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Categories: Greek, Mediterranean [Edit]
Neighborhood: Montrose"Great quality, authentic, and inexpensive. If you're looking for Greek food (I'm Greek) in a casual setting, here's the place. I am not…" read more »
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The lineup out the door at 6pm was a major indication that we'd chosen a great place to eat, at least a local favorite , and that is always good ppl!!!
We were gonna catch a show @ the laff stop, and essentially I 'Yelped' greek/mediterranean in the area and came across Niko Niko. I'm glad we chose it. The falafel sandwich was HUGE but really good, I appreciate all of the fresh ingredients that go in it as well ( crisp fresh lettuce, fresh thick slices of tomatoes) and the white yougurt sauce it comes with is literally to DIE for.! If I could slobber that all over my food.including french fries..yeah I did do that!!
Speaking of which, what is that awesome spice on the french fries? I swear my stomach had said no looooong ago, but my tastebuds were in heaven! I finished my entire plate (I shouldn't have...it was plenty for two) and still wanted more!
They are busy, no doubt, however I wouldn't say that the quality is comprimised just coz they have a lineup out the door. Good old fashioned home cooked greek/mediterranean food. mmm mmmm delish! Now I wanna go back!!
If there's one restaurant, one institution that I can always rely on, it's Niko Niko's. Like many Houstonians, I have been coming here for years. Niko Niko's has seen me through several phases. I can actually pin point times that I've eaten here as a prelude to a poignant moment of my life (numerous 1st dates, crying sessions with gfs, contemplating college careers, etc). To me, Niko Niko's is one of the only things constant in my life, and for that, I am deeply grateful.
Every time I come here, I tend to order the same exact plates. No matter how often I'll look around the enormous menu and contemplate on trying new things, I always come back to my old favorites. Oven roasted chicken or the lamb shank platter when I'm craving a full-on meal, or a gyro sandwich/platter when I want comfort food.
While waiting for my food, I always try to snag "my table" outside (it's the second one near the gate, facing Montrose). I love passing the time here, people watching, letting the cool spray mist from the fans hit my face, and eating the wonderful food. It's that sense of familiarity, the sense of feeling home, the sense that all is right again in the world...it's those feelings that Niko Niko's invokes in me that keeps me coming back for more.
I've always been under the impression that most Greek restaurants can generally bring it quite sufficiently when it comes to Greek cuisine. Niko Niko's is no different in that respect. What IS different about Niko's is just how hard they bring it, and the answer is pretty hard indeed.
Sure, they got your kebobs and pitas and pilafs, and they're all darn tasty. I had the lamb kebob plate, which presented all of the aforementioned components in addition to a Greek salad. The lamb pieces along with the tomatoes, onions, and peppers all had an excellent char from where they were sitting on the grill. It took me about 25 minutes to get my plate due to the influx of customers stemming from their recent profile on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives, but you could tell that they were still taking their sweet time preparing the dishes.
Niko's also has a daily fresh fish sampling, along with some other things you wouldn't expect from a Greek cafe (though perhaps that's why the "and American" got tacked on) like po'boys and cheesesteaks. The star of the show for me, however, was the loukoumades - Greek honey balls, which sound dirty, but are tremendous. They're similar in design to gulab jamun of Indian cuisine, but instead of their spongy interiors bursting with milk, there's delicious honey awaiting your tongue. The menu claims that Niko's is the only place outside of the annual Greek festival to obtain them, and they are definitely worth the trip.
You can tell from Niko's slick presentation that they are not new to the Houston scene. Whereas many restaurants fill their empty wall space with miscellaneous pictures and license plates, Niko's actually needs all of that space to display the seemingly endless supply of local awards they've won. The parking is insufferable at this point, but Niko's is a restaurant that's so nice...
...they had to name it twice.
Awesome Greek food in ridiculously large portions. If you try to finish it, you will be dominated. Kind of pricey, but worth it since you really get 2 meals out of it. The fries are so good, and the gyro is heaven in the form of seasoned lamb.
Niko Niko's ahh - I adore this place! The food is healthy, great portions. The Greek potatoes, gyros, falafel and some others (forgot their names) are delicious!
love it! best hummus, gyros, fries, spanokoptika, lokoumades, everything. I could eat here every day of the year
The food is ok, the long wait is ridiculous, but that's a good sign ... Why the Styrofoam? Why the flimsy plastic cutlery? (yeah i used cutlery) Maybe its time for two drink stations! If it is raining, cold, or hot, its best to take it home. So the best times to go are winter, which is perfect for their chicken soup.
