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Papa Cristo's

4.3 (2.3k reviews)

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PAPA CRISTO'S ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Moderate noise
Good for groups
Outdoor seating

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Recommended Reviews - Papa Cristo's

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Self serve water + ice in the dining area.
Justin M.

" L.A.'s most important ethnic market & the true heart of Greek Los Angeles." - Jonathan Gold I think the legend amongst food reviewers said it best about this legendary Greek restaurant of L.A. I really wish there were more places like this instead of them closing down. Rent prices. This economy. It's the same causes that claims yet another gem of this great city. I'm really glad I got to pay a final visit to Papa Cristo's. You can tell with the long lines stretching outside the establishment in the final days, how much this iconic locale meant to so many - Greeks & non-Greeks alike. For those that don't know, this cozy mom + pop shop started out as market selling imported Greek foods. To 100% pure olive oil, to rare Greek Ouzo (wine), to homemade desserts that "Grandma used to make". When Chrys Chrys aka "Papa Cristo" inherited the market from his father, he went on to expand the market to add a kitchen & indoor + outdoor dining area to properly cook + prepare the authentic Greek foods that his parents sold. the That all said...I came here for what they're known for: FOOD - Lamb Chops Plate - 9.5 / 10 Your choice of 3 or 5 New Zealand-raised chops. This is important. Why? Because: 1) Everyone hates lamb because they're eating the wrong lamb. Everyone eats older lamb. The lamb that is served here are young lambs that have never seen a Summer. Their backs never got "baked" by sun - which in turn would cause a gamey taste. This is not the case here. These chops are beyond moist, delicate, plumb, juicy, & anything but "gamey". You can definitely taste the high quality olive oil + oregano. 2) Being that they're raised in New Zealand (which has the highest standards & is world renowned for their lamb + beef), you can taste the difference. You can tell from the taste that these animals are fed a natural diet free of GMO's + pesticides. The accompanying side salad is the ideal contrast of cool, crisp, lettuce balanced perfectly with bright tomatoes & the necessary acidity of vinegar (served on the side in it's own plastic container). As a plate, the additional Greek potatoes are out of this world. Covered in a special spice blend (which I'm willing to bet includes paprika), the tender pieces of joy have a nice, fluffy, interior. Squeezing the wedge of lemon over them was the smartest thing that I could have ever done. It made something great into something that was just that much better. & the Pita...I've have plenty of pita in my life. But this, this was just sublime. Perfectly warmed & insanely fluffy. I fear it would take a great venture to seek out anything remotely close to this pita break. Perhaps the only thing that could compare is if I made it myself. Spanokopita - 9.2/10 In my humble opinion, a solid & a quintessential Greek appetizer. I can still taste the warmed, melty Feta cheese expertly mixed with just the right amount of spinach. All encompassed in a crisp, flaky pastry shell. I think the only solace I can take from Papa Cristos' closing is the fact that their spanokopita's are sold in the freezer section of Whole Foods. On a side note, on the side of the casual dining area is a station for to go plates & utensils. Next to this station is a hydration station - a giant plastic jug of water & ice. As someone who drinks A LOT of water, especially while eating, I really appreciate that places have such designated areas for filling & refilling your cup of water. As hard as it is to write reviews of these legendary & iconic L.A. mainstays (this being written on the final day of operations), I owe is to the employees, the loyal customers, & to the man himself - Papa Cristo - how much his restaurant + market meant to everyone. & it was much more than that...it was truly a piece of L.A. Thank you for 77 wonderful years!

Lamb Roasted Lamb & Feta Sandwich (available after 1130am)
Steve A.

We were unable to get in for dinner.as today was the last Saturday that they will be open but we did order from the deli area and picked up a lamb and feta sandwich some spanakopita yogurt and some frozen items Papa Cristo is closing the last day will be May 4 2025

Grilled eggplant
Elaine T.

Since it was announced that they are closing, it seems everyone is back for one last taste! The line to order was about 40 minutes and the line to buy products was about 15 minutes. I got all my favorites, the baby octopus, spanakopita, grilled eggplant, and the whole grilled fish with Greek salad and rice side. Everything was fresh, tasty, and delicious. The fish was slightly over cooked but considering how wonderful everything else was, it was a very slight faux pas. I bought some Greek olive oil to bring home a reminder of the tastes, but the best part was saying goodbye to Papa Cristo in person!

