I celebrated my birthday here back in February and recently returned for a visit here in early August. My birthday was absolutely wonderful--I loved the appetizer, the Greek wine, dessert, and my seafood entree! The ambiance here is so gorgeous and made me nostalgic about my trip to the Greek Isles! This is easily the best restaurant in the OB mall area, in my opinion. read more

Food, service and ambiance did not disappoint. Highly recommend! Shaved lamb was my favorite.

This was my first time dining at Violi. We had a Saturday night reservation and were seated at a small cozy table with a great view of the restaurant. Our server Kayla was a delight: prompt, polite and very friendly. We started off with an order of croquettes which was very good. Crunchy on the inside, gooey on the outside, yum! My husband had lamb chops and I ordered beef souvlaki. We also got bouzoukia potatoes on the side which were to die for. Everything else was delicious, especially the lamb chops. For the desert we and the rest of the diners ordered Bougatsa. The presentation was entertaining and the desert itself wasn't too rich or overpowering which we really appreciated. Overall it was a great experience and I will definitely be back. read more

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Went for the first time for a friend's birthday, and it did not disappoint. The drinks were so good, as well as the food. I was very much impressed by the presentation of everything , the ambience of the whole place was very cozy with the dim lighting but also very elegant, and overall a great experience. I got the half chicken dish and a strawberry spritz for reference in my photos. Around the evening they did a sparkler celebration in the restaurant where they handed out everyone sparklers and it was just very festive; I've never seen any other place do that. Loved it! Will be back soon! read more

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We stopped in yesterday to grab a late lunch/ early dinner. We ordered the 4 dip platter and octopus to start. Both were delicious. The real star is their warm fluffy pita that definitely tastes super fresh. The octopus was lemony and delicious. After our apps my hand accidentally hit the garnish in my cocktail and I spilled and shattered my completely full glass all over the table and myself. The staff was so sweet and brought me a dry towel to dry off, moved our table without us asking and replaced my drink before I could even order another. They also ended up comping the extra drink which was very nice and entirely unnecessary as it was my fault. The waitress and the rest of the staff were so nice the entire visit. For dinner I had the gyros which was amazing and my husband had the seafood linguine which he proceeded to talk about all night long because it was so good. For dessert we shared the chocolate cake which was delicious. We will definitely be back! Forgot to take photos because everything was so good we dug right in! read more

10/10 WILL BE coming back! My family and I came on a Friday night right before 4:30 pm so it was not busy YET. Service: 100/10--our server Darwin knows what's up! He gave us great recommendations and his service (& the food runner) are amazing! SOMEONE GIVE THAT MAN A RAISE! Ambiance: all I have to say is just...WOW. If you're reading this, go ahead and make yourself a reservation to eat in the actual dining room. IT'S GORGEOUS. Food: 9/10 -spicy feta w/ crudite and pita...FIRE!! This is the only place I've been to where they understood the word spicy in spicy feta -grilled octopus...SOLID and you can't go wrong with this. It's jam-packed with good flavor and char -lamb chops...SKIP THIS and get the slow-roasted lamb gyros instead (I love lamb but the lamb chops were sad and didn't taste much like lamb). The portion could probably feed just a newborn baby -beef tenderloin...PLEASE GET THIS!! The meat was TENDER ASF and the thinly sliced saucy cucumbers were SO GOOD! I would come back just for the cucumbers. The sheep butter yogurt complemented everything so well. DID I ALSO MENTION THE BROCOLINI?! I mean the portion of this was everything and more. I could eat this every day and not get tired of it. last but not least... do yourself a favor and get the SIDE OF POTATOES. The portion is MASSIVE and probably bigger than the size of my head. The depth of this bowl is no joke. Potatoes are crispy, crunchy, and delicious. Normally side dishes are expensive and the portion is a joke but they did not come to play. For only $13 you could feed a whole hungry man. Dessert: 10/10 too solid not to get. My little sister and I agreed that because we love cinnamon we were going to get the BOUGATSA (crispy pillows, cinnamon ice cream, semolina custard, honey caramel). Keep in mind, we picked a random restaurant to go to and saw no photos ahead of time, and BOY WERE WE IN FOR A GINORMOUS TREAT. Just imagine 2 extra large puffy balls of crispy...balls? that encase some good shit haha Darwin knew we were celebrating my getting into dental school and sent us the dessert we were debating on getting which was the PORTOKALOPITA. It was FIRE! I was uncomfortably full but I did not care. The orange syrup cake was to die for and you will only like it if you like orange-flavored things. If you don't then just get the bougatasa. Thank you again, Darwin and everyone else who serviced us! This was supposed to just be a casual dinner so thank you for making this extra special for me! read more

