I think we were the last guests on the last day of operation. As we left the restaurant, I gave Effie a big hug and she gave me containers of olives and feta and a vase full of flowers. from one of the tables I was probably one of her first guests almost 30 years ago as I've lived next door since she opened. And so ended 40 years of the Boukidis family running restaurants on Pine Street all within a half block of each other. Pine Street Pizza, run by Effie's dad Paul, was where I picked up my weekly spinach calzone on the way to "dinner" at Dirty Franks. The family opened the restaurant Paul, after Paul passed away. Amazing food, but the restaurant was short lived. But by far, Effie's became the flagship restaurant in the neighborhood with authentic Greek food and plenty of outside seating options. on our quaint little street which came alive every evening. I have many memories from eating there...like the time I was so engrossed in the new friend I brought there, that I forgot to pay...and 20 minutes later there was a knock on my door from one of the wait staff. Embarrassing. But being a regular had benefits...and Loula or Effie would always make sure my favorite dessert, galaktoboureko, made it to my table with their compliments. So congratulations to Effie for creating this gem in our neighborhood and for keeping the restaurant open and successful through many challenges including COVID. It was wonderful to be a customer, neighbor, and friend of the family. And on behalf of the neighbors, we wish her luck in the next phase of her life.
richojr
Our first visit. My wife's first lamb in 15 years. She really enjoyed it. It would have been an outstanding visit across the board if it hadn't been for a table of thirty something women who felt the need to outshout each other.
Evan Garfield
Effie’s Restaurant is a wonderful place to get Greek food. We mostly order takeout, but it is also BYOB, which is nice. We recently ordered from Effie’s while my wife was getting ready to deliver our daughter at Penn and the proprietor gave wonderful and encouraging words to us before the birth. Thanks so much for the kind service. My wife loved her last meal she was allowed to eat before the delivery!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Tzatziki, Gyro Plate
Senita
Fresh ingredients !! Best pita & hummus in the city
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hummus
Elizabeth Bahn
Great meal. The food was very fresh and tasty. We had the fixed price 3-course meal. My husband had the Effie's Chicken, while I had the Keftedes with Orzo. They were out of soup, so we both had salad. For dessert, I had the baklava, while my husband had the rice pudding. We enjoyed our meal.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Keftedes with Orzo
Chad Twigg
They open kinda late but with the wait.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hummus, Tzatziki, Keftedes with Orzo
DenizO
Effies is one of my favorite restaurants in Philadelphia. It's a BYOB and the food is absolutely delicious. The outdoor tables, both on the garden or on the Quince street have pleasant atmosphere. The service is friendly and attentive, making for a great dining experience.
a Google User
very good souvlaki
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
michael bright
Had a 730 rez. Stood inside the door for 15 minutes waiting for someone to look at us. Finally, I saw two people get up and leave because they had not been serviced, so I asked if we could take the table. Sat at 745, no one came and even said hello until 815.The table had two menus left on it from the previous guests. Thats it. So we asked for two wine glasses, and some water. We got the wine glasses. The water came 10 minutes later, with the "are you ready to order" question.We ordered two apps and two mains. They all came reqlly quickly. What we didnt have was utencils. So I asked for them. The server actually brought us one set. One, lol.She put the roll up on our table and said "heres one" lmao.I was ok dealing with this, as long as the food was exceptional. It wasnt. And it was very overpriced. Its a shame, because this place is really cute. Wont be back
We received poor service (server not coming to Our table for a very long time, wrong entree brought and then taking over 30 minutes to bring the correct one, no refill of pita) and no apology by the waiter. Food was fine but the lack Of attention by the server made the experience poor.
Great Greek institution, rustic surroundings, choice of 3 very different dining rooms, beautiful part of the city, same owners all this time. Effie will say hello to you if you don't say something first. I remember when Effie's parents started her namesake restaurant. The whole family was wonderful and Effie carries on the tradition.
Thomas Lusch
It was a beautiful night and we sat outside. The food was great and we never felt rushed by our server. This is the type place locals want to keep to themselves but out-of-towners should know about.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Sunshine
Everything about Effie's was great! Effie is an amazing Chef and person. She takes the time out to stop by tables and talk to her guests to see how we are doing and if we are enjoying her dishes. The homemade Baklava was supppperrrr yummy , as was the Spanikopita. Loved the mussels with Feta too and the fried cheese and zucchini slices. The food was delish all around . Took a friend there for her first time. It's a BYOB. We loved the atmosphere in the garden in the back yard. The server was very attentive too. I definitely will be back there again with family and friends. Would recommend this place to everyone.
Our meal was pretty disastrous. They were either terribly understaffed or incompetent. It took more than 30 minutes to get menus, even longer for water and wine glasses (we'd brought our own wine), and finally our food orders. After the endless wait, the food was really ordinary. You can get better kebabs and humus at dozens of places in Philly. Our server was very friendly but didn't acknowledge the extreme delay or offer to reduce any of our tab, as a more professional restaurant would have. We were upstairs, where it was nice and quiet - had our food come promptly and been higher quality, it would have been a fun experience. (Note that the walls need to be painted up there, though, and that the stairs are steep and narrow and this unsuitable for some customers.)
Robin Hikage
Overpriced, mid food. I got Effie's Chicken which tasted like reheated Tyson's chicken strips with a mediocre spice blend rubbed on it. It was one of the dishes recommended by the waitress so was surprised it was so bad.Downstairs has nice atmosphere but the upstairs isn't heated and is very haphazard looking. I only mention this because despite making a reservation the staff acted like they weren't prepared for me and my friend to show up and as such they threw us upstairs in a corner instead of in the nicer (heated) downstairs dining area.Will not be coming back.
