Hellas Restaurant
785 Dodecanese Blvd, Tarpon Springs, FL, 34689
Hellas Restaurant Menu
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.
Visit below restaurant in Tarpon Springs for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Tarpon Springs for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Tarpon Springs for healthy meals suggestion.
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
-
Address :
785 Dodecanese Blvd
Tarpon Springs, FL, 34689 - Phone (727) 943-2400
- Website https://www.hellasbakery.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Street, Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Touristy
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Dogs Allowed : No
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.
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online
Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.
Ashley K.
I've been to Hellas Restaurant twice. The first time I had some kind of fish, which was solidly good, but nothing to write home about. The second time I had their specialty, the Gyro. This was amazing. My fiance had some fried shrimp which were great too. It's really nice to sit outside and people watch at night here. The real gem, however, is the bakery that is attached. Definitely try the baklava napoleon and the tiramisu napoleon. The regular tiramisu was good too. Plenty more to try here but I'll have to wait until next visit.
(4)Tu-van L.
A great home Greek experience with good food and great atmosphere by the sponge docks of Tarpon Springs. To get the Greek experience, you must get their feta flamed (flambe'-ed?) with the ouzo - opa!
(4)Justin E.
I've been here a handful of times, going back more than ten years. I really enjoyed this place when I was younger, and even bringing my wife here to eat and stop by the bakery (which is amazing, everything you pick you will probably like). But the past few times I've been to Hella's, the quality has declined and the service has just dropped off. The last time, we were basically at the mercy of this low-talking, creepy old guy waiter who anxiously served the Greek party next to us, and kindly ignored us most of our meal. I've never been so close to walking out. On top of that, the food was just okay. Souvlaki here is not good as souvlaki I've had at Mr. Souvlaki's and elsewhere in the area. Don't waste your money on the up charge for the ridiculous atmosphere, just check out the bakery and head elsewhere. We are going to try a different Greek restaurant next time we head up to Tarpon Springs. I'm not willing to give Hella's any more second chances.
(1)Michael S.
Decent place, good gyro, egg lemon soup was just ok. The whole main street seems like a tourist trap, but Hellas seems a little less so.
(3)Bob B.
A favorite restaurant of mine. Whenever I travel for business to St. Petersburg, I always make the trip up to Tarpon Springs. Food and service is always pretty good, and the whole area is unique.
(5)Melody T. E.
eat everything you can it is all good. try to go when they are not bursting at the seams crowded which is most of the time. the food rules greek salad is a must so are the gyros and dont get me started on the lamb or that flaming cheese. we starve a good part of the day then come here over order deliberately to have a doggy bag for the next day. then go next door to the bakery for coffee and desserts and we get a box to go there too. yummy yummy THIS IS WHAT TARPON SPRINGS IS ALL ABOUT. NOT FAR FROM THE TOWN'S GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH IS A PRIVATELY OWNED CHAPEL BUILT BY A MOTHER FOR HER ILL CHILD A MUST FOR THE RELIGIOUS. ACROSS THE STREET ON BOTH STREETS ARE NICE SOUVENIER SHOPS. THE ONE ON THE SAME SIDE ALWAYS HAS YOUR GREEK EVIL EYE STUFF. I LOVE TARPON SPRINGS IT IS WONDERFUL. VISIT DURING A GREEK FESTIVAL TO TAKE IN THE GREEK FLORIDA WAY OF LIFE. HELLAS BAKERY IS WHERE MOST OF YOUR DESSERTS IF NOT ALL COME FROM SO GO STRAIGHT TO THE SOURCE EVERYTIME.
(5)Maried G.
This place was magnificent!!! Great food, if you order the cheese you get ur waitress to flame it right infront of you with a big "Opa!". The muscles were great taste and very fresh, the lamb was amazing great variety of cuts and very well cooked!!! I would recommend this place with my eyes close!. The only reason why I don't give them a 5 star is because they had no parking or coat rooms.
(4)Cynthia N.
The Best Grouper I've ever had. As a Native Floridian that says a lot. The meal, the Service, All Splendid. If in the area a Must!
(5)Chris C.
Food was great.. Fried cheese was wild when it blew up in flames. Waiter was truly one of the best I have been served by in a long time.. Don't be afraid of Greek food, just go here and try it..
(5)Laura W.
I visited Hellas this summer and again this weekend. I have enjoyed the spinach pie and the Greek salad, along with the desserts. I feel like the quality of the food is a bit less than when I had visited several years ago. It may be the economy, as I could see that business is not what it was during better times in Tarpon Springs as a whole. However, I felt that the taste of the food and the desserts was not up to where it had been. There are many desserts to choose from and they all look very good. I just think that some of the ingredients are not as fresh or as natural as they could be. This is a nice location to eat as the restaurant is very open to the outdoors. Servers do a nice job. You can find free parking in their parking lot behind the building off Hope St. or find an on-street parking space.
(3)Leslie B.
Good Greek food. Best gyro I've had in Florida. Good Greek salad, but it only had two olives and one slice of pepper. The rice, saganaki, and spanikopita were excellent, but the green beans were canned. Overall, worth going to.
(4)Ali O.
We had a great salad and lamb riblets for starter while enjoying the port view. After that, we ate a nicely cooked 3 lb red snapper. Our waitress was kind enough to break the bone of the fish for us. The overall quality of the food was very satisfying for the price paid. Don't forget to visit the patisserie after your dinner. They have fantastic sweets and deserts. Kadayif was very good.
(5)Jeff M.
Stop #2 on the Taramasalata tasting tour. Wine and beer still the star and even an Ouzo shot couldn't help the taramasalata. Over blended bland orange goop. Yuck... I know it's touristville, but how about some flavor!!!
(2)Jeff D.
Holy Moly incredible dinner! Best sangria my wife and I have ever had. We had a pitcher of the pomegranate and if we didn't have to drive, could've done many more. Then we had the horiatiki salad with loads of feta, fresh tomato and cucumbers... delish. For our main course we had the combination dinner and everything was awesome. Service was outstanding and our server, josh, was very new and did an awesome job. Now on to dessert. ..The bakery is stupid and I mean Holy Moly what to get because it all looks awesome. We were so sided we got some coffee, walked the docks for a while and then returned. We shared the chocolate cream pasta and it was incredible. There are certainly many choices on the docks of Tarpon Springs. When we come back, it will be difficult to go anywhere other than Hellas!
(5)Anthony A T.
It was our first time to Tarpon Springs and we had just taken a Sponge-Diving boat tour. We were looking for lunch and stopped here. The menu had a great selection of typical Greek dishes. The food was excellent. The spanakopita was flaky, cheesy & delicious! The waiter was generous with ice tea re-fills. It was a perfect lunch. We followed this later in the day by stopping back at their bakery and trying out some of their selections of Greek pastries. My favorite was the Greek Cannoli... loaded with more flaky phyllo dough!
(5)Tiffany H.
Is it just me or is Hellas just kind of run of the mill Greek? I stopped here with a friend for lunch recently and figured I would stick to something basic. I ordered a gyro with a side of fries and a ginger ale. Soda tasted a little funny (maybe it was sugar free and it was some kind of aftertaste) and the gyro was gigantic... but crammed on a little plate with the fries. I don't know if this is a Tarpon Springs thing but I had this happen with a Greek salad at Mr. Souvlaki's multiple times before. Why can't they just put stuff on a slightly bigger plate so I don't manage to knock half of it on the table?! But I digress... The gyro was nothing special. It wasn't bad but it wasn't especially memorable. I picked some of the raw onions off (there were just too many) and proceeded to eat the meat, tomatoes, and sauce until I could actually hold the sandwich without the contents exploding everywhere. Between too much sandwich and poking at the fries (which were your average, run of the mill fry. Nothing different about 'em), I forfeited and left part of the sandwich. We got our bill with the parking credited (because if there's no room in the little lot just behind it, you can park in the all-day parking for $3 further up the hill, which is refunded if you eat at Hellas), and had an unusual experience. Since it was fairly cheap, and we both had $20s, I asked if the waiter could break one of the bills. He said something like "well, we don't have change on us so I'll have to do it up at the front." I get that it might be how it's done there, but jeez, part of your job is cashing people out and setting them up with a way to tip you. Just say, "sure, it'll be a minute." If you don't want me to tip you because you have to go all the way -over there- to inconveniently break my bill (even though you have to go there to cash us out), that's cool. /sarcasm
(3)Christian P.
If you were standing in ancient Athens between a Discount Dollar store, an art gallery that sold paintings of wolves under a full moon and a Christmas lighting showcase...and there was an unexpected explosion...you'd feel like you were at Hellas. Plato would crap his toga if he saw this place. No amount of dialectical discourse can explain what is going on here... When you recover from the shock and accept the mayhem that surrounds you, you are in for a treat. In a town full of Greek restaurants, Hellas is unquestionably the best. Flaming cheese, red snapper caught hours before on the owner's boat, Mythos Red and a bit of surprisingly good Macedonian wine made me forget the train wreck before my eyes. I visit Hellas WITHOUT FAIL every time I'm down on the Gulf side. Bonus: Hellas is attached (literally- your dessert comes straight from there) to a pastry/ ice cream shop with the best Italian and Greek pastries you will find anywhere in Florida.
(4)Jules F.
Very hit and miss, but good atmosphere and the "hit" food is quite good. I tried a little of everything amongst family, and the Mousaka and shaved grilled lamb were excellent. Price is a little high for lunch but appropriate for dinner. The fresh fish was very much to my liking, if you don't mind seeing or consuming whole-style fish. It would get more stars, because it seems better than it is with so many mediocre to bad and tacky places surrounding it, but with all the "miss" food, I can't do that to you, reader. And with so many Greeks in Tarpon Springs, this is the best they offer us?
(3)Kim P.
Hellas is a Tarpon gem, which I have eaten at for 20 years. I HAVE to go whenever I visit my Florida family. As a former Tampa Bay resident whom now lives in California---I miss this place more than any other restaurant. The Greek salad is the best I have ever had with it's hidden potato salad in the center, YUM---no matter what that's ordered!! The Moussaka and Pastitsio (so creamy) are divine. The Gyro platter and kabobs are great too. The table bread is fresh baked and very good. I visited so often when I lived here the waiters would comment on how my son had grown in keeping with their friendly, family oriented Greek natures! As it's not a small restaurant it can be a surprise that you are recognized let alone your child. The Bakery is an entire separate section with seating so if you just want coffee and a sweet bun come here. They have the traditional choices like chocolate mousse but I prefer to stay with the Greek, and love the Baklava, but usually walk out with a box of other choices! Lastly, it's right across the street from the sponge docks where you can get on a boat and take a glass bottom boat ride or Dolphin trek or just walk the great shops in this Grecian style town. Quaint at it's absolute best.
(5)Marquee M.
The Cod with their version of tarter sauce is fantastic.
(4)Chris K.
I felt compelled to review this (my first review on Yelp) after an amazing night at Hellas. I will start by saying I am very familiar with Greek food. Hellas is arguably the best Greek restaurant I have been in. Akropolis on Long Island is the only one that compares. The portions are huge. The service is extremely fast. I went there with a special lady and we got the assorted spreads appetizer with saganaki and extra pita. Extra pita ($2) is always a must at any Greek place. We then got the Greek combination platter to share as an entree. I was a bit worried we wouldn't have enough to eat because the combination platter did not look particularly large in the picture on the menu. The amount of food that arrived was massive - we made little sandwiches, combining the pita with everything arrayed, and had a venerable feast. This is a great setup for a couple, especially if one is unfamiliar with greek food, because it allows you to try all the major dishes and to experience a fun hands-on eating experience. A tip. Decline dessert from the menu if you eat dinner there then physically walk into the bakery (it's attached and part of the same building) so you can see everything. The baklava cheesecake was mindblowing, and the italian canoli was proper old school italian.
(5)Craig B.
The spanakopita was microwaved and barely edible. The pastry was like chewing wet paper and the filling was far too hot from being nuked. We should have known it was not fresh when it was served less than five minutes after we ordered. Never again.
(1)Brad K.
Best Greek restaurant (sit down style) in Tarpon Springs IMO. We've gone out of our way over the years to sample all the greek restaurants in Tarpon Springs and can now say Hella's is the best. You get an excellent atmosphere, open sliding windows, porch style eating, with excellent food. Service is hit or miss. The servers have been all working there a long time. Some are nice and provide excellent service. Some have attitudes and it reflects in their service. Sort of the snooty your a tourist we are Hella's or I'm above you attitudes. But that's not to often. I'd just ask for different table or server if you get that. Which is why I can't rate them 5 stars. But the food and atmosphere is what matters to me. Prices are very very good also. If you order the gyro plate which is like $8 you get a huge portion, enough for 3 pita's full of meat. They have a full bar. Next door they have the bakery, which all the pastries look GREAT. But we suggest you skip it. They look great but taste average. Trust us on this one, after 6+ years of taking home and sampling every different pastry they have, we end up saying the same thing every time. Ehh that was average !
(4)Elaine G.
Don't go with a party of 2! We were excited to have an authentic Greek dinner. Upon arrival we were told there was a 20-25 min wait. No problem. We waited TWICE that long and checked in with the hostess...she assured us we would be seated soon. We continued to wait in the bakery where a women spilled two coffees on my husband, a big clean up scene ensued and another 15 minutes went by. No one from the restaurant checked in with us about the hot coffee or the wait, even though there was no way it went unnoticed. After cleaning up, we continued to watch other people come in and get seated immediately. We decided to leave. The hostess wouldn't even look us in the eye as we returned the pager, let alone apologize. There was another couple sitting for quite some time as well. I guess the restaurant is just interested in seating larger tickets. Really disappointed with the inhospitable service. Poor form, Hellas!
(1)Denise G.
If you visit the Tampa area, or are lucky enough to live there, you probably have heard about the awesome Greek restaurant across from the Sponge Docks in Tarpon Springs. That would be Hella's! Though there are others in town, this is the one you want to visit. Start with some Saganaki-- Opa! to get an authentic and fun Greek experience, and then pick pretty much anything else on the menu---you will not be disappointed. As others have mentioned, the decor leaves a little to be desired--- lots of mirrors, chrome and neon...but overlook that and dig in. On your way out, stop by Hella's Bakey and pick up some awesome pastries for later-- you will be too full to eat dessert now.
(5)Steve M.
Love their Gyros. The wife had grouper. Great place for the price. We'll be back!
(4)Nathan H.
Hellas' tater salad on the bottom of that salad is the bomb dot com. There's sweet fired up cheese and there's a bakery with some nice cheesecake. Get some, and eat it.
(5)Meaghan H.
Admittedly, Hellas is not much to look at from the outside. Or the inside. Oh hell, who am I kidding? Hellas looks like a bad 1970's tourist trap full of tacky Greek statues of every possible size and every possible shade of blue on the carpet, the walls, the railings, the tables, the uniforms, and practically every other surface in the place. BUT, if you can handle sitting in an unattractive and dated dining room full of tourists, the food is seriously kick-ass. I am definitely not a connoisseur of Greek cuisine by any means, but the Gyro is delicious and its the only thing I ever order at Hellas. The pita is always crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside, the meat is seasoned to perfection and the tzatziki sauce is so good that I order double. The Greek salad is delicious as well, I always order one as an app to share with my dining partner (the small is enough for 3 people, easily.) Added bonus: I've never had a waiter who didn't look like a Greek God. I don't know if being beautiful is a requirement to work here, but it would seem so.
(4)Richard F.
We visited this location with a large group. We had a great time and really enjoyed the food. We have not eaten much Greek food but, everything we ate was absolutely delicious. We had a seat near the walkway so we could people watch as we ate. The service was exceptional and the server was very helpful to ensure we ordered the right items to get the experience we wanted to achieve. Can't wait to go back.
(5)Big S.
this is a great greek restaurant. the staff is always friendly and love yelling OPA! the melted flaming cheese is easily the best app, you should get that every time. they do serve pita that seems to be fried on one side, that is also incredible. the salads are great, a little strange with the potato salad under it all but the dressing makes up for that. main course, i know the whole fish is great. i also like the gyro platter and the grape leaves. dessert is probably the best. great baklava and the greek cannolis are similar to lobster tails in boston.
(4)Nanci C.
If you go here, go here HUNGRY! This is a family favorite of ours, when we go to the Sponge Docks, we almost always eat here. I always get the hummus and warm pita bread appetizer, and then the Greek salad. It is more than enough and I always end up taking half of it home. The bakery is to die for. So many choices - pastries, pies, cheesecakes, cookies, and more. Also delicious, is their coffee. It has a wonderful spiced flavor to it and is served super hot. Yes, we love Hellas!
(5)Lorraine N.
Tarpon Springs is such a tiny little piece of fun and it is fabulous. I ate at this restaurant several times during my stay here and enjoyed everything tremendously. Our server Nick was such a treasure.....we loved him so much ----Make sure you try several things here and some greek wine too.....It was a very active and fun place to go and enjoy taking in the locals and tourists alike......
(5)J C.
While on vacation in Clearwater my family and I traveled to Tarpon Springs for Greek food. We chose to eat dinner at Hellas. We were promptly Seated and greeted by our friendly native Greek waiter, Nando. We started with an assortment of Greek dips ie: classic hummus, red pepper and feta hummus and tzatsiki along with warm fresh pita ( best pita EVER!). The spread was delicious and perfect for 6 people. We also started with the lemon- egg soup. Although a bit creamier in texture than I'm used to, it was still very delicious. For main dishes we ordered the fantastic and HUGE Greek salad that included large slices of fresh feta and delicious Greek style potato salad. My sister and I ordered the chicken souvlaki sandwich, Pretty simple pita sandwich with juicy chunks of grilled chicken, also had a side of Greek style fries ( long thick cut "steak" fries) perfectly golden brown with lemon and feta. My father ordered a classic Greek dish, pastitsio. It's basically a Greek style lasagna with ground beef, tubular shaped pasta and a tomato cream sauce. The dish was a delicious traditional meal with a crunchy cheese coating and piping hot beef filling, served alongside peas and rice. Our guest ordered the pan fried grouper, a huge piece of fish that looked delicious. All meals were affordable ranging from 8$ ( souvlaki) to 13$ (pastitsio) to $15 ( grouper). We ended the meal with desserts ( AMAZING baklava) at the Hellas bakery. My only drawbacks were the service as dirty plates were left on our table throughout our meal and drinks were never refilled promptly. The decor is also very tacky in a meditaranean Greek disco club sort of way, but gave the place some charm. All in all I would recommend Hellas to any out of towners looking to experience the local Tarpon Springs Greek culture.
(4)Mike P.
Great Greek restaurant. They know what they are doing. Great atmosphere. THere is no doubting this is a Greek place. Everything is fresh and tasty. THe attached bakery is amazing. Again every pastry we had was fantastic.
(4)Vivian L.
My friend and I visited this place on a very rainy weekend day for lunch. We did some shopping in the many sponge shops. We sat outside and watched the other tourists get soaked in the crazy FL downpour. Our waiter was super nice and friendly. We started the meal with the saganaki flaming cheese which we totally enjoyed and then scarfed down quickly cause it was so good. This was followed by a greek salad which had potato salad in the center. I ordered the famous Hella's gyro and it could have fed 2 people easily. I tried to tackle it solo and ended up pulling half the meat out cause I couldn't finish it all. My friend also liked her chicken souvlaki. We were too stuffed to get dessert after wards but did walk through the bakery and everything did look very good. The place is very clean, well decorated with a Greek vibe to it. Having been to Greece before, I would say that was one of the gyros I've ever had anywhere. The prices were great and the service was good, too. I would go back again for sure!
(5)Dean H.
Hella's Greek restaurant on the Sponge Docks Donna had Combination - Spanakopita and Tiropita dinner. At Hella'si had the Lamb kabobs. Delicious! Would have given more stars but our server was very "distracted." At one point I actually saw him walk out of the front of the restaurant. To smoke maybe? Either way, our soft drink glasses sat empty for awhile and he only checked back once. Not the ordinary for this establishment as we watched other servers actually performing as servers. And although it was intended to add to the ambience and theme, the Greek radio station blaring over the speaker system made it impossible to carry on a conversation. But...the food was fantastic.
(4)Lisa C.
First let me start off by saying, we have been eating at Hellas for MANY yrs. It was our only go-to place when we visit Tarpon Springs. My mom and I share a birthday and we thought it would be a nice day for the whole family to meet up, walk around the sponge docks and eat at Hellas. We get a table for 8. A nice looking Greek waiter comes over takes our drink order. He had the personality of a cardboard box. We were in a great mood, happy to be there and obviously it was our bday because we brought in a couple gifts to exchange. He seemed like he was visiting a funeral. We order two large Greek salads and the cold spreads appetizer. The cold spreads included two types of hummus and a feta spread with hot pita wedges. Pita bread was outstanding. In fact, the highlight of the meal unfortunately. Salads were as good as we remembered. Hummus wasn't the best but it was tasty. For the table, our orders consisted of 4 Chicken Souvlakis, 2 Spanikopita meals, One Greek platter and a gyro platter. I was one of the unlucky chicken souvlakis. The chicken consisted of 4 bite size chunks of very over cooked and under flavored bites, half a raw onion and about a teaspoon of tzatziki sauce. We had to choke them down. The waiter never came to check on us and basically we had to flag someone else over for a mini container of extra sauce that we were charged for. Really sad. The veggies on the side were inedible globs of overcooked stewed forms we didn't know what they were originally. Reallllly sad. The platter which I convinced my brother to order because it used to be amazing was also so drab. It has gone downhill. The tastes all ran into each other and the grapeleaves did not taste fresh or homemade. They tasted like the ones my farmers maket sells in a jar. Ick When we finally managed to get our waiter for the bill, we told him how sad we were that the food has changed. He left and brought the manager or owner over. She apologized and said there was a new chef and would take care of the souvlakis on our plates that we barely ate. What that meant was bring us a piece of baklava? Anyways, I never look for a free meal but it really was a disappointing birthday meal for two of us. After stating she would take care of them.. well.. it was surprising. We walked next door to the bakery and ordered cappuccinos and split a few desserts. Those were hit and miss as well but better than the meal. Next time I will try Mykonos which everyone on here says is the real deal.
(2)Mike C.
The place is beautiful, the whole look is really nice and so greek, the octopus is siick, sprinkle a little lemon on top and its delicious. The souvlaki was good, pita was soft, and we all enjoyed our meals. I knew that if we hit up this spot, we would walk out stuffed and satisfied. highly recommend this place if your in the area opa!
(5)Jen R.
Had family in town from TX, FL, NC with ages ranging from 6 months to 6 decades and had a fabulous experience at Hella's. We avoided long wait times by having a later lunch (2 ish) and they were able to seat 13 immediately. We loved peering into the bakery - what a treat! Our waiter was incredibly fast and paid great attention to detail - he served us 2 orders of "flaming" Saganaka. We enjoyed everything we ordered - OMG amazing Greek Salad, Pastitsio, Gyros & Baklava. We took 2 New Years sweet bread home with us. Opaaa! A great way to spent time in Tarpon Springs.
(5)Nick S.
Pros: Atmosphere is excellent for a family dinner, date or for when visitors come to town. Excellent selection of Greek culinary staples and treasures. In the heart of the Tarpon Springs Sponge Dock district. Excellent array of Greek products for sampling. Historic and goodwill value business. Flaming cheese and their homemade olives. Cons: Overpriced (see my other reviews for examples including the .50 ranch at Beef O' Brady's). Hellas is no different I realized after receiving bill for $8 for 4 pieces of pita bread. Servers are not very good at their job. Not really great cuisine building to say the least. Simply put the food just isn't great with an exception that is to the flaming cheese. Pastry was beautifully put together but lacked good flavor or consistency. All and all Hellas is a can't miss visit to Tarpon Spring's Sponge docks. Last note: Last weekend I took my family to the sponge docks for a day of fun and we decided to eat at Hellas. We watched as the waiter dropped his towel (that he uses to wipe away his sweat) onto a little girls octopus meal. He looked around to see if anyone noticed and then just picked it up and handed her the dish. Disgusting!
(3)Ryan M.
Opaaaa!!!! Great Greek food and atmosphere. This is definitely authentic. We got two gyro platters (great!) and a chicken souvlaki (probably even better, big chunks of chicken). The fries were outstanding. Didn't get a greek salad or a flaming cheese on this trip, but they looked great! Huge restaurant, well-decorated (in the eclectic, tacky Greek authenticity), and attached to an outstanding bakery. The prices are a bit high compared to some of the other options nearby, but you can't go wrong with a meal at Hellas.
(4)Julio M.
Went with family on Sunday of the festival weekend. Ordered a gyro and a chicken soulaki. My kids ordered hotdogs. Gyro was cold and little taste. Soulaki had more pita and extra than chicken. Serivce was mediocre. Have had better. Was disppointed.
(2)Bob J.
Had to have Greek food and our way through Tarpon Springs and this place really worked out. The service was great, food was very good (fresh and properly prepared) and reasonably priced. We were happy and definitely would go back.
(4)David M.
Where Zeus would eat if vacationing on the Gulf Coast. All of the classic Greek dishes you see in traditional Greek restaurants; just done a little nicer here, and the prices are very reasonable. For dessert wonder over to their attached bakery and see what looks irresistible. (Uh, that would be about 30-40 of the desserts you'll see in the case). Ya'sou, and opa, too!
(4)BooBooKatie M.
I hadn't been to Tarpon Springs in more than a decade but I was looking forward to getting back up there for some good Greek food following a local show. Unfortunately, the local show ended at 10:30p and everything in T.S. closes between 9 and 10p, even on a Saturday night! As we cruised down the sponge docks slowly looking for signs of life within restaurants, I spotted Hellas Bakery, brightly lit with workers behind the counter. We parked and ran in, through the bakery into the adjoining restaurant where a hostess still stood behind her podium. She regretfully informed us however that the restaurant was closed and only the bakery remained open. Sadly, we wandered back outside where we stood on the sidewalk, contemplating our options: bar food or Awful Waffle. Things were looking bleak until the Manager (or perhaps he was the owner?) came outside and explained to us that although the kitchen was shut down and most of the food put away, if we wanted simple items such as salads or gyros, they would accommodate us. So he escorted us into the empty restaurant and told us to take our time. Our waiter, who I expected would be irritated at having to stay later to wait on us, was VERY gracious and also let us know that we shouldn't feel hurried to eat our food. My friends had gyros which they said were quite good. I was perfectly happy with a generous plate of marinated feta, olives, and warm, crusty bread. And the home-made Greek dressing on my salad was the best I've ever had! Ever! We left happy and full and I have every intention of returning to Hellas to enjoy a cooked meal the next time I make it up to Tarpon. Hopefully sooner than 10 years later. To Hellas, thank you again for feeding us after you were closed! Now THAT'S hospitality!
(4)Ben V.
Wife and I went to Tarpon Springs to witness first hand the Greek settlement that has existed for decades now. Hellas had the best reviews of all the Greek establishments on Dodecanese Blvd. The place was packed especially for lunch but we didn't find the food necessarily impressive. I mean it was solid, good food but not the best Greek food we've ever had. Louis Pappas is still our favorite until otherwise noted.
(3)Ken R.
Great Greek food here everything is good Greek salad is the best if you eat elsewhere. You made a mistake
(4)Basia K.
I wish that I could give this place 6 stars. The service is impeccable. The food is phenomenal. I wish I could have taken this place back with me on the plane to NY. The saganaki was made the real authentic way, not fried like a few too many "Greek" restaurants like to serve it. The Frappe was so amazing, I have fraps here in NY in many Greek spots but none like this. Sighhhhh I can't wait to be back. It's a must go!
(5)chrissy a.
The best Greek good I have had since moving to Florida from NY. Amazing service. Excellent Gyro and amazing Saganaki. Definitely will be back in 2 weeks with my parents.
(5)Matthew K.
This is a great Greek restaurant in Tarpon Springs. My wife and I were there while visiting family in Florida. I had the gyro with homemade fries and we had an appetizer Greek salad with bread. All the food was fantastic!!! The meat in the gyro was oozing flavor, savory, moist, and ooh so good. After lunch, we decided to go the bakery that is attached to the restaurant, where we picked up a traditional Greek new year's bread. The bread has a coin in it, and our waitress explained the tradition of breaking the bread and what everything meant as far as what happens if you get the coin. A great place, authentic, and fantastic service! I highly recommend stopping in if you are in Tarpon Springs!
(4)David G.
The gyros are stuffed with meat and are very good. The broiled octopus was excellent! Extremely tender. It was like eating a very meaty fish. Having only sampled rubbery octopus sushi or the equally rubbery versions in some seafood dishes in various restaurants, I realize that those chefs all need to come here to see how octopus should be cooked. The items in their bakery were excellent as well.
(4)Claudia S.
I'm torn, I'd say this place is 3.5 for me..........but I'll give it 4. I ended up here because I went on some cruise that boards right across the street, and naturally as we docked it started to pour.....and since I didn't realize there's parking all along the way, I parked in the very first lot. Walking in flip flops is a bad idea and since I hadn't eaten all day, I figured why not. The hostess was nice, the waitress who saw me waiting and said she'd get my waitress (and got me a drink) was REALLY friendly...........but my waitress was really rude until the very end. Now, I've been told that Greeks like Greeks (and I'm not Greek) and seeing as how I'm from a very segregated city, I didn't anticipate lots of chatter, but I also didn't anticipate being treated so poorly. It was as if me asking anything was a problem. Well sorry, but I don't eat Greek (even though Chicago has a Greek community with some great places..) and I wanted to know if I should go for fish (because come on!) or a combination platter or something. I tried the Flounder and it was delicious! So was the rice. The vegetables didn't look great and after I saw someone's salad I ordered one of those, so I was stuffed and never got around to them. The salad, oh my.....sooooooo good! She warned me that there was potato salad at the bottom and at first I wasn't prepared to like it (as I don't like potato salad) but the next day I got a salad from somewhere else and was hoping it would be at the bottom of that salad as well. I took most of my food to go as the portions were huge and the prices were fair.....wish I had room for dessert as everyone around me was ordering stuff that looked good, but oh well. I wouldn't have known what to order anyway. Everyone was friendly as I left, and I'm not sure if it's because I'm young, was dining alone, from out of town or because I'm not Greek....but my waitress made me just want to get out of there as fast as possible. That and it was really, really cold in there. Yes, I just came from rain but I'm from Chicago....I didn't wear a coat in winter for at least 10 years. If I'm cold, other people must be freezing!
(4)Kristen K.
Hellas is so wonderful that I found myself daydreaming about it today, nearly two months after visiting for lunch toward the end of a fantastic vacation. Tarpon Springs is an eclectic Greek fishing village, and Hellas Restaurant is a shiny blue and white (and slightly tacky) gem right in the middle. I highly recommend the saganacki, the "original" Greek salad (with a scoop of potato salad underneath) and the Greek grouper. OPA!
(4)Oak L.
This is a tourist trap though I did meet a local shop keeper who says she may occasionally eat here; she prefers another place up the street. The decor is exaggerated greek blue and white. It catches the eye for sure but I've been to Greece and I prefer the real thing to this touristy concoction. So once you get past the touristy feel, you have to deal with the overly attentive waiters. The one assigned to us was nice but he kept pushing things that he evidently is trained to do. So, they offered the variety of cheeses flambe. Ha! Nice show but who needs the flambe. I don't recall that being a Greek specialty but it does attract the tourists' eyes. Be careful of their recommendations, there may be an extra charge for them. Some may like it but I don't like be led around by the nose to order things that line the owner's pocket. My wife ordered the Moussaka (eggplant) and I ordered the Combination - Spanakopita and Tiropita. We liked them but they were just ordinary -- and we've had Greek food in Greece, Astoria, NY among other places. I think the vegetables they served (green beans) were sitting in the pot of boiling water for ages and it was colorless, tasteless, and lifeless and the worse green beans you could order at a cafetaria. It was not a tasty meal though of course with the flaky filo, it was Greek, though highly salty. OK, service was attentive but the food nothing special. The bread basket had to be requested and it was just sliced Italian bread. I suppose they know I won't be going back. Maybe next time I'll try the Jerk restaurant on the way out of town. At least they have good reviews.
(2)Paul E.
Great time on a Saturday night with live music and water side seating. The staff were all Greek, the patrons near us were also - says something, doesn't it? The family near us even got up and did some traditional dances and were sociable with us. The food is very well prepared, on par with a friend's Greek mother. I had the dolmades with rice and peas. The desserts are excellent. The display of the pastries is tantalizing and irresistable! Try the Napolean Baklava!
(5)Paul K.
I do not care for the strip mall outskirts of Florida, but what a surprise to find a Greek village in Tarpon Springs. Built around the sponging industry, you have many Greek options here. Hellas is at the top of the list, hands downs. All the Greeks there told me as much, so who am I to argue with them? The place is huge, and the menu options are many. Expect enormous servings. A Greek salad was easily split three ways. Not as many vegetarian options as one might think for Greek food.
(5)T T.
We've visited Hellas a few times over the years and most recently a couple of weeks ago. We've always enjoyed our meals here and our latest visit was no different. Our food, which I'm not even going to try to pronounce, was extremely tasty. This is surprising since I'm not usually impressed by touristy restaurants. The restaurant was clean and our waitress was very friendly and attentive. When at the sponge docks, skip the other Greek restaurants and go to Hellas.
(5)J. P.
This was some of the best Greek food that I have ever had. We decided on Hella's because it had a bakery, but the food was awesome, too! If you stop in, make sure you try the Makaronada (Homemade Greek Spaghetti). It was my favorite!
(4)Doug B.
Hands down, this is the best restaurant in Tarpon Springs, FL. If you love Greek Food, you will love this place and if you have never enjoyed Greek food, you will after eating there. The staff is great and very accommodating to patrons. Don't forget to order the Saganaki appetizer!
(5)Jenn H.
VERY VERY VERY GOOD!! Wait time was minimal. Salads are huge. Server was .... uhhh ..... kind of rude. But mainly blunt, to the point and no fun, what so ever. But he fed us well :) Combination plate was good. Had a combination of everything....imagine that :) Tasty!! Honestly. I am really picky about Greek food so I wouldn't give it 5 stars, or even 4, but I will say that it was damn good. Also, the grouper, magnificent. The baklava tiramisu, sounded awesome, but was a complete disappointment. Just very sweet, with no chocolate, but the lady fingers were way soaked in rum. So that was nice. Overall good. Liked it. Large portions. Good, fast food. A little pricey.
(3)Katie M.
Josh was our server and was exquisite. Saganaki is always fabulous as well as the Greek salad. A friend of mine had a fish dish and absolutely loved it as well as a Greek imported beer. Icing on the cake is the bakery is attached to the restaurant so take a gander at the astounding amount of desserts :)
(5)Trish H.
My husband and I both had gyros and they were AWESOME! They are full of juicy, tender and perfectly seasoned meat. We finished it off with a slice of chocolate cake and it too was sinfully delicious. This was my first trip to the Sponge Docks and while I doubt I will be back again for the sponge dock experience any time soon, I would definitely consider the out of the way trip to the area just to get another gyro from Hellas!!
(4)Joanne G.
The gyro was delicious and authentic. My only complaint was that the gyro had too much meat. Fries cost more and you really don't need them, as the gyro is quite large. The food tasted fresh, and the server was good. The spanakopita is excellent-very fluffy & buttery. I always request these whenever family is coming to CT. They actually travel well when frozen. The waitress compared the Greek coffee to Turkish coffee. I never had either. It was very gritty & dark...not my idea of a good cup of coffee. It looks like an espresso, but it has a lot of sediment in the bottom. The attached bakery is full of desserts that look great. We tried the dipple. It was a honey pastry, sort of like an elephant ear. Very delicious. The Greek honey is amazing! The setting of this restaurant is in the Sponge Docks. Years ago, the sponge docks used to be booming. I think the economy has hit this area pretty hard, but if you are in the mood for Greek food, you will enjoy this restaurant and its selection. The staff is knowledgeable and the food comes out quickly.
(4)Stuart M.
We had Gyros and Greek salad. Very "Greek" atmosphere. Staff was very helpful with getting high chair for our 10 month old and making sure we were ok with our table.
(4)Cathy C.
First remember this IS a tourist area! We were visiting family and wanted to take them out for dinner at a greek restaurant, this was a different one than we had went prior when visiting in Tarpon Springs. The place is what americans think greek is - alot of white and blue! We were seated against the window facing the street, so I like our location of seating - out of the traffic area. Ordered dolmades and a greek salad for all to share, both were good. The gyro one had was a bit dry, fried grouper sandwich was good, the lamb shank w/spagetti was different however the lamb didn't fall off the bone (could be the method of cooking compared to other shanks that I have had), and the stuffed grouper with crab was good. Can't say compared to other greek restaurants that it would be my pick to drive out of the way for however it was OK. Found some of the desserts that were picked up for later way over the top with sugar!!!! Haven't had anything this sweet at anyother greek restaurants / bakery I have been too.
(3)Kelleigh M.
The best bakery in tarpon. Park in the back of the building for easy in and out.
(5)Ray C.
I am really impressed with Hellas Restaurant. This place is very cleaned! The services were really great! I had a great GYROS! Most of the food on menu looked great! The desserts on the side of the restaurant were sooo fancy! The prices are reasonable! This place would be great for taking your friends from out of town to visit the "GREEK TOWN" I enjoyed the enivornment very much!
