Avli Restaurant

Avli has always been a great experience for us. The staff are always polite and efficient. The food has always been fresh, tasty, and well portioned. The whole feel of Avli to me is upscale yet casual. It's a very relaxed atmosphere that retains a classy feel. The cocktails have always been good as well. I'd definitely recommend it if you're looking for traditional Greek fare without a bunch of filler.

My girlfriend and I celebrated our anniversary here, and it was perfect! The staff surprised us with free rose wine, which was such a thoughtful touch. The food was absolutely delicious, the atmosphere was cozy and inviting, and the prices were reasonable. Highly recommend for a special occasion!

Food: Very good. We ordered the following, each nicely and never gargantuanly-portioned other than for one: Sharable Octapodi was grilled and presented unchopped, making for a welcome break from very same-y offerings elsewhere. Its seasonings and sauce constantly allured, and its grilled textures were fabulous. Lavraki (Branzino) was well received, as was the Linguine Clam Special, which came with a tempting pasta I _wanted_ to try. It wasn't my order but very likely the best of the lot, because he ate every bit of it. The Arni Burger was a bit of an oddball. The burger was definitely lamb but very, very dense. Its thickness and heft easily made it sharable. It came with "feta fries" which didn't include a bit of feta cheese. Our server was kind enough to bring some when asked. Doughy table bread didn't have much chance to stand out. Olive oil was present but neither salt nor pepper nor cheese of any sort was until after being requested. Ordered drinks were canned Coca-Cola products, just as one would receive if at a grill in Greece. But no Loux or Epsa -- each, a lightly carbonated lemonade brand -- was offered. I don't know if either was available. Dessert: Portokalopita, or orange filo cake which, here, was served with pistachio ice cream, was (i) cold, (ii) deceptively soaking, since it didn't look it, and (iii) sweet. In other words, it was just the way Mom used to make and a wonderful treat! The ice cream was mild in comparison and had a smooth texture. Greek coffees, two "very sweet" (but based on competitors, not!), and one, unsweetened and rather bitter, hinted that the coffee brand was Nestlé-owned Loumidis/Papagalos. There's nothing wrong with that; Loumidis is the standard in Greece when its younger generations aren't guzzling frappes...which are also made with Nestlé coffee. Service: We came at a slow time and so only one waiter handled the entire floor. While not fully attentive as a result, he was always pleasant and deserving of a decent tip, as was the busboy. Atmosphere: It's located in The (adorable) Laundry. Parking was available in one lot but packed in another to which Maps led me. From what I saw, this delightful restaurant had a tiny bar area, a small party room, a large-ish dining area which wasn't in use, and a smaller dining area with a fireplace and wine cellar which was. That smaller dining area was charming, from its looks to its mix of upbeat bossa nova(?) and Greek instrumental background music.

So the hostess was a bit fake nice, but I didn’t really care. Short interaction. Then, the service was slow, but the place was empty, so that was odd. Then, I saw a fly buzzing around and that’s never a good sign. I just figured, you know, it’s a one-off fly. Probably got in somehow. Should be ok. Husband and I shared the filo shrimp starter (4 shrimp total btw), and I had the Moussakka and he had the Chicago style gyro plate. I thought the food needed a bit more salt at least. But overall not bad… that is until later when my husband was throwing up and we both felt nauseous. As I’m writing this, my stomach is in pain. Both of us feel super off. I’m so sad. I wanted to like this place but I think it probably used to be good and then they changed their food/staff. Not worth the prices they’re charging anymore. They need to either dumb down their prices and appeal to a new audience… or ramp up kitchen quality and sanitation, URGENTLY.

