Alis Nihari & BBQ

My love, my life. I…read moremiss living at LUC only because I was close to Ghareeb Nawaz. SUCH good prices per portion size. Everything is always delicious and makes amazing leftovers. Always quickly made! My personal favorites are the Palak Paneer and Chili Gobi. So delicious and great to combine! Add a naan and you are in heaven.

After eating here, I became seriously ill with what appears to be food poisoning. I was up…read morethroughout the night and had to make seven urgent trips to the bathroom, resulting in an entire night of lost sleep. It's extremely concerning to wonder whether proper food-storage temperatures are being maintained or whether basic food-handling and hand-washing practices are being followed. Whatever the cause, something clearly went wrong. I will never order from this establishment again.

Seating and flatscreen

Chili Chicken Paratha

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Bundoo Khan -Chicago

3.9(452 reviews)

0.0 mi•West Rogers Park

Food was great . Service was great. One of thest Pakistani restaurant. I would recommend this…read moreplace to everyone wants to try karatchi food

It has been a while since my last visit, but this meal reminded me why this spot stands out for…read moreauthentic Pakistani dining. The Food Tandoori Chicken Breast: Remarkably juicy and tender, avoiding the dryness that often plagues white meat kebabs, with great tandoor flavor. Bihari Kebab: Packed with deep spice, melt-in-your-mouth tenderness, and a fantastic smoky char from the grill. Goat Karahi: Rich, deeply seasoned, and perfectly balanced without being overly oily. Sides & Breads:The naan arrived hot, soft, and plump, perfect for scooping up the karahi masala. Even the fries were served piping hot and fresh. The food was so good I didn't even get a chance to take photos before half of the dish was devoured. Service & Ambiance What truly elevated the night was the front-of-house team. We came in during a peak, packed Saturday night rush, and the service was easily the best I've experienced in years. Despite every table being full, the servers operated with remarkable speed and precision--checking in at just the right moments, anticipating refills, and waiting on us hand and foot without a single delay. While the prices sit slightly on the higher side, the exceptional food quality, upscale atmosphere, and unmatched hospitality make it entirely worth it. Highly recommended for anyone looking for authentic Pakistani cuisine in a comfortable, polished setting.

7.0 mi•Old Town, Near North Side

Salad

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Mango Lassi

Tabaq Restaurant

3.9(186 reviews)

Great atmosphere and hospitality. They also have a masjid so you don't miss prayers if you stop…read morethere. Food is affordable and tasty.

Late night chai at this place is the bomb.com ! This had to be an octane rating of 93 because I…read morewalked 7 miles thereafter with my friend and still couldn't go straight to bed ! Classic hole in the wall spot so you know they're gonna have amazing food. Will be trying their food this week.

Food changes daily & they never close.

The rice is the bomb here

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Kababish - BBQ & Grill

4.6(104 reviews)

6.6 mi•Near North Side

Wow... left speechless. This was the single best Pakistani food I've ever had!! The chicken boti…read moreand Bihari kabab are absolute must orders. The flavor and freshness is to die for. The naan was made fresh to order, and the keema and palak were good sidekicks. They have a nice large parking lot which many options in the city do not have! It's definitely a hole-in-the-wall place, but I couldn't recommend it more.

This is a very very local spot. The food is made fresh for the most part and it's full of flavor…read moreand spices. It does seem a little run down and cramped, but we come here for the food! The Bihari kebab is a beef kebab marinated in spices. You can ask for naan. I got the meat patty and meat samosa to-go for later. The kebab is filling and very very juicy. The naan is one of the fluffiest naans I've ever had. Garlic naan is not an option btw. I must emphasize how local this is. You'll see the taxis and black car services lined up here because the drivers love it so much (they know what's best). It was my first time there, but the people who walk in and order food seem to be repeat customers. There is definitely more I need to try!

Yea, no fooling around.....order and grab a seat....

Goat madi....that rice.....whew

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Chicken Biryani (only available on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday)

New Zaika Restaurant

3.7(26 reviews)

6.9 mi•Near North Side

There customers are very rude by constantly leaving their trash everywhere in the neighborhood…read more Their customers are always parking in the residential areas as well. Only adult men are in and around this restaurant, unsure if it is safe for women and children to go into considering their manners.

