Just so you know before reading, I'm Greek and I'm a chef, so any Greek restaurant, to me, is almost always a disappointment. However, despite my low expectations, this place was not bad. The Avgolemono, for starters, was pretty good. The saganaki was a bit salty but also pretty good. The skordalia was surprisingly garlicky, which I enjoy (I like mine like a bomb) but I think it might be too much for most people. The zucchini chips were good, for main courses we got the White fish with lemon sauce which was good, and the lamb and potatoes, as well as the chicken souvlaki. The souvlaki was a bit dry and under marinated, but the potatoes I was very impressed with. Overall not bad, and I think any non-Greek would definitely enjoy this place a lot! If you are Greek, I'd still give it a try, definitely one of the better Greek restaurants in that area. read more

The new space looks great, but the food is mediocre and overpriced. Will not be returning soon.

Date night at Avli had some great moments, but overall fell short of expectations. First, our waitress was super sweet and she made excellent wine recommendations, which we really appreciated. Service-wise, she was attentive and kind. We ordered a full spread and specifically asked for the courses to be paced so we could enjoy everything. When three appetizers came out at once, I politely reminded them and asked to hold off on bringing additional dishes. Unfortunately, despite that, the rest of the food continued to come out all at once. It made the experience feel rushed and frustrating, especially since dishes started getting cold before we could enjoy them. The highlights were definitely the zucchini chips, artichoke, and Greek salad, fresh, flavorful, and easily the best items we had. The rest was underwhelming. The octopus was just okay, the grilled calamari was chewy and lacked flavor, and the red snapper was a bit dry. We also never received the broccolini we ordered, which added to the disappointment. There's potential here, especially with some of the appetizers and the warm service, but the pacing and overall execution need improvement to really elevate the dining experience. read more

Avli Estiatorio is one for the ages. It takes Mediteranian Cuisine and specializes their plates in fusion and creativity in a big way while pairing it with different cocktails & wine. It was a very comfortable setting with service that paid attention to detail. The entrees including the chicken and lamb chomps were also so delicious. read more

I just came home from my lunch at Avli. The new design is absolutely gorgeous. That being said the food was not as good as I had remembered and I felt extremely extremely overcharged for I'm very disappointed. I feel feel they want me to pay for the remodel and not because the food was so great so I don't know that I'll be going back again. read more

The eggs were disgusting. The best thing was the salt. I will never waste my money coming here.

The Avli restaurants in the Chicago/Milwaukee area have a passion for creative preparations/presentations of Greek specialties. The Milwaukee place on Brewers Hill has a smaller menu and the Grecian claim is a bit avante garde in that a visitor longing for a traditional Greek menu will only find hints of it here. The Winnetka outpost (one of four in the Chicago area) has a larger menu and the possibility of creating a true Greek feast for a catered reception. The Greek salad, Chicken Souvlaki and Portakalopita (orange cake) are outstanding as are some of their Greek wines. read more

The new, renovated space is wonderful and the staff as always is super friendly. There is always a friendly and family'-like vibe at Avli. Lately, we have enjoyed sitting at the bar for cocktails and appetizers. If in doubt, just ask the bar staff for recommendations and you won't go wrong. See you again soon Avli! read more

My family and I have frequented Avli in Winnetka since it opened. Take outs, all kinds of celebrations were held there. I dined on July 21st, 2026 and for the first time I was disappointed. The restaurant has been completely remodeled, yet they did not include a restroom, thus forcing customers to take the long walk to use the ones in the Laundry Mall. The quality of the food was disappointing, for the first time in so many years. I agree with other diners that the portions have been reduced. Two of my friends ordered the chicken and beef souvlaki. The rice, an inexpensive food, resulted in one tablespoon full. I much preferred the ambiance, decor, outside dining and the remodeling in general. I ordered the crème brûlée, my favorite, ordered in many restaurants, which I make myself deliciously good. I make a vanilla custard, sprinkle organic sugar on top, place the ramekins under the broiler while watching for the sugar to caramelize. I even asked our waiter if he recommended it and he did, highly. What I was served was NOT a custard, it was a white cream with no flavor covering a bottom layer of shredded pastry dough, kadayif. Needless to say, I did not eat it. I did not want to embarrass the waiter who had served me so many times in the past, I just left it. I will attempt to contact/email Avli Winnetka to suggest that they modify the name of the dessert, as crème brûlée is a misnomer, misleading. read more

Didn't see their indoor seating as we were sat in their heated patio. They had indoor heaters going so it didn't feel too cold. Our server was amazing! Can't remember her name but she was very attentive and overall friendly. Food was delish! We had the octopus dish for appetizer - definitely recommend. My husband had the Chicago style gyro and was not disappointed. I had the beef skewers and the beef was done just right. Everything was tasty! read more

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Food was mediocre at best. Much better Greek restaurants around. Service was very good. Ambiance decent.

