Laikon Café

Laikon is closing tomorrow, Sunday January 29, 2012. I’m told it is to be torn down to put in a walkway to a parking lot behind. Last of the old school, real Greektown Greek resataurants. Hellas: perfectly good building torn down to make way for an empty gravel lot (not even a parking lot!). Cyprus: now a liquor/​lotto/​cigarettes/​head shop (we really need more of those). Grecian Gardens: long gone, now a parking lot. The International (long time ago). And others I can’t even remember. Still have Pegasus and New Parthenon, but they just don’t have the charm of the old places.
What was once a unique and wonderful ethnic enclave is now basically a cheap tourist trap filled with liquors stores, sports bars and burger joints. And IMO it’s the Greektown merchants themselves, or some of them, who are to blame. No strategic vision of the historic values that made Greektown Greektown, just short sighted self interest, and spiteful infighting.

Dreadful.
I’ve been recommending this place as the best Greek food for over 30 years. Haven’t been there in a few and so sorry we went back.
The Tarama was nothing but mashed potatoes with red food coloring. No cavier, no roe, no flavor, awful. We sent it back and the waitress was defensive. I expained to her my experience with the fair that it’s pointless to argue with a customer. She went back towards the kitchen with the dish and though out of site, we could hear her conversation with the cooks and or manager and it wasn’t pretty. Something to the effect «everybody’s complaining about it».
My wife had the Gyros and they were cold. My Moussaka was mediocre at best. I can get better at my local «feedbag» Greek restaurant that serves everyting from burgers to lamb chops. I usually get the lamb and beans here but did not this time and I can’t imagine that being any better considering the attention they placed on our order.
We had a chat with the server and she told us that the Greektown Casino Company had purchased the building and they expected to be shutting the doors in a couple of months. The staff argues with each other loudly and is quite distracting. There was almost no one in the restaurant on a Saturday evening. If you want high drama and low food, this is the place for you.
Given the good choices in greek style restaurants in the area, the Laikon Café is like throwing your money away.
Try The Golden Fleece for the best Gyros and Plaka Café for some surprisingly awesome Greek food. For the upscale, The Pegasus is hard to beat (the lamb and macaroni is to die for).

My sister and I made a day of Detroit by basically eating and drinking just a few little bits in a bunch of places downtown. It was an awesome day, and most of the places that we went were quite great. For sure the place that was at the bottom of the pile was Laikon Café.
First, it was not very «happening». The seats had rips in them, but the staff was very friendly (although he did ditch out for quite some time and we really would have preferred to leave to our next destination sooner — but whatever).
We got the hot appetizer plate. The problem is that the food was not hot. It also seemed like it was all pulled out of a «can». The calamari was very average. The tzatziki was good — but I can get good tzatziki from Trader Joe’s. We even went off the suggestion of the waiter for the appetizer since we told him to tell us his best dish. I’d really probably give this place more like 2 stars… but since we only went once, I would prefer to keep things to a little more of a positive note.

I’ve been coming here with my dad since I was shorter than the table tops. Yes management has changed, but the food is always amazing. Lemon rice soup ALWAYS. I usually get the gyros or the vegetarian platter with a few different meals in one. We are taken care of here every time.

This place would be awesome for any lamb-​eater. Alas, I am not one of them. Went there for a quick late-​lunch before heading back to Ohio, and I ordered the Lemon Chicken Rice Soup. I’ve avoided ordering any dish with lemon in it after the «over-​lemoned» chicken dish I got from a place in Easton, PA that traumatized me. But this soup was good! It was almost like a cream-​of-​lemon-​chicken-​rice soup, unlike the traditionally clear-​brothed counterparts. We didn’t order it, but the flaming cheese looked really entertaining!

Love the food, and the service is great. I have never had a bad meal here. This is my favorite Greek restaurant in Greektown. I have tried others but none compare. You get a lot of food for the money, and a lot more food than the other Greek restaurants in Greektown. The restaurant could be a little cleaner but its a place that serves flaming cheese there is bound to be grease.

I have eaten at Laikon Café many times. The management changed in the Winter and they have been doing a good job of getting things the way they need to be. It is the only actual Greek owned and operated restaurant in Greektown, Detroit, MI. My biggest complaint would be that if you are paying $ 15+ for an entrée it shouldn’t come out of the microwave. I am sad to say that this is the primary way of cooking and heating food at Laikon. The food is decent and the new management is great. Make sure you ask for Fez!