Visiting Avli April 2023, we found much disappointment. The food has really gone down hill over the past two years. I ordered their gyros plate for the first time thinking Greek restaurant it should be great! It was dry and tasteless. There was only one tomato slice and a few slivers of red onion. My wife ordered her usual skewered chicken, and it was over cooked and hardened on the skewers and the rice was overcooked and bland. The best dish ordered was the pasta with shrimp 🍤. They serve cold bread and butter packs like a diner. We had to ask for olive oil, which is their own brand. We then had to ask for Parmesan cheese and pepper. After dinning here many times, it has become a disappointment to say the least. Prior review below. The second time visiting Avli turned out much better than the first back in 2019. Sitting out in the courtyard allowed us to be more comfortable with Covid and all. The service was much improved from the prior time, as our waiter was personable and attentive but not over bearing. Even the busboys seemed to be better trained. We started with a drink and dolmaldes while waiting for our guests. These dolmaldes were the best I’ve ever had. The plates was dressed with a slightly sweet amber sauce that contrasted the lemon tartness of the grape leaves, while the rice meat mixture was delicious. The menu has its basic Greek menu items and then the not so basic to chose from. I actually had the lamb chops with their Greek rice. The chops were ordered medium rare and very thin medium well came out. I didn’t send them back because they were well seasoned and tasty. Even the broccoli was well seasoned and grilled with just right amount for the grill browning and flavor. My mother-in-law is vegan, and there are plenty of items on the menu for her to order. The only desserts ordered were ice cream and the cheese cake. The cheese cake was ok but not great. Please before you leave, look below 👇 and tap on the thumbs up 👍.

Located inside the Laundry building so it was a little confusing to find. The area is super cute and would love to revisit the patio when the weather is nicer. Surprising full restaurant for lunch on a Sunday but was still able get seated right away. Service was good but food wasn't that great, especially for vegetarians. We tried a couple small plates: the flatbread, saganaki and spanakopita. They also started us off with some bread and butter. Everyone raved about the saganaki but we found it a little too salty to be enjoyable. Ended with the small bites dessert, which was perfect. Overall, the food is only ok - wish they would have more vegetarian options.

This place feels like in an artistic beautiful environment. From cutlery to dining, from heating floor to mouth watering food, this restaurant would never leave me to amaze every time I visit. The boy, Juan helped us to select best options from their vast Greek menu. Amazing place to spend beautiful time with beautiful people.

The atmosphere was incredible and toasty on a cold winter night. We ordered a bunch of shared plates. The saganaki (fried cheese with a show!) is a must and the desserts were delicious and rich! Also, their mountain tea was surprisingly good!

Love their outdoor space. Went for lunch and tried the lamb burger. Space was peaceful and food delicious.

This place is a 10! The ambiance is chill with a fantastic covered patio to boot! For lunch we all order the lunch specials which have multiple options and are quite tasty. The staff are pros and they help us make nice choices. Dinners are amazing! Make sure you have reservations though because it's a popular locals spot.

We were excited to try Avli in the laundry complex in Wilmette. We hadn't been there since frequenting Chef, Didier Durand's La Bohemia, which we adored. My birthday happened to fall on a Monday evening, which is not a usual, hot night for restaurants, and this was definitely the case for this establishment. The decor and ambience was fine. The food was, at best, fine. The service was perfunctory, and at times left the impression that they did not want to be there. To be specific about the underwhelming evening, it started out, promising with one of the best saganaki we had ever had. The server allowed the cheese to flambé quite a while, so that the alcohol burned off, yet added a bit of meltiness to the texture of the cheese. Zucchini chips were also fine, we just prefer a bit looser version of skordalia. Three of our party had the grilled seafood plate, along with one branzino and the lamb burger. The flavors were there, but everything, especially the burger, were overcooked and dry. Perhaps we will return on a busier night, perhaps the kitchen is in more of a groove during those situations. This just seemed like the kitchen was almost quiet, quitting, waiting for the evening to end, so they could get back to the normal operations of a bustling restaurant. Our usual Greek go to is Mykonos in Niles, and we have gone on every night of the week. The quality of the food has never had these issues Perhaps a nice spring or summer Thursday night might be a better time to give Avli another go-& stick with our usual strategy of Greek salad, an appetizer or two, share the gyros and a bottle of Roditis .

