I found out about this event through a local OC events page on IG. This event is coordinated by Saint John's and their members volunteer for the event. Not only that, all proceeds go to the church. I was delighted to support this event and try something new as I've developed a new appreciation for Greek and Mediterranean food. There was a great array of options including gyros, gyro bowls, chicken, lamb and beef combo plates, feta fries, Greek salad, Greek pastries and coffee drinks. The festival also included a micro brewery and cocktail bar. There was something for everyone. There were fun things to do like tour the church, a Greek market, vendors, a kids zone and live music/dancing. It was a lowkey Friday night event that I thoroughly enjoyed with my family and friends! read more

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Fun for the family and great food all for a good cause. Bounce houses for the kids in a separate area, dancing, live music, vendors for trinkets as well as food galore. Well organized even down to parking and shuttle service. They take contactless pay making it easy. Make sure not to leave without trying the loukoumades read more

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The Greeks throw a fantastic party! I had so much fun! Great food, great vendors, great company! I saw the priest walking around being so nice to everyone. The fest had plenty of seating and space. They gave tours of the church and had a market set up. The lines were quick. The food was warm. The only downside is that the porta potties ran out of water and we had to hike high and low to find another sink with water. We'll be back next year! read more

Good ol' Yelp suggested this in the events section and I'm so glad I saw it because I love going to different Greek Festivals throughout California. Also if you so happen to follow the festival on Facebook they have a lot of advertising of the festival and even a coupon for $1 off admission. The festival is very nice, clean and well organized. Admission fee is $3 but that's a small price to pay for such a nice festival. When you first walk in you see the beautiful church, quite breathtaking. Then you will notice many vendors, selling jewelry, clothing and other items. I did not really take a good look at all of the vendors as I was simply there to eat lol. There were plenty of tents that were selling Greek Fries, Gyros, Lamb Chops and things like that. There were also tents which were selling all of the yummy Greek desserts and drinks as well. While everything looked really good at the tents I decided to go to the Greek Kitchen where the dinner plates were served. This is where you can find the Moussaka, Patstitsio, Spanakopita, Greek style chicken and much more. They also sell desserts and drinks in here as well (they have a small bar set up). I decided to go with the Moussaka dinner plate ($15) which came with rice pilaf, salad, green beans and a roll. Moussaka is my all time favorite Greek dish and is was amazing. The beef and potato was cooked perfectly, the bechemel sauce was flavorful and not too heavy and it was all baked to perfection. The rice, green beans and salad were very good well. The meal was very filling. There were plenty of tables inside to seat plenty of people. I also got a dessert that I have been looking for and it has been very hard to find at other Greek festivals and it's called Bougatsa ($4). It's a phyllo dough filled with custard, baked to perfection and topped with powdered sugar. Definitely my favorite dessert and it's just amazing. Since I arrived right when the festival opened up I did not get to see any of the entertainment or performers which I am a bit bummed out about but there's always next year. The festival did have a small carnival area for kids but there wasn't much going on while I was there. I highly suggest coming here, it's a nice Greek festival and while it's not the largest it is about the average size that you would expect a Greek festival to be. You will find plenty of good food, desserts and drinks. Do try to come early as parking is scarce, you have to be careful parking in the neighborhood as many of the street parking was permit only. You can however park at the Walmart and a shuttle is provided and will bring you to the festival. I will definitely be back next year! read more

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What's not to like? The dance - planned or impromptu. Either costumed or in street clothes. The live music - authentic and intoxicatingly beautiful. The food - I should have been born Greek. There is no such thing as bad food. The church - elegant, mystical, warm. The people - maybe a bit clannish, but can you blame them? They live a vibrant life and party hard. And they are willing to share that with the rest of us. Yep, a fun few hours and a fun glimpse into a beautiful, classic culture. Downside? White girl here (wannabe Greek) got sunburned. read more

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This is my second year coming to OC Greek Festival and I have to say I love it even though the lines are long, the place is crowded, children are running everywhere...I still have a great time. I like hearing other cultures music and just people having a great time at an event. Who wouldn't love that? The smell of cooked meat coming off the grill is amazing. The lines aren't so bad if you are with company and lets just say you can't really go wrong when eating Greek food. The taste is strong but very satisfying. If you come here order the feta fries. They are delicious with loads of cheese and putting lemon on it doesn't hurt either. I also order the two skewers of meat. I don't remember the name of it but it pretty much looks like kabob. The meat is filling and a lot of it. They do have some carnival rides and it is only from Friday-Sunday. I printed out a free ticket to get in from the web site and I hope they do this again next year. I wouldn't miss it ! read more

Well organized festival! When you are closer to the church, you will see signs to park in the parking lot where the shuttle is (behind the Buena Park Wal Mart). It was very efficient getting to and from the church from the lot with its free shuttle service. Getting in this year was $3 and you're in. This is much bigger and more organized than the Pasadena Greek Fest as it had large carnival rides and retail area of vendors. They also had the nicer port-a-potties with running water and working vents - fancy! I was only there for the food. My exposure to Greek cuisine was limited to the Mediterranean fare of kebabs and gyro wraps. My mission was to see what else was there besides the typical skewers. Outside area was the kebabs and grilled meat you usually see at Mediterranean fast food joints. There were beer/drink stands, a pastry stand and a loukoumades stand. My friend really enjoyed her 2 chicken souvlaki sticks with bread ($7). Inside the building was where they hosted a cooking demonstration, another pastry stand, and other Greek dishes that didn't require open flame or frying. I balked at trying moussaka at the last Pasadena Greek Fest because of the $15+ price tag which included other filler carbs (rice and salad) I didn't want to eat. I actually wanted to sample actual entrees and the OC Greek Fest offered a la carte items for $5 each. Perfect! Moussaka + pastichio = pure deliciousness. I was so happily stuffed. After dinner, we hovered over the dessert stands for quite some time, trying to decide what to eat. We shared huge baklava pastries (2 for $5). It was good but too sweet. We also experienced a walnut cake which I have no idea what it was. It's a Greek version of tres leches plus crushed walnuts and toasted coconut flakes on top. We left with loukoumades (my first time; $7 for regular) which were tasty but I would prefer to spend my carbs points on any of the other Greek pastries. I found out how much I like honey and walnuts in crushed form from these Greek fests. YUM. The only thing that we missed was demonstration of traditional dances. If you live close by and want to experience something different out of your food bubble, definitely stop by this Greek fest!. read more

OC Greekfest - moussaka + pastichio = YUM! - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Anaheim, California

Third year in a row we have attended! What a great time. Lamb chops, live music with dancing, beautiful bar, friendly people and balaclava. They will continue to get my support every year! Thank you for sharing your beautiful culture with the all of OC! read more

What are you doing tonight? No, I'm not asking you out on a date. I am, however, providing you with a solid option for passing an evening with or without a date, and without breaking the bank. Tonight and tomorrow (and presumably next year), there is a Greek Festival in Anaheim that is a fun way to spend a few hours and get out of the house. For $3, you get access to the event. Move one tent over if you want to pick up a wristband to be able to buy wine and beer. They have imported stuff that was made in Greece and the prices are very reasonable. $5 for a glass of imported Greek wine? Done. You can walk the whole perimeter of the festival pretty quickly. There are a few booths selling Greek-themed wares. Some of the jewelry was quite lovely. There was music playing and a couple of people dancing, but all in all, not a ton to see or do. Kids will love the play area where they have bounce houses and a few small games set up but you have to buy tickets like at a carnival. The highlight is definitely the food. The programs that they give out at the door lists out all of the options available at the festival and (for us non-Greek attendees, what the food is) but the list seems to go on and on so come hungry: moussaka; pastitsio; dolmathes; tiropita; spanakopita; gyro; souvlaki; paidakia; baklava; bougatsa; diples; flogeres; galactobouriko; kataifi; koulourakia; kourambiethes; melomakarona; pasta flora; poutinga; ravani.... I don't know what half of those things even are. Foodies: eat your heart out. The food is definitely the highlight. For $6, you can pick up some delicious Feta Fries which are (rosemary?) seasoned waffle fries covered in feta cheese that are worth every penny -- and a good sized portion. The nice lady at the booth even brought me some tzatziki to dip them in. Soo good. We also tried the Loukoumades ($8 for the small and $10 for the large order). The large order is a paper plate overflowing with these delicious morsels, so you'll want friends to help you finish them. Pastry puffs dipped in honey syrup and sprinkled with cinnamon. They give you caramel and chocolate dipping sauces but the purist in me says that you don't need it. They are delicious just as they are. Fun local festival. We just found ourselves getting bored after about an hour, but I'd still go back another day for more food. $3 for access to the deliciousness is well worth it. read more

My first girlfriend in the 4th grade was Greek. I used to get invited to eat over her house all the time and oh man how I lived her mama's cooking and besides that she had the biggest boobs in the 5th grade (I was younger) so since then I loved most all things Greek. Opa! Another fun year at the Greek fest at St. Johns. If you've never been, you are missing out on some good eats, music and a great time. So follow me here on this Mediterranean journey to learn how to get your own inner Greek on. Greek Fest by the numbers. 1) Parking generally sucks so catch a shuttle from the Buena Park Wal-Mart up the street. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/walmart-buena-park?select=KPdzbfYKb7hJR5LZ4eIMsg#tLgaPXWQK4yOE_oCUl0jiw 2) Pay the $3 buck admission and head straight to the beer line towards the back side. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/oc-greek-fest-st-johns-greek-festival-anaheim?select=R9r7txpRNjAVx4wH9XmzSQ#CcvJBMEIBehYfXhunFr7hw Do not stop and look at the many vendor booths that will come later. 3) Get beer then head to your right towards the pastry booth. Its huge you can't miss it! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/oc-greek-fest-st-johns-greek-festival-anaheim?select=R9r7txpRNjAVx4wH9XmzSQ#CcvJBMEIBehYfXhunFr7hw 4) Pound your beer while looking at the mega Greek desert and pastry booth not far from the beer booth. Make mental note on what ones to buy later. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/oc-greek-fest-st-johns-greek-festival-anaheim?select=R9r7txpRNjAVx4wH9XmzSQ#hGTC_8DQvv8rw_1QJ9iGAw 5) Return to beer booth. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/oc-greek-fest-st-johns-greek-festival-anaheim?select=R9r7txpRNjAVx4wH9XmzSQ#CcvJBMEIBehYfXhunFr7hw Repeat as required. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/oc-greek-fest-st-johns-greek-festival-anaheim?select=R9r7txpRNjAVx4wH9XmzSQ#sP2GI48RJrKQaUNRVEXwsg 6) Go scope out the food booths for something that fly's your flag. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/oc-greek-fest-st-johns-greek-festival-anaheim?select=R9r7txpRNjAVx4wH9XmzSQ#YIkGSZbgFJdNriIFsHRBHA http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/oc-greek-fest-st-johns-greek-festival-anaheim?select=R9r7txpRNjAVx4wH9XmzSQ#SwXrlNu-vFr-yHKE67M0VQ Go for the Mega Gyros, http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/oc-greek-fest-st-johns-greek-festival-anaheim?select=R9r7txpRNjAVx4wH9XmzSQ#u9CJfvsfYcLJpNgVLYOZ1w Kabobs, http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/oc-greek-fest-st-johns-greek-festival-anaheim?select=R9r7txpRNjAVx4wH9XmzSQ#5cIYeUNO0VbRvA-Bbrw-Kw Lamb http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/oc-greek-fest-st-johns-greek-festival-anaheim?select=R9r7txpRNjAVx4wH9XmzSQ#J8mo3i5okL2NFCHmicO6Vg Yum! 7) Greek wine is more your style? Got it! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/oc-greek-fest-st-johns-greek-festival-anaheim?select=R9r7txpRNjAVx4wH9XmzSQ#hsXSwKEVkm2Kd-fSRI0a6A 8) Go shopping at the many vendor booths for jewelry http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/oc-greek-fest-st-johns-greek-festival-anaheim?select=R9r7txpRNjAVx4wH9XmzSQ#sI2MUkziBul2RKS2O3ZZ1A Art http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/oc-greek-fest-st-johns-greek-festival-anaheim?select=R9r7txpRNjAVx4wH9XmzSQ#DQBEoGiHKIXaaIWCjPqvIw scarfs http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/oc-greek-fest-st-johns-greek-festival-anaheim?select=R9r7txpRNjAVx4wH9XmzSQ#QrMuBZix2KOvEm7PuunWPw and belly dancing clothes http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/oc-greek-fest-st-johns-greek-festival-anaheim?select=R9r7txpRNjAVx4wH9XmzSQ#X_QDC3P3Vz-LYCP7GIHPTw 9) Now you've got you're ensemble Its time to dance baby! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/oc-greek-fest-st-johns-greek-festival-anaheim?select=R9r7txpRNjAVx4wH9XmzSQ#qjV-TEY4bf3Sq3AtdC70oA http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/oc-greek-fest-st-johns-greek-festival-anaheim?select=R9r7txpRNjAVx4wH9XmzSQ#39q2dB5YBQjC9gxikZKtMQ 10) Grab a Greek Mojito to cool yourself down after the dancing http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/oc-greek-fest-st-johns-greek-festival-anaheim?select=R9r7txpRNjAVx4wH9XmzSQ#hZ2Jbsh9l8spwXHXA4LOtQ http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/oc-greek-fest-st-johns-greek-festival-anaheim?select=R9r7txpRNjAVx4wH9XmzSQ#DMdNoT4SwOrY6ScuTgxp-A So Yummy! 11) By now you may be getting hungry again, so venture inside to the bistro. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/oc-greek-fest-st-johns-greek-festival-anaheim?select=R9r7txpRNjAVx4wH9XmzSQ#OBMUEGeofFInyxH0Fw2uSA Huge portions http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/oc-greek-fest-st-johns-greek-festival-anaheim?select=R9r7txpRNjAVx4wH9XmzSQ#TatBo9n_zgAHuSOtLHF0ow The Greek Roast Beef was so tender and delish! 12) Got kids?? http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/oc-greek-fest-st-johns-greek-festival-anaheim?select=R9r7txpRNjAVx4wH9XmzSQ#rmWa_YBQqTwM1fnHv0V6Kw carnie rides too! I was too full to ride! 13) Return to the pastry booth to get your sweets before you go. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/oc-greek-fest-st-johns-greek-festival-anaheim?select=R9r7txpRNjAVx4wH9XmzSQ#zcvjGsffzK3iQyvh7e40kA A fun time for sure I'll be back! Opa! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/oc-greek-fest-st-johns-greek-festival-anaheim?select=R9r7txpRNjAVx4wH9XmzSQ#uSY0dcjwu7RwT-nlfsq3 read more

