Restaurant Review – Athenian Room

You must, I repeat MUST, try this week’s restaurant. My life has been forever changed by Athenian Room. Located at 807 Webster Ave., this unassuming Greek restaurant is a true Chicago gem. We came in at 6:30 on a Friday night and had no problem getting a table, although the restaurant was starting to get busy. We sat on the charming outdoor patio, decorated with string lights and pots of colorful fresh flowers. Athenian Room does not serve alcohol, but is connected to Glasscott’s Bar. You can either order drinks at the bar and bring them to the restaurant, or vice versa. The menu is simple, but everything is delicious and the portions are huge and well-priced. I ordered the Gyros dinner: a gigantic pile of gyros meat, greek fries, pita bread, fresh tomatoes, red onion, and tzatziki sauce. I cannot sing the praises of this dish enough. I love the build-your-own aspect of this dish; you can throw everything in the pita and make your own sandwich, or you can scoop up bites of each element as you go. The gyros meat was perfectly cooked and the portion was incredibly generous. The tzatziki was creamy, cool, and flavorful, a perfect compliment to the meat and fries. And the FRIES. I will be dreaming about these fries for weeks! The potatoes are thick-cut and smothered in a delicious seasoning and vinegar. I don’t know what else the sauce consists of, but I do know I ate every single one of them. So incredibly tasty!

Athenian Room is open Mondays through Saturdays from 11 am to 10 pm and Sundays from 11 am to 9 pm. Entrees range from $7.50 to $12. They do not take reservations. Food is available for both dine-in and take-out.

RACHEL HOOVLER & DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO