Warning: The content in this post may be slightly skewed due to the gummy I took before dinner. We sat outside, which was on a porch connected to the restaurant with mesh curtains all around. The tables were all too close to each other. Lean backwards more than 20 degrees and you're in another lady's lobster pasta. I ordered the only real vegetarian meal they had. Some of the appetizers or spreads were vegetarian or vegan, but there are hardly any meatless meals. So, I got the roasted eggplant. I have never had eggplant. Anyway, we got appetizers from the table including pita and hummus, bread and butter, and more. Then came the octopus. Tiny cubes of tentacles covered the plate. It was fascinatingly disgusting. But if you like octopus you'll probs like it idk. When my eggplant came, I was nervous. Do I eat the skin? No, you don't. Well I didn't eat it so if that's false don't tell me. I ate the filling though, and it was bad. It's what I imagine mystery cafeteria stew would taste like. Plus I couldn't stop picturing the eggplant as octopus. I enjoyed the well-seasoned potatoes the most. In fact I really only ate that part of the meal. That's all I've got. read more

Avli Estiatorio - Roasted Eggplant - Greek Near Me - Winnetka, Illinois

Very decent greek food. We are here for my uncles 95th birthday. They have a great spread and fantastic service read more

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I wish I'd discovered Avli sooner. I've been there three times this year. Their staff is hospitable and warm. They strive to make sure everything is wonderful. The restaurant evokes Modern Greece with a nod to ancient culture. The central fireplace provides warmth and hygge in the winter. The menu offers something for everyone. Don't be afraid to order something new. Every dish I've had was delectable. read more

Recommended by a dear old friend of mine for a reunion of four great friends from college and a birthday celebration, I discovered this new hidden gem in the quaint suburb of Winnetka. What a remarkable night of supurb Greek Cuisine full of outstanding flavors, bright, open atmosphere, and impeckable personable service. My wife and I were the first to walk into Avli for our 8:00 reservations for eight of us. As usual, I like to arrive early to new places to get a feel for the atmosphere. As soon as we walked in, I knew we were in for a special evening. Bright, open, crisp atmosphere with three large dining rooms of tables with white table clothes perfectly spaced out for their guests to have a comfortable experience. A brilliant brick walkway towards a beautiful display of their wines in an open wine cellar, and a quaint comfortable bar where we enjoyed a glass of Rose in their nice Avli sketched wine glasses. As soon as we all were together, we were seated in the middle of their main dining room and our server was quick to help us out with a great bottle of The Prisoner for our red wine choice and his recommendation of one of their Greek whites, which turned out to be a crisp version of Pinot Grigio. We already felt our "happy place" for the night and the atmosphere alone set the tone. Great beginnings with our appetizer orders of Saganaki to split, tasty home made Eggplant Salad and Hummus with some of the freshest soft Pita I think I've had. Not sure where this originated from, but we really enjoyed their Watermelon and Feta Salad to split, something I did not see on the menu. If Saganaki was a "health food", I would of devoured theirs by itself. What a nice citrus bite to it. The menu is so diverse and organized with a great variety of beef, lamb, chicken and seafood dishes. In addition, Avli has a couple pasta and Vegetable dishes to chose from. We all ordered differently, but when I go to a Greek restaurant for the first time, it is Lamb for me. I ordered the Braised Lamb. Nice portion of tender, fall off the bone meat with the juices just flowing out of it. Most tender piece of Lamb, just how I like it served with oven roasted potatoes on the side. The flavors I have not had in most Greek restaurants anywhere I've been. My wife had the Lake Superior White Fish with a perfect and not overbearing lemon sauce. I could taste the natural flavor of the Whitefish, which some places take away with crusts and sauces. What a great presentation of their Salmon wrapped in parchment paper, my friend ordered. When the parchment was pulled back, the Salmon had a nice juicy glaze to it, probably from the ouzo baked over it. I never tasted it, but next time I will have to try this. Everyone loved what they ordered. A beautiful Mini Rack of Lamb split between two of us, and what looked to be a nice, helping of Makaronia, semolina pasta with EVOO. We also ordered a beautiful and tasty yellow and red beet salad. Colorfully fresh and was delicious. In regards to the variety and the preparation of the menu at Avli, this part of the experience could not have been better. Most of all, each dish stood for itself as best prepared as one can find in any Greek establishment. The flavors were MAGNIFICENT, and the presentation did not lie. Our server did an incredible job, although the kitchen did not have my entree of Lamb out on time, but I was ok, the dish was fabulous. Never a glitch in the service, in fact he was friendly and informative and added to our special evening. If anyone ever recommends Avli Estiatorio, take their word, because I walked away with a new hidden gem I would take people back to. The atmosphere is bright and happy, the flavors were top notch and they never missed a thing here. What a great reunion of friends because of it. read more

