Asteria Souvlaki Place

This is my go-​to Greek restaurant! I’ve only ever had their chicken souvlaki but that’s only because it is always so good and when I come back, I only want to get more.
Food:
— the portions are generous
— the meat is well-​cooked and never dry (the flame grill does its magic)
— love the Greek salad — does not skimp on the feta!
— the rice and potatoes are flavorful
Atmosphere:
— no bells and whistles as this is a mom/​pop type restaurant, but the space is well-​maintained and has an old fashion charm that modern décor can never give
— they have a cute backyard patio opened in the summers. Check it out
Service:
— a meal does take a bit longer than average to come out but that’s only because they’re cooking the meat fresh!
— nice servers; polite, attentive

So just an update on my previous review-​we have continued to get take-​out from here because it is so close and have no time to sit down to eat. I wouldn’t sit there anyway because it is always so drab and dark.
I wont be going there anymore though because the owner (or who I think is the owner) has charged me 3 different prices for chicken souvlaki. More expensive each time. She charged my husband less when he went to pick up the food. :/​funny but not

Ain’t nothin’ wrong with Asteria! We literally ran off the street into here before catching a show at the Danforth Music Hall a few weekends ago. It was blizzardy and windy and cold outside, and not many places were open. We made a quick game-​time decision to try Asteria and hope for the best food-​wise. We were not disappointed! The chefs at the front were so cute and charming — singing old tunes to themselves while cooking up food. Our server was a very kind woman — we got the feel that this is a family place. She offered us some helpful suggestions about what to order and we ended up settling on the vegetarian plate (for me) and the chicken souvlaki plate for my friend. The food was just what we needed! Everything tasted fresh, authentic, and homemade. I particularly liked the greek salad and the rice and potatoes. Very, very yummy rice!
We had no intention of going to Asteria, but boy am I happy we stumbled upon it. Next time I’m going to a show at the DMH, I know where to go for a quick bite!

Meh.
It’s basically a few steps down from a ‘Swiss Chalet’-esque restaurant that hasn’t been renovated since the early 90’s. (Being generous with that timeline btw).
If a restaurant could have a sad face, this one would. It’s so tired and run down inside. The feeling is blah. The faux painted on cracks in the wall … The painted on grape vines and faux marble painting job … :((((((
The menu is basic. And you get huge servings of mediocre generic «Greek»
food (like the kind you get at the food court).
I ordered out tonight. Picked up, and got to experience this place first hand. *insert sad face
First time here. And the last.

Came here yesterday for the large sloviki dinner (I was hungry) … It came with a 3 pieces of garlic bread to start, Greek salad, rice and two potatoes. So it was a good amount of food. The chicken Slovaki was nice, moist and not salty. All this was for 17 dollars with tip.
The service was also very nice, with the Greek waitress telling me to relax and not rush out after I paid my bill.

a bit WEST! of the busier section of Greektown, I think it’s worth the few extra blocks, less busy. Plus on weekends the bigger spots are crowded with lots of annoying kids and family outings. The food is great, better prices than down the street, friendly staff. The carpet is gross, needs to be replaced (flooring would be much better), especially the carpeted stairs to the washrooms. Most importantly; GOOD FOOD!

Just a great local place. Chicken souvlaki dinner, all great, super tasty, a little pricey at about $ 13 but great quality food. If you are in Greektown, eat here!

We had a great meal here before going to see a show. The service was friendly and efficient, and our meals were delicious — especially the calamari and the pork dinner.

I stopped in tonight because I was craving souvlaki and had heard good things about this restaurant. I ordered chicken souvlaki on a pita and waited while it was being made. I really liked that I could see the food being cooked, but I wasn’t a fan of how much heat it put off into the restaurant. It was very warm in there, and I am so glad I took my food to go because I would definitely have been uncomfortable eating in that heat.
There was a good amount of chicken and the pita was very soft. I was surprised by how bland it was, though. It didn’t seem like the chicken was seasoned at all. There were also a ton of raw yellow onions, many of which i picked off. Using red onion or grilling the yellow onions would have been a nice touch. Overall, it was a pretty good value for the price, but I wasn’t impressed and would probably only go here again if I needed something fast, cheap, and filling after a night of drinking.

I’m shocked at all the good reviews for this place and actually think many of the posters are confusing this place for the other Asteria east of pape. The souvlaki was cooked well but lacked seasoning, and the potatoes looked amazing but fell well short. They were pretty tasteless. Overall I was extremely disappointed after reading all the good reviews of this place. The girl serving us was very nice but the food doesn’t stack up against all the other restaurants down here.

Been stopping in here for probably over 30 years
The foods always good and at the right price.
One thing about this place is it’s always consistent.
I pretty well always order the chicken souvlaki dinner since it’s by far the moistest and tastiest I’ve had anywhere
But I’ve also pretty well had everything on the menu over the years.
Some are better than others but over all it’s all good!

