Elia is my go-to for a grabbing a quick lunch to-go in the downtown area. Truthfully I'm worried it will be discovered by the masses soon and will stop being so accessible, but the food is just too amazing to gatekeep. I usually stick to getting a mixed bowl (with greens and rice as a base), lamb meatballs for protein, their red pepper hummus is INCREDIBLE (I could eat a bowl of the hummus alone), and then all the veggie toppings! I too it off with some of their house made lemon tahini dressing for that final citrusy, herbed finishing touch. The service is impeccable, and it's always great to support a small, family-owned local business. Not to mention, their prices are unbeatable in the downtown area. Please do not wait to treat yourself to a high quality home cooked meal that's full of flavor and healthy ingredients. They have indoor seating and drinks and desserts too. read more

Eliá Athenian Grill - greens and rice as a base, lamb meatballs, red pepper hummus, and then all the veggie toppings, top with lemon tahini dressing - Greek Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

The staff was friendly in the tiny, trendy downtown eatery. They loaded the toppings on my fresh warm chicken pita with crunchy cucumbers and pickled onions. I was quite impressed with how quickly they moved people through the line. read more

Friendly staff, great food, good portion size and all for a very reasonable price! Some of the best falafel I have had.

Food was phenomenal! I got the Spicy Greek bowl. So much flavor to this bowl and the lamb meatballs were perfect for on top of it. Glad I found this place! read more

Eliá Athenian Grill - Menu - Greek Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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My favorite place to get lunch on workdays. The owner is one of the most friendly generous kind guys and the staff is also wonderful. I would go just for the service but the food is great too. Its healthy and fresh and flavorful and very reasonably priced. read more

I happened to be downtown around lunch and was looking for something new. Elia popped up on my feed so I gave it a try. I actually ordered online through Yelp which was new for me. The experience was pretty seamless, my food was ready right on time and I didn't have to wait in the huge lunch rush line. My bowl was delicious! For my protein I chose the meatballs, they were so good but I wish there had been more. The toppings were fresh and the sauces were full of flavor. I'd recommend this spot if you're in the area but be prepared to wait in line at peak lunch time. read more

It's close to State Tower which is all it has going for it. Stingy portions of meat . My online order was lost. Mediocre.

Good experience and will be back! Staff was friendly and the place was clean. The pita was kind of strewn about and the bowl was a little bland. But we will be back to give it a second go at some point! read more

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If you leave hungry, it's your fault. I love Elia; it's like a fast casual build-your-own Mediterranean experience. They have suggested bowls and pitas on the menu, so I almost always choose those. My favorites are the Spicy Bowl with falafel or the Vegetarian Bowl. I am pretty sure there is something magical in their sauces; be aware! If you are getting a bowl (which, in itself is a large portion) I still suggest you get pita or fries to go along with it. Their pita is pillow-soft, melt-in-your mouth delicious! And the fries remind me of fair fries. So there you go. You must carb up. Beyond the absolutely DELICIOUS food, the service is awesome. I'm always greeted with a genuine hello and you can tell they take pride it each and every dish they serve. read more

Eliá Athenian Grill - Spicy Bowl with Falafel - Greek Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

First thing first... I WILL BE BACK! I had this place on my radar for about a month before stopping in for a bite to eat. A friend had it delivered to my place for dinner and I was shocked to see her extremely fresh, healthy salad arrive when it did. I knew immediately that I had to give it a try and I'm so glad I did. While parking can be a pain in the butt, I was lucky enough to find a spot right out front on the day that I decided to visit. There was even leftover time on the parking meter from the car before me... was it meant to be?! The universe seemed to think so, yes. I got there right after what I have to imagine is the lunch rush. It was about 1:30 in the afternoon and while the place was full of people enjoying their meal, there was no line to order. I jumped right in and after telling the staff that it was my first time in, they helped me build my meal. It's sort of like a Greek Chiptole. Get in line, pick your items, pay at the end. Easy peasy. I went with a salad and their power greens option with falafel. The power greens included kale, romaine, spinach, chards, and cabbage. As for sauces, I went with the tzatziki and the roasted red pepper hummus (both great choices). Now, on to all the yummy veggies! Tomato, cucumber, and onion are always a great way to go. While they had a ton more, I kept things simple this time around. As for the dressing, I went with the lemon tahini. My salad was delicious, and I was very pleased with falafel. I ate almost the entire thing and it was a good portion size. I also got an order of Greek fries and it was enormous. I only finished about half and I reheated the leftovers the next day. Overall, I highly recommend and I will definitely be back. Fresh, healthy food options and friendly service. You can't go wrong. read more

