First off, I came hear because of there tie to Allora, which is great. We came at happy hour, ordered the skewers, the half chicken, the calamari, the hamachi crudo, and a few drinks. Calamari is a 6/10. Mid, nothing special, comparable to Bj's Brewhouse quality. Came with a chili butter sauce, that was flavorless, would have been better with an aioli. Hamachi Crudo is a 7/10. It was solid and the fish had a great texture and taste. The Skewers are a 3/10. I'm not sure if it was the ones we got, but the lamb tasted horrid. It would start with a mid decent taste and right at the end, a very specific, not good rancid taste comes in. So stopped eating it. The half chicken is a 6.5/10. It's rated that high because of how damn tender it was. Unbelievable. That's where it ends and falls flat. The sauce tasted like tomato and butter, that it. Like pretty much any dish we tried here, presentation is great, but almost everything was lacking flavor or seasoning/salt. Not quite better than the food a brewery would serve you but much more expensive. If Allora is a 8.5/10 they are currently a 5.5/10, mid not bad but needs much more development. Otherwise the ambiance is really nice, our waiter was cool, the drinks were solid. read more

We had the most enjoyable evening at Aiona. The staff was very attentive & friendly, really made us feel pampered but not overly so. The food was off the charts delicious!!! We split the Branzino fish which was perfect especially after a couple shared appetizers & salads!!! The portions are very generous so have fun & share! Perfect place to go for a special evening with friends! read more

Tasty new place! Happy they're here. Not sure how they are going to differentiate from Maydoon, but we enjoyed the lunch we had there. Staff was accommodating but not super well-versed yet. Happy to be patient with that. The quality of the ingredients and the food was pretty good, if pricey. Looks like the dinner menu is more expansive than the lunch menu and, so will be back for that. read more

I've been to this restaurant twice now and both times I had great experiences. All the crew members here are very friendly and professional. I absolutely love the ambience here. While the space is large, it doesn't feel too open and still hasn't intimate and warm vibe and is very lively. My dinner experience here both times was delicious. Elena and Victoria are both phenomenal servers and were super helpful at each of my dinners. The Crudo, carpaccio, lamb souvlaki appetizers were incredible. My favorite entrée so far has been the Fettuccini which is nothing like you would expect but is delicious (beware-it is unexpectedly spicy)! And their oozo cocktail is to die for! I will come back for the dry aged, Bistecca! Overall fantastic experience and hope this place survives it's a great location and menu! read more

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I was excited to try out Aiona after having eaten a number of meals at Allora (their other restaurant). The location of this place kinda sucks; though, they do have valet parking, which I didn't see until after I had already parked my car in metered parking a block away. The inside of this place is very nice... nicer than Allora. The place feels bigger and brighter. The inside dining room area is fairly spacious, and they also have a big, largely-enclosed patio area outside. Since it was quite hot the day I stopped by, I opted to sit inside. They were pretty busy for a weeknight dinner; I'd say the dining room was 3/4 full or so? Our server was very nice and professional, and they had lots of servers running around helping out the guests. I guess since this place is located right next to the IMAX theater and The Odyssey had just come out, they decided to make an Odyssey themed prix fixe menu. It seemed like a good deal, so I tried it out along with some other dishes. And, I know the wine selection at Allora was always great, and it is here as well. I do believe the wonderful sommelier/co-owner was filling in at the host stand when I was seated. - maroulosalata (radicchio, mizithra, pistachio, citrus): this was a bitter citrus salad. It was fine. I don't really like radicchio; I find it to be too bitter for my liking. So, while I don't think there was anything wrong with this salad, it just wasn't my thing. The bites of the salad with the grapefruit were quite nice though. - focaccia (walnut parsley romesco, olive tapenade): the focaccia was pretty good; though, it would've been better to just have some bread grilled over the wood fire instead. Good, not great. - souvlaki (lamb and beef skewers, sumac tzatziki): these were good. They tasted like gyro meat, but were solid chunks for beef and lamb instead of ground up. Yummy. - fettuccine (chorizo, shrimp, mussels, calamari, tomato): this was probably the best dish we had, and I'm not surprised based on the excellent pasta served at Allora. Good, strong seafood flavor throughout. Perfectly cooked shellfish. The pasta itself was a tad softer than I would've preferred, but otherwise, just a solid pasta dish. - grilled beef zabuton (eggplant purée, lemon potato salad, mustard vinaigrette): this was a tasty dish. I thought the meat was going to be on the tougher side based on the effort it took to slice a piece off, but it was nice and tender. The eggplant purée was just as good as the beef. Very tasty. - portokalopita (Greek yogurt gelato, orange blossom syrup): this was surprisingly great. I wasn't expecting much, but it was a very nice light way to end the meal. It was quite a refreshing way to end the meal. I probably wouldn't have ordered this if it wasn't part of the prix fixe meal, but I'm glad it was a part of it. There was a bit of a hiccup in the service. Our server had told us that we'd get started with the appetizers that were part of the Odyssey menu (salad & focaccia), then we'd move on to the rest of our meal, but we pretty much got hit with all our dishes minus the beef and dessert at the same time. This was kind of a bummer bc I wanted to try all the food when it was nice and fresh. So, I was jumping quickly from dish to dish to try everything out, which wasn't the greatest experience. I'm not sure if things got messed up bc I only ordered one of the Odyssey meals and a couple other separate dishes. read more

