Get the chicken box, with half lettuce, half rice. Make sure to get all the toppings and some tahini AND hot sauce and you will be happy. The chicken is always so nice and juicy. I don't love all the salads. I prefer the toppings at Falafill but whatever, the chicken is good. read more

My coworkers and I had been waiting for this place to finally open up, and just recently got together to try it out. The place is not very big and accommodating for a large group. I think the most you can fit is 4 at a table and there are no additional chairs that you can add or move to combine and make larger. You'll also need to get here early if you want seating. I went for the flight which gave me the opportunity to try each of the meats and falafel, which was a ton of food. I barely made a dent on the fries. The flight comes with cucumbers and pickles and tahini sauce. I thought this was a little bit odd considering pickles are made from cucumbers so I just got kind of double the same thing except one is drenched in vinegar. Hmm..maybe they could do something with a different combination. The staff is pretty friendly. I'd like to come back and try some other options here as well. read more

Benj and NafNaf are currently the two best Mediterranean joints in the loop. But for different reasons, and I can't get sick of either one. Benj's steak is worth going out of your way for. As well as the Spicy Falafel Fridays. The variety of toppings is a stand out for Benj's, as I mentioned the steak is great, although the chicken is quite good as well if that's your thing, and the hummus comes for no extra charge. (Up-charge for that stuff really irks me about other med places, it's chickpeas for crying out loud. C'mon man) I don't like how little, and inefficient, the seating is, nor the boxes you get your food in. If you rip off the flaps though, it's fine. If you really want your mind blown (and a mini food coma). Go on a Friday and do this: Steak box, with a 1 or 2 spicy falafel on the side, add Hummus and whatever other toppings you like, add Tahini AND Hot Sauce, add a side of fries (share with a friend cause they're big), DUMP a handful of the fries on top of your box of goodness. read more

Line out the door at weekday lunch, but it's worth it! I think this might be my favorite lunch spot around work. Another review called it the "Mediterranean Chipotle." Yep! I agree. And I love Chipotle. My favorite things: The chicken is moist and really flavorful. The tahini sauce is just right, and they don't skimp on it! The red cabbage--this ties it all together with that freshness. Other reviewers are talking up the fries. Eh. But I'm not a huge fry person anyways. Bonus: They played Shallow Hal on the TV last time I was there. Nothing like watching tax-paying adults discreetly laughing at Jack Black to themselves while waiting in line for shawarma! read more

I went on January 3rd, 2014 at 11:07 am and had a pretty bad meal. First, the good stuff. The staff was fast. The place was clean. And now....the food. The hummus was very good, as was the Jerusalem salad. The tahini sauce was probably the best I ever tasted. The fries? Oh no they didn't just re-cook them, but yeah, they did. Maybe that is why the fry cooks were laughing at 10 S. LaSalle St. The hardest, worst-tasting french fries I ever ate. I ate about ten and gave up- they were as hard as walnut shells. And the meat? I had the steak box- or should I say I had the hard steak with dried fat on each piece of meat. Again, this was crunchy, fatty, and cooked waaay too long. The 1/2 rice and 1/2 lettuce saved me from hunger. A friend remarked that he never goes before 11:45am, and won't go after a holiday, because the food may be "not fresh". One last point- they need to fix that front door as I saw a petite person struggle to open it. I had to put some heft into it, and I am 6 feet tall. It may have been the timing- why I had a poor experience, but for $11.93 for a steak box, cheddar cheese, and fries, I should have had a better meal. Unfortunately, I got my meal to go. Had I sat down there, I would have stopped trying to eat it and asked that the meal be replaced- and I am the youngest in my family (trained to eat whatever is left and like it). read more

I rarely go out for lunch because you're always $10-20 poorer and not eating the healthiest. But I can usually count on "customizable" places like Roti, Chipotle, and now BenjYehuda where you can choose healthy ingredients and load up on veggies! Of course, you can be sinful too and order their super crunchy fries with Merkt's cheddar. I'm usually a soggy-fry kinda gal (we're rare but make good eating partners), but these fries made me feel some type of way! I got a chicken schwarma box with 1/2 rice and 1/2 romaine with every toppping, and it was almost $10 after tax. But the bonus is that the portion is large enough to turn this into 2 medium-sized meals! The line is long already by 11:45 AM on weekdays, but it goes by pretty fast. Seating is limited, so I suggest coming here at 11:30 AM, or you might be standing around until someone leaves their table. read more

