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Categories: Greek, Mediterranean
Neighborhood: University of Texas
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I am still fantasizing about the beef souvlaki I ate at El Greco for lunch the other day. I ordered the souvlaki and loved the generous serving of tender cubes of beefy filet mignon that were nestled in a warmed blanket of pita. The tzatziki sauce was tangy and fresh and the choice of sides was a long list of tempting Greek dishes. I opted for the Greek potatoes but next time (Oh there will be a next time very soon) I will order the chick pea salad.
There is a case offering a fair amount of baked goods. The one thing I would beware of are the confusing lunch specials. Some include a drink and side and some don't.
Rude waitstaff and unbelievably small lunch portions for the price. My fiance and I went here hoping to try out some greek food and asked a few questions at the counter about the food... I guess you're not supposed to do that because the sneer we got from the cshier almost made me want to walk out the door.
We ended up ordering the chicken soulvaki which was only one skewer with three pieces of chicken on it, it also happened to be cold.
Never going back.
Yes, they're pricey, but they're also super delicious and friendly. I love Greek food and pretty much always get some version of a vegetarian plate, which usually has falafel, hummus, baba ghanoush, dolmas, and pita (plus or minus a few sides). My first time in here I was so shocked that wasn't on the menu that I took forever to decide what to order. So long that some nice lady (owner's wife? mother?) brought me and my date out a sampler plate of dips. Then I felt terrible, because that's all I really wanted, I just didn't want to pay $20 for it. I ended up ordering the white bean casserole and loved it. When she checked in with us again later the caviar dip hadn't been eaten and she asked if I was vegetarian (yup), then she brought me out a sample of another veggie dish.
We've been another time since then and split the 6 dips for $20. The pita to dip ratio was not ideal and we had a bit of a hard time getting more (the waitress just kept forgetting - next time I'll order extra at the beginning), but all of the dips were fantastic and we both left full with a little dip to take home. Oh, and their pita bread is AMAZING.
I just noticed writing this review that they do have falafel on the menu, they just call it zucchini cakes, so I'll be trying that next time. I love that they have specifically labeled things vegetarian and even have vegan dishes (though I have to imagine much more is vegan than is labeled vegan). I also noticed that their website has a gluten free menu. How cool is that?
They'd be 5 stars if they were a little cheaper or a little fancier. But UT students/faculty/staff can get a 15% discount (don't know if that's standard or if you need a coupon - we had a coupon) and they have various coupons on their website too, so you can save a little $ that way.
A modern hole in the wall Greek restaurant in the University area. Hidden by Mangia, it's easy to just pass by and not recognize it.
Honestly, I haven't tried much Greek food, but my review may be helpful for hungry average Americans.
I went there on a Saturday night around 7:30 ish, and it was considerably full but there was no wait. Even though prices are 2x or 3x of fast food restaurants, you have to order at the counter first (pay pay the gratuity there too) then they will bring your food to the table. The plastic coded menus are somewhat helpful, but I thought it was unavoidable asking the waitress what the plate is like. I might have stared at the menu for good 15 min before I actually ordered anything since I have never tried majority of the plates.
My bf and I got a tobouli dip, chicken gyro and turlu (I hope I spelled them right). For the chicken, I could pick two sides, and I got greek potatoes and some pasta. Tobouli (if you don't know what it is, here's a link to the wiki page: http://en.wikipedia.or...) was sooooo fresh! I could taste every vegetable and herb that was in it. The pitas (with garlic powder?) that came with it was very soft, and good complimentary for the tabouli.
Chicken was also very good. Moist -- although made me wonder how much oil they poured on it -- and perfectly cooked. The side dishes were also very good. Even though the potatoes were baked, maybe because of the lemon juice, it was juicier and had more flavors. Turlu was good too, and the greek salad that came with it was amazing especially for the garlic lovers.
The only negative thing about this place is that the atmosphere is not as good as the price that you pay for. The food was excellent, the service was okay, but the ambiance on a par with the rest.
So, I would recommend it to someone who are looking for some good greek food.
A friend and I tried this little place for lunch recently.
The lamb gyro was not BAAAd at all. Perfectly seasoned, thinly sliced, rare lamb meat -- not the pressed beef/lamb combo that a lot of places serve.
And may I PEAS have some more of that chick pea salad? I don't care if it does make my breath smell like onions.
A lady who I assume was a manager or owner came by our table to check on us. Now that's something that doesn't happen very often.
I will be returning very soon to El Greco.
It has such potential, it just never lives up to it. The prices are high, the service can be slow, the decor is strip mall and the quality of the food varies. I had a great bowl of soup along with a chicken and rice dish that was so bad that the piece of chicken should never have been served to anyone in any form. The word gristle comes to mind.
I like Greek food but when I go to El Greco, I LOVE greek food!
#1: SERVICE - Couldn't be better. Everyone I have ever had to interact there is super friendly and nice. The owners are super greek and check on you at your table.
#2: FOOD - The taste of the food is the best. Perfectly seasoned all the time. The pita bread is the best. They give you plenty of hummus. The portions are generous. Not crappy, pita pit stuff here!
#3: QUALITY - The big Greek test? Lamb. Not the pressed, crappy lamb shaved off. As a matter of fact, that stuff is not even real lamb! This lamb is real and the gyro's and food are authentic.
Try: The Moussaka! It is amazing. You won't be dissapointed.
Simply, great, simple, fast, affordable, clean, authentic Greek food. Must try.
I gave them another try and it wasn't a fluke -- there's hardly any meat in that sammich! I'm intrigued by the (uncooked?) babaganoush, but feel the pita is too overseasoned and salty and drowns out the flavor of the dip. Overall, the meal was just way too salty. Service this time was super friendly, but I think I heard the boss yelling at his employee back in the kitchen??
