12 Islands
“I had the lamb shank with lemon potatoes which was an absolute delight.”
“I did hear that the grilled octopus is a must, but when I wanted to order it, they didn't have it at the time.”
“BYOB and nice atmosphere with outdoor dining are added benefits
The things that separate 12 Islands from average Greek restaurants I've eaten at:
1.”
12 Islands
Takes Reservations: Yes
Delivery: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Outdoor Seating: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Caters: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
6 reviews
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I need to up my review to 5 stars based on how super accommodating they were last Sunday. Kudos to Bobby the Manager and Danielle our server taking our potential disaster and turning it into a very pleasant evening.
We had tickets for the 7PM show at the Paper Mill and made a 5:45 reservation for dinner. We wound up all not getting there till closer to 6:15. Ordered an appetizer and put in our dinner order in the hopes it could be rushed and we would get out of there on time. At around 6:40, dinner hadn't arrived and we realized we better leave and we were about to ask them to pack it up when ready.
Instead they suggested that we just come back after the show and have dinner then. Great idea. Never once did they mention that it was out fault since we arrived so late. What a class act.
So, after the show, we return and have that dinner. Incidentally the food was great.
They comped us both the appetizer we had before the show and the one we had after the show. Like I said previously, it was all our fault yet that was never mentioned.
How can you not like a place that treats its customers like this?
We shared a couple of portions of delicious hummus and the pita bread "bowl" was constantly refilled. The mains of salmon with rice and spinach, pastichio, veggie moussaka, and chicken souvlaki were thoroughly enjoyed for all.
Everyone here is super-friendly. Enjoy.
I was psyched about trying 12 Islands last night. It definitely has the potential for 4 stars, but, b/c of the food, it's just "A-ok" at three. The atmosphere was nice… relatively simple w some nice pics of Greek islands on the walls. We sat at the outside patio. When the waiter came to open our wine, he put down a small plate of hummus w/ pita triangles right in front of us while he opened the wine bottle (we both thought it was a complimentary starter), but I guess he was just setting it down while he opened the wine, and then whisked it to another table, leaving us ever so slightly disappointed… Of course we could have then ordered some, but instead chose the tzadiki and a beet salad for starters. Both were excellent, but the pita triangles that came w/ the tzdaki were a bit stale and dry. I got the moussaka for an entree, which was good (not great), and my date got the spanikopita, which she liked. I will have to go back and try a fish entree and maybe the octopus and the souvlaki…. Perhaps there is one more star potential in an update of this place.
On another visit, we were seated in the back room on a cold day and people (mostly servers) kept using the back door to the dining room as an entry from the street, and it was FREEZING in the dining room consequently. Weirder still, there were people in street clothes coming and going thru the door who looked very familiar with the restaurant, like family or friends or something?, and the women were carrying platters covered in tin foil, wtf??! Were they bringing in food they cooked elsewhere?!?! Weirdest thing I've ever seen…
I had high hopes for this place. Been wanting to check this place out for a year but never did until tonight. I ordered the "sampler" platter that had a variety of grilled meats, like lamb, beef, chicken and pork. Thought it would be a good intro to this place.
Well, everything was over cooked and very dry. Even the sausage which has a lot of fat was a bit on the beef jerky tasting side. The worst of it was this hamburger patty, forget what it's called in Greek, but it tasted like it was freshly made, then frozen, then cooked frozen but not completely. It was SOOO wet in the middle, though it was thoroughly cooked. The only way a beef patty has that consistency is when is previously frozen and cooked too quickly, preventing the moisture/water to not render out properly. Plus it had too much fresh oregano in it, way too herby.
And when does a "Greek" salad have iceberg lettuce in it? I had a Greek roommate just after college and even to this day we are friends. He'd made Greek salad almost every other night and don't recall seeing any iceberg lettuce in it, EVER! I remember going to Greece, Santorini amongst the islands, and don't recall seeing iceberg lettuce in my salads. So either I have no idea what a Greek salad is or every Greek restaurant I've been to has given me something I didn't order. Why not just call it a garden salad with a wedge/crumble of feta cheese? It would certainly be more accurate. A Greek salad should only have tomatoes, cucumber, onion, Kalamata olives, feta, salt, olive oil (maybe a little vinegar, maybe).
I saw the server three times. When I ordered, when I got my food and when I got the bill. How about freshening my water glass, or not charging me for the salad you said would be free or just checking to see if my food was over cooked?
And the rice that came with the entree had way too much bay leaf flavor in there. WOW, that's all I could taste. I picked the leaf out but of course at that point, it doesn't matter.
Steve's Restaurant, the best Greek place in Boston, does it perfectly, quickly and inexpensively. When I had an officer near Faneuil Hall, I'd go to Steve's almost daily. I'd order the same thing; chicken kebab, rice and salad. Friggin FANTASTIC! I could see the chicken breast was par cooked but with enough oil, fresh peppers and onions, it does the trick. The best $10 I've ever spent. $35 for this platter of overcooked meat is not worth it. I don't get it. It wasn't busy, maybe 6 covers while we were there (although I only noticed one server on the floor). And where's the tzaziki?
Needless to say, I doubt I'll go back, though maybe for a gyro. Gyros are difficult to screw up since they usually buy the thing already seasoned and just need to warm it up. It's the only Greek place in town, hope it gets better.
One of my favorite local restaurants in Millburn. Warm and friendly every time I come in. No liquor license so BYOB. We started last night with the assorted dips and pita and Greek salads. Perfect starter to a filling entree. The decor is pleasant and inviting. Fish nets adorn the walls along with pictures of Greek islands. The smell inside is intoxicating but be warned you will smell like a grill afterwards. Normally I get the grilled octopus and the whole squid but I tried something new. I had the lamb shank with lemon potatoes which was an absolute delight. The meat was coming off the shank with minimal effort. Loved this dish so much I wanted to lick the plate. Other enters ordered were hits as well from the lamb chops which were devoured, to the grilled branzino, and the shrimp with sundried tomatoes and feta. We were very full and very pleased. Service was excellent as always. The owner is the nicest guy and is the gold standard of restaurant owners. He cares about what he serves and it shows in the high quality food that has been on my plate every single time I come here. Please don't overlook this awesome Greek place.
Enjoyed a very nice meal here last weekend. Went to Millburn unsure where to eat and pulled up the trusty Yelp app which led us here. Stopped by a liquor store to pick up a bottle of wine and we were set. Walked in the front door and asked to be seated outside. The rear patio area is really quite nice, if not a bit cramped. Unlike many other places the area is well isolated from the parking lot and is on the side of a small square with a fountain and seating for another restaurant. I'm also not sure if I would have stayed if we were seated inside. The kitchen's at the front of the restaurant and is completely exposed. Usually that's not a problem but it was quite smoky and permeated the entire restaurant.
We ordered a mixed seafood platter which included grilled salmon, squid, shrimp and mussels. It was really quite good and I thought the price was more than fair given the portion size and quality. It was a perfect meal for me. Healthy, fresh and delicious.
So why 3 Stars? After taking our order, our server disappeared completely. Next time I saw him was when he brought the check. I'm not saying that the service was bad and if the restaurant was larger, it would have even been somewhat acceptable. But the place is fairly small and there shouldn't have been any reason for sub par service.
That said, however, I would absolutely return as long as we were again seated outside. I think that it's a solid choice, providing excellent food that's reasonably priced. Their service, however, could use some polish. Solid 3-3.5 stars.