Had a fantastic lunch here last week. It's in a cute little shopping center that's basically there for locals. (Check out Bianchini's market while you're there.) It was a beautiful day so we sat on the patio. Service was fantastic. Attentive but not hovering. Fresh silverware and plates were replaced with each round which always makes me happy. Didn't have to ask for refills. Server was very knowledgeable on the menu. We had the spanakopita which was delicious, however I felt was lacking a little bit in seasoning. But I am a salt fiend. Then we had chicken souvlaki. It comes with a huge side salad, but I wanted fries. I was very happy with that decision because the fries are amazing. Overall, this is a great place to eat and fantastic service as well. If you happen to be in Portola Valley, give it a shot. read more

Was here for lunch today and had a subpar experience. The wait staff seemed to be overwhelmed and short fused. The service was gruff and sporadic with long periods where we did not hear from anyone. That definitely cast a pall on the food. It was a beautiful day and we sat outside and order a lot of food for the three of us. Everything from the dips to the lamb to the beet salad to the other items that we tried were just OK. I don't see myself coming back with this kind of service. read more

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Such great food! I loved dining here - all dishes tasted fresh and prepared well. Some things we enjoyed: Raw oysters with pink peppercorn sauce - delicious super fresh with a unique sauce 5/5 Grilled prawns (garides skaras) - suuuper good quality seafood, shishitos were a nice touch 5/5 Greek salad (horiatiki salata) - the tomatoes had a very thick skin and it wasn't balanced.. not enough cucumbers and too much cheese 4/5 French fries side - oil they were fried in wasn't the freshest but overall good taste 4/5 Grilled octopus (oktapodaki) - the best thing here! Perfectly tender paired with unique fava puree. Loved it 5/5 Bougatsa pastry - warm and not too sweet, just right 5/5 Mint tea - great! Berry Mocktail - loved it! I wasn't really hungry when I came here. But we cleared the plates because it was just so delicious. Also the service was very slow. Our dining experience was a little over 2 hours and we only ordered small plates, no mains. It worked in my favor to build up the appetite. This a slow dining experience, keep this in mind. I personally don't mind it if that expectation is there..I just enjoy the company, sit outdoors in fresh air, and have great food throughout the evening.. what's not to love. read more

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Great service. Food was served fast. Friendly waiters gave great recommendations . Highly recommend the Greek wines.

This is the second location for Taverna, smaller than the Palo Alto location and with a similar but not identical menu. Taverna Palo Alto has always been enjoyable so we've been excited to try this location. On weekdays, it's easy to find a spot but on weekends you likely should park in the back. It's much smaller than the Palo Alto location with about 1/2 the tables inside and 1/2 outside. Inside is deafening loud when it's full so keep that in mind. On a recent visit, we ordered drinks and then about 10 mins later ordered multiple appetizers and entrees to share but asked them to space out the food. The bar was clearly backed up as the drinks arrived after the appetizers which came all at once. Luckily, we were in no hurry but we noticed other diners were agitated. Zucchini cakes: Light and enjoyable, maybe a little more of the yoghurt. Greek meatballs: One of their signature dishes. Enjoyable as always. Greek fries: Eat them while they are hot. Very nicely seasoned. Grilled cheese sandwich: We ordered on a whim and it's the only item we've had we didn't really enjoy. Mostly bland. Moussaka: Served in a metal dish here as opposed to the ceramic one in Palo Alto. One diner swears it tasted less opulent (different lamb to beef ratio?). Still, one of my favorite entrees. Octopus salad: A polarizing dish. Most loved the grilled octopus but some were put off by the sheer volume of frisee. Lamb chops: Holy difference, Batman! I don't know if the kitchen made a mistake but the chops were easily double the portion size in Palo Alto. And still delicious. Chocolate mousse: Visually a small portion but decadent so plenty for two. The hazelnut praline makes the dish. Mezcal Marg: Excellent drink seemingly named after Mexico City (CDMX). A little smoky but not too heavy handed with the alcohol. Paper Plane: Always a crowd pleaser drink. This one is a touch sweeter than I like it but still good. Smallish selection of wines by the glass but I can vouch for the Rhys Pinot even though it's priced high. Various Yelpers complain about the service. It's probably not as crisp as it should be but I found the servers VERY friendly and helpful, perhaps a bit overwhelmed. Taverna Portola Valley is a welcome addition and conveniently located right off of 280. read more

Taverna - Desert menu (June 2025) - Greek Near Me - Portola Valley, California

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First time going here to this Portola Valley restaurant. Avgolemono soup was served lukewarm, not hot. Spanakopita was clearly "leftovers". Was soggy yet burned. Unfortunately, won't return. Much better options out there. read more

