We had the Mezethes platter. Which was a dip platter, Greek salad, dolmades, meatballs, spanakopita, and kalamari. Everything was good, and you do get a lot of food for the price.
Excellence food, staff and decor/ambiance. Every thing we had was extremely tasty. Pricing was a tad high but for a special occasion well worth it
Read this review first! I eat here regularly and have been for years as have my parents and (Greek) grandparents, the amount of Greek customers they get is ridiculous so that says something about the authenticity. Prices are fair for portion size and quality. Service is always great and friendly, a great place to bring groups. Decor is simple and elegant. I can't stress more how addictive the food is!!! Spanakopita, calamari, ouzo prawns, meat balls, eggplant dips I could go onnnnn everything is amazing here and I strongly recommend you trying for yourself. Don't take my word for it they have been open for 37 years so enough said. (Belly dancers on weekends)
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I've been meaning to try Yianni's for quite some time, and finally came here for dinner on my first visit yesterday evening. The restaurant was fairly quiet considering it was a monday evening, but I had been eagerly looking forward to dining here as I'd heard great reviews. Admittedly, I was initially a bit surprised at the subdued atmosphere, seeing as I had imagined it to be very lively and noisy, considering it was a Greek restaurant.
Since my party had planned to enjoy a meal at Yianni's for a birthday dinner, we had naturally made reservations. This turned out to be unnecessary, as it remained slow throughout the dinner period for the evening. Apparently, however on the weekends reservations are recommended as they get much busier, and even feature bellydancers as entertainment for customers to appreciate.
Being located on Whyte Ave provides Yianni's with an ideal location that is great for foot traffic in Edmonton. Paired with the fact that they have a lovely decor, with a unique type of patio/open restaurant style of entrance. It had a very romantic light setting during my visit, and I found it very pleasing.
The service was polite and fair, I had no complaints as we were treated appropriately. We did ask for a different table, as we initially were seated near the front, and it was a bit chilly by the open air. Luckily, we were moved without issue, and the back of the establishment was much warmer and less drafty.
As for the food itself, I was very happy with the selection available on the menu. I adore Greek cuisine, and the options were exactly what I had hoped to see, for fairly reasonable pricing. I ordered the combo pita and dip platter for an appetizer, and the slow roasted lamb for my main course. Aesthetically, the plating could have room for improvement, but quality wise- it was fantastic! The flavours were delicious and authentic, and I found the portion sizes to be more than fair. Even the desserts were extremely tasty, and a great end to a delicious meal.
All in all, I truly enjoyed the experience at Yianni's, and plan to return again soon. Next time, I will definitely aim for a weekend evening in order to critique the restaurant on a livelier night, and of course, watch the live entertainment!
Restaurant atmosphere is okay if you go early, but they crank the music waay up when the belly dancer comes out which makes talking pretty much impossible.
The slow roasted lamb is amazing!! Their other dishes were good, but not spectacular.
Eric Fedoruk
Eric Fedoruk
Really nice Greek food on trendy Whyte Ave. Appetizers are good and the mains are generous. The food is fresh and well flavoured, service is always good. Love the lamb!
Went here for a friends birthday dinner party. Interesting place. The place was packed and loud, but that's not a bad thing. Everyone was having an awesome time. Good music playing with good entertainment. The food was pretty good as well. I had a buddy working the bar so I got a few free drinks so that was awesome! We went downstairs afterwards to continue my friends birthday and there was belly dancing going on and of course we drank some more. Overall I had a good time here with my friends.
Mine an my best friends first time eating at Yiannis was tonight I must say it was outstanding. The service was quick and friendly the waitress was very nice when I asked her to suggest what to drink she Rightaway had a great suggestion of drinking sangria The menu was nice I would meet my friend shared some appetizers I had on my own vegetarian ratatouille. And she had calamari The food was delicious decent price overall a very friendly environment all the staff was very kind the overall look inside was very clean and very chic and nice the seats were comfortable and the bathrooms were kept top notch in shape. They had a lot of great options on the menu to for vegetarians since I am one so recommend it to people who are. Overall I will definitely be back again hopefully in the near future
My sister and I shared the Mezethes platter and it was fabulous. It was plenty enough for a dinner for two and very reasonably priced at $36. They started out by bringing out a big plate of pitas with 3 different dips - they were all very yummy. The spanakopitas were the best I've ever had. The meatballs were great as were the dolmades and salad. I didn't try the calamari but my sister said it was delicious. We finished off with some dessert and entertainment. We had very quick service and found it to be a nice, classy environment. I would definitely go back!
