50 Best Mediterranean Restaurants near Forest Park

“My husband and I dined at this restaurant last month for the first time and loved it so I suggested it for a cousin’s dinner last night. Divino is a family restaurant. Chef Gabriel’s food is creative and delicious. His brother-in-law Jose, I believe, is the one behind the great cocktail list and making housemade aperitifs.
The four of us shared two appetizers. The tuna tartare - chopped tuna on top of creamy avocado surrounded by crispy capers and quail yolk. It was served with homemade potato and vegetable chips. We also shared the goat cheese - creamy melted goat cheese sitting in a pool of tasty marinara. This was served with grilled baguette pieces. This appetizer could use more of the baguette as we ran out of bread and still had goat cheese left to enjoy.
For dinner, my sister had the gnocchi with braised beef, short rib, spinach and mushrooms. I know this dish was delicious because this is what my husband ordered the first time we dined here. My two cousins had the chicken limone and said it was very good. (I have my eye on this for next time ). I opted for the branzino which was moist and served in a delicious lemon caper sauce. I would like to see a traditional pasta with marinara sauce on the menu. I think that would be a great addition for clientele who are into the traditional instead of the creative and unique.
There was no room for dessert, but shots of limoncello came to the table. So sweet of Divino. Let me tell you the limoncello was amazing. Luckily, I was able to buy a bottle of this housemade limoncello. Since the four of us were raving about the limoncello, right before we walked out the door Divino gave us a tasting of the housemade pistachio cream. Omg! So smooth, creamy and divine. We enjoyed our conversations with the chef and his brother-in-law, the other owner. Great guys who care about their customers and restaurant.“

“Petra Falafel is my favorite Middle Eastern restaurant in the area. Their chicken shawarma platter is a masterpiece, and the garlic, jalapeno, and habanero sauces are very tasty, be sure to order extras! Their portions are generous, often leaving me with leftovers for at least another full meal. The staff is always friendly and attentive, making the whole experience even better. We always order for pick up, but they do have a dining area and I believe they are also BYOB. Next time you are craving falafel, baba ghanoush or shawarma give Petra Falafel a try - you will not be disappointed!“

“Turquoise was absolutely AMAZING! I've done quite a few food reviews over the years because I'm definitely a foodie, and I have to say—this was by far one of the best dining experiences I've had. The food was authentic and incredibly delicious, and the staff was phenomenal—prompt, courteous, attentive, and on top of everything. Even the bread and dip were incredible! The dip was so light and refreshing, made with yogurt, thinly sliced carrots, garlic, basil, and the most delicious blend of flavors. It was one of those things you just keep going back for. I seriously wish I had the recipe! The calamari literally melted in our mouths, and the beet salad was fresh, crisp, and so refreshing. But the lamb shank and mushroom risotto... OH. DEAR. GOD. 😂 That was like diving into a plate of heaven. The risotto was ridiculously good—creamy, rich, and perfectly prepared. And the lamb? Like butter. So tender it practically fell apart. From the bread and appetizers to the entrées and service, everything was exceptional. WOW. Turquoise, you absolutely knocked it out of the park. This is the kind of meal you're still thinking about the next day. We will definitely be back! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

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

“Hands down one of the best restaurants in Chicago. It’s rare to find a restaurant where every dish is so flavorful and on point but Elia does it so gracefully! Amazing atmosphere and great service - Ebrar made our dinner experience so enjoyable. Can’t wait to go back!“

“Love CAVA! The build-your-own bowls are amazing, the pita dishes are delicious, and everything feels fresh and healthy. Cute spot on Milwaukee Ave, but be prepared if the line is long, because it's popular for a reason!! Would deffo come back :)“

“This is the place to go if you’re looking for a delightfully creative cocktail list and scrumptious food options. We hit this place for brunch and were not disappointed. We had the burger, sausage, jam and egg sando on a milk bun, the earl grey cinnamon (it comes warm by the way), fried potatoes and the matcha raspberry GF cake and Bloody Marys. All of it I would order again with the exception of the GF situation.
The vibe is amazing, loved the design and the service was spectacular.“

“Wedding soup is spot on! had the lamb chops absolutely delicious! We Highly recommend you!!! Derek and Anna“

“Service and food all outstanding. I will be going back.“

“My husband and I had an amazing dinner experience at Autre Monde! Exceptional service, excellent food, and delicious desert! Cannot wait to come back!“

“I don’t always write reviews but when I do it’s because I’m impressed or disappointed. I ordered for to go. I had the grilled platter. Rice two kind, beef I think or lamb, chicken and kafta. Everything was delicious. Chicken was the best it was soft inside and just fall apart in the mouth. Hummus was great not too strong not too salty. Fattoush salad was also great. Overall I would recommend as a place to go for a quick middle eastern bite.“

“Suffron Cafe is a great option for tasty Mediterranean food in Chicago. The place doesn’t have much seating inside, but they’ve added a couple of tables outside, which definitely helps when the weather allows it.

