This is a very honest review... my wife and I were very excited to come here since we have seen many stellar reviews. The location is great and the decor is quite beautiful and unique! The service was wonderful and cannot deny the hospitality of the owners and the servers. With all that being said I rely heavily on the food quality, taste and portions to determine my rating. The bread was delicious with the side of herb butter. The soup was very underwhelming with a light lemon taste but the rice and chicken was something that I expected more. I'm Filipino and reminded me of a Filipino lugaw. (A cheap food). The grape leaves were ok, but not to my taste. Felt like the filling could be more flavorful. The salad was delicious with very fresh flavors. The octopus was cooked to perfection. Nothing to complain about. With my entree, the lamb souvlaki was underwhelming at a price of $28.99. I would expect more than 6 pieces of lamb. The chicken dish reminded me of a Chicken Francese but with rice. Overall, a good experience but not a great one. read more

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Athenian Owl has such a cozy atmosphere--it genuinely feels like you're dining in someone's Greek living room. The service was warm, attentive, and made for a calm enjoyable experience. The standout dishes for me were the grilled octopus, the fresh Greek salad, the warm bread with herbed butter, and especially the chicken riganati, which was packed with lemony flavor. Unfortunately, the dolmades and avgolemono soup fell a bit flat for my taste. My husband ordered the lamb souvlaki and it appeared the rice was more a filler with not even a handful of meat for the price. My main critique is that the portion sizes felt a little small for the price. Overall, though, the charming ambiance, friendly service, and decent dishes. read more

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Each and every time we come here, Georgia the owner makes us feel like family We love the ambience, we love all the staff, and of course we love the food!!! We went last week and will be going again next week!! 10/10 read more

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Delicious Greek food! Came in for the first time for a celebration in which our friends rented the back room. The staff treats everyone like family, is super attentive and the food was delicious. Super cute, cozy restaurant with an environment and staff that makes you want to become a regular. Would definitely recommend! read more

Athenian Owl - Greek Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Home cooking at its best. Family operated and pleasant. The Greek dips with puts are delicious. The moussaka like moms . The gigantes plaki was a vegetarians dream. ( large beans baked with tomato and onion) You will not be disappointed. read more

Athenian Owl - Gigantes - Greek Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Such a wonderful restaurant! My dad and I stopped in for my birthday on a Friday night with no reservation. They were able to seat us fairly quickly although it did take about 5 minutes to be greeted. After we were sat it took a few minutes for someone to come over. A gentleman brought us some water but it took about 10 minutes to get a menu. Our server stopped by a little later and we tried to talk to her about the menu or get recommendations but she didn't really seem into it. Its fine though, I think she just wanted to get to business. The food though, oh my gosh! I love the lemon soup! It reminded me of a restaurant I went to in my childhood in Carlsbad. The dishes were amazing and the reason I would continue to return. I would like to keep that soup in the freezer for when I get sick. Oh, and the bread and butter were fantastic! I will be going again! read more

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Athenian Owl is the BEST Greek restaurant in Jacksonville!!! It's tucked away in a strip mall next to a bunch of Indian restaurants and grocery store. It has super cute decor with string lights, Greek paintings, a bunch of knick-knacks of owls, and Halloween stuff. The service was great. Steve was always available when I needed anything. He even gave me a free glass of wine because my to-go order took longer than expected. The food is absolutely delicious!! For the sandwiches, they come with fries, salad, or cup of soup. I chose the Avgolemono or chicken and rice soup and it was amazing. I don't usually like a lot of acid in my food, but the soup has a perfect hint of lemon and it's so creamy and scrumptious! The gyro sandwich could have had more meat, but it was perfectly seasoned and the pita bread was absolutely fabulous! It had the perfect springiness and almost tasted fried because it was so good. The kids moussaka was a good portion for my son, and the best moussaka outside of Greece!! A must try. read more

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Best Greek restaurant in NE Florida and South Georgia. First? cuisine is excellent. Wonderful Greek dishes. Resturant is family owned. And friendly. Ambience ? You will think you're dining in Athens. I can't say enough of this resturant read more

