For a casual, Byob spot, this place a great choice. There isn't much of an ambiance, but Old Jerusalem is located in the heart of Old Town. For $1.50/person you can bring your own wine. The food is casual Mediterranean food. We ordered the Tzatziki which was honestly a bit watered down and not as creamy as I've had before. I would not recommend it. For an entree, I had the chicken and hummus. The hummus was delicious - not too creamy, not too oily. The chicken was also pretty good. I would certainly get it again. Looking for an inexpensive and casual place on Wells St, this is your spot! read more

Old Jerusalem Restaurant - Chicken and Hummus - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My husband and I got take out from here recently. I didn't have much time to heavily Yelp research this place before we ordered, but the menu looked good enough. Our order was ready within 10 minutes after we ordered. I have a habit of ordering vegetarian platters from almost every Mediterranean restaurant I go to. I kept this tradition alive when I ordered from Old Jerusalem. The Vegetarian Combination Plate Included pita bread, hummus, tebouleh salad, Jerusalem salad and falafel. Everything was bursting with flavor. Something was slightly different about their hummus compared to other places I've been to, but I can't figure out what it is. The hummus and salads were addicting. The portion size of the combination plate was enough for 2 meals. I will definitely be getting this again from them. My husband got their version of a gyro sandwich. He said it was good, but rated it a 7 out of 10. Not the best he's every had, but not bad by any means. read more

It's no frills in the best way. All super good and craving worthy but the garlic sauce is especially good - 10/10.

Easy and delicious. Fast, friendly and consistent. Always an enjoyable causal option.

Old Jerusalem has been my favorite place to dine and get take-out since moving to Old Town. I am always greeted with kindness and of course the food is always phenomenal. I would highly recommend dining here. read more

Old Jerusalem Restaurant - Shawirma - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Most delicious food in Chicago. This family owned business makes food with love. Their soups are delicious, as well as falafel is divine. We used to eat here a lot while living in Chicago, and I visited after many years to find the quality and taste are still fantastic. Highly recommended for lunch and dinner. read more

Old Jerusalem, I've missed you so. OJ was my go-to falafel and Hummus joint when I was in college. In fact, it's where I first experienced middle eastern food. I was excited to visit when I was back in the neighborhood and it did not disappoint. I brought a friend who was born in Iran so definitely a tough critic. The falafel is still as delicious as ever. Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, flavorful and fresh with a health dose of tahini. The hummus was fresh and creamy with a hint of lemon. My friend was equally impressed. You won't be impressed with the decor which remains exactly as I remember it but you will be impressed with the quality of the food, the great value and the attentive and caring service. read more

Always fresh, always delicious with super customer service. Old Town staple for many years. Do not miss the fresh mango or guava juice - outstanding! read more

A 4-star restaurant again disappoints in Chicago. It has proven to be a real sign of mediocrity. Ordered the lamb & beef shawwirma pita and the stuffed grape leaves. My partner ordered the house salad with chicken. A language barrier disrupted our meal several times. Asked for the grape leaves to be brought out 1st but all the food was brought at the same time. When the food arrived with no utensils or napkins and we asked for some, none arrived while our food sat getting cold. My partner had to go in to ask for some, again. Then she had to go in to point out that the menu says her salad shouldve included olives, but did not. Our waitress argued it should not have, until my partner pointed on the menu. She was then brought a dish with 4 small olives. I could taste little to no lamb in the lamb/beef shawwirma. My partner's grilled chicken was chewy. The grape leaves were soft but lacked any savory flavoring. Though the waitress did not offer to open our wine or pour it at any time. We were there for a mid-week lunch and still were charged $5 or $6 for a corkage fee at this BYOB. The reason I don't know the exact amount is that when we were presented with a bill without each item itemized, we were told "we don't do it that way here." read more

Great food. The staff really care for the customers and make me feel at home. I've been here many times and they have always been welcoming. The arabic coffee is out of this world. read more

