The selection was great. Food was fresh and delicious. Clean and invitingly warm. Staff was friendly and helpful with questions about certain items. read more

You get a lot of food for the money. Lamb/Beef Gyro is huge and only costs $9.50. You get to choose your sauce and up to 4 toppings. The meat wasn't very flavorful, but was decent. Not a bad choice for a quick meal if you're very hungry. read more

My fiancé wanted to try this place. I am not so much of of a fan. He loved his gyro but as for me I got a bowl and it tasted kinda plain. The Hispanic employees there were wonderful. I think the lady helped me make everything more better with sauces. If you like Greek food it's a 7/10 if not it's like 3/10. read more

Where has this place been all my life?? It's like Subway/Chipotle for Mediterranean food and it is perfection! Everything was delicious and I love the ability to customize my plate (no onions). Also, don't skip on the baklava. It was a heavenly mix of salty, nutty, and sweet. Just sticky/drippy enough but also full of delightful layers. I literally can't stop thinking about it. I wish I lived closer, I'd be here everyday for lunch. read more

Went with the gyro plate, with couscous, and added my veggies from their veggie bar. Nothing special, but they had everything I want with a lamb gyro: tzatziki, feta, tomatoes, cucumber, olives, etc. We also got an order of falafel, which had good flavor, but were kind of dry for my taste. You get super soft, buttery pita on the side of your plate. read more

Freska Mediterranean Grill - Mediterranean Near Me - Middleton, Wisconsin

Quick, fresh meals. They also have entree+ soup lunch specials for $8 which is quite reasonable. Also, the Vegetarian options are always bring me a smile. Will be returning again for a quick and easy lunch meal read more

4.5 stars for delicious, healthy, and reasonably priced Mediterranean food! You get a lot of food for the amount you spend. Would highly recommend the chicken kebab plate, lamb and beef gyros plate and Moussaka which is a Greek lasagna with eggplant, mashed potatoes and ground beef and lamb. The only thing we didn't enjoy as much was the homemade potato chips. Perhaps it was due to us carrying it out but the chips were not crunchy by the time we got home. read more

Highly recommend this Grill if you like Greek salad! They pile it on also have great Gyro's!

I highly recommend this restaurant. This is the definition of casual dining at its very best! Food is EXCELLENT! I had problems trying to order pickup online, so just walked in to order. Prompt friendly service. Prices are more than fair. Proportions are perfect. I will be back!! read more

Yet another time where I wish Yelp would allow me a half star rating. I think for Madison, Freska is a solid 3.5 star place. Freska is supposed to be a healthy, fast food type restaurant featuring Mediterranean style food. The restaurant is set in a big, decorated atmosphere. Finally, they are one of the few fast food places that serve a selection of alcohol. So it is like Chipotle, except Mediterranean style. . . You can get a variety of Mediterranean options here including lamb and beef gyros or kebabs in either sandwhich or platter form. You choose your bread, meat, and a number of toppings. I chose to go with a lamb and beef gyro platter with feta, kalamata olives, tomatoes, and cucumbers. Everything was sure enough fresh tasting. The tzatziki sauce that is topped on a sandwhich or platter seemed to be different than the prepacked tzatziki that one gets if they ask for it on the side, both in color and ingredients - not sure where the cucumbers were in either. What bothered me the most is that by the time I took my food to the table, most of it was just lukewarm. The gyro meat is shaved off the spit periodically and put into a warmer. If you order this particular meat, it goes from the little warmer box to your plate. They need to put it on the griddle just for the minute and get it hot. I noticed the kebabs that other people ordered were grilled to order, so I presume this is less of an issue for kebabs. One of the few places in Madison to enjoy a gyro, but, certainly some room for improvement. read more

Love Mediterranean food so we have this a try. Fresh, friendly, fast and a good value. Convenient location. Will return for more!