$30-something dollars is way too much to pay for a little Greek deli lunch for two. Especially when one of those meals has an ounce of chicken in it!
I was actually a little shocked and offended at the paltry amount of meat that was in my chicken… Read more »
My heart wants to give this place 10 stars. However, I need to be rational; all 1 people reading my reviews depend on my clear-headed honesty.
The food here is good. It's quality, dependable food with solid flavors and a genuine regard for healthful cooking. However, I found the portions to be a bit small for the price, and while quality is invaluable, I have had quality food in Austin that leaves me some leftovers. Even with a $10 coupon to go try it out, no-leftovers dinner for two was 22 bucks. So otherwise $32 for a cafeteria-style setting, good food that fills to the "content" point, and having to go up and order anything else you want... I don't know. Some folks might be all right with that on a normal basis. The chicken kebab was trustworthy, but just a single kebab with small pieces on it. The pita that came out was cut into small triangles that made it hard to pita my chicken and veggies into it. That made me sad.
But the owner is a real reason to amp up the stars. This sweet woman came over and had my nearly-vegetarian boy convinced to come back and try a meat gyro. She was very interested in knowing how we enjoyed our meals, and was just a darling mom type. It made us feel at home.
I'd go back to try something else. What the hey.
beef souvlaki plate. $12. potatoes and hummus too lemon-y. possibly the hardest hummus to swallow because of that. the pita, on the other hand, was pretty darn good. nice and warm, with a slightly buttery texture. the two half-skewers of beef were overly salty. it was tender, just too much salt on a good piece of meat. i doubt this warrants another visit. maybe give it a 2nd chance with the gyro. thumbs up for the student discount though!
Is it just me or aren't Gyros suppose to be made out of lamb not pork? or a combination of lamb and beef roasted all day on one of those spit things? I'll have to admit I was a little disappointed when I arrived at El Greco with lamb gyro on my mind all day.. only to find that they don't have lamb gyros. Only pork and chicken. I went with the chicken gyro instead.
I was hoping the chicken was the spit style chicken, but it wasn't. While still good, it just wasn't the same. I still got my tzatziki, feta, olive, and lemon fix however. Had a greek salad with all the fixins' of plentiful romaine, feta, red onion, kalamata olives, and tomato.
The portions were big, the pita bread was fresh, and the owner stopped by our table to see how we were doing, so that was a plus. I'd give the food 3.5 stars and the extra .5 for the service.
I can't claim to be an expert on what good greek food is, but I'd like to say that I have some knowledge of it. My claim to fame is that I dated a greek guy for a couple of years whose parents owned a Greek Restaurant..so you definitely won't see me ordering Giros at Jack-in-the-Box anytime soon....remember when they used to sell those there? Now that's scary.
I spent two weeks in Greece almost a decade ago, and (like all boorish buffoons who try to appear more worldly than they are in a lame attempt to impress people) I consider myself the world's foremost expert on Hellenic cuisine.
I'm kidding. Mostly I just get really, really excited about Mythos beer. I spent a lot of time drinking a lot of Mythos beer when I was in Greece. So El Greco would probably get five stars from me solely based just on their Mythos beer availability. One sip of the Coors Light of Greece and I'm sunning on the shores of the Aegean talking pretentiously about Euripides like it's the summer of 2000, man. Good times.
ANYWAY, the food at El Greco is excellent too. I've had everything on the menu now, I think. Best pita bread I've ever had. Awesome gyro meat. Appropriately rich moussaka. Great Avgolemono. Particularly well-seasoned souvlaki.
The folks at the counter are nice and, though most menu items are a tad overpriced, I've never had to pay for extra tzaziki. Score.
Yes, it's a tad expensive, but the food is really fresh and delicious. I really love their chick pea salad, the hummus and the chicken gyro platter.
Kid-friendly and casual with no parking problems.
Gordon Ramsay Alert!!
I wanted to give this restaurant a higher rating. I really did. I even went there twice, and once with a friend where we ordered about 6 different things, hoping to find out how excellent the food really was.
Hmmm. Okay. I have NOT tried everything on the menu. Don't order the grilled octopus unless you want to gross out your date or your little sister. Just looking at the dried little things was somewhat creepy. The moussaka? Eh. Good enough to eat, but nothing to write home about. Spinakopita? I tried this two different times on two different days. No, sorry. Too small of portions AND not a winning flavor. Salad? YES. I loved the salad (though it was a pretty simple dish). Zucchini patties? YES. They came with a dip and were very nice. The desserts, when the ingredients are read out loud, all sound like variations of the exact same dessert and all have a honey syrup. We got the most special-looking one. Eh. Nothing either of us would ever order again. I got a couple other things but they were too forgettable and I honestly can't remember what they were.
Now for the up side. The people are NICE. The ambiance in the restaurant is nice. Real Greek family with mom and son run it. That's nice too. Oh, and they give 15% discount if you live in the neighborhood too. (With their inflated prices you really NEED the discount.) They have Sweetleaf tea. That was nice.
No. Something is very wrong here. I'm no restaurant expert but I won't be going there again unless I hear that Gordon Ramsay has done his magic on it. Actually I feel this is a restaurant WORTHY of being set straight by Gordon Ramsay. Anybody know Gordon? Please tell him about this place!!!
Overpriced for one thing. My friend and I had a bill of 45 dollars for two entrees, an appetizer and one beverage (i had ed's aquifier tap water). For this price, and only counter service, the food had better be phenomenal.
It was precisely 35 minutes from the time our ticket printed to the time we received the not so appetizing appetizer, the "eggplant dip"--which was kinda boring and runny. I was expecting baba ganoush--or something along these lines. They really skimp on the pita--there was tons more dip than bread--which was fine, i reckon, since it wasn't too good. Guess if you like what's left you can scoop it up and eat it with your spoon. Forget asking for more pita bread. The food runner was way in the weeds (with not that many customers) and it certainly would have taken a while.