Sorry to say, even though its lovely and vastly enlarged setting, it was disappointing. Ordered the lamb chops which were the tiniest thinniest (like 1/4 inch thick) chops I ever seen! They were frenched but still! Not even sure how they slice them that thin. Ordered rare and they came well done. Charge me more and serve a legit chop. Had to ask 3 times for bread. We were 4 and they brought 4 slices of bread. Lol Husbands lamb shank was dry as a bone. C'mon Avli. Its walkable for me and I'm sad that I'm disappointed. Not trying to be petty or mean,(and I RARELY post reviews) just hope you up your game cuz we would love it to be excellent as it used to be. read more

Highly recommend this establishment. Very accommodating to anyone with celiac or gluten intolerance. I'm not but my child is but their selections were well cooked and they use rice flour for the calamari and any fried fish with a coating. are also very accommodating when it came to appetizer served with pita they can be served on request for cucumbers and carrots instead,. Enjoyed the white fish, watermelon salad and the saganki (sp) . There was six of us and we all shared anything we ordered including dessert. read more

The food, staff and environment was phenomenal. Such a great experience!! Will definitely recommend this place to everyone. read more

I tried the new menu at Avli Greek Restaurant, and everything was genuinely so good. The Meze Platter was amazing and had such a nice variety. From the Mezede section, the octapodi and phyllo shrimp ended up being my absolute favorites , both were really well done and full of flavor. I also had the salmon, which was delicious and cooked perfectly. Overall, the new menu is impressive, and every dish I tried was a hit. I'd definitely recommend checking it out. read more

This place is a hard no. Too many excellent Greek restaurants in this area. Heavy handed on the seasonings and small portions for the price. Take a pass. read more

We are repeat customers and have generally been very happy with both the food and the service. The new space is really nice and provides a great ambiance. That said, the food last night was a pretty serious disappointment. We got there about 8:00 PM and it was nearly an hour before our entrees arrived. The place was 50% empty and we ordered some pretty simple dishes (souvlaki), so its hard to grasp the delay. The food presentation was depressing, colorless and lacked any sort of imagination. The skewers were accompanied by a single slice of potato and a single scoop of some sort of rice mixed with spinach, neither of which were particularly good. For the price of these meals, we certainly did not feel we got anything worth our money. read more

Only when I guess not only expanded their space with a beautiful new dining areas, but has really up their game and it comes to the food highly recommend read more

Lovely food, lovely staff! I really enjoyed the bone marrow, lamb chops, Greek fries, all the dips and the baklava

The food was just ok the service wasn't great either We ordered there flaming cheese and it didn't come with any pita so we asked for some we waited awhile so we ate it then the pita came and we were charged for it too finally I received the check and I hate places that automatically charge you 3% for rising cost I'd rather pay more then see an additional charge read more

We are so bummed with the recent menu changes at Avli. We used to order out from or go to Avli about once a week, it was always delicious and our go to spot. The saganaki, chicken skewers, gyros, spicy feta dip, etc were always on point. It's all completely different now and was all very greasy. The space itself is still a beautiful spot but sadly the new menu has pushed us away and don't think we'll return. read more

I ordered the whitefish. It was terrible. I had it here a year ago and it was very good but this time it was so salty and over cooked. Very disappointing. I will not be returning to this restaurant. read more

I travel to the Chicago area frequently for work and we always make sure to make time to stop here! The food is authentic and the service is top notch. The dining room is very cozy and the wine selection is great. My favorite has to be the moussaka. read more

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I had not been to Avli in a long time and decided I was craving it. So, I suggested two of my friends and I go there last night. What a disappointment. The service could not have been worse and the food was mediocre at best but the prices were outrageous. There was no reason for bad service, given the number of empty tables. I know I will never go back and neither will my friends. read more

Our waiter had a good sense of humor and took very good care of us. The food was good and the noise level was low so we could talk.

We used to love Avli. It's gone way downhill. The gyros was inedible, the moussaka lacked eggplant, and the baked chicken was average. Portion sizes are smaller and prices are up. I will not be going back. read more

Came here for a rehearsal dinner. There were about 50 of us and they had a bar with beer and wine set up in the back, passed apps, and a plated dinner. The table set up was nice and we were seated 10 to a table. Spanakopita - very tasty but a little soggy Artichoke hearts - the grilled taste on this was very nice Gyros - pretty gamey but fine once you put it all together especially with the crispy fries Whitefish - a little dry but the broccoli was so good Baklava - a little one note but the very bottom offered a more caramel flavor Orange cake - a little dense and a little lacking in cake flavor. Too fruity read more

I was very disappointed. Aside from being overpriced, I could not believe how many things they got wrong. The food came late; the sides were disappointing and my chicken wasn't cooked at all - it was marinated and RAW. Until they straighten out the kitchen, stay away, read more

We were greeted with a smile and were seated in the cozy, festive, well-heated patio area. Staff were friendly and efficient, even when the 7pm rush swarmed in! Loved seeing halloumi on fire and experiencing Greek culture in the Chicago 'burbs! The food was overall fresh and high quality! We enjoyed the classic dishes, Greek salad, chicken skewers, and tzatziki. The waiter filleted the lemony sea bass for us too. Potatoes were on the bland side and bread was cold. Order the right things though and I'm sure you'll love it! read more

Avli Estiatorio - Chicken Kebob - Greek Near Me - Winnetka, Illinois

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I have gone to this restaurant many times. Last night we went and it was awful!! They changed the menu and upped the prices. We ordered Greek salad, it usually can feed five, last night 1, no lettuce and some dill on top. I was at a table of 9, no one liked the food. Several dishes were totally burned or the chicken, not cooked at all!!!!! The wait staff was trying, but I could see they were in dismay!!! read more

Been eating here for 15 years and the new menu is another step up from their already fantastic food. They've still got it!

We were excited to try Avli in the laundry complex in Wilmette. We hadn't been there since frequenting Chef, Didier Durand's La Bohemia, which we adored. My birthday happened to fall on a Monday evening, which is not a usual, hot night for restaurants, and this was definitely the case for this establishment. The decor and ambience was fine. The food was, at best, fine. The service was perfunctory, and at times left the impression that they did not want to be there. To be specific about the underwhelming evening, it started out, promising with one of the best saganaki we had ever had. The server allowed the cheese to flambé quite a while, so that the alcohol burned off, yet added a bit of meltiness to the texture of the cheese. Zucchini chips were also fine, we just prefer a bit looser version of skordalia. Three of our party had the grilled seafood plate, along with one branzino and the lamb burger. The flavors were there, but everything, especially the burger, were overcooked and dry. Perhaps we will return on a busier night, perhaps the kitchen is in more of a groove during those situations. This just seemed like the kitchen was almost quiet, quitting, waiting for the evening to end, so they could get back to the normal operations of a bustling restaurant. Our usual Greek go to is Mykonos in Niles, and we have gone on every night of the week. The quality of the food has never had these issues Perhaps a nice spring or summer Thursday night might be a better time to give Avli another go-& stick with our usual strategy of Greek salad, an appetizer or two, share the gyros and a bottle of Roditis . read more

I enjoy writing great reviews for great dining experiences. I do not like writing about negative experiences. We've dined here more than a few times, but for us there's no reason to go back when there is excellent quality Greek food at Psistaria on Touhy. The service was the main problem. We were told as we sat down to hurry up and order as the kitchen was closing in 10-15 minutes. No hello or welcome. So we made our decisions and then watched as our waitress folded napkins and we waited for her to remember us. While that was happening a couple came in and sat down behind us. We ordered our food and then watched as the late comers were served ahead of us. Our food arrived just after that, my gyros were luke warm. I didn't complain, b/c at this point (after 9) I was hungry. My plate was set up in such a weird way, with the gyros on top of a pita and the tomato and onions underneath it all, so I had to figure out how to make this work with out spilling things off my plate. Wouldn't it make sense to put it all on top of the pita? By the time I finished it, it was cold. My wife ordered their lamb burger. It came on a plate, the bun and the burger nothing else...no garnish, tomato, lettuce anything else. I find that just so strange. read more

Food was disappointing and service slow. Staff was very nice, but the experience was sub-par.

1st time dine at Avli. Foods are delicious and great service. We will be there and trying other entrees and appetizers read more

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Loved this place, our waiters three gentlemen Miguel Jose y Juan that served us with such professionalism. Everything was delicious and served with a wonderful smile which makes all the difference always. Definitely our favorite Avli not only for the fabulous food but the human factor. It makes such a difference to go out and have an experience! Tonight we had a fabulous experience. read more

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This place is a 10! The ambiance is chill with a fantastic covered patio to boot! For lunch we all order the lunch specials which have multiple options and are quite tasty. The staff are pros and they help us make nice choices. Dinners are amazing! Make sure you have reservations though because it's a popular locals spot. read more

Love their outdoor space. Went for lunch and tried the lamb burger. Space was peaceful and food delicious.

I've loved coming here when visiting family in the Chicago area. The appetizers are all really good. This time we got three spreads (taramosalata, melitzanosalata, tirokafteri). The taramosalata is made with cod roe and tastes a little like egg salad to me. Not my favorite but the rest of the table loved it. The melitzanosalata is made with eggplant and the tirokafteri is spicy feta. Both of those were great with the latter being my favorite. We also got the saganaki, which is a delicious chewy cheese set on fire at the table, and grilled artichokes. Two of the entrees ordered were the tavern style lamb chops and the Moussaka. I ordered the lamb chops medium - I like lamb to be just a little more done than beef. They were tender and flavorful. The broccoli was zingy. I think the star was the Moussaka though. It's eggplant casserole with potato, braised lamb, béchamel on top, and Greek potatoes on the side. The eggplant lamb mixture was packed with flavor and the béchamel on top OH MY STARS so good. I wish I could put that on everything. Overall a great place to come for good food and a good time. read more

Avli Estiatorio - Moussaka, Greek Potatoes - Greek Near Me - Winnetka, Illinois

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Food fair at best.. Had Whitefish only tasted pepper .. Service fair ... they DONT SPLIT checks. The restaurant was barely half full on a Saturday night ..Should have been a red light read more