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Gorgeous George's Mediterranean Kitchen
Categories: Restaurants Middle Eastern Restaurants Greek Restaurants Mediterranean Middle Eastern, Greek, Mediterranean [Edit]
7719 Greenwood Ave NSeattle, WA 98103
Neighborhood: Greenwood
(206) 783-0116
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 5 pm - 9 pm
Wed-Sat 12 pm - 2:30 pm
Fri-Sat 5 pm - 9:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Intimate
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
67 reviews for Gorgeous George's Mediterranean Kitchen
Review Highlights
"The soup of the day was a heavenly lentil soup."
(in 9 reviews)
"The stuffed grape leaves were made with care, the flatbread..."
(in 3 reviews)
"some of the best falafel i've had in seattle."
(in 19 reviews)
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67 reviews in English
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Review from Whitney C.
Seattle, WA
10/31/2011
This is the best greek/mediterranean food we've had in Seattle. We always wanted to try this place and finally did at with some friends. While the prices are a bit high, you get what you pay for. The portions are big, and the entrees come with a bowl (not a cup) of soup or a decent sized salad, pita, and hummus. The hummus was the best hummus I've ever had. We ordered some stuffed grape leaves as well an they were also amazing. My friend ordered the fatoush salad thinking it would be a small salad to go with his meal and they brought out a salad that would feed a family of six. We all had some. We left with an entire second meal of leftovers per person. George came out to ask how the meal was, he is very proud of his place.
The other thing I loved is how small and intimate it was. Very cozy and you can feel the love that goes into the food. -
Review from Rachel L.
8/14/2011
George is 33 and single, ladies! Or, so he told my sister and I on Friday.
We ended up in here with the parents on a PACKED night - some kind of festival on Greenwood. So, I'll forgive the somewhat slow and awkward service.
The food was fabulous. Seriously the best dolmas I've had. The cauliflower appetizer was also great an the baba ganoush was wonderfully garlicky. We didn't do terribly well with the wine (Patagonian Malbec), and they were out of both fishes, but the prawns sufficed for me. Yay for the few places that can cook prawns right! The other entrees all got rave reviews, as well. The only "meh" was the lentil soup, but I didn't really have room for it anyway.
All around a great dinner. Give them a try, especially on a slower night. -
Review from Victoria C.
Seattle, WA
Updated - 8/14/2011
I love this place. I really do. But each time I go I realize that my previous encounter here left me with an inflated perception of how amazing the place really is. Ok, the food is amazing. Delicious, warmed pita bread and tahini to munch on while waiting for your food, lentil soup or a huge pile of Greek salad, and delicious, flavorful food. I just wish that:
1. I wasn't full before my meal actually came out; the portion sizes weren't so huge
2. The prices weren't so steep. $25 for the combo platter and the dish itself isn't that big, but they stuff you with salad and pita and expect you to pay more for that.
Would rather pay less and have less pita and salad.Listed in: Favorite Places to Get Lamb
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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11/18/2010
I came here again for my fave dish there--the falafel platter entree. As usual, it was dee-licious!… Read more »
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Review from Annie P.
Seattle, WA
10/12/2011
Gorgeous George makes the best food in Greenwood! I came with my parents and some friends and we ordered the appetizer sampler platter--huge, great variety and absolutely delicious. I was full before the entrees even came! I'm not a huge fan of red meat, but the steak and shrimp kebabs truly melted in my mouth. It also made wonderful leftovers! Gorgeous George and his staff our lovely, and this place is a gem! It is definitely not run of the mill Mediterranean food, and I will be returning often!
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Review from Elizabeth H.
Houston, TX
9/23/2011 2 photos
This was my first meal in Seattle and it was mediocre. The hummus was average but I did like that the pita bread was delivered out hot at our table. I had the chicken kabob dish and the chicken was grilled just right. The sauce could have been better. At the end of our lunch, George gave us baklavas for the road. So sweet of him.
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Review from Carey T.
Seattle, WA
4/3/2011
Ive been dreaming of the salad I had here for days! Healthy and delicious! There service was good, they were there when you needed them and not there when you didnt.
Its worth going out of your way to visit, great date night spot. -
Review from Peter L.
8/2/2010
Gorgeous George has a great neighborhood feel and offers some very tasty Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food, generous portions, and a warm and welcoming staff .
We started off with the Nazareth, which was a mezza of Tabouli, Falafal, Salad, Hummus, Babaghanouje, Veggie Grape Leaves, and Makdous. For two people, it was an overkill, but all very well done. The Tabouli was especially good - tons of fresh parsley with lots of lemon for a bright and fresh flavor. We then split the Shawarma Plate, which included lots of succulent chicken served with rice, pita, and a salad. I've been eating a ton of shwarma sandwiches lately so it was a real treat to get large pieces of shwarma. Beer and wine selections are somewhat limited, but adequate.
The room is small, but they do take reservations, and tables by the window are especially nice. Definitely a good choice in Greenwood, and another reason to love neighborhood restaurants. They also serve lunch, so I'll check that out as well. -
Review from Georgia H.
Philadelphia, PA
10/18/2010 1 Check-in Here
This place is fantastic! I shared the mezza platter with my friend, and it was more than enough for both of us. George is great, came to our table multiple times to check on us, very friendly and sweet.
