Amazing that after all these years, and with huge crowds every night, Greek Islands still maintains…read moresuch a high level of food quality and service. We ordered the whole branzino with roast Greek potatoes, and it was every bit as good as the whole Greek-style fish we've been ordering since first coming here decades ago. The same with the horta (dandelion greens) which I recommend dressing with lemon juice, olive oil (there's a bottle on the table) and black pepper. Delicious. And there is no better taramasolata anywhere than here. Absolutely addictive. The kind they serve at other Greek places is just a pale imitation. Our waitress (I didn't catch her name, but she was from Russia) was an absolute delight. So friendly and efficient. I have one complaint. Egg-lemon soup is traditionally a dairy-free dish. But Greek Islands' version apparently contains milk or cream. I'm not 100% sure it does, but I have lactose intolerance and definitely suffered unpleasant aftereffects following dinner. I called the following morning and I was told that it does indeed contain milk or cream, but the guy I spoke to had a heavy accent so I'm still not sure. The point is, the menu should state clearly when a TRADITIONALLY DAIRY-FREE dish contains dairy for the benefit of people with lactose intolerance or -- much more seriously -- a dairy allergy. Not doing so is very, very irresponsible. That quibble aside, let me re-emphasize how impressive it is that this restaurant remains as good as it is after all these years.

Greek Islands is a family-owned spot with an authentic Greek neighborhood feel, thanks to its…read moreatmosphere, staff, and traditional dishes. I enjoyed the tzatziki, avgolemono, pastichio, and baklava. Everything was great, and it had been a while since I'd enjoyed such good Greek food. If you're exploring Chicago's Greektown, give it a try. I'll be back next time I'm in Chicago.

I think some of the food here is very good and some is more of an acquired taste. I would…read moredefinitely recommend the roast chicken; for $28, you get potatoes, rice, and half a chicken that is delicious. We also got the souvlaki and dip trio; the spicy feta was the star, the eggplant was okay, and the potato/fish roe was not for me personally. The souvlaki is meant to be lit on fire when it comes out but ours was a weak sizzle at best... the cheese was very sharp and alcoholic as a result. Final thoughts: would stop in here if I was in a pinch, get the chicken, skip the apps.

This place was decent and accommodated my husband's gluten allergy…read more I got the moussaka which was pretty good. We got the hummus and eggplant spreads to start and those were a little disappointing. The fried calamari was good.

I LOVED my meal here! Ēma (Ay-mah) brings some glamour and glitz to the Mediterranean dining scene,…read morewith an airy, elevated hotel-lobby feel that still doesn't demand a dress code. Dresscode: Smart Casual / Casual Noise Level: Medium (it gets buzzy after 5:30pm) Thursday night Happy Hour was lively, so it took about 10-15 minutes for someone to come around, but service was attentive once we got going. The food is where Ēma really shines. From the Happy Hour menu, the Charred Eggplant Hummus and Crispy Potatoes were generously portioned and great for sharing. On the main menu, the Indian-Mediterranean fusion Bhel Hummus was a party for my taste buds, while the Hot Honey Halloumi and Chicken Kefta rounded out the table nicely. The halloumi is more of a side than a main, but that sweet-and-salty hot honey combo was chef's kiss. For our finisher, the Chocolate Torte knocked us out. Decadent, delicious and chocolate with lots of depth. Overall, Ēma is an excellent spot to order a bunch of dishes for the table and get an elevated meal without feeling stuffy, and delicious without taking itself too seriously. DO's: - Make a reservation ahead, especially for happy hour 4-6pm - Treat apps like small plates, order 2-3 to sample - Entertain their wine list, they have a lot! - Bring vegetarians here, there are plenty of options DON'Ts: - Dismiss the desert menu. It's fantastic and shareable! - Forget to ask for extra pita with the hummus! - Miss out on the LettuceEats loyalty points (check-in with your server before paying your check)

Mixed feelings on this place. Really pretty decor and nice vibe, but portions have greatly…read moredecreased in the last few years. The food is good, but I don't like that the portions have gotten smaller with the price staying the same. I've added pictures to show the difference. Their spicy hummus is probably my favorite hummus I've gotten from a restaurant, but it isn't always on the menu. The Kefta kabob is always good.

