Review Takis Taverna

Elaine Bright

Well, I was a little disappointed. I didn't get a sense of being in a Greek restaurant. There was no Greek music, no friendly greeting and the 2 staff that were waiting on us were east Indian. This is not a racist comment. I had heard this was a friendly family owned business. I didn't realize the restaurant was under new management. The place looked untended. Staff coats, etc were piled by the bar area near the kitchen, and that area just looked messy. The table cloth we were at had large grease (?) stains. There is a lot of history in this place. I just hope the new owners can do it justice. I will say the food was great, the Retsina wine was delicious, the portions were generous. Bill was $88 for 2 full meals and a 1/2 L of Retsina, no appetizers or dessert. For Vancouver Davies restaurant area, those prices are decent.

Viloka Luna

Excellent restaurant with delicious dishes, good big portions, Greek beer and wine and gorgeous interiors. The staff is very kind and polite. Loved the experience.

Catherine C

Really enjoyed the grilled calamari dinner. Large amount of calamari, and it was grilled to perfection. The other components of the dinner plate like the potatoes and rice were delicious as well! Their tzatziki sauce isn’t that great, food tasted better without it. The spanakopita was decent. Service could use some work. We were one of the only two tables at the restaurant but took ages for the waiter to come take our order or even check on us, and water was never refilled unless we asked for another jug.

Randi Kennedy

I recently moved to Vancouver last year so I’m still discovering the city and the hidden gems, but it’s safe to say Takis is definitely on the top of the list! I have gone into the restaurant to eat with my fiancé a couple times and experienced such great, welcoming, fast service. The food is amazing, fresh and great value for your dollar! My favorite dishes are the Salmon Slovakia and Grilled Calamari. ESPECIALLY the Grilled Calamari! My fiancé enjoys the Lamb Klefitiko. When we order delivery the food is just as good and timely!! Would definitely recommend for authentic Greek cuisine.

Pat Samson

Good both as a dine in and takeout experience. Every aspect of my dish was fresh and flavourful, including the rice which same places leave rather bland. Salad could use more sauce love, but was still fine. This spot is directly beside another Greek restaurant with a similar menu. This one is slightly more expensive, but I found the taste and quality also higher, so it all measures up.

Robert Moore

We were recommended this Greek restaurant so we were very excited to go there. Unfortunately they didn’t live up to our expectations. The service was mediocre at best, and the food wasn’t much better.

Dan Maisler

Excellent meal in a friendly casual atmosphere. Very generous portions!

jim scott

Our "must hit" restaurant each time we are in Vancouver. Its food is fabulously tasty. There are restaurants with fancier interiors, crisp wait-staff looks & procedures but from Taki's, one gets well fed on classic, healthy food. 😃👍

Jen

I went here a long time ago with a bunch of friends. One of our friends was like... Maybe an hour late. I was on time. I am not responsible for the tardiness of someone else. The server was salty at ALL of us and that's just unacceptable. I can't even remember how the food was because the experience was just terrible.

Daniel V

Went here with my family including my 10-month-old baby niece. The service lacked professional ethics and was dreadful. First the order of drinks was never requested and then the menus got taken away, and it was clear that the waitress was not happy about something due to her lack of attentiveness and unhappy face. We figured she was having a bad day and decided to have patience. Then when there was an issue with the check she tried to have us pay without fixing it, and when she was asked to fix it she started giving us attitude and even started yelling various things to my dad including "was that a threat? Do you know who I am!?" Insinuating that she was a part of some gang and illegal activities. I calmly reminded her that she was a waitress and that she was not being hospitable or professional, and then she started yelling even louder at me "oh I'm a waitress!? What do you mean by that!?". Clearly, the lady has some issues. Possibly mental health wise. What was supposed to be a pleasant dinner for my family turned out to be a distasteful experience. The forced gratuity for her was obviously not what she deserved. This being said, THIS PLACE IS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR FAMILIES.

