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Categories: Greek, Mediterranean [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Near West Side, West Loop, GreektownUIC-Halsted (Blue)
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Perfect place to take out of town guests or family. Such a lively, fun atmosphere and really great food!
I came here with my boyfriend's family while they were in town and everyone gushed about it. The only bad thing we could think of was the wait for the valet at the beginning of the night. If you get there and there's a long line, don't despair! It's totally worth the wait.
We ordered the family style dinner which is totally the way to go if you're into sharing. For around $20 per person, you get to try so many different items! You start with the flaming cheese for everyone. (Oopa!) and also get an eggplant spread, tzatziki, and gyro meat with onions as appetizers to share. Then egg lemon soup and greek salad for everyone followed by four main course items:
Moussaka: SO GOOD! The spices were so perfect with a mix of sweet and savory. I loved this layered eggplant dish.
Spinach Pie: This was the table favorite with so much flavor and the flaky, phyllo crust, we were all fighting for the leftovers.
Chicken: This was so tender and juicy that it was falling off the bone, but still had a great chicken flavor. Very nice.
Rotisserie Lamb: This was good, but my least favorite. It tasted a bit too gamey for me, but everyone else seemed to really enjoy it.
Then we were treated to coffee and two kinds of dessert. Baklava (very yummy, though a bit soggy) and Galaktoboureko which was a custard dessert that I liked, but didn't finish since I was so full.
There were five of us and we all ate until we were STUFFED and still had leftovers. We also drank very well splitting a carafe of ouzo, wine and some beer, all very good and reasonably priced.
Service was attentive and fun, with flambes happening all around us.
The food was delicious and we all left feeling like we'd gotten more than our money's worth. I can't wait to go back!
I've only been to Parthenon once and I won't likely go back. The decor is extremely cheesey. I certainly didn't feel like I was in Greece, more like New Jersey.
We got some Greek staples, Moussaka, Saganaki, Egg-Lemon soup. The were all pretty blah. The Moussaka was a cold mush, the soup a bland gravy. I also got a Village salad which was describe as tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, peppers with feta and olives. I pictured a nice diced salad with cubes of feta. I got a pile of grainy, pale, limp, sad vegetables drench in half an inch of oil with a tiny square of feta on top and 2 olives. And a good handful of raw onions thrown on top.
Skip this weird tourist trap, there's nothing authentic or delicious to be found here.
People are always asking us, "What is your favorite Greek restaurant in Chicago?" - since my husband was born and spent half his life in Athens and I myself have traveled there twice. The Parthenon is usually our answer - the food is pretty authentic, service excellent, and the decor only slightly kitschy. Which is why we decided to hold our rehearsal dinner there, and we were extremely pleased with the experience.
We had the small banquet room toward the back of the restaurant, and immediately upon arrival the waiters were filling drink orders, bringing out bread, and making sure everyone had what they wanted. We had chosen the Family Style dinner, which consisted of several courses. Soon after everyone arrived and was seated, they made a big display of firing the Saganaki, which of course all our guests loved. My husband wasn't a huge fan of their tsatsiki, but he has yet to find some in Chicago that he likes. Next were the Greek salads and gyro plates, followed by moussaka, pastitsio, and lemon chicken with rice and potatoes. All of the entrees were a huge hit, especially the moussaka. Oh I think there was some spanikopita somewhere in there too. It was an overwhelming amount and variety of food!
The food here is pretty classic "Americanized Greek", but it's done very well, and all our guests were absolutely raving about it. And the price was right - the Family Style dinner is $19.95 a person. It is more food than anyone can possibly consume, even a ravenous adolescent brother or portly uncle. Drinks can add up, but they have decent prices on wine by the bottle.
And dessert! How can I forget dessert! It is included in the price of the Family Style dinner - baklava and galaktabouriko, a sweet custard in phyllo. We ordered some chocolate cake as well to appease our pickier guests.
Parthenon is a terrific place to hold an event - be it a rehearsal dinner, graduation or anniversary celebration or whatnot. You get a lot of delicious food for not a whole lot of money, and the meal itself is an entertaining experience. Or just go for a dinner on a Saturday night - order the moussaka.
