I have been here many, many times and consider it my favorite Greek restaurant. Favorite because the customer service is excellent, the service fast and the quality of food is very, very good. It is by no means cheap, but you get what you pay for, and what you get here is often times delicious. I am partial to the calamari salad (extra dressing at extra charge), but have had the delicious Moussaka and mouth watering desserts. Don't be afraid to try the daily specials. They are good too. Lunch time can be crazy busy.....but worth it. Try take out. Call in advance.
(4)
Tina G.
I've been a fan of this restaurant for about 10 years now. It's my Greek Go-To spot on the east side of town for a salad or gyro. I enjoy plenty of their other dishes. I had one incident where the gyro meat tasted on the spoiled side but they took it away and offered me something else to remedy the problem. The owners and their family are always friendly.
(4)
Jerome S.
We had a great dinner tonight at Mad Greek on East Broad Street just east of Town & Country. I had one of the specials - Scrod Almondine with rice and mixed fresh vegetables $13.99. I have not seen Scrod on the menu anywhere in the past few years - maybe it goes by another name. This is one of our area's best kept secrets. If you like fries with that - theirs are the best. I rarely have room for the desserts but have taken some to go. Full bar. Never have had to wait for a table - they do a heck of a carryout business. They also have a coupon in the monthly ValuPak.
(5)
Sunshine N.
BEST GREEK FOOD IN OHO!!! Highly recommended. Amazing lamb chops, lamb shank, moussaka, grape leaves, marithes(smelts), spanakopita, skordalia, baklava and almond cookies. You can't go wrong with anything from here. Good portions also and excellent prices. I could eat here every night!!!!
(5)
Hannah B.
Very good!!! we went with friends and I had the gyro bowl. It was like a gyro salad with rice. Good flavor and a nice portion. We also got the tiramisu and the beef shawarma wrap. This place is reasonably priced and the service is good- people are nice. Definitely a place to try out if you are in the mood for Greek food.
(4)
Mike M.
Just left. Wow was my food amazing. We got seated right away. Large and diverse menu. I ordered the veggy feta pita and my,co,worker ordered the lamb pita. The fresh pita bread was great. Not to mention the server was very attentive. I can't believe I've lived in Whitehall for 17 years and I have never eaten there. Trust me when I tell you this....I will be going back very soon. I had no idea you could get beer there as well. That was the cherry on top.
(4)
Deb R.
I have gone here often since they opened. Today I was jonesing for some of their Grecian French fries with the lemon feta sauce. But to my disappointment they arrived ice cold. This is totally out of character because usually the food is awesome. My service was good but they did not refill my ice tea. BTW that building was originally a Zantigo. Any old timers remember that Mexican chain? I am positive it was not a Dax or Taco Bell
(3)
Zach S.
Mediocre at best. Overpriced for the portion size I received. I ordered the Gyro platter with rice pilaf and mixed vegetables. I was charged an additional $3 for a table spoon and a half of rice which was bland and flavorless. The vegetables were even worse, tasted like they just came out of a microwave, unseasoned. Not much good I can say about the gyro. It was terribly small. I am still hungry and might have to go to Pita Hut (HIGHLY RECOMMENDABLE). The service was terrible as well. We couldn't get the waitress to refill our drinks until the food arrived. She never once offered if we needed anything. My friend had a hair in her food. I have no idea why I am not giving this shithole only one star. Avoid at all costs this place is an embarrassment to Greek food.
(2)
Randy H.
This is my first visit here and when I comeback to Columbia I will come back here again
(4)
Leneen S.
Have a Gyro and Greek fries. Greek fries were delicious. The Gyro was dry and could've used more meat. Chocolate baklava was different. Service was slow but staff was friendly.
(3)
Matt W.
This might just be one of the best open secrets on the East Side. Even though the Mad Greek appears from the outside to be a pretty standard Greek restaurant / Gyro shop (and you can certainly get some pretty good Gyros or Baklava here), they feature some truly excellent and fresh fish. Their "Athena Grouper" is amazingly flaky, served with an awesome spinach sauce. There's decent wine options and a solid bar, and the service was friendly and helpful. If you like seafood, greek food, or any combination of the above, they're worth the trip.
(4)
Anna H.
I was happy to discover another good Greek restaurant (thanks Mike G.). Their Grilled Salmon Greek Salad was excellent. I loved their creamy Greek dressing that comes on the side with pita bread. We were seated immediately for our 11:30 lunch yesterday, and received great service throughout. I would definitely come back for another salad.
(4)
Josh C.
Absolutely delicious gyros, salads and baklava. I visit here nearly every time I am in training in Columbus. Prices are fabulous. Get there a little early on Fridays for lunch as it fills up fast! Get some baklava to take home too (because you won't have room after the giant gyros), you won't regret it!
(5)
Linda A.
Grabbed a quick lunch here upon arriving in Columbus. I'll always hit up a Greek restaurant if I can. Not sure if this is privately owned but I'm guessing yes. It was solid. Nothing incredible but to be honest, I only ordered a salmon salad. It was fine and I enjoyed it. Service seemed a little disinterested but I didn't lack for anything either. I intended to try it again that week but I found Sababa and that's all she wrote. You'll be fine here.
(3)
Beth R.
Who knew Columbus, OH would have such a good Greek restaurant! Salads were well sized, tabouleh was fresh, and even the lentil soup was good. (hard to find super good lentil soup). Menu had a lot to offer and it was hard to make a decision!
(5)
Giovanna A.
Though I tend to judge Greek places based on their gyros and spinach pies this would not be a fair way to judge this restaurant. For starters, they have a really large menu including a fantastic selection of seafood items. They also do an incredible job on dishes like pastisio and moussaka, so I tend to not order my usual when I am here. Their pastisio, by the way, is the best out of any Greek restaurant, sauce being just perfect and not too sweet like King Gyro's. Their seafood pasta puts a lot of Italian restaurants to shame. I had the chicken bowl today for takeout for the first time here, having had it at Nazareth's and King Gyros before. Their version of it is different in the sense that it was more of a rice dish with some greens to it vs all rice at Nazareth (but oh so good) or mostly salad with some rice at King Gyros. The portion size was just right and the service was 5 star as always. Service can be hit or miss at other Greek restaurants but at this one I have never had anything but the most wonderful service for either carryout or dine-in, including having samples offered to try something when I ask questions about it. That alone should give them the 5 stars!
(5)
Gus W.
I'm taking back anything I've ever said about The Mad Greek, because I had a great meal there yesterday. If you had asked me to rate the place a year or two ago, it wouldn't have been great, but I've given it another chance and was pleasantly surprised. I don't know what it was the first time; it could have been the food, or it could have been the fact that I tried to eat one of their gyros in my car that just led to terrible frustration. I have had it since that first time but didn't think much of it. This time around I ordered the same thing I would have ordered then: a gyro combo with fries. I also added in a chocolate walnut baklava. They apparently have a great falafel sandwich, but I didn't see any sides of falafel, which I would have tried. The pricing was pretty great at 6.99 for a regular gyro, fries, and a drink. I've never had any qualms about the service here; they've always been friendly, and the owner is always there greeting people and making sure their food is good. After trying the gyro again, I'm just mad I haven't gone back to this place more often, since I work so close. The tzatziki was excellent and the meat was flavorful. I will say, between them and King Gyro, they're keeping the shredded lettuce companies in business. Who is requesting this much lettuce? The fries were phenomenal with some Cajun spice on them, which is my absolute favorite. I'm going to dock them on the chocolate walnut baklava though, because although it looks amazing, it was incredibly dry. I'm used to my baklavas being a little syrupy, but this one was incredibly dense and chewy. It was still tasty, but I don't think I'd order this one again. This is a prime example of why you shouldn't hold a grudge against a restaurant, because if anything, it's only made me miss out on some potentially great meals.
(4)
Douglas R.
Every time I go in, the service is great and staff is very accommodating. Good food, extremely fresh and quick service.
(5)
Mike G.