The restaurant is cozy and small, with an open kitchen and great decor. I will definitely be returning! -
Review from Christine C.
Seattle, WA
8/2/2011
i wish this place wasn't so pricey :( most dishes are $17+ (excluding appetizers.. but they even have an app dish that's $20+...) and for the price i think the serving size is just so-so.
place is a nice sit down that is semi-formal semi-not. the place is decorated in a way that's cozy/informal but then they have 'fancy' placesettings. the server was nice and attentive, but food was slow coming out
i got the schwarma (yummy), a friend got the kabob platter (yummy), and another the gyro platter (bleh, definitely had better) overall the food is good, but it's hard to justify the price with mr. gyros a walkable ways down the street at less than 1/2 the price with an equally large portion. it's kind of like paying a fee to sit down to a nice meal vs chatting it up with friendly employees or taking it home to veg out in front of the tv, which in my case i prefer :\
nothing bad but nothing outstanding-- if they make prices more reasonable i might bump the rating up a bit... but i don't think i'll go out of my way to come back here with other options available -
Review from Theresa G.
Seattle, WA
9/13/2010
This place is delicious! It is small so if you want a table during a busy time, I suggest calling ahead.
The Greek Salad is especially delicious as are the falafels. You will not be disappointed. -
Review from D.J. Y.
5/13/2007 ROTD 8/24/2007
My mother-in-law suggested this place to us. It is very true about this area of Greenwood, it is hard to fine a nice Mediterranean restaurant in the area. I'm perplexed by the interesting poor to mid-ling reviews of this place. We found it to be outstanding, food-wise and customer service-wise. With it only being open for about 2 months, maybe there are a few kinks to work out, although we had no problems. The place itself is rather small, our party of 6 took up many of the little 2 person tables, we didn't have to wait long for a few tables to leave. By the way if there is a wait, it's well worth it!!
Celebrated Mom's day early with my folks since we won't see them tomorrow. Any-who... 5 different dishes were ordered. 3 chicken, 1 Falafel and I had the rack of lamb. Each dish was flavorful and tasty. The falafel had a ever so slight sweet flavor to them, they were served up hot and fresh on a nice bed of greens and some sliced tomatoes, along with the usual garlic/yogurt sauce. Veggie girl really enjoyed them.
My rack of lamb was done to med-rare perfection, served with rice, a couple of roasted mushrooms and asparagus spears. Nicely char-broiled to a tasty crust, and the portion was very sizable.
The three chicken dishes were to die for. Shawarma, available in lamb or chicken, my Mom got the chicken, very tender and packed with flavor. My better half had the Mediterranean chicken, while this was very garlicky, in a good way, it was suppose to have a lemon sauce with it, that didn't make it to our table, but the dish was still very good. My Dad had George's Chicken, on the menu it states that this is his Grandma's old recipe, it was outstanding, Grandma would be proud. A charcoal broiled, young hen, was marinated with oregano and special spices, very nicely done served with a side of the garlic yogurt sauce, wow!!
I should also note we started off with the Babaghanouje, the mashed roasted eggplant and tahini mixture, this had to be some of the finest we've tasted in a very long time! While I'm still burping garlic as I write, in a good way, day-walkers and vampires need not apply...
Also all meals were served with soup or salad, we just let George do this thing and we all had the house salad, fresh romaine lettuce, cukes, tomatoes, served with their house dressing of mint and basil, it was delish!!
No professional wrestling decor, just a simple home-spun feeling to the place that we all enjoyed. George himself serves and takes your order, if the mood strikes him he'll start singing and dancing along with the atmospheric Mediterranean music, the man can sing, granted I had no idea what he was singing....
6/23/07 Update:
Here's a great article on George from the Seattle Times: http://seattletimes.nw...Listed in: My pride and joy....
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Review from Tom L.
5/5/2010
I went to this restaurant with my parents and sister. We saw that it had some good review and weren't disappointed. The restaurant is a little orner building on Greenwood and 78th. The interior has brick with some Mediterranean pictures and knick knacks. But there is a nice warm feel to the restaurant. It's a small place so there isn't alot of seating. As soon as we entered we were greeted by George. He told us that he was the owner and cook for the place.
Once we found a table George brought some pita bread and hummus. The hummus had olive oil and some other spices on it. Having never had hummus before I decided to give it a try. And oh my god it was SO good. I couldn't stop eating it. My sister got some falafel, I think. The falafel had been deep fried and had great texture. They were wonderful as well.
Originally I wanted to get the greek chicken, but unfortunately that entree was only served on weekends. SO instead I ordered the grilled lamb chops. Still a good choice. The lamb chops were served with some rice and peas on the side. The lamb was tender once separated from the bone. The meat was moist and came close to just melting in my mouth. It was a little gamey, I'm not sure if this is typical for lamb or not, but it didn't take away from how good this dish was. It was basted with a au jus that was slightly sweet, since it had been infused with some peach juice.
All I can say is that I was impressed with Gorgeous George. The food there is really good. And the owner is very friendly and obviously appreciates his customers. I can't say enough good things about this restaurant. -
Review from Genevieve A.