Their excellent service gets a nod from me as well - and they were so kind when our party got a bit rowdy and started doing shots at the bar....a bar that doesn't seem to get a lot of "shots" action on a weekly basis.
Mine and my Greek husband's pick for a night-out in Chicago's Greek-town!
Nice restaurant nestled in the heart of Greektown. The service was superb, and it was great to see the owner greeting her guests as they came in. They are very generous with the bread basket; there was literally a huge loaf of soft, chewy sesame-encrusted bread for me and each of my girlfriends.
If only the food was as amazing as the service. I always have a difficult time deciding on my entree with such an extensive menu, so I went with the special combination, which included hearty portions of moussaka, pastitsio, roast lamb, dolmades, potato and braised eggplant.
All components were properly seasoned and tasted fine, but my tastebuds were far from feeling wowed. The roast lamb (although it could have been served a bit more pink) and dolmades were the supporting actors in a movie that had no star. The rest were just extras.
This is the birthplace of the saganaki, and although we didn't try it like everyone else in the restaurant, I'm not sure it's worth a return trip. I'll give it a go at the place down the street next time.
Hey Parthenon fans,
Would The Parthenon's banquet room be a good place for a wedding reception? It seems big enough when it's empty, plus there's a dance floor, but I haven't seen any reviews of the restaurant for a wedding reception so we're a little leary even though we love the restaurant.
One thing we loved when we checked it out is that there would be FREE valet parking for our guests, a huge plus for a Chicago wedding!
First time in Chicago; first time in a Greek restaurant (highly recommended by friends). What happened? One happy me.
This place is loud and friendly. With the bunches of waiters walking around and putting dishes in flames and people saying, "Opa!" it was a great experience.
While my friends highly recommended the lamb shoulder, I actually went with the Gyro and MAN, I made a good choice! I looved the pita bread and it was an extremely big portion.
The rest of the table also got the appetizer of zucchini fries (DELISH) and the cheese (don't remember what it was called), but it was flaming and when you put it on your bread- OH, HEAVEN.
Bottom line: If you like loud bright restaurant and are in for some goooood food, GO!
Review would be a 4.5 if I could give it that rating. I go here about 3-4 times a year and is usually a solid choice for dinner. But, last Tuesday, I had the grecian pasta (with shrimp) and it was amazing. One of the best dishes I have had in my life. And, I think it was only $13 or so. The saganaki is always great here as well and the house win is dirt cheap (not great, but for $20 a bottle, more than acceptable).
The only negative was that the service is never that great here. It's OK and they are relatively friendly, but iot always seems it takes forever to get the check and/or order dessert.
Also, the place has a slightly older crowd, which doesn't bother me, but just want others to know. It's not the new and trendy place, but gives you solid food at an affordable price.
Pretty good, as Greektown restaurants go.
Usually, I'm not a huge fan of the Greektown restaurant concept. Big, noisy, campy, and often the food isn't great or memorable. The Parthenon is definitely my favorite, simply because the food is much better than at Athena or Greek Islands.
We ordered the moussaka and the spanakopita for main courses - they were both HUGE and gave us a full meal worth of leftovers. The Moussaka was pretty good, but then, moussaka is always pretty good.
The really good food was the appetizers. Their flaming saganaki was great - gooey and soaked in brandy and delicious. The best thing we had all night though, were these phyllo-wrapped whipped feta things covered in honey - heavenly.
I'd probably give them another star if they'd figure out how to keep the noise level down - it's really hard to find a good date place in Greektown because all of the big restaurants are these boisterous crazy loud family places. My boyfriend and I had a really nice time, it was just a little hard to hear.
Service was eh - they didn't seem to coordinate well so they came by a couple times and asked if we needed to order, when we already had, things like that. But it was a really busy Friday night, so it's understandable.
Pricing is also just fine - especially if you like doggybagging leftovers. It came to about $60 for the two of us, with appetizers and house wine, but we didn't order "full" dinners - just moussaka and spanakopita with no sides, which was more than enough food.
I would give negative a gillion stars not to the restaurant, but for the incredibly annoying, offensive drunk Cubs fans at the next table. They were probably the rudest patrons of a restaurant I've ever seen - shouting homophobic and racist phrases, horsing around like little kids in the aisle and being very rude to their waiters. I felt bad for the restaurant. Shame on them, and they made their team look bad to boot.
