This is a must try and I am pretty sure it's one of my favorite Mediterranean restaurants EVER!…read moreWe loved every dish! From salads to the main entree. Highly recommend the mezze platter and the Royal Mix Grill.

My friend and I went here for a catch up night. We wanted to try something new and since we had…read morenever tried Mediterranean food before. The parking lot is well lit and the outside was very clean. The building used to be an Italian restaurant, but this family bought it and moved in. We were greeted upon immediately coming in the door and we were seated very quickly. The interior is very nicely decorated and was very clean and organized. Everyone greeted us with a smile. After we sat, we sat for quite a bit of a time before the waitress came by and asked for our drink orders. The owner (I assume) came by and asked what we would like to drink and he got those for us. The waitress was very slow in bringing refills and taking our order. They were not busy. Though she was slow, she was very polite with great customer service. So...the food!! OMG - we tried lots of different things. We ordered the sampler plate (Mezze) which was hummus, baba ghanouj, falafel, bread and arabic salad. Please, remember this was our first try of this type of food and the texture took a minute to get beyond, but the flavors are amazing. They know what they are doing with their seasoning. I was very impressed with the appetizers. Then the meal comes - I had the Chicken Tawook Plate with the Fattoush Salad. The salad was made with all fresh ingredients and the picture in the menu looked exactly like what I received. It was fresh and invigorating with flavor. The Chicken Tawook just popped with flavor in my mouth. I couldn't wait to share with my friend. I have to admit, I was not a fan of the rice, but it was cooked perfectly. Just wasn't flavors I enjoy, but my friend really liked it. My friend wanted to try a couple of things so she ordered the Musakhao with 1/2 grilled chicken. I've never really had chicken melt in my mouth before, until now! It comes on a flat bread with grilled onions, but the chicken is cooked to perfection! I cannot say enough about this chicken. She also ordered the cheese Manakeesh which is very similar to pizza, but they do something crazy right with this dish. Calling it a pizza is so very wrong. This isn't like a traditional "American" pizza. It is very hard to explain, just go and try it!! And dessert - I have had quite a bit of baklava in my lifetime. This was the best I have ever tasted. You take a bite and it just completely melts in a caramel flavor in your mouth. Do not get just one. My friend ordered the cake that is very similar to tiramisu, I don't remember the name and it isn't on their online menu at this time. She said it was to die for. This is a little bit on the expensive side of dining, but the quality of this food is worth every single penny. My friend and I spent $106 total, for all this food. So, it's not crazy expensive. Regular fountain drinks are $3 each. My over all review is give this place a try, they really deserve it. Try something new if you haven't tried this type of dining, this is a wonderful place for your first go at it. And when you do - leave them a review, it would be great to keep them busy and around, since we don't really have anything like this in the area.

We walked in and all but two tables were covered in dirty dishes…read more The pita was flat as a tortilla, cold, chewy, and tasteless. The gyro was wrapped and grilled like a Taco Bell Gordita with thin limp lettuce. The meat tasted okay. The fries were cold and seemed barely cooked. No drink refills. And when we left- those tables were still dirty.

AJs is a regular staple for us!! It is just SO GOOD!! We always get the combo platter, kibbeh, and…read moreBatara Harra and it is perfect every time. It's always so fresh and hot. The kibbeh is some of the best we've had. The potatoes with the garlic sauce + ketchup combo is a must!! They also have some fun desserts and coffee. Parking is a breeze, the staff is always so friendly, and you can always hear them laughing in the kitchen. It's so nice and cute inside. Such a gem in Edwardsville!!

We have been going to Lillys for years! Everything is always good and if you want to enjoy the food…read moreand drinks HURRY! All of this and great service with a smile!

