Ikaros Greek Restaurant Menu

  • Starters
  • Salads & Soups
  • Dips & Spreads
  • Rotisserie & Skewers
  • On the Grill
  • From the Oven
  • Combination Plates
  • Other Items
  • Coffee & Beverages

Healthy Meal suggestions for Ikaros Greek Restaurant

  • Starters
  • Salads & Soups
  • Dips & Spreads
  • Rotisserie & Skewers
  • On the Grill
  • From the Oven
  • Combination Plates
  • Other Items
  • Coffee & Beverages

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  • Charlie P.

    Surprisingly good! Chicken and lamb gyros are packed with flavor, fresh veggies, and folded in a warm pita. Would give 5 stars but I hate when the staff break out the window cleaner 3 feet from your table and fill your breathing zone with ammonia and bleach. Clean when you close the joint not when I'm stuffing my face!

    (4)
  • Jonathan K.

    Our local go-to restaurant and it is worth all five stars. Buzzy restaurant, attentive service and very fairly priced. Must have eaten here close to 100 times and never had a bad meal.

    (5)
  • Jimmy n.

    YUM ! Great food , nice clean atmosphere thank you for offering a great little place to eat in Oakland

    (5)
  • Mari V.

    I'm torn between 3 and 4 stars for this friendly and festive but somewhat flawed restaurant. As a half-Greek, I am spoiled by memories of home cooked food in Greece and great Greek restaurants in New York City. I get periodically frantic for good Greek fare so decided to try this one. The result?--I was half pleased and half disappointed. The appetizers were a mixed lot: very poor taramosalata, with almost no fish flavor and an odd beige color vs the usual rosy cream. But an excellent red pepper dip and an OK melitzanosalata, with a good roasted flavor, but lacking in the creamy consistency I like best. Salads--both a carrot and cabbage slaw (very simple, but refreshing) and a spinach "Mediterranean" salad (tasty but overdressed) were mostly enjoyed. Entres: mousaka cooked in a clay pot--a novel style--was bubbly and tasty, but lamb souvlakia--on skewers--was a bit dry and overcooked. Larger pieces would have helped keep the meat juicy. Desserts were good. Service was fine, except it was very annoying to have our salads come when we had barely started our appetizers, and worst of all, to have the entrees arrive when we had barely started our salads. What happened to the usual practice of keeping an eye on the progress of the meal and delivering dishes according to how they are being consumed? A cool entree is not very appealing, no matter how well cooked. So, in all, the place is enjoyable but don't expect the best of the real thing.

    (4)
  • Ann M.

    We couldn't find something we didn't like, the dessert was truly decadent and creative. You can't go wrong. The service was prompt and helpful. We tasted some interesting Greek wines. Grilled zucchini and eggplant were superb.

    (4)
  • John T.

    Having lived in Seattle, I've been a lover of Greek food ever since ,y first bite at Nikos Gyros. SInce moving to Oakland in 1996, I've been trying to find a place that lives up to the high quality I found at Nikos. My first experience with Ikaros leads me to believe that this is the place. At lunch today, I started with pita and Tzatziki, which was wonderful. The dip was exquisite, with all the inherent flavors jumping out at just the right rates. For the main course, I had a pork souvlaki platter. Three skewers of marinated pork with the coice of rice, orzo or fried. I had the seasoned Ikaros fries, which were seasoned and came with heaps of Feta cheese. All in all, the quality of the food was high, the service was good and I met Zack, the owner, who was very friendly. My only complaint was the price. Though the food was very high quality, I think it was a bit expensive, especially for lunch. That being said, I will be going back to Ikaros as soon as possible for their good food, service and atmosphere.

    (4)
  • C Lee G.

    Following the relatively strong yelp reviews and craving a classic greek salad, my bf and I tried Ikaros take-out. The steak fries were great, as others have mentioned, and the gyros were ok, but they gave us the wrong salad. It consisted primarily of flavorless, hard tomatoes and nearly nonexistent bell pepper. The small side greek salad was no better with its limp romaine. For $38, one expects more than two gyros, french fries and 1.5 lousy salads.

    (2)
  • Alexandra F.

    Went here for dinner on a Friday night. Service was really good, our waitress was very attentive and helpful. Food was meh. I ordered the greek salad with a side of ikaros fries. My salad was 90% lettuce with 3 or 4 olives, 3 tiny cubes of feta, and a few slices of tomatoes. definitely lacking. The fries were undercooked My friend got the veggie combo and enjoyed it but wasn't blown away. I was definitely looking forward to this place opening up, I will likely try them again because my roommate still raves about her meals there.

    (2)
  • bonbon c.

    As a person who has worked in the industry and knows both sides of the restaurant,which for those who do not know... that means cooking and also working all facets of the front of the house from hostess to busser, I will say that this place has it all. Great food, fabulous service and above all a fall over themselves to make your visit a memorable one. I wish the Kratsas family the best of luck with this and we will be coming back often!! Save the corner for us!! chris and kevin

    (5)
  • Nancy H.

    found this place just walking by.............really good....good service.... good size portions.... had to take 1/2 home... will definitely will go back..

    (5)
  • Celeste B.

    I have to move from 4 to 5 stars. This restaurant is a favorite. 5 visits in and everyone was wonderful. Fresh ingredients, caring staff and delicious food. Standouts include lamb/beef and chicken gyros; 5 types of dips; oven roasted potatoes and orzo salad. Delicious calamari. Recommend skipping the stuffed pepper. Great value. What a wonderful addition to Oakland!!!!

    (5)
  • Stu S.

    I just had lunch at Ikaros, and I had been watching for months as they remodeled this site. Owner-Lavender told me they opened just an hour before I arrived, and their grand opening will be in a couple of weeks. But I wanted to let everyone know how good this place is. I had the Ikaros Gyro Sandwich, and it was perfectly cooked and seasoned. It came with generous portions of tomato, onion and tzatziki sauce. You have a choice of fries, rice or Ikaros' orzo salad, and I chose the latter. The orzo had roasted bell peppers and onions as well as some small cubes of feta cheese. They really piled the orzo salad high, and while I gobbled down that yummy gyro, I couldn't finish the salad. I had an ice tea, which was freshly brewed and delicious. The decor includes a blue cove at the ceiling and sculptures and paintings depicting ancient as well as modern Greece. The place is decked out first class and the service was excellent. Despite it being their first hour, the place was jammed with customers who had been anticipating the landing of Ikaros. I think you will see me there for many weekday lunches, as my office is just up Grand.

    (5)
  • Nic B.

    I am giving this restaurant a four star, although I want to give three, for the following reasons. I love that that neighborhood, especially Grand Ave, is improving. I am Greek and I am thrilled that there is a Greek restaurant near my house. I also think I am may be harsher than the normal reviewer since I am basically comparing the food here to my grandma's food - frankly nothing has compared yet. Even high-end Greek restaurants. They did a lot with the space since it was a huge dump before and the decor is nice. I felt like the prices were reasonable. The service was just average. They were late getting to us and the food came out in random order. I got my entire meal and appetizers and then my husband got his meal 5 minutes later. My husband came here with me and got the lamb kabob - it was excellent. The dolmas were just average and a little flavorless. I love these and felt they were a huge disappointment. Chicken lemon soup was a B as well, but this is also a family specialty so really nothing will ever stack up - to be fair. The spinach salad was excellent and had wonderful flavors.

    (4)
  • Kristen H.

    This place rocks. The gyro sandwiches are awesome - tasty and perfectly cooked, loaded with goodies but not nasty and overloaded. The steak fries are so good! Crispy outside, perfectly cooked inside, YUM!!!! Good service, a little high stress feeling when it's busy, but all the servers I've had have been nice and very friendly.

    (5)
  • Andrew I.

    I've never been to Greece, but this was the best Gyro I've ever had. It was $8.50. I placed my order online and it was ready when I arrived less than 10 minutes later. I got the rice on the side it was a good complement.

    (5)
  • Tharolla S.

    This place is horrible.. If u like dried burnt meat this place is for you.. If you like food with no seasoning this place is you.. If you like being served burnt fries and you no do not want the fries but you are still charged for the nasty a-- burnt fries this place is for you.. Yelper this place is nasty and also very rude.. I will never be back and you should never go!

    (1)
  • Alala G.

    Really loved this place. The wait service was good, efficient, understanding, knowledgeable, etc. The food was great simple, Mediterranean and they were accommodating of our substitutions. Really loved every item we ordered and we will be back.Gyros was excellent as was the garbanzo salad. Yummy! The decor was great, the nicest Greek restaurant decor I have ever been in! Try it out!

    (4)
  • Chris T.

    It's been a couple days since I was here so forgive me if I can't recall the exact names of the dishes. I went with my girlfriend and her sister and the place seemed moderately busy. Our waiter was kind of a doof as he brought out the first appetizer before we even got waters. Aside from that the food was real good. The tings ordered included: Fries with feta the feta spread with hot peppers and pita pork skewers with pasta salad some salad that had no lettuce macaroni carbonara I think the only thing that was kind of a disappointment, food wise, was the salad my girlfriend had. It was just big ass pieces of veggies (thought no lettuce) and fruits with a big block of cheese on top all tossed in dressing. I'm assuming that it's a traditional way of making the salad but it's been about 11 years since I went to greece so I can't exactly remember. Regardless, the food was tasty and a little pricey but the portion sizes made up for it. I'll most likely be returning as there was a number of things on the menu I have yet to try.

    (4)
  • Dañielle A.

    I give Ikaros 3 stars for the flavor and the freshness of their food. When I saw the $10 Mediterranean salad, I thought this would be a good choice to fill me up, since it would be a big salad. My man ordered the Veggie pita; there weren't many veggie options. I regret not ordering the veggie pita. When the waiter brought the salad out, I was stunned. It was the smallest little bowl and I think it had about 2 artichokes, drowned in the lemon vinaigrette. (Thankfully I love lemon and vinaigrette) Was this a joke? This was not a $10 salad, this was barely a side salad. I was completely disappointed and wished I had mentioned something while I was there, but I just wanted to leave and feed myself. Trying to make a healthy choice is not always the best choice when one is extremely hungry. We may give them one more shot, but I really didn't feel that we got our money's worth. I think I'd rather head over to Bacheeso's.

    (3)
  • Jennifer T.

    Just ordered take out from here. The house salad and dolma order was way overpriced and really mediocre. The dolmas were really dry and tasteless; I was so disappointed! The gyro and fries were decent, though, and well priced.

    (3)
  • Tammy C.

    Was debating between this and Mijori next door, and came here since they were able to seat us right away. Apparently they're new in town, so you'll find the owners walking around and making sure you're doing great. I had no problem trying to wave down a waiter the entire night. Ordered the Spinach Pie and the Chicken Gyro Sandwich with fries. The Spinach Pie was AMAZING. My only complaint there is that I wish it were warmer when they brought it over--it would have been outstanding. The Chicken Gyro Sandwich was also delicious and I was more than full after the meal. I wish I had a bit more greens though, but I guess that's what I get for going with fries! Great people, great food, I would definitely come here again.

    (4)
  • Courtney R.

    So my Greek friend, from Greece, told me to come here because I was raving about the souvlaki pita at Luke's in San Leandro and I was telling her how my best friend said Luke's wasn't authentic. She has been here before and mentioned two dishes that she had that were made correctly as they would be in Greece so since I live a stones throw away I decided to try it out. I ordered the pork souvlaki meh pita and the pork was pink inside, uh pork should not be pink! So that ruin our meal and I rather drive to San Leandro. The pork was also super fatty like a 30% meat 70% fat ratio. My meal did not leave me happy or satiated. On a positive note the wait staff was friendly.

    (1)
  • Addie S.

    Ikaros Gyro Sandwich + Steak Fries. I have only had this once and I find myself dreaming of it. I haven't been able to find a place that comes close. *wipes drool*

    (5)
  • Alan M.

    I have eaten at Ikaros and enjoyed it, but Friday night four of us ordered takeout. Yikes, my veggie skewers tasted like they were grilled over a gasoline fire--couldn't eat them. My wife's pita sandwich was just dull. My friend's three lamb chops were good but were accompanied by a slop of over-cooked veggies. My other friends each got a side of fries that must have been cooked that morning. Uck. $85 dollars was way too much for what we got and what we got was about 50% inedible.

    (2)
  • Phil M.

    It's ok food.

    (3)
  • Una E.

    I got several(more then 5) take outs from Ikaros. Chicken souvlaki is very tender, with great spices, and great overall flavor. Lamb souvlaki is soft, smokey, amazing(it's extremely hard to make lamb well and they do it). Tzatziki is thick, garlicky and flavorful. They have a steady stream of clientele. Tables are close together, people are having fun and they have what appears to be an experienced and professional crew. I'm looking forward to trying some of their cooked meals like pastitzio and mousaka.

    (4)
  • Tamera G.

    Great food - good service - very glad they're in the neighborhood.

    (4)
  • Nancy S.

    Our first visit was on a Saturday evening and they were packed. The restaurant is quite small so reservations are highly recommended for peak times. Still, they tried very hard to accommodate us. Service was a little bumpy but very friendly and nice and the food was good. We will go again and will make reservations next time.

    (4)
  • Whitney B.

    I can never avoid getting a gyro when I'm here, but I have nibbled off of friends plates and everything I've tasted has been just fantastic. Keep up the good work you are my favorite place to get food before a movie at Grand Lake :)

    (4)
  • Steven B.

    Oh my god, this is the best gyro I have ever had. The tsatsiki sauce is just something else, so creamy and good. You must try it!

    (5)
  • Ethan C.

    I really enjoyed this place. The food was great, we had The Gyro Stacker Plate with fries, pita bread, a wonderfully seasoned House Salad, and two kinds of Gyro. Upon recommendation, an excellent one I might add, we also had The Lamb Shanks (plural) 2 for 16$ which I thought was a great value. The lamb fell off the bone with love and perfection filling my senses. I havent had a lot of Greek Food but this was a great experience. the server also let us try Greek Wine that had a very Herbal overtone. Next time I may order a half a Kilo. Oh and the photos on the wall told a story and at the end I wanted go to the Greek Isles, go figure. I think that this place would be excellent for a birthday party or bruch. They do have a full bar, and the owner is super nice and welcomes large groups with a heads up.

    (4)
  • Angela N.

    Delicious truly authentic Greek food. Fabulous gyros, salads and desserts.

    (5)
  • Cyan L.

    Love Ikaros - their gyros are absolutely delicious and the staff are always friendly. We come here often and never leave dissatisfied.

    (5)
  • Allison L.

    Terrific! The food is wonderful and the service attentive without being intrusive. We sat outside with the dogs and enjoyed a gorgeous Saturday afternoon. I definitely recommend the Mediterranean salad, which is HUGE, and the gyro sandwich with the rice pilaf. I would've gone for the steak fries, but today was a healthy day ...

    (5)
  • David K.

    Great restaurant! Food is excellent and consistent. Service is always reliable.

    (4)
  • Julia M.

    Oakland has needed this place for SO long! Great, solid Greek food. Elevated, flavorful, price is decent. Beautiful interior design, family business, customer service was pretty good, not fabulous. Definitely worth a visit. I recommend trying one of the appetizer samplers.

    (4)
  • Emily P.

    The pasticio is incredible. It comes baked in a casserole dish with a crispy crust that keeps the delicious macaroni and beschamel sauce warm. The atmosphere is nice and the servers are very friendly and attentive. The house Greek salad is mediocre but there are many other salad options to choose from. The pita is hot, crispy perfection. Their gyros are what every gyros should strive for. Well done, crispy with a nice balance of tsaziki, tomato and onion

    (5)
  • julie c.

    I love this place I have been here several times and have always had amazing food and great service. The lamb Kabobs are great and very tasty the moussaka is really yummy and their desserts rock. Great price for really fresh Greek food and they are really dog friendly I went there one day with my dog and ate outside in front they even bought my pooch a bowl of fresh water with a refill :).

    (5)
  • Kristin M.

    As a lover of Greek food, I was very excited to try this new restaurant. Esp., since I grew up in the neighborhood and it was nice to see the once beauty salon transformed into a nice looking Greek spot. My boyfriend and I decided to check this place out on his very short lunch break at 4pm on a Monday. When we walked in, we were pleased to see that the place was empty, which meant, or hoped for quick and friendly service. NOT! We were told to sit anywhere we pleased. Sure! We were given menus and after about 10 minutes too long, we were not even given water!! the 'hostess' was standing around, helping the ONE patron sitting outside. The chick working at the bar, went on a break, watched me look around for service as she ate her food at a table where customers sit, and the little old lady (owner?) walked back and forth from the kitchen. Since I have been a waitress before, I decided to give them a few more chances to greet us and at least give us some damn water!...but, nope, nothing!....it wasnt until we started to gather our things and head out the door did she decide to greet us, she apologized, but I kindly told her there was absolutely no excuse. I'm sure the food is great, as I had a good 15 minutes to study the delicious selection, but customer service goes a long way, and I will for sure never attemp to eat there again as well as tell my friends about my experience!

    (1)
  • Mike L.

    I had a gyro and it was excellent!!! The service was pleasant and the place felt authentic. We'll be eating there again. :)

    (4)
  • Corey N.

    We'll come back in a few months to see if the food and service improve. Like other reviewers, sitting with a view of the kitchen was very eye-opening... The spanakopita was good, and yogurt very tasty. My partner's gyro stacker sat under a heat lamp for about 10 minutes while my garbanzo bean "salad" was prepared - which turned out to be a giant pile of canned beans with a little dill and red onion. Got about 5 bites in before deciding to take it home to rescue it with more veggies, olive oil, and lemon. Waiter was sweet, but pretty terrible.

    (2)
  • Ruth S.

    Grabbed lunch at Ikaros because it's near my new office. Wanted to food to be better. Salad was drenched with dressing - making it inedible. Had the souvlaki wrap - wish it had more meat. Felt the portion wasn't appropriate for the price. The place was empty. Ikaros - I am rooting for you. It's hard to run a restaurant. You've got to market and deliver. Hope to go back and find a better experience.

    (3)
  • Kate F.

    becoming a regular here slowly but surely. In love with this place. Love the staff and the food is terrific. Love that they have Prohibition on draft!!!

    (5)
  • Sean J.

    Everything about this place is 4 out of 5 stars. Great food for the most part. Nice atmosphere for the most part. OK service. Drawbacks are: just a little too expensive, kinda loud/small/noisy, and sometimes small quantities of food, sometimes not the best service. The lamb shanks are amazing. The mixed hummus/dip plate is amazing. Overall a delicious, great place.

    (4)
  • Becky M.

    I'm glad to see a new restaurant open on Grand Ave. I love Greek food and was super excited when this place opened. I went there for dinner and they were very busy. We were greeted warmly, but it took a long time for someone to take our order...too long. There was only one wait person taking orders, and although he was pleasant, he wasn't very familiar with the menu. I think this was a result of having just been recently open a week. The food itself when it finally came out was just ok. When a restaurant serves frozen fries, it's never a good sign. Plus the dish I ordered had the fries mixed in with the meat. It was odd. The table in front of us had their order taken back for some reason. The restaurant does fit on Grand Ave in that there really aren't any good restaurants on Grand. Sorry. I really wanted to like this place.

    (2)
  • James S.

    So great to find some good restaurants opening on this stretch of Grand. Perfect location for a dinner before a movie at the Grand Lake. The Souvlaki was fantastic, as were the spanikopita. Met the owner and he was really nice (and actually Greek!). Two thumbs up!

    (5)
  • Sarah B.

    Had a late lunch (almost early dinner) here today walking along Grand... Chicken gyro on top of a big salad, with an extra side of pita. YUM!!!! The chicken flavor and texture was heavenly. Friendly service - a charming place overall. I will be back!

    (4)
  • Susan S.

    I have been there twice not sure while I took so long to go back.. I loved the Moussaka this time, very good, last time was Chicken Souvlakia. Nice atmosphere and loved hearing greek music again. Made me want to get on plane and go back to Greece.. Baklava and greek coffee made me really think I was in Greece. All food was perfectly prepared, this place is the real deal!!

    (5)
  • Luke M.

    Moving out west after living in NY, FL and Chicago I was shocked to see the lack of Greek food out here (and for that matter Cuban..so looking forward to Cana). Very quickly, though, I converted to the amazing west coast cuisine out here and now I have a hard time with anything else. When I heard Ikaros was opening I was super excited to finally have a place close by that had more then gyros and hummus, so last night my wife and I went for the first time. The Good - The service was really friendly and sweet. Seems like almost a home where some friends invite you over to dinner. - Man, those Dolmas rule! So good and fresh. Definitely a must try. - Hummus and pita also really enjoyed a lot. - Moussaka was excellent, but it was a bit odd that it was in a bowl which made it a bit hard to eat considering the large chunks of eggplant, which I need to cut. It tasted good so in the end I didn't mind so much. The They-Need-To-Improve-But-They-Are-New-So-I'll-Cut-­them-Some-Slack----For-Now - The Salads were a blast from the past for me. Felt like I was back in the 90's on the east coast where a "salad" was some chopped up romaine with a not so tasty tomato wedge, onion slices and some random vinaigrette. These definitely need to be improved. Fresher ingredients, feta, olives, etc. - The lamb skewers were almost literally some lamb on a stick that were stuck on a grill. I could make this at home for way less then $15. - The Greek wine was pretty awful, but they have other selections that were good. All-in-all it was OK and it reminded me of more east coast dining which always makes me appreciate food out here in general. So there's room for improvement, but I do think if the owners listen it could be a great neighborhood spot.

    (3)
  • Fatema K.

    AWESOME!!!! If your looking for real Greek cuisine, this is the spot, no sugar coating, American style Greek food, just straight up authentic Greek food. The service was excellent and the food was to die for. I typically don't like tzatziki (the white sauce), but Ikaros did it right, it was finger licking good. The best veggie pita sandwich I've had, EVER. The price was very reasonable, especially if you look at the quality of the food. This restaurant is quickly becoming one of my regular spots. Excellent, excellent, excellent...simply put.

    (5)
  • Joel C.

    So great to have a good Greek restaurant in the area. Their cuisine is so so good. And Ikaros is run by real Greeks; from the island of Ikaros. I had the Ikaros gyro and loved it. My wife had the spanakopita and said the sour cream dip was beyond words. Very comfortable; great service. I would give 5 stars but I only went once. But will be back!

    (4)
  • Benjamin K.

    Great food, the bread ,lamb, tiztiki, spicy feta where all fantastic. It was priced very well too.I will be back very soon.

    (4)
  • Nicole M.

    We've been to Ikaros 2 times already in a week and a half! We're not greek - just a couple of northern europeans but we have been looking for a great greek restaurant in Oakland and now we've found it! We have a young baby and they are very accomodating . Service is great & the atmosphere is very warm, including the authentic greek host who is very concerned with the happiness of his guests & the quality of the food. The portions (like the "gyro stacker") live up to their name. Combo plates are delicious and the dips are fantastic. The salad I found slightly small, though it did have a hefty portion of delicious fresh feta. The restaurant is clean and inviting and has been full both times, though we had no trouble getting a table.

    (4)
  • Susan T.

    Very unfortunate. We wanted to like this spot. When this restaurant first opened there was a crowd. It appears to have a nice atmoshere and a moderate price point restaurant where one could drop into often. We should have known better, when on a Thursday night, there were only a few tables full. I think it's a place you try once and never return. Two trademark dishes of a greek restaurant should be the soup and the spanakopita. The classic soup just tasted odd and bad. The spanakopita was bland. Not awful but certainly not good. The best wine by the glass is the Menage a Trois at $7.00 per glass. Basic airplane wine. The bottle is $7-8 dollars at a grocery store. Why wouldn't there be better choices? The meat in the Gyros was just awful. No flavor and a low quality. The "stacker" was inedible. Just terrible. The decor shows an effort was made to create a nice casual place. The server was a young woman and excellent. I came home and called 2 friends who also confirmed they had tried it once and won't go back. It is really too bad, as the neighborhood looked so forward to being able to have this spot as a go to standard. I write a long review in hopes the owners take a long look at what improving the food and wine. Changes need to happen or they will have to go out of business due to lack of return customers.

    (1)
  • Trish B.

    Super friendly staff. Just a bit over priced for a village salad which by the way does not come with lettuce.

    (3)
  • Joe M.

    Saw a movie at the Grand lake. Couldn't get into Boot & Shoe so we tried this place. Should've gone to Sidebar. Ran out of the broiled chicken dish. "Sorry, Sir" Simple Greek Salad was tiny and did not have feta in it. "Sorry Sir. I'll go get it." Waiters running around apologizing for things. Table next to us had cold lamb shanks. They had to send it back. When the shanks came back their knives were not sharp enough to cut the meat. I guess the meat wasn't exactly falling off the bone. Don't know how that happens. Was it cooked earlier in the week and not cooked thru after removing from the fridge? More apologies. Another table had issues and called the manager over. She was apologizing up and down and then went to the kitchen to reprimand a hapless "cook." After all that my gyro was quite good. I'll go back to sit at the bar and have a gyro but I know I won't be able to get my friends to go here again.

    (3)
  • Denny S.

    Ikaros is very good, and promises to get better! The service was fantastic, and all the best Greek dishes are there--lamb chops, avgolemono soup, spanikopita, taromasalata and the best tzatziki I've ever had. My retsina was good and my kids were made to feel welcome. So I will definitely be back.

    (4)
  • U B.

    We've been to Ikaros a couple of times, since it's nearby, and it's easy to find a table there. However, I find that the food is sometimes overly salty and greasy. Their gyro is ok.

    (3)
  • Food Mongol M.

    The stacked gryo is awesome!!

    (5)
  • Lynn E.

