I first visited Al Bawadi Grill at their Bridgeview location, and it was an outstanding experience. The food was delicious, and the service was exceptional, which is why I kept coming back. I've since visited the Niles location several times. The food has always been consistently excellent, but unfortunately the service has never matched the quality of the kitchen. Today's visit was by far the worst. It took over 10 minutes for our server to come to the table to take our order. Throughout the meal, I had to repeatedly flag her down whenever we needed something. To make matters worse, she seemed to disappear halfway through dinner--I'm assuming she clocked out--because we had to get another server's attention just to receive basic assistance. The food, however, was fantastic. I ordered the Al Bawadi Seafood Mixed Grill, and it absolutely delivered. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and cooked perfectly. That's what makes this so frustrating. This restaurant serves some of the best Middle Eastern food in the area, but when you're paying premium prices, you expect service that matches the quality of the food. I still recommend the food without hesitation, but the consistently poor service at the Niles location is making it harder to justify returning. read more

I cannot recommend this restaurant enough. If you are looking for delicious food in a beautiful room with excellent service, you've come to the right place. Our server was so kind and never let us make the mistake of ordering the wrong thing. She gave us her recommendations every step of the way and every single one was perfect. What we got: Mint lemonade: 5/5. SO refreshing and delicious. Perfect sweetness and the little bit of pulp you get is great. I only wish there was more of it! Chicken arayes: 4.5/5. Crispy, cheesy, garlicky. Need I say more? Get some extra garlic on the side if you wanna take it up a notch. Fried halloumi: 4/5. These are like a soft mozzarella stick, so tasty. Definitely eat the pickles with them. Lamb chops: 4.5/5. 4 tender lamb chops seasoned beautifully. Definitely recommend the red rice over the yellow if you can handle a little bit of heat. Kanafeh: 5/5. Whoever thought that cheese, sweet syrup, phyllo, and pistachios would go together is a genius. Definitely don't leave without getting this dessert. The salt of the cheese perfectly balances out the sweetness. No notes! And get some peppermint tea to go with it too. And the portion sizes are huge! Definitely get your money's worth here. My only issue is this place is right by my job so now I'm gonna go broke getting food here all the time. But that's a problem I'd love to have! read more

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GHAZAWI SALAD (Finely chopped parsley, tomatoes, cucumber, lemon, fresh mint, onions and olive oil mixed with our homemade hot sauce) - hoped for spicy since it's with hot sauce but wasn't at all. Tasted good but was a normal Mediterranean salad MEAT SHAWERMA PLATTER (lamb & beef, served with rice, grilled tomatoes and onions. Includes 1 Cup of Tahini Sauce) - Very dry meat. Would have been a 5/5 stars if this dish weren't so dry KUFTA KABAB (Three skewers of our special recipe of ground lamb mixed with parsley, garlic and an array of spices, grilled onions and tomatoes) - good! Pita - great! Nice and fluffy Kenafe - we ordered the type that's supposed to be crispy but it wasn't so crispy. Still yummy though Price - not cheap but the portion is big Service - good! Very nice Atmosphere- amazing! Really nicely decorated read more

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Amazing food, service and ambience! I felt like I was back in Egypt! So happy! Kofta was so delicious and garlic sauce and baba ghanosh! read more

Al Bawadi Grill - Amazing Arabic food! Amazing service! Absolutely will come again! - Middle Eastern Near Me - Niles, Illinois

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I have been passing by this place for a while now and I've been wanting to try it so finally was able to. Is a place was really nice inside and the parking is a bit small but there is a valet and the service was good. For the food the seafood platter was good the salmon was cooked perfectly but we were a bit disappointed with the Shawarma plate according to my friend the beef and lamb tasted like jerky so he was really disappointed with it we did order a lamp kebab which was really good I am very picky with my lamb and this one I would go back for because it didn't have that after it taste that I don't like when eating lamb. I would definitely still go back to try some other stuff in the menu. But definitely will have to try the meat kabob instead of the shawarmas next time. Happy eating! read more

