Such a cute vibey restaurant! You really do feel like you are transported somewhere else. The decor, the service, and the food was A1! It was the perfect selection for our New Year's Eve dinner. Staff were all really helpful with our drink selection and didn't rush us despite us arriving a little later than planned. The risotto I had was a 9/10 and this is coming from someone who hates mushrooms. I do wish they had a few more main dish options for vegetarians because I normally would not go for the risotto but that was the main option so I went for that. Although, I am glad that it was delicious a few more options would be nice. read more

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Great food and beautifully designed restaurant, like you're instantly transported to Greece. Must try the lamb chops and Lobster pasta. The flaming cheese dish (Saganaki) is super fun to capture on video, but my friends and I found it too salty. I've now been here for both lunch and dinner, and wow... this place is SO different at night. It was loud and lively on a Saturday night! DJ, blacklights?! It didn't feel like Walnut Creek for a minute. Either that, or WC on Saturday nights is the new place-to-be. If you are looking for a quiet romantic dinner, don't expect that here on the weekend. But if you're OK with a DJ, loud music, good food and creative drinks, come to Elia! Also, if it's a birthday party reservation, they will put the birthday girl or guy's name on the menu. Love the simple but impactful touch. The only hiccup was even though we had a reservation, we had to wait a long time because the previous party sat and talked for a long time. The host and staff were apologetic, but we were hungry. I think eventually they said something to them. Even so, I still recommend Elia. read more

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Great food and service. The appetizer is good and main entree stands out more. The chicken thigh skewer is perfectly cooked and seasoned, and the meat of lamb shank easily comes off the bone and vegetables mixed orzo is so tasty. The interior deco gives a perfect feel of a romantic dinner. read more

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My wife and I chose Elia to have my milestone birthday dinner. We had a party of 16 and I could not be more pleased with the entire evening start to finish! Shout out to Erick!! He was so professional, kind, and knowledgeable about the wines and pairing them. The staff were all amazing and took very good care of us but not too much; ambiance is fantastic!! Great music, warm and welcoming 'classic' decor with some modern love. The bar is proportional to the restaurant. Now the food is why we chose this place and BOOM! We (ELIA) NIALED IT!! Literally every single item ordered was wonderfully prepared and absolutely delicious. The menu is amazing and is friendly to all human species; herbivores, carnivores, etc. Every guest at our table raved about the quality, the flavor, and the fair/generous portion sizes. I can only speak on my own experiences so I will highlight them: Starters: -Pikilia -Kalamarakia -Spanikotiropia -Keftedes - Salad: -Horiatiki Main: -Arnisia Paidakia (lamb chops) -Filet Mignon -Halibut -Kotopoulo Souvlaki *It was a busy Friday evening and was wish I had more time to thank them all personally, so instead- I suppose I will go back and do it in person. We can't wait to try some other things! Very Well Done, Elia! Thank you! Over Five Stars in my book! read more

I'm Greek and couldn't wait to try this restaurant. The restaurant is very pretty inside. No kitschy blue and white checked table cloths thank you. Instead I found a light, bright, modern take with tasteful rustic touches. Loved the decor. My issue is the chairs. They look beautiful but super uncomfortable. They're the type where you have to sit up straight to eat but the back of the chair doesn't support you. I noticed it immediately when I walked in so we requested a booth. Fortunately it wasn't busy so. They seated us in the last booth. Unfortunately that was a problem too. Seriously the table was 2 feet from me once I sat down with my back against the booth cushion. It was really hard to eat comfortably. Not sure if the other booths were like that. Onto the food. The food was very good. We started with Saganaki which is always fun. The flamed it at the table and let out a little "opa". It was served with delicious warm bread. My husband had the avgolemono soup and it was very nice. A little different than I'm used to but still good. I had the salmon which came with a "horatiki" salad and the salmon was good but that was NOT a horatiki salad. No lettuce should be in a horatiki plus the dressing was really bland. Big miss on the salad. My husband had the lamb meatballs, but they were a bit spongy which lets me know there's a lot of filling. The sauce was good. Service was excellent and professional. Five stars for the service. I had a glass of the only Chardonnay they had and my husband had a Porter beer. The bill came to $160. Not sure I'd I would go back. read more

