Ez Shawarma

★★★★☆ 4.3 (33) • $$

"We were told by people that this IS the place to go for Middle Eastern food, so we had to give it a try. We were greeted as we walked in and I have to say, the folks here are the friendliest we've had.Now to the food...I had the Kufta Kebob and my wife had the Chicken Shawarma. The server brings out a Salad, a plate of Baba Ghanoug and a plate of Hummus. All three dishes were outstanding.The main courses arrives and I feel that it was the best I had ever tasted. The Chicken Shawarma was also delicious and the rice with the dishes were moist and flavorful. We will be returning to EZ Shawarma very soon to try out the rest of the menu!"

Kabobi Grill

★★★★★ 4.5 (1169) • $$

"A good friend of mine recommended this place for good persian food. Welp... I should have listened to her sooner. This is a hidden gem in the city I believe it recently moved from a nearby location. We arrived about 15 minutes before the lunch specials were up and so we promptly ordered so that we could try a variety of different things. To start you do have to order at the counter however they will let you sit down and then come up in order so that was nice. Additionally they do not sell beer and wine in the restaurant, however you can bring your own and there is a small corkage fee ($6 bottle of wine & $1 for each beer). So BYOB. We weren't prepared for this so we had to go across the street to the local liquor store which had plenty of cold options to purchase. Onto the food my dish was the Chicken thigh Kabob and the Beef Koubideh Kabob. The beef koubideh kabob was a skewers of juicy, charbroiled, seasoned ground sirloin, served with grilled tomato. Everything was so flavorful. In addition to the meats my plate featured a cranberry rice (upcharge) cucumber salad, hummus and soft pita bread. My husband grabbed the chicken breast kabob with grilled veggies instead of rice. The food was plentiful and we were able to take some left overs home. We went here on my birthday and so it was a vibe but I really wish I would have some dessert as it looks really. All in all very nice lunch. I would definitely come back to try some more of the different entries and also I realize they have some dishes that are normally are hard to find: Baba Ghannouj, Dolmeh, Persian Salad and Falafel. I also peeped that they had this black persian tea that everyone was buying and I wish I would have purchased some of the raw tea leaves to go which they did have for sale. You have not been I would definitely say come try this fresh family friendly restaurant."

Taza Bakery

★★★★☆ 4.3 (173)

"I used to have lunch here when I worked in the plaza yearss ago and the food is as good as I remember! The veggies in the wrap tasted so fresh, pickles were on point and the lentil soup was so hot and delicious. It was a 35 min drive but worth it for my Friday lunch! Definitely recommend this place."

Shawarma Garden

★★★★☆ 4.2 (215) • $

"I visited Shawarma Garden and I was totally impressed. I was visiting from New Jersey, which has its own excellent shawarma, and I came in with no expectations. I ordered the Gyro sandwich, the Fattoush salad, and a falafel platter to share. Everything was amazing! The dressing on my salad was particularly fantastic. The staff was friendly and even delivered our food to our table and they remembered exactly what each of us ordered. Definitely check this place out if you're in the area!"

Detroit Kabob House

★★★★☆ 3.9 (144)

"This is a mom and pop operation and they have a quite decent lunch special for $6.99 which I tried today.  We've actually had some catered, good-value large family meals from here but I've never personally stepped in or ordered from here before.  I liked the rice and pita bread in their lunch special better here than say Pita Inn.  The meat, at least for my lunch today, was in the OK range and about the same quality as Pita Inn - it had been sitting around just a little bit, but no real complaints given the price point.  It's calm here and they have 4 little tables inside and 3 tables outside if one wants to eat in.  I'll likely return sooner or later."

Shibam Restaurant - South

★★★★☆ 3.6 (46) • $$

"I like to add to my review, that both Tea and salad been fixed and got way better. I love this restaurant and how friendly they treat there customers. During the pandemic Shibam always been my go to restaurant for carry out. Must visit .. you will never forget the taste."

Hala In Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4.1 (350) • $$

"I'm so glad they are still here and open. I thought Covid had caused them to close. Visited Friday and the food is great. The MVP's are the falafel and hummus. The chicken kabobs are so tender and satisfying. Thank you for making great food Visiting again soon."

