Fun and beautiful place. The hostess was wonderful and great energy. Our servers, not so much. This is a first for me to review the food and nominate the table bread as the best dish! It was delicious. Sea bass was very delicious too. We started with a red pepper spread that had wonderful flavors. The rest was just so/so. The $65 meat sampler seemed like a fair price but the three meats were just a fair taste. And the lahmacun was lifeless. Flimsy and not great quality for a simple flatbread that is so simple to make. I get woodfired lahmacun in a tiny shop in LA for $2.25 and it is 10X better than Elia. So, overall, I would suggest the place as it is fun, beautiful and some great dishes. But some dishes need a bit of work. read more

Elia - Bread. Truffle Cheese Saganaki Lahmacun - Turkish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I came here with some friends after seeing their menu and I loved everything here. I honestly would come back here just for any meals. I loved the 6 spreads that came as appetizers which consisted of 3 cold/3 hot, cheese bread, the actual meat platter in which I loved everything and couldn't complain at all, then lastly the dessert! My friend loves their baklava, but it was too sweet for me so she ate my share of it. All the meats were super tender and cooked perfectly to our liking at least. The service was super quick and the people were nice to let us sit around for basically 3hrs without really asking us to leave even though the manager/owner kept coming over to check up on us every 20mins HAHA! I loved the outside seating area they had because we came right at the end of summer so the breeze was super nice as the sun was setting. Overall, super solid places for a super reasonable price. I cannot wait to be back! read more

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I think this may have been just an off night for the restaurant. It is a beautiful space and the food was good. The service seemed to be lacking. The gentleman who attended to us, seemed quite annoyed that we wanted to start off with a glass of wine and look over the menu instead of placing our entire meal with him at that very moment. While we were dining, we noticed that the restaurant had a very thick smoke coming from the kitchen that came through the dining room. It was to the point that our eyes were tearing up and they were opening up the side panels of the doors. Eventually, the smoke subsided, and we were able to enjoy the rest of our meal. read more

Food was SO fresh. The flavors were out of this world. The portion sizes were also really impressive for the prices. Honestly some of the best chicken I've had in the city. Service was also really attentive and very knowledgeable! read more

Elia - Turkish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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No no no. Over priced food nothing was good and I got lamb how do you f up lamb! We got some hummus that was worse than store-bought hummus. The staff was super annoyed with us when we asked to sit at the bar then told us that since we weren't sitting at the bar we couldn't get the happy hour deals after they gave us the check. It's a beautiful restaurant just terrible everywhere else read more

We stumbled upon this restaurant on a nice day and wete seated outdoor. The renegade craft happened to be happening so there were so many proplr and different vendors. Even so thr restaurant wasnt super crowded. We got service right away and food on the table within 15 mins. The food was delicious and fresh! I especially enjoyed the kabobs and the bread. read more

The whole sea bass was carved right at the table and tasted incredibly fresh. I also ordered the juicy adana kebab that was seasoned perfectly with warm spices. read more

I made a lunch reservation for the advertised Monday-Friday lunch special of $25.00. A few days before I asked what were the specials offered? A male who answered the phone told me, "The special is not available on Friday". I told him the web site says it is. Then inquired on what the two choices are on Monday -Friday? He told me, "There is only one and that advertisement is old". Needless to say, I did not lunch at this restaurant. Who knows what the food and service would be like? read more

Elia - Lunch Special - Turkish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Food and service was amazing. Our server was so nice and attentive (I wrote down her name and accidentally deleted it, but I believe it started with an "I" and ended with an "A" !! The "all you can eat" and 7$ sangria was a great deal! They also allow you take home leftovers which was more than enough for another 2 meals. I never write reviews, but had to for this place! read more

Elia - All you can eat - Turkish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Elia has a lot going right. The atmosphere is pleasant to sit in. I love the high ceilings and fun light fixtures. The service was attentive and came with a smile. The food was good, but not great. The Shepards salad was very fresh, I highly recommend it (though they should probably soak the onions). The hummus and bread were delicious, but there wasn't enough hummus. The lentil soup was tasty, but too watery. The mixed meat platter--a combination of three meats--was so so. It came out lukewarm. The lamb was tasty, the beef skewers got the job done, but the chicken was fatty. Overall, a good experience, but there's definitely room for improvement. read more

