"The lamb chops were absolutely the best, a delicious meal."
(in 124 reviews)
"love the phyllo wrapped custard with pistachio ice cream."
(in 33 reviews)
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Evvia Estiatorio
Rating Details »
- Hours:
Mon-Thu. 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Mon-Thu. 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri. 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Fri. 5:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good for:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
464 reviews for Evvia Estiatorio
Review Highlights
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Although Evvia is currently closed due to a fire on 9/24/09. I am looking forward to their reopening soon. In the meantime i head over to their sister resto in SF kokkari.
Evvia has great quality food, Its always packed so you always need a reservation. Lots of business men/women from the south bay area head over there for lunch and dinner.
The food is quality and consistent good portions and good flavors.
Everything about Evvia is amazing. This does mean however that reservations are a must because this place is ALWAYS packed. I first went with some girlfriends on a Tuesday night ...around 8pm (no reservations) and we didn't get seated until 9.
That being said, it was well worth the wait. Attentive servers, delicious food... and we all got dessert on the house for having to wait so long. They have a few specials every month that are made with seasonal vegetables and are usually worth trying. I highly recommend getting a few small plates and sharing...AND if you're up for dessert, try the Galaktoboureko.
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A group of friends and I had a long holiday party here and we had a very long epic dinner filled with white elephant gift exchanges and gifts stealing. I'm very thankful that the wait staff there was not pushy at all even though we took an extended amount of time to do our gift exchange.
For the meal, I had the lamb shank marinated in aromatic spices with orzo and it was very excellent the first bite. The meat fell off the bone while still being tender while the orzo turned out to be a bit too salty. For now I give this place 3 stars based solely on one entree. I am sure the other items will be much better so I will try this place again expecting to give it 5 stars..
Evvia is currently closed due to a fire on 9/24/09. Looking forward to their reopening which is expect in 3-4 weeks.
http://www.paloaltoonl...
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Very good food, good service, good astmoshere... a kind of greek meets american meets D.C.
First course, salad.
Had a match stick, that was previously lit, in the salad. Noticed it when I was chewing and pulled it out of my mouth.... EEEEWWWW!!!
Brought it to the attention of the waiter. Apologized, didn't seemed shocked and that was it. Didn't bring me a new salad.
Still charged me for the salad..... Didn't get a free dessert....
I couldn't even get past the the match stick to like the food.
If I could give it less than one star...I would!!
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This restaurant was a COMPLETE disappointment. As a greek, I really hope people don't think this is how stingy greeks are (or that greek food actually tastes like this!). SO why is this place so crowded? It leads me to believe that the Palo Alto restaurant frequenting crowd must only be about image, not content of the food.
+1 Star-- Ambience (trendy modern greco-decor)
+1 Star-- Service (friendly and courteous)
-1 Star-- Food (very salty moussakka, undercooked salmon, very hard saganaki)
-1 Star-- Portion Size (literally 1-2 bites for 10-15 bucks)
-1 Star-- Price (OUTRAGEOUS!!!)
You know it's sad when the 4$ gelato across the street was the highlight of the night.
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I rate Evvia 4.5 stars, but it really was very good, so I'm rounding up rather than down.
We showed up at 6:15 on a weeknight without reservations, and the hostess, after studying the computer, very candidly told us that she did have a table for us but needed it back at 9:00pm. I know some people would have been put off by this, but I thought it was lovely. We weren't looking for a long a long evening so knew we'd be done in and hour and a half at the most, so we agreed. I was glad she was honest about it rather than just turning us away.
The food was (with one exception) outstanding. The signature lamb dish, which they customized to include just two lamb chops rather than the usual three for easier sharing, was superb. Perfectly cooked, well-balanced seasonings and a joy to eat. We shared quite a few of the smaller plates, the stars being a ceasar-ish salad that I don't remember the exact description of, and a roasted eggplant that were to die for. A low point was a rather insipid fresh pea and feta salad that tasted mostly just heavy and creamy.
The service was impeccable and the atmosphere was very pleasant, and I wouldn't hesitate to go back.
Excellent ambiance, service, and vibe.
Entrees pricey but it's well worth the expert presentation and delicious food.
