Karella's Cafe

Fantastic Greek restaurant that can rival any other in Highlandtowne. Friendly and helpful service. The menu is a bit limited compared to other place but the quality and taste of what they do have makes up for it. Also, as usual with most places in Greektown, space is limited but that’s expected for me. Definitely recommend stopping in for a bite. The cheeseballs were delicious!

This is a small family run restaurant and is a true hidden gem!

I was blown by the quality of the food

The grilled octopus 🦑 appetizer was my favorite!

Don't miss this place the next time you are in East Baltimore!

JUST AMAZING!!! Some of the best Greek food I’ve had! Little cute spot in Greektown. I LOVED their octopus and dessert! Food was very fresh and tasty, people working here are very welcoming and super nice. Make sure you bring cash, they only accept cash.

I was in Greece for two weeks and I found Karella's as my source for freddo espresso and freddo caps. I tried to go to the new plaka but was not satisfied.

The cafe plays Greek music with regular customers that speak Greek. It's a friendly atmosphere and I'm learning some greek words!

Picture is of my doppo freddo cap with honey!

TLDR: Unbelievable Greek food in a cozy cafe off the beaten path. Come for the amazing octopus, souvlaki and baklava.

Vibe: 5/5. Tucked away on a narrow side street in Greektown, Karella's is a small restaurant that offers 2-4 person dining both indoors and out. Inside, the restaurant has a hand full of 2 top tables (can be pushed together for a 4 person group) making this a perfect date night spot. Outside there is 1 large 4 top that could squeeze up to 6 people if needed. When you walk inside, the sounds of Greek folk music paired with the Mediterranean decor are nice touches that add to the ambiance. The small kitchen is located at the rear of the restaurant which can be seen from the dining room. Karella's is setup as a counter service cafe, with a display case and beverage cooler at the main counter in the rear, but during our dinner we ordered/served at our table.

Service: 5/5. The staff at Karella's was fantastic from start to finish. Days before our dinner, I reached out to the cafe to see if they still had outside dining, as we were bringing a dog and wanted to make sure we wouldn't have any issues. They assured me they could accommodate us and would have the outside table ready before we arrived. When we arrived for dinner, they were so kind to allow us to sit inside with the doggo since he was small and well behaved. As mentioned above, Karella's is setup as a counter service style restaurant, but on our visit we were serviced table side by what appeared to be the owner (only front of house staff present). He was very personable and did a fantastic job in explaining the menu and checking in on us throughout the meal. Beverages were kept full and when it was time to settle on the bill, it was a breeze making sure our Venmo went through (cash or Venmo only).

Food: 5/5. Our group of 4 thoroughly enjoyed every dish we had at Karella's. We typically eat family style at restaurants, so we opted to try the cheese balls, crazy feta dip w/ pita, the octopus, the beef and pork gyro souvlaki platters (includes Greek salad and fries) and baklava for dessert. Again, everything was fantastic but the main winners of the night were the perfectly cooked octopus and the pork gyro souvlaki. The octopus was crispy on the outside, unbelievably tender on the inside and simply seasoned with lemon, olive oil and fresh herbs. The pork gyro souvlaki also had a nice crispy outside and perfectly tender on the inside. Paired with the homemade tzatziki sauce on pita, it was a match made in heaven. The homemade Greek cheese balls were also tasty. The owner told us that they are made with a blend of Gouda and several other cheeses to give it a nice nuttiness as well as gooey consistency. To round out a great meal, we had a fine example of baklava. Overall, we loved every aspect of our dinner at Karella's and will definitely look forward to dining with them again!

Best grilled octopus around. Really amazing takeout, love all the food we have had from here but the grilled octopus is by far in the best two I have ever had!

We went to Greece last year for a month and become obsessed with Greek food. So when we stumbled upon Karella’s we were so delighted to see tons of Greek people eating there. The food tasted really fresh and it’s definitely some of the best Greek food we’ve had in the area! Only downside is that they are cash only but they do accept venmo.

There’s a reason at the time of my review, this place had 5 stars. Nothing fancy, just a family cooking up authentic Greek food. The food was all made to order and tasted delicious. The staff was friendly, made conversation and more importantly, made us feel welcomed. Can’t wait to come back, extremely impressed A+

Great food and amazing customer service! First time trying a pork Gyro and it was really good! My husband thoroughly enjoyed is Greek salad as well! Will certainly be returning!

Some of the best Greek food in baltimore. I always get the chicken gyro wrap. But the iced freddo cappuccino and frappe are the best drinks.

Cash only but they accept venmo!

Hands down one of the best gyros I’ve ever had. Super quick service, and the seasoned fries were a great bonus. This has become a must-stop for me on the way to and from DC

Is a small café, very cozy. Family owned and they have delicious Greek food and pastries. The service is great,the place is clean and you just feel great! Stop by for yummy frappe 😋

Great Greek food in a local shop. Well worth the trip. So glad we found it. Fresh tzatziki and Tyrokafteri, wonderful salad, and yummy tyrokeftedes. Yummmmmm

And they're not cheap on the dessert portions.

Stopped for lunch, had a Greek salad and tzatziki with pita. Both were excellent. The tzatziki was creamy and the pita was perfect. Greek salad was very fresh. Service was great, can’t wait to come back!

Great corner cafe serving the freshest Greek food! Lamb chops, Greek Salad, home made French fries, rice pudding and galaktoboureko. Popular with the local Greek Americans.

If I could give this place 20000 stars I would. Food is always 10/10. The price is AMAZING for the quality

Best Greek food in Baltimore and great service!

Wow some of the best Greek food in Baltimore! Small place! Always packed! Can’t get enough

The food was exquisite! Ask for Lakis and he’ll take care of you!

This place in great! Perfect for a Baltimore visit to Greektown. Don’t miss it. Restaurant is clean and decor is beautiful.