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    Den Den Restaurant

    4.5 (164 reviews)
    ModerateVegetarian, Eritrean
    Open 11:00 am - 11:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Den Den Restaurant Photos

    DEN DEN RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Den Den Restaurant

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    lamb, beef, seafood, veggie, chicken on injera
    Mona T.

    The food here was delicious and so filling. I came with a group of 5 and basically ordered one item from each section on the menu, trying a lamb, beef, seafood, veggie, and chicken selection. Honestly, I don't even know if we specifically got what we ordered; it seemed like the server just gave us what she thought was good for each section, which was fine by us. Eritrean food and Ethiopian food have a fairly large overlap, sharing the injera and eating style, but differing on certain sauces and use of tomatoes (among other things). The injera here wasn't as sour as I've had at other places, which I found I actually prefer, and I really loved its taste. The salad in the middle was a nice touch and the dressing was delicious. All the flavors of each item were rich and robust. My favorite was the fish-- it was tender and full of flavor; I felt the beef was pretty tough/overcooked though. Overall, it was a lot of food and we all were extremely stuffed afterwards; it was well worth the ~$30 per person cost. A family-owned neighborhood restaurant with very homey vibes and a spacious interior, our servers were super sweet and attentive. They kept bringing out more injera, various spicy sauces, and water for us. Though the food took quite some time to come out, it was worth it when it arrived. Overall, it's a great spot to bring a larger group, and if I lived closer I would definitely come more regularly. -- Price (relative to peers): 4.2/5 Food: 4.5/5 Ambience: 4.4/5 Service: 4.8/5 Overall Value: 4.5/5

    My first time having this type of food and it was amazing! Extremely friendly staff with great recommendations for the inexperienced, good portions too. The Denden Mes wine was also delicious.

    Veggie Combo
    Steve A.

    Clark Street up north has a lot of ethnic restaurants, and this is the only one I know of its kind. Den Den is Eritrean food, which is among the rarest known cuisines around here, even in a big ass ethnic metropolis. It's not that hard to find Ethiopian restaurants, which are similar but have slight variations between these. High prices are the biggest complaint. There's lots of vegan and vegetarian items to choose from. A lot of basically unknown cuisine to average Americans can be found around here. It's very rare to find an Eritrean restaurant anywhere but this is one. There's a slight difference from Ethiopian cuisine, but these are quite similar. It seems there's more meat used in Eritrean. Particularly seafood. Eritrea is along the ocean, while Ethiopia next to it is landlocked. They do have plenty of vegetarian choices though. It's about $15 an entree. The injeera is fluffy and spongy. Lots of vegetarian choices. The yellow lentils are the best protein. Also lots of vegetables such as greens. They serve it like Ethiopian where you use your hands and injeera. Got to make an update for this business. It seems to have changed hours so be sure to go when it's open. They're open daily except for only Wednesdays.

    What an awesome place! I'm so sorry that we haven't been here sooner!
    Chris M.

    I'm kicking myself for not posting this review sooner. We've been here a few times and always experienced excellent service and delicious food. Authentic Eritrean cuisine with generous servings sizes.

    Steve H.

    I'm a 30-year fan of Ethiopian food yet have never tried Eritrean food. It's quite similar and while I'm experienced and a little bit knowledgeable of Ethiopian food, I could not quite identify the subtle differences. Customer service at den den was top-notch. The owner and his team were so very polite, friendly and attentive. The restaurant was very clean. They were very conscientious about covid-19 protocol. Our food was so very fresh, flavorful, not salty, and presentation was a treat just like had an Ethiopian restaurant. I will return, and I will do a little homework so I'm knowledgeable of the differences next time!

    the menu for the restaurant
    Cheryl H.

    Phenomenal & Flavorful food !! Eating this with the "sponge- y " bread ( as I like to call it ) is a wonderful experience.. just a tiny bit spicy and excellent quality . Casual atmosphere. Very kind people and service . I can't wait to bring everyone here .... !

    Menu
    Laina V.

    Food is excellent. If you walk in here knowing Ethiopian food, the flavors will be familiar but the names of the dishes less so. We did have a slightly difficult time communicating with the server who sort of cut us off a few times, resulting in us only getting a few items we wanted, but we probably intended to overorder anyway.

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    Good tasty food, friendly service, value for money. Would go back for my eritrean food fix.

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    Page 2 of 5

    Ask the Community - Den Den Restaurant

    Is your Inerja gluten free?

    Our regular injera is not gluten-free. We do offer gluten free injera but we do ask for advanced reservations of at least a day for gluten free injera.