I really have nothing but love for this place...and how could you not since it claims to be what the U of Chicago was for the atom bomb for FLAMING CHEESE. Brilliant. The unpretentious interior, the cheap prices, and traditional Greek food really make this one of the best options in Greektown. Throw in that it was the first of the restaurants in the area, and my love of all things that give Chicago character, and I'm a happy girl.
To try: spanakopita, gyros, pita, feta, olives, tiramousalada, etc. All fantastic. Never heard anyone complain about the food here. I haven't tried more of the entree-type dishes, but those I've gone with have been pleased and leave with heavy bags of leftovers.
And might I add, this place is GREAT for groups. Cheap alcohol + free valet + big tables = happy diners. Just keep your head away from the flaming cheese, and you're all set.
The people are so friendly and warm here, you feel like family. Had the braised lamb and it was very good. Husband had Gyro and that was good as well. The place is nice and clean. Service was good. The prices are great. I would totally recommend this place to others.
We just went here again last week for my birthday, and I realized I should have tons of updates for this place to show how many times I have been here.
I couldn't help buy notice that there were tons of large groups (15+) in the dinning room. It made me think of how perfect that place would be for a group outing. It's a friendly place, with great food, and they handle groups well!
I love this place!
I am a little biased, as it was my first solid food, but I love the Parthenon.…
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If I was writing this review 3 -4 years ago in my pre-dairy-allergy days, I may tell you how great the spinakopita, moussaka, pastitsio and saganaki are. How flakey the filo is, how fluffy the moussaka is, how creamy and chewy the saganaki is. You know, The Parthenon invented that fabulous flaming cheese.
Unfortunately, the whole non-dairy thing has drastically inhibited my ability to eat good shit. Though, my diet is restricted, I do OK and have learned to really enjoy other foods and preparations.
This fine evening, I ordered the broiled octopus. This was no baby octopus, it was big fat tenticles sliced into bite size pieces, so some were quite tender and others a bit chewy. It was broiled with lots of tasty charred bits and drenched in olive oil, oregano and other spices, and lemon. AMAZING!!!! Actually, I can not wait until the time comes when I can eat some more of that octopus. Seriously, everyone at the table tasted it and voted it the #1 dish of the evening. And... I'm totally obsessed with the little suction cups that fell off the pieces and were just chilling on my plate...they were so cute.
My family and I have been going to the Parthenon since I was a wee little one and it is always consistant and always delicious. The servers are also really good with substitutions...they don't mind swapping some rice pilaf for some braised okra if you ask, or trade your broiled eggplant for some green beans. They don't fuss or fight and never charge extra. If you love Greek food and love Greek seafood, please find some time to head over to the Parthenon for some authentic Greek eats with great service in an old school place. OPA!
So half of my family is Greek, so I know I've been here before, but I don't really remember it. Seems like this will be the case in a few years as well. I came here with a group of 10 the other night. Our server was good, the food was good (I like how they offer half portions), the atmosphere was family friendly. All around good, but nothing was too memorable. Except for maybe the palm reader...
A few of the girls had their palms read. I swear one of the girls was looking at the lady like she was completely nuts when she gave her the results. Turns out I was wrong, apparently she was exactly right. So yeah, if you like to have your palm read, you are in the right place.
I mean I haven't been too a ton of Greek restaurants, maybe only 3, but this one's been the best! The food portions are plentiful, and the service is great. The decor inside also gives you a Gretian feel. I ordered the special combination which included Dolmades (vine leaves stuffed w/rice, meats and herbs in a lemon sauce), Moussaka (greek lasagna), Pastitsio (macaroni baked w/meat sauce, bechamel sauce and kefalotiri) and roast lamb, potatoes and vegetables. Our party started with two bottles of a cab made of 50% aghioritiko and was a local Peloponese wine. We also partook(? is this a real word??) in the Saganaki which is the mild kaseri cheese flambee. Great service, great portions and good times.
We hadn't really been to Greektown during the three years that we'd been back in Chicago. It always seemed too touristy, too difficult to park, not as authentic as we like our ethnic food to be. But tonight, we were originally craving middle eastern, and because there just aren't very many good middle eastern options on the near-southwest side, we went for the next closest cuisine.