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Nice place, friendly host, wonderful decor, the food smells very nice... It's very clean in the restaurant, and as usual it looks like a small but thoughtful group of committed citizens... Who are dining read more

Chicago may have it's problems but the toney North shore suburbs seem to be immune with nice people frequenting nice restaurants for great food. There was no sign of an economic slowdown pending as the streets were busy as were the local establishments with a Vineyard Vines catalog come to life. In town for a great cause we relied on our guide Shy town Jack to pick out a place to eat prior to the Brain Cancer fundraiser and bar band jam. Jack suggested Greek so with a group in tow off we went. A bit hard to find, although that might be part of the charm, Avli Estiatorio gave that true Taverna feel in downtown Winnetka. Moderately busy we were seated outside in a very pleasant patio. Two servers helped us one with drinks, and one with food. The drinks were very authentic with a cocktail menu that requires guidance. A selection of 4 drinks came, one real Ozou with no sugar!, One made of tree bark and it tasted like it, one peach like a Bellini and a fourth that slips my mind. The peach was fine the rest seemed like a dare rather than a drink but probably really authentic. Fortunately a Grey Goose martini with BC O's followed cleansing the pallet..... twice. Food ranged from super diner fare, gyros, saginaki etc to superb. Hummus to start was great, octopus same and crusty bread with.... butter instead of the usual olive oil with spices that no one really wants but never mentions in polite company! My roasted lamb shank was fall off the bone tender. It would have brought Telly Savalas to tears! A huge chicken dish for Jack C. looked like he had a tip on a famine! RC had stuffed tomatoes that got high marks. Miami grad Mad had a kabob that looked great and again high marks. As we finished the waiter belted out an Italian!?! serenade for a couple and another torched a saginaki. A great start to a special evening. Opa indeed!! Go read more

After a lovely visit to the Chicago Botanic Garden we decided to try this place for some outdoor dining. It's been hard to write restaurant reviews during this crazy time because - aside from mostly staying at home - there have been a lot of "corona quality" experiences. That said, our experience here at Avli rates as awesome, even during the best of times. First, the patio was beautiful, and at 3:30pm on a Saturday we had it all to ourselves. Furthermore, the service was attentive and hospitable. We came for lunch (which lasts until 4pm) and we were impressed with the selection. One thing to notice right away is that Avli is more of a modern Greek restaurant, as opposed to oldies-classic Chicago Greek. That means you will discover a number of novel and tempting menu items that set it apart from many other Greek restaurants you may have been to. Nevertheless, I did notice saganaki on the menu, in case that is what you are craving. We started our meal with the three spread sampler to share. Our choice of spreads were the tirokafteri (spicy feta), taramosolata (classic fish roe spread), and skodalia (sort of like a thinner garlic mashed potato). These were a hit with our table. I think the spicy feta might have been the most popular, but all were well-loved and well-eaten. While the spread sampler plate came with a few slices of pita, we also received a bread basket, which helped us to clean away any traces of spread that remained. For our lunch entrees we tried the gyros, the lamb burger, the solomos (smoked salmon sandwich), and pulled chicken sandwich. Everything was super good! I had the village salad as a side with my sandwich, and while I liked it well enough, I didn't necessarily love its mustard vinaigrette dressing - it's just not the flavor of dressing I crave with a Greek salad. My husband got feta fries and fried zucchini for sides with his burger, and both were a joy to pilfer from his plate. I will say that after stealing a bite of his lamb burger, it wasn't quite as tender as other lamb burgers I've had. I like my meat more rare. Otherwise, our friends really enjoyed their gyros and chicken sandwich, with nothing to critique about them. One final note is that Avli Restaurant is contained within a sort of mini-mall called "The Laundry." From the street we approached we could not tell the restaurant was inside The Laundry, and we just happened to park out front incidentally. You can reach the restaurant by entering the front door of The Laundry and walking down the hallway. Otherwise the primary entrance for the restaurant is on the other side of the building, accessible by walking through a sort of industrial-looking back lot. read more