Since the minute I realized Benjyehuda was opening a second location not only closer to my office but actually in my building, I couldn't wait for opening day. Then opening day came and went with so little fanfare I didn't even realize they were open! I know now and my life is forever changed. The LaSalle location is pretty much a duplicate of the original - bright green walls, industrial interior, same delicious menu and ordering system. The service was fast and friendly and totally on cue. If I didn't know better, I would have assumed they'd been open for far longer than a week. To celebrate the ocassion I even ventured away from my usual falafel wrap for the Yehuda Flight - a mini steak pita, mini chicken pita, and mini falafel pita topped with Jeruselum salad, pickles, and tahini. I didn't get the pickles but got a small side of hummus. The food is just as good as it is at the Van Buren location. The pitas are soft and chewey. The falafel is crisp on the outside soft and fluffy on the inside. The steak is delicious and perfectly seasoned. I think I like it even better than the falafel (which I really love.) The chicken was good but not really my jam. It was seasoned well, but I'm just not a fan of the seasoning. I ate and enjoyed it, but I doubt I'd order it again given how much I love the steak and falafel. My fries were a little overcooked, but I like my fries on the so crisp they're nearly burnt but not quite side so I was okay with it. read more

Went back a couple weeks ago. The good: hummous, the generous toppings, and the meat seemed good quality. The bad: the meat was even more bland this time, falafel was too hard to bite, and the soup was really thick and bland, as if it had a ton of flour added. I think this may be a good place to people who aren't accustomed to middle eastern food and may be sensitive to seasoning, but it's just not for me, particularly given the level of competition in and around the loop for that type of food. read more

You would be hard pressed to find a better, healthier option in the area. Staff is friendly and more importantly very quick. Several different choices of sandwiches and salads. You can tell it's prepared fresh and with care. Most items are under $9 without a drink. Never had their fries. My heart thanks them for moving into the hood. My 4x a week chinese food lunch was killing me. read more

Wow, very disappointed. I'd heard the raves about their fries and was really looking forward to them. I got the sampler (a "flight," I think it's called), which was chicken, falafel, and chicken pitas with Jerusalem salad, pickles, and tahini. That was fine. However... The fries were really, really disappointing. They seemed to be double-fried, as if they'd gotten cold then were tossed back in the fryer. They were greasy, way too crunchy, and there was very little potato inside the crisp exterior. They actually made me feel kind of sick afterwards. Probably won't go again. read more

I'm a Mediterranean food junkie. I have a problem. I should go to meetings. Now that I'm working in The Loop, all of my wildest Mediterranean dreams are coming true. Every corner you turn, there's a new place popping up. However, only certain ones are actually good. So here I am, the self appointed new Mediterranean food reviewer for The Loop. You're welcome, Loopsters! Benjyehuda is a place that has food that packs a punch...as in, it's delicious. 5 Loopy Kids went out to lunch yesterday, and 0 had complaints. Everyone's food was fresh and the only peep I heard from someone was "wow, this is a lot of food", and in my eyes, that's not a complaint...it's a solution for dinner for later that night. Someone else had mentioned how perfectly their shawarma was seasoned, I agree with that, as I also had the chicken shawarma and it was perfect! This location is smaller than the other location, so if you want to sit down you may have a problem finding seating. The food is fresh and delicious. The prices are excellent. The restaurant is clean. The staff is very friendly. read more

I got the Yehuda Flight for lunch. It was a great value, and it was very tasty. In fact, I was able to make two meals out of it! Fries with Merkt Cheddar. Wow. The amazing texture of the Merkt's Cheddar really compliments the perfectly-crisped fries. All of the vegetables were very fresh! Some Mediterranean places serve bland, unfresh vegetables (i.e. dry, flavorless lettuce), but Benjyehuda's veggies tasted very flavorful (I particularly enjoyed the pickles). This place is the real deal...the owners seem to really know their stuff about Israeli street food. Will definitely be back. read more

fast and healthy food. like most downtown middle eastern restaurant. you choose falafel/chicken/steak in a pita/box/salad good thing is that you can choose as many sides as you want. $8.3 for the chicken one in the box. steak is little more expensive. falafel is cheaper. read more

