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    Zorba's Taverna

    4.3 (629 reviews)
    ModerateGreek, Mediterranean
    Closed 11:30 am - 9:45 pm

    Order Zorba's Taverna Takeout or Delivery

    Zorba's Taverna Photos

    ZORBA'S TAVERNA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Zorba's Taverna

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    Angel L.

    Good food and good service. Reasonable prices, ordered the chicken kebab and wrap which were cooked well and seasoned nicely. The coffee was also done well

    CHARCOALED SAMPLER FOR ONE
    Ping R.

    Zorba's is a sweet little neighborhood spot that oozes family vibes. For Fairmount, this place is pretty good where most other restaurants in this area are exceptionally-mid. The food is hearty, fills you up, and is seasoned decently. It reminds me of things my midwestern mom would cook in the kitchen by roasting, braising, or simmering away away for hours. I tend to prefer food with other flavor profiles, but this isn't a bad option if you have a guest that prefers very approachable flavors and dishes. The restaurant is in an old rowhome and compact but not too cramped. Service is nice and their take out is always packaged well which isn't always something I think about but definitely stands out!

    Charcoaled Sampler for Two
    Maya S.

    I recommend a reservation because they get very busy!! Used to by BYOB but they have a bar now. Drinks were fine. The star is the food. I will come here over and over for the cold appetizer sampler, the dips are AMAZING. I've taken multiple people here to experience it. I recommend also sharing one of the grill samplers, it's a great amount of food and you get to try a variety of the meats. One of my favorite restaurants in the city.

    Our Charcoaled Sampler for One
    Dinesh A.

    Zorbas outside dining was crowded but plenty of seating was available within. The waitress assigned seating and water pretty quickly. The menu was small enough to quickly review and identify the plates I was interested in. By the time the waitress approached the third time, I was ready to order. The bread they served was delicious when dipped in their olive oil mixture. Not sure what the red stuff was in the oil but it added a spicy flavor to each bite. I ordered the rice pudding to arrive immediately so I could enjoy it while waiting for the main dish. They added a spice (couldn't identify) that made the dessert pop. The Charcoaled Sampler for One came with a variety of meats. I don't usually like all the meats but it was tasty nonetheless. I especially enjoyed the potatoes that had a lemony twist to it.

    Gyro

    Wow, I just looked at food places across from Eastern State Penitentiary on Maps and decided to come here based on the reviews. Do. Not. Pass. This. Up. Amazing - the gyro ruined any other gyro for me forever. Pair it with the spicy feta cheese - you won't be disappointed.

    Fisherman's Feast for Two
    Arthur N.

    If you happen to be paying a call at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and are in search of a good, reasonably priced restaurant in the immediate area, Zorba's Taverna should fill the bill quite nicely. First reviewed in July 2014, this father-son BYOB is located in the shadow of Eastern Penitentiary with a handy paid parking facility just across the street. The diminutive eatery boasts two colorful dining rooms, an open kitchen, and some very, very good Greek cuisine. When it comes to the appetizers, all the usual suspects - stuffed grape leaves, potato purée, batter-dipped fried squid, baked feta and tomatoes - are present and accounted for. The so-called Greek Salad, however, is the acid test; and it was spectacular... as was the dressing, just the right combination of vinegar, herbs, and other seasonings. More recently, however, my dining partner and I decided to share the Spring Salad, a combo of romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, olives, and feta cheese - which we actually preferred to the traditional Greek salad. But, once again, it was the addictive Greek vinaigrette dressing that stole the show. The first time around, my dining partner opted for the Shrimp Poseidon, crustaceans grilled over charcoal simply adorned with olive oil & lemon and garnished with wilted greens, tomato & cucumber. I, on the other hand, took the vegetarian route with a dish I have always enjoyed, the Imam Baldi. The presentation consists of eggplant stuffed with sautéed onions and tomatoes cooked in olive oil and topped with tomato sauce, herbs, and feta cheese. In actuality, these were our second choices... The first choice for both of us was the Fisherman's Feast for two, which just happened to be unavailable on that particular evening. However, we did finally manage to order it during our most recent visit... and it was certainly worth waiting for. This extraordinary dish contains salmon, tilapia, rainbow trout filets, and two shrimps roasted over charcoal, as well as potatoes, rice, and a delicious array of slow-roasted vegetables teamed with tomatoes, garlic, oregano, lemon, and olive oil. A feast, indeed. An absolute must for seafood lovers. Dessert-wise, Baklava is still the name of the game. I have sampled many renditions of this iconic Greek sweet ending over the years, and Zorba's version is benchmark in every respect.

