Daphne's Greek Cafe
- Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Private Lot
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: No
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Lunch
- Alcohol: None
84 reviews
Mountain View, CA
"I love this place! I have know Praveen and Mahmet for years, and have always enjoyed coming here with friends and family! Their drink menu…" read more »
66 Reviews for Daphne's Greek Cafe
I've been to the Daphne's in San Mateo so this wasn't the first time at this chain. I got there before noon on a weekday because being right off El Camino, I knew it was going to get busy..and it did. I ordered the Gyro sandwich and a side of Calamari and a small soda..came to 11.00. Seating is pretty limited inside but they do have outdoor seating available. Everything was good, the calamari was a very tiny portion but along with the sandwich I was full afterwards. The only thing they need to improve on is expediting the orders when there ready. They had one girl doing it and she was very slow. Eventually the cashier had to run and help her as food was sitting at the front for some time. Would recommend this Daphne's location..
Well............I like Daphne's. I don't care what the rest of you say.
(I almost feel guilty liking it after reading these reviews)
Look, this isn't "hole-in-the-wall" Greek. It's a chain, they want to have a clean, simple atmosphere. There are a MILLION hole-in-the-wall Greek places around here.
I like Daphne's because I can rely on it. I know what I'm getting every time I go there. I always get the Gyro with Fries...sometimes two Gyros if I'm hungry. It's good. The meat is flavorful, the lettuce can be hit & miss, the tomatoes are always fresh, the Tzatziki sauce always tastes fresh.
Went here last night and the only complaint was the fries were too greasy. They changed their fries - and these were much better than the old ones. But they were still too greasy. They need to pat them off before serving them.
My gf usually always gets the salad with Gyro and Grilled Chicken and she loves it. She gets the dressing on the side, so she dictates how much she wants on it.
Daphne's is good. Don't expect hole-in-the-wall "I found a gem" good. But it's reliable and that's all I ask for.
I got a gyros pita with fries. I expected the fries to be greasy, but I didn't expect the pita to be. It was almost fried, like a gordita. The gyros meat itself was tasty, and the cucumber sauce could use some work, but it was well chilled. The fries were like McDonalds in flavor. I'm still searching for real mediterranean fries...
I went here with a coworker as he had a "buy one get one free" coupon. I knew it couldn't be good since it was a franchise. (Usually, I go to the small mom & pop Greek places). I had the Daphne's Combo plate which came with gyro, chicken kabob, greek salad, rice pilaf, and pita bread. Their rice pilaf was buttery and it tasted like Rice-A-Roni rice. No way would I pay $9-10 for this!
Food was pretty good. had a beef or steak wrap and the lady had a chicken wrap. the beef was definately better, more flavorful while the chicken was a bit on the dry side.
Overall, the rice is just whatever rice, the pita wrap is pretty decent and the salad is standard as well. now. i wont give 5 stars going forward unless the food is absolutely orgasmic, so this is as good as it gets for fast, cheap and decent food that you won't regret eating such as a piece of bad fried chicken from Safeway.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
They changed their fries. Woe. I liked their old fries (thicker, square steak fries). Oh well.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
05/19/2007
OK, it's the McDonald's of Greek food, no argument there. But if you poke through my earlier… Read more »
Food here was ok. Nothing spectacular. I came here for lunch and most lunch specials run around $8. I got the chicken kebab. It was served with a drink, salad and rice. Rice was plain and tasteless. Chicken was on the dry side and you only get one stick with tiny pieces of chicken and salad was some pieces of lettuce with 2 slices of tomato, some olives and feta on top.
The good thing: it's located in a complex to parking was easy to find. Food came out fairly quickly.
But overall I thought portions were pretty small and no way enough for me but maybe its the one I ordered or maybe I'm just a pig...don't know ...
Daphne is more like a Greek fast food chain and I usually do not like fast food or chains so much buuuuuuuuuuut I have to say that I like to sit on their terrace a lot, enjoying the sun together with friends and ordering afterwards sth from next door neighbour Peets. I usually get the veggy platter which is a variety of different things and sometimes fries or baclava... Food I would say is mediocre, but sitting on a lazy Sunday on their terrace enjoying the sun with friends is priceless... ;)
I've been here a couple of times and I usually get their vegetarian plate or their chicken kabob plate. The meat is well spiced and tender and pretty frickkin tasty. I also really like their tzaziki, which is served with both meals - mine always comes out runny, but their's is nice and thick and yummy.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
Plato's most important work, the Republic, is first and foremost concerned with finding the most ideal form of government. The philosopher's conclusion is that the class most fit to manage society are the philosophers. Surprisingly, he is silent on the management of fast food restaurants.