I love that this place is open super late! I was in the area and it was almost 9 o'clock and I saw…read morethat they were open so I decided to go in and see what they were about cause I knew that they probably would have Vegan friendly options which they did. I was the only customer in there was just fine. The staff seemed a little bit confused so I was confused if they were even actually open or not, but they were. it didn't take long to get my food, but I was a little disappointed that I didn't get rice and I asked about it and the lady taking my order seems confused. I do love this type of food. I never really had a Pakistani food but I've heard it's close to Indian food so I was down to try overall was really good very spicy. I can't remember exactly what I had. But it was good. It was a big portion and I was able to eat it. In about three servings. I will try it again but maybe at a different time

5.2 mi•Lincoln Park, DePaul

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Tandoor Char House

4.0(1k reviews)

Incredible experience. Perfect spice on food…read more Chai latte was creamy and tasty enough, not bitter like other places. Chicken bereyani and butter chicken were delicious. Great service!!!

Food is fantastic and so is the service. Christian was amazing. it's my favorite place for Indian…read morecuisine.

9.4 mi•University Village

Our newly renovated Indian Restaurant in Lincoln Park. We have the best Indian samosas. Give us a try!

Tandoor Tasting Menu. Try all your favorite dishes at once.

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Garlic Naan (Catered)

Ghareeb Nawaz Express

3.3(352 reviews)

Absolutely no frills - don't expect nice seating or ambience at all…read more BUT YOU NEED TO GO ANYWAY FOR THE FOOD. It's absolutely amazing! The butter chicken, chicken biryani, and chicken kabob are absolutely packed with flavor, tender, and even more - cheap! Funnily enough, out of all the meals we had in Chi-town, this was the best one.

The lamb curry was super salty but the butter chicken was very flavorful and tasty. We also really…read moreliked the gyro biryani rice. Thank god I got the biryani because the dishes didn't come with rice. The place is small so I think they mainly do togo. For this price I don't think it's beatable.

Kheema paratha

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Veggie Paratha

Sabri Nihari Restaurant

3.6(1.1k reviews)

0.1 mi•West Rogers Park

Came on Sunday night. Lots of tables available…read more On Devon Street Takes credit card. Sabri nihari $18- super super good. Great sauce with the soft beef. I would get this again. Some heat. Beef seekh kabob $20- 4 pieces. Thick Kebobs of meat. The flavor was not that good. Garlic naan $4- really really good. Paratha $3- really really good. Good texture. Plain rice $5-

This place is awesome!!! Love this place and we have come…read moreall the way from West coast 3 times and we are never disappointed We loved everything we ordered. Goat biryani was awesome; Karahi gosht is awesome , palak paneer is awesome; even the naan is awesome We also ordered Pistachio Falooda and it was soooo good. Goat biryani was also awesome; go try this place you will love it

Amazing garlic nan!

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Ghareeb Nawaz

4.0(115 reviews)

5.6 mi•Lincoln Park

If you want authentic Indian food at great prices this is the spot to check out. The food is so…read moregood I have tried to many things and I've been impressed each time they have a large selection of food so it's always a good spot to go when you don't know what you want or if you know you just want to have something that's guaranteed good. My favorite thing is the chili chicken if you can handle spice I crave this often I drive an hour for this to many times to count because it's just so dang good. The staffs always super nice and they are quick to make your order. The ambiance is alright plenty of room for seating.

Located on Lincoln Avenue, this tiny restaurant offers Pakistani and Indian fare. I asked for mild…read morespice level chicken biriyani which is essentially chicken with rice. Due to the cultures' high spice level, I still get get a very spicy chicken dish. This time I was impressed by the mild tasting dish. I was not impressed by the grilled beef kabobs with onions. I could not taste the beef. Due to the other dining guests, I guess it's authentic food. The dining room was hot due to the close kichen. There's a few tables and did see a few take out orders.

8.2 mi•West Loop, Near West Side

Chicken Biryani with Bone $8 (added fresh cilantro)

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Mango Lassi

ROOP Chicago Innovative Indian Restaurant & Cocktail Bar

4.1(823 reviews)

•$$$

An excelllent dinner on our trip to the city! Was looking…read moreforward to it and it lived up to the expectations. The Spice Queen cocktail was one of the best whiskey cocktails ive had. Dont get scared by the name - the flavours are perfectly balanced and work with each other. The Signature Grill - the best thing to get when you want to try many things. The lamb seekh was moist and flavourful, the malai tikka was tender and yummy and the Shrimp kolivada was just excellent. Lamb Kheema with pav - unexpected looking with a white yoghurty looking topping. But it was yummy and went really well with the soft pav. Butter chicken - I try atay away from butter chicken and chicken tikka masala in most places but reciews seem to rave about it so gave it a shot. Took me back to bombay at my facorite mughlai restaurant that made the bombest butter chicken. Also the garlic naan was also really good. Chicken biryani - Flavourful with tender chicken. Packed with chicken.

