Meráki Greek Grill is a fast-casual dining experience with a unique mission. Founded in 2017 by Girair “Jerry” Goumroian and Partner and Chef Nikos Georgeousis, the restaurant offers an elevated Mediterranean menu featuring traditional Greek cuisine and modern dishes such as the Meráki Signature Bowl and Athenian Greek Sandwich. We recently visited for a media preview of the menu to celebrate the opening of the new Blue Diamond location.
With its welcoming atmosphere created by warm wood accents, vibrant blues, and a stunning mural of Zeus hand-painted by a local artist, the restaurant strives to make every guest feel the love, passion, and soul that meráki represents. We talked with Meráki Greek Grill founder and proprietor, Girair “Jerry” Goumroian about the restaurant’s continued success and what’s to come.
Behind The Continued Success of Meráki Greek Grill in Las Vegas
This year, the brand has expanded significantly across the Las Vegas valley, making it easy to access the restaurant’s delicious cuisine in almost every part of town. “Meráki Greek Grill had a big year in 2022, as we were able to curate some great partnerships with talented people who propelled amazing opportunities regarding location expansions and community involvement,” Goumroian explained. “As our flagship and following locations are rooted in the central areas of the Las Vegas Valley, it was natural for us to continue on with a presence in Henderson, Summerlin and the Southeast. We strategically placed the new restaurants in areas that were up and coming and would allow for Meráki to organically grow as the neighborhood does. We would love to continue to share our interpretation of Greek and Mediterranean dining experiences with not only Las Vegas but other cities and states as well; we are actively looking at Reno and Arizona.”
Throughout the last few years, COVID-19 and its effects have greatly impacted local restaurants all over the country. Surviving the pandemic in itself was a major success, yet Meráki Greek Grill not only survived, but it also thrived. “I use the quote “God is in the details” often. That not only refers to the food we serve, our recipes and product sourcing but also our guest experience, cleanliness and relationships with our team and our purveyors,” Goumroian told us. “We pride ourselves on the standard of service we have set that is exemplified throughout all of our locations. When you enter a Meráki Greek Grill, we want you to feel as if you entered the home of a close family friend. We greet our guests by name, and we shake hands or give a fist bump to our fellow team members when they arrive at work. I believe these are some of the details that directly correlate to a successful business.”
So what truly sets Meráki Greek Grill apart from the others? “There’s honestly not one thing, but as mentioned, it’s a matter of instilling those small details that creates the bigger picture,” Goumroian said of the brand’s unique stance. “No different than a painting, every little stroke of the brush has to make sense for the final painting to come together in the end.”
Whether you’re in the mood for a quick, casual lunch of gyros and salads, or a substantial sitdown meal with lamb chops and seafood, there’s something for everyone at Meráki Greek Grill. “My favorite menu items change from time to time,” Goumroian said of his menu favorites. “I tend to eat a bit lighter these days, so I go for our Signature Bowls and change the protein addition depending on the day—sometimes it’s the chicken or jumbo shrimp Kalamaki, other days it’s a nice piece of our Norwegian salmon. Either way, I always include a side of Tirokafteri, our spicy feta spread.”
