Came as a solo diner after having tried Cafe Yaya. Absolutely delicious and a HUGE amount of food for one (they're meant to be sharing portions so for one I had plenty of leftovers, which were delicious the next day). The wait staff were SO sweet and did warn me about the portions so I didn't fill myself up too early! I could eat that hummus by itself with a spoon and be perfectly happy. LOVE the tiny little tasty side dishes! The highlights for me were the foie gras and the lamb chops, which were a special item: they were so tasty and juicy in their sauce and absolutely perfectly cooked. There were protestors outside who screamed at people coming in and out of the restaurant, but honestly obnoxious people like that just make me want to come back and support Galit MORE, not less. read more

I visited Galit for a special family dinner while in Chicago. Located in Lincoln Park, the restaurant has a charming atmosphere, and I appreciated that they were able to accommodate three additional guests at the last minute. I didn't realize beforehand that the meal was only offered as a preset menu, but it happened to be a special menu that week. The food was excellent, though the sheer number of dishes became a little overwhelming. Standout items included the walleye, the hummus served with warm pita, the beef tongue shaslik, and every one of the desserts. The service was less impressive. Our waitress was fine overall, but she came across as somewhat impatient, particularly when our group needed a little extra time to understand the menu. It also would have enhanced the experience if plates were cleared between courses, as the table became quite crowded. It did not feel like the level of service I typically associate with a Michelin-starred restaurant. Overall, I'm glad I had the opportunity to try Galit. The food was memorable, even if the service and overall dining experience did not fully meet my expectations. read more

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Galit offers a cozy four course meal that is both creative and filling. When we arrived, our table was not ready so we were seated at the bar. Service was fine but not overly warm, and since it was our first time, we found ourselves asking about the menu rather than having it introduced. The menu starts with a shared hummus. We had the bubbe's brisket, which was very tender, along with four sides to mix and dip with pita. For the second course, we chose the kubbeh halab and beef tongue. The kubbeh halab, a fried dumpling with lamb, was flavorful and came with some dill and brown sauce, that worked well together. The beef tongue was extremely tender and paired nicely with its rich sauce. The stuffed cabbage with rice was a bit plain compared to the other dishes. For mains, we had the barramundi and lobster. Both were cooked well. The sweet potato purée with the barramundi did not work as well with the beurre blanc since the textures were too similar, and there was a bit too much sauce. The lobster stood out with a citrus sauce and slices of blood orange, and paired nicely with the parsnip purée. Worth the additional $20. For dessert, we had the malabi, which was described to us like a panna cotta. The citrus topping was a bit too tart, so this was probably my least favorite course. Overall, really good execution on their meats and seafood. We would come back and try other dishes. They also offer a happy hour with some dishes available à la carte. read more

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Very cute and intimate location in Lincoln Park. This was a pre set menu and it hit on every single dish. Great way to experience Israeli Mediterranean cuisine. From presentation to the last morsel everything was amazing. The staff thought of the very single detail down to the challah trays they use to bring things to your table. Warm and inviting atmosphere. Would give them 10 stars: read more

Galit - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Second time round to Galit and loved it just as much as the first! Celebrated mum's birthday and all the staff were so lovely and sweet. The hummus and salatim spread we started off with was so delicious - the pita here is truly one of the best in Chicago. I personally found the carrots delightful. The carrots were charred, coated with a sweet glaze, and topped with crumbled feta and a hazelnut crunch (duqqa), truly a very well thought out dish, hit all the elements of a perfect bite! I really loved the barramundi in the main course. The fish was so tender and flaky, and I loved the beurre blanc and what seemed like a sweet potato / squash mash at the bottom. Ambiance was great, not too busy/loud, really lovely way to celebrate with family! read more

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We enjoyed our dinner here this past week. Great service and yummy food! The dips are delicious. I had a mushroom and squash fish that didn't look like much, but it was very full of flavor. He had the kubbeh halab with lamb. We shared the lobster and the wall eye. Both were so tasty. The lobster had a great smokey flavor and was very tender. I loved the malabi dessert and he enjoyed the strawberry parfait. 5 stars!!! read more