Scott Wallace

This is an update of a third visit for consistency checking, and for a new meal of calamari. In the interest of hoping the feedback is helpful, and not unreasonable. Very disappointed. 1. The grilled calamari which was highly recommended was such a small portion I really couldn't believe. Plus too salty. Maybe the latter is personal preference, but my husband found it very salty. Haven't tried the fried calamari but he won't go back. 2. THe lamb. I thought it was oddly oily (a huge pool of oil again, dripped outside of the bag and I still had a quarter inch of it sitting in the take-out container. And I weighed it...the bone and the fat were 65% of the meat. The only edible meat, which was delicious, was approximately 1/3 of the what I paid for! This was a seriously horrible piece of lamb. Felt really bad and hope my initial review is not misleading complementary. I don't know if I can try it again but we are definitely back to Stephos one more time to compare and I should definitely give Takis another chance. One positive note, they were very generous in offering an ouzo while we waited for the takeout (which is always quite speedy...but they're not that busy so speed is not surprising).

Angela Massie

Takis catered for a birthday party for 26 people. We ordered standard catering menu plus 13 serves each of spanakopita and moussaka ( each serve halved) . All present enjoyed the food, it was super tasty and fresh. Many asked who did the catering - a great recommendation. We had an abundance of food - enough left for dinner tonight. I would recommend Takis for catering and look forward to dining at the restaurant some time in the future.

NIMA M

Great food and delivery service! We ordered the Character Greek Plater and it was amazing! Tasty, holistic and fresh in generous portions! 👍

Kit Yee Y.

We were in the neighbourhood and looked for Greek food for dinner. We came here, because the rating was quite high and we had high expectation. We got here around 6pm. The restaurant was not too busy. A server gave us a table right away. We ordered hummus and pita bread as well as calamari as the appetizers. The calamari was delicious, but it was quite greasy. The oil was sitting at the bottom of the dish. We had better calamari somewhere else that the calamari was crispy and dry that we could not see the oil. We ordered the lamb souvlaki (big and small). The lamb was very salty. We were very thirsty after dinner. We had better Greek food somewhere else. As a result, we would rate this restaurant 3-3.5 out of 5. Beside the food, the customer service was great and the interior design was quite authentic with Greek design. We may try Greek food somewhere else, but not here next time.

Gil F

If you are thinking Greek food, then Taki's has got to be your choice.We have been dining there for over 16 years. The food is authentic, the atmosphere is homey and relaxed and the service is personal and attentive. The prices are very reasonable. Tonight we are taking out of town guests for our pre Wedding dinner. It will be a very special evening at or favorite restaurant.

Tony Quayle

Found this taverna, after a recommendation from some local friends. It had a nice homely feel, from the moment we entered the restaurant. The staff were very friendly, and attentive, without being "in your face". Our food arrived promptly, and everyone commented on how delicious their meal was. The only negative for me, was that I struggled to read the menu, due to the low lighting. I'll definitely be adding it to my list of places to eat in Vancouver.

Flavour Hunter

If I had a choice between Takis' and Stepho's, I would choose Takis' every time. Takis' Taverna has friendly service, along with variety of tasty dishes. In addition, there are no line ups like Stepho's. The prices at Takis' are higher when compared to Stepho's; However, the atmosphere and the overall dinning experience is also higher. If you are craving generous portions of Greek food then Takis' Taverna will be a suitable choice for you.

YYC Diner

Absolutely delightful. We came into this restaurant in April after doing some research and the high rating doesn't lie. Our server was personable attentive and fun, the food sensational, there were six of us so many different dishes were ordered. My lamb tender and tasty, the seafood medley fresh and perfectly cooked, great care and attention to the sides and our calamari appetizer was again tender and tasty. There baclava is heavenly and a shot of ouzo added to the festive atmosphere. We loved the ambience of this special little restaurant, every table around us was enjoying themselves, we'll definately go back when in Vancouver again.

Idea Rabbit

With long lineups at Stepho’s (as usual), we went s few stores down to Taki’s Taverna. Yes, the prices are higher than Stepho’s but with no lineup and a less bustling atmosphere, we were happy to take the table by the window. A nicely decorated interior that’s cosy and comfortable. I was a bit disappointed that they didn’t have any Prawn Souvlakia, so I ordered the Small Chicken Souvlakia $11.95 with one chicken skewer, two potato wedges, few carrots, rice pilaf and a small Greek salad. Sheepie ordered the Pita Chicken Souvlakia $12.95, similar to my dish but with the chicken in a pita. His plate didn’t come with any tzatziki sauce, so we shared mine since it came with a lot. My server forgot to bring my pita bread, so Sheepie had to remind him. Pita Chicken Souvlakia $12.95 Small Chicken Souvlakia $11.95 Overall, the dining experience was very good. Good food, satisfactory service and nice atmosphere. I just wished they had prawns!! The quality is similar to Stepho’s, so I can see why everyone lines up there for a $4 difference – especially if you get more in quantity as well. Still, a lovely Greek restaurant.