(4)Cara B.
Still the BEST. GYRO. EVER.
(5)Tina J.
Hellas (emphasis on the 2nd syllable) ... me being from Northern Cali, i at first thought it was accent on the 1st, like Hella Good. Until my Greek co-worker said it correctly... whoops, heheh.... Anyways, food is great here, and service was great too. The waitress checked up on each table at least 3 times throughout the meal. The whole Tarpin Springs area reminded me of Thailand, where there's so much competition among the restaurants, that they needed someone at the door trying to attract in customers. Ordered the Saganaki, the flaming cheese, (upon recommendation of the other yelpers), and it was really good. Nice & toasty and great with bread. Had the gyro, and the meat is definitely tender and freshly cut. It got a lil bit to be too much of the same by the end. Should have a little more veggies in the wrap. Tiramisu in a bowl - was only okay. I would suggest getting the Tiramisu in a rectangle cut. The bowl made the layers uneven so that it was a lot of the cream, but not enough of the ladyfinger layer. Baklava was great. Sweet of course. I'm not so much into sweets, so a quarter was good enough for me. Food: 4 stars Service: 4 Ambiance: 4 stars Overall: 4 star
(4)Charlene M.
Not what I expected... First time to Tarpon Springs. Very touristy area, and in addition to sponges you could buy everywhere, lots of the usual tourist tees, magnets, glasses, etc. The Hellas has a nice looking bakery if you are looking for sugar and gluten. We were there for the Greek food at lunch time. The place was packed, and it was huge, noisy, dark, and bustling. The menu had dolmas, spanokapitas, and other goodies, but as dinner plates, not as appetizers, and they were a little pricey. Their combo plate was close to $20, also a little much for lunch. We settled on gyros, classic Greek. Well, if you are into lots of meat, this is the sandwich for you. It was big, wrapped in a yummy warm pita, but had very little of what adds flavor to the dryness of the lamb/beef rotisserie. Very little onion, lettuce, tomato. I had to ask for more tzatziki sauce. What came out was basically a thick sour cream. Very little of the yogurt, garlic, cuke flavor that you expect. Really? I'm used to juices running down my arm. This was kind of ... Boring. Meat. Meat. More meat. The couple next to us had ordered a soup, concluding "I've had better Greek soup than this". It wasn't bad, it just wasn't what you expect coming to a town with the Greek reputation TS has. I've had much better in Gulf Breeze Florida near Pensacola Beach! I want garlic breath! Worth a try? If you like gyro meat, you're in luck!
(3)Steve M.
Hellas is good solid Greek food in the land of Greek restaurants. If you want traditional Greek food at reasonable prices, then Hellas is for you. Tip - you may not want to sit outside. My wife and I chose an outdoor table and were attacked by bugs through our entire meal.
(3)Frank L.
Great service and food! I really like the combo platter, as there was much to sample. Very eclectic decor.
(4)Rich D.
I don't often get to Tarpon Springs, so I don't know how well Hellas compares to all the other Greek restaurants in town. But it's the place I bring friends and family to when they're in town, mainly because it never fails making them salivate at the sight of all the bakery goodies next door. I've also found the flavors at Hellas compare a bit better than the Greek restaurants I've been to around Clearwater. I recently took two friends there on a sunny afternoon for lunch, and we had the outdoor porch to ourselves. The restaurant being much calmer than normal, the pleasant weather, the good conversation, the great service from our waiter, and the tasty food that was served up promptly all combined to make it a great day and meal. Since that meal I've had a chance to talk to some locals who say they frequent several Greek restaurants away from the sponge docks that they like better, so I'll be checking them out over the next few weeks. But for a meal that the tourists in town can enjoy, Hellas has always been good choice for us, and I'm sure I'll be bringing more back. Atmosphere: 4 Service: 4 Food: 4 Value: 4
(4)Theresa K.
We have been to Hellas Restaurant several times. Every time we have found the food, the service and the atmosphere delightful. We also visited to bakery to bring back desserts. This is a beautiful place to visit. My son faithfully orders spanakopita every time. I ordered a chicken k-bob. Delicious! There are many stores to visit around the sponge docks. You can also go out on a boat, as well. Hellas is my favorite restaurant by far. I highly recommend it.
(5)David P.
I really enjoyed the Greek Salad and the gyro plate - good service at a reasonable price.
(4)Nurys I.
We LOVED this place!!! Everything about it. I felt like we were back in Katakolon, Greece. Actually, the food was even better than the food in Greece. The service was fast and very good. Even other waiters were attentive to our needs. Absolutely everything we ate was excellent. The best Greek salad I've had in a while with a surprising potato salad center treat! We had the peach sangria - yum!! The saganaki was amazing and the moussaka was delicious! Very plentiful portions. My friend ordered the gyro platter and I'm pretty sure 2-3 people could have eaten from that dish alone. I tried the baklava cheesecake but wasn't impressed with that, otherwise everything was amazing, service was outstanding and the energy was a lot of fun!
(5)Jim K.
I can't say enough good things. Their Gyros are amazing. We stopped in the bakery on the way home. I had the Chocolate Kok and it was really good. 5 stars!
(5)Jim B.
A must visit in Tarpon Springs. The food, people, and atmosphere are absolutely the best. Enjoy Greek prepared seafood plus all the traditional dishes. Opa!!
(5)John M.
I'll tell you, the sponge docks are definitely a tourist trap... But of all the restaurants on the docks, this one is the best. The spanikopita...you cant go wrong, its fantastic.. I also reccomend that you get the grilled octopus appetizer... it will blow your mind its so fresh and so great.. with a delicate white wine from crete... wow. We got a greek salad for two... a salad for TWO...... with THREE greek olives really,, thats 1.5 calamata olives a piece.. and a couple of fingers of feta on the whole salad. I asked our waiter and pointed out the lack of olives and chese he apologized and brought us a cup full.The salad was very fresh though.The place was very clean as where the restrooms. If you want to eat on the sponge docks, there are a few restaurants that ive eaten at.. dont go anywhere else but here... you will get raked over the coals a little but mostly the food is great. When you are on the sponge docks doing anything.. always count your change , i dont know what it is with these business owners but i was short changed 3 times in a week so count your change and check your billl for over rings.
(4)Jacqueline B.
Best greek food I have ever had. My bf never ate greek food, so I was excited and ordered a bunch of different items for him to try. We started with the aveglemono soup, which was EXACTLY as I remembered getting from this old tiny greek place near home that closed down. We then got the sampler platter...gyro meat was terrific, mousaka was really yummy. He LOVED the stuffed grape leaves. Tried greek beer for the first time. Everything EXCELLENT. Our waitress was AWESOME!! I little rough around the edges but in a loving way. She was really great. I really enjoy that this is such a proud culture. We were visiting family in Holiday, FL and stumbled upon this great little town. Actually ate a couple different greek places because I couldnt get ENOUGH!! Stopped at the bakery and got a little sampler of different things. The bakliva was SOOOO good, literally the best I EVER had!! I went back in before we left town and got a dozen pieces to fly back to PA with!!
(5)Hernan G.
Delicious food. Great sevice, but never ever order french fries. All the rest was excellent. Best greek restaurant in area.
(5)Greg S.
Get the combo dinner
(4)Livelifehappy L.
Saganaki! Opppppppaaaaaaa! First time here! Amazing! The wait staff is the most memorable in my opinion... Beautiful men! What a great strategy this owner has. Yes, the women flock into this 1/2 restaurant 1/2 bakery. Delicious! David our server was exceptional! And gorgeous! He was professional, a perfect gentleman, knew how to suggest items on the menu and was very attentive. I went to Greece last year on vacation and Hellas by far is true authentic Greek cuisine! Better than in Greece! If you're in Tarpon Springs it's a must see! Try it! You won't be disappointed! Take a picture... It'll last longer! ;)
(4)Stefanie F.
While visiting the Greek area of Tarpon Springs, the family and I decided to check Yelp reviews for a good Greek restaurant. Hellas was at the top of the list and had the most reviews. I suppose you can say that they're the most popular and have taken over the area -- they even have another smaller cafe just a few doors down. The food was pretty solid. I'm not a Greek food expert though so it could have been terrible compared to other restaurants in the area. I really enjoyed the spanikopita. I also sampled the souvlaki -- not too bad. The pork was pretty good. What really stood out was the hummos -- it was really delicious. It came out on a plate, in two beautiful mounds, with one kalamata olive stuck in the top of each mound. (It really did look like two nicely shaped boobs.) The atmosphere and decor were over the top and cheesy. Shiny, wannabe Greek bling was everywhere. I did enjoy the open air seating though. The server was somewhat short with us. However, she did her job pretty well. We had a decent sized party and nothing was amiss. She was just a tad bit snippy and could have been friendlier. According to the locals, this is the TJ McFunsters of Greek restos in Tarpon Springs. It must be because the giant Spartan sign, and all of that shiny bling attracts tourists in flocks. Next time I visit, I'd probably try a different restaurant.
(3)Guy G.
Good food, over the top atmosphere! Our waiter was great, but on the two trips that I took two of my sons to the restroom I noticed a recurring theme; the staff is not in a hurry to get out of your way (in fact you have to move out of their way, no food in hand just walking). Normally restaurant staff moves over, after all you are their guest. The food is good but the prices are high and the surrounding restaurant are cheaper and presumably of equal quality. The bakery really got me. I purchased four saragli, two koulourakia, two kourabiedes, two bakalava, and a small tsoureki for a grand total of $26. I would go back but only after trying the other surrounding restaurants. In no way do I want to give a bad review (it was good) I would like to try other restaurants especially when they're cheaper.
(4)Miguel O.
If we get a craving for some awesome Greek food, we take a road trip from Orlando and head only to Hellas. My family and I just love everything about the place. We were there on August 8th and attended by Dimitrios. He made everything perfect for us. Thank you! But all the servers are that way. Great atmosphere, great food, great servers, and easy parking with their own parking lot.
(5)Michelle K.
I've been coming here for as long as I can remember. Obviously, there are loads of Greek restaurants in Tarpon Springs, but Hellas beats them all! Their lamb shank with spaghetti is probably my favorite item on the menu. The lamb is always falling-off-the-bone-tender! The spanakopita and gyros are also standout dishes, but you really can't go wrong with anything you order here. And don't leave without picking out a yummy pastry from the bakery next door!
(5)Keyta E.
Had the gyros and baklava. They were good. Not sure of the restaurant atmosphere but the town is fun to visit. Nothing to bring me back to this restaurant besides good lookig waiters.
(3)Bill S.
If your on the West Coast of Florida, a stop at the sponge docks in Tarpon Springs is a must. Why do you ask? (Don't question me sparky, just go with it) Tarpon Springs is known to have the highest percentage of Greek Americans of any city in the US. So in your face Astoria! Which brings us to Hellas Restaurant on Dodecanese Blvd. You wanna see all those Greek blue and white colors? Hellas Restaurant has them on display proudly. The sponge docks is a high traffic tourist area, the restaurant could put out sloppy food for unknowing tourists but Hellas Restaurant doesn't disappoint. Every time we come here the food is consistently good. Starting off with Skordalia, it's like our American potato chip and dip. Its a Greek Potato and Garlic Dip that's served with pita bread points. Made perfectly here. My wife ordered the mini lamb chops. I want the the real deal that reminds me of my Greek granny, I ordered the combination plate- Spanakopita and Tiropita. Spanakopita is a special blend of spinach, onions, and feta cheese, baked in a flaky filo dough. It's our Greek life blood! Tiropita is combination of assorted Greek cheese, also baked in a flaky filo dough. Over the years we've come here for kabobs, fresh grilled octopus and gyros. Great food that doesn't disappoint year after year. Hellas Restaurant is the real deal Greek feel when you're in Tarpon Springs.
(4)Rhea P.
Really great restaurant with a festive environment. Yes there are many Greek restaurants to chose from In this area, but I tend to end up here. I just love sitting outside, and this is a great place to people watch. I don't think I've ever been to a restaurant with so many male servers. And many of them seen really young too! Portions are quite large so I usually leave with a box.
(4)Warren R.
Well, I learned a lot about myself today. I learned that I do not like broiled octopus. We were walking around the area, and decided to try Hellas for lunch. They had many things that I knew I would like, but I wanted to be adventurous. The wife ordered a Gyro, they made a special pita and cheese sandwich for my little one, and I, after reading Sofia's review, decided that I must try the broiled octopus if it's the best in the area. The wife and I split a Greek salad, it was tasty, and I have no complaints. The little one ate her cheese pita sandwich and fries without an issue. Then they brought out my wife's Gyro, and my broiled octopus. Just smelling it I knew that it wasn't going to be something I enjoyed. The table next to us stopped and stared, my wife and child held their breaths as I cut into it. I managed to take one bite, and that was it. It's not Hellas fault, broiled octopus just isn't my thing apparently. The wife was kind enough to give me half of her Gyro, although good, not the best I've ever had. I am not rating this based on the octopus, because it would not be fair to judge the restaurant on a dish I would not enjoy anywhere, but at least now I know. The Gyro and Greek salad were ok, and the service was ok, so I would normally only give you a three, but you also gave me a very special memory, so I award you a four :)
(4)Rachel M.
Hella's is alright. We ordered saganaki, pork souvlaki, horatiki salad, and gyros. Yes, kinda sounds boring. Sounds really boring for that matter. Sofia, our wonderful Greek goddess friend ordered the broiled octopus. Just imagine long tentacles sprawled on a plate looking like they are moving and filled with olive oil and splashed with lemon juice. That was definitely not boring. I tried it. Yay, something new. It was moist on the inside. The ends where a nice charred taste to it. It was good. So good. So you are looking for exciting and maybe a little bit different than what you have probably seen anywhere, have some saganaki, don't forget scream OPA, then try the broiled octopus. Yes, that will turn your flip flops into dancing shoes, and it will turn your world upside down. In regards to our experience with our server, it was just okay. Our waitress could really careless of getting our checks right. She was just so nonchalant about it. The atmosphere is nice and airy, and perfect on an April night when the breeze is softly blowing. The decor has many crystal blues and whites to remind you of Greece. The restaurant is dog friendly which is perfect for us dog lovers. All in all, our experience was alright. The exciting and different broiled octopus was the best part. The saganaki always tastes good. Wish it was a bigger wedge of cheese and wish it already came with pita bread instead of asking for it, but oh well.
(3)Brittany K.
Ate here when visiting the Clearwater area. Our Greek friends took us and we let them do all of the ordering for the table. Items ordered included Saganaki (flaming cheese), Taramosolata (Greek Caviar), Greek Salad, broiled octopus and a 3.5 lb fresh snapper. We also had greek wine and several deserts from the attached bakery. The place is huge and you really feel as if you are in Greece with the blue and white decor. The Taramosolata was arguably one of the best things I have eaten recently. I had never had it and we actually ordered a second order. I definitely recommend it. Other than that the food was very good but not outstanding. I have been to Greece before. The Saganaki was not as good as we've had at other places stateside, namely Detroit's greektown. The broiled octopus was cooked to the right texture but it could have used some spices. It was just sitting in olive oil with lemon wedges on the side. The fish was superbly fresh and cooked well but when ordering a whole expensive fish I usually expect the waiter to serve it and help with the bone removal. Also I hesitate to say it but we were not blown away with our bakery selections. The one exception was the Baklava which was outstanding. Overall great place to go with friends or a group. You will occasionally hear singing for a party and find yourself shouting opa!
(4)Dawn R.
Hellas is my favorite place to eat in Tarpon Springs. Their baklava cheesecake is phenomenal. The staff is amazing!
(5)Frank A.
So disappointed. I have been going here for 15 years and have been here over 100 times. It has been my go to restaurant for anyone visiting from out of town. I am Greek as well and know Greek food. I called for takeout to bring home our usual Greek salad, Pastitsio, Moussaka and the man who was to take my order said "we changed the menu and raised the prices to keep up with competition"! Basically we can't order a Greek salad for one, the kids pastitsio didn't come with side like before. When I pressed further, "well it comes w a little side of rice". The guy was so apathetic of what we have ordered over a hundred times. Price was of no concern to me, I didn't ask. We ended up saying forget it and now have checked in to Mr Souvlaki to give them s chance. I will be certain to let management know of my extreme disappointment after Greek Easter. Sometimes, change is bad. In his case, a fantastic repeat customer felt so bad that I am giving a one star. It takes a lot for me to do this. Bummer.
(1)Kilbert P.
Just awesome. After spending four days at Harry Potter land at Universal Orlando we decided to try something completely different and drove to Tarpon Springs. Did not know what wonderful surprise was awaiting us. Wonderful coastal Greek town well know for sea sponges and Greek food. Let's just say we were not disappointed. The food was out of this world, I had the fried calamari. Very tender, very fresh and cooked to perfection. Wife had shrimp which were so fresh I though they were still moving. Daughter had the Greek salad which was equally great. Lots of locals, large family gathering eating drinking and just being Greek. I just felt like I belong. And don't forget to visit their bakery next door, one word OMG. Will be going back for the baked red snapper.
(5)Amanda E.
You know this place was just OK, the price was high and it was hot inside, my meal wasn't anything to write home about. My daughter was throwing up the next day. Won't return.
(2)Eric K.
We were in Tarpon Springs for the day, checking out the town. Since it's a Greek town, obviously we wanted some Greek food. Everywhere you turn, though, there's a Greek restaurant. So which to choose? Fortunately, my little Yelp app directed me to Hellas. Walking in, it probably looked very touristy. It's a huge restaurant with ample seating and bright blue neon lights everywhere. Attached to the restaurant is a huge bakery where they make and sell tasty Greek treats. The menu was extensive and there were so many reasonably priced items that sounded good. I opted for my old standby, though, which is the gyro. You usually can't go wrong with this Greek sandwich, and I think it was probably the best gyro I've ever had. It was filled with a lot of meat, veggies, and my favorite, tzatziki sauce. The side of fries were very good, too, and I got some extra tzatziki sauce to dip them in. YUM! We didn't try the flaming cheese appetizer (like so many people around the restaurant were -- OPA! -- but we're sure to next time). For dessert, we split a piece of baklava (my favorite) and a slice of baklava cheesecake. Hellas may look touristy, but it provides a delicious Greek meal and experience at a very reasonable price. Next time we're in Tarpon Springs, we're definitely going back to Hellas (and bringing home some fantastic Greek pastries!).
(5)Dollyann M.
In this little town of Tarpon Springs lies this Gem of Hellas. As we toured the Sponge Marinas I was Yelping for a place to eat. Several restaurants are located on the strip of this town buy Hellas according to Yelpers had the best reviews. So We decided to try it. Well Yelpers you were on point once again. WOWZA!!! If you want authentic Greek food this is your place. We entered into the resturant and were greeted right away. Hostess was very nice. Restaurant is very big and it was full with people, which is a good sign. We were seated and given a menu with a variety if items to choose from. We each had a Pita chicken Sandwich with a Greek twist to it. I had to have the Greek Potatoes which are just excellent. Out waitress was Maren who was super nice and treated us well. She told us what was great to eat. We were there for lunch but I saw that dinner offers you so yummy items to eat. Wish we had the appetite for it. Once we were done we head next door to the Bakery. You are able to walk from the restaurant to the bakery. You can also order from the Bakery to your table but we wanted to see with our eyes the delicious deserts that awaited us and choose. Overall my opinion, if you are visiting this cute little town, stop here for some delish food. You wont be disappointed. And we are a picky family to try new things. This was a treat.
(4)Tiffany B.
I came here for lunch and got a few things to take home from the bakery and I'm telling you - come here for the bakery! For lunch I had the saganaki and grouper sandwich. The saganaki was the best I've ever had, hands down. The grouper sandwich was just alright- pretty bland actually. If I come back for lunch or dinner, I'll stick with the saganaki and try something else for my entree. Now, the bakery on the other hand, I believe I got 4 or so items to go and good lord, they were all absolutely fantastic! Forgive me, it was so long ago that I can't remember exactly what I got, but I do remember getting the baklava and carrot cake, both of which were incredible. 2.5 stars for the grouper sandwich, 4 stars for the saganaki, and 5 stars for the bakery!
(4)Brooke G.
If you're looking for a subtle, sophisticated restaurant go somewhere else. If you looking for a blue and pink fluro-tastic ode to all things kitschy, faux statuettes and plastic flowers served up with large plates of tasty Greek fare - this is the place for you. Everything we tried was tasty. The slices of leg of lamb and octopus were particularly yummy. Order a baklava martini, loosen your belt and have fun!
(4)Mirtle P.
Great little spot right along the Tarpon Springs Sponge Dock. You walk in and the decor is everything you thought a Greek restaurant in the US should look like. The staff is super friendly and very attentive. If asked, they are more than happy to offer their recommendations. Service is quick and food comes out fast. Started with the broiled octopus and lamb riblets on the appetizer menu and both were very good! Seriously recommend trying the broiled octopus. We had (table of 5) two cheeseburgers (teenagers), a greek salad, souvlaki, and greek style Scallops (me). Everyone enjoyed their meal and felt very satisfied. Portions are a good size, so make sure not to eat before stopping here. Great place to bring the family and have a hearty meal. Also good to note that the bakery is connected to it and you can walk right over and take your pick of yummy treats.
(4)Dave O.
I've had a few Gyros in my travels from the County Fairs, small town mom and pop restaurants, to some of the touristy areas around the country similar to Hellas Restaurant. I chose to eat here based on some of the yelp reviews but mainly because this was about the only restaurant on the Sponge Docks that was filled with diners. The flashy lighting is festive the servers are outgoing, attentive and they can put on quite a show in this almost circus like atmosphere with the flaming appetizers and loud shouts of "Opa". But it always comes down to the food. We stated with a small Greek Salad believe it or no it feeds 3 easily so don't order this alone unless it's going to be your entree. The salad greens were fresh and crisp, a few wedges of nice juicy tomatoes, onions, green peppers, olives, cucumbers and wonderful feta cheese sliced and all tossed with very nice Greek dressing in the right proportion (definitely would make a great entree). I ordered the open face gyro with the tzatziki sauce on the side, the meat was sliced very thin but the serving was adequate I think the thin slices are part of portion control but takes away from the Greek seasoning which I enjoy. The pita was served warm I think they come from a package definitely not homemade in my opinion I could be wrong they weren't that bad but not what I would call awesome just okay. I always like to try the Chicken Souvlaki it also was just okay the chicken was a little under done not raw by any means but my plate had some clear juice from the meat the seasoning was on the lighter side. I think this place is a safe choice! If you're here on the sponge docks you're here for Greek food I personally will venture out and try a few other places my next visit to the area.
(3)Tricia T.
Authentic Greek food! I hail from Chicago and this was absolutely equivalent to the Greek food I'd get there. Atmosphere- classic blue and white, slightly gaudy but what you'd expect. Service- great, very friendly staff My husband loved the watermelon margarita. I loved the saganaki- a must order to start off any Greek meal. And be sure to order dessert, or at least come back and get it directly from the bakery next door. Baklava was TO DIE FOR!!!! Two thumbs up!
(4)Teresa M.
Amazing quality food! Fabulous flavor! I can't give this high enough praise. It's truly legit Greek cuisine. Reminds me of travel to Greece. We had an excellent server and I will definitely go back.
(5)M R.
Delicious Greek food and excellent service... Yummy spanakopita, pastitsio, baklava.... Mmmmmm!!!! Loved it!
(5)Pat K.
Best Greek food I have ever eaten. Our table had stuffed grouper, excellent. Chicken kabob, also wonderful, lobster tails and the combo platter. Appetizers included the flaming cheese and salad. All of it was outstanding, and our server Soula went above and beyond and clearly cared about our experience. This place is worth going out of your way to experience when you are in the Tampa area.
(5)Jack B.
Great food and sweets are out of this world! Snapper is just Old World, Cook whole and super tasty. Service is great too. One star less for cleanliness, Bathrooms need some major scribing and remodeling. I hate to see kitchen , hahaha!
(4)Andrea R.
Ah Tarpon Springs...I hadn't been in over 15 years so when a friend invited me to lunch I was pleased she suggested a Greek place on the sponge docks. With approximately a billion Greek restaurants all lumped together, how does one choose? Well we picked Hellas, and upon entering my first thought was "My Big Fat Greek Wedding exploded off the screen into real life". The decor is quintessentially Greek, always a good sign, I love walking into cultural adventures. We were seated in a tiny corner tucked away which was fine for private conversation. We both wanted something light so we could take full advantage of the bakery next door for dessert. My friend ordered a Greek salad with gyro meat, she seemed to enjoy it and didn't leave much behind. I ordered the cold mixed salad plate appetizer as my meal and wasn't disappointed. I had the caviar spread swapped out for hummus and ordered a side of grilled pita and was happy as a clam, or octopus? The octopus and shrimp were beautifully marinated and tasty. The potato spread was uber garlicky so I only ate a bit of that. The hummus and tzatziki sauce were yummy. The next stop was the chaotic bakery next door, but the ladies behind the counter had a system that had everyone happy in a short amount of time. We decided on the baklava cheesecake and a delicious chocolate mousse cake thing. Both amazing. I'd go back to Hellas, but I'm thinking of making my way through all the restaurants on the docks. It's a plan.
(4)Matt B.
Hellas is the original old school Tarpon Spring Greek Restaurant. If your looking for authentic geek cuisine, you can find it here.....however, it's the bakery here that will keep you coming back. Greek pastries made fresh everyday, Cakes, cookies, and treats!!
(4)Don K.
So we were quite hungry when we arrived and left very satisfied. Started off with some flaming cheese appetizer that was excellent. Ordered the lamb kabobs which although ordered medium came out well done but tender and delicious. Spanakopita was also very good. For dessert we enjoyed the chocolate kok along with a good merlot of Greek vintage. Yes the place is a bit old and dated and touristy and could use some handyman TLC but it was an enjoyable experience.
(4)Chloe L.
Always enjoy the food here. We love the octopus and the rest of the food is also great. Also free parking is very convenient. My only complaint is regarding service. For example, it took 20 minutes to get drinks one day and sometimes the appetizers come out too late or with the dinner. The last time we were here, we asked for salad first, it ended up coming out with the dinner. Oftentimes we have to ask for drinks a second time. Still go back though.
(4)Heather A.
Stopped by Hellas for lunch on a Monday afternoon. The Sponge Docks were pretty deserted so getting a table was no problem. I ordered their lightly fried grouper topped with lots of minced garlic. Dee-lish! The rice, green beans, and potato were all also very good. Kyle tried the combination platter which had gyro meat without the pita bread, mousaka, pastitsio, dolmades, and tzatziki sauce. Hubby says he liked being able to try four of their dishes at once, but wasn't entirely crazy about them. They were good and satisfied his hunger, so not bad, just not the best he's ever had. The staff made our experience very exceptional. So friendly and explained the menu thoroughly. We tried the caramel cheesecake with a hazelnut latte. Loved their bakery selection. Looking forward to going back!
(4)Bret A.
Pleasant open feel to this Greek restaurant on the main drag in Tarpon Springs. Inside and outside seating is a plus. The menu is full of traditional Greek fare all of which was a crowd pleaser. The Appetizers and Salads run about $8-10. The Greek Salad is excellent. We had a variety of entree items all of which had generous portions. The Kabobs were huge and flavorful. The flaming cheese was a huge hit and a lot of fun. Entrees run $15-30. The service was excellent. Don't forget dessert - they have all of the Greek favorites. If you don't have room there is a bakery on site that can provide nicely wrapped take out. Definitely worth a first and return visit.
(4)Kristen P.
The place was pretty good but not the best Greek food I have had. The waiter was nice and the atmosphere was lovely. I do recommend the frozen peach sangria but it is not that strong which is ok for my weakling self. I ordered the pastitsio which was delicious and was served with flavorful rice, a potato and green beans. Nice to sit outside and watch the people pass by. The bakery is awesome though. I wish I had the appetite for their massive cupcakes but only had enough for koukularia (sp?) and their delicious baklava. I will definitely return for some more sweets.
(4)Rebecca K.
Beautiful desserts, and a beautiful atmosphere. I love the rushing of the tourists and the beautiful lighting in the bakery. The desserts are the kind that make children press their noses to the glass. I had my first cannoli here and loved it. You must try this place!
(4)Jim N.
Three of us had lunch here today and it was very good. We had pita & tsatseki, Greek salad, grouper sandwich, smelts, & coffee. All very good, except the tsatseki was short on garlic, onion & cucumber flavors. Great service and desserts in the bakery next door to make you cry!
(4)Heidi A.
This place was awesome. I found it from all the yelp reviews and decided to go here. I am so glad we did! The flaming cheese was wonderful.. the drinks were good (let the server direct you towards a wine you may like). I had the octopus. Wow. Just. Wow. It was grilled, flavorful, not overdone or rubbery, so tender. My friend had the scallops. Also a great hit. Must go back!! The noise level was a bit high, but not so we could not have a conversation. You may want to avoid peak peak dinnertime if possible, so you can get better service. Sometimes the wait staff seemed overwhelmed. But, it did not detract from the experience. And the decor just added to the wonderful time. Heck, we wanted to feel like we were in Greece!
(4)Richard T.
Recommended to us by a local Award-winning Greek classics Bakery next door Before or after dinner enjoy the Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks
(4)Alyssa M.
Wow! What a fun place. Great food and what a great waitress! We had the sampler!! So so good!! And don't forget the pitcher of Peach Sangria!
(5)Terri N.
Hellas was hella good. And I'm a Californian so you can take that to the bank! Two things made Hellas stand out long before we were seated - first, if you know the area, you know there is a glut of Greek eateries down here, as to be fully expected. But how to choose, when each could be just as good as the other? First off, trust Yelp - I checked my app as our heads spun trying to make our lunch choice, and Hellas was the highest rated restaurant in the whole area. Sold! And for extra incentive, point two: there are a ton of busker types on Dodecanese, all calling out to you claiming to have the best this or the best that in Tarpon Springs! Very reminiscent of the creeps on Las Vegas Boulevard slapping their little postcards covered with half-naked ladies, attempting to lure you in by any means necessary. The last thing I want is to dine at a joint immediately reminding me of a high ick factor, and Hellas has none of that nonsense. You eat there because you choose to walk in the door, not a single person calling to you, no boastful claims, no cries for attention. Sold again! The inside of the spacious restaurant is like a Greek Disneyland, as you plunge into a blue neon fantasy of delights! Blue lights everywhere and walls lined with mirrors make the place look GIGANTIC, like lunching in a bright lagoon. Is this a bad thing? I think not. Most CA Greek restaurants for whatever reason don't offer saganaki so it HAD to be ordered. Wonderfully fun presentation of flambed cheese with a hint of lemon, one of the weirdest and most wonderful starters you'll ever have. OPA!! For my entrée I stuck with a classic choice of their lunch gyro pita meal with fries and devoured every bite - tasty, warm and fresh, with cool crispy vegetables and a perfect dollop of tzatziki. I also tried BF's Greek burger which was just loaded with flavor, and my stepmom's spanakopita - oh man, this stuff is LEGIT. The Greeks know exactly what they are doing when it comes to cheese, they have mastered that art form. Whether you're just a local grabbing a bite, or a tourist visiting the sponge docks wanting the complete Greek experience, Hellas is a perfect choice! They also are connected to their own bakery, jam packed with breads and other regional sweet treats. A visit to Hellas is like a visit to a beloved family member or an old friend - warm and welcoming! Hella good! OPA!
(5)Elizabeth W.
My friend and I visited Tarpon Springs for the first time and thanks to Yelp decided to come here! I started off with a Baklava Martini and it was amazing! It literally tasted just like Baklava!!! For an appetizer we ordered the assorted spreads. I high suggest doing this! I came with Tzatziki, Feta Spread & Hummus served with pita bread. They were all so yummy and fresh I can't even decide which was the best!!! For my main mean I ordered the Chicken Souvlaki. It was massive! I ended up taking over half of it home to my fiancé! The chicken was cooked to perfection. I am glad we got the spreads because I used some of them on my wrap. I didn't get the greek fries but my friend did and they were really good and I highly recommend them!
(4)Jason N.
You will not find a more authentic place as this. From the decor to the food to the wait staff Mercedes parked out back. This is 100% Greek and authentic. Food is fantastic from the pita bread and hummus to the authentic Greek cuisine. While it may have touristy feel there are plenty of locals and Greek people eating here. I enjoyed every min of our experience here. There were so many choices on the menu that it was tough to choose. I had the combination along with a Greek salad. Delicious. You won't be disappointed.
(5)Alisa B.
The pita bread was good and the gyros tasted good but it didn't impress me. The desserts were beautiful but I'll just say they didn't taste as good as they looked, I'm kinda a dessert buff and I wasn't going back for another to take home so that says a lot. I'd give it 2 1/2 stars.
(2)Andrea W.
Again 3.5 stars and to be fair this review is for the bakery more than the restaurant. You walk into a dizzyingly beautiful display of assorted pastries and you are overwhelmed by all the choices... So you ask for help... And the answer always is Baklava cheesecake...ok, it's not bad but everyone that works there had the same favorite? Try the question... I'm curious now.,, I wish I could say all the desserts were great. Trust me after five years I should have a favorite, right? Nope... Still looking for something other than the baklava. When pressed I will agree the Baklava Cheesecake isn't bad, and the Tiramisu is also pretty good. The cupcakes are awful, how can that even be? In any case I still keep going back looking for the elusive pastry that will capture my heart... Enjoy the search! It's a fun place regardless and a true Tarpon tradition!
(3)Frank N.
Classic Greek place, touristy but authentic! Big dishes too! I ordered a Combination Platter so I can try a little of each of the following: *Gyro, Mousaka, Pastitsio, Dolmades and Tzatziki sauce. Delicious! They also have a bakery next door with tons of tasty treats!
(5)Rita K.
Wonderful food! Love the food and the service is always super friendly and helpful. Plus a trip on the way out to the bakery is a must!
(5)Erik H.
Enjoyed the Fried Cheese, Gyro, and Greek Salad. Save room for the bakery!
(4)Stavros K.
This is my all time favorite Greek restaurant! Great food, service and pricing. Many choices for Greek cuisin in Tarpon but this is definitely one of the top places to eat while you're in the sponge docks!
(5)Eric P.
Delicious Greek food. Undeniably tasty kabobs. I would recommend this place to anyone who is thinking about trying it. You cant go wrong with just about any dish. My favorite was the chicken kabobs. The only reason I didnt give it 5/5 is because the rice was mediocre at best.
(4)Eric C.
One awesome way to tell if a restaurant is good is if has lots of people inside when all their other neighboring competitors have empty dining rooms. Well another way is if it has multiple awesome Yelp reviews. Here's another one for ya! Greek food gooooood. Ordered the hummus & pita bread appetizer. Hummus tasted good, but different from what I am accustomed to. It was funky, in a good sense. I would have devoured it if there was more pita bread! Pork Kabob was tender, but I didn't find it too special. For $16ish, I wouldn't get it again. I ordered the Combination meal ($18). Gyro meat, moussaka, tzatziki, dolmades, pastitsio, rice, grilled vegetables. Very nice platter and I loved all of it. Grilled vegetables were a little too soft for my liking. Baklava to finish it off! Mmmmmmm. Check out the bakery next door, they have TONS of greek food. Overall: Great greek food in the Tampa area! I've had better, but not around this area! So 5*****! Also, on the back of their menu, they provide a history of Tarpon Springs. Read it, I really appreciated learning about how the town came about and why there were so many Greek people around this part of Florida! Aside: When I first saw the sign announcing the town Tarpon Springs, I kept wanting to read it as Tampon Springs. Sigh.
(5)Samantha E.
Absolutely brilliant Greek food as one would expect in Tarpon Springs. My family came here after the Epiphany cross dive one year and we all loved everything we ordered. The staff was attentive, the decor was authentically Greek, and the boy who had got the cross came by afterwards to celebrate with friends. An amazing restaurant which should not be passed up.
(5)Wesley C.
Only had dessert but the baklava cheesecake is phenomenal.
(4)Georges G.
Had dinner at Hella's it was great! Had the Greek salad for one and it was great. My dinner partner has the pastitsio which was excellent. Our waiter was also excellent, very friendly and attentive. The place was packed, but did not have to wait long for our table. Will try it again soon in the near future.
(5)Allie C.
This is strictly for the bakery side, as we did not eat lunch here, but rather came in for lunch desserts. THE BAKLAVA! I was very very very happy girl with my baklava. Thank you. Only grief, it was a very thick piece (which is great) and impossible to cut with the plastic fork and knife given out, and I'm not eating that sticky treat with my hands. But the flavor of the nuttiness was on point. My mother and I also split something they called the "Ec Mac", though when I did a search for it, the name does not come up. It was a Valina custard with a whipped topping on top, and filo dough underneath. It was delicious. Service was friendly and quick, even though they were the busiest place on the strip.
(4)Melissa B.
The absolute best spanikopita I'd ever had. Hellas was a true delight, and I had such a hard time choosing something from the menu that featured traditional Greek food paired with fresh, local seafood. I had my first taste of a gyro here and I find myself craving it again and again, but I can not get them in my area. I look forward to being able to visit Florida and Tarpon Springs again, especially so I can have another meal here!
(4)Corie L.
