We tried Kouklas for the first time this weekend and left feeling a bit mixed. For the amount of time it took to open, the decor was underwhelming. The large bar is nice, but the space is very plain and white. I can tell they are leaning into the minimalist trend, but it offers poor sound absorption, which made the atmosphere quite loud. As a Greek-American, I was also disappointed that no bread and oil were brought to the table. This is a staple in Greek dining and really sets the tone for the meal. We started with the **melitzanosalata (eggplant dip)**. It was light and refreshing -- a creative take on the classic -- but again, not enough bread was provided for dipping. The **grilled octopus** was the standout appetizer of the night. It was a delicious and creative twist on a traditional dish. We then ordered the **winter salad**, which is their seasonal take on a Greek salad. It featured pickled vegetables and a very large block of feta. The cheese-to-vegetable ratio was overwhelming, and without bread to balance it out (as Greeks typically do when eating feta), it felt heavy. For mains, we split three dishes: * **Chicken souvlaki** was a safe choice with tzatziki and fried potatoes, but it should have been served with pita and some fresh vegetables to balance the richness. Unfortunately, halfway through eating, we noticed some of the chicken was undercooked, which was disappointing. * I brought home a **pork souvlaki** for my husband, and his reaction was simply, "That's it?" The portion felt small for the price. * The **lamb chops** had interesting, creative flavors, but the lamb was a bit gamey and again lacked something -- like bread or a starch -- to soak up the flavors. The **hilopites** was by far the best entrée. It had great flavor, but I wish it had more lamb, and serving it with a full shank would have made the dish more interactive and visually appealing. For dessert, we ordered the **loukoumades**, and they were excellent -- crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and drizzled with high-quality honey. Some of the best I've had outside of Greece. Overall, Kouklas definitely shows potential, and I would return once they work out some of the kinks. I hope the team reads reviews like this and takes the feedback constructively -- the Chicago suburbs could really use a strong Greek restaurant. read more

If you're Greek you'll eat here once and then go back to Psistaria or Mykonos where they have traditional Greek food. This place is a "fancy Greek restaurant" which will fool many Non-Greeks. (And if you don't like salt don't eat here). read more

I made a reservation on Open Table on December 29th for 7 people at 4:30 pm on January 17th. On January 15th I received an email from Open Table that my reservation changed, knowing I didn't make any changes as we plans after dinner, I looked and saw it was changed to 5 pm by the restaurant. While only 30 mins, we did have plans and no one called to confirm or ask, they just changed it. So, we arrive at 4:54pm, it is valet only, and prompted to get out, so we get out, open the first door and see about 8 people standing in a SMALL vestibule who were not happy and now 2 more people (us) were going to be standing in there too, but as it was snowing, windy and cold, I was not going to stand outside and could not sit in my car. Everyone waiting in there was complaining and kept looking at their phones to see the time. Then the valet kept heaving the door open and hitting anyone in the way to get to the key cabinet, never saying excuse me or apologize. IF I knew they did not open until 5pm, we would have timed our arrival better as we are only a few minutes away. Then my "a-ha" moment hit, that was why the reservation changed. We on earth do they have reservations times open on a reservation app when you are not open??!! In this few minutes of waiting families with kids are arriving and trying to squeeze into the vestibule, with all the waitstaff looking on, one couple even had a stroller, when I tried to explain they were not open yet she yelled I have a baby and not waiting outside with her. I was going to let her take my spot and go outside when they opened the door, hence it was a stampede into the restaurant. We sat in the far back corner, one of our friends hit his head on a light fixture they hang so low. The larger tables are secured to the floor and they are a solid base, so good luck trying to cross your leash, even at the ankles. If you're tall or stocky, good luck as well. The waiter came over and literally dropped all the menus on the table, and asked if we wanted drinks, we hadn't even looked to see what our options were so we asked for a few minutes. When the girl came to fill the water glasses, she said it it tapas style and not everything would be brought out at the same time but "rolling" in as it was ready. The food was "meh", the appetizers were okay, we ordered 4, not enough bread for the whipped feta, or for 7 people and charged for more. The meats had with a very smoky flavor, and arrived very random, considering these were main courses that was not the best as some were done as some were just being served. Everyone kept trying to take plates one the table, some still with food which we had to ask them to leave it, but once done it was taken away immediately, which made us feel like we were being rushed. The prices are a bit high for the portions and presentation and did not have one of the menu items that was ordered (pork chops I believe). As we saw the tables fill up, we were wondering how we were going to get out as the tables are VERY close, we obviously managed but trying to get to the door was just as challenging as the bar was on one side, tables on the other and the path is also very narrow, not to mention it was also filled with people waiting g to be seated. Our experience had more negatives from the start than positives and unfortunately will unlikely return. read more