    Galaktoboureko
    Payal P.

    This place is a staple in Fairmount. The owner/place has been around for awhile. He definitely keeps an eye on his place (he is constantly there). I ordered a greek coffee which was pretty strong (it was basically just expresso which was quite disappointing for me because I thought it would be an americano type drink). The place has friendly staff. The place also has a small amount of space inside and a lot of outside space. The restaurant is full of Greek images which was pretty cool to see. I ordered from the lunch menu and ended up getting a charcoaled chicken platter. It had an amazingly charcoaled chicken taste. There was a side of rice and mixed veggies. My favorite part of that meal besides the charcoaled chicken was the amazing tzatziki sauce that had a bit of a mustard type kick to it. For dessert, the Galaktoboureko is to die for. It had this creamy inside with a sticky top.

    Our Charcoaled Sampler for Two
    Rob M.

    The Zorba's vibe is revelry. My family has been coming here for years to ring in the good times, from birthdays to baby showers to the simple fact that we are together. Zorbas is a mood--and the mood is feast. First of all, the food is terrific. You will want to experience as much of it as possible, so I strongly advise a family-style approach. Start with a cold app sampler (good things come in sixes, apparently) then venture on to the charcoaled samplers, which come piled with savory, smoky deliciousness. I also recommend a Saganaki detour. Each order comes with a theatrical pyrotechnic display that would rival your favorite heavy metal concert and culminates in gooey, cheesy goodness. The service is also noteworthy. The servers are friendly, attentive, and fun. It all comes together to create an environment that always feels worthy of a celebration.

    Charcoaled Chicken

    Love Zorbas. Food is fresh & delicious. I absolutely love the charcoaled chicken platter. I have previously gotten the sampler appetizer and every dip was great. Service is fast and kind. They did not have the dessert I wanted so I asked if they would recommend the honey cake or baklava. The person on the phone said "i loveee baklava but the honey cake is my favorite." I decided to go with the honey cake and when I picked up my order I received BOTH with the charge of 1. Goes to show how great their business is. I loved everything

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    12 days ago

    Amazing restaurant, our go to every time we visit Philadelphia. The wait staff is always top notch and the food and desert is delicious.

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    3 months ago

    Delicious authentic Greek meals. Great price, festive atmosphere, easy to park. Friendly family service!

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    5 months ago

    Great service and everything's delicious. You must order the cold combo with your meal.

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    5 months ago

    Excellent Greek food, parking across the street, and welcoming folks. Was thoroughly enjoyable. Will be back

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    Page 1 of 16

    Ask the Community - Zorba's Taverna

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    This is actually the best Greek restaurant I've ever been to. I didn't take a single photo, but…read moretrust me the food is incredible. We were a group of three and we shared a bunch of plates. We got the IOS chips, spanakopita, beef & lamb flatbread, hummus with pita, Greek salad, halloumi, and a dessert I unfortunately don't know the name of. Not a single bad dish, everything was excellent . I've had my fair share of tzatziki, and not to be dramatic but theirs is next level! Our waitress was also so sweet. She checked on us regularly even though it was a busy Saturday night, and she helped us pick our dessert. Unfortunately for me, I don't live in Philly, but I need to come back here asap.

    Unfortunately updating my review. As of recent few months and with changes in management, the food…read morehas gotten worse. Quality significantly went down, significantly. Also they now stopped playing greek music....and the vibe is not the same. However this place is still rocking its desserts as long as it doesn't change them. We usually come for desserts and beer. Staff is okay, we have our two favorites from the old crew (they are super nice & work hard) But There is one person, however, that floats between this place and their sister location cross the street, and he has never been nice, although we are regulars and everyone else who is from the old crew knows us. We usually are easy, friendly, don't ask much, tip 20%, and leave fast. But this person, let me tell you....horrible attitude every single time. Usually we see him at the bar. Sad, because he may have spoiled it for us.....I hope it doesn't happen to others customers. Suggestion: come for dessert and beer & sit outside, probably your best bet. That's what we'll do from now on most likely.