Seattle, WA
8/2/2011
One of the worst restaurant experiences I've ever had. There was a worm in my salad. When reported to the waitress and George, their reaction was nothing less than a shrug. George nonchalantly informed us "Well, I dunno. I wash the vegetables twice." and proceeded to treat us like it was somehow our fault, or were making a big deal out of nothing. Even though the worm appeared just a few bites in, the whole salad, along with every other item, was still on the bill. Horrible work ethic, horrible attitude, and insect-ridden food.
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Review from Chris L.
Seattle, WA
1/20/2011
We came here yesterday evening, for the first time and were quite disappointed. We wanted to find a new Mediterranean place, since we moved north.
The pita was grainy, and all the water was cucumber infused, which for me was terrible being that I don't like cucumbers and no one mentioned this when pouring me a glass.
Whilst looking at the menu, we tried to order George's chicken, but they were already out and it was only 6PM and they opened at 5! (side note: they mention that this dish was seasoned with zaatar, which is not just oregano, although that's what the menu leads one to believe).
I ordered Mediterranean chicken, which had the same texture and taste as cheap frozen stuff from QFC. The salads had fishy tomatoes. And my fiancee's falafel came out burnt. The only thing that saved this place a star was the friendly, attentive wait staff.
If you want real Mediterranean food, skip George's and head downtown to Petra bistro. -
Review from Aaron F.
9/14/2010
I had zero expectations for this place when taken here on a whim by a friend. I expected the same old disappointing, fast-food style Mediterranean found elsewhere in Seattle. But this is the real deal, and as good as it gets.
The restaurant is small and cozy - I recommend calling ahead to find out if there's room. We called at 7PM on a Saturday night for a table for 5, and were told to come at 9PM, when the restaurant was pretty much cleared out.
This restaurant has the feel of eating in someone's home. George came out regularly and interacted with our table. You can tell when a chef takes serious pride in their food. He asked what we thought of each item, and he gave us some freebies including the most delicious homemade hummus & pita and baklava (not sure if he does this for everyone, or if we just lucked out because we were the last table of the night).
Entrees range from $18-22 and include soup or salad (for some reason, I was served both). The soup of the day was a heavenly lentil soup. The greek salad was about what I expected. For my entree I had the lamb schwarma, which was perfect. Their spices are perfection (warning: lots of garlic) as was the tahini and other sauces.
Portions a huge. HUGE. Someone at the table next to us ordered a chicken dish, and a whole chicken came out (small, but easily enough for two people). Their menu states that they charge a $4 sharing fee. I took home enough leftovers for another full dinner the next night.
This is a very good restaurant for those with dietary issues. My table included one lactose intolerant eater and one gluten-free eater, both of whom had zero trouble ordering. They even had special gluten free crackers so that my friend could enjoy the hummus.
A Seattle Gem - Enjoy! -
Review from Isabella O.
Seattle, WA
10/8/2009
George's is small and cozy, tastefully decorated even though it's not super fancy, and CLEAN. It's been here for a couple of years, but it looks brand new.
We went on a Friday evening, but early, I think at 6, and there was only one other couple when we arrived. By the time we left, people were standing in the entry waiting for a table.
The service is good - almost too good. The waitress came by three times before we were ready, as we were having a hard time deciding since we hadn't been before, and everything looked so good.
I love that George sort of floats around the restaurant and sings. He was charming, thanking us for coming each time he visited our table, and serving us our wine by crossing the glasses across the table to hand us each the glass that was in his opposite hand rather than just reaching out with the glass closest to us - like when lovers, cross their arms to drink out of each other's glasses.
The hummus was probably the best I've had, and I really liked that we received a "salad for two" since we both ordered one with dinner.
We could have just had the salad and hummus and a lovely glass of wine and been satisfied and full.
Both of our meals (Chicken Shawarma and Shrimp....of some sort, I can't remember what it was called!) were delicious right then and leftover the next night.
What stood out to me most about everything we ate was that it was probably the most well seasoned food I've ever had. And by "well seasoned" I don't mean seasoned a lot. Certainly, there was sufficient seasoning on everything, but nothing had too much either. Every was very flavorful, but not a single thing was even a bit too salty or too spicy to taste the flavor of the actual food. But what I really mean, is that the seasonings themselves are perfect for the food that they are complementing and the combinations of seasonings are excellent. I've never said that about a restaurant or observed it so clearly. As someone who cooks, I know how easy it is to not season enough or too much, and that sometimes it seems impossible to know what is missing.
Yes, GG's is a little pricey, but since we had an appetizer, salad, wine, coffee and dessert in addition to the entrees which fed us twice, I think it was a fair price.
We will certainly return!Listed in: Green'Hood, Phinney Ridge, Greekwood
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Review from Kim C.
Seattle, WA
8/8/2008
First, by scanning the set of reviews below it's pretty easy to tell that there are a lot of skeptical reviews. Whether they were purchased, exchanged for free food or who knows what else, to me that's a black mark on an otherwise good establishment. For this reason I was tempted to not leave a review, but I'll do so anyways.
With seemingly endless Mediterranean restaurant options in a 3 block radius on Greenwood, did Gorgeous George's surpass the competition?
In some ways yes, in other ways, no.
I have nothing to say about the interior or dining experience, as we had take out. Otherwise:
Pros:
-THE BEST FALAFEL IN TOWN, period. Alladin's in the U District held the title until now. Light and fluffy with the best tahini sauce around, I'd gladly get this dish again.