Roderick Belisario

Love this place! Authentic and great Greek cuisine. Zero lineup. Like having to be able to be sat at a resto without a ridiculous line up and not feeling grumpy from starvation and waiting. Service is great and fun.

VY

Environment was romantic, good food with generous portions, server was cute and very nice, they turned on the heat to Max which was nice on a cold night! I'm drooling while thinking about their food... The Athenian chicken was cooked perfectly, the meat slides off the bone effortlessly. So delicious. I will be back for sure.

Johnatella

HORRIBLE GREEK. Gross food and an even worse kitchen. This place is filthy dirty, kitchen is gross it is disgusting and the food BLOWS. YUUUCKKKKK, EEEEWWWWW. Characters next door is 10 fold better and it is cheaper. This place BLOWS AND JUST SUCKS. Dirty restaurant = gross food.

Wrightmerry

Lamb chops like candy. Two of us went to dinner the other nite and there was a small line up, but moved very fast and had to comment on the staff how professional and smiling they are. We ordered clams and mussels but no clams as they are out of season. Very good mussels, lovely broth with pita for dipping. We ordered the lamb chops like candy to share and I have never had chops this great ever. Will order them again and again

RW

Greek treat. Fabulous staff, wonderful food, very reasonable price!! Don't pass them up if you're in the area....:))

HungryLikeTheWolf

I have lived in the westend for almost ten years now. I don't know how this place has slip me by, but i have now been coming here since April 2013 till now October and i love it. Funny its pretty well right beside Stephos and i really dont know why people still wait in line to go in that chesp tasteless place yuck!!! Anyway I have to say I get take out majority of the time and i have eatin in twice well worth every penny. I really recommend this place very tasty even take out!!!

AA

Lovely. Wonderful restaurant, great atmosphere, friendly service, delicious food. Favorite restaurant in the neighborhood. Love it here

Janet

Amazing. This is my absolute FAVOURITE Greek place right now. The grilled calamari is to die for and the lamb shank unbelievably delicious and it came in huge portions for a decent price! :) my little gem restaurant

No Dessert Im Full

Rude Waiter. The menu is decent, fairly typical. The prices were good, I ordered a small lamb souvlaki and the portions were pretty big, the lamb was tasty, the potatoe was not bad, but I wasn't too found of the rice. My poor sister ordered a salad which came with olives in it, she chomped down unassumingly on an olive and hurt her mouth, should the olives in a salad not be pitted?? The waiter was fairly snippy, and rude. Too bad the older man which was our waiter was the way he was... I can tell he was bitter about something in his life.

Jessie

Great place. Much better then stephos. The music is much quiter and atmosphere dosent feel cramped. The food is wonderful and well priced. I had this chicken lemon soup, which was phenomenal! This is be a regular haunt for us.

Courtney

Wonderful! Went there for dinner and the service was excellent and friendly. Food was delicious ( I had the calamari dinner), great portion size for the price. Was fast to get seated and our food was out in no time.

Tastyfoodie

Get out of the way Stepho's, you're a runner up to this joint!. Taki's has it down pat. They've mastered the multi foodgasms- originality and makes you feel like you're leaving your troubles at the door and it's time to enjoy food prep at its best! I love the staff here, they're super friendly and easy to get along with. Taki's is the local's joint- they really make an effort to appeal to their neighbor's. The portions are quite generous and I find it is a good place to share food among lovers and friends. The atmosphere is a homely, romantic type with pellows strewn accross benches, and chairs you sink into. The moody candlelight is highlighted by the giant bay window and openess of the restaurant. Honestly, I don't know why people bother with Stepho's. This place out ranks it with quality of food and service. Favorite meal items: clams and mussels prawns steak seafood dinner for two dolmathes This is a peronal fav!

2piggies

Wasn't interested in the lineup at the greek shop few stores down and Taki's proved to be a great alternative! Good food, good service! Would return.

