Always a 5 star experience for us. Great ambiance (both indoor and outdoor seating), friendly service, and amazing food. We love their variety of appetizers (especially the trio of tzatziki, hummus, baba ganoush? with pita bread), grilled cheese with fig and tomato (forgot the name), and of course the table bread and olive oil. We also got the lobster pasta and grilled chicken sandwich which were delicious. Highly recommend it all! read more

Good food and beautiful settings. The service was great as we had a reservation and didn't have to wait long. Fun place to go with friends and items are shareable read more

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Service is outstanding to me and the the dishes served are very good, the portions seem a bit light but so delicious.

Tasty delicate brunch in a nice patio overlooking Main Street. Had the pikilia combo and Greek omelette with some coffee - the omelette had a lot of spinach and veggies, and the muhammara on the combo plate was light and perfect. Service was prompt and the patio was almost empty early on Saturday morning; they started filling up closer to noon. read more

Elia - Greek omelette - Greek Near Me - Pleasanton, California

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Everything was fantastic! It's very nice and friendly staff. Would definitely recommend!

Nestled at the South ene of Main, this place is worth your time. Nice clean upscale yet relaxing decor with a great outdoor patio. All of the services, from our hostess to the server to the service assistant, were excellent. Our lunch meals fantastic and flavorful. All of them... Elia is truly a gem on Main Street, and we are glad to have discovered it. read more

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First off, the vibes here are immaculate. The decor and ambience perfectly captures the essence of Greece. I was shocked to see the place was packed on a Tuesday night! We were able to get seated right away. Our sever was very friendly. Food came out in a timely manner. We had a great dinner here. Would definitely come again for a nice occasion. What we ordered: Lamb riblets Moussaka Whole sea bass read more

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Came here with a girlfriend for dinner and had the lousiest experience which was unfortunate because I've been here before when food was exceptional. Beginning with the waiter service, staff was highly inattentive the entire night. We were waiting over an hour to get our cocktails. Ordered the flaming cheese and it took at least 45 mins to get the bread which is supposed to come with it. The ceviche was decent. We ordered the seafood paella which was nothing special. The meatballs were gamey. It was a dissatisfying experience:( read more

Have been here a number of times, probably too much for my wallet haha~ Come here often for lunch or some special occasions. Special occasions make reservations for, they do get busy! Sometimes they will do a personalized menu. I've had a couple occasions where they forgot to do a little special dessert when I've requested it for bdays. None the less I still love this place! Outdoor seating is available with heaters above. Drinks: none stick out to me of the ones I have tried, but they do have alcohol from Greece so if you ask your waiter, they do have someone in house who can guide you if you tell them what flavor profiles you like! - Pikilia : combo so you get a little bit of everything is a great plate! Brunch menu - Prawns: the white wine flavors of this dish are amazing - Octapodaki: the citrus combines so well with the octopus - Buccatini: is my go to dish , they change the proteins offered in them, but I love the richness and the pasta cooked perfectly al dente - Avgolemono: Lemon soup, good, but nothing special - Kokkinisto: I'm not a lamb person, someone I ate with tried it said it was "ok" for lamb Ambience: intimate, but definitely loud Parking: Street parking, there is also a shared lot behind the restaurant Missing that pasta right now, but my holiday bod says time to chill enjoy!! read more

This greek restaurant is very elegant and beautiful but still casual and inviting atmosphere. We sat outside and each seat had a blue blanket. Both service and food were excellent. I recommend this place for date nights, anniversaries, girls night out, family brunch, etc. read more

Elia - Breakfast paella - Greek Near Me - Pleasanton, California

This was my first time there and I loved it - for sure will be coming back again. The food was full of flavor, the staff were so kind and swift. They were attentive to details and the am since was mellow. Great spot to catch up with a friend, take the family out, or maybe even go on a date... read more

Elia - Beef and Lamb meatballs - Greek Near Me - Pleasanton, California

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This is such a great date spot! The aesthetics and vibes are great and service is top notch! The sea bass was such a winner for me - perfectly crispy, juicy, and I loved everything it came with. The flaming cheese was ok for me, a little too salty. The meatballs with lamb were delicious! Very pricey but I had a blast. read more

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@eliarestaurants I was tardy to the Greek party but baby, I'm here! Loved my meal and service at #eliarestaurantlounge in Pleasanton this past weekend! Their food is delicious, fresh and unique! Their attention to detail of all things Greek was fun and relaxing. I felt like I was in Greece having a traditional healthy and delicious meal. The #mediterraneandiet is ideal to living a healthy and happy life and Elia restaurant can help you achieve this goal. Definitely trying out their second location in #walnutcreek. Even though this restaurant may be pricey for some people it's worth every penny. You'll leave feeling like you're on vacation. They have a big porch that wraps around the restaurant outside and ideal for a warm sunny day. Also ideal for date night especially when wanting to try a new cuisine. Opa! read more

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We took my MIL here for her belated birthday while she was visiting. It was such a nice day that we sat outside. It was a nice touch to have blankets on each of the chairs in case we got chilly. We started off with the Saganaki (flaming cheese) which was delicious. It came out in a skillet and the server lit the dish on fire. Each of us enjoyed our dishes. I had the Kefthedes (beef and lamb meatballs). My MIL had the sea bass filet and my daughter had the chicken souvlaki. All were were great portion size. I tried the turkish coffee which was nice to have as an ending to my meal. The service was really attentive and friendly. One thing that was cool was that the bathroom had mouthwash which I took advantage of! read more

Short Story: A nice Greek restaurant in Pleasanton! Long Story: We went here for a birthday and was not disappointed. We made a reservation in advance and was promptly seated. The menu is expansive and we got several appetizers and entrees to share. We got the octopus, calamari, and grape leaves. For the entrees we got lobster tail, halibut, and lamb shank. It was very busy that might so the service was a bit slow. However it was still a very upscale and fine dining experience. The ambiance and decor was quite romantic. Verdict: I'll go back next year! read more

Main Street parking can be a little tough to get to Elia but it's worth a visit. Staff are friendly and attentive, and the modern Greek decor inside makes you feel like you're in Santorini. Medium rare lamb chops were perfectly tender but the friends prefer their Gyro and Seafood Paella. I never leave this place with left overs. read more

Elia - Lamb chops - Greek Near Me - Pleasanton, California

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Top tier pricing with mid tier plates. Don't get me wrong the food is good! It's just not quite the caliber you would expect for the price. We started with a round of cocktails before getting a bottle of Champagne to celebrate the homidays. They bring warm rolls to the table with a fresh made tapenade that we enjoyed. We ordered the Lamb Shank and Lobster Pasta. The Lamb Shank was fall-apart tender, but lacked seasoning. The sides- the vegetables and orzo- were mushy. As for the lobster pasta, the lobster tail itself was top notch! Unfortunately, the pasta sauce was more 'soupy' than a cream sauce should be. Over all, great ambience, great service but the food itself could use a little more love to get it back to that 5 star status! read more

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I enjoyed the tapa style dishes. Everything is tasty and came with beautiful presentation. I especially like the fried smelts since I didn't notice this dish in other restaurants. We were seated in the patio on a rainy day. The tarp for the outdoor patio wasn't built for the heavy rain so it was leaking a little. Hopefully they can fix it before the next big rain. The service was nice. The staff was helping us to move tables when it was leaking and were super friendly! I was looking forward to the seafood paella and it didn't come until almost 2 hours later. We asked for a few times and we were always told it's coming. When it finally came, I felt the rice wasn't cooked through and the seafood was a little undone. We knew it was a busy night so we didn't say anything. The potion was a little smaller than expected but flavor should be good if it's cooked through. Overall, food was good and service was nice. Will come back to try other dishes! read more

Hands down one of the best places for a beautiful dinner in Pleasanton. The service, food, and ambiance is out of the world. Elia stands in a league of its own in Downtown Pleasanton. We've eaten there multiple times and its always been a joy. Expect to pay $50+ a person. A stand out dish is the seafood paella. It's always beautiful to see and even more beautiful to taste. read more

Elia - Kolokithokeftethes - Greek Near Me - Pleasanton, California

Came here for a lunch with my dad and it was a very nice experience! I enjoyed the food a lot, I ordered the Pallela and it was made so well and was delicious! My dad ordered the halibut and it was well made and seasoned. The restaurant is very clean and modern and the service we got here was amazing! It was a really nice experience and we enjoyed ourselves a lot! read more

Such a cute date spot! Both the inside decor and the patio ambiance are beautiful! The food was also absolutely delicious, I could eat their bread and olive oil for every meal. Their lamb chop was not gamey at all and very flavorful. Moussaka was creamy and delicious. And their ceviche was fresh! I would recommend this spot for anyone wanting to have a nice dinner. Servers were friendly, ambiance was nice, and food delicious! read more

