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    Aiona

    4.4 (69 reviews)
    Closed 11:30 am - 9:30 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

    Aiona Photos

    Business Info

    AIONA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed
    Outdoor seating

    Recommended Reviews - Aiona

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    Reviews With Photos

    My people
    Bryan R.

    The knowledge of each item on the menu was impeccable. We walked in with some business owners who knew the owners of this business, and they treated us like rock stars. The service was amazing to say the least, and the ambience of the place really set the mood for our beautiful wives. What a great way to celebrate a birthday, eat light and enjoy our favorite people.

    Darci K.

    Phenomenal! From start to finish, the entire experience was poetry in motion. If you're looking for an upscale restaurant that moves when you move, and just like that, you're having a glorious evening, you absolutely must dine at Aiona. Diners tip: make reservations. Valet parking is available, street parking is not. We started off our meal with the hummus platter that was served with warm wedges of pita. This easily could've been a girl meal and I totally would've been satisfied. The staff is really on top of Service and without blinking and I additional pita was brought to the table so that we could continue enjoying the hummus. Next, we had the lamb Slovakia. A lovely grilled combination of beef and lamb skewers. That absolutely were shareable. The meat was flavorful, and I may have enjoyed it with some hummus and pita. Perfect bite! Grilled octopus joined the table, and well, this wasn't my favorite bite, everyone enjoyed it For our entree, we then enjoyed the dry aged Bistecca, along with papa's brava, and grilled zucchini. The steak was presented and sliced, so that none of us had to fuss about how to cut, share, and enjoy this delicious steak. It was perfectly seasoned and prepared, medium rare, which is what we all had wanted, and despite how delicious it was, we all managed to share it. The zucchini was absolutely delicious. Literally everything was, and each dish that we enjoyed silently encouraged us to try more and more. The papas brava absolutely delicious. Who doesn't like delicious potato wedges that are crispy on both sides with a little bit of heat added to the top of them. I may have enjoyed a bite of potato with steak. Another perfect bite! We shared a tiramisu, which was easy because at this point we had all eaten so much and yet there's no way to not enjoy dessert. It's a moral imperative when you've had such an amazing meal and topping it off with a delicious dessert is indeed total perfection. Service is flawless, and we felt catered too, well taken care of, and there was never a glass that was left, emptied, a dirty plate that wasn't removed without notice, and replaced with the next dish that we had ordered. This is exactly what we all want when we want to enjoy a lovely evening out! The wine cellar is filled with so many choices, and I love the fact that it's visible. The decor while Greek inspired is clean, and this is the epitome of gentle elegance. Chef Deneb, you've created the perfect Mediterranean experience, and I cannot wait to come back and have have another wonderful meal!

    Caroline E.

    Amazing food!! This place is great to order a bunch of different things to share and try. We ordered everything at once and our waiter paced it out for us. We started with the hummus and village salad. Both great!! Then we got the souvlaki, half chicken, and papas bravas. Everything was incredible, with large portions so we had some leftovers. We really enjoyed the food and the inside is very aesthetic. The waiters were all very nice and attentive. Would definitely recommend and excited to come back!

    The first part of our meal
    Mondana D.

    I really wanted to love Aiona because there was a lot to like. The atmosphere is beautiful, the vibe is warm and inviting, and the food itself was enjoyable. It's the kind of place that feels perfect for a special dinner or a night out with friends. Unfortunately, my experience took a serious turn after the meal. Within hours of dining here, I became extremely ill with symptoms consistent with food poisoning. Based on what I ate, I strongly suspect the calamari may have been the source. It was severe enough to significantly impact the remainder of my trip and required several days to recover. I don't write negative reviews lightly, and it's disappointing because the ambiance and overall dining experience were otherwise excellent. I'm leaving this review in the hope that the restaurant takes food safety concerns seriously and reviews its preparation practices. If not for getting sick, this would have been a much higher rating. The setting is lovely, but my experience after the meal unfortunately overshadows the positives.

    Not a Big Dill
    Megan K.

