Being Greek I am absolutely picky when it comes to Greek places and Athens Cafe is officially my favorite in our city! The atmosphere is welcoming and warm with live music at times. Our server was very efficient and proactive, we didn't have to ask for a thing!! We started with the dolmathes (grape leaves), they were incredible and perfectly cooked. Grape leaves are tricky bc if you don't boil them enough they are rigid and break but if you over boil then they crumble and are too soft. These, incredible! The lemon sauce was absolutely divine, a strong lemon taste but so so good!! I chose the chicken souvlaki, which were grilled to perfect without any charr. The rice was tasty and reminded me of my Yiayia's and the Greek green beans were packed with flavor. My friends chose the gyro, gyro salad, pastitso, and mousakka. Everyone loved their dishes!! We were too stuffed for dessert and too excited to take pictures, haha! I'll definitely be back to try something else on this delicious menu!! read more

Started off with dolmades and saganaki (flaming cheese) the saganaki normally comes with pita points but here it doesn't. We asked for additional bread. Service wasn't bad. Sometimes they needed a little coordination I had famous gyro platter which was really good. Anna had the chicken skewers with a salad. Overall pretty good with a couple gotchas but will be back read more

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Delicious Great service Friendly wait staff Delicious Gyro meet and vegetables Clean read more

Athens Cafe - Gyro platter - Greek Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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This is a Greek Restaurant that has been here forever. Many groups come bec they know the place and what they'll get. We came with our daughter bec my husband wanted Greek food! It is not busy I think bec there is, and has been, several other types of restaurants in this shopping center-in particular a Mexican and pizza place now. Service is not quick (I hope bc they are making fresh the food) but they are friendly. The bread and flaming cheese was delicious. I got the sampler and wish I had gotten the chicken and a Greek salad. read more

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This is a cute Greek restaurant with a beautiful mural of the Parthenon and lots of painted pictures of Santorini and other Greek cities. It was a little hard to find because it was in a strip mall but it's located right next to the UFH Pediatric Center. The food was delicious. I asked my waitress if she recommended the moussaka or gyro sandwich and she said get the moussaka, so I ordered the Classic Greek combo which came with moussaka, 3 dolmades on a bed of orzo pasta and 3 spanakopita. It was perfect because I got to try three different dishes. The moussaka was tasty, not the best I've ever had but full of flavor. Before I left, I decided to order the gyro sandwich to-go, and boy am I glad that I did!! It was wonderful! I would definitely recommend that over the moussaka. read more

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I have to commend Alex, our server for his OUTSTANDING customer-centered support! He ever fails to greet us with a smile, and demonstrate appreciation for his customers as we get the privilege of having him most times we go there! Very much appreciate Alex! Now on to the food; what can you say about the BEST Greek food in town! We come here frequently and they have never let us down with the highest standard of ingredients and flavor. My aunt tonight had the flounder, which was a HUGE piece of !!! She said the taste was great and she very much enjoyed the potatoes. My uncle continues to enjoy their bean soup and Greek salad , his staple go-to. I had the chicken, rich with flavor was FANTASTIC!!!! The seasoning was beyond sensational and very large portion. The grilled vegetables as always were great and tonight I tried the Greek green beans. I liked the flavor and it took me a second to realize. I was eating something that I said I would never eat because of texture and that is due tomatoes. These green beans were made with spices and green tomatoes, which truly enhanced the flavor! I would definitely do that again. Of all Greek restaurants this is my favorite. You walk into a warm family environment. You've got the Aunt and Uncle who run the establishment with the nephew working there and on weekends the son who comes in from college. They truly embrace every client as they come in as if they were also family and that's something you just don't get. Supporting local business is Paramont to me and this family owned restaurant deserves all the business we can get to them! They Cook from the heart and it's demonstrated by the flavors of the food and the richness of the variety in the menu. read more

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The food here is incredible and the staff and owners are amazing people. They treat customers like family!