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First of all, we had reservations on a Sunday evening. The place was more or less empty but the service was a little slow. We had nothing but time so we didn't mind, but we do wish we were checked on more often. Our waters weren't refilled and we weren't given the opportunity to order a second round of wine once our entrees came. The food was great! We started with the hummus and the octopus. The octopus was well flavored and cooked perfectly. Not slimy or rubbery like it can be at other places. The hummus was nothing special, but the fresh bread was amazing. Next time I'd try the Tatsziki. For entrees we both got the lamb chops and they were exquisite! They seemed well marinated and flavorful. Cooked to perfection. I'd also say overall, the value for money was very good here. The ambiance was great and the quality of food was high. Prices were very reasonable. read more

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First time here . We had a party of 5 . We all decided to go with the all you can eat for $35. A few minutes later, several people came out with platters of food . The apps were great , the meats, the flatbread, the cheese , all were absolutely delicious. You knew you weren't eating food out of a can that's for sure ! Azru was our waitress and she was great , she was friendly and shared her story with us . We will definitely all go back and bring more friends :) . The only negative thing I could say is I went to the bathroom and one of them employees didn't wash their hands after they were done . I hoped she washed them when she went back in the kitchen . read more

The food was great! Really enjoyed the ambiance and the atmosphere was great. We came for a cocktail and appetizer happy hour on Saturday around 3pm. Unfortunately, when we received the bill we were shell-shocked. We apparently were using an old drink menu that listed cocktails at $15, but when the check arrived the Tito martinis were $24. We double-checked to make sure the prices were accurate with our waiter and we're disappointed to hear the validation. We've been to many restaurants in Chicago and a $24 tito martini is amongst the highest we've paid. All in all, we really loved this place but probably will not return because of the steep drink price. read more

First timer! Elia was a gorgeous place to dine at for dinner. The atmosphere was very cozy and comforting. Very classy rather date night self date, girl's night or family night Elia is fit for the occasion. A very nice place. Seating was spacious with rounded tables and private dining area. Seating seemed very private which I enjoyed the most. We ordered the mixed grilled platter for two with grilled vegetables with a side of rice with chickpeas. Everything was favorably perfect. Even the presentation tasted as good as it looked. The platter was so tender and tasty. More than enough to enjoy and share. Menu was very short and simple. Placed our order came within 15-20mins. No wait time is always good. Natalie was our waitress. She was very sweet and attentive. Very professional. We would definitely go back to Elia and most definitely on the list for date nights! Check em out! read more

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Regarding the weekend brunch: be aware that it's only available for parties of two or more. This info is not available on their website, the descriptions here, or on any menus. I had to leave hungry due to this omission. read more

I came with a friend before a show in the area. It was odd seeing a cool-looking place and PATIO on a sunny evening so empty while its neighbor was busting at the seams, but after eating here, I see why. The food was fine at best, inedible at worst. The hummus was solid, but my beet salad was awful. I am Midwestern at heart and cannot send food back for the life of me (but online reviews are a different story...). My extremely kind waiter had to get it out of me that my lightly dressed salad was drenched with dressing and could not be eaten. To their credit, the restaurant offered a solution. I'd give it another go, but I'd have to be convinced. read more

Elia - Turkish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Tonight was our first time at Elia. The inside of the restaurant is beautiful looking, it was hard to not keep looking around at everything. The drinks were great, but the food was amazing! We had the octopus ceviche for our appetizer. I was obsessed with the vinegar sauce that the onions and octopus were tossed in. The bread that comes with it was also very good. We got the mix grilled platter for two and it was the perfect amount of food after having our appetizer. All of the meats on the platter were delicious in their own ways. I highly recommend this place!! I recommend making a reservation if you go. read more

Great Management food and atmosphere. We will be coming back soon. My company especially appreciated the attention to our requests.

Amazing food, very attentive and friendly service, overall great! It was maybe a little too dark in there

Delicious octopus and lamb with really good Turkish flavors. Great cocktails and service. Would definitely go back. read more

Elia - Turkish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

A great addition to the Park Ridge restaurant options. The food was creative and delicious, the service was friendly & knowledgeable and the decor was beautiful. My only complaint is that the specialty drinks took too long. They arrived after the food. read more

I brought my mom here for an early Mother's Day dinner and I feel terrible that this is the place I picked. Will not be coming back and giving this place another try. The ambiance here is beautiful. They have a big bar, nice outdoor area, and large windows that fully open in the summertime. All of the furniture is new and the style of the decor is very current. The reason why our experience was so bad is because the service was the worst I've ever experienced in Chicago. No one came to our table for the first 15 minutes and then out of the blue our server came up to us and just said "what do you want to order?". No hello, no filling out glasses with water, nothing. We ordered a few appetizers and then did not see our server for another hour. Our food was brought over my food runners and we ever were brought bread even though every table around us was. Our sever was in the restaurant playing on his phone, disappearing into the back, and doing everything expect checking on our tables. The manager was also in lala land-- FaceTimeing his family, sipping coffee, and scrolling through instagram. The food that we managed to try was delicious but the service was so bad we decided against ordered main courses because we just wanted to leave. We sat for 20-30 mins waiting for our bill and had to pay via QR code because no one came back to take our card. For any restaurant this service was absolutely terrible, but especially for a higher end place. Avoid coming here! read more

