This restaurant is oh, so good! Their waiters are pros, so much so that they have upsold my bill by at least $20 everytime I dine there, but this is only to provide a full experience, from appetizer to desert it is amazing.
(5)
Betty B.
I love the Parthenon...George, the co-owner, is so authentic...so genuinely caring about great food and new recipes, I also know that he treats his staff with dignity and lets their creativity flow, giving them the advantage to whip up new recipes and event ideas. I've never seen such a sweet restaurant tied together as a family business. Last night I had a special dish that had a subtitle of "eggplant shoes." It needs to be a regular on the menu...scrumtious!
(5)
Brandon F.
Personally I am a big fan of the parthenon. the food is excellent, and the service is good as well. The fried calamari is some of the best I have ever had, and what I rate all other calamari against. Also Sunday brunch is very good as well. Get the greek omelet, or maybe the ham and eggs. In the summer grab a seat on the patio, a nice white wine, and spend the evening overlooking the always scenic super saver parking lot.
(4)
Brad G.
If you are looking for the ultimate greek omelet, this is your place. I think they only serve it on Sundays. George, the chef and owner, is a gracious and wonderful host.
(5)
Don M.
I am certainly no expert on Greek food. But I know what I like. The Parthenon has consistently amazing food and superior service. Not only that but they regularly offer different and unusual cuisine outside of what you would consider "Greek." The wait staff will usually take the time to chat with you and make you feel like you are family. Stopped in today and had the beef souvlaki on rice with fried Zucchini fingers. For an apetizer I had the Potato Zucchini soup. All was delicious. One of my favorite restraunts in town. I just wish it was closer. Give them a try. OPA!
(5)
Elisabeth E.
Came in here a couple weeks ago for the first time and was really pleased. I've seen the chain a few different places but never had the opportunity to try it. The restaurant has a really cute feel to it with an intimate atmosphere and adorably decorated. We were here on a weekday around dinner time and were seated and our order taken quickly. The menu has a lot of good options and it made it hard to choose, so obviously I'll just have to be back to nom again sometime soon! We decided to go with the mussels appetizer in a white wine sauce which was good but the type of mussels they had were quite a bit smaller than I'm used to, must have been a different type of mussel, but they were still good. The seafood souvlaki was awesome and the lamb shank had unbelievable flavor. There are a lot of gluten free options and I had plenty to choose from. Food quality and quantity were good, price affordable, and service excellent.. I'll be back for future noming.
(4)
Lindsay G.
I felt like I need to update my review, since in our experience it seems like Parthenon has slipped the last couple times we have been. Went tonight and tried the calamari as an appetizer. The breading had good flavor, but crumbled off the second you touched it and all we were left with were plain pieces of rubbery calamari that were hard to chew. I tried the moussaka, which was ok but the top was very burned in some places as was the bottom, so I ended up not being able to eat 1/3 of it. The slaw I had as one of my sides had so much vinegar that it was completely inedible. My boyfriend's side of zucchini had so many tomatoes it should have just been called pasta sauce. The good news was that the gyro was great as always. I think from now on we'll just stick to gyros and fries.
(3)
Hope G.
My boyfriend and I went there for a casual dinner and we got a five-star meal and experience. There are so many options for appetizers as well as main courses and don't even get me started on the desserts. Unfortunately we did not save room for desserts but we plan on going back for just desserts as there were so many beautiful desserts to choose from. I ordered a classic gyro with the hazelnut broccoli as my side. The broccoli was the best broccoli I have ever tasted and the gyro did not disappoint. Our server's name was Allan and he was also one of the best waiters that we have ever had. He was extremely helpful with choosing menu items and gave a wonderful description of the specials. I cannot wait to go back and try some different menu items because I know everything I try will be a delightful experience. **I only write reviews if I have a really good experience or a really bad experience. This was definitely worth taking my time to write the review**
(5)
Jeffrey D.
To be honest I sort of knew what to expect. They cater every week at work. The food is good and lots of it. I get the gyros at work and they are loaded with meat and come with a huge salad. We opted for a slightly different menu. The pita break was super fresh and so good, a great start was the humus sampler. The entrees were very good too. The service was also good. Overall a great place for taste, value, and service.
We visited Parthenon for a date night 1/31/2015. Due to eating preferences and food allergies between the two of us, we often choose chains so that nutrition/allergen information is readily available. I'm always nervous to try local places for those reasons, even though I would truthfully prefer to support local establishments. Anyway, I can tell you the food was fantastic. I'll describe some of those dishes below. But I also want to say that I mentioned my food allergy to the server who assured me I would be taken care of only to disappear and come back a few minutes later with the owner. I'm ashamed to say I've forgotten both of their names now (I think our server was Judy?)... but I will absolutely not forget that kind of customer service. The owner said to me that he has a relative with food allergies and was very kind about answering any questions I had or making any needed modifications to my meal selections. I've had proprietors at other establishments openly display their annoyance before, so this was a most welcome and relieving helpfulness. When you treat a customer that way, you are guaranteed to have my business and support. Now, onto the food. Appetizers- hummus was very flavorful and the pita bread was substituted with fresh cut veggies (celery, carrots, cucumbers). I usually eat hummus with some kind of chip or bread but this was a healthy alternative that I'm now actually going to enjoy in my own snack-life! We read a lot about the flaming cheese... will have to try that next time! For the meals, I had a difficult time deciding between the lamb and seafood souvlaki. The owner described the seafood souvlaki as his most underappreciated dish that he personally prides himself on. But I was really hankering for the lamb, so the seafood will be my choice the next time. The seasoning was perfect and the meat was well cooked. The first bite had me saying "mmm" so that's always a good sign. The rice pilaf and the "side of the day" (green beans tossed in a light oil) were also very flavorful. My boyfriend chose the stuffed salmon with rice pilaf and the lobster bisque soup. He said that the salmon was great, the rice was very good, and the lobster bisque was amazing. I didn't choose to order any but I did sample a bite of his.... and I'll definitely have some of that next time! No dessert for us. I did enjoy some Greek wine. That was a new one for me but I really enjoyed the wide variety of options and the selection I made (after a recommendation from the server) was paired well with my meal (can't remember the name of that, either). Overall, a 5-star experience for the food and the level of customer service we received.
(5)
Nicki L.
All of the food we ordered was absolutely lights out. The owner is incredibly involved in his food, and he is super friendly and pleasant, as was the rest of the staff. I was truly only disappointed by the fact that I could not order every menu item and shove it in my face. The wine and beer selection is not vast, but seems to be quite solid, again, everything we ordered was perfect. I am very much looking forward to finding myself in Lincoln, NE again soon, if for nothing else, to get my hands on the calamari and baby octopus.
(5)
Peggy N.
I am visiting Lincoln, NE for two weeks and tried this restaurant as it located near my hotel and came highly recommended by coworkers. I decided to get my order to go and just hunker down in my room for the night but restaurant is really adorable so I may need to come back and eat in while I am here. I sat at the bar to order and noticed a large beer selection for such a small bar. The bartender was quite friendly so I ordered a beer and sipped while I purused the extensive menu. The selection was large and everything sounded yummy. Not only did they have their daily selection but also specials of the day including daily specials on sides and desserts. I finally selected the Chicken Souvlaki which came with pita and rice and a choice of one side. I chose one of the daily side specials, roasted beet salad. The chicken was grilled and delicious. The beet salad was unique in that it was incredibly spicy! But super yummy. I love beets so it is hard to go wrong. I will go back while I am in town to try something different simply because all of the choices looked equally good. Also good to note: they have several vegetarian choices and a separate vegan menu. And the appetizer menu had many fantastic looking choices as well!
(4)
Tore L.
Pet friendly on the patio! Excellent service!
(5)
Brittany S.
The Parthenon is, by far, one of the best restaurants in Lincoln! To start, the appetizers are amazing! I would highly recommend the souvlaki (flaming cheese). It gets even better with fresh and delicious entrees. Almost all the pastries here are flown in from the Greek fishing village, Tarpon Springs in Florida and are authentic, fresh and delicious! There are always tons to choose from! The owner is always very friendly and helpful, as are all the servers! I've never had a bad service experience here!
(5)
FS O.
REALLY nice people running this place. However, that's about all I can rave about in a positive way. I have had Greek food many times in many places, including Greece. Let me assure you, THIS IS NOT GREEK FOOD!!! This is better categorized as "Food by Americans with a Greek last name who have forgotten how to cook Greek food." The Greek potatoes were steak fries -- 'nuf said.
(2)
AC C.
This little gem of a restaurant is a big reason to miss Lincoln... Oh so delicious... We went for a Sunday brunch when I went back for a visit. The atmosphere of this restaurant is so perfect for catching up and eating great food. One friend ordered the Greek omelete and pancakes. That omelet was beautiful! Stuffed with feta and gyro meat and tsatziki. Looked so good. He said the potatoes were crispy and tasty as well. The pancakes were so light and fluffy...and was that a hint of lemon?!?! My best friend ordered lamb souvlaki which is always our favorite dish. Yummmmm. I ordered a rare lamb burger because I know they do a great job of grinding their own and the seasoning is always just right. OMG was it tasty...and huge! Probably a half pound of lamb! They have special side dishes for brunch, and on this day, they had a pumpernickel stuffing. I am still dreaming about that delicious dish. It was like pumpernickel bread pudding. Super crispy on the outside and tender and fluffy on the inside. Stuffed with onions and that bread was incredible. Had to be homemade bread. So good. It was a huge piece and I took it back to my family gathered at the hotel, and they thought it was so good that a group of about ten headed straight over to the Parthenon for lamb souvlaki, stuffing, and a tray of desserts. The only boo for the whole meal was the coffee...none of us liked it. Weak and flavorless, reminiscent of a bad diner. Did not fit with the rest of the experience! The service was really good and the owner truly cares about customer satisfaction and high quality dishes. Lucky Lincoln!!!
(4)
Josep A.
So. We've eaten here several times. A couple of weeks ago was our last. Im going to disagree with the notion that the place serves amazing food. Not a reflection of the owner that I understand is indeed a very nice gentleman. Nov 18, there was a live band we are fond of. We went already with the idea of not ordering anything, as our previous experiences had not been good. (Salad swimming in oil, not good tsatsiki, bland falafel, etc) We caved in and ordered a pizza. First attempt, soggy wet middle. Server returned it for a re-heating. Second attempt, pizza still soggy the further center you went. Server returned it and we got a new one. the new one's crust was doughy and raw. the center was soggy. We tried to eat it regardless, but could not. The server was very kind (can't remember her name... tall, blonde, very kind). The manager... different story. His pizza was raw, it was failed twice, rather than just comping it and apologizing he decided to argue with my wife about "you ate most of it" and other arguments defending his poor food. It was not just our pizza, a friend of ours ordered the same pizza and had to go through the same process as we did, reheat and all. The Manager decided to argue, and then said he'd go and talk to the owner... he never came back, figured we tire of waiting and pay... Server apologized, and let us go. She actually knows what she is doing, trying to get us the customer to have a good experience and come back, maybe because of her. Manager, you don't argue with customers, we are not out to scam you out of a 10 dollar plate. The food is just not that good. The server was super kind, the owner is apparently a great guy, the manager is not. The food is not the best, its subpar food. As far as us eating here, not again. Sorry, but when I go out to eat, and pay for food, I expect it to be worth the money I'm paying, and this place sadly does not uphold that standard. Obviously we are the minority, so reader you might like this place, that's ok, we've personally experienced better greek food at Garbanzos.
(2)
Mark J.
The Real Deal Greek. This place is great, and I love the souvlaki and gyro plates. Perfectly prepaired and the tzatziki sauce is homemade and tasty. Oh and for an appetizer you have to get the flaming cheese. It is so good but you can feel your heart clog as you eat it. Worth it imo. Drink and wine selection is decent, and the service was really good. The desert is the best thing about this place. They have a case with like 20 different options and they all look amazing. But we stuck with the Baklava and Chocolate Baklava. YUMYUM
(4)
Anush J.
First time here. Came to the city to take an exam. I ordered the lamb souvlaki combination - it came with the souvlaki and gyro meat. The gyro was soft and flavorful without being greasy. The souvlaki was more chewy than I would have liked, but I enjoyed the overall taste. The fried jalapeño side was very good - with a bland sauce to cool the sour spicy jalapeños. The rice was good but had many uncooked grains in it.
(4)
Echo D.
Very impressived restaurant in lincoln. The owner say hi and thanks to all customers when they leave. They have many different kinds of Greek Mediterranean menu. I really liked humus sample.
(4)
Derek S.
this place has decent greek food. you get large portions for the price. the staff in my opinion was attentative, but slow after giving your order. the flavors are as authentic as you will get outside of greece. the spanakopita/tiropita was good, but the fried oysters are where it's at for appetizers. thick crunchy breading with a fantastic dipping sauce packed full of flavor and spice. the mousaka was below average and almost to the point where it was mushy. however, the pastitsio or greek lasagna was very good. the dolmathes was exactly how it was supposed to taste, cooked well with traditional greek flavors. the greek fries are just steak fries, so fyi on that one. people who were with us said the stuffed salmon and gyro sandwich were delicous and highly recommended. honestly, both of those caught my eye and when my wife and i go back, that is definitely what i will be ordering.
(4)
Michael S.
The pita bread was a tad disappointing, but otherwise, nothing to complain about. I wanted to get dessert; but the entrees are generous.
(4)
Brandon P.
Best Greek food in Nebraska!
(5)
Wyn R.
I think the reason this place gets good reviews is that Lincoln is seriously lacking in the Greek food category. Granted, they do a few things well. But come on, how hard is a gyro. I like their appetizers, but any time I get something other than a gyro or a Greek salad, I'm disappointed. And they have no clue how to cook vegetables unless you want a vegetable that is mush. Gross. Honestly, it's mediocre at best. Just makes me miss Papa John's. The food was the same, but a lot less expensive. Plus, I really miss their Greek omelet.
(2)
Danielle R.
Decent Greek food and excellent service! The babaghanoush wasn't the best I've ever had but it was decent. The Greek salad that came with the meal was huge, enough to split with another person. It had great flavor, as well as the dressing, but they went a little heavy on the dressing. I'll know to ask for it on the side next time. We ordered the eggplant pita, which was "lightly fried". It was downright fried on a pita with lettuce and tomato. Nothing fantastic but still pretty good and I didn't have any leftovers. I'd go again, maybe branch out and try something different.
(3)
John R.
A staple in our date night restaurant repertoire. Consistently good food. As far as appetizers, get the hummus sampler. While the Spanikopita and Tiropita are really good, we've fallen hard for the hummus. My favorite would have to be the sun dried tomato hummus-tastes like pizza with a little zing to it. I could just about live on Parthenon hummus. I've had several of the main dishes. I had the lamb a few years ago on Easter. It was perfect. No complaints at all. The gyros are also really good. But the entres cannot compare to what I believe is the ultimate expression of the pasta side: the kritharaki. Get it. Get an extra side of it and take it home. Simple orzo pasta, olive oil and tomato sauce and yet all those flavors combine to form a unique taste that I cannot get enough of ever. My wife has tried making it at home and come pretty darn close but the Parthenon's recipe is not to be duplicated. Let me repeat myself: Get some of it. You want some. Then, if you're not stuffed to the gills by the generous portions, go shop the dessert cases. I have had several of their desserts, I have no recommendations-you simply can't make a bad choice.
(5)
Steven D.
Great food. Had the gyro sandwich with a caprese salad. Great balsamic vinegar. Wait staff was very courteous and attentive.
(5)
Reed N.
I had the Athenian salad and added gyro meat for a quick, filling business lunch. It is romaine lettuce, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, capers, feta cheese, black olives and is topped with anchovies. I forgot about the anchovies and was diving in pretty hard when I thought something was wrong with the gyro meat! LOL They put about 8 anchovies on top and I had about 4 in one bite. That will wake you up! Everything else on the salad is simple and good. It comes with a quartered pita. My only complaint was the dressing. There was too much of it. It would probably be best served on the side so you can control the amount.
(4)
Wesley B.
I can't say enough good stuff about this place. The food is terrific, the staff is very friendly, it's just a great place to eat. I'd recommend this to anyone.
(5)
Derek B.
Very good atmosphere, food was good, but, not great. I wish they had a 3.5 stars. That would be my rating. I don't think the food was quite as good as King Kong's overall, but, had a better atmosphere and service for a "date night". I would go back if in the area, but, I wouldn't make a special trip. Had the Gyro Platter. Meat was good. I ordered extra meat and couldn't really tell the difference from those who had the regular portion. I wasn't overly impressed with the Greek Potato. Sald as good. Their Tzaziki sauce was very good, probably the best I've had in Nebraska. Again, not bad, just didn't meet my expectations.
