Review Jim's Greek Tavern - Collingwood

Love this place, just been there tonight and I want to come back already. Freshest seafood I have had in a restaurant. Never been to a Greek restaurant before. They do not have a menu but they inform you that as soon as you arrive. They give you recommendations of what to order and whether you want more seafood or meat. These men know what they are doing. All the food tasted good, not overtly cheap but well worth the money for the quality of food you get. Food is on the generous side, you will not leave hungry. I will remember to bring a bottle of wine next time as they do not sell alcohol but do BYO. Till next time!

As the name suggested, you get to experience chill, laid-back, tavern-style dining. FOOD: It started with a delicious platter, bread, grilled prawns, over-grilled gooey cheese... then moved towards an extremely salty meat platter. BYO: is allowed. TOILET: The most disgusting female toilet ever with broken doors. I lost my appetite after using the toilet. It was so disgusting :( STAFF: under-staffed just like anywhere else in Melbourne at the moment. COMMUNITY: This place has a sense of community. In the end, I still had a good time with the people I visited. Don't expect the typical restaurant experience within a hygienic environment though.

Terrible service. Grumpy waiters and there’s no menu or prices anywhere to be seen. We paid $107 for 2 people without alcohol and we ate very basic food. When we questioned the prices the guy says to us ‘you should have ordered a meat player and salad and it would have been cheaper!’. Well if we had been given a menu and the option, we probably would have. The quality of the food was good but I’ll never come back only because of the service and set up of the ordering/menu.

Really fun restaurant with great authentic greek food! The servers just bring what they think you’d like to the table and it does not disappoint. Loved all the dips, seafood, and dessert 🤍💙. Will be back 🤍💙.

Welcome to Greece!! Jim’s Greek Tavern is a great, authentic Greek tavern where they play old Greek music and have no menu. After bringing some entrées (dips, octopus, freshly-baked hot bread, salad, and more…), we just got asked if we prefer meat, or seafood. My friends preferred to have meat, so the food started coming. My favourite was the paidaka (lamb) — super succulent and cooked to perfection. Once we couldn’t fit any more food, we were offered dessert (various sweets). The service was great too! It was 6 of us and the bill came to $41.20 per person, which was amazing value for everything we had! Note that the tavern is BYO. Definitely going back, but next time I’d love to try some of their seafood!!

The food is always amazing, time & time again. Took my son for the first time, he was in love with everything! Definitely need to try this one. Haven't found as good a Greek restaurant in Sydney yet.

Amazing! 5 person banquet is more like for 7 people.....so bloody full 😁 Seafood, fresh bread, dips, lamb, chicken..... Just delicious..... Staff very helpful and accommodating

03042022 Lazarus looked after the front and he was a gun and funny. A restaurant that cooked what you order in a Greek way and the vibes takes you back to Greece. Food is absolutely delicious and everything came out hot and fast. The chicken skewer was juicy and tender. We missed out on dessert this time so make sure to let them know before they run out. —— Jim tavern 07/02/2021 A restaurant without a menu. Authentic Greek. We’ve been here a few times now and we always leave with a full belly. They offer BYO. There’s a banquet option for $60 per person or a la cart. They run through what they had and we opted for the meat platter. This place is great for small or bigger groups. Make sure to book because it gets really busy. I do feel like I’ve almost lost my voice from shouting cause the atmosphere is loud. The tapas is quite big to help start your meal. Tapas Saganaki Octopus Zucchini chips Lamb of the spit Lamb skewers Chicken skewers Dessert platter A little bit too salty here and there but still good. The Octopus, lamb skewers and dessert platter were👌🏼

Superb food. Very good service. Excellent value for a lot of food. Good with allergies. Zero $corkage

Pretty disappointing that after we order the banquet for 2 (cut a few items as it is usually for 4 people) we were then informed at the end of our meal that the octopus and calamari are “out”..... I also had ordered a take away dish of octopus to take home at the beginning of our order to avoid disappointment.<br/><br/>I don’t understand why you say we can order all these items to then just leave us disappointed.<br/><br/>Last but not least..... I noticed the calamari was still on our bill... not impressed Jim’s Greek tavern and to be honest, each time I’ve come with a group of people there has always been around 60-70 dollars left over on the bill and now I’m starting to wonder if its been on purpose.<br/><br/>I came here for the octopus and if you had of informed me it was out at the beginning (or close to being our like you did with the shaved lamb) I would’ve just ordered different dishes not the banquet. I wouldn’t have chosen the banquet menu if it was subject to change. Never again.

Arrived on admittedly a clearly busy night. Service was terrible. The customary dips and saganaki arrive without you asking for them. The saganaki is half as thin as any other restaurant and swimming in oil. The dips are also a little on the light side. Also enough of that heavy bread to feed a village. They think this goes unnoticed. Asked for a salad, grilled octopus - we are out, prawn saganaki - we are out. Okay what seafood do you have. Calamari and Scallops. Okay we order those and rissoles. Calamari arrives - with a lemon wedge maybe big enough for a gin and tonic. The scallops were bathing in oil and had grit or dirt in them. Send that back. Salad never arrived. Wine never arrived. Waiter then comes back to tell us they have run out of rissoles. Upon exiting i noticed there was still octopus in the cabinet. To top it off they charged us half the cost of the scallops which we sent back, and they weren't surprised at all that we sent it back meaning others probably already had. The two table around all left with the same frustrations. An off night probably but be honest with people when they come in and you wont get this sort of review. Ive been to this restaurant many times, never let down, from this experience i will never return.