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Our first time here at Elia for my friend's birthday. The place is nice and cozy and feels like I am in Greece. The lady who helped us was very nice and helped us to the menu. The food is delicious and it's not that expensive. I want to go back here to try their dinner menu read more

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My new favorite "go to " for my team's dinners! Will probably try the patio dining for my personal events! Great service, food and ambiance! Had the sea bass and I didn't think I was hungry but I apparently was ravenous because I inhaled the whole thing! Need to come back to try the other dishes! Oh, you really should try the the Greek coffee with a slight sweetness, reminded me of Turkish coffee, just more potent! Also, give the Greek wines a try, they paired really well with the food. Shoutout to Christine for taking great care of us! read more

Elia - Holiday gathering - Greek Near Me - Pleasanton, California

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Beautiful new restaurant! I feel the greek vibes, complete with the evil eye protector wall. The decor is on point and everything a greek restaurant should be! My girlfriend and her hubby took us here coz they know we are foodies. They did amazing in picking this spot! My husband got their lamb chop and I (and my besties hubby) had their sea bass. Very tasty and cooked very well, not gamey for the lamb chops! My girlfriend liked her vegetarian dish also. We will come back. Service was pleasant as well! read more

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Elia is a elegant hip Turkish restaurant in downtown Pleasanton. The DJ plays music at a lower volume and music to enjoy while dining. At later hours, the music volume goes up and there is a space area to dance. The staff are very friendly and attentive. Our server know the menu very well and answered every question we asked to our satisfaction. Our cocktails were excellent and water glasses were refilled without asking. The owner/manager came by to chat with us. Elia Turkish hospitality shines! Octapidaki (grilled octopus) for appetizer - 5/5 Excellent appetizer! The octopus was prepares perfectly and was very tender, not chewy like at other restaurants that serve similar appetizers. A highly recommended dish! Seafood paella - 5/5 With this paella, you get a lobster tail! The seafood paella was very tasty and incorporated seafood such as clams, fish and prawns. All the seafood were not overcooked and was tender, not hard or dry. The spices were perfect and I will order this dish again. Lavraki (Mediterranean sea bass) - 5/5 You get a whole fish! The sea bass was cooked just right. The meat was tender and delicious. Combined with the salsa-like side sauce, the flavors burst! I highly recommend giving Elia a try! read more

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First time trying this place and I can't wait to come back. I literally felt like I was dining in Santorini. The place is just so beautiful. The ambiance is perfect. Just the most perfect aesthetic to really make you feel like you're in Greece. The food was amazing too. Its a little pricey but its about the entire experience so its worth it. I loved the seafood paella. For some weird reason, it also had chicken chorizo in it but hey I'm not complaining, even better. It was full of flavor and had a spicy kick to it. For appetizers, we got the spanakopita and the cauliflower, which I forgot the name of. Both were great but I probably wouldn't get the spanakopita again just cause it was only two pieces and you can get that anywhere. The service was also great. They kept filling our waters regularly without ever having to ask. We got checked on several times too. There was a miscommunication that resulted in a billing error and our server comped us for it immediately without any issues. Definitely recommend for a date! read more

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Elia has been open for just about a year. And this was my fifth visit. The food has always been good as well as the service. A few times during busy evenings, the wait for the food can be a bit longer than usual. But unless you're not enjoying who you're dining with it's not a big deal. The inside can be quiet loud with sound bouncing all over the place, but it makes up for it my the inviting decor - am I Greece? The outdoor seating it quite nice. They have a fire pit, throw blankets for the cool evenings, but haven't figured out how to cool things down during the heat wave- misters ? I have had the sea bass and paella - both excellent choices. I don't care for the fried cheese, but that's just me. They recently have obtained a liquor license, next visit a cocktail will be ordered. One word of advice - Friday and Saturday reservations are a must. read more

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Always a great meal with attentive service. Menu is large, so everyone can find something to eat. Eat Either inside or out on the patio, both are lovely. On of our favorite restaurants in Pleasanton! read more