My first time in Greek Town was last night. The weather was miserable, rainy, and cold. I wanted to explore this area of town and get a uniquely Greek culinary experience, which I certainly did at Asteria. My original plan was to go to Mezes after reading the reviews, but walking by, it was too overcrowded for me.
What drew me to Asteria was while walking by, I could glance into their window and see the pork and souvlaki being cooked. Mouthwatering.
Inside is not very flashy, and the decorations are subtle, but that is fine with me. I go to a restaurant for the food and service. They also have a remarkably large outdoor patio that would be spectacular if the weather wasn’t terrible.
The two hostesses were very attentive throughout my dinner there, and so, there is not a problem with service. The food was also moist and mouthwatering. You get started with a large portion of garden salad and lightly seasoned toasted bread, while you’re waiting for your main course. I got the quail, and to be honest, that is the reason this restaurant is not getting a 5* rating. The birds were very small and bony. I had to struggle to get to the scarce traces of meat concealed by the dry skin and bone. The portion of quail is large, but I think I would find more meat on two standard chicken drumsticks, than the entire serving of quail.
Let me be clear that everything else that I got was absolutely wonderful, and that if I had ordered any other entrée, this place would have likely received full marks. I will definitely be back, and I will definitely be ordering something else from the menu. Their prices are amazing for the service, and amount and quality of food you get.

There’s not much to this place except the food and passion. A fast food soul place to fill your hole. Service is nice, food is great and prices are awesome. 4 stars for simplicity, speed and great tasting food.

Awesome gyro and souvlaki
I loved my meal
I went back in Oct 2011

Last night, it was FREEZING cold in the Danforth. Because we didn’t have food in the fridge (whoops), we wanted a quick, cheap meal in the neighbourhood. Our go-​to Greek restaurant has always been Mezes but because it was slippery, we wanted to go someplace closer. We first passed by the Combine Eatery but quickly left when we saw that they charged $ 15 for tacos. (WTF — seriously??? I’ve been all around California, Texas, and Mexico and paying $ 15 for tacos goes against my principles).
We then passed by Asteria Souvlaki place. Now, we always walked by Asteria before but didn’t bother going in because the exteriors looked, well, sketchy. We’ve lived in the neighbourhood for years but Asteria never really looked that appealing from the outside. When we did go yesterday, though, we realized just how much we were missing out on.
First of all, while there is limited food selection, they cover all the staples that you would expect in a Greek diner. You want a dip selection? Check. You want fried cheese? Check. You want souvlakis? Check.
Secondly, the prices were great. For around $ 11, you could have a full dinner plate, complete with main and generous sides of rice, buttery potatoes, Greek salad, and buttery bread. Thirdly, the food was impressive. My partner ordered the lamb chop dinner and it came not with one, not with two, but with FOUR pieces of succulent rare lamb that he practically gnawed off the bone to finish. Taste-​wise and price-​wise, how can you beat that? My calamari dinner was ok. I actually prefer my calamari with more breading but this was tasty. I appreciated the generous heaping of garlicky tzatzicki that came at the side.
As for the service, it was fine. The woman who served us that evening was nice; she checked in periodically to make sure the food was good; she refilled our water glasses on the dot; she was competent! I personally hate it when servers talk to you with faux friendliness TGI-​Fridays style. It was also abundantly clear that this was a neighbourhood joint because the servers casually chatted to their regular customers, giving the place a nice, homey vibe.
Will I go back? Hell yes! And this teaches me never to judge a restaurant by its exteriors.

I’m changing my star from 5 to 4 based on the fact that they take no debit and a bit of a surly attitude from my waitress. If you’re sitting in front of the menu, at least get up to give me one! Come on!
Still amazing chicken. This time I had the dinner. The greek salad has one, count em, one olive in it! Wow. Half the plate filled with salad, two roast potatoes and a small portion of rice with their delecatble chicken. It’s still good value for $ 12 plus tax, though I’d like more rice or potatoes or even taziki and less «salad» (ice berg lettuce, three tomatoes and an olive with some Canadian feta does not a salad make).

My new go to for quick greek food on the Danforth.
The food aways tastes excellent — chicken is grilled to perfection.
My only food complaint is that it’s not the healthiest menu (as expected). Oversized grilled hotdog buns as side ‘bread’ is a nice touch, but a bit heavy. Rice and potatoes taste great, but are quite greasy and buttery.
I guess unless you are ordering a salad, you aren’t going for healthy food anyway.
The wait staff can be a bit terse at times — inconsistent; sometimes friendly, sometimes hostile.
Décor is basic greek diner; unintentionally retro.
It’s definitely not the cheapest spot for quick sit down or take out Greek on the Danforth, but its always filling and delicious.

You’re at Asteria because you like really good, simply prepared food. You’re not here because you’re looking for superlative service.
Seat yourself, get someone’s attention, order your food, get your food, dive in, enjoy! The souvlakis are consistently good, dips are among the best on the Danforth, salads are basic and fresh.
Good luck trying to get your coffee topped up, or a glass of water, or the bill, but again you’re there for the food, not for the service.
Order everything you can imagine needing through the meal when you get the wait staff to your table. You’ll likely only get one run at this, unless you’re immediate family.
Bathrooms — Danforth classic — down nasty crooked stairs — not disgusting, but don’t go down unless there’s no other option.
If the chicken souvlaki wasn’t so good, this would be a 2, not a 4. Yes. That’s how bad the service is.

Great souvlaki and gyros. Truly great price too! Fabulous patio in the summer. Don’t be fooled by the 1970’s décor. The food is authentic and great.

When you’re on the go on the Danforth and you want something quick and absolutely tasty, Asteria’s chicken souvlaki on a pita hits the spot… and then some.
Amazingly soft warm pita filled with large chunks of juicy, tender chicken souvlaki and fresh tomatoes and onions… oh, and smothered in garlicky tzatziki. You will be licking the sauce off your fingers every time!
The service is always great and the pops on the grill are always friendly! I make a point of getting down to the Danforth every so often specifically for Asteria.