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When summer rolls nearby, festivals selling tasty and really unhealthy street food start popping up everywhere. I had never been to a Greek festival, so we decided to check this one out this year after seeing the Yelp event listing. It also helped that it was free admission with an online printout. With all the traffic around the area, we took the big tour bus shuttle from the Wal-Mart parking lot. It was those nice luxury buses too, but some old yellow school bus either. I thought everything went pretty smoothly, as we didn't have to deal with the hassles of finding parking around the neighborhood, which looked really congested. We got dropped off in the front entrance, and we were snacking on tasty Greek food in no time. I've got a bit of a sweet tooth, so the Loukoumathes really hit the spot. Crispy, glazed and sweet on the outside, it gave way to a soft interior the moment I bit into it. They pile on so much on your little tray, that one of them dropped to the ground. Much to the chagrin of some lady walking by, she said "awwww!" The feta fries, or potato chips, were good. While walking around checking out other things, we couldn't stop snacking on it. It was gone in no time. We also tried some of the other homemade Greek dishes in back area of the gym. The food was pretty inconsistent, some too salty, and some too bland. Overall, fun to check out but not sure we would return on a yearly basis. read more

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I have lived in Orange County all my life, but I can't believe I did not know about this event until 2014. This is my second year coming, and I must say that this is a great local community event. Upon paying your admission and entering the festival, you will see a good selection of vendors selling jewelry, clothing, and local products. After making your way past all the vendors, you will see the stage where the atmosphere is lively with traditional folk music, dancing, and pure joy. Next, you get to the food. The smell of yummy fresh grilled lamb chops, kabob and gyro fills the air. There is a good selection of food options - a la carte meats or dinner plates. There are also snacks and appetizers like fresh cut feta fries and calamari. Of course, there is also a wide selection of grandma's Greek desserts. For all you adults, there is alcohol here as well! Now that you have filled your stomach with a lot of Greek food, you will continue on to the carnival area with the typical games and rides. This isn't a bad way to spend a couple hours or half a day, right? Parking is plentiful at the Wal-Mart at Buena Park Downtown, and there is a free shuttle behind Wal-Mart. The shuttle is pretty quick and efficient. Alternatively, you can try to find parking in the neighborhood if you want to waste your time. Don't complain about the event being small and boring. Like I said, this is a local community event. The food is a bit pricey, but that is expected at a festival. That being said, you need to keep your expectation on the food quality to be at the fair/festival level, not fine dining level. If you are a local and have not been to this event before, it is never too late. There is always next year! read more

This year (2012) was my first time attending this festival. I had always heard about it in recent years, and used to drive by it during other years, but never went before. Let's just say I'm glad I made the decision to go this year! This fest may not have been to the same extent as the O.C. Fair, but it was still a nice cultural experience nonetheless. I don't know all that much about Greek culture, so it was interesting to try out some of their foods as well as listen to the live band playing Greek music. It was cool seeing many people dancing as well, especially the cute little toddlers with their traditional Greek outfits! I arrived right around their opening time (12PM on a Saturday), and there wasn't many people there yet, so I was able to avoid the lines at the food booths. I tried out two of their pastries (bummer, I don't remember the names of the pastries right now), and they were both delicious. One of them was a sort of apricot tart, and the other was basically a ginger spice cake. They were each $2, which wasn't bad at all. The other foods, on the other hand, cost quite a lot, such as the sandwiches and chicken kabobs. It was about $7 for the chicken kabob alone, served with bread. I saw an entire meal would cost someone over $10. The money goes to a great cause though, but unfortunately, I just couldn't afford it this time around. Maybe next year! Because the food looked amazing! In regards to food still though, there was also a dining hall type place beside the church where there was another variety of foods as well. You could either eat in there or just go out to the tables they had set up right outside, which was a nice environment as well due to the surrounding beautiful architecture of the church and other buildings. This festival had tons of clothing, jewelry, and other accessories on display for sale as well - ESPECIALLY jewelry. The fact that I was running into jewelry vendors everywhere I looked was crazy, but I'm sure not complaining. The jewelry were so beautiful, and ranged from $5 to $20 as far as affordable to okay prices goes; $40+ on the more pricier side. There were tons of belly dancing attire for sale as well, which was cool. At the festival, visitors can get a tour of the Greek Orthodox Church there itself. I did not get a chance to take part, but I did check out the insides of the church on my own a few hours before then. It is gorgeous inside! All in all, I had a nice time here and I wouldn't mind going again next year or so. I suggest people check it out next year! Admission wasn't so bad either. It's $4 per person, and if you bring in a coupon of theirs (which you can find at their web site, or from the local newspaper) you only have to pay $2. read more