Elia - Branzino - Greek Near Me - Pleasanton, California

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Extremely poor to 0 actual server service. They had two different servers, one (1) for bringing the water and bread and another (2) for taking the order and bringing the food. Server (1) good attitude and service Server (2) very slow and nonexistent service... The food tasted mediocre. The octopus was too salty Lamb shank was ok, not juicy Definitely will not be coming again. read more

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We made reservations as we were in town and were promptly seated. There is outdoor seating that is heated, but I would think your food would get cold as we were there in November. We chose to sit indoors, and it was extremely loud! Like really really loud as if you were at a loud party! Don't come here if you want a quiet dinner! There is also loud party type music playing. It's pretty and the food was good, but crazy loud. Dress warm and sit outside I guess! The escargot was not seasoned and bland. The lemon soup was good and the flaming cheese salty but fun. They gave us a little baklava with a candle to celebrate our anniversary. We have fun read more

Elia - Inside - Greek Near Me - Pleasanton, California

I've been here three or four times now and each time it's quite nice. It's definitely one of the nicer and most well done restaurants yiu can go to in downtown Pleasanton. The outside fireplace is very romantic and you can get blankets. My favorite dishes are the cheese dish that comes on fire (I forget the name) and the oktopodaki I also love their bread and olive(?) dip I've also had the fish, the lamb, and others over time and everything is quite decent. I think the ambiance Is so nice here and definitely my go to spot for dates, family functions, or just nice dinners. The inside is also quite pretty so take your pick! read more

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Came on Valentine's day and Elia definitely exceeded our expectations. Even though it was a busy night, the service and food was impeccable. Our favorite dish from the night was their grilled lamb, it has lots of flavors and cooked to medium rare just as we asked for. The galaktaboureko was perfect to end our meal as the semi-sweet warm custard melts in your mouth. They also pay close attention to details like providing throw blankets on every outdoor seat, and for Valentines day, placing a rose on each table and inviting a violinist for some live music which brings the restaurant to the next level. read more

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I came across this place on Yelp as we were in downtown Pleasanton to pick up some things from Market Place. Downtown Pleasanton is quite charming esp during the Halloween season. The restaurant is located on the corner with plenty of street parking available (free on Sunday's). The restaurant serves authentic Greek cuisine and our server provided excellent service. I highly recommend the Chicken Souvlaki as a great healthy dish. I'll be sure to bring my wife and daughter back here soon. read more

My SO and I came to Elia last night for the first time. We're always on the hunt for a new place to fall in love with, and this spot did not disappoint. The staff was very friendly from the moment we stepped in the door. We didn't have reservations, which we knew wa a gamble, but they got us in despite being busy. We started with a bottle of rose, which came in a chill bucket. weirdly I think a lot of places forget this step. No one likes lukewarm white wine. I ordered the seafood paella which had lobster tail, salmon, and prawns. It was delicious. No complaints. My SO ordered the Bucatini Astokos which was clearly made with homemade bucatini noodles and had lobster tail in it is as well. The homemade noodles were to die for. Not going to lie, I loved my dish, but his was even better. The sauce, lobster, and noodles married together perfectly. Then we ended our meal with dessert, the poached pear. O. M. G. It was amazing! So, so delicious and the perfect way to end our meal. And can we talk about how cute the restaurant is?! Total Greek vibes on the inside. Love it and we will definitely be back, probably both for the bucatini! read more

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A Greek restaurant with pleasant staff and good food. We started with the Tzatziki Greek yogurt, Persian cucumber, dill garlic mint and pita. The flavors were excellent. Burrata with various fruits, fig jam and tarragon oil gave us some flavors we need to try again. Chicken skewers with rice and veggies complimented the previous items we already had. Nicely cooked octopus salad was a nice sea flavor addition. The service was friendly and attentive. We will be going back and will be inviting others. We strongly recommend you give Elia a try. read more