Mediocre food for the price. I had the chicken kebab plate ($14.50) which came with 5 small "babs" surrounding a huge pile of rice and then some salad on the side. The chicken was alright, not much flavor to it. I expect middle eastern food to be very filling and flavorful and this was a huge disappointment. Will not be coming back. read more

What a pleasant surprise this place was. It is a small intimate setting but has great staff and authentic mediterranean food. My friend and I saw two girls debating whether or not to stay and we told them it was worth it and they also agreed. They thanked us for persuading their decision as we were leaving. As a vegetarian, I love mediterranean food and all it offers. I never get sick of good hummus or falafel. The prices were also very affordable. read more

This establishment has great workers, a dynamic menu, delicious food, and great service! My only complaint is why do they have to serve cold plain ol pitas? The pita is nothing special at all. I really did like my foul and it was generally delicious and had a great atmosphere so I didn't really want to dock a star for the boring bread. Foul is hard to find in America so it was delicious and awesome to have here. Everything feels like it was made with love and care too and what was best is that it has that family-owned feel. What a great place to come for dinner! :) read more

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I love this restaurant. My family is Middle Eastern and when I don't feel like cooking, I order from here. It's delicious and made with love! read more

We wandered in here after doing the tourist thing in Lincoln Park. Great find! The food definitely had the air of recipes handed down through the generations. The dolmades were possibly the best I've ever had (and this is coming from someone with an Armenian high school sweetheart whose mom grew grape leaves in the backyard.) These dolmades were flavor bombs with dill and I have no idea what else. Just get them. We got a vegetarian plate too, and everything was good, especially the falafel and the cucumber salad. read more

We got takeout here. The staff was friendly and the food came out very quickly. It was clearly made fresh and hearty portions without being too heavy. I would definitely come here again. read more

Delicious pitas and great grilled chicken. Loved their falafels. Great customer service

I'm surprised that any positive reviews exist for this place. We had gotten the baba ghanouj and two shawarmas. The entrees were super pricey ($14.50) for a ridiculously small plate of food. There were few strips of meat on top of an entire plate of rice. On top of that, the meat was very bland and lacked spices. The decor is old and the place looks run down. Overall, very disappointing for a restaurant that has been in Old Town such a long time. It's a surprise they're still in business. A representative from Old Jerusalem responded with the following direct message: "I'm sorry that you are one of few people who didn't enjoy old Jerusalem, we might not be a very fancy restaurant but our customers come for food not for the decor, for the quantity not sure what you where expecting because normally our customers share an entree because our portions are big. Being in business for over 40 years means we have a lot of happy customers so don't be surprised." I'm even more surprised now at the unprofessional message I was sent. read more

My husband and I were walking down N. Wells today looking for a place to grab lunch around 2:30. We passed by restaurant after restaurant all serving the same thing- burgers, booze, etc. and blaring loud music. Finally, we stumbled upon Old Jerusalem. It was quiet, quaint, and their outdoor seating was calling our name. We took one look at their menu, and we were sold. We split an appetizer of hummus and pita bread, and each ordered a shawarma sandwich. The service was great! They were kind, personable, and we had our food in about 20 minutes. The food was great! So much bang for your buck. If we lived in Chicago, we'd stop in all the time. read more

This place is overrated. I traveled from downtown Chicago to eat from here and I was so disappointed. I ordered a Chicken Musaheb entree online for to go and it cost me $14.50. I anticipated a good quality meal for that price. The salad it came with had gone stale. The hummus was minimal. The chicken was a big slice of the breast not cut into bite size pieces. Overall it was nothing great. Just bland chicken with some rice and pita. read more

Food is very bland. You're better off going to the Halal guys which is a few blocks away. Not to mention, customer service is a joke. The people who enjoy the food here can't cook, so will of course rave about the bland food here! No thanks! read more

Old Jerusalem Restaurant - Does this look tasty to you? Never again! - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Went there for lunch with my wife and was very disappointed. The pita was stale. Doesnt take much to at least freshen it up with some heat. The shawarma sandwich I had was so tasteless I was worried I had COVID. service was extremely poor. Won't be back. read more