-Incredibly good hummus as well; probably also the best I've had in Seattle
-Friendly and gracious George
-The amount of meat is quite large, like others have stated.
Cons:
All of the non 4/5 star reviews hit on very important and true points:
-The chicken kebab is quite dry; adding hummus to each bite is the only thing that saves them. I blame this on the fact that the meat pieces are very large, and probably overcooked to heat the non-uniform pieces fully. Reheated the next day is even worse, and mandates having some other kind of liquid with each bite; it's far too dry otherwise.
-The pita, like others have mentioned, is quite stale once it cools down slightly. Reheating helps briefly.
-The prices are indeed steep - $16 for the chicken kebab platter, which comes with decent-but-not-stellar white rice, salad, and a bit of hummus. $6 for a side of hummus. While this might be normal for Seattle restaurants in general, it's not on par with any of the other Mediterranean places within a few blocks.
*as a note, there aren't prices on the menu either... and there's no menu or website, so that's a bit inconvenient.
I'd try George's again and get the falafel, and perhaps bump my score up to a 4. However, I'd like the cons to be entertained, given that constructive criticisms are hidden by the endless suspicious 5 star-by-a-person-with-1-review-total reviews. -
Review from Tammy W.
3/17/2009
Simply ... outstanding. When my aunt suggested this Greenwood restaurant for dinner before a show down the street at the Taproot Theater, I had my doubts. How had GG's failed to register on this Yelper's radar?
The space is cute, warm, and inviting. But nothing makes it more inviting than George himself, who pours the wine and holds court over the customers. The hummus is, hands down, the best and most fresh I have ever had, and the lamb gyro was divine. It was also HUGE; I ate it for lunch AND dinner the next day.
Don't let this one get away. -
Review from Stu S.
Seattle, WA
10/26/2007
A lovely little place, brightly decorated, next to the very popular Pete's Egg Nest. Haven't been there for dinner yet (looks like an interesting selection) but the lunch menu is great and reasonably priced. The service by George and staff is very solicitous (and George recognized my sweetie from when he was at Mr. Gyro up Greenwood Ave.) and the food everything to be wished. The babaganoush was some of the best we've ever had and our sandwiches were superb - I can't resist a good lamb sandwich!
6/2/2008 - we went for dinner again on Saturday -- they were packed and we had to wait for a while because we didn't have a reservation and we were a group of three. George is great, however, and always makes a big fuss over my sweetie. But when we got seated everything was wonderful. Salad and hummus appeared, his wonderful babaganoush which is a great favorite of Andi's. Our friend Alan got the lamb chops which were lovely, while Andi had the felafel dinner and I got George's special chicken, a lovely Cornish game hen prepared with his grandmother's recipe. Fantastic! And George is so enthusiastic and entertaining. He really loves people and people who love his food. For a change, we didn't have room for his baklava! -
Review from Andy G.
San Francisco, CA
6/27/2008
As a newbie to Seattle my partner and I are trying out a ton of new restaurants and it's like the courtship phase of our "regular spots" all over again. I think we found one last night at Gorgeous George's. We got there around 9:15 and were one of only two tables in the restaurant. We were enthusiastically greeted by George, who immediately brought us some hummus on the house and a salad as we chose our dinner. Coming from Chicago, we were regulars at Fattoush, a family owned Lebanese restaurant near our place, and loved the friendliness and coziness of their restaurant. George's has the same vibe, and the food is just as good (if not a tad bit better.)
We both had the shawarma, and I was not disappointed at all. The chicken was succulent and the tahini was delicious. The plate of food was deceptively large, as we were starving from our evening's workout (see 1 star 24 Hr Fitness review) and needed some serious protein. The meal was perfect, and George was very interested in how we'd heard about the restaurant and what we thought. He ended the very pleasant evening by bringing us the best baklava I've ever had as a perfect ending to a delicious dinner. He mentioned he'd never seen us there before, but you can bet that he'll for sure be seeing us again. -
Review from Roy P.
Seattle, WA
10/16/2010 1 Check-in Here
Holy hummus! To be honest I was not expecting that much. It's out of the way (for me). It's got a kind of weird name. And at first it just seemed ordinary, you know? It's kind of a small room, very casual with pretty normal Greek/Med accouterments. I'm not sure I was expecting that much.
I was totally wrong. We had a great time. The room is cozy but fun and...let me stop wasting time...the food is unbelievable. Everything I had here was the most perfect version of [whatever it is] that I have ever had -- falafel, schwarma, everything else, including the Grandma's Chicken (with 10 ounces of garlic), which was just a triumph. The flavors are strong and fabulous -- garlic, parsley, olive oil, yum. I really felt i was in Athens or Jerusalem or Beirut. It was great.
The wine list is good, including a by the glass Lebanese claret that is well worth sampling.
To be honest, I went to Guy Savoy in Las Vegas the weekend before and I had a much better meal and time at Gorgeous George's. I am glad we went.
Go forth and enjoy yelpers! -
Review from Jennifer R.
Seattle, WA
9/26/2009
Disappointment du jour. I've had a rule up until now that I don't put negative reviews on yelp. If I don't enjoy my experience at a place, I just don't post a review, but I'd been waiting so long to try this place that when I finally did and it was a huge bummer, I thought I'd better tell the world!
