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Athena Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants Greek Restaurants Mediterranean Greek, Mediterranean [Edit]
212 S Halsted St(between Adams St & Quincy St)
Chicago, IL 60661
Neighborhoods: Greektown, Near West Side, West Loop
(312) 655-0000
- Nearest Transit:
-
Uic-halsted (Blue Line)
Clinton-blue (Blue Line)
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 11 am - 12 am
Fri-Sat 11 am - 1 am
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Valet
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
198 reviews for Athena Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"One stand out: Outdoor patio is terrific." In 31 reviews -
"The Saganaki (goat cheese) was very delicious." In 49 reviews -
"Free valet parking is always a plus." In 11 reviews
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198 reviews in English
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Review from Dave O.
Chicago, IL
5/23/2012
Poked our heads in here because it was one of the first nice days and they had a huge outdoor seating area. That patio is pretty incredible, very open & airy with a view of downtown, and you're set back from the street so you're not choking on traffic fumes. Looks like they can enclose it too, if it starts to pour you don't have to do the mad dash inside. I'd go back to Athena just to hang there.
The standards (sagnaki, braised lamb) were as good as we get from our usual place in Greektown, so no letdown there. Like this place a lot and will definitely go back. -
Review from Jennifer M.
Portage Park, Chicago, IL
4/23/2012
Yesterday, it was by happenstance when we arrived during the Greek Independance Day parade. We were kept warm by the enclosure that gave us great views of the Loop and a low vantage point of the parade.
A basket of bread and water were delivered almost immediately. We started with cheese by ordering the Saganaki (Goat cheese lightly breaded in flour and flamed in brandy) appetizer with Bloody Mary and Corona chasers.
I ordered the Athenian Chicken. Half-chicken char-broiled with lemon and oregano. It came with steamed vegetables which was served in a garnish size portion. He ordered the Seafood Kebob. Salmon, swordfish and shrimp broiled on a skewer with tomatoes, onions and green peppers. Both were splendid.
The entrees come with a side of rice and a peeled, steamed half potato with some tomato sauce concoction. I did not care for its taste.
We finished with cheese by ordering the cheesecake for dessert. -
Review from Kate B.
Chicago, IL
4/10/2012
The restaurant is divided very distinctly into an intimate, quiet, fabric-filled left side and a wide open, rustic-feeling and louder right side (there is also a bar near the middle). We chose the right.
Our main courses were great and the portions were generous - we ate until our hearts' content and still had sizable portions for lunch the next day.
Plus, we ordered Roditis and the waiter was kind enough to let us try it first to be sure we approved.
The only two things I didn't like:
First, the bread was less than authentic. It was our first impression of the food so we got a little fright about what would come next. All that it was served with was the little whipped butters. What about olive oil people? Cheese? Disappointing.
Then, maybe this is just me being picky but the saganaki we ordered for our appetizer had so much flour it gave it a bit of a weird coating...it was a much different texture than what we're used to and prefer (ie Greek Islands, my favorite restaurant on Halsted).
Glad I tried it. Would I go back? Probably. Would I order saganaki? No. Would I bring my own olive oil? ...Yes. -
Review from Lisa H.
Millersville, MD
5/22/2012
Fantastic service atmosphere. We went here before the Bulls game and we told them we needed to be out of there in 45 minutes - our server was great, they had us out in time. The food was pretty good. I can't wait to come back in the summer when they have the huge patio area open.
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Review from Chrissy L.
Quincy, MA
5/22/2012
In April, I visisted Chicago for the first time. A friend lives in the West loop so we decided to stop into Athena for lunch. We were blown away! The food was absolutely delicious, the service couldnt have been better and we all left with full stomachs and smiling faces.
Two days later, we stopped back in, and we didnt leave. We sat at the bar with Peter and George and they treated us like they had known us their whole lives. we never had an empty glass or plate in front of us.
I'd recommend Athena to anybody in the mood for authentic Greek food. I'd give my right arm for that lemon soup again! I cannot wait to go back, for the food, the drinks AND especially Peter and George :) we miss them already! -
Review from Peter J.