Jim’s Greek Tavern is a well-established restaurant in Collingwood. They have a ‘no-frills’ decor but very apt for that authentic Greek resto vibe 🇬🇷 We dined here on a Tuesday night for an early Team Christmas dinner/get-together, and the place was busy. I’ve been informed that this place gets packed on Fridays and weekends. <br/><br/>We chose the banquet on offer, and boy were we treated with a mix of delicious Greek delicacies. For starters came share plates of mixed vegetables prepared in different styles, octopus salad, dips (tzatziki and eggplant) and a generous amount of warm bread. This was followed by a serve of saganaki and grilled seafood - octopus 🐙, calamari 🦑, prawns 🦐, fish 🐟. Then came the mixed meat - lamb gyros, meat balls, lamb chops and skewered lamb. Finally, we were served with an array of Greek desserts which was accompanied by Greek coffee ☕️. Overall, at $60pp this was value for money. I found the service to be quick and staff (all men) to be friendly. BYO is encouraged with no corkage fee charged. They also have fridges that patrons are welcome to use to keep chilled beverages of choice. <br/><br/>If you have a craving for an authentic Greek cuisine, then I would recommend you going to Jim’s Greek Tavern in Collingwood. They also serve ala-carte.

If you’re looking for a place to organise a group dinner, this is it! Not only can you BYO, but it’s also made for groups. A very large space, that has a homely Greek feel. It is always packed, so make sure you book ahead. And there’s no menu, they just bring out selections of dips, seafood, meats, salad and desserts. There was more than enough food for all of us, and it was all delicious, reminded me of being back in Greece! I would come back again in a heartbeat.

Jim's Greek Tavern !!!<br/>Saturday night the place is very very noisy, can't hear person sitting next to you.<br/>Food is good but they served the whole banquet in 35 minutes 😕.<br/>If you ask me would you go again?🙄 no

One of the best restaurants I've ever been to. Food is excellent, customer service is exquisite and the atmosphere (particularly at the front part of the restaurant) is great. I recommend attending in a group of 4+ so that you get an opportunity to try a selection of dishes. Have attended this restaurant several times and will be attending again in the near future!

Definitely overrated.. probably only should be between a 3.5-3.7 rating.. food was all marinated the same so it pretty much all taste the same.. everything was overly salted.. seems like typical food you could do by yourself at a BBQ at home.. customer service is horrible they’re constantly rushing around and have no time to answer any questions. We wanted coke to help wash the food down and they said they ran out of coke, tried to ask what alternative soft drinks they had but they just walked off. After that they told us we can walk down the road and buy our own coke.. with no choice of menu and $55 set menu the only option.. definitely wouldn’t come back

Delicious! Went with a large group and they easily adapted the menu to cater for our few vegetarian friends. Portions were really great sizes.

We were invited for a family birthday and had the banquet. The service was good and the servings were generous. Overall good ambiance and would recommend.

Been here 20+ times. The only great restaurant from my childhood that is still open.<br/><br/>Best octopus in town, best greek restaurant and it’s BYO. The trick here is you have to tell them the maximum you are willing to pay per head as soon as you sit down. And then run through your dishes and confirm. <br/><br/>Once that’s out of the way, sit back and enjoy!

I’ve been here in the past for a Xmas due and felt it was one of the best Greek foods I’ve ever tasted. Came here again yesterday with my partner and the food was still top notch but felt that it was on the oily side. The best was the halumi, and the calamari. The scallops were pretty small in size and oily, the prawns were not very fresh. The desert was really good to finish the night. My only concern is that this place is a no menu restaurant and your waiter is the menu. Great concept as it depends on how your waiters “sells” it to u, But the dangerous side of things, you don’t know what the cost of the dishes are. We paid a whooping $124 and we had some Greek salad on the side, which cost $12, what?? overall the staffs were very polite, great ambiance but my only feedback - it’s overpriced.

Came here with a large group for the $55 set menu banquet. Service was great with the first dishes arrive shortly after ordering. All food served was of a very high standard. Saganaki, dips and calamari were all to die for. Will definitely be returning.

