Absolutely no frills - don't expect nice seating or ambience at all. BUT YOU NEED TO GO ANYWAY FOR THE FOOD. It's absolutely amazing! The butter chicken, chicken biryani, and chicken kabob are absolutely packed with flavor, tender, and even more - cheap! Funnily enough, out of all the meals we had in Chi-town, this was the best one. read more

This place is fire. Specifically, go for the Biryani or the Butter Chicken. Tastes authentic, the restaurant is decorated authentically, and the price is solid given the portion you are provided, typically enough for 2-3 meals if you get the regular biryani. Don't forget to ask for extra yogurt on the side! read more

The lamb curry was super salty but the butter chicken was very flavorful and tasty. We also really liked the gyro biryani rice. Thank god I got the biryani because the dishes didn't come with rice. The place is small so I think they mainly do togo. For this price I don't think it's beatable. read more

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I have mixed feelings about Gareeb Nawaz. I've ordered pickup twice from the UIC location, and overall, I wasn't impressed. The biryani was basically chicken-gravy with rice, the fish kabab was mediocre, the butter chicken and chicken korma were forgettable, and the palak paneer was one of the worst I've had. The regular naan was good, but the garlic naan barely had any garlic. The only dish I liked was the chili chicken. The prices are a bit lower than other Indian restaurants, but the food quality didn't justify a return visit. Be selective about what you order. Overall, I wouldn't recommend it unless you're simply looking for a cheap meal. read more

The food itself was pretty solid, but the Raita... well, according to my discuss w AI it was not supposed to be deeply salty, extremely gamy, mostly watery with clumps of cheese-like substance. Felt like eating cured ranch. :/ however the rest of the meal was good. Just a bit worried about monitoring my parents for food poisoning... especially being not South Asian we hadn't known that that was not what to expect at all. read more

The food is decent here I feel like the place in Lombard is better they give you nice portions sizes. The tables weren't clean and it was too cold i don't know if they had the ac going but my food got cold. Not a lot of space in here. I will probably be back at the Lombard location. read more

Ghareeb Nawaz Express - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Damn good Biryani! Chilli chicken is my favorite... green chilli chicken was spicier but #2. read more

Ghareeb Nawaz Express - Chilli chicken and green chicken biryani - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Good taste for the price. Tasted like authentic indian/Pakistani cuisine. Will sure visit again when I'm in the area. Offer Better parking at this location. read more

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The fact I was surprised how much food was given for the reasonable price definitely worth it . As a college student is very hard to find good spots they give you great prices read more

Ghareeb Nawaz Express - Veggie Paratha - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Super affordable and perfect for when you need something quick and warming. The vibes are fast casual / carry out but it can fit a few parties of 4/6! The butter chicken is incredible read more

Ghareeb Nawaz Express - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Gave my boyfriend and I horrible food poisoning. Never recommend and will not go back. Service was fine. Place is small.

Fresh, hot, and GOOD, huge portion enough for 3 people, I will definitely go back to try something else. This is the Vegetable Biryani by the way read more

Ghareeb Nawaz Express - Vegetable Biryani - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Good cheap food. Try spicy chicken biryani, Chicken karahi and naan. Good value breakfast. Only takes cash but has ATM on site. Service is fast. Dining area can be more clean. Washrooms and wash basins are unsanitary, read more

We ordered from here and found the chili chicken biryani to have excessive food coloring. While it tasted good, it didn't resemble a traditional chili chicken biryani. The butter chicken and chili beef wrap were also disappointing, they used regular chapati for the wrap instead of parotta. read more

For some people, the problem with Indian food is that it takes longer to make, so it means waiting longer to eat. Ghareeb Nawaz eliminates this problem, without sacrificing too much in authentic flavor. It doesn't have a huge selection, but there's still plenty enough in my opinion. Another problem people may have with this cuisine is that it usually costs too much. This is yet another problem this establishment has solved. A lot of Indian restaurants around here are fancy. If you're expecting anything like that, fix those expectations because this place isn't it. This is a pretty nondescript cafe, with a few tables. It actually has a couple locations. This one is located on Halsted in University Village. Good choice for UIC students looking for something cheap. Or anyone for that matter. I've been to these locations a few times and have tried most of the vegetarian items. Last time I had lentils. It's about $7 for an entree. These typically come with a protein and rice. Best prices for Indian food. It's also pretty authentic so it's not sacrificing flavor and spice. There's plenty of choices for vegetarians. read more