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02/09/26 - I love Al Bawadi. I have been coming here on & off @ 8501 W Dempster about 1/2 mile east of Lutheran General for many years ever since they opened this location. I met my 3 former co workers here for lunch today (first time for them) & they loved it. We all worked together & get together about twice a year for lunch. Al Bawadi has a lunch special M-F for $13.99. This is an excellent deal w/generous portions of absolutely delicious food. The original Al Bawadi @ 7216 W 87th St in Bridgeview. read more

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Excellent food, here at Al Bawadi Grill. We've been here at least three (3) times and you can't go wrong with the meat with hummus, Mediterranean salad with chicken, baba ganoush, kabobs, and meat shawarma. But my favorite item has to be the Kanafeh, the small version is a very good size and that's made with phyllo dough, cheese, honey, and pistachios. I would say they make this better than anyone else, truly. Enjoy the decor, flat screens, the uniformed servers, and the complimentary cardamom coffee - which goes very well with the Kanafeh. :) FYI, if you are staying away from French fries, swap that out with a tabouleh salad. read more

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If you're craving authentic Middle Eastern and Mediterranean flavors, this place is a must-visit! I ordered the Mixed Chicken & Meat Shawarma, Hummus, and Kenafa, and everything was absolutely delicious -- perfectly seasoned, fresh, and full of flavor. The shawarma platter was generous, I had to take my platter and share with my husband his. The hummus was creamy and smooth paired perfectly with the pita bread and the kenafa was the perfect sweet ending. The service was excellent. Great ambiance. Our waiter was friendly, attentive, and made the whole experience even better. read more

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Amazing food and great experience! We came in with a party of 10 and they were able to accommodate us with no problem. The portions were very generous, everything came out fresh, and the food was full of flavor. You can really taste the authenticity in every dish. Great variety, delicious meats, and everything we tried was excellent. The atmosphere was welcoming and perfect for a group dinner. Definitely a place we would come back to! read more

Al Bawadi Grill - Middle Eastern Near Me - Niles, Illinois

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Have driven by Al Bawadi all the time, but finally dined in here with my family, a party of 7. It was a hot summer day, and they had the indoor fans on, which kept it comfortable, if not a little on the balmy side. Service was very attentive. My absolute 2 must have's here (read: highly, highly recommend) are the chicken toshka and the seafood mixed grill entree. First, the toshka can be made with gyro meat and cheese or chicken, and it's listed as an appetizer, but it could easily be an entree. It's great for sharing, as they're like triangles of toasted pita stuffed with cheese and meat and read like a very hearty and delicious quesadilla. Pardon my drool. Next, the seafood mixed grill was so fresh and delicious! Loved the salmon and shrimp. Both were fresh and tasty. Menu here is very extensive, including drinks and smoothies. We'll be back soon for either take out or dine in! read more

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Al Bawadi Grill blew me away and is now in the running for my top fave middle Eastern restuarants. My family went for my brother's birthday and we had reservations. We were sat a few minutes after our party was there. It's a pretty decently sized place and they have it nicely decorated so the ambiance fits the the style and food. Our server, I can't remember her name, was very attentive making sure we had everything. We ordered a pitcher of the mint lemonade, falafel, grape leaves, and their meat platter. Everything was delicious and the meat platter was well worth the money spent. It comes with a variety of their meats, two prices, and a few dipping sauces. We had enough to eat there and take some for leftovers. We saved space for dessert baklava and kanefa. I will definitely be back. read more

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Second time at Al Bawadi. Just a different location. I'm so glad there is a location in the burbs! Everything was sooooo good. But all I have are 2 words... Bawadi. Wings. We got wings last time and it blew us away. We ordered it again today, forgetting just how good it was. Once we started eating wings this time, we immediately asked the waiter for another plate of wings LOL It is so perfectly seasoned. It somehow is sweet (from the sauce), tangy, smoky, and mildly spicy at the same time. They look small but somehow still so meaty? Like... how?? So what I'm trying to say is. Just get the wings. The only reason for the 4 stars is bc of the service. Staff was very standoff ish. Not quick to notice when we would raise our hands up. But other than that, I would definitely return bc the food is THAT good. read more