What a hidden gem! I could eat here every day. We order farafel app Greek salad sharma sandwich and Musaheb sandwich. First time having farafel amazing delicious we could have Been good w just the Greek salad and farafel sandwich a lot of food. The musaheb sandwich was amazing I could seriously eat this every day at lunch delicious light n healthy. The sharma was just as delicious not greasy great flavor and texture. We've walked past this place for many years and what a hidden local family owned gem. The service was wonderful attentive establishment clean and smells amazing when you walk inside. The outdoor patio is quaint and nicely soft lite and spaces for good conversation. I can't wait to go back to try the lentil soup and more. Don't pass this up a must try. For everything we order came to $28 wo tip and just waters to drink. read more

I took my parents here because they have never been to BYOB restaurant and wanted to see what it's about. Here, they only charge you $1.5 fee per person for drinking which I think it's very reasonable. Btw. Their food is inexpensive but very tasty. I tried their combination vegetarian platter which was very good and would recommend it to anybody who likes vegetarian Mediterranean cuisine . My mom tried their meat combination platter and she said it was absolutely fantastic and my dad said that his Greek salad with grilled chicken was the best food he has eaten with me during the whole week visiting me in Chicago. (comparing to lots of deep dish pizza, hotdogs and just bunch of American food which my Czech parents are not the biggest fans of :-) ...). read more

Went here after a trip to the top of the Hancock. Amazing dinner! My mother-in-law is Lebanese and wanted kibbeh. She was in heaven. Brought her back to her childhood. My 12 yr old daughter loved the tabouleh and told me I have to make it at home. One big happy family with full tummies. read more

Maybe this place is better eating in. We carried out, ordered hummus, feta and a couple entrees. We even ordered extra pita that we paid for. We got 6 halves of pita bread,(3 pitas) And the entrees that for $20 ( one a salad for $20); was supposed to come with Lebanese bread. Never got it! So the hummus was ok but not real flavorful, and the feta was minuscule (4 thin slices). So it is quite expensive for what you get and not sure we actually got everything for carry out. I would try again but only eating in. read more

Great middle eastern fare at a reasonable price. It is suprising Old Jerusalem is not busier. The food is great and the prices are reasonable for this section of Old Town. The fresh carrot juice is especially tasty. Unlike NYC, the Middle Eastern food available at Old Jerusalem is not available on every street corner. It should be. Highly recomend this restaurant! read more

I'm really not sure how this place has so many good reviews? We ordered takeout and everything was lukewarm and the meat was dry and seemed like it had been reheated multiple times. The lettuce was sad and old. They really phoned it in with our order, and most of it ended up in the trash. read more

Decent Mediterranean restaurant with tasty food. Quite overpriced for average middle eastern food and average sized portions. $15.50 for an average sized combo plate. The food here is very comparable to pita inn in the suburbs. Of course my criticism will be much more harsh since I am middle eastern myself. But in the area I would rather go to Diwali or even olive. The atmosphere is average at best and it's not the best looking restaurant in the inside. read more

This was a major disappointment. I'm surprised at all the good reviews because this was by far the worst quality middle eastern food I have ever had. It's like the Middle Eastern food that I would expect from white people in the middle of Alabama. Absolutely flavorless hummus, very dry and greasy falafel, and the salad?? The worst. The salad "entree" was a few pieces of old iceberg lettuce, some unripe tomato slices, and a single piece of feta with oil pooled on top. Everything was flavorless and the produce was sad. Even the pita was stale. I felt I was swindled, forced into paying for a very subpar product. We could have had a better meal with the preprepared food at Trader Joe's. read more

Wanted to grab a quick bite before Volleyball at Stanton park, was able to find free parking a street over - score! Had the hummus to start, the hummus was pretty standard, balanced flavours but wasn't as smooth as the best ones I've had. My friend ordered the falafel plate and I had the Shish tawook wrap, didn't want to double on the pita since I was already devouring pita at a rapid pace. My friend enjoyed her falafel saying that it resembles the ones she's had in Israel, I didn't have that frame of reference but I thought they were crunchy, light, and seasoned very well. The shish tawook wrap took this review to 5 stars, such perfect flavours in a chewy toasty wrap, grilled seasoned chicken, garlic paste and pickled turnips, sometimes that's all you need! Service was spot on as well! read more

