Athena Family Restaurant - so close to a good restaurant

Athena Family Restaurant
1601 West Southwest Loop 323
Tyler, TX 75701



Athena is a relative new comer to Tyler just off the loops east of Old Jacksonville Highway.  Kettle used to be housed in this building, but it is almost no longer recognizable as an old Kettle.  The outside is completely white with some beautiful Greek designs along the roof line.  I really liked the look of the place from the outside as they put in a lot of effort to make it look nice. 

The spread:  The menu looked promising.  There were a variety of salads and Greek inspired soups as well as a lot of appetizers to choose from.   They also offer the traditional Greek entrees to choose from: Gyro plates, lamb kebabs, moussaka, etc.  They also have an "American" menu that has hamburgers and whatnot, and I'm not sure why - it really seems out of place.  They also offer traditional Greek desserts.

The verdict:  I really want to like this place.  I think it is being run by a Greek family, with a really sweet Greek girl running the register.  The service was below average, but I am willing to give them a break because they are new and still working out the kinks.  The problem I have is with the food.  The gyro meat is prepackaged (although it was the best thing I ate here).  The pita bread was out of a package.  The bed of rice that my lamb kebab came on was inedible (overcooked/mushy and sat out too long).  The salads were bland, and the salad dressing came out of a prepackaged bottle.  The spanakopita was also either made the day before or it was prepackaged.  The stuffed grape leaves were bland and tasted overcooked/prepackaged.  For someone who has never tried Greek food before, this may be a non-threatening way to try it, but it just isn't good food.  My gut feeling is that a Greek businessman decided he wanted to start a Greek restaurant and has no experience/love of cooking great food.  The prices were reasonable, but the food was just not worth the price.  I give this place a year if nothing changes.  If you a great example of a gyro, go to What about Kabob and his Gyro, as they care about food (fresh cut gyro meat, fresh made to order pita bread, homemade tsatziki sauce, yum).

Edible Tyler Roses: 2 out of 5, I wish this place the best, but I can't recommend one thing from the menu.

What about Kabob and his Gyros

What About Kabob & His Gyros
http://whataboutkabob.weebly.com/
713 WSW loop 323
River Oaks Plaza
Tyler, TX 75703



What about Kabob and his Gyros is a little place just west of the loop and Broadway/69. This place has a 'hip' vibe, with a lot of young people working the counter/grill. The walls are covered with customer 'graffiti' that contributes to the cool factor. They obviously specialize in Gyros.

The spread: Gyros are at the top of the list with a variety of different combinations of ingredients to make your gyros your own. They also offer some pretty good appetizers felafel and other 'Greek' themed fare.

The verdict: I really like this little place. The hours are a little weird and I seem to show up when they are closed. They make their pita bread fresh to order, take care of their rotisserie meat and have a nice cucumber sauce. The gyros are more than enough for a meal. My wife and kids like them too. It is unfortunately one of those places that I don't really think about all that often, and I am always very satisfied with the food. I like this place so much that it is one of the "Tyler" specific places I recommended to a good friend of mine who was driving through town.   My only drawback is there somewhat limited menu, although they do one thing and they do it well - GYROS!

Edible Tyler Roses: 4 out of 5. Go get a great Gyro.