Yamas Mediterranean Cuisine
Kailua, HI 96734 (808) 263-4075
Hours
| Mon | 11:00 am - 9:00 pm |
|---|---|
| Tue | Closed |
| Wed | 11:00 am - 9:00 pm |
| Thu | 11:00 am - 9:00 pm |
| Fri | 11:00 am - 9:00 pm |
| Sat | 11:00 am - 9:00 pm |
| Sun | 11:00 am - 9:00 pm |
Dining in
Here at Yamas Mediterranean Cuisian we offer good food at an affordable price. We strive to offer you the best dinning experience possible, whether you are joining us for a quick lunch or allowing us to be part of your dinner plans we take pride in providing you with the best time possible.
Reviews:
Outstanding cuisine! The sampler platter touts 2 delicious pieces of spanikopita, 3 yummy pieces of dolmas accompanied by a tzaziki dip, hummus, babaganosh & zucchini fries and of course pita bread. Ask for the amazing homemade hot sauce to accompany everything-we wanted a bottle, and were told they'll eventually be selling it.
The lamb gyro was well balanced with the right amount of sauce and veggies. The garlic fries were excellent as well.
Hours are 11:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m. everdand it's BYOB!!!
The food here is amazing, but the service has dropped off since my initial visit.
I had the Atlantic Salmon, with Rice and a Salad. The dish was great, the fish was tender, the salad was flavorful, and the rice was a decent compliment.
I love coming here, but sometimes I get the vibe that the employees are burnt out/overwhelmed from all of the business.
Instead of feeling welcomed, we sometimes feel like a burden.
If you are in the Kailua area, you can't go wrong with a Gyro from here.
I wish I could give this place 3.75 stars. Which is an overall solid rating. The service was fast friendly enough and the food was good. I really really like the way the place looked inside.
There was very pretty art on the walls, that complimented the ambiance well. The pita bread was good, but the humus we ordered was wildly mediocre. My gyro was good, and I was grateful they put it on he side because I honestly do not like to much of that sauce I like the sauce but I want to control how it is put on.
Casual, family friendly restaurant. Awesome service. Food is high quality, fresh and delicuous!
Highly recommend!
Good, fresh food and reasonable prices, but a bit heavy on the garlic, even for me. We ordered the baba ganoush () with extra pita and it was OK, but the garlic overpowered the appetizer.
The service was good even though they got hit with several tables (one six-top and one eight-top) all at once. The tables are all too small, so our party of four felt a bit claustrophobic at a table that would comfortably fit two, maybe three tops. We had to continually maneuver menus, bread plates, water glasses, and meals around to make everything fit and it was tiresome.
The strangest thing was that they do not have a bathroom, so women must use a key to access a public toilet about 100 feet away and men have to go across the parking lot to McDonalds. I did not need to use it, but hopefully you do not need to make a purchase to get the bathroom door code as is the case at McDonalds in many tourist areas.
I had the Gyro (), a lamb/beef combo on a soft, warm pita with tzatziki (yogurt and cucumber sauce), lettuce, sliced onion, and tomato. It came with a choice of (one) garlic fries, Greek salad, baba ganoush, hummus or a couple other things or you could choose any two of those for another , which was what I did. I got a basket of crispy, garlicky fries and a Greek side salad which had much more lettuce and far fewer olives, cucumber, and tomato than any other Greek salad I have had. It was decent, the gyro big and tasty, and the fries excellent. My wife had the Souvlaki, chunks of chicken on a pita with the same ingredients as my gyro, and it was also quite tasty.
For dessert, we decided to try their baklava, coming two big halves on a plate and some of the tastiest I have had. The pastry topping was light and crispy and the sweet filling a perfect blend of nuts, spices, and honey ... HOOAH!
CombatCritic Gives Yamas 8 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!
I cannot believe I have been in Kailua this long and have not stopped in here. This place is really good and looks to be one of the best on Oahu for Mediterranean style food. We stopped in on a busy Friday night and got a table right away. By the time we were leaving there was a brief wait. The service was fast and attentive and the food came out very quickly. I'm not a Mediterranean or Greek food connoisseur by any means so I wasn't expecting a whole lot but I was really Blown Away by the quality of the food and the taste. I had one of the gyros with garlic fries. We also got some fried zucchini which was super hot and fresh with a tzatziki sauce.
We also tried The Baklava which was really good as well. And we had a baklava with ice cream for dessert. The prices were fair and the portions were quite large. Definitely something different and a different style of food then you will typically find on the rest of the Wahoo and especially Kailua. If you are looking to mix it up a little bit and get some quality Greek or Mediterranean food I would definitely check this place out. The inside was nice and tidy I like the tile floor and the marble and granite table tops. It definitely gives you that little bit of Mediterranean type feel when you walk in. Next time I will come back and try one of their lamp specials but I would recommend going a bit earlier in the evening as we tried to order some of it at first and they had already sold out so that should tell you that it's a high-demand low-density item.
