Bottom line: An amazing Sunday brunch visit to Nikos, I can see why they are included in this year's Michelin Guide. From starters, beverages, and meal, it was very pleasing. My Knufe Pancake was just the right mix of sweet and savory, an unexpected hit. I give all five stars for this visit! The Deets: Some friends in Durham invited my for brunch and we decided to hit the Sunday brunch over at Nikos in Brightleaf Square this time. This Greek restaurant has recently been included as a "Selected Restaurant" within the 2025 Michelin Guide so with that and seeing their pretty interesting brunch menu, I was in (considering Greek cuisine is usually not one of my go-to foods, I was still intrigued). We had a reservation right as they opened and it did not take long at all for Nikos to have almost every table full quickly so the word is out. The atmosphere is very bistro like in feel and appearance. Our very helpful and positive server Maggie made sure we had our menus and took our drink/starter orders. I went with a hot latte that was perfect when delivered. I also enjoyed one of their mocktails in the Athena Blush (muddle cranberry, lemongrass, apple tea, and club soda) in that it was a great combination of flavors with successfully avoiding being too sweet as mocktails most often can be. We noshed on some great tzatziki (Greek yogurt, cucumber, garlic, lemon) for starters that came with pita but we also ordered their sourdough bread. It took a bit longer to get that sourdough loaf but it was so worth it...warm, fresh, and so delicious! For my main, I went with the Knufe Pancake (filled with mozzarella cheese and kataifi, topped with pistachio praline and served with a side of warm lemon maple sauce). I loved it. It was just enough sweet and savory both to satisfy me. I am glad that the warm lemon maple sauce was served on the side...I took a few bites with it and liked it but I found it much better for my tastes to be paired with the pistachio praline that topped the pancake. My friends thoroughly enjoyed their selections (see my pics for their meals) as well. I am so glad I ventured a bit out of my comfort zone and went with brunch here at Nikos...it was wonderful, I highly recommend! read more

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We chose this restaurant to celebrate our daughter's graduation because we had such a wonderful experience there previously. Unfortunately, this visit was extremely disappointing, especially given the importance of the occasion and the amount we spent. The service was very slow, and the overall experience simply did not match the standard that brought us back in the first place. While the manager did apologize and brought an extra dish to the table, the repeated apologies did not really make up for the poor pacing and frustration during brunch. The menu has a lot of variety but there are no substitutions or adding protein to a salad.... But the food was good! Since the food took a while -spirits were dampened. This is a great place for two to four people but since we were a party over six, our server was guaranteed a 20 percent tip -so maybe there was no incentive for great service. read more

1 star I visited Nikos in Durham this evening and had a very disappointing experience. What stood out the most was the behavior of the owner. I watched him go around greeting multiple tables and engaging with guests--but he noticeably avoided tables with Black patrons, including mine. There was no greeting or acknowledgment at all, which felt intentional and uncomfortable. Hospitality should be consistent for everyone. No guest should feel ignored or unwelcome. Unfortunately, the service and food did not make up for the overall experience. I hope management reflects on how all customers are treated moving forward. read more

Ever since I found out about Nikos being added to the Michelin Guide 2025, I wanted to go. When my best friend mentioned one Saturday that she wanted to go, we hopped online and were thrilled to get a 5pm reservation for later that day. We got an email about 4pm confirming our booking, saying that they were very busy that evening and they wanted to make sure we were still coming. So we got there at 4:58 and walked inside, where the hostess seemed really irritated that we were on time. She told us we would have to wait and then proceeded to ignore us until 5:01. Never mind that there was a queue forming behind us. (I understand that they don't open until 5...but why is your door open and why ask us to make sure we're on time since you're so busy, if you're going to be rude?) Fortunately our server was much more pleasant we forgot about the hostess. To start, we both ordered Flower Power cocktails, and the roasted cauliflower and flaming saganaki (that came so highly recommended) to share. I liked the sauce on the bottom of the cauliflower, it really made a very balanced dish. And the flaming cheese was a wonderful spectacle that was very fun and pleasing to the senses but just ok tasting. Even the jam that some raved about was a little salty to me. But I feel like they were both good value. We then shared the Short Ribs Pastitsio, which was my very favorite thing of the evening. It was VERY rich, but the meat was so amazingly tender and the sauce was elegant...I was so pleased with this dish. To end we got the Dubai Chocolate (even though we shouldn't have...we were so full!) It was also delicious. I'm not sure I get the whole trend, but I thought the mousse with the bitter dark chocolate and the creamy pistachio ice cream was great. All of this and I haven't mentioned how beautifully everything was decorated...it was comfortable and classy and unpretentious to me. I really loved the ambiance. Not only did the manager come to our table to make sure our meal was satisfactory, we also met the owners on our way out. Overall very pleased with our experience. read more

