Great food. Freshly made. Reasonable prices. Friendly employees. Also clean dining area. As for restroom you would need to ask one of the employees. read more

I decided to try out this new Middle Eastern spot mainly because the place seems to be empty and I wanted to give it a chance. I was pleasantly surprised with the vegan choices and friendly prompt service! The Mezze (Vegetarian Sampler) and rice were excellent and the Tabouleh salad was on point! Definitely will return to Falafelji when I'm craving Middle Eastern eats - affordable and tasty! read more

Falafelji - Mediterranean Near Me - Lyons, Illinois

I was recently at Al Bawadi Grill and it was a nice eat in place and everything but the chicken kabobs I take out of here in a styro container are so much better. And the price is much better, too. The food here is the absolute best Middle Eastern food in Chicagoland. And lucky for me, this place is really close to where I live. Also, this appears to be a family business. The young people who work here are super nice and hardworking . I can just tell they have much pride in this business. read more

Absolutely loved their chicken shawarma. It was flavourful and fresh. The staff was courteous and my order came in quick. Thank you. Will be back soon. read more

Great food, but two of three employees weren't wearing a mask, and the one who was had his nose out. I know it's hot in the kitchen, but if you can't take the heat - get out of the kitchen. This isn't hard. You're in hospitality- make your customers feel comfortable! read more

Great food but I had to come on here to say how horrible it is to close before closing time. It's the second time I experienced this. Shows they close at 9pm I showed up at 8:20 and doors are locked and they're cleaning up inside. It's a Saturday night I just don't understand. 1/19/2019 read more

Awesome food , generous portions really glad I discovered this gem, I usually get a pickup at least once a week, try the beef and chicken shawarma read more

Stopped by on a whim - my lucky day! Really friendly service, and delicious, fresh food. We had hummus, baba ganoush, falafel and a mixed grill to share. One thing yummier than the next. Chicken in the mixed grill was really juicy and flavorful - usually chicken is just chicken but this was extra good. Cucumber/tomato salad with the mix grill super fresh tasting - I could've eaten a mountain of it. Falafel crunchy & flavorful, hummus super smooth and delicious, baba ganoush smoky and amazing. Pita warm & soft. All in all, worth a stop. We left happy and full. Thanks guys! read more

Best Mediterranean food in the burbs.... the kafta dinner is my go to. The portions are generous. Best deal is the small humus or baba ganoush (the Smokey flavor reaches out and grabs you!) I typically order carry out, as the plastic table dnd chairs aren't overly appealing. The off menu secret is the Kibbeh, try some next time you're in the area!! read more

This place always does a great job of giving me my middle eastern food fix. Never disappointed! I usually get chicken shawarma and the hummus read more

We wanted to try something different and I absolutely loved it and will go back soon! Below is a picture of what we had for lunch. read more

Falafelji - Mediterranean Near Me - Lyons, Illinois

I went there today. And the young cook, was not wearing any gloves. Grabbed the Pita by bare hand, and stuffed it. I walked out.

This little hole in the wall place has mouth watering food at reasonable prices that will keep you coming back for more.

Give me a choice of goat tacos or falafel, and I'll choose falafel every time. To be honest, I will probably choose falafel over most edible items, and Falafelji's falafels prove why this is a wise choice - they are fresh, flavorful and served hot. However, what bumps these tasty morsels into a 5-star world is the assortment of hot sauces, specifically the jalapeño-garlic. If you go here and don't have this sauce, you lose. I recommend getting 4 for $2.50 so you can sample some other items. I also had a Jerusalem salad, which is a full-sized salad with minced vegetables and pickles in a tahini dressing. It was good, but I prefer tangy, so I might go for the fattoush if I went back. The lentil soup is also solid with simple, hearty flavors. What really stood out is that nothing was salty, and everything tasted incredibly fresh and healthy. Plus, it was cheap (lunch for 3 for under $25 when we used the check in offer), and the owner came out and chatted with us. I could tell he really cared. But, again - it's all about the jalapeño-garlic. If they bottled it, I'd buy a case. read more