This place had the best reviews in Tarpon Springs, so I knew we had to try it out on our recent jaunt there. Everything they say is true, but I felt I should mention one thing that just put it over the edge for me - the freakin' potato salad!!!!! We ordered a Greek salad and split it as an appetizer. There I am just minding my own business crunching on my salad when the most delicious, creamy, amazing potato salad just hit me in the taste buds. Seriously, the best I ever had. I thought about asking if I could just bring a tub of it home but when I walked out of the restaurant, I was so stuffed to capacity I decided not to worry about it. The pita and hummus was great, gyro was super and I will be dreaming of the potato salad for years to come.
(5)Janene H.
I've visited this restaurant/bakery on a few different occasions. They have really good Gyros, but in a place like Tarpon Springs with it's large Greek population and heavy competition you would expect as much. The lamb is cooked and seasoned just right and they are stuffed with meat. The bakery we have tried too. All of the desserts sold up and down the street must all be from the same place because they all look and taste the same. So buy from the cheapest place you can. The pastries are OK, but many have that pre-made, canned taste to them. It is still fun to select a variety to take home and try.
(4)Amy N.
Had the hummus app & the chicken k bobs. Wanted a straw to drink the sauce on the k bob plate!! :) Several people in the restaurant had the flamed cheese app. Not sure how it tastes but would try just for the presentation. Took several things home from the bakery to try - all were great!
(5)Terry H.
We visited Hellas for dinner this month (July 2012) with a group of nine. We were four adults and five children ages 4 to 10. Most of us adults ordered the lamb pita, which was a special of the day. Nowadays, you see, most pitas in the States are made of a combination beef and lamb. We are not fans. (Long story short, we lived in Europe for seven years and are spoiled with actual Greek food and area always surprised to see the "fake" pita meat here in the US.) Anyway, we were excited to get the opportunity to eat authentic style pitas for the first time in 10 years. The kids ordered the following; chicken strips and fries, Greek Spaghetti, and fried fish sandwich minus the bread per our request. They all ate their food, enjoying it with zero complaints and all smiles. One little one spilled her water all over the table and the wait staff reacted extremely quick and took care of it. I was impressed. The adult plates arrived and we all enjoyed the pitas very much. It is still not as great as what we ate overseas, but it was a perfect start. We all loved the tzatziki sauce, using it for our pitas, dipping our fries in it, and adding it to our feta cheese appetizer. We asked for extra sauce, it was so great. Hellas is also famous for their deserts. Over 100 and if the other 95 are anything like the five we bought, you will be amazed and impressed.
(4)Elena S.
Every time we go to Hellas we order a Greek Salad, Grilled Octopus, Saganaki, and Grilled Pita with different sauces! Food is always fresh and delicious :-) And, of course, we never leave the restaurant without a couple of deserts!!!
(5)Mark A.
It's not hard to land really good Greek food in Tarpon Springs. And this place is always at the top of our list. The Gyro is the best. The sampler plate is always perfect with plenty to take home. The Sangrias are good (although sometimes not heavy enough). My love is the Grouper a la Hellas. What is already an excellent fish, they know how to do just right. We always stop at the bakery after dinner for take-home deserts. Service...always consistent, never had a bad experience. Everyone from our 5 year old to out-of-town guests fall in love with the place.
(5)Anastasios Z.
Very good food at the restaurant. I ate a gyro which was great. The pastries are good but not great.
(4)Akeem W.
Interesting place I like the all blue inside. The waiter was not nice or helpful at all...I asked for diced tomatoes and he seriously just stared at me like im crazy and did not say a word(when the Gyro arrived it did have the tomato diced but still just a weird guy) Also never came and asked if we wanted refills came to the table right next to ours and checked them I believe two times and never asked us,I had to say HEY! to get a refill. The gyro was big though I did enjoy myself none the less, the gf thought it was just okay though...
(3)Mitch L.
I came here to get a Gyro and compare it to the others I have had in Tarpon Springs. It was really good. I will have to come back and try something different next time. The atmosphere is really great and the service is the best here!!!!! Right on the sponge docks. You will love this place!!!!!!
(5)Jessie F.
One of MANY Greek restaurants on Dodecanese Blvd, we visited this one because of the very positive reviews. The food was very authentic but it seemed as if they were trying to pull off a more of an upscale dining. The decor was outdated and the formally dressed servers were out of place for the area. A toned down more casual atmosphere would have been more welcoming. Most of the traditional Greek entrees start at $13 and the Combination platter is about $20. I opted for the Gyro as it was $8, although I would have like to try the other food. The saganaki was delicious and another from our table enjoyed a pastry and Greek salad. I think any of the other Greek restaurants on the street would have been just as good and maybe have a better atmosphere that was more suited to the touristy street.
(3)Philip P.
This was our first visit to Hellas. Our waiter, Kevin, was wonderful. Our food was outstanding. The gyro was incredibly delicious! Would definitely come back!
(5)Surly M.
Great seafood! Broiled octopus; pan fried lightly battered grouper; trio of shrimp, scallops and cod were all delicious. Lamb shank spaghetti also was good. They even had taramosalata, skordalia and horta! Haven't had this since Greece. The portions were huge and service was great.
(4)Anthony A.
Great place! Great portions. Nice Greek Restaurant feel. Prices are very good for the food they serve and the amount. Yeah, once and awhile you'll get and old-timer Greek Waiter that gives you the cold shoulder. But it's rare. I always found the service very good. Food and Bakery are the best in Tarpon. Try it folks, Gyro Platter is the bomb!
(5)Jakeline S.
Great service, very friendly; got seated quickly, and the food was great!
(5)Wendy C.
It's hard not to be touristy when the restaurant is located in the middle of the touristy main drag of a touristy town. But give Hellas credit for putting out tasty food that reminds me of good eats in Greece. They have the best Broiled Octopus in Tarpon Springs, by far.
(4)Joe P.
The food here is amazing. The gyro is huge. We ordered a combination plate that had different varieties on it and all were excellent.
(5)Maureen P.
Nice atmosphere and decor in the restaurant. Food was just OK. The greek salad had way too much dressing for me but I did enjoy the potato salad underneath it. The gyro meat was not seared enough. Margaritas were tasty. I did not try the bakery items but they did look delicious.
(3)Bobby K.
As I comb through Yelp to review all the places we hit on vacation--because while in Florida I kept checking Yelp for recommendations and it didn't seem as actively used down there as I'm used to in my northern urban haunts--I find myself giving four star reviews to places where my initial response was "Are they serious?" all because of the quality of the food. Hellas is no exception to this rule. Ignore the gaudy blue lights, disjointed techno music and imposing staff and you'll have a great time. The combination platter and gyro platter were both great, with plenty left over for us to take home and eat the next day. We also picked up some pastries from the adjoining bakery which were also good. The old harbor part of Tarpon Springs is a real experience and you can't go wrong with the Greek food at Hellas. Seriously.
(4)Philip K.
I regularly drive 45 minutes out of my way to eat here. Great Greek food....the gyro is the best I've had anywhere.
(5)Jared And Daisy T.
Nothing says OPA better than Hellas! Having grown up near a rather large Greek community in Chicago, the lady of our party here was definitely skeptical until the first round of saganaki was brought out. With a single bite, her face softened and she instantly proclaimed this to be the best saganaki she'd ever had. Now on to the gyros. The perfect combo of lamb/beef and spices made this gyro so succulent, it was almost a shame to eat the entire thing -- but when it was done, all we could say was "Why didn't we save some for later?" All whining aside, Hellas makes some of the best Greek food outside of the islands itself. If Papapoulias ever graces Tarpon Springs with his presence, it would serve him and his people well to make sure they stop at Hellas.
(5)Dan J.
We went here for dessert and coffee and couldn't have been more pleased. This is one of the best (if not the best) restaurants in Tarpon Springs! Go, and you will not be disappointed.
(5)Beth F.
Our Scene: Its a sunny, humid, middle of the week day in Tampa FL. Beth T and companion are sitting around doing nothing. Me (beth t): I'm bored. Companion: Me too. Let's do something. Me: OK. What? Companion: I dunno. Me (brilliant idea flashing): Let's try this sponge dock place in Tarpon Springs. Companion: OK. As they drove to the sponge docks located on Dodcanese blvd. they became hungry. The sponge shopping didn't help so they stopped in a little restaurant with mediterranean murals all over the walls. Me: This looks good, you like Greek food? Companion: sure, why not Oh the amazingly oily greek salad with potato salad underneath! Oh the pita and fresh hummus! Oh the perfectly spiced gyros with french fries! Oh the sweet sweet baklava! Me: Yum Companion: Yeah Entirely satiated and satisified they moved on down Dodacense Blvd. to shop for more sponges - one can never have enough - And ........SCENE.
(5)Paul S.
If you love Greek food, it's best to go to a restaurant whose name you can't pronounce. That's why I recommend Hella's (which, according to my server, is pronounced "Hull-AHS.") Of course. Anyway, having grown up around Tarpon Springs, I learned Greeks are really good at two things--letting you know they're Greek, and making food. And the food is really, really good here. I highly recommend you order a tray of assorted spreads, which includes warm pita triangles and three different dips--hummus, tzatziki, and roasted red pepper & feta. They're equally delicious--good luck choosing a favorite. The Greek salad is excellent, and if you still have room for one of their colassal gyros, you should probably order one of those too, you fat glutton. After your meal, don't forget to check out their adjoining Greek bakery. It's pretty expensive, but worth browsing. It's also fun to point to the glass, look at the baker, and ask, "How much is this Chocolate Kok? It looks soooo delicious!"
(5)Emily J.
5 STARS! Yummo. Best greek food and bakery I have had this side of the pond! Just looking at the glass displays is enough to make me feel like I am back in Santorini, especially considering the over-the-top decor and service. There isn't really much more that I can say except GO. oh, and BAKLAVA!
(5)David L.
Our third or fourth time to Hella's in the last few years. Never disappoints. The service was great and the food was even better. It's hard to go wrong on the menu, but this time I went for the Pork Gyro. The Greek Salad is an absolute must. We came in with four adults and five children. They found us a spot near the back out of the way. The kid's meals were reasonably priced $4.99 which included a drink. I highly recommend Hella's if you're in or near Tarpon Springs. BONUS: they have thier own parking lot behind the restaurant - they will validate with your meal. Makes life much easier when it is busy down by the sponge docks.
(4)Christopher S.
I had been to four other restaurants in Tarpon...all Greek. Finally, I cam to Hellas. Our server, George, was outstanding and added to our pleasurable time there. I love Greek spices so I asked him for suggestions. He made one emphatically....Lamb Shank! I started with Saganaki, the great flaming cheese, followed by a tasty Greek House salad, and then, of course, the Lamb Shank! I must tell you that the atmosphere at Hellas is 100% Greek! In my 6 years living in Greece, I had made countless trips to local restaurants, and this one really made me feel like I was back in one of them. Simply put, everything was excellent. GET THE LAMB SHANK! :) If you are a wine enthusiast, You won't be overwhelmed but then Greece is known for good table wines and very few fine world class wines. But then with all the good food, all I needed was a good table wine! Hellas also has a wonderful Bakery next door....save room, it will be worth it! Overall, it is my fave Greek place to eat for a traditional Greek Sunday dinner...and anytime, I'm craving the country flavor! Yes, this is the Greek bomb! Did I mention my profile photo is of me sucking down the wine at Hellas! OPA!
(4)Marty A.
Stopped in for lunch before we headed off to a Phillies spring training game. Nicely decorated restaurant. Staff is attentive and friendly. Wife and I had the chicken souvlaki for lunch. Very tasty. would recommend.
(4)Mitchell M.
When in Tarpon Springs Greek food is in, and when reading reviews it seems Hellas is the place. After being greeted by a very polite hostess we were seated and given a waitress who was a lot less polite then the hostess who sat us, although showing glimpses of being a good server all around service was pretty poor. Food came out quickly. The hummus was very good and I ordered the gyro platter, which comes with rice and veggies. The meat on the platter was overcooked and dry but the veggies and rice were delightful. Other members in my party tried the Spanikopita and souvlaki both were very good with the best dish by far being the souvlaki. The meat was very tender and flavorful. If i were to come back i would order the souvlaki, but i think in my return to tarpon i will try another Greek restaurant.
(2)Melissa G.
Food was good, very fast delivery. Good service, nice ambiance. Didn't like that the menu wasnt flexible - you can't change your side dishes. I asked about side salad portions of Greek salad and server said people ask for that all the time but they don't do that here. Seems like good business to do what your customers request, especially with many other Greek restaurants on the block.
(4)Sally S.
To me Hellas is just about the best Greek spot around. The food is always made fresh and tastes like authentic Greek food and the atmosphere and ambiance are exactly as they should be. The last time I dined at Hellas our server was wonderful and he was in his 60's or 70's. He made us feel like family and really went above and beyond. We had the flaming cheese, a cold plate (octopus was to die for) and a dinner combination platter. We had ton's of food to take home and enjoy later and it was just so fantastic that I've been craving it since I was there last. In my opinion no other place compares to Hellas. The one thing I will say though is that all the Greek places serve basically the same Gyro cone, it's made by Kronos and is a staple at all the places. What sets Hellas apart though is their other items including their fresh made pita, tzatziki sauce and wonderful other items. Also their grape leaves are a must have. You won't regret going to Hellas.
(5)Jody R.
Picked this place after reading the reviews. The main restaurant is nothing special, IMO. The greek salad was pretty good, but it was clearly the highlight of our meal. Neat, kitcshy atmosphere, but they pack you in and the food is overpriced. The bakery attached is the only reason I would ever come here again, so save yourself the overpriced meal and get dessert. My wife ordered a meal and pointed to it, but got something else served to her. Perhaps my rating is jaded by the atmosphere of area -- people bugging you to take a boat ride, visit their store, etc. It's not my scene and way too touristy. So, I was looking for Hella's to take me away from that and I feel like they tried to take advantage of us instead. I will not be returning unless I'm with a group that insists on going here.
(2)Jeanine S.
The food is WAY overrated!!! Mediocre at best. I've eaten my share of Mediterranean cuisine & this place ranks quite low on the quality, presentation & flavor Greek food should have. Our server, Peggy was a DOLL!!! Literally she made the meal for me! Mostly for her recommendation for the baklava cheesecake! It was AMAZING!!! Literally perfect! So- don't fall for the Tarpon Spring tourist trap...but do have the baklava cheesecake.
(2)Rachel S.
SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Wonderful. My favorite restaurant on earth!!! Everything is wonderful. Once, when my dad went on a business trip, I demanded he go to Hellas and bring me back food. He picked it up on his way to the airport, flew 6+ hours back home to San Francisco, and that was my dinner. It HEAVEN even though it was more than 7 hours old and cold! Their saganaki is so wonderful and their tiramisu is second to none!
(5)El B.
Hellas has great food but it's hard to concentrate with all the greek kitsch. I enjoyed watching the older ladies wearing bedazzled greek fisherman's hats and Tarpon Springs t-shirts. It is a large restaurant but jam packed with tables and very busy. Once you get past that you can enjoy yourself. We ordered a combination spanakopita (filo dough, spinach, feta cheese) and tiropita (filo dough, feta, and ricotta) plate which was tasty and big enough from two to share. We also had the Horiatiki Salad (Garden fresh tomato wedges, cucumbers, onions, green peppers, Greek olives, feta cheese with house dressing), always good. The tzatziki was good although it was made with sour cream instead of yogurt giving it a thicker consistency and different flavor. We ordered one other thing which never arrived. The staff was very apologetic. My brother and I are vegetarians so combo plates and salads to order made it a nice lunch. We were stuffed...but not stuffed enough for sweets. The highlight of the meal was going over to the attached Greek and French bakery and ordering up some greek coffee and Kourambiethes (shortbread cookie dusted with powdered sugar). If that doesn't put a smile on your face, I don't know what will! You can mail order many of their pastries. ( hellasbakery.com )
(4)Ben C.
My favorite Greek Resturaunt in Tarpon Springs and this is my favorite. I do go classic when visiting Hellas. I start off with Saganaki, some Avgolemono Soup and a Gyro. Delicious! Dessert, well that varies, I always start off with Baklava and grab something to go. The staff is always friendly and eager to serve. When going to the Sponge Docks make this your place!
(5)David B.
The best Greek place in Tarpon Springs. The Horiatiki salad is great, the only time I have had a better one was in Greece. Pretty much anything on the menu is great! You can keep it simple with Gyro or Chicken Souvlaki. My wife and I usually get the combo platter and split it and we throw in some Baklava for dessert.
(5)Deke K.
Best Greek restaurant in Tarpon Springs. Great authentic decor, enthusiastic waiters, inside and outside dining. Love the avgolemono (lemon chicken orzo) soup. All the Greek entries are delish. If you want the big show, order the flaming cheese dish. This is a great part of my Sponge Dock memories and reoccurring routine!
(5)Courtney M.
We recently decided to take a day-trip to Tarpon Springs, and the first thing I thought was "MUST find outstanding Greek food." After doing a lot of Yelp-search, I settled on Hellas - and boy, am I glad I did. As we approached I saw a massive stream of people right outside the entrance and started to worry that we were going to have a wait on our hands but it must have just been sidewalk traffic, as we were able to walk in and be seated right away. We were initially seated at a table inconveniently located right next to the servers' order terminal in the main dining room (when I say 'right next to', I mean you could literally move your arm the wrong way and smash your elbow into the computer, the pole the computer was mounted on, or the server entering an order into the computer). When our server approached the table, we explained that we were really uncomfortable, particularly the person in our party who had servers practically breathing down the back of his neck the entire time he was sitting there, asked if it would be possible to move to a less-crowded area, and pointed toward a nearby section with some empty tables. She didn't seem pleased, and basically told us, "go seat yourselves," so we carried our menus over and sat at the new table. Within seconds of sitting down, we were greeted by our new server - I believe her name was Maren. She was great. She went out of her way to tell us about all the different items on the menu, and when we had a hard time deciding, she suggested that we start with the Greek Salad for One, which she said was more than enough for three people. The Greek salad was delicious, and there was a scoop of potato salad at the bottom - which sounds strange, but it was really the best part! We also got a big basket of warm, fresh-baked bread to hold us over until our orders arrived. I ordered the spanakopita/tiropita combination platter, which was served with rice pilaf, Greek-style potatoes, the vegetable of the day (green beans and stewed tomatoes), and the fresh fruit of the day (watermelon). Maren suggested that I try the tzatziki sauce with my spanakopita, and I figured I'd give it a shot. While they do charge you extra for a side of the sauce, it did give it a nice little kick. However, while she swore that once I tried it I'd never go back to plain ol' spanakopita again, I think I'd take the original any day of the week. Overall, it was a very tasty dish, although next time I think I will stick with spanakopita and skip the tiropita - tooooo much cheese for me. The other diners in my party elected to go with the Greek standby, the gyro. While I'm not a lamb-eater, they looked fantastic. Large portions all around, and definitely tons to bring home. All this food wasn't too hard on our wallets, and left us with plenty of money to visit the bakery nextdoor...it offers a huge selection, and will have your mouth watering as you stare into the different display cases. I highly recommend the Greek cannoli and the double chocolate kok - as awkward as it is to order the kok, the taste makes the awkwardness well worth it! I can't wait to visit Hellas again!
(5)Scott L.
The best Greek food I have ever had. Fresh authentic food, comfortable atmosphere, reasonable prices, huge portions and great service. You cannot visit the Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks without enjoying a meal at Hellas or at least visiting their bakery and enjoying one of the best freshly baked pastries you will ever eat.
(5)Daniella S.
Don't come here on a diet. This makes me sad because I am on a diet and I can't eat here. Bustling, crowded, loud Hella's is a Greek food mecca. They have the absolute BEST Greek salad ANYWHERE. I'm sure the only better Greek salad is in Greece itself! I've been told by many Greek people that it is as authentic as Greek food gets in Florida. They make unbelievable shrimp dishes here too. If you are a fan of seafood, Hella's is the place! But everything is full of cheese and oil. It's not a good place for anyone who is watching their figure. But it is a great place to come to if you have a pass for a day or a special occasion splurge. I won't even mention the adjacent bakery and their delicious napoleons and cheesecakes! Of course, if you do eat at Hella's you can always walk it off around the sponge docks and do some shopping at the great little stores.
(5)Gina C.
This a a fantastic bakery & restaurant along a strip of MANY Greek restaurants in Tarpon Springs. The food here was fresh, tasty and just perfect after an afternoon on the ocean. I enjoyed the spanikopita, tziki & pita, and saganaki (or better known as Flaming Cheese...whoopa!) =) The pastries are yummy too! The baklava!! Wish I was there right now!
(4)Debi E.
Had the pleasure of enjoying my favorite meal from Hellas today. I was so happy to find that it's still just as delicious as it has always been! Thank you Hellas for not changing the flavors, and staying consistent. :o)
(5)Lori B.
Delicious food, reasonably priced, wonderful friendly service.
(5)Theresa M.
The Greek food is Amazing! Great portions. Love the Greek salad. The bakery was my favorite with all the baklava and other treats. Espresso was rich and creamy.
(5)J D.
Nice place but food quality was less than expected. Not superior to Greek food I have had in many other places in Florida, NYC,etc
(2)ryan w.
The food was good, but you would expect it to be 5-star. I'd eat there again if it was in my neighborhood but I wouldn't drive out of the way. I've had much better greek in place around the country.
(3)Leo B.
We heard that there was great Greek restaurants in Tarpon and man they weren't kidding! Everything we had was wonderful from the tastiest Saganaki (Opa!) to the greatest chicken soulvaki ever. Great tzaziki sauce too. The desserts... oh the desserts were out of this world! I had the baklava/cheesecake which was amazing. Hella's is a must.
(5)RG S.
Not a large vegetarian selection, but the vegetarian pita was great. (The pita bread was remarkable.) I liked the atmosphere. We took home some fine Greek cookies from the attached bakery. I would look forward to eating here again.
(4)Patti S.
Hellas is a decent restaurant across from the sponge dock in Tarpon Springs. The food is average for the primarily Greek restaurants in the area. The best reason to eat there is the ambiance....they have an open-air seating area. If you want the best Greek food, this is not the place to go. The gyro meat is not even made on the premises. I would say this is mostly for the tourists who don't know better. As a Tarpon Springs resident, I do not go here. If you want better food (and more food) for better prices and don't care about the open-air seating, go to Plaka's three doors down. They are only place at the docks who make their own Gyro meat. Family run, nice people, great food. From a local!!!
(3)erica p.
Don't get the three stars wrong: if you're craving greek food, go here. But know that your good food is being served up in a place oozing with tourist kitsch charm. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Dinner was great and the staff was friendly. It was packed and yet dinner was efficient. So, the three stars are to say that this was a solidly good place to eat, just not the most amazing place ever. And do get something from the bakery - delicious goodies abound!
(3)Joe C.
Great authentic greek food. The gyros are the best I've ever had. The greek salad is very good as well. But the real treat is the bakery attached to the restaurant. Great cannolis (both Italian and Greek), awesome baklava and excellent cheesecakes as well. Opa!
(5)Vanessa Z.
I love Hella's. It is always a good time & great food!
(5)jackie s.
tarpon springs is a little out of the way, but don't miss it, a great little greek village, in florida and hellas is a great greek restaurant in the village. i don't know what to say, is the food or the service better/ both are superb, and bring a big appetite, with a small wallet. go hungry, leave happy. ps try the fried cheese app.
(5)Michelle G.
Amazing Greek food! Finally felt like i was back in Greece. I missed the Mythos beer, Greek coffee, and delicious food and now i found it again. Try the broiled octopus and the desserts were great too. Can't wait to go back!
(5)Fred B.
I have lived in Florida six years and have eaten at Hellas at least 40 times!!!!! WE drive two hours each way to experince the best restaurant in Florida!!! The wait staff is always friendly and excellent!!!! I can say that every meal is a wonderful experince and that I look forward to my trip to Tarpon Springs and this fantastic Restaraunt and Bakery!!!
(5)Lori A.
Authentic fresh Greek Food. You will not be disappointed . There is something for everyone on their menu. The appetizers are wonderful. Try the cold plate. It has salads, shrimp , octopus and peppers. The Greek salad is one of the best I have ever had. The broiled octopus is a tasty treat . Everything we tried was good. Prices are very reasonable. Go to the bakery and choose your dessert, good luck! You will want one of each and they taste as good as they look. The location could not be better also, directly across from the docks and some really neat stores. We loved this place! Opa !
(5)Minna S.
I guess tourists make up about 95% of the customers here. Typical Greek food. Nothing special. There are other Greek restaurants that have way better food in the area. This place gets busy during the weekends for no apparent reason. The service here is annoyingly bad! Each and every time my family chooses this place, we always get the worst waiter. I recommend going somewhere else for better Greek food. This place will not overly satisfy you, unless you have never tried amazing Greek food.
(2)Mike M.
Pure Greek all the way! The decor is right on target, service was exemplary and the food was knocked out! The gyros were loaded and flavorful and pita was perfect. The feta, olives and peppers for starters lasted throughout the meal, and the baklava topped it off. Very satisfying!
(5)Stacy T.
I live in the Kissimmee area and always make a point to stop in for a meal at Hella's. The Greek Salad was amazing and the chicken souvlaki was great! Terry was our server and she was super friendly and just the right amount of attentive. Love this place!
(5)Andrew G.
So I finally got to Hellas, I've heard so much about it. The place was busy which was good. Means good food. So I went with the char grilled octopus dinner with vegetables rice and potatoes. It was really so good. Moist, not chewy. Made to perfection. Everything I thought it would be. Then I went next door and grabbed some baklava and Greek pastries to go. I'll definitely be back. Also the management and staff made sure my experience at Hellas was a nice one. OPA
(5)Natasha L.
First of all our waitress Soula made the night with my family better!! We had the beef kabobs, chicken kabobs, grouper, shrimp, Greek salads! Desserts assorted pastries strawberry Kok, milfe, cheesecakes etc.. Everybody (there was 6 of us ) had no complaints everything was delicious including the strawberry and gummy bear martinis!! I can't wait to go back !! I loved everything about this restaurant! They were so great even down to seating us!!! Recommend highly can't wait to come back!!
(5)Michael B.
Going to eat some Greek food at Hellas . I'll keep you posted. The flaming cheese (ooppa) is to die for. Next an order of lamb ringlets, wow worth trying...so far thi place ranks high. Ok from my-friend who order the Gyro said that it was an 8 on a scale of 10. My other friend had the Octopus and said it was a 10. My wife and I split the seafood combo which had scallops, fresh caught fish, shrimp and plenty of sides to spare. I can't leave out the amazing bread, did I say complementary, nice. Well all and all it was beautiful!
(5)Michaek S.
Still excellent!! Stellar flaming cheese- Opa!- salty, tangy, lemony mmm. Greek salad enough for three- standard issue with creamy potato salad underneath - tasty and refreshing. Nice light touch with oil and vinegar. Gyro crispy, real rotisserie style with nice lamb flavor- top notch! My wife had the best scallops every- so tender they just melted in mouth. My fried grouper was crispy, flaky, hints of garlic and sweet fish.. Mmmm. Sides are nice- sweet cinnamon rice, slow cooked peas and tomatoes, and crispy potato wedge. Good bread and butter comes with. Add bottle of retsina- perfect!! Walked it off looking at touristy stuff (we do like the handmade soap shop, the fancy tea and spice store, Arts by Hand and Aquarium) came back later for awesome coffee and deserts. Cakes (called pasta) were light and creamy; baklava was pure rich honey- cinnamon infused walnutty goodness ... Mmmm- service fast and friendly too!
(5)Brian H.
We've never been to Greece, but Hellas is fantastic! Whenever we make a trip to Tarpon Springs, we are sure to stop here!
(5)Barry O.
Good for lunch a little on the Greek tourist side. Grew up with Greeks and been to Greece so I am a little more on picky side. Family Greek salad was large to share but used iceberg lettuce - never used in Greece. Gyro was big and good. Tiropita was good but not great.
(3)Dylan D.
Great food. The Greek salad with potato salad was awesome. My daughters fried shrimp were huge and great.
(5)Marianne D.
So happy we decided to stop in Tarpon Springs on the way to St Pete Beach for lunch. Hellas was a helluva good place! The restaurant itself is huge and the decor and Greek waitstaff made me feel like I was in Greece. We loved our server Nohas. He went out of his way to provide excellent service and was so friendly. He made our lunch experience that much better. My husband and I shared a saganaki and Greek salad. The saganaki was the best I've ever had...crispy gooey goodness..and Chicago has some good Greek restaurants that we enjoy. The Greek salad was served over potato salad! Never have I had a Greek salad served this way. My husband had the chicken souvlaki, grilled marinated chicken in a pita with lettuce, tomato and tzatziki sauce. I had a couple bites and it was very good. I had the lamb riblets appetizer with a side of rice pilaf....awesome!! The lamb was tender and grilled to perfection. The lemony herbed lightly oiled sauce was to die for. I ended up dumping my rice into my riblets plate to soak up every last bit of that sauce. Of course I was nice and shared my lunch....reluctantly. It was the best meal! This place was packed at lunch, which attests to the excellent food and service! Check out Hellas attached bakery on your way out!
(5)Margie M.
Simply the best Greek food these two very particular foodies have ever had. Think it might have crack in it. We ate until we about exploded. Our waitress Peggy was the best. We will be regular here for sure!!!
(5)Sundi P.
We eat here pretty much everytime we go to Tarpon Springs. The staff is always very nice and the gyros are amazing. Their pita bread is just the best.
(4)Jonathan R.
Out of all the many places to eat, most of whom were passing out coupons or had people on the sidewalk trying to persuade you inside, we decided on Hella's. This place is probably as close to Greece you can get while still in the states. On the outside there is a giant sign reading Hella's with a nice open patio dining space. The inside is very... Blue. Which I love. It really makes you feel like you're in Greece.. I would imagine. Beautiful floors and walls with gorgeous paintings along the walls. We are seated at a table, in a section pretty much to ourselves. We started with drinks, and the Saganaki, OPA. Flaming cheese. It may sound funny, but watching the little plate go up in flames, and then doused with fresh lemon, was pretty amazing. It was a small triangle of cheese, that was very tasty, and a bit tart from the lemon. I couldn't stop eating it though. By itself, or with some bread, this cheese was a great start. For lunch I ordered the Greek Hamburger. Pretty much a Gyro pita, but with seasoned ground beef. Onions, tomato and tzatziki sauce gives you the taste of a Gyro pita, but the ground beef with Greek spices was a delicious twist. I did wish there was a bit more sauce, but delicious none the less. The service is friendly but very quiet. The restaurant is big, blue and beautiful. Plus attached to it is a pretty good sized bakery. Counter upon counter of just delectable looking treats, that we never tried because we were too full. When you're in the area, don't fall for the coupon givers. Take a chance on the place that doesn't need gimmicks to get people in.
(4)Cindy A.
The bakery would get 6 stars if that was an option. First review where everyone in the group agreed to all the stars we could give and all the dishes were so good we could not decide which was best.
(5)Michael C.
A most exceptional meal. Excellent saganaki followed by two delicious entrees- lamb shank, which fell off the bone as it should, and shrimp Hellas, breaded with exquisite spices. The killers- a baklava martini (what?) and baklava cheesecake. A must In the area!
(4)Danielle W.
A must stop in Tarpon Springs! Exceptional greek food. Fantastic service and the cutest bakery!
(4)trish h.
Best Gyro!!! Super big! Chicken soup needs a little lemon though it's a tad bland but you can tell its fresh. Server was super friendly.
(5)Colm O.
There are a lot of restaurants in Tarpon Springs, so it's a great place to visit if you like Greek food. We went to Hellas for lunch and the restaurant was busy, always a good sign. We enjoyed Salad, Hummus, Gyros and Souvlaki - all were really good plus our waitress Sasha was excellent. Highly recommend Hellas, and it's gorgeous bakery next door.
(4)Brooke K.
My husband and I recently moved to Tampa from Spring Hill. Oddly we have two Greek places in Spring Hill that we love and haven't been able to find any that compare. We were really excited to try Hellas and even a friend of ours says that she loves it. We went on a weekday for lunch and it was busy. We were seated right away but it took our server a while to get to the table. My husband ordered the gyro. I forget the name of what I ordered but it was like a gyro but with chicken. The meat was pretty dry in both of our orders. Neither of us finished our food. The service was slow, though it was pretty busy. Overall I might be willing to try this place again somewhere down the line, but given the abundance of Greek food in Tarpon Springs I definitely would prefer trying out some of the other places first.
(2)Gene D.
This was a really pleasant surprise after our bad experience in the bakery. Our server was wonderful! She was attentive and never let my glass get empty without bringing a refill. The Greek salad was spectacular and the flaming cheese with bread is a new favorite. We will definitely be back... But we will avoid the bakery.
(5)J.P. H.
Outstanding food and experience! The gyro was as big as my head and that is saying something. Also the desserts are wonderful and the Greek canole was marvelous.
(5)Cassie C.
This food was great. We started with the saganaki (flaming cheese). I've tried a lot of cheese and this was just divine- salty. To taste a variety, we then followed w the combo platter. Everything was delicious. This was one of those scenarios where we couldn't decide on a bad one, let alone our favorite.
(5)D K.
Great service, great food, and an atmosphere that makes you feel you may be somewhere other than Central Florida.
(4)Lindsey S.
My best friend had never tried Saganaki before, so we drove to the sponge docks in search of this delectable dish and decided to try Hella's. All we wanted was the Saganaki and a dessert, so I was a little worried that we wouldn't get a warm reception from the wait staff. The worries were unwarranted. Not only was the hostess very friendly, she also gave us multiple options for seating. We ended up choosing a high top close to the bar. Our server was very cordial, but I got a vibe from her like we weren't as important because we weren't eating a standard dinner. She would check on us, but it was in a rushed manner. I felt like we were a low priority to her. The food itself was very good. Our Saganaki actually tasted better than the place I'd had it from the night before. My baklava was also spot on, but that's to be expected from a restaurant that has a bakery attached. Who knows? Maybe I'll come back for a full meal sometime.
(3)Sandy W.
Fabulous place with darling decor! Server was very attentive. Our meal was delicious and the selection of Sangrias were countless I had the best Gyro ever! Their bakery items are to die for. Too many sweets to choose from.
(5)Suzanne W.
I have been coming here for over 10 years. This is the to go place if you want Greek food. The owners actually own a few other restaurants in town. Everything is always fresh, cooked perfectly, and service is always on point. Many days there is a wait but they get you in pretty quickly. Save room for desert because with a bakery next door its hard to resist. Some of the favorites are the broiled octopus, greek platter (combination of greek food and enough for 2!), and gyro. All top notch.
(5)D B.
What a wonderful and unique experience. This was an excellent excursion. Wonderful food. Great service! The dessert bar/bakery is worth the trip by itself. Wide menu variety, so there are many choices for everyone. For the kids- hot dogs etc. this place specializes in Greek food, and there are many choices. For the Greek food afficuinado, to the novice. It was excellent! This is a Can't talk. Will call or text later miss spot if you are near Tarpon Springs. Do not miss the amazing bakery! This is a popular spot, so expect to wait a bit. The wait for us was not unreasonable. 5 people, we waited about 10 minutes. So worth the wait.
(5)Vessa V.
Great restaurant!! I didn't give it 5 starts because some of the items are overpriced. We had the gyros and the dolmades and both were excellent. Fast service and overall a good experience.
(4)Magnus D.
Was here for lunch on business. Well-run Greek restaurant with lots of blue and white everywhere. I thought that staff was extremely well-trained, knowledgeable and focused on their jobs (more like riveted on them). This place is run with military precision. Lots of tourists dining here and lots of platters being set aflame. Very clean. Not upscale, but Spartan-like. Seemed like a good Greek menu with lots of selection. My colleagues ate vegetarian and thought their food was great, while I had the broiled grouper (a bit overcooked and dry, I thought). Tables near us were served some things I'd like to try sometime: whole broiled snapper; flaming cheese, and the like. It was okay and they did lots of things right, but nothing set me afire. I'll try it again, but am not in a hurry to get back.
(3)Richard M.
Butter should be room temp but the bread is fantastic! Feta and Greek pepper was a little pricey for the size but good Need pitted olives Gyro and Mousaka were good portions The food was excellent the sides were ok Will come back
(3)Damaris G.
Great experience! Food was great and the service was exceptional. Definitely try the octopus and fried cheese. The Greek fries were a great surprise.
(5)Barbara S.
I finally made it to Hellas! The fact that I've kept it in mind for years tells you two things: 1. I am lazy. 2. Everyone talks about, therefore it is always embedded in my head. The food was fantastic. Our table ordered the chicken souvlaki, combination platter, Greek salad, burger (yeah, there was one weirdo), and a side of dolmades. All delicious. They were kind enough to allow me to purchase the side of dolmades despite it not being on the menu as a side. They were served with a lemon sauce and had a lot of meat inside. I am used to always having them without sauce and with mostly rice - this was a surprising and delicious change. I enjoyed the decor and artwork on the walls and ceiling, and the fact that the AC felt great despite us sitting close to the outside opening was superb. Service was fast and friendly (except waiting for a waiter to initially be assigned to us - "Hi! Yes, we're still over here!"). Lots of looking at us and no one coming over. Once one of them did he was great. We were STUFFED so no desert, but we must come back to try the bakery. Oh em gee so many huge and beautifully crafted treats.
