I had went to Yolenis a while back with my now ex boyfriend. I’m from California and I just forgot to write a review tbh, but I recall having the craziest experience here. It was my first time in providence ri and how embarrassing and GHETTO. First the young white man who was serving us was in a terrible mood our food was served super late and it was pretty much empty! After that horrible experience we left without tipping, the young white male ( I wish I asked for his name) he was slim tall proceeded to chase us down the street begging for a tip whilst cursing at us! The vegan burgers were good but how unprofessional and ghetto.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 1
Mercy Badoe
I went to Yoleni’s last night with my family of 4, and I have not been so disappointed in both a restaurants service and food in a very long time. We loved the ambiance, it was beautifully decorated. However, that was the best part of our unfortunate wait. We ordered food that took over 1 hour to be served. The appetizers did not come out for over an hour, along side our entrees. In between the long wait the waitress did not check in with us even once, or give us any update; there were only 2 occupied tables in the whole restaurant, including ours at the time. When our food was finally served, it became clear that the waitress was either untrained or totally incompetent. She did not bring us our cutlery until AFTER our food was served, so our food grew cold as she disappeared again. We had to hunt her down just for forks and knives so we could eat. Now for the food: the food was sub par, mediocre would be a generous term. My moms salad was roughly chopped into 3 big lettuce pieces, and the waitress did not bring any dressing for it. The Greek plate was very disappointingly bland, and most dishes were smothered in heaps of oregano,rosemary and paprika as if to mask the old taste of the food. At the end of the dinner, the waitress had the nerve to ask me to lift my plate from the table and give it to her. When she delivered the check she rudely extended her arm with the bill at the entire table instead of gracefully leaving it on top of the table and notifying us. We all left still hungry and had to cook food at home, as we were left with hunger pains and belly aches. As a local, This was my worst ever dining experience in Providence.
Mercy B
I went to Yoleni’s last night with my family of 4, and I have not been so disappointed in both a restaurants service and food in a very long time. We loved the ambiance, it was beautifully decorated. However, that was the best part of our unfortunate wait. We ordered food that took over 1 hour to be served. The appetizers did not come out for over an hour, along side our entrees. In between the long wait the waitress did not check in with us even once, or give us any update; there were only 2 occupied tables in the whole restaurant, including ours at the time. When our food was finally served, it became clear that the waitress was either untrained or totally incompetent. She did not bring us our cutlery until AFTER our food was served, so our food grew cold as she disappeared again. We had to hunt her down just for forks and knives so we could eat. Now for the food: the food was sub par, mediocre would be a generous term. My moms salad was roughly chopped into 3 big lettuce pieces, and the waitress did not bring any dressing for it. The Greek plate was very disappointingly bland, and most dishes were smothered in heaps of oregano,rosemary and paprika as if to mask the old taste of the food. At the end of the dinner, the waitress had the nerve to ask me to lift my plate from the table and give it to her. When she delivered the check she rudely extended her arm with the bill at the entire table instead of gracefully leaving it on top of the table and notifying us. We all left still hungry and had to cook food at home, as we were left with hunger pains and belly aches. As a local, This was my worst ever dining experience in Providence.
Tilly Badoe
We dined in last night to celebrate my daughters birthday. The ambiance( art work, lightning, set up etc) and location is great . The Saganaki cheese & Greek Calamari was excellent??. Everything else took a nose dive !! The Mediterranean platter meats were too salty and did not taste fresh at all. Pita bread ( on the platter)was smothered in some seasoning salt and oregano. The signature lamb shank with mashed potatoes was just that-nothing to write home about. Greek salad although it looked pleasing to the eye, was heavily laced with oregano in every bite! The waitress experience was not the best: we waited too long before getting cutlery to eat …(and other details that can and needs to be corrected asap).Needless to say, we were disappointed at our experience. We had to get a snack when we got back home.
Vijay S.
Good place for Greek food in downtown Providence. Large dining area including the upper level though that part's mostly not open. Got the chicken skewer gyro, lemon orzo soup, Greek salad and Greek pasta. Of everything, the gyro was the best. The rest were Aok, nothing remarkable. Service was good though the table we were seated at was quite small for 3 people. Overall decent experience.
