Gridskipper

Damon and Pythias is a Greek restaurant in name only, but it's worthy of inclusion. Its slogan may be "Food for the Gods," but until they find a place for feta cheese, you can only count them as poseurs of the highest… order. The dinner specials here are good, and the sandwiches are served on nice bread, but the best items here are the salads. Their spinach and southwest steak salads are excellent, or you can create your own from a choice of over twenty toppings. They also cater, so if you're getting sick of the El Pollo Loco the interns are always bringing back for lunch, make sure Pam from HR knows she has other options. Just remember to order enough garlic fries for everybody. [link]

Since this restaurant's ancient-looking website only seems to be missing a "Works with Netscape!" badge, I am glad they appear to be focusing their efforts on providing some of the best Greek cuisine in Los Angeles… instead. Their Greek Family Feast is one of the best values in town, putting 14 courses on your table for $23.95 per person. I've always liked taking Greek food novices here because the menu is good and the ambiance, complete with live music and dancing waiters, means a good time for all, even if the moussaka wasn't quite what you expected. [link]

Joseph's has solidified its reputation in Los Angeles thanks to its nightclub, which plays host to all of the famous people in LA that must be so very interesting because you see them on TMZ. It takes some courage… to get through the paps, but once inside, you'll find one of the best Greek-inspired restaurants in Los Angeles. The lamb is not the best meat here (the New York strip is better), but the rest of the Greek entrees and appetizers are worth the (very reasonable). As for the club, you can pay $14 for a drink in any number of places in this town, so I guess you can add this place to your list as well. [link]

If I were judging my list of favorite Greek places based on wine selection alone, I would surely choose Le Petit Greek as #1. Although they carry a great selection of Greek wines, their list carries varieties from… all over the world. I only wish I could rave as much about the food and service. The website says the restaurant is like a getaway in the Greek Isles, which apparently means the presence of patio seating and preoccupied waiters. There are some things on the menu that they do very well (lemon potatoes, anyone?), but there is plenty that is also just average. The prices are a little on the steep side, but the portions are large, and you rarely leave without feeling full. [link]

The conversation about best Greek food in Los Angeles should always start with Petros. It can be a little bit of a hike getting down to Manhattan Beach, and the mix of hair gel and cougars at the bar can sometimes… be distracting, but you'll completely forget about those minor details once you start eating. The menu boasts classic Greek cuisine with "haute styling," which I guess is a complex way of charging you extra to serve your food on a fancy plate. Sometimes the wait staff can be a little slow, especially if they think your Mercedes is more than a year old, but really, it's all about the food. The hummus is flavorful, the oysters are fresh, and the feta-crusted rack of lamb couldn't be more satisfying if Helen of Troy served it herself. [link]

You would think that a Greek restaurant named after perhaps the greatest hero in ancient Greek history would call itself Odysseus' Voyage, but perhaps that's why I was only a Classics minor. Nested inside one of the nicest "stalls" within the Farmer's Market, the authentic cuisine is served up seven days a week. The menu is large but I always find myself coming… back for the spanakopita and the Odysseus, er, Ulysses salad. The food is tasty and traditional, if a little overpriced, but the overall atmosphere makes up for a lot. All of that garlic may make your post-movie smooch a little less appealing, but that's nothing a few more glasses of Greek wine can't fix. [link]