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Had an *outstanding* dinner at Nikos Greek restaurant in the aptly named Brightleaf Square the other night: what a great experience. The Michelin star is well-deserved: the food is outstanding, I recommend sharing with Mezedes - small plates, think tapas-style. The interior vibe is very modern and hip. And the service was top tier. Strongly recommended. PS: You should definitely make reservations. read more

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The service here was great! Staff members were kind and welcoming and the food came out quick. Ambiance was upscale and kinda fancy, but not overly so. For appetizers my friend and I shared the cauliflower which was recommended by our server and the hummus. I thought the cauliflower was very good and 10/10 in terms of flavor and the hummus was just okay - not bad by any means but could've done without it. For entree I got the salmon and while I did like the taste, I didn't love the overall mushy texture of the dish. Soft fish + mashed potatoes + liquid sauce + citrus fruit = too many mushy textures at once. Personally, I think the dish would've been better with something crunchy or with whole potatoes instead of mashed, but maybe that's just me. read more

Nikos - Greek Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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It's ok. I had high expectations going and with all the recent hype. However, it did not live up to my expectations. And it definitely didn't live up to what I've experienced in other Michelin star restaurants. Every part of our meal was almost unbearably greasy. I don't even know how based on the items that we ordered. One item we almost sent back. The menu does have a nice variety but the preparation was really lacking. Our waiter was nice but seemed new. The interior is very cozy and comfortable. read more

Nikos - Interior - Greek Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Nikos is such a great addition to downtown Durham. The food is fresh and delicious. Our server was exceptional and knowledgeable. I enjoyed my drinks and food. This is great for a girl's night, business meeting, or a date. They have options for vegetarians and meat eaters alike. read more

Nikos - Mushroom - Greek Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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"Michelin-recommended"? What a huge letdown (wish my expectations weren't so high because of previous reviews? The inside of Nikos has a cool vibe- love the decor, the lighting, and the overall atmosphere. It's very cozy and inviting. The food itself was not tasty, and service was beyond slow (not very friendly either). We sat at the bar, ordered drinks first thing, but the bartender was sooooo slow, our food came out before our drinks. 2 people behind the bar, but only 1 making drinks. Wasn't "slammed", would say the bar was 75% full, the bartender just looked very confused. We attempted to order the "flaming saganaki" but were told the app was sold out. A few minutes later they felt it necessary to tell us that the people next to us were "regulars", and they gave them the last flaming cheese dish, and we'd see it come out of the kitchen soon. Just thought that was an odd (and unwanted) response... We ordered the spanakopita for an appetizer- it was very, very dry on the inside, yet the outside felt greasy. The inside was overcooked and it could've used a sauce to pair with it. For dinner we shared the short ribs pastitsio (5 layer bucatini, bechamel, short rib, and kasseri cheese sauce), and the pumpkin Parmesan agnolotti. The pastitsio was dry and not seasoned at all. The agnolotti was in fact, just pumpkin ravioli, and the pickled cranberries and Romano beans didn't seem to make sense on the plate. It was all very one-dimensional, and tasted like we were eating pumpkin on top of more pumpkin. The dishes were so lack luster and bland, we ended up having a few bites of each, and leaving to get dinner elsewhere. Not sure why this place has great reviews, definitely will not be back. read more

This is a very cute restaurant, great atmosphere and delicious food. I was in town just for one night and wanted to have something light for lunch. We found this place in downtown and it was hard to find parking at the beginning but once we did, it was an easy walk to the shopping center where Nikos is. It took some time to get our food, they were super busy but food was delicious, salad was fresh and chicken was very tasty. The ceiling and wall decoration of this restaurant is very interesting, I loved the lamps they have and the sunlight they get through the windows, it gives the place a great feeling. read more

