Chrissoulas - Libertyville Restaurant — Restaurant in Libertyville

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Chrissoulas, a Greek restaurant that left me with mixed feelings about my experience. As soon as we walked in, we were promptly seated, which was a positive start to the evening. The overall ambience of the restaurant was warm and inviting, setting the stage for a delightful meal.

Let's start with the food. The watermelon ceviche was a standout dish that we thoroughly enjoyed. The combination of fresh watermelon and tangy flavors created a refreshing and unique taste. However, we were disappointed by the portion of shrimp in the ceviche, as it was quite skimpy. While the dish itself was delicious, the lack of shrimp left us wanting more. We also tried the Saganaki, which is essentially a slab of deep fried cheese that comes to the table flaming… It was a pretty cool experience, and the cheese had a really good crispy crust, but it was fried cheese at the end of the day. ☺️

On the other hand, the antipasto at Chrissoulas was simply phenomenal. It exceeded my expectations and can easily be ranked as one of the best antipastos I have ever had. The variety of flavors, textures, and high-quality ingredients made it a true delight for the taste buds.

Moving on to the drinks, we were pleased with the selection and found them to be delicious. The restaurant did not disappoint in this department, offering a range of refreshing and flavorful beverages that complemented our meal perfectly. We finished our meal with the bread pudding, which we were surprised at the presentation, it was a great one, but not your traditional bread pudding they deep fry a slab of bread pudding, and top it with ice cream. It was delicious but a little awkward to eat

Unfortunately, the service fell short of our expectations. While our waiter was competent in his duties, he lacked a welcoming demeanor. As one of the last groups in the restaurant, it seemed as though the staff forgot we were there towards the end of the evening. We experienced prolonged waiting times of around 10 to 15 minutes between check-ins at our table. Additionally, the loud music and playful behavior from the kitchen became disruptive and somewhat intrusive to our dining experience, especially towards the end of the night.

Despite these shortcomings, our overall visit to Chrissoulas was a good one, primarily due to the great food. The waiter, although not very welcoming, was pleasant enough. However, the lack of attention towards the end of the evening and the noisy atmosphere from the kitchen did detract from our overall enjoyment.

If you're seeking a Greek restaurant with a welcoming ambiance and impressive antipasto, Chrissoulas may be...

Food was generally under-seasoned and bland. The eggplant spread was cut with hummus, and the taramasalata was generously "supplemented" with yogurt and lemon. I could maybe see a few bits of roe in it. If I wished for hummus, I would order it. If I wanted yogurt, I would have ordered it.

Swordfish kebab was pitifully under-seasoned. The fish tasted like it was off the grill and nothing more. The octopus was drenched in lemon and salt, so seasoning may be a selective process. Different strokes for different folks, as the saying goes. The moussaka, which is vegetarian, but it didn't list that on the menu, was undercooked. I explained that it was nothing like any moussaka I've ever seen, and I was told there are different versions. Very well, if this is common knowledge, then list which version it is, state its ingredients (like everything else on the menu, maybe?), and have the decency to price accordingly. Most other Greek establishments do not charge $18 for a vegetarian moussaka that has more crunch than a Crunch bar.

In terms of what was good: plating was nice and well thought out and watermelon salad was great.

In closing, if you want proper Greek food, this is simply not the place to go. It is a shame that Opa closed, and no restaurant had been able to take its place since. When we spoke to the owner, Nick, he was unbelievably rude. He did not take criticism well or try to understand another perspective. It was claimed that this was "not your traditional Greek-American food" when we explained that this restaurant does not match up to other Greek places in the area. If this is indeed the case, then be open and honest; add a "Greek food-reinvented" tagline to...

Went in for dinner Saturday night (6/5/21)

The good: Three spread appetizer was delicious, pitas perfectly grilled/toasted, YUM. Seating and service was prompt and with a smile. Prices were reasonable for portions and comparable to other local restaurants.

The bad: For starters the temperature inside the restaurant was 80+ degrees which was uncomfortable. The octopus entrée was bizarre, misguided, and unauthentic. While the texture and cook on it was perfect, the presentation, sauces, and marinades on the plate totally killed it. They refer to it as the octopus "large plate" which is comical because despite it being SERVED on a large plate, the dish occupies only half the plate. It is not aesthetically pleasing - it looks like it was served prematurely. Its also drowned in a sweet tangy sauce (no acidity from vinegar or lemon and herbs like traditional Greek octopus). Furthermore there is this awful orange vomit looking paste painted on half of the plate. To say it tasted "off" is putting it gently. Lastly, I found it shocking that nobody's entrees were served with a single slice of lemon, nor was there olive oil on any tables. While I'm sure that could be requested, I still find it shocking that a "Greek Seafood Inspired Restaurant" wouldn't have that in there table setting cadence. Out of the four of us, two got the octopus (very disappointing), one was the Mahi Kebob (she said it was dry and flavorless), and one got a Chicken Kebob (she said it was above average).

Perhaps over time we'll muster up the courage to try a different menu item as reviews are very positive but I will not be in a rush to return after...