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    Athena Grill

    4.1 (1.9k reviews)
    ModerateGreek, Mediterranean
    Open 10:30 am - 3:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Athena Grill Reservations

    Order Athena Grill Takeout or Delivery

    Athena Grill Photos

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    ATHENA GRILL ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Classy
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating

    Recommended Reviews - Athena Grill

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    Reviews With Photos

    Chicken Souvlaki Plate
    Kevin L.

    Located in Santa Clara, parking is limited as there's only a few street parking spots. The interior is nice and noise level is average. Chicken souvlaki plate (4/5): absolutely delicious. The chicken was so tender and overall really flavorful. Service was good. Tap to pay is accepted. Overall, Athena Grill has some delicious Greek food.

    Andrea B.

    **3.5 stars** First of all, I should say that the food was a solid 4 stars. I really enjoyed the Avgolemono Soup, it has really unique flavors. The fries are fresh cut and lightly crisp. I wanted a side salad, but they said I couldn't order one since I didn't order a meal, so I had a couple of bites of my husbands side salad, yes they do offer them, just not for everyone. A slight deduction for service, the wait staff was not very friendly, the restaurant was a bit on the cold side, especially for this time of year, and I like it when restaurants think about the environment. This restaurant uses paper on the table which means cutting down trees, and they use disposable plastic cups for their sauces. Overall, the experience doesn't make me want to come back.

    Garlic Fries
    Crystal L.

    Writing an updated review because idk what I was thinking with giving Athena Grill less than 5 stars back then. This place has always been a solid and consistent place when it comes to the food and service. Their entrees taste amazing with juicy grilled meats with the perfect char for that added crunch texture. They all come with a nice serving of Greek salad, rice, and vegetables. They allow you to swap the rice and vegetables with fries or double a serving without charge. Their purple sauce is hands down the best sauce paired with the garlic fries. The meats alone are flavorful, using the sauce is next level. Their fries never disappoint. Lunch time is seating yourself while dinner time they seat you. Their service is on point with the same servers I've known since first dining here years ago. They are very friendly and check in. We have had many celebrations here including birthdays and we always share our slices of cake with them. I usually go for the chicken, sometimes I'll do the duo swapping the lamb for the beef. Salmon is tender and a big serving. Their moussaka is the only moussaka I've tried and it's a good choice outside of the grill. Branzino is beautiful and also their lamb shank. It doesn't have the gamey after taste. Very homey vibes like a family establishment. Located in an industrial area around the tech jobs so lunch time it gets crowded. They are closed on Sundays.

    Lamb Souvlaki Plate and Spanakopita Plate (Vegetarian)Spanakopita
    Michelle B.

    I'd give them 5 stars just for their fries & olive dip alone. So addicting & so good! I'm Greek and whenever I eat here, I always leave full & happy (usually with a to go container, because the portion sizes are massive!) Everything is outstanding! Spanakopita, galaktoboureko (Fridays only), pastitsio, mousaka, wraps, souvlaki... the list keeps going. Highly recommend checking them out! I know they get a huge lunch crowd, but don't forget to check them out for dinner too! Their patio is lovely (and dog friendly)

    Beef Souvlaki Plate ($25)
    Rachel L.

    There was a good mix of great dishes, okay dishes, and not-so-good dishes here, but I think the place was overall solid. First for what I'd definitely recommend: lamb riblets (soft, well-seasoned, and fall off the bone with amazing garlic sauce) & gyro plate (such well seasoned meat with delicious sauce and tomato to pair). The chicken souvlaki wrap was pretty good too, but not the best chicken souvlaki I've tried. I'd definitely skip on the steak pita wrap, beef souvlaki plate, and the lamb chops as the meat in these were pretty tough to chew. Everything else we got was not mind blowingingly good nor terrible. Service was really nice and attentive. We were late to our reservation but still treated nicely. They let us know when their kitchen closes but didn't rush us at all. We sat inside which was more of a dark and intimate vibe, but they also have a little outdoor seating area which was really cute with the plants.

    Side salads. Photo by @martiwantsmore
    Marti L.

    Delicious! This long time family owned restaurant serves such good Greek food! On top of that the service was great. The octopus mezes was one of our favorites. Well seasoned and tender. Their souvlaki is popular and there's a reason why. The combination plate is a sampler that has pastitsio, mousaka, spanakopita and gyro. Oh yes, their olive garlic dip is addicting!

    Briami (Vegetarian)
    Tannu S.

