9 Muses is fantastic! I went there for the first time tonight and the people were so nice. The waitress suggested the feta roasted peppers and they were delicious! I also really loved the spanikopita and tzatziki. The outdoor seating was fantastic on a warm summer night and the place has wonderful atmosphere. Not only was the food awesome, but they totally saved me tonight. I stupidly left a pretty valuable piece of equipment behind, only to realize after driving away. When I came rushing back they came out waving to me that they had found it. Thanks 9 Muses, you saved the day! I'll definitely be back the next time I'm in the neighborhood. :)
(5)
Susan A.
High prices. Not enough food Simple. Not the greatest taste but competitive. Hope this guys pay attention to this reviews. thank you.
(3)
Margie L.
So we came into this restaurant with high hopes. I mean we r in Greek Town. Well we had about 9 ppl in our group and as i walked in the music to me sounded like i was in a night club instead if a Greek restaurant. The bar was empty in a Saturday night which was odd to me because all the other greek spots were pretty crowded. Ok, so i look at the menu. I find it strange that i cant fibd grilled octopus. Every greek restaurant down town has this on their menu! I order two skewers a chicken and pork and ask for Greek Potatoes. The waitress says we dobt have greek potatoes on the weekend. Wait. What!!! They only serve fries or mashed. Are you kidding me?? Ok well i get the mashes. Ih ya, and my order was the platter with salad. after the waitress took all our orders we never saw her again. The bus boy was a great runner tho. Forty five minutes goes by before we get our food. The three of them come out and start asking everyone is this your order. What!!! Im a bit annoyed by now. I get my plate and i get 2 tiby skewers with a big pike of smashed red skin potatoes. Thats it! No ome even came in this restaurant to sit at the bar in the hour and a half we were there. I wont be back.
(2)
Zach J.
Yawn! Just another fail for me this past weekend. This place was very ok and average at best. I had a special which I can't remember, but it was a chicken kebob on pita bread. It was ok tasting accept the chicken was dry. I requested the mashed potatos but they were very boring and not very hot. The highlight of the whole meal was the very attractive and friendly waitress we had and that is it.
(3)
Natasha L.
I just ordered from this place on Grubhub and just a few thoughts: 1.) A slice of Feta for my village salad - very generous! 2.) Grilled zucchini that looked like the leathery skin between Bruce Jenner's ass cheeks. 3.) The cold yellow piss of Sasquatch - oh wait that's Lemon Soup! 4.) Enough bread to feed Sally Suther's needy kids. They need the bread...not me. 5.) Last but least, enough oil dressing to lube my runs so they slide out like a kid going down the water slide at Indiana Beach. So if this sounds like an option for you - be my guest and go place an order.
(1)
Camille S.
I dropped in for a lunch break while attending a nearby conference. The bartender misheard me and put in a meat sandwich instead of the vegetarian option. I apologized when the wrong sandwich came out but I find it hard to believe you can mix 'chicken' with 'veggie'. She basically argued with me about what I asked for and my food took a WHILE to make. As a restaurant owner myself I felt like it was very unprofessional and disappointing. I got it to go (after waiting 20 mins for a sandwich, 40 including the first one) and left. Not the best experience but want to give the benefit of the doubt.
(2)
Danny R.
Great place to grab a quick lunch and a drink. Prices are great and service .
(4)
Stan A.
servers are nice ("niiiiiceee!"), oh the food's good too. best gyros in greektown.
(5)
Jonathan F.
Good place to start and evening. Not so good to end. Good souvlaki and salads. If you don't know them when it's busy you're not getting in. I go with Greeks for safety.
(3)
Susan M.
The only reason I am giving this place one star is because they delivered my food in a bag with a handle that I can re-use to clean out my cat's litter box. Now, on to my review.... I had this craving for greek food ever since I tried the Athenian Room, which, by the way, I give 20 stars on a 5-star scale, but they DO NOT DELIVER. UGHHHHH. But because I had showered and put on my softy pi's and was all settled in for a Pawn Stars marathon, I thought, eh, I'll just order Greek food from GrubHub. A gyros and fries is a gyros and fries, right? WRONG. Like I said, I was all set for those fat, lemony tasting fries sprinkled with oregano and a yummy gyros. Chumlee had just pissed off Rick again and then "DING DONG" my order from 9 Muses was here...yay! I started unpacking my order (2 gyros and an extra order of fries--my husband always steals mine.) I opened the styrofoam container and to my HORROR.....the fries were not fat and juicy...but anorexic skinny ones like McDonald's....burned and soggy and ICE COLD..but worse...sprinkled with some cheesy stuff resembling feta but tasting more like soggy cottage cheese. The gyros wasn't much better; but instead of thinly sliced strips of meat, they had put big chunks...and surrounded it with red onions (like a hot dog) and congealed tzatziki sauce...again...ICE COLD. I tried microwaving the piles of goo, but now all I had was hot chunks of meat with steaming hot goo and soggier burned fries. BUMMMMMMMMER!! I never do this, but this order was so out-of-control bad that I contacted GrubHub. They got right back to me (good job) but said 9 Muses would NOT refund my order...OR send me something else! SOOOO now I'm out almost $30 for food I threw in the garbage and probably the rats in the alley won't even eat. And guess who will NEVER go to, or order from 9 Muses again? You've got it..ME...and I hope YOU, TOO.
(1)
Jessica M.
To be seated within the restaurant but to feel like you're outdoors! It's a Sunday evening around 6pm and the front windows were wide open. We were showcased as we dined away. I certainly don't mind the attention and Greektown scenery. It was a bit early and we had an appetite for small bites: roasted Florina peppers, calamari, beef kabob, and creme brulee. The peppers were soft and soggy. It did not please us much but the flies liked it. The calamari and beef kabob were standard. They were generous portions and filling. My friend had the creme brulee and said it was too sweet. I think he even scooped off the top layer of caramel before he devoured the rest of the dessert. Note: The gyros seem to be presented in a deconstructed manner. Seems quite interesting to lure a return. P.S. Parking was free!
(3)
Jimmy P.
I think this place is worth coming to, at least once in your visit to Chicago. Not for the night-life specifically, but for its food and drinks, and very friendly staff. I actually think the night life is for people who want to bring back memories of visiting Greece, which is not necessarily for everyone. For those on my boat, come in the afternoon for authentic Greek dining and a nice frappe. It is worth a try, and you are likely to appreciate the experience.
(3)
Meredith B.
All the Greek restaurants on this strip seem almost identical, so to try something new my friend and I came here for dinner on a Friday around 530. It's smaller than the big famous restaurants, and doesn't do as much of the "Greek" decor. Just looks like a casual restaurant/bar with sports on and strange euro music. Didn't have much atmosphere so I got a little nervous at first, and not seeing a crowded dining room made me cross my fingers and hope that the food would be good! The menu actually has more Middle Eastern and Mediterranean influence rather than just straight-up Greek. It's a smaller menu than you'll find at the other Greektown joints, with some original choices. We each got a glass of wine (presented nicely, in pretty rounded glasses with mini-carafes alongside), and my German riesling was nice and sweet. I ordered the chicken kabob, and when we saw our huge plates coming we were like "holy crap, did we really order all that food?" My kabob platter had 5 big pieces of chicken, a salad, pita with tzatziki sauce, and a separate plate of rice. And wow, did the taste surpass my expectations! Chicken was juicy and tender, with a delicious crisp-char on the outside. I could only eat three pieces since there was just so much of it! The salad was simple, mixed greens, red onion, olives, tomato, and feta, but the dressing was subtly tangy and very appealing. The pita was warm, and the soft fluffy rice went great with the crispy chicken. My friend felt similarly about her souvlaki platter. I ate as much as I could. I only wish I could have eaten more! The only thing I didn't like was the service. After the food came we had a very hard time trying to get them to clear our plates, and then it took them almost 20 minutes to bring the check. Server was standing in clear sight of us, just watching TV. I had to just creepily stare at her until she happened to look at me and then gestured with my wallet. That was kind of annoying. But not so much to take away from how great the food was. Sounds like this turns into a really different place at night! More like a Greek nightclub with food? Trust me at 6 pm it is nothing like that! At the early dinner hours it is pretty quiet but you will get a great meal!
(4)
Salil G.
Stopped in for lunch. Place wasn't busy. Food was decent - not as good as the other Greek places around it. Service was a bit lackluster. Not sure that I'd go back. Maybe it was an off day. I don't know. Nothing wowed me enough to give it another shot.
(3)
Alex P.
Everything about this place is good. Great place to eat lunch or dinner. Food is very delicious. I choose between the Penny's Salad and Shish-ka-bob sandwiches. Greek fries are a must. Meat is always juicy and flavorful, never dry or cold. Good wine, coffee, and drinks for later on at night when you want to pretend like you are in Greece again. Greek or not, go.
(5)
Sam N.
I had been here before like about 2 years ago and noted the amounts of people who would not converse with anyone who was not greek I took that review down myself on my own volition due to the fact that it was 1AM and 2 years ago. I feel that is fair. I was here recently and noticed they changed the menu. The food was awesome and for those of you checking the score the service was great and prompt. I had Beef Kabob. This place gets really hopping after 11PM on Friday and Saturday Night with a variety European and middle eastern professional who live in the area. They have a DJ who plays good euro style music The vibe is really cool. The drinks are stiff as well should you be looking for that type of service :)
(4)
Angie M.
When I think of Greektown, I think Athena and Greek Islands. Big, sprawling restaurants with tacky Greek decor and flaming cheese galore. 9 Muses is not your typical Greektown experience. It's definitely more of a Eurotrashy bar atmosphere where you'd picture Mafioso-types hanging out with Greek techno/pop music playing in the background. So... yeah. I was completely entertained by my surroundings. I totally dig these weird places. But that's just me. I highly recommend the MEZE plate, which is a plethora of gyros, grilled chicken and pork tenderloin and it's YUMMY. Perfect meat. Perfect spices. The tzaziki sauce rocks and the pita is nice, soft and warm. It's also cheap. $20 or something like that and it would easily serve 4 people. A different flavor for Greektown, but I liked it.
(4)
Gina D.
The best grilled calamari ever. I often get off from work late and can always count on this place for a great fresh plate of food. Lovely outdoor seating area and friendly staff.
(5)
Joshua N.
Warning signs of a bad Greek restaurant: 1. No lamb on the menu. 2. No moussaka or other traditional Greek dishes. (Souvlaki and gyros aren't enough.) 3. No Greeks. 4. Few diners. I should have known better than to eat here, if not right when I walked in the door, at least when I looked at the sad, sad menu. There are certainly a lot of Greek restaurants in Chicago's Greektown. Perhaps 9 Muses is one too many. My platter certainly *looked* appetizing. The Greek salad had nice presentation, but was unfortunately quite flavorless. My pork chops looked big and sumptuous, but were actually THE WORST PORK CHOPS OF MY ENTIRE LIFE. They were so dry, it was like I was eating jerky. These chops were so tough, I injured my elbow trying to saw through them with my steak knife. (One of my dining companions ordered pork kabobs that were also overcooked. Who runs the broiler in this place? He should be taken out back and beaten with spatula.) My friends raved about the french fires at 9 Muses. I found them soggy, uninteresting, and no better than that of any hamburger joint. One of my companions ordered the calamari (predictably deep fried almost beyond recognition) and they certainly smelled good. But I was horrified to taste squid so old it smelled rotten. I hope my friend didn't end up getting sick from eating this spoiled fare. Other dishonorable mentions: lousy beer list, poor ambience, and lukewarm service. The only saving grace to this place was that it wasn't too expensive. My share of the bill was only $24. A better meal elsewhere would have cost more, but certainly have been worth it. All I could do after eating here was drive home, feeling disgusted, yearning for a shot of good ouzo, and praying for better meals to come. If you want Greek food in Greektown, I can think of half a dozen better places. Easily.
(1)
Dave M.
This is a cool little find. Very nice people. Great Greek food and reasonably priced. This place is allllll Greek and allllll Chicago. Full bar. Good coffee. Valet parking. Close to Halsted/UIC Blue Line.
(4)
Albert P.
HUGE HUGE HUGE FAN! The food is delicious and it has a very nice atmosphere. When my friends and I went there for a dinner and drinks, it was very enjoyable. The service was perfectly timed, with appetizers coming in and a sufficient break between the entrees. Only complaint was the waiters who messed up the order and got wrong side combinations and wrong drinks.
(4)
Stephanie H.
I ate here earlier this week with three of my friends for the first time. For appetizers, we ordered the saganaki and spanakopita. I was surprised that the saganaki wasn't lit on fire tableside, but maybe that's just what I'm used to from usually going to the same Greek restaurant. The spanakopita was delicious, and the Greek fries we got with it was also very tasty. I was planning on ordering the Meze platter as an entree, but the server warned me that it was way too large for one person, so I appreciated her honesty. I was shocked that they didn't have lamb here either. Isn't that a Greek restaurant staple? I ended up going with the Shish Kabob, which was sooo good. In addition to the mound of marinated pork, it came with 4 pita slices, a Greek salad, and a choice of a side (I got rice). No complaints on the service, the busser always had our water glasses full, and table cleared, and the prices were amazing. As a huge plus personally, there was also outdoor seating :)
(4)
Michael S.
The food is always good but the service is almost always bad. It shouldn't take over 10 minutes to charge my credit card during a slow lunch hour. They know that business people don't have all day.
(3)
Aggelos N.
Simply, the best coffee in Chicago. Hands down. I don not get to the city as much as I would like, but when I do, this is my first stop!!!
(5)
Frank I.
Since moving in the area, I passed this place for a few months before reading the reviews on Yelp. Do not go here if you are looking for your typical Greektown experience. This place is like a technopop night club with great Greek food. I highly recommend their pork. On our first visit we split one of their platters and there was plenty for both of us with enough to take home so the portions are generous. If you want some great food without the typical Greek experience, this is your place. This place is a little quirky but definitely a good dining experience.
(4)
James S.
Good burgers (turkey or beef). Nice salads. Generally a good place to visit -- unless you are with kids. At night, it was pretty loud with music, and the disco-y lights looked like they were a little premature to break out the booty-shakers. Their version of simple noodles (I know, why would you come here for noodles) made the error of cooking with Olive Oil and serving with butter. Or at least that's what it tasted like. From the regulars who happened to be the burger-eaters: They both lamented how the fries were now wilty. Still with taste, but without the crisp. Took forever to get some sort of of breadbasket --- hey, it happens, but it would have been nice. Overall, fine. Never been my favorite Greek Town establishment, but it is nice to have variety, right?
(3)
Jan E.
I go for the rotisserie chicken and artichoke salad. So yummy and huge enough for two meals. Good coffee and surprisingly excellent desserts. The tuxedo cake is a lovely combo of cake, mousse, frosting, and love.
(4)
Dustin T.
Ugh. Just a normal place. Nothing special, although outdoor seating is nice in Greektown. However, did not try food.
(3)
Michael H.
We chose 9 Muses because there was outdoor seating. Try the tomato basil appetizer with an order of feta. Very refreshing start to your meal. Also try an "interesting" white Greek wine as described on the menu. I was tempted to ask the oddly-serious waitress if she could recommend any "boring" wines. I had the beef kabob and it was delicious. Perfectly seasoned with a nice compliment of rice, salad and pita. Boo to the oddly-serious waitress for charging me $1.00 for a little extra tzatziki sauce. That should never be done at any self-respecting restaurant.
(3)
L B.
I love this place. Everything here is delicious. I've eaten here twice and both times had great experiences. Both times I ordered a chicken salad (one time it was a Chicken Shawarma and once it was Grilled Chicken). Each time I got beautiful fresh greens and a TON of well-seasoned perfectly cooked chicken. The cappuccino here is also delicious, as are the hummus and olives and pita bread. It's never super busy, either, which is also nice. I don't know why more people don't given this better ratings.
(4)
Gerry X.
Also plus as I found out is that 9 Muses has wireless. Sweet. Food is good ( I ususally get a shish ke bab plates which i took a bad pic of, but i was THAT hungry) People friendly, owners are awesome, and waitstaff was professional. Outdoor patio was relaxing and as I write this...stuffed and want to go into a food coma. Not looking foward to traffic, however the expressway is easily available right here off of Randolph. And the frappe gylko me gala (sweet with milk) is always a win. Mikey makes a good one (he wasnt here today but the frappe was as good.
(5)
Helen C.
About once a year, I do get a craving for a doner kebab (here - gyros). The difference is, usually I get my kebab fix at 3am in my local kebab shop and I don't use a knife and fork to eat it. This does not make it bad food, by the way, I think meat, pita and salad with tzaziki is one of the most delicious things on the planet... it does make it a little bit odd to order it on a plate and eat it in a restaurant though! The gyros here was very delicious - good creamy tzaziki in particular. So why 3 stars? On gazing about greekfest and popping my head in some other restauants - and having eaten alot of kebabs - I don't think it was particularly special. This neighbourhood probably has an abundance of excellent gyros. Garlic mash was quite special though. I was disappointed by the menu choices (sparse), and dismayed by their reaction to asking for olives (bemusement) - really? in a greek restaurant? Then the final nail in the star coffin - charging $9.50 for Ouzo. Sorry, but that's expensive, needlessly so. Not really a 'greek taverna' atmosphere, more of a greek island playing euro house music atmosphere. Still undeniably Greek! A good fun place, cheap wine, decent food - just skip the Ouzo and don't ask for olives!
(3)
Abby T.
I love how understated this place is....I feel more people should be coming here . I like the food, the service is attentive and it is never crowded. The chicken shwarma salad and pork salad looked delicious. I ordered a gyro pita and you KNOW that was delicious. Another friend ordered the lemon rice soup which she really enjoyed. Don't be like everyone else and pass 9 Muses up....it's a good spot!
(4)
Michael P.
Amazing food, sat outside for lunch. Can't comment on the night/aspect but the vibe was cool. Good house music, not the most incredibly authentic Greek food but it was still great
(4)
C J.
Great service and great food! I had the chicken kabob and it was delicious! I will go back to try the gyro dish.
(4)
Rita P.
The kabobs, burgers, and Greek fries (feta, oregano, and lemon) are all delish. I definitely recommend the Penny Salad (so much meat!). Drinks are well priced, and the bartender has a heavy hand. If you like Greek music there is a DJ on Saturdays and there is parking nearby (metered during the day). Service is polite. Decor is very cute. Best time to go is in warm weather when they open the windows. This is a pretty solid place.
(4)
Jacqueline M.
Traditional greek food, in huge portions, not meant for the light eater. Here we started with some Saganaki, the flaming cheese, and feasted on a gyro plate and chicken kabob plate. Food was good, not exceptional, and was way too much for us to finish responsibly. Members of the staff seemed very young, almost too inattentive for my taste, but I won't complain. The decor doesn't feel greek, music playing through the speakers was contemporary pop and dance hits, so I would not recommend this place if you want a real Greek experience. Seating by the bay windows, open to the busy street outside, seems like a nice touch - though it's noisy and curious passersby want to see what you are eating. I recommend the place for its nice selection of foods, but I am certain there are many more like it in the area that would suit even more.
(3)
George F.
Superb food. Garlic mash off the hook. Sometmes the wait is a bit long, even when they are slow. The food is really good. The chicken in all of their dishes is very tender and flavourful. The Euro club music gets a bit annoying when there arent enough people in there to drowned it out. Go eat there and fist pump.
(4)
Laura E.
I feel conflicted giving this place 2 stars, because the food actually wasn't bad. It should get at least 2.5 stars for that, but oh well. Whether a 2.5 star place is a 2 or 3 star review is always a judgment call and I'm going with 2 stars for this one. Like another restaurant I ate at once in the area, there was an incredibly rude and pretentious vibe here. I don't know if that's just a "West Loop" thing. It's like these restaurants want some sort of status that they don't yet have, so they act really rude and snobby to compensate for it. Anyways, our waitress was really rude and bitchy. She had an European accent, which I assume is the sole reason why she got hired. I could go on about why I got such a bad vibe, but there is no real point. Anyone else who has experienced the gross West Loop vibe will probably know what I'm talking about. Also worth mentioning is the worst wine pour I have ever seen in my life for someone I was eating with. $7 for what looked like maybe 2 ounces of wine.
(2)
Gina V.
Food was fabulous The greek fries with feta are to die for...I have been dreaming of them. The pita bread was super fresh along with the hummus and vegetables. The gyro was also delicious... I was not a huge fan of the saganaki and I think it is because they do not bring it out while it is on fire. (That sounds silly but I am being serious) By the time that the saganaki made it to our table it was hard and chewy. Wednesday night specials are $5 vodka drinks so my friends and I were livin la vida loca and I will definitely be visiting more frequently. (On Wednesdays) The service....it could improve. Our waitress was hungarian and came off as somewhat rude. More than rude it was almost as if she was annoyed by us or was judging us.
(5)
lin r.
RUDE BOUNCER. tall older man and ignorant. wont be coming to this place. this probably wont matter but whoever u are rude bouncer saturday night sept 29 about midnight.. if u cant take jokes and playfulness. go back to where u belong GREECE! and TAKE A CHILL PILL MAN! 0 star to rude bouncer!
(1)
Nina M.
Good pita sandwich, good Greek fries (feta and oregano). Nice outdoor dining and the windows open in nice weather. Also if you are still a smoker, great news! apparently the Illinois law or people's health don't matter bc if you are caught here on a Saturday night (Greek music party night) people smoke in here That takes 1 star away. If you play backgammon and don't have a job or are a student, this is your spot during the weekday with a frappe. Not sure what the problem with the waitresses are, never had a big problem. Parking is valet for $5 on the side. That's about it.
(4)
Steve L.
Great food with outdoor seating. Not a huge menu and not what I would call traditional Greek. I had Schwarma, which was excellent. My friend had a pork dish that was outstanding. I highly recommend
(4)
Khadijah L.
The waitresses here have this disposition like uh they're on PMS or something. Think Angelina Jolie with no smile. Kinda hot.. look like they're going to chew you and spit you right out. Honey, you're no Angelina Jolie. Furthermore, you're scaring the patrons. Especially because you don't pay any attention to us, and we had to flag you down a couple of times to order more rounds of drinks and get more bread... At the same time, we fear that you might bite our heads off. This place has decent food and drinks but the service definitely could be friendlier. Maybe if I milao ellinika they would be friendlier...
(2)
Jamie H.
Nothing too special to say about this place. We just wandered down Halsted and it looked nice so we came in. I had a gyro platter which was pretty good, nothing out of the ordinary though. My friends had a salad and a chicken pita thing- said the Salad was good and the pita not so good. It's rather awkwardly arranged in the bar so we didn't have much room. And that's all I've got!
(3)
G K.
If you get in you lucky, they have someone at the door who tells you it's a private party, even when the place is not that full. It's face control, if the owner who stands behind the guy telling you it's a private party likes how you look, then you will get in on a Saturday night, doesn't matter if you work in the neighborhood and frequent the place during the week.
(1)
Emily A.
This place reminds me of the restaurants my two little old 2nd cousins would take me to in Greece.....really authentic and delicious. In Greece they shut everything down in the afternoon to take a nap and then open up again around what we'd call the "end of the day" so they don't eat dinner until about 10:30pm......this is that type of place youd' go to a 10:30 in Athens and sit outside on the veranda overlooking the Parthenon. THE FOOD IS VERY GOOD and uniqiue and special. If you want to eat where the GREEKS are eating, go here. If you want some of the more expected dishes then go across the street to the Pathenon which has the more traditionally expected dishes for Americans who want Greek food.
(4)
Steve M.
