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Opa!
Categories: Restaurants Greek Restaurants Mediterranean Greek, Mediterranean [Edit]
1384 Lincoln AveSan Jose, CA 95125
(408) 998-8704
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
591 reviews for Opa!
Review Highlights
"Opa is a nice lil Greek place in Willow Glen."
(in 96 reviews)
"I had the Gyro Pita, which was delicious."
(in 67 reviews)
"You can't skip the fiery feta dip."
(in 18 reviews)
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591 reviews in English
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Review from Anna S.
San Jose, CA
2/5/2012 3 Check-ins Here
HAPPY HOUR REVIEW ONLY
For the happy hours, Opa! has got to get five stars. Everytime I finish my happy hour meal, I feel like Opa! just got gypped....so I just end up tipping more.
Opa! Fries is delicious, but quite rich in flavor to finish between two people. The feta cheese is such a great complement.
Gyro Meat Platter is plentiful for two people to share (along with a couple other appetizers). The meat is pretty tender as described. Add a little bit of everything: spread pita with tzatziki, place a slice of meat on top, then a slice of tomato and piece of red onion. Nommy nom.
Calamari is okay, just not extremely crispy.
Tzatziki dip is the BEST. I LOVE IT. THE BEST.
Fiery Feta Dip if you like the red peppery taste.
Spicy avocado dip disappoints an avo lover.
Zucchini drops taste like subway in a ball.
Couple of tables outdoor for a nice day.
If you're hungry, do come here for happy hour. -
Review from Jeff R.
San Jose, CA
2/4/2012
Wish the place was a bit bigger, due to the frequent need to wait a while on weekend nights. But my wife and I visit this Opa! frequently, and have always had good meals. Our "usual" dinners are their salmon and their chicken skewers.
The fries are incredible, the staff is always very friendly...great place to go! -
Review from Hagana K.
Santa Clara, CA
Updated - 2/2/2012
What happened??
The food is still great, or at least, it looked good. When you can get in, this place has awesome food, but the reservation/hostessing system is abysmal.
If you put your name down on the list, you can't even leave the restaurant or they'll give your table to someone else. We put our names down, went outside so we wouldnt crowd the restaurant, and the couple who put their names down afterwards stayed inside and got our table! I'm sure its just miscommunication or whatever, but it was frustrating enough that we left.
I think it went downhill when they started selling 50% off coupons at Costco - way too crowded now, and everything seems rushed. Not to mention, you don't feel like paying full price knowing everyone else has 50% off gift certificates.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/31/2011
A Greek Philly Cheesesteak? Why yes, I think I will.
And it was so delicious. First "new" food item… Read more »
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Review from Callie S.
Redwood City, CA
Updated - 2/6/2012
I'm not picky about service at all, but Opa's system needs some serious work. We went for an early dinner, got seated by the door and waited 20+ minutes for them to bring us a glass of water. I would usually give them the benefit of the doubt, but this is the second time we've been here and we're now 2/2 on terrible service.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/30/2012
Decent food. The french fries are wonderful, but other than that, I'm not that impressed. Ordered… Read more »
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Review from elaine l.
Updated - 1/16/2012 2 Check-ins Here
"See, you know how to *take* the reservation, you just don't know how to *hold* the reservation and that's really the most important part of the reservation, the holding. Anybody can just take them." -Seinfeld
A Short Play About Our Trip to Opa
(Working title: Thanks for Embarrassing Me In Front Of My Friends, Opa - We're Totally In A Fight Now!)
One week before arrival:
Me: Hi! Longtime diner and raver, first time reservation maker here. I'd like to make a reservation for 7 people, please.
Opa: Done! (name and cell phone info recorded, end call)
One day before arrival:
Me: I'd like to change my reservation tomorrow night from 7 to 8 people.
Opa: We have no reservation for you. But let's do one now. (name and cell phone info recorded, end call)
7 pm, arrival and reservation time:
Me: Hi, I have a reservation for 8 people, but you don't seem to have a table for us...?
Opa: Oh, we'll just put one together, should take about ten minutes.
7:25 pm (25 minutes after reservation time):
Me: Hi, it's been 25 minutes and you don't seem to have a table for us...?
Opa: Well, they're all occupied. See? We have to wait for other people to finish eating at several different tables and then put those tables together for you.
Me: But I made a reservation. Isn't having a table ready the biggest part of that?
Opa: ...
Me: So how much longer do you think it'll take?
Opa: Well, it could be as short at 25 minutes. Or longer. We'll call you when your table's ready (name and cell phone info recorded for the third time).
