Great food and service! If you're in a hurry, this probably isn't the spot to dine. However, if you're interested in something delicious where you can relax a bit, this is a great spot. They take their time and everything is made fresh to order. I work across the street and whether I am dining in or getting takeout, they have never failed me! Chicken shawarma sandwich is great. I've had their hummus and falafel too. Kafta kabob is also a favorite. read more

Delicious food and warm hospitality! Owner came to our table and told us the origin story of the restaurant. Can't recommend this place enough. They have breakfast lunch and dinner options. Will be coming back!! read more

The best Mediterranean place in Chicago. The staff is amazing . Food is awesome. I recommend it 100%. The owner is such a sweetheart. read more

Came here about three years ago and again recently, and I thought why not leave them a good word. My friends and I had a great experience here. We ordered a plethora of plates, and it was great that my vegetarian friend LOVED the food here as well. The first time I visited I was so lucky to have the opportunity to meet the chef (and owner?). She was kind and personable and let us know these were all family recipes, and you can taste the love and care she put in them! I would definitely come back, and I recommend checking it out for newcomers! read more

So good and great value ! Came for lunch and got the hummus and lunch combination plate. It's so much food for what you get! My favorite part was the chicken . I also love their thin pita bread pieces- it's super thin which I was surprised to see. Place is also BYOB so will have to come back for dinner sometime ! Highly recommend ! read more

Cedar Palace - Hummus - Lebanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Okay, yum! Good food, generous portions, and inexpensive. The only reason I gave four stars was due to the hiccups in service. Everyone was super nice, but lacked in efficiency. It still was a very enjoyable experience though! This is such a great off the beaten path spot east down Armitage. I got the classics - hummus, lentil soup, and falafel & rice. All were really tasty and I left with plenty of leftovers. Cedar Palace is also BYOB which makes for a relaxed, fun atmosphere. There was continuously a line waiting for seats the duration of our dinner - goes to show how popular this spot is, but also that the table turnover is slow. I definitely recommend, but maybe not on a Friday night! read more

Cedar Palace - 8 Piece Falafel Dinner Plate - Lebanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I walked into this place after a quick Google search of restaurants in the area. The inside is relatively small (about 8 tables) but there is a gorgeous patio out back with plenty more seating. Without a reservation and at 8pm on a Saturday we were lucky to get seated! The food is fresh and very reasonably priced. We started with the hummus and each got a dinner plate. The portions are HUGE, not to mention each dinner comes with soup or salad. I would strongly encourage the lentil soup and falafel! It's laid back and low key in the best way with authentic flavors and a casual atmosphere. It's BYOB so be sure to bring a bottle of wine :) read more

Wanted to try this place out after seeing all the 5 star reviews. Sat outside in their heated patio and got their hummus for an app and the dinner combo with the shish tawook, beef kabobs, kafta, rice, and bulgar wheat. Literally every item on the plate was delicious. The beef kabob was smokey, tender, and exactly as described (easily worth the extra $7). Anthony (owner's son) was the highlight though, this guy is awesome! He gave us the rundown of their history, how they make everything from scratch, and also put together the dinner combo for us which ended up being exactly what we wanted. Can't wait to go back! read more

The city's best real authentic middle eastern food. There's something special about family owned businesses. You can taste the love in the food. Benny is the best, so awesome to see such a great work ethic at such a young age. He is flat out awesome!!! I can't wait to be back, try the hummus, chicken tawook and their top secret garlic sauce. read more

I liked this place. We sat in their small but cute outdoor patio. It had a very homey and cozy feel to it. We tried the hummus, baba ganoush, tea, and mixed grill plate. The appetizers and tea were great! the mixed grill was super flavorful and the meat was juicy. We got two plates to share amongst three adults and one child. The serving sizes were kind of small compared to other places. Service was also really great! Overall, I'd recommend checking this place out if you are in the area. read more

This place is a hidden gem! As someone of Assyrian descent, I think I speak for many when I say that it is very rare to come across restaurants that serve authentic Mediterranean dishes that compares to Mom's the way this place does. Everything about Cedar is superb--the food, the service, and the cozy vibe. You can tell that the people in the kitchen love what they do because every dish was cooked to perfection. Wait staff were incredibly kind and attentive. I will definitely be back! read more

See all

What a great find on the Northside of Chicago. The food was amazing, the portions were incredible & the service was beyond friendly. The owner came out & spoke to us, gave us complementary baklava ToGo & invited us back. Google Earth stalking the $57 million mansion next door was quite fun also. We will be back. read more

