Stepho's Greek Taverna

Added Oct 24, 2009 by ShellyA of vancouver (4 Reviews)

good for cheap
I've been to stephos a few times now and I've always ordered the lamb, can't go wrong with it. Portions are huge and I never finish so I save half for the next days' lunch. The only downfall i could think of is the lineup....geez, usually takes 1 hr, there was one time where i waited 30 mins but that's rare. I also got tired of waiting one time and went a few stores down to the other greek restaurant (i heard it's the same own) but food is about $1 more but i think it's ok, compared to having to wait 1 hr just to get a table. Service is alright, never had a problem. Although i was sitting outside the patio area and the restaurant next to them had their back door open with a sign that says (come in we're C*NTS)....not very appropriate but I guess it's not really stepho's fault!

Added Sep 22, 2009 by maorikiwi of Collingwood (4 Reviews)

decent lamb chops and lamb roast for the budget conscious
I wanted to go to Stepho's because of friend's comments that it was inexpensive and good. I also wanted to go because I ALWAYS see people lining up to get in.

I'm not a patient person at all and so I thought a quiet night like a Monday might help my chances of getting in pretty quickly. There was still about 14 people in line when we arrived - so perhaps an indication Stepho's does not have a quite night. We waited about 15-20 minutes.

Once seated we had our drinks orders taken quite promptly (within 10 minutes) with our food orders taken soon after. We observed the HUGE portions that were served and the many doggy bags that were being taken so we decided against a starter.

It is a good thing we did not order a starter as neither my friend nor I finished our mains of roast lamb and lamb chops. Usually I would expect 2 lamb chops but here I got 4 piled on top of a whole lot of sides - including roast potatoes, salad, vegetables, pilaf and with pita on a side plate. Both mains were cooked how we ordered them - medium to well done and were juicy and tender.

The service was the right amount of attentiveness - I had my reservations that perhaps they hovered to quickly turn over the diners but this did not seem to be the case with us or anyone else - and we received our drinks and food orders promptly.

Ambience - partly it is what you pay for. If you want to pay more then you might expect more by way of design. It has a homely, Greek family esq feel to it. I did find it slightly too dark though my friend found it pleasant.

Overall a good experience. It doesn't hit the ball out of the park, but then with what we paid I wasn't expecting that. (We paid $40 for lamb roast, lamb chops, half krafe of wine and tip)

Added Sep 7, 2009 by lindarose of Vancouver (30 Reviews)

Great for Take Out
I used to live near Davie Street in the West End and enjoyed picking up items here. I will emphasize that I PICKED UP items as in TAKE OUT.

My favourites are the Spanakopia (you get two big pieces and I find them tasty - if a tiny bit greasy), the roast lamb (again, if you are watching your cholestoro - keep away - but it's tasty). For a lighter choice - I recommend the slouvaki.

Call in the order or order at the counter if you are in the area. Pick up in about 20 minutes. One caveat - for takeout, bring a plastic grocery bag. They pack your order in styrofoam containers and put them into brown paper bags (like the old style paper bags you used to get at supermarkets). It's hard to carry (as the the paper bag is on its side - you have to rest your take out order on your arm or your food will be mussed up). I just bring a couple of old plastic bags from Safeway or ??, plunk the paper bag in their and it is easier to carry.

On nice days, I take me order to Sunset Beach and eat it as picnic.

I have no interest or time to stand in line to dine in. The Restaurant is cramped and noisy - but for a nice Greek picnic lunch on the beach - it is the best value.

Added Aug 23, 2009 by foodie80 of TriCities (1 Reviews)

First-Timer
After much anticipation (and worry from some ill reviews here) we went to the famous Stephos. A Saturday evening about 6pm.
There was the expected line-up, appeared daunting, but we weren't in it for more than 30minutes.
We sat for almost 10minutes before our drink orders were taken but it wasn't a big deal. I have to admit our waiters lack of knowledge about the wines was a slight drawback. Luckily my guess got us a great bottle.
The food was wonderful. Tasty, Garlicky (I wouldn't expect Greek cuisine any other way), Fresh and Inexspensive. I had the Roast Lamb which was fork tender and a ridiculously huge portion!
Some comments here have suggested this food to be "cheap" and of lesser quality. I dissagree.

Added Jun 19, 2009 by sbarker of West End, Vancouver (7 Reviews)

cheap - but not cheap enough
Let's be honest. If you love Stepho's, it's not because you love the food. It's because you're cheap.

First time I came here, I did so because I kept seeing a big lineup out front. I figured they must be doing something right. Since then, I'll come here only if a friend strongly insists. Which happens.

Service:

Let's start with the lineup. I've waited anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours. I eat here with friends though, so it's a good chance to talk if the weather is nice. However, most people in the world are not as patient as I am, and you'll see others in the line getting visually frustrated. And it makes for a consistently uncomfortable atmosphere.

