Kokkari
Category: Greek and Mediterranean [Edit]
Neighborhood: Financial District200 Jackson Street
(between Battery St & Front St)
San Francisco, CA 94111 (415) 981-0983
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11:30 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
Fri 11:30 a.m.-11:00 p.m.
Sat 5:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m. - Price Range: $$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Dressy
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
18 reviews
Neighborhood: Financial District
"This restaurant has lovely food and attentive waiters. The appetizers are large enough to be an entree. I had polenta with wild mushrooms…" read more »
694 Reviews for Kokkari
Best lamb and greek food Ive had in SF by far. I usually get the Moussaka which is a lamb and feta cassarole or the lamb chops. Always pretty bust so make sure you make a reservation a week or so in advance.
Fun atmosphere and extensive wine list. Ask for a table by the window if the weather is nice.
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Holy Zeus! This place is beyond brilliant. First off, its huge. HUGE. Elevator down to the bathroom and pvt dining room huge. Walking into Kokkari, the first thing you notice is the smell. The smell? Is it good? is it bad? Its a good thing my little Hercules. The night we went they had a huge pig on the rotisserie covered in bacon. Amazing. I dont eat pork...but i was salivating on the hostess. Poor thing.
We sat down(obvi) and ended up with the most ADORABLE waiter ever. Overly friendly and spent too much time talking to us. Not a bad thing at all(he was greek) but he was also working. tsk tsk. Started with the skewer of eggplant and artichoke hearts...and then we ordered the whole fish and the halibut. Ended with ouzo and chilled melon with honey and mint.
There is nothing to complain about. Which is odd. But to me, this place is seemingly perfect. It is affordable, fun, friendly and the perfect place to take out of towners. It IS San Francisco. The food is just as good as anything you could get at the ridiculously priced places through out San Fran(which I love but enjoy even more when im not paying. Dont judge.)
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OH MIGHTY GREEK GODS! THANK YOU FOR SHOWING US THE WAY TO KOKKARI!
Sam and I went to Greece (Athens and Santorini) a few months ago and had some awesome food there. When comparing the food there to here these dishes definitely had a subtlety to them. There wasn't one strong taste - nothing was too overpowering. Instead, there was a delicate balance of ingredients in the moussaka - each layer - was delicious in its own right but all together gave the feeling of the ultimate comfort food. The one cooked by your mom on a cold, rainy day.
The lamb meat was literally falling off the bone, no knifes needed. It sat on top of a bed of rice that had myzithra cheese sprinkled on it. Huge portions, it came with the bone that we had fun with.
More with pictures: http://www.mymodernmet...
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Kokkari is fun mainly because it looks like a huge log cabin. They have pots and pans hanging from the ceiling and a huge fireplace against the wall. I had to take the elevator to the bathroom, which was kinda funny/cool.
My two favorite dishes were the fried smelts for appetizer and the moussaka. Both filled me up like no other. The moussaka's lamb was really good!
Moooooooooussaka!!! Emphasis on the mooooo considering I felt like a borderline cow after I inhaled every ounce of this meal. Wow was it good. The eggplant was cooked to perfection and the ground lamb had amazing spices. The meatball appetizer was fantastic as well. I waddled out of Kokkari like I had just been granted my last meal and had fully taken advantage of it.
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My mother introduced me to Kokkari after finding it on opentable.com. Raised in a Greek family, we love yiayia's Greek Lemon Soup or are ready to hunker down to some great lamb. Make reservations in advance to be able to get a good seat or expect to hang out at the bar. Also, if you have a party of 5 ask to be seated by the fireplace!! It's adds such a nice touch.
Trust me, someone who had yiayia make authentic Greek food knows that the food is a TEN!
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I went for my brother in laws birthday...we figured it would be a good idea since my niece works for this place. We get a pretty nice family discount. They definitely treated us like royalty. They brought out massive amounts of appetizers, plate after plate of beautiful displayed food and we enjoyed the appetizers so much that we were too full to even order a dinner plate! I'm a dolmas expert and I was 100% satisfied with their dolmas and different dips. If you go, dress up and behave because this place is fancy and very high-end!
