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    Ayola

    4.0 (313 reviews)
    InexpensiveGreek, Mediterranean, Salad
    Open • 10:00 am - 3:00 pm

    Order Ayola Takeout or Delivery

    Ayola Photos

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    AYOLA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Ayola

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    Reviews With Photos

    Gyro
    Nicola B.

    The perfect gyro! I've eaten here a few times now and it's quickly become a go-to when I'm in town. It's (relatively) cheap and (extremely) cheerful, just a great lunch. I prefer the chicken gyro, 7" will do you, it's tender and delicious and the salad toppings are really fresh. I love how they prepare the pita too, it's the perfect thickness and nicely grilled. This most recent visit, they didn't have chicken which was a shame, but the lamb and beef gyro is great too. Sometimes I find red meat too heavy but it wasn't greasy and it was just as well seasoned as the chicken. Their sign about having the best fries in town was what got me in the door, out of sheer curiosity. Well, I'm here to tell you that I haven't tried many fries in town but I've tried MANY fries in the world, and theirs are fantastic. Lightly seasoned, fresh and crispy, and fluffy in the middle. They know what they're doing here and it's consistent.

    Great food! Chicken shawarma
    Michael Angelo R.

    I love the chicken shawarma bowl. The service was quick. People are friendly. The food tastes fresh. Perfect for lunch!

    Falafel with a side of crispy, salted fries. Those are half of the fries, delicious!
    B K.

    I was craving a falafel, so of course as I'm on Kearny St. there's a popular falafel place next to Ayola. I passed it up for Ayola because you can get the best French fries here w your falafel. I got mine crispy & salted, DELICIOUS! Sababa doesn't have fries, and is expensive. Just look at the small falafel and half my fries. So good! Can't wait to go back.

    Menu - As of 1/19/2022
    Shannon P.

    Looking for a healthier lunch option? Ayola is a solid spot in FiDi. Quick service. Simple menu. Also most items come with complimentary pita bread

    Baklava
    Amy L.

    I did not like my chicken gyro at all.. maybe it's the fact that I don't know what authentic chicken gyro should taste but I didn't like that my chicken tasted rubbery and it didn't taste like real chicken. It tasted like it was made of soy chicken but it definitely didn't have the consistency of real chicken that I would expect to taste. The gyro also felt like it wasn't saucy enough nor did it have any type of unique taste or kick to it even though I did lather hot sauce on it. I'm used to the gyro being warm (or at least the meat being warm) but this gyro was completely cold and just didn't fulfill my expectations. My friend got fries wirh his order of gyro and I thought the fries were delicious and well seasoned so that was one plus. There is a free baklava if you check in! I don't think I will be coming back again but if I do, I would want to try their falafel!

    Gyros Pita Sandwich
    Alexandra D.

    This place always hit the spot! The fries are amazing so so crispy on the outside and delicious. I always get the gyro as the meat is juicy and flavorful and the pita pillowy soft. I placed a large order for the office and they labeled and packaged everything very well. I was extremely satisfied. I also got to speak with the owner as I claimed my free baklava from Yelp checkin and he was very sweet and helpful. Definitely recommend this place.

    Montage #1 of images from Ayola on Kearny Street
    Ed U.

    I'd make a terrible Greek. I can't dance, even if Anthony Quinn was holding onto my shoulder as he kicked up his heels on a beach in Crete. My everyday plates are Corelle, so they bounce when you try to smash them. Nope, I'd make a lousy Greek, which may mean you have to take my review of Ayola with a grain of salt or maybe a grain of orzo. But hey, I'm a big fan of the one on New Montgomery where they do something nearly magical with their fries, so I'm not sure why this one doesn't make me want to go "Ooom-pah!" Part of it, I have to admit, is location, as this Ayola stands in the shadow of Baladie on the same block where their gyros wraps are outstanding as you gaze at the mural of Petra. Here you just gaze at the condiment stand. On my first visit, I went for what I knew best, the $7.95 Lamb & Beef Gyros, the nine-incher as we say in the trade (..I have no idea what trade I'm taking about) with a splooge of tzatziki sauce (photo: http://bit.ly/1COyXgo). It was certainly big enough with a decent amount of meat shaved from the spit (presumably), but the pita wrap was crusty to the point of jaw-tiring. What's more, the fries were dry like Sahara-dry (photo: http://bit.ly/1CcfJMh). Needless to say, I was not all that motivated to come back until recently when I had a hankering for some Greek eats for lunch but wanted to be a bit more mindful of the calorie count. This time I ordered the $8.75 Neptune Salad described as a "Greek salad with tuna". Well, not quite but it was still pretty good. It was actually a pile of chopped Romaine with a few tomato wedges and even fewer Kalamata olives thrown in. On top was this mass of tuna that looked like it came from a can. Not that I'm complaining as I eat canned tuna voluntarily, but I had no idea Charlie the Tuna even knew the God of the Seas. Anyway, their special house dressing was on the side as were a couple of grilled pita wedges (photo: http://bit.ly/16Nld7Q). And halelujah, the fries were almost back to their magical form - hot, lightly crisped and oh-so plentiful (photo: http://bit.ly/16Nll7a). It was enough for me to reconsider the gyros at some point when I can afford the carbs. In the meantime, I sat up in the balcony where they set up a counter for diners to have a panoramic view of the first floor. It's the nearest I'm getting to a vacation for the next couple of months. FOOD - 3 stars...kinda hit-and-miss with their gyros and fries but the salad is pretty decent AMBIANCE - 3 stars...small space, not that comfortable but the view from the balcony is just...oh who am I kidding? SERVICE - 3 stars...order and pick up, no big whoop TOTAL - 3 stars...will Anthony Quinn ask me to dance?

