Athenian Corner Restaurant

This is a great option for relaxed family dining experience! They have fresh seafood and if you like cheese, get the saganaki! They have a large dining room with a mini stage at the end and attentive service. I personally enjoy savoring a meal, but if you’re in a hurry, this may not be the perfect spot for you. We didn’t get it, but I will be going back to try their desserts, which looked amazing. Dated yes but that the charm, relaxed family friendly restaurant, Definitely coming back next time in Lowell.

Nice classic Greek restaurant. Went for lunch and got the gyro & egg soup. Comforting, filling, and delish!

I've been visiting this beautiful restaurant for years. The atmosphere is so nice and relaxing. They always treat me like a family. The food is delicious. Belly dancing is very entertaining. Love the place ❤️

Haven’t been here for 20 years and wanted to try it again. Wonderful experience. Friendly staff and Gino our server was great. Food was excellent .Mom and I each had the lamb garnish -highly recommend. Definitely coming back.

Great Greek restaurant in downtown lowell. Very lively on a Saturday night with live music and a belly dancer. Portions are very generous and there is an extensive beverage menu. There’s one thing for everybody here. Perfect for a quality date night

Flaming Greek cheese, belly dancers on the weekends, Grape Leaves, Spanakopita and surprises, This is Athenian Corner, For over 40 years the Panagiotopoulos Family has been delivering the best greek food to hungry patrons. The Lamb Athenian Shish-Ke-Bob was my personal favorite. But the Saganaki is a showstopper. For a great dinner and a show, Athenian Corner is the place to go. Featured Items: Saganaki - Imported Broiled Kasseri Cheese & Greek Sausage, served flaming Broiled Greek Sausage with a characteristic orange flavor Lamb Athenian Shish-Ke-Bob -The Specialty of the House Tender cubes of Lamb in our special marinade, skewered with Onions & Peppers & charbroiled to perfection Spanakopita - Layers of Spinach & Feta Cheese Pie with Flaky Filo Dough @athenian Corner Pastitsio - Layers of Macaroni and Ground Beef, topped with a Creamy Béchamel Topping Grape Leaves - Stuffed with Ground Beef, Rice, Seasonings & served with an Egg‐Lemon Sauce Athenian Corner

Picked up an order on uber eats, why not include the receipt to verify? Every place does it and the waitress looked at me like I’m the wrong one lol. My job is just as important as yours.

Greek food over live music and belly dancer. Everyone liked the taste of the foods (entree) and finished the whole plate. When music and dancer starts their performances, it gets really loud and hard to speak with your friends and communicate with the waiter. They automatically place a 20% gratitude which I think shouldn't be the case. The food is overpriced considering what you get. Rice pudding had a lot of problems. It had too much rice and rice was not cooked.

Love love love Athenian Corner for the baked lamb (really tender...) and lovely belly dancers‍!!! The bathroom however looks like the original bathroom from the 1960s so prepare yourself mentally for that moment

Warm, friendly atmosphere in a great Greek restaurant. Food is authentic , ample, and reasonably priced. We've tried many menu items and never been disappointed. Parking is not always convenient but it's worth the effort.

Nice traditional dress Greek atmosphere when entering the Mill City on the corner of Market Street and Shattuck St. in Lowell. Went in was greeted promptly by Danny, Water was poured and sat at the bar, looked over the lunch menu and ordered my favorite go to soup that is always included. Either Egg Lemon or Lentil. However, I went for my other favorite, the side vegetable platter. While also ordering my son the lunch portion of the Pastitsio that has layers of ground beef and noodles, topped with a creamy bechamel sauce. One of his favorites! Definitely looking forward to going back. The weekend they have belly dancers and music. They also have a parking lot so you do not have to park on the street or in the garage. They also take reservations!

My husband and I had lamb shish kebab garnish with Greek bread The lamb was tender and the potatoes and vegetables were yummy! My husband and I have customers since they opened in the 1970's. We love the family, staff and of course the food!

Nice Saturday night dinner before a play at MRT. Service was terrific. Food was fabulous. Pastitsio was huge serving and potato and green beans were delish! Nice restaurant. Whenever I get a cold, their avgolemono soup is the only one I want!