I enjoy writing great reviews for great dining experiences. I do not like writing about negative experiences. We've dined here more than a few times, but for us there's no reason to go back when there is excellent quality Greek food at Psistaria on Touhy. The service was the main problem. We were told as we sat down to hurry up and order as the kitchen was closing in 10-15 minutes. No hello or welcome. So we made our decisions and then watched as our waitress folded napkins and we waited for her to remember us. While that was happening a couple came in and sat down behind us. We ordered our food and then watched as the late comers were served ahead of us. Our food arrived just after that, my gyros were luke warm. I didn't complain, b/c at this point (after 9) I was hungry. My plate was set up in such a weird way, with the gyros on top of a pita and the tomato and onions underneath it all, so I had to figure out how to make this work with out spilling things off my plate. Wouldn't it make sense to put it all on top of the pita? By the time I finished it, it was cold. My wife ordered their lamb burger. It came on a plate, the bun and the burger nothing else...no garnish, tomato, lettuce anything else. I find that just so strange.

Came here for a rehearsal dinner. There were about 50 of us and they had a bar with beer and wine set up in the back, passed apps, and a plated dinner. The table set up was nice and we were seated 10 to a table. Spanakopita - very tasty but a little soggy Artichoke hearts - the grilled taste on this was very nice Gyros - pretty gamey but fine once you put it all together especially with the crispy fries Whitefish - a little dry but the broccoli was so good Baklava - a little one note but the very bottom offered a more caramel flavor Orange cake - a little dense and a little lacking in cake flavor. Too fruity

Loved this place, our waiters three gentlemen Miguel Jose y Juan that served us with such professionalism. Everything was delicious and served with a wonderful smile which makes all the difference always. Definitely our favorite Avli not only for the fabulous food but the human factor. It makes such a difference to go out and have an experience! Tonight we had a fabulous experience.

I have been to this restaurant many times over the years but I have to say I probably will never go back. First, we asked the waiter for separate checks for us two retired couples and he refused. Secondly, the food quality is not anything like the past. Third, when we asked for the lady to refill our water glasses she acted like we had asked for the world.

Love going here for lunch during summer on the patio. It's the only time I'll go. Solid Greek food for the area. Bottle of assyrtiko is a must with some shellfish or branzino. The branzino here is not the best but I still order it because it's kinda good everywhere. Good spot, glad it's here

We went on a Sunday around 7pm and the restaurant was dead. The appetizers were okay. The entrees not so much. The gyro meat was like beef jerky. They gave you a lot of meat but only one tomatoes slice and pita. The Seafood medley with tomato orzo had no tomato or orzo.

We were greeted with a smile and were seated in the cozy, festive, well-heated patio area. Staff were friendly and efficient, even when the 7pm rush swarmed in! Loved seeing halloumi on fire and experiencing Greek culture in the Chicago 'burbs! The food was overall fresh and high quality! We enjoyed the classic dishes, Greek salad, chicken skewers, and tzatziki. The waiter filleted the lemony sea bass for us too. Potatoes were on the bland side and bread was cold. Order the right things though and I'm sure you'll love it!

This was a wonderful spot for lunch. Great and patient waitstaff. The menu is extensive and it took some time to choose what to eat. Food was great. Even the manager was friendly and stopped by our table to say hello.

Nice place, friendly host, wonderful decor, the food smells very nice... It's very clean in the restaurant, and as usual it looks like a small but thoughtful group of committed citizens... Who are dining

Warning: The content in this post may be slightly skewed due to the gummy I took before dinner. We sat outside, which was on a porch connected to the restaurant with mesh curtains all around. The tables were all too close to each other. Lean backwards more than 20 degrees and you're in another lady's lobster pasta. I ordered the only real vegetarian meal they had. Some of the appetizers or spreads were vegetarian or vegan, but there are hardly any meatless meals. So, I got the roasted eggplant. I have never had eggplant. Anyway, we got appetizers from the table including pita and hummus, bread and butter, and more. Then came the octopus. Tiny cubes of tentacles covered the plate. It was fascinatingly disgusting. But if you like octopus you'll probs like it idk. When my eggplant came, I was nervous. Do I eat the skin? No, you don't. Well I didn't eat it so if that's false don't tell me. I ate the filling though, and it was bad. It's what I imagine mystery cafeteria stew would taste like. Plus I couldn't stop picturing the eggplant as octopus. I enjoyed the well-seasoned potatoes the most. In fact I really only ate that part of the meal. That's all I've got.