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Insanely expensive food! Geez. $20 for a lamb plate? $11 for a gyro? Set up was clean with plenty of tables but that was about it. Not very much food and what was offered was repetitive. Shopping was small and also redundant. Desserts were numerous but also very similar to each other. Lamb plate was $20 and came with three lamb chops and sides of impossibly salty salad and rice. The lamb was good though, but not worth $20. The Gyro was not real. The "meat" was frozen and formed into flat ikea style cut outs which were thrown on the grill to defrost then tossed into a pita. Taste was what you'd expect in an airport eatery. My favorite of the day was a custard filled filo dough dessert. I forget the name but it's in the photos somewhere. But at $4 a piece, I had to curb my enthusiasm. Won't be going again though I'm glad I did go once. It's just too expensive. I'll make lamb home or I'll go to a proper Greek restaurant to get gyro. read more

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This was my first time ever coming here. Not something to rave about, maybe I missed something? We printed out the free tickets, good thing because it was NOT worth even $3 in my opinion. I saw a bunch of dancing in circles, which was cool, but 1 was enough for me. The pastry area looked cool. We tried some 2 for $1 cookies that tasted like dry gingerbread cookies. Then we tried some $2 cake that tasted like banana nut bread, it was good. Everything looked home made. Then it was off to try the food. Expensive!!! I was trying to find something i can't get at Daphne's Greek. Feta Fries for $6 it was. Interesting. It looked like potato chips but was a bit thicker so it still tasted like potatoes with lots of feta cheese on top. it was good, not great, but good and different. Everything else was expensive! margaritas were half price $3 when we came. Now I know why, they're like slushies, but I barely tasted any alcohol and didn't even get a tiny buzz off it. it might as well have been a slurpee with a margarita sign slapped on it to charge extra. it probably was There were barely any rides. My friend convinced me to go on the ferris wheel looking ride that spins you upside down a ton of times. I'm not into those rides, so I got a bit sick off it. too much spinning and upside downess for me. if you like that sort of thing, then this is one crazy ride! i think it's called kamikaze. The operator was funny, he said,"oh i'll help you." then he just spun us some more haha $1.25 per ticket, most rides are 3-4 tickets. stuff to buy-i didn't see anything interesting except for the Greece paintings with the pretty blues and oranges that made me want to go to greece. I missed the church tour because we had just bought our margaritas :) read more

OC Greekfest - opah! - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Anaheim, California

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Just got back from here today. It was an ok experience. We parked at the Buena Park Mall and was shuttled over to the festival. It didn't take the shuttle that long to get to the church, where the festival was located. We had coupons so admission was free. The festival is very small, compared to others I've been to. There was one main area with tables, music, and food. The rides were located next to that area in a very gravelly, rocky lot. The food was just ok, nothing special about it. I got the feta fries and the gyro. I was expecting french fries with feta cheese on top or maybe something different, but instead it was potato chips with feta cheese on top. It was $6 or $7 for a plate, same as the gyro. The gyro itself was lacking flavor. I just tasted like marinated meat on a pita bread. Next, we went into the dining hall and got a plate of chicken, lamb kebab, and spinach (pastry type item). The lamb kebab was chewy and dry. Hard to swallow. The chicken was also dry. I paid $20 for that plate. Overall, the food was eh. Nothing special, but it was expensive. The festival was small and did not have a variety of booths or stands that other festivals have, but it is a small local event so I guess you can't expect much. read more

3 stars Great fun with super food. They had everything you would expect from a Greek Festival including Gyros, Souvlaki, Kabobs, various lamb dishes, Baklava, Dilpes, Greek beer and "Margaritas" (Yes campers, you read correctly.) They also served Greek coffee - right down to the mixture strong enough for the swizzle stick to stand vertical and hot enough to blister skin! It is in the back parking lot of a Greek Orthodox church which gives the whole thing a very homey feel and very clean. On the other hand, parking stinks. You either park at the local Sears store and they bus you in or park a few blocks away in the neighborhood across the street. read more

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I look forward to the O.C. Greek Festival and St. John's every year. I don't really care about the shopping or dancing. Really, I just go for the food. Once through the gate, I always head for the Loukoumades booth. Such a simple treat, but so good. I generally there with family, so we'll spend some time walking around, possibly shopping a little, or watching some the the dancing. We have no little kids, so we stay away from the game area. As we're about to leave, we stock up on some food. We always visit the Gyro booth, bringing a few home for later. The Gyros are just a little better than average. We then go through the dining hall. We almost always end up getting Moussaka, Pastitsio, Greek Chicken, and Baklava. All of their food is okay. Even mediocre Pastitsio and Baklava have a special place in my heart though. I just enjoy the time with family and Greek food. This year I also tried Feta Fries for the first time. I loved these, so they'll be on my radar henceforth. read more

