Middle Eastern Restaurants in Chicago, IL

“I love this place, they have the best pitas in the city. Hands down. They’ve gone through I think 3 chefs in recent years as our waiter was explaining. But we both had the steak Laffa sand which and fries. 10/10 from both of us. It’s a sandwich I could eat daily. Tbh I feel like they gave too many fries, but they’re still really good, and the mango curry sauce mayo thing they give is unique, punchy and bright. We thought it was a curry mustard but it’s actually a mayo (I think).

We also learned you can buy the pita in bulk which is a game changer.“

“We dined on Easter for brunch- it was delicious and lovely with excellent service - our server Dylan was so sweet and took great care of us! We really enjoyed all of our dishes but the shakshuka, mezze platter, oysters and the chicken & waffles were stand outs! Good coffee and nice cocktails too! We’ll be back for sure!“

“Food was great, but it was a little bit overpriced, but the place is nice. We did the tasting menu. We ordered the mixed grill, but I didn’t really like the mix grill that. I didn’t like the fact that it was mixed with seafood. The bread is absolutely the best. The spicy potatoes are good.“

“Excellent food, superb wait staff, excellent atmosphere! We had an absolutely fabulous dining experience!!“

“Celebrated our anniversary dinner here and sat at the bar facing the kitchen..SUCH a good experience. Truly the best hummus & pita I have ever had. People will go crazy over that hummus claim but the food was objectively incredible at each step.

Service was fun, kind, and attentive and the watching the Kitchen was a lot of fun. Servers went out of their way to mark up the menu to indicate what foods were safe for my pregnant wife and brought us a complimentary NA bubbly to celebrate. That is the kind of experience you expect and appreciate at a restaurant of Galit's caliber and a prime reason why I have no problem with the included 20% gratuitiy and 4% fee that goes towards staff healthcare. That's how you build and maintain a team that operates at that level...“

“My favorite lunch spot in the city. No comparison! I dream about the lentil soup, IYKYK. Falafel is perfect, shawarma with the toum is outstanding. Bring cash, don’t expect a seat because it gets busy and enjoy! It doesn’t get better than this.“

“On the evening of July 5 my wife and I tried Avaspi on Belmont Avenue in Lakeview for the first time. It will not be the last! I love lamb and am quite particular as to how is it prepared. The “lamb delight” menu item was the best lamb I have ever had in a restaurant: tender, succulent, and prepared to perfection. The side salad accompanying it was not your ordinary side salad! My wife and I both enjoyed the Mixed Meze appetizer plate. Each of the five items was quite good but the muhammara was to die for. We ended our meal with tea, baklava and kubralice. The décor and ambience were refreshing and relaxing, and the service was outstanding. The pricing was very reasonable. Please give it a try. We do not think you will be disappointed.“

“The food is amazing: tasty and healthy. I love it. Thank you for also baking the Masala biscuit for our dinner.“

“Went to this spot recently for lunch and we’re super pleased with our decision. We got the beef (which has beef and lamb) and chicken shawarma wraps, lentil soup and salad. Everything was excellent, and the wraps were thin and crispy. Absolutely comforting meal, and spent $50ish for 3 people.“

“I celebrated my 20th birthday dinner on Wednesday, July 23rd, and it was absolutely perfect! From the food to the service, everything was spot on. Our server, Adnan, went above and beyond to make the night memorable. He was attentive, kind, and made sure we felt special the entire evening. Couldn't have asked for a better way to celebrate this milestone! Totally recommend!!!“

“A must try spot! Great food, coffee and atmosphere! Definitely recommend!“

“The tasting menu gave us dishes that were delicious and beautiful in an intimate environment. I feel bad about shouting the f-bomb several times while I was there, but I was telling a story and it was an important detail. This place is upscale, so wear something nice get ready for a hefty bill.