Excellent, authentic Greek food recommended by a fellow Greek! The dining environment is relaxing and service has always been outstanding!

I've loved coming here when visiting family in the Chicago area. The appetizers are all really good. This time we got three spreads (taramosalata, melitzanosalata, tirokafteri). The taramosalata is made with cod roe and tastes a little like egg salad to me. Not my favorite but the rest of the table loved it. The melitzanosalata is made with eggplant and the tirokafteri is spicy feta. Both of those were great with the latter being my favorite. We also got the saganaki, which is a delicious chewy cheese set on fire at the table, and grilled artichokes. Two of the entrees ordered were the tavern style lamb chops and the Moussaka. I ordered the lamb chops medium - I like lamb to be just a little more done than beef. They were tender and flavorful. The broccoli was zingy. I think the star was the Moussaka though. It's eggplant casserole with potato, braised lamb, béchamel on top, and Greek potatoes on the side. The eggplant lamb mixture was packed with flavor and the béchamel on top OH MY STARS so good. I wish I could put that on everything. Overall a great place to come for good food and a good time.

Chicago may have it's problems but the toney North shore suburbs seem to be immune with nice people frequenting nice restaurants for great food. There was no sign of an economic slowdown pending as the streets were busy as were the local establishments with a Vineyard Vines catalog come to life. In town for a great cause we relied on our guide Shy town Jack to pick out a place to eat prior to the Brain Cancer fundraiser and bar band jam. Jack suggested Greek so with a group in tow off we went. A bit hard to find, although that might be part of the charm, Avli Estiatorio gave that true Taverna feel in downtown Winnetka. Moderately busy we were seated outside in a very pleasant patio. Two servers helped us one with drinks, and one with food. The drinks were very authentic with a cocktail menu that requires guidance. A selection of 4 drinks came, one real Ozou with no sugar!, One made of tree bark and it tasted like it, one peach like a Bellini and a fourth that slips my mind. The peach was fine the rest seemed like a dare rather than a drink but probably really authentic. Fortunately a Grey Goose martini with BC O's followed cleansing the pallet..... twice. Food ranged from super diner fare, gyros, saginaki etc to superb. Hummus to start was great, octopus same and crusty bread with.... butter instead of the usual olive oil with spices that no one really wants but never mentions in polite company! My roasted lamb shank was fall off the bone tender. It would have brought Telly Savalas to tears! A huge chicken dish for Jack C. looked like he had a tip on a famine! RC had stuffed tomatoes that got high marks. Miami grad Mad had a kabob that looked great and again high marks. As we finished the waiter belted out an Italian!?! serenade for a couple and another torched a saginaki. A great start to a special evening. Opa indeed!! Go

I wish I'd discovered Avli sooner. I've been there three times this year. Their staff is hospitable and warm. They strive to make sure everything is wonderful. The restaurant evokes Modern Greece with a nod to ancient culture. The central fireplace provides warmth and hygge in the winter. The menu offers something for everyone. Don't be afraid to order something new. Every dish I've had was delectable.

I have gotten take out here many times. The front staff so nice and friendly. I get the mousaka and the spanakopita. The spanakopita is the best that I have had ever had! It melts in my mouth. The mousaka is good too. I would give this place an 9 out of 10. It's my favorite Greek restaurant in the suburbs.