My boyfriend and I stopped by here because it's near my house and we were in the mood for falafel and hummus. I almost did a double take because I had never noticed Falafelji until then even though I'm a local. I'm a huge fan of med food, so our lunch choice was made for us! We ordered a platter with a wonderfully large combination of food that left us both feeling satisfied. The price was reasonable, too! The service was absolutely outstanding. I felt like I had become a part of the Falafelji family just by dining here once. The employees made friendly conversation, brought or a delightful sample of the lentil soup, and volunteered plenty of information about the food, too. The great service would have me returning here even if the food were just mediocre. But the food was great! All the more reason to come back. My only minor complaint is to have some music or something to set the mood if dining in. It felt like a more appropriate place to pick up take-put than to dine in. I look forward to trying the falafel sandwich the next time I come and hopefully I won't have to share with anyone else this time because I want my Falafelji all to myself! read more

I had this place bookmarked for a while, and kept forgetting to check it out, but I finally went! It is located in a strip mall, plenty with plenty of parking. The inside is clean and had seating for about 10 people. I was greeted as soon as I walked in - very friendly. I placed an order to go, the chicken shawerma and a steak shawerma platter. Both came with rice, grilled veggies, salad and pita. I had asked for two extra jalepeno garlic sauce on the side (an upcharge). I was charged, but it was not in the bag when I got home. The chicken was great - very tender and flavorful. I would absolutely get this again. The steak were think strips and very chewy. I would NOT get this again. The rice, salad and veggies were all fine. The pita did not seem very fresh. Glad I had a chance to check this place out and I would stop by again if driving past, but not make it a destination. read more

Delicious, fresh, tasty. Everything I had here was good. That list includes: * Shawerma (beef and chicken) * Falafel * Hummus (all varieties) * Baba Ghannouj * Grape leaves * Kifte * Lentil Soup * Rice * Bottled water No seriously, just solid solid solid middle eastern food. No frills, just deliciousness. read more

I've been here probably 2 times before. Both times it wasn't too bad. I went there Sunday and bought 2 combination platters for $12 Each. They had almost no beef and 2 tiny falafels instead of kefta kabob. I was so disappointed that I spoke to the chef, and he said that the owner told him that's all that he could give. I would rather go to another place that isn't so cheap with there foods. Especially that they charge extra for each sauce. read more

Falafelji - This was for $12! Tiny piece of meat and two small falafels. - Mediterranean Near Me - Lyons, Illinois

Holy. Balls. (Falafel, sicko) How fitting my 100th review be for this establishment. I can't explain how good it is. I yelped today, being the lazy parent I am, to provide a food field trip for my daughter. Mom had to clean, but she's an only child, I pay a lot of repentance. So the recently somewhat disappointing yelp as of late, leads me here. My asshole GPS has me U-turn 3 times til we make it. It's empty, it's unassuming. But it's not prime time, and I have a good vibe. I explain to the man we are ordering $50 of food bc of our "trek". It was 20 min, I'd drive to Russia for good food, but people judge. He didn't. He sent a falafel app while we waited. DING DING DING. I don't care if it costs the place 5 cents or $500...this kind of gesture WILL MAKE ME RETURN, even if your food sucks. Theirs doesn't. I can't tell you how much this makes me want to tattoo their name on my face. If a restaurant is awesome, and I go 20 times, and the gesture isn't acknowledged, f@*k you. This is a recent awakening as I decided to stop being passive aggressive. The falafel is dope. And I don't love falafel by any means. But the food is ri-dic-u-lous. Best meal I've had in months, and I fine dine yo. I hate hearing crazy good things about movies, food, hotels, whatever. I like the under promise, over deliver route. But, I had already heard the good. And it exceeded. Mind you, my ex is from Skokie and I worship this place. Anyone who knows anything, understands this. Order it all!! I DEFINITELY preferred chicken everything over steak, which is not the norm. The kafta was excellent. The lentil soup, fine, but not gonna die without it. My daughter refused the coconut cake, so she may be up for adoption soon. Inquire within. But please go there. As a bonus, not that I needed it, the owner offered to deliver by me!!! I'd like to call myself cute, but not that cute, definitely not today. So this was a genuine, kind gesture. This shit keeps ppl in business. No gimmick, no bullshit, a little personality, and a little extra gesture here and there. If you don't like it, I don't like you. read more

OMG...this was my first time here and carry out. I love love Mediterranean food but typically get it downtown. I found my new spot so close to home!! The hummus was delicious as well as their falafel. I had their chicken kabob plate which came with a small tasty salad and rice. The garlic mayo is yummy! I can not wait to go back...delicious. read more

