Effie's Restaurant

Name: Effie's Restaurant
Address: 1127 Pine St, Philadelphia, PA, United States, 19107
Telephone: (215) 592-8333
Price range: $30 and under
Rating: 3.8

3.8

767 Reviews

$30 and under

Greek

Top tags:

Effie's Restaurant, a little townhouse located on Antique Row in Center City, is reminiscent of a Greek taverna. Specialties include grilled whole fish, octopus salad, famous lamb dishes, moussaka, and the best Greek salad in town! Join us for dinner to try our new menu items. We feature outdoor seating in our lovely garden area.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Dec 5, 2023

7:00 p.m.

Booked 4 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Greek, Mediterranean
Hours of Operation
Dinner Tue–Thu 4:30 pm–9:30 pm Fri, Sat 4:30 pm–10:00 pm
Phone number
(215) 592-8333
Website
http://www.effiesrestaurant.com/
Payment Options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress Code
Casual Dress
Executive Chef
Effie Bouikidis Schweich
Catering
Everything from our dinner menu is available for catering.

Location
1127 Pine St, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Neighbourhood
Center City
Cross Street
11th
Parking Details
Street Parking
Public Transit
Get off at 11th & Walnut
Additional
Banquet, BYO Liquor, BYO Wine, Delivery, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access

Popular dishes

TzatzikiUS$6.50
HummusUS$6.50
G DolmadesUS$6.50
MeletzanosalataUS$6.50
Grilled FetaUS$8.50
hot peppers, tomatoes
PatatesUS$7.00
french fries, lemon aioli
SaganakiUS$8.50
lightly floured and seared kasseri cheese
Spanakopita (2)US$10.50
spinach, scallion dill, feta, phyllo dough parcel
ThessalonikiUS$16.00
tzatziki, hummus, meletzanosalata, olives, feta, dolmades
Mussels SaganakiUS$12.50
sauteed mussels, feta, spicy mustard sauce
Fried CalamariUS$13.50
lightly flowered

