EAT HELLENIC

Some say the third time is the charm—but Nikol Zarbalas’ restaurants have been charming people since day one, myself included. What’s changed over time isn’t the food, but the space. Each iteration came with a built-in constraint. Hellenic Republic was beloved but far too small, spilling into outdoor seating that became punishing during warmer months thanks to unreliable AC. Food Republic followed—short-lived, slightly larger, but still tight, again leaning on outdoor seating to cope with demand. Now comes Hellenic, in the former Waao! Market space—and this is where everything finally clicks. The room seats roughly 187, with a full bar and a genuinely comfortable café-style lounge—cushy chairs, love seats, and space to linger. Food Republic’s signature bric-a-brac, tchotchkes, chandelier, and familiar objects are all here, preserved—but now they’re allowed to breathe. The massive open layout means generous table spacing, no sense of crowding, and a welcome feeling of air and ease. It’s familiar, but no longer claustrophobic. The menu is exactly what you want it to be: Nikol’s greatest hits from the original Hellenic Republic, blended with Food Republic’s modern Greek diner staples and a full brunch program. The execution is confident and consistent—the flavors you remember, scaled properly. It’s the same restaurant, just bigger. Roughly 3.27 times bigger, if we’re being precise. The vibe now feels closer to a large Tarpon Springs or Astoria spot, or even the old Zorba’s in Delray—but in the best possible way. Rachel and I ordered conservatively. She went with the lamb bowl topped with fried halloumi; I ordered the seafood orzotto in lemon cream. Normally this dish comes with orzo (or barley, traditionally), but after selling around ninety lamb bowls that day, the kitchen had run out. Instead, Nikol sent it out made as actual risotto. Rice. Am I complaining? Absolutely not. It was excellent. Maybe she was messing with me. Who knows. On a Tuesday night, the place was already buzzing, servers moving fast and focused, the room fully alive. This is the version of the restaurant that finally makes sense. I’ll be eating here at least twice a month—and I’m genuinely glad it’s back.

The new space on Atlantic is super nice and way bigger than the little spot in the Wall previously. Lots of big farm tables and seating. Went for brunch and everything was really good, we'll be back for the full menu.

Ran to Hellenic after a workout for a Salmon bowl for myself and a chicken bowl for my daughter, I’ll tell you the salmon was grilled to perfection, the veggies were fresh and rice was seasoned with love! The restaurant has the cutest homey vibes and I’m def looking forward to my next visit.

What can I say that the last guy didn't? LoL I've had Helenic Republic takeout (Was always AMAZING) Thanks Ma! (Was next to her job) Now, with them right next to MY job Was SO excited to try this location Hadn't realized their lineage And that this is not just another location But a whole renewed reiteration My co-workers at Trulieve immediately Started getting food from them And at first glance I was jealous I finally got to try them while on vacation (I've been working ALOT & moving too) Food was SO DELICIOUS!! Yumm OMG! I had a Lamb Gyro Pita & Greek Fries (What a Savory Mouth Watering Combo!) Way More Gourmet Quality for the Price Than most other places in their Food Genre And so close to work & home It's beyond convenient There's been a lot of Indian and Cuban spots In that location and they never last really I'm confident but also praying That HELENIC is here to stay!! (And I don't doubt they will!)

EDIT: the Chef responded to this review with false information. Our order was set for 6:30, we arrived 6:25 and drove away with our food at 7:00+ We did not order any pork chops I don't have any idea what the chef is referring to, he is perhaps thinking of another customer. My Lamb burger was not medium as ordered, but fully WELL DONE. The Spanakopita was not cooked and needed another 10+ minutes in the oven cooking at home. The rest of the food was fine. These are the facts. If you truly take as great of pride as you say you do in the preparation of your food, then shouldn't you be sorry that you did not prepare ours properly and also made us wait 30+ extra minutes for it? The response is very concerning because it doesn't acknowledge at all what has happened to us and states incorrect times & information about which food we got. The worst part for me personally is I've been genuinely waiting several months for this place to open up again because I had heard good things about it and got a bit bored of places like Greek Islands. I was hoping the Hellenic restaurant would at least acknowledge that they screwed up here both on my food and the service, but instead they claimed we are not being factual and challenged our review.... We could have been long time loyal customers of yours, but you chose to fight us after giving us bad service and a couple food items not prepared properly. I do NOT understand your behavior at all. Original review: Absolute disaster, DO NOT COME HERE. Extremely angry and disappointed. We ordered pick up online and paid on a $150 order, we arrived on time. The issue is, they only began to make the order after we walked in and asked to pick up the order, they didn't start to make it until we arrived. We ended up waiting 35 MINUTES!!! They told us some BS story about why it wasn't ready yet, it was insulting. They were so chaotic and unorganized, they should not be open yet. They did not even THINK ONCE to offer ANY sort of compensation, NONE of the 3 people who we interacted with thought it was an issue that a 73 year old woman was forced to stand waiting in the pickup zone 35 extra minutes for an expensive order which was supposed to be fully ready!!!! Incredible. Worse yet, we thought well at least we have the food finally! Well... some of the food (that they did not make until we arrived) was not good at all and improperly cooked and hastily put together. Literally everything went wrong, and we paid $150 for this, they didn't even think for one moment that we should be compensated. Phone lines don't work tried calling 5 times, line is always busy or off. We will DEFINITELY be disputing this $150 charge. One of the worst experiences ever. I literally don't write negative reviews never have in my life. We are so angry at this, we had no choice.

This newest location is absolutely beautiful!! My husband and I frequented their last location often, so needless to say, we are happy to see them expand. The food is as amazing as ever and the staff is so kind, delivering exceptional service! We are already excited to come back and bring more of our friends/family with us!

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Hellenic Republic in Coral Springs, and I can confidently say it's a hidden gem! From the moment we arrived, we were impressed with the warm and inviting atmosphere. We chose to sit outside, and even though it was a bit chilly, our server went above and beyond to ensure we were comfortable, even providing my wife with a blanket. This small touch of customer care truly exemplified the top-notch service we received throughout the evening. Now, let's talk about the food. Simply put, it was amazing! The shrimp and grits were absolutely to die for, and the octopus was cooked to perfection. We also enjoyed a pitcher of their sangria, which was incredibly tasty. Each dish was bursting with flavor and beautifully presented. Overall, our experience at Hellenic Republic was exceptional. The combination of delicious food, great service, and a cozy ambiance makes this place a must-visit. We will definitely be back! Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

This gem and Coral Springs is definitely a five star. We’ve been there twice this week and I must say the food reminds me of the food. I ate in Greece. The long awaited reopening was worth the weight. This evening there was not one seat available, and the staff did an excellent job. Having worked in the food industry myself people must understand that they need to be patient as they’ve just reopen their doors. The food was a 10 out of 10. The Manager Tatiana went from table to table To be sure that every customer was satisfied. I highly recommend this place, even the chef and Owner herself came to the table to check in with us. I was so impressed.. I promise you you will have us as a loyal customer. We love you guys and we are so happy that you are in Coral Springs. From the soup salad salads, and entrées. One dish was better than the next. I know that you guys will get even better and better as each day passes. Kudos to all of the servers and each of the chefs that works so hard to make our meals so delicious. I can’t rave about this place anymore than I have. Go and enjoy.!!!!