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I agree with Steven T.'s assessment, as I had recently had a great experience dining at Avli Millennium Park as well. Though we had an excellent time due to the company, this place was awful in almost every regard. The spread sampler had no flavor whatsoever, though it had been delicious at the MP location. Entrées were so mediocre that many of us didn't eat our full meal. My partner had gyros on her salad, and it was overcooked and brittle with little flavor. My dil's Mousaka was all ground beef and hardly any eggplant. No one's dish was outstanding. If you can't make Taramasolata, gyros, and mousaka taste good, you don't deserve to be called a Greek restaurant. Now the service: Our server was quite friendly, to the point of talking for hours about her home country (not Greece) at the cost of getting our orders in efficiently. Additionally, she spent the majority of our meal sitting at a nearby table with her friends who were dining there. That made her unavailable when we needed something, and she certainly wasn't checking on our food. Management was seemingly nonexistent or invisible, you pick. We certainly will not return any time soon. read more

Excellent, authentic Greek food recommended by a fellow Greek! The dining environment is relaxing and service has always been outstanding!

The food is delicious and has improved! The nicest staff as well! Tina is wonderful! I highly recommend Avli on Chestnut!

Had SUCH a terrible experience it's actually baffling to me and the group I dined with. Service was so terrible I felt like I was actually being pranked no joke! Waiter never wrote down what we ordered, which was a problem because he had to revisit our table multiple times to ask us again?? AND STILL FORGOT STUFF AFTER Never was apologetic for his numerous mistakes, and was extremely incompetent..yikes, sorry to even have to say that. Food was alright. Nothing special. Go if you want, but only at your own risk. Can't even imagine anything they could possibly do to redeem themselves. Obviously will never be returning. read more

I have gotten take out here many times. The front staff so nice and friendly. I get the mousaka and the spanakopita. The spanakopita is the best that I have had ever had! It melts in my mouth. The mousaka is good too. I would give this place an 9 out of 10. It's my favorite Greek restaurant in the suburbs. read more

Super cute place! Staff was great. We came in with a large party and they were very accommodating. We ordered the following appetizers that were really good: -beets appetizer -flaming cheese (forgot the real name) -artichokes -cod dip For my entree I got a Greek salad with gyro meat and it was good as well. Would return. read more

Nice little place to go for dinner. Tucked inside of the Laundry in Winnetka, you won't be sorry if you start with one of the traditional appetisers..Also, the tomato and cucumber salad with olives and feta is a nice starter before the main course. Had the chicken kabob with rice and potatoes. The chicken with the veggies in the red sauce was cooked perfectly, the potatoes too, liked the texture with the crust on them. Nice atmosphere but it did get a little hard to talk to our friends when the room filled up with other diners. Like the food and service and will be back next time in town. read more

While the food here was delicious I got the sense that I was being rushed out. They were apparrantly out of cocktails and the waiter also said they didn't serve any coffee. Dessert was also not offered. I was slightly disappointed in my experience here in comparison to the location in the city. My kalamarakia and beef souvlakia were delicious, though. I wouldn't recommend sitting close to the lights in the outside area--otherwise you will have mosquitoes buzzing around you the whole time. read more

Very good food and service in The Laundry in Winnetka. Had lunch there after a meeting and was pleased as usual. Delicious stuffed eggplant with Greek potatoes, and then two desert "bites." Was most satisfied. read more

Avli is amazing! The dishes were delicious, the chicken is grilled to Perfection with all the lovely spices. My friend had the lamb chops, we shared also the shrimps. I felt like I was in Athens! Great place, outside patio is very cozy with a retractable. The staff is very friendly. They are super busy, so bring some time, or get there early! read more

We really enjoyed our dinner experience at Avli. They have a lovely patio tucked into the Laundry Mall, nice secluded, quiet and shaded. We had drinks and small plates. First was a trio of spreads: Hummus, Garlic and Spicy Feta. Served with warm pita, all 3 were delicious. Next we had Spanakopita and (3) mini chicken skewers. We finished with cheese cake. Everything was excellent, it was a perfect evening. Service was very good. Our waiter helped with wine suggestions, and recommended our selection of spreads. The location is a little hidden. They are inside the Laundry Mall. Google maps will take you to the building, you may not see a sign immediately for the restaurant. Go inside and you'll find it. read more

I have been to this restaurant many times over the years but I have to say I probably will never go back. First, we asked the waiter for separate checks for us two retired couples and he refused. Secondly, the food quality is not anything like the past. Third, when we asked for the lady to refill our water glasses she acted like we had asked for the world. read more