What 767 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

3.8

3.8 based on recent ratings

4Food
3.7Service
3.8Ambience
3.8Value

Noise • Moderate

767 Reviews

BT
BenT
Detroit
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on November 21, 2023
overall5food5service3ambience4
Great, simple, authentic Greek food in a friendly, unpretentious environment. I eat here every time I visit Philadelphia.
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AI
AteItAll
Philadelphia
39 reviews
vip
2.0
39 reviews
Dined on November 18, 2023
overall2food2service2ambience3
Lamb was over cooked. Rice was cold. Hummus didn’t taste fresh. Moussaka was good.
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c
cece
Philadelphia
2 reviews
vip
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 17, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great food, great service, great ambiance. we loved it and will be back! Thank you!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Philadelphia
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on November 11, 2023
overall2food3service1ambience1
Service was not good. They were just under staffed. Food was okay. There’s better Greek places in Philly.
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RD
RachelD
Houston
2 reviews
3.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 10, 2023
overall3food3service3ambience3
We sat in the back room which was pretty cute. They have lots of tables shoved in there for the size of the room so once it gets full it gets noisy. Service was slowish. Food was okay, meatballs were super undercooked but took forever to come out so we didn’t send them back. Lamb was delicious- peas and rice over cooked. Very reasonably priced for amount of food!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Philadelphia
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 29, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We loved the mousaka and the braised lamb
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JV
JaneV
Philadelphia
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on October 28, 2023
overall4food5service4ambience4
Great fun and atmosphere. Affable and friendly Effie cooked up a super meal. Spanakopita and appetizer medley awesome. Really enjoyed shrimp entree. Moussaka outstanding. An all around great neighborhood spot for Greek food and a fun birthday.
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L
Longballjb
Philadelphia
38 reviews
vip
3.0
38 reviews
Dined on October 20, 2023
overall3food3service5ambience4
My girlfriend and I sat out in the garden area which was very cute. It was a beautiful night and the server was very good. The appetizers were delicious but my girlfriend’s meal was bland. I enjoyed mine and we certainly would try them again. It is also a BYOB which is one of the reasons we liked them.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Greater Boston
3 reviews
vip
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on October 20, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Really delicious, authentically Greek food in a lovely setting. We ate in the garden/courtyard because the evening was balmy but were also impressed with the ambiance of the “back room”. We had a superb lamb souvlaki plate and and the mezze plate - terrific! Don’t miss the baklava for dessert - I especially liked the extra cinnamon in Effie’s! The wait staff were attentive and warm. We eat Greek a lot (and have been to Greece a few times) and this is among the best we’ve had.
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LM
LoriM
Philadelphia
8 reviews
5.0
8 reviews
Dined on October 10, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
A sweet spot nestled in the middle of the city that feels just like Greece. Food is amazing and the ambiance of the carriage house is pure Europe. Thank you, Effie!!
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VK
VultureKing
Nashville
38 reviews
vip
5.0
38 reviews
Dined on September 30, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Fantastic service on a Saturday night by the hostess gal who literally seemed to run the whole place. Delicious food !!
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P
Pause
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on September 27, 2023
overall2food2service2ambience2
This restaurant was highly recommended to us attending from out of town. Not sure how long it had been since they visited. The food was dry and tasteless except the pita strips and tiny amount of seasoned oil for dipping. We had a variety of menu options. The calamari was as tough rubber. My specialty dish had more Coza rice than seafood-only 2 mussels plus a couple of shrimp 2 small calamari tough. Shrimp were good. Others had same complaints for their entree. Did not order dessert. Would not recommend to others.
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DC
DianneC
Philadelphia
132 reviews
vip
5.0
132 reviews
Dined on September 23, 2023
overall5food5service4ambience5
Excellence food. Rafael was an exceptional waiter. Short on staff, so our food took some time to get to us.
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JB
JBrowning
Philadelphia
2 reviews
2.0
2 reviews
Dined on September 21, 2023
overall2food1service3ambience3
Effie's Restaurant was (and that, unfortunately, is changing) a reliable neighborhood restaurant. Its intimacy and charm (especially at tables in the rear courtyard or street-side along their small side street) always provided a very pleasant dining experience. The food at Effie's historically rated a B+/A-. But the food quality has dropped radically over the past year (we've been three times, and each time the food is worse than before). Effie's now uses cheap ingredients and their food quality is approaching " grade C suburban diner" levels. I hope Effie's pays attention to reviews and turns things around. It would be a shame to see this sweet neighborhood gem fall by the wayside.
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PD
PhillyDiner
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on September 9, 2023
overall2food3service2ambience2
I want to like this place but it is clear things have fallen on hard times. Apparently they only had 3 people total working on a Saturday night: a cook, a busser, and a server. It made for a slow and and less than satisfying experience, from the service to the food quality. We completely understand the challenges of running a restaurant in this post-COVID world and are rooting for them to be able to hopefully turn things around but unfortunately we won't be back anytime soon.
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DA
DebbieA
Denver
3 reviews
1.0
3 reviews
Dined on August 31, 2023
overall1food5service5ambience1
Tired and under kept establishment with great food.
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F
Foxfire
Philadelphia
10 reviews
vip
4.0
10 reviews
Dined on August 19, 2023
overall4food4service1ambience5
They desperately need more waiters! There was a big crowd and only a couple if waiters so everything was sooo slow . food was good but the brownish unappetizing peas should be replaced with something else. Rice portion was way too big.
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S
Sunshine
Atlantic City
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on August 19, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Amazing restaraunt. The Chef , Effie makes delicious dishes and reasonably priced . Loved the moussaka , and the fried feta with jalapeños and fresh tomatoes was amazing with pita bread . The service was excellent . It’s a BYOB too . We dined in the city garden atmosphere outside . Everything was perfect on a beautiful night. ❤️ highly recommend
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C
Cara
Philadelphia
3 reviews
vip
4.0
3 reviews
Dined on August 12, 2023
overall4food5service5ambience4
Delicious BYOB with friendly service. Relaxed atmosphere. We were a party of 8 seated in the carriage house. It was a tad warm in there, but bearable. Some entrees took a little longer to come out, so don't go if you're in a rush. Staff were friendly and polite. Food was aaaaamazing, fresh and hot! Great spot.
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B
Basil