My sampler platter was delicious! The grape leaves were stuffed full and had a lovely cream sauce drizzled over them. My pastitsio was tender and flavorful. My husband got the gyro platter and it was also very good! The inside is much larger than it appears and even has a small room available for private events. read more

Athens Cafe - Athens Sampler - Greek Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Where to begin when you find a gem of a place to eat, you start with great service and follow that up with amazing home cooked food. We started our culinary journey with the Saganaki Flambe, which was as stimulating to the eyes as it was to the taste buds. We also had the Dolmades, which were great. We also had a Greek salad platter and the trio dips which were fantastic. For our main dishes we ordered lamb kabobs, chicken kabobs as well as the Chicken Athens saute. Everything was absolutely amazing . As wonderful as the food was the Chef/Owner, Victoria came over to greet us. She is a Rock Star who truly cares about her customers experience. Telling her story how she knows her customers, but didn't know us because it was our first time there, certainly not our last. If we could give this place 10 stars we would. Run, don't walk to this place, you won't be disappointed! Unfortunately we live 1000 miles away, but if we are ever in the area it will be our first stop to eat here again. read more

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What wonderful folks that own this place! They make you feel welcome! Slouvaki is delicious! Want an authentic Greek drink? Ask for the Olympus Elixir! The beautiful belly dancer is very talented! This is a hidden gem! read more

I had the Gyro, amazing . Service was on point. My friend and I had a quiet , peaceful lunch . read more

Athens Cafe - Greek Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Food was great. The service was excellent and friendly. I love the decor. It made me feel like I was a kid again.

I have been wanting to try Athens for several weeks and I am so happy I got to drop in. We were greeted by the nicest lady who was so sweet. The restaurant is so authentic with beautiful music playing and a family environment. The hummus is so creamy and perfectly seasoned. The pita is served fresh and warm. The traditional salad had the best veggies and omg let's talk about the chunks of feta!! We loved our experience and will definitely be back to try more. read more

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This restaurant is bigger than it looks from the outside. We went for lunch and enjoyed attentive service from our waitress. I have a gluten allergy question that our server wasn't confident answering but she sent someone else right over to help. Lots of options for those of us who aren't able to eat gluten. Everything was delicious! I would've preferred the chicken as larger pieces but that's hardly a complaint! There was also a dessert counter that looked great. Not sure if anything was gluten free but it all looked good! read more

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Fantastic European espresso My coworker goes almost every day & brings me a double shot. Completely revitalizes me in the afternoon!

My boyfriend and I have been struggling to find a good Greek place in JAX. We would usually have to drive all the way towards Tampa. But this place has extremely fresh and authentic Greek food, we were both in heaven. We talked to Victoria when we walked in and had a nice conversation, she went to the back and cooked our food for us on top of being our server. We couldn't give her enough compliments and wish we could eat more. She gave us some desserts on the house which was very sweet, were both ready to take a good nap after having such a nice meal.this is our now go to Greek place, we will return! read more

Stopped here after a long day of work in need of a good meal. They exceeded my expectations! I got the lemon chicken soup and the gyro platter, both were outstanding. The waiter was very kind and made me feel at home. Would definitely come here again. read more

Athens Cafe - Greek Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Great food, friendly people and quality service. Highly recommended. Has nice Ora about the place

GREAT food... friendly owners.. amazing clients. Deserts are all made to perfection! Lots of parking and handicap entrances.