Recommended by a friend. First time coming here and am surprised at how big this place is.<br/><br/>They had no menu as this is only provided verbally. The environment is fairly noisy and because there’s no menu to look at, it’s difficult to know what to order since there’s a language barrier between the waiter.<br/><br/><br/>Food came out extremely fast. However, our order was not taken correctly originally asked for a Greek salad but got given a spinach salad instead.<br/>Cheese came out to be salty. Extremely disappointed with the lamb skewers as they were extremely salt. <br/><br/>Everything was fairly average and somewhat overpriced as there is no presentation and lacks quality.<br/><br/>Food: 3/5<br/>Service: 2.5/5<br/>Ambiance: 2.5/5

I really wanted to like this place but I didn’t. We came in and were given a seat with a pillar in the way so I felt really cramped the entire time. The food also came out really slow. <br/><br/>The bread was fresh but not the best. Saganaki was chewy. Salad was average for what you’re paying. The lamb was extremely salty. Chicken skewers were the only decent dish. <br/><br/>Because there was no menu, we didn’t know how many courses there were. The waiter was friendly but should’ve explained the process to us, especially considering it’s not like other restaurants. The set up is much better catered to large groups. All in all, not a great experience.

Great place for a big group!<br/><br/>Despite having mainly meaty options, they were able to whip up some vegan options including spinach, potatoes, Mediterranean veg, dips and bread. Super tasty.

Great place if you wanna be overcharged for mediocre food. But the food is far from the main problem, the poor rating is for having to wait 40 mins to 1 hour between courses. Hell we even waited 1 hour to get a bottle of water (particularly on a hot Melb. Day). So if you want to barely eat a full banquet, have your waiter disappear like a magician, have every order requested twice to finally get it and be charged $210 for 3 people with limited dishes - go for it...but good luck 👎

If your not a regular and don’t speak Greek good luck getting served. Came here for a work Christmas break up and our waiter said he’ll choose for us. He could not even tell us the names of the dishes that were coming out. We payed 55 a head there’s no way we got our money’s worth. Food was very ordinary prawns weren’t cooked and the lamb was full of fat. Should have got a street kebab instead. <br/>

This place is an institution having been around for many many years. On weekends it’s packed to capacity and still draws the crowds.<br/><br/>I think what makes this place work is it’s unassuming unpretentious character where people wanna come eat great traditional Greek food without paying a fortune and where staff are happy and proud to work here.<br/><br/>Rustic Greek food at its best. You can also bring your own wine and keep it in the fridge there and go up and grab your bottle or bottles of wine as you need them. <br/><br/>Highly recommend this place

Was very busy / packed on a Friday night. Lots of happy people here. Good service, no menu, you are led by the waiter for selections which is good cos you get great food but not as good for the budget conscious. Food was delicous in a great setting but I'm of the view its over priced for what it is.

AMAZING! We had the banquet and everything was perfect! Be careful with the bread though - it’s super delicious and will fill you up pretty quick and seems like they come in an abundant supply 😂. The atmosphere here is great and the food is even better. Nothing fancy, just authentic Greek food at its best. Service was great and attentive as we came in a big group of about 20 and quite a few had special dietary requirements. I can’t remember the name of all the dishes but I can’t fault a single dish 🤤

Everyone who knows me knows Jim's Greek Tavern is my favourite restaurant in Melbourne.<br/><br/>Sure, there may be restaurants where the wine is better, the food more creative or the atmosphere sexier. But, if you just want some damn good food and a great time, there is nowhere better than Jim's. And if you think you know better, you don't *know*. <br/><br/>You undoubtedly wait for a table, but once you're in, you nod, you smile, you accept everything you are offered (because you will not see a menu or a price list and that is a beautiful thing) and what you get in return is glorious Greek food. In fact, the best Greek food you'll find this side of Greece. <br/><br/>From the loaded plate of dips, to the saganaki, to the charred octopus, to the beautiful blue eye and the seductively wobbly pastries weaving its way across the room to you - the whole experience is so utterly transportive, when you finally spill out onto Johnston Street four hours later and four stone heavier it all feels like a memory of the best night of your life. <br/><br/>I could go on. But I won't. Just stop reading and visit. Say yes to everything you are offered. You will not be disappointed.

Fun and lively, which is always the vibe of Greek restaurants. Lovely staff, they amazed us by learning by heart the entire menu of the night ( apparently they change it frequently) and remembered our orders (for 7people) without a miss. Food was nice too

3.5 out of 5 for overall experience. The food was really good and authentic. The entrée were a trio of dips with grilled calamari and octopus. The mains were whole grilled snapped, other tasty fish and lamb giro. Oh and we also had $12 garden salad which didn’t have much in it other than lettuce. The food was defo 4 our of 5 with the grilled fish and meat being on par with the best we have had. The whole grilled snapped was bit of a let down as it lacked flavor. The concern we had were the fact that we weren’t given much choice is terms of the menu. As we were first timers with the concept of “NO MENUE”, we had to rely on the waiter who was very nice but lacked lingual skills not being able to communicate properly. At the end the bill was around $170 for the two of us for the menu we didn’t choose. Mostafamashiat