Middle East Bakery & Grocery

★★★★☆ 4.4 (503)

"I've passed by this place a few times and just had something random and large from the Brown elephant down the street (today it was an air popcorn popper) but wow I had no idea about the supermarket. I grew up in a neighborhood with a large Mediterranean and Middle Eastern, so when I walked back I found the spices intoxicating. Then they have some cheeses I love that I used to use daily but haven't seen honestly in a decade. Pretty cool. We headed to the front to place our order, a veggie combo and a Beef/lamb shawarma. They have a open kitchen and counter service. We took a table near the counter. It's great to see the plated dishes come out fresh and smell the aromatics in the air. Our food came out in a decent ten minutes. The meat was slice to a perfect thickness and cooked to give a nice gradation of doneness with nice caramelization. The hummus was tasty and fresh with herbs, I honestly didn't take note of the ingredients but dug in. Had a nice tanginess. Everything was delicious well portioned and reasonable priced. Service was great. Explained all the veggie options pulled out examples. I mean I definitely going back especially to the shop in the back. I mean they're really stocked well. Lots of goods made on site too."

Zad by Pita Inn

★★★★☆ 4.4 (230) • $$

"I met a friend here for a weeknight dinner. We needed a place between the areas we live and, because she was leaving from dinner for a drive of a few hours, we also wanted something relatively quick. She suggested Zad and I eagerly agreed. It was quiet there at 6:30 on a weeknight. We arrived at the same time as another party of two and offered to let them order ahead of us. They were a little slow but that gave us plenty of time to browse the menu and make decisions. Zad operates as fast casual - you order at the counter and then pick up your food when it's ready (or, in our case, a staff member brought it out to us). The food is prepared quickly, or at least it was during our visit, and is made fresh to order.I had the falafel entree, which came with two sides. I chose baba ghanoush and rice. The falafel was seasoned well and fried to a crisp while still being tender inside. The baba ghanoush was delightfully smoky and garlicky. My entree came with two fresh, warm pita, perfect for dipping in the eggplant. We also shared hummus, which has now ruined all other hummus for me for at least a month. The restaurant was clean and quiet. In addition to the party who ordered ahead of us, there was one other table with a family. It was an easy place to catch up over delicious food and enjoy our visit."

HFC & Shawarma Grill

★★★★★ 4.6 (24)

"Hold up wait a minute ....Get you butt in gear and get here tonight!This place is off the hook, authentic Mother and Son's cooking up some of, if not the best Shawarma I have eaten, and let me tell you I've eaten it all over Chicago and the USA from Seattle to NYC I went with the Combination Entree, and you better bring you big boy pants if you want to finish your meal, I'm eating the leftovers for lunch right now not as good reheated but my taste buds are still happy My other half got the fried chicken "spicy" it's not that spicy but the ghost pepper wings are.Bring your patience now the chicken is made to order so no old dried out chicken sitting under a heat lamp. It's hot, fresh, juicy and full of flavorIt's truly worth the wait.Order yourself some Chai tea it will make your taste buds do a happy dance Not many places have ever gotten a 5 star review without a second visit but seriously I want to go back tonight but I'm working, oh its not listed but they have delivery just call it's one of the son's delivering I believe."

Mizrahi Grill

★★★★☆ 4.2 (318) • $$

"This was our first trip to Mizrahi Grill since it moved across the street inside Mizrahi Market. This is a kosher Mediterranean restaurant, casual, no hormones, using fresh ingredients and spices. So it takes a little longer and costs more than fast food.You order at the counter and they bring out your food. I had a pub purger piled high with grilled onions, lettuce and tomato. The fries can be inside the burger or on the side. The burger was tasty and juicy. The fries were thick and square cut and perfectly crisp outside and tender inside. My friend enjoyed the falafel pita with fries inside (although very messy).Fairly quick, good and fresh tasting food. Would come back for baba ghannouj, a burger, or to try other dishes. Not fancy."