I felt like I'd saved up to go out somewhere a little pricey (more than 16 bucks a plate is usually an amount not too often spent for a casual meal out) and wasted the expense. My guy's gyro plate was piled with gyro meat so dry that it made for difficult chewing and when the plate was taken away at the end of the meal (still full) no offer of a to- go box was forthcoming, nor was there a question as to why the food was almost untouched. Awkward.
I ordered the Chicken Shish Tawook and the chicken was cold, topped with mushy tomatoes and undercooked onion. In retrospect, I know I should have volunteered to the waitstaff that our food was unsatisfactory, but it was so hard to get anyone to stop at our table that we simply wanted to pay and get out.
We may have caught them on a bad night but the combination of the cold, overcooked food and the mediocre service will have us going elsewhere for Greek food in the neighborhood. -
Review from Elynne G.
Seattle, WA
6/14/2010
Having traveled and worked in a Turkish restaurant a few years back, I had to lower all my expectations for good middle-eastern/ mediterranean cuisine as I know it would have never been the same.
So, with an open heart and open stomach, we had dinner one night. The menu was easy and simple, but you don't really need anything fancy here. It's home-cooked food, at its best.
For the starters, we ordered the hummus with meat but when it came out of the kitchen, there wasn't any meat. Turns out the waitress wasn't listening to our order but it was fine. The hummus turned out to be thick and delicious, lots of olive oil and what I believe is sumac. The bread served with the hummus wasn't anything special, except that I wish there was more since we had a big dollop of hummus left after we'd finish the 2 slices.
The mains come with a choice of salad or soup of the day and the bf had the salad while I had the lentil soup. The salad was a simple mediterranean salad with olives and just enough dressing. The soup was thick and flavorful, more like a stew than a soup. I don't know how they normally cook this but the traditional lentil soups I've had have been usually thin, so this was rather unusual for me.
The bf had the lamb kabob, which was the better meal. Wish it was cooked a little less, more medium rare than medium but I think the waitress should've asked. It had good flavor and served with the most delicious grilled tomato and basmati rice with peas. The rice didn't do much for me, I wish it was couscous or bulgur instead.
Ah, the kafta kabob, it looked super appetizing on the plate of my neighbors table but I think it was under-seasoned and a little too dry for my liking. It needed a little more garlic and parsley as I didn't really taste anything. The yogurt cream on the side helped, but it tasted better when I had it with the hummus.
We were too stuffed to have dessert, but next time I'm making room for baklava.
Okay, so a lot of people say the prices are on the high side but for the portions given and the fact that spices are expensive, I can understand why they are priced the way they are. I'd definitely recommend this place, it's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place, so come early be ready to wait. -
Review from Benjamin J.
Tacoma, WA
1/1/2008
We were lucky enough to come during the Greenwood Trick-or-Treat for Kids day. While Chef George was clearly primarily focused on entertaining the kids (at first delivering candy directly at the door, and then with frenzied and silly yells from the kitchen), the food did not disappoint.
Grape leaves were excellent. The taste was not cloying, and even the vegetarian version was substantial. Salad was also excellent, with a green garlic sauce. Schwarma, both chicken and lamb, in plate and sandwich form, was - excluding one tough bite - tender, flavorful, and spiced brilliantly. Portions were generous but not excessive. Prices, too, were reasonable, with a solid lunch with appetizer coming in under $15.
Baklava ($3, ask to split your order between two people) was delicious and crumbly with a hint of rose water. Staff were friendly, although the restaurant opened late and beverage refill was slow. Atmosphere was pleasant, clean and friendly.
An enjoyable, delicious experience at a reasonable price, Gorgeous George's is easily one of Seattle's best Mediterranean offers. Very close to my personal exclusive "best of Seattle" list; perhaps one more visit on a day where there aren't kids to entertain. Not that I half minded! It's good to see a restaurant which knows how to appeal to future customers.
Alas, I hear falafel is a bummer, but everything else is delightful. Then again, I'm skeptical of opinions on falafel. In how it galvanizes people on the "right way to do it," it's the barbecue of the Middle Eastern world. -
Review from Austin K.
Seattle, WA
3/21/2007
How excited was I that Greenwood had a new mediterranean joint run by the famous wrestler Gorgeous George! I mean it's so hard to find Greek or Mediterranean food between 70th and 87th, plus vintage WWF?
I pretty much doomed Che Argento's existence, by getting first review on Yelp and pointing out their lack of an alcohol permit. This restaurant is the same location, similar vibe, but different name.
Please note, the man is gorgeous, but he isn't a retired WWF superstar. Also note, meat abounds.
Saving grace - The cauliflower starter is amazing. -
Review from Michelle U.
Seattle, WA
6/19/2010
I really enjoyed my meal here. First off, George - the namesake of this little establishment - is not only the chef, but a gracious host.
The food was incredible, and huge, heaping portions. Starting off with the fresh hummus pooling with olive oil, spinach pies (my fave!!), chunky Greek salad, and that was just the appetizers! Our entrees meat and falafel platters were enormous, flavorful, and delicious. At one point, I tried to keep eating in a plea to clean my plate, but my stomach literally just ran out of room.
George checked in on us regularly, making witty comments and genuine conversation to make sure we were happy and comfortable. He even brought out baklava on the house as a after-dinner treat. I would definitely come back, George was such a kind, hospitable host, he really added a personal flair to our dinner. -
Review from Dave A.
