Periyali Greek Taverna
9860 Milwaukee Ave, Des Plaines, IL, 60016
Periyali Greek Taverna Menu
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Appetizers Hot
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Soups & Salads
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Side Orders
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Chicken
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Seafood
Healthy Meal suggestions for Periyali Greek Taverna
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Appetizers Hot
-
Soups & Salads
-
Side Orders
-
Chicken
-
Seafood
Visit below restaurant in Des Plaines for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
9860 Milwaukee Ave
Des Plaines, IL, 60016 - Phone (847) 296-2232
- Website https://www.periyalirestaurant.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
Sorry, Store hours have not been updated. If you are the owner of this restaurants. Please update the store hours.
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
Categories
Greek Cuisine
Greek food is a fine melody of the finest pressed olive oil, fresh fermented bread, colorful vegetables, juicy meat, sea food all cooked in spices and fresh rosemary. The people from Greek were great scholars who aimed to excel in everything they do. The results are quite visible in their food as they are the inventors of olive oil which is beneficial to health. Greeks also made different type of wines from the best quality of grapes fermented in controlled environment.
Today, you can find hundreds of restaurants offering authentic Greek food or popularly termed as Mediterranean cuisine in New York city alone. People wait in line to taste the exotic Greek dishes like saganaki, taramasalata, souvlaki, loukoumades, spanakopita, moussaka, and many more. One thing which most people like about these authentic Greek dishes is abundant use of lemon juice, olive oil, fresh rosemary and sea salt. A smart mix of few ingredients can virtually take you on the pebble streets of beautiful city of Greece.
For those who don't have time to enjoy fine dining should try tasting the famous souvlaki with pita which is type of meat dish, also a trademark Greek fast food. For those who are vegetarian, or vegan can try different versions of Greek Salad. So, if you wish to enjoy a hearty yet healthy meal that tastes divine then try dining at the best Greek restaurant in your city. Greek cuisine not only tastes good but also help maintain your body in a natural way through healthy diet.
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Sandy Z.
My friends and I enjoyed a delightful dinner tonight at Periyali! We were greeted warmly by the host and seated immediately in a comfortable booth. Our waiter welcomed us and took our drink and appetizer order. The Saganaki was very tasty. The four of us hadn't seen each other for a long time and so our waiter didn't rush us when taking our dinner order. When our dinners arrived, the food was hot and delicious! I had whitefish served with green beans and rice. My friends had lamb, salmon and a combination platter. All of our food was freshly made and tasted very good. We will definitely return to this restaurant and plan to sit outside next time on the patio which is decorated and looks like you are in Greece. This is a very authentic restaurant and the staff are very friendly.
(5)Jean B.
The garden at Periyali Greek Taverna is at its peak for summer al fresco dining; the food's not bad either! Get there before the snow flies & we are once again confined to inside dining.
(4)Chris H.
About a year ago I went to this place for my first time which was weird cause I've always passed by it but never really made an effort to go there. Well I did and it was just pleasent. Their selection was not reduced to just your typical greek dishes. They have a much larger menu than most of the greek restuarants around the area. The scenery was better than most of the others as well. Also, I heard a amazing greek song and I needed to know what it was so I went and asked the manager if they could find me the name of that song. So he personally brought me into the back room and showed me the disc player that was playing it AND HE GAVE ME THE CD!!!!.... I will never forget that as long as I live... The only reason I'm not giving 5 stars is because my waitress was not greek. She could speak it but I believe that when you are in a greek restuarant, you need to have greek staff. Other than that, this place was amazing!!!
(4)Mary L.
I am being generous in giving this restaurant two stars. My two good girlfriends picked this place & I reluctantly agreed. I had been here once before and didn't care for it at all, but thought I'd give it another shot. Will not go here again. We ate outside on the patio & it was a nice evening & the outside atmosphere is pretty nice. The inside of the restaurant leaves much to be desired though. The greek salad was not good & the gyros plate I ordered was dry & crusty. The only thing that was decent was the bread and butter. The service got worse as the evening went on & it became more crowded. We had to ask twice for the bill & it wasn't even that inexpensive. I will not be dining here again at all.
