YiaYia's Greek Kitchen — Restaurant in Torrington

Yia Yia’s used to be great. I moved over 30 minutes away and there are no good Greek restaurants near me. It’s summer and I was really craving the karpouzi salad with watermelon (past two summers was making my own). Decided to make the drive JUST to order that salad. Figured I’d pick up some falafel and Yia Yia’s chips too to make it worth the trip. The staff is always friendly and the restaurant is always so nice and different inside. You feel like you’re actually in Greece for a brief moment. Unfortunately that’s where the good part of my review ends. Their food has really gone downhill. I was so disappointed. The karpouzi salad was such a let down. It was an extremely small portion. The watermelon chunks were tiny. You used to have to cut them in half they were so big. There were 5 tiny cubes of feta. And only 2 mint leaves???? NOT even close to what was posted on their instagram page nor what I remember ordering many, many times while I lived in Torrington. Also, the Yia Yia’s chips were disappointing. I was expecting this meal pick up to last me for the weekend. The portion now (at least what they gave to me) is so small I finished it that night. Not the portion size it used to be or what it should be for the price they charge. I will say the falafel, while the size was a bit smaller than they used to be, were still good. But it was definitely not worth the $45 nor the 30 minutes drive there and back to pick it up. Will not go back nor would I recommend. Sharing pics of my small salad compared to what is posted online. You can tell the watermelon chunks are barely half the size and see the two sad mint leaves. The dressing was separate as it was to go so I had...

A piece of Greece in the middle of Torrington,CT ! As you walk into this hidden gem,the first impression takes the breath away and you instantly find yourself in a small Greek village next to the sea. Maro ,a lovely waitress,approached me with a great smile and unmatched Balkan hospitality.Even though there was a little rush after i arrived,Maro made me feel like i was the most important guest and answered all my questions as well as gave me great tour through the menu. I was exploring the beautiful interior while i waited for my Tirokafteri appetizer which was highly recommended both by reviews and my lovely waitress Maro. The actual falling in love start with the food. "Spicy feta" dip was so freshly made that i could taste the crunchiness of the dill and peppers in it. Pita bread was thin,baked to perfection and most importantly not overwhelmed with oil. My entree was Xtapodi(char grill Octopus tentacle. I loved the actual taste of the char and grill that gave my octopus an extra touch the only the finest kitchens possess. It was souked in grape vinegar that gave him tender and juice taste. I finished with,possibly the Baklava i ever tried in USA. Rich,tender,moist and HOT. This was my first time i ever tried or heard about hot Baklava,and i am Balkan! Being hot elevated the desert on another level and i felt i am trying it for the first time even though i was eating it as long as i remember. Everything in this beautiful restaurant is 5 stars. Atmosphere,food and amazing stuff! The perfect tree course Greek gateway with your loved...

Didn't try the food. I have to give them 5 stars because I came to eat with an acquaintance and he and his girlfriend have a dog they masquerade as a service dog. The waiter challenged him and he tried to pull out some ID he paid 20$ for online (anyone can get those ID's online by just sending a check with NO verification that their dog is trained). The waiter still didn't budge and being so embarrassed I told him we should leave. The reality is I know it's not a trained service dog and don't know why I tolerated the masquerade. He operates Pixels in the next plaza over. Spoiled, entitled, well to do single child syndrome honestly. I actually goaded him into writing a negative review about this place due to his experience which he said he posted but for some reason its not showing 🤣. Yeah I wouldn't post it either if I knew I was lying about my service mini shih tzu that has her tail painted pink and has to be carried around in a doggie bed. "She alerts for seizures!" I happen to know neither have seizures nor was she trained for such. Look out for them. Red Jeep. Pixels. They bring the dog everywhere with them....the sad reality is the girl is actually disabled. Could use a real service dog. Kudos...