Very decent greek food. We are here for my uncles 95th birthday. They have a great spread and fantastic service

We really enjoyed our dinner experience at Avli. They have a lovely patio tucked into the Laundry Mall, nice secluded, quiet and shaded. We had drinks and small plates. First was a trio of spreads: Hummus, Garlic and Spicy Feta. Served with warm pita, all 3 were delicious. Next we had Spanakopita and (3) mini chicken skewers. We finished with cheese cake. Everything was excellent, it was a perfect evening. Service was very good. Our waiter helped with wine suggestions, and recommended our selection of spreads. The location is a little hidden. They are inside the Laundry Mall. Google maps will take you to the building, you may not see a sign immediately for the restaurant. Go inside and you'll find it.

I had my rehearsal dinner at Avli Saturday night, and we were so thrilled with everything. We were 60 people and fit snugly but cozily in the main dining room. The food was absolutely delicious and the waitstaff was wonderful. We especially loved the beet salad, chicken kebabs, and the gyros. I will definitely return and highly recommend it for a private party or regular dinner.

I love Avli, I really do. We order delivery from here a lot, and my family and I have gone there in person a few times as well. Unfortunately the last two times that I have ordered delivery (July 4th, and tonight) my flatbread has arrived completely ruined. The first time it was completely sideways in the bag. I asked the driver, and he claimed the restaurant handed it to him that way. I made a big deal about how that couldn't be possible, but then my food arrived today and the flatbread box was put in the bag completely upside down. I'm not sure who is packaging the delivery orders or where the disconnect is, but to say I'm disappointed that my favorite dish arriving like this twice in a row would be an understatement. I hope this is an issue that can be resolved soon.

I agree with Steven T.'s assessment, as I had recently had a great experience dining at Avli Millennium Park as well. Though we had an excellent time due to the company, this place was awful in almost every regard. The spread sampler had no flavor whatsoever, though it had been delicious at the MP location. Entrées were so mediocre that many of us didn't eat our full meal. My partner had gyros on her salad, and it was overcooked and brittle with little flavor. My dil's Mousaka was all ground beef and hardly any eggplant. No one's dish was outstanding. If you can't make Taramasolata, gyros, and mousaka taste good, you don't deserve to be called a Greek restaurant. Now the service: Our server was quite friendly, to the point of talking for hours about her home country (not Greece) at the cost of getting our orders in efficiently. Additionally, she spent the majority of our meal sitting at a nearby table with her friends who were dining there. That made her unavailable when we needed something, and she certainly wasn't checking on our food. Management was seemingly nonexistent or invisible, you pick. We certainly will not return any time soon.

Milton is in charge!! He will make your experience at Avli all that you hope for. We hosted a bridal shower there in the garden room. Working with him was a pleasure. He listened and responded. The afternoon was glorious. If you're looking for a special venue for an important occasion, be sure to put this on your list. Ro

We had the octopus appetizer, olives and feta(The feta has a very mild flavor and soft texture, which makes it seem not authentic) lamb burger(which was too small... Should be 30 to 50% bigger for the price.) and gyros. Had a nice bottle moschfelero. Services always great.

Super cute place! Staff was great. We came in with a large party and they were very accommodating. We ordered the following appetizers that were really good: -beets appetizer -flaming cheese (forgot the real name) -artichokes -cod dip For my entree I got a Greek salad with gyro meat and it was good as well. Would return.

This was our second time at the restaurant and I'm not sure which was worse, the food or the service. We sat for 20 minutes before our server even acknowledged us. We ordered two martinis and they must have sat at the bar because by the time they got to us they weren't cold and our appetizer came 10 minutes earlier. The server never once checked on us or asked if we wanted another cocktail. I have never felt so ignored at a restaurant. The Greek lemon soup had no flavor, the Greek salad was loaded with tomatoes and cucumbers but limited olives, feta or red onion but nothing will compare to our entrees. I had the seafood Medley and everything was over cooked to the point that the octopus was beyond rubber and so hard you couldn't chew it. My husband had the shrimp skewers which also was over cooked, We did complain about our food and the manager removed our entrees from the bill which was very nice but honestly, we would have preferred a good meal with quality service and pay for it, We won't be going back.