(4)Mike B.
Favorite greek place in Tarpon Springs. Love the fried cheese and the Gyro's.
(4)Faye M.
Order Chicken kabobs for me and Seafood Combo for my husband it is delicious! We we're just driving by to see what's Downtown Tarpon Springs looks like and then I saw this place busy inside so we came in for dinner. It's a little pricey but it's great food. Check the Bakery, can't leave without buying something :-) We will be back soon!
(5)Celeste R.
Best Saganaki ever, you must try!! I always make time to visit Hellas when I am in the Tampa area. This last visit I had the opportunity to meet the owner who was behind the bar visiting with guests. As always a great experience with good food and friendly service.
(5)Alex R.
I was taking an afternoon trip and found this restaurant. Voted one of the Best Tampa Bay Restaurants in 2013. We started with some delicious bread. As an appetizer we had the Saganaki, imported flamed cheese. It was so good. It was if I had stepped into a cheesy dream. Then Hellas famous gyro arrived, this thing was a monster in size and a monster in flavor. Bottom line Hellas Greek Restaurant is an amazing place with great authentic Greek cuisine. If you are ever in The Clearwater area, take a drive to Tarpon Springs and enjoy this exquisite place.
(5)Jason E.
I was not very impressed. For starters, since when is tzatziki made with sour cream? The rice pilaf tasted like it was minute rice and the vegetables were seconds away from being pureed. If you don't know what real Greek tastes like, you'll like this place.
(2)Sofia D.
I'm giving Hellas a 3 because It's the number of things that are good to order there that are close to authentic or just plain worth ordering to me. #1 their Broiled Octopus is the best in Tarpon Springs. Most Tender, drizzled with olive oil and served with lemon. Squeeze some of that on there, it's a must. I usually order the octopus with Horta(side of Dandelion Greens) and eat that together as a meal. I did notice they raised the price on the octopus a while ago to 14.95, ouch! It used to be 9.95.. Kind of a big Jump there. Makes for a pricey meal when u order another side since it's an appetizer. Puts u in the mid $20 range with no drink, but water. Yeah, haven't ordered that one in a while. Hmph.. #2 the dolmades and the dolmades only, not the sides it comes with. I hate those sides with the rice,veggies and tomato sauce over it. No! Not authentic, I don't know what that is, but it has a rather sweet taste that this Greek does not appreciate. #3 the Gyro... Wait...Not the Gyro on the menu...The Gyro they have on the specials only on Certain days with the REAL lamb slices, not the processed meat on the spit. Maybe, if you're lucky u will catch it one day;-) I can say they also have a good Greek salad, but that is not authentic, it's American made up with potato salad. It's good though, I'm not knocking the invention.. Uh oh, I almost forgot the Saganaki! The Greek Flaming fried cheese, makes for good entertainment Ok,that was 4 things, but Hellas... U are still getting 3 stars, u are definitely worth visiting, but still a tourist trap to me.
(3)Chaitanya K.
Read all the great reviews and decided to give Hellas a try although a couple of locals suggested that my wife and I try out Mykonos instead. Unfortunately, I was majorly disappointed with the food. While out server was excellent and helped us with making our food and drink selections, the food didn't stand up to all the hype. Started with the fried Kalamari which felt a little rubbery but was still the best dish we ordered. I got the fried grouper and my wife got the gyro as our entrees. My fried grouper lacked flavor and felt more like eating fish n chips at a bar. The gyro was gigantic but my wife prefers a few veggies in the gyro and so wasn't overly impressed. Adding that my entree alone cost around 22$, my next dinner stop at Tarpon will be Mykonos.
(2)Jules O.
Enjoyed a delicious Greek salad with huge portions of feta and a delicious potato salad underneath. Greek salad did have iceberg lettuce...but dressing was nice. Nice fresh bread brought to table. Shared a gyro with my daughter - nicely seasoned. Saved room for bakery delights next door. Server was very attentive, however reached across table (pet peeve) and we were seated quickly. I really considered 4 stars, but with lettuce in salad and I requested no onions on gyro and they didn't take them out I chose 3 stars.
(3)Diana K.
This place basically looks like the Greek flag threw up all over it...in a good way! It is kind of like the house at the end of My Big Fat Greek Wedding, with the blue and white, and greek columns all over the place. Yeah, picture that. Regardless, we stopped by here after our tour of the sponge docks. We loved the staff and enjoyed some sangria pitchers and grilled octopus - some of the best that I've had. We also ordered stuffed grape leaves (dolmades). Overall, if you are going to get Greek food in Tarpon Springs, I recommend that you visit this place for the full experience. 4 out of 5 stars.
(4)Wonder Woman V.
Went for dinner. Great reviews. Pricey but food was good so I didn't care. Our waitress!!! Omg!! She repeated our drinks 4 times. Yes coke, diet coke and water. Food came out quickly. She brought our check and then just lingered and lingered and lingered. How uncomfortable. We handed her our credit card. She processed it and brought it back to us explaining what we need to do. Yes thank you I know how to sign my name on the line. She then again lingered and lingered till we signed. My very patient husband was no longer patient. I don't think I've seen him so angry.
(3)Matt E.
3.5 stars... Came here for a gyro, a dessert, and to try the saganaki app (aka the flaming cheese). Prices are pretty good and the service was very friendly. I initially wanted a seafood platter but with everyone in my party getting gyro's I felt peer pressured into getting the same. I was pleasantly surprised by just how much meat they put in the gyro so I left full. Everyone at the table ordered fries with theirs and they forgot the fries which didn't come out (except for mine) until everyone was finished. The flaming cheese is an imported Greek cheese which they set on fire by the table. When the fire goes out, the waiter squeezes some lemon on top, and you have this melty, salty, lemony, and bubbling hot cheese, how can you go wrong? For dessert I had a hard time picking from their giant selection but ultimately went with a chocolate napoleon. Most desserts are Italian,French,American from my knowledge but whatever, I wasn't going to be getting baklava when there were so many tastier options available. It was described as being filled with chocolate custard which was not the case, it was more like a chocolate mouse which was still good though nothing worth raving about. The thing was certainly a pain to eat but most napoleons are. Lastly the restaurant is beyond tacky with all the blue lights and overall style but as long as that type of touristy disney world vibe doesn't throw you, it's a nice Greek place worth checking out if you're in the Tampa bay area and want to visit the Tarpon Springs area for a Greek experience.
(4)Paul G.
Delicious Greek lamb gyros! Great servers. Ordered gyros and got them in about five minutes. Pretty fast! Be prepared for huge one, lots of meat! Environment is pretty cool!!! Glad they have air conditioned, pretty hot and humid outside. And we ordered few cheesecakes and will try them later tonight.
(5)Nicholas K.
Best gyro I think I've ever had. Stuffed full of enough meat to make two or three gyros and what perfectly prepared gyro meat it was! Wonderful crispy edges and a grilled pita so good! Service was good and food came fairly quickly even though the restaurant was really busy. No complaints. This is a very loud restaurant so be warned if that bothers you but I don't mind it at all. There's even a bit of a show when the cheese appetizers are delivered they light them on fire and yell opa! Also they have a great bakery on the side of the restaurant full of beautiful pastries baklava and bread.
(5)Richard A.
Six of us along with my Grandson (2 years old) went to Hellas on Saturday evening. We had been there many times before. We had a reservation and were seated immediately. The service was excellent. All six of us enjoyed our meals very much. The broidled seafood platters which three of us had were exceptional. The scallops were tend and sweet. The shrimp was excellent and the group was very good. We decided to take out our desert from the bakery and have it at home so that the little guy did not have to stay seated so long. I would highly recommend Hellas. The bakery selections are great as well.
(4)Raymonda C.
We visited Hellas 7 years ago and we made a special trip with friends again this year 2014 to relive some of our great memories. We ordered the same exact items the large whole broiled fish, the opa cheese appetizer and the Greek salad. Yummmmm just as we remember it. Delicate flakey and super moist.service was impeccable, friendly and clean. I recommend Hellas if you want good food and experience the Greek culture all together is very charming. Opa
(4)Henderson W.
Hellas has to be the most renowned Greek restaurant in Tarpon these days and for very good reason. It's always bustling because it's so good! I personally feel their Greek salad is the best in the area. One can easily feed two people quite well, especially with a side bowl of the greatest avgolemano soup ever. Some of the avgolemano soups I've had at other places had too much lemon juice, were very astringent-tasting. Theirs has the creamy, comforting, nourishing qualities with the right amount of lemony goodness. The hummus is top notch, as is their pastitsio. And they have the most delicious Greek pastries underneath those long, gleaming glass counters in the bakery attached to the restaurant. A truly memorable experience, each and every time.
(5)Chris W.
This was my first visit and having heard really nothing but good things, I found myself a bit let down. Started with the Saganaki, which was very good. I ordered the Pork Suvlaki and found it to be tender, but really not standing out in flavor. Same with the tzatziki sauce, just kind of bland. I've had this dish at other Greek restaurants, this one just came up short. Dessert was tasty..can't remember the name, but it was basically a giant Ho Ho with chocolate cream. I believe this is the sentiment of our whole party. We've eaten at plenty of Greek restaurants in the St Pete area and have really had better, overall experiences. I would not drive all the way to Tarpon Springs/Sponge Docks to eat here. So the Appy and dessert were good, but the main course, meh... Prices are across the board. You can get a gyro for around $8 to Kabobs for $24. One thing our waiter said that stood out was that they get a lot of old people there....so does that mean the flavors are dialed back for elderly stomachs? It could be that sometimes you just get different places doing the same thing a little differently. No idea on this one. I would say that I would like to explore the entire bakery as the offerings there looked really tasty! If you park behind the restaurant, which we didn't, our waiter said they'd give you a coupon to cover the parking fee. I was torn between 2 and 3 stars on this one.
(2)Karen G.
Awesome bakery..super nice staff..we come here often and always enjoy the food and atmosphere. Check it out..you won't be disappointed! !!!
(5)Rob W.
A really good restaurant at the tourist district. They have all the traditional Greek foods, all very well done. They have been here for many years and know what they are doing. The pastries are some of the best in town.
(4)Reid I.
Went to Tarpon springs wit my girlfriends cousin. He wanted to show me around the area and I was amazed that there was a town like this in Tampa. Great street to walk around. He wanted to take me to Hellas and after I ate I know why. The restaurant was packed but didn't have to wait to get seated. I ordered the Pork Souvlaki which came with a greek salad. The pork was very tasty and tender. I enjoyed my meal and would like to come again to try something else. Also picked up some desserts next door at the bakery. The greek canoli was delicious.
(4)Jason B.
The best specialty bakery around. We always get the Neapolitan desert to go. Best Gyro and Chicken Soulvaki anywhere at the best price. Dine in is a nice experience and the staff are top notch. I been going here for decades and take friends and family when they visit for the first time. Always get the flaming cheese if you bring someone for the first time... OPA!!!
(5)Barb B.
Wow! I was visiting the area and found this place through yelp so thought I'd give it a shot. Had the coolest waiter, friendly, attentive, just perfect service overall. We ordered the lemon chicken orzo soup which was simply amazing. The gyro was indeed one of the best I've ever had. The meat wasn't greasy like at other places and it was so big! I'll warn you this is not first date food. It's big, full of onions and a little messy with the great tzatziki sauce. But if you're past that first date and trying to make a good impression then come here and order their big Gyro, you won't be disappointed. I'm still thinking about it. Hella's, I wish you weren't four hours away or I'd be there right now!! Mmmm... Mmmmm...and don't even get me started on the desserts! They have a full Bakery for you to check out.
(5)Joe M.
Good food, mashed potatoes used in dishes as filler I guess. Food is family recipes. I have been to Greece several times and mashed potatoes is not in the cuisine. I will go back. We had 6 different dishes and all were good.
(4)Julie R.
My family and I went here based on the high stars and were incredibly disappointed. First, service was bad. It took forever to just get our drinks, and when they were served, the waitress handed them to us by gripping the top of the glass, which is unsanitary. Second, the food was awful. We each got a gyro and it was the worst I've ever had. The pitas had so much butter on them which is completely unnecessary. And the tzatziki sauce was flavorless. Overall, I would never come back.
(2)Johanna S.
We just had salads, but they were nothing to write home about.we had a feisty waitress and the sweet tea was delicious however we would try another venue next time.
(3)Bunny N.
Awesome place! The sangria was soo perfect on a warm sunny afternoon. We got a pitcher of it which was good for about 4 or 5 glasses worth. It was delicious. The gyro was really big that I wouldn't even finish all of it. It was stuffed with lamb and all the good stuff. For the appetizer, we got that cheese where they fire it up. Fun stuff! Service was great- the lady who served us was wonderful and sweet. First time going to Tarpon Springs and it won't be the last time going to Hellas!
(5)Desiree D.
The decor of this place is great. There is always something to look at. It is very blue and white and silver...and has landscape paintings and cool lighting. The service was great, the waiter made some suggestions and served us quickly. I had the Hellas Veggie Pita, this is always a safe bet for me since i don't eat meat. It was really good and huge for $7. I love feta but the clumps were bit too big and overpowered the taste of everything else. My friend had a seafood dish that had some orzo and three types of seafood on it. NOt sure what the name was, but it had some shrimp and a big piece of fish and something else. i tried a little of each and it was great!
(4)Miles D.
We decided to drive up from St. Pete to see Tarpon Springs for ourselves. We got the assorted appetizer that had humus, tzasiki, and feta dip with pita bread. It was $10 but there was so much my wife and I didn't finish it. The taste was excellent on all three. I also had the dolmades which were delicious as well. The only draw back was our waiter. We went the day that Greece played Costa Rica in the World Cup. When we walked in it had just gone to penalty kicks and he was in a good mood. When he came back Greece had lost and you could tell his demeanor had completely changed.
(4)Albert P.
Hellas is among the top few Greek Restaurants on Dodecanese Blvd. It is perhaps the largest and best decorated. The food was very good. I have recommended it to friends and they gave it high marks. For someone who is only going to be in Tarpon Springs for one day, I recommend Hellas. But is a close race with several others. Competition is stiff among Greek restaurants here so prices are right and quality is good.
(5)Stephanie W.
I had been to Hellas years ago on a trip and was excited to see that they still did not disappoint on my return visit. We had the classic saganaki and Greek salad. The moussaka had the creamiest taste on the topping! A trip to the bakery afterward made our trip complete with baklava and flogeres. Next time we will have to definitely go for a Kok as dessert. It looked amazing!
(5)Lorenzo P.
Tarpon Spings best Greek restaurant. The server was very nice and the food was superb. The bakery is also good, amazing desserts. If you are in Tarpon Springs. Stop by and try them out..
(5)Frank N.
Writing this review mainly for those of us who don't do Greek food but don't mind going to Greek restaurants when everyone else wants to. In Tarpon Springs that is mandatory. I can always find something in Greek eateries. When spending the day at the sponge docks in Tarpon Springs you will eat at a Greek place. On with the review. We ordered the flaming cheese appetizer. Be sure to Opa! when your waiter lights it up. Everyone loved it. For me, it was ok. I ordered the grouper sandwich. I love grouper and a good grouper sandwich is gold. The food came and I must say that my sandwich looked fabulous, tasted even better. A very fresh bakery roll with a generous piece of grouper fried to a superb golden brown with just the lightest of breading. It came with fries which were first rate, hot, crispy outside, soft inside. A portion of tartar on the side completed it. Very grateful for them letting the diner do their own amount of tartar and there was not a speck of grease anywhere. The rest of the family ate various Greek dishes and they raved about how good it was. Just not my cup of tea. If it is yours, Hellas is a great choice. Insanely Greek decorated, professional wait staff. Our waiter did not commit the "guys" sin therefore no deduction. Attention servers....take a lesson from these waiters. Opa!
(4)Vicky A.
My experience : I have been coming to Hellas for about two years . I usually come around when I am in town and I absolutely love it . I have tried a couple things on their menu but I have stuck with the broiled octopus , which is tender and full of lime juice , spritz of olive oil and garnished with fresh parsley . I have the three assorted spreads which are a good conversation starter . There's are other selections such as the special and fish of the day . Service : I have not hand bad service IN the restaurant . I have seen many friendly and familiar faces at this location and always feel welcomed . However , with all the excitement I usually go over to the bakery which welcomes you through an entry in the restaurant . I have visited and eaten at the bakery for about two years. CONS: the service is HORRIBLE . The girls are just lacking customer service . A bakery or any food place should be a place of smiles And some welcoming service . I have noticed I need to wave , Jump on the counter ( kidding , but maybe it will help ) to get SIX girls to turn around . This happens busy or even when they are dead . There's always a new shortcut for the preparation of the coffee ... The Classic was being that I have been here and know the lack of organization was when someone working there was making the coffee and had dropped the packet to brew my coffee on the floor ( which is unknown YUCK ) and turned around for approval -- Classic .. This must happen quite often ! Suggestions : your bakery should Match your restaurant . These girls have no Clue what they are doing . The " huffing " And " puffing " really isn't what was ordered . It's a SERVICE JOB ! Sorry to break it to you :-) Would I go back ? Well of course their food is delicious . Maybe with enough shouts of horrible service ... They will get the point
(3)Lauren C.
There's something that just feels so nice about having lunch on a Sunday afternoon after strolling around on the sponge docks. My family and I recently went and upon arriving We were seated and greeted right away. I ordered the gyro and a Greek salad 'for one' which was honestly enough for 4 of us to split. The dressing is great and the potato salad is a delicious touch. The gyro was solid and more than enough food. I was not a fan of the raw onion that was hiding inside the pita but the tzatziki was Fantastic.The service was good, especially since ours was a table of 7 including 2 kids, so I'm sure it was a bit hectic to keep up with us. The most important part of the whole place is their impressive dessert cases. Highly recommend trying rice pudding, kok or baklava! If you're looking for heaven on a plate, that's it! This place is a Tarpon staple for tourists and locals alike, must try it for yourself and find out what all the hype is about
(4)Brian C.
Definitely a fun restaurant in a vibrant part of town. The sponge docks are pretty cool. The saganaki is always a fun dish to get, with fiery salty cheese. The gyros were good, but I think mainly average. I also had the dolmades (stuffed grape leaves) which were nice as well but the sauce it was in drowned out the freshness of the grape leaves. Service was great and the ambience was cool.
(3)Derek B.
This was our second visit to Hellas and we continue to be impressed. The food was delicious, and though our server changed at a moment's notice, the service was more than adequate. They even cooked my meal to dietary specification and made sure it was right before leaving us to our meal. The Baklava Cheesecake is second to none. Flaky on the crust and rich and creamy in the middle. Perfect! Also try the variety of Souvlaki. It's reasonable and you will not leave hungry.
(4)Gabriel M.
The best Greek food I've ever had!!! If you visit Tarpon springs you have to visit them. Very authentic, very Greek all the way!! Just remember, this is NOT an American restaurant, do not expect American service, expect GREEK SERVICE as if you where I. Europe. If you are nice and patient since REAL FOOD takes REAL TIME they will be super nice. :) The baklava was to DIE FOR!!!
(5)Amber H.
Over rated!!!I try Greek restaurants everywhere I can. I had high expectations and was very disappointed in this place. I choose this based off Yelp reviews. 1. Calamari appetizer was returned because it was horrible. It was breaded with no seasoning what so ever, not even a little salt and it was very chewy.They give you cold cocktail sauce for dipping instead of warm marinara. Our waitresses told us she spoke with the manager on duty and the manager told her that she had tried it earlier that day and found it to be very bland as well. Ummm ok... Why would you not figure out what the problem was? That's your job. 2. Octopus....i love Greek octopus... Theirs was o.k. ,i would not get it again. Very tender but very rubbery and slimy when chewing. I almost choked a few times. 3. All their meals are supposed to come with rice,greek potatoes,veg of the day and fruit. Mine came out with just rice and canned mushy green beans. Both were not good. I asked where the potatoes were and was told"we're out". When i told her that i wouldn't have ordered the meal if i knew that ..some how she made potatoes appear..and they were also disapointing. Hardly any lemon flavor. 4. The fruit from my meal was never brought out. I asked about it and was brought 2 slices of cantaloupe that were refrigerated for about 3 days. They were gross. Couldn't eat them. 5. My bill also reflected that i was being charged 95cents for the honey that i asked for with my hot tea. I was never told this. 6. Our waitress acted like we had arrived at a theme park and said we were in for a treat when we first got there.... I won't be back. This place is too large and is very sloppy and lazy. Go to a small hole in the wall, family own place!..plenty to choose from in this town!
(2)Zack R.
I think everyone there started with the saganaki, so we did too. Glad we did. It was fun, and delicious. Our server, Charles, was extremely welcoming, professional, fun, nice, and dozens of other positive adjectives. The gyro was hands down the best I've ever had. It was huuuge, so come hungry. I wasn't super starving or anything, but it tasted so good I finished the whole thing and a side of fries! The burger gyro was decent. A little too much seasoning which overpowered the beef, but overall a good pick. The decor is classic Greek-American. Gawdy, blue, and fun. If you're up in sponge country for the day, definitely check out Hellas.
(4)eugenio S.
great food...real greek.
(5)Heather S.
Gyro from Hella's Restaurant in Tarpon Springs. I may have proposed marriage to the gyro at the table. I never wanted that sandwich to end, but with such a HUGE portion I had to have half of it wrapped [to drunkenly eat after midnight...ahem.] The appetizer plates we shared at the start were also ridiculously delicious. I could have enjoyed warmed pita with the dip tray all week long and been happy; serious deliciousness going on there! My family members raved about the seafood sampler appetizers, seafood combination plates, Greek dinner combinations, and every single item that was tasted was enjoyed. The waiter was attentive and helpful to our large table of 12, and was so kind in pointing out that gratuity was already added. [though he had earned a bonus we happily supplied, for sure!] We brought home a large selection of treats from the bakery at Hella's, which were shared by the family throughout several days. Everyone raved about the desserts and couldn't resist grabbing a bite at any hour of the day. Pastries for breakfast is an important vacation tradition! If you're ever in the area, make a stop at Hella's for a Greek feast!
(5)Jennifer S.
This is an authentic, high quality, Greek restaurant whose owners and staff clearly care about getting repeat customers. I ordered the broiled seafood platter, which consisted of locally caught that day grouper, shrimp, and scallops. All of which were seasoned to perfection and tasted briny with freshness. The Hellas Salad can feed a family, which was our appetizer. I liked the touch of potatoes at the bottom of the salad. The vegetables were clearly fresh and tasted like they were grown in a garden-especially the tomato and green pepper. Our server was highly attentive and refilled my soda rapidly for free. The best part-after shopping at Art by Design and viewing the interactive exhibits at the Tarpon Springs aquarium, we picked up dessert to go, which served as dinner when we returned to our hotel. I had a mousse pasta (really a greek word for cake) which was rich, covered in dense chocolate, and freshly made. My son had a different "pasta-cake" which he devoured. My husband had doughy, yeasty freshly baked eclairs. This is a must see restaurant for those vacationing in the Tampa Bay area.
(5)Brett N.
Why 3 stars? Because it was a typical gyro. --- --- --- This was my first visit to the docks at Tarpon Springs and I was very impressed. Tarpon is about as far away from me as you can get and still be considered "The Bay Area," so I don't know how often I will be back, but I do aspire to make some return trips. As for Hellas...meh. I guess it just didn't live up to the hype for me. It tasted like your run-of-the-mill gyro to me. For all things Greek, I'd prefer Acropolis, honestly. I also tried the baklava for dessert because I read so many good things. Again, I didn't really understand the hype unfortunately. I will definitely be back to the docks, but I will probably try a different restaurant next time out.
(3)Dianna B.
The crown jewel of Tarpon Springs. If you're coming to the sponge docks, make time to visit Hellas too. The food and service are genuinely impeccable. The gyro's are flavourful, the souvlaki is tender and the flaming cheese is, well, in a word HOT! You can get all your Greek cuisine favorites like: Skordilla, stuffed grape leaves, Avgolemono soup, spanokipita,Horiatiki Salad, Greek Salad, a broiled octopus and even a whole fish that is then deboned at your table side. And while you're there, don't forget to visit the bakery for even more absolutely decadent treats, the bakalava is some of the very best you'll ever eat. OPA!
(5)Erin A.
We went to tarpon springs in need of some great Greek food. I decided to read reviews online, and after reading the reviews of Hellas, we decided to go there. It was great! I had a gyro and fries while my husband had the grilled octopus. We couldn't have been more pleased. The service was great too! Don't forget to stop by the bakery on your way out. It was very hard to decide what to get..so much variety!
(4)Steve A.
I love this funky Greek restaurant with its wild blue ceramic and pink neon decor. The combo plate is a great appetizer with shrimp, tender octopus, and three dips. The Greek salad is another favorite; no crumbled feta here, but big slices, plus a delicious dressing and wonderful potato salad buried at the bottom. The adjoining bakery has some great offerings, too.
(5)Rico O.
I have no idea how this place has such a high rating. I had a Gyro, which to me is pretty basic, and it was one of the worst I've ever tasted. The meat was ok, but the pita was soaked in butter and greasy. The Tzatziki tasked like sour cream and looked like it too. Any there was no feta on it. Fries were obviously frozen and were very bland. Perhaps other things on the menu are much better.
(2)Lori S.
We wanted to have greek food. This is a great place for traditional greek food. We ordered the flaming cheese appetizer. Be sure to Opa! when your waiter lights it up. Everyone loved it. I had the Spanakopita very good. Didnt like the peas which were on the side and my boyfriend had Moussaka (I tasted and it was tasty! also come with peas which he liked) we went over to the bakery and YUM! we had Baklava to go and of course it was awesome. we would go back
(4)Yly M.
In a very touristy street, but great food. Loved my generous portioned gyro. I liked my baklava martini. Very Greek decor with Greek music.
(4)Jane P.
I always get the spanakopita (spinach pie) when I go here. As far as spanakopita goes, Hellas had one if the best. It is thicker than most places. It is a treat when the family gets to go here, although we go sparingly because of the higher prices. There are many Greek restaurants around Tarpon Springs and out them all this rates one of the best on taste and the highest on Greek atmosphere.
(4)Cathy H.
Love love love this place! Whenever we have company or are near Tarpon Springs Hella's is a MUST! Amazing desserts that are so good we order extra to take home. All of my greek favorites.
(5)Beth S.
As a first timer to Tarpon Springs I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the area. I was even more impressed by the food at Hellas. I love Greek food and my boyfriend said this is THE place to go in Tarpon Springs. The restaurant is large and airy but still has a classy feel and even though it's surrounded by beachy shops you almost forget you are in a touristy area. I ordered the chicken souvlaki pita and my boyfriend got the traditional Greek salad. My pita was out of this world good. The chicken, onions, tomoatoes, and tzatziki sauce were all tasty but, the standout was the pita itself. I'm pretty sure they make it in house and it's fried to a warm, crispy outside-soft inside, perfect. I could go there for pitas and tzatziki alone. Of course before we left we headed to the bakery where my head almost exploded from the sheer amount of delectable choices that were offered. I took my time but ultimately decided that since I was in "Greece," I'd do as the Grecians. I ordered the traditional baklava and was in honey heaven. The filo dough was perfectly flaky and I took my time devouring the sweet dessert. I will 100% return to Hellas and my mouth is watering just thinking about it.
(5)John T.
I can think of only a couple of reasons to visit Tarpon Springs: 1. Take a nice boat ride. 2. Eat some great Greek food. Skip the crap shops and focus on eating. There are lots of restaurants and bakeries. We visited with a friend (who is Greek) and she recommended Hellas. The place is huge and the three of us were seated right away in the colorful dining room. An attractive, Greek looking waiter came to take our drink order...and then it began... Suddenly I was having lunch with Carrie and Samantha from Sex & The City! Since I am straight, there was nothing much i could add to this discussion, but I did contemplate ordering a Cosmo. Luckily the food arrived quickly and the conversation shifted to how good the food was. I had the spinach and cheese pies and they came with vegetables and rice in a light tomato based sauce. They were very good--especially the flaky crust--but this should come as no surprise as the restaurant also runs the bakery next door. My wife had the chicken souvlaki and she liked it. It is very crowded on Dodecanese Blvd on the weekends and parking can be tricky. I found a lot that advertised $2 for all day parking--but there was nobody there to collect the money, just an honor box. I stuffed $2 in hoping my it would buy me good karma and I wouldnt come back to find my Infiniti G37 missing or stripped and being sent back to Greece. Oh and by the way, the waiter was not Greek, he was Sicilian. Our single Greek friend is still interested!
(3)Jessica S.
Hellas doesn't have the best food on the sponge docks but it is the place to take family from out of town. When my cousins come in from the north a visit to Hellas is always a must. While the food here is good it is not great. I love smelt and they are usually hit or miss here. This is one of the best places for lamb. Many places try to pass off mutton or old lamb but Hellas always has fresh great lamb. The bakery and selection gives this place a helping hand.
(4)J P.
I live up in MD, but every time I head down south, Hellas is where I always go. It's the best Greek food I've had anywhere in the States. The lemon-chicken soup was divine and the BLT on pita bread was amazing. Just the right amount of heavy and light foods. I loved the casual atmosphere as well as the option to sit inside or outside. The bakery has light and sweet baklava and other sweets. An amazing little restaurant in an amazing little town.
(5)Dwain C.
I ate dinner at the Hellas Restaurant (located in the Sponge Docks area) at Tarpon Springs on 2/12/2014. It was my first time there. I had their combination dinner for $19.95. I also had coffee ($2.50) and baklava ($2.75). Probably the best Greek food that I ever ate. The server, Brandon, did a fine job as well. Plus, I took photos.
(4)Jason H.
Patti S is a retard. She must be from a competing restaurant. This place is great! Must get the gyro and slam some Greek beer. Maybe take a shot of ouzo while your at it.
(5)Michael Z.
Fun, casual, tasty Greek food in the heart of Tarpon Springs. Can't go wrong having a meal at this place.
(4)Rachel I.
Great, authentic Greek food for a reasonable price and service the speed of fast food. Thankfully, there were many gluten free options for me as well. Will definitely be stopping by the next time I'm in Tarpon Springs.
(5)Ami H.
Stopped in for lunch - delicious! We had a wonderful waitress as well. Greek salad was excellent - maybe a little too much olive oil. We had the shrimp, spanakopita, tiropita, and a blt gyro. Everyone was very happy with their meal! Order the tzatziki to go with the spanikopita.
(4)Kegan M.
Simply incredible! This has a great bakery next door owned by them and has food for all ages! Hellas name makes sense because it is hella good!
(5)Kristen W.
Yummy desserts with lots of options. Cake was moist and fresh. Nice ambience, small and cozy. Bakery connected to the restaurant. Small touristy gift shops up and down this street. Area known for fresh, real sponges. Greek themed.
(4)Cat G.
Years ago I would have easily given Hellas 5 stars, but it has declined a bit. The portions have been reduced and the quality just isn't the same. I used to always order the dolmades (stuffed grape leaves) but the last time I ordered them, they were no longer spectacular as they once were. I will say the chicken kebabs are incredible, and I give them an extra star just for that. All in all, it's a nice place and ill definitely continue to go.
(4)Jennifer E.
We have been patrons of Hellas for many years - usually for lunch when family is visiting from up north. Tonight we happened to be in the area, so we made our way over for dinner. My husband ordered the grouper sandwich, my mom had the chicken kebabs, and I had the stuffed flounder. Two out of the three of us were satisfied. I guess I should have stuck with the old standbys. I had asked our server what he thought of the flounder, as I had never ordered it before. He said that he had many other customers order it, and they all seemed happy with it. Perhaps I was the odd man out, because I found the dish to be lacking, at best. First off, for a $17 dish, the portion was exceedingly small. The worse of the two things, however, was the fact that the dish was miserably under seasoned. It could have done with little more salt and a hint of acid. I should also note that the vegetable of the day (peas) were on the overcooked side. Actually, overcooked is probably a generous way of putting it. definitely not palatable. Where food is concerned, the upside was the fact that my mom's kebabs were well cooked and flavorful. My husband's grouper also was good. Part of the reason that I am giving this review only three stars lies with the service, or lack there of. While this establishment has never had stellar service in my experience, tonight's service was particularly slow and in attentive. Our server, Brandon, was slow to take our order, slow to fill our drinks, and slow to bring items we requested. In fact, my husband probably waited more than 10 minutes for some cocktail sauce. I think the only reason he even got it was the fact that my mother pulled someone aside. The ironic thing is that he wrote down the request for cocktails sauce when my husband initially placed the order, then forgot to bring it when the food actually came out. Here's hoping our next experience is better.
(3)Jennifer C.
I really love this place and I always hit it up when visiting the sponge dock area. Their service is always fast and the food is always good. This is by far my most favorite place for authentic Greek food in the Tampa Bay Area
(5)Jeff T.
Great experience!! Along with a great meal there was a TV crew taping a food show for some new show on the FYI Network? Not one I am familiar with. Each dish spiced to perfection and tasted different from each other, ya know how one of these ethnic places kinda all taste the sme....not here; shared Greek salad, stuffed with beef grape leaves, taziakk with cucumbers, and sweets to go. The bakery amazing, service good, atmosphere good, menu large. Makes the food on Greek restaurants in the northeast pale in comparison. Also dark dry red Greek wine by the glass was good, wit staff stirred my wife way from the "house" white and with a Greek white by the glass. I can't see how the others along "Sponge Street" can bet this one.... Really well done!
(5)Jennifer M.
Delicious food and excellent service! Are here years ago & came back tonight. Still impressed
(4)Richard N.
Outstanding, friendly service, incredible food, and a heavenly bakery. This was my first visit to Hellas, and while it looks like all the other tourist traps along the spongedocks, this place is for real. I started off with the Saganaki "flaming cheese" which is a flamed for you at tableside. Really cool. I also had a dark Greek beer similar to a porter. (I actually had 2, just FYI.) I also had a taste of the Skordalia (garlic potato spread) which was also outstanding. I'm a vegetarian and they offered a veggie pita, and it was stuffed with fresh tomatoes, tzatziki, lettuce, onions, and feta cheese. Very filling! The server was super-friendly, prompt, explained all the specials, and we couldn't have been happier. The only thing holding this place back from 5 stars is the rather dated and cliche decor.
(4)Karen R.
I love this place! Prices are reasonable, the food is awesome! Gotta try the bakery there also ! Really enjoyed it, no wait either time.
(5)Gwen B.
This was the worst service ever. We sat down. Waiter got our drinks and then we were forgotten. The ladies behind us who came after us had cheese, salad, bread, and silverware. We didn't even have silverware. We were on our way out to the front and told the front managers that we wanted to pay for our mojito and leave. They offered for us to stay but I said no because deep inside I don't want to stay and they spit in our food. They did say they would pay for the mojito but they also should have given us a voucher so that we could come back. No way am I hella coming back here. No matter how many yelp stars this place has. Just because you're number one on yelp doesn't mean don't get service.
(1)Lori R.
Love this place! The food is fantastic and I have heard that their bakery is amazing but I have yet to buy anything from there. As kitschy and touristy as it is the food is good and the atmosphere has a relaxed vibe with an open air patio. Perfect spot to have great Greek food.
(5)Helen B.
This is an EXCELLENT restaurant. We enjoyed a delicious evening meal with old fashioned attentive and great service from John. The dessert was amazing as was the entree. This is the closest any Greek meal has come since Mama Pappas graced this building in the 1950's and 60's. GO THERE!
(5)Arnie K.
No wonder everyone suggests this place. Terrific service and great food. Beautiful decor and music. We had Gyros and Greek salad and walked away stuffed. Portions very large. Afterwards we browsed through their adjoining Bakery. We had to take a "Few" items to go and eat later. You'll love it too.
(5)Orlando R.
The bakery is very good. The deserts are very tasty and the staff is quite nice. There is a restaurant right next-in it. Over all is pretty good. Thumbs up.
(4)John N.
I'm a New Yorker, and having traveled a fair bit around the country and abroad, I've conditioned myself to have managed expectations when eating elsewhere. Specifically, I know that if I eat pizza, Chinese or Greek food, I'm bound to be disappointed. Imagine my surprise when I reluctantly took the family down to the Sponge Docks at what seemed to be the typical overpriced and bland tourist trap, and instead had a very flavorful and reasonably priced meal! Everything we had was great - the salad had fresh vegetables with just the right amount of dressing and feta. The appetizers were all tasty, fresh and not overly salty. Main courses, whether out of the oven or off the grill were right on target and the serving sizes were about what you'd expect from a Greek restaurant - nobody is leaving hungry. A restaurant worthy of a home in New York City, I'll gladly visit again the next time we're in Tarpon.
(5)Dena P.
This place was amazing. I had a really great time here with my multi-cultural club members and ate happily. Our amazing waiter helped us and also laughed with us. The food was great and there was a lot too. The bakery was pretty amazing too. Display and display of sweet goodness were everywhere. It was just so hard to just pick one.
(5)Nicole E.
YUM! Went here tonight for dinner and it was awesome. I had humus followed by Greek Scallops followed by the baklava cheesecake (yes you read that right) and everything was amazing, fresh and delicious. The service was prompt and friendly and the location great. I would gladly return if I lived here.