Went for a Tuesday night dinner. Friends were late, so I played the "wait at the bar and watch sportscenter" game. Bartender was gruff, and poured me pretty weak Johnny Walker Reds as I sat there and listened to the ecclectic mix of euro house/trance and traditional greek music. I felt like I had to stand up and flag down the barman for my only refill, because he spent most of the time chatting up his friends, who were also sitting at the bar. You know it's awkward when the bartender acts like you're interrupting his IMPORTANT conversation to pour you another drink. Friends arrived, we were seated, and the food saved the day (and this review)! Saginaki, DELICIOUS. Gyro platter = amazing. Souvlaki: "get out of town on a bus" good. Wash it all down w/ very very reasonably priced red and white greek table wine. I might go back..... my friends just better be on time.
(3)
D. T.
This is absolutely the Coolest and Hippest place to hang out at in Greek Town! It offers everything you could want!! Excellent Coffee! Fantastic Food! Any Kind of Drink you could ever imagine!! Wonderful Desserts! I must continue by saying that it has very beautiful outdoor seating with lush and beautiful plants and flowers that make you feel like you are in the tropics on vacation! In my opinion, the owners of this fine establishment are very kind and hospitable! Yanni and Niko regularly greet the guests and welcome them as they walk in the door! I have personally never had a problem with any food or drink item that I have ever ordered! The alcohol is always the best quality! I also find that the crowd that frequents this establishment is usually very nice and cool!
(5)
Chocolate H.
This is one my top comfort food places in Chicago. When I just want a beer and shish kabob sandwich this is where I go. Plus they have $5 valet.
(4)
Kar M.
They drew us in with the patio. And aside from the constant sirens (not Greek sirens to go with the muses--emergency vehicles) the patio was a lovely place to be. It drew in a diverse group at lunch, quiet and not crowded. Service was spot on, very attentive. Dining companions and I ordered off the daily specials. Sides are hard to find on the menu (the layout of the small boring font on yellow paper tried our patience), so just trust me and get the garlic mashed potatoes. Vegetable panini was just fine; the bread-pesto-cheese part was delicious and the grilled veggies actually detracted from it. Portions were good for lunch and food came quickly. Dining companions weren't thrilled with their orders but didn't articulate why so eff them.
(3)
Rachel Z.
This place is consistent. Every time I have been here, I got quality food and good service. Went and had the chicken kebob platter, marinated chicken, a nice greek salad, side of garlic mashed potatoes, and pitas to put it all on. Very yummy. My boyfriend had a swiss burger and its good everytime we have it here. The owners own 9 muses and Meli's cafe and these two restaurants will be staples in greektown for years to come.
(4)
Venetta L.
Frappe with Bailey's. Do it.
(4)
Cynthia F.
I am Greek and had my wedding reception at a restaurant near 9 Muses, on a Saturday night. My DJ and several of the waiters were heading over to 9 Muses afterward, and invited me to come along. My husband and I, and several members of the bridal party decided to head over there with them. I was the first to reach the bouncer. I handed him my ID, he held it for awhile, and he loudly told me that he "could tell by the way I was standing" that I was drunk. He very rudely said he would let us in, but then leaned in close to my face and threatened me that there "better not be any problems." My husband and friends right behind me heard this and were all offended, and we left. I had three shots the entire night, along with a full course meal. I was not drunk, nor was anyone with me. He was so rude to us, and for no reason. None of us were being loud or obnoxious, and we were all dressed up, not in jeans and t-shirts. I was very offended by the way the bouncer treated me, especially since I was obviously a bride. I had been looking forward to trying the place out since I'm Greek, but now I will never step foot inside the place, and neither will my friends. If any of my friends had been acting inappropriately, I would totally understand being refused entry. (I bartend and fully understand having to deal with unruly customers.) But we were very well behaved and well-dressed. Everyone lined up behind me, and got their IDs out without being asked. Even if the bouncer had reason to believe that we might cause trouble, he could have refused us entry in a nicer tone, and with nicer words, considering that we were not acting crazy and were obviously celebrating a special day. What kind of person is rude to, and threatens a bride and her husband on their wedding day???
(1)
t. o.
Unbelievably bad service, from the thinks-she's-super-hot hostess to the surly bussers. The music was absolutely blaring, and with just two other customers in the whole place I asked them to turn it down so our party could hear each other across our table. I got stared down like I'd asked them to kill the cook. Actually, not a bad idea. The food was horrible. Tough dry cold lamb, undercooked vegetables, prepackaged pilaf mix. Everything overpriced. Menu was more like the gyro place down the street than a sit down eatery - and I wished I'd just gone there. The look of the place is straight out of 1985...in Long Island or New Jersey. Dubious, we waited two years to try it, living in the neighborhood. We should have kept waiting. Seems like a money-laundering front for the mafia or something.
(1)
Ziggy K.
Honestly, I did not expect much going to this place as most of the spots in Greek Town are mediocre at best. Very pleasantly surprised with the food. I had the chicken shish-kabob and it was really excellent. As good as it gets. My wife had the Village Salad which was also excellent. This place has lots of people lounging around who are too cool for school, but the food is worth it. The prices also makes it a very good value. Overall, very pleasantly surprised.
(5)
Nadia K.
The food was so so. I tasted a hint of middle eastern spices. You cant go half ass on Arabic food, so stick to something else. The food was a little mediocre. The iced tea was old which pissed me off too
(2)
Betsy B.
We just happened to end up at 9 Muses last night for Valentine's and I was not expecting much.... but wow was I surprised! First off, our bottle of St. George was 1/2 off! Keep that deal going and we'll be here every week. I wasn't expecting this place to be very authentic(not sure why), but I was wrong. The food is extremely well done, and some of the best greek potatoes I have had here in Chicago. Our waitress wasn't pushy, and our buss boy was was working his butt off at our table. Cheap too! Our bill was like 45 bucks with a bottle of wine, 2 apps, and 2 dinners. Good stuff right there....
(5)
Marisa G.
saganaki what what! awesome place. i've always gone on a random weekday night so it's not packed. their fries are great and the shish kebob platter is huge. definitely fit for 2. i forget what kind of dessert I had but it was good, some kind of creamy pie with nuts and a honey drizzle? who knows but i scarfed it down whole.
(5)
Nick S.
9 Muses is a fantastic cafe/bar/restaurant. This isn't categorized as a Greek restaurant, but I think it comes closest to the Greek lifestyle prevalent in Greece today. Make sure and try the Frappe. It's an iced, blended instant coffee. It's total rocket fuel. Do not attempt to drink after 4pm or you won't sleep. Their menu is prolific for a place that many people consider a bar. It's menu is filled with very seasoned and tasty beef, pork, chicken and vegetarian dishes. The food is also reasonably priced. I have been going to 9 Muses for a very long time. If you're looking for a European vibe, it's a great place to visit. If you go Saturday night, make sure and bring your shovel, there's enough Eurotrash in there to fill a small land fill. If people talking on cell phones bother you, don't bother. It's not uncommon for a person to be talking on 2 cell phones and cigarette in their mouth. I've read reviews about poor service if you're non Greek. This is false. Everyone that goes in there gets real slow service. It's that whole European "Work to live not live to work" thing. Got it?
(4)
Renee L.
Saturday nights here are hit or miss....but this place gets 5 stars for the food alone. They have a surprisingly tasty menu! The souvlakia are how they make them in Greece. The sandwhiches are really outstanding as well. Also, the service is great, the waitresses are always really nice and attentive and the bartenders as well. The doorman on the weekends is a little scary and not too friendly but I don't mind if I am going with friends to hear the Greek tunes from a really good DJ.
(5)
Niko K.
Yes 5 stars. With a disclaimer though.... I'm quite biased. You see, once upon a time there was a show named Cheers. "Where everyone knows your name" if you will. Well, Muses is my Cheers. I've only been there maybe a zillion times. Ok, not that many but you get the point. A few musts. If you like iced coffee, please order a Fredo when you go. Quite possibly the best liquid on earth. You can order it with no sugar, medium, or sweet. A MUST! Perfect on a warm day sitting outside on their patio. Their food is solid. I've never really had a bad meal there. Chicken is quite tender and flavorful. The souvlaki is always a good choice. I recommend their Greek fries which is just regular fries with feta cheese on top. A good combo. You can't go wrong with something friend and feta cheese. Lately on their daily specials they put a couple of wraps as options. I highly recommend. Prices are very reasonable for the quality and amount of food you get. Great place to grab an after work drink with friends too.
(5)
Shannon H.
9 Muses is great if you are looking for a Mediterranean twist on bar fare. The food is very good, but the drinks are pricy and not very big. 9 Muses usually isn't too crowded or too loud and they have TV's for watching the game. Personally I love coming here in the summer because you can sit outdoors and watch all the people go by on Halsted street.
(3)
Grant N.
Would give 5 stars BC the good was great but the service is poor. I had the grilled chicken pita platter, it was grilled to perfection.
(4)
Ebonie D.
I love this place! A friend of mine recommended on a dreary day last spring and sure enough it's become a favorite of mine. Of course, it the only restaurant in Greektown with no valet but it's still a cool place to hang out. Good bar selections. I recommend the Tigania and the Roasted Florina Peppers. Yummy!
(4)
Salvador S.
Great place for lunch or a casual date night. In Greek town this place is one of the most modern in it's food and look. I have been coming here for years and it just keeps getting better.
(4)
Ben B.
Great, relaxed indoor-and-outdoor atmosphere makes for a comfortable neighborhood restaurant. Hearty portions on the sandwiches and flavorful gyro meat, plus fair prices. One of the best Greek restaurants in Greektown.
(4)
Michael L.
This is a hidden treasure. (At least I think it's hidden. Rarely crowded.) Really scrumptious Mediterranean food--unlike anything else in Greektown. Nice wines, pleasant funky atmosphere. Open-air windows for the nice weather. Special treat: Have a drink at the Tasting Room and then dinner at Nine Muses. Great for a romantic evening or out-of-town visitor (or a combo of the two). And there's a $5.00 parking lot next door.
(5)
Ryan P.
Oh, how I love me some 9 Muses! I've been here more times than I can count on my right hand (Only four fingers!) and I've loved it every time. I've only gotten one thing and that's the Chicken Caesar Sandwich with Greek Fries. It has been superb every time! Their outdoor eating area is so nice and it's a wonderful little place to go on a summer evening. The staff is friendly - I'm pretty sure it's only young Greek gals - but either way they are friendly and attentive. Also, I saw Jim McMahon eating here one time, which tells me one thing... Champions eat at 9 Muses and so should you!
(4)
Harry P.
I used to frequent this place a lot when I was going to UIC. It used to be this very down to earth bar/grill that catered to college students with good prices that a broke college student can afford. After they expanded , all of a sudden they started to charge a premium for everything. Also, after the expansion, the owners got this " My crap don't stink" attitude. Don't get me wrong, the food and the ambiance is very good(hence the 2 stars), but the owners have to realize, that their pompous attitude has and will chase their regular and potential customers away.
(2)
Nora B.
Nice spot in Greektown. More of a cafe menu with some healthy and lite choices& yummy Greek favorites. Very casual, with a good selection& great outdoor seating if it's warm! They do take out and have a full bar. Good service, too...Always a plus!
(4)
Carrie H.
I love greek food, bar atmosphere, and alcohol. This place does it right at a resonable price.
(4)
kara c.
I usually come here on a weekday afternoon for some soup and a cocktail. The service is nice, but they never come to check up on me. After about 20 minutes of waiting, I have to go ask for my check. But the egg lemon is good!
(3)
Scott S.
Do you like clown cars at circuses? Now imagine if you added alcohol to that fray. It sounds like an epiphany as great as the moment someone decided that mixing stimulants and depressants together in the form of jaeger bombs was a good idea. Unfortunately, this is not the case. On a saturday night at 1am you will be playing "i hope thats a member of the opposite sex grinding on my leg" as you will be packed in too tight to turn around and look. Bouncers at the bar spend all night betting on how many people they can fit in a single room.
(2)
Victoria h.
I've been there several times during the late hours for their dancing. Today, finally, I went there for their food. Since it was Greek Festival, everything was served in plastic plates with plastic-ware. It was kind of cheap and unappealing. I had the Creek salad (there, called Village salad) which wasn't very big, but came with a baguette and was very tasty. My friend had their 9 muses panini and really liked it. We also ordered tzaziki (which i didn't feel like making myself) and it was super tasty. Our server wasn't very personable and the service was below par (hence 4 stars, not 5). I'd definitely come back here for food, give it another shot. Maybe, next time, I won't have to eat out of cheap plastic plates.
(4)
Maria C.
I had a wonderful meal here. Being a greek girl I am very picky when it comes to my Greek Food. This restaurant impressed me. The food was very good. We tried a number of appetizers and I loved the Greek Fries with the Feta. Most places don't put feta on them.
(5)
Luis C.
I love 9 muses. Ive never had a bad time or a bad meal there. The sandwiches are really good and the dinner plates are delicious. Of course, for some reason I always have the gyro platter...I know thats kind of boring but its soo good. I have had the enormous pork chop dinner, very tasty. Carbonara pasta, good. Just about anything you order is good and they will make adjustments and substitutions better than BK. The appetizers are all good. Fun place with good energy. Good date place that wont break the bank.
(4)
Jae Z.
If I could, I would give 0 stars. I've never been anywhere where servers have such attitude. Do they know it's their job to bring you water? After a busboy brought us water, our server had the nerve to yell at him for doing so. WTF??!! We left immediately afterwards, as I have better ways of spending my Sunday afternoons. Avoid this place like the PLAGUE. Unless you want to be treated like the plague, that is.
(1)
Rob C.
Two words...Fontina Peppers! That's the only reason I goto this place. It's an appetizer that they offer and it's amazing. I find myself going here just for that dish more often than not and I believe they're the only resto in Greek Town that offers it. It's two roasted red peppers stuffed with feta cheese served over balsmaic vinegar and olive oil. The rest of the items are predictable Greek dishes. I also have to agree with one other reviewer that there are not many vegetarian friendly dishes. Overall a great place to go with friends for a late night dinner before a night on the town. Good Euro music, if you're into that stuff, and a sexy crowd. Gentleman..you won't be disappointed!
(3)
Amanda G.
I really enjoy 9 Muses. I've only been for lunch, but I would definitely go for dinner. They have great Egg lemon soup (a traditional Greek favorite) and a nicely sized Gyros lunch plate. Side salads are also good. It's not cheap, but its not too expensive. Also, the staff is nice and accomodating. Would definitely recommend as a good spot in Greektown.
(4)
Jen T.
So now that I know this bar/restaurant is called "9" Muses instead of 'Muses (that is, Muses with an apostrophe in front of it - which is what the sign above the entrance read to me...), things are so much clearer. So we stopped here after dinner at The Parthenon, and the service was eggcellent! Probably because we were the only people at the bar, but hey I'm not complaining. Drinks were good, decor was good and service was good. Not sure about the prices, because it was on the company!
(3)
Erika G.
Came on a weekend night, and the place was hopping. Hilarious Eurodisco, and a v. international crowd. Nice not to hear the same old tired AmericanBritneyTrashPop music like at other bars of this ilk.
(3)
J K.
This place was, eh okay. Wasn't great but but wasn't bad either. The food was mediocre. The staff was nice and friendly and the place was well decorated. The food isn't something I'd come searching for again.
(3)
Jean Z.
Its because of this place, that I have a newly found adoration for feta. My greek and I had the roasted red pepper with feta appetizer, some beef tenderloin tip special, chicken shish-ka-bob platter and fries(with lemon and fetta of course) and a frappe each. Outstanding tender meats, perfectly seasoned appetizer and great fries. Again, warms my heart because its a bar and a restaurant. Yum!
(5)
Blaise S.
I've been to 9 Muses for lunch, dinner and late night, most recently on Friday for late night, so my rating is a composite of all those experiences. If you're going to go here, I highly recommend that you make it for lunch, as their food is good, and I try to stick with their sandwich menu. However, there is better food in the area and greektown is overflowing with restaurants. My late night experience on Friday was weird, mainly because it was just about empty. That made it even more unusual since we couldn't always find our waitress when we wanted new drinks or even the bill. My group didn't stay too long however, since the price for drinks was high for the area, and drinking is what we like to do. We just don't want to spend more money than we have to doing it. The aura when you walk in is one of a restaurant trying to be a high-end, more formal dining and drinking experience. I feel that if you're not one of their regulars in that group type then you're just not going to get the friendly and fun service.
(2)
Chella G.
I came here on a Friday night for a Greek friend's birthday celebration. Keep in mind that my review is based only on drinks, so there may be an update if I eat here. I can't say I was totally impressed by this bar. The waitress looked at me like I had two heads when I asked her about beer. We got to the table, which was by the window and very nice, she finally came back. I ordered a martini, which was so unmemorable that I don't even remember what flavor. It was $12, which I think is a bit steep for a drink at a regular bar. My guy's G&T was almost $8. I will say that the decor was fantastic and very artsy. Loved it!
(3)
Adolfo M.
This establishment is a Greek bar and restaurant, but it's forte is not Greek food. Rather, the 9 Muses is a good place if you want to have a beer with your gyro or burger. During the summer, you can enjoy eating outside under an awning or sit inside along the street-side windows that open up and make you feel like you are eating al fresco. Most of the waitresses are young Eastern European women with a working knowledge of English that are better at looking good than at serving you. The bar is nice and is surrounded by several televisions, but the Greek pop music is sometimes annoyingly loud.
(2)
Amesa C.
They have the rudest door staff and the owners are just as rude! I tried coming here after a Greek festival over the summer and they wouldn't let my friends and I in because we are damn fine! I tried to give this place a second chance last weekend and when my friend and I walked in on a Saturday night the place barely had anyone inside! The bartenders gave us a sad pathetic look as we walked right out! Ha! The place is going down cause it sucks!
(1)
Peetle E.
I went there for a Saturday lunch, and liked the laid back decor and atmosphere a lot. Food was not memorable, and I was pissed that there was absolutely positively nothing with eggplant on the menu - which truly disappointed me. Mezzes were ehh - not great. I also thought that menu was too americanized. Martini selection is a (+). Most of my stars are going to the wall decors, and a hidden potential that it might be fun during night.
(3)
Raw F.
Food is great and the drinks are awesome. But if you're not with greek people you will be shunned politely. i.e. The waitress will take her sweet time. The bartender will ignore you for awhile. You get my drift. So only go if you're greek or a good looking blond woman with no hair on your upper lip.
(2)
n r.
I may be partial, but where do I begin? The portions are outrageous. Generous amounts of meat on every dish, whether it's a gyro platter, a heaping plate of Greek fries (squeeze the lemon, it's not just a pretty garnish--it caters to the "salt and sour") to my personal fave, the Penny salad...and I don't even eat pork, but this pork comes in amazing, tender chunks, moist and crisp in just the right places over a huge bed of lettuce, tomatoes and cukes. If pork ain't your thing, the traditional Greek-style salad with grilled chicken is amazing, too. They know their meat! Lentil and other soups are good as well. What can I say? I'm hooked. Also love the authentic Euro vibe.
(5)
Tina K.
West Loopers and other locals should check out 9 Muses. Just steps from the Blue Line and in the midst of Greektown, this place serves up the best "makaronada" spagetti with meat sauce. The sandwiches with a side of Greek fries (spinkled with feta and oregano) are also a favorite. The music is authentically Greek and before you leave get a "frappe" Greek iced coffee, which is sure to get you going for the rest of your day!
(4)
Jessica C.
Nice lunch spot. Love their tzatziki. Try the chicken pita.
(3)
Pooja S.
Went into this place expecting to sit down to a proper Greek meal. The menu isn't typically Greek though. Decided to stay, and try it out. Lovely ambiance, the flowers in the outdoor seating really add to the decor. The food was very good, I liked my chicken kabob and the husbands gyros were pretty good too. It came with a lot of fries... and the quantities were generous.The house white wine was worth having... served perfectly chilled.
(3)
Kortnee B.
It's not a traditional Greek restaurant, like many of its neighbors. It has the hip, trendy vibe, they have a DJ booth. Muses serves one of the best Greek salads I've had in my life. Creamy feta & perfectly seasoned chicken. Delightful!
(4)
PJ K.
Pleasant space, especially on a sunny summer afternoon with the windows open. Food entirely decent: an attempt at a somewhat lighter Greek cuisine. Not the best on Halsted, nor the second best, nor (probably) the third best. But not bad. Pricey, but not lethally so. Waitstaff dominated by vaguely haughty but not unpleasant gorgeous Eastern Bloc models. Arm me with the .45 automatic necessary to convince them to take off the grotty Eurodisco musique moderne, and this approaches 5-star territory.
(4)
Donna B.
Went for drinks for my birthday. Was met by a blonde long haired Romanian waitress that had some beef with one of my friends before. We did not want her for our waitress as she was so rude. The waitress ended up calling my friend a F***ing bitch.... I could not believe the gall this waitress had. It's rumored she's with the owners, if you know what I mean. We asked to speak to the owner/manager and a older large Greek man came and told us that we had to be nice and also said we "have to tip the girls, it's how they make their money". I've been in the service industry longer than the Romanian waitress has been alive and proceeded to tell him that tipping is expected when good service has been provided and that behavior was uncalled for. He took her side, man.... she must provide him with some good service. When she brought our drinks, she slammed it on the table and sarcastically said "thank you, your welcome" Well then that's when I took off on her asking her who the hell she think she is talking to us like that? Horrible horrible service, Horrible management. This place deserves to go bankrupt. Stay far away. Horrible place.
(1)
Anthony L.
This place is terrible. The food is below average and the service is horrible! I went to Muses with a group of friends for dinner. They first tried to break our group into two tables even though the restaurant was empty. We finally convinced them to move our group in the back room. During dinner the music was so loud that we literally had to yell with each other to communicate. We nicely requested to turn the music down. They refused and turned up the music louder in order to spite our group. Simply horrible customer service. I will never go back!
(1)
Manny S.
This restaurant has a great cafe flair and I especially love it in the summer when you can sit outdoors under their covered awning. I have tried several items on the menu and Ive always been really pleased. I would recommend the roasted red pepper and feta with balsamic appetizer. They are known for their good Greek coffee too. I think the staff could be a bit more attentive, but theyre alright.
(4)
penny h.
great place... love the food, coffee and the night ambiance OPA :)
(5)
mariah t.
This place has great fredos and frappes!! I only wish they offered skim milk as an option for the coffee. The food and service are very good. Great place to go year round but especially in the summer!!
(4)
Danielle A.
I just returned to Nine Muses for the second time last night, and the wait staff makes it quite a lovely place. I give only three stars simply because I am a vegetarian and there are about two vegetarian options on the menu. While I understand that Greek is not a particularly vegetarian variety of food, I have been to other Greek restaurants (Greek Islands, Artopolis) that offer quite a nice variety of veggie options. However, the basil and feta salad I have ordered on my two visits to Nine Muses is deliciously fresh with capers, beautiful tomatoes, vinegar, very flavorful. My dining companion enjoyed the beef shish kabob plate which was piled with fresh pita and tzatziki. The Greek wine is excellent, and the entire meal was very affordable. The best attribute to Nine Muses, however, was our waitress. She was so informative and sweet, and did not rush us through our meal, but did not neglect us in any way. Nine Muses is a nice, affordable option in Greektown if you have tried the regulars and want to venture somewhere new.
(3)
Design G.
I haven't been here on weekend when I hear that it's really rockin' but I came on a weekday one morning around 11am when the place opened. I got a warm, freindly reception and even though I only ordered an espresso drink I was treated with a smile. Nice, open outdoor area with just enough shade to stay cool. As lunch time approached a ton of people came in but I still felt no pressure. No doubt-- I will be back to spend $$. Super stop in G-town.
(5)
Ed J.
i actually live rite on top of this restaurant..my windows in the picture! i love the atmosphere of this place..always seems hype...but for the food i think its just ok. u dont get what u pay for..id rather go to venus for food.i like chillin here smokin n drinkin coffee...coz i like the lil outdoor patio they have its pretty with all the colorful flowers..and service is always good
(3)
penny h.
great place... love the food, coffee and the night ambiance OPA :)
(5)
mariah t.
