Limani Taverna and Lounge

LIMANI’S MAY BE RELAUNCHING
It looks like Limani Taverna is undergoing some very intense redecorating. Inside and out it looks like the place is getting a major upgrade. I sure hope so because their food was excellent and I really cheered for them to succeed.

Great food and awesome service! Olive tapenade and eggplant appetizer are amazing. Definitely be back!

So sad they closed! Finally a place that was making some great food at a good price at this location, and the locals didn’t embrace the place and forced them to close! Hope the owner, who was a great man finds success at another location in San Pedro!

It was FIRST THURSDAY in Downtown San Pedro… the street was alive, food trucks, restaurants and bars were busy. My Father was very happy to return to what he remembered as Papadakis, now Limanis. My father remembered the Tap Dancers, Violyn Player and most of all the Belly Dancers which were advertised as the entertainment for Thursday. It appeared to be the same at a glance but everything had changed. It was empty considering it was ‘First Thursdays’. My father asked about the entertainment because he had told his invites how fun it was the first time he came. The waiter responded very casually «no dancers tonight, but the food is really good». False Advertisement ! ! ! ! ! !
The Fries and Tzatziki Sauce were great, the main courses were good but not outstanding. I knew it was not legit when they offered me a «Greek Beer» what’s the name and type? there is many greek beers.
Tip was never mention but automatically added.
Breaking the plates and shouting OPA! was the funnest part!
Just not the same anymore =(
Maybe this was a isolated incident. Might be back.

We finally visited the place that took over the Papadakis Taverna in San Pedro. We were very happy to find that not much has changed! Even Giorgos the waiter is still there after 22 years!
The Xoriatiki Salada is great, the french fries are great, the Avgolemono Soup is great, the Dolmades are great, and the Lamb shank is great too. All the food here is very authentic Greek and very good.
We will be back!

I had not visited Limani’s prior to the new management takeover while I lived in San Pedro but I was quite pleased with the experience. My mom and I went for a quick lunch as I was visiting from out of town and saw the lunch specials ran until 4pm which is quite surprising at how late they are offered until.
We both got a gyro sandwich special which comes with fries or a salad. I chose fries with mine because I’m a sucker for fried food. These fries were unlike any I’ve had before. Their fries were lightly coated in a yummy seasoning and feta cheese. It was the perfect pairing with the gyro sandwich. The gyro alone was phenomenal with the perfect amount of tzatziki sauce and veggies.
The waiter we had was amazingly sweet. My mom and I loved our experience and we will surely be back especially when I come home to visit.

This is my third review for Limani Taverna.
I’d not been in for 9 months and was pleasantly surprised at the changes in the restaurant and the menu.
Food is 100% better
Atmosphere is 100% better
Service is 100% better
The inclusion of the lounge area is a nice touch.
Limani is now what one would expect from a authentic Greek Taverna.
Opa!

Came back for the lounge and atmosphere, but feel in love with the Santorini Chicken! Moist chicken marinated in spices just right, with the mashed cauliflower (nice change from potatoes!) and grilled, seasoned veggies.
Go try the new vibe at the Taverna. You’ll find a chill place to relax over a drink and large TV’s, or watch entertainment on the upper stage… Nice low lights and lounge. Ask for the host, Vald, and he’ll take care of you! I’m sure when Ladies Night starts on Wednesdays, you’ll have to stand in line for that!

Recommended.
Dinner for four, with drinks, ran about $ 140.
All good. Food was fresh and well prepared. Waiter was fun and attentive. Décor is kind of old style proper dining with table cloths, napkins, and little candles, etc. Apparently, during the day they open the shuttered windows and then close them for dinner to make it more intimate.
There is often music and belly-​dancers so, schedule accordingly.
We were there to dine and chat so the music, although quite good, proved a bit too load for us and we left just as the dancer was preparing to perform.

A group of us had lunch here on Father’s Day 2013, and everyone was impressed by both the food and the service. Generous portions, a variety of appetizers, perfectly cooked lamb and chicken entrees. This is a good place for larger groups, and would also be a fun date night, especially on the nights when they have music and dancing.
The new owner was on hand the day we were there and spent some time with us after our meal talking about his ongoing and future improvements to the restaurant. This place will be in my regular rotation.

This is the old Papdakis restaurant — same place with a different name trying to generate some new business. We had passed it a couple weeks ago and put it on our list to try. Went Wed night with some friends — one who used to live in the area picked it since he was staying nearby.
Before I got there the group had mowed through a couple appetizers, which we repeated for my benefit. My wife likes her lamb black n blue and this is the first time in over 10 years that she has been happy with her order! I had the pork chop and was very pleased with the flavors and tastes. The gyro looked awesome and will be my next choice.
Overall very happy we went! All around great service (thanks George) and the food was fantastic (thanks Alfredo)!!! Would highly recommend this to anyone as a must-​try place in San Pedro! Try it and pass the word!

If you’ve been in the area for a while, you may remember Papadakis Taverna. Limani is in the exact same space. White tablecloth, somewhat upscale dining in San Pedro. Service was very good.
Wine also starts at $ 7 per glass and $ 25 for a bottle, but we went with $ 5 beers. You start with excellent warm, grilled pita and the best tzatziki sauce I may have ever had. Unfortunately, all dinner entrees are in the $ 20+ range, which is usually more than I like to spend unless it’s an occasion. While this place is nice, it’s not quite at the «occasion» level like Trani’s or Neil’s (for example) is for me. However, you can assemble a nice, reasonably-​priced dinner by sharing a few appetizers and a salad. Bummed they were out of the feta appetizer. Portions for the tomato salad and spanikopita were especially generous. The roasted eggplant spread is a must-​have! We were there for dinner. I expect that there is a separate lunch menu which you would find to be more reasonable.
Apparently there is live music on weekends and belly dancing during First Thursday.

Fun place for a Saturday night date!
We tried Limani Taverna for the first time this past weekend. It was such a fun experience. We got there around 6, and were one of two couples in the restaurant. Quickly, though, the place filled up with a couple of big parties. I noticed that one group brought in several bottles of wine, so I think they allow BYOB with corkage there.
Around 7 they started with the live music and dance show entertainment. It was really neat and worth a return visit to see the lively show once more. I enjoyed it and so did my husband. One super stuffy lady near the stage area was being all paranoid that she was going to get hurt, but other than that everyone was clapping along and having fun.
The food was pretty good. I think they need to step it up just a little bit though. I am at about a 3.5 on the food. The extra star is for the service and entertainment value.
We had the olive and cheese appetizer. The olives and yogurt dip were insanely good, but the cheeses were meh. The Feta actually tasted kind of bad — maybe I’m just not cool enough to like stinky cheese, but this one rubbed me the wrong way. I am a vegetarian so I had spanakopita as my main entrée. It was good, but could have used more cheese. It was very, very spinach-​y. I wanted more of a cheesy bite. Couple with the yogurt dip though, it was good. Husband had the lamb chops. He licked them down to the bone (gross) so I am guessing he really liked them.
We finished the meal with baklava. It was VERY good — I wish we had gotten two instead of sharing one.
Drinks — I had some Greek red wine which was good; husband had some lemonade which I am pretty sure was Country Time mix. Not good. The coffee I had with my dessert was just ok.
Service was outstanding. Just perfect. We will for SURE go back again. Probably not too often though, because it is pretty overpriced. My husband’s entrée of lamb chops with some simple steamed veggies was $ 26. Our total bill was $ 100 including tip. Kind of pricy for what we had.
I’m hoping they improve the food enough to make these prices worth it, or do the right thing and lower them a little. For that price, the food needs to knock my socks off, you know?

