Five Columns

I am a fan of greek ribs and this place has some of the best in town, they do charge a bit extra for the greek salad, but its worth it… tasty and well presented! Lemon soup is something I’m usually leery of, but theirs is pretty good.
I have eaten here a number of times and I have always enjoyed my meal, I think Mykonos makes better roasted potatoes but this place hands down has VASTLY better service and the ribs are pretty even between the two. I have had other items on the menu and have been happy with them, but the majority of the time Im going for greek I want ribs.
If you have never tried greek style ribs give them a try, lots of herbs and lemon and no need to hide the flavor with a heavy sauce, really delicious.
It’s obviously a place that was something else originally and was made greek, but all things considered they have done a nice job, its clean and the staff is always pretty on point.
I vote yes & will keep going back.

We stopped here on our way from Vancouver to Seattle on the recommendation of a friend. They described it as being a clean, reasonably priced restaurant with good Greek and American food. It was easy to find and just off the main road. A sign on the entry door said they would be serving fresh halibut starting on the weekend. My husband is a big fan of halibut and we were hoping to find a seafood restaurant serving it while on the West Coast. We just hadn’t expected to find it on the menu at a Greek restaurant but we decided to give it a try and we were glad we did. Done to perfection and melt in your mouth good. Generous sized portions, probably averagely priced at $ 27. per plate. I must give a shout out to the young lady who was our waitress. As well as being delightful and attentive, she was also very proficient and excelled at her position, while also being able to give that extra touch that would keep customers returning again. We live in Pa., but if we’re ever in the area again, this restaurant would be on our list.

Foods good. Prices are good. Service is good. What more could you ask for? We went there by accident and throughly enjoyed ourselves in the festive Greek atmosphere. The egg lemon soup was a pleasant surprise and worth requesting. They also have a very well equipped bar.

I agree that the look is more «senior citizen» leaning but the Gyro was solid and the service was quite pleasant.

We weren’t looking for a Greek restaurant, but it found us, as it loomed ahead of us on the street just as the family was telling me how hungry they were. What a great find! The service was excellent, which is something I don’t find myself saying very often. The menu seemed very authentic. We started with the hummus and pita, which was very fresh and deliciously seasoned. There was fresh bread at the table as well, which was warm and welcoming. I had the calamari plate with Greek potatoes and Greek salad. the potatoes could have used a wedge of lemon, but still good, and the calamari cooked tenderly. My family had the steak and Moussaka, and were pleased with it, with leftovers to boot. The Five Columns was a little on the expensive side for a family on a budget, but it was really good food and service, worthy of a second visit.

Best Greek food in town! We love this place! The moussaka, souvlaki, dolmades and hummus are our favorites here.

I came here for a friend’s birthday dinner celebration, not ever having been here before.
Unfortunately, this will be my first and last meal here. The service was good, and the atmosphere was pleasant and clean. But the food was mediocre at best… I ordered the Calamari entrée, and received what looked like deep fried hot pockets. The Greek potatoes were good, but I couldn’t even finish the Calamari. It just wasn’t good.
I told the waitress I didn’t like my food, and I was still charged 50% for my meal. I didn’t contest this, but I was slightly unnerved because in the restaurant business if you don’t like your food, you don’t pay or you get compensated in another way. Also, for the ‘quality’ of the food, it’s much too overpriced. If I were to describe this place in a comparison, I would call this place the Denny’s of Greek food.

Three of us walked in around 7pm on a weekday for dinner. There was not anyone at the hosts podium so we waited for a bit. Eventually I walked around the restaurant and found a man sitting in a booth on a laptop. His greeting was, «Do you want take out?» as if we were a really big inconvenience. I asked for a table and we were seated. The waitress was nice. Our food was all over salted.

How I heard of this place: My parents’ neighbors are convinced that this is the best Greek restaurant they have ever visited. We may have differing opinions on that, but it was sure worth the visit!
Type of cuisine: «Five Columns Restaurant and its owners have been bringing the authentic flavors of Greece to Bellingham, Washington, for 26 years. The menu features a great variety of traditional Greek family recipes, as well as one-​of-​a-​kind plates that have become signature meals at Five Columns. From the flaming cheese, to the tasty souvlakis and the juicy steaks, the food boasts great flavor and presentation. The cuisine and décor is fit for any occasion or celebration. Whether it is a relaxing night out for two, a day of entertaining guests, or a party of 40 people, the experience that awaits you at Five Columns is ‘Simply Enjoyable!’»
Ambiance: Straight out of the 1980s, the dark pink layers with wood and greenery, the establishment is a step back in time.
What I ordered: Our dining companions admitted to us that they only ever order the Greek Baby Back Ribs on trips to Five Columns. While they recommended that we, too, partake of the same, I, for one, was ready for more traditionally Greek cuisine. Each of our neighbors, of course, selected the Half Slab of Greek Style Ribs (lemon, garlic, olive oil and herbs) served with potatoes and Greek salad. My husband chose the Chicken Fried Steak; that’s right: the Southern favorite served with mashed potatoes and gravy. He thought he’d be good and ordered a Caesar Salad to start! I opted for the Chicken Souvlaki: chicken breast marinated with Greek herbs and spices then cubed and skewered, and served on a large plate with rice pilaf and a Greek Salad. For dessert, we shared the New York Cheesecake (without strawberries, drizzled in chocolate), the Moussecake, the Mud Pie, and a simple ice cream sundae. And a second round of hot chocolates for the ladies… for good measure.
What I loved: The Greek potatoes that accompanied our dining companions’ meals! Yum and yum! That, and the salad, perfectly garlicky, zesty lemony and abundantly flavorful!
Why I loved it: The establishment has a humble, family-​style feel, reminiscent of restaurants that my husband and I sampled while traveling throughout Greece.
Cost: While we were treated to this meal, the prices at Five Columns are quite reasonable, low to average ($ 10 — $ 18 per generous entrée) and well worth the meal!

