Greek Restaurants in Houston: Where to Go for Gyros and Lamb

Houston has a handful of genuine Greek restaurants — from a converted Montrose filling station that opened in 1977 to a Cretan-trained chef who worked in a Hong Kong Michelin kitchen before settling on Bissonnet, and a Pappas family revival where the kitchen sources seafood from both the Aegean and the Texas Gulf. Here are eight places confirmed open as of October 2026, with what to order at each.

The quick list

• For the iconic original: Niko Niko’s on Montrose — the gyro that started it all.
• For a proper dinner: Yiayia’s Pappas Greek Kitchen on Richmond — upscale, Gulf-and-Mediterranean seafood, flambéed saganaki tableside.
• For a neighborhood kitchen: Athena’s Greek & European Kitchen on FM 529 — Yelp’s best in Texas 2023, signature Greek fajitas.
• For brunch or a café lunch: Kriti Kitchen on Bissonnet — Cretan family recipes from a chef who trained in Hong Kong.
• Other Houston-area locations: Niko Niko’s Memorial (west side) and The Woodlands (north) for the same menu closer to home.
• Fast-casual: Nick the Greek on Westheimer.
• A high-rated local: Gyros & Shish Kabob on Highway 6 North.

How we chose

Each restaurant on this list was confirmed open via its official website or a restaurant directory with recent reviews, as of October 2026. Hours change — treat any schedule below as “typically” and check the official site before you go. Restaurants whose websites redirect elsewhere or which multiple sources flag as permanently closed are not on this list. Notable recent closures: Helen Greek Food and Wine (closed May 2025) and Ouzo Bay (closed 2024).

Niko Niko’s — Montrose

2520 Montrose Blvd · Montrose · Mon–Thu 10am–9pm, Fri–Sat 10am–10pm, Sun 10am–9pm · 713-528-GYRO

The restaurant that started Greek dining in Houston. Chris and Eleni Fetokakis opened here on May 1, 1977, in a converted Montrose filling station. They earned $15 on opening day; after a local media feature the following week, daily revenue jumped to $1,100.

Eleni came from her father’s restaurant near Athens — a trained Greek singer who brought her family’s recipes to a city that, by the founders’ own account, had no Greek food scene at the time. Their son Dimitri now runs the business, which expanded to three locations and ships nationwide via Goldbelly. The phone number at every Niko Niko’s location spells G-Y-R-O (4976).

What to order: The gyro is the entry point — lamb and beef on a slow-rotating spit, shaved into a pita with tzatziki. The loukoumades — small fried dough balls with house-made honey sauce — are what regulars come back for. The bone-in lamb shank, roasted with olive oil, oregano, garlic, and lemon, is worth the trip on its own.

Best for: First-time visitors to Houston’s Greek food scene, or a casual dinner in Montrose. The original location is also the most atmospheric: a walkable neighborhood, historic architecture, and a restaurant that has outlasted every trend since disco.

Yiayia’s Pappas Greek Kitchen — Upper Kirby

2410 Richmond Ave · Upper Kirby · Tue–Thu 5pm–9pm, Fri–Sat 5pm–10pm, Sun noon–8pm · closed Monday

The Pappas family — who operate Pappadeaux, Pappas Bros., and more than a dozen other Houston restaurants — reopened their Greek concept in August 2025 on Richmond Avenue. The original Yia Yia Mary’s had closed in 2020. The new version is more upscale and seafood-forward, named for the family matriarch.

The kitchen sources fish and shellfish from both the Mediterranean and the Texas Gulf, a dual approach that gives this place a distinctly Houston character alongside its Greek roots. Expect flambéed saganaki prepared tableside, dolmades made with beef, lamb, basmati rice, and pistachios, and roasted Mediterranean sea bass.

Best for: A date night or celebration dinner in Upper Kirby. Reservations strongly recommended, especially on weekends.

Athena’s Greek & European Kitchen — Northwest Houston

13250 FM 529 Suite A · Cy-Fair / NW Houston · Mon–Sat 11am–9pm, Sun 11am–8pm

Maria Stefanakis moved from Greece to the United States in 1974. She opened Athena’s in 2020, during the pandemic, built on her grandmother’s recipes. Yelp named it the “Best Place to Eat in Texas” in 2023; the restaurant carries a 4.8-star rating from more than 800 reviews — a remarkable result for a strip-mall spot far from the inner loop.

The dish you won’t find anywhere else in Houston is the Greek fajita: gyro-seasoned meat and grilled vegetables, served sizzling on a cast-iron platter. It’s a Tex-Mex hybrid that makes complete sense in this city. The scratch-made moussaka (eggplant, ground meat, béchamel), grilled lamb chops, and baklava are equally well-made. Halal options available.

Insider tip: Maria and family are on-site regularly. The hospitality is the kind where guests reportedly leave with a hug.

Best for: West and northwest Houston regulars, including anyone in Spring Branch who doesn’t want to drive into the loop for proper Greek food.

Kriti Kitchen — West University

4010 Bissonnet St · West University / Rice Village · Tue–Thu 9:30am–7pm, Fri–Sat 9:30am–8pm, Sun 10:30am–2:30pm · closed Monday

Chef Mary Cuclis grew up in a Cretan family and spent years abroad — eight years cooking at Pondicheri in Houston, then time at Bo Innovation, a three-Michelin-star restaurant in Hong Kong — before opening this café. She launched Kriti as a private chef and catering operation in 2020 and opened the Bissonnet brick-and-mortar in 2022. The restaurant’s name comes from Crete (Kriti in Greek), the island her family is from.

