Greek!

We are interested in going out for Greek food this Saturday Night. I want to stay in the North/Northwest Burbs. I know of a couple places in Niles. I have heard about Opa in Vernon Hills. I think there is also a places in Mount Prospect? I am open to any suggestions! Thanks.

Periyali. Get the charcoal grilled items (zucchini, lamb, fish, etc.) and you won't be sorry.

Periyali is good. I haven't been there in a while, but Yanni's in Arlington Heights is also quite good, with more impressive decor, if that matters.

Periyali Greek Taverna
9860 Milwaukee Ave., Glenview
847/296-2232

Yanni's Greek Restaurant
10 E. Algonquin Road, Arlington Heights
847/952-1111
http://www.yannisrestaurant.com

Yanni's also has a nice outside patio -- one of our favorite work hooky... I mean business lunch ... places!

I would say try Demetri's, if has a pleasant atmosphere and good food. I have only eaten the spanakopita, since I haven't been there since I gave up my 15 year vegetarian stint. But the spanakopita was very good and the rest of our table both times I was there raved about their food. I went back with the same party since they loved it so much.

My grandparents who lived near Greek town for 25 years were missing Greek food when they moved to the suburbs and this filled their void. Again, I haven't been there in a while but I remember being pleasantly surprised.



Demetri's
660 Lake Cook Rd.
Deerfield, IL 60015
847-940-0777

personally i cant recommend Demitri's.
Periyali's is ok..last time I went it seemed to have gone downhill a bit but still ok..
Ive heard good things about Yanni's but havent been there myself. I like Greek Islands in Lombard but thats pretty far south from where you are..if you were going to drive that far id say just go to Greektown

We did have a wonderful meal at the Greek restaurant in Vernon Hills whose name I am blanking on...
CRS disease again....
All the classics done well.
No complaints- service very friendly,
good wine at reasonable prices
I would definitely go back there if I wanted Greek and was up that way.

Haven't been in about 4 years but we had a nice meal at Mykonos in Niles. I had a very tender lamb shank and my partner was happy with whatever was vegetarian friendly that day. They also have patio seating.

Mykonos
8660 W. Golf Road
Niles
847-296-6777

irisarbor wrote:We did have a wonderful meal at the Greek restaurant in Vernon Hills whose name I am blanking on...
CRS disease again....
All the classics done well.
No complaints- service very friendly,
good wine at reasonable prices
I would definitely go back there if I wanted Greek and was up that way.

That would be Opa Estiatorio.

i thought that the food at Opa's, on US 60 in Vernon Hills was pretty good. The prices were in the $15-25 per person without beverage, a little higher than most, but the food was very solid and the service professional.

Every place already mentioned is very good, I've done them all. Pick the one most convenient distance-wise and you're all set.

Dimitri's has a good "early bird" special. I think was about $12. Service is fair, but food is good. Last time I had whitefish and it was excellent. Don't know if early bird is on Saturday though. Maybe because of early bird, it's kind of a senior citizen place. 847-940-0777. Periyali and Mykonos are a toss up. Mykonos seems to be valet parking only. All 3 are fine though.

Heather22 wrote:I would say try Demetri's, if has a pleasant atmosphere and good food. I have only eaten the spanakopita, since I haven't been there since I gave up my 15 year vegetarian stint. But the spanakopita was very good and the rest of our table both times I was there raved about their food. I went back with the same party since they loved it so much.

My grandparents who lived near Greek town for 25 years were missing Greek food when they moved to the suburbs and this filled their void. Again, I haven't been there in a while but I remember being pleasantly surprise

It has been 6 months since i have eaten there, so I cannot give a good review, but we were very unimpressed and will not go back.

Here's a Greek restaurant you should NOT go to: Barba Yianni Grecian Taverna (http://chicago.menupages.com/restaurant ... isineid=29). I picked this place not for its food, but for the fact that on Sunday and Wednesday nights it holds Argentine Tango milongas. If you are not interested in Argentine Tango, I implore you to avoid this restaurant as you will be disappointed. The food is bland, often tasteless, uninspiring and overwhelming in quantity. The only tasty item on the menu, most likely not produced in the restaurant, is Saganaki, the greek cheese, which comes flaming to your table in all its salty, chewey, grilled glory. The only other good thing I noticed about this place, aside from its location in the middle of lovely Lincoln Square, is the service. The few times that I've been to the restaurant, the waitresses were friendly, obliging and mostly efficient. All in all, I am sure there are multiple other places in Chicago where better greek food can be found, but, unfortunately, there are almost no better places for Tango.

hungryinchicago wrote:The food is bland, often tasteless, uninspiring and overwhelming in quantity.