    Even if you aren't sure you'd *like* Greek food, you would love this place! My boyfriend and I went in on a whim...and go back every week (or as often as we can - which might be twice a week!). He's got a Greek mom, so he was skeptical at first, until his first bite of the Gyro..his face lit up and he called his mom to tell her he had found real food like grandma used to make! The owners are wonderful - and if you get Alex as your bartender or waiter you will think you have just been seated at your own private table, and you are a new best friend! The service is as fast as you may need, or as mellow as you want...no rush. And the food is an excellent value for the money - you get fresh, authentic fare at a good price. The menu is large enough to be interesting (Gyros are great, but the Ikaros salad paired with spanakopita is a great way to get your fill without leaving stuffed. The ingredients are fresh, light and filling.) Oh, and if you aren't sure what to order, ask Alex - he can tell you what he likes (yes, the staff actually eat there and like it) and his recommendations for dessert are the best. As for me, I am writing this review as I place an order to go....This is one of the best of the new Oakland gourmet restaurants, and the only reason they don't have a Michelin star is because they are so new Michelin hasn't visited there yet :-)

    (5)
  • Kristina T.

    Went to dinner with some friends here a few weeks ago. The food was AMAZING and very large portions. I had the Gyro Sandwich (lamb and beef I think) with fries. My only complaints are the slow service (it was very busy that night) and I felt pretty cramped. It's a pretty loud place. I will definitely go back!

    (4)
  • Craig B.

    This is the most authentic Greek food in the Bay Area, and I have had them all, all average to bad. This is easily the best Greek Food that I have had since I was in Athens. There are many items for meat lovers and Vegetraian alike. The wine list is very good with fair prices, especially the Greek wines. The Saganaki, Keftedes, and Kolokithia and grilled Octopus are among the best items on the appetizer menu. And the Dips and spreads on for the Pita Bread are not to be missed the eggplant and that the spicy greek cheese dips are among the best and the caviar spread is good too if you like something fishy. I would skip the Ikaros fries appetizer; they are lack luster at best, but the house fries that come with many meals or as a side are very good if you like steak fries that are well seasoned. The Meditreanean Salad is a meal in itself if you are a vegetarian or great for 2 people, lots of tasty bits of veggies throughout. All the Pita Sandwiches and Souvlakis are the best around, just pick the one with the ingredients you like the most; you can not go wring in this section. The main entrees form the grill are good but too over-cooked and burnt tasting, but you can request your item lightly grilled, so the outside is golden rather than black. The lamb shanks and the Mousaka and Greek Macaroni are easily the best items form the oven. You can not go wrong with the combo plates for a family or groups of 4 or more. they have plenty of tasty treat for everyone. The waist staff is friendly and courteous, but a little uneven in service at times. They try hard even though they are a little disorganized at times.

    (5)
  • Romal R.

    They have great food but are lacking in customer service which makes the better part of the dining experience.

    (3)
  • Barbara A.

    A friend in the neighborhood suggested we come here for a late lunch on warm and sunny January day. What a delight! I had the Mediterranean salad, the fries with feta, and a glass of retsina. So perfect. Our waiter was charming and we sat outside in the sunshine.

    (4)
  • Randall B.

    Awesome fuggin gyro! Loved the Ikaros beef and lamb mix- not gamey at all

    (5)
  • Joe B.

    Let me preface this by saying I'm spoiled having grown up with home made Greek food. That said, I like the place. It's bright and comfortable and the staff is friendly and Greek literate. The saganaki (flameed cheese) appetizer was perfect. No complaints there. The kiftethes (meatballs) I found tasteful and good, but one of are party thought they were underdone. The avgolemono (egg lemon chicken soup) I found to be a little bland, but then I like mine extra tangy. The spanakopita (spinach pie) was fine, but in a different style than I am used to. The salads looked lovely and so did the huge helping of moussaka prepared in an individual crock, but I did not taste it. The peppery cheese spread and warm pita were excellent, but the taramosalata (caviar spread) was less flavorful than I like. The Greek Beer was nice as was the Greek coffee.

    (2)
  • jenn l.

    Dinner was eh. We ordered a variety of items, nothing impressive. U get more for your buck at Simply Greek. There u get entree, salad, and fries/rice. And we love their gyros and pork skewers.

    (1)
  • Mike W.

    The best lemon chicken I've ever had. Grilled, chilled, octopus was also very tasty. Can't wait to go back!

    (5)
  • Patricia E.

    Had a decent dinner (Gyro salad, beef) and this time we had dessert. Oh man did we have dessert. Rice pudding and baklava. It was delicious. It had to be because I was convinced that I was completely full from dinner yet my roommate and I finished off both desserts. And coffee.

    (5)
  • Alissa G.

    I went here today on my lunch. I called in my order so I didn't have to wait at all. My Chicken Pita was excellent. Warm tasty and good quality meat. The service was warm, inviting and fast. I will go back !

    (4)
  • Jona C.

    Came here for the 1st time, how did they ever transform a hair salon into a full kitchen? The spicy feta cheese spread was amazing. I had the lamb gyro and it was good. They didn't have any spicy sauce so I requested a side of the yogurt and drenched it with tabasco. Friends said lambchops were a tad bit too salty. A plus that we were able to wash our food down with a nice pitcher of Speakeasy's Prohibition Ale. Will be back again.

    (4)
  • Dee C.

    we're competing to become recognized regulars here, since we're here once a week, at least. make that twice in the last 3 days. and thanks to rotd i realized i never wrote a review! we pretty much order the same things each time, have never been disappointed, and always leave satisfied without the food being too heavy.

    (4)
  • Madrone J.

    Gah not often I can't actually eat what I have ordered. $16.50 for some pita bread 5 oil soaked slices of zuccini, 3 oil soaked slices of soggy eggplant, and some green peppers and mushrooms, the most disappointing spanakopita I have ever eaten, looked like an egg roll had a tough filo pastry that I had to chew to get a bite off. Im used to amazing delicate spanakopita that melts in your mouth. Not this one.. It was tough oily and bland, even the dolmas were ick. Never again. This sits in the trash. Awful.

    (1)
  • Steenie K.

    We ordered takeout this past Saturday just to test the waters since the restaurant's fairly new to the neighborhood. I'm a huge Greek fan and was sooo pleasantly surprised by my to-go meal!!!! Hands down, I could say that the gyro was the best I've ever had. I'm not joking. Ever. I've been left somewhat disheartened as of late with local Greek fair since most gyro places throughout the Bay Area have a common recipe: little to no seasoning in the meat (that's usually overly-dry) while they overload the sandwich with way too many red onions and a watery tasteless yogurt tzatziki sauce. So you end up eating what tastes more like a raw onion wrap. As a result, I'm always on the hunt for a better recipe. Well, this place was absolutely different than any I've tried locally, and exactly what I crave in Greek food. The meat was very well seasoned, it burst in the mouth, and was so incredibly tender. And they did not skimp on the meat, it was PACKED in that pita. The tzatziki sauce was more like a thick creamy garlic spread. Garlic being the key word. The pita was so puffy and fresh and pillow-like, and although there was fresh onion and tomato on it, the sandwich was not covered up or drowned by them. The gyro also came with a wonderful orzo salad on the side that contained chopped olives, feta and what looked like grilled eggplant. MMMM....so fresh and tasty, my vegetarian boyfriend definitely enjoyed it. :) We also ordered the spicy pepper feta dip with pita for us to share, and that was also amazing. Not too spicy hot, but definitely zesty and thick with feta cheese. We nibbled off of the dip, orzo salad and gyro for two nights and almost went back for more on the second night, it was so good! I would give Ikaros 5 stars but I feel like I'd be jumping the gun since I only ordered two actual items to go with a transaction and wait time that took less than 20 minutes. The wait staff were very courteous and helpful but I think the true test will be to sit in and enjoy a full meal, try all of the different options that they have. I'm very very excited that this has opened in our neighborhood, though, and I can't wait to try out EVERYTHING! And yes, the prices are great, especially for a more formal sit-down establishment. This seems like it's a true to heart family run establishment, with authentic Greek food that's fresh and very thoughtfully prepared. Upon reading the rave reviews before mine, too, I'd say people have a unanimous vote thus far. YAY!!!! Congrats Ikaros, on a job well done, and we welcome you to the neighborhood!!! See you again, soon!

    (4)
  • Ashley G.

    I have been waiting for them to open as well, as I work down the street. I LOVE gyros and was so excited, so for dinner I ordered 2 gyros w.fries. The gyros were good, right amount of meat, sauce, tomato and onion. The meat ofcourse, had tons of flavor and was very yummy. The gyros came with fries, I shoulve asked for the famous greek fries, instead of assuming thats what they would be served with. They came with regular steak fries, so next time im def gonna try the greek fries. Service ( I did take out) was friendly. They are still new to opening people! So you cant really criticize anything yet, bc im sure theyre still getting situated. I was only upset at no togo menus :( Bc i mightve liked to order something else, also the website on their card does not work, so dont try to look up the menu online lol I learned that the hard way. All in all, I will be going back for lunch :)

    (4)
  • Melissa C.

    Ikaros is my favorite Greek food that I've tried in the East Bay! They have a delicious lemon chicken soup that I recommend having at cup of, and they have a wide range of salads that are different and good. The menu is large and goes far beyond gyros, although those are good too, and they have a variety of sides to come with each plate. The spanikopita is great, but the thing that I love most every time is the starting platter of three spreads. While the hummus is very average, the tzatziki and spicy red pepper feta spread are SO GOOD and their warm, herb covered pita bread that comes with it is amazing. I always eat way too much of them, but you can't stop.

    (4)
  • A F.

    Okay, I have to start by saying that I am greek, I grew up eating and cooking greek food and I have spent a lot of time in Greece. These things combined make me very picky when it comes to greek food. When I saw that Oakland was opening up a Greek restaurant I was excited but also holding back my enthusiasm until I had a chance to try it out. Now on to my review..... First of all, the ambiance is very tasteful. Great lighting and acoustics. Nice flow. We were able to have a conversation and actually hear each other. We started out with a few appetizers (mezze). The Tzatziki was HEAVENLY. I always brag about my own tzatziki but there was something about theirs that trancended anything I have had here in the states (sorry mom). The pita bread was fresh, soft and warm with just the right amount of salt. Delicious. We then had Saganaki, which is fried cheese. Although I was a tad disappointed they didn't flame it up at our table, it was still very tasty. We had to have the Horiatiki Salata just because that is all we ate when we were in Greece. It was traditional all the way. No lettuce filler like at some places. Great feta slice on top drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with strong, pungent, awesome greek oregano. The olive oil was flavorful, extra-virgin, fresh. MMMMM At this point we are filling up. Then came the pork souvlaki. Tender, juicy, marinated in lemon juice, oregano, olive oil and probably some other secret ingredients from the old country. It fell off the skewer and that's saying a lot for pork. It came with steak cut fries cooked in, you guessed it, extra virgin olive oil. Not soggy at all. Crispy and sublime. Next came the final course which, unfortunately, we were too full to really appreciate. Gemesta, or stuffed bell pepper. Again, they hit it out of the park. Tender pepper on the outside filled with rice and herbs topped with feta and cooked in a tomato based sauce. This came with wedge cut potatoes also baked in the same sauce. Of course we took it home to enjoy for lunch today! I wish we had room for dessert. Again, traditional greek selections. As we were winding down, the owner came by to say hello (as he did with every table) and to place a glass of ouzo on the house in front of each of us. Nice. I have been to so many greek restaurants that have served Tzatziki with mayonnaise filler, had burgers on the menu, and many other watered-down versions of the original recipes. Not here. I can't recommend this place enough and it's a VERY welcome addition to the Bay Area. It's right up there with Kokkari in the city but a much more affordable alternative.

    (5)
  • brassica b.

    If you go, definitely order a side of the pita and tzatziki serve. Garlicky and assertive, it sets you up well to enjoy the main dishes many of which include well-seasoned, grilled meat. My major complaint concerns that same grilled meat. The kitchen can be inconsistent. One night my beef souvlakia was awesome, a great combination of char and succulence. A few weeks later, the same order yielded tough, much drier results. Sides are done well here--the steak fries are crisp and the orzo salad tangy. Save room for dessert if you can. There's one--I cannot remember the name of it right now--that is a smooth custard in filo that's really great. The service is friendly and attentive.

    (3)
  • david h.

    Over all, a very good experience and worth repeating. This was my second visit. My wife had a stuffed bell pepper with rice, feta &c., a traditional dish she called "very nice." I was surprised because she hates bell peppers (at home). The chicken gyro sandwich was fabulous, the chicken moist and tasty. The Octopus, unavoidably chewy was delicious and there were six of us and 5 tried it and said it was very delicious--I agreed. There's a couple of minor details that I'd like to see tuned up. A souvlaki of lamb was a hair overcooked from the medium rare ordered, they were out of walnut cake, so my wife ordered the yoghurt with honey and candied walnuts instead, and raved about it. The avgolemono soup wasn't too authentic, my only real negative. Instead of authentic it had carrots and parsley that looked nice, but this soup should be thickened with stirred in beaten eggs not flour. But that authentic soup won't keep standing around waiting for customers. Looking forward to my next visit.

    (4)
  • Jessica D.

    So I came here because I heard from a couple of friends that it was pretty good, and being that it's in my neighborhood, I thought I'd give it a try with my mom while she was in town visiting: she LOVES Greek food. The service was great, and the ambiance was good too, but the food was HORRIBLE. We ordered the tzatziki dip and Greek fries as an appetizer: the dip was too salty and wasn't served with enough pita bread, and the fries were your basic run-of-the-mill fries I make at home, also over salted, and sprinkled with a little Feta. We ordered the lamb skewers (3) with the pasta salad side, and the shrimp skewers (2) with the rice pilaf, with intentions of sharing. The lamb was not only overcooked, but had NO seasoning; bland, chewy, and tough. The shrimp were cooked well, but lacked seasoning as well. The pasta salad also tasted bland and the rice pilaf tasted like plain white rice--this is saying a lot, given that I rarely use salt in any of my cooking, and always prefer seasoning over salt to bring out the flavors of food. We shelled out about $36 each (we each had a glass of wine), and walked away sorely disappointed. I don't know what my friends had when they ate here, but I won't be returning (or recommending it) anytime soon.

    (1)
  • Will T.

    srsly? limp, gross, greasy veggies... eggplant that's green on the inside... don't bother.

    (2)
  • Maher A.

    Went here last night with friends and family, and the place was awsome. We all ordered different things to feel out the menu, and it was all great. I ordered the lamb shanks with orzo pasta, the lamb was tender and salad was pasta was good. Everyone at our table scarfed their food down especially our Greek buddy who had a chicken bacon gyro which looked good. They even got imported Greek beer and wine. All in all this Greek palace in Oaklands wall was Awsome, with the loving family and hard working staff this place will be here a long time.

    (5)
  • Tyger W.

    Huge portions, delicious food - what could be better! I love it!

    (4)
  • Rez X.

    We attended this restaurant the other day and this was our second time there. The food was good as always and server was excellent. I really look forward to coming back since it's really hard to find very delicious Greek food. But what is really great about this restaurant is that it's open later on weekends which allows us to enjoy some drinks before hand or catch a movie before having dinner. One of the things I like most about this place is that there is always a good energy and a good crowd eating here.

    (5)
  • Deno K.

    Also been waiting for this to open as well and was pleasantly surprised. The food was very good for all four of us and we walked away happy. Definitely some first week issues getting a table and the place was packed but thankfully, the food was delicious. We ordered the lamb and souvlakia and the kids had gyros (yes, we brought the kids.. the seating was fine for them). Now, if I compared this to Kokkari.. no, it's not the same kind of restaurant but Ikaros is a good and authentic Greek dining experience. This is family owned restaurant and from what I understand talking to our server.. the entire family seemed to be there. Overall, we were very happy and will be going back with some friends soon.

    (4)
  • Mark C.

    Great food, good service and cool vibe. The owners treat you as family. A true Greek style restaurant. Great job.

    (4)
  • Mitch F.

    We came in with 6 people and no reservations. The Ikaros team was super-friendly and very helpful. Lavender found two tables for us after some great drinks with Alex the Bartender. Alex made us all feel comfortable at the bar. Great experience and amazing Greek food. We recently visited Greece and the food at Ikaros reminded us of being in Greece. Great food and very friendly people!

    (5)
  • Alondra B.

    My boyfriend and I came when it first opened up. We were sold. The wait staff and owners are always so accommodating and friendly. I love their gyros, and I pretty much get it every time. Hummus was delicious, Greek salad was yummy (and I definitely got more than one feta, like someone else complained about). Their frappe was SUPER good, and their greek coffee was very strong. Never had it before, and it was presented very elegantly on a beautiful tray, but I'm not sure I'd get it again. Every time my boyfriends family visits from So Cal, they always ask to go there. His mom loved the stuffed bell peppers.

    (4)
  • Donald D.

    staffs were friendly and nice ! the food portions are great and the lamb shank was awesome, also you must try their greek salad and one of the sweets from their dessert menu !

    (4)
  • E S.

    We started with the traditional village salad which has feta, cucumbers, green bell peppers, red onion, feta cheese and tomatoes (no lettuce). It was okay, except it was about 50% tomatoes and the tomatoes were not ripe enough and somewhat grainy. Then hubby had the steamed fish - mediocre. I had the chicken souvlaki. The orzo that came with it was pretty good, but the chicken was both overcooked and greasy with too much fat and cartilage involved. Service was ok. I'd go back, but only to try things other reviewers have liked such as the moussaka, gyros and spicy feta dip. fish was priced well but souvlaka was pricy as was the salad.

    (2)
  • Me J.

    i love this place. would i love it as much if it wasn't walking distance from my house? hard to say...

    (4)
  • Todd C.

    Wanted to like this place, but was a bit disappointed. You can tell this is a family operation with folks wanting to make you happy. I ordered the Gyros Stacker, which was slices of mixed gyro layered with tomato slices,tzatziki, pita and fries, served with a side greek salad. The pita itself tasted like it was cooked in reused french fry oil. The fries were a bit soggy and without much seasoning. The light colored gyro meat just wasn't good. While the service was friendly in general, they did forget my iced tea refill and I sat for a long time needing something to drink. While I would be happy to spend money on great Greek food, this wasn't up to par, and a basic lunch plate with iced tea and no appetizer or dessert cost me $18.

    (2)
  • Barry K.

    Come on, people...Ikaros has only been open for three minutes and those of you who gave it a low rating are not giving it a break. They're still in soft opening mode, as the grand opening is sometime down the line. They're still getting it together (and even admitted to me that they need to hire more help to help thngs run a tad smoother). That said, the food was excellent and the service was super friendly. I picked up a couple of gyros to go along with some taramosalta and the Ikaros fries. And even though I didn't eat any of it for a couple of hours...everything was delicious. The tarama was some of the best I've had. The pita bread was nice an fluffy (wouldn't hurt if they grilled it for a few seconds). And the gyros was authentic...the tomatoes made it! I plan to go back when they're up-and-running full steam and hope that I can revise my rating to five stars. Welcome to Oakland, Ikaros! ='.'=

    (4)
  • Tati C.

    De-GREEK-in-licious! Food is great, so is service. Authentic and not bad pricing. Must try!

    (5)
  • Sarah W.

    This is a great neighborhood restaurant on Grand Avenue that serves terrific Greek food. We had a delicious dinner here tonight, and the service and food were wonderful. The pita is very fresh and warm and pillowy--total crack!! The spicy feta dip was great. The moussaka was decadent with creamy bechamel and moist eggplant--yum! The meat in the gyro was high quality. I highly recommend heading over to Ikaros for a tasty and filling dinner. The prices are reasonable, and the location is perfect for us Lake Merritt folks.

    (5)
  • Brad E.

    Updated review: I've now been here 4 times and downgraded from 4 to 3 stars. Last night we ordered taramosalata, gyigontes (white beans), souvlaki meh pita and gyros pita. On the plus side, the meat and pita bread, and the toasted bread with the white beans were good. The white beans (served cold in tomato based dressing) are good and I would recommend them. The taramosalata is no longer good, it tasted more like potato paste; if there was tarama (fish roe) in it, it was so little that the flavor was lost. The drizzle of olive oil on it was good but it should also have a lemon wedge and be garnished with some olives. Speaking of olives, my entire dinner only contained one (1), that's O-N-E Olive. Did it mention this is a Greek restaurant? Why so stingy with the olives? they should be all over the place. The dinner plates come with an option of frites, orzo or rice, or you can upgrade for an additional $2 to a "minisalad" (a handful of chopped romaine in indifferent dressing with 1 cube of feta, 1 slice of tomato, 1 slice of cucumber and 1, that's O-N-E olive. So I could accept that this is a very basic and small salad but then why charge $2 more than other sides? I would come here more often but they haven't improved their salads (see below), the taramosalata has gone down in quality, and, while it's not what I would call an expensive place, it's not cheap either and I expect better for the prices they charge. My original review: Very glad to have Greek food in Oakland (have traveled in Greece and use to enjoy some good places in SF that no longer exist). Atmosphere is pleasant if a little loud. Second time back, service is much improved (if anything, a little too attentive). The pork souvlaki is good. The orzo it comes with is a little lackluster but squeezing some lemon juice on it makes a big difference. Taramosalata is good, has a hint of shallot (I think). Came with only one pita but they offered and brought another promptly. Kalamari is good. My main gripe is the salads. On first trip, the Village salad had a nice big chunk of feta, fresh peppers and tomatoes but had only three olives. When I mentioned this they brought out more. This time the house Greek salad had no olives at all, very little feta and was tiny with a dressing that tasted like it was from an industrial sized jar. Olives were brought when I asked but why not just be generous with olives in the first place? It's a GREEK restaurant: I expect olives, don't be stingy with them. Another thing, give us the wine list with the menus to save time. Tonight the owner came and talked with us, brought us ouzo on the house. This really makes it feel like a neighborhood place that wants your business. We'll be back to try the grilled octopus, the gyros and some of the other items on the menu. The service has definitely improved since the last time. My main advice: be more generous with the basics like salads, pita and olives. These are cheap, skimping makes it feel like the food is overpriced when in general it's reasonable.

    (3)
  • Ericka P.

    this place had a very nice interior, and ok service. the food was alright except for the part that my BF Literally choked on a piece of bacon that wasnt cook properly. other than that scare ,the place was ok.

    (3)
  • Quantum L.

    This is the place to eat if you want zero nutrition & want to gain weight. I studied food nutrition lately & my opinion of this establishment has changed radically. No organic food, all processed, gmo, etc. Blagh.

    (2)
  • Laura T.

    The food is always really good and authentic here. I highly recommend trying out different items on their menu. However, there are two things that always bring down their rating from 5 stars to 3 stars. These two things are: 1. Slow service and unattentive servers 2. The continuous dimishing portion size of the menu items So, the servers here are actually all very friendly and polite. But they don't do a good job making sure that the customers are well taken care of. More often than not, we'd come here and get seated, and after taking ample time to decide what we want to order, we'd spend another 5 minutes trying to get the attention of our server to actually come take our orders. During those 5 minutes of attention-seeking, we'd try everything we can think of: closing the menu, sticking our heads up and looking around for people to notice us, making eye contact with the kitchen staff to notify that we're ready to place our order...etc., but none of those things would work. Some of the servers would notice us trying to seek attention but decide to go ahead and ignore us. Instead, they'd choose to go clean and set another empty table while there are plenty of other empty tables that are aready set and ready for seating. I really don't understand why they think it's more important to get the 8th empty table ready before taking care of the customers that are already there. Anyways, when the server finally comes, he/she would of course be super friendly and nice. But I just wish they would pay a little more attention and understand that most people do not like to wait. Moving on to the second point. So, I've been coming here for months, and I really like their Gyro stacker. The Gyro stacker used to cost $12.50, and it would come on a huge plate stacked high with pita bread, gyro meat, chicken, steak fries, and tzaziki sauce, plus a side salad. However, over the months that I've been coming here, they keep reducing the size of the entree (so you get less meat, pita, and sauce), and if you ask for a little more tzaziki sauce, they charge you extra for that. Then, they raised the price of the Gyro stacker to $13 and took away the side salad. I kind of feel like they are penny pinching a little bit, and that's the kind of thing that makes a great restaurant just an okay restaurant. Overall, I really like the food. But if the two points I mentioned above keep getting worse, I might stop coming here one day...

    (3)
  • Amber B.

    This is a great addition to the neighborhood. The interior reminds me of places I have been to in Greece. We tried some spreads and a gyro. The pita is really good. The gyro meat was flavorful, although slightly dry. Still worth ordering. There is a back door that opens to the public parking lot out back. You can use it to avoid the panhandler that is always near the entrance of the restaurant on Grand. We will put this place into our rotation of local restaurants.

    (3)
  • Jason S.

    Dashed in to order a gyro and rice to go. Best gyro ever! Especially love the thick dougy wrap, tender beef, and the flavorful rice dish. We're definitely come back for a sit-down soon.

    (4)
  • Mark S.

    Great place. The food was fantastic, the portions large and the prices were quite reasonable. We had no difficulty with any of the dishes and found the staff to be quite helpful. I'll be back!

    (5)
  • Emily M.

    Fast, friendly service and tasty food! Got take-out (Athenian salata, avgolemono soup and pastitsio). Very crisp/clean flavor with the salad, soup was very interesting - could really taste the lemon (wish I'd had my own bowl rather than shared) and the pastitsio was a hearty variation on basic comfort food (pasta, cheese and tomato meat sauce). I'm looking forward to trying more of the menu, i.e. the gyro and expect to add this place as one of my regular take-out spots (although dining in looks very charming as well).

    (5)
  • p l.

    This is the best and most authentic Greek food in Oakland. And I know Greek food. I'm Greek.....and I've been to every type of Greek place you can imagine both in Greece and the US. Don't know what Jason or whatever below is talking about...clearly he doesn't know his Greek cuisine. I had the tirokafteri and the kopanisti followed by a Gyro. Portions are good and priced reasonably. Super good service too. In short, love it. Will definately be back again and again.

    (5)
  • Erin D.

    I'm so happy something new has moved into the neighborhood. I'm no expert on Greek food, but I think this place is awesome. I've made four visits here in the last three weeks and have brought friends too. I know they are still working out the kinks in terms of waitstaff, but the staff is always friendly and smiling. That being said, two of my last four trips have been for pick-up, because there seems to often be a wait and the staff, like I said, seems to still be learning. I love the veggie pita. It's delicious!

    (4)
  • Anne G.