(3)
Katy P.
Love it! The broiled baby octopus app is one of the best things I've ever eaten. The saganaki is really good, too. For entrees everything I've ever tasted is great. favs so far are Braised Lamb shank which is amazing, and veggie moussaka! I love their pilaf, and the Greek fries are a must. The deserts are out of this world. 3 people could easily share a pastes... So rich!!!! But delicious. This has become my favorite place in Lincoln.
(5)
Dani W.
Came in around 9 on a Thursday. The staff was great even though we left right at closing, they were attentive and pleasant. We got the flaming cheese and it was pretty good, at least get it once for the effect! I had the jump spankopatia and it was good, but ill get something else next time. The corn and black bean side was delicious as was the taziki sauce. The pita bread was light and complimented both the cheese and my friends gyro. We finished with some baklava that I also recommend. I felt like we ate a lot of food and the price was very reasonable.
(4)
Brad B.
The food was all good. The Saganaki was superior. The leg of lamb was 50/50...a little on the dry side but good effort. Here's what pisses me off: the unannounced upsell. I asked the waitress if I could substitute a cup of soup for one of my sides. "Sure," she replied. Then there's a $1.99 extra charge on the bill. "Do you want some pita on the side?" she asked. "Sure," I said. Then there's an extra charge on the bill. It didn't amount to much but it would be SO much better if she had told us.
(2)
Andy A.
mediocre food, not always served hot. it is ridiculous that they push spendy wines with $10 entrees. a separate full size drink menu? all the laminated things all over the tables? and a food menu that has 4 times as many things as it should?
(1)
Wayne W.
Great Greek place...at least as far as the food is concerned. The service was horrible even though we were only one of three couples in the place. It took them forever on every course and drinks.
(3)
Dennis K.
I don't think the Greeks would recognize this food as theirs. For example, the tzatziki has a hint of garlic when it should be loaded. It's good food most of the time (kudos for that, honestly), but it's only tangentially Greek. What do you expect in Nebraska? One thing that I find annoying is that you order hummus and they give you too little bread, then they charge for more bread. Also, the wait staff are often inexperienced. To their credit, they serve Greek wine and beer, and the baklava is pretty good.
(3)
Hanna D.
Vegetarians, Vegans, those Omnivores looking to please yourself and your vegetarian and vegan friends: This place is awesome, everyone can get something. You want squid? You get it. Your sister wants vegetarian mousaka covered in sheeps feta? She'll get it. Your brother has gone totally vegan - he's got a whole section of the menu to himself (first I've seen in an omnivorous restaurant - very forwardthinking), with several tasty options (orzo stuffed peppers; stuffed portabello mushrooms, to name a couple). Looking for an appetizer for everyone? Try their hummus sampler, with 5 homemade options to please everyone. The service was great, the food was delish, and I can't wait to eat my way through the veggie options on the menu.
(4)
Jim C.
Parthenon is in the same vicinity as the Runza we tried the day before, it wasn't hard at all to find. We had the Hummus appetizer, the red pepper gave it a salmon color, really tasty. I almost had the Gyro, but since that's what I always get in a greek restaurant, I went for the special - Kibbeh platter, lamb meatloaf with pine nuts, moist and full of flavor, a tad too heavy for lunch, hummus, same as the appetizer, and what looks to be tabouleh, chopped parsley, mint, tomato, lemon juice and olive oil in a small dish, they were a bit stingy with that and the pita bread, but they bring more if you ask. And of course the have Dog Tuesdays, bring your dog to the restaurant for some K9 buffet.
(4)
Bob H.
Great food, great service. We ordered a lot of items and they were all excellent. Best of all, the more Greek your choice, the better. It's the real thing. The kids loved it too and I can tell this will be their gateway to an expanded palette and taste for ethnic foods. Good atmosphere. At first I was put off by the fact that you get a drinks+appetizer menu first, without dinner menu. But to get it all at once would have been overwhelming, plus I am so happy I got those appetizers! Baklava dessert was sublime.
(5)
Brent G.
Excellent variety of Greek foods....the best I've had since I was in Greece. Good service and positive, pleasant staff.
(5)
Gabby A.
One of my favorite places here in Lincoln. Wonderful Greek/Mediterranean food! The service is probably the best I've ever received in a Lincoln restaurant, and is probably in the running for the best service I've ever received anywhere. The meat dishes are spectacular, and you should always start your meal off with a saganaki (flaming Greek cheese). I also really love the mousaka (Greek eggplant lasagna). The flavors are unique, and the portion is just right. The wine list is spectacular, and they do flights so you can try a bit of everything. End your night with one of their dozens of delicious desserts. The Parthenon is a great dining experience from beginning to end! Opa!
(5)
Bill K.
Consistently good food and pleasant service!
(4)
Jim A.
Absolutely outstanding. How refreshing to find real food prepared on site. The walleye and catfish were not only fresh, but perfectly prepared. The crab ravioli was spectacular. What a treat. Will be back next trip over I-80.
(5)
Ashley K.
Just moved to lincoln and this was the first place we stopped to eat. We will definitely be regulars!! We have been back time and time again and have never been disappointed!!! The owner, George, is always out serving guests and will stop to chat you up if there isn't a large dinner crowd!!!
(4)
Roger B.
Walked into the Parthenon and was greeted by a large dining area, fortunately split into what amounted to separate rooms. We were early enough that there was no wait for a table. As large as the place is, there was a line waiting for service when we left. Amazing. My wife and I started with the dolmathes platter. They weren't bad, a nicely flavored mix of meat and rice drizzled with some type of lemon sauce. I had the gyro platter with Greek fries. There was something about the Greek fries that tasted off. I don't know if it was the spices or what. My wife ordered the moussaka with the vegetables of the day. She had no complaints about the meal. The Baklava for dessert was good. I did see on the menu that there were vegetarian options.
(3)
Randy P.
AMAZING...AMAZING...AMAZING! What more can I say about this place. Eat here at least once a week; can't get enough of their authentic Greek food; try a special they will blow your taste buds out of the water. Great, fun group of employees and owner(s) who always stop by to make sure everything is perfect. Yes the food takes time to come out, yes it's cooked fresh to order, and YES I'll wait a little longer for my order; it's well worth it.
(5)
Lelay P.
This place is over-priced, food was okay, the servers are nice but I honestly wouldn't come here again if I'm paying. It's just not worth MY money.
(3)
Matt M.
We were in Lincoln last week and I saw this place had great reviews. Needless to say we were not impressed. The service was very odd and the food was mediocre. A few of the appetizers (stuffed grape leaves & hummus) were ok but the entrees were lackluster. The lamb was overcooked and under seasoned, the gyro meat was dry, the potatoes lacked flavor & the spanakopita was left with only one bite taken out of it.
(2)
Sam L.
Great food great staff kid and pet friendly. The best Greek food in the Midwest family ran. Wine dinners will rock your world. Bacon wine dinner will make you see the gods of Greece.
(5)
Christina C.
I am in Lincoln for business and I have eaten here twice. I wasn't impressed the first time but I decided to give them a second chance since I love Greek food so much. I found their pita bread to be fairly tasteless. This is not bread I would eat by itself, like I do some others. I was unhappy that that the only choice of hummus had roasted red pepper. I am allergic to red pepper and hummus is one of my favorite foods and I couldn't have it. Instead of the hummas, I tried the roasted garlic and feta dip. I LOVE roasted garlic, but I did't like it at all. It was very bitter and hot. It tasted like they put a LOT of raw garlic in it and little, if no, roasted garlic. Every side dish they have is a carb. They have 2 side dishes of the day that might be vegetables. The first day they were both vegetables that I could not eat. They have a entree served with asparagus but they would not serve it to me as a side dish. The second time they had a stewed cabbage and carrot dish that was okay. It was over cooked and bland but at least it was vegetable I could eat. The Greek salad was pretty good. It had a lot of ingredients unlike a lot of restaurants. My only complaint is that there was too much dressing both times I ordered it. On the first night, I ordered the portabello chicken and it was cooked very well, I just thought the cheese overwhelmed the flavors. The second night I ordered the stuffed salmon. The "stuffing" is basically a crab cake on top of the salmon. The flavor was pretty good, but the salmon was cooked well done instead of medium or even medium well. As for the service, it seems to be hit or miss. The first night it was pretty busy and my service was good. The second night it was much slower and the service was pretty bad. The waiter came up to tell me to ask him if I had any questions. As I was starting to ask him a question, he turned and walked away. At the end of my meal I sat for 10 minutes waiting for my check. There were only 3 other tables filled at this time. I don't see how people are saying this is the best Greek food they have ever eaten. This may be the best Greek restaurant in Lincoln, but it isn't great Greek food.
(2)
Adam R.
Average overall, but worth at least one try. Only complaint is the main dish servings were small, but sides/extras made the meals more than enough. Good atmosphere, good seasonal beer selection, would go back again if I had a coupon.
(3)
Beth B.
I love Greek food and this is the best I've found in Lincoln. Inexpensive drinks and the dinner prices are also reasonable. Start with saganaki appetizer and greek salad. Several very good appetizers. I always have the greek potatoes as a side. Make sure you check out the dessert case at the back of the restaurant!
(4)
Matthew P.
Went at around seven thirty on a Saturday night with friend. We were warmly greeted and seated immediately at a table near the back on the main dining area; while I am not a fan of tables, I did have a good view of most of the restaurant. It seemed, as one might expect on a Saturday, to be date night. With the exception of two large groups and then another table of three gays, everyone else was coupled off and leaning in closely to one another. I didn't notice the it being loud, and even though this establishment is in a strip-mall the interior was comfortable enough. The service was good. The hostess, wine guy, waiter were all very attentive. I did feel like they were pushing the wine menu a bit hard, though. Our waiter and the wine guy both suggested one of the "specials," which I think were all in excess of forty dollars. My buddy mention that it recently became legal for restaurants to re-cork bottles in Nebraska, so that probably why they were pushing it so hard. It didn't really matter to me and if the waiter had maybe suggested a cocktail after I said I wasn't having wine, he could have probably made the sale that way. However, there was an advertisement on the table to a six course wine and food pairing, which priced at $50 seemed very reasonable to me. This sort of event is likely the only reason I would return, unless I had out-of-town guests that absolutely needed Greek food on their trip to Nebraska. For dinner I had one of the "Kazas Family Recipes" which was named the Parthenon Pasta Platter. It was just fine, nothing spectacular but solidly good: pasta on a bed of spinach with shrimp, artichoke and feta cheese. The Really Good feta cheese (and the bed of spinach) is probably what made the dish for me. My side was pumpkin risotto, which I actually enjoyed more then my main course. In retrospect, I should have just ordered appetisers for dinner, as those that i could see on other tables looked good. After we were done eating, a man who I would have guessed was a manager or owner stopped by the table. He cleared out dishes and asked how everything was, eyeballing my half eaten meal. He looked genuinely concerned and I appreciated that, explaining I can rarely finish a restaurant sized portion of anything. In closing the meal, the waiter offered to split the ticket which was very nice because my friend and I were obviously not on a date. The hostess held the door open as we left the building. However, I am still only rating this establishment a three, because it is a restaurant and the food would have needed to be more memorable for me to consider myself "a fan."
(3)
Frans S.
Very nice modern decor! Friendly owners! The food is only fair however! A bit over price! Service was good! Basically just an average ho hum American restaurant but at least it's NOT a chain restaurant
(2)
Gigi F.
I was in Lincoln on business. Three of us stopped for dinner. Flaming cheese, Greek Salad, Nebraska Lamb Steak and Greek Green Beans. Baklava for dessert. The waiter was a young college kid who couldn't answer basic questions about the wine or food, but he tried really hard. The green beans were way overcooked, but everything else was delicious. I would eat there again!
(4)
Richard F.
It was a very pleasant surprise to find a great Greek place in Lincoln. I have eaten there a dozen times now and I love their food. The service is great, as well. Authentic Greek food is a wonder and a delight.
(5)
Tom H.
Incredible food and service! Menu is extensive and reasonably priced. Dessert selection is out of this world! Chef will drop by to make sure you liked the meal, very nice guy. Dog night is back! Tuesdays, bring your dog and sit outside with the other dogs! They even make special dog food!
(5)
Dan B.
This is a great little place with a lot of personality and charm. The food is usually good, regardless of what we order, and the service is typically A+. Seems to have a pretty decent wine selection and even a few decent beers, too. My usual order here is the gyro. The meat is flavorful and tender. I have also tried the whole fish (snapper, I think) and a couple of other entrees. They were all good, but I keep coming back to the gyro. The saganaki is also a typical dish we order. I have yet to be disappointed by this appetizer. It's not anything fancy, but who doesn't like flaming, melted cheese? It's a "can't miss" on the menu. The spreads are very good too, and it's worth ordering some extra pita. We've tried the baba ganoush, the hummus, and several others. My only bad memory of Parthenon is the calamari. It was greasy and over cooked both times we tried it, but that's a pretty short list. There are also a few side dishes that aren't my favorite, but every place has those. Most times, people have to figure those out for themselves.
(4)
Joel G.
I thought it was pretty darn good for Lincoln. Great service. Enjoyed the inventiveness, fusion with other cuisines. Fried Green Tomatoes. Outside seating is really nice. Didn't like having to pay for extra pita, but so it goes.
(4)
Meghan A.
I used to live in Lincoln and The Parthenon was my boyfriend and I's favorite place to go! The pita bread and hummus is AMAZING! I always get salmon, which is always cooked perfectly and tasty. Service is always great, and George is a great owner! He really cares about the patrons and takes great care of them.
(5)
Carrie B.
WOW! This place is great! Probably the best Greek food I have ever had and definitely an unexpected find in Lincoln! The gyros are definitely the best I have ever had. We ordered a fried calamari appetizer and got a HUGE serving that was fried to perfection. Although we barely had room for the combination plate for 2 that followed, we made room for the delicious combination of meats and sides. The side dish made from orzo was tremendous, and I'd love to have the recipe! The service was just as spectacular as the food, and the waiter was very knowledgeable about the menu offerings. Very impressive place! If you'd like to have a nice, sit-down meal in Lincoln and don't mind spending a little more money than the average meal, I would absolutely recommend the Parthenon.
(5)
Cherie L.
Love it! Food rocks, service is good, and the ambiance is nice. Outdoor dining is great. They really try to serve authentic greek fare and drink. Love the lemon chicken and greek salad!
(4)
Brandon B.
Parthenon has decent Greek food. We had the stuffed grape leaves and the spanakopita, and our friends each had souvlaki. All were pretty tasty. Wine samples are ample. The only complaint about any of the food was the green beans (soggy and flavorless) and the salad was slightly overdressed. The service is a bit strange. You are given only a drink+appetizer menu when you sit down, and it takes a REALLY long time to finally get the real menu. Must work for driving up the bill, but it was a bit annoying. Our waitress was too enthusiastic to be real ('Is everything AWESOME here?'). This is the second time we've had that kind of over-the-top service, so maybe it's the training. Generally, a good place to go for dinner. There are usually coupons in the newspaper to help lighten the bill.
(4)
Rosy M.
This is definitely the best Greek food in town. Great service too.
(4)
Steve W.
Went there with a group from work the other night. They have a nice variety of dishes available. I had the Greek Salad and Lamb Souvlaki and it was very good. The lamb was tender and nicely seasoned. Good wine list and not too expensive. The service was very attentive despite being quite busy. It's probably the best Greek place in Lincoln. Give it a try.
(4)
Ray S.
I'm not sure how how this place gets such good user reviews. The service was great, to be sure, but the flavors... not so much. When I ordered an entree, it came with about 4-5 total different kinds of things on it. Only one item was good. The others were average to bad. One was wayyy over-salted. It was very strange to have one good item and the rest not be good at all... I would expect that if a restaurant were bad all the food would be pretty much bad. But here the flavors were really hit or miss... but mostly miss. There are definitely better places to go out to eat in Lincoln.
(2)
Don M.
I am certainly no expert on Greek food. But I know what I like. The Parthenon has consistently amazing food and superior service. Not only that but they regularly offer different and unusual cuisine outside of what you would consider "Greek." The wait staff will usually take the time to chat with you and make you feel like you are family. Stopped in today and had the beef souvlaki on rice with fried Zucchini fingers. For an apetizer I had the Potato Zucchini soup. All was delicious. One of my favorite restraunts in town. I just wish it was closer. Give them a try. OPA!