We sat outside and had the gyro plate, beef kabob plate, and dolmas (stuffed grape leaves). Both plates came with generous portions, and everything was very tasty. The meat was flavorful, and the rice, hummus and salad made for a very filling meal. The dolmas were also a nice addition to share.

Even though we ordered at the counter, the food was brought out to our table. Good food, generous portions and friendly service. Definitely a good spot if you’re looking for Mediterranean food in the area.“

“Where do I even begin? The pita? Perfect texture and taste. The cherry tomatoes? Obviously fresh, juicy, and sourced from a great farm. The romain? Plentiful and CRISP. The Dill and Taziki sauce? Also VERY fresh, has a citrus kick somewhere, and seems to be made fresh as well. Because it doesn't taste like a store bought sauce filled with preservatives. The hummus? That might actually be where the citrus is from. However, the hummus is not overly salty! You can actually taste the Chickpeas and they use good ingredients as well as olive oil for the hummus too! The chicken? Is in NO way shape or form dry and it's actually seasoned! It's juicy and normal is it overcooked. The olives? Brothers and sisters I HATE olives by themselves, rarely on certain foods. But these olives are not overpowering and stealing the flavor profile, it just adds more depth to the flavor bomb of the Greek chicken Pita! The feta? What could be bettah? Seriously though if you can see this picture you should've seen that they don't skip on the feta either. Again the flavor is ALL the way there but not overpowering. While the texture is almost creamy. Probably with assistance from the sauce but still, it's not overly dry! 10/10 Would recommend & I will be back! Now the facility was spotless, the cleanest "fast food" I've ever seen. The staff? Phenomenonal, personable, kind, attentive to details, and downright superstars that make that place run like clockwork! Wooooo wo weeeee wo!!! If you haven't been here then you've got to go!! Moderate prices, exceptional ingredients, lovely staff, and clean facilities(where the staff actually care like the NW Expressway location in OKC). I'm out, ty for listening to my Ted talk! 🫡“

“I have gone to Andros Taverna for many years now where I am never disappointed and always impressed with the service, the quality of food and ingredients, the atmosphere and the passion in general. Chef Doug Psaltis is a true expert and artist performing at the highest levels. The gyros are the best, best gyros in Chicago by far, the seafood world class, the homemade bread and pita are incredible. The foods and meats are cooked over wood fire, wood fire grilled. We had our daughters baptism catered from here which was excellent assortment of Greek food - this is a Greek restaurant you will go to for many years to come.“

“La Parra is an authentic restaurant. Each time I go, I try something different, because I know they won't disappoint me. Everything tastes great and the staff are extremely attentive.“

“Attended a very lovely wedding + reception there today (not a usual function they perform) and it was absolutely amazing! The decor, the atmosphere, the food & service were all top notch! Tres Bien!!!“

“Love this place! Food is so good, well packaged, and quick delivery.“

“I was just there with my husband we had dinner and our experience was great the food was fresh moist and tasty top Noch 👌we will definitely come back“

“Amazing food & service! Thank you Chicago♥️“

“First time having dinner here and it was so good. Fast service and nice atmosphere. Looking forward to coming back!“

“all food are very good ,the best!!“

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

“Food is delicious and personal so nice“

“For the amount and quality of food you get for the price, this place is a steal. After traveling all day and parking at the Cumberland Blue Line, we came down the road to Bab Alsalam and I cannot rave enough how amazing this place is and will be coming back each and every single time we travel out of O'Hare. The food was not only delicious, but so much flavor punched into every bite. We ordered a Chicken Shawarma Entree and the Mixed Shawarma and both were exceptional in taste. Comes with salads, pita bread, and incredibly flavorful hummus. Attached is a photo of how much food they give you. It's massive. We had enough for leftovers the next day. HIGHLY recommend this place and I'm already trying to find a way to make my way back to Chicago just to eat at this place again lol. Thanks for the amazing service!“