But sometimes it even tries my patience. Consider this scenario: you've been waiting outside for an hour, and you're at the front of the line. The hostess comes out, and asks you "how many?" and you reply "2." The people behind you are a group of 2, and behind them a group of 2. She finds a group of 3 about 20 people back in the line, and brings them in immediately and seats them. I'm assuming the justification is that she has a table for 4, and doesn't want to "waste" it on a group of 2. But for f@#$ sakes, we've been waiting an hour. The group of 3 at the back just arrived. And there's no chance that getting that 1 extra person through is going to make or break the efficiency of the restaurant. It just pisses off the 20 people standing in front of them.

Furthermore, it's not uncommon to see an empty table inside for extended periods. During my 2 hour wait, the table by the window was vacant for about 45 minutes. There's just no excuse for this.

Food & Value:

Once seated, everything moves quickly. You'll get your drinks and food shortly after ordering, which makes me wonder if they actually prepared it prior to my ordering it.

I order the chicken souvlaki. $8. The meat is consistently overcooked to the point where I struggle to get it off the skewer. "Roast" potatoes are so god damn chewy I don't even bother touching them anymore. The greek salad may or may not come with any dressing on it. At least one piece of the pita bread will be scorched to the point of being inedible. I think the rice is my favorite part of the dish. And the greek salad when they remember to dress it.

People rave about the "huge" portions. I dunno. It's about the same as any greek place I've been to. And I've been to quite a few.

For a chicken souvlaki dish, your average greek restaurant is typically $11, so you're saving $3.

Drinks (pop/iced tea) are *not* refillable, and come in tiny glasses. $2 for a half a can of coke? No thanks. Stick to the water like everyone else. I'll give them credit. My water glass is never empty.

Ambiance: Not worth mentioning.

So the question comes. Is it worth it? My vote is: no. Long waits, subpar food, and all you're going to save is about $3. Which means you can have dinner paid for with tip for $10. But for what you get, I think that's too much.

Added May 17, 2009 by Foodiebynature of Vancouver (12 Reviews)

Going downhill fast!
A friend and I went to Stephos this afternoon for lunch. There was no wait and my friend and I were seated as soon as we walked through the door.

My friend and I both had appetizers which arrived at snails pace which we could not understand as the restaurant was pretty much empty when we arrived.

According to my friend, she says her calamari was dry, flavorless and really not all that fresh.

We both ordered the lamb souvlaki for our entrees which came within a reasonable amount of time and was piping hot. Unfortunately, this is where things go downhill.

Stephos has cut there portion sizes. Everything is much smaller than what they are normally known for, no more plates of heaping food. The lamb souvlaki were like little nuggets on a stick; and because the cubes were so small they were overcooked and dry. The Greek salad was a green pepper salad with a little feta on it. Our potatoes looked good but were not cooked all the way through.

I’ve been a long time customer and at one time I would swear up and down that the wait to get into Stephos is well worth it. I would never even consider going elsewhere for Greek food. Now, I would tell people to consider going elsewhere. Stephos in my mind no longer stands out from the crowd. It’s not worth the wait in those long line ups, the food quality has gone downhill and the can no longer sell the value aspect as they’re portions size has diminished. It’s now become another run-of-the-mill Greek restaurant with the hopes of becoming more!

Added May 5, 2009 by Iva of Vancouver (1 Reviews)

Why people like this place so much?
I am sorry and with all due respect, but I really do not get it. First time I went there, waited in the lineup, got sick after (don't think I should start describing). Decided to try it again, waited in a lineup, got sick again even though I ordered a completely different dish! Third time I got persuaded by a friend to go, did not get sick but was not impressed with my meal.
I honestly think quality of food they serve is not that great. Large poritons, good priced or not, I will not go there again.

Added Apr 23, 2009 by dinners67 of vancouver (1 Reviews)

not the legend it used to be
i used to frequent this place occasionally as i used to work near by and im sorry to say but it's not as good as it used to be. i know my rating for stephos is "solid" across the board but it used to be excellent. now the portions are smaller and now charge you if you want to sub out the greek salad for the Caesar... and the Caesar tasted like something that came from a fast food joint. i had the roast lamb, which was fine but the portion was definiatly smaller then what im used to seeing. before i couldn't finish a roast lamb from Stephos but this time i polished it off and wasn't full as expected to be. maybe it's the recession but stephos is no longer a good bang for it's buck

Added Apr 9, 2009 by goonboy of Burnaby (43 Reviews)

Sign of the times: No more mega-sized portions
Me and the wife and another couple had dinner at my hands down fave Greek place, Stepho's. The quality of the food was great as usual, but the titanic sized portions seem to be no more. The cost of food has increased over the years (especially rice in recent years due to crop failures) and Stepho's has admirably been able to continue to serve super-sized meals in what seems like decades, but unfortunately their portions have dropped I'd say a good 1/3 in size, especially the roast lamb.