I got to hand it to Paul F., his recommendations are typically spot on. I asked for a lunch recommendation and Paul recommended I try Greek food @ The Mad Greek. It was a nice break away from my usual Chinese. It's been a long time since I've tried Greek. I used to do it from time to time and there have been times it's been good but frankly most times have not been a great experience. Like Paul said, the menu is huge. Page after page of all kinds of Greek / Mediterranean foods. There were about 6 different items I wanted but I finally decided on the unadventurous Greek Salad with Grilled Salmon. It was an enormous salad. It's been a long time since I've seen one this big. So fresh and flavorful looking and I was on it like I hadn't eaten in days. The salmon was cooked just right too - cooked through and still plenty moist. Mixed greens, tomatoes, olives, cucumbers, feta cheese and a creamy Greek dressing. So good. I washed it down with a Mythos lager which was a very light slightly malty beer. More of a summertime beer but it went well with my salad. The lady that served me, who looks a little like Mariah Carey, was very pleasant and was very friendly. Their prices were a bit high for lunch and the type of restaurant IE $14.95 for the salad, but it wasn't anything too out of line. Their desserts looked wonderful. I just wish I had had some room for that baklava.
(4)
Jackie H.
The Mad Greek holds a very special place in my heart. My friends and I have been going here since they opened in 2003ish. We had two restaurants we frequented ALL THE TIME - Mad Greek and Mi Mexico. We were in high school, and the restaurant still looked like Taco Bell when it opened, but painted white and blue. Paul F says it was an old Rax, and maybe it was, but it looked like an old school mission-style TBell to me. It has since grown a lot over the years; they've added on, decorated the inside, added a bar, the menu has started to include more expensive items, etc. Mad Greek was the first place I ever had the delicious creamy garlic sauces that is now standard at most Greek restaurants. Up till then, I had only had tzatziki at Greek places. I looove that garlic sauce, so I'm happy other places now serve it. My friends actually bought me a mason jar of the stuff for my birthday one year! Anyway, everything I have had is tasty....salads, gyros, shawarma, lamb chops, pasta, the appetizers, etc. My friends and I all live a good 20+ minutes away from The Mad Greek these days, so we do not frequent it as much as I wish we did, but I do try to get over there once or twice a year.
(5)
Nick M.
Absolutely the best gyros in the United States, amazing food and friendly staff. Great variety of menu items, I've never left here unsatisfied.
(5)
James S.
The food is great. The server we had wasn't the best trained but was pleasant non the less. I came with a group of 5 co-workers. We shared an order of excellent calamari and authentic humus. Absolutely no complaints but be careful not to bite into a clove of garlic hidden in the hummus. Ordering was a bit challenging as the female server (they had one male and one female) was very introverted and not helpful with answering questions about the menus but the food was so good it didn't matter. The only think holding back a five star review was the lack of an engaging server.
(4)
Jeffrey E.
I was visiting corporate headquarters and wanted some Greek food and Mad Greek was the closest one. And I'm glad it was. Gyros were loaded and thick. Juicy lamb meat. Actual lamb. I say if you don't have lamb in your gyros you shouldn't be able to call it a gyro. How many times have I searched for a place for gyros and show up and no lamb. Their falafel was so good I ate them all in the car. Didn't even have to dip them in the sauce. The tiramisu good but I have had better. Not sweet enough. I guess fried smelt is not known for being a Greek food. So I'm not going to blame them for being disappointed. They were too small. There was more batter than actual meat. If you want smelt go to a fish store. The service was great even though it was just for take out. And didn't wait long. If you aren't familiar with Greek food they are helpful. There are plates of their food on display to know what you are ordering. They have a Greek ascent and even speak Greek. So you know it's authentic.
(5)
Ryan C.
Awesome! It's been two years since I was last here and the food is still amazing! The spinach and feta dip, Lamb chops, and gyros just to name a few of my favorites.
(5)
James P.
Owner greeted up promptly upon arrival. Service was friendly and the good was excellent. Salad was perfect, gyro was delicious (and huge), and prices were reasonable. I definitely recommend and will return next time we're in town.
(4)
Chad S.
Got to the Columbus airport to pick someone up and had an hour to kill, so I ran to The Mad Greek for a quick carryout meal. The service was quick and friendly, the dining area seemed to have a great atmosphere (even though I only looked into it and didn't sit down in there), and the prices were great. I just got the gyro and fries combo, but the portions were huge and it was one of the best gyros I've had- and I love gyros! Will definitely go back for a full dinner if I'm in the area again.
(5)
Nicole B.
Oh my goodness no! How is it that I've been going to Mad Greek for more than three years, and I've never written a review? I'm so ashamed. I work near Mad Greek and go there a few times a month. It's my go to place for workday celebrations (had my birthday lunch there, as a matter of fact). The staff are mostly really nice, although I go there often enough that I have my favorites and I'm disappointed if they're not working. The food is OUTSTANDING. I'm picky about my hummus, and Mad Greek makes it really well. The gyros are so good I don't even bother buying them at other restaurants (I made a huge mistake and bought one at the state fair one time. Had to throw it away because it couldn't begin to touch Mad Greek). I'm not the only person who thinks that about their gyros; I've heard the same sentiment expressed by coworkers. My favorite is the lemon sole. It's so delicious that I begrudgingly offer a bite to dining companions but that's IT. ONE BITE!! Then I kind of rub it in that they didn't order it and I did. A must have is the Greek fries--fries topped with feta, spices and a drizzle of olive oil. They're so good that I've even heard people who don't really like feta say they're delicious.
(5)
Ryan J.
As always my food was perfection!! Thank you again for great food and service. I would love if you guys had a drive up window for pick up orders or a curb side service. It just makes it easier then dragging the kiddos inside.
(5)
Darin M.
Hello Yelpanauts! The Mad Greek Is worth a go. I got the Gyro mega plate. The gyro was plentiful, juicy and came on a pita. Their fries were nothing amazing. The salad came with a lot of feta on top which is awesome if you love feta. FYI - the mega platter comes with 2 sides while the mad Greek platter comes with one side. That wasn't obvious in the menu. I also got the chocolate walnut baklava which was different from over baklavas I have had. This baklava was rolled and then cut into pucks like how a cinnabun is made as opposed to the horizontally layered baklava. The mad Greeks baklava was more dense due to its preparation but still delicious. I would not recommend it if you are textural and expect a light and flaky baklava. Until next time.
(4)
Tory R.
OH..........MY.................Gaaaahhhh!!! That's all that will come to mind at the moment. Where to start? Well first, let me start by saying how cute this little place was. As you're sitting down, you can take a look around you and you'll feel like you're about to break out into "Dancing Queen" or "Mama Mia!" Everything matches and is specific to the Greek culture. My entree was the Chicken Shawarma. It was absolutely amazing. I got the mega platter so it came with rosemary seasoned fries and a delicious Greek salad. Needless to say, I was pleasantly stuffed! I'm not a big dessert eater, but I was informed that I "HAD" to try the chocolate baklava. And let me tell you.....it was pure........and utter.........heavenly bliss from on high! I almost started speaking in tongues....it was THAT good! It came out and almost looked like a filet minon. It was round and covered in a chocolate & cinnomon type sauce. It was also served with a steak knife to cut through the gooey confection. I can't wait to go again. There were several other things on the menu that I really want to try. All I can say is WOW! I can't wait to go back!! Opa!!
(5)
Paul F.
This was my first visit to the Mad Greek but I'm sure it won't be my last. I came over tonight for dinner. It's in an old Rax building about halfway between James and I-270. It appears that they do as much take-out business as they do dine-in based on the number of people coming in and leaving with shopping bags full of food. And they have a HUGE menu; about eight pages worth. The first thing I saw when I opened it was a spinach pie. I ordered one of those first thing. And I knew I didn't want a gyro. Don't know why but I didn't. So a few pages later I spied "Fresh Seafood." And then Lemon Sole baked with garlic butter sauce. You didn't have to ask me twice! It was delicious!! It came with rice pilaf and mixed vegetables. For dessert, I ordered a piece of lemon shortcake to take home and it was great too. It was a great meal and it didn't bust my budget. I'll be back down there real soon.
(4)
Michael J.
Great food!!! We go quite frequently and we like to try new things each time and have never been disappointed. Great food to start here are anything with the Greek dressing, Greek/fire fries, and the amazing dolmadaka, but you can't go wrong with a gyro pita, bowl, or platter as well as the great seafood and pasta/lasagna dishes. Also they have a wide range of prices on dishes, which make it a great place for anyone looking to take out or go eat Greek.
(4)
Troy S.