    Good food, service and casual ambiance. They have both outdoor and indoor sitting area, we had the outdoor place reserved. They have privacy from the street with the green wall which also makes the temps feel cooler than the other side. The menu is elaborate and there is something for everyone with different dietary requirements. We all enjoyed our food. May be the grilled calamari could have been better as that was the only leftover on our table. I will go back to try the other items from their menu.

    Menu
    Joyce T.

    Just a normal Mediterranean restaurant, not sure why it's so popular. We had gyros, hummus sampler and steak set, it's just average The only thing good is the appetizer octopus, but it's so small portion

    Menu
    Toby E.

    So I've eaten here a few times, and it's always been pretty good! The restaurant is clean and kept up well with a great patio! Service is friendly and fast! I went there this week and tried the combination platter, which I have not tried yet. I would have liked to have more meat than pasta sides on my plate, but it is what it is. The pictures show the discrepancy. Maybe they were running heavy on the baked goods, and low on the meat? Regardless, it's good, but would rather have more gyro meat than baked goods on the combination plate.

    Peter X.

    Atmosphere was laid back and relaxing. It would have been nice if there were fans out on the patio for the outdoor diners. Big portions. Unfortunately my lamb skewer was pretty tough and dry so didn't really enjoy the food.

    Octopus Mezes
    Eva O.

    Hidden gem? More like hidden treasure Came here for lunch with friends and left in a full-on Greek food coma -- in the best way possible. Let's talk portion sizes: they're massive (in the best, bring-a-big-appetite kind of way)! O R D E R E D - Octopus Mezes - I'm obsessed with octopus and this one did not disappoint. So good I ordered it twice. No regrets. - Branzini - A whole grilled fish with salad and fries. Perfectly cooked and seasoned -- like, chef's kiss - Shrimp Souvlaki Plate - Juicy, flavorful, and filling. - Lamb Souvlaki Plate - Tender, savory, and packed with flavor. - Lamb Ribs Mezes - The ribs literally fell off the bone. I could've eaten multiple orders. - Baklava - Sticky, sweet, and everything you want in a dessert after a hearty Greek meal. V E R D I C T They've got indoor and outdoor seating, and if it's sunny out, definitely grab a table outside -- they've got umbrellas to keep things cool. Bonus points for having their own parking lot, which makes the experience even easier (no wandering Santa Clara side streets in search of parking = win). This place feels like a local secret (looking at you, Nvidia crew), but it deserves all the hype. The food is delicious, the staff is genuinely friendly, and the service is fast. Athena Grill = solid 10/10. Already planning my next visit... probably just for a full order of octopus and lamb ribs. Don't judge me.

    Medium sampler with tzatziki, melitzanosalata, and hummus dip
    Leslie N.

    This place is a literal hole in the wall located in a quiet and unusual business area. Inside was very cozy with a lot of traditional greek decor. *medium sampler - the medium sampler came with both soft pita and crunchy French bread. It was good that it came with two types of texture when it comes to dips. The trio dip we got was the typical tzatziki, hummus, and melitzanosalata. The melitzanosalata was chosen on a whim and it turned out to be the best dip out of the three. It was flavorful, fragrant, and overall super yummy! Paired with the French bread is the perfect duo. *Seafood Souvlaki - it was solid dish with a nice char to the seafood. The swordfish was a delicious but it was a bit fatty. The salad was refreshing, a nice addition to the plate. The rice was not dry, more on the mushy side. *Chicken Souvlaki - similar to the seafood, the chicken had a nice char to it. It was very juicy with that little crunch from the char. It also had lettuce and rice as well. The staff was friendly and made sure our needs were met. Overall a very homey vibe. We would come back again!

    $32 for three pieces of fake lamb chops! No thanks! Very upset.
    Susann M.

    I was excited to get lamb chops. Unfortunately it's not the real lamb chops.Its the cheap type $5.99/lb from Costco. It's not the real shisklik! $32 for 3 pieces of chewy and hard. Comes with garlics French fries. Where I didn't pick. I went from social dinner group. Soda is $4. The restaurant already charge 20% tip! So my total was almost $48. Will I go back? NO THANKS!

    The mixed plate is a perfect mealto split between two people with an appetizer and a bottle of wine!

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    Athena Grill Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Athena Grill

    Do you have to be vaccinated?

    our customers do not need to be vaccinated but our entire staff is vaccinated

    Do they serve koshary?

    They do serve Halal items upon request. I believe That's their version of kosher

    Are dogs allowed in outdoor seating?

