ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΟΝ ELLINIKON — Restaurant in Municipality of Rethymnon

Ellinikon is located on the busy street of Palea EO Rethimnou Iraklious. It's a hidden gem amidst everything you’d rather avoid as a tourist: insistent, uniformed touts shouting at you to come in! Did I see a sign claiming they sell Europe’s Best pizza? Seriously, Europe’s best pizza? Or bars with signs advertising Happy Hour drinks? Synthetic blue-colored drinks for only 6 Euros. Yay for you.

Manuel’s restaurant, Ellinikon, paradoxically lies right in the middle of this chaos. There’s no need for touts here – this family-run restaurant sells itself.

You’ll recognize it because there are almost ALWAYS people sitting there. In peace and quiet. Calm and tranquility. An oasis of silence despite the busy road outside. This is because the restaurant extends several meters inside (yes, it’s longer than you think), and it’s elevated from the sidewalk, significantly reducing the noise from the street.

Okay, let me get to the point: In a city where most businesses have a desperate lure to get as many people as possible to consume, the long-awaited authenticity and tranquility lie in this peaceful restaurant. They’ve figured something out.

The owner is there every single evening. With decent English, a smile on his face, and a twinkle in his eye, you enter Crete’s culinary world. The food. My God, the food! Did you know you can judge a restaurant's quality by whether their moussaka is thoroughly heated? NO restaurants we’ve dined at have nailed it so far – except Ellinikon. Thoroughly heated, all the way to the middle.

The pork chops with a crispy and perfectly charred fat edge. Tangy. A perfect contrast to the firm, crispy, crunchy Greek salad that’s served with it. The delicious saganaki, the generous wine glasses, and the complimentary raki that arrives at the table at the end of the meal. Did I mention I’ve been here about 7 times already?

I can’t describe why or, most importantly, how, but you know that feeling of coming home to mom as an adult? Like that. That’s what it feels like to be here.

So I’m taking on the role Manuel and his family don’t need to take on: By writing this review, I’m the uniformed tout shouting out to the street how authentic and good the food here is....

A true traditional Greek taverna with soul and excellent food

Ellinikon is a genuinely family-run traditional Greek taverna where you can feel the warmth of homemade cooking and authentic Greek hospitality. The service is outstanding the young woman who served us was always kind and attentive, making sure we had everything we needed throughout the meal.

From the very first bite, it’s clear that the food is prepared by someone who has been cooking their whole life for their family with care, experience, and love. This was confirmed when we passed by the kitchen on the way to the restroom and saw a team of experienced local ladies preparing the dishes, just like they would at home.

We came for lunch no reservation was needed, and almost every table is in the shade, which made the temperature comfortable even on a hot summer day.

What we ordered:

Seafood platter for two (€49) realistically enough for three people! Everything was fresh, flavorful, and perfectly cooked.

For dessert: baklava and kadaif, each served with a scoop of ice cream and whipped cream, the perfect sweet ending.

At the beginning, we were welcomed with toasted bruschetta and two traditional Greek dips, and at the end, we were offered two local liqueurs and a piece of lokum, complimentary from the house.

The portion sizes and prices are more than fair, and the food quality is among the best if not the best we’ve had in this area.

Full praise to the owner and the entire team this should be a textbook example of how to run a restaurant serving traditional cuisine. Ellinikon sets a standard in what true hospitality and passion for food really mean. Highly recommended to anyone looking for an authentic, warm, and delicious Greek...

honestly don’t understand the many positive reviews of this place. My partner and I came here for dinner, hoping for a pleasant evening, but from the very beginning it was disappointing.

The starter – avocado with shrimp – was honestly unpleasant. The avocado itself was fine, but it was drowned in a sauce that tasted like cheap, artificial mayonnaise. I only forced myself to finish it because I was hungry. For the main course, I ordered spaghetti with seafood, but what I received was a plate of pasta literally swimming in oil (see photo).

I have a sensitive gallbladder, so after just a few bites I had to stop. Instead of enjoying a proper meal, I ended up going to the supermarket afterwards to buy chips just to satisfy my hunger.

I have eaten in many places and rarely write negative reviews, but this was truly one of the least satisfying dining experiences I’ve had in a long time.

The management should really reflect on what they serve their customers, because the quality of the food does not match the expectations or the...