NIKO-NIKO`S what can I say????? I have been going there off and on since the 70`s.. and cannot compliment it enough.. lots of the reviewer`s seem to be young,hip souls... what used to be a service station and turned into this institution is a miracle... the owners have really succeded here and we have been the lucky ones.. i love going here with family and especially with friends to sit on the patio, weather permitting... you owe it to yourself to at least try with an open mind...
service: order at counter, usually a line, get food pretty quick
food: hummus is good, shrimp greek salad is good and fresh too
atmosphere: haven't been here when it wasnt packed, a little too busy for me, a lot going on, kind of hard to enjoy your company. booth seating, not cushy booths though, wood booths
would go back, but not in a hurry or anything
Came back this weekend and tried the grilled pork chop platter and it was great! They gave us 2 pork chops and grilled them to perfection - super moist and tender. Definitely another dish i recommend.
Every time I come into town and visit my fiancee the first place I want to eat is Niko Niko. This is… Read more »
Great place to get your hands dirty. Love their Greek salad as a starter. Their signature gyro wrapper can never go wrong. I've been trying different dishes. I have to say, I've liked all of them so far. I'm usually a big wimp trying out the varieties in other restaurants. But everything at Niko Niko taste great.
For the price, it's reasonable. You order from the counter and no need to tip. There's patio tables outside. Nice and cozy environment.
The only problem is the line and the parking lot. Either lunch or dinner, I've had to get my order to go.
About the only plus was the sexy, beefy Mediterranean boy behind the counter. Love the family history and small-business appeal, but the food leaves MUCH to be desired.
I had the gyro sandwich, which was crazy greasy and the overall experience is very FAST-FOODY, which I suppose can be a plus if you're only looking for quick, but isn't really my style. I'd say, if you want fast, save yourself some dough and go to Mcky-D's, or whatever your poison is, and if you're looking for a genuinely GOOD Mediterranean food experience, go down the street to La Fende.
great food! although it gets really crowded from time to time and parking is a pain. But i always come back! the gyros, porkchops, side dishes, salads. all are very good and fresh! one of my fav places for greek food. i rarely go anywhere else to satisfy my hunger for gyros.
This is a solid restaurant with a very nice, casual atmosphere. You will order at the register and grab a table, then go back to the register for food pick up when it's ready. Simple decorations and patio furniture are the overall theme.
There is definitely bang for your buck and you can eat yourself stupid for about $8 or less. There's typical Greek dishes and I tried several things, all of which were good. One thing I really appreciated about this restaurant was the diversity of the crowd. It's always nice to see all kinds of people, little kids, middle aged, old, various races, trying foreign food. Well done, Houston.
OPA!!!!!!!!
So I goto niko niko's almost wanting to goto hollywood (heard they have the tastiest crispy noodle) across the street because the parking lot was packed like an amusement park. But then again the long walk from around the block on a residential street was good to help food digest a lil since i'm trying to eat right. Not even sure if this is somewhat a healthy place but was worth the cheating haha.
walking up to the front, the the patio tables were all occupied as well as the inside... Standing in line, I noticed an open table so i sent a friend running to grab it. WE GOT IT!!!!! After sitting down at the table, we thought it was cooler outside so we ventured to the side patio which was full. Damn it, our table got vultured and now i was wondering if we were gonna have to eat standing. But me not being from here, i was panicking for no reason as my friend said lets try the back room..... BACKROOM????? AWESOME, it was ac in the backroom and plenty of tables available. GOTO THE BACK ROOM! AC AND TV'S.
I was going to order a gyro plate but decided on sharing the hercules plate with a friend since I wanted to try all their meat and see what the hype was all about. So fat of a plate, we couldnt finish it. Staring at all the extra lamb still calling my name i had to throw in the towel. The beef was a bit dry and chewy but still an ok eat. The chicken was mediocre but still good. Had a side of the potatoes on it, not too much flavor but enough to keep me from adding salt. I think maybe thats what killed my appetite. The lamb???? DAMN!!!! thats good eats and the majority of meat on plate. The tsuyakichaki or watever sauce it was called was really good but I give kudos to the hot chili paste (sauce?) had me pouring it on everybite. Just the right balance of spicy n salty, well maybe a lil spicier would've done justice but I can hang with the spiciest of food.
I really want to try the salmon next time, looked mighty tasty but it was my first time here and some houstonians told me it was a staple in this beautiful town so I let him order for us californians.
All in all, a great experience. I will return to this establishment anytime I'm in that area.
The greek salad was awesome (well i am a big feta cheese fan), recommend it over the fries.