Absolutely INCREDIBLE gyros. I would recommend for people of all ages and backgrounds to try it.read more

I went with a girlfriend for dinner over a month ago and I'm still thinking about these dumplings…read more The only tiny critique we have, we were there on a Saturday around 730/8, they don't seem to have a good queue system. What I witnessed, was my cell number was typed into what appeared to be a personal cell, as opposed to a wait system, and then we never got called/ texted. We were watching the people in front of us get tables, then we asked if our name got lost, and immediately got sat. After that, 0 comments, food came out at a reasonable time. My eyes kept being drawn to these dumplings, usually I'm a low carb kind of person, so I was leaning towards the kebabs. But these dumplings kept calling my name. The sauce was so good. Creamy with a hint of dill, refreshing, with the savory ground beef inside. I definitely finished my plate and left the rice for leftovers. I can't wait to take my boyfriend back and get the dumplings again! My friend also really enjoyed her shrimp curry, I got to try a taste, the sauce was also delightful.

Our little supper club came in for dinner on Saturday. They do not take reservations but the wait…read morewas worth it. Our party got there a little before 6. We waited around 20-30 minutes to get a table to accommodate the 7 people in our party. We stood around by the entrance while we waited. When we were finally seated, they put us on the second dining room which has a better ambiance and much more quieter than the main dining room. Someone brought us a pitcher of water which fell slightly short of giving all 7 of us full glasses. Some of us ordered their lemonade mix. I had the one with pomegranate which tasted fresh and made in house. We shared 3 different appetizers: babaganoush, hummus and saksuka. They brought us a basket of naan. They were huge and still warm. The only thing I would have asked for would have been that the naans be cut into smaller pieces so people are not touching naans that others will have to eat. Our appetizers were all excellent. The babaganoush, specifically has fantastic flavors. This might have been the best babaganoush I have ever tasted! For my entree, I ordered the lamb kabob served with some dressed rice and salad. Okay, usually I don't care for rice. It's bland and pretty boring but they actually seasoned their rice here so well that I've completely forgotten I was eating rice. The kabob was so flavorful like it has been marinating for a while. The meat was tender and juicy. We didn't do any dessert as we were all very full in the end. At least 4 out of 7 brought home leftovers. My one friend had made a comment about his pilau being larger than his head! Service was good. You pay up front. If you come in with a large party and ask to split the check, they charge $1 per card. We asked to have our bill split 7 ways and then 2, 2, 2 and 1. She said she understood but then did the math wrong anyway. We didn't bother and just paid the even quarter split and my friends refunded me the difference. Other than a few nuisances, it was a great dining experience. No joke, this place has some seriously good eats. And to be honest, I can't wait to come back!

Was meeting a friend close to the airport for lunch and turned to Yelp, Kaslik was our choice as we…read moreboth would be heading out on 270 after we ate. Hadn't been there before but had driven past and wondered, glad we went! When my friend saw they had hot mint tea she said this was definitely the right place for lunch. We both ordered some and are happy we did! We decided to order a couple of things and share. We had the falafel and the mixed grill. Since she has a seafood allergy we asked to be sure things would be cooked and served separately and I love that they put the shrimp on a small plate on it's on. The falafel was perfect, the sauces (a chili sauce and something tahini or yogurt based were good with it as was the pita bread. The mixed grill had three skewers - chicken, beef and shrimp. Each had uniquely yummy flavors. It came with rice, some grilled veggies and some pico like tomato salad. Confess the baklava looked great as we were leaving. Appreciated the hospitality of the person waiting on us. We talked a bit and discovered he was from a country my friend had been to previously. He offered great service paying attention but not hovering.

This is probably my favorite place to get falafel from. The size & taste for the price is very…read morereasonable. I'm surprised they don't charge more because after purchasing I always find myself saying something along the lines of "I can't believe they don't charge more for this deliciousness". I've tried their baklava before I knew it wasn't vegan, and it left such a memorable mark on my tastebuds. I wish there were a vegan option, but that's just me being me. I've had their hummus too, but because it's a consistent grocery purchase of mine I don't get it as much when I come here. The picture attached to this review has falafel from Kaslik. The other food was something I prepared earlier in the day for dinner, and then I realized falafel from Kaslik would go perfectly with it.

hands down BEST shawarma i've had since living in bahrain!!!! we were only in STL for 3 days, and…read morei'm very glad we made this our last stop. highly recommend 10/10!!!!

