49 Best Mediterranean Restaurants near River Forest

“We dined in a was serviced in a timely manner with very friendly staff. First time for me so I asked for suggestions and our server Maritza Saenz wa s very cheerful and knowledgeable of the menu. Staff like her makes me want to return. Keep up the great service Maritza & staff.
Thank you for making my day enjoyable.“

“I live across the street and go here often; I have never had a bad experience. From the wine shop , to the grab and go coffee & pastries, Nettare never disappoints. But, the star of the show is dinner. It is a rotating menu, and all of them have been delicious.
You need to go here!“

“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!“

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

“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.“

“Matt S. made our experience phenomenal! Never had an empty glass and took care of me with my gluten, dairy, soy food allergies. Allergy friendly place even for Celiacs!! Just double check with the server when the food comes out that it’s safe for you.“

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

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

“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.“

“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.“

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

“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.“

“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“

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

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

“Delightful food choices that are always tasty“

“The food was incredible! Best ive had in a while. We got the mixed plater, it comes with rice grilled chicken and kabob. The chicken was very Juicy and the flavors were spot on. Also got some appetizers, the baba ganoush was so flavorful and very delicious. The service was outstanding! Highly recommend 10/10“

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

“THE FOOD IS BEYOND DELICIOUS! 🔥“

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

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

“Found Tama Chicago on a restaurant guide. I'm glad we tried it, we enjoyed every dish we had. We had the empanadas which were freshly made, moist and delicious. We would eat those again all day. We had the mussels and that was really tasty as well. Love the saffron sauce it was cooked in. We would get those again. We also had the short rib and orzo and that was good. I would say the orzo was the star of the dish, it was really flavorful. The short rib itself didn't really have much flavor and didn't add much to the dish. We also had the burger and that was the superstar of the whole meal. Great quality meat, juicy, and seasoned to perfection. I would drive an hour for that burger. One of the best burgers in Chicago. We are definitely going back to Tama to try other dishes they had on the menu.“

“عاشت ايدكم على هذا الكباب ، طعم عراقي اصلي“

“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!“

“The best food & Staff very yummy 😋“

“all food are very good ,the best!!“

“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!“

“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!“

“Amazing food & service! Thank you Chicago♥️“

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

“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“

“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.“

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

“The best food & Staff very yummy 😋“

“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.“

“perfect service, excellent food. Great time 👍“

“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!“

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

“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“

“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.“

“I was treated to my birthday dinner at Turquoise. I chose the Turquoise Mix grill kabob and a cocktail named Blonde ambition, a lemony drink. We had the Baklava for dessert.Not too sweet. There are So many good choices for dinner,so it makes sense to return to taste more of the menu.“

“Food was fresh and delicious. 😋“

“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“

“Not really any indoor seating, I think this is mostly a takeout store, but the food is good, and they give HUGE portions. The people here are really kind and gave my friend and I free drinks. I ordered the falafel and Beef shwarma which ended up being more like a beef burrito. This order ended up being $19. I don't recommend the shwarmas but i do recommend the falafel and my friend liked their hummus. Definitely would come again.“

“Traveled all the way to Chicago to try this place! I have not eaten there but have ordered to-go many times! I am French and it is rare to find a place that makes and sells Merguez. The last time I have had some was in Morocco about 6-7 years ago and in the US, it has been decades. Zebda's Merguez slap. Very nostalgic and delicious.

PS: yes they are that red! But they are very good!

Photos:
1 - indoor menu as of July 2025
2 - Merguez Sandwich“

“I had a kafta sandwich and it was totally not what I was used to, but all the same it was amazing. The flavor of the beef was ridiculous and I'm pretty sure there was hummus on there too. I'd Def recommend stopping by this place.“