5 stars for the maddest Falafel Sandwich that I have ever had. I stopped in for a quick lunch and ordered their $5 Falafel sandwich. It comes on a grilled pita with a very testy hummus and plenty of pieces of Falafel to give me joy with every bite. It is topped off with a nice mix of veggies which they don't go light on. I loved it and I would pick this over any other place in Columbus. Now I don't know if the rest of the menu is all that good but the desserts looked quite tasty. They make a nice range of different desserts with the chocolate baklava looking very delectable. It looks like they raised their prices recently as the menu has a lot of whited out prices with new prices over top so some of their regulars might not be as happy with this place but I am planning another trip here to test out the desserts along with eating another falafel sandwich. I ordered to go and it took less than 10 minutes and the man in the front was very cordial.
(5)
Amy P.
I've been here twice now, and both times the food was great. We always get the flaming cheese, which everyone should check out. I took my parents here, and they even found something delicious to eat. Even though this place isn't in the best area of town it is worth checking out.
(4)
Will H.
Our only goal while searching for a place for lunch on our way back to Pittsburgh from Columbus was to find a place that wasn't fast food or fried chicken. That turned out to be a difficult thing to do until Yelp saved the day by serving up the highly-rated Mad Greek on our phones. This unassuming little joint ended up being excellent! The food was top-notch and the service was great. My wife and I got the chicken gyros and the humus appetizer. While hardly adventurous, we just wanted something simple to help us get through the drive back home. The humus appetizer was really good. It had a lot of flavor without being overwhelming with garlic like some humus recipes. It was some of the best humus I've ever had, and as we would later realize is the case with all of their menu offerings, the serving size was very generous. The gyros come out so stuffed that you need to actually eat them with a fork until you're capable to folding them and eating as you would any traditional gyro. Another awesome thing is the gyros weren't greasy and disgusting like some gyro places serve up, which allowed us to leave full, but not miserably stuffed. I swapped the greek dressing for tzatziki sauce, too, which made me happy. They were a little heavy on the sauce, but I wasn't going to complain, as tzatziki isn't as overwhelming to me as things like mayo. Our friends both got other things, one got the vegetarian platter (can't remember the name now) and her husband got the pork gyro mega plate (or whatever the official name for ridiculously-portioned plate of food was called). She claimed that her tabouli was standout, and her husband loved everything on his plate. Again, the portions were generous, as well as the flavors! We tried his fries and wow...perfectly fried with just the right crisp on the outside and softness on the inside. The fries were also lightly seasoned, which provided something unique enough for us all to nod in agreement that on top of how much we were enjoying everything else...even the fries were awesome! It was a little out of the way as far as our drive home was concerned, but I definitely foresee us going "out of the way" from now on when traveling to/from Columbus to eat at The Mad Greek!
(5)
David G.
This was my 4th or 5th visit to the Mad Greek. Every time I've been very happy with the entire experience. The food and service is excellent. I recommend this to place to friends without hesitation. I've only had dessert there a couple times because I'm usually pretty full after dinner. However, if you enjoy good desserts, they have a wonderful selection that anyone would enjoy.
(4)
Faith A.
While in Columbus for an overnight trip, we just decided to go off an exit and try to find something decent for lunch. After driving around for awhile and seeing a lot of Fried Chicken joints and fast food, we passed by The Mad Greek. Although I have to admit the fact that it looked like zero customers were there made me skeptical, it seemed like a much better option than Bob Evans or something way more greasy and fried. That being said, I am so glad that we went there! Such a great place! Not only are the looks deceiving from the outside (very cutely decorated interior), but everything about the place was scrumptious! The hummus was fabulous (and I am quite picky even when it comes to basic hummus), my chicken pita had some of the best white chicken (not fatty, very abundant and fresh) that I have ever had at a restaurant. The service was also good. I cannot complain at all. Prices were super cheap too! They got much busier as we were dining in there, which showed us more why there were so many good reviews for this place. It is clearly a good place that a lot of people come to and enjoy (we just went on an off time). If we are in Columbus again, I will definitely be back!
(5)
Gary K.
Love this place. It's like a little Greek oasis on Broad street. The walls are covered with hand-painted murals giving you different scenes of Greece. Everything is blue... It's like I was in a scene from Mama Mia. When I entered I was warmly greeted and shown to a table. My server was very nice an friendly. Had the calamari with Greek salad and fries. And for dessert they forced me to have the chocolate baklava. Ohhhhhhhh my goodness!!! OK... maybe they didn't actually force me to have desert, but the server suggested it so he might as well have forced me... Overall, I was extremely pleased with everything!! A++ for service, food, atmosphere, and overall friendliness. I can't wait to go back again and try some more!!! Maybe I'll sing a little tune from Mama Mia for them...
(5)
John B.
Some of the best Greek food I've had. Price is reasonable and service was great!! I'll be back that is certain. :-)
(5)
Randy S.
The Mad Greek on Broad has some of the best Greek food in the city in an unassuming location. Found in what appears to be an old Rax building, the restaurant lacks in speed and service but makes up for it in quality and variety. The spanakopita, gyro, shawarma, hummus and baklava are all mighty tasty. And I've never heard any complaints about the rest of the menu either. They have some pretty tasty fries that go nicely on top of a gyro or shawarma. I'm still looking for a stateside restaurant that will put the two together for me like food vendors naturally do around the Mediterranean region. Oh, and check out their website. It's a laugh. Make sure you have your volume up!
(4)
Mike M.
Second time here and is still awesome. I ordered the keftedes and a side of tzatziki. It was exactly what I was looking for. Especially after last nights "steak" in Hamilton, AL. Decent atmosphere. I'll coming back when in CMH.
(4)
Becke B.
Save your money and avoid The Mad Greek like the plague. The calamari we ate on the way home was tasty, but the rest of our $150 (plus $30 tip) takeout order was a hot freezer burned mess. And no seasoning that I could discern. Horrible packaging meant a soup lid busted and soaked everything in the bag. We ordered 2 three dip samplers and they put them all in the same non-divided white styrofoam box that meant that they all mixed together into one gloopy mess. All of the vegetables were freezer burned. The lamb and kofta and the chicken in the mixed grill were overcooked to the point of inedibility. The souvlaki was undercooked and overcooked (it varied depending on which chunk you got). The fish also tasted like it came from a freezer and was so overcooked that even with a fork and knife, I couldn't cut through it. Baked fish should flake easily. We called them (twice, even! the second time to talk to a manager) to see if they could rectify the problems with the order somehow (even if it meant that we had to drive across town again, since they are on the east side and we are on the west), but the only thing they offered to do is replace the one soup that broke the next time we came in (nevermind it ruined everything else that was in the bag with it, and that by this point, we had decided that there wasn't going to be a next time). We paid in cash, so it's not anything we can contest with our credit card company. We got screwed, big time, and hope that our loss acts as a warning that they just do not care about customer service, and if they screw up your order, you're on your own because they refuse to fix their mistakes.
(1)
Tom W.
Killing me with your price changes. $7.00 for Kopanisti?
(4)
Marla B.
A charming Greek atmosphere with ethic music playing. I have a feeling we might have caught them on an off day, or maybe it was just what I ordered. But can't give more than two stars for my Country Greek Chicken. Chick was tough, veggies on side without flavor and cold. The sauce was good. My husband liked his Gyro platter. I would prolly try it again and try something else.
(2)
Kenisha S.
Great quality and service! The food is always fresh and made to order.
(5)
Michael G.
What's with the new prices? Boy did they take a jump across the board, especially the lamb. I'm still trying to be a fan.
(3)
Joshua S.
I love the hummus at this place. When I was eating meat, I used to get their gyro salad, which was awesome. The fries have rosemary on them, which tastes incredible. Sometime the staff seems rude, but usually they are very friendly. The food makes up for it. I've never had to wait long for seating. And they now have a full bar!!
(4)
Andy S.
Great selection of Greek dishes. Souvlaki is my favorite, but my wife swears by the pastitsio. This is my top choice in Columbus for Greek food. They are also good about food handling for kids with allergies.
(4)
Kristie K.
Excellent Greek Food!! Minus one star because their avgolemono soup (chicken lemon) was not so hot. In fact I think they forgot to add lemon. It just tasted like good chicken soup. I did like that they used orzo instead of rice. Since this is a favorite of mine, I tend to judge Greek restaurants by it. I ordered their falafel bowl. It was delicious!! I will definitely return. It may become a craving. For dessert I had the pistachio baclava. It was super cinnamony, but not very nutty. I loved it, but its different than any baclava I've ever had. I ordered a Greek red wine also, and it was delicious. They allowed us both to taste the wines before we committed to buying, which was awesome. Nothing worse than ordering an expensive wine only to find out its gross. Their bakery window was quite impressive and made it hard to decide what to order :)
(4)
Robb V.