(2)Judith A C.
This was our first time at PeriYali and it will be our last. The only things we enjoyed this evening were the bread, the Merlot, the Retsina (sort of, it was a bit lacking in the resin flavor that I'm so used to and the reason I order Retsina), and the sweet Greek coffee. My partner ordered the lamb special with veggies and potato. Lamb was dry and overcooked, peas with tomato were mushy, and the potato (three pieces, each less than 1/8th of an average-sized baking potato) was too lemony. I ordered the combination plate. Could hardly tell the difference between the mousaka and the pastitsio - in fact, I'm not even sure there was mousaka on the plate. If there was, both it and the pastitsio had the same sauce, both were over-cooked and mushy; dolmades filling was tasteless and dry; gyros hard and salty, potato (one piece that seemed to be less than 1/8th of an average-sized baking potato) was too lemony, and peas with tomato were mushy. Rice was unexpected and not welcome as it was underdone; it had a touch of the same sauce that was on the pastitsio - the sauce, by the way, tasted like canned tomato soup. The galacotoboureko custard was overdone, hard, and a bit curdled, and the filo was rubbery. The server was overly ingratiating to the point of being saccharine. Sometimes we will give a restaurant a second chance, but only when at least half of the food we were served was good. PeriYali did not meet that criterion by any stretch of the imagination.
(1)Jun B.
My husband is half Greek and loves Greek food. The food there was just ok and not somewhere we will go back for. The saganaki was very disappointing since it does not have the sharpness of the real Saganaki cheese. The main dishes we had are average but won't go back for. :(
(2)LISA G.
I have been going to Periyal for many years although I would not be considered a "regular" customer. I remembered the food as delicious and the service as friendly and efficient. I especially remembered the patio as one of the nicest outdoor areas around. However......this past Thursday evening I went with 2 girlfriends to celebrate our birthdays. The restaurant has not made any attempt to update its decor and when you enter the door you are greeted by some random table and chairs shoved together surrounded by a bunch of dead and mostly dead plants. This is a very nice waiting area that is now a storage area (including a rolled up runner rug) We ordered the cold appetizer plate which was great, and then shared a Greek salad which was fair....too much dressing and the lettuce did not seem fresh. Then came the entrees. My friend asked the waiter for a fish reccomendation and his was the special, the sea bass which would be fileted at the table. Her first bite of the fish had 5, yes 5....I counted, bones in it. She called the waiter over and told him to which he replied that she should eat the other side of the fish and there would be less bones. So already half of the fish is inedible? She took a couple of more bites and said the fish is also tasteless so she did not eat the majority of her meal. When the waiter came to clear our plates he noticed she had not eaten and again she told him she was afraid there would be more bones and it was not worth taking a chance since the fish was tasteless as well. We were very surprised that he didn't offer to get her a different entree in the first place but he was sort of weird anyhow. He now went to get the manager or owner or whoever this jerk was. The fish was still on the table and she repeated to him her dissatisfaction with her meal and her actually ARGUED WITH HER!! He said he has served this fish many times and that you should EXPECT there to be bones in it. Foolishly we thought he would apologize and take the entree off the bill. No way..... although he was kind enough to credit half the price of her meal (sarcasm) In this economy this is how you treat customers? Forget the birthday dessert and coffee, we just got the hell out of there and will NEVER return, beautiful patio or not. I wonder, if we had been 3 men would we have gotten the same treatment? In any case, the owner/manager ought to take a refresher course at hospitality school. By the way, just as daniel m. mentioned, this place was mostly empty and Pita Inn across the way bustling with customers.
(1)Pam V.
Periyali is located in Glenview, according to the lady anwering the phone, and in Des Plaines, according to their business card...either way... it is worth the trip. The food was outstanding! It was better than Greek Town. The saganaki was the best we had ever had and the dolmades were just like yiayias (grandmas). We are definitely adding this restaurant to our list of favorites.
(5)MaryLou G.
You can count on an excellent meal here. If you already love Greek food, you will not be disappointed. If you're new to Greek food, this is the place for that first taste. It's bright and cheerful inside, but the outside patio dining area is utterly charming - on a sunny summer day, you may even feel like you've been transported to the Greek Isles.