I ordered another eggplant casserole type dish as my entree that was described as "Vegan" on the menu. It came out slathered with feta cheese--that stuff that is stolen from mama goat and made to smell like vomit. Why on earth would they put "vegan" on an item that so clearly is not? So I had to send that back and wait another 10 minutes. What I ultimately got was okay. Nothing to write home about. My homemade baba ganoush and moussakka blows theirs away, and I don't purport to be an accomplished preparer of this type of food.
Additionally, the entree came with a "salad." I've seen more generous portions of plate garnishes than the few leaves of lettuce and shredded carrots that were served up in the corner of the small oval shaped plate.
Disappointing because I had heard good things about this place. I've never been to Athens but I lived near "Greek Town" in Baltimore for years, so I know how good this cuisine can be. I'll walk down to Tom's Tablouley next time to get better food for a fraction of the cost...even though Tom can't spell ;-)
We came here for a friend's birthday because Jade Leaves closed on Mondays. You order your food at the counter, but the service was eh...
Since an entree comes with a salad or a soup, I wanted to have a soup instead. The waitress recommended this tomato-based soup to me since I love tomato soups. Turned out it was just a pinto soup with some tomatoes in, which made me already quite disappointed. Our entrees were big in portions. I liked my dish, eggplant boat. The pita bread tasted pretty good, and so was the hummus. We squeezed in a small table to eat and one of our friends even needed to put his food on his knee. The service again disappointed us. The waitress did not check on us at all after she brought all of our orders...
I'm indecisive. That may surprise some of you, but it's true. I don't lie!
That's why the 6 Dip sampler thing was perfect for us. I don't even know which ones we got, but I do know they were good. The olive dip was really salty, and I probably wouldn't get that one again, but overall, they were all very tasty. The pita was awesome.
I had the Soulvaki Plate with Greek Salad (instead of two sides). It was all delicious. I'd order it again, but there are also other things I'd love to try.
If I'm back on that side of town I'd go again for sure.
My addiction to Mexican food seems to have been replaced with a quest for Greek as of late. (Probably better for the waistline, eh?) Seeing as how I haven't found a lot of choices in the area, I can't resist trying a new restaurant when I find one.
I visited El Greco this afternoon for lunch - and it perfectly satiated my newest addiction. Granted - I went safe and ordered a chicken gyro w/ a hummus side. They had a lunch special - $9.99 for dish plus side & drink. It's a little more than I typically spend for lunch - but what the heck... I'm worth it.
I will admit, it took a little time to get my food. However, I was catching up on some reading & barely noticed. And as soon as my food was delivered, I didn't even think of my $10 lunch or how long I waited. Believe me.... there was more than enough food & it was worth the wait!
The gyro was full of perfectly grilled chicken cut into the perfect bite size pieces (I hate it when the meat is cut into strips that require you to gnaw it in half while attempting to take a bite of said sandwich/wrap). The cucumber sauce was a great addition - and the pita/gyro wrap perfectly tasty. And it was huge! There was no skimping on meat. The hummus was delish. It was very different from what I'm used to - it had a tangy, almost lemon like flavor. Great lightness flavor was perfect for a hot day. I left with a full belly and a great taste for sure.
And one more item to note - this is a family establishment. Even though the place was nearly packed during lunch, the mother was so sweet & checked in to make sure everything was okay throughout the meal. Everyone was friendly & helpful.
OH AND.... while I typically am pained to eat on Guadalupe (parking!) - there is ample free parking. Even better!
I have had several requests for our family avgolemono recipe, so just thought I'd post it. Off the hook greatness!!
Here it is: makes 3-4 servings
Ingredients:
49 oz chicken broth (homemade is best, but store bought such as Swanson's will do)
1/2 cup Orzo
Juice of 4 lemons
4 eggs
1/2 tsp corn starch (optional if you like it thicker)
Bring broth to boil and add orzo. Cook for about 9 minutes until orzo is cooked and then remove from heat.
Remove one cup of broth and allow it to cool until room temperature.
Meanwhile, in a bowl beat eggs and lemon juice until foamy. Slowly add the lukewarm broth to the egg mixture.
Then, VERY SLOWLY add the egg/broth mixture back into to the soup on low heat stirring constantly until soup thickens (This is when you add the cornstarch if you like).
Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
It can be refrigerated then reheated by stirring constantly over a double boiler.
I also add chopped sauteed onions and red bell pepper and cooked chicken breast to it sometimes for a little kick.
Hmmm.... Very expensive for starters. I am married to a Greek family mind you, so I KNOW how good… Read more »
I said I wanted to try other things there, and I have.
Calamari: I don't say this lightly--this is some of the best fried calamari I've ever had. Very lightly tossed in a seasoned flour mix, fried perfectly, and VERY tender. It was served with what looked like mashed potatoes but was actually a giant pile of chilled garlic dip. Lemony, delightful, amazing. A definite must.
Chicken Avgolemono (Greek chicken soup): I love a good soup and my criteria are simple. 1) comforting 2) not boring 3) not so overpowering that I tire of eating it halfway through the bowl. This soup is so good. Chicken broth thickened with egg and flavored with lemon, chicken, and rice. That's it. The broth reminded me of how I make chicken and dumplings both in flavor and consistency. The lemon was subtle; I never felt like I was eating lemon-flavored soup but it really brought out some of the spices. The rice was soft and cooked down, more like risotto and it also thickened the soup. I would eat this constantly and I almost can't wait to have a cold just so I have an excuse to send my girlfriend out to fetch me a giant bowl of this.