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Elia is a brightly-lit, high-end, beautifully-decorated restaurant that gives the vibes of a Greek island! The food here was spot-on in quality, flavor, and presentation, and our server Karla was super friendly and hilarious too! My favorite way to eat Greek food is sharing mezethes, and we ordered one of nearly every small plate on the menu. The Pikilia came with a trio of dips (tzatziki, melitzanosalata, muhammara) and triangles of soft, chewy pita bread. The Saganaki was a salty fried kefalothiri cheese lit on fire right as it was brought to our table! The Kolokithokefthedes were crispy zucchini cakes beautifully plated with dollops of garlic yogurt; the Spanakotiropita were crispy phyllo pies filled with spinach, feta, and leeks; and the Dolmathes were grape leaves stuffed with rice, pine nuts, and currants. One mezze dish that seemed more French than Greek was the Escargot, doused in tons of butter, garlic, and parsley. The Smelts were little fried fish served with a creamy aioli; the Prawns were served in a cast iron skillet with olives, cherry tomatoes, and feta in a white wine-lemon sauce; and the Keftedes were lamb and beef meatballs in a tomato sauce. But my favorite mezethes were the Octapodaki, a grilled octopus tentacle served with pickled potato and orange slices; the Arnisia Plevrakia, or fatty, slow-braised lamb riblets; and the Kounoupidi tou Fornou, or oven-roasted cauliflower topped with tons of toasted almonds and crumbled feta. And then came the entrees. The dish that came most highly recommended by our server was the Arnisia Paidakia, which came with three giant grilled Australian lamb chops served over a mushroom-potato gratin, Brussels sprouts, and a dry fruit compote. The Moussaka was a hearty casserole made with layers of eggplant, potato, béchamel, and a generous amount of ground lamb and beef, all topped with a chunky tomato sauce and fried onions. Finally, we had the Kotopoulo Souvlaki, two super flavorful chicken thigh skewers served with an arugula salad and couscous mixed with dried fruit. Even after this sumptuous feast, we made room for two desserts that our server recommended. The Poached Pear was a beautifully presented whole pear poached in mavrodaphne (a red wine); and the Sokolatina was a chocolate cake with a chocolate lava filling. Both desserts were served with a sticky vanilla ice cream and crushed pistachios, making for a sweet end to a delicious meal! read more

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The food, service and ambience were fantastic! The flaming cheese and calamari appetizers were fantastic. The swordfish and lobster pasta entrees were amazing and delicious read more

We had such a great time at Elia for my husband's birthday dinner. I made a reservation in advance, which was an easy process. I told them the occasion we were coming for and they were kind enough to put "Happy Birthday" on our menus. They even gave him a birthday card signed by all the staff. It was soo kind and a wonderful personal touch. The restaurant is absolutely stunning, especially in the evening. The indoor and outdoor areas are so beautifully decorated and have romantic ambiance lighting. It almost transports you somewhere else, and you don't feel like you're in downtown Pleasanton. The food is also wonderful! We would skip the octopus during our next visit, but the main courses were good. My chicken kabobs were very filling and flavorful. My husband ordered the filet mignon and he loved it. The drinks, although pricey, were good and very pretty. Lastly, service is great. We never felt ignored or overlooked, and had great service throughout the visit. Highly recommend Elia for any and all (special) occasions :) read more

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We celebrated our son's 8th grade promotion here. I made reservations in advance and was greeted warmly by Emila - friendly and truly ensured we would have a wonderful dinner. She sat us in their lovely outdoor seating area, towards the back for a more private ambiance and the rest of the servers did not disappoint either. Emila even had the menus printed out with our son's name for the special occasion! Once seated, we were served warm bread puffs, delicious apps, and delicious entrees topped off with yummy desserts. See my descriptions of the dishes we had in the photos. It was the perfect way to celebrate our son and enjoy some delicious food served by an excellent team of staff. Thank you again, Emila, for making our evening so special! read more

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Amazing food and great atmosphere! The service was friendly and professional, and every dish was fresh and flavorful. One of the best dining experiences definitely recommend Elia Restaurant! read more

Went to elia for valentines day and had really good service considering the fact that it mustve been really busy. i gave 3 stars bc our meals came with green beans and no potatoes but some type of lemon polenta cake even though on the menu it says it would be served with roasted potatoes and asparagus, the server said nothing about this substitution and given that we are spending alot of money on a preset menu it wouldve been nice of him to acknowledge this kind of change. i never been to a restaurant that didnt let the customers know that they were out of something and would be adding different things to the meal. read more

