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| - I have dined here three times. The high reviews brought me here and brought me back again to ensure I didn't miss something. I guess Greek Fast Casual (GFC) is the current trend based on the number of higher rated reviews on Yelp across The Valley.
I have taken the time to eat at four other highly rated GFC restaurants in the East Valley and I have found a common denominator: Kronos Meats. Kronos is a 40-year-old company that produces Gyros meat and other products like Tzatziki Sauce and Hummus. That said, there is a benefit in using premade meat: consistency. The taste of each product served at most GFCs is very similar because of the use of Kronos products; if it doesn't taste good it can usually be attributed to overcooking the meat, or over-heating the pre-sliced meat.
Therefore, if you have an amazing Gyro or Kabob pita, it is probably because of proper preparation and handling; often, it is because of cutting corners such as using pre-sliced meat or pre-slicing the meat and keeping it in the warmer. Not that is what I saw here at the King of Gyros, but I digress.
The Beef and Beef/Lamb Options were tasty and moist; the best of which I experienced was the pork. The portions are above average at King of Gyros compared to other GFCs, this includes being a bit heavy handed on the Feta Cheese used on multiple products as well as the "Dressing" on the Greek Fries. Greek Fries are relatively straightforward: garlic, Feta, seasoning (olive oil, etc.) and salt atop French-fried potatoes, it is not too hard to get right, and when each component is in the proper proportion to the others, Greek Fries are amazing! Unfortunately, The King does not get this right, the fries are swimming in what is best described as salad dressing, it is just not palatable (see posted photos).
The salads offered are also generous on the portions, however, they seem to suffer from the same overdressing as the fries. Which is a shame because the product quality seems on the high side but it just cannot stand up to the barrage of oil & vinegar. Another issue I, and my dining partners, experienced is some inconsistencies of the cook of meat. On one visit, the Chicken Shawarma was moist and tender on a salad, yet dry and chewy on a pita, really? How did they do that?
I do appreciate the relatively quick service, even when it is busy. I like that there is a drink tower and real brewed iced tea is offered; Pepsi fans will also be happy with the fountain selections. On my first visit, the pictorial menu board proved tricky because of the close spacing between products and the placement of the description and price below the photo and the menu number above caused me to order a number seven when I thought I was ordering what was really a number four. This happened again to a dining companion on another visit. Perhaps a reprogramming is in order because the cashier admitted it happens often; not the worst thing, but a menu should be clear and concise as well as illustrative.
Overall, The King of Gyros is a solid 3.5 stars. The food is good, the service is sufficient the prices are on par with the competition, but there is nothing that I experienced or ate that was memorable or would make me become a regular. If you are in the area and you have a taste for Greek, The King of Gyros will fit the bill, but I have found other places that are worth the drive and are tastier.
Overall rating: 3.5
Quality: 3.6
Service: 3.6
Cleanliness: 3.4
Value: 3.2
Atmosphere: 3
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