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Galit is in the Lincoln park neighborhood of Chicago offering wonderful middle eastern food. A fixed menu where everything is easily shareable and offering unique takes on dishes. A very modern feel to the place and the vibe was pretty relaxed offering a pretty quiet environment. The food was all very delicious offering homemade pita bread, a great selection of dips. The pastrami is an excellent example of how they fuse middle eastern and American dishes together. We got the wine pairing to go with it. Where all the wines are from the middle eastern region and offers unique and hard to find wines that you can't find just at any liquor store. Overall great experience with excellent service definitely someplace to go for a special evening. read more

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Given the numerous fine dining options in Chicago, we were excited to try a Michelin starred restaurant, Galit. The prix fixe tasting menu had many classic Middle Eastern dishes, such as hummus with pita bread, labneh, falafel, and dolma. All of these dishes were executed well and true to the classic recipes and flavors. However, given the price point and the Michelin star status, I was hoping for more innovation and creativity in the food. If you eat middle eastern food often, I'm not sure I would recommend this tasting menu for you. As for the service, the staff was friendly but they did not clean off the table in between courses which left us with pita crumbs and fallen meze bits all over until the end of the meal. Comparing this to other Michelin star establishments, the attention to detail was lacking. read more

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No idea why this is Michelin rated. Very mediocre food - I've had better at the local joint down the street. Not innovative and very expensive for what it is. read more

Honestly, don't go here. The food was genuinely bad. Everything tasted either bland, old, or like it came straight from a can. It didn't feel authentic at all, which was especially disappointing given the expectations. The service wasn't great either, and the owners came across as condescending and rude, which really soured the experience. I truly don't understand how this place has a Michelin star. I've been to many Middle Eastern restaurants (and I've even worked at a Michelin-starred Middle Eastern restaurant) so I was really excited to try this spot. Unfortunately, it was a huge letdown. The only positive I can give is that the ambiance is nice. Other than that, I didn't enjoy a single dish we ordered - not one. Overall, it was not a good experience, and I genuinely regret coming here. read more

About a 2-2.5: Galit is a Middle Eastern restaurant in the Lincoln Park 'hood - We were excited to check this place out for an early dinner, and we made reservations in advance. I liked that this was a 4 (technically, 5, if you include the automatic spread of the Salatim)-course prix-fixe, with your choice of Hummus (to share between 2), Mezze (choosing 1 per person), Over Coal (choosing 1 per person), and Dessert (to share between 2). Our party of 2 went for: +the Bubbe's Brisket - with cinnamon, tomatoes, and braised carrots +the Falafel (with mango, labneh, and Persian pickled turnips) and the Iraqi Kubbeh Halab (filled with lamb, golden raisins, and almonds in a saffron crust) +the Lobster (butter-pached & grilled, parsnip, winter citrus, za'atar, and mahleb; this had a supplemental cost) and the Kubbeh Selek Soup (with beets, Jerusalem artichokes, truffle, Persian dumplings, and quinoa) +and, the Crispy Phyllo Pie (with Susie's apples, whipped labneh, and miso caramel) We were provided Salatim for the table, which included labneh (hyssop, sumac, and sesame), celery salad (apples, celery root, Last Spring's Lovage, and miso), ezme (Turkish peppers & tomatoes, Tracey's pecans, and hot garlic), and pickles (a selection of Yemenite, Bulgarian, and Israeli pickles). Staff were friendly. Note that the Employee Benefits Contribution is purely optional, and you could request to take it off your check. Gratuity is automatically included. Request the wrap-around counter seating around the open kitchen! Metered street parking available in the area. +reservations accepted +4-course menu offered +metered street parking read more