I was brought here by some coworkers today! I am so sad that I didn't know about this place much sooner, because wow! I wanted a spinach and cheese pie, and was very disappointed to hear that they wouldn't be ready for 15 minutes. I didn't want to wait because I was just on my lunch break and didn't have a lot of time. That's where the disappointment ended though because I absolutely loved my falafel plate! The couscous was fantastic and the falafel had such a great flavor. I liked that I could choose my own toppings and I also appreciate that they do offer a brown rice option for those that may not like couscous... but honestly, just try it.. so good! The portion size was generous, especially since it came with 4 pita triangles (which were awesome). I definitely have leftovers that I can't wait to eat! I thought the price was very reasonable for the quality and portions. Can't wait to eat here again! read more

The food was good. Not the best Mediterranean food I've ever had, but was good. The service was more fast food style. There was no waiters. You walked through like a cafeteria line. The ambiance was okay. Nothing really stood out about the place. There is definitely better Mediterranean food in town if you have time to wait for it but this was a great option for a quick lunch/dinner. read more

Freska was a pleasant surprise! It was kind of like a Mediterranean chipotle- you go down the line & kind of choose what you want on your plate. We went there for dinner and I got a platter with falafel. You get to choose from rice or couscous and then protein and sauce and up to 4 toppings! I got the couscous with falafel, tahini & tzatziki sauces, with hummus, olives, feta, and a cucumber/tomato salad all on the side. It also came with a pita. My boyfriend got the kebab. He said the meat was really good. I loved the falafel, you get larger pieces than you get at most places and they tasted a lot more authentic. I can see this being a really delicious place for lunch- if only I worked nearby. Will definitely be back though, the food isn't greasy or anything. I left feeling satisfied- the platter was the perfect amount of food. Friendly service and clean restaurant as well! read more

Freska Mediterranean Grill - Plates 4 Pieces Falafels Feta Cheese Tzatziki Calamata Olives Hummus Tahini Sauce - Mediterranean Near Me - Middleton, Wisconsin

I was looking for Greek food and have been disappointed but this passes as being a great Mediterranean restaurant instead. Great prices and super quick service since it's already all ready you just pick what you want. Easy to order to go and very decent sized portions. read more

Freska Mediterranean Grill - Spinach Cheese Pie, Gyro Plates - Mediterranean Near Me - Middleton, Wisconsin

I've been drive-by stalking this place for months now, anxiously awaiting a fresh food alternative to the burger-fest that is this area. I work near here, and if I don't bring a lunch, my food options are limited to burgers, fast food burgers, pub burgers...you get the picture. So hearing that a Fresh-Prepared, Mediterranean style restaurant was going to be opening was music to my ears! Needless to say...they've been open a little over a week, and I've been here three times (yes, I was that excited!). Inside, the décor is very nice for a quick-eat place like this. You can tell a lot of time and pride was put into this place. Nice booths, tables, and the décor on the walls is unique and interesting. I was surprised when my husband and I came with our toddler that they only had one high chair, and it was broken (no center strap, so we had to hold our kid in it with one hand while eating with the other or she'd slide right out). To be broken when they'd only been open a week was strange, but we had bellies full of yummy food, so it wasn't even a big deal (although I'd suggest fixing this before someone who is a little more grumpy and anal about these things gets you in trouble for it!). Let me get to the food...omg...Salads! Platters! Sandwiches! Soups! It's so nice to have a plethora of vegetarian and vegan options. So far, I've had the Falafel Plate, the Spinach Pie Platter, and the Greek Salad with Falafel. All were super fresh (the spinach pie was literally coming out of the oven), perfect sized portions. You have a very large selection of fresh and colorful veggies to add to your food, Brown Rice Pilaf or CousCous for your grain, and let's just have a moment of silence in appreciation of their perfectly browned and warmed pita bread...mmmmmm. This place will definitely be leading me to "forget" my lunch at home more often so I can dine here frequently. read more

Freska Mediterranean Grill - Menu Selections - 1 - Mediterranean Near Me - Middleton, Wisconsin

