Elias Grill - Souvlaki & Gyros

Elias Grill – Souvlaki & Gyros sits on the Kamari beachfront road, a short walk from the main bus stop that connects this eastern-coast village to Fira and the rest of Santorini. It opens at noon and runs until 3 in the morning every day of the week — a combination of hours, location, and price point that explains how it has accumulated over 2,700 Google reviews and a 4.7-star average.

Kamari is Santorini's longest black-sand beach, and the strip of tavernas and bars along its pedestrianised promenade covers every price bracket. Elias Grill occupies the unpretentious end of that spectrum: the draw is the grill itself, the pita, and the tzatziki, not a caldera view or a cocktail list. That focus is precisely what keeps a loyal crowd of return visitors coming back alongside the day-trippers stepping off the bus.

The restaurant's Instagram account — @eliasgrill_santorini — shows a working kitchen and a crowd-pleasing menu. A club sandwich built around chicken gyros meat appears alongside the standard wraps and plates, suggesting the kitchen adapts classic street-food formats without abandoning them. Phone: +30 2286 028152.

What to Expect

The menu centres on two preparation styles — souvlaki (skewered and grilled over charcoal) and gyros (meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie) — using pork, chicken, and lamb. Both come as a pita wrap loaded with tomato, onion, and tzatziki, or as a plate with fries. The tzatziki is thick-strained Greek yogurt blended with cucumber and garlic; it's made fresh and noticeably more substantial than the diluted versions common at high-turnover tourist spots.

Beyond the core grill items, the menu includes Greek salads with proper barrel-aged feta, moussaka, and grilled fish — the kind of broad taverna spread that lets a group with different appetites order without compromise. Portions are generous relative to the prices, which sit at the lower end of what you'll find on the Kamari strip.

Seating includes an outdoor area facing the beachfront road. Kamari's promenade is car-free, so the ambient noise is foot traffic and the distant sound of the sea rather than engines. In peak summer the pavement fills up quickly after sunset, and Elias Grill's extended hours mean it absorbs the crowd that spills out of the beach bars later in the evening. The indoor section provides relief during the midday heat of July and August.

Service is direct and fast — this is a grill house, not a fine-dining room — and the kitchen maintains consistency across the long daily shift, which matters when you're arriving at 1 AM after a night out in Kamari.

How to Get There

Kamari is accessible by bus from Fira's central bus station; the journey takes roughly 20 minutes and runs frequently in summer. The Kamari bus stop is on the main road at the northern end of the village, and the beachfront promenade begins just beyond it. Elias Grill is on the beach road — παραλία Καμάρι — and the walk from the bus stop takes under five minutes.

By car, Kamari sits on Santorini's southeastern coast, signposted from the main island ring road. Parking is available on the roads leading into the village and in the seafront car parks at either end of the beach strip. In high summer, parking fills quickly by late morning; arriving before 10 AM or after 7 PM is easier.

Taxis from Fira to Kamari are available but book up during peak season evenings — worth arranging the return journey in advance if you're planning a late dinner. There is no ferry or boat access to Kamari.

The beachfront promenade is flat and fully pedestrianised, making it straightforward for those with pushchairs or limited mobility once you reach it from the bus stop or car park.

Best Time to Visit

Elias Grill operates year-round, though Kamari itself is most active from late April through October. Midday in July and August on the black sand beach means intense heat — the volcanic sand retains warmth longer than white or gold sand — so a lunch stop at Elias Grill doubles as a practical retreat from the midday sun.

The most comfortable dining window in summer is from around 7 PM onward, when the air temperature drops and the beachfront lights up. Because the kitchen stays open until 3 AM, it also becomes a natural late stop after visiting Kamari's bars. Weekends in August see the longest waits for outdoor tables; arriving just after noon or after 10 PM avoids the peak rush.

In shoulder season — May, early June, September, and October — the village is quieter, the heat is more manageable, and the same food comes without the summer crowds. Some Kamari restaurants close entirely between November and March, but Elias Grill's listed hours suggest it operates through the winter, at least in reduced form.

Tips for Visiting

• Go for the pita wrap first. The souvlaki wrap and the gyros wrap are the kitchen's core product and the best way to judge the quality. Plates with fries are filling but the pita format delivers better balance of meat, herbs, and tzatziki.
• Arrive with cash as a backup. Many grill houses in smaller Greek villages prefer cash, particularly for small orders. Check whether cards are accepted when you arrive.
• The kitchen runs until 3 AM every day. If you're in Kamari late and most tavernas are closed, Elias Grill is a reliable option that maintains its standard across the full shift.
• Ask about the daily fish. The source description mentions grilled fish from local waters; availability depends on the day's catch, so it's worth asking rather than assuming it's always on the board.
• The bus back to Fira runs late in summer but not until 3 AM. Check the KTEL Santorini timetable before planning a very late dinner if you're relying on the bus, or arrange a taxi in advance.
• The outdoor tables fill quickly after 8 PM in peak season. Arriving at 7 PM or calling ahead on +30 2286 028152 is sensible if you want a specific table.
• Instagram shows the current menu better than any static listing. The @eliasgrill_santorini account is updated regularly and gives an accurate picture of seasonal specials and current offerings.
• Combine with a Kamari Beach afternoon. The black sand beach is a five-minute walk from the restaurant; sunbeds are available for hire along the full length of the promenade, and the beach has good water clarity despite the dark sand.

What to Order

The souvlaki and gyros — both available in pork, chicken, or mixed — are the reason Elias Grill has the review count it does. The pork souvlaki wrap is the most straightforward expression of the grill: charcoal-cooked chunks of marinated pork, fresh tomato and onion, a dollop of tzatziki, and a warm pita. The chicken gyros wrap leans toward a slightly leaner, more herb-forward profile.

The club sandwich made with chicken gyros meat — visible on the Instagram feed — is a hybrid worth trying if you want something different from the standard Greek street-food format. Greek salad with feta rounds out a table order if you're eating with others, and moussaka is a sensible choice for anyone who wants a sit-down plate rather than a wrap.

For drinks, expect the standard range of Greek lagers (Mythos, Alpha), soft drinks, and water. Given the late hours, the kitchen likely serves food alongside whatever drinks are available, though Elias Grill is foremost a grill house rather than a bar.