    Lamb and beef meat in a gyros!
    Tiffany D.

    Lamb and beef meat all in one gyros was so yummy! It's my first time that I have a mix of lamb and beef meat mixed together and in a gyros! That yogurt in the gyros was at a good, tasty amount and add that hot sauce they provide on the side, then the combination is perfection! I literally devoured the gyros in 10 minutes. The cashier thought that I was rushing and told me to take my time, but I was eating it voraciously not only because it was way past my lunch hour, (it was 3:30 for my lunch break) it was also too delicious to put the gyros down, but in my mouth! Their meat had flavor and it wasn't dry. Of course, the hot sauce and yogurt sauce helped superbly! The pita bread was toasted to a warm crisp! Adequate seating with a mini, upstair seating area! Pondering on what to get for lunch? Their gyros is better than your average sandwich shop!

    9 inches
    Sandy B.

    Staff was super nice and friendly. Food came super fast after I ordered. Ordered 2 9" inches for 3 people to share. $8 dollars for the 9" and 7 for the 7" with fries and drink is additional $3 dollars. The fries are a must get, super yummy! Also I love their hot sauce. I can dip that in anything. I really like the **Gyros Pita. It's made with Lamb and beef with tzatziki sauce. And comes with With lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and red onions. Very tasty. **Chicken Gyros Pita Sandwich with herbs and tzatziki sauce. I didn't think it was as flavorful. I think it was lacking Tzatziki Sauce in the chicken.

    Gyro Pita
    Adam B.

    A satisfying gyro option in the FiDi. The gyro meat and tzatziki are quite rich compared to the omnipresent cold cut sandwiches nearby. Gyro Pita: The pita tastes very fresh; it is thin and chewy. Much better than those puffy pitas from the grocery store. The gyro meat was thinly shaved, though not particular crispy. I imagine they have such high turnover that it doesn't get much of a chance to sear on the spit. Still quite tasty though. The tzatziki was creamy and delicious. A bit too much romaine lettuce; I had to sweep half of it off. Falafel: Perfectly crispy on the outside then firm and grainy on the inside. It was a tad dryer than I like, but still enjoyable. Fries: Medium thickness. Not a limp fry in the batch. What really made these was dipping them in the smoky hot sauce instead of regular ketchup.

    Sparta salad (greek salad with chicken) and fresh pita! It was very hot when i got it!
    Sky S.

    I don't know why I've never tried this Greek restaurant before. But I tried it twice this past week. I tried the gyros platter salad and the falafel. The portions are quite generous. The gyros meat is tasty and the salad tasted great. I couldn't finish, had to save the falafel for snacking on later! :) My second visit, I had the sparta salad--the chicken was just ok, the spices on it were great but it was a bit dry. I would stick with the gyros meats/dishes if I go again. I would recommend and I think the prices are fair for the amount of food (and the area).

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    8 months ago

    I've been going to both locations for years. Friendly service, great food. Possibly the best French fries in SF

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    3 years ago

    The food was amazing and the staff were very polite. Definitely recommend. Nice inside also.