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We finally returned here to dine in, and it's about time as it's been 5 years already! Our party of 7 came in on a Saturday evening for a celebration dinner and we had a delicious and festive time indeed. In the last 5 years, we have done numerous carryouts from this wonderful Palestinian restaurant as they not only offer excellent and authentic cuisine at reasonable prices, but are also so convenient to our home. I called to see if a reservation was needed for a Saturday and was told no, just walk in. Well, we 7 walked in at 5:30pm, and the long-time senior host with the gun (haha) seemed like he gulped and first pointed us to a non-optimal table sort of in the entrance hallway, but after a moment moved us into the more colorful and festive main dining room. So, I think the learning and pro-tip is: play it safe and make a reservation if you have a group larger than say 4. Otherwise, they do have a big space and can handle a lot of people. We ordered: - chicken toshka appetizer - large hummus appetizer - 6 piece falafel - Al Bawadi seafood mixed grill - Al Bawadi mixed grill - Kufta casserole with tahini - mixed chicken and meat shawerma The dinner also came with a complimentary small starter bowl of toasted bread strips and an eggplant spread. It was the hottest day of the year, and it was slightly warm in the filled-up and festive dining room, but the ceiling fans helped, and it wasn't intolerable but it could have been cooler inside. Jena was our competent and courteous server. Overall, every dish was tip-top fresh and delicious, as expected, and we all had a grand time celebrating in this nice, colorful, and delicious ethnic restaurant. Thank you for being here and for being one of the best restaurants in our area! read more

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We went here today and the food was REALLY GOOD. The service was amazing as well really nice people. I wanted to add that the portions are lowkey big enough for 2 people maybe 3 and the prices were pretty good. We also got to try Turkish and Arabic coffee. The vibe was really nice and clean. read more

Al Bawadi Grill - This was after we ate our food but we got HUMMUS and BABA GHANOUJ. - Middle Eastern Near Me - Niles, Illinois

The HUMMUS is divine. I would go here just for the dips - baba ghanoush, hummus, and pita. The chicken tawook was okay (great with hummus) but I wasn't the biggest fan of either rice. Overall a good spot for larger groups with decent service, not the trendiest looking place ever but nice enough! read more

Al Bawadi Grill - HUMMUS - Middle Eastern Near Me - Niles, Illinois

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Delish Levantine traditional restaurant. Had dinner here with friends after a busy Friday and was very pleased with the service and meal. Plenty of parking and the decor inside was beautiful. I recently watched Lawrence of Arabia and the experience transported me from Chicago to a movie set. The staff were very courteous and prompt to check in on refills and answer questions in some of the lesser American known items. The sampler is recommended and has all the items one would be familiar with. Not pictured is the flat bread served hot and steamy. The lamb skewer was grilled wonderfully and the 2 flavored rice was an interesting comparison. The desserts were delish and honestly a little much after all the food, but what's a little treat? read more

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The food is mediocre at best. The grilled fish is not grilled, it's pan fried. The staff is rude.

This was by far a 10/10 experience for us. Having driven by many times throughout the years, it's always packed regardless of day or time. I'd been on the hunt for a Mediterranean restaurant that didn't skimp out on portions or charge for additional sauces and only give you so few for quite some time now. ABG did NOT hold back. We got the classics: grape leaves, falafel balls, hummus, mixed meat plate that came with rice and pita. We asked for extra tahini sauce, hot sauce and pita bread. BUD-DEY! They gave us an entire package of pita bread FRESH homemade bread and TUBS of sauce along with an extra order of hummus just for shits and giggles. Idk if they knew it was our first time or if they are always like this but we had zero complaints with our to go/pick up order that was ready within 15 minutes. Their customer service was fantastic and they were very generous while also being affordable. The food was some of if not the literal best we've had to date! read more

I've had great experiences at Al Bawadi. The portions are generous and the flavors are always on point. My go to order is the steak shawarma wrap with a side of fries. The meat is tender and well seasoned, and the wrap is filling without feeling too heavy. It's a reliable spot if you're craving great shawarma and a satisfying meal. Staff is friendly and even bring you coffee while you wait for free! The ambiance is super middle eastern vibes!! read more

Al Bawadi Grill - Steak shawarma with fries - Middle Eastern Near Me - Niles, Illinois

10 stars all the way!!! I am from California, visit Chicago all the time and always visit my favorite go to place for Mediterranean restaurant!! Love!! Love!! this place excellent food and. Ambiance read more

