Gregg R.

We went here to check out their HH specials at 4 pm. We had some sharables to split and some hand crafted artisan cocktails, The Gin and tonic was especially refreshing. Service was top notch, very professional and accommodating and the venue was very inviting. Looking forward to trying their dinner service in the near future.

Cliff N.

Not a local but was eager to try this Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine fusion restaurant down by the Performing Arts center and the IMAX theater. Love fire tastes great and is a fun venue! Plenty of seating as the restaurant is spacious and well decorated, with ample staff. I asked for side by side searing to be closer to my date and was given a nice table. For appetizers they brought some pickled vegetables that were delicious and not so strong of a taste as some Italian restaurants serve. My date has the roasted Kobacha squash with sesame, pepita and pomegranate which was delicious but a bit overcooked so it had a carbonized crust that made some of it hardened but the spicing was fantastic. I had the Roasted Beets (golden with pink grapefruit and orange, farmers cheese and pistachios that was heavenly! For the main course I had the Pork Porterhouse with white bean sauce, Bomba Calabrese and grilled kale, that was a great matchup of flavors, juicy and a large portion of pork. She had the Kefta Kabebs and they were some of the best I've ever had with outstanding spice and overall flavor pairing ! There was a range of prices and my salad was huge making it a great deal, the pork chop was large also but the kebabs were on the small side. It's a very cloth napkin experience and overall felt swank enjoy for a date. The service was very professional, accurate, timely and accommodating! I will be back again!

Marc T.

Staying at the hotel nearby. This place was recommended by a coworker. Very impressed with it. Staff was very friendly, food was amazing, and plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Ate an early dinner (4pm). Had a sagrada tonica to drink and the carpaccio and hummus to eat. Everything was amazing. Would like to come back and try the dinner menu. But recommend definitely try this place.

Regina L.

My best friend and I stumbled upon this restaurant after walking around to check out the area where we had just watched a show. Their receptionist seated us right away by on their beautiful, spacious patio area and as we walked to the patio, I was like a kid in a candy store, as my eyes looked around this absolutely gorgeous restaurant. From the lights, to the art work, to the furniture designs, to the open cocktail bar and kitchen areas, I was excited to be in this restaurant and even more excited for the food. When we looked carefully through the menu, we seriously wanted everything that caught our eye, but since we had eaten dinner already, we thought, let's focus on small plates and sides to try multiple menu items this evening and next time we can try their entrees. We ordered the carpaccio with fried feta-caper and salt cured egg, souvlaki, kabocha squash, and papas bravas. Our server and all staff who brought our food did an excellent job and it was as if I was back in Napa in my fav restaurants, without needing to drive all the way there! We were absolutely taken aback by how savory and mouthwatering every bite of ours was. The exquisite presentation of the beautiful, flavor-rich mix of all we ordered made us agree we could only imagine how their entrees taste! The souvlaki plus the sumac tzatziki were nothing short of perfection, so much that I used a spoon to gently scrape off every last bit I could to enjoy it all! Then, an unexpected, disappointing moment happened as I continued to enjoy another crostini with a serving of carpaccio on top. I noticed something very thin moving in the carpaccio due to the fans above and the table light. When I got a hold of it with my aimed pinch, and I pulled all of it out, my best friend and I realized it was a very long strand of hair! Thank goodness our server was not too far away, so I raised my hand to bring attention to our table. Our server quickly reacted by apologizing and pulled away the carpaccio plate with papas bravas on it. The manager immediately followed and came to us to apologize, then offered for us to order anything we wanted from the dessert menu. Of course, we accepted this gesture. The desserts were PHENOMENAL. I ordered the tiramisu with espresso, mascarpone, and cocoa. My best friend ordered the black velvet cake with chocolate, blackberry sorbet, and cocoa nib(gf). When our server checked on us, I exclaimed that this is the BEST tiramisu I have ever enjoyed so far! Our server agreed. As if the desserts weren't enough to make up for the moment of carpaccio hair surprise disappointment, they removed the carpaccio and papas bravas off of our bill. We are thankful that the manager and staff handled the situation graciously and professionally, apologized sincerely, and made it right by removing two small plates from our bill and treating us to complimentary desserts that I raved about to friends and family. And this, folks, is why I give Aiona a 4/5 stars rating!

Valerie A.

We came here after a movie at the IMAX theater next door for our first visit. Aiona has been on my list for a long time so it was great to finally make it. The restaurant itself is spectacular - open, airy, beautifully designed. We got there a little early for our reservation and they were able to take us in without a wait which was great. Our server was really friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. They had a prix fixe menu which normally I am all for, but I really wanted to try some of the small dishes so I went all starters. My husband got the prix fixe and it was nice we could mix and match. I definitely over-ordered and our waiter did warn me. I probably should have skipped one of the starters I got but we managed to finish a lot. I got hummus, watermelon and feta salad, and the pork souvlaki. I am so glad I got the hummus because it was just outstanding. It comes beautifully presented with a fresh pita which we devoured so they brought us another one. I also loved the watermelon and feta salad - I don't know what they did with the watermelon but it was very firm texture, almost like a chunk of meat. Those two were my top two dishes of the night to be sure. The pork souvlaki was ok, not my favorite, but tasty and a generous portion as an appetizer. My husband got the pork chop for his main course and out of everything we tried, it was definitely not the best. The flavor was good but it didn't really seem like a good piece of meat to begin with. His other two courses, the salad with radicchio and pistachios was really great as was the olive oil cake. Looked beautiful with flavors to match. I thought the prix fixe overall was a good value for the amount of food. If it wasn't for the pork chop I'd definitely give Aiona five stars. But I do look forward to coming back.

Cody A.

Made reservations for Friday Date Night. Upscale modern interior. Enclosed covered patio was also available. We were seated upon on arrival. We ordered Branzino (perfectly prepared) and Prix Three - squash & pear bisque (flavorful), Baharat Zabuton (tender) and Tiramisu (delicious). Service was great. Water glasses were kept full, checking in on our meal was a good pace. Looking forward to coming back and trying other items.

Edward W.

The food was fantastic, nothing more nothing less except for the Tiramisu, it was on the sweeter side, but if you have a sweet tooth for it then this would be perfect for you. The service was quite outstanding. Spencer took care of us, and he was quick with his feet. However there was an incident that was quite disturbing where he pre selected his tip to the highest amount and just told me to sign it off. Other than that I'm not going to point any fingers. The ambiance was quite nice and was very comfortable, definitely a must try if any of you get the chance it's a wonderful experience.

Brigitte M.

Pretty, but also pretty bland... Came here for a team dinner. The place is nice, and servers were immediately attentive. We came with happy hour still going on, so we got a couple apps and drinks to start. We got calamari, the skewers, and hummus. Hummus and skewers were good and flavorful, but the calamari was bland, and the sauce that accompanied it didn't do much for it. The saving grace of the calamari were the little fried lemons in it. For the mains, we split the zabuton and branzino. Again, both on the real mild side from a flavor perspective. Got my boyfriend the half chicken Togo, since the waiter said it was great, and again, real bland. It's definitely a healthy option, and the happy hour deal makes the apps worth it, but if I end up having to come back for work, would just stick to the skewers and hummus or try a salad.

Keke T.

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!

Jerry H.

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.

Jeffrey C.

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. :)

Cas S.

Went for lunch, got the Italian sandwich, it was excellent. Service was great and while it was priced at $22, I felt it was worth it and even took 1/2 to go.

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!