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    Cira

    4.1 (602 reviews)
    Open 8:00 am - 10:00 pm

    Order Cira Takeout or Delivery

    Cira Photos

    CIRA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Trendy
    Romantic
    Classy
    Upscale

    Recommended Reviews - Cira

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    Reviews With Photos

    Vibe
    Becca K.

    Came here for breakfast! Coffee was pretty decent but loved the avocado toast! Probably one of the best I've had in a while and the potatoes were perfection. Had some bacon on the side too but it's pretty standard. The space is so open and very much giving West Loop vibes.

    Ankit S.

    This place gets really busy on a Friday or Saturday night. It takes a while to order at the bar and I wouldn't blame the bartenders but some of them just plainly ignore you and go to the person who come after us. The drinks were alright got their tequila sunrise and it was so bad. Ambiance and music is Great and it seems like it's first come first serve for seats after a certain time. There's a photo booth around the corner and lazy bird right downstairs.

    Lee L.

    We dined here recently as a group of eight for a milestone birthday celebration. It was a very good meal in a lively but noisy atmosphere. Since we were a larger party with a variety of dietary preferences and restrictions, we had the opportunity to try a broad range of their offerings. There were some hits and a few misses, but in the end everyone came away quite happy. Appetizers: Hummus - fairly standard, topped with a pumpkin seed relish and served with pita. Baba ganoush - flavor was a little understated, could have used a little more spice. Seared octopus - tender and flavorful with a delicious za'atar relish; one of the favorites of the evening Mushroom skewer - I didn't personally try this (the vegetarians among us finished this off), but it was well-liked by those who ate it Pastas: Squash mezzaluna - cooked in brown butter and served with an agrodolce sauce, this was really excellent. Good thing we got two orders of this. Pistachio ravioli - orange butter saffron sauce topped with garlic bread crumbs, this was another favorite of the table. Mains: Grilled dorade - cooked with the skin on and topped with panzanella and a caper relish, this was one of my favorites but it was less well-received by others. The fish was well-prepared and moist. Chicken confit - prepared with a pepper and mushroom cacciatore, this was a miss for most of us. The tomato-based sauce just didn't seem to work, and it was hard to get the chicken off the bones in a clean manner. Tuscan steak skewers - we asked for medium rare but they came out medium, but it was still tender and flavorful. This was served on a bed of beans that looked odd but worked well. Desserts: Apple mille-feuille cake - caramel and mascarpone and thinly sliced apples; really very good Baklava with berry compote - it seemed like a good idea, but in the end it just didn't work. The baklava rolls were a little dry and hard to cut as well. Service was excellent. It is very loud in here and it's hard to have a conversation with anyone who isn't seated right next to you. The restaurant has also bought into the trend of keeping the lights at a very low level, which I guess is done for ambience but sometimes it would be nice to be able to see your food a little better.

    Shakshuka**
    Andi P.

    5 Stars for a beautiful dining area and lounge, fantastic breakfast, and kind service. We arrived for brunch (without a reservation) on a Saturday and were excited to see they had room. The hostess took us over to the main dining area (there's also a lounge area closer to the entrance that looks like a lovely place to hand for drinks and bites). Shah was our server and he helped us pick the fluffy pancakes, the shakshuka, and crispy breakfast potatoes. All three were perfect. The shakshuka had a bold, rich, and deep flavor. The spices in this really shone and we were grateful for the crusty toast served alongside. The pancakes were such a delight!! Fluffy and almost like little soufflés! The compote and syrup gave us a perfect tangy/sweet combo and the side of crispy potatoes gave me the crunch and salt I desired. We were thankful for Shah's guidance and loved chatting with the chef who also stopped by. Overall, a definite repeat-worthy spot!

    Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta  Crispy Falafel
    Allisen J.

    Super impressed with this spot. The ambience was an EASY 5 stars: massive restaurant and beautiful decor and natural lighting. We came for dinner after drinks at lazy bird downstairs. We ordered wine, which was excellent and falafel and bruschetta to start. Very fresh and good flavor. We ordered gnocchi for the main and it was pretty good but not the star of the show. Would def come back to try more of their well balanced menu!!

    Interior
    Anthony D.

    The restaurant is in the lobby of a hotel. I believe it is also a coworking space, but it's a pretty great spot to grab brunch. This time I ordered: - Cold Brew - Breakfast Burger The burger was great, a little on the tall side which made it a little messy when trying to eat it. The fries were nice, but it seems like a few were stuck together during the frying process so a little chewier.

    Their version of kids buttered pasta
    Jim D.

    Came here after a failed attempt at thanksgiving dinner elsewhere. Flavors were bland, overpriced & despite it being the food holiday of the year there were no special incentives. Fireplace is aesthetically pleasing but that's where the compliments stop.