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Service was great, happy hour drinks and appetizers also very good. Skip the oysters, they have been dry chewy. Beautiful ambience, we had a vegetarian in our group that found many good options. read more

This place is great for photo ops. Good Greek food but not many vegetarian options. Cocktails were okay. The ones we ordered were very sweet. But we had fun eating and spending time with friends. Fun ambiance for instagram worthy photos. Service was decent but dinner time can be very busy so the server was rushed and a bit rude . But not to worry - when it's time for the check they always come back with a big kind smile. At least you leave with some respect back, right? read more

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The food is great and very similar to Lyra in the West Loop (they're both owned by the same hospitality group). We had great service and the decor is clean but stunning. read more

Visited Violi on Friday, May 12th with a party of 5. Big shout out to our waiter Todd G, who was always waiting in the wings to make sure we never needed anything. His recommendations were all stop on! We started with drinks, we ordered the Strawberry Spritz (a great recommendation from Todd), a Violi Martini, two glasses of wine & my favorite 1821 Old Fashioned ( if I wasn't driving home I would have ordered two.) The best thing about Violi was that the portions were large enough to share. For appetizers we ordered tuna Tartare (delicious), Grilled Octopus, Hummus & Charred Beets (a group favorite) & a Horiatiki Salata (a group favorite as well.) For our entrées we ordered swordfish (which was a bit dry), Grilled Lamb Chops (a bit too much fat), Beef Tenderloin (another group favorite) & Short Rib Bucatini (also a big hit) for our sides we ordered Bouzoukia Potatoes, Charred Cauliflower, Braised Horta & Roasted Carrots (all outstanding.) For dessert we ordered Bougatsa, Deconstructed Baklava & Portokalopita (all group favorites). We will be back and make sure Todd is working to take care of us again! read more

My husband and I will never come here again. Our anniversary was ruined by being served 2 burned Branzino fish. We complained to the waiter and nothing was done. We also complained to the second waiter and nothing. We literally picked around the burnt pieces to eat. We told them it was our anniversary and that we had a reservation & they Sat us in the worse spot when booths were available. They also offered complimentary desserts for anniversaries but didn't tell us until after we had already ordered a dessert to celebrate. There are better restaurants to celebrate in Oakbrook. First and last time at Violi. read more

Violi - Fish plate. - Greek Near Me - Oak Brook, Illinois

Really disappointing, I was so excited to try this place. I went for my anniversary and on the reservations I put anniversary and they didn't even do anything special for us. Why ask then on the reservation?? I looked ahead of time on the menu and knew what I wanted, but when we got there. More than HALF of their main entrees were not available!!! Poor poor planning on the restaurant. One couple next to us up and left, but it was my anniversary and couldn't really get in anywhere else at 7pm. I ended up ordering appetizers since the main entrees were all out. I ordered the meatballs and zucchini and eggplant. My husband got the moussaka. We were disappointed with each and evey dish. My meatballs were red, undercooked. The eggplant and zucchini were overly salted and the moussaka had no flavor and the potatoes weren't cooked fully. So much for a nice anniversary dinner. I didn't want to try another thing here so we went to the Cheesecake Factory for dessert. The prices were insanely high for below average food. Do not waste your money. The only thing good about this place was the ambiance, felt like you were in Greece and the servers were nice. read more