One of the best meals I've ever had in Chicago. Everything was fresh, flavorful and so delicious. Portion sizes are more than generous, you can't go wrong with anything on the menu. We ordered so many dishes to share, and enjoyed the drinks as well. The chicken عarayes and knafeh are both addicting. 11/10 food, service and ambience. Will come back next time I'm here! read more

Al Bawadi Grill - The spread! - Middle Eastern Near Me - Niles, Illinois

Great Mediterranean food, nice atmosphere and friendly servers. Whenever we are in the area and have a taste for Mediterranean, we don't hesitate to go here. read more

We stopped in for a late dinner on a Saturday(8:30PM). The restaurant was pretty full still but we were seated right away. I've ordered take out from Al Bawadi before and the staff is always very nice & attentive. It was a group of 4 of us. We ordered 2 mixed grill plates to share and they each came with a choice of hummus, baba ganoush, or a choice of their house salad. I absolutely loved the hummus with their fresh baked pita bread *chefs kiss* My go to, To-go order is the tiki masala sandwich w fries, also chefs kiss! Haha If you haven't stopped by to try Al Bawadi, you must!! read more

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Al Bawadi Grill is my current favorite Mediterranean spot. The service and ambiance are always welcoming, warm, quick, and friendly. I absolutely love their mint lemonade and chicken shish tawook sandwich. The owner likes to visit every table and greet his customers with a small cup of Turkish coffee; it's always great to see an owner who cares about his business and customers personally :) read more

Al Bawadi Grill - Chicken kebab - Middle Eastern Near Me - Niles, Illinois

Starting with the decor, you are transported to the Middle East once you walk in! Beautiful atmosphere and music! I was given a plate with mini pitas dusted with zataar, along with a side of pickled veggies and this fantastic eggplant and tomato dip. The dip wasn't baba ganoush, but some sort of Iraqi dip. It had a sweet and smoky flavor but not overly salty. I was surprised because usually I don't like eggplant! I ordered the Chicken Tawook, came with 2 types of rice. I absolutely loved the humus! So creamy with a hint of spice, so flavorful! The chicken matched very well with the garlic dip. The service was excellent! read more

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My kids took me for dinner here and we had a good experience. We came in for a Sunday dinner, around 6pm. We were immediately greeted and seated by the host. We tried several dishes since we have been wanting to dine here for a while. On this visit, I tried: KUFTA CASSEROLE- rich and delicious MIXED CHICKEN & MEAT SHAWERMA- the chicken, lamb, and beef were all tender and seasoned well CHICKEN TIKKA BONELESS SKEWERS- the chicken was very tender although it was kind of bland. FILET MIGNON KABAB- very tender and delicious meat SAMOSA- this was just ok HUMMUS & PITA- wonderful hummus with the warm and fresh pita KENAFA- delightful. Great with coffee too. Parking was not too bad when we got here because it was still a little early but it did get very busy. I like the interior and cleanliness of the place. Service was very efficient and friendly. The food was delicious and satisfying. I will definitely come back here to try other dishes on the menu. Til next time! read more

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My meh experience has to do more with the service than the food. I truly think the food was the highlight. We came here on a Wednesday evening, it wasn't that busy at all. We got seated pretty quickly but in less than a minute of sitting down a waiter came by and asked us what we wanted and we said we weren't ready and it took them 10 mins to come back. Once we finally ordered, it took a long time for them to serve us food. And when he did check on us he kept walking as he asked us if we need anything. Which we did, we wanted hot sauce and we had to wait to flag someone else down. The tables next to us got up to find someone so they can pay and leave. It just shows how much they need to work on their service. Moving on the food, it was really good. I got the chicken tikka wrap which was delicious and came with the side of fries. My husband got the lamb chops which he thought was cooked perfectly. I think I'd just get take out and skip dining in for the bad service. read more

Very good food. Portions are humongous. That's very good though, including the price is not that bad. However make sure if you get it you probably should share it because it is a very big portion. I shared it with a friend and we also got the Nan bread and hummus as an appetizer. I went to the bathroom but there was someone cleaning it and I didn't quite understand what she said and was confused if I could go. Service was amazing, the manager and a cook asked if the food was good including the waiters . read more

Al Bawadi Grill - BAWADI APPETIZER SAMPLER PLATTER - Middle Eastern Near Me - Niles, Illinois