The menu draws on Cretan ingredients and technique. The mizithrapita — a cheese-stuffed pancake drizzled with honey and nut crumble — is unlike anything else in Houston’s Greek dining landscape. Brunch dishes include strapatsada (scrambled eggs with tomato and feta) and dakos, a Cretan barley bread preparation. The meat mezze board features keftedes, chicken souvlaki, and loukounika sausage.

Insider tip: A three-Michelin-star training path led to a neighborhood Greek café on Bissonnet. That’s the most Houston credential you’ll find in a Greek restaurant.

Best for: Brunch, a casual lunch, or an early weeknight dinner in Rice Village and West University.

Niko Niko’s — Memorial

1040 W. Sam Houston Pkwy N · Memorial / Spring Branch · Mon–Thu 10am–9pm, Fri–Sat 10am–10pm, Sun 10am–9pm

The largest Niko Niko’s, at 8,000 square feet with a dedicated bakery and an outdoor patio with green space. The menu matches Montrose exactly. For families with kids who need room to move, this is the practical choice on the west side: same gyros and loukoumades, no inner-loop commute.

Niko Niko’s — The Woodlands

922 Lake Front Circle · The Woodlands · Sun–Thu 11am–9pm, Fri–Sat 11am–10pm

The newest Niko Niko’s is about 30 miles north of the Montrose original, in The Woodlands Town Center. The space includes a private room for events and corporate gatherings. For The Woodlands residents, this is the easiest way to get the gyro and lamb shank without driving into Houston.

Nick The Greek — Westheimer

11805 Westheimer Rd · Westheimer / Briargrove · verify current hours at [nickthegreek.com](https://www.nickthegreek.com/) before visiting

Nick the Greek is a California-based fast-casual chain that has expanded to Texas. The Westheimer location appears in restaurant directories with recent reviews and a 4.8-star rating. The menu is street-food focused: lamb gyro pita, souvlaki plates, and Mediterranean grain bowls, served counter-service style. No tableside service.

The specific location’s hours could not be confirmed via an official source during research. Check nickthegreek.com or call ahead.

Best for: A quick lunch or dinner when you want Greek without a sit-down meal.

Gyros & Shish Kabob — Highway 6 North

4486 Hwy 6 N · West Houston · verify current hours before visiting

This low-profile west Houston spot has nearly 200 reviews averaging 4.8 stars in restaurant directories — the kind of consistent rating that builds quietly from loyal regulars. The menu covers gyros, souvlaki, shish kabob, and dolmades, with reportedly fresh-made fries. No official website was found during research; check Google Maps for current hours.

Best for: West Houston locals who want a high-rated neighborhood gyro without driving to Montrose.

Save this: a Greek food route across Houston

Inner loop circuit

1. Niko Niko’s Montrose (lunch) — the gyro, the loukoumades, and the origin story of Houston Greek food.
2. Yiayia’s Pappas Greek Kitchen on Richmond (dinner) — reserve ahead and order the saganaki tableside.

West side afternoon

1. Kriti Kitchen on Bissonnet — start with the mezze board or a brunch strapatsada.
2. Athena’s Greek & European Kitchen on FM 529 — order the Greek fajita. Plan on at least an hour.

More dining in Houston

For Houston’s full international food map, our guide to the city’s international dining districts is the overview. The best restaurants in Houston guide covers every cuisine. For the full Montrose picture, see our Montrose guide.

Last verified: October 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What is the oldest Greek restaurant in Houston?

Niko Niko’s on Montrose opened May 1, 1977, in a converted filling station, making it the founding Greek restaurant in Houston. The founders earned $15 on opening day. It now has three locations and ships nationwide via Goldbelly.

Where can I find upscale Greek food in Houston?

Yiayia’s Pappas Greek Kitchen on Richmond Avenue (Upper Kirby) is the upscale option, with tableside flambéed saganaki, roasted Mediterranean sea bass, and seafood sourced from both the Mediterranean and the Texas Gulf. Reservations recommended; closed Mondays.

Is there a Greek restaurant in Houston good for brunch?

Kriti Kitchen on Bissonnet in West University serves brunch Tuesday through Sunday, with Cretan dishes like strapatsada (scrambled eggs with tomato and feta) and mezze boards. Hours are 9:30am to 7–8pm weekdays and Friday–Saturday, and 10:30am to 2:30pm Sunday. Closed Mondays.

What should I order at Niko Niko’s in Houston?

The gyro sandwich — lamb and beef spit-roasted and served in a pita with tzatziki — is the signature dish. The loukoumades (small fried honey balls with house-made honey sauce) are what regulars say you should never skip. The bone-in lamb shank is the best full-meal option.

Are there Greek restaurants in northwest Houston or the suburbs?

Yes. Athena’s Greek & European Kitchen is at 13250 FM 529 in Cy-Fair (northwest Houston), open daily. Niko Niko’s has locations in Memorial (Spring Branch) and The Woodlands. Gyros & Shish Kabob is at 4486 Highway 6 North on the west side — verify hours before visiting.

What is a Greek fajita?

Athena’s Greek & European Kitchen in northwest Houston serves Greek fajitas: gyro-seasoned meat and grilled vegetables brought to the table sizzling on a cast-iron platter, in the style of Tex-Mex fajitas. It’s a Houston-specific creation you won’t find on many menus elsewhere.