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.

I don't write a lot of reviews, but this place is worth it. Greek Islands just feels easy from the…read moremoment you get there. Parking downtown can be a headache, so the valet was a big plus and made the whole night start off right. The service was really solid, friendly and attentive without being over the top. The food is the real highlight. Everything came out fresh, full of flavor, and just really well done. It's a comfortable, lively spot that works for just about any kind of night. I'll definitely be back.

Food was very fresh and delicious. We were greeted with bread immediately after being sat. Server…read morewas a little slow to bring our food. The outside patio was absolutely adorable! This will be the perfect place to have a fun night on the patio! Complete with a gorgeous fountain!

The food was decent and the price was reasonable. Food came out decently quick. The only down side…read moreis that the server messed up our check a few times that we have to keep asking him to fix. But other than that, the atmosphere was nice and great for groups.

The food is incredible here. The Lamb Ragu specifically is a must try!…read more The vibes are very fun as well. A great place to have drinks or a meal with friends. Very great visuals for pics of you want. The service was mid. That was the only drawback. I would go back for the food but it was if we were a bother to the server. We made a reservation and were seated at the bar area. Our server forgot our wine. It was just the worst service I had of any of the places visited while I was in town.

We had a reservation at 1PM Sunday and were seated outside. I have always walked past Ema, so it…read morewas a delight to be able to try it for the first time. Our server was kind and great at showing recommendations. They suggested that each person has 2-3 plates since the menu was full of small-plate style food. And honestly, I think we could have gone away with 1-2 plates per person since we were very full by the time we finished eating The interior is absolutely gorgeous. Part of me wishes that we got the chance to sit down inside, but maybe that will be the excuse to come visit another time. The Blueberry Clafoutis was my favorite dish. The blueberries were sweet, and it was like eating a blueberry crepe/pancake. The sweetness level was not overpowering, which was what made this dish so enjoyable. The "Bhel" Hummus and Spicy Whipped Feta were both very tasty. I loved the fruitiness of the "Bhel" Hummus and loved how the Spicy Whipped Feta had its pomegranate bits. Each were so unique, and it was an adventure with each bite. Excellent service and food overall. It was a pleasant new experience.

Aba Restaurant review -- Fulton Market, Chicago…read more This was my husband and I first time visiting Aba Restaurant, and we left impressed on every count. From the moment we arrived, the service stood out. We had an 8 PM reservation, but since we were in the area early, Chris B. kindly accommodated us for an earlier seating. We settled on the rooftop deck, which set the mood with a vibrant, buzzy vibe. The service was outstanding throughout. Our waiter greeted us promptly, with a trainee at the table. (My apologies for forgetting their names). Both were exceptionally pleasant. The trainee did a superb job walking us through the menu, explaining the concept of ordering. We decided on a variety of dishes, and Aba delivered: - Wild Mushroom Hummus: A smooth earthy dish with roasted mushrooms folded into a creamy hummus, finished with truffle oil and herbs. Yummy! - Tuna & Watermelon: A refreshing pairing of tender tuna balanced with juicy watermelon, cucumber, pomergrant seeds and mint. Loved it! - Green Chili Shrimp: Served in a metal dish used for escargo. The shrimp were covered by breadcrumbs and lots of butter with a slight kick to it. Great for dipping your bread in. It did not disappoint! - Pan Seared Halibut: A perfectly seared, delicate fillet, moist and flaky that highlighted the fish's clean, buttery profile. And from the cocktail menu, the Aloe? It's Me. It has a kick to it. Loved it too. Everything was excellent--the food was inventive and delicious, the service was great and the rooftop ambiance added a memorable layer to the evening. Highly recommended for a refined yet relaxed Chicago dining experience.

Elevated, clean cuisine that is becoming a Chicago classic…read more Food was fantastic. Dishes are elevated yet carry a rustic charm resembling what you would get from a mom-and-pop restaurant. No dish was too heavy with oils or grease or fats which left us feeling full and satisfied without the groggy food coma. Flavors sing Mediterranean, and truly can't pick a wrong item. If I had to make a recommendation, the mushroom hummus for vegetarians is devine!! For the beef lovers out there, I've been recommended the short rib hummus countless times and I'm certain it would hit the spot. Unfortunately not the best Mediterranean food I've had in town, but definitely a can't miss place when making your restaurant hit list. The ambiance is also elegant and fit for an upscale Mediterranean meal. The indoor section is beautiful but I hear outdoor section is just as great of an experience. Again, can't go wrong on where you choose to make your reservation. The service is where the restaurant falls a bit short. They get incredibly busy and as a result it took over an hour to receive our meal. Was it worth the wait? Definitely, but wish the service could have been a bit more attentive also. Rating: 4/5

The place was packed on a Wednesday night, but it was well worth it, very cute decor inside! We…read moreshared a few plates, starting with the cheese board, which was honestly one of the best I've had. The waiter was so friendly! Every single item on it was delicious and had me excited for the rest of the meal. We also had the gnocchi, which was surprisingly great since I'm not usually a gnocchi person. The duck was the star for me - perfectly cooked, incredibly tender, and packed with flavor. It was also a generous portion and definitely filling. Highly recommend if you're in Chicago. I'll absolutely be back the next time I'm in town!