    View All 2 Questions

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    El Xangarrito - Cheesecake

    El Xangarrito

    4.8(216 reviews)
    2.6 miLincoln Square, Ravenswood

    Thanks to Yelp El Xangarrito has been on my list for sometime, and I was not disappointed. It is a…read morevery small family-owned Mexican restaurant but the seating does not make you feel cramped. We did make reservations/wait list and was seated immediately. We started off with chips and salsa, and the salsa was a bit too spicy for me, but everyone else enjoyed it. We started with the Chicken Poblano - a savory dish with creamy poblano sauce mixed with chicken and sliced poblano peppers topped with corn. We all enjoyed it. Most of the reviews recommended the enchiladas and we ordered a variety of them. The Enchiladas Poblanos stuffed with chicken and cheese. The poblano sauce was rich and smoky. We also had the Enchiladas Morita. They were filled with shrimp and cheese. It was so flavorful and the morita chile added so much flavor. Each dish was served with a side jicama salad. Their special was a shrimp pasta with lobster. It came with full lobster tail. The sauce was creamy and flavorful. It is also BYOB, which is a nice option. Service was excellent, friendly offered recommendations. This is probably one of my favorite Mexican restaurants and highly recommend.

    Xangaritto continues to be a beacon of delicious food and friendly hospitality. They switched…read moreowners about a year ago and the beginning was a little rocky but today was an amazing experience. I love coming here for the tampiquena and the enchiladas. The tamipquena is marinated in something delicious, pretty sure it includes adobo chiles, making the tamipquena flavorful and tender. The enchiladas have some of the best sauces. We especially love then poblano sauce on the chicken enchiladas. The enchiladas have some tender chicken and the sauce is slightly spicy and creamy. Everyone is super friendly, the waiting staff and chef take pride in their work and it shows. I continue to strongly recommend this place for a delicious dinner out. This is not your typical Mexican restaurant. It s a cozy elevated escape.

    Photos
    El Xangarrito - Veggie Pastor Tacos

    Veggie Pastor Tacos

    El Xangarrito - Traditional Pastor Tacos

    Traditional Pastor Tacos

    El Xangarrito - Steak Enchiladas Mole. A generous portion to share or to take some home with you for a late night snack.

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    Steak Enchiladas Mole. A generous portion to share or to take some home with you for a late night snack.

    Thali Corner - Chicken thali

    Thali Corner

    4.3(18 reviews)
    1.0 miWest Rogers Park

    It was a cold weeknight. 15 degrees F. I phoned in my order and then asked how long it could take…read moreto which the young lady responded twenty minutes. I arrive within twenty-one minutes buying only a quarter's worth of time at the parking meter thinking surely that would be enough time to grab my carryout order? Guys, why was I waiting an additional twenty minutes for food when nobody was in this restaurant? I hate when a restaurant draaaaaaags without giving any reasons. Thali shops have literal fast food. Not in the American sense but the foods are as simple as crepes (dosa) served with chutney. The other items would need more time. Curries, biriyani, etc Ordered an onion dosa and a masala dosa. Texture was different from what I'm accustomed to eating. But I'm wanting something similar to South Indian style. The onion dosa contained what looked like a full, medium sized onion. In Southie style it should be pan fried till brown, sometimes incorporated into the dosa or stuffed inside, this was barely translucent. Didn't slap. The masala dosa was mid. Didn't touch much. Hate throwing away food but.. Not wasting the stomach on barely good. Something about the texture of the dosa wasn't... It just wasn't good. One and done. If a restaurant offers dosa, it's gotta be great. Maybe their other foods are better?

    This is a no thrills joint serving Indian cuisine. If you're looking for a casual and authentic…read morebite, this is the spot for you. I heard they made great Chicken Biryani, but unfortunately they were out when I went. Something I don't think is talked enough about though is their chai - the best I've had in Chicago. Again, this isn't a classic sit down restaurant so don't expect to be waited on as attentively as you would somewhere less chill, but the staff was super nice nonetheless.

    Photos
    Thali Corner
    Thali Corner - Chicken thali

    Chicken thali

    Thali Corner - Saffron chai

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    Saffron chai

    Oromo Cafe

    Oromo Cafe

    4.3(323 reviews)
    2.6 miRavenswood, Lincoln Square
    $

    I stopped by Oromo one afternoon for a quick pick-me-up. The woman working the register was so…read moresweet and welcoming. I asked her for some recommendations and she suggested one of the frozen drinks. I'm so glad she did because I have been craving it ever since! They have a few frozen drinks to choose from, but I went with the cold brew + hazelnut truffle. It's made with housemade hazelnut milk, cold brew, cacao, frozen bananas, housemade coconut caramel, maple syrup, vanilla, and seasalt. Trust me-- it is just as heavenly as it sounds! I forgot to get photos of it because I drank it so quickly--sorry! The space is so cute inside and it's in a fun area to wander around, right in the heart of Lincoln Square. Can't wait to come back!

    What a cute concept and I adore the fact that they have vegan, gluten-free, refined sugar-free…read moredesserts that taste so so good! That brownie I had was delicious and actually satisfying for a sweet tooth like me! The rose latte was enjoyable and once again, they had gluten-free bread to offer for the sandwiches/paninis. Not only that, they are actually a dollar less than the regular one because they say it's smaller. Less - you read that right. Anywhere else they up-charge for the gluten-free version, even if it's just frozen Udi's. It wasn't so here! Note: their savory stuffed pastries like the spinach ones and potato ones aren't gluten-free because they're brought in by another vendor.