Had SUCH a terrible experience it's actually baffling to me and the group I dined with. Service was so terrible I felt like I was actually being pranked no joke! Waiter never wrote down what we ordered, which was a problem because he had to revisit our table multiple times to ask us again?? AND STILL FORGOT STUFF AFTER Never was apologetic for his numerous mistakes, and was extremely incompetent..yikes, sorry to even have to say that. Food was alright. Nothing special. Go if you want, but only at your own risk. Can't even imagine anything they could possibly do to redeem themselves. Obviously will never be returning.

Usually consistently good. Dinner was awful. Gyros we're terrible. Seemed like we got left over meet. It was chopped small and overcook. Gross. Paid a lot of money for yogurt desert bc that's all I ate. Even the bread was stale

Very good food and service in The Laundry in Winnetka. Had lunch there after a meeting and was pleased as usual. Delicious stuffed eggplant with Greek potatoes, and then two desert "bites." Was most satisfied.

Stopped in for Brunch! We've never had brunch here until today and we are glad to add it to our list of Go To places. I had a mimosa and my husband had some cocktail that had a funny name (maybe Greek Man in Mexico?) and both were good. I had the Greek French toast which was soaked in milk, eggs, and I think honey. Delicious! My husband went for a lunch dish with gyros and fries. He had a Greek coffee and the choclava dessert which came with a scoop of ice cream. Food here is always better than other Greek restaurants. The decor is classy and understated. Service was very good and our meal was leisurely. Cost per person with tax and tip was $45. We will be back!

Recommended by a dear old friend of mine for a reunion of four great friends from college and a birthday celebration, I discovered this new hidden gem in the quaint suburb of Winnetka. What a remarkable night of supurb Greek Cuisine full of outstanding flavors, bright, open atmosphere, and impeckable personable service. My wife and I were the first to walk into Avli for our 8:00 reservations for eight of us. As usual, I like to arrive early to new places to get a feel for the atmosphere. As soon as we walked in, I knew we were in for a special evening. Bright, open, crisp atmosphere with three large dining rooms of tables with white table clothes perfectly spaced out for their guests to have a comfortable experience. A brilliant brick walkway towards a beautiful display of their wines in an open wine cellar, and a quaint comfortable bar where we enjoyed a glass of Rose in their nice Avli sketched wine glasses. As soon as we all were together, we were seated in the middle of their main dining room and our server was quick to help us out with a great bottle of The Prisoner for our red wine choice and his recommendation of one of their Greek whites, which turned out to be a crisp version of Pinot Grigio. We already felt our "happy place" for the night and the atmosphere alone set the tone. Great beginnings with our appetizer orders of Saganaki to split, tasty home made Eggplant Salad and Hummus with some of the freshest soft Pita I think I've had. Not sure where this originated from, but we really enjoyed their Watermelon and Feta Salad to split, something I did not see on the menu. If Saganaki was a "health food", I would of devoured theirs by itself. What a nice citrus bite to it. The menu is so diverse and organized with a great variety of beef, lamb, chicken and seafood dishes. In addition, Avli has a couple pasta and Vegetable dishes to chose from. We all ordered differently, but when I go to a Greek restaurant for the first time, it is Lamb for me. I ordered the Braised Lamb. Nice portion of tender, fall off the bone meat with the juices just flowing out of it. Most tender piece of Lamb, just how I like it served with oven roasted potatoes on the side. The flavors I have not had in most Greek restaurants anywhere I've been. My wife had the Lake Superior White Fish with a perfect and not overbearing lemon sauce. I could taste the natural flavor of the Whitefish, which some places take away with crusts and sauces. What a great presentation of their Salmon wrapped in parchment paper, my friend ordered. When the parchment was pulled back, the Salmon had a nice juicy glaze to it, probably from the ouzo baked over it. I never tasted it, but next time I will have to try this. Everyone loved what they ordered. A beautiful Mini Rack of Lamb split between two of us, and what looked to be a nice, helping of Makaronia, semolina pasta with EVOO. We also ordered a beautiful and tasty yellow and red beet salad. Colorfully fresh and was delicious. In regards to the variety and the preparation of the menu at Avli, this part of the experience could not have been better. Most of all, each dish stood for itself as best prepared as one can find in any Greek establishment. The flavors were MAGNIFICENT, and the presentation did not lie. Our server did an incredible job, although the kitchen did not have my entree of Lamb out on time, but I was ok, the dish was fabulous. Never a glitch in the service, in fact he was friendly and informative and added to our special evening. If anyone ever recommends Avli Estiatorio, take their word, because I walked away with a new hidden gem I would take people back to. The atmosphere is bright and happy, the flavors were top notch and they never missed a thing here. What a great reunion of friends because of it.