Had heard great things about this place, so checked it out for lunch. It was unclear when we came in, but eventually were told we could sit anywhere. The tables are pretty tiny and set for more than would comfortably fit at each one. it is air conditioned without being too cold. The decor is pretty if confused - columns and marble evoke greece, but the paintings are largely Hawaiian, and the music is classic rock/oldies. A few other groups had come in just before us and it was clear only one person was working the front, so we waited pariently to be greeted with menus. Everything sounded amazing and I was super tempted to order one of each! The lunch pitas come with your choice of a side of any of the starters - EXCEPT the zucchini fries. My mom asked about it (since they didn't cost more than any of the other starters and were included in the sampler) and was told that there would be an upcharge if she added those. I was a little put off when she insisted on not writing down our order, and it sounded like she repeated my order back to me wrong as she was already walking away from the table, but it did come out correctly.
The. Food. Was. A. Mazing. On a 5 star scale, I give the food a 17. I can't even describe it, just... nomnomnomnomnom. If you are unfamiliar with Greek/Mediteranian food... just... go eat some. There's nothing like it!
So the reason I gave the place 4 stars instead of 5, despite the insanely good food and the fact I want all of it, is because 1) the tables are pretty cramped. I'm not a tiny person. I need space. 2 of us sitting at our table was fine, but it was set for 3 and the waitress didn't even bother clearing away the extra setting to give us more space. Which brings me to 2) I'm really hoping she was just having a bad day, but the waitress couldn't seem to care less about us. Our waters sat empty, and we felt largely ignored and brushed aside. I get that she was the only one covering the front and that we were far from the only people in there. But I have been a waiter before and she still seemed a bit short with us. Hire more help!!
Love it so much forgot to take a picture.... the happy fat cells were dancing so much because of the yummmmmo!!!
Let's start with a basket of garlic fries!!! Lots of garlic and fat oil to be enjoyed!!! Made the taste buds celebrate !! the 4 star is because I still have a favorite place for garlic fries so they come close but ....
Then came my Gyro, with Baba Ganoush and pita well worth it!! The Tzaiziki I hope I am spelling this correctly. Could get with garlic fries, humus, Greek salad ... hmmm can't recall if there was any other option ... sorry was set on what I wanted
I dined in with a couple of friends -- they loved their options too- shrimp plate w/ Greek salad and Gyro with side humus. Anyways the inside is casual cozy- clean - great for a date night or GNO or just dine alone....
Can't rate the restroom as I didn't use it
Parking is ok as store front parking however shares with lots of business as well. So may have to drive around or wait .... but quick enough to not say "forget it"
Then came dessert -- Lilikoi Cheesecake ... I give that 2 star rating as it didn't have enough cheesecake flavor kind of bland... however the Lilikoi sauce over the cheesecake was not bad.
Pricing of food definitely great
Customer Service waitress was attentive and made recommendations which is always nice to hear
Oh and it's BYOB!!!
Overall experience was definitely wonderful!! I will be back to try something new off the menu! My 5 stars is for the Happy Fat Cells doing the dance !! Yes.... check it out and write your review!!! Be a Yelper.... to help the Yelp community grow and share your experience never know who you might help out in choosing a place or not.
- Enjoy the yummy pleasures!!
-Happy Fat Cells
Food was not bad, however my chief concern is the cleanliness of the restaurant itself. Service was fair. It is BYOB, they serve water only but there is a Safeway and Starbucks nearby if you prefer something other than water.
5 stars of awesomeness for the food, as usual. One star for the Haole female server this afternoon (Monday 24 Sep). I had my usual classic gyro. I was asked what I wanted. "Gyro." Response from waitress, "With what?" I requested half salad, half fries. One word response, "No." Too bad since that's really what I wanted. I got the fries, which were fine. Her social skills are horrible.
Again, food was great as always. Too bad the waitress has no social skills to deal with polite customers. Really a shame since I no longer live on Oahu but love the food here.
Oh yeah, BYOB which is always a winner.
This is by far my favorite Gyro place on the island and I've tried most of them, the owner is amazing she does it all and she doesnt charge u extra for extra sauce! my zucchini fries are always so crisp! the food is just so good we love this place!
I didn't realize I saved this restaurant as a place I wanted to try until I was getting ready to review it. We had just stumbled upon it after being out for the day. We were greeted by a charming woman with a great sense of humor. I ordered the gyro which is so tasty. The portions are generous, so make sure you go there hungry! We also ordered the baklava for dessert. Can you say yum with a side of ice cream? It is heaven. Go to Yamas and your tastebuds will thank you.
My husband is addicted to Yamas and same goes for me!! We absolutely LOVE the Gyros for lunch and I enjoy their salmon or garlic shrimp for dinner. Prices are fair! Zucchini fries are the BEST!!!
Did take out for big gyro plate. The lamb shavings were crispy, flavor browned beautifully and not overly salty or spiced with garlic. Creamy tsaziki sauce and soft pita bread was as expected. Opted for the salad for my side. Very satisfied with the feta cheese, onions, cukes, small tomatoes on my vinagerette salad. Held up very well.