    Gem Caesar (add falafel)
    Heather F.

    Opted to have a last minute brunch at Cira while walking around the neighborhood with friends earlier this fall. I had never been before, so was a blank slate in terms of expectations. As others have noted, the restaurant is situated in the Hoxton Hotel lobby. There were a number of people hanging out with laptops when we visited, and not so many patrons focused on social dining, which left the vibes pretty flat. Along those lines, the service also felt a little disengaged. Acknowledging it can be tough when a group is being social to know how much to intrude, it still felt like there were moments where we were definitely left waiting for some time, namely to place our order and get our check. We ordered the mezze platter to start, and it was very colorful and enjoyable. The pita it came with was good, but did not go far, so I would consider ordering an extra piece depending on your group size. I was feeling something fresh, so I went with the Grain Bowl Tabbouleh. The description emphasized quinoa and kale, so I had figured some heft, but ultimately what jumped out was the cucumbers and tomatoes, neither mentioned in the description, and the feta. The kale was very scant. I added an extra falafel as I was hungry, which proved to be fine, but it wasn't terribly interesting (a little undercooked in the center and overdark on the exterior), compared to a standard mediterranean plate of the same. A friend of mine got the Gem Caesar, which was more vegetable forward, and another the smoked salmon and hashbrown dish, which was pretty and composed, but not out of the ordinary. I certainly wouldn't say anything was problematic, but given the price point and the other takes online, I did feel like brunch was definitely a more middle of the road experience.

    Fluffy Pancakes
    Amisha R.

    I ordered the short rib benedict which was a bit dry, but I did enjoy the hash browns that came with the dish. The service was quick, but not as attentive as you would hope. I asked for something and it took the server a reminder to remember to bring it to be me even though it wasn't that busy. You definitely are paying for the ambiance though, which is classy and elevated.

    Seared Octopus and Lamb Kofta
    Victoria S.

    Loved this place! It's spacious, yet welcoming! Almost feel like a library. We ordered an assortment of dishes. Highlights include the octopus, broccoli, and grilled chicken. The star of the show was the blueberry baklava. Just get it, trust me! The drinks were very very good too. Well made. I want to return and go to the downstairs area? I believe it's a go-to spot in the evening. I'll be back for sure!

    Vibe
    Leyang Z.

    Second time dining in this restaurant. Main dish was good, service was disappointing. I ordered the "Green" salad and Sea Trout. Salad had very little asparagus inside -- only several thin slices. The trout was grilled to perfection -- very crispy skin, and very juicy, meaty flesh. What interested me most was, however, the sprouted lentil side served with the trout, where they put pickled beets, sprouted lentils and a light hint of sauce. It had an earthy, slightly sour flavor. Paired greatly with the fish. Service, however, was disappointing. The server gave me a salad with dressing for the first time (I asked dressing on the side). But what really annoyed me was that lots of people came to my side to order drinks as if they did not notice that I was dining at the bar. Someone even touched my plates! The servers and bartenders just overlooked it; no one informed the customers to be careful. In fact, they should have asked them order the drinks at the side of the bar.

    Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates
    Suhani A.

    This place is so beautiful and the restaurant itself is massive. Very dim lighting and absolutely delicious food. I hate pistachios and hate dates but the pistachio ravioli was probably my favorite dish of the night. I usually like falafel but didn't like this one; it felt like there were too many pickled veggies that were overpowering the falafel and the falafel didn't really taste like your usual. Overall, I thought the food was excellent but the portions are way too small. I think even for an upscale restaurant, the portions are very unreasonable given the prices.

    Divya V.

    I have been to Cira a couple of times in the past, this time I tried their restaurant week menu for dinner. The experience was great! So if you are choosing a restaurant week menu, the entire table needs to participate in it. For appetizers we tried the mezze platter, which was family size sharable. Although my friend complained that there weren't enough pita breads served along with it, however our server was kind enough to give extra pitas when requested. The pita is served with three dips - eggplant hummus, green pea hummus and a creamy dip. Everything tasted great! For main course I tried to Pistachios ravioli and my friend ordered the Tuscan Lamb Kebab. The ravioli was soo good, it surely melted in my mouth with every bite, yum! For deserts we tried the hazelnut cake and tiramisu brownie. I don't have a sweet tooth but still appreciated both the deserts a lot. For drinks we tried tequila based drinks - old fashioned with tequila and rags to riches. I felt rags to riches had a weird sugary syrup which made the drink too sweet but wasn't bad at all! We were celebrating a birthday so our server even offered cute chocolate balls with happy birthday decorated on a plate. It was a sweet gesture! Try this place for a good dining experience, they offer great Turkish food!

