Ghareeb Nawaz

FANTASTIC DEAL, FANTASTIC FOOD. Couldn't say 5 stars all around more than this place. Cash only, very efficient line management, friendly staff. Plenty of seating and the everything is clean! One order of biryani comfortably fed our party or 4 but we got two orders so we had plenty of leftovers. The butter chicken is a standout and was just *chef's kiss* with everything. Run, don't walk!

I'm writing this review literally just for the best samosa you'll ever have. This place is nostalgic- cultural ties and family memories. I mean, Devon St itself is a world of its own and a vibrant thrill of colors, businesses, and busy-ness. Ghareeb Nawaz is an underrated corner stop that is a hub for Indians plates of affordable meals and snacks. This 5/5 is a spotlight review for the BEST samosa had; the exact ones that you'll spot as soon as you walk in and spot behind the glass counter. They usually have two selections, the veggie filled (cilantro, onion, peas, and some other greens) and the potato one (the $0.75 one). The deep-fried pastry is the perfectly timed-fried thing, nothing burnt or undercooked about it. More so, that, the seasoned mashed potatoes inside are also well-cooked and not overly spiced. The balance between the starchy potatoes and the chili powder, turmeric powder, with sprinkles of mustard and cumin seeds is simply effortless.

A true neighborhood classic that has been around since I've been a kid. Location is cash only and I'm assuming it always will be. Although the prices have steadily increased through the years (a chili chicken biriyani used to be $5!), its still been serving pretty cheap food compared to everyone else in the neighborhood. Great for takeout or casual lunch/dinner. Service might be a bit lacking, might want to check your order before heading out, but what do you expect? As long as the food hits the spot, you'll receive no complaints from me. My go to is always the chili chicken biryani, but will occasionally get the butter chicken if I'm feeling indulgent. The samosas are also pretty decent. Although the "level of complexity" and flavors of the dish might be better at other places (i.e. Uru Swati, Nepal House both right down the street on Devon), paying $13+ for a biryani when you can pay $6-7 for basically the same quantity and a little less quality is good enough for me especially during these times of rough inflation. Definitely a spot worth checking out if you live in the neighborhood. Probably won't be winning any Michelin or Zagat awards, but they're not trying to do that. They're just trying to serve the actual people who've been living there the past 30 years.

I have been coming here since 2018 or 2017. I don't know if anyone knows this yet but this is the best, tastiest and cheapest place to get food in Chicago. In the WHOLE of Chicago. Service is fast, depending on the demand. It is cash only so bring your cash or stand to risk it at their ATM machine. I love the simple look, it's very down to earth and family oriented. This place is not fancy at all and why should it be? We are coming to eat, so long as the food area is clean and the bathroom that's what we need. Simplicity is the highest sophistication. So if you are a local or a tourist, try this place out you will not regret it.

My bud and I ate lunch at Ghareeb Nawaz on Devon today. This is a no-frills establishment with an extensive menu posted on the wall, so it just may take a minute or two to identify what you'd like to order. The sign touted their "winter special" - chicken biryani for $5.99. Of course, I could not pass up such an eye-popping deal. The photos of the dishes just do not depict how sizeable the portions are in reality. I thought my platter of biryani was the bargain of the century (at least by 2023 standards) as the basmati rice was literally overflowing from the plate and there were three substantial chicken pieces embedded in the dish. Even as I added two samosas (the potato was better than the beef samosa), I spent less than nine dollars and had enough rice for another meal. My bud ordered an enormous amount of food, including chicken korma with a somewhat spicy curry sauce and a pile of rice, and a frisbee-sized disk of naan. His he-man appetite meant that he somehow wound up with no leftovers. We were both satisfied with the flavors and the value of our food. I ate my meal with a plastic spoon - I did not see any forks or knives anywhere. Remember - no-frills!

Prior to my recent visit to Ghareeb Nawaz, I had been here a couple of times before but that was more than 10 years ago. Since then, the restaurant has gotten a face-lift and an upgrade.Ghareeb Nawaz is known for their homey, late night (at least in the past when I went) eats at very inexpensive prices. I was on my way back from downtown and decided to pick up dinner from here for the following night. I placed my order over the phone and was informed that it would be ready in 20 minutes and should be paid as cash only. I ordered:- Butter Chicken (med spicy)- Lamb Nihari (spicy)- Beef Bihari Kebab (extra spicy)- 2 tandoori chapati- 2 parathaI got there in 20 minutes and the food was ready. We were surprised that these items were already prepared to go in the alloted time given especially how busy they were when I got there around 10 pm. I paid cash and picked up my order. One of the attendants repeated my order by looking in my carry-out to confirm what I had gotten. I did not open the bag to see if everything was okay or not. Fast forward the following night at home for dinner when we sat down to eat this meal. The Butter Chicken smelled off as if it had been spoiled and was mild. The Lamb Nihari was not spicy but had decent flavor. I had to add Indian extra hot chili powder to make it spicy. The Beef Bihari Kebab was not a kebab dish but a shredded beef curry type dish and was not spicy either forget extra spicy. The only real tasty things were the parathas and tandoori chapati. This was a huge letdown for us especially given how reputed G N is and its popularity. I did not call the restaurant to complain about this as this was roughly 24 hrs later and I had not check my bag's contents at pick up.However, one thing did solidify for me that in my experience from all the visits to G N, I do not agree with any of the good or better reviews of the food from this place. The food has always been mediocre in taste. I guess that part has not changed for me in going here even after 10+ years. Sorry but I can't rate this place high on their food quality. G N is good for great prices on their extensive menu options and late night hours. It's a popular local establishment that makes the list of cheap eats on Devon Ave. and in Chicago, overall. But for me it doesn't work in terms of quality and taste of food.

Amazing food. Delicious butter chicken, rice, and garlic naan. We crave it. Cash-only, there was an ATM inside but it was out of service. It was a busy kind of atmosphere (self-service water was out for the first half while we were there), but you can tell it's busy 'cause the food's legit. COME FOR THE BUTTER CHICKEN - IT'S SO GOOD!

Ever since Ghareeb became available on Grubhub, we have ordered it several times a month. We also go to the restaurant every couple of months and do takeout. My go-to is the chili chicken parata. The chili chicken parata was my top ordered dish in 2023! I like the chili chicken rice too, but it's not as spicy as the parata. My husband loves their butter chicken rice bowls. My children also enjoy chicken biryani. The service is quick, and the restaurant is generally clean. Usually, if I go to the restaurant, I'll also get some samosas for the family. I've been eating Ghareeb since I was a kid, and I don't plan to ever stop lol.

Now certainly not every dish on the menu is a five star dish- but some of them are so delicious, and the prices are the best part. This was a go-to spot for me and my broke friends in high school, and a go-to spot for me and my broke friends in college (well, slightly less broke but still on a budget yk). And since the recent renovations, the interior is very comfy too.My personal favorite has to be the lamb biryani. Like the other biryanis, it's enough to feed you and at least another friend, however it is much more tasty than the rest. Definitely worth the extra couple dollars. I also like the frontier chicken, the dal, or the butter chicken if I'm in the mood. Of course I would recommend visiting as many places as you can on devon, but ghareeb nawaz is definitely worth a stop.

Chicken Biryani is still good at this Devon location. For 6 dollars, its worth.Order Schzewan Chicken Biryani and it was NOT good. We just threw it away. Garlic Naan did NOT had any garlic and it was too dry.Butter chicken was OK.Quantity offered is generous and 1 plate Biryani can be easily feed 2 people.Wanted to try Bihari Kebab, but photo on the wall DID NOT convince me.Parking as usual will be hard to find on Devon and location only accepts cash.