Best Greek Restaurants in Wilmette

I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to the amazing staff at Lyra for making my boyfriend’s birthday truly special. From the moment we walked in, everything exceeded our expectations. I had made a personal request on the reservation to have drinks ready when we arrived, and they went above and beyond to ensure that was taken care of—our table was set, the drinks were prepared, and the evening started on the perfect note. As a beautiful surprise, they also added a thoughtful touch—a heart-shaped hummus with Beets—which was not only a delicious treat but also such a sweet and unexpected gesture. The service throughout the evening was impeccable, with every member of the team making us feel warmly welcomed and well cared for. The food was incredible, full of vibrant flavors, and the ambiance of the restaurant was lovely—creating the perfect setting for a memorable celebration. Thank you again to the entire team at Lyra for making this occasion unforgettable!

This was a girls night out to celebrate a birthday and the holidays. My favorite thing about Ema - aside from how delicious and creative the food is - is that the portion sizes are big enough to share, but not so huge that you feel guilty ordering multiple dishes. There were six of us and we ordered a variety of cocktails (which were beautifully presented) followed by several dishes from all sections of the menu. We started with the classic hummus and the toasted almond & garlic spread. The hummus was predictably delicious, but the real standout was the toasted almond garlic spread. It was crunchy and nutty and had lots of flavor. We next had the chopped salad and the big eye tuna with Honeycrisp apple and pomegranate seeds. The chopped salad had a pleasantly surprising bit of spice to it, which we all enjoyed but….the tuna preparation was stellar and is a relatively new add to the menu. Ema’s previous tuna dish – from October – included watermelon, but this dish was truly spectacular! The bright pop of color and tartness in the pomegranate, paired with the tuna and diced apple, along with the mint… Made it look like Christmas on a plate. SK SO good!! We then had falafel, brussels sprouts and brown butter dates. The falafel is crunchy and flavorful, and served with a beet-laced tzatziki. The brussels sprouts were prepared with shallots and pumpkin seeds and a subtle hint of sticky sweetness. The dates were fine, but nobody was raving about them like we did the other dishes. We finished our meal with the harissa crusted halibut, and the cauliflower kebab. Both were excellent, although my personal favorite was the halibut. It is served on a bed of mushrooms, in a Dashi broth with a spicy crust on top. The fish was tender and flaky and full of flavor. Service (Morgan) was attentive but not annoying; ambience is chic and classy but comfortable. You would never know you are in a parking lot in Glenview as opposed to a terrace in the Mediterranean.

Excellent service & food!! This is a great restaurant we look forward to returning to!!

The food is always great at Avli. It was very busy and the noise levels were quite high but bearable. Maybe they could play some music to drown out some of the chatter. We had the hummus and eggplant spread. Both were great. Big portions. We also had the mini chicken skewers which were delicious, and the meatballs. They were quite good although the tomato sauce on top was quite tart and tasted a bit like tomato paste. My husband liked it more than me. For dessert we had the orange pie which is actually orange cake. It is delicious. We also tried the cheesecake and chocolate filo sampler. Both were very good. We love Juan who has been our server in the past. Very attentive and friendly.

Very good service, noise level high. Recommend the chicken kabob, but forget the onion soup. Request to sit by the fireplace. Cozy.