Still, we can learn much from Plato when evaluating fast food restaurants, particularly Greek fast food. We can eat many falafel pita sandwiches, all with different sizes, shapes, flavors, and fat content, but still we are able to identify the general notion of a falafel pita sandwich. Plato was concerned not with physical objects, but with the ideals they embodied. The best falafel pita sandwich is not the most delicious, or the spiciest, or the most authenically Greek, but instead the one that most embodies the platonic form.
By this standard, and the fact that the food at Daphne's satisfied my wife's ever-changing cravings, I give them 4 stars.
After my friend and I's ass beating workout , we decided to spoil our bellies by eating a good meal. What other way to ruin your hard work? Since it was near we decided to stop into Daphnes. Daphnes is pretty good!! I mean, its not gourmet Meditarrenean, but its convenient and quick! We ate an array of food (pictures posted!) that was very satisfying and fortunately didnt make me feel like a cow. woot woot. I'd eat here again
It was ok. It is fast food. I had the falafel pita. My husband had the veggie plate. I recommend the veggie plate. The pita's were just too messy.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
We thought that we would try something different tonight from the ordinary chinese and japanese take out. Daphne's was not bad....we had the gyro's pita sandwiches. It's nice to have something different than steak, chicken or pork with the lamb here. However, for take out, the wait was pretty long and it's a little bit more on the pricey side. I'm going to have to try it again to see if Daphne's can convince me to give it another star.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
This place is some kind of a joke, right? Who on earth would eat here, and why? It's the most sanitized, tasteless, cheap crap I can recall eating in a long, long time.
I usually order the chicken kabob plate which comes with side salad and rice I believe..overall, the food's pretty decent..service is quick as well. The food won't blow you away but it's decent for its price
Finally fast food I can get on board with!! I recommend the marinated chicken breast pita --- delicious!! Give into your spicy side with the Fire FetaZesta lunch (Man, I'm getting hungry!) If you're going for lunch, get there by 11:30 or forget it! The place is PACKED! If you're picking up food to go, phone in your order or you will wait. Reasonably priced. Healthy. Clean. Nice, friendly staff.
Check 'em out:
http://www.daphnesgree...
I ordered the gyro lunch plate with rice and the greek salad. Rice was bland, there were some wilted pieces of lettuce in my salad, and the gyro sandwich had more lettuce than the gyro meat, plus they just give you the yogurt sauce on the side (it was more like a cream cheese spread than the traditional yogurt kind). The combination kabob plate looks better but I still see the bland rice and salad on there, so I am not sure if it is worth it.
This was a disappointment for me. Makes the gyro sandwich at "Joe the Greek" look/taste good.
I really like the Veggie plate or the shrimp pita. It isn't bad, a good alternative to fast food (such as hamburgers). The prices seem reasonable to me, it is clean inside, the feta fries and fire fries are good too.
Yum Yum Yum. Went to Daphne's for the first time today. Very clean and not crowded at 11:30 AM on a weekday, though it was getting crowded as we left. The guy at the counter was very nice and the place was really clean. I had the marinated chicken pita very yummy and for the lunch special it came with pilaf and greek salad (yum). Great food at good prices, now that's what I'm talking about!
It is funny that so many Yelpers have called Daphne's the McDonalds of greek food. My first impression was only slightly better. I found the food and atmosphere to be right in between McDonalds and Panera Bread.
Since I was starving on my way home from work, and I had a handy coupon, I ordered the Vegetarian Combo Plate to go. I actually really liked the salad (with the dressing on the side) and the dolmas. However, the falafel and the spanakopita were a little too fried and bland for me.
I might come here during lunch when the vegetarian combo is only $6.50, instead of the dinner price of $8.50. But I'll probably forget and go to Dish Dash instead...
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Cool (2)
For "fast" food this place is perfect. You can get a healthy meal of chicken with a side of salad & rice (or only salad if you choose). The chicken is delicious. I thought the gyros were great too. If you are looking for fine dining or authentic Greek cuisine, this is not your place. But for a quick, tasty meal this is much better than Mc Donalds, etc.
It gets 2 stars (instead of 1) because as far as I know, it's the only place to eat for lunch in the immediate area. I go to the Borders/Starbucks next door frequently and have yet to find a non-burrito place that is quick and cheap.