Ghareeb Nawaz Express - Lentils - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Second time getting food from here, though it's been a while. Ordered on Uber Eats and it was super quick, always a positive! The order: Paratha Raita Butter chicken bowl Basmati biryani rice Frontier chicken Lamb curry bowl The bowls are a solid price and have the rice at the bottom with the meat / sauce on top...which is perfect if you eat the whole thing, not so great if you plan to keep leftovers as the rice would get soggy. Luckily that was not our problem, too good to not crush the whole bowl! We definitely prefer a naan to paratha, but it was fine. Raita was a bit too thick for my liking. Like most spots, protein portions could be bigger. I wish they'd offer the option for extra protein. But definitely in the takeout / delivery rotation! read more

The food is really good! You pretty much get a bang for your buck. I love the chicken biryani, if you get it to-go, you get so much food that you literally cannot eat it in one sitting and it is not expensive. This was my first time ever having Indian food and I absolutely love it! read more

Ghareeb is my go-to for great tasting Indian food that is affordable. The best deal in the area is $2.99 for biryani rice (enough rice for 2 people). The samosa's are $1 each and most dishes are under $10. Highly recommend Ghareeb to anyone who enjoys Indian food. read more

I like the food that does come from gareeb, like the butter and chicken, parathas, biriyani, and chili chicken, all of it has the flavors you want in Indian cuisine. I will say the place itself is a little dingy but the staff do their job, just pick up and go. Overall, the ambiance is what you would expect. read more

Ordered myself lunch while at work, they left out an item and didn't send a fork for a carry out curry. I prefer not to use my hands to eat since I'm at work. Very inconvenient! read more

Ghareeb Nawaz Express - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I'm just shocked at their rating! We got food poisoned from here I'm not surprised the below reviewer stated they saw cockroaches in their food. Yuck. The tables are so dirty. We got the meat biryani and it had zero flavor. Paneer curry tasted so bland and has zero taste. They use packet curries and food to heat up yuck. read more

I really like the indian food here. It's quick and hits the spot and it tastes really good! The only drawback is that there isn't a huge selection (hence the express) but what can you do!? The butter chicken is bomb and tasty. It's always a fan favorite when I pick up for the family. The prices are really good too especially with how expensive take out can be these days. Pick up and go or eat there. All quick, easy, and delicious options! Can't go wrong. Stop by :) read more

Great experience and taste at economical prices at both locations. Biryani is always fresh and hot. read more

If you're seeking good Indian food, Ghareeb Nawaz is a top choice among Chicagoans. It has a "fast food" style approach, but the food is still great. The real standout is the price--it's hard to beat. For around $12, I can get curry and rice, enough for two days. The portion sizes are generous, and for the price, the taste is excellent. My only wish is that they would add naan to their menu, as they currently offer paratha, which isn't quite the same with curry. I've had to buy naan elsewhere to complete my meal. I usually get takeout from Ghareeb Nawaz, so I can't comment on the dining ambiance, but it's definitely a great spot for Indian food. You should try it at least once! read more

Affordable and delicious. I come here for lunch all the time! Service is quick and everything is clean

I happened to be in the area shopping and decided I would check this location out. Much cleaner than the location on Devon that I experienced a few years ago lol! I was just gonna do a pickup order as I was ready to get home. Lots of options on the wall where they display the menu. The Palak Chicken with a side of rice looked like a good try as I was not in the mood for butter chicken. My food was ready in less than 10 minutes after ordering which was cool. Took me about 15 minutes to get hime via the bus and my food was still warm. In addition to still being warm it was very good to the point I kept trying to eat even after I was full. The chicken was falling off the bone easily and the spinach definitely set it off. Definitely a good Indian express joint that hits the spot. read more

Place was amazing do not sleep on it them 3 and half stars are all lies food was amazing 10 out of 10 food was made correctly to its nationality not for Karen Americans read more

Ghareeb Nawaz Express - Buster chicken rice and naan bread - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

If your hungry and love Indian food, this is the place to go. Huge portions at incredibly reasonable prices land this stop firmly in my Ballin on a Budget list. While I didn't find any of the dishes mind blowing, Indian food inherently has so much spice, flavor, and sensation that you can't help but enjoy it. For some of the deets: Frontier chicken: 3/5, a solid choice for lots of protein but I found it wasn't the strongest candidate for flavor or texture. A little too chunky chicken for me Butter Paneer: 4/5, a very solid choice when it comes to everyone's favorite gravy. Butter chicken or paneer will always be in my heart and this dish didn't disappoint. Still out there searching for the mind blowing 5/5 though Paratha side: 3.5/5, cheating with the half point but it seemed a good fit. Nice and buttery with a touch of seasoning this works as a great edible spoon to sop up any sauce you order. Would be a 4 but didn't feel there was enough in one order Overall it's a stable of UIC students and hospital employees alike for a reason. Good food, outstanding prices. If it never changes I'd be happy read more