Do you enjoy awful service and near-deafening noise? How about greek food inferior to your local gyro shop at gourmet prices? Or wine prices only a hedge-fun manager could love? If the answer is "yes" to any of these answers, Kokkari is for you! I
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Came here to celebrate two birthdays (one of them being mine!) with a group of friends.
We were lucky enough to score a prime location close to the entrance though it made for a half-mile trek to the bathroom which boasted a nice private dining room nearby. The restaurant has a very rustic yet majestic feel to it, lots of oak and vaulted ceilings. Neither is it too over-the-top in your face with people smashing plates over their heads, yelling "Opa"! (I KNOW, I was secretly disappointed too. :p)
For most of us it was our first time trying Greek food apart from the usual gyros with tzatziki sauce. There were a lot of "that sounds delicious" and "whadda hell's that!?" as we studied the menu, waiting for everyone to show up. The wait staff helped us to wade through the list of long named dishes to find something we liked. Some of their dishes may be a bit much for the squeamish, but our group was pretty adventurous so we had the lamb innards in a ruddy sauce, which were very soft and didn't smell offensive (as is usually the case with menudo). Tried the pork riblet appetizer but the sauce was practically the same. We also ordered the grilled calamari stuffed with feta cheese--although it sounds good, it was more of an arranged wedding rather than a marriage for love.
Ordered the moussaka as my entrée, packed with layers of ground lamb, potatoes, eggplant, which is delicious right up to the last bite, that is, if you make it that far. When they brought out the bowl, I looked at it, perplexed, wondering if the serving was large enough to make me full but no worries here (especially if you gorged on the appetizers like I did). Had a bite of the lamb shank which was so tender that the meat just fell off the bone.
My only regret is not budgeting some room in my stomach for dessert! No "betsu bara" here (Japanese for, "having a second stomach reserved for dessert").
This place is a delight for those looking to take a break from the usual and is suitable for any special occasion. One minus star for the hit-or-miss appetizers but everything else more than made up for it!
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The hubby and I turned four yesterday and decided to celebrate at Kokkari. We got 7:30p reservations and were seated in the front room (highly recommended by the way). I started with a glass of Prosecco which was delicious, not too sweet. We ordered Saghanaki and Kalamari to start. Something about grilled, melted cheese doused in oil and lemon brings smiling and giggling. The calamari was great, stuffed with feta and rounded out with the acidity from fenal and orange. I really want to come back and try more of the small plates but we opted for entrees this evening.
Hubby had the lamb chops, perfectly seasoned and cooked to a proper medium. I ordered the fish, which was grilled, deboned and served with the head. The Chipmunks "Fish Head Song" kept running through my head the whole time I enjoyed it (the Prosecco and wine probably helped it along). It was a light flaky white fish and I couldn't pronounce the name of it even if I remembered it. I ordered a glass of the Santirini white which was an amazing pairing.
We ordered Greek coffee, which was the only ehh part of the night, and debated over flourless chocolate cake and the semolina custard in filo. Our waiter told us to go with the cake and brought out the custard filled filo on him! Ahh, so sweet. Plus, while the cake was to die for, rich and moist and of course chocolaty, I couldn't pull myself away from the other dessert. It was like a creme brulee Hot Pocket!! So delicious. Thanks Lyle, everyone said you were good.
We thoroughly enjoyed our time here and I know we'll be back,
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Eating at Kokkari was a culinary rollercoaster. At times the food was stellar, and at other times it was pedestrian - I'm disappointed to say that for the most part, it was pretty typical. For lunch, I'd recommend sticking with only small plates. Here is a run down of my order:
- Hummus Samples: YES.
- Stuffed Calimari: Only if you LOVE goat cheese. Too salty for me.