Excellent place. Found this place on Yelp, and took a couple of co-workers here for dinner. We all enjoyed the food, and one said it was the best lasagna he had ever had (greek lasagna). Close to the airport, nice small, good service, worth a try!
(4)
Jackie S.
i was on the fence whether to give 4 stars or 3 and 4 eventually won out just because the food is so good. The wait staff was rude, and the woman who took my order didn't seem to understand (or care) that I kept asking to purchase a pint of tatziki sauce to take home I hate rude staff But on the plus side, the food is delicious. I love their gyros and their house sauce on them is to die for. They come out so stuffed you have to eat them with a fork. The french fries are lacking but the tatziki sauce and the warm soft pita makes up for it. I would reccomend this place to a friend but only after i told them how the service sucked
(4)
Bill W.
I can't say anything bad about them - it's simply a very good place. I have never had a bad meal with them.
(5)
S E.
I had a ham and cheese pita it was covered in a nasty mayo with oil on top. The service was a joke it took 30 for drinks and there was only five other tables of people. The friend had the mad Greek sub and a 1/2 piece's of meat on the sub we told the waiter he got all pissed grabbed the sub after 10 min waiting he brings is back with 2 Pisces of meat. I will never go to this place
(1)
Donald D.
This is another regular place for whenever I go to Columbus. The building is quaint, painted in nice Mediterannian colors. Family owned business, with everyone having a nice thick greek accent. I had the Greek salad with grouper. It is a huge portion with plenty of veggies. The grouper was huge, and tasted good. I normally do not order salt water fish from the middle of the country, but was not disappointed here. The creamy greek dressing is very good, but they do not provide enough with the serving, I always have to ask for more. I didn't have it on this visit, but the chocolate baklava is amazing. I would love to have lot's of it every visit, but then they would need a crane to get me out of there.
(5)
Carla D.
Whenever I get the chance to go to the Eastside, I usually make a stop at the Mad Greek. I first found out about it when I lived in Blacklick and was in seventh heaven! I've tried the Happy Greek, but in my opinion the food there was not as good as the Mad Greek. One of my favorite things about the Mad Greek is it's the place that I've found has the best fried calamari in town. Cooked to just the right consistency - slightly chewy but not rubbery. And sooo tasty! So far, all that I've tried at the Mad Greek is amazing. I agree, they have the best gyros in town as well. I also love their dolmadakia (stuffed grape leaves). The lemon sauce that they're drenched in gives them a nice zip. I actually like the look of the place. The not so smooth whitewashed walls look like the pictures that I've seen of the countryside in Greece. The watercolor murals of famous places around Greece like the Parthenon in Athens and the White Tower in Thessaloniki add a nice touch as well.
(5)
Naman N.
Very good food and service. Make sure your ordering what you feel like eating and not what you're not sure about and just want to try, it may not be what you think it's going to be.
(4)
Thomas J.
Great Greek food.. A regular stop when I am in the area...
(4)
Irena N.
3 stars for the service. The waitress was abrupt to the point of being rude but extremely attentive, and the food came very quickly. 4.5 stars for the food. I had the chicken limonato and also a few bites of my coworker's mousaka, and both were yummy. Great little lunchtime spot.
(4)
Phat P.
I went there only once but my colleague tells me he is a regular and I can understand that! We shared a humus which was fresh, nice, and chunky. I opted for the mousaka and this was probably the best mousaka I ever had. that's probably because I was not a fan of this, until I tried that one... Perfectly cooked, with potatoes, ground beef, and eggplants, its just a festival of flavors A great find in a very unassuming place, really looking forward to go back and try their other offerings Highly recommended!
(5)
Sanford R.
The best go to restaurant on the East side of Columbus. The service is 2nd to none. The own Kahlid always makes you feel like you're coming home. I always order fish is prepared wonderfully and lamb shank is the best in Columbus. If you enjoy dessert you cannot go wrong. All of their homemade desserts are on display and are delicious as the look. The 3 types of baklava, Tres Leche cake and rice pudding are standouts. When I take my 88 yr. old mother to dinner or am dining with my wife, this is one of our favorites.
(5)
Elaine M.
I've visited Mad Greek twice and have loved it both times! Last night I went for a date with my husband, and we received some YUMMY food and some great service. Our waitress was very sweet and attentive. We started with the Skordalia (potato and garlic) dip with pita- so delish, though my mouth still tastes like Garlic today. The waitress kept the pita coming when we ran out- a small favor that I really appreciated! Husband had the Chicken Shawarma with fries, and I had Grecian Chicken (chicken breast topped with tomato sauce and feta) with rice and buttery veggies. Everything was perfectly cooked and seasoned, and super comforting on a chilly December night! We finished with the chocolate baklava- holy crap, that's one great dessert!!
(5)
Joshua K.
Being a fan of the Mad Greek in Baker, CA ( yelp.com/biz/the-mad-gre… ), I was thrilled to find a restaurant with the same name while on a business trip to Columbus, OH. For a moment I thought these two restaurants were operated by the same owner, that is, until I tasted the food. I ordered the gyro plate with soup and salad. The gyro has seriously twice the amount of onion than meat. I like onion, but not THAT much. I bit into not one, but two pebbles in my soup. The salad was okay, but I guess it's hard to mess up something that you don't have to cook. Service was decent even at a rather busy lunch hour, but the food is un-impressive at best.
(2)
Joshua Y.
I work up the street, and its beginning to be my favorite places for lunch. I always get the gyro, but my friends get the salad and it looks pretty tempting. I've been there over a dozen times, and its so good I sometimes order something to take home for later that day.
(5)
Olivia E.
I used to work next door to this place, so we ate there quite a bit for lunch. I've had their Chicken Gyro and their Gyro Greek Salad, and they are both fantastic. The Greek sauce/dressing is to die for, but make sure you have gum or a peppermint afterwards or you may lose a few friends/customers upon returning to work! We mainly ordered take-out from here, so we end up waiting in the lobby for a few minutes. The guy at the register is super friendly. He'll put a rush on your order if he knows that you are waiting. The price is very reasonable and the atmosphere is excellent. The entire restaurant if filled with intricate mosaic tile-work that I can't keep my eyes off of! The owners and employees are all of Greek descent, so there is a little bit of a language barrier, but this has never been a problem for me. The waiters/waitresses are extremely helpful in selecting a dish if you are unfamiliar with Greek cuisine. Just please don't say "JI-row" when you order a Gyro.
(4)
Michael H.
Our waitress brought us vodka instead of Ouzo, but maybe she misunderstood us. It was surprisingly crowded inside. I had a traditional gyro. It was as expected. Reasonable prices.
(3)
Terry S.
The Mad Greek is a neighborhood restaurant that I have over the years eaten at often. The food including the fish dishes and appetizers have consistently been excellent. Service is good and prices are reasonable. I recommend the grouper, the escargot sauteed in creamy garlic butter sauce, the hummus and egg plant. I have eaten more expensive fish dishes at other restaurants that don't come close to the taste of the fish dished at the Mad Greek. The atmosphere is mediocre and at times quite noisy.
(4)
Meredith M.
I work near the Mad Greek and love that I can come over here on my lunch hour and get in and out within an hour. They have the best Gyro I have ever had. They don't load it with iceberg lettuce. And their pitas are the best.
(5)
Steven H.
Although not quite as good as The Happy Greek (located in The Short North and Campus Gateway locations), the near East side's Mad Greek has some excellent food as well. Service is average to poor but the food is delicious. Try the garlic-infused hummus with warm pita, the delicious Gyro Meat Salads with yogurt sauce and the spinach pies and baklava. Great stuff!
(3)
Pete C.
The gryos here at The Mad Greek are top notch every time. The vegetables are fresh and mixed perfectly, the sauce is cool and generous, and the portions of the meat on these things are approaching gluttonous. What this store's relation to the two other Happy Greek locations in the city is somewhat unclear to me, but most of the items on the menu are about the same (including those super-stuffed gyros that they're so famous for). If you aren't in a rush, you definitely need to check out one (or four, in a platter) of the special dips that are served with a side of warm pitas for dipping. The tzatziki is the best I've ever had anywhere in town, and the kopanasti is amazing as well. Unlike the Happy Greek in Short North, however, this location comes off as a little seedy at times. It might have something to do with the fact that it's in Whitehall, or maybe it's more because it's built in what Randy S. observed is an old Raxx location. Speaking of Whitehall, this place is a lot more out of the way than it's supposed brethren, but if you're in the area it's most definitely worth a second look.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : No Good for Kids : Yes 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 : Yes
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.