Just ate here again and the experience was way less enjoyable than the previous time. But what really ruined it was a terrible server. She just didn't give a shit about us, was sort of rude and seemed annoyed with our table. And then at the end proceeded to ask for an additional tip. They already have a mandatory 20% tip plus 4% for employee benefits. So you are at 24%. That should be sufficient. But she told us the tip gets split between the front of the house and the back of the house and any additional tip will just go to her. That was ballsy. I wish I had told her to "F" all the way off, but I am not that type of person. I did however call management the next day to let them know and they really didn't care. So I won't be going back. The meal is already pricey for what it is. The above be just ruined it. Save your money and go elsewhere. read more

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I'm so glad we celebrated our anniversary at Galit during Restaurant Week! If you eat a lot of MENA food, this Palestinian-Israeli fusion spot might feel very familiar, as it did to us. But! It nonetheless was a delicious and generous feast! All the dishes were fantastic, from the salatim and humus to the shawarma and squash. But those carrots were divine - I will be thinking about them for a long time! I really appreciated that the veggie dishes felt intentional, rather than an after thought - I can imagine this spot would be easy to feast at for anyone with dietary restrictions. The phyllo dessert was divine and the celebratory nonalcoholic bubbles and card were such a lovely touch! Seating was comfortable, though a tad crowded for my comfort. The service? Attentive, sincere, jovial, just immaculate. Thank you, Galit, for the wonderful memories we got to create with you! read more

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CRW dinner menu ($60) *masabacha hummus - so creamy and fresh, the best hummus I ever had *pitas - they are so fluffy and airy like pillows *labneh - tasted like a very light cheese with a cream cheese texture *ezme - flavorful and has a slight sweetness to it *pickles - veggies were pickled very well, cuts through the taste with other dips, you can taste the ginger too *falafel - fried perfectly and served fresh and hot *ghapeli polo - this was okay, interesting toppings on the saffron rice that works out well *barramundi - fished cooked to perfection and falls apart easily, the sauce around it talked like sweet potatoes but it wasn't *pastrami - wow that meat was amazing and it melts in your mouth, salad was good too *crispy phyllo pie - tasted like apple pie but served with whipped labneh *malabi - wow, never had any dessert like this before, very unique and def on the sweeter side, all the ingredients blended well together *pomegranate gazoz - tasted like a fruity soda but on a lighter side *Sekanjabin gazoz - very unique soda drink and the mint brings out the flavor and has a nice surprise to it Ambience and the interior design inside is very clean and slick and love the light beams hanging from the ceiling. They have a design cutout and the light reflects it showing the design shadow along the walls. Love the open kitchen concept and the cushion designs on the booth seats are nice. Service here is great and they are attentive to your needs. FYI, they do charge an employee benefits contribution (4%) and the team Galit service charge (20%) on your bill at the end. They accept additional tip on top of that which goes directly to the front-of-house service team. read more

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I had heard a lot about this place and I am a lover of Middle eastern food so I was very excited to try them out. Me and my girl ordered the Bubbe's brisket, Foie Gras, asparagus, lamb, and the smoked turkey shawarma, and the caramel chocolate torte. In my opinion the stars of the meal were the bubbe's brisket, smoked turkey shawarma, and the Carmel chocolate torte; with dessert being my favorite course. The lamb was a little dry in my opinion, the asparagus was cold which was not what we were expecting (great citrus flavor though), the foie gras was unmemorable. Service was pretty good. Espresso martini was also enjoyable. Overall decent dinner but nothing that WOWed me. read more

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Galit never disappoints, but wow it's a lot of food. We sat by the kitchen this time to watch the chefs do their thing which I think is so fun. The labneh, snap peas, and esme were all great starters. I'm still not a big pickle gal though. We got the brisket hummus again and it is sooo good though I'm wondering if the brisket is part of the reason I barely made it to dessert. The falafel was good, but I remember it being amazing and this time just thought it was good with the yogurt being the best part. The Fois Gras was super interesting and sort of sweet like a breakfast toast. Tasty but and interesting flavor profile for dinner. The lamb was supppper good especially with the sauce and beans that it came with. We also really enjoyed the pastrami and slaw though it wasn't quite as good as the lamb. The tiramisu isn't quite as big as it looks from the top (thank god) and it was decent, but I think I'd try something else next time. Overall, we love Galit and they gave us a cookie to go! read more