(5)Patrick S.
This place was good in terms Greek restaurants. Nice ambience. I got the gyros plate and was a good meal. Service was fine. I would probably go back and likely try something else of the menu. The outside seating area looked nice and I would likely try to sit out there next time.
(4)Kelly W.
Awesome food and service! Highly recommend this restaurant! Have been there many times and have NEVER been disappointed.
(5)Buzzy R.
My first visit here. The main dining room is cozy and nicely decorated. A few large groups were spread across the room. They were parties of 12, 6, and 8. They seemed to be getting good service. There were four tables of two. Our waitress immediately tried to talk my friend out of ordering the Athenian chicken. It takes 30 minutes, why not order something else. She didn't. It took the full time but wasn't hot. My giros was not even warm. I asked is this well done, as I had requested? She said yes, but it wasn't. Then plate was actually cold. I'm embarrassed to say the service was poor. I didn't complain. I just don't think I'll be bringing my dining group, here. I don't want to expose my friends to anything but the best. I also would not recommend this server, Vicky I. She never came back after putting the food down until we were ready to leave. More coffee, forget about it.
(3)Solitaire L.
So disappointed!! Every year on my birthday, I look forward to going to Periyali for dinner with my family--everyone in my family enjoys Greek food. This year, I don't know what happened! Actually, the food was still good but the service was horrible. It was summer (I know--took me a while to write the review), it was hot and humid. When we walked in, the lobby area was nice and cool. We chose to be seated inside because we thought it would be too hot on the patio. Mistake. The air conditioning in the dining room was practically non-existent. Also, I couldn't quite put my finger on it but then I realized. They no longer had any bus boys. So we sat down with a dirty table next to us and after our first round of drinks and then the appetizers, I had to ask our wait person to clear the other table. Who enjoys eating while looking at someone else's dirty, leftovers sitting on the table Yuck. Service, while nice, was terribly slow and inattentive. The dining room was pretty empty the whole time (now I realize why--others must have caught on to their declining service) and there was no upsell--no request for another drink when my first was empty, no filling water glasses unless we asked. It was just all around terrible service. If it had been super busy, maybe I could understand the slowness, but as I mentioned, the dining room was only about 40 percent filled. I'm really disappointed that our fun family tradition for my birthday needs to take a new route.
(1)Dawn F.
We've been going to Periyali for years but noticed the food quality had been slowly going downhill the past few years. I just found out that they are now closed for business, their recording says the business was sold. A sign of the times, I'm afraid.....
(3)J. K.
2.5 stars. Service was wonderful but food was extremely mediocre. They serve seafood but no tartare sauce. Wine is terrible. They'd be much better served buying wine from Trader Joes for $2.99.
(2)R L.
I was overcharged $2 for my entrée. it was in the menu for 19.95. when I got the bill I was charged 21.95. the waiter checked with any person there whom I assume was the owner or manager and came back and told me that the menu had the old price and I would have to pay the higher price.i was shocked. it seems to me when and if they really raised the price it would of been real easy to correct this on the menu with a pen or dry mark. I have had it with this kind of restaurant. I have had a taste of lamb about 5 times in the last 5 years and at each place I go to for the lamb I have the same kind of overpriced problem. I expected it today and sure enough it happened. I will contact the local city government office that might handle this kind of issue in des plaines. if other complaints were filed with this restaurant maybe they will do something about this.
(1)Teresa D.
I had dinner and drinks with friends. The food was good except be careful what lamb you order there is a lot of fat! The drinks were overpriced and didn't have much alcohol in them.
(4)Linda K.
Great food, great atmosphere, and great people. It was a great find!Will definitely be back, on one of my favorite list of restaurants.
(5)Mike B.