Pat E.
I have been here many, many times and consider it my favorite Greek restaurant. Favorite because the customer service is excellent, the service fast and the quality of food is very, very good. It is by no means cheap, but you get what you pay for, and what you get here is often times delicious. I am partial to the calamari salad (extra dressing at extra charge), but have had the delicious Moussaka and mouth watering desserts. Don't be afraid to try the daily specials. They are good too. Lunch time can be crazy busy.....but worth it. Try take out. Call in advance.
(4)Tina G.
I've been a fan of this restaurant for about 10 years now. It's my Greek Go-To spot on the east side of town for a salad or gyro. I enjoy plenty of their other dishes. I had one incident where the gyro meat tasted on the spoiled side but they took it away and offered me something else to remedy the problem. The owners and their family are always friendly.
(4)Jerome S.
We had a great dinner tonight at Mad Greek on East Broad Street just east of Town & Country. I had one of the specials - Scrod Almondine with rice and mixed fresh vegetables $13.99. I have not seen Scrod on the menu anywhere in the past few years - maybe it goes by another name. This is one of our area's best kept secrets. If you like fries with that - theirs are the best. I rarely have room for the desserts but have taken some to go. Full bar. Never have had to wait for a table - they do a heck of a carryout business. They also have a coupon in the monthly ValuPak.
(5)Sunshine N.
BEST GREEK FOOD IN OHO!!! Highly recommended. Amazing lamb chops, lamb shank, moussaka, grape leaves, marithes(smelts), spanakopita, skordalia, baklava and almond cookies. You can't go wrong with anything from here. Good portions also and excellent prices. I could eat here every night!!!!
(5)Hannah B.
Very good!!! we went with friends and I had the gyro bowl. It was like a gyro salad with rice. Good flavor and a nice portion. We also got the tiramisu and the beef shawarma wrap. This place is reasonably priced and the service is good- people are nice. Definitely a place to try out if you are in the mood for Greek food.
(4)Mike M.
Just left. Wow was my food amazing. We got seated right away. Large and diverse menu. I ordered the veggy feta pita and my,co,worker ordered the lamb pita. The fresh pita bread was great. Not to mention the server was very attentive. I can't believe I've lived in Whitehall for 17 years and I have never eaten there. Trust me when I tell you this....I will be going back very soon. I had no idea you could get beer there as well. That was the cherry on top.
(4)Deb R.
I have gone here often since they opened. Today I was jonesing for some of their Grecian French fries with the lemon feta sauce. But to my disappointment they arrived ice cold. This is totally out of character because usually the food is awesome. My service was good but they did not refill my ice tea. BTW that building was originally a Zantigo. Any old timers remember that Mexican chain? I am positive it was not a Dax or Taco Bell
(3)Zach S.
Mediocre at best. Overpriced for the portion size I received. I ordered the Gyro platter with rice pilaf and mixed vegetables. I was charged an additional $3 for a table spoon and a half of rice which was bland and flavorless. The vegetables were even worse, tasted like they just came out of a microwave, unseasoned. Not much good I can say about the gyro. It was terribly small. I am still hungry and might have to go to Pita Hut (HIGHLY RECOMMENDABLE). The service was terrible as well. We couldn't get the waitress to refill our drinks until the food arrived. She never once offered if we needed anything. My friend had a hair in her food. I have no idea why I am not giving this shithole only one star. Avoid at all costs this place is an embarrassment to Greek food.
(2)Randy H.
This is my first visit here and when I comeback to Columbia I will come back here again
(4)Leneen S.
Have a Gyro and Greek fries. Greek fries were delicious. The Gyro was dry and could've used more meat. Chocolate baklava was different. Service was slow but staff was friendly.
(3)Matt W.
This might just be one of the best open secrets on the East Side. Even though the Mad Greek appears from the outside to be a pretty standard Greek restaurant / Gyro shop (and you can certainly get some pretty good Gyros or Baklava here), they feature some truly excellent and fresh fish. Their "Athena Grouper" is amazingly flaky, served with an awesome spinach sauce. There's decent wine options and a solid bar, and the service was friendly and helpful. If you like seafood, greek food, or any combination of the above, they're worth the trip.
(4)Anna H.
I was happy to discover another good Greek restaurant (thanks Mike G.). Their Grilled Salmon Greek Salad was excellent. I loved their creamy Greek dressing that comes on the side with pita bread. We were seated immediately for our 11:30 lunch yesterday, and received great service throughout. I would definitely come back for another salad.
(4)Josh C.
Absolutely delicious gyros, salads and baklava. I visit here nearly every time I am in training in Columbus. Prices are fabulous. Get there a little early on Fridays for lunch as it fills up fast! Get some baklava to take home too (because you won't have room after the giant gyros), you won't regret it!
(5)Linda A.
Grabbed a quick lunch here upon arriving in Columbus. I'll always hit up a Greek restaurant if I can. Not sure if this is privately owned but I'm guessing yes. It was solid. Nothing incredible but to be honest, I only ordered a salmon salad. It was fine and I enjoyed it. Service seemed a little disinterested but I didn't lack for anything either. I intended to try it again that week but I found Sababa and that's all she wrote. You'll be fine here.
(3)Beth R.
Who knew Columbus, OH would have such a good Greek restaurant! Salads were well sized, tabouleh was fresh, and even the lentil soup was good. (hard to find super good lentil soup). Menu had a lot to offer and it was hard to make a decision!
(5)Giovanna A.
Though I tend to judge Greek places based on their gyros and spinach pies this would not be a fair way to judge this restaurant. For starters, they have a really large menu including a fantastic selection of seafood items. They also do an incredible job on dishes like pastisio and moussaka, so I tend to not order my usual when I am here. Their pastisio, by the way, is the best out of any Greek restaurant, sauce being just perfect and not too sweet like King Gyro's. Their seafood pasta puts a lot of Italian restaurants to shame. I had the chicken bowl today for takeout for the first time here, having had it at Nazareth's and King Gyros before. Their version of it is different in the sense that it was more of a rice dish with some greens to it vs all rice at Nazareth (but oh so good) or mostly salad with some rice at King Gyros. The portion size was just right and the service was 5 star as always. Service can be hit or miss at other Greek restaurants but at this one I have never had anything but the most wonderful service for either carryout or dine-in, including having samples offered to try something when I ask questions about it. That alone should give them the 5 stars!
(5)Gus W.
I'm taking back anything I've ever said about The Mad Greek, because I had a great meal there yesterday. If you had asked me to rate the place a year or two ago, it wouldn't have been great, but I've given it another chance and was pleasantly surprised. I don't know what it was the first time; it could have been the food, or it could have been the fact that I tried to eat one of their gyros in my car that just led to terrible frustration. I have had it since that first time but didn't think much of it. This time around I ordered the same thing I would have ordered then: a gyro combo with fries. I also added in a chocolate walnut baklava. They apparently have a great falafel sandwich, but I didn't see any sides of falafel, which I would have tried. The pricing was pretty great at 6.99 for a regular gyro, fries, and a drink. I've never had any qualms about the service here; they've always been friendly, and the owner is always there greeting people and making sure their food is good. After trying the gyro again, I'm just mad I haven't gone back to this place more often, since I work so close. The tzatziki was excellent and the meat was flavorful. I will say, between them and King Gyro, they're keeping the shredded lettuce companies in business. Who is requesting this much lettuce? The fries were phenomenal with some Cajun spice on them, which is my absolute favorite. I'm going to dock them on the chocolate walnut baklava though, because although it looks amazing, it was incredibly dry. I'm used to my baklavas being a little syrupy, but this one was incredibly dense and chewy. It was still tasty, but I don't think I'd order this one again. This is a prime example of why you shouldn't hold a grudge against a restaurant, because if anything, it's only made me miss out on some potentially great meals.
(4)Douglas R.
Every time I go in, the service is great and staff is very accommodating. Good food, extremely fresh and quick service.
(5)Mike G.