For a native Greek visitor, this place was barely edible. The spanakopita was at least 3 days old and had been microwaved to reheat. The Horiatiki bears no resemblance to Greek salad! The lamb shish was marinated in bottled dressing and the furniture and decor are so jaded. Native Greeks take pride in cleanliness, but this place was borderline deplorable. Gives Greek food a bad name! Pleasant staff, but didn't make up for the truly bad food.

I can't begin to describe how great this experience was. The service was quick, our server was beyond friendly, and the food? Phenomenal. Everything was hot and fresh, and super tasty. It seems like a family run business and honestly it adds to the charm.

We visited Aug 8, 2024 and we were treated to friendly staff and delicious food. the pastitsio, dolmades and feta with artichoke dip were all fabulous. I highly recommend this wonderful restaurant.

Unfortunately I did not take any pictures of the interior or our food but don't let the building fool you! Athenian Corner is a Downtown Lowell staple that has been in the family through generations. The exterior appears as it did when Lowell was being built up. It is a brick building that shows its age. The interior is decorated as if you were in Greece. Blue colors and pictures of Greece adorn the walls. But the food is the highlight. If you want authentic, delicious Greek offerings then this is the place! We all got the vegetable garnish side-which is large enough to eat as your meal! Most days it comes with green beans but on the day we visited, it included peas. This was a first for me as I am usually lucky enough to make it on a day with green beans. But I was not disappointed. In addition to the rice, potatoes Lima beans and cabbage, the peas were delicious! As usual service was friendly and prompt.

A pleasant restaurant decor with very accommodating employees and good food at a reasonable price make this a very lace to return to again.

Our Learning in Retirement group had a group lunch and Athenian Corner. The food was great, service was excellent and Ted provided a great overview of the restaurant and the Greek presence in Lowell. Everything was timed to perfection and I received excellent feedback from the group members on the experience. Many stated that they planned to come back for dinner in the near future.

It's been nearly 2 years since my last review...where does the time go! I phoned to secure a reservation for 10! nearly a week ahead. Speaking with one of the staff, all went well. A few days later I called back again and asked if it would be possible to increase the count to 14. This time I spoke with one of the owners who couldn't have been nicer - very accommodating. So the reservation was made. When the evening finally arrived I became aware that we were going to need to change the count back down to 10. And as my 1st conversation all went well with the 3rd. We arrived at the designated time and were greeted, brought over to our table close to the stage/ dancefloor. Our server Christina wasn't at all put out be our large group. We asked if would be possible to do separate checks and the answer was of course .. She brought over drink menus, filled each place setting's beautiful cobalt blue water glasses and took our beverage orders. It wasn't long before all 10 arrived. It will never stop amazing me how a server can figure out who orders what with a large group..but again, it was the case. Each of us received the exact drink we ordered. Some of us decided on appetizers to share. She brought everything out & the plates basically filled the table .. we had a combo of dips, flaming cheese with Greek sausage, feta & olives & lastly grape leaves.... Each one absolutely delicious. There were 3 bread baskets on our table with butter - the bread was also excellent. So we devoured our appetizers - sharing... Then came the dinner size salad or soups. Again, very good. For our entrees I believe most had ordered a kabob of either lamb, chicken. I did see a plated moussaka...the choices of vegetables this evening were string beans, Lima beans, or cabbage? And I can't forget the casserole potato ( oven roasted) they do so well. Some opted for rice ..I chose the chicken kabob , string beans and a casserole potato with my entre. I'm vegetarian 99% of the time. But this evening I opted for the kabob & very glad I did. So looking right or left it was clear that each of my dining companions had left absolutely nothing on their plates! It was all that good! Where does that happen.... At 8;00 the band, who have been playing here weekly for how many years started up. Shortly after we were entertained by a skillful belly dancer .. It was a no- brainer to order coffee and desserts to share. Some had Greek coffee I opted for a slide of baklava... The portion was large & I was able to share with 2 others. I will add that it was definitely not the freshest I've had - loaded with syrup which as a baker I'm well aware why.. but the flavor was good. By the time we were finished the restaurant was very crowded... Our server brought each individual their check... All 100% accurate. We paid our bills, said goodbye and left ... So many people were up dancing! Yes, the place could use a facelift...it's old. Especially upstairs iwith the restrooms. The parking situation could be a lot better .. and so on. I was there for the food which was as it's always been excellent. The entertainment is great. And I have 9 others with who I dined with who are still talking about their meals & the Fun night we had!