Delicious greek food at a great value! Ordered on Uber eats tonight due to quick delivery time. Wow was I pleasantly surprised! Two spicy greek bowls - one with lamb and one with beef - and a side of fries. Perfect amount of food and both my husband and I really liked. My only criticism is that the lamb meat was too salty for me (to the point where I traded with husband for the beef one) but otherwise all of the toppings and mix ins were amazing. I think my favorite part was the rice which was long grain, savory and spiced. You can make your own bowl or a preset one. Was like the Piada of greek food. Total bill was under $25 even with a tip. What a steal. Hope to eat in soon and will certainly order delivery often! read more

Eliá Athenian Grill - Spicy greek bowls, side of fries - Greek Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

One of my friends raves about this place! She talked about it so much that I finally had to try it. I came around 12:30 on a Thursday. I expected it to be slammed but a lot of people get to-go here. There were a handful of others sitting in here but there were still plenty of tables and chairs open. They have outdoor seating but no one was sitting out there. There were 3 others ahead of me in line, but it goes fast. I ordered the classic pita, which was chicken, tzaziki, tomato, lettuce, and Greek fries. I liked it! Great flavors! I also ordered for a friend. I got her a pita with hummus, tzaziki, lettuce, tomato, feta, and lamb meatballs. I didn't find hers as flavorful as mine. What's awesome is you can get items that they've got up on the menu or you can build your own. They also have kebabs and bowls if you're not feeling a pita. They were really nice at the counter and assembly line. I was probably in there maybe five minutes total. I'd come back again and perhaps try the pork! The price point isn't bad. Each item was $8.50. It's not the most filling meal, but it's satisfying for lunch. read more

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So so so good! I finally made it to Elia after wanting to dine there for some time and it was so worth it! What a great addition to the downtown area! Elia is located on in a building that looks small on the outside but has a surprising amount of seating indoors. The interior is adorable. I loved the tree in the middle with the seating around it. When you arrive in Elia, you will want to get in line so you can place your order. They have so many great items to choose from! I ended up going with a gyro and it was delicious but they have plenty of options so everyone should be able to find something they like. The portions are generous and are a great deal for the price. I cannot wait to get back and try other options from the menu. I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly everything progressed at this restaurant. From getting in line to getting food, service was expedient and orchestrated with a smile. Everyone was super friendly and helpful. If you're coming here and you're not already downtown, there are some meters in the area but parking is pretty sparse. I would recommend a meter or lot on Gay Street or Broad Street and then walking around the corner. It is definitely worth it! I loved this Greek spot and I am looking forward to going back! read more

Elia is a Greek, Mediterranean, restaurant locates in downtown Columbus, with have a good variety of, pita, tortillas, plates, salads, and soups. The place is pretty big, and the staffs are very friendly, you order your food at the counter, and when your food is ready they will call you by your order number. The concept is to get a pita, tortilla or plate add fries or slaw, #2 add some carbs and finished it up with #3 a good sauce. In my occasion, I got a pita with some fries, the bifteki with come with some beef & lamp, handmade link shaped patty with spicy feta as my sauce, a Greek feta infused with herbs and habanero peppers with not I did not felt spicy at all. The food was fresh, super tasty and the portions was not that big. but for 9 dollars you cannot expect more. I also made the mistake to order a bowl of rice, with I recommend not to do it, it becuase didn't have any flavor. read more