Chicago, IL
5/4/2012
The food here is really good and depending on how authentic you would like your good, the staff can accommodate. I read that Athena has the best outdoor seating in Chiacgo, they do. It is a great outdoor atmosphere, it feel very Mediterranean.
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Review from Khadijah L.
Chicago, IL
3/27/2012
One day I decided to stray away from my two go-to Greektown restaurants. ONE time. Big mistake.
For reasons I don't know why but I've always gone to Greek Islands, Parthenon and Costa's (closed) and I never tried any other places.
It was a nice day and Athena has a beautiful newly renovated patio. I said to my friends lets go there.
The patio was nice and beautiful but the food was just lackluster. Actually the bread was hard and stale. We had the taramasolata and saganaki, they were just okay. Nothing to write home about. Neither was our entrees. I much prefer the aforementioned restaurants.
The view was great. But server was quite inattentive. The host was nonchalant and not friendly at all. I wished all our tip had gone to the guy who refilled our glasses and cleared our plates.
There's free valet. But same goes with the other restaurants.Listed in: Greektown and West Loop…
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Review from Courtney W.
Chicago, IL
4/24/2012
My sorority had our semi formal here since it was Greek goddess themed. They set up quite a nice spread for us at a decent price. I was skeptical because they were setting up a tent for us in the middle of January but it actually was a space just outside the dining area that was actually quite warm due to space heaters and well put together. The Greek salad was outstanding as was the service at the bar where we were forced to order drinks. They didn't have many restrictions for us and everyone had a pretty decent time. The dining room looked warm but not super fancy. They provided us with vegetarian options as well that I had by mistake and were actually good (I'm not a huge fan of vegetarian cuisine that's for sure). I would come back here for dinner but our event was quite a success. I'm partial to the Parthenon but this place is also now on the list.
Listed in: Greek Goddess Goodness
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Review from Marfa B.
Madison, WI
5/13/2012
Considering today is a mother's day and we had an order for a delivery fro 60 people, it was a overall great experience. The manager was very attentive and deliver everything himself. The food was delicious and was gone in a heartbeat.
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Review from Jayne B.
Chicago, IL
3/20/2012
The outdoor seating here wins this place major points! I kind of felt like I was at a resort with the big, circular bar and the white, retractable ceiling (or at least it appeared retractable). The service was average and we found the appetizers to be better than our meal, but still a great place to go on a sunny afternoon. Not sure if I'd recommend it as a top Greektown option if you aren't able to sit outside, though.
It was also weird that my husband's gyro plate didn't actually come as a wrap. I guess I assumed a gyro plate would be sliced lamb in a pita, with a side of rice or potatoes. Not the case; he got a heaping pile of sliced lamb and then little pita triangles, so he couldn't actually wrap it up. -
Review from Shal V.
4/12/2012 1 photo
One of the best Greek restaurants I've been to. My girlfriend and I decided to dine here when exploring Greektown one night, primarily because Athena had a great outdoor dining area with a nice view of the Chicago skyline. We did not regret it. Besides enjoying the view and the cool evening breeze, the food was stellar! We ordered an appetizer of Soutzoukakia (Spicy meatballs made of ground lamb and beef, sautéed in tomato sauce) which got the dining experience off to a superb start. We had a Gyros Plate and a Leg of lamb, both of which were excellent!
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Review from Rick T.
1/11/2012 1 Check-in Here
Excellent dinner; so-so dessert; and an eyebrow-raising answer to our question about an ingredient.
Calamari: thick pieces of beautifully prepared squid. Possibly the best version I've had in Chicago.
Chicken kabob was flavorful and generously portioned.
My dining companion ordered the Spanakopita, which our server boasted is not nearly as good as a Greek grandmother would make. When we asked which spice was dominating the dish, the waiter returned from the kitchen with a strange response: nobody knows. The chef made it earlier and left. Uh. Okay....I guess? A few minutes later, we determined it to be nutmeg, but the meal would've been better had we not known that at least one of our entrees had been made 12 hours before.
All in all, Athena is worth a visit. -
Review from Dakota F.
Indianapolis, IN
7/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
The first time I went here my friend got steak. Who gets steak at a Greek place? Anyway, it was awful so we sent it back. After this, I promised myself I would never go back. Also because it gave him insane gas & I NEVER wanted to subject myself to that again.