(5)
Lindsay G.
I felt like I need to update my review, since in our experience it seems like Parthenon has slipped the last couple times we have been. Went tonight and tried the calamari as an appetizer. The breading had good flavor, but crumbled off the second you touched it and all we were left with were plain pieces of rubbery calamari that were hard to chew. I tried the moussaka, which was ok but the top was very burned in some places as was the bottom, so I ended up not being able to eat 1/3 of it. The slaw I had as one of my sides had so much vinegar that it was completely inedible. My boyfriend's side of zucchini had so many tomatoes it should have just been called pasta sauce. The good news was that the gyro was great as always. I think from now on we'll just stick to gyros and fries.
(3)
Hope G.
My boyfriend and I went there for a casual dinner and we got a five-star meal and experience. There are so many options for appetizers as well as main courses and don't even get me started on the desserts. Unfortunately we did not save room for desserts but we plan on going back for just desserts as there were so many beautiful desserts to choose from. I ordered a classic gyro with the hazelnut broccoli as my side. The broccoli was the best broccoli I have ever tasted and the gyro did not disappoint. Our server's name was Allan and he was also one of the best waiters that we have ever had. He was extremely helpful with choosing menu items and gave a wonderful description of the specials. I cannot wait to go back and try some different menu items because I know everything I try will be a delightful experience. **I only write reviews if I have a really good experience or a really bad experience. This was definitely worth taking my time to write the review**
(5)
Jeffrey D.
To be honest I sort of knew what to expect. They cater every week at work. The food is good and lots of it. I get the gyros at work and they are loaded with meat and come with a huge salad. We opted for a slightly different menu. The pita break was super fresh and so good, a great start was the humus sampler. The entrees were very good too. The service was also good. Overall a great place for taste, value, and service.
Love it! The broiled baby octopus app is one of the best things I've ever eaten. The saganaki is really good, too. For entrees everything I've ever tasted is great. favs so far are Braised Lamb shank which is amazing, and veggie moussaka! I love their pilaf, and the Greek fries are a must. The deserts are out of this world. 3 people could easily share a pastes... So rich!!!! But delicious. This has become my favorite place in Lincoln.
(5)
John R.
A staple in our date night restaurant repertoire. Consistently good food. As far as appetizers, get the hummus sampler. While the Spanikopita and Tiropita are really good, we've fallen hard for the hummus. My favorite would have to be the sun dried tomato hummus-tastes like pizza with a little zing to it. I could just about live on Parthenon hummus. I've had several of the main dishes. I had the lamb a few years ago on Easter. It was perfect. No complaints at all. The gyros are also really good. But the entres cannot compare to what I believe is the ultimate expression of the pasta side: the kritharaki. Get it. Get an extra side of it and take it home. Simple orzo pasta, olive oil and tomato sauce and yet all those flavors combine to form a unique taste that I cannot get enough of ever. My wife has tried making it at home and come pretty darn close but the Parthenon's recipe is not to be duplicated. Let me repeat myself: Get some of it. You want some. Then, if you're not stuffed to the gills by the generous portions, go shop the dessert cases. I have had several of their desserts, I have no recommendations-you simply can't make a bad choice.
(5)
Steven D.
Great food. Had the gyro sandwich with a caprese salad. Great balsamic vinegar. Wait staff was very courteous and attentive.
(5)
Reed N.
I had the Athenian salad and added gyro meat for a quick, filling business lunch. It is romaine lettuce, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, capers, feta cheese, black olives and is topped with anchovies. I forgot about the anchovies and was diving in pretty hard when I thought something was wrong with the gyro meat! LOL They put about 8 anchovies on top and I had about 4 in one bite. That will wake you up! Everything else on the salad is simple and good. It comes with a quartered pita. My only complaint was the dressing. There was too much of it. It would probably be best served on the side so you can control the amount.
(4)
Wesley B.
I can't say enough good stuff about this place. The food is terrific, the staff is very friendly, it's just a great place to eat. I'd recommend this to anyone.
(5)
Derek B.
Very good atmosphere, food was good, but, not great. I wish they had a 3.5 stars. That would be my rating. I don't think the food was quite as good as King Kong's overall, but, had a better atmosphere and service for a "date night". I would go back if in the area, but, I wouldn't make a special trip. Had the Gyro Platter. Meat was good. I ordered extra meat and couldn't really tell the difference from those who had the regular portion. I wasn't overly impressed with the Greek Potato. Sald as good. Their Tzaziki sauce was very good, probably the best I've had in Nebraska. Again, not bad, just didn't meet my expectations.
(3)
Ashley K.
Just moved to lincoln and this was the first place we stopped to eat. We will definitely be regulars!! We have been back time and time again and have never been disappointed!!! The owner, George, is always out serving guests and will stop to chat you up if there isn't a large dinner crowd!!!
(4)
Roger B.
Walked into the Parthenon and was greeted by a large dining area, fortunately split into what amounted to separate rooms. We were early enough that there was no wait for a table. As large as the place is, there was a line waiting for service when we left. Amazing. My wife and I started with the dolmathes platter. They weren't bad, a nicely flavored mix of meat and rice drizzled with some type of lemon sauce. I had the gyro platter with Greek fries. There was something about the Greek fries that tasted off. I don't know if it was the spices or what. My wife ordered the moussaka with the vegetables of the day. She had no complaints about the meal. The Baklava for dessert was good. I did see on the menu that there were vegetarian options.
(3)
Randy P.
AMAZING...AMAZING...AMAZING! What more can I say about this place. Eat here at least once a week; can't get enough of their authentic Greek food; try a special they will blow your taste buds out of the water. Great, fun group of employees and owner(s) who always stop by to make sure everything is perfect. Yes the food takes time to come out, yes it's cooked fresh to order, and YES I'll wait a little longer for my order; it's well worth it.
(5)
Lelay P.
This place is over-priced, food was okay, the servers are nice but I honestly wouldn't come here again if I'm paying. It's just not worth MY money.
(3)
Elisabeth E.
Came in here a couple weeks ago for the first time and was really pleased. I've seen the chain a few different places but never had the opportunity to try it. The restaurant has a really cute feel to it with an intimate atmosphere and adorably decorated. We were here on a weekday around dinner time and were seated and our order taken quickly. The menu has a lot of good options and it made it hard to choose, so obviously I'll just have to be back to nom again sometime soon! We decided to go with the mussels appetizer in a white wine sauce which was good but the type of mussels they had were quite a bit smaller than I'm used to, must have been a different type of mussel, but they were still good. The seafood souvlaki was awesome and the lamb shank had unbelievable flavor. There are a lot of gluten free options and I had plenty to choose from. Food quality and quantity were good, price affordable, and service excellent.. I'll be back for future noming.
(4)
AC C.
This little gem of a restaurant is a big reason to miss Lincoln... Oh so delicious... We went for a Sunday brunch when I went back for a visit. The atmosphere of this restaurant is so perfect for catching up and eating great food. One friend ordered the Greek omelete and pancakes. That omelet was beautiful! Stuffed with feta and gyro meat and tsatziki. Looked so good. He said the potatoes were crispy and tasty as well. The pancakes were so light and fluffy...and was that a hint of lemon?!?! My best friend ordered lamb souvlaki which is always our favorite dish. Yummmmm. I ordered a rare lamb burger because I know they do a great job of grinding their own and the seasoning is always just right. OMG was it tasty...and huge! Probably a half pound of lamb! They have special side dishes for brunch, and on this day, they had a pumpernickel stuffing. I am still dreaming about that delicious dish. It was like pumpernickel bread pudding. Super crispy on the outside and tender and fluffy on the inside. Stuffed with onions and that bread was incredible. Had to be homemade bread. So good. It was a huge piece and I took it back to my family gathered at the hotel, and they thought it was so good that a group of about ten headed straight over to the Parthenon for lamb souvlaki, stuffing, and a tray of desserts. The only boo for the whole meal was the coffee...none of us liked it. Weak and flavorless, reminiscent of a bad diner. Did not fit with the rest of the experience! The service was really good and the owner truly cares about customer satisfaction and high quality dishes. Lucky Lincoln!!!
(4)
Kimberly M.
We visited Parthenon for a date night 1/31/2015. Due to eating preferences and food allergies between the two of us, we often choose chains so that nutrition/allergen information is readily available. I'm always nervous to try local places for those reasons, even though I would truthfully prefer to support local establishments. Anyway, I can tell you the food was fantastic. I'll describe some of those dishes below. But I also want to say that I mentioned my food allergy to the server who assured me I would be taken care of only to disappear and come back a few minutes later with the owner. I'm ashamed to say I've forgotten both of their names now (I think our server was Judy?)... but I will absolutely not forget that kind of customer service. The owner said to me that he has a relative with food allergies and was very kind about answering any questions I had or making any needed modifications to my meal selections. I've had proprietors at other establishments openly display their annoyance before, so this was a most welcome and relieving helpfulness. When you treat a customer that way, you are guaranteed to have my business and support. Now, onto the food. Appetizers- hummus was very flavorful and the pita bread was substituted with fresh cut veggies (celery, carrots, cucumbers). I usually eat hummus with some kind of chip or bread but this was a healthy alternative that I'm now actually going to enjoy in my own snack-life! We read a lot about the flaming cheese... will have to try that next time! For the meals, I had a difficult time deciding between the lamb and seafood souvlaki. The owner described the seafood souvlaki as his most underappreciated dish that he personally prides himself on. But I was really hankering for the lamb, so the seafood will be my choice the next time. The seasoning was perfect and the meat was well cooked. The first bite had me saying "mmm" so that's always a good sign. The rice pilaf and the "side of the day" (green beans tossed in a light oil) were also very flavorful. My boyfriend chose the stuffed salmon with rice pilaf and the lobster bisque soup. He said that the salmon was great, the rice was very good, and the lobster bisque was amazing. I didn't choose to order any but I did sample a bite of his.... and I'll definitely have some of that next time! No dessert for us. I did enjoy some Greek wine. That was a new one for me but I really enjoyed the wide variety of options and the selection I made (after a recommendation from the server) was paired well with my meal (can't remember the name of that, either). Overall, a 5-star experience for the food and the level of customer service we received.
(5)
Anush J.
First time here. Came to the city to take an exam. I ordered the lamb souvlaki combination - it came with the souvlaki and gyro meat. The gyro was soft and flavorful without being greasy. The souvlaki was more chewy than I would have liked, but I enjoyed the overall taste. The fried jalapeño side was very good - with a bland sauce to cool the sour spicy jalapeños. The rice was good but had many uncooked grains in it.
(4)
Echo D.
Very impressived restaurant in lincoln. The owner say hi and thanks to all customers when they leave. They have many different kinds of Greek Mediterranean menu. I really liked humus sample.
(4)
Peggy N.
I am visiting Lincoln, NE for two weeks and tried this restaurant as it located near my hotel and came highly recommended by coworkers. I decided to get my order to go and just hunker down in my room for the night but restaurant is really adorable so I may need to come back and eat in while I am here. I sat at the bar to order and noticed a large beer selection for such a small bar. The bartender was quite friendly so I ordered a beer and sipped while I purused the extensive menu. The selection was large and everything sounded yummy. Not only did they have their daily selection but also specials of the day including daily specials on sides and desserts. I finally selected the Chicken Souvlaki which came with pita and rice and a choice of one side. I chose one of the daily side specials, roasted beet salad. The chicken was grilled and delicious. The beet salad was unique in that it was incredibly spicy! But super yummy. I love beets so it is hard to go wrong. I will go back while I am in town to try something different simply because all of the choices looked equally good. Also good to note: they have several vegetarian choices and a separate vegan menu. And the appetizer menu had many fantastic looking choices as well!
(4)
Tore L.
Pet friendly on the patio! Excellent service!
(5)
Brittany S.
The Parthenon is, by far, one of the best restaurants in Lincoln! To start, the appetizers are amazing! I would highly recommend the souvlaki (flaming cheese). It gets even better with fresh and delicious entrees. Almost all the pastries here are flown in from the Greek fishing village, Tarpon Springs in Florida and are authentic, fresh and delicious! There are always tons to choose from! The owner is always very friendly and helpful, as are all the servers! I've never had a bad service experience here!
(5)
FS O.
REALLY nice people running this place. However, that's about all I can rave about in a positive way. I have had Greek food many times in many places, including Greece. Let me assure you, THIS IS NOT GREEK FOOD!!! This is better categorized as "Food by Americans with a Greek last name who have forgotten how to cook Greek food." The Greek potatoes were steak fries -- 'nuf said.
(2)
Dani W.
Came in around 9 on a Thursday. The staff was great even though we left right at closing, they were attentive and pleasant. We got the flaming cheese and it was pretty good, at least get it once for the effect! I had the jump spankopatia and it was good, but ill get something else next time. The corn and black bean side was delicious as was the taziki sauce. The pita bread was light and complimented both the cheese and my friends gyro. We finished with some baklava that I also recommend. I felt like we ate a lot of food and the price was very reasonable.
(4)
Brad B.
The food was all good. The Saganaki was superior. The leg of lamb was 50/50...a little on the dry side but good effort. Here's what pisses me off: the unannounced upsell. I asked the waitress if I could substitute a cup of soup for one of my sides. "Sure," she replied. Then there's a $1.99 extra charge on the bill. "Do you want some pita on the side?" she asked. "Sure," I said. Then there's an extra charge on the bill. It didn't amount to much but it would be SO much better if she had told us.
(2)
Josep A.
So. We've eaten here several times. A couple of weeks ago was our last. Im going to disagree with the notion that the place serves amazing food. Not a reflection of the owner that I understand is indeed a very nice gentleman. Nov 18, there was a live band we are fond of. We went already with the idea of not ordering anything, as our previous experiences had not been good. (Salad swimming in oil, not good tsatsiki, bland falafel, etc) We caved in and ordered a pizza. First attempt, soggy wet middle. Server returned it for a re-heating. Second attempt, pizza still soggy the further center you went. Server returned it and we got a new one. the new one's crust was doughy and raw. the center was soggy. We tried to eat it regardless, but could not. The server was very kind (can't remember her name... tall, blonde, very kind). The manager... different story. His pizza was raw, it was failed twice, rather than just comping it and apologizing he decided to argue with my wife about "you ate most of it" and other arguments defending his poor food. It was not just our pizza, a friend of ours ordered the same pizza and had to go through the same process as we did, reheat and all. The Manager decided to argue, and then said he'd go and talk to the owner... he never came back, figured we tire of waiting and pay... Server apologized, and let us go. She actually knows what she is doing, trying to get us the customer to have a good experience and come back, maybe because of her. Manager, you don't argue with customers, we are not out to scam you out of a 10 dollar plate. The food is just not that good. The server was super kind, the owner is apparently a great guy, the manager is not. The food is not the best, its subpar food. As far as us eating here, not again. Sorry, but when I go out to eat, and pay for food, I expect it to be worth the money I'm paying, and this place sadly does not uphold that standard. Obviously we are the minority, so reader you might like this place, that's ok, we've personally experienced better greek food at Garbanzos.
(2)
Danielle R.
Decent Greek food and excellent service! The babaghanoush wasn't the best I've ever had but it was decent. The Greek salad that came with the meal was huge, enough to split with another person. It had great flavor, as well as the dressing, but they went a little heavy on the dressing. I'll know to ask for it on the side next time. We ordered the eggplant pita, which was "lightly fried". It was downright fried on a pita with lettuce and tomato. Nothing fantastic but still pretty good and I didn't have any leftovers. I'd go again, maybe branch out and try something different.
(3)
Mark J.
The Real Deal Greek. This place is great, and I love the souvlaki and gyro plates. Perfectly prepaired and the tzatziki sauce is homemade and tasty. Oh and for an appetizer you have to get the flaming cheese. It is so good but you can feel your heart clog as you eat it. Worth it imo. Drink and wine selection is decent, and the service was really good. The desert is the best thing about this place. They have a case with like 20 different options and they all look amazing. But we stuck with the Baklava and Chocolate Baklava. YUMYUM
(4)
Jim A.
Absolutely outstanding. How refreshing to find real food prepared on site. The walleye and catfish were not only fresh, but perfectly prepared. The crab ravioli was spectacular. What a treat. Will be back next trip over I-80.
(5)
Christina C.