Turned out to be the best decision we made. We've rediscovered Greektown! And to add icing to the cake, we discovered that there is FREE valet parking at the Parthenon!! We were sold!
Once we were seated (and it was fast because only half the tables were filled on a Thursday night) and we looked at the menu, we decided that we had definitely made the right decision. Mr. Picky was craving a Greek salad, so we got that. I love nibbling on a variety of appetizers, so we made a meal of appetizers, kind of like a mezze platter at a middle eastern restaurant. We got the tzadziki, a plate of barrel olives (a little bigger than the kalamatas, an order of beets with a dip of potatoes mashed with garlic and olive oil, grilled pita, and a cold appetizer plate for one which included the eggplant dip, the fish roe dip, marinated octopus, navy bean salad, one stuffed grape leaf, and one small cheese pie.
The meal was exactly what we wanted and worked well for us as pescetarians, but we felt like oddballs because everyone was getting the flaming cheese (ooopa!). The only disappointment was that the Greek salad was made with Iceberg, but that can be forgivable sometimes, At least the feta was real and it was garnished with four anchovy fillets. Other than that, we liked everything, especially the tzadziki.
Our enire meal came to $44, including a glass of wine and a Greek mineral water. We had so much food that we brought home a big bag with four take out containers of stuff we didn't finish. All in all, it was a good experience. Now that we know about the free valet parking, it's kind of a no-brainer: we'll definitely be back. Oopa!
I love Greek food anyway and the Parthenon is one of my favorites. It's huge, loud, and often crowded, but the food is perfect. Prices are reasonable especially since the servings can feed an army. They are huge.
Everything on the menu is great. I recommend going with a large group and doing it family style, that way you don't have to make a solid decision on what to eat.
AND, free valet parking! woot woot
The Parthenon didn't live up to my expectations. Though our usual spot in Greektown is Athena, we decided this past weekend to try out the Parthenon.
The interior is outdated and somewhat drab, but let's face it -- you don't go to a Greek restaurant in Greektown for the modern decor. Our server was very nice and had a great sense of humor. Our appetizers (saganaki (of course), calamari and the beet salad) were all pretty good. The calamari wasn't as fresh as I would have liked, but it was still okay.
Our entrees were hit or miss, and it took a good 25-30 minutes for them to arrive at our table (despite the fact that it was only 5:00 on a Sunday). I had the orange roughy, which was just okay. My mother-in-law ordered rotisserie lamb and instead was given what looked like a roasted lamb with gravy. Not sure if they got her order wrong or if that is their interpretation of rotisserie lamb? Either way, it was tough and had sort of a gray color. My husband got the lamb chop, which he loved, and his dad got the red snapper, which was tasty. Overall, no one was wowed by their dish.
The prices are what you'd expect in Greektown (about $12-$18 per entree). I didn't hate it, but I think there are better places in Greektown.
The Parthenon! I could honestly write a novel about this place, but I will spare you the details.
Just a little history regarding how special this place is to me however... I have been coming here since I was a child, and my father has been coming here since they opened their doors in 1968. Almost every family celebration on my dad's side takes place here. The owners and regular waitstaff all know our names and our routines.
Our formula for celebrating? Start off with a bunch of bottles of roditis wine (goes down like kool-aid). Drink copiously. Everybody gets a half order of saganaki. OOPAH! Then gyros. Then greek salad. Over an hour later we are all well liquored and usually ready to order our entrees. And there are SO many favorites on the menu. Chicken breast spanaki... awesome. Gyro entree... awesome. Beef kapama... yum. And my new favorite, pork tigania... oh my god this stuff melts in your mouth. Continue to drink more roditis until dessert comes, then switch to Greek coffee, tentura, and sambouka.
This is the proper way to eat and drink like kings. We celebrate! Ooopah!
The best part? I just moved down the street so now I can stumble home afterwards and burn off at least 30 of the 4,000 calories I just consumed.
I was hesitant to go to Parthenon because I always viewed it as an expensive restaurant. After all, they have valet. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised to find that Parthenon's menu is extensive and can range from a completely reasonable under $10 gyros "appetizer" plate to higher priced entrees that I presume are larger.