7:45 pm (45 minutes after reservation time):
Group gets hungry and wanders down the street to eat at Vin Santo, where we were treated very well. Cell phone never rings, call log is completely empty.
10 pm-ish, on the way back to our car (2.5 hours after we were told we'd get a call):
Us: Hey Opa, what gives? No table, no call, no love?
Opa: We called you repeatedly, right after you left.
Us: On what number? Because the number you wrote down 3 times did not get any calls. So what happened?
Opa: We had a computer problem. There was nothing we could do!
Group thought bubble: "What does the computer have to do with 7 people standing right in front of you, and a reservation list you were making with a pencil?"
Opa: We gave some other people you don't know free wine, though - to make up for the inconvenience.
Us: .....?1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/20/2010
I haven't been writing a lot of 5 star reviews lately, but Opa's food is so outstanding there's… Read more »
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Review from Ashley V.
San Jose, CA
1/20/2012
Opa is pretty amazing. The food is always great and i have only had excellent service. The appetizers are my favorite part; you could easily just make a meal out of those. The feta cheese fries, dolmades, and greek lemon soup are among my favorite. One of my only complaints is that it is not the place to eat if you are looking for reasonably healthy food, but it's worth it.
The restaurant is a bit small which can make it feel cramped or cozy, depending on how you look at it. -
Review from Amanda H.
San Jose, CA
1/19/2012
I've been to Opa twice and I LOVE it!
The food is absolutely delicious and served in large portions too. The appetizers were my favorite - especially the feta cheese fries and the pita bread with cucumber dip! The wine selection is fantastic also. I found the prices to be pretty reasonable for the amount of food you get. I have had good service both times I've been there.
The only downside is the size of the restaurant. It's very small, so taking a large group might not be the best idea. Claustrophobic people (like me!) may find certain tables to be a bit uncomfortable. If you come during busy hours, be prepared to wait a little while. I personally think it's worth the wait, and the area is good for wandering around and window-shopping. If you like Greek food, definitely give this place a try!!! -
Review from Nidhi J.
San Jose, CA
Dear Opa San Jose, you guys need a bigger location.
If your party is of less than 7 people, then be ready to wait, they don't take reservations, nor is there a waiting area. So on a cold winter night, waiting outside can be a bit of a challenge. A little piece of advice, don't walk away after you put your name down for a table, if the person ahead of you does not show up in 5 minutes, then you will certainly get lucky ;)
This location is totally similar to the Los Gatos location, cluttered setup with a very noisy ambiance, if you like some noisy fun and are with friends, then this place is ideal. Not suitable for a date for sure. The Decor is rather plain!
Service was a tad bit slow, with no refill on water. Wine list is extremely limited. The restaurant is kind of short staffed, even though its a small location, but it was packed with people, they do need a few extra hands. Hence 3 stars.
The food was extremely good though, I did feel it was a bit on the salty side. Our evening started with the Saganaki/ Flaming Cheese, sadly the performance was done on the counter instead of our table, since the restaurant is really small. The cheese was left for a few on the counter, I thought by the time we ate it, it was kind of settled and firm. Not to forget the salt content was really high. The Keftedakia was delicious and went well with the yogurt sauce it was served with. The bread was really delicious.
Though I'm a gyro & Souvlaki fan but this time at Opa, I went with Grilled Solomos. Grilled salmon filet on a bed of sautéed spinach, finished with Greek oregano and served with Greek wedge potatoes and grilled roma tomatoes. I absolutely loved the entree. The sauteed spinach went well with the salmon. I tried some Moussaka, Roasted eggplant casserole, with fresh garlic flavor and some traditional yogurt bechamel sauce. A must try (we had the vegetarian option) -
Review from Ionakana H.
San Jose, CA
Updated - 1/18/2012
Just met up with a few friends for brunch on Sunday. Service was definitely better this time around. Food tasted great, but I was a bit disappointed.
I ordered a Gyro skillet which tasted great, but it contained mostly potatoes. I counted two half pieces of gyro on my entire plate. Left me wanting for more gyro meat.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/4/2009
Interior: 9/10, Food: 8/10, Service: 6/10.
Nice to see a restaurant like this in Willow Glen.
I went… Read more »
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Review from Marj A.
San Jose, CA
Updated - 1/30/2012
This place I used to love. But like most other spots that become popular and packed, the service SUCKS!!!!!! Twice already at the WG location we were sat down no water or order taken when two tables around us were given water, food order taken, their food was brought out to them and we will have no water in our table. Sorry I want to give this place my business but coming from a family of self employed folks service is everything and SORRY OPA BUT YOU'VE TANKED IN THE SERVICE DEPT.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/18/2011
Yummy, love everything I have ordered from here. But I must say the service at their WG location is… Read more »
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Review from Aly M.