So as far as Greek goes, this place does get points for décor and ambiance. But as food goes… a little work, some elbow grease, and maybe google-​ing some Greek recipes could help. Saganaki is an all-​time go to appetizer for most Greek places but the one i got here was a little more tough that i would prefer. It was pretty hard to eat the flaming cheese because usually when something is on fire, its suppose to be hot yet their Saganaki felt like the only burn it got was freezer burn. Also, their Greek inspired steak (which i ordered medium rare) came… well…very rare on the inside yet had the whole charcoal, burned by a flamethrower look. On the bright side, our server was friendly and very accomodating. Not gonna be a favorite Greek restaurant anytime soon, but hopefully they get better.

Good but in my opinion a little overpriced for what you get. For $ 14 on a gyro I expect it to have a little more trimmings or at least have a little more to it, so to speak. It was rather good, however so all 3 stars should be considered towards that. The other parties dining with me had a salad which was also $ 14 (definitely overpriced though pretty large) Would consider returning if maybe there was a coupon :)

Bright and airy, friendly and accommodating wait staff, solid Mediterranean food. Came here twice during our visit to Bham. Had the monthly special, which was BBQ spareribs and lamb chops. Great choice. Ribs were meaty, and tender, more of a dry rub, than a BBQ sauce. Lamb loin chops were very tender, thick, well seasoned, and perfectly medium rare. Reminds me of the lamb chops at Costco, which I think are excellent. Rice pilaf was very good. My wife had the chicken souvlaki, which was very tasty, but a little dry. Also tried the day’s special garlic steak, which was very tasty, cut about ¾ inch thick, and done perfectly medium rare. Wasn’t the most tender steak I’ve had, but was okay. My wife also had the shrimp scampi, which was very good. Yeah, I’d come back, if we’re back in town.

Five Columns is a sure hit to find authentic Greek food. I especially like their hand cut fries. I recommend the souvlaki and gyro dishes. The wait staff was friendly. Their lemony chicken soup is delicious.

I found Five Columns extremely pricey for food that was so so. The staff were nice and there was parking. The souvlaki plate prices were insane — somewhere close to $ 30 (the menu online doesn’t show the prices for me to confirm the exact amount). The tzatziki was heavy and warm. As noted in my other review, if you’re looking for Greek food in Bellingham there is certainly at least 1 better option.

The service was very good. Pleasant server and seemingly fast service. The dolmades were not as delicious as I had hoped and the home fries were just ok. My husband had the gyro sandwich which was very good and the spanakopita was delicious

Yum. The saganaki was served flaming table side, tasted fantastic, and as a starter was great for two persons. I had a chicken shish kabob and all the trimmings. Everything tasted good, full-​flavored, and prepared well. I’d eat here again, and I hear the breakfasts are good, so that’s my return stop.

I hate to do this, but I have to give a low rating. My food was pretty good (I had a pasta dish), but the service was so ABYSMAL that it made the entire experience miserable. A group of 20 of us came in at once, so I would expect things to move a little more slowly, but after 90 – 100 minutes in the restaurant, half our party had not been served any food at all. Meanwhile, other tables who arrived later than we did had been served, eaten, and left. When we mentioned this to the wait staff, they turned it back on us as if it were our fault for daring to bring in a large group of people. Heaven forbid they should make any money.

A bit pricey but the portions were plentiful. Ryan, our waiter, was attentive and personable. I had a chicken pasta dish and was surprised and pleased with the amount/​variety of vegetables. The atmosphere was mellow with an older crowd. I had water to drink. This was another bonus: Ryan always kept our drinks filled! Not having drinks replenished is always my biggest complaint at restaurants. There were cool blue neon lights lining around the ceiling that added to the relaxed atmosphere.

My family has been frequenting this restaurant for many years now and it’s amazing every time. The Saganaki is the best I’ve ever had between Bellingham and Vancouver, and the Paidakia (sp?) lamb chops are wonderful. They introduced me to pea soup in a way that has me permanently addicted! The staff are friendly, the portions are good for the cost, and the food is always quality. We’ll keep going back as long as they’re around!

I have come in here a few times. I signed up online and got a printable coupon. SCORE!
Service: Good. The gal who is related to the owners is a darling.
Atmosphere: Below average. Most all of the patrons seem to be those retired ‘regular’ types. They come in groups. I’m a student, so it’s not my crowd. The setting is fair; sometimes I think the music is Turkish or something – not Greek.
Menu: I had SERIOUS doubts when I perused the menu. About half of it is American fare – they tout they BBQ ribs, and offer things like omelets and tons else. Check their website.
They have a lunch and dinner menu, and all the difference I noticed was $ 3 difference increased (on the dish I ordered) in price. The price is a bit much. $ 16 dollars for their Greek chicken salad. It’s damn good, but it is still sixteen dollars for a salad. It comes with two slivers of bread.
I would not order the pita/​tzatsiki appetizer. The sauce is great, and can be added for about $ 2, but it only came with one or two quartered pitas. Nothing for two hungry people. I think it’s about $ 6.
The Greek sauce is amazing. Try coming in during happy hour (3 – 6?) to try it out for less. Also, sign up for deals online.
OVERALL– It’s too expensive for me to eat here without a deal. The crowd is odd and I’m too scared to order anything other than a salad for fear that due to the diluted menu, I get something half-​rate for first-​rate money.
–C