Greek Islands

Food good service good owner stopped by table was attentive and nice and girls at register were quite polite and very pretty. No negatives food is authentic and tasty well worth it

Delicious food — very homemade-​tasting! HUGE selection on the menu, so bring your reading glasses, take your time, and maybe try something new! Also bring a designated driver because they have a nice selection of reasonably priced wines. Great place if you have a vegetarian in your group, yet lots of savory meat items for the carnivores, too. We had baklava and ice cream for dessert — WOW! Wanted to lick the plate!

Just had to wait! It’s the dinner hour! Busy busy busy! Soup and salad! That’s what we like!

Excellent food with excellent service. Their lamb chops are wonderful. Had the fried calamari last time I was there and it was tender and flavorful. Definitely recommend.

Had lunch today and was so happy I did. George greeted us with a warm smile and a handshake. I orders the salmon salad and it was delicious. The prices were great, the food was wonderful and the ladies we sat next to were fabulous.

We have enjoyed a food journey here many times. The food is always tasty. Sometimes a little salty. I order the Combination Platter. I love the Sauce Served over the Roast Lamb. A Beefy Lamb Gravy that is the perfect compliment to a platter full of Authentic Style Greek Food. I believe there is an article from a write up on this sauce posted out front. I have had the combination a few times. The amount of sauce is inconsistent. I’m sure if the server were to check back with the table you could ask for more.
My Man ordered the Salmon Salad… Visual appeal. He likes to get it with extra Tomatoes. Said he enjoyed the Salad.
We ordered the flaming Saganaki to start. The «older male server» could have used a little of the Brandy to put a fire in him… I felt we were putting him out to go through the motions. Menu says served with flat bread. Which was not served with the order. Im certain he did not engage in conversation or smile during the service. Don’t ask him questions. I get it you aren’t there to entertain us.
The other server assistants. Bus People perhaps that were pouring water were very personable. Would engage in conversation and were delightful.
Overall the food is delicious. My issue is the service. If you like food and good service. I don’t know. They serve… but I did feel like they aren’t happy about it… And we have been there several times.

The place is always crowded, and you definitely need to pay attention when walking through the parking lot, or you will get hit by an Audi or Mercedes with a driver that just does not care. BUT, if you can make it in the door, the Food is always great and the staff will take good care of you. You will get an older waiter, who has been there a million years and even if he doesn’t smile, he knows his job and will make sure you are taken care of.

This is one of my favorite places in the area. The food is big and the service is efficient. The price is not too bad. Save room for dessert!

We started off with a nice warm saganaki. It was a very warm starter. I then had salmon. It was cooked to perfection and the spices were very well balanced– savory with a hint of a bitter taste. Then I had a crème caramel dessert. It was very light and felt finished after the meal. The only down side to the whole experience was they were a little slow. Overall I highly recommend this restaurant.

Greek Islands is consistently delicious! I’ve been to both this location in Lombard and also the one in the city, and I’ve had wonderful experiences every time. My last visit was on a Sunday night, and it was pretty packed. I think it says a lot about a restaurant that draws a huge crowd on a Sunday or weekday evening.
Greek Islands has menu items that are suitable for both meat eaters and vegetarians. I love their lemon egg soup here, and and some of their other starters. One of their dinner options even allows you to select a couple of the popular menu items and make them part of your whole meal for one set price. This is a good option both veterans and newbies of Greek cuisine. Their menu also includes many wine items, and even some other alcoholic items as well. Every member of the staff at Greek Islands is also super friendly and readily available to make your dining experience memorable.

So you don’t lack in quantity, but you definitely lack in quality. The gyro meat was dry and the fish was practically swimming in oil. Noooo thanks. The lighting is also extremely unflattering… it’s this sickly fluorescent buzz that makes you a little nauseated.

Being Greek myself, the food here is excellent and definitely stays true to tradition.
I come here with my family since we strive for Mediterranean food. We are also good friends with the owner of this place. The interior is very greek-​styled and sets the mood so well when you eat. The blue and white colors in this restaurant really pop out and it is visually appealing. The staff here is very professional and knowledgeable to menu items and handling various requests. The food that they have here is absolutely exquisite and very welcoming to the taste buds. The way the food is presented is very beautiful and prepares you for what is to come.
Definitely will come back in the near future!