I had the:
Solomos - grilled salmon fillet with lemon potato purée & tomato ouzo sauce was my dish of choice....finished it with pleasure.
Great for a business dinner or nice night out with your loved one/ones!
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Great food and ambiance! I love their lamb chops and grilled fish. Anything out of the rotisserie is scrumptious especially the pork! This is probably one of my favorite places for dinner in Palo Alto. I would highly recommend it. I would also suggest making reservations as this place gets packed all nights of the week. If you are a vegetarian, I would suggest the Moussaka.
The service is fantastic. The prices are a bit higher, but definitely worth it for the quality and taste of food.
Took 10 friends here for dinner on my husband's birthday. Had 8pm reservations on a Tuesday night and although the place was packed, we were seated promptly. The atmopshere is really gorgeous. I felt like I was in Europe, low lighting, candles, long wooden tables, open kitchen, fireplaces... so classy.
The waiter was the perfect mix of professional and casual - nicely complimenting our group. He selected a solid selection of appetizers for the group and didn't make me pick, I really liked that. They were also very generous with the beautiful bread baskets. Did a great job always making sure we were being served - water, new utensils, napkins, wine, etc.
The food as well was fantastic, we had lamb, salmon, sea bass, ravioli, and chicken. Each was delicious. Presentation was great, too.
So why the 4 stars... well, I was rather irritated when the bill came and they charged us $10 for the birthday dessert. We told the waiter it was my husband's birthday and they brought out a scoop of ice cream and some creamy thing with a candle. I assumed it would have been on the house, espcially considering we spent about $500 on just the food portion and only came to the restaurant because it was his birthday. They should follow suit like Manresa and Gary Danko and put at least one celebration dessert on the house. It pretty much turned off everyone at the table.
But, if you don't mind the prices and the birthday dessert issue, then hit this place up. Yes, it costs A LOT... 10 pieces of spanekopita (yes, I know that is spelled so wrong) cost $50! Dang, but they were tasty. I probably shouldn't have looked at the bill, it would have made the night perfect!
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Overrated food - quality of food was not comensurate with the price. The food was decent but not outstanding. Not particularly unique/exotic. The decor was interesting, but we did not really get why there were so many colored bottles lined up on the wall. Service was good but not outstanding.
I been here 5 times now... every meal has been awesome.
I am not a huge lamb fan.. and they were awesome.
Also.. the swordfish appetizer.. great.
Can't wait to go again.
-Erik
Came here for a date night and left happy. We had the Arnisia Plevrakia (grilled lamb riblets), Octapodaki tou Yiorgou (octopus app seasoned in oregano and lemon), Arnisia Paidakia (grilled lamb chops with olive oil roasted potatoes), and finished with a delicious phyllo wrapped vanilla bean semolina or ricotta(?) custard with pistachio ice cream.
I normally have my reservations about overloading on meat, especially outside of beef and poultry but the lamb literally slid off of the bone. They season their riblets and chops with oregano and lemon and the texture is as if it melts on your first bite. Lamb can often be prepared with a gamey taste/texture and this wasn't the case at all. I highly recommend making reservations as this place fills up quick and isn't very large to begin with either. The ambiance is warm and cozy with a view of the rotisserie and the kitchen. The prices are a tad higher and the portions are small but the service is amazing--our server was always on top of it. This is one of my favorite spots in PA and my go-to spot when we're in the mood for Greek.
Greek. Been around forever. Always dependable. Great food, great ambiance. Try the lamb chop.
Fabulous Greek food great ambiance
the wait staff is very Knowledgeable and makes good recommendations for the food and wine.
the atmosphere is cool and hip, it is a bit loud so not recommended for an intimate dining experience.
My favorite is defiantly the lamb.
Evvia had been on my bookmark list for a few years. I have NO idea why it took me this long to finally try it! I want to kick myself for depriving myself of such goodness. Evvia is simply divine.
My boyfriend and I came to Evvia on one of our first dates and it was a fantastic experience. Not only was the food fantastic, but the atmosphere and great service made us love the restaurant even more.
