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Why did we dine here? – Taverna is a recently opened Greek restaurant in Palo Alto by some alumni of nearby Evvia restaurant. They brought in a Chef from Village Pub to execute their dream. We had good experiences at Evvia so we decided to give this less formal place a try.
Insider Tip – Loud restaurant, so be prepared. Almost out of My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Not for a quiet dinner.
Cuisine – American
Location – Palo Alto near University Ave
Opened – 2018
Service – Taverna had good service for such a small place. Clearly they are trying to keep up a warm cozy family atmosphere.
Verdict – Taverna stands out for decent Greek cuisine although prices are not cheap. It is less formal than Evvia although the sound level is quite high. The lamb costs as much as Evvia.
Guess they figure that Evvia is so hard to get into, the spillover would come here for more casual cheaper fare.. (Hey its Palo Alto, who said it was inexpensive)
Is this restaurant worth a 5 minute drive? Yes. 30 minute? Maybe. 1 Hour? No
Taverna Signature Dishes – Octopus, Lamb rib chop, Souvlaki
Taverna’s Menu is fairly wide ranging for such a small place. A couple options for vegetarians. Gluten free options.
Taverna Food Picks:
Decent bread.
Complimentary chickpeas with golden raisins.
Soupa young carrots – Feta Mousse, Medjool dates, cocoa nib coffee crumble ($12) is a nice refreshing vegetarian cold soup poured table side.
Steamed Greens garlic, calabrian chili, lemon ($9) were a bit over buttered but still worth ordering.
Grilled Octopus Santorini lava, pickled ramp relish, aegean capers ($16) looked interesting and frankly tasted better than the one at Evvia. A little more al dente and much more artsy plating.
Saganaki flamed Kefalograviera, carmelized onions, sunflower, Metaxa ($15) is a cheese dish set on fire. Seemed like every table ordered it. Fun and pretty good cheese.
Arnaki grilled Superior Farms lamb rib chop, spring onions, fried okra ($25 for 1) was good and cooked to a nice medium rare. It would cost more then Evvia if you ordered more. (3 for $48 there) Tasty crisp okra.
Taverna Bifteki Bassian Farms steak burger, kayseri cheese, fries ($19) hit the spot, but is this Greek? Good sized burger and it better be at $19.
Complimentary chocolates.
OK: (Order if you like this dish)
None
Pans: (We would not reorder these dishes)
None
Do you agree with our review? Have you found other similar restaurants that are better?
Restaurant Map:Taverna Overall Rating: 
(Very Good
Come Back? 
| Food Rating: | (Very Good) |
| Service Rating: | (Very Good) |
| Atmosphere Rating: | (Very Good) |
| Value Rating: | (Average) |
Guide: 0 = poor, 1 = Below/Average, 2 = Good, 2.5 = Very Good, 3 = Excellent , 4 = Extraordinary
| Alcohol: | Beer, Wine |
| Attire: | Casual |
| Parking: | Street |
| Reservations: | Yes |
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