Greek Islands

Greek Islands at 200 S Halsted Street is a Greektown restaurant on the Near West Side of Chicago, Illinois, serving classic Greek-American dishes in a large, busy dining room. Greektown is a compact stretch of Halsted Street historically associated with the city's Greek community and lined with taverns, bakeries and restaurants, and Greek Islands is among the best known of them. The menu covers the standard repertoire of Greek restaurant cooking: flaming saganaki, a pan-fried cheese that is flambeed at the table to the cry of Opa, roast lamb, spanakopita, which is spinach and feta baked in layers of phyllo pastry, and whole fish prepared simply with olive oil and lemon. Other staples include gyros, grilled meats, moussaka and traditional salads. The flaming saganaki is the emblematic dish and a reason many first-time visitors choose the restaurant; it is typically ordered as an opening course for the whole table. The dining room is spacious, festive and noisy, geared toward families, groups and tourists, and there is no dress code. The beverage list includes Greek wines, ouzo and other spirits, with wine served by the glass or bottle. Hours are Tuesday to Thursday and Sunday from 11AM to 9PM and Friday and Saturday from 11AM to 9:30PM; the restaurant is closed on Monday. Reservations are recommended for groups, and tables are otherwise available on a walk-in basis, with the longest waits on weekend evenings. Prices are moderate, and appetizers and shared platters keep the cost per person manageable. The restaurant is within reach of the Loop and the West Loop, and visitors often combine a meal with a walk through Greektown, a stop at a Greek bakery or a visit to the nearby National Hellenic Museum. Parking in the area can be limited, so ride-share or public transit is a practical choice.