Greek with Mom - Review

It pains me to write this entire post...I am so torn! Seriously...

I went to dinner and a show the other night with my mother. She came into town to see Hamilton with me (saving that for another post) and we planned to have a nice dinner in town before the show.

We went early since Hamilton was being performed at the Benedum in Pittsburgh. They have bumped up security (long time overdue, in my opinion) and they now have metal detectors and lines to enter the venue. All this said, you have to get there a lot earlier to get through the security lines. One tip: do not take a purse or a bag and there is an express lane. I just put my cards and ID in my coat pocket and we got right in.

Back to dinner...

I had been wanting to try a certain restaurant in Pittsburgh for a really long time! I love Greek food! I have heard so many great things about Christos! It has been in business in Pittsburgh for 40 years and the owner was a personal chef to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis! He created her favorite dessert and they serve it at the restaurant. It is called the Jackie O.  We walked up the the restaurant and a gentleman standing outside the restaurant started telling us that this was the best Greek food in Pittsburgh and we had to eat there. I almost wanted to leave because it was just too aggressive. But we went in.

We walked in and there was only one other table in there with one person seated at it. We were early (5:30 PM) so we thought we beat the rush.

The restaurant is cramped and APPEARS very worn. It may actually just be aged but it APPEARS old and dusty and that is never good when appearance is EVERYTHING! The tables are covered with blue plastic sheeting, old and sticky. The walls are covered with pictures in old and dirty/dusty frames. The pictures themselves are amazing as they are all of Christos old family pictures from Greece.

We were waited on by the owner himself and he is a really lovely, friendly man!  My mom and I got the hummus and pita appetizer to start! The hummus was definitely homemade and it was delicious!

Salads came and although we loved the dressing; the salad was iceberg lettuce, one olive and a small sprinkle of feta cheese. My mom found a slice of banana in hers and when we asked; the owner stated that Jackie O used to have him add a slice to each salad. (I must have eaten mine and not even known). The salad was just so-so. 

Then we ordered the main dishes. I got the chicken kabob and Mom had a Salmon dish. The food itself was good but each was served with white rice (not any additional flavoring) and veggies. The veggies tasted like canned green beans with onion and some kind of sour flavoring (we guessed vinegar). I am sure this is a Greek recipe but the fact that the beans were mushy just threw me off.

We did not try the signature Jackie O. dessert this trip.

A few things to note: the restroom (singular) is in the back...around the counter, through the kitchen, down two steps and around a corner. It is a clean restroom and they try to make it feel like you are part of their family so you don't even mind so much when they say "Someone is in the right now; we will let you know when it frees up." HA - HA!!! This really happened.

Also, to pay...they will not bring you a bill. You must go up to the front counter and someone brings up a handwritten slip of what you had and adds it all up. And, you will not get an itemized bill. They just go down the list add it all up and tell you your total.

This is a very casual, family owned restaurant. I am going to be very honest...I would not go back.

The food was okay and the prices were okay but I question the cleanliness and quality a little. Like I said...I wanted so bad to love this place! I have heard SO MANY great things and there are so few restaurants that are family owned and operated!!! I wanted to love it! While we were there (which was a show night) so many of the restaurants get totally full; we only saw about three other tables of people come in that night.

I believe if they got a crew in there to give it a fresh scrub down and a fresh paint job...even scrub the pictures and get a few new frames...the place would look 100% better. Unfortunately, appearance really is everything! There is a Mediterranean chain restaurant across the street and next door and they were both very busy.

Very sad...