Frontage
Stevo O.

I read the famous restaurant was closing, so wanted to find out what makes it special. Others were in line which was about an hour wait. I really wanted a nice meal, so ordered a gyro plate and rack of lamb plate with lamb kabob. Well, I would have thought that slices of meat on a spit would not have bone fragments, but was mistaken. After almost breaking my tooth, I decided to stop eating and checked my teeth for breakage. Fortunately, no cracks, but not a good sign for food quality. This incident really opened my eyes and was not impressed with the restaurant.

Sizzling Feta
Marc L.

What is there left to say? Papa Cristo's was (sigh) a legendary Los Angeles establishment. For 77 years, the Chrys family has served Southern California in the Byzantine Latino Quarter... from new immigrants, to college students, to salarymen, to tourists. I can only imagine how many people had their first bite of gyros or saganaki at this local Greek institution. While we may not have as vibrant and ubiquitous a taverna culture out here on the West Coast, Papa Cristo's is as LA as Philipe's, Musso & Frank's, or Canter's... its absence will leave a hole in the city's dining landscape that no high rise or mixed use retail space can ever replace. More than the food, I will miss Chrys Chrys the most. The real life Papa Cristo's has hosted special events and comped meals for countless struggling students over the years. If ever there was an approachable ambassador of Greek culture and cuisine in LA, this man held it down for his whole community. The Byzantine Latino Quarter will never be the same; we will never see the like of Papa Cristo's in LA ever again. Thank you Chrys and enjoy your retirement. Yimas!

Abraham K.

Glad we got to experience history. The portions here are huge. Gotta have the rack of lamb -- it's seasoned so well and super juicy! The wait in line is pretty long right now, usually about an hour for food on a weekend.

Chicken Kebab Plate
Iris J.

We had an amazing lunch at Papa Cristo's, which will likely be our last since they are closing in a couple of weeks. We went on a random weekday in the middle of the afternoon and although the line wasn't nearly as long as the line on a weekend, it still took about 45 minutes to get to the front to order. FYI They are no longer offering happy hour. The restaurant side was busy, but we were able to get a seat pretty quickly. Despite being super busy, everything was still very clean and they were clearing everything quickly. The food didn't take long to start arriving and it was delicious. The incredible service, amazing food and robust tang of the lemony potatoes will be missed! We were able to see the legend himself, and thank him again for feeding our family for decades. I hope Chrys Chrys enjoys his retirement and I wish the entire Papa Cristo's Team well in this next chapter.

back
Lauren A.

I haven't been to a place as authentically Greek than Papa Cristo's. The place reminds me of the small shops in Athens (or any European city really) where you can just grab a reliable tasty meal to grab and go. I would say the pricing is... a bit steep for a lack of ambience but the convenience of a parking lot and food that's ready in minutes offset that. Come on the weekends when they have their exclusive menus. We thought it was worth it, and we've also ordered like 50 baklavas for a party one. One time we even got to meet the man, the myth, the legend Papa Cristo who's super funny and lively. Just wish he gave us some free food to sample

Glad we got to go to Papa Cristo's before they closed
R M.

Closing their doors, May 5, 2025. Happy I got to experience Papa Cristo's before they're gone. The line was out the door and down the block and took almost an hour ~ was worth it! Kitchen was working like a fine tuned machine ~ to our surprise, food came out quickly. Everything was authentic and delicious. Lamb chops we're delicious. You'll see that I gnaw them down to the bones! Lamb gyro had big chunks of lamb. Spinach Spaniikopita, a big triangle flaky filo filled with spinach and feta Grilled eggplant with tomatoes and feta were cooked nice and soft. Octopus came with chopped cucumbers and tomatoes, and a lemon wedge. A whole white fish was delish, was crispy and had a smoky flavor. Accompanied with tasty white rice, must've been cooked in broth. Sadly, they were out of moussaka. Two desserts: best baklava ever had, and galactobaklava ~ a filo pastry cup filled with non-dairy custard, topped with sugar and cinnamon. YUMMY!! And their market filled with imported Greek items. We got Greek olive oil and frozen artichoke hearts that I can't find anywhere. Wish they were still going to be around, but Papa Cristo too is ready for retirement to take up at a new location.

Gyro Sandwich
Kyle W.

