I don't write a lot of reviews, but this place is worth it. Greek Islands just feels easy from the…read moremoment you get there. Parking downtown can be a headache, so the valet was a big plus and made the whole night start off right. The service was really solid, friendly and attentive without being over the top. The food is the real highlight. Everything came out fresh, full of flavor, and just really well done. It's a comfortable, lively spot that works for just about any kind of night. I'll definitely be back.

A very cool, authentic Greek dining experience! It's always fun to be a tourist in your own city…read moreand if you go to Greektown, stopping by Greek Islands Restaurant is a MUST. Outstanding service and a solid variety on the menu. Huge portions for a decent price.

Excellent food! Streamlined menu with all the classics. Service was fantastic even on a busy Friday…read morenight. I ordered the braised lamb and my husband got the stuffed chicken. A little loud but very lively!

Food was ok. I've definitely had better & worse. Chicken was tender & moist but could've used more…read moreseasoning my baklava old fashioned flavor was misted imo. The gyro plate portion was small. Most take out places in the city give you much more gyro meat than here. For some odd reason the dining room was freezing so much so that most in attendance wore their coats while eating.

I've come here with my boyfriend a handful of times and we love it. We like to try different…read morecocktails every time. The mimosa on a nice summer day on the patio is my happy place. The entrees are amazing too. The rice with the chicken skewer is my favorite so far and my boyfriend loves the beef and lamb skewer. The service has always been great as well. We've had the same server a couple times now and she's friendly and gets the job done. (Wish I could remember her name!) The ambience is great. With natural light coming in and the soft lamps, it's calming. Truly a beautiful restaurant.

So disappointed. I…read morecame about 5 years ago and loved my meal, especially the sticky date cake, which lingered in my memory as my favorite all time dessert. This year I was so excited to bring my family and Ema was the only restaurant in Chicago I couldn't wait for them to try. I booked it as our final meal in Chicago and lay awake at 4am being so disappointed in my choice. Our server's greeting was monotone and emotionless, which I realize now, would be foreshadowing the meal to come. Ordered the following 1) Smoky eggplant- arrived appearing as an unappetizing curdled purple grey mush. This was the worst tasting baba ghanouj I have ever eaten. It was acidic and had the texture of cottage cheese. The only redeeming thing about this appetizer was the warm naan. 2) house made stratciatella with side of green falafels- The stratciatella was bland and stringy. I would not order this dish expecting the creamy interior of typical burrata. However, if you like string cheese mixed with heavy cream- you may enjoy this dish. The tomatoes and basil were good. 3) chicken kefta- kefta was bland, rice even blander . 4) short rib with polenta- bland and the meat and polenta had the same texture, which seems impossible but somehow the plating was over complicated by the addition of mushy dates and grapes. 5) buttered noodles- my 8 year old ordered this. It was decent with a good amount of Parmesan and cooked perfectly al dente. By the end of the meal, I was so shocked by how terrible the food was I didn't even want to order the sticky date cake that was my main purpose for returning to this restaurant. Ema, what happened to you?!

Aba is an outstanding dining experience from start to finish. The atmosphere is beautiful and…read morevibrant with a warm Mediterranean-inspired design that makes it feel both lively and elevated without being overwhelming. The food is consistently impressive. Dishes are full of flavor, well balanced and made for sharing which makes the experience feel interactive and fun. Everything we tried tasted fresh and thoughtfully prepared, with a few standout plates that we would order again without hesitation. Service was attentive, friendly and well-paced. The staff did a great job explaining the menu and making recommendations that actually added to the experience rather than just upselling. Overall, it is a place that feels special without being pretentious. Perfect for a night out, group dinner or celebration. Would absolutely return and highly recommend it.

Food was amazing. LA native and celebrating the weekend in Chicago…read more Restaurant was beautiful and our server Dulce was amazing!!

Just an amazing experience all around!! The tuna tartare was exceptional as well as the sorbet with…read moreBailey's. A little tight on seating but no complaints!!

