Avaspi

Just went here the other night. The service was excellent and the food was even better. Had the calamari, prawns, but the best was the stuffed mushrooms! Can't wait to come back and try more of the menu. This place has a great vibe and is one of the cooler new restaurants I've seen!

We loved the food and the vibe! Everything was so delicious!Great service! Definitely my favorite restaurant in Chicago!Strongly recommend this restaurant,you will not regret it!!!

Five of us had dinner on a Sunday evening. The service was very professional and the food was pretty good however, I don't think the pricing is warranted.We ordered the sautéed calamari, the five meze appetizer and the goat cheese with tomato sauce as starters and then the lamb chops and beef avaspi as entrees to share. Everyone had two drinks and the bill totaled $353 - it felt like a $250 to $275 value at most.The five meze app was seriously priced at $24.95. It was five very small bowls - barely a quarter to a third of a cup of each dip and a plate of bread. One of the dips was hummus - it was standard, no special flavor, the second was ezme - a sort of Anatolian pico de gallo - fresh and flavorful, the third was baba ganoush -= a very tasty version, good smoky flavor, the fourth was haydari - a thick yogurt with mint garlic etc reminiscent of tazaziki, and the fifth was muhammara - a smooth red pepper spiced dip. The baba ganoush and muhammara were the best of all five. The bread was interesting looking but really a big pillowy ball with an egg wash and topped with white and black sesame seeds however it had no real flavor of it's own and was basically a carrier for the dips. Had the bread been interesting the combo meze dips might have been worth the price.The goat cheese with tomato sauce was disappointing as the tomato sauce lacked flavor and spice. It was fairly watery and although the goat cheese was light and fluffy - the grilled sticks of the same bread were not interesting enough to carry this into the very good category.The calamari appetizer was drenched in olive oil and spices so it has plenty of flavor however the multiple sauces and olives seriously overpowered the calamari - which were tender. This was when the plain bread was useful to dip in the sauces!The Beef Avaspi with rice was flavorful and tender and almost as good as the grilled lamb chops which were very well seasoned. All in all the meal was decent however the prices are too high for me.

What I liked: the atmosphere: colorful velvet like booths, purple glassware and big pictures of a beautiful Mediterranean scene; the food: babaganoush combined with ezme in bread was our favorite bites (creamy baba with acidic ezme); the service: all smiles, fast, helpful. Why it didn't get 5 stars: portion sizes of tapas I think were too big. I loved the baba but wanted to try more tapas but couldn't eat it all or I'd be too full. I also didn't want to be wasteful or make them think I didn't like it.All in all: go, eat, enjoy.

First time having Kurdish food, and it did not disappoint.We started with five different dips, some of which were particularly interesting (one included pomegranate or some other fruit). The bread that comes either these is bottomless, so you'll have plenty.For the entree we tried a sampler with several meats and fries, the Avaspi Mixed Plate. It was all very good, particularly the lamb.Try this place out for a different take on Middle Eastern cuisine!

Seriously love this place. Everyone was very attentive and lovely! THE FOOD. Lawd it was great. We did an appetizer that had bread and all of the most amazing lil dips and the entree for 2 that came with meats, incredible rice, and these shaved potatoes I'll be thinking about for a WHILE. Cocktails were great. Prices were perfect. Definitely a must visit in the neighborhood.

I chose Avaspi because is located right across from the play that we were attending. I called for reservations since we were driving from the west burbs and explained we had limited time for a meal because of the play (and my friends taking their sweet time lol). Great choice! I scored. A burst of flavors in a great atmosphere, unique decor, and black walls with red accents looked great. Service was also great, they attended to us quickly knowing our time limitations. The food was fantastic. The perfect fusion of East and West in this Anatolian tapas concept with rich flavors. We tried multiple things: - tomato and goat cheese dish that was fantastic- Meat sampler for 2: tender lamb chops, chicken and beef- Hummus and Babaganoush - Grilled Halloumi Meze (I love Halloumi so I was happy to see it on the menu)I had an Old Fashioned, it was okay, but it would benefit from being served with one big ice cube instead of traditional little pieces. They have a respectable wine and cocktail selection as well as several beers.We all enjoyed the flood and our time at Avaspi. Sadly we did not have time for a sweet treat as we had to dash to the theater. I will definitely return!

I do love this place overall and would give it 3.5 stars based on its great location, great food and great service! There is no outdoor seating, but the windows and doors are open in the summer. The seating is very comfortable and the decorations are nice. I love Turkish food so I may be biased. Overall, the freshness and taste of the dishes is great. It's real food that feels homemade and filling without feeling heavy. The reason why it was 3 stars instead of 4 is the meat was not edible and there were no organic options.

Lovely Belmont St/Lakeview Interesting cocktail list with creative, tasty, fun options. Share a mixed meat platter. Our favorites were the lamb and beef.Service was friendly and attentive. Large open room with inviting decor. Great for groups and families.

Delicious food and amazing service. We went with some friends and ordered a mix of things but everything was amazing. The service was attentive and quick and the restaurant was beautiful. No complaints!