    We went there the other night, a Wednesday and business was booming. The restaurant is beautiful, which was a surprise; I thought it would be a more casual cafe. The waitstaff were just the nicest group of people you'd ever want to meet and they made us feel very welcome. Unfortunately we were a bit disappointed by the food. Mostly the portions. We opted for a lighter fare and were shocked by how small the salads were. For $8.50, you got a salad the size of a side salad, not a main dish. I had the eggplant hummus and although the pita bread was yummy spread with garlic and toasted, there was hardly enough of the hummus to last through one pita. I got about a tablespoon for $6.00. That was disappointing. I hope that the next time we go and have dinner, that the portions are worthy of what they are charging for them.

    (3)
  • E A.

    YUM!! I'm so full right now. I went to Ikaros for my first time tonight, and I am definately going back. The restaurant is in a great location, and the decoration is beautiful. All of the staff is very friendly and welcoming to anyone that enters the door. They are very attentive which I appreciate. I drink a gazillion glasses of water when I go out to restaurants, and my glass was never empty! The food was delicious. I tried a gyro, and it was great. The tzatziki was perfect. A lot of places have it too watery, or it has no flavor to it. This had the right texture and flavor. We also tried the sampler platter that had a little bit of everything. That was to die for as well. I love sampler platters. I needed a little salt on my salad, but salt is on the table, so no big deal. The dessert was also good too! I'm not usually a galaktobouriko fan, but I'm telling you I had some tonight, and ended up fighting with the rest of the people at the table for the last bite! All in all, this is a great place. You MUST try this restaurant! Finally finally finally we have a REAL Greek food restaurant in Oakland! Welcome Ikaros!

    (5)
  • Leo S.

    Nice clean place. Appetizers and main dishes portions are extremely small and way overpriced and selection is kind of slim. Wine is extremely expensive, for the price that they are asking, it's better be some French Bordeaux wine not a Greece one. Desserts are somewhat ok but again selection is poor. It was ok to try it once but I won't be coming back.

    (3)
  • Monica B.

    Delicious food, friendly service, nice atmosphere. I"m writing this with my 9 year old and he wants to make sure I mention that the gyros and steak fries are delicious. We went for a quick afternoon bite to eat expecting a "fast Greek food" type of place. I was pleasantly surprised that it is more of an adult space with great wine and beer on the menu and there's more of a "date night" atmosphere than a "I'm with my kid and the dog is tied up outside" atmosphere. The food is truly fantastic and the servers were super friendly and attentive. I can't wait to go back, minus the kid and the dog barking outside.

    (5)
  • Lempi M.

    This quaint Greek restaurant is a wonderful addition to the Grand Lake neighborhood, and there's plenty to recommend it. Let's start with the positive: The ambiance is something unique, capturing the spirit of the owners-- friendly people who love Greece. The eclectic mix of Greek photos, memorabilia, and kitschy fisherman themed objects, in addition to the wonderful architecture of the space make it an inviting and charming space. I got the distinct feeling that the owners are real people-people who would remember your name if you were a regular. The online ordering process (which I employed) is accurate and fast. You can buy wine off the bar and take it home, which is really good since it's hard to find Retsina sold almost anywhere in Oakland. The food was okay, but for the cost it was somewhat unremarkable-- not that it's too expensive-- but without the ambiance the take-out prices are too high. I ordered: lkaros Mezes with three souvlakis added Skordalia Tzatziki Hummus Melitzanosalata and Lamb chops and a bottle of Retsina cost is roughly one Benjamin which is hair raising for take-out. Four of these dishes 5 of these dishes that supposedly came with pita bread, and when I picked up the order and took it home there were only 2 slices of pita bread cut into small wedges. That put me in a panic, since I was expecting there to be enough pita for everyone, and it was really only enough food for about 2 people, not 4. I ended up having to dig through my refrigerator looking for suitable items to serve, and finding none I made some rice, which wasn't a good fit, and everything was coldish before I could serve the meal. Lukewarm the food was blah. I'm pretty sure this wouldn't happen if you were dining in the restaurant, but it means I won't do take-out again. Also, I am pretty sure there was anchovies in the hummus. I ordered it for a vegetarian, because the menu says nothing of fish. But I detected a distinct fishy taste and the tell-tale hairs. That's lame to not disclose on the menu, considering how many vegetarians live in Oakland.

    (3)
  • Rachael K.

    Occasion: JohnE's surprise birthday party! What I Had: Pita bread with the following spreads... Melitzanosalata (roasted eggplant whipped with olive oil, lemon, loads of garlic and fresh herbs) Hummus (chick peas, tahini oil, spices and garlic blended together) Skordalia w/ Beets Avgolemono Soupa ($5.50/bowl) (tender pieces of chicken breast and rice in an egg-lemon fumet) Food Review: All of the spreads were delicious. I have not yet been to a Greek restaurant with such a variety of pita spreads, but Ikaros takes great pride in its family spread recipes. None of them were excessively oily, and the pita bread itself was devoid of any small burn marks I've often found with the bread at other restaurants. The Avgolemono soup tasted great as well, not too salty at all. If there was one thing I would change about it, it would be to add more chicken, but aside from that, I have no criticisms of the food here. Service Review: The husband and wife who run this restaurant did a fabulous job of preparing for this occasion. By the time all of our guests had arrived and well before Tia and JohnE did, the servers had already set the spreads, pita, and salads on the tables and timed the tabling of new items well. The restaurant was very accommodating of our group of nearly 30 people even as small as the venue was, and the owner came by frequently to check on us. The authenticity and variety of Greek food gives this place 4 stars, but especially with such an exceptionally large group, the superb service bumps Ikaros to a 5. Venue Review: The restaurant itself is not huge, but can clearly still be a good pick for a large group function. Although most seating is indoors, there are a couple tables outside the restaurant. There is also street parking available outside the restaurant. Overall Impression: As I mentioned, love the variety of authentic Greek cuisine. Service was above average as well, and the food was all very reasonably priced. Wish this place was closer to Saratoga!

    (5)
  • Erin D.

    My Greek food bar is pretty high, having lived in Chicago and being taken to Greek restaurants by Greek friends. When I moved out of Chicago in 2005 I had not had good Greek food until I moved to the Bay Area in 2010 and discovering Ikaro's when it first opened. This place is a gem. The food is solid, the service fast and friendly. You will not be disappointed. The frappes are great, baklava is amazing and you can get Greek fries (fries with feta on top). These are all things I missed from Chicago!

    (5)
  • Loli L.

    Phenomenal steak fries. They were actually the main reason I came here. I looked up "steak fries" and bam!, here I came. It felt weird just to come here to order fries, so I made sure I hungried up a bit and ordered the gyro sandwich. I love tzatziki, meat, and tomatoes. And since I had a choice of sides, I of course opted for the steak fries. The gyro was good and the fries were incredible. Nice, thick and crispy on the outside (and sprinkled with pepper) and warm and soft on the inside. Ahhhhh. Happiness. My dining companion had the lamb skewers with fries. Meat on sticks with fries. mmmm. I believe I'll be getting that next time.

    (4)
  • D C.

    Haven't been here until now. Surprised how good the gyros was. We definitely want to come back.

    (4)
  • Kimo B.

    "You know that eggplant was very good. Everybody out. I got eggplant on my mind." George Steinbrenner, SEINFELD. Actually had Lamb Chops on my mind (baaaaaaaa)... and Ikaros did NOT disappoint. Walk-in @ 5:30 on a Friday, ushered into nice table w/ a bottle of Greek red and a Arnold Palmer for the 8yr. old and toasted bread w/ olive oil & salt in 5 minutes flat. LOVE that. Started w/ the Melitzanes (eggplant) and a bowl of Avgolemono (egg lemon soup) - nice little start to things, especially the soup. Think of a hearty/zesty chicken soup. I go for the lamb chops family style (1 kilo/2.2lbs) asked for some medium and some Medium Rare (accommodated, no problem) with a side or Orzo and Ikaros Fries (steak fries w/ feta and herbs YUM!). Added a order of Macaronada meh Kyma (Greek macaroni w/ meat sauce) for good measure. There are 3 of us... and one is an 8yr; old girl. YES, my eyes were bigger than our stomachs, but MAN, sweet work if you can get it. The lamb chops were perfectly done, plentiful and beautifully presented - 9 chops 2 each for the girls and 5 for me (yeah baby!). Orzo was tasty (too much food, could've done w/out it) but the fries went exceptionally well with the lamb chops. The Macaronada caught me off guard, the spices in the meat sauce were different than what you might expect in traditional Italian fare - a pleasant surprise, just a touch on the sweet side and ripe w/ complex flavors. The "macaroni" was uncut... long tubes held the sauce well. Would've preferred the pasta to be firmer, but perhaps this is how it is traditionally? The bottle of red wine picked for us stood up to all the flavors well. Went w/ Baklava, Kataifi Greek & French coffee to finish things off. The Greek Coffee was a bit weak and bummed me out right there at the end. Kataifi was great, didn't need the chocolate. Will have to make the drive over at lunch when the downtown Oakland places bore me... we'll definitely be back for the 1 kilo lamb chop plate!

    (4)
  • Robin H.

    The PLAN: Warm up to my date by taking her to an intimate, candle-lit spot for unique feastings so to stir some mischief later in the sleepless night. The DATE: I had some time to kill before my dinner date, so just for fun I made a reservation an hour ahead of time. When my date and I arrived 30min AFTER the appointed time, there was a line outside the door! Inside this intimately lit restaurant, nearly every table was filled. The popularity was evident, but how was their service? "You had a reservation, yes? Right this way..." The waiter led us to a table for two with a "reserved" sign on it ~ My date was... intrigued... ;) and I couldn't hold back a big grin on my face :'D The Tzatziki dip & pita is tied for the top spot on my list of favorite items here. It's light on the cucumber and dialed into the garlic, which was perfect for the pita bread that came with it. The classic gyro also made a strong impression on me: rich flavor wrapped around a warm soft pita. Very tasty! As much as I love dungeoness crab and as scarce as it's been these recent years, the Kavoura Meze was a bit too pungent (warm dip made w/ cream cheese, dungeoness crab and artichoke). The crab was shredded, so it lacked the texture of whole-crab-meat sections (which I craaaaved), the bread was overbaked, and the marinated artichokes gave too much of a vinegary-sour taste. All & all, outstanding plates with outstanding service. We were stuffed and primed for the activities that awaited us that night. It's nice to be surprised once in a while!

    (4)
  • Kari C.

    Good food, but very, very slow and kinda pricey (but big servings). Me & the guy went here for dinner on a Sunday night. The place wasn't very full, but the food took forever to arrive. First up was a house salad. Lots of lettuce, some red onion pieces, tomato, a tiny block of feta, and one kalamata olive. The dressing was sweet and sour. It tasted fine, but nothing spectacular. There was way too much lettuce and not enough substance. My guy got the egg-lemon soup, which was surprisingly good. It's like a rice porridge. Very comforting and not too sour. Nice. Fortunately, the other stuff was better. My guy got the lamb shanks with orzo. The meat practically fell off the bones. Seasonings complemented the meat and there was lots of sauce. Orzo was also cooked well. My guy ate faster than he normally did and thought it was tasty also. I got the gyro stacker, not fully aware of what it was. It's basically like nachos with a Greek twist. The bottom layer is pita bread, followed by steak cut fries (they don't look like they're made from scratch), then different types of sliced gyro meats, topped with a generous slathering of tzatziki. Wow, just wow. The gyro meats and the tzatziki were definitely the highlights. The meat wasn't too greasy and had a nice "toasted" flavor. I enjoyed it a lot, even though I'm not a big meat eater. The tzatziki had a bit of a kick from the raw minced garlic and a hint of dill. We weren't sure how authentic it was, but I thought it was a nice touch. There was so much food that I ate it for lunch the next day. My whole office smelled like garlic! The verdict: way better than the Greek chain restaurants in terms of flavor. Good place for meats, not so good with salads. Go here if you are not in a rush and want left-overs.

    (3)
  • Patrick S.

    A solid place if you're looking for Greek/Mediterranean flavors. Portions are very generous especially their lamb shank with orzo, feel like that could feed 3-4 people with it. I wasn't in love with any of their dips but do recommend their grilled octopus starter. Great fries, their skewers I like better than their gyro meat but maybe just personal preference

    (4)
  • Dave -.

    A, recurring favorite of mine. The lamb is absolutely mouth watering. The atmosphere and layout of the restaurant is warm and inviting.

    (5)
  • Lulu W.

    So I've been trying a few Greek restaurants around the Bay Area and came here with a friend the other night. We were greeted immediately and the place was quite busy for a Thursday evening. For our appetizer we ordered the choice of 3 dips/spreads which we decided to pick the Hummus, Taramosalata and Melitzanosalata. The Hummus was delicious, the Taramosalata (caviar spread) was flavorful and the Melitzanosalata (eggplant spread) was a little vinegary than how I usually have it. The dips were good though. As for our entrees, we shared the Ikaros Gyro Sandwich and Lamb Souvlakia. The gyro had the right amount of tomatoes, red onions & tzatziki. As for the lamb souvlakia, it came with 3 skewers that was well seasoned and grilled. The lamb was tender and moist and served over a bed of rice. Both entrees were good and flavorful. As we were finishing up dinner, I noticed several parties order the Gyouvetsi meh Arni (Lamb Shanks braised then baked with Orzo). It smelled delicious and I'll be back to order that the next time I'm in the area!

    (4)
  • Grace E.

    Um, "o.m.g." This place gets 1/2 of one star for being open, and that's about it. Ordered: 2 shrimp skewers, greek salad, lamb souvlaki w/veggies, pita & tzatziki sauce, and 2 glass of chardonnay. * The shrimp had a strange off-white color to them, and they were weirdly chewy. Fail. * The greek salad was O.K. - but small with extremely large pieces of tomato, cucumber, and onion (usually these are cut into smaller, bite-size pieces). * The lamb was O.K. - mostly overcooked, but there were a couple of reasonably tasty pieces. I think the veggies that were served with the lamb were ordered at Kaiser, then boxed up to go, then unpacked and microwaved at the restaurant. Dark brown and inedible. Fail. * The pita and tzatziki were O.K. The sauce didn't have much cucumber flavor, but at this point at least there was something I could eat. Mediocre. * Even the chardonnay sucked. I didn't even finish my glass. Fail. Let's just say I waited until the next day to write this review, and I'm even more unsatisfied now than I was 15 hours ago. Go figure. I cannot believe this place is even in business - it's hard to manage to find a place that serves stupendously unappetizing food in the Bay Area, but if you're looking for a misshapen rock in a sea of pearls - Ikaros is it.

    (1)
  • Antoine S.

    Don't bother coming. This place has down right AWFUL tasting food! You can find way better tasting establishments in the area.

    (1)
  • Cynthia V.

    Lovely atmosphere. Huge portions leave you stuffed and they have the BEST tzatziki sauce in the East Bay!

    (3)
  • D R.

    So this review is based on my attempting to get served for lunch today. I walked in and the host looked at me like I was crazy when I said I would be dining in by myself. He hesitantly sat me down. After reviewing the menu and figuring out what I wanted to try I waited what seemed like 7 minutes to get any service. I was disappointed for being discarded in such a rude manner that I walked out. I will try this place again but this experience really left a BAD taste in my mouth. I will send an update if and when I do try this restaurant.

    (1)
  • J. F. H.

    The food was fine but nothing special. Service was fast and friendly. This place makes a good dinner stop on your way to the Grand Lake theater.

    (3)
  • Nadia M.

    Best place for Gyros and the service is fantastic.

    (5)
  • X X.

    I dig it! This place is actually authentic Greek! I was so impressed they carried authentic Greek beer-Hell yea! All the dishes we ordered were tasty. Service was good and servers were nice. I personally would recommend getting just a few small dishes (Mezes) you will get filled up quickly! Ordered the octopus, crab dip was awesome, pork skewers, keftethes were yum! The pork cube gyros were so good. Prices were fair. Its in a great location next to grand lake theater. Came for lunch both times and plenty of seating. Definitely coming back!

    (4)
  • Jacqueline C.

    I was so excited to try Ikaros when it opened in our neighborhood.... We've been there twice. The first time, I had the spanokopita dinner platter and my husband had the beef moussaka. Both were DELISH, esp the moussaka! We both started with the Avgolemono Soupa, which was lemony and yummy! Most recently, my husband had a gyro, which he thought was good, but did not live up to the ones we had in Greece. I had the Bifteki Platter, which came with a greek salad and fries -- the meat was wonderfully seasoned and juicy. We always leave full and happy. The service is friendly, the ambiance is nice. The menu is pretty plentiful -- I see us going back many times to try the various dishes!

    (3)
  • Jen G.

    I love Greek food and I almost always get the Gyro. Today my boyfriend and I decided to get some food to go. I ordered a combo plate, Gyro with rice pilaf and a house salad, Greek of course! It was all cooked so good and the rice was excellent! It was priced good and our order was ready in a good time. It is a sit down restaurant not a quickly fast food Greek place. They also have a little bar to sit at so you can have a drink while waiting for a to go order:-) We will be back, OPA!!!!!

    (4)
  • Fanny Y.

    Try moussaka with French bread! OMG! Even I'm just recalling While I' typing it makes me slavering.

    (5)
  • Tiffany N.

    I'm happy that we have another sit down Greek restaurant in the EB now! It's about time. Until now the only time I've been able to get decent Greek food is when the festival takes place. I've tried a few different things here, but I have yet to find my favorite. Basically, I don't think you can go wrong. I do think they have a really good gyro and it doesn't seem greasy or crazy fattening going down. The greek salad is good. The mousaka leaves a little to be desired for me, but I still recommend it. The pastitsio...hmm well...I think the conclusion is that I'm just not a fan of this particular greek speciality. Can't say that I've had a pastitsio that I really liked. The decor here is definitely worth mentioning. It brings me back to my vacation and visiting Santorini. I love this little restaurant....and to think it used to be a hair salon called Ghetto Styles (Haha JK). Can't remember what it was called.

    (4)
  • Cindy E.

    Great food. Chicken souvlakia was superb as was the saganaki--pan-fried cheese. We went on Sat around 7 and had to wait a half hour so make reservations, at least on weekends.

    (5)
  • Elaine B.

    Excellent service, delicious food at very reasonable prices. We had wonderful, creamy tzaziki, very, very tasty moussaka, and a very decent house wine. The waiter was charming and attentive. We plan to return.

    (4)
  • Jean-Pierre V.

    5 stars for the moussaka, bar none. Absolutely the best. 1/2 star for the Greek salad , "HORIATIKI SALATA" (for take out; at $11 per salad...). Unripe tomatoes, and I mean inedible; not ripe at all. It's inexcusable in the middle of the Summer.

    (3)
  • Anne W.

    I've been here 3 times since it opened, and every time the food is consistently delicious and plentiful! Portions are generous and service is very good. Once I brought two friends and their newborn babies (sorry fellow guests), and the staff was incredibly kind and understanding... definitely has that family restaurant vibe. Foods tasted: Lamb Gyro Stacker, Stuffed Pepper, Spanakopita Mezes, steak fries are so crispy!

    (5)
  • Simon b.

    A couple of years since my last update. We popped in to have dinner with my inlaws. Awesome time. They had just vacationed in the Med and were very pleased with the food and service we had.They made sure to let us know that when they visit again this place is a must!

    (5)
  • Lisa F.

    Superb! We were very impressed and wondered why we hadn't tried Ikaros before. We just happened to be cruising around Grand Ave at lunchtime, and between the ambiance and the wonderful aroma coming from the kitchen, we decided to go in and try it. Firstly, the architecture and decorating are top notch; lots of natural light, clean lines and simple elegance, which lends itself to a very luxurious but comfortable ambiance. There are also tables out front if one cares to dine al fresco. We both had gyros, which were served with our choice of sides. I had the lamb/beef and my spouse had the chicken. Both were cooked to perfection and probably the best gyros we have ever had. Everything was fresh and flavorful. Even the pita bread seemed to have just been baked in the oven, and the quality/cook/flavor of the meat was spectacular. We had orzo salad and rice pilaf for sides, which were also very good. The portions were so generous, neither of us could finish our meals. Prices are definitely reasonable for the quality/quantity. Service stellar! Can't wait to go back and have a little food adventure there! If they can do a gyro that well, I can't imagine how marvelous some of the more sophisticated dishes must be.

    (5)
  • Susan K.

    Oh boy we ordered too much food!!! Wonderful, flavorful fresh food. Very authentic and well prepared Greek food. Atmosphere and decor is nice too!

    (5)
  • Elodie T.

    My friend took me to Ikaros on a Saturday night- we got lucky with parking right behind the building, and didn't even have to wait as there was an open table. Our waiter was very nice and attentive, making us feel welcome with a cheerful attitude. I went with Gyros stacker and wow, talk about a mound of food! I had two types of french fries (regular & steak fries), pita bread, the two types of meat, some veggies (amazingly sharp red onions) and a mound of the Greek yogurt! I loved it- my only comment was that I wished that I had a better ratio of red onions (=I want more) to the rest of my plate in order to refresh my palate and cut through some of the heavier/oilier items. I definitely had leftovers to bring home! Solid 4/5, would come again and try some of the other items!

    (4)
  • Stephani M.

    #30 What a great lunch! I was strolling along Grand Ave (more like hobbling along), super hungry, wanting my usual friendly lunch and realized they are closed for maintenance the next two days. Welp...okay. I thought for a minute and realized I wanted Greek food and lucky for me, I was a hop, skip and a jump from Ikaros. YUMMIE!!! I grabbed an outside patio table since it was such a pretty day in Oakland. The server, Brittany, greeted my party and brought us menus and waters. I have been to Ikaros before, a few times, but always at night. The place is always pretty busy and I have been smart to call ahead for seating. This was a different experience as it was lunchtime and pretty open. I ordered the Ikaros fries and a chicken pita wrap. Both were amazing. The fries are a little different than a simple fried potato. These potatoes are cut into large wedges and sprinkled with delicious seasoning and feta cheese. Did I mention how HUGE the portion is? Then, my pita was simply amazing. The sauce inside is to die for, and the chicken was cooked to absolute perfection. Brittney took great care of all the table's needs. The quality and quantity of food was above par as well. Stephani Smiles for Ikaros ;)

    (4)
  • Wane A.

    I actually read a recent review and I whole heartily disagree I adore this local and the owner and the people who work there at this restaurant,I may be biased I work in the neighborhood so I come here 1-2x's a week and love the food the professional but yet have a casual air that's remnant of days gone by they're polished but efficient and still accommodating food is great always hot and delish.. The owner who is amazingly personable has comprised a smart menu for all ones needs I love the avegolemono soupa,fries yum.I usually get a Mediterranean salad with a rice pilaf which is perfection. A causal atmosphere with class and great food choices..and fair pricing. See you soon guys,keep up the great work, And don't change a thing!

    (5)
  • Meliza M.

    My bf and I went to Ikaro's restaurant and it was so nice in the inside. I felt like I was in a fancy restaurant. There were barely any people there and we were alone most of the time. I ordered the Bifteki Platter which was a mixed of ground meats with herbs. On the size there was tzatziki sauce and it went really well with the meat. It also came with a large side of steak fries which were great! My boyfriend ordered the Ikaro's Gyro Platter and it was extremely good. The gyro was easy to eat unlike other places I've tried where it's a complete mess and there's vegetables falling all over the place. His Orzo pasta salad was delicious also. The pasta noodles were extra soft! We then ordered the most popular beer in the restaurant, Mythos Greek. It was very light beer. Only 4.7%. It tasted like inexpensive beer I used to play beer pong with (if you know what I mean). Then lastly, the baklava came out and it was great! There were more walnuts than the flaky silo though and that's my favorite part. But it was still awesome!It was a good amount of sweetness and hit the spot. Next time, I am for sure going to try the gyro stacker. It looks huge! Overall, I enjoyed my visit there and the servers there were very nice. The food was wonderful and I did not feel completely full or guilty after leaving!

    (4)
  • Andrea J.

    The only reason why we are not giving them 5 stars is because it is the only meal we have ever had here. Otherwise it was great. I had the gyro sandwich, the man had the gyro stacker and although it was a massive amount of meat (great portions) we both inhaled our food. Great service, good prices for the amount of food we got. Defiantly coming back.

    (4)
  • Mohammed B.

    I've been thinking of this place day in and day out ever since I left SF. I've never tried gyro this good in my life, the flavor to the texture because they cook it so well. I will visit this place religiously every time I'm in town .

    (5)
  • Alex C.

    Came here with the family when we realized another restaurant were intending to go to was closed. Lucky us. This place is totally legit. It isn't a fake "greek" restaurant. The menu is extensive. We had lamb and chicken souvlaki, lemon soup, taztziki, and greek salad. The food was excellent, fresh, and authentic. The salad came with a slab of tasty feta cheese (not a few crumbles). Service was good and the staff was friendly. Festive Greek music played in the background. They are a little price and the portions are generous. We could have split some items between the kids. But hey, they have to pay for the feta.

    (5)
  • Brian J.

    We went in on a Sunday night at 6:00. I called to get a reservation with no problem, though the woman who took it didn't ask my name and then hung up. It turns out she got my name and number via Caller ID, but didn't acknowledge that. I called back and she explained. A little odd. We ordered the calamari and the saganaki. Neither were memorable. The calamari was covered with a spice that was unexpected and didn't add anything. It was also not fried at the correct temperature because everything was a little mushy (oil needed to be hotter, I assume). The cheese was supposed to be on fire but wasn't. It was just OK. The gyros stackers were gigantic. I ordered mine with potatoes and they were soggy but flavorful. My husband ordered it with the orzo salad which came after the meal but it was tasty. The service was good: speedy and attentive. There were a couple hiccups (he mixed up the wines, forgot the orzo salad), but they weren't fatal. I wouldn't go back, but it was a pleasant evening.

    (3)
  • Chelsey P.