I wasn't really hungry when I came here and just ordered from the dessert menu: Greek yogurt with walnuts and honey. It was my first experience with Greek yogurt and wow! It was nice, thick and didn't upset my stomach like some regular yogurts can. The honey and walnuts were also a great addition. I was proud of myself for choosing a "healthier" dessert option for my late night meal.
I did have a chance to eye my friends' food. One friend purchased an appetizer that looked like lightly philo dough covered goat cheese, fried, and simmering in honey. Okay, talk about the not so healthy option, but it was good...
As for the aforementioned gyro plate appetizer, it looked like the standard size gyro that you could get anywhere else for the same price, but dressed up. My friends liked it.
Overall great experience, although I wish that they could split checks. I was with a group of ~20 people and luckily we're all used to assigning someone in our group to do the math for our large restaurant bill. Otherwise, this place can accommodate large groups and looks like it would be nice for families and dates.
Hopefully I'll write an update after trying their entrees!
We got it delivery and were about 15 minutes away so we had to reheat the food but amazing food is good no matter what temperature. We started off with their sagnacki and tzatiki. The tzatiki comes in a huge container and is well worth every dollar, it has a nice garlic kick to it which i thoroughly enjoyed.
Next on to the main meal. My roommate had the trio sampler which she absolutely loved and I had the chicken spanaki basically chicken stuffed with the ingredients of a spinach pie. A juicy chicken filled with spinach pie, my tastebuds could barely handle the joy.
I love greek food and need to go visit greektown here one day but when im lazy and the weather is cold ill be sticking around these parts and ordering from Parthenon.
I was a little nervous about eating here with my family, since the vegetarian entrees listed on the menu all involved cheese. Our server's eyes widened a bit when I explained that I didn't eat dairy, but he quickly went to the kitchen to find out which dishes would be suitable.
I made a filling meal out of appetizers and sides; each is really intended to be shared, so it's a sizable portion. The hummus here actually has chicken broth in it, but several other dishes were available for a vegan. The eggplant spread was different from baba ghannouj, but mighty tasty - it was more "green" tasting, with parsley and no tahini. I also had grilled mixed vegetables (carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini); ask for olive oil instead of butter. Pan-fried zucchini/eggplant and cold bean salad were other vegan options.
My favourite item was the skordalia (cold potato puree with TONS of garlic). You could get it as a separate item, but I ordered mine as part of the cold beet salad. I really like garlic that "bites", so this was perfect.
The Parthenon was bustling with dinerslast night, but service was very attentive. Our water glasses were filled frequently and the servers were very helpful in wrapping up the extra food from the rest of my family's "family-style dinner". It was a LOT of food. Try not to fill up too much on the fresh sesame-topped bread.
We didn't try it, but you can get a complimentary rune, coffee cup or palm/astrology reading on Thursday evenings. The saganaki (flaming cheese) is very entertaining, even for those such as myself who do not partake in it.
Overall, good food and a good atmosphere for family dinners, all at a good price.
I was very disappointed in this restaurant. The decor was dated and the menu wasn't any better than a Greek diner in suburban Iowa. In fact, one of my dinner mates had chicken alfredo, which he didn't touch because it looked and tasted like it had sat beneath the warmer for about an hour too long. My vegetarian meal was brownish and gloppy and heavy. The wine list... yucky. Our server was great though and the food wasn't too expensive. Unfortunately, we won't be back.
A for Average.
There are so many better Greek restaurants in Greektown, like Greek Islands, for example.
There are only so many ways to serve fried cheee and light it on fire, and make a big deal out it by saying "OPA!".
And why does their red table wine remind me of Boones Farm Strawberry ? (yes, I have actually had it............). Bleeccch.
After 2 of my gals and I attempted to shake our booties at a hip hop class at the Lou Conte dance studio we were in need of some grub. And Greektown was only a few minutes away! The first restaurant we noticed was Parthenon so we took advantage of the free valet parking (gotta love that most restaurants have this in Greektown) and made ourselves at home.
The waiter greets us:
My friend Aubrey: Do you have any of that pink spread?
Waiter: Perhaps you mean fish roe, which we do have, although ours isn't pink
My friend Nicole: What's fish roe?
Waiter: fish egg spread
Nicole: Ew (wrinkles her nose)
Waiter: Maybe I should rephrase this. It's caviar
Nicole: Oh, I"d try that!