A brief word on the size of the soup--the "cup" of soup is as large as a "bowl" as most other restaurants, and their "bowl" is just massive. The price for a cup at El Greco seems a little crazy at first, ($5.99 for a cup, $9.99 for a bowl) but really, look at how much you're getting for that price. Don't let the terms fool you. On the menu it says that you have to pay extra to get pita with your soup, but today it came without me saying a thing or paying extra. Ask to see the sizes before you get sticker shock.
Penne Gorgonzola: This dish is just sinful. The gorgonzola cream sauce is one of the most decadent things to enter my mouth since I went home to Louisiana last May. It tastes very fresh, and I suspect that it was made especially for me and then tossed upon my al dente penne. You can taste the butter and heavy cream that goes into it. The gorgonzola (which can be overpowering if mishandled) was just right. Definitely present but not knocking me backwards. For my optional topping, I got the grilled shrimp which arrived suspended over my bowl on a skewer. It's easy to overcook shrimp, especially on a grill but these were succulent, buttery, and rubbed with a spice that complemented the creamy sauce.
Another great meal at El Greco!!
I've eaten here twice now and I must say, this food is damn good.
Last night a friend and I headed…
Read more »
I don't know who the eff Gordon Ramsay is, but I thought El Greco was pretty damn tasty. Parking lot rocked too. Try the chicken gyro for sure.
As a Greek-American living in Austin, it's not often I can enjoy home-style (almost like Mom's) Greek food. I grew up eating Greek cooking at least twice per week and it's one of the best cuisines because it's always about using fresh vegetables, meats and fish, lots of lemon, olive oil and herbs and cooked to perfection. So other than a couple yearly trips back to Boston with the family, quality Greek food is just not easy to come by here in the great city of Austin.
I was really happy when the Athenian Grill opened it's doors downtown but sadly, they closed last year. They made a valiant go of it and the food, while not spectacular, was Greek and it was even owned and operated by a Greek (always a plus). So when they closed their doors, I moved my focus to Tino's Greek Cafe. They have three locations in Austin but none close to downtown. The food is not bad, but not quite premium Greek food. In fact the owner, although ethnic in background, is not Greek.
So things were looking quite grim for us Greeks and Greek food loving patrons in Austin until a newcomer, El Greco, arrived. El Greco is located on 3016 Guadalupe (and 31st next to Mangia). You can park conveniently out back in a parking garage.
It's owner and head chef is James Konstantinidis. His last name is not unlike my Greek first name- Konstandino (or Constantine). So we already have some common ground. One of my good Greek friends in Austin, Alex Chaniotis, who's opinion on food (especially Greek) I fully trust, gave it his full endorsement and suggested I try it. So yesterday, I took my wife and sister in law there to give it a try for lunch.
I feel the very best way to initially judge a Greek restaurant of any kind is to try their signature gyro. I ordered the chicken gyro pronounced (yee-roh) with great anticipation. El Greco makes gyros with a "traditional hand made recipe" meaning it's fresh and they cook the meat to order. So it takes a bit longer than your average gyro joint. It was delicious. The Tzatziki sauce was superb and you will be tasting the garlic all day long. I can safely say it's the best gyro now available in Austin.
Of course, gyro's are only one of many delicious meals available at El Greco. They have all the favorites like avgolemono soup, souvlaki, dolmathakia (stuffed grape leaves), spanagopita (spinach pie), lamb chops, pastitcio, moussaka and a superb array of Greek desserts like baklava, galaktoboureko and others. Wash it all down with a deep selection of Greek wines and beers. The menu was very extensive and even had more "Texas friendly" options like "Greek" burger. The only real negative I have to add is that it took a longer than expected amount of time for the gyros to be ready after ordering. Not sure why but it was almost shockingly long...hope this gets worked out,
They did very nice job laying out the restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating. The outdoor seating was not fully set up yet but it should be a very nice place to enjoy your meal. No traditional Greek restaurant would be complete without pictures of Greece and the islands and El Greco comes strong with large colored photos of the old country that bring back alot of memories to those lucky enough to travel to Greece.
In summary, El Greco is a winner and fully delivers a great Greek cuisine experience. I can't wait to go back and hope to meet James sometime and thank him for bringing me a taste of home right here in Austin.
Enjoy!
http://www.nineten.net
After a herculean effort by Mayor Don P., followed by what could only be described as a comedy of errors, less than half of the newly-formed Yelp Hundy Club arrived at El Greco for our first meeting. Fortunately, it was well worth the effort (especially since Don did most of the work).
In keeping with our inability to be organized about meeting, the three of us all ordered the exact same thing, precluding us from sampling much off the menu. We each had a small Greek salad (well, Chad got crazy and ordered a small bowl of soup, too). Don and I had meat on ours; I don't remember whether Chad did. I was initially worried that the small sized salad wouldn't be enough to fill me up, but it definitely was. Of course, even the small cost almost $9, so I guess that's only fair (prices here are the same at lunch and dinner; they did have a few specials on the blackboard, but I wasn't sure whether those were particular to lunch or just the specials of the day).
The salad was good and fresh, and the meat was well-seasoned and there was quite a bit of it. I'd say it was a 3-1/2 star salad - a perfectly solid meal, but nothing that knocked my socks off or anything.
What brought the experience up to four stars (besides the company of two very cool Yelpers) was the fact that the owner stopped by our table to ask how we liked our meals. Of course, since Don is the Friendliest Guy in Austin, he immediately hit it off with her - so much so that I felt sure that any minute she was going to ask him over to her house to meet her daughter or something. Instead, she offered up a different sort of child - a taste of her delicious stuffed calamari. It was the stuff of comfort food, the way the warmth and buttery-ness of it sort of wrapped around your tongue and cuddled it. Don and Chad were all polite and barely ate any of it, so I was forced to make a pig of myself, because I couldn't bear to leave it on the plate. Definitely need to go back and try that, and some of the other more substantial fare on the menu, as well.