    Photos
    Oromo Cafe - Seating area

    Seating area

    Oromo Cafe
    Oromo Cafe - Turkish Coffee

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    Turkish Coffee

    Alice & Friends' Vegan Kitchen - The Special

    Alice & Friends' Vegan Kitchen

    4.5(533 reviews)
    1.2 miEdgewater
    $$

    Delicious casual vegan meal. Had a short few hours in Chicago and came here for dinner. Wife and I…read moreeach got an appetizer-I got their buffalo drum sticks which were somehow gluten free and delicious. For my entree, I got the bimbibab or however you spell it, with tofu. Would have liked a meat alternative but other than those drumsticks, which are brought in frozen and premade and therefore, the "meat" cannot be used in an entree-only the tofu was gluten free. Although I mixed in tamari and sirahcha, this was delicious. The hot pit crisped the rice perfectly and the veggies and tofu were cooked really well. We also got their raw berry cheese cake and a scoop of soy vanilla ice cream for dessert. The crust of the cheesecake wasn't really good but everything else was excellent. Service was great with a lot of good suggestions and he was very friendly. The place isn't much to describe. Just a very casual interior with an Alice in wonderland motif. Cute, but not a place you come for the ambiance. You come for the food and service.

    I remain a huge fan but ordering in last night was a disappointment. I'm sharing this as feedback…read morebecause I hope this was one-off. The kung pao that I so adore here had barely any sauce or flavor this time; and the rice served with it didn't seem fresh - it was clumpy and dried up. The summer rolls were excellent!

    Photos
    Alice & Friends' Vegan Kitchen - Inside

    Inside

    Alice & Friends' Vegan Kitchen - The special

    The special

    Alice & Friends' Vegan Kitchen - Vegan Hot dog

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    Vegan Hot dog

    Oda Mediterranean Cuisine - Butternut squash soup and mini eggplant roulades

    Oda Mediterranean Cuisine

    4.4(210 reviews)
    1.2 miAndersonville, Edgewater
    $$

    This meal was so good, filling, and FLAVORFUL! Their dolma dish was really good, and the sigara…read moreböreği was so flaky and delicious. I got the Oda combo grill because I wanted to try all the meats, and I definitely chose correctly -- they were all seasoned and cooked so well. The rice and veggies were the perfect sides for the protein, and the portions are pretty big, so we had leftovers. We tried adjaruli khachapuri for the first time, and it was amazing. Once the egg is mixed in, it takes the dish up 5 notches! The drinks were well mixed, the ambiance was dimly lit and nice, and the service was attentive and amazing.

    I've always thought that having a great restaurant within walking distance of where you live is an…read moreundervalued property perk. We are lucky to have a wide range of cuisine options near our place in Andersonville, and now we can add Turkish-Georgian fusion to our regular rotation. We had a wonderful meal there--I took advantage of the Restaurant Week menu and ordered cioppino. Half the time I order seafood in a restaurant, I end up with rubbery shrimp and tasteless fish. Not at Oda. Their seafood stew was filled with great stuff. My wife had tokat chicken, which she also enjoyed. The humus, Khachapuri, salad and dessert flight were also excellent. It would be fun to go there with a group. It's an ideal place for a shared-plate night out with friends. But there is one thing--like most restaurants in the city, the tables are close together, which is totally fine. We're not looking for Applebee's-type table separation when we go out. Even when you get a table a few inches between two others, it takes about 30 seconds to isolate your own conversation and enjoy your meal, unless you're next to a table where the diners are essentially yelling at each other. I'm not talking about a couple fighting about money or a bunch of 30-somethings getting rowdy on Moscow mules and umami burgers during a night out without their kids. I'm talking about two people yelling--in a friendly way--about the most mundane subject of all: their coworkers. We noticed as soon as we sat down but by the time we considered asking to be moved, the three tables nearby were filled. No big deal. It was kind of entertaining, in an eardrum-splitting way. Their conversation was shockingly loud. And not just the statements, like "SHE THINKS SHE'S IN LINE FOR HIS JOB," but also the brief conversational acknowledgements, like "YEAH! FOR SURE!" It was like sitting next to dueling car alarms. If you're familiar with Pee-Wee's Playhouse, picture the obnoxious salesman who loudly blah-blah-blahs his way to a quickly slammed door, courtesy of Mr. Herman, but two of them whose faces are two feet apart. And we had no door to slam. All that being said, this isn't a knock on the restaurant at all. And since Oda is so close and so good, we'll be back. And hopefully by then, Josh from accounting figures out how to use Smartsheet--"RIGHT? IT'S RIDICULOUS!"--so if we do end up next to the Decibel Duo, we'll have a new workplace dilemma to listen to.

    Photos
    Oda Mediterranean Cuisine - Dining room

    Dining room

    Oda Mediterranean Cuisine - Pita and hummus - excellent

    Pita and hummus - excellent

    Oda Mediterranean Cuisine

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    Den Den Restaurant - vegetarian - Updated May 2026

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