I'm Greek. And I adored the matriarch and chef Georgia. And I'm reluctant to criticize a family business. But I'm a foodie. And eating out now is so expensive that the meal better be worth it.   Sadly, I'm not going back to the Athenian Owl. (Even though Georgia promised to set me up with a nice Greek man.) My biggest complaints were the TINY servings for mostly overpriced dishes (especially the Souvlaki and the grilled Octopus), and the comically bad service .... Especially maddening is that a steady Greek Chorus of customers have lodged similar complaints on Google and Yelp -- all seemingly to no avail. Georgia's son George, the otherwise friendly owner, responds to each critical review with only a sarcastic "Have a Blessed Day!"  The Athenian Owl offers a big variety of home-style, traditional Greek dishes. The family launched it about a decade ago -- after opening and running for years, then selling -- the still-popular Athens Cafe. I hosted a luncheon for four. I prepared a tasting menu of shared platters (see orange menu photo), and went to the restaurant days ahead to go over it with Georgia. I prepaid $292, no drinks, tax included. I left a $50 cash tip at the table (frankly, that was kind).   Greeks are huge on hospitality, and take pride in being generous hosts. And they eat big. Even an ordinary Greek meal feels like Thanksgiving, with loosened belts and emergency naps ....  So, when skimpy platters landed on the table, I was taken aback -- and upset. Days later, I'm still upset .... I've eaten hundreds of Greek meals (was even fed Greek baby food! lol), and I have Never, EVER, seen such skimpy servings! It was like that old TV ad: Where's the beef?   BEST: -- Hummus dip w/ pita -- Saganaki flambé: fried Kefalograviera cheese. Alas, instead of a dramatic fiery show, the waitress lit only a small flame that quickly extinguished. Still tasty, but disappointing. -- Spanakopita: Spinach & Feta w/ phyllo crust. Get the entree pie, not the appetizers' triangles. But $20/slice is too high -- Grilled Vegetable Souvlaki -- Sautéed Mushrooms w/Capers: not on the menu, but it's the Riganato dish, minus the lemon sauce -- Baklava: phyllo pastry of chopped nuts & syrup -- Galaktoboureko: custard pie w/phyllo crust & syrup JUST OK: -- Pastichio: Greek lasagna. Too little ground beef. And I couldn't detect any cheese or sauce. It was mostly just noodle, ridiculous at $21/portion. The bechamel rescued it for me, but my guests barely touched it. -- Dolmades: stuffed grape leaves. So-so, saved by the lemon sauce topping. Dolmades at the Whole Foods' buffet are tastier -- and they come from a can! -- Elliniki salad: good tomatoes and vinaigrette. Tasteless Feta chunks. Overrun w/ onion. HARD PASS: -- Souvlaki: each Kebob chunk was TINY. And the serving sizes were also galling. I ordered 3 skewers of chicken ($30) and 2 of lamb ($24), and we barely got half the meat that's typically served at other Greek venues -- at like twice the price! .... I was so irked that I called Georgia over. C'mon, chicken is cheap. I've had bigger and better for 10 bucks at street food trucks.  -- Grilled Octopus: a Greek specialty, and traditionally a signature dish. I complained to Georgia again: Not only was the serving not the customary entire tentacle, but it was also the world's thinnest. What, was this the last octopus in the ocean? At $24: another rip-off. -- Avgolemono: supposed to be thick and creamy soup, with a lemony egg broth. It was thin, as if watered-down. Almost no chicken or rice. -- Lemon Roasted Potatoes: lemon? undercooked  -- Orzo "Rice": the waitress delivered this pasta side after the meal was over. Literally a "leftover," so I took it home. Blah.  Speaking of the waitress: Other reviewers here have often cited woeful service. Our waitress was nice and well-meaning, but .... She forgot the Orzo. Ditto the Tzatziki yogurt dip and pita w/ the Souvlaki. She screwed up the Saganaki flambé. She delivered the meals in the wrong sequence. She even had to be reminded twice to bring the bread basket .... What's nuts: She didn't have to write down a single dish -- it was all pre-ordered! And, she had only a few other tables. Luckily, Georgia often checked-up and pitched-in. I bumped-up a Star here for her. read more

Athenian Owl - my catered menu for a small luncheon I hosted for neighbors - Greek Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

