About us

Our History

A Few Words About The Greek Joint Kitchen & Bar

The Founder

For more than 20 years, owner Jimmy Sklaventis and Chris Sklaventis have operated restaurants throughout Downtown Hollywood, delivering incredible flavors in a fun and friendly atmosphere. From its beginnings as Universe Café in 2003 to its expansion to the nearby Davie community, The Greek Joint Kitchen & Bar has been a family operation from the start. In 2018, Alex Dzhugan joined the family and since then they have gone on and opened Level Seven in Hallandale Beach, and The Greek Joint Kitchen & Bar in Davie. Today, Jimmy, Chris, and Alex continue to serve up secret family recipes to members of their cherished community.

Serving South Florida since 2003

Early Roots to Expansion: A History of The Greek Joint Kitchen & Bar

How it all started

October 2003

Universe Café Opens

Jimmy’s first restaurant in Downtown Hollywood with Chris Eberle, Universe Café, opened its doors in 2003. This spot boasted a huge menu with a wide variety of food offerings from different cultures and cuisines.

October 2003

March 2007

SAS Martini Lounge Opens

In 2007 Jimmy and Chris took their business ventures a step further by opening SAS, a bustling martini lounge on Young Circle. This local hot spot was extremely popular among those working in the service industry and in Downtown Hollywood at the time. It also drew in a large crowd of locals and tourists alike.

March 2007

October 2008

Taverna Yiamas Opens

Jimmy and Chris open their first Greek restaurant in Downtown Hollywood with Taverna Yiamas

October 2008

January 2009

SAS Ghost Kitchen Opens

Decades ago, before ghost kitchens or virtual kitchens were popular, Jimmy and Chris were running one from within SAS martini lounge. This started out as a delivery service out of the back door of the lounge, offering delicious, traditional Greek meals to the local community.

January 2009

January 2010

The Big Easy Opens

Next, Jimmy, his brother Chris, and Chris Eberle opened The Big Easy restaurant, which served up New Orleans Cajun and Creole food in Downtown Hollywood.

January 2010

May 2010

The Greek Joint Kitchen & Bar Opens

Over time, Jimmy and Chris began to notice that the demand for the Greek food served out of his ghost kitchen was growing. They then opened The Greek Joint Kitchen & Bar on Harrison Street. They outgrew that location and moved to a bigger one on Hollywood Blvd —where it continued to thrive and grow into the beloved business it is today.

May 2010

January 2020

Opening of Level 7

Jimmy went on to partner with Chef Alex Dzhugan, opening the popular Level 7 Restaurant and Bar inside Beach Club in Hallandale.

January 2020

April 2023

The Greek Joint Kitchen & Bar Expands to Davie, FL

In the spring of 2023, The Greek Joint Kitchen & Bar expanded to open its second location in Davie, FL. As Chef Dzhugan explains, the new location is “fresh and totally vibrant,” featuring favorites like vegetable ragu, moussaka, and much more. Jimmy and his team look forward to serving a new community with the same family recipes, local ingredients, and seasonal flavors that the Downtown Hollywood location has shared for years.

April 2023

Part Greek, part Canadian owner Jimmy Sklaventis has been in the hospitality business for nearly 40 years. Dedicated to integrity, attention to detail, and personal improvement—he’s always looking for genuine ways to better serve his customers.

Jimmy isn’t the only Hollywood legend in the family; since 1990, Chris Sklaventis has worked alongside his brother to help their ventures succeed. From whipping up traditional Greek dishes in the kitchen to helping run the business side of the restaurant, Chris has worked his way up the hospitality ladder for more than 30 years.

Since partnering with Jimmy and Chris years ago, Chef Alex Dzhugan has been a constant in The Greek Joint’s kitchen. Today, he serves as the Executive Chef at The Greek Joint Kitchen & Bar and Chef/Owner of Royal Crowds Catering Company, which he founded in 2013. His innovative approach to new dishes and his dedication to customer satisfaction has helped the restaurant maintain its well-deserved reputation for excellence over the years.