It was my first time and apart from great Greek food, didn't know what to expect. I did get GREAT Greek food, and will definitely be going back in a more relaxed mode where I can sit back and enjoy the very basic fun and friendliness of the place. It's quite small, everyone is squeezed in, the music was fun, we were served by the manager who seemed to be cooking and ordering and everywhere at the same time. We were a bit thrown by the no menu thing, but were served a great plate of dips with a little of everything. I love Taramasalata and this was done really well, up there with the best I have tasted. The Tzadziki was super wonderful too. I'm never big on eggplant but was told it was good by those that like it. They also included eggplant chips, which I tried and quite liked. They make their own bread, which kind of grows on you, but would have liked some pita to dip and wrap some of the food in. Loved the lamb sliced off the rotating spit, just got a heaped plate full. The calamari was excellent too, but we seemed to have missed the grilled octopus which sounds great. We ordered zucchini chips which were thinly sliced rounds and just delicious. It was a little chaotic trying to catch a waiter and everyone walking in and out, but it all added to the atmosphere. We were way too full to eat any more, so took dessert home. OMG ! such a good idea to do that because the dessert was the absolute best. The custard thing was one of the best I have ever had and other pastry with nuts and honey was also devine, with a think cardamon on it. Didn't try the 3rd pastry, but definitely come back and taking dessert away again to enjoy properly when not so full. I now know why this place has been around so long and was so packed on a Monday night.

Fun friendly service! Food was delicious and fresh, favorite were the lamb chops - so tender and tasty! Iconic Greek restaurant and a must try

Authentic Greek menu. I love that its BYO too. The Saganaki is to die, for, as is the lamb. The place gets packed on a weekend, so be prepared for a loud night!

The interesting thing about this place is that it doesn't have menu. It's either you been there many times and know what to order and be like us and just go with what they recommend. The dips and the accompanying bread are great. The saganaki is served melted, hot and a little salty. The lamb skewers are massive so prepare yourself. You can taste the charcoal and smokiness from the lamb. The calamari is great but we were shocked when we saw the bill it says $30 for the calamari.<br/>

Fun night out! Don’t come here looking for a quiet dinner - the lively atmosphere, great food and laid back approach to dining make for a great place to start your night out. No menus to be seen, food is delivered banquet style to your table and is reasonably priced (~$55pp).

Amazing food! Simple delicious Greek food worth every penny you spend. The Saganaki as good as my Yia Yia's was and the Greek flavours come together and are amazing. You go for a fun night out and enjoy great atmosphere and cooking.

It couldn’t get any more authentic than Jim’s Greek Tavern!! Probably one of the best Greek restaurants I have ever tried. I loved their grilled octopus & grilled lamb chops! There is no menu but trust the servers and you’ll have a lovely dining experience. It is a no frills place though so if you’re a bit fussy on restaurants this may not be the place for you. I would personally come back on my next visit in Collingwood. Opa!

It’s ok that there are no menus. However, the waiters give you no guidance and so we ended up with a $500 bill for 6 adults and 8 kids (no alcohol). About half of the food was binned. The waiter was experienced so it made us wonder whether he deliberately misled us to order more food than we needed. They also tried to push us out because it was busy, even though we booked weeks in advance

Food was super yummy. Staff was really friendly and accomodating. I would have given this place a 5 rating only if there is a menu with pricing so that I would not get a bill shock, which indeed I have as my bill came up to $123 for 2 pax, which for me is too pricey. By knowing the price upfront at least I can eat within my budget.

Who needs a menu ? You won't when you go to Jim's. Make sure you book in advance as Jim's is always busy and so it should be after over 30 years as the best place to go for authentic Greek food in Melbourne. The staff are fast and the atmosphere is bustling, it hasn't changed in a long time, it doesn't need to. Go there with an appetite, my partner doesn't eat all day so that he is REALLY hungry. <br/><br/>Start off with the dips and their homemade bread with has a thick crust, just perfect with the 3 dips that you are given. Then the saganaki with lemon, soft yet crunchy on the edges. I can only review the seafood at Jim's, yes I know it's terrible, I've been going there for over 20 years and have not had the meat yet as we find the seafood so delicious, especially the scallops. The prawns are great, large and smoky as is the calamari. Just to be a bit healthy, have some fish, blue eye has been especially good.<br/><br/>Don't forget a Greek salad, tasty with large chunks of feta, tomato, cucumber, olives and oregano.<br/><br/>You won't have room for dessert, so take home some baklava, you won't regret it.

Solid 5. I would give it more if I could.<br/><br/>Great service.. great food.<br/><br/>Bloody great all round.<br/><br/>If you are scared of places without a menu or you don’t like amazing Greek food then it’s not for you.<br/><br/>Go in with a open mind, an open belly, some booze & some great company and you won’t be disappointed.

the place was nice and the food was alright. the meat was too salty and the fish bland though in my opinion. i knew there was not a set menu and you kind of ordered along the way but when asking for the price for food, they said it depends how much we eat. i did not feel like i ordered a lot but it ended up costing a lot more than i thought it would. on top of that, food was brought out to us even though i didnt order it and they missed out on bringing out another dish i did order. i felt i was over charged and if i knew the fish was going to cost so much, i would of not asked for it. i wouldn't go again<br/>

Had my first experience with some great company at Jim’s Greek tavern. Food was nice, but the service was poor, from them finishing off the gyros meat but not compensating us with something else, to eating mains and the young waiter bringing us the bill when we haven’t even had dessert. Never going back there again crap service.