    I had high hopes for Ikaros Greek Restaurant. After a good movie at the Grand Lake, I was starving and craving some good hummus and a gyro. Ikaros was a short walk from the theater, and it had a myriad of glowing reviews. Perfect, right? Not. Now don't get me wrong, the atmosphere was nice-- homey, clean, felt like a Greek diner -- but the food and the service were nothing to write home about. For starters, I got the hummus plate, a must for any Greek place I go to. For $6.75, I expected a big plate with a few pitas my friend and I could share -- at least that's what I get back home at Pita Jungle. I was semi-shocked to see the ice cream scoop size of hummus I received with the 6 small pita triangles. Not a great value in my opinion, but it was tasty. The pita was very warm like I like it with a little bit of sweetness, which was interesting. Classic hummus with good texture and flavor. When I really got disappointed was when my gyro came out. I can't tell you if all of the ingredients were good or not because there was SO much tzatziki! There was about a 1/4 inch layer of the stuff all along the bottom of the pita. Even though I was hungry, I had to stop halfway through as the taste was so overpowering. On the plus side, the steak fries were delicious! Service was so-so. Waited a long time after being seated, waters took a long time, had to ask for everything. To be fair, it was pretty close to closing time, so they may have had other things keeping them busy in the back. For those reasons though, I've gotta go with 3 stars. I'd be willing to come and give the place another chance, but I'll pass on the hummus and ask to go light on the tzatziki.

    (3)
  • S D.

    Mediterranean salad add salmon was great! Salmon was cooked perfectly - smoky taste, flaky. Scrumptious. Fair prices. Nice atmosphere. Friendly staff.

    (4)
  • David R.

    Visiting Oakland...Friend recommend Ikoros which is near her house. I had Veggie Baklava with Fries and baklava later. Both were great. My companions also enjoyed there meals. Then when our coffees arrived then almost ruined the meal with Coffee Mate. Coffee Mate...really. One of my companions actually yelled at the poor waiter. It was not his fault and he did bring us some milk in a little silver carafe, which maybe they were just out. They were out of ice cream. Oh yea, the Baklava was great I should have mentioned it to the owner/manager, but here is better. Great food, great service but Coffee Mate and no half and half. For shame. Maybe by the time you come they will have half and half for your coffee. Sorry, to rant on about the Coffee Mate but it kind of bugged us and it is why it only got 4 stars.

    (4)
  • Michelle B.

    I could deny my Filipino heritage and say I'm practically Greek, an upbringing in Astoria, Queens, NY gives me the birthright to say, "yasou!! Kalimera! Ti kanis? poly kala!" Translation:," hello..good day! How are you? Very well!" I could also say that I'm Filipino -Greek.. Ikaros brought me back to my daily after-school snack of gyros and souvlaki..the decor is so reminiscent of a Greek diner from NYC. Much to my heart's content I was pleasantly surprised about how close Ikaros is to capturing a NYC Greek eatery. I have to say NYC Is known for the high concentration of Greek folk. The menu is not that extensive however Ikaros has a great representation of delicious Greek food. The Mousaka -I call this The Greek lasagna, it is absolutely delectable and hearty. I love the bifteki, akin to meatballs but Greek version try it with the rice pilaf. You can't go wrong with the gyro and the souvlaki sandwiches. Soon you'll be dancing around the restaurant breaking dishes and yelling, OPA!!!

    (4)
  • Katreece S.

    Really good food and great service. The food came promptly. The octopus appetizer was delicious. Both my boyfriend and I had the lamb with the rice pilaf and really enjoyed it. Definitely making this place a regular stop.

    (4)
  • Gigi A.

    Gyro platter that tastes the way it should - the olive oil was so fresh!!! Omg and the tzatziki sauce - Did I spell that right? You know what I'm talking about - that white yogurt and cucumber sauce. Heaven. I ordered more sauce and didn't need it but I ordered it because there can never be enough sauce ;) Thank the good lord I found a gyro in Oakland that is authentic and delicious and everything this hangry girl longs for when she needs her middle eastern fix. Parking is less than desirable so yeah expect to drive once or twice around til something opens up. Happy Munching

    (4)
  • Raja B.

    This place has delicious Baklava and waitstaff. :) I will definitely come back enjoy food. Super friendly and great location.

    (4)
  • Katrina F.

    Best Greek food I could ask for. This business is always clean, friendly and serves up great eats. I have become a regular here now after my first visit 6 months ago. The servers are alway attentive, the food is always right with the right temperature and the ambience is like home for a family dinner. Thank you to everyone who works here I hope to come here for years and years to come.

    (5)
  • Jen A.

    I needed a late Saturday afternoon meal and wandered by Ikaros. I'm delighted that I tried it out. I went with an entree of Beets Skordalia and for the main dish, Moussaka (because I like saying it aloud). The skordalia came with warm (toasted, olive oil?) pita, and was terrific. The garlic was not subtle, not overwhelming, just the way I like it. I didn't expect the beets to be in the puree. It was so good I had extra for carryout. The moussaka arrived in a crock pot, topped with cheese, hot & bubbling, mouth-watering. Comfort food. It was great and oh so filling. I dined in and was mostly satisfied with the table service, after a bit of a weird exchange with the hostess; I need to learn to use smaller words. Since leaving my beloved hometown that has a Greektown where the food is wonderful, I'm dubious of the places I've found in the Bay Area. Ikaros made the grade. Next time will be a group dinner.

    (4)
  • Angel-Max G.

    Ikaros never disappoints! The food and the friendly servers are consistently good and I make it a point to visit at least 1-2 times a month. The chicken gyro is divine.

    (5)
  • Elizabeth P.

    I am actually Greek and LOVED this place. It's pretty authentic Greek food and it is one of the best I have come by. The hummus, spanakopita, and pastisio are AMAZING. Will be back when I am in town again :)

    (5)
  • Alicia C.

    I was craving a kabob out of no where one day. I had been to one other Mediterranean around the area, but wanted to try something different. I had seen Ikaros, but didn't consider going until after reading the reviews. It was a lovely day, so we decided to sit outside and eat, and with some maneuvering of the umbrella it was very enjoyable. As starters, we had the hummus and dolmas. The dolmas were not the best I've had, but they were good. The hummus had a good and rich flavor that had me sopping up every bit with the remaining pita. For my entree, I had the lamb souvlaki. The lamb was a little dry for my taste, but then again I do like my meat medium rare.... However, the flavors were there to save the dish. The noodle salad side was great with an aioli sauce that was lemony and unique. Overall it was a pleasant experience sitting out front outside with the final warm rays of the summer sun and good food and company to make it all the more better.

    (3)
  • Michael M.

    This is the real deal for Greek food. Visited two times in the last month and had grilled lamb: tender, moist, grilled to perfection. Service is very friendly. Try the salads and sides too. Highly recommend.

    (5)
  • Jeff M.

    Solid Greek food. Lamb meatballs were great but could be juicier. Spicy feta is a personal favorite and I was happy to see it on the menu. Happier that it hit all the right notes. Chicken in lemon terrific and a lot of paleo options. Random decor but whatever.

    (3)
  • Jessica L.

    I've been here a few times and have had fantastic service each time. I've tried the gyros, veggie, and chicken souvlaki wraps and all were delicious. The pita is fresh and flavorful and the tsiziki is a little garlicky and delicious. I probably wouldn't order the chicken again as it didn't have a ton of flavor but the gyros was incredible and they put a ton of meat in the wrap. The veggie was great too, I'd definitely order that again. You get a choice of different sides with the wrap such as rice, salad, fries, and pasta salad. I am addicted to the orzo pasta salad!! I'm looking forward to coming back here and trying all the dishes.

    (5)
  • Diana J.

    I ordered chicken and lamp Slovakia and it was oily. I won't ever come back. The staff were very friendly even with my two little playful loud kids.

    (2)
  • Krissto M.

    A welcome addition to Grand Ave. Love hanging out with a friend and ordering appetizers with wine. The service is great food is tasty, and the owner is very welcoming. Always ask for the special of the day. It's a treat when they get bass delivered from Greece.

    (5)
  • Mike W.

    I've eaten at Ikaros twice...once for lunch, once for dinner. Food and service is worth 4 1/2 stars. But any restaurant that is so contemptuous of their clientele to serve Coffee Mate with their coffee really only deserves one star. If they are willing to serve such crap with their coffee, who knows what they put in their food!?!. Shame on Ikaros.

    (2)
  • Jeanne F.

    I live nearby and was really happy when Ikaros came to the neighborhood -- finally a nice Greek restaurant! Food is good and moderately priced. I wanted to contribute a review after my latest visit there. The place was packed to the gills, much more so than a usual Sunday night (students all back in town after the end of the holidays, our waiter said), but the service went so smoothly that I was impressed. Our waiter was attentive and made a bit of friendly small talk, but did not hover or hang around too long. Everything we ordered came fast enough that we were pleasantly surprised, considering the size of the crowd. Oh, and it's worth pointing out that they have a gluten-free menu, and there are a reasonable number of vegetarian options.

    (4)
  • Amber S.

    OPA! This is the spot to get my Greek fix. I enjoyed one of the best authentic as it can get beef and lamb gyros with orzo salad ($9.) Portions were generous, pita was soft and chewy, the meat was seasoned perfectly and the yogurt sauce was delicious. The orzo pasta side was mountain sized, served cold topped with kalamata olives. Hubs had the same he opted for steak fries as his side ($9.) He enjoyed the gyro. I stole a few fries and they were pretty good with some ketchup. We shared dolmas (5 for $7.50) it came with their yogurt sauce. They were stuffed with rice and wrapped up tightly with the grape leaves. They were good with the sauce and filling. Service was attentive by our waiter and the other staff. Prices are fair for the quality and portions given. Plan on taking home leftovers or share a meal. The restaurant is very clean, has a lot of seating inside with a few tables outside in the front. There is a small bar area in the back.

    (5)
  • Shannon L.

    Terrific Greek food for the money. At first, the prices might be a little alarming for some of the items. Yes, lamb shank for $23 seems a little more than normal but they actually give you TWO huge pieces. You can easily share this between two people, without appetizers or dessert. While we're talking about this item, I must mention that the meat was extremely tender and the orzo, rather than rice, was a nice complement. We started out with the Saganaki (fried cheese) which is one of my favorite Greek appetizers because it's so delicious at Thea Mediterranean (Santa Clara). At Thea's, it is actually flaming in a skillet at your table side. Here, the flames are already done with at the kitchen so you get the cheese when it is already brown and toasted. It's still delicious and their cheese in particular was more pungent than I've had. Not for even the mildly lactose. Next, we ordered the Appetizer Combo Plate (back page of the menu) which is HUGE and includes tzatiki, hummus, spanakopita, dolma, meatballs, and what looks like a cheese empanada. Everything on this platter was delicious and so filling. Again, if you have 3 (or maybe even 4) people in your party, all you really need is this and maybe one other dish. The dips are on the smoother side but packed with flavor. They brought the dips with some pita bread out for us first and keep in mind there is more pita bread when the rest of the platter comes; it's a sufficient amount. As if that wasn't enough food, we got the Traditional Moussaka, which really put us over the edge in terms of food amount. Four items for 3 of us was a total overload. Keep in mind that there is nutmeg in this dish which may surprise people. I do like the ratio of ground meat to eggplant. Nice balance and such a pleasantly hearty dish for the winter. Service was a bit lacking initially but ended up being better. There is a parking lot right next to the restaurant but it is packed to the brim on weekends so you might have to circle around a bit.

    (4)
  • Ariana V.

    Came for Sunday afternoon lunch, and it was decently packed. The interior was unpretentious, beautifully blue, and spacious. There were quite a few options, even as a vegan. I ended up ordering the veggie pita, took out the tzaziki, and added hummus. The server was gracious about it. It was so good- a bit salty - but amazing. The fries that came with it were alright. The meal came out to be 9.50, which is pretty good pricing. Overall this place seems really authentic and delicious at an affordable price. I would recommend a visit out here!

    (5)
  • Hayley C.

    First visit to Ikaros definitely exceeded expectations. I ordered the stuffed pepper vegetarian dish - I'm not a big fan of traditional marinara and almost shied away from the dish, but the tomato sauce served with was herb-filled and totally distinct; the rice was similarly aromatic and unique. We also tried the baklava, two orders of which were given to us on the house, for no reason other than I guess as a gift to new customers! The baklava was some of the best I've had. The one con that I'll mention is that the service was a little slow; it took us longer to get out than expected and delayed our plans for after the meal. Other than that, everyone who served us was fantastic and I would definitely recommend.

    (4)
  • Kerry S.

    This is such a great restaurant! Not only are the owners present & friendly, but they cook family recipes that bring me back. I love the cozy family feel and the vibe is cool. The stuffed pepper is great, and I don't even like peppers! The skewers, Soulakia are super authentic...and tasty, as is the chicken lemon soup with perfect balance. A must is the baklava. The floors are a little slippery, so be careful...

    (4)
  • Laima K.

    Probably my favorite greek place. I come here when i want to eat at a nice yummy place that isn't too expensive or too packed with a giant line like so many other places in this neighborhood. Just had a meeting with a client here and it was great! Not too loud so we could easily have a good conversation. Owner of the place is nice. The bottomless mimosas are a yum. I like this. I will be back, have been back. etc. Nice spot! Oh, and love that blue interior!! : )

    (4)
  • Susie B.

    The food was good ,, service was POOR !!! After I was seated no one came to take my order,, I had to ask for service and the waiter came he was acting as if he didn't want to be bother !! Service was soooo POOR that I lost my appetite. I won't go back there again. : )

    (2)
  • Tiffany M.

    Decent prices, very friendly wait staff. Yummy food!

    (4)
  • Kelsey S.

    I am ruined for life because their hummus is THE BEST I've ever tasted and now everywhere I go, it's just mediocre compared to Ikaros' incredible hummus.

    (5)
  • Susangela M.

    I had the lemon egg soup which was Spectacular. Thick, very lemony with chicken, carrots and celery. Shared the dip spread platter with my friend and especially loved the just out of the oven warm pita.

    (4)
  • Ben T.

    Love the tall ceiling, it makes the room much bigger and brings in the sunlight. Also love the music that plays in the background. Can't understand the lyrics but it's soothing and perfect for the ambiance. Wine bar is plentiful and the free bread and cheese is amazing! Parking in the back is available in be lot, and you can come through the front or back door. Friendly service, don't be afraid to ask for whatever. The lamb skewers are so good! However, the beef and lamb gyros are a wee bit dry. Maybe that's how it's supposed to be, meh?

    (3)
  • Mike L.

    Very satisfying Greek comfort food. They have some fun dishes here that basically amount to your typical gyro thrown across a plate over fries. Well spiced and delicious. There are lots of other things on the menu I would want to try. Generous portions and friendly family style service. A nice neighborhood spot.

    (4)
  • Mikhaela R.

    $17.50 for a Chicken Gyro sandwich and a glass of pinot. :( Kind of pricey but then again, it is the bay area. Not the greatest quality of food either but, eh. If you're into having a plate full of french fries with your "Authentic" Greek cuisine, this is the place for you!

    (2)
  • Jennifer H.

    A very sad update. My partner and I have been to Ikaros many times. I usually get the Beftiki platter. I don't know if they are under new management or not, but things were terrible. My Beftiki platter came out with, no exaggeration, a 1/4 cup of grease on it. The platter comes with french fries, which are normally very tasty, but they were soaked in grease and disgusting. The little ramekin of tzatziki was floating on the plate. I kept trying to get someone's attention to bring up the issue, but no one would even acknowledge us. The restaurant is small, there were only three tables taken at the time and I counted 6 staff wandering the floor or having lively chats in the corner. I was starving, so I ate around the grease. I actually poured it off onto my salad plate. I had to walk up to the register to get the staff's attention and when they finally came to clear our plates I pointed out to to girl about the grease. She looked astonished and didn't really say anything. Then proceeded to show several other employees what I had shown her, carrying the plate around the restaurant. They would whisper and then look over at me several times. Seriously awkward and very unprofessional. Then she showed our server who had reappeared after being gone for about 30 minutes. He ended up taking the Beftiki off the bill and then when he brought it over, just handed it to us saying he took it off. No apologies from anyone for the food or poor service. Then we sat there waiting for them to pick up the check, once again we were invisible. I had to walk the check up to the counter myself. We have never had such a bad experience at this restaurant before. I shouldn't have eaten around the grease either, as I was sick as a dog later. Truly a shame as the food used to be fantastic. I seriously doubt we will ever go back when there are so many other options for great food in Oakland.

    (2)
  • Samineh H.

    First time here, we will for sure come back!! Fresh food, tastes great. We got the Gyros Stalker which is basically an open sandwich and the Spanakopita Mezes

    (5)
  • Amy S.

    I absolutely love this place. I've never left disappointed and always look forward to returning. Their spanakopita it's the best I've ever had. Absolutely lovely atmosphere.

    (5)
  • Stevie D.

    Love these guys but I have mixed experiences here...The owners are lovely and welcoming and the place feels like family. We get the lamb and chicken Gyros to go all the time and they are fantastic. I think the fries are the best in town but every time we decide to eat in and order something different we are sorely disappointed. The service is usually fine although the last guy we had was pretty awful. it's the food that's lets the place down. The Lamb Souvlakia looks great but it's sooo bland. The pork chops should be awesome.. but they are dried out and tough as leather..and on and on. Something in the kitchen is not happening. It's all in the seasoning and there seems to be something missing. They should zip down Grand Ave to Bacheesos to see how Lamb should taste. Meanwhile we will continue to buy our Gyros and be happy.

    (3)
  • Pammy J.

    I parked & was meeting a friend in Oakland, saw this spot and decided to pass it up. We went somewhere else, aside from the music, we just weren't diggin it so somehow we ended up here. Such friendly and welcoming staff despite the fact that we came in near closing time. The menu was so immense that I had to ask the server for recommendations and boy were we glad we did. He recommended the fries and spinach wrapped in phyllo and the lamb for our entrees and we had smiles on our faces the entire time. We just savored every bite, I actually wanted to lick the spinach plate, of course I had to pretend I was classy, so I didn't. But I'd like to come back and try other things. Thanks staff for such a lovely experience. Your service makes such a difference!!!

    (4)
  • Victoria D.

    You and your husband like it here. You both find it an acceptable substitute for your beloved Olympia family Greek restaurant in Orlando, FL. Get the tzatziki but don't forget to season with salt. The village salad is not big enough for the both if you. They have the meat on a stick that your husband likes. Get the "you're going to love my nuts" baklava. They warm it. It's enough for the both of you. Although, it has less layers than how mom makes it. You liked the service. It had an upper quality restaurant appeal.

    (4)
  • Adrian C.

    The service here is great, the food here is great, the dinning room was very clean and comfortable I really enjoyed my time here our server was excellent they even had a spare charger for my dying phone. I'm definitely coming back, my first time eating Greek food and it was amazing flavor packed sandwich I don't really remember the name but it had lamb and beef and it was off the f***ing hook. Five stars for these hardworking people they got more then just 10% from us ;)

    (5)
  • Sam P.

    Good enough Greek dishes. Not unique. Just your average Americanized Greek dishes. Outstanding items were: dips and yogurt dips! They were fresh and creamy. Other food: I tried the combo dish. Honest opinion. Had better at other places. The Gyro sandwich was as expected and not uniquely spectacular. The lamb on the stick was ok. I would go again if invited to go, but probably will not go again.

    (3)
  • Michelle T.

    I feel in love with Moussakka at the later stages in my life...namely my later 20's. I've had Moussaka in America and in it's land of origin, Greece! I'm going to be honest and say I like the American version better. This one is more cheesy and soupy. Less like layered lasagna, obviously minus the dough since it should be all potato and eggplant. It comes out piping hot and is super tasty. They also use beef in their Moussaka and not lamb. They have some sort of hummus like dip that is pretty bomb. I'd say an selection from the menu will be a hit with your taste buds!

    (4)
  • Ginny S.

    This is a fabulous place -- great food, warm and friendly staff and reasonable prices. There are no bad choices, everything is delicious. The one thing I'd note is that the baklava is not very traditional -- it's mostly walnuts and not my preference. But others seem to like it.

    (5)
  • Alexa W.

    YESS! That's what I call a nice dining experience. The food was solid Greek standard. Great meats and fish, nice and crunchy potatos, nice salad dressing. The veggies were a bit overcooked, but at least they were sauteed in butter, that makes up for a lot in my book ;-) But what I really loved about the place was the superb service. I miss superb service here in the US quite a lot. I know you guys, it's different from Europe, where wait staff in restaurants is often well trained, gets part of the revenue of the place they work at and most importantly can live off their wages as servers without having to rely on tips. And I can respect hard working college students who at least try to make your dining experience a good one. But they are College students nevertheless. I love it when your waiter is polite, but not in a superficial way. If he or she knows about the produce and the drink selection and can make recommendations. If they do not grab your plate from under you right the second you shove the last piece of chicken into your mouth or stop by your table every 5 minutes to ask how everything is (preferably when you have your mouth ful). This place has the feeling of a family run business. Run by people who are proud of their place and like their work. And it so shows. It might be a bit on the pricier side for the kind of cuisine they offer, but I pay that price gladly. I am super happy that I found this place and have a reliable Greek restaurant to grab some comfort food at whenever life throws bad service at me ;-)

    (4)
  • Karen S.

    I love Greek food! So I was super excited when I found a Greek restaurant near work; & one where I can pre-order my food online! I ordered & picked up 15 minutes later a Ikaros' gyro salata. The chicken was very flavorful & the feta cheese - an extra add - was crumbly & not too salty. And the tzatziki sauce...oh that sauce...I can eat that all day long. $12.75 for a salad is a little much but the portion was quite large. Even though I was taking my order to-go, the staff was still super nice & friendly to me. I see more orders in my future.

    (3)
  • Rafael R.

    Been here a few times to get my Greek fix, mostly get the same beef/lamb Gyro with fries. I decided to live a little and go for the chicken Gyro this time. I swear, you can go either way here, and convince yourself you're eating clean with the chicken option. Great chicken meat with plenty of sauce and fresh red onions/tomatoes--not too sloppy. The fries are decent, I love that they salt and pepper them. quality Greek food simply my spot!!

    (4)
  • Jasmyn R.

    I came to Ikaros after a long walk at Lake Meritt and I must say this place is sooooo yummy! The food is great quality and the prices are reasonable. I order a 9" gyro with steak fries for only $9, it cannot get any better than that ;)

    (5)
  • Gin F.

    Great neighborhood spot. Beautiful skylight at lunchtime. Lovely interior, great service, delicious food. We can't wait come back! We had the gyro stack, skordalia, and greek coffee for dessert. I'll be coming back for the fried smelt and lamb chops!

    (5)
  • Justin K.

    I mean we just got our food and we checked in almost an hour ago , not sure any of the waiters know we are here they are in some kind of comatose state ? But wow we have been here maybe ten other times and it's always good fast quick Greek ... Dude I was so hungry and there just seemed to be waiters walking around but not doing anything except eating their food so it just sucked because I'm sure it will be another half hour before we can get some one to give us a bill...really though just drop ur staff and get new ones , they are replaceable , all of them .

    (1)
  • Jaclyn A.

    Just ate here for the first time... The staff was friendly and the food was DELICIOUS. I went with my boyfriend and we ordered the combo plate and lamb shanks with orzo. Plenty of food for 2 people at a good price. Didn't even need a knife for the meat it just fell off the bone. Even the pita bread was fresh and served warm. We had some leftovers and it was still delicious the next day. We will definitely be going back!

    (5)
  • Jethro B.

    Very pleasant Greek restaurant. Good service, nice atmosphere, varied menu. Food was good, but not exceptional. Well priced for this kind of restaurant.

    (3)
  • Anna D.

    For a party of 25, service was topnotch! Thankful for a kid friendly restaurant that can accommodate such large crowd filled half with children ranging from 2-13 years old. Very attentive services & food was delicious. Deducted 1 star for the temperature of the entrees. They were a little on the cold/warm side, again, maybe due to our large party. The kids really enjoyed the warm bread with the different yogurts & fried calamari. The macaroni with meat sauce was fulfilling for the kiddos. The adults really enjoyed the chicken skewers over pilaf rice & the lamb shank over orzo pasta. Great atmosphere & excellent service! Highly recommend for big parties!!

    (4)
  • Jason A.

    I love this place. I've been here several times. The food is always great, and they are always very clean.

    (5)
  • Kaustubh P.

    Really good food and ambiance.

    (4)
  • Sristi G.

    Went there with my Greek friend and loved everything that was ordered. Plenty parking in the back but it might be hard to find one on the weekend.

    (5)
  • Archer G.

    Looks good but I'm sorry if I stand in your restaurant for 10 minutes and I walk by a server and the server walks by me and nobody greets me I'm leaving.

    (1)
  • Karla B.

    I love Ikaros! I only ever get three things here, but they're all delicious! Service: The owner is always around and is super nice. All of the waiters/waitresses that have helped me have been great, too. Food/Pricing: The chicken gyro is tasty and very reasonably priced. Portion size is enough for two lunches for me and a nicely filling lunch for my boyfriend who is twice as big as I am. The chicken souvlakia is my favorite. Plenty of chicken (a lunch and a dinner for me) and the side I get (orzo pasta salad) compliments the meat well. My only complaint is that, if you're like me and like to eat all Greek food with pita bread and tzatziki, you have to buy that separately. No big deal, really, just thought I'd flag. I'm picky about my tzatziki and I like theirs. The Ikaros fries are delicious! They take a while to make, though. Most of the time they come out riiiight before the food. Warning: Careful with the iced tea and Arnold Palmers - the tea is strong, so you'll only enjoy it if you like real tea.

    (5)
  • Toni M.

    Alan and I had lunch here today after meeting w/ our tax preparer. It had been on my list of places to go for a while. The menu is varied and interesting and the space is attractive, w/ lots of pictures of Greece and pieces of folk art, ship models and such. I was delighted to see they had skordalia and offered a trio of spreads for $15.50. We ordered a trio of skodalia w/ beets, kopanisti, a whipped feta spread w/ fresh herbs, spices and olive oil, and melitzanosalata, roasted eggplant whipped w/ olive oil, lemon juice and fresh herbs. In addition we ordered a gyros salad w/ beef to share and I ordered hot tea to drink. Alan had water. It was shortly after 1:00 and there was a group of 6 or 8 men, one of whom was giving a tutorial in making yogurt that was interesting to eavesdrop on. There were a few other tables of two and one man came in w/ a very well behaved small dog who must have been a service animal. The salad arrived first, w/ a little ramekin of tzatzki and another of a vinaigrette. The romaine was chopped relatively small. There was a surprisingly decent tomato for winter, cut into quarters, although I thought wistfully of the fabulous tomatoes of Greece. The dressing was tasty and the meat was delicious. The trio of spreads arrived, accompanied by hot pita triangles that were fresh off the grill. I tasted the skordalia first and was disappointed because it wasn't garlicky at all as mine is and most I've had have been. The kopanisti, was good, but not not my favorite. It had a surprisingly harsh quality, and I love feta. The melizanosalata was the clear favorite, w/ a subtle smokiness and a lovely balance. Of the three it was the only one we would order again. The tzatziki from the gyros salad was thick and very flavorful and we would have that again too. We went through all the pita and requested more, which were brought to us, again hot off the grill.