Elia - Greek Near Me - Pleasanton, California

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What was supposed to be fantastic valentines was hijacked and ruined by Elias. Service unorganized, food terribly portioned and wait times horrendous and I mean HORRENDOUS. I like Elias but felt scammed with a 20% auto gratuity, lied to and literally left hungry. That's the worst part we left hungry. I drunk maybe a gallon of water from waiting so long for food.. let me explain We had a reservation at 7PM came 5minutes early and was immediately sat down great. We ordered at 7:05and this is when tragedy struck. didint get our first course until 7:55 PM which was a salad it was okay didint take a pic because we were so hungry. My wife and I finished it in 5-minutes tops. They clear the plates it is now 8:00 waiting for the 2nd course it came out at 8:45 INSANE for 4 small oysters and a tiny salmon cake although both were delicious the clumsiness from the staff make it eh, again finish it quick we are trying to make the most of our time but it's difficult when you are forgot about and couples who came in WAY later than you are eating dessert at this point and leaving. 9:30PM finally FINALLY get my lamb chops which they must've found the most feeble of baby lambs because it was unfortunately tiny and my wife's lobster was good. Again we ate it relatively quick they cleared the plates and it took another 25minutes for desert it is now 10PM and it's just a joke at this point. Thank god I was with the love of my life there's no way I could've gotten through this and still had a good time with anyone else we made the most of it, had fun but very disappointed. I have been in the restaurant business for years I know the ins and outs, and what I can tell you is that's it's not rocket science but it IS hard work and when it is prime time busy; dinner time busy if you just do the tickets in order it will work out and Elias failed to do so A restaurant of this caliber should be a well oiled machine and tonight they were not. A 4course 3 hour meal for $400 never again read more

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This place is hands down one of my favorite places to eat at in east bay. It's located in downtown Pleasanton and the ambiance is just so cute - it's as if I was transported back to Greece. And more about the food, honestly it's comparable, if not better than the Greek food we had in Greece. We ordered the lamb shank, lobster bucatini, moussaka and friend smelts. Everything was super well made, but id say my favorite was definitely the smelts! I never had anything like it before and it was so unique and easy to eat. Came here on Christmas Eve and the service was amazing! Would recommend to anyone looking for a night! read more

Elia - Moussaka - Greek Near Me - Pleasanton, California

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What a pleasant surprise to find in Pleasanton! See what I did there? Joking, aside......... The food was very good and high-quality, with the fruit burrata salad, being the most memorable along with the bread and dip. We ordered both the fish and lamb entrées and they were cooked to perfection. We also ordered the Greek yogurt cheesecake dessert and it was very smooth. Overall, there are many options on the menu and we would return for the delicious food. The restaurant design is really beautiful inside and there is a large heated patio outside. The tables are spaced closely together, but I do like the ample heat lamps and fire pit. There is street parking along downtown Pleasanton, but also a giant public free parking lot behind the restaurant. I particularly liked their attention to detail to make it a comfortable environment for their customers; for example, they had racks for jackets and purses, as well as blankets per chair for the colder weather. They were very busy, but the service overall was good. Definitely recommend as a strong option for date night or larger gatherings. Will return! read more

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Lovely food. beautiful spot for relaxing with family. Minor blips ordering wine, but overall the wait staff were very attentive

Lighting, ambiance, DJ and lively crowd complimented one another. I particularly appreciated the fact that there was a slim counter behind the bar for standing patrons to have conversations and place their drinks down. We ordered the paella which was more of wet texture than other types you order at Spanish tapas restaurant. It was tasty! I'm so glad they were able to make a smoked old fashioned drink for me. read more

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Absolutely lovely, and the best experience I've had in Downtown Pleasanton. First, it's the prettiest place on the block. Second, it's first class. Third, lovely service. Fourth, and most important, food is superb. Whether it's a date or celebrating a special occasion, it would be the right choice. It's on the pricey side, so if that's a concern, save it for a nice occasion. With my gf and my Mom, we had a wonderful time. Really good rolls are served with olive oil and crushed calamata olives, mmmm mmmm. I'm on a fairly strict diet, so for the table we ordered the KOUNOUPIDI TOU FORNOU [$13, 4.0 stars] -- roasted cauliflower (oily, but delish and not spicy) with garlic-chili-butter, paprika, currants, fresh herbs, toasted almonds (loved!), and crumbled feta. For my entree, I order the LACHANIKÁ TOU FORNOU [$28, 5.0 stars] -- a vegetarian moussaka that was a really generous portion and super fresh and packed with flavor. Honestly, couldn't be more perfect. (I'd order this again and again) With nice Greek (and Turkish) music in the background, we dined outside on the patio. It's can get quite cold, so there's blankets draped on the back of every chair to quash that problem. (note: inside is quite noisy) Highly recommended. read more