You can't really blame Stepho's considering the circumstances and rather than raise the price, they did the most sensible business decision to raise or maintain their profits - cut costs. Stepho's is still a good choice and their portions are now in line with other Greek establishments. Hopefully their portion size will go back to mega-size once this economic crisi passes, but I doubt it, especially if there is no drop off in business because of the change. All good things must come to an end I guess.

Added Apr 3, 2009 by Dawna of Vancouver (2 Reviews)

Doesn't even come close to Kalamata's greek taverna
Sorry guys.... I just don't get it. The wait is WAY too long for food that I think is "decent".
It's over rated and I think partially because of Stepho's location. The fact that he throws a handful of fries on the plate is (I think) deplorable. I think Stepho's appeals to the young hip crowd that hangs around the west side of the city. If You want authentic, great tasting, everything on the menu is perfect food. Try Kalamata's you won't be disappointed. I highly recommend making reservations. I tried Stepho's once (only because we were in the neighborhood) and really didn't like it at all, have not been back since and will only go to Kalamata's. I don't have to wait in the rain, I don't get served fast food and I walk out of there happy very satisfied and usually so full that there is enough to take home for a midnight snack.
Honestly people..... Stepho's is not everything it's cracked out to be.... please.. try Kalamata's.

Added Mar 14, 2009 by lilmisswongy of vancouver (1 Reviews)

Definitely worth the long wait in the rain
We arrived at 6:45PM on a Saturday and found the wait to be of a reasonable duration i.e. 10-12 mins. However arrive after 7PM and you're in for a long wait, esp. if you've got a party of friends. Waitresses/waiters came to take our order witin 5 mins of being seated which was good, because we knew what we wanted from the menu displayed in the window whilst we were waiting in line. A tasty Dip/Pita appetiser arrived almost immediately, and the main course (chicken pita and lamb souvlaki) was almost instantaneous. We like a quick n easy meal, but I'm sure others like to take their time dining. Service was average to good. Not brilliant, but I could see it's because it was extremely busy. I would definitely return.

Added Mar 7, 2009 by Segismundo of Vancouver (6 Reviews)

not worth lining up even for 5 minutes
We have taken off this restaurant a long time from our regular lunch / dinner places. Yesterday we thought we give it another try since there was no line up on - at least on the walkway outside.
Well, well, well, what a mistake. We were standing inside the restaurant and got ignored by each staff walking by. Several times we tried to approach a server - no reaction.

We decided to leave the restaurant and to dine next door.

Sometimes, when people are successful, the service is going down the drain. Why caring if someone is waiting? If you don't take the table, 10 others will take it.

Well, they will not see us there anylonger.

Added Feb 27, 2009 by adanacandy of West end (3 Reviews)

The best lamb I have ever had - outstanding! and an incredible value!
I recently moved to Vancouver (West end) and wondered why there were always lineups outside this place -- so I thought I'd try it out. Man was I impressed. I had the absolute best lamb I've ever had - I mean it was unbelievable, so moist and tasty. I also ordered the starter meatballs, and they are a meal in themselves, and also very, very good. The servings were huge. It's interesting to see this kind of situation in today's 'make as much as you can' climate. This restaurant could easily raise it's prices quite a bit and still have the place full. But for some reason they keep prices reasonable, servings huge, and the food incredible. I'm not sure why they haven't bumped up the prices - they see the lineups and know they could. I salute them for providing the community with this fabulists restaurant at reasonable prices... way to go! Thank you, and I hope you don't change a thing for as long as you are able.

Added Feb 23, 2009 by sweetnsalty of Vancouver (4 Reviews)

Just for the lamb
It has been a while since I have dined at Stepho's, probably close to two years now. But when ever I drive by the restaurant, I can't help but think about there tender juicy lamb; just barley hanging on to the bone. The price is incredible for it's taste and portion. My friend who never eats lamb was even extremely tempted to give it a taste. The line ups are just ridiculously long, I think the owner should really expand or open another location as this join is way too small for such a crowded part of town. During the summer on a nice warm day with some friends I wouldn't mind waiting over half an hour outside but we only see a limited number of those days here in Vancouver. Note, they do have lamp heaters outside for those who are waiting.

Added Feb 3, 2009 by pallonia of Kitsilano, Vancouver (15 Reviews)

A lot of hype about the lamb?
FOOD >>> Decent. The lamb is overrated. Besides that, ther were just a bunch of almost overcooked vegetables.

SERVICE >>> Decent.

VALUE >>> We were given pretty big portions for what we paid, and the whole reason we went initially was for their supposedly renowned lamb. The half hour line up outside wasn't worth it though.

AMBIANCE >>> We were a party of 3 crammed into a tiny table, squished in next to a huge party of 8. Annoying! As for the decor, the usual: warm, cliche' mediterranean-style restaurant decor.