The decor is casual and clean, nothing fancy or unusual, but perfectly serviceable.
El Greco is definitely worth a second look, especially at dinner time when the prices are more in keeping with the other choices out there.
I went to El Greco for the first time ever the other day, and I was not disappointed.
I will have to say, they are on the pricier side. But once I ate I realized it was totally worth it.
My sister and I got some hummus and pita bread to munch on before or food came out, and it was SOOOOO GOOD! Best hummus I have had in Austin (other than the kind I create in my kitchen) since Ararat closed.
I got the falafal gyro, and it was amazing. The falafal is the Greek version, which means no chickpeas and just alot of fluffy goodness. It was savory and light and not too greasy at all. Sauce was delicious as well. My sister got a pork gyro and said it was delicious as well. I dont eat meat, but the pork looked very fresh and not like the processed junk you get at some places when you order a gyro.
The best best best part is the PITA BREAD. They said they import it from New York and I was seriously gonna ask him to order me a case full. It is SOOOOOO light and flavorful and amazing and perfect. And I definitely consider myself a pita connoisseur.
The service was great, the owner or manager was so nice and thanked me over and over for coming while I was raving to him about how awesome my falafel was.
I'm pretty sure lunch with Yelpers merits a solid four stars (at least the two All-Stars I dined with today), even if the food is crap and the service sucks. Fortunately, this was not the case at El Greco.
Being the brilliant peruser of menus that I am, I ordered a small Greek salad and small bowl of Fasolada - white bean and vegetable soup. That was when the cute and friendly young lady working the counter pointed out with a smile, "Mmyyyeaaahhh, you might want to try the Combo" (small soup and salad, right there on the menu - $2 cheaper). Sold!
I'm happy to report that both were tasty...I had them throw a little protein onto the salad, which was some kind of Greek prepared pork....what they put into the gyros. It was good, but I'm pretty sure they charged me $3 extra for it, so my only complaint would be that there wasn't more of it. The soup was also good, but would have been perfect with a nice dousing of green Tabasco.
Service was surprising good for an order at the counter place. We were smiled at a lot and checked on to make sure all was well, plates were taken away at the appropriate times, and we were even visited by the owner, a nice lady we chatted with for a few minutes, and afterwards she gave us a stuffed calamari to try (was she onto our yelperness?). It was good, but compared with Italian style stuffed calamari...well, there's a reason why there are about ten times as many Italian restaurants as Greek restaurants.
I would definitely like to try the gyros, and explore more of the menu...so I'll stop by next time I'm in the area and feel like getting my Greek on.
El Greco serves up some tasty Greek chow that's worth Yelpin' about. There are a few flaws that keep it from 4 or 5 star-worthiness.
First, the food. I had a gyro platter (chicken) and combined my 2 sides (included with the plate) into a side Greek salad. The chicken was moist and flava-full. The salad was also better than average although it was the standard 'field greens' mix that restaurants seem to pawn off on diners everywhere (thank you, Sysco). I ordered a side of Greco fries which were nicely flavored with oregano and thyme. For dessert, I had the baklava (excellent, lots of honey but smallish - the size of a beer coaster - for $4). I was a bit put off by the price for my meal: $25.09 with tax (and a cola to drink). But the food was definitely good - worth returning for.
The downside of El Greco is the service. The waitstaff started stacking chairs on tables to prep for closing some 15 minutes before they actually closed. Not good. The cashier charged me an 'upgrade' for the side salad even though it was gratis.
El Greco is worth checking out. It's a chef-owned place using family recipes. Nothing fancy on the inside (very simple interior decor) but the food is good. 3 stars (could have been 5 stars except for service glitches and being a bit pricey).
This review is about soup, or more accurately, my inability to come to terms with how expensive the soup is at El Greco.
I love soup, so normally when I try a new place with good sounding soups, I check them out. El Greco has three soup choices - avgolemono (chicken and rice in a lemony broth), fasolada (white bean) and beef veggie (self-expanatory). I had planned to get a couple of the soups for lunch, but was knocked back by the price - $5.99 for a CUP, and $9.99 for a BOWL. Are you kidding me? Plus to get any pitas included, you have to pay an additional $1.25? So let me get this straight - two CUPS of soup and a side of pita is over $13?
I would have just walked out, but I was with two co-workers who were hungry, so I ended up getting a gyro. Very serviceable, but at $10.81 for a chicken gyro with tabouli and a drink, too expensive, especially since you order at the counter, seat yourself and get your own drinks.
Oh well. I guess I'll just continue to get my avgolemono, fasolada and beef veggie from the Soup Peddler, and my gyros from Phoenicia.
I have been to El Greco about 5 times. I really don't understand what people are whining about. So the food is a little more expensive and you might have to wait longer than you would in line at KFC. The food is being prepared by real people, yo. I was chef at a wine bar here in town and a few women (it's usually my species unfortunately) would bitch about needing to eat immediately. Um Burger King is across the street I wanted to say.
It's so American to complain about how long it takes a chef to prepare your meal. I have 2 small children (ages 4 and 1) that I take to El Greco. They love the food, especially the orzo and pork. Sometimes I have found certain things to be a bit salty for my taste, but such is life. Other times it's right on. I prefer things to taste differently each visit anyway, means it didn't come from a bag in a freezer.
Yay for local restaurants, baklava, and lamb. Lamb sucks in Austin, but it's pretty decent here. I think the prices are fair for the food. If my kids can wait for their meal, so can you. You can do it, I believe in you. Now go get some Greek food and support the toques.