We ordered a fantastic bottle of white wine and the following dishes:
Crispy Zucchini Cakes - with cucumber & garlic skordalia - $8.75
- lightly fried and oh-so-delicious
Avgolemono Soup - traditional egg-lemon soup with chicken & rice - $7.50
- It's so hard to find a good avgolemono soup, and this one is fantastic.
Beef Souvlaki - beef filet, sweet peppers, mushrooms & onions with Cretan rice - $20.75
- The beef was flavorful and perfectly cooked.
I wish we were hungrier so we could have tried more dishes. I would love to come back with a bigger group so I can sample a little of everything. ;) I was eyeing every dish that the waiters/waitresses were bringing out.
The prices at Evvia are on the high-end, but the great food, excellent service, and warm atmosphere make it worth every penny!
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After perusing the menu, we decided to feast on a variety of appetizers. (The entrees didn't look nearly as interesting.) We tried:
- Prawns with tomato and feta: not worth it, only 4 medium-sized prawns for $10.75 and the taste/quality was not good/interesting enough to justify that price.
- Smelts: the best appetizer we tried, lightly fried and crisp, the potato and garlic skordalia (a thick puree) was such a great complement to the dish. Generous portion for $9.
- Zucchini cakes: these were standard zucchini cakes, nothing special.
- Sweet peas and feta: very yummy, I've never had fresh peas before and they were absolutely delicious. The peas were firm and crisp, and the feta paired very well with them.
- Arugula salad with stone fruit: very good, but honestly, it's hard to go wrong with arugula. Salad also contained nectarines, cherries, feta, salt, and pepper. Nectarines paired best with the arugula.
Note that this is the type of restaurant where there are many regulars, so there's a lot of interaction between the staff and the frequent guests. Beware, if you're not a fan of that kind of thing (because it might bode a lot of preferential treatment a la Spiedo in San Mateo). Also, if you do sit at the bar, don't pick the two seats at the end. There's absolutely no room to put your legs and you'll spend an hour eating in awkward, contorted positions.
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I am a big fan of Meditteranean food and would love to find a place that blows my mind, but this place disappointed. I ordered grilled fish, but it was soaked in olive oil and bland. I just remember everything being bland and oily. Nothing great stuck in my mind about this place.
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Finally made it out to Evvia for lunch after 2 months. Why lunch? Better timeslots on Opentable (I made reservations only two days in advance...)
Got there around 1 PM thinking the lunch rush would be dying down; there was still a line waiting to be seated. Reservations win.
Split an order of Lamb Souvlaki and Lamb Chops (medium rare). From their menu:
Lamb Souvlaki - grilled spiced lamb skewers with house made pita, roasted tomatoes & tzatziki
Lamb Chops - rib-cut, mesquite-grilled lamb chops with olive oil roasted potatoes
Bread bowl was a standard cold crusty house bread w/ olive oil. I'm a fan of warm breads so I didn't really pay much attention to it.
Lamb Souvlaki was 3 stars for me. It was well spiced but on the dry side if eaten alone. With the pita and toppings it paired well, but didn't wow me.
Lamb Chops were 4 stars. Came rare and closer to black and blue than medium rare, but I like my meat bloody so I didn't complain. It was seasoned well and the exterior had a nice char. The three wedges it came w/ were roasted to perfection and had a slight hint of citrus. Personally I use limes a lot more than lemons and I definitely didn't taste lime, so I'll say it's lemon juice.
Finished everything off with their house special Galaktoboureko (traditional phyllo wrapped vanilla bean semolina custard with pistachio ice cream). Easily 5 stars. The pistachio ice cream is house made and was excellent in texture and taste. The flaky exterior of the phyllo with the warm vanilla bean custard was amazing. Pair the ice cream w/ it and the temperature and textural difference adds an additional dimension to the mouth-feel and it's like an orgasm in your mouth. Ohmygoodness so good.
There was a stumble in service when our waiter brought out a wrong dish, and had to be hailed over by a busboy to take our dessert order, but other than that he was on top of everything.
Dinner might be better with it's larger selection of entrees, but lunch has proven to be a satisfactory consolation to last minute reservations. If I have the chance, I'll be back for dinner; I have my eyes on the braised lamb shank.
