OMG sexy, gorgeous delicious fun. ENCHANTING is how I would describe this place. This gorgeous…read morerestaurant is a total standout. it is take your breath away beautiful! You should sit on the gorgeous patio if you can. Have your birthday party here if you can and eat everything off the menu if you can! We had it all! The server said the portions "were small", ummmmm... they are not. You can share the delish skewers between two or even three people. The small plates are not that small. I thought the portions were very, very generous and we came home stuffed! TOO MUCH FOOD! We were so inspired by the menu that we ordered way too much! I love the new app in which you used to pay with, especially for a large group. Fancy! This is one of the most romantic restaurants I have been to. It's perfect for a fun group of people or a really romantic date night. We had so much fun. We didn't want to leave to go to our next destination. GO!

Okay this place was a vibe. I went on a random weekday and I could only get seats at the bar…read more The staff are great. They take allergies very seriously which felt great. The chicken thighs paired with potato puree were fantastic. The brussels were good as well. Maybe slightly too much honey but still very good. I'll have to go back.

Ema is special…read more It's Mediterranean with a California twist. Everything is very flavorful and each bite is memorable The pumpkin hummus was really good. It tasted almost like a pumpkin pie filling The bhel hummus was great too. With a ton of toppings. It has a citrusy flavor which was really pleasant The baba ghanoush was also incredible. Super smoky and flavorful. The pita that comes with the dips are also incredible. They've got zatar sprinkled on top The Greek salad was great. Tomatoes feta and olives with cucumber The halloumi kebab was really good. I was so full at this point I couldn't eat much but it comes with a really spicy sauce that is outstanding and also perfectly cooked basmati rice

I first tried Ema back in 2022 when I visited Chicago for the first time to attend the Northcoast…read morefestival. For some reason, I overlooked reviewing it then, but I never forgot it, so I was ecstatic when I found out my company's annual offsite team dinner would be hosted at Ema. Our group of 35 was pretty large, so we were split up amongst several tables, but it was nice getting to chat in smaller groups. Our drink orders were taken not long after we were seated, and the food and bevvies started to arrive in short order. I got to try way more during my business trip than I did 4 years ago, but regardless, I noted the quality of food that was served remained consistent over the years. Highlights for me included the salmon, Greek village spread, pita bread, chocolate torte, and honey cake. The salmon was so mild and tender, the Greek village spread taster local and refreshing, and the pita bread was seasoned to perfection and hands down the best I've ever had. The desserts were a surprisingly delicious end to the meal. I didn't think I could stomach more food, but somehow I rallied. I don't even like chocolate that well, but the chocolate torte really hit the spot, and the honey cake was a new-to-me decadent dessert. It reminded me of the flavor of honey grahams but in cake form. I've never had anything quite like it and am really glad I got to try it. Coming back to Ema after 4 years was better than I expected. I love Mediterranean food, and after 5 total trips to Chicago, I must say Ema is so far my favorite restaurant here. I'm not easy to please, but Ema serves up some of the best this city has to offer.

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.

This place was so good we made reservations to go back the next day with our family. My wife and I…read morewalked in on Friday night of marathon weekend and waited about 15 minutes for bar seats. Bartenders were great with suggestions and opened two bottles of wine for us to taste. We had a calamari special which was a whole grilled squid on a celery root puree that made you want to lick your plate clean. We also had bone marrow, a pasta and a pork special that was recommended and thoroughly enjoyed. Everything we had the next day with 4 people was equally as good. All the dishes were special and just a little different then you would expect. Presentation was great, staff was attentive and all the food and drinks were delicious. I would definately come back here next time we are in Chicago!

Had a great experience at The Purple Pig while visiting Chicago! The food was delicious, everything…read morecame out fresh, and you can tell they put a lot of thought into their dishes. The staff was friendly and attentive without making us feel rushed, which I really appreciated. Loved the atmosphere too, busy and lively but still a nice place to sit down and enjoy a meal. Definitely one of the better dining experiences I've had in Chicago. Would absolutely come back next time I'm in town!

This review / experience is solely dependent on placing an order for delivery... keep that in mind…read more First I have to start off with the portions seemed SIGNIFICANTLY smaller than if you are eating there. Especially the sides, like fries and Roasted Brussels Sprouts. I usually love Roasted Brussels Sprouts but these arrived (obviously) cold and seemed like they shrunk on the way to my home. Unfortunately, if I put them in my air fryer... they would have shriveled up with how small they got (ha). Same thing with the fried, just overall cold & needed reheating. Overall this is to say, i ABSOLUTELY love Roti and it's one of my favorite fast food places and i highly recommend it to anyone and everyone. Unfortunately (x2), i will never order via delivery again haha it still tasted healthy & good though. The only reason for 4 stars is because of the delivery experience vs definitely 5 stars in person restaurant. Thank you Roti, looking forward to seeing you soon! Personal Review (for delivery 5.4/10)

pros: -fast and friendly service…read more-such a yummy meal!! i ordered the harissa chicken bowl -clean tabled and restaurant cons: -none

Love this place for lunch! The lunch specials are great and the portions are huge!…read more This is a pretty good deal. You order at the counter and then sit down. Please know that if you pay with card you pay extra fee, which I didn't know. This is a pretty big portion so I did have leftovers. For one of our lunches we upgraded to the dill rice which wasn't as different from regular rice as I wanted. But when you add sumac it's perfect! This place is bright and airy.