Encore 9 years later, and I enjoyed it a lot. Since the time, it had moved to a new location which…read moreI found to be more favorable due to better space. I chose a seat at the bar, and without much trigger got into a nice conversation with other patrons. But why was I there again? Oh yes, the food. OMG, it was delicious: a winter salad, half a duck and an affogato. The portions were not shabby at all, and I am glad that the server warned me from another initial consideration which would definitely have been too much. I enjoyed every bite of all items, flavorful, tender and juicy, and simply on point. Will definitively come back when I return to Chicago. PREVIOUS REVIEW Very popular place and hence rather hard to get in. But the wait for once is worth it. The menu items, which come in small portions (tapas size), are very special and not to be found anywhere else. As surprising as some of the items may sound, they all looked great (even the once on other people's plates), and the ones I could get to taste were very special, interesting flavors, and very good. No specific recommendations but would suggest to leave some space for lemon panna cotta. Casual and trendy atmosphere on the Magnificent Mile. Definitely will go back again when in Chicago.

I dined in for dinner at Andros Taverna for the first time recently, and I had a wonderful time!…read moreI've been multiple times for brunch, but this was my first dinner experience, and it will not be my last. My friends and I started the evening with champagne and the Mezze Collection, which is an assortment of spreads and pita. I've had this before at brunch, and it is a REQUIREMENT at Andros. We then ordered a salad, mussels, lamb shoulder, and the whole fish (Andros style) to share. Several of the items were on their specials menu for the night, and they were all to die for. The fish was prepared and deboned at the table, which took out all the stress and work! I can't wait to come back for another dinner experience!

This place has been on my list for a very long time and we got in for a Valentine's Day…read morereservation. I was really excited about the limited menu because I wanted the shredded lamb shoulder. Our reservation was at 5:30... About as early as you can get for dinner and yet they were already sold out of the special so that was really disappointing that they would be so unprepared for one of the most popular dinner date holidays of the year... Alternatively, we went with a bunch of appetizers and split two entrées. Somewhere delicious somewhere very mid and somewhere a let down. Here's the breakdown: - Fried zucchini chips 5/5 - one of my favs in the city - Octopus 2/5 - one of my least favs in the city... it lacked flavor, was a small portion for the price and had a gooey string that grossed us both out - Fish spread that started with an M... haha 5/5 - I can't remember the name, but this was delicious! It was definitely pricey for the portion though especially because it didn't include pita... We had to pay an additional seven dollars for two pieces of pita, which was ridiculous - Oysters - 4/5 - husband enjoyed - Katifi cheese pie 4/5 - very tasty! Sweet and pricey but worth it - On special - fried fish- 2/5 - the waitress described these as small bite-size fish, but that is not how they came out and instead, it was really difficult to debone them and you hardly got any meat out of it. The flavor wasn't bad, but the experience was disappointing. I will say that they comped these after our feedback. - Gyros - 2.5/5 - it's not that these were bad per se... But I've had way better in the city to include fast, casual restaurants, and the price for the portion was pretty ridiculous again. Hardly any accoutrements. - Rockfish with pistachio brown butter - 5/5 - I believe this fish was on special and she described it as being a sweeter fish. They did come to the table and cut it for you so it was a lot easier to eat. The fish was cooked perfectly and had a sweet flavor. I also liked that you could choose your own dressing because the brown butter pistachio was delicious. - baklava froyo 3/5 - i'll bump this up to three because my husband liked it more than I did, but I was very disappointed by this dessert. The Greek yogurt was sour as to be expected, but instead of having actual baklava or pistachio flavor to balance it out, it basically just tasted like they dumped simple syrup on it and it was like a sour ice cream with just pure sugar drizzle... It really didn't come together for me. Overall, the service was really good and our waiter was very sweet. Also, our wine was delicious and the zucchini chips and fish spread were good, so maybe we would come for appetizers and drinks, but I definitely wouldn't return for a Greek dinner with the other options we have in the city.