San Jose, CA
To start ill explain that if I was writing a review strictly on taste I'd gladly give 4-5 stars... We enjoy a few "go to's" regularly... Beef & chicken slouvaki pita, fiery flank steak, spicy avocado dip, zucchini chips, Greek salad & opa fries! the issues we've had with food alone are always when we order out... Which tends to be during the week when I just don't want to cook ;) ROCK HARD FRIES tend to be the regular thing....Even after asking for the fries to be under cooked! That alone is not reason enough to stop eating here!
A few weeks go I had a ridiculous experience where I was put on hold 10 minutes, then hung up on & then could not get an answer for 5 minutes. When I was finally able to get the girl on the phone she disregarded the Whole thing insuch a way as to say "shut up & just order!" I spoke with the manager & had our order rushed- we were bringing opa to friends who had never had it!!
When we opened our boxes we had rock hard fries again & the alterations requested were not done! I called the manager again & she told me she would comp our meal another time! She held true to her promise & we had a dinner on them last week!
However, tonight I returned for take out & was greeted by the same hostess that I had issues with last time... She has a unique name so I know it was her! I ordered fiery flank steak, chicken pita & zucchini fries. I opted for Greek salad since the fries are uneatable when doing take out... The hostess gave me a list of sides when I ordered & Greek salad was one of them... When I got to opa to pay I noted a $2.99 charge for each side of Greek salad.... I've ordered the steak & salad before without this charge so I was thrown off... The hostess never mentioned it would be $6 more for Greek salad... I could have ordered another app for that price!!!! When I showed confusion she totally disregarded my frustration again in a snooty way! This girl should not be in the restaurant business!!!!!
I'm done with opa willow glen... Might go back to international kabob house on curtner & Lincoln or try Opa in LG.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/18/2010
Love this place...food is consistently good...the WG location is so small that it is unknown how… Read more »
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Review from Kat L.
San Jose, CA
2/3/2012
I came here twice, once with my boyfriend, and once with my sister and a coworker. The first time I went, I would say the service was okay. The wait was about 35 minutes, which was a little absurd because the whole restaurant was empty. The food is decent. My favorite is the greek meatballs, they were delicious. The second time I came, I would say the service was a lot better. We didn't have to wait a long time, and service was fast and friendly. The salmon is okay, it was little salty, but my sister got the meatloaf and that was pretty good. I would recommend this place, there food is pretty good.
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Review from joyce h.
Santa Cruz, CA
1/31/2012
OK. I expected a lot of Opa! reviews on Yelp, and I figured there'd be 4 or 5 stars. What? 3.5 stars out of almost 600 reviews in four years of operation? Four of us went there around 5 p.m. yesterday. We ordered 2 half-orders of salad (1 Greek beet, one Greek village), 2 gyro meat appetizers, 1 calamari appetizer, 1 dolmas appetizer. The total bill (because the appetizer/starter/dip/spread items are half-price until 5:30 p.m.) was $11.00 per person, including appropriate tip. [Also, two people brought a bottle of wine, and there was ZERO corkage fee.]
We had no trouble with the service (of course, it was early on a weekday and of course there was no wait). However, this is obviously a VERY small place and who wouldn't take one look at it and expect a crowd for dinner, especially on weekends? Who wouldn't take one look and know that you of course must wait outside in the street/sidewalk because: There Is No Other Place To Wait! (OR: Opa! might consider being on http://opentable.com & start to take reservations.)
The size of this place should be obvious to anyone who peeks in the door. You don't like it; come back another time. Our server, who had waited on the other couple last week, was extremely kind, but not cloying. She came back several times to check on us, refill our water, and offer desserts. We were way too full for desserts. These portions are very generous considering that part of the menu is half price. I can imagine coming in around 5:15, ordering 2 appetizers (half-priced), then staying for a full dinner. We just weren't that hungry at the time.
It would be nice if the restroom were not squeezed back in the corner before the kitchen; I can see many collisions occurring when customers try to get past the very quick operations of the servers and prep employees. Also, it gets kind of dark in there, but we didn't stay for nighttime to see how it is at the dinner hour. Also --- no parking, but that's Lincoln Avenue. We parked about two blocks away on a parallel street. I'd like to go to the Opa! in Los Gatos or Los Altos (or the future one in Walnut Creek) and compare them to this Willow Glen location. -
Review from Kristi D.
San Jose, CA
1/4/2012
Super yummy! Love the fire feta!