Taverna - Spanakopita. They served it soggy, yet burned. Clearly not fresh. - Greek Near Me - Portola Valley, California

Really great servers, chef gave us some fun samples of things to try. Really good options on the menu. The greek red wine is very good as well. Nice ambiance. read more

Enjoyed the authentic Greek food. Service z The food was great, representing Greek cuisine in a casual atmosphere. Delightful. The wine choices were very representative of Greek wines in the islands. The service was timely and thoughtful, making for an enjoyable meal. Ambiance was so typically Greek as well. read more

Wonderful place for brunch! For me, the omelette from the brunch menu with mushrooms was the highlight. As always, the traditional dolma leaves and gyro were excellent. The place feels brand new and fresh. They've also recently started serving bubbles -- I enjoyed a sparkling wine from Roederer Estate. Pro tip -- ask your server about specials that aren't on the menu. We had a watermelon and feta salad as a starter, and it was refreshing and unforgettable, setting the tone for the meal. read more

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Stumbled opón this place looking for a bite, it looked better then surrounding restaurants. Bright and airy where the others looked dark and cold. Good menu with the normal classic Greek foods. I got the spanakopita (sorry spelling) which were small because it was probably the appetizer version. Maybe I was wrong ordering or I expected a bigger portion. My girlfriend got the yogurt and berries, which was really good. I should've got that instead but all in all it was tasty and of good quality. Great helpful staff too read more

Very enjoyable. I would not seek out a Greek restaurant but this is elevated food with bustling service. We ended up splitting three of their small plates, a beet salad and then Mousska for the entree. I look forward to going back. read more

Yum yum yum food. Attentive service, Generous portions. Peaceful location unlike downtown PA read more

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We love the Palo Alto location, so we were excited when this location finally opened. Food is fantastic. Try the octopus! Also recommend the moussaka. Service is extremely friendly. Will certainly be back many times. read more

Taverna - Moussaka. The Greek version served here is potato based. - Greek Near Me - Portola Valley, California

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The food was good, average. We had the spicy feta spread at the recommendation of our waiter (our first mistake). Not fabulous. We split the cucumber feta salad- that was decent. Dolmas were good. I had the only vegetarian dish on the entree menu, it was uninspired. The food was not the issue. Our waiter and the staff in general were terrible. We spent $200 on a dinner for two. We orders mock tails (we are both sober) that never came. When we asked the waiter about them, he had to check his notepad because he initially said we didn't. He then saw them written at the top of his page and relented. (We could see this unfolding before us) Our entree's came out but unfortunately no one had cleared the salads or apps - what a conundrum! They finally got that settled (without any help from the waiter who was MIA). We were mid-meal when the waiter came back with our drinks and he lied and said the bartender forgot them. We didn't see him for the next 35 minutes as he served the table around us, refusing to make eye contact with either of us. We finally were able to call the busboy over to clear the table. He asked if we wanted our check. We usually do coffee and dessert but we just said "yes" we'll take the check. The waiter brought the check to the table and put it down without looking at either of us. A few minutes later, he came and returned the bill to be signed. It was at this time that I took the opportunity to address the elephant in the room. I asked him if we had done something to upset him . He hemmed and hawed until he said that the "vibe " was just off. Honestly, I've never had a waiter tell me that the vibe was off in a restaurant. Btw, we were seated outdoors. It's really a shame as we live in Portola Valley and have been watching them build this restaurant from the ground up for months. We were really looking forward to having a new restaurant in our community and we're bummed at this disappointing experience. If you're looking for a really good Greek restaurant, I would recommend Pylos in San Carlos. Always amazing food and great service. read more

I'm so happy they opened up a location in Portola Valley! Highly recommend going for brunch on the weekends. Their Greek coffee selection is incredible. read more

Food was okay- not as good as Evia. Service was terrible. We were a party of eight celebrating two birthdays. The server was nice but he spent his time chatting behind the bar. He forgot one dish and one came out incorrectly. After we order dessert, my son had to find the waiter to remind him of our birthday. One dessert came out with a candle. The waiter did NOT deserve the $100 mandatory tip. The whole tip should have gone to the busboys who were very attentive. read more