The couple times I have been there it’s been very consistent. The food is excellent and the wait staff is always super friendly, even though they probably want to go in the back room and hang themselves every time someone orders Saganaki.
Kababs, are all delicious. Desserts are solid and the artichoke appetizer/​side is amazing.
It’s also part of some space time rift where every table but you is there for a birthday because you will hear Happy Birthday sung by the wait staff no less than 17 times during your dinner.

Took my girlfriend here for 18^th bday ya know. The flaming saganaski cheese was to die for. Great service, great environment. Good for any occasion. Love this place, best Greek in the city ya now!

Grew up eating at Greek Islands in Chicago. I’m so happy that this location exists as it’s much closer. I cannot say anything bad about this place. Their food is always what I expect and tastes as good as it did when I was a kid. I’m getting hungry just writing this review…

Great lunch. Rack of lamb is the he best I have ever had. The service was perfect refills were quick. Try the the chocolate cake. It has a great relaxing atmosphere perfect for a casual lunch with your business partner.

My favorite place to go for Greek food ! They also have a location in Greek town that is just as fabulous. You must get the flaming cheese and the avgalemona soup if you are there. The service is always great and the waiters are always coming around filling up your water, bread, and cleaning the table. I always get the Greek salad when I go with the grilled octopus on top. Delicious. You also can’t go wrong with the homemade gyros and chicken and steak kabobs.

The waiters here are not friendly at all and the food was mediocre. The price for the food was okay but the Mahi Mahi was over cooked. Portions were not enough, we left and we were still hungry. Mind you we ordered appetizer as well. Wouldn’t recommend this place. Waiters don’t even ask if you need anything. They just pass by.

I had only been to Greek Islands once about 10 or 12 years ago. It was amazing back then and the food was above all expectations on our most recent visit as well.
My husband picked me up from work down the street one Saturday when I got off work a little a little early and I remembered this was just around the corner. I suggested Greek food and he said sure so we went to Greek Islands. It was early enough to we didn’t need to wait at all for a table.
The beautiful blonde hostess sat us in the back dining area just a few tables from the kitchen.
Our server was Niko (I believe). He was very kind, knew the menu and was pretty much on top of everything. I barely looked at the menu. I just asked him what he liked outside of the seafood realm and he suggested the pork with bell peppers. And my husband asked for a fish referral and he ended up with a white fish.
We kicked off our meal with meatballs that had a lot of great flavor and fresh break with butter and/​or oil. I love the sesame bread.
Waters never were lower than half way down thank you to the bus persons. Tables were kept cleared when you were done eating each course.
I tried the Cabernet Greek wine and loved it.
My husband ate every single bite of his fish and I tore up my pork dish. There was so much, my husband and I were able to make dinner off it for the next evening with the rice & potatoes.
Lastly, I can tell a good Greek place by their baklava. I was too stuffed to try it there but I took one piece to go. My only issues is their pricing for the balava for the portion size, there were was quite a wait to try to get our food packed up and pay our bill. Luckily, we didn’t have to get too much done after dinner so it worked out.
Final comment is that the place needs a fresh coat of paint and I received a dirty fork. I think they have a few kinds to work out and a little updating. The display cases were quite aged and a little dirty.
Thank you all for making our experience so lovely.

I have only been to Greek Islands once about 10 or 12 years ago. It was amazing back then and the food was above all expectations.
My husband picked me up from work down the street one Saturday when I got off work a little a little early and I remembered this was just around the corner. I suggested Greek food and he said sure so we went to Greek Islands. It was early enough to we didn’t need to wait at all for a table.
The beautiful blonde hostess sat us in the back dining area just a few tables from the kitchen.
Our server was Niko (I believe). He was very kind, knew the menu and was pretty much on top of everything. I barely looked at the menu. I just asked him what he liked outside of the seafood realm and he suggested the pork with bell peppers. And my husband asked for a fish referral and he ended up with a white fish.
We kicked off our meal with meatballs that had a lot of great flavor and fresh break with butter and/​or oil. I love the sesame bread.
Waters never were lower than half way down thank you to the bus persons. Tables were kept cleared when you were done eating each course.
I tried the Cabernet Greek wine and loved it.
My husband ate every single bite of his fish and I tore up my pork dish. There was so much, my husband and I were able to make dinner off it for the next evening with the rice & potatoes.
Lastly, I can tell a good Greek place by their baklava. I was too stuffed to try it there but I took one piece to go. My only issues is their pricing for the balava for the portion size, there were was quite a wait to try to get our food packed up and pay our bill. Luckily, we didn’t have to get too much done after dinner so it worked out.
Final comment is that the place needs a fresh coat of paint and I received a dirty fork. I think they have a few kinds to work out and a little updating. The display cases were quite aged and a little dirty.
Thank you all for making our experience so lovely.

