I had this place bookmarked for a while and finally took the time to try it out. I’ve never had a gyro before and had no clue what to order. There were no signs or menus anywhere on the wall. They did have a menu at the counter where you order and the lady there was very friendly and helpful. I ordered the Chicago gyro with the potatoes and salad on the side. The potatoes were amazing! So flavorful! The salad was also very tasty. The gyro didn’t wow me like I thought it was going to. The pita was yummy and the sauce was delicious, but the meat was very dry. I loved the bites that had lots of sauce, but the bites without the sauce were not so great. The restaurant is very nice, but when I went there were only two others eating and it was a bit too quiet. Some music would help that out a lot.
Samantha G.
Classificação do local: 5 Bakersfield, CA
I’ve ordered the Chicago style gyro. I’ve also ordered the Traditional gyro, but I preferred the Chicago style one. The pita bread is perfectly soft and warm. It’s important not to overdo the pita! The meat, fixins, and tangy ranch-like sauce meld well together inside the gyro. Also loved the side salad and little golden potatoes that it came with(choice of rice or potatoes). Both times I’ve gone, service was friendly. I was greeted upon entry and assisted right away at the cashier, both times by the same lady, who I believe is the owner. She was sincerely courteous; a young girl cleaning up around the restaurant was also friendly to me. And oh my goodness, the desserts looked fabulous. Both times, I’ve tried the same dessert-the chocolate rum ball– which is like a mini chocolate cake with choice of filling. Both times, I got the same filling(peanut butter). You don’t taste the rum, the peanut butter just melts perfectly into the semi sweet chocolate, and I thought it was just oh so good. Haven’t tried their baklava in particular, but I have tried baklava in the past; it is a dessert that I’d also recommend. Flaky crust. Soft. Nutty, really sweet interior. Almost like a little soft brownie-type bar with a flaky golden crust and nutty, sweet, sticky gooey center. Fig newton-ish too. But really it’s a class of its own. It’s situated in the same parking lot as Lengthwise the Pub. The restaurant has indoor and outdoor seating, and is altogether a cute, small place. A few customers were there when I went, but it wasn’t packed. It has a couple big TVs posted on the wall, usually playing the news. Décor consists of traditional Greek-inspired paintings. Wait time was about 8 – 10 minutes.
Chris S.
Classificação do local: 5 Bakersfield, CA
Delicious. Red potatoes are very tasty as is the Chicago Style Gyro.
Sofonyas A.
Classificação do local: 5 Lansing, MI
Great food, and service. Place is kinda small, hopefully they can get larger location. Food-good, beer-good, dessert-AMAZING. Definitely will be back
Ariel W.
Classificação do local: 5 Bakersfield, CA
This place is hidden but great. The owners are friendly and the food is great! I always get the Chicago style but the traditional gyro is something special. They’re spinacopita is tasty and melts in your mouth, if it doesn’t burn it.
David S.
Classificação do local: 5 Ashland, OR
Okay, so if you are looking for«authentic» Greek food with a modern twist that tastes amazing and will leave you feeling good all around then this is the place. Don’t expect hummus and falafel(Middle East fare not Greek). We got the Athenan salad, Feta filled pastry, Squash croquettes, baklava, and almond florentine cookie. I have been searching for authentic Greek food for 20+ years. I am so happy that someone is creating such fabulous food.
Amanda P.
