The food is amazing and fresh. Our waitress was really nice and helpful. It's a really nice place…read morewith beautiful decor, we highly recommend! Get the rose lemonade. And can someone teach me how to get my hummus to be so silky?

It started with the lentil soup. I was not expecting to eat every drop, and here I am with an empty…read morebowl. Hardy, flavorful and comfort food. Then the chicken shawarma elevated the experience. Before I remembered to snap a shot, my mouth was full and happy! Perfectly seasoned, just enough to be comfortable, delicious! Great spot to eat with a family or to enjoy people watching while you dine. Excellent all around.

Grace and The Mad Greek: A masterclass in Philoxenia... "the ancient Greek art of making a stranger…read morefeel like a God at the table". In a world of mediocre service and soggy pita, Grace at The Mad Greek stands as a titan among mortals. I didn't just eat dinner; I underwent a culinary baptism. The legend began the second I crossed the threshold. The hostess didn't just greet our group; she provided a welcome so warm I personally felt like a long-lost Spartan war hero returning to my village. Her smile was the lighthouse guiding us through the fog of hunger, setting a tone that whispered, "You are home now," and also, "you are about to eat a lot of feta." It was the kind of personalized touch that transforms a simple "table for three" into a banquet for the gods. (My apologies for not asking your name... but that's a lack of management's oversight, as there should be a sculpture-bust of your likeness, decorated with string lights, highlighting your name on a plaque so it's emblazoned on ever guests' mind, your name on the very tips of their lips...) Then, there is Grace. If hospitality were an Olympic sport, Grace would be draped in gold, standing atop the podium while the national anthem of Flavortown plays on a loop. She didn't just "take my order", she curated my destiny. Her timing was so precise, I'm convinced she can see five seconds into the future. My water glass never dropped below the halfway mark, it was as if she were performing some sort of Greek hydro-kinesis. Grace is the GOAT. Period. Then came the Greek Combo. Calling this a 'dinner' is like calling the Odyssey a 'quick blog post.' It was a sprawling, epic masterpiece on a plate. The gyro meat was sliced with the precision of a master sculptor, and the souvlaki was seasoned by the gods themselves. As for the spanakopita, it possessed a structural complexity that would make the architects of the Parthenon weep, with more golden, buttery layers than the shifting labyrinth of Knossos. Every bite was a journey through the Mediterranean that didn't require a passport, just a very large napkin and a moment of silence. If you haven't been served by Grace at The Mad Greek, have you even truly lived? Five stars isn't enough. There's a 'Michelin' Standard being overlooked on Mass street... in the modern "culinary constellation," stars are the ultimate symbol of excellence. By adding a "sixth star" to capture the intergalactic in Grace's service, I'm coming close to being able to describe the celestial level this culinary experience became that even the night sky struggles to contain. Grace: our dinner party will never be able to 'eat Greek' the same again. You've officially ascended to the Acropolis of hospitality as our eternal Goddess of the Sixth Star. And as they used to say in the old country: , ! (...it's all just Greek to me!)

Great vibes inside, and have always had great service when I come. The food is decent, I always get…read morethe gyro sandwich. The baklava's great.

AMAZING FOOD! WOW everything we had was so good! Would 100% be back. Wasn't blown away by any of…read morethe drinks, but the food oh my gosh!!! We sat outside and it was just lovely!

Exciting eclectic gourmet menu in small intimate setting with lovely service..perfect for special…read moreevening.

Being the romantic sort, I took my wife here on Valentine's Day. I made the right move, for once…read more We loved it. We had the tilapia plate and falafel combo. Both delicious. What really stood out, though, was the fava plate appetizer. It's a dip that comes with pita bread but it's not like hummus. You could eat it with a spoon. It could be a meal, a very tasty one. You order at the counter, then wait at your table, listen to some middle eastern grooves and a short time later a super friendly server brings your food. The place is great!

