Psistaria continues to put out great, reasonably-priced food on a consistent basis. In addition to dining in about once a month, I also order lunch from here for my office a few times a month and it's typically a highlight lunch. Not only is the food well-prepared but they pack a mean to-go order, so it holds up notably well. Even items like grilled octopus and spanikopita (still the best version I've ever had in a restaurant) hold up exceedingly well on a carry-out basis. They always send along plenty of bread and lemons (the latter of which I always request), which are really important to have if you really want to enjoy this food. I may be jinxing myself by writing this but they have never botched a carry-out order.

I'll happily eat here on any day of the week -- and the kitchen is especially impressive at peak hours when they are at their busiest -- but my very favorite time to eat here is Tuesday (at lunch) because that's the day that the soup is lentil (fakes) and the vegetable is okra (bamies). Their fakes is one of my all-time favorites. Astonishingly, it's a vegetarian version, which makes its intense, satisfying flavor all the more impressive. I love it with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, which really brings the olive oil-rich soup to life. The bamies -- cooked as whole pods and served with a small amount of tangy, stewed tomatoes -- are offered as a side dish and also served with a tender, braised lamb, Lamb Bamies, as a Tuesday special. Both iterations are excellent. Entrees come with soup and a side so on Tuesdays I often order the Grilled Octopus entree and ask for fakes and bamies to go with it. Other times I get the spanikopita entree (there are 10 individual triangles in an order), share a few of them with my co-workers but make sure to order them with the fakes and the bamies, which I do not share.

But again, you don't have to hit this place on a Tuesday for it to be wonderful. It's mighty fine all the time and I'm just thrilled with how great it's become over the past year, with the new ownership in place. I'm lucky that it's so close to my office but I'll drive down from Lake County (when I'm not working) just to have dinner here. And it's super convenient for a late-night bite when I'm making my way from the city back up north.

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Had another great meal here last night; Ronnie's account above pretty much sums up how we all felt.

Grilled fish special seems to be the essential order. I find the Greektown staples to be well above average, but the fish dishes are just fantastic.

It doesn't hurt that dinner for 4 including a few beers and cocktails came out to under $100 and plenty of food went uneaten.

Also, I really love the service/vibe at the place. The owner or manager (dude with slicked back grey hair and mustache) is constantly working the room, showering attention on old friends and new faces alike. Our server was brusque in an old school sort of way, muttering dry jokes under his breath that took several minutes to sink in, and sending laser eye beam stares across the crowded room at food runners to ensure our specific requests were honored. Heck, the woman running the valet knows not just the regulars but the regulars' dogs by name.

We dined here Saturday night, mainly because I LOVE their gyros. We decided to go with a family style dinner for the two of us knowing we would have leftovers. I'm afraid the service was so surly I will never get my husband to go back. We had leftover appetizer taramasalata and a full Greek salad, both of which sat on the table through the entire meal despite our request for containers. Were never asked how our meal was or if we needed anything. We waited ages for coffee and when we finally got it (figured they were brewing a fresh pot of decaf) there were more grounds at the bottom of the cup than coffee. After waiting awhile for the check I suggested we just leave cash on the table, and we left $50 for a $44 tab (figured the tax was covered too). I have never done this before. I wanted to tell the manager why, but he wasn't anywhere when we left. I'm bummed because I love their food.

The reason Psistaria has made an incredible comeback is because a chef and Maitre d' from the Greek Islands took over a few months ago.
That's why it appears the Maitre d' knows everyone. It's alot closer for northshore customers to go there then drive all the way to Greek Town.
I assume the owners of Greek Islands are not too happy.

jay2021 wrote:The reason Psistaria has made an incredible comeback is because a chef and Maitre d' from the Greek Islands took over a few months ago.

Yes, that was reported upthread, right after it happened . . . and a great occurrence it was.

http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.ph ... 80#p417380

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jay2021 wrote:The reason Psistaria has made an incredible comeback is because a chef and Maitre d' from the Greek Islands took over a few months ago.

Here's a blurb about this that's printed on their current menu (and shown on their website) . . .

