Great spot in Chicago. The food had amazing flavors, the space was beautiful, and the overall…read moreexperience felt special without being too formal. A place I'd gladly visit again.

Ambiance was great, food was quite good, and service was good. I recommend for the ambiance…read moreespecially, since the decor is so nice!

I LOVED my meal here! Ēma (Ay-mah) brings some glamour and glitz to the Mediterranean dining scene,…read morewith an airy, elevated hotel-lobby feel that still doesn't demand a dress code. Dresscode: Smart Casual / Casual Noise Level: Medium (it gets buzzy after 5:30pm) Thursday night Happy Hour was lively, so it took about 10-15 minutes for someone to come around, but service was attentive once we got going. The food is where Ēma really shines. From the Happy Hour menu, the Charred Eggplant Hummus and Crispy Potatoes were generously portioned and great for sharing. On the main menu, the Indian-Mediterranean fusion Bhel Hummus was a party for my taste buds, while the Hot Honey Halloumi and Chicken Kefta rounded out the table nicely. The halloumi is more of a side than a main, but that sweet-and-salty hot honey combo was chef's kiss. For our finisher, the Chocolate Torte knocked us out. Decadent, delicious and chocolate with lots of depth. Overall, Ēma is an excellent spot to order a bunch of dishes for the table and get an elevated meal without feeling stuffy, and delicious without taking itself too seriously. DO's: - Make a reservation ahead, especially for happy hour 4-6pm - Treat apps like small plates, order 2-3 to sample - Entertain their wine list, they have a lot! - Bring vegetarians here, there are plenty of options DON'Ts: - Dismiss the desert menu. It's fantastic and shareable! - Forget to ask for extra pita with the hummus! - Miss out on the LettuceEats loyalty points (check-in with your server before paying your check)

Mixed feelings on this place. Really pretty decor and nice vibe, but portions have greatly…read moredecreased in the last few years. The food is good, but I don't like that the portions have gotten smaller with the price staying the same. I've added pictures to show the difference. Their spicy hummus is probably my favorite hummus I've gotten from a restaurant, but it isn't always on the menu. The Kefta kabob is always good.

This place is beyond welcoming and such a refreshing spot to eat at. The food is delicious,…read morefilling, and so affordable. It's your typical kind of ambiance for a place like this--clean but not at all sterile. A welcome quiet spot in the chaos of Wicker. Aside from the delicious, comforting food, the service is incredible. It is rare to find spots like these nowadays and I sincerely hope the CAVA heads (don't get me wrong, I love CAVA!) try this out, too. We were accidentally charged for two orders of dolma when we ordered one, but I didn't realize. The person who took the order--wearing a propellor hat, by the way (hello whimsy!)--walked over to our table to let us know and asked if we'd like a refund and apologized. This already took me by surprise, so while I was fine without it, I said "sure." Next thing I know, they walk over with still two orders of dolma and the refund. I looked for a tip jar to put it back but couldn't find one. It was such an act of kindness and generosity. The kind of small interaction that reminds you of what being human is all about. Any time I'm in Wicker, I will try and stop at this place. Reminds me so much of Bulgaria and the "" I'd always beg for as a kid. 10/10 -- please support this independent restaurant!

I got delivery from here, interesting take on middle eastern food. I go the falafel wrap, with…read morehummus, it did not come with many veggies on it, the falafel itself was quite dry and the hummus was not very flavorful. My partner got a falafel plate. He liked the meal. He also got a salad, which he reports was good. I also got some French fries with tahini and extra garlic sauce. Overall average.

Wow, oh wow... the food was AMAZING! I was especially impressed with the pork AND seafood…read more The pork belly was so good, the two of us devoured it in less than a minute. If you're hungry, try the potato gnocchi. The pork ragu was so rich and delicious. The pork is tender, and the gnocchi was creamy and filling. I also recommend the Spanish Octopus and the Roasted Bone Marrow. Service was excellent. They had 2 dedicated food runners so that everyone receives their food as soon as humanly possible. Everything is served tapas style, so food goes out as soon as each plate is ready vs waiting for the entire table's meals to go out at the same time. Ambiance is modern and casual even though the food tasted like I should have dressed nicer.