Came here because of the good reviews and was extremely impressed. The food was great, and the staff was even better. Sam was friendly and outgoing and made our evening a joy. We felt catered to and cared about our entire evening. 5 Star read more

Athens Cafe - Cheesecake Baklava - Greek Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Athens Cafè : Thank you to the owner Sam for hosting our special meal after my mother's memorial. We are greek and it was important to do something greek to honor her. The most vibrant party was going on simultaneously, as well, which I think added a very special one of a kind celebratory nature to this special day. A baby was announced and the entire private room was dancing with live singers and everything. The food was truly made from the heart the way my mom would good. The Dolmas, the Pita, The Avgolemono soup and the True & Authentic Greek Green Beans-Fasolakia Lathera were so very well done! Thank you for everything you did for us, Sam. When I am back in town, I'll do a special night there with my husband and I promise to dance more! You have a magical place! ! read more

The service and decor were very good as well as the service. The food was good and some of it lacked in a bit of a WOW factor. The Avgolemono Chicken Soup was an exception as was the Grilled Octopus(a bit pricey for one small tentacle) which was cooked perfectly. The pita was very good and fresh, but unfortunately the hummus was very bland as was the Lentil Soup. The Chocolate Baklava Cheese cake was creamy and tasty. I would go back, hoping the other dishes have a little more WOW factor. read more

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Really loud & mediocre food! Not worth my time. Too many much better places to dine! I really felt the two stars I gave this place was generous! They just have lots of room for improvement! read more

Absolutely the best Moussaka in Jacksonville! The ingredients are fresh and you can tell it is a family own business . Service was fantastic. Thank you, Victoria! read more

Athens Cafe is located and a shopping plaza that has definitely seen better days. There is nothing wrong with the shopping plaza, it is just a statement that it has definitely seen better days. The shopping plaza is relatively clean and there is more than ample parking. The restaurant itself is not huge and there is nothing fancy nor high-end about the place. It is however, very clean and comfortable. The service was also very warm, friendly and professional. The moussaka is very good. If you are unfamiliar with this Greek specialty, I would definitely recommend getting acquainted with this wonderful dish. Beef, eggplant and bechamel blended together to form something amazing and worthy as a meal for the gods of Greek mythology. I would definitely recommend a visit here. I think that you will definitely enjoy it. read more

Athens Cafe - the front of the restaurant - Greek Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Went after the gym with my fiance and got pitas. Omg so good and so much food!! Will be back :) also the bread at the beginning! YUM!

Coming from a greek girl from Chicago, I know good greek food, and this is good greek food! Great service as well!

We had a wonderful meal. All completely fresh authentic ingredients. The owner, Victoria, was a pleasure to meet and to hear the story of her beginning the restaurant. Prices are very reasonable, and we can't say enough, having been to many Greek restaurants before. This is the real thing! Bob and Joyce Nay. read more

This place is easy to find in a shopping center that has easy access from two roads. You will be seated upon entering. They have a separate section of restaurant if you want to buy Greek deserts to go. It is a nice quiet ambience. They have interesting art on the walls. They do have separate seating areas for big get together. The food is really good. We had grape leaves to start us out. They were perfectly put together. I had my usual gryo wrap. The wrap was overflowing with sliced meat. The menu is reasonably priced. This place is veteran owned. They do have a military discount. read more

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The food served here is some of the best I have ever tasted. Everything we have tried has been phenomenal. The prices are reasonable, the atmosphere is cozy and the owners and staff are so very pleasant. read more

The best Greek food in Jax. We were fans of another local restaurant, stopped by Athens Cafe as we were in that part of town, bar none the best. The food was fresh and hot, cooked and spiced correctly, and the service was also great. We will make the 45 minute drive to eat there again read more

Great service to accompany authentic Greek cuisine! Savas the proprietor, has a warm inviting personality that enhances the menu ! The baked chicken was like yiayia's and the avgolemano soup was outstanding! read more

Entering a world of Greece when you step in you'll be amazed inside how decorative and inviting this place is. Mediterranean decor and delicious scents of flaming cheese you'll be saying Oppa before you even dine. Location- inside the DuPont station shopping center Inside- very decorative with sectional party sections. Very spacey and decorated with many Greek sculptures a few columns and interiors. Food - we had the melted cheese as an appetizer saganaki flambé the fire grilled cheese. It was perfection. My hubby had the lamb shank and I had the Athens sampler of three choices. Dolmades, Spanakopita and your choice of Moussaka or Pastichio it very delicious . This place definitely will make you feel you stepped right in Greece. read more

