Middle Eastern Restaurants near Glenview, IL

“Update: I’ve been going here for many years, with longer hours now and a remodeled and much larger dining area that looks and feels pleasant, they’ve really been doing a great job! Quality is consistent and always tastes great. Very fresh and lots of healthy options that taste great! Cannot recommend this place enough.

Amazing Middle Eastern food! Prices are amazing, food is fantastic, and overall the whole business has a very strong flow to it! Employees work very hard to serve costumers and help keep the place clean. Absolutely amazing!“

“The food is incredible! The owners know how to treat their customers. So professional and caring I am hooked!! Everyone must visit this restaurant I highly recommend it!!“

“Great staff, absolutely delicious food in a warm welcoming atmosphere. can't recommend them enough.“

“Amazing all around!!! The food was delicious and service was great. The pita was incredible and the hummus was truly authentic. We had the schnitzel which was super crunchy and the sauce on the side was very flavorful. The patio in the back is so nice and spacious and the word burning oven inside really sets the vibe. The drinks were also unique and delicious. You have to go!!“

“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 was absolutely delicious and our servers did a great job explaining the dishes and directing us. I’m certain that we will go back although I’m not a huge fan of fixed price menu. It’s probabaly more food that my wife and I would normally eat. By the time we got to our final course we had pretty much already reached our capacity. Although I admit I forced myself to finish the amazingly good pastrami entree. Hard to pick one thing that was most outstanding in a meal of perfect dishes.“

“best falafel and lentil soup i had in chicago by far. cheap, fast, and rly yum. i can't have the pita bread that comes with the soup so they throw me an extra falafel everytime. great place & P.S. its cash only! Updated from previous review on 2026-08-18“

“Highly recommend! Good food that 3 generations of Desi immigrants approve of, from those born in colonial India, to post partition Pakistanis, to American-Born little ones. Suits all palates.

All food was good but saag paneer in particular was the bomb. So was nihari (authentic!). Elachi chai was great , too. Very clean, down to the bathroom. Kind service.“

“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.“

“Absolutely delicious! I would totally recommend. 🫶🏻“

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

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

“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.“

“Good food and good service I hope keep the good luck and good jobs“

“I got the combination plate, it was a lot of food and everything was 🔥 they also gave me a scoop of hummus to try which was also good“

“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“

“This place has become a GO-TO for me here in the neighborhood. As a vegetarian 🌱 I always enjoy the healthy and delicious Mediterranean foods here, be it in the cafe or on the grocery side! I highly recommend this place to everyone. The staff is friendly and always makes me smile.“

“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!“

“Been here a few times and finally decided to write a review. Prices are fair. Food is always consistent, warm, tasty, and portions are large. Haneeth Mandi was fabulous. Chicken was spicy and tender and juicy. Fall off the bone cooked perfectly. Rice was also fresh and cooked to perfection. They provide sauces that compliment the dish nicely. Love that this place has maintained the quality and their service is always friendly. Restaurant is clean and a good atmosphere to sit relax and enjoy a meal.“

“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.“

“One of the best restaurants in Chicago! The lunch special is my favorite - the most flavorful kabobs and rice (I upgrade to the Kabuli style rice). I also love the Kabuli Palaw (lamb shank). Service is always efficient and friendly. Afghan Kabob is worth a visit even if you're not in the area!“

“The food is so delicious. The people are very kind and so patient. The workers are so happy to help and work fast too. My family always comes here and my sisters and I love the vegan options. The owner is very kind and looks out for everyone with great conversations. They have a lot of delicious drinks. We are looking forward to coming back soon!“

“Store front restaurant in a strip mall is find! Plenty of parking. Half a dozen tables for dining. While we were there, they had a steady stream of take out orders. Their is a nick-nack with a flag of Jordan, maybe the influence is coming from. Their Gyros is not the typical style in the USA, all the same ingredients firmly wrapped in their flat bread rather than a pita. Baba Ghanouj is one of my favorite dishes from middle eastern cuisine, EZ Shawarma does an excellent version. Also impressed by their Lamb Chops at $24, serverd on Basmati yellow rice with grilled vegetables. We also had chicken Shawarma entrée also served on Basmati yellow rice with grilled vegetables. We finished off with Baklava.“