Well, here we are again, taking a stab at giving an establishment a second chance on life, and sorry to say that between the last time I was here about 15 years ago, the food is just mediocre and gives Greek food a bad name given you can go to another place which has never failed me... right down the road. The décor is nice, the pricing good, and the selection diverse, parking is in ample supply, and the garden area nice, management seems to care, cleanliness not a question at all, a great bussing staff and so on.... but those objective observations aside... well lets read on. A good test is egg lemon soup, bread brought, service, and main entrée taste. I stopped in last week and ordered some items. The egg lemon soup, not the best I've had at all, it didn't have that sharpness of the lemon and the consistency that makes an egg lemon soup an egg lemon soup - be it you going downtown to a Parthenon or even excessively tourist campy Greek Islands, those guys know egg lemon soup. The main I ordered had a fried breading that I would think should be both reduced in thickness and in taste as it was again, off the mark. The quality of the seafood was fine. The salad I had was not bad, but that's salad :) and there was no hint of issues with quality of produce. Water service was great, wait staff service was interesting as I heard some hot headed young Greek waiter calling an older waiter a 'stupid Bi#$%', and talking down to him in earshot of my table and where other guests could hear that, and a near neurotic bleach blonde Greek waitress that was so frazzled that even her co-workers did a little mockery of her situation... oh and yeah she walked past my table from the kitchen with my soup somewhere and then 5 min later brought it to me. If I had a friend who never had good greek food or never had any alone, I would not come here for sure.
(2)Mimi S.
I was at Periyali for a birthday dinner. Love love love their food .I would like to say that this is probably best greek food I have ever had. Good service, nice cozy athmpsphere.
(5)Katherine M.
I hosted a big group party here and was very happy! The owner helped me out together the menu and we were able to offer the guests many delicious family-style options for a great price. Everyone was impressed and enjoyed each entree. The food kept coming! The wait staff was very friendly and they were very accommodating for the kids in our group as well. What a fun and festive place! Minus one star for the confusion in seating arrangements and number of chairs, but everything was quickly fixed to my satisfaction! Yum!
(4)Jimmy J.
This place was once......great. Was it Pylos in Greenwich Village? No, but the food here was as good as any in Greektown. Not no more. Nothing was fresh. Salad was overdressed. Soup has funny taste. Oveb Baked Greek style potatoes were not fresh and id bet were from previous evening. Souvlaki tasted old. Not fresh. Not grilled on Charcoal like before but a stainless steal flat grill. My boy ordered Gryros. Calling it garbage would be a compliment. Either Dino does not own this anymore or he has lost his passion completely. What a shame.
(1)Heather W.
Horrible service and awful food! Our waiter was incredibly rude. While at the restaurant I witnessed a table of four be seated and they ended up leaving because no one came back to the table. They were the lucky ones because they were not subjected to the terrible food. Will never go back!
(1)N S.
Went on a Sunday, they are under some type of construction. I have eaten @ this place in the past, it was good. Two of us are Greek, and everything we tried was off, the bean soup, not Greek, the augolemono, very bitter, not made with fresh lemon. The octopus, hard and not soft. the eggplant, store made or pre purchased. They need to get a Greek chef from Greece, plenty of them with the financial crisis ,that one should be flown here.. Should of gone to Mykonos..
(1)Frank D.
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(1)B G.
Unfortunately another longtime favorite will not be classified as such any longer. I recommended this place as a unique spot for a small group of out of towners so they could experience the (in the past) wonderful service, food and ambiance. Upon arrival last Friday evening, I specifically asked the greeter if my party had arrived and she said no. I said I was expecting them momentarily and would wait outside to enjoy the beautiful flowers planted near their entrance. About five minutes later, I returned and asked if the party had checked in should I somehow not have seen them (unlikely). Again, the answer was no. Instead of writing a detailed description of this fiasco, suffice it to say that I waited 45 minutes for a party that had already been seated in the far corner of the restaurant well beyond my line of sight. It was downhill from there. We politely expressed our frustration about this situation and the manager said "oh, well - these things happen". No offer of a free appetizer or some other small gesture as an apology. I then assured everyone that the excellent food would more than make up for our delayed start and the apathetic attitude by the staff. Alas, this was definitely not the case. Everything was overcooked and/or bland. The combination plate seemed to have been reheated in the microwave to the point where the pastitsio was a rubbery consistency and the usually succulent kabobs were leathery. How embarrassing for me! I again approached the manager to express my concern and he said there was nothing wrong with their food. I could continue but I am certain any reader of this review has enough detail to make their own informed choice as to whether or not to patronize this establishment. So very sad that this previously wonderful restaurant has slipped to below mediocrity. Used to love sitting in their outside area with the grape arbor and gorgeous hibiscus, enjoying fine Greek food and drink.