I got to hand it to Paul F., his recommendations are typically spot on. I asked for a lunch recommendation and Paul recommended I try Greek food @ The Mad Greek. It was a nice break away from my usual Chinese. It's been a long time since I've tried Greek. I used to do it from time to time and there have been times it's been good but frankly most times have not been a great experience. Like Paul said, the menu is huge. Page after page of all kinds of Greek / Mediterranean foods. There were about 6 different items I wanted but I finally decided on the unadventurous Greek Salad with Grilled Salmon. It was an enormous salad. It's been a long time since I've seen one this big. So fresh and flavorful looking and I was on it like I hadn't eaten in days. The salmon was cooked just right too - cooked through and still plenty moist. Mixed greens, tomatoes, olives, cucumbers, feta cheese and a creamy Greek dressing. So good. I washed it down with a Mythos lager which was a very light slightly malty beer. More of a summertime beer but it went well with my salad. The lady that served me, who looks a little like Mariah Carey, was very pleasant and was very friendly. Their prices were a bit high for lunch and the type of restaurant IE $14.95 for the salad, but it wasn't anything too out of line. Their desserts looked wonderful. I just wish I had had some room for that baklava.
(4)Jackie H.
The Mad Greek holds a very special place in my heart. My friends and I have been going here since they opened in 2003ish. We had two restaurants we frequented ALL THE TIME - Mad Greek and Mi Mexico. We were in high school, and the restaurant still looked like Taco Bell when it opened, but painted white and blue. Paul F says it was an old Rax, and maybe it was, but it looked like an old school mission-style TBell to me. It has since grown a lot over the years; they've added on, decorated the inside, added a bar, the menu has started to include more expensive items, etc. Mad Greek was the first place I ever had the delicious creamy garlic sauces that is now standard at most Greek restaurants. Up till then, I had only had tzatziki at Greek places. I looove that garlic sauce, so I'm happy other places now serve it. My friends actually bought me a mason jar of the stuff for my birthday one year! Anyway, everything I have had is tasty....salads, gyros, shawarma, lamb chops, pasta, the appetizers, etc. My friends and I all live a good 20+ minutes away from The Mad Greek these days, so we do not frequent it as much as I wish we did, but I do try to get over there once or twice a year.
(5)Nick M.
Absolutely the best gyros in the United States, amazing food and friendly staff. Great variety of menu items, I've never left here unsatisfied.
(5)James S.
The food is great. The server we had wasn't the best trained but was pleasant non the less. I came with a group of 5 co-workers. We shared an order of excellent calamari and authentic humus. Absolutely no complaints but be careful not to bite into a clove of garlic hidden in the hummus. Ordering was a bit challenging as the female server (they had one male and one female) was very introverted and not helpful with answering questions about the menus but the food was so good it didn't matter. The only think holding back a five star review was the lack of an engaging server.
(4)Jeffrey E.
I was visiting corporate headquarters and wanted some Greek food and Mad Greek was the closest one. And I'm glad it was. Gyros were loaded and thick. Juicy lamb meat. Actual lamb. I say if you don't have lamb in your gyros you shouldn't be able to call it a gyro. How many times have I searched for a place for gyros and show up and no lamb. Their falafel was so good I ate them all in the car. Didn't even have to dip them in the sauce. The tiramisu good but I have had better. Not sweet enough. I guess fried smelt is not known for being a Greek food. So I'm not going to blame them for being disappointed. They were too small. There was more batter than actual meat. If you want smelt go to a fish store. The service was great even though it was just for take out. And didn't wait long. If you aren't familiar with Greek food they are helpful. There are plates of their food on display to know what you are ordering. They have a Greek ascent and even speak Greek. So you know it's authentic.
(5)Ryan C.
Awesome! It's been two years since I was last here and the food is still amazing! The spinach and feta dip, Lamb chops, and gyros just to name a few of my favorites.
(5)James P.
Owner greeted up promptly upon arrival. Service was friendly and the good was excellent. Salad was perfect, gyro was delicious (and huge), and prices were reasonable. I definitely recommend and will return next time we're in town.
(4)Chad S.
Got to the Columbus airport to pick someone up and had an hour to kill, so I ran to The Mad Greek for a quick carryout meal. The service was quick and friendly, the dining area seemed to have a great atmosphere (even though I only looked into it and didn't sit down in there), and the prices were great. I just got the gyro and fries combo, but the portions were huge and it was one of the best gyros I've had- and I love gyros! Will definitely go back for a full dinner if I'm in the area again.
(5)Nicole B.
Oh my goodness no! How is it that I've been going to Mad Greek for more than three years, and I've never written a review? I'm so ashamed. I work near Mad Greek and go there a few times a month. It's my go to place for workday celebrations (had my birthday lunch there, as a matter of fact). The staff are mostly really nice, although I go there often enough that I have my favorites and I'm disappointed if they're not working. The food is OUTSTANDING. I'm picky about my hummus, and Mad Greek makes it really well. The gyros are so good I don't even bother buying them at other restaurants (I made a huge mistake and bought one at the state fair one time. Had to throw it away because it couldn't begin to touch Mad Greek). I'm not the only person who thinks that about their gyros; I've heard the same sentiment expressed by coworkers. My favorite is the lemon sole. It's so delicious that I begrudgingly offer a bite to dining companions but that's IT. ONE BITE!! Then I kind of rub it in that they didn't order it and I did. A must have is the Greek fries--fries topped with feta, spices and a drizzle of olive oil. They're so good that I've even heard people who don't really like feta say they're delicious.
(5)Ryan J.
As always my food was perfection!! Thank you again for great food and service. I would love if you guys had a drive up window for pick up orders or a curb side service. It just makes it easier then dragging the kiddos inside.
(5)Darin M.
Hello Yelpanauts! The Mad Greek Is worth a go. I got the Gyro mega plate. The gyro was plentiful, juicy and came on a pita. Their fries were nothing amazing. The salad came with a lot of feta on top which is awesome if you love feta. FYI - the mega platter comes with 2 sides while the mad Greek platter comes with one side. That wasn't obvious in the menu. I also got the chocolate walnut baklava which was different from over baklavas I have had. This baklava was rolled and then cut into pucks like how a cinnabun is made as opposed to the horizontally layered baklava. The mad Greeks baklava was more dense due to its preparation but still delicious. I would not recommend it if you are textural and expect a light and flaky baklava. Until next time.
(4)Tory R.
OH..........MY.................Gaaaahhhh!!! That's all that will come to mind at the moment. Where to start? Well first, let me start by saying how cute this little place was. As you're sitting down, you can take a look around you and you'll feel like you're about to break out into "Dancing Queen" or "Mama Mia!" Everything matches and is specific to the Greek culture. My entree was the Chicken Shawarma. It was absolutely amazing. I got the mega platter so it came with rosemary seasoned fries and a delicious Greek salad. Needless to say, I was pleasantly stuffed! I'm not a big dessert eater, but I was informed that I "HAD" to try the chocolate baklava. And let me tell you.....it was pure........and utter.........heavenly bliss from on high! I almost started speaking in tongues....it was THAT good! It came out and almost looked like a filet minon. It was round and covered in a chocolate & cinnomon type sauce. It was also served with a steak knife to cut through the gooey confection. I can't wait to go again. There were several other things on the menu that I really want to try. All I can say is WOW! I can't wait to go back!! Opa!!
(5)Paul F.
This was my first visit to the Mad Greek but I'm sure it won't be my last. I came over tonight for dinner. It's in an old Rax building about halfway between James and I-270. It appears that they do as much take-out business as they do dine-in based on the number of people coming in and leaving with shopping bags full of food. And they have a HUGE menu; about eight pages worth. The first thing I saw when I opened it was a spinach pie. I ordered one of those first thing. And I knew I didn't want a gyro. Don't know why but I didn't. So a few pages later I spied "Fresh Seafood." And then Lemon Sole baked with garlic butter sauce. You didn't have to ask me twice! It was delicious!! It came with rice pilaf and mixed vegetables. For dessert, I ordered a piece of lemon shortcake to take home and it was great too. It was a great meal and it didn't bust my budget. I'll be back down there real soon.
(4)Michael J.
Great food!!! We go quite frequently and we like to try new things each time and have never been disappointed. Great food to start here are anything with the Greek dressing, Greek/fire fries, and the amazing dolmadaka, but you can't go wrong with a gyro pita, bowl, or platter as well as the great seafood and pasta/lasagna dishes. Also they have a wide range of prices on dishes, which make it a great place for anyone looking to take out or go eat Greek.
(4)Troy S.