    Had to post a review about downtowns favorite new spot! The space itself is magnificent and the service was wonderful. Little details here and there that could probably be refined (we were given the lunch menu instead of dinner at 9pm, the lighting seemed incredibly bright for a late night, etc). Drinks were top tier. I had the "not a big dill" which was complex but delicious- slightly savory but well balanced. My bf enjoyed his cocktail as well. Carpaccio was our favorite dish by far. Mussels with chorizo were ok and lamb kebab was pretty standard. We opted for the short rib as well which is called by another name on the menu because they were out of our first choice of main. Overall, glad to see another elevated and thoroughly curated spot in downtown! It missed the mark for me a bit as the prices seemed high for the quality and value of the meal but we will try again soon.

    My coworker ordered Aiona Verdure with eggplant, pepper, onion, tapenade on focaccia with fries.
    Terryann T.

    Finally, a new restaurant on K Street! Aiona is located at the base of the Esquire Building where I work. We were already looking forward to it because they catered the building Christmas party and the food was so good! It recently opened up so I came for lunch with 2 of my coworkers. The restaurant is gorgeous and we were sat outside. Our server Reid was amazing and so knowledgeable about the food and we had alot of questions. The menu is not large but the food was delicious. I had the kalamari, it was good but I did not like the garlic butter dip. My coworkers got the Aiona Verdure and the Wagyu Burger. The stand out for me was the potato leek soup. I would come back alone for that! It is pricey but it's delicious. Just for the convenient location alone I'll be back.

    Gina S.

    We went to celebrate 3 birthdays. It was 14 of us. Where do I start!!! First, the entire staff was very kind and professional. They allowed us not to do a set menu which we do not like. Our server, Mathew was beyond amazing and accommodated us very well. We loved the food and enjoyed every minute of it. Very beautiful place and that patio experience was also amazing. Will definitely go back again and highly recommend this place.

    Bucatini
    Sheldon C.

    Great restaurant in Downtown Sacramento. Food was delicious! Textures in all three of our dishes were perfect. Very impressed by the chef. The bucatini texture was perfect. Super tasty dish. Wished it was a bigger portion though. The rotisserie chicken was ridiculously good. Great blend of flavors. Surprised by how tasty the roasted grapes and onions were with the sauce. The papas bravas was the IDEAL potato texture. If I were ever to get home fries anywhere, I'd want it to have this crunchy, crispy, airy texture. Perfect. (Update: microwaved these potatoes in a hotel the next morning and the crunchiness shockingly held up - this is a five-star dish!) Outdoor patio was very nice. Ambient is cool and modern. Bonus for being pet-friendly!

    Interesting mural
    Alex S.

    Aiona is a new live fire restaurant next to the IMAX theater by the same head chef that operates Allora. The atmosphere and food were amazing! The only tip off that they are a new restaurant is that there was a little bit of a wait for our reservation (about 10 minutes), but other than that, the service was very smooth and professional. They were packed, and it's only week 2, so all considered, this was a great experience. To start, we ordered the tahini old fashioned and a glass of moscato. The lamb souvlaki appetizer was amazing! I hope they add a lamb souvlaki plate as an entree offering in the future because that was my favorite dish all night! The salad we ordered was a nice, light complement to offset the richness of the other dishes we ordered. My husband and I split the risotto and the porchetta for our entrees. They were both incredible! The flavors were amazing. I don't think the porchetta needed the fruit chutney it was served with, but my husband enjoyed it. For dessert, we ordered the date pudding and a glass of Hungarian dessert wine recommended by the sommelier. Those were also amazing. Such a unique combination of flavors. Highly recommend both! We were celebrating our wedding anniversary, and I'm so glad we took a chance on a new restaurant! I hope we'll be back at Aiona for more special occasions in the future.

    Caity T.