If you're hungry and love Indian food, Ghareeb Nawaz might need to be your go-to for a good deal. This location located by the UIC campus is fast and has HUGE portions all for very reasonable pricing. I had a pick-up order of a Butter Chicken Bowl, which includes basmati rice, and my order was ready within minutes. My meal was flavorful, creamy and absolutely delicious. Luckily for me, I wasn't able to finish the whole bowl, so I'll have some leftovers to continue to enjoy! read more

Ghareeb Nawaz Express - Butter Chicken Bowl - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Very good inexpensive authentic Indian food, that is frequent by actual Indian people They are offering some very good lunch specials currently ($4.99) see picture read more

Ghareeb Nawaz Express - Lunch special menu (Mon-Fri 10am-4pm) - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Ghareeb Nawaz is our favorite Indian food in Chicago for the convenience and the price. They're open super late, have several locations staggered throughout the city and have a huge menu with lots of variety. Our favorite is the chili chicken (and the green chili chicken as well) It's super spicy and super flavorful with like a smoky grilled chicken, curry, and tandoori spice flavor profile. I've been experimenting with making a copycat recipe at home because my only complaint is the red food dye that gives it its bright red color. This is typical for tandoori chicken though and should totally not turn you off of this place. It's a gem :) read more

Food is good but I have found hair in my food every single time. Definitely not gonna go again. Also the chili chicken biryani is beyond spicy so keep that in mind if you decide to order it (I'm Indian). read more

Ghareeb Nawaz Express - the leftover of rice in a styrofoam container - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The biryani is just okay. Not great, passes. It's very classic Indian casual lunch vibes, which I love. Chai in the styrofoam cup. Love. I'll give it another try eventually. read more

Sorry y'all , but nothing beats the original Ghareeb in Rogers park , I've literally NEVER had a bad experience there . My suggestion is if possible , go there - you won't be disappointed . The food at this location is the same price - but tasted either overly salty or extremely bland , it was shocking how different the taste was here to the other location. The frontier chicken was the best part of the meal - the butter chicken tasted like salt . Who knows, maybe it was a bad night- but I'll be going to Rogers park from now on read more

Butter chicken is good and naan is ok. Chili chicken biryani was not good so, I don't recommend that. We had take out which was quick and efficient. read more

Pretty sure they switched chef back because food quality is back up to par w Ghareeb Nawaz up in Devon. Very glad!

Delicious, super cheap and great way to try a lot of food for an incredible place. One of Chicago's best kept secrets -- so glad they opened a location in Lombard! Service was friendly, the hardest part is deciding what to get! Fair warning: everything is spicy! we were offered such generous portions of everything. Will definitely return! read more

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There was a dead insect (cockroach) in my Boneless chilli chicken biryani. It was not a spice the bug has all of its legs and antennas. The price was good and the food tastes great, really good flavors and spice level (i ordered it mild). I noticed the bug while digging in for my third helping. I should also mention that I have visited the devon street location and the food there was also delicious (no bugs there, that i have seen). If you dont mind some diseased insect protein in your food then this is the place for you. Otherwise, i recommend skipping it and taking the trip to the other location. I reported the insect to uber eats along with a photograph. I also spoke with the restaurant directly and they advised that they get many calls about insects, but disregard the claims as misidentified spices. Essentially they know that there are roaches in that kitchen as does many of there customers and they refuse to improve. Instead they mislead people into eating bugs. read more

Ghareeb Nawaz Express - Boneless Chilli Chicken Biryani - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Nopity nope nope nope. Ordered the chicken qurma with boneless chicken. You guessed it. Lots of bones. Tiny bones. It's also quite spicy when this should be a mild dish. No sign of the beloved creamy cashew flavor. And super greasy!! Also, the last few Indian places I've ordered from included rice. Not this place and no prompt to add it from algorithms. The only plus is that the biryani portion is solid. Would not recommend. read more

This used to be a go-to spot for me and my husband pre-COVID. I'm not sure what happened but things have gone downhill since that time. The prices when up, portions meager, and the service under delivered. The place is renovated and looks nice, but it doesn't make up for the loss in quality of the food. We ordered butter chicken, chana chicken with rice, chapati and mango lassi. My husband literally had two pieces of chicken in his. And it was a lot less flavorful than I remember. One star is a generous rating for this review. read more