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 8, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Amazing place to take your date out for dinner. Moussaka was incredible as well as the honey glazed Salmon
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EG
EricG
New York Area
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on August 8, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience5
Great neighborhood place. Wonderful staff. Great food and service. Garden outside is especially nice. BYOB!!
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BK
BKmom
Philadelphia
255 reviews
vip
3.0
255 reviews
Dined on July 22, 2023
overall3food3service4ambience4
The food was ok, some better than other. The Greek salad was all green peppers- although the menu said it was a mix of different peppers. I can’t eat green peppers. The zucchini chips were too thick and not crispy. The shrimp was better but very salty- due to the feta cheese and the peas were way over cooked. I was very disappointed. The outdoor table was very unsteady- I thought things were going to fall. I doubt we will go back.
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E
Eileen
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on July 19, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Went here for a moms night out with 10 other women and we were so well taken care of! We love Effie’s. Excellent value, fabulous service, the food is delicious.
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l
lynner
Philadelphia
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on July 11, 2023
overall4food5service4ambience4
Best moussaka ever!! Spanakopita delicious! Go there!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Fort Lauderdale
2 reviews
vip
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on July 6, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Amazing food, great ambience, fun servers and the personal touch from Effie. We had appetizer platter which was plenty for 2 people. Our plates were wiped clean the food was so good. Lamb chops, keftes, gyro all outstanding. We ate in the front dining room inside which was lovely as it was hot outside. With that said the outside patio looked beautiful. Don’t pass this place up! I know I’ll be back and booking through open table!!!
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MM
MarkM
Philadelphia
6 reviews
vip
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on July 1, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great waiter he was really fun and very knowledgeable about the cuisine! One of my favorite restaurants in the city.
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EW
EmmaW
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on June 23, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
MY FAVORITE PLACE! Love you Effie! You made my night and I had the best night ever
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Philadelphia
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on June 9, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
effie! we love you! great night and the best food around!
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E
Elovitz
Philadelphia
3 reviews
1.0
3 reviews
Dined on May 12, 2023
overall1food2service1ambience2
We had 730 reservations in the courtyard for my birthday. Arrived prior and it was very busy. Serving and kitchen staff were visibly overwhelmed. Waited 10 minutes to inquire about our res and only table they had was inside. Sensing that food and service would be delayed based on crowd we saw waiting and overbearing other patrons experience, we declined and left. Been there several times before and always delicious and welcoming.
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D
Daniel
Washington DC
5 reviews
1.0
5 reviews
Dined on May 12, 2023
overall1food1service1ambience1
Waited for one hour and 45 min and never received our dinner. We mentioned this to servers and chief. They lost our order they said but at no time did they come out to check on us. We will NEVER enter this restaurant. Outright unhappy experience and still hungry- we just left and went to Mixto and received a delicious dinner within 30 minutes with a wonderful server.
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CE
CharlesE
Philadelphia
23 reviews
vip
5.0
23 reviews
Dined on April 29, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
One of our favorite neighborhood places — the Greek food is delicious.
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R
Rich
Philadelphia
75 reviews
vip
1.0
75 reviews
Dined on April 22, 2023
overall1food2service1ambience2
I have had good experiences here but not last night. We had a 6:00 reservation and had orchestra tickets for 8:00. We actually got seated at 5:50 and had our appetizer a few minutes later. By 7:20 our entrees had still not arrived. Our server was very nice and apologetic, frequently saying there was a large party upstairs. We had to leave before receiving our entrees. While I appreciated that we were not charged for the appetizer, if the restaurant can't handle a large party plus its other patrons, then don't seat as many people.
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KA
KayAnne
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on April 20, 2023
overall4food3service5ambience5
Lovely family-owned BYOB restaurant that is worthwhile. I cannot complain about anything. Portions were as expected and we left full and happy. Our small plates and entrees are best compared to the homecooking you remember so fondly.
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m
mollyked
Charlotte
14 reviews
5.0
14 reviews
Dined on April 15, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
I have loved Effie's since visiting here a few years ago. The whole grilled branzino was outstanding but alas it was not on the menu this time. The service was excellent but they had issues with drink ware...no wine glasses, no water glasses for some guests...weird! Our Greek salads were spot on and the fried zucchini Chios with tzatziki was scrumptious! The inside seating is LOUD! Even with few people it was difficult for me to hear. Outside would have been better but it was threatening rain. I will go again and again because it is so very good!
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AB
AndreaB
Philadelphia
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on April 7, 2023
overall4food5service5ambience4
We have eaten at Effie's many times over the years. The food is always good and the service is great! Thanks for being there.
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AB
AmyB
Philadelphia
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on April 5, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
Lovely food and excellent host. Next time we’re in Philadelphia we will come back.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Philadelphia
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on March 31, 2023
overall4food5service3ambience3
Delicious food! Host opened the door and greeted us warmly. BYOB, so come prepared if you'd like something other than water. Owner(?) blew us a kiss as we left. εὐχαριστῶ!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Seattle
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on March 30, 2023
overall3food3service3ambience1
Would not go again. Needs a good cleaning. Would not go again. Needs a good cleaning. Would not go again. Needs a good cleaning.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Philadelphia
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on March 28, 2023
overall5food4service4ambience3
Effie made special potatoes for one of my friends. The waiter was very nice. The food was really delicious. Nothing fancy, just delicious.
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MR
MarcelR
Philadelphia
9 reviews
vip
4.0
9 reviews
Dined on March 26, 2023
overall4food4service3ambience4
Great home style Greek cooking. BYOB which is nice. Always enjoyable.
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Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitising
- Surfaces sanitised between seatings
- Digital, disposable or sanitised menu provided
- Sealed or wrapped utensils used
- Common areas deep-cleaned daily
- Sanitiser or wipes provided for customers
- Contactless payment available
Physical distancing
- Limited number of seated diners
- Distancing maintained in common areas
- Extra space between tables