    So cool to see this place come together. It's got an old-Hollywood-meets-Greece ambience, which I love. Got served by Brett at the bar, who evidently developed the opening cocktail menu (slam dunk, sir). We came for the happy hour specials and everyone was VERY happy with their drinks. In particular, I loved that the Kind of a Big Dill cocktail is rimmed with sugary, ground dehydrated orange that makes the curaçao pop. The sliced cucumber ribbon not only looks chic, but adds a delicious, fresh essence to the whole thing. 10/10 For food we ordered the papas bravas (if you like paprika, order these now!) and the calamari. Potatoes were delish. Calamari wasn't cooked in hot enough oil and was more soggy than crispy. Brett noticed we were avoiding them and asked if there was anything wrong. I sheepishly told him the issue and he was quick to correct it. Excellent service. We felt taken care of. Only word of caution, it smells amazing to be in here-- I think there's a wood burning stove or something that infuses the whole place with a rich woody aroma-- but you will also be infused with this scent. Not quite "campfire" level, but your clothes will smell edible when you leave. Lol

    Christine L.

    I knew Aiona was a vibe from the moment we walked in. The hostesses were on top of it--welcoming, organized, and set the tone right away. The entire staff was friendly, and you can tell they work seamlessly as a team. I watched this place get built from scratch and waited a full year to finally dine here--and it was absolutely worth it. I'm not easy to impress, but Aiona made it look effortless. They clearly understood the assignment. We started with a dirty martini ($22), and honestly, it was one of the best I've ever had. From the eggplant to the lamb skewers, everything was exceptionally well-seasoned--flavorful and tender. The wild prawn bucatini was cooked perfectly al dente. Not a single flaw all night. We sat at the small tables across from the bar. Our server, Alexander was incredibly sweet, knowledgeable, and professional--you could tell he was properly trained, which made the experience even better. The overall execution here is top-notch. With the perfect combo of great food, excellent service, and standout cocktails, I don't have any reason not to come back--especially since it's so close. See you again soon, Aiona

    Hummus
    Jerry H.

    Food Some great items here. My top 3: 1. Hummus! Oh my, I think it was our favorite item on the menu. What a surprise! Super soft and warm handmade pita with hummus topped with a chili-garlic type sauce and some crispy garbanzo beans. Excellent. 2. 72 Hr. Short Rib was wonderfully tender and served with one of my favorite things... labneh!(Warning: May look a little fatty and raw, but this is slow cooking perfection!) 3. Fire Roasted Beets. Charred to perfection on one edge and tender the rest of the way. I think it also had a white sauce (labneh?) and some nice great toppings like pistachios and grapefruit pieces. Items that we would not order again: - The bucatini came with these amazing looking prawns, but even after being remade, just too raw for our taste. It was like eating it sashimi style (which I love with fish, but not with prawns). You might love it, but not something we would choose, again. - Papas Bravas. We wondered what great chefs could do with fries... this was NOT IT. Definitely the most disappointing thing we ordered. Ambience The wife put it like this: much nicer than the pictures. I would describe it as similar style as Allora (same owners, I think), but "pink instead of green" and a bit some casual. Service Mimi was great and very helpful with our Bucatini issue. Overall service was nearly perfect (except we were asked twice if we wanted more pita, but it never came until we asked for it directly (third request).

    Focaccia bread
    Mike R.

    Pretty disappointing follow up visit. After a great first experience shared with some friends and after happy hour being advertised as 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm made pre-show dinner plans to come back, only to be told happy hour ended time had changed and ended at 5:00 pm (less than 10 days from being advertised - and post is still up)

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    Ask the Community - Aiona

    I see there are a few vegetarian options but what about vegan?

    Can they make a vegetarian pasta? Or out of luck?

    Hi James, we have many vegetarian options and we are always happy to do what we can with custom requests!

    Is there a bar that serves a Happy Hour menu?

    Yes, Happy Hour is Monday-Thursday from 2:30-5 available in the bar, lounge and patio with drink specials and a dedicated HH menu. You can find the menu at aionasacramento.com

    View All 4 Questions

    Mediterranean Bakery & Cuisine

    Mediterranean Bakery & Cuisine

    4.1
    (368 reviews)
    4.9 mi
    $$

    Food: this place is just okay. It has that authentic vibe where you think the food is going to be…read morelow key bomb. If you need a Mediterranean fix and you're in the area, sure. I got the tikka combo which involves skewered lamb and chicken over rice. There's some hummus, a big piece of bread, and a salad involved. Overall, I thought everything could have been more flavorful. While I'm a sauce man, if a place doesn't beg me to ask for sauce or add more, I'm pretty impressed. Further, the lamb was kind of tough. Perhaps, some of the other items could be better. They seem to have some nice baked good options. I guess the $ is competitive, but for $20+ for an entree and soda... Service: order at the register. Not too much conversation involved. Maybe about 4 tables available to dine in.