Vegetarian options: The vegetarian tasting menu is gorgeous and very very nice food“

“New to the neighborhood, I was excited to try this place, and MAN OH MAN. It was so good. Classic comfort with a delicious twist. We got the Tahini Ranch Fried Chicken Sandwich, the Kefta Burger, and the Stuffed Falafel; not a dud in the bunch. The toppings and condiments that some on the burger and sandwich made basic diner food such a delight without feeling over the top. The real stand out was the stuffed falafel. I never thought of having a filling in a falafel, and the sweetness of the caramelized onions was such a delicious complexity to a classic Middle Eastern dish. Now I want to eat through the whole menu to find my favorites.“

“The Nile of Hyde Park is my local comfort food. Even though I grew up in the Midwest of the United States whenever I’m in need of comfort food these days, I’m ordering Lebanese food from here. There are too many things to name as favorites from this menu, but I’m very partial to; the lentil soup, the hummus with chopped beef, the Jerusalem salad, and the combination 14 for the meat eaters. Amazingly well done food for as long as I can remember (and I’ve been in Hyde Park since 1989).“

“Excellent food! I had the veggie platter and everything was very tasty.“

“So excited to have a new food spot near home. Absolutely Loved it!! Try this spot if you are looking for a fresh, clean, healthy and delicious meal. I ordered the chicken kabob bowl and the meat was flavorful, juicy, and chargrilled goodness. Also ordered the hummus. The portion was large enough for two to share. The staff was really nice and patient as I navigated the menu. They walked my food over to my table. Ten out of ten stars. I'd come back again and again and again.“

“I would like to praise the staff of this store tonight. My scooter was parked inside, with my bag on top of it, and I was eating. Someone took my bag while I wasn't paying attention. This male employee ran out very quickly and retrieved the bag. Thank you very much.“

“Went for the dinner on the recommendation of my daughter friend . We ordered Turkish kaboob, grilled shrimp , biryani ,Mint lemonade and some other dishes but taste was bland and try . I being from Louisiana was especially disappointed for grilled shrimp . Atmosphere and decor is attractive.“

“Where do I begin,

I first tried Al Safa a few weeks ago. The first dish I tried was the Lamb Haneeth. It was so delicious and flavorful. The lamb was nice and tender, as was the rice. The following week I had to try another dish. The Zurbian Lamb. It was absolutely amazing, the rice was incredible, the lamb was tender and fall off the bone. The portions are massive and prices are generous. I even tried the Chicken Zurbian and it was fantastic!

I order from here on Ubereats at least three times a week. Its that good. I am so grateful that a place like this exists in our area. Absolutely the best food. I highly recommend them to everyone trying to eat some good authentic cuisine.“

“Went for the first time tonight and was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food. Better than I’ve had from kabobi grill and noon o kebab which is saying a lot! The hummus was very creamy and flavorful and the chicken was perfectly spiced and very juicy! Kebabs can often be dry and this is not the case here! Very god portions for a reasonable price! Check this place out!“

“Beautiful people. Family feeling. The food tastes like love. Absolutely amazing. Definitely will be back.“

“I ordered for first time the All in platter which gives u a little bit of everything.. n I tried the stuffed grape leaves and the chocolate cake.. 😋 the cake is more than enough reason for me to order from them again . the Rumi sauce is also very good.. not too spicy.. has a little kick..“

“Great Mediterranean food!! The chicken shawarma wrap was delicious. They also have a cute patio in the wicker park location“

“I absolutely love this place. The food is always fresh. The team is always recommending great dishes to try. You also get a ton of food for a great price which is hard to find nowadays! I definitely recommend this place to everyone you will not be disappointed.

Vegetarian options: They have vegetarian options, including falafel!

Parking: There is a parking lot there with ample amount of parking

Kid-friendliness: This place is very kid friendly a lot of good seating and baby seats available.“

“Fool and falafel and the kushari“

“Fantastic authentic Israeli food. The falafel were amazing and the pita and hummus is some of the best I’ve tasted outside Israel. This place deserves 10 stars. Will definitely go back again.“

“Great place. For house made items in the grocery section: their hummus is quite good. They get much of their bread from another bakery on Kedzie. Only complaint there is the Lebanese style bread cannot be split easily because the bread is packed into half while it is still warm. For this reason, but the thinner style bread (some call it mountain bread) which this store receives in smaller quantities, so I recommend going in the morning. Good selection of dried lentils, beans, etc. In the restaurant section, the food is delicious. Wonderful atmosphere too, with a wide range of Chicagoans bustling in and out: families, bus drivers, couples, etc. That said, I do generally recommend Taste of Lebanon across Foster Ave for shawarma.“

“Excellent food and service. It wasn't a fancy table setup, but it was cozy for our family and the art on the wall helped us enjoy the atmosphere.