Protective equipment
- Waitstaff wear masks
- Diners must wear masks unless eating or drinking
Screening
- Sick staff prohibited in the workplace
- Staff is vaccinated
- Staff temperature check required

FAQs

Effie's Restaurant offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (215) 592-8333.

Effie's Restaurant is rated 3.8 stars by 767 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Dec 5, 2023

7:00 p.m.

Booked 4 times today

Order delivery or takeout

1127 Pine St, Philadelphia, PA 19107

Dining areas

Additional information

Cross Street
11th
Neighbourhood
Center City
Hours of Operation
Dinner Tue–Thu 4:30 pm–9:30 pm Fri, Sat 4:30 pm–10:00 pm
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Greek, Mediterranean
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress Code
Casual Dress
Parking Details
Street Parking
Public Transit
Get off at 11th & Walnut
Payment Options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive Chef
Effie Bouikidis Schweich
Additional
Banquet, BYO Liquor, BYO Wine, Delivery, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access

Website
http://www.effiesrestaurant.com/
Phone number
(215) 592-8333
Catering
Everything from our dinner menu is available for catering.

Effie's Restaurant

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

Popular dishes

Shrimp Santorini

Moussaka

Moussaka or Pastitsio

Menu

Family Style Appetizers

TzatzikiUS$6.50

HummusUS$6.50

G DolmadesUS$6.50

MeletzanosalataUS$6.50

Grilled FetaUS$8.50

PatatesUS$7.00

SaganakiUS$8.50

Spanakopita (2)US$10.50

ThessalonikiUS$16.00

Mussels SaganakiUS$12.50

Fried CalamariUS$13.50

What 767 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitising

Physical distancing

Protective equipment

Screening

FAQs

Does Effie's Restaurant offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Effie's Restaurant restaurant rated?

Is Effie's Restaurant currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information