(5)Ellen M.
Delicious food and impeccable service by James. Won't eat octopus anywhere except here; marinated for a long time so it's very tender. Ask for James to be your waiter. His service was as good as at a 5 star restaurant.! Don't miss bakery attached to restaurant.
(5)Stacy T.
I live in the Kissimmee area and always make a point to stop in for a meal at Hella's. The Greek Salad was amazing and the chicken souvlaki was great! Terry was our server and she was super friendly and just the right amount of attentive. Love this place!
(5)Lori A.
Authentic fresh Greek Food. You will not be disappointed . There is something for everyone on their menu. The appetizers are wonderful. Try the cold plate. It has salads, shrimp , octopus and peppers. The Greek salad is one of the best I have ever had. The broiled octopus is a tasty treat . Everything we tried was good. Prices are very reasonable. Go to the bakery and choose your dessert, good luck! You will want one of each and they taste as good as they look. The location could not be better also, directly across from the docks and some really neat stores. We loved this place! Opa !
(5)Minna S.
I guess tourists make up about 95% of the customers here. Typical Greek food. Nothing special. There are other Greek restaurants that have way better food in the area. This place gets busy during the weekends for no apparent reason. The service here is annoyingly bad! Each and every time my family chooses this place, we always get the worst waiter. I recommend going somewhere else for better Greek food. This place will not overly satisfy you, unless you have never tried amazing Greek food.
(2)Mike M.
Pure Greek all the way! The decor is right on target, service was exemplary and the food was knocked out! The gyros were loaded and flavorful and pita was perfect. The feta, olives and peppers for starters lasted throughout the meal, and the baklava topped it off. Very satisfying!
(5)Andrew G.
So I finally got to Hellas, I've heard so much about it. The place was busy which was good. Means good food. So I went with the char grilled octopus dinner with vegetables rice and potatoes. It was really so good. Moist, not chewy. Made to perfection. Everything I thought it would be. Then I went next door and grabbed some baklava and Greek pastries to go. I'll definitely be back. Also the management and staff made sure my experience at Hellas was a nice one. OPA
(5)Natasha L.
First of all our waitress Soula made the night with my family better!! We had the beef kabobs, chicken kabobs, grouper, shrimp, Greek salads! Desserts assorted pastries strawberry Kok, milfe, cheesecakes etc.. Everybody (there was 6 of us ) had no complaints everything was delicious including the strawberry and gummy bear martinis!! I can't wait to go back !! I loved everything about this restaurant! They were so great even down to seating us!!! Recommend highly can't wait to come back!!
(5)Michael B.
Going to eat some Greek food at Hellas . I'll keep you posted. The flaming cheese (ooppa) is to die for. Next an order of lamb ringlets, wow worth trying...so far thi place ranks high. Ok from my-friend who order the Gyro said that it was an 8 on a scale of 10. My other friend had the Octopus and said it was a 10. My wife and I split the seafood combo which had scallops, fresh caught fish, shrimp and plenty of sides to spare. I can't leave out the amazing bread, did I say complementary, nice. Well all and all it was beautiful!
(5)Michaek S.
Still excellent!! Stellar flaming cheese- Opa!- salty, tangy, lemony mmm. Greek salad enough for three- standard issue with creamy potato salad underneath - tasty and refreshing. Nice light touch with oil and vinegar. Gyro crispy, real rotisserie style with nice lamb flavor- top notch! My wife had the best scallops every- so tender they just melted in mouth. My fried grouper was crispy, flaky, hints of garlic and sweet fish.. Mmmm. Sides are nice- sweet cinnamon rice, slow cooked peas and tomatoes, and crispy potato wedge. Good bread and butter comes with. Add bottle of retsina- perfect!! Walked it off looking at touristy stuff (we do like the handmade soap shop, the fancy tea and spice store, Arts by Hand and Aquarium) came back later for awesome coffee and deserts. Cakes (called pasta) were light and creamy; baklava was pure rich honey- cinnamon infused walnutty goodness ... Mmmm- service fast and friendly too!
(5)Marianne D.
So happy we decided to stop in Tarpon Springs on the way to St Pete Beach for lunch. Hellas was a helluva good place! The restaurant itself is huge and the decor and Greek waitstaff made me feel like I was in Greece. We loved our server Nohas. He went out of his way to provide excellent service and was so friendly. He made our lunch experience that much better. My husband and I shared a saganaki and Greek salad. The saganaki was the best I've ever had...crispy gooey goodness..and Chicago has some good Greek restaurants that we enjoy. The Greek salad was served over potato salad! Never have I had a Greek salad served this way. My husband had the chicken souvlaki, grilled marinated chicken in a pita with lettuce, tomato and tzatziki sauce. I had a couple bites and it was very good. I had the lamb riblets appetizer with a side of rice pilaf....awesome!! The lamb was tender and grilled to perfection. The lemony herbed lightly oiled sauce was to die for. I ended up dumping my rice into my riblets plate to soak up every last bit of that sauce. Of course I was nice and shared my lunch....reluctantly. It was the best meal! This place was packed at lunch, which attests to the excellent food and service! Check out Hellas attached bakery on your way out!
(5)Margie M.
Simply the best Greek food these two very particular foodies have ever had. Think it might have crack in it. We ate until we about exploded. Our waitress Peggy was the best. We will be regular here for sure!!!
(5)Sundi P.
We eat here pretty much everytime we go to Tarpon Springs. The staff is always very nice and the gyros are amazing. Their pita bread is just the best.
(4)Rhea P.
Really great restaurant with a festive environment. Yes there are many Greek restaurants to chose from In this area, but I tend to end up here. I just love sitting outside, and this is a great place to people watch. I don't think I've ever been to a restaurant with so many male servers. And many of them seen really young too! Portions are quite large so I usually leave with a box.
(4)Jonathan R.
Out of all the many places to eat, most of whom were passing out coupons or had people on the sidewalk trying to persuade you inside, we decided on Hella's. This place is probably as close to Greece you can get while still in the states. On the outside there is a giant sign reading Hella's with a nice open patio dining space. The inside is very... Blue. Which I love. It really makes you feel like you're in Greece.. I would imagine. Beautiful floors and walls with gorgeous paintings along the walls. We are seated at a table, in a section pretty much to ourselves. We started with drinks, and the Saganaki, OPA. Flaming cheese. It may sound funny, but watching the little plate go up in flames, and then doused with fresh lemon, was pretty amazing. It was a small triangle of cheese, that was very tasty, and a bit tart from the lemon. I couldn't stop eating it though. By itself, or with some bread, this cheese was a great start. For lunch I ordered the Greek Hamburger. Pretty much a Gyro pita, but with seasoned ground beef. Onions, tomato and tzatziki sauce gives you the taste of a Gyro pita, but the ground beef with Greek spices was a delicious twist. I did wish there was a bit more sauce, but delicious none the less. The service is friendly but very quiet. The restaurant is big, blue and beautiful. Plus attached to it is a pretty good sized bakery. Counter upon counter of just delectable looking treats, that we never tried because we were too full. When you're in the area, don't fall for the coupon givers. Take a chance on the place that doesn't need gimmicks to get people in.
(4)Miguel O.
If we get a craving for some awesome Greek food, we take a road trip from Orlando and head only to Hellas. My family and I just love everything about the place. We were there on August 8th and attended by Dimitrios. He made everything perfect for us. Thank you! But all the servers are that way. Great atmosphere, great food, great servers, and easy parking with their own parking lot.
(5)Bill S.
If your on the West Coast of Florida, a stop at the sponge docks in Tarpon Springs is a must. Why do you ask? (Don't question me sparky, just go with it) Tarpon Springs is known to have the highest percentage of Greek Americans of any city in the US. So in your face Astoria! Which brings us to Hellas Restaurant on Dodecanese Blvd. You wanna see all those Greek blue and white colors? Hellas Restaurant has them on display proudly. The sponge docks is a high traffic tourist area, the restaurant could put out sloppy food for unknowing tourists but Hellas Restaurant doesn't disappoint. Every time we come here the food is consistently good. Starting off with Skordalia, it's like our American potato chip and dip. Its a Greek Potato and Garlic Dip that's served with pita bread points. Made perfectly here. My wife ordered the mini lamb chops. I want the the real deal that reminds me of my Greek granny, I ordered the combination plate- Spanakopita and Tiropita. Spanakopita is a special blend of spinach, onions, and feta cheese, baked in a flaky filo dough. It's our Greek life blood! Tiropita is combination of assorted Greek cheese, also baked in a flaky filo dough. Over the years we've come here for kabobs, fresh grilled octopus and gyros. Great food that doesn't disappoint year after year. Hellas Restaurant is the real deal Greek feel when you're in Tarpon Springs.
(4)Warren R.
Well, I learned a lot about myself today. I learned that I do not like broiled octopus. We were walking around the area, and decided to try Hellas for lunch. They had many things that I knew I would like, but I wanted to be adventurous. The wife ordered a Gyro, they made a special pita and cheese sandwich for my little one, and I, after reading Sofia's review, decided that I must try the broiled octopus if it's the best in the area. The wife and I split a Greek salad, it was tasty, and I have no complaints. The little one ate her cheese pita sandwich and fries without an issue. Then they brought out my wife's Gyro, and my broiled octopus. Just smelling it I knew that it wasn't going to be something I enjoyed. The table next to us stopped and stared, my wife and child held their breaths as I cut into it. I managed to take one bite, and that was it. It's not Hellas fault, broiled octopus just isn't my thing apparently. The wife was kind enough to give me half of her Gyro, although good, not the best I've ever had. I am not rating this based on the octopus, because it would not be fair to judge the restaurant on a dish I would not enjoy anywhere, but at least now I know. The Gyro and Greek salad were ok, and the service was ok, so I would normally only give you a three, but you also gave me a very special memory, so I award you a four :)
(4)Rachel M.
Hella's is alright. We ordered saganaki, pork souvlaki, horatiki salad, and gyros. Yes, kinda sounds boring. Sounds really boring for that matter. Sofia, our wonderful Greek goddess friend ordered the broiled octopus. Just imagine long tentacles sprawled on a plate looking like they are moving and filled with olive oil and splashed with lemon juice. That was definitely not boring. I tried it. Yay, something new. It was moist on the inside. The ends where a nice charred taste to it. It was good. So good. So you are looking for exciting and maybe a little bit different than what you have probably seen anywhere, have some saganaki, don't forget scream OPA, then try the broiled octopus. Yes, that will turn your flip flops into dancing shoes, and it will turn your world upside down. In regards to our experience with our server, it was just okay. Our waitress could really careless of getting our checks right. She was just so nonchalant about it. The atmosphere is nice and airy, and perfect on an April night when the breeze is softly blowing. The decor has many crystal blues and whites to remind you of Greece. The restaurant is dog friendly which is perfect for us dog lovers. All in all, our experience was alright. The exciting and different broiled octopus was the best part. The saganaki always tastes good. Wish it was a bigger wedge of cheese and wish it already came with pita bread instead of asking for it, but oh well.
(3)Amanda E.
You know this place was just OK, the price was high and it was hot inside, my meal wasn't anything to write home about. My daughter was throwing up the next day. Won't return.
(2)Brittany K.
Ate here when visiting the Clearwater area. Our Greek friends took us and we let them do all of the ordering for the table. Items ordered included Saganaki (flaming cheese), Taramosolata (Greek Caviar), Greek Salad, broiled octopus and a 3.5 lb fresh snapper. We also had greek wine and several deserts from the attached bakery. The place is huge and you really feel as if you are in Greece with the blue and white decor. The Taramosolata was arguably one of the best things I have eaten recently. I had never had it and we actually ordered a second order. I definitely recommend it. Other than that the food was very good but not outstanding. I have been to Greece before. The Saganaki was not as good as we've had at other places stateside, namely Detroit's greektown. The broiled octopus was cooked to the right texture but it could have used some spices. It was just sitting in olive oil with lemon wedges on the side. The fish was superbly fresh and cooked well but when ordering a whole expensive fish I usually expect the waiter to serve it and help with the bone removal. Also I hesitate to say it but we were not blown away with our bakery selections. The one exception was the Baklava which was outstanding. Overall great place to go with friends or a group. You will occasionally hear singing for a party and find yourself shouting opa!
(4)Dawn R.
Hellas is my favorite place to eat in Tarpon Springs. Their baklava cheesecake is phenomenal. The staff is amazing!
(5)Frank A.
So disappointed. I have been going here for 15 years and have been here over 100 times. It has been my go to restaurant for anyone visiting from out of town. I am Greek as well and know Greek food. I called for takeout to bring home our usual Greek salad, Pastitsio, Moussaka and the man who was to take my order said "we changed the menu and raised the prices to keep up with competition"! Basically we can't order a Greek salad for one, the kids pastitsio didn't come with side like before. When I pressed further, "well it comes w a little side of rice". The guy was so apathetic of what we have ordered over a hundred times. Price was of no concern to me, I didn't ask. We ended up saying forget it and now have checked in to Mr Souvlaki to give them s chance. I will be certain to let management know of my extreme disappointment after Greek Easter. Sometimes, change is bad. In his case, a fantastic repeat customer felt so bad that I am giving a one star. It takes a lot for me to do this. Bummer.
(1)Kilbert P.
Just awesome. After spending four days at Harry Potter land at Universal Orlando we decided to try something completely different and drove to Tarpon Springs. Did not know what wonderful surprise was awaiting us. Wonderful coastal Greek town well know for sea sponges and Greek food. Let's just say we were not disappointed. The food was out of this world, I had the fried calamari. Very tender, very fresh and cooked to perfection. Wife had shrimp which were so fresh I though they were still moving. Daughter had the Greek salad which was equally great. Lots of locals, large family gathering eating drinking and just being Greek. I just felt like I belong. And don't forget to visit their bakery next door, one word OMG. Will be going back for the baked red snapper.
(5)Eric K.
We were in Tarpon Springs for the day, checking out the town. Since it's a Greek town, obviously we wanted some Greek food. Everywhere you turn, though, there's a Greek restaurant. So which to choose? Fortunately, my little Yelp app directed me to Hellas. Walking in, it probably looked very touristy. It's a huge restaurant with ample seating and bright blue neon lights everywhere. Attached to the restaurant is a huge bakery where they make and sell tasty Greek treats. The menu was extensive and there were so many reasonably priced items that sounded good. I opted for my old standby, though, which is the gyro. You usually can't go wrong with this Greek sandwich, and I think it was probably the best gyro I've ever had. It was filled with a lot of meat, veggies, and my favorite, tzatziki sauce. The side of fries were very good, too, and I got some extra tzatziki sauce to dip them in. YUM! We didn't try the flaming cheese appetizer (like so many people around the restaurant were -- OPA! -- but we're sure to next time). For dessert, we split a piece of baklava (my favorite) and a slice of baklava cheesecake. Hellas may look touristy, but it provides a delicious Greek meal and experience at a very reasonable price. Next time we're in Tarpon Springs, we're definitely going back to Hellas (and bringing home some fantastic Greek pastries!).
(5)Dollyann M.
In this little town of Tarpon Springs lies this Gem of Hellas. As we toured the Sponge Marinas I was Yelping for a place to eat. Several restaurants are located on the strip of this town buy Hellas according to Yelpers had the best reviews. So We decided to try it. Well Yelpers you were on point once again. WOWZA!!! If you want authentic Greek food this is your place. We entered into the resturant and were greeted right away. Hostess was very nice. Restaurant is very big and it was full with people, which is a good sign. We were seated and given a menu with a variety if items to choose from. We each had a Pita chicken Sandwich with a Greek twist to it. I had to have the Greek Potatoes which are just excellent. Out waitress was Maren who was super nice and treated us well. She told us what was great to eat. We were there for lunch but I saw that dinner offers you so yummy items to eat. Wish we had the appetite for it. Once we were done we head next door to the Bakery. You are able to walk from the restaurant to the bakery. You can also order from the Bakery to your table but we wanted to see with our eyes the delicious deserts that awaited us and choose. Overall my opinion, if you are visiting this cute little town, stop here for some delish food. You wont be disappointed. And we are a picky family to try new things. This was a treat.
(4)Tiffany B.
I came here for lunch and got a few things to take home from the bakery and I'm telling you - come here for the bakery! For lunch I had the saganaki and grouper sandwich. The saganaki was the best I've ever had, hands down. The grouper sandwich was just alright- pretty bland actually. If I come back for lunch or dinner, I'll stick with the saganaki and try something else for my entree. Now, the bakery on the other hand, I believe I got 4 or so items to go and good lord, they were all absolutely fantastic! Forgive me, it was so long ago that I can't remember exactly what I got, but I do remember getting the baklava and carrot cake, both of which were incredible. 2.5 stars for the grouper sandwich, 4 stars for the saganaki, and 5 stars for the bakery!
(4)Brooke G.
If you're looking for a subtle, sophisticated restaurant go somewhere else. If you looking for a blue and pink fluro-tastic ode to all things kitschy, faux statuettes and plastic flowers served up with large plates of tasty Greek fare - this is the place for you. Everything we tried was tasty. The slices of leg of lamb and octopus were particularly yummy. Order a baklava martini, loosen your belt and have fun!
(4)Mirtle P.
Great little spot right along the Tarpon Springs Sponge Dock. You walk in and the decor is everything you thought a Greek restaurant in the US should look like. The staff is super friendly and very attentive. If asked, they are more than happy to offer their recommendations. Service is quick and food comes out fast. Started with the broiled octopus and lamb riblets on the appetizer menu and both were very good! Seriously recommend trying the broiled octopus. We had (table of 5) two cheeseburgers (teenagers), a greek salad, souvlaki, and greek style Scallops (me). Everyone enjoyed their meal and felt very satisfied. Portions are a good size, so make sure not to eat before stopping here. Great place to bring the family and have a hearty meal. Also good to note that the bakery is connected to it and you can walk right over and take your pick of yummy treats.
(4)Dave O.
I've had a few Gyros in my travels from the County Fairs, small town mom and pop restaurants, to some of the touristy areas around the country similar to Hellas Restaurant. I chose to eat here based on some of the yelp reviews but mainly because this was about the only restaurant on the Sponge Docks that was filled with diners. The flashy lighting is festive the servers are outgoing, attentive and they can put on quite a show in this almost circus like atmosphere with the flaming appetizers and loud shouts of "Opa". But it always comes down to the food. We stated with a small Greek Salad believe it or no it feeds 3 easily so don't order this alone unless it's going to be your entree. The salad greens were fresh and crisp, a few wedges of nice juicy tomatoes, onions, green peppers, olives, cucumbers and wonderful feta cheese sliced and all tossed with very nice Greek dressing in the right proportion (definitely would make a great entree). I ordered the open face gyro with the tzatziki sauce on the side, the meat was sliced very thin but the serving was adequate I think the thin slices are part of portion control but takes away from the Greek seasoning which I enjoy. The pita was served warm I think they come from a package definitely not homemade in my opinion I could be wrong they weren't that bad but not what I would call awesome just okay. I always like to try the Chicken Souvlaki it also was just okay the chicken was a little under done not raw by any means but my plate had some clear juice from the meat the seasoning was on the lighter side. I think this place is a safe choice! If you're here on the sponge docks you're here for Greek food I personally will venture out and try a few other places my next visit to the area.
(3)Tricia T.
Authentic Greek food! I hail from Chicago and this was absolutely equivalent to the Greek food I'd get there. Atmosphere- classic blue and white, slightly gaudy but what you'd expect. Service- great, very friendly staff My husband loved the watermelon margarita. I loved the saganaki- a must order to start off any Greek meal. And be sure to order dessert, or at least come back and get it directly from the bakery next door. Baklava was TO DIE FOR!!!! Two thumbs up!
(4)Teresa M.
Amazing quality food! Fabulous flavor! I can't give this high enough praise. It's truly legit Greek cuisine. Reminds me of travel to Greece. We had an excellent server and I will definitely go back.
(5)M R.
Delicious Greek food and excellent service... Yummy spanakopita, pastitsio, baklava.... Mmmmmm!!!! Loved it!
(5)Andrea R.
Ah Tarpon Springs...I hadn't been in over 15 years so when a friend invited me to lunch I was pleased she suggested a Greek place on the sponge docks. With approximately a billion Greek restaurants all lumped together, how does one choose? Well we picked Hellas, and upon entering my first thought was "My Big Fat Greek Wedding exploded off the screen into real life". The decor is quintessentially Greek, always a good sign, I love walking into cultural adventures. We were seated in a tiny corner tucked away which was fine for private conversation. We both wanted something light so we could take full advantage of the bakery next door for dessert. My friend ordered a Greek salad with gyro meat, she seemed to enjoy it and didn't leave much behind. I ordered the cold mixed salad plate appetizer as my meal and wasn't disappointed. I had the caviar spread swapped out for hummus and ordered a side of grilled pita and was happy as a clam, or octopus? The octopus and shrimp were beautifully marinated and tasty. The potato spread was uber garlicky so I only ate a bit of that. The hummus and tzatziki sauce were yummy. The next stop was the chaotic bakery next door, but the ladies behind the counter had a system that had everyone happy in a short amount of time. We decided on the baklava cheesecake and a delicious chocolate mousse cake thing. Both amazing. I'd go back to Hellas, but I'm thinking of making my way through all the restaurants on the docks. It's a plan.
(4)Matt B.
Hellas is the original old school Tarpon Spring Greek Restaurant. If your looking for authentic geek cuisine, you can find it here.....however, it's the bakery here that will keep you coming back. Greek pastries made fresh everyday, Cakes, cookies, and treats!!
(4)Don K.
So we were quite hungry when we arrived and left very satisfied. Started off with some flaming cheese appetizer that was excellent. Ordered the lamb kabobs which although ordered medium came out well done but tender and delicious. Spanakopita was also very good. For dessert we enjoyed the chocolate kok along with a good merlot of Greek vintage. Yes the place is a bit old and dated and touristy and could use some handyman TLC but it was an enjoyable experience.
(4)Chloe L.
Always enjoy the food here. We love the octopus and the rest of the food is also great. Also free parking is very convenient. My only complaint is regarding service. For example, it took 20 minutes to get drinks one day and sometimes the appetizers come out too late or with the dinner. The last time we were here, we asked for salad first, it ended up coming out with the dinner. Oftentimes we have to ask for drinks a second time. Still go back though.
(4)Heather A.
Stopped by Hellas for lunch on a Monday afternoon. The Sponge Docks were pretty deserted so getting a table was no problem. I ordered their lightly fried grouper topped with lots of minced garlic. Dee-lish! The rice, green beans, and potato were all also very good. Kyle tried the combination platter which had gyro meat without the pita bread, mousaka, pastitsio, dolmades, and tzatziki sauce. Hubby says he liked being able to try four of their dishes at once, but wasn't entirely crazy about them. They were good and satisfied his hunger, so not bad, just not the best he's ever had. The staff made our experience very exceptional. So friendly and explained the menu thoroughly. We tried the caramel cheesecake with a hazelnut latte. Loved their bakery selection. Looking forward to going back!
(4)Bret A.
Pleasant open feel to this Greek restaurant on the main drag in Tarpon Springs. Inside and outside seating is a plus. The menu is full of traditional Greek fare all of which was a crowd pleaser. The Appetizers and Salads run about $8-10. The Greek Salad is excellent. We had a variety of entree items all of which had generous portions. The Kabobs were huge and flavorful. The flaming cheese was a huge hit and a lot of fun. Entrees run $15-30. The service was excellent. Don't forget dessert - they have all of the Greek favorites. If you don't have room there is a bakery on site that can provide nicely wrapped take out. Definitely worth a first and return visit.
(4)Kristen P.
The place was pretty good but not the best Greek food I have had. The waiter was nice and the atmosphere was lovely. I do recommend the frozen peach sangria but it is not that strong which is ok for my weakling self. I ordered the pastitsio which was delicious and was served with flavorful rice, a potato and green beans. Nice to sit outside and watch the people pass by. The bakery is awesome though. I wish I had the appetite for their massive cupcakes but only had enough for koukularia (sp?) and their delicious baklava. I will definitely return for some more sweets.
(4)Rebecca K.
Beautiful desserts, and a beautiful atmosphere. I love the rushing of the tourists and the beautiful lighting in the bakery. The desserts are the kind that make children press their noses to the glass. I had my first cannoli here and loved it. You must try this place!
(4)Jim N.
Three of us had lunch here today and it was very good. We had pita & tsatseki, Greek salad, grouper sandwich, smelts, & coffee. All very good, except the tsatseki was short on garlic, onion & cucumber flavors. Great service and desserts in the bakery next door to make you cry!
(4)Heidi A.
This place was awesome. I found it from all the yelp reviews and decided to go here. I am so glad we did! The flaming cheese was wonderful.. the drinks were good (let the server direct you towards a wine you may like). I had the octopus. Wow. Just. Wow. It was grilled, flavorful, not overdone or rubbery, so tender. My friend had the scallops. Also a great hit. Must go back!! The noise level was a bit high, but not so we could not have a conversation. You may want to avoid peak peak dinnertime if possible, so you can get better service. Sometimes the wait staff seemed overwhelmed. But, it did not detract from the experience. And the decor just added to the wonderful time. Heck, we wanted to feel like we were in Greece!
(4)Richard T.
Recommended to us by a local Award-winning Greek classics Bakery next door Before or after dinner enjoy the Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks
(4)Alyssa M.
Wow! What a fun place. Great food and what a great waitress! We had the sampler!! So so good!! And don't forget the pitcher of Peach Sangria!
(5)Terri N.
Hellas was hella good. And I'm a Californian so you can take that to the bank! Two things made Hellas stand out long before we were seated - first, if you know the area, you know there is a glut of Greek eateries down here, as to be fully expected. But how to choose, when each could be just as good as the other? First off, trust Yelp - I checked my app as our heads spun trying to make our lunch choice, and Hellas was the highest rated restaurant in the whole area. Sold! And for extra incentive, point two: there are a ton of busker types on Dodecanese, all calling out to you claiming to have the best this or the best that in Tarpon Springs! Very reminiscent of the creeps on Las Vegas Boulevard slapping their little postcards covered with half-naked ladies, attempting to lure you in by any means necessary. The last thing I want is to dine at a joint immediately reminding me of a high ick factor, and Hellas has none of that nonsense. You eat there because you choose to walk in the door, not a single person calling to you, no boastful claims, no cries for attention. Sold again! The inside of the spacious restaurant is like a Greek Disneyland, as you plunge into a blue neon fantasy of delights! Blue lights everywhere and walls lined with mirrors make the place look GIGANTIC, like lunching in a bright lagoon. Is this a bad thing? I think not. Most CA Greek restaurants for whatever reason don't offer saganaki so it HAD to be ordered. Wonderfully fun presentation of flambed cheese with a hint of lemon, one of the weirdest and most wonderful starters you'll ever have. OPA!! For my entrée I stuck with a classic choice of their lunch gyro pita meal with fries and devoured every bite - tasty, warm and fresh, with cool crispy vegetables and a perfect dollop of tzatziki. I also tried BF's Greek burger which was just loaded with flavor, and my stepmom's spanakopita - oh man, this stuff is LEGIT. The Greeks know exactly what they are doing when it comes to cheese, they have mastered that art form. Whether you're just a local grabbing a bite, or a tourist visiting the sponge docks wanting the complete Greek experience, Hellas is a perfect choice! They also are connected to their own bakery, jam packed with breads and other regional sweet treats. A visit to Hellas is like a visit to a beloved family member or an old friend - warm and welcoming! Hella good! OPA!
(5)Jim K.
I can't say enough good things. Their Gyros are amazing. We stopped in the bakery on the way home. I had the Chocolate Kok and it was really good. 5 stars!
(5)Jim B.
A must visit in Tarpon Springs. The food, people, and atmosphere are absolutely the best. Enjoy Greek prepared seafood plus all the traditional dishes. Opa!!
(5)Elizabeth W.
My friend and I visited Tarpon Springs for the first time and thanks to Yelp decided to come here! I started off with a Baklava Martini and it was amazing! It literally tasted just like Baklava!!! For an appetizer we ordered the assorted spreads. I high suggest doing this! I came with Tzatziki, Feta Spread & Hummus served with pita bread. They were all so yummy and fresh I can't even decide which was the best!!! For my main mean I ordered the Chicken Souvlaki. It was massive! I ended up taking over half of it home to my fiancé! The chicken was cooked to perfection. I am glad we got the spreads because I used some of them on my wrap. I didn't get the greek fries but my friend did and they were really good and I highly recommend them!
(4)Jason N.
You will not find a more authentic place as this. From the decor to the food to the wait staff Mercedes parked out back. This is 100% Greek and authentic. Food is fantastic from the pita bread and hummus to the authentic Greek cuisine. While it may have touristy feel there are plenty of locals and Greek people eating here. I enjoyed every min of our experience here. There were so many choices on the menu that it was tough to choose. I had the combination along with a Greek salad. Delicious. You won't be disappointed.
(5)Alisa B.
The pita bread was good and the gyros tasted good but it didn't impress me. The desserts were beautiful but I'll just say they didn't taste as good as they looked, I'm kinda a dessert buff and I wasn't going back for another to take home so that says a lot. I'd give it 2 1/2 stars.
(2)Andrea W.
Again 3.5 stars and to be fair this review is for the bakery more than the restaurant. You walk into a dizzyingly beautiful display of assorted pastries and you are overwhelmed by all the choices... So you ask for help... And the answer always is Baklava cheesecake...ok, it's not bad but everyone that works there had the same favorite? Try the question... I'm curious now.,, I wish I could say all the desserts were great. Trust me after five years I should have a favorite, right? Nope... Still looking for something other than the baklava. When pressed I will agree the Baklava Cheesecake isn't bad, and the Tiramisu is also pretty good. The cupcakes are awful, how can that even be? In any case I still keep going back looking for the elusive pastry that will capture my heart... Enjoy the search! It's a fun place regardless and a true Tarpon tradition!
(3)Frank N.
Classic Greek place, touristy but authentic! Big dishes too! I ordered a Combination Platter so I can try a little of each of the following: *Gyro, Mousaka, Pastitsio, Dolmades and Tzatziki sauce. Delicious! They also have a bakery next door with tons of tasty treats!
(5)Rita K.
Wonderful food! Love the food and the service is always super friendly and helpful. Plus a trip on the way out to the bakery is a must!
(5)Heather S.
Gyro from Hella's Restaurant in Tarpon Springs. I may have proposed marriage to the gyro at the table. I never wanted that sandwich to end, but with such a HUGE portion I had to have half of it wrapped [to drunkenly eat after midnight...ahem.] The appetizer plates we shared at the start were also ridiculously delicious. I could have enjoyed warmed pita with the dip tray all week long and been happy; serious deliciousness going on there! My family members raved about the seafood sampler appetizers, seafood combination plates, Greek dinner combinations, and every single item that was tasted was enjoyed. The waiter was attentive and helpful to our large table of 12, and was so kind in pointing out that gratuity was already added. [though he had earned a bonus we happily supplied, for sure!] We brought home a large selection of treats from the bakery at Hella's, which were shared by the family throughout several days. Everyone raved about the desserts and couldn't resist grabbing a bite at any hour of the day. Pastries for breakfast is an important vacation tradition! If you're ever in the area, make a stop at Hella's for a Greek feast!
(5)Jennifer S.
This is an authentic, high quality, Greek restaurant whose owners and staff clearly care about getting repeat customers. I ordered the broiled seafood platter, which consisted of locally caught that day grouper, shrimp, and scallops. All of which were seasoned to perfection and tasted briny with freshness. The Hellas Salad can feed a family, which was our appetizer. I liked the touch of potatoes at the bottom of the salad. The vegetables were clearly fresh and tasted like they were grown in a garden-especially the tomato and green pepper. Our server was highly attentive and refilled my soda rapidly for free. The best part-after shopping at Art by Design and viewing the interactive exhibits at the Tarpon Springs aquarium, we picked up dessert to go, which served as dinner when we returned to our hotel. I had a mousse pasta (really a greek word for cake) which was rich, covered in dense chocolate, and freshly made. My son had a different "pasta-cake" which he devoured. My husband had doughy, yeasty freshly baked eclairs. This is a must see restaurant for those vacationing in the Tampa Bay area.
(5)Brett N.
Why 3 stars? Because it was a typical gyro. --- --- --- This was my first visit to the docks at Tarpon Springs and I was very impressed. Tarpon is about as far away from me as you can get and still be considered "The Bay Area," so I don't know how often I will be back, but I do aspire to make some return trips. As for Hellas...meh. I guess it just didn't live up to the hype for me. It tasted like your run-of-the-mill gyro to me. For all things Greek, I'd prefer Acropolis, honestly. I also tried the baklava for dessert because I read so many good things. Again, I didn't really understand the hype unfortunately. I will definitely be back to the docks, but I will probably try a different restaurant next time out.
(3)Zack R.
I think everyone there started with the saganaki, so we did too. Glad we did. It was fun, and delicious. Our server, Charles, was extremely welcoming, professional, fun, nice, and dozens of other positive adjectives. The gyro was hands down the best I've ever had. It was huuuge, so come hungry. I wasn't super starving or anything, but it tasted so good I finished the whole thing and a side of fries! The burger gyro was decent. A little too much seasoning which overpowered the beef, but overall a good pick. The decor is classic Greek-American. Gawdy, blue, and fun. If you're up in sponge country for the day, definitely check out Hellas.
(4)eugenio S.
great food...real greek.
(5)Dianna B.
The crown jewel of Tarpon Springs. If you're coming to the sponge docks, make time to visit Hellas too. The food and service are genuinely impeccable. The gyro's are flavourful, the souvlaki is tender and the flaming cheese is, well, in a word HOT! You can get all your Greek cuisine favorites like: Skordilla, stuffed grape leaves, Avgolemono soup, spanokipita,Horiatiki Salad, Greek Salad, a broiled octopus and even a whole fish that is then deboned at your table side. And while you're there, don't forget to visit the bakery for even more absolutely decadent treats, the bakalava is some of the very best you'll ever eat. OPA!
(5)Erin A.
We went to tarpon springs in need of some great Greek food. I decided to read reviews online, and after reading the reviews of Hellas, we decided to go there. It was great! I had a gyro and fries while my husband had the grilled octopus. We couldn't have been more pleased. The service was great too! Don't forget to stop by the bakery on your way out. It was very hard to decide what to get..so much variety!
(4)Steve A.
I love this funky Greek restaurant with its wild blue ceramic and pink neon decor. The combo plate is a great appetizer with shrimp, tender octopus, and three dips. The Greek salad is another favorite; no crumbled feta here, but big slices, plus a delicious dressing and wonderful potato salad buried at the bottom. The adjoining bakery has some great offerings, too.
(5)Rico O.
I have no idea how this place has such a high rating. I had a Gyro, which to me is pretty basic, and it was one of the worst I've ever tasted. The meat was ok, but the pita was soaked in butter and greasy. The Tzatziki tasked like sour cream and looked like it too. Any there was no feta on it. Fries were obviously frozen and were very bland. Perhaps other things on the menu are much better.
(2)Lori S.
We wanted to have greek food. This is a great place for traditional greek food. We ordered the flaming cheese appetizer. Be sure to Opa! when your waiter lights it up. Everyone loved it. I had the Spanakopita very good. Didnt like the peas which were on the side and my boyfriend had Moussaka (I tasted and it was tasty! also come with peas which he liked) we went over to the bakery and YUM! we had Baklava to go and of course it was awesome. we would go back
(4)Yly M.
In a very touristy street, but great food. Loved my generous portioned gyro. I liked my baklava martini. Very Greek decor with Greek music.
(4)Jane P.
I always get the spanakopita (spinach pie) when I go here. As far as spanakopita goes, Hellas had one if the best. It is thicker than most places. It is a treat when the family gets to go here, although we go sparingly because of the higher prices. There are many Greek restaurants around Tarpon Springs and out them all this rates one of the best on taste and the highest on Greek atmosphere.
(4)Cathy H.
Love love love this place! Whenever we have company or are near Tarpon Springs Hella's is a MUST! Amazing desserts that are so good we order extra to take home. All of my greek favorites.
(5)Beth S.
As a first timer to Tarpon Springs I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the area. I was even more impressed by the food at Hellas. I love Greek food and my boyfriend said this is THE place to go in Tarpon Springs. The restaurant is large and airy but still has a classy feel and even though it's surrounded by beachy shops you almost forget you are in a touristy area. I ordered the chicken souvlaki pita and my boyfriend got the traditional Greek salad. My pita was out of this world good. The chicken, onions, tomoatoes, and tzatziki sauce were all tasty but, the standout was the pita itself. I'm pretty sure they make it in house and it's fried to a warm, crispy outside-soft inside, perfect. I could go there for pitas and tzatziki alone. Of course before we left we headed to the bakery where my head almost exploded from the sheer amount of delectable choices that were offered. I took my time but ultimately decided that since I was in "Greece," I'd do as the Grecians. I ordered the traditional baklava and was in honey heaven. The filo dough was perfectly flaky and I took my time devouring the sweet dessert. I will 100% return to Hellas and my mouth is watering just thinking about it.
(5)Rachel I.
Great, authentic Greek food for a reasonable price and service the speed of fast food. Thankfully, there were many gluten free options for me as well. Will definitely be stopping by the next time I'm in Tarpon Springs.
(5)Ami H.