This place has great fredos and frappes!! I only wish they offered skim milk as an option for the coffee. The food and service are very good. Great place to go year round but especially in the summer!!
(4)
J K.
This place was, eh okay. Wasn't great but but wasn't bad either. The food was mediocre. The staff was nice and friendly and the place was well decorated. The food isn't something I'd come searching for again.
(3)
Stan A.
servers are nice ("niiiiiceee!"), oh the food's good too. best gyros in greektown.
(5)
Jonathan F.
Good place to start and evening. Not so good to end. Good souvlaki and salads. If you don't know them when it's busy you're not getting in. I go with Greeks for safety.
(3)
Jean Z.
Its because of this place, that I have a newly found adoration for feta. My greek and I had the roasted red pepper with feta appetizer, some beef tenderloin tip special, chicken shish-ka-bob platter and fries(with lemon and fetta of course) and a frappe each. Outstanding tender meats, perfectly seasoned appetizer and great fries. Again, warms my heart because its a bar and a restaurant. Yum!
(5)
Blaise S.
I've been to 9 Muses for lunch, dinner and late night, most recently on Friday for late night, so my rating is a composite of all those experiences. If you're going to go here, I highly recommend that you make it for lunch, as their food is good, and I try to stick with their sandwich menu. However, there is better food in the area and greektown is overflowing with restaurants. My late night experience on Friday was weird, mainly because it was just about empty. That made it even more unusual since we couldn't always find our waitress when we wanted new drinks or even the bill. My group didn't stay too long however, since the price for drinks was high for the area, and drinking is what we like to do. We just don't want to spend more money than we have to doing it. The aura when you walk in is one of a restaurant trying to be a high-end, more formal dining and drinking experience. I feel that if you're not one of their regulars in that group type then you're just not going to get the friendly and fun service.
(2)
Chella G.
I came here on a Friday night for a Greek friend's birthday celebration. Keep in mind that my review is based only on drinks, so there may be an update if I eat here. I can't say I was totally impressed by this bar. The waitress looked at me like I had two heads when I asked her about beer. We got to the table, which was by the window and very nice, she finally came back. I ordered a martini, which was so unmemorable that I don't even remember what flavor. It was $12, which I think is a bit steep for a drink at a regular bar. My guy's G&T was almost $8. I will say that the decor was fantastic and very artsy. Loved it!
(3)
Adolfo M.
This establishment is a Greek bar and restaurant, but it's forte is not Greek food. Rather, the 9 Muses is a good place if you want to have a beer with your gyro or burger. During the summer, you can enjoy eating outside under an awning or sit inside along the street-side windows that open up and make you feel like you are eating al fresco. Most of the waitresses are young Eastern European women with a working knowledge of English that are better at looking good than at serving you. The bar is nice and is surrounded by several televisions, but the Greek pop music is sometimes annoyingly loud.
(2)
Amesa C.
They have the rudest door staff and the owners are just as rude! I tried coming here after a Greek festival over the summer and they wouldn't let my friends and I in because we are damn fine! I tried to give this place a second chance last weekend and when my friend and I walked in on a Saturday night the place barely had anyone inside! The bartenders gave us a sad pathetic look as we walked right out! Ha! The place is going down cause it sucks!
(1)
Peetle E.
I went there for a Saturday lunch, and liked the laid back decor and atmosphere a lot. Food was not memorable, and I was pissed that there was absolutely positively nothing with eggplant on the menu - which truly disappointed me. Mezzes were ehh - not great. I also thought that menu was too americanized. Martini selection is a (+). Most of my stars are going to the wall decors, and a hidden potential that it might be fun during night.
(3)
Raw F.
Food is great and the drinks are awesome. But if you're not with greek people you will be shunned politely. i.e. The waitress will take her sweet time. The bartender will ignore you for awhile. You get my drift. So only go if you're greek or a good looking blond woman with no hair on your upper lip.
(2)
n r.
I may be partial, but where do I begin? The portions are outrageous. Generous amounts of meat on every dish, whether it's a gyro platter, a heaping plate of Greek fries (squeeze the lemon, it's not just a pretty garnish--it caters to the "salt and sour") to my personal fave, the Penny salad...and I don't even eat pork, but this pork comes in amazing, tender chunks, moist and crisp in just the right places over a huge bed of lettuce, tomatoes and cukes. If pork ain't your thing, the traditional Greek-style salad with grilled chicken is amazing, too. They know their meat! Lentil and other soups are good as well. What can I say? I'm hooked. Also love the authentic Euro vibe.
(5)
Tina K.
West Loopers and other locals should check out 9 Muses. Just steps from the Blue Line and in the midst of Greektown, this place serves up the best "makaronada" spagetti with meat sauce. The sandwiches with a side of Greek fries (spinkled with feta and oregano) are also a favorite. The music is authentically Greek and before you leave get a "frappe" Greek iced coffee, which is sure to get you going for the rest of your day!
(4)
Jessica C.
Nice lunch spot. Love their tzatziki. Try the chicken pita.
(3)
Pooja S.
Went into this place expecting to sit down to a proper Greek meal. The menu isn't typically Greek though. Decided to stay, and try it out. Lovely ambiance, the flowers in the outdoor seating really add to the decor. The food was very good, I liked my chicken kabob and the husbands gyros were pretty good too. It came with a lot of fries... and the quantities were generous.The house white wine was worth having... served perfectly chilled.
(3)
Kortnee B.
It's not a traditional Greek restaurant, like many of its neighbors. It has the hip, trendy vibe, they have a DJ booth. Muses serves one of the best Greek salads I've had in my life. Creamy feta & perfectly seasoned chicken. Delightful!
(4)
PJ K.
Pleasant space, especially on a sunny summer afternoon with the windows open. Food entirely decent: an attempt at a somewhat lighter Greek cuisine. Not the best on Halsted, nor the second best, nor (probably) the third best. But not bad. Pricey, but not lethally so. Waitstaff dominated by vaguely haughty but not unpleasant gorgeous Eastern Bloc models. Arm me with the .45 automatic necessary to convince them to take off the grotty Eurodisco musique moderne, and this approaches 5-star territory.
(4)
Donna B.
Went for drinks for my birthday. Was met by a blonde long haired Romanian waitress that had some beef with one of my friends before. We did not want her for our waitress as she was so rude. The waitress ended up calling my friend a F***ing bitch.... I could not believe the gall this waitress had. It's rumored she's with the owners, if you know what I mean. We asked to speak to the owner/manager and a older large Greek man came and told us that we had to be nice and also said we "have to tip the girls, it's how they make their money". I've been in the service industry longer than the Romanian waitress has been alive and proceeded to tell him that tipping is expected when good service has been provided and that behavior was uncalled for. He took her side, man.... she must provide him with some good service. When she brought our drinks, she slammed it on the table and sarcastically said "thank you, your welcome" Well then that's when I took off on her asking her who the hell she think she is talking to us like that? Horrible horrible service, Horrible management. This place deserves to go bankrupt. Stay far away. Horrible place.
(1)
Anthony L.
This place is terrible. The food is below average and the service is horrible! I went to Muses with a group of friends for dinner. They first tried to break our group into two tables even though the restaurant was empty. We finally convinced them to move our group in the back room. During dinner the music was so loud that we literally had to yell with each other to communicate. We nicely requested to turn the music down. They refused and turned up the music louder in order to spite our group. Simply horrible customer service. I will never go back!
(1)
Manny S.
This restaurant has a great cafe flair and I especially love it in the summer when you can sit outdoors under their covered awning. I have tried several items on the menu and Ive always been really pleased. I would recommend the roasted red pepper and feta with balsamic appetizer. They are known for their good Greek coffee too. I think the staff could be a bit more attentive, but theyre alright.
(4)
Danielle A.
I just returned to Nine Muses for the second time last night, and the wait staff makes it quite a lovely place. I give only three stars simply because I am a vegetarian and there are about two vegetarian options on the menu. While I understand that Greek is not a particularly vegetarian variety of food, I have been to other Greek restaurants (Greek Islands, Artopolis) that offer quite a nice variety of veggie options. However, the basil and feta salad I have ordered on my two visits to Nine Muses is deliciously fresh with capers, beautiful tomatoes, vinegar, very flavorful. My dining companion enjoyed the beef shish kabob plate which was piled with fresh pita and tzatziki. The Greek wine is excellent, and the entire meal was very affordable. The best attribute to Nine Muses, however, was our waitress. She was so informative and sweet, and did not rush us through our meal, but did not neglect us in any way. Nine Muses is a nice, affordable option in Greektown if you have tried the regulars and want to venture somewhere new.
(3)
Design G.
I haven't been here on weekend when I hear that it's really rockin' but I came on a weekday one morning around 11am when the place opened. I got a warm, freindly reception and even though I only ordered an espresso drink I was treated with a smile. Nice, open outdoor area with just enough shade to stay cool. As lunch time approached a ton of people came in but I still felt no pressure. No doubt-- I will be back to spend $$. Super stop in G-town.
(5)
Ed J.
i actually live rite on top of this restaurant..my windows in the picture! i love the atmosphere of this place..always seems hype...but for the food i think its just ok. u dont get what u pay for..id rather go to venus for food.i like chillin here smokin n drinkin coffee...coz i like the lil outdoor patio they have its pretty with all the colorful flowers..and service is always good
(3)
Liz L.
9 Muses is fantastic! I went there for the first time tonight and the people were so nice. The waitress suggested the feta roasted peppers and they were delicious! I also really loved the spanikopita and tzatziki. The outdoor seating was fantastic on a warm summer night and the place has wonderful atmosphere. Not only was the food awesome, but they totally saved me tonight. I stupidly left a pretty valuable piece of equipment behind, only to realize after driving away. When I came rushing back they came out waving to me that they had found it. Thanks 9 Muses, you saved the day! I'll definitely be back the next time I'm in the neighborhood. :)
(5)
Susan A.
High prices. Not enough food Simple. Not the greatest taste but competitive. Hope this guys pay attention to this reviews. thank you.
(3)
L B.
I love this place. Everything here is delicious. I've eaten here twice and both times had great experiences. Both times I ordered a chicken salad (one time it was a Chicken Shawarma and once it was Grilled Chicken). Each time I got beautiful fresh greens and a TON of well-seasoned perfectly cooked chicken. The cappuccino here is also delicious, as are the hummus and olives and pita bread. It's never super busy, either, which is also nice. I don't know why more people don't given this better ratings.
(4)
Gerry X.
Also plus as I found out is that 9 Muses has wireless. Sweet. Food is good ( I ususally get a shish ke bab plates which i took a bad pic of, but i was THAT hungry) People friendly, owners are awesome, and waitstaff was professional. Outdoor patio was relaxing and as I write this...stuffed and want to go into a food coma. Not looking foward to traffic, however the expressway is easily available right here off of Randolph. And the frappe gylko me gala (sweet with milk) is always a win. Mikey makes a good one (he wasnt here today but the frappe was as good.
(5)
Michael H.
We chose 9 Muses because there was outdoor seating. Try the tomato basil appetizer with an order of feta. Very refreshing start to your meal. Also try an "interesting" white Greek wine as described on the menu. I was tempted to ask the oddly-serious waitress if she could recommend any "boring" wines. I had the beef kabob and it was delicious. Perfectly seasoned with a nice compliment of rice, salad and pita. Boo to the oddly-serious waitress for charging me $1.00 for a little extra tzatziki sauce. That should never be done at any self-respecting restaurant.
(3)
Margie L.
So we came into this restaurant with high hopes. I mean we r in Greek Town. Well we had about 9 ppl in our group and as i walked in the music to me sounded like i was in a night club instead if a Greek restaurant. The bar was empty in a Saturday night which was odd to me because all the other greek spots were pretty crowded. Ok, so i look at the menu. I find it strange that i cant fibd grilled octopus. Every greek restaurant down town has this on their menu! I order two skewers a chicken and pork and ask for Greek Potatoes. The waitress says we dobt have greek potatoes on the weekend. Wait. What!!! They only serve fries or mashed. Are you kidding me?? Ok well i get the mashes. Ih ya, and my order was the platter with salad. after the waitress took all our orders we never saw her again. The bus boy was a great runner tho. Forty five minutes goes by before we get our food. The three of them come out and start asking everyone is this your order. What!!! Im a bit annoyed by now. I get my plate and i get 2 tiby skewers with a big pike of smashed red skin potatoes. Thats it! No ome even came in this restaurant to sit at the bar in the hour and a half we were there. I wont be back.
(2)
Zach J.
Yawn! Just another fail for me this past weekend. This place was very ok and average at best. I had a special which I can't remember, but it was a chicken kebob on pita bread. It was ok tasting accept the chicken was dry. I requested the mashed potatos but they were very boring and not very hot. The highlight of the whole meal was the very attractive and friendly waitress we had and that is it.
(3)
Natasha L.
I just ordered from this place on Grubhub and just a few thoughts: 1.) A slice of Feta for my village salad - very generous! 2.) Grilled zucchini that looked like the leathery skin between Bruce Jenner's ass cheeks. 3.) The cold yellow piss of Sasquatch - oh wait that's Lemon Soup! 4.) Enough bread to feed Sally Suther's needy kids. They need the bread...not me. 5.) Last but least, enough oil dressing to lube my runs so they slide out like a kid going down the water slide at Indiana Beach. So if this sounds like an option for you - be my guest and go place an order.
(1)
Camille S.
I dropped in for a lunch break while attending a nearby conference. The bartender misheard me and put in a meat sandwich instead of the vegetarian option. I apologized when the wrong sandwich came out but I find it hard to believe you can mix 'chicken' with 'veggie'. She basically argued with me about what I asked for and my food took a WHILE to make. As a restaurant owner myself I felt like it was very unprofessional and disappointing. I got it to go (after waiting 20 mins for a sandwich, 40 including the first one) and left. Not the best experience but want to give the benefit of the doubt.
(2)
Danny R.
Great place to grab a quick lunch and a drink. Prices are great and service .
(4)
Susan M.
The only reason I am giving this place one star is because they delivered my food in a bag with a handle that I can re-use to clean out my cat's litter box. Now, on to my review.... I had this craving for greek food ever since I tried the Athenian Room, which, by the way, I give 20 stars on a 5-star scale, but they DO NOT DELIVER. UGHHHHH. But because I had showered and put on my softy pi's and was all settled in for a Pawn Stars marathon, I thought, eh, I'll just order Greek food from GrubHub. A gyros and fries is a gyros and fries, right? WRONG. Like I said, I was all set for those fat, lemony tasting fries sprinkled with oregano and a yummy gyros. Chumlee had just pissed off Rick again and then "DING DONG" my order from 9 Muses was here...yay! I started unpacking my order (2 gyros and an extra order of fries--my husband always steals mine.) I opened the styrofoam container and to my HORROR.....the fries were not fat and juicy...but anorexic skinny ones like McDonald's....burned and soggy and ICE COLD..but worse...sprinkled with some cheesy stuff resembling feta but tasting more like soggy cottage cheese. The gyros wasn't much better; but instead of thinly sliced strips of meat, they had put big chunks...and surrounded it with red onions (like a hot dog) and congealed tzatziki sauce...again...ICE COLD. I tried microwaving the piles of goo, but now all I had was hot chunks of meat with steaming hot goo and soggier burned fries. BUMMMMMMMMER!! I never do this, but this order was so out-of-control bad that I contacted GrubHub. They got right back to me (good job) but said 9 Muses would NOT refund my order...OR send me something else! SOOOO now I'm out almost $30 for food I threw in the garbage and probably the rats in the alley won't even eat. And guess who will NEVER go to, or order from 9 Muses again? You've got it..ME...and I hope YOU, TOO.
(1)
Jessica M.
To be seated within the restaurant but to feel like you're outdoors! It's a Sunday evening around 6pm and the front windows were wide open. We were showcased as we dined away. I certainly don't mind the attention and Greektown scenery. It was a bit early and we had an appetite for small bites: roasted Florina peppers, calamari, beef kabob, and creme brulee. The peppers were soft and soggy. It did not please us much but the flies liked it. The calamari and beef kabob were standard. They were generous portions and filling. My friend had the creme brulee and said it was too sweet. I think he even scooped off the top layer of caramel before he devoured the rest of the dessert. Note: The gyros seem to be presented in a deconstructed manner. Seems quite interesting to lure a return. P.S. Parking was free!
(3)
Jimmy P.
I think this place is worth coming to, at least once in your visit to Chicago. Not for the night-life specifically, but for its food and drinks, and very friendly staff. I actually think the night life is for people who want to bring back memories of visiting Greece, which is not necessarily for everyone. For those on my boat, come in the afternoon for authentic Greek dining and a nice frappe. It is worth a try, and you are likely to appreciate the experience.
(3)
Meredith B.
All the Greek restaurants on this strip seem almost identical, so to try something new my friend and I came here for dinner on a Friday around 530. It's smaller than the big famous restaurants, and doesn't do as much of the "Greek" decor. Just looks like a casual restaurant/bar with sports on and strange euro music. Didn't have much atmosphere so I got a little nervous at first, and not seeing a crowded dining room made me cross my fingers and hope that the food would be good! The menu actually has more Middle Eastern and Mediterranean influence rather than just straight-up Greek. It's a smaller menu than you'll find at the other Greektown joints, with some original choices. We each got a glass of wine (presented nicely, in pretty rounded glasses with mini-carafes alongside), and my German riesling was nice and sweet. I ordered the chicken kabob, and when we saw our huge plates coming we were like "holy crap, did we really order all that food?" My kabob platter had 5 big pieces of chicken, a salad, pita with tzatziki sauce, and a separate plate of rice. And wow, did the taste surpass my expectations! Chicken was juicy and tender, with a delicious crisp-char on the outside. I could only eat three pieces since there was just so much of it! The salad was simple, mixed greens, red onion, olives, tomato, and feta, but the dressing was subtly tangy and very appealing. The pita was warm, and the soft fluffy rice went great with the crispy chicken. My friend felt similarly about her souvlaki platter. I ate as much as I could. I only wish I could have eaten more! The only thing I didn't like was the service. After the food came we had a very hard time trying to get them to clear our plates, and then it took them almost 20 minutes to bring the check. Server was standing in clear sight of us, just watching TV. I had to just creepily stare at her until she happened to look at me and then gestured with my wallet. That was kind of annoying. But not so much to take away from how great the food was. Sounds like this turns into a really different place at night! More like a Greek nightclub with food? Trust me at 6 pm it is nothing like that! At the early dinner hours it is pretty quiet but you will get a great meal!
(4)
Salil G.
Stopped in for lunch. Place wasn't busy. Food was decent - not as good as the other Greek places around it. Service was a bit lackluster. Not sure that I'd go back. Maybe it was an off day. I don't know. Nothing wowed me enough to give it another shot.
(3)
Alex P.
Everything about this place is good. Great place to eat lunch or dinner. Food is very delicious. I choose between the Penny's Salad and Shish-ka-bob sandwiches. Greek fries are a must. Meat is always juicy and flavorful, never dry or cold. Good wine, coffee, and drinks for later on at night when you want to pretend like you are in Greece again. Greek or not, go.
(5)
Sam N.
I had been here before like about 2 years ago and noted the amounts of people who would not converse with anyone who was not greek I took that review down myself on my own volition due to the fact that it was 1AM and 2 years ago. I feel that is fair. I was here recently and noticed they changed the menu. The food was awesome and for those of you checking the score the service was great and prompt. I had Beef Kabob. This place gets really hopping after 11PM on Friday and Saturday Night with a variety European and middle eastern professional who live in the area. They have a DJ who plays good euro style music The vibe is really cool. The drinks are stiff as well should you be looking for that type of service :)
(4)
Angie M.
When I think of Greektown, I think Athena and Greek Islands. Big, sprawling restaurants with tacky Greek decor and flaming cheese galore. 9 Muses is not your typical Greektown experience. It's definitely more of a Eurotrashy bar atmosphere where you'd picture Mafioso-types hanging out with Greek techno/pop music playing in the background. So... yeah. I was completely entertained by my surroundings. I totally dig these weird places. But that's just me. I highly recommend the MEZE plate, which is a plethora of gyros, grilled chicken and pork tenderloin and it's YUMMY. Perfect meat. Perfect spices. The tzaziki sauce rocks and the pita is nice, soft and warm. It's also cheap. $20 or something like that and it would easily serve 4 people. A different flavor for Greektown, but I liked it.
(4)
Gina D.
The best grilled calamari ever. I often get off from work late and can always count on this place for a great fresh plate of food. Lovely outdoor seating area and friendly staff.
(5)
Joshua N.
Warning signs of a bad Greek restaurant: 1. No lamb on the menu. 2. No moussaka or other traditional Greek dishes. (Souvlaki and gyros aren't enough.) 3. No Greeks. 4. Few diners. I should have known better than to eat here, if not right when I walked in the door, at least when I looked at the sad, sad menu. There are certainly a lot of Greek restaurants in Chicago's Greektown. Perhaps 9 Muses is one too many. My platter certainly *looked* appetizing. The Greek salad had nice presentation, but was unfortunately quite flavorless. My pork chops looked big and sumptuous, but were actually THE WORST PORK CHOPS OF MY ENTIRE LIFE. They were so dry, it was like I was eating jerky. These chops were so tough, I injured my elbow trying to saw through them with my steak knife. (One of my dining companions ordered pork kabobs that were also overcooked. Who runs the broiler in this place? He should be taken out back and beaten with spatula.) My friends raved about the french fires at 9 Muses. I found them soggy, uninteresting, and no better than that of any hamburger joint. One of my companions ordered the calamari (predictably deep fried almost beyond recognition) and they certainly smelled good. But I was horrified to taste squid so old it smelled rotten. I hope my friend didn't end up getting sick from eating this spoiled fare. Other dishonorable mentions: lousy beer list, poor ambience, and lukewarm service. The only saving grace to this place was that it wasn't too expensive. My share of the bill was only $24. A better meal elsewhere would have cost more, but certainly have been worth it. All I could do after eating here was drive home, feeling disgusted, yearning for a shot of good ouzo, and praying for better meals to come. If you want Greek food in Greektown, I can think of half a dozen better places. Easily.
(1)
Dave M.
This is a cool little find. Very nice people. Great Greek food and reasonably priced. This place is allllll Greek and allllll Chicago. Full bar. Good coffee. Valet parking. Close to Halsted/UIC Blue Line.
(4)
Albert P.
HUGE HUGE HUGE FAN! The food is delicious and it has a very nice atmosphere. When my friends and I went there for a dinner and drinks, it was very enjoyable. The service was perfectly timed, with appetizers coming in and a sufficient break between the entrees. Only complaint was the waiters who messed up the order and got wrong side combinations and wrong drinks.
(4)
Stephanie H.
I ate here earlier this week with three of my friends for the first time. For appetizers, we ordered the saganaki and spanakopita. I was surprised that the saganaki wasn't lit on fire tableside, but maybe that's just what I'm used to from usually going to the same Greek restaurant. The spanakopita was delicious, and the Greek fries we got with it was also very tasty. I was planning on ordering the Meze platter as an entree, but the server warned me that it was way too large for one person, so I appreciated her honesty. I was shocked that they didn't have lamb here either. Isn't that a Greek restaurant staple? I ended up going with the Shish Kabob, which was sooo good. In addition to the mound of marinated pork, it came with 4 pita slices, a Greek salad, and a choice of a side (I got rice). No complaints on the service, the busser always had our water glasses full, and table cleared, and the prices were amazing. As a huge plus personally, there was also outdoor seating :)
(4)
Michael S.