Great spot in Chicago. The food had amazing flavors, the space was beautiful, and the overall…read moreexperience felt special without being too formal. A place I'd gladly visit again.

Ambiance was great, food was quite good, and service was good. I recommend for the ambiance…read moreespecially, since the decor is so nice!

I headed out to the North Side today for a bit of exploration, and despite the lively Friday…read morebustle, stepping into The Purple Pig was a remarkably grand experience. The restaurant commands a sense of scale and elegance that immediately impresses. The interior is impeccably designed and spotlessly clean, featuring sophisticated private seating areas, beautifully arranged tables, and an extraordinary collection of fine wines lining the walls. The hospitality was top-tier from the moment I arrived attentive, polished, and effortlessly gracious. To start, I ordered the "Fire and Smoke" cocktail, which arrived artfully crafted, perfectly balanced, and thoroughly sensational. For my main course, I selected one of my absolute favorites: the Spanish Octopus. When the dish was served, the aroma alone was divine, and the execution proved to be an absolute culinary triumph tender, exquisitely seasoned, and full of rich, sophisticated flavor. Between the immaculate environment, vibrant atmosphere, superb libations, and flawless service, The Purple Pig earns full marks from me. A quintessential destination I shall most certainly be returning

This was a very mixed experience, which surprised me given the overwhelmingly positive reviews that…read morebrought us here. To start, the hostess was rude. It took her a while to acknowledge me standing there, and when she finally asked how she could help, I mentioned I had a reservation and began giving my name. She cut me off with, 'Please wait, I'm very busy.' After another five minutes, she finally took my name and asked my family and me to step fully outside, saying someone would come get us. We were finally seated fifteen minutes later--only after watching another party of three walk in without a reservation and get seated immediately. The appetizers and entrees were good, and our waiter was attentive, even apologizing for the rough start at the host stand. Things seemed to be turning around until we tried to order dessert. Despite being more than forty minutes from closing, our waiter returned to tell us, 'The chef refuses to make any more desserts.' This was that rare restaurant visit where the food itself was solid, but we won't be back. The service made it abundantly clear that our presence was an inconvenience.

We had such a wonderful experience here! The food was absolutely fantastic -- and as someone who is…read moreGreek, I know good, authentic Greek food when I taste it. Everything was delicious and tasted fresh and genuinely authentic. I also want to give a special shout-out to Luis, director of operations . He was absolutely wonderful. There was an issue with our bill, and Luis went above and beyond to make sure everything was taken care of. He was incredibly kind, professional, and genuinely cared about making things right. His customer service was exceptional, and you could tell that he truly cares about his guests and his restaurant. I'm actually in Greece right now, and I have to say, I'm already missing the food here! That says a lot about how good this restaurant is. We will absolutely be back. Thank you, Luis, for taking such great care of us!

3.5 stars would be most accurate. The food was delicious and some of the staff were nice. But there…read morewas something disappoinitng. Let's start with the food. I ordered Prawns Saganaki and side of pita bread. Asked for no oil nor salt for the pita. While it was shown on the lunch menu on their website, the Prawns Saganaki was actually not on the lunch menu. Luckily, the kitchen has prepared it (for dinner) so I was able to try it. In total 4 pc of big shrimp, served with tomato sauce, crumbled feta and cherry tomatoes. The feta was so finely crumbled that it could easily "melt" in the sauce. The cherry tomatoes added more juiciness to it. Overall great, and definitely paired well with the pita. What made me disappointed, if not annoyed, was the check-in. I waited for nearly 6 min until someone finally noticed me. The staff said she would come "just a minute". At that time a woman (white) went into the restaurant and sat at the bar. Then she started to greet her, and discussed the menu with her, and even took the order! Looked like she completely forgot my presence. Possibly some discrimination/racism idk. i would have left if the restaurant did not charge a no-show fee for reservation. Luckily they took off the pita from my bill after I complained about the waiting time (I did not say about discrimination because I am not sure about it).