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A Truly Magical Birthday Dinner at Violi! We celebrated a special birthday at Violi, and the entire experience was absolutely perfect from start to finish! The moment we walked in, we were greeted with warm hospitality and seated in a beautiful space that felt both elegant and relaxed--like a little escape to the Greek islands. The food was incredible. We started with a spread of mezze--especially loved the whipped feta and the charred octopus! Our mains were equally impressive The staff went above and beyond to make the birthday feel extra special. They surprised us with a dessert and even brought out a sparkler, which made for a really fun and festive moment. The live music added such a nice energy--it really elevated the whole evening. The ambiance, the flavors, and the service all came together to make this one of the best dining experiences we've had. We left full, happy, and already talking about when we'll be back! Thank you, Violi, for making our birthday celebration unforgettable! read more

Food is amazing. You have to try the meatballs and roasted halibut. Old fashioned is the best! read more

Violi - Greek Near Me - Oak Brook, Illinois

Love the covered patio. The hummus and beets, spanakopitakia, and gyro pita dishes were all great, and the gyro's lamb meat was very tasty. Cauliflower? Not bad, but not on my hit list for next time. The main knock here is the price. Basically spent $78 for lunch for two people with no drinks. This is definitely too much cash. $16 is too much for a hummus plate, and $22 is too much for a gyro (this is the price for the half order, basically one gyro cut in half). For wealthier people, this is not a knock. For me? The meal was quite tasty but I don't think I can come back here regularly unless I can expense the meal! read more

Food was delicious! Especially the baked feta and Greek fries. The pita was amazing!!! ....dessert was great too. Beautiful decor. Downside: very loud and parking was hard to find. It was expected on a Friday night though... read more

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Everything was great. The dips were all fantastic. The pita was fresh and amazing. The rock shrimp was great as well. The service was also great. Will definitely return read more

Violi - Rock shrimp - Greek Near Me - Oak Brook, Illinois

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Food? Great! Service? Outstanding! Ambiance? Lovely? We went for a birthday lunch and were not disappointed. Our server was personable and charming. Best orange cake I have ever had. I'll be back for sure. read more

Only a star for the ambiance and that's it. Food lacked flavor. My group ordered the dips and it comes with two pitas for four dips. So I had to order more, don't think I should be charged but I was. Next, just skip the deconstructed pasticio. I get cooking al dante pasta but this was hard! Then the alleged beef short rib on top tastes like microwaved pulled pork you buy from a grocery store. And no béchamel, instead it tasted like a bad alfredo. The worst part was the birthday dessert. When we made the res, we accidentally hit it was a birthday. So, when we were seated and asked the occasion, we made it clear that it was an accident no celebrations. Throughout the night we kept getting asked who's birthday even though we made it clear that there wasn't any. After being pressured by the waitress multiple times we just said sure we are celebrating. They brought cake and a sparkler and then the bill came. I was charged 8.99 for something I didn't even want! I had an almost $300 for 3 people. This place is so overhyped. Bad food, small portions and hidden charges on your bill. read more

This restaurant is absolutely gorgeous and has such a lively atmosphere. You can come any night and it will be busy. Amazing choice for a date spot or entertaining. The food here is delicious I ordered the moussaka which was amazing and spanakopita which were delicious but a bit too small for the price. I enjoyed the meatballs (the yogurt sauce they were served on was a bit too tangy for my taste and kinda ruined the dish. The crispy potatoes were delicious. The restaurant is a bit pricey but makes sense for the atmosphere location and the quality of the food. Will definitely be coming back often even if only for a drink and atmosphere! read more