Seattle, WA
8/21/2008
Ok, let's get this straight: none of the "Mediterranean " restaurants in the Greenwood foodie corridor are perfect and Gorgeous George's isn't either, but they get things more right than any of their competitors and it has instantly become my local falafel booty-call.
I went recently with a group of four on a hot summer day and we were apprehensive about the lack of AC in favor of a giant prop fan to keep the premises cool. The dining area is small but not claustrophobic, and we were intimately aware of every word of every conversation at the adjoining tables, so if that creeps you out there's a sidewalk table or take-out. Our server was polite and efficient but seemed a little spooked at our slight rowdiness.
First of all, I did a double take at the appetizer of hot, fresh, Greek-style pita bread and a good-sized plate of hummus (which was more than enough for our group) that arrived within minutes. In fact, I kind of gorged myself on the pita/hummus, which is some of the best I've ever had, not realizing the amount of food that was about to arrive.
The Vegetarian sampler platter comes with all the usual suspects: Dolma, Babaganoosh, Falafel, Tabouli, more Hummus...all fantastic. Even the little bowl of exotic olives and pickles was unusually good. To top it off they include ANOTHER plate of that pita, this time with a crunchy toasted texture we swooned over. The serving sizes don't look big but after this and the appetizer pita I was stuffed in that "I-need-to-lie-down" kind of way in short order.
George's obviously makes the falafel from scratch, there's no mistaking that combo of golden crunchy exterior and light parsley green interior you only find in home-made falafel. I literally got into a butter-knife fencing match for the last one.
Another person in our party had the grilled chicken plate which was prepared in these sort of interesting strips that were a hit at our table, although I can see why other reviewers are calling it "dry" but this didn't bother us. The main dish came with a simple salad of greens, tomatoes and feta with an exquisite mint dressing we're still trying to replicate at home.
Even the Baklava assortment was unbelievable, we assumed they were also home-made but we forgot to ask as we tore into them like a pack of wild dingos.
The meal did conclude with an appearance from the head chef (George?) that others here have described as "creepy" but in our case it was mercifully brief. We saw him go to work on an older couple by pouring the wine and acting like the impresario and they were lapping it up, so I guess his little routine must work on some people.
The bill? Honestly, a bit higher than we would have liked but after this particular meal nobody was complaining. If you order beer or wine with your meal you could really rack it up here I'm afraid.
I will be back.Listed in: Davy's Restaurant Round-up
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Review from Sophia P.
Washington, DC
8/24/2008
This is five-star Mediterranean food. Can't argue that. I went twice last week when I discovered it. The chicken shawarma was incredible, as was the falafal appetizer. Those are the items I've tried yet.
The only thing I can think to criticize is the cost of beer and wine. $5 for a beer is just a little too pricey to have more than one, but it's probably a blessing in disguise, because the plates are filling enough on their own. -
Review from pope b.
Seattle, WA
6/13/2010
Finally checked this place out last night - so glad we did.
The chef/owner, George, is a real class-act. He was in and out of the kitchen the entire time we were there, welcoming people walking in the door, checking on the customers, encouraging them to have a good time and to eat more hummus! Really nice guy. It's refreshing to see somebody take so much pleasure in his work. For that matter, it's also pretty darn refreshing to sit down to a complimentary plate of hummus and pita bread.
My wife had the salmon. I see that other people have been a bit put-off by the prices, but the salmon was the same price we would have paid at Ray's Cafe (about $21) and the portion was significantly larger. Light, flaky, just freakin' delicious. Came with a greek salad that she proclaimed to be the best salad she's had in Greenwood (and, trust me, the chick eats a lot of salad).
I had the lamb steak. . . and it was premium, dudes. Came with a really ripping lentil soup, and was served up with garden veggies and a pile of rice which had been mixed with cinnamon and ground beef.
_PREMIUM!_
_Dudes!_
We both took half of our meals home. Both were delicious, but so rich and filling that there was no way we could have finished. On our way out, the entire staff thanked us for coming in. I know that seems like a trivial thing, but customer service goes a long way in my book.
Really nice people. Really good food. Really good wine. Win/win/win.
On the down side, this is going to make my decision regarding "Where to get a gyro at lunchtime" even more difficult. Already I have to decide between Georgia's, Mr. Gyros, and Romio's, now I've got to factor George in, as well! This strikes me as a good problem to have.
Be seeing you. . . -
Review from Dave P.
Seattle, WA
6/7/2009
We visited George's for lunch this weekend and really enjoyed it. We decided to go the chicken route, partly because when we go downmarket (and down the street) to Mr. Gyros we always get chicken dishes. I got the Chicken Shish Tawook; she got the Shawarma Plate.
My dish was delicious. It was perfectly seasoned, expertly grilled. It even had some killer grilled tomatoes and onions on it. I was a fan. My only complaint is that the smallest piece of chicken on the Kebab was dry and overcooked. The two (much) larger pieces were nicely cooked.
Her dish was pretty good, though it did feel a little heavy and oily, and the chicken was overcooked.
The bottom line for us was that we liked the food a lot, but at a similar price level we both thought that Vios (we go to the Third Place Books location) has fresher and more interesting food. And, truth be told, if we're heading to Greenwood for Mediterranean food, we're almost certainly going to Mr Gyros for some cheap sandwiches, anyway. -
Review from Chris F.