Added Jan 11, 2009 by Zeero of delta (10 Reviews)

dining out on a budget
If you notice a lot of young people out for dinner here; you shouldn't be surprised. This is a place if you're dining out economically. The quality of food was average. If you can afford more, this city has a lot more quality grrek restaurants to try. It is in a good location and the ambience is nice. Its just there wasn't anything we ordered that I would say was memorable.

Added Dec 10, 2008 by wooky of vancouver, vancouver (11 Reviews)

Bang for your buck
Boyfriend and I decided to come here for a quick and cheap eat on a cold winter night sometime last year. I had been here once several years ago but my memory of that experience escapes me.

We didnt have to line up outside the restaurant luckily, but still had to wait 15 - 20 minutes for a table inside the restaurant. Was it worth it? Cheap yes.. but I would say no. Yes, the portions are huge, which is great if you are actually hungry enough to finish the entire thing in one sitting because the leftovers are really gross the next day.

Boyfriend had the calamari set meal, i had the braised lamb.. neither was anything to write home about quality-wise. My lamb was nice and tender but was lukewarm and lacked flavor. Service was very minimal: seat customer, take order, bring food, bring check. The restaurant is of course hustling and bustling and lots going on around you, so not a place to bring your date for a romantic dinner (although the did light candles at each table..)

I guess for the prices you can't really complain too much but this is vancouver we're talking about.. plenty of places offering cheap eats without necessarily slaughtering the quality of food / service. I say check out stephos at least once just for the novelty of it, but i wouldn't plan regular visits here when there are so many other better options.

Added Nov 20, 2008 by liquid_k of vancouver (9 Reviews)

Huge portions!
Not going to go on and on about Stepho's, but one thing I have to say is that the portion size just blew me away! Considering where it's located, the prices are very very reasonable for the amount of food you get, and the service is prompt and friendly. Sure the food isn't 5 star gourmet, but I enjoyed it enough to pack what I couldn't finish and that should say a lot. The location is central and now I know why people line up out the door and down the block to get in on the weekend evenings!

Added Nov 5, 2008 by dal of van (34 Reviews)

Okay
This place is not as good as it was five or 8 years ago.. but that may because they haven't raised their prices since then...

The only thing I would order is the roast lamb or the vegetarian lasagna... the wine is never very good - and the calamari is too dry... Despite the big portions and tasty lamb/lasagna dish, I think I would rather go to Taki's...But for the price, you won't feel disappointed or ripped off :-)

Added Oct 9, 2008 by Bonka of Vancouver (290 Reviews)

It's alright but not worth the wait
I came here a couple of times with a small group of people. Luckily both times we were able to make reservations I couldn't imagine waiting in line for a "cheap" eats place.

It's small, dark, cramped, and noisy. Wait times I've heard can be over an hour.

Servers are good for a place that has high turnover. They are friendly and fairly perky.

Food is OK. Food court quality. Most recently I had the Lamb Souvlaki and Spanakopita. Nothing special that jumps out at you. Their Chicken variety is a bit drier. Portions are big but deceiving.

I'd go elsewhere for Greek it's not worth waiting in line to save a few bucks. The atmosphere is too huried to feel comfortable staying in for while you are trying to enjoy your meal.

Added Sep 23, 2008 by tasha23 of surrey (5 Reviews)

best price. awesome food
The wait for stepho's sometimes is very long but well worth the wait. I always order the calamari dinner and it is the best i have had at any greek restaurant. The portions are huge and the calamari is very crispy and tastes like it marinated with garlic. My boyfriend always orders the kleftiko and this is his favorite out of all the greek restaurants, they actually stuff it with chunks of garlic. I find that the bread and greek salad isnt the greatest but you dont come to stepho's for bread you come food the main course. I am surprised how quickly your food arrives much quicker then a restaurant that may not even be busy. This place always has a long wait and it is for a reason i love this restaurant the prices are dirt cheap and the food is the best!

Added Aug 21, 2008 by Lee-G of shaughnessy (1 Reviews)

Small Price, Lots of Rice
My experience at Stepho's Greek Taverna began with an hour long line-up with a few friends along the side of the restaurant. The place was packed and when we stepped inside the restaurant (hoping to be seated at a table),we were asked again to wait in this little space which was awkward and uncomfortable. Then, 25 minutes later, after sharing an uncomfortable bench with 4 other people, we were finally seated. After that our server brought us waters and asked my underaged friend if she wanted an alcoholic beverage to start...without even asking to see an I.D. So, we started with waters and then we ordered dinner. We looked at the menu and everything seemed like a bargain. I ordered the small size slouvakia dinner which was around the range of $8. Then, the food arrived around 10 minutes later which we thought was a reasonable time frame for the dinners to be prepared. We saw the food and then understood why the dinners were set at such an inexpensive price; they basically gave all filler foods (breads, rice, etc.) and a small serving of a protien item(i ordered the lamb). Three-quarters of the plate had mounds of rice, which turned out to be dry, and pita bread, which couldn't even fit on the plate and kept on slipping off onto the table(which in my mind was not very good because anyone could have touched that table cloth). The lamb was alright, but not the best i've had. Also, I do not recommend the prawn dinner. My friend ordered it, and was still hungry at the end of the meal. Overall, I wouldn't come here if I was in a rush, but if you want cheap, Greek cuisine that makes you full(on pita bread and rice), this is the place for you. For the rating, I gave this restaurant a 2 for an "okay" experience.