But alas, I'm always willing to try restaurants again... so I did.
The other day I went and sat on the great outdoor patio. It's huge, spacious & filled with interesting people.
I ordered a few rum & cokes... standard. They were good.
I then ordered the flaming cheese (idk what it's called). To my surprise it wasn't flaming! Apparently there is some sort of law that says you can't have fire on an open patio... oh welps!
I also ordered the greek salad which was delicious & refreshing. Definitely a good choice.
The main course my friend and I got was the lemon chicken. Interestingly enough it came as a stir fry, which I was not expecting. While the vegetables were delicious & complemented the chicken, the sauce was really weird. It was really just a more expensive version of fast food Chinese stir fry.
Ehh.
I don't think it'll be getting a 3rd try. -
Review from nicole h.
8/6/2011
The outdoor seating area is easily one of the best in the city. Huge and beautiful...with flowers, a waterfall, and shade. That's the shining star of this establishment, hands down. The service is super friendly and efficient. The Athenian salad (with a bright dill flavor and an amazing dressing) was the highlight in terms of the food.
The rest of the food was just...ok. The tzatziki was way too garlicky. I love garlic just as much as the next girl, but it was so powerful it kept me up at night. The lamb special was ok. The cold appetizer plate with a sampling of all of their spreads was just ok. The saganaki was basic...and ok too.
If it's a beautiful day, I'll be back. But if we're dining inside, I'm going to hit up other restaurants in the area... -
Review from Dusty K.
Chicago, IL
7/13/2011
The weather was beautiful this July 4th and there was no better way to spend it than eating Grecian cuisine on the outdoor patio at Athena. I don't often dine outdoors considering most restaurants believe outdoor seating is a mini stretch of 4 tables along a car exhaust filled road. But Athena was everything but...fountains with flowers, plenty of room away from the road, and a huge outdoor space to accommodate at least a hundred diners. This place was made for Chicago summers.
If you are a fan of tzatziki, Athena is your place. Combined with the pita bread, I could have made a meal on that and hummus alone. The yogurt sauce seemed to be very light on cucumber and heavy on lemon which was a pleasant change. They were both outstanding. The saganaki was very lemon forward and summery. Sharing one order among 4 people wasn't easy.
For dinner I went with the gyro plate. I was disappointed to learn they don't make the gyros in house. But I loved getting additional servings of tzatziki and pita bread for my entree. The gyros were served with plenty of onions as well and the portion sizes here are generous.
Athena is a tremendous value. I've really gotten into Greek food lately and this place hit the spot. And on a warm summer day there's really no place I'd rather be than eating lunch on their patio. I will definitely be back. -
Review from Melissa F.
Chicago, IL
8/15/2011
I like to be one of those people who is fine with eating anywhere. I like all types of food! Go me! But I've never been a Greek food fan...at all. Yep, I am the only one I know who is like this - it's rather unfortunate. I decided to keep a somewhat open mind when my dad suggested it for dinner with some extended family members. I had an excellent experience here!
Sitting outside on a perfect Chicago night enhanced the dining experience. The host and waiter were both incredibly friendly and both checked in on us often, providing us our choice of dessert on the house (just to be nice - not because of mess-ups or anything like that). The wine that they suggested - and we drank - was OK but a bit too acidic. Still, the service was incredible.
I didn't try much of the cold sampler platter, since it didn't seem to match my tastes very well. Still, the pitas (which I think were whole wheat?) were fluffy and warm. Mmmm. I got the gyros platter, which was way too much for me to finish. They kindly left of the tzatziki, and the dish was still filled with fluffy pita, tender (almost crisp) lamb, onions, and juicy tomatoes. A little bit of gyros, a little bit of wine, and some greek yogurt and honey for dessert? Coupled with the relaxing outdoor setting, this was a wonderful night! -
Review from Andrea R.
6/19/2011
Athena isn't worth visiting in the winter since the inside of the restaurant isn't anything special and the food is pretty mediocre. However, this is THE place to dine on a warm summer night thanks to their fabulous patio.
It had been storming earlier in the afternoon, but the weather gods cooperated just in time for our 5:30pm dinner. Yes, we now enjoy early bird specials thanks to our lil one.
