Cross-Rhodes Restaurant

The food here is one of a kind. A true gem. We love the vegetarian salad with gyros meat and the veggie sandwich — a pita wrapped around generous portions of cucumber red onion and tomatoes on top of feta. Ive also had the half chicken. Lower stars for atmosphere only because the place is old (but clean) and the drinks in house are pricey and small $2.50 for 12 ounce can. Oh and be warned, cash only. But they do have an ATM in the atrium. Still this place is a must for the food. We no longer live in Evanston but when work takes me there I carryout. The salad traveled well with a bit of preparation and separation for reheating.

It was about time we made this visit. My family and I were so happily surprised how awesome the food and service were. This took care of my immediate Greek craving and will definitely be back for more. The owner overheard my comments that he came over with a bowl of olives 🫒 to take care of that desire. just great food and service. Food so great that I couldn't take the time to post pics.

A staple in the neighborhood!!! ALWAYS GOOD. It's possible Crossrhodes is the most consistent restaurant in America. great vibes, just the perfect diner ❤️

My wife wanted some vegetarian mousaka for mothers day so I called in and placed a pick up order. I was told 15-20 minutes for the food to be ready, and it took me over 25 minutes to get there. Upon arriving I was told my order wasnt ready, and one of the guys at the counter was bothering me trying to get me to buy one of their over priced $6 macro brews while I waited. I paid for my order and waited at the counter. Ultimately my order wouldn't be ready until 45 minutes after I placed it. While standing at the counter I had the displeasure to watch my wife's mousaka be prepared. It was from a frozen tray of food not even prepared there, but rather at Athenian Foods in Melrose Park. And it was re-heated on the same grill they were using to cook burgers, meaning this previously vegetarian dish was no longer vegetarian. I think it is safe to assume any even minorly complex dish which is more involved than heating something on a griddle, is purchased from a food service company like Sysco and is just re-heated to order. When I got home I began unpack the char-burger I ordered. Neither the burger nor bun was charred, nor do I think they have an actual grill to do so. And it was the saddest burger i've ever seen, worse than even McDonalds fare, just a thin patty of beef in a crushed bun. The bottom bun was also sopping wet due to the white wine they coat their "greek" fries in. Most curious of all is that I was forced to pay $44 and some change for this Sysco-tier slop. I have no clue how they arrived at this total, as according to their menu prices the Mousaka was $15, the burger was $14, a half order of fries was $4.50 and the minestrone soup was $4, or $37.50 in total. With tax I should have only been charged $41.34 assuming 10.25% sales tax. This business is cash only, and I can only assume it is because they have been kicked off their payment processor due to excessive chargebacks for habitually over billing customers. So in summary if you want poorly re-heated frozen food or the saddest burgers imaginable, that take twice as long as quoted to be ready, from a restaurant who lies about whether or not dishes conform to your dietary restrictions, go to Cross-Rhodes, if not i'm sure Yelp can help you find a far better Greek diner that wont steal your money.

One of my favorite spots in Evanston to pick up lunch. The food is great - I especially like the chicken country pita, egg lemon soup, and Maria fries. Prices are very reasonable and I never have to wait long. Good atmosphere inside too. I do wish they had more vegetarian options, but the ones they have are good!

Was introduced to this place by the love of my life in college back in '97. Always loved it, the staff, the owner and food. After more than a decade so glad it's still here, still great food and his daughter is carrying the torch. Best mom n pop resto in the north shore. Thank you for keeping it real! Will always come in when I'm near! Ps, yes I know it's a cardinal sin to put bbq on the gyro...but their bbq sauce is the bomb! And, the same it's always been 😇. AND REMEMBER CASH ONLY...only downside to me.

The souvlaki meat (both pork and chicken) were very flavorful and juicy. The Maria fries had lemon sauce and were covered with crumbled feta. Service was quick and efficient. Parking is metered on the street outside. Cash only. There's an ATM next door.