The chicken kebab sandwich and falafel plate were average, I have had better falafel. The Loukoumades were hot and fresh but nothing to write home about instead try the Athenian Mud Pie.
Hot off the press. I finally had a chance to try this highly touted establishment today around noon. When I got here there was not much of a line but after placing my order they gave me a buzzer saying I would have to wait 25 min. for my gyro and potatoes. Luckily, as I filled my cup with pink lemonade a table inside opened up.
While waiting I noticed the line started to grow and grow every second until people were lined to the door. Thanks to a wave of vocational nurses in training wearing blue outfits the time spent waiting for my food went by quick as my friend and I daydreamed we were young wounded soldiers being granted our final wishes by these cute nurses in training., (well at least some of them were.)
Alas, my buzzer started to vibrate and quickly I went to retrieve my grub. Gyro places are tricky because some places the lamb tastes too gamey but this lamb was right on. Smothered my meat with hot sauce and pretty much inhaled it as some of the nurses watched in disbelief. Boiled potatoes were not to my liking. I don't understand the hype and wished I ordered the fries instead. Overall, the gyros are very good but I can imagine the frustration of waiting in line and then waiting for food and then having to eat it outside in the heat. Food I give 4 stars minus the boiled taters, overall experience I rate this place 3.5 stars.
Niko Niko's is a Montrose institution. The expanded parking lot can accommodate the throngs, but you'll usually find a line of people inside hungrily waiting to place their orders. It generally moves pretty fast though, and if you get an appetizer you can snack happily until they buzz you for your order. I recommend the calamari, to which for $1 more they'll add copious feta cheese. I should probably stop right there, but my inner Jabba wants an entree too.
The menu is extensive, and can be daunting for a first-timer or anybody who has difficulty making a decision on delicious Greek food. I love the gyro pita (or as a platter) - savory beef and lamb on a warm pita with creamy tzatziki. The accompanying seasoned fries are great, but you can also get a side salad or the delectable, soft, Greek spiced potatoes. Achaean salads, Danaan salmon, even Argive burgers - this review could go pages.
With a fantastic, cool patio, Greek music playing over the speakers, and an ice-cold Mythos lager in hand, the stage is set for a delightful meal.
I was in Houston this past weekend for a seminar and I planned on trying out Niko Niko's cuz of you fellow Yelpers, and sho nuff, you didn't disappoint.
There is no place like this in Dallas (that I know of) and the experience was wonderful. You walk in, order at the counter, sit down and wait for your food as you read their dessert menu. You then realize you have to try their honey balls (yeah, honey balls). They make em fresh so they're hot and juicy when you munch into em!
Chicken Parmesan sandwich- wasn't great, but could've been worse. After ordering it I thought, "Why am I ordering a strangely modified Italian dish at a Greek place?" Stupid.
Gyro- I tasted it and it was delicious.
Lentil soup- tasty, but kinda had a light soapy taste to it.
Fries- perfect.
Honey balls- SUPER AWESOME
Tapioca Rice Pudding- it passes although it looks like they sit there for a while.
All in all I'd definitely try it again only cuz it wasn't too bad and there's nothing like it in Dallas.
Finally made it out to Niko Niko's. I was always a little turned off by the building, thought it looked pretty commercial and Disney land like. Not the place to get quality authentic Greek food. But after enough of my friends had recommended it I thought I would check it out.
I thought I would start with a basic Gyro it was pretty tasty, not that I have had too many to compare it to. The portions are pretty huge ... especially the french fries that come with the sandwiches.
I really enjoyed the Greek beer. I would rather give Nikos 3.5 stars but I will bump it up to 4 because of its quirkiness.
I'd go one star but that really should be only reserved for true bombs like DNR.
In any case, I really don't get this place. I don't get the line, I don't get the food. I just don't understand why its so popular.
I wish it was awesome cause I live nearby, but its not. Actually I could take halfway decent (actually their wings are halfway decent, but I'd say that's about it), but I don't think that's true either. Instead you have to wait in line, fight for a table, and eat with plastic utensils for what? Mediocre food that's not even inexpensive!
Yak!
Went here with friends for a light lunch. I ordered a small salad with a side of gyro meat and grabbed a Greek beer...Mythos I think it was called.
They were happy to accommodate my requests for feta and dressing on the side and everything was very tasty...dressing, meat, beer. All very good.
I think my total came to about ten dollars, which was reasonable given my order and the amount and quality of the food. Maybe not the greatest value, but worth it if you've got a few extra bucks.
