Yes :-) Jennifer's review (Apr 30th 2006)

Half of the cars in the parking lot were sporting Washington plates. The dishwasher was spotted running to the convenience store across the street for more eggs. A Tuesday night wait for a table was forty-five minutes to an hour. All signs of a good restaurant! The White House Grill on Spokane in Post Falls was slammed tonight. Like pros, the front and back of the house handled the overflow in a cool, calm manner. They didn’t even grimace when we eschewed the long wait and asked for take-out instead. This is why people keep coming back.

Technically, The White House Grill is a Turkish/Greek/Italian restaurant. But what the heck is that? Really it is a Garlic restaurant. But not in a “BAM! Let’s pull an Emeril” sorta way. I don’t usually go gaa-gaa for garlic, but I’m a fan of Turkish immigrant and chef Raci Erdem. I still remember discovering the tiny restaurant as a sophomore in college. The restaurant, hence the name, was tucked away in a little white house. Raci and his team paraded around the small dining room, decorated with cockeyed Italian tourist posters, pounding on hand drums and dancing with customers whenever things in the open kitchen slowed down. They’ve grown a lot since then. Raci and crew have moved up the street into a large renovated bank building and added outdoor seating. The place is still packed every night though!The varied menu includes everything from gyros to tabouleh to curry chicken and linguini with clams. Does another Turkish/Greek/Italian restaurant even exist? I’d be hard pressed to find one. Remi fought with Sammy for his Turkish plate of grilled lamb, fried eggplant, and garlic sauce. There wasn’t a morsel left. I forgot about Weight Watchers, ordered what I really wanted, and was rewarded. The menu said chicken fettuccine; I’d call it chicken garliccine. Either way, the pasta was full of fat and garlic. I was pleased. I just feel sorry for the guy on the treadmill next to me tomorrow morning.

Yes :-) Stefan's review (May 11th 2006)

So what’s in Post Falls? For most Spokanites it’s merely a speed bump on the way to CDA. But for a chosen few it’s the home of great teachers and the White House Grill. If you haven’t heard of the White House Grill then you should plan a visit at your earliest convenience. For one thing it’s probably the best meal you can find for the money. It’s not uncommon for a couple to eat there for less then $30. That includes a salad, some wine, an entr? and dessert. Find me a place that gives so much and asks so little in return.

Not only is the food reasonably priced but it’s great. The gyros are fantastic and the specials are almost always top notch. Fair warning you may smell of garlic for days after a visit.

The White House Grill is the worst kept secret in northern Idaho so make a reservation a day in advance if you want to eat at normal time.

The White House Grill is located at 620 North Spokane Street Post Falls, Idaho. Their phone number is 208.777.9672

So what’s the dish?: Loved by many, feared by some, but enjoyed by all the White House Grill is a restaurant the makes you ask why don’t we go there more?.

Yes :-) Lynne Nostrant's review (Aug 18th 2006)

New to the area and anxious to find restaurants as good as those I left behind in the San Francisco Bay area, I was happy to find the White House Grill by chance. We waited one hour on a Saturday night but had a terrific meal that was worth the wait – wonderful salads and a perfectly prepared mixed grill special. Will definitely go again, but will make reservations next time!

No :-( Ray's review (Sep 9th 2006)

Food is usually good – service from start to finish is consistantly poor (sometimes even awful). For me the food is not good enough to outweigh the consistantly bad service.

No :-( betty and jo's review (Jan 3rd 2007)

The food maybe good, but the service is very unprofessional.

Yes :-) Jimmy's review (Jan 3rd 2007)

The White House has delicious food, professional service, a fine atmosphere, and all of it is for a low price.

The White House is one of my favorite places to go to and I’ve never been dissatisfied. The garlic bread is heavenly, the French onion soup swell, and the entrees are grand. I love garlic.

No :-( MaryS's review (Feb 23rd 2007)

Loud, crowded, too much garlic, and you can’t order dishes without the garlic.

Yes :-) Craig's review (Apr 8th 2007)

A garlic lover’s paradise!

I’ve always had service on par with other establishments or above par, nothing especially exceptional but it has never been poor. I always make Saturday night reservations earlier in the week and since I’ve been there a few times I know that even with reservations there is often a 10-15 minute wait to be seated. It’s crowded because it’s that popular.

The atmosphere is great and in the evening when the sun has set, the establishment is dimly lit and your menus are under the glass covering the table. You even have small flashlights at the table to help you read the menu.