BenjYehuda - Box - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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OMG just found my favorite lunch place in Chicago. Got a chicken box with rice and lettuce, and 10 different salads to top that. Delicious, healthy, and full of variety. Yes Please!!! Really reminds me of my favorite Israeli place in Berkeley (Holy Land) that closed down years ago. We are reunited in spirit in Chicago! read more

I've now done a steak box, chicken pita and falafel laffa as of last week. Always good, I'm not sure I've ever left saying "that was amazing!" but always very steady. The fries continue to be a minor source of frustration (I want a more tender potato with a better/more interesting sauce, like the fries at Naansense for example), and it's super tight in this location from 12-1. But for takeout you get a lot of food for the price, so that's always a win! read more

BenjYehuda stands out amongst a throng of loop lunch time options that specialize in "mediterranean" food. (See Nesh and Roti) The first thing you'll notice is the portion size. It's no small thing. When you order a box, they make sure they fill it and don't leave you hungry. The ingredients taste relatively fresh and the meat is actually warm. The customer service is great as well. Although the line is often out the door, they move it along pretty well. Good Luck resisting the fries...they are delicious. read more

Horrible food and the portions and unbelievably small I highly recommend not going to this restaurant it's a big scam

The downtown rush crowds this place like no other. Sometimes the line is out the door, but it's every bit worth the wait. BenjYehuda or as my co-workers and I like to call it, "Benji", is definitely money well spent. The food portions they give you almost exceed the cost of what you pay. Several different choices of sandwiches and salads and it's all freshly prepared right in front of you. The pita, laffa, or a box meal will get you hooked. I introduced this place to my co-workers awhile back and now it's all they want to eat once 12pm rolls around. I'll leave you with two words. FRENCH FRIES. Boom! Done. read more

Amazing selection of salads (cucumber, jerusalem, corn, etc) and love the pickles that come with them. If you want meat, pick the chicken which is very tender and tasty. Steak can be a bit try. Easy on that hot sauce, it can over power the salads, hummus and what not. HUGE portion so I definitely skip the rice. read more

Great spot for middle eastern lunch! I dig the plethora of spiced and pickled veggies to go with the pita. The shawarma was good, but tahini and veggies put it over the top! The spicy lentil soup is "meh" at best. Naf naf has a much better one in my opinion. read more

This is amazing food. Combo steak and chicken on rice with hot sauce and tahini brings it home. The spicy falafels are excellent as well.

I work in the same building as this so it's very convenient. I don't know why it took me so long to write a review for this place as I go pretty often. Between this and Chipotle, I barely eat outside the building. Anyways I like the food here a lot. The menu is simple and the food is very tasty. I almost always get the Chicken Laffa but I've tried other varieties as well and it never disappoints. There can be lines but they're very fast handling the orders so it's a quick lunch. Service has always been good and prices are good also. I never get the fries so I can't comment but otherwise it's a great fast meal for the price. read more

A huge meal with a variety of proteins and tons of salad for $9 is hard to beat! Chicken is my favorite (steak comes in 2nd). Salads were blander than I had hoped, could all use some extra spices or a touch of salt but that's where tahini and hot sauces come in. Love the variety of fresh salads and that you can get as many as you want! read more

Maybe I've been spoiled by the many Israeli restaurants around the Loop, but this place was very forgettable for me. The line goes extremely quickly, so you can definitely get in and out in under 10 minutes (even during a weekday lunch). I ordered the Yehuda flight. Big mistake. The falafel (spicy and normal) is dry and tasteless; virtually every "regular" behind me asked for half steak, half chicken. The steak and chicken were really good. In terms of the rest, the hummus was pretty subpar. I've made more exciting hummus myself (low standard!) I did like the babaganoush and the pickled cabbage. The rice and rest of the sauces were kind of meh overall. read more

So I ordered the hummus with falafel and veggies and honestly it was very under whelming... I was honestly hungry after this meal. To top it off one of my sauces had hair in it but luckily they quickly exchanged it out. Not sure I know what's so special about this place. To top it off their signage is pretty terrible and very tough to find. Hopefully they step it up a bit. Also my falafel were green for some reason and very small - never seen that before - they were ok but honestly for what I got I prefer to go to naf naf. Way more food for your buck and amazing pita! Don't see my self coming back here sadly because I really did want to like it! read more