Moments later Nicole was spitting out the "caviar" spread and making faces, but Aubrey and I were quite happy with it! We also each ordered a bowl of lemon egg rice soup. I wrinkled my nose at the taste of this, but Aubrey was more than happy to finish my soup. And I had more than enough food with my spread and mini spinach cheese pies (the appetizer portion was perfect!)
The total came to $36 for all 3 of us (and that's including tip!) While I don't like Parthenon as much as other restaurants in the area (Venus is my favorite) the price and FREE valet parking reminded me I need to eat in Greektown more often!
$15/person for the mezes sampler: 4 delicious dips, and 5 heaping plates of food. Babaganoush and taromasalata were soooo good. I ate waaaaay too much and had to sleep off my food coma for the rest of the afternoon.
We were there for lunch but I can't wait to go back and try the roast pig.
Coming in for a weekend visit to Chicago, I was excited to try some amazing cuisine. The Chicago native sitting next to me on the plane recommended Greektown as a great destination for cuisine in the Chicago area.
I was very excited to try this place. Our group was greeted with a very nice attentive host at the front door and we were seated immediately. Our group ordered that flaming cheese appetizer first, the name escapes me. It was very tasty.
I ordered the Chicken Kabob with rice and potato. The chicken was very dry an lacked any distinct flavor. The vegetables were few and far between and they also lacked any flavor, and were soggy. However the rice and potato were very good! Perhaps I ordered the wrong dish but I figured I couldn't go wrong with such a basic meal. A dining partner who ordered the same thing also didn't like the kabob, thought it was dry. Another friend ordered one of the appetizer family samplers and hated all of it. He stopped eating it halfway into it. The only saving grace seemed to be one of the pork dishes.
The wait staff was attentive with filling our water glasses but our actual server was nowhere to be seen for a good portion of the evening. Although he was nice, nice doesn't go far when you can't find your server. It took an hour for our food to get to the table, most people in the restaurant were waiting just as long if not longer. After we got our food he must have gone on a smoke break cuz we never saw him again. After flagging him down for our check and waiting another 5 minutes he never picked it up so we paid at the front. It was pretty annoying.
This is my favorite Greek restaurant. The first time I visited Chicago, my husband and I came here for dinner because it was walk distance from Union Station. I'm so glad we did, and now I've been back more times than I have fingers. It is often the first restaurant I will take out-of-town visitors to.
There is always a large crowd on weekend evenings, but because the restaurant is huge, there is never much of a wait.
The Parthenon is also great for lunch. I like going here for work lunches, as they can easily accommodate large groups, and their quick service allows us to get back by the end of the lunch hour. I will also sometimes stop in by myself for carryout - they never seem to mind that I just order soup. A huge bowl of lemon rice soup and half a loaf of bread costs just around $4!)
I highly recommend their flaming cheese, lemon rice soup, and pastitisio. The flavors and textures of each are just perfect. This is my standard meal every time I go.
So whether you live in Chicago or are just visiting, go to The Parthenon!
WOW! I have hit up almost all the Greektown restaurants and eventually found myself always going to Greek Isles next door (well until they were shut down by the health commission). This time I guess I saved "the best for last" by venturing into The Parthenon. I'm SO glad I did. According to all the newspaper/magazine postings on the walls, it is supposedly home to the famous Saganaki burnt cheese and gyro! I wanted to try something different so I ordered the Kotopita (Crisp phyllo case filled with boneless chicken and vegetables, served with rice). For all those dill fans, this is a not-to-miss.
Another little thing: Service is always attentive and authentic in Greektown, but not necessarily friendly. Our waiter at Parthenon made us feel at home with all his jokes stated in his sexy accent. He definitely added the cherry to the top of the cake. Don't go elsewhere! And with all the rest of Greektown, take advantage of the free valet. One downfall could be no outdoor seating.
I've realized how deprived I had been of good Greek food since visiting this place. I didn't know what to expect, maybe a gyro wrap with a side of fries? NOT! Try a 10 course meal that will make you wish you had 5 stomachs. We went for the new version family style menu- refer to the website because it's a crazy load of food. I'll just highlight some of my favorites- the saganaki, who doesn't love fried cheese, the spinach cheese pie, the moussaka, and soup. Everything tastes very different from the next and nothing was overly greasy.