Matt Bourgeois
Great option for dinner before a show at PPAC. Food was delicious and casual but nice atmosphere
DrPrang Dentist (prang_piyarat)
Good Smell inside like a mixture of cheese and truffle oil
Elle Jay
I have had great Greek salad and yogurt and flat bread from here. Each time it’s been delicious. However, the last two times I have come the food has not been great. The culprit- the “avocado” spread that was given to me on a sandwich and in an unfortunate looking and tasting salmon salad. The spread used on the salad today was almost unidentifiable and I thought it might have been some other kind of spread- nope- it looked like some kind of thick buttery spread that had separated with no taste and plopped right on my salad. Very unappetizing with the slimy salmon. I’ll come again- in a few months and will stick to flat breads and salads with veggies/ chicken.
Karla M.
The place is really nice on the inside. There's an open kitchen, a top level with a more romantic/dim setting, a downstairs level that's very homey, cozy, and inviting, and a marketplace all around the place with traditional Greek foods. The menu has improved from the last time I remember being there with more handheld options. We all ordered gyros as our entree and shared a tomato and cheese flatbread and rosemary fries as appetizers. Despite it being a weekday, there was quite a few people and only 1-2 servers and 1 cook so service was slow. We also got our foods incrementally so by the time two people from my party ate, the third was just getting their food. So, I can forgive them because they were short on staff but it was also not fun to eat at different times. The tomato and cheese flatbread was simple but flavorful. Especially the crust! I typically eat my crust first so I can get to the yummy part and I did just that this time but found that the crust alone was packed with flavor and was very crispy. The rosemary fries were delicious. The fries are perfect, the feta cheese is amazing, and paprika (maybe) was a good touch. They weren't too oily like most rosemary fries I've had in the past. The potato chips that came with the meal were good but I think gyros should come with fries instead, even if it means paying $1-$3 extra. The Maui sweet onion were my favorite. The gyros weren't all that. I thought the chicken was a bit bland but it was tender and easy to chew. The lamb was also tender but a bit gamey in my opinion. I really wish all gyros came with feta cheese since the classic lamb one is bland without it. Overall pricing is fair but flavor could use some improvement. We went on a Tuesday night and street parking was so hard to find so I can't imagine how it must be on weekends.
Amazing Greek marketplace with amazing food and offering. The chef and owner came out to explain what we were having and why moderation is important in life. Great sharing and why we need to enjoy our food. Life is too fast and short - stop, enjoy and eat!
Moises V.
Two nights in a row, the kitchen was backed up and beyond slow, the service was horrific. Great food but horrible service
Kelsey E.
My husband and I recently hosted our intimate rehearsal dinner at Yoleni's. We worked with the owner, Alexander, to craft a beautiful night for our family and friends that included a seated dinner (plated--we ordered off the main menu), wine and beer bar, and dessert and coffee bar. From beginning to end, the experience was absolutely exceptional. Alexander was attentive, collaborative, and extremely gracious. He listened to our vision and leveraged his expertise to steer us in the right direction. My husband and I felt strongly about hosting our dinner at a family-owned establishment with high-quality food. We were pleasantly surprised to stumble upon Yoleni's during our search, and we were hooked after our first conversation with Alexander and tour of the second floor dining room. The restaurant itself is so interesting. The first floor consists of a market and casual café-style dining area, and the second floor a more formal arrangement with beautiful exposed brick and its own bar. It offers the perfect mix of elegant yet unpretentious. He told us the story of Yoleni's and the emphasis he places on using fresh, authentically Greek ingredients. Now, the food. We ordered almost all the items available on the menu--grape leaves, spinach pies, pita, vegan farro, burger (regular and plant-based), pasta bolognese, Greek pasta, and the cod. All vastly exceeded our expectations with regard to taste, cost, and serving size. Many of our friends and family were unfamiliar with Greek food prior to this dinner, and now can't stop talking about how much they loved all the new foods they got to sample. And don't forget to try the desserts! Exceptional. Thank you to Alexander and his team for an unforgettable night! We are so grateful. My husband and I will definitely come back when we visit RI again.