Spice and Fire Grill

★★★★☆ 4.3 (69) • $$

"This place is a small Iraqi run strip mall restaurant.  It's hard to differentiate amongst the various Middle East ethnic groups, but it's nice to know anyway.  I tried a carryout of their lunch special, which on Tue-Thu from noon-3pm, means their $16.49 lunch goes for $9.49.  I have to go with a "Meh" 2.5 stars that rounds up to 3 stars given the discount.  I had it mixed meat, meaning a mix of chicken and meat.  The container had a lot of white rice covered by a thin layer of meats (container was about 60% full of rice).  The rice was ok, and went well though with the meats which were salty.  There's no pita bread and no sauces, and I'm not sure sauces like Tzatziki are an Iraqi tradition anyway.  The modest lunch was barely ok for $9.49, and definitely not for $16.49.  One and done for me, but best of luck in any event."

Sultan's Market

★★★★☆ 4.1 (1405)

"Overall Thoughts: LARGE, hearty, flavorful portions of Middle Eastern food at an affordable price point! This is a quick and easy lunch or dinner counter-serve option near the Damen Blue line stop with a diverse selection of plates and sandwiches. Food I tried: I've only tried the Kefta Kabob Dinner so far, and got it with 1/2 curry rice and 1/2 lentils and rice. It also came with a side of tabula, hummus, and pita. I'd recommend the lentils and rice over the curry rice (which I didn't love)-- the lentils and rice is extremely delicious and flavorful. The kabobs were also full of flavor and depth, and the hummus had a full, earthy flavor. I wish the pita came more toasted though. All this food came out to just $14, which was great because I even had leftovers for later. -- Price (relative to peers): 4.7/5Food: 4.6/5Ambience: 4.5/5Service: 5/5Overall Value: 4.6/5"

Fattoush

★★★★☆ 4.1 (434) • $$

"Food was great. The place looks awesome. The server was great. Over all A+. We order the seafood mix, shawarma mix plates. Will definitely be back."

Ordo Restaurant

★★★★★ 4.5 (32)

"We went here with some neighbors to try a new place. It has recently opened, so I believe they still have some kinks to work out. I keep debating between 3 and 4 stars and settled on 4 stars to give them the benefit.We walked in early (5:30) and the place was empty. When we left it was full and buzzing. That's a good thing because I'd like to see the place succeed.I like my cosmopolitan. I wouldn't rave about the cocktails, but they are certainly sufficient.We had a lovely waitress who explained the food and what we should try. We followed her lead and had two of the dumpling type appetizers. They were very tasty and the sauce was very good.My hubby ordered the rice with lamb as his entree. I ordered a noodle dish. Next time I would order his meal or a similar one. The noodle dish has complex spices and was good. I just felt it was more "pasta-ish" than I anticipated. Definitely that is on me... I should have ordered something with more protein.The complementary bread was a nice touch.Throughout the meal the service became a little lacking. As the place got crowded, it was hard to get the attention of anyone. I don't blame our waitress. She was quite busy. I think the owners/management need to focus on solving the issue and visit the tables to see what they need when the wait staff is overwhelmed.We didn't have dessert. We were ready to go by that point."

Falafel & Grill

★★★★★ 4.6 (115)

"Can't speak for the in-person dining experience and interior here, as my first F&G experience was a delivery order, but the food from this place is excellent!I ordered the beef shawarma wrap and the sandwich was packed full with well seasoned meat and toppings. I loved the pickles they use. I also tried their falafel appetizer and lentil soup - both were equally delicious. Don't sleep on the garlic sauce - I'll be sure to order extra next time it's that good! To top it off, we had the baklava for desert which was flaky and sweet. Wish it had a little more nuts within but that is my only minor criticism.Can't wait to try other things on the menu very soon!"

Shibam Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4.1 (246) • $$

"Since my kitchen is out of commission while being completely renovated, I have been taking advantage of takeout and delivery. Tried Shibam after looking through their menu and noticing some curry dishes. This along with a side of basmati rice were outstanding. The food came fast and was full of flavor.The curry chicken and rice reminded me of a cross between Afghan and Lebanese. From what I remembered years ago, the restaurant serves Yemen cuisine. Nevertheless, I would certainly order again.After an experience I had several years ago, I never returned for a sit-down so that I could blog the experience. Perhaps when things ease up with the pandemic, I will go for a proper sit-down. If not, there is a strong chance that I will order again for delivery."

