered this place last week and already came back today. They have very scrumptious Greek/Middle Eastern food. I thoroughly enjoyed their Mazza plate that comes with excellent Gyro and a great assortment of salads and side dishes such as hummus. The owner is so friendly and we will be back soon. read more

Athenian Deli & Cafe is the underdog lunch spot in this area. Such good food with offerings that include gyros, hummus places, falafel plates, and chicken plates. I like how you pick your salad between about six different options. I almost always opt for the cucumber salad. I have been here upwards of 15 times. My current favorite is the chicken plate. Flavorful and moist chicken. It's a decent portion for the price considering the area. Protips: -get the spicy sauce! -falafel can be purchased a la cart for .75 each. It's some of the best I've tried. -check your bag for your pita bread before you leave bc sometimes they forget -located next to Gastropig and Agave uptown -the rice is spiced. My friends love it. I am not a fan. read more

Athenian Deli & Cafe - Gyro wrap with tabouli to go - Greek Near Me - Oakland, California

My friend Erik and I were wandering around Uptown on Monday looking for a place to eat lunch. We wanted to try a new place but found our options to be somewhat limited since we have tried many of the places in that area. Just when we were about to give up and go to Umami Burger, we spotted the big blue beach umbrellas in front of Athenian Deli & Cafe. We knew then that we had found our lunch spot. Athenian Deli & Cafe is located on Franklin Street, across from Umami Burger and next to a defunct Chinese restaurant. It is kind of a strange spot since foot traffic in that particular block is much lighter than the other streets around. Honestly, I never knew this place existed prior to our visit. We got there at around 12:15pm and found the place to be about 90% full. Since this was our first visit, it took us a few minutes to decide on what to order. The lovely owner was very patient and gave us some suggestions. I settled on the chicken shawarma plate ($9.95) while Erik opted for the beef gyro ($9.95). With a drink, it came out to $12 even. We were given numbers for our orders. I stated looking around after we sat down. The interior was bright and clean. Sunlight that came through the skylights gave the place a warm feel. Decor was simple and the color scheme reminded me of the Greek flag. I felt very comfortable just sitting there. There were a few orders ahead of us so our food wasn't ready until 15 minutes or so. It wasn't a big deal to us since we were in no hurry. The chicken shawarma plate was presented nicely. It came with an artichoke salad and four pieces of pita bread. Pieces of chicken shawarma sat atop a bed of flavored basmati rice, topped with Tzatziki (Greek yogurt) sauce and the house spicy sauce. Below is the breakdown of my dish: - Pita bread was not as soft as I would like. - Artichoke salad was decent. I loved that they used fresh cherry tomatoes to give it some sweetness. - Chicken breast was used for the shawarma. Overall it had good flavor, although some pieces were on the dry side. - Rice was very flavorful. - Both sauces were great. The spicy sauce had enough heat but not overwhelming. It gave the chicken a spicy and creamy element without making it feel heavy. I asked Erik about his beef gyro. He told me it was okay. I didn't notice a lot of enthusiasm in his response. The owner was very friendly. We chatted with her after our meal and she told us she is from Eritrea. For those of you that have never been there, Eritrea is a coastal country north of Ethiopia, next to Zamunda...okay, just kidding! If you have watched "Coming to America", you would know what I was talking about...but I digress. The owner's sister had spent a lot of time in Greece and learned how to cook Greek there. She and her sister started this business about four years ago. Before we left, she gave me a sample of the lamb and beef gyro. It was pretty delicious. I am not sure why this place has only a 3-star rating. The friendly owner, comfortable environment, and pretty decent food are the reasons why I will go back again. If you are looking for a casual lunch spot without spending a ton of money, consider this place as an option. BONUS MATERIAL: - Major credit cards accepted. - Indoor and outdoor seating available. - Vegetarian friendly. read more

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This is a good place to get some good Greek food in Uptown Oakland. I like the chicken wrap and my favorite is the Gyro plate. This is cool relaxed good lunch spot and good value . read more

