From the second we walked through the door, we knew our experience would be pleasant- at least atmosphere-wise. The first thing we noticed was the music. The music was wordless and slightly jazzy but made the place feel welcoming. A server greeted us and led us to our table. Immediately after we sat down, our waitress brought ice water with lemon and a basket of fresh pita bread. The menu was well designed and had plenty of options, making sure to consider most diets. The menu consisted of many traditional Greek dishes, most of which were served regularly in Hanne’s Yiayia’s house.

We ordered a few dishes: the spanakopita, tzatziki, lamb souvlaki, moussaka, gyro, and salmon. These were mostly dishes we had tried previously at Hanne’s Yiayia’s house. Surprisingly, most of the dishes were truly Greek and tasted similar to home-cooked ones. 

There were very few differences between dine-in and take-out. Firstly, the type of meat my grandmother uses is much more coarsely ground, giving it a more earthy flavor. The tzatziki, on the other hand, tasted like a replica of the homecooked version. The other dishes were relatively simple, having no issues with the taste or Americanization, which brings us to the next topic- Americanization.

The whole restaurant felt very Greek, but there were slight hints of Americanization that appealed to customers. For instance, most of the decor was highly stereotypical: clay pots and brass canisters on every shelf.

The customer service was excellent throughout our experience. The waiters constantly checked up on us, and if we needed anything, we got it almost immediately. The value of the service was clear from the beginning, when we received complementary pita bread, until the end when they provided us with five complementary cookies.

Overall, the Greek Taverna was a restaurant that was surprisingly Greek in its food and ambiance. Most of the food was delicious and high quality. When comparing Greek Taverna to my grandmother’s cooking, there were a few discrepancies.