I spend several days a week in Greektown as I work there. I have the opportunity to eat at any of the ‘Greek’ restaurants and i always choose Laikon Café. To my knowledge, they are the ONLY one still owned by Greeks, and the chef was trained by Greeks.
I am a lover of all things lamb and the lamb at Laikon is always fresh and full of flavor. I usually get the brazed lamb, but do enjoy the leg of lamb as well. The rice and vegetables are always tasty, and the service is always excellent.
I have never had a bad meal there, always take my friends there and it’s never a disappointment. It’s affordable and quality.
One of the interesting testaments to the quality is the after-​church crowd on Sundays — the place fills up with Greeks and if they approve, I guess you just can’t argue with that!

I have been coming here for years and love it. It has recently come under new ownership and the food has remained really good.
I always get the saganaki :) Then I always get the roasted lamb with okra and rice, use to be called bbq lamb but I guess people were getting confused by the name and the lack of bbq sauce… It is always super tender and the okra just melts in your mouth since it is cooked all day.
I recommend it, it’s good and affordable!

I would eat here again.
I had the lamb special for dinner. That night it was cooked in a seasoned tomato sauce, or that’s how the waiter described it. When it came out, it was braised, not swimming in any kind of sauce, and the tomato sauce was on my rice. It was tasty and tender.
I had rice and and a choice of two veggies with my dinner. I selected the green beans and okra. Both were overcooked. There was no snap, crunch or feedback of any kind from the vegetables. They were simply cooked to death.
Service was attentive.

I have been eating here for 25 years and have seen the quality of food has steadily decline over the past couple of years. My long history in eating there made it difficult for me to write this review. I am wondering if the restaurant changed hands as I did not recognized anyone there. In the past, one of the brothers was always there no matter what day or time we visited. Here is my review:
Facility:
The entire inside of the restaurant had a fowl odor when we walked in. That should of been my first clue not to eat there. However, we have been going there such a long time that I had my guard down.
Food:
We ate here on a Sunday night and the food tasted as though it was leftover from Saturday and reheated on Sunday. The texture of the rice was hard. The salad dressing has changed and tasted as though they took their traditional recipe and combined it with miracle whip. They were stingy on the amount of Feta cheese in the salad. I ordered the Vegetarian Combo and only at about half of it after I realized that what I was eating smelled very bad. Several members of my family felt sick after eating there. The bread was the only thing we enjoyed. Beverages are served in 10 oz glasses and are slow to be refilled.
Service:
Believe it or not, the service was better than it normally has been over the years. We use to eat at the Laikon because we enjoyed their food but always knew that poor service was the price to be paid there for good food.
Well the good food is gone and so are we. We will miss you greatly Laikon after eating there so many years. Another chapter in my life that is now closed.

It’s a tough choice between this place & Pegasus but when it comes down to it the personable staff here outshines the other place. My father-​in-​law is the 3^rd generation to go here & I just found that out this past summer. I already loved the people here before finding that out and now its just reinforced. As far as the menu goes it’s very similar to Pegasus — flavorful, hot, and dee-​lish. If you’re looking for a more personable touch go here. Pegasus is a lot larger and the service is nice but compared to Laikons just so-​so. It just feels like you’re one of their family and the old man cleaning up is the father of the joint. Occasionally you’ll see him break for a smoke but he’s absolutely adorable.
I won’t go on & on about how steller this place is just read the rest of the reviews…

Hear ye, hear ye!!!
It has been found. I have travelled North America and I can honestly say, without patting myself on the back too much, that I have found the… WORST GREEK RESTAURANT IN NORTH AMERICA!!!
I have no idea what they think by serving the slop that they do but this place will close quickly. I was in Detroit awhile ago and was referred here but it had closed up. Should have stayed like that.
We’ll start with the avgolemono. Citrus flavored dish water with chewy rice… CHEWY RICE… AL DENTE RICE!!! IN AVGOLEMONO SOUP!!! Somewhere, the guy that invented this is spinning.
Ahhhhhhhhh, the bread. Can’t screw up bread, can you? Somehow, they order a special bread that is like cement on the outside but just above raw on the inside. That’s talent! Barf.
Keftedakia (hamburgers)on the charcoal with rice and peas. Sounds simple enough, right? WRONG AGAIN!!! This dish, is without a doubt, the most disgusting thing I have put in my mouth (served in a restaurant) ever. The peas were from a can, the rice was, once again and all together now, AL &$!%#@ DENTE and the keftedakia were perhaps a new version on the tradition dish where they change the meat for pieces of charcoal. I swear, I almost yakked at the table.
One more thing. It’s called soap. Look into it. The ceiling = filthy. The floors = filthier. Just gross all around.
The one saving grace was watching a 400lb Greek old man playing with a battery operated parrot at the cash. I guess the food causes some kind of amnesia and delusions as well.
I’m not certain if you get the jist of my review but DO NOT eat at this ”establishment”. Wait for them to close down again and then I may try it again. Nah, my taste buds can’t take the beating.
The one star is for the waitress that tried hard enough but secretly seemed to have the gleam in her eye that she was going to stab the owner after her shift.