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Think Greek Chipotle! You order a pita, plate or salad, then go down the line, choosing your toppings. Very fast, and quite delicious! Healthy, yummy, fast food in America. How refreshing! I had the vegetarian feast - hummus was yummy, falafel cooked to order, fresh spinach, tasty tabouleh (which is rather heavy on the bulgar and short on the parsley, but still good), soft pita, and very smoky baba ghanoush (a bit too smoky for me, but that's just me). I'm a saltaholic so thought everything could use a bit more, but that was easily remedied. $7.95 for the feast. Also ordered a small Lentil soup, which was hearty, though on the sweet side, for $1.95. Hubby got a large soup (which was not that much larger) for $3.95. It was the egg lemon rice soup, and as previous reviewers mentioned, it definitely needs more lemon, though he did enjoy it quite a it anyway. He also got a chicken gyro for $6.95 (does not come with any sides, but you choose from many toppings and sauces to load it up). Loaded with chicken, large, juicy chunks. Tzatziki sauce was very good. Lots more of the menu to explore. We will definitely be back! read more

Freska Mediterranean Grill - Chicken gyro, egg lemon rice soup (large), lentil soup (small) - Mediterranean Near Me - Middleton, Wisconsin

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The food is okay. I was not crazy about the spice combo used on my shwarma. Its not bad it just wasn't for me. Friendly staff, dining room is a bit dark for my taste. read more

Great option for fast Mediterranean food. It's clearly not fine dining but gets the job done. Friendly staff. Fast service.

This place is a good, affordable, independent fast casual Chipotle style Greek restaurant. Enjoyable and glad it's here! Stop by if you need a quick bite that's different from your typical stop! read more

Freska Mediterranean Grill - Gyro with Feta, tomatoes, onions, hummus, and tsatziki - Mediterranean Near Me - Middleton, Wisconsin

Perhaps my expectations were too high. I have a tendency to compare this type of restaurant to middle eastern / Mediterranean restaurants in Illinois. Even by wisconsin standards both of the entrees I sampled fell flat. It seemed like everything was under salted and under seasoned. Chicken Schwarma sandwich seemed to be plain chicken breast strips on a pita. The beef kebab was equally unimpressive. Even the tzatziki for the sandwich fell flat. Madison does not have many options when I get the Mediterranean itch, but I doubt I'll be back to Freska. read more

Not sure why this is rated a 4-star joint. I am visiting from out of town. Dropped in for lunch. Ordered a gyro platter. I doubt I have ever encountered a more apathetic and disinterested food server in my life. Guy stared at me like I was annoying him while I asked for the ingredients I wanted. Never even made an attempt at being personable or polite when I thanked him. The gyro meat was stale, dry, and tasteless. It looked and tasted like it had been returned to the warm-up tray two or three times that week. Veggies were OK. The couscous tasted like sand. Mr Annoyed just plopped them all into a bowl and shoved it at me. Ugh. The bread you get is one of those spongy pita rounds you buy in a bag at the grocery store. They are barely even warmed before being slapped on your bowl. Overall, this place is pretty awful as Mediterranean lunch places go. And it was all served up with sneering disdain. A lot of the reviews here have qualifiers that this restaurant is GOOD FOR A WISCONSIN PLACE. I am not sure what that says about the locals, but this place is sub-par for this cuisine from all the geographically-separated places I have eaten. Spare yourself a visit. It's just bad. read more

I am a once a week customer, they are always friendly and quick with the food prep. The prices are reasonable and the food tastes good.

Enjoyed Classic Greek Salad with extra Feta and extra Olives. Greek Salad in no rocket science, if you get right products and they are fresher than fresh, all is well. I really enjoy my salad when someone cuts and slices a fresh tomato straight to my bowl. Good Place to go, once and twice and many more times. If you are a traveller and you trust your instincts. read more

Freska Mediterranean Grill - Classic Greek Salad - Mediterranean Near Me - Middleton, Wisconsin

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The food is healthy and delicious. The price is reasonable and the staff are friendly.

Love this place!!! Fantastic Greek food for a great price. Will come back again!!! We had the Lamb and beef gyro, mousaka, veggie pita, and side of falafel. All was fresh and seasoned perfectly! read more

Freska Mediterranean Grill - Fantastic Greek feast!!! - Mediterranean Near Me - Middleton, Wisconsin