And yes, garlic is in everything. So if you don’t like garlic you wont like this place. But if you love garlic you will keep coming back especially for the green beans! This place by far uses the most garlic I’ve ever seen, you won’t find a vampire within a quarter mile of this place.
Probably not the best place for a date.

My usual is the curry chicken pita or the spinach salad. They also have the best baklava I’ve ever had. Their wine selection is pretty good.

Yes :-) RH's review (Apr 9th 2007)

A close friend who used to work at the White House recommended the following meal to me when I told him I’d never been there: lamb kebabs with Greek pasta. The kebabs usually come with rice so you have to substitute the pasta. And am I ever glad I did. Pure nirvana.

I recommend starting with the hummus and eggplant dips as appetizers or the fried feta cheese. Either way, you won’t be disappointed.

And, as far as dates go, here’s my theory: You are both gonna smell like garlic, so what’s the big deal? One recommendation: If you are going out with a group afterward, make sure the whole group will be eating at the White House. If you are the only garlicky friend, you may wonder why nobody feels inclined to sit next to you.

Yes :-) KT's review (Jun 13th 2007)

One of the best places around. Service has always been great and the people are very friendly. My friends and I try and go at least once a month for lunch or dinner. They are busy, so just plan a night of it, but food, drinks and people are good. If you go for lunch get there right at 11:00 and you should be good. The owner will walk around and talk to you and make you feel welcomed. The White House is the best.

Yes :-) Sal's review (Jan 3rd 2008)

I have gone to the White House since it was in a little white house a block from it’s current location. All the warning signs about garlic are there, if you complain about too much garlic you must be a functional illiterate. The food is always delicious, the portions generous, and the atmosphere is much friendlier when they aren’t slammed on a Friday or Saturday night. My wife and I continue to go back and living in Post Falls has the advantage of slipping in right after work and avoiding the rush times. Lunch is awesome as well. I read this in another posting but the greek pasta is an awesome substitute for rice or pasta salad options.

No :-( Retired Chef's review (Apr 27th 2008)

Oh dear, bucking the trend AGAIN sigh, I think the words from the 8 year that was dining with our group is telling. he called his meal “garlicky slop on a plate”.

Service was good, bread was over-proofed and tasteless, pasta horribly overcooked, chicken and lamb dishes were also overcooked and dry, lamb was very greasy, and the sauces were very think, almost pudding like with garlic being the only flavor that stood out. Without trying to be too rude my comment to my wife was the dinners were like “Hungry-man meals gone horribly wrong.”

However, the place was busy and loud so obviously this type of food appeals to people, as to my wife and I and our dining companions we all agreed it was not for us.

I think a place like this epitomizes the native Spokanenite’s view of a great meal, it has become a local legend, and most of the natives seem to love it while most of the transplants to this area do not.

Yes :-) M&C's review (May 5th 2008)

My husband is an Italian from upstate NY and I am from the Seattle area – both transplants to Spokane about 7 years ago. ...not sure why it took us so long to get there.

I was a little worried about the noise and ruckus going on when we walked through the door – I was expecting a garlicky Mediterranean meal with some quiet atmosphere. Instead the party going on around us and the foreign music was contagious.

EVERY white t-shirted staff member we saw or encountered was smiling and on a desperate mission to make sure that every patron around them were smiling as well.

We waited an hour like everyone else has mentioned but that gave us a little time to try an order of Turkish Cigar’s (YUM! Spinach & Feta wrapped in Phyllo) and enjoy the moves of the owner and the guy prepping plates as they sang loudly to the overhead music, whooped, clapped and occasionally danced between the busy work of cheffing. The food was excellent and although it had garlic in it, it was NOT overpowering to the dish. (I have to confess that I was a little disappointed that my teenagers didn’t even notice a garlic scent on us when we got home like I have noticed on my friends who went there for lunch.)

I find it utterly charming that a chef would care enough to express his gratitude to us for coming with a hand shake and inquiry of our meal quality, when it was really us who were appreciative to have had an evening “out” that exceeded our expectations.

My only suggestions to them: They need a website and a visit from a television crew (not that they NEED publicity). They need to open up a ?Pentagon in Spokane. (Oval office is their neighboring martini bar.)

They are closed on Sundays and they close down for a week in July for a well-deserved vacation.

Yes :-) spokanite's review (Jul 22nd 2008)

Absolutely delicious!!! This is one of those places where you get your food and you oooh and aaah over it. This last time I had the Post Falls Risoto, which was Chilean Sea Bass with asparagus & mushrooms over risotto. It was to die for! My daughter had the Chicken Fettucine and it was delicious as well! This is one of those places when you leave, you’re already planning your next trip back.