We went to Athenian Owl last week with a great group of friends and had such an amazing experience. Everything was so good -- the food, the wine, the atmosphere -- all of it. The food was delicious, but honestly the dessert stole the show for me. Absolutely incredible. The staff was incredibly kind, welcoming, and attentive, which made the whole night even better. The vibe of the restaurant was warm and fun, and it was the perfect spot for a group dinner. We had the best time and will 100% be back. Highly recommend! read more

Athenian Owl - Baklava KOK - Greek Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Today was one of those days when I wanted something different than my usual go-to places. After browsing Yelp a little, I decided to give Athenian Owl a try. I ordered the Hummus & Pita Bread (delicious!), the Spanakopita (flavorful and flaky!), the Riganato (perfectly lemony!) and a piece of Baklava (oh, honey!). Everything was cooked perfectly and truly hit the spot! Highly recommend! read more

The food is spectacular! The ambience is charming. The service is attentive. (A caveat: I went to lunch with a group of octogenarians who had never had Greek food. What a clusterfuck! After a thousand questions--none of which helped anyone decide!--the only people who didn't like their meal had ordered a version of Greek food without any Greek ingredients because they were suspicious of ingredients they didn't understand!) I had the spanikopita & the avgolemono soup--both were fabulous! The Greek salad was a hit, the lamb shank was lovely! If you decide to visit, enjoy the menu! It's wonderful! And don't bring your weenie friends who have zero sense of adventure. I'll come alone next time & not subject myself to non-olive, non-feta, non-béchamel eating dithering! read more

We walked into a packed Athenian Owl tonight but, as always, Yiorgos Triantafillopoulos "George" made room for us. I tried something new, Chicken Riganato, which was delicious! And, of course, George cannot let us go home empty handed! . read more

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Very deceiving from the outside. Give it a try and you will not be disappointed. Wife and I stopped here for dinner and will definitely be coming back. read more

What a great place. We had a warm welcoming and the place is cozy but somehow also very unique. They adjusted to my gluten free needs without hesitations. Food was delicious, staff was friendly and on point. Def recommend Athenian Owl as place that you must dine when in town. read more

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What a lovely and welcoming restaurant establishment! Three ladies enjoyed a birthday dinner and our service was outstanding. We asked for help selecting a Greek wine and the recommendation was spot on. My flounder was mouthwatering. Everyone enjoyed their meals. read more

Athenian Owl - Greek Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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It's always nice to find great authentic Greek food. I loved the whole vibe of this place, quaint and charming. The staff were friendly and the food was excellent. What more can you ask for? I had the Moussaka and Chicken Riganato and both were outstanding. They serve you a lovely salad and some fresh bread with dinner entrees & the butter is blended with garlic, bell peppers and Greek yogurt; delicious. read more

Athenian Owl - Chicken Riganato - Greek Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Great food, great service. Had lemon soup, bread, salad and amazing!!!such great food but it's expensive, so we spent 75 for 2 lunches. Hubby had wrap which was fabulous! Baklava yummy!! read more

I really don't want to review the Athenian Owl because I hate to talk bad about anything GREEK. I love GREEK. I am GREEK. I cook GREEK. Granted, I have never been to Greece. But I have been to my Nana's house (born in Greece) hundreds of times and all of my cousins and aunts homes (Think My Big Fat Greek Wedding!). And of course, Greektown Chicago. So maybe the way the food I have had there was prepared in the same way the owners made it on the island they come from. And good for them. It is a delightful restaurant with wonderful ambiance and good service. And I still visit the Athenian Owl when I get a Greek craving and don't feel like cooking. I'm guessing most of their customers are not Greek food savvy, so if they like the food, and keep coming back, so be it! Yia sas! read more

I am not sure where to begin this review as there is so much to cover and five (5) stars is not nearly enough!!! First, when you walk into the reception area of this mother-son owned establishment, it's a very cozy home like feel! The family pictures and wing back chairs makes you feel you are where you are supposed to be The service, can sum that up in one word - WOW!!! I was created by a gentleman who was the co- owner - friendly and great humor quickly sat me to my seat. I was taken away by the lighting of this place - such a warm atmosphere!!! Our server, Kairo was beyond outstanding. I loved her approach of asking you to pronounce the name of the meal you are ordering, fully amercing you into the culture. Her positive attitude, smile, and knowledge of the menu is beyond reproach! The food - again one word WOW! The soup was great but the chicken was phenomenal!! Just look at my clean plate. This is my new favorite place for sure!!! read more