I have no Idea why I did not yet reviewed Evvia. Although this is one of those places which cause a real pain when it's time to take out the wallet, It is our favorite restaurant and we visit here often. We like everything about it: the setting that creates a casual-elegant, and always cheerful atmosphere, the ambiance, and the superb service.
Ahem...almost forget - and the food.
It has everything for everyone, casual, business, romantic dinner, or a group evening. It provides the perfect setting. (for romantic evening don't forget to reserve a table by the fireplace).
While fans of almost everything in the menu, I'll mostly recommend the Stripped bass (yes, let them do the work for you and take out the bones), the lamb chops, and shank, also the octopus salad, and as appetizer the Greek spreads.
I have one exception, I really really really DISLIKE - stay away from the Moussaka.
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The best Greek food I've had, ever!
(disclaimer: I have not yet been to Greece)
A group of us from work had dinner here last night and all agreed it was one of the best restaurants we'd been to in a long time. We ordered several appetizers, all so very good: Spanakotiropita (perfectly made), Dolmathes (also perfect), Flatbread (think Greek pizza from heaven) and Gigantes (I could have had this for a meal and been happy)
Half our group had the lamb chops and the rest of us had the Moussaka, which we split between 2 people each (this was a great idea, btw). It was so good I wish I had leftovers to eat today. I might possibly have dreams about it tonight.
We brought our own wine so I can't say anything about the wine selection.
After bread & olive oil, appetizers and a meal we were painfully full and picked out our "fantasy desserts," what we would have eaten had we saved any room. I would have had the Bougatsa (warm ricotta cheese wrapped in phyllo with Granny Smith apples & dulce de leche ice cream). At that point pretending to have ordered it was just as good. I was wishing for someone to bring me a wheelchair and roll me to my car (and even better, drive me home).
The ambiance was warm and cozy...a perfect date place. I was amazed at how packed the place was on a Monday night so I highly suggest making a reservation, no matter when you plan on going.
I will certainly be back in the very near future...I am in love.
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An ex boyfriend whom I hadn't seen in many many MANY years picked this spot for a casual reunion lunch. Gee, that's not fraught with *meaning* or anything! Hahaha.
Fortunately, my appetite is undaunted by the prospect of a potentially heart wrenching, emotional throw-down. I was sold on the lamb riblets from the get go. Plus I kinda just dig the word "riblets". Giggle.
Lunch was pretty good. We ordered the Galaktika Borabora (ok yes I know that's clearly NOT the name but that's my version of the actual Greek name cuz DUH I'm Chinese. Not Greek.) for dessert and it was good, but sorta just tasted like a creme filled eggroll. Does everything simply boil down to Chinese food for me? Sorta, yeah.
Bottom line: great place for catching up with an old friend. No emotional drama at all, thank goodness. Just pass on the icky licorice flavored candies by the door!! Blech.
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I've been back twice since my previous review, making total visits at least 5 that I can remember.
The first time with my family, everything was smashing. Among the other dishes I mentioned previously, we had the delicious Garides tou Fournou (oven baked prawns with tomato & feta). My mother commented that any restaurant that still makes fresh, hot coffee past 10pm is okay with her.
I was there again on a fairly busy Wednesday night (good to see them busy even in this economic climate, but I suspect places that are consistently good will never have a problem). They are adjusting prices. The same bottle of wine which cost us nearly $100 last year was $66 last night. The waiter remembered me from my family visit over a month ago, which may be an indication that I'm there too much. But oh, you can never be there too much. Not only did I get myself a yummy meal, my date (who had never eaten there before) was supremely impressed. It probably helped that we finished the entire bottle of 2006 Thimiopoulos Uranos Xinomavro between us, but anything to ensure an amazing first date, right?
Speaking of dates: this a solid place to do it. The atmosphere is fun and loud so you can really get to know each other without having to keep your voice down. The food is impressive. The service is warm. The wine will lubricate the conversation. Guys, you will look good if you bring the ladies here. Ladies, I will commit light treason for you if you bring me here.
