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.
Wonderful dinner pre-DPAC 'Twas the Night Before... By Cirque du Soleil. Highly recommend the Sough dough bread, salmon, Chicken Shawarma (which came with those awesome fries crisp on the outside and fluffy inside), Salmon, and definitely get the Horta!!!!!! The Assyrtiko white wine is very dry, crisp, hint of green apple, perfect with the meal.
Brad Davis
Dec 6, 2024
5
Had a reservation for Thursday night. It was really hopping, and we got seated right away. Service was excellent, and everything we tried was very good. Red Sangria was on point. Brussels were bursting with flavor, Muhammara had just the right spice, beets were very flavorful, Avgolemono Soup was very authentic.
Dan Jahn
Nov 12, 2024
5
Let's start with dessert....our table tried three...the baklava was the winner with a nice warmth and crispiness that brought great delight. The other big standout from our meal was the Muhammara - it was lightly blended dried red peppers with a sweet hint that was paired with a delicious flat bread. All in all a great meal.
Rachel B
Oct 27, 2024
5
The ambiance and food were excellent! We sat at the chef's table and it was a great experience. The head chef was so friendly and accommodating. We will be back!
Carlye Daugird
Oct 10, 2024
5
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.