I am in Lincoln for business and I have eaten here twice. I wasn't impressed the first time but I decided to give them a second chance since I love Greek food so much. I found their pita bread to be fairly tasteless. This is not bread I would eat by itself, like I do some others. I was unhappy that that the only choice of hummus had roasted red pepper. I am allergic to red pepper and hummus is one of my favorite foods and I couldn't have it. Instead of the hummas, I tried the roasted garlic and feta dip. I LOVE roasted garlic, but I did't like it at all. It was very bitter and hot. It tasted like they put a LOT of raw garlic in it and little, if no, roasted garlic. Every side dish they have is a carb. They have 2 side dishes of the day that might be vegetables. The first day they were both vegetables that I could not eat. They have a entree served with asparagus but they would not serve it to me as a side dish. The second time they had a stewed cabbage and carrot dish that was okay. It was over cooked and bland but at least it was vegetable I could eat. The Greek salad was pretty good. It had a lot of ingredients unlike a lot of restaurants. My only complaint is that there was too much dressing both times I ordered it. On the first night, I ordered the portabello chicken and it was cooked very well, I just thought the cheese overwhelmed the flavors. The second night I ordered the stuffed salmon. The "stuffing" is basically a crab cake on top of the salmon. The flavor was pretty good, but the salmon was cooked well done instead of medium or even medium well. As for the service, it seems to be hit or miss. The first night it was pretty busy and my service was good. The second night it was much slower and the service was pretty bad. The waiter came up to tell me to ask him if I had any questions. As I was starting to ask him a question, he turned and walked away. At the end of my meal I sat for 10 minutes waiting for my check. There were only 3 other tables filled at this time. I don't see how people are saying this is the best Greek food they have ever eaten. This may be the best Greek restaurant in Lincoln, but it isn't great Greek food.
(2)
Matt M.
We were in Lincoln last week and I saw this place had great reviews. Needless to say we were not impressed. The service was very odd and the food was mediocre. A few of the appetizers (stuffed grape leaves & hummus) were ok but the entrees were lackluster. The lamb was overcooked and under seasoned, the gyro meat was dry, the potatoes lacked flavor & the spanakopita was left with only one bite taken out of it.
(2)
Sam L.
Great food great staff kid and pet friendly. The best Greek food in the Midwest family ran. Wine dinners will rock your world. Bacon wine dinner will make you see the gods of Greece.
(5)
Nicki L.
All of the food we ordered was absolutely lights out. The owner is incredibly involved in his food, and he is super friendly and pleasant, as was the rest of the staff. I was truly only disappointed by the fact that I could not order every menu item and shove it in my face. The wine and beer selection is not vast, but seems to be quite solid, again, everything we ordered was perfect. I am very much looking forward to finding myself in Lincoln, NE again soon, if for nothing else, to get my hands on the calamari and baby octopus.
(5)
Derek S.
this place has decent greek food. you get large portions for the price. the staff in my opinion was attentative, but slow after giving your order. the flavors are as authentic as you will get outside of greece. the spanakopita/tiropita was good, but the fried oysters are where it's at for appetizers. thick crunchy breading with a fantastic dipping sauce packed full of flavor and spice. the mousaka was below average and almost to the point where it was mushy. however, the pastitsio or greek lasagna was very good. the dolmathes was exactly how it was supposed to taste, cooked well with traditional greek flavors. the greek fries are just steak fries, so fyi on that one. people who were with us said the stuffed salmon and gyro sandwich were delicous and highly recommended. honestly, both of those caught my eye and when my wife and i go back, that is definitely what i will be ordering.
(4)
Michael S.
The pita bread was a tad disappointing, but otherwise, nothing to complain about. I wanted to get dessert; but the entrees are generous.
(4)
Brandon P.
Best Greek food in Nebraska!
(5)
Andy A.
mediocre food, not always served hot. it is ridiculous that they push spendy wines with $10 entrees. a separate full size drink menu? all the laminated things all over the tables? and a food menu that has 4 times as many things as it should?
(1)
Wayne W.
Great Greek place...at least as far as the food is concerned. The service was horrible even though we were only one of three couples in the place. It took them forever on every course and drinks.
(3)
Wyn R.
I think the reason this place gets good reviews is that Lincoln is seriously lacking in the Greek food category. Granted, they do a few things well. But come on, how hard is a gyro. I like their appetizers, but any time I get something other than a gyro or a Greek salad, I'm disappointed. And they have no clue how to cook vegetables unless you want a vegetable that is mush. Gross. Honestly, it's mediocre at best. Just makes me miss Papa John's. The food was the same, but a lot less expensive. Plus, I really miss their Greek omelet.
(2)
Hanna D.
Vegetarians, Vegans, those Omnivores looking to please yourself and your vegetarian and vegan friends: This place is awesome, everyone can get something. You want squid? You get it. Your sister wants vegetarian mousaka covered in sheeps feta? She'll get it. Your brother has gone totally vegan - he's got a whole section of the menu to himself (first I've seen in an omnivorous restaurant - very forwardthinking), with several tasty options (orzo stuffed peppers; stuffed portabello mushrooms, to name a couple). Looking for an appetizer for everyone? Try their hummus sampler, with 5 homemade options to please everyone. The service was great, the food was delish, and I can't wait to eat my way through the veggie options on the menu.
(4)
Jim C.
Parthenon is in the same vicinity as the Runza we tried the day before, it wasn't hard at all to find. We had the Hummus appetizer, the red pepper gave it a salmon color, really tasty. I almost had the Gyro, but since that's what I always get in a greek restaurant, I went for the special - Kibbeh platter, lamb meatloaf with pine nuts, moist and full of flavor, a tad too heavy for lunch, hummus, same as the appetizer, and what looks to be tabouleh, chopped parsley, mint, tomato, lemon juice and olive oil in a small dish, they were a bit stingy with that and the pita bread, but they bring more if you ask. And of course the have Dog Tuesdays, bring your dog to the restaurant for some K9 buffet.
(4)
Bob H.
Great food, great service. We ordered a lot of items and they were all excellent. Best of all, the more Greek your choice, the better. It's the real thing. The kids loved it too and I can tell this will be their gateway to an expanded palette and taste for ethnic foods. Good atmosphere. At first I was put off by the fact that you get a drinks+appetizer menu first, without dinner menu. But to get it all at once would have been overwhelming, plus I am so happy I got those appetizers! Baklava dessert was sublime.
(5)
Brent G.
Excellent variety of Greek foods....the best I've had since I was in Greece. Good service and positive, pleasant staff.
(5)
Gabby A.
One of my favorite places here in Lincoln. Wonderful Greek/Mediterranean food! The service is probably the best I've ever received in a Lincoln restaurant, and is probably in the running for the best service I've ever received anywhere. The meat dishes are spectacular, and you should always start your meal off with a saganaki (flaming Greek cheese). I also really love the mousaka (Greek eggplant lasagna). The flavors are unique, and the portion is just right. The wine list is spectacular, and they do flights so you can try a bit of everything. End your night with one of their dozens of delicious desserts. The Parthenon is a great dining experience from beginning to end! Opa!
(5)
Dennis K.
I don't think the Greeks would recognize this food as theirs. For example, the tzatziki has a hint of garlic when it should be loaded. It's good food most of the time (kudos for that, honestly), but it's only tangentially Greek. What do you expect in Nebraska? One thing that I find annoying is that you order hummus and they give you too little bread, then they charge for more bread. Also, the wait staff are often inexperienced. To their credit, they serve Greek wine and beer, and the baklava is pretty good.
(3)
Adam R.
Average overall, but worth at least one try. Only complaint is the main dish servings were small, but sides/extras made the meals more than enough. Good atmosphere, good seasonal beer selection, would go back again if I had a coupon.
(3)
Beth B.
I love Greek food and this is the best I've found in Lincoln. Inexpensive drinks and the dinner prices are also reasonable. Start with saganaki appetizer and greek salad. Several very good appetizers. I always have the greek potatoes as a side. Make sure you check out the dessert case at the back of the restaurant!
(4)
Matthew P.
Went at around seven thirty on a Saturday night with friend. We were warmly greeted and seated immediately at a table near the back on the main dining area; while I am not a fan of tables, I did have a good view of most of the restaurant. It seemed, as one might expect on a Saturday, to be date night. With the exception of two large groups and then another table of three gays, everyone else was coupled off and leaning in closely to one another. I didn't notice the it being loud, and even though this establishment is in a strip-mall the interior was comfortable enough. The service was good. The hostess, wine guy, waiter were all very attentive. I did feel like they were pushing the wine menu a bit hard, though. Our waiter and the wine guy both suggested one of the "specials," which I think were all in excess of forty dollars. My buddy mention that it recently became legal for restaurants to re-cork bottles in Nebraska, so that probably why they were pushing it so hard. It didn't really matter to me and if the waiter had maybe suggested a cocktail after I said I wasn't having wine, he could have probably made the sale that way. However, there was an advertisement on the table to a six course wine and food pairing, which priced at $50 seemed very reasonable to me. This sort of event is likely the only reason I would return, unless I had out-of-town guests that absolutely needed Greek food on their trip to Nebraska. For dinner I had one of the "Kazas Family Recipes" which was named the Parthenon Pasta Platter. It was just fine, nothing spectacular but solidly good: pasta on a bed of spinach with shrimp, artichoke and feta cheese. The Really Good feta cheese (and the bed of spinach) is probably what made the dish for me. My side was pumpkin risotto, which I actually enjoyed more then my main course. In retrospect, I should have just ordered appetisers for dinner, as those that i could see on other tables looked good. After we were done eating, a man who I would have guessed was a manager or owner stopped by the table. He cleared out dishes and asked how everything was, eyeballing my half eaten meal. He looked genuinely concerned and I appreciated that, explaining I can rarely finish a restaurant sized portion of anything. In closing the meal, the waiter offered to split the ticket which was very nice because my friend and I were obviously not on a date. The hostess held the door open as we left the building. However, I am still only rating this establishment a three, because it is a restaurant and the food would have needed to be more memorable for me to consider myself "a fan."
(3)
Frans S.
Very nice modern decor! Friendly owners! The food is only fair however! A bit over price! Service was good! Basically just an average ho hum American restaurant but at least it's NOT a chain restaurant
(2)
Gigi F.
I was in Lincoln on business. Three of us stopped for dinner. Flaming cheese, Greek Salad, Nebraska Lamb Steak and Greek Green Beans. Baklava for dessert. The waiter was a young college kid who couldn't answer basic questions about the wine or food, but he tried really hard. The green beans were way overcooked, but everything else was delicious. I would eat there again!
(4)
Richard F.
It was a very pleasant surprise to find a great Greek place in Lincoln. I have eaten there a dozen times now and I love their food. The service is great, as well. Authentic Greek food is a wonder and a delight.
(5)
Carrie B.
WOW! This place is great! Probably the best Greek food I have ever had and definitely an unexpected find in Lincoln! The gyros are definitely the best I have ever had. We ordered a fried calamari appetizer and got a HUGE serving that was fried to perfection. Although we barely had room for the combination plate for 2 that followed, we made room for the delicious combination of meats and sides. The side dish made from orzo was tremendous, and I'd love to have the recipe! The service was just as spectacular as the food, and the waiter was very knowledgeable about the menu offerings. Very impressive place! If you'd like to have a nice, sit-down meal in Lincoln and don't mind spending a little more money than the average meal, I would absolutely recommend the Parthenon.
(5)
Cherie L.
Love it! Food rocks, service is good, and the ambiance is nice. Outdoor dining is great. They really try to serve authentic greek fare and drink. Love the lemon chicken and greek salad!
(4)
Tom H.
Incredible food and service! Menu is extensive and reasonably priced. Dessert selection is out of this world! Chef will drop by to make sure you liked the meal, very nice guy. Dog night is back! Tuesdays, bring your dog and sit outside with the other dogs! They even make special dog food!
(5)
Dan B.
This is a great little place with a lot of personality and charm. The food is usually good, regardless of what we order, and the service is typically A+. Seems to have a pretty decent wine selection and even a few decent beers, too. My usual order here is the gyro. The meat is flavorful and tender. I have also tried the whole fish (snapper, I think) and a couple of other entrees. They were all good, but I keep coming back to the gyro. The saganaki is also a typical dish we order. I have yet to be disappointed by this appetizer. It's not anything fancy, but who doesn't like flaming, melted cheese? It's a "can't miss" on the menu. The spreads are very good too, and it's worth ordering some extra pita. We've tried the baba ganoush, the hummus, and several others. My only bad memory of Parthenon is the calamari. It was greasy and over cooked both times we tried it, but that's a pretty short list. There are also a few side dishes that aren't my favorite, but every place has those. Most times, people have to figure those out for themselves.
(4)
Joel G.
I thought it was pretty darn good for Lincoln. Great service. Enjoyed the inventiveness, fusion with other cuisines. Fried Green Tomatoes. Outside seating is really nice. Didn't like having to pay for extra pita, but so it goes.
(4)
Meghan A.
I used to live in Lincoln and The Parthenon was my boyfriend and I's favorite place to go! The pita bread and hummus is AMAZING! I always get salmon, which is always cooked perfectly and tasty. Service is always great, and George is a great owner! He really cares about the patrons and takes great care of them.
(5)
Bill K.
Consistently good food and pleasant service!
(4)
Brandon B.
Parthenon has decent Greek food. We had the stuffed grape leaves and the spanakopita, and our friends each had souvlaki. All were pretty tasty. Wine samples are ample. The only complaint about any of the food was the green beans (soggy and flavorless) and the salad was slightly overdressed. The service is a bit strange. You are given only a drink+appetizer menu when you sit down, and it takes a REALLY long time to finally get the real menu. Must work for driving up the bill, but it was a bit annoying. Our waitress was too enthusiastic to be real ('Is everything AWESOME here?'). This is the second time we've had that kind of over-the-top service, so maybe it's the training. Generally, a good place to go for dinner. There are usually coupons in the newspaper to help lighten the bill.
(4)
Rosy M.
This is definitely the best Greek food in town. Great service too.
(4)
Steve W.
Went there with a group from work the other night. They have a nice variety of dishes available. I had the Greek Salad and Lamb Souvlaki and it was very good. The lamb was tender and nicely seasoned. Good wine list and not too expensive. The service was very attentive despite being quite busy. It's probably the best Greek place in Lincoln. Give it a try.
(4)
Ray S.
I'm not sure how how this place gets such good user reviews. The service was great, to be sure, but the flavors... not so much. When I ordered an entree, it came with about 4-5 total different kinds of things on it. Only one item was good. The others were average to bad. One was wayyy over-salted. It was very strange to have one good item and the rest not be good at all... I would expect that if a restaurant were bad all the food would be pretty much bad. But here the flavors were really hit or miss... but mostly miss. There are definitely better places to go out to eat in Lincoln.
(2)
Lady C.
This restaurant is oh, so good! Their waiters are pros, so much so that they have upsold my bill by at least $20 everytime I dine there, but this is only to provide a full experience, from appetizer to desert it is amazing.
(5)
Betty B.
I love the Parthenon...George, the co-owner, is so authentic...so genuinely caring about great food and new recipes, I also know that he treats his staff with dignity and lets their creativity flow, giving them the advantage to whip up new recipes and event ideas. I've never seen such a sweet restaurant tied together as a family business. Last night I had a special dish that had a subtitle of "eggplant shoes." It needs to be a regular on the menu...scrumtious!
(5)
Brandon F.
Personally I am a big fan of the parthenon. the food is excellent, and the service is good as well. The fried calamari is some of the best I have ever had, and what I rate all other calamari against. Also Sunday brunch is very good as well. Get the greek omelet, or maybe the ham and eggs. In the summer grab a seat on the patio, a nice white wine, and spend the evening overlooking the always scenic super saver parking lot.
(4)
Brad G.
If you are looking for the ultimate greek omelet, this is your place. I think they only serve it on Sundays. George, the chef and owner, is a gracious and wonderful host.
(5)
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Address :5500 S 56th St,Ste 100
Lincoln, NE, 68516
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
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.
Lady C.
This restaurant is oh, so good! Their waiters are pros, so much so that they have upsold my bill by at least $20 everytime I dine there, but this is only to provide a full experience, from appetizer to desert it is amazing.
(5)Betty B.
I love the Parthenon...George, the co-owner, is so authentic...so genuinely caring about great food and new recipes, I also know that he treats his staff with dignity and lets their creativity flow, giving them the advantage to whip up new recipes and event ideas. I've never seen such a sweet restaurant tied together as a family business. Last night I had a special dish that had a subtitle of "eggplant shoes." It needs to be a regular on the menu...scrumtious!
(5)Brandon F.