5 stars for the maddest Falafel Sandwich that I have ever had. I stopped in for a quick lunch and ordered their $5 Falafel sandwich. It comes on a grilled pita with a very testy hummus and plenty of pieces of Falafel to give me joy with every bite. It is topped off with a nice mix of veggies which they don't go light on. I loved it and I would pick this over any other place in Columbus. Now I don't know if the rest of the menu is all that good but the desserts looked quite tasty. They make a nice range of different desserts with the chocolate baklava looking very delectable. It looks like they raised their prices recently as the menu has a lot of whited out prices with new prices over top so some of their regulars might not be as happy with this place but I am planning another trip here to test out the desserts along with eating another falafel sandwich. I ordered to go and it took less than 10 minutes and the man in the front was very cordial.
(5)Amy P.
I've been here twice now, and both times the food was great. We always get the flaming cheese, which everyone should check out. I took my parents here, and they even found something delicious to eat. Even though this place isn't in the best area of town it is worth checking out.
(4)Will H.
Our only goal while searching for a place for lunch on our way back to Pittsburgh from Columbus was to find a place that wasn't fast food or fried chicken. That turned out to be a difficult thing to do until Yelp saved the day by serving up the highly-rated Mad Greek on our phones. This unassuming little joint ended up being excellent! The food was top-notch and the service was great. My wife and I got the chicken gyros and the humus appetizer. While hardly adventurous, we just wanted something simple to help us get through the drive back home. The humus appetizer was really good. It had a lot of flavor without being overwhelming with garlic like some humus recipes. It was some of the best humus I've ever had, and as we would later realize is the case with all of their menu offerings, the serving size was very generous. The gyros come out so stuffed that you need to actually eat them with a fork until you're capable to folding them and eating as you would any traditional gyro. Another awesome thing is the gyros weren't greasy and disgusting like some gyro places serve up, which allowed us to leave full, but not miserably stuffed. I swapped the greek dressing for tzatziki sauce, too, which made me happy. They were a little heavy on the sauce, but I wasn't going to complain, as tzatziki isn't as overwhelming to me as things like mayo. Our friends both got other things, one got the vegetarian platter (can't remember the name now) and her husband got the pork gyro mega plate (or whatever the official name for ridiculously-portioned plate of food was called). She claimed that her tabouli was standout, and her husband loved everything on his plate. Again, the portions were generous, as well as the flavors! We tried his fries and wow...perfectly fried with just the right crisp on the outside and softness on the inside. The fries were also lightly seasoned, which provided something unique enough for us all to nod in agreement that on top of how much we were enjoying everything else...even the fries were awesome! It was a little out of the way as far as our drive home was concerned, but I definitely foresee us going "out of the way" from now on when traveling to/from Columbus to eat at The Mad Greek!
(5)David G.
This was my 4th or 5th visit to the Mad Greek. Every time I've been very happy with the entire experience. The food and service is excellent. I recommend this to place to friends without hesitation. I've only had dessert there a couple times because I'm usually pretty full after dinner. However, if you enjoy good desserts, they have a wonderful selection that anyone would enjoy.
(4)Faith A.
While in Columbus for an overnight trip, we just decided to go off an exit and try to find something decent for lunch. After driving around for awhile and seeing a lot of Fried Chicken joints and fast food, we passed by The Mad Greek. Although I have to admit the fact that it looked like zero customers were there made me skeptical, it seemed like a much better option than Bob Evans or something way more greasy and fried. That being said, I am so glad that we went there! Such a great place! Not only are the looks deceiving from the outside (very cutely decorated interior), but everything about the place was scrumptious! The hummus was fabulous (and I am quite picky even when it comes to basic hummus), my chicken pita had some of the best white chicken (not fatty, very abundant and fresh) that I have ever had at a restaurant. The service was also good. I cannot complain at all. Prices were super cheap too! They got much busier as we were dining in there, which showed us more why there were so many good reviews for this place. It is clearly a good place that a lot of people come to and enjoy (we just went on an off time). If we are in Columbus again, I will definitely be back!
(5)Gary K.
Love this place. It's like a little Greek oasis on Broad street. The walls are covered with hand-painted murals giving you different scenes of Greece. Everything is blue... It's like I was in a scene from Mama Mia. When I entered I was warmly greeted and shown to a table. My server was very nice an friendly. Had the calamari with Greek salad and fries. And for dessert they forced me to have the chocolate baklava. Ohhhhhhhh my goodness!!! OK... maybe they didn't actually force me to have desert, but the server suggested it so he might as well have forced me... Overall, I was extremely pleased with everything!! A++ for service, food, atmosphere, and overall friendliness. I can't wait to go back again and try some more!!! Maybe I'll sing a little tune from Mama Mia for them...
(5)John B.
Some of the best Greek food I've had. Price is reasonable and service was great!! I'll be back that is certain. :-)
(5)Randy S.
The Mad Greek on Broad has some of the best Greek food in the city in an unassuming location. Found in what appears to be an old Rax building, the restaurant lacks in speed and service but makes up for it in quality and variety. The spanakopita, gyro, shawarma, hummus and baklava are all mighty tasty. And I've never heard any complaints about the rest of the menu either. They have some pretty tasty fries that go nicely on top of a gyro or shawarma. I'm still looking for a stateside restaurant that will put the two together for me like food vendors naturally do around the Mediterranean region. Oh, and check out their website. It's a laugh. Make sure you have your volume up!
(4)Mike M.
Second time here and is still awesome. I ordered the keftedes and a side of tzatziki. It was exactly what I was looking for. Especially after last nights "steak" in Hamilton, AL. Decent atmosphere. I'll coming back when in CMH.
(4)Becke B.
Save your money and avoid The Mad Greek like the plague. The calamari we ate on the way home was tasty, but the rest of our $150 (plus $30 tip) takeout order was a hot freezer burned mess. And no seasoning that I could discern. Horrible packaging meant a soup lid busted and soaked everything in the bag. We ordered 2 three dip samplers and they put them all in the same non-divided white styrofoam box that meant that they all mixed together into one gloopy mess. All of the vegetables were freezer burned. The lamb and kofta and the chicken in the mixed grill were overcooked to the point of inedibility. The souvlaki was undercooked and overcooked (it varied depending on which chunk you got). The fish also tasted like it came from a freezer and was so overcooked that even with a fork and knife, I couldn't cut through it. Baked fish should flake easily. We called them (twice, even! the second time to talk to a manager) to see if they could rectify the problems with the order somehow (even if it meant that we had to drive across town again, since they are on the east side and we are on the west), but the only thing they offered to do is replace the one soup that broke the next time we came in (nevermind it ruined everything else that was in the bag with it, and that by this point, we had decided that there wasn't going to be a next time). We paid in cash, so it's not anything we can contest with our credit card company. We got screwed, big time, and hope that our loss acts as a warning that they just do not care about customer service, and if they screw up your order, you're on your own because they refuse to fix their mistakes.
(1)Tom W.
Killing me with your price changes. $7.00 for Kopanisti?
(4)Marla B.
A charming Greek atmosphere with ethic music playing. I have a feeling we might have caught them on an off day, or maybe it was just what I ordered. But can't give more than two stars for my Country Greek Chicken. Chick was tough, veggies on side without flavor and cold. The sauce was good. My husband liked his Gyro platter. I would prolly try it again and try something else.
(2)Kenisha S.
Great quality and service! The food is always fresh and made to order.
(5)Michael G.
What's with the new prices? Boy did they take a jump across the board, especially the lamb. I'm still trying to be a fan.
(3)Joshua S.
I love the hummus at this place. When I was eating meat, I used to get their gyro salad, which was awesome. The fries have rosemary on them, which tastes incredible. Sometime the staff seems rude, but usually they are very friendly. The food makes up for it. I've never had to wait long for seating. And they now have a full bar!!
(4)Andy S.
Great selection of Greek dishes. Souvlaki is my favorite, but my wife swears by the pastitsio. This is my top choice in Columbus for Greek food. They are also good about food handling for kids with allergies.
(4)Kristie K.
Excellent Greek Food!! Minus one star because their avgolemono soup (chicken lemon) was not so hot. In fact I think they forgot to add lemon. It just tasted like good chicken soup. I did like that they used orzo instead of rice. Since this is a favorite of mine, I tend to judge Greek restaurants by it. I ordered their falafel bowl. It was delicious!! I will definitely return. It may become a craving. For dessert I had the pistachio baclava. It was super cinnamony, but not very nutty. I loved it, but its different than any baclava I've ever had. I ordered a Greek red wine also, and it was delicious. They allowed us both to taste the wines before we committed to buying, which was awesome. Nothing worse than ordering an expensive wine only to find out its gross. Their bakery window was quite impressive and made it hard to decide what to order :)
(4)Robb V.