The food is always good but the service is almost always bad. It shouldn't take over 10 minutes to charge my credit card during a slow lunch hour. They know that business people don't have all day.
(3)
Aggelos N.
Simply, the best coffee in Chicago. Hands down. I don not get to the city as much as I would like, but when I do, this is my first stop!!!
(5)
Frank I.
Since moving in the area, I passed this place for a few months before reading the reviews on Yelp. Do not go here if you are looking for your typical Greektown experience. This place is like a technopop night club with great Greek food. I highly recommend their pork. On our first visit we split one of their platters and there was plenty for both of us with enough to take home so the portions are generous. If you want some great food without the typical Greek experience, this is your place. This place is a little quirky but definitely a good dining experience.
(4)
James S.
Good burgers (turkey or beef). Nice salads. Generally a good place to visit -- unless you are with kids. At night, it was pretty loud with music, and the disco-y lights looked like they were a little premature to break out the booty-shakers. Their version of simple noodles (I know, why would you come here for noodles) made the error of cooking with Olive Oil and serving with butter. Or at least that's what it tasted like. From the regulars who happened to be the burger-eaters: They both lamented how the fries were now wilty. Still with taste, but without the crisp. Took forever to get some sort of of breadbasket --- hey, it happens, but it would have been nice. Overall, fine. Never been my favorite Greek Town establishment, but it is nice to have variety, right?
(3)
Jan E.
I go for the rotisserie chicken and artichoke salad. So yummy and huge enough for two meals. Good coffee and surprisingly excellent desserts. The tuxedo cake is a lovely combo of cake, mousse, frosting, and love.
(4)
Dustin T.
Ugh. Just a normal place. Nothing special, although outdoor seating is nice in Greektown. However, did not try food.
(3)
Helen C.
About once a year, I do get a craving for a doner kebab (here - gyros). The difference is, usually I get my kebab fix at 3am in my local kebab shop and I don't use a knife and fork to eat it. This does not make it bad food, by the way, I think meat, pita and salad with tzaziki is one of the most delicious things on the planet... it does make it a little bit odd to order it on a plate and eat it in a restaurant though! The gyros here was very delicious - good creamy tzaziki in particular. So why 3 stars? On gazing about greekfest and popping my head in some other restauants - and having eaten alot of kebabs - I don't think it was particularly special. This neighbourhood probably has an abundance of excellent gyros. Garlic mash was quite special though. I was disappointed by the menu choices (sparse), and dismayed by their reaction to asking for olives (bemusement) - really? in a greek restaurant? Then the final nail in the star coffin - charging $9.50 for Ouzo. Sorry, but that's expensive, needlessly so. Not really a 'greek taverna' atmosphere, more of a greek island playing euro house music atmosphere. Still undeniably Greek! A good fun place, cheap wine, decent food - just skip the Ouzo and don't ask for olives!
(3)
Abby T.
I love how understated this place is....I feel more people should be coming here . I like the food, the service is attentive and it is never crowded. The chicken shwarma salad and pork salad looked delicious. I ordered a gyro pita and you KNOW that was delicious. Another friend ordered the lemon rice soup which she really enjoyed. Don't be like everyone else and pass 9 Muses up....it's a good spot!
(4)
Michael P.
Amazing food, sat outside for lunch. Can't comment on the night/aspect but the vibe was cool. Good house music, not the most incredibly authentic Greek food but it was still great
(4)
C J.
Great service and great food! I had the chicken kabob and it was delicious! I will go back to try the gyro dish.
(4)
Rita P.
The kabobs, burgers, and Greek fries (feta, oregano, and lemon) are all delish. I definitely recommend the Penny Salad (so much meat!). Drinks are well priced, and the bartender has a heavy hand. If you like Greek music there is a DJ on Saturdays and there is parking nearby (metered during the day). Service is polite. Decor is very cute. Best time to go is in warm weather when they open the windows. This is a pretty solid place.
(4)
Jacqueline M.
Traditional greek food, in huge portions, not meant for the light eater. Here we started with some Saganaki, the flaming cheese, and feasted on a gyro plate and chicken kabob plate. Food was good, not exceptional, and was way too much for us to finish responsibly. Members of the staff seemed very young, almost too inattentive for my taste, but I won't complain. The decor doesn't feel greek, music playing through the speakers was contemporary pop and dance hits, so I would not recommend this place if you want a real Greek experience. Seating by the bay windows, open to the busy street outside, seems like a nice touch - though it's noisy and curious passersby want to see what you are eating. I recommend the place for its nice selection of foods, but I am certain there are many more like it in the area that would suit even more.
(3)
Gina V.
Food was fabulous The greek fries with feta are to die for...I have been dreaming of them. The pita bread was super fresh along with the hummus and vegetables. The gyro was also delicious... I was not a huge fan of the saganaki and I think it is because they do not bring it out while it is on fire. (That sounds silly but I am being serious) By the time that the saganaki made it to our table it was hard and chewy. Wednesday night specials are $5 vodka drinks so my friends and I were livin la vida loca and I will definitely be visiting more frequently. (On Wednesdays) The service....it could improve. Our waitress was hungarian and came off as somewhat rude. More than rude it was almost as if she was annoyed by us or was judging us.
(5)
lin r.
RUDE BOUNCER. tall older man and ignorant. wont be coming to this place. this probably wont matter but whoever u are rude bouncer saturday night sept 29 about midnight.. if u cant take jokes and playfulness. go back to where u belong GREECE! and TAKE A CHILL PILL MAN! 0 star to rude bouncer!
(1)
Nina M.
Good pita sandwich, good Greek fries (feta and oregano). Nice outdoor dining and the windows open in nice weather. Also if you are still a smoker, great news! apparently the Illinois law or people's health don't matter bc if you are caught here on a Saturday night (Greek music party night) people smoke in here That takes 1 star away. If you play backgammon and don't have a job or are a student, this is your spot during the weekday with a frappe. Not sure what the problem with the waitresses are, never had a big problem. Parking is valet for $5 on the side. That's about it.
(4)
Steve L.
Great food with outdoor seating. Not a huge menu and not what I would call traditional Greek. I had Schwarma, which was excellent. My friend had a pork dish that was outstanding. I highly recommend
(4)
Khadijah L.
The waitresses here have this disposition like uh they're on PMS or something. Think Angelina Jolie with no smile. Kinda hot.. look like they're going to chew you and spit you right out. Honey, you're no Angelina Jolie. Furthermore, you're scaring the patrons. Especially because you don't pay any attention to us, and we had to flag you down a couple of times to order more rounds of drinks and get more bread... At the same time, we fear that you might bite our heads off. This place has decent food and drinks but the service definitely could be friendlier. Maybe if I milao ellinika they would be friendlier...
(2)
Jamie H.
Nothing too special to say about this place. We just wandered down Halsted and it looked nice so we came in. I had a gyro platter which was pretty good, nothing out of the ordinary though. My friends had a salad and a chicken pita thing- said the Salad was good and the pita not so good. It's rather awkwardly arranged in the bar so we didn't have much room. And that's all I've got!
(3)
G K.
If you get in you lucky, they have someone at the door who tells you it's a private party, even when the place is not that full. It's face control, if the owner who stands behind the guy telling you it's a private party likes how you look, then you will get in on a Saturday night, doesn't matter if you work in the neighborhood and frequent the place during the week.
(1)
Emily A.
This place reminds me of the restaurants my two little old 2nd cousins would take me to in Greece.....really authentic and delicious. In Greece they shut everything down in the afternoon to take a nap and then open up again around what we'd call the "end of the day" so they don't eat dinner until about 10:30pm......this is that type of place youd' go to a 10:30 in Athens and sit outside on the veranda overlooking the Parthenon. THE FOOD IS VERY GOOD and uniqiue and special. If you want to eat where the GREEKS are eating, go here. If you want some of the more expected dishes then go across the street to the Pathenon which has the more traditionally expected dishes for Americans who want Greek food.
(4)
Steve M.
Went for a Tuesday night dinner. Friends were late, so I played the "wait at the bar and watch sportscenter" game. Bartender was gruff, and poured me pretty weak Johnny Walker Reds as I sat there and listened to the ecclectic mix of euro house/trance and traditional greek music. I felt like I had to stand up and flag down the barman for my only refill, because he spent most of the time chatting up his friends, who were also sitting at the bar. You know it's awkward when the bartender acts like you're interrupting his IMPORTANT conversation to pour you another drink. Friends arrived, we were seated, and the food saved the day (and this review)! Saginaki, DELICIOUS. Gyro platter = amazing. Souvlaki: "get out of town on a bus" good. Wash it all down w/ very very reasonably priced red and white greek table wine. I might go back..... my friends just better be on time.
(3)
D. T.
This is absolutely the Coolest and Hippest place to hang out at in Greek Town! It offers everything you could want!! Excellent Coffee! Fantastic Food! Any Kind of Drink you could ever imagine!! Wonderful Desserts! I must continue by saying that it has very beautiful outdoor seating with lush and beautiful plants and flowers that make you feel like you are in the tropics on vacation! In my opinion, the owners of this fine establishment are very kind and hospitable! Yanni and Niko regularly greet the guests and welcome them as they walk in the door! I have personally never had a problem with any food or drink item that I have ever ordered! The alcohol is always the best quality! I also find that the crowd that frequents this establishment is usually very nice and cool!
(5)
Chocolate H.
This is one my top comfort food places in Chicago. When I just want a beer and shish kabob sandwich this is where I go. Plus they have $5 valet.
(4)
Kar M.
They drew us in with the patio. And aside from the constant sirens (not Greek sirens to go with the muses--emergency vehicles) the patio was a lovely place to be. It drew in a diverse group at lunch, quiet and not crowded. Service was spot on, very attentive. Dining companions and I ordered off the daily specials. Sides are hard to find on the menu (the layout of the small boring font on yellow paper tried our patience), so just trust me and get the garlic mashed potatoes. Vegetable panini was just fine; the bread-pesto-cheese part was delicious and the grilled veggies actually detracted from it. Portions were good for lunch and food came quickly. Dining companions weren't thrilled with their orders but didn't articulate why so eff them.
(3)
Rachel Z.
This place is consistent. Every time I have been here, I got quality food and good service. Went and had the chicken kebob platter, marinated chicken, a nice greek salad, side of garlic mashed potatoes, and pitas to put it all on. Very yummy. My boyfriend had a swiss burger and its good everytime we have it here. The owners own 9 muses and Meli's cafe and these two restaurants will be staples in greektown for years to come.
(4)
Venetta L.
Frappe with Bailey's. Do it.
(4)
Cynthia F.
I am Greek and had my wedding reception at a restaurant near 9 Muses, on a Saturday night. My DJ and several of the waiters were heading over to 9 Muses afterward, and invited me to come along. My husband and I, and several members of the bridal party decided to head over there with them. I was the first to reach the bouncer. I handed him my ID, he held it for awhile, and he loudly told me that he "could tell by the way I was standing" that I was drunk. He very rudely said he would let us in, but then leaned in close to my face and threatened me that there "better not be any problems." My husband and friends right behind me heard this and were all offended, and we left. I had three shots the entire night, along with a full course meal. I was not drunk, nor was anyone with me. He was so rude to us, and for no reason. None of us were being loud or obnoxious, and we were all dressed up, not in jeans and t-shirts. I was very offended by the way the bouncer treated me, especially since I was obviously a bride. I had been looking forward to trying the place out since I'm Greek, but now I will never step foot inside the place, and neither will my friends. If any of my friends had been acting inappropriately, I would totally understand being refused entry. (I bartend and fully understand having to deal with unruly customers.) But we were very well behaved and well-dressed. Everyone lined up behind me, and got their IDs out without being asked. Even if the bouncer had reason to believe that we might cause trouble, he could have refused us entry in a nicer tone, and with nicer words, considering that we were not acting crazy and were obviously celebrating a special day. What kind of person is rude to, and threatens a bride and her husband on their wedding day???
(1)
t. o.
Unbelievably bad service, from the thinks-she's-super-hot hostess to the surly bussers. The music was absolutely blaring, and with just two other customers in the whole place I asked them to turn it down so our party could hear each other across our table. I got stared down like I'd asked them to kill the cook. Actually, not a bad idea. The food was horrible. Tough dry cold lamb, undercooked vegetables, prepackaged pilaf mix. Everything overpriced. Menu was more like the gyro place down the street than a sit down eatery - and I wished I'd just gone there. The look of the place is straight out of 1985...in Long Island or New Jersey. Dubious, we waited two years to try it, living in the neighborhood. We should have kept waiting. Seems like a money-laundering front for the mafia or something.
(1)
Ziggy K.
Honestly, I did not expect much going to this place as most of the spots in Greek Town are mediocre at best. Very pleasantly surprised with the food. I had the chicken shish-kabob and it was really excellent. As good as it gets. My wife had the Village Salad which was also excellent. This place has lots of people lounging around who are too cool for school, but the food is worth it. The prices also makes it a very good value. Overall, very pleasantly surprised.
(5)
Nadia K.
The food was so so. I tasted a hint of middle eastern spices. You cant go half ass on Arabic food, so stick to something else. The food was a little mediocre. The iced tea was old which pissed me off too
(2)
Betsy B.
We just happened to end up at 9 Muses last night for Valentine's and I was not expecting much.... but wow was I surprised! First off, our bottle of St. George was 1/2 off! Keep that deal going and we'll be here every week. I wasn't expecting this place to be very authentic(not sure why), but I was wrong. The food is extremely well done, and some of the best greek potatoes I have had here in Chicago. Our waitress wasn't pushy, and our buss boy was was working his butt off at our table. Cheap too! Our bill was like 45 bucks with a bottle of wine, 2 apps, and 2 dinners. Good stuff right there....
(5)
Marisa G.
saganaki what what! awesome place. i've always gone on a random weekday night so it's not packed. their fries are great and the shish kebob platter is huge. definitely fit for 2. i forget what kind of dessert I had but it was good, some kind of creamy pie with nuts and a honey drizzle? who knows but i scarfed it down whole.
(5)
Nick S.
9 Muses is a fantastic cafe/bar/restaurant. This isn't categorized as a Greek restaurant, but I think it comes closest to the Greek lifestyle prevalent in Greece today. Make sure and try the Frappe. It's an iced, blended instant coffee. It's total rocket fuel. Do not attempt to drink after 4pm or you won't sleep. Their menu is prolific for a place that many people consider a bar. It's menu is filled with very seasoned and tasty beef, pork, chicken and vegetarian dishes. The food is also reasonably priced. I have been going to 9 Muses for a very long time. If you're looking for a European vibe, it's a great place to visit. If you go Saturday night, make sure and bring your shovel, there's enough Eurotrash in there to fill a small land fill. If people talking on cell phones bother you, don't bother. It's not uncommon for a person to be talking on 2 cell phones and cigarette in their mouth. I've read reviews about poor service if you're non Greek. This is false. Everyone that goes in there gets real slow service. It's that whole European "Work to live not live to work" thing. Got it?
(4)
Renee L.
Saturday nights here are hit or miss....but this place gets 5 stars for the food alone. They have a surprisingly tasty menu! The souvlakia are how they make them in Greece. The sandwhiches are really outstanding as well. Also, the service is great, the waitresses are always really nice and attentive and the bartenders as well. The doorman on the weekends is a little scary and not too friendly but I don't mind if I am going with friends to hear the Greek tunes from a really good DJ.
(5)
Niko K.
Yes 5 stars. With a disclaimer though.... I'm quite biased. You see, once upon a time there was a show named Cheers. "Where everyone knows your name" if you will. Well, Muses is my Cheers. I've only been there maybe a zillion times. Ok, not that many but you get the point. A few musts. If you like iced coffee, please order a Fredo when you go. Quite possibly the best liquid on earth. You can order it with no sugar, medium, or sweet. A MUST! Perfect on a warm day sitting outside on their patio. Their food is solid. I've never really had a bad meal there. Chicken is quite tender and flavorful. The souvlaki is always a good choice. I recommend their Greek fries which is just regular fries with feta cheese on top. A good combo. You can't go wrong with something friend and feta cheese. Lately on their daily specials they put a couple of wraps as options. I highly recommend. Prices are very reasonable for the quality and amount of food you get. Great place to grab an after work drink with friends too.
(5)
Shannon H.
9 Muses is great if you are looking for a Mediterranean twist on bar fare. The food is very good, but the drinks are pricy and not very big. 9 Muses usually isn't too crowded or too loud and they have TV's for watching the game. Personally I love coming here in the summer because you can sit outdoors and watch all the people go by on Halsted street.
(3)
Grant N.
Would give 5 stars BC the good was great but the service is poor. I had the grilled chicken pita platter, it was grilled to perfection.
(4)
Ebonie D.
I love this place! A friend of mine recommended on a dreary day last spring and sure enough it's become a favorite of mine. Of course, it the only restaurant in Greektown with no valet but it's still a cool place to hang out. Good bar selections. I recommend the Tigania and the Roasted Florina Peppers. Yummy!
(4)
Salvador S.
Great place for lunch or a casual date night. In Greek town this place is one of the most modern in it's food and look. I have been coming here for years and it just keeps getting better.
(4)
Ben B.
Great, relaxed indoor-and-outdoor atmosphere makes for a comfortable neighborhood restaurant. Hearty portions on the sandwiches and flavorful gyro meat, plus fair prices. One of the best Greek restaurants in Greektown.
(4)
Michael L.
This is a hidden treasure. (At least I think it's hidden. Rarely crowded.) Really scrumptious Mediterranean food--unlike anything else in Greektown. Nice wines, pleasant funky atmosphere. Open-air windows for the nice weather. Special treat: Have a drink at the Tasting Room and then dinner at Nine Muses. Great for a romantic evening or out-of-town visitor (or a combo of the two). And there's a $5.00 parking lot next door.
(5)
Ryan P.
Oh, how I love me some 9 Muses! I've been here more times than I can count on my right hand (Only four fingers!) and I've loved it every time. I've only gotten one thing and that's the Chicken Caesar Sandwich with Greek Fries. It has been superb every time! Their outdoor eating area is so nice and it's a wonderful little place to go on a summer evening. The staff is friendly - I'm pretty sure it's only young Greek gals - but either way they are friendly and attentive. Also, I saw Jim McMahon eating here one time, which tells me one thing... Champions eat at 9 Muses and so should you!
(4)
Harry P.
I used to frequent this place a lot when I was going to UIC. It used to be this very down to earth bar/grill that catered to college students with good prices that a broke college student can afford. After they expanded , all of a sudden they started to charge a premium for everything. Also, after the expansion, the owners got this " My crap don't stink" attitude. Don't get me wrong, the food and the ambiance is very good(hence the 2 stars), but the owners have to realize, that their pompous attitude has and will chase their regular and potential customers away.
(2)
Nora B.
Nice spot in Greektown. More of a cafe menu with some healthy and lite choices& yummy Greek favorites. Very casual, with a good selection& great outdoor seating if it's warm! They do take out and have a full bar. Good service, too...Always a plus!
(4)
Carrie H.
I love greek food, bar atmosphere, and alcohol. This place does it right at a resonable price.
(4)
kara c.
I usually come here on a weekday afternoon for some soup and a cocktail. The service is nice, but they never come to check up on me. After about 20 minutes of waiting, I have to go ask for my check. But the egg lemon is good!
(3)
Scott S.
Do you like clown cars at circuses? Now imagine if you added alcohol to that fray. It sounds like an epiphany as great as the moment someone decided that mixing stimulants and depressants together in the form of jaeger bombs was a good idea. Unfortunately, this is not the case. On a saturday night at 1am you will be playing "i hope thats a member of the opposite sex grinding on my leg" as you will be packed in too tight to turn around and look. Bouncers at the bar spend all night betting on how many people they can fit in a single room.
(2)
Victoria h.
I've been there several times during the late hours for their dancing. Today, finally, I went there for their food. Since it was Greek Festival, everything was served in plastic plates with plastic-ware. It was kind of cheap and unappealing. I had the Creek salad (there, called Village salad) which wasn't very big, but came with a baguette and was very tasty. My friend had their 9 muses panini and really liked it. We also ordered tzaziki (which i didn't feel like making myself) and it was super tasty. Our server wasn't very personable and the service was below par (hence 4 stars, not 5). I'd definitely come back here for food, give it another shot. Maybe, next time, I won't have to eat out of cheap plastic plates.
(4)
Maria C.
I had a wonderful meal here. Being a greek girl I am very picky when it comes to my Greek Food. This restaurant impressed me. The food was very good. We tried a number of appetizers and I loved the Greek Fries with the Feta. Most places don't put feta on them.
(5)
Luis C.
I love 9 muses. Ive never had a bad time or a bad meal there. The sandwiches are really good and the dinner plates are delicious. Of course, for some reason I always have the gyro platter...I know thats kind of boring but its soo good. I have had the enormous pork chop dinner, very tasty. Carbonara pasta, good. Just about anything you order is good and they will make adjustments and substitutions better than BK. The appetizers are all good. Fun place with good energy. Good date place that wont break the bank.
(4)
Jae Z.
If I could, I would give 0 stars. I've never been anywhere where servers have such attitude. Do they know it's their job to bring you water? After a busboy brought us water, our server had the nerve to yell at him for doing so. WTF??!! We left immediately afterwards, as I have better ways of spending my Sunday afternoons. Avoid this place like the PLAGUE. Unless you want to be treated like the plague, that is.
(1)
Rob C.
Two words...Fontina Peppers! That's the only reason I goto this place. It's an appetizer that they offer and it's amazing. I find myself going here just for that dish more often than not and I believe they're the only resto in Greek Town that offers it. It's two roasted red peppers stuffed with feta cheese served over balsmaic vinegar and olive oil. The rest of the items are predictable Greek dishes. I also have to agree with one other reviewer that there are not many vegetarian friendly dishes. Overall a great place to go with friends for a late night dinner before a night on the town. Good Euro music, if you're into that stuff, and a sexy crowd. Gentleman..you won't be disappointed!
(3)
Amanda G.
I really enjoy 9 Muses. I've only been for lunch, but I would definitely go for dinner. They have great Egg lemon soup (a traditional Greek favorite) and a nicely sized Gyros lunch plate. Side salads are also good. It's not cheap, but its not too expensive. Also, the staff is nice and accomodating. Would definitely recommend as a good spot in Greektown.
(4)
Jen T.
So now that I know this bar/restaurant is called "9" Muses instead of 'Muses (that is, Muses with an apostrophe in front of it - which is what the sign above the entrance read to me...), things are so much clearer. So we stopped here after dinner at The Parthenon, and the service was eggcellent! Probably because we were the only people at the bar, but hey I'm not complaining. Drinks were good, decor was good and service was good. Not sure about the prices, because it was on the company!
(3)
Erika G.
Came on a weekend night, and the place was hopping. Hilarious Eurodisco, and a v. international crowd. Nice not to hear the same old tired AmericanBritneyTrashPop music like at other bars of this ilk.
(3)
George F.
Superb food. Garlic mash off the hook. Sometmes the wait is a bit long, even when they are slow. The food is really good. The chicken in all of their dishes is very tender and flavourful. The Euro club music gets a bit annoying when there arent enough people in there to drowned it out. Go eat there and fist pump.
(4)
Laura E.
I feel conflicted giving this place 2 stars, because the food actually wasn't bad. It should get at least 2.5 stars for that, but oh well. Whether a 2.5 star place is a 2 or 3 star review is always a judgment call and I'm going with 2 stars for this one. Like another restaurant I ate at once in the area, there was an incredibly rude and pretentious vibe here. I don't know if that's just a "West Loop" thing. It's like these restaurants want some sort of status that they don't yet have, so they act really rude and snobby to compensate for it. Anyways, our waitress was really rude and bitchy. She had an European accent, which I assume is the sole reason why she got hired. I could go on about why I got such a bad vibe, but there is no real point. Anyone else who has experienced the gross West Loop vibe will probably know what I'm talking about. Also worth mentioning is the worst wine pour I have ever seen in my life for someone I was eating with. $7 for what looked like maybe 2 ounces of wine.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
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.