We ordered many menu items for party of 6 1/2 (the baby doesn't eat greek food quite yet). Our 1/2 a person felt right at home since there were many other babies dining here at the same time.
Like past experiences at Athema I found most of the food to be eh (the calamari was especially gross), but they do make some very tasty gyros. I'd come back again for these gyros, but only on a lovely summer evening.Listed in: Baby Friendly Restaurants
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Review from Marcy M.
Harvard, IL
6/29/2011
I was dining with a large group (20 or so) and we were celebrating a birthday. I cannot say enough about the serving staff. They were nice, accommodating, professional, and quick.
Since we were in such a large group we were seated inside, which was fine because the decor was great, the music--just right, and the patio looked uber crowded anyway.
So why 2 stars?
The food.
First off, I am very understanding when it comes to the daily special being no longer available. I get it. It's good food, a reasonable price, and its always listed first. What really ticks me off though is when you are not made aware of it upfront--before ordering. 4 people of my group ordered a special only to find out that it was no longer available after about 15 mins. A few of us defaulted to a second special, which, to our unsuprise was also unavailable.
Ok, so now I have to pick my third option for dinner? Whatever. What this means now is that a good chunk of our dinners are being made about 15 minutes after the rest of the group. 1 of 2 outcomes: 1. everyone gets their meal and then feels forced to wait until the rest of the group is served or 2. The servers keep the food back and serve all at once, inevitably making some dishes overdone or cold.
Finally, the food comes. It is not great at all. The lamb, of course, was good but that is a matter of lamb being delicious and not of the skill of the chef. The rice was bland and the potato that came with it was just that; a potato. No seasonings, no sauce, no nothin'
Overall, I would not go back. I would rather take my chances on any other restaurant in Greek town than return to this one. -
Review from Stephanie L.
Chicago, IL
6/28/2011
SO I ended up here on a beautiful Friday night.
This is one place that I havent tried in Greektown.
They have a huge patio that we sat on, complete with a fountain and lots of other Greek flair! I am already sold on Athena.
We had the tzatziki, gyro, and chicken kebab....dont judge me. Man, the gyro plate was probably the best thing I have had in a long time. The tzatziki sauce, tomato and onions made it the best little gyro ever....however later I think I reeked of Greek food for hours! I mean, it was exuding from my body for the next 24 hrs. The kebab was ok....I think it was just ok because the gyro was so good.
The price point was average for the area and the staff was friendly.
If you go, sit outside, get a bottle of red and the gyro plate....you will not be disappointed :) -
Review from Bridget G.
Chicago, IL
4/18/2011
First time here, sat outside on the patio. That patio is worth its weight in gold- it is just a pleasant, peaceful place to meet friends on a nice day. Food was only OK. Saganaki was excellent, fried zucchini was good, vegetarian pasta left much to be desired. It was like spaghetti I would have made in high school with parmesan on top (and a bag of frozen vegetables mixed in). Nothing to write home about.
Our service was extremely slow. I mean it took 33 minutes before we even got our drinks. Then, they were never refilled, not even the water. It took over an hour and a half for lunch total, and I actually was dying for our server to come back to give me the check because I was so parched I had to get out there to find a 7-11 to get a freaking big gulp. Maybe there was something going on behind the scenes, but no apologies or explanation was offered by our server. I'm extremely patient in such circumstances, but even for me it was ridiculous. I can't in good conscience give more than 2 stars given the very poor service, even though the outdoor area is beautiful and the saganaki is my equivalent of scooby snacks. I would run into a haunted house or face my worst fears for saganaki- I am that nutso about cheese on fire. -
Review from Steven N.
7/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
Boy, we picked a really, really hot day to come here! Luckily, they were able to seat our party of 5 right under the patio's giant shade, so that made the whole experience much more enjoyable.
In generaly, we thought their food was outstanding. Our group started with the taramousalata and the sarganaki, both were wonderfully delicious. I can never pass up sarganaki, so it'll taste good to me no matter what.
