Yum yum yum yum--this place is a palace of flavor! Authentic cuisine in a warm atmosphere with…read morefantastically friendly folk; Anthony said the entire menu is based on his mom's recipes--so it makes a lot of sense why everything has that only heart-warming flavors that only a home-cooked meal can have. Everything tastes exceptional from the dolmas to the Arabian coffees

Finally found an authentic Lebanese restaurant in Chicago that serves with love. The spot is cozy…read moreand the simplicity adds to the beauty. The restaurant was also very aware of vegan option needs, and recommended all the tasty vegan items. To summarize - the hummus and falafel reminded me of my childhood in the heart of Middle East. Thank you!

This might be my second review of this place but it's so awesome I'm leaving another one. The…read moreservice and food/pastries are what stand out at Yaya. The vibes are really great and the pastries OMG. The cardamom bun and Cuban croissant are 10/10. Their specialty latte is good if you don't like sweet stuff - nutty The lamb merguez is unlike anything I've tasted it's really unique and delish

What a delightful place for a girl's brunch. Cute restaurant with a quieter and more spacious 2nd…read morefloor. It was hard to pick what we wanted to eat, so we ordered a few entrees and shared: egg sandwich, chicken shwarma wrap, LBLT, and the Turkish Breakfast. All of it was delicious, and the open faced shwarma warp was my favorite. I would definitely come here again. Easy to get to from public transportation.

had some catering it was delicious the chicken the rice, the falafel everything was divine…read moredefinitely worth it!

My friend recommended this place and so glad we were able to try! Was feeling a little nibbly in…read morethe afternoon and this was the perfect fix! Mt friend and I split the chicken shawarma sandwich and some side falafels. We loved it! Inside is small with only a couple seating areas. We ordered our food to go and it took about 5-10 minutes. The sandwich was delicious and falafel had great seasonings and good crisp. The prices were so affordable! Such wonderful quality for what you pay! Would definitely recommend and come back!

Dawg, I'm pretty sure this is the best falafel I've ever had in my life. And I've had my fair share…read morein my 37 years on this planet. It's the perfect balance of crispy exterior with soft, fall apart interior while remaining moist, light and loaded with flavor. Is it science or magic? I'd believe either. The hummuses (hummi?) are also up there for GOAT status. The texture is insane. The service was great, and super accommodating and warm to our young kids.

We tried the tasting menu at Galit. The Masabacha Hummus with Naan was excellent and one of my…read morefavorites of the night. The hummus was incredibly creamy and flavorful. I also really enjoyed the Salatim, especially the pickled vegetables, peaches, and labneh, although the baba ganoush wasn't as much of a favorite for me. The Summer Squash was another standout. There were so many different flavors and textures in the dish, and everything worked really well together. I didn't try the Iraqi Kubbeh Halab, but my dinner companions really enjoyed it. The Yemenite Kreplach was one of the more unique dishes of the night. It was good and interesting to try, but it didn't completely wow me. I also didn't try the Lobster, but my dinner companion said it was amazing. The presentation was beautiful, especially with the couscous. The Chocolate Babka was probably my favorite part of the meal. It was incredibly soft with rich, delicious flavors. I would absolutely order it again.

I ordered the Combination Meat Plate - beef kabob, kifta kabob, chicken kabob, chicken shawarma…read more This combo plate was delicious and enough for two people. Meats and rice were well seasoned. Beef kabob and shawarma were notably tender and chicken kabob was white meat and juicy. No issues with service. No frills interior. I will definitely come back next time I'm seeing a show at the Den Theatre.

Good "bang for buck" would be an understatement when describing this place. The quality of the food…read moreat Falafel & Grill is absolutely OUTSTANDING, and comes at a beyond reasonable price. As typical for a counter serve, this facility is no thrills but it's kept very clean and the service is straightforward and great. We've gone back here a few times and have never had an issues with wait time, which is impressive as it can get pretty busy with orders. We've tried both the Chicken Kabob Plate and the Kifta Kabob Plate and both were fantastic. They truly make the meat here the PERFECT tenderness - probably the softest and juiciest chicken I've had in the city!!! The hummus and falafel that the Plate meals come with are also delicious. 10000% recommend for a casual Mediterranean meal or takeout

lentil soup outstanding! falafel is excellent Lamb dinner…read morewith curry rice another winner they never disappoint!