I've actually done some math and I have numbers for you now. 3 starters + 2 entrees + 2 coffees + 1 dessert + wine + tip = about $100 per person. FYI.
my favorites:
Octapodaki tou Yiorgou - traditional grilled octopus with lemon, oregano & olive oil
Anginares Souvlaki - grilled artichokes & eggplant skewer with Greek yogurt
Arnisia Paidakia - rib-cut, mesquite-grilled lamb chops with olive oil roasted potatoes
Psari Psito - whole fish with lemon-oregano vinaigrette & horta greens (usually grilled branzino)
Rizogalo - arborio rice pudding with poached dried fruits (no more roasted pear)
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/5/2009
Evvia calls themselves Hellenic or Mediterranean cuisine with new California influence, but I feel… Read more »
On my recent return here, I decided this place offers comfort food at its finest. It really is Suany Fat Pants' paradise. I voraciously munched on the complimentary bread, shared two appetizers, licked my entree plate clean and stole part of my pig-out partner's dish. Breakdown time!
-The Evvia Pita is definitely worth the carbs. Piled with caramelized onions, olives, tomato slices and cheese, I had to restrain myself from eating the entire order. I'd choose this over sexytime anyday.
- Flavorful and succulent oven-baked prawns in a tomato-based sauce. Too bad the appetizer portion only consists of four prawns. Stiiiingyyy!
-Best lamb chops ever! I'm salivating right now just thinking about this dish.
-While the ribeye steak is good, it's definitely outshined by the lamb chops.
-Don't even get me started on the olive oil roasted potatoes that accompany the lamb chops and steak entrees - VERY crispy on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside. While three wedges look measly, it's definitely plenty for one person. Sofa king delicious!
There was a douche sitting at the table next to us who would not stop talking loudly about his work experience in the restaurant industry and how Evvia is "THE best restaurant in Palo Alto". Just his luck, I was enjoying my food way too much to get out of my seat or I would have walked over and shoved my elephantitis tranny balls in his piehole to shut him up.
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/20/2007
I've probably passed by Evvia 100 times before finally deciding to have dinner here on a whim. As… Read more »
Food is solid, but way overpriced. Staff is attentive but not
overbearing. Decor is kitchy but not pretentious like in many other
establishments in Palo Alto.
In summary: I would have given it 4-5 stars if it was 30-50% cheaper.
As it is Evia makes me think of how the "foodie"
culture coupled with corporate expense accounts
can transform everyday food to "gourmet experience".
A basic peasant supper is not worth $30 but everybody
goes along if it is on the company credit card. Oh well..
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Simply outstanding! The lamb chops called Arnisia Paidakia were phenomenal! I don't think I can eat lamb chops anywhere else BUT here (perhaps at Kokkari since that's their sister restaurant). My friend had the Moscharisia Brizola (grilled aged rib eye steak with olive oil lemon roasted potatoes) which was good, but it's no competition and nowhere near as spectacular as the chops. I am NOT a lamb-lover in the least, but theirs made me change my mind otherwise.
We had the Tiganita Kalamarakia (crispy calamari with lemon, parsley & anchovy aioli) and I wish we were more daring to try something unfamiliar. Although good, I found it to be a pinch too salty. Will definitely explore other options next time.
For dessert we shared the Bougatsa - warm ricotta cheese and granny smith apples wrapped in phyllo with a scoop of dulce de leche ice cream. O. M. G. !!! Hella good, my friends! Hella good!
It was quite a bit smokey in there; so much so that I carried the smell with me all the way home (thus minus the one star. I couldn't wait to shower it off). The staff was fantastic and super friendly. As we were leaving, the manager said to come back again soon. Ohhh believe me, I am making a comeback! And SOON!
The entire dining experience was excellent from start to end. Definitely a fan (and maybe a regular) =.)
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One of my favorite greek restaurants. I've been here many times for dinner with out of town guests. The food consistency was high so I typically never worried about bringing my greek food loving friends here. My favorites are the Kokinisto me Manestra, lamb shank braised in spices, or the Kotopoulo, roasted chicken. The lamb shanks are so tender and steaming hot . Most of the time the meals were fabulous and well prepared, except for the time I ordered the moussaka and two guests followed my selection.