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OPA-OPA! The annual OC Greek Fest at St. John's Greek Church was great! I attended the 2010 OC Greek Fest at St. John's Greek Church. It was a Greek foodie fest, offering everything from homemade Greek baklavas, dishes, and wine; to even Greek music, art/jewelry and clothing. The fest also offered carnival rides for the kiddies, teens, and adults. This event happens annually and helps the church financial, but the fest also gives the community and foodie enthusiast a chance to sample some of the best homemade baklava (made by the sweet, Greek church ladies) and vegetable dishes. Their are a number of vendors selling chip-cut French fries topped with feta cheese ($6). This delight was not for me. I like my fries with garlic powder and plain salt, but I tried them and ate 1/4 of the feta fries. I did sample a Gyro from the stand vendors ($7), which was no different then the Gyros at Daphne's Greek Cafe. Mediocre at best. The draw was the churches homemade Greek dishes, served in the church's gymnasium. The church followers serve up homemade Greek dishes, like lamb kabob platters with Mediterranean rice and Greek salad, to a vegetable medley stew which was the best. They also had a really nice Greek Shepard's pie with mashed potatoes and ground beef which was tasty. Now, the Greek dishes were a little salty and too hardy for me. They left me bypassing dinner and heading for a bottle of Tums in the evening. But it was a nice experience to say the least. I learned about Greek cooking from the free cooking class offered. I also learned how to do the Greek dance. Nice fest! Tip: 1. In 2011, park at the Buena Park Mall, over by the Wal-Mart parking lot and take the charter bus/shuttle to the Greek Fest, to avoid paying for parking. You also won't have to deal with the hassle of searching for a parking spot near the church. Its impossible to park close to the church. Plus, the charter buses are great at getting you back and forth to the event. 2. Avoid the Greek food stands on the church's parking lot and hit up the food in the church gymnasium first. You will find better, traditional Greek foods in the gymnasium. 3. Wear comfy shoes and take a hat/sunscreen. 4. Save room for some baklava -- you have to try it. It was really good. 5. Enjoy yourself! Opa!!! read more

Ah Greek Fest the time of the year where anyone can get there Greek on. I've been coming every year for the past 3 years and it's a blast. To start things off they have a very nifty shuttle that takes you from an offsite parking lot to the front gates all for free! No more crawling through traffic and looking for spots. Secondly admission is only $2 bucks if you print out an online ticket which is a great price and goes to a great cause you can't go wrong with that. There's so much to do there from rides for the kids, shopping from the various vendors, church tours, cigar bars, and finally the food which is the main reason why I go. To all the haters out there complaining about the price of food ITS FOR A GOOD CAUSE and probably the only fundraiser the church does. It's really sad when people bitch and moan about a church function. Anyhoo I can't wait for this year's Greek Fest to get my grub on and don't forget to purchase your ticket online to save $$$$ read more

An interesting event. The music was really enjoyable and it was fun to watch everyone dancing. The food was a bit expensive, but that tends to be the norm at events like these (but we were given a wrong item so we ended up paying the price of a large gyros for a small chicken pita - not fun). The donuts, however, were incredible as was the Greek beer. We found a $1 off coupon on the event website which was nice. If you don't count the fair/carnival portion of the event (which, we didn't), the even it fairly small. That said, in addition to enjoying the music and food and visiting the vendors, you can also visit the church which is gorgeous. read more

This was an awesome place to check out on a wonderful sunny day. Thanks to Aaron L. for joining me on a journey to Greek food. We started off by checking out the cooking demo. The owner of Fascari in Anaheim Hills showed us how to make Greek yogurt and Tzatziki sauce. Very cool! We then journeyed over to check out the food. The gyros ($7) were by far the best deal! We also tried the feta fries "Greek style" ($6) which were yummy fried potatoes with feta and Greek oregano. I was so full by the end. Luckily there were beers available for consumption. Lastly, we wandered over to the dessert booth for some Greek dessert. We settled on the Galactobouriko which is custard baked in phyllo dough with honey ($3). Awesome! I was in a bit of a food coma afterward but it was worth it. The festival has vendors and tons of live entertainment. The admission is $3 but you can print a coupon from the website to enter for free. Definitely check it out. read more

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Does anyone know of any legit Greek singles dating sites? Man oh MAN do I wanna marry into a Greek family! HELP ME OUT HERE :) After nursing a fairly medium-intensity hangover throughout the earlier part of the day, my brother and I made it here without incident -- no traffic, easy parking, quick shuttle (no waiting!), cool weather -- but unlike last year we decided to keep the alcohol out of the equation. Which for us is code for..... more pastries!!! In no particular order, and knowingly engaging in overpayment for what we were getting, here's our evening menu: Spanakopita (spinach phyllo feta pie): YUMZ. Always my first stop! $3 per slice, so prepare yourself for that wallet pillaging. Greek coffee: If you're gonna indulge in the sweets, of ANY kind, this is a must. Don't get it sweetened. Just don't. And beware the bottom. $3 and much more effective than crack you'd get for the same amount. Diples: It's like diet baklava, but it looks a lot more dramatic. Just a touch of honey, almonds, and cinnamon sprinkled on thin dough layers. Karidopita: If you like spice cake, you will LOVE this, and the honey drizzle definitely complements the flavors. Yia-Yia's cookies: PERRRFECT with the Greek coffee! A bit tough and seemingly bland at first... but dip in the coffee and BOOM goes the dynamite! Gyro: Although many here complain that the patties are kind of generic, I just like that they are flavored well. Plus the bread/wrap is amaaazingly grilled :) Feta Fries: I like the way that the potatoes are halfway between Lay's potato chips and actual fries. Some people don't dig that, but I think they make perfect scoops for the nicely seasoned feta. And of course the star of the show: LOUKOUMATHES!!! Accept no imitations, my friends. These donut-like balls of deep fried heaven are freshly made and tossed in the lightest of honey-based syrups and then gently dusted with a touch of cinnamon. OMG. I live for these things and anybody who misses out on this is ridiculous for doing so! Life isn't life without REAL loukoumathes... Yeah things are overpriced, and perhaps it's not as large as many would expect. But it's free to get in, there's yummy-licious people watching (I am dead serious about Greek people -- young, old, man, woman, whatever -- THEY ARE SUCH HOTTT PEOPLE!), and there's just something so positive and infectious about a good old-fashioned Greek festival. See you next year for sure :) OPA!!! read more

this review is for the 2006 festival but their 2007 festival is approaching so take note! this festival is so organized, they truly know what they are doing and they do it well. they offer free parking and shuttle service at buena park mall - park behind or next to wal-mart! shuttles were very clean, drivers were friendly and it seemed like as soon as one pulled out, one pulled in. we climbed on one and the ride was less than 2 minutes, we got dropped off right in front of the church gates and paid our $3 admission. they give you a souvenir program but we followed the music. once you get to the back area, there's a stage setup with a live band, tables all over the place and tents with food vendors to one side and on the other side arts & crafts. the food was very hot, fresh and delicious and prices were reasonable - BRING CASH THOUGH! i can't recall everything we bought but we found out there was a dining hall inside that had MORE FOOD & DESSERTS! it was hard to find a table but we ended up sitting next to a very nice greek family that smiled and made small talk with us. we bought a plate of rice, pastichio [the greek version of lasagna], chicken and lamb kabobs. i didn't like the lamb but i'm sure its good. it was tender from what i can remember. everyone seemed like they were having a good time, i thought the environment was very lively and inviting - loved the music and hospitality! they surely made us greek festival fans!!! see you there this year! read more