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As soon as I walked in, I felt like I was in another country. I love the decor, vibe and music! Our server was dressed really cute and very friendly. I enjoyed the free appetizer we got which was pickled veggies and a dip with eggplant and tomatoes with pita chips. I had the Bawadi shrimp appetizer. Big shrimp with a nice seasoning and spicy dipping sauce. So good! My hubby got the shawarma combo platter. It was huge! It came with two kinds of rice. The pita bread was amazing. All the food was fresh, flavorful and delicious. We will back! read more

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It was okay. I would order from them again if nearby but it won't replace Libnais as my favorite spot. The service was friendly, though I did place my order online so they didn't have a lot of service to provide. I appreciated the woman getting someone to help me out with the food since I had my kiddo with me going into the restaurant. The food wasn't bad, but it was just okay to me. Shish taouk is probably my favorite and it was fine, but not as flavorful as I've had at other places. The mint lemonade was really good though! It was like a blended drink, lots of mint and it seemed to be mostly of a spearmint flavor which was nice given how much mint was in the drink, since it could be incredibly overpowering otherwise. The prices were pretty high. Even for a Mediterranean place which often is a higher priced restaurant. They have lots of parking. read more

The food here is hands down fantastic. I've never felt welcome here. It might be my fault but the service I receive here has almost always been atrocious. I see people around me getting good service but not me. I just always assumed I give off bad vibes when I'm there. Today we went and we were sat and given delicious pickles. We sat there for 15 minutes as staff streamed by. Not even a hello. Be right back. Just be a moment. Still staff back and forth, two of them strolling and talking to each other. This time it can't be my fault because I didn't have the opportunity to be weird. It made me feel bad. We left. I won't be back. read more

We just had a horrible experience at Al Bawadi in Niles. We did the Iftar buffet and have two kids under 4. We made the reservations as well. While I was getting food for kids and myself I came back to my husband talking to a worker there explaining what transpired while I was away. The guy had approached my husband to ask how many people he said two adults and 2 kids under 4. He stated that kids under 5 are advertised as free. One of the section server came back and yelled at my husband calling him a liar. Their own advertisement says kids under 5 are free. She proceeded to ask my husband in a disrespectful tone if he is Muslim and he said Alhamdulillah. When I returned she came back and was being very rude and escalating the issue. My husband told her many times don't interfere while I am talking to someone. It was getting unbelievable with her keep meddling and not letting him tell another person what happened. She even asked me are you Muslim I said Alhamdulillah. She kept talking back and when I told my husband to not acknowledge her and told her to disengage. Stop talking to us she wouldn't stop and threaten to call the police on me saying I was yelling. We told another server to keep her away from us and she won't stop coming back to keep nagging and mistreating us. The lady even turned to another server and said the kids over 3 we charge right. She kept apologizing and even the guy said he was sorry. Manager came to talk to us and when I showed him the instagram advertisement he said we charge 3 and above but that is not what is advertised on their social media. Miscommunication from management and inappropriate behavior by the server who instead of asking where we saw this stated instead attacked and belittled my husband while later gaslighting me when I told her to leave us alone. I am very disappointed and won't be going back. Not worth it the buffet is $40 per adult and after tax and 15% gratuity charges it's $104 for two people. Advertised on both Facebook and instagram pages! read more

Al Bawadi Grill - Middle Eastern Near Me - Niles, Illinois

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I've never had middle eastern food before but I was in Chicago for a work trip and we came to eat here for a team dinner. Super authentic restaurant! Once you walk in , the aroma is filled with the grilled meats which smelled so good! Our team ordered the mixed meat platter which is a various amount of meats served on rice. I tried the chicken and it was juicy and really good! Service was fast and knowledgeable in what they were serving! Will come again! read more

Al Bawadi Grill - Middle Eastern Near Me - Niles, Illinois

Very delicious! We had a group of 18 adults, ordered three platters! Amazing taste and lots of food! The cake made with melted cheese is something I've never had before, it was very delicious! read more

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I would leave a neg star rating if I could.. Female server was super rude and disrespectful.. she asked if I was Muslim and she I said no she asked what brought me to this restaurant and basically saying I don't know anything about middle eastern food! I'm like girl you better go find something else to do.. won't be back.. almost $100 when all done read more