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Delicious beautifully prepared food, a bit pricy but overall a great experience with good flavor combinations. The dinner menu is a 4-course pick your own experience here you get to choose from one of the hummus options to share, one small plate, one large plate/entree, and a dessert. We started with the Masabacha which is like a hummus variant, with traditional hummus mixed with whole chickpeas, which had a great mixture of textures from the smooth creamy hummus to the crisp chickpeas. Each dinner then comes with a set of salatim which included a light creamy whipped labneh, pickled vegetables, turkish ezme (a garlicy savory pepper and tomato dip), and a little plate of wilted sauteed greens - I think these salatim options rotate so it may be a slightly different set every weeks to months. For our small plates, we got the kubbeh which was filled with savory well spiced ground lamb in a perfectly crisped golden turmeric rice shell; my wife got the kanafeh wihich was satisfyingly crispy with a nice nuttiness from the brown butter and smooth goat cheese, but was missing a bit of punch and flavor. For our mains, I got the smoked turkey shawarma which was grilled nicely with a beautiful sweet savory glaze. My wife got the walleye masgouf which sat on a very tasty spiced tomato broth/sauce and had a great flavor from the grill. Our dessert was pistachio tiramisu (unfortunately not pictured) which was fluffy, creamy, light, and refreshing served in a bowl with a nice sort of meringue web on top. Overall, the flavors were interesting and the presentation was spot on for all the courses, with just a few of the many dishes we tried that couldve used a bit more flavor or oomph. Also, at about ~100/person for the set menu it was a bit pricy for the food you get considering a chunk of it was prepped en masse like the salatim or the hummus which just requires you to choose which variant to get, but the food is still unique, flavorful, and worth a try for a nice but casual Michelin star experience! read more

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Five of us had a fantastic dinner here! We were able to try almost everything on the menu, and I highly recommend coming here with at least 4 people so you can do the same! My friends loved the cocktails. I wasn't very impressed with the wine tasting. Every dish was solid though! My favorites were the Bubbe's brisket and the Lobster. The waitress warned us, but it was still too hard not to eat too much pita bread! The place is more casual than most Michelin restaurants. It really feels like a place to gather and just have a hardy meal with good friends. read more

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The restaurant has held its Michelin star for three consecutive years, and while the food was well-executed and flavorful, nothing truly surprised or stood out as particularly inventive. I've had many of these flavors before, and the menu felt more familiar than innovative. The prix-fixe menu offers fair value, but the service fell very very short of expectations for a Michelin-starred spot. Dishes weren't clearly explained, and we were often left guessing how to approach each course or what exactly was on the plate. Still, it was an enjoyable meal overall--just not one that left a lasting impression. read more

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Uninspiring service where the servers don't really seem to care. I realized why when the bill came, their tip is already built in. We brought home cookies and I had a plastic pull tab in the middle of the cookie. Below average ambiance. I don't know how this place has a Michelin star, definitely not worth the hype. read more

Galit - Plastic pull tab inside my cookie - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Hummus was the star of the night - rest of the dishes feel short for us. Service was mediocre especially given their Michelin status - the waitress didn't feel like she wanted anything to do with us and didn't explain the menu or give recommendations on what things are. Their dessert is also great, which I'm excited to check out cafe yaya next door, but probably would not come here again. read more