Psistaria's website wrote:For two brothers, who came from beautiful Greece, the restaurant business has truly being a labor of love. George and Thanasi (Tom) have worked together their entire lives and each bring the Psistaria over 30 years of experience in Greektown. Their dream is to provide the best food and service at the best possible prices. The envision a warm, inviting place for family and friends to gather, reconnect and enjoy each other’s company. So sit back, relax and experience a slice of Greece right here in the northern suburbs!

I posted upthread about how much I love Psistaria's Fakes on Tuesdays (and Fridays) but really, all their soups are outstanding, including the Fish Soup on Fridays and Sundays, and the Fasolada (Navy Bean), which is served on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays . . .


Navy Bean Soup
This rich and flavorful soup was just one part of a truly outstanding lunch.



Bread
This crusty, hearthy bread is great. Sometimes I ask for the sesame bread, which is lighter but also delicious in its own right.



Araka (peas)
This particular side dish -- available every day, as far as I can tell -- is one served with the entrees. I really love these peas.



Paschalini Salad with Gyros Meat - (Chopped Romaine Lettuce, Green Onions & Dill, Topped with Crumbled Feta)
There are several great salads at Psistaria. This one has become my favorite, especially when topped with the house-made gyros. I love the mixture of greens, herbs and scallions. The vinaigrette is a very nice foil for rich gyros meat. I usually order this custom job with a side of tsatziki.



Spanakopitakia
I've said it before and I'll say it again: this is the best version of these I've ever had in restaurant. The filling is complexly flavorful and the fillo wrappers are light, crispy and perfectly browned. This entree portion is comprised of 10 pieces and comes with a cup of soup and choice of vegetable. At about $11, it's a also great value.

I'm just so thrilled Psistaria is so close to my office. It is my absolute go-to for lunch but it's so good, I often go there even when I'm not traveling from my office.

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We have been to Psistaria many times over the last year and I agree that the food is wonderful which is why we keep coming back.
The only problem is that the younger waiters are horrible. They hurry to take your order then screw a few things up and 30 minutes later slap the bill on the table. The only way do get their attention is to do the WAVE.

Pics look great Ronnie. Are the house made gyros a recent addition? I'm hoping to get there in the next week or so for lunch.

jvalentino wrote:Pics look great Ronnie. Are the house made gyros a recent addition? I'm hoping to get there in the next week or so for lunch.

The gyros have been on the menu since these guys took over. If I don't just order a bunch of apps, I'll often get a combination (your choice of two or three items for a set price) with the gyros as one of the items.

stevez wrote:

jvalentino wrote:Pics look great Ronnie. Are the house made gyros a recent addition? I'm hoping to get there in the next week or so for lunch.

The gyros have been on the menu since these guys took over. If I don't just order a bunch of apps, I'll often get a combination (your choice of two or three items for a set price) with the gyros as one of the items.

I remember them being there but not house made. I very well could be confusing it w a different place-Thanks.

jvalentino wrote:

stevez wrote:

jvalentino wrote:Pics look great Ronnie. Are the house made gyros a recent addition? I'm hoping to get there in the next week or so for lunch.

The gyros have been on the menu since these guys took over. If I don't just order a bunch of apps, I'll often get a combination (your choice of two or three items for a set price) with the gyros as one of the items.

I remember them being there but not house made. I very well could be confusing it w a different place-Thanks.

Yeah, as Steve posted, they've been house-made since George and Tom took over, and they are delicious.

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jvalentino wrote: Are the house made gyros a recent addition? I'm hoping to get there in the next week or so for lunch.

I think you'll be pleased, I went for lunch today. $6.95 for a gyro sandwich. Spoke with mgr who stated their mixture is lamb/beef. Gyro meat is more coarse than the fine minced typical gyro, not as coarse as say a country style pate, but bite is different. Good spicing.

had a cup of the lentil soup to start, which was VERY good, especially with bits of torn crust from the house bread I put in it as well as a splash of red wine vinegar (a small bottle of which is provided w/the soup).

I hope to get back soon for the octopus & spanakopitakia.

Sweet Willie wrote:I hope to get back soon for the octopus & spanakopitakia.