(1)Joselito G.
First time eating here at this place and all is good , food great and price is alright ...
(5)G K.
Phenominal greek food and affordable, great patio.
(5)Foodie A.
FYI Peryiali was sold April 2015. It will open sometime with a different Greek restaurant name. We all will miss the best waiter anywhere Costas. Superb!!! Excellent gourmet Greek food!!! Service "A Plus"! Atmosphere: Beautiful outdoor seating with lights for night seating and Greek music. The seating is out of traffic view because the patio is furnished with beautiful flowers, potted veges and herbs! I recommend everything on the menu. There is ample parking in their own parking lot. Excellent! Great for large parties and they also cater parties! What more can you ask for? O'PAH!
(5)Jake M.
Although Greek food is one of my favorite food styles, I rarely eat it, since there are very few Greek restaurants in the area. In the rare cases when I do go out for Greek food, this is where I go. After being greeted by basil plants at the entrance, the first thing you'll notice upon walking through the door is traditional Greek music and the decor - little Greek stringed instruments, among other trinkets. As far as the food goes, they serve all of the traditional Greek dishes - moussaka, pasticcio, gyros, dolmades, Athenian chicken - as well as several seafood, pasta, and meat dishes. The traditional Greek foods are descent examples, but definitely not the best.
(3)Rita B.
My husband and I used to love this place. The food and service used to be wonderful. We came this evening to celebrate his birthday. What a waste of time. Let me start by saying the service was still great. No complaints there. Our problem was with the food. For appetizers (my husband loves apps) we ordered fried calamari, Greek salad, and saginaki. Calamari came with cocktail sauce instead of the marinara. Had no flavor to it. Salad came with three small pieces of feta and two olives. Since when do Greeks skimp on the food?? Saginaki was old and super lemony...possibly to cover up the staleness. The rest of the food is not mentioning because in the end it was all bad. I did not attempt a third bite of my meal. I already started getting a tummy ache as we left. Sadly, we will not be returning here ever. I guess we can continue to go to Greektown for our favorite meals. This place is overpriced for the bad food it serves. Go elsewhere.
(1)A. T. T.
We got cold saganaki, how does that even happen!?! The lemon egg soup was pretty good, and the entrees were all just okay, service was pretty haphazard, it was extremely crowded but still our server was trying to manage way too many tables and we often got lost in the shuffle. However, the management was appropriately apologetic and did take some money off our bill so I do appreciate the accommodation. We may try this place again on a night when there are a few less people to see if perhaps they can give us a better outcome, but on the whole, this place was just ok.
(2)Jeannine K.
Delicious Greek food in the suburbs! The staff and cooks are very friendly. They don't have a gluten free menu, but can talk to you about what they can make.
(4)Shari G.
Delicious! My husbamd and i enjoyed a great meal while in town visiting. The appetizer trio was fabulous. The flaming cheese was not as melted as i would have liked. Lemon chicken and chicken with feta & spinach were great. Service was good but they could have picked up used plates sooner. We would come back!
(5)Dieter B.
Big disappointment! The food was very mediocre, the lemon chicken kabob inedible. He prices are high, the value is very low. I wouldn't come back. I am no chef but I can cook better at home :) enough said.
(1)Chris P.
My husband and I happened upon this restaurant after buying a new dishwasher at nearby Abt in Glenview. Always a sucker for Greek food and with few options in the far western suburbs, we decided to take a chance. And oh boy, am I glad we did. Being part Greek myself, I am fussy about my Greek restaurant food. The bread basket we received set the tone for the entire meal. It was about the best Greek bread I have ever tasted. My husband's salad was dressed properly with red wine vinegar (none of that awful balsamic stuff) and olive oil. Our meals were delicious, including the horta and fried smelts I ordered. Our friendly, efficient and thoughtful waiter, Kostas, was delightful. Lately I've been wary of Greek restaurants since many of the waiters are Mexican and not Greek. An order of saganaki with a Spanish-accented "Opa" just does not cut it (that's what we heard at a popular place in Greektown several times). Ugh. With additional appliance purchases in the near future, we plan to dine at Periyali's again and look forward to the reward afterwards!