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The big thing for me with Galit was that we went here at all...over the years, everyone has great things to say about the experience, and it has a star, so we knew we wanted to check the box eventually. For our anniversary, we got a $210 gift card, so family was able to cover the cost per person to hit this spot, which left us on the hook for only the cocktails and the taxes/tips. That made a difference. When Galit is on, it's great, so the brisket hummus and pita offerings were great, the phyllo pie was tasty, and the pastrami was good too. The corn mezze dish was a miss for us, and the carrots (I'm pretty sure this was a carrot mezze dish) were also only so-so. The biggest surprise for me was the atmosphere. As a city guy, I prefer my dining experiences to take place in spaces that are dimly lit. The lighting here reminded me of a suburban restaurant...like, why are the lights basically up here? The people watching also wasn't exceptional. The music was a weird mix of top 40, but not current top 40. It was like someone had set the Spotify playlist dial to "potpourri"...I can't even explain what the intention was behind the music here. This is weird to say, but the food at Galit is mostly good, albeit overpriced...but the place is simply not cool. It's actually perfect for my in-laws, but for a city denizen who thinks of themselves as "cool", Galit is not the look, man. Otherwise, I'm glad I finally got here. I'm not sure I need to come back, but that hummus was really good. read more

10/5 stars. This place is above and beyond awesome in every aspect. The entire atmosphere is created so elegantly - the sound, lighting, service are all excellently put together for the perfect experience. The service is top-notch. Each bite was an experience with fresh ingredients layered with perfect balance, where every flavor had its moment. From the aroma to the presentation to the texture and depth of flavor, each dish was unforgettable. This is what food can be when people truly care and can deliver! read more

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Very yummy meal at Galit. Especially loved the Foie Gras, Lamb Kebab and Chocolate Caramel Dessert, but the Hummus with Brisket and Pastrami also deserve shout outs. The food was beautifully plated and portions were perfect. Service was helpful, but sometimes not as polished with coursing, changing plates, etc (we had a course arrive before another had been cleared). Recommend! read more

Everything here was outstanding and there was SO much food that came with this tasting menu with had to pack some up to go! My favorite was the falafel, pita, and dips!! read more

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Their happy hour special was AMAZING!! We loved their hummus- we had the bubble's brisket and it was so great. I've never had hummus that was so smooth and so flavorful!! There was so much depth in the hummus and it paired so well with the fresh pita! We also ordered the falafel & pastrami off of the main menu and can confirm that both are delicious! Overall one of my favorite happy hour menus I've tried in Chicago!! read more

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Excellent food, great service. We loved the overall experience. Very thoughtful ambiance. Wine selections were also excellent. read more

I'll start with the positives in my experience. The wood fired pita bread hummus and entire appetizer plate was executed fantastically. The service was absolutely outstanding. However, other than these things I find it hard to write home about anything else I tried. While the dishes are all creative and well thought out, they are mostly just ok, not outstanding nor executed well enough to command the price tag they are charging. Quite disappointing considering you end up paying close to $150 per person after taxes and tip and that's if you're sober. I left Galit questioning exactly why this was a one Michelin star place 3 years in a row. There are about 10 Mediterranean spots in Chicago I can think of with the same if not better quality and taste of food at a fraction of the cost. read more

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Galit provides attentive service and a pleasant atmosphere with elegant decor. Unfortunately, the food was disappointing. The vegetables and fish were severely charred, and the lamb was so salty that it was inedible. Desserts soggy and too sweet... While the hummus was acceptable, the overall dining experience fell far short of expectations. I would not consider returning. read more

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Unfortunately, I am unable to comment on the food at this establishment (which I have hear incredible things about, particularly their masabacha hummus). This is due to the fact that I was unable to actually make a reservation. I was trying to call them on Saturday for this purpose (to see whether or not a reservation is needed), and no one would answer the phone. I tried this several times over the afternoon, but no one ever picked up. Quite bizarre! As this is a respected establishment, I thought that there must have been some kind of emergency or something and shrugged it off. However, after checking the reviews here on Yelp, I realized that this is actually a common occurrence (see the review by Chloe T. - thanks!). I find this to be extremely unprofessional and disappointing. The lack of phone etiquette at Galit is unbecoming of a high-end restaurant. Hopefully Galit sees this review (as they won't pay attention to my calls) and decides to make the decision to staff their phones. Perhaps I will give them a second chance in the future, to see if they have improved. I would love to try out the hummus. read more

