Wow. Incredible authentic food and atmosphere. Our server, Klaert, did an excellent job. If you have small and impressionable children, you might not want to take them during the belly-dancing hours. Although impressive, it can also be slightly suggestive. My only gripe is that during the belly-dancing and festivities towards the end of the evening, they blast the music at such an ungodly level at the most horrible quality that anyone within 15 feet of them can kiss their ability to hear themselves think goodbye. If you sit at the back you'll probably be fine, but the closer to the action you get, the more your ears will bleed. The cocktails at the bar are unique, reasonably-priced, and from what I tasted, delicious. They're all house creations that you can't get quite the same anywhere else. Be sure to ask for Nick, because he'll make you a special drink you won't soon forget. Super delicious and worth it.

I stopped in for lunch, not very busy on this day. Smiles by all when I walked in. I sat at the bar to order food to go and was greeted by the owner and a colleague. Very friendly and had infectious accents and laughs while I was deciding on what to order. I ordered the shrimp kabobs with green beans and potatoes. They brought me two teas, one in a glass while I waited and one to go cup, very nice touch!! The shrimp was spot on, the potatoes were good and the green beans (with carrots) was ok, but probably not my cup of tea with the sauce it was cooked in. I went back later to grab my wife so baklava and when I got home, there was a little something extra in the box! My wife approved of the desert and among the best he's had. This place looks like its festive during happy hours they plan, so I'd highly recommend checking out this place.

I absolutely love, love Athenian Cafe ! This place has the most delicious food and the best homemade desserts. Their Greek salad and Horiatiki (village) salad along with their seafood ,from grilled fish , grilled or fried Calamari , Shrimps and grilled Octopus you will be in cloud number 9 ! Their appetizers are also delicious. Just to name a few that I’ve tried , Dolmades (stuffed grape leaves, meat or vegetarian) drizzled in lemon sauce , flaming cheese Saganaki (OPA Cheese !) , giant beans baked with tomato sauce and baked eggplant in tomato sauce . Mousaka (eggplant dish ) , Spanakopita (spinach and feta cheese baked on filo dough ) , so well prepared and delicious. You may not want to leave the table without trying their desserts .I’ve tried their Tiramisu (homemade) , I felt like I stepped in heaven . This place is a gem . Delicious food, great service and very clean . Worth every penny . Thank you Athenian Cafe !

i love the atmosphere and the food was absolutely delicious!! they have entertainment from thursday - saturday. i went on a saturday when they have live piano music and it really added to the atmosphere. this is a great little classy date spot or place to take a very small gathering. 10/10!!!

We had so much fun there this evening with great friends, awesome service, incredible food, lovely live music & belly dancing! So many options on menu. There were 7 of us and we shared everything and we all loved each others dishes. Baklava chocolate cheese cake os to die for and awesome drink menu! Can not wait to go back!

I forgot to take a picture of the plate before I ate it, but I got the Lamb Shank. The seasoning was well-balanced, the lamb was slowed cooked to perfection, fall off the bones, the seasoning was so good I drank it. Only issue they forgot my orzo, that why only 4 stars. Overall, give the Lamp Shank a try if you want quality food.

Best greek food in Jax! This place has a unique menu and the quality of the ingredients can be tasted! It's fantastic and I highly recommend it! The owner is a fabulous host, extremely welcoming and the food reflects the pride he takes in his business. UPDATE 4/4/23: Learned there is a new owner, but the quality and experience has not changed! Super personal service, exquisite food, and always a time to remember. Thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and had an amazing meal. Thank you!!! Sorry for the pic of my partially eaten moussaka. It was so good!!!! All of the desserts are hand made by the chef. The baklava is the best I've ever had!

I haven't been to the Athens Cafe on St Augustine Road in a long time. The restaurant has new owners and the food was delicious. I had the vegetarian Dolmades with the orzo, my friend had the lamb Souvlaki. The desserts, oh my, how could we choose? Baklava layered, Greek cookies, Greek chocolate cake, and more!! We will be back soon.

