50 Best Mediterranean Restaurants near Niles

“Papagalino Express is a gem of a cafe, offering a cozy atmosphere and impeccable service. The staff here truly stand out with their warm, friendly demeanor and eagerness to ensure every customer leaves satisfied.

While they offer a wide variety of wonderful coffees, I find myself drawn to their expertly prepared Greek-style coffee. It’s rich, authentic, and always served with care. Their freddo espressos are another standout, especially refreshing when paired with their breakfast options.

Speaking of breakfast, Papagalino Express shines here as well. Their breakfast sandwiches are flavorful, satisfying, and surprisingly affordable. Though they do offer lunch and other menu items, my visits are usually focused on their morning offerings, which are always fresh and delicious.

I personally prefer Papagalino Express over its nearby sister location. The welcoming staff, excellent coffee, and budget-friendly breakfast options make it an easy favorite for anyone seeking a great start to their day. Highly recommended!

Kid-friendliness: My children love it“

“It's a really great Mediterranean restaurant in Niles. A group of people I work with every Saturday, and I order lunch from here. We order the platters, they are huge! The rice, meats, and vegetables are all perfectly seasoned and cooked perfectly as well. Owners are very gracious and helpful. Great place to eat, a great place to cater from.“

“I’ve lived less than a mile from this place for a decade and never tried it; tonight was the night. It’s a unique establishment - hookah lounge, banquet hall, bar. Walking in was a little confusing for first timers but we were quickly welcomed and seated at the bar. Drink pours were impressively heavy. Our food came out fast and was great. The cheese burek appetizer deserves special mention with its garlic and hot sauces! Our waiter/bartender was in full hustle mode on a busy Friday night but still found time to take good care of us and have a few short chats. Overall I’d highly recommend eating here. It’s a bit “different,” but who likes the same old thing over and over? I’ll be back.

Dietary restrictions: Plenty of vegetarian and vegan options here.

Parking: Parking in front and behind the building, one lot has a small curb to traverse. Not an issue for most vehicles.“

“I had an exceptional experience! The atmosphere was inviting and vibrant, making it the perfect place to unwind. Omar truly stands out—not only is he personable and engaging, but his expertise is evident in every detail. His attention to crafting the perfect hookah is unmatched. I’ll be recommending this place to friends for both the ambiance and Omar’s outstanding service!”“

“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.“

“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.“

“This place is a must visit. My wife and I have been here twice and they don’t miss! Love the Chicago spin they put on a lot of their dishes. Each dish is well balanced and so flavorful and their cocktails are tasty too! Every team member we have interacted with is always knowledgeable and welcoming. There is no doubt this place will continue to get more popular and is easily one of my favorite restaurants in the city. Can’t wait to go back“

“So good! One of my new favorite spots, you can tell they use fresh ingredients. Highly recommend their beef & chicken kabob plate!“

“We found this restaurant while walking around the neighborhood. The service was excellent. Staff always friendly and attentive. The menu had items new to us, which we loved exploring. We enjoyed the lamb kebab and manty dumplings. Delicious.“

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

“The food was absolutely so delicious. I ordered a steak shawarma plate and it tasted very fresh and warm. Everyone who works here is so kind and the cashier was a young girl who read me the whole menu and helped me choose what to get. She was so nice and I loved everything about this cute cafe.“

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

“Absolutely delicious food perfect customer service Decent prices very clean place“

“Sinya is my new go-to lunch spot in River North! I am always on the hunt for good Mediterranean food in the city and needless to say, everything was perfect. We ordered the Veggie Combo platter to try a bit of everything as well as the mixed shawarma plate and everything was fresh, tasty, and served alongside warm Pita! My husband got a Baklava Latte while we were there and he talked about it for days! The atmosphere and service were impeccable as well which made the whole experience amazing!“

“Excellent service, clean restaurant ,delicious food the best in Glenview , I always order the shawarma chicken made to perfection, thanks for the good service.“

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

“Very nice restaurant and delicious food For the first time there i am very thankful to our server Dilnaz and specially the girl Sky who explained and recommended what should I try and make sure everything was OK Thank you Thank you“

“The food is delicious. Probably the best quick service style Mediterranean I’ve ever had.
The service is quite lacking here tho. If you do an online order for pickup, expect for something to go wrong. I’ve had multiple orders be late by 20+ minutes, or I get my order home and it’s completely wrong. I recommend just waiting in the line to order in person.“

“Let me say this restaurant is an absolute must try. I came in this morning for their falafel and hummus, they know how to do it right everytime. The girl at the front is always welcoming while the food is always freshly made. Also want to say they know how to keep up with cleanliness. They have a costumer for life!“

“Really fresh, delicious food. I watched the guys making my falafel and trio of kabobs. The baba ghanouj is a stand out - smoky perfection. The kabob combo (chicken, beef & Kafka) was a major hit and the falafel is great. Portions are generous and although prices are not low, they’re really fair given the quality and the quantity of the dishes. Very clean restaurant, very friendly guys who are happy to accommodate special requests. Why we waited so long to order from this restaurant is a mystery. We’ve now been twice in less than a week.