I was there for lunch today, too and that's exactly what I had! Well, I actually had the octopus with lentil soup and araka but my co-worker ordered some spanakopitakia, so we could all share them.

Sorry, I missed you.

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ronnie_suburban wrote:Sorry, I missed you.

same here. I suppose the time I was there could actually be called mid afternoon, probably well after you were there, but as dinner was a bit late tonight, I adjusted other dining times today.

On my first visit here, I'm sad to say that I didn't experience what so many others apparently have. I went Monday night with friends and the food was a really mixed bag, mostly for the worse. The place was jam packed so I'm not sure if this is the norm, but there were many problems with the food.

On the plus side, saganaki was a generous serving and prepared as well as anywhere. Spanakopita were outstanding too, perhaps the best I've ever had. And we enjoyed the sesame bread toasted with olive oil, although it was brought out near the end of the meal (not sure if that's the norm). But that's the end of the positives.

Two of us had gyros and they were so dried out. Even less pleasant was the burnt, crusty herbs coating many of the gyros pieces. Really, this was just awful and most of the meat was left uneaten. Moussaka would have been good, had it not been a combination of warm and cold, seemingly introduced to a microwave in order to obtain such temperature differential. The flavor was good though. Pastitsio was delicious, but a shade under lukewarm. And Greek potatoes were lukewarm and a little under-baked. Greek salad featured mostly lettuce, and terribly overdressed lettuce at that, flimsy by the time it was delivered to the table. Avgolemono was lukewarm and had almost no rice and the lemon flavor was hardly detectable.

Two of my friends in our group had dined there before and were apologetic, noting that it been much better when they were there previously. I told them that the comments here were also mostly positive. So I'm not exactly sure what went wrong Monday night - are they always this crowded? Perhaps they were understaffed? But if this were the norm at Psistaria, I'd never return. Based on the comments in this thread and my friends' statements, I'm assuming this was somewhat of an aberration and I'll probably head back, particularly because the meal was quite inexpensive.

BR wrote:On my first visit here, I'm sad to say that I didn't experience what so many others apparently have.

Funny because I feel like Psistaria is one of those few, exceptional places that actually does its best when it's at its busiest. Over the couple dozen times I've been there, my favorite experiences food-wise have come when the place was slamming.

Coincidentally, I was at Greek Islands earlier this week, a place I've always loved. It's been my Greek gold standard for decades and the place to which I most often compare Psistaria. But as much I enjoyed my meal there I couldn't help thinking how much more I enjoy Psistaria on just about every level.

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My most recent meal was in November and it was outstanding. I was with a large group, so we were able to sample a ton of appetizers and good number of entrees. Nearly everything was fantastic. It was a Thursday night, if I recall, and they were quite busy. I eat at the Halsted Greek places a lot and my meal at Psistaria just blew away those experiences.

Likely all that I can say is that it was an off night, and that's what 2 in our group of 5 promised based on their past visits. And though many have raved about the gyros, next time, I'll let someone else order gyros and I'll just ask for a taste . . . these might have been the worst I've ever had. I'm sure those who raved about them had very gyros than what I was served last night (and lucky for you).

BR wrote:these might have been the worst I've ever had.

You mentioned this and luke warm servings. At what point should a person have a conversation with waitstaff to communicate being underwhelmed with specific things? Especially because you know a place has had raves posted to LTH. Just wondering, not pointing fingers.....

I was there as recently as last Thursday with a group of six. Everything was as good as ever. No doubt BR hit them on a bad night.

kenji wrote:

BR wrote:these might have been the worst I've ever had.

You mentioned this and luke warm servings. At what point should a person have a conversation with waitstaff to communicate being underwhelmed with specific things? Especially because you know a place has had raves posted to LTH. Just wondering, not pointing fingers.....

Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't, often depending upon the crowd I'm dining with. And in this crowd, me saying anything would not have been well received. And we didn't take it out on our server - he seemed efficient and the food came out pretty quickly so we tipped well. So I chalk it up to a generally poor meal, probably on an off night in the kitchen, and I leave it at that. Hey, it happens.