Great food! Beautiful restaurant - and service was awesome! Will be going back for sure!
Wonderful experience, I had the slow roasted lamb, very good, first time trying lamb and it was delicious, large portions, everyone at my table liked their meals, service was excellent, nice atmosphere, will be back :)
Absolutly amazing food! Great service, clean enviroment, and brand new renovations! Higher price range but you definetly get what you pay for here!! 5 stars all around!!
Hits the mark!. It is a greek restaurant...so expect the usual...
Savoury and fresh is how I would describe my chicken souvlaki dinner.
The belly dancer was an incredible highlight, fun and beautiful.
Decor was very nice, gargage doors, eveil eyes.
Heck Yes!. We has the most wonderful lunch there today. We had calamari to start, my husband had the pork souvlaki lunch special and I had the vegetarian moussaka. And we were moaning and delighted the entire time. It was divine!
I will be back often for sure!!!!
Best Birthday Ever!. We ordered the platters for 4 and tons of Greek wine. The servers were great and the food was simply delish!
The owner's wife came over and personally wished me happy birthday and chatted with us. Greek owned and authentically friendly. I can't wait to go there next year :)
EPIC dining experience!!. I am a total foodie and am damn hard to impress. I have NEVER had better Lamb and my girlfriend LOVED the vegetarian ratatouille. The appetizer platter is most definitely the way to go. Hummus, calamari, salad, dips, spanakopita and ketedes....a great value and YUM! The decor and atmosphere is perfect for a date night or nice meal with friends. We went for a drink in the lounge downstairs after dinner, the atmosphere was wonderful.
You will not be disappointed.
Diner from kelowna. Heard good things from friends about Yiannis Taverna,so we decided to try it on our visit to Edmonton.We loved the restaurant.The decor is modern & beautiful!
We were very pleased with the whole experience.The service was great.We enjoyed the platter of appetizers& appreciated the help with selections from our waitress.Our main course of lamb chops were done to perfection & were the best we have eaten.I have to say the atmosphere ,including the Belly Dancers made it all a very uplifting experience for my husband & I.We will always return for a meal at Yiannis when in the city.
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Yiannis is a great 'finer-dining' Greek restaurant. Highly recommend the platter for 4 (which is actually enough food too feed 6 or 8 people). There was a huge variety and everything was prepared well or exceptionally well. The highlight was the Moussaka, best I've ever had. I also recommend the Bougatsa (semolina lemon custard filling with a phillo crust), for dessert, if you want a change from baklava. Our party was the only one there all evening with the exception of one other table, so I can't comment on the service during busier times (It was a very cold Tuesday evening, so the lack of business was probably an anomaly). Our server was friendly and attentive. The atmosphere was excellent, very warm compared to some other restaurants along Whyte Ave. that are more industrial and cold. The decor is a very modern, with a good mix of new and classic styling it is more timeless than trendy. You cannot go wrong with Yiannis if you are looking for some excellent Greek food that more than a quick donair/gyros fix. Opa!!!
We really enjoyed it here. The food was excellent, the presentation was okay, but the taste was great. Price was okay but not crazy expensive. The service was fast, friendly and not invasive while being attentive. The premises are very well kept too. We had a very enjoyable evening and would return again.
Nice decor and always fun with the dancer the food was only ok this time the taste was good but most of it was warm to cold to bad.
Guess Who Is Back. Greetings Foodies!
I am happy to report that Yianni's Taverna is once again open for business. We had the opportunity to go this past Friday for their launch and let me tell you, if you want a nice night out with a trendy feel, make sure that Yianni's is on your radar.
Our favorite part of the night was the Souvlaki on the wooden skewers, so Good!
We will be back
..Or maybe i am just hungry...
Kasbar is where it's at. Yianni's is fantastic. Every bite was tasty, the atmosphere is suitable for friends, family, and dates alike, and the atmosphere is vibrant, sometimes brought to life with bellydancers. The kasbar is relatively unknown in Edmonton, which is a shame, because it is so beautiful (Moroccan design) and the service there is always amazing. The bartender knew the obscure drinks I ordered and did a good job of keeping my party of twenty happy. If you ever have a group of people with you and need a lounge, this is the best place in Edmonton for that. Appetizers were delicious, easily shared, and the moussaka is to die for.