    Yes! We love dogs

    What is the marinade that they use in their meat and seafood? Is it high in sugar and carbs?

    Our go-to marinade is olive oil, lemon, garlic, oregano, and salt. No sugars or carbs

    What all is halal on menu? What's the source of halal meat?

    Do u offer halal meats?

    They have hella meat

    Is the patio dog-friendly?

    Yes, it is. Lots of space however gets really crowded at lunch hour so if your dog is timid around crowds, go earlier or later. Have fun!

    View All 11 Questions

    Iraklis - Fri/Sat Special - Mansaf: Lamb Shank w/ yellow rice, fermented yogurt, pickles ($23.99) - BOMB!

    Iraklis

    4.7(560 reviews)
    1.7 mi
    $$

    Can't believe I haven't written a review for Iraklis yet! I've tried quite a number of things on…read morethe menu, and have thourugly liked just about everything! My favorites include the shawarma lamb wrap damascus style, falafel tacos, the original chicken shawarma wrap, and of course the pickles and toum. I also really enjoyed the Fatteh. You can't really go wrong with anything here, it's just about what your personal favorites are. The owners are so kind and friendly, always chatting with everyone in the restaurant, they create a very warm and welcoming environment, and you can tell they really care about what they do.

    We got two different vegetarian wraps to go: the Lebanese fries wrap and the falafel wrap. To our…read moresurprise, the fries wrap was the better of the two, as the garlic aioli and whatever other flavors were added made it tasty. It definitely could have used the coleslaw and pickles promised by the menu but they weren't in evidence. That was the problem with the falafel wrap, too: the menu promised hummus, cabbage & tomatoes salad, and pickled turnips, but those ingredients weren't anywhere to be seen. There was some lettuce instead, but lettuce is a poor substitute as it just becomes immediately soggy and adds no flavor. If you've ever had falafel in Israel, you will be disappointed by the falafel here, unfortunately. (Israeli falafel shops each make at least a dozen toppings from family recipes, so you put as many veggies and sauces in as you can to create a flavor party in your mouth.)

    Photos
    Iraklis - Interior décor

    Interior décor

    Iraklis - Mango Lassi ($3)

    Mango Lassi ($3)

    Iraklis - Chicken Shawarma Taco

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    Chicken Shawarma Taco

    Yiassoo - Super Gyro Wrap w/ tzatziki, tomatoes, red onions, requested no feta | $14.95 (Worth the $3 surcharge for "super" = extra meat.)

    Yiassoo

    4.1(990 reviews)
    6.0 mi
    $$

    My boyfriend was the one who introduced me to Yiassoo, and the gyro sandwich is so filling and…read morerefreshing. The gyro sandwich has both beef and lamb in it. I recommend adding feta cheese for an even better taste! The white sauce and the spicy sauce are both very good. I drench my gyro sandwich in both of them. The spicy sauce isn't too spicy..it has just the right little kick to it. Their French fries are also very fresh and crunchy, and perfectly fried. A gyro sandwich with some French fries is the perfect meal for a refreshing lunch or dinner. On top of having great food, their service is also very good. The past two times I've been here, we had exceptional service both for to-go and dining in.

    I haven't been here in a long time but was in the area and in the mood for Greek food. It's a local…read morehangout and it's very casual. Staff are really nice. You order from the board menu posted inside the restaurant. They give you a buzzer. When your food is ready you go and get it at the counter. Service is fast. Food is delicious - both the gyros and the chicken skewers. I thought the rice was a little bland. They do have sauces at the counter that you can add to enhance your food. The gyro plate (I had it open faced vs wrapped) comes with rice, salad, tzakiki and some pita. You bus your own table after you're done. There's outside seating on the patio on nice days.

    Photos
    Yiassoo - Indoor seating

    Indoor seating

    Yiassoo - Lamb Souvlaki Plate w/ greek salad, fries, pita bread | $18.25 (Requested medium rare)

    Lamb Souvlaki Plate w/ greek salad, fries, pita bread | $18.25 (Requested medium rare)

    Yiassoo

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    Oren's Hummus - Hummus Cauliflower

    Oren's Hummus

    3.8(913 reviews)
    4.7 mi
    $$

    Mother's Day was not super busy but reservations had priority to the point that was the first thing…read morebeing asked (normally I don't think they ask if we have reservation here) so luckily we made one otherwise. The wait staff were super nice from the person taking order to those bringing out the food. Service speed could be better as we didn't get checked on by our server especially when we needed serving utensils (sharing food) and when we were about to wrap up it took a long time to get the check. Food wise most was good - recommend the hummus cauliflower with white pita as well as the grilled chicken. The a la carte lamb was spicy and not tender enough. For sides we got falafel and eggplant Romanian. The falafel was slightly dry. Eggplant was very tomato in flavor and served cold because it's like a dip. They gave either free mimosa or Housemade mint lemonade for the mother on Mother's Day which was very nice touch. Seating ambiance very nice too with warm woods and greenery elements