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A meetup group of eight of us met one Wednesday evening to enjoy the food and atmosphere of Nikos in Brightleaf Swuare. The space is wonderfully light and airy, fully utilizing the heavy oak beaks and brick walls but adding winsome touches of Greek culture to the modern furnishings. Collin helped us get seated and our drinks ordered, and then read us the daily specials. We tried the flaming cheese appetizer ("I'll bet it's on fire!" - and it was!), and there was enough for the whole table to have a taste. Also shared the fried potatoes, which were light and golden, like a house made Tater Tot but tastier, with a nice dipping sauce. I ordered the Shrimp Orzo with Grilled Octopus (I mean, what's not to love from just the title!!). Several others had the Chicken Shwarma wrap, which they said was the best shwarma they had eaten. All of them took half of it home for lunch! The orzo was stunning, with 5 or 6 huge shrimp covered with a creamy orzo and dotted with a balsamic/Kalamata olive paste. A half dozen octopus tentacles were grilled to perfection and overlaid in a beautiful presentation. But why, why do chefs insist on cooking shrimp with tails on into a sauce? It just means that the diner is going to have to get fingers into the food to pull the shell off, which takes away from the enjoyment. Those shells can't add that much flavor to the orzo. Desserts were split between the Dupai chocolate and the Fig and Mascarpone cheesecake. Both were amazing, but I did note that no one finished the pistachio and phyllo dough filling. I tried a bit of it, and it was kinda fibrous, like coconut almost in texture, but there was almost no flavor. Hit they reported the chocolate was more than worth the slight disappointment there! My cheesecake was delightful and fun, served as a long, narrow strip, rather than a square or wedge. Really nice end to a fun and filling dining experience. The remainder of the entree reminded me how good it was the next day. Thanks again, Collin! read more

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I hopped on the bandwagon after the Michelin recommendation, and I was duly impressed. The cocktails were smooth with nice flavors. The flaming saganaki was a spectacle, but the best part of the dish was actually the walnut shallot jam. My husband and I both finished off our delicious entrees and still opted for dessert, which was a satisfying ending to the meal. read more

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I will tell you I tried to order a salad to take back to my hotel but they do not answer the phone. But maybe that was a good thing as I went to pick it up in person and could not find this place.i followed all the directions but being from out of town and seeing the pictures, there but be a secret alley. Maybe net time. I will not give it more or less as somewhere they should tell you how to get there read more

I had an excellent dinner here. We decided to check it out after hearing about the Michelin recommendation. Reservation was easy to make on OpenTable. Walking in the vibe was nice and casual. The waiter was great, explaining the menu and going through the specials. I ended up ordering the flounder, which he told me was caught fresh in Wilmington. Drinks and appetizers were so good, I highly recommend the zuicchni cakes. We were too full for dessert, so maybe next time. read more

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Let's get one thing out of the way...it's pricey. That aside, everything about this place is delicious, inviting, friendly, memorable and perfect. The decor is random, but somehow works. The service was awesome, timely and friendly. And the food was incredible. We enjoyed the hummus, sourdough, vegetables, fried cauliflower, beets, lamb steak, wine, cocktails... And every sip and bite was delicious. Definitely coming back. read more

Nikos - Cauliflower and beets with hummus and vegetables - Greek Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Nikos has such a lovely space with artsy decor and a tastefully set-up open kitchen, paired with an exposed brick wall. This place is just adorable for a celebration or a brunch on a sunny day to treat yourself in the charming historic Brightleaf Square. The ambiance here is excellent. That said, the service unfortunately left a lot to be desired. Our appetizer (the Mabucha) was forgotten until I reminded the server. When my main dish arrived, a different server nearly dropped the egg off my plate, audibly gasped, and walked away with an awkward laugh without an apology. As for the food, the smoked trout borek was fantastic. I absolutely loved it. The short rib grilled cheese was so satisfying and a crowd pleaser (though, of course, it's hard to go wrong with something like that). The ricotta gnocchi was delicious on its own, but the side vegetables were under-salted and included several tomato tops, which we had to eat around. And sadly, the Mabucha (the one thing I fought for because i was so looking forward to it) was extremely disappointing: underseasoned, with raw-tasting peppers that overwhelmed the dish. Overall, we genuinely enjoyed several dishes and found a couple of standouts. I would have given this place four stars based on food alone, but the service experience brought the overall impression down. Overall I think of Nikos as a "hit-or-miss" kind of place. Some dishes felt like 9/10s, others closer to 5/10s. Compared to somewhere like Kipos in Chapel Hill, which consistently lands around a 6-7/10 with much more reliable service, this felt more uneven. Though I do hope to return and try more, and wishing for more pleasant surprises. read more