Stopped in for lunch - delicious! We had a wonderful waitress as well. Greek salad was excellent - maybe a little too much olive oil. We had the shrimp, spanakopita, tiropita, and a blt gyro. Everyone was very happy with their meal! Order the tzatziki to go with the spanikopita.
(4)Kegan M.
Simply incredible! This has a great bakery next door owned by them and has food for all ages! Hellas name makes sense because it is hella good!
(5)Kristen W.
Yummy desserts with lots of options. Cake was moist and fresh. Nice ambience, small and cozy. Bakery connected to the restaurant. Small touristy gift shops up and down this street. Area known for fresh, real sponges. Greek themed.
(4)John T.
I can think of only a couple of reasons to visit Tarpon Springs: 1. Take a nice boat ride. 2. Eat some great Greek food. Skip the crap shops and focus on eating. There are lots of restaurants and bakeries. We visited with a friend (who is Greek) and she recommended Hellas. The place is huge and the three of us were seated right away in the colorful dining room. An attractive, Greek looking waiter came to take our drink order...and then it began... Suddenly I was having lunch with Carrie and Samantha from Sex & The City! Since I am straight, there was nothing much i could add to this discussion, but I did contemplate ordering a Cosmo. Luckily the food arrived quickly and the conversation shifted to how good the food was. I had the spinach and cheese pies and they came with vegetables and rice in a light tomato based sauce. They were very good--especially the flaky crust--but this should come as no surprise as the restaurant also runs the bakery next door. My wife had the chicken souvlaki and she liked it. It is very crowded on Dodecanese Blvd on the weekends and parking can be tricky. I found a lot that advertised $2 for all day parking--but there was nobody there to collect the money, just an honor box. I stuffed $2 in hoping my it would buy me good karma and I wouldnt come back to find my Infiniti G37 missing or stripped and being sent back to Greece. Oh and by the way, the waiter was not Greek, he was Sicilian. Our single Greek friend is still interested!
(3)Jessica S.
Hellas doesn't have the best food on the sponge docks but it is the place to take family from out of town. When my cousins come in from the north a visit to Hellas is always a must. While the food here is good it is not great. I love smelt and they are usually hit or miss here. This is one of the best places for lamb. Many places try to pass off mutton or old lamb but Hellas always has fresh great lamb. The bakery and selection gives this place a helping hand.
(4)J P.
I live up in MD, but every time I head down south, Hellas is where I always go. It's the best Greek food I've had anywhere in the States. The lemon-chicken soup was divine and the BLT on pita bread was amazing. Just the right amount of heavy and light foods. I loved the casual atmosphere as well as the option to sit inside or outside. The bakery has light and sweet baklava and other sweets. An amazing little restaurant in an amazing little town.
(5)Dwain C.
I ate dinner at the Hellas Restaurant (located in the Sponge Docks area) at Tarpon Springs on 2/12/2014. It was my first time there. I had their combination dinner for $19.95. I also had coffee ($2.50) and baklava ($2.75). Probably the best Greek food that I ever ate. The server, Brandon, did a fine job as well. Plus, I took photos.
(4)Jason H.
Patti S is a retard. She must be from a competing restaurant. This place is great! Must get the gyro and slam some Greek beer. Maybe take a shot of ouzo while your at it.
(5)Michael Z.
Fun, casual, tasty Greek food in the heart of Tarpon Springs. Can't go wrong having a meal at this place.
(4)Jennifer E.
We have been patrons of Hellas for many years - usually for lunch when family is visiting from up north. Tonight we happened to be in the area, so we made our way over for dinner. My husband ordered the grouper sandwich, my mom had the chicken kebabs, and I had the stuffed flounder. Two out of the three of us were satisfied. I guess I should have stuck with the old standbys. I had asked our server what he thought of the flounder, as I had never ordered it before. He said that he had many other customers order it, and they all seemed happy with it. Perhaps I was the odd man out, because I found the dish to be lacking, at best. First off, for a $17 dish, the portion was exceedingly small. The worse of the two things, however, was the fact that the dish was miserably under seasoned. It could have done with little more salt and a hint of acid. I should also note that the vegetable of the day (peas) were on the overcooked side. Actually, overcooked is probably a generous way of putting it. definitely not palatable. Where food is concerned, the upside was the fact that my mom's kebabs were well cooked and flavorful. My husband's grouper also was good. Part of the reason that I am giving this review only three stars lies with the service, or lack there of. While this establishment has never had stellar service in my experience, tonight's service was particularly slow and in attentive. Our server, Brandon, was slow to take our order, slow to fill our drinks, and slow to bring items we requested. In fact, my husband probably waited more than 10 minutes for some cocktail sauce. I think the only reason he even got it was the fact that my mother pulled someone aside. The ironic thing is that he wrote down the request for cocktails sauce when my husband initially placed the order, then forgot to bring it when the food actually came out. Here's hoping our next experience is better.
(3)Jennifer C.
I really love this place and I always hit it up when visiting the sponge dock area. Their service is always fast and the food is always good. This is by far my most favorite place for authentic Greek food in the Tampa Bay Area
(5)Jeff T.
Great experience!! Along with a great meal there was a TV crew taping a food show for some new show on the FYI Network? Not one I am familiar with. Each dish spiced to perfection and tasted different from each other, ya know how one of these ethnic places kinda all taste the sme....not here; shared Greek salad, stuffed with beef grape leaves, taziakk with cucumbers, and sweets to go. The bakery amazing, service good, atmosphere good, menu large. Makes the food on Greek restaurants in the northeast pale in comparison. Also dark dry red Greek wine by the glass was good, wit staff stirred my wife way from the "house" white and with a Greek white by the glass. I can't see how the others along "Sponge Street" can bet this one.... Really well done!
(5)Jennifer M.
Delicious food and excellent service! Are here years ago & came back tonight. Still impressed
(4)Richard N.
Outstanding, friendly service, incredible food, and a heavenly bakery. This was my first visit to Hellas, and while it looks like all the other tourist traps along the spongedocks, this place is for real. I started off with the Saganaki "flaming cheese" which is a flamed for you at tableside. Really cool. I also had a dark Greek beer similar to a porter. (I actually had 2, just FYI.) I also had a taste of the Skordalia (garlic potato spread) which was also outstanding. I'm a vegetarian and they offered a veggie pita, and it was stuffed with fresh tomatoes, tzatziki, lettuce, onions, and feta cheese. Very filling! The server was super-friendly, prompt, explained all the specials, and we couldn't have been happier. The only thing holding this place back from 5 stars is the rather dated and cliche decor.
(4)Karen R.
I love this place! Prices are reasonable, the food is awesome! Gotta try the bakery there also ! Really enjoyed it, no wait either time.
(5)Gwen B.
This was the worst service ever. We sat down. Waiter got our drinks and then we were forgotten. The ladies behind us who came after us had cheese, salad, bread, and silverware. We didn't even have silverware. We were on our way out to the front and told the front managers that we wanted to pay for our mojito and leave. They offered for us to stay but I said no because deep inside I don't want to stay and they spit in our food. They did say they would pay for the mojito but they also should have given us a voucher so that we could come back. No way am I hella coming back here. No matter how many yelp stars this place has. Just because you're number one on yelp doesn't mean don't get service.
(1)Lori R.
Love this place! The food is fantastic and I have heard that their bakery is amazing but I have yet to buy anything from there. As kitschy and touristy as it is the food is good and the atmosphere has a relaxed vibe with an open air patio. Perfect spot to have great Greek food.
(5)Helen B.
This is an EXCELLENT restaurant. We enjoyed a delicious evening meal with old fashioned attentive and great service from John. The dessert was amazing as was the entree. This is the closest any Greek meal has come since Mama Pappas graced this building in the 1950's and 60's. GO THERE!
(5)Arnie K.
No wonder everyone suggests this place. Terrific service and great food. Beautiful decor and music. We had Gyros and Greek salad and walked away stuffed. Portions very large. Afterwards we browsed through their adjoining Bakery. We had to take a "Few" items to go and eat later. You'll love it too.
(5)Orlando R.
The bakery is very good. The deserts are very tasty and the staff is quite nice. There is a restaurant right next-in it. Over all is pretty good. Thumbs up.
(4)John N.
I'm a New Yorker, and having traveled a fair bit around the country and abroad, I've conditioned myself to have managed expectations when eating elsewhere. Specifically, I know that if I eat pizza, Chinese or Greek food, I'm bound to be disappointed. Imagine my surprise when I reluctantly took the family down to the Sponge Docks at what seemed to be the typical overpriced and bland tourist trap, and instead had a very flavorful and reasonably priced meal! Everything we had was great - the salad had fresh vegetables with just the right amount of dressing and feta. The appetizers were all tasty, fresh and not overly salty. Main courses, whether out of the oven or off the grill were right on target and the serving sizes were about what you'd expect from a Greek restaurant - nobody is leaving hungry. A restaurant worthy of a home in New York City, I'll gladly visit again the next time we're in Tarpon.
(5)Dena P.
This place was amazing. I had a really great time here with my multi-cultural club members and ate happily. Our amazing waiter helped us and also laughed with us. The food was great and there was a lot too. The bakery was pretty amazing too. Display and display of sweet goodness were everywhere. It was just so hard to just pick one.
(5)Nicole E.
YUM! Went here tonight for dinner and it was awesome. I had humus followed by Greek Scallops followed by the baklava cheesecake (yes you read that right) and everything was amazing, fresh and delicious. The service was prompt and friendly and the location great. I would gladly return if I lived here.
(5)Ellen M.
Delicious food and impeccable service by James. Won't eat octopus anywhere except here; marinated for a long time so it's very tender. Ask for James to be your waiter. His service was as good as at a 5 star restaurant.! Don't miss bakery attached to restaurant.
(5)Maried G.
This place was magnificent!!! Great food, if you order the cheese you get ur waitress to flame it right infront of you with a big "Opa!". The muscles were great taste and very fresh, the lamb was amazing great variety of cuts and very well cooked!!! I would recommend this place with my eyes close!. The only reason why I don't give them a 5 star is because they had no parking or coat rooms.
(4)Cynthia N.
The Best Grouper I've ever had. As a Native Floridian that says a lot. The meal, the Service, All Splendid. If in the area a Must!
(5)Cat G.
Years ago I would have easily given Hellas 5 stars, but it has declined a bit. The portions have been reduced and the quality just isn't the same. I used to always order the dolmades (stuffed grape leaves) but the last time I ordered them, they were no longer spectacular as they once were. I will say the chicken kebabs are incredible, and I give them an extra star just for that. All in all, it's a nice place and ill definitely continue to go.
(4)Laura W.
I visited Hellas this summer and again this weekend. I have enjoyed the spinach pie and the Greek salad, along with the desserts. I feel like the quality of the food is a bit less than when I had visited several years ago. It may be the economy, as I could see that business is not what it was during better times in Tarpon Springs as a whole. However, I felt that the taste of the food and the desserts was not up to where it had been. There are many desserts to choose from and they all look very good. I just think that some of the ingredients are not as fresh or as natural as they could be. This is a nice location to eat as the restaurant is very open to the outdoors. Servers do a nice job. You can find free parking in their parking lot behind the building off Hope St. or find an on-street parking space.
(3)Leslie B.
Good Greek food. Best gyro I've had in Florida. Good Greek salad, but it only had two olives and one slice of pepper. The rice, saganaki, and spanikopita were excellent, but the green beans were canned. Overall, worth going to.
(4)Ali O.
We had a great salad and lamb riblets for starter while enjoying the port view. After that, we ate a nicely cooked 3 lb red snapper. Our waitress was kind enough to break the bone of the fish for us. The overall quality of the food was very satisfying for the price paid. Don't forget to visit the patisserie after your dinner. They have fantastic sweets and deserts. Kadayif was very good.
(5)Jeff M.
Stop #2 on the Taramasalata tasting tour. Wine and beer still the star and even an Ouzo shot couldn't help the taramasalata. Over blended bland orange goop. Yuck... I know it's touristville, but how about some flavor!!!
(2)Jeff D.
Holy Moly incredible dinner! Best sangria my wife and I have ever had. We had a pitcher of the pomegranate and if we didn't have to drive, could've done many more. Then we had the horiatiki salad with loads of feta, fresh tomato and cucumbers... delish. For our main course we had the combination dinner and everything was awesome. Service was outstanding and our server, josh, was very new and did an awesome job. Now on to dessert. ..The bakery is stupid and I mean Holy Moly what to get because it all looks awesome. We were so sided we got some coffee, walked the docks for a while and then returned. We shared the chocolate cream pasta and it was incredible. There are certainly many choices on the docks of Tarpon Springs. When we come back, it will be difficult to go anywhere other than Hellas!
(5)Chris C.
Food was great.. Fried cheese was wild when it blew up in flames. Waiter was truly one of the best I have been served by in a long time.. Don't be afraid of Greek food, just go here and try it..
(5)Tiffany H.
Is it just me or is Hellas just kind of run of the mill Greek? I stopped here with a friend for lunch recently and figured I would stick to something basic. I ordered a gyro with a side of fries and a ginger ale. Soda tasted a little funny (maybe it was sugar free and it was some kind of aftertaste) and the gyro was gigantic... but crammed on a little plate with the fries. I don't know if this is a Tarpon Springs thing but I had this happen with a Greek salad at Mr. Souvlaki's multiple times before. Why can't they just put stuff on a slightly bigger plate so I don't manage to knock half of it on the table?! But I digress... The gyro was nothing special. It wasn't bad but it wasn't especially memorable. I picked some of the raw onions off (there were just too many) and proceeded to eat the meat, tomatoes, and sauce until I could actually hold the sandwich without the contents exploding everywhere. Between too much sandwich and poking at the fries (which were your average, run of the mill fry. Nothing different about 'em), I forfeited and left part of the sandwich. We got our bill with the parking credited (because if there's no room in the little lot just behind it, you can park in the all-day parking for $3 further up the hill, which is refunded if you eat at Hellas), and had an unusual experience. Since it was fairly cheap, and we both had $20s, I asked if the waiter could break one of the bills. He said something like "well, we don't have change on us so I'll have to do it up at the front." I get that it might be how it's done there, but jeez, part of your job is cashing people out and setting them up with a way to tip you. Just say, "sure, it'll be a minute." If you don't want me to tip you because you have to go all the way -over there- to inconveniently break my bill (even though you have to go there to cash us out), that's cool. /sarcasm
(3)Christian P.
If you were standing in ancient Athens between a Discount Dollar store, an art gallery that sold paintings of wolves under a full moon and a Christmas lighting showcase...and there was an unexpected explosion...you'd feel like you were at Hellas. Plato would crap his toga if he saw this place. No amount of dialectical discourse can explain what is going on here... When you recover from the shock and accept the mayhem that surrounds you, you are in for a treat. In a town full of Greek restaurants, Hellas is unquestionably the best. Flaming cheese, red snapper caught hours before on the owner's boat, Mythos Red and a bit of surprisingly good Macedonian wine made me forget the train wreck before my eyes. I visit Hellas WITHOUT FAIL every time I'm down on the Gulf side. Bonus: Hellas is attached (literally- your dessert comes straight from there) to a pastry/ ice cream shop with the best Italian and Greek pastries you will find anywhere in Florida.
(4)Jules F.
Very hit and miss, but good atmosphere and the "hit" food is quite good. I tried a little of everything amongst family, and the Mousaka and shaved grilled lamb were excellent. Price is a little high for lunch but appropriate for dinner. The fresh fish was very much to my liking, if you don't mind seeing or consuming whole-style fish. It would get more stars, because it seems better than it is with so many mediocre to bad and tacky places surrounding it, but with all the "miss" food, I can't do that to you, reader. And with so many Greeks in Tarpon Springs, this is the best they offer us?
(3)Kim P.
Hellas is a Tarpon gem, which I have eaten at for 20 years. I HAVE to go whenever I visit my Florida family. As a former Tampa Bay resident whom now lives in California---I miss this place more than any other restaurant. The Greek salad is the best I have ever had with it's hidden potato salad in the center, YUM---no matter what that's ordered!! The Moussaka and Pastitsio (so creamy) are divine. The Gyro platter and kabobs are great too. The table bread is fresh baked and very good. I visited so often when I lived here the waiters would comment on how my son had grown in keeping with their friendly, family oriented Greek natures! As it's not a small restaurant it can be a surprise that you are recognized let alone your child. The Bakery is an entire separate section with seating so if you just want coffee and a sweet bun come here. They have the traditional choices like chocolate mousse but I prefer to stay with the Greek, and love the Baklava, but usually walk out with a box of other choices! Lastly, it's right across the street from the sponge docks where you can get on a boat and take a glass bottom boat ride or Dolphin trek or just walk the great shops in this Grecian style town. Quaint at it's absolute best.
(5)Marquee M.
The Cod with their version of tarter sauce is fantastic.
(4)Chris K.
I felt compelled to review this (my first review on Yelp) after an amazing night at Hellas. I will start by saying I am very familiar with Greek food. Hellas is arguably the best Greek restaurant I have been in. Akropolis on Long Island is the only one that compares. The portions are huge. The service is extremely fast. I went there with a special lady and we got the assorted spreads appetizer with saganaki and extra pita. Extra pita ($2) is always a must at any Greek place. We then got the Greek combination platter to share as an entree. I was a bit worried we wouldn't have enough to eat because the combination platter did not look particularly large in the picture on the menu. The amount of food that arrived was massive - we made little sandwiches, combining the pita with everything arrayed, and had a venerable feast. This is a great setup for a couple, especially if one is unfamiliar with greek food, because it allows you to try all the major dishes and to experience a fun hands-on eating experience. A tip. Decline dessert from the menu if you eat dinner there then physically walk into the bakery (it's attached and part of the same building) so you can see everything. The baklava cheesecake was mindblowing, and the italian canoli was proper old school italian.
(5)Craig B.
The spanakopita was microwaved and barely edible. The pastry was like chewing wet paper and the filling was far too hot from being nuked. We should have known it was not fresh when it was served less than five minutes after we ordered. Never again.
(1)Brad K.
Best Greek restaurant (sit down style) in Tarpon Springs IMO. We've gone out of our way over the years to sample all the greek restaurants in Tarpon Springs and can now say Hella's is the best. You get an excellent atmosphere, open sliding windows, porch style eating, with excellent food. Service is hit or miss. The servers have been all working there a long time. Some are nice and provide excellent service. Some have attitudes and it reflects in their service. Sort of the snooty your a tourist we are Hella's or I'm above you attitudes. But that's not to often. I'd just ask for different table or server if you get that. Which is why I can't rate them 5 stars. But the food and atmosphere is what matters to me. Prices are very very good also. If you order the gyro plate which is like $8 you get a huge portion, enough for 3 pita's full of meat. They have a full bar. Next door they have the bakery, which all the pastries look GREAT. But we suggest you skip it. They look great but taste average. Trust us on this one, after 6+ years of taking home and sampling every different pastry they have, we end up saying the same thing every time. Ehh that was average !
(4)Elaine G.
Don't go with a party of 2! We were excited to have an authentic Greek dinner. Upon arrival we were told there was a 20-25 min wait. No problem. We waited TWICE that long and checked in with the hostess...she assured us we would be seated soon. We continued to wait in the bakery where a women spilled two coffees on my husband, a big clean up scene ensued and another 15 minutes went by. No one from the restaurant checked in with us about the hot coffee or the wait, even though there was no way it went unnoticed. After cleaning up, we continued to watch other people come in and get seated immediately. We decided to leave. The hostess wouldn't even look us in the eye as we returned the pager, let alone apologize. There was another couple sitting for quite some time as well. I guess the restaurant is just interested in seating larger tickets. Really disappointed with the inhospitable service. Poor form, Hellas!
(1)Denise G.
If you visit the Tampa area, or are lucky enough to live there, you probably have heard about the awesome Greek restaurant across from the Sponge Docks in Tarpon Springs. That would be Hella's! Though there are others in town, this is the one you want to visit. Start with some Saganaki-- Opa! to get an authentic and fun Greek experience, and then pick pretty much anything else on the menu---you will not be disappointed. As others have mentioned, the decor leaves a little to be desired--- lots of mirrors, chrome and neon...but overlook that and dig in. On your way out, stop by Hella's Bakey and pick up some awesome pastries for later-- you will be too full to eat dessert now.
(5)Steve M.
Love their Gyros. The wife had grouper. Great place for the price. We'll be back!
(4)Nathan H.
Hellas' tater salad on the bottom of that salad is the bomb dot com. There's sweet fired up cheese and there's a bakery with some nice cheesecake. Get some, and eat it.
(5)Anthony A T.
It was our first time to Tarpon Springs and we had just taken a Sponge-Diving boat tour. We were looking for lunch and stopped here. The menu had a great selection of typical Greek dishes. The food was excellent. The spanakopita was flaky, cheesy & delicious! The waiter was generous with ice tea re-fills. It was a perfect lunch. We followed this later in the day by stopping back at their bakery and trying out some of their selections of Greek pastries. My favorite was the Greek Cannoli... loaded with more flaky phyllo dough!
(5)Meaghan H.
Admittedly, Hellas is not much to look at from the outside. Or the inside. Oh hell, who am I kidding? Hellas looks like a bad 1970's tourist trap full of tacky Greek statues of every possible size and every possible shade of blue on the carpet, the walls, the railings, the tables, the uniforms, and practically every other surface in the place. BUT, if you can handle sitting in an unattractive and dated dining room full of tourists, the food is seriously kick-ass. I am definitely not a connoisseur of Greek cuisine by any means, but the Gyro is delicious and its the only thing I ever order at Hellas. The pita is always crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside, the meat is seasoned to perfection and the tzatziki sauce is so good that I order double. The Greek salad is delicious as well, I always order one as an app to share with my dining partner (the small is enough for 3 people, easily.) Added bonus: I've never had a waiter who didn't look like a Greek God. I don't know if being beautiful is a requirement to work here, but it would seem so.
(4)Richard F.
We visited this location with a large group. We had a great time and really enjoyed the food. We have not eaten much Greek food but, everything we ate was absolutely delicious. We had a seat near the walkway so we could people watch as we ate. The service was exceptional and the server was very helpful to ensure we ordered the right items to get the experience we wanted to achieve. Can't wait to go back.
(5)Big S.
this is a great greek restaurant. the staff is always friendly and love yelling OPA! the melted flaming cheese is easily the best app, you should get that every time. they do serve pita that seems to be fried on one side, that is also incredible. the salads are great, a little strange with the potato salad under it all but the dressing makes up for that. main course, i know the whole fish is great. i also like the gyro platter and the grape leaves. dessert is probably the best. great baklava and the greek cannolis are similar to lobster tails in boston.
(4)Nanci C.
If you go here, go here HUNGRY! This is a family favorite of ours, when we go to the Sponge Docks, we almost always eat here. I always get the hummus and warm pita bread appetizer, and then the Greek salad. It is more than enough and I always end up taking half of it home. The bakery is to die for. So many choices - pastries, pies, cheesecakes, cookies, and more. Also delicious, is their coffee. It has a wonderful spiced flavor to it and is served super hot. Yes, we love Hellas!
(5)J C.
While on vacation in Clearwater my family and I traveled to Tarpon Springs for Greek food. We chose to eat dinner at Hellas. We were promptly Seated and greeted by our friendly native Greek waiter, Nando. We started with an assortment of Greek dips ie: classic hummus, red pepper and feta hummus and tzatsiki along with warm fresh pita ( best pita EVER!). The spread was delicious and perfect for 6 people. We also started with the lemon- egg soup. Although a bit creamier in texture than I'm used to, it was still very delicious. For main dishes we ordered the fantastic and HUGE Greek salad that included large slices of fresh feta and delicious Greek style potato salad. My sister and I ordered the chicken souvlaki sandwich, Pretty simple pita sandwich with juicy chunks of grilled chicken, also had a side of Greek style fries ( long thick cut "steak" fries) perfectly golden brown with lemon and feta. My father ordered a classic Greek dish, pastitsio. It's basically a Greek style lasagna with ground beef, tubular shaped pasta and a tomato cream sauce. The dish was a delicious traditional meal with a crunchy cheese coating and piping hot beef filling, served alongside peas and rice. Our guest ordered the pan fried grouper, a huge piece of fish that looked delicious. All meals were affordable ranging from 8$ ( souvlaki) to 13$ (pastitsio) to $15 ( grouper). We ended the meal with desserts ( AMAZING baklava) at the Hellas bakery. My only drawbacks were the service as dirty plates were left on our table throughout our meal and drinks were never refilled promptly. The decor is also very tacky in a meditaranean Greek disco club sort of way, but gave the place some charm. All in all I would recommend Hellas to any out of towners looking to experience the local Tarpon Springs Greek culture.
(4)Mike P.
Great Greek restaurant. They know what they are doing. Great atmosphere. THere is no doubting this is a Greek place. Everything is fresh and tasty. THe attached bakery is amazing. Again every pastry we had was fantastic.
(4)Vivian L.
My friend and I visited this place on a very rainy weekend day for lunch. We did some shopping in the many sponge shops. We sat outside and watched the other tourists get soaked in the crazy FL downpour. Our waiter was super nice and friendly. We started the meal with the saganaki flaming cheese which we totally enjoyed and then scarfed down quickly cause it was so good. This was followed by a greek salad which had potato salad in the center. I ordered the famous Hella's gyro and it could have fed 2 people easily. I tried to tackle it solo and ended up pulling half the meat out cause I couldn't finish it all. My friend also liked her chicken souvlaki. We were too stuffed to get dessert after wards but did walk through the bakery and everything did look very good. The place is very clean, well decorated with a Greek vibe to it. Having been to Greece before, I would say that was one of the gyros I've ever had anywhere. The prices were great and the service was good, too. I would go back again for sure!
(5)Dean H.
Hella's Greek restaurant on the Sponge Docks Donna had Combination - Spanakopita and Tiropita dinner. At Hella'si had the Lamb kabobs. Delicious! Would have given more stars but our server was very "distracted." At one point I actually saw him walk out of the front of the restaurant. To smoke maybe? Either way, our soft drink glasses sat empty for awhile and he only checked back once. Not the ordinary for this establishment as we watched other servers actually performing as servers. And although it was intended to add to the ambience and theme, the Greek radio station blaring over the speaker system made it impossible to carry on a conversation. But...the food was fantastic.
(4)Lisa C.
First let me start off by saying, we have been eating at Hellas for MANY yrs. It was our only go-to place when we visit Tarpon Springs. My mom and I share a birthday and we thought it would be a nice day for the whole family to meet up, walk around the sponge docks and eat at Hellas. We get a table for 8. A nice looking Greek waiter comes over takes our drink order. He had the personality of a cardboard box. We were in a great mood, happy to be there and obviously it was our bday because we brought in a couple gifts to exchange. He seemed like he was visiting a funeral. We order two large Greek salads and the cold spreads appetizer. The cold spreads included two types of hummus and a feta spread with hot pita wedges. Pita bread was outstanding. In fact, the highlight of the meal unfortunately. Salads were as good as we remembered. Hummus wasn't the best but it was tasty. For the table, our orders consisted of 4 Chicken Souvlakis, 2 Spanikopita meals, One Greek platter and a gyro platter. I was one of the unlucky chicken souvlakis. The chicken consisted of 4 bite size chunks of very over cooked and under flavored bites, half a raw onion and about a teaspoon of tzatziki sauce. We had to choke them down. The waiter never came to check on us and basically we had to flag someone else over for a mini container of extra sauce that we were charged for. Really sad. The veggies on the side were inedible globs of overcooked stewed forms we didn't know what they were originally. Reallllly sad. The platter which I convinced my brother to order because it used to be amazing was also so drab. It has gone downhill. The tastes all ran into each other and the grapeleaves did not taste fresh or homemade. They tasted like the ones my farmers maket sells in a jar. Ick When we finally managed to get our waiter for the bill, we told him how sad we were that the food has changed. He left and brought the manager or owner over. She apologized and said there was a new chef and would take care of the souvlakis on our plates that we barely ate. What that meant was bring us a piece of baklava? Anyways, I never look for a free meal but it really was a disappointing birthday meal for two of us. After stating she would take care of them.. well.. it was surprising. We walked next door to the bakery and ordered cappuccinos and split a few desserts. Those were hit and miss as well but better than the meal. Next time I will try Mykonos which everyone on here says is the real deal.
(2)Lorraine N.
Tarpon Springs is such a tiny little piece of fun and it is fabulous. I ate at this restaurant several times during my stay here and enjoyed everything tremendously. Our server Nick was such a treasure.....we loved him so much ----Make sure you try several things here and some greek wine too.....It was a very active and fun place to go and enjoy taking in the locals and tourists alike......
(5)Mike C.
The place is beautiful, the whole look is really nice and so greek, the octopus is siick, sprinkle a little lemon on top and its delicious. The souvlaki was good, pita was soft, and we all enjoyed our meals. I knew that if we hit up this spot, we would walk out stuffed and satisfied. highly recommend this place if your in the area opa!
(5)Jen R.
Had family in town from TX, FL, NC with ages ranging from 6 months to 6 decades and had a fabulous experience at Hella's. We avoided long wait times by having a later lunch (2 ish) and they were able to seat 13 immediately. We loved peering into the bakery - what a treat! Our waiter was incredibly fast and paid great attention to detail - he served us 2 orders of "flaming" Saganaka. We enjoyed everything we ordered - OMG amazing Greek Salad, Pastitsio, Gyros & Baklava. We took 2 New Years sweet bread home with us. Opaaa! A great way to spent time in Tarpon Springs.
(5)Nick S.
Pros: Atmosphere is excellent for a family dinner, date or for when visitors come to town. Excellent selection of Greek culinary staples and treasures. In the heart of the Tarpon Springs Sponge Dock district. Excellent array of Greek products for sampling. Historic and goodwill value business. Flaming cheese and their homemade olives. Cons: Overpriced (see my other reviews for examples including the .50 ranch at Beef O' Brady's). Hellas is no different I realized after receiving bill for $8 for 4 pieces of pita bread. Servers are not very good at their job. Not really great cuisine building to say the least. Simply put the food just isn't great with an exception that is to the flaming cheese. Pastry was beautifully put together but lacked good flavor or consistency. All and all Hellas is a can't miss visit to Tarpon Spring's Sponge docks. Last note: Last weekend I took my family to the sponge docks for a day of fun and we decided to eat at Hellas. We watched as the waiter dropped his towel (that he uses to wipe away his sweat) onto a little girls octopus meal. He looked around to see if anyone noticed and then just picked it up and handed her the dish. Disgusting!
(3)Ryan M.
Opaaaa!!!! Great Greek food and atmosphere. This is definitely authentic. We got two gyro platters (great!) and a chicken souvlaki (probably even better, big chunks of chicken). The fries were outstanding. Didn't get a greek salad or a flaming cheese on this trip, but they looked great! Huge restaurant, well-decorated (in the eclectic, tacky Greek authenticity), and attached to an outstanding bakery. The prices are a bit high compared to some of the other options nearby, but you can't go wrong with a meal at Hellas.
(4)Julio M.
Went with family on Sunday of the festival weekend. Ordered a gyro and a chicken soulaki. My kids ordered hotdogs. Gyro was cold and little taste. Soulaki had more pita and extra than chicken. Serivce was mediocre. Have had better. Was disppointed.
(2)Bob J.
Had to have Greek food and our way through Tarpon Springs and this place really worked out. The service was great, food was very good (fresh and properly prepared) and reasonably priced. We were happy and definitely would go back.
(4)David M.
Where Zeus would eat if vacationing on the Gulf Coast. All of the classic Greek dishes you see in traditional Greek restaurants; just done a little nicer here, and the prices are very reasonable. For dessert wonder over to their attached bakery and see what looks irresistible. (Uh, that would be about 30-40 of the desserts you'll see in the case). Ya'sou, and opa, too!
(4)BooBooKatie M.
I hadn't been to Tarpon Springs in more than a decade but I was looking forward to getting back up there for some good Greek food following a local show. Unfortunately, the local show ended at 10:30p and everything in T.S. closes between 9 and 10p, even on a Saturday night! As we cruised down the sponge docks slowly looking for signs of life within restaurants, I spotted Hellas Bakery, brightly lit with workers behind the counter. We parked and ran in, through the bakery into the adjoining restaurant where a hostess still stood behind her podium. She regretfully informed us however that the restaurant was closed and only the bakery remained open. Sadly, we wandered back outside where we stood on the sidewalk, contemplating our options: bar food or Awful Waffle. Things were looking bleak until the Manager (or perhaps he was the owner?) came outside and explained to us that although the kitchen was shut down and most of the food put away, if we wanted simple items such as salads or gyros, they would accommodate us. So he escorted us into the empty restaurant and told us to take our time. Our waiter, who I expected would be irritated at having to stay later to wait on us, was VERY gracious and also let us know that we shouldn't feel hurried to eat our food. My friends had gyros which they said were quite good. I was perfectly happy with a generous plate of marinated feta, olives, and warm, crusty bread. And the home-made Greek dressing on my salad was the best I've ever had! Ever! We left happy and full and I have every intention of returning to Hellas to enjoy a cooked meal the next time I make it up to Tarpon. Hopefully sooner than 10 years later. To Hellas, thank you again for feeding us after you were closed! Now THAT'S hospitality!
(4)Ben V.
Wife and I went to Tarpon Springs to witness first hand the Greek settlement that has existed for decades now. Hellas had the best reviews of all the Greek establishments on Dodecanese Blvd. The place was packed especially for lunch but we didn't find the food necessarily impressive. I mean it was solid, good food but not the best Greek food we've ever had. Louis Pappas is still our favorite until otherwise noted.
(3)Ken R.
Great Greek food here everything is good Greek salad is the best if you eat elsewhere. You made a mistake
(4)Basia K.
I wish that I could give this place 6 stars. The service is impeccable. The food is phenomenal. I wish I could have taken this place back with me on the plane to NY. The saganaki was made the real authentic way, not fried like a few too many "Greek" restaurants like to serve it. The Frappe was so amazing, I have fraps here in NY in many Greek spots but none like this. Sighhhhh I can't wait to be back. It's a must go!
(5)chrissy a.
The best Greek good I have had since moving to Florida from NY. Amazing service. Excellent Gyro and amazing Saganaki. Definitely will be back in 2 weeks with my parents.
(5)Matthew K.
This is a great Greek restaurant in Tarpon Springs. My wife and I were there while visiting family in Florida. I had the gyro with homemade fries and we had an appetizer Greek salad with bread. All the food was fantastic!!! The meat in the gyro was oozing flavor, savory, moist, and ooh so good. After lunch, we decided to go the bakery that is attached to the restaurant, where we picked up a traditional Greek new year's bread. The bread has a coin in it, and our waitress explained the tradition of breaking the bread and what everything meant as far as what happens if you get the coin. A great place, authentic, and fantastic service! I highly recommend stopping in if you are in Tarpon Springs!
(4)David G.
The gyros are stuffed with meat and are very good. The broiled octopus was excellent! Extremely tender. It was like eating a very meaty fish. Having only sampled rubbery octopus sushi or the equally rubbery versions in some seafood dishes in various restaurants, I realize that those chefs all need to come here to see how octopus should be cooked. The items in their bakery were excellent as well.
(4)Doug B.
Hands down, this is the best restaurant in Tarpon Springs, FL. If you love Greek Food, you will love this place and if you have never enjoyed Greek food, you will after eating there. The staff is great and very accommodating to patrons. Don't forget to order the Saganaki appetizer!
(5)Jenn H.
VERY VERY VERY GOOD!! Wait time was minimal. Salads are huge. Server was .... uhhh ..... kind of rude. But mainly blunt, to the point and no fun, what so ever. But he fed us well :) Combination plate was good. Had a combination of everything....imagine that :) Tasty!! Honestly. I am really picky about Greek food so I wouldn't give it 5 stars, or even 4, but I will say that it was damn good. Also, the grouper, magnificent. The baklava tiramisu, sounded awesome, but was a complete disappointment. Just very sweet, with no chocolate, but the lady fingers were way soaked in rum. So that was nice. Overall good. Liked it. Large portions. Good, fast food. A little pricey.
(3)Katie M.
Josh was our server and was exquisite. Saganaki is always fabulous as well as the Greek salad. A friend of mine had a fish dish and absolutely loved it as well as a Greek imported beer. Icing on the cake is the bakery is attached to the restaurant so take a gander at the astounding amount of desserts :)
(5)Claudia S.
I'm torn, I'd say this place is 3.5 for me..........but I'll give it 4. I ended up here because I went on some cruise that boards right across the street, and naturally as we docked it started to pour.....and since I didn't realize there's parking all along the way, I parked in the very first lot. Walking in flip flops is a bad idea and since I hadn't eaten all day, I figured why not. The hostess was nice, the waitress who saw me waiting and said she'd get my waitress (and got me a drink) was REALLY friendly...........but my waitress was really rude until the very end. Now, I've been told that Greeks like Greeks (and I'm not Greek) and seeing as how I'm from a very segregated city, I didn't anticipate lots of chatter, but I also didn't anticipate being treated so poorly. It was as if me asking anything was a problem. Well sorry, but I don't eat Greek (even though Chicago has a Greek community with some great places..) and I wanted to know if I should go for fish (because come on!) or a combination platter or something. I tried the Flounder and it was delicious! So was the rice. The vegetables didn't look great and after I saw someone's salad I ordered one of those, so I was stuffed and never got around to them. The salad, oh my.....sooooooo good! She warned me that there was potato salad at the bottom and at first I wasn't prepared to like it (as I don't like potato salad) but the next day I got a salad from somewhere else and was hoping it would be at the bottom of that salad as well. I took most of my food to go as the portions were huge and the prices were fair.....wish I had room for dessert as everyone around me was ordering stuff that looked good, but oh well. I wouldn't have known what to order anyway. Everyone was friendly as I left, and I'm not sure if it's because I'm young, was dining alone, from out of town or because I'm not Greek....but my waitress made me just want to get out of there as fast as possible. That and it was really, really cold in there. Yes, I just came from rain but I'm from Chicago....I didn't wear a coat in winter for at least 10 years. If I'm cold, other people must be freezing!