I've been going to the Athenian Corner for forty years. Great family business, friendly staff, excellent food. On certain nights, you'll hear authentic Greek music and see Greek dancing. It's been my favorite restaurant for all these decades.

Today was the second time I've ordered from Athenian corner and will be the last. Absolutely no flavor to any of the items and everything was cold! The mousaka was so greasy, grape leaves cold and no flavor, Gyro there was NOTHING on it!! The rice pudding was gross.... 70 dollars in the trash!! Olympia all the way!!!!

I was very disappointed in our dinner last Saturday night. We called ahead and made a reservation gift 6. We got seated in the back of the room by the kitchen door and next to the desk with paperwork and waitresses coats. Our waitress didn't even know what was on the menu , plus she had a stuffy nose. Not very appetizing. All in all all six people were not happy. I remember know why I don't go there. The Olympia is up the street, food is authentic Greek dining. Even done to the waiters and waitress

Good food, aging location. The best thing I had was the stuffed grape leaves. Great flavor. The roast lamb was good too. Friendly service, nice people. Other items I had were just Ok.

Gross and grossly overpriced. Who puts hollandaise on grape leaves? Pasta sauce on rice pilaf? Lamb sandwich with just bread and lamb for $15? This place. I want a refund.

As a Mediterranean myself, I have been in search of a good place to eat food from my homeland, and this place is not it. The first time I went there I ordered the lamb, potatoes and rice entree. The lamb had absolutely no flavor, the rice had plain tomato paste on it and the potato was a half potato with some tomato paste that may have accidentally spilled onto it. The second time (at the time of me writing this review) I ordered the mousaka and the spinach pie. FML. I tossed it in the trash. They had the same rice and potato combo with a small amount of unflavored mousaka. They didn't even bother adding salt to anything. Not a thing!!! The bread that came with the meal was the best part and to be honest it tasted like it was store bought. This is the last time I go to this garbage heap. If I could give them a zero I would. Do better.

So I gave the Athenian yet another try, which was probably the 3rd visit in the last 15 years. I again gave them the benefit of the doubt, hoping there may have been a change in management, or the kitchen, but alas, another disappointment. The food was just, well, blah, and I really just wanted to get the meal over with (and opted not to take my leftovers). In the future I will stick to my tried and true Greek restaurant which is .2 miles up the street.

I ordered food for takeout from this restaurant and I was highly disappointed. Although it may visually appear to be Greek food, the flavor is that of a novice cook. The rice was over cooked,swollen, mushy, and the sauce on top was disappointingly close to canned tomato paste. The Gyro was the greatest disappointment. Customarily the meat is not grilled, but instead cooked on a rotisserie and shaved off. The meat on the gyros from this restaurant were in 1/2 chunks and very clearly grilled with a smoky flavor. The tzatziki sauce and the Greek salad were also extremely disappointing. Would not recommend.

I hesitate to even give them 1 star. I recently placed an order through Uber Eats as a gift for Father's Day. I am out of state and try to do different things for the various holidays. I placed an incorrect order however my parents received the order food was dry overcooked and in general not the quality expected. My mother notified the restaurant and she was treated horribly without an apology or remedy. I then called them and got the same response from the lady that answered. When I asked what they do if someone is unsatisfied in the restaurant she said they try to get something else but blatantly said those rules don't apply with takeout or delivery. No apology or offer to get it right. In general rude and uncaring. I will not order from them again.The Uber people were excellent and timely with delivery.

