I came here for one thing and one thing only: the flaming saganaki…read more IT WAS SO GOOD. The lemon really makes it top notch. I think the waiters were confused as to why I was only ordering one item, but I had too many food places to try. The free bread and olive oil were lovely. They use some high quality olive oil and you can tell. Service was FAST. They don't mess around. It was clean and cute inside. I'd love to return for a full meal.

During a work trip to Chicago, I decided to check out Greektown, and after reading the online…read morereviews and getting recommendations from my hotel, I was told Greek Islands was one of the best spots for authentic Greek food. The moment I stepped inside, I felt like I had been transported to a small Greek taverna. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, and our server was incredibly friendly and welcoming. One of the highlights for me was being able to order and converse in Greek, it made the experience feel that much more authentic and special. Of course, I couldn't decide on just one dish, so I had to order a little bit of everything. Why not? The saganaki was absolutely delicious and is definitely a must-try. The avgolemono was decent and comforting, though it wasn't quite as memorable for me. The pastitsio was a bit of a mix. The flavor was delicious and packed with that classic Greek comfort-food goodness, but unfortunately, the béchamel was overcooked and had become too firm. Overall, between the friendly staff, welcoming atmosphere, and flavorful food, I had a very good experience at Greek Islands. There are still plenty of classic dishes I'd like to try, so I wouldn't hesitate to come back the next time I'm in Chicago.

I think some of the food here is very good and some is more of an acquired taste. I would…read moredefinitely recommend the roast chicken; for $28, you get potatoes, rice, and half a chicken that is delicious. We also got the souvlaki and dip trio; the spicy feta was the star, the eggplant was okay, and the potato/fish roe was not for me personally. The souvlaki is meant to be lit on fire when it comes out but ours was a weak sizzle at best... the cheese was very sharp and alcoholic as a result. Final thoughts: would stop in here if I was in a pinch, get the chicken, skip the apps.

This place was decent and accommodated my husband's gluten allergy…read more I got the moussaka which was pretty good. We got the hummus and eggplant spreads to start and those were a little disappointing. The fried calamari was good.

I LOVED my meal here! Ēma (Ay-mah) brings some glamour and glitz to the Mediterranean dining scene,…read morewith an airy, elevated hotel-lobby feel that still doesn't demand a dress code. Dresscode: Smart Casual / Casual Noise Level: Medium (it gets buzzy after 5:30pm) Thursday night Happy Hour was lively, so it took about 10-15 minutes for someone to come around, but service was attentive once we got going. The food is where Ēma really shines. From the Happy Hour menu, the Charred Eggplant Hummus and Crispy Potatoes were generously portioned and great for sharing. On the main menu, the Indian-Mediterranean fusion Bhel Hummus was a party for my taste buds, while the Hot Honey Halloumi and Chicken Kefta rounded out the table nicely. The halloumi is more of a side than a main, but that sweet-and-salty hot honey combo was chef's kiss. For our finisher, the Chocolate Torte knocked us out. Decadent, delicious and chocolate with lots of depth. Overall, Ēma is an excellent spot to order a bunch of dishes for the table and get an elevated meal without feeling stuffy, and delicious without taking itself too seriously. DO's: - Make a reservation ahead, especially for happy hour 4-6pm - Treat apps like small plates, order 2-3 to sample - Entertain their wine list, they have a lot! - Bring vegetarians here, there are plenty of options DON'Ts: - Dismiss the desert menu. It's fantastic and shareable! - Forget to ask for extra pita with the hummus! - Miss out on the LettuceEats loyalty points (check-in with your server before paying your check)

Ema has a great atmosphere and a lot of really good bites. I have celiac disease and appreciated…read morethat most of the menu is gluten free (they have a dedicated GF fryer and knowledgeable staff). The lamb and beef kefta was tasty but very dry. The tune and watermelon salad and hummus were awesome. We were disappointed with the level of service. We were seated 30 minutes after our reservation time and waited even longer to be greeted by a waitress. Our wine took a while to come out and we had to request our check twice.

Ambiance was great, food was quite good, and service was good. I recommend for the ambiance…read moreespecially, since the decor is so nice!

Amazing ambiance. Great service. Great food. We sat inside and will definitely be back on a nice…read moreday to sit outside.

Good food, eclectic environment but too small to be comfortable. A lot of patrons jammed in to a…read morerelatively small dining area. Usually long lines and some wait time.

We had an awesome experience at The Purple Pig!…read more Ambiance is lovely - chic yet causal and service was attentive and kind. Wine list was excellent! The wines but the glass were nice but the bottles were amazing. Roasted Beet with pistachio butter and goat cheese was the highlight of the dinner! Literally one of the best dishes we've both ever had! My halibut was cooked to perfection and my Gnocchi with shredded pork was super delicious. We highly recommend The Purple Pig and can't wait to go back! 5-stars!

We had such a wonderful experience here! The food was absolutely fantastic -- and as someone who is…read moreGreek, I know good, authentic Greek food when I taste it. Everything was delicious and tasted fresh and genuinely authentic. I also want to give a special shout-out to Luis, director of operations . He was absolutely wonderful. There was an issue with our bill, and Luis went above and beyond to make sure everything was taken care of. He was incredibly kind, professional, and genuinely cared about making things right. His customer service was exceptional, and you could tell that he truly cares about his guests and his restaurant. I'm actually in Greece right now, and I have to say, I'm already missing the food here! That says a lot about how good this restaurant is. We will absolutely be back. Thank you, Luis, for taking such great care of us!

3.5 stars would be most accurate. The food was delicious and some of the staff were nice. But there…read morewas something disappoinitng. Let's start with the food. I ordered Prawns Saganaki and side of pita bread. Asked for no oil nor salt for the pita. While it was shown on the lunch menu on their website, the Prawns Saganaki was actually not on the lunch menu. Luckily, the kitchen has prepared it (for dinner) so I was able to try it. In total 4 pc of big shrimp, served with tomato sauce, crumbled feta and cherry tomatoes. The feta was so finely crumbled that it could easily "melt" in the sauce. The cherry tomatoes added more juiciness to it. Overall great, and definitely paired well with the pita. What made me disappointed, if not annoyed, was the check-in. I waited for nearly 6 min until someone finally noticed me. The staff said she would come "just a minute". At that time a woman (white) went into the restaurant and sat at the bar. Then she started to greet her, and discussed the menu with her, and even took the order! Looked like she completely forgot my presence. Possibly some discrimination/racism idk. i would have left if the restaurant did not charge a no-show fee for reservation. Luckily they took off the pita from my bill after I complained about the waiting time (I did not say about discrimination because I am not sure about it).

This is your typical no-frills Greek restaurant. I ordered the whole chicken, which came with…read morefries. The chicken was a little overcooked in some areas, but it was still seasoned properly with a strong lemon and herb flavor. The staff was nice and the service was quick, which I appreciated. Just be aware that this place is cash only, so come prepared. There's also a bar attached to the restaurant, which is a nice option if you want to grab a drink afterward. Overall, it's a simple, casual spot for Greek food without all the frills.

food: the gyro and everything else was good and tasted authentic. portion size is also good…read more service: nice staff and food came fast. cash only establishment ambiance: sat outside and the weather was perfect

An amazing team meal at Lyra, wouldn't change a thing…read more The servers managed a large party with two food allergies and lots of food preferences with ease and attentiveness. Cocktails to start were delicious - we also started with the Breads and Spreads platter, that had most of their dips (all were amazing) with crudite, pita and lavash. Other starters included the charred octopus, crispy calamari and crispy zucchini and eggplant. The octopus was so good we ordered another one! For mains, we shared the chicken souvlaki, branzino, deconstructed pastitsio and lamb. All the flavors and dishes were beautiful and delicious. It's been two days since our dinner and I still have people raving about that meal. The table side Branzino was awesome and fun to introduce to a few that had never had it before. Will definitely be back, what a gem!

Only grabbed drinks here on a Friday night!…read more Music was great - fun to dance to although I will say, I think I was one of the few busting a move! Sparkler presentation was very pretty & cute moment!

Everytime I have eaten here I've really enjoyed their food. My favorites include: Greek salad with…read morechicken breast, filet mignon pita, and filet mignon platter. But the STAR dish for me and one of the best I've ever tried: Chicken Riganati. So so good!! Highly recommend!

We had a wonderful dinner. We tried the skordalia with fried zucchini & the Hercules (mixed of…read moreskewers & gyro meat) platter. Service was friendly, welcoming & not intrusive.

These plates were shared by our party of five. Our waiter was great and helped us with suggestions…read moreon certain dishes and also the quantity we might need for a party our size. He was spot on with everything. We sat on the rooftop, which is beautiful. In addition to table seating, there is also a very nice bar. The food was not only phenomenal, but there were so many gluten-free options! Our waiter was very knowledgeable and helpful in this regard as well. The zucchini chips were so good. I actually had to ask him a second time to make sure they were truly gluten-free! This desserts look delicious, but we did not have room to even consider that. I would say the prices are a little bit high, but definitely worth it for a special occasion. My friend looked up their happy hour prices, and we are planning a visit for happy hour in the near future. In addition to the regular menu items, they also have a selection of fish depending on what is market fresh each day. The restaurant was pretty busy for a Monday. Fortunately, we had reservations and I would highly recommend doing that.

What a gorgeous, elegant restaurant! I attended a work lunch here, so we ate family style. And OH…read moreBOY did we eat. First, we started off with some Strawberry Spritz drinks with Prosecco. We were fully refreshed, as these were absolutely delicious. The food. Appetizers first, a selection of mezze and saganaki! I could have made a meal out of this course, everything was fantastic and fresh. Hummus, baba ganoush, turnips, olives, fresh pita bread with a couple of other yogurt-based spreads. Entrees. Chicken kabobs, salmon and roasted vegetables. Again, everything freshly made, flavorful and JUICY DELICIOUS. The salmon, especially was really tasty. Had an opportunity to take leftovers home, sure - don't mind if I do. The salmon made an EXCELLENT salmon salad the next day - it was still flavorful and fresh! We ended the day laughing and dishing on the rooftop terrace. Another Strawberry Spritz? Yes, please!! I will be back - the food is top notch. Staff is incredible, friendly and attentive. The restaurant itself is absolutely beautiful - a gem!