Well, I'm torn between three and four stars... so I'll give it a hearty 3 1/2, perhaps to be updated later. It's a tad pricey for lunch, my Souvlaki Sandwich with shrimp came out to $6.50 and is served a la carte. My partner and I ordered a side of fries to complement our flatbread sandwiches, it was a pretty decent sized side for $3. He ordered a traditional gyro, which was pointed out to us by the guy taking our order that gyros aren't traditionally made with lamb... something that came as a surprise to both of us. My sandwich was pretty tasty, but not quite $6.50 tasty.
The service we received was wonderful, the order taker was very friendly and talkative. He seemed to know what he was talking about... we mentioned a recent trip to the movies and he pulled out free movie passes for us... too bad it was for a screening back in December! But it's that thought that counts, right? There was only one other person in the restaurant and we were consistently checked on to make sure our food came out correctly and we were satisfied with the experience.
They have a curious style, though. Real plates and silverware, complemented with styrofoam cups. As far as charging for a cup for water, I didn't notice. They also have several types of beer, which you grab from an ice chest and a couple different types of wines. The display case looked slightly empty, but everything that was in it was clearly labeled. There was a lunch special board prominently displayed, but we'd missed the lunch hour.... perhaps they should've taken it down as the lunch hour ended.
Tasty food overall, but I think I'd head the couple blocks down to Miltos to get more for my money.
We have been here twice and this is one of my favorite restaurants. The BF lived in Greece for quite some time and he promises that it is quite authentic. Greek food is one of my favs and I love the food here.
What we have had:
Spanakopita: filo is perfectly flaky and the filing is piping hot and well balanced between the spinach, feta and herbs
Tarama: yum! I didn't think I would like caviar dip, but I was wrong!
Tabouli: super fresh and perfect
Gyro plate: if you want the squished up mystery meat on a spit, this is not for you. Succulent pork is what I got. The yogurt sauce is the best in Austin I think.
Souvlaki Plate: BF ate it all in 5 minutes flat!
Char Grilled Lamb Chops: my new fave! It seems great care is taken with the marinade.
Lamb Shank: this was a special. If you see this on the menu, grab it while you can.
My regular sides are the rice and peas...sticking with them cuz they are that good. The grilled pitas are perfection.
We've had 2 desserts there...wait make that three!!! Baklava is great. It's flaky and fresh. It's not all gummy and gross like some in this town that have been sitting around for days it would seem. The ravanee and ekmek kataifi are not my favorites, but I don't like wet cake. The flavor is good, and BF loved it...but he also likes rum cake, cake and ice cream and other wet pastries.
I've never seen styrofoam cups. But the way we completely avoid that is by ordering a bottle of wine with dinner. The selection of Greek wines is good and you can always find something to complement the meal.
The service has been impeccable both times. Yes, you order and pay first. Grab your number, find a table and relax with some wine while you wait. Athena, Jake and Kiki (owners and chefs) are all wonderful! If you actually engage in a conversation with them rather than going in with a funky attitude, maybe you will step outside of the taco zone and explore a different cuisine. This is a Greek restaurant, not McDonald's. Your food is fresh and prepared AFTER you order it. Trust me, it's worth the wait!
I was so stoked that a Greek Resturant opened in Austin! Especiallly since Athenian Grill is not currently open...or is it...confusing business that. I really really wanted to love it and call it my new home.
So my boyfriend and I went to check it out this Saturday.
I guess I should tell you that I am Greek, my dad is an awesome cook, and I have eaten at a bizillion resturants like this, or even more greasy spoon divey Greek resturants, back home in DC. In otherwords, I know what I am ordering and I have expectations. But I also have experienced a wide variety of the things I like. I am pretty forgiving if it means I don't have to cook!
Dinner for 2 was 50 bucks, which I found pricey even with a bottle of wine. I
Ok the wine... the Retsina was really SWEET... which is so weird because Retsina means resin, as they are casked in PINE and take on a really dry pine resin flavor...ususally. This was weirdly sweet and not very flavorful at all.
For the food, we started with the Tarama. Now I would never suggest anyone try this dish anywhere. Taramasalada is a totally aquired taste, it is essentially a dip made of potatoes, Salmon row, olive oil , lemon and onion. It is kind of hard to mess up. And theirs was good. My boyfriend had the obligatory dip and then let me devour the rest. Yummy! You will probably not like it unless you love a salty fishy dip thingy.
Then we had Spanakopita. It was a nice portion, two pieces. It was totally undercooked AND bland. If you like soggy uncooked Phyllo Dough then rock on with the Spanakopita but otherwise.. NO.
Next up Avgolemono Soup. Which means Egg Lemon soup and is supposed to be a yummy THICK chicken and lemon soup. The cure for what ails any homesick Greek. However this should have been called watery chicken and rice with canned chicken. It came out and my boyfriend was like...what is this...this is WRONG. It was SOOO Watery and there was not a hint of lemon. Short grain rice instead of long grain or ORZO..is a style I have never seen. I ate two spoonfuls and left the rest. Again with the Bland. Sadness.
The pork souvlaki was pretty yummy. The meat was marinaded to yummy goodness. The tzatziki was decent. I am used to getting it with tomatoes and onions, which there were none. The Manestra (Orzo) was good but kind of bland. The Greek Style peas tasted like the can they came from. They wereleft on the plate as well.
Service? I guess the guy who took our order was nice enough. The food came to our table in an acceptable amount of time. The rest of the staff was pretty uninterested. No one ever came over to ask us how our meal was.
I am giving it three stars because I got Tarma and that is mostly impossible here in Austin, otherwise it would be 2-2.5 stars. Also I will probably go back because it is Greek and near my house and I can try other stuff. But really my experience was the sadness making.
It seems like El Greco has gotten their act together service-wise. They have plastic glasses now (I'm assuming they were waiting for the glasses to come in?), both people taking orders were helpful and polite, and our food arrived quickly.