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What an amazing experience I had for my friend's birthday party. The food was amazing, the vibe was cozy, and the service was top notch. Shout outs to our server, Matt! He made our experience at Aiona phenomenal. We ordered a bunch of dishes and shared it family style. My favorites were Saganaki and branzino. Aiona is definitely a place to check out with friends or significant other. You will have an amazing time and full belly! read more

I visit Sac downtown a bunch for work, and since I first found them last year they've been in my rotation when I stay at the downtown Hyatt. Dishes I loved 5/5: hummus, porchetta, grilled octopus -- I thought these were the standout dishes. Would recommend anybody coming here the first time to start with these. Other dishes that I thought were good 4/5: calamari, souvlaki, branzino, papas bravas Service was attentive and the interior was cute. A few times we did walk-in and we sat outdoors their tent area which was pretty hot despite the fans, so keep that in mind when booking a reservation. All in all they're great and now on my hit parade of Sac establishments I hit when in town. :) read more

Aiona - Mediterranean Near Me - Sacramento, California

Second visit. This time we sat on the patio. Even on a warm day, they had A/C units outside which made it pleasant. The cauliflower main dish was lightly grilled and tasty. The spicy sauce and labneh was a nice and complementary to the dish. The zatubon (Japanese marbled steak) was also served over labneh. We came back for the excellent hummus we had last time, but the pita was a bit dry and hard (unlike the hot and fresh pieces we craved for last time). Great serve and friendly staff as always. read more

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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! read more

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So delicious! Everything was super fresh and high quality ingredients. This was a chic and charming experience. I felt great being able to doll up and come eat here with my girls. I ordered the risotto, and it was very delicious, creamy, and lots of flavor. The papas fritas were crispy, and had a kick of spice. Their drinks were also delicious! I loved their scallops too, but most of everything is pricey so just be aware! Our server Max and all the workers were so informative, attentive, and super kind!! read more

Aiona - risotto, half chicken, fettucine, zabuton - Mediterranean Near Me - Sacramento, California

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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! read more

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Had a wonderful salad and glass of sauv blanc for lunch at the bar. Aesthetic is fun and bright. Staff is friendly and knowledgeable. We were greeted and welcomed by a friendly hostess, which isn't always the norm these days, so I really appreciated that touch. Looking forward to returning soon for dinner! Highly recommend! read more

Aiona - Entree salad minus the sheep's milk feta. - Mediterranean Near Me - Sacramento, California

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It was couples date night and we did an early 6:15 seating. We were seated right away. The decor was bright and clean and welcoming. We brought our own bottle of wine I immediately I'm cooked it for us and brought out glasses. We had Sammy as our server and she was lovely went over the specials and shared with us some of the menu items. The food is really flavorful and the service was really good. We started off with the beats and the pop bravo as appetizers and they were delicious. My husband and I did the prefix menu and enjoyed the entrée. Very was not a fan of the traditional dessert that was part of the entrée and it was very sweet that the server brought out some additional gelato as an apology.. It wasn't necessary, but it was a class act. Overall all four of us had a great experience and we would definitely come back again. read more

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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. read more

Aiona - The first part of our meal - Mediterranean Near Me - Sacramento, California

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. read more

Aiona - Not a Big Dill - Mediterranean Near Me - Sacramento, California

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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. read more

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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. read more

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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! read more

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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 read more

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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 read more

Aiona - Mediterranean Near Me - Sacramento, California

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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) read more