Always excellent!!! I had the gyro sandwich, love it, my husband had the chicken plate...it was so juicy and fresh and the taste was amazing..ohhh and the greek fries❤️❤️❤️ Our commute is long but 100% worth it! Ohhh, another thing, very courteous not only to the customers but to the kitchen staff as well! That's a BIG deal!

Yum. Everything has remained delicious the past 30 or so years this restaurant has been open. They have added some items but the old stand-bys, Greek Chicken, Gyros Platter, Skirt Steak, salads remain delicious. Only cash

Cross-Rhodes is one of my favorite places to get a burger. I've come here for many, many years and have eaten countless burgers. I get the Charburger with feta, and it's served with all the fixins on a sesame bun. It's always perfectly grilled and juicy and is served with Greek fries (crispy cottage with vinegar and oregano) which are just amazing. My friend has always ordered the vegetarian salad with slices of gyro with a cup of avgolemono soup. The tzatziki sauce is thick and garlicky and so good. Portions are very generous. Cross-Rhodes is nothing fancy but if you want simple and hearty Greek food, you'll find it here. Staff has been here for ages. Cash only but there's an ATM in the vestibule. Once long ago, we considered living around the corner from Cross-Rhodes, which would have been a disaster for my hips. As it is we make a regular pilgrimage and I'm always happy and excited to get a burger and look forward to the next visit.

My boyfriend has been wanting to take me to Cross-Rhodes forever as they have one is his favorite burgers; The Rhodes Burger, which is a half pound burger patty with cheese, topped with gyros meat on a sesame seed bun. It sits on a bed of steak cut Greek fries, which are equally loved. It's a big burger and will keep you full for most of the day. He asked for it to be cooked medium, and it was perfectly medium. I took a couple of bites, and the meat was so soft and juicy and the gyros was perfectly crispy. They don't skimp on the gyros. I ordered chicken souvlaki with grilled vegetables and tzatziki sauce. Chicken kabob in general is pretty similar from restaurant to restaurant, but their chicken kabob was one that I especially enjoyed. It had great flavor, wasn't dry, but also wasn't swimming in juice and had a beautiful char. I love a char on my meats, so it was pretty hard to not finish my plate. The tzatziki was very good - thick, with good flavor and not overly garlicky. The service was wonderful. We were greeted upon arrival and as we left by who I assume was the owner. Our waitress was very sweet and personable and made you feel right at home. Very cozy place. If you're in the area, be sure to give it a try.

Phenomenal. I eat here very often and I can say it's one of the best restaurants on the north shore

Mediocre food, terrible delivery. Burger was pressed flat. Fries were soggy. $7 for a 3oz container of hummus.

Hands down my favorite restaurant in Evanston and possibly the world. Born and raised in Evanston, now living in Los Angeles, I always go there when I'm in town. I've been eating there for decades and the quality and taste as always been great. Thee best fries in the world.

We had the charburger (not flame broiled... grilled on a floor flat top) with cheese and fries plus a Greek salad and side of tzatziki. The burger was great. No frills, good flavor, all the fixin's, medium rare as requested. Steak fries are good. They come with some kind of "lemon sauce" which I expected to be thicker but is really very watery so the bottom fries are kind of wet, but that's okay. Portions are generous. The salad was a good size too. 3 nice sides of quite flavorful feta and a red wine vinegar dressing that I really liked. I like vinegary things quite a bit. It was a nice Greek salad. The tzatziki didn't have a ton of flavor except for some raw garlic flavor, it could have used dill IMO. I won't get it again. Last time we were here we got the Lemon Rice Soup. It was cold outside and the soup was so good. Great value for what you get. Food is so expensive these days. Service was fine, she was nice. Ambience is diner. Big ol' flat top grill you can see basically right there in the dining area. Everybody is nice. They do a good takeout business.