- Lamb: The waiter warned me that this dish might be too large for me. Who does he think he's talking to?! Only 3 sad little lamb ribs. Good, not great.
- Stuffed Eggplant: Filling, tasty.
- Apricot Pastry: Nothing special. Waiter says the chocolate cake and rice pudding are "nothing special," and recommended this one instead. I wonder how unspecial those two really are.
Stick with the small plates for lunch.
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I love Greek food, but boy, I don't love paying for Kokkari. What's a girl to do? Well, me and Richa, we go down to Kokkari and order ourselves up a bunch of appetizers. Super good Greek food on the sly. My recommendation? Get the gigantes. And me, I'm only 1/4 Greek, which isn't enough to appreciate authentic al dente gigantes, so I order them overdone. You know, soggy, like the Italians don't like their pasta. mmmmm
I LOVE KOKKARI! They have a helpful wait staff, and extremely tasty lamb. I'd go as far to say that it's probably the best lamb I've ever had. P.S.- The desserts are to die for...I'd indulge if I were you.
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Oh, where to begin. OK, how about the Dolmathes (grape leaves stuffed with rice), very tasty. But it gets better. Karpouzi me Feta (watermelon slices with feta, pine nuts, and basil). The combination sounds odd, but tastes so so good. And better. Arnisia Plevrakia (Grilled lamb riblets ) that fell off the bone. And even better. A whole rotisserie lamb, so much lamb we didn't know what to do with it all. The only bad element to the meal was the wine that I chose, so I'll blame that on myself and not this fine establishment...
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Yum Yum...I love the cucumber mint yogurt they serve with the fried zucchini pancakes, De-lish!
I thought the stuffed calamari was just OK...kinda weird orange taste mixed in with the grilled calamari that is stuffed with feta and olives.
Very tasty meatball appetizer, but a tad small portion to share.
My BF and I chose to arrive early so that we could get a seat for two at the bar and do cocktails and apps. Perfect timing, we arrived at 5:45pm on Sat night and scored the perfect bar seats. The bartenders were very nice and attentive, and the food came very quickly after we ordered each app.
I loved the flourless chocolate cake, very rich. My BF had the rice pudding and glazed peach which was the perfect dessert to have along side the chocolate cake. It was light and refreshing and balanced the richness of the chocolate cake nicely.
I've been to this restaurant about 5 times now and each time it has never disappointed. Solid food served by friendly competent servers.
I didn't really like Kokkari and was disappointed as I have heard so many good things about it. I didn't like much about it other than the decor, which was very cozy and yet elegant at the same time.
I was with two other people. We ordered 6 small plates to share and we also got dessert. I was not impressed with any of the small plates. The dolmas were exactly the same as you would get anywhere else. The grilled calamari stuffed with feta was disappointing. It was literally just squid filled with feta--grilled. Not too interesting or flavorful. We also got some kind of meatball dish. It was 4 meatballs in tomato sauce. The grilled octopus was just a bunch of chunks of octopus--grilled. Nothing interesting about the food here, nothing creative. The only thing I really liked was the fried zucchini cakes with yogurt.
I did like their coffee and dessert. I had filo-wrapped custard with vanilla ice cream and peaches. That was one of the best desserts I have had in a long time.
The service was very mediocre. It seemed pretty good at first, but then they took our plates and took at least 15 minutes to bring us dessert menus. I felt like our server pretty much ignored us all night. Then I was pretty irritated that they brought the bill and did not even offer me more decaf coffee. I flagged someone down and asked for more decaf. He said sure, but when my friend said, "Me too please," he suddenly got stingy with the coffee and gave her an attitude.
Overall it was just kind of a blah experience.
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Best restaurant in the city. Really...
Everything was perfect.
Go NOW!
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As my farewell dinner at my job, my boss took me here. It is a very popular place among all my co-workers and so I had my expectations high.
I had a great experience and most of the food I tried was good. We ordered a lot of appetizers so I could try a lot of different dishes.
Their olive selection is wonderful and all of them had distinct rich flavors.