The entrees we ordered were wonderfully executed as well. You can just taste how authenthic this place is. The combination of Mousakas, pastitsio, dolmades, leg of lamb, rice, potato and vegetables will give you a good tour of Greek food. My lunch partners ordered other favorites such as the shrimp argos, braised lamb, and a leg of lamb, and they were not disappointed.
Service was friendly and quick, and I can say this is a place we would certainly repeat. -
Review from Valerie B.
Chicago, IL
2/7/2012
I like this restaurant for three reasons.
First the outdoor space is great, the best terrace in Greektown. Unfortunately, last time I was there I saw they were extending the restaurant into the courtyard so I don't know how much outdoor space will be left this summer.
Reasons two and three are the two dishes I always choose from. The stuffed chicken listed in the char-broiled section is exceptional. It is stuffed with spinach and feta and then covered in melted kaseri cheese. It is a huge portion and you can easily take half home for another meal. Lamb with artichoke hearts in egg-lemon sauce is a special which seems to turn up most days. It is great and they are really generous with the artichoke hearts. If you like okra, the side dish of okra in tomato sauce is good too.
I have to admit that the wait staff can be a little eccentric (as in trying to persuade us to remain seated outside as it started to pour with rain) and some verge on rudeness but weighing this against the chicken or lamb, I can put up with that. -
Review from Fuffie g.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 6/28/2011
It was a gorgeous night tonight and I was in the mood for Greek food and I really wanted to sit outside. It had been almost two years since I had sworn off going to Athena and I figured...okay, let's give it another try. Big mistake...big...HUGE!!!!
The outdoor patio is still wonderful, but the food??? One word...inedible! How Greeks can pass this off as Greek food is beyond me. We ordered the cold spread sampler and except for the tzatziki sauce, everything else was just horrible. The taramosalata tasted like it was mixed with some kind of chemical, the eggplant spread was just so bad that I spit it out of my mouth...yes people, it was bad. I told the waiter and he just smiled and said "really"? Didn't take it away, didn't offer to take it off the bill, just smiled and said "really"? The Athenian salad had no taste, the gyros were cold, not bad though, but cold. My friend was so hungry and desperate that he ordered a burger. I mean, come on a Greek knows how to make a burger right??? WRONG! It tasted like a Burger King burger gone bad...and I've been known to like my Burger King.
My last review I said I would not go back because of the horrible service. This time I say with 100% certainty, I will not being going back...this time though...the food did me in.
Buh bye Athena.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/20/2009
I used to come here during the warm weather only because of their great outdoor seating area. That… Read more »
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Review from Warren C.
6/12/2011
Surprisingly good. I don't eat Greek food that often, but this has to rank up there in my dining experiences. This place was recommended by one of my coworkers in Chicago, who is a regular here.
I had the lamb and it was pretty good. Things are a little pricey, but it certainly felt more upscale than the other Greek restaurants I've been to in the past. Also, the lima beans were very tasty, and I never considered myself a person who liked lima beans. Weird how things change after you haven't had them in a long time.
This is a good stop if you need a better place to eat in Greek town. -
Review from Amanda T.
Chicago, IL
3/22/2012
Beautiful restaurant, but the owner was so rude and abrasive when I walked in that I walked back out. First impressions are important and having someone so rude when you walk in is such a turn off!
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Review from Eirini L.
Chicago, IL
7/9/2011
This might have gotten 4 stars ordinarily, but because of the wonderful outdoor patio, it gets an extra star. Seriously, it makes the experience. It makes it!
Just sitting out there on a nice evening with a drink is amazing. Beautiful garden with the backdrop of a bit of the skyline! My favorite is to just do drinks and appetizers here, and I feel like I am at a wonderful patio in Greece. -
Review from Lawrence Y.
Chicago, IL
6/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've only been to Greektown a couple of times to eat. But I was happy with the food at Athena.
There was a tiny wait for a table on a Saturday night. We ultimately decided on ordering a few hot/cold appetizers and sharing:
+ Patzaria (beets) --- I don't know many people who like beets, but this was refreshing to the palette...
+ Melitzanes (breaded, sliced eggplant) --- love eggplant a lot and this had a good flavor to it
+ Spanakopitakia --- your standard spinach pies
+ Souvlakia --- pork tenderloin cubes, absolutely delicious and devoured quickly
Service we had was so-so. I don't recall the server coming back too often but I guess that was okay... -
Review from J B.