I'll say up front that I'm not a Wagyu guy. I don't send things back to the kitchen, and I think…read morethe Costco tenderloins are fine. So sure, it's called the Purple Pig, I ordered beef. Maybe I was expecting too much. I was in Chicago for a conference. It was Friday, 5:30 PM, and I sat by myself at the bar, in shorts. It took about ten minutes to get a menu, though the bar was only half full. Maybe I looked like I was waiting for someone. Half Acre IPA: excellent. Ordered the filet mignon, medium rare. The runner who brought it asked me to cut into it and check the temperature. I'd never had that request before, and it made me think he must know something I don't. It turns out he did -- rare in the middle with an overcooked crust. I asked the chef if they use thermometers. He said no, they go by touch. That explains the pattern. Touch tells you how firm the outside is, and the outside was cooked every time -- it was the inside that never got there. A filet is thick and lean, which is exactly the cut that fools your thumb. I'm not a professional cook, but I make steak at home with a $25 instant-read thermometer and it comes out right, so I don't think the tool is the obstacle. The second one that came out wasn't a new steak; it was the same one I'd cut open, put back on the heat. More char outside, and the rare middle was still there, just smaller. A manager took it away, took my silverware, and said it would come off the bill. She asked if I still wanted food. I said yes, I just wanted it cooked correctly. I didn't think this was beyond what they were capable of. She said she was sorry it wasn't to my liking, which felt like what you say when you think the customer is the problem. Round three is the photo. New steak, same result. I showed the chef the picture and asked if it looked medium rare to him. He said he'd cooked the second one himself and it was fine. I asked the server who'd brought the third one and he allowed that it looked a little undercooked in the middle. Then the chef came back to the bar and told me, politely, that I wasn't going to like any steak he cooked -- he "wasn't saying you're wrong, we're not a steakhouse." I respect that. I'd just suggest that the menu should say so too. The best steaks I've ever had were in Dallas and Oklahoma, and the next best have all been in Chicago. The bar here is high, and it's set by the neighbors. They took the third one away. I left with two beers on the house, which was generous, and went back to the Loews and ordered Steak Frites, medium rare, just to do a sanity check. Maybe I was grumpy from jet lag. I took a picture of it cut open, so you can be the judge. The beers were very good. The sweet potato and crispy onions under the steak looked very good. I'd come back for the beer list and the small plates, and I'd leave the filet to the neighbors. For what it's worth, I had a filet at Michael Jordan's the night before, cooked right the first time. I didn't bother to leave a review because, well, cooking a filet right seems like table steaks on Michigan Avenue. Same guy, same shorts. So I don't think it's me, but I've been wrong before.

pros: -fast and friendly service…read more-such a yummy meal!! i ordered the harissa chicken bowl -clean tabled and restaurant cons: -none

Good quick service and options for food. Very filling meal. Spacious and great for dining in…read more Ambiance is good.

Love this place for lunch! The lunch specials are great and the portions are huge!…read more This is a pretty good deal. You order at the counter and then sit down. Please know that if you pay with card you pay extra fee, which I didn't know. This is a pretty big portion so I did have leftovers. For one of our lunches we upgraded to the dill rice which wasn't as different from regular rice as I wanted. But when you add sumac it's perfect! This place is bright and airy.

I needed this meal so bad. So delicious and great hospitality. This place is located on a busy…read morestreet but I was able to find street parking no problem during rush hour. When you walk in, you are brought to the dining room to your table but are instructed to order at the counter. The space is big with tons of tables. Vegetarian sampler: We got this to share. Comes with hummus, tahini sauce, falafel x2, persian salad, baba ghanoush, and dolma. Something nice to sample for the table. Everything tasted great. The falafel could've been more crispy. The platter also comes with a basket of pita bread! Combo mix grill #1: For my entree I got the mixed grill and chose both beef and lamb koubideh as my proteins. I really couldn't tell which meat was which since the meat is ground but both were super delicious otherwise. Great flavor. Got the half & half rice (basmati/dill) which is a great choice and I highly recommend. The platter also comes with red onion, a whole roasted tomato, and some butter. If you've been here before, you already know the portion sizes here are massive!!! So great for sharing!