The grilled octopus was tender with just the right touch of lemon.
The lamb riblets were mediocre. I heard a lot of great things about the lamb but for me the seasoning were great but the meat was a bit dry.
We ordered a pizza like dish and that was delicious. Also their hummus plate had 3 selections which were all yummy and their pita bread was just the right touch of fluff and chewiness.
The grilled peppers were good but a tad oily and the fried cheese was way too salty.
For dessert we had vanilla ice cream with baklova. Very sweet but delicious!
Decor was super nice, cozy, and elegant. The experience overall was memorable.
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Meh. Maybe I was just disappointed at its averageness, after Kokkari was talked up by coworkers. The starters ranged from delicious (melitzanosalata, taramosalata, tzatziki sampler, feta and olives) to average (spanakotiropita) to not very good (dolmas). My entree, the Ahi Tuna, was the biggest disappointment. It was a flat slab of tuna that I am pretty sure I could easily duplicate from the frozen section at Trader Joe's. My summer bean salad had maybe three summer beans, which were delicious, and the rest was a practically inedible (due to the stem to leaf ratio) plate of greens, with a small amount of pickled red onions. When it came to dessert, I was again disappointed. I am a huge fan of baklava, and although that is what they served me, I think they might have left the flavor in the kitchen, because it was downright bland.
The environment was great, the decor tasteful, and our waitress adept, but the overall experience left me wanting more.
Some may say that Kokkari has been done, but I disagree. Great food is great food, and Kokkari is solid.
First, I love the level of quality in this food. It's easy to tell that the food you're eating did not come out of a can. When they make an artichoke dish, those artichokes are freshly peeled and expertly prepared. When they serve something with garbanzos in it, you can rest assured that they're going to be as clean and unmessed with as possible.
The second thing I love is the seating. In the long run, comfortable seating is just a good idea. It pays off because people feel more comfortable. They can loosen their ties and enjoy themselves without feeling pushed or rushed.
My only complaint is the price point. I don't see how why they can't shave a few bucks off here and there. Other than that, this is a real gem that I hope will be around for a long time.
The yogurt sorbet at Kokkari beats all original tart froyo.
I always eat a whole fish roasted. (Sea bream is a good choice.) The lamb tongue is not like beef tongue. Tastes and feels like liver.
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Clearly a "People Love Us on YELP" storefront post would not suffice here. Unless they plaster the Kokkari building with a mural of those stickers, their fan base would not be adequately represented. 640 + 1 (me) fans agree that the food and service at Kokkari are top notch.
Everything was prepared to perfection- meaning all the flavors were exactly as you'd anticipate them to be and then some. At many other restaurants, more often than not, the flavor of a dish isn't EXACTLY as your mind wishes it to be. Usually, you get something close to par, but never quite there. Your brain then compensates for the half-second of mild disappointment by lowering your standards. Something along the lines of, "Hm, this is pretty good- not bad- we should come back here to try other things on the menu that might be better" is the next thing your brain will dictate you to say.
NOT SO AT KOKKARI. This beautiful restaurant with its doting and knowledgeable servers is a true delight. The decor is arranged with only one thing in mind: a guest's comfort. The boy and I felt so at home in this exquisite setting- even the aromas of the open kitchen put us in such a sublime mood.
Everything from the zucchini cakes to the lamb chops to the apricot pastry desserts were heavenly to enjoy. We finished every morsel of each dish ordered. (*For a real kick to your taste buds, try the Greek coffee with your desserts.*)
I now understand why it is so difficult to book a table here on a Friday or Saturday night. The wait was truly worth it.
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Probably deserves more than 2 stars but i can't get myself to give it three. The service was fine. We had the room to ourselves upstairs. You know the one next to the restrooms that people have to take the elevator up to.
Its not because its expensive, or because of the presentation or the service. Prices are nothing compared to gas prices. Service was pretty good. Portion size was rather large and they look good. Its just all so "ok". Also, the ribeye was extremely salty. extremely.