Minus 2 stars for not allowing reservations in such a small location. I'm not sure of the reason for this, that they worry they will lose customers? I've only attempted to eat in once and there was an hour or so wait on a rainy night and we didn't live in the area at the time so we didn't bother.
Anyway, will continue to go back for take out because it is tasty and we can walk there, but I really wish they would revise the reservation policy. I would choose John's over Opa for eating in because they accept reservations. -
Review from Dave L.
San Jose, CA
12/20/2011
It really sucks to be left waiting in the cold for an hour.
We tried to do dinner in Willow Glen on a Tuesday night. At 6:20 the "hostess" told us "20 minutes, AND I'll call you when the table is ready".
30 Minutes later she told us that "you were mistaken, I said 40 minutes".
60 Minutes later, still no table, two hungry kids and too cold to wait any longer.
If the "hostess" had simply been honest in the first place and said that they were too busy to let us in, that would have been fine.
To BS us, waste an hour of our evening on a really cold night and then to send us on our way really sucks. -
Review from Molly N.
Sunnyvale, CA
12/21/2011
I'm going to repeat Dave L's review from below. The same night - last night, Tuesday the 20th - I went with my boyfriend and his mother to Opa's.
6:30 - Hostess tells us it's a 25 min wait, takes our cell number and says she'll call us when our table is ready. We go to the bookstore next door.
7:00 - Still no call, so we head back into Opa's, where there is indeed no table for us. We are left waiting in a very awkward hallway, being bumped back and forth by servers, take-out customers, and the same rude hostess.
7:10 - We order drinks to have something to do while we wait.
7:30 - We ask the hostess what the deal is. She says that there are 3 parties still ahead of us. We ask for a time estimate and she flat out refuses to give one. "Will it be ten minutes? An hour? Should we stay or not?" She refuses to say. We are clearly frustrated. The woman at the take-out counter comps us the drinks we'd had, which was a very nice gesture. But it was the hostess who was the real issue.
All that hostess needed to do was say at 6:30, "We're very busy tonight and probably can't seat you until at least 8:00 PM. We're so sorry and we can take a reservation for another night if you'd like to return another day."
That's it. 30 seconds of her time to just be honest with us. After 25 minutes of waiting, the least she could have done was to level with us THEN! Or offer us something to snack on, or show us a place we could wait that was not standing in the middle of a hallway. But an entire hour and she couldn't even tell us that she still couldn't seat us? For shame.
Now I have lost my desire to ever, ever return here. The food smelled and sounded amazing. The time we spent there in the hallway was time spent eagerly anticipating the meal we would enjoy. What a fucking joke. -
Review from Sergio S.
San Jose, CA
1/15/2012 1 Check-in Here
Not as good as I thought it would be, I ordered the calamari to start of but it was under cooked and some where a bit mushy.. We then ordered a Gyro Pita and a beef Pita, the beef was tough and had no flavor and tasted burnt. The Fries were ok but the service was very slow and the place wasn't even crowded...
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Review from Alea G.
12/20/2011
My mom dragged my siblings and me out to lunch with her co-workers. We were escorted off to a smaller side table while she and her co-workers chatted it up and had a grand old time. Nevertheless, having seen the menu and the generally positive reviews for the restaurant, I was excited to go.
Overall, I guess the experience was okay. The food was great. I got the gyro cheesesteak, which was essentially just a gyro with cheese and bell peppers in addition to everything else. It was pretty good. I loved the fries. They had a hint of garlic to them and were fried to that perfect crispiness that I love so much. The feta cheese added another great touch as well.
The prices were also pretty good. There are a couple of dishes that hit the twenties range, but for the most part, the dishes are $10-15. You also get pretty heaping portions.
My only gripe was the service. They were really nice, but it took forever for our food to come out. We sat around for a good 15 minutes watching my mom and her friends feast it up while our stomachs were growling. By the time we got our food, several people who had been seated after us were already halfway into their meals. It's not like any of us had particularly complicated orders. Also, the lemon soup came out a little cold. They also got my sister's order wrong.
I'll give them the benefit of the doubt though. The food was good and with the pretty epic gift cards you can get at the local Costcos, it's worth coming back. I'm just going to assume that i was an off day for them. Until then, I'm going to have to dock a star for service. -
Review from katherine c.