This is the best restaurant on Main Street in Pleasanton! They have the best wine and one of my personal favorites is their Vie Viete rosé from France. The food is unbelievable, my favorite is the Lamb Chops entree and octopus appetizer and of course their bread they serve to start. The entire team at the restaurant are epic, from the amazing ladies at the front, the bar staff, runners, chefs and entire management team. All the managers care deeply about each guest and honestly I'm a weekly regular and customer for life. Not to mention the decor takes you straight to Greek island vibes! Give them a visit islf you want a taste of Greece without leaving the country! read more

Went for brunch on Saturday morning. Arrived at 11am (right when they open). Everything seemed ok until it wasn't. Since they had just opened and we were among the first to arrive, we were able to quickly put in orders for our coffee, two entrees (smoked salmon toast and the 3 egg skillet), Burrata, Smelt and Calamari. The server asked if she should bring appetizers out first and then entrees and we said no; we specifically wanted everything as it was ready because we had to leave by 1215. Plus we were sharing everything (even entrees). Calamari was standard, Burrata with fruit was good. The smelt was not good, it was weird. We each tried one piece and didn't touch the rest. It was salty but unseasoned and didn't taste like anything good. Servers nor managers asked why it hadn't been touched. We ate the Burrata and calamari (though they kept trying to take it away against our will). Around 1130am we realized the entrees still hadn't come and so we inquired. Between 1130 and 1215 we asked about the entrees 3-4 times. We were told they're coming, don't worry. The entrees never came. How we had no entrees after more than an hour made no sense. Eventually, a manager came out; aggressively and somewhat rudely inquired whether we wanted to cancel the rest of our order. We said yes because it was now past 1215 and we needed to leave. The manager didn't apologize, he made excuses saying that our order must've ended up behind orders of two parties of 5 that were there (which is odd because we put our order in before those parties arrived). We waited and grew later for our appointment for someone to bring the check (that we'd now asked for 3 times as well). Paid for the apps we ate and left, totally shocked at this odd experience. Though I love the outdoor seating, the colors, the previous experiences with servers who seem to no longer work here, etc. the food (what we did receive) wasn't as great this time and the service was horrible. If this had been my only experience here, I wouldn't come back. read more

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We decided to enjoy an early dinner with our son and went to Elia. After being seated right away, we started with couple appetizers, fried Smelts and Dolmathes. They were well seasoned and delicious. We then ordered Filet Mignon Souvlaki and Seafood Paella. Again, delectable and the portions were just right. The servers were attentive. read more

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Since Elia opened it has been beautiful & delicious. And always great service. I have always been surprised at their consistency in quality and flavor. I haven't been to Elia for quite some time. I had an out of town guest and we went there for lunch. Oh was it delicious! I had the Souvlaki chicken and my friend had the meatballs. Our platters were large with generous portions mind with couscous and mixed salad and hers with a large portion of salad. And as always the staff was helpful and friendly. Thank you Elia, I'm always confident recommending your restaurant to friends. read more

Love this place with its beautiful bar and lovely drinks and food! Great live music makes it even better.

Awesome first experience at Elia and it was spectacular. Great service, ambience and food. We started with the escargot, it was delicious. We also had the filet souvlaki and the pesto chicken sandwich. The house made bread is amazing like soft pillows of dough served with olives. Great selection of wines and cocktails, this time I opted for a glass of champagne. Can't wait to return back soon and bring family and friends. read more

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Goodness what a beautifully decorated restaurant tucked away in downtown Pleasanton. Have you ever walked inside a place and audibly gasped? Music was booming next door and it quieted as soon as we were indoors, so there's some sound proofing thing goin on that really works. Octapodaki ($22): This is the most tender octopus I've ever had. Granted I eat more squid than I do octopus, but this had no chew whatsoever. Split it with my family of four and we were very, very satisfied with our small portion. Bucatini Astakos ($35): My sister loved this dish, and there's actually a LOT of pasta. Bucatini is like a thicker spaghetti but with a hole in the middle, so it soaked up aaaaaall the creamy lobster sauce. May be more al dente for some, based on your preference. Seafood paella ($44): You can actually order this for $32 during lunch, but without the lobster tail. I think it's worth it either way, because the paella is the moment. That is all. Kokkinisto ($39): My dad found the lamb shank a little gamey, but it was fall off the bone tender with a generous amount of meat (that he couldn't finish!) so he had no other complaints. I've never been to Greece, but I feel like this is what it looks like and sounds like (music was poppin and they had a DJ). My parents also raved about the service, which they never comment on. We'll be back! read more

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