I think we were the last guests on the last day of operation. As we left the restaurant, I gave Effie a big hug and she gave me containers of olives and feta and a vase full of flowers. from one of the tables I was probably one of her first guests almost 30 years ago as I've lived next door since she opened. And so ended 40 years of the Boukidis family running restaurants on Pine Street all within a half block of each other. Pine Street Pizza, run by Effie's dad Paul, was where I picked up my weekly spinach calzone on the way to "dinner" at Dirty Franks. The family opened the restaurant Paul, after Paul passed away. Amazing food, but the restaurant was short lived. But by far, Effie's became the flagship restaurant in the neighborhood with authentic Greek food and plenty of outside seating options. on our quaint little street which came alive every evening. I have many memories from eating there...like the time I was so engrossed in the new friend I brought there, that I forgot to pay...and 20 minutes later there was a knock on my door from one of the wait staff. Embarrassing. But being a regular had benefits...and Loula or Effie would always make sure my favorite dessert, galaktoboureko, made it to my table with their compliments. So congratulations to Effie for creating this gem in our neighborhood and for keeping the restaurant open and successful through many challenges including COVID. It was wonderful to be a customer, neighbor, and friend of the family. And on behalf of the neighbors, we wish her luck in the next phase of her life.
Our first visit. My wife's first lamb in 15 years. She really enjoyed it. It would have been an outstanding visit across the board if it hadn't been for a table of thirty something women who felt the need to outshout each other.
Effie’s Restaurant is a wonderful place to get Greek food. We mostly order takeout, but it is also BYOB, which is nice. We recently ordered from Effie’s while my wife was getting ready to deliver our daughter at Penn and the proprietor gave wonderful and encouraging words to us before the birth. Thanks so much for the kind service. My wife loved her last meal she was allowed to eat before the delivery!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Tzatziki, Gyro Plate
Fresh ingredients !! Best pita & hummus in the city
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hummus
Great meal. The food was very fresh and tasty. We had the fixed price 3-course meal. My husband had the Effie's Chicken, while I had the Keftedes with Orzo. They were out of soup, so we both had salad. For dessert, I had the baklava, while my husband had the rice pudding. We enjoyed our meal.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Keftedes with Orzo
They open kinda late but with the wait.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hummus, Tzatziki, Keftedes with Orzo
Effies is one of my favorite restaurants in Philadelphia. It's a BYOB and the food is absolutely delicious. The outdoor tables, both on the garden or on the Quince street have pleasant atmosphere. The service is friendly and attentive, making for a great dining experience.
very good souvlaki
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Had a 730 rez. Stood inside the door for 15 minutes waiting for someone to look at us. Finally, I saw two people get up and leave because they had not been serviced, so I asked if we could take the table. Sat at 745, no one came and even said hello until 815.The table had two menus left on it from the previous guests. Thats it. So we asked for two wine glasses, and some water. We got the wine glasses. The water came 10 minutes later, with the "are you ready to order" question.We ordered two apps and two mains. They all came reqlly quickly. What we didnt have was utencils. So I asked for them. The server actually brought us one set. One, lol.She put the roll up on our table and said "heres one" lmao.I was ok dealing with this, as long as the food was exceptional. It wasnt. And it was very overpriced. Its a shame, because this place is really cute. Wont be back
We received poor service (server not coming to Our table for a very long time, wrong entree brought and then taking over 30 minutes to bring the correct one, no refill of pita) and no apology by the waiter. Food was fine but the lack Of attention by the server made the experience poor.
Restaurantji Recommends
Great Greek institution, rustic surroundings, choice of 3 very different dining rooms, beautiful part of the city, same owners all this time. Effie will say hello to you if you don't say something first. I remember when Effie's parents started her namesake restaurant. The whole family was wonderful and Effie carries on the tradition.
It was a beautiful night and we sat outside. The food was great and we never felt rushed by our server. This is the type place locals want to keep to themselves but out-of-towners should know about.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Everything about Effie's was great! Effie is an amazing Chef and person. She takes the time out to stop by tables and talk to her guests to see how we are doing and if we are enjoying her dishes. The homemade Baklava was supppperrrr yummy , as was the Spanikopita. Loved the mussels with Feta too and the fried cheese and zucchini slices. The food was delish all around . Took a friend there for her first time. It's a BYOB. We loved the atmosphere in the garden in the back yard. The server was very attentive too. I definitely will be back there again with family and friends. Would recommend this place to everyone.
Our meal was pretty disastrous. They were either terribly understaffed or incompetent. It took more than 30 minutes to get menus, even longer for water and wine glasses (we'd brought our own wine), and finally our food orders. After the endless wait, the food was really ordinary. You can get better kebabs and humus at dozens of places in Philly. Our server was very friendly but didn't acknowledge the extreme delay or offer to reduce any of our tab, as a more professional restaurant would have. We were upstairs, where it was nice and quiet - had our food come promptly and been higher quality, it would have been a fun experience. (Note that the walls need to be painted up there, though, and that the stairs are steep and narrow and this unsuitable for some customers.)
Overpriced, mid food. I got Effie's Chicken which tasted like reheated Tyson's chicken strips with a mediocre spice blend rubbed on it. It was one of the dishes recommended by the waitress so was surprised it was so bad.Downstairs has nice atmosphere but the upstairs isn't heated and is very haphazard looking. I only mention this because despite making a reservation the staff acted like they weren't prepared for me and my friend to show up and as such they threw us upstairs in a corner instead of in the nicer (heated) downstairs dining area.Will not be coming back.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 3
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