Arlington Heights, IL
3/20/2012
Great outdoor seating! But food and service was only fair.
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Review from Michael G.
Rockville, MD
10/19/2010 1 Check-in Here
Much like we still do today, the Greeks used to honor their deities by naming things after them (though we do this with secular "gods" like politicians and sports figures). This was in hopes of giving the thing or person who shared the name the attributes of said higher being. Athena was the Greek goddess of war, civilization, wisdom, strength, strategy, crafts, justice, and skill. What any of these attributes have to do with this restaurant though, I'm not sure. So I think it might be misnamed. Being a helpful guy, I have a couple of suggestions for renaming it.
For example, I think a far more appropriate name for this place would be Hermes.
Hermes was the Greek god of speed. And this place is fast. Of all the places up-and-down the Greektown strip that I've been, this was by far the quickest service I've ever received. It was almost as if the waiter was telepathic (or perhaps assisted by the gods or subliminal thoughts from my boss). Only a few minutes after the order left my lips, the vegetarian moussaka was in front of me. This place actually understands the time crunch of a business lunch.
Or maybe I would call this place Hades. The prices would definitely have pleased Hades (the Greek god of, ironically, both money and the underworld). And, therefore, they pleased me. In contrast to the places around it, most dishes here are under $10.00. And they have a large, vegetarian friendly, lunch special menu.
Unfortunately, one thing I would not re-moniker this place to is Dionysus (the Greek god of food and wine). While the food was pretty good, it would by no means live up the exacting standards of the gods - at least the moussaka. It was sort of rich, but not the sort of taste sensation I'm used to from the dish. It seemed to rely on the mushrooms (ick) rather than the eggplant (or when I find myself lucky, potato). And if there's one thing you don't want to do, because legend says they're pretty liberal and vicious with the lightning bolts and all, it's piss off a Greek god with anything less than the best in their name.
Though mentioning all those names, I guess Athena is one of the easiest on the tongue and the modern ear of the Greek gods. So maybe, just maybe, I understand the naming. The question is, does this restaurant's pantheon?Listed in: Surviving In The Food Desert
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Review from Bill M.
1/16/2011
I recently attended a dinner function at the Athena in Greektown. I've never been to this restaurant, as there is quite a row of Greek establishments on Halsted that tend to overshadow this place. There were around 50 people at this function, so we were stationed in this dining area in the back with a video screen. It seemed that only a curtain separated our group from the rest of the dining area, but even so it seemed like we were in a VIP banquet hall. We were served a generous full meal, including fresh bread, Greek wine, meatball appetizers, flaming saganaki, a very large Greek salad, a choice of three entrees (braised lamb, stuffed chicken breast, fish), galaktobouriko (a custard pastry), and coffee. Everything was pretty good but not great. My lamb shank was very tender and served on a bed of rice, and the meat was not as blood-red as my neighbor's serving.
Even though we were basically sponges at this dinner function, we were treated very pleasantly by the staff. When they light up about twelve plates of saganaki simultaneously, it does look like a re-enactment of the Olympic flame! I did get an accidental elbow in the head from one of the servers, but one laughs it off when the meal is not on your dime. It always seems a bit tacky to ask for leftovers when you are not paying for the meal, but the waiters had no problem dishing out the styrofoam cartons at evening's end (I ate almost all of my lamb though). I will keep Athena in mind for a Greektown dinner in the future. -
Review from Olivia D.
Chicago, IL
4/21/2011
Went with a group last night and had a blast!
The food was good, worth the price, and the staff was very friendly.
It was the second time in my life I had ever said no to a bottle of wine, but we asked around the table and it seemed nobody would enjoy it, so we sent it back and they were very understanding about it. I was embarrassed, but we then got the bottle we wanted.
The food came in great portions, I mean 3 whole quails for an entree is pretty large. The taramosolata was great, it's one of my favorites!
Had a great time at this Greek Town spot! -
Review from Melanie S.
Chicago, IL
7/19/2010
This Athena is far from a Greek goddess.