San Francisco, CA
im so sad this place isnt closer to san francisco! came here with a couple friends who all ordered different things so i was able to try a lot of things
skordalia - (a blend of fresh whipped garlic, potato, olive oil and vinegar served with pita bread) i loved the warm and soft bread. the skordalia was good but it was basically just sour-ish mash potatoes, nothing too special or something i would order again
the spinach and feta wrapped in a warm flaky phyllo was really good. the phyllo is very thin, light, and crunchy. i love feta cheese because its not too overwhelming and spinach is my favorite veggie.
the gyros are big and very tasty. the opa! special sauce it comes with for the fries is amazingggg. its some kind of yellow tangy spice sauce that i just want to buy a tub of and eat it with almost all my meats and potatoes
im a sucker for lamb, especially at greek restaurants, and seeing "braised lamb shank" on the menu, i just had to get it. for about $20 i was expecting a small shank because lamb has never been cheap in my experience. boy was i wrong! the lamb shank i got was almost as big as my whole hand opened up! it was not gamey at all and was very tender and flavorful (although i loved it more with the opa! special sauce) the shank was served on top of a bed of cheesey orzo pasta and spinach. my only complaint is that it did not come with enough spinach. with that much meat... you're gonna need some more veggies to balance it out! if you love lamb, this dish will not disappoint
i also tried a bit of the steak and green beans served over mash potatoes in a bread bowl. its like everything you will ever want all put together in a bread bowl. the green beans were nice and garlicky and the steak chunks was cooked very well and full of flavor. definitely recommend this for beef and potato eaters
i love greek-mediterranean food!
i love big portions and at affordable prices!
in my opinion, opa! is as good as it gets! -
Review from Am's y.
San Jose, CA
1/8/2012
Amazing!!! If you're not here by 5pm you risk an hour wait. That's just how it is people. There is a reason it is packed to the brim. They have about 10 tables and it's hard to know if people are going to eat and leave or linger for 2.5 hrs. That affects the wait time. When we do end up waiting we walk to the wine bar across the street and have an app and some wine. They will call you on your cell phone when your table opens up. The food and service at opa never ceases to amaze me. My favorites are the beet salad, the shrimp, spinach, and artichoke cheese dip, and the skewers.
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Review from Tom L.
11/9/2011
My best friend is Greek, which means I can't make fun of My Big Fat Greek Wedding... and it means that we are constantly searching for the best Greek restaurants in the bay area.
Opa is a great little restaurant in the heart of Willow Glenn. It's the perfect place for a date, especially if you're drinking wine and people watching by the window.
The menu is diverse, including traditional Greek cuisine and Americanized dishes. The fiery feta flank steak is absolutely delicious. It's a thick cut flank steak covered in a thick layer of feta cheese. It is served on a hot skillet which causes the rich feta cheese to melt on top of the sizzling crust of the steak. One bite and you are in love.
After one dinner at Opa you will be hooked, it's the type of place that makes you want to come back the next night ... and the next, and the next... -
Review from a w.
San Francisco, CA
12/4/2011
SOLID 4 STARS!
We had a coupon for buy one sandwich get one free. It was 2pm and we were starving. (my bf said "all I've eaten today is some almonds" - I reminded him he also had toast, a carrot and a bowl of chili -- hee hee)
We ordered the Gyro and the Pork wrap. (both served with fries covered in a feta-type cheese - creamy than feta, but similar taste, fresh chopped mint and a teeny bit too much salt. BUT otherwise outstanding. These were Fresh Cut REAL fries, and a whole lotta them. Served with a creamy mustard sauce on the side.
The sandwiches were both delish. I really can't say which I liked better.
The service was fantastic, we only ordered the 2 sandwiches and some water, I swear our waiter filled the water glass like 3 times and made sure our food was to our liking. Attentive and enthusiastic but not hovering.
LOVE THIS PLACE! -
Review from Dawn D.
11/24/2011
I've been wanting to try this restaurant for a long time and finally had that chance Friday night. We got there a bit on the early side and it was raining so we were seated immediately.
I love intimate restaurants like this one. However, we sat on a small table close to the door....meaning, each time the door opened, I felt the cold draft. I wanted to move tables, but all the other tables were taken. I decided to order a glass of wine to help warm me up. It definitely helped.
to start, we ordered the Opa Fries, which were definitely yummy though they got a lil soggy. I found myself trying to eat the fries that looked more on the crispier side. :) We also ordered Skordalia (though I wanted to try the Tzatziki - may be next time), and we enjoyed it.
For entree, hubby ordered the Moussaka, and he thinks it was just OK. He rates it at 2.5 as he thought the flavor was a little bland. He thought there was too much meat and not enough eggplant. I took a bite and that was good enough for me. I ordered the Opa! Saute. It had all my favorite veggies and I ordered it with a chicken souvlaki. It looked SO super yummy upon delivery, but the chicken was a bit on the drier side that I found myself dipping it in the Opa Sauce that came with the fries to moisten it a bit. I also used the Skordalia dip for a few bites as well.