This is my 2nd sniff in at the Pigster…read more.. Today "sniffed in" at 4.5 stars... BREAD: -- great texture -- LOVE that it is NOT sourdough -- oily, buttery -- fantastic for dipping into our residual sauce on the plates RATING = A+ SPANISH OCTOPUS: -- ultra-tender -- perfectly cooked -- marbled potatoes, jalapeno, sambuca, chimichurri, Spanish chorizo -- visually stunning and colorful -- amazing flavor RATING = A+ AGNOLOTTI: -- I do not eat this pasta often, almost never but WOW! -- thin sheet pasta brilliance on display here -- beef short rib, creamy bone marrow, brown butter and wine au just RATING = A+ PORK BELLY: -- I did not love the ginger glaze, but I am sometimes not a fan of the use of ginger -- I found this dish too sweet and too sour and the combo and boldness of each did not work for me on the nose or palate RATING = B STAFF are exceptional and the dining space is pleasing. Not pretentious or fancy but beyond casual. This establishment is consistently legit per our friend, wife and me. We love staying at nearby hotels so this will always be on our list.

Brunch was excellent. First time here and it is a more unique brunch-but so so good! Definitely…read morewould go back to eat the spicy lamb dish again. Poached egg cooked to perfection. The little Cretan sausages were delicious. Also the fish platter is very good and filling. The service was excellent from every staff member. The ambiance is lovely with a lot of beautiful plants that warmed up the gray day outside. Can't wait to go back!

My friend and I have our birthdays in February. I wanted to do something special. My friend, his…read moresister, and I came here to celebrate. The ambiance is wonderful, especially when it starts to get dark outside. There is beautiful graffiti to look at as you walk up to the restaurant as well. I think parking is ample, but it would be annoying if you had to use the parking garage that's pretty much next door. We got here before the dinner rush on a Sunday. Street parking is free. Getting right into it, we were instantly served an appetizer of what looked like cherry tomatoes on a vine with a small dish of oil, salt, and spices for dipping. The server said these tomatoes are flown in daily from overseas. It wasn't easy to eat. If you're on a first date, I'd just pop the whole tomato in my mouth, or try to cut the tomato in half carefully without it squirting everywhere. That way the contents of the dip dish will stick to the tomato. Additionally, I ordered us the calamari appetizer with some bread. It was delicious, but it didn't wow me. I had the octopus, and my friends had the beef and the eggplant. All were delicious. I wish I had ordered a larger portion of the octopus. Overall the portions are small, and for what we paid I think they could have come down on the price. It clocks for the area though. Everyone was nice, but if I am paying this much for a dinner, I don't want to watch children running around and making noise either. I don't consider this place a family restaurant. Especially when the focal point in this place is the bar. Desserts were okay. The server gave me a spoon to cut through my flaky apple dessert with barely any apple filling. What was there was delicious. Again, I would say re-think the portions or the pricing. Maybe consider adding a side to the octopus without increasing the cost. Dine here once for the experience. There are better Greek restaurants in Chicago. I would pay the drink prices and come here one more time, late, to check out who is sitting at the bar. I know how this area can get at night. I could see this place being fun.

From the moment you walk in, it's clear that Athenian Room holds a beloved place in the Lincoln…read morePark community! It's a mom-and-pops shop through and through- you'll see homely decor, a simple but well done menu, and people from all walks of life coming together over delicious food. The staff was warm and attentive throughout the meal and brought out delicious complimentary french bread. It's pretty cool that although the restaurant doesn't serve alcohol, staff from the adjacent bar came around every so often and took orders. For appetizers, we started with the feta and olive appetizers. They were good, but I'd probably order something a little more unique next time. I opted for the chicken kalamata dinner for the main event, which came with more french bread and a salad. The salad came out first, and it was pretty simple with minimal dressing. I wished there had been more variety in produce and something besides iceberg lettuce for greens. I'd recommend getting some feta on the side to add some flavor. The chicken, however, was absolutely outstanding. It was super tender, seasoned beautifully with za'atar, and brined in vinegar (I think). The za'atar seasoned french fries underneath were extra crispy and perfectly soaked up the extra sauce from the chicken. For the price, this place is a steal- you really can't beat the quantity and quality of food that you get. Overall, a great experience- I definitely recommend making a stop if you're in the area!

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.