Good "bang for buck" would be an understatement when describing this place. The quality of the food…read moreat Falafel & Grill is absolutely OUTSTANDING, and comes at a beyond reasonable price. As typical for a counter serve, this facility is no thrills but it's kept very clean and the service is straightforward and great. We've gone back here a few times and have never had an issues with wait time, which is impressive as it can get pretty busy with orders. We've tried both the Chicken Kabob Plate and the Kifta Kabob Plate and both were fantastic. They truly make the meat here the PERFECT tenderness - probably the softest and juiciest chicken I've had in the city!!! The hummus and falafel that the Plate meals come with are also delicious. 10000% recommend for a casual Mediterranean meal or takeout

Falafel and Grill has become a neighborhood favorite for my little family. The falafel is soft and…read morefluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside. Large selection of vegetarian and gluten free options on the menu. Prices are good and the food comes out quickly every time. Though it's a casual place, it's clean and pleasant inside, with a decent amount of seating. The falafel platter is where I'd start, but return to get a gyro sandwich.

This restaurant was recommended to me recently and I finally had the chance to visit. The staff…read morewere super friendly and helpful in guiding me while placing my carry out order. The decor transports you, very intentionally decorated. I had the chicken shish tawook dinner, the eggplant, falafel, wings, and hummus. This was legitimately some of the best middle eastern food I've ever had. The wings were extremely flavorful, the chicken shish tawook was juicy and beautifully seasoned, and the eggplant was delightfully tangy. I was really looking forward to coming here again.

The whole concept and aesthetic of this restaurant completely wowed me!! It feels so well thought…read moreout. The service was amazing too, super professional, friendly, always on top of everything without being overwhelming. And the hummus was especially good, and creamy, which I loved!! The food overall was great. Such a cool experience from start to finish.

Avec is such a cozy and cute spot right along Randolph! We stopped in around dinner time on a…read moreFriday evening and they were able to get us in! We shared some wine carafes and they suggested splitting a few lighter bites and a main. We had the Endive and apple salad which had a light, refreshing flavor, and the chorizo- stuffed medjool dates to start. Both were flavorful and delicious! We also split the Shawarma spiced chicken which was fantastic and filling, the pitas here are to die for. All of the staff were friendly and helpful in suggesting dishes and portions, and we felt perfectly full and brought some home for later too! Definitely a cozy date-night spot to add to your list!

The missus got a reservation for 1045am for two on the Sunday of Labour Day weekend 2026 for our…read morefirst trip to Chicago. We opted to sit outside on the patio (other side of the sidewalk) because it was an option. We ordered the shakshuka, heirloom tomatoes and the famous Medjool dates - all three to share. Overall, nothing stood out - the dates are indeed good but the portion sizes are somewhat small and whole we were full when we finished, it definitely was pricier than I expected it to be, given the size and quality of the food. Nothing wrong with this place - but I probably wouldn't go back. Nothing special here.

If you only know of the Kurdish people or culture through the news, it's time to remedy that-- head…read moreover to Avaspi for drinks and snacks at the generous Happy Hour or for a full dinner. The beautiful bar is set back in the glowingly dining room that has a painting of the Kurdish area in Turkey from where the owner comes from. Remixes of contemporary tunes gives a kind of clubby feeling inside, and the large sidewalk patio (on the side street) to enjoy the season is a completely different vibe. It's not just another variant on Mediterranean/Middle Eastern/ Persian cuisine, though you'll find familiar salads, spreads and cuts of meat. The presentations and flavors are different. The friendly (and easy on the eyes) staff will guide you through the menu. Very nice wine list as well as creative takes on standard cocktails (some mocktails too) complement the meal. Come in a group so you can sample many things; I assure you it'll all be good. Loved the calamari and the meze plate on this last visit. Grilled haloumi and shrimp were great previously. Easy to get to so get going!

An absolutely standout meal, each dish better than the next. The stuffed dates, however, were about…read moreas spectacular as anything I've had. A perfect place to go with a group to try as many different things as possible. And don't sleep on their happy hour, which makes the experience even better!