Price was very reasonable and I'd go back, but I'm not sure if I'd wait very long for a table. -
Review from Irina s.
San Jose, CA
12/4/2011
I have only been to the willow glen location so this is a review of that location only.
A few years back, this was my and my coworkers favorite lunch treat. I had not been there for a few years and went back a few weeks ago.
This place is pretty cozy (read: small) and will be cozy only if you get seated quickly. Since we had to wait outside and it was quite cold, the place was small and cramped.
I have had a few things on the menu which all have been good but my all time favorite is their seafood pita. The last time that I went, they put the the filling on top of the pita and folded it over, kind of like a taco instead of actually putting the stuff inside the pita itself. I don't know why, but I really didn't care for this! Also, the amount of seafood (shrimp and scallops) seemed to be less than I remembered. The fries with garlic and parsley were as delish as I remembered.
The service was good, our waitress came to check on us several times. She was very apologetic that there was mint in my dish when I specifically asked for them to not include it.
Overall, the atmosphere and food is nice. I think if we get luckier with being seated next time it would make the experience much better. -
Review from Priya B.
Fremont, CA
11/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
How could I forget to review this place? OPA! How I love thee!!! It's so good that I just can't wait to go back!!!
Starters - we had the three dip combo - Tzatziki (cucumber and garlic) dip, Fiery Feta (feta, roasted red peppers, olive oil, and garlic), and Melitzanosalta (roasted eggplant whipped with garlic). It was my first time ever having the cucumber dip and it was great! SOOOO great!
Entrée - I had the lamb pita which was absolutely wonderful. The meat was perfectly marinated and the pita bread was amazing. It had the wonderful cucumber sauce and of course all the delicious veggies that a good pita should have. It was also served with a side of fries. It was just so good.
Drinks - we passed on dessert because we had so much sangria. It was absolutely delicious. One of my favorite places now to have sangria.
The food and service was amazing. It really has a great ambiance and makes you feel welcome as soon as you set foot into the business. I am looking forward to going back! -
Review from Anna V.
11/17/2011
First off, this restaurant is a cute restaurant. It's located in Willow Glen and is adorable, the inside is very cozy and it has a very intimate atmosphere without being too uptight about it. The menu choices are extensive as it takes a more generalized approached on Mediterranean food.
As for the food, I'm picky when it comes to Mediterranean food since it's my favorite thing. I felt like the flavors were there but it pales to some of the other restaurants that I been too.
I had ordered the Chicken Pita with the feta french fries (as my friend recommended). The entire dish had been over cooked. The chicken was dry, did not have much flavors to itself as it was drenched in the sauce. But not much of a sauce fan, I wasn't too into it. The french fries that came with my meal was a bit burnt but the flavors were good. Just not executed right.
I also got their lemon soup which had the right flavors, though I'm not a big fan of orzo which they used instead of rice. Still, really good.
I did see other items on the menu that I would like to try. I'm thinking this restaurant will have a handful of winners and some items that are just misses. -
Review from Glenn W.
San Jose, CA
11/14/2011
I've been here now multiple times and to the locations I'm Willow Glen and Los Gatos and say it's been consistently fantastic. I've tried brunch dishes, appetizers, and meals and it's all great. The Mac and cheese, ops fries, and Corinthian French toast (weekend brunch menu) are all highly recommended. The Greek coffee is unique and great as well if you're a coffee/expresso lover.
The Willow Glen one is very small so I usually go to the Los Gatos one. The parking is more plentiful and easy than downtown Willow Glen, and the restaurant in Los Gatos is bigger so it's easier to get a table without waiting forever. -
Review from Hrag C.
San Jose, CA
10/15/2011
Wow. Bummed out about this one...
So we made a birthday reservation for 10 people for our friend over 2 weeks ago. We showed up, wound up waiting a bit for everyone else, and a few guests wound up flaking. Down to 6 people now. Once we found that it would be just us, we told the hostess that we were ready to get seated. She complied and said they'd figure something out, since our party was smaller than anticipated - seems like an easy solution to me.
NOPE.
Apparently Opa has this rule where they accept reservations for parties of 6 people or less. The best they could do for us is put us at the bottom of the list waiting list (Friday night ~ 45 min wait). We were waiting for 30 min already, and now we were to be subjected to another 45??... because we had an unexpected result of FEWER people. There is zero logic behind this move.