(4)Kristen K.
Hellas is so wonderful that I found myself daydreaming about it today, nearly two months after visiting for lunch toward the end of a fantastic vacation. Tarpon Springs is an eclectic Greek fishing village, and Hellas Restaurant is a shiny blue and white (and slightly tacky) gem right in the middle. I highly recommend the saganacki, the "original" Greek salad (with a scoop of potato salad underneath) and the Greek grouper. OPA!
(4)Trish H.
My husband and I both had gyros and they were AWESOME! They are full of juicy, tender and perfectly seasoned meat. We finished it off with a slice of chocolate cake and it too was sinfully delicious. This was my first trip to the Sponge Docks and while I doubt I will be back again for the sponge dock experience any time soon, I would definitely consider the out of the way trip to the area just to get another gyro from Hellas!!
(4)Oak L.
This is a tourist trap though I did meet a local shop keeper who says she may occasionally eat here; she prefers another place up the street. The decor is exaggerated greek blue and white. It catches the eye for sure but I've been to Greece and I prefer the real thing to this touristy concoction. So once you get past the touristy feel, you have to deal with the overly attentive waiters. The one assigned to us was nice but he kept pushing things that he evidently is trained to do. So, they offered the variety of cheeses flambe. Ha! Nice show but who needs the flambe. I don't recall that being a Greek specialty but it does attract the tourists' eyes. Be careful of their recommendations, there may be an extra charge for them. Some may like it but I don't like be led around by the nose to order things that line the owner's pocket. My wife ordered the Moussaka (eggplant) and I ordered the Combination - Spanakopita and Tiropita. We liked them but they were just ordinary -- and we've had Greek food in Greece, Astoria, NY among other places. I think the vegetables they served (green beans) were sitting in the pot of boiling water for ages and it was colorless, tasteless, and lifeless and the worse green beans you could order at a cafetaria. It was not a tasty meal though of course with the flaky filo, it was Greek, though highly salty. OK, service was attentive but the food nothing special. The bread basket had to be requested and it was just sliced Italian bread. I suppose they know I won't be going back. Maybe next time I'll try the Jerk restaurant on the way out of town. At least they have good reviews.
(2)Paul E.
Great time on a Saturday night with live music and water side seating. The staff were all Greek, the patrons near us were also - says something, doesn't it? The family near us even got up and did some traditional dances and were sociable with us. The food is very well prepared, on par with a friend's Greek mother. I had the dolmades with rice and peas. The desserts are excellent. The display of the pastries is tantalizing and irresistable! Try the Napolean Baklava!
(5)Paul K.
I do not care for the strip mall outskirts of Florida, but what a surprise to find a Greek village in Tarpon Springs. Built around the sponging industry, you have many Greek options here. Hellas is at the top of the list, hands downs. All the Greeks there told me as much, so who am I to argue with them? The place is huge, and the menu options are many. Expect enormous servings. A Greek salad was easily split three ways. Not as many vegetarian options as one might think for Greek food.
(5)T T.
We've visited Hellas a few times over the years and most recently a couple of weeks ago. We've always enjoyed our meals here and our latest visit was no different. Our food, which I'm not even going to try to pronounce, was extremely tasty. This is surprising since I'm not usually impressed by touristy restaurants. The restaurant was clean and our waitress was very friendly and attentive. When at the sponge docks, skip the other Greek restaurants and go to Hellas.
(5)J. P.
This was some of the best Greek food that I have ever had. We decided on Hella's because it had a bakery, but the food was awesome, too! If you stop in, make sure you try the Makaronada (Homemade Greek Spaghetti). It was my favorite!
(4)Joanne G.
The gyro was delicious and authentic. My only complaint was that the gyro had too much meat. Fries cost more and you really don't need them, as the gyro is quite large. The food tasted fresh, and the server was good. The spanakopita is excellent-very fluffy & buttery. I always request these whenever family is coming to CT. They actually travel well when frozen. The waitress compared the Greek coffee to Turkish coffee. I never had either. It was very gritty & dark...not my idea of a good cup of coffee. It looks like an espresso, but it has a lot of sediment in the bottom. The attached bakery is full of desserts that look great. We tried the dipple. It was a honey pastry, sort of like an elephant ear. Very delicious. The Greek honey is amazing! The setting of this restaurant is in the Sponge Docks. Years ago, the sponge docks used to be booming. I think the economy has hit this area pretty hard, but if you are in the mood for Greek food, you will enjoy this restaurant and its selection. The staff is knowledgeable and the food comes out quickly.
(4)Stuart M.
We had Gyros and Greek salad. Very "Greek" atmosphere. Staff was very helpful with getting high chair for our 10 month old and making sure we were ok with our table.
(4)Cathy C.
First remember this IS a tourist area! We were visiting family and wanted to take them out for dinner at a greek restaurant, this was a different one than we had went prior when visiting in Tarpon Springs. The place is what americans think greek is - alot of white and blue! We were seated against the window facing the street, so I like our location of seating - out of the traffic area. Ordered dolmades and a greek salad for all to share, both were good. The gyro one had was a bit dry, fried grouper sandwich was good, the lamb shank w/spagetti was different however the lamb didn't fall off the bone (could be the method of cooking compared to other shanks that I have had), and the stuffed grouper with crab was good. Can't say compared to other greek restaurants that it would be my pick to drive out of the way for however it was OK. Found some of the desserts that were picked up for later way over the top with sugar!!!! Haven't had anything this sweet at anyother greek restaurants / bakery I have been too.
(3)Kelleigh M.
The best bakery in tarpon. Park in the back of the building for easy in and out.
(5)Keyta E.
Had the gyros and baklava. They were good. Not sure of the restaurant atmosphere but the town is fun to visit. Nothing to bring me back to this restaurant besides good lookig waiters.
(3)Pat K.
Best Greek food I have ever eaten. Our table had stuffed grouper, excellent. Chicken kabob, also wonderful, lobster tails and the combo platter. Appetizers included the flaming cheese and salad. All of it was outstanding, and our server Soula went above and beyond and clearly cared about our experience. This place is worth going out of your way to experience when you are in the Tampa area.
(5)Tina J.
Hellas (emphasis on the 2nd syllable) ... me being from Northern Cali, i at first thought it was accent on the 1st, like Hella Good. Until my Greek co-worker said it correctly... whoops, heheh.... Anyways, food is great here, and service was great too. The waitress checked up on each table at least 3 times throughout the meal. The whole Tarpin Springs area reminded me of Thailand, where there's so much competition among the restaurants, that they needed someone at the door trying to attract in customers. Ordered the Saganaki, the flaming cheese, (upon recommendation of the other yelpers), and it was really good. Nice & toasty and great with bread. Had the gyro, and the meat is definitely tender and freshly cut. It got a lil bit to be too much of the same by the end. Should have a little more veggies in the wrap. Tiramisu in a bowl - was only okay. I would suggest getting the Tiramisu in a rectangle cut. The bowl made the layers uneven so that it was a lot of the cream, but not enough of the ladyfinger layer. Baklava was great. Sweet of course. I'm not so much into sweets, so a quarter was good enough for me. Food: 4 stars Service: 4 Ambiance: 4 stars Overall: 4 star
(4)Charlene M.
Not what I expected... First time to Tarpon Springs. Very touristy area, and in addition to sponges you could buy everywhere, lots of the usual tourist tees, magnets, glasses, etc. The Hellas has a nice looking bakery if you are looking for sugar and gluten. We were there for the Greek food at lunch time. The place was packed, and it was huge, noisy, dark, and bustling. The menu had dolmas, spanokapitas, and other goodies, but as dinner plates, not as appetizers, and they were a little pricey. Their combo plate was close to $20, also a little much for lunch. We settled on gyros, classic Greek. Well, if you are into lots of meat, this is the sandwich for you. It was big, wrapped in a yummy warm pita, but had very little of what adds flavor to the dryness of the lamb/beef rotisserie. Very little onion, lettuce, tomato. I had to ask for more tzatziki sauce. What came out was basically a thick sour cream. Very little of the yogurt, garlic, cuke flavor that you expect. Really? I'm used to juices running down my arm. This was kind of ... Boring. Meat. Meat. More meat. The couple next to us had ordered a soup, concluding "I've had better Greek soup than this". It wasn't bad, it just wasn't what you expect coming to a town with the Greek reputation TS has. I've had much better in Gulf Breeze Florida near Pensacola Beach! I want garlic breath! Worth a try? If you like gyro meat, you're in luck!
(3)Steve M.
Hellas is good solid Greek food in the land of Greek restaurants. If you want traditional Greek food at reasonable prices, then Hellas is for you. Tip - you may not want to sit outside. My wife and I chose an outdoor table and were attacked by bugs through our entire meal.
(3)Frank L.
Great service and food! I really like the combo platter, as there was much to sample. Very eclectic decor.
(4)Rich D.
I don't often get to Tarpon Springs, so I don't know how well Hellas compares to all the other Greek restaurants in town. But it's the place I bring friends and family to when they're in town, mainly because it never fails making them salivate at the sight of all the bakery goodies next door. I've also found the flavors at Hellas compare a bit better than the Greek restaurants I've been to around Clearwater. I recently took two friends there on a sunny afternoon for lunch, and we had the outdoor porch to ourselves. The restaurant being much calmer than normal, the pleasant weather, the good conversation, the great service from our waiter, and the tasty food that was served up promptly all combined to make it a great day and meal. Since that meal I've had a chance to talk to some locals who say they frequent several Greek restaurants away from the sponge docks that they like better, so I'll be checking them out over the next few weeks. But for a meal that the tourists in town can enjoy, Hellas has always been good choice for us, and I'm sure I'll be bringing more back. Atmosphere: 4 Service: 4 Food: 4 Value: 4
(4)Theresa K.
We have been to Hellas Restaurant several times. Every time we have found the food, the service and the atmosphere delightful. We also visited to bakery to bring back desserts. This is a beautiful place to visit. My son faithfully orders spanakopita every time. I ordered a chicken k-bob. Delicious! There are many stores to visit around the sponge docks. You can also go out on a boat, as well. Hellas is my favorite restaurant by far. I highly recommend it.
(5)David P.
I really enjoyed the Greek Salad and the gyro plate - good service at a reasonable price.
(4)Nurys I.
We LOVED this place!!! Everything about it. I felt like we were back in Katakolon, Greece. Actually, the food was even better than the food in Greece. The service was fast and very good. Even other waiters were attentive to our needs. Absolutely everything we ate was excellent. The best Greek salad I've had in a while with a surprising potato salad center treat! We had the peach sangria - yum!! The saganaki was amazing and the moussaka was delicious! Very plentiful portions. My friend ordered the gyro platter and I'm pretty sure 2-3 people could have eaten from that dish alone. I tried the baklava cheesecake but wasn't impressed with that, otherwise everything was amazing, service was outstanding and the energy was a lot of fun!
(5)Jack B.
Great food and sweets are out of this world! Snapper is just Old World, Cook whole and super tasty. Service is great too. One star less for cleanliness, Bathrooms need some major scribing and remodeling. I hate to see kitchen , hahaha!
(4)Stavros K.
This is my all time favorite Greek restaurant! Great food, service and pricing. Many choices for Greek cuisin in Tarpon but this is definitely one of the top places to eat while you're in the sponge docks!
(5)John M.
I'll tell you, the sponge docks are definitely a tourist trap... But of all the restaurants on the docks, this one is the best. The spanikopita...you cant go wrong, its fantastic.. I also reccomend that you get the grilled octopus appetizer... it will blow your mind its so fresh and so great.. with a delicate white wine from crete... wow. We got a greek salad for two... a salad for TWO...... with THREE greek olives really,, thats 1.5 calamata olives a piece.. and a couple of fingers of feta on the whole salad. I asked our waiter and pointed out the lack of olives and chese he apologized and brought us a cup full.The salad was very fresh though.The place was very clean as where the restrooms. If you want to eat on the sponge docks, there are a few restaurants that ive eaten at.. dont go anywhere else but here... you will get raked over the coals a little but mostly the food is great. When you are on the sponge docks doing anything.. always count your change , i dont know what it is with these business owners but i was short changed 3 times in a week so count your change and check your billl for over rings.
(4)Jacqueline B.
Best greek food I have ever had. My bf never ate greek food, so I was excited and ordered a bunch of different items for him to try. We started with the aveglemono soup, which was EXACTLY as I remembered getting from this old tiny greek place near home that closed down. We then got the sampler platter...gyro meat was terrific, mousaka was really yummy. He LOVED the stuffed grape leaves. Tried greek beer for the first time. Everything EXCELLENT. Our waitress was AWESOME!! I little rough around the edges but in a loving way. She was really great. I really enjoy that this is such a proud culture. We were visiting family in Holiday, FL and stumbled upon this great little town. Actually ate a couple different greek places because I couldnt get ENOUGH!! Stopped at the bakery and got a little sampler of different things. The bakliva was SOOOO good, literally the best I EVER had!! I went back in before we left town and got a dozen pieces to fly back to PA with!!
(5)Hernan G.
Delicious food. Great sevice, but never ever order french fries. All the rest was excellent. Best greek restaurant in area.
(5)Greg S.
Get the combo dinner
(4)Livelifehappy L.
Saganaki! Opppppppaaaaaaa! First time here! Amazing! The wait staff is the most memorable in my opinion... Beautiful men! What a great strategy this owner has. Yes, the women flock into this 1/2 restaurant 1/2 bakery. Delicious! David our server was exceptional! And gorgeous! He was professional, a perfect gentleman, knew how to suggest items on the menu and was very attentive. I went to Greece last year on vacation and Hellas by far is true authentic Greek cuisine! Better than in Greece! If you're in Tarpon Springs it's a must see! Try it! You won't be disappointed! Take a picture... It'll last longer! ;)
(4)Stefanie F.
While visiting the Greek area of Tarpon Springs, the family and I decided to check Yelp reviews for a good Greek restaurant. Hellas was at the top of the list and had the most reviews. I suppose you can say that they're the most popular and have taken over the area -- they even have another smaller cafe just a few doors down. The food was pretty solid. I'm not a Greek food expert though so it could have been terrible compared to other restaurants in the area. I really enjoyed the spanikopita. I also sampled the souvlaki -- not too bad. The pork was pretty good. What really stood out was the hummos -- it was really delicious. It came out on a plate, in two beautiful mounds, with one kalamata olive stuck in the top of each mound. (It really did look like two nicely shaped boobs.) The atmosphere and decor were over the top and cheesy. Shiny, wannabe Greek bling was everywhere. I did enjoy the open air seating though. The server was somewhat short with us. However, she did her job pretty well. We had a decent sized party and nothing was amiss. She was just a tad bit snippy and could have been friendlier. According to the locals, this is the TJ McFunsters of Greek restos in Tarpon Springs. It must be because the giant Spartan sign, and all of that shiny bling attracts tourists in flocks. Next time I visit, I'd probably try a different restaurant.
(3)Guy G.
Good food, over the top atmosphere! Our waiter was great, but on the two trips that I took two of my sons to the restroom I noticed a recurring theme; the staff is not in a hurry to get out of your way (in fact you have to move out of their way, no food in hand just walking). Normally restaurant staff moves over, after all you are their guest. The food is good but the prices are high and the surrounding restaurant are cheaper and presumably of equal quality. The bakery really got me. I purchased four saragli, two koulourakia, two kourabiedes, two bakalava, and a small tsoureki for a grand total of $26. I would go back but only after trying the other surrounding restaurants. In no way do I want to give a bad review (it was good) I would like to try other restaurants especially when they're cheaper.
(4)Erik H.
Enjoyed the Fried Cheese, Gyro, and Greek Salad. Save room for the bakery!
(4)Ray C.
I am really impressed with Hellas Restaurant. This place is very cleaned! The services were really great! I had a great GYROS! Most of the food on menu looked great! The desserts on the side of the restaurant were sooo fancy! The prices are reasonable! This place would be great for taking your friends from out of town to visit the "GREEK TOWN" I enjoyed the enivornment very much!
(4)Cara B.
Still the BEST. GYRO. EVER.
(5)Michelle K.
I've been coming here for as long as I can remember. Obviously, there are loads of Greek restaurants in Tarpon Springs, but Hellas beats them all! Their lamb shank with spaghetti is probably my favorite item on the menu. The lamb is always falling-off-the-bone-tender! The spanakopita and gyros are also standout dishes, but you really can't go wrong with anything you order here. And don't leave without picking out a yummy pastry from the bakery next door!
(5)Eric P.
Delicious Greek food. Undeniably tasty kabobs. I would recommend this place to anyone who is thinking about trying it. You cant go wrong with just about any dish. My favorite was the chicken kabobs. The only reason I didnt give it 5/5 is because the rice was mediocre at best.
(4)Eric C.
One awesome way to tell if a restaurant is good is if has lots of people inside when all their other neighboring competitors have empty dining rooms. Well another way is if it has multiple awesome Yelp reviews. Here's another one for ya! Greek food gooooood. Ordered the hummus & pita bread appetizer. Hummus tasted good, but different from what I am accustomed to. It was funky, in a good sense. I would have devoured it if there was more pita bread! Pork Kabob was tender, but I didn't find it too special. For $16ish, I wouldn't get it again. I ordered the Combination meal ($18). Gyro meat, moussaka, tzatziki, dolmades, pastitsio, rice, grilled vegetables. Very nice platter and I loved all of it. Grilled vegetables were a little too soft for my liking. Baklava to finish it off! Mmmmmmm. Check out the bakery next door, they have TONS of greek food. Overall: Great greek food in the Tampa area! I've had better, but not around this area! So 5*****! Also, on the back of their menu, they provide a history of Tarpon Springs. Read it, I really appreciated learning about how the town came about and why there were so many Greek people around this part of Florida! Aside: When I first saw the sign announcing the town Tarpon Springs, I kept wanting to read it as Tampon Springs. Sigh.
(5)Samantha E.
Absolutely brilliant Greek food as one would expect in Tarpon Springs. My family came here after the Epiphany cross dive one year and we all loved everything we ordered. The staff was attentive, the decor was authentically Greek, and the boy who had got the cross came by afterwards to celebrate with friends. An amazing restaurant which should not be passed up.
(5)Wesley C.
Only had dessert but the baklava cheesecake is phenomenal.
(4)Georges G.
Had dinner at Hella's it was great! Had the Greek salad for one and it was great. My dinner partner has the pastitsio which was excellent. Our waiter was also excellent, very friendly and attentive. The place was packed, but did not have to wait long for our table. Will try it again soon in the near future.
(5)Allie C.
This is strictly for the bakery side, as we did not eat lunch here, but rather came in for lunch desserts. THE BAKLAVA! I was very very very happy girl with my baklava. Thank you. Only grief, it was a very thick piece (which is great) and impossible to cut with the plastic fork and knife given out, and I'm not eating that sticky treat with my hands. But the flavor of the nuttiness was on point. My mother and I also split something they called the "Ec Mac", though when I did a search for it, the name does not come up. It was a Valina custard with a whipped topping on top, and filo dough underneath. It was delicious. Service was friendly and quick, even though they were the busiest place on the strip.
(4)Melissa B.
The absolute best spanikopita I'd ever had. Hellas was a true delight, and I had such a hard time choosing something from the menu that featured traditional Greek food paired with fresh, local seafood. I had my first taste of a gyro here and I find myself craving it again and again, but I can not get them in my area. I look forward to being able to visit Florida and Tarpon Springs again, especially so I can have another meal here!
(4)Corie L.
This place had the best reviews in Tarpon Springs, so I knew we had to try it out on our recent jaunt there. Everything they say is true, but I felt I should mention one thing that just put it over the edge for me - the freakin' potato salad!!!!! We ordered a Greek salad and split it as an appetizer. There I am just minding my own business crunching on my salad when the most delicious, creamy, amazing potato salad just hit me in the taste buds. Seriously, the best I ever had. I thought about asking if I could just bring a tub of it home but when I walked out of the restaurant, I was so stuffed to capacity I decided not to worry about it. The pita and hummus was great, gyro was super and I will be dreaming of the potato salad for years to come.
(5)Janene H.
I've visited this restaurant/bakery on a few different occasions. They have really good Gyros, but in a place like Tarpon Springs with it's large Greek population and heavy competition you would expect as much. The lamb is cooked and seasoned just right and they are stuffed with meat. The bakery we have tried too. All of the desserts sold up and down the street must all be from the same place because they all look and taste the same. So buy from the cheapest place you can. The pastries are OK, but many have that pre-made, canned taste to them. It is still fun to select a variety to take home and try.
(4)Amy N.
Had the hummus app & the chicken k bobs. Wanted a straw to drink the sauce on the k bob plate!! :) Several people in the restaurant had the flamed cheese app. Not sure how it tastes but would try just for the presentation. Took several things home from the bakery to try - all were great!
(5)Jeanine S.
The food is WAY overrated!!! Mediocre at best. I've eaten my share of Mediterranean cuisine & this place ranks quite low on the quality, presentation & flavor Greek food should have. Our server, Peggy was a DOLL!!! Literally she made the meal for me! Mostly for her recommendation for the baklava cheesecake! It was AMAZING!!! Literally perfect! So- don't fall for the Tarpon Spring tourist trap...but do have the baklava cheesecake.
(2)Rachel S.
SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Wonderful. My favorite restaurant on earth!!! Everything is wonderful. Once, when my dad went on a business trip, I demanded he go to Hellas and bring me back food. He picked it up on his way to the airport, flew 6+ hours back home to San Francisco, and that was my dinner. It HEAVEN even though it was more than 7 hours old and cold! Their saganaki is so wonderful and their tiramisu is second to none!
(5)Terry H.
We visited Hellas for dinner this month (July 2012) with a group of nine. We were four adults and five children ages 4 to 10. Most of us adults ordered the lamb pita, which was a special of the day. Nowadays, you see, most pitas in the States are made of a combination beef and lamb. We are not fans. (Long story short, we lived in Europe for seven years and are spoiled with actual Greek food and area always surprised to see the "fake" pita meat here in the US.) Anyway, we were excited to get the opportunity to eat authentic style pitas for the first time in 10 years. The kids ordered the following; chicken strips and fries, Greek Spaghetti, and fried fish sandwich minus the bread per our request. They all ate their food, enjoying it with zero complaints and all smiles. One little one spilled her water all over the table and the wait staff reacted extremely quick and took care of it. I was impressed. The adult plates arrived and we all enjoyed the pitas very much. It is still not as great as what we ate overseas, but it was a perfect start. We all loved the tzatziki sauce, using it for our pitas, dipping our fries in it, and adding it to our feta cheese appetizer. We asked for extra sauce, it was so great. Hellas is also famous for their deserts. Over 100 and if the other 95 are anything like the five we bought, you will be amazed and impressed.
(4)Elena S.
Every time we go to Hellas we order a Greek Salad, Grilled Octopus, Saganaki, and Grilled Pita with different sauces! Food is always fresh and delicious :-) And, of course, we never leave the restaurant without a couple of deserts!!!
(5)Mark A.
It's not hard to land really good Greek food in Tarpon Springs. And this place is always at the top of our list. The Gyro is the best. The sampler plate is always perfect with plenty to take home. The Sangrias are good (although sometimes not heavy enough). My love is the Grouper a la Hellas. What is already an excellent fish, they know how to do just right. We always stop at the bakery after dinner for take-home deserts. Service...always consistent, never had a bad experience. Everyone from our 5 year old to out-of-town guests fall in love with the place.
(5)Anastasios Z.
Very good food at the restaurant. I ate a gyro which was great. The pastries are good but not great.
(4)Akeem W.
Interesting place I like the all blue inside. The waiter was not nice or helpful at all...I asked for diced tomatoes and he seriously just stared at me like im crazy and did not say a word(when the Gyro arrived it did have the tomato diced but still just a weird guy) Also never came and asked if we wanted refills came to the table right next to ours and checked them I believe two times and never asked us,I had to say HEY! to get a refill. The gyro was big though I did enjoy myself none the less, the gf thought it was just okay though...
(3)Mitch L.
I came here to get a Gyro and compare it to the others I have had in Tarpon Springs. It was really good. I will have to come back and try something different next time. The atmosphere is really great and the service is the best here!!!!! Right on the sponge docks. You will love this place!!!!!!
(5)Jessie F.
One of MANY Greek restaurants on Dodecanese Blvd, we visited this one because of the very positive reviews. The food was very authentic but it seemed as if they were trying to pull off a more of an upscale dining. The decor was outdated and the formally dressed servers were out of place for the area. A toned down more casual atmosphere would have been more welcoming. Most of the traditional Greek entrees start at $13 and the Combination platter is about $20. I opted for the Gyro as it was $8, although I would have like to try the other food. The saganaki was delicious and another from our table enjoyed a pastry and Greek salad. I think any of the other Greek restaurants on the street would have been just as good and maybe have a better atmosphere that was more suited to the touristy street.
(3)Philip P.
This was our first visit to Hellas. Our waiter, Kevin, was wonderful. Our food was outstanding. The gyro was incredibly delicious! Would definitely come back!
(5)Surly M.
Great seafood! Broiled octopus; pan fried lightly battered grouper; trio of shrimp, scallops and cod were all delicious. Lamb shank spaghetti also was good. They even had taramosalata, skordalia and horta! Haven't had this since Greece. The portions were huge and service was great.
(4)Anthony A.
Great place! Great portions. Nice Greek Restaurant feel. Prices are very good for the food they serve and the amount. Yeah, once and awhile you'll get and old-timer Greek Waiter that gives you the cold shoulder. But it's rare. I always found the service very good. Food and Bakery are the best in Tarpon. Try it folks, Gyro Platter is the bomb!
(5)Jakeline S.
Great service, very friendly; got seated quickly, and the food was great!
(5)Wendy C.
It's hard not to be touristy when the restaurant is located in the middle of the touristy main drag of a touristy town. But give Hellas credit for putting out tasty food that reminds me of good eats in Greece. They have the best Broiled Octopus in Tarpon Springs, by far.
(4)Joe P.
The food here is amazing. The gyro is huge. We ordered a combination plate that had different varieties on it and all were excellent.
(5)Maureen P.
Nice atmosphere and decor in the restaurant. Food was just OK. The greek salad had way too much dressing for me but I did enjoy the potato salad underneath it. The gyro meat was not seared enough. Margaritas were tasty. I did not try the bakery items but they did look delicious.
(3)Bobby K.
As I comb through Yelp to review all the places we hit on vacation--because while in Florida I kept checking Yelp for recommendations and it didn't seem as actively used down there as I'm used to in my northern urban haunts--I find myself giving four star reviews to places where my initial response was "Are they serious?" all because of the quality of the food. Hellas is no exception to this rule. Ignore the gaudy blue lights, disjointed techno music and imposing staff and you'll have a great time. The combination platter and gyro platter were both great, with plenty left over for us to take home and eat the next day. We also picked up some pastries from the adjoining bakery which were also good. The old harbor part of Tarpon Springs is a real experience and you can't go wrong with the Greek food at Hellas. Seriously.
(4)Philip K.
I regularly drive 45 minutes out of my way to eat here. Great Greek food....the gyro is the best I've had anywhere.
(5)Jared And Daisy T.
Nothing says OPA better than Hellas! Having grown up near a rather large Greek community in Chicago, the lady of our party here was definitely skeptical until the first round of saganaki was brought out. With a single bite, her face softened and she instantly proclaimed this to be the best saganaki she'd ever had. Now on to the gyros. The perfect combo of lamb/beef and spices made this gyro so succulent, it was almost a shame to eat the entire thing -- but when it was done, all we could say was "Why didn't we save some for later?" All whining aside, Hellas makes some of the best Greek food outside of the islands itself. If Papapoulias ever graces Tarpon Springs with his presence, it would serve him and his people well to make sure they stop at Hellas.
(5)Dan J.
We went here for dessert and coffee and couldn't have been more pleased. This is one of the best (if not the best) restaurants in Tarpon Springs! Go, and you will not be disappointed.
(5)Beth F.
Our Scene: Its a sunny, humid, middle of the week day in Tampa FL. Beth T and companion are sitting around doing nothing. Me (beth t): I'm bored. Companion: Me too. Let's do something. Me: OK. What? Companion: I dunno. Me (brilliant idea flashing): Let's try this sponge dock place in Tarpon Springs. Companion: OK. As they drove to the sponge docks located on Dodcanese blvd. they became hungry. The sponge shopping didn't help so they stopped in a little restaurant with mediterranean murals all over the walls. Me: This looks good, you like Greek food? Companion: sure, why not Oh the amazingly oily greek salad with potato salad underneath! Oh the pita and fresh hummus! Oh the perfectly spiced gyros with french fries! Oh the sweet sweet baklava! Me: Yum Companion: Yeah Entirely satiated and satisified they moved on down Dodacense Blvd. to shop for more sponges - one can never have enough - And ........SCENE.
(5)Paul S.
If you love Greek food, it's best to go to a restaurant whose name you can't pronounce. That's why I recommend Hella's (which, according to my server, is pronounced "Hull-AHS.") Of course. Anyway, having grown up around Tarpon Springs, I learned Greeks are really good at two things--letting you know they're Greek, and making food. And the food is really, really good here. I highly recommend you order a tray of assorted spreads, which includes warm pita triangles and three different dips--hummus, tzatziki, and roasted red pepper & feta. They're equally delicious--good luck choosing a favorite. The Greek salad is excellent, and if you still have room for one of their colassal gyros, you should probably order one of those too, you fat glutton. After your meal, don't forget to check out their adjoining Greek bakery. It's pretty expensive, but worth browsing. It's also fun to point to the glass, look at the baker, and ask, "How much is this Chocolate Kok? It looks soooo delicious!"
(5)Emily J.
5 STARS! Yummo. Best greek food and bakery I have had this side of the pond! Just looking at the glass displays is enough to make me feel like I am back in Santorini, especially considering the over-the-top decor and service. There isn't really much more that I can say except GO. oh, and BAKLAVA!
(5)David L.
Our third or fourth time to Hella's in the last few years. Never disappoints. The service was great and the food was even better. It's hard to go wrong on the menu, but this time I went for the Pork Gyro. The Greek Salad is an absolute must. We came in with four adults and five children. They found us a spot near the back out of the way. The kid's meals were reasonably priced $4.99 which included a drink. I highly recommend Hella's if you're in or near Tarpon Springs. BONUS: they have thier own parking lot behind the restaurant - they will validate with your meal. Makes life much easier when it is busy down by the sponge docks.
(4)Christopher S.
I had been to four other restaurants in Tarpon...all Greek. Finally, I cam to Hellas. Our server, George, was outstanding and added to our pleasurable time there. I love Greek spices so I asked him for suggestions. He made one emphatically....Lamb Shank! I started with Saganaki, the great flaming cheese, followed by a tasty Greek House salad, and then, of course, the Lamb Shank! I must tell you that the atmosphere at Hellas is 100% Greek! In my 6 years living in Greece, I had made countless trips to local restaurants, and this one really made me feel like I was back in one of them. Simply put, everything was excellent. GET THE LAMB SHANK! :) If you are a wine enthusiast, You won't be overwhelmed but then Greece is known for good table wines and very few fine world class wines. But then with all the good food, all I needed was a good table wine! Hellas also has a wonderful Bakery next door....save room, it will be worth it! Overall, it is my fave Greek place to eat for a traditional Greek Sunday dinner...and anytime, I'm craving the country flavor! Yes, this is the Greek bomb! Did I mention my profile photo is of me sucking down the wine at Hellas! OPA!
(4)Marty A.
Stopped in for lunch before we headed off to a Phillies spring training game. Nicely decorated restaurant. Staff is attentive and friendly. Wife and I had the chicken souvlaki for lunch. Very tasty. would recommend.
(4)Mitchell M.
When in Tarpon Springs Greek food is in, and when reading reviews it seems Hellas is the place. After being greeted by a very polite hostess we were seated and given a waitress who was a lot less polite then the hostess who sat us, although showing glimpses of being a good server all around service was pretty poor. Food came out quickly. The hummus was very good and I ordered the gyro platter, which comes with rice and veggies. The meat on the platter was overcooked and dry but the veggies and rice were delightful. Other members in my party tried the Spanikopita and souvlaki both were very good with the best dish by far being the souvlaki. The meat was very tender and flavorful. If i were to come back i would order the souvlaki, but i think in my return to tarpon i will try another Greek restaurant.
(2)Melissa G.
Food was good, very fast delivery. Good service, nice ambiance. Didn't like that the menu wasnt flexible - you can't change your side dishes. I asked about side salad portions of Greek salad and server said people ask for that all the time but they don't do that here. Seems like good business to do what your customers request, especially with many other Greek restaurants on the block.
(4)Sally S.
To me Hellas is just about the best Greek spot around. The food is always made fresh and tastes like authentic Greek food and the atmosphere and ambiance are exactly as they should be. The last time I dined at Hellas our server was wonderful and he was in his 60's or 70's. He made us feel like family and really went above and beyond. We had the flaming cheese, a cold plate (octopus was to die for) and a dinner combination platter. We had ton's of food to take home and enjoy later and it was just so fantastic that I've been craving it since I was there last. In my opinion no other place compares to Hellas. The one thing I will say though is that all the Greek places serve basically the same Gyro cone, it's made by Kronos and is a staple at all the places. What sets Hellas apart though is their other items including their fresh made pita, tzatziki sauce and wonderful other items. Also their grape leaves are a must have. You won't regret going to Hellas.
(5)Jody R.
Picked this place after reading the reviews. The main restaurant is nothing special, IMO. The greek salad was pretty good, but it was clearly the highlight of our meal. Neat, kitcshy atmosphere, but they pack you in and the food is overpriced. The bakery attached is the only reason I would ever come here again, so save yourself the overpriced meal and get dessert. My wife ordered a meal and pointed to it, but got something else served to her. Perhaps my rating is jaded by the atmosphere of area -- people bugging you to take a boat ride, visit their store, etc. It's not my scene and way too touristy. So, I was looking for Hella's to take me away from that and I feel like they tried to take advantage of us instead. I will not be returning unless I'm with a group that insists on going here.
(2)El B.
Hellas has great food but it's hard to concentrate with all the greek kitsch. I enjoyed watching the older ladies wearing bedazzled greek fisherman's hats and Tarpon Springs t-shirts. It is a large restaurant but jam packed with tables and very busy. Once you get past that you can enjoy yourself. We ordered a combination spanakopita (filo dough, spinach, feta cheese) and tiropita (filo dough, feta, and ricotta) plate which was tasty and big enough from two to share. We also had the Horiatiki Salad (Garden fresh tomato wedges, cucumbers, onions, green peppers, Greek olives, feta cheese with house dressing), always good. The tzatziki was good although it was made with sour cream instead of yogurt giving it a thicker consistency and different flavor. We ordered one other thing which never arrived. The staff was very apologetic. My brother and I are vegetarians so combo plates and salads to order made it a nice lunch. We were stuffed...but not stuffed enough for sweets. The highlight of the meal was going over to the attached Greek and French bakery and ordering up some greek coffee and Kourambiethes (shortbread cookie dusted with powdered sugar). If that doesn't put a smile on your face, I don't know what will! You can mail order many of their pastries. ( hellasbakery.com )
(4)Ben C.
My favorite Greek Resturaunt in Tarpon Springs and this is my favorite. I do go classic when visiting Hellas. I start off with Saganaki, some Avgolemono Soup and a Gyro. Delicious! Dessert, well that varies, I always start off with Baklava and grab something to go. The staff is always friendly and eager to serve. When going to the Sponge Docks make this your place!
(5)Daniella S.
Don't come here on a diet. This makes me sad because I am on a diet and I can't eat here. Bustling, crowded, loud Hella's is a Greek food mecca. They have the absolute BEST Greek salad ANYWHERE. I'm sure the only better Greek salad is in Greece itself! I've been told by many Greek people that it is as authentic as Greek food gets in Florida. They make unbelievable shrimp dishes here too. If you are a fan of seafood, Hella's is the place! But everything is full of cheese and oil. It's not a good place for anyone who is watching their figure. But it is a great place to come to if you have a pass for a day or a special occasion splurge. I won't even mention the adjacent bakery and their delicious napoleons and cheesecakes! Of course, if you do eat at Hella's you can always walk it off around the sponge docks and do some shopping at the great little stores.
(5)Gina C.
This a a fantastic bakery & restaurant along a strip of MANY Greek restaurants in Tarpon Springs. The food here was fresh, tasty and just perfect after an afternoon on the ocean. I enjoyed the spanikopita, tziki & pita, and saganaki (or better known as Flaming Cheese...whoopa!) =) The pastries are yummy too! The baklava!! Wish I was there right now!