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Elia is the perfect add to the Pleasanton Downtown dining scene. Beautifully decorated, inside and outside, good food and great service. I have visited a few times now, first when they had just opened and recently. There were a few things service wise that they were working on when they first opened and now it runs seamlessly. I usually order a wine because I had the sangria one time and was unimpressed and haven't ventured out to trying other drinks. From the various times I have been there, I would recommend the following: 1. Saganaki- the way this cheese is served "on fire" adds to the fun element 2. Vegetable Moussaka (for the vegetarians) 3. Seafood Paella Do not miss if you are dining in Pleasanton Downtown. read more

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I had a memorable birthday luncheon with my girl friends at Elia. Food was delicious and Elia even put Happy Birthday Karrie on the menu. Food and service were both excellent. We would definitely come back again. read more

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Strong addition to the Pleasanton downtown dining scene. The missus and I went on a lunch date earlier this month and had a wonderful experience. Décor - elegant yet sensible. We sat on the outdoor patio. We needed to keep our jackets on as we were away from the fire pit, but the day wasn't too cold. They provide blankets, but we didn't see them till we were about to leave. Service - exceptional. Food was served promptly and courteously. Our coffee was not fresh, so the server did not charge us for it. And the chef gave us a complimentary dessert (pistachio baklava, yum!) as we were celebrating a special occasion. Food - very good. The Pikilia appetizer, a combo of tzatziki, melitzanosalata, and muhammara, served with toasted pita, was delish. My wife loved the fresh dill-laden tzatziki, I enjoyed the roasted bell-pepper flavor of the muhammara. We also had the fried Monterey calamari appetizer, served with chipotle yogurt. Generous portion size - if we had the kids with us, they would have helped us finish it off. The reason we didn't finish either appetizer off was because of our lunch entrée - their superb Roasted Lamb sandwich. We shared this and it was a good idea, as it was huge! Rosemary garlic-roasted leg of lamb served with pesto inside a homemade ciabatta - juicy, delightfully tasty and filling. We ate in silence, savoring every morsel. The sandwich was served with a fresh arugula salad, generously topped with creamy feta and crispy eggplant chips. We will certainly be back! read more

Elia - They have an excellent patio. - Greek Near Me - Pleasanton, California

Completely transported! Reminded me of Greece, a more modern California version. Evil eyes included! All the staff are warm and hospitable - they are truly smiling behind that mask. And bend over backwards to make your experience wonderful - taking photos for us, checking in, refilling the hot water for our tea multiple times and not rushing us at all. I think we were there close to 3 hours - yes we are those annoying folk. Haven't seen each other in almost two years c'mon! They understand and were lovely. Food - solid. The olive oil dip for the complimentary bread had an olive tapenade - super fragrant. Bread was warmed and soft. The proteins were exceptional, smoky octopus, grilled to perfection, sea bass was so light, flaky, perfectly seasoned. Out favorite was probably the moussaka, but loved pretty much everything. The burrata was not as creamy as expected, but improved with the mixing of the eggplant. The menu has so many tempting options, hard to go wrong and if you're unsure, your server will guide you. Hand sanitizer on each table and if you would like a booth, mention ahead of time as they are few and far between. read more

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The ambience is really nice, when you step inside you feel like you are in a restaurant in Greece. The service is also very good and attentative. The food,however, was lacking a lot of flavor. We ordered several appetizers and two main entrées and with five different people, with five different palates, we all agreed...the food was lacking in flavor. read more

I made a reservation two weeks in advance for a Tuesday at 5:30 PM. I noted that we were six people in or close to our 80's requesting a quiet table which they promised. When we arrived on a 52 degree evening, we were told they were slammed with reservations and suggested we eat outside. We chose to stay inside. The place soon was mobbed, obviously with corporate parties. No one could hear anything but painfully loud conversation. Service and food were great but we left feeling miserable after paying a $600 tab. I won't be back! read more

Absolutely delicious! A group of friends and I were lead here by a recommendation of a foodie friend. Everything was very well prepared and while it can be a bit pricey, the quality is worth it. Our server was super friendly. There was a slight mix up with the check at the end of the meal, but it was quickly remedied when it was brought to his attention. The decor is incredibly inviting as well. 10 out of 10. Would recommend. read more