I had a pork gyro with fries and our table shared an order of dolthmakia (stuffed grape leaves) and all of it was wonderful! The pita was warm and fluffy and the meat and sauce were tasty, the fries are skinny and long and seasoned with herbs, and the dolthmakia were sooooo good. I wanted more of everything even though I was stuffed. Everyone was very happy with their food - chicken gyro, vegan plate, and gorgonzola penne.
It is a few dollars more than I would normally spend for lunch - the gyro, fries and drink were $9.99 - but the food is so good that it's totally worth it.
I would encourage them to lose a few tables as they have them so close to each other that it's difficult to maneuver from the front to the back of the eating area.
Average and over-priced. I was really looking forward to El Greco opening up--it was located in my neighborhood and on my way home from work...perfect!
The first time my wife and I tried it, we got food to go. We got a couple of platters and the "trio" so we could try a bunch of things. $40 for what is essentially street food and they botch the order. Oh, well--they had just opened...
We got take home again a couple of weeks later and again--they botch the to-go order.
We ate at the restaurant for the 3rd and final time. They got that order right, but the food is just ok and you pay more than you should for it.
I agree with some of the other posts--you'll get good food and a way better value at Tinos.
Seriously? No one has reviewed this place yet. Well, I am just pleased as punch to be able to tell all of you that this new Greek restaurant, which is just down the street from my house, totally owns.
If you only ever drive north on Guadalupe between the university and 38th Street, then you will probably never notice this little gem tucked behind the new Mangia across from Wheatsvile, but pay attention! Parking is super easy, there was absolutely no wait to order or for a table and the gyro that I sunk my teeth into was nothing short of heavenly.
Here's the deal, I work in Northwest Austin, but was down north university way today to get the unwanted parts of my eyebrows ripped off by my wonderful aesthetician, Danielle. I thought, "Hey, what could possibly make the self inflicted pain and suffering of having hair ripped out of my face go away? Greek food!" (I think it has something to do with the yogurt cucumber spread.)
So anyway, I left Viva and headed over to El Greco. I have to say that when I walked in I was a little bit overwhelmed by the menu selection (but not as much as I am by the Greek restaurant up by my work and its conveyor-belt like service), so I decided to play it safe and just go with the traditional pork gyro. The restaurant itself feels a little bit like a mall pizza joint, but whatevs. I think it just needs some breaking in. My counter help fellow was nice, slightly timid, but nice and had me rung up and paid out in a jif.
I waited patiently for my tasty sammich (or wrap, if you are a purist) and watched the chefs through the open kitchen. I also grabbed a to-go menu, as I don't know much about greek food beyond spanikopita and baklava and would like to be more confident in my ordering next time.
The gyro took a little bit longer to make than I had expected, but one of the cooks brought it out to me personally and thanked me for my patience (I'm not in any hurry to get back to work, chef!)
I was going to wait until I got back to my desk to eat, but decided to try just one bite before it got cold. I was at about 34th and Lamar at that point. Well, once I sank my teeth into that little beauty, it done me in! The make their own pita, and it is incredibly tender and delicious, unlike the cardboard circles you buy at the grocery. The tzatsiki (Yogurt Cucumber Sauce) was perfectly piquant and the spit-roasted pork was moist and flavorful. The onions on my gyro were a little strong, but I powered through and had eaten the entire thing by the time I reached Mo-Park. All I could think about was how I wanted another one - RIGHT NOW!
I can't wait to try all of their offerings, as they seem to be a mom and pop shop (lots of "family recipe" mentions on the to-go menu) and I want them to stick around so that I can have delicious greek food at arms length. I think tomorrow I'll get some hummus and maybe some lamb chops for dinner.
This restaurant was recommended to me by a fellow coworker. At work they know I am of Turkish origin so whenever they discover a new Greek or Middle Eastern restaurant they consider it their duty to tell me where it is. They must be thinking that I am hungering for Middle Eastern food in this land of burgers and fries. Well not really. Don't get me wrong I will eat Middle Eastern food any day but the kind you find in the US is usually the restaurant food and not the home cooked food. The restaurant food is ok but always ends up richer, heavier and larger portions than I would like. So I always have misgivings about eating Middle Eastern food in the US -- a few Turkish restaurants in NYC excepted.
El Greco is located on Guadalupe and 31st Street in a brand new building. The building has its own private multistorey parking lot in the back. -- so parking is a no brainer. The restaurant is located on the 31st street side and overall looks nice from the outside and the inside is well taken care of. Echo is a problem but these days you can not walk into a new restaurant and not be forced to contend with exposed concrete and steel everywhere.
You place your order up front. The person at the register didn't know much about the dishes. I asked a few obvious questions and he failed them all. I asked him if they broil or grill the eggplant that goes into the eggplant dip -- he said it was not cooked. WRONG!
We ordered the eggplant dip, the hummus, spanakopitas, tropitas, and a Gryo plate with chicken, orzo pasta and potatoes as sides.
First off the selection of sides for the plate meals were a sad 4-5 items that had nothing to do with Greek food. Orzo pasta??? The potatoes recommended by the guy that took our order, were grainy, greasy, and well didn't taste good at all. The chicken was greasy, and all in these little tiny burnt chunks. I know it comes from the spindle and all but this chicken was just well inedible. The orzo pasta was the only thing I could eat from my entree dish.
The hummus was great but it tasted like it was out of a can. The eggplant dip was the star of the night. It was just the right amount of smokey and it was just delicious. I could not get enough of it.
The spanakopita was salty and dry. The tiropita was tolerable.
This is a pricey establishment. I paid 22 dollars for the eggplant dip and the gyro plate(that I did not really eat at all).