Not sure what has happened here, it's like when it became Roop it became Poop…read more Quality has dropped off and increased in cost. The Ladi Pav and the Naan are clearly store bought. The Ladi Pav is a joke $10 for bread rolls that are slightly worse than Hawaiian rolls at Mariano's, and the Naan is very bready. The butter chicken has also gone down hill and is just not worth $30. Overall, it has gone downhill and Yelp should have stripped ratings from when it was Rooh, this is a clear change in ownership and overall quality.

Interior (upstairs)

Lamb Keema Hyderabadi ($28) - Potato Mousse, Green Peas, Buttered Brioche Pao. Delicious!

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Sweet Potato Chaat

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Hassan G.

Elite 26

550

418

2289

3 months ago

While visiting Chicago, I knew I had to make a stop on the famous Devon Avenue, one of the best places in the city for authentic Pakistani and Indian food. Instead of revisiting an old favorite, I decided to try Ali's Nihari & BBQ, a restaurant that had been recommended to us--and it definitely lived up to the recommendation. We ordered the Nihari, Seekh Fry, Chicken Pakoray, and plenty of fresh naan. The Nihari was the highlight of the meal, featuring a rich, deeply spiced gravy with incredibly tender beef that had been slow-cooked to perfection. The Seekh Fry was packed with smoky flavor and finished with fresh onions, cilantro, and green chilies, giving it an extra kick. The Chicken Pakoray were crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and paired perfectly with the house dipping sauces. Fresh, hot naan straight from the tandoor tied everything together and was perfect for soaking up every bit of the flavorful curries. If you're looking for authentic Pakistani comfort food on Devon Avenue, Ali's Nihari & BBQ is definitely worth adding to your list. The portions were generous, the flavors were rich and authentic, and everything tasted freshly prepared. Whether you're craving a hearty bowl of nihari or classic BBQ favorites, this spot delivers a satisfying meal that showcases some of the best flavors Pakistani cuisine has to offer. Highly recommended! read more

Basma S.

5 months ago

Had a wonderful experience at this kabob place! The Sindhi Kabob and Bihari Kabob were absolutely delicious -- full of authentic flavor and perfectly cooked. Every bite was yummy! Special thanks to Kashif for his excellent customer service. He was friendly, attentive, and made us feel very welcome. Highly recommend this place for great food and hospitality! read more

ZD H.

10 months ago

Ali nihari has the most authentic Nihari and desi food I have had in America. Will be back soon

Asim R.

2 years ago

Good food, amazing service, and clean restaurant! We always have an amazing experience.

Kamal K.

3 years ago

Bad mannered management. They kicked everyone out so rudely and were offensive.

Dilshad P.

3 years ago

food and service both great . Love the great taste of Nihari

Alis Nihari & BBQ - indpak - Updated October 2026

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Food was great . Service was great. One of thest Pakistani restaurant. I would recommend this…read moreplace to everyone wants to try karatchi food

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I tried the Tandoor Tikka Boti Roll/Wrap for lunch today because my coworker recommended it…read more It was prepared very nicely and quickly - 15 minutes. Tandoor Tikka Boti Wrap was super yummy and flavorful! Definitely recommend this spot for a tasty lunch or dinner. 5/5

Do not order the butter chicken! Worst I've ever tasted and I've had it numerous times at numerous…read moreplaces. No flavor or spice, strange taste and worst..it WAS NOT CHICKEN! Soft, strange consistency, nothing like chicken, rinsed it off and it was dark and shredded looking??? Not sure what it was, but not chicken! I had to throw it out. I did also order the chicken malai boti, charbroiled chicken skewers, which was chicken, average. Also the naan bread was more like pita bread. Expensive! No rice to go with the butter mystery meat. Never again!