Got an appetizer combo and meat combo with lentil soup and a Turkish coffee. It reminded us of our favorite Mediterranean restaurant In Cleveland.“

“It's fantastic old school Chicago, and the food is so good, you just want to live there...“

“It's fantastic old school Chicago, and the food is so good, you just want to live there...“

“This place is truly a hidden gem. Absolutely delicious food, great portion sizes and incredibly affordable. Owners and workers are super kind and hospitable. Can’t recommend enough.“

“This was my first time having a gyro, my son’s as well. It was absolutely PHENOMENAL! The guy who made our food was so kind. I asked him to make mine the way he likes his because I had no idea what to order! Awesome vibe dining in! I’ll probably never be back in Chicago but I’m so glad I stopped here on our first night of vacation!“

“They had excellent service, the food was great, and the falafel came right off of the fryer. They were very kind, and the employees were very understanding when I asked for change. Overall, the restaurant was really good, and it was the best food I’ve had for a while.“

“If I could give 20 million stars to Naf Naf Grill on Clinton, I would do it in a heartbeat! This team knocked it pit of the park with their service, organization, follow-through, and amazing food. I had a presentation with an important client of ours and needed to make a last-minute request for catering for 20 people. I put my order in online at 5:30pm the day before and they had my order, hot, ready, complete, and organized beautifully at 10:30am when I requested. No frills or bull. The team was the kindest and everyone said hello and served me well. And all the food, utensils, labels (yes, they include paper tent labels for all the food!) etc. came in two excellent reusable bags. I am so wowed. I was nervous at first, and Naf Naf on Clinton rocked it beautifully. I can’t wait to order from them again and again! Thank you, Naf Naf Grill! You’re a gift to the city!“

“Nothing to take you girlfriend to on a date, it's super stark abs drab in atmosphere, but where it lacks in looks, it delivers in some delicious ass shawarma, ages you get a ton of food for the money. The last who works at night, she's a doll, crazy nice and so helpful and kind as well. You never leave here feeling like you've missed out on something, they do what they do well.“

“This place is great! The service is excellent- the servers are always so pleasant. The food is fresh and tasty! The portions are huge! The bowl feeds 2 people and they always give you a pita! I frequent this place at least 3 times a month!“

“Delicious food - great ambiance - great Melvin Taylor!!“

“You can eat light and healthy here. But three of our 4 people found Tinfoil in their food. I had tabouli, hummus, cucumber salad, pickles, rice and double order of spicey chicken and a pita for only $11.99. They didn’t charge extra for the Tinfoil!!“

“We ordered the Egyptian sandwich snd the shakshuka wrap. The wrap was an omelet wrapped in a tortilla, not a lot of flavor. But the sandwich was really good, very flavorful, just needed a little bit more of salt for my taste. I don’t have pictures because we ate it so fast. The coffe was ok. The place has a lot of potential snd I hope they continue to get better.“

“Very friendly and the food delicious !“

“A very well, clean, great customer service atmosphere with very reasonable prices and the food is very tasty. You will not be disappointed. Keep up the great works Crave Khebob team, thanks for your undying efforts. My favorite spot to eat at when I'm in Chicago about three times a week.“

“Good food I love this restaurant“

“Decided to try this place since our usual place was closed. So glad we did! Excellent food, HUGE portions and good service. Love that the kabobs come with peppers and onions and not just the meat. It was a great surprise to find the chicken shawarma under the kabobs! (I just ordered two combination plates without really reading the menu.) Definitely trying more in the future.“

“Food was outstanding as was the service! We definitely recommend it!“

“Absolutely delicious, as always! We miss being closer to Hala In. #supportlocal“

“Food was delicious! The decor was very nice. Different from what we have seen“

“absolutely delicious! the falafel was perfectly crispy on the outside and moist in the middle“

“This was my first time visiting Masada and they did not disappoint!! I went on Afro Beats night which they do every Friday and Saturday. The energy and vibe is top tier!! I like that it’s not too big but there is just enough space to dance and have a good time. The DJ was jamming the entire night and the drinks were really good. I could actually taste the alcohol and not just juice lol. I recommend this place to anyone looking to just have a good time and get lost in the music.“

“Amazing food & service! Thank you Chicago♥️“