“I really liked this place. It's very clean, the service was very polite. I had the chicken shawarma wrap and dolmas. The dolmas were pretty standard but good. The chicken shawarma was seasoned very well and the wrap wasn't messy! I'll be back to try their hummus and baba ghanouj.“

“THE FOOD IS BEYOND DELICIOUS! 🔥“

“Delightful food choices that are always tasty“

“Excellent food and ambiance, The brick chicken is my favorite. Our friends who have lived throughout the country said the pork chop is the best they ever had“

“Food was very tasteful. Service a bit slow.“

“Had lunch there today and I have to say this is the first time I was disappointed with the service. The food was excellent but that's it. Asked for 2nd drink and never got it. Water was never refilled until we were through eating. When first ordering our wine we had problems. I will continue to eat here and hopefully this is a one time occurrence.“

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

“The best food & Staff very yummy 😋“

“My first experience at this restaurant was enjoyable due to the staff explaining what items came with which plate, recommending dishes/drinks and understanding my food preferences. I ordered a Lamb Koubideh and Persian Iced Tea with sugar packets, both were flavorful and full filling.“

“I just picked up falafel and baba ghanouj and it has to be the best falafel I’ve ever had. I was coming back from Skokie and I wanted to go to Pita Inn on Dempster and it was too busy but I did not miss anything - this is better!“

“The best food & Staff very yummy 😋“

“I just placed a catering order for an event with Theo and he was amazing! I had a lot of questions and dietary restriction requirements and he was extremely patient and thorough with me. He provided various solutions for our event and I appreciated the time he spent elaborating all my options and making sure all my needs were met. Would highly recommend for your next corporate event or large gathering! :) Thank you again Theo for treating me like an old friend!“

“Great place to grab lunch. Their pizza is perfect 😋 and wings were delicious. My daughter wanted something on the sweeter side so she had their delicious Nutella panini. I couldn't resist to ask for a bite 😅. I will definitely be back often. Highly recommended.“

“Always delicious! Always accommodating…over the past five years I’ve experienced feeding from 3-30, and never disappointed! The service is always great! They take huge pride in their food and work. We just had a party for 30, and I should have just put out a banner so people would stop asking me where the food was from 💖. All were very impressed!“

“I love alasala the food is wonderful and super clean. It feels like im eating in jordan with the fresh ingredients and amazing seasonings. I absolutely love bringing people here just from how beautiful the restaurant is and the service is always wonderful. The place is always clean and super friendly to me and my guests. Could not recommend this place more.“

“My friends and I ate in the informal side of the restaurant and the food was very good, reasonably priced and plentiful. The service was polite and accommodating. I'll be patronizing this fine establishment in the years to come and suggest others follow suit when interested in Persian cuisine.“

“Excellent food for dine in and creative, well presented catering service options. Karim worked with me to create a menu that our guests loved.“

“Got our order for pick up! Food is delicious and great size for the price. We didn’t stay to eat but the vibes were very chill, and the brown couch is honestly great. They do not do online orders though, so make sure to call ahead if you want to do a quick pick up“

“A nice place and the food is delicious they have and the staff there are nice people fresh food every day and clean something indescribable Thank you guys“

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

“Great selection of American & Mediterranean. Falafel plate & Kefta kabobs were fantastic & prepared fresh. Unexpected array of dessert options, as well. Win!“

“Highly recommend Cafe Istanbul! Authentic Halal Turkish cuisine, elegant atmosphere, and consistently excellent food. The lahmacun and mixed grill platter are must-tries, and the baklava with Turkish tea is the perfect way to finish the meal.

A special thank you to Aras and Ilayda for their phenomenal hospitality, kindness, and attentive service—they truly went above and beyond!

I’ve visited numerous times and have always had a top-notch experience. A perfect spot for a date night or anyone visiting Chicago who wants an authentic Turkish dining experience!“

“amazing“

“Amazing food flavors and service. Friendly owner always has a kind word to say. Love this place so much. 🧆🥙“

“I really enjoy Mediterranean food and this dish not disappoint. The trio of dips was super tasty and salmon and spinach salad good too and both were plenty to share between two for lunch and arrived to our table quickly. Pricing was reasonable too“

“Very friendly and the food delicious !“