kelsey4372
My husband and I recently hosted our intimate rehearsal dinner at Yoleni's. We worked with the owner, Alexander, to craft a beautiful night for our family and friends that included a seated dinner (plated—we ordered off the main menu), wine and beer bar, and dessert and coffee bar. From beginning to end, the experience was absolutely exceptional. Alexander was attentive, collaborative, and extremely gracious. He listened to our vision and leveraged his expertise to steer us in the right direction. My husband and I felt strongly about hosting our dinner at a family-owned establishment with high-quality food. We were pleasantly surprised to stumble upon Yoleni's during our search, and we were hooked after our first conversation with Alexander and tour of the second floor dining room. The restaurant itself is so interesting. The first floor consists of a market and casual café-style dining area, and the second floor a more formal arrangement with beautiful exposed brick and its own bar. It offers the perfect mix of elegant yet unpretentious. He told us the story of Yoleni's and the emphasis he places on using fresh, authentically Greek ingredients. Now, the food. We ordered almost all the items available on the menu—grape leaves, spinach pies, pita, vegan farro, burger (regular and plant-based), pasta bolognese, Greek pasta, and the cod. All vastly exceeded our expectations with regard to taste, cost, and serving size. Many of our friends and family were unfamiliar with Greek food prior to this dinner, and now can't stop talking about how much they loved all the new foods they got to sample. And don't forget to try the desserts! Exceptional. Thank you to Alexander and his team for an unforgettable night! We are so grateful. My husband and I will definitely come back when we visit RI again.
Johanna Garzon
This restaurant has became one of our favorite ones. The ambiance is amazing, the service is always friendly and accommodating and the food is the best! Everything is so flavorful, fresh and scrumptious that we find ourselves craving it often. It really is an amazing experience to visit this place. It is located in a very nice area. A plus for us is all of their vegan options. We have tried all of them and their flavors are outstanding. Their flatbread with vegan cheese is delicious. Their pita bread is unlike any other and their dips are fresh and house made. We were not familiar with Greek food but we are certainly hooked and cannot wait to go back!Vegetarian options: They have plenty of Vegan options. Their feta cheese is unbelievably scrumptious
Best Greek food
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I had went to Yolenis a while back with my now ex boyfriend. I’m from California and I just forgot to write a review tbh, but I recall having the craziest experience here. It was my first time in providence ri and how embarrassing and GHETTO. First the young white man who was serving us was in a terrible mood our food was served super late and it was pretty much empty! After that horrible experience we left without tipping, the young white male ( I wish I asked for his name) he was slim tall proceeded to chase us down the street begging for a tip whilst cursing at us! The vegan burgers were good but how unprofessional and ghetto.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 1
I went to Yoleni’s last night with my family of 4, and I have not been so disappointed in both a restaurants service and food in a very long time. We loved the ambiance, it was beautifully decorated. However, that was the best part of our unfortunate wait. We ordered food that took over 1 hour to be served. The appetizers did not come out for over an hour, along side our entrees. In between the long wait the waitress did not check in with us even once, or give us any update; there were only 2 occupied tables in the whole restaurant, including ours at the time. When our food was finally served, it became clear that the waitress was either untrained or totally incompetent. She did not bring us our cutlery until AFTER our food was served, so our food grew cold as she disappeared again. We had to hunt her down just for forks and knives so we could eat. Now for the food: the food was sub par, mediocre would be a generous term. My moms salad was roughly chopped into 3 big lettuce pieces, and the waitress did not bring any dressing for it. The Greek plate was very disappointingly bland, and most dishes were smothered in heaps of oregano,rosemary and paprika as if to mask the old taste of the food. At the end of the dinner, the waitress had the nerve to ask me to lift my plate from the table and give it to her. When she delivered the check she rudely extended her arm with the bill at the entire table instead of gracefully leaving it on top of the table and notifying us. We all left still hungry and had to cook food at home, as we were left with hunger pains and belly aches. As a local, This was my worst ever dining experience in Providence.