An absolute Melbourne institution this place is a fun night out. A big, vibrant, bustling, restaurant where you kind of feel like you’ve walked into someone’s family party. This place has no menus, but the staff will ask you what you like (fish, seafood, meat etc) and then they will bring you out lots of food to share. If you like Greek food, this is an experience.

Amazingly quick service. Very friendly staff. Everything is cooked very well and fresh. Absolutely love the fish and the haloumi cheese. The potions are very generous. Love the feel and vibe of the place. 5*

The restaurant was packed when we arrived and quite noisy although the atmosphere was fun. Our waiter was very helpful and we had the banquet which was good value. Dips were very nice, as was the octopus. The seafood consisted of fresh fish and prawns. There was a variety of meats, all very tasty and filling. The dessert had a variety of treats but the highlight was the galaktoboureko - the custard was amazing. I recommend bringing in your own wine as corkage is quite cheap.

I loved this place as they serve traditional Greek food and being Greek I am very picky with it. Great atmosphere and great service too. Ill definitely be back!

Nice busy dining room with friendly staff. Food was fresh and very tasty, from the haloumi to the lamb gyros to the salads. Can definitely recommend.

Best old school Greek in melbourne! No menu can be hard if you're not too familiar with Greek food but take the time to ask what's on offer as opposed to getting the standard set menu. Quail, scallops, octopus, saganaki and chicken skewers are my personal go to.

The best greek food ive had thus far. Amazing flavours. Meat was cooked perfectly. The prawns were very fresh and full of flavour. The galaktoboureko was amazing. The custard was warm and soft. Definitely be going back.

Best genuine Greek taverna in Melbourne. Hasn't changed in 20 years. Staff are friendly, food comes out fast. Go the banquet, won't be disappointed.

The food was great. We had lamb gyros, chicken skewers and blue eye fillet. All tasted great and grilled to perfection. The biggest downside is lack of a menu and a price list. We had no idea of what's offered. The waiters were friendly. At the end, we were surprised with the price $170 for a party of 4 while we only ordered 3 main dishes, 1 entry and 1 dessert + wine. We could have the same food in other great greek restaurants for a price of max $150 or even less. I even felt they charge whatever they like with presenting no clear bill.

Eccentric and efficient service. No menu. Eat what’s fresh today from the display. The starter of dips, olives and pickled veg is great with some saganaki and lemon. I love the lamb, calamari and fish.

1. Ambience = imagine a night in Greece sitting at a tavern <br/>2. Authentic = No fancy stuff, just traditionally made Greek food boasting delicious flavours<br/>3. No menu = ask and you shall receive! Grilled seafood, lamb or chicken gyros, Greek salad and try the galatiporekou (Greek custard slice)<br/><br/>Only thing this place doesn't serve Pita bread, but they do serve hot crunchy bread that goes superbly well with taramasalata and eggplant dips ( my 2 favourites!!)<br/><br/>Also, there's s difference in quality of food when you go on a weekday or weekend, this place is hectic on weekends so do try booking in on a quiet day to truly experience the flavours!<br/><br/>Enjoy ✌️

This is the second time i have been to this place. First time they ran out of meat... apparently this happens alot there. Second time was ok. We went as a group of 12. Food was average. Fish was lovely but everything else had a lack of flavour or seasoning. Found the staff a little touchy feely with the ladies as they walk them in they place their hand on their backs and guide them. Completely unnecessary. The guy serving us was lovely.

Jim’s Greek Tavern provides authentic Greek food, service and atmosphere. The restaurant does not use menus therefore ordering is done discussing with staff members how much you want and any dietary requirements. The food is always flavoursome and well cooked, a great variety and great value

It's "still" happening after all these years ....<br/><br/>For a "home-style" Greek feast and atmosphere you can't beat this place I reckon; two seating for dinner 18:00 & 20:00, packed, loud, squeezed and you have to be hungry ...<br/><br/>No need to order when you have your Greek bro orderimg those yummy stuff for us, my job was easy, just keeping everyone hydrated with our BYO wines.<br/><br/>What a great service, pleasant and attentive service from this young Ukranian, fluent Greek and English speaking waiter.<br/><br/>Atmosphere, BYO, delicious, easy to understand, no non-sense food, just got to be back to this happening tavern, efharisto my bro George. JT-07/10/2017.

Very busy and hard to get a table. Need to book because if you just walk in, you're chases of getting a table a slim to none. They have no menu and they just start bringing out food. Amazing meals and great for sharing with the whole family. Can't wait to go back.

Reasons why this place doesn't get a 5: no menu so it's confusing and you don't know what they've got or the prices SO really recommend going with a Greek friend who knows their shit. <br/>Other than that I adore this place and have had an amazing time each time I've eaten here. There are so so so many delicious options so many choices of seafoods and meats, there's something for everybody. It's a really unique place with the loveliest and happiest staff with good quality authentic Greek food that will leave you in a food coma!