We did not see that coming. We thought they'd do the sensible thing and not turn down 6 hungry customers. I mean, the table was set and ready to go (we saw it)! and waiting to be occupied - but that's not what the "rules" say. Personally, screw your rules. I have a rule... keep your customers happy - look it up if you have to.
We asked for the manager, turns out we were already talking to her, and she failed at customer service. The owner (or whoever made up this dumb rule) has failed at the fundamentals of customer service.
Do I still love Opa like I used to? Will I be coming back? Will I be telling everybody about it whenever this type of cuisine is mentioned?
NOPE.
But you can count on me (and the other 5 people that were in our group) speaking their mind about it, and as a result of these kinds of blind, un-accommodating rules, it won't be nice things.
I discourage anyone from coming to this place... Looked way too cramped anyway and you won't have to burp garlic for the next 8 hours. -
Review from Lan L.
Santa Clara, CA
1/5/2012
Like: all of the food
Dislike: all of the glasses tasted like soap. All of them. -
Review from Nicole P.
Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA
1/13/2012
So good! Great atmosphere in an awesome town. They have amazing food and pretty good service. Definitely don't miss. They have takeout as well!
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Review from Anne-Michelle F.
Campbell, CA
11/14/2011
The food is so good you almost forget how bad the service is...ALMOST.
I was excited to take my father for the first time because the Gyro Pitas are to die for -- the closest to the gyros I devoured and adored during my travels in Greece. Unfortunately, the restaurant was loud, the server was rude, and it took a good 10 minutes before we were even addressed. Fortunately, the food totally made up for it. I wish I could give it five stars...if only the waitress had cracked a smile... -
Review from Christine K.
San Jose, CA
10/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
2.5 stars.
Although the food here is not bad, it's not that great either. The biggest adjective I would use to describe Opa is overrated. The prices are high, the food is nothing special, and the ambiance is LOUD. The fried cheese was gross, the lamb/beef dish was mediocre at best, the rice wasn't tasty, but the fries were excellent! I am kind of a fry whore, so that's probably the sole reason I rounded up to 3 stars. Would I go again? Sure. Would I prefer to go somewhere else instead? Yes. -
Review from Mansi A.
10/18/2011
Who knew that a fabulous little Greek restaurant like Opa! existed in the most assuming of all places? I dined here one evening with colleagues, and it was a fabulous experience...from sampling Greek wines to eating amazing Greek food!
We started with the dip sampler, since we couldn't decide on a single dip to order. The Tzatziki (cucumber yogurt garlic), the Melitzanosalata (the fire roasted eggplant), and kalamata spread were the three we chose. Accompanied with warm wheat and regular pita bread pieces, this was the ideal way to start off a meal.
For the main course we each ordered a salad; I went with the santorini chopped salad. Thinking the $15.99 price tag was a bit exorbitant, I quickly realized why when I received a gargantuan salad of at least 2 portions (maybe even 3 if for lunch). The salad consisted of: chopped romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, artichoke hearts, red & yellow peppers, olives, kasseri cheese, and grilled chicken. I chose to eliminate the shrimp. It was one of the tastiest and most balanced salads in terms of flavors that I've ever tasted. Every bite was yummy that evening (and for lunch the following day).
Nearly every table at Opa! was filled on a Tuesday night, clearly indicating the spot was a popular one. They don't accept reservations, but it didn't seem like there was much of a waiting time either. What a great Greek find in the South Bay! -
Review from sami m.
San Jose, CA
9/28/2011
Overrated. Over crowded. Overpriced.
So we came here last night just cause we were in the willow glen area and wanted to get swirls but needed some food but weren't feelin the typical aquis fare. Everyone had hyped this place up so we figured why not.
Got there there were a couple tables still open. We were seated quickly but seated so close to the table next to us her overpowering perfume was making me nauseous.Along with the constant getting bumped into as waiters snaked through the tables.Ordered pretty quickly food took about 45 min.
I ordered their signature saute thing and friend ordered the gyro.
Review of the saute( with the lamb souvlki)
It's pretty hard to mess up a saute or at least you'd think right?Chuck a bunch of veggies into a pan and shake it up a bit. This tasted pretty gross it was sour and tasted like someone went hard on the white wine.
The lamb was the only saving grace of my entire plate but again its hard to mess up grilled meat as well. but some of it was burned. like not just charred like i was biting into chunks of crispy blackness.
Tried my friends food and have got to say that his food was way better
the fries sadly were the best thing that both of us ate.
Service was fine but I normally dont care as long as food is good.Be rude all you want dont come to my table but please my palate and I'm fine.
Too bad it wasnt.