The food here is very good. The falafel is crispy on the…read moreoutside and fluffy on the inside. Very generous pieces. Not your typical round shape but more of a tube/long shape which really works great for dipping them in tzatziki. We also had grape leaves which come warm. Yummy! We had a chicken shawarma and gyro entree. Both came with rice, salad, pita, and hummus. All very good. My one criticism is I prefer my protein sliced more thinly instead of a thick cut. It's a texture issue for me. The thicker, the chewier. The chicken also had a bit of chewy skin. It could have had more flavor. Still good but this is what made my review 4 instead of 5 stars. I thought the gyro had a little more flavor than the chicken. You order at the counter and then they walk your food out to you when it's gone. Our two appetizers came out very quickly. Our entrees just a few minutes later. Service was smooth and very good. The guys working there were all friendly. Great service! The restaurant is very clean, plenty of seating, and lots of appropriate artwork. It was cold in there but it was really hot outside that day so they had the air turned up. It did make my dining in experience a bit tough since I couldn't escape sitting under an air vent but I don't really want yo criticize them much for running the air in a hot day. That's better than the alternative. On the way out I got a small variety pack of baklava and a rice pudding. Both really good! I'm still eating the baklava. I really like being able to get the variety! It's hard to choose. We would definitely go back again. On the way out, we saw 2 gentleman with gyro salads. Wow, it's a huge bowl with gyro piled high! Looked fantastic and I want to try the gyro salad now!

A gem of a place. You're going to want to do your shopping here - the knowledge and curation is…read moreworth a lot. Ask questions! The sizma olive oil is the best, along with the cured olives. The french feta, all the dips, the sandwiches, and the homemade desserts. The sardines and mackerel in the tins are excellent. Your health and flavor will improve here.

I appreciated the authenticity of food…read more Chicken shawarma bowl was good, but very basic and small. And $14.99 for a small bowl of mostly rice. Mediterranean market on 23rd is much better and less expensive.

I feel bad for the sorry souls that haven't tried this place. I would honestly just let this family…read moreadopt me and stay here for the rest of my life. This is a textbook hidden gym and I would eat here everyday if I could!! Doesn't look like much from outside but once you walk in you feel like you're in a different place and the family that owns this place makes you feel right at home! They're super kind and caring. The food is outstanding!! I had the baba ghanoush, sample platter, and original kanafa and everything blew me away! It was all so fresh and tasty!! I've never had kanafa before but it was crazy and I would recommend trying it if you haven't, it was really fun as it's just very different from the typical desserts in the United States!!

I wish I could give 0 stars . . . the lamb was super greasy and torn apart, fries were cold, they…read moreadded tomato when I specifically asked for none. they put black olives on a Greek salad? I didn't like it.

Update: Stopped by after my mom's physical therapy--she'd been craving chicken gyro meat, and…read morepost-COVID this is basically the only spot in the greater OP area that still does it. Kudos! Chicken Gyro (no tzatziki) - Large, well-grilled pita with tomatoes. Simple and solid--this is why we came. It delivered for her--she was in a full-on food coma after. (4/5) Beef/Lamb Gyro - Enormous--one of the biggest I've had. Nice grilled crust on the pita, tasty meat. (4/5) Wish it came with diced onions, and the tomatoes were diced instead of sliced. Tzatziki is a bit thinner and slightly off from what I'm used to. But on mine, there was some on the sandwich and a side--hadn't seen that before. It actually worked well, kept the meat moist--without making it mushy--and let me add more as needed. Added sambal for heat, which helped. Kebab Platter - Mixed bag. Steak kebab was solid (medium rare), minced kebab was decent (in between), chicken was just okay. Rice was very dry--I think I noticed some sumac on top, but either way it didn't help. The salad was excellent--fresh with a lot of pop. Not something I'd order again, but if I did, I'd eat the salad with the rice and kebabs instead of starting with it. It adds the moisture and pop the rest of the plate is missing. That said, each component should stand on its own. (3/5) Overall: 4/5 Gyros carry. Salad and steak kebab were nice, but the platter didn't land. I'd stick to gyros or just do a steak kebab plate next time.