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Elia restaurant came up on my social media and I was excited to try it. The reviews concerned me but I thought maybe some of the poor reviews were because people were new to this type of cuisine. We ordered the chefs meza platter for appetizer. It was served with fresh baked bread.Unfortunately out of the 6 different appetizers only the hummus was okay. We also order the shrimp appetizer and again nothing special. So far the bread was the star of the show.By now our party of 4 was questioning whether we were going to like the entrees that we ordered. 3 people ordered the beef shish kebab dinner and I got the eggplant and minced lamb kebab. Sure enough our entrees were also disappointing to the point where not one of our party wanted to eat what we had ordered.The beef shish kebabs were tough and sinewy obviously not a quality cut of beef and the minced lamb kebabs were cooked unevenly and quite salty. We hardly touched our entrees and talked about ordering something when we got home. Needless to say we won't be returning. read more

Came for brunch on a snowy Saturday morning. Found this place on social media. It was empty which is disappointing for them but I think this place has hope to pick-up soon. Our service was fantastic. For drinks we tried the Passion Lover's Cocktail (Vodka, St. Germain based drink) Additionally, I tried the Prosecco which was very crisp. For appetizers we opted for Muhumarra and Zucchini fritter. I would pass on the Muhumarra, it was very dry and not how I have experienced it before. The Zucchini fritters were fresh with a nice sour cream based sauce. For brunch we were all over the map. I got the handmade lobster ravioli. Delicious and so filling. Towards the end, I was getting some saltiness but maybe just too much Parmigiano that I added. My Y.E.S. girlfriends grabbed the BLT with turkey pastrami and Corn Risotto with Chicken. Both ladies were satisfied with their dishes. Overall ambiance and decoration for this spot was very posh. The bathrooms are nicely decorated and they even have a separate social room. I would come back here. Social room would be great for engagement party or small gathering. Food was fresh, good quality and reasonably priced for Wicker. I am not sure where else you can get a $10 glass of Prosecco on Division. Will be back!!! read more

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They need help on the communication parts of it and being able to explain exactly what the dishes are and how you can make substitutions. The rice comes with chickpeas and they could not accommodate just giving me plain rice without chickpeas which was a downside for me but overall the food was good the atmosphere was beautiful and the drinks were pleasant. read more

Elia - Turkish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Looking for amazing, fresh, Mediterranean food? You have found it. The service is quick-paced all things considered since it is made from scratch and the staff is super attentive. We had the establishment to ourselves for a while since we selected the first timeslot for a resy which was super cool. My girls and I ordered a round of the Muhumara, Zucchini Fritters for starters. For the entrees, I ordered the BLT - Turkey Pastrami and they ordered the Lobster ravioli and the corn risotto. First thing to compliment is the price to portion ratio - fantastic. The BLT sandwich was great! This could be a breakfast or lunch sandwich. I enjoyed the addition of the egg that comes on the sandwich. Thick cuts of meats and the breading was good too. Overall, you would not be hungry if you ordered this dish. My friends enjoyed theirs too. I definitely intend to return and try some other dishes! read more

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Absolutely delicious--easily one of the best Mediterranean spots I've tried in Chicago, if not the best. The meats were perfectly juicy and packed with flavor, and every type of bread was incredible. The staff were so kind and welcoming, and there's plenty of seating, which made the whole experience feel even more relaxed. I already can't wait to come back! read more

Elia - Mix Grill Platter for Two - Turkish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I was very disappointed by this experience, especially because the restaurant appeared to be a nice establishment and I had been looking forward to celebrating a personal two year accomplishment. I made a reservation through OpenTable for one person at 7:45 PM for the all-you-can-eat steak offering. At no point during the reservation process was it indicated that this option required a minimum of two guests. The system explicitly allowed me to book for one person. Upon arrival, the host seated me without mentioning any restrictions regarding the all-you-can-eat option. I was already seated and had begun drinking my water when the server, Mustafa, later informed me that this offering was not available to solo diners and required a minimum of two people. This was both surprising and frustrating, as the reservation details state, "Your table will be reserved for 1 hour 30 minutes for parties of up to 2; 2 hours for parties of up to 4," which clearly uses the language "up to," not "minimum." This wording is misleading and does not communicate any restriction for single guests. As a result, I drove 30 minutes to the restaurant only to be denied the experience I specifically reserved. This was especially disappointing as it was my first time choosing to dine alone to celebrate something meaningful. Clear communication and transparency in reservation policies are essential, and this experience fell far short of that expectation. I left disappointed, hungry, and I didn't get to celebrate my accomplishment. read more

