For three decades, Christakis has held its ground in Tustin, a family-run restaurant that has outlasted shifting dining trends, economic downturns and a pandemic that threatened to upend everything.
That’s what happens when you make a name for yourself pairing Greek fare and old-school hospitality.
When the family took over the restaurant space in 1996, Orange County’s food landscape looked very different, according to second-generation co-owner Sarah Wallace Rasmussen, who runs the business with her brother, Michael and sister, Katrina. “I don’t think there was such a thing as a defined local food scene at the time, besides places like New York City, L.A. or San Francisco.”
What Christakis offered then, and still does now, is something more personal. The eatery’s identity is rooted in the cooking of their mother, whose Southern Greek style leaned on herbs and layered seasoning. “They’re authentic Greek, but also authentic to our family,” she said.
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That sense of family has been the restaurant’s backbone for three decades, when it first opened on April 1, 1996. It’s also been its biggest test: In 1999, after their mother, Joanne Christakis Wallace, died, the restaurant turned into a lifeline for their father. A deathbed promise he fulfilled for years. “She really did ask him to keep it running, so that he had a purpose,” said Sarah.
After more than a decade of making a solid name for itself in Tustin, the 2008 financial crisis, as well as the passing of their dad, forced another reckoning. The siblings considered selling their mother’s namesake spot, but a broker advised otherwise. “She said, ‘You guys, this is like a divorce and you’re not emotionally ready,’” she recalled.
They stayed put. The restaurant became theirs.
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Christakis serves Greek fare in Tustin, CA on Thursday, April 2, 2026. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Christakis serves Greek fare in Tustin, CA on Thursday, April 2, 2026. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
If the recipes came from their mother, so did the philosophy that continues to define Christakis: hospitality above all else. Michael Wallace, who co-owns the restaurant with his sisters, traces that approach back to a childhood filled with gatherings. “My mom would throw these parties .. the house would be completely full,” he said. “That just kind of transcended into the restaurant.”
Michael recalls his mother greeting guests with a warmth that blurred the line between host and restaurateur. “When couples would come in, my mom would literally babysit their infant,” he said. “They could just feel the energy from her.”
That spirit remains at the Tustin institution. Regulars are greeted by name, often seated at their preferred tables, with conversations being stretched well beyond signing the check. “At the end of the night, they’ll stay and I’ll sit down with them to catch up,” said Wallace.
The menu has remained largely intact, anchored by staples like Chicken Athenian (one of their mother’s original dishes, a breast stuffed with spinach, feta and dill) and, of course, lamb chops that Sarah said customers still rave about. “Everybody says they can’t get it better anywhere else.”
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Chicken Athenian is a chicken breast stffed with spinach, feta, fresh dill, and topped with a mushroom, chardonnay, and light cream sauce at Christakis in Tustin, CA on Thursday, April 2, 2026. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Chicken Athenian is a chicken breast stffed with spinach, feta, fresh dill, and topped with a mushroom, chardonnay, and light cream sauce at Christakis in Tustin, CA on Thursday, April 2, 2026. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
And sure, there have been additions over the years, including rotating seafood dishes and specials, but the core here has held steady. Such consistency has helped build the Newport Avenue restaurant loyal following that, at times, has blurred the lines between customer and community.
“We’ve had weddings, we’ve had memorials, we’ve had birthdays,” said Sarah. “People who started off as customers became friends.”
That connection also shapes how the restaurant operates on the day-to-day, even at closing time. “In 30 years, not one time have I ever said, ‘Sorry, we’re closed,’” said Michael. “I just hate the feeling of going somewhere … and then it’s like, OK, we have your money now.”
Still, longevity hasn’t come without pressure. The pandemic brought uncertainty and worries of shuttering. Rising costs and tariffs, in particular, have made importing key ingredients from Greece more complicated. And the contemporary restaurant landscape brings its own challenges — ask any nascent restaurateur tempted by the siren song of Instagram walls or food trends with the lifespan of a mayfly — including the weight of online reviews.
“There are so many fronts you’re working” these days, she said. “You really try your best to have everyone leave with a great experience.”
As for the next chapter, expansion isn’t top of mind. The focus remains on refining what’s already there — perhaps small upgrades, maybe passing it down to the next generation, if they choose it.
“I never want it to be an obligation,” said Sarah. “But it’s been beautiful. My kids never met my mom, but when they come into the restaurant, I feel like they have.”
Find it: 13011 Newport Ave., Tustin, 714-731-6600
