The Parthenon
Greek restaurant · Union Square
582 Sutter St, San Francisco, CA 94102
Highlights
Greek mezes, wine bar, and classic dishes like souvlaki
Greek mezes, wine bar, and classic dishes like souvlaki
"The Parthenon in Union Square makes a compelling case that not all table bread should be in loaf form. The pita at this Greek spot arrives freshly toasted, crispy, and slightly blistered. Every piece makes for a sturdy vessel that takes on heavy spoonfuls of the accompanying spicy red tomato sauce. Four pieces per person, but if you order one of their fantastic mezethes (tzatziki is your top priority), you’ll get an additional basket." - julia chen 1, patrick wong
"Despite its name, The Parthenon isn’t quite an ode to ancient Greece—it’s like almost every other trendy restaurant nearby. The Union Square spot is dim, pulsing with dance music, and packed with families screaming their conversations over solid Greek dishes. The standouts are the pomegranate souvlaki and lavraki. Tables are easy to get on weekdays, but grab a reservation for weekends." - ricky rodriguez, patrick wong, julia chen 1
"Don’t worry—the music’s just loud enough at this Union Square spot to keep things at least semi-private. Plus, everything moves quickly here, so your reserve of house pita and spicy salsa is always fully stocked. If you need something a little more mellow to calm the nerves, the hummus and tzatziki go just as well with the pita and don’t pack as much of a punch." - julia chen 1, patrick wong
"With a name like “The Parthenon,” you might expect a space with some marble columns, a sculpture perhaps—just a faint whiff of antiquity. Instead, this Union Square Greek restaurant feels like it was halfway to becoming a clubstaurant before it lost interest. Big dangling orbs are the only sources of light and there’s loud dance music thumping in the background, but with tightly packed tables and banquettes mostly occupied by families, it isn’t exactly a Big Night Out destination. video credit: Patrick Wong And while the dining room may be slightly confused, the large menu sticks to the classics with mezethes like tzatziki and hummus as well as various souvlaki making up the bulk of the mains. It’s a mixed experience. The entrees—in particular the pomegranate souvlaki and lavraki—are excellent, while the spanikopita and other small plates are misses. Even so, it’s a solid choice if you’re in the area and need a decent restaurant that won’t be overrun with tourists. Walk-ins on weekdays are easy, but make reservations on weekends or be okay with bar seating. Food Rundown House Pita Four pieces of pita (per person) arrive toasted with a ramekin of tomato sauce that’s slightly spicy and parsley-heavy. We’re grateful to start the meal with this. photo credit: Patrick Wong Tzatziki You should order this. It’s creamy with just a slight sourness. Wisely ration out the included basket of pita, or order extra to ensure you get every last drag of this. photo credit: Patrick Wong Fried Sardines The skin’s crispy, but the meat is a little dry and could use some salt. But if you’re especially fond of these little guys, they’re still worth trying. photo credit: Patrick Wong Spanikopita The outside is crispy and flaky as it should be, but the remaining layers are doughy and the filling, while tasty, is scant. We’d skip this. photo credit: Patrick Wong Roka Salad Arugula, beets, fennel, and goat cheese. It’s a fine salad and similar to ones you’ll find at a lot of other restaurants in the city. It could do with more cheese. photo credit: Patrick Wong Lavraki The mediterranean sea bass is moist, flaky, and big enough to split with another person. It’s simple with just some lemon and fennel, but it’s delicious. photo credit: Patrick Wong Pomegranate Souvlaki The three finger-sized pieces are surprisingly filling. Make sure to swipe each bite of beef through the pomegranate molasses and garlic yogurt. photo credit: Patrick Wong Yogurt Baklava This dessert has potential, but like the spanikopita, the outside is crunchy and the interior is soggy. It gets the job done if you need something sweet, but feel free to leave this off your order. photo credit: Patrick Wong" - Patrick Wong
"The Parthenon is a new Greek restaurant from the owner of Gyros and Tzatziki, set in Union Square. For dinner, expect a roster of classic Greek dishes, such as octapodaki (octopus with lemon, capers, and olive oil), pastitsio (a layered, baked pasta dish with ground beef), and garides souvlaki with prawn skewers. The lunch menu overlaps with many of the dinner options but with the notable addition of four pita sandwiches at $14 each, which come with salad or fries." - Dianne de Guzman, Lauren Saria
