Fab Review: Athenian Room

I love finding hidden neighborhood gems that offer cheap eats especially if they serve authentic tasting food. You’ve got me sold for life. The great thing about Chicago is that you can always discover new places to eat. Recently I discovered Athenian Room in Lincoln Park, right around the corner of DePaul.

{Ambiance}
I have walked past by the Athenian room countless number of times. It’s not because I never noticed it before since you can’t help but be drawn to the aromas from the restaurant. On the corner of Webster and Halsted, the smell of the food makes your mouth water instantly.

From the outside, the Athenian Room looks charming and simple with its single sign hanging above the door of the all white building. You can definitely tell that this restaurant has stood the test of time. In fact, the restaurant has been around since 1972. One of the main reasons I always walked right past it was because I thought it looked like a fancy place to eat. Imagine my surprise when I finally bit the bullet and went there to eat…only to discover it was a family-friendly casual sit-down restaurant!

The inside of the Athenian Room carries on the charm from the outside. Once you walk past the front counter you immediately see brick arches which frame the dining area. The arches and dim lighting create a nice intimate environment. However, the wooden tables and chairs keep it laid back. I have been here with my family and friends and never felt that the ambiance was too fancy.

Each table was set with condiments and an Athenian Room placemat with blue and white Grecian art printed on it, a motif that is seen throughout their menu. This adds to the feel of a traditional Greek Restaurant.

{Food}
I am not too familiar with Greek food so I was a little confused when I first looked at the menu. However, the waitress answered any questions I had. The menu is split into appetizers, Athenian dinners, Kalamata dinners, salads, Spartan sandwiches, charburgers, and desserts. The main differences that I spotted between the Athenian dinners and the Kalamata dinners were the sides they came with and the preparation of the meats. The proteins are prepared in a very traditionally Greek fashion. They offer chicken, skirt steak, shrimp, pork tenderloin, and of course…gyros. To top it off, the portions are very generous. Not only will you be filled with yummy food, but you will also get your money’s worth.

FAB TIP: They don’t take substitutions on their menu, so make sure you choose your meal carefully.

Favorite Dishes
Greek Fries
Fries are basically my favorite things in the world, and the Athenian Room definitely does them justice by adding a fun Greek twist. Thick slices of potatoes are fried to crispy perfection and then drenched with Greek herbs and vinegar. If you don’t like the sour taste of vinegar, these are definitely not for you. For me, it’s like a little party of flavors in my mouth.

Chicken Breast on Pita Kalamata Dinner 
The chicken is one of the highlights at the Athenian Room. It is perfectly cooked and when you cut it apart it is juicy and flavorful. It is served on top of a thick warm pita which sits on top of their famous Greek fries. It comes with a side of veggies and pickles as well as some Tzatziki sauce. The pile of food is impressive and very delicious. I am not sure if I was doing it right, but I loved making little bites of pita, chicken, veggies, and sauce so that I get everything in my mouth at once! I’ve gotten this dish twice already and I can foresee myself getting it many more times to come in the future.

The only warning I would give with this dish is that because the Greek fries are on the bottom, they start to become soggy because of the vinegar sauce. By the time you reach the bottom of the fries, you definitely are overwhelmed with overly salty, soaked fries.

Gyro Dinner
I feel like you cannot dine at a Greek restaurant and not get the classic gyro dinner. I asked for everything on the side so I could assemble the gyro myself. Although I mentioned that the portions were big, this dinner definitely seemed to be the most filling. It is a huge plate of gyro meat that is served with veggies, pita, Greek fries, and of course some tzatziki sauce. Although it was a little dry, the meat was so rich in flavor that I couldn’t stop eating it on its own. The dish was so quintessentially Grecian that each bite brought me back to when I had gyros in Greece.

{Experience}
I definitely wish I had stumbled across the Athenian Room earlier. I would have come here tons. But luckily now that I know what it’s all about, I will be sure to return for the yummy filling food for a price you just can’t beat.

FAB TIP: The Athenian Room doesn’t serve alcohol, but you can get it next-door at bar Glascott’s. The restaurant has a door directly into the bar!

{Location}
Athenian Room
Lincoln Park || 807 W Webster Ave, Chicago || P:(773) 348-5155

{Price Range}
$-$$ (Under $10-$35)

{Fab Ratings: 3.5 Fabs}

Eat on!
Chelsia

Note: This meal was not complimentary. The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the writer.