It is said, you have to open many oysters before finding a Pearl. Tucked away from my own Awareness, die to the side of town I’ve always lived on, Athens Cafe the long standing Pearl of Jacksonville. It doesn’t scream for your attention, advertise with big budgets, nor try to sell some image of being more than what it is. Athens Café is authentic in its totality, from people, food, service, and environment. It is a humble,enchanting jewel, who commits to its art, its craft- making authentic Greek food with passion and love. Do what you do with love, all goodness will flow forward, right? That’s Athens cafe . The owner’s presence, greeting you at the door, was the same mirrored warmth felt throughout the entire evening by all staff. This is the second time in 8 years, I’ve given a restaurant in Jacksonville 5🌟s. My perception of dining comes from a background working high end restaurants growing up in Atlanta. If Athens Cafe was in Atlanta, you would need reservation a day in advance for lunch and dinner. The professionalism and overall hospitality made you feel like you were visiting a place where you were once remembered and missed. The Environment was nostalgic and enchanting, capturing all my senses. When I thought it could not get better, the food was absolutely amazing! From the presentation, portion, and the flavor. I almost forgot to capture a photo before my plate was wiped clean. Every moment of our experience at Athens Café was more splendid than the next. I wish I new social media, I would spread their greatness.

This place is amazing! The Greek Benedict was good with gyro. BUT that pork shoulder was to die for. The saganaki was so good. This authentic Greek restaurant reminds me of the authentic Little Bucharest Bistro. They play great music. The bartneder/server on a Sunday who just started there is actually from Greece and he was very pleasant, knowledgeable, and made a great bloody Mary. Im interested in seeing what belly dancers and singers they have on weekends. I will definitely go back again and again.

Rita was an amazing waitress, the food was delicious and exactly what we ordered. Will be coming back for sure!!

What a great place for dinner! Lamb chops is my favorite, grape leaves follow, as well as the flaming cheese. Great hospitality! Every Friday night there’s dancing, plate breaking and tons of fun! Update 3/5/22: New and improved drink menu with a greek flair. Bold sweet and savory cocktail with garlic on the rim which adds an interesting twist. Cucumber vodka makes all the difference. Update 3/11/23 Athens is back! After a switch of ownership and a much needed facelift, Athens Cafe is open again for its faithful patrons and new ones who haven’t yet tried the food from the original Greek restaurant in town. Avgolemono (chicken egg lemon) soup was awesome, as always, and the grape leaves can easily have you craving them. Chicken souvlaki was also good and tender, and the chicken gyro platter was a great choice. The octopus was flavorful. Don’t forget the Greek beer and wine! I’ll be back to try the deserts made by the in-house pastry chef. The sound of that and the pastry display are both great improvements, but tonight was not the not the night for desert due to a birthday cake we had. The place was open and airy and the service is certainly improved.

It has been so long since I had a meal where I moaned in great satisfaction after every bite! This place has great food! An absolutely beautiful atmosphere and the service makes it that much more of an experience. The prices are fair and you must ask about the beautiful art on the wall. This is not a restaurant to sleep on. If you want wonderful food at a fair price served by wonderful people in a beautiful place, well you have arrived! Enjoy.

Great atmosphere but the food lacks flavor. Fantastic live music on Friday nights! It was a difficult choice between 3 and 4 stars, but in the end, I dine out for delicious food; the environment can be bad as long as the food is great, I will grade with higher marks. The atmosphere, decor and menu choices were excellent (one of few places in JAX that serve grilled octopus) but it was the most bland Greek food I have ever tasted. Greek salad with gyro meat (lots of meat, so thank you so much!) but it’s like they only put olive oil as a dressing; no vinegar. Just oil and spices. The vegetables were fresh. The pita bread was good, the humus was bitter. Crème Brûlée consistency was too thin, not the usual thick, custard like feel. I really wanted Athens Cafe to be my JAX Greek spot but I will keep looking.

Called and received the friendliest salutation from Rita. I was in search of saganaki (flaming goat cheese) and a super fresh Greek salad. I got more than I could imagine! Rita and the owner, Victoria, greeted me like family. Victoria bought this restaurant in January 2023. Completely remodeled it and brought her cooking expertise. She's originally from Albania, lived in Italy for years, then to the U.S. to chase her dreams. She prepares EVERYTHING from scratch every day. The ingredients were super fresh with robust Mediterranean flavors. Victoria has a rich history in baking. You must try her bread. There's live entertainment here, too. Jazz, belly dancing, and much more. This establishment caters to events and hosts holiday parties.

My favorite restaurant in Jacksonville! I love coming on Friday evenings for Belly dancing and live music. I usually get the Moussaka and it's delicious. The gyro plate is very good as well. The atmosphere is fantastic and we feel welcomed every time we come. A real family restaurant. It's such a treat.