I went to Yoleni’s last night with my family of 4, and I have not been so disappointed in both a restaurants service and food in a very long time. We loved the ambiance, it was beautifully decorated. However, that was the best part of our unfortunate wait. We ordered food that took over 1 hour to be served. The appetizers did not come out for over an hour, along side our entrees. In between the long wait the waitress did not check in with us even once, or give us any update; there were only 2 occupied tables in the whole restaurant, including ours at the time. When our food was finally served, it became clear that the waitress was either untrained or totally incompetent. She did not bring us our cutlery until AFTER our food was served, so our food grew cold as she disappeared again. We had to hunt her down just for forks and knives so we could eat. Now for the food: the food was sub par, mediocre would be a generous term. My moms salad was roughly chopped into 3 big lettuce pieces, and the waitress did not bring any dressing for it. The Greek plate was very disappointingly bland, and most dishes were smothered in heaps of oregano,rosemary and paprika as if to mask the old taste of the food. At the end of the dinner, the waitress had the nerve to ask me to lift my plate from the table and give it to her. When she delivered the check she rudely extended her arm with the bill at the entire table instead of gracefully leaving it on top of the table and notifying us. We all left still hungry and had to cook food at home, as we were left with hunger pains and belly aches. As a local, This was my worst ever dining experience in Providence.
We dined in last night to celebrate my daughters birthday. The ambiance( art work, lightning, set up etc) and location is great . The Saganaki cheese & Greek Calamari was excellent??. Everything else took a nose dive !! The Mediterranean platter meats were too salty and did not taste fresh at all. Pita bread ( on the platter)was smothered in some seasoning salt and oregano. The signature lamb shank with mashed potatoes was just that-nothing to write home about. Greek salad although it looked pleasing to the eye, was heavily laced with oregano in every bite! The waitress experience was not the best: we waited too long before getting cutlery to eat …(and other details that can and needs to be corrected asap).Needless to say, we were disappointed at our experience. We had to get a snack when we got back home.
Good place for Greek food in downtown Providence. Large dining area including the upper level though that part's mostly not open. Got the chicken skewer gyro, lemon orzo soup, Greek salad and Greek pasta. Of everything, the gyro was the best. The rest were Aok, nothing remarkable. Service was good though the table we were seated at was quite small for 3 people. Overall decent experience.
Great option for dinner before a show at PPAC. Food was delicious and casual but nice atmosphere
Good Smell inside like a mixture of cheese and truffle oil
I have had great Greek salad and yogurt and flat bread from here. Each time it’s been delicious. However, the last two times I have come the food has not been great. The culprit- the “avocado” spread that was given to me on a sandwich and in an unfortunate looking and tasting salmon salad. The spread used on the salad today was almost unidentifiable and I thought it might have been some other kind of spread- nope- it looked like some kind of thick buttery spread that had separated with no taste and plopped right on my salad. Very unappetizing with the slimy salmon. I’ll come again- in a few months and will stick to flat breads and salads with veggies/ chicken.
The place is really nice on the inside. There's an open kitchen, a top level with a more romantic/dim setting, a downstairs level that's very homey, cozy, and inviting, and a marketplace all around the place with traditional Greek foods. The menu has improved from the last time I remember being there with more handheld options. We all ordered gyros as our entree and shared a tomato and cheese flatbread and rosemary fries as appetizers. Despite it being a weekday, there was quite a few people and only 1-2 servers and 1 cook so service was slow. We also got our foods incrementally so by the time two people from my party ate, the third was just getting their food. So, I can forgive them because they were short on staff but it was also not fun to eat at different times. The tomato and cheese flatbread was simple but flavorful. Especially the crust! I typically eat my crust first so I can get to the yummy part and I did just that this time but found that the crust alone was packed with flavor and was very crispy. The rosemary fries were delicious. The fries are perfect, the feta cheese is amazing, and paprika (maybe) was a good touch. They weren't too oily like most rosemary fries I've had in the past. The potato chips that came with the meal were good but I think gyros should come with fries instead, even if it means paying $1-$3 extra. The Maui sweet onion were my favorite. The gyros weren't all that. I thought the chicken was a bit bland but it was tender and easy to chew. The lamb was also tender but a bit gamey in my opinion. I really wish all gyros came with feta cheese since the classic lamb one is bland without it. Overall pricing is fair but flavor could use some improvement. We went on a Tuesday night and street parking was so hard to find so I can't imagine how it must be on weekends.