Growing up, both my parents had greek co-workers and we always invited to their home for dinner, family events, ethnic fairs so I love greek food especially roasted lamb! My mother's friend always made a moussaka casserole to die for. Having fond memories of great moussaka, the moussaka at Evvia was a huge disappointment. It was stone cold in the middle. I think they made it ahead of time, let it sit in the refrigerator and then baked it when ordered. All three of us had cold moussaka and were highly disappointed and I was embarrassed that I steered my friends to an ill-prepared dish. I don't think I'd order this again, hence the reason for 4 stars. If you decide to order, you may want to ask to have the temperature checked before they pull it out of the oven.
Had great food & service here tonight. Being a Sunday, we called in this afternoon and were (a little) surprised reservations were available for tonight. Ambiance was also nice. They have a large coal grill exposed to the seating area.
All the food tasted fresh, with great herb-type seasoning. We had:
* Appetizer: Gigantes - baked big beans w/ tomato sauce, feta, herbs; very flavorful, fresh.
* Meals: (1) Halibut - with big beans, mushrooms, clams; flavorful, lightly seasoned
(2) Salmon - with tomato sauce
(3) Goat - braised, stew-like, with orzo
(4) Lamb shank - with orzo
* Dessert - phyllo with semolina custard & pistachio ice cream - good combination, delicious, a bit on the sweet side.
We would love to go here again.
Delicious.
Okay, I could have ended my post there, but I've more yelp-manners than that. I went into Evvia with two expectations 1) the food was gonna be good 2) it was going to be pricey. Both were true.
Our party of 4 ordered 1 appetizer, 1 dish each, & 1 dessert.
Price per person? $55 including tax & tip, no wine.
I'm not a fan of lamb, but my two friends who ordered lamb dishes said the meat was tender and extremely flavorful. If it tasted half as good as my souvlaki, I wouldn't have been surprised by their raving. My beef cubes were still oozing juice when brought to me, and I could literally pull the meat apart with my fork and knife. The cretan rice was a little undercooked, but I wasn't going to complain -- I was too preoccupied with my roasted sweet onions and sour cream sauce to lift my eyes off the plate, let alone hail a waiter. I sampled the chicken, which had crispy skin, and moist, moist meat with a strong lemon flavor. The baklava was served with vanilla ice cream, wasn't too sweet, but not memorable enough to order again.
Overall, wonderful atmosphere. You can see your house bread cut for you, the chickens on the rotisserie, and bottles of wine in a room. Classy, but casual enough to walk in with a dress shirt and slacks (for a guy), or heels and a nice top (for a girl). Highly recommended to impress a date or celebrate a special occasion. Five stars, I'm a fan.
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Came here for a birthday dinner for a friend and tried the Evvia Pita (pita with caramelized onions, Kalamata olives, tomatoes, myzithra cheese & Greek basil) and Soutzoukakia (grilled lamb meatballs with tomato & green olive compote). Both were appetizer dishes but I loved them together. Also got to try a little of the Kotopoulo (rotisserie chicken) which was also wonderful.
Service here was good, the staff was nice enough store our cake in the back and light the candles for us.
This place seems to get packed so a reservation is definitely recommended. Atmosphere is nice though and liked the dimmed lighting and decor.
Wouldn't mind returning if I was in the area.
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Oh delicious. I don't have Greek food that much but I need to start eating more. We started out with the dolmathes (stuffed grape leaves that were delicious, with just the right hint of mint. The rice and tomatoes tasted beautifully together.) Saghanaki (the cheese was good but a smidgen salty for my taste.) the Kolokithokeftethes (oh these little zucchini cakes were amazing! the sauce was a perfect accompaniment and I could have had another order. and the Garides tou Fournou (didn't eat these as I am not a huge prawn/shrimp fan however, those who ate them, loved them)
We also shared two salads that were simple yet delicious before choosing our entrees of:
Psari Psito (Whole fish with lemon-oregano vinaigrette and potatoes. We chose the sole and it was very good. The potatoes were cooked just right and the fish was the right amount of flakiness. A fresh lemon was a great accompaniment)
Moussaka (Again, I didn't eat this as I don't eat lamb but while the portion seemed really small when set on the table, the dish was quite deep. My parents and sister gobbled that up and spent some time trying to figure out the spices in dish. The sweet aroma of cinnamon was prevalent. The whole thing was covered in bubbling cheese too. Cant go wrong with cheese.)