This place does not play with portion sizes!! I ordered the chicken plate with half and half of the…read moredifferent kinds of rice they offer. It also came with pita bread and hummus. Service was excellent and quick. Food was rich in flavor and very filling. Will definitely come again!

Food was so good. Falafel sandwich and schwarma sandwich were both delicious. Service was quick…read moreand friendly. Patio seating was a nice bonus on a good evening out.

With F-16 Fighting Falcons (jets) flying overhead on a practice round getting ready for the Chicago…read moreAir Show tomorrow, my group of four settled into to an outdoor table at the Old Jerusalem Restaurant for lunch. As our table was shaking from the thrust of six jets flying at 600-700 mph we dove into Jerusalem's very Middle East menu. I had their Hommos with Chicken Entree which was a blend of chick peas and tahini Hommos with Chicken and served with Lebanese bread. This was really (really) good. My three lunch mates also loved what they got. Old Town just west of Lincoln Park is making a very huge impression on the restaurant scene. Old Jerusalem is certainly part of this movement!

This place is beyond welcoming and such a refreshing spot to eat at. The food is delicious,…read morefilling, and so affordable. It's your typical kind of ambiance for a place like this--clean but not at all sterile. A welcome quiet spot in the chaos of Wicker. Aside from the delicious, comforting food, the service is incredible. It is rare to find spots like these nowadays and I sincerely hope the CAVA heads (don't get me wrong, I love CAVA!) try this out, too. We were accidentally charged for two orders of dolma when we ordered one, but I didn't realize. The person who took the order--wearing a propellor hat, by the way (hello whimsy!)--walked over to our table to let us know and asked if we'd like a refund and apologized. This already took me by surprise, so while I was fine without it, I said "sure." Next thing I know, they walk over with still two orders of dolma and the refund. I looked for a tip jar to put it back but couldn't find one. It was such an act of kindness and generosity. The kind of small interaction that reminds you of what being human is all about. Any time I'm in Wicker, I will try and stop at this place. Reminds me so much of Bulgaria and the "" I'd always beg for as a kid. 10/10 -- please support this independent restaurant!

I got delivery from here, interesting take on middle eastern food. I go the falafel wrap, with…read morehummus, it did not come with many veggies on it, the falafel itself was quite dry and the hummus was not very flavorful. My partner got a falafel plate. He liked the meal. He also got a salad, which he reports was good. I also got some French fries with tahini and extra garlic sauce. Overall average.

Terrifically fresh falafel, decent baba, very good lavash, and good hummus. Overall a great value…read moreand we got friendly service. Bonus: Fries were excellent. Did not get/try any torshi, will ask for next time.

Just went here to order a gyro sandwich for $12 and received the tiniest portion I have ever…read morereceived from a local Mediterranean place. Have to be honest the price doesn't match the food you receive. I know at least 3 nearby places that give you way more for the same or less price. Please work on your portion sizes or else your place isn't worth it Also had a friend order separately and the workers never called out his order. He had to ask if his order ready and it was just sitting on the counter for 8 mins already at that point. Do better

Service was top-notch as was the food. Three of us got the dinner for two and the waiter through in…read morean extra soup so that we'd all have a complete meal. Everything was excellent, and I wondered why it was so empty!

They've made me a customer for life and I will tell everyone to go to their restaurant for as long…read moreas I talk about Chicago. This restaurant is 50+ years old and has been in the same location for that long too. The inside is a bit darker and there are very few windows but they have ambient lighting and music playing that doesn't make your really realize it. There is a lot of seating for smaller and larger groups. The service is some of the best I've had. The owner, Max, personally comes to take your order depending on the rush and he is so sweet to recommend dishes. The food itself is so flavorful and all of the proteins fall right off the bone. They were also able to accommodate a big group and were so kind to play music and serve cake for my birthday! Truly one of those spots where you will leaving feeling full in your stomach and your heart