I've had a bad gyros experience there as well. Thye came out well done and dry as a bone. It's probably not a good idea to
dine there at off hours like around 4 P.M. Gyros left over from the lunch gets reheated probably on a flat griddle which
would explain why it wasn't very good. I did let my waiter know and she brought out a new order that was very good. I'm just suprised that they chef would let the dry overcooked gyros leasve the kitchen.

Well, since I was there last night, I guess I'll chime in too.
I'm a big pork chop fan, so I thought I'd see how Psistaria did with them. While the meat was of good quality, the chops were overcooked.
The fish that my wife and mother-in-law had, however, was off-the-charts good. The striped bass, called Lavraki on the menu, was one of the best pieces of fish that I've tried in the last few years. They seem to be able to source very fresh seafood.
I did have some service issues in terms of what was requested and what was delivered to the table in terms of side orders.
Overall, I was quite pleased, though, because the check was very reasonable given the quantity and quality of the food.
(Regarding the posts above, I would agree that the kitchen should not send out overdone gyros, especially since gyros done right here is outstanding.)

Psistaria is getting lots of love, nice piece on Check please this weekend.

We dropped in tonight without a reservation at 6pm, and we're seated in mere moments (there were a number of people waiting when we left). Service was prompt and friendly throughout.
We started with the pepperoncini and olives (they need a feta and olives pairing), and the fried zucchini with skordalia, which was a huge pile of delicate crispy disks.

The lentil and avgolemono soups were both superb.

I had the striped bass which was on special, and delicious, with lemon and olive oil. SueF had a combo of gyros and tiropites which was huge and both were great.

We'll be back.
(edited to fix dumbass autocorrect)

kenji wrote:

BR wrote:these might have been the worst I've ever had.

You mentioned this and luke warm servings. At what point should a person have a conversation with waitstaff to communicate being underwhelmed with specific things? Especially because you know a place has had raves posted to LTH. Just wondering, not pointing fingers.....

That's tricky. I probably would not communicate anything if I were "underwhelmed," because the state of underwhelm is so ambiguous. I communicate dissatisfaction when there is a clear failure--i.e., a steak ordered rare comes out well-done. Or anything involving tangible, objective, easily communicated evidence. (The steak example, again, since anyone can see with his eyes the difference between rare and well-done.) Underwhelm is more subjective, and is subject to an accusation of being too "fussy" or "picky"; I would probably simply note my disappointment to myself, and make decisions as to my continued patronage on the basis of it. (Which of course is not to say necessarily that I wouldn't return; I might chalk it up to an off-night as BR has and give them one more chance.)

I returned to Psistaria with family, and food-wise, it was so much better than the first visit. Avgolemono was hot and delicious. My roasted lamb and potatoes was also very good. And the spanakopita is the best I've ever had (credit the crispy phyllo and generous use of dill).

A couple of dishes were slightly lukewarm, and the grilled octopus, though decent, was not nearly as tender, well cooked or as delicious as I'm used to having at Boston Fish Market. Still, very solid food.

As for service, our waitress was fine but she was running around like a maniac. They appeared to be very understaffed Wednesday, and though we were seated at 6:30, it took us 2 hours to eat . . . not because of us, but because there were huge delays in bringing food out, taking orders, and the like. I'm used to the assembly line procedures at Greek Islands where it's almost impossible to spend more then an hour. Anyway, this was a little frustrating for a couple of members in our group who had longer to drive to get home.

Had a recent lunch here after many years on the way to the airport heading to Louisville.

House made gyros was fantastic. Thick cut, nice char and more aggressively spiced than your usual Kronos cone.

Octopus was another story, tepid and fishy with absolutely no char. 8 hours later I had another grilled octopus dish at Proof on Main in Louisville that put this version to shame.

Five of us had the Family Dinner for lunch today along with a nice bottle of Greek Red.
All of the dishes we selected were top notch, fresh, properly seasoned, hot and delicious from the Gyros appetizer along with Taramasalata to the perfectly rare lamb and the best spanakopita entree I have ever had.
Too much food for lunch really.
Service was excellent!
It's really great to have such a restaurant this side of Greek Town.-Dick