This place is really hard to review. It's one of the more unique restaurants in Melbourne, and it's an institution. I've stopped going here because the lack of menus and posted prices means you really are paying Russian Roulette with the bill: I've paid everywhere from $30 to over $80 per head, without that much different in quantity or quality of food and drinks. The bigger bills left me feeling a bit hustled.<br/><br/>If you can manage it, your best bet is to go here with a regular who knows the staff, or someone (preferably Greek) who is good at befriending waiters. The difference in service and bill size when that's true was significant. <br/><br/>The food is really good and it has a pretty unique bustling atmosphere. I would recommend going here at least once and deciding whether it's for you. I've decided it's not for me, but it's undoubtedly one of the more interesting restaurants Melbourne has to offer.

I have mixed feelings about this place, like a bell-curve<br/>_____----------_____<br/>We walked in to this super busy bustling place and waited about 5 minutes to be approached and gave our booking reference. We were seated immediately, but it was in line with the constantly closing door, and the back of my chair was sometimes bumped throughout dinner by people walking through the main area behind me. I instantly asked if we could move to a different table but was denied the request. So we sat down and were quite soon approached by a waiter who was very lively and helpful and asked if we'd like some mixed dips and octopus. We'd never been here before so we had no idea what to expect and we said yes to almost all of his recommendations throughout the night. The waiter Artemis was sensational and extremely attentive, even though it was a super busy friday night. Although to be honest at the end we'd assumed it wouldve been like a $50 a head and chose your dishes kind of thing, only because we were never shown a menu or proces were never discussed. So when the $135 bill came for 2 people we were a little surprised (not in a good way) but the food was fantastic so it was fine. Very traditional greek food but if they dont have a set price they really should be communicating a menu.. we will be back but to order just a few of the dishes - the prawn and grilled octopus was sensational! Grilled chicken skewers were nice but we were surprised no chicken on the spit, only lamb. Hellenic Republic in Brunswick East still takes my prize for favourite Greek food in Melbourne.. and paying $135 you can have 2 dinners for 2 people at Hellenic.<br/>I definitely recommend a visit to Jim's as it was a great experience, but need to be weary of the $$.and prepared to take some noise in.

Great service but the lack of menus mean that you don't know what you're getting and what you're paying. For 2 people it came to $93 and the food was average at best... We were served dips and bread first. Secondly a plate of lamb and 6 lamb cutlets with a plate of salad and fried cheese? To finish there was a custard desert which was probably the best thing that came out. Definitely not worth the money for the quality and quantity of food. Don't waste your money here... You can get the same quality and amount of food for way less.

IHaving come to this restaurant over the years extremely sad to see it declining slowly. Used the love the antics of the over the top Greek waiters as they were full of character and great guides to the food.<br/>Unfortunately on our last visit last week sad to see not one Greek waiter Rather staff from India and Asia. While there is nothing wrong with having different nationality of waiters I do prefer to be guided by a Greek waiter when it comes to authentic Greek food.<br/>For a Thursday night it was obviously quite when compared to previous visits.<br/>The hustle and bustle that previously added to the atmosphere was lacking.<br/>The food well ok but again seemed to be lacking the wow factor that had pleasured us over the years.<br/>It was a sad experience on this night expediting our need to now find another Greek restaurant.

Amazing restaurant with a truly authentic feel (even though I've never been to Greece). Came with a group of friends and got the buffet of food which ranged from dips to seafood to lamb & beef and finished with baklava & Turkish delights for desert with a coffee. All was outstanding, including the service and atmosphere. Hard to fault.

Find us on instagram: loveatfirstbite_aus<br/><br/> Jim’s Greek Tavern is practically a Melbourne institution. What is most interesting about the dining experience at Jim’s Greek Tavern is that there is no menu, instead, the waiter verbally presents you with food options and offers suggestions, and you’re able to request any dishes you want. I came here one Saturday night for dinner with a friend and will share that experience with you.

I've never been disappointed with the food at this venue. It is a popular restaurant pricing itself on fresh produce. Top notch service. Food was brilliant. The dips amazing. Grilled octopus,calamari,saganaki amazing. Overall great experience.

Jim's is home cooking at its finest. One of the best Greek Taverns around. Went on a Sauturday night and it was shoulder to shoulder, this did not stop us from getting exceptional service. The verbal menu was fun and everything provided was delicious. None of this contemporary dining with deconstructed / my interpretation of a dish, just your food on a plate. Authenitic and definitely worth a visit.

Food was great. Service was great until the restaurant got very busy and waiters got so frustrated and became very rude to us.<br/><br/>It was our first time here. We had a banquet course ($55 per person) but got kicked out of our table while waiting for our coffee (last course). The guy who kicked us out said that we had no time for our coffee because he needed a table (we still had to pay $55). While we were leaving, we got our coffee but obviously we didn't finish because we had to rush out.<br/><br/>Even though we liked the food so much but at the end, because of bad experience so we will not go back nor recommend this place to anyone. Paying $55 per head for this place is not worth it.

Good family Greek food, it just keeps coming and coming. Approx $55 per head without drinks. Great for groups, but you must book in advance.

the phone booking conversation had me think they wont have my booking when we arrived but thankfully they did. This place is no fuss good food, no menu and everything is basic. But the food is really good. I dont eat lamb because i cant stand the smell of lamb, but Jim's lamb chops are delicious and no smell. I dont know what menu prices are supposed to be but we had dips, octopus, saganaki, lamb, king george whiting and salad for $60 a head. Wont say its cheap but yes its very good greek food.