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Elia is an okay Greek restaurant. It's located on a pain in the ass to get to area of Columbus. That makes it kind of disappointing it's not better than this is. It was too costly for the quality of food. The service was mostly okay. I have tried the salad and the lentil soup. It already has a small menu and the vegetarian choices are few. These items are about $5 for a small portion. It wasn't bad but it should have been better. The best part was the actual service. It's a family owned Greek restaurant and everything is mostly authentic. The one woman who seemed to be the owner was friendly and welcoming to everyone. I would go to Elia again if around it. It's not exactly the best but it's better than many of the restaurants that cater to the downtown business crowd. Would recommend the soup because that's the best thing. read more

Eliá Athenian Grill - Lentil Soup - Greek Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Deeeelicious and nutritious! Like Chipotle, but Mediterranean, mmm! They have lots of different sauces (I loooove sauces!), like taziki (theeee BEST!!!), spicy feta, hummus, roasted red pepper hummus, lemon tahini, Greek vinaigrette, and a couple others. If I lived in the area, I would definitely come here ALLL the time! read more

Eliá Athenian Grill - Bowl with beef/lamb, falafel, and lots of other delicious stuff! - Greek Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

I had the lamb meatball bowl. Pretty good food at a pretty good price. I do though wish they had an even spicier sauce than the spiciest one they offer. read more

Elia has adopted a new bowl-based menu. If, like me, you're a long-time regular, there's no need to worry: you can still get your old favorites. The new menu simply unlocks a wide variety of new options. By now, the bowl approach should be familiar. Walk down the line, point to things you want, enjoy. That format works well here, as Elia has long offered a wide variety of proteins and vegetables. Now, however, you get to mix and match to your heart's content. If you like healthy things, like salad, then this new approach will be particularly welcome. There are tons of toppings to choose from, making this a particular great option for an interesting salad lunch. (Kind of great that the same place offers healthy eating and a sandwich that prominently features French fries as an ingredient). I particularly recommend the power greens. More so than the typical lettuce or spring mix, the power greens offer a great amount of extra crunch. If you have not visited yet because gyros aren't your thing, nows a prefect time to remedy that oversight. And if you're a regular, don't worry, the quality and the menu options you've come to love remain the same. read more

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Authentic and a great selection of toppings. The serving size was very large. You won't go hungry!

One of my favorite spots for lunch downtown. Has to be the place with some of the freshest food paired with super-fast service. Which is key if you have a tight window for lunch. Staff is always very friendly and helpful. The restaurant and kitchen area are impeccably clean. I've had the pork, chicken gyro, and falafel. All have been delicious. I'm quite partial to the pork, it and the chicken are always tender and juicy. The bowl is a great and super filling option. Lots of options for toppings, all super fresh. The sandwich is a great option too, they pick it to the gills with extras. I've never not enjoyed a meal at this place. Their best quality may be the consistency. Their spicy feta sauce is packed with flavor, definitely give it a try. It's great as a dip for the fries or pita chips. Speaking of sides, the fries and chips are seasoned perfectly with just a little kick. read more

Boy oh boy am I glad I made it here! I've been itching to try the offerings here since they opened, and happy to say my preconceived thoughts I'd developed from reading other reliable Reviews has held strong: Wonderful job EA! Was greeted by polite, friendly ladies when I walked in. Walking up to the counter, Elia introduced himself and explained how his joint is TRUE Greek: In Greece, pork and chicken are the protein picks, lamb is NOT a staple. He explained that turkey has more Muslim population, they don't eat pork, so yes they serve the lamb meat, and traditionally called doner in Turkey. Greece however is not historically Muslim, thus pork is their go-to when it comes to protein that sheds blood. Also, the fries IN the pita is authentic to the Greek culture. All the other joints in Columbus serve American-Greek: Lang as the #1 meat, fries on the side, lettuce and other mainstream toppings. I was quite taken with Sam P's review and pics, so I went with their Pork Yeero. Super solid choice! Tender juicy pork pieces - no, you don't have to worry about gnawing on a few giant chunks of grissle. Liked their tzatziki sauce. The fresh warm pita was great. The fries are inside the sandwich - double thumbs up!! It was a wonderful breathe of fresh air to be able to sit at the front windows, people watch outside, and not have to worry about the glaring sun. The patio seating looks beyond wonderful. Again, shaded tables and chairs that aren't scrunched together. Ok, so the faint smells of oil and gas from passing traffic doesn't exactly help the ambiance, but hey, that's urban life at its nature. read more