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5/5 interior and decor Located next to a parking garage near the Wells Fargo building I believe it was. The doors were a bit tricky to get here. 4/5 Service - very sweet front desk staff. Food took a bit to come out during lunch hour. 3.5/5 Risotto well presented but lacked some flavor 3.5/Waygu burger with side salad The decor looked beautiful but for the price I was a bit disappointed in the food flavors. read more

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We planned our visit around happy hour at Aiona, only to find out the hours had changed without any notice. What was advertised as 3-6 PM is now 2:30-4:50 PM pretty significant difference, and one they made just one week after announcing happy hour. The ambiance of the place is modern but warm, and loved the murals. The drinks and food was delicious. Both the cocktail for dirty martini and gin and tonic was very well balanced and the presentation was beautiful. Burger was delicious! Definitely tasted the wood fired char, and the meat was thick and hearty. I thought the house made giardinera really complemented the dish. House salad was simple, but very fresh and unfussy with the ingredient and loved the shaved vegetables & fruit. With that being said, the service was just horrible experience. One of the worst I've ever had. After our initial order, we were completely ignored the entire time. We had to grab our server's attention multiple times just to get one cup of water. They never once checked in to ask if we wanted to order more drinks or food. We wanted to order more of delicious cocktails... but since we were ignored, we never got the opportunity. When it was time to pay, I tried to get the server's attention repeatedly and got nowhere. I held my credit card out hoping they would notice. Still nothing. I ended up having to wave my hand with my credit card in the air before the manager finally came over to settle the bill. Just comical experience... It was a really disappointing experience because Aiona has so much going for it. The ambiance is beautiful, the food is delicious, and the drinks are outstanding. But the service completely overshadowed all of that. I really hope they improve and wish them the best of luck. Will I be back? Probably not after being ignored multiple times. read more

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Last night we ate at a new restaurant on its first-ever Saturday night, and it was absolutely poppin! Man, am I glad I made a reservation. We came here to celebrate a friend's birthday, and I'm so happy we did. Right away, I loved the menu. It was easy to read, beautifully laid out, and had such a perfect balance where everything sounded delicious. We started with the Kalamari, followed by the Brutus Savoy Cabbage Salad with tahini, parmesan, boquerones, and egg. I was a little nervous about the anchovies, but they were surprisingly light and honestly delicious. For dinner, my friend and I ordered the 72 Hr. Short Rib with labneh, spice fried onion, and chermoula. It was perfectly prepared and absolutely delicious. But then my husband ordered the Porchetta with strawberry & apple chutney and mustard demi, and WOW. I instantly had food envy. My short rib was great, but that porchetta is the dish I'll be telling people about. We also ordered the Roasted Carrots with hazelnut sesame dukkah and white balsamic, and they were the perfect side to round out the meal. We finished with two desserts, and while I didn't grab a photo of the dessert menu, they were a great ending to the night. Beyond the food, I loved the interior. The colors, furniture, and overall vibe were so warm and welcoming. I also loved the communal bathrooms. We sat in a booth near the runner station, so we got to watch the kitchen and team in action, which honestly made the experience even more fun. It was a little smoky, and we definitely left smelling like a campfire, but I didn't even mind. Watching the team work through their first big Saturday night, support each other, and keep pushing out dishes was such a cool part of the experience. Overall, this was such a fun dinner and a strong first Saturday showing. I'm excited to see this place grow, and I'll definitely be back especially for that porchetta. read more

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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. read more

Aiona - My people - Mediterranean Near Me - Sacramento, California

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The restaurant opened less than a week ago. The interior was spacious with nice pink and green walls/ furniture. The mural is also a nice focal point. Outside seating is available as well. Parking can be tricky. There is some street parking a block or so over. I parked in the garage for convenience. Valet is also an option- $12. I was looking forward to their happy hour after looking at the menu online. After being seated at the bar and looking at the menu, I was disappointed. They had taken several items off the original menu that was posted. Honestly, I wouldn't have came if I knew this beforehand. I ended up ordering the calamari and carpaccio. To be fair, both of them were excellent. The calamari portion was quite big and the sauce was interesting. The carpaccio also came with a piece of fried feta, which was tasty. I'll have to come back and try more things in the future. read more

Aiona - Carpaccio - Mediterranean Near Me - Sacramento, California

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Upbeat bistro inside and glass-covered patio that we chose. New and old world wines at more fair price points. We chose too many plates but managed to finish them all. We ate strictly to enjoy creativity and flavors. Service matches cuisine. A special occasion restaurant that we will make a regular selection if only we can control the number of selections. read more

