Lemonia, you are a puzzle. A half dozen Yelpers showed up for dinner after a fun Yelp event. We were nearby, I hadn't had Greek food since moving to London and it had great reviews on Yelp, so I thought we should try it. So we go in and they give us a table. It was kind of hidden off to the side, which felt a bit strange. But they were busy so I didn't really think much about it at the time. There were some olives, carrots and radishes placed on the table for us to snack on while we were looking over the menu. It seemed like a weird mix of things to me, but I do love radishes, so I wasn't too concerned. I had the Spanikopita and some sort of stuffed eggplant thing. The Spanikopita were light and flaky with a deliciously lemony spinach and feta filling. The main was tasty, but not great. The turkish delight was wonderfully rose-water-y and pistachio-y. The only downfall for me was the service. It was just strange. After our starters came the waiter kind of just hovered around the table. Like stood there watching us eat. It was creepy, and a bit off-putting. When I finished my main, he swooped in and took my plate away. Now, I'm an American and I'm kind of used to that sort of thing in the US, but in the UK, they usually wait until everyone is finished. So it was just weird. Really weird. I'm not sure it was weird enough to put me off going back. If I were in the area and craving Greek food, I think it would be a great place to go. There were a lot of things on the menu that looked good and that I wanted to try. read more

Every tribe in London has their place. The well to do theatre crowd colonise The Ivy, Sheekeys and Joe Allens and the hedge fundies have Scotts or Goodman. The smug monied media mass of Primrose Hill have Odettes and posh Greek charcoal grill Lemonia. It's been a local fixture for years, almost certainly in existence before the arrival of the creative agency types and the minor celebs attracted by the villagey vibe and bucolic rusticity of the little street off the top of Regent's Park. Sandwiched between delis and dress shops Limonia has a reputation above and beyond a thick menu of competent Greek cuisine. Arriving late, sodden with rain and lager, we managed to slide into one of the booths in the atrium at the rear, a table overhung with flourishing greenery from the low hanging roof planters. Mixed meze and pitta forgettably dealt with early hunger pangs. I went for a slow roast aubergine dish topped with a smooth paste of minced lamb and cheese, served on a bed of creamy spinach. Not accomplished cooking by any means but hearty fare in variance with the thin and fashionable regulars. A couple of companions, more regular habitués than I, went for lamb chops from the grill. Slim shards of perfectly crisped fat along the bone were a delight to gnaw, but the meat wasn't quite pink enough for us.. the charcoal grill giveth but it also taketh away. The accompanying chips and rice were largely and deservedly unnoticed. Right place at the right time? It's certainly got a place in local hearts and with the crowds it gets, the management won't be bothered that I'm not a super fan. I'd be happy to eat here again, but only if someone forces me to spend time in the many nearby bars first. read more

Very disappointing, and not worth the price. The service was very nice, though. We had moussakka which had a bad texture and hardly any taste, and lamb skewer which was ocer cooked and hard to eat. read more

This place is solid. Situated on a beautiful street in Primrose Hill it is a deceptively large restaurant but it never feels big because of its design. This is a place to sink in, relax and enjoy a leisurely meal. I recommend the meze--we had a few--an aubergine salad, taramasala which was amazing and a greek sausage that came with an amazing tomato based sauce with cinnamon. My lamb main was good although next time I'd try the grilled offering. The service was great--good sense of humor Greek men who are professional waiters. I love the authenticity, family-style vibe that this restaurant offers coupled with good food. A fan. read more

Umming and aahing a bit between 3 or 4 stars. This has been here forever - I remember coming here as a primary school child with my parents when we were visiting London - so it must be doing some things right. The food is great - really delicious. At my most recent visit in October 2015, I had halloumi as a starter (grilled so it was perfectly flavourful) and then lamb souvlaki, which was marinated in olive oil and was tender and utterly tasty. Definite thumbs up. I think, though, that it's the quality you would expect for the price - a lot of the mains at around £15, and while fine, not the most generous portions ever. And there's something about it that makes it feel like it's not quite sophisticated enough to warrant the price tag - presumably the main thing going for it is the Primrose Hill location, but it's a bit crowded and noisy to feel like a really decadent evening. read more