While I’ve been to Greece, and eaten from more Greek diners/​joints than I can count, I’ve never actually been to a Greek restaurant such as the Greek Islands. It was typically the prices that have scared me away, but when work is footing the bill, what is there to lose, amIright?
Two coworkers and I chose Greek Islands, several days before Christmas. We walked in at 1pm, expecting it to be empty — but to our surprise, there were people everywhere! Several parties, most tables filled, and even people in line for gift certificates.
While this is no diner, it certainly isn’t what I would call upscale. It has a little bit of a rundown feel to it (more the exterior than the interior), but then again, that could have been the drabby, rainy weather that exuded that ambiance.
That said, the food was incredible. We started with saganaki, which I would gather is a good «taste» for 5 – 6, but if you’re looking for more than a small taste, order more. We also had the Greek bruschetta — which was life changing. WOW!!! I LOVE me some mozzarella, but the feta added a new dimension to this bruschetta. You could tell it was pre-​made, therefore it had time to marinade while it waited for its table… delicious. Four pieces to the order.
My coworkers enjoyed a salad, while I munched on the bread. We ordered some parmesan, and I made an olive oil and parmesan dip — adding a spritz of lemon, because when in… Greece…anyways. The olive oil was of very high quality and had an amazing taste to it. Nothing like what you can buy in the US.
Then, enter: our food. I couldn’t shy away from the gyros, and I’m glad I didn’t. The meat was more tender than anywhere I’d ever have, and all ingredients were incredibly fresh. And these folks aren’t kidding around about their tzatziki sauce. INCREDIBLE. More garlic-​y than I’ve had before, which made it even better.
The service is nothing to write home about, but that’s ok. You come here for the food!

I’m glad this location exists, away from the downtown area and all of the congested traffic-​y areas. First off, this restaurant is huge inside with an equally huge parking lot. Second, this place does not skimp on the quality or on the quantity. My friend and I decided to get the family style to sample a little bit of everything and for the amount of food and the experience, I thought it was priced very well (around $ 22 pp). Our family style included: 3 apps, salad, 4 entrees with sides, dessert and coffee. To go through each item would be a headache for you to read and for me to write, so the standouts for me were the saganaki, pork on the spit, Spanakotiropita, and the gyros.
I got that everyone wanted the saganaki because it’s fun to watch the servers not torch their eyebrows, but I wasn’t expecting it be so damn tasty. The fried cheese has a crispy edge and the lemon pairs very well with it. The gyros and onion was another great little appetizer and again, the crispy edges were a win for us. The pork on the spit is something I would highly recommend. Yes, crispy skin again, but it was just seasoned so well, tender and a little fatty just the way I like it. The spanakotiropita was flaky, cheesy and couldn’t have been better. Even the salad tasted pretty amazing even though it was so simple. Everything was fresh and the service was spot on.
Some random things: Besides the apps, the entrees were combined on two separate plates for each diner even though we ordered family style. So we each had our own plate of the 4 mini entrée items that we ordered together along with a side of rice and potatoes. Not good or bad, but had everything came out in the middle for a true free for all like I thought it would, it would have made it easier for me to eat disproportionately more of the delicious pork and leave the bf with more of the dry lamb. Speaking of which, the roast lamb was a bit dry and not really something I would get again. I think it was just sliced too thin and with the competing pork, it had no chance. The dessert was decent but overly sweet for me so I was only able to eat tiny bites. Overall, it was a great experience and I found a great new Greek place. Opa!

I want to give 5 stars, but I can’t.
1. the food is good, but I hate to say, I can get better Greek food elsewhere & less priced.
2. the service is quite rude each time I’ve been there. Will I be back? Well, if they are nice, then yes.
3. my favorites: flaming cheese, shish kabobs. too bad it’s quite pricy for what it is & the portion amount.