A group of Greeks and seasoned Greek dinner visited Kouklas for the first an a Sunday with a 5:00PM reservation. My wife and I got there about 20 minutes early. We tried to go in and found out the doors don't open until 5:00PM. By time time 5:00PM rolled around there were about 15 to 20 people waiting many of them seniors. I looked inside a saw a bunch of employees sitting at the bar doing nothing. A bar revenue loss. This was not starting well. When to door was finally open there a mad rush to get in. We got to our table and our waiter came and immediately asked if he can bring drinks and place an order. He then proceeded to tell us that the dinning concept is "family style" small portions to be shared. Not what we expected of a Greek Restaurant. Once we got the hang of it we ordered a number of starter items and several of what would be considered main courses. The portions were so small that it felt like we were rationing. The bottom like is that this restaurant should not be called "Greek" nothing that we ordered resembled Greek cuisine accept Maybe the Avgolemono Soup. The chef was trying to be quite with Greek Cuisine. You don't do that. The noise level was off the charts. This can be attributed to the very low ceilings and concreate floors which by the way are extremely slippery. My wife's chair slid as she try to seat down and she almost went flying. One end of the table could not hear the end. The food was OK but again not Greek and very pricey. Needles to say we will not be going back. Nick M. read more

We had received rave reviews about going to Kouklas. The reviews were vastly overstated. I will say the food, what there was of it, was very good. The portions were very small, much less than you would expect at a good quality Greek restaurant like Plateia or Psistaria. Parking was valet, the restaurant was crowded and noisy, the service only fair, and they charged for everything- all you received was plain bread. Refills on soda were not complimentary. Even with the good food, we left hungry. We would not go back. read more

This restaurant recently opened. We waited around 10 minutes for anyone to even come to the table. We ordered 4 entrees not realizing it's basically ordering à la carte style. The food was basic Greek food very mediocre. We had higher aspirations as to the food prior to coming in. The service was decent. Can't complain about that. The price point is a little high for this restaurant not being downtown. We will be passing next time there are better options Greek options in the area. The ambience was OK a little too much light inside for dinner. read more

Food was excellent! A different twist on some Greek favorites. We were told as soon as the waitress Roula( who was great) came to our table that the menu is set up as "plates meant to share", so if you ordered say Souflaki, it is two skewers and might come out before a fish dish or lamb chops. We ordered several appetizers, Winter Village salad, Spicy feta dip which all came out at different times so we could ENJOY each one with rushing to eat it. The 2 dessert options which we ordered 1 of each were both delicious. The dehydrated mandarin orange on the orange cake just burst with flavor. I have never had anything like it. Definitely worth the wait for this gem to open. It's not your typical Greek restaurant. If you are looking for something different and not the same old options....Kouklas is for you. Know before you go! read more

Honestly I can't think of a Greek restaurant that I have been to that is better. Amazing food great service (ask for Roula) reasonably priced. Btw I'm Greek. Call Audrey for reservations read more

Whoever the manager is, she is absolutely awful. There were 3 of us and their 2 entrees came and mine came 30 min later. I specifically asked how long my chicken would take they said 10 min When the manager came to table with my chicken said they are all shared plates and I needed to understand that My hand tapped her arm and she yelled at me and said don't touch me I have never had someone speak to me that way I will never go back read more

We went on opening night today. We sat at the bar and Bobby was great with welcoming us and guiding us thru the menu. we had cocktails to start ( Kokino , think negroni; Persephone , think raspberry martini and a Greek dirty martini , think of jumping into the Aegean and all the salinity). we started with skordalia ( chicken skins on point), baked feta ( nice touch with the fig leave). then we had a cup of soup ( love the dill, Rosa marina and chicken skins) amd finished with a melt in your mouth beef kebab and Greek potatoes. great ambience, nice vibe and just a great experience , a nice change of pace from your everyday Greek restaurant. we look forward to coming back! hit the bar for a cocktail with Bobby cheers Opa! read more