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I'm a fan of this place. It's my go to lunch spot when I forget to pack a lunch and need something quick and light. It's never very busy, which is surprising because it's tasty and affordable. The staff is also always really nice. In the past I've gotten the gyro wrap with a side salad. It's been enough for two meals. This time I got just the gyro meat with two side salads. I love their spinach and carrots (if you're a fan of cooked spinach, try this! If you don't like spinach don't get this). It's nice to have some cooked vegetables in the mix. I also got the Greek salad which was what I expected. No disappointing mushy tomatoes. So I can't complain. I appreciate the different side salad options and how you can mix and match. Next time I'll try the artichoke salad and the beet salad. read more

Athenian Deli & Cafe - Greek Salad, Spinach and Carrots and Gyro meat with tzaziki on the side. It also comes with 2 dolma and pita. - Greek Near Me - Oakland, California

Oh the smells! I was on my way to lunch at another place with some coworkers when we strolled past this place and smelled something INCREDIBLE. So we were lured in and forwent our old plans. It's a small place, and the staff's English isn't fantastic, so when I asked for recommendations / "what is in ___?" they weren't able to help me very much with deciding. Eventually I decided on the gyro plate, and it was SO good. Portion was HUGE. My favorite part was hands down the meat. It was SO flavorful, though slightly, slightly on the salty side. One downside of this place that is also a positive which brought us in was the smell. It smells delicious, but the smell sticks on you (the same way BBQ smell/Indian food smell sticks on you) and it is very strong. Unfortunately, after lunch, we had to go back to work and we were like walking gyro plates... it was a little embarrassing to smell so strongly of food in the conference room. Next time, I would get take-out, because it is really tasty! read more

Athenian Deli & Cafe - Greek Near Me - Oakland, California

So this is a local small greek style restaurant that makes it's profit of the local office lunch rush. There is inside seating with the usual tables and chairs and it's usually pretty clean. when i was there they had some boxes piled up on the floor near the end of the serving counter, and a when a restaurant has storage where the customer can see it on the floor that's rarely a good thing. The parking is street only, but there are several for pay surface lots not too far away, and of course the kaiser building has that parking garage close by should you so chose. the food here isn't too terrible if you eat meat. A gyro is a gyro is a gyro and it's hard to get that formula wrong. Athenian does a decent gyro. Nothing to write home about, but by itself it'd warrant more then two stars. Where everything goes wrong is the hummus, falafel, grape leaves etc. Under no circumstances should you ever get the veg plate. It pretty much comes straight out of a can, into a refrigerated plastic container, and then onto your plate. It's pretty terrible. Just order a gyro-if you have to come here at all, then get away. read more

Athenian Deli & Cafe - Greek Near Me - Oakland, California

The gyros here are on point. Get it spicy -- it's not too hot. The place has really improved in quality recently -- it seems like they have a new cook working there, a big dude with a beard-- I think he might actually be Greek. On Thursdays they have live music out front which is nice. read more

Athenian Deli & Cafe - Greek Near Me - Oakland, California

Ordered: Combo Lamb & Chicken Plate (not on menu & had asked; very accommodating) with a side of Country Greek Salad Verdict: Uber flavorful rice, soft pita, creamy & tasty hummus like freshly homemade. Salad - not bad & wished more feta. Can't wait to try other salads. Chicken - EXTREMELY dry & dunking into the creamy hummus; such shame Lamb - Slightly more flavor & semi-better though quite a few pieces were borderline dry In my opinion, this place more suitable for vegetarian since both meats were disappointing; hence, I will only return to order their rice, pita-hummus, and other salads! Extra star cuz they were very nice! read more

I came in for lunch with my coworker and went for the lamb wrap. We ordered to go and had to wait about 10-15 minutes for our food orders to be prepared. The cashier was very friendly and accommodating with our somewhat complex orders. The lamb was well seasoned and nice and tender. My side vegetables were a little on the salty side but that's okay. The baklava was excellent, whether it's made in house or just purchased in bulk, I can see why there are regulars for it! Light and flakey, just the right crispness- I highly recommend it, along with the lamb. read more