We walked in to Santorini yesterday, yes right here in Pleasanton, in East Bay!! Yessss... I loved this place. The decor, service, our host, the food and their wine list. They don't have a full bar yet but it's in the works. Their lamb riblets are AMAZING but just 3 on a plate so order accordingly. They have some decent seafood options too, we tried the Paella as it was on the menu and you have to try a Paella when it's there..I loved it but my friend didn't. I guess I just don't have overall high expectations from a Paella in bay area, not even Coqueta in SF so I was not disappointed at the flavors here at Elia. Do keep in mind that the portions are just good enough for 2 people (sometimes may be just 1, depending on how much you like eating) I will go back, next time for the indoors. read more

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Ordered a salad which was said to be able to split between 2-3 people for 18 dollars and it was extremely small. So disappointing and when I asked the waiter he said that it is just how it is, no offer to help. Some of the food was ok but the portions are just so small for the price. The service was ok but my waiter wasn't willing to help. Also very slow to refill drinks. I would not recommend this restaurant read more

Elia - 18 dollars worth of food for 2-3 people - Greek Near Me - Pleasanton, California

What a cute restaurant! Fresh and clean and breezy feeling inside. We opted for a table outside since it was nice and sunny. Outside seats have blankets on the backside, in case you get chilly. It's filled with succulents and lanterns ans hanging plants -- it's a quaint outdoor garden to dine in. Little flower petals might fall on your food, but those are coming from the city's sidewalk trees! We ordered the seafood paella ($31), the lamb sandwich ($19) and the chicken sandwich ($19). Bread is complementary and the rolls are delicious and served warm! Lamb sandwich is excellent and if you eat it fast enough, you'll enjoy all of the toasted bread goodness. Chicken sandwich had a little Chipotle kick; very moist and bold flavors. Bread was unfortunately not as well toasted, but I wouldn't have noticed had I not eaten the lamb sandwich first. Paella was solid, but you might get better from a traditional Spanish or South American restaurant. The fries that came with the sandwich were enjoyable, but some liked them more than others. Served truffle style; delicious but they could be served crispier. While I question the authenticity of the flavors here being Greek, and lunch prices are still on the verge of being on the beyond higher-end, the ambiance and elegant experience is worthy of a lunch with friends or family. read more

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Elia is one of my favorite spots in Pleasanton. Each time I've gone the food, service and atmosphere has been top-notch. Definitely grab a reservation as the place fills up fast and I'll guess the wait is super long, if they have any spots for walk-ups, luckily, the bar has great for drinks to sip on you while you wait for your table. I highly recommend the shrimp appetizer, the flavor and presentation are incredible the only problem is that you will want more!! Greek salad is also perfect comes with great dodoni cheese on top I know the taste that's why I'm saying which is import from Athens. For an entree the lobster pasta was incredible, it was full of flavor not chewy and paired excellently with the pasta. My gf ordered Lamb chops it was great to. For dessert chocolate cake I was so impressed with the quality of the chocolate it was delicious glad I ordered. I loved background music, the vibe is great. Manager Spiro was very very kind and very helpful, so we'll definitely be back to try more dishes. read more

Beautiful restaurant, good food. Elia is one of my favorite restaurants in downtown Pleasanton. The atmosphere and decor is absolutely lovely and in a fairly unique way. It's bright and with plenty of blue to make you feel almost like you're in Greece. The menu features some Greek classics and some more fusion-y modern dishes. Everything I've had has been enjoyable, from the appetizers to the mains. Whatever you pick, it can surely be enjoyed with a glass of Greek wine. Service is attentive and professional. A great choice for a nice date or a dinner with parents or in-laws when they are in town. read more

Just wow, I love everything about this restaurant. Very clean and inviting. The pictures do not do this place justice on the food. The lamb was really tender and went really well with the orzo. The calamari was hot, crispy on the outside and paired well with the dipping sauce. The service was great and really attentive since it was a really hot day and always make sure to keep our water glasses full. Me and my friend had purses and they were really nice to bring over a table hanger so that we didn't need to put them on the floor or the chair. I will absolutely be coming back to this place as they have a wonderful menu with a bunch of different options that I'd love to try. read more