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

“انصح في زياره مطعم بهار ونار يتوفر لديهم جميع انواع المأكولات الشرقيه والغربيه والخدمه في المطعم سريعه واسعار مناسبه“

“We have a nice dinner the food was so good, and for sure we will back 💖💖“

“Best food, very kind staff, all around great place!“

“One of the nicest, cleanest place to eat the delicious hot mandi. We got the family platter for 4-5 people and ma sha Allah what a luxurious portion they gave. It was enough for probably 7 people. Will definitely come here again. And people who know the chai (tea) in Madinah, dont miss the adani chai. They made it fresh and it tasted exactly like the madinah shareef tea place“

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

“Food, service and ambiance are perfect for a dinner out. Highly recommended!“

“Came here with a friend for a quick bite. Got the combo plate. Was fresh, fast and delicious. We were stuffed and super satisfied. Prices seemed a little high until we seen the portion size. Was well worth it 🔥🔥🔥“

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

“this is one of the best Mediterranean food I have ever ate I would definitely come back“

“The food here is fantastic, except for the fries which are really thick potato slices. They used to have the best thin, crispy fries (chips) but no more. Hence the reason for only 4-stars.

The lady working was very friendly, making me feel like I was a regular despite it being my first visit to this location. The food was hot, fresh, as ordered and most importantly, delicious. The in-house baked pitas are like eating a cloud of heaven.“

“Amazing food & service! Thank you Chicago♥️“

“Monica did a great job getting me everything for a family lunch to-go! Extremely efficient and very speedy service, getting all falafels together, pita together, bowls, sauces, etc. Just amazing! We love our local Naf Naf Grill 🤩“

“We had a wonderful dinner tonight at Al Bawadi Grill. We had Mandi (Lamb with Rice) which was amazing and so tasty!. We ordered Salmon kabobs plus Kefta Kabob which were both so tasty and fresh! Yogurt drink was awesome and so fresh! Kanafa was not so sweet just the way we like it. Thanks again!“

“We loved our pistachio cold brew lattes-the best and best price! Especially Jose who was an amazing server! We will come back!!“

“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.“

“Stopped in for lunch at Falafel & Grill between thrifting in WP, and so happy we did! Service was fast and friendly, and the food was super filling and tasted very fresh. The Chicken Shawarma Sandwich is a MUST!“

“Best Mediterranean fast food I have ever had! Very good quality meat, always tender and marinated to perfection! My kid’s favorite restaurant and always a hit for our family party’s!“

“Overall a great experience and great food and wine.
We went for an early dinner and all of the food was great, except the kids menu. The kids food was fine, but they’ll just order from the regular menu next time as it’s much better. The mussels and leeks were phenomenal and the chicken was also great. The wine selection was very good as well and paired well with the food. While the lids menu wasn’t great, I’d still go here agin with kids any day as the other food was excellent“

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

““Absolutely amazing food! We used their catering service and everything was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. Our guests couldn’t stop talking about how delicious everything was — truly authentic Middle Eastern taste. Highly recommend for any event!”“

“ordered a large order. they provided lots of sauce but forgot two main courses. instead of saying oh well and hanging up they went out of the way to bring us the items and a treat of baklava. this business has always been great and make all customers feel valued“

“The best food & Staff very yummy 😋“

“Authentic, fresh, and tasty food. Generous portions. Great service. Their Moroccan fish is second to none. Best kosher fleishig restaurant in the Chicago area. We used to order their Shabbat meals every time we couldn’t cook and they never disappointed.“

“Good food I love this restaurant“

“I've been coming to this restaurant for over 10 years absolutely the best humus I've have hands down love seeing the same people behind the counter“

“Friendly staff, cozy ambiance, & great service.♥️“