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Category: Greek
Neighborhood: Spring ValleyMon-Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Sun. 1:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
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Yowsa!
I feel so truly embarassed that I haven't written a review on my fave Greek PALACE until now!!!! I deserve 10 lashings for being such a Cuckoo bird.
Ever so tasty gyros and the Chicken salad...I'm speechless. I have yet to find a place that compares to their divine poultry/veggie concoction!
Yeap...I'm sold.
The wait times can be pretty lengthy, but I advise you call ahead of time.
What a delightful restaurant right down the street from my house!
This is the first restaurant we tried when we first moved to the neighborhood and it definitely went on the short list. The food is deliciously Greek, as it should be. The food is made to order (so there may be a bit of a wait) and the combo plates are served in large portions - definitely enough for two to share. The staff (family-operated, i assume) is very friendly and the prices are decent for the servings.
We've been back a couple times already, and we look forward to that Greek-food craving just so we can order in from The Grecian Cafe.
**This review is only for the Grilled Chicken Salad**
Great salad, totally worth the $9! You could probably feed two people with this salad. It takes about 20 minutes to make, so call in before you pick-up.
Tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, crunchy lettuce, olives, and lots of Feta! And oh yeah, CHICKEN. Tons of delicious chicken!
I really really WANT to like this place. We need more good restaurants here, and I keep giving The Grecian Cafe another try hoping it'll get good. But I can't live in the past, it ain't what it used to be :-(
The food is...okay. My husband and I remember this place from when we were growing up and it was always wonderful. They stopped using high quality ingredients and started skimping on the portions. Two bad decisions that can and hopefully, will change.
I think they remodeled nicely, but they should have spent the money on good feta, more pita and thicker cuts of gyros (like they used to).
If you skip out on this place, your not missing anything. Generic greek food, unimaginative, boring.
Thanks for yelping the chicken salad all! My daughter brought me one, and I had to return two days later to get it again. The grilled chicken is simply divine on a bed of crisp, leafy greens with some tomato, red onion, feta, and olives. It is served with warm pita bread, which I'm assuming is made there because it is so great. I tasted the gyro and falafel, which were also fantastic.
I'll be a repeat customer for sure!
Another place Yelp inspired me to go back to so I could write a review--my gain! It had been a hot day and I was in a salad mood. I hardly ever order salads so it had better be good and preferably Seafood or Greek. We both got the Greek salad with grilled chicken(same as the souvlaki the lady said) with fried Zucchini as a side and I decided to order one kouripiethes cookie and one Baklava to try. Both ahead of us and behind us in line were firemen from the area which I figured bode well. We had been here several times before and knew it was good already but I now look at places with a fresh perspective through my Yelp eyes.
The Fried Zucchini were small and not a large portion for $3.50 but piping hot and juicy with a nice crunchy breading and ranch on the side.
The salads were perfect, lots of crisp lettuce in a wonderful Greek dressing, feta sprinkled throughout instead of just a tiny chunk on the side, a couple of olives to garnish, tomato, cucumber, purple onion, and a LOT of delicious warm grilled chicken on top It came with warm grilled pita bread and tsatsiki sauce. I ate about 2/3 of mine and quit but the rest didn't make it till the next day.
The cookie was very good (but I like mine better--recipe from the Greek neighbors of my childhood). The Baklava was one of the best I'd had from a restaurant or store--but not quite as good as what you buy at the Greek festival in June. That's my standard. Most Greek pastries from cafes deli's and groceries are substandard and don't taste fresh so this was better than most. I would order it again certainly.
The ladies who run it are old school Greek cooks and do it right! Very cheerful and attentive also. Bravo!
I forgot to check when they open but she said they close at 9pm.
If you live in the Spring Valley, La Mesa, Lemon Grove area this is probably your closest bet for good Greek food.
I've had both the gyros and chicken salads and the gyros plate, which is a lot of food so come hungry. A family member of mine went with me once, and attested to the fried options saying the popcorn shrimp and fries were good along with the fried zucchini.
Long story short, it's good fresh Greek food and the women who run the place are friendly.
On the downside, they easily get bogged down when things get busy, which is understandable, but I've waited upwards of 20 minutes for a salad. I'd suggest calling ahead in all instances.
Also, is it rather expensive, unless you're ordering one of their many lunch specials, then you should be able to make it out for under $10.
Check it out, it's worth it.
Disclaimer: Only reviewing the chicken salad and pita...
The absolute BEST chicken salads... Lots and lots of grilled chicken, and of course greens and feta and 2 slices of cucumber and 2 wedges of tomatoes. Great warm pita bread as an accompainment. Get your salad dressing on the side, as it is a huge salad and is more for "grazing" than just a meal.
- 1 star because I think the salad is something like $10.00 and for that I expect at least 4 slices of cucumber and 4 wedges of tomato!
I've lived in Casa de Oro for over twenty years I only recently discovered the Grecian Cafe. Man I coulda had fresh healthy Greek salads so much sooner. My family loves the Gyros Plates, I always get the Greek salad and my daughter gets the chicken salad and I steal some of her chicken, there is plenty to share. The baklava is yummy. It's definitely not fast food and sometimes they run out of rice,
I called ahead last night and they told me it was a forty - five minute wait. "Is that OK?"she asked. Uh...
Great basic greek food. The gyros aren't anything special, but everything else is very good.
The women who work there are very nice also.
Family run home-style food. You'll find all the typical dishes gyros, kabobs, spanakopita, hummus, falafel, baklava but cooked with love and tasting so much better than other joints. The falafel here are especially good... those little fried chickpea patties are often dry and lifeless but these are full of flavor. The Avgolemono soup (chicken & lemon soup) is fabulous and not to be missed. Don't expect much decor wise. This is a take-out place mostly with a few tables and cheesy pictures of the Acropolis on the walls but terrific food and that's what it's all about.
I moved into the Casa de Oro area in 1995 and have been going to the Grecian Cafe ever since. My favorite take-out foods are the Greek Chicken Salad & the Gyros salad ... best to get them with dressing on the side because you might have leftovers and they will last well into the next day without the dressing. Call them in advance and they will have your take-out order ready to go. ALWAYS delicious!
Spring Valley, CA
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