Came here for a birthday of 20 people. Great staff and service definately will come back!! Food was also awesome! Seafood was on point especially the calamari.

Jim's Greek Tavern is the whole package; incredible food, cosy and authentic environment and friendly waiters. <br/><br/>We were served a a basket of bread (fresh and warm) with a platter of dips and an assortment of different entrees to start off with. For the main, our waiter delivered a 'talking menu' consisting of different meats as mains; we were able to select individual mains or be given a selection to try (which we opted for). This included a grilled blue-eyed barramundi (cooked to absolute perfection and definitely the highlight of the night), lamb cutlets, lamb kebab meat, calamari and a Greek salad. For dessert we had a small piece of baklava each.<br/><br/>I enjoyed the tavern style and authentic vibe of the restaurant. Completely full Friday and Saturday night, so bookings are highly recommended.

The food at this place is absolutely amazing. They can handle everything from a couple to a large group and always blow your mind. What I love about this place is the informal menu, you don't really get to choose what you want, the staff just ask if you would like something then bring it to you. Meals usually start with bread and dips, followed by saganaki, then a selction of lamb chicken or seafood all charcoal grilled to perfection served with a basic but delicious side salad followed by traditional greek desserts. Wine comes by the carafe in either red or white and is light and easy to drink.<br/><br/>I definitely recommend checking this place out for amazing food.

The food was amazing! :) I kind of like the idea of no menus. The waiter did a great job with suggesting what food to eat. It is a bit expensive but it's worth it, the quality of the food is really good! Will definitely be going back there :)

Traditional food and atmosphere - nice. A little over priced. A little noisy. Asked for dessert and instead of getting a menu (didn't see one at all) the waiter brought a selection of desserts. Busy busy waiters. Great turn over of food. We felt we were in their way and an inconvenience. All a bit confusing.

A little taste of Greece in the heart of Collingwood! Great food Greek service like they do it in Greece! Dips are nice food is fresh and good serves! Grab a Greek friend and give it a go! Parking is not the best on the weekend takes a while to score a good one! BYO alcohol works ok too! 🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷

Loveeee Jim's ❤️Went here twice last week - I'd never get sick of it.<br/><br/>Generally to start we have: saganaki and tarama withsome fried zucchini chips (ask for them instead of potato) 👌🏼 they also give you a small warm loaf of bread 🤤<br/><br/>Then the other day had fried calamari but sometimes also get grilled octopus (vinagery) or scallops (garlicey) ....<br/><br/>Then beyond that if we want to punish ourselves with food a little more we go keftedes, some sort of meat (liver or fish or lamb or chicken) and Greek salad. Although I think they also do like a garden salad with lettuce that I'll prob get next time. <br/><br/>It helps that I go there with someone who speaks Greek if you've been you'll understand what I mean.<br/><br/>🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷

Food was average and beware the pushy waiters and lack of menus. It wasn't until the end of the meal that we were presented with an over priced bill. No menus seems to mean they can over charge you for the average food. This place is a scam. Fine dining is cheaper!! Wont be going back.

It's always good. Sometimes it's amazing and just blows your mind away but I've been going for years and at worst it's amazing. The meat is so full of flavour and tastes so authentic. The dips are as good as you are ever going to get. The saganaki is something else. No matter what anyone says this place has Melbourne's best saganaki. The service can be a little better and they can one of these days print a menu but I don't care. It's the best Greek in Melbourne by a long shot.

What a f@kn restuarant man!! This is my new favourite place now. Holy shit! Haha <br/>You need to just relax, bring some beers and let the waiters surprise you with dishes. Awesome night!

Authentic Greek food - freshest ingredients and always great service - the seafood is amazing. My favourite scallops in Melbourne by a long shot!

For a restaurant located outside of Oakleigh it's a very popular establishment. <br/><br/>The food is good, generous serve nor can I fault the service either. My only real compliant is that the lamb dish was quite salty which detracted from the taste which was unfortunate. That aside worth a visit if the trek to Oakleigh is too far.

Greek is my favourite cuisine and Jim's didn't disappoint me. great food nice place and it's really got a nice style. But some of the waiter are rude but overall it's good.

Food was quality taste and massive flavours. Bit confronting if you don't know what you're walking into! Embrace the atmosphere and you'll have the time of your life.

If you like being yelled at and being overcharged. By all means, come to jims. Definitely entertaining for the first half hour but after you wait over and hour for your mains and have to listen to constant yelling then your patience wears very thin. Won't be coming back.

Not much to say that hasn't been said before. Authentic food. Honest Greek cooking. Basic service (as you would receive in Greece). Don't expect anything original or imaginative. Just guzzle the cheap house wine and stuff yourself silly.

Traditional Greek style tavern really giving you that authentic feel. Super friendly service and really delicious Greek food! Went there in a large group of 20, everyone accommodated for and enjoyed the food!