I found this place on Yelp, saw the number of reviews and decided to give it a shot. So glad I did. The entire experience from ordering the food to finishing it was very satisfying. The woman answering the phone patiently answered my 20 questions. By the time I ordered I knew I was going to get exactly what I want. From the time I hung up to the time my doorbell was rung: 30 minutes. The delivery guy didn't even linger waiting for a tip. In fact, if I hadn't called him back to give him a tip, he would have left with no expectation of one. These guys are really first class. I'm not one for superlatives and not easily impressed, but Falafelji is special, exceeded my expectations in every capacity. This place is one of the best restaurants in Chicago. The vegetables are so fresh you'd think they grew them in the kitchen. The meats and sauces are cooked just right and spiced to perfection. While not inexpensive, I am more than happy to pay the price for the quality and quantity they deliver. We ordered the combo platter and chicken shwarma platter. On both we asked for no rice, more vegetables. They did so with no charge, something others don't always accommodate. My only complaint--and it is a significant one--is that they don't have more locations. I hope one day they open the exact same restaurant downtown and another in Northbrook. Needless to say, I will be back. read more

We got takeout from here last night, and it was great. We thought all the seasonings were good on the meat, the falafel was crisp and delicious and the rice was fantastic. We enjoyed the baba ghanouj, but it was a little oily and the consistency was on the runny side. The prices for the amount of food we got were really reasonable. We will definitely order from here again. read more

All I can say is disgusting!!! Bought a chicken shawarma sandwich, and it was drenched, I mean soaking in the toum (white sauce). I couldn't even see the chicken, it was gross. All I could taste was the sauce, I tried cutting it in half and could see it was soaking in the sauce all the way through. This is my second bad experience at this place, thought I'd give it another try today. Never going back, gross!!!! read more

This place cares about their food. They want you to enjoy your meal. They want to provide the freshest ingredients. Luckily for us, they deliver on all of those things. The place is small and more of a take out spot. You can order on grubhub and pick it up. The food is so amazing. You can tell the ingredients are the best and most fresh the chef can use. All the meats are great. They are always made to order and you can taste the great flavor from the freshly grilled meats. Also their falafel is some of the best in the city. The humus and baba ghanoush are amazing. You can taste the grilled eggplant in the baba ghanoush. Love this place and it's definitely worth a try, you won't regret it! read more

Happened to stumble into Falafelji one hungry afternoon and I fell in love with the place. The grape leaves are awesome, the falafel quickly disappeared, and the coconut cake should not be missed! The owner was very nice and made it a great experience. I will be back soon. read more

To be honest, I only come here cuz its close. There are better tasting & cheaper prices further south but I was too lazy to go elsewhere. The food isnt bad but not great either. The prices are definitely on the higher end & they do not have lunch specials as others do. No soda fountain or bathroom. Drinks are sold by the bottle or can. read more

I don't remember how I found out about Falafelji, but I told a foodie buddy about it. We hit Taza on Franklin downtown once a week for lunch at work and think it's really good (4.5 stars with so many reviews - we're not the only ones that think that). He tried Falafelji the weekend after I told him and said it was really, really good - as good as Taza or better. I finally tried it this weekend, and I think it's better than Taza, which is a pretty lofty compliment. I spoke with the owner a bit and told him what I thought. He was very nice and appreciated the compliments. He gave me a sample of their lentil soup and it was really good. I got the combo plate with chicken schwarma, chicken kabob and steak schwarma. It comes with very flavorful rice, hummus, salad (nice - chunks of crunchy cucumber and something purple, lettuce, tomato and a nice dressing), mashweyeh (roasted veggies) and a warm pita. I also got a 6-piece falafel (not a bad price like some are saying, if you ask me). The falafel are smaller than some other places, but they tie with the falafel at Taza as the best I've ever had. Everything on the plate was excellent - absolutely the best I've had anywhere. I enjoyed the mashweyeh so much I got a side order to take home - those veggies will go great with anything. The sauces were great too - since I had the combo and the chicken and beef came with a squirt of one sauce each (garlic mayo and tahini respectively), and I asked for an extra sauce, I got to try all but the red pepper sauce. They were all very good. My favorite is the jalapeno garlic sauce. If that came bottled, I'd buy a bottle. Very unique and tasty. I'll be back to try the kifta, the mezze veggie plate and the herb fries for sure. I only wish this place were closer to where I live - I'd get after-work dinner here once a week. read more