Khan BBQ

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I used to live very close to them. Now it is extremely rare I am their neighborhood. Much to my…read moresurprise driving by I saw they were still there! My car almost parked itself and I went in. Thing have changed BUT not the quality food! The main difference is much larger portions for more money. The whole chicken could have fed 5 people and the rice dish at least that many. There is zero ambiance yet the staff is amazingly attentive and friendly! Definitely try this spot if you like Indian food. FYI - "Regular spice" is quite spicy, many can not handle it so consider mild. You have been warned lol :)

Frontier chicken roll was pretty solid and the chicken was fresh. I wish there were more veggies in…read morethe wrap and a tad bit less oil. I also thought it was missing a sauce element. The staff were all very friendly and the chai was amazing

Hyderabad House

3.4

(167 reviews)

Today afternoon, went to Hyderabad House after ages. Ordered their lunch special, which was…read moreHyderabadi dal, plain rice, mutton curry, pappadum, roti. Had it at home. It was beyond my expectations and very good. The South Indian taste was awesome. The serving is large and two persons can have their fill. I would rate their food quality as 4. Though the place is plain and very practical, cafeteria style setup. Service is quick. A few families were enjoying lunch, while I picked mine. I am sure they can improve it. They still deal only in cash payments. Will definitely continue to go there.

Hyderabad house used to be one of the best Hyderabadi restaurants on Devon Street, which is why I…read morewas really looking forward to our visit. Unfortunately, this time the experience was very disappointing. We ordered the Chicken Biryani and Goat Biryani, and the overall food quality was far below our expectations. The biggest issue was the biryani rice--it did not taste fresh at all. For a restaurant known for Hyderabadi biryani, that was particularly disappointing. It's sad to see a place we once considered one of the best on Devon Street fall short of the quality we remember.

Pak Sweets

4.3

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I visited Pak Sweets on a Saturday morning and OMG -- it was PACKED!!! After a short wait, we got…read morea table and ordered right away. We had the halwa puri, and it was absolutely delicious. It genuinely reminded me of Pakistan -- the halwa wasn't overly sweet, just perfect. The channay were so flavorful, the puris were super fresh, and I loved that they served achar on the side. The chai was authentic and fresh, exactly how it should be. Easily one of my favorite spots for brunch. Highly recommend!

Avoid Pak Sweets: Deceptive Pricing and Sneaky Hidden Charges…read more I came here with a few friends on a Sunday morning for breakfast, and it was a thoroughly disappointing experience from start to finish. To start, the food was mediocre at best. On top of that, despite being a breakfast spot, several items listed on their breakfast menu weren't actually available. However, the main reason I will never return is their blatantly deceptive billing practices. This is a casual, counter-service restaurant. They don't take your order at the table, nor do they provide table service. They have a sign stating there is a 3% fee for paying with a credit card. No main restaurant on Devon Street charges that fee. Some smaller shops do, but they usually waive it if you spend more than $10. After paying, the cashier didn't offer or hand us a paper receipt. We had to insist on getting one printed out, and I'm glad we did: they had tacked on an undisclosed 8.5% "service charge" on top of the 3% credit card fee. There was zero mention of an 8.5% service charge anywhere in the restaurant or on the menu. When we asked the cashier about it: * First, he played dumb and pretended he didn't know what we were talking about. * Once I pointed directly to the line item on the printed receipt, he admitted the owner instructed them to automatically charge an extra 8.5% on any order of $50 or above. * When we asked to have the undisclosed fee removed, he refused, claiming he "just worked there" and the owner wasn't around. Adding unannounced mandatory fees to customers' bills--and only revealing them if someone demands a printed receipt--is completely dishonest. Keep a close eye on your receipt if you decide to eat here, but personally, I won't be coming back.

Quetta Sajji House

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Heard a lot about Quetta Sajji House, went for a test drive. The Chicken Sajji was average, looked…read morelike the spices had not marinated through the meat. But the Mutton Charsi Karahi was out of this world - something to die for. The flavor, the meat, spice and texture was amazing - probably the best in USA. The mango lassi was average. They ran out of Kashmiri Chai, so tried Dood Pati, left it after a sip. The place was very clean and bathroom was clean too. Service was very good. Ambiance was average, but better than most places on Devon Street. Will definitely go there again and again

We came to Quetta Sajji House on a Sunday for the buffet 8 of us and we were all seriously…read moreimpressed. The food was amazing. The Paya, Chicken 65, Mutton Qorma, and Beef Biryani were outstanding probably the best you'll find on Devon. Full of flavor and cooked perfectly. The Chicken Sajji was good too, but it was on the milder side. If you're expecting it to be spicy and fully marinated deep into the meat, this one is a little different more subtle in flavor. Service was excellent. The restaurant is run by a kind man and a lovely lady. Both very humble and welcoming. They made us feel right at home. Overall, we had a great time. Great food, great people, and a great price. Highly recommended!

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