If you like Greek food, this place is an absolute must! I have not had better Greek food anywhere in the Chicago area.
The establishment: This place is always packed, lots of people love the food and the restaurant is always booming. However, that being said, I have NEVER had to actually wait to be seated! They will seat you right away, even in prime hours, most likely due to the fact that they have a large amount of seating room, spanning multiple rooms and a lot of capable staff. Always wonderful service here! You would think that you would have to wait a long time to get your food, but that is also not the case. You will NOT be waiting 45min+ to get your food after ordering, in fact, I find it closer to 15min for a party of two.
The food: Fantastic. The flaming Saganaki is great and is something we always get when we come here as our appetizer. The last time we went, we got the Grilled Octopus in addition to the Saganaki. The Octopus tasted fresh, not fishy and was not chewy or rubbery. Wonderful appetizer duo! For the entrée I always get the Arni Aginarato (lamb in a hearty lemon sauce with artichokes and other fresh vegetables). This is by far the best lamb dish I have ever had, aside from the dish that my boyfriend always gets, the Kokkinisto (lamb braised with tomatoes). The meat literally falls off the bone with both dishes and is super tender. For desert, we always get svigous (I cannot spell it to save my life) to go since we love taking leftovers home with us after coming here. As a note, the lamb dishes always taste just as good when you reheat them at home!
All in all, this is one of our favorite restaurants to go to. We love all of the food, we love the Greek wine, we also love the great service that we get every time. This is a must try for anyone! If you have not had Greek food aside from Gyros before… please try something new here! While the Gyros are also good at Greek Islands… try something exotic… you won’t be disappointed! Enjoy!

Fantastic Greek cuisine in a fun, vibrant atmosphere. Pretty much anything you choose on the menu will be wonderful — we had a party of seven and everyone was blown away by their food. I had the shrimp kabob and loved every bite. There’s a Greek Village location downtown too, so add Greek Islands to your list of stops next time you’re in Chi Town!

One of the best Greek restaurants I’ve ever been to! The food was yummy and our server, Donald, was great! I had the Avgolemono soup, the large Athenian salad platter w/​grilled octopus, and a lemonade.
The Avgolemono soup has chicken broth, rice, and egg-​lemon. The texture of the soup is kind of creamy and reminded me of rice porridge. You can taste the lemon in this soup so if you like lemons as much as I do, then you’ll love this soup.
My salad was delicious! The grilled octopus was nice & tender and the salad was the traditional Greek salad, which contained mixed greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, feta cheese, and olives. The dressing they used was very tasty too!
My boyfriend had the gyros and I, of course, had to taste some. It was probably one of the best gyros I’ve ever had and I don’t usually like gyros! The meat was well seasoned and made to perfection! The pita bread also tasted very fresh and was delish!

This place was packed when we came on a Saturday night. There was about a 20 minute wait for a table. The restaurant is quite large with tons of seating. After we were seated, we nibbled on the complimentary bread until our appetizers arrived.
Saganaki $ 6.50 — Opa! You really can’t go wrong with flaming cheese.
Grilled calamari $ 10 — Yummy naked grilled squid.
Pastichio $ 13 — This dish looks tastier than it was but it landed on the bland side.

Opa! Get the saganaki. And the baklava. For entrée we had chicken breast, chicken on the bone baked in a tomato sauce with feta cheese, both served with rice and potatoes. The breast was better. We also tried moussaka, which was a different spin on lasagna. The food was good, with plenty of left overs, the ambiance very comfortable and rustic and on this night, very busy. The service left nothing to be desired. Everything here was solid, and just what I would consider comfort food. Nothing extravagant, light on the wallet. The price point very fair. All positive points.

This is a great Greek restaurant. The staff are so welcoming and pleasant from the moment you walk in until you leave. We started with saganati, which is a pan of goat cheese in oil that is lit on fire table side. I was not sure what to expect but what I got was so much better than I could have imagined! The flames give a light crunch to the outside and the inside is melted and delicious. We actually ended up ordering a second one it was so good. The lemon rice soup is very nice. Not too lemony.
I originally ordered the arni fournou and our waiter came back and informed me that they were out. Must be pretty good then. He suggested I instead try another lamb dish that included artichokes. It was good, I always love lamb. I wish I had gotten to try my original order though.
I tried my first shot of ouzo, I am not sure if I will have anymore. Black licorice is not my favorite. However, their baklava was delicious. It had all the crispy, sweet layered goodness I have tasted in the past but this one was not overly sweet like others I had tried.
Overall this was a great experience. I would love to come back here again when I am in town.