Falafelji - Meat combination platter, with two types of chicken and steak, plus 6 falafel - excellent stuff!! - Mediterranean Near Me - Lyons, Illinois

Just ordered here for the second time and decided I'd try something different, I can def say I'm NOT disappointed at all! Everything was so flavorful and very filling, I think I ordered a little bit more then I should've! The combo plate was delish, followed by those awesome falafels! I decided to get some Baklava as well and it was good! The habanero sauce is def key to this meal, I think I've def found my new fav Mediterranean place! Close by and amazing! Keep up the great work! read more

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I bought a groupon for Falafelji and I am soooo glad I did! I've never really experienced middle eastern food so I don't have much to compare it to, but it was delicious!!!! The people their were very friendly and helpful. The food was ready to be picked up within 10 minutes. I don't live far from this place and I don't know why I haven't heard of it before! I'm definitely coming back! I had the mezze, which came with grape stuffed leaves, pita bread with 3 different kinds of hummus, some chopped up green stuff with a lemon dressing, and some breading balls with a dipping sauce. I might not know what I was eating, but I loved it!!! I also had a footusa salad. (I know the spelling is wrong) And that was awesome!! Fresh cucumber, lettuce, radish, pita chips, and the dressing was very tasty with a little spice to it. For dessert, I had the coconut cake. Oh my! If I would have known it was going to be that good, i would have gotten two of them!! I love coconut and this was perfect! The whole experience was well worth it! I definitely recommend it to people that have never tried middle eastern food or that have and want to try a new place. I know I will definitely be back! read more

Found it really strange that the guy working the counter and preparing food was not wearing a mask. Other than that, easy to order online.

I got take out from Falafelji a week ago and thought it was just okay. I got a chicken shawarma platter and really didn't find it anything special. The chicken was okay and borderline almost dry. The salad that can with the platter is nothing to talk about. The best part of the platter was the one grilled tomato and jalapeno. The grill onion was still too raw to really enjoy. Then my friends decided to go to this place and I thought I would give it a another try eating in. I got the beef shawarma sandwich and the small hummus. The hummus was actually pretty good with the warm pita, so my hopes were not lost at first. The beef shawarma sandwich knocked my hope back to the ground. I had a couple pieces of vegetables on the top on my sandwich, but the rest of the sandwich was really just beef and pita. The taste wasn't anything special. I gave it two tries and that might be enough for me, sadly. read more

This place has great fresh food. I was very surprised because the food tasted way better than I had expected. Probably the best steak schwarama sandwhich I have ever had in my life! No joke. When I was done eating I was left feeling good. The ingredients were fresh and healthy. I will be a regular here for sure! I even had to get another sandwich to go for later! read more

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This place is so amazing that it makes me want to die and when I do, have them cater my funeral. The herb fries are standout, particularly in light of the sauce which comes topped with minced kalamata olives. Unbelievable. The chicken shawerma is tender, flavorful, and comes with grilled onion and a burn-your-face-off charred pepper. Mmmm.... The kafta kabob pita? I died. Rolled over and died. I had to remove it from my field of vision just to save a bit long enough for my husband to try. The baba ganoush is phenomenal and I don't even like baba ganoush. What's up? Oh, and the falafel? I've been of the mind that falafel is boring as hell, but apparently this is because the panoply I've tried up until this point have not been from Falafelji. This falafel is warm, tender and moist. They didn't even make it in to the pita they gave me. I just straight up ate them. The pita were fresh, the hummus was smooth and had a deep, nutty flavor, the dolma were warm and tender and perfectly seasoned and the tabouleh is tart and loaded with parsley (hurray!). If you are still reading by this point, then either you're simply bored or I've done a poor job conveying that THIS IS THE PLACE! read more

So unprofessional called to place order.. Was told it would be ready in 20 minutes got to the restaurant parking lot and got a call saying they're busy and not going to have that anymore for the night. They close whenever they want and just say do you want chicken read more

If you have ever been to Michigan or have any idea what middle eastern food tastes like, don't go here. The "garlic sauce" is sour cream, they didn't put any pita in the fattoush salad (aka that's what makes the salad good) and also did not include salad dressing.. so $12 for cucumber, parsley and chicken? Great. Also, the chicken shawarma came in an a puffy pita like you buy at the grocery store which is not authentic and not good. They weren't wearing masks when we went in to pick up the food either. Anyone who thinks this place is 5 stars probably considers Applebee's as their "special occasion" restaurant. read more