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    1 year ago

    Cira is one of my go-to spots. Food and drinks are solid. The staff is friendly. The ambiance is cozy yet sophisticated.

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    Page 3 of 16

    Ask the Community - Cira

    Hi, is the restaurant dog friendly?

    Yes. We welcome dogs in our lounge area. We serve food and drink throughout.

    Are you open for Christmas dinner?

    Good Afternoon, Susie, We will be open for Christmas dinner! At this time we will not be offering… Read more

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Ema - Salmon bab.

    Ema

    4.3(1.9k reviews)
    1.0 miNear North Side
    $$

    I've come here with my boyfriend a handful of times and we love it. We like to try different…read morecocktails every time. The mimosa on a nice summer day on the patio is my happy place. The entrees are amazing too. The rice with the chicken skewer is my favorite so far and my boyfriend loves the beef and lamb skewer. The service has always been great as well. We've had the same server a couple times now and she's friendly and gets the job done. (Wish I could remember her name!) The ambience is great. With natural light coming in and the soft lamps, it's calming. Truly a beautiful restaurant.

    So disappointed. I…read morecame about 5 years ago and loved my meal, especially the sticky date cake, which lingered in my memory as my favorite all time dessert. This year I was so excited to bring my family and Ema was the only restaurant in Chicago I couldn't wait for them to try. I booked it as our final meal in Chicago and lay awake at 4am being so disappointed in my choice. Our server's greeting was monotone and emotionless, which I realize now, would be foreshadowing the meal to come. Ordered the following 1) Smoky eggplant- arrived appearing as an unappetizing curdled purple grey mush. This was the worst tasting baba ghanouj I have ever eaten. It was acidic and had the texture of cottage cheese. The only redeeming thing about this appetizer was the warm naan. 2) house made stratciatella with side of green falafels- The stratciatella was bland and stringy. I would not order this dish expecting the creamy interior of typical burrata. However, if you like string cheese mixed with heavy cream- you may enjoy this dish. The tomatoes and basil were good. 3) chicken kefta- kefta was bland, rice even blander . 4) short rib with polenta- bland and the meat and polenta had the same texture, which seems impossible but somehow the plating was over complicated by the addition of mushy dates and grapes. 5) buttered noodles- my 8 year old ordered this. It was decent with a good amount of Parmesan and cooked perfectly al dente. By the end of the meal, I was so shocked by how terrible the food was I didn't even want to order the sticky date cake that was my main purpose for returning to this restaurant. Ema, what happened to you?!

    Photos
    Ema - Ema tables and bar

    Ema tables and bar

    Ema - Double chocolate.

    Double chocolate.

    Ema - Inside

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    Inside

    Kabobi Grill - Mixed #1: Lamb Koubideh Kabob (Lamb Kofta) and Chicken Koubideh Kabob (Chicken Kofta Kabob)

    Kabobi Grill

    4.5(1.3k reviews)
    6.5 miAlbany Park
    $$

    We stopped by as a group of 5 for dinner Sunday night and we were promptly seated. We visited…read moreChicago for St. Patty's, but my two Persian friends were eager to show us some authentic food and Kabobi did not disappoint. The food was absolutely delicious and I particularly loved the Shami and Koubidehs. The koubidehs were so tender and juicy. The service was phenomenal and they even brought us some tea and dessert (bamieh) for free. Kabobi is open late and was the perfect spot to chat while the rain died down. Definitely coming back when I'm in Chicago next time!

    Ordered: Caspian Mix Grill (~$25) with Albaloo Polo (~$6): 1…read moreskewer boneless chicken breast, 1 skewer filet mignon marinated in a pomegranate walnut sauce, with grilled onion, raw onion, and butter Bamieh & Balava (complimentary) Aya's take: I was really craving Persian food before leaving Chicago and decided to place an order for pickup to take on my way. I arrived 25 minutes later and they hadn't even made my order. From there, 3 different people told me it'll be another 5 minutes, 10 minutes, and 15 minutes. I ended up waiting 20 minutes and during that whole time there was no apology. One of the workers handed me a tea and later I saw they included dessert in the bag. It was a nice gesture but I was frustrated that it wasn't acknowledged by the staff at all and part of my order was still missing. I paid $2.25 for a Yogurt & Cucumber Sauce which I never received. The Caspian Mix Grill with Albaloo Polo was very good. The filet mignon & chicken breast were both juicy and well-seasoned. The Albaloo Polo is plain basmati rice mixed with saffron, caramelized onion and sauteed sweet & sour cherries. I liked the rice but it felt like they just threw the cherries on top rather than incorporate it into the rice. It was very filling, enough to share with 2 people, and good value. The Bamieh & Balava were also fresh, sweet, and a nice bite to end on. Ultimately, I would give the food a 4/5 and the service a 2/5, hence my 3/5 rating.