    My Sacramento coworker took us here for lunch. He mentioned something about them winning some…read moreaward for one of the best sandwiches in the Sacramento area. They are located inside a Mediterranean market. We ordered from the bakery, but, paid over in the market. I got their beef shawarma sandwich, while my coworkers went with the chicken. It took a few minutes before our sandwiches were done. The sandwich was big and a very good value for the price they charge. The problem I had was with the meat as it was very gristly. The beef was marinated well, and came with tomatoes and onions. They were okay. I can't complain much as the price was very reasonable.

    Photos
    Carving the beef shawarma
    Carving the beef shawarma
    Inside a spiced meat Middle Eastern hand pie or Fatayer. Boat or canoe shaped like Georgian Adjaruli Khachapuri.
    Inside a spiced meat Middle Eastern hand pie or Fatayer. Boat or canoe shaped like Georgian Adjaruli Khachapuri.
    Baba ghanoush

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    Baba ghanoush
    Kolbeh Kabob

    Kolbeh Kabob

    4.3
    (463 reviews)
    15.4 mi
    $$

    The chicken was juicy and seasoned to perfection. Loved the side of greens w/ charred tomato and…read morerice.

    Kolbeh Kabob serves Persian and Mediterranean cuisine…read more Language barrier issues with our server affected my ability to order what I wanted, led to an upsell, and prevented me from separating or splitting the bill. Server did offer to let us choose 2 different meats for our two #41 Koobideh plates (2 beef skewers for $25), but I think we would have been better off just ordering one #61 All Koobideh plate (3 different meat skewers for $34). One plate has plenty of basmati rice for two people to share. She suggested the two #41 orders, instead of answering how much an extra order of rice would cost. Maybe you can't order a side of rice? Rice comes with each entree. By ordering the 2nd plate, she offered or included the $8 Bread Basket for no extra charge. It was my friend's birthday. I wanted to pay, and she wanted to order extra to go, so I wanted two separate bills, but it seemed too complicated to explain or disallowed. After the food was delivered to the table, server didn't check on us anymore. I guess the restaurant doesn't do anything special for birthdays. My friend thought all the koobideh tasted the same. I liked them in this order: 1) Lamb, 2) Chicken, and 3) Beef, but they're the same texture, so they aren't all that different. I should have ordered a different 2nd entree, instead of two Koobideh plates. The #18 Bademjan Borani eggplant appetizer was yummy. It did come with some bread, so you don't have to order the bread basket. The bread is served warm. The basmati rice was light and fluffy, but not flavorful or buttery. You can pay a $4 upgrade to switch the rice to salad or a fancier stir fried rice. Read the Vegetarian Dishes menu section to learn about the various fried rice or polo preparations. Our server suggested the Fava Bean Rice or Baghali Polo because it is a Persian New Year dish. Yelp reviewers recommended the Zereshk Polo, which includes barberries, a fruit similar to currants. $10 to add a skewer of veggies. $4 to add a salad is mentioned under the Vegetarian Dishes menu and Seafood & Combination Plates menu. I didn't like how the sugar cubes for the Persian Tea were served. It looked communal and exposed to the elements. You could see sugar dust on the serving bowl. Other Persian restaurants serve the sugar in a smaller covered bowl. Formal dining room. Lunch specials are Monday to Friday, 11 am to 3 pm, excluding holidays. Lunch prices range from $16-$20. 3 different $8 soup offerings: chicken barley, ashe reshteh, or green lentil.

    Photos
    Inside restaurant
    Inside restaurant
    Koobideh. Top one is chicken. Bottom one is beef.
    Koobideh. Top one is chicken. Bottom one is beef.
    Inside. Beautiful decor and really clean.

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    Inside. Beautiful decor and really clean.

    Aiona - mediterranean - Updated July 2026

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