It's a great place and definitely feels like you're somewhere special, it's casual and good for large parties.
I visited The Parthenon on Valentine's Day and had the worst dining experience I've had. I started off being vomited on by a patron. That's right, vomited on. I know that wasn't the restaurant's fault, but it was horrifying, and all they did was give me a couple of wet napkins and replaced my glass of wine that was unfortunately vomited in.
After that drama, we decided to stay for our 8:00pm reservations (we arrived early as they requested) and were finally served dinner at 10:00pm. My husband had the worst lamb chops he's ever had (although he has had good ones there before) and I was less than impressed with my meal.
I will NOT be going back.
Oh YUM! Took Molly C. out for her farewell lunch with another coworker (Mols, what am i to do without you?) and have to say I enjoyed my lunch immensely!
Our waiter was a sweet white haired man, who may have been one of the first Greek-Town waiters, very attentive though.
Started with saganaki, which was wonderful! Perfectly yummy! Of course we received a bowl of Greek bread and butter, how can you go wrong.
I had mini chicken shish kabobs, two little skewers with a perfect ammount of Tzatziki sauce( made with yogurt and just to die for!) and a bowl of really good navy bean soup. Coworker had the regular chicken shish kabobs with came with potatoes and rice rather than the Tzatziki and pita like mine, and looked just as good! Molly had a small order of Moussaka and said it was really good.
I think, I know, I'll go back again because it's been years since I have been there and it was just as good as I remember.
It's not fancy but it doesn't even try. This place is about good, old-fashioned family gatherings with all the classics at the table. The Traditional Family Style dinner they offer makes big gatherings simple and has a little bit of something for everyone. You can't go wrong! Wait staff is very attentive and seems to have the timing down on delivery of a fresh course in the 5 course dinner. You get all the traditional elements of a Greek dinner without having to try to pronounce all the crazy dishes!
Oh did I mention free valet??
Went with my friend who was in town visiting. Tried the lamb and it was amazing. The portion was huge and like another reviewer said, it was so tender and delicious. Also, the portion was huge! I'm a pretty big eater, but I couldn't even finish half of the dish. My friend tried the pork tenderloin dish and while she did do some damage to the dish, she also couldn't finish it.
Good service, great selection. Recommended!
My favorite Greek restaurant, by far. I've been going here with my family for years, and I've yet to have a bad meal. The lamb is tender, the spanakopita is flaky, and the moussaka is creamy and savory. And, most importantly: the saganaki is cheesy and salty and delicious.
The atmosphere and servers are definitely Greek-tastic, which is part of the charm. Next time you're in Greektown, this place is a must-go!
I'm from Minnesota, which is officially the land of the blandest food in the world. Not kidding, look it up on a map. If you want tasteless hot dish or peculiar deli meat on a white flour snack bun, look no further. If you want exotic dishes that represent the world's palate you're out of luck because the only season we use is salt. The reason I mention any of this is because it has seriously handicapped my ability to try and enjoy different kinds of food. I'm close to 30 and am still recovering.
And so spending time in Chicago is the perfect excuse to step outside my comfort level and try new-to-me things...things like Greek food!
I was nervous to come here (for previously mentioned reasons) but went through with it and was extremely pleased. Our server was a hilarious older man who wasn't trying to be funny. We were also here with a pair of out-of-town grandparents which added immensely to the enjoyment factor of the evening.
And the food? Ohhhhhhhhhhh, it was SO so good! Between the two of us, my fiance and I tried a chicken dish (very tender and perfectly seasoned) and lamb (which was moist and awesome--you have to order the lamb). We've always meant to come back here but haven't made it yet. Someday!
Ggaaarrrgggghhhh....Laaaaaammmmbbbbb!
The lamb is so melty and tender and delicious.... ANY lamb. Go on, try any preparation. They do lamb so well that it sings with any prep: braised with veggies and rice; smothered in lemon-cream sauce with artichokes; rack-of; whatever! But the menu is chock full of awesome Greek delights from dolmades, to moussaka, to lemon soup, to baklava.
And yes, the flames roar to the ceiling from their saganaki while everyone yells, "Opa!" Were you expecting anything less?