Personally I am a big fan of the parthenon. the food is excellent, and the service is good as well. The fried calamari is some of the best I have ever had, and what I rate all other calamari against. Also Sunday brunch is very good as well. Get the greek omelet, or maybe the ham and eggs. In the summer grab a seat on the patio, a nice white wine, and spend the evening overlooking the always scenic super saver parking lot.
(4)Brad G.
If you are looking for the ultimate greek omelet, this is your place. I think they only serve it on Sundays. George, the chef and owner, is a gracious and wonderful host.
(5)Don M.
I am certainly no expert on Greek food. But I know what I like. The Parthenon has consistently amazing food and superior service. Not only that but they regularly offer different and unusual cuisine outside of what you would consider "Greek." The wait staff will usually take the time to chat with you and make you feel like you are family. Stopped in today and had the beef souvlaki on rice with fried Zucchini fingers. For an apetizer I had the Potato Zucchini soup. All was delicious. One of my favorite restraunts in town. I just wish it was closer. Give them a try. OPA!
(5)Elisabeth E.
Came in here a couple weeks ago for the first time and was really pleased. I've seen the chain a few different places but never had the opportunity to try it. The restaurant has a really cute feel to it with an intimate atmosphere and adorably decorated. We were here on a weekday around dinner time and were seated and our order taken quickly. The menu has a lot of good options and it made it hard to choose, so obviously I'll just have to be back to nom again sometime soon! We decided to go with the mussels appetizer in a white wine sauce which was good but the type of mussels they had were quite a bit smaller than I'm used to, must have been a different type of mussel, but they were still good. The seafood souvlaki was awesome and the lamb shank had unbelievable flavor. There are a lot of gluten free options and I had plenty to choose from. Food quality and quantity were good, price affordable, and service excellent.. I'll be back for future noming.
(4)Lindsay G.
I felt like I need to update my review, since in our experience it seems like Parthenon has slipped the last couple times we have been. Went tonight and tried the calamari as an appetizer. The breading had good flavor, but crumbled off the second you touched it and all we were left with were plain pieces of rubbery calamari that were hard to chew. I tried the moussaka, which was ok but the top was very burned in some places as was the bottom, so I ended up not being able to eat 1/3 of it. The slaw I had as one of my sides had so much vinegar that it was completely inedible. My boyfriend's side of zucchini had so many tomatoes it should have just been called pasta sauce. The good news was that the gyro was great as always. I think from now on we'll just stick to gyros and fries.
(3)Hope G.
My boyfriend and I went there for a casual dinner and we got a five-star meal and experience. There are so many options for appetizers as well as main courses and don't even get me started on the desserts. Unfortunately we did not save room for desserts but we plan on going back for just desserts as there were so many beautiful desserts to choose from. I ordered a classic gyro with the hazelnut broccoli as my side. The broccoli was the best broccoli I have ever tasted and the gyro did not disappoint. Our server's name was Allan and he was also one of the best waiters that we have ever had. He was extremely helpful with choosing menu items and gave a wonderful description of the specials. I cannot wait to go back and try some different menu items because I know everything I try will be a delightful experience. **I only write reviews if I have a really good experience or a really bad experience. This was definitely worth taking my time to write the review**
(5)Jeffrey D.
To be honest I sort of knew what to expect. They cater every week at work. The food is good and lots of it. I get the gyros at work and they are loaded with meat and come with a huge salad. We opted for a slightly different menu. The pita break was super fresh and so good, a great start was the humus sampler. The entrees were very good too. The service was also good. Overall a great place for taste, value, and service.
(4)Erik Y.
From Yelp: Best Greek Restaurant in Lincoln. They know how to do Greek food, and the atmosphere and menu is full of good options. My personal favorite is the lamb suouvlaki. It is perfectly seasoned and very tasty. For an appetizer you really want to try the Saganaki, it is a large piece of cheese they set on fire. Very cool presentation and tastes great. Their gyro entrée is also very good with homemade tzatziki sauce (mix of yogurt, cucumbers, garlic, sault, olive oil, lemon juice and dill.) The flavor is great and the pita bread is excellent. They tend to put to much dressings on their salads so you may want to tell them to go easy on their dressing or have it on the side and add it yourself. For dessert they have a ton of great options like Baklava, melomakarona cookies, and other assorted cakes and pastries that have a combination of honey, nuts, chocolates, and cakes. You could probably eat something different over 15 different visits and enjoy them all. They also cater, and I have used them to cater a few events and they always do a nice job.
(4)Kimberly M.
We visited Parthenon for a date night 1/31/2015. Due to eating preferences and food allergies between the two of us, we often choose chains so that nutrition/allergen information is readily available. I'm always nervous to try local places for those reasons, even though I would truthfully prefer to support local establishments. Anyway, I can tell you the food was fantastic. I'll describe some of those dishes below. But I also want to say that I mentioned my food allergy to the server who assured me I would be taken care of only to disappear and come back a few minutes later with the owner. I'm ashamed to say I've forgotten both of their names now (I think our server was Judy?)... but I will absolutely not forget that kind of customer service. The owner said to me that he has a relative with food allergies and was very kind about answering any questions I had or making any needed modifications to my meal selections. I've had proprietors at other establishments openly display their annoyance before, so this was a most welcome and relieving helpfulness. When you treat a customer that way, you are guaranteed to have my business and support. Now, onto the food. Appetizers- hummus was very flavorful and the pita bread was substituted with fresh cut veggies (celery, carrots, cucumbers). I usually eat hummus with some kind of chip or bread but this was a healthy alternative that I'm now actually going to enjoy in my own snack-life! We read a lot about the flaming cheese... will have to try that next time! For the meals, I had a difficult time deciding between the lamb and seafood souvlaki. The owner described the seafood souvlaki as his most underappreciated dish that he personally prides himself on. But I was really hankering for the lamb, so the seafood will be my choice the next time. The seasoning was perfect and the meat was well cooked. The first bite had me saying "mmm" so that's always a good sign. The rice pilaf and the "side of the day" (green beans tossed in a light oil) were also very flavorful. My boyfriend chose the stuffed salmon with rice pilaf and the lobster bisque soup. He said that the salmon was great, the rice was very good, and the lobster bisque was amazing. I didn't choose to order any but I did sample a bite of his.... and I'll definitely have some of that next time! No dessert for us. I did enjoy some Greek wine. That was a new one for me but I really enjoyed the wide variety of options and the selection I made (after a recommendation from the server) was paired well with my meal (can't remember the name of that, either). Overall, a 5-star experience for the food and the level of customer service we received.
(5)Nicki L.
All of the food we ordered was absolutely lights out. The owner is incredibly involved in his food, and he is super friendly and pleasant, as was the rest of the staff. I was truly only disappointed by the fact that I could not order every menu item and shove it in my face. The wine and beer selection is not vast, but seems to be quite solid, again, everything we ordered was perfect. I am very much looking forward to finding myself in Lincoln, NE again soon, if for nothing else, to get my hands on the calamari and baby octopus.
(5)Peggy N.
I am visiting Lincoln, NE for two weeks and tried this restaurant as it located near my hotel and came highly recommended by coworkers. I decided to get my order to go and just hunker down in my room for the night but restaurant is really adorable so I may need to come back and eat in while I am here. I sat at the bar to order and noticed a large beer selection for such a small bar. The bartender was quite friendly so I ordered a beer and sipped while I purused the extensive menu. The selection was large and everything sounded yummy. Not only did they have their daily selection but also specials of the day including daily specials on sides and desserts. I finally selected the Chicken Souvlaki which came with pita and rice and a choice of one side. I chose one of the daily side specials, roasted beet salad. The chicken was grilled and delicious. The beet salad was unique in that it was incredibly spicy! But super yummy. I love beets so it is hard to go wrong. I will go back while I am in town to try something different simply because all of the choices looked equally good. Also good to note: they have several vegetarian choices and a separate vegan menu. And the appetizer menu had many fantastic looking choices as well!
(4)Tore L.
Pet friendly on the patio! Excellent service!
(5)Brittany S.
The Parthenon is, by far, one of the best restaurants in Lincoln! To start, the appetizers are amazing! I would highly recommend the souvlaki (flaming cheese). It gets even better with fresh and delicious entrees. Almost all the pastries here are flown in from the Greek fishing village, Tarpon Springs in Florida and are authentic, fresh and delicious! There are always tons to choose from! The owner is always very friendly and helpful, as are all the servers! I've never had a bad service experience here!
(5)FS O.
REALLY nice people running this place. However, that's about all I can rave about in a positive way. I have had Greek food many times in many places, including Greece. Let me assure you, THIS IS NOT GREEK FOOD!!! This is better categorized as "Food by Americans with a Greek last name who have forgotten how to cook Greek food." The Greek potatoes were steak fries -- 'nuf said.
(2)AC C.
This little gem of a restaurant is a big reason to miss Lincoln... Oh so delicious... We went for a Sunday brunch when I went back for a visit. The atmosphere of this restaurant is so perfect for catching up and eating great food. One friend ordered the Greek omelete and pancakes. That omelet was beautiful! Stuffed with feta and gyro meat and tsatziki. Looked so good. He said the potatoes were crispy and tasty as well. The pancakes were so light and fluffy...and was that a hint of lemon?!?! My best friend ordered lamb souvlaki which is always our favorite dish. Yummmmm. I ordered a rare lamb burger because I know they do a great job of grinding their own and the seasoning is always just right. OMG was it tasty...and huge! Probably a half pound of lamb! They have special side dishes for brunch, and on this day, they had a pumpernickel stuffing. I am still dreaming about that delicious dish. It was like pumpernickel bread pudding. Super crispy on the outside and tender and fluffy on the inside. Stuffed with onions and that bread was incredible. Had to be homemade bread. So good. It was a huge piece and I took it back to my family gathered at the hotel, and they thought it was so good that a group of about ten headed straight over to the Parthenon for lamb souvlaki, stuffing, and a tray of desserts. The only boo for the whole meal was the coffee...none of us liked it. Weak and flavorless, reminiscent of a bad diner. Did not fit with the rest of the experience! The service was really good and the owner truly cares about customer satisfaction and high quality dishes. Lucky Lincoln!!!
(4)Josep A.
So. We've eaten here several times. A couple of weeks ago was our last. Im going to disagree with the notion that the place serves amazing food. Not a reflection of the owner that I understand is indeed a very nice gentleman. Nov 18, there was a live band we are fond of. We went already with the idea of not ordering anything, as our previous experiences had not been good. (Salad swimming in oil, not good tsatsiki, bland falafel, etc) We caved in and ordered a pizza. First attempt, soggy wet middle. Server returned it for a re-heating. Second attempt, pizza still soggy the further center you went. Server returned it and we got a new one. the new one's crust was doughy and raw. the center was soggy. We tried to eat it regardless, but could not. The server was very kind (can't remember her name... tall, blonde, very kind). The manager... different story. His pizza was raw, it was failed twice, rather than just comping it and apologizing he decided to argue with my wife about "you ate most of it" and other arguments defending his poor food. It was not just our pizza, a friend of ours ordered the same pizza and had to go through the same process as we did, reheat and all. The Manager decided to argue, and then said he'd go and talk to the owner... he never came back, figured we tire of waiting and pay... Server apologized, and let us go. She actually knows what she is doing, trying to get us the customer to have a good experience and come back, maybe because of her. Manager, you don't argue with customers, we are not out to scam you out of a 10 dollar plate. The food is just not that good. The server was super kind, the owner is apparently a great guy, the manager is not. The food is not the best, its subpar food. As far as us eating here, not again. Sorry, but when I go out to eat, and pay for food, I expect it to be worth the money I'm paying, and this place sadly does not uphold that standard. Obviously we are the minority, so reader you might like this place, that's ok, we've personally experienced better greek food at Garbanzos.
(2)Mark J.
The Real Deal Greek. This place is great, and I love the souvlaki and gyro plates. Perfectly prepaired and the tzatziki sauce is homemade and tasty. Oh and for an appetizer you have to get the flaming cheese. It is so good but you can feel your heart clog as you eat it. Worth it imo. Drink and wine selection is decent, and the service was really good. The desert is the best thing about this place. They have a case with like 20 different options and they all look amazing. But we stuck with the Baklava and Chocolate Baklava. YUMYUM
(4)Anush J.
First time here. Came to the city to take an exam. I ordered the lamb souvlaki combination - it came with the souvlaki and gyro meat. The gyro was soft and flavorful without being greasy. The souvlaki was more chewy than I would have liked, but I enjoyed the overall taste. The fried jalapeño side was very good - with a bland sauce to cool the sour spicy jalapeños. The rice was good but had many uncooked grains in it.
(4)Echo D.
Very impressived restaurant in lincoln. The owner say hi and thanks to all customers when they leave. They have many different kinds of Greek Mediterranean menu. I really liked humus sample.
(4)Derek S.
this place has decent greek food. you get large portions for the price. the staff in my opinion was attentative, but slow after giving your order. the flavors are as authentic as you will get outside of greece. the spanakopita/tiropita was good, but the fried oysters are where it's at for appetizers. thick crunchy breading with a fantastic dipping sauce packed full of flavor and spice. the mousaka was below average and almost to the point where it was mushy. however, the pastitsio or greek lasagna was very good. the dolmathes was exactly how it was supposed to taste, cooked well with traditional greek flavors. the greek fries are just steak fries, so fyi on that one. people who were with us said the stuffed salmon and gyro sandwich were delicous and highly recommended. honestly, both of those caught my eye and when my wife and i go back, that is definitely what i will be ordering.
(4)Michael S.
The pita bread was a tad disappointing, but otherwise, nothing to complain about. I wanted to get dessert; but the entrees are generous.
(4)Brandon P.
Best Greek food in Nebraska!
(5)Wyn R.
I think the reason this place gets good reviews is that Lincoln is seriously lacking in the Greek food category. Granted, they do a few things well. But come on, how hard is a gyro. I like their appetizers, but any time I get something other than a gyro or a Greek salad, I'm disappointed. And they have no clue how to cook vegetables unless you want a vegetable that is mush. Gross. Honestly, it's mediocre at best. Just makes me miss Papa John's. The food was the same, but a lot less expensive. Plus, I really miss their Greek omelet.
(2)Danielle R.
Decent Greek food and excellent service! The babaghanoush wasn't the best I've ever had but it was decent. The Greek salad that came with the meal was huge, enough to split with another person. It had great flavor, as well as the dressing, but they went a little heavy on the dressing. I'll know to ask for it on the side next time. We ordered the eggplant pita, which was "lightly fried". It was downright fried on a pita with lettuce and tomato. Nothing fantastic but still pretty good and I didn't have any leftovers. I'd go again, maybe branch out and try something different.
(3)John R.
A staple in our date night restaurant repertoire. Consistently good food. As far as appetizers, get the hummus sampler. While the Spanikopita and Tiropita are really good, we've fallen hard for the hummus. My favorite would have to be the sun dried tomato hummus-tastes like pizza with a little zing to it. I could just about live on Parthenon hummus. I've had several of the main dishes. I had the lamb a few years ago on Easter. It was perfect. No complaints at all. The gyros are also really good. But the entres cannot compare to what I believe is the ultimate expression of the pasta side: the kritharaki. Get it. Get an extra side of it and take it home. Simple orzo pasta, olive oil and tomato sauce and yet all those flavors combine to form a unique taste that I cannot get enough of ever. My wife has tried making it at home and come pretty darn close but the Parthenon's recipe is not to be duplicated. Let me repeat myself: Get some of it. You want some. Then, if you're not stuffed to the gills by the generous portions, go shop the dessert cases. I have had several of their desserts, I have no recommendations-you simply can't make a bad choice.
(5)Steven D.
Great food. Had the gyro sandwich with a caprese salad. Great balsamic vinegar. Wait staff was very courteous and attentive.
(5)Reed N.
I had the Athenian salad and added gyro meat for a quick, filling business lunch. It is romaine lettuce, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, capers, feta cheese, black olives and is topped with anchovies. I forgot about the anchovies and was diving in pretty hard when I thought something was wrong with the gyro meat! LOL They put about 8 anchovies on top and I had about 4 in one bite. That will wake you up! Everything else on the salad is simple and good. It comes with a quartered pita. My only complaint was the dressing. There was too much of it. It would probably be best served on the side so you can control the amount.
(4)Wesley B.
I can't say enough good stuff about this place. The food is terrific, the staff is very friendly, it's just a great place to eat. I'd recommend this to anyone.
(5)Derek B.