This is my go-to fast-casual restaurant in the Middleton/west Madison area. I wish there were more Freskas in Madison -- I would frequent this establishment more often than I already do. As others have noted, this is a Mediterranean version of Chipotle. The food is always fresh and flavorful. I've eaten the classic Greek salad and the veggie plate several times. The veggie plate is full of various flavors and textures and leaves you feeling full even though it includes no meat. The balkava for dessert is good, although not as sweet as I would prefer, but I have a major sweet tooth. The spanakopita comes a la carte, and the portion is plenty big for a few people to share and still enjoy several bites each. The restaurant offers a lot of food at a pretty reasonable price. I always leave Freska feeling plenty full, even though I didn't pay a whole lot. I've also done carry-out at Freska, and Freska does a good job of filling up the same amount of food in the to-go containers as it would serve on the dine-in plates. I've noticed that some restaurants really skimp on to-go portions. (I'm talking about you, Panera.) I still feel that Mediterranean Cafe on State Street is the best place in Madison for Mediterranean food; nobody can top the Mediterranean Cafe's to-die-for rice. But with Freska's convenient location, easy parking and quick turnaround time, I find myself going to Freska more often than the Mediterranean Cafe. I don't feel as though I can give five stars for Freska because not all of the staff people are always friendly. The two people who have made my orders have always been welcoming and accommodating. The cashiers, though, are hit or miss. Sometimes, the cashiers have acted almost grumpy with me; other times, they've been friendly. Also, I have to dock a star because a menu item at Freska comes with "lettace." ... Cringe ... Even with the bad misspelling, I'll still go back to Freska! read more

So in my travels to anywhere works takes me on a regular basis, I tend to find comfort foods that draw me back again and again. Freska is my go-to for Middleton, WI. Growing up in NY, I feel in love with Greek cuisine. One of my best buds back home is Greek and she indoctrinated me as to the cuisine, the culture and the Ouzo. But that's a story for another day. lol But the humble Gyro...*wistful sigh* Freska has a wonderful Gyro...but it's the accompanying sides they offer to complete the Gyro platter that got me. Like five times over 3 trips to WI. They offer couscous AND rice...tabbouleh...babaganoush....nice Tzaziki...fresh pita...super food slaw...finely sliced sweet onions...and all the usual stuff. Each time, I tried new sides and each one was wonderful, fresh and tasty. The food is great, the place is clean and you can get out with a great meal under $12 that you'd be hard-pressed to finish! read more

Delicious food! We will definitely come back again and again. I had the veggie platter and my husband had a giro. The portions were generous and everything was so flavorful. read more

Freska Mediterranean Grill - Mediterranean Near Me - Middleton, Wisconsin

With its mall location, you might assume that Freska is a chain or a franchise, but I don't believe that's the case. As a big fan of Mediterranean fare, I've always wished for a fast food or dare I say a Mediterranean McDonald's, so I could get my falafel fix anywhere. Freska comes close, providing a clean and attractive venue with flexible Greek and Middle Eastern choices in a self-service setting. Beer and wine availability is also a good feature. When you walk in, menus are immediately available by the door. You have a choice of sandwiches, salads, sides and hot meals. the choices are limited, but the combinations of main dishes and sides make for a fun lunch experience. A big feature is a make-your-own salad choice, where the counter staff puts it all together for you. No bumping into other patrons as you might in a regular salad bar. The gyros can be lamb/beef or chicken, and for a change, you can change up the toppings to whatever they have, in lieu of the standard tzatziki/tomato/onion. The gyros sandwich ($6.99/no fries) was my choice on my first visit, and I went with the traditional topping. The sandwich was fine, not the best I've had. On another visit, I made my own combo platter with sides of Falafel, Hummus with pita bread and grape leaves. Both lunches with a drink came around $9.00, not a bad price for a quick, fresh lunch. It's easy enough to drop the same amount at a fast-food burger joint, except Freska is much healthier. I'm in sync with Jay N. here to say that I consider Freska a solid 3.5 experience. While nothing really stands out foodwise, the convenience and flexibility for getting a fresh Middle Eastern lunch or dinner is a big draw. It's a comfortable and appealing space and easily maneuvered and self-service joints go. I won't hesitate to make it a go to lunch spot anytime I'm in West Madison/Middleton Mallville. read more