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One of the best places to eat in Oak Brooke. Very trendy ambiance and delicious food. We ordered multiple entrees and appetizers to split - which is definitely the way to go. It gets loud and busy as the evening goes on! Espresso martini is delicious - just like Lyra's! read more

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When you walk in the door, you feast on the colorful and well-appointed Greek atmosphere of Violi. There's so much eye pleasing things to look at but not gaudy or overwhelming - very tasteful. And speaking of tasty - every nibble from the breads and spreads to the bougatsa dessert was phenomenal. My Halibut entree was cooked to perfection and my smoky old fashioned had the perfect balance of flavors. The dessert, however, was a real production that required the manager to carefully "poo" the huge l, air-filled fried dough thing and mix into a delicious frozen ice cream mixture. It tasted similar to baclava but not as sickeningly sweet nor sticky. My friend had the lamb gyros for an entree and it could have easily fed 3 people. So not only is the food delicious, but they serve hearty portions. read more

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Such a beautiful and elegant new spot! I love how it reminds me of a restaurant you would go to in the city. It's filled with natural night and there's a bar area in the inside of you don't want a lot of light. We ordered grilled octopus for an appetizer and it was sooo juicy and flavorful! I highly recommend it. We also got chicken, potatoes, and a beef ragu dish. Everything tasted soooo good and we finished everything! Our waiter and helpers were so kind and efficient I loved it. In the end, we ordered a baklava and it was a treat from heaven! Definitely coming back! read more

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Food- so delicious, I got the slow roasted lamb gyros amazing! Also tried the mushroom pasta also great Service- unfortunately not great at all, this was a huge surprise dinner for my sister birthday, they said it would be difficult to be sedated before my sister got here which was at 9:45 mind u the reservation was for 9:30 (was on time at 9:20) the hostess just pushed a couple tables in some corner together, didn't get to be inside was seated on the patio when we never asked for that. I just don't understand what the point of making a reservation two weeks prior is for them to just be unorganized, unprofessional, and just messy. Waitress were so nice and excellent. Warning the vibes after 9:30-10 are like club bar vibes VERY VERY loud music and just a lot of drunk people. If I were to come again it would be for those delicious gyros, and I would avoid going later in the night! read more

The service was great. Went for lunch. Had the chicken in pita which came with fries and it was delicious. Sat near the patio area which was covered and had lots of sunshine coming in. read more

Violi - Greek Near Me - Oak Brook, Illinois

First time here. I am very satisfied with the food and the drink( lamb gyros half order, and the grilled mushrooms as a side, plus the Zero alcohol drink with pomegranate juice) The reason why I did not give a 5 star was because I was not attended after sitting there for nearly 15 minutes with no water served. Nothing. I was not impressed by thatBut later the waiter came and apologized for coming to me late. read more

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My friend suggested this restaurant for dinner. I made reservations through Open Table and was immediately turned off by their request of my CC to reserve. They're not Alinea. It also took me a couple days to get an answer on the corkage fee. I was astonished that it's $35! Our server was Darwin. Personable, friendly and attentive. We loved him! My husband and I started with cocktails, MYKONIAN MEZZ for me and a 1821 OLD FASHIONED for him. Both good. Our table of 4 shared the Tuna Tartare and Grilled Octopus appetizers. Good for two people to share. The tuna was a very small amount as you can see from my pic next to the utensils. Both appetizers were tasty and the octopus perfectly cooked. We also shared the horiatiki salad which was dressed just right. Again, good for a couple to share. My husband had the lamb gyros. It was like none other and was SO delicious. That dish is enough for two to share, large portion. I had the halibut with skordalia. Mine was perfectly cooked. My friend's was undercooked, tho. Her husband had the special lamb shoulder and enjoyed it, but said the portion was small for the price paid. Darwin surprised us with a complimentary dessert - orange syrup cake with white chocolate mousse & Greek ice cream, and its own light show. Things I love about this place...the aesthetics, the food, the service. The loud music reverberated throughout my body, and was annoying. Even though we were sitting at a round booth, it was hard to hear each other talk. One very nice element was that the general manager Harrison Rose stopped by our table to introduced himself and check on us. I like that personal touch and that he overseas everything with care. He was friendly and personable and welcomed any and all comments we had about our experience. To tell you the truth, I wouldn't go back for dinner because of the loud music. At 11pm on Fridays & Saturdays, they have live music, but the DJ can turn it down 50% until 9pm so the patrons can enjoy conversation at dinner. Maybe I'll try lunch sitting at the bar and splitting that slow roasted lamb gyros with my husband and enjoy a cocktail. I'm skipping on dinner until they control the music. FYI - this is an expensive restaurant, which is reflected in their exorbitant corkage fee. read more

