Papa Cristo's

I feel so lucky to live close to this absolute gem! My boyfriend and I are huge lamb lovers, and when we were craving a delicious lunch, I decided to surprise him with a visit to Papa Cristo's. Finding parking in the back lot was a bit of a hassle since the place is always buzzing with people, but thankfully, we managed to find a spot.The moment we walked in, we were greeted by none other than Papa Cristo himself! It was such an honor to meet him--he is genuinely one of the sweetest and most welcoming people I've ever encountered. You can tell how much he cares about his business and customers. He took the time to chat with us, telling us how excited he was for us to be there and promising that we were in for a treat. And let me tell you... he was absolutely right!The atmosphere here is warm and inviting, filled with the rich history and culture of Greece. The market section is stocked with authentic imported goods--from olive oils to cheeses, pastries, and wines, making it the perfect place to pick up some Mediterranean staples. But the real star? The food! Every bite was bursting with flavor, and you can truly taste the love and tradition in each dish. The lamb was perfectly cooked--juicy, tender, and seasoned to perfection. We also tried the spanakopita and tzatziki, both of which were incredibly fresh and flavorful.Papa Cristo's isn't just a restaurant; it's an experience. The combination of incredible food, a welcoming atmosphere, and the personal touch of Papa Cristo himself makes this place truly special. I can't wait to come back and try more dishes--this spot is an absolute must-visit!

Lamb chop all the way !! Salad is super fresh Parking kind of sucks on a busy intersection so be careful

My husband came here for lunch on a Friday. It was somewhat busy, but not a long wait in line or to receive our food. The vibes were super home like and Papa Cristo himself was there greeting customers and he was very sweet! I ordered the lamb plate which comes with a salad and rice. The lamb was cooked to perfection (medium) and the texture wasn't gamy like lamb usually is. It was so much food I had to take the rice home and it was just as good reheated. My husband got the lamb gyro, not only was it delicious it was filled up with meat. We couldn't leave without taking a little something home so we opted for some honey they sell there and it's delicious. They had a pretty spacious parking lot and we got a spot as someone was leaving. We can't wait to come back! I will say if you're picky for a boujee ambiance and service then this place is not for you.

If you're unaware or uninitiated, Papa Cristo's is a Greek market first and a restaurant second. When you enter from the packing lot in back of the building (if early enough, no need for the valet that is there), you walk through a storage area into the main market area with shelves and counters for purchasing pastries and meat (separate counters). There are two additional rooms. To the left is a small counter to order food and to the right is a large room with tables scattered about and two prep areas to collect silverware, to-go containers, napkins, dirty plate depositories, and trash cans. We visited for lunch and went earlier as we were told they get pretty packed. I had to get their Avgolemono soup - delicious! Next I ordered the chicken kabobs. They're served with salad, potatoes, warm pita, and tzatziki. Everything was great. Let me repeat that. Everything was great. If you're in the area, make sure you stop in for literally anything. It's a must stop when you're in California.

As soon as you enter the building the smell of grilled meat and spices greet your nose. They have seating and tables on the left, a small market in the middle, and the kitchen where you order on the right. I got the gyro sandwich with a side of rice and a slice of baklava to go. The portions here are huge! It was honestly a little difficult to eat the gyro sandwich since it was so big but it was so tasty. The meat was tender and well seasoned. And the side of tzatziki sauce paired so well with it. I love that they have a small market inside because you can wander it as you wait for your food to be prepared. They even had some samples out for their house made dressings and sauces. I tried their olive caviar on some French bread and it was so flavorful! I'm convinced everything here is good, and that's why it's so highly reviewed.

For more than 60 years, Papa Cristo's has been serving the best Greek food. It has always been on the corner at 2771 West Pico Boulevard. The place is painted blue and white and is so cute. They have dinning and a market. In 1968 Chrys purchased the business from his father. He wanted to make a great eatery to go with the market. What a success it was and is.Papa Cristo's caters to Los Angeles and as far south as Orange County, serving up family-style menus. The market has great Greek items that are hard to find elsewhere. They have the best spices for sale. It is a super place to shop. The place is kept so clean and the service for dinning is great. They know the menu and will help you. Everyone in the staff is really nice.There is not a bad dish to be had here. Their lamb stew is so great but I think only served on the weekends. But that is okay, because their roasted lamb with beans and rice is amazing.All of their salads are great. My favorite is their large salad with lamb added on. You must try their shrimp platter. It is so good.This is a wonderful place and they make you feel welcome.

My Greek friend took us to eat here. Very cool little market with frozen foods to take home and plenty of seating. You order at a counter then they bring the food out. I tried the double kabob, chicken and steak with double salad, but I should've gotten the potatoes, because I stole few bites and they were amazing. If melty delicious cheese is your thing, do not miss out on the saganaki appetizer! I'd do two of those and skip the dessert next time. We tried the hot donut hole things and baklava, which were both good. We ate outside because it's California and that's why you pay so much to visit that beautiful-weather state. It was covered, with fans and chilled water out there. If you're in the mood for some legit Greek food, I definitely recommend this place.

Was craving a gyro so ordered pick up from here. I cannot believe the positive ratings this spot has (*food only, service is fine and restaurant is fine). My beef/lamb gyro was $22 (!!) and a two bite piece of baklava was $5, aka I spent $30 for food that tastes bad and cost twice the price of other Mediterranean spots in area.The beef in the gyro is super chunky/thick with ZERO crisp, the texture is gross. They put zero effort into preparing the meat. Lettuce tasted like it'd been sitting out on a hot counter all day. Will not be back here.

Always my place to go for a delicious falafel and baklava. Ben going to this place for over 12 years now. 2 thumbs up.

Delicious and (I believe) authentic Greek food with a big market attached. You can eat AND take home frozen Mousaka, or get cheese, preserves, baklava etc. speaking of Mousaka, it was delicious. The plate combos are not cheap but it comes with ENORMOUS portions!!!! I wish I put something to show the scale of the combo plate in my photo. There is indoor seating as well as outdoor seating that looks to have extended into the parking in the back during Covid. Not much in terms of atmosphere as you are on the busy Pico Blvd but it was at least outdoors. You order at the counter then grab a table w your number and they'll bring the food to you. Very good pita bread. I wish I bought more of those to bring home.