(5)Reyna M.
Great patio dinning with friendly, helpful waitstaff. The food was authentic and delicious. I'm not Greek but was treated like family. I'll definitely return again
(5)Kelly E.
Okay, but there are better Greek restaurants in Chicagoland. The place was dead on a week night. The parking lot seems empty every time I drive past it, on any given day or time. I don't know...nothing special here. I had high hopes, but it was just mediocre. Food was decent, but not great. Had a great conversation with our waiter....was a friendly Bulgarian guy. I've got nothing else.
(3)Anna S.
Left me with mixed feelings. Sitting on the patio, the two of our party, we enjoyed really nice ambiance. Yes, we ordered their special: the fresh sea bass. Also, as a starter, the stuffed calamari. My friend was the DD, so I was the only one having the wine. It was really small serving for the price-100oz, I would guess. It was excellent I must admit. Stuffed calamari was very good, feta melted just right. The seabass seemed indeed fresh and done right. Only after filleting it, our server drenched it in a mix of oil, butter and lemon juice. I'm not sure if this is the way Greeks eat it. With the health craze and everyone dieting-I would suggest perhaps leaving the greasy sauce as an option. The fish goes with potatoes. These were in another kind of (less greasy) sauce. I could doubt the freshness, but with the sauce it's hard to say. Potatoes were sitting on a plate filled with rice, that both of us left untouched. The price for this meal was quite high considering there was no greens served with any of the dishes. And with those pots filled with fresh herbs, this is just what one would expect. The service we had was as good as it gets. Very attentive male server, making suggestions, polite, checking on us just often enough. We were actually joking they probably suffer with the crisis, so they try to be so nice we come back again (I drive by the place often, living a mile away and NO, their parking is quite crowded!). Will I back? Probably, not enthusiastically and I will have to consider my budget before.
(3)Betsy L.
Wow! Just when I thought it couldn't get any better....I had the special of the day Skate wing. It smelled so good I began eating before I took a picture. YUMMM...girlled zuchinni, skordhalia, beets and delicous skatewing....I vote to make it a menu regular or at least a weekly special
(5)John K.
Overall - good to very good food and a wonderful outside patio. They've been in business 18 years, which to me is always a good sign! I don't get complains (I've read bellow) about the place being empty on a workday. And NO, I don't expect to see the line of people outside waiting to get in this restaurant after almost two decades of being here. IMHO I don't necessarily think that just because you have to wait 30 minutes to get into restaurant that it's a great one. The patio atmosphere truly reminded me of eating in Greece, which is very much a foodie heaven. Out waiter was actually a Greek-American and could pronounce all the dish names correctly which to me is a nice touch. Yes, the place picks up late in the evening, just like when we were in Greece where you go out for dinner around 10-11pm.
(4)George Z.
The waitor was terrible! He took forever and when he gave us the bill, he stood behind me and told me to put down $15 as the tip, when he clearly didn't deserve that much. How rude?! The.full story is I came here with my family of 5 & we were seated outside. The scenery was decent, and our waitor pretty much ignorned us. It took this old man at least 20 minutes just to take OUR ORDER. I saw another family come in after us, and get their order taken much sooner than we did. The food was decent but the service was terrible, even the greeter had an attitude. Never coming back. The Greek Islands is so much better.
(1)Judy H.
Delicious! Staff very friendly and quick. It was also a pleasure to see that they have a thriving lunch business so we didn't feel like the only folks in the place! Their basics like the bread, soup, salad come out right away. They have a number of slightly different menu items which were exciting to try, especially if you like shrimp or octopus variations and are tired of the same old same old. Free parking lot on site.
(4)MoMo K.