Liz L.
9 Muses is fantastic! I went there for the first time tonight and the people were so nice. The waitress suggested the feta roasted peppers and they were delicious! I also really loved the spanikopita and tzatziki. The outdoor seating was fantastic on a warm summer night and the place has wonderful atmosphere. Not only was the food awesome, but they totally saved me tonight. I stupidly left a pretty valuable piece of equipment behind, only to realize after driving away. When I came rushing back they came out waving to me that they had found it. Thanks 9 Muses, you saved the day! I'll definitely be back the next time I'm in the neighborhood. :)
(5)Susan A.
High prices. Not enough food Simple. Not the greatest taste but competitive. Hope this guys pay attention to this reviews. thank you.
(3)Margie L.
So we came into this restaurant with high hopes. I mean we r in Greek Town. Well we had about 9 ppl in our group and as i walked in the music to me sounded like i was in a night club instead if a Greek restaurant. The bar was empty in a Saturday night which was odd to me because all the other greek spots were pretty crowded. Ok, so i look at the menu. I find it strange that i cant fibd grilled octopus. Every greek restaurant down town has this on their menu! I order two skewers a chicken and pork and ask for Greek Potatoes. The waitress says we dobt have greek potatoes on the weekend. Wait. What!!! They only serve fries or mashed. Are you kidding me?? Ok well i get the mashes. Ih ya, and my order was the platter with salad. after the waitress took all our orders we never saw her again. The bus boy was a great runner tho. Forty five minutes goes by before we get our food. The three of them come out and start asking everyone is this your order. What!!! Im a bit annoyed by now. I get my plate and i get 2 tiby skewers with a big pike of smashed red skin potatoes. Thats it! No ome even came in this restaurant to sit at the bar in the hour and a half we were there. I wont be back.
(2)Zach J.
Yawn! Just another fail for me this past weekend. This place was very ok and average at best. I had a special which I can't remember, but it was a chicken kebob on pita bread. It was ok tasting accept the chicken was dry. I requested the mashed potatos but they were very boring and not very hot. The highlight of the whole meal was the very attractive and friendly waitress we had and that is it.
(3)Natasha L.
I just ordered from this place on Grubhub and just a few thoughts: 1.) A slice of Feta for my village salad - very generous! 2.) Grilled zucchini that looked like the leathery skin between Bruce Jenner's ass cheeks. 3.) The cold yellow piss of Sasquatch - oh wait that's Lemon Soup! 4.) Enough bread to feed Sally Suther's needy kids. They need the bread...not me. 5.) Last but least, enough oil dressing to lube my runs so they slide out like a kid going down the water slide at Indiana Beach. So if this sounds like an option for you - be my guest and go place an order.
(1)Camille S.
I dropped in for a lunch break while attending a nearby conference. The bartender misheard me and put in a meat sandwich instead of the vegetarian option. I apologized when the wrong sandwich came out but I find it hard to believe you can mix 'chicken' with 'veggie'. She basically argued with me about what I asked for and my food took a WHILE to make. As a restaurant owner myself I felt like it was very unprofessional and disappointing. I got it to go (after waiting 20 mins for a sandwich, 40 including the first one) and left. Not the best experience but want to give the benefit of the doubt.
(2)Danny R.
Great place to grab a quick lunch and a drink. Prices are great and service .
(4)Stan A.
servers are nice ("niiiiiceee!"), oh the food's good too. best gyros in greektown.
(5)Jonathan F.
Good place to start and evening. Not so good to end. Good souvlaki and salads. If you don't know them when it's busy you're not getting in. I go with Greeks for safety.
(3)Susan M.
The only reason I am giving this place one star is because they delivered my food in a bag with a handle that I can re-use to clean out my cat's litter box. Now, on to my review.... I had this craving for greek food ever since I tried the Athenian Room, which, by the way, I give 20 stars on a 5-star scale, but they DO NOT DELIVER. UGHHHHH. But because I had showered and put on my softy pi's and was all settled in for a Pawn Stars marathon, I thought, eh, I'll just order Greek food from GrubHub. A gyros and fries is a gyros and fries, right? WRONG. Like I said, I was all set for those fat, lemony tasting fries sprinkled with oregano and a yummy gyros. Chumlee had just pissed off Rick again and then "DING DONG" my order from 9 Muses was here...yay! I started unpacking my order (2 gyros and an extra order of fries--my husband always steals mine.) I opened the styrofoam container and to my HORROR.....the fries were not fat and juicy...but anorexic skinny ones like McDonald's....burned and soggy and ICE COLD..but worse...sprinkled with some cheesy stuff resembling feta but tasting more like soggy cottage cheese. The gyros wasn't much better; but instead of thinly sliced strips of meat, they had put big chunks...and surrounded it with red onions (like a hot dog) and congealed tzatziki sauce...again...ICE COLD. I tried microwaving the piles of goo, but now all I had was hot chunks of meat with steaming hot goo and soggier burned fries. BUMMMMMMMMER!! I never do this, but this order was so out-of-control bad that I contacted GrubHub. They got right back to me (good job) but said 9 Muses would NOT refund my order...OR send me something else! SOOOO now I'm out almost $30 for food I threw in the garbage and probably the rats in the alley won't even eat. And guess who will NEVER go to, or order from 9 Muses again? You've got it..ME...and I hope YOU, TOO.
(1)Jessica M.
To be seated within the restaurant but to feel like you're outdoors! It's a Sunday evening around 6pm and the front windows were wide open. We were showcased as we dined away. I certainly don't mind the attention and Greektown scenery. It was a bit early and we had an appetite for small bites: roasted Florina peppers, calamari, beef kabob, and creme brulee. The peppers were soft and soggy. It did not please us much but the flies liked it. The calamari and beef kabob were standard. They were generous portions and filling. My friend had the creme brulee and said it was too sweet. I think he even scooped off the top layer of caramel before he devoured the rest of the dessert. Note: The gyros seem to be presented in a deconstructed manner. Seems quite interesting to lure a return. P.S. Parking was free!
(3)Jimmy P.
I think this place is worth coming to, at least once in your visit to Chicago. Not for the night-life specifically, but for its food and drinks, and very friendly staff. I actually think the night life is for people who want to bring back memories of visiting Greece, which is not necessarily for everyone. For those on my boat, come in the afternoon for authentic Greek dining and a nice frappe. It is worth a try, and you are likely to appreciate the experience.
(3)Meredith B.
All the Greek restaurants on this strip seem almost identical, so to try something new my friend and I came here for dinner on a Friday around 530. It's smaller than the big famous restaurants, and doesn't do as much of the "Greek" decor. Just looks like a casual restaurant/bar with sports on and strange euro music. Didn't have much atmosphere so I got a little nervous at first, and not seeing a crowded dining room made me cross my fingers and hope that the food would be good! The menu actually has more Middle Eastern and Mediterranean influence rather than just straight-up Greek. It's a smaller menu than you'll find at the other Greektown joints, with some original choices. We each got a glass of wine (presented nicely, in pretty rounded glasses with mini-carafes alongside), and my German riesling was nice and sweet. I ordered the chicken kabob, and when we saw our huge plates coming we were like "holy crap, did we really order all that food?" My kabob platter had 5 big pieces of chicken, a salad, pita with tzatziki sauce, and a separate plate of rice. And wow, did the taste surpass my expectations! Chicken was juicy and tender, with a delicious crisp-char on the outside. I could only eat three pieces since there was just so much of it! The salad was simple, mixed greens, red onion, olives, tomato, and feta, but the dressing was subtly tangy and very appealing. The pita was warm, and the soft fluffy rice went great with the crispy chicken. My friend felt similarly about her souvlaki platter. I ate as much as I could. I only wish I could have eaten more! The only thing I didn't like was the service. After the food came we had a very hard time trying to get them to clear our plates, and then it took them almost 20 minutes to bring the check. Server was standing in clear sight of us, just watching TV. I had to just creepily stare at her until she happened to look at me and then gestured with my wallet. That was kind of annoying. But not so much to take away from how great the food was. Sounds like this turns into a really different place at night! More like a Greek nightclub with food? Trust me at 6 pm it is nothing like that! At the early dinner hours it is pretty quiet but you will get a great meal!
(4)Salil G.
Stopped in for lunch. Place wasn't busy. Food was decent - not as good as the other Greek places around it. Service was a bit lackluster. Not sure that I'd go back. Maybe it was an off day. I don't know. Nothing wowed me enough to give it another shot.
(3)Alex P.
Everything about this place is good. Great place to eat lunch or dinner. Food is very delicious. I choose between the Penny's Salad and Shish-ka-bob sandwiches. Greek fries are a must. Meat is always juicy and flavorful, never dry or cold. Good wine, coffee, and drinks for later on at night when you want to pretend like you are in Greece again. Greek or not, go.
(5)Sam N.
I had been here before like about 2 years ago and noted the amounts of people who would not converse with anyone who was not greek I took that review down myself on my own volition due to the fact that it was 1AM and 2 years ago. I feel that is fair. I was here recently and noticed they changed the menu. The food was awesome and for those of you checking the score the service was great and prompt. I had Beef Kabob. This place gets really hopping after 11PM on Friday and Saturday Night with a variety European and middle eastern professional who live in the area. They have a DJ who plays good euro style music The vibe is really cool. The drinks are stiff as well should you be looking for that type of service :)
(4)Angie M.
When I think of Greektown, I think Athena and Greek Islands. Big, sprawling restaurants with tacky Greek decor and flaming cheese galore. 9 Muses is not your typical Greektown experience. It's definitely more of a Eurotrashy bar atmosphere where you'd picture Mafioso-types hanging out with Greek techno/pop music playing in the background. So... yeah. I was completely entertained by my surroundings. I totally dig these weird places. But that's just me. I highly recommend the MEZE plate, which is a plethora of gyros, grilled chicken and pork tenderloin and it's YUMMY. Perfect meat. Perfect spices. The tzaziki sauce rocks and the pita is nice, soft and warm. It's also cheap. $20 or something like that and it would easily serve 4 people. A different flavor for Greektown, but I liked it.
(4)Gina D.
The best grilled calamari ever. I often get off from work late and can always count on this place for a great fresh plate of food. Lovely outdoor seating area and friendly staff.
(5)Joshua N.
Warning signs of a bad Greek restaurant: 1. No lamb on the menu. 2. No moussaka or other traditional Greek dishes. (Souvlaki and gyros aren't enough.) 3. No Greeks. 4. Few diners. I should have known better than to eat here, if not right when I walked in the door, at least when I looked at the sad, sad menu. There are certainly a lot of Greek restaurants in Chicago's Greektown. Perhaps 9 Muses is one too many. My platter certainly *looked* appetizing. The Greek salad had nice presentation, but was unfortunately quite flavorless. My pork chops looked big and sumptuous, but were actually THE WORST PORK CHOPS OF MY ENTIRE LIFE. They were so dry, it was like I was eating jerky. These chops were so tough, I injured my elbow trying to saw through them with my steak knife. (One of my dining companions ordered pork kabobs that were also overcooked. Who runs the broiler in this place? He should be taken out back and beaten with spatula.) My friends raved about the french fires at 9 Muses. I found them soggy, uninteresting, and no better than that of any hamburger joint. One of my companions ordered the calamari (predictably deep fried almost beyond recognition) and they certainly smelled good. But I was horrified to taste squid so old it smelled rotten. I hope my friend didn't end up getting sick from eating this spoiled fare. Other dishonorable mentions: lousy beer list, poor ambience, and lukewarm service. The only saving grace to this place was that it wasn't too expensive. My share of the bill was only $24. A better meal elsewhere would have cost more, but certainly have been worth it. All I could do after eating here was drive home, feeling disgusted, yearning for a shot of good ouzo, and praying for better meals to come. If you want Greek food in Greektown, I can think of half a dozen better places. Easily.
(1)Dave M.
This is a cool little find. Very nice people. Great Greek food and reasonably priced. This place is allllll Greek and allllll Chicago. Full bar. Good coffee. Valet parking. Close to Halsted/UIC Blue Line.
(4)Albert P.
HUGE HUGE HUGE FAN! The food is delicious and it has a very nice atmosphere. When my friends and I went there for a dinner and drinks, it was very enjoyable. The service was perfectly timed, with appetizers coming in and a sufficient break between the entrees. Only complaint was the waiters who messed up the order and got wrong side combinations and wrong drinks.
(4)Stephanie H.
I ate here earlier this week with three of my friends for the first time. For appetizers, we ordered the saganaki and spanakopita. I was surprised that the saganaki wasn't lit on fire tableside, but maybe that's just what I'm used to from usually going to the same Greek restaurant. The spanakopita was delicious, and the Greek fries we got with it was also very tasty. I was planning on ordering the Meze platter as an entree, but the server warned me that it was way too large for one person, so I appreciated her honesty. I was shocked that they didn't have lamb here either. Isn't that a Greek restaurant staple? I ended up going with the Shish Kabob, which was sooo good. In addition to the mound of marinated pork, it came with 4 pita slices, a Greek salad, and a choice of a side (I got rice). No complaints on the service, the busser always had our water glasses full, and table cleared, and the prices were amazing. As a huge plus personally, there was also outdoor seating :)
(4)Michael S.
The food is always good but the service is almost always bad. It shouldn't take over 10 minutes to charge my credit card during a slow lunch hour. They know that business people don't have all day.
(3)Aggelos N.
Simply, the best coffee in Chicago. Hands down. I don not get to the city as much as I would like, but when I do, this is my first stop!!!
(5)Frank I.
Since moving in the area, I passed this place for a few months before reading the reviews on Yelp. Do not go here if you are looking for your typical Greektown experience. This place is like a technopop night club with great Greek food. I highly recommend their pork. On our first visit we split one of their platters and there was plenty for both of us with enough to take home so the portions are generous. If you want some great food without the typical Greek experience, this is your place. This place is a little quirky but definitely a good dining experience.
(4)James S.
Good burgers (turkey or beef). Nice salads. Generally a good place to visit -- unless you are with kids. At night, it was pretty loud with music, and the disco-y lights looked like they were a little premature to break out the booty-shakers. Their version of simple noodles (I know, why would you come here for noodles) made the error of cooking with Olive Oil and serving with butter. Or at least that's what it tasted like. From the regulars who happened to be the burger-eaters: They both lamented how the fries were now wilty. Still with taste, but without the crisp. Took forever to get some sort of of breadbasket --- hey, it happens, but it would have been nice. Overall, fine. Never been my favorite Greek Town establishment, but it is nice to have variety, right?
(3)Jan E.
I go for the rotisserie chicken and artichoke salad. So yummy and huge enough for two meals. Good coffee and surprisingly excellent desserts. The tuxedo cake is a lovely combo of cake, mousse, frosting, and love.
(4)Dustin T.
Ugh. Just a normal place. Nothing special, although outdoor seating is nice in Greektown. However, did not try food.
(3)Michael H.
We chose 9 Muses because there was outdoor seating. Try the tomato basil appetizer with an order of feta. Very refreshing start to your meal. Also try an "interesting" white Greek wine as described on the menu. I was tempted to ask the oddly-serious waitress if she could recommend any "boring" wines. I had the beef kabob and it was delicious. Perfectly seasoned with a nice compliment of rice, salad and pita. Boo to the oddly-serious waitress for charging me $1.00 for a little extra tzatziki sauce. That should never be done at any self-respecting restaurant.
(3)L B.
I love this place. Everything here is delicious. I've eaten here twice and both times had great experiences. Both times I ordered a chicken salad (one time it was a Chicken Shawarma and once it was Grilled Chicken). Each time I got beautiful fresh greens and a TON of well-seasoned perfectly cooked chicken. The cappuccino here is also delicious, as are the hummus and olives and pita bread. It's never super busy, either, which is also nice. I don't know why more people don't given this better ratings.
(4)Gerry X.
Also plus as I found out is that 9 Muses has wireless. Sweet. Food is good ( I ususally get a shish ke bab plates which i took a bad pic of, but i was THAT hungry) People friendly, owners are awesome, and waitstaff was professional. Outdoor patio was relaxing and as I write this...stuffed and want to go into a food coma. Not looking foward to traffic, however the expressway is easily available right here off of Randolph. And the frappe gylko me gala (sweet with milk) is always a win. Mikey makes a good one (he wasnt here today but the frappe was as good.
(5)Helen C.
About once a year, I do get a craving for a doner kebab (here - gyros). The difference is, usually I get my kebab fix at 3am in my local kebab shop and I don't use a knife and fork to eat it. This does not make it bad food, by the way, I think meat, pita and salad with tzaziki is one of the most delicious things on the planet... it does make it a little bit odd to order it on a plate and eat it in a restaurant though! The gyros here was very delicious - good creamy tzaziki in particular. So why 3 stars? On gazing about greekfest and popping my head in some other restauants - and having eaten alot of kebabs - I don't think it was particularly special. This neighbourhood probably has an abundance of excellent gyros. Garlic mash was quite special though. I was disappointed by the menu choices (sparse), and dismayed by their reaction to asking for olives (bemusement) - really? in a greek restaurant? Then the final nail in the star coffin - charging $9.50 for Ouzo. Sorry, but that's expensive, needlessly so. Not really a 'greek taverna' atmosphere, more of a greek island playing euro house music atmosphere. Still undeniably Greek! A good fun place, cheap wine, decent food - just skip the Ouzo and don't ask for olives!
(3)Abby T.
I love how understated this place is....I feel more people should be coming here . I like the food, the service is attentive and it is never crowded. The chicken shwarma salad and pork salad looked delicious. I ordered a gyro pita and you KNOW that was delicious. Another friend ordered the lemon rice soup which she really enjoyed. Don't be like everyone else and pass 9 Muses up....it's a good spot!
(4)Michael P.
Amazing food, sat outside for lunch. Can't comment on the night/aspect but the vibe was cool. Good house music, not the most incredibly authentic Greek food but it was still great
(4)C J.
Great service and great food! I had the chicken kabob and it was delicious! I will go back to try the gyro dish.
(4)Rita P.
The kabobs, burgers, and Greek fries (feta, oregano, and lemon) are all delish. I definitely recommend the Penny Salad (so much meat!). Drinks are well priced, and the bartender has a heavy hand. If you like Greek music there is a DJ on Saturdays and there is parking nearby (metered during the day). Service is polite. Decor is very cute. Best time to go is in warm weather when they open the windows. This is a pretty solid place.
(4)Jacqueline M.
Traditional greek food, in huge portions, not meant for the light eater. Here we started with some Saganaki, the flaming cheese, and feasted on a gyro plate and chicken kabob plate. Food was good, not exceptional, and was way too much for us to finish responsibly. Members of the staff seemed very young, almost too inattentive for my taste, but I won't complain. The decor doesn't feel greek, music playing through the speakers was contemporary pop and dance hits, so I would not recommend this place if you want a real Greek experience. Seating by the bay windows, open to the busy street outside, seems like a nice touch - though it's noisy and curious passersby want to see what you are eating. I recommend the place for its nice selection of foods, but I am certain there are many more like it in the area that would suit even more.
(3)George F.
Superb food. Garlic mash off the hook. Sometmes the wait is a bit long, even when they are slow. The food is really good. The chicken in all of their dishes is very tender and flavourful. The Euro club music gets a bit annoying when there arent enough people in there to drowned it out. Go eat there and fist pump.
(4)Laura E.
I feel conflicted giving this place 2 stars, because the food actually wasn't bad. It should get at least 2.5 stars for that, but oh well. Whether a 2.5 star place is a 2 or 3 star review is always a judgment call and I'm going with 2 stars for this one. Like another restaurant I ate at once in the area, there was an incredibly rude and pretentious vibe here. I don't know if that's just a "West Loop" thing. It's like these restaurants want some sort of status that they don't yet have, so they act really rude and snobby to compensate for it. Anyways, our waitress was really rude and bitchy. She had an European accent, which I assume is the sole reason why she got hired. I could go on about why I got such a bad vibe, but there is no real point. Anyone else who has experienced the gross West Loop vibe will probably know what I'm talking about. Also worth mentioning is the worst wine pour I have ever seen in my life for someone I was eating with. $7 for what looked like maybe 2 ounces of wine.
(2)Gina V.
Food was fabulous The greek fries with feta are to die for...I have been dreaming of them. The pita bread was super fresh along with the hummus and vegetables. The gyro was also delicious... I was not a huge fan of the saganaki and I think it is because they do not bring it out while it is on fire. (That sounds silly but I am being serious) By the time that the saganaki made it to our table it was hard and chewy. Wednesday night specials are $5 vodka drinks so my friends and I were livin la vida loca and I will definitely be visiting more frequently. (On Wednesdays) The service....it could improve. Our waitress was hungarian and came off as somewhat rude. More than rude it was almost as if she was annoyed by us or was judging us.
(5)lin r.
RUDE BOUNCER. tall older man and ignorant. wont be coming to this place. this probably wont matter but whoever u are rude bouncer saturday night sept 29 about midnight.. if u cant take jokes and playfulness. go back to where u belong GREECE! and TAKE A CHILL PILL MAN! 0 star to rude bouncer!
(1)Nina M.
Good pita sandwich, good Greek fries (feta and oregano). Nice outdoor dining and the windows open in nice weather. Also if you are still a smoker, great news! apparently the Illinois law or people's health don't matter bc if you are caught here on a Saturday night (Greek music party night) people smoke in here That takes 1 star away. If you play backgammon and don't have a job or are a student, this is your spot during the weekday with a frappe. Not sure what the problem with the waitresses are, never had a big problem. Parking is valet for $5 on the side. That's about it.
(4)Steve L.
Great food with outdoor seating. Not a huge menu and not what I would call traditional Greek. I had Schwarma, which was excellent. My friend had a pork dish that was outstanding. I highly recommend
(4)Khadijah L.
The waitresses here have this disposition like uh they're on PMS or something. Think Angelina Jolie with no smile. Kinda hot.. look like they're going to chew you and spit you right out. Honey, you're no Angelina Jolie. Furthermore, you're scaring the patrons. Especially because you don't pay any attention to us, and we had to flag you down a couple of times to order more rounds of drinks and get more bread... At the same time, we fear that you might bite our heads off. This place has decent food and drinks but the service definitely could be friendlier. Maybe if I milao ellinika they would be friendlier...
(2)Jamie H.
Nothing too special to say about this place. We just wandered down Halsted and it looked nice so we came in. I had a gyro platter which was pretty good, nothing out of the ordinary though. My friends had a salad and a chicken pita thing- said the Salad was good and the pita not so good. It's rather awkwardly arranged in the bar so we didn't have much room. And that's all I've got!
(3)G K.
If you get in you lucky, they have someone at the door who tells you it's a private party, even when the place is not that full. It's face control, if the owner who stands behind the guy telling you it's a private party likes how you look, then you will get in on a Saturday night, doesn't matter if you work in the neighborhood and frequent the place during the week.
(1)Emily A.
This place reminds me of the restaurants my two little old 2nd cousins would take me to in Greece.....really authentic and delicious. In Greece they shut everything down in the afternoon to take a nap and then open up again around what we'd call the "end of the day" so they don't eat dinner until about 10:30pm......this is that type of place youd' go to a 10:30 in Athens and sit outside on the veranda overlooking the Parthenon. THE FOOD IS VERY GOOD and uniqiue and special. If you want to eat where the GREEKS are eating, go here. If you want some of the more expected dishes then go across the street to the Pathenon which has the more traditionally expected dishes for Americans who want Greek food.
(4)Steve M.
