Reports of the Greek Village Grille's Closure Are Greatly Exaggerated

Greek Village Grille owner, Tommy Karakostas was just as surprised as anyone else when he heard the rumor that his Lakewood restaurant was closing.

"I couldn't believe it!" he said, adding that the rumor seemed to based online.

The genesis of the rumor seems to be because the Greek Village Grille was indeed closed for a few days for cleaning and repairs. A sign was placed prominently on the front door, however, it seems that some people didn't see it and assumed that the restaurant had been closed for good. As of today, the restaurant is open and has returned to normal hours of operation.

Surprise and sadness swept over social media in response the restaurant's alleged closing. The Greek Village Grille has built a regular following in Lakewood and recently, they won Scene Magazine's Best Of Award for best Greek Restaurant. A sudden unexpected closure didn't make any sense.

Karakostas told Patch that the restaurant is actually expanding and polishing things up a bit. A new coat of paint has been applied to the front of the building and there are plans to expand the dining area. Karakostas said that he expects the renovations to be complete by Christmas.

In addition to the renovations, Greek Village is also streamlining the menu and going with fewer but higher quality selections. Karakostas said that the new menu will be out soon.

Karakostas also owns Santorini Greek Taverna in downtown Cleveland's warehouse district but said he's been spending more time in Lakewood lately. He says he loves Lakewood and has noticed many positive things happening especially on Madison Avenue. He even commented on high school football.

"I'm a Lakewood Ranger fan and I love Lakewood football, but I get more business when St. Ed's plays across the street," he said.

Greek Village Grille is located at 14019 Madison Ave. | 216-228-4976
Facebook: Greek Village Grille
Twitter: @greekvillagegr

Photos by Rick Uldricks/Patch