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    Gyros and Tzatziki

    Gyros and Tzatziki

    4.2(154 reviews)
    2.7 mi•Mission

    Don't talk to me I'm eating…read more Once in a while a plate of food puts you in a trance enough to sit there eating silently with your friend. Don't talk. Just let me eat first. Thoughts going through my head "how can this taste so good," "I wasn't expecting this tonight," "this is the most tender gyro meat I've ever had," "how nicely this sauce pairs with the rice." Service was so friendly. Walked in for Friday dinner cus it's try a new restaurant night. Surprised it was empty. They got quite a bit of takeout orders but no one eating in there. Only the workers in there. Was greeted immediately with a smile. Wasn't sure if I had to order then seat myself or politely ask to get a table first. Sometimes it's confusing at some places, I didn't want to be weird. Asked for a table then server brought menus to us. But the next person who walked in just ordered and paid right away at the cashier then sat down. So I don't know. I wasn't given water with my sit down meal. Cus I ordered the food without mentioning water, so it must be one of those don't ask don't get kinda things. As requested. FOOD: *lamb & beef gyro plate: what is this goodness! Meat is so tender. How nicely it sits on top of this rice. Pour some tzatziki sauce over both and eat it. Delightful. Comes with a side of seasoned tomato much like a salsa consistency. There was a red liquid salsa sauce too on this plate so you can pick what you want to dip your meat into *hummus with chicken kabob: o what now this is something new I haven't tried! Delicious! The garbanzo beans are blended enough that the hummus is completely smooth. Good salty flavor. Comes with triangle pieces of bread oops I mean pita to dip. I slathered the hummus all over my pita. Pita was swimming in hummus. Why not, cus they give you plenty of hummus in that bowl. How many times did I shout "delicious" throughout and after this meal. Maybe 4 times. Am I talking to myself or to my friend. Doesn't matter. Sangria available in glass, half, and full size So clean inside. Got that new restaurant feel.

    I've only had the falafel burger and the falafel plate, and both were delicious. The fries are also…read morereally good. As a takeout place, Gyros and Tzatziki normally gets four stars, but as a restaurant, it's definitely three stars, and I'll tell you why. This place needs better management. Failing that, one of the three guys who is normally working when I come needs to take charge, because the current setup isn't working. You order at the counter, which is common at many San Francisco restaurants. One of the three guys will help you, but sometimes, one of them is just sitting or standing a few feet away from the cash register, but he won't acknowledge your presence. It's as if only people who will actually take your order are allowed to speak to you. Once you do (eventually) place your order, you're in for a wait. If you're eating in, that's all right, because the food is definitely worth the wait, and the small seating area is normally comfortable. If you're taking it to go, however, they refuse to say anything about where to be while waiting. I normally just sit down at an empty table because I know it will be awhile, but when I stand, I always feel like I'm in someone's way. When they're busy, not only does your food take forever to come out, but the service just goes out the window. Again, only three guys working, including the chef, but why does one of the remaining two guys always seem to be so stand-around-looking-dumb lazy? And the funny part is that it's not always the same guy; the one I used to think was a hard worker was sitting in a chair near the back last time I came. It was like he was in a timeout; he wasn't looking at his phone, just yelling random things to the cook occasionally while the other poor guy had to deal with four different parties eating in, plus all the to-go orders. So order it to go before you arrive. Or sit down and try to figure out what's going on.

    Photos
    Gyros and Tzatziki - Lamb & Beef Gyro Plate

    Lamb & Beef Gyro Plate

    Gyros and Tzatziki
    Gyros and Tzatziki - Outside

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    Outside

    Souvla - Chicken salad

    Souvla

    4.0(154 reviews)
    2.5 mi•Dogpatch, Potrero Hill
    •$$

    There's this big Souvla hype in the city, and I really could not understand it for years. I still…read moredon't really quite understand it. But recently, I wanted to eat at Sohn, and the line was horrendous due to a special pop up event. So, there was Souvla, just next door, and I needed lunch fast. I decided to give it a try after several years hiatus. I got the Chicken Salad, which had kale for the main leaves, Shaved Fennel, Navel Orange, Pickled Red Onion, Pea Shoots, Mizithra Cheese. I did like how the chicken came nice and warm. I saw others getting the fries and potatoes, and thought dang I should've gotten some too. However, at the end of my salad, I was satisfyingly full. This location is on the cuter side compared to what I remembered in Hayes Valley location. They have a variety of bar style individual tables, regular bar seating, regular tables, and communal tables. I liked how this location had high ceilings, matched with very large windows, cascading light into the restaurant. The service was prompt. It was a decent lunch, better than I had remembered in past years. I really just wish they had some grain/rice dish on their menu.

    I had my first Souvla experience at the Dogpatch location, and it lived up to the legend. The…read morerestaurant was quiet on a Friday evening, so we were able to get an entire table to ourselves after ordering. The menu was short and sweet; since I was in the mood for bread, I ordered the chicken wrap (vs. the salad). Our food was brought to our table almost instantly. I was a bit intimidated by the gigantic wrap in front of me, but once I tasted my first bite of the lemony rotisserie chicken, I suddenly understood why everyone raves about Souvla. The creamy yogurt sauce, pickled onion, and sweet orange slices gave the wrap an elevated feel. The pita was a bit tough and hard to cut and chew, but it did its job in holding everything together. Next time, I will try the salad for comparison and make sure that I save room to try the frozen Greek yogurt.

    Photos
    Souvla - Bar inside

    Bar inside

    Souvla - Free range chicken sandwich

    Free range chicken sandwich

    Souvla - Beautiful dining room

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    Beautiful dining room

    Ayola - greek - Updated October 2026

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