Quite an unassuming place. Decent food with good service. Not a bad choice for mediterranean food…read more The stuffed grape leaves were easily the worst part of my experience. Cold dolmas can be wonderful but not when they're essentially frozen. The grape leaves were so cold that the bed of half-wilted lettuce underneath turned into ice! Not to mention the thin, tiny size of them! Unfortunately, these were some of the worst stuffed grape leaves I've had. On the other hand, the chicken kabob wrap was excellent! I loved the pairing of the sauces as well. Great taste, nice presentation -- this item carried the experience. I definitely recommend this dish. Food: 3.5/5 Price: 4/5 Experience: 4/5

This restaurant is a pleasant surprise. It is located in a strip mall on South Iowa. That mall has…read morebeen the site of a disturbingly large number of restaurants that have closed. The most successful restaurants in Lawrence have tended to be either downtown or in West Lawrence, on or near Wakarusa Drive. We went to Hummus Republic for dinner on a Saturday night at 5:30 pm. Since we usually prefer dinner in restaurants with full service and comfortable booths, we were expecting to be disappointed. We were not. We very much hope that this restaurant succeeds and prospers. The Mediterranean food is excellent, and the dining room is very pleasant. Since it was our first time there, we were not clear about the choices and the options. The server behind the counter was very helpful and considerate in explaining everything to us. You can find the menu online at https://order.tryotter.com/s/hummus-republic/2000-west-31st-street-lawrence/fce5d483-09f6-4739-9262-7c3659b05bca or https://www.yelp.com/menu/hummus-republic-lawrence When you arrive, there is a menu on a card that is more informative than the one on the wall above the counter. Although we would usually prefer this kind of counter-service restaurant for lunch rather than for dinner, we will not hesitate to return for dinner to this excellent restaurant. It also is possible to order online for pickup or delivery. You can build your dinner as a pita, a wrap, or a bowl. The bowls are cardboard. They provide a cover and a bag with the bowl, so if it is too much food for you to finish for dinner, you easily can pack the rest to go, as we did. You get to choose one protein (I got the Falafel, which was excellent). My wife got the Mushroom Shawarma, which she liked. You then can choose three items from the "base," with the couscous and garbanzo beans being winners. You then can choose 3 kinds of hummus and spreads. We got the Feta, Harissa Hummus, and Kalamata Olive Hummus. You can add an unlimited number of Toppings, including the Dolmades (stuffed grape leaves), and an unlimited number of Dressings, including Lemon + Olive oil, Garlic Jalapeno Tahini, Roasted Red Pepper Tahini, and Tzatziki. We got a side of Sweet Potato Fries. There is an upcharge to add them, since not included with a bowl, but they are well worth the upcharge. If you don't want a bowl, wrap, or pita, you can get the Street Style Sweet Potato Fries, including the Sweet Potato Fries topped with eggplant, fried Jalapenos, chickpea croutons, red cabbage, olives, feta, and tahini; or you can get the Earth Burger sandwich made with a Falafel patty and served with sweet potato fries. Since we are pescatarians, we cannot comment on the chicken, beef, or lamb at this restaurant. We would prefer that they included some seafood, such as shrimp, on the menu. But we did not miss the seafood, since the other options are so extensive. To drink, we got a can of Kambucha and a Diet Coke. They were good, but next time I will want to try one of their lemonades, probably either the Cucumber Jalapeno Lemonade or the Strawberry Lychee Lemonade, based on the reviews. They also have bottles of San Pellegrino, which we very much like.

I have a mixed review! The fried pita and 3 hummus flavors I got were delicious! I ordered a bowl…read moreand the couscous was basically dry and almost chewy (couscous should not be this texture), I ordered lemon chicken for my protein, which had good flavor, but I bet there was maybe 2 Tbsp of chopped up chicken. The girl serving me was sweet, possibly new, and the dude working in back seemed completely annoyed with life and was chastising her under his breath. Very off putting to me. I wanted to love it the way I love CAVA in OP, but they have some work to do.