If you're looking for a restaurant that has great food, refined dining room decor and impeccable service without a lot of pretense, than Kokkari is the place to go. Trust me, in a city with a cornucopia of "casual" fine dining options (all with steep fine dining prices of course), I'd take the white table linens and friendly service at Kokkari, any day. It's a value thing, really.
What do I mean? Well, when you first step in the first thing you notice is how luxurious everything looks in the natural lighting that imbues everything from all sides. Then as the host takes you to your seat, you'll notice the quaint bread station, the open kitchen with its wonderful smells and the long chef's table that gives the main dining room an authentic but refined rustic feeling. There is no fake Greek theme feeling here.
The menu is a trip if you're not familiar with Greek food. I distinctly remember being quite lost the first two times I've been there. But not to worry - the wait staff is very helpful and is quick to provide recommendations. The portions are fairly generous. The last time we went, my friend and I had the combo appetizer (their Tzatziki and Dolmathes are amazing), the jumbo prawn feta dish (very tasty and fresh), a classic Greek salad to share, and for our main dish my friend had the spinach feta ravs and I had the roasted chicken. The chicken was tasty, but I can't say it was amazing (not like Zuni's chicken, but then again, it wasn't fifty bucks, either). Needless to say, we were stuffed!
The only unfortunate thing that happened during my last visit there was that I asked the busboy who cleared the table to box my entrée as I barely had touched it (I was pretty full) and I think he forgot. The chicken had flown the coop! I'm sure if I had said anything they would have offered to bring me a whole new entrée, but I was too impatient to wait and I really didn't feel like carrying anything back with me anyway.
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Alphabet Soup- K Dinner
It should be noted that I don't dole out 5 stars carelessly. Kokkari earned every one of those stars and is well worth the expense. The service was impeccable, and I highly recommend you request Abel as your server. He was not only attentive, considerate, humorous, and knowledgeable, (characteristics I think should almost be standard in a $$$ restaurant) but he also went the extra mile at every opportunity. From bringing us appetizer plates with extra servings to accommodate the size of our party to giving advice on where to find markets with inexpensive halloumi cheese (a crowd favorite prior to dining), Abel was amazing. The host also took time to come over and speak with us for no other reason than to ensure that we were well taken care of and having a good time.
The decor is well though-out, authentic, and homey, with a hearth burning in the corner, setting the tone for you to cuddle in as you succumb to a seemingly home-cooked meal. As for the food-- wow. I can't add too much more than what has already been described as amazing in the 600+ reviews that proceed me. I had the moussaka and loved it, and don't generally even eat meat, let alone lamb! My restaurant club counterparts also raved about the lamb chop, lamb special, and halibut special. We also ordered almost every appetizer and every dessert on the menu, and I can't say a single bad thing about any of them.
I am thoroughly impressed with Kokkari, and that is no easy feat given my admittedly high expectations. This place definitely lives up to the hype and I will surely dine here again! Thank you, Abel, for an amazing meal!
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This place is awesome. Love the food, atmosphere and service.
I was particularly surprised by their steak. I think it was comparable to the steak you'd find at Morton's or Bobo's.
Great service, lovely ambiance, and delicious food=5 stars.
Highly recommended
I have never been disappointed at Kokkari. From business lunches to group dinners they have been fantastic. I LOVE their smelt. I've never found somewhere else that I enjoy it but I LOVE it here. Moussaka is mouth watering good! I actually got the chef to give me the recipe. I know, you're jealous :-)
We had to call early in the week for a Saturday reservation, but we finally made it for a late dinner at Kokkari! As sort of a "welcome back to the bay" celebration dinner, my old roomie knew we had to come here!
It was good! There are a zillion reviews that say the same thing, so i'm not sure what I can add. You should go, just because you should.
yum yum greek. OPA!
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12/06/2007
I've never had a bad experience here.
Come to think of it, I've never had a good experience here… Read more »
Everything was very good, wait staff great. Greek food isn't at the top of my list of fav foods. But this place does it right.