Great Ambiance, Food and service were great. Jimmy Jr hasn't missed a beat from the great dishes that he created at the Purple Pig to the new creations at Kouklas. FANTASTIC!!! read more

We've been here twice now and really enjoyed the vibe, the food, the service. Menu items I recommend: Lamb chops (I normally don't eat lamb either!), octopus, oysters, branzino, feta dip, shrimp and orzo, village salad (this is incredible!), greek fries, and any of their desserts, but particularly their donuts and greek yogurt with Black Sea salt. It's a great date night spot, family friendly restaurant, and for a group dinner. There is really something for everyone and we're thrilled it's in our neighborhood! read more

Food was amazing! We had calamari, whipped feta, braised lamb pasta, beef skewers and lamb skewers. Loved all the food. Our server was a nice gentleman who recommended the dishes and the wine to go with. I personally loved the ambiance and did not find it too noisy. We will definitely be back and are so happy this gem is close to our house! read more

Service was excellent, calamari appetizer was fantastic. The rest left something to be desired. It is a family style eatery meant to be shared. We ordered and the portions were quite small. The crispy pork belly was ok, the golf shrimp I ordered was burnt and there were 4 pieces. The orzo it was on was watery and overly tasted of dill. My daughter ordered the Greek macaroni and that was really tasty. read more

We walked in on New Year's Eve and sat at the bar. We heard this place just opened a day before. We were not acknowledge right away by the bartenders. They seemed so lost, we got it they just opened, but I guess they were not prepared for the service. The food was just OK, nothing exciting about. Mediocre Greek food just like others. The ambiance felt rush, space is tight, lights are too bright and the managers are nowhere to be found. I'm hoping they will do something to improve. read more

We went on New Year's Eve and sat at the bar, which we typically do. Realizing they just opened, I have to say we were dissatisfied. My Brussel spout kebab included extremely small pieces. Spreads come with bread, which was good but I love pita. My husband's chicken kabab was fine. We felt their main course options were limited. The lightning needed to be turned down. It was very bright in the bar area, which doesn't result in good atmosphere. Don't sit near the door or you'll have to keep your coat on. Sorry but true. read more

Excellent tasting food with prompt, courteous, and efficient service. The Flaming bone marrow was rich and flavorful, the Metaxa gave it a hint of subtle extravagance. The Beef Tenderloin skewers were tender and juicy . The Avgolemeno was velvety with just the right amount of tang. Dina our server was courteous and attentive and helped make for an enjoyable evening. read more

New Greek restaurant which is outstanding. The owner is a Beard award winner! This restaurant is worth checking out!

I was hesitant to come here due to the reviews but after going I'd say some of the complaints are warranted and others not...the interior is nice and pretty impressive given how dreary the place was when it was amici. The service was quite fast when I went so not sure if other just went at more peak time. The staff was a bit wet behind the ears but overall the food as good. The feta spread was really good along with some of the other appetizers. We didnt really get many main dishes because we were full after some of the apps. Overall nice interior will be back to check it out when the weather is nicer to see what they do with the outside area. Overall the people complaining about the pricing need to realize that they're paying $15+ for a McDonald's meal but are complaining about a fresh dish with quality ingredients for just a little more. Not knock your socks off which I was expecting when I heard about it opening but a decent neighborhood joint that definitely blows its previous tenants out of the water. read more

Kouklas - Anchovy appetizer unfortunately didn't really take any other pictures of the food - Greek Near Me - Niles, Illinois

Simply amazing! Great service, very attentive ! Delicious food , soup was avgolemono with orzo sooo good! Loukoumades , best I've ever had . They also gave us a complementary octopus dish !! The spreads with the grilled bread so tasty ! Can't wait for the patio to open in the summer! Great addition to the neighborhood ! read more

Very disappointing. Flaming saganaki didn't light but instead of getting it right we were served cold cheese. Prawns were terrible! Mealy, chalky, inedible. Waitress wasn't to be found. Noisy, overcrowded, waited 20 minutes to be seated despite having reservation. This was the worst dining experience I've ever had. Manager couldn't care less. read more

All i can say is this is one classy place. From the food to the staff. 5 stars. I would highly recommend.