Lunch of two gyro plates and an ice tea came to $32 plus tip. The rice pilaf was covered with a red sauce (?), and the lemon soup lacked flavor. The lamb was overcooked and neither the portion or amount of sauce was generous. Fortunately, I had my own sweetener for the tea as none was on the table or offered. Seating at the small table was uncomfortable, as I had nowhere to place my legs, which didn't really fit under the table. And it's time to replace the dark carpeting that leads upstairs to a less than clean ladies room. Won't ever go back!

This place has a really fun atmosphere (at least on the night I was there), but for food, I wouldn't go back. I'd suggest, instead, the nearby Olympia Restaurant. The room is pretty small, and on the night we were there, they had a cute little band playing. They also brought in a belly dancer later in the evening, which was interesting. Despite the fact that we could barely hear each other talk, we enjoyed the unique entertainment. Our food, however, was extremely disappointing. We shared the spanikopita and the skordalia. The spanikopita was very disappointing. It honestly wasn't even as good as the frozen kind we get from Trader Joe's. The skordalia was okay, but I've definitely had better. I love Greek food, but I will definitely not be ordering any if I ever come back here.

Athenian Corner has been in Lowell for as long as I can remember and is considered a local treasure, yet the gyros are terrible! Their menu claims it's fresh shredded meat, yet I received pre-cooked/previously frozen gyro meat slabs on a flavorless pita. With fries the meal came out to $15, which is vastly overpriced for such a terrible product. I haven't tried any of their other dishes, nor will I ever.

Great place for a nice meal in Lowell, Always consistent and good quality food. Excellent lentil soup, shish kebab chicken and lamb and above all Greek fries. Great family atmosphere. Always looking forward get a nice meal in the Athenian corner.

For having grown up in Lowell, I have been to very few of it's Greek restaurants. While from the exterior it may look like a bar, inside it's pretty homey and rustic. We came for lunch and I had the pastitsio and my dad had the chicken kebobs with rice pilaf. Service was quick and the staff was friendly on this relatively quite Saturday afternoon. The pastitsio, which reminds me of lasagna, was very good and quite filling! They also have a selection of Greek beers that I haven't been able to find in any liquor stores in Lowell.

Broiled lamb chops are really good with a shot of ouzo.Baklava is ok,total price is reasonable.

I ordered a Greek salad with chicken. Maybe it's my fault for making an off the menu order at 10:30 on a Saturday night, but what I got was not what I was expecting. I got two Greek salads -each with a chicken kabob in it. The total was $35. That's 17.5 per salad and I only wanted one. She prob rang me up for two salads ($5.50ea) and a half chicken ($23). Ok. Fine. It wasn't even good. The ingredients were fresh, but there was one olive, one tomato slice, one little piece of onion, and almost no feta. You want to be high end. At least make the food good. And add Greek salad with grilled chicken to your menu. The proper price is $9-14.

We went there to get some Greek food but it was actually pretty disappointing. My friend got an app & soup. Her tzatziki was way too garlicky & barely had any mint or dill in it so she didn't finish it. Her soup was more to her liking. I ended up getting the spanakopita w/ potatoes & I didn't understand why it was soggy & yet over cooked on one section of it. It was not what spanakopita is supposed to look like or taste like. The flaky layers w/ spinach & cheese, along w/ onion, garlic, herbs & spices. But no that was not the case & just ended up eating since not much else to do at that point when that's what you wanted. Even when I mentioned to her how soggy it was, she didn't do much. We had to ask for water several times too & it wasn't that busy either. I got baklava for dessert & it was basically dry, hardly any honey ooey gooeyness. So another disappointment. I am not sure if worth going another time.

I wish I could give no stars. We ordered take out and spent $70.00 on food. The food is HORRIBLE. The rice looked liked mashed potatoes (so overcooked). The main course was so gross none of us ate the only thing we where able to eat was the potatoe. WORST GREEK FOOD EVER... Never again. They don't even have really Greek dishes. So frustrating

Excellent authentic Greek cuisine. Ambience is dated but the service more than make up for it. Also very good value. Very enjoyable.