We had the gyro wraps, spanakopita, and baklava. Everything had great flavor and tasted fresh. I also made a mistake when ordering online and when I called and asked to fix it, they did it right away with no fuss. I am excited to try more of their platters!

Our club had our Christmas dinner party here. This place along with the staff were great. The food was delicious and the staff was very polite courteous, friendly and willing to please. They also have live music and a belly dancer which was entertaining

MUST TRY!!!! My friends and I traveled from st. Augustine to try Athens Cafe and it did not disappoint!!!!! Authentic delicious food, great portions, and lovely atmosphere. Rita was our server and she was OUTSTANDING!!!!! Wonderful service I will most definitely be returning.

The entire staff is extremely friendly. We had a party of 18 and every meal looked very appetizing. Everyone was extremely happy with the quality of their meal. The belly dancer was an added bonus for the evening. It is always nice to see when an establishment takes pride in their product and service. This was my second time here and I plan on returning frequently. Buon Natale. καλά Χριστούγεννα.

Delicious fair as always. From proprietary cocktails to savoy Greek dishes, our dinner was a pure delight. The atmosphere made even more special by live acoustic guitar and a beautiful belly dancer. If you have not visited this restaurant, you are missing a real treat!

The staff is super friendly and the food was awesome. I'm not big on empoyees sitting at the bar and they were going through mail in the middle of the bar while I was eating. But, the place is great and the food is amazing. The waitstaff is so friendly.

Stopped by mid-day, greek patrons were lively upfront, we had Slouvaki, Roasted lamb and all the fixings. Staff was kind, attentive, personal, and happy to make a second meal to go for later. The food was absolutely amazing. The flavor was authentic with a pinch of OPAH. Next time we are in Jacksonville we will return. We were celebrating my grandfather's birthday... he passed away quite a few years ago, we were a bit somber walking in, but they made us feel like family. It was a happy meal, filled with memories, laughter, and a few OPAHs here and there. THANK YOU.

Last night my Mother and I paid a visit to Athens Cafe. This was not our first time nor will it be our last. The food is amazing and the service is exceptional! Last night Emmanuel was our waiter and was very attentive and His Mom prepared our delicious entreees!

Athens Cafe is the best for authentic Greek food in Jacksonville. My family and I absolutely love being greeted by Stella when we come to dine. Her staff is friendly and inviting. They always try to provide fantastic service (love to see Klaert's smiling face) and the atmosphere is superb. If you happen to go for a late dinner on a Friday night, they have a fantastic belly dance show that will certainly delight. They have a full selection of spirits, wines, and beers to pair with the delicious food. Do yourself a favor the next time you want to take your SO out for a special evening, and go check this place out.

I really don’t want to leave a negative review. The owners/staff are such nice people. So, I’ll just leave pictures of what we ordered.

Tl;Dr: this place is the best! And a thanks to Klaert, our server. I have gone here several times now. I have been to many restaurants across America and in several other countries. I have been in food service for two decades. I love good food, and this place is up at the top of my list for great places I have eaten. Whether you are going for a romantic date night, or a cultured family gathering, Athens Cafe can accommodate. The lovely owner, her family, and staff are all very friendly and attentive. They often have live music from a wide array of musicians. On Fridays they have a fantastic and talented belly dancer. My six year old daughter loves to dance with her! All of the food is very authentic, and they have an excellent selection of menu items..not just your standard fare. Many of the wines are guaranteed destination of origin. And the prices are phenomenal for the kind of food and atmosphere you will experience. We have had several different servers, but our server this last time was Klaert (very cool name) and he was enthusiastic and amusing. Do yourself a favor if you are in Jacksonville and check out this little hidden gem.

Best moussaka I’ve ever had. The grape leaves are amazing- again, best I’ve ever had. The gyros are off the charts. What really made us fall in love with this place though, is the ambiance. The team here are warm and make you feel like family. The owners come around and talk to everyone. The live music on Fridays is lovely, just incredible musicians. This place has so much heart and the food is the best Greek food in town.

This restaurant is something special. The best thing here is honestly the people. Everyone is so nice here. I felt very welcomed everytime I ate here. The food is amazing. You could literally order any item off the menu and be blown away with how good it is. I don’t mean that lightly. I like to have the Greek lasagna. The grape leaves are always a table favorite for an appetizer.