This is beautiful, rustic Mediterranean styled restaurant.
From our very first step in the door, all the people at Kokkori worked to make our dining experience pleasant. This is one our favorite restaurants. We come here at least twice a mother. The hostess, the waiter, and the bar tenders (Fataad and all of them are so professional and gracious) etc. were helpful and efficient the food was lovely and very generous-extra bread served with a smile. We ordered several tapas and shared an entrée.
Our delights were:
Grilled Octopus - with lemon, oregano & olive oil is absolutely the best
Wood Oven Roasted Prawns , with tomato sauce & feta cheese, so delicious
Ravioli stuffed with wild greens & feta fabulous
Moussaka, Yummy, Yummy, Yummy
The rotisserie was the pork and it was splendid.
If you have been thinking about going to this restaurant, please do, you won't be disappointed.
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What can I say... this place has been responsible for my weight gain since I moved to San Francisco.Tasty, cheap... there is nothing like Kokkari. And they stay open late... the only prb with the place is the line...you can expect long line until very late at night but hey that 's what you get for tasty meal .
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My second visit was even more amazing the first. Our server, Lyle, not only had a fantastic personality, but has been there for years, and is also the restaurant's wine buyer. Thus, he is incredibly knowledgeable when it comes to the food, wine, restaurant's history, everything. Lyle is charming. Lyle is funny. Lyle is darling. And if you are lucky enough to have him as a server, please tell him I said so.
This time, I visited with my mom and her friend who was visiting from Colorado. We had the watermelon salad & halibut again... I couldn't NOT get them. But this time added the lamb chops & this amazing deep fried fish that is not only DIVINE, but was truly the most artistic presentation I've ever seen. It was butterflied and stood up in a way that it looked like a giant sailboat gliding across the water. I know this sounds crazy, but it's how Lyle described it and he was right on the money. Lastly, the deserts were incredible, and the wine that he selected was nothing short of spectacular.
And I have to say that as far as the service goes, it's not just Lyle. I was also fortunate enough to meet and chat with the restaurant's manager, Paul. Needless to say, under his direction, it is no wonder why the service is so spectacular. Everyone who works here is wonderful in every sense of the word. I also work in hospitality, and we are taught to always "anticipate the guest's needs". Everyone at Kokkari is a step ahead. Their service is flawless, sincere, charming, and attentive. I can't say enough about ladies & gentlemen who work here.
I love Kokkari, and I can't wait to return. For happy hour. For dinner. For dessert. And of course, for Lyle & Paul.
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07/03/2008
Not sure how I can put how great this place is into words. Went for drinks, and after watching a… Read more »
OMG, simply, SO GOOD! Fortunately, Kokkari is right by my work so I finally had a chance to go here for a lunch meeting. We all shared the head cheese dish and the pita bread with the 3 different spreads. And for my entree, i ordered the moussaka. I can't say that any of those dishes we at all disapointing. The service was great and we got to watch them put whole lamb in the fireplace. I already have plans to go back with some friends. Highly recommended by me.
this restaurant is very good, but it holds a special place in my heart. This is where my boyfriend and i came on our first date.
we just celebrated 5 years last month. :o)
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i see these people don't need another review.
but i have a real desire to associate myself with it.
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How can this many people be wrong? Take it from me, they're not, Kokkari is great in every way.
Decor-great, food-great, service-great. Honestly, one of the best meals I've had in a long time. Worth every dollar.
Definitely try the lamb shank with orzo, it's so tender, slips right off the bone.
Update to my previous review for anyone coming here for someone's birthday, anniversary, etc. - we were treated like royalty! Food was outstanding, as always, but this update was really about the service.
I brought my gf here for her 40th bday. I had flowers sent ahead and without being asked made sure we had the best seat in the house. They also brought multiple desserts and wrote "Happy Birthday Wendy" with chocolate over the plates. They also had my car running and ready at the front door when we stepped outside.