Pita BBQ

★★★★☆ 4.3 (376) • $

"Was a little apprehensive about the price of the Chicken Shawarma Plate ($15.50) but gave it a try anyway. It was totally worth it! The portion of chicken and rice is quite generous (enough for my husband and I to share for lunch) and both were delicious. The plate also came with a salad and pita that were good too. I wanted to try the spicy version but was worried it might be too much for me to handle, so the woman who took the order suggested getting the hot sauce on the side. Glad we did, because it's very spicy and just a little bit went a long way. The plate also came with a delicious garlic sauce, probably for the salad, but we thought it tasted great mixed in with the chicken and rice with just a tiny bit of hot sauce.Wish this place was closer to home!"

Shish Kabob & Grill

★★★★★ 4.6 (26)

"I tried Shish Kabob & Grill and it was pretty good.I tried the Falafel Wrap with a side of French Fries - they were pretty tasty. I wish they had pita bread sandwiches too though. Employees are friendly and they have a small dining area in the restaurant. It's a bit expensive compared to comparable restaurants in the area like Pita Pita/Pita Inn but it's still a decent spot to get some Mediterranean food from."

The Nile Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.8 (143) • $$

"Ordered Shish Kabob Sandwich, Falafels, Kalaya and Eggs and Potatoes. And man, everything was AMAZING!!! Even the side of pickled vegetables that were served with the food were absolutely phenomenal! The service was friendly, sweet snd prompt. Neto polish everything off, the best (and most comforting) mint tea!!! It's an absolute MUST to visit and eat at this restaurant!!!"

Taboun Grill

★★★★☆ 4 (145) • $$

"Wow!! We were traveling through Chicago and staying by airport and kosher dinner. They delivered the food quickly and we're super friendly. They are also super accommodating with allergies...just call and ask they will take care of it all. Highly recommend them when you need a tasty kosher meal. The servings are also generous. If your looking for recommendations get the appetizer sampler and meat trio!"

Old Jerusalem

★★★★☆ 4 (472) • $$

"Outdoor seating is best. Especially since the eye candy here is more sophisticated than say - Lincoln Park. The patina of time has taken its toll inside. My Arabic coffee was perfectly sweetened rich and strong. The combo platter was ok. The gyro/ lamb and kefta is fine but the beef was overcooked and dry. The kinafa desert is Ok. I prefer the Turkish version."

Pita Inn

★★★★☆ 4.2 (302) • $$

"I've been eating at pita inn for years and I mean years!!!! I've been to most of the locations but recently moved to the area and have been frequenting the mundeline location. Food is delicious and super consistent. I was having a house warming party and no brained I ordered pita inn catering! And what do you know delicious!!! We got the preferred package:KeftaChicken tendersFalafel Shush kabobRice BabaganoushHummus Salad we upgraded to fatoush Pita and all the delicious sauces. Everything was so good. Our guests were happy and full and we still had so many left overs."

Bab Al Salam

★★★★☆ 4.2 (147)

"Low key location in a stip mall with delicious food and great service. My wife and I would br happy to come back."

Ragadan

★★★★★ 4.5 (76)

"Came here for a quick falafel salad. This is one of the top Falafel spots in the city!!! Fried fresh, crispy on the outside, soft (but not mushy) on the inside. Paired with some excellent hummus. Also, I loved that the salad was on a bed of kale!I can't wait to go back and have more falafel!"

Falafel Kebab Station

★★★★★ 4.7 (55)

"Tucked into the Edgewater neighborhood between the Granville Red Line Station and Broadway, we have an absolute powerhouse in the Falafel Kebab Station, whipping up some incredible pig-out Mediterranean dishes everybody comes to know and adore. There's nothing but options here, folks! They got rotisserie chickens, pita sandwiches, plates, salads, wraps; all served with some tasty sides (their fries are actually legit, ok?)The rotisserie chicken was fire plain and simple. You have an option to get half a chicken or whole with a side of rice or fries. I was gonna go big and also ordered an extra side of gyro meat to give it a taste, and they really knocked it out of the park with that meat as well. Really, everything is cooked to excellent quality at the Falafel Kebob Station. You can order your food online and it'll be ready in about 20 mins, easy pickup time and setup. They do have a nice space to dine in if you are looking to have a meal at the place instead. Northsiders, do not sleep on this place! Great gem of a restaurant with easy transit access for all!"