The place was crowded but cozy. Even with the heavy volume, our server & food arrived in a timely manner. The lamb was heavenly, and the Meze reminded me of eating at the taverna in Greece. I ordered the Combination plate and found all the food to be wonderful. The owners were friendly and enjoyed talking with my group. It was a great experience.

The staff is extremely friendly and the food is delicious! Great for a group after going to see a tiger’s game or an eclectic date night.
The chicken kebob I had was tender and the sauce was perfectly seasoned. I would come again for sure!

OK — I’ll disclose right up front — this Café is owned and operated by my cousins. But I’m a distant cousin — living on the West Coast — so this my review can be considered (somewhat) unbiased. This large, friendly and big fat Greek diner hit all the right notes.
The food is hearty, authentic and tasty — with large portions and fresh ingredients. The saganaki and Greek sausages (loukanika) served with traditional flourish (flaming by our happy server) were a highlight. I had the chicken souvlaki (that could have easily fed two) and a side order of rice. Note: I had my meal without sauce. The tzatziki and hummus were tangy, garlick-​y and disappeared quickly.
My cousins are committed to bringing the oldest Greek restaurant in Greektown (opened in 1927) back to its former glory. They have a lot of work ahead of them; but, they have a lot of enthusiasm, business know-​how and are unafraid of hard work — so if last night was any indication, I’m positive their efforts will pay off in spades — and Greektown will be the richer for it.
Laikon Café is a gem — truly authentic and understated with great value for money. And not only is it run by an extended family group — it is a true family dining experience. So next time you have a hankering for food the way Mama served it — why not stop by?

Very cool place! After my group of nearly 16 had a salty experience at the nearby overrated and crowded Pegasus Taverna, we walked right over here, and were treated like family. Our group was served with class and kindness, with a tasteful splash of family-​style Greek humor as well.
My lentil soup appetizer was very hearty, yummy, and hot. The saganaki opa cheese was awesome as it is at most Greek restaurants. Soo gooey and cheesey and still had a hint of the liquor poured over it for the flame.
I got the lamb with artichokes dinner and it was so creamy and good. My waitress recommended it and said the meat falls right off the bones, and oh was she right! It was on the Saturday specials menu so it was priced very reasonably at around $ 13ish. I got an order of hummus on the side which admittedly tasted just a little old but still was enjoyable. My girlfriend’s sampler Greek dish with different items all on the dish did not disappoint either. Looking around and tasting some nibbles from my friend’s dishes all proved to show that this Greek restaurant is a stand up joint with fair pricing, great authentic food, and wholesome service.
Being as we had 3 birthdays in our group, they kindly brought out baklava pieces at the end of the meal with candles, all while singing in Greek :-)
I highly recommend this place as an enjoyable diner-​like restaurant with a full bar and authentic Greek food. The bar looked very cool, though seating literally AT the bar was limited — it seemed more like a «deliver the drink to your table» type of bar. Again, this place leans on casual, so it may not be the most formal restaurant in Greektown, but it certainly is the best one all around, in my opinion!

If you want fancy shmancy, this place is not it. If you want authentic greek, eat here! It never disappoints. The waitstaff leaves you wanting nothing. They are extremely attentive, and even for a camel like me, continue to fill my water glass. We recently had a nice buffet of lamb chops, lemon rice soup, spinach pie (to die for), olives, hummus, and of course saganaki. All was excellent.
The best part? the autographed photos of every celebrity who has visited. Chuck Gaidica will stare right at you if you sit in the second booth.
Yummmmmm.

This is a really great Greektown place. I would recommend it in a heartbeat.
Favorte appetizer: tarama salata. It’s pink and fishy tasting (it’s made from cod roe), and you dip your bread in it. You can dip fries in it too, yum!
Favorite meal: lamb w/​green beans. It’s been simmering a long time on the back burner in tomato sauce, and the beans are great.
Favorite soup: Gotta go around orthodox Easter and get the special lemon-​rice soup with bits of chicken liver in it.
Best dessert: Can’t go wrong with baklava and strong Greek coffee. It’s an ideal place to go before a hockey game, too.
Least favorite thing: the rice with tomato sauce. I don’t like it in any Greek restaurant in the area.
Groups can be accommodated easily upstairs. Not sure if that area is wheelchair accessible, though. Might not be.

I was a Hellas fan forever until I tried Laikon’s Moussaka.
Best Moussaka in all of Detroit!
That tomato sauce they put on top of it is, to, die, for.
(I always ask for extra)
Friendly wait staff.
Open atmosphere.
Mike is a great waiter.
(worth sitting in the smoking section for)
Try the Santa Marina white wine.