I love this little family owned and operated Mediterranean restaurant. They are extremely accommodating to people with food allergies and their menu is highly customizable. They have nice generous portions and their food is fresh and full of flavor. Their falafels are to die for, and they make them gluten-free and fresh. They are still crispy and warm when you order them. Their italian chicken special is like the best grilled chicken you have ever tasted. I sometimes eat lunch there 4 days in the row. read more

I was turned onto this spot about 6 months ago by a coworker and I think I probably go like, 4 times a month now for lunch. My go to is the salad plate with gyro. The meat is so tasty and delicious, and they're not shy about the amount they give you. The salad is a pretty standard spring mix, but the toppings take it to the next level. Lovely pickled radishes, fresh tzatziki and the gyro meat is amazing. I'm really sad that they're only open on weekdays for lunch because I won't be working in Oakland anymore and won't be able to eat here! read more

I have had food there quite a few times, you have few options when you are vegetarian. But always get extra sauce. Dolams were really good too! There customer service is exceptional! read more

Great staff, awesome service, and delicious food! You can't go wrong with anything. The food is super flavorful, so if you're more of a bland type of person you should skip. Otherwise enjoy! PS: Try the roasted chicken and the spicy sauce! read more

Terrible, I asked for a vegetarian plate and what ever the gal who made it gave me something covered in chicken. She obviously was not paying attention. Dont know how anything tastes because the chicken grossed me out and Iost my appetite! read more

I usually get the roasted chicken special. Generous serving includes 2 rosemary garlic chicken thighs, rice pilaf, choice of side salad, hummus and pita bread. Chicken is moist and flavorful. Portion is so big I usually split it in half and make 2 meals out of it. Staff is friendly and the service is quick. I always recommend this place to my co-workers, since our office is across the street. read more

This is some of the most flavorful, delicious Mediterranean food I've had in ages. The owner was awesome. Let me try the falafel and gave me extra chicken with my lamb dish. The baba ganoush and tabouli were also fresh and delicious. Only visiting Oakland but would highly recommend. read more

Athenian Deli & Cafe - Devouring - Greek Near Me - Oakland, California

You know, the reason gyros meat is supposed to be roasted on a spit or at least grilled, is because is FREAKING NASTY when it's not. It's unbeleivable, but this place actually just cuts the meat off the frozen chunk and warms it up (probably in a microwave) before serving it. Do they hate their customers or something??? read more

dropped in Athenian after failing to find Primo's (which according to yelp is a few doors over). Athenian was in last acts. so just literally grabbed a baklava. eats: homemade baklava(1.5) -so much honey over layers of crisyness, definiitely homemade. lots better than whosesale stuff availale at wholesale places, read more

I had a gyro at a different restaurant days before I went here. So when I went to the Athenian Deli Cafe I expected the gyro to be as flavorful and tasty as the one I had at the other place. Not so. This one was chocked full of red onions, oozing yogurt, and spilling over with a bland unflavored meat-like product. Since I had to walk more than 6 blocks to get here, I was very disappointed in the quality of my lunch and I won't be returning. read more

I came here with a few co-workers for lunch on a Thursday. Three of us ordered the falafel plate ($6.39) and one of us got the falafel sandwich ($4.29). I was NOT impressed. The falafel plate is supposed to have 3 falafel patties, rice pilaf topped with tahini, Greek salad, 2 dolmas and pita bread on the side. I didn't notice it at the time, but I don't think that any of our falafel plates contained any dolmas. So, all together, the Deli cheated us out of 6 dolmas! Bottom Line: Skip this place. I thought the portions were small, place is kind of dirty and the cashier wasn't all that nice either. read more