Very good atmosphere, food was good, but, not great. I wish they had a 3.5 stars. That would be my rating. I don't think the food was quite as good as King Kong's overall, but, had a better atmosphere and service for a "date night". I would go back if in the area, but, I wouldn't make a special trip. Had the Gyro Platter. Meat was good. I ordered extra meat and couldn't really tell the difference from those who had the regular portion. I wasn't overly impressed with the Greek Potato. Sald as good. Their Tzaziki sauce was very good, probably the best I've had in Nebraska. Again, not bad, just didn't meet my expectations.
(3)Katy P.
Love it! The broiled baby octopus app is one of the best things I've ever eaten. The saganaki is really good, too. For entrees everything I've ever tasted is great. favs so far are Braised Lamb shank which is amazing, and veggie moussaka! I love their pilaf, and the Greek fries are a must. The deserts are out of this world. 3 people could easily share a pastes... So rich!!!! But delicious. This has become my favorite place in Lincoln.
(5)Dani W.
Came in around 9 on a Thursday. The staff was great even though we left right at closing, they were attentive and pleasant. We got the flaming cheese and it was pretty good, at least get it once for the effect! I had the jump spankopatia and it was good, but ill get something else next time. The corn and black bean side was delicious as was the taziki sauce. The pita bread was light and complimented both the cheese and my friends gyro. We finished with some baklava that I also recommend. I felt like we ate a lot of food and the price was very reasonable.
(4)Brad B.
The food was all good. The Saganaki was superior. The leg of lamb was 50/50...a little on the dry side but good effort. Here's what pisses me off: the unannounced upsell. I asked the waitress if I could substitute a cup of soup for one of my sides. "Sure," she replied. Then there's a $1.99 extra charge on the bill. "Do you want some pita on the side?" she asked. "Sure," I said. Then there's an extra charge on the bill. It didn't amount to much but it would be SO much better if she had told us.
(2)Andy A.
mediocre food, not always served hot. it is ridiculous that they push spendy wines with $10 entrees. a separate full size drink menu? all the laminated things all over the tables? and a food menu that has 4 times as many things as it should?
(1)Wayne W.
Great Greek place...at least as far as the food is concerned. The service was horrible even though we were only one of three couples in the place. It took them forever on every course and drinks.
(3)Dennis K.
I don't think the Greeks would recognize this food as theirs. For example, the tzatziki has a hint of garlic when it should be loaded. It's good food most of the time (kudos for that, honestly), but it's only tangentially Greek. What do you expect in Nebraska? One thing that I find annoying is that you order hummus and they give you too little bread, then they charge for more bread. Also, the wait staff are often inexperienced. To their credit, they serve Greek wine and beer, and the baklava is pretty good.
(3)Hanna D.
Vegetarians, Vegans, those Omnivores looking to please yourself and your vegetarian and vegan friends: This place is awesome, everyone can get something. You want squid? You get it. Your sister wants vegetarian mousaka covered in sheeps feta? She'll get it. Your brother has gone totally vegan - he's got a whole section of the menu to himself (first I've seen in an omnivorous restaurant - very forwardthinking), with several tasty options (orzo stuffed peppers; stuffed portabello mushrooms, to name a couple). Looking for an appetizer for everyone? Try their hummus sampler, with 5 homemade options to please everyone. The service was great, the food was delish, and I can't wait to eat my way through the veggie options on the menu.
(4)Jim C.
Parthenon is in the same vicinity as the Runza we tried the day before, it wasn't hard at all to find. We had the Hummus appetizer, the red pepper gave it a salmon color, really tasty. I almost had the Gyro, but since that's what I always get in a greek restaurant, I went for the special - Kibbeh platter, lamb meatloaf with pine nuts, moist and full of flavor, a tad too heavy for lunch, hummus, same as the appetizer, and what looks to be tabouleh, chopped parsley, mint, tomato, lemon juice and olive oil in a small dish, they were a bit stingy with that and the pita bread, but they bring more if you ask. And of course the have Dog Tuesdays, bring your dog to the restaurant for some K9 buffet.
(4)Bob H.
Great food, great service. We ordered a lot of items and they were all excellent. Best of all, the more Greek your choice, the better. It's the real thing. The kids loved it too and I can tell this will be their gateway to an expanded palette and taste for ethnic foods. Good atmosphere. At first I was put off by the fact that you get a drinks+appetizer menu first, without dinner menu. But to get it all at once would have been overwhelming, plus I am so happy I got those appetizers! Baklava dessert was sublime.
(5)Brent G.
Excellent variety of Greek foods....the best I've had since I was in Greece. Good service and positive, pleasant staff.
(5)Gabby A.
One of my favorite places here in Lincoln. Wonderful Greek/Mediterranean food! The service is probably the best I've ever received in a Lincoln restaurant, and is probably in the running for the best service I've ever received anywhere. The meat dishes are spectacular, and you should always start your meal off with a saganaki (flaming Greek cheese). I also really love the mousaka (Greek eggplant lasagna). The flavors are unique, and the portion is just right. The wine list is spectacular, and they do flights so you can try a bit of everything. End your night with one of their dozens of delicious desserts. The Parthenon is a great dining experience from beginning to end! Opa!
(5)Bill K.
Consistently good food and pleasant service!
(4)Jim A.
Absolutely outstanding. How refreshing to find real food prepared on site. The walleye and catfish were not only fresh, but perfectly prepared. The crab ravioli was spectacular. What a treat. Will be back next trip over I-80.
(5)Ashley K.
Just moved to lincoln and this was the first place we stopped to eat. We will definitely be regulars!! We have been back time and time again and have never been disappointed!!! The owner, George, is always out serving guests and will stop to chat you up if there isn't a large dinner crowd!!!
(4)Roger B.
Walked into the Parthenon and was greeted by a large dining area, fortunately split into what amounted to separate rooms. We were early enough that there was no wait for a table. As large as the place is, there was a line waiting for service when we left. Amazing. My wife and I started with the dolmathes platter. They weren't bad, a nicely flavored mix of meat and rice drizzled with some type of lemon sauce. I had the gyro platter with Greek fries. There was something about the Greek fries that tasted off. I don't know if it was the spices or what. My wife ordered the moussaka with the vegetables of the day. She had no complaints about the meal. The Baklava for dessert was good. I did see on the menu that there were vegetarian options.
(3)Randy P.
AMAZING...AMAZING...AMAZING! What more can I say about this place. Eat here at least once a week; can't get enough of their authentic Greek food; try a special they will blow your taste buds out of the water. Great, fun group of employees and owner(s) who always stop by to make sure everything is perfect. Yes the food takes time to come out, yes it's cooked fresh to order, and YES I'll wait a little longer for my order; it's well worth it.
(5)Lelay P.
This place is over-priced, food was okay, the servers are nice but I honestly wouldn't come here again if I'm paying. It's just not worth MY money.
(3)Matt M.
We were in Lincoln last week and I saw this place had great reviews. Needless to say we were not impressed. The service was very odd and the food was mediocre. A few of the appetizers (stuffed grape leaves & hummus) were ok but the entrees were lackluster. The lamb was overcooked and under seasoned, the gyro meat was dry, the potatoes lacked flavor & the spanakopita was left with only one bite taken out of it.
(2)Sam L.
Great food great staff kid and pet friendly. The best Greek food in the Midwest family ran. Wine dinners will rock your world. Bacon wine dinner will make you see the gods of Greece.
(5)Christina C.
I am in Lincoln for business and I have eaten here twice. I wasn't impressed the first time but I decided to give them a second chance since I love Greek food so much. I found their pita bread to be fairly tasteless. This is not bread I would eat by itself, like I do some others. I was unhappy that that the only choice of hummus had roasted red pepper. I am allergic to red pepper and hummus is one of my favorite foods and I couldn't have it. Instead of the hummas, I tried the roasted garlic and feta dip. I LOVE roasted garlic, but I did't like it at all. It was very bitter and hot. It tasted like they put a LOT of raw garlic in it and little, if no, roasted garlic. Every side dish they have is a carb. They have 2 side dishes of the day that might be vegetables. The first day they were both vegetables that I could not eat. They have a entree served with asparagus but they would not serve it to me as a side dish. The second time they had a stewed cabbage and carrot dish that was okay. It was over cooked and bland but at least it was vegetable I could eat. The Greek salad was pretty good. It had a lot of ingredients unlike a lot of restaurants. My only complaint is that there was too much dressing both times I ordered it. On the first night, I ordered the portabello chicken and it was cooked very well, I just thought the cheese overwhelmed the flavors. The second night I ordered the stuffed salmon. The "stuffing" is basically a crab cake on top of the salmon. The flavor was pretty good, but the salmon was cooked well done instead of medium or even medium well. As for the service, it seems to be hit or miss. The first night it was pretty busy and my service was good. The second night it was much slower and the service was pretty bad. The waiter came up to tell me to ask him if I had any questions. As I was starting to ask him a question, he turned and walked away. At the end of my meal I sat for 10 minutes waiting for my check. There were only 3 other tables filled at this time. I don't see how people are saying this is the best Greek food they have ever eaten. This may be the best Greek restaurant in Lincoln, but it isn't great Greek food.
(2)Adam R.
Average overall, but worth at least one try. Only complaint is the main dish servings were small, but sides/extras made the meals more than enough. Good atmosphere, good seasonal beer selection, would go back again if I had a coupon.
(3)Beth B.
I love Greek food and this is the best I've found in Lincoln. Inexpensive drinks and the dinner prices are also reasonable. Start with saganaki appetizer and greek salad. Several very good appetizers. I always have the greek potatoes as a side. Make sure you check out the dessert case at the back of the restaurant!
(4)Matthew P.
Went at around seven thirty on a Saturday night with friend. We were warmly greeted and seated immediately at a table near the back on the main dining area; while I am not a fan of tables, I did have a good view of most of the restaurant. It seemed, as one might expect on a Saturday, to be date night. With the exception of two large groups and then another table of three gays, everyone else was coupled off and leaning in closely to one another. I didn't notice the it being loud, and even though this establishment is in a strip-mall the interior was comfortable enough. The service was good. The hostess, wine guy, waiter were all very attentive. I did feel like they were pushing the wine menu a bit hard, though. Our waiter and the wine guy both suggested one of the "specials," which I think were all in excess of forty dollars. My buddy mention that it recently became legal for restaurants to re-cork bottles in Nebraska, so that probably why they were pushing it so hard. It didn't really matter to me and if the waiter had maybe suggested a cocktail after I said I wasn't having wine, he could have probably made the sale that way. However, there was an advertisement on the table to a six course wine and food pairing, which priced at $50 seemed very reasonable to me. This sort of event is likely the only reason I would return, unless I had out-of-town guests that absolutely needed Greek food on their trip to Nebraska. For dinner I had one of the "Kazas Family Recipes" which was named the Parthenon Pasta Platter. It was just fine, nothing spectacular but solidly good: pasta on a bed of spinach with shrimp, artichoke and feta cheese. The Really Good feta cheese (and the bed of spinach) is probably what made the dish for me. My side was pumpkin risotto, which I actually enjoyed more then my main course. In retrospect, I should have just ordered appetisers for dinner, as those that i could see on other tables looked good. After we were done eating, a man who I would have guessed was a manager or owner stopped by the table. He cleared out dishes and asked how everything was, eyeballing my half eaten meal. He looked genuinely concerned and I appreciated that, explaining I can rarely finish a restaurant sized portion of anything. In closing the meal, the waiter offered to split the ticket which was very nice because my friend and I were obviously not on a date. The hostess held the door open as we left the building. However, I am still only rating this establishment a three, because it is a restaurant and the food would have needed to be more memorable for me to consider myself "a fan."
(3)Frans S.
Very nice modern decor! Friendly owners! The food is only fair however! A bit over price! Service was good! Basically just an average ho hum American restaurant but at least it's NOT a chain restaurant
(2)Gigi F.
I was in Lincoln on business. Three of us stopped for dinner. Flaming cheese, Greek Salad, Nebraska Lamb Steak and Greek Green Beans. Baklava for dessert. The waiter was a young college kid who couldn't answer basic questions about the wine or food, but he tried really hard. The green beans were way overcooked, but everything else was delicious. I would eat there again!
(4)Richard F.
It was a very pleasant surprise to find a great Greek place in Lincoln. I have eaten there a dozen times now and I love their food. The service is great, as well. Authentic Greek food is a wonder and a delight.
(5)Tom H.
Incredible food and service! Menu is extensive and reasonably priced. Dessert selection is out of this world! Chef will drop by to make sure you liked the meal, very nice guy. Dog night is back! Tuesdays, bring your dog and sit outside with the other dogs! They even make special dog food!
(5)Dan B.
This is a great little place with a lot of personality and charm. The food is usually good, regardless of what we order, and the service is typically A+. Seems to have a pretty decent wine selection and even a few decent beers, too. My usual order here is the gyro. The meat is flavorful and tender. I have also tried the whole fish (snapper, I think) and a couple of other entrees. They were all good, but I keep coming back to the gyro. The saganaki is also a typical dish we order. I have yet to be disappointed by this appetizer. It's not anything fancy, but who doesn't like flaming, melted cheese? It's a "can't miss" on the menu. The spreads are very good too, and it's worth ordering some extra pita. We've tried the baba ganoush, the hummus, and several others. My only bad memory of Parthenon is the calamari. It was greasy and over cooked both times we tried it, but that's a pretty short list. There are also a few side dishes that aren't my favorite, but every place has those. Most times, people have to figure those out for themselves.
(4)Joel G.
I thought it was pretty darn good for Lincoln. Great service. Enjoyed the inventiveness, fusion with other cuisines. Fried Green Tomatoes. Outside seating is really nice. Didn't like having to pay for extra pita, but so it goes.
(4)Meghan A.
I used to live in Lincoln and The Parthenon was my boyfriend and I's favorite place to go! The pita bread and hummus is AMAZING! I always get salmon, which is always cooked perfectly and tasty. Service is always great, and George is a great owner! He really cares about the patrons and takes great care of them.
(5)Carrie B.
WOW! This place is great! Probably the best Greek food I have ever had and definitely an unexpected find in Lincoln! The gyros are definitely the best I have ever had. We ordered a fried calamari appetizer and got a HUGE serving that was fried to perfection. Although we barely had room for the combination plate for 2 that followed, we made room for the delicious combination of meats and sides. The side dish made from orzo was tremendous, and I'd love to have the recipe! The service was just as spectacular as the food, and the waiter was very knowledgeable about the menu offerings. Very impressive place! If you'd like to have a nice, sit-down meal in Lincoln and don't mind spending a little more money than the average meal, I would absolutely recommend the Parthenon.
(5)Cherie L.
Love it! Food rocks, service is good, and the ambiance is nice. Outdoor dining is great. They really try to serve authentic greek fare and drink. Love the lemon chicken and greek salad!
(4)Brandon B.
Parthenon has decent Greek food. We had the stuffed grape leaves and the spanakopita, and our friends each had souvlaki. All were pretty tasty. Wine samples are ample. The only complaint about any of the food was the green beans (soggy and flavorless) and the salad was slightly overdressed. The service is a bit strange. You are given only a drink+appetizer menu when you sit down, and it takes a REALLY long time to finally get the real menu. Must work for driving up the bill, but it was a bit annoying. Our waitress was too enthusiastic to be real ('Is everything AWESOME here?'). This is the second time we've had that kind of over-the-top service, so maybe it's the training. Generally, a good place to go for dinner. There are usually coupons in the newspaper to help lighten the bill.
(4)Rosy M.
This is definitely the best Greek food in town. Great service too.
(4)Steve W.
Went there with a group from work the other night. They have a nice variety of dishes available. I had the Greek Salad and Lamb Souvlaki and it was very good. The lamb was tender and nicely seasoned. Good wine list and not too expensive. The service was very attentive despite being quite busy. It's probably the best Greek place in Lincoln. Give it a try.
(4)Ray S.
I'm not sure how how this place gets such good user reviews. The service was great, to be sure, but the flavors... not so much. When I ordered an entree, it came with about 4-5 total different kinds of things on it. Only one item was good. The others were average to bad. One was wayyy over-salted. It was very strange to have one good item and the rest not be good at all... I would expect that if a restaurant were bad all the food would be pretty much bad. But here the flavors were really hit or miss... but mostly miss. There are definitely better places to go out to eat in Lincoln.
(2)Don M.
I am certainly no expert on Greek food. But I know what I like. The Parthenon has consistently amazing food and superior service. Not only that but they regularly offer different and unusual cuisine outside of what you would consider "Greek." The wait staff will usually take the time to chat with you and make you feel like you are family. Stopped in today and had the beef souvlaki on rice with fried Zucchini fingers. For an apetizer I had the Potato Zucchini soup. All was delicious. One of my favorite restraunts in town. I just wish it was closer. Give them a try. OPA!