Best greek I've had in Edmonton.. Food: tasty
Decor: beautiful, with huge windows always open, with Whyte Ave pouring in in summer
Service: Check out this story:
This one time i came to Yiannis' to have dinner with a girlfriend. Occasion: my birthday, that she wasn't able to attend previously. My friend ordered something with chicken, and said that chicken was undercooked. The waiter apologized, took the entree off the menu, and gave her a different entree on the house. Then he came by and politely said: "I'm very sorry, but you were seated in a section which was booked in advance. Would you mind it if I moved you to another table and took care of the rest of your bill?". Free dinner? We moved. As we were moving, my friend mentioned that we were there to celebrate my birthday. He came back with a desert. Also on the house. We left very happy in the end. Yiannis knows how to fix things if they don't go according to plan.
Yannis is a great place for family and friends I had a very good time with prime location and amazing service I enjoyed my time dinning here. The food was amazing from the apps,Greek salad ,calamari, and saganki down to my main course meal roast lamb and amazing dessert ek Mek I love love everything about this cute classy restaurant looking forward to seeing the renovations and the familiar beautiful faces.
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The Lambshank Redemption. The Garlic Prawns come with five jumbo prawns but absolutely had no flavor. They came in a small dish of chopped onions and butter/olive oil but that didn't save it. Garlic Prawns? There wasn't anything garlic-y about them. Bland!! The rice is okay - nothing special. Overall, it did not warrant the hefty price tag of $26. It was mediocre at best.
The Ribs, glazed in barbeque sauce, however, were great. They had plenty of flavour and the portion size was worth the price.
The Saganaki which is their pan-fried cheese flambeed with brandy is delicious and quite the spectacle! The waitor comes table side with a hot dish and pours a shot of brandy onto the cheese to which it goes up in flames.
I have to mention their Paithakia - lamb entree. It comes with four lamb chops which are wonderfully seasoned and juicy. $27 may be a lot but you will not be disappointed, which is why I am generally satisfied with this place.
Service - attentive and warm staff although it takes forever to get seated. 3.5/5
Ambience - fun and lively atmosphere with belly dancer on weekends. 4/5
Food - depends what you order but big portions. 3/5
Will go back for sure!. The food was really really good, we had the jumbo prawns in a tomato type sauce, calamari, spanakopita and of course my favorite, baklava. the calamari could have had a bit more seasoning thats my only complaint. the prawns were cooked perfectly, the tzatziki was so refreshing and the spanakopita was to die for. Baklava was very very cold but none the less amazing. We even came at the right time because the belly dancer show was sooooo good - rocking bod for the guys and high energy dancing for the girls!
Excellent service and delicious food. One of the best restaurants on Whyte
Excellent service. Absolutely delishous kabobs and baklava. A table by the windows provides an interesting view of passers by.
Best Moussaka around-always great service!!
The best Greek I've had in Edmonton so far! The rack of lamb was to die for! The calamari was nice too. Service and ambience was also enjoyable. I'll definitely be back!
The salmon was perfecting done! I loved it!
Great food and times. My wife and I have been to a number of the other greek restaurants in town and this place continually out does them all. The food is very good and we have always had great service. The belly dancers are pretty good too ;)
Love the Mezethez platter - perfect dinner size for two people. Food is absolutely fantastic! A great place for Greek in a great location. Service is superb.
One of our favorite spots in town. The appetizer platter is more than enough for 2 for supper. Highly recommended!
Wonderful Greek Food. I love Yianni's. I have been going there since I was little. We know the owners and always have a good chat when we visit. I've never had bad service or a bad meal there. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, and the music is always on (but not too loud!). I love the calamari, saganaki, and Greek dips (tzatziki, tarama, etc.) with lots of pita. Would recommend to anyone.
The best Greek in Edmonton!. Extremely good Greek food with generous garlic and portions in a fine dining atmosphere, with a truly delectable wine list, Belly dancers and gorgeous young waiters who will throw a plate or two and do some traditional dancing. End the meal with the great selections of ouzo and dance your way back to the hotel. The roast lamb, calamari and tarama dip and thick cuts of delicious pita and delicious chicken and seafood round out a traditional menu for the hungry who do not have the deepest of pockets!
Lose the gyrating geishas. Food was great and very reasonable for a large party (the platter for four does it just fine). Best Greek food I have had in town.
The noise is appalling and the belly-dancer was just embarrassing. Since when do the puritanical Greeks tolerate symbols of Near Eastern misogyny?
Try the dolamathas - avoid the dolls.
Soooo good!. Best greek food around, and the prices cannot be beat.
They have this fried cheese thing that I could eat every night if I wouldnt get so fat!!!
Do not go late on a weekend though...there is a nightclub in the basement, and it gets loud
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