Athenian Owl - Greek Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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Food is amazing! Greek salad and Lentil soup excellent. Will eat here several more times while in Jacksonville area. My new favorite good to restaurant read more

Great ambiance .... Food was tasty but minimalist portions. Pastichio was good. Gyro was lacking enough meat or tzatziki sauce(needed to ask for it) and as a dinner way to small. read more

What a beautiful Greek restaurant! The staff was friendly and very helpful when suggesting their favorites. The beef souvlaki was delicious, with the meat being pretty tender. Chicken pita was a good dish as well. I really enjoyed trying each dish and tasting the variety of flavors. Would recommend! read more

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I have been wanting to get up to this restaurant for a while and I am so glad I did. The service was prompt and friendly. I loved the passion the server showed for the food that comes out of the kitchen. When I ordered the avgolemono soup she said, " we make the best " and she wasn't kidding. I felt like every dish was lovingly made by someone's YaYa. We only scratched the surface of their menu with the soups, hummus and pastitsio. Everything was delicious and we cannot wait to go back. This is authentic Greek food and the first I have had since moving to Florida. The restaurant is in a strip mall with plenty of parking. It was bigger inside than I expected. I also liked the lights used to decorate. This place just got added to list of top places to eat. read more

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Finally an authentic Greek restaurant with tasty food and excellent service. We tried several appetizers and entrees, Greek wine and Ouzo. Everything was outstanding. Owned by a Greek family and highly recommended. We will be back. read more

Athenian Owl - Riganato Dinner with Pork - Greek Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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This place is very unassuming from the outside. It is a busy but semi run down shopping center with a few other restaurants and an Indian grocer. The inside is really unique. Very warm and inviting but also exotic. I had a great lunch. I had a small greek salad and a bowl of lentil soup with a Saganaki appetizer. Sorry I did not photograph the Saganaki show. It was a beautiful table side flambé. The soup was delicious, the salad was fresh and refreshing, saganaki was sweet and salty in the best way. I will be back. read more

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Cute Greek restaurant. Great vegetarian options here. My favorite was the spinach and cheese apps. read more

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Athenian Owl Review: A Disappointing Experience Coincidence? I think not! I've eaten at the Athenian Owl at least 10 times and have typically enjoyed a good meal. However, last night (August 16, 2025) was a huge exception - one that means we won't be back for a long time, if ever. The trouble seemed to start in the parking lot. As I paused to turn left into a spot across from the restaurant, a car approached from the opposite direction and stopped, blocking my path. I waited politely, expecting the driver to continue. Instead, the middle-aged, dark-complexioned woman (likely in her 50s or 60s) pointed, indicating she wanted to park on the other side. After about five seconds, I figured it out, signaled, cut in front of her, and pulled into my spot - safely and without incident. She then quickly parked in hers and - ironically - headed into the restaurant. She appeared irritated. As I walked in with my wife, I joked, "I hope she's not cooking our food!" But honestly, I didn't think much of the parking lot mix-up - it wasn't a big deal. While we were requesting a table, the woman tapped me on the shoulder and said somewhat angrily, "That was me in the parking lot." She still seemed quite upset. I smiled and replied, "I think we were each politely waiting for the other." The hostess then showed us to our table. Now, about the meal: My wife's Gyro Pita Sandwich was awful - the meat had an off taste. She only ate about half before pushing it aside. Even worse, my Papoutsaki was incredibly bland, with literally no spice or flavor. The dish consisted of what appeared to be stewed eggplant, ground beef, and a small amount of mashed potatoes on top. It was floating in about half a cup of water! I ended up asking for a soup spoon just to eat it, since I was hungry and this was my dinner. I appreciate chefs who avoid overloading dishes with salt, allowing customers to season to taste. But there was virtually no flavor in the Papoutsaki - any spices seemed missing or washed out by the excess water. I salted it three times to try to improve it, and I'm not usually a "salt person." The final letdown came with the baklava we ordered to go. We got it home, and it was terrible: stale and absolutely soaked in honey. I could have tolerated the honey, but the staleness ruined it. That said, I just noticed we weren't charged for it - probably a server's mistake - so I guess it worked out. Was the bad meal connected to inadvertently irritating the woman, who I now suspect was one of the owners? There's no way to know for sure. But here's a pro tip for the family that owns the Athenian Owl: If you work with the public and want to maintain a good reputation, don't angrily confront a customer over what was, at worst, a minor miscommunication in the parking lot. In fairness, our server was great, and the jovial man (perhaps a brother or brother-in-law to the woman) stopped by our table, making us feel welcome amid the festive atmosphere. However, despite their efforts, the confrontation and subpar food prompted this review. read more