Went for a Tuesday night dinner. Friends were late, so I played the "wait at the bar and watch sportscenter" game. Bartender was gruff, and poured me pretty weak Johnny Walker Reds as I sat there and listened to the ecclectic mix of euro house/trance and traditional greek music. I felt like I had to stand up and flag down the barman for my only refill, because he spent most of the time chatting up his friends, who were also sitting at the bar. You know it's awkward when the bartender acts like you're interrupting his IMPORTANT conversation to pour you another drink. Friends arrived, we were seated, and the food saved the day (and this review)! Saginaki, DELICIOUS. Gyro platter = amazing. Souvlaki: "get out of town on a bus" good. Wash it all down w/ very very reasonably priced red and white greek table wine. I might go back..... my friends just better be on time.
(3)D. T.
This is absolutely the Coolest and Hippest place to hang out at in Greek Town! It offers everything you could want!! Excellent Coffee! Fantastic Food! Any Kind of Drink you could ever imagine!! Wonderful Desserts! I must continue by saying that it has very beautiful outdoor seating with lush and beautiful plants and flowers that make you feel like you are in the tropics on vacation! In my opinion, the owners of this fine establishment are very kind and hospitable! Yanni and Niko regularly greet the guests and welcome them as they walk in the door! I have personally never had a problem with any food or drink item that I have ever ordered! The alcohol is always the best quality! I also find that the crowd that frequents this establishment is usually very nice and cool!
(5)Chocolate H.
This is one my top comfort food places in Chicago. When I just want a beer and shish kabob sandwich this is where I go. Plus they have $5 valet.
(4)Kar M.
They drew us in with the patio. And aside from the constant sirens (not Greek sirens to go with the muses--emergency vehicles) the patio was a lovely place to be. It drew in a diverse group at lunch, quiet and not crowded. Service was spot on, very attentive. Dining companions and I ordered off the daily specials. Sides are hard to find on the menu (the layout of the small boring font on yellow paper tried our patience), so just trust me and get the garlic mashed potatoes. Vegetable panini was just fine; the bread-pesto-cheese part was delicious and the grilled veggies actually detracted from it. Portions were good for lunch and food came quickly. Dining companions weren't thrilled with their orders but didn't articulate why so eff them.
(3)Rachel Z.
This place is consistent. Every time I have been here, I got quality food and good service. Went and had the chicken kebob platter, marinated chicken, a nice greek salad, side of garlic mashed potatoes, and pitas to put it all on. Very yummy. My boyfriend had a swiss burger and its good everytime we have it here. The owners own 9 muses and Meli's cafe and these two restaurants will be staples in greektown for years to come.
(4)Venetta L.
Frappe with Bailey's. Do it.
(4)Cynthia F.
I am Greek and had my wedding reception at a restaurant near 9 Muses, on a Saturday night. My DJ and several of the waiters were heading over to 9 Muses afterward, and invited me to come along. My husband and I, and several members of the bridal party decided to head over there with them. I was the first to reach the bouncer. I handed him my ID, he held it for awhile, and he loudly told me that he "could tell by the way I was standing" that I was drunk. He very rudely said he would let us in, but then leaned in close to my face and threatened me that there "better not be any problems." My husband and friends right behind me heard this and were all offended, and we left. I had three shots the entire night, along with a full course meal. I was not drunk, nor was anyone with me. He was so rude to us, and for no reason. None of us were being loud or obnoxious, and we were all dressed up, not in jeans and t-shirts. I was very offended by the way the bouncer treated me, especially since I was obviously a bride. I had been looking forward to trying the place out since I'm Greek, but now I will never step foot inside the place, and neither will my friends. If any of my friends had been acting inappropriately, I would totally understand being refused entry. (I bartend and fully understand having to deal with unruly customers.) But we were very well behaved and well-dressed. Everyone lined up behind me, and got their IDs out without being asked. Even if the bouncer had reason to believe that we might cause trouble, he could have refused us entry in a nicer tone, and with nicer words, considering that we were not acting crazy and were obviously celebrating a special day. What kind of person is rude to, and threatens a bride and her husband on their wedding day???
(1)t. o.
Unbelievably bad service, from the thinks-she's-super-hot hostess to the surly bussers. The music was absolutely blaring, and with just two other customers in the whole place I asked them to turn it down so our party could hear each other across our table. I got stared down like I'd asked them to kill the cook. Actually, not a bad idea. The food was horrible. Tough dry cold lamb, undercooked vegetables, prepackaged pilaf mix. Everything overpriced. Menu was more like the gyro place down the street than a sit down eatery - and I wished I'd just gone there. The look of the place is straight out of 1985...in Long Island or New Jersey. Dubious, we waited two years to try it, living in the neighborhood. We should have kept waiting. Seems like a money-laundering front for the mafia or something.
(1)Ziggy K.
Honestly, I did not expect much going to this place as most of the spots in Greek Town are mediocre at best. Very pleasantly surprised with the food. I had the chicken shish-kabob and it was really excellent. As good as it gets. My wife had the Village Salad which was also excellent. This place has lots of people lounging around who are too cool for school, but the food is worth it. The prices also makes it a very good value. Overall, very pleasantly surprised.
(5)Nadia K.
The food was so so. I tasted a hint of middle eastern spices. You cant go half ass on Arabic food, so stick to something else. The food was a little mediocre. The iced tea was old which pissed me off too
(2)Betsy B.
We just happened to end up at 9 Muses last night for Valentine's and I was not expecting much.... but wow was I surprised! First off, our bottle of St. George was 1/2 off! Keep that deal going and we'll be here every week. I wasn't expecting this place to be very authentic(not sure why), but I was wrong. The food is extremely well done, and some of the best greek potatoes I have had here in Chicago. Our waitress wasn't pushy, and our buss boy was was working his butt off at our table. Cheap too! Our bill was like 45 bucks with a bottle of wine, 2 apps, and 2 dinners. Good stuff right there....
(5)Marisa G.
saganaki what what! awesome place. i've always gone on a random weekday night so it's not packed. their fries are great and the shish kebob platter is huge. definitely fit for 2. i forget what kind of dessert I had but it was good, some kind of creamy pie with nuts and a honey drizzle? who knows but i scarfed it down whole.
(5)Nick S.
9 Muses is a fantastic cafe/bar/restaurant. This isn't categorized as a Greek restaurant, but I think it comes closest to the Greek lifestyle prevalent in Greece today. Make sure and try the Frappe. It's an iced, blended instant coffee. It's total rocket fuel. Do not attempt to drink after 4pm or you won't sleep. Their menu is prolific for a place that many people consider a bar. It's menu is filled with very seasoned and tasty beef, pork, chicken and vegetarian dishes. The food is also reasonably priced. I have been going to 9 Muses for a very long time. If you're looking for a European vibe, it's a great place to visit. If you go Saturday night, make sure and bring your shovel, there's enough Eurotrash in there to fill a small land fill. If people talking on cell phones bother you, don't bother. It's not uncommon for a person to be talking on 2 cell phones and cigarette in their mouth. I've read reviews about poor service if you're non Greek. This is false. Everyone that goes in there gets real slow service. It's that whole European "Work to live not live to work" thing. Got it?
(4)Renee L.
Saturday nights here are hit or miss....but this place gets 5 stars for the food alone. They have a surprisingly tasty menu! The souvlakia are how they make them in Greece. The sandwhiches are really outstanding as well. Also, the service is great, the waitresses are always really nice and attentive and the bartenders as well. The doorman on the weekends is a little scary and not too friendly but I don't mind if I am going with friends to hear the Greek tunes from a really good DJ.
(5)Niko K.
Yes 5 stars. With a disclaimer though.... I'm quite biased. You see, once upon a time there was a show named Cheers. "Where everyone knows your name" if you will. Well, Muses is my Cheers. I've only been there maybe a zillion times. Ok, not that many but you get the point. A few musts. If you like iced coffee, please order a Fredo when you go. Quite possibly the best liquid on earth. You can order it with no sugar, medium, or sweet. A MUST! Perfect on a warm day sitting outside on their patio. Their food is solid. I've never really had a bad meal there. Chicken is quite tender and flavorful. The souvlaki is always a good choice. I recommend their Greek fries which is just regular fries with feta cheese on top. A good combo. You can't go wrong with something friend and feta cheese. Lately on their daily specials they put a couple of wraps as options. I highly recommend. Prices are very reasonable for the quality and amount of food you get. Great place to grab an after work drink with friends too.
(5)Shannon H.
9 Muses is great if you are looking for a Mediterranean twist on bar fare. The food is very good, but the drinks are pricy and not very big. 9 Muses usually isn't too crowded or too loud and they have TV's for watching the game. Personally I love coming here in the summer because you can sit outdoors and watch all the people go by on Halsted street.
(3)Grant N.
Would give 5 stars BC the good was great but the service is poor. I had the grilled chicken pita platter, it was grilled to perfection.
(4)Ebonie D.
I love this place! A friend of mine recommended on a dreary day last spring and sure enough it's become a favorite of mine. Of course, it the only restaurant in Greektown with no valet but it's still a cool place to hang out. Good bar selections. I recommend the Tigania and the Roasted Florina Peppers. Yummy!
(4)Salvador S.
Great place for lunch or a casual date night. In Greek town this place is one of the most modern in it's food and look. I have been coming here for years and it just keeps getting better.
(4)Ben B.
Great, relaxed indoor-and-outdoor atmosphere makes for a comfortable neighborhood restaurant. Hearty portions on the sandwiches and flavorful gyro meat, plus fair prices. One of the best Greek restaurants in Greektown.
(4)Michael L.
This is a hidden treasure. (At least I think it's hidden. Rarely crowded.) Really scrumptious Mediterranean food--unlike anything else in Greektown. Nice wines, pleasant funky atmosphere. Open-air windows for the nice weather. Special treat: Have a drink at the Tasting Room and then dinner at Nine Muses. Great for a romantic evening or out-of-town visitor (or a combo of the two). And there's a $5.00 parking lot next door.
(5)Ryan P.
Oh, how I love me some 9 Muses! I've been here more times than I can count on my right hand (Only four fingers!) and I've loved it every time. I've only gotten one thing and that's the Chicken Caesar Sandwich with Greek Fries. It has been superb every time! Their outdoor eating area is so nice and it's a wonderful little place to go on a summer evening. The staff is friendly - I'm pretty sure it's only young Greek gals - but either way they are friendly and attentive. Also, I saw Jim McMahon eating here one time, which tells me one thing... Champions eat at 9 Muses and so should you!
(4)Harry P.
I used to frequent this place a lot when I was going to UIC. It used to be this very down to earth bar/grill that catered to college students with good prices that a broke college student can afford. After they expanded , all of a sudden they started to charge a premium for everything. Also, after the expansion, the owners got this " My crap don't stink" attitude. Don't get me wrong, the food and the ambiance is very good(hence the 2 stars), but the owners have to realize, that their pompous attitude has and will chase their regular and potential customers away.
(2)Nora B.
Nice spot in Greektown. More of a cafe menu with some healthy and lite choices& yummy Greek favorites. Very casual, with a good selection& great outdoor seating if it's warm! They do take out and have a full bar. Good service, too...Always a plus!
(4)Carrie H.
I love greek food, bar atmosphere, and alcohol. This place does it right at a resonable price.
(4)kara c.
I usually come here on a weekday afternoon for some soup and a cocktail. The service is nice, but they never come to check up on me. After about 20 minutes of waiting, I have to go ask for my check. But the egg lemon is good!
(3)Scott S.
Do you like clown cars at circuses? Now imagine if you added alcohol to that fray. It sounds like an epiphany as great as the moment someone decided that mixing stimulants and depressants together in the form of jaeger bombs was a good idea. Unfortunately, this is not the case. On a saturday night at 1am you will be playing "i hope thats a member of the opposite sex grinding on my leg" as you will be packed in too tight to turn around and look. Bouncers at the bar spend all night betting on how many people they can fit in a single room.
(2)Victoria h.
I've been there several times during the late hours for their dancing. Today, finally, I went there for their food. Since it was Greek Festival, everything was served in plastic plates with plastic-ware. It was kind of cheap and unappealing. I had the Creek salad (there, called Village salad) which wasn't very big, but came with a baguette and was very tasty. My friend had their 9 muses panini and really liked it. We also ordered tzaziki (which i didn't feel like making myself) and it was super tasty. Our server wasn't very personable and the service was below par (hence 4 stars, not 5). I'd definitely come back here for food, give it another shot. Maybe, next time, I won't have to eat out of cheap plastic plates.
(4)Maria C.
I had a wonderful meal here. Being a greek girl I am very picky when it comes to my Greek Food. This restaurant impressed me. The food was very good. We tried a number of appetizers and I loved the Greek Fries with the Feta. Most places don't put feta on them.
(5)Luis C.
I love 9 muses. Ive never had a bad time or a bad meal there. The sandwiches are really good and the dinner plates are delicious. Of course, for some reason I always have the gyro platter...I know thats kind of boring but its soo good. I have had the enormous pork chop dinner, very tasty. Carbonara pasta, good. Just about anything you order is good and they will make adjustments and substitutions better than BK. The appetizers are all good. Fun place with good energy. Good date place that wont break the bank.
(4)Jae Z.
If I could, I would give 0 stars. I've never been anywhere where servers have such attitude. Do they know it's their job to bring you water? After a busboy brought us water, our server had the nerve to yell at him for doing so. WTF??!! We left immediately afterwards, as I have better ways of spending my Sunday afternoons. Avoid this place like the PLAGUE. Unless you want to be treated like the plague, that is.
(1)Rob C.
Two words...Fontina Peppers! That's the only reason I goto this place. It's an appetizer that they offer and it's amazing. I find myself going here just for that dish more often than not and I believe they're the only resto in Greek Town that offers it. It's two roasted red peppers stuffed with feta cheese served over balsmaic vinegar and olive oil. The rest of the items are predictable Greek dishes. I also have to agree with one other reviewer that there are not many vegetarian friendly dishes. Overall a great place to go with friends for a late night dinner before a night on the town. Good Euro music, if you're into that stuff, and a sexy crowd. Gentleman..you won't be disappointed!
(3)Amanda G.
I really enjoy 9 Muses. I've only been for lunch, but I would definitely go for dinner. They have great Egg lemon soup (a traditional Greek favorite) and a nicely sized Gyros lunch plate. Side salads are also good. It's not cheap, but its not too expensive. Also, the staff is nice and accomodating. Would definitely recommend as a good spot in Greektown.
(4)Jen T.
So now that I know this bar/restaurant is called "9" Muses instead of 'Muses (that is, Muses with an apostrophe in front of it - which is what the sign above the entrance read to me...), things are so much clearer. So we stopped here after dinner at The Parthenon, and the service was eggcellent! Probably because we were the only people at the bar, but hey I'm not complaining. Drinks were good, decor was good and service was good. Not sure about the prices, because it was on the company!
(3)Erika G.
Came on a weekend night, and the place was hopping. Hilarious Eurodisco, and a v. international crowd. Nice not to hear the same old tired AmericanBritneyTrashPop music like at other bars of this ilk.
(3)J K.
This place was, eh okay. Wasn't great but but wasn't bad either. The food was mediocre. The staff was nice and friendly and the place was well decorated. The food isn't something I'd come searching for again.
(3)Jean Z.
Its because of this place, that I have a newly found adoration for feta. My greek and I had the roasted red pepper with feta appetizer, some beef tenderloin tip special, chicken shish-ka-bob platter and fries(with lemon and fetta of course) and a frappe each. Outstanding tender meats, perfectly seasoned appetizer and great fries. Again, warms my heart because its a bar and a restaurant. Yum!
(5)Blaise S.
I've been to 9 Muses for lunch, dinner and late night, most recently on Friday for late night, so my rating is a composite of all those experiences. If you're going to go here, I highly recommend that you make it for lunch, as their food is good, and I try to stick with their sandwich menu. However, there is better food in the area and greektown is overflowing with restaurants. My late night experience on Friday was weird, mainly because it was just about empty. That made it even more unusual since we couldn't always find our waitress when we wanted new drinks or even the bill. My group didn't stay too long however, since the price for drinks was high for the area, and drinking is what we like to do. We just don't want to spend more money than we have to doing it. The aura when you walk in is one of a restaurant trying to be a high-end, more formal dining and drinking experience. I feel that if you're not one of their regulars in that group type then you're just not going to get the friendly and fun service.
(2)Chella G.
I came here on a Friday night for a Greek friend's birthday celebration. Keep in mind that my review is based only on drinks, so there may be an update if I eat here. I can't say I was totally impressed by this bar. The waitress looked at me like I had two heads when I asked her about beer. We got to the table, which was by the window and very nice, she finally came back. I ordered a martini, which was so unmemorable that I don't even remember what flavor. It was $12, which I think is a bit steep for a drink at a regular bar. My guy's G&T was almost $8. I will say that the decor was fantastic and very artsy. Loved it!
(3)Adolfo M.
This establishment is a Greek bar and restaurant, but it's forte is not Greek food. Rather, the 9 Muses is a good place if you want to have a beer with your gyro or burger. During the summer, you can enjoy eating outside under an awning or sit inside along the street-side windows that open up and make you feel like you are eating al fresco. Most of the waitresses are young Eastern European women with a working knowledge of English that are better at looking good than at serving you. The bar is nice and is surrounded by several televisions, but the Greek pop music is sometimes annoyingly loud.
(2)Amesa C.
They have the rudest door staff and the owners are just as rude! I tried coming here after a Greek festival over the summer and they wouldn't let my friends and I in because we are damn fine! I tried to give this place a second chance last weekend and when my friend and I walked in on a Saturday night the place barely had anyone inside! The bartenders gave us a sad pathetic look as we walked right out! Ha! The place is going down cause it sucks!
(1)Peetle E.
I went there for a Saturday lunch, and liked the laid back decor and atmosphere a lot. Food was not memorable, and I was pissed that there was absolutely positively nothing with eggplant on the menu - which truly disappointed me. Mezzes were ehh - not great. I also thought that menu was too americanized. Martini selection is a (+). Most of my stars are going to the wall decors, and a hidden potential that it might be fun during night.
(3)Raw F.
Food is great and the drinks are awesome. But if you're not with greek people you will be shunned politely. i.e. The waitress will take her sweet time. The bartender will ignore you for awhile. You get my drift. So only go if you're greek or a good looking blond woman with no hair on your upper lip.
(2)n r.
I may be partial, but where do I begin? The portions are outrageous. Generous amounts of meat on every dish, whether it's a gyro platter, a heaping plate of Greek fries (squeeze the lemon, it's not just a pretty garnish--it caters to the "salt and sour") to my personal fave, the Penny salad...and I don't even eat pork, but this pork comes in amazing, tender chunks, moist and crisp in just the right places over a huge bed of lettuce, tomatoes and cukes. If pork ain't your thing, the traditional Greek-style salad with grilled chicken is amazing, too. They know their meat! Lentil and other soups are good as well. What can I say? I'm hooked. Also love the authentic Euro vibe.
(5)Tina K.
West Loopers and other locals should check out 9 Muses. Just steps from the Blue Line and in the midst of Greektown, this place serves up the best "makaronada" spagetti with meat sauce. The sandwiches with a side of Greek fries (spinkled with feta and oregano) are also a favorite. The music is authentically Greek and before you leave get a "frappe" Greek iced coffee, which is sure to get you going for the rest of your day!
(4)Jessica C.
Nice lunch spot. Love their tzatziki. Try the chicken pita.
(3)Pooja S.
Went into this place expecting to sit down to a proper Greek meal. The menu isn't typically Greek though. Decided to stay, and try it out. Lovely ambiance, the flowers in the outdoor seating really add to the decor. The food was very good, I liked my chicken kabob and the husbands gyros were pretty good too. It came with a lot of fries... and the quantities were generous.The house white wine was worth having... served perfectly chilled.
(3)Kortnee B.
It's not a traditional Greek restaurant, like many of its neighbors. It has the hip, trendy vibe, they have a DJ booth. Muses serves one of the best Greek salads I've had in my life. Creamy feta & perfectly seasoned chicken. Delightful!
(4)PJ K.
Pleasant space, especially on a sunny summer afternoon with the windows open. Food entirely decent: an attempt at a somewhat lighter Greek cuisine. Not the best on Halsted, nor the second best, nor (probably) the third best. But not bad. Pricey, but not lethally so. Waitstaff dominated by vaguely haughty but not unpleasant gorgeous Eastern Bloc models. Arm me with the .45 automatic necessary to convince them to take off the grotty Eurodisco musique moderne, and this approaches 5-star territory.
(4)Donna B.
Went for drinks for my birthday. Was met by a blonde long haired Romanian waitress that had some beef with one of my friends before. We did not want her for our waitress as she was so rude. The waitress ended up calling my friend a F***ing bitch.... I could not believe the gall this waitress had. It's rumored she's with the owners, if you know what I mean. We asked to speak to the owner/manager and a older large Greek man came and told us that we had to be nice and also said we "have to tip the girls, it's how they make their money". I've been in the service industry longer than the Romanian waitress has been alive and proceeded to tell him that tipping is expected when good service has been provided and that behavior was uncalled for. He took her side, man.... she must provide him with some good service. When she brought our drinks, she slammed it on the table and sarcastically said "thank you, your welcome" Well then that's when I took off on her asking her who the hell she think she is talking to us like that? Horrible horrible service, Horrible management. This place deserves to go bankrupt. Stay far away. Horrible place.
(1)Anthony L.
This place is terrible. The food is below average and the service is horrible! I went to Muses with a group of friends for dinner. They first tried to break our group into two tables even though the restaurant was empty. We finally convinced them to move our group in the back room. During dinner the music was so loud that we literally had to yell with each other to communicate. We nicely requested to turn the music down. They refused and turned up the music louder in order to spite our group. Simply horrible customer service. I will never go back!
(1)Manny S.
This restaurant has a great cafe flair and I especially love it in the summer when you can sit outdoors under their covered awning. I have tried several items on the menu and Ive always been really pleased. I would recommend the roasted red pepper and feta with balsamic appetizer. They are known for their good Greek coffee too. I think the staff could be a bit more attentive, but theyre alright.
(4)penny h.
great place... love the food, coffee and the night ambiance OPA :)
(5)mariah t.
This place has great fredos and frappes!! I only wish they offered skim milk as an option for the coffee. The food and service are very good. Great place to go year round but especially in the summer!!
(4)Danielle A.
I just returned to Nine Muses for the second time last night, and the wait staff makes it quite a lovely place. I give only three stars simply because I am a vegetarian and there are about two vegetarian options on the menu. While I understand that Greek is not a particularly vegetarian variety of food, I have been to other Greek restaurants (Greek Islands, Artopolis) that offer quite a nice variety of veggie options. However, the basil and feta salad I have ordered on my two visits to Nine Muses is deliciously fresh with capers, beautiful tomatoes, vinegar, very flavorful. My dining companion enjoyed the beef shish kabob plate which was piled with fresh pita and tzatziki. The Greek wine is excellent, and the entire meal was very affordable. The best attribute to Nine Muses, however, was our waitress. She was so informative and sweet, and did not rush us through our meal, but did not neglect us in any way. Nine Muses is a nice, affordable option in Greektown if you have tried the regulars and want to venture somewhere new.
(3)Design G.
I haven't been here on weekend when I hear that it's really rockin' but I came on a weekday one morning around 11am when the place opened. I got a warm, freindly reception and even though I only ordered an espresso drink I was treated with a smile. Nice, open outdoor area with just enough shade to stay cool. As lunch time approached a ton of people came in but I still felt no pressure. No doubt-- I will be back to spend $$. Super stop in G-town.