Was craving a gyro so ordered pick up from here. I cannot believe the positive ratings this spot has (*food only, service is fine and restaurant is fine). My beef/lamb gyro was $22 (!!) and a two bite piece of baklava was $5, aka I spent $30 for food that tastes bad and cost twice the price of other Mediterranean spots in area. The beef in the gyro is super chunky/thick with ZERO crisp, the texture is gross. They put zero effort into preparing the meat. Lettuce tasted like it'd been sitting out on a hot counter all day. Will not be back here.

Off the patio, a sign " Voted the Best Gyro in L.A.
T. Kiyoshi N.

Another Los Angeles Institution might be closing. For years enjoyed their Greek / American cuisine. Bought a Bottle of Retsina and will toast Papa Cristo, his staff and crew, the 77 years of hospitality. TK

GINORMOUS combo plate of Beef Moussaka Plate w salad and potatoes
Barndi K.

Delicious and (I believe) authentic Greek food with a big market attached. You can eat AND take home frozen Mousaka, or get cheese, preserves, baklava etc. speaking of Mousaka, it was delicious. The plate combos are not cheap but it comes with ENORMOUS portions!!!! I wish I put something to show the scale of the combo plate in my photo. There is indoor seating as well as outdoor seating that looks to have extended into the parking in the back during Covid. Not much in terms of atmosphere as you are on the busy Pico Blvd but it was at least outdoors. You order at the counter then grab a table w your number and they'll bring the food to you. Very good pita bread. I wish I bought more of those to bring home.

Louis L.

As a fellow Greek, I am deeply saddened that Papa Rio is closing. It's not because he can't afford the rent. He's just being nice and amicable in public to the new owners which are foreign business interest, a Middle Eastern guy, and an Asian guy. I was here the day that he sat down with the new owners who bought the property up from underneath him and he was informed that he was losing the lease and they're building very expensive retail space with very expensive apartments on the property. They will not even allow him to continue the lease. He will be closing down on May 4, 2025. I have dined and ate here every Sunday as a child since the 70s. I have attended the Greek orthodox Church across the street since I was a small child with my grandparents. I have brought my family and my children here over the years and they love this place and their heartbroken as well. There is not one authentic Greek restaurant in Los Angeles today that is as good as Papa Cristo's. I wish him the best. He told me that he's going to retire and just enjoy life with his grandchildren. He is a Greek, a great Greek and he is just trying to make the best out of life. We love you, Papa Cristo, and we're going to miss you !

Great murals on the outside. Definitely missed out on getting food and interior pics. Cool place!

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Papa Cristo's Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Papa Cristo's

When is the restaurant the least busy either by time or day?

They close forever on 05/04 but if you're gonna try to go before they close (I've been a few times since the closing was announced) I would recommend odd hours during the weekdays like 2 PM on a Thursday.

Does anyone know the price of their all you can buffet on Sundays?

It's $29.99/pp

I saw they do an all you can eat? Is that true?

Only on Sundays.

Is there still either Thursday night Big Fat Greek Dinner, or Sunday ayce bbq? I don't see either on the website!

Yea on Sunday's from 11am-5pm all you can eat style buffet is $30 pp (as of March 2025)

Does this restaurant have Sunday brunch?

No it's regular menu small parking in the rear but good is good

Do you guys offer pastitsio?

Yes

Anybody see Ja Rule here yet?

Naw, not yet!

Do you guys still do the lamb bbq all you can eat lunch on Sundays?

No.

Do you ever serve the lamb stew any more, I got it a few times maybe in 2012-13 and it's my favorite dish but I haven't seen it in years?

Yes we still have Lamb Stew but only on Saturday's and Sunday's!

Do they have pork souvlaki? True Greek restaurants serve pork.

Nope no pork

Are there vegan options at Papa Cristo and is the bread like the baguettes vegan too (I recently went vegan and I really want to still eat here)?

Samantha.. Unfortunately our in house baked bread contains milk and eggs. Our pita bread however is vegan. We also have homemade falafel patties, grilled veggie kebabs, cold beets and dandelion greens salad, homemade hummus, homemade baba ghanouj,… Read more

Will you be selling Tsoureki and Koulourakia for Easter this coming weekend?

Alex, Yes! We have Lenten Koulourakia and we currently have Tsourekia available in our market for the Easter season. A medium loaf is $12.99 (with 2 red eggs) and our large loaf is $16.99 (with 4 red eggs.)

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Papa Cristo's - greek - Updated May 2026

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