The food, the ambiance and the service were top notch!! Such a great family restaurant! Outstanding bread, pita and hummus. Salad is fresh and delicious. read more

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While visiting Jacksonville, we decided we wanted Greek! We ordered Athenian Owl to go and it was really good! We ordered the chicken pita, the Greek salad and grape leaves. Everything was cooked well and was delicious. I would love to dine in as the place is authentic and well decorated. The service was very good and everyone seemed to be leaving happy. I would definitely go again! read more

Athenian Owl - Greek Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

The first time I ever visited the Athenian Owl, I fell in love. Not only is my favorite animal an owl... but I adore a comfortable, fun, soothing environment with even better food. This place makes you feel like family the minute you step foot in the door. And the fact that this is the case every single time I've been makes me feel that much stronger about the connection I feel here. They back all of this up with some of the best and most authentic Greek dishes - truly a gem in Jacksonville! Mouthwatering bread with oil and spices. A house soup or salad with your entree. Beautiful appetizers and even more astounding entrees. You will never leave here hungry or disappointed. Our server, Kaliro, reminded me of a cool aunt or family member who always takes care of you. She joked with us and was so friendly and kind that you just wanted to give her a hug and thank her. The owners, Yiorgos and Marilena, are two of the sweetest people you will meet in the restaurant industry. They treat everyone with such love and respect and you feel honored to eat at their restaurant. You absolutely must come to the Athenian Owl to enjoy a lunch or dinner - you will love it. Pictured: - Restaurant dining area photos - Bread and oil - House salad - Avgolemono (chicken & rice soup) - Moussaka (Layers of eggplant, potatoes and ground beef topped with béchamel sauce) - Pastitchio (Greek lasagna- layers of pasta and ground beef topped with béchamel sauce) read more

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Saganaki = Greek table cheese made from sheep's milk served flambé My parents had been here before, but didn't really like what they ordered and didn't know what they wanted, so ... I ordered everything and we split it ... a lot. We ordered: * Saganaki ~ because FLAMING CHEESE! AWESOME! * Spanikopita ~ always awesome spinach in flaky phyllo * Dolmades ~ the best dolmades I've had in a long time (rice mix in grape leaves) * Gyro ~ a really good stand-by (meat sandwich) * Chicken Souvlaki ~ It's hard to go wrong with chicken on a stick * Elliniko angel hair ~ Garlic, feta, asparagus and olives over angel hair pasta * Pasticio ~ Greek lasagna ~ I think it was a little sweet for me, but way better than the bulk pasticio at our local Greek festival. * Avgolemono ~ Chicken rice soup with lemon I think my Dad's favorite was the souvlaki and my mom's favorite was the gyro. Who knows! Maybe they'll be back again later! I loved the owls along the back wall. So many different art styles! The restaurant was bigger than I expected. read more

Athenian Owl - My favorite owl picture. So cute! - Greek Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

The warm welcome from the owners and the staff truly set this place apart from your average restaurant. The atmosphere is amazing and gives a great environment to spend time with family and friends. Then the food. Authentic and delicious! Eating here always leaves me eager to come back and try the next dish. Delicious soups, appetizers and entrees. Follow up your meal with a home made dessert that you will not regret! Athenian Owl has become one of my top choices in the area. Thank you to the owners and staff! read more