Dietary restrictions: Veg options are plenty.“

“I stop in every time I am anywhere near a location. VERY GOOD FOOD. Natiff at the Skokie is the nice guy on the planet. super welcoming.“

“Incredible food from Chef Gabriel. We were lucky enough to sit at the bar, and then found out that we were sitting next to the head chef! He recommended some dishes and they were amazing. The baked feta was really well balanced. The Octopus with the corn purée was the best octopus I have eaten in the U.S. the short rib was delicate and served with parsnip purée which was like a light mash. What a great flavour to accompany the beef! This is a must try and certainly the best food in this area by a long way.“

“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“

“Habibi In is as good as it looks! The servings were so generous and everything was delicious. The falafel was my favorite dish and the best I’ve had in the Chicagoland area. The staff was so friendly and welcoming.“

“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“

“Delightful food choices that are always tasty“

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

“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.“

“great menu, so refreshing to find delicious alternatives to burgers and hot dogs.“

“The service at Yaba's Middle Eastern Grill is top-notch!, the staff is friendly, attentive, and goes above and beyond to ensure a memorable dining experience.

Overall, the food is really outstanding,hands down, some of the most delicious food I've eaten lately!, and the staff were absolutely amazing.

- Omar Alqudah“

“عاشت ايدكم على هذا الكباب ، طعم عراقي اصلي“

“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.“

“Absolutely killer middle eastern food. The rice is perfect, the falafel is perfect , the hummus rules, and the kefta wrap plate was a fantastic deal. We'll definitely be back.

UPDATE: have been back several times. Service is always great, the chicken shawarma is some of the best I've ever had. All of the bowls are a great deal. Cannot recommend this place enough.“

“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!“

“this is a restaurant for people with taste buds. people that enjoy flavor. people that enjoy food made with passion.“

“The food tasted so good we felt like gourmets there. It really was one of the best we tried so far. The staff are really friendly too which is one of the most important things in a restaurant. They surely made our evening quite better, thank you.“

“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!“

“The best food and good service give them 5 stars ⭐️“

“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.“

“The best food & Staff very yummy 😋“

“all food are very good ,the best!!“

“Бях втори път в Amante Bakery & Grill. Препоръчвам баклавата и баклавата с шоколад. отново ще дойда. БЛАГОДАРЯ .It was my second time at Amante Bakery & Grill. I recommend the baklava and the chocolate baklava. I will come again. THANK YOU. Neli Tzintzeva Encaustic art-Neil Tzintzeva ®️“

“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!“

“Legit my favorite kabob and shawarma in the city. The unassuming storefront is a casual yet charming family owned business with friendly staff. I usually get the chicken kabob plate or schwarma, and the chicken is always extremely juicy, flavorful, and delicious. It comes with seasoned rice, salad, falafel, hummus, and pita, for about $15. Very reasonable prices for the portions. Overall, I love this spot and will keep coming back. Pro tip: the hot sauce is the best“

“Great food and service. Everything tastes amazing.“

“Food was fresh and delicious. 😋“

“Excellent meal. The freshest ingredients from start to finish. Highly recommend Andros!“

“I had a very lovely experience visiting Juleen Burgers. It is a very welcoming restaurant with wonderful service. Their signature Juleen Burger is excellent and it comes with a very generous amount of fries on the side. I had to enough leftover for lunch the the next day. Highly recommend!!“

“My first time eating lunch at Ema was outstanding. I was meeting a colleague and wasn’t sure what to expect because we had a lot of work to cover. The entire staff was very helpful, courteous and knowledgeable about the menu. We received wonderful service and had a very healthy lunch. The food was great and all our salads were fresh and delicious.“

“Food was fresh and delicious, tasted very authentic! We were a party of 5 that all ordered a different dish and all was very good. Restaurant itself is a bit plain but it’s modern, clean and friendly service which is more important. Ordered the baklava at the end and it is GREAT! Thank you!“