I needed this meal so bad. So delicious and great hospitality. This place is located on a busy…read morestreet but I was able to find street parking no problem during rush hour. When you walk in, you are brought to the dining room to your table but are instructed to order at the counter. The space is big with tons of tables. Vegetarian sampler: We got this to share. Comes with hummus, tahini sauce, falafel x2, persian salad, baba ghanoush, and dolma. Something nice to sample for the table. Everything tasted great. The falafel could've been more crispy. The platter also comes with a basket of pita bread! Combo mix grill #1: For my entree I got the mixed grill and chose both beef and lamb koubideh as my proteins. I really couldn't tell which meat was which since the meat is ground but both were super delicious otherwise. Great flavor. Got the half & half rice (basmati/dill) which is a great choice and I highly recommend. The platter also comes with red onion, a whole roasted tomato, and some butter. If you've been here before, you already know the portion sizes here are massive!!! So great for sharing!

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

Start with the friendly and helpful service, oooh the food! Nun bread with some sauce very tasty!…read moreThen We had chicken and beef Shawarma , it was delicious, amazing is understatement!!! Then we ordered lamb skewers plater that came with nice spiced medium chicken! Served with rice or a choice of French fries! Best food I have eaten lately! The freshly blended juice is bomb , I had mixed fruits and hubby had Mint lemonade ! It was 17mins from the airport but it's totally worth it! If I lived in Chicago this would be my to go weekend refresh Nice Music by the way

This restaurant was recommended to me recently and I finally had the chance to visit. The staff…read morewere super friendly and helpful in guiding me while placing my carry out order. The decor transports you, very intentionally decorated. I had the chicken shish tawook dinner, the eggplant, falafel, wings, and hummus. This was legitimately some of the best middle eastern food I've ever had. The wings were extremely flavorful, the chicken shish tawook was juicy and beautifully seasoned, and the eggplant was delightfully tangy. I was really looking forward to coming here again.

amazing food from avec! i went in knowing nothing and left satisfied :) short rib hummus was my…read morefavorite of the night! lots of flavor in the short rib and the hummus is so smooth! the meat was also soft and tender, easy to pull apart! all the items we ordered were yummy too! the chorizo medjool dates were interesting and great! something different. service was very good. they refilled our waters many times and were attentive and polite! the inside is kinda swanky. dimly lit and a sort of communal seating. very vibey! would come back

Avec is such a cozy and cute spot right along Randolph! We stopped in around dinner time on a…read moreFriday evening and they were able to get us in! We shared some wine carafes and they suggested splitting a few lighter bites and a main. We had the Endive and apple salad which had a light, refreshing flavor, and the chorizo- stuffed medjool dates to start. Both were flavorful and delicious! We also split the Shawarma spiced chicken which was fantastic and filling, the pitas here are to die for. All of the staff were friendly and helpful in suggesting dishes and portions, and we felt perfectly full and brought some home for later too! Definitely a cozy date-night spot to add to your list!

If you only know of the Kurdish people or culture through the news, it's time to remedy that-- head…read moreover to Avaspi for drinks and snacks at the generous Happy Hour or for a full dinner. The beautiful bar is set back in the glowingly dining room that has a painting of the Kurdish area in Turkey from where the owner comes from. Remixes of contemporary tunes gives a kind of clubby feeling inside, and the large sidewalk patio (on the side street) to enjoy the season is a completely different vibe. It's not just another variant on Mediterranean/Middle Eastern/ Persian cuisine, though you'll find familiar salads, spreads and cuts of meat. The presentations and flavors are different. The friendly (and easy on the eyes) staff will guide you through the menu. Very nice wine list as well as creative takes on standard cocktails (some mocktails too) complement the meal. Come in a group so you can sample many things; I assure you it'll all be good. Loved the calamari and the meze plate on this last visit. Grilled haloumi and shrimp were great previously. Easy to get to so get going!

An absolutely standout meal, each dish better than the next. The stuffed dates, however, were about…read moreas spectacular as anything I've had. A perfect place to go with a group to try as many different things as possible. And don't sleep on their happy hour, which makes the experience even better!