Aside from a short wait for a reservation, everything was great at Evvia – my 2nd time eating here. The service was smooth, friendly, but completely unintrusive. I really wonder why more servers can’t be as effective and genuine as ours. The space is large yet cramped because they pack people in, but I can see why people keep coming.

The lamb chops are recommended for very good reason. They are simply prepared yet full of flavor, especially with a spritz of lemon juice. The beef souvlaki also has a delicious pilaf of rice and farro, which adds a chewier texture to the side. Both meats were so good, yet they could have been even better. 2 of my 4 lamb chops, and half of the beef chunks were closer to medium than the medium rare we ordered. Is it really that hard for a long-tenured restaurant like this to cook meat to medium-rare? That takes Evvia from 5 stars to only 4.

Appetizers – I’ve had several good ones before, and this time tried some phyllo stuffed with cheese and various vegetables. Light and crispy, the phyllo went very well with the creamy cheese.

Dessert was a delicious honey pastry (more phyllo!) with vanilla and semolina custard and pistachio ice cream. Everything worked so well together, with the hot custard inside contrasting nicely with the cool ice cream, and the honey complementing the crunchy pistachios sprinkled around the plate.

Evvia is a very popular Greek restaurant in Palo Alto. It has a wholesome family feel, but don’t let that fool you into thinking it is a casual place. You should definitely dress up a little bit. The wait staff was a little impatient by asking to take our orders as we were in the middle of being seated. The pita appetizer was by far the best item on the menu. The rib eye and the first pinot noir on the wine by the glass menu were both excellent as well. The lamb was a bit bland, fat-heavy, and a rather small portion for a dish that is served family-style. I have had much better lamb at other restaurants.

I’ve been here for lunch and dinner and it’s always been great. My favorite is the lamb chops but the steak was great too. I hear that this is the sister restaurant of Kokkari in SF which is good too.

A rather popular Greek place in downtown Palo Alto. For those who eat lamb, they are one of the best places to go. Usually tender and tasty without much of the gamey taste. Not many places can prepare lamb well, but this is one of them.