Great Greek restaurant in Primrose Hill. The restaurant has a great atmosphere inside and has wonderful service. Place gets very busy so is best to make reservations in advance especially on weekends and friday nights. They have a full menu with various mezze and main courses. They give a complimentary plate of olives, carrots, and radishes to start. My husband and I frequent for special occasions. They also have a selection of vegetarian mains in addition to the numerous veggie mezze items. They also have a good selection of Greek wines at reasonable prices. We frequently order: *Lentil soup *Tatzatki *Spanakopitta *Gemista (vegetarian main) *Lamb shashilik (husband recommends) *Calamari (husband recommends) Great local restaurant with a lot of flavorsome food. read more

As I was sitting at the Spread Eagle just outside Camden market reading my Zaget guide a few locals were curious to see what our next step was. There were a few Zaget hot spots in the area but Lemonia was the winner for the locals. Although it was a bit of a walk from where we were it was well worth it! The atmosphere was wonderful and charming. We felt as though we were sitting in a court yard in the middle of Greece. The menu was huge and we were not sure what to pick so we ended up getting one of the combination meals. We were able to have a taste of everything. The food was extremely fresh and the wine was very enjoyable. The waiters were full of smiles and the service made you feel at home. I wish I had found this earlier on in my trip so I could have had just one more night at Lemonia. Well worth the trip and well worth the treasure hunt to find you! I can't wait to come visit you again. read more

My wife and I had a great dinner here on a beautiful summer evening. Unfortunately we weren't early enough to snag one of the sidewalk tables, but inside was cute and, while bustling. For the food, we chose pretty simple items (grilled halloumi, humus, salad, grilled chicken) so it would be difficult to make them poorly, but all were great. The pita was the only letdown, pretty mediocre. Price was a little on the high side. Based on other reviews and the fact that this is called a celeb spot, maybe you're paying a bit extra for the ambiance.. read more

I really like this place. Not only that it's situated very nicely close to Primrose Hill, but the food is delicious as well. I enjoyed the starters at most. Greek feta with bacon and honey or some nice salads The service is very friendly as well, but stay in the background what I personally really like. If you need everything they're right there, but in the other time you practically don't see them! Be sure to check out their wine's as well as they have some real jewels on the menu! read more

We arrived around 10:20 pm and we were still able to have food. The waiters that served us were lovely, personable and aimed to please. The food was good and was greatly appreciated late on a cold and rainy Thursday evening. This restaurant was a very happening place whereas all surrounding establishments were closed or closing. All in all a nice experience. We will be back. read more

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Absolutely gorgeous part of London and this Greek restaurant is in a great spot. The dishes are well prepared and having lived in Greece I can definitely say they are the next best thing to the real deal. It definitely tastes very authentic. I recommend getting lots of little starters to dip bread into and tasting some of the wine on offer. Whilst it is slightly expensive the very friendly staff that go out of their way to help and the nice atmosphere make this a very popular destination. If your feeling the credit crunch the head across the street for a slightly cheaper but equally nice version of this restaurant. read more

I went here for the first time as a birthday treat for my boyfriend's birthday we recently went to Greece on holiday and I wanted to find somwhere that served authentic Greek food. Lemonia looked like the perfect place and we were not disappointed. We ordered 2 starters and 2 mains plus a bottle of wine which came to around £60 it's not cheap but the setting and atmosphere of the restaurant and the attentive service made this totally worth it. we had a greek sausage dish and tzatziki with bread to start and chicken souvlaki and stifado for the main and everything was delicious. We didn't have room for dessert but the waiter bought us some Turkish delight at the end of the meal, which was a nice touch. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this place and would go back in a heartbeat. If you are looking for somewhere to go as a treat and like authentic Greek dishes with good service then this is your place. I noticed that they also do a reasonably priced set lunch menu so I'll be checking that out very soon. read more

