Nikos is very charming! The food is delicious with generous portions with reasonable pricing. The only negative of our meal was the white sangria carafe, it came out room temperature and had very small pieces of fruit which all sunk to the bottom. Had to order a cup of ice to make it a bit more refreshing. It was $45 for about 4 glasses, and I would not order that again but instead try soemthing from the extensive wine list. Our server Chris was very nice and personable, he was a bit overworked, I think the place needs more staff. There were several periods of time where he was stuck in other sections and things like water refills were an issue - especially since the water glasses are so small. I would certainly recommend for some delicious authentic Greek food with a lot of gluten free options.
Blake Edwards
Dec 2, 2023
5
Went to Niko’s with my girlfriend looking for authentic Greek food, and we left raving about much more than that. The bartender Chris was such a delight and our server, Nick, helped make the experience five stars with his kindness and hospitality. Chef Rodriguez is one of the finest out there and the food was spectacular, which says a lot coming from a couple of true Greeks! We will certainly be back.
Talitha Armstrong
Nov 28, 2023
5
We came to Nikos over the Thanksgiving holiday and it was the highlight of our trip outside of the holiday with family itself so that tells you how special it was.
Atmosphere- the decor was thoughtful, cozy and nice. It’s a great place for an intimate date night with fab food.
Service- OUTSTANDING. From the minute that we walked in the door we had spectacular service. The wait staff that was on the floor was always nice and friendly, but our favorite person of the night was our bartender/waitress Anastasia.
Cocktails- Anastasia is your cocktail master. We asked her to make several drinks, bartenders choice, and each one that she created was fantastic. There were also a few seasonal ones on the menu that were also great. Outside of her great cocktails she was very warm & personable. If I lived in Durham, I would definitely make her bar my CHEERS..
Food: Absolutely fantastic I cannot express how much I loved Chef Rodriguez’s food to start. He’s a James Beard recipient and your mouth will fully understand why.
I had the octopus carpaccio. I actually had two servings of it because it was so good. It had a hint of sweetness along with garlic and the blistered tomatoes just set it all off. We also had the Spanakopita. The pastry was light and flaky. It just melted in your mouth. The Eggplant was a unique little dish. The pomegranate seeds gave it a unique touch.
Outside of the food my favorite part was the chef greeting us. We happened to ask who the chef was because the food was so good and as we were googling Chef Rodriguez and reading his impressive background, wallah he appeared. He was so friendly and we were honored that he took the time out to come speak to us.
Anytime we are in Durham we’ll definitely make it a point to come visit Chef Rodriguez and family so that we know that we’ll have a proper meal while there. Thank you for feeding us well!!!
Donna Turner
Nov 4, 2023
5
A new restaurant that recently opened in Brightleaf Square. Authentic Greek dishes and decor in this comfortable setting. We started with marinated olives which were bright and citrusy. We also had roasted cauliflower served with fried capers and eggplant dip called baladi which paired well together.
The octopus carpaccio was so thinly sliced and topped with sweet roasted tomatoes and potato puree. It was melt in your mouth delicious. The flaming saganaki is a sight to see. The large pan of cheese is salty, gooey and wonderful with crisp bread. It was served with a slightly sweet fig jam that made a perfect sweet and salty combo. Highly recommend.
The Galaktoboureko dessert was a crisp phyllo filled with vanilla custard, pistachios and lemon syrup. It was served with the most delicious baklava ice cream. So glad we saved room for dessert.
Carolina Velasquez
Nov 4, 2023
5
Wow, just WOW. What an absolutely amazing experience, wonderful ambiance, SPECTACULAR food, and incredible service. My husband and I just happened to stumble across Nikos and were immediately drawn in by the adorable outdoor space. We sat down at a table with our little dog and had some bubbly. We had the taramosalata (incredible) and the dolmades. Our waiter Thomas was so accommodating and friendly. I cannot recommend this place enough. The food alone is worth visiting for over and over again, and the ambiance and service just brings it over the top. We are already planning our next visit back.
Jessica Israel-Filipkowski
Oct 18, 2023
5
Beautiful atmosphere with great food to match. The service was incredible and my friend and I had a fantastic evening. There are so many small plates to choose from, and something for everyone so people can either share or create their own adventure. They have large plates as well but we were too full to try! I will definitely back!