Had a meeting in Oakland the other day, so my associate suggested this place and we popped in for a quick lunch. He had the Gyro Dinner (for lunch) and although I didn't taste it, it was piled high with an extremely generous portion and looked pretty good...amazing for only $7.00. I had a falafel craving so I ended up ordering a falafel sandwich and quickly wished I had ordered what he had instead. The pita bread on my falafel sandwich was really spongy and was unlike any pita I've ever had before. Sara Lee? On a good note, at least it wasn't dry or cracking. The falafels themselves were small, spicy, and brown inside, very different from the fresh green that I'm used to seeing. The cucumbers, lettuce, and cabbage that I'm used to seeing everywhere else was nowhere to be seen and I was surprised to see that in their place they put sprouts...yes...sprouts. Never seen that before. Anyway, I wouldn't say it was really bad, but I certainly wouldn't say it was good either. One of the other Yelp reviews said that the owner recently changed. Perhaps that's why my associate had liked it so much in the past. In a pinch, I would go back, but there are so many other places in the area to eat. I later ended up at my favorite falafel place in Berkeley for dinner that same evening and the difference was like day and night...kinda like comparing supermarket Okami sushi to real sushi. Super spartan decor, but I guess this is a deli after all. Meh...I've experienced better. read more

Cheap Greek Eats, came over for a quick bite from Bauer Porsche repair shop. Not a bad place to hang outside and eat the gyro plate. Salad plate was kind of interesting. I would come back. In terms of the food itself.. i thought it was tasty. Not particularly exceptional like the long time favorite "Athenian" in Seattle's Pike Place Market. read more

I ordered the lamb pita to go and it was pretty tasty. However, they wrap the pita in aluminum foil and then cut it in half, which leaves little shards of foil on the sandwich. It would be great if they could either cut the sandwich in half and then wrap it in foil, or avoid cutting it altogether. Besides this one quibble, the food and service were excellent. read more

I have been eating here for years. I the food here is good, inexpensive, and consistent. It is not be a high end joint... It is a Deli. The Gyros are consistently good. Their Mazza plate and Med plate are delicious. Their Greek salad is small, but legit. Their sandwiches are good. What else do you want? If you want fantastic Greek food, you are going to have to wait for the Greek Festivals during summer. Otherwise, for a decent gyro every now and then. This place is consistently good. read more

Great lunch spot! They have a new owner as a few months back, and he is super friendly and courteous. Got a spicy gyro which was delicious, and they stayed open to serve me even though I got there after they had started closing up. He mentioned plans to start dinner service complete with a ready to order grill, which I'm excited about. Can't wait for that to star, but will happily be back for lunch in the meantime. read more

If you think of this place as Grecian fast food, then you'll be pleased. If you think of it as a sit-down restaurant you won't. I'd give this place two stars for food, but their smoothies are super good and super healthy. The best two dishes are the Falafel Plate or the Gyros Plate. You can't go wrong with the smoothies. read more

This place is a whole-in-the-wall but the food is nothing like that. The cafe looks really back dated to the 1970s, which explains their 1970 menu sign. But overall, its really good! I am absolutely amaze how badly this place got ranked. Athenian Deli has the most fresh and homemade feeling sandwiches around downtown. I ordered their Roast Beef Lean sandwich and the tuna melt. Yes, I am a fatty. But I wouldn't order this much if I didn't like it. :)They were both absolutely deli-ci-iouss!!! I am not sure what they use but it taste absolutely different from anything I've ate. Every bite just melts in your mouth. Even the bread was GOOD! The price of each sandwich is about $6, which is really reasonable. They have a vegetarian combo plate that I would definitely want to try. You know the saying, "Don't judge a book by this cover". This place is definitely worth trying even if its not really pleasant looking on the inside and outside. read more

So disappointed. This food was disappointing. The lamb is tastless. Ask for spicy sauce did not get it. The salad is allllllllllllllll cucumber, they didn't give me pita bread and they put it in such a cheap container all the salad lemon juice spilled in the bag. I ended up going to another place for what I wanted and will be giving this "food" to my dog, at least it won't go to waste. read more

Athenian Deli & Cafe - Does this look appetizing?? And my ALL cucumber Greek salad. :'/ :-( - Greek Near Me - Oakland, California