My former boss is Greek and Athena is his favorite place to eat in Greektown since the demise of Costa's. I liked Costa's a lot and was saddened by their closing. I am a big fan of Greek food and Keri H was in the mood for it last Thursday. We also wanted to eat outside and have full bellies before heading to the CYBG event.
There's not too many places in G-town that offer up outdoor seating. I like Pegasus better, but they only serve appetizers on their rooftop patio, so Athena became our destination merely by default.
It was a sweltering summer's eve, but we can take a lot of heat so sitting outside was no issue for us. The patio was nearly full, so obviously many people aren't bothered by the heat.
We sat down, and in the interest of saving our alcohol consumption for strawberry-basil lemonade at Pour, we nixed drinking at Athena. I have to say, that it was unnerving to see mojitos and margaritas on a drink menu at a Greek restaurant.
Keri isn't too familiar with Greek food, so she let me take the reins once again. Since no meal in Greektown is complete without an order of saganaki, we ordered that, and added a Greek salad and fried zucchini to start.
I chuckled to myself as I heard the table next to us order "Nagasaki" as I wasn't aware that a city in Japan could be served on a menu in a Greek restaurant.
I digress.
The saganaki arrived, but sadly, there were no exclamations of "Opaa" nor any flaming of the cheese. What was up with that? After tasting the cheese, it was apparent that no such flaming would have helped. It was salty and not good. I warned Keri that it was a strong cheese, but her tastebuds weren't sufficiently prepared. It was like eating a salt lick.
The salad was your basic Greek salad. Moving along...
Fried zucchini is good, especially with a generous squeeze of lemon, but there's not much one can fry and have it not taste good.
We were still hungry so we ordered some gyros and a chicken kabob. Pretty safe things, or so I thought, until they arrived. The gyros were decent, but really, one can get better. Keri took one look and sniff at the kebob and proclaimed that it smelled like garbage. One taste and she said it tasted like vomit.
Um....check please.
We choked down a few more bites and got the heck outta dodge.
Sigh. I miss Costa's.
Side note: if you come here and sit outside, DO NOT sit next to one of trees on the patio. Little bugs kept falling on Keri and nipping her delicate, porcelain flesh.Listed in: Baby, It's Warm Outside, West End Girl
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Review from Jeffrey D.
Chicago, IL
5/21/2011
Opa!
One of most favorite places in Greek Town; not just for food but entire package. In summer the patio is the best there is in Greek Town and frankly among the best there is period.
Winters the place also shines. Staff is pure Greek Town. Great story on last visit is waiter came up to me and said his name is George and said co-waiters nameis...George too. Typical deal there.
All dishes good, and what you get up and down the street. Very good and fairly priced. All dishes very good.
Among what makes the place really shine is the service. From the brothers that run the valet parking to the manager to the waiters all very old school and service terrific. Just like mama.
Been there dozens of times and place does not get old. Try it and you won't be disappointed. -
Review from Angie M.
6/29/2010
Let's play a game called "How Awesome is the Athenian Salad at Athena's?"
Dude.
I'm in love with this salad. It has basically all my favorite salad flavors IN ONE SALAD. Be still my beating heart!
Savory, succulent grilled chicken breast? Check.
Green onion? Oh yeah.
Fresh dill? Yeppers.
Oodles of fresh, creamy Feta cheese? Hell yeah, baby!
Light, oregano-y Greek dressing? Cha-ching.
All the kids get piled high atop a bed of chopped Romaine lettuce for total salad Nirvana.
I'm head over heels for the Athenian salad. I'll be back to devour it again very, very soon.Listed in: Lunch in the Loop (or at…
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Review from Jenny T.
Chicago, IL
1/4/2010
Out of all the places I've tried in Greektown Athena Restaurant is my fav. The wait staff is super friendly, even if you're not Greek (unlike other Greektown restaurants), the food is really good & the portions are quite the large, and the outdoor seating during warmer months is absolutely to die for.
The saganaki is yum-yum. Just enough lemon, brandy, and saltiness to make this girl keep coming back for more. The Athena salad is quite delicious, especially with the little bits of dill throughout the dish. The gyros platter is HUGE, yet I almost finish it each time I go.
This is my go-to spot after 11:15 mass at Old St. Pat's if you wanna witness my version of man vs. food ;-) -
Review from Amy H.