Added Jul 28, 2008 by diningRL of East Vancouver (52 Reviews)

Sound Quality and Value
I equate Stepho's to Anton's Pasta Bar on Hastings in Burnaby. Both establishments market themselves as offering extra large plates (more than you can eat in one sitting) of their cuisine.

The value is definitely there at Stepho's. Quality-wise, I did quite enjoy the food - al though I'll be first to admit that I'm not a Greek/Mediterranean cuisine expert. I had the chicken souvlaki and tried some of the lamb my friend ordered; both dishes were very pleasing, especially for the price.

It's a definite recommendation if you're in the downtown neighborhood. I've heard of long ques at this place - if this is the case, I'd try another place as there are several good value + quality restaurants on the Davie stretch.

Added Jul 24, 2008 by Mecca-nism of Port Moody (18 Reviews)

Pretty good
I know Stepho’s is a popular Greek restaurant in Vancouver and I can see why. It’s well priced, the service is fast, and if you’re craving Greek food it’s a good place to get your fill. However, if you’re looking for top-quality food than Stepho’s might not be the place to go. I know Greek food well and although Stepho’s is solid, there are better Greek restaurants out there.

Added Jul 8, 2008 by FLR of Somewhere in New West (2 Reviews)

Excellent Roast Lamb!
Stepho's is a great restaurant to eat in, you definetly get your money's worth! The roast lamb is my absolute favourite! If you are planning on going, expect to wait in line for a long time, especially during the summer. At times it seems as if they are under staffed so service is not that great but the food is worth it!

Added Jun 23, 2008 by trudster of North Van (8 Reviews)

Why bother?
I have never had a good meal here. Dry chicken long waits and really so-so in all ways. There are so many really great restaurants in Vancouver it always amazes me to see Stepho's ranked so highly when the food is so inferior. I have visited several times and have friends who have had the same really mediocre experience.

Added May 29, 2008 by styledish of Vancouver (21 Reviews)

Stuffed with Stepho's
Went to Stepho's for the very first time last night. Amazingly there was no line up at 6:45pm. After about a 15 min wait we were seated, and luckily at that time we saw the line building outside. We ordered the hummus and pita, calamari dinner, and chicken souvlaki. Hummus and pita was decent but I always like nice, warm soft pita bread. The calamari dinner was huge and seemed to be overflowing. But the calamari sort of looked bland and didn't taste 'fresh' from the stove. The chicken souvlaki was pretty decent, the chicken had a great taste to it and not too dry. I would go back again if there was no lineup. It's good value for the amount of food you get but not worth the long wait.

Added May 22, 2008 by hfoods of vancouver (3 Reviews)

awesome food, good sevice, but too dark
im not sure if its me or the light in the restaurant is alittle too dark that i'd ask the waiter to turn the light on brighter because one i cannot see my food, two for my own opinion i think when im eating i deserve to have a better view of what im eat other than that the food was incrdible the service was only well respectful and friendly

Added Apr 20, 2008 by applepie of Burnaby (85 Reviews)

It's OK
It's my first visit there and seeing the long line up outside, I had high expectation before going in. It's one big, busy and noisy place at meal time. We ordered souvlaki (lamb, prawn), calamari and moussaka. Food is decent, but not exceptional. Overall, it's not bad for the price, but it's not so wonderful that I would stand in line to eat there again.

Added Apr 17, 2008 by aleem of Ireland (7 Reviews)

Get the food to go!!!
The calamari dinner is to die for, the portion size is amazing, I usually eat it for dinner and lunch the next day. In the calamari dinner you get so much calamari, so much rice, potatos, bread and tatziki, now the one thing you want to make sure you do is ask for extra tatzziki sauce!!!! I wouldn't wait in line at this place, either go when they not busy or do like me take the food home and eat in your pj's! Their sluvaki is also super good! And you can't beat thier prices!!! Sorry for any spelling errors :-)

Added Apr 4, 2008 by spoonfuls of Kitsilano (3 Reviews)

Okay, not superb
My friend and I waited outside for about 30 minutes - though it was to be expected. They had heaters outside the restaurant, since this is how it usually goes. I had the Spanakopita first. The phyllo was extremely tough, I had a hard time picking it apart. It was tasty though. They served two huge pieces, which I had the mistake of finishing before my Calamari dinner arrived. The dinner was HUGE, and I had to take 2/3 of it home in a baggie... unfortunately, the grease leaked out of the styrofoam box and soaked the brown bag in grease.. I am a huge calamari fanatic, and here, it was average. I've had better at Olympia on Broadway (where service is spotty).