    Photos
    Kabobi Grill - Dine in area

    Dine in area

    Kabobi Grill - Kabobi Homemade Mango Saffron Icecream

    Kabobi Homemade Mango Saffron Icecream

    Kabobi Grill - Chicken fesenjan

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    Chicken fesenjan

    Al Bawadi Grill - Family Platter (serves 5-6 people)

    Al Bawadi Grill

    4.1(1.2k reviews)
    13.1 mi
    $$

    Came here for lunch to celebrate my birthday. It is located in the Harlem Corners shopping center…read morewith ample parking. The staff is warm and welcoming, and we were seated quickly upon arriving. Love the ambiance! It is very cozy and inviting. We were served a complimentary appetizer: pita bread strips, pickled veggies, and what I believe to be an eggplant dip. We also ordered the Bawadi wing appetizer. It was delicious, and those wings! It came with a sauce, but I cannot comment on that because none of us tried it. The wings by themselves are delicious! My friends both ordered the lamb chops, and I ordered the Al Bawadi mixed grill with hummus and bread. Everything was good, and the portions are generous. The meat was tender, juicy, and seasoned well. We all enjoyed our meals. We plan on coming back in the Fall to celebrate another birthday. This is definitely a neighborhood staple and will come back with family.

    We came here for a quick bite to eat before a game. The place was packed including the parking lot…read more They stay had plenty of tables available and we also received quick service. We ordered two sandwiches. A Chicken shawarma and meat shawarma. Both were fantastic and came with a lot of fries. Overall a very filling dish and a great option for a quick meal. The sandwiches were very flavorful and priced very fairly. Definitely do want to return to perhaps order some bigger entrees.

    Photos
    Al Bawadi Grill - 20 minute wait for two. Food smells delicious though

    20 minute wait for two. Food smells delicious though

    Al Bawadi Grill - Kenafah

    Kenafah

    Al Bawadi Grill - Lotus cake

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    Lotus cake

    Avec - Chicago - Chorizo-Stuffed Medjool Dates

    Avec - Chicago

    4.3(2.6k reviews)
    0.3 miWest Loop, Near West Side
    $$$

    I finished work early and wanted to find a spot where I could have a light bite and drink to…read moreunwind. I remember seeing an Avec in River North, but my office was near West Loop so that made this location more convenient. I made a reservation for myself as I wasn't sure how busy the place got. Hospitality was great right off the bat. My reservation was for 5:30pm, but I arrived early and was offered a seat at the bar immediately. My hostess asked if I wanted to have my jacket held at coat check, which I was much obliged to maximize my space at the intimate bar. I got a Last Frontier, a gin-based cocktail that was sweet, slightly tart and refreshing. It was well crafted and hit the spot. I loved their Potato and Salted Cod Brandade. Talk about stick to your ribs! The brandade's warmth, thick texture, and rich flavor made the dip oh so comforting. Perfect for the blustery weather. I'll be back to try other popular items from the menu!

    I went to Avec for my birthday and from food, service, and ambiance the entire experience was a…read moredisappointment. The endive salad was warm and not cohesive at all. Nothing really went together and it was warm, which didn't make sense and made it worse. The steak was cooked how I asked, but the sauce was extremely oily and had this strange burnt flavor which likely was from the onions? The onions were extremely burnt, nothing like a typical caramelized delish onion. The chicken had the same issue, everything had that same burnt tasting oil and the chilies sitting in it just made it more intense. It was honestly just edible and nothing I would come back for or recommend. I love middle eastern food and know that even with a midwestern there are some considerations to take with the flavor profile but the burnt onions, burnt spicy oil in the chicken, and a warm salad are all indications for poor execution. As for the actual ambiance and experience it was my birthday and there was no acknowledgment at all not even someone to check in on whether the food was okay. I did not want to order a dessert after the salad, steak, and shawarma all missing the mark. The seating was very uncomfortable. It is cramped and communal and at this price point I expected a much better experience. Will admit I should have looked into the actual dining set up before booking a late night reservation but even still there are so many better places in Chicago where you can get better food and actually feel comfortable. Overall it just was not worth it. I would not return or recommend this spot.

    Photos
    Avec - Chicago - Restaurant view from bar

    Restaurant view from bar

    Avec - Chicago - Roasted Corn & Freekeh Tabbouleh

    Roasted Corn & Freekeh Tabbouleh

    Avec - Chicago - Chorizo-stuffed Medjool Dates

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    Chorizo-stuffed Medjool Dates

    Cira - mediterranean - Updated May 2026

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