(4)Debi E.
Had the pleasure of enjoying my favorite meal from Hellas today. I was so happy to find that it's still just as delicious as it has always been! Thank you Hellas for not changing the flavors, and staying consistent. :o)
(5)Lori B.
Delicious food, reasonably priced, wonderful friendly service.
(5)Courtney M.
We recently decided to take a day-trip to Tarpon Springs, and the first thing I thought was "MUST find outstanding Greek food." After doing a lot of Yelp-search, I settled on Hellas - and boy, am I glad I did. As we approached I saw a massive stream of people right outside the entrance and started to worry that we were going to have a wait on our hands but it must have just been sidewalk traffic, as we were able to walk in and be seated right away. We were initially seated at a table inconveniently located right next to the servers' order terminal in the main dining room (when I say 'right next to', I mean you could literally move your arm the wrong way and smash your elbow into the computer, the pole the computer was mounted on, or the server entering an order into the computer). When our server approached the table, we explained that we were really uncomfortable, particularly the person in our party who had servers practically breathing down the back of his neck the entire time he was sitting there, asked if it would be possible to move to a less-crowded area, and pointed toward a nearby section with some empty tables. She didn't seem pleased, and basically told us, "go seat yourselves," so we carried our menus over and sat at the new table. Within seconds of sitting down, we were greeted by our new server - I believe her name was Maren. She was great. She went out of her way to tell us about all the different items on the menu, and when we had a hard time deciding, she suggested that we start with the Greek Salad for One, which she said was more than enough for three people. The Greek salad was delicious, and there was a scoop of potato salad at the bottom - which sounds strange, but it was really the best part! We also got a big basket of warm, fresh-baked bread to hold us over until our orders arrived. I ordered the spanakopita/tiropita combination platter, which was served with rice pilaf, Greek-style potatoes, the vegetable of the day (green beans and stewed tomatoes), and the fresh fruit of the day (watermelon). Maren suggested that I try the tzatziki sauce with my spanakopita, and I figured I'd give it a shot. While they do charge you extra for a side of the sauce, it did give it a nice little kick. However, while she swore that once I tried it I'd never go back to plain ol' spanakopita again, I think I'd take the original any day of the week. Overall, it was a very tasty dish, although next time I think I will stick with spanakopita and skip the tiropita - tooooo much cheese for me. The other diners in my party elected to go with the Greek standby, the gyro. While I'm not a lamb-eater, they looked fantastic. Large portions all around, and definitely tons to bring home. All this food wasn't too hard on our wallets, and left us with plenty of money to visit the bakery nextdoor...it offers a huge selection, and will have your mouth watering as you stare into the different display cases. I highly recommend the Greek cannoli and the double chocolate kok - as awkward as it is to order the kok, the taste makes the awkwardness well worth it! I can't wait to visit Hellas again!
(5)Scott L.
The best Greek food I have ever had. Fresh authentic food, comfortable atmosphere, reasonable prices, huge portions and great service. You cannot visit the Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks without enjoying a meal at Hellas or at least visiting their bakery and enjoying one of the best freshly baked pastries you will ever eat.
(5)Theresa M.
The Greek food is Amazing! Great portions. Love the Greek salad. The bakery was my favorite with all the baklava and other treats. Espresso was rich and creamy.
(5)J D.
Nice place but food quality was less than expected. Not superior to Greek food I have had in many other places in Florida, NYC,etc
(2)ryan w.
The food was good, but you would expect it to be 5-star. I'd eat there again if it was in my neighborhood but I wouldn't drive out of the way. I've had much better greek in place around the country.
(3)Leo B.
We heard that there was great Greek restaurants in Tarpon and man they weren't kidding! Everything we had was wonderful from the tastiest Saganaki (Opa!) to the greatest chicken soulvaki ever. Great tzaziki sauce too. The desserts... oh the desserts were out of this world! I had the baklava/cheesecake which was amazing. Hella's is a must.
(5)RG S.
Not a large vegetarian selection, but the vegetarian pita was great. (The pita bread was remarkable.) I liked the atmosphere. We took home some fine Greek cookies from the attached bakery. I would look forward to eating here again.
(4)David B.
The best Greek place in Tarpon Springs. The Horiatiki salad is great, the only time I have had a better one was in Greece. Pretty much anything on the menu is great! You can keep it simple with Gyro or Chicken Souvlaki. My wife and I usually get the combo platter and split it and we throw in some Baklava for dessert.
(5)Deke K.
Best Greek restaurant in Tarpon Springs. Great authentic decor, enthusiastic waiters, inside and outside dining. Love the avgolemono (lemon chicken orzo) soup. All the Greek entries are delish. If you want the big show, order the flaming cheese dish. This is a great part of my Sponge Dock memories and reoccurring routine!
(5)Patti S.
Hellas is a decent restaurant across from the sponge dock in Tarpon Springs. The food is average for the primarily Greek restaurants in the area. The best reason to eat there is the ambiance....they have an open-air seating area. If you want the best Greek food, this is not the place to go. The gyro meat is not even made on the premises. I would say this is mostly for the tourists who don't know better. As a Tarpon Springs resident, I do not go here. If you want better food (and more food) for better prices and don't care about the open-air seating, go to Plaka's three doors down. They are only place at the docks who make their own Gyro meat. Family run, nice people, great food. From a local!!!
(3)erica p.
Don't get the three stars wrong: if you're craving greek food, go here. But know that your good food is being served up in a place oozing with tourist kitsch charm. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Dinner was great and the staff was friendly. It was packed and yet dinner was efficient. So, the three stars are to say that this was a solidly good place to eat, just not the most amazing place ever. And do get something from the bakery - delicious goodies abound!
(3)Joe C.
Great authentic greek food. The gyros are the best I've ever had. The greek salad is very good as well. But the real treat is the bakery attached to the restaurant. Great cannolis (both Italian and Greek), awesome baklava and excellent cheesecakes as well. Opa!
(5)Vanessa Z.
I love Hella's. It is always a good time & great food!
(5)jackie s.
tarpon springs is a little out of the way, but don't miss it, a great little greek village, in florida and hellas is a great greek restaurant in the village. i don't know what to say, is the food or the service better/ both are superb, and bring a big appetite, with a small wallet. go hungry, leave happy. ps try the fried cheese app.
(5)Michelle G.
Amazing Greek food! Finally felt like i was back in Greece. I missed the Mythos beer, Greek coffee, and delicious food and now i found it again. Try the broiled octopus and the desserts were great too. Can't wait to go back!
(5)Fred B.
I have lived in Florida six years and have eaten at Hellas at least 40 times!!!!! WE drive two hours each way to experince the best restaurant in Florida!!! The wait staff is always friendly and excellent!!!! I can say that every meal is a wonderful experince and that I look forward to my trip to Tarpon Springs and this fantastic Restaraunt and Bakery!!!
(5)Ashley K.
I've been to Hellas Restaurant twice. The first time I had some kind of fish, which was solidly good, but nothing to write home about. The second time I had their specialty, the Gyro. This was amazing. My fiance had some fried shrimp which were great too. It's really nice to sit outside and people watch at night here. The real gem, however, is the bakery that is attached. Definitely try the baklava napoleon and the tiramisu napoleon. The regular tiramisu was good too. Plenty more to try here but I'll have to wait until next visit.
(4)Tu-van L.
A great home Greek experience with good food and great atmosphere by the sponge docks of Tarpon Springs. To get the Greek experience, you must get their feta flamed (flambe'-ed?) with the ouzo - opa!
(4)Justin E.
I've been here a handful of times, going back more than ten years. I really enjoyed this place when I was younger, and even bringing my wife here to eat and stop by the bakery (which is amazing, everything you pick you will probably like). But the past few times I've been to Hella's, the quality has declined and the service has just dropped off. The last time, we were basically at the mercy of this low-talking, creepy old guy waiter who anxiously served the Greek party next to us, and kindly ignored us most of our meal. I've never been so close to walking out. On top of that, the food was just okay. Souvlaki here is not good as souvlaki I've had at Mr. Souvlaki's and elsewhere in the area. Don't waste your money on the up charge for the ridiculous atmosphere, just check out the bakery and head elsewhere. We are going to try a different Greek restaurant next time we head up to Tarpon Springs. I'm not willing to give Hella's any more second chances.
(1)Michael S.
Decent place, good gyro, egg lemon soup was just ok. The whole main street seems like a tourist trap, but Hellas seems a little less so.
(3)Bob B.
A favorite restaurant of mine. Whenever I travel for business to St. Petersburg, I always make the trip up to Tarpon Springs. Food and service is always pretty good, and the whole area is unique.
(5)Melody T. E.
eat everything you can it is all good. try to go when they are not bursting at the seams crowded which is most of the time. the food rules greek salad is a must so are the gyros and dont get me started on the lamb or that flaming cheese. we starve a good part of the day then come here over order deliberately to have a doggy bag for the next day. then go next door to the bakery for coffee and desserts and we get a box to go there too. yummy yummy THIS IS WHAT TARPON SPRINGS IS ALL ABOUT. NOT FAR FROM THE TOWN'S GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH IS A PRIVATELY OWNED CHAPEL BUILT BY A MOTHER FOR HER ILL CHILD A MUST FOR THE RELIGIOUS. ACROSS THE STREET ON BOTH STREETS ARE NICE SOUVENIER SHOPS. THE ONE ON THE SAME SIDE ALWAYS HAS YOUR GREEK EVIL EYE STUFF. I LOVE TARPON SPRINGS IT IS WONDERFUL. VISIT DURING A GREEK FESTIVAL TO TAKE IN THE GREEK FLORIDA WAY OF LIFE. HELLAS BAKERY IS WHERE MOST OF YOUR DESSERTS IF NOT ALL COME FROM SO GO STRAIGHT TO THE SOURCE EVERYTIME.
(5)Colm O.
There are a lot of restaurants in Tarpon Springs, so it's a great place to visit if you like Greek food. We went to Hellas for lunch and the restaurant was busy, always a good sign. We enjoyed Salad, Hummus, Gyros and Souvlaki - all were really good plus our waitress Sasha was excellent. Highly recommend Hellas, and it's gorgeous bakery next door.
(4)Michael C.
A most exceptional meal. Excellent saganaki followed by two delicious entrees- lamb shank, which fell off the bone as it should, and shrimp Hellas, breaded with exquisite spices. The killers- a baklava martini (what?) and baklava cheesecake. A must In the area!
(4)Danielle W.
A must stop in Tarpon Springs! Exceptional greek food. Fantastic service and the cutest bakery!
(4)trish h.
Best Gyro!!! Super big! Chicken soup needs a little lemon though it's a tad bland but you can tell its fresh. Server was super friendly.
(5)Suzanne W.
I have been coming here for over 10 years. This is the to go place if you want Greek food. The owners actually own a few other restaurants in town. Everything is always fresh, cooked perfectly, and service is always on point. Many days there is a wait but they get you in pretty quickly. Save room for desert because with a bakery next door its hard to resist. Some of the favorites are the broiled octopus, greek platter (combination of greek food and enough for 2!), and gyro. All top notch.
(5)Brian H.
We've never been to Greece, but Hellas is fantastic! Whenever we make a trip to Tarpon Springs, we are sure to stop here!
(5)Barry O.
Good for lunch a little on the Greek tourist side. Grew up with Greeks and been to Greece so I am a little more on picky side. Family Greek salad was large to share but used iceberg lettuce - never used in Greece. Gyro was big and good. Tiropita was good but not great.
(3)Dylan D.
Great food. The Greek salad with potato salad was awesome. My daughters fried shrimp were huge and great.
(5)Cindy A.
The bakery would get 6 stars if that was an option. First review where everyone in the group agreed to all the stars we could give and all the dishes were so good we could not decide which was best.
(5)Brooke K.
My husband and I recently moved to Tampa from Spring Hill. Oddly we have two Greek places in Spring Hill that we love and haven't been able to find any that compare. We were really excited to try Hellas and even a friend of ours says that she loves it. We went on a weekday for lunch and it was busy. We were seated right away but it took our server a while to get to the table. My husband ordered the gyro. I forget the name of what I ordered but it was like a gyro but with chicken. The meat was pretty dry in both of our orders. Neither of us finished our food. The service was slow, though it was pretty busy. Overall I might be willing to try this place again somewhere down the line, but given the abundance of Greek food in Tarpon Springs I definitely would prefer trying out some of the other places first.
(2)Gene D.
This was a really pleasant surprise after our bad experience in the bakery. Our server was wonderful! She was attentive and never let my glass get empty without bringing a refill. The Greek salad was spectacular and the flaming cheese with bread is a new favorite. We will definitely be back... But we will avoid the bakery.
(5)J.P. H.
Outstanding food and experience! The gyro was as big as my head and that is saying something. Also the desserts are wonderful and the Greek canole was marvelous.
(5)Cassie C.
This food was great. We started with the saganaki (flaming cheese). I've tried a lot of cheese and this was just divine- salty. To taste a variety, we then followed w the combo platter. Everything was delicious. This was one of those scenarios where we couldn't decide on a bad one, let alone our favorite.
(5)D K.
Great service, great food, and an atmosphere that makes you feel you may be somewhere other than Central Florida.
(4)Lindsey S.
My best friend had never tried Saganaki before, so we drove to the sponge docks in search of this delectable dish and decided to try Hella's. All we wanted was the Saganaki and a dessert, so I was a little worried that we wouldn't get a warm reception from the wait staff. The worries were unwarranted. Not only was the hostess very friendly, she also gave us multiple options for seating. We ended up choosing a high top close to the bar. Our server was very cordial, but I got a vibe from her like we weren't as important because we weren't eating a standard dinner. She would check on us, but it was in a rushed manner. I felt like we were a low priority to her. The food itself was very good. Our Saganaki actually tasted better than the place I'd had it from the night before. My baklava was also spot on, but that's to be expected from a restaurant that has a bakery attached. Who knows? Maybe I'll come back for a full meal sometime.
(3)Sandy W.
Fabulous place with darling decor! Server was very attentive. Our meal was delicious and the selection of Sangrias were countless I had the best Gyro ever! Their bakery items are to die for. Too many sweets to choose from.
(5)D B.
What a wonderful and unique experience. This was an excellent excursion. Wonderful food. Great service! The dessert bar/bakery is worth the trip by itself. Wide menu variety, so there are many choices for everyone. For the kids- hot dogs etc. this place specializes in Greek food, and there are many choices. For the Greek food afficuinado, to the novice. It was excellent! This is a Can't talk. Will call or text later miss spot if you are near Tarpon Springs. Do not miss the amazing bakery! This is a popular spot, so expect to wait a bit. The wait for us was not unreasonable. 5 people, we waited about 10 minutes. So worth the wait.
(5)Magnus D.
Was here for lunch on business. Well-run Greek restaurant with lots of blue and white everywhere. I thought that staff was extremely well-trained, knowledgeable and focused on their jobs (more like riveted on them). This place is run with military precision. Lots of tourists dining here and lots of platters being set aflame. Very clean. Not upscale, but Spartan-like. Seemed like a good Greek menu with lots of selection. My colleagues ate vegetarian and thought their food was great, while I had the broiled grouper (a bit overcooked and dry, I thought). Tables near us were served some things I'd like to try sometime: whole broiled snapper; flaming cheese, and the like. It was okay and they did lots of things right, but nothing set me afire. I'll try it again, but am not in a hurry to get back.
(3)Richard M.
Butter should be room temp but the bread is fantastic! Feta and Greek pepper was a little pricey for the size but good Need pitted olives Gyro and Mousaka were good portions The food was excellent the sides were ok Will come back
(3)Damaris G.
Great experience! Food was great and the service was exceptional. Definitely try the octopus and fried cheese. The Greek fries were a great surprise.
(5)Barbara S.
I finally made it to Hellas! The fact that I've kept it in mind for years tells you two things: 1. I am lazy. 2. Everyone talks about, therefore it is always embedded in my head. The food was fantastic. Our table ordered the chicken souvlaki, combination platter, Greek salad, burger (yeah, there was one weirdo), and a side of dolmades. All delicious. They were kind enough to allow me to purchase the side of dolmades despite it not being on the menu as a side. They were served with a lemon sauce and had a lot of meat inside. I am used to always having them without sauce and with mostly rice - this was a surprising and delicious change. I enjoyed the decor and artwork on the walls and ceiling, and the fact that the AC felt great despite us sitting close to the outside opening was superb. Service was fast and friendly (except waiting for a waiter to initially be assigned to us - "Hi! Yes, we're still over here!"). Lots of looking at us and no one coming over. Once one of them did he was great. We were STUFFED so no desert, but we must come back to try the bakery. Oh em gee so many huge and beautifully crafted treats.
(4)Mike B.
Favorite greek place in Tarpon Springs. Love the fried cheese and the Gyro's.
(4)Faye M.
Order Chicken kabobs for me and Seafood Combo for my husband it is delicious! We we're just driving by to see what's Downtown Tarpon Springs looks like and then I saw this place busy inside so we came in for dinner. It's a little pricey but it's great food. Check the Bakery, can't leave without buying something :-) We will be back soon!
(5)Celeste R.
Best Saganaki ever, you must try!! I always make time to visit Hellas when I am in the Tampa area. This last visit I had the opportunity to meet the owner who was behind the bar visiting with guests. As always a great experience with good food and friendly service.
(5)Vessa V.
Great restaurant!! I didn't give it 5 starts because some of the items are overpriced. We had the gyros and the dolmades and both were excellent. Fast service and overall a good experience.
(4)Alex R.
I was taking an afternoon trip and found this restaurant. Voted one of the Best Tampa Bay Restaurants in 2013. We started with some delicious bread. As an appetizer we had the Saganaki, imported flamed cheese. It was so good. It was if I had stepped into a cheesy dream. Then Hellas famous gyro arrived, this thing was a monster in size and a monster in flavor. Bottom line Hellas Greek Restaurant is an amazing place with great authentic Greek cuisine. If you are ever in The Clearwater area, take a drive to Tarpon Springs and enjoy this exquisite place.
(5)Jason E.
I was not very impressed. For starters, since when is tzatziki made with sour cream? The rice pilaf tasted like it was minute rice and the vegetables were seconds away from being pureed. If you don't know what real Greek tastes like, you'll like this place.
(2)Sofia D.
I'm giving Hellas a 3 because It's the number of things that are good to order there that are close to authentic or just plain worth ordering to me. #1 their Broiled Octopus is the best in Tarpon Springs. Most Tender, drizzled with olive oil and served with lemon. Squeeze some of that on there, it's a must. I usually order the octopus with Horta(side of Dandelion Greens) and eat that together as a meal. I did notice they raised the price on the octopus a while ago to 14.95, ouch! It used to be 9.95.. Kind of a big Jump there. Makes for a pricey meal when u order another side since it's an appetizer. Puts u in the mid $20 range with no drink, but water. Yeah, haven't ordered that one in a while. Hmph.. #2 the dolmades and the dolmades only, not the sides it comes with. I hate those sides with the rice,veggies and tomato sauce over it. No! Not authentic, I don't know what that is, but it has a rather sweet taste that this Greek does not appreciate. #3 the Gyro... Wait...Not the Gyro on the menu...The Gyro they have on the specials only on Certain days with the REAL lamb slices, not the processed meat on the spit. Maybe, if you're lucky u will catch it one day;-) I can say they also have a good Greek salad, but that is not authentic, it's American made up with potato salad. It's good though, I'm not knocking the invention.. Uh oh, I almost forgot the Saganaki! The Greek Flaming fried cheese, makes for good entertainment Ok,that was 4 things, but Hellas... U are still getting 3 stars, u are definitely worth visiting, but still a tourist trap to me.
(3)Chaitanya K.
Read all the great reviews and decided to give Hellas a try although a couple of locals suggested that my wife and I try out Mykonos instead. Unfortunately, I was majorly disappointed with the food. While out server was excellent and helped us with making our food and drink selections, the food didn't stand up to all the hype. Started with the fried Kalamari which felt a little rubbery but was still the best dish we ordered. I got the fried grouper and my wife got the gyro as our entrees. My fried grouper lacked flavor and felt more like eating fish n chips at a bar. The gyro was gigantic but my wife prefers a few veggies in the gyro and so wasn't overly impressed. Adding that my entree alone cost around 22$, my next dinner stop at Tarpon will be Mykonos.
(2)Jules O.
Enjoyed a delicious Greek salad with huge portions of feta and a delicious potato salad underneath. Greek salad did have iceberg lettuce...but dressing was nice. Nice fresh bread brought to table. Shared a gyro with my daughter - nicely seasoned. Saved room for bakery delights next door. Server was very attentive, however reached across table (pet peeve) and we were seated quickly. I really considered 4 stars, but with lettuce in salad and I requested no onions on gyro and they didn't take them out I chose 3 stars.
(3)Diana K.
This place basically looks like the Greek flag threw up all over it...in a good way! It is kind of like the house at the end of My Big Fat Greek Wedding, with the blue and white, and greek columns all over the place. Yeah, picture that. Regardless, we stopped by here after our tour of the sponge docks. We loved the staff and enjoyed some sangria pitchers and grilled octopus - some of the best that I've had. We also ordered stuffed grape leaves (dolmades). Overall, if you are going to get Greek food in Tarpon Springs, I recommend that you visit this place for the full experience. 4 out of 5 stars.
(4)Wonder Woman V.
Went for dinner. Great reviews. Pricey but food was good so I didn't care. Our waitress!!! Omg!! She repeated our drinks 4 times. Yes coke, diet coke and water. Food came out quickly. She brought our check and then just lingered and lingered and lingered. How uncomfortable. We handed her our credit card. She processed it and brought it back to us explaining what we need to do. Yes thank you I know how to sign my name on the line. She then again lingered and lingered till we signed. My very patient husband was no longer patient. I don't think I've seen him so angry.
(3)Raymonda C.
We visited Hellas 7 years ago and we made a special trip with friends again this year 2014 to relive some of our great memories. We ordered the same exact items the large whole broiled fish, the opa cheese appetizer and the Greek salad. Yummmmm just as we remember it. Delicate flakey and super moist.service was impeccable, friendly and clean. I recommend Hellas if you want good food and experience the Greek culture all together is very charming. Opa
(4)Matt E.
3.5 stars... Came here for a gyro, a dessert, and to try the saganaki app (aka the flaming cheese). Prices are pretty good and the service was very friendly. I initially wanted a seafood platter but with everyone in my party getting gyro's I felt peer pressured into getting the same. I was pleasantly surprised by just how much meat they put in the gyro so I left full. Everyone at the table ordered fries with theirs and they forgot the fries which didn't come out (except for mine) until everyone was finished. The flaming cheese is an imported Greek cheese which they set on fire by the table. When the fire goes out, the waiter squeezes some lemon on top, and you have this melty, salty, lemony, and bubbling hot cheese, how can you go wrong? For dessert I had a hard time picking from their giant selection but ultimately went with a chocolate napoleon. Most desserts are Italian,French,American from my knowledge but whatever, I wasn't going to be getting baklava when there were so many tastier options available. It was described as being filled with chocolate custard which was not the case, it was more like a chocolate mouse which was still good though nothing worth raving about. The thing was certainly a pain to eat but most napoleons are. Lastly the restaurant is beyond tacky with all the blue lights and overall style but as long as that type of touristy disney world vibe doesn't throw you, it's a nice Greek place worth checking out if you're in the Tampa bay area and want to visit the Tarpon Springs area for a Greek experience.
(4)Paul G.
Delicious Greek lamb gyros! Great servers. Ordered gyros and got them in about five minutes. Pretty fast! Be prepared for huge one, lots of meat! Environment is pretty cool!!! Glad they have air conditioned, pretty hot and humid outside. And we ordered few cheesecakes and will try them later tonight.
(5)Nicholas K.
Best gyro I think I've ever had. Stuffed full of enough meat to make two or three gyros and what perfectly prepared gyro meat it was! Wonderful crispy edges and a grilled pita so good! Service was good and food came fairly quickly even though the restaurant was really busy. No complaints. This is a very loud restaurant so be warned if that bothers you but I don't mind it at all. There's even a bit of a show when the cheese appetizers are delivered they light them on fire and yell opa! Also they have a great bakery on the side of the restaurant full of beautiful pastries baklava and bread.
(5)Richard A.
Six of us along with my Grandson (2 years old) went to Hellas on Saturday evening. We had been there many times before. We had a reservation and were seated immediately. The service was excellent. All six of us enjoyed our meals very much. The broidled seafood platters which three of us had were exceptional. The scallops were tend and sweet. The shrimp was excellent and the group was very good. We decided to take out our desert from the bakery and have it at home so that the little guy did not have to stay seated so long. I would highly recommend Hellas. The bakery selections are great as well.
(4)Henderson W.
Hellas has to be the most renowned Greek restaurant in Tarpon these days and for very good reason. It's always bustling because it's so good! I personally feel their Greek salad is the best in the area. One can easily feed two people quite well, especially with a side bowl of the greatest avgolemano soup ever. Some of the avgolemano soups I've had at other places had too much lemon juice, were very astringent-tasting. Theirs has the creamy, comforting, nourishing qualities with the right amount of lemony goodness. The hummus is top notch, as is their pastitsio. And they have the most delicious Greek pastries underneath those long, gleaming glass counters in the bakery attached to the restaurant. A truly memorable experience, each and every time.
(5)Chris W.
This was my first visit and having heard really nothing but good things, I found myself a bit let down. Started with the Saganaki, which was very good. I ordered the Pork Suvlaki and found it to be tender, but really not standing out in flavor. Same with the tzatziki sauce, just kind of bland. I've had this dish at other Greek restaurants, this one just came up short. Dessert was tasty..can't remember the name, but it was basically a giant Ho Ho with chocolate cream. I believe this is the sentiment of our whole party. We've eaten at plenty of Greek restaurants in the St Pete area and have really had better, overall experiences. I would not drive all the way to Tarpon Springs/Sponge Docks to eat here. So the Appy and dessert were good, but the main course, meh... Prices are across the board. You can get a gyro for around $8 to Kabobs for $24. One thing our waiter said that stood out was that they get a lot of old people there....so does that mean the flavors are dialed back for elderly stomachs? It could be that sometimes you just get different places doing the same thing a little differently. No idea on this one. I would say that I would like to explore the entire bakery as the offerings there looked really tasty! If you park behind the restaurant, which we didn't, our waiter said they'd give you a coupon to cover the parking fee. I was torn between 2 and 3 stars on this one.
(2)Karen G.
Awesome bakery..super nice staff..we come here often and always enjoy the food and atmosphere. Check it out..you won't be disappointed! !!!
(5)Rob W.
A really good restaurant at the tourist district. They have all the traditional Greek foods, all very well done. They have been here for many years and know what they are doing. The pastries are some of the best in town.
(4)Reid I.
Went to Tarpon springs wit my girlfriends cousin. He wanted to show me around the area and I was amazed that there was a town like this in Tampa. Great street to walk around. He wanted to take me to Hellas and after I ate I know why. The restaurant was packed but didn't have to wait to get seated. I ordered the Pork Souvlaki which came with a greek salad. The pork was very tasty and tender. I enjoyed my meal and would like to come again to try something else. Also picked up some desserts next door at the bakery. The greek canoli was delicious.
(4)Jason B.
The best specialty bakery around. We always get the Neapolitan desert to go. Best Gyro and Chicken Soulvaki anywhere at the best price. Dine in is a nice experience and the staff are top notch. I been going here for decades and take friends and family when they visit for the first time. Always get the flaming cheese if you bring someone for the first time... OPA!!!
(5)Barb B.
Wow! I was visiting the area and found this place through yelp so thought I'd give it a shot. Had the coolest waiter, friendly, attentive, just perfect service overall. We ordered the lemon chicken orzo soup which was simply amazing. The gyro was indeed one of the best I've ever had. The meat wasn't greasy like at other places and it was so big! I'll warn you this is not first date food. It's big, full of onions and a little messy with the great tzatziki sauce. But if you're past that first date and trying to make a good impression then come here and order their big Gyro, you won't be disappointed. I'm still thinking about it. Hella's, I wish you weren't four hours away or I'd be there right now!! Mmmm... Mmmmm...and don't even get me started on the desserts! They have a full Bakery for you to check out.
(5)Joe M.
Good food, mashed potatoes used in dishes as filler I guess. Food is family recipes. I have been to Greece several times and mashed potatoes is not in the cuisine. I will go back. We had 6 different dishes and all were good.
(4)Julie R.
My family and I went here based on the high stars and were incredibly disappointed. First, service was bad. It took forever to just get our drinks, and when they were served, the waitress handed them to us by gripping the top of the glass, which is unsanitary. Second, the food was awful. We each got a gyro and it was the worst I've ever had. The pitas had so much butter on them which is completely unnecessary. And the tzatziki sauce was flavorless. Overall, I would never come back.
(2)Johanna S.
We just had salads, but they were nothing to write home about.we had a feisty waitress and the sweet tea was delicious however we would try another venue next time.
(3)Bunny N.
Awesome place! The sangria was soo perfect on a warm sunny afternoon. We got a pitcher of it which was good for about 4 or 5 glasses worth. It was delicious. The gyro was really big that I wouldn't even finish all of it. It was stuffed with lamb and all the good stuff. For the appetizer, we got that cheese where they fire it up. Fun stuff! Service was great- the lady who served us was wonderful and sweet. First time going to Tarpon Springs and it won't be the last time going to Hellas!
(5)Desiree D.
The decor of this place is great. There is always something to look at. It is very blue and white and silver...and has landscape paintings and cool lighting. The service was great, the waiter made some suggestions and served us quickly. I had the Hellas Veggie Pita, this is always a safe bet for me since i don't eat meat. It was really good and huge for $7. I love feta but the clumps were bit too big and overpowered the taste of everything else. My friend had a seafood dish that had some orzo and three types of seafood on it. NOt sure what the name was, but it had some shrimp and a big piece of fish and something else. i tried a little of each and it was great!
(4)Miles D.
We decided to drive up from St. Pete to see Tarpon Springs for ourselves. We got the assorted appetizer that had humus, tzasiki, and feta dip with pita bread. It was $10 but there was so much my wife and I didn't finish it. The taste was excellent on all three. I also had the dolmades which were delicious as well. The only draw back was our waiter. We went the day that Greece played Costa Rica in the World Cup. When we walked in it had just gone to penalty kicks and he was in a good mood. When he came back Greece had lost and you could tell his demeanor had completely changed.
(4)Albert P.
Hellas is among the top few Greek Restaurants on Dodecanese Blvd. It is perhaps the largest and best decorated. The food was very good. I have recommended it to friends and they gave it high marks. For someone who is only going to be in Tarpon Springs for one day, I recommend Hellas. But is a close race with several others. Competition is stiff among Greek restaurants here so prices are right and quality is good.
(5)Stephanie W.
I had been to Hellas years ago on a trip and was excited to see that they still did not disappoint on my return visit. We had the classic saganaki and Greek salad. The moussaka had the creamiest taste on the topping! A trip to the bakery afterward made our trip complete with baklava and flogeres. Next time we will have to definitely go for a Kok as dessert. It looked amazing!
(5)Lorenzo P.
Tarpon Spings best Greek restaurant. The server was very nice and the food was superb. The bakery is also good, amazing desserts. If you are in Tarpon Springs. Stop by and try them out..
(5)Frank N.
Writing this review mainly for those of us who don't do Greek food but don't mind going to Greek restaurants when everyone else wants to. In Tarpon Springs that is mandatory. I can always find something in Greek eateries. When spending the day at the sponge docks in Tarpon Springs you will eat at a Greek place. On with the review. We ordered the flaming cheese appetizer. Be sure to Opa! when your waiter lights it up. Everyone loved it. For me, it was ok. I ordered the grouper sandwich. I love grouper and a good grouper sandwich is gold. The food came and I must say that my sandwich looked fabulous, tasted even better. A very fresh bakery roll with a generous piece of grouper fried to a superb golden brown with just the lightest of breading. It came with fries which were first rate, hot, crispy outside, soft inside. A portion of tartar on the side completed it. Very grateful for them letting the diner do their own amount of tartar and there was not a speck of grease anywhere. The rest of the family ate various Greek dishes and they raved about how good it was. Just not my cup of tea. If it is yours, Hellas is a great choice. Insanely Greek decorated, professional wait staff. Our waiter did not commit the "guys" sin therefore no deduction. Attention servers....take a lesson from these waiters. Opa!
(4)Vicky A.
My experience : I have been coming to Hellas for about two years . I usually come around when I am in town and I absolutely love it . I have tried a couple things on their menu but I have stuck with the broiled octopus , which is tender and full of lime juice , spritz of olive oil and garnished with fresh parsley . I have the three assorted spreads which are a good conversation starter . There's are other selections such as the special and fish of the day . Service : I have not hand bad service IN the restaurant . I have seen many friendly and familiar faces at this location and always feel welcomed . However , with all the excitement I usually go over to the bakery which welcomes you through an entry in the restaurant . I have visited and eaten at the bakery for about two years. CONS: the service is HORRIBLE . The girls are just lacking customer service . A bakery or any food place should be a place of smiles And some welcoming service . I have noticed I need to wave , Jump on the counter ( kidding , but maybe it will help ) to get SIX girls to turn around . This happens busy or even when they are dead . There's always a new shortcut for the preparation of the coffee ... The Classic was being that I have been here and know the lack of organization was when someone working there was making the coffee and had dropped the packet to brew my coffee on the floor ( which is unknown YUCK ) and turned around for approval -- Classic .. This must happen quite often ! Suggestions : your bakery should Match your restaurant . These girls have no Clue what they are doing . The " huffing " And " puffing " really isn't what was ordered . It's a SERVICE JOB ! Sorry to break it to you :-) Would I go back ? Well of course their food is delicious . Maybe with enough shouts of horrible service ... They will get the point
(3)Lauren C.
There's something that just feels so nice about having lunch on a Sunday afternoon after strolling around on the sponge docks. My family and I recently went and upon arriving We were seated and greeted right away. I ordered the gyro and a Greek salad 'for one' which was honestly enough for 4 of us to split. The dressing is great and the potato salad is a delicious touch. The gyro was solid and more than enough food. I was not a fan of the raw onion that was hiding inside the pita but the tzatziki was Fantastic.The service was good, especially since ours was a table of 7 including 2 kids, so I'm sure it was a bit hectic to keep up with us. The most important part of the whole place is their impressive dessert cases. Highly recommend trying rice pudding, kok or baklava! If you're looking for heaven on a plate, that's it! This place is a Tarpon staple for tourists and locals alike, must try it for yourself and find out what all the hype is about
(4)Brian C.
Definitely a fun restaurant in a vibrant part of town. The sponge docks are pretty cool. The saganaki is always a fun dish to get, with fiery salty cheese. The gyros were good, but I think mainly average. I also had the dolmades (stuffed grape leaves) which were nice as well but the sauce it was in drowned out the freshness of the grape leaves. Service was great and the ambience was cool.
(3)Derek B.
This was our second visit to Hellas and we continue to be impressed. The food was delicious, and though our server changed at a moment's notice, the service was more than adequate. They even cooked my meal to dietary specification and made sure it was right before leaving us to our meal. The Baklava Cheesecake is second to none. Flaky on the crust and rich and creamy in the middle. Perfect! Also try the variety of Souvlaki. It's reasonable and you will not leave hungry.
(4)Gabriel M.
The best Greek food I've ever had!!! If you visit Tarpon springs you have to visit them. Very authentic, very Greek all the way!! Just remember, this is NOT an American restaurant, do not expect American service, expect GREEK SERVICE as if you where I. Europe. If you are nice and patient since REAL FOOD takes REAL TIME they will be super nice. :) The baklava was to DIE FOR!!!
(5)Amber H.
Over rated!!!I try Greek restaurants everywhere I can. I had high expectations and was very disappointed in this place. I choose this based off Yelp reviews. 1. Calamari appetizer was returned because it was horrible. It was breaded with no seasoning what so ever, not even a little salt and it was very chewy.They give you cold cocktail sauce for dipping instead of warm marinara. Our waitresses told us she spoke with the manager on duty and the manager told her that she had tried it earlier that day and found it to be very bland as well. Ummm ok... Why would you not figure out what the problem was? That's your job. 2. Octopus....i love Greek octopus... Theirs was o.k. ,i would not get it again. Very tender but very rubbery and slimy when chewing. I almost choked a few times. 3. All their meals are supposed to come with rice,greek potatoes,veg of the day and fruit. Mine came out with just rice and canned mushy green beans. Both were not good. I asked where the potatoes were and was told"we're out". When i told her that i wouldn't have ordered the meal if i knew that ..some how she made potatoes appear..and they were also disapointing. Hardly any lemon flavor. 4. The fruit from my meal was never brought out. I asked about it and was brought 2 slices of cantaloupe that were refrigerated for about 3 days. They were gross. Couldn't eat them. 5. My bill also reflected that i was being charged 95cents for the honey that i asked for with my hot tea. I was never told this. 6. Our waitress acted like we had arrived at a theme park and said we were in for a treat when we first got there.... I won't be back. This place is too large and is very sloppy and lazy. Go to a small hole in the wall, family own place!..plenty to choose from in this town!
(2)