Love Niko Niko's. Great selection of sandwiches... I usually get the chicken pita. The place is always clean and the new parking lot certainly helps things. All the potato sides are good but the fries are some of the best you'll ever have.
The only warning: the food is not fast. Expect sa wait, busy or not. But boy is it worth it!
Niko Niko's has some of the best vegetarian food I've ever had. Now, I'm not a vegetarian or anything, but there are days when I want vegetables. On those days, I hit this place up for a Village Salad and some soup. (The Village Salad has no lettuce. It's all cucumbers and tomatoes and feta cheese and delicious.)
Now, the non-vegetarian options are wonderful, too. Lamb shanks fall off the bone, and the chicken is tender. I just like the salad and soup combo so much that I rarely stray from it.
This isn't the kind of place you go for a romantic date since it's always busy, but if you're looking for something tasty and you don't mind having to wait in line to order and pick it up from the counter yourself, give Niko Niko's a shot. They've got a pretty good liquor selection, too.
Excellent Greek food. Everything I have ordered to try has been really great! Improved parking too!
Feta cheese...mmm...falafel...mmm...pita bread...mmm...tzadziki...mmm...crunchy french fries?????....mmm
That's right, I love Niko's french fries...but, in addition to those lovely, crisp pieces of potato, I really like Niko's other offerings. I haven't veered off from the "basic" Greek options. But, everything I've had at Niko Niko is consistently good. I usually get the small Greek salad and the small tzadziki platter or the falafel sandwich with fries. On cold days, I love their Chicken Avgolemono Soup. The soup has a wonderful lemon flavor to the broth...homemade and delicious.
For dessert, it's hard to beat their Loukoumades, a Greek honey flavored donut hole with a powdered sugar dusting. Um, um, um...
Always busy, they've increased their outdoor seating and the size of the parking lot in the last year.
Niko Niko is a great way to satisfy your craving for Greek delicacies between Greek Festivals!
One word, YUM! I had the gyro sandwich, the pita bread was so soft and the lamb was super juicy. I loved their passion fruit tea and fries too! GO HERE!
This place exceeded my expectations with the taste and portion size of their food. I have always had a thing for Greek food - and a particularly urgent hankering for hummus and pita had been keeping me awake at night. So I decided to go for a lunch date with my friend Allison, who happened to share my love of all things chickpea.
We arrived to a lively atmosphere of hustle and bustle - very evocative of the Plaka district in Athens - and I ordered the Half Hummus appetizer and Vegetarian Lasagne plate with oven potatoes and a Coke; she ordered Greek Salad with Gyros added on top. Big plus that they serve Coke and not Pepsi, post-script.
The wait wasn't long for our meals, and the fact that I got a huge Greek salad (without my really realizing that it was included in the lasagne plate meal) was impressive. The tzatziki was perfect, the hummus was awesome (and green?!), the lasagne was really well prepared and fresh tasting, and my new go-to crave worthy dish will be those darned oven potatoes. Could not get enough of those! There was so much food, that I easily had leftovers for two more meals.
I do have two minor complaints about this place - but not enough to take away a star. One is the parking, it was crazy! And the second one is that Ouzo is not offered, though wine and beer is. C'mon! I asked the cashier about the Ouzo, he said that they used to offer it, but no one ordered it. Well, uh, I would have! :-P
A lot of people I know like Niko Nikos but I cann seem to like it all that much. You go in and order at a counter then wait to pick up your food. The Greek food itself is only decent and the meat is a little too greasy for me. It is a 10+ meal although there is no waiter. I do not see the value here. How about going to the Greek festival this weekend instead!
*sigh*
One of the few places I crave from Houston. Sometimes you need some American-ized Greek food.
Niko's was always a bright white and blue beacon off Montrose beckoning me to pull on into their parking lot.
And I did. And I love it.
Chicago has some fantastic substitutions, but Niko's will always have a special place in my heart.
For those who have never been here:
parking is decent. the bright blue wheel stops are really cute.
as you walk in the restaurant, you will see a big cooler with their beer selection on ice. Just grab your beer and bring it with you to the cashier. The bottles of wine are on the bar so you will have to tell the cashier which one you want.
then there are the laminated menus with tons of delicious goods listed. You might want to step to the side while you decide on what to order. Place is small, so I am sure you will be moving to the side for patrons as they walk through.
You place your order with the cashier. He gives you a buzzer. If you had a salad in your order, then you pick it up next to the cashier. Then you scout for an open table and wait for your food. The drinks are self serve.