RIP my stomach. The food was so bad I cried. We came here to meet one of our former teachers around 2:00 on a weekday and the place was dead... just like our stomachs afterwards.
(1)Kateri T.
My family and I have been coming here since I was 8 years old and there's never been a time when I didn't like it (only when my parents made me eat my veggies when I was younger!). I've been to Greek Isles, Greek Town, Mykonos and other nearby Greek restaurants but by far Periyali is the best. Not only is the service incredible, the food is beyond delicious and always fresh. They always have something new, whether it be a new desert or a fresh new fish. They're eager for feedback on your meal and take your comments seriously to improve whatever it is. Dino and his staff are extremely welcoming, and of course, good at their jobs. They have both indoor and outdoor seating (the outdoor is beautiful, with a terrace and lights and dino's home grown basil pots). I've never been disappointed and never plan to be!
(5)Ali B.
I love to sit outside on the patio during the warm weather months. The ambiance is beautiful with the flowers and white stone walls. I love the combination plate so I can get my two favorite dishes: moussaka and gyros. It's never too crowded and it's a great place for the family. This place deserves better ratings!
(4)Bear B.
I have been going to Peryali's for the last 10 years. We are treated like family every time we go there. Their service and selection are top notch. The Athenian Skirt steak and roasted potatoes are amazing as are the Greek staples. Enjoy a nice bottle of wine outside and all is perfect. Great job Dino and all staff. -Your friends from Peoria.
(5)Anastasia A.
This is a family favorite for us. We are Greek and don't go out for GReek food too often, cause we can get it at home anytime. However, Periyali has a nice atmosphere and we always feel like we are in a friend's house instead of a stuffy anonymous restaurant. the wait staff is always very accomodating to ANY special requests we may have. Dino, the owner is nice and goes out of his way to please his diners. He is always coming over to our table to check on us and our food. I think they have had a new, younger, mor hip chef in the kitchen the past few time we have been there this past November, December, and January. Some amazingly DELICIOUS new offerings. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the grilled stuffed calamari. AMAZING MUSSELS as well. Ask for then with a side of toasted bread!! Also makes a great skatewing with capers and lemon sauce. Last week had a great, fluffy flounder with a totamo relish topping. Grilled lamb chops are always a good staple on the grill, but last week had an AMAZING pork tenderloin with a light mushroom sauce and a great grilled skirt steak!! Sometimes they pair strange sides with their entrees, in my opinion, but you can always ask for something that you may like more. For example if greek style broiled/grilled fish is your thing, you may like their home made cottage fries or their boiled greens ("horta") instead of the green beans in tomato sauce. Oh, yeah, I forgot all about the yummy GRILLED ZUCCHINI with skordalia....I will never eat fried zucchini again. Desserts are average, and your typical greek things like baklava...not too exciting, but the BOUGATSA is always good, and warm. They also finish the meal with platters of fresh seasonal fruit which is so pleasant. Great Greek wine selection. Really fun on nights when they have live music! I find PERIYALI a great alternative to greek town and I find that they are more creative with their menu than any other local Greek restaurant. We love Periyali and find it to be the best homestyle greek food around!
(4)Hilde C.
This is such a great place! Great food, staff and price. The selection is large and they put their heart in every plate.
(5)Glenn R.
My co-workers and I came here a few years ago over. The first time we came here, we were a bit concerned because every time we pass this place the parking lot would always be empty (except for a car or two) but they were open for lunch; so we decided to try it out. The outside has a beautiful outdoor seating, and the restaurant is pretty large inside, but as we expected, my co-workers and I were the only ones inside. We were greeted by a less then friendly host who sat us at our table. We were disappointed that they didn't really have a discounted lunch menu, so we ordered off the dinner menu. When our food arrived, we were disappointed that we didn't really get anything on the side, not even a salad or Pita bread...nada. On top of that, the food was alright, nothing out of the ordinary, plus we paid dinner prices. Fast Forward a few years later, again we were driving by this restaurant again, same empty parking lot, but this time there was a large sign with a $6.95 Lunch Special so my co-workers and I decided to give this place another try. We were greeted with the same cold host. I think he must be the owner, and there was only one other table occupied in the whole restaurant. When we got our Lunch menu, we were surprised to see most of the lunch prices were way over the $6.95 price that was advertised outside. There were only four sandwich type lunches that were $6.95 and the highest lunch price was $15.00. When we got our food, it was the same boring greek food that we got years ago. The taste was pretty Blah and again no side items. We ended up paying about $14.00 for lunch that we didn't enjoy. During this time, my co-workers and I were commenting on how we should have eaten a few blocks down the street and Mykanos Greek restaurant. We would pay the same amount, but at least the food was good. I couldn't help but feel we were ripped off as they advertised a $6.95 lunch special. I don't think we would be coming to this place again.