    Great service. Food was nicely presented and seating on outdoor patio was relaxing…read more Ordered two hummus bowls with wheat pitas, lentil soup and falafel. Though it was relatively simple to share.. Presentation of food was excellent but it was a little disappointing to have gnats flying onto the food here and there. I realize we were sitting on the patio but it may be helpful to have plants on the perimeter of the seating area that repels the insects or citronella candles during the summer months.

    Photos
    Oren's Hummus - Dining Area

    Dining Area

    Oren's Hummus - Hummus Beef

    Hummus Beef

    Oren's Hummus - Hot Apple cider

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    Hot Apple cider

    The Kebab Shop

    The Kebab Shop

    4.1(283 reviews)
    1.4 miNorth San Jose
    $$
    Healthy dining
    Halal

    By far the BEST location I've had the pleasure of visiting! Located in Rivermark Plaza, this…read moreparticular The Kebab Shop is a drive from home but 100% worth the time and extra effort!! I came by to pick up a quick order of crave fries. Ordering via mobile order was quick and easy. The most difficult part was simply finding an empty parking spot. Upon arrival, there only seemed to be one employee on hand- situated in front of the flat grill top. He peeked out to see me and took that extra moment to greet me. I let him know I was here for a mobile order and he let me know the item was made and ready to go. 5/5 stars for this Kebab Shop! Service was lightning fast and my crave fries tasted absolutely amazing- even with them sitting a bit in the car because I ended up forgetting them. LMAO!!!

    Never eaten here because literally every time my partner comes to get it, IT IS THE SLOWEST SERVICE…read moreEVER. Took over 30 minutes and my food from The Melt was cold. Just go there instead, unless you have unlimited time then come here. You start off by ordering on a kiosk, no one greets you as you walk in. It seems like there is a sufficient number of staff and they appear to be hustling around. The issue is that they are prioritizing food delivery service orders because those go out much faster than anyone who comes in and orders. Anyways, this system is not efficient and needs work. Store appears clean and there are vegetarian options. Plus pet-friendly patio!

    Photos
    The Kebab Shop
    The Kebab Shop
    The Kebab Shop

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    Meso Modern Mediterranean

    Meso Modern Mediterranean

    3.9(1.1k reviews)
    4.0 miWest San Jose
    $$$
    Grab-and-go
    Full bar

    We celebrated our anniversary here last year, and it was such a memorable evening! The ambiance is…read morebeautiful, but the food is the real star. Often at Mediterranean spots, the vegetarian options feel like an afterthought, but at Meso, they are too good. Everything we ordered tasted incredibly fresh and was seasoned to perfection. If you're looking for a spot that treats its veggie dishes with as much care as their proteins, this is it. Great vibes, great service, and even better flavors. Can't wait to come back!

    I used to LOVE Meso and always recommended it to friends and family, but after returning for the…read morefirst time in about two years, I left really disappointed. I always ordered the chicken dish, so when it came out this time, I was genuinely confused. The menu describes it as having a garlicky yogurt sauce, but there was none. I even checked their website afterward, and the dish I received looked nothing like the one advertised. I also looked through recent reviews and photos from other customers, and even those dishes looked very different from what we were served. If the recipe or sauce changed, I really think customers should be informed. When I asked the waitress, she explained that it now comes with a zhoug sauce instead, but that isn't mentioned anywhere on the menu. Oddly enough, the same sauce was also used on the Dorada fish dish. We also used to love the lamb, but they changed that dish too by removing the sauce and couscous base. I'm not sure why the changes were made, but it's just not the same anymore. Overall, it was really disappointing, especially since we chose to spend Mother's Day here. The food quality has definitely gone downhill. On top of that, the restaurant seemed extremely understaffed -- there appeared to be only about three servers working the entire floor all night. The ambiance was still decent, but the overall experience just didn't feel like the Meso we used to love. Unfortunately, I can't recommend this place anymore.

    Photos
    Meso Modern Mediterranean
    Meso Modern Mediterranean
    Meso Modern Mediterranean

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    Athena Grill - greek - Updated May 2026

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