Yaya's Hellenic Kitchen & Bar

Yaya's Hellenic Kitchen & Bar

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+61 7 4031 3033+ Add website
Hours
Sun
5:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Mon
5:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Tue
5:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Wed
5:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Thu
5:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Fri
5:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Sat
5:00 pm - 10:00 pm
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Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Ratings and reviews
4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles
Travellers' Choice Best of the Best 2024

RATINGS
Food
4.4 of 5 bubbles
Service
4.4 of 5 bubbles
Value
4.2 of 5 bubbles
Atmosphere
4.5 of 5 bubbles
About
Dinner from 5pm - Yaya’s is family & locally owned, wih traditional Greek & Mediterranean food & a beautiful balcony overlooking the Esplanade with great views. Private functions with no charge for the space, are available for Lunch & Dinner celebrations/meetings etc, please check conditions/menus with Manager.
CUISINES
Mediterranean, Greek
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options
Meals
Dinner, Drinks
FEATURES
Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Highchairs Available, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Gift Cards Available
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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles1,143 reviews
Excellent
743
Very good
216
Average
81
Poor
47
Terrible
58

HayleyD
Stoke-on-Trent84 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2025 family
Excellent quality food, the lamb skewers were so soft and tender, and the rest of the meal was perfect too. Service was great, very attentive and the manager came over a couple of times to check all was good, he was very friendly and gave the kids a complimentary kiddie cocktail, very reasonable pricing too. Would recommend 👌🏻
Written 1 January 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Colin I
4 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2024 couples
We tried Yaya’s on spec on Saturday night. It was busy but they managed to squeeze us in. Very glad they did! All the dishes we had were excellent. In particular they really know how to use herbs to lift the flavour of dishes. Service was efficient and friendly, with a good atmosphere of other diners seeming to enjoy their food as much as we did! We went back again the following night and the dishes we had then were just as good; particularly liked the tsatsiki. An excellent Greek restaurant, at least the match of anywhere we’d been in Greece and Cyprus. If in Cairns, give it a try!
Written 17 November 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Culture25316361646
Tokyo16 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2025 couples
我和妻子两个人选择了Feast for two,每个人60澳元。带给我们的惊喜远超我们的期待。这个价格在东京也吃不到如此美味的希腊料理,颠覆了景点和旅游城市带给我们的固有印象。老板人也非常友善且精力充沛,不停的忙前忙后,我甚至没有看到他坐下休息,能看出是一个十分热爱自己事业的人 My wife and I chose the "Feast for Two," priced at 60 AUD per person. It exceeded our expectations and left us pleasantly surprised. You couldn’t find such delicious Greek cuisine at this price even in Tokyo. It completely changed our preconceived notions about food quality in tourist destinations and cities. The owner was incredibly friendly and energetic, constantly bustling around. I didn’t see him sit down to rest even once—you can tell he is deeply passionate about his work.
Written 14 January 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Alan M
13 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2024 couples
Tourist prices, small serves, had to ask where our drinks were well after entrees had been served and then only one drink came out. Don't serve three pieces to couple to have to share, just mean. Seafood mix was very sparse but otherwise all the food was very well cooked. Won't be back tho.
Written 20 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

barry e
2 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2024 couples
Our visit to this restaurant was influenced by the reviews and until the lamb chops arrived everything was passable. The 2 tiny boneless chops that arrived after a 40 minute wait were nothing like those that are advertised on their home page . They were grossly overcooked and when I pointed out that - unless requested otherwise — lamb should always be served medium rare they seemed surprised at this . Obviously there are no chef’s here - only burger flippers . Because of this I rate this establishment — along with far too many Cairns restaurants — only for one off tourists .
Written 14 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Steve J
2 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2024 family
We opted to dine at Yayas Hellenic Kitchen and Bar in Cairns despite hearing mixed reviews from locals. Although the staff were friendly, our dining experience fell short of expectations this time. The menu prices seemed steep considering what was served. The chargrilled octopus tentacle, priced at $23, was well-cooked and seasoned but felt overpriced for its small portion size. The $40 Lamb Souvlaki featured three well-cooked lamb fillet skewers, but the experience was marred by overcooked packet chips and a scanty salad. The salad comprised just a few lettuce leaves and a couple of cherry tomatoes drowning in an overly sweet dressing; perhaps adding olives and feta would have elevated it to a more authentic Greek salad. The small portion of pita bread further contributed to the feeling of overpricing. The $30 vegetarian Moussaka had an imbalance of potato to eggplant, with an underwhelming amount of eggplant. Additionally, the dish was served cool in the middle, which was disappointing. In comparison, we've had better Moussaka at local pubs. Despite the friendly staff and a relatively quiet restaurant, we noticed other tables having to inquire about their drink orders. We also experienced a mishap when a waiter accidentally spilled a full bottle of beer on our table. While accidents happen, it did detract from our overall dining experience. In summary, although the staff were welcoming, we found the meals to be average and not worth the prices charged at Yayas Hellenic Kitchen and Bar. I regret not providing this feedback to the friendly staff when we settled the bill. I believe they would have appreciated hearing it.
Written 11 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Achim M
Berlin19 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 couples
We tired Yaya‘s and are completely disappointed. Not comparable to Greek Restaurants in Europe. Good view, friendly atmosphere, but that‘s all. The Food is scarce, 4 spoons of entrees 24 aud, the chicken Souvlaki are short and have a strange meat texture . The speciality of the House is not available and is substituted by lamb ribs of poor qualitiy. Most customers are served a complimentary bottle of water for us the weiter has a bottle of water that claims to come from Tuscany but tastes very local for 8aud. And for finissage the take a surcharge for Card payment which is unusual in high priced Restaurants like this. They obviously don‘t expect us to come back. And that is correct. Tourists beware!
Written 25 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