We've probably tried too much Middle Eastern food - and especially too much shawarma - because…read moreunfortunately, this just wasn't the place for us. We ordered The Original Palestine and Summer in Dubai. Usually, shawarma meat is sliced thin and practically melts in your mouth, but here it was on the dry side and cut into pretty thick pieces. The flavor was just okay, but honestly, neither of us was impressed. The portions also felt way too small for the price. We ordered just two shawarmas and paid around $40 total, so we definitely expected more. You can only sit inside. There are no outdoor tables like you can see in some of the other reviews. The atmosphere itself felt more like a typical fast-food spot than a place where you'd want to sit and enjoy your meal. One thing that really surprised me was the soda situation. I grabbed a cup to get myself a drink, and an employee had to turn a key to activate the drink machine while I was standing there. It honestly felt like there was some kind of limit on how many drinks I was allowed to get, which was pretty strange. Parking is also difficult. There's no parking along the main street, so we had to park farther away and walk. Overall, based on our experience, I wouldn't recommend this place. There are plenty of other spots where we've had much better shawarma for the price.

the food & service was great. the ambiance was nice & the food tasted wonderful! the variety of…read morechoices of food impressed me.

Had lunch today at Crazy Bowls & Wraps in Shiloh, IL and it was excellent. Really fresh, organic…read moretea. I had the fajita bowl and it was really good. I'll definitely go back.

One of my favorite Greek American restaurants!! The dolmades are so delicious with the yummy lemon…read moresauce! Everything that we've tried here has been delicious The servers are quick and attentive. They helped pace the timing of our meal perfectly from the flaming cheese to the salads, then the main course and ending with a dessert! We do enjoy the casual atmosphere with the festive music playing in the background.

CANNOT SAY ENOUGH GOOD THINGS ABOUT THIS PLACE!! An amazing combination of Greek and Italian…read morecuisine. The Illinois classic fried ravioli was incredible and the Gyro was delicious! Definitely a hidden gem and a must try if in town!

One of the best menus in St Charles. The food is exquisitely, prepared and impressively explained…read morefor someone that used to a Mediterranean meals. I had Zane as my server it was wonderful. My wife and I enjoyed one of our best meals ever in this county.

After living in the Middle East for decades, this restaurant is the closest in authenticity and the…read moreflavors I would expect in Lebanon/Palestine. It's delicious! The staff also offers the same personable service one would experience in the Middle East. They offer suggestions to the novice and indulge the connoisseur. Plus, I've used them for catering, for a more exotic flair, at an event. The guests raved about the taste. Jafra's location is hidden, making it feel like you've found a secret indulgence. It's a quiet location perfect for a tete a tete or a family gathering, where you feel wrapped in the experience. My husband will tell you, the only draw back is the price. It's not crazy expensive, but not cheap. But no matter what my husband says... it's worth every penny for delicious, exotic flavors that leave me satisfied, everytime. My husband too. LOL

This is my first time here, and I walked in very pleasantly surprised with the decor. Simple and…read moreyet, very charming, very Arabian. I read other reviews and immediately that I wanted to try their lemonade with mint, which was heavenly. It was extremely refreshing, not too sweet, not too sour, tiny chopped leaves of mint floating around like confetti. I ordered the lamb shank, a plate of pickles, and also ordered falafel and avocado dip to go. The lamb was very well seasoned and fall of the bone tender. The accompanying cucumber bits in yogurt sauce was refreshing. The side of mushrooms with carrots and corn kernels that came with the dish was mediocre, particularly since the consistency and look of the mushrooms looked like they came from a can, but I may be wrong. The plate of pickles was delightful. I will admit that I was very disappointed because I had read that lentil soup would be complementary with main dishes when anyone dined in until 4 PM, but I'd never had any lentil soup at all, unless I am mistaken about the offer. Service was fast, even though there was only one server, who was, by the way, very polite and attentive. All in all, I will be back and I might actually end up being regular here.

Had the opportunity to try Layali Halab and was very impressed. We visited on a Saturday afternoon…read moreand seated without an issue. Our service was great, very patient in answering questions. The restaurant was very clean and very busy with customers. We were served lentil soup and was absolutely delicious. We ordered some traditional Mediterranean dishes and also very good. Prices were very reasonable and lots of dishes to chooses. Decor is very nice and plenty of seating for small and large groups. Great experience and will be back, highly recommend Layali Halab, give them a try.