Another amazing food experience in Chicago. Delicious and beautifully prepared. It was super packed and busy when we came here, and service was excellent. The ambience felt busy with Friday night vibes.. read more

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What a delightful five course meal at Galit! At $98 per person, it's one of the more affordable Michelin star restaurant in Chicago. Love how you can see the open kitchen. This spread out the seating so it never feels too crowded around you. The server and staff are very attentive, especially filling water and clearing plates. Highlights per course: 1. Hummus - Tehina (intentionally with way too much delicious olive oil) & Bubbe's Brisket 2. Salatin - Ezme red pepper spread & labneh yogurt served with epic pita baked in their open fire hearth! 3. Mezze - sunchokes were the surprising favorite! 4. Over Coal - Lamb Kebab with this deep rich broth & pita baked on top, Pastrami (deconstructed sandwich style), & Turkey shawarma. Skip the walleye. 5. Dessert - Phyllo apple pie read more

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The vast potential for Mediterranean cooking to achieve mediocrity never ceases to amaze me. Perhaps because of its fast-casualization to an extent not seen with other cuisines, we as consumers are hyper attuned to when we are being duped by "dukkah carrots" and mezzes that fail to outperform the long-term average. The falafel were serviceable but lacked the additional spice, whether star anise or otherwise, that can elevate them at more daring establishments. I recently wrote a treatise on the exceptional ezme I had at a strip mall outside DC over a Turkish serpme kahvaltı, and the one was here was benign in comparison. We did not enjoy the parsnip kunefe - I love the idea of a savory dish with kadayif, but the goat cheese was a bit too potent without a balancing force. I did appreciate the well-regarded hummus, which had a nice smooth richness that I assume came from a good balance of tahini. read more

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Some dishes were impressive but a few were just okay. The star of the night was the kubbeh, saffron rice with a little crunch and some meat. The next stunners were the fresh pita and pistachio tiramisu. Some of what didn't work I enjoyed the hummus overall, my husband thought bubbe's brisket was too sweet. The turkey shawarma- the texture was off, I liken it to dry bbq and the sweet potato --whatever was added to it ruined the taste and texture of sweet potato. The lamb kebab was aggressively seasoned, each bite I took had to be taken with other accompaniments because on its own it was a lot, but the texture was excellent and it was moist. Service was great. Ambiance was good. We opted for a kitchen counter seat to get a window into the action and the wall separating us was a brick or two too high, I was craning my neck to see what the chefs were doing. I would go back and order completely different and give them another shot with another round of kubbeh. But for the 1 Michelin Star and recent James Beard recognition I don't see it. I can't enthusiastically recommend at this time, but wouldn't discourage you from trying it either. read more

A bit of a belated post but wanted to say that Galit meets the rare intersection of affordable Michelin star cuisine that don't overwhelm the parents. We brought my folks when they were visiting last year and really enjoyed the food and the experience ! Some of the stars to my surprise was the the hummus , particularly the one with lots of olive oil. The other fave dish for me was the deconstructed Pastrami. I am not sure if the menu switches over a lot but I would go back for the same meal. Service is great and super friendly and loved the vibe of the restaurant. read more

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Enjoyed the restaurant week menu. The carrots and the baklava to me were the highlight. Pictured is the hummus and pita which were also incredible. Service was good and ambiance was nice but would've preferred our own table vs community style seating. At least have individual tables that pull out so people can squeeze by. It felt like they just took a regular high table of 8 and made a makeshift restaurant week table for 4 couples. No where to put jackets or bags either. Not exactly the dining experience I was expecting for pre-paying for restaurant week but would definitely come back and try again, hopefully at our own table and not during restaurant week. read more