(5)Ed J.
i actually live rite on top of this restaurant..my windows in the picture! i love the atmosphere of this place..always seems hype...but for the food i think its just ok. u dont get what u pay for..id rather go to venus for food.i like chillin here smokin n drinkin coffee...coz i like the lil outdoor patio they have its pretty with all the colorful flowers..and service is always good
(3)penny h.
great place... love the food, coffee and the night ambiance OPA :)
(5)mariah t.
This place has great fredos and frappes!! I only wish they offered skim milk as an option for the coffee. The food and service are very good. Great place to go year round but especially in the summer!!
(4)J K.
This place was, eh okay. Wasn't great but but wasn't bad either. The food was mediocre. The staff was nice and friendly and the place was well decorated. The food isn't something I'd come searching for again.
(3)Stan A.
servers are nice ("niiiiiceee!"), oh the food's good too. best gyros in greektown.
(5)Jonathan F.
Good place to start and evening. Not so good to end. Good souvlaki and salads. If you don't know them when it's busy you're not getting in. I go with Greeks for safety.
(3)Jean Z.
Its because of this place, that I have a newly found adoration for feta. My greek and I had the roasted red pepper with feta appetizer, some beef tenderloin tip special, chicken shish-ka-bob platter and fries(with lemon and fetta of course) and a frappe each. Outstanding tender meats, perfectly seasoned appetizer and great fries. Again, warms my heart because its a bar and a restaurant. Yum!
(5)Blaise S.
I've been to 9 Muses for lunch, dinner and late night, most recently on Friday for late night, so my rating is a composite of all those experiences. If you're going to go here, I highly recommend that you make it for lunch, as their food is good, and I try to stick with their sandwich menu. However, there is better food in the area and greektown is overflowing with restaurants. My late night experience on Friday was weird, mainly because it was just about empty. That made it even more unusual since we couldn't always find our waitress when we wanted new drinks or even the bill. My group didn't stay too long however, since the price for drinks was high for the area, and drinking is what we like to do. We just don't want to spend more money than we have to doing it. The aura when you walk in is one of a restaurant trying to be a high-end, more formal dining and drinking experience. I feel that if you're not one of their regulars in that group type then you're just not going to get the friendly and fun service.
(2)Chella G.
I came here on a Friday night for a Greek friend's birthday celebration. Keep in mind that my review is based only on drinks, so there may be an update if I eat here. I can't say I was totally impressed by this bar. The waitress looked at me like I had two heads when I asked her about beer. We got to the table, which was by the window and very nice, she finally came back. I ordered a martini, which was so unmemorable that I don't even remember what flavor. It was $12, which I think is a bit steep for a drink at a regular bar. My guy's G&T was almost $8. I will say that the decor was fantastic and very artsy. Loved it!
(3)Adolfo M.
This establishment is a Greek bar and restaurant, but it's forte is not Greek food. Rather, the 9 Muses is a good place if you want to have a beer with your gyro or burger. During the summer, you can enjoy eating outside under an awning or sit inside along the street-side windows that open up and make you feel like you are eating al fresco. Most of the waitresses are young Eastern European women with a working knowledge of English that are better at looking good than at serving you. The bar is nice and is surrounded by several televisions, but the Greek pop music is sometimes annoyingly loud.
(2)Amesa C.
They have the rudest door staff and the owners are just as rude! I tried coming here after a Greek festival over the summer and they wouldn't let my friends and I in because we are damn fine! I tried to give this place a second chance last weekend and when my friend and I walked in on a Saturday night the place barely had anyone inside! The bartenders gave us a sad pathetic look as we walked right out! Ha! The place is going down cause it sucks!
(1)Peetle E.
I went there for a Saturday lunch, and liked the laid back decor and atmosphere a lot. Food was not memorable, and I was pissed that there was absolutely positively nothing with eggplant on the menu - which truly disappointed me. Mezzes were ehh - not great. I also thought that menu was too americanized. Martini selection is a (+). Most of my stars are going to the wall decors, and a hidden potential that it might be fun during night.
(3)Raw F.
Food is great and the drinks are awesome. But if you're not with greek people you will be shunned politely. i.e. The waitress will take her sweet time. The bartender will ignore you for awhile. You get my drift. So only go if you're greek or a good looking blond woman with no hair on your upper lip.
(2)n r.
I may be partial, but where do I begin? The portions are outrageous. Generous amounts of meat on every dish, whether it's a gyro platter, a heaping plate of Greek fries (squeeze the lemon, it's not just a pretty garnish--it caters to the "salt and sour") to my personal fave, the Penny salad...and I don't even eat pork, but this pork comes in amazing, tender chunks, moist and crisp in just the right places over a huge bed of lettuce, tomatoes and cukes. If pork ain't your thing, the traditional Greek-style salad with grilled chicken is amazing, too. They know their meat! Lentil and other soups are good as well. What can I say? I'm hooked. Also love the authentic Euro vibe.
(5)Tina K.
West Loopers and other locals should check out 9 Muses. Just steps from the Blue Line and in the midst of Greektown, this place serves up the best "makaronada" spagetti with meat sauce. The sandwiches with a side of Greek fries (spinkled with feta and oregano) are also a favorite. The music is authentically Greek and before you leave get a "frappe" Greek iced coffee, which is sure to get you going for the rest of your day!
(4)Jessica C.
Nice lunch spot. Love their tzatziki. Try the chicken pita.
(3)Pooja S.
Went into this place expecting to sit down to a proper Greek meal. The menu isn't typically Greek though. Decided to stay, and try it out. Lovely ambiance, the flowers in the outdoor seating really add to the decor. The food was very good, I liked my chicken kabob and the husbands gyros were pretty good too. It came with a lot of fries... and the quantities were generous.The house white wine was worth having... served perfectly chilled.
(3)Kortnee B.
It's not a traditional Greek restaurant, like many of its neighbors. It has the hip, trendy vibe, they have a DJ booth. Muses serves one of the best Greek salads I've had in my life. Creamy feta & perfectly seasoned chicken. Delightful!
(4)PJ K.
Pleasant space, especially on a sunny summer afternoon with the windows open. Food entirely decent: an attempt at a somewhat lighter Greek cuisine. Not the best on Halsted, nor the second best, nor (probably) the third best. But not bad. Pricey, but not lethally so. Waitstaff dominated by vaguely haughty but not unpleasant gorgeous Eastern Bloc models. Arm me with the .45 automatic necessary to convince them to take off the grotty Eurodisco musique moderne, and this approaches 5-star territory.
(4)Donna B.
Went for drinks for my birthday. Was met by a blonde long haired Romanian waitress that had some beef with one of my friends before. We did not want her for our waitress as she was so rude. The waitress ended up calling my friend a F***ing bitch.... I could not believe the gall this waitress had. It's rumored she's with the owners, if you know what I mean. We asked to speak to the owner/manager and a older large Greek man came and told us that we had to be nice and also said we "have to tip the girls, it's how they make their money". I've been in the service industry longer than the Romanian waitress has been alive and proceeded to tell him that tipping is expected when good service has been provided and that behavior was uncalled for. He took her side, man.... she must provide him with some good service. When she brought our drinks, she slammed it on the table and sarcastically said "thank you, your welcome" Well then that's when I took off on her asking her who the hell she think she is talking to us like that? Horrible horrible service, Horrible management. This place deserves to go bankrupt. Stay far away. Horrible place.
(1)Anthony L.
This place is terrible. The food is below average and the service is horrible! I went to Muses with a group of friends for dinner. They first tried to break our group into two tables even though the restaurant was empty. We finally convinced them to move our group in the back room. During dinner the music was so loud that we literally had to yell with each other to communicate. We nicely requested to turn the music down. They refused and turned up the music louder in order to spite our group. Simply horrible customer service. I will never go back!
(1)Manny S.
This restaurant has a great cafe flair and I especially love it in the summer when you can sit outdoors under their covered awning. I have tried several items on the menu and Ive always been really pleased. I would recommend the roasted red pepper and feta with balsamic appetizer. They are known for their good Greek coffee too. I think the staff could be a bit more attentive, but theyre alright.
(4)Danielle A.
I just returned to Nine Muses for the second time last night, and the wait staff makes it quite a lovely place. I give only three stars simply because I am a vegetarian and there are about two vegetarian options on the menu. While I understand that Greek is not a particularly vegetarian variety of food, I have been to other Greek restaurants (Greek Islands, Artopolis) that offer quite a nice variety of veggie options. However, the basil and feta salad I have ordered on my two visits to Nine Muses is deliciously fresh with capers, beautiful tomatoes, vinegar, very flavorful. My dining companion enjoyed the beef shish kabob plate which was piled with fresh pita and tzatziki. The Greek wine is excellent, and the entire meal was very affordable. The best attribute to Nine Muses, however, was our waitress. She was so informative and sweet, and did not rush us through our meal, but did not neglect us in any way. Nine Muses is a nice, affordable option in Greektown if you have tried the regulars and want to venture somewhere new.
(3)Design G.
I haven't been here on weekend when I hear that it's really rockin' but I came on a weekday one morning around 11am when the place opened. I got a warm, freindly reception and even though I only ordered an espresso drink I was treated with a smile. Nice, open outdoor area with just enough shade to stay cool. As lunch time approached a ton of people came in but I still felt no pressure. No doubt-- I will be back to spend $$. Super stop in G-town.
(5)Ed J.
i actually live rite on top of this restaurant..my windows in the picture! i love the atmosphere of this place..always seems hype...but for the food i think its just ok. u dont get what u pay for..id rather go to venus for food.i like chillin here smokin n drinkin coffee...coz i like the lil outdoor patio they have its pretty with all the colorful flowers..and service is always good
(3)Liz L.
9 Muses is fantastic! I went there for the first time tonight and the people were so nice. The waitress suggested the feta roasted peppers and they were delicious! I also really loved the spanikopita and tzatziki. The outdoor seating was fantastic on a warm summer night and the place has wonderful atmosphere. Not only was the food awesome, but they totally saved me tonight. I stupidly left a pretty valuable piece of equipment behind, only to realize after driving away. When I came rushing back they came out waving to me that they had found it. Thanks 9 Muses, you saved the day! I'll definitely be back the next time I'm in the neighborhood. :)
(5)Susan A.
High prices. Not enough food Simple. Not the greatest taste but competitive. Hope this guys pay attention to this reviews. thank you.
(3)L B.
I love this place. Everything here is delicious. I've eaten here twice and both times had great experiences. Both times I ordered a chicken salad (one time it was a Chicken Shawarma and once it was Grilled Chicken). Each time I got beautiful fresh greens and a TON of well-seasoned perfectly cooked chicken. The cappuccino here is also delicious, as are the hummus and olives and pita bread. It's never super busy, either, which is also nice. I don't know why more people don't given this better ratings.
(4)Gerry X.
Also plus as I found out is that 9 Muses has wireless. Sweet. Food is good ( I ususally get a shish ke bab plates which i took a bad pic of, but i was THAT hungry) People friendly, owners are awesome, and waitstaff was professional. Outdoor patio was relaxing and as I write this...stuffed and want to go into a food coma. Not looking foward to traffic, however the expressway is easily available right here off of Randolph. And the frappe gylko me gala (sweet with milk) is always a win. Mikey makes a good one (he wasnt here today but the frappe was as good.
(5)Michael H.
We chose 9 Muses because there was outdoor seating. Try the tomato basil appetizer with an order of feta. Very refreshing start to your meal. Also try an "interesting" white Greek wine as described on the menu. I was tempted to ask the oddly-serious waitress if she could recommend any "boring" wines. I had the beef kabob and it was delicious. Perfectly seasoned with a nice compliment of rice, salad and pita. Boo to the oddly-serious waitress for charging me $1.00 for a little extra tzatziki sauce. That should never be done at any self-respecting restaurant.
(3)Margie L.
So we came into this restaurant with high hopes. I mean we r in Greek Town. Well we had about 9 ppl in our group and as i walked in the music to me sounded like i was in a night club instead if a Greek restaurant. The bar was empty in a Saturday night which was odd to me because all the other greek spots were pretty crowded. Ok, so i look at the menu. I find it strange that i cant fibd grilled octopus. Every greek restaurant down town has this on their menu! I order two skewers a chicken and pork and ask for Greek Potatoes. The waitress says we dobt have greek potatoes on the weekend. Wait. What!!! They only serve fries or mashed. Are you kidding me?? Ok well i get the mashes. Ih ya, and my order was the platter with salad. after the waitress took all our orders we never saw her again. The bus boy was a great runner tho. Forty five minutes goes by before we get our food. The three of them come out and start asking everyone is this your order. What!!! Im a bit annoyed by now. I get my plate and i get 2 tiby skewers with a big pike of smashed red skin potatoes. Thats it! No ome even came in this restaurant to sit at the bar in the hour and a half we were there. I wont be back.
(2)Zach J.
Yawn! Just another fail for me this past weekend. This place was very ok and average at best. I had a special which I can't remember, but it was a chicken kebob on pita bread. It was ok tasting accept the chicken was dry. I requested the mashed potatos but they were very boring and not very hot. The highlight of the whole meal was the very attractive and friendly waitress we had and that is it.
(3)Natasha L.
I just ordered from this place on Grubhub and just a few thoughts: 1.) A slice of Feta for my village salad - very generous! 2.) Grilled zucchini that looked like the leathery skin between Bruce Jenner's ass cheeks. 3.) The cold yellow piss of Sasquatch - oh wait that's Lemon Soup! 4.) Enough bread to feed Sally Suther's needy kids. They need the bread...not me. 5.) Last but least, enough oil dressing to lube my runs so they slide out like a kid going down the water slide at Indiana Beach. So if this sounds like an option for you - be my guest and go place an order.
(1)Camille S.
I dropped in for a lunch break while attending a nearby conference. The bartender misheard me and put in a meat sandwich instead of the vegetarian option. I apologized when the wrong sandwich came out but I find it hard to believe you can mix 'chicken' with 'veggie'. She basically argued with me about what I asked for and my food took a WHILE to make. As a restaurant owner myself I felt like it was very unprofessional and disappointing. I got it to go (after waiting 20 mins for a sandwich, 40 including the first one) and left. Not the best experience but want to give the benefit of the doubt.
(2)Danny R.
Great place to grab a quick lunch and a drink. Prices are great and service .
(4)Susan M.
The only reason I am giving this place one star is because they delivered my food in a bag with a handle that I can re-use to clean out my cat's litter box. Now, on to my review.... I had this craving for greek food ever since I tried the Athenian Room, which, by the way, I give 20 stars on a 5-star scale, but they DO NOT DELIVER. UGHHHHH. But because I had showered and put on my softy pi's and was all settled in for a Pawn Stars marathon, I thought, eh, I'll just order Greek food from GrubHub. A gyros and fries is a gyros and fries, right? WRONG. Like I said, I was all set for those fat, lemony tasting fries sprinkled with oregano and a yummy gyros. Chumlee had just pissed off Rick again and then "DING DONG" my order from 9 Muses was here...yay! I started unpacking my order (2 gyros and an extra order of fries--my husband always steals mine.) I opened the styrofoam container and to my HORROR.....the fries were not fat and juicy...but anorexic skinny ones like McDonald's....burned and soggy and ICE COLD..but worse...sprinkled with some cheesy stuff resembling feta but tasting more like soggy cottage cheese. The gyros wasn't much better; but instead of thinly sliced strips of meat, they had put big chunks...and surrounded it with red onions (like a hot dog) and congealed tzatziki sauce...again...ICE COLD. I tried microwaving the piles of goo, but now all I had was hot chunks of meat with steaming hot goo and soggier burned fries. BUMMMMMMMMER!! I never do this, but this order was so out-of-control bad that I contacted GrubHub. They got right back to me (good job) but said 9 Muses would NOT refund my order...OR send me something else! SOOOO now I'm out almost $30 for food I threw in the garbage and probably the rats in the alley won't even eat. And guess who will NEVER go to, or order from 9 Muses again? You've got it..ME...and I hope YOU, TOO.
(1)Jessica M.
To be seated within the restaurant but to feel like you're outdoors! It's a Sunday evening around 6pm and the front windows were wide open. We were showcased as we dined away. I certainly don't mind the attention and Greektown scenery. It was a bit early and we had an appetite for small bites: roasted Florina peppers, calamari, beef kabob, and creme brulee. The peppers were soft and soggy. It did not please us much but the flies liked it. The calamari and beef kabob were standard. They were generous portions and filling. My friend had the creme brulee and said it was too sweet. I think he even scooped off the top layer of caramel before he devoured the rest of the dessert. Note: The gyros seem to be presented in a deconstructed manner. Seems quite interesting to lure a return. P.S. Parking was free!
(3)Jimmy P.
I think this place is worth coming to, at least once in your visit to Chicago. Not for the night-life specifically, but for its food and drinks, and very friendly staff. I actually think the night life is for people who want to bring back memories of visiting Greece, which is not necessarily for everyone. For those on my boat, come in the afternoon for authentic Greek dining and a nice frappe. It is worth a try, and you are likely to appreciate the experience.
(3)Meredith B.
All the Greek restaurants on this strip seem almost identical, so to try something new my friend and I came here for dinner on a Friday around 530. It's smaller than the big famous restaurants, and doesn't do as much of the "Greek" decor. Just looks like a casual restaurant/bar with sports on and strange euro music. Didn't have much atmosphere so I got a little nervous at first, and not seeing a crowded dining room made me cross my fingers and hope that the food would be good! The menu actually has more Middle Eastern and Mediterranean influence rather than just straight-up Greek. It's a smaller menu than you'll find at the other Greektown joints, with some original choices. We each got a glass of wine (presented nicely, in pretty rounded glasses with mini-carafes alongside), and my German riesling was nice and sweet. I ordered the chicken kabob, and when we saw our huge plates coming we were like "holy crap, did we really order all that food?" My kabob platter had 5 big pieces of chicken, a salad, pita with tzatziki sauce, and a separate plate of rice. And wow, did the taste surpass my expectations! Chicken was juicy and tender, with a delicious crisp-char on the outside. I could only eat three pieces since there was just so much of it! The salad was simple, mixed greens, red onion, olives, tomato, and feta, but the dressing was subtly tangy and very appealing. The pita was warm, and the soft fluffy rice went great with the crispy chicken. My friend felt similarly about her souvlaki platter. I ate as much as I could. I only wish I could have eaten more! The only thing I didn't like was the service. After the food came we had a very hard time trying to get them to clear our plates, and then it took them almost 20 minutes to bring the check. Server was standing in clear sight of us, just watching TV. I had to just creepily stare at her until she happened to look at me and then gestured with my wallet. That was kind of annoying. But not so much to take away from how great the food was. Sounds like this turns into a really different place at night! More like a Greek nightclub with food? Trust me at 6 pm it is nothing like that! At the early dinner hours it is pretty quiet but you will get a great meal!
(4)Salil G.
Stopped in for lunch. Place wasn't busy. Food was decent - not as good as the other Greek places around it. Service was a bit lackluster. Not sure that I'd go back. Maybe it was an off day. I don't know. Nothing wowed me enough to give it another shot.
(3)Alex P.
Everything about this place is good. Great place to eat lunch or dinner. Food is very delicious. I choose between the Penny's Salad and Shish-ka-bob sandwiches. Greek fries are a must. Meat is always juicy and flavorful, never dry or cold. Good wine, coffee, and drinks for later on at night when you want to pretend like you are in Greece again. Greek or not, go.
(5)Sam N.
I had been here before like about 2 years ago and noted the amounts of people who would not converse with anyone who was not greek I took that review down myself on my own volition due to the fact that it was 1AM and 2 years ago. I feel that is fair. I was here recently and noticed they changed the menu. The food was awesome and for those of you checking the score the service was great and prompt. I had Beef Kabob. This place gets really hopping after 11PM on Friday and Saturday Night with a variety European and middle eastern professional who live in the area. They have a DJ who plays good euro style music The vibe is really cool. The drinks are stiff as well should you be looking for that type of service :)
(4)Angie M.
When I think of Greektown, I think Athena and Greek Islands. Big, sprawling restaurants with tacky Greek decor and flaming cheese galore. 9 Muses is not your typical Greektown experience. It's definitely more of a Eurotrashy bar atmosphere where you'd picture Mafioso-types hanging out with Greek techno/pop music playing in the background. So... yeah. I was completely entertained by my surroundings. I totally dig these weird places. But that's just me. I highly recommend the MEZE plate, which is a plethora of gyros, grilled chicken and pork tenderloin and it's YUMMY. Perfect meat. Perfect spices. The tzaziki sauce rocks and the pita is nice, soft and warm. It's also cheap. $20 or something like that and it would easily serve 4 people. A different flavor for Greektown, but I liked it.
(4)Gina D.
The best grilled calamari ever. I often get off from work late and can always count on this place for a great fresh plate of food. Lovely outdoor seating area and friendly staff.
(5)Joshua N.
Warning signs of a bad Greek restaurant: 1. No lamb on the menu. 2. No moussaka or other traditional Greek dishes. (Souvlaki and gyros aren't enough.) 3. No Greeks. 4. Few diners. I should have known better than to eat here, if not right when I walked in the door, at least when I looked at the sad, sad menu. There are certainly a lot of Greek restaurants in Chicago's Greektown. Perhaps 9 Muses is one too many. My platter certainly *looked* appetizing. The Greek salad had nice presentation, but was unfortunately quite flavorless. My pork chops looked big and sumptuous, but were actually THE WORST PORK CHOPS OF MY ENTIRE LIFE. They were so dry, it was like I was eating jerky. These chops were so tough, I injured my elbow trying to saw through them with my steak knife. (One of my dining companions ordered pork kabobs that were also overcooked. Who runs the broiler in this place? He should be taken out back and beaten with spatula.) My friends raved about the french fires at 9 Muses. I found them soggy, uninteresting, and no better than that of any hamburger joint. One of my companions ordered the calamari (predictably deep fried almost beyond recognition) and they certainly smelled good. But I was horrified to taste squid so old it smelled rotten. I hope my friend didn't end up getting sick from eating this spoiled fare. Other dishonorable mentions: lousy beer list, poor ambience, and lukewarm service. The only saving grace to this place was that it wasn't too expensive. My share of the bill was only $24. A better meal elsewhere would have cost more, but certainly have been worth it. All I could do after eating here was drive home, feeling disgusted, yearning for a shot of good ouzo, and praying for better meals to come. If you want Greek food in Greektown, I can think of half a dozen better places. Easily.
(1)Dave M.
This is a cool little find. Very nice people. Great Greek food and reasonably priced. This place is allllll Greek and allllll Chicago. Full bar. Good coffee. Valet parking. Close to Halsted/UIC Blue Line.
(4)Albert P.
HUGE HUGE HUGE FAN! The food is delicious and it has a very nice atmosphere. When my friends and I went there for a dinner and drinks, it was very enjoyable. The service was perfectly timed, with appetizers coming in and a sufficient break between the entrees. Only complaint was the waiters who messed up the order and got wrong side combinations and wrong drinks.
(4)Stephanie H.
I ate here earlier this week with three of my friends for the first time. For appetizers, we ordered the saganaki and spanakopita. I was surprised that the saganaki wasn't lit on fire tableside, but maybe that's just what I'm used to from usually going to the same Greek restaurant. The spanakopita was delicious, and the Greek fries we got with it was also very tasty. I was planning on ordering the Meze platter as an entree, but the server warned me that it was way too large for one person, so I appreciated her honesty. I was shocked that they didn't have lamb here either. Isn't that a Greek restaurant staple? I ended up going with the Shish Kabob, which was sooo good. In addition to the mound of marinated pork, it came with 4 pita slices, a Greek salad, and a choice of a side (I got rice). No complaints on the service, the busser always had our water glasses full, and table cleared, and the prices were amazing. As a huge plus personally, there was also outdoor seating :)
(4)Michael S.
The food is always good but the service is almost always bad. It shouldn't take over 10 minutes to charge my credit card during a slow lunch hour. They know that business people don't have all day.