The hummus here was good, and the falafel was ok, but the chicken was absolutely disgusting. It was inedible. Very stringy and fatty and everything you don't want chicken to be. Wanted to like this place, but the quality of meat is just not good. This is the type of place you only want to eat the veggies. Probably would not go back. read more

So happy that there's a walkable Middle Eastern resto in my hood! I wasn't sure what to expect but the Hummus got me craving for more! So flavorful with the perfect hint of lemon. We had the Falafel which was heavenly, tasty and crispy. The Kafta was great too! I've eaten in a lot of Middle Eastern place and Cedar Palace does not taste like fast food! Well created flavoured beef and lamb! The place is small and weekends it will help if you have reservations. Priced reasonably with adequate portions and YAY! BYOB! We will be back! read more

Cedar Palace - Kafta Kabob Dinner. This came with soup( or salad) - Lebanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The restaurant is really cute, and the food is really good at (I think) authentic! The staff is really nice, and very affective. Would recommend. read more

Cedar Palace is incredible! 10/10 would recommend for a family, couple, or just someone needing a bite. The food was delicious with respectable serving sizes, the serving staff are tremendously gracious and friendly, and the restaurant itself has a great vibe. The decorations are genuinely from the Middle East, it's amazing. To the ownership and staff: keep being incredible--I'll definitely be back!! read more

Back in Chicago for the weekend. Not as good as I remember from 3 years ago when we moved. Still pretty good, but not sure I will "crave" it anymore. read more

Coming from someone who grew with tons of authentic middle eastern food options (metro-Deteoit), this is HANDS DOWN the best hummus in Chicago and believe me, I searched around quite a bit. All of the food is truly amazing - you can't go wrong. Fattoush salad, falafel, chicken shawarma, dolma (amazing!), and crushed lentil soup were all perfect. Only tiny thing would be I love and miss the pita puff bread and haven't been able to find that in Chicago (it's usually the thin pita, which is also delicious!). The owner is super sweet - she stopped by and checked on us. She said she is Syrian and her husband is Lebanese so a lot of recipes are kind of a blend of the two cuisines - though they have a lot in common! Definitely check this place out! I also hear they have an awesome patio and can't wait for warmer weather to check it out. Great service and cozy atmosphere. Can't recommend it enough! read more

See all

Fantastic Brunch... Excellent service. Incredible food for brunch. Totally aligned with the dining experience we have had before. Crew as nice and welcoming as usual. Oh and decently priced... We will come back again. We had the breakfast sampler. The soujik and the shakshuka. Oh the cheesy dessert was great (not too sweet and not too rich so perfectly balanced) read more

stopped in for lunch today with a friend from work -- he loves this place and suggested it, and i am so glad because i probably wouldn't have naturally bumped into it given its location. cute little space and apparently also has a patio. the food was fantastic: dolma, falafel, and chicken shawarma sandwich were on point. and the service was nice and friendly. looking forward to returning for dinner menu. read more

The absolute best restaurant and amazing customer service! We have been coming to this restaurant for over 2 years and still order the same items every single time! Our favorites are the hummus, potato boorak, beef shawarma dinner plate, the slaw, rice and baklava! BUT You cannot go wrong with any item on the menu! The patio is super cute. Definitely put this on your list of places to go and you will fall in LOVE!!! read more

See all

Great food, the beef shawarma was the best I have ever had! Outdoor seating available in the back. Great for a business lunch or an evening date. read more

The food was DELICIOUS!! Best hummus I've ever had, the chicken kafta was incredible, and the staff was so warm and lovely. Best Mediterranean food in chicago:) I can't wait to try their breakfast on saturdays and sundays!! read more

The food was fresh and delicious. The service was outstanding. The hostess and the servers were very friendly. Overall a great experience and I can't wait to come back! read more

This place is amazing. We have ordered takeout for dinner many times, but went in person for brunch for the first time today. The back patio is beautiful and peaceful, making it a really nice, shaded area for an enjoyable brunch. They also have heaters in the back so I think it would be an excellent choice when the weather begins to cool down. Everyone working there was so warm and kind. I love that it is family owned and you can meet the creators behind this incredible restaurant. It was a great spot that was welcoming to a group of friends chatting over mimosas (it's BYOB!) behind us, as well as our family with a little one in a high chair. The food was incredible - I highly recommend the beef shawarma omelette, which came with pita and potato haarah...we got some garlic sauce to go with the potatoes and it was outstanding. We also enjoyed the Arabic breakfast sampler...it was refreshing and a great way to start the meal. Do not forget to save room for the delicious desserts as well :-) I cannot wait to go back again and cannot believe there was not a wait for brunch. Given the brunch is still new here, it's still a bit of a hidden gem! read more