This place was great but hard to find. It is actually inside The Laundry Mall. There is no storefront. Food was wonderful and staff was friendly. Will def go back. read more

We went on a Sunday around 7pm and the restaurant was dead. The appetizers were okay. The entrees not so much. The gyro meat was like beef jerky. They gave you a lot of meat but only one tomatoes slice and pita. The Seafood medley with tomato orzo had no tomato or orzo. read more

I had my rehearsal dinner at Avli Saturday night, and we were so thrilled with everything. We were 60 people and fit snugly but cozily in the main dining room. The food was absolutely delicious and the waitstaff was wonderful. We especially loved the beet salad, chicken kebabs, and the gyros. I will definitely return and highly recommend it for a private party or regular dinner. read more

Milton is in charge!! He will make your experience at Avli all that you hope for. We hosted a bridal shower there in the garden room. Working with him was a pleasure. He listened and responded. The afternoon was glorious. If you're looking for a special venue for an important occasion, be sure to put this on your list. Ro read more

Avli Estiatorio - Garden room at Avli. - Greek Near Me - Winnetka, Illinois

I love Avli, I really do. We order delivery from here a lot, and my family and I have gone there in person a few times as well. Unfortunately the last two times that I have ordered delivery (July 4th, and tonight) my flatbread has arrived completely ruined. The first time it was completely sideways in the bag. I asked the driver, and he claimed the restaurant handed it to him that way. I made a big deal about how that couldn't be possible, but then my food arrived today and the flatbread box was put in the bag completely upside down. I'm not sure who is packaging the delivery orders or where the disconnect is, but to say I'm disappointed that my favorite dish arriving like this twice in a row would be an understatement. I hope this is an issue that can be resolved soon. read more

Avli Estiatorio - July 4, flat bread box arrived sideways in the bag :( - Greek Near Me - Winnetka, Illinois

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This was a wonderful spot for lunch. Great and patient waitstaff. The menu is extensive and it took some time to choose what to eat. Food was great. Even the manager was friendly and stopped by our table to say hello. read more

Love going here for lunch during summer on the patio. It's the only time I'll go. Solid Greek food for the area. Bottle of assyrtiko is a must with some shellfish or branzino. The branzino here is not the best but I still order it because it's kinda good everywhere. Good spot, glad it's here read more

Pre covid we ate at Avli regularly and were always pleased with the food and the service. Since I don't eat out anymore Avli is one of our favorite carry-out meals. The food is consistently delicious and the staff is always helpful when ordering and picking up. I must also say that I just read Nick A.'s review and I am shocked, disappointed and saddened that Nick wrote such a negative review as he was the person who refused to wear a mask when asked to at the restaurant. Hey Nick; stop being such a selfish, disrespectful and inconsiderate person! News flash: there's a pandemic going on! Get your act together. Wear a mask or stay home! read more

Fantastic staff and customer service. A memorable moment was being serenaded in Italian a capella. Always wonderful food and ultra considerate service. Our waiter even teased giving grandma the empty black folder that holds the check - a great laugh because of course she wasn't going to pay for her own birthday dinner yet was acknowledged as the matriarch and head of the party. We had a lot of fun and can't wait to visit again. Gma has been reserving the private room here for a long time! I presume we will be coming back for years to come! read more

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While visiting friends in Chicago, we all stopped for lunch here. I'm Greek American, so I have eaten Greek cuisine a lot. And I can say they put their own spin on traditional and new inspired dishes. The moussaka had more béchamel and meat, for a richer experience that I usually find in that dish. The lemon potatoes were delicious. And the Horta (dandelion greens) tasted super fresh. The interior is spacious and quite pretty. The service is very good. Avli Estiatorio is a nice experience. read more

Avli Estiatorio - Greek Near Me - Winnetka, Illinois

Stopped in for Brunch! We've never had brunch here until today and we are glad to add it to our list of Go To places. I had a mimosa and my husband had some cocktail that had a funny name (maybe Greek Man in Mexico?) and both were good. I had the Greek French toast which was soaked in milk, eggs, and I think honey. Delicious! My husband went for a lunch dish with gyros and fries. He had a Greek coffee and the choclava dessert which came with a scoop of ice cream. Food here is always better than other Greek restaurants. The decor is classy and understated. Service was very good and our meal was leisurely. Cost per person with tax and tip was $45. We will be back! read more

Great hidden gem Really good place to visit and enjoy great food. People is nice and the menu has a great variety of options including fresh seafood Don't forget the dessert read more