I was hoping Falafelji would bring some tasty, reasonably priced Middle Eastern food to the area and after eating there tonight, here's my intital assessment. (p.s.- I do plan on going back for a wrap and to try some of their habanero sauce and jalapeno sauce). Quantity/Value- We got two platters and a 12 piece falafel for roughly 20 bucks. If you're a big eater, you might be able to do a platter and 12 piece in one meal, but I got two meals out of my platter. Not a bad deal at all. Food- We had the combo platter and kifka platter. The rice was long grain and had a good taste, the kiftka and beef shawerma had a nice char to them (I though the seasoning on the beef was really good), the grilled vegetables were served cold, but had a nice grilled, slightly sweet flavor. The cucumber salad was nice and crunchy, the baba ghanoush was really smokey (which in my opinion is a good thing) and the humus was your typical hummus, but on point nonetheless. Falafel- This deserves its own section because its in the name of the place. The falafel were smaller than I expected and were about the size and shape of a nilla wafer. You could see a bit of grease on the bag they came in, but they really were not greasy and had a nice crunch to them. Overall - I will be coming back to Falafelji. Its a nice place to grab a quick tasty lunch or dinner and the staff are friendly. They're definetely a welcome addition to Hong Kong Garden (another place you should visit) and I hope if you live in the area you give them a shot. And bonus points for having re-usable takeout containers. read more

The appearance from the outside it is a bit deceiving.but when you step inside the seating is a bit small which is good because you want to small little quaint little area to eat quietly especially if you're with that special someone. I liked was the fact that everything is made from scratch As you ordered. The prices are very fair and you get more than you paid for which is great.The employees are very polite and very helpful if your first time Mediterranean foodie. I highly recommend this place read more

Falafelji - Mediterranean Near Me - Lyons, Illinois

This place is my favorite middle astern restaurant. Everything is fresh made . Falafel is always fresh and delicious. Hummus is the original recipe. The owner is very friendly and funny guy. All their meats are cooked to order. Try their Kafta Kabob it's out of this world. read more

As everybody else, I used to come here when it seemed like an adult family was running the business. The food was absolutely DELICIOUS. Some of the best. I came here recently, after a long while, and ordered one salmon platter and one combination platter. The salmon was extremely under-salted and over done. At this time I did not yet know they were under different management, or perhaps are hiring other people to do the cooking. I came in yesterday to order again, which is when I noticed the difference in the employees. Two kids who were definitely not 18 yet were making the food. They were extremely polite and helpful. However, the meats of both of my combination platters I ordered were all overcooked, and under-flavored. You could taste the black charcoal. Because of this black charcoal, I woke up with a hurting stomach (not nauseous or sick in any way) and my friend who ate the other platter isn't feeling very well either. However, we ate a bunch of meats really late at night after a couple of beers, so it may have something to do with our bad eating habits. I agree with some of the new reviews: 1. The rice is no longer the way it used to be (not well mixed, a lot less flavorful....some of the rice was white, some was yellow). However, I still found it to be delicious. Just no longer "Whoah". But still worth it. Discolored, but seriously delicious. 2. The portions were a little bit off. My friend received WAY more meat than my platter did, and his was covered in sauce, while only one of my meats had sauce on it. However, I asked for extra sauce right away and they handed me plenty extra. It was just kind of disappointing to open our platters at the same time and see that I had about 1/3 less meat than my friend did, for paying the same price. And I was the hungry one. 3. Under-salted, slightly burned meat. Nooooooo!!!!! Although those grill marks are freaking superb, those young guys got those down, just a little too well. Gordon Ramsay would love the look of those grill marks. Overall, I could see why a lot of people would be turned off by the establishment all of a sudden. Did I expect the owners to be cooking the food themselves while the place grows super successful? No. I knew they would blow up. And I knew this would bring changes. However, the combination platters are still an amazing price ($12) even if they are not as good as they used to be. This new cooking technique makes me merge from "Man I gotta have that combo platter today I'm craving it" (once every to weeks) to "I may come here every few months or so". Simple fix! However, you'll still see me often. You can't buy that much meat and ingredients at a store for $12.00. read more

They have delivery. Win! We order here from work a lot, it's a great change from all the greasy restaurants in the Berwyn/Cicero area. Grape leaves, baba ghanoush, Jerusalem salad are fantastic. Shawerma sandwiches are meaty. read more