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We came to dinner here with very high expectations as many people had said the food here was to die for. The inside is very cute but definitely get a reservation if you plan to have dinner as it gets very busy very fast. The best part of our meal were the beats - they had the most flavor. The other portions of our meal were quite tasteless and not the best options to choose. read more

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Maggie was professional and friendly, our food was delicious, and the experience was wonderful. read more

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I came here with a large group of friends and we had an amazing time. The ambience was fantastic and the service was spectacular. The food was delicious as well. We got a variety of dishes and tried the different food, all so full of flavor and richness. read more

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Nikos has a great vibe, maybe a little noisy but I'm sure it's fun when everyone's drinking. I've been here twice and both times I was off alcohol. The food is always pretty good! We weren't too hungry so just got a Meze platter, keftedes and a dessert! We loved the pave potatoes, Muhammara with the flat bread. Did not care for the cauliflower as much, as we expected something crispier than it being flash fried. The keftedes were seasoned well and cooked to perfection. We also got the Galaktoboureko which was phyllo stuffed with vanilla custard served with a baklava icecream! It tasted good, but the custard wasn't very smooth and almost felt like it was curdled and looked like a rice pudding. Our server Johnathan was very friendly and had great suggestions, the only thing that irked me was that he didn't bother refilling our water glasses till then end until I asked him to! But that may have just him been busy with the many tables and not catching it. The prices are a bit on the higher side, so may not be the best value for money. As for mains, last time we had tried some form of ravioli, Byzantine chicken and their grilled/ roasted lamb entree that was really good but nothing else from the menu stood out enough for us to order. Their daily specials had a white negroni, and a wagyu dakos for small plates - the description of which sounded divine but couldn't order it because of my dietary restrictions. read more

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The food was great. The service was spotty. Our waitress left our beers sitting at the bar for several minutes while she chatted with a coworker, and they arrived warmer than I would have liked. It's really disappointing because we had an excellent first visit to Nikos last year and were looking forward to coming back. The food is really good, though. read more

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Lovely place! Beautiful decor, attentive and wonder service, delicious food. I especially loved my moussaka. The mocktail list was delightful. I would say it's romantic and fun ambiance, but a little loud- we had a group of 5 and I was having a hard time hearing everyone. read more

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We went on a spontaneous date night last night and we ate here. It was on my list of places to try and it was both of our first time here. We chose to sit outside because it was breezy and cool. We ordered our food and noticed the manager kept coming out to look around. The sky got very dark and the temp dropped about 10 degrees. She was asking all the patrons if they wanted to go inside and she was hustling to make those accommodations happen. We were about 3/4 through our dinner and the ominous weather wasn't bothering us. We finished our meal, paid, and were on our happy way. The food was delicious and the entire staff was so incredibly sweet and accommodating. We will definitely be back because there are a few items on the menu I absolutely need to try. read more

Nikos - Lemon salmon - Greek Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Arrived a couple mins early Thursday night and was seated immediately. Can I say I'm glad we made reservations bc the restaurant was packed! Food came out fast & hot! The star of the show was the Brussels ! 20/10! Will be back to try the Bronzino! read more

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Delicious Mediterranean food! The inside and outside are gorgeous and the drinks are delicious. The perfect place for date night, a birthday dinner, or just a fun dinner! The staff was so helpful and kind and gave us a great experience! We would definitely come back! read more

Made a reservation to celebrate a coworker getting married and they gave us the cutest private little room, see photo, so nice and unexpected! The service was excellent and all his recommendations were delicious. Mac and cheese was so good and love a Greek dip with warm pita! The entire group was completely satisfied. read more

Nikos - Lamb and Mac and cheese - Greek Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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The food is great! The service is horrible which made this experience not so much enjoyable. I have never waited so long to get my order in...drinks and food.. I feel like our server attended other tables and didn't pay attention as much to us. PLEASE AVOID SITTING ON THE SMALL 2 PPL TABLE against the windows during these cold times... unless you wanna freeze holy cow was it cold.. I felt the cold air the whole time I was sitting there which felt like eternity since we waited so long... the air comes through bricks and the window did not feel like it was sealed given how packed this place was.. did not look like much tables we're open.. read more

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First time coming to Nikos for dinner and it was alright. The service was not the best and it took a while to get our drinks and food. We started with some hummus and and horiatiki salad. Then for the main course we got shrimp and octopus orzo and lasagna which were not bad, but also not worth the price. We got a slice of the dubai chocolate cake to go and that was delicious but also was pricey for a small slice. The restaurant was nice inside and had a great ambiance read more