7/14/2009
Well, aside from getting into a scuffle with George, the food was good. He didn't like the fact that I put down his cooking, then before you knew it, and all out brawl ensued. He threw a CLEAVER at me!!
Ok, there was no scuffle, but I did see the man as he refilled our water and asked us how the food was. I felt like telling him the lamb was a tad undercooked, followed up with asking, "who cooked this?". But it was left as a wild and crazy thought.
All kidding aside, I will say that the lamb shwarma was awesome, and NOT undercooked :) What I didn't like was that they had no crackers for my soup. It's just a personal peeve I have when people serve soup but offer no crackers. The other peeve I had was that a heineken and miller genuine draft both went for 5 bucks in the bottle! Come on, those two beers are worlds apart, for one, MGD sucks, two it's a domestic, where do you get off charging 5 dollars for an MGD. And even the Heineken should have been priced a little lower. With that, I would also add that the entrees are probably about 2-3 bucks over priced, IMO.
The lentil soup was really good. My buddy had a decently sized salad for it being a side (but for the price we paid, it should...and after all what's the cost to them for making it a nice size? Nada). It came with cucumber and tomato. Nothing fancy. Also, the proportion of meat and rice with two pita slices is definitely adequate to fill you up, and you may very well get a to-go box, I'd hedge the bet that you would.
The place is nice inside. There's 10 tables, 8 of which sits 2 people but typically will accommodate a third, tightly. They have two tables that seats 4-6.
So there it is, based on the crackers and what I feel to be slightly higher cost then should be, it gets.....4 STARS!! Quality,..5 stars.
Last but not least, Don't EFF with George, he's a mean SOB!!!, but damn is he gorgeous ;-) -
Review from Cameron W.
Seattle, WA
4/6/2009
So I'm currently on a Mediterranean food kick. I'm eating gyro's left and right, seeking out kababs and grilled tomatoes and onions. That being said, I jumped onto Yelp to try and find the closest place to my house and saw all the awesome reviews for Gorgeous George's. I went there with dreams of sweet, lemony saffron rice & a big grilled tomato and soft, moist, succulent grilled shish kababs. When I was outside the restaurant someone walked out with 2 very large bags of to-go food and he said that we couldn't go wrong with anything we ordered in there. Armed with that knowledge I walked in even more excited for my upcoming dinner.
Well...I know I'll probably get flamed for saying this but I didn't get any of that. I got a meal that was good, but not great. Meat that was tasty but far from moist, and portions that were decently sized but not the HUGE portions that other people have mentioned. I mentioned wanting a big, grilled tomato - what I got was a two bite tomato slice. My grilled onion was also pretty miniscule. The rice I got was also rather plain. It had a bit of flavor but definitely not the zesty rice experience I was looking forward to.
One thing I will give high marks for is the service. The girl who worked the cashier was very pleasant, offered us water even though we were just getting takeout, and brought our food to us with a smile even though the restaurant started getting busy.
I'm thinking that maybe it was just an off night for them. I'm rating the food 2 stars with an an extra star for the good service. I'm looking forward to going back and changing my 3 star rating - all these Yelp reviews can't be wrong! -
Review from Marc P.
Seattle, WA
4/13/2008
We walked from the zoo to Red Mill on a warm afternoon. After a 10 minute wait, I realized that Red Mill was cash/check only. Bummed, hungry, and having already mentally begun eating a burger, we headed north on Greenwood Ave. We had our infant, asleep in the stroller. We passed by a few potential places, but they had the dreaded (and economically stupid) NO MINORS signs up.
Finally, we arrived in front of Gorgeous George's Mediterranean whatever. Shrugging, we chanced it. It was around their opening time, and George came out and made room for us and our stroller. He recognized our mood, and worked some kind of instinctive restauranteur magic to get us into a good mood. "Try this wine!" he proclaimed. The wine, a Lebanese white, was fantastic. He then got some frankincense going, and entertained the whole place by singing along with some nice rhythmic middle eastern music, dancing, and snapping his fingers. He's a total clown, but in a charming way.
Anyway, my wife got two appetizers, the hummous and the spinach pie. Her hummous was fantastic, rich and creamy. The spinach pie came in four pieces, and was actually more spinach than phyllo. Also very tasty. I ordered the gyro plate (lamb and beef), which came as one piece of pita (freshly baked) with abundant strips of highly spiced gyro meat, and topped with a mild tahini. It was served with some nice rice (fine, basmati sized rice, not that fat, orzo-looking stuff) and a ramekin of spicier tahini (or tzaziki?).
My plate was around 14, and my wife's apps were 4-7. The wine was 8/glass. Total bill was around 45, and I left quite a generous tip for the whole experience. We'll definitely be going back, and will probably shoot for opening time again. -
Review from Shannon B.
Seattle, WA
2/6/2009 3 Check-ins Here
We live in the neighborhood but somehow managed not to make it in to try Gorgeous George's until this evening. Boy, we had no idea what we were missing!
Our group of three walked in at around 6PM this evening and the place was pretty empty...there was one other table of two and another table of four. We were immediately drawn to the man in the chef's coat and hat, who was enjoying talking with the table of four. We sat down at our table for three and perused the menu...it offered some of the standard Mediterranean fare, but with some other yummy-sounding offerings. We ordered a bottle of wine and soon after a plate of hummus and pita arrived. The hummus was silky and delicious and the pita was warm and soft.