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Outstanding in every way. The food was excellent and interesting. Our server pointed out some items that we had overlooked, and they were the highlight of our meal. But everything was delicious. Our cocktails were excellent. The service was truly impeccable. Engaging staff at every level, and I'm pretty sure that every person that came to our table wished me happy birthday. It felt like Disneyland level of service and attention to detail. We will be back, and you should be there too! read more

Aiona - Our excellent cocktails - Mediterranean Near Me - Sacramento, California

From the moment we arrived, the upscale atmosphere set the tone for an incredible evening. I ordered the sweet corn risotto with Bordelaise mushroom and ham, and every bite was an absolute masterpiece--perfectly creamy with an amazing depth of flavor. Our waitress was incredibly knowledgeable, providing excellent recommendations and attentive service throughout the night. I highly recommend this spot for a special dinner. read more

Food was ok but the ambiance is gorgeous. I loved their drinks! I would definitely recommend.

Made a reservation for this place and was seated on time. Ordered the hummus and carpaccio as a starter and they were both flavorful and delicious! For the man dish, I got a half rotisserie chicken. Keep in mind it doesn't come with any carb. Service was great. Bathrooms were clean and also all-gender! read more

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We recently met some friends for dinner we all tried the Odyssey dinner menu, which was created in partnership with the IMAX theater next door. It was a clever concept. The three-course meal included a fantastic arugula citrus salad, and the steak and chicken mains were cooked to perfection. While we didn't care for the phyllo dough dessert, the staff kindly offered a much better alternative. Overall, the ambiance was spot on and the service was solid. read more

First time here and sat at the bar. Matt was our server he was great. We stopped in before a show. We had drinks, kalamari and focaccia bread. All of it was really good. I want to go back again and have dinner. The restaurant was clean and busy. I heard they just opened 5 weeks ago so go give them a try. read more

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Celebrated a birthday dinner here tonight and I have a few things to say about this new restaurant in downtown Sacramento. First of all most of the food was absolutely delicious that said it took forever to get served. I must Say that the service is strange. If you get up and go to the restroom, the server comes running over and re-fold your napkin and puts it on you chair or at your place. I personally did not care for this. I don't really want the server, touching my napkin. Getting the food was very slow like about an hour from ordering to Service once the first course was served, things came along pretty quickly. Before we had even eaten, however, a server came by and tried to give the birthday girl her dessert. Oops, wrong table! The valet parking was not working properly either.. the valet was unable to send a text through. Kind of frustrating. Other than the Service problems, the food was absolutely fantastic. It's about all of us ordered the gazpacho and the Branzino.The papas bravas are absolutely not to be missed! The dinner was a more than two hour affair so do come prepared to spend time. read more

Aiona - Papas Bravas - Mediterranean Near Me - Sacramento, California

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Every single morsel of food was delicious. The wine list and the cocktail list are perfect. I had the sauv blanc and a martini as my drinks. The starters of crudo, focaccia, and lamb/steak skewers were amazing. The Romesco and the tatami sauces for the starters were equally delicious.The roasted half chicken was mouth watering. Michael was my server and he was fantastic. The ambiance is all things in one, brunch, elegant dinner vibes, business dinner, date night, and group night, rolled all into one! I'm going back in a week!! read more

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I visited this new Mediterranean restaurant in Sacramento for my graduation, & overall it was a really positive experience that made the occasion feel a bit more special. The service was good, attentive, and genuinely friendly throughout our visit. Our server was especially sweet & she made us feel very welcome, and while I did wonder if the extra attention was partly because the restaurant wasn't very busy at the time empty, it still contributed to a great first impression. The food was solid overall with a few clear highlights. The pasta, in particular, was excellent and easily a 9/10 for me random pasta at a mediterranean spot. A couple of the other dishes were good but not as memorable more like a solid 7/10. The drinks were also enjoyable, the space itself is very cute, and thoughtfully designed, with a nice ambiance that works well for celebrations or a relaxed night out. It is on the pricier side, but considering the food, drinks, & overall experience, I would definitely come back again. Would be interested in exploring more of the menu next time. read more

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I loved the atmosphere. The appetizers and drinks were a hit--so delish! I wish I can say the same about the entree, risotto. Risotto lacked a lot of flavor. Unfortunately, had to ask for fresh cracked black pepper and salt on the side to spruce up the flavor pallet. Also the risotto texture was porridge like; watery and running, possibly due to the peas. Giving it a 4/5 because of apps and drinks! read more