(3)Aggelos N.
Simply, the best coffee in Chicago. Hands down. I don not get to the city as much as I would like, but when I do, this is my first stop!!!
(5)Frank I.
Since moving in the area, I passed this place for a few months before reading the reviews on Yelp. Do not go here if you are looking for your typical Greektown experience. This place is like a technopop night club with great Greek food. I highly recommend their pork. On our first visit we split one of their platters and there was plenty for both of us with enough to take home so the portions are generous. If you want some great food without the typical Greek experience, this is your place. This place is a little quirky but definitely a good dining experience.
(4)James S.
Good burgers (turkey or beef). Nice salads. Generally a good place to visit -- unless you are with kids. At night, it was pretty loud with music, and the disco-y lights looked like they were a little premature to break out the booty-shakers. Their version of simple noodles (I know, why would you come here for noodles) made the error of cooking with Olive Oil and serving with butter. Or at least that's what it tasted like. From the regulars who happened to be the burger-eaters: They both lamented how the fries were now wilty. Still with taste, but without the crisp. Took forever to get some sort of of breadbasket --- hey, it happens, but it would have been nice. Overall, fine. Never been my favorite Greek Town establishment, but it is nice to have variety, right?
(3)Jan E.
I go for the rotisserie chicken and artichoke salad. So yummy and huge enough for two meals. Good coffee and surprisingly excellent desserts. The tuxedo cake is a lovely combo of cake, mousse, frosting, and love.
(4)Dustin T.
Ugh. Just a normal place. Nothing special, although outdoor seating is nice in Greektown. However, did not try food.
(3)Helen C.
About once a year, I do get a craving for a doner kebab (here - gyros). The difference is, usually I get my kebab fix at 3am in my local kebab shop and I don't use a knife and fork to eat it. This does not make it bad food, by the way, I think meat, pita and salad with tzaziki is one of the most delicious things on the planet... it does make it a little bit odd to order it on a plate and eat it in a restaurant though! The gyros here was very delicious - good creamy tzaziki in particular. So why 3 stars? On gazing about greekfest and popping my head in some other restauants - and having eaten alot of kebabs - I don't think it was particularly special. This neighbourhood probably has an abundance of excellent gyros. Garlic mash was quite special though. I was disappointed by the menu choices (sparse), and dismayed by their reaction to asking for olives (bemusement) - really? in a greek restaurant? Then the final nail in the star coffin - charging $9.50 for Ouzo. Sorry, but that's expensive, needlessly so. Not really a 'greek taverna' atmosphere, more of a greek island playing euro house music atmosphere. Still undeniably Greek! A good fun place, cheap wine, decent food - just skip the Ouzo and don't ask for olives!
(3)Abby T.
I love how understated this place is....I feel more people should be coming here . I like the food, the service is attentive and it is never crowded. The chicken shwarma salad and pork salad looked delicious. I ordered a gyro pita and you KNOW that was delicious. Another friend ordered the lemon rice soup which she really enjoyed. Don't be like everyone else and pass 9 Muses up....it's a good spot!
(4)Michael P.
Amazing food, sat outside for lunch. Can't comment on the night/aspect but the vibe was cool. Good house music, not the most incredibly authentic Greek food but it was still great
(4)C J.
Great service and great food! I had the chicken kabob and it was delicious! I will go back to try the gyro dish.
(4)Rita P.
The kabobs, burgers, and Greek fries (feta, oregano, and lemon) are all delish. I definitely recommend the Penny Salad (so much meat!). Drinks are well priced, and the bartender has a heavy hand. If you like Greek music there is a DJ on Saturdays and there is parking nearby (metered during the day). Service is polite. Decor is very cute. Best time to go is in warm weather when they open the windows. This is a pretty solid place.
(4)Jacqueline M.
Traditional greek food, in huge portions, not meant for the light eater. Here we started with some Saganaki, the flaming cheese, and feasted on a gyro plate and chicken kabob plate. Food was good, not exceptional, and was way too much for us to finish responsibly. Members of the staff seemed very young, almost too inattentive for my taste, but I won't complain. The decor doesn't feel greek, music playing through the speakers was contemporary pop and dance hits, so I would not recommend this place if you want a real Greek experience. Seating by the bay windows, open to the busy street outside, seems like a nice touch - though it's noisy and curious passersby want to see what you are eating. I recommend the place for its nice selection of foods, but I am certain there are many more like it in the area that would suit even more.
(3)Gina V.
Food was fabulous The greek fries with feta are to die for...I have been dreaming of them. The pita bread was super fresh along with the hummus and vegetables. The gyro was also delicious... I was not a huge fan of the saganaki and I think it is because they do not bring it out while it is on fire. (That sounds silly but I am being serious) By the time that the saganaki made it to our table it was hard and chewy. Wednesday night specials are $5 vodka drinks so my friends and I were livin la vida loca and I will definitely be visiting more frequently. (On Wednesdays) The service....it could improve. Our waitress was hungarian and came off as somewhat rude. More than rude it was almost as if she was annoyed by us or was judging us.
(5)lin r.
RUDE BOUNCER. tall older man and ignorant. wont be coming to this place. this probably wont matter but whoever u are rude bouncer saturday night sept 29 about midnight.. if u cant take jokes and playfulness. go back to where u belong GREECE! and TAKE A CHILL PILL MAN! 0 star to rude bouncer!
(1)Nina M.
Good pita sandwich, good Greek fries (feta and oregano). Nice outdoor dining and the windows open in nice weather. Also if you are still a smoker, great news! apparently the Illinois law or people's health don't matter bc if you are caught here on a Saturday night (Greek music party night) people smoke in here That takes 1 star away. If you play backgammon and don't have a job or are a student, this is your spot during the weekday with a frappe. Not sure what the problem with the waitresses are, never had a big problem. Parking is valet for $5 on the side. That's about it.
(4)Steve L.
Great food with outdoor seating. Not a huge menu and not what I would call traditional Greek. I had Schwarma, which was excellent. My friend had a pork dish that was outstanding. I highly recommend
(4)Khadijah L.
The waitresses here have this disposition like uh they're on PMS or something. Think Angelina Jolie with no smile. Kinda hot.. look like they're going to chew you and spit you right out. Honey, you're no Angelina Jolie. Furthermore, you're scaring the patrons. Especially because you don't pay any attention to us, and we had to flag you down a couple of times to order more rounds of drinks and get more bread... At the same time, we fear that you might bite our heads off. This place has decent food and drinks but the service definitely could be friendlier. Maybe if I milao ellinika they would be friendlier...
(2)Jamie H.
Nothing too special to say about this place. We just wandered down Halsted and it looked nice so we came in. I had a gyro platter which was pretty good, nothing out of the ordinary though. My friends had a salad and a chicken pita thing- said the Salad was good and the pita not so good. It's rather awkwardly arranged in the bar so we didn't have much room. And that's all I've got!
(3)G K.
If you get in you lucky, they have someone at the door who tells you it's a private party, even when the place is not that full. It's face control, if the owner who stands behind the guy telling you it's a private party likes how you look, then you will get in on a Saturday night, doesn't matter if you work in the neighborhood and frequent the place during the week.
(1)Emily A.
This place reminds me of the restaurants my two little old 2nd cousins would take me to in Greece.....really authentic and delicious. In Greece they shut everything down in the afternoon to take a nap and then open up again around what we'd call the "end of the day" so they don't eat dinner until about 10:30pm......this is that type of place youd' go to a 10:30 in Athens and sit outside on the veranda overlooking the Parthenon. THE FOOD IS VERY GOOD and uniqiue and special. If you want to eat where the GREEKS are eating, go here. If you want some of the more expected dishes then go across the street to the Pathenon which has the more traditionally expected dishes for Americans who want Greek food.
(4)Steve M.
Went for a Tuesday night dinner. Friends were late, so I played the "wait at the bar and watch sportscenter" game. Bartender was gruff, and poured me pretty weak Johnny Walker Reds as I sat there and listened to the ecclectic mix of euro house/trance and traditional greek music. I felt like I had to stand up and flag down the barman for my only refill, because he spent most of the time chatting up his friends, who were also sitting at the bar. You know it's awkward when the bartender acts like you're interrupting his IMPORTANT conversation to pour you another drink. Friends arrived, we were seated, and the food saved the day (and this review)! Saginaki, DELICIOUS. Gyro platter = amazing. Souvlaki: "get out of town on a bus" good. Wash it all down w/ very very reasonably priced red and white greek table wine. I might go back..... my friends just better be on time.
(3)D. T.
This is absolutely the Coolest and Hippest place to hang out at in Greek Town! It offers everything you could want!! Excellent Coffee! Fantastic Food! Any Kind of Drink you could ever imagine!! Wonderful Desserts! I must continue by saying that it has very beautiful outdoor seating with lush and beautiful plants and flowers that make you feel like you are in the tropics on vacation! In my opinion, the owners of this fine establishment are very kind and hospitable! Yanni and Niko regularly greet the guests and welcome them as they walk in the door! I have personally never had a problem with any food or drink item that I have ever ordered! The alcohol is always the best quality! I also find that the crowd that frequents this establishment is usually very nice and cool!
(5)Chocolate H.
This is one my top comfort food places in Chicago. When I just want a beer and shish kabob sandwich this is where I go. Plus they have $5 valet.
(4)Kar M.
They drew us in with the patio. And aside from the constant sirens (not Greek sirens to go with the muses--emergency vehicles) the patio was a lovely place to be. It drew in a diverse group at lunch, quiet and not crowded. Service was spot on, very attentive. Dining companions and I ordered off the daily specials. Sides are hard to find on the menu (the layout of the small boring font on yellow paper tried our patience), so just trust me and get the garlic mashed potatoes. Vegetable panini was just fine; the bread-pesto-cheese part was delicious and the grilled veggies actually detracted from it. Portions were good for lunch and food came quickly. Dining companions weren't thrilled with their orders but didn't articulate why so eff them.
(3)Rachel Z.
This place is consistent. Every time I have been here, I got quality food and good service. Went and had the chicken kebob platter, marinated chicken, a nice greek salad, side of garlic mashed potatoes, and pitas to put it all on. Very yummy. My boyfriend had a swiss burger and its good everytime we have it here. The owners own 9 muses and Meli's cafe and these two restaurants will be staples in greektown for years to come.
(4)Venetta L.
Frappe with Bailey's. Do it.
(4)Cynthia F.
I am Greek and had my wedding reception at a restaurant near 9 Muses, on a Saturday night. My DJ and several of the waiters were heading over to 9 Muses afterward, and invited me to come along. My husband and I, and several members of the bridal party decided to head over there with them. I was the first to reach the bouncer. I handed him my ID, he held it for awhile, and he loudly told me that he "could tell by the way I was standing" that I was drunk. He very rudely said he would let us in, but then leaned in close to my face and threatened me that there "better not be any problems." My husband and friends right behind me heard this and were all offended, and we left. I had three shots the entire night, along with a full course meal. I was not drunk, nor was anyone with me. He was so rude to us, and for no reason. None of us were being loud or obnoxious, and we were all dressed up, not in jeans and t-shirts. I was very offended by the way the bouncer treated me, especially since I was obviously a bride. I had been looking forward to trying the place out since I'm Greek, but now I will never step foot inside the place, and neither will my friends. If any of my friends had been acting inappropriately, I would totally understand being refused entry. (I bartend and fully understand having to deal with unruly customers.) But we were very well behaved and well-dressed. Everyone lined up behind me, and got their IDs out without being asked. Even if the bouncer had reason to believe that we might cause trouble, he could have refused us entry in a nicer tone, and with nicer words, considering that we were not acting crazy and were obviously celebrating a special day. What kind of person is rude to, and threatens a bride and her husband on their wedding day???
(1)t. o.
Unbelievably bad service, from the thinks-she's-super-hot hostess to the surly bussers. The music was absolutely blaring, and with just two other customers in the whole place I asked them to turn it down so our party could hear each other across our table. I got stared down like I'd asked them to kill the cook. Actually, not a bad idea. The food was horrible. Tough dry cold lamb, undercooked vegetables, prepackaged pilaf mix. Everything overpriced. Menu was more like the gyro place down the street than a sit down eatery - and I wished I'd just gone there. The look of the place is straight out of 1985...in Long Island or New Jersey. Dubious, we waited two years to try it, living in the neighborhood. We should have kept waiting. Seems like a money-laundering front for the mafia or something.
(1)Ziggy K.
Honestly, I did not expect much going to this place as most of the spots in Greek Town are mediocre at best. Very pleasantly surprised with the food. I had the chicken shish-kabob and it was really excellent. As good as it gets. My wife had the Village Salad which was also excellent. This place has lots of people lounging around who are too cool for school, but the food is worth it. The prices also makes it a very good value. Overall, very pleasantly surprised.
(5)Nadia K.
The food was so so. I tasted a hint of middle eastern spices. You cant go half ass on Arabic food, so stick to something else. The food was a little mediocre. The iced tea was old which pissed me off too
(2)Betsy B.
We just happened to end up at 9 Muses last night for Valentine's and I was not expecting much.... but wow was I surprised! First off, our bottle of St. George was 1/2 off! Keep that deal going and we'll be here every week. I wasn't expecting this place to be very authentic(not sure why), but I was wrong. The food is extremely well done, and some of the best greek potatoes I have had here in Chicago. Our waitress wasn't pushy, and our buss boy was was working his butt off at our table. Cheap too! Our bill was like 45 bucks with a bottle of wine, 2 apps, and 2 dinners. Good stuff right there....
(5)Marisa G.
saganaki what what! awesome place. i've always gone on a random weekday night so it's not packed. their fries are great and the shish kebob platter is huge. definitely fit for 2. i forget what kind of dessert I had but it was good, some kind of creamy pie with nuts and a honey drizzle? who knows but i scarfed it down whole.
(5)Nick S.
9 Muses is a fantastic cafe/bar/restaurant. This isn't categorized as a Greek restaurant, but I think it comes closest to the Greek lifestyle prevalent in Greece today. Make sure and try the Frappe. It's an iced, blended instant coffee. It's total rocket fuel. Do not attempt to drink after 4pm or you won't sleep. Their menu is prolific for a place that many people consider a bar. It's menu is filled with very seasoned and tasty beef, pork, chicken and vegetarian dishes. The food is also reasonably priced. I have been going to 9 Muses for a very long time. If you're looking for a European vibe, it's a great place to visit. If you go Saturday night, make sure and bring your shovel, there's enough Eurotrash in there to fill a small land fill. If people talking on cell phones bother you, don't bother. It's not uncommon for a person to be talking on 2 cell phones and cigarette in their mouth. I've read reviews about poor service if you're non Greek. This is false. Everyone that goes in there gets real slow service. It's that whole European "Work to live not live to work" thing. Got it?
(4)Renee L.
Saturday nights here are hit or miss....but this place gets 5 stars for the food alone. They have a surprisingly tasty menu! The souvlakia are how they make them in Greece. The sandwhiches are really outstanding as well. Also, the service is great, the waitresses are always really nice and attentive and the bartenders as well. The doorman on the weekends is a little scary and not too friendly but I don't mind if I am going with friends to hear the Greek tunes from a really good DJ.
(5)Niko K.
Yes 5 stars. With a disclaimer though.... I'm quite biased. You see, once upon a time there was a show named Cheers. "Where everyone knows your name" if you will. Well, Muses is my Cheers. I've only been there maybe a zillion times. Ok, not that many but you get the point. A few musts. If you like iced coffee, please order a Fredo when you go. Quite possibly the best liquid on earth. You can order it with no sugar, medium, or sweet. A MUST! Perfect on a warm day sitting outside on their patio. Their food is solid. I've never really had a bad meal there. Chicken is quite tender and flavorful. The souvlaki is always a good choice. I recommend their Greek fries which is just regular fries with feta cheese on top. A good combo. You can't go wrong with something friend and feta cheese. Lately on their daily specials they put a couple of wraps as options. I highly recommend. Prices are very reasonable for the quality and amount of food you get. Great place to grab an after work drink with friends too.
(5)Shannon H.
9 Muses is great if you are looking for a Mediterranean twist on bar fare. The food is very good, but the drinks are pricy and not very big. 9 Muses usually isn't too crowded or too loud and they have TV's for watching the game. Personally I love coming here in the summer because you can sit outdoors and watch all the people go by on Halsted street.
(3)Grant N.
Would give 5 stars BC the good was great but the service is poor. I had the grilled chicken pita platter, it was grilled to perfection.
(4)Ebonie D.
I love this place! A friend of mine recommended on a dreary day last spring and sure enough it's become a favorite of mine. Of course, it the only restaurant in Greektown with no valet but it's still a cool place to hang out. Good bar selections. I recommend the Tigania and the Roasted Florina Peppers. Yummy!
(4)Salvador S.
Great place for lunch or a casual date night. In Greek town this place is one of the most modern in it's food and look. I have been coming here for years and it just keeps getting better.
(4)Ben B.
Great, relaxed indoor-and-outdoor atmosphere makes for a comfortable neighborhood restaurant. Hearty portions on the sandwiches and flavorful gyro meat, plus fair prices. One of the best Greek restaurants in Greektown.
(4)Michael L.
This is a hidden treasure. (At least I think it's hidden. Rarely crowded.) Really scrumptious Mediterranean food--unlike anything else in Greektown. Nice wines, pleasant funky atmosphere. Open-air windows for the nice weather. Special treat: Have a drink at the Tasting Room and then dinner at Nine Muses. Great for a romantic evening or out-of-town visitor (or a combo of the two). And there's a $5.00 parking lot next door.
(5)Ryan P.
Oh, how I love me some 9 Muses! I've been here more times than I can count on my right hand (Only four fingers!) and I've loved it every time. I've only gotten one thing and that's the Chicken Caesar Sandwich with Greek Fries. It has been superb every time! Their outdoor eating area is so nice and it's a wonderful little place to go on a summer evening. The staff is friendly - I'm pretty sure it's only young Greek gals - but either way they are friendly and attentive. Also, I saw Jim McMahon eating here one time, which tells me one thing... Champions eat at 9 Muses and so should you!
(4)Harry P.
I used to frequent this place a lot when I was going to UIC. It used to be this very down to earth bar/grill that catered to college students with good prices that a broke college student can afford. After they expanded , all of a sudden they started to charge a premium for everything. Also, after the expansion, the owners got this " My crap don't stink" attitude. Don't get me wrong, the food and the ambiance is very good(hence the 2 stars), but the owners have to realize, that their pompous attitude has and will chase their regular and potential customers away.
(2)Nora B.
Nice spot in Greektown. More of a cafe menu with some healthy and lite choices& yummy Greek favorites. Very casual, with a good selection& great outdoor seating if it's warm! They do take out and have a full bar. Good service, too...Always a plus!
(4)Carrie H.
I love greek food, bar atmosphere, and alcohol. This place does it right at a resonable price.
(4)kara c.
I usually come here on a weekday afternoon for some soup and a cocktail. The service is nice, but they never come to check up on me. After about 20 minutes of waiting, I have to go ask for my check. But the egg lemon is good!
(3)Scott S.
Do you like clown cars at circuses? Now imagine if you added alcohol to that fray. It sounds like an epiphany as great as the moment someone decided that mixing stimulants and depressants together in the form of jaeger bombs was a good idea. Unfortunately, this is not the case. On a saturday night at 1am you will be playing "i hope thats a member of the opposite sex grinding on my leg" as you will be packed in too tight to turn around and look. Bouncers at the bar spend all night betting on how many people they can fit in a single room.
(2)Victoria h.
I've been there several times during the late hours for their dancing. Today, finally, I went there for their food. Since it was Greek Festival, everything was served in plastic plates with plastic-ware. It was kind of cheap and unappealing. I had the Creek salad (there, called Village salad) which wasn't very big, but came with a baguette and was very tasty. My friend had their 9 muses panini and really liked it. We also ordered tzaziki (which i didn't feel like making myself) and it was super tasty. Our server wasn't very personable and the service was below par (hence 4 stars, not 5). I'd definitely come back here for food, give it another shot. Maybe, next time, I won't have to eat out of cheap plastic plates.
(4)Maria C.
I had a wonderful meal here. Being a greek girl I am very picky when it comes to my Greek Food. This restaurant impressed me. The food was very good. We tried a number of appetizers and I loved the Greek Fries with the Feta. Most places don't put feta on them.
(5)Luis C.
I love 9 muses. Ive never had a bad time or a bad meal there. The sandwiches are really good and the dinner plates are delicious. Of course, for some reason I always have the gyro platter...I know thats kind of boring but its soo good. I have had the enormous pork chop dinner, very tasty. Carbonara pasta, good. Just about anything you order is good and they will make adjustments and substitutions better than BK. The appetizers are all good. Fun place with good energy. Good date place that wont break the bank.
(4)Jae Z.
If I could, I would give 0 stars. I've never been anywhere where servers have such attitude. Do they know it's their job to bring you water? After a busboy brought us water, our server had the nerve to yell at him for doing so. WTF??!! We left immediately afterwards, as I have better ways of spending my Sunday afternoons. Avoid this place like the PLAGUE. Unless you want to be treated like the plague, that is.
(1)Rob C.
Two words...Fontina Peppers! That's the only reason I goto this place. It's an appetizer that they offer and it's amazing. I find myself going here just for that dish more often than not and I believe they're the only resto in Greek Town that offers it. It's two roasted red peppers stuffed with feta cheese served over balsmaic vinegar and olive oil. The rest of the items are predictable Greek dishes. I also have to agree with one other reviewer that there are not many vegetarian friendly dishes. Overall a great place to go with friends for a late night dinner before a night on the town. Good Euro music, if you're into that stuff, and a sexy crowd. Gentleman..you won't be disappointed!
(3)Amanda G.
I really enjoy 9 Muses. I've only been for lunch, but I would definitely go for dinner. They have great Egg lemon soup (a traditional Greek favorite) and a nicely sized Gyros lunch plate. Side salads are also good. It's not cheap, but its not too expensive. Also, the staff is nice and accomodating. Would definitely recommend as a good spot in Greektown.
(4)Jen T.
So now that I know this bar/restaurant is called "9" Muses instead of 'Muses (that is, Muses with an apostrophe in front of it - which is what the sign above the entrance read to me...), things are so much clearer. So we stopped here after dinner at The Parthenon, and the service was eggcellent! Probably because we were the only people at the bar, but hey I'm not complaining. Drinks were good, decor was good and service was good. Not sure about the prices, because it was on the company!
(3)Erika G.
Came on a weekend night, and the place was hopping. Hilarious Eurodisco, and a v. international crowd. Nice not to hear the same old tired AmericanBritneyTrashPop music like at other bars of this ilk.
(3)George F.
Superb food. Garlic mash off the hook. Sometmes the wait is a bit long, even when they are slow. The food is really good. The chicken in all of their dishes is very tender and flavourful. The Euro club music gets a bit annoying when there arent enough people in there to drowned it out. Go eat there and fist pump.
(4)Laura E.
I feel conflicted giving this place 2 stars, because the food actually wasn't bad. It should get at least 2.5 stars for that, but oh well. Whether a 2.5 star place is a 2 or 3 star review is always a judgment call and I'm going with 2 stars for this one. Like another restaurant I ate at once in the area, there was an incredibly rude and pretentious vibe here. I don't know if that's just a "West Loop" thing. It's like these restaurants want some sort of status that they don't yet have, so they act really rude and snobby to compensate for it. Anyways, our waitress was really rude and bitchy. She had an European accent, which I assume is the sole reason why she got hired. I could go on about why I got such a bad vibe, but there is no real point. Anyone else who has experienced the gross West Loop vibe will probably know what I'm talking about. Also worth mentioning is the worst wine pour I have ever seen in my life for someone I was eating with. $7 for what looked like maybe 2 ounces of wine.
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