Bob

Great. Excellent lamb and etc. Good prices

Cng

I went here with a friend once and i was extremely satisfied with the food , it was sooo good . so i brought 4 more friend to eat again . we were going to make it "our place" . we all ordered except for one of my friends because she didn't bring money . the food was great but the service was extrenely slow even though it wasn't very busy . when the bill came the waiter told is that 15% service charge was included because we had a party of 5 . we told the server that only 4 of us ate and we thought it was unfair . the server ended up yelling at us , needless to say, we won't be back to our favourite greek restaurant

CaffeineAddict

Who would have known Stepho's neighbour is not just a poser?. On Boxing Day, I had the intention of going to Stepho's for dinner when I walked down Davie St only to find Stepho's had their doors closed. On the way back, I saw Takis Taverna, Stepho's long time neighbour, whom I had always thought was a Greek restaurant trying to be a poser of Stepho's. Since my party and I had cravings for Greek food, we decided to give Takis a try. We were pleasantly surprised. We had humus and eggplant dips with pita bread to start, and Dolmades (rice and beef wrapped in leafs), they all tasted fresh. The pita bread tasted like they were freshly baked to order, unlike some restaurants' pita breads tasted like they were bought from Costco last week. Our party had the lamb shoulder and chicken souvlaki. The lamb was tender and perfectly seasoned. The best of all, you can't beat the price. Dinner for 3 with 2 appetizers, and a bottle wine came to just over $100! I would definitely return again...especially when there is a huge line up for Stepho's!

Domestic Dreamboat

Good, not great. Went here on a second choice ( stepho's was full). Wasn't too hungry so just shared a small greek salad and cold mesethes platter. Food was standard, nothing spectacular.

Ilovehk117

Great Food! Must Try This Place Instead Of The Over-Hyped Stephos. The lineup at Stephos was incredibly long and thus I chose to get my fix of greek food at this close by restaurant and wow it turned out to be a pleasant surprise! Their calamari is a must try and their moussaka, moussaka are also very tasty. Their service are pretty great and thus I have really no complaints for this place! I would recommend this place over Stephos as it will definitely save you bunch of time lining up and you are going to get equally excellent if not better quality food.

Frankie

Simple relaxed atmosphere. Courteous and simple service, not the freshest ingredients but everything was more than tasty.

Nepheli

Fake, fake, fake. We are Greeks and we live in Vancouver for 3 months right now. You can eat here Chinese food and Indian food and any other Asian food but it is difficult to eat a good European food. We decided to find a good Greek taverna. People who we know in Vancouver told us it must be Stepho's. We went there but there was a line up and we did not want to wait. So we went to Takis' taverna next door. It was nearly empty. When getting in we greeted the waiter in Greek. He did not answer, anyway it looked like he has no clue what we said and unfortunately it was the case. He was Mexican, spoke around Spanish and was very, very gay. Not that we have anything against gay people. In about half an hour later people started to pop-up….mostly gay and lesbians. Than we realised that we are in the middle of the gay town and that can be expected. The food was less then average, really. Maybe the people in Vancouver think that this is an original Greek kitchen but it is not. It is FAKE. We did not use vinegar in Greek salad (in Greek we call it Horiatiki salata) but lemon and oil. I cannot remember a dish that we use a vinegar in Greek cuisine…Anyway the rice was quite old, overcooked and seasoned but not with the right spices and the cook does not now how to bake potatoes. Generally, food was extremely disappointing . The only Greek in this taverna was music (old songs of Haris Aexiou and Yanni Pario) but nobody even care since nobody spoke a word of Greek.

Nlgould

A Greek Cypriot experience that is unbeatable in Vancouver for food quality, customer service and dining value. There are Greek restaurants throughout the city, but what makes Takis' Taverna stand out is its ability to deliver high quality Cypriot cuisine consistently without fail. The food preparation is done the same way it was years ago in Cyprus. Still as passionate today as he was when he opened his doors, in 1992, the owner, Takis Ioannou, maintains that all the food is fresh and bought daily as his father did in the markets in Nicosia. He drives to the Steveston greenhouses several times a week to buy fresh tomatoes and cucumber. "Many of the recipes are from my father," explains Takis. "I taste the food everyday and couldn't do it without my good friend, George (Kotselenis)," executive chef. The continually fabulous customer service is no mistake. The tight-knit team has been together since their time at the much heralded Orestes Restaurant, which closed its doors in the mid '90s. They've all been friends for years, and in fact, "Aristedes (former owner of Orestes) visited just the other night," recalls Takis of his internationally renowned friend. Without doubt, among the generous dishes, my favorites are the Taramosalata (fish roe pate), the Grilled Calamari, the Saganaki (incredible baked cheese), the Sikotakia (chicken livers) appetizers, the Wild Salmon Souvlaki, the Garlic Prawns, the Brizoles (lamb chops from the rack), and of course to finish it off, the famous Krema Karamela (crème caramel).