Daniel Perry
Oct 18, 2023
5
Nikos was so excellent and fun! The decor and vibes inside made us feel like we'd stepped away from Durham for a little while. The hosts, servers, and runners were so nice to us the whole time. Each dish was familiar, but still unique and elevated. We had the poached Hamachi (special) and the grilled steak in addition to several small plates and everything was cooked perfectly. Nikos is another great addition to the Durham scene and I can't wait to get back!
caimiao liu
Sep 25, 2023
3
Wen went for brunch. The vibe was great. The food was also decent. But we waited for like 40 minutes to get our entrees when the place was only half full…. I saw staff literally just hanging around. Our waitress clearly avoided eye contact because we were obviously upset. I suspected that it was the fries (which was actually tasty) that was holding back our food because by the time we were finally served, the chicken shawarma was already cold yet the fries were extremely fresh…. Also charged six dollars for hot tea and nobody even came to ask if we wanted a hot water refill….
Callie Williams
Sep 20, 2023
5
We had a fantastic time at Niko’s! The little details are so thoughtful - from the decor, to the fresh flowers on the tables, to the hand towels they bring you before your meal, everything seemed to have thought behind it. The food was incredible! My partner and I ordered a couple of appetizers (I’d recommend the keftedes in particular) and the lamb orzo, as well as a stellar dessert. The cocktails were also skillfully made and beautifully presented. Sitting outside on the patio in beautiful fall NC weather made it all the better
Ckm Boothman
Sep 13, 2023
4
Once you find the restaurant, a restaurant in the Brightleaf Square but not seen from the street, you are greeted by an outside patio before walking inside a warm eclectic space. The staff is friendly & we were seated promptly on the patio. We promptly ordered the mixed olives and they started the meal off. We opted for the mezze grande platter to start, Hummus, Eggplant Baladí & Pantzarosalata. It came with flatbreads, and you should opt for at least the 3 —if you bring a bunch of friends so you can go for the 5. We had both had daily specials, a mushroom dish and monkfish for our mains and they didn’t disappoint. We finished the meal off with the Galaktoboureko &
Salted Tahini Caramel Pie. Both tasty and not to sweet. The outside patio was lovely, with many opting to sit outside and enjoy the nice Friday evening. Our waitstaff was personable and friendly and we enjoyed our night out.
Melody Ai Alexander
Aug 7, 2023
4
The atmosphere and decor of the restaurant was amazing, we enjoyed the mezze platter with eggplant dip and stuffed grape leaves, as well as zucchini bites, the Greek Mac n cheese, Greek salad, and Branzino. Our table had finished eating by the time the branzino came out, but the restaurant was full and they were busy. Overall a nice experience, would recommend.
k Caudle
Jul 28, 2023
5
...I really enjoyed my visit here. First time having a Greek dinner. Food was very good, desert and drinks were great. Our server Bella was awesome. Nice addition to this space...
Monica Abdelmalak
Jul 25, 2023
4
Loving Kipos, we excitedly made a visit to Nikos. The ambience and decor are very similar. The menu is also similar with some twists. Our sever was friendly and attentive, and the food was tasty. Our biggest issue was that they were out of about 1/3 of their menu at dinner time on a Friday evening.. and it was a lot of the items we wanted to order. I understand they just opened so hopefully that was an off night. We did get rosé on the house so I’ll let it slide. All in all, I think we slightly prefer Kipos.
Courtney Yzzi Smith
Jul 23, 2023
5
My husband and I loved this place for multiple reasons. The service was fantastic. We had the friendliest and most genuine servers who explained all the food and wines to us. The food was FANTASTIC… the hummus and Mac n cheese was to die for. For a Mediterranean lover myself, the atmosphere reminded me of my trip to Greece. We will be back for more amazing food and greek dancing!
Bonnie Williams
Jul 21, 2023
5
Nikos food was delicious and our server was knowledgeable and friendly. The decor is very thoughtful. We personally prefer a quieter restaurant, but definitely get the family style Greek atmosphere vibe they were going for and achieved. We enjoyed the hummus, spanakopita, and had plenty of leftovers to take home and enjoy. We also had the pastitsio which we delightfully cheesy and the moussaka.
Kate Morton
Jul 19, 2023
5
Absolute 10/10. Nikos is a hit with fantastic ambiance, balanced, delicious, authentic flavors, and a diverse menu. We tried octopus carpaccio, the pantzarosalata, the cod plaki, the steak, and the brulee rice pudding. The octopus and beets were both full of beautiful flavor combinations, and I think I’ll be trying to replicate the beets forever. The steak was tender absolutely melted in your mouth, and the cod was perfectly flaky. The rice pudding was a perfect ending, though make sure you get each component of the dish in your spoonful!
We will be returning…frequently. Would recommend to absolutely anyone. Several vegetarian and gluten free options were available.