Added Mar 20, 2008 by badgerbalm of pretentious yaletown (40 Reviews)

meh
I'm really not sure what the allure of this place is. I could understand it 10 years ago when you got a whole plate of food for $5, but now I'm just baffled as to why people are willing to wait in the cold/rain for a long time for mediocre food.

I had one chicken souvlaki take out with pink juice running out of it (they forgot about it so they rushed it), and getting sicker than a rabid monkey the next time I went there (who knows if it was a virus or the food, but after the pink juice chicken, I'm not doubtful) I don't think I can stomach going back there.

If you want good Greek without the wait, the noise, and the harried meal as they try to rush you out the door, go to Kalamata on W. Broadway and Yukon. Probably cheaper than Stepho's now, too.

Added Feb 22, 2008 by ilike2eat of Richmond (5 Reviews)

assembly line
great value for the serving size, but when i went on a wednesday night, the food came out semi warm. it feels like they make a whole batch in the kitchen at once and serve it a la cafeteria style. this would be okay if they kept the food warm at least, semi solid cold cheeseballs are not very appetizing. the service is non existent, servers don't really give a crap about you and only force a smile when giving you the bill.

Added Feb 16, 2008 by Copious of West End, Vancouver (12 Reviews)

Really Average food
It's always silly to see people line up for this place, knowing full well the food is just average.

Went there for lunch the other day, the plastic table cover was ripped, chair next to me had a huge ripped hole with foam sticking out, dirty cutlery (had to take one from another table), the place was dark and dirty (even for daytime), didn't even want to see what the washroom looked like.
As for the portion size, let's take the popular chicken souvlaki for example. Sure you get a great amount of food, but the quality is just average, rice is really bland, potatoes were good, and you can't really screw up the greek salad, and the chicken was standard....nothing mind blowing. The whole quantity over quality thing induces images of mindless farm animals wolfing down low-grade feed. As for the price/value, well, you get what you paid for.

Bottom line: there are PLENTY of excellent greek restaurants in town, but don't fuel the hype and line up for this one.

Please note a 'two star' rating is considered 'Decent' (average, passable), not 'Poor'.

Added Jan 28, 2008 by Thalia of New Westminster (5 Reviews)

Nasty washroom
I agree with most reviews about food and service. The food is good service is solid but the atmosphere is to frantic and rushed. Small tables for two make me feel like I’m sitting in the hallway and the washroom is N-A-S-T-Y. It’s a good place if you’re hungry and want to have a quick bite, like at the fast food restaurant. If you want to have romantic dinner or anything like that - not so much.
Stepho’s guys if you’re reading this please renovate and regularly clean your bathroom. You’re doing well - you can afford it.

Added Jan 20, 2008 by frugalgourmet of Vancouver (73 Reviews)

Tasty Greek, on the cheap
How can you beat $7 for a small souvalki, $10.45 large souvlakia, $9.95 for a huge, juicy roast lamb or an $8.85 vegetarian lasagna served with an enormous dome of cheese?
pThe quality is the same from more expensive restaurants. Maybe you get a bit more of a refined ambiance from a pricier Greek places, but is it worth the extra $5 for the entree? You see boys and girls, that is the reason why there are line-ups outside nightly.

The lamb souvlaki was tender and pink on the inside. Yum!! I was allowed to choose two skewers for my large souvlaki so I also had the chicken- which was also well seasoned and tender. The greek salad was fresh, although cut quite chunkily. The potatoes were cooked to perfection - to too fluffy and not too zesty or greasy and the rice pilaf was tasty and not overly greasy.

We arrived at 5:20 and were seated by 5:55 - so the wait wasn't that bad for a Sunday I suppose. Complaints were minor - the pita was burnt on the edges, and the saganaki didn't quite have enough 'flavor" as other Greek restaurants.

Wish I lived closer to the West End, because I would surely return to dine in or get take-out. At 7 Pm, there were about 8 people cued up at the cash register to pick up their take-out!

Well worth the line-up!

Added Dec 28, 2007 by mcnite of Vancouver (24 Reviews)

Addictive Greek Food
We usually end up at Stephos weekly since we live close and it is the BEST comfort food imaginable. Initially we would order differently with my wife choosing the roast lamb and I being intoxicated by the meat lasagna, a delicious combination of lamb and beef in soft noodles covered (and I do mean covered) in cheese. Amazing meal. After our fifth (or so) visit, my wife was lured over to the lasagna and was trapped.

Our variety now comes from the appetizers (there is NO chance we'll have room for dessert sadly). The saganaki is great and my wife loves the salads (although olives, onions and tomatoes are my least popular foods so I pass).