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Amazing!!! From the design to the food, most adorable space and delicious food! The owners are from Greece and couldn't be more warm and inviting, too. Bonus! read more

Eliá Athenian Grill - Chicken gyro, Greek fries, and authentic chicken soup. Yum! - Greek Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Pretty tasty food! Went with the pork yeero, maybe not the traditional lamb gyro you might be craving but good nonetheless. It's a chipotle style line order where you select your toppings, $10 bucks and you're in & out. Cozy little deck outside to eat lunch and on a sunny afternoon can make for some great people watching all the interesting characters that linger around the corner of Broad and High across from the statehouse! If you're seeking a quick lunch option in a convenient downtown location check out Eliá..... read more

This is a great spot to get a yummy yeero! Stopped by Elia for a late lunch. The inside decor is chic and inviting. There are tables as well as seating by the window. The employees and owner were very friendly and helpful. The food is very good! The veggies are fresh, tzatziki sauce was yummy, pita was warm and the chicken was juicy.I have no complaints as far as the quality of the food as is was impeccable. The yeeros do come with fries inside which were delicious. My only complaint is that it's a bit pricey for how much you get. I wasn't hungry when I left but I did still want more yeero to be satisfied. read more

Eliá Athenian Grill - Chicken yeero - Greek Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Recommended by several coworkers. It smelled so good when I walked in, I figured I couldn't go wrong. Went with bowl, friendly employee encouraged it for first time. Had lamb meatballs, tzakiki, red pepper hummus, green pepper, quinine and pita crisps. It very satisfying and I got my Greek fix without feeling completely indulgent. Can't wait to go back, good addition to this area. read more

Eliá Athenian Grill - My rice bowl creation. (yes there is delish rice under those toppings)! - Greek Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

I went today with co-workers and ordered the Greek salad with a chicken kabob on top. The staff is really friendly and I think this is genuine Greek food. You can tell these people put a lot of effort into their food and it is good quality ingredients. I had a few complaints: - I ordered the large Greek salad and for the price I paid, I thought there could have been more lettuce. - I asked for no tomatoes or cucumbers and received cucumbers. - way too much dressing, lettuce was soaked. (I will ask for it on the side next time) The chicken was really flavorful and I will be back for sure, just wish it was less expensive... read more

Eliá Athenian Grill - Greek salad w/chicken kabob. Ask for dressing on the side. - Greek Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Great fresh ingredients and super service! Place is clean and well done! Keep rocking it! read more

Decided to give this place a try since I love Greek food. The place was nice and clean. The workers were helpful in assisting me with ordering since it was my first time there. I ended up ordering a pork filled pitas wrap. They suggest adding a few french fries inside the wrap, which I agreed to. There are plenty sauces and toppings to choose from as they make the pita wrap infront of you. I only purchased the pita wrap cause I dont like to over eat during lunch. It was $8.50. I thought it was really good but it wasn't really filling. It was kinda small. I was still hungry after eating the wrap. I usually eat a light lunch so for me to say I was still hungry is saying something. Maybe it would be more filling if they added more protein. If it were dinner I feel like I could have eaten two of those pita wraps but then again I could think of a much better way to spend $17. read more

Eliá Athenian Grill - Pork filled pita wrap - Greek Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Probably some of the best falafels I've ever had. Power greens, hummus, spicy feta, corn, roasted chickpeas, feta and spicy Greek yogurt came together to make a tasty and filling lunch that didn't make me sleepy or too full. Flavors were all great on their own (I tasted each item since this was my first time here) and even better together. I'm from out of town but I could easily be a regular here if I worked in Columbus. read more

This place is fantastic for super quick and delicious lunches downtown. My only complaint is I wish they were open more!