It is quick and somewhat cheap ($9 for kebab plate) - but all the reviews are right. The entire meal tastes very bland. Spices are nowhere to be found on the chicken kebab plate. It's certainly better than McDonald's, but the reviewer who compared it to Panera was actually giving Daphne's too much credit.
Major drawback for me is the decor: unsophisticated-- like the Macdonalds of greek food... then you look at the prices and realize you can't get out of there for less than $25 for two. At this rate, why not go to a real (non cheesy franchise) greek restaurant? Despite my above complaints, the food is pretty good. Salad is fresh and the calamari plate is great. As long as your wallet is ready to get used - this is not a bad option.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Decent food, decent prices. You can't go wrong with Daphne's! I was just there last Saturday with two friends, and we used coupons I received in the mail. One friend got the pita and fries, which she really enjoyed. My other friend and I each got a plate with tons of good stuff. We didn't spend more than 20 bucks for the three of us.
People thought this was:
Cool (2)
My boyfriend and I are super competitive and I had won a bet we had made. The prize was total rule over where were would eat dinner that particular night. I won, so I chose and my boyfriend pouted saying that he wanted to go to Daphne's. Cause I'm an awful winner, I told him I didn't care, we went to the restaurant of my choice, and I taunted him all night about my victory.
The next day, we were thinking about places to go to for lunch and feeling slightly guilty about my behavior the previous day, I suggested we go to Daphne's. We both had the spicy chicken greek salad. It's good, and we both enjoyed the dressing and the spices. I was happy to have pita bread and tzadziki accompany the salad. It was $8 for each salad, but the portion was huge. I didn't finish. All in all we left satisfied, and the visit made my man happy.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
Visit this place only if you like watered down hummus and falafels that look and taste as if they were store bought previously frozen. Didn't detect even a touch of honey on their honey chicken pita.
Felt extremely disappointed after my visit and wish I had checked reviews on yelp (as I normally do before trying any new place) before going there.
A total disgrace to greek food.
The food here is decent. The gyros tend to be kind of dry and the rest of the food may be a bit bland compared to the food at a sit-down Greek restaurant; however, this place is a good alternative to fast food and the prices are decent. (My fave dish is the Greek Salad. Their fries are pretty good, too.)
On another note, if you decide to eat here on a weekday, be aware that there is always a huge lunch crowd from 12:00pm-1:00pm, so plan accordingly, as you may be waiting a while...
Four stars for satisfying one of my few pregnancy cravings.
When my husband and I were honeymooning, we spent a bit of time in Paris. Aside from pastries, coffee, and wine, we were having a hard time with the French food. Tasty yes, but not really made for a backpacker's gut. Several times we were saved by a gyro and fries. I remember a drunken conversation I had with a shop proprietor while we waited out the rain and a canceled train. Okay, I don't remember what it was about, mainly because my French was worse than his English, and I didn't know what the conversation was about while it was happening. But I remember the delicious meat and french fries we ate before every train ride out of Paris, and that is very close to what Daphne's provides. I can't wait to enjoy it with a couple cold beers.
Thanks to Bob at Las Palmas Dog Park for the suggestion!
People thought this was:
Cool (1)
As others have suggested, this is to Greek as Panda Express is to Chinese.
Unfortunately, it wasn't as tasty as Panda Express. I ordered their standard Gyro, and it was just passable.
GOOD:
- Meat was pretty tender
- Pita was okay, not too tough.
BAD:
- Bland bland bland.
- Sauce came in a cup. Why should I have to open up the pita, find a spoon, and scoop the sauce into the pita? Can't they do this themselves?
- Did I mention bland bland bland?
- A little overpriced for fast food.
When oh when will I find gyros / doener kebabs as good here as I enjoyed in Europe? So sad!!!
Who would have thought that Greek food would become a chain restuarant and fast food at that? So you're not going get the finer points of Greek food, but you can get decent gyros and kebabs (steak or chicken). What you can't seem to get even though it's on the menu is 1/4 lemon chicken. No matter which Daphne's I've visited, I get an apolgetic smile and "We're out of the lemon chicken."If it's selling that well, make more!!!
The pita bread is served warm along with tzatzki sauce (a yogurt/cucumber blend), I'd rather have hummus, but they won't make a subsitution for it and you have to order it separately. The lemon chicken or "avgolemono" soup is OK. I've never had it with carrots in other Greek restaurants, but then again, this is a chain and maybe they're trying to beef up the soup.
Don't go here for good Greek food, but do go if you're hungry and want "just OK" Greek food at reasonable prices.