Charming and absolutely lovely. Perfect for a night out with friends or a date. True Greek hospitality - staff was friendly and introduced the menu, checked in on us, gave great suggestions for food, and were extremely attentive and accommodating with regard to our dietary restrictions. Lots of delicious vegetarian friendly options and excellent portion size - you know it's real Mediterranean food when you don't even need any meat to feel satisfied. Favorites: KOLOKITHOKEFTEDES: zucchini cakes. Crispy on the outside, tender and soft and delicious inside. My friend hates zucchinis but loved these ones. Phenomenal SPANAKOPITAKIA: it's impossible to hate a spanakopita. Very delicate, VERY good. HALLOUMI: delicious! Tiny little bites of cheese. Refreshing sparks of flavor The house pita and orzo pasta were also amazing. Everything is made fresh in house, and you can really taste the care they put into their food. This location is apparently newly opened (they said they have another location in Palo Alto that's been around for 8 years!), so please give them some love. There's a fairly large parking lot as it's in a shopping plaza, it's just a few minutes off the highway, and they have a cozy interior with a nice outside patio (and heat lamps). I snagged a reservation off OpenTable half an hour in advance but they have quite a lot of seating and excellent service. Thank you guys for making our night awesome I'll definitely be back. read more

Friendly service. Tasty food. Ate at an outside table which was enjoyable. Will return.

Food was pretty good, actually. Service was just terrible. Slow, couldn't order a drink, couldn't get them to bring the drink. Terrible service is a common theme in these reviews. The wine list is absurd. The cheapest bottle of red wine is $100,, most reds are in the $250-500 range, and there is one for $999 and one for $3,500. And to top it off, they screwed up the check. A shame, really. The place has potential, but first it needs wait staff that is interested in waiting on the customer, and second it would be helpful to have a wine list that for people who aren't venture capitalists. read more

Good beans entree and fruity wine . Will come again. Thank you for good service too !!

Such an odd evening The Mater D was terrific, offering us, wine, tequila, etc. we never knew who our waiter was and the service overall was terrible ... we kept having to ask for a menu to ask to order to ask where our main course was which was a half an hour delayed because the oven stopped working, which I'm not sure is correct. I think they forgot to put in the order never ever over two hours figured out who our waiter was but again the Maeder D was was great and the food was very good. I'm not sure what was going on with Service. I will go back but hopefully it's better next time. Dictated and I can't correct the spelling, sorry read more

Love this location, excellent service and delicious food! Their zucchini cakes are officially better than Evvia's and it's quaint and charming here. They were extremely hospitable and patient last night as my friend and I shut the restaurant down! The server even helped walk all of my friends birthday gifts to her car at the end of the night! Great prawn entree, excellent traditional spreads, yummy salads, delicious desserts! I came here for Mother's Day brunch too and it was fabulous! read more

Taverna - Amazing yummy prawns - Greek Near Me - Portola Valley, California

As with the PA location, the food is delicious, fresh, consistent and beautifully presented. 5 stars for the food. I only wish the wine list wasn't so overpriced- French wines in particular are affordable so the fact that the lowest price offering was +$100 is just silly, especially when sitting in what is essentially a strip mall location in Portola Valley. We love wine as much as we love food, and the wine list was always a reason why we didn't go to the Palo Alto location and unfortunately, will probably influence us much the same way here. Love the lively casual ambience and don't feel that the wine is in sync with the rest of the vibe. Trying a little too hard.... read more

If I could select ZERO, I would. To start, we were welcomed (not) by the perfunctory, unfriendly "host". The food is a warmed over/ stale poorly prepared impression of "Greek" cuisine. Truly one of the worst meals I have had to endure in years. You would be better off going to any grocery store and buying some frozen "Greek" dinner. read more

Just had a late weekday lunch and the food and service was fantastic! Shared small plates (dolmathes, Greek salad, pita & calamari) & it was all delicious & beautifully prepared. Calamari almost the best I've ever had - crispy & not over fried or breaded. Excellent attentive & friendly service. read more

Great food and my favorite Far Niente Chardonnay! Service and ambience also lovely. Can't wait to visit their new location in Ladera.

It makes me sad to write this, but I feel like the restaurant really needs feedback. We absolutely love Taverna's food, ambiance and drinks. It's a great addition to the Shopper. I've been there more than 10 times since it opened for brunch, lunch and dinner. The last three times though, the service has been really awful. I thought maybe it was an off night but it keeps happening: waiting more than 30 minutes to have our order taken, not getting our food for over an hour, not having the waiter come over to check in with us or make eye contact at all, even when the tables are relatively empty. They really need to fix the service -- it's just too frustrating to come and feel like we are being abandoned by the staff with no one taking your order or bringing your food and drinks. Please fix this, Taverna-- everything else is perfect! read more

Earlier reviews were inconsistent so we decided to try it for lunch before splurging on dinner. Our experience was very good. We had the watermelon salad, zucchini cakes, grilled octopus and calamari. Everything was delicious and my wife, a connoisseur of octopus, said her dish rivaled anthing she had in Itatly last month. Pleasant ambiance (we ate indoors). Service was a bit slow, but otherwise everything was fine. We'll definitely go back soon for dinner. read more

Great food and great service just like the Palo Alto location. Same food and same menu. The interior is very nice and enjoyable.