Violi - MYKONIAN MEZZ and 1821 OLD FASHIONED cocktails - Greek Near Me - Oak Brook, Illinois

This place was packed on a Wednesday night! Everything was delicious except the gyros. I thought it tasted really gamey. My friend has had them before and said they didn't taste like that before. I don't think this even fits the description of a gyro as it was not cooked on a vertical rotisserie. I'm not Greek though so I may be ignorant. The banana cake was really fantastic! If I went back, I'd go for apps and drinks and dessert. read more

Violi - Side of Mushrooms - Greek Near Me - Oak Brook, Illinois

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Highly recommend! The food was amazing! Every dish we ordered was fantastic. The lamb gyro is a large portion so recommend ordering that with at least 4 people. The showstopper for me was the deconstructed baklava for dessert. It was so original and the flavors actually tasted like baklava. The service was phenomenal. She was able to tell us so many details about the food and how dishes compared to her life growing up in Greece. The interior was identical to Lyra so I felt like I was in the city while still being able to park my car in a lot. read more

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A Instagram post brought me to this lovely restaurant. I would have never found it on my own. I normally don't venture out to oakbrook much, but this was a pleasant surprise. I'm chilly March early spring day. My friend and I adventured out into suburbia for lunch. When I first arrived. They let me know that reservation was for the patio which I didn't even know existed. I saw the inside of the restaurant and the video and that's why I was excited to be seated. On a patio. There was a dog and a baby which they both were together and love. Maybe 20 minutes after my seating. I know that the patio air area was very bright and airy and design very well. After requesting the heat to be turned up, it became pleasant until it became a little too warm. It is very picturesque the patio area and also the restaurant is south. It looks like you're in Italy or somewhere not in Chicagoland For lunch I did a chicken gyros sandwich that was pretty good. It did come with fries for my beverage I ordered a watermelon cocktail that was stronger than I thought it would be. It was a hint of basil agave and it as well. My friend got the meatballs which was the highlight of the meal for meatballs. I believe they were all beef one word spectacular. She also got a lamb burger Our server was very sweet and kind and attentive. She was very versed in the restaurant and its menu and even on how some of the dishes prepared. So we really appreciate it. And she sold the dessert. I was not going to get in the desert it was like an orange cake that she recommended. It was amazing. read more

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This place is beautiful as soon as you walk in. The drinks are all really good and perfectly made. The vibe in here is great, and pretty packed on the weekends. The food was spectacular, I've never had food this good before. I would definitely recommend the lamb chops and ribeye, I will definitely be going back again. read more

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We love us some Violi! Such a fun place to dine. Especially once they bring the sparklers out. The food is delicious, the drinks are yummy. It's never too crazy and the patio is cozy. The service is when dining in is typically spectacular and we adore coming here any chance we get. The phone went to voicemail after ringing twice the first time. Unfortunately, when the host answered she very rudely told us that the kitchen closes at 930 on the weekdays. I thought the kitchen would've closed at least a little later since it says open til 11pm. This review is not about the restaurant but more about how rude the host was. read more

Violi - Grilled octopus, tuna tartare, meatballs - Greek Near Me - Oak Brook, Illinois

