Eating My Way Through University City: Gyros in the Loop

One of the first places I discovered in the Loop three years ago when I moved to the area was the Gyro House. It was, to put it kindly, a little dingy, but the food was cheap and they served a mean gyro. The Gyro House was actually my first introduction to gyros and I was instantly smitten by the greasy meat piled high on a warm pita, topped with lettuce, tomatoes, and tzatziki sauce. Unfortunately, tragedy struck last June when the owner, Ahmed Eltawmi, was murdered near his home.

In October,  my husband Ryan and I were surprised to hear that the previously known Gyro House moved to a different part of the Loop (6152 Delmar Blvd.) and a new restaurant—Gyros in the Loop (571 Melville Ave, right next to )—was to replace it. We finally made our way to the place, now several months old, to see how it compared to the original.

Immediately upon entering I noticed that the place had been remodeled. Fresh paint and new flooring gave the space a much-needed makeover without taking away the super casual and simple atmosphere it always had.  While orders are still taken at the counter and scribbled on a pad of paper, credit cards are accepted, a new and welcomed change! 

From what we can remember, the menu remains similar to the prior Gyro House menu, with plenty of vegetarian options as well as meat-centric dishes to please every palate. Prices are still cheap, especially considering how much food you get. For less than $20, we got two gyros (one regular with an extra charge for feta and one Lion’s with extra meat, feta included), an extra pita, and an order of hummus and pita. This was more than enough for three of us and we still found ourselves taking some leftover gyro meat home.

Food doesn’t arrive as fast as you would think, but we’ve found this to be the norm when ordering gyros and it was well worth the wait! We spent our wait spying on nearby tables, particularly envious of the saganaki (fried cheese) served next to us. The hummus didn’t necessarily impress us. Though the creamy texture was spot-on, it lacked flavor and didn’t seem to be much more than chickpeas and olive oil. Some garlic or seasonings could have helped it significantly. The rest of the meal, however, did not disappoint. The meat was well seasoned and, according to our memory, less greasy than the old Gyro House…I did not leave with my usual gyro stomachache (a pain well worth it, but never welcomed!). Toppings were plentiful and together, made for a fabulous sandwich.

Gyros in the Loop definitely delivered. I had the chance to chat with one of the owners who explained that they have maintained most of the Gyro House’s business model, even down to using the same suppliers. The Gyro House was a Loop favorite and I’m glad they realized there was no sense in changing anything. Relieved to find we can still indulge in our favorite guilty pleasure, you can bet we’ll be frequent customers!