I don't really go out to Greek restaurants often but this place was really good. There were 10…read morepeople in our party and we ordered around 16 dishes. We ordered the breads and the spread and the pita was so warm and delicious! The spicy feta and the tzatziki were a hit. We ordered some horiatiki salata which was a nice and refreshing taste to balance all the heavy meats. If you want to try everything and people aren't picky, family style is the best! We started off with the crispy zucchini and egg plant. These were fried and more like veggie chips. Nonetheless the crunch with the dip was delectable. The waitress was so helpful and she served/cut each plate so everyone got to try one. The saganaki (Greek pan fried cheese) came out flamed! Such a show stopper and really delicious, dense cheese. We also ordered the slow roasted lamb gyros, charred octopus, bouzoukia potatoes, wagyu beef skewer, chicken skewer, grilled lamb skewer, grilled roasted chicken, and branzino. We ordered A LOT of food and every dish was so flavorful and packed a punch. Lastly, we finished it off with dessert with loukoumades which are Greek fried donuts. Such a sweet and warm dessert to end off an amazing meal. Truly impeccable service, vibes were amazing, and 10/10 would come here again!

Don't think greek food should be expensive bc it's just like a skewer meatballs and potatoes but I…read morewas pleasantly surprised Lamb was tender and herbs came through, rly nice char on it too. Meatballs were surprisingly tender for meatballs, low expectations but impressed it was more than just a lump. POTATOES WERE FIRE super crispy and not too oily. Am a fan Tzatziki and yogurt sauce were both delicious and tasted completely different, kinda thought they would be same thing different font.

So, this is not the cute Greek restaurant you visit in Greektown. This is "the walk through the ice…read morecream shop and display cases, to the dark panel traditional Chicago-style bar, back to the rear and up some stairs to chairs and tables in a dining room with TVs on the wall" type of spot. And I was here for it! Great service from our server. Good quality and variety of food. (Hello, octopus?!). The "Greek" dressing on my Greek salad was...interesting. I'll definitely make sure to just ask for oil and vinegar next time. Drinks were a generous pour and didn't take long to be made. Overall, it's what I'd consider a "true Chicago kickback spot"z: No frills, but worthy.

A friend recommended Greek Prime Kitchen & Bar and called it a hidden gem in Bridgeport--they…read moreweren't lying! When you walk in, you first pass through the carry-out section, then enter the bar and dining room. At first glance, it feels like a typical bar and grill near the Sox stadium, but the food and service set it apart. Our bartender doubled as our server, and she was fantastic--friendly, knowledgeable, and full of great recommendations. We started with the Greek Chicken Quesadilla served on pita bread, a creamy Greek chicken soup, and a Greek salad. Everything was fresh and flavorful. For mains, we tried a few skewer platters: filet mignon, chicken, and shrimp. The chicken was slightly overcooked but still packed with flavor. Bonus: we were there during happy hour, so wine was only $6 a glass! Overall, this spot exceeded expectations. I'll definitely be back and adding it to my regular rotation.

Nice atmosphere, great service, and really good food…read more Recommended dishes: Whole fish, octopus, spreads with pita Ambiance 5/5 Service 4.5/5 Food 5/5

I have been going to Avli since they opened their first one in Winnetka. I have been to Avli in the…read morePark several times. When I saw their brunch for Greek Easter, I made reservations me and my son. Aside from the food (which is always delicious) the experience was terrible from start to finish. First, they tried to seat us in the back along the wall even though there were several lovely tables open along the window and bar. When I asked to be seated at one of those tables, we were told they were reserved for bigger parties. (This has actually happened before, but typically one of the owners is there and quickly accommodates) This time, we waited for a manager and literally stood in the middle of the dining room for close to 5 min before a manager came and said they were cleaning a table. The table they sat us at was for 4 people; as were the ones supposedly being saved for a bigger party. I accepted the table because at that point was too frustrated to push back. Our waiter was friendly; however more concerned with asking us if we wanted more drinks, than taking the dirty dishes off the table. He rarely came back to the table. When we finally got our check he informed me that 20% gratuity was included. At that point I was so flustered I did not push back. This gratuity was definitely not earned and explains why he was not inspired to take care of us. Although I love my Greek heritage and want to support Greek owned businesses;this Easter experience was a bust and I will think twice about returning.