    (3)
  • Nikolett A.

    I absolutely love this restaurant!!!! Me and my co-workers have girls night every month and this is the restaurant we go to. I am Greek and when I came to this country I started looking for an authentic Greek restaurant that isn't Americanized and I FINALLY FOUND IT few years ago. This restaurant has amazing dishes and great service. They are a great family to top it all off. I highly recommend this restaurant if you are in the mood for outstanding service and delicious dishes.

    (5)
  • Ed U.

    The funny thing about Ikaros is that when you walk toward the entrance from the busy crosswalk on Grand Avenue, it feels like you're walking directly into the hull of a cruise ship. The sky-blue curved ceiling, the long galley dining room, the tiny tables for two (see photo) - it made me feel like I was invited to Captain Stubing's table about to be seated between Charo and Ann Miller. Despite some strong reviews from fellow Yelpers, my expectations for a quality meal were practically nil since I was expecting Doc and Gopher to get me involved in some high seas hi-jinks. So it was a pleasure to discover that Ikaros actually serves good Greek food - hearty, flavorful and no-frills. I started with a $4.50 cup of the Avgolemono Soupa, a creamy egg-lemon soup with chicken and rice (see photo). Not exactly low-cal (note that I said it was creamy), but it was tasty and hot. Then I had quite an extravaganza for $16.50, the Aegean Veggie Combo platter. So big, it actually came in two parts. First came ramekins of melitzanosalata & a cream-cheese-like Greek yogurt served with warmed pita wedges (see photo). Delicious and quite filling given how thick the spreads were. Not that I'm complaining, but I ordered the veggie combo thinking it was going to be a lighter dish. I must have been delusional because the second part felt like I was overdoing the buffet line on the Carnival cruise. On a long platter were slices of grilled zucchini and eggplant, sauteed mushrooms and bell peppers, a pair of Havana cigar-size dolmades with more yogurt sauce, and a couple of slices of spanakopita (see photo). It was like I was having a wedding banquet all by myself, and no one, not even my drunken Greek uncle who smashes the plates, showed up for the reception to give me a toast. What's up with that? But it was good stuff, especially the spanakopita which was just greasy enough for me to feel guilty about nibbling on it like a hamster. I tried to leave as much of the crispy filo dough on the plate, but it was so hard when you haven't had a donut for six months. Anyway, I think I'd like to buy a return ticket on the Love Boat...I mean Ikaros. FOOD - 4 stars...better than expected Greek food and plenty of it AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars..."love exciting and new...step aboard, we're expecting you..." SERVICE - 4 stars...nice and attentive TOTAL - 4 stars...I didn't think I was that hungry

    (4)
  • Meryem E.

    I've been itching to try this place out as we only live 5 min away... My sister and I came in for lunch. The place was pretty empty but despite the fact "Crystle" gave the best service I've received in a long while. She was attentive, friendly, fast and overall happy to be serving us. The food was delicious esp the soft pita bread. We got the lamb/beef gyros which come with a side of your choice. Portions are on the heavy side but hey you get what you pay for so you do not feel ripped off by any means! The taziki sauce (I'm sure I'm spelling it wrong) was the best I've ever had and I tend to be picky when it comes to sauces. All in all we had such a pleasant experience. I'll make it my mission to come back and tell all my folks about it!!

    (5)
  • Courtney S.

    Upon entering the restaurant I felt as though I was immediately swept away to an eatery in the Mediterranean. The service was great, and the food (Lamb Souvlaki with flavored rice) was excellent. I love this place and I can't wait to return!

    (4)
  • Kristin C.

    The best Greek food I have ever had! Not your typical greasy gyro joint. This place has casual to dressy atmosphere, family-owned feel to it. The gyro has very fresh tasting and flavorful ingredients and the greek beer is refreshing and not too heavy. I left here with a lot of food leftover and a huge smile on my face. I recommend this place to any of my friends who want a true Greek experience in our neighborhood.

    (5)
  • Kaliva M.

    It's just so delicious. Fresh ingredients, vegetarian options and cool atmosphere. The decor made it even more enjoyable. Feel like I'm under the sea.

    (4)
  • Arun A.

    Solid! Be ready to feast though, very rich. Rice side is unreal! Authentic Greek radio in the white noise surely adds to the experience... Thumps up!

    (4)
  • Jenna L.

    Loved! Pita bread was perfectly warm and chewy. Hummus was delicious. Crab artichoke dip was super tasty. Loved the gyro! And their taztiki was on point. Steak fries are great. Could've done with out the cheese pastries and spicy feta. Those items weren't bad, but they were definitely kind of boring. My bf got a gyro stacker and was convinced they gave me the same amount of meat in my gyro but he eats super fast so he may have just eaten it all very quickly and not noticed. Service was excellent; we sat outside and our waiter was very friendly and attentive. Food came out extremely quick.

    (5)
  • Kira G.

    Good food, and moderately priced. Only ever been there for dinner, so fair warning. This review is only about their Dinner Menu. That said they serve standard Greek fare. Its solid. For anyone who has ever been to Greece will know that this is pretty much what you can get in most Greek restaurants in Greece (outside of Athens probably)] The seasoning is good, the meats are tasty. The portions are Huge! so be ware. The prices are reasonable, the service is solid, the atmosphere and decor are clean and well kept. It hits all of the key things that you expect a restaurants to do well. I've returned multiple times and it's in my go-to-stable of places when I don't feel like cooking dinner.

    (3)
  • Conrad B.

    Just back in town after driving up from a weekend in lala land, and didn't want to go shopping in the spontaneous rainstorm, so dad agreed to go for dinner. The trend seems to take us to greek/mediterranean/middle eastern restaurants as of late, so we decided to try another new spot. To start, the service here is fantastic. The owner immediately greeted us at the door and seated us. Then, my dad jokingly asked our server if he spoke Greek, and he responded: "Absolutely, sir." We were taken care of by everyone, and it was really very pleasant. And I love when my water glass is always refilled. The gyro called out to both of us ($9.50, with steak fries or orzo salad), and with good reason. Nice thick tender pieces of lamb and beef, and no shortage of it either. It's fun to be able to take a piece out and eat it separately, and not feel like I'm not going to have enough left to eat with the sandwich. Plus, nice tzatziki. The accompanying steak fries were alright - basic, but warm and well salted. Probably a bit salty for some, but I have a salty palate. Really nice ambiance, and great staff - would like to return here with some friends to try out some more dishes. Also, there's a cute little bar in the back with a TV - would totally watch a baseball game here.

    (4)
  • Tiffany L.

    The large sign of this restaurant caught my eye while I was visiting my friend in Oakland. Sure enough, it was a restaurant she frequented and also recommended. So when we didn't have a set place to eat at on my last night visiting, she suggested Greek food, which was perfect with me! It's a family-owned, intimate and low-key place with large portions of satisfyingly tasty, comfort food. The service is overall friendly and polite. Because we were quite hungry, we ordered the spanakopita mezes instead of pita and hummus for appetizer. She had gotten both before, and loved both. It was so delicious!! HOT upon arrival, but nothing a little blowing and dipping in the cool Greek yogurt wouldn't help to pop into your mouth! Perfectly crisp on the outside and a nice blend of spinach and feta on the inside, that wasn't too heavy or overpowering. Salivating just thinking about it. For my entree, I ordered the gyro stacker -- wow, everything I could have wanted! You get to pick two different meats, so I chose chicken and beef. They're stacked on top of a full plate of fries and veggies, including lettuce, tomatoes, and onions. Then, topped with smooth, cool, satisfying Greek yogurt. Such generous portions that I could not finish for dinner, and took about half of it back home to eat the next morning -- and it was still sooo good the next day! (I was too lazy to put the fries in an oven, so I just stuck everything in the microwave, and although the fries were of course soggy, they were still delicious.) Neither one of us could finish our entrees for dinner, but fear not because we made sure to finish out leftovers. AH, what a joy it was to eat away.

    (5)
  • Lulu B.

    We did not have any problem with parking, the only problem was choosing this place for dinner. We had to wait 10min for a waiter to come and take our order (and the place was not even half full). The food was OK, nothing to die for. Once we were almost done, they were taking care of us (right on time for the bill), it was uncomfortable when first they don't even care to take your order, but they turn into wolves when you are paying.

    (2)
  • Ava C.

    Ordered the bifteki with rice instead of fries, it was quite good. Minus a star for charging us for bread. It's just tacky, especially when the dip we ordered did not match the amount of bread given. Were we supposed to use our fingers after the bread was gone?

    (3)
  • Wiebke T.

    I am a gyros snob. This place is awesome and serves the best gyros I'v come across in the Bay Area since I moved here 9 years ago. Service was very attentive, friendly and fast. Food was fresh, hot and incredibly flavorful. The gyros were juicy and well seasoned. We enjoyed sitting outside on one of the few tables - it's close to a busy street but the quality of the food and excellent service distracted from any street noise. Will recommend this place to all of my European friends so they can feel a little less homesick. Kali spera.

    (4)
  • Jamie L.

    Running on fumes after our move, my SO and I were famished. We had seen Ikaros during our cruise drive up around the Lake and Piedmont. The restaurant has such a great set-up with entrance from the back and front. Lovely Greek flair and decor, we were happy with a quiet space for our lunchtime. For starters we ordered: Saganak: Fried Greek Cheese (need I say more?) Ikaros Greek Fries: More cheese (feta) on top of fries Both nom-nomlicious. And we were THAT hungry to where our eyes were not bigger than our stomachs. We gobbled up both appetizers and waited anxiously for our lunch: Chicken Gyro Sandwich with rice pilaf: My SO and I love the shared grill taste. I'm particular on how the chicken is prepared. Not dry at all and complimentary with the veggies and tzatziki. Definitely hit the spot for the both of us and we were full for all the right reasons. We will would love to bring my SO parents/ILs here for a tour of our new place and City.

    (5)
  • Sergio D.

    Wow. This place is amazing. I had the gyro stacker and my wife had the Aegean veggie combo. Both were amazing. The meat in the gyro stacker was perfectly seasoned. It was crispy on the edges but still juicy and tender. My wife loved the veggie combo. It comes with its own appetizer, the eggplant spread and pita bread. The pita bread came out hot, soft, and fresh. Awesome meal. We'll definitely be back.

    (5)
  • Charmaine D.

    Grabbed a quick dinner here, as we were in the neighborhood. For a starter, my partner and I shared the melitzanes, which were basically very thin eggplant slices that were fried. They were tasty, but unfortunately had WAY too much oil...to the point that my stomach hurt a little bit after 2 slices. Staff was very helpful, and able to make great recommendations. I had the lamb souvlakia and my partner had the mousaka. I loved my dish: the lamb was juicy and tender. At first, I had ordered my dish with the orzo pasta salad, but I didn't like it and they gladly switched it with rice. Water refilling was very on point and prompt. They also graciously allowed us to move to a bigger table, when our friend decided to join us unexpectedly. Unfortunately, my partner did not enjoy his mousaka as much as he had hoped. Overall, it was a good experience, and the customer service was great. The food was just not perfect, but pretty good.

    (4)
  • Ni N.

    Are you in the mood for some Mediterranean food today? You should try Ikaros. Delicious food, excellent customer service, nice and clean. Just be careful not to slip on your way out through the back door. Not sure why the floor was so slippery.

    (4)
  • Nick D.

    I can't comment on the food as I ended up leaving 2 stars for the decor and comprehensive menu. Wet outside and combined the the greasy rule floors it was difficult not to slip over (I was wearing walking boots so it wasn't them). Sat down with menu and waited.. and waited. The Japanese restaurant up the road is very good.

    (2)
  • Stephen L.

    The food was bad, the wine was bad, the wait staff was unhelpful. I love good Greek food. Of the 20 different meals I have heard of people having here, I think 1 was good.

    (2)
  • Ruben S.

    I'll confess up front that I love Greek food and that likely effects this review in two ways: I'm a sucker for good Greek food, and I've eaten my fair share of it. With that disclosure, I will say that that Ikaros is my favorite restaurant! It's got some (not all) of the clasics, a broad menu at a variety of price points, and some good retsina... ah yes, retsina. The food is flavorful and will leave you fully satisfied. The service is professional and attentive, and the ambiance is quaint and comfortable. The owners are often there, which usually means (as it does here) that they care about their operation and aren't just phoning it in. If my schedule and waistline could handle it, I would eat there all the time.

    (5)
  • Natalie W.

    "Good as it gets" is exactly how I would describe Ikaros. Some of the best Greek food I have ever had. I have been twice now and only discovered it a few weeks ago. The atmosphere is wonderful, its very clean and nicely decorated. The waiters are very helpful, very polite and definitely Greek which is fun! Both times I have been, it has not been crowded at all, in fact no more than 3 or 4 tables were filled which makes it great if you want a comfy, casual dinning experience. I wouldn't say that it is pricy, but I would say that the little extra you may pay here verses another Greek restaurant is well worth it for the quality of food and the overall experience. I have had the Ikaros Mezes combination plate and the traditional mousaka. Both were incredible.

    (5)
  • Swapnil J.

    One of the worst Greek restaurants I have ever been too. No hummus, and the baba ghanush was so really bad. The dolma rice was not properly cooked.

    (1)
  • Olivia O.

    I really don't like leaving less than good-great reviews but Yelp is for honestly therefore I'm gonna be real here. I prob wouldn't go back for the following reason- overpriced for average food. I had the hummus starter which was very small compared to other restaurants I've been to, and it wasn't amazing. Kind of an odd texture actually. Me and my bf shared a greek salad which was also small and so so. My entree was 13.50 veggie kabobs essentially. They came out burnt and not very tasty, and soaked in oil. I guess the veggie pita is good, according to my bf. Overall, sorry but this wasn't as good as I hoped, at all :(

    (2)
  • M B.

    Very authentic Greek food. Great hummus and taramasalata. Flavorsome gyros. Really hot and crispy steak fries. Service excellent!

    (4)
  • David L.

    Great, little restaurant serving excellent food. There is very little advertisement, because the restaurant does not have to. Well worth the trip to Oakland for Greek food.

    (4)
  • Kevin B.

    I have been here a few times. My conclusion is average Greek food at best. The pita bread is light and good. The chicken skewers are ok. The rice pilaf has to much butter in it ! The lamb skewer are not very tender.

    (2)
  • True S.

    Went to this place on 10:2:14 and ordered a gyro and rice pilaf. The gyro was so very good, meat moist and tender which is a rarity in Greek restaurants these days. However my rice was bland, which is why they didn't get 5 stars because the server and service was great.

    (4)
  • Nina B.

    My boyfriend and I came here for dinner. We got a gyro sandwich and the gyro salad. They were both good and reasonably priced. The waiter we had tonight was excellent. He was friendly, attentive, and extremely polite.

    (5)
  • Terry T.

    After photographing birds at Lake Merritt with Linda and Kevin, we planned to stop for drinks at one of the cool bars on Grand Avenue. That idea quickly went out the window when we decided that we needed to have some food with our drinks. We ended up at Ikaros. The restaurant was open and they had wine and beer and some interesting appetizers. Linda and I shared an order of Kavoura Meze. I'm not convinced that this warm crab and artichoke dip served with toasted bread is really a Greek dish. I am convinced it is worth ordering again. I have no doubt that the Spanakopita Mezes (spinach pie) is traditional dish. The mixture of spinach, onions, dill, feta and spices wrapped in a crispy pastry was a treat. Kevin said his gyro was good. The food was very good. The service seemed to be on the slow side. I suspect the food was cooked to order so I didn't mind the wait. However, it took a long time for them to bring the beer and dry red house wine to the table. When we sat down the restaurant was almost empty and there were seven employees that we could see working in the front of the room. When we left every table was full. Other than an occasional stuffed grape leaf it has been a long time since I had any Green food. I think I have been missing something. So, I would like to return and try some of the other dishes.

    (3)
  • John C.

    Outstanding Mediterranean food. I went here the other with my lady. After mediocre experiences with other med restaurants in the East Bay, I was pleasantly surprised with how tasty the food was. All of the food seems hand made (dolmas included) and well seasoned. I have the lamb kebab and it was well seasoned and succulent. My partner had the gyro which she said was the best she has had since Turkey. We got the combo mezzo and it was a lot of food for two people but it was fun to try all the different Mezzos.

    (5)
  • Jensyn H.

    This place knows what they're doing when they say they know Greek cuisine! I had one of the best veggie pitas that I've ever had--and veggie pitas can be quite simple to create. This pita, however, was overflowing with perfectly grilled vegetables and tzaziki sauce! I found that even when I finished, I still had scrumptious lumps of goodness I could scoop up with my fork! I also ordered a house white wine, which was crisp and refreshing. It went pretty well with my veggie-centered entree. Because of its popularity, Ikaros can get pretty busy. Everyone knows their style of impressive meals....Go early; stay late. :)

    (4)
  • Marion F.

    Ikaros is definitely one of my favorite restaurants in the Grand Lake Area. Consistent good service, delicious food, and pleasant atmosphere. I love to start off with their crab/artichoke dip or the dip sampler. All of their dips are mouthwatering. You pretty much can't lose with anything on their menu. The servers are friendly and professional - I've always been satisfied with the service there. Definitely a great date spot - elegant but not overdone or too pricey.

    (5)
  • Lizette F.

    The food here is superb! I ordered the a beef and lamb gyro which was amazing. Not to mention the service is amazing.

    (5)
  • yvette c.

    Good appetizers (although brought eggplant instead of tarama). Chicken moist and tasty, although rice pilaf a little too oily. Disappointment was dessert: kataifi was soggy due to ice cream on top. Ice cream is absolutely unnecessary. Overall, experience was fine, partly due to very pleasant service.

    (3)
  • Andrew D.

    First time eating here and it won't be my last. The Ikaros Gyro with Lamb, red onions, tomatoes, and tzatziki sauce was fantastic. The lamb was succulent and juicy. Also came with lightly seasoned steak fries which were hot and crispy. Very tasty and filling for an average price!

    (4)
  • Elisse L.

    We had the dip sampler and the stacker - all delicious! I really loved the beet dip and the hummus was amazing. The inside of the restaurant was a lot more cozy/nicer than I expected after walking by many times, but not peaking in until now. Would def return.

    (4)
  • Telebabe D.

    great food! Great background music! Waiter was awesome and super nice and very helpful on what to pick for kids. Owner stopped by and said hello. We are definitely going back! We had the Souflaki platter plus veggies and the giant fries.

    (5)
  • Iza S.

    Oh my I love this little place! Food is great, so delicious and fresh! Meat is always tender! My favorite time here was when we went on Sunday morning for Bottomless Mimosas! The waiter was so nice and I think we (me, bf and bff) had 4 bottles of Champagne total!!!

    (5)
  • Desiree Y.

    yesterday I got a gyro to go. I was answered quickly and his phone service was great! I had a bit of trouble finding, as i get so distracted on that block. Anywho, there is parking right next to the restaurant! Grumble, next time ill use it. I cam in and my food was ready! When I finally got home and ate it,it was really everything Id hoped for. I really cat wait to get back and eat in the restaurant, it looked so cute .

    (4)
  • Beach P.

    Excellent Greek food. I highly recommend the spanakopita (Huge portion), the dolmades, the tziki and the hummus. Everything is soooo tasty!

    (5)
  • Jordan T.

    The service sucked, food was great. Felt like the nicest they were to us was when my wife and I were leaving. I mean, just about everyone ignored us, but one of their frequent customers sitting at the bar was very pleasant...and the very reasonably priced wine, that they let us take home was, too. :)

    (2)
  • Gail R.

    This Greek Resturant located on Grand in Oakland, CA for certain is a "HIT"!!! The entire menu is great! I have dine all over this country and have not yet, no not one that can top the food, the service, nor the prices. I know you will agree. Enough said, go there a make a liar out of me. I dare you!!! The steak fries are for certain a huge winner!!!!!!!

    (5)
  • Aaron Z.

    My big fat greek restaurant! Good find and good prices. We went here totally on a fluke one Saturday night. The menu has something for just about anyone. This is real deal Family-Style Greek Cuisine from the island of Ikaria, Greece. SIDEBAR for Mythologists: (It was the island of Ikaria that Ikaros, the son of Dedalos, fell on when he flew too close to the sun with his wings made of wax as he fled Crete & King Minos who had imprisoned him & his father for life to prevent them from duplicating Knossos Palace.) I forgot how much I missed greek food. We enjoyed one of the best just like home lamb gyros with steak fries ($9.) Portions were generous, pita was soft and chewy, the meat was seasoned perfectly and the yogurt sauce was delicious. The steak fries side were fresh. We shared eggplant slices lightly floured and fried to a crisp served with tzatziki.Killer! The great surprise dish was the fantastic soup- Avgolemono Soupa famous "egg lemon" soup- tender pieces of chicken and rice in an egg-lemon fumet. It's worth a visit just for this, just a really creamy and tangy combination of flavors. and of course a greek salad - topped off with a small cup of greek cofee and a walnut baklava Their baklavas are like 4" across, not the little ones you usually get. Service was friendly, and attentive by our waiter and the other staff. Ended up taking home 1/2 the desert and some of the souvlaki/hero to savor the next day. Prices are quite fair for the quality and portions given. It is a drafty room though and it was chilly at night and in the place - most people kept their coats on. HINT: Turn up the heat). There is a small bar area in the back.The restaurant is very clean, has a a fair amount ( 50 + ) seating inside with a few tables outside in the front. Nice homestyle decorations with photos and Greek images artifacts scattered around. It's worth a visit.

    (5)
  • Gabrielle L.

    Having lived in Chicago, I can be a bit picky about greek food, but this place delivers. We had a dip sampler (spicy feta was especially good), lamb skewers on pilaf (pronounced delicious; I didn't try) lemon chicken and fries. First, the chicken is sublime - like the time when you were a kid and your dad got it exactly right on the barbeque and you had never tasted anything like that before. But the fries were having a bad day - I paid extra to get the fries from the appetizer menu and I guess that was a mistake. They reminded me of the kind of frozen fries that you bake in the oven that never get crisp. We also got the house Sauvignon Blanc - a little sweet but a good compliment to the food and well priced - but I was tempted by the St Supery Sauvigion Blanc; an excellent wine and a bargain (in restaurant terms) at $30 a bottle Oh - it's loud in there. They need some curtains or something to absorb the sound.

    (4)
  • Erin S.

    If you are a fan of Greek food like me, you know that there are not many places to get good, quality Greek dishes in the Bay Area. It's a shame, since there seems to be a fairly large population of Greeks around here. Luckily, Ikaros opened recently so now I have a place to go to curb my Greek cravings! My parents raved about this place, so they took my hubby & I here on a recent Wednesday night. The place was pretty packed by 7pm which shows that they are doing pretty good business here in Oakland. The owner is very sweet & makes his way around to all the tables, greeting customers & helping the waitstaff. I was very excited to see octopus on the menu. I am a huge fan of grilled octopus and most places just don't know how to prepare it correctly. We ordered the octopus appetizer, which was cooked perfectly but I didn't feel that the balsamic vinaigrette worked. I would have preferred some olive oil & a splash of red wine vinegar. We also ordered 3 dips: tzatziki (cucumber yogurt), melitzanosalata (eggplant), & tirokafteri (spicy feta spread). I loved them all, but I think my fave was the feta spread. Of course we had to order extra pitas which came out promptly & piping hot. There is so much on the menu it took me quite a while to decide. I finally chose the moussaka. It came in its own clay pot & was much bigger than a person could possible eat in one sitting. No matter, I gladly took it home & enjoyed it for lunch the next day. The flavors were delicious & it tasted just like homemade. The folks each ordered lamb, which is not my thing so I can't comment on it, but they seemed to thoroughly enjoy it. Hubby got the Gyros Stacker, which I just KNEW he would order! It was right up his alley: 2 kinds of gyro meat, pitas, fries, tzatziki, tomatoes, & red onion piled high. It was quite the concoction! Again it was too large to eat in one sitting, so I helped him finish it the next day. Both the chicken & the lamb/beef gyro meat were so delicious. Yep, I ate some even though I hate lamb! I am SO getting gyros next time. We were too full for dessert, but we happily enjoyed the little glasses of ouzo they brought over at the end of the meal. Nice touch. Kali orexi!

    (4)
  • Prez F.

    If you like Greek Food, I highly recommend Ikaros. Great food & good service. I like the chicken dish. Great location too.

    (4)
  • Khalid E.

    Feel I owe this restaurant a reviewe since I've been here more times than I can remember. I've never had a bad meal. The lamb shank and orzo is definitely my recommendation.

    (5)
  • Mandy A.

    what a local gem! greek food is hard to get just right and ikaros does a wonderful job. they're family owned and it shows - the staff is super friendly, accommodating and eager to ensure guests have a pleasant experience. we have begun ordering takeout from ikaros and on my last order. when you call in, they have your past orders saved which makes it super easy to order "the usual" when you want to place a quick order. they forgot to include the side dish that came with our entree in a past order. when i mentioned it the next time i called in, they added an extra side without us asking for it. such a nice, proactive touch to keep their customers happy. what we like to order: the gyro wrap spanokopita roasted red pepper feta spread orzo salad

    (5)
  • Andrew C.