Nice family-run Greek restaurant in Primrose Hill that's easy to get to via the Tube (Chalk Farm on the Northern Line isn't more than a 5-min walk). A popular place on weekends though, so def recommend booking in advance. The menu is full of Greek classics so come hungry. The hummus app was tasty along with some Dolmades (served with mince which I had never seen before). You also can't go wrong with the grilled halloumi. The stuffed aubergine was a rich and tasty dish, served over spinach and topped with Bechamel sauce. Others in the group got some char-grilled skewers which had a nice smoky taste and a dish of prawns was plated nicely. The sides left a little to be desired (usually just rice or a small Greek salad). Atmosphere leaves you feeling like you're in a large house with the noise to accompany it. Would recommend asking if you can be seated in the central room which has hanging plants and gets some natural light through a skylight. We were seated in a back corner which was okay, but felt a bit cramped. Definitely a place to check out if you're a fan of Greek food though as this was one of the best Greek restaurants I've been to in London. read more

Great food and service! We had the meze for 2, and we tasted many starters and mains. Definitely recommended if you want to have some Greek flavor. read more

I went to Lemonia the other week for, oh I don't know, the millionth time in my life and I realised that it's actually probably my favourite restaurant of all time. I have never ever had a meal there that was anything less than perfect - the food always arrives hot and quickly, it's so tasty and moreish, and the price is very reasonable. The sweetest man owns the restaurant, and has done for years, and he still comes in early everyday to prepare all the food, and is there until late at night greeting and serving the clientele. All the other waiters are his brothers, brothers-in-law, cousins, sons, uncles etc, so it's definitely a family atmosphere. This restaurant is enjoyed by people of all ages, and should be experienced by everyone. Ok, I'm salivating just thinking about it... read more

Great place overall and a good option after walking through Primrose Hill. My uncle and aunt and I ate here the other night and were very pleased with the service, atmosphere and food. While we were waiting (for 5 minutes) they served us tasty green olives in a dish which were refilled when we got to the table. The staff were friendly and helpful with the menu. The food was very good and of high quality and although I was feeling a bit poorly at the time I enjoyed my rice and pitta and a nibble of chicken very much. My aunt and uncle really liked their meals and I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking for nice, quality greek food. The price didn't break the bank, average plate was about £12-13 which was too bad considering it was delicious. I'm definitely headed back here with my girlfriend! read more

This establishment is a disgrace the food is absoluteley awful . Lemonia along with 99% of Greek and Cypriot restaurants in London are the same. Why can the Turks and Lebanese reproduce decent quality in London whilst the Greeks/Cypriots shame their nations cuisine ! Does not deserve the star but its the minimum one can give to publish the review. read more

What to say. Just fantastic. I must visit this spot every time I'm in London. It's awesome.

We love coming here for the mezze, which is a steal. We are big eaters, but we've never managed to finish everything on offer (although we always save room for the turkish delight at the end). The staff are lovely! read more

Authentic Greek restaurant in the heart of London. Gorgeous space and staff was fast and very friendly. The food was just delicious reminded us the Greek vacations. Will definitely be back read more

Lemonia - Grilled Hallumi - Greek Near Me - London, XGL

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I go here regularly and always get treated quite well. It's an absolutely perfect 2nd/3rd date location - probably a bit to pricey for 'I can't be bothered to cook supper' type of meal but also ideal if you have pissed off your girlfriend/wife and you're trying to get back in her good books. I have never felt rushed and the waiters are almost always Greek which makes it feel very authentic. There are regularly B/C list celebrities there due to the nature of Primrose Hill, if you care about such things which I certainly don't. I don't stray too far from the meze as it's consistently such a success - last week I think it was £21.50 per person, minimum two people and if you go for a carafe of house red wine and a jug of iced tap water you're in for a good evening. The other items on the menu are good, but a little expensive; however, it's the most popular restaurant on the Primrose Hill high street and if you think the food is going to be cheap you're naive. The waiters are busy, but I don't like to be hassled too much so it suits me. It has a family-run atmosphere to it which is warm and welcoming and eating inside in the conservatory is pleasant. The only two things that have ever gone wrong for me is being given an incorrect dish when I ordered the moussaka - but was given a free side salad and the Greek waiter was apologetic (I think it was an accent thing), and on a second date at the end of the evening a rather star-struck young waiter excitedly asked me if I was aware that I was sat next to Abby Clancey - (1) I wasn't, (2) I didn't care, (3) pointing it out made the waiter and then by reflection the establishment seem uncool. read more