Food was very good but timing of delivery could be better. Also, as others stated, please turn the music down. People like to hear each other while conversing at dinner. read more

We eagerly awaited the opening of Koukla's, as it's in walking distance for us. Our party of 4 went on a Tuesday night to celebrate a special birthday. The white interior is nice, with clean lines and a long bar upon entering. The tables, as we were soon to find, were very crowded in such a small space. While a few of our dishes were good (nice touch of the crispy chicken skin bits on the Skordalia) and the whipped Feta for appetizers, there wasn't nearly enough bread on the platters for 4 people. The staff kept trying to clear away the half-eaten appetizers while we waited for more bread to arrive. We each ordered an entree. There was a 15 minute wait between the first two entrees hitting the table. Another 15 minutes went by until the third came out, followed shortly by the fourth one. The first guest finished her meal before the last person was even served. When questioned why all 4 entrees didn't come out together, staff explained that the restaurant embraces communal sharing of the dishes. That didn't explain the gap in time and our server's disappearance from view. The portion sizes of the entrees we had (gulf shrimp, chicken souvlaki, thin sliced pork chops) were quite small relative to cost (our favorite Greek restaurants in the area: Plateia and Psistaria have plentiful portions) and would not have been enough to "share". The only entree large enough was the brick chicken. Between the inflated cost, ridiculous wait time, and skimpy portions, we won't be back. read more

Was waiting for this restaurant to open all summer...didn't open until late December. I was very disappointed. The food was over seasoned and very salty. Everything is small plates which they encourage family style, a very small family. I could not eat my mussels due to the fact I could only taste fennel. The server noticed I could not eat it and deducted from the bill. The host got my reservation mixed up and I needed to wait for a table. Granted, the restaurant has only been open a week...maybe will try it again next year. Hopefully they work out ALL the problems. Wish them well! read more

We had a delicious dinner at Koukla's on a Saturday night. They were completely booked for reservations so my husband and I sat at the bar, which was pretty open when we arrived just before 6pm but quickly filled up. We had the spicy whipped feta and crispy chicken skin spreads, grilled oysters, and the pork belly. Everything was outstanding! The meal was perfectly paced and we never felt rushed, even though the restaurant was packed wall to wall. Atmosphere was lively and upbeat. We will definitely be back! read more

so so -price versus portion size is not what I expected for a restaurant at Howard and Milwaukee, maybe downtown people will accept that. what you did get was good. No pita , tomatos , zuccini for a Greek Eatary? read more

Really enjoyed it! Especially loved the brick chicken (we swapped our Greek potatoes for fries!), the pita bread and the prawns. Cocktails were also great. Can't wait to go back! read more

I had looked forward to dining here. Overall mediocre. Menu was limited for a Greek Restaurant. No greek soup, gyros, moussaka etc. Tried the lamb chops and they were extremely fatty. My food came out 10 mins before my partner. The other dish was chicken kabobs and they were fatty and slimy. Service was good. Not on par with Greek town or Mykonos. read more

First time here and will not return. Food is average n over seasoned. Saganaki horrible. Service n ambiance were fine.

Online reservations allows reservations up to 4 people. So I called and left two polite and seperate detailed messages to get a group reservation for 10 for my friend's birthday for 1/28. No response. Called again, the girl took my information and said "someone" would get back to me. I asked when - she said "probably today". That was 3 days ago..... read more

After being seated we waited 20 minutes and not one server or waiter acknowledged us. No water, no nothing, so we left. Besides that, the place is extremely loud, with bright lights, and the seating is overcrowded. IMO, the service gets an F, the ambiance and comfort gets an F. Have no idea on the food quality but based on the other issues, probably not worth it. read more

Friends treated us to a great night out at Koukla's in the near-northern suburbs of Chicago. It was the restaurant's second night open (only!) and New Year's Eve to boot. Still, we easily found the place and even parking, despite a very full lot. The ambience was bright and buzzing with guests, both at the bar and at their tables. Tables were somewhat close together, but it was not an issue. Even with NYE celebrants, the noise level was fine for hearing our waiter and talking among our table mates. We had very good service from Christo ("Hristo") who was charming and made good suggestions when asked. The drinks he recommended were spot on (e.g., a dry white wine for me, bubbly dry rose' for my friend, heartier drinks for the husbands). As a Greek-American in my 50's whose family has been in the food industry for decades, I've enjoyed tons of excellent, homemade Greek food. I found the dishes that we ordered @ Koukla's to be very good: the lamb chops were flavorful and juicy, the taramosalata smooth, the bread addictive, and even the saganaki excellent (crisp on the outside, with a perfect level of salt and lemon!) We had a late reservation so unfortunately, a few of the popular items that we ordered were sold out (e.g., calamari, loukoumathes, and a feta-phyllo-honey dish that sounds divine!) We'll definitely treat others to Koukla's to try those dishes that we did not get to sample. I have no doubt that we'll enjoy another great night out, and be happy to support a new local business that can succeed for years to come! Thank you, Jimmy Bannos etal! PS One suggestion that can be implemented easily with little cost to ownership: please add a working telephone number to your website because I had to search far and wide for one, and still could not get through to ask, before we arrived, the simple question "what is the suggested dress code?" Happy New Year!! read more