We almost always end up with the same waiter who is excellent, fun and very helpful. He turned us on to the Tollo Italian wine (I suspect him of being Italian as well) and it is not only good but cheap as well. Every time is a fine dining experience.

If only there weren't those pesky line-ups it would be exquisite but the secret has been out for years now and it's a popular spot. I'm getting hungry reading this and as a matter of fact plan to go there very very soon (within the hour). Stephos forever!!!

Added Oct 10, 2007 by restauranthunter of vancouver (4 Reviews)

Great Greek Food
I have to say, Stepho's is probably the best Greek restaurant in Vancouver in terms of value. There are other fine Greek restaurants but they all overcharge for what you get. I don't know how this place charges so little for such huge portions. But it's not just the quantity but it's pretty tasty too. Some of the below reviews say the souvlaki wasn't good but I enjoyed mine every time...especially the chicken. The spanokopita is excellent as the phyllo crust is nice and crisp. The roast lamb, lasagna and the barbecue chicken dinner are very good. The clams are very good too. Make sure you save some pita bread to dip into the broth.

Some reviewers have complained about the calamari and I too have tried it when it was good and bad. My friend and I talked to one of the cooks there and he claims it depends on the supplier. The pregutted and cleaned calamari does not taste good as it's too mushy. However, I've been lucky lately as the calamari has been pretty good. Maybe there were a lot of complaints.

All of the above mentioned dishes are good but the best is the ribs. It's not on the menu as it's only available as a "special of the day" which is on Sunday and Thursday. I've tried it only handful of times as it's always sold out....dammit! It's so good. The meat falls off the bone easily and it's very juicy. The sauce has a little kick to it which makes it even better. Makes you drool, doesn't it?

Added Oct 3, 2007 by koopa of Burnaby (15 Reviews)

My friends made me eat here

My 3 out of 5 = Okay'ish ... NOT Solid.
I went on a Saturday around lunch time and we had to wait outside for about 15 minutes which is alright I guess since I've waited around that time at other places such as the Keg, Cactus Club, or even Sammy J Peppers.
The price is okay considering how much you get BUT I would rather pay a few bucks more and get less IF it meant that the food was better in quality and taste.

The spanokapita was good. The lamb souvlaki was CHEWY!! My mouth was EXHAUSTED after eating that. I didn't like it at all. The meat wasn't so flavorful and of course, it took about 5 minutes to chew each piece of meat.

I also do not understand the hype about this place. I think most people are jumping the band wagon to be honest. I've had better Greek food elsewhere.

Over all: 3 out of 5. I consider this an okay place but nothing special and I'm still scratching my head about the hype around this place.

Added Aug 4, 2007 by shane8585 of Vancouver (13 Reviews)

I Still like this place
Can't beat the price. Somewhat Romantic with the candles and the house wine is not bad either. I have never been disappointed. worth the wait. My last visit was with a party of six and even with a bottle of wine and plenty of starters the bill was under 100...

Added Jul 28, 2007 by Sabzevarian of Vancouver (15 Reviews)

Used to be great, not anymore
Stepho's used to be a great place a few years ago. It used to be worth it, even fun, to wait in line. You'ld get a great meal for under $10 with tasty souvlaki, massive servings of rice, greek salad and potatoes.

That was then. Now you get poorly cooked souvlaki, and vegitable slop that replaced the greek salad on some of the dishes. The kalamari dish is still the most massive kalamari dish I've ever seen, too bad you can only eat half of it, not because you are full, but because the rubbery taste of the low quality kalamari has saturated your tastebuds.

Not worth waiting in line anymore, still a decent place for lunch.

Added May 24, 2007 by blondie_1200 of Maple Ridge (12 Reviews)

Too much hype, not enough service
I dont know why people think this place is so great. To have to wait outside for 25 minutes is insane, it's nothing special. The food is okay, nothing special. The prices are great. The service is slow, unfriendly and pushy. After going to this place I wish I didnt wait for food I could have got at a pub.

Added Apr 25, 2007 by BCfoodie of West End, Vancouver (6 Reviews)

Good 'fast-food' Greek
We have only gotten take-out, so can't really comment on service or ambiance. Calamari dinner is awesome price for a very large portion. One of the best calamari's I have ever had. Not too found of the "Greek Salad". Rice and potatoes are very good in flavour but sometimes are too greasy. Its very good, have gotten take out quite abit and when I get a craving for calamari this is the place I go to!
PS I don't think I would stand in line for it though! Get take out!

Added Mar 28, 2007 by love_to_dine of Kerrisdale, Vancouver (4 Reviews)

They keep line ups on purpose.
Last week we went to Stefo's, one of many times now, and as expected had a great dinner, also have to agree that calamary there were better before than now. But as for other dishes - we always order a bunch of appetizers - they are just as good as always. It is a simple traditional Greek food, with nice portions to eat and take out leftovers, which we donated to a homeless dude hwo asked us for those as soon as we came out of the restaurant.