This place was incredible! First, the person working the cash register was so nice and helpful, but most importantly, the food was incredible. The tzatziki was so delicious, and the chicken was great. I will certainly come back! read more

Stopped in for lunch at Elia Athenian Grill yesterday and was really impressed! I ordered the Pork Yeero Plate with fries and spicy feta sauce. The food was fresh, super tasty and the portions were huge. The owners were very friendly and I can't wait to come back again to try their pita and salads. Great addition to downtown! read more

Eliá Athenian Grill - Pork Yeero plate, fries and spicy feta sauce - Greek Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

I got the lamb/beef gyro. It was pretty good but way overpriced! $8.50 for 3 small chunks of meat with fries as a filler. I got a pop, tipped 15% and walked out hungry with a $13 bill. I realize the quality is better than Lexis, but they give you twice the food for $6. If the prices were better, I would eat here twice a week. read more

I was looking forward to having a gyro available for lunch, but after trying this place today, I'll still be waiting. The service was good and the wait for my to go gyro and fries was not long (maybe 6-7 minutes). The fries were pretty good. But the pork yeeros is a big disappointment. The meat was chopped into very small pieces which is fine but it was fatty and not very flavorful. The tzaziki was under the meat, against the pita. Why would you not put sauce on top of the meat as opposed to against the bread, making it soggy. The tzaziki was not great. There were about 3 small tomato pieces and 5 shreds of lettuce. I can't tell whether they just don't put lettuce on and the lettuce was an accident or if they think 5 pieces of shredded lettuce is the proper amount. There's also a significant number of shill looking reviews for this place. read more

This place is fantastic! Food is delicious and the owner is very friendly and knowledgeable about the food! They put fries in the gyro- enough said read more

Nice fast casual addition to the downtown lunch scene. The setup is similar to your standard fast casual conveyer belt restaurant. The menu is laid out in a very linear model. Select pita or plate. Select protein. Select sauce. As someone who's not a real pro with Greek food, I liked the simplicity of the system. It's not quite as fast as a Chipotle or Bibibop in that it takes a few minutes to complete your order, so you aren't handed a tray when you pay, but it doesn't take terribly long. I got a plate with shredded pork and spicy feta sauce on top of french fries (don't know if that's normal in Greek food to have a fries base, but it was good) with a side of pita. It was tasty. The sauce was spicy and the pork and fries were flavorful. It was a filling portion too. It cost about $11, which is the upper end of what I'll spend for lunch, but I felt like I got my money's worth. There isn't a ton of seating and the place really filled up right at noon, so I'd recommend going a little early if you check it out for lunch. It's a little expensive and a little slow for a fast casual restaurant, but the food is good and there's a lot of it. I'll definitely go back. read more

If you are looking for authentic Greek food, this is your spot. The fries are so good. I suggest ordering a whole side, as they will tell you that it comes in your gyro (if you order one), trust me, get a whole side. I was reccomeded the traditional gyro, which is pork. I found the flavor to be good but it was EXTREMELY greasy. Perhaps I am just not used to a pork gyro, but it left the inside of my mouth feeling greasy and I couldn't finish it for that reason. However, I will go back and try something else next time. And of course, get more fries! read more

Just tried this place, it's new. I will first say the food is high quality and very good. I would have taken a picture of my food but I ate it too quickly. If you are in the area stop in. read more

Eliá Athenian Grill - Greek Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Good food and service. $13 for what's essentially a "Greek burrito bowl", slide pita bread, and a drink.

Fuckin fire the crew is fuckin nice as hell and always helpful when trying something new.