Classificação do local: 5 Bakersfield, CA
This is a gem of a place that often gets overlooked due to its location! I’ve now visited Athena’s multiple times for both lunch and dinner. Each visit has been great, with friendly staff and delicious food. The décor is simple and welcoming. It’s a casual establishment that makes for a fantastic lunch date or dinner. They do close at 8, so be sure to get in for dinner on the earlier side. Patio seating is available outside. As for the food, I’ve now tried a couple versions of the gyro pita, as well as a steak skewer. In all cases, the meat was well-seasoned without being salty. Best of all — the chicken has never been dry. Most meals come with a simple but satisfying salad and a side of rice pilaf or lemon potatoes. The pilaf is solid, but the potatoes are the winner of the two. The gyros come with a perfect tzatziki sauce and a fresh, fluffy pita. Don’t expect the often dry, flat type of pita that cracks when you fold it. The skewers come with grilled red onion and bell pepper, and are cooked perfectly so that they retain a decent amount of crunch. I would also recommend the flaming cheese for a fun appetizer for the table. And really, can you go wrong with crispy, melty cheese served with fresh pita? Be sure to finish up the meal with one of their desserts. My favorites are the baklava, made with a bit more cinnamon than most and without the cloying amount of honey as some, or the macaroons, a buttery coconut cookie with a hefty amount of chocolate. Beer and wine is also available, though I haven’t tried any of their imports yet. Highly recommended, great family-run business. Definitely worth seeking out for dinner!
Kristina B.
Classificação do local: 4 Cypress, CA
We came to eat here after we went on vacation to Greece. It was a lovely comp to what we had in Greece, it’s authentic and delish! They have indoor and outdoor seating and a selection of Greek beer.
Eidref L.
Classificação do local: 5 Los Angeles, CA
Hot Damn. Guy Fieri, you did it again. By that I mean he did the show and allowed me to find such a gem in bakos. To the sweet woman who served me, two thumbs up to you. Let me start with one gripe because I tend to save the best for last. Those potatoes were pretty mediocre. However I cannot let that affect the rating because you advised me to get the rice. Greek cuisine is probably one of my favorites. I could eat gyros all day. I have tried greek places everywhere, but no place thus far can compare to the tzatziki sauce served here. It is a definite must-try. They use real Greek yogurt which gives it the ultimate creamy taste. Delicious. The chicken breast I ordered was phenomenal. I think it could have been trimmed a little better, but I cannot let that oversee the fact that it was seasoned well, outrageously juicy, and overly mouthwatering. To the owners, I commend you for the food. You are definitely giving flame and skewers a run for their money. Next time I gotta try the desserts.
Al E.
Classificação do local: 5 Las Vegas, Estados Unidos
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Enrique A.
Classificação do local: 4 Bakersfield, CA
Delicious, but don’t come if you’re in a hurry Absolutely loved it. Nearly hidden in a hard to find strip mall is a lovely little café with real good food. The meals themselves are good. Fresh hot and made to order. But the standout here is bakery part. Fantastic cakes, snacks and the best baklava in town. Sweet flaky fresh without being cloying. Subtle and delightful. OH but as a coffee geek I could not leave without trying the Greek coffee. Powder fine grounds boiled in a briki with sugar and water. Boiled twice and served in a demitasse cup. And yes the method has many names, but it is more difficult than it seems with several pitfalls that can cause a harsh acidic cup. But, the folks here know their poop. Not too sweet, smooth as glass, nutty with dark chocolate notes. Just fantastic. Worth the drive out. I may have to reevaluate my rule of staying east of Coffee rd. for good food in Bakersfield.
Janna L.
Classificação do local: 3 Bakersfield, CA
A good place for Greek food if that is your kind of fare and it had been recommended to us. A newer place, almost 3 years old, family run — just the type of place you may usually want to support. The food is made fresh to order and could take 15 – 20 minutes. They do not claim to be a fast food restaurant so not a place you can run in and out of if in a hurry. We paid $ 11 on our first visit for a Chicago Lamb and Beef Gyro plate where you can get potato or rice, reg. or whole wheat pita and salad with a wonderfully light dressing. The potatoes are very lemony, seasoned and quite good. I thought it was a good value. They also have Greek beer! There are a few tables inside and 1 outside. Super casual. Walk up to the counter, order and wait. UPDATE I did return, wanted to grab an appy for dinner on another day. And wait I did. It was about 25 min for 5 – 6 meatballs. I had hoped they were lamb mixed but alas, just beef. For $ 8.59. The owner, just FYI is not Unilocal friendly. He does not feel any ‘smart’ business likes Unilocal but whatever. I think Unilocal has done their business great as they have constant 4 stars! I can see how some may find the service a bit brash but I think they had some issues with the public that made them a bit sour. Especially lately as of mid-Sept 2015(yikes!) and this is so, so unfortunate. For all. Good food. Long wait.