Tiana & Juan were the most amazing hosts to us tonight! We went for 1st time with our 4.5 year old, not realizing it was fancier than we expected & she was the only child there. Tiana came over and instantly bonded with her making her feel so special. Service was impeccable start to finish, with a complimentary desert, too! I had the shrimp skewers which were ok, but not very small slices of bell pepper & onion and only one half of a small greek potato, I'd try something different next time. The saganaki was amazing! We will definitely be returning to see Tiana & Juan again! The atmosphere & patio is wonderful! Thank you! read more

We had the octopus appetizer, olives and feta(The feta has a very mild flavor and soft texture, which makes it seem not authentic) lamb burger(which was too small... Should be 30 to 50% bigger for the price.) and gyros. Had a nice bottle moschfelero. Services always great. read more

My brother: "Can I get some more water?" (All of us at the table have empty water glasses) Alvi Employee: "Sure" (Fills my brother's glass, walks away) The sangria was terrible--just some bad red wine over ice. Not a piece of fruit or hint of cinnamon in sight. At lunch time, they have a soup or salad + sandwich special for $12. I got the lemon/chicken/rice soup, and there was no chicken, just a little bit of rice that barely looked like rice, and it was rather watery. The sandwich--I just had the chicken on pita--wasn't bad, but the tzatziki sauce on it was unconventionally spicy. It was an unpleasant surprise, and I would up scraping it off. The service was sloppy--water and ice getting sloshed onto the table and not cleaned up when glasses were initially filled. Unfortunately, for me and my family, this place was a resounding NO. read more

Avli Estiatorio - Chicken pita lunch special - Greek Near Me - Winnetka, Illinois

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This place was amazing. My mom is a big Greek food...foodie haha and she was very impressed!! The restaurant was beautiful, cute and quaint. We shared saganaki, always a great choice. Our server suggested a white Greek wine that paired very well with our meal. We split Pisatacchio (my FAVORITE Greek dish) and Seafood Orzo, presentation was excellent and the food was delicious. Service was so nice - efficient, quick but took our time, so nice and helpful. Two glasses of wine, an appetizer, and two entrees our bill was $107, I believe - we had plenty of leftovers, too! All around WONDERFUL experience and we cannot wait to go back or try the other locations. read more

Avli Estiatorio - Greek Near Me - Winnetka, Illinois

Usually consistently good. Dinner was awful. Gyros we're terrible. Seemed like we got left over meet. It was chopped small and overcook. Gross. Paid a lot of money for yogurt desert bc that's all I ate. Even the bread was stale read more

A bit noisy at peak times, but the food is great. Shrimp skewers were delicious. Can't wait to go again.

Really big fan of avli. Very solid Greek food in a really nice ambiance. The entrees are good portions and can be shared. The spreads are really good and of course they have feta stuffed olives for martinis! read more

Came here for lunch and everything was just okay. My wife got the gyro sandwich and I got the bbq lamb sandwich. Fries that came with them were undercooked and lacking major flavor. The bbq lamb was pretty tasty but the gyro meat my wife had was mediocre at best. Have definitely had better gyros from fast food type places. read more

Wow, what a place. What a service. Drove here (even though it's really far for us) but was not disappointed. Firstly, our server Nick. TOP NOTCH. Thank you Nick. The place itself was nice and cozy. Not full for the night (although we did arrive a little late). Service: Nick made us feel very comfortable. Knowing the place offers small plates, we intended on having a few small plates and then order an entree. Nick was kind enough to point out that what we are doing is a great choice as the 4 plates we have ordered will be plenty of food. My wife is a vegetarian so the suggestions he made were perfect. Nick was very professional yet very friendly. He checked in on us from time to time to make sure everything was ok. There was one gentleman who I believe may have been the owner was leaving but before he did, stopped by and welcomed us and asked if everything was ok. When we left the restaurant, we met him again and he thanked us for coming and wished us a nice evening. I'm very impressed at the service and will definitely go back here again. Food: Food was great. We had the zucchini fries which were very very good. I was quite impressed that the batter stuck very well to the smooth side of the zucchini. We also had these vegetarian cutlets that had some feta cheese and other ingredients in them which were awesome. The star for me was the sausage side. Flavors were more Italian I think as the sauce (I think it was some sort of Marinara sauce) was something I felt would be in some pasta but what was different is that there were plenty of perfectly cooked vegetables in it too. Have already spoken to some friends about this restaurant and hope to return with a larger group very soon. read more