Elia - Turkish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The food was really food. The hummus was not harsh and the bread paired great together. The steak and chicken were also very tasty and soft. I went when it wasn't busy, the service was fast and music was not loud. The cheese was yummy too, it has truffle cheese and hot honey! Would come back read more

Elia - Turkish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Amazing dinner place with super delicious Turkish cuisine! Portions are on a bigger side, especially meats. We tried assorted meats for 2 and shared with 4. Baba ganoush and lahmachun were very tasty, the menu is 2 pages was easier to navigate and share. Late evening they also have dj playing and turning into very hip place. The service was a bit slow as the restaurant was full but food was coming out of the kitchen quickly. read more

Elia - Lahmacun - Turkish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Service was great and staff was kind. The ambiance of the restaurant itself was lovely but the food was very mid. Like it wasn't bad, but it wasn't great. read more

Okay y'all, we went on Thursday for all you can eat, and let me tell you this: This is a real authentic Turkish food. We started with ordering the Istanbul Jin Martini (omg). Then the appetizer they call it mezza, and the mixed grilled meat which includes Adana lamb kebab, chicken, beef, grill tomatoes and pepper, white rice and lavash bread. Everything house made, and tasted super delicious and fresh. I love the unique plates and bowls shapes. The Turkish songs and music they were playing was definitely adding an amazing atmosphere. The friendly staff were absolutely incredible and super sweet. Oh, and shout out to the manager his name is Sedar, was absolutely amazing. He introduced himself to us and took good care of us. I am definitely going back for more kebab read more

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Delicious food, good ambience and really good service! Would definitely come back again.

My friends I and enjoyed the $50/person fixed menu on a Friday night. The quality and quantity was amazing for the price. I would highly recommend Elia to more people and would visit again. read more

Elia - Appetizers - Turkish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place is soo good!!! The food is halal/zabiha and truly everything on the menu tasted so good! They also have DELICIOUS mocktails! Beautiful ambiance as well, and the price is super responsible. A gem!! Last time I went, I spoke to the couple next to me who said they came from out of state just for this restaurant. read more

Elia - Mixed Mix Grill Platter for Two - Turkish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Absolutely phenomenal restaurant! We enjoyed everything from start to finish. The service was so attentive and the food was outstanding. We did the chef tasting buffet and it was off the charts good. Mustafa took exceptional care of us and we look forward to coming back again! read more

Just had dinner @9 reservation of two ended up with the host as being our server which totally was a fail he didn't really suggest anything so we just went with the flow order food. Food was great service but service itself sucked do to the host or manager that served us. If I were to go back, I would suggest to get an actual waiter not the host or manager that doesn't know what they're doing. read more

Elia - Turkish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

TLDR: Wide assortment of shareable plates great for catching up with a friend or date night. Great location in Wicker Park & can be dressed up or down in terms of apparel. FOOD: -the burrata "salad" was delicious and has loads of fresh watermelon and tomatoes -zucchini fritters were mid - the sauce it came with was the star -would skip on the wontons -the bread was surprisingly good - it was like naan but also like a bread? -short rib had a generous amount of butter and fat and ate very rich and heavy - there were a lot of fatty pieces I couldn't eat -pasta didn't have as many shiitake mushrooms on it and just had the normal baby bell ones on it - was decent not out of this world -the dessert baklava was the best part - it's super sweet but had this caramel like taste to it that made it so good -they have a few varieties of non alcoholic drinks which is a plus! AMBIENCE: -gorgeous interior and bar is fun to look at SERVICE: -good service overall - think they may have read some of these reviews :) read more

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$60 Mix Grill Platter for two is perfect for date night! This place is such a vibe. The drinks, the food, the seating (I need that couch in my house frfr), the people, all of it was so great! I had a wonderful time, the food was delicious. Thank you so much, Elia! read more

Elia - Mix Grill Platter for Two - Turkish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The food is flavorful and plentiful. Cocktails are imaginative and tasty. Service is attentive and friendly. All set in a beautiful environment. Highly recommend!!! read more