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3.5 rounded up to 4 stars. I came here on a Wednesday night and we got seated immediately. The service was attentive, they kept refilling our waters and came to check up on us throughout the meal. The free bread rolls they gave were delicious and they asked us if we wanted refills. I love the trio appetizer. The pita bread was warm and nicely toasted and all the dips were delicious. The lamb chops were cooked to a perfect medium rare but I thought it was a bit bland. The dessert was the star! It was a basically a chocolate lava cake, great way to end the meal. The ambiance is super nice but it's a bit pricey for what you get. read more

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VERY friendly service and very aesthetically pleasing restaurant. It's so cute! We wished we lived closer. The food is very flavorful and cooked well. We ordered a bunch of dishes and all of them are tasty. Next time we're back in town, we'll invite friends to go! read more

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I had high hopes for this Greek restaurant. It is beautiful inside, but sadly, it did not reach my expectations. Went here with my girlfriends to celebrate our birthdays. We spent almost $600 for beautifully presented expensive food that missed the mark and mediocre service. Didn't like the waiter telling me how to order. We ordered: Sangrias (white or red) which were okay. It was basically wine with fruit, beautifully presented, but not much excitement. Baked Cauliflower - nice flavor Melitzanosalata - We wanted to order 2 but the waiter said 1 was enough for 7 people. I can't tell you if I liked this appetizer because I got only a teaspoon to try. Octapodaki - gorgeous plating, tender octopus, too salty Calamari - great crunch, needed salt Bucatini Astakoz - I didn't try this because I am allergic to shellfish, but from the looks of my friends' plates, they didn't finish it and took it home. Filet Mignon Souvlaki - We ordered it medium rare, and it arrived medium and cold. Tender beef but not much flavor. The best thing on their plate were the scalloped potatoes but those were cold too. Moussaka - I love moussaka but again, this dish arrived cold because my cheese wasn't all melty. Decent flavor. I've had better. We sat for a long time eating without our waiter to check to see how our food was, if we wanted anymore to drink (wine, sangria, water?). Then when we finished eating, he didn't come to ask us how the food was, if we needed anything, or if we would like to look at the dessert menu. We had to ask a different waiter for water. And... as we sat there staring at each other we had to ask the waiter if they had any dessert. He brought out the dessert menus but we were over it. We just wanted to get out of there. read more

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Food and service was absolutely awful! I would not recommend. The place looks nice but the food is not worth it at all. No flavor what so over. Our waiter was little sweating.. pretty gross. All of this to leave with a $400.00 check. 20% gratuity 3 adults and 3 kids.. they said they had pasta for the kids.. literally noddles with no sauce. I strongly suggest you find another place to eat at. read more

From the hostess, busboy, to the waiter. The Customer Service was outstanding and very friendly. We did outdoor dining by the fire pit and enjoyed a delicious flavored dinner dishes. Will be coming back sooner than later. read more

Elia - Greek Near Me - Pleasanton, California

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Outstanding service. Even when the restaurant became busier, the level of service didn't change. Everyone was quick to clear plates, check on us, and made sure we always had water. I also saw that the servers seemed to work together. Someone took my plate and began to leave and I noticed another person who already had some empty plates move past and take it from him for him. This allowed the man who took my plate to check in on other guests. The food, of course, was delicious and perfect. Perfect proportions. Great flavor with everything we had. I also felt like we had to have the baklava and was a great ending to the meal. It had so much flavor and simply melted in your mouth. Definitely would recommend to others! read more

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Overdue to write this review. Came here for a birthday brunch back in January. Ambiance gives a light and peaceful vibe of Santorini, Greece (Never been there BUT this is what I would imagine it looks like). I'd say it's moderate with the noise levels in general but my group that I was with definitely made it seem loud. Service was amazing. With a group of 10 women, they were so patient and polite, they're even took the time to explain some of the dishes we had questions about. Favorite appetizer was the cauliflower! Posted some of the photos I took of the food. read more

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Great food. Beautiful place with a nice Mediterranean vibe. Service is always great. The bucatini is the best! Great for lunch and dinner! read more