One of the only original taverns in the inner city. Authentic food. No modern twists and hokeypokey garnishes. Good greek food served at good prices. No george calombaris bullshit of over charging and stupid interpretations of dishes bla bla bla. This is THE The real deal. For all you non ethnics this is where you go for a greek tavern meal!

Just go. Tell yourself you are actually in Greece and all of a sudden the lack of menus, inattentive service and crazy waiters makes perfect sense. It's the closest restaurant you will find in Melbourne to compare to a 'real greek tavern'. Food is simple, but tasty and it will certainly be an experience. Enjoy.

It would be impossible for me to write about Jims Greek Tavern in some singular, didactic way and have it bear any resemblance to the truth. It was an experience of polarities. I was elbowed in the head at least twice, and portions of our meals were piled on to each other when served to ‘save space’. The food was delicious. So much so, our group couldn’t decide on the best dish. As loathe as I am to admit it, a personal truth (pluralistic, I know) is often found in your contradictions, and I suspect a real sense of identity can survive these polarities. I therefore do not consider it a huge issue. <br/>Our waiter was a gentle man. <br/><br/>8/10 would definitely get clonked in the head for again

I've been going to Jim's Greek Tavern for close to 15 years and enjoy it every time. Yes it's different and doesn't have a menu and seems a little old school but that doesn't take away from the quality of the food. I've never had a bad experience, the food is always delicious and I actually enjoy how it's different. No pretension or food snobbery, just delicious eats.

Nick was fantastic but the guy organizing seating at the front of house was incredibly rude! Food was great and traditional. FYI- BYO only.

Food was good. I loved that there was no menu with prices... we put full trust into the workers and chefs. Make sure you're aware of this if you haven't been and if you can I'd suggest that you go with someone who has been before. Also tell the workers if you do or don't want something and they are happy to accommodate - they just start serving plates!

I must say what an entertaining evening- food was amazing and the place was packed and apparently it's been a booming business for decades BUT I felt like I was in a Greek establishment in the early 60s long before I was born!!! There's no menu so the waiters recite what's on the menu to you verbally and once you've agreed on your entrees they go and scream the orders to the kitchen- then the next screaming match is when you order your mains and all the waiters fight while they're grabbing plates from the kitchen to plonk on your table- so everyone's running and screaming and it feels like you're in the middle of a cock fight. This sort of establishment should be illegal in 2016 and actually gives modern Greek restaurants a bad name- my group and I ate as quickly as possible, paid our bill and realized how far forward the Greek community has really moved - but if you ever want to experience a sixties Greek restaurant - go to Jim's Greek tavern - by the way I'm of Greek heritage and it was overwhelming even for me- but as I said before the place is packed, so obviously it must appeal to a certain demographic!!!!

This is a straight up bullsh*t hustle. No menus, no prices, one option. Hey just make up any price at the end and I guess I'll have to pay it. Some rubbery calamari and octopus were the low lights, with no major highlights. The lamb was okay. $120 for two on a Monday night feels like robbery

Food is good I must say but where's the menu. Never know what your in for. Always a rip off in the end and the waiters are shocking no manners. <br/>But hey they must be doing something right it's always jamming

Jims never really fails to disappoint! I'm not sure if it's the 80's decor, the angry old Greek waiters arguing with one another or the great food that makes me go back. It's just a easy place to go eat, take your own alcohol and end up thinking 'is that all?' when the bill comes. <br/>I took 7 people for my bday dinner there and the whole bill was less than $250. This with really good food and leaving absolutely full. A lot better that some of the modern Greek places and more like what you get back<br/>In Greece.

Food awesome, service awesome, venue awesome, some patrons can be awful as there rude and abrupt and have no consideration for anybody else, but that's standard at Greek restaurant!!!

Typical Melbourne Greek tavern. Also inconsistent all round. Service can vary from good to lazy, food can vary in quality and the banquet servings can vary from super stingy to too much to handle. There are better Greek taverns in Melbourne, that's for sure.

Great authentic Green food with authentic serice. Everything was delicious. The athmosphere was quite rustic, but lovely...<br/>Try the grilled fish and the saganaki!

You don't go here if you want silver service and smiling faces. This is where you let the staff choose your meal and let them do what they do best, and they really do it the best. A Melbourne institute that continues to deliver on delicious authentic Greek food.

I understand that a business is there to make money - but do you need to make it all on one bill.  I went here with 2 of my friends and our bill came to $250, no drinks.  Food was good, but not that good.  Not sure why a mixed grill for two is worth $50 when it essentially had some Giro, a couple of lamb chops & a skewer? I have no problem paying out for a great meal, but the lack of a menu left a very hefty surprise at the end of the night.  Lesson learned.

Since there is no menu to be seen there, I thought I'd go out of my way and post our bill so people know what they're in for. It's simple Greek food and we didn't have any drinks or dessert, should not have come to $50 per head. If we knew it would have came to so much we would have told the waiter to hold off on a few items, but we didnt know the prices as there is no menu. $55 for 10 small chops? Really? $40 for 2 serves of mixed dips? $32 for a serving of calamari... This place has so much potential but sadly we all walked out feeling robbed. I don't know how this place is so busy all the time, I wonder if people get charged different amounts? I guess I'll never know.