My wife wanted some vegetarian mousaka for mothers day so I called in and placed a pick up order. I was told 15-20 minutes for the food to be ready, and it took me over 25 minutes to get there. Upon arriving I was told my order wasnt ready, and one of the guys at the counter was bothering me trying to get me to buy one of their over priced $6 macro brews while I waited. I paid for my order and waited at the counter. Ultimately my order wouldn't be ready until 45 minutes after I placed it. While standing at the counter I had the displeasure to watch my wife's mousaka be prepared. It was from a frozen tray of food not even prepared there, but rather at Athenian Foods in Melrose Park. And it was re-heated on the same grill they were using to cook burgers, meaning this previously vegetarian dish was no longer vegetarian. I think it is safe to assume any even minorly complex dish which is more involved than heating something on a griddle, is purchased from a food service company like Sysco and is just re-heated to order. When I got home I began unpack the char-burger I ordered. Neither the burger nor bun was charred, nor do I think they have an actual grill to do so. And it was the saddest burger i've ever seen, worse than even McDonalds fare, just a thin patty of beef in a crushed bun. The bottom bun was also sopping wet due to the white wine they coat their "greek" fries in. Most curious of all is that I was forced to pay $44 and some change for this Sysco-tier slop. I have no clue how they arrived at this total, as according to their menu prices the Mousaka was $15, the burger was $14, a half order of fries was $4.50 and the minestrone soup was $4, or $37.50 in total. With tax I should have only been charged $41.34 assuming 10.25% sales tax. This business is cash only, and I can only assume it is because they have been kicked off their payment processor due to excessive chargebacks for habitually over billing customers. So in summary if you want poorly re-heated frozen food or the saddest burgers imaginable, that take twice as long as quoted to be ready, from a restaurant who lies about whether or not dishes conform to your dietary restrictions, go to Cross-Rhodes, if not i'm sure Yelp can help you find a far better Greek diner that wont steal your money.

Cross rhodes was there first place I ate at when moving to Evanston. It will always have a special place in my heart. The restaurant is cash only which makes it really difficult for me to visit without making a separate trip to an ATM first. If it's your first time here, definitely get the gryo dinner plate with tzatziki sauce. This plate will feed you twice and you will be dreaming of the sauce.

9. 9. 6 Cash only! And they have a cash machine inside the door if needed! Large portions and all sauces house made. Large steak fries come a couple ways.

Delicious. My grandma is 99 and has me pick up their lemon soup- her comfort food. also has the freshest Greek salads!

I found the portions huge but the product over cooked and dry. I read other reviews but I do not agree and I will never return.

I used to come here a lot way back when, it's good to see they survived the Pandemic. I've liked everything on the menu, always been treated well, and the prices are very reasonable. Nothing much has changed since I was in graduate school last century, and I do love a place that has stayed the course. Consistency makes a good restaurant great.

I have been eating at Cross Rhodes for decades. Consistently good food and friendly staff. Gyros burger is a huge meal Gyros sandwich always packed with tasty meat Greek chicken good for two meals and the Greek fries are great. Support your local businesses and have a great meal!

Don't go for the ambience. Go for good food at a more than fair price! (Cash or check only.) Dinners include soup or salad and potatoes or grilled veggies on a skewer. Good veggies, not the usual broccoli and carrots that many restaurants offer. The Greek chicken is delicious and juicy. When I asked if the Greek chicken took a while to cook because we were in a hurry, I was told. "No problem. It's already slow cooked for 2 hours." Fast and friendly service so it's a great place to go before a Space concert which is nearby. Plenty of street parking. What's not to like?

This is the perfect restaurant - casual and family-friendly, delicious scratch-made food and nice beer selection! We tried Cross-Rhodes for the first time this past weekend and had a fantastic meal - we started with Taramasalata, which was one of the best I've had. The gyro dinner was scrumptious and piled high. The Pastitsio was rich and mouthwatering. We left full and happy! Looking forward to bringing family!

You can always count on their consistency. Of course, the Greek chicken is amazing. I can never get enough of the potatoes and sauce. I've been coming here for years and always eat here when I'm back in town, every single time. If you haven't been here, just go, food is great. Bring cash, only form of payment accepted

I love this place! Highly recommend! I just moved to Evanston in August of 2023, and it has been hard not to come here every day! You have to try the Maria fries!!