Lemonia is a must-try if you are a Greek food connoisseur. I visited 13(!) years ago and convinced my family we must come during our trip a couple months ago, as it was very memorable the last time I was there. We were not disappointed! I had the appetizer portion of dolmades and they were the best I've ever had. For my entree I had the lamb with tomato sauce.... I can't remember the name exactly, arne de something? It was perfectly tender, practically falling off the bone, with the perfect amount of sauce--and I like a lot of sauce! My parents both ordered lamb dishes as well and were equally pleased. Our server Eric (who was GREAT, putting up with my very needy family) recommended the moussaka, which my sister ordered, and it was seriously incredible. I'd order that the next time I go back. We loved the complimentary rose-flavored Turkish delight. The baklava, while tasty, was a bit too sweet/honey-drenched for our taste. While the food was by and large perfect, an incident at the end put a little bit of a damper on the experience. We were all paid, stood up to leave, when a man (I'm guessing a manager since he was not dressed like the waitstaff) ordered us to wait while putting his arm up to stop us from moving to the entrance. Apparently he didn't believe we'd paid, because a credit card verification slip had been misplaced or something. Luckily we had the copy of the receipt and showed it to him, which was satisfactory I guess, but he then explained that the waiter was new (he might have even said an "apprentice" and that's why the receipt wasn't in the right spot. I work in the industry and have to say it's completely bizarre and unprofessional to reassign blame instead of taking responsibility or simply apologizing for the mix up. We didn't appreciate being treated like criminals and stared at by other patrons since by that point we were all already standing up from the table. I have to imagine that was a one-off event, but in the future management shouldn't throw waitstaff under the bus, and maybe have policy to let customers know if a server is new. Guests are generally very understanding/forgiving when the expectation has been set that the server might need a little assistance along the way. read more

Great Greek restaurant, certainly one of the best in London - the mezze is fantastic and more food thean you'll ever eat, quality great. Prices a little high but the fact that it's always packed (and it's huge!)shows that it's probably worth it read more

I "revisited" Lemonia Greek restaurant in Primose Hill my last night before returning to California! I have been here a couple other times during past London travels and wanted to make sure I saved the best for last! Truly authentic tasty Greek food with Cypriots and Greeks serving......until next time.... read more

On the more expensive side for dinner, this is a great place to go on a date. The ambiance is very nice at night. Food is a la carte, so absolutely no sides included. I ordered the grilled halibut, and don't get me wrong, it was amazing, but the tiny filet was £22! The side of roasted potatoes were delicious. I have been wanting to try their fixed price weekday lunch but have never gotten around to it. The only thing that I was disappointed about was that we were charges £1 for pita, when we ordered the hummus appetizer. I found that to be in poor taste considering most places would include pita on the table regardless, free of charge. read more

Going to Lemonia is liking going on a holiday. I went to Lemonia for lunch with colleagues and we all agreed - it felt like we'd run off and escaped London for the afternoon and instead spent it sipping delicious wine, devouring heavenly food and enjoying the sunlight pouring in through massive skylights. Great spot in a fantastic area and with service that is far too kind for the posh clientele! Recommend for a special lunch out. read more

One of the best Greek restaurants I've ever been. Really traditional and serves great food. Can get quite busy, so beware before making sure you have a booking. read more

Sofia says it was delicious! Once again a mighty feast of tasty. Good work Lemonia, you have the official Greek seal of approval!