geckopoo
Queensland708 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
July 2023 couples
As soon as we booked our accommodation in Cairns, I immediately booked our first dinner here online. I didn’t want to miss the opportunity of indulging in my favourite cuisine. My husband had been up here for a conference last year and tried three times to get in without a booking - unsuccessfully! So glad I did. It was buzzing on a Sunday night and rightly so! The food is really good here and if you get the banquet (11 dishes for $55 per person: a veritable feast of Greek entrees, dips, salad, seafood and meat dishes and of course dessert), good value too. From the moment you get up the stairs to the restaurant and warmly welcomed by Kostas you are transported to Greece by the ambience, the music and familiar smells of calamari, grilled lamb plus the piquant vinegary essence of feta. Yummmmm! The wait staff are lovely and efficient. The orders were well-paced, we never had to wonder when the next dish would come along. The portions were perfect so one is overfaced early on. A glass of Greek red (Nemea wine made with agiorgitiko grapes) certainly lifts the meal to a sublime level. We started with the traditional trio of dips (taramosalata, tzatziki and our favourite feta and chilli, plus a tray of warm sourdough bread) plus grilled capsicums and pan fried saganaki cheese. This is followed by calamari fritti and grilled prawns, then a sampler of meat dishes consisting of grilled lamb cutlets and chicken skewers plus some Greek salad. And then dessert: baklava and galactobureko. Whew! A perfect finish and we didn’t need a passport. We loved it so much we booked another dinner a week later at the end of our holiday.
Written 3 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Beau F
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 couples
Wow Wow Wow, the best meal I’ve had in a long time! Yaya’s is one of those rare places where you don’t care what the food costs because the experience is so good. We were greeted by the Friendly Costa at the door and were extremely well looked after by the staff throughout the night. I had the Special slow cooked lamb and my god it fell off the bone and was perfectly balanced with a zingy sauce. My parter had the lamb kebabs which was paired with a delicious fresh salad and tziki dip. It was so refreshing to have a meal at a restaurant where the staff were clearly passionate and that was clearly reflected in the quality of the food. YAYA’s is a Cairns must!
Written 17 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ToujoursLaRoute
Paris1249 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2023 couples
Pleasant surprise, a real Greek restaurant far far away from Greece! We've been welcomed by the owner with Greek greetings, we served Ouzo and some olives...the Greek plates are strongly represented on the menu. Even if some dishes were too rich in fat, we spent a nice evening for a reasonable price.
Written 2 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Chay C
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2022 none
After eating at many of the places around Cairns I've been thoroughly impressed by Yaya's. The service is some of the best I've experiencedin the area, with plenty of attention given to the table, but without being bothersome. The restaurant manager kindly made an extra effort to seat us at a particularly nice table with views over the esplanade after a request in our original booking for a table with a view - though with such a great atmosphere any table would likely have been just as good. The food itself was very nice and fairly priced, we opted for the shared set menu which was generous in portions and offered a nice variety of dishes to try. The Saganaki cheese is so good. We will definitely be visiting again!
Written 3 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sue R
Wellington57 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
July 2023 couples
We loved our light dinner at Yaya’s kitchen while staying in Cairns. We opted for sharing plates as we are not big meal eaters and it gave us more options for tasting different dishes. A very good choice as they were generous servings. The eggplant chips, grilled calamari and zucchini fritters were all delicious but the spanakopita was a bit disappointing - more pastry than filling. The service was excellent and the glass of wine was very well priced compared to other restaurants we have visited while in Australia. Definitely recommend to those who want to try the genuine Greek food experience.
Written 28 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Monique P
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2024 friends
Wow! As soon as we entered we were met with warm friendly waitstaff. We tried 5 dishes which were all bursting with authentic Greek flavours. After raving about the food to friends, we went back a second night to try some other dishes and were not disappointed. The Owner Costa even remembered our names and greeted us warmly This gem is definitely a must for families, couples or groups. We’ll done Costa and Team, keep up the great work.
Written 16 November 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Rob K
27 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2024 family
Knowledgeable, attentive and helpful staff were friendly and welcoming as soon as we wandered in unannounced. We communicated our dietary needs and decisions are easy to make of the choices presented. The courses of food showed up with impeccable timing, and we quickly ate our full of very enjoyable food. It was all delicious, as we kept things simple opting for the banquet. Can’t argue with the location either; nice spot.
Written 9 October 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Go T
Stourbridge11 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2024 couples
Staying in Cairns for four days from UK, the Arni Lemonata was first class, tender lamb falling off the bone. My wife had the special Pastitsio which he really enjoyed. Nice to have service where the waitress knew all the dishes!
Written 18 November 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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YAYA'S HELLENIC KITCHEN & BAR, Cairns - Updated 2025 Restaurant Reviews, Photos & Phone Number - Tripadvisor

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