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I went. I went. I went. Like I said I would. I've been going to this for years. I missed last year's, mostly because I don't plan for it, but this year, I didn't go alone, I went with some guy and his cousin and we had a rockin' time. There's food for sale outside. Beware of Loukoumathes, the greek version of donut holes, bathed in syrupy honey and peppered with cinnamon. Beware of the greek staples likes spanakopita and moussaka. Beware the pastry table with all sorts of pastries to take home. I was disappointed because they ran out of some stuff including the infamous baklava. Serves me right for coming late. There was live music, dancing, things for sale, and church tours. Yes, the venue is a Greek Orthodox Church. That doesn't matter. The music and the dancing shows they know how to party hardy! The one thing I noticed was how steep the prices were on things, but hey, the money goes to improve the church and the nice things they do for the community. Hey, I'm all for that. My 60 bucks disappeared in the 90 mins we were here. The guy I'm with lost his money too at the pastry table. So did the pretty lady that came with us, again at the pastry table. You would think it was a craps table. The next time this Festival rolls around, make a point in going, okay? read more

I have to say that St. John's Greek Festival is a must and am terribly sad that I hadn't made it up to one until just this year! I mean, all those years of missing out on the succulent lamb and all those wonderful desserts? Those are years I'll never get back! Anyway, enough with the dramatics. Needless to say, my friends and I had a wonderful time there. The festival grounds are filled with food, beer, and music - I really couldn't think of a better way to have spent that warm evening. Mind you, this attitude was a complete 180 turn around from the moment I stepped foot onto the grounds. Slightly hungover and incredibly hungry, I was not exactly in the best of moods but I shot into the festival like a man on a mission. All the merchandise for sale and what not, was I'm sure, nice, but I wouldn't have a clue. I made my way to where the beer and food was. Once at the beer concession stand, we were all pleasantly surprised to find that they had Torrey Pines IPA, which we all got. Right after priority number one was fulfilled, I found myself a delicious lamb dinner with rice pilaf, salad, and a piece of bread (all for $11). The lamb was a bit gamey, as lamb usually is, but it was delicious with a squeeze of lemon. Afterwards, I ran and grabbed a plate of feta fries. Yes, fried potatoes with feta cheese crumbles...I couldn't think of anything that would go better with beer than that! By this point, I was thoroughly full, but we could not just leave without tasting the desserts. Of all the desserts I had, I have to say that the loukoumathes were my absolute favorite. Just thinking of them now makes my mouth water...they're other worldly! I mean, I swear they put crack in that honey! Paired with a cup of strong coffee I pretty much devoured the lot of the crispy honey glazed treats. Having stuffed my stomach to a point where breathing was labored and walking or standing was just not an option, I was able to take in the music, the people, the ambience. It was all wonderful and I'll definitely be back next year! read more

Why St. John's Greek festival deserves my 5 star rating: 1.) Freshly made Loukoumades ($5) (these sweet treats are super yummy but I can only eat about 5 of them before I get sick of them....kind of like the feeling I get after eating a krispy kreme glazed donut). FYI one order can be shared with about 3 ppl. 2.) Homemade greek desserts running from $1-3! 3.) Feta fries ($6). The "fries" were more potato-chip like but they were still delicious!! The gyros ($7)were just okay....could have used a little bit more tahini/yogurt sauce but the meat was cooked just right! They also have beer/mixed drinks. You should bring your own water because it was $2/bottle there. We got free bins for our used oil and funnels from the Anaheim Police Dept. stand there. Will try to make visits to this festival an annual tradition from now on. read more

My first time to the OC Greek Festival. It was quite interesting. The festival itself is a bit smaller than others I've been to. There are plenty of vendor booths and food galore. Everything from gyros to baklava. The gyros were tasty and HUGE. I was a little worried because for $7 I thought I would get a small insufficiently stuffed gyro, but to my amazement it was filled with meat and vegis. Delicious. It's $3 to get into the festival, but if you go online to their website you can print out a form for FREE admission. read more