Lisa F.
Classificação do local: 4 Hanford, CA
The food tasted freshly prepared. Extremely flavorful. Staff was super friendly. Saw this restaurant on Diners, Dives and Drive ins. Had the pork pita sandwich with lemon potatoes. They were delicious! Had the flaming cheese. It was also delicious. Worth the trip. Will definitely stop again.
Nicho S.
Classificação do local: 3 Bakersfield, CA
First time here and we both decided to try the Chicago style gyro. First of all the place is in a great location, the customer service was excellent, food was prepared fast, prices were really good and the place is really nice and clean. For the food itself, it was ok. The wife and I both agreed it is an average joint.
Alan M.
Classificação do local: 2 Bakersfield, CA
Well… The food has always been decent. I don’t have any complaints about the food. It’s a different style than some other Mediterranean restaurants in the area so I can’t knock that. However, the guy that cooks is just flat rude. Rude to his customers & rude to his employees. There’s just no reason to belittle an employee in front of your customers which is what he did several times in approx. 45 minutes today. If the employee isn’t doing their job, then fire them and get someone else. To mock and belittle them tells me that you as an employer have serious issues. From what I can tell the employees are working their tails off trying to make this guy happy. Next complaint. I don’t feel there is any reason to make a customer wait 20 – 30 minutes for a «charbroiled» sandwich. If you need more help in the kitchen to get the food out in a timely manner, then hire more help. The signs stuck around the facility reading«Fresh food not fast food» combined with the rudeness surrounding it from the cook, puts this place at a generous two stars. I just can’t stand a business that is rude to their employees. There are better options for your money. UPDATE: One of the employees as well as Elias(an owner) contacted me today and told me that what I stated above was a lie. This speaks volumes about this business. If a customer perceives that you are rude, never call him a liar. Customer perceptions of your business are what keep you in business. However, I encourage you if you’re reading this make your own decision and post your experience.
Tassie G.
Classificação do local: 1 Reseda, CA
5−13−15 Man, you guys can’t let it be that you were horrible and recv’d an honest review? Your first response was complete crap and lies yet you continue to go on. You are showing your maturity level. Anyone who knows me knows that I would never start yelling in front of my children, nor would I just start yelling at anyone. But not everyone here knows that. Hopefully people will read this in it’s entirety,(though now it’s a novel), and see that even IF I was a crazy person,(which I’m most def not), your responses show your maturity in handling ANY type of customer who is not happy with the way you conduct business… Ok… Yes, I updated and removed irrelevant info to shorten the review as I don’t need to tell you that I am a part of the community and that your actions result in me talking and you losing business. I felt there was no need as your place is already dead. You seem like a smart women.(Ha!) Look up the«ripple effect». One bad experience does get passed around a community. Unfortunately, you guys seem to have more than one experience upsetting customers with bad service. Look at past reviews.
Lulu H.