Nice little quick Mediterranean option. Food is made/served cafeteria style. But I only say this in the most positive sense. There is a great variety of choices and the quality is good. Pricing is affordable if not moderately priced offering a good overall value. While there is ample seating... seems like they do a a lot of carry out business. Falafel is solid. Gyros are decent. Salads are nice. Chicken is flavorful. This place is easy to overlook given its location... but it's a great option in an otherwise bland corporate landscape. read more

Freska Mediterranean Grill - Gyro Plate - Mediterranean Near Me - Middleton, Wisconsin

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Yum! Tender chicken schwarma, soft and warm pita, fluffy couscous, tasty spreads...I'm a fan! I got my order to go, but the restaurant is clean/neat and looked comfortable for a casual meal. read more

I love this place, especially for a fast, healthy, and inexpensive lunch. I do not feel guilty at all after I eat here! If you have ever been to Greece, you feel like this place encompasses a little piece of it. Everything is white and blue, with olive branches. The food is simple, fresh, and healthy. First, I love that you can order online (or on Yelp!). Have no fear if you didn't order in advance. This place is cafeteria (or "chipotle") style, so you can still get in and out quickly. I always order a plate with chicken shawarma and I pick my other goodies depending on my mood. I've had their gyro too and it was also delish. The owner sliced it fresh for me on the spot! Their spinach salad is great too and I love their raspberry vinaigrette. I haven't tried their baklava yet...but maybe next time? I could eat lunch here every day! read more

Solid "fast casual" food. Throw this in your rotation of Chipotle, Potbelly's, etc of fast build-to-order lunch or dinner. I was here on a Friday night with some friends and it was clean and quiet. Staff was friendly. Food was good and priced right. I've been here twice, so now I have a "go-to". I enjoyed the dinner platter with couscous, falafel, hummus, onion, cucumber/tomato, and feta (comes with pita). Dine in the first time, carry out the second. It was consistent and delicious. read more

Very good Mediterranean food reasonably priced. Ordered gyro and daily special and enjoyed it. Would go back.

This is a cool idea, and my wife and I really enjoyed our first trip there. Like a Greek version of Pancheros, it is super easy to run in for lunch on a short break, customize your dish and be on your way. And while I'm no connoisseur of Mediterranean food, what we ordered was great, flavorful, different and healthy. My $8.25 beef and lamb gyro plate was a far cry from the typical gyro sandwich with French fries. I picked the couscous over the rice pilaf, hoping it maybe had a slightly better glycemic index, and the sides were great. In addition to the typical tomato and cucumbers, there was a super slaw and spinach and feta cheese. Yum. My wife's tender $10.95 beef kabob was delicious and came with a large, wonderful salad with a great strawberry vinaigrette and other sides. The staff was helpful and friendly, though they disappeared at one point while I was waiting to ask for another to-go box. The place was clean and well kept. We'll be back. read more

Since moving to this area, I have been to this place about 3-4 times. I love the vegetarian platter. The last time I was there, I was disappointed and confused. I had ordered a veggie platter along with side of falafel. The people behind the counter were refusing to give me the side of falafel which I was paying for along with veggie platter. In my opinion, the staff isn't well versed with the menu or they do not understand what's going on. I simply paid for the veggie platter and left. read more

I can't believe I work so close to this place and haven't been there til now! I got the chicken kabob entree that came with couscous and a salad and it was a ton of delicious food for a decent price. Love the drink options besides a fountain drink. I'll definitely be back to try more options! read more

I love taking friends/family here. The food is easy to order and always so good. My favorite dish is the chicken shawarma in a platter-which is enough if you're looking for a single meal. If you're with friends, I definitely recommend splitting the stuffed grape leaves, a side of falafel, or the baklava with your meal. read more

This would be a 4-star if it was just the fresh food, which is the closest I've had to authentic Mediterranean in this area. Basically, they do fresh, build-your-own as well as anyone - the gyros are good, the hummus amazing. However, I have had 3 things I would recommend avoiding now: moussaka, falafel and couscous. The falafel is overcooked on the outside, undercooked in the middle. The moussaka came out in individual, plastic-wrapped portions which were microwaved and just isn't that tasty or fresh feeling. The couscous (which I got despite being asked, and requesting rice multiple times) was dry and over-salty. TL;DR: get the fresh offerings (salads, sandwiches and plates), avoid their fried or prepared food. read more