Greek Islands gets a 5 because it is still the best Greek food I’ve had in Chicago so far! We’ve tried Santorini in Greek Town too but we will always come back to Greek Islands because it is delicious.
Our most recent trip was on a Monday night and it was crazy busy, but the service is always fast and efficient. We had an excellent waiter on Monday who was very friendly and attentive. The ambiance is great because it looks like a little Greek village and the tables are full of big parties tables and lots of people.
The best option by far is to do the family style, which is more food than you could ever possibly finish (especially with only 2 people like us) but at only $ 22.95 it’s a great deal and you’ll have leftovers.
You can’t go wrong with this combination:
First of all, the bread and olive oil is excellent. But if you want to make it through the meal, try not to eat too much.
Appetizer: (1) Saganaki (2) Gyros (3) Scordalia — garlic spread
Salad: Athenian
Main course: Dolmades, Spanakotiropita, Keftedes, Chicken Rignati
(everything above is absolutely delicious)
Dessert: Baklava and Galaktoburiko (I’m allergic so I got some sort of flan and it was great)
If you eat as much as we do, you wont be able to move, but you’ll be happy and incredibly satisfied with the meal. If you’re going to Greek Town, don’t skip out on Greek Islands!

I’ve been to this one and the downtown one a few times. I don’t remember what I ordered so I’ll just base my review off my most recent experience which was a month ago at this location. I ordered the chicken riganati which was seasoned to perfection and so moist! It came with a side of rice with a sauce which was okay. I was kind of confused though because I thought the menu said rice and potatoes, but I just got rice. Of course I ordered saganaki, how can you not! Overall, everything was very good. The meal was huge, so I had leftovers.
I remember other times coming here and we ordered family style which is always good. Just don’t remember what I ate.
Even though there was a huge party, service was still quick. Waiters all very nice.

First time going there– it was for my greek boyfriends birthday. It was wonderful!!! We were seated quickly.
We had the waiter Dimitrios… and he made our experience great! He has a awesome personality. Next time we go, we are requesting for his section.
The food was good… I forgot the name of what we had but the pictures will describe it for you. Will have again, but We decided to try the fish next time!

Greek Islands is a great place to have dinner if you’re looking for a full selection of Greek food right in the middle of Chicago (or the suburbs if you’re visiting this location in Lombard). However, if you’re just interested in one or two Greek food items you could go pretty much anywhere else in Chicago because Greek family restaurant/​diner/​pancake houses are a dime a dozen, and almost all of them have a «Greek Specialities» section of the menu.
This past Friday my wife and I joined our out-​of-​town family members for dinner at Greek Islands and it was very good. The food was great, the service was terrific and despite the place being packed, there wasn’t a wait.
I’m quite surprised, actually, by how busy they are considering the plethora of Greek food available in suburban Chicago. Our waiter treated us like family, making sure water glasses and other drinks stayed full the entire night. He checked on us regularly and made us feel at home.
Food came out quickly, was hot, flavorful and downright good. The grocery store I shop at has the same stuff I ordered in its prepared foods section, but I enjoy it so I decided to give it a try here. I had the moussaka. It was very-​well made and tasty. The serving I had was large and I left full.
I’d say that overall Greek Islands impressed me. I wouldn’t expect a specialty Greek restaurant to fare well in this area, considering all its competition. But they do what they do well and that’s important. Nicely done.

We came in this evening and had a great dinner of 5. In the beginning it was just a tad awkward with th extra place setting and my very particular Aunt.
Fred was a server and he did a great job. The two ladies requested to sample the wines. He brought them the house Greek and American. They both preferred the Greek saying it was much sweeter and more flavor.
There was never a moment I had an empty water. The waitstaff was extremely well put together from Fred to the water fillers to the people who brought out dishes. They also keep some desserts and fresh fish on display in the front of the restraunt. The décor is nice typical Greek. Blue and white trimmings and wood accents. Couple of fire places going. Reminded me of the reel club slightly…
Moreover the food was exceptional for the price. I ordered a branzino whole, no fish hook in the head…
The lamb cutlets were tender and moist. The dalemdas or whatever they’re called stuffed eggplant was good with the cheese toping. Nothing cost above 21.50 $ on the menu which is a A– but since it was sort of limiting I’d give it a B+
The dessert was also excellent. Extremely creamy deserts and good toppings. I would love to come back.