We were on our way to Baja Fresh and noticed Daphne's and stopped for a little greek food. Wow! What a disappointment. We ordered the chicken kebab plate, and two Gyro plates, plus the hummus dip and added dolmas. The cost $31.00! Fast food Greek (we had water) for three people $31.00 BUCKS! I must be gettin freaky with my money... that's expensive for fast food, noh?!
The pita bread... where do they get that stuff? Thick, grilled with oil, cut into triangles. What is that? We tried to subsitute the white meat chicken for dark meat.. no can do! There was some weirdness regarding the extra dolmas. They charged us more for the dolmas than the menu stated... with much discussion and no clear reason why we were charged more, the restaurant gave us a refund, which, by the way were the size of my pinkie... literally. Very thin slices of meat for our gyros plate. And the proportions for the dip plate were embarrasingly small.
We are home now and lamenting about our evening meal when all three of us simultaneously realized we were very thirsty! Tons of salt.
Next time we won't waste our time or money. Baja Fresh we'll go!
This is a chain. I used to live in Chicago and loved the Greek Cafe's they had there. This place tries to do the same thing, but fails. The fries are bad, the gyro's is not good and the greek chicken not even close.
I had some half priced cupons when this branch opened and so tried it a few times. At full price I would never recomend this place.
It's hard but you CAN eat here without eating one of the deep fried "Fire Festa" items that are advertised all over their menu. I ate off the lunch menu here the other day, and go their chicken kebab plate. That included:
1) a too seasoned chicken kebab (light on the meat side, too)
2) small Greek salad (arrived drenched in dressing; they replaced it when I complained); it was your standard Greek salad
3) yellow rice
4) warm pita bread (best part)
5) container of tzadziki sauce (not enough cucumber)
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
I was a bit shocked at how un-Greek-like the food at Daphne's was. The service was fine, but the food was not. My Giro was served up dry on a quartered tortilla rather than folded into a round of the wonderful greed pita breads you find a real Greek places. The Greek salad was equally sad. If you know good Greek food, stay away from Daphne's, you'll only be disappointed.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
I got the Zesta pita - fried pita bread with teeny weeny bits of chicken in it. It came w/ hummus, this spicy dip, and tzatziki sauce. Not bad. The sauces are way better than at Zucca (*shudders*). I also got a side of spanakopita. Filling has a lot of flavor, pretty good! Baklava is good too, very sweet of course. My meal which consisted of an appetizer and a couple tiny sides cost $10.55 - a bit pricey for a "faster" food joint, but it was tasty nonetheless. I haven't tried the main dishes yet so we will see.
People thought this was:
Funny (1)
I enjoy eating here. I usually get the Chicken Kebab plate. I like the rice, the pita and the hummus. Prices are good.
Calling this Greek food is like calling McDonald's American food. Well, hmmm I guess it is. But in a nutshell, this is McD for Greek food. I don't get why there's a long line during lunch hours. Next they should just have a drive thru line for the whole experience.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Ugh. I admit I'm kind of picky about Greek food, but Daphne's offerings are a big, fat Greek mess. The spanikopita I had was deep-fried into a greasy fritter. Their hummus was bland, and the avgolemono soup was gelatinous. I guess the gyros were servicable taste-wise, but even then the meat and pita were both kind of dry. Ads in the store played up the awesomeness of their salad dressing, but I thought it was vinegary and lacking in flavor. Zeus should come around and smite the Daphne's chain for desecrating the generally-awesome flavors of Greek cuisine.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (2)
So... which scale to rate it on? A full scale of 5 which compares it vs other "great" restaurants? or does it really only get a scale of 3, which would inherently mean that it can't be "great"?
So 3 is it... it's fast food, its Greek. I'm not expecting to sit here for a 3-hour 8 course meal of all fresh food, and that's just that. Actually, I've made it a habit of also swinging by the TJ's that is just behind it, and picking up a thing of $0.99 pita and some hummus to go along with it.
People Who Viewed This Also Viewed...
Related Lists
-
Fa-la-la-la-falafels!
This is a list of all of the falafel places I have… -
Because meat is gross
Does the idea of sinking your teeth into an… -
112 Silicon Valley…
Here's what's left on my regular rotation as well…
Hot and New
- Willow Glen Frozen Yogurt…
180 reviews
San Jose, CA
- Satura Cakes
186 reviews
Palo Alto, CA
- The Cakeworks
11 reviews
Campbell, CA
- Kitsho
139 reviews
Cupertino, CA
- Tea Era
114 reviews
Mountain View, CA