Family owned restaurant so you know the food will be fresh and made with love. Amazing kabobs and hummus was as fresh as it gets. Dolmas were just like the way my Grandma makes them. Great outdoor seating too. Overall highly recommend and this lebanese approves! read more

Cedar Palace - Kafta Kabob Dinner Plate - Lebanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

A favorite! Wow! Best falafels. Loved the hummus. Everything from here is excellent. Takeout is great too!

Happy Accident! Ended up a little lost looking for the farmers market. Decided to stop in for a quick snack. Ankido was so nice and helpful. We ordered the Chicken Shawarma. Delicious!! We sat on the back patio, very cute! read more

Quite the cool place. Walked in on a Saturday night, nice place. Great service and wonderful food. I am Lebanese and truly enjoyed the dining experience. The veggie falafel plate is wonderful and has plenty to fill everyone up. The arayess plate is wonderful, I haven't had this in a long time. Great flavors. The lentil soup is delicious and highly recommended. Service is amazing and the place is clean. read more

See all

I had the beef shawarma while my husband got the hummus shawarma with chicken. The beef shawarma was excellent, beef was tender and seasoned well. Hubby thought his chicken was decent but not as good as the beef. I thought his hummus tasted very good. The lentil soup was average, we both thought it could have used a little more salt. The salad that comes with the dinner entree was good as well, it had hints of mint and had pickled vegetables that was refreshing. Finally, we finished off with the Arabian coffee which was delicious! It was a nice way to finish off the meal and cleanse the palate. read more

See all

Delicious, authentic food from the Levant. highly recommend Cedar Palace! It's in a great location with a beautiful patio in Lincoln Park

Amazing food with amazing service!!! We got the lentil soup, fattoush salad, and the veggie plate and no dish disappointed! The dolmas were not like anything I've ever tasted before. Hands down THE BEST dolmas I've ever eaten! Service was even better! The servers were sweet and the chef came out to talk to us about her cooking methods and story. Very kind and friendly environment. I will 100% be back! read more

Cedar Palace - Veggie platter! - Lebanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Cedar Palace is a family owned Lebanese restaurant located in Chicago. It is open daily for lunch and dinner. It has a very cozy patio in the back. Their food is excellent and prices are quite reasonable. I really enjoyed everything I tried, but I especially liked their falafel and baklava. There is also a lot of street parking available. Even though I live in the suburbs, I will definitely return for more delicious food and friendly service. read more

See all

Went here Saturday during covid. Sat in patio at back. Lentil soup was great. The Shiah taouk with bulgar was good but not exceptional. Nothing memorable though. See pictures! Service was friendly. Would I return? Yes. read more

Best Mediterranean Food in Chicago and beyond! Everything's impeccable, a neighborhood gem! read more

Cedar Palace - Lebanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

I wish I lived up North so I can come eat here more often. The food is so delicious and fresh. The staff is always very kind and they give such big portions. What a gem for Lincoln Park read more

Great food, great service, great patio! We ordered the hummus and Jerusalem salad and then we shared the chicken kabob which came with rice and lentil soup. Very large portions! Everything was delicious can't wait to come back! read more

Cedar Palace - Hummus, Jerusalem Salad - Lebanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Best Falafel I've Ever Had, excellent service even for a busy night. I wish I lived closer to here so I could go more often and enjoy the byob. read more

A charming neighborhood restaurant. The owner was hospitable and passionate about the restaurant and the food that she served. Food: Fresh, authentic and delicious. Tried the hummus, falafel, fatoush salad, tabbouleh and the lentil soup. Baklava for dessert. All of the dishes were flavorful and fresh. Service: Extremely attentive and quick. Ambiance: Beautiful patio. Small and clean. This restaurant is a must try. read more

This was my first time at the restaurant in my quest for good authentic levantine food in the city. Food was really tasty, I particularly loved the lentil soup. The staff was incredibly kind and generous, even offering me a couple of their desserts to try. I was having a rough day, and their thoughtful gesture really lifted my spirits. I'm grateful for the experience and look forward to returning! read more