The exterior looks nothing like the interior. Located on a corner it is easily overlooked and the sign doesn’t draw much attention. I pass by this place almost everyday and finally 4 years later, tried it. I walked into what looked to be a $$$ restaurant with fancy table linens and business men in their suits. But, to my surprise the lunch menu was very well priced.
I purchased an appetizer, «Melitzanosalata,» which consisted of eggplant, tomatoes, onions topped with feta cheese, served with pita bread. I try not to eat much carbs, so requested for slivers of cucumber. This was filling and only $ 6. There is a Gyro lunch special for $ 7.50. The dinner is pricier. The service was wonderful and the server was hilarious. I haven’t eaten here at night, but when I’ve walked by the window it looks like there’s a party going on in the restaurant. I will definitely be back here soon!

We went for the first time on a Saturday, The food and service was good, plus there was a guy singing greek music and the waiters danced (crazy stuff like spinning around full force with a drink in each hand. We went back for my birthday on a Monday, my friend mentioned that it was and they gave us a piece of baklava which was the best I’ve ever had, on the house!
I ordered a chicken dish with lemon potatoes, my friend ordered the lamb chops, we both enjoyed our food. There was only one couple in the restaurant on this night and then us so pretty deserted…

Limani Taverna took over the old spot of the famous Papadakis Taverna in San Pedro and serves authentic Greek food in a fine dining establishment.
The 4.5 out of 5 star rating had me curious to see if it really was THAT good.
I arrived for dinner and I was the only patron in the restaurant and I noticed that it is a very roomy and open restaurant with a Greek vibe and a stage for singers/​dancers on the weekends.
They give you a nice kalamata olive dip with warm pita bread while you are waiting for your entrée. It was a very tasty dip and I ended up finishing the entire plate they gave me.
I ordered the Gyros plate for dinner and it costed $ 18.00 bucks. It was strips of Gyro meat, with tomatoes, onions and some lettuce. They also give you Tzatzaki sauce with your entrée.
The waiter told me to order the oregono and herb chicken with vegetables, but I was craving Gyro meat. I was a little disappointed because the Gyros meat was not from a spit, but pre cut and fried. It wasn’t bad, but I wanted the real thing.
However, I must say the Tzatzaki sauce was amazing. It was ULTRA thick, rich and creamy yoghurt with cucumber and a little olive oil. There wasn’t much garlic flavor, but it was so rich, so creamy, it was amazing.
I also got tried the «Melitzanosalata» which is the eggplant and herb sauteed appetizer. WOW! It was so fresh, herbal, and refreshing. There was so much robust garlic, tomato, and eggplant flavor with every bite.
Overall these are the must haves from Limani:
1. Appetizers– Tzatzaki and Melitzanasalata Eggplant dip
2. Entrees– I didn’t get the Oregono Chicken, but I hear its what everyone loves the most, the same goes for the Lamb Chops
3. Dessert– Baklava.
I do think that Limani is a LITTLE overpriced for the food you get, however, my server was a very nice man who took the time to help with my selection and even gave me a small side of an appetizer when he knew I wasn’t satisfied with my gyros.
Overall this is a beautiful restaurant with good food, great service and a wonderful ambiance. It is a bit pricey and so I recommend you only come here on a date or if you are in the area, catch their lunch specials. They are pretty cheap and you get a lot for your money.
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:THE BOTTOM LINE:
Minus one star for being overpriced
Minus one more star for not having truly authentic gyros.
However, I will add one HALF star for the AMAZING service from the very friendly and informative waiter. If I had gotten another entrée besides the actual gyros, then maybe I would have loved my dish. However, I did love everything else it came with and so it wasn’t all that bad.
I give this place 3.5 stars, but I will round up to 4 stars.
This is a great Greek restaurant, but come for special occasion or a lunch special, since it is a little pricey!