From the moment you walk in, it's clear that Athenian Room holds a beloved place in the Lincoln…read morePark community! It's a mom-and-pops shop through and through- you'll see homely decor, a simple but well done menu, and people from all walks of life coming together over delicious food. The staff was warm and attentive throughout the meal and brought out delicious complimentary french bread. It's pretty cool that although the restaurant doesn't serve alcohol, staff from the adjacent bar came around every so often and took orders. For appetizers, we started with the feta and olive appetizers. They were good, but I'd probably order something a little more unique next time. I opted for the chicken kalamata dinner for the main event, which came with more french bread and a salad. The salad came out first, and it was pretty simple with minimal dressing. I wished there had been more variety in produce and something besides iceberg lettuce for greens. I'd recommend getting some feta on the side to add some flavor. The chicken, however, was absolutely outstanding. It was super tender, seasoned beautifully with za'atar, and brined in vinegar (I think). The za'atar seasoned french fries underneath were extra crispy and perfectly soaked up the extra sauce from the chicken. For the price, this place is a steal- you really can't beat the quantity and quality of food that you get. Overall, a great experience- I definitely recommend making a stop if you're in the area!

Sadly I found this place right before I move…read more This place is cash only so make sure to come prepared - I do think there's an atm at the bar next door if you do forget. We tried the skirt steak and chicken. The steak is OUTSTANDING. I'm not sure what secret spice blend they use in the kitchen but it's delicious. We always make sure to order a side of pita and Tzatziki to make our own gyros. The chicken is also a great choice, but the steak remains #1. The service here is always quick. We've never had to wait for a table, but if we did the bar connected next door is a great place to hang out in the meantime.

I don't really go out to Greek restaurants often but this place was really good. There were 10…read morepeople in our party and we ordered around 16 dishes. We ordered the breads and the spread and the pita was so warm and delicious! The spicy feta and the tzatziki were a hit. We ordered some horiatiki salata which was a nice and refreshing taste to balance all the heavy meats. If you want to try everything and people aren't picky, family style is the best! We started off with the crispy zucchini and egg plant. These were fried and more like veggie chips. Nonetheless the crunch with the dip was delectable. The waitress was so helpful and she served/cut each plate so everyone got to try one. The saganaki (Greek pan fried cheese) came out flamed! Such a show stopper and really delicious, dense cheese. We also ordered the slow roasted lamb gyros, charred octopus, bouzoukia potatoes, wagyu beef skewer, chicken skewer, grilled lamb skewer, grilled roasted chicken, and branzino. We ordered A LOT of food and every dish was so flavorful and packed a punch. Lastly, we finished it off with dessert with loukoumades which are Greek fried donuts. Such a sweet and warm dessert to end off an amazing meal. Truly impeccable service, vibes were amazing, and 10/10 would come here again!

This place is so cute! We were in the Fulton Market area and wanted some Mediterranean food…read more Interior is decorated beautifully with flowers. Service was a little slow - we waited ~45 minutes to get our entrees even though the restaurant wasn't that busy. It also felt like at times we were being ignored. :( That being said, everything was DELICIOUS. There was nothing that I didn't like. Pita was exceptional. Everything was nicely seasoned. The potatoes were amazing - cheese was delicious and melty. Chicken was grilled to perfection.

I visited Greek Prime this weekend with my husband and a few friends. The entire staff was so…read morefriendly from the second we walked in the door. We sat out back, on the cute brick patio. Each table had umbrellas so you're able to adjust to get the perfect amount of sun or shade. Our bartender, Jenny was amazingly attentive and made delicious drinks! The owner even stopped over to our table and enjoyed a round of shots with us! Let's not forget about the food....everything was delicious! We started with the flaming saganaki, then moved on to a Ceasar salad and a steak pita. The portions are definitely shareable sizes or just pack it up and eat the rest later....it's worth it! Overall, it was truly a great experience. We will definitely be back to enjoy the patio vibes many more times this summer!

So, this is not the cute Greek restaurant you visit in Greektown. This is "the walk through the ice…read morecream shop and display cases, to the dark panel traditional Chicago-style bar, back to the rear and up some stairs to chairs and tables in a dining room with TVs on the wall" type of spot. And I was here for it! Great service from our server. Good quality and variety of food. (Hello, octopus?!). The "Greek" dressing on my Greek salad was...interesting. I'll definitely make sure to just ask for oil and vinegar next time. Drinks were a generous pour and didn't take long to be made. Overall, it's what I'd consider a "true Chicago kickback spot"z: No frills, but worthy.

Great food and atmosphere. Star of the show was Jordan the bartender. Friendly and attentive. Will…read morecome back!

Nice atmosphere, great service, and really good food…read more Recommended dishes: Whole fish, octopus, spreads with pita Ambiance 5/5 Service 4.5/5 Food 5/5