This is a real find, such great food in a very small-town type of location. There are 2 signs on the 10 freeway one going East and one going West. A lot of their business is from people traveling to and from the desert, but there also is quite the local following. It’s right on the main drag, whoever is dining at The Fat Greek is guaranteed to be transported to Greece and enjoy some great Greek fare.
The Fat Greek has been at this location for the last 18 years, Owner Nicolas Houvardas owned a Mexican restaurant Casa Picante in the eastern part of San Diego County. But this place is really a family affair, with his brother Chris in the kitchen and his lovely 86 years young mom Melachrisi sharing her recipes. Plus, he is very lovely girlfriend Siran, when I was there, she was running out orders and helping anyway she can with the nights service. But her other job is in real estate, so she can really tell you all about this great area and beyond. Otherwise, he has around 8 other employees that all love their jobs. He was born in Canada but spent most of his summers with his immediate family in Greece, for 3 months out of the year. So, when the opportunity arose to open up a authentic Greek restaurant in Yucaipa he jumped at the chance to have successful establishment in this small town.
Yucaipa is really the up-and-coming new wine region in California. With lots of city meetings happening about the allocation process. There really is no competition in this area for authentic Greek food, so why not, and they do have great Greek wine as well.
Not only does Nicolas provide this San Bernadino bedroom community with amazing Greek food, but he also is somewhat of a travel guide, mapping out fun trips for his customers on where to go and what to do in Greece. There are many video screens playing informational stories about Greece, alongside dancing entertainment videos, that put you in the right spirit!
The beauty about the building that The Fat Greek is housed in is that it used to be an A & W Root Beer restaurant complete with a drive thru, which is still used to this day. It really helped during Covid for no contact service as well as people picking up. Customers call ahead and pick up their orders through the drive through, so it all works very well.
Here’s what I tried:
Drinks:
Traditional Martini, the perfect martini, with a traditional martini glass.
Greek Martini, this one had Ouzo in it, which made for a very strong cocktail.
Appetizers:
Loukaniko (Greek Sausage), Greek-style pork sausage flavored with orange rind and Burgundy wine. Served with fresh Artisan pita bread and tzatziki. The sausage is sweet but savory, the whole presentation and the flavor is just amazing.
Spanakopita, with spinach and feta cheese pie baked in the oven with layers of phyllo dough. The flaky dough and the simple ingredients make this a must have starter.
Hummus & Pita Bread, with blended chickpeas, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, tahini, and seasoning served with fresh Artisan pita bread. This is always a healthy and delicious choice and they do a really great job with their hummus.
Tzatziki & Pita Bread, Greek yogurt dip mixed with cucumbers, garlic, dill, extra virgin olive oil and seasoning. Served with fresh Artisan pita bread. The Tzatziki is filled with rich garlic flavor, it’s also a great accompaniment on any gyros or meat dishes.
Onion Rings, homemade, beer-battered onion rings deep-fried to perfection, with freshly made, creamy ranch dressing. My favorite part of any meal, and these are done to perfection.
Falafel Balls, with ground garbanzo beans seasoned with fresh herbs from our garden, parsley, onions, and garlic. Served with a side of homemade hummus and tzatziki, Greek Kalamata olives, and lemon wedges. These falafels have a most unique flavor profile, I just want to eat them all day.
Fried Calamari Rings, seasoned calamari rings soaked in buttermilk, then lightly battered, and fried to golden perfection. Served with our homemade cocktail sauce. It’s a really nice battered texture, very thick and crisp, but the calamari is tender and piping hot. A great starter.
Soups & Salads:
Avgolemono Soup, homemade classic Greek soup with chicken, orzo rice, and blended vegetables in a delicious egg, and lemon broth. A very southing comforting soup with the perfect addition of lemon added.
Greek Salad, spinach, spring mix, and lettuce topped with cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, crumbled Greek feta cheese, Kalamata olives, and pepperoncini, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and house-made vinaigrette. Served with fresh Artisan pita bread. This is a very straight forward refreshing healthy salad, just the best Greek salad I have had in a while, it’s got to be the great homemade dressing.
Dinner:
Lamb Chop Dinner, with three lollipop lamb chops marinated in wine, garlic, and rosemary, and grilled to perfection. Served with rice pilaf, string beans, Artisan bread, and fresh tzatziki. Comes with your choice of Greek salad or soup. The lambchops are seasoned with subtle flavors, tender and balanced, just delicious.
Gyros, Burgers, Burritos, and Sandwiches:
Traditional Gyro, their famous gyro is carved off our vertical spit into thin layers with hefty portions of meat. Wrapped in our Artisan pita bread, and topped with onions, fresh tomatoes, and our homemade tzatziki sauce. The meat on this delicious dish is so flavorful, with the yogurt sauce it’s a real winner.
Dinner:
Moussaka Dinner, this iconic eggplant casserole dish is layered with potatoes, ground beef, and eggplants, and topped with a rich béchamel sauce. Served with rice pilaf, Greek salad, Artisan pita bread, and fresh tzatziki. Probably the best Moussaka I have ever had, with the nice layers, it really hit the spot.
Desserts:
Kadaifi, simply an amazing dessert made with walnuts and other nuts. Scented with ground clove and cinnamon, wrapped into buttery, crispy Kadaifi dough, and bathed in lemon-scented syrup. Save room, you too will be oh so happy.
Flogeres, rolled-up layers of phyllo dough stuffed with honey, almonds, walnuts, cinnamon, and dark chocolate. The chocolate is the best part of this wonderful ending to my great meal.
Their restaurant is decorated in the colors of the Greek flag, blue: representing the clear, refreshing, cool and beautiful Adriatic and Mediterranean waters, and White: representing the pure and natural products they offer. they offer authentic, and traditional Greek cuisine, from the recipes of their parents, grandparents, and forebearers in the Greek islands. They use local organic produce. They pure virgin olive oil is imported from Greece. Their herbs are grown from seeds brought here from Greece: oregano, rosemary, thyme, basil, dill, and anise, which they pick, dry, and crush by hand. They proudly serve a variety of Greek wines, and beers. Each dish they serve, is made-to-order, with all fresh ingredients at the time of request.
They serve a variety of fresh authentic Greek casseroles, sandwiches, salads, appetizers, beverages, and desserts, prepared daily on the premises, with caring hands. Their portions are generous, and all of their food is made with much love and attention to each small detail. They educate our customers in the particulars of our unique cuisine, the cooking methods, and the ingredients. They gladly share our joy of the craft with all who cross our threshold, and endeavor to offer everyone a fresh, healthy, and delicious Greek meal, their lively Greek music, along with a large dose of the friendly Greek hospitality for which our people are famous. Their policy, as always, is to “EAT GREEK, LIVE LONG”! OPA!
In the past they have had live music and Karaoke which they plan on starting up again. They also do and great business in catering parties, and they have a delivery van. So next time you’re trying to impress your party goers try going Greek!!
The Fat Greek
33265 Yucaipa Blvd.
Yucaipa, CA. 92399
909 – 797 – 6018
*Some content was taken off of their website.