BenjYehuda - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

There are a hand full of really solid fairly cheap places in the loop for lunch. Benj is one of them. The food will kind of annihilate your afternoon productivity though. Go with the laffa - add lots of toppings. It has a ton of flavor. read more

Pretty good...limited selection as far as entrés...they have The Jones soda...not bad for a quick lunch

Yum yum yum. Got a bowl, wrap, and fries. Fries were perfect: fresh, hot, well seasoned, crispy on outside and soft on inside. Boyfriend and I agree they were the best fries we ever had. Chicken was perfect and sauces excellent. Definitely would go back. read more

I went here for the first time today, and overall I am happy with my new Mediterranean discovery. I got the chicken box with: 1/2 rice 1/2 romaine, all the toppings, and both tahini and hot sauce. I also got a side of pita bread. Holy Cow, they give you a lot of food! My arms felt like I had done some reps at the gym after carrying my box back to my office. The end result was a ton of very fresh and tasty food at a good price. My favorite part might have been the pickles, since I haven't really seen that at Mediterranean places. My least favorite part was that I thought there could be more overall flavor. I think this would be easily remedied by getting extra sauces though, so that's what I plan to try next time. read more

I was stuck down in the loop for jury duty and I didn't want to go to some chain like McDonald's (yes, I realize there are now 2 benjyehudas in the loop, but the general point remains). On top of that, BenjYehuda has been on my hit list for a good while since it had been profiled on metromix years ago and I think in Chicago Magazine. Add in the fact that I generally have a deep love for all things falafel, BenjYehuda just made perfect sense. And, well, BenjYehuda did make perfect sense. It's just a lunch place and it's pretty damn busy as one would expect. It's fairly small and tight, but that belies the awesome that is brought. To start, I didn't expect something this affordable in the loop, that was my mistake. This is not the kind of place that takes advantage of you price-wise because of the location. That is always a major plus. Now, onto the food. I kept it very simple as I didn't want too much in me. So, I just got a falafel pita with hummus, tahini sauce, and hot sauce. I was extremely pleased with my selection, truth be told. The falafel itself is very good. But, the hummus and sauces sent it into a different level. The hummus was very smooth and flavorful with the hot sauce being very special. The cool part is that everything was like a fast production line and even with a line, it didn't take too long to get my sandwich. You just told them how you wanted your sandwich, and, boom, it was ready in minutes. BenjYehuda is a perfect lunch stop when one finds themselves in the Loop. I liked it a lot, but it isn't necessarily a place I would go out of my way for. Still, I do find myself down here every now and then and BenjYehuda is definitely on the return list. read more

This is one awesome Mediterranean place - I used to go to their original location when I lived in Chicago, but now I came across them in the heart of the loop and couldn't help. On Friday's, they have spicy balls by the way, the spiciest falafel ever and also the specials used to be combination platter which is highly recommended. read more

I have been coming here for the last 4 months and loved the price and portions. I've placed my orders thru Ritual and loved the service and the fact that my meal was always ready when it was supposed to be ready. Today, I placed my last order at BenjYehuda as I learned that after placing my usual order and picking up that 1. They've changed their prices (my bowl was $8.99) today it was $11. 2. They've changed the takeout bowls and they are WAY smaller resulting in much smaller portions. Not to mention that I only received half of the pita bread when I used to get the whole thing. Very disappointed, I love the food but I'm sorry you increase the price and decrease the portions??? Sorry, you lost of 1 your most loyal customers. Farewell! read more

I was craving Mediterranean for lunch in the Loop and decided to try BenjYehuda today. I went at a prime lunch hour, so the line was to the door. I was determined to satiate my craving and I had gained a sense of accomplishment when I finally found it (passed it twice), so I decided to stay. (Plus there was room for just one more body to line up inside, away from the lovely Chicago winds.) Nevertheless the line went quickly and I was walking out of there in no time with my heavy heap of food. I don't typically like fries, but I absolutely loved these. At a point I even closed my falafel box and just totally negated yesterday's workout. They were so crispy!!! Usually I'll pick through my friends fries and choose one or two super crispy ones, but nope- ALL of these were winners! It could be the hangover talking, but these were so delightful. But you have to eat them while they're still piping hot- they get soggy quickly (no bueno). I usually love falafel and anything spicy, but their "Fireball" (falafel + spicy) was not very good. Luckily I got half chicken as well, and that was better. It might be because of my Korean kimchi-eating roots, but I thought their vegetables were bland and not pickled enough. Definitely will order extra pickles next time. Despite being bland, the vegetables seems fresher than other places that drench them in sauces and make them soggy. Last but definitely not least, that babaganoush was really tasty!! Light, tangy, and flavorful. You must try this! I thought that the babaganoush was much better than the hummus, which was just mediocre. Go get in line! read more