(2)Amizu W.
Oh my goodness the good here is delicious. Pretty atmosphere particularly outside in the garden. And the service has been great every time I've been there.
(5)Bess G.
You can find us at Periyali a couple times a month. The lamb and pork dishes are outstanding, the traditional dishes -- spanikopita, etccc -- excellent. The standout meal to order, however, is grilled fish -- Red Snapper or Sea Bass.
(4)Laura S.
Stumbled upon this place since it is right next to Pita Inn (another favorite). We took my mom here for her birthday and it was wonderful! The employees are all Greek, which adds to the authenticity of the place. The menu is HUGE- so much to choose from. I highly recommend the Saganaki- it was wonderful. All the food was fresh and very fairly priced. I love Greek food and have been looking for a good place to go for a while now- this is by far the best. Highly recommend! We will be back!!
(5)Debbie S.
My BFF and I absolutely loved this place!!! We went here on a Friday evening and sat outside on their gorgeous patio. There were beautiful potted plants everywhere and my BFF (who is Greek) said that the scene (even the tables and chairs outside) totally reminded her of Greece. They also had tiny lights strung all over the patio that added a beautiful look to the patio. I came here with my best friend but I could imagine this being a great date spot for a romantic night out too. We each ordered a Greek salad, grilled octopus, and a plate of rice with a tomato sauce on top. Our food was SO delicious that we were going "MMMM..." after each bite. The Greek salad had the perfect amount of balsamic vinegarette dressing on it that was so good that we were even dipping our bread into it. The grilled octopus was the best I've ever had. They cleaned off the ink really well and the octopus was nice & tender. The octopus was so amazing that we ordered a second plate!!! My BFF also ordered a Greek coffee at the end of the meal that she said was very good too. Aside from the food, the service was wonderful. Our waiter was very kind & made sure our experience was the best. He even brought out extra lemons for the octopus before we even asked for it. We stayed for an hour after we finished eating because the ambiance was perfect for a relaxing summer evening spent outside.
(5)Jenn M.
Poor Daniel M. I feel bad for his experience but I have to say he's right about giving it five stars. This is not a five star place. It's not bad, don't get me wrong, but it's not Greek Town, folks. We went on a Tuesday night and there was a lot of snow so I wasn't shocked that it was empty when we arrived. I have been there previously where it was full so I didn't think twice about it. We had the same waiter as our previous visit and he was pleasant enough. He was involved in a heated discussion with another waiter in the back about some woman and her dislike of the Pastitio but I found it humorous. I suppose it was probably inappropriate. :) I had the combo and everything was pretty good. My potatoes were weird. One tasted fresh and yummy, the other was hard and bland and tasted like it had been sitting out all day. The gyros was just as I like it, cut thin and crunchy on one side. Green beans were mushy and saucy but that's kind of how they are supposed to be. I honestly didn't get to the mousakka and the pastitio because I was so full. Oh and we had saganaki and it was good but you can't really screw that up. I like this place okay. It's kind of hit or miss, which isn't a good thing at all but unfortunately, I'm 30 minutes away from good Greek food so I have to make due.
(3)Stephen T.
Fresh fish, awesome salads, great hot plates, try the red wine marinated seafood appetizer! Always great service, don't miss desserts, Turkish/Greek coffee to finish and you'll be back!!
(5)Michael S.
This is the place my GREEK friends take me to, so I know it's good! Oh so good!
(5)