Dylan BurchIt is easy to see why Nick the Greek, located at 1313 West 17th St. across from Santa Ana College, stands out among a crowded local food scene.
The appeal is obvious, even before you take your first bite. A well-lit, modern Greek restaurant with uptempo music and savory smells that hit you the moment you walk through the front door.
But what makes customers keep coming back for more is the incredible food.
“It’s delicious, it’s hearty, it’s healthy, I think it’s worth the price,” said Young Kim, a SAC digital media specialist, of the chicken gyro wrap. “There’s not a lot of clean food options around here, so just to eat food where you can taste real fresh ingredients, it does a lot.”
Nick The Greek conveniently provides, below each menu item, the calorie and protein count. Health conscious options do exist, but for those who do not care or are living it up on their cheat day, the chain delivers a variety of delicious Greek street food and desserts.
“I think one of the reasons customers keep coming back is the fresh flavor,“ said cook Magaly Silva. “All the ingredients, the lettuce, tomatoes, the meat, all of it is made fresh every day. This is the cleanest restaurant I have worked in.”
The Mediterranean restaurant provides good quality food in quantity, however, it may be a little costly for SAC students. Nick The Greek’s signature chicken gyro pita starts at $13 before tax, while the larger gyro plate runs about $17. The restaurant’s viral “Dubai Chocolate” frozen yogurt sells for $10, while their Greek chocolate filled donuts are slightly cheaper at $8.
A variety of toppings can be added to the frozen yogurt desserts, including the Dubai Chocolate pistachio creme. Photo by Dylan Burch / el Don
Chocolate filled Greek donuts are one of many dessert options offered. Photo by Dylan Burch / el Don
Note: A previous version of this story referred to Young Kim as a “digital media faculty member,” rather than a digital media specialist.