We had a tremendous experience at Avli! They had amazing signature cocktails, and we really liked the baked chicken, seafood medley, and appetizers. Our waiter Panagiotis was an absolute joy--they really made us feel welcome, gave great recommendations, and went above and beyond to make sure we had a good dining experience l. 10/10 will be going back!

totally love this place -love the flaming cheese but my tummy doesn't -just ask my girlfriens family after I hit the bathroom.

After a lovely visit to the Chicago Botanic Garden we decided to try this place for some outdoor dining. It's been hard to write restaurant reviews during this crazy time because - aside from mostly staying at home - there have been a lot of "corona quality" experiences. That said, our experience here at Avli rates as awesome, even during the best of times. First, the patio was beautiful, and at 3:30pm on a Saturday we had it all to ourselves. Furthermore, the service was attentive and hospitable. We came for lunch (which lasts until 4pm) and we were impressed with the selection. One thing to notice right away is that Avli is more of a modern Greek restaurant, as opposed to oldies-classic Chicago Greek. That means you will discover a number of novel and tempting menu items that set it apart from many other Greek restaurants you may have been to. Nevertheless, I did notice saganaki on the menu, in case that is what you are craving. We started our meal with the three spread sampler to share. Our choice of spreads were the tirokafteri (spicy feta), taramosolata (classic fish roe spread), and skodalia (sort of like a thinner garlic mashed potato). These were a hit with our table. I think the spicy feta might have been the most popular, but all were well-loved and well-eaten. While the spread sampler plate came with a few slices of pita, we also received a bread basket, which helped us to clean away any traces of spread that remained. For our lunch entrees we tried the gyros, the lamb burger, the solomos (smoked salmon sandwich), and pulled chicken sandwich. Everything was super good! I had the village salad as a side with my sandwich, and while I liked it well enough, I didn't necessarily love its mustard vinaigrette dressing - it's just not the flavor of dressing I crave with a Greek salad. My husband got feta fries and fried zucchini for sides with his burger, and both were a joy to pilfer from his plate. I will say that after stealing a bite of his lamb burger, it wasn't quite as tender as other lamb burgers I've had. I like my meat more rare. Otherwise, our friends really enjoyed their gyros and chicken sandwich, with nothing to critique about them. One final note is that Avli Restaurant is contained within a sort of mini-mall called "The Laundry." From the street we approached we could not tell the restaurant was inside The Laundry, and we just happened to park out front incidentally. You can reach the restaurant by entering the front door of The Laundry and walking down the hallway. Otherwise the primary entrance for the restaurant is on the other side of the building, accessible by walking through a sort of industrial-looking back lot.

A bit noisy at peak times, but the food is great. Shrimp skewers were delicious. Can't wait to go again.

This place was great but hard to find. It is actually inside The Laundry Mall. There is no storefront. Food was wonderful and staff was friendly. Will def go back.

What happened to Avli?? It used to be so good. The last two times have been disappointing. Most recently we had reservations for a Friday night. Not sure if someone called in sick, but the wait staff was a surly woman who seemed put out before we even placed our order. Besides her curt delivery , her appearance was not commensurate with Avli's prices.There were four of us and two of the meals weren't good. The papoutsakia was bland and tasteless (two words I would never use to describe Greek food). Also, Avli may not be responsible for the building it's located in but the Laundry Room Mall floor was dirty with scraps and bits on the rugs. A poor first impression and nothing a carpet sweeper couldn't mitigate. For a Friday night it was relatively empty so maybe others have had similar experiences there lately. Instead of opa! it was more like oh no!