BenjYehuda - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Idea place for a quick bite....nice and fresh food Had falafel with pita bread...must try if in downtown read more

This just isn't my fave spot for mediterranean food. I find it a bit bland. I usually get the pita flight. It's a lot of food (three pitas and fries). Time after time, I find the falafel to be dry and bland, the steak just okay with the chicken being the best (but still a bit tasteless) of the three proteins. It's okay food, but I prefer good ole chain Roti for better flavor. I find the fries to be very heavy and greasy. Some prefer that and they're quite popular with some, but these are so, so crunchy and the grease just seeps out. They don't taste flavorful to me -- they just taste like very crispy oily sticks. I have heard people really like them so I gave them another shot but no, they just make me feel nauseous. You can get the cheese sauce with them too. It's a very thick cheese (Merkt's) but I don't care for it personally. Good service, quick line during lunchtime weekday rush, small dark seating area. read more

I have been coming here at least once a week for the last year. Recent "upgrades" to the restaurant equate to higher prices and drastically smaller portions. Frankly, the price change didn't bother me that much but the new bowl make it very difficult to mix so you end up with bites consistent of a single flavor (i.e a mouthful of red cabbage or hummus alone). Not good. read more

Considering the Loop is the fast food falafel and schwarma capital of the Midwest, it's hard to pick a favorite, but for some reason, BenjYehuda has won the most consistent of my business. Modeled after the Israeli street food on Ben Yehuda Street in Jerusalem, BenjYehuda tries to be as authentic to that Israeli falafel and schwarma experience as possible. I haven't convinced them to put fries in my sandwich quite yet (that to me is the official sign of authentic Israeli schwarma) But BenjYehuda also does things its competitors don't. Like serving cheese fries and churros. Yup. The restaurant definitely has a contemporary flare in the way it tries to merge with American tastes. The decor and image of the restaurant also reflect something distant from the Middle East. They market themselves in a bold way and since the product delivers, I find it quite respectable. The ingredients you can stuff inside are all top-notch, though admittedly not any different and possibly lesser than the diverse offerings you can get at other places. I have not tried the box option to maximize my toppings, but I think it's just because there's something about getting a pita or a laffa that makes the experience. My recommendation is the schwarma, though the falafel pita will cost you just $6 and that's hard to do for lunch in the Loop. I have a hard time deciding who makes the best falafel in the city, but there's has plenty of crunch and a great kick to theirs that I don't hesitate to get it, even when the schwarma calls. The service is really friendly in BenjYehuda, which you don't often get in these "assembly line" restaurants. I only wish they had more space to sit and eat in this LaSalle location. Unless you go at off hours, best plan to take it to go, but then again, that's the point of street food! read more

The food was pretty tasty, but there's not a lot ... or maybe it doesn't feel like there's a lot because they put the food in the bottom of a pretty deep box. The french fries are on point though (everyone needs french fries with lunch, right??). *Update* I was wrong ... there is A LOT of food in those boxes. I've been back a few times since my last review and haven't been able to finish a box of food since. The steak is really nicely flavored and all the "accouterments" they add to the box are delish too. read more

I swung by here for a quick work lunch, and was very impressed with the food. The fries were very good, the hummus was perfect and I had a great time with the other add ins. The schwarma was also seasoned perfectly, and I had no complaints. The staff was a little surly, but I am sure that catering to yuppie suburbanites gets old pretty quickly. I didn't get the cheese with the fries, and I have been regretting it ever since. I will most likely be stopping by here again. read more

Oh my - that was a lot of food - and it was good! I got the Yehuda Flight topped with Jerusalem salad, tahina, and pickles, as well as cheese with the fries. Chopped tomato would be really good with this. I liked the fries and cheese but it was way more to eat than I expected. This could have lasted me for 2 days. I think I will go with the box next time and load up on the sides/salads. It's located in my building so I didn't eat there or pay much attention to the ambience. However, I think I'm on my way to becoming an addict. read more