I've been trying to come here since Al Bawadi opened during the pandemic. My experience? Lets just say that a simple check off of my list will not do. This place deserves many more checks (as in visits)! We experienced nothing less then top tier courtesy and service from entrance to exit. The place is beautifully decorated. We were warmly greeted. I celebrated my wife's birthday here. Since we had a large group, we ordered platters to share family style along with a few appetizers. Fantastic muthawama, baba ghanouj, mouth watering hummus, delectable Syrian cheese, grape leaves, all with fresh, warm pita. Great salads and tea. Don't sleep on their grilled wings, they're yumzy. We ordered large mixed meat platter with shish kabab, kufta kabab, chicken kufta, shish tawook, fish, quails, lamb chops, shawerma, grilled onions and tomatoes. We also ordered a large mixed kabab platter with shish kabab, kufta kabab, shish tawook, and shawerma. I can never turn down a good kunafa, but I also didn't turn down their baklava..or chocolate cake..the bloating was worth it. Everything was delicious. In my opinion, the platters are a great value. You get a TON of perfectly grilled, delicious meat on top of fragrant rice. This was an evening appealing to the eyes, ears, and mouths of course. read more

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My experience at Al Bawadi was different due to dining in during Ramadan. I was here on a weekday and dinner was buffet style, $40 per person - excluding canned drinks. Hummus, tabouli, baba ganoush and pita appetizers were on each table as well as bottled waters. The hummus and tabouli were my favorites out of the options to start with. The texture of the hummus was creamy and smooth. The tabouli was refreshing, light and very good. As far as the food and dessert during the buffet I thought it was meh. Majority of the food was pretty cold and lacked seasoning. My guess is since everything was made earlier and in bulk that could be why it was lacking in taste for me. I do appreciate that literally the entire menu was offered during this dinner. I took full advantage of that and tried a little bit of everything. For drinks - Mint lemonade, date juice and black teas were offered throughout the evening. If you're looking for a place that gives the full atmosphere to dine in the middle east - this is it! There is so much detail in their decor and it is stunning. Service throughout was fantastic, the staff was attentive and made sure everyone was enjoying themselves while dining in. read more

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it was ok. appetizers were good. baba ganush & grape leaves were good but when the main course came i didn't get what i ordered & they wouldn't replace it even though i didn't touch it. service is slow, have to ask for their attention, they don't come check on you. the ambiance is nice. they have nice curtains & lighting. unfortunately I wont be returning. read more

Al Bawadi Grill - STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES - Middle Eastern Near Me - Niles, Illinois

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Al Bawadi is a phenomenal Jordanian/Palestinian restaurant! The highlight was the Knafeh dessert, a sweet cheese with a crispy dough crust that looks like vermicelli noodles. The mixed grill and seafood mixed grill dishes were phenomenal. I love the two types of rice and the slivers of nuts that give it a nice crunch. The chicken, kufta, and beef were delicious. You can really taste the wood smoke on all the kebabs. The pita bread, hummus, and baba ghannoush were all so fresh and delicious. We also had the meat toshkas which is pita bread stuffed with beef, lamb, and melted Syrian cheese. Service was phenomenal, the servers checked in frequently and had a good demeanor. This is a great restaurant to eat family style. This was a great amount of food for 4 people and we still had leftovers. Parking was easy since they have a parking lot and there was no wait on a Saturday at 8:30pm. I still think about this food and want to go back for the Knafeh. This is also a great spot to celebrate birthdays, I saw other tables where they bring sparklers out and sing a birthday song. For the high quality and volume of food I found the price to be really reasonable too, about $25 per person before tip was really great. I love the ambiance and decor which feels luxurious but also casual. read more

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This place is usually good. Tonight the customer service was trash. They took forever to take our order, forever to bring the food out, and were very inattentive. They brought us knafeh with our forks or spoons. Am I supposed to eat with my hands? Then the waiter disappeared and I had to ask another staff member to bring the spoons, was ignored. So I decided to get up and ask the busboy in the kitchen. I went to this place high and laid back and they still managed to piss me off, which is quite remarkable. Also the knafeh was cold. This place is great overall but is poor in customer service which is quite a shame. I'd much more recommend Kabul house in Evanston down the road. read more