A hole in the wall Greek diner. I'm a 2nd generation fan of this place. Delicious gyros and skirt steak. Cash only but there is an ATM by the register.

The great Greek diner. A classic staple in southeast Evanston. This is the place for a delicious affordable dinner. Cash only (but they do have an ATM.) Real Greek fries (vinegar & herbs...) are the ONLY Greek fries. That's the MUST do.

It's the best Greek restaurant in the Chicago area, full stop. Best egg lemon, best gyros, best of the best.

Cross-Rhodes has been our favorite Greek restaurant ever since I was a young child. I highly recommend this diner to residents or anyone visiting Chicago who wants authentic Greek food close to the city. Everything on the menu is a staple.

Good service, clean environment, good food. What else can I expect? Highly recommend this place for Greek food.

The best Greek around. The egg lemon soup is excellent. The burgers are great, if you don't want Greek. Everything is always delicious.

Cross that Rhode to get to the other side and avoid this place! I have been going to this restaurant for decades, when the current owner was just a gleam in her father's eye, her father who started the business. It has never been at the level it was when he was alive and running it, but still the food wasn't bad and the prices seem reasonable, and the customer service was adequate, until tonight. I ordered my usual moussaka which comes with.a side salad and upgraded to a greek side salad which they charge extra for. They also charge extra for more feta and more olives. Since they only put one skimpy piece of feta cheese on the side salad I sometimes would order more feta in addition. Tonight when I ordered, and I mentioned getting extra feta, the waitress misunderstood and thought I only wanted feta and no olives. When I relooked at the menu and saw that it comes with feta and olives, I got up from the table and went over to waitress, since she never came back to check if everything was ok, and said I only got one piece of feta and the greek salad comes with feta and olives. She said you only ordered feta and I only charged for that. I couldn't believe she was arguing with me about what I was telling her that I wanted on my salad! By the time I went to the owner to explain what happened, I was clearly frustrated and she started telling me to lower my voice and essentially scolding me instead of trying to find out what I wanted regarding my order and giving it to me. I even said to her to stop telling me off, that I'm the customer! She was unapologetic. I went back to my table to finish dinner with my friend, but now I had lost my appetite. What started as a misunderstanding quickly escalated to a full blown conflict and the owner, who you would think would have tried to defuse it, only made it worse. After reading through the other 1 star reviews, I see I am not alone in the cavalier treatment that I received. I'd rather go to Dengeo's in Skokie than go back to this overrated Greek dive.

Consistently.... Simply the best! From their fabulous soup, gyros, Greek fries and carrot cake to their burger, chicken and skirt steak, (you can't go wrong! Truly, An Evanston institution

Cash only, so remember to bring plenty of it because their menu is delectable. Everything is tasty, serving sizes are huge and everyone is friendly. The place also has plenty of space to host a family.

Not sure why it's taken me forever to write this. This is one of the best places to have a cheeseburger. The quality of the meat is great and they nail a perfect medium rare every time! That with a side of Greek fries and a beer is great livin! I know it's just a simple burger.... But done so perfectly I crave it. Other food like their Greek chicken sandwich here is great too but I always come back to that burger. Bravo Maria...so happy you've kept this gem going through the years!

Their salads are always fresh and so delicious. Stand outs are the baklava and greek style fries. The staff is exceptionally sweet!

My mom's going to write more below but basically the shell Mac and cheese combined with the corn bread was my favorite part of Thanksgiving.... Ok now my mom... You may not have thought of Cross-Rhodes for a traditional Thanksgiving feast, but man, did they DELIVER and I mean that literally and figuratively!!-Mom