The fries are delicious! I ordered: Slovaki and Chicken Shawarma. The dolmathes were good too! My husband and I also at the grilled pork chops! They were thick cut, grilled and super juicy. I will definitely go here again.
I was told my food would take 20 minutes, but it was only 10 minutes.
A Houston landmark! The best classic gyro and fries combo in town hands down. The lamb is perfect, the Tzaziki is creamy, and, for dessert, the baklava hits the spot with its honey-glazed flaky crust.
Any vegetarian dish is delightful as well.
The line is sometimes out the door and the seating can be limited.
The biggest plus: you never leave hungry. Ever.
So it seems that everyone has written a review on this place, but one more couldn't hurt. While I've heard from most people how amazing this place is, I'd yet to pay it a visit until today. After the lunch, I'm still not sure what all the hype is about.
I seemed to have the opposite experience as most people...
First off, the parking didn't seem as bad as people made it seem, and unless you go with a big group, you should be able to find a table. There were 8 of us and we still managed to get lucky in the table department. That seems to be the majority of the complaints about the place.
So then why did I give it only 3 stars? Well, the food just isn't that amazing. It's good food, don't get me wrong... but I'm not rushing back anytime soon. The french fries that so many people seem to rave about are good, but not sensational. The prices seem a little high for lunch, but then again that is because they don't have any lunch specials or lunch menu. With so many sit down service places offering options for $7, its hard to shell out $10 and feel like I'm getting any sort of a deal. Also, when going with a group, we found out that some people's food may be ready 10+ minutes before others. The whole waiting in line to order, then having to find a table and go back and get your food is a little annoying.
Now the portions were quite generous, especially how many french fries they pile on your plate. So, if you are looking for greek, then this might be one of your only choices in town that you can get in and out of in about 30 mins for under $15... but I'm not sure what all the hype is about.
Always awesome! Get falafel ala carte
OMG this was SUCH good food, I just ordered a platter with a buncha stuff I'd never heard of before and it was amazing! And we paired our meal with this greek "helinistic" beer and it was sooooo smooth and yummy. LOVED it!
I really enjoyed this place. Good food (if you like Greek), great atmosphere and fast service. They have a great menu full of various types of Greek food. This place is ideal if you are on a short lunch break and want good food. Did i say that already, they have great food. I had the beef gyro and rice. The rice was rice but the gyro was very tasty.
Alright there it is, if you haven't tried it, its a must. Oh ya, parking is pretty good too.....
To this day, I am completely baffled why people rave about this restaurant. It is OK and it is somewhat overpriced for what you are getting. The Gyro is a little greasy but tolerable. However, stay away from the Falafel, it is mushy. Falafel's don't have a very good shelf life and need to either move quickly or they need to fry it when ordered. I am not saying the place is bad it is just not what it is hyped up to be. There is a Mediterranean restaurant down at the corner that is alot better but priced at similar levels. If you want something that is between fast food and average quality then it is not a bad place.
This is obviously a very popular and busy place. On a recent Saturday afternoon there was no place to sit. We walked around with our yummy greek salads and finally found a wet table on the patio. The bus lady was nice enough to wipe it down for us. Then it started raining again, back inside with no place to sit standing around with our food. Stalked patrons until a table was open and finished our entree. ; )
The line to order, line to pick up your food and walkway to the exit basically shares the same space. It's a bit chaotic if you ask me. The stuffed chicken was pretty good, a little on the dry side and the rice stuffing could have a little more flavor. The boiled saffron/lemon potatoes and their french fries were amazing! The pita bread and dipping sauce was tasty too!
The best pork chops in town! Good service, don't have much to complain about.
I went here out of random with two other people. I have not had Greek food in ages. This place is REALLY popular and the door was out the restaurant, but they moved the line very quickly so we were waiting in line for under 15 minutes. Very organized being that you ordered, received a buzzer, and you pick up your food.
I ordered the Lamb Shank and I thought it was highly priced being that it was $15.00 plus tax; however, it was definitely worth the money. I received a whole Greek salad, two lamb shanks, two side orders, and a sauce. I was really surprised at how this meal was definitely a filler and the amount at the price. I was not expecting all that and had extra to take home.
I would definitely go back here again and again if I lived in Houston. It's not a bad place for a group of people and its definitely a great take out restaurant. They even have a place you can order dessert and take out.
Neighborhood: Fourth Ward
Category: Middle Eastern
Neighborhood: Galleria/Uptown
Category: Greek
Neighborhood: Braeswood Place
Category: Sandwiches
Neighborhood: Montrose
Category: Thai
Neighborhood: Upper Kirby
Category: Greek
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