Excellent place. Found this place on Yelp, and took a couple of co-workers here for dinner. We all enjoyed the food, and one said it was the best lasagna he had ever had (greek lasagna). Close to the airport, nice small, good service, worth a try!
(4)Jackie S.
i was on the fence whether to give 4 stars or 3 and 4 eventually won out just because the food is so good. The wait staff was rude, and the woman who took my order didn't seem to understand (or care) that I kept asking to purchase a pint of tatziki sauce to take home I hate rude staff But on the plus side, the food is delicious. I love their gyros and their house sauce on them is to die for. They come out so stuffed you have to eat them with a fork. The french fries are lacking but the tatziki sauce and the warm soft pita makes up for it. I would reccomend this place to a friend but only after i told them how the service sucked
(4)Bill W.
I can't say anything bad about them - it's simply a very good place. I have never had a bad meal with them.
(5)S E.
I had a ham and cheese pita it was covered in a nasty mayo with oil on top. The service was a joke it took 30 for drinks and there was only five other tables of people. The friend had the mad Greek sub and a 1/2 piece's of meat on the sub we told the waiter he got all pissed grabbed the sub after 10 min waiting he brings is back with 2 Pisces of meat. I will never go to this place
(1)Donald D.
This is another regular place for whenever I go to Columbus. The building is quaint, painted in nice Mediterannian colors. Family owned business, with everyone having a nice thick greek accent. I had the Greek salad with grouper. It is a huge portion with plenty of veggies. The grouper was huge, and tasted good. I normally do not order salt water fish from the middle of the country, but was not disappointed here. The creamy greek dressing is very good, but they do not provide enough with the serving, I always have to ask for more. I didn't have it on this visit, but the chocolate baklava is amazing. I would love to have lot's of it every visit, but then they would need a crane to get me out of there.
(5)Carla D.
Whenever I get the chance to go to the Eastside, I usually make a stop at the Mad Greek. I first found out about it when I lived in Blacklick and was in seventh heaven! I've tried the Happy Greek, but in my opinion the food there was not as good as the Mad Greek. One of my favorite things about the Mad Greek is it's the place that I've found has the best fried calamari in town. Cooked to just the right consistency - slightly chewy but not rubbery. And sooo tasty! So far, all that I've tried at the Mad Greek is amazing. I agree, they have the best gyros in town as well. I also love their dolmadakia (stuffed grape leaves). The lemon sauce that they're drenched in gives them a nice zip. I actually like the look of the place. The not so smooth whitewashed walls look like the pictures that I've seen of the countryside in Greece. The watercolor murals of famous places around Greece like the Parthenon in Athens and the White Tower in Thessaloniki add a nice touch as well.
(5)Naman N.
Very good food and service. Make sure your ordering what you feel like eating and not what you're not sure about and just want to try, it may not be what you think it's going to be.
(4)Thomas J.
Great Greek food.. A regular stop when I am in the area...
(4)Irena N.
3 stars for the service. The waitress was abrupt to the point of being rude but extremely attentive, and the food came very quickly. 4.5 stars for the food. I had the chicken limonato and also a few bites of my coworker's mousaka, and both were yummy. Great little lunchtime spot.
(4)Phat P.
I went there only once but my colleague tells me he is a regular and I can understand that! We shared a humus which was fresh, nice, and chunky. I opted for the mousaka and this was probably the best mousaka I ever had. that's probably because I was not a fan of this, until I tried that one... Perfectly cooked, with potatoes, ground beef, and eggplants, its just a festival of flavors A great find in a very unassuming place, really looking forward to go back and try their other offerings Highly recommended!
(5)Sanford R.
The best go to restaurant on the East side of Columbus. The service is 2nd to none. The own Kahlid always makes you feel like you're coming home. I always order fish is prepared wonderfully and lamb shank is the best in Columbus. If you enjoy dessert you cannot go wrong. All of their homemade desserts are on display and are delicious as the look. The 3 types of baklava, Tres Leche cake and rice pudding are standouts. When I take my 88 yr. old mother to dinner or am dining with my wife, this is one of our favorites.
(5)Elaine M.
I've visited Mad Greek twice and have loved it both times! Last night I went for a date with my husband, and we received some YUMMY food and some great service. Our waitress was very sweet and attentive. We started with the Skordalia (potato and garlic) dip with pita- so delish, though my mouth still tastes like Garlic today. The waitress kept the pita coming when we ran out- a small favor that I really appreciated! Husband had the Chicken Shawarma with fries, and I had Grecian Chicken (chicken breast topped with tomato sauce and feta) with rice and buttery veggies. Everything was perfectly cooked and seasoned, and super comforting on a chilly December night! We finished with the chocolate baklava- holy crap, that's one great dessert!!
(5)Joshua K.
Being a fan of the Mad Greek in Baker, CA ( yelp.com/biz/the-mad-gre… ), I was thrilled to find a restaurant with the same name while on a business trip to Columbus, OH. For a moment I thought these two restaurants were operated by the same owner, that is, until I tasted the food. I ordered the gyro plate with soup and salad. The gyro has seriously twice the amount of onion than meat. I like onion, but not THAT much. I bit into not one, but two pebbles in my soup. The salad was okay, but I guess it's hard to mess up something that you don't have to cook. Service was decent even at a rather busy lunch hour, but the food is un-impressive at best.
(2)Joshua Y.
I work up the street, and its beginning to be my favorite places for lunch. I always get the gyro, but my friends get the salad and it looks pretty tempting. I've been there over a dozen times, and its so good I sometimes order something to take home for later that day.
(5)Olivia E.
I used to work next door to this place, so we ate there quite a bit for lunch. I've had their Chicken Gyro and their Gyro Greek Salad, and they are both fantastic. The Greek sauce/dressing is to die for, but make sure you have gum or a peppermint afterwards or you may lose a few friends/customers upon returning to work! We mainly ordered take-out from here, so we end up waiting in the lobby for a few minutes. The guy at the register is super friendly. He'll put a rush on your order if he knows that you are waiting. The price is very reasonable and the atmosphere is excellent. The entire restaurant if filled with intricate mosaic tile-work that I can't keep my eyes off of! The owners and employees are all of Greek descent, so there is a little bit of a language barrier, but this has never been a problem for me. The waiters/waitresses are extremely helpful in selecting a dish if you are unfamiliar with Greek cuisine. Just please don't say "JI-row" when you order a Gyro.
(4)Michael H.
Our waitress brought us vodka instead of Ouzo, but maybe she misunderstood us. It was surprisingly crowded inside. I had a traditional gyro. It was as expected. Reasonable prices.
(3)Terry S.
The Mad Greek is a neighborhood restaurant that I have over the years eaten at often. The food including the fish dishes and appetizers have consistently been excellent. Service is good and prices are reasonable. I recommend the grouper, the escargot sauteed in creamy garlic butter sauce, the hummus and egg plant. I have eaten more expensive fish dishes at other restaurants that don't come close to the taste of the fish dished at the Mad Greek. The atmosphere is mediocre and at times quite noisy.
(4)Meredith M.
I work near the Mad Greek and love that I can come over here on my lunch hour and get in and out within an hour. They have the best Gyro I have ever had. They don't load it with iceberg lettuce. And their pitas are the best.
(5)Steven H.
Although not quite as good as The Happy Greek (located in The Short North and Campus Gateway locations), the near East side's Mad Greek has some excellent food as well. Service is average to poor but the food is delicious. Try the garlic-infused hummus with warm pita, the delicious Gyro Meat Salads with yogurt sauce and the spinach pies and baklava. Great stuff!
(3)Pete C.
The gryos here at The Mad Greek are top notch every time. The vegetables are fresh and mixed perfectly, the sauce is cool and generous, and the portions of the meat on these things are approaching gluttonous. What this store's relation to the two other Happy Greek locations in the city is somewhat unclear to me, but most of the items on the menu are about the same (including those super-stuffed gyros that they're so famous for). If you aren't in a rush, you definitely need to check out one (or four, in a platter) of the special dips that are served with a side of warm pitas for dipping. The tzatziki is the best I've ever had anywhere in town, and the kopanasti is amazing as well. Unlike the Happy Greek in Short North, however, this location comes off as a little seedy at times. It might have something to do with the fact that it's in Whitehall, or maybe it's more because it's built in what Randy S. observed is an old Raxx location. Speaking of Whitehall, this place is a lot more out of the way than it's supposed brethren, but if you're in the area it's most definitely worth a second look.
(4)