Caspian Kabab Fine Persian Cuisine

★★★★★ 4.5 (184) • $

"Kabob Platter - chicken, shish, koobideh, veggies, rice, falafel, Persian saladSee attached photo. This platter is supposed to be for four people. And we added a few kabobs to it too. We had mixed opinions about the quality but I think it's decent-good. My main gripe is the quantity of food for $63 and more like 2 people, not 4. In the photo, you can see two slices of bread, one tomato, half an onion. Needs more rice, salad, and meat... More of everything overall.Service felt rushed, he cleaned up our plates pretty quickly (restaurant is mostly empty). He combined the extra kabobs with the platter which we didn't ask for. He was nice though."

Afghan Kabob

★★★★☆ 4.4 (337) • $$

"The flavors that come out of this small restaurant in a strip mall on Dempster are just amazing. If you've never had Afghani food before, Afghan kabob is a Percy place to try. They offer delicious kabobs, lamb, chicken and beef which are cooked to perfection and spiced just right. All the meats are seasoned so well that not only do you get a tasty dish but it is also moist and consistent. The service is usually pretty fast as well. I ordered carry out for dinner on. Friday evening and turnaround time was 20mins. Can't beat that for fresh cooked food to order."

Beatnik West Town

★★★★☆ 3.9 (789) • $$

"I spent a weekend in Chicago on a girls trip and we were looking for somewhere to close our time before our flights. Beatnik caught our eye with their beautiful exterior. We came around 11 am and were easily able to get a table for brunch. Once you step inside you're transported to a beautiful garden with tons of plants and sky light. I wish my house looked like this.Not only was the decor amazing but the food was delicious too. I had the shaksuka which had excellent flavor and a good size. Our server was incredible too, very friendly & able to provide a great wine recommendation.Do not pass this place up for a great time!"

North Ave Falalfel

★★★★☆ 4.1 (96) • $

"Delicious! We stopped by on a whim for lunch after returning from a COViD test. We order a chicken shawarma "sandwich" and a Falafel Plate. The shawarma was super flavorful and my daughter said that the Falafel were were some of the best she's had. Not at at crumbly and dry. Was told there would be a 10 minute wait so ran next door to get something cool for for daughters throat and I looked up up and he was walking our order out to the car. So kind - we'll be going there again!"

Miraj Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.8 (12)

"Came here Saturday night to kick off a girlfriend's bday celebration......WE NEVER LEFT! lol We were treated like royalty. We were seated at a table close to the entertainment. There was a live band playing and though quite different, we really enjoyed it. There was a belly dancing show too. We ordered our food and I can just say OMG, ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!! We had such a great time, we decided not to go anywhere else....we had hookah, drinks, great food and entertainment. Definitely will be back."

Middleterranean

★★★★☆ 3.9 (191) • $$

"Middle of the road for us.Ordered a gyro meat plate, chicken shawarma, and falafels. Falafels were a bit too hard that we added them to a lentil soup.Pita bread was avg, not the fluffy pillows of other spots.Garlic sauce was a pass."

Tiba Restaurant Chicago

★★★★☆ 4.3 (128) • $

Shawarma Inn

★★★★☆ 3.8 (355) • $$

"First time trying Shawarma Inn. Decided to order take out over the phone. The lady who took my order was polite and answered my questions regarding my order. Upon arriving, tye restaurant itself doesn't look much from the outside and the interior is quite simple. It does have ample seating. It wasn't busy around 830pm when I came in to pick up my order. My order was wrapped up for me when I got there.I ordered the Kefta Kebab platter/meal. It came with 2 large kefta kebabs, alot of yellow Mediterranean rice, a small salad/veggies, and squash. Also, it came with an order of pita bread and choice of soup, picked Lentil soup.Kefta Kebab was good, but it wasn't amazing. Rice tasted fresh. Soup was warm and tasty. Didn't like the squash. The meal was filling, and definitely good for 2 meals.For the price, it is alot of food and tastes good. You get your money worth for the quantity. Not sure if I would want to order the platter again. Definitely will try their wraps next time."

Valley Of Jordan

★★★★☆ 3.8 (33) • $

"My dearest mother wanted to have a middle eastern themed Festivus -- yes you read that right -- so we decided to have it catered. We ordered trays of falafel, hummus and tabula salad. All were exceptional!!"