(5)Lindsay G.
I felt like I need to update my review, since in our experience it seems like Parthenon has slipped the last couple times we have been. Went tonight and tried the calamari as an appetizer. The breading had good flavor, but crumbled off the second you touched it and all we were left with were plain pieces of rubbery calamari that were hard to chew. I tried the moussaka, which was ok but the top was very burned in some places as was the bottom, so I ended up not being able to eat 1/3 of it. The slaw I had as one of my sides had so much vinegar that it was completely inedible. My boyfriend's side of zucchini had so many tomatoes it should have just been called pasta sauce. The good news was that the gyro was great as always. I think from now on we'll just stick to gyros and fries.
(3)Hope G.
My boyfriend and I went there for a casual dinner and we got a five-star meal and experience. There are so many options for appetizers as well as main courses and don't even get me started on the desserts. Unfortunately we did not save room for desserts but we plan on going back for just desserts as there were so many beautiful desserts to choose from. I ordered a classic gyro with the hazelnut broccoli as my side. The broccoli was the best broccoli I have ever tasted and the gyro did not disappoint. Our server's name was Allan and he was also one of the best waiters that we have ever had. He was extremely helpful with choosing menu items and gave a wonderful description of the specials. I cannot wait to go back and try some different menu items because I know everything I try will be a delightful experience. **I only write reviews if I have a really good experience or a really bad experience. This was definitely worth taking my time to write the review**
(5)Jeffrey D.
To be honest I sort of knew what to expect. They cater every week at work. The food is good and lots of it. I get the gyros at work and they are loaded with meat and come with a huge salad. We opted for a slightly different menu. The pita break was super fresh and so good, a great start was the humus sampler. The entrees were very good too. The service was also good. Overall a great place for taste, value, and service.
(4)Erik Y.
From Yelp: Best Greek Restaurant in Lincoln. They know how to do Greek food, and the atmosphere and menu is full of good options. My personal favorite is the lamb suouvlaki. It is perfectly seasoned and very tasty. For an appetizer you really want to try the Saganaki, it is a large piece of cheese they set on fire. Very cool presentation and tastes great. Their gyro entrée is also very good with homemade tzatziki sauce (mix of yogurt, cucumbers, garlic, sault, olive oil, lemon juice and dill.) The flavor is great and the pita bread is excellent. They tend to put to much dressings on their salads so you may want to tell them to go easy on their dressing or have it on the side and add it yourself. For dessert they have a ton of great options like Baklava, melomakarona cookies, and other assorted cakes and pastries that have a combination of honey, nuts, chocolates, and cakes. You could probably eat something different over 15 different visits and enjoy them all. They also cater, and I have used them to cater a few events and they always do a nice job.
(4)Katy P.
Love it! The broiled baby octopus app is one of the best things I've ever eaten. The saganaki is really good, too. For entrees everything I've ever tasted is great. favs so far are Braised Lamb shank which is amazing, and veggie moussaka! I love their pilaf, and the Greek fries are a must. The deserts are out of this world. 3 people could easily share a pastes... So rich!!!! But delicious. This has become my favorite place in Lincoln.
(5)John R.
A staple in our date night restaurant repertoire. Consistently good food. As far as appetizers, get the hummus sampler. While the Spanikopita and Tiropita are really good, we've fallen hard for the hummus. My favorite would have to be the sun dried tomato hummus-tastes like pizza with a little zing to it. I could just about live on Parthenon hummus. I've had several of the main dishes. I had the lamb a few years ago on Easter. It was perfect. No complaints at all. The gyros are also really good. But the entres cannot compare to what I believe is the ultimate expression of the pasta side: the kritharaki. Get it. Get an extra side of it and take it home. Simple orzo pasta, olive oil and tomato sauce and yet all those flavors combine to form a unique taste that I cannot get enough of ever. My wife has tried making it at home and come pretty darn close but the Parthenon's recipe is not to be duplicated. Let me repeat myself: Get some of it. You want some. Then, if you're not stuffed to the gills by the generous portions, go shop the dessert cases. I have had several of their desserts, I have no recommendations-you simply can't make a bad choice.
(5)Steven D.
Great food. Had the gyro sandwich with a caprese salad. Great balsamic vinegar. Wait staff was very courteous and attentive.
(5)Reed N.
I had the Athenian salad and added gyro meat for a quick, filling business lunch. It is romaine lettuce, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, capers, feta cheese, black olives and is topped with anchovies. I forgot about the anchovies and was diving in pretty hard when I thought something was wrong with the gyro meat! LOL They put about 8 anchovies on top and I had about 4 in one bite. That will wake you up! Everything else on the salad is simple and good. It comes with a quartered pita. My only complaint was the dressing. There was too much of it. It would probably be best served on the side so you can control the amount.
(4)Wesley B.
I can't say enough good stuff about this place. The food is terrific, the staff is very friendly, it's just a great place to eat. I'd recommend this to anyone.
(5)Derek B.
Very good atmosphere, food was good, but, not great. I wish they had a 3.5 stars. That would be my rating. I don't think the food was quite as good as King Kong's overall, but, had a better atmosphere and service for a "date night". I would go back if in the area, but, I wouldn't make a special trip. Had the Gyro Platter. Meat was good. I ordered extra meat and couldn't really tell the difference from those who had the regular portion. I wasn't overly impressed with the Greek Potato. Sald as good. Their Tzaziki sauce was very good, probably the best I've had in Nebraska. Again, not bad, just didn't meet my expectations.
(3)Ashley K.
Just moved to lincoln and this was the first place we stopped to eat. We will definitely be regulars!! We have been back time and time again and have never been disappointed!!! The owner, George, is always out serving guests and will stop to chat you up if there isn't a large dinner crowd!!!
(4)Roger B.
Walked into the Parthenon and was greeted by a large dining area, fortunately split into what amounted to separate rooms. We were early enough that there was no wait for a table. As large as the place is, there was a line waiting for service when we left. Amazing. My wife and I started with the dolmathes platter. They weren't bad, a nicely flavored mix of meat and rice drizzled with some type of lemon sauce. I had the gyro platter with Greek fries. There was something about the Greek fries that tasted off. I don't know if it was the spices or what. My wife ordered the moussaka with the vegetables of the day. She had no complaints about the meal. The Baklava for dessert was good. I did see on the menu that there were vegetarian options.
(3)Randy P.
AMAZING...AMAZING...AMAZING! What more can I say about this place. Eat here at least once a week; can't get enough of their authentic Greek food; try a special they will blow your taste buds out of the water. Great, fun group of employees and owner(s) who always stop by to make sure everything is perfect. Yes the food takes time to come out, yes it's cooked fresh to order, and YES I'll wait a little longer for my order; it's well worth it.
(5)Lelay P.
This place is over-priced, food was okay, the servers are nice but I honestly wouldn't come here again if I'm paying. It's just not worth MY money.
(3)Elisabeth E.
Came in here a couple weeks ago for the first time and was really pleased. I've seen the chain a few different places but never had the opportunity to try it. The restaurant has a really cute feel to it with an intimate atmosphere and adorably decorated. We were here on a weekday around dinner time and were seated and our order taken quickly. The menu has a lot of good options and it made it hard to choose, so obviously I'll just have to be back to nom again sometime soon! We decided to go with the mussels appetizer in a white wine sauce which was good but the type of mussels they had were quite a bit smaller than I'm used to, must have been a different type of mussel, but they were still good. The seafood souvlaki was awesome and the lamb shank had unbelievable flavor. There are a lot of gluten free options and I had plenty to choose from. Food quality and quantity were good, price affordable, and service excellent.. I'll be back for future noming.
(4)AC C.
This little gem of a restaurant is a big reason to miss Lincoln... Oh so delicious... We went for a Sunday brunch when I went back for a visit. The atmosphere of this restaurant is so perfect for catching up and eating great food. One friend ordered the Greek omelete and pancakes. That omelet was beautiful! Stuffed with feta and gyro meat and tsatziki. Looked so good. He said the potatoes were crispy and tasty as well. The pancakes were so light and fluffy...and was that a hint of lemon?!?! My best friend ordered lamb souvlaki which is always our favorite dish. Yummmmm. I ordered a rare lamb burger because I know they do a great job of grinding their own and the seasoning is always just right. OMG was it tasty...and huge! Probably a half pound of lamb! They have special side dishes for brunch, and on this day, they had a pumpernickel stuffing. I am still dreaming about that delicious dish. It was like pumpernickel bread pudding. Super crispy on the outside and tender and fluffy on the inside. Stuffed with onions and that bread was incredible. Had to be homemade bread. So good. It was a huge piece and I took it back to my family gathered at the hotel, and they thought it was so good that a group of about ten headed straight over to the Parthenon for lamb souvlaki, stuffing, and a tray of desserts. The only boo for the whole meal was the coffee...none of us liked it. Weak and flavorless, reminiscent of a bad diner. Did not fit with the rest of the experience! The service was really good and the owner truly cares about customer satisfaction and high quality dishes. Lucky Lincoln!!!
(4)Kimberly M.
We visited Parthenon for a date night 1/31/2015. Due to eating preferences and food allergies between the two of us, we often choose chains so that nutrition/allergen information is readily available. I'm always nervous to try local places for those reasons, even though I would truthfully prefer to support local establishments. Anyway, I can tell you the food was fantastic. I'll describe some of those dishes below. But I also want to say that I mentioned my food allergy to the server who assured me I would be taken care of only to disappear and come back a few minutes later with the owner. I'm ashamed to say I've forgotten both of their names now (I think our server was Judy?)... but I will absolutely not forget that kind of customer service. The owner said to me that he has a relative with food allergies and was very kind about answering any questions I had or making any needed modifications to my meal selections. I've had proprietors at other establishments openly display their annoyance before, so this was a most welcome and relieving helpfulness. When you treat a customer that way, you are guaranteed to have my business and support. Now, onto the food. Appetizers- hummus was very flavorful and the pita bread was substituted with fresh cut veggies (celery, carrots, cucumbers). I usually eat hummus with some kind of chip or bread but this was a healthy alternative that I'm now actually going to enjoy in my own snack-life! We read a lot about the flaming cheese... will have to try that next time! For the meals, I had a difficult time deciding between the lamb and seafood souvlaki. The owner described the seafood souvlaki as his most underappreciated dish that he personally prides himself on. But I was really hankering for the lamb, so the seafood will be my choice the next time. The seasoning was perfect and the meat was well cooked. The first bite had me saying "mmm" so that's always a good sign. The rice pilaf and the "side of the day" (green beans tossed in a light oil) were also very flavorful. My boyfriend chose the stuffed salmon with rice pilaf and the lobster bisque soup. He said that the salmon was great, the rice was very good, and the lobster bisque was amazing. I didn't choose to order any but I did sample a bite of his.... and I'll definitely have some of that next time! No dessert for us. I did enjoy some Greek wine. That was a new one for me but I really enjoyed the wide variety of options and the selection I made (after a recommendation from the server) was paired well with my meal (can't remember the name of that, either). Overall, a 5-star experience for the food and the level of customer service we received.
(5)Anush J.
First time here. Came to the city to take an exam. I ordered the lamb souvlaki combination - it came with the souvlaki and gyro meat. The gyro was soft and flavorful without being greasy. The souvlaki was more chewy than I would have liked, but I enjoyed the overall taste. The fried jalapeño side was very good - with a bland sauce to cool the sour spicy jalapeños. The rice was good but had many uncooked grains in it.
(4)Echo D.
Very impressived restaurant in lincoln. The owner say hi and thanks to all customers when they leave. They have many different kinds of Greek Mediterranean menu. I really liked humus sample.
(4)Peggy N.
I am visiting Lincoln, NE for two weeks and tried this restaurant as it located near my hotel and came highly recommended by coworkers. I decided to get my order to go and just hunker down in my room for the night but restaurant is really adorable so I may need to come back and eat in while I am here. I sat at the bar to order and noticed a large beer selection for such a small bar. The bartender was quite friendly so I ordered a beer and sipped while I purused the extensive menu. The selection was large and everything sounded yummy. Not only did they have their daily selection but also specials of the day including daily specials on sides and desserts. I finally selected the Chicken Souvlaki which came with pita and rice and a choice of one side. I chose one of the daily side specials, roasted beet salad. The chicken was grilled and delicious. The beet salad was unique in that it was incredibly spicy! But super yummy. I love beets so it is hard to go wrong. I will go back while I am in town to try something different simply because all of the choices looked equally good. Also good to note: they have several vegetarian choices and a separate vegan menu. And the appetizer menu had many fantastic looking choices as well!
(4)Tore L.
Pet friendly on the patio! Excellent service!
(5)Brittany S.
The Parthenon is, by far, one of the best restaurants in Lincoln! To start, the appetizers are amazing! I would highly recommend the souvlaki (flaming cheese). It gets even better with fresh and delicious entrees. Almost all the pastries here are flown in from the Greek fishing village, Tarpon Springs in Florida and are authentic, fresh and delicious! There are always tons to choose from! The owner is always very friendly and helpful, as are all the servers! I've never had a bad service experience here!
(5)FS O.
REALLY nice people running this place. However, that's about all I can rave about in a positive way. I have had Greek food many times in many places, including Greece. Let me assure you, THIS IS NOT GREEK FOOD!!! This is better categorized as "Food by Americans with a Greek last name who have forgotten how to cook Greek food." The Greek potatoes were steak fries -- 'nuf said.
(2)Dani W.
Came in around 9 on a Thursday. The staff was great even though we left right at closing, they were attentive and pleasant. We got the flaming cheese and it was pretty good, at least get it once for the effect! I had the jump spankopatia and it was good, but ill get something else next time. The corn and black bean side was delicious as was the taziki sauce. The pita bread was light and complimented both the cheese and my friends gyro. We finished with some baklava that I also recommend. I felt like we ate a lot of food and the price was very reasonable.
(4)Brad B.
The food was all good. The Saganaki was superior. The leg of lamb was 50/50...a little on the dry side but good effort. Here's what pisses me off: the unannounced upsell. I asked the waitress if I could substitute a cup of soup for one of my sides. "Sure," she replied. Then there's a $1.99 extra charge on the bill. "Do you want some pita on the side?" she asked. "Sure," I said. Then there's an extra charge on the bill. It didn't amount to much but it would be SO much better if she had told us.
(2)Josep A.
So. We've eaten here several times. A couple of weeks ago was our last. Im going to disagree with the notion that the place serves amazing food. Not a reflection of the owner that I understand is indeed a very nice gentleman. Nov 18, there was a live band we are fond of. We went already with the idea of not ordering anything, as our previous experiences had not been good. (Salad swimming in oil, not good tsatsiki, bland falafel, etc) We caved in and ordered a pizza. First attempt, soggy wet middle. Server returned it for a re-heating. Second attempt, pizza still soggy the further center you went. Server returned it and we got a new one. the new one's crust was doughy and raw. the center was soggy. We tried to eat it regardless, but could not. The server was very kind (can't remember her name... tall, blonde, very kind). The manager... different story. His pizza was raw, it was failed twice, rather than just comping it and apologizing he decided to argue with my wife about "you ate most of it" and other arguments defending his poor food. It was not just our pizza, a friend of ours ordered the same pizza and had to go through the same process as we did, reheat and all. The Manager decided to argue, and then said he'd go and talk to the owner... he never came back, figured we tire of waiting and pay... Server apologized, and let us go. She actually knows what she is doing, trying to get us the customer to have a good experience and come back, maybe because of her. Manager, you don't argue with customers, we are not out to scam you out of a 10 dollar plate. The food is just not that good. The server was super kind, the owner is apparently a great guy, the manager is not. The food is not the best, its subpar food. As far as us eating here, not again. Sorry, but when I go out to eat, and pay for food, I expect it to be worth the money I'm paying, and this place sadly does not uphold that standard. Obviously we are the minority, so reader you might like this place, that's ok, we've personally experienced better greek food at Garbanzos.
(2)Danielle R.
Decent Greek food and excellent service! The babaghanoush wasn't the best I've ever had but it was decent. The Greek salad that came with the meal was huge, enough to split with another person. It had great flavor, as well as the dressing, but they went a little heavy on the dressing. I'll know to ask for it on the side next time. We ordered the eggplant pita, which was "lightly fried". It was downright fried on a pita with lettuce and tomato. Nothing fantastic but still pretty good and I didn't have any leftovers. I'd go again, maybe branch out and try something different.
(3)Mark J.