Classificação do local: 5 Bakersfield, CA
I went to the restaurant last Friday night at 7:00 pm, and of course it was packed … DUH! I was so excited though to eat here as so many Unilocaler’s like McKenzie and PT rave about it that I thought I would just do take out. Then thought dang it, I don’t want to squander the fun of dining for the first time at a new restaurant — work on delayed gratification girl — so I decided to come back another time. Today, a few days later I did. It was such a hard day at work, I rationalized it was the perfect day to treat myself to a wonderful meal. I went for a late, late lunch and no one was there! It was lovely! When I walked in, the lady at the counter — Letty — remembered me and said, «You came back!» Letty was so nice… very warm. I can’t believe she remembered me. Guy /DDD’s picture was on the wall. I asked her what she made for him — and she said it was a special that they don’t normally have on the menu — it is similar to a stuffed grape leaves with lemon dressing, but only with cabbage… She said, let me check on something. She went in the back, and then came back out smiling and said they had one more order! YAY! With the dinner, you get a salad and a choice of potatoes or rice. She suggested the potatoes. That would have been enough food, but I felt I wanted to spoil myself more and I asked her to recommend a good appetizer. People really like the feta filled pasty, but her favorite is the saganaki /the flaming greek cheese. She said it was more pricey though… I told her, get me the flaming cheese woman! While I waited, I took pictures with my new camera. Others came in, and she seemed to know them all by name. It was sweet. I started off with a wonderful simple salad, with a nice, fresh dressing. The flaming cheese had a wonderful presentation! I was disappointed I didn’t get a picture of the flames, but it didn’t matter. I don’t even really like cheese, in fact I order most of my dishes specifically asking to take out the cheese, but I just loved this cheese which was a mild cheese cooked in a bit of olive oil and lemon. Just wonderful. And the fluffy white pita bread was wonderful. You could also select wheat pita bread, but Letty thought the white pita bread was better. The stuffed grape leaves in a wonderful lemon sauce was heavenly. I certainly could have finished everything at that seating, but I really wanted to be able to savor this for as long as I could and made myself save some of the cheese appetizer and entrée for a tasty treat later that evening. The food, the service was just perfect. I don’t’ know Greek food very well, so it really helped that Letty gave me suggestions. I loved it so much I asked Letty if Unilocal could have a party there; she said she would love it, but unfortunately the place was too small. :(As I was driving away I thought that maybe there could be a venue that served good wine and cheese, and Athena’s could do the catering … The restaurant is not fancy. It is in one of those strip malls similar to so many of the restaurants in Bako. Despite the less than glamorous and romantic atmosphere, it was a perfect meal. I thought of what my friend Susan had told me the day before, «I think a lot of the restaurants in Bakersfield serve better food than in LA» I think the best three suggestions I can give is to order the special which is not on the menu, order the Saganaki /Flaming Greek Cheese(but have your camera ready), and go during off hours… I thought my late lunch from 2−4-ish was perfect.
PatrickJ T.
Classificação do local: 4 Bakersfield, CA
I’ve heard both good and bad from friends about Athena’s Greek Café & Bakery. My experiences here have been good. Their place is cozy and clean. Fortunately, service has never been a problem for us. The food has been good. I’ve tried both the Chicago style gyro and traditional style gyro. Both were quite tasty. Each gyro came plated with a tasty salad and delicious lemon potatoes. Those lemon potatoes taste so good! I’d come back here just for them! Make sure to save room for dessert or take some home. The Baklava is yummy! In fact, all of their desserts in their display case look so inviting. Will be back to try more. Anyways, I think that Athena’s is a better choice than Flame and Skewers when it comes to craving Greek food in Bakersfield. Judge for yourself.
Valerie S.
Classificação do local: 3 Bakersfield, CA
When I came here there weren’t many people in the café(two employees and two guys, which one was barefoot… umm gross). The café isn’t very big inside but I believe I saw outside seating. It took me a second to realize that there was no menu posted anywhere and that they were at the register. The guy that took my order wasn’t very friendly and looked annoyed when I was deciding what to get. I ordered the Chicago Style Gyro. The meats(beef and lamb) had a great taste but unfortunately were a bit dry. What made up for that was the sauce which I wish it had more of! It also came with rice and salad, which were average. I feel like I came on an off day so I’ll probably come back again and update this after my next visit.
Chris R.
Classificação do local: 5 Huntington Beach, CA
Amazingly delicious cuisine! The reviews are accurate and I could not have asked for a better meal. Everything is freshly prepared and the service was extraordinary. I will definitely be stopping by here whenever I am in the area. :D Back again. This place doesn’t get old.
McKenzie S.
Classificação do local: 5 Bakersfield, CA
I finally made it inside Athena’s and the service was really fantastic. The bakery case was a treat. It was filled to the brim with freshly prepared desserts. From Baklava, to carrot cake. There was a little of everything. Service was wonderful. The owner is also the cook and the cashier. Her hard work pays off in the amount of repeat customers. Definitely scout out this place if you’re in town and enjoy gyro’s. It’s worth the hunt to find this place.