Aiona - Risotto - Mediterranean Near Me - Sacramento, California

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Aiona was awesome! First and foremost; I like that there was sound dampening on the ceiling bc my wife and I can have a normal conversation without yelling at each other. You didnt hear the silverware on the plates; which if youre like me hurts the ears. The food was great! The portions were much larger than I thought they would be. Calamari: Lightly breaded with great dipping sauce. Papas Bravas: Fried to a golden crisp with a creamy interior; the two sauces were also great. Branzino: Buttery, flaky, and with a crispy skin. Perfect. Golden beat salad: Earthy but with the accompanying citrus sweetness was a perfect balance. Overall great ambiance; great decor and good service. I highly recommend for a date night or drinks and apps to catch up with friends. read more

I really wanted to like this place and give a higher review, but the service I received was downright disappointing. To start with the good: The food was delicious, and came out very quickly. Drinks too. If the review was just for food and drink, it would be 5 stars. Sadly, the service I received was very different than the quality of food/drink. The bad: My friend and I wanted to come check it out for happy hour. The restaurant posted on their instagram in the last week that happy hour is 3-6. I arrived at 4:45 and was told they could just squeeze me in before they cut off seating. I was sat at the bar, and the bartender immediately told me I would need to order food now if I wanted to get that order in. No mention of them changing their published happy hour times. After the 2 of us received 1 drink each and our food, the bartender never once checked on us or even said another word to us. We had to ask him multiple times for water (to be fair don't think he heard us, though we were sitting at eye level and trying to make eye contact). We were never asked if we wanted another drink, or any other food. The person sitting next to us left a plate of food, and a manager had to come over to bus it. In the entire time we were sat, the bartending did not say a single word to us after taking our initial order. We sat for 30 minutes trying to get the bartender's attention to ask for the check, and my friend had to hold his card in the air - only then did the manager come over to close out our check. The restaurant was bustling with staff, so it was not a lack of staffing issue. We felt treated less than other guests, and we assume it was due to ordering happy hour instead of the normal menu. We would have gladly ordered additional drinks at full price if anyone had checked on us. The happy hour prices were great, but do not justify us being treated so poorly. I am disappointed because I was excited for this restaurant, but in my experience it was just another chance to receive exceptionally poor service. I hope they take note and retrain their staff, because our experience was unacceptable. Also maybe let people know you've changed the happy hour times (a totally acceptable thing to do, but really not ok to make no mention of it on an active social media account). read more

We originally had reservations at 715 on a Friday holiday weekend, but arrived early around 6. The restaurant is very authentically decorated. The arches, the colors, just very Mediterranean. It wasn't super busy for a Friday evening and we were sat originally outside, but honestly at even 6pm it felt like a hot box. The outside patio is glassed in with very little air flow. They did offer to turn on the portable air conditioner, but it can only do so much. They were kind enough to move us inside. The service was quick, friendly, knowledgeable. We were going back and forth between a few things and the server recommended the seasonal peach bruschetta. Unfortunately this was a miss for us. The focaccia had a nice crust to it however the peaches were more puréed and mushy. Combined with the burrata and balsamic sauce the focaccia crust wasn't enough texture and it just felt over sauced/dressed. The prosciutto added to the top was fantastic and balanced out the sweetness. Something else added a heat on the backend which was a nice surprise. The souvlaki was delicious. Some pieces were way over cooked compared to others. Maybe we just like it more medium rare than medium/well done; less tender. Our next course was The Brutus salad. These dishes are all meant for sharing and provide a generous portion for such. Sadly we felt the salad contained more of everything but the actual cabbage. The pita chunks were very large, it was overly dressed and contained a ton in parm cheese in addition to crispy cheese pieces. Salads are definitely hard to serve dressed as everyone likes things served differently. I think over all, we just wished there wasn't enough lettuce/green. The main dish was the fire roasted branzino. This is half a fish and probably serves 2 comfortably. It was tender, perfectly cooked. For being wood fired it was a little oily and over salted. Made me wonder if it was pan seared? The Phil Phil sauce was interesting! In the best way! Such a great addition to the fish if it weren't so oily. It's kind of mayo-y based which didn't help break up the texture/taste of the fish. They do serve it with house made Giardiniera which does help. Overall we had a good experience and the food was good, I wouldn't say over the top. Authentic in certain aspects. We ended up spending $174 for the food alone including tip and the 4% kitchen fee. read more

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