Leemor

Grilled Calamari Win. Originally intended to go to Stepho's, but it had a huge line. We therefore walked down to Takis and decided to give it a try. The grilled calamari with tzatsiki is great. I ordered a side of lamb to make it a full meal, and was very satisfied after.

Alexis Hase

Alexis. Try the Saganaki...it is a special cheese from Greece called Kefelo-graviera. It is dipped in egg and pan fried and baked in the oven..Top with lemon. It is Amazing ..Share it with a friend. Eat with hot pita and a Greek salad!!! delicious. -----21 Mar, 2011----- Michelle. Great food, cute waiters friendly and warm atmosphere. One of the best Greek Restaurants in Vancouver!!!!!!!if not the best.

David.bilinsky

Wonderful!. Friday night dinner. Cold outside - warm and welcoming inside. Service was great. Food was wonderful. Quiet yet had a great 'buzz'. We will be back for the roast lamb and the kalamari. :-)

Geoff Trimpol

Service and home-style food are exceptional. Rarely lined up like Stepho's. True taverna ambiance. Never disappoints!

Patrick Tham

Taki's - A Local Favourite. Taki's is popular among locals who choose it over Stepho's not only because the line is shorter. The service has always been friendly and the food consistently good. Our 2 favourites are the calamari appetizer and the kleftiko roast lamb entree. The portions are so generous that the 2 dishes will easily feed 2 for dinner. Pair them with the house red for a great value-priced Greek taverna meal!

Marc

Better than Stepho's. While everyone waits to get into Stepho's we always head down a few doors and eat at Takis. The value is amazing, the food always tastes great and the portions are very generous.

Tara Lei Royer

Best greek night!. The ambience is old world and charming, the servers friendly and family based. I was remembered after being away from Vancouver for a year and they even remembered my order! I always get steamed clams and mussels with pita bread and tarama dip with a half litre of the smooth and delicious Boutari house red. The other fare is very succulent as well, with a roast lamb so tender that it falls off the bone and gives a wonderful scent of garlic. The pita bread is thick and homemade and the tzatziki is the best I have ever tasted. If you want a wonderful evening, this is the place to go. I always head straight there on any trip to the coast....

Morgan

Delicious food and a nice inside. Staff is wonderfully nice and better than stephos in every way, including noise . But yes takis taverna is amazing

DG

Vastly superior to stephos in almost every way. Better food, better service, not as noisy. One of my downtown Greek favorites.

Gerber

Pahty in ze mouth. They have the best roasted potatoes that come pretty much in every entree. The flavours seriously burst in your mouth.

Gotta Eat

If you like greek.... I had the beef soulvaki here and I thought it was pretty good. The beef was tender and juicy. My only complaint about this place is their roasted potatoes, I found it not flavorful enough. The line up for this place is much shorter than Stephos, but it is more pricey. Worthy place to try.

Diana

Tender roasted lamb shoulder in herbs with rice pilaf, roast potatoes, greek salad and some vegetables. A very delicious meal in one plate. The lamb was soft and flavourful. The rice with coconut milk on it was perfectly cooked. Portion was good enough for sharing. I just love it and was satisfied with their food. I’ll be recommending this restaurant.

J At Vanbrosia.com

... very tender lamb shoulder, meat really peels off the bone; mostly juicy (about 85%), but there were a few dry spots, also needs a touch more seasoning...

Peter

If you're looking for some Greek food on Davie and don't want to line up at Stepho's , there's this place. It has a more "homely" feel to it, rather than a business. The place is dimly lit, but my camera picked up a pretty bright image. Apologies for the

KimHo

Earlier this year, I wrote about Stepho’s Greek Taverna and, to those who are not familiar with this place, is one of the best known Greek restaurants in Vancouver, to the point people queue outside for plate of Greek food. Given such popularity, one migh

Eatvancouver

There’s something about Greek food that apparently makes it very easy for the restaurant to fall into a deep rut. It may be the nature of the food, or perhaps even the expectations of the customers, but the result is that these Greek restaurants eventuall

Review Takis Taverna - Vancouver