Athenian Owl - Greek Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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Very homey feel at the Owl. Get a booth and marvel at the tchotchkes. Order something you can get at every Mediterranean restaurant so you can compare, like the hummus and pita app. Yum. OK now we know we are some place special. The servers are friendly and funny. They make their banter with the regulars who need a little cheering up. There is so much on even the lunch menu that you would do well to ask any questions. I like the basics in a Greek restaurant. Like the hummus, you gotta get some avgolemono soup to measure the quality. Again, yum. Very chickeny, lemony, and ricey. Next time I feel a little under the weather, I am ordering this. Greek salad was OK. I wish the feta was more chunky. The pita sandwiches are excellent. The coffee drinks are good too. I'm mostly a lunch diner here. I need to come back for dinner and get a more substantial entree. read more

Best restaurant in Jacksonville for friendly and top quality dining experience. Family owned and operated, authentically Greek and delicious. read more

Shoutout to our local community heroes! This venue has been in my bucket list and now I so happy to partake of the Love cooked into this food! The atmosphere is so endearing and homey inside. The music is lighthearted and definitely helps with enjoying the Greek influenced decor. The staff is very welcoming, friendly, and professional. Our server was such a kind young lady and helped us with her knowledge of the various dishes from appetizers to desserts! The warm bread and dipping oil started us off on our culinary adventure. Perfectly toasted outer crust and a warm chewy inside. Perfect for dipping! And I dipped a piece into my delicious hot coffee! Then the appetizers were also amazing. I ordered the crunchtastic and indulgent spanakopita! So crunchy were these layers surrounding the savory creamy spinach filling... It was everything I love! And hubby had the appetizer portion of the octopus! It had a savory char and a tender bite! This is definitely cooked with high skill level to not be overcooked. Bravo, Chef!! We had each chosen a soup. I had the yummy navy beans and tomato ( I definitely dipped some bread into this ). Hubby enjoyed his lentil soup! He loves lentils. We still had to save some room for our entrees! Hubby had the succulent lamb shank with green beans. And I had the pan fried grouper with sautéed spinach!! I learned about the garlic potato spread that is served with the fish. It was a citrusy, garlicky, and perfectly paired accompaniment. And then we were at the end of the meal... very full and very satisfied !! We will have to wait until next time to try to make it to desserts :) read more

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Great customer service can go a long way! We were in the area around dinner time so I yelled to find a restaurant to try, When this place popped up, we thought Greek food sounded good to us. We ordered the kritiko with grouper, spanakopita, and a chicken pita. We chose salads for our sides but they also had fries and soups. The soup options were chicken lemon rice, lentil, and navy bean. Our order was ready by the time we arrived and it was hot and fresh. When we got home and opened the bag, it all smelled so good! The chicken in the pita was tasty and juicy and I liked their take on pita bread which involved herbs and other seasonings inside the dough. The kritiko was a dish that had artichokes, mushrooms, and other vegetables in a lemon sauce. We were surprised to see that the grouper was broken into pieces instead of a while filet on top. The flavor was great though. The spanakopita was fried well and the filling was creamier than most others that I've had. The guy I spoke with on the phone was so pleasant and he answered my questions and didn't rush me. He also didn't seem annoyed when he gave me the soup options and I had to call back to see what my dining companion wanted for a side. He was the one who handled the order and bill when we went to pick it up. I really appreciated his level of customer service. This place has good food and great service! read more

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First time here. What a nice welcoming feel. Almost like you've stepped into someone's home. We were promptly greeted and seated in a comfortable booth. Ambiance was lovely. We ordered the gyro platter with chicken and rice soup. The gyro was ok and the soup was decent. We also got the hummus and stuffed artichokes. The hummus was really good and the stuffed artichokes were very good as well and had an interesting really tasty sauce they were cooked in. Not sure if I would or wouldn't recommend. I don't recommend the gyro platter. But the rest was decent. read more

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Amazing service and delicious food. A quaint, inviting restaurant. I'm glad I found them

Second visit ..... Everything here is just right. It's cozy with the sweet lighting, has a side banquet room for private parties, terrific service and absolutely delicious dishes. Grilled Octopus, Spanakopita, soups... and warm crusty bread that just delights me. Sit with Georgia, she's a complete delight! read more

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