Service, especially last time, was very friendly, and if food came to table just a bit faster, it could pass for excellent. Also we noticed, and not for the first time, that at Stefo's they keep line up on purpose. When we arrived, there was a group of about 6 people ahead of us, and hostess recorded our names, and in a few minutes we were waiting in the room, where we had to wait for about 10 minutes just to be seated to the table which had been ready right at the time we arrived (we were wondering for who do they keep it, and found out it was for us, lol). But generally it is Stefo's style to let people experience a line-up, and if you have some time to kill, try it out, it may be fun if weather is good!

Added Mar 19, 2007 by imiake of Vancouver (4 Reviews)

Food excedes service
Last time I went to Stepho's with a friend we had to wait for about 20 mins to get a seat but the annoying part was that we were pretty much front of the line and the hostess took down the names of people who came later than us and totally ignored us until someone pointed out that we were actually before them.

Sat down not too far from the door in the aisle and there were other seats available but the hostess said we couldnt sit there. O wells we thought.. so we ordered and after 30 mins for waiting for our food and drinks the server comes backas and says she forgot to put our order through to the kitchen. She then took our order for a 2nd time and then 2 mins later our food comes out.. turns out she did remember to put it in. The food was yummy like always alittle bit dry but excellent

After eating our meal we than asked for the check..we get the check and it was actually already paid for by mastercard.. but my friend and i didnt pay for the bill yet. My friend being the nice person decided to tell the incompetent server that we actually did not pay for our bill and then paid for the bill

Next time I go I hope I don't get the same server .. the yummy food was worth the bad service

Added Feb 26, 2007 by UsedCar of Burnaby (22 Reviews)

Not Impressed
I always see the line ups and finally one day, we walked by and it was early enough that we beat the lineup. We decided to take the opportunity and see what brings so many people in. I honestly failed to discover it.
The lamb souvlaki tasted like mutton, and was not very tender.
The kalamari tasted like it any other deepfried squid. A little greasy. Service was too focused on pumping us through-as The Line started forming almost immediately after we arrived.
I guess people see a lineup and thats enough to bring them in.

Added Jan 19, 2007 by DaGasMan of Vancouver (18 Reviews)

great deal
The quality of the food is not the greatest, but its pretty damn good for the price. It just depends on how much importance you place on quality over quantity. The calamari was slightly overcooked, and the batter was falling off the squid. The meatballs were also overcooked, but tasted really good. The roast lamb was also very delicious. The service was very good for such a busy place. My two friends and i waited for about 30min to be seated, which wasn't that bad considering the value...it just made us more hungry...Typical greek ambience...one complaint that I have is that the door would open every once in awhile due to the large lineup and a gust of cold air would come in...other than that, I would definitely visit here again if I had time to wait in line. Can't go wrong with such a large plate of food of good quality for such a cheap price.

Added Oct 17, 2006 by got2hot of Vancouver (48 Reviews)

What are people thinking?
Why on earth do people line up for this place? The food is terrible, there are so many greek restaurants from average to great and this doesnt even make the average on the food side. The rumours of extra large portions and cheap prices are either grossly exagerated, or it used to be like that and the reputation still holds. So lack of quality, and not being any cheaper or larger portions than any other greek restaurant, I see no reason to go here.
The ambiance is like any other stereo typical old and dated greek restaurant, not very nice, but its kinda what you expect.
The service was average, they were clearly more concerned about getting the table back than service.

Added Sep 2, 2006 by 148jules of Quebec & 18th (31 Reviews)

On a downhill slide
Like others below me Stephos has sadly gone from average to poor and I say that mostly in terms of service.
I will only come here if I can walk in and be seated right away - the incredible long line-ups are ridiculous - many years ago I waited for over 45 minutes and ended up not enjoying my meal because I was absolutely starving by the time the food came!
Food is good but definitely not great. I have memories of melt in your mouth roast lamb and potatoes but the other day it was dry and the potatoes just okay - what happened??!! Portions have also shrunken. Kalamari appetizer is now half Greek salad and half kalamari (a total rip off) and way too many onions. Roast lamb shank was also smaller than I remember :(
Service was TERRIBLE!!! Our server started off okay but afterwards it was other staff that came around to drop food off and bus tables. When I ordered another beer it never made it to our table - and this is how restaurants are supposed to make money??!! Then it took forever to get our bill settled. You'd think they want to turn over the tables as quickly as possible.
Don't think I'd go back to eat in - will probably just order take out and go to the beach like someone previously suggested.

Added Jul 28, 2006 by cookie of PoCo (12 Reviews)

Well worth the wait
We love Stephos and visit frequently. Huge fan of their souvlaki and calamari and the roast lamb and that veggie stew that comes with the lamb. Potatoes are something special. Awesome Tzatziki. We have always had great service from very busy waiters - yes things are hectic, but I have never felt neglected. And the price and the quantitiy of the food make the wait well worth it.