At Niko’s Bar & Gyros, the gyros take center stage
By Mimi Vanderhaven
With a passion for freshly prepared dishes with a Greek flair, Cleveland sports teams spectating and local craft beers, Niko Moulagianis opened Niko’s Bar & Gyros in North Royalton 13 years ago.
“I’ve been in the restaurant business, from busboy to bartender to cook, since I was 13 and love it,” he says. “We take the classic gyro to the next level with more than a dozen varieties, such as smoked corned beef, salmon, grouper and BLT, as well as classic lamb and beef off the spit. Everything is made from scratch, like my mother Stamatia always did. We even smoke our own meats. I created an open kitchen concept so everyone can view the culinary process and feel like they’re part of it.”
About the Hummus
After the photo shoot for this cover story, Niko invited me to stay for lunch. You can’t write about the food without tasting it, right?
He is a gracious and infectiously enthusiastic foodie. We had a ball. Sampling a little bit of everything, I’d have to say the only word I could think to describe it is “tantalizing.”
The hummus was fresh and bursting with flavor. Several variations on the platter included traditional, garlic, roasted red pepper, buffalo, spicy feta and Tzatziki served with a smattering of pita triangles, cucumber slices and carrots for dipping. Another delight, the Saganaki, was a glorious triangle of pan-fried Asiago cheese topped with a squeeze of fresh lemon. The Sweet Thai Chili Pork Pizza was also inspired.
“The blackened grouper is probably my favorite dish on the menu,” Niko says. “I also love the Hot Mess Burger of Black Angus patty topped with a fried egg, bacon, pepper jack cheese and sriracha chili sauce, served on a potato bun.”
With a packed menu (in addition to the gyros, it includes burgers, pizzas, sandwiches, wings, salads and more), it’s not surprising that Niko has built a reputation for catering. With Browns season and football parties in full swing, they are already busy putting together party packs of gyros and hummus by the gallon.
But why would you want to stay home when you can experience the fantastic party at Niko’s during a Browns game? He proudly reports his place was named the #1 Browns backer bar in the world a few years back.
Going Viral
Niko is as passionate about his patriotism as he is his fresh fare. When 13 American soldiers were killed outside an airport in Afghanistan on August 26, 2021, he wanted to do something.
“To honor them, I told my GM to reserve a corner table and line up 13 beers on it,” he says. “Those brave souls are not coming back to their families. I felt like I owed them one.”
When someone took a picture of the table and posted to social media, it went viral. Local and national news outlets like USA Today started calling Niko for interviews.
“It happened so fast; it was surreal,” he says.
Then Niko decided to take the effort above and started a fund to give to the 13 families. Between that day and September 11, 2021, $1 from every beer was donated. In addition to his generosity, people came from all over to donate. All told, the fund grew to $20,000.
Niko and his staff also believe in nurturing the community by offering college scholarships to seniors at North Royalton High School who win an essay contest, donating to Safety Town, Wounded Warriors and local dog adoptions.
“During the pandemic we started the Gyros for Heroes program, where we delivered food to our local police and fire stations,” he says.
Niko’s is located within a shopping plaza at 12766 Royalton Road in North Royalton. It’s open Wednesday-Saturday, 11 a.m. to
10 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Licensing opportunities are available to own a Niko’s Gyros To Go restaurant. There are currently locations at 403 East Royalton Road in Broadview Heights and 34167 Center Ridge Road in North Ridgeville. Call 440-237-6456 or visit NikosBarAndGyros.com for more information.