While the food here was delicious I got the sense that I was being rushed out. They were apparrantly out of cocktails and the waiter also said they didn't serve any coffee. Dessert was also not offered. I was slightly disappointed in my experience here in comparison to the location in the city. My kalamarakia and beef souvlakia were delicious, though. I wouldn't recommend sitting close to the lights in the outside area--otherwise you will have mosquitoes buzzing around you the whole time.

Avli is amazing! The dishes were delicious, the chicken is grilled to Perfection with all the lovely spices. My friend had the lamb chops, we shared also the shrimps. I felt like I was in Athens! Great place, outside patio is very cozy with a retractable. The staff is very friendly. They are super busy, so bring some time, or get there early!

Tiana & Juan were the most amazing hosts to us tonight! We went for 1st time with our 4.5 year old, not realizing it was fancier than we expected & she was the only child there. Tiana came over and instantly bonded with her making her feel so special. Service was impeccable start to finish, with a complimentary desert, too! I had the shrimp skewers which were ok, but not very small slices of bell pepper & onion and only one half of a small greek potato, I'd try something different next time. The saganaki was amazing! We will definitely be returning to see Tiana & Juan again! The atmosphere & patio is wonderful! Thank you!

Came here for lunch and everything was just okay. My wife got the gyro sandwich and I got the bbq lamb sandwich. Fries that came with them were undercooked and lacking major flavor. The bbq lamb was pretty tasty but the gyro meat my wife had was mediocre at best. Have definitely had better gyros from fast food type places.

Fantastic staff and customer service. A memorable moment was being serenaded in Italian a capella. Always wonderful food and ultra considerate service. Our waiter even teased giving grandma the empty black folder that holds the check - a great laugh because of course she wasn't going to pay for her own birthday dinner yet was acknowledged as the matriarch and head of the party. We had a lot of fun and can't wait to visit again. Gma has been reserving the private room here for a long time! I presume we will be coming back for years to come!

This is the worst place eat at. The food is tasteless. The best item was their olive oil. The chicken lemon soup had a super creamy soup taste. It was gross. The fish was undercooked. They do not card if your entree is missing! Horrible for such an expensive place. Better food at Red Lobster!

Picked up lunch here today and the food was amazing. Best Greek I've had yet, especially for the north shore! Highly recommend.

Nice space, decent service but, the food is just a no. Can you say salt? Can you say flavorless unless, you like salt? Liked the overcooked green beans and, the pita bread but, that's not worth the prices. All 4 of us were in agreement. Sad. Really hoped to like it.

The food was sub par and I got a stomach ache after! I was really looking forward to the beef kabob lame!

Pre covid we ate at Avli regularly and were always pleased with the food and the service. Since I don't eat out anymore Avli is one of our favorite carry-out meals. The food is consistently delicious and the staff is always helpful when ordering and picking up. I must also say that I just read Nick A.'s review and I am shocked, disappointed and saddened that Nick wrote such a negative review as he was the person who refused to wear a mask when asked to at the restaurant. Hey Nick; stop being such a selfish, disrespectful and inconsiderate person! News flash: there's a pandemic going on! Get your act together. Wear a mask or stay home!

Nice little place to go for dinner. Tucked inside of the Laundry in Winnetka, you won't be sorry if you start with one of the traditional appetisers..Also, the tomato and cucumber salad with olives and feta is a nice starter before the main course. Had the chicken kabob with rice and potatoes. The chicken with the veggies in the red sauce was cooked perfectly, the potatoes too, liked the texture with the crust on them. Nice atmosphere but it did get a little hard to talk to our friends when the room filled up with other diners. Like the food and service and will be back next time in town.