Lastly we had the Ravioli. This dish had huge chunks of tomato, feta, fresh parsley, olive and artichokes. So yummy!! I could have had more of that for sure.
We ended the meal with some Greek coffees. Yummy! Thanks Mom and Dad! :)
Amazing food. Usually one stand-out dish is enough to make me want to go back to a restaurant for more. Both of our dishes, and our dessert were spectacular - making this easily the tastiest meal I've had this year. Service was good, attentive, and the restaurant was quiet and calm for our early reservation (5:30pm) on a holiday weekend.
Our meal:
A couple cocktails: good - well prepared, nothing extraordinary.
Appetizer:
- Spanakotiropita: two smallish turnover-shaped pieces, nice tasting,
quite good. I will try another appetizer next time.
Mains:
- Ravioli: Absolutely delicious - loaded with a nice mix of fresh vegetables and herbs, very well seasoned. Light and just a bit tangy, with 4 large vegetarian raviolis made with fresh-made pasta. I would order this again. Excellent complement to a meaty dish.
- Arnisia Paidakia: Simply phenomenal. I would drive 50 miles for just one of these lamb chops, and we got a plate of 3. I had no shame and picked the bones up with my hands to tear off every last scrap of meat. The waiter joked about us fighting over the last chop - in the end, my wife and I split it. But there's always the last bite. She coyly insisted she had too much to eat already, as did I, but that hungry look in our eyes betrayed us both, so we even had to split that bite. Mouth-wateringly fantastic.
Dessert:
- Galaktoboureko: My review can not do justice to this slice of heaven. The crisp pistachio pieces and brown sugar burst in your mouth as the cold, house-made ice cream melted around it. The hot vanilla custard-filled phyllo sticks complemented the cold ice cream perfectly. Yum.
Our bill came to around $50 per person, before the tip.
Got takeout here this weekend, and wow, I am impressed. I was looking for something other than stereotypical Greek food, and saw that they had a tuna pita sandwich. I ordered it, picturing tuna salad on a floppy pita, thinking that $18.50 was pretty damn pricey.
Pickup was quick: the manager ushered me over to the bar, and I saw a very nice-looking restaurant filled with happy patrons. I got my food within a minute, which is always good.
When I opened the white container, I was surprised to see a big tuna steak inside of what I can only describe as a stromboli. It was huge, it was delicious, and it was totally worth it. Possibly the best tuna sandwich I have ever had. I gotta go back and sit down in this place next time!
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Consistently good food and service, incredible atmosphere, waiters are extremely knowledgeable
Recommend: Pita Bread appetizer, meatballs, souvlaki, and specials
Not a fan: Petrale Sole (served w/the head unless asked for w/o)
Went here for my birthday and the place was packed. We ended up waiting 15 minutes to get seated (w/a reservation) and waited longer than normal for food. But, the crazy thing is the manager personally apologized to us and comped the entire meal. First class.
Only downside about this place is how busy/noisy it gets. But, it speaks volumes to have a packed restaurant 7 nights a week during a down economy.
This is a fave restaurant of one of my good friends and she insisted I try it so on her day off we ventured off to Palo Alto to give it a shot. When we arrived we were greeted by a waitress and thankfully my dining companion made a reservation because it looked like the restaurant was packed with business folks entertaining clients.
Immediately after we were seated we were greeted with some warm bread and some olive oil and salt for dipping. Pretty tasty- I loved the center of the bread since it was nice and soft but the edges were just too crunchy for my liking.
For an appetizer we tried the taramosalata, tzatziki and melitzanosalata sampler platter served with house made grilled pita bread. Delicious! The platter also contained some dolmathes (grape leaves stuffed with rice, mint, dill, tomatoes, olive oil & lemon), some cucumber slices and some olives. Overall a great way to start our lunch journey into Greek food.
For my entree I selected an albacore tuna pita. The name alone intrigued me enough and since I've been in a total fish mood I went for it. I knew I made a good choice when everyone around us was ordering it! Plus my dining companion said she hadn't seen it on the menu before so it must be a relatively new item. The tuna was cooked perfectly and served in a pita bread with red pepper, carmelized onions and some kind of green sauce. For the pita itself it was good but I think they may have left it in the oven a slight bit too long for it became kind of hard on the bottom making it hard to cut with a knife. The pita was served with a bed of mixed greens and fresh onion slivers.