The best time to visit is on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday night when they have live music and belly dancers. The interior is fairly dark and slightly dated with nostalgic mediterranean touches, which is definitely better for an evening dinner rather than a mid-day lunch. My husband and I decided to split a kabob dinner that was big enough for two and got separate soups as appetizers. Our server was very friendly and attentive and the soups were tasty. The kabob dinner was good- not amazingly seasoned, but definitely a solid meal. (I was spoiled by the many Greek restaurants and festivals of Detroit- so my standards for good Greek food may be a bit higher than many in the Northeast.) Our experience was definitely improved by the live music and belly dancing. If those weren't happening when we were there, than the overall experience may have been lack-luster. Overall, I'd say that it's a decent option for Greek food in downtown Lowell. Definitely good for groups, meetings, birthday parties, and rehearsal dinners. Little-known fact: they have free wi-fi, which is great for a business lunch.

This is classic family style Greek food. This is like having a Greek friend in high school and being invited over for dinner. I was looking to go here but was a little hesitant due to the 3 star rating and negative reviews. My friend grew up eating Greek food his grandmother and mother made. He really likes this place because it reminds him of his childhood and it's good. He talked me into going and I wasn't disappointed. We had three different appetizers and we each got a kabob diners both lamb and chicken with different sides. Tried it all. Everything was very good. The lamb kabob was fantastic! Even tried a Greek desert which was good too. This restaurant deserves better than 3 stars and it deserves you giving it a chance.

Some seriously good Greek food man. It's a bit better than Olympia's down the street, but I would hit up both next time you're in lovely Lowell. The best Saganaki, Spanakopita, Kalamaria, and Mousasaka outside of Athens or Mykonos. Their baked lamb is unbelievable and their Baklava, Galaktobouriko, and rice pudding are fit for the gods...seriously, I think I saw Zeus a few tables from us. On Friday and Saturday nights, they have belly-dancers! Say hi to Samia and Maysa for me...they're the friendliest belly-dancers I know; the only belly-dancers I know, mind you!

This place is SO GOOD. I'm totally hooked on their moussaka and spanikopita. I usually order the same few things, but whenever I try anything new, I'm pleasantly surprised. Their drink menu is fun and creative. The staff is warm and friendly. The food is always perfectly done; the lamb kebobs melt in your mouth. Even the side dishes are standouts! If you're looking for generous portions of classic Greek dishes, this is where you want to go!

Lamb was over cooked and ridiculously salty. The wait staff disappeared and the service was slow despite the restaurant being empty. Stuffed grape leaves are tiny but tasted good. Advice... Don't waste your time. Olympia is right down the street and 10x better.

Had dinner here tonight, with my lady along with my son and his wife. I chose this location by listening to Teddy on CAP on the radio. The food was outstanding, the service was terrible. I travel a lot which puts me out to dinner at least 10 times per month. We were greeted promptly, there were only a couple of tables occupied, once we got our appetizer, the service stopped. I finally had to get up from the table and go to the bar to request our server to come back to the table to take our order. When she did, she thought it was funny and defended herself. I was not amused. She then tried to be attentive but her service was terrible. I would be more understanding if the place was busy but it was not. Good service along with good food is the key to success. You got the food part.

Some people just don't get it. I walked into the Atenian Corner about 4PM on Friday and the place was empty. I placed a takeout order with a question about the what came with the order and the women acted like my business was a huge imposition for her. I gave her a 10% tip which was plenty for her high attitude takeout order and as I left she said, "boy is he a jerk." Food was OK but never again! WOW.

"The Postman Always Rings Twice ...and brings advice" We stood in front of the Athenian Corner before noon on a Friday, intimidated by the dark exterior and dim view through the window. If we opened the door would we find ourselves in a sketchy dive bar or a restaurant with no customers? But up walked the postman to deliver the mail. He looked at us with a cheerful smile and said, "it's really good!" And it was! Ten minutes after we sat down the restaurant started to fill with customers. I ordered the chicken souvlaki platter, which included a cup of lentil soup, Greek salad, and a tasty chicken souvlaki in pita. Service was friendly and efficient and prices were fair. My father's spanakopita was too big for him to finish, but he loved it. Perhaps the US Postal Service can edit its motto to: "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night NOR INTIMIDATING DARK RESTAURANT DOORS stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds."

