This lively Mediterranean eatery includes a cozy patio nestled along the historic brick street. The menus and decor pay homage to Giorgio Bakatsia’s upbringing in Greece and history in Durham—a revival of one of his former restaurants, Niko’s Greek Taverna, which was in this area many years ago. Delicious small meze and larger plates embracing ancient flavors from Greece and its surrounding regions are perfect for sharing around a table with friends.
My new favorite Mediterranean restaurant of all Chapel Hill - Durham are. Perfect all around.
Food: Fresh ingredients, best flavors, authentic, innovative flavor forward presentation of the dishes. I really can't say enough about how good the food is.
I felt like every bite surpassed what I was hoping for! : zucchini cakes, seafood, salad, cooked greens, creme brulee and more. 🥗🍮😍
Friendly, professional, kind and personable staff, never pushy.
Ambience was relaxing and beautiful. Exposed bricks, beautiful finished wood columns, eclectic chandaliers, fresh flowers. I absolutely loved the whole vibe!
Mark Thepro
Aug 25, 2024
5
Met my mother who is a cross country trucker at a nearby rest stop. Picked restaurant and made reservation at random based on menu and rating.
The atmosphere and decor were very welcoming with intriguing art pieces. I like that the menu was fairly small. Often in my experiences with Greek places, they go off the rails. My wife loved the Salmon and Tres leches dessert. Mother loved the NY strip even though she prefers a cut they didn't have as an option. Chris ( unsure of spelling) handled my mother like a pro, real emotional Intelligence and professionalism throughout the dinner. Can't expect any better service. Knowledge and in depth descriptions of all dishes and cocktails. Recommendations of the dishes post receiving palate preference.
We never felt unattended. The lamb I ordered was possibly the best lamb I've ever had. I would consider myself a lamb lover in all cultural foods. 10 out of 10 and one of the last 2, the kitchen had this night.
Audrey White
Aug 10, 2024
5
FANTASTIC GREEK FOOD! i love this place. i wish i could go back every week because i want to try every single thing on this menu. I have yet to have a dish I don’t like. Tonight I got the Lamb Manti as a main, even though it’s not recommended as a main, but it was still enough food for me after sharing a grand platter for an app. Last time I had the braised short ribs which also phenomenal. Service has also been great and the ambience is so lovely. I will be back many times!
NSA
Aug 6, 2024
5
L L L LOVED IT 4.5/5
located in a cute district, the location has indoor and outdoor seating. The indoor seating is very beautiful and is ordained with different artwork , it's very suitable for a date night. they also have a more private large table for events on the side.
most dishes we had were very delicious. our favorites being the octopus, beets and flaming cheese.
for the manti, Even as someone who loves garlic, the raw garlic was too much, It was still delicious, but it overpowered the dish and I couldn't taste the lamb.
The flaming cheese had very little cheese, but the jam that accompanied it. was its saving Grace.
I was very happy to find some of my favorite Lebanese wines and they also serve Greek beer which was delicious, and I don't like beer.
I definitely come back here for another date night.
service was good as well.
Cece Peterson
Jul 23, 2024
5
Our food and drinks were all fantastic and looked so pretty... from our calamari appetizer to our scrumptious dessert. I could have eaten an entire bowl of the ice cream, it was so good! I ordered the bronzino fish and summer watermelon salad while my husband had the short ribs and potatoes. Our server was so kind and gave us some wonderful recommendations. My only negative is that the tables are fairly close together and the restaurant is a little noisy because the space is small. Years ago we used to go to the original Nikos: this reincarnated version has a new and fresh Mediterranean vibe. Here's to a make-over of Brightleaf Square.
Liz Crampton
Jul 15, 2024
4
Great flavors and everything was cooked well. We got the Greek Mac n cheese which was heavenly (rich and nutmeg I think but delish), the special which was haloumi in lettuce with bacon and dates (fresh, crunchy), the cauliflower which was really incredible (sour/acidic, really different) and my husband got the slow cooked ribs which were good but not the best thing on the table. I also got a tequila cocktail with ouzo which was different, the ouzo really came through (very liquorish flavor) which isn't what I was after but it was different.
The service was okay, staff were helpful recommending dishes but then disappeared. Hard to order another drink and no check in during dinner.
We got an early seating at 5.15 on Friday night so it was quiet before the rush. It's pretty hard to get a table otherwise.
I would definitely come back and try other dishes. The chef(s) know what they're doing.
ibraheem kh.
Jun 23, 2024
5
I recently brunches with family at Nikos and was thoroughly impressed. The food quality and flavor were outstanding, with dishes like Hummus, lemon potato and chicken shawarma made with fresh ingredients and tasting delicious. The charming and cozy setup added to the pleasant atmosphere. The service was excellent, with friendly and attentive staff ensuring a great experience. Overall, it is a fantastic spot for Greek cuisine with great ambiance and service. Highly recommended!
Caroline Paquin
Dec 21, 2023
4
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.