We have been eager to visit Kouklas, and the experience was wonderful. Beyond the beautifully decorated atmosphere, our server, Dina, provided exceptional service. She navigated the menu with confidence and her lively personality added so much to our evening. The pacing was perfect, and the chilled octopus was absolutely amazing. Thanks to Dina, we are already planning our return. Bravo! read more

The food was ok, the service was not good - but to be fair it was clear the waitress had not been properly trained so that's on management - and the tables are so close together the wait staff often had trouble moving between tables. We ordered a couple of spreads, we needed a few extra pieces of bread to finish the spread, they charged us for the few extra pieces of bread! Really, we were not filling up on bread, we need to put the spread on something. This is not the food or service one expects from a restaurant where Jimmy Bannos is in charge. As an aside the way they bring the food out is fine for adults having a leisurely dinner - not a place to bring kids. read more

My review is based on a Tuesday at 5 PM... Entered restaurant when doors first opened. Us and one other reservation there. Entered the empty restaurant and the music was thumping and BLARING! Fast paced music, not dining music at all. We were seated and waitress came to our table to greet us. We had a difficult time hearing her over the loud music. Soon after, the restaurant started to fill in. It actually reached full capacity while we were there. I had looked at OpenTable earlier that day and saw that there were no reservations available until 7:30 PM that day, so I knew there would be a full house when we dined. We were a party of 2 and sat at a right angle to each other. We still had to lean in and talk loudly to each other. Once others filled in the restaurant, patrons were all shouting to each other over the loud music. To the point that even the loud music was getting drowned out with all the shouting. Although food was good, it was a terrible dining experience. I rarely get headaches, but did leave with one from Kouklas. Once outside, the silence was amazing! I live in the area and watched as the restaurant was being remodeled from a prior restaurant that occupied that building. I was so anxious for it to open. Now, sadly, I will not return. Other things to note is that prices are not cheap and their parking lot is valet only! There is no parking on Milwaukee Avenue either. read more

A very disappointing experience at Kouklas. The food was OK (although the saganaki was a bit chewy; the pasta dish we ordered was flavorful, but the pasta was mushy) but the noise level in the restaurant was so high that our group of five could not have any conversation. Seating is also quite cramped, depending on where you are located. We were celebrating a big birthday for my cousin. I had mentioned this when making the reservation and again when we arrived at the hostess desk. NOTHING was done to recognize her birthday even though I gave a couple of hints to our server as well. This was not an evening out that any of us really enjoyed and we all agreed we would not go back. Also, if you need to use the facilities while you visit, plan well in advance. The night we visited they were expecting over 200 guests (according to the valet), and they only have 4 toilets in the whole place. We saw folks waiting in line with legs crossed! read more

I really wanted to like this place. Have been watching it since Amici left but...... went there last night with 6 of my friends and it was not good. First off we know they open at 5:00 and believe you me they do not open the doors to the restaurant. There were about 10 of us in the vestibule but packed like sardines given the frigid temperatures we had to stand in there. Question why didn't the valet people tell us to wait in our car. It would have been much more enjoyable. We were seated in the back corner and felt rushed the entire time. And don't get me started on how the food comes out crazy. On their own timeline. The food was not great. The best dish we had was the stuffed squid. Also it is expensive just like previous reviewers have stated. This restaurant is not in downtown Chicago nor does it offer gourmet food. My friends and I really wanted to love it seeing as we live in the neighborhood but unfortunately we will not be back. Prediction in 1 year we will drive by and the parking lot will be practically empty. read more

the food here is worth the hype. everything was delicious, staff knowledgeable and kind, portion size is good to share. feel like it's a city restaurant in the suburbs. must try! read more