Galit - Hummus - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Galit was truly extraordinary. My partner took me here for our anniversary, and it was such a memorable experience. The server was incredibly kind and genuinely excited to share recommendations -- all of which were spot on. The atmosphere was warm, intimate, and perfect for date night. We had the four-course "choose your own" meal, and everything was delicious. I highly recommend the lamb kebab and kubbeh halab -- you won't be disappointed. For dessert, we had the crispy phyllo pie, which was light, flavorful, and beautifully made. Thank you, Galit, for such a wonderful evening! read more

With two young kids at home, my wife and I do our best to maximize any date night away from the house. We were looking forward to Galit. And Galit left us disappointed. To begin, the restaurant and its staff seem to believe they are TSA agents, not in the hospitality industry. We called before our 5:00pm reservation to let them know that we may be running about 15 minutes late. We were told that they have a 15-minute grace period, so if we showed up by 5:15pm, we would be seated at our table, otherwise we would have to sit at a high top outside the dining room. Relying on that statement, we rushed to the restaurant. Against all odds (two difficult children, traffic, inclement weather), we made it in the restaurant at **exactly** 5:15 p.m.--not 5:17, not 5:16, but 5:15--the precise time we were given over the phone. Yet, the staff still refused to seat us at the table we reserved. Why? That's unclear. But it's not because they had given our table away. No, that was still very much available. Instead, we were told that it's just their "policy." When I pointed out that we arrived at the time given over the phone, we were told, "Well, you see that's right 'UP AT' the time we told you, and we need to make sure that the people coming after you can be seated." We tried to reason with the staff, but it proved futile. Look: I get having a policy, and I would have understood if we had showed up even a minute or two past the 5:15 cutoff. But we didn't. And, either way, when you dine in a restaurant, you expect to feel warm and welcomed, not to quibble over quite literally seconds with staff; we are getting seated to eat a meal, not launching a rocket into space. What's more, the table we were seated at was hardly an adequate substitute and soured the experience. It was long, a communal high top situated in between the bathrooms, a stack of high chairs, the side of the bar, and a drafty rear exit door (on a day with single digit temps). Charm? Ambiance? It did not have such things. But it did have a clear view of the table we reserved, which remained empty and unused for the entirety of our meal. We nearly left. We should have left. And on a less frigid and snowy day we probably would have left. But this place has a Michelin star, we reasoned. Where else could we go now, we asked. The food will make up for it, we thought. Except it didn't. That's not to suggest the food was especially "bad." But it's also not cracking any top-5 lists, even one specifically limited to Middle Eastern fare. The hummus was smooth but bland. Neither of us enjoyed the falafel. The entrees disappointed. To be fair, some things were nice. Like the wine selections, one of the desserts, and the olive oil (yes, the olive oil). But such things elevate a good meal to a great one. They don't do much to boost a mediocre one--which is all that this was. read more

They have subpar food and subpar service. They charge 24% service fee, without providing much service. The silverware wasn't changed out, plates were stained and food was too salty. read more

Four stars in that I would not recommend / be eager to go back unless someone was very keen to try it but the restaurant seemed of good quality. The food was mostly good but nothing particularly stood out from a flavor profile. The Foie Gras is the dish that probably lost us. I enjoy foie gras in small portions but Galit serves a massive portion on toast for two people (although very well plated). It was too much. My favorite dish was the pastrami which seems odd coming from a Mediterranean restaurant. The ambience was cool. I recommend the counter seating if dining with two people. The counter faces into the kitchen so you can watch the kitchen work while you dine. Very cool concept for foodies! The service was mediocre. Our waiter was very nice and pleasant. The food runner didn't seem particularly friendly / almost annoyed we were there but maybe she was having a bad day. Also, the restaurant had many open seats but they sat us in a back corner next to a service door which seemed like a bad spot but we did make reservations the same day. In summary, for the price point, there are better &more interesting options in the area. Certainly there are other Mediterranean restaurants I'd recommend over Galit but everything seemed high quality and it was fun to try something new. (For an alternative perspective, my date gave it three stars but fortunately I control the Yelp)! read more

Galit - Hummus and accoutrements. - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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