    Couple month old restaurant with a pretty large menu. Really light and airy at lunchtime with blue walls and the long skylight in the vaulted ceiling. I ordered the Gyro Sandwich (a traditional blend of marinated lamb & beef gyro meat served on pita with tomatoes, red onions & tzatziki, $8.50) with orzo salad (You have a choice of fries, orzo salad, or rice) and Dolmades (homemade grape leaves stuffed with rice and a special blend of fresh herbs, $7). My pictures ( yelp.com/biz_photos/fb63… yelp.com/biz_photos/fb63… ) don't do the Gyro sandwich justice. It was stuffed with juicy flavorful meat slices and the tzatziki was delicious. The orzo salad was OK. It had some olive bits and just a few crumbs of feta. Needed more feta! The dolmas looked good on the plate. Nice plump wraps surrounding a scoop of tzatziki ( yelp.com/biz_photos/fb63… ). The grape leaves were tender and mildly flavored unlike the sinewy and bitter leaves you find sometimes. The rice filling needed more herbs and seasoning. Luckily there was some of that great tzatziki to kick things up flavorwise. Service was very friendly and reasonably attentive. Gyro: 4.5 stars Dolmas: 3 stars

    (4)
  • Michelle M.

    Stumbled on this place by accident and glad that I found it. I ordered the charbroiled veggie kabobs with risotto salad and my wife ordered the veggie mousaka. I wasn't thrilled with the kabobs because it lacked seasoning, however the risotto salad was soooo good! I would have given this place another star if the kabobs had more flavor. Now the veggie mousaka was out of this world! Never had mousaka before and I wish I would've ordered that dish instead. So flavorful and very filling. I know what I'll be getting the next time I go there!

    (3)
  • Michael E.

    Pretty solid greek place. I really like eating here when i'm in the area. Gyros are great, tzaziki sauce is good. Big portions.

    (4)
  • Angela L.

    food is more like 3/3.5, but service ups it to 4. I was super excited this place opened by my place and tried the gyros wrap with their pasta salad on my first visit. the gyros wrap was seriously yummy, and their tzatziki is some of the best I've had. made fresh to order, I could come here once a week for it. the orzo salad is also a great accompaniment to any meal. brought my mom here to dine in a second time, and we had the spanakopita, lamb souvlaki, and moussaka. the spanakopita was pretty good and passed my mom's test [my parents used to make some amazing spanakopita at their old restaurant]. the lamb souvlaki was pretty weak. it wasn't horrible by any means, but I didn't catch any yummy, herby, greek flavor from it. moussaka was very good though. I do want to keep supporting this place however, since it's a family business and they are all making a great effort to provide excellent customer service and food at very reasonable prices. my mom and I sat at a high table and accidentally dropped a lamb skewer on the ground, and one of the managers came by with a new one for us. totally unnecessary since it was our fault for being clumsy haha, so thank you sir! very nice, clean, new interior, so it's a good place to bring a date. skip the souvlaki, but definitely get the gyros! and anything else with their delicious tzatziki.

    (4)
  • Jeremias A.

    Best Greek food ever, what really made it for me was the freshly baked and delicious pita bread with dips. I almost filled up on pita bread before my chicken lemonata which was a big serving but it was manageable. Even the fries were great! All freshly made foods that taste as good as the ingredients.

    (5)
  • Gabe C.

    Dropped by this place because I was in need of of some Greek grub. Server was very courteous and helpful. Homemade humus and hit fresh pita was really good. The lamb skewer dinner was awesome the vegetables were cooked to perfection.good work I will be back

    (5)
  • David K.

    Delicious food and a nice looking restaurant. Spanakopita and chicken souvlaki were excellent. The steak fries everyone raves about are standard frozen steak fries. I am a strong believer in fresh cut fries. Despite that and a Greek restaurant charging extra for tzatziki sauce and pita (are they even from Greece?), I still give them 5 stars because of the quality of the food and the good value (lots of food for the money). Enjoy!

    (5)
  • Yamona M.

    The service is consistently pleasant and I always get my fix for what I need. Their plates are huge too. Very nice and welcoming restaurant.

    (3)
  • Craig W.

    We celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary here tonight, and I could not be happier. The food was excellent, as was the service. It's frankly amazing to me how every dish was so good, since we had a LOT of different dishes. The sampler platters are a great way to get a chance to sample a wide variety of items. The dessert really blew me away. I had the galaktoboureko (which I practiced pronouncing several times before the server came. I almost got it right), which is a custard-filled filo dough, apparently with magic and fairy dust. My husband got the baklava which was equally delicious. Most baklava is on the dry side, but this was prepared with plenty of honey and nuts and was tender and melted in the mouth. The center of the restaurant has a beautiful high ceiling in blue, which makes for a nice open feeling. They have a low ceiling on one side of the restaurant, and apparently they can't serve the flaming cheese dish flaming, due to concerns from the fire marshal. But it was still very good, just without the showmanship. We were very fortunate to get a parking spot as soon as we arrived, like most of Oakland parking is limited. The businesses in the area would do much better if there were more parking, but that's been an ongoing issue for years. I was surprised that the check wasn't higher, since we ordered so much. The owner came by our table at the end of the meal, and was very warm and friendly. She is clearly proud of her restaurant, and for good reason. It's been too long since we've had this good of a dining experience, and we will be back.

    (5)
  • Thunder C.

    My first time dining in a Greek restaurant. Food is a bit different from expected. The smell and taste are too strong for me. But overall, the food quality is pretty good. One thing I dont appreciate much is the service. We walk in on a weekday early evening. Very few customers are there and most tables are vacant. Yet they still sit us at the corner with very little space. We having troubles moving arms all night.

    (2)
  • Kim D.

    Don't even bother with any other soulless, anemic, wanna-be Greek Cuisine - this is the real deal, baby. There is an entire branch of my family that is Orthodox: Antiochian, Russian, Greek - converts and cradle Orthodox. I converted when I was 18, but had been involved with the culture and the church since I was about 15. At my first Orthodox Wedding (a cousin's) I had major reservations because my WASPy parents were grumbling about "Mary worshippers" and icons being false idols... I was raised to believe that J.C. was kind of like an omniscient therapist and I could just chat him up anytime I wanted to. Okay, so: my cousin's wedding was the first one that I cried at. It was so beautiful, so powerful, so serious, but joyful at the same time. When my best friend from childhood got married, I felt nothing - it was all about the dress and the pictures and it was a big to-do for everybody else. I digress. But not really. Ikaros is family owned and operated. I've eaten A LOT of Greek, Lebanese, Russian and Romanian food - and I feel very at home here. The food is infused with love, pride and passion. When I eat here, it's a celebration of identity and true love - a marriage of delicious ingredients and expertise in the kitchen. I like the Ikaros Mezes: expertly rolled dolmades, kefthethes, spanakopita, tiro pita, taramasalata and tzaziki. I always double down on the regional version of the Avgolemono Soup, which will surely cure what ails you. For the last 12 years, I've given up carbonation - it just doesn't slake my thirst and it's really bad for your teeth. But I will make exceptions: Vietnamese lemonade sodies, an occasional Orangina, Rootbeer and Birch Beer... but my new love is the fantastic Greek Sour Cherry Soda - You can't drink just one. Get a few for the road; they make kick-ass floats. The bottles are 8 oz, but these are truly sipping sodas, and you will savor them - I tried two other flavors... a citrus that was not interesting to my palate and I forget the third... It's all about the deep, complex sour cherry soda, which complements the meze selections. Go by yourself; go with a friend - go with a group - it's a real neighborhood gem and I'm completely enamored.

    (4)
  • Heather N.

    I have never craved Greek like I do now. Unbelievable dolmades, hummus and killer meat. Mediterranean salad is my favorite but you can't go wrong with the Spanakopita. We end up dining there once a week now. The staff has always been attentive and very nice. Make it happen.

    (5)
  • meshell c.

    This was an unexpected surprise. Don't be fooled by the drab front door. I walk by this place and was never impressed by the front entrance, but the inside is quite a nice delight. Food: I had the gyro and with a side Greek salad for an extra $2. I mean, really? It normally comes with orzo pasta or fries, but if you want the salad, it's extra. The meat was tender and there was enough yogurt slathered in it. I think the gyro missed some veggies inside. I wish they had some lettuce and tomato. It only came with red onions. The rest of the folks at my table was pretty happy with their selection as wel. Service: Meh. Our waitress was ok. My friend didn't think she was being very friendly. Overall: This will be a repeat. I'll probably order something to go next time.

    (4)
  • s u.

    Great food! The gyro plates are big portions so they're awesome if your budget is tight. Their meze platter is also pretty filling. And my family comes here often for the family style lamb chops: ordered by the kilo. Grilled to perfection and finger lickin' goodness. Sometimes all we need is an app, a dip / spread w/ extra pita on the side, and a kilo of the lamb. As the weather turns cold, I'm looking forward to warming up w/ their pastitsio or moussaka on some evenings.

    (4)
  • Sheila L.

    Food was tasty and seasoned well. I like the selection of options they provide. One of the better Mediterranean restaurants I have been to in the bay area.

    (4)
  • Jordann C.

    Have not had a bad experience here yet! Love love love this place. At first I thought it was a bit pricey for the quantity you get, but last time we went back our gyros were overflowing with chicken and bacon goodness...so thank you Ikaros, you are definitely the highest quality and most authentic Greek Restaurant I've ever been to.

    (5)
  • Rodger P.

    I found this restaurant to serve really good food at a moderate price. I have been there twice - only for lunch. Once for dine in and once for take out. They serve standard Greek fare. Food (lamb and beef) was seasoned well and the portions were large. The service was good. Unfortunately for me my take out order was not prepared correctly, so I suggest that you check your order before you leave the restaurant.

    (3)
  • Booboo Y.

    I love this place except for the food and the service and the ambiance. Haha no the place itself is not that bad but the food is an insult to all my Greek ancestors and the service is consistently clueless. I'm not sure why this Greek owner guy doesn't know what's going on. Dude, spanakopita is literally my favorite food in the whole entire world and yours is the only pita I've ever met that I didn't like. Outta all the gin joints in all the world. The feta is some bootleg industrial cow milk feta with no taste, the oil is obviously some crappy like canola blend or whatever. There is no real olive oil flavor or butter involved in the phyllo, the ratio of filling to phyllo is completely wrong ie. Not enough spinach. Even if you did put a decent amount of spinach- there's not enough flavor, not enough dill, not enough seasoning, not enough feta. It didn't used to be that way in the beginning, when you first opened you know. Ikaros flew for bit! the tzatiki doesn't even have any garlic or like cucumber or anything in it, it's like yogurt plain. And I'm just fucking getting started! And everything is ridiculously expensive! And low integrity shitty ingredients! I'm pissed! I wish more than anything that there was a good Greek place. I would pay 30 dollars for a tiny sandwich, a cup of soup and two small mezze pitas if they were at all good! But guess what, they're not. At all. I will have my family overnight me a freakin box of spanakopita from Astoria before I go back to ikaros. I mean, if you can tell anything from a name. And that is the deal...the restaurant has flown too far from his father and is melting! About to perish into the sea

    (1)
  • Amber W.

    Everything was really outstanding! It was my first time to an actual Greek restaurant (usually I buy it from Greek festivals) and they did not disappoint! My Greek aunt (adoptive lol) knows all about Greek food, and she recommended we eat here. We ordered the spanikopita, Greek bread, avgolemono soup, authentic Greek salad, their white wine (I forgot the actual name), ouzo, Greek coffee, and the best dessert I've had in a while...their Galaktoboureko! We couldn't move afterward, but it was SO worth it! Mmm. I'm so glad we decided to eat here. What a gem in Oakland! I'd recommend it to all my friends! Everything was cooked perfectly and it was really fresh! Simply delicious!

    (5)
  • Briget P.

    Service is great/friendly and the place cleans up nice. I tried their lamb gyro but I was a little disappointed. It was plain, only had tomatoes, meat, and not enough veggies. I would probably have to go back another time to try their other elaborate dishes vs the gyro.

    (3)
  • Chancy F.

    I like this place, even though I think the service can be a little slow at times. Everything is fresh and good.

    (3)
  • Bianca C.

    Restaurant was very busy and noisy, so took food to go. Service was okay considering how busy it was. Had the Ikaros gyro sandwich with salad and had a taste of the fries too (from my companion). Was very good and tasty and I can't wait to go back and try something new. Hopefully the place isn't so busy next time and will be able to sit in. Looks like a cozy, fun place to hang out, but not when it's as loud and busy as it was when I was there.

    (4)
  • Arish A.

    Man, I loved their yeeeeros! The Ikaros Gyro sandwich (lamb/beef) with sriracha was friggin fantastic. Our server was this really prompt waiter that looked like Hugh Jackaman (don't take your girlfriend heh jk)

    (5)
  • Doctor G.

    I don't really know what I'm talking about when it comes to Greek restaurants, but this seems to me to be the best Greek restaurant in the Oakland-Alameda-San Leandro area. We managed to find parking in the busy municipal lot behind Ikaros. Very busy restaurant on a Sunday night. We made reservations and got seated right away, Service was excellent. Meat from gyros and in meatballs were great. Lamb kabobs were very good as well. My lemon roast chicken was very tasty and the steak fries came with nicely steamed mixed veggies. The pictures on this Yelp page don't do this place justice. It's much nicer than the diner feel you get from the photos. We left out the back door to the parking lot. Go for it.

    (3)
  • WhitePeach S.

    Pretty amazing vegetarian moussaka here... so warm, cheesy, and comforting! One of the best greek food I've had.

    (4)
  • Katelyn S.

    I love Ikaros! Their greek wines are amazing, the food is always delicious - except once my spanakopita was really dry. In the summer time I like sitting out front at their tables. Also, the service is great and there are always at least 3 people who come to the table to bring water, drinks, food, etc during the meal. The spreads are particularly delicious and great for lunch with a big salad.

    (5)
  • Lynn L.

    I had two nice dinners here last week. The food was decent. I thought the lamb was cooked really well. I thought it was a bit pricey for what you get. The service is the highlight. I thought the wait staff were helpful and friendly and felt like I was a regular there. Will definitely go back.

    (3)
  • Blue S.

    Friend and I went here tonight, we each ordered a starter and a main and were not thrilled with any of the dishes, some were better than others but none really made us happy. After shelling out $56 bucks for a less than satisfying meal we know we won't be returning. It is a shame because my friend said she had eaten here once before and enjoyed the dishes she ordered tonight, but the inconsistency she experienced tonight will have her looking elsewhere.

    (2)
  • Michael N.

    Like a little bit of Greece here in the East Bay. Everytime we go there I want to rush out and buy tickets for a trip to Greece. The food is absolutely wonderful. The salads, hummus, sauces and gyros are absolutely delicious. The staff is very friendly and helpful. This place is a regular stop for us.

    (4)
  • Pb J.

    I am remiss that I have eaten here a handful of times, always walking out full and satisfied, and lucky enough that its only a stone's throw away from my apartment and yet, have never reviewed them! Ikaros, I love everything about you! From the many and plentiful vegetarian options to the amazing Greek coffee that I am afraid I might be addicted to, I have never left feeling anything less than food baby status! My favorite dishes include: the meze plate (i think that's what its called) which is a nice selection of the appetizers and a spread of different dips (my favorite being the eggplant) as well as the french fries topped with feta! Lastly, when I am in the mood for a bigger meal, I thoroughly enjoy the stuffed bell pepper plate with seasoned steak fries and rice- although I am quite disappointed cause they used to put two peppers (which was great reheated for lunch!) but now, sadly, only one. The baklava is very rich but ever so addictive! The same with the yogurt, honey, and glazed nuts (?) dessert. I am not exactly sure what its called, but it is divine. And also very, very rich! I am so happy Ikaros is just down the street from me. Its so nice to finally have a good, lip-smacking Greek restaurant in the area!

    (5)
  • Carny A.

    Service is friendly, location is great and the food is SO good. Two dishes I had never tried before are the Gyigantes, big white beans baked in a tomato sauce and served warm with toasted bread, and the Revithosalata, a cold salad of garbanzo beans, fresh tomatoes, and onions. Both salads are big enough to share, and if you share one with only one other person, you may want to split a dinner as well or be prepared to take food home. The spanikopita dinner is four large pieces of delicious spinach pie with amazing roasted potatoes and a small salad. The gyro is good, although the one at Athenos in Orinda may be slightly better. This place will get us through the long period between Oakland Greek Festivals!

    (4)
  • Jaime L.

    Chicken Gyros are a must! Delicious white sauce!

    (4)
  • Ashlee J.

    Went on a Tuesday night & the place was full w only 1 server on site. Bad call for the owner of this place. Our server wasn't to blame & was doing the best he could so we did tip him handsomely. I did like the way the place looked. The blue ceiling, fisherman cove & tubal architecture were nice touches to the space. The Greek salad is a must to start your meal. I would have liked more than 1 small cube of feta on my salad. I ordered the mousaka & to be honest it wasn't all that. Very, very meaty. I guess I was spoiled when I lived in Astoria, NY for several years surrounded by the best Greek restaurants outside Greece. My hubbie had lamb chops & liked it. The potatoes that came w the meal were flavorless but he claimed the vegetables were the best he has had anywhere. We enjoyed the bread & the Greek coffee too (it's like an espresso shot). Overall, this is a good place to try if in the Grand Lake area.

    (3)
  • Ivan S.

    Went again this past sunday with a buch of my home town friends. The service was great, and quick! And very friendly towards my loud crowd of friends and our I ordered the Ikaros Gyro and it was amazing with more then enough food and the pasta salad was refreshingly good... however what I enjoyed even more was the awesome Greek Beer (RED something, the green one i wasn't too much of a fan of)!!!! Plus to be able to try so many authentic greek foods in Oakland is so great. With all the beautiful pictures on the walls it definitely reminds me of my vacations in Greece! So Im very happy to make this place a reunion spot for me and my friends in the future!

    (5)
  • Adrian M.

    Wowza. I was not expecting this good of food during a lunch stop with a friend on a Saturday afternoon. We were seated outside on a nice day (the option to sit outside is always a plus for me). First off, someone from Daphne's "Greek" restaurants should come here and take some notes. Tzatziki sauce should be thick enough to stick to the meat that I'm dipping in it, not a watery mess of yogurt. The tzatziki here is so good. I finished my little sauce cup up. I had the gyro salad while my friend had the gyro wrap. The difference really being that he got the jojo's. What are jojo's? MINI LESSON! I just learned this as well. This is what steak fries or potato wedges are called in the Pacific Northwest. Try that one next time someone orders them and you'll have some surprised faces around the table. I got to try some of his jojo's and it was delicious. Thick cut and well fried. The gyros were also great! Every time I order chicken, half of my heart (like John Mayer's =P) believes that it is going to come out completely overcooked or dry or some combination of the two. These were moist, flavorful, and well cut. Nice and thin so the crispiness of the edges was still apparent. The service was good. Nothing memorable but nothing left wanting. I'll definitely be back. No crazy reinvention of the Greek wheel but just some good food. This will definitely be my go to spot on sunny days when craving Greek.

    (4)
  • Vanessa G.

    Gyros and steak fries were delicious. Cute place. Service was sweet, but slow. On a slow day.

    (4)
  • Linda L.

    We started with the spanakopita which were incredibly flaky with lots of spinich. My boyfriend ordered the lamb chops and the portions were huge! I had the shrimp soulvakia with pilaf rice. My dish wasn't bad but not as great as my boyfriend's lamb chops. We then followed with our dessert of kataifi, it was perfectly sweet and served with vanilla ice cream. We would probably come back as my boyfriend prefers this place over la Mediterranean. Service was very attentive.

    (3)
  • Catt G.

    The food is fine. I liked my gyro meat. The lamb kebobs weren't bad but they were overcooked ("medium rare" came out medium-well and too chewy). Our service was spotty: I actually had to walk back to the waiter to ask him if we could order now... And then walk up to him again to pay our bill. Each time he looked at us with recognitiion like "oops!" but it wasn't terribly busy, so maybe they just need more than that one guy serving. I don't think I'll come back preferentially over other options in the area, and I definitely wouldn't make a trek -- unless I get some insane gyro meat hankering.

    (3)
  • Ezequiel R.

    You know you are at a great restaurant when you become sad that you are almost done with your food while trying to enjoy every last piece. The owners of Ikaros definitely knew what they were doing when they opened up this fantastic Greek restaurant. I came here not knowing what to expect of the food. We sat down and noticed that the decor was tastfully themed. The bar was set nice and I loved how you could watch the cooks cook! I LOVED the Chicken Souvlakia with rice. It was perfectly grilled and seasoned just right. We also enjoyed the Dolmades with the sauce (I used the sauce for my Souvlakia as well!) Overall we enjoyed everything with this restaurant. From the kind friendly staff down the the Greek coffee for dessert.

    (4)
  • Hally J.

    This is a new restaurant that I recently went to. And yes, if you're wondering, it's okay to bring in the dogs. I really recommend the mousaka (did I spell it right?) and it is soo good! The taste was very different than all of those other meals I've tasted before. The eggplant was no-no. And the beautiful rich sauce was so delicious that I could NOT get enough. For refreshments, I got COKE. I stick with American drinks. Then I had a Greek yogurt. Tzatzik (again, did I spell that right?) and it was okay. Nothing really new to say. Oh, and I had Orange Fanta!

    (4)
  • Linlin L.

    I came here the other night for dinner. We were able to get a table within 5 minutes without a reservation at around 7 pm. We ordered the hummus and pita bread, bifteki platter, and pork souvlakia. The hummus was a bit grainy, but good considering it's home made. Bifteki was good, but it looked like hamburger patty, not what I expected. The pork was average. All in all, food wasn't bad, but nothing to write home about. There were a few times we couldn't find our server throughout our meal. He's a nice guy, but hard to get his attention.

    (3)
  • Christina C.

    Yummmmmmmmmmmmmmy! We finally found this wonderful Greek restaurant that we can go ALL THE TIME last night. Coming from Montreal with huge Greek population and tasty proper Mediterranean food readily available everywhere, my husband and I dream about Greek family style food for years since we move to California. We had dip sampler, Kalamari, souvelaki conbination platter, rice and fries and kid's butter pasta. Every single plate is at a decent portion. This may not be the place you can break plates, but I will certainly call this my favorite Greek restaurant East Bay. The restaurant even serve their house wine by the kilo!!! Gush I love this place. Tumbs up from my entire family!

    (5)
  • Veronica L.

    This place opened in my neighborhood and gave me my first experience with Greek food. I'm hooked! The decor is so unexpected, like walking off the sidewalk into another country. Very cool and blue. They have outside seating, but check the street noise before deciding. Grand Ave is busy. We ordered Saganaki, which was delicious, but my companion thought it would be flaming when it arrived at our table. Apparently it is often served as such? Chicken Souvlakia (skewers), moussaka, hummus all excellent as well. Our server was great on both of our visits. I will be back to try more.

    (5)
  • Mike S.

    food was actually really good. I had the chicken gyro and my friend had the beef one. meat was tender, and portions were just right. the outside seating area is nice on a nice day, however, the service could be a bit hmmm .. not really present. food wise though, a pretty solid Greek joint.

    (4)
  • Hallie R.

    This is the first time that I personally wished for the half star option. I think Ikaros is solid, more than okay, but it's not quite a 4 star restaurant. Rounding up from 3.5 stars, I'll say I'm giving it an aspirational 4 star rating. Here are the reasons that it's close: friendly and proficient staff, a wide range of dips (try the kopanisti, a whipped herbed feta) and small plates for sharing, some really good dishes (dips like kopanisti, skordalia and hummus, flavorful pita, yummy spanakopita and chicken souvlaki). Here are some reasons why Ikaros still falls short: for what you're getting it sometimes feels like a long wait and some of the Greek standards are kind of disappointing (dry lamb and gyros twice in a row, bland dolmas). I do love having a Greek restaurant in the neighborhood though and I also love the totally unpretentious friendly atmosphere. The welcoming atmosphere is probably why you find such an interesting mix of diners here: families, friends, couples, older, younger etc. I of course, have always found myself seated next to diners having more "colorful" conversations. The hilarious eavesdropping experiences I've had totally make amends for the somewhat scrunched seating. So go, eat, eat! And if you're vegetarian, have the lamb ;-)

    (4)
  • Adam T.

    Why does this place not have more stars? Went here for dinner last night around 8 and it was hopping. We were seated in the "hallway" like area beside the kitchen and were waited on by who I can only presume was the owner. He was incredibly friendly and prompt, bringing us our water quickly and our drinks soon thereafter. For dinner, the boy and I split an appetizer plate (Ikaros Mezes) and substituted the caviar (tarmosalata) for the pepper spread (tirokafteri). The spreads came out first with about six wedges of pita and the greek salad (which was small, but it was part of a plate, so who cares?). The pita was warm and fresh and well seasoned and paired perfectly with the tzatziki (which was the freshest I've had since getting back from Greece; seriously; and had an awesome amount of dill) and the tirokafteri. A little later the rest of the appetizers came out, along with the Gyros Stacker. Everything was SO delicious. The spanikopita and tiropita were the best I've ever had in the states, the dolmades were great (not overly acerbic like so many places serve them) and the keftethes were delicious. The Gyro Stacker had a bunch of tomato, more tzatziki and a ton of meat and french fries on it, as well as bunch more pita underneath. All of the meat was good, perhaps a bit dry, but that is the way you're supposed to get gyro meat (if it's moist, that's called grease, and it's gross). No, it's not the cheapest. We paid about $50 (tip included) for the two dishes, a beer, and a lemonade. But damn, was it tasty. Will definitely be back.

    (5)
  • Mike F.

    Excellent service! The owners and staff are all very warm and make you feel at home. My family came in on a Sunday evening. There were 5 of us. We had to wait a bit for a table, but that was on us since we didn't make a reservation. Once we were seated, we never felt rushed and took our time, despite a busy restaurant around us. The food is incredible! I am Greek myself, and having been to Greece numerous times, I can say honestly that they know their stuff! The beef gyro is my favorite. Probably the best I've ever had. Their tzatziki is amazing. Prices are very reasonable. This place is an experience. Someone said in an earlier posted review that this place was probably going to go out of business soon due to lack of return customers: To that person, I'd like to say, "Exactly how much crack do you smoke?" There is nothing to indicate this place is going anywhere anytime soon. I''ll certainly be back!

    (5)
  • Linda T.