You forgot the overly salty avgolemono soup.

hungryinchicago wrote:....overwhelming in quantity. The only tasty item on the menu, most likely not produced in the restaurant, is Saganaki,

So the portions were good? (It's an old joke -- "the food was terrible, and the portions, so small."

(Also, while I've heard of house-made gyros, I've never seen a Greek place engaged in cheese-making. That's maybe the next big thing. Bring the cheese-making in house with the baking and charcuterie.)

It's sad really about Barba Yianni as it is in the site if the old Grecian Taverna which was very very good. It was owned by a relative of the family who owns Psistaria and when they left the Lincoln Square location they moved down the street across from the Old Town School but they were never the same.

I vividly remember driving up Lawrence with my fiancee fresh from our trip to Greece and catching the all Greek sign painted on the back door of the place along the alley off of Lawrence and running in for the first of many great meals there.

I would agree with several other posts - Yani`s in Arlington Heights or Demetri`s in Deerfield are two solid north/nothwest suburban Greek spots. I have been to the place
in Vernon Hills and it is sometimes a "hit" and sometimes a "miss" service wise but the
ambience is nice over there. Periyali in Glenview is not bad either but my vote would be
with Yani`s or Demetri`s.

If you could, I would suggest just going to Halsted St. It`s the best and of course you can`t beat any restaurant there - Santorini, Pegasus, Athena, Greek Islands or ven this
Cypriot restaurant called Venus...

Steve

hungryinchicago wrote:Here's a Greek restaurant you should NOT go to: Barba Yianni Grecian Taverna (http://chicago.menupages.com/restaurant ... isineid=29).

Hopefully, all others are now warned. Shortly after I moved to Lincoln Square a few years ago I tried the place and it was easily the worst excuse for Greek food I have ever tried. And that's too bad because it sits in a beautiful location with a nice outdoor front dining area. I'm actually surprised it's still open because there are rarely many people eating in the indoor dining area.

Where else can you go to a Greek restaurant with a Turkish owner?

ekreider wrote:Where else can you go to a Greek restaurant with a Turkish owner?

Actually, our waitress told us he was Palestinian and that they have arabic music and belly dancing on Fridays, not that it improves the food any.

Octarine wrote:It's sad really about Barba Yianni as it is in the site if the old Grecian Taverna which was very very good.

Grecian Taverna was in the spot now occupied by Bad Dog Tavern. While I had some good meals there, the last time I had gyros there, it was not very good.

I'm totally one for Opa! I actually went there on New Year's last year. It's always a really good meal! I get the chicken souvlaki skewers. It's my personal favorite with some tzatziki sauce.

Hillary
http://chewonthatblog.com

Apparently Barba Yianni was sold again because there was some publicity a while back about the Turkish owner in conjunction with some art work in Lincoln Square. We stopped eating there because the food was so salty that our blood pressures reacted.

The building where Bad Dog Tavern is was a Mexican restaurant that closed after an ill-fated attempt to add a second restaurant in Dearborn Station (this was before La Margarita went into that space). Then Grecian Taverna moved into that building while Barba Yianni's Grecian Taverna took over their old space. By the time the first Grecian Taverna was established Lincoln Square was becoming much less Greek than it had been in the 1970s.

finally got to try Opa the other day with AFB005 (Burt)
had the dolmades. According to the waiter the meat is a mix of lamb and ground beef although i suspect it might have been more ground beef than lamb as they were a bit dry. All in all though quite enjoyable. Dish came with roasted potatoes Greek style
Also had an appetizer of fried Kolokithakia which comes with Skorthalia..both were good although I like the kolokithakia better at Greek Islands as its sliced a bit thinner..
biggest no no to me was letting the bread basket run dry..that should never happen at any Greek restaurant

also tried a bit of Burts rotisserie Greek chicken..wasnt too bad although first time ive seen it served with fries instead of the roasted potatoes
as far as north suburbs its the best Greek place ive tried so far

With so many Greek restaurants, I find it hard to see how they differ....any suggestions on which restaurants are top notch? Open to Greektown, and North suburbs, but not Western or South Suburbs

Cheers!

I had a good experience at Psistaria the other day. viewtopic.php?f=14&t=19588&hilit=psistaria

We think the nouveau Greek at Taxim is just incredibly thoughtful and well executed.

1558 North Milwaukee Avenue
Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 252-1558

maggielov4 wrote:With so many Greek restaurants, I find it hard to see how they differ....any suggestions on which restaurants are top notch? Open to Greektown, and North suburbs, but not Western or South Suburbs

Cheers!

Top notch + North 'burbs = Avli.

nr706 wrote:Top notch + North 'burbs = Avli.

NR speaks the truth. Psistaria in Lincolnwood is just fine, but Avli is top notch.