Unfriendly service. The food is overpriced and the owner lady threatened to tow my car because I parked there for 15 mins waiting to pick up the food. Lamb chopped is always over cooked. If you get roasted lamb they serve it over rice with tomatoes sauce (literally just tomato sauce and it makes the rice very mushy. I really wish the owner was nicer

Athenian gets an extra star for their live music. They have American pop outdoor and they have Greek music with a belly dancer indoor. Go on Thursday, Friday or Saturday nights. The foods still meh and the fixtures are as old as the hills, but the live music is fun.

UPDATE: January 2013 Gave it another chance. The hummus plate included an ice-cream scoop of hummus the consistency of tunafish salad served on iceberg lettuce. Chicken kabob of six large chunks of poultry was grilled nicely but bland. "Greek salad" of iceberg lettuce, a few bland tomato slices and some tasteless feta was disappointing. The Greek beers were good. If it were not for the great middle-eastern themed band and amateur belly dancers, I doubt this place would survive. Too bad since it has such great potential. I think new ownership/management is warranted.

After eating at the Athenian Corner, I realized how average/mediocre the "Greek" food I've tried over the years has been. The gyro was great (I loved the bread)! The meat was nicely cooked although just a tad dry. The lentil soup was divine (as was the Greek coffee). Small complaint: too much dressing on the salad for my taste. Wonderful and filling lunch. I look forward to going back for dinner and try other delectable Greek delights! UPDATE: I returned for dinner at the Athenian with friends and found it just as good. I had soup and salad as a starter. The salad was fair, but the soup (Avgolemono) was delicious. As a entree, I had lamb shanks. The lamb was fall off the bone tender and succulent...very nicely done. A bonus for the evening...belly dancing!

Awesome place. They have live music with belly dancing and great food. One should try the baked lamb garnish

Considering I have an affinity for Greek food, I decided to try the Athenian corner in downtown Lowell. Let me start with it wasn't terrible, but it can certainly use some improvement. I had the lamb shish kabob dish. The lamb was prepared as requested, but it didn't taste like it was seasoned at all - just cooked. The lemon chicken soup was quite delicious though, but the rice was Luke warm and was kind of watery. The cabbage was too, but was delicious. The salad was very typical and was mainly yellow lettuce, one tomato wedge and two slices of cucumber. It was busy and the wait staff was scrambling to stay on top of things. They were throwing out a %41 Patriots discount, so in all. It alright. Probably would of been better on Thu - Sat because they have live entertainment. Spend you money wisely - I've read here that Olympia is better.

I live in NYC now but grew up around Lowell, and always make it a point to get take out from this spot whenever I come home to visit. The egg lemon soup is delicious!

Went tonight with Lumpy's mom. Haven't been in here since I was in college, a couple years (ok...decades) ago. PRO-Nice young waiter, very friendly & attentive. The Greek salad with my meal was good, as was the lentil soup. The lamb kabob was excellent. Well seasoned & tender, not fatty at all. The rice was traditional white, with the tomato sauce over it. The cabbage alongside was tender & also very tasty. Lumpy's mom enjoyed the lemon soup & she had the Greek dinner salad (huge!) with lamb tips on it. We both took 1/2 our meals home for lunch tomorrow. They had a traditional Greek group playing music on a small stage up front, which we enjoyed. CON-The salads were 100% iceberg lettuce. Would have been nice to have a better mix of lettuce. The carpet in the place looks as if it was the same one they had back when I was in college. Needs replacement. So-We enjoyed it. $75 for our meals & a drink apiece, with a good tip. If you are in the area, stop in. I'll be back soon.

If you like everything microwaved this is the place for you! An insult to Greek food - nothing fresh, everything tastes like reheated leftovers that probably weren't that good on their first day. Soggy and limp- in a word 'Disgusting!!'

Great value and atmosphere right in downtown Lowell. The soups, appetizers and dessert were standouts - I ate most of my boyfriend's lentil soup, delicious with cloves and savory spices. Warm grape leaves with lemon sauce were lovely, as was the galaktoboureko (custard cake). My gyro was a bit plain, plenty of meat but not much else. Excellent service - and you can't beat a gyro, soup and salad dinner for $12!