Well done Kokkari, you've got a customer for life.
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05/29/2007
I know this is probably just adding to the heap of compliments, but after 3 visits here, it would… Read more »
I have never seen an upscale greek restaurant in my life and therefore knew I had to try it. I went here friday night for my birthday dinner with a group of my most amazing friends.
First, the reservations where made a week in advance for a party of 5 at a 7:30 table. we amazingly got seats and for that I thank them greatly. We were seated promptly and our waiter was very considerate, well informed, and genuinely seemed to like his job and our table even though we were a group of uncultured college students, most of whom (myself sadly included) had not been to a nice restaurant in several months.
We started with the zucchini cakes with mint sauce, the octopus and the watermelon feta salad. The zucchini cakes were crisp, subtle, and were liked by even the zucchini haters. The octopus was tender and cooked perfectly (difficult task) and the watermelon salad was refreshing with unexpectedly complementary flavors.
For entrees we tasted, savored and enjoyed bites of everyone's dishes. The lemon oregano chicken was juicy and flavorful, the feta and artichoke ravioli was very good, but pasta is never spectacular. The halibut was practically melt in your mouth. I ordered the lamb shank which literally fell off the bone. Came with delicious orzo and was some of the most tender meat I've ever had. And, on top of that, everything came in huge portions. Even Josh, the bottomless pit, was full at the end of the meal. That meant the rest of us couldn't move.
They then embarrassed me by having the waiter bring out a cake with a candle.... how cute. Manager came out to wish me happy birthday. Flourless chocolate cake was super rich and the custard filo pastries were absolutely delicious and contrasted perfectly by the apricots and vanilla ice cream. Fantastic wine and coffee selection to go with everything also and very reasonably priced for the amount and quality of food.
Now one of my absolute favorite SF restaurants. Will return again, I assure you. Five stars for food and ambiance. 6 stars for service and how hilarious it was being the youngest people in the room who weren't there with their parents.
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After I drool-wrote my review on Kokkari couple weeks ago, I've been craving food from this place.
And when David B. left this msg: "Its also a great place on warm days, they open the windows for a nice breeze during lunch!", I craved Kokkari even more.
So FINALLY, a girlfriend of mine wanted to pay me a visit for lunch for a much needed bitching session regarding her love life, I decided FOR HER that we would be lunching at Kokkari to CHEER her up (really to satisfy my craving.)
Upon entering, I immediately held 2 fingers up, indicating that it would be a party for 2.
Receptionist: Did you call in advance?
Me: No.... (with the saddest frown on my face, hoping the sympathy vote would get us in) =(
Receptionist (looking at the computer screen in front of her): Give me a minute and let me check to see if we can find a table for you.
Waiter next the receptionist gave me a wink: I'm on your side, come with me.
Me: =D (replied with the most ridiculous open-mouth smile)
David B. was right. They had the windows wide open for a nice breezy lunch. As my gf bitched her way about her f'ed up ex, I couldn't help but to shift my attention to the lunch menu.... Oh... today imma do a lamb lunch!
So I finally got her attention shifted to the lunch menu as well, we ordered the following:
Starters:
Asparagus with feta cheese and dill - Yep, again, asparagus over-roasted to perfection with a little olive oil drizzle all over and feta cheese and dill with lemon vinaigrette to complement the sweet asparagus
Grilled Lamb Tongue Souvlaki - Oh my my my! Just like the waiter who brought over the lamb tongue said, "you've got the best dish in the restaurant! Great choice!"
Grilled Lamb Riblets - And the riblets, ohh so heavenly grilled to perfection, a slight crunch on the edge of meat mmMMmm... oh joy!
Entree:
Lamb Souvlaki - It was good, grounded lamb meat grilled on wood stick. The appetizer got me so full already, so I didn't really touch the pita bread that came with the dish.
You know the food were good when your heart-broken gf stopped bitching about her f'ed up ex and shifted her attention to enjoy the food! And THAT was what life is about!
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