    Interesting Fact: Ikaros measures wines by glass and *kilos*. What! After a notoriously challenging day, my buddy and I settled in to a kilo of wine and one of our best Greek dining experiences ever. Opa! His meaty gyro was a combination of terrifically balanced flavors and textures. My large lobster and artichoke dip was OH. MY. WOW. I had some leftover and the very next morning -- I swear -- I wanted nothing more than to wash my mouth in the rest of it. (Classy lady that I am, I waited until brunch before eating it again.) Next time we go, I'm going to try the *raved about* pastitsio.

    (5)
  • Victoria Y.

    Everyone at the restaurant is super friendly and they have a small seating area outside when the weather is nice and it's dog friendly. They even bring out a small bowl for the pups and a lot of the servers came to say hello to my dog. The food is pretty good too. I got the beefteki platter and it was as describe, juicy, with spices. I got them with the friends and the juice ran into them and made them taste soooo good. The fries are amazing, crispy on the outside and like regular steak fries on the inside - I think this is the first place I've ever seen make an entire platter of fries this way. Other places can only get a few of them like this and the rest area all soft which I don't like. My friend got the lamb sandwich which was amazing, I kind wished I had ordered that instead. My brother got the pork plate - this was alright. The first bite was great because it was crispy on the outside, but I think it might have been slightly overcooked because it was tough and not as flavorful on the inside.

    (4)
  • Ruby K.

    Since I came here the first time and ordered the gyro, two things have happened: I have returned about once a week. I have never ordered anything else. Tzatziki thick as sour cream, crispy meat, pita you could eat by itself... AND steak fries! Any ex-New Yorker who developed his or her taste for Greek food back in The City will be thrilled with this gyro. I almost forgot the avogolemono soup! I don't even like chicken soup, normally, but this lemony chicken rice soup is just amazing. I recommend that if you're anti-steak fry you sub in a cup of this stuff. Or just buy a bowl to dip your fries in. OK, leaving now. Hungry.

    (5)
  • Eli G.

    Wow, so Ive heard about this place when they opened... but never visit Oakland... Well I just started working in Oakland & ended up here for dinner the other night.. (I am greek & eat Gyros all the time!) And let me tell you... everything from the Service, the Food, the Creative ideas are PERFECT. Best Gyro I have had in the U.S (never been to europe)!! Great creations & twists on greek & medditeranean food! I am absolutely impressed! They did say they are possibly working on getting a couple flat screens so they can make it even more perfect & entertain with sporting events too!! I say MUST GO!

    (5)
  • Suzanne E.

    First time, went Sat for dinner and loved loved loved it! Everything from the service to the food to the decor was on point. I had the lamb souvlakia and my mate had biftekki plater. both seasoned and cooked perfectly they start you off with fresh warm pita bread with a hummus dip, i ordered the grilled zucchini app with balsalmic vinegrette. We finished with coffee and baklava. They serve greek beers, All yummy. I liked that owner is front and center, making sure everything runs well. We walked in at 6:30, but it soon got full with 3 tables reserved. The only thing we weren't too crazy about was that it is a bit small and there were quite a few people with kids. We were a little afraid when someone sat down right next to us with a newborn, but luckily it was quiet.

    (5)
  • John F.

    This place was really cool. Kinda small and cramped, but it looks as if that is whats in for now. We had a larger group (7ppl), and the staff quickly accommodated. We were seated within 5 minutes. I ordered the steak (I was in a steak mood) with double veg. While the steak was good (slightly overcooked but well seasoned), my veg was fairly gross. Thinly sliced zuccinni and carrots that have been sitting inside of a hotel pan all day just don't do it for me. Ill try the orzo next time. Oh yea! I was able to sample some of the lamb shank...ill be back for that. I expect this place to get better.

    (4)
  • Steve D.

    This place has some excellent Gyros and some dam good Lamb Chops. The Baklava is good too. I really like this place. Almost 5 stars but i just couldn't pull the trigger.

    (4)
  • Shauna F.

    Welcome to the neighborhood, Ikaros!! I took one of my best friends here for birthday lunch, at her request. We were immediately greeted by every person working. There were only a couple other customers and while that sometimes slows service, our experience was exactly the opposite. We started with the saganaki. You can't really go wrong with fried cheese. It was tasty and a good sized starter for two people. We both had the Ikaros Gyro which was delicious. Great meat. Our server insisted on bringing us birthday baklava which was very yummy, though super sweet. The meal was inexpensive, service was great and food was delicious. I will definitely be back!

    (5)
  • Thao L.

    Ok so, after reviewing Ikaro's. I ended up going here last night. I knew that would happen. Tzatziki still wonderful. Dolmades, eh, I wouldn't get it again. The service was so much better this time! Which is why I'm reviewing again. Quick, and friendly. Good job guys! Another gem on grand ave.

    (5)
  • Suki B.

    This is a cute little restaurant. Although it looks like nothing will ever compare to the gyros at Petra's in Sacramento =( ...I must say this place is the best I've had in the Bay! Will definitely go again.

    (4)
  • Amanda R.

    I wouldn't say this is my favorite Greek restaurant, but it's REALLY good. I always have to get the hummus, and my friends are big fans of the spicy feta. Both times I've been to Ikaros, I've ordered the mousakka. It has such a great flavor to it. Just be prepared, it's a large portion! I can never finish it. The other think I love about this place. It has my favorite Greek dessert that you can't really find in too many restaurants, galaktoboureko. So good!!! Custard wrapped in fillo dough with honey drizzled on top...yes please! It's always busy too so be prepared for a bit of a wait if you go during peak times.

    (4)
  • Van W.

    I really enjoyed their yogurt, I could go for some right now. Actually, I was really happy with all the food, we ordered kabobs, spanakopita, and gyros. It was very filling, I think next time with our group of 4 to get only 3 dishes and share. The appetizer we got (pitas and yogurt) was delicious but not worth it since a lot of the meals come with it anyways. Good if you are there just for a snack perhaps. Their french fries were also really good. The baklava was ok, I liked that it was a bigger portion than I expected. Overall though, I agree with the other reviewers that it's pretty pricey, but the food tasted fresh and well spiced. Service was pretty good, the only thing that was noticeably slow was getting our water. We had to ask 3 times to get served (our paid beverages however, came out right away). I'd be happy to go back now that I know what to expect.

    (4)
  • Joanna B.

    I had the Ikaros fries & I also had the prawn appetizer. Prices: Expensive for what you get Staff: Friendly but could speed up. I saw what turned out to be my food under the heat lamp Food: Meh, it seemed kind of bland. I enjoyed my tea more than my food. I might return one day but who knows when.

    (2)
  • Suyen A.

    I had the Souvlaki meh pita and it was to die for. The salad was so fresh and the dressing delicious; can't wait to come back and try the other dishes. Yum yum

    (4)
  • Nikia M.

    So, I spent a good hour or two on the quest for a good gyro. I did a search for "gyros" on yelp, and a few places came up. The first place was closed, the second place didn't actually serve gyros, the third place was closed... finally after digging a little deeper on Yelp I found Ikaros and headed right over. I decided to order a lamb & beef gyro to-go. The hostess at front was very nice and my order was ready in less than the 10 minutes she quoted me. I swear, biting in to that gyro was like a moment of heaven. It very well could be THE BEST gyro I have ever had. They also came with a very huge portion of steak fries that were still good even after the 10 minute drive back home to the other side of the lake. Crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. I will definitely be back for more gyros and to try other items on their menu.

    (4)
  • Marja M.

    Please read the review by Mysterious Q. Q echoes my sentiments. On top of everything Q said, which I agree with, I ended up with a doggy bag of all the gyros stacker ingredients I'd pushed to the side of my plate, or off altogether. And, this is after I told the server I didn't want anything wrapped. I threw it away before leaving the premises. What I can say for this place is that it's in a good location. I had considered trying one of the desserts, but after the mediocre meal, Q and I decided not to chance it. My local Greek fast food joint tastes more authentic to me now! The menu states this is "authentic Greek cuisine from the island of Ikaria." I don't think french fries are an indigenous food. Just sayin'...

    (1)
  • Anastasia B.

    I'm feeling generous today so I'm rounding up the stars. I truly want the businesses, especially restaurants, in my neighborhood to succeed because we're all tired of seeing empty storefronts. Not to mention, anything is better than another freakin' nail salon moving into this 'hood. But even after a month and a half, Ikaros still has their issues to work out, such as service, timing, finding their rhythm, learning how to not overcook their rice until it becomes a mushy pile of nutrient-devoid baby food. Really? Other than the mushy pile of nutrient-devoid baby food, my meal and dining experience were satisfactory. The braised lamb shanks with orzo were delicious, even better than the ones at the Oakland Greek Festival. The chicken souvlakia was moist and grilled perfectly, but you know at the end of the day, it's still just meat on a stick. Other diners seemed to be waiting a bit longer for their food, along with a few take-out customers. I would suggest calling in your order and picking it up, and hopefully your order hasn't been sitting under the heat lamp unattended for too long. I really hope the nice owners can get their shit together and work out the details of running a restaurant. 3.5 stars

    (4)
  • Mysterious Q.

    I judge Greek restaurants primarily on two things: rotisserie and moussaka. Both items fall far short at Ikaros. First the good: the tzatziki (yogurt, cucumber, garlic spread) was the best thing on the table, while the melitzanosalata (eggplant spread) came in second. However, both were marred by the accompanying pita which was clearly not made in-house. Given that there's no Greek bakery anywhere in the Bay Area, I assume it was frozen and reheated. "Frozen." This seems to be the key word at this restaurant. I tried the lamb and chicken rotisserie and they were flat out gross. I should have looked more closely at the items before I ordered. From the gelatin obvious on the plate and the solid chunks from which they were cut in the kitchen, it is obvious that they purchase processed mystery meat. Yuck. The Gyros Stacker consisted of a layer of reheated, frozen pita, covered with straight-out-of-the-bag frozen french fries, then mystery meat, topped off with bland tomatoes and, the star of the show, tzatziki. It was a terrible presentation and tasted bad both cut and eaten as a whole section or taken apart. The moussaka was even worse--literally the most horrible I've ever tasted in my life. The eggplant was off somehow and just disgusting, as I ended up eating around it. (Note: I grew up in the South and love eggplant--it was a staple in my childhood diet). The texture and flavor were both odd. I suspect, though I don't know for sure, that the moussaka are made far in advance and sit in the fridge for days (weeks?) before being put in the oven. Both the meat sauce and the bechamel were bland and boring. The sauce is described on the menu as "red meat" so I'm not sure if any lamb was involved; if so, it was in rather small proportion to beef. I really wish I could have pulled a Gordon Ramsey and rummaged through their fridges and freezers. No doubt, if he were to visit, many F-bombs would be dropped. My stomach just felt off afterward, so I headed for a belly-soothing shot of Fernet immediately after (which did the trick). Will not return. Highly do not recommend.

    (1)
  • Hilary E.

    You have got to be kidding me with 4 stars!! This place is 2 1/2. WAY OVERPRICED!!! I truly felt like negotiating over my meal, which I have never experienced before. The lamb skewers were $15.50. You get three skewers THAT IS ALL. If you want to sub a salad for their frozen fries that is $2 extra. So you are at $17.50 for three skewers and a garnish only salad with ONE olive and ONE cube of cheese. Disaster. Not to mention the "starters"... for a dollop of hummus, $6. For about an ounce of eggplant, $6. Bottom line: The food is not bad, but it is so overpriced I was offended. Will never go back.

    (2)
  • Jim S.

    I went here a few weeks back because I wanted to have dinner with my family and we had a hankerin' for some greek food. I had driven past this place many times and was curious to see how it was, given that the last business on the location was a hair salon. I am so pleased to discover that this is an excellent restaurant. The food is authentic and delicious. The service is friendly and patient. They were cool with us bringing in our own bottle of wine (for a modest corkage fee) and they were cool about us occupying the table for some time after eating. The only reason I don't eat here more frequently is the price, but at least I know that when I do go, I'm getting my money's worth.

    (4)
  • Barry K.

    Last Sat. night, we told the hostess we wanted a table for two. She told us to sit and wait at the counter that is front of the kitchen/prep area. A waitress took a drink order, then an appetizer and eventually a dinner order. Each time, I told her we were waiting for our table. We never got seated at a table, while others came in and got seated. Front row on the kitchen was enlightening. Bags of frozen chopped vegetables were cooked and tossed into waiting containers for plates. Even the $5 small plates of Ikaros (French) fries were froze and tossed into the deep fryer. Sad. Menu says "fresh." Started with the 3 asst spreads for $13. Well overpriced for a few ounces of spreads and one pita that was on the panni grill and sliced up. Oh, and three olives. My partner had to return his pre-made Gyemisti Piperia; served cold. Menu says " a large green bell pepper", but, he was served two small ones and the oven potatoes were actually 1/2 a potato cut into wedges that were too oily and greasy. $10.50. I did the chicken souvlakia. Three skewers of cut chicken on a bed of rice. The plate was a long, narrow sushi-style plate. The rice kept falling off the plate because the plate was too small. But, $13 was too much for this plate. Not served with the traditional side Greek salad. I've had much better souvlakia in Poland! Kitchen and staff were disorganized . The kitchen area is not well laid out with staff bumping into each other. Overall, everything was salty. Thankfully, the water was free. Portions were small judging what we saw in front of us. It's unfortunate that an alternative to the multitude of Pizza; Mexican, SE Asian and Chinese in this neighborhood has much to improve upon.

    (1)
  • Maria G.

    This place is a bit hard for me to rate so let's start from the beginning. I came here last night (a Saturday) with a friend of mine. The first two waiters who saw us, asked us to wait while they ran around. Finally, someone came out and took us to a table (possibly the owner?). My friend ordered a gyro stacker, while I ordered the avgolemono soup and a gyro (and asked for red onions). I'll start with the pluses: the food was really good. And at the end of the meal, the owner came out and brought us some greek liquer to sample and chatted with us for a bit. On the downside... while I asked for no onions, there were onions on my gyro. We kept having to ask for our water to be refilled (the waiters kept walking right by our table and ignoring our empty glasses). So to sum up, good food and the owners are lovely, but the rest of the service is questionable. So for now, this place gets 3 stars, but I'll come back and give it another shot.

    (3)
  • Blah B.

    Just increased from four stars to five because I recently had the lamb shank and it's a spectacularly comforting dish. The people who run this place and their employees are incredibly warm and welcoming. Despite it being a little pricier than I like to spend, it doesn't stop me from continuing to eat there over and over. See below earlier review. Very good food. I'm a big fan of the gyro. It's a little expensive for what it is, but all in all it's been a great addition to the neighborhood.

    (5)
  • Shera K.

    Over-priced, did not like my food very disappointing. Other than the yogurt....bla. I arrived there hungry and left hungry. My dogs did not mind eating the left overs, but why would they mind eating dog food! The waitress was sweet.

    (1)
  • Mayhem X.

    Since this is new to the hood, I always give a place a couple months to work out the kinks before trying. Hubby and I went for dinner. The layout is odd. What seems like the real dining room to the right is separated by a low wall from the rest of the space. The back door is a mirror image of the front door and when both doors are open its a wind tunnel. We were unfortunately sat in the runway. We ordered grilled octopus and 3 dip sampler. The octopus was super tough and not much flavor but doused with vinaigrette. The best dip was the yogurt. The eggplant and hummus were eh ok. We then shared a greek salad and the braised lamb shanks. The salad was anemic...lettuce with 1 tiny sliced cucumber and 2 tiny slices of tomato and 2 olives with barely any feta. The lamb was something you get in a hof bau for seniors. Meat no flavor with a bunch of over cooked orzo swimming in tomato sauce. The service was very friendly. I'm sorry I think this is family owned but no love here in the food. No love.

    (2)
  • Sam R.

    Ikaros was recommended to me by a very well-connected older woman I know i Oakland who always has her ear to the ground about the best food secrets in Oakland. The restaurant is hidden, yet located in the heart of the Grand Ave/Lakeshore part of North Oakland/Lake Merritt, and is accessible from the back entrance if you park in the lot behind the Grand Lake theater. Coming from the East Coast, I love all of the fusion, innovation and year-round fresh food that you get so regularly out here in California. However, I noticed that, in the East Bay, there are some of those more old-world kind of things that I miss. Where are all my family-owned Jewish deli's?? What about the 20 Greek restaurant/stands on every other block?? I appreciate all the taco trucks out here (Esp. Lake Merritt Taco Truck!), but I don't stumble upon Greek restaurants here NEARLY enough! Or, it will be "Mediterranean" or something more general. Great and delicious, but where's the kitsch in that?? Ikaros (Named after that Greek dude with the big ego whose fake wax wings melted in the Sun and sent him crashing) is a really solid spot!! And it's what Oakland needs i the way of Greek food! It's STRAIGHT UP GREEK GOODNESS! Their spanikopita is an amazing, slab of a portion-- not some little fried triangular filo-esque-dumplings. The Gyro meat is exposed, spinning for the world to see...it's...pornographic. That is, if eating were like sex---which it is. It's an open kitchen, which I like. The menu is difficult, in that there is a lot to choose from, and it's not just whether you want chicken, lamb or beef. The atmosphere is nice enough to be able to stay for a bottle of wine...or two....or three...but I've also just eaten there on my lunch break from work in 30 minutes or less. And the price is fair, especially for the awesome portion size and good quality of ingredients. The restaurant is on Grand Ave, right near the Theater, but it doesn't stand out much on the street, which is why I feel it needs a yelp review to sing its praises :) Go for lunch or dinner. YumYumYumYum...you'll think you were in Astoria, NYC....or the old country itself!

    (4)
  • Joshua C.

    Ordered the chicken gyro with streak fries. The fries were very well seasoned. The tzatziki is crazy good! I wanted to lick the plate clean. I want to go back and try other things, the menu looked so good!

    (4)
  • Lauren S.

    So here's what I like about Ikaros: the food is tasty and the service was really classy. We were helped out by a middle aged gentleman who honestly treated us like we were at a much fancier place. That was a welcome change of pace. And as I said, the food is good; fresh and flavorful. I wouldn't call the prices expensive, but they're also not what I would call cheap. If you're on a grad school budget, like my household is, this probably won't be a place you can eat at all the time. But if you had a particularly good week at work, this place is worth checking out. A great addition to the neighborhood.

    (4)
  • Les V.

    Cool place - Good simple food. Nice wait staff.

    (4)
  • Tracy A.

    I have been waiting for them to open. Reading the updates in my neighborhood newsletter, Splash Pad News, I knew it was going to be soon. Tonight driving home from work, I decided to take a look. Indeed it was their soft opening. I ordered the Lemon Chicken with oven potatoes to go. Such nice people. Everyone I came in contact with was great. The chicken was super yummy and the potatoes were a great accompaniment. I will be back to enjoy the beautiful decor some other time.

    (5)
  • HJ P.

    I went here for the first time a month ago and the food was pretty good. Everything skewered to perfection and I was so ecstatic that there is finally a good restaurant on Grand Avenue. Last night, we decided to walk down to the restaurant and we ordered: 1) 2 Samuel Adams Draft Summer Ale. The draft beers came out in an icy cold glass, but the beer itself was grossly warm. It came to be that they had a leak in their refrigeration system? The waiter recommended a greek beer... a darker flavor beer, so we agreed with doubt. The beer tasted like Pabst Blue Ribbon... if not carbonated water. Shammed! Conclusion: The waiter probably got commission for selling us their least popular beer! 2) Bifteki - A seasoned mix of ground meats. I love meat, but after having this dish... or should I say smelling this dish... I was ready to turn into a vegetarian. It came out looking like 3 small hamburger patties. The meat smelled like ground beef that was left out in the sun for 3 days. It tasted like it smelled... we tried slathering it in tzatziki sauce and then in ketchup to mask everything about it, but it seared through. Conclusion: A tad traumatized and the foul meat smell is still lingering! Is it coming out of my pores? 3) Mousaka - Pretty much an eggplant lasagne. We asked for the bechamel sauce on the side, but the waiter informed us the dish is already pre-made and what they do is, they just stick it in the oven. At first, we thought he was trying to say it's something like a T.V. dinner. Conclusion: It's just an eggplant lasagne... that's really all I can say I guess. Good, nothing too special. The service was great, though. Everyone asked us if we're ok every 2 minutes and as soon as our plate was done or looked done, someone was there to take it away or attempt to take it away.

    (2)
  • MaryLou J.

    This place was great! I haven't eaten a lot of Greek food, but I have eaten enough to know that this place is darned good Greek food. Excellent service... everyone was so nice and friendly...but not overly so that you feel like they are pretending to be nice! It's small...but clean and open feeling. Will go there again and again.

    (5)
  • Erin P.

    Delicious! The place was packed, but they still accommodated my group of three. Wine list leaves a bit to be desired, but the food is amaaaazing. We got lamb and chicken souvlaki - they were mouthwatering-ly tender and juicy and perfectly spiced. We also shared the Lahano salad (YUM) and the Gyro salad. We were so impressed by all of the food. Plus, the wait staff was very attentive and helpful. They even explained to us how to make the gyro! Will be going back many, many times!

    (4)
  • Patricia M.

    I really like this restaurant, from the lovely blue ceiling to the wonderful food. My husband and I just had dinner there, and enjoyed the shrimp souvlakia. The tzatziki was tasty and they serve the pita warm. Nice to be able to get a proper, very fresh Greek salad (Horiatiki Salata) without lettuce. There are enough different items to choose from that you can have a delightful meal here, whether for lunch or dinner. And I'm glad to have an Avgolemono destination close, if ever a pesky cold hits. Yay!

    (5)
  • Suburbia Mom A.

    HORRIBLE SERVICE. Fine food, but you're lucky to get any. The waiter was so terrible, he didn't even know the MENU! We asked for the "Yuvetzi" and he said "Huh, the what?" Jeezus, are you kidding me? You know the meat and orzo dish cooked in tomato? The apps came at the same time as the main entrees. And when he put the food down, he knocked over my Greek coffee all over the table. Great. The food was fine but I don't think I'll return anytime soon. I think they need to sort out their service staff first.

    (2)
  • Susan D.

    It was a beautiful day in Oakland and I was walking my pooch with my daughter at lunch time, and we saw the owner setting up two tables out front in the shade. We asked if it be okay for us to have lunch at the outside table with the dog, and he said "not a problem". (So I actually never checked out the inside, though I could see they had a nice skylight that cut thru the restaurant). The staff was really attentive and brought us water and got our drink orders going with menus. We chose a Veggie Pita (my daughter) and I went for the chicken Gyro. We also ordered their Ikaros Fries (the way fries should be as the menu stated) drizzled in olive oil and feta cheese, and Oregano. The fry app was very tasty! Since we had already ordered the fries we each ordered pasta with our meal. My Gyro was huge, full of chicken and fresh tomato and red onion, and tazaki sauce. I couldn't finish it, but it was delicious and fresh. My daughter had been here before and loves the veggie pita minus the peppers. And the Manager/Owner? came out after the meal and made sure they didn't put those peppers in like she requested. Couldn't have asked for better service and a really nice lunch. And it worked well for having a dog with us too.

    (4)
  • Patricia K.

    The service is exceptional. Food delicious and aplenty. Good value and great place for weekday take home. Highly recommended.

    (4)
  • Elyanna S.

    I absolutely love this place! It's my new favorite restaurant. Everything on the menu is delish and the best part is that it's super conveniently located. I walked around Lake Merritt with a friend and then we walked on down for dinner. The staff is great, ask for their suggestions, and the meal was fantastic. Definitely give it a try, you'll love it!

    (5)
  • LeezaMarie A.

    Great new little restaurant we stumbled upon. We tried the eggplant dip w/ a lightly tasted/garlic seasoned pita bread, tiger shrimps sauteed in onions/garlic/red & green peppers, and their lemon chicken pita wrap. They all were fantastic! Wait service tends to lag though.

    (4)
  • Melanie K.

    Ikaros, how glad am I that you moved to my 'hood? VERY! Having grown up in Montreal - where amazing Greek food runs rampant - I've always been disappointed with Greek food in the Bay Area. Until Now! I had a most excellent meal here, and look forward to many more... The tzatziki is exceptional - creamy, tasty, zingy. So so so so good. I want it on everything from now until forever. The Kopanisti was as good as I remember it from my time in Greece! Yum. The pita was good - it didn't taste frozen to me (per a couple of other reviews). I fell in love with the Gyros Stacker. It was a tad gluttonous and extremely filling, but each bite was a mouthful of happiness. Service was polite but needs some fine tuning. I'll be back, again and again!

    (4)
  • Susan I.

    This place is wonderful!!!! We were turned away from Boot & Shoe Service up the street and decided to come here instead. What a stroke of luck! They've only been open 3 months (it used to be a nail salon!) and seem to be doing great. When we sat down we immediately started lusting after the appetizer plate of the table next to us. (the meze plate) So we ordered that and two cups of avgolemno soup and some Pinot Grigio wine. We didn't want anything too heavy because it was late, after a movie, and didn't want to stuff ourselves. The Table Next Door finished their meze and then got the lamb shanks with orzo which looked INCREDIBLE. (they said it was amazingly delicious) Next time we will order this for sure (and the moussaka, which they said they had last time and loved) The meze platter was fantastic. Dolmades (loved them bc they were warm, fresh and not too vinegary - I HATE cold dolmas!), spanakopita, another filo with cheese pie (TO DIE FOR), meatballs and grilled pita. SO GOOD, every bite. We also got the tztatziki (yogurt dip) and and orangey dip that my friend correctly identified as "seafoody." - it had caviar in it. SO GOOD. The service was friendly and great - the soup took a while to get there but when we inquired they said it had been near the bottom of the container so they were making a fresh batch for us. It was really good. Can't wait to go back when I have a bigger appetite. So excited this place has come to town.

    (5)
  • T'Hud W.