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Love the staff, mostly family, their attention to details, desire to be welcoming, and friendly nature is greatly appreciated! The home made food is always a great treat. Occasionally there might be live music, a belly dancers, or fun locals to brighten the space. Never leave without a smile, Thanks!!!!!! read more

Years back, Athens was a favorite option for me and my coworkers. We probably ordered take out from Athens at least once a week. Since I no longer work in the same neighborhood, I was thrilled to see Athens open when I was in the area. Glad to know that it survived the test of time (and Covid). We recently visited on a Saturday with another family. We ordered right away but the wait was much longer than expected because there was a meeting in the private room so that groups' orders must have been placed just as we arrived. Unfortunately, we had some hungry kiddos who had very little time to literally inhale their meal before their next game nearby. The gyros are always so good but if you want more of a meal - these are my other favorites from Athens: MOUSSAKA - EGGPLANT CASSEROLE - oven baked layers of eggplant, potatoes, and ground beef topped with Béchamel sauce. SPANAKOPITA  A blend of herbs, spinach, and feta cheese baked in layers of phyllo pastry sheets. Served with orzo or rice. AVGOLEMONO  Chicken lemon soup. Avgolemono is made from chicken, rice, egg and lemon juice. It  is soothing and calming. It is known as "The healing soup" Don't forget to check in on Yelp for a glass of wine or dessert! read more

Athens Cafe - Gyro Salad - Greek Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

I've heard good things about Athens Cafe but it took me a while to visit. Finally I stopped by for a late lunch. It was Black Friday but the place was empty. With Covid I felt comfortable sitting inside since we were the only customers. The restaurant is spacious & can accommodate a lot of people. They had a room that can be used for lunch meetings. They serve breakfast, lunch & dinner. As soon as I sat down I checked-in on Yelp & got a free wine or dessert. Sweeet! Looking over the menu there were plenty of great choices. I love Greek food making it hard to choose. My friend & I decided to split a Greek Salad & Moussaka, a unique Greek dish with eggplant, beef & Bechamel sauce. The Greek Salad was so fresh, the Olive oil & Vinegar dressing was tasty with feta cheese. The Moussaka was awesome nicely browned on top. It was super delicious. When we finished our meal we ordered the free Baklava was oh so sweet & quite a treat. When we got our bill I expected to pay the dinner price for the Moussaka, instead our bill was $4 cheaper, lunch portion. Nice! I can't wait to return to eat Moussaka again. They advertise Belly Dancing on Friday nights if interested. Check them out. read more

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Phenomenal, home cooked meals. Try Moussaka. Owner at end actually came out and said hello. They'll cater to large parties like anniversaries etc as well with ease. Dessert Melts -in -your -mouth good read more

What a great place for dinner! Lamb chops is my favorite, grape leaves follow, as well as the flaming cheese. Great hospitality! Every Friday night there's dancing, plate breaking and tons of fun! Update 3/11/23 Athens is back! After a switch of ownership and a much needed facelift, Athens Cafe is open again for its faithful patrons and new ones who haven't yet tried the food from the original Greek restaurant in town. Avgolemono (chicken egg lemon) soup was awesome, as always, and the grape leaves can easily have you craving them. Chicken souvlaki was also good and tender, and the chicken gyro platter was a great choice. The octopus was flavorful. Don't forget the Greek beer and wine! I'll be back to try the deserts made by the in-house pastry chef. The sound of that and the pastry display are both great improvements, but tonight was not the not the night for desert due to a birthday cake we had. The place was open and airy and the service is certainly improved. read more

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I had the roasted Greek chicken with potatoes....delicious. Then had the orange cake with Greek coffee...again delicious. I can't wait to go back and try other offerings. I have been searching in NE FL for an authentic Greek dinner and experience. Service was great. I can't wait to go back. read more

Fantastic, authentic food. Recommend the garlic parmeasean with the bread and the gyro!