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Reserved a spot on the screened in patio where's it's a bit more private & decorated. Ended up not having the spot when k arrived for my reservation (which was set days in advance). Food was very good, but portions are so small for the price read more

Meh. Overpriced for what you get. I think you can find similar dishes for half the price elsewhere. The appetizers were pretty good. I had the hummus with beets (interesting), octopus, and saginaki. I would skip the saginaki. The best thing were the French fries. The entrees were pretty standard Greek fare. I was expecting something exceptional in terms of either flavor or presentation. Got neither. read more

Came here for lunch for CRW. Everything we had from start to finish was delicious. My friend & I each ordered a different appetizer to try. Grilled meatballs & Horiatiki salad. We ordered a lamb gyros as our second course & Portokalipita for dessert. Meatballs & lamb were perfectly seasoned & cooked to perfection. The sweetness of the portokalipita was well balanced. Our server was very knowledgeable about the menu & provided great service. He told us the lamb shoulder was braised for 16 hours. We also enjoyed the ambiance of the front dining area. It was well heated & very nicely decorated. So far this has been our favorite place to dine for CRW. read more

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Violi was a 5 star experience from the minute you walk in the door until you leave The restaurant is beautifully decorated. It features a outdoor heated patio (very warm) and a large interior with multiple different seating areas. The design is intricate with details such as artwork and flowers that transport you to Greece. Many small details added to the experience such as the lilac candle in the bathroom that smelled wonderful. The staff was extremely attentive. My glass of water never emptied. Dirty dishes were cleared. Certain foods were interactive which was a fun experience. The concept for food is family style. Everything is made to share. Food gets served at different times depending on when the kitchen makes it. Food is both big enough to share or to have a meal to yourself. The menu is only one page but offers plenty of options. My family decided to order various dishes and share which was a great experience because the dinner offered a new interesting flavor with each new dish that was given. Presentation was a big factor - servers added in ingredients, cut the food, or lit the food on fire. My dad celebrated his birthday and got a complimentary dessert plus a sparkler for an added experience. ROCK SHRIMP AND FETA- Fantastic presentation dish came out and was set on fire at the table. Lots of flavor. Delish tomato based sauce which complimented the shrimp and chunks of feta cheese perfectly. GRILLED OCTOPUS - Very tender. Sauce was creamy and citrusy LOBSTER 'YIOUVETSI' - Large chunks of lobster, creamy orzo, lots of flavor deliciousness GRILLED LAMB CHOPS - Honest review of these is that they lacked flavor. Tasted like char. They were tender but would not order again PORK SHOULDER SOUVLAKIA - My favorite dish. The pork was so tender and had so many flavor profiles. All the sides and sauces were good SEASONAL MUSHROOMS - Good but not great. Just mushrooms DECONSTRUCTED BAKLAVA - Really yummy, but not a baklava. Just pistachio ice cream with some crunch read more

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Violi did not disappoint! The space is stunning, the food was delicious, and the service was spot on. Such a fun spot for dinner with friends. read more

Had lamb gyros. Tasted terrible. It was shredded lamb and very bland. For what they charge will not go back.

Updated review. I've come here a few times over the past year. I have never had a bad experience here, mostly positive. I did really enjoy the lunch vibes. They decorated the enclosed outdoor portion beautifully and it feels like you're outside minus actually being outside (it's still cold in April). The lunch menu is small but sufficient. I got the veg eggplant and halloumi souvlaki. There was very little eggplant in it and overall the portion was very small for a pricy vegetarian option. But I did really enjoy it it was delicious. Not sure what the fries are all about, it is not very Mediterranean but I guess that's the American twist here (they call them Greek fries, which to me should be Greek oven baked potatoes not actual fries). All in all, great options and lovely ambiance. Our server Anika was so great so wanted to give her a shout out! read more

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Food was good but the noise level was really really loud to the point you almost couldn't talk to your friends across the table - won't go back any time soon read more