    Having just returned from 2 weeks in Greece, I'm on the hunt for that great, fresh, authentic Greek flavor profile. The good: 1) Dolmades were wonderful, warm, fresh, perfect. 2) The pita was lovely, toasted, just the right amount of oil and spices. 3) The tsatsiki was delicious. The bad: 1) The meat wasn't necessarily bad, just so-so. I could have gotten the same at a fast-food Greek place, for less. 2) The waiter tried to serve me the same salad twice. I'm too honest to not say something. 3) The atmosphere was chaotic and loud. Something about the acoustics, maybe? The ugly: 1) The Greek coffee must have been prepared by someone who didn't understand the process. I had or made Greek coffee at least 60 times during 2 week period. The Greek coffee they served me was just *wrong*. I almost felt like getting up, going to the back, and teaching them how to make it properly. I didn't, but it just makes me sad that future patrons will be put off of Greek coffee just because they tried it once at this place. Overall, I won't be back, unfortunately. And so, the hunt continues....

    (2)
  • Cynthia B.

    I just paid 17 dollars for 3 skimpy skewers (see photo) of flavorless chicken slouvakia, they charged me 2.50 extra for sprinkling feta on my fries. I live around the corner and will never go back to Ikaros. Mediocre food for way too much money.

    (1)
  • Steve P.

    I just had dinner here after passing by numerous times and being unsure of what to think. The blue and white decor reminded me simultaneously of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" and that episode of South Park with the Persians and scissoring.... Anyways. The food is actually really good! The grape leaf wrapped rice appetizer is amazingly good, and they bring out a lot of pita and bread to the table. Their wraps (the gyro wraps in particular) are also really good. And their steak fries are amazing as well. The only downside is the food is a tad bit on the greasy side, which isn't always bad, but if you don't like feeling guilty afterwords then here's a heads up.

    (4)
  • alicia g.

    Really good food and welcome addition to Grand Lake area restaurant scene. I went with my boyfriend for lunch. The restaurant was busy, but a little noisy (fault of architectural design, I think). But hopefully this means that it will stick around for a while. I ordered a bowl of the avgolemono (lemon rice) soup and my boyfriend got a lamb gyro with orzo. The soup was quite good and reasonably priced ($5), but I would be willing to pay a little more for a bit more soup and a couple of pieces of pita to go with, or perhaps a soup/salad combo. Final bill: $14. Very nice. The service was a little shakey and seating is a little tight--but I think that's because they are still working out the kinks, which is understandable considering the fact that they've haven't been open for very long. The menu is ample: Greek classics including gyros, skewers, avgolemono, pita, olives, spanakopita, moussaka, and more. They also have a number of veggie versions of gyro and skewers. The desserts look really good too! I can't wait to go back with friends and family.

    (4)
  • caitlin c.

    Finally, us Lake Merritt folk don't have to drive to Berkeley to get a good gyro! Whatever kinks Ikaros was working out during their opening weeks have fully smoothed out. When we sauntered in mid-afternoon on a Sunday, pretty much everything was stellar. Our party of 5 was sat at a booth with Greek ocean-side images and memorabilia. With the bright blue ceiling and the sun pouring in, it wasn't hard to squint your eyes a bit and really imagine you were oceanside in a greek cafe. Of the various dishes ordered in our party, everyone agreed the Chicken gyro was just dreamy. So juicy, tender, and flavorful. The pita was perfect for my preference -- soft, fluffy, satisfying. Some great salads too, with flavorful kalamata olives and solid feta. And the tzatziki that came with the gyro's had an addicting bite. We regretted not ordering the Mousaka, as a neighbor ordered it and it made our mouths water with jealousy. Very curious how the Greek Yogurt with honey from the dessert menu is...

    (5)
  • Dria F.

    4.5 stars. Tonight I tried the avgolemeno (lemon chicken) soup, which while decent, was outshined by the daily special cream of mushroom. But the star of the meal was the lamb shanks cooked with orzo. My mother is a huge lamb shank fan, so I acquiesced and agreed to go for the soup and share the lamb shanks, and I'm glad I did. First, at $15 for two huge lamb shanks over orzo, this is a great deal (we took half of the meal home). Secondly, it was so good that I am now officially a lamb shank convert. They are clearly slow cooked and the meat literally falls off the bone. And, while I may be risking being kicked out of my church, these shanks easily beat the ones we serve at the Greek food festival (and those are pretty good). (Note: I don't know what went wrong with the Greek from New York's experience, but he obviously came to Ikaros too early in its short life, because the food has improved immensely). In short, try the lamb shanks. They are to die for!

    (4)
  • sparkle f.

    Ate here with a friend and dined in the sun on the front sidewalk! Excellent service, and we both had great food. I don't know what is up with the bad reviews. I will definitely be back.

    (4)
  • Yoko S.

    3.5 stars. I liked the food. We ordered sliced eggplants, salad and stuffed bell pepper dish. The service was average. Nice decor. I was surprised though, they sprayed the table right next to us while we were eating. I smelled the strong chemical and made me cough after that.

    (3)
  • Doug L.

    I've been kind of bumming out about the lack of good gyros in the SF/Oakland area. After trying two of the "best" gyros/souvlaki places in San Francisco, I found the food at both places bland and flavorless. Frankly, the mass-marketed Kronos gyros products at the Bay Street market were the best I could find. Not no mo'. Ikaros has great food, excellent service, and reasonable prices, all within walking distance from Lake Merritt. Can't wait to go back and try the Moussaka!

    (4)
  • Wen B.

    delicious hummus, the avgolemono was okay, the chicken kebab sandwich with fries was delcious. They make a very good tzatziki....

    (4)
  • elana a.

    Yum! Rather than wait an hour and a half for hipster overpriced pizza at the Boot and Shoe next door, or for decent Sushi at Mijori, my dinner-companion and I sat outside at Ikaros. I'd wanted to try it out for a while and I'm really glad we did - we had just rode our bikes all around Oakland and were screamingly hungry. Greek beers were delicious, we got the Red, crispy and instantly reminded me of being in the Middle East, it had that certain "flavor". The Dolmades came really promptly and were really good, with a decent helping of what I assume was yogurt. We ordered 2 gyro sandwiches, a classic beef/lamb and a chicken, he with the steak fries and I got the orzo salad. All in all I was very pleased, decent prices, good food, and fast friendly service. I'm going to finish it off for breakfast this morning :)

    (4)
  • Betania G.

    Really delicious vegetarian combo, house wine, and salad. highly recommended

    (4)
  • Adam H.

    Delicious chicken gyro and orzo salad! Fresh authentic taste, clean interior...definitely recommend!

    (5)
  • Leona C.

    Drowning in a sea of Thai, we find our Greek haven. There's not much out on this side of Oakland. It's hard to imagine I used to get my nails done in this joint. This place looks great! We were the first ones in for lunch today, but I can see this place packed for dinner. Started off with the Dolmas. Not too oily or sour, and the rice inside was perfect. The Mediterranean Salad was exactly what is expected in a Mediterranean Salad. We had the Lamb Kebob with steak fries. Spiced nicely, but I forgot to ask for it medium/rare so it was a little over what I prefer. Still delicious! This is the first time I've had Greek Coffee, which I know now is similar to Turkish Coffee, not as thick. I'll have it after lunch next time. I really hope this place does well, Grand Ave needs more variety in cuisine.

    (5)
  • Bran C.

    Wow. I mean ... It's been a long time since ... I just can't... The thing! With the custard! Wow.

    (5)
  • DeAngela C.

    I am such a complainer and the highest rating I typically give is 3 stars. BUT Ikaros is one of my FAV'S!!! I didn't even know I liked Greek food until I came here. Superb service, amazing, competent and friendly staff....and fresh, hot & affordable food. My 2 yr old even loves it, she even has a favorite waiter here that treats her like a star each time she comes in. keep doing what you're doing guys, its working :)

    (5)
  • Alex D.

    Today, I visited Ikaros for the second time. I remember the first as being good, and good enough to want to return. Today's lunch was excellent! Cup of the avgolemono soup, and shared the Mediterranean salad and a traditional moussaka. Accompanied this with a top of the line retsina. The soup and moussaka was hot, well seasoned, and delicious. The salad was very fresh and tasty. The service was excellent. I can't say enough good about this experience. It was a great way to start the new year. I highly recommend!

    (5)
  • Paul S.

    The best mediterranean food in the bay area I've ever had. This time friends took me for my 70th birthday party ending with a baklava with a birthday candle in it. I don't like baklava because it's so drenched in honey I can't taste anything else. Here they dribble some on the top and I could taste all the yummy ingredients. I'm very picky about dolmas and I love theirs. The four of us ordered different dinners and all were happy. I can't drink wine but the others were very pleased with the waiter's suggestions. Go.

    (5)
  • Dflipsyde D.

    Hands down best Greek food I've ever had. Taziki sauce was creamy and thick, best I've ever had. The meat on my gyro was abundant and flavorful. food is extraordinary. Cute quaint quiet place. And they have coke in a bottle! I sooooooo love this place!

    (5)
  • Alison L.

    I spent three weeks in Greece back in 2007 and have never had a gyro as tasty as the ones at Ikaros. Deliciously spiced meat served on a soft pita with fresh tomato and crunchy red onion (I forego tzatziki). I could eat this sandwich at least 3-4 times a week! Also comes with incredible steak fries and very reasonably priced. I haven't found a gyro in SF that even comes close! Definitely worth a special trip across the Bay Bridge if you're aching for good Greek!

    (5)
  • M R.

    Get the French fries, they're way better than the orzo. The chicken souvlaki pita was amazing. The chicken was grilled fresh for my order.

    (5)
  • JoAnn L.

    Nice, clean restaurant with friendly efficient service. Though my gyro salad was less than expected (dry meat and could have used some greek olives for salt), my companions enjoyed the gyro sandwich and chicken gyro sandwich.

    (3)
  • Kim N.

    Why is good Greek food so hard to find in the bay area? we're not blessed with the plethora like the mid west is. This place was mentioned to me by the owner of GoGoGyros in Los Altos, who's actually a Greek native. Came by before we were headed out to an event in Alameda. I got the Lamb Chop Saganaki and a Saganaki to start. Everything was very tasty. Our server was very cool and she was fun to talk to. I like the space though some of the two tops that are next to the wall are a bit squished if you have long legs. Im putting this place on the list of solid Greek in the area

    (4)
  • Jennifer D.

    Stopped by this lovely restaurant with my grandparents and husband on a sunny Saturday afternoon. my grandparents love this place, and rave about the portions and flavor! So we decided to go together! Overall the service was great! And the food was phenomenal! We order the calamari,and olive leaf wraps for appetizers. Perfection! And I had to make some substitutions for my meal, being gluten free I opted for some salad rather than get my gyro on the fresh bread. It was so much food! Worthy of taking some home, but of course I had to finish it. We then had some desserts, I had the rainbow sherbet. yum! Excellent meal!!! Definitely going back again!!!

    (5)
  • Cassandra J.

    Came here on the weekend after a strenuous 2 hours of cycling around Lake Merritt. I ordered the veggie wrap, with a side order of steak fries. Service was quick and definitely on the ball. The server was quick and courteous and refilled drinks on a regular basis. The outdoor seating on a gorgeous day is worth it! As for the food, the steak fries were awesome, thick and crisp and juicy, and the tzatziki sauce was probably some of the best I've had. I found the green peppers in my wrap a bit overdone, but since I'm not a fan of them in general, it's easy for me to be picky about em. Definitely an awesome restaurant to check out. And extremely well-priced as well!

    (4)
  • Lizzie G.

    I've taken half a dozen people here and they all loved it. Great prices, friendly service, good food. I use it for take out a lot when i'm working late - the chicken meh pitta is great!

    (5)
  • Oaklandish a.

    Last night was super busy - there was a very young girl working the front, crazy multitasking. She was a little stressed, but was managing it all with ease. That girl deserves a raise! Half my age and handled it twice as well as I could dream of. They have a lot of neat flavorful dishes. Always full of greek people - a very good sign. My only downside? I always feel like the meat is overcooked for the skewers. I'd rather have less chunks of bigger pieces of lamb so that you can keep a lil' pink on the inside! Nonetheless, a great option for true Greek food. *love the kopinisti dip! *love that the dips aren't over garlic-ed *love the sampler platter with spanokopita, another cheese fillo dish, dolmas *fried cheese overrated (I keep thinking of the fried cheese from a lebanese restaurant and this just isn't up to snuff comparatively) *nicely seasoned, high quality lamb - but would prefer a little less time on the grill for it

    (4)
  • Devin B.

    Solid four star place. I almost wanted to elevate it to five given the lack of quality Greek food in this cold, cold hemisphere but I figured that wouldn't be fair. It's like every city has one (if you're lucky) good greek place. The hostess who I ordered take out from tried to dissaude me from the Gyro Stacker. But the prospect of a pound (my estimation) of two kinds of meat, with pita, fries, yogurt, onions and tomato in great abundance was not something I would be deterred from. So I told her left overs would be welcomed, expecting full well to polish it off none-the-less. The hostess was right. It's a lot of good food. I still have a mound of leftover meat in my fridge and gyro meat doesn't really make for good leftovers. The good news is for the price of one meal I basically got two meals of really some of the best spiced gyro meat I've experienced. They really pile the meat on, even on their sandwiches, my girlfriend "complained" there was too much meat on her gyro, not enough yogurt or vegetables. I have the same minor complaint. But at long last my search for my local Greek restaurant has ended. Also real Greek customers were there speaking in real Greek (maybe it was a Baltic language what do I know). So you might infer it's good. You might also infer there's a dreadful lack of Greek restaurants in America. Either way I think this is a pretty good thing that has come into my life.

    (4)
  • Liz T.

    Love love love the incredibly huge but delicious gyro stacker. Be prepared to have the next couple meals covered with that one. Service was a bit slower than I'd like, especially considering the place was not busy at all. One of my favorite places in Oakland!

    (4)
  • Anthony G.

    Yum!

    (4)
  • Theodore Y.

    Shaved lamb in pita was awesome. I enjoyed it very very much. Though they could've cut down on some of the sauce. Rice pilaf could've used some work! That rice was definitely NOT fresh. I know my rice... trust me! haha

    (3)
  • V K.

    Jesus would eat here. And he would get the chicken lemonato and saganaki because they're delicious.

    (4)
  • Winnie H.

    I came here several times now. Granted, this is the only Greek restaurant of its equivalent class I've been to. The first time was a take-out lunch what it looks like a pita taco, wrapped with meat and something like the Mediterranean salad, with yogurt on the side. This was a 5/5! The second time I came here with some friends for dinner. We ordered some combination plate, Ikaro Mezes with pita bread on the side, lamb skewers, and rotisserie chicken! They were pretty good. But I think we were more in the mood for the pizza next door at that moment, or the chicken might have been too oily for me that night, it was a 4/5. The third time I came here with my parents for dinner. This time we ordered Brizola, which was the "14 oz. rib eye steak char-broiled then rubbed with herbs, spices & lemon to maintain its tenderness." Wow, sooo amazingly good, so juicy, so flavorful. I'm not much of a steak eater, but I probably ate 1/3 of my dad's plate (and left my own 2/3 plate for lunch the next day). And the Fresh Seasonal Fish, which at the time, was between salmon or red snapper, we chose salmon "broiled over an open flame, very lightly seasoned & topped with a special whipped lemon & extra virgin olive oil sauce." Oh so good, just perfectly seasoned to bring out the richness of the salmon. And as for me, I had the Vegetarian Mousaka, which is "layers of eggplant, zucchini & potatoes in a tangy marinara sauce topped with a creamy bechamel sauce" because I asked the waiter to help me with an authentic choice. At first I didn't understand what I was eating, or maybe I was too busy eating off my parents' plates. But the next day I brought the leftover (which I only touched for 1/3) for lunch and I realized how wonderful together is the marinara sauce and creamy bechamel sauce. I do think that eating the Mousaka alone is a bit too much flavor for me, taking it with bread is a much better option. Overall, the food = 5 stars! I think the food definitely lives up to the price range. The service was very good too. I don't remember seeing the same staff members each time I came here, but they were all very nice and friendly, and prompted in their timing to check on you but not too much.

    (5)
  • Michelle M.

    I LOVE this place! I have only had one thing here (chicken gyro with fries), but it is so good, service is great, and it is a great location. The one star off is because of seating. I have never had to wait to sit down here, but the seats are very close together and even my friend who is a toothpick feels cramped when we are here. I am definitely not a Greek food expert, but this food is delicious (whether authentic or not)!

    (4)
  • Debbie R.

    'bout time someone opened a Greek restaurant round here! I think Ikaros does a nice job serving up traditional family style Greek food. I've been several times and everything I've had has been fresh and flavorful. Portions are ample! If you're into Gyros they're good here - the meat isn't too salty, which I find a problem in most places. The Pastitsio and Moussaka are hearty and very yummy. Also enjoyed the Lamb Skewers - meat was flavorful and tender and when served with fried potatoes, well, you can't get anymore Greek than that. Yum. Don't forget dessert. The Baklava is very good.

    (4)
  • Lily L.

    On the pricier side but service was good and the food was absolutely delicious. I came with my sister and another friend and they were very courteous. We were seated at the bar and my sister wasn't feeling well and they were very helpful. The brought her coffee, tea, hot water, and they also allows us to move to a regular table when something opened up. We ordered chicken soup for my sister, the crab dip that came with bread, a chicken gyro plate and a traditional moussaka. I have to say that we finished everything but the moussaka because we were so full but definitely everything was mouthwatering delicious. We packed the moussaka to go home. I'm craving the crab dip right now as I'm talking about it. The gyro reminds me of greece because they put potatoes in them. And the moussaka tasted pretty good and not overly greasy the way I remember on Greece.

    (5)
  • Chibi F.

    We drove around in the rain for a solid 30 mins to find parking. Every spot was filled since parking was free. BUMMER! So we parked in BFE, crowded under one umbrella and ran toward our destination, Mijori. OMG, I was CLOSED!! WAAAAAA My friend suggested we eat at Ikaros instead. I figured it wouldn't hurt since we were already there and I felt as if I would collapse from hunger. We ordered the Lahano Salata and shared 4 four skewers of chicken and pork. YUMM! So tender, flavorful, light and delicioso!

    (4)
  • Ricky S.

    We arrived on a Friday night after a stroll around the lake and before our movie to catch some dinner. The place was crowded and very busy but we were seated right away. The service was not bad, the food was very tasty, and the prices are reasonable. I had the gyro platter ($12.50) that comes with a side salad, and a big heaping plate of food - pitas, fries (are fries an authentic greek food? they had steak cut fries with a lot of their dishes, which I don't mind AT ALL), a pile of 3 different gyro meats (chicken, beef, lamb) and a heaping dollop of a very tasty greek yogurt/garlic/cucumber dip called tzatziki. My gf had the mousaka, which is a baked eggplant dish. I had a bite of her food, she had a bite of mine, we both enjoyed our meal and had time to spare before our movie, so grabbed a quick drink at the Lucky Lounge next door. Fast forward to 6am the next morning and my gf is very sick with what looks to be food poisoning, the culprit pointing to the mousaka she had the night before, as I was fine. What a shame, ruined her Saturday, and ruined my potential 4-star review of a new restaurant in my neighborhood down to a 1-star :( Edit - got some feedback about how unfair my review was, and I guess they're right... I'll give this place another shot.

    (3)
  • Christophe P.

    Okay...I tried to be cute, and post this review in Greek, but apparently Yelp has an issue with other languages. I wonder if their issues run as deep as their issues with businesses who don't subscribe to their services (Read, businesses who don't succumb to their strong-arm tactics). Anyway, here's the review: We love this restaurant. It is clearly one of the best Greek Restaurants in the Bay Area! We love it, and highly recommend it! Check it out! The owners and waitstaff are outstanding, and the food is even better!

    (5)
  • Katy Z.

    Great Greek food....have vowed to cross the bay to Oakland to have lunch or dinner with friends at least once a month. If you love Greek food you will not be disappointed!

    (4)
  • Rocio S.

    Probably my favorite spot to eat on Grand near the Grand Lake movie theater. There are a lot of places, so yea this is good. Plus its me telling you it's good, so it's good. Been here a couple of times, with equally discriminating friends. The lamb is always perfect here, if it isn't you insulted them or something. My friend had salmon once, I almost took her plate when she let me have a bite. The kabobs are my fav, but if you don't eat meat, they got you covered too. Their sides are all good. Their desserts are delicious. The service is good. The atmosphere is lively, it is not quiet here. Lively, and delicious. Honestly, after living in LA for a while, I didn't think I would ever find decent Greek or Mediterranean food in the Bay- but this place does the trick. Good place for friends or a casual date, especially if you are doing dinner and a movie.

    (4)
  • John M.

    After getting sufficiently liquored up at the Yelp Elite Event @ The Grand Tavern, the girlfriend & I needed more solids in our bellies to soak up all the liquids swishing around. We remembered passing a Greek place up the street, so we went back that way to check it out. All the tables at Ikaros Greek Restaurant were full when we walked in, but seating at the bar in the back was available. Service was friendly but slow. Looking over our menus, I was pretty much clueless to Greek food & the girlfriend began reminiscing about when she was there. Thinking about the food brought back memories of the land & people. During this daydream in which the girlfriend explained to me all things Greek, we met Lavendar, the owner of Ikaros. She was behind the bar & overheard our conversation. Lavendar is a wonderful woman from the island of Ikaria who loves her land of origin, its food & conveyed how the 2 are closely tied together. While the gilrfriend shared some of her memories, we also settled in on our order: Spanakopita Mezes, Gyros Stacker & Mousaka. Our food took a while & we were really hungry. When we got our food, it was totally worth the wait. Everything was giant portions & crazy delicious. Lavendar boasted that the food was Greek Greek, not California Greek or any other fusion. I don't know enough about it to vouch for the authneticity of these dishes. I only know that it was solely my stomach's capacity that stopped me from ordering & eating even more of this delectable food. It took a while for us to get our check & go. Even though every aspect of service was slow, the girlfriend & I felt like we had made a real food discovery. Speed aside, everyone was very friendly & the food was fantastic. We will definitely be back for more Greek Greek food & pleasant conversations on life in Greece.

    (4)
  • Janett R.

    Once you've figured out what (not) to eat, this place is heaven. + Chicken Gryo: Perfect meat + Stuffed Bell Pepper + Keftedes meat balls + Sour cherry soda from Greece - Souvlaki: Just okay - Dolmas: Good flavor, but undercooked

    (4)
  • Erich V.

    Google: No results found for "Kavoura Meze" -Ikaros.

    (4)
  • Ralph C.

    This review may be biased since I only ordered lunch items. Take out: 1 lamb gyro sandwich, 1 chk. gyro sandwich, pasta salad and steak fries. The lamb gyro was piled high with meat which was very tasty/juicy, however it was extremely greasy. The fries were also greasy. The pasta salad (side) was also very oily and was very bland with a slight unpleasant after taste. The chk. gyro was also unimpressive. I will have to try one of their combo plates or dinner entrees next time.

    (2)
  • Robert A.

    1-liner: Food is good, waiters are cute, floors might be slippery. A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of eating a bag of leftovers from Ikaros. My friend had gotten the dip sample platter with the hummus, eggplant-thing, and a feta thing. Best hummus I've ever had, hands down. The other two dips were also very impressive. I decided that I must come to this place to investigate it more thoroughly. I had the spinach pies as an appetizer and they were spot on, crispy on the outside, and cheesy-vegetal on the inside with a bit of sour cream on the side. 5/5. I then had the Ikaros gyro, which was just OK, with a scoop of orzo salad on the side. The texture of the meat in the gyro was a little miscellaneous, but its flavors were nice enough. The orzo salad was feta-y, and it had some briny kalamata olives on top. While I applaud their use of good olives, this brought things on the verge of "too salty." It was still good tasting, however. Our waiter was friendly, and attractive, and efficient. Not much else to say about that. On my way to the bathroom, I noticed that the floor was incredibly slippery. I couldn't tell if it was because of some spill, or if it was the texture of the tiling, either way, not pleasant.

    (4)
  • Eva Leona Lerriqs S.

    I was so happy with Ikaros the first time around, I wanted to return. This time I ordered the chicken souvlaki w/pita. It was delicious, but I was disappointed by how small the portion was. I was still hungry, so I ordered the Ikaros fries. This was a large portion. I liked the combo of fries with salt, oregano, and the best feta I've had in a long time. The restaurant was very noisy and everyone in my party had a hard time hearing each other. Also, I had asked the waitress to bring four waters; she brought only one. I also had asked for a booster seat. None was brought. The final thing that happened is that on the menu it appeared that if you ordered an entree, then you could get a mini house salad for $2 more. When my boyfriend did so, he was charged $4.50; it turns out $2 is the charge if you substitute a salad for rice pilaf, orzo, or fries, otherwise it's $4.50. This was not clear to any of us. We spoke up about it, but the waitstaff only said "sorry." I thought that at a restaurant of that caliber someone would say, we'll give it to you for $2 this time, but in the future this is our rule. I give Ikaros four stars for food quality and 1-2 for service.

    (2)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Dinner
    Parking : Street
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
    Outdoor Seating : Yes
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : Yes
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : Yes

Categories

Greek Cuisine

Greek food is a fine melody of the finest pressed olive oil, fresh fermented bread, colorful vegetables, juicy meat, sea food all cooked in spices and fresh rosemary. The people from Greek were great scholars who aimed to excel in everything they do. The results are quite visible in their food as they are the inventors of olive oil which is beneficial to health. Greeks also made different type of wines from the best quality of grapes fermented in controlled environment.

Today, you can find hundreds of restaurants offering authentic Greek food or popularly termed as Mediterranean cuisine in New York city alone. People wait in line to taste the exotic Greek dishes like saganaki, taramasalata, souvlaki, loukoumades, spanakopita, moussaka, and many more. One thing which most people like about these authentic Greek dishes is abundant use of lemon juice, olive oil, fresh rosemary and sea salt. A smart mix of few ingredients can virtually take you on the pebble streets of beautiful city of Greece.

For those who don't have time to enjoy fine dining should try tasting the famous souvlaki with pita which is type of meat dish, also a trademark Greek fast food. For those who are vegetarian, or vegan can try different versions of Greek Salad. So, if you wish to enjoy a hearty yet healthy meal that tastes divine then try dining at the best Greek restaurant in your city. Greek cuisine not only tastes good but also help maintain your body in a natural way through healthy diet.

Ikaros Greek Restaurant

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