Food — ³⁄₅
The food here was pretty good. Can’t really complain. Not the best Greek food that I’ve ever had, but it was in the upper half. Gyros, mousaka, lamb were all tastey.
Price — ²⁄₅
Can’t say that the food was all that worth it for the price. Most everything that was in the $ 15-​$ 20 price range you could easily find just as good (or better) for almost half the price at other good Greek spots. Easily.
Service — ¹⁄₅
The place was almost empty… but it still took a little while to be seated. Food took FOREVER. Which isn’t enough to really upset me, but they NEVER checked in to say, «Hey, it’s taking a while. It will be out in _​_​minutes.» We had to grab a server just to ask. Group that came in after us got their food and were done before ours came out. Waiters didn’t have the balls to admit they didn’t fire our ticket, and instead made excuses about how, «chicken takes longer.» The only thing they did well was refill our waters as we waited an hour for our orders to come out.
Pretty decent food, but overpriced, and the service we got was terrible. They weren’t mean, or rude, or anything… they were absent. Which is just as bad to me.

*Pours a 40 on the ground* RIP Papadakis. I’m sorry, I’m obviously biased but I’m not sure there’s any greek restaurant that can come in here and try to replace Papadakis and be as good. Sorry just… sorry.
Wifey and I came here for a date night couple months ago. Scene 1. Go. So one thing that was weird is right when we walked in, there was practically no one inside (maybe 1 or two other parties eating) and no staff in sight at all. Finally, after like a solid few minutes of desolate silence a bus boy (?) half way walked towards us and motioned for us to sit down? Is it seat yourself now? Ok. So my wife and I pick a table on the upper level in the middle. He pours us some water but doesn’t know anything about the menu. Eventually, the actual waiter came and he was very nice. He ended up suggesting a Greek red wine that saved this place from a 2 star, honest. Does anyone remember the lamb and cheese inside the puff pastry at Papadakis? Well this place doesn’t have it! w… t…f!!! lol I ordered lamb and it was good but def not as good as Papadakis.
I am for sure going to have to revisit this place after they’ve been open for a while and update my review but for now there are better Greek places in the south bay. =-/

WOW! completely and totally impressed with this place.
i LOVE greek food and usually hit up the Long Beach spots. today i met a friend in san pedro and we decided to check out this place.
the service was top notch. we never went without our drinks being filled. i had the Limani salad with gyro slices. large and flavorful. the tomatoes tasted like they were home grown.
my friend had the Horiatiki salad with salmon. once again, beautiful and abundant produce with a really nice sized piece of salmon on top.
we also ordered the tzatziki for an app. thick greek yogurt was the base and i have to say the best tzatziki i’ve had.
our waiter told us about the two desserts, baklava and galaktoboureko (a greek custard and phyllo dessert) that were both supposed to be super good. they did not fail us! you MUST try the custard. something like i’ve never had before.
i can’t wait to go back and try more desserts. not many food places in this town get me excited, but this one sure does. and completely reasonable prices! go, you’ll thank me.

[+1] Yummy food and good portions! If you would like to share, you are able to share if you aren’t a big eater. Friend: «Hey, you want to share that half of your lamb gyro?» Me: «Heeeeeeck no. Getchur own!»
[+1] The lamb was soft, scrumptious, and flavorful! The fries were crispy and soft at the same time! They add bits of feta cheese along with the fries and I’ve never had it like that before. Really yummy!
[+1] Décor is absolutely delightful and I believe that they play Greek music, which is odd and quaint in itself. My buddy and I were giggling at the strange music.
[+1] I think it’s located in the art district and close to the USS Iowa/​Pier area so it’s quite convenient.
[-1] Service was a bit slow for having only 2 parties seated, but they were nice and kept refilling our waters so I suppose I can kind of excuse them for that.
[+1] You won’t feel like the biggest pig on earth after eating this. Also, this place isn’t totally Greek but I don’t think many people will care about that after eating the LAMB.
Tip: Ask for the feta cheese on your fries!