Nikos - Greek Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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I'd consider this high-end Mediterranean food located in downtown Durham. The interior of the restaurant is gorgeous and the service was good. However, I did not care for the food. I ordered spanakopita and found the phyllo dough to be way too buttery. The hummus was fresh at least. I probably won't be back because this food wasn't for me, but others may like it! read more

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Nikos has been our favorite restaurant for two years now and the food just keeps getting better and better. Our server, Lauren is the best! Going to Nikos is like dining with family or friends in their home. Excellent, delicious and unique menu items; Chef Doug Rodriguez has really elevated the menu items. The Avgolemono soup is the best we've ever had. Our favorite dish is the Persian Cast-Iron Lamb Kofte. It has an amazing variety of flavors and it's like nothing that we could make easily at home. We also like the recently updated chicken moussaka. The desserts are unique and elegant. Our favorite wine is a Greek one - Axia. Now that Chef Rodriguez and Nikos has gained some notoriety with the mention in the Michelin guide to Southern restaurants, we are concerned that it will be more difficult to get a reservation in the future. read more

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First time dining, and it did not disappoint! Cocktails and wine were top notch, and the highlight of the appetizers is the sourdough bread with garlic. I had the orzo with shrimp and octopus, large portion, and it was delicious. My husband ordered the short ribs pastitsio. Both were excellent. This is a popular place, even on a Sunday. Would recommend getting a reservation early in the evening to avoid the crowd. read more

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Enjoyed an amazing meal at Nikos last night. Every dish we tried was delightful and the atmosphere was a beautiful mix of old and new, relaxed rustic with an industrial edge. Our waitress, Mirna was attentive and gave wonderful suggestions as we explored the menu for the first of what I plan to be many visits to this lovely restaurant. Highly recommend Nikos! read more

Delicious modern Greek-influenced dining. Clearly very popular too. Nice wine list and knowledgeable bartender.

What a lovely evening! We were in a large group (8-people) headed to a Bulls game and came here for an early dinner. We were so grateful to get a quiet, private room! The vibe was very cultural, clean, open, and festive! The staff were responsive and friendly. We ordered a lot of plates to share as a big group, we recommend almost all of the appetizers! read more

Not bad not amazing. I wish the menu was a bit bigger but definitely a good spot for a night out because of the good atmosphere.

Got a brunch reservation on resy or open table the morning of for a Sunday. Plentiful parking along the street and there's a small paid lot right by the restaurant. Was seated promptly and interior was super cute and bright. Food was excellent and fresh however service was a tad slow but nice for a slow paced brunch. Cute area and I'd return to try their dinner menu! read more

Nikos - Falafel bowl - Greek Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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This place is so pretty and the vibe is amazing. The food was cooked to perfection, I would come back. read more

Nikos - Fish, steak - Greek Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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We had a great experience at Nikos. Our waitress was very knowledgeable and friendly. The ambiance is really pleasant and has beautiful decor. They also have a great drink selection including specialty cocktails. We tried a ton of things on the menu. The food was really beautifully presented and tasted great. We really enjoyed all of the dips and vegetables that we started out with. The spanakopita was different from the traditional dish but still tasty. I really loved the sauce that came with the zucchini cakes and everything was very fresh. read more

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We had a great dinner at Nikos. The highlights were the feta and fig cheesecake and our lovely server Tyler. Tyler was amazing and definitely one of the best servers I've had in a long time. She was fun, friendly, and made great suggestions. They have an extensive Greek wine list and I was able to try one before deciding. We got the carrot dip to start which wasn't my favorite. I'd probably just stick to hummus next time. The grape leaves were tasty and very lemony. The salad was good and the lamb pastitsio was great. The start though was the dessert. Tyler suggested the cheesecake and we went for it. It was so fluffy, flavorful, and delicious. Highly recommend! Parking was easy in Bright Leaf Square and free when we were there. read more

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Located at the very end of Brightleaf, Nikos had a lovely location with lots of space so it's great for taking big groups or friends from out of town. We went with a group of 5 and had no issue getting a reservation the week of for Saturday night. The service was excellent and they took great care of us. Their menu has lots of options for people with different dietary concerns. Outside of it being a little loud since there was a boisterous group next to us, it was a very nice experience and the food was fantastic. read more