So the burger was OK. And the man that takes the order was friendly. However, some orange hair lady was incredibly abusive over the phone and in person- she could teach a master class on being rude. Hung up on me multiple times- didn't tolerate me being a new customer and not knowing the menu. told me to "smile hun" and rolled her eyes on me in person after she repeatedly hung up on me and put me on hold over the phone. I really don't understand why that process was incredibly painful. She's lucky i came to pick up my order. Egg lemon soup was disgusting. And the chicken over rice was overwhelmingly subpar. Overall- i would NOT recommend this place. I'm not putting my money in an establishment that is abrasive and rude to me when I'm friendly. Maybe they're just racist. Idk. I also called her back to tell her she wasn't very nice and she yelled at me basically and told me it's my fault i walked in negative. How do you even know I'm being negative? Did asking you for lime come off rude when you only have lemon? instead of being like wow I'm so sorry. She has a nasty attitude. Being stuck at a job like this- she looked overwhelmed and probably just cannot do her job. Maybe she failed high school not sure maybe her dad owns the restaurant. Whatever it is she is definitely great at deterring people :) just so you know I've come 3 times this week and I tend to eat at the same places for months at a time. So that's roughly 50-60$ a week that is no longer coming in from me. :) enjoy your bad attitude ma'am!!

Went here for lunch with a co-worker. Service was fast and friendly. Food met all expectations and was very well priced.

Been coming here for 30 years (not joking, this was my mom's fav when she was pregnant with me). It's always been delicious, quick and friendly service, good atmosphere and a staple for our family. I've lived in LA for 3 years now and every time I visit home I always request Cross Rhodes at least once as a family meal. I dream about the egg lemon soup, Greek fries and chocolate cake. I have vivid memories of sitting down to eat as a kid and getting my little plate of cheese and crackers. Truly an Evanston gem, and excited to eat here on my thanksgiving visit this year!

Have never had a bad meal here, but my favorite item is the pasticio. Perfectly meaty, creamy, warmly spiced. Enough for 2 people but I keep it all for myself. Cash only, don't forget!

This is one of the best, no-nonsense mom-and-pop/family diners in town. Cash only, which is important to know as well as kind of symbolic of the old-school mentality you'll run into here. It's my go-to for spanakopita, and we would live on the Maria fries if we could. Portions are substantial and prices are low. Service is brisk -- your order will usually be ready in less than ten minutes even at peak times. I haven't been to Greece but I've been to numerous other Greek restaurants in Chicago's Greektown and elsewhere. Cross-Rhodes may not be as fancy as some of those Greektown establishments, but they still offer a great meal at a great price.

Came for a late dinner and tried their taramosalata app, half bbq chicken dinner and their gyro plate. First off - it's a very generous portion of food that they serve here. The taramosalata was ok - I've definitely had better but I was hungry so polished it off with my partner. Good thing we ordered it cuz it took a while for our entrees to come - the waiter was apologetic and comped us a free baklava for our troubles. Wasn't a bit deal as we were in a hurry. Their vegetable minestrone soup was delicious though was unexpectedly a sweeter soup than I would have expected - probably not a great choice for those watching their sugar levels. The bbq chicken was super tender and bbq sauce was perfect. The served it upon a bed of fries and lemon sauce which I found to be a tad too sour but I could see others finding it refreshing. They make really delicious crisp fries here so next time I'll ask for the fries naked. Gyro platter was enough for 2 large meals as it came with pita and a gigantic platter of rice. I found the meat to be a bit more dry than I would've liked but my partner enjoyed it a lot. This place has a cute casual romantic feel inside and is cash only- they do have an atm at the door to accommodate those unprepared. Overall decent place to grab a bite in Evanston!

Came here with my uncle and cousins the other night. He comes here quite a bit, and my cousin used to work at the restaurant, but this was my first time. We had 5, so my cousin said he would order everything and we would share it all. This is definitely the move because there are so many things I wanted to try. We started with a hummus and pita, 2 spanakopita, a large Greek salad, and some lemon soups. The spanakopita was fantastic, and I really enjoyed the soup. The hummus, pita, and Greek salad were what you expect. Next came the entrees, we got the roasted chicken, skirt steak, gyro plate, lamb burger w/feta (not pictured), and maria fries. It was all super good. It all came with a lemon sauce that was light and lemony. The Maria fries were loaded with feta on top. Super good. For dessert we got some baklava and chocolate cake. I have a huge sweet tooth and the baklava might have been too sweet for me, so make sure you loves sweets if you get it. The vibe of the place was cool, your neighborhood Greek spot. I really enjoyed it. Overall I recommend it and can't wait to go back. Score 8.2/10

Never disappoints, placed order, it was ready as requested, all special instructions followed. The gyros is AMAZING! solid greek salad. Order the fries well done-and the greek chicken is always on par!