On the way out we also grabbed dessert. Ekmek Kadayif and coiled baklava. The baklava tasted great and was just right. Ekmek Kadayif was horse of a different color bringing together Kadayif(shredded filo), cake(samolina cake) and whipped cream top in a way that's tasty but but has nothing to do with the traditional Ekmek Kadayifi which should be a light airy cake like slab soaked in syrup and topped with a solid chunk of cream.
The atmosphere feels a lot more like a lunch place than a dinner place. Definitely not a dress up to dine out kind of place. And for lunch I think it's just too pricey.
Also there's not one Greek person in this restaurant. What kind of a Greek restaurant is this??
As someone that grew up in a Greek-Turkish household, I would not recommend this restaurant.
First off, they no longer have styrofoam cups. The decor is not very welcoming and the black/white paint scheme leaves alot to be desired. The staff seems to have fixed some of the problems mentioned below and are prompt/courteous. It seems as though it is becoming more popular as well since there were at least 15 people eating in there tonight.
The food is very tasty and seems to be thoughtfully prepared with many vegetarian options. The items we tried below were all better than similar items at Arpeggio Grill and Sarah's.
Tiropita - baked fillo stuffed with feta and herbs tasted a little like fillo stuffed with ricotta, but was a nice appetizer
Spanakopita - the spinach/herb filling was nice and garlicky
Greek Village Salad - ordered the small, but it was huge. Very fresh ingredients and the dressing complimented it without overwhelming the salad.
El Greco Trio w/ Hummus, Tabouli, and Olive Pepper Spread All three spreads tasted great and the pita bread was nicely grilled and salted.
On the way out, we tried a sample of the baba ghanoush and this was much better than any other I have tried in Austin. Still not as good as what Ararat used to serve, but their version was incredible.
The four-star rating is for the food, but the service leaves much to be desired. The owners obviously know how to make authentic Mediterranean food, but have little to no experience running a restaurant.
When a friend and I went to check it out for dinner recently, we waited a ridiculous amount of time for our orders -- about 1/2 an hour. Fortunately, I'd gotten a dessert (an excellent galaktoboureko -- Greek baked custard) to eat first so I wasn't mindless with hunger by the time the food finally arrived. There'd been a mix-up and the owner told us they'd accidentally made ours to-go. Instead of just bringing it out in the takeout containers, we had to wait another 10 minutes for it to come out on plates.
I had the traditional pork gyro ($7), which had a lot of flavor encased in a piping-hot pita. My friend had the chicken gyro plate with potatoes and spicy peas, which she liked but didn't feel was worth the $11+ price since the portions didn't allow for leftovers. And, yes, if you want water, you are charged for the plastic cup. With the $5 dessert and a soda, my bill alone came out to about $15.
There were plenty of diners there on the Tuesday night we went, but I wonder how long the place will last with its prices and obviously high overhead. The owner was really friendly and knowledgeable and his mom, who makes all the desserts, kept coming by to check on us. But a diner's good will evaporates fast while waiting with a considerably lighter wallet and an empty stomach.
5 star food.
3 star price.
Prices are a little high, but it's always a treat to go here. Get the mousaka or pastitsio. Really awesome. Avoid the grilled octupus. It's 20 times better in Crete.
I am shocked that the rating here is so low! I thought I didn't even like Greek food until El Greco. I went once with a friend and have gone back two other times with other people. It is a fantastic place.
In regards to the varying degrees of service people encountered, I've never had anything less than a positive experience. However, the restaurant opened only a month ago; I imagine they've been hitting their stride since then. Cut them some slack. Oh, and last time I went, there was no styrofoam! Real cups from now on.
The food is...impeccable. I cannot stress this enough. I've been to this restaurant with a total of 7 other people, and no one has EVER had anything to say than glowing, glowing things.
If you're unsure of what to get, ask Jake. He is exceptionally helpful and will certainly recommend something you'll like. His mother makes the desserts and she is great. They are friendly, personable people, as are the cooks and every member of the wait staff I have encountered.
The tzasiki (sp?) sauce and pita bread is a great place to start, as is the grilled piquant peppers stuffed with feta, as is the baby octopus, as is--just pick anything and enjoy. I've never gone wrong.
i am not greek and i've never been to greece, but i love greek food. i could bathe in a vat of tzatziki and eat dolmades forever more. but i digress.
i had high hopes for el greco - good greek food relatively close to my house?! sadly, no. the atmosphere isn't bad - kind of random, but not uncomfortable. the staff is nice (except the owner's mother, who yelled unnecessarily at two of the counter employees while i was standing right there), if not particularly knowledgeable. unfortunately, the food was just mediocre. we started with hummus which was over-priced and under-seasoned, but ironically accompanied by pita that would have been delicious had it not been over-seasoned. i had the beeftekee with sides of greco fries and greco orzo (peas are the only non-starchy side option other than subbing both sides for a salad). the beef was mediocre at best. neither the flavor nor the texture rocked my world. the orzo was actually quite good, but the fries were painfully over-seasoned. just adding oregano does not a tasty dish make. i took the chicken souvlaki sandwich home to my husband. it was decent, but nothing to write home about. all in all, i spent around $30 to feed 2 people which was in no way justified by either the experience or the taste of the food. way too pricey for what it is...
i had a great time with the friend i met there, but she and i always have a great time. i will maybe give el greco one more try. maybe. i am hoping that they get their act together and become the delicious neighborhood greek cafe that i SO want them to be. as of right now, i am more than a little skeptical.
Neighborhood: University of Texas
Category: Burgers
Austin, TX
Category: Pizza
Neighborhood: University of Texas
Category: Greek
Neighborhood: University of Texas
Category: Pizza
Austin, TX
Category: Greek
Good lunch eatin'. I work in the Capitol Complex…