I had a great time at Evvia and will definitely come back to try some of their other dishes. Service was very attentive and professional (i love how they change utensils for you after the appetizer course) and food was good, albeit a little on the pricier side. If you want to check it out, I highly recommend making a reservation!
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I Always Sit at the Bar: Evvia has one of the best wine lists on the street, and the food is consistent, light, and delicious. The rack of lamb is perfect, if you like lamb, and is, I suppose, one of their house specialties. The rib eye is also eye catching. Because these two entrees are always fantastic, I have had only a few of their fish and pasta entrees. The appetizers are also good; the mezethes (I think you have to make a special request for an assorted plate and they'll put something together for you), spanakotiropita, and pita me tiria (flatbread with cheese and garlic) are some of my favorites. The fava me croketes (fried chickpeas) is rather weird, though, note. Souzoukakia (meatballs) are good. There was one time the calamari was rotten, but when this was mentioned, it was comped. The beets with duck prosciutto and goat cheese are fantastic.
The bar is comfortable, the restaurant is well lit with yellow light and yellow/peach walls, and on the far wall, they have colored bottles. I think they actually put vodka in the bottles along with various food items, providing a great visual display.
Every time I go to Evvia, I look forward to the wine. You usually have to order by the bottle to get anything good, but that's standard. They have a great French selection. The coffee is also terrific, if muddy. They make it by placing a canister in hot sand next to the fire. The service is usually great.
They always do a great job at the San Jose Greek Festival annually. 3.7.
Delicious. Great atmosphere, great food! I took my whole family here after having already been once before and everyone enjoyed it. I had their lamb chops, and they lived up to their hype.
Pricey, but delicious. Some places are just worth the splurge! I had dinner here with some girl friends and we all split the fried calamari, which had a nice salty batter, along with the entrees: roasted lamb shanks and salmon with tomato & mashed potatoes.
The salmon dish was fair and slightly tangy, but not nearly as fabulous as the lamb! This is probably my second or third time trying lamb (I didn't have a good first experience). The juicy shanks were absolutely succulent and heavenly in my mouth - perfectly cooked with the right blend of oregano herbs and some citrus marinade. Delicious!
I paired the meal with a Riesling from Washington, a nice crisp fruity and tart finish. And we finished it all with two delectable sweet treats: the warm chocolate lava cake & nutty baklava drizzled with honey, with scoops of vanilla bean gelato. I didn't want to stop eating! The meal set us back about $40 bucks each; definitely worth the price for this place that fulfills both high-end and high-quality. I'd recommend making reservations, especially during the weekend and evenings. Yet another fine dining establishment that increases my love for Mediterranean cuisine!
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Amazing as always.
Decided to wander away from our usual:
*Xifias Souvlaki, grilled swordfish skewer w/romesco sauce, AMAZINGLY juicy and the puree was a smokey delight.
*Evvia Salata, a favorite, romaine & raddichio, creamy light dressing, perfect flavors.
*Kokinisto me Manestra, lamb shank, orzo & myzithra cheese, falling off the bone good as usual
*Katsiki Yiouvetsi, Napa Valley goat braised with artichokes, orzo & feta cheese, so fragrant, reminds me of Greek SOUL food.
*Moussaka, beautiful succulent layers of ingredients.
*Galaktoboureko, traditional phyllo wrapped vanilla bean semolina custard with pistachio ice cream, OMG, I die!!! Amazing!!! Needless to say, I licked the plate CLEAN.
*Baklava, traditional baklava drizzled with honey syrup served with vanilla ice cream, very good, but I thought it was TOO nutty.
Pinot Noir by the glass is priced right at $10/glass.
Healthy tip: Purely by coincidence we had leftovers and the moussaka to go, LOVED how all the oils and bechamel sauce congealed on the side, so I can limit the creaminess-Greek cuisine is just a tad rich for me.
Again, another fantastic evening at Evvia, be sure to make reservations prior, there was a line forming on Sunday evening.
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/27/2006
Excellent service with very knowledgeable information on the wine list and menu. Modest dining room… Read more »