Restaurant looked clean and staff friendly. Lots of parking.
I had the Gyro (classic) with lamb and Greek salad. The gyro was super good and paired well with the salad. The Pita bread is super soft. I heard that their garlic fries are good too if you don't want your gyro with a salad. I paid for my gyro and salad which was like a combo. The only downside to yamas, is that the dinning area is small. I wouldn't suggest eating there if your going with a big party.
Randomly found myself stuck in Kailua and wanted something aside from the usual "Local Kine Grinds" and I wasn't disappointed. Super Gyro was "HUUUUGE". And delicious, the Tiramisu was fantastic as well. Didn't realize they have a pretty solid dinner menu (as my friends bragged about being regulars) its BYOB, and a nice spot with friendly staff and delicious food.
Great local business! Support local. The owner is very active in the business. She found out it was a my bday lunch and took care of the bill! Food is super good here. Nice gem on the Windward side!
Came here on a Saturday with my foodie group and enjoyed a delicious meal. There were seven of us and we ended up sharing a sampler platter consisting of every appetizer available, 5 pita meals and 5 desserts. The sampler platter consisted of 5 different appetizers with the feta being my favorite along with the spanakopita though every portion of the sampler was delicious. Every pita meal comes with either a salad or one of the sides so we were doubling up on the sides by ordering the sampler which was OK because we ate everything. Our main courses consisted of a super gyro which was delicious but way more meat than you need if you were not sharing like we were. The fish shawarma was good but I preferred the chicken shawarma better. The falafel was my favorite. It was my first taste of falafel and I am hooked so I hope all falafel is just as good as Yamas. We also had a ground beef pita which was good but my least favorite. Everyone seemed to love their desserts but my favorite was the deep fried pita chips that were dusted with cinnamon sugar and served with ice cream. The meal was delicious. but by going there for lunch you are limiting your choices to pita meals and every dish seemed to have similar flavors. Next time I will go for dinner because the dinner menu is the same as the lunch menu with dinner plates added so your selection of entrees are wider.
Refreshingly Good!! If you're ever in Kailua and want a break from the norm, this is an excellent little eating establishment to try out. It is a small store front, nestled in the Enchanted Lake shopping center.
The menu is pretty straight forward as it isn't really that large. They have deliciously, fresh dishes with an array of meats, chicken to lamb, vegetarian options and also so seafood. Their Greek salads are to die for with the perfect cut thickness of cucumbers, onions, olives and feta cheese. The dressing has the perfect balance too, not too much acidity or sweetness, just super refreshing! This can be ordered by itself or as a side. Similarly, their Hummus is homemade and is the perfect blend. It is much thicker than what you would get at the market and oh soooo good! It comes with fresh baked pita bread as well. The Baba Ganoush (eggplant appetizer) also is a winner. I honestly have to have both. Both are a must get, and as a bonus, additional pita are only a !! I honestly could just eat this all night, with a nice glass of wine of course! Btw, it's BYOB, and Safeway is also right next door!!
On to the main dishes. It's the usual Mediterranean fare... Gyros, Souvlaki, Falafel, Shawarma, they're all awesome. What makes them awesome? All mentioned come in that wonderful homemade pita and are smothered in the best Tzaziki (herbed Greek yogurt sauce) ever. You could seriously eat this sauce on anything! This sauce and their meats garnished with fresh herbs are outstanding!
Yamas also offers specials every day. I've heard the steaks, garlic shrimp and lamb chops are pretty amazing, but haven't tried them yet myself. I also haven't tried the desserts, but heard the Bakalava is a must get... this is definitely on my "must eat" list!
You really can't go wrong with anything here, especially because everything is also very reasonably priced. Portions are good too. The only downfall is service can be s-l-o-w. It is a smaller restaurant, and the night we went only had 1 wait staff and 1 cook. It took almost 2 hours for a rather simple dinner. Although we won't be able to dine here when we need a "quick" meal, Yamas will definitely be added into my family's regular dining rotation!
I frequently do take out, but be sure to take some time to sit in once in a while. Service is great. Very attentive with everything, especially the water. I ALWAYS get the Gyro. Juicy, seasoned well, and a lot of filling. The tzatziki sauce is the best too and goes great with literally everything.
I switch between the Garlic Fries or the Greek Salad as my side. You can add an extra side for I believe, but unless you're starving, one side is quite enough because the portions are HUGE and the food is filling. And if you're extra starving or need a little more protein, there is also something called the Super Gyro. It's a couple dollars more, but you actually get a significant amount more lamb than the regular gyro. I'm always licking my lips cause the Gyro is amazing. Who would've thought that Hawaii could have a great Greek restaurant in Kailua.
If you love garlic, get the fries. Steak cut fries with fresh garlic and herbs and delicious sea salt. Only once I was disappointed cause our fries tasted like the last one out of the bowl and it was salty af. Like you took a fry and laid it down in a tray of salt and then placed it on a platter. Otherwise they are the best. I'd say even better than stadium garlic fries and more convenient.
Looking forward to going again. I want to try the Baklava alamode!