It's a family atmosphere: comfortable, warm (especially next to the flaming cheese!), inviting. They are excellent with re-filling the little water glasses, so the warm part's not so bad. Service is professional, funny and on top of things.
I'm so glad John wants to go back there for his birthday. :)
Opa!!!
Was here recently for a baptism luncheon and found it delightful. Have been here previously for larger gatherings and always enjoyed myself. Service was friendly, prompt and attentive. Food was delectable. Have to say I still prefer Athena's taramasalata and gyros, but Parthenon tzatziki is divinely garlicky and rich. The roasted chicken was delicious--tender and moist. Pastitsio was flavorful, buttery, spicy. House salad (lettuce, tomato, cucumber, feta, onion) was fresh and light, perfectly dressed. And the saganaki--a mouth-watering explosion of flamed, cheesy, "opa!" goodness.
They know how to do it here at The Parthenon.
The best Greek food period. I've been going there ever since I was a child with my family and now that I live in Cali I crave it constantly!
Let's start off with me saying that I'm a vegetarian so my entire experience is based upon the non-meat options. For dinner we had the Family-Style Vegetarian dinner, which at $19 a person seems like a great deal - until you eat the food that is. Now, not all of it was horrible so I'll walk you through it. For starters we walked in and were seated quickly, always nice, some members of my party didn't like the main open area and asked of somewhere quieter - we were moved to a room near the back, our table one of only two filled in the room was awkwardly behind the serving post for drinks in the area. Once seated we moved ourselves to a table nearby with a more pleasant view. Speaking of thoughts on the table it may have just been in this area but the chair was too high for the table and I couldn't cross my legs because of it (ahh, the little things.) To drink, being pregnant, I had sparking water with a lime it in - can't complain at all about that. Then starts the food - they brought out a loaf of bread to accompany the initial appetizers, cheese, etc. Really wishing it had been pita because the bread just seemed wrong - it was white with sesame seeds on it and had a flavor of it's own which took away from the other foods. The saganaki was fun and always beautiful and I can't complain about cheese! The two dips served at nearly the same time however were completely lacking - the tzatiki tasted of STRONG garlic and very little cucumber, my apologies to anyone I breathed on following the meal. I've had such better tzatiki I was really disappointed in it, we also had the melitzanosalata - eggplant spread - also garlicky to no end, and very bland otherwise. Again the spreads just didn't' go with the bread either. Up next a greek salad - the dressing was boring, very oily and lacking in flavor. Finally (we were more than ready to have it over with) they brought out the main course - all on one plate family style, which works for me. All of it was overcooked, and yet not heated up enough - guessing it was made much earlier and simply reheated at the time. I can't actually say which stands out as the worst - they were all just awful. It included: spinach-cheese pie (too much spinach, not enough other flavors, and over cooked), vegetarian moussaka (flavorless, way over cooked and yet mush), vegetarian dolmades (probably the best thing on the plate but still very lemony and a let down), vegetarian pastitsio (this was just overdone and awful) with a side of roasted potatoes and okra, both of which were flavorless mush. Finally the meal was ending (YEAH!) they served coffee which I can't imagine was greek, maybe old folgers? And two desserts- baklava and galaktoboureko - both of which were mildly redeeming, but I'd lost interest in eating by that point. Then the BEST part - we were free to leave!! Opa!
Now I've read other reviews - seems the meat must be fantastic but in an effort to save other vegetarians - really, don't bother!
I met some friends here for dinner. I had the spinach and feta stuffed chicken breast. It was very good - a bit more rich than I traditionally eat but still tasty (hey, a girl's got to treat herself sometimes). Saganaki and house wine were good. I thought this was a great place for a relaxing dinner with good friends - I never felt rushed and we all had a chance to talk and catch up. Service, food, and atmosphere were all good.
Would defintely come back again soon.
Mon 1/2 off bottled wine &…
Neighborhood: Near West Side
Food specials Mon.-Thurs.
Neighborhood: Near West Side
Neighborhood: Near West Side
Category: Greek
Neighborhood: Near West Side
Category: Greek
Neighborhood: Near West Side
Category: Greek
Neighborhood: Near West Side
Category: Greek
Neighborhood: Near West Side
Category: Greek
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