The Real Deal Greek. This place is great, and I love the souvlaki and gyro plates. Perfectly prepaired and the tzatziki sauce is homemade and tasty. Oh and for an appetizer you have to get the flaming cheese. It is so good but you can feel your heart clog as you eat it. Worth it imo. Drink and wine selection is decent, and the service was really good. The desert is the best thing about this place. They have a case with like 20 different options and they all look amazing. But we stuck with the Baklava and Chocolate Baklava. YUMYUM
(4)Jim A.
Absolutely outstanding. How refreshing to find real food prepared on site. The walleye and catfish were not only fresh, but perfectly prepared. The crab ravioli was spectacular. What a treat. Will be back next trip over I-80.
(5)Christina C.
I am in Lincoln for business and I have eaten here twice. I wasn't impressed the first time but I decided to give them a second chance since I love Greek food so much. I found their pita bread to be fairly tasteless. This is not bread I would eat by itself, like I do some others. I was unhappy that that the only choice of hummus had roasted red pepper. I am allergic to red pepper and hummus is one of my favorite foods and I couldn't have it. Instead of the hummas, I tried the roasted garlic and feta dip. I LOVE roasted garlic, but I did't like it at all. It was very bitter and hot. It tasted like they put a LOT of raw garlic in it and little, if no, roasted garlic. Every side dish they have is a carb. They have 2 side dishes of the day that might be vegetables. The first day they were both vegetables that I could not eat. They have a entree served with asparagus but they would not serve it to me as a side dish. The second time they had a stewed cabbage and carrot dish that was okay. It was over cooked and bland but at least it was vegetable I could eat. The Greek salad was pretty good. It had a lot of ingredients unlike a lot of restaurants. My only complaint is that there was too much dressing both times I ordered it. On the first night, I ordered the portabello chicken and it was cooked very well, I just thought the cheese overwhelmed the flavors. The second night I ordered the stuffed salmon. The "stuffing" is basically a crab cake on top of the salmon. The flavor was pretty good, but the salmon was cooked well done instead of medium or even medium well. As for the service, it seems to be hit or miss. The first night it was pretty busy and my service was good. The second night it was much slower and the service was pretty bad. The waiter came up to tell me to ask him if I had any questions. As I was starting to ask him a question, he turned and walked away. At the end of my meal I sat for 10 minutes waiting for my check. There were only 3 other tables filled at this time. I don't see how people are saying this is the best Greek food they have ever eaten. This may be the best Greek restaurant in Lincoln, but it isn't great Greek food.
(2)Matt M.
We were in Lincoln last week and I saw this place had great reviews. Needless to say we were not impressed. The service was very odd and the food was mediocre. A few of the appetizers (stuffed grape leaves & hummus) were ok but the entrees were lackluster. The lamb was overcooked and under seasoned, the gyro meat was dry, the potatoes lacked flavor & the spanakopita was left with only one bite taken out of it.
(2)Sam L.
Great food great staff kid and pet friendly. The best Greek food in the Midwest family ran. Wine dinners will rock your world. Bacon wine dinner will make you see the gods of Greece.
(5)Nicki L.
All of the food we ordered was absolutely lights out. The owner is incredibly involved in his food, and he is super friendly and pleasant, as was the rest of the staff. I was truly only disappointed by the fact that I could not order every menu item and shove it in my face. The wine and beer selection is not vast, but seems to be quite solid, again, everything we ordered was perfect. I am very much looking forward to finding myself in Lincoln, NE again soon, if for nothing else, to get my hands on the calamari and baby octopus.
(5)Derek S.
this place has decent greek food. you get large portions for the price. the staff in my opinion was attentative, but slow after giving your order. the flavors are as authentic as you will get outside of greece. the spanakopita/tiropita was good, but the fried oysters are where it's at for appetizers. thick crunchy breading with a fantastic dipping sauce packed full of flavor and spice. the mousaka was below average and almost to the point where it was mushy. however, the pastitsio or greek lasagna was very good. the dolmathes was exactly how it was supposed to taste, cooked well with traditional greek flavors. the greek fries are just steak fries, so fyi on that one. people who were with us said the stuffed salmon and gyro sandwich were delicous and highly recommended. honestly, both of those caught my eye and when my wife and i go back, that is definitely what i will be ordering.
(4)Michael S.
The pita bread was a tad disappointing, but otherwise, nothing to complain about. I wanted to get dessert; but the entrees are generous.
(4)Brandon P.
Best Greek food in Nebraska!
(5)Andy A.
mediocre food, not always served hot. it is ridiculous that they push spendy wines with $10 entrees. a separate full size drink menu? all the laminated things all over the tables? and a food menu that has 4 times as many things as it should?
(1)Wayne W.
Great Greek place...at least as far as the food is concerned. The service was horrible even though we were only one of three couples in the place. It took them forever on every course and drinks.
(3)Wyn R.
I think the reason this place gets good reviews is that Lincoln is seriously lacking in the Greek food category. Granted, they do a few things well. But come on, how hard is a gyro. I like their appetizers, but any time I get something other than a gyro or a Greek salad, I'm disappointed. And they have no clue how to cook vegetables unless you want a vegetable that is mush. Gross. Honestly, it's mediocre at best. Just makes me miss Papa John's. The food was the same, but a lot less expensive. Plus, I really miss their Greek omelet.
(2)Hanna D.
Vegetarians, Vegans, those Omnivores looking to please yourself and your vegetarian and vegan friends: This place is awesome, everyone can get something. You want squid? You get it. Your sister wants vegetarian mousaka covered in sheeps feta? She'll get it. Your brother has gone totally vegan - he's got a whole section of the menu to himself (first I've seen in an omnivorous restaurant - very forwardthinking), with several tasty options (orzo stuffed peppers; stuffed portabello mushrooms, to name a couple). Looking for an appetizer for everyone? Try their hummus sampler, with 5 homemade options to please everyone. The service was great, the food was delish, and I can't wait to eat my way through the veggie options on the menu.
(4)Jim C.
Parthenon is in the same vicinity as the Runza we tried the day before, it wasn't hard at all to find. We had the Hummus appetizer, the red pepper gave it a salmon color, really tasty. I almost had the Gyro, but since that's what I always get in a greek restaurant, I went for the special - Kibbeh platter, lamb meatloaf with pine nuts, moist and full of flavor, a tad too heavy for lunch, hummus, same as the appetizer, and what looks to be tabouleh, chopped parsley, mint, tomato, lemon juice and olive oil in a small dish, they were a bit stingy with that and the pita bread, but they bring more if you ask. And of course the have Dog Tuesdays, bring your dog to the restaurant for some K9 buffet.
(4)Bob H.
Great food, great service. We ordered a lot of items and they were all excellent. Best of all, the more Greek your choice, the better. It's the real thing. The kids loved it too and I can tell this will be their gateway to an expanded palette and taste for ethnic foods. Good atmosphere. At first I was put off by the fact that you get a drinks+appetizer menu first, without dinner menu. But to get it all at once would have been overwhelming, plus I am so happy I got those appetizers! Baklava dessert was sublime.
(5)Brent G.
Excellent variety of Greek foods....the best I've had since I was in Greece. Good service and positive, pleasant staff.
(5)Gabby A.
One of my favorite places here in Lincoln. Wonderful Greek/Mediterranean food! The service is probably the best I've ever received in a Lincoln restaurant, and is probably in the running for the best service I've ever received anywhere. The meat dishes are spectacular, and you should always start your meal off with a saganaki (flaming Greek cheese). I also really love the mousaka (Greek eggplant lasagna). The flavors are unique, and the portion is just right. The wine list is spectacular, and they do flights so you can try a bit of everything. End your night with one of their dozens of delicious desserts. The Parthenon is a great dining experience from beginning to end! Opa!
(5)Dennis K.
I don't think the Greeks would recognize this food as theirs. For example, the tzatziki has a hint of garlic when it should be loaded. It's good food most of the time (kudos for that, honestly), but it's only tangentially Greek. What do you expect in Nebraska? One thing that I find annoying is that you order hummus and they give you too little bread, then they charge for more bread. Also, the wait staff are often inexperienced. To their credit, they serve Greek wine and beer, and the baklava is pretty good.
(3)Adam R.
Average overall, but worth at least one try. Only complaint is the main dish servings were small, but sides/extras made the meals more than enough. Good atmosphere, good seasonal beer selection, would go back again if I had a coupon.
(3)Beth B.
I love Greek food and this is the best I've found in Lincoln. Inexpensive drinks and the dinner prices are also reasonable. Start with saganaki appetizer and greek salad. Several very good appetizers. I always have the greek potatoes as a side. Make sure you check out the dessert case at the back of the restaurant!
(4)Matthew P.
Went at around seven thirty on a Saturday night with friend. We were warmly greeted and seated immediately at a table near the back on the main dining area; while I am not a fan of tables, I did have a good view of most of the restaurant. It seemed, as one might expect on a Saturday, to be date night. With the exception of two large groups and then another table of three gays, everyone else was coupled off and leaning in closely to one another. I didn't notice the it being loud, and even though this establishment is in a strip-mall the interior was comfortable enough. The service was good. The hostess, wine guy, waiter were all very attentive. I did feel like they were pushing the wine menu a bit hard, though. Our waiter and the wine guy both suggested one of the "specials," which I think were all in excess of forty dollars. My buddy mention that it recently became legal for restaurants to re-cork bottles in Nebraska, so that probably why they were pushing it so hard. It didn't really matter to me and if the waiter had maybe suggested a cocktail after I said I wasn't having wine, he could have probably made the sale that way. However, there was an advertisement on the table to a six course wine and food pairing, which priced at $50 seemed very reasonable to me. This sort of event is likely the only reason I would return, unless I had out-of-town guests that absolutely needed Greek food on their trip to Nebraska. For dinner I had one of the "Kazas Family Recipes" which was named the Parthenon Pasta Platter. It was just fine, nothing spectacular but solidly good: pasta on a bed of spinach with shrimp, artichoke and feta cheese. The Really Good feta cheese (and the bed of spinach) is probably what made the dish for me. My side was pumpkin risotto, which I actually enjoyed more then my main course. In retrospect, I should have just ordered appetisers for dinner, as those that i could see on other tables looked good. After we were done eating, a man who I would have guessed was a manager or owner stopped by the table. He cleared out dishes and asked how everything was, eyeballing my half eaten meal. He looked genuinely concerned and I appreciated that, explaining I can rarely finish a restaurant sized portion of anything. In closing the meal, the waiter offered to split the ticket which was very nice because my friend and I were obviously not on a date. The hostess held the door open as we left the building. However, I am still only rating this establishment a three, because it is a restaurant and the food would have needed to be more memorable for me to consider myself "a fan."
(3)Frans S.
Very nice modern decor! Friendly owners! The food is only fair however! A bit over price! Service was good! Basically just an average ho hum American restaurant but at least it's NOT a chain restaurant
(2)Gigi F.
I was in Lincoln on business. Three of us stopped for dinner. Flaming cheese, Greek Salad, Nebraska Lamb Steak and Greek Green Beans. Baklava for dessert. The waiter was a young college kid who couldn't answer basic questions about the wine or food, but he tried really hard. The green beans were way overcooked, but everything else was delicious. I would eat there again!
(4)Richard F.
It was a very pleasant surprise to find a great Greek place in Lincoln. I have eaten there a dozen times now and I love their food. The service is great, as well. Authentic Greek food is a wonder and a delight.
(5)Carrie B.
WOW! This place is great! Probably the best Greek food I have ever had and definitely an unexpected find in Lincoln! The gyros are definitely the best I have ever had. We ordered a fried calamari appetizer and got a HUGE serving that was fried to perfection. Although we barely had room for the combination plate for 2 that followed, we made room for the delicious combination of meats and sides. The side dish made from orzo was tremendous, and I'd love to have the recipe! The service was just as spectacular as the food, and the waiter was very knowledgeable about the menu offerings. Very impressive place! If you'd like to have a nice, sit-down meal in Lincoln and don't mind spending a little more money than the average meal, I would absolutely recommend the Parthenon.
(5)Cherie L.
Love it! Food rocks, service is good, and the ambiance is nice. Outdoor dining is great. They really try to serve authentic greek fare and drink. Love the lemon chicken and greek salad!
(4)Tom H.
Incredible food and service! Menu is extensive and reasonably priced. Dessert selection is out of this world! Chef will drop by to make sure you liked the meal, very nice guy. Dog night is back! Tuesdays, bring your dog and sit outside with the other dogs! They even make special dog food!
(5)Dan B.
This is a great little place with a lot of personality and charm. The food is usually good, regardless of what we order, and the service is typically A+. Seems to have a pretty decent wine selection and even a few decent beers, too. My usual order here is the gyro. The meat is flavorful and tender. I have also tried the whole fish (snapper, I think) and a couple of other entrees. They were all good, but I keep coming back to the gyro. The saganaki is also a typical dish we order. I have yet to be disappointed by this appetizer. It's not anything fancy, but who doesn't like flaming, melted cheese? It's a "can't miss" on the menu. The spreads are very good too, and it's worth ordering some extra pita. We've tried the baba ganoush, the hummus, and several others. My only bad memory of Parthenon is the calamari. It was greasy and over cooked both times we tried it, but that's a pretty short list. There are also a few side dishes that aren't my favorite, but every place has those. Most times, people have to figure those out for themselves.
(4)Joel G.
I thought it was pretty darn good for Lincoln. Great service. Enjoyed the inventiveness, fusion with other cuisines. Fried Green Tomatoes. Outside seating is really nice. Didn't like having to pay for extra pita, but so it goes.
(4)Meghan A.
I used to live in Lincoln and The Parthenon was my boyfriend and I's favorite place to go! The pita bread and hummus is AMAZING! I always get salmon, which is always cooked perfectly and tasty. Service is always great, and George is a great owner! He really cares about the patrons and takes great care of them.
(5)Bill K.
Consistently good food and pleasant service!
(4)Brandon B.
Parthenon has decent Greek food. We had the stuffed grape leaves and the spanakopita, and our friends each had souvlaki. All were pretty tasty. Wine samples are ample. The only complaint about any of the food was the green beans (soggy and flavorless) and the salad was slightly overdressed. The service is a bit strange. You are given only a drink+appetizer menu when you sit down, and it takes a REALLY long time to finally get the real menu. Must work for driving up the bill, but it was a bit annoying. Our waitress was too enthusiastic to be real ('Is everything AWESOME here?'). This is the second time we've had that kind of over-the-top service, so maybe it's the training. Generally, a good place to go for dinner. There are usually coupons in the newspaper to help lighten the bill.
(4)Rosy M.
This is definitely the best Greek food in town. Great service too.
(4)Steve W.
Went there with a group from work the other night. They have a nice variety of dishes available. I had the Greek Salad and Lamb Souvlaki and it was very good. The lamb was tender and nicely seasoned. Good wine list and not too expensive. The service was very attentive despite being quite busy. It's probably the best Greek place in Lincoln. Give it a try.
(4)Ray S.
I'm not sure how how this place gets such good user reviews. The service was great, to be sure, but the flavors... not so much. When I ordered an entree, it came with about 4-5 total different kinds of things on it. Only one item was good. The others were average to bad. One was wayyy over-salted. It was very strange to have one good item and the rest not be good at all... I would expect that if a restaurant were bad all the food would be pretty much bad. But here the flavors were really hit or miss... but mostly miss. There are definitely better places to go out to eat in Lincoln.
(2)Lady C.
This restaurant is oh, so good! Their waiters are pros, so much so that they have upsold my bill by at least $20 everytime I dine there, but this is only to provide a full experience, from appetizer to desert it is amazing.
(5)Betty B.
I love the Parthenon...George, the co-owner, is so authentic...so genuinely caring about great food and new recipes, I also know that he treats his staff with dignity and lets their creativity flow, giving them the advantage to whip up new recipes and event ideas. I've never seen such a sweet restaurant tied together as a family business. Last night I had a special dish that had a subtitle of "eggplant shoes." It needs to be a regular on the menu...scrumtious!
(5)Brandon F.
Personally I am a big fan of the parthenon. the food is excellent, and the service is good as well. The fried calamari is some of the best I have ever had, and what I rate all other calamari against. Also Sunday brunch is very good as well. Get the greek omelet, or maybe the ham and eggs. In the summer grab a seat on the patio, a nice white wine, and spend the evening overlooking the always scenic super saver parking lot.
(4)Brad G.
If you are looking for the ultimate greek omelet, this is your place. I think they only serve it on Sundays. George, the chef and owner, is a gracious and wonderful host.
(5)