Great food, lovely location, friendly staff. The Turkish delight is always a lovely touch too!!!

A charming atmosphere and relatively okay food. Worth a visit if you are in the area.

The food was good but nothing special and the service was a little bit awkward as the waiter stood at the end of the table waiting for the plates to be cleared enough to remove. I had the swordfish which was pretty good and the saganaki which being cheese was automatically good but again nothing that really stood out. Overall I'd say if you're craving Greek food and in the area it's a good place to go but I wouldn't venture out to go here. read more

My friend and I just arrived from Chicago with a let in Primrose Hill and had an early supper here. One of the most unique and friendly Greek bistros I have enjoyed. I had the sea bass with an assorted starter plate and a white wine for 14 GBP ... Will certainly visit it again before the week end. read more

Great ambiance. Perfect for bigger groups. The staff is really friendly and the food is wonderful. The mezze 3 course dinner is a great value - but beware the last course is a whole lotta meat! read more

I have mixed feelings about Lemonia. Some of the food was quite nice - my boyfriend ordered the swordfish special which I wish I had ordered, and the olives and pitta that we had as a starter were tasty. The turkish delight (greek delight?) we had as our treat-that-comes-with-the-bill was amazing. My entree, the hare in red wine sauce, wasn't particularly great. I've definitely gotten much better food for less in other parts of London, but I guess that's what you get when you look for food in Primrose Hill. The waiter seemed a bit surly - maybe he was just being extra attentive, but he made us nervous hovering at the edge of are table waiting to swoop in and grab empty dishes. Overall the food wasn't bad but nothing special -- I would not go out of my way to come here. read more

Very good local Greek. We went as a group and tried most dishes, not a bad one to be had!

The fact that so many Greeks from all over London come to Tony's restaurant tells you all you need to know about this Primrose Hill landmark. read more

Lemonia feels Greek - masses of people at tables, lots of drinking, lots of eating, lots of plates, lots of green (plants), lots of Greek waiters. All that's really missing is the sun... and cheaper prices. I love it here and as I don't live in Primrose Hill, I don't get to Lemonia as often as I'd like. I don't even think it's the best Greek food ever, but it's some of the best I've had in London. The tabbouleh is perfect if you love parsley, the haloumi comes in reasonable delectable portions, the octopus happily tastes like octopus and the fried calamari is exactly how it should be (for me): no batter, just slightly crispy on the edges. Almost everything comes with a wedge of lemon. On the slightly negative side, I found my last dish of chargrilled spring chicken more char than chicken. I also don't like having to continually ask for baskets of pita bread, but then again, 2 per person is probably nutritionally sufficient. read more

A great place to get fresh, authentic Greek food in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. The restaurant is large and bustling and they do a great lunch menu where you can get a starter and main for cheap. It's still surprisingly good value in the evening too, considering the smart location, although Primrose Hill has remained surprisingly true to its bohemian roots. Speaking of which, this is a popular restaurant with the Primrose Hill set so it's not unusual to see the likes of Sadie Frost et al in here. However, the biggest draw has to be the promise after a long(ish) walk up Primrose Hill, of a slap up Greek meal. read more

Had lunch here about an hour before they closed on a Saturday afternoon. Staff are friendly, and Lemonia seems to be one of the more popular restaurants on Regents Park Road. Ordered a selection of Greek Mezze, all tasty, but as others have mentioned, the portions are small, and not just the Mezze dishes. The food while good is nothing spectacular. Ok for a pit stop if you're in the area, but nothing out of this world. read more

I remember going here about 15 years ago when it was packed out and it's good to see that 15 years later some things haven't changed. We had a very cute elderly waiter who was extremely attentive and there is a real family feel to this restaurant oozing out of the walls. The hummus was that good to start with we ordered another plate straight after! The vegetarian main course selection is a little thin on the ground (two main dishes from memory) so I opted for a few of the smaller vegetarian dishes and starters. Excellent value for money for such a good quality restaurant in a lovely area. I definitely would have scored it higher if there was a better food selection for the non meat eaters. read more