I learned about this one on Facebook. I was going to go to the one in Irvine in June, but this one came up suddenly. And I like good Greek food. I printed out some free admission tickets and headed here with my daughter Saturday evening after work. Parking looked tough. I drove around the church's block once. Daughter: There's no parking. Let's go to Portillo's instead. Me: (Ignoring daughter) After a quick U-turn, we parked half a block away from the church, on the street. Easy button easy. First mistake - arriving hungry. Me: I see a lamb chop sign and smoke in the distance. Let's go there. Daughter: No. Let's go HERE - to the cooking demo. Me: I'm hungry, but I guess I won't faint just yet. We wait in line for the inside cafeteria. Daughter inspects the food and looks for signs of the cooking demo. Daughter: food's on steam tables. It's going to be fresher outside. Me: Rawr! The line's moving. Daughter: I want a kebab! Second mistake - listening to daughter. I give in. We go out and wait in the long, sluggish line for kebabs. I'm trapped behind this giant of a man who insists on holding the line back so tipsy people can pass freely in front of him. He keeps putting his hands on his hips and scanning the area, apparently proud that he has used his bulk to provide safe passage for margaritas and pitas. Daughter: I want a lamb chop instead! That's $13 - $8 more than the kebab, but comes with feta fries, which look good. Fine. We get her food and return to the inside cafeteria, because I really wanted spanakopita, and I saw none outside. A drunk guy offers my daughter $5 for each of her lamb chops. The line moves slowly, so we're stuck listening to his drunken blandishments. His friends are also drunk, but not as out-spoken. Finally, I get the lamb chunks, spanakopita, and tiropita. The line still moves slowly. The servers move slowly. Even the cashier moves at a snail's pace. I pay my $11 and we head out to gnash at our food. The lamb chunks are superb, tangy and well-flavored, and fresh. I taste my daughter's lamb chop. It's alright. We both preferred my lamb. (Take THAT, daughter!) The spanakopita was amazing. The crust was flaky, and filled with plenty of cheesy spinach. Oh, I wanted another. But I still had a tiropita (cheese only) on my plate. That wasn't as good. It was cheesy enough, and normally I prefer tiropitas over spanakopitas, but this spana was TOOOO good. Meanwhile, my daughter has finished her lamb chops and is not enjoying her fries. I pop one in my mouth. I mean, the fries look so good, with heaps of feta piled on them. Wow! THAT'S what empty calories taste like - like AIR!!!!!!!! What a revelation. We dump the feta fries in the trash. Daughter: I'm thirsty. Third mistake - leaving the bottles of water in the car. I don't do sugared or diet drinks, and I actually like water. I get her the $2 soda. Daughter: We missed the cooking demo. (It was at 5. I was still at work at 5. Oh well.) Me: Wanna see the kids' area? Daughter: Okay. Not enthusiastic at all. The kids' area is annexed off the main activity. We look at the rides, but don't partake. They have $3 hot dogs in there, though. They look good. My daughter gets some round cookies covered in powdered sugar. I bypass the desserts. There's a great variety, though, far beyond baklavas. They looked really good. If you're a dessert fan, there's a good variety, and it's reasonably priced. Happily satiated, we head out. There's now a long line of people waiting to get in. Most of them have the free tix. I see a guy, all by himself, about to pull money out of hs wallet. I shove my extra free ticket at him. He says thanks. Woohoo. I saved a stranger $3. read more

TOTALLY AWESOME! My family and I first discovered this little jewel of a festival last year and I'm so happy we did. I think I became Greek for the few hours I spent there. Okay, maybe I didn't but the whole ambiance helped. I wonder what my Greek name would be? EVERYTHING is delicious. The food was so bombass that if I didn't fill up my plate with whatever looked edible then I would have failed. I even tried the Greek alcohol. Seriously, what is in that stuff? I almost died and I didn't think that being inebriated at a church function would not be appropriate (I'm not Lutheran, just kidding)! We took our little cousins and they loved the place. There was a kid section which was practically a corral but very efficient because it kept the kids in an easy to supervise area. The free transportation to the festival from the Wal-Mart parking lot was awesome. It helped ease the congestion that comes along with this type of festival as well as heavy police presence. Definitely, will be back! read more

This festival rocks! Granted, I came on opening night so it wasn't too crowded, and we were able to score parking right in front without having to take a shuttle. Great gyros, yummy desserts, you can't go wrong here. Also, there is more food inside the hall so if you don't like lamb, there are beef and chicken dishes. Oh, and do try the doughnut holes...starts with an "L", so yummy! Plan to bring about $50 in cash for food for two people. Also, ladies, they have a ton of jewelry for sale here, and a lot of it is gorgeous stuff, so plan to bring some cash if you want jewelery. You can find a nice piece ranging from $ 10.00 and up. I had a blast, good music, nice people, clean facilities, plenty of chairs, great job OC Greek Fest! read more

This was my 2nd time coming to Greek Fest. It was well worth it each time. I mainly come here for the delicious & authentic good food. There were several attractions for the kiddos. Entertainment of live Greek music, DJ, & Greek dance school kids performances. The church itself is gorgeous & very Gaudy. On to the food. Best gyro's ever. Large enough to share. Their feta fries are not to be missed crunchy salty goodness. The dessert staple to get here is the fried dough balls soaked in honey called " Loukoumathes". You can smell the fresh dough & see it being made in front of you. Fried to perfection the scent lingers throughout the entire festival. Try a Baklava as well as it is Very Greek. Plenty of seating around & it does get hot so where sunscreen! The Greek Beer & some Greek olives were a delicious Aperitifo for the afternoon. As a snack try the tripota & spanakopita were both delicious flakey & buttery. Filling of cheese was plentiful for both. Vendors are few with the grocery goods, but plenty of jewelry & scarves & interesting knick knacks for all. Cell phone service depending on your provider was terrible here for internet FYI. read more

First time this year ... been wanting to go to any Greek Festival in the area (there are few) ... this was smaller than I expected, however enjoyed taking in the culture. The food was okay - tried the lamb skewer dinner; thought the lamb would have more flavor, bit disappointed. I liked the fries with feta, that was different. Tried a few of the pastries; yia yia's cookies, baklava and the triangle type dessert partially dip in chocolate was my favorite. One helpful hint; bring your own water - they charge $2.00 for a small bottle !! That's ridiculous!! While enjoying the food; we were lucky enough to find a table; lots of people watching - the best part was watching the older generation Greek dancing. If you go next year - don't forget to print out your coupon ticket, so you get in free, otherwise it's $3.00. As you enter you are greeted by Dimitri who welcomes you to Greece - Anaheim style (that was cute!) I'll go back next year, and check out the food in the dining hall (didn't realize there was more meal options). read more

(This is actually a review for the St John's "Taste of Greece" in Irvine - but I believe they are essentially part of the same Greek Orthodox ministry - prices and food are similar.) I realize this is a community church, and they're raising funds for missions, etc, etc, but I can only honestly give this 2 stars - mainly based on their high prices. Be aware - there is a $3 per person up-front admission fee. Other prices include, $7 for a small gyro the size of my palm. $6 for a piece of "flaming" fried cheese. $13 for some lamb and fries. $2 per can of soft drink or water. $3 per small baklava. $5 for a chicken skewer was probably the best deal. $5 for some fried Greek donuts. Bottom line - the fairs are well-organized (including parking shuttle service), and the food it pretty good. But, there is similar and cheaper Greek food available all around OC. That said, it's a great opportunity to support the community and the Greek Orthodox missions. read more