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    Almyra

    Almyra

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    Since our first visit, we have not been able to stop thinking about Almyra, and specifically the…read moreHorta (Greek wild greens). The Horta cannot be skipped when dining here! This time around we ordered many menu items to share once again. I definitely recommend this method with the way this menu is written! Trying both meat and seafood dishes, we have come to the conclusion that Almyra seems to do better with seafood than meat dishes, though this is not to say the meat dishes are bad. For dessert, my brother got the Budino again and my dad got the Baklava. The Baklava was unfortunately dry and hard, so while this is a classic Greek dessert I would opt for another dessert here. The dessert was made special, however, complete with a "Happy Birthday" design on the plate and a sparkler for my dad. The service was once again excellent. Our waitress was very attentive, upbeat, and helpful. Lastly, having come in the winter last time the restaurant was busy, but slightly more toned down. On this summer Saturday night the restaurant was very loud, which made it hard to hear conversation. This is a small thing, but something to keep in mind if you are looking for a more intimate dinner! We will definitely be back to Almyra again! I recommend giving Almyra a try and don't forget to order the Horta!

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    Kanella

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    What a fun Greek restaurant in the city is all about!…read more This spot is BYOY so you do not have to break your wallet if you want to throw back a few glasses of wine and also have some great specials including a special prix fixe offering of $45 for two apps, one main, and one dessert. I had this Manti dumpling with beef in it, and it was so fresh!! I did not love the yogurt mixed in with it but overall the flavor profile was spectacular and they gave me enough to have leftovers for another meal. The Lamb Kebab was very good, and the addition of the shishito pepper makes the dish pop! The baklava I surprisingly didn't love but the other item in the below picks for dessert was exceptional! This is one of those rare restaurants that I would return almost instantly even with stiff competition as South Philly has loads of restaurants to choose from. Highly Recommend and as always people SYOY!!!

    This place is cute inside, has good lighting, and is BYOB. The food was delicious -- they gave us a…read morelot of pita for all the dips we got. The meat was also very yummy (the adana kebab and chicken especially) and the rice was really good and flavorful. The dessert was to die for! The kunefe was amazing and I will be coming back to eat it. They also gave us baklava on the house. It's not too expensive also and the service is pretty good. Highly recommend!

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    Grilled shrimp platter, fresh mint tea, perfect day
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    Estia

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    Dined here with my dad before a show and had a great experience. The restaurant is beautiful inside…read morewith plenty of seating, and the private dining room downstairs would be perfect for a celebration. The staff were friendly and professional. We skipped the prix fixe menu and shared the octopus to start, which was tender, meaty, and flavorful. For entrées, I had the salmon and my dad ordered the Chilean sea bass plaki. Both were delicious and filling, but the sea bass was the standout thanks to its rich red sauce. The salmon was perfectly cooked and light, though I wished it had a bit more sauce or seasoning. Overall, a great pre-show dinner spot that I'd definitely recommend.

    We had an excellent birthday meal at this restaurant on Wednesday night for the six of us…read more My favorites were the - crab cakes - Chilean seabass - zuchini chips - Greek salad with fresh potato's - lamb chops - branzino - duo tartare Portion are fairly big so we over ordered a bit as the server kept recommending two orders of everything. That was a bit stressful for me as the host of this surprise party. I hate wasting food and we wasted food. He also pushed two desserts on me on top of the free dessert he offered for free. Thankfully I cancelled them in time. The free dessert was just okay. Nice touch for photos but we barely touched it. Overall would be back. Just know that the service is a bit pushy on ordering more than you need

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    Villekebabs and Platters

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    I'm not quite sure how we found this place, but it has been worked into our regular rotation for…read morelunch. It provides a chill atmosphere and some very taste food. While they are usually lightly staffed when we come, the staff is always on point, friendly, and willing to help with selections. My go to has been their platters. You get plenty of protein, a heavy salad, and some amazing rice. I mean, I do not usually get to into rice, but their is great. One of the staff recommended this non-alcoholic beers they had it various flavors which I'm sort of hooked on. I can't remember the brand but I usually go Apple or Strawberry. Their Chai is also very good if you are in a tea mood. Overall, a clear recommend in my book. Enjoy!

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    Zorba's Taverna - greek - Updated August 2026

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