food: the gyro and everything else was good and tasted authentic. portion size is also good…read more service: nice staff and food came fast. cash only establishment ambiance: sat outside and the weather was perfect

Sadly I found this place right before I move…read more This place is cash only so make sure to come prepared - I do think there's an atm at the bar next door if you do forget. We tried the skirt steak and chicken. The steak is OUTSTANDING. I'm not sure what secret spice blend they use in the kitchen but it's delicious. We always make sure to order a side of pita and Tzatziki to make our own gyros. The chicken is also a great choice, but the steak remains #1. The service here is always quick. We've never had to wait for a table, but if we did the bar connected next door is a great place to hang out in the meantime.

An amazing team meal at Lyra, wouldn't change a thing…read more The servers managed a large party with two food allergies and lots of food preferences with ease and attentiveness. Cocktails to start were delicious - we also started with the Breads and Spreads platter, that had most of their dips (all were amazing) with crudite, pita and lavash. Other starters included the charred octopus, crispy calamari and crispy zucchini and eggplant. The octopus was so good we ordered another one! For mains, we shared the chicken souvlaki, branzino, deconstructed pastitsio and lamb. All the flavors and dishes were beautiful and delicious. It's been two days since our dinner and I still have people raving about that meal. The table side Branzino was awesome and fun to introduce to a few that had never had it before. Will definitely be back, what a gem!

Only grabbed drinks here on a Friday night!…read more Music was great - fun to dance to although I will say, I think I was one of the few busting a move! Sparkler presentation was very pretty & cute moment!

Everytime I have eaten here I've really enjoyed their food. My favorites include: Greek salad with…read morechicken breast, filet mignon pita, and filet mignon platter. But the STAR dish for me and one of the best I've ever tried: Chicken Riganati. So so good!! Highly recommend!

I work nearby and have passed so many times and really wanted a healthy option for lunch. I stopped…read morein yesterday and was greeted by the adorable cashier and when I asked about the spinach pie, she let me know that it was really good. I also asked about the Greek salad and she said she couldnt choose because they were so good I went with the spinach pie and got it about ten minutes later. When I arrived to my office and opened it, I did think the pie was small for $11, but hey. It was small, two triangles of philo dough and spinach and feta cheese with fresh feta sprinkled on top. As I was eating it, I was more hungry than anything, noting it tasted very vinegary and a little old. The feta cheese that was fresh was shades whiter than what was in the pie. A few hours later, I had a very wild bathroom episode (three to be exact), where I was certain I wasn't going to make it to the stall and I would ruin my clothes. I'm certain I got sick from this lackluster $11 spinach pie. Needless to say I won't be returning.

These plates were shared by our party of five. Our waiter was great and helped us with suggestions…read moreon certain dishes and also the quantity we might need for a party our size. He was spot on with everything. We sat on the rooftop, which is beautiful. In addition to table seating, there is also a very nice bar. The food was not only phenomenal, but there were so many gluten-free options! Our waiter was very knowledgeable and helpful in this regard as well. The zucchini chips were so good. I actually had to ask him a second time to make sure they were truly gluten-free! This desserts look delicious, but we did not have room to even consider that. I would say the prices are a little bit high, but definitely worth it for a special occasion. My friend looked up their happy hour prices, and we are planning a visit for happy hour in the near future. In addition to the regular menu items, they also have a selection of fish depending on what is market fresh each day. The restaurant was pretty busy for a Monday. Fortunately, we had reservations and I would highly recommend doing that.

I came in to escape the rain after a long walk along the lake. Lunch options & prices are…read morephenomenal, & service was very fast & friendly. It's pretty sterile inside.. lots of affluent looking folks & extremely clean. The chicken gyro was underseasoned & tasted as if the oil was not fresh. The only appetizing thing about it was the tzatziki. Without that i would not have been able to muscle it down. It's bla at best. Maybe dinner service is tastier.