This was one of the most organized festivals I have been to in a long while! The set-up was great, the band and music area was set-up in the middle along with lot's of chairs and food/wine stands surrounding it. What I loved about this set-up was that the kids rides was completely seperate from the food and wine sections...I don't mind kids but I just felt that they could have their fun as well without being bored in more an adult atmosphere... The Gyros and Souvlakia dinner was great....I also had some of their Greek wine, very tastey everyone was so nice I wish I could've done both days...but I'm definitely planning on their next event! Had a great time "OPA"!!! :) read more

Yikes, I kinda feel bad because I LOVE this festival, but I cannot possibly give it more than 3 stars. =/ Every single person who works in the food/shopping section is incredibly friendly. They are super helpful and answer everything with patience. I usually only eat the loukoumades, but this year I got my Greek on a lil' more. :) My bf and I hit up the pastries, and I was NOT disappointed. Although the hot commodity was the baklava, we were more interested in the other pastries. I cannot for the life of me remember the names but one was a spongey, walnut cake filled with custard and topped with coconut shavings...WOW. The other was a chocolately dessert made with phyllo and topped with walnuts. This one was just "okay". We got both of these pieces for $5. If it was just based on the desserts and people itself, this festival would get 10 stars! But my 3 star rating comes from the fact that all of the snacks/dishes have lamb. And I know it's a staple in Greek culture, but I wish they had something with chicken or beef. =/ Ah, well at least my bf enjoyed his lamb gyro. =\ Another reason for the the 3 stars was the rides. That area is just so sad. :( There are hardly any rides and we all know those ride workers/travelers are all creepy as heck. =\ Besides all this, I still plan on returning in upcoming years. The people and desserts are just too awesome. OPPPAAA!! read more

I HAD THE BEST TIME TODAY AT THE GREEK FESTIVAL!! This is my 2nd year going and once again I had a blast. Everyone from game vendors to food vendors are all really nice! Everybody there has a happy, friendly spirit that makes being there all the more better :) This festival is so great for kids & adults! There's clothing and jewelery vendors... many different carnival games, about 10 different rides including a rollercoaster, bumper cars, merry-go-round, ferris wheel, etc. There's many different choices of pastries & menu items to choose from as well! The best part of all is that there is a free shuttle bus ride to and from the Buena Park mall to the Greek festival so that people do not have to walk or be inconvenienced. (Keep in mind the carnival is $3 to get in UNLESS you go to the website and print out a FREE ticket to get in :-) read more

Yet another successful Greek fest! Everything was as delicious as ever. Most things were in the same locations as prior years which made it easier to B line straight for your favorite booths...in my case gyros and beer! The lamb chops and feta fries were better than last year, if that's possible. My only complaint is that the prices have gone up each year, without justification it seems. Don't get me wrong, I'm definitely a fan, but to turn a bigger profit on a product that hasn't changed and in an economy that's down, simply because a year has passed is, dare I say, exploitative of the market your fest depends on? read more

Great fun and great F O O D!! This was the best planned church festival that I had ever seen,,,easy parking,,then a large bus to get you to the venue,,,The dancing was good and there was plenty of seating and authentic Greek food,,! Great attitude by all of the volunteers working in the hot sun,,,and they even made fast correct change! My only regret was not going on consecutive days to try a few more goodies and to enjoy the festivities,,Security and cleanliness were top priorities here,,,great family fun with a welcoming vibe for all!! Mark your calendars for next year!! read more

Went on Sunday around 3:30PM. Took 2 younger female cousins, one visiting from Florida with me. Followed directions and parked by Sears in the Buena Park Mall and the shuttle bus to the church where the festival was being held. Piece of cake. Had the free admission tix and entered. That's when I made my first mistake (well it turned out well, but). The girls wanted to drink so they got wristbands. I didn't intend to as I had a hangover and was going to bypass, but at the last minute decided to get the damn evil wristband. I had left my ID in the car, but the lady believed me and even encouraged me to drink a little. Met up with a fellow Yelper and after paying to have the girl's faces painted strolled in to check out the festivities. Wasn't long before we ended up by the food stands and all being starved ordered. I had a gyro as did one of the girls and the rest ordered feta-fries. The food was decent, but I have to say that the gyro was disappointing being made from preformed spam-like meat patties and not even being carved off an Autodoner Kronos cone or authentic shawarma. The feta fries were good though. The girls decided to pay the $10 for the wine tasting (3 half cup samples) and myself nothing. When back at the table some women joined our group and one starting offering us all tastes of the glass of Ouzo she had. Strong licorice and alcohol taste and I was cooked. The girls went off wandering around with the other Yelper and I hung out at the table with our new found friends helping to finish the Ouzo. Well of course I had to offer to buy them some import beers after and they accepted. It was on then. After a few beers with everyone (the rest of my party had returned) having a great time and lots of laughs, we graduated to Jack Daniels shots with domestic beer chasers. Then it was Jack & Coke with more Ouzo shots being sold by waitresses in the food court. This went on for about 2 hours with everyone getting loose, enjoying the music and having a great time. One of the ladies who had joined us and myself kind of hit it off and things started getting interesting. Her friend and driver had to leave a little after 6PM so I offered to give her a ride home so she could take the shuttle and get her purse in her friend's car and come back after. She accepted and said we could probably have a few drinks at her place later. In the meantime my cousins wanted to leave and let me off the hook, by calling a friend who lived about a mile away who offered to drive them back to Lakewood where they were staying. Very convenient. Everyone left except for me, my new lady friend and the fellow Yelper. We hung out for about another hour or so drinking and eating a few lamb chops before I told my new friend that if we didn't leave soon I would be far too hammered to drive. So we said goodbye to my Yelper buddy and off we went. She only lived a few miles away and we picked up some Stolys for her casa. I don't need to go into details as readers can fill in the blanks, but I didn't end up getting home until after 6PM on Monday night. I had real fun time. The staff was super friendly and the transport very organized. They sold typical overpiced trinkets at many booths. I was disappointed with my gyro (and was even a little ill the next morning), but the lamb chops and other food was good. The bartenders poured heavy after proper tipping and beer was typically priced for this type of event. Music and dancing were pretty much non-stop. I also ran into a group several clients unexpectedly which made the event better for me. A strong 3 1/2 stars really only because of the gyros should have been made properly, but in my case 5 stars for how everything turned out. Thus my 4 star event rating read more