Restaurantji Recommends
Amazing Greek marketplace with amazing food and offering. The chef and owner came out to explain what we were having and why moderation is important in life. Great sharing and why we need to enjoy our food. Life is too fast and short - stop, enjoy and eat!
Two nights in a row, the kitchen was backed up and beyond slow, the service was horrific. Great food but horrible service
My husband and I recently hosted our intimate rehearsal dinner at Yoleni's. We worked with the owner, Alexander, to craft a beautiful night for our family and friends that included a seated dinner (plated--we ordered off the main menu), wine and beer bar, and dessert and coffee bar. From beginning to end, the experience was absolutely exceptional. Alexander was attentive, collaborative, and extremely gracious. He listened to our vision and leveraged his expertise to steer us in the right direction. My husband and I felt strongly about hosting our dinner at a family-owned establishment with high-quality food. We were pleasantly surprised to stumble upon Yoleni's during our search, and we were hooked after our first conversation with Alexander and tour of the second floor dining room. The restaurant itself is so interesting. The first floor consists of a market and casual café-style dining area, and the second floor a more formal arrangement with beautiful exposed brick and its own bar. It offers the perfect mix of elegant yet unpretentious. He told us the story of Yoleni's and the emphasis he places on using fresh, authentically Greek ingredients. Now, the food. We ordered almost all the items available on the menu--grape leaves, spinach pies, pita, vegan farro, burger (regular and plant-based), pasta bolognese, Greek pasta, and the cod. All vastly exceeded our expectations with regard to taste, cost, and serving size. Many of our friends and family were unfamiliar with Greek food prior to this dinner, and now can't stop talking about how much they loved all the new foods they got to sample. And don't forget to try the desserts! Exceptional. Thank you to Alexander and his team for an unforgettable night! We are so grateful. My husband and I will definitely come back when we visit RI again.
My husband and I recently hosted our intimate rehearsal dinner at Yoleni's. We worked with the owner, Alexander, to craft a beautiful night for our family and friends that included a seated dinner (plated—we ordered off the main menu), wine and beer bar, and dessert and coffee bar. From beginning to end, the experience was absolutely exceptional. Alexander was attentive, collaborative, and extremely gracious. He listened to our vision and leveraged his expertise to steer us in the right direction. My husband and I felt strongly about hosting our dinner at a family-owned establishment with high-quality food. We were pleasantly surprised to stumble upon Yoleni's during our search, and we were hooked after our first conversation with Alexander and tour of the second floor dining room. The restaurant itself is so interesting. The first floor consists of a market and casual café-style dining area, and the second floor a more formal arrangement with beautiful exposed brick and its own bar. It offers the perfect mix of elegant yet unpretentious. He told us the story of Yoleni's and the emphasis he places on using fresh, authentically Greek ingredients. Now, the food. We ordered almost all the items available on the menu—grape leaves, spinach pies, pita, vegan farro, burger (regular and plant-based), pasta bolognese, Greek pasta, and the cod. All vastly exceeded our expectations with regard to taste, cost, and serving size. Many of our friends and family were unfamiliar with Greek food prior to this dinner, and now can't stop talking about how much they loved all the new foods they got to sample. And don't forget to try the desserts! Exceptional. Thank you to Alexander and his team for an unforgettable night! We are so grateful. My husband and I will definitely come back when we visit RI again.
This restaurant has became one of our favorite ones. The ambiance is amazing, the service is always friendly and accommodating and the food is the best! Everything is so flavorful, fresh and scrumptious that we find ourselves craving it often. It really is an amazing experience to visit this place. It is located in a very nice area. A plus for us is all of their vegan options. We have tried all of them and their flavors are outstanding. Their flatbread with vegan cheese is delicious. Their pita bread is unlike any other and their dips are fresh and house made. We were not familiar with Greek food but we are certainly hooked and cannot wait to go back!Vegetarian options: They have plenty of Vegan options. Their feta cheese is unbelievably scrumptious