Overheard the waiter say "Make sure the table outside pays" to another waiter. A lil judge-y of her but im sure it happens. but still whisper its a small space.
Probably not going to come back here. But it is the glen and most of the restaurants that are "ethnic" in the area are catered to them folks with a not so discerning palate with a low threshold for flavor. -
Review from Beth K.
San Jose, CA
Updated - 12/22/2011
Ordered food and paid online--very easy process. Selected a pickup time. Arrived at scheduled time. Food was ready and hot. No waiting! Ate in the comfort of my own home. Super easy and delicious! Will definitely do this again.
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5/18/2011
I have to agree with almost everything that almost everyone has already said. When my husband and I… Read more »
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Review from Michelle C.
Cupertino, CA
9/16/2011 3 photos
Maybe I didn't order all the correct dishes here, but I was not overly impressed by the food nor the service. I love Greek food, and this place simply didn't satisfy much of my Greek food cravings.
My BF and I came here on a Friday night, and we ordered the tarmasolata dip with pita, moussaka, and a gyro pita.
The taramasolata dip with pita was probably the best thing I had that night. I liked how the pita was nicely grilled so that it was crispy on the oustide and spongy on the inside. I was actually a huge fan of the pita. The dip was really good as well!
My moussaka entree was not so spectacular. The eggplant was undercooked, and there was way too much bechamel cream sauce for me. I did like all the meat they put in it. The whole entree was way too heavy for me, and I only ended up eating half of it before I was feeling sick.
The gyro pita my bf ordered was good, but it wasn't anything out of the ordinary. The fries tasted good, but I didn't like how they got soggy so quickly since they put lemon juice on it. They weren't the best tasting Greek fries I have ever tasted. I can go to a much cheaper place, get a larger gyro with more meat, and still have it tasting great, or maybe even better.
I would come back again to try the flank steak since I saw a lot of people ordering it. Food is average here, but prices are a bit on the higher side than what I'm used to paying for Greek food. $11 for an average pita doesn't cut it for me. -
Review from mia k.
Los Banos, CA
The best thing about this place was one of the managers, now he's gone. Opa!, I don't know what happened, but you messed up not fighting to keep that one.
Service? Kinda sucks - I get that this is a small place and is usually crowded, but when your waitress walks by about 5 times completely ignoring you - not cool.
Food? I'm a creature of habit and I normally don't stray too far from the usual, so once I find something I'm satisfied with, I stick with it. The gyros are usually alright, couple of times I felt like I left a lake of grease on my plate.
Ambiance? Alright - like I mentioned before, small and crowded - if you don't like bumping elbows with a complete stranger, skip this place. -
Review from Bella K.
Roseville, CA
1/24/2012 1 Check-in Here
We are visiting from out of town and hit up Opa with some family for the 1/2 off appetizers for happy hour.
Everything was awesome...we usually stray from eating a lot of pita to avoid the whole "refined white carb" thing, but the pita @ Opa is house made and it is INCREDIBLE...
The melitzanosalata was amazing- this is an eggplant spread...so good.
We tried all of the skewers, seafood, lamb, pork, chicken...Hubby loved the lamb reporting it as "loukoumi" which is Greek basically for melt in your mouth tender.
The Horiatiki salad was really good, especially as it is winter time and I am usually not one to order fresh tomato anything in the winter.
We also had some sliders @ our table that my family reported as delicious.
Awesome food, awesome prices @ happy hour...the Pita bread-
HOLY COW sssoooo good.
You will not be disappointed...you will enjoy it here as it is authentic, fresh, greek food.
we will always come to Opa when we are in s.j. and we may even hit it up again before we leave town :) -
Review from Bikini S.
San Jose, CA
9/6/2011
I came here super close to closing, they still served boyfriend and I.
got great service and great advice from the server what to eat. If you want to try something new and different for dinner, this is a great place to go to :)
Really pretty place to sit and eat as well. -
Review from Isaac W.
San Francisco, CA
9/6/2011
I love Greek food and Opa! is one of my favorite restaurants in San Jose. I know this isn't saying a whole lot since San Jose isn't known for it's "fine dining" but still, I really like this place.
I've been here twice, and each time I started off with the Tzatziki dip appetizer...so good! The warm pita bread that comes with it is probably the best I've had from any greek place I've been to (chain or otherwise).
The first time I came here I had the Chicken Souvlaki, and second time I got the "The Opa! Bifteki." Both were delicious, and the portions were huge...plenty to take home for a second meal, even if you come hungry.
To top it all off, the service was great so there's not really anything I can complain about. I'll definitely be back again soon.