This restaurant offers delicious Mediterranean food, also staff is kind and friendly. You can either sit inside or outside by the beautiful Wells St. For lunch I recommend the chicken kebab with the side of Jerusalem salad or the hummus and pita bread. read more

Old Jerusalem Restaurant - Chicken Kebab! - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My wife just returned from a trip to Jerusalem and wanted to give a few of us an idea what a dining experience in The Old City was like. In looking for an authentic experience she found this location. We tried a little bit of everything. As we dined and visited she said this was just like being back in Jerusalem. We all had a great time and really enjoyed talking with our servers. Step out and experience this authentic restaurant, you won't be disappointed. read more

Always a pleasure to eat this food. Fresh and filling. It's so nice when a neighborhood staple is still in the neighborhood.

I have been going here since I have been 15-16 yrs old. By far my favorite app page for this food and it's very reasonable but the meat and quality of food is delicious. The lamb and the chicken are my favorite read more

Have you ever seen that petrol station, Gas City? Worth it though. BYOB and better for the basics (falafel, baba ganouj) than Sultan's or even Chickpea. read more

If I was forced to eat one thing for the rest of my life, it would be a combo platter from a Middle Eastern restaurant. Why? Because it usually comes with hummus, baba ghanoush, tabbouleh, Jerusalem salad, falafel AND pita bread. So yeah... I'm a bit of a cheater. 'Cause clearly that's more than one item. I came here on a brisk October afternoon with audible hunger pangs and a caffeine withdrawal sweats. Well, practically. Enter Arabic coffee: strong and super dark just the way my mom makes it! I've always found it interesting that no matter how much sugar you add to this potent brew, it'll never be sweet. Black magic! True to form, I ordered the vegetarian combo platter. Hummus was creamy, mild with a hint of garlic. The baba had a nice touch of smoke, but i kept my eyes on the prize: the falafel. Nothing crumbly about these fabulously friend chickpeas... moist and totally together. I polished off my entire plate, which means I thoroughly enjoyed my assortment of Middle Eastern delights but also that the portion was on the smallish side. But that's okay, because the food is quality and did keep me satiated for hours. I'll definitely be back, especially since I hear they're BYO! Nothing like eating AND imbibin' on the way cheap. read more

It's a good price, the staff (I think they are a family) is nice, and the menu has everything you would expect from a middle eastern place. I guess I was just expecting more in terms of taste, which is why I'm taking down a star. Ordered the falafels and honestly could have had better street-side falafels. The grape leaves app is good, but doesn't hit home either. I liked the hot sauce that they served us, it had the flavor that all the rest of the food was lacking. read more

Maybe they thought I should be fasting or something. Our table ordered an appetizer & dinners, the appetizer never appeared & then everyone else got their dinner but me. I waited, thinking it must be on it's way. I waited. I may have dropped a pant size. I waited some more. Finally I flagged down the server & asked where my dinner was & where the appetizer was the table had ordered. He said he'd "forgotten". Well. So then my dinner came, along with the appetizer. My friend had the veggie combo platter which was served with hummous & babaganoush. She was apparently on a server-imposed carb-diet because they never brought any of us pita bread. I had to flag down the server again (because they seemed to be more interested in talking to eachother than dealing with us) before my friend started eating hummous with a spoon. I understand servers forget things, food orders go in wrong, etc. BUT, when mistakes DO happen, usually they go out of their way to apologize and try to make you leave happy. That didn't seem to happen here. BOTTOM LINE: The food was mediocre and the service was lackluster. They can do better & I should be seeking better. read more

Dirty. Run down. Poor service. Beverages that taste as though the lines haven't been cleaned since they opened in 1976. Coffee that makes your tongue numb. Filthy utensils. Mediocre food. What more could you want in a restaurant? Sort the reviews by date and you'll see that this place is going down hill. read more