When we placed our order, I had decided upon the Mediterranean chicken but George let me know that Grandma's chicken was even better. He explained the seasonings and details of the dish, letting us know that it was an amazing recipe from his grandmother who lived to be 115 years old. I changed my order and am very glad that I did! Grandma's chicken was impeccably spiced and was so wonderfully cooked that the meat practically fell off the bone. The garlicky dollop of sauce atop the chicken was amazing, and I also had the reassurance that no vampires would be accosting me on our walk home that evening. Powerful garlic, but goooooooooood. My toughest moments during our meal were deciding to dip my chicken morsel into the garlic sauce or the tzatziki sauce, which also came with the dish. I ended up vacillating throughout the entire meal and was happy as a clam doing so.
We finished our meals and while we were absolutely stuffed, we couldn't resist when George asked us about dessert. Knowing that he hadn't steered us wrong in the chicken recommendation, we asked him which dessert he liked best. No question, it was the baklava. I have tried baklava several times in several different places and haven't come across one that I really enjoyed. George's baklava is now my favorite! It was delicately spiced and topped with crushed pistachios....and it was stuffed to the gills with wonderful walnut filling. The baklava was a perfect end to a wonderful meal....we'll be back again very soon! George's place is a gem. -
Review from Kevin G.
Sunnyvale, CA
7/7/2007
I really liked the food here. The falafel balls were a little dry. With a bit of hummus, that was cured. The pitas we got were also a bit hard and maybe sort of stale. The baba ghanough had some fairly large chunks of eggplant skin, which I wouldn't usually expect to find. But I thought everything else was great, and the pita thing was probably a fluke.
It's too bad the prices aren't on the take out menu. This led to some confusion when looking at the receipt. -
Review from Kate H.
Seattle, WA
5/19/2010
I am joining Yelp out of gratitude to George himself this evening. My fiance and I had such a serendipitously lovely meal that it turned our harried evening into a weeknight date.
First of all, even after just moving here from NYC, where we ate a fair amount of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine, George just made me what was by far the best Baba Ghannouj I've ever had, hands down.
Our experience was nice from start to finish. On a rainy, chilly evening, George brought out a little space heater for next to our table to make me more comfortable. His timing was great, he was quite gallant without trying too hard. We loved our shared sampler appetizer platter and the falafel entree. (And sharing just the one big appetizer and a vegetarian entree -and not getting drinks- made this a really affordable option.) The stuffed grape leaves were made with care, the flatbread perfectly toasted. When we stayed past closing time, we didn't feel at all rushed to leave. Excellent Balaklava with such a finely balanced flavor, paired perfectly with a shot of spiced Turkish coffee was a great finish. I sure didn't want to go back out into the damp windy night- we could have stayed and talked all night.
We hope to become semi-regulars, and there's something comforting about finding our go-to place for Mediterranean food here in Seattle. -
Review from Dana M.
Seattle, WA
6/11/2008
YUM. This place is awesome! We showed up here on a weeknight, starving & just from the gym. George's did not disapoint. We sat down to two complimentary apps; greek salad w/ a creamy basil dressing and fresh flatbread with extra garlic-y hummus.
George is quite the character and a wonderful host. Our dinners were delish and after politely declining a second glass of wine, George poured a mini glass on the house.
Tons of great food at even better prices. A+ service and quality. A small spot, but very cozy and cute. A great date spot or place to hit up with friends and family. Enjoy! -
Review from Diana F.
Seattle, WA
9/30/2009
To start, service was bad, shish tawook (grilled chicken skewers) was amazing, and the kofta kabab (ground beef) was dry. I'm middle eastern so i'm generally not impressed by restaurant hummus, but the hummus here was solid although the portion was small. The complimentary lentil soup was bland...they would have been better off not serving it.
Overall this place is good but over priced ($10 for fattoush! that's outrageous). $55 for a satisfying, but not exceptional meal for 2 without beverages or tip is too much in my book.
Oh, and one more thing, the music was horrible! it sounded like a home recording of a bad arabic wedding singer. Sad. There is plenty of decent arabic music out there guys, you can do better. -
Review from Adrienne G.
Bothell, WA
7/28/2010
Went here after reading a review saying they're gluten-free friendly. The staff was incredibly friendly, and when I mentioned having Celiac Disease I was greeted with a big smile and told not to worry - they told me they keep everything separate and could prepare anything for me.
I would have been sold on this place based on the service alone, but the food was AMAZING (and no accidental 'glutening')! We ordered a lot, and everything was great (cannot recommend the Shawarma enough!!). The portions are huge, so be prepared to take home leftovers. We got two full meals out of each dish. Gorgeous George's is now a favorite for me. -
Review from Danielle H.
San Diego, CA
10/21/2009
Since moving to Seattle I find it hard to satisfy my Middle Eastern cravings, but Georges definitely helps. I went there on Monday with 10 of my friends and everyone left with a big smile on their face.
The falafel and hummus were amazing and everyone loved the chicken dishes. Most meals come with a salad so don't order another one unless you plan to share.
The owner George was there and provided fantastic service while singing to himself. The atmosphere was great and we all left super full and with a ton of leftovers. I will definitely recommend this place to my friends.