9/15/2008
On a warm summer day, the patio has a wonderful atmosphere, however, the food is not good. The appetizers are ok, but the entrees were sort of blah. There isn't anything specific about the food that made me not like it. It was all just below average.
I've had much better greek food at other places in Greektown. -
Review from Carol K.
8/10/2009
We wanted to try a new place in Greektown. I've been to many of the locations before- but never to Athena so on a recent Saturday afternoon- we descended on this spot.
Indoors or Outdoors? That was the question While the patio looked inviting with it's fountain and umbrella topped tables- it was pushing 90 degrees out so indoors won hands down.
The interior is nice- fireplace, white linen topped tables, and a bar with the obligatory grape vines circling overhead.
We ordered a range of food as I had my nephews with me who had never been to a Greek restaurant before and I wanted them to taste a range of flavors.
The winners? The gyro plate, calamari, saganaki, and the pork cutlet special of the day served over spaghetti.
The losers? The pastitsio which I love- was a little dry and lacked the bechamel sauce that usually makes it great. And the peas that were served with it were mushy and had an odd flavor.
Service was spotty. Our server was missing through most of the meal and we had a hard time getting refills on the drinks or even on the water (which we desperately needed given the heat!)
If you drive- there is a lot across the street that will run you $6 to park all day. Or you can have free valet parking for the time you are at the restaurant.
All in all- there are places I like better in Greektown- who continue to impress me time and time again. Athena is good- but if you ask me where to eat in Greektown- I probably will send you to a couple of other places where I know you'll be impressed. -
Review from Carolynne M.
Chicago, IL
11/6/2007
Lovely interior, I wish it had been warm enough to sit outside on the even lovelier patio.
Lovely waiter, so patient and professional even with 8 semi-drunk people all speaking at once.
Lovely menu: I highly recommend the Skordalia (garlic and potato spread), the Saganaki (ours was piping hot and delightful), the Octapodi (I am not a calamari person but this char-broiled octopus was insanely good), and the stuffed chicken breast (very very flavourful spinach and feta stuffing).
Also they make a mean vodka gimlet and are not shy with the liquor.
Valet parking is offered, but we didnt use it as we were lucky enough to score a street spot.
Athena - yay! -
Review from Michelle C.
Chicago, IL
9/18/2010
Athena wins for having great outdoor seating. The patio is large and yet still feels somewhat intimate as it is set a ways from the street and is enclosed. Also, the sounds from the waterfall are pretty soothing.
The bread basket was a little stale, but I was so hungry that I didn't care. I ordered one of the daily specials offered on Wednesdays: the filetakia, which features pork fillets with sauteed veggies served over pasta. I was pretty satisfied with this choice. The portion was huge and I was able to take half of it home for another meal. The meat was tender, and veggies cooked so that there was still a bit of bite to them. The dish is in a white wine sauce, so it didn't feel too heavy, but it was a bit on the oily side. Our server tried to make jokes with us, but it just felt a little too forced. In all though, he was friendly, so we can't really complain too much. -
Review from Kevin A.
3/25/2008
GREEKTOWN: ROUND 1
This was my first foray in to Greektown so I'm being a little conservative with my review of Athena. The place seemed much less crowded than some of the other establishments we passed, but we figured it was worth a shot.
First impression: Saganaki
Flaming cheese? What's not to love? It was a bit salty for my taste, but it was delicious nevertheless...did I mention flaming cheese?
Second Impression: Atmosphere
There were a fair amount of people there, but it felt kind of dead in there. Not lively like a lot of other Greek places I've been to. For example, when they light the saganaki on fire they cry out OOPA!, or rather they kind of mutter it as if they can't believe they're saying it for the 10,000th time. Come on guys, give me some enthusiasm!
Third Impression: Food
I had the leg of lamb with avgolemono sauce which as the name suggests is an egg-lemon sauce. I really enjoyed this dish as the meat was fall-off-the-bone tender and the sauce was rich with just the right amount of lemon. My only complaints were how fatty the meat was and that it didn't come with any sides at all.
Overall, I was pleased but I'm definitely looking forward to trying some other places in Greektown.