I love this place with my heart ..food expectional!! Been going since a kid great service normally. I drove from Oak Park to have a great dinner for nostalgia...instead I ordered a special from the menu the waitress looks at as if she has order down and when I got order it was totally what I told her. No cheese the fries were dry and iask for them wet seem preoccupied trying too rush me out the place. It ruined my vibe and I had to remind her about what I asked on the order which paying to me at all!! Why have a notebook and pen??? I still adore the place but the waitress need to step her listen game up!!

My parents were coming here before i was alive and they finally took me a couple of years ago and I recently visited again. Steak is tender, marinated well in the greek sauce, and the steak fries with the lemony greek sauce is top tier. Chicken and rice is really good too. Only complaint really is i wish their signature salad dressing had more flavor and that there was a bit more on my salad.

A-ok. Had lunch here this week and ordered the 1/2 chicken with veggies. It was served hot and timely and was pretty moist. Grilled chicken is sometimes dry and they did a good job making sure it was served to me moist. Lemon egg drop soup was hot and a nice touch included with the meal. We also had a greek salad with gyro meat added. I thought the gyro was very bland which would keep me from ordering a gyro sandwich in a future visit. Table service was unexpected as most Greek restaurants give you a number to go pick up your meal. If I was in the area I would come back.

We've been coming here since the mid-80s. The food has been consistently great. Many great memories, including talks with Jeff, the owner, who would sometimes sit with us at that cute table in the corner. Jeff was proud of his food and his prices / value. A great guy with a great staff. Maria carries on brilliantly.

Got the chat burger and Maria fries. Wow! In a Chicago burger scene that seems dominated by smash burgers, it was awesome to be able to order a burger 'medium.' The Maria fries came smothered in very legit feta. My family is Greek and we only buy feta from the little Greek stores--so who knew this was no baloney grocery store feta. I went here before visiting Space in Evanston for a concert and I think I will make it a tradition to pick up here and head over to Sketchbook brewing across the street before the show. Great spot!

Would have been okay if the food was hot. I should have returned it. I was that hungry. Why is gyro meat sitting in a pan that long ??

Excellent gyros and Greek salads! Pleasant servers. Place is always clean. Prices are fine.

Dropped in on a weekday night around 7PM to grab a quick dinner to go. Ordering was easy and the food came out quick. I got the Maria fries (yum!) and the gyro sandwich with tomato and onion. The gyro was packed with a lot of meat and was what you'd expect from decent quick Greek food. The tzatziki sauce was more watery than I'd like, but besides that it was good food at a great price.

So. Much. Meat. Holy smokes!! Whenever my family orders from Cross-Rhodes, we keep it pretty basic: gyro plate, souvlaki plate, gyro sandwich. There's always more than enough fries to share, and always enough meat for another dinner for the whole family! We recently got smart and started buying extra pita bread at the grocery store to keep in the freezer, and now when we have Cross-Rhodes leftovers we bust out the extra pita. Also, you MUST get the fries Greek style! You'll never go back, trust me!

We've been regulars here for over 10 years. Food is always good, staff is even better. We particularly love their gyros, bbq and regular chicken, hummos, soups, skirt steak and moussaka. Casual and comfortable atmosphere. Open for pick up and deliveries now as well, check website for hours. Generous portions and accurate orders as well. A great family restaurant!

Love the Gyros plate, and Greek potatoes...sooo much food tho .you have to get 2 pita breads tho..and Red sauce on it, and Tzaziki sauce on the side..good eating...yesss!