Memorial Day. Great first visit…read more It won't be the last. Why? Fresh ..every thing. Hummus heaven. Meats , fish ,and vegetables. Grilled to perfection. Great service. Super deserts. Clean restrooms. So good.

The atmosphere is nice with indoor and outdoor seating. The parking lot is atrocious but you can…read morefind nearby street parking. The service left a lot to be desired and unfortunately we thought the reason was racism until we realized there is an automatic 15% gratuity. Started off with a mint lemonade and baba ganoush which came with pita. I wouldn't recommend either of these - the lemonade barely had a hint of mint and the pita was cold and a little stale, even after asking to have it warmed up. The baba ganoush itself was good but you don't really need it unless you're hungry and need an app. The food in main entrees were genuinely very good. Huge portions and everything was seasoned and cooked perfectly. My only small note is that for the lamb shank platter, i literally got only one potato wedge lol. Otherwise it was all fine. The prices are reasonable! We even got a dessert on the house but unfortunately i'm not sure what it was called (something like baklava) which was good. Overall a good spot but i left regretting the extra tip when our waitress kept forgetting to get little things like a plastic bag for our leftover containers and the receipt despite waiting for 5-10 minutes.

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.

The whole concept and aesthetic of this restaurant completely wowed me!! It feels so well thought…read moreout. The service was amazing too, super professional, friendly, always on top of everything without being overwhelming. And the hummus was especially good, and creamy, which I loved!! The food overall was great. Such a cool experience from start to finish.

Best middle eastern bakery around so fresh never a stale taste made with best ingredients and loveread more

flyes all over the floor and the food!! disgusting!! plus,…read morethey have horrible service!! extremely disrespectful!!

This Lebanese restuarant has been on my list for quite a while. Finally gave it a try and it did…read morenot disappoint! For food I tried the Adis Bil Hamod and Masdgouf. The first one was (non-pureed) lentil soup with swiss chard, onnions, potatoes and cilantro. The ingredients made the soup rich in flavor. Meanwhile, the stewed potato slightly thickened the soup to richen the texture. I wish there could be more swiss chard, though. The Masdgouf was a hit: unlike traditional Iraq Masdgouf, they pan seared the cod (well, cod is quite tender so searing is actually a better idea), then topped it with a mixture of finely diced veg, peppers and tamarind paste. Served with Lebanese rice, grilled bell peppers and grilled Roma tomatoes. Compared to the Lebenese rice I had in Atlanta, the rice in this one was longer and drier, while the vermicelli in it was softer and more moist. Overall it tasted savory, sweet, sour, with a hint of spiciness. They did a good job in balancing these flavors. I also got some pita -- not those thin, balloon pita but tasted fresh and good, and not salty at all. Serice was friendly and quick. After the meal the chef asked me about my dining experience and I praised highly of the two dishes. She told me that while Masdgouf was not originally from Lebanon, she tried to add some Lebenese element to it, e.g., the tamarind paste. I really appreciate her effort to do something unique and delicious! The only thing I (seriously) hope they could do better was about handling the smoke from the kitchen. At first I was seated near the kitchen and the smoke made my lung uncomfortable; needless to say how it would affect the restaurant staff. If they could get a better range hood it would do good to both the staff and customers' health! I will try more dishes the next time I visit Chicago.

Suda is one of my favorite Mediterranean Restaurants in Chicago. Even though it is pricey, I…read morerecommend it as I enjoy some of the dishes a lot. First-Their free bread is served hot and fresh, and the sauces they come with are so flavorful! I will always get seconds because they're just that good. -Their Baba Ghanoush was one of the best Baba Ghanoush I have ever had (I don't say this lightly). It was very smokey and savory. The pomegranate on top perfectly complements it. -Arnibit (Cauliflower): People like this one a lot, but I personally think it's just the presentation that is appetizing. It tasted like a regular cauliflower, and I wished the sauce complemented and infiltrated the cauliflower more. It felt like I was eating two separate things. -Mixed Grill: the chicken and the beef were juicy and well made. The kefta was the star. It was soft and so well seasoned, and every time I order it I wish we could have more. My only comment would be that we wish the portions are bigger, considering the price was pretty expensive. This could only fill one person in my opinion. Nevertheless I love it. They also have very specific and unique dishes that you don't normally see at bigger restaurants. We have tried some before and they were not bad (but again just wished the portions were bigger) Overall we recommend this place. Baba Ghanoush and the Kefta are musts!

We dined on a Sunday night around 8 PM and were seated right away, which was a great start. We…read moreordered the mixed grill plate, a Nutella shake, and I asked for water. The salad and hummus came out within a few minutes and the food itself was actually very good. No water given at this time. Unfortunately, the service was disappointing. We waited almost an hour for our main entrée, had to ask for the water again, and the Nutella shake we ordered was never served at all. Our server was not attentive throughout the night. One more thing to watch out for -- a 15% tip was automatically added to the bill, so make sure to check before paying. The food was enjoyable, but the poor service really affected the overall experience.

Dined in yesterday. I wasn't greeted. I ordered the mixed grill plate and appetizer of chicken…read morewings. The soups, salad and baba ghanouj were all excellent. Pot of Arabian coffee was fresh. The meat in the mixed grill was alright. The waitress was ditzy and not too attentive. When the waitress wasn't anywhere to be found I asked the bus boy for two to go boxes, he gave me a mean look and didn't speak. The waitress didn't serve water for my guest and I. Also she didn't ask if we wanted any dessert. I found better restaurants with much better service in the area that's where I will dine at in the future. Also the waitress didn't offer my guest and I any water or asked us if we'd like any dessert.

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

Cedar Palace was absolutely hands down some of the best Mediterranean food I've ever had! Do NOT…read morepass this up if you have the chance to dine here! The place is so cute and cozy, and the chandeliers are so beautiful! It does seem to fill up pretty quickly as there isn't ample seating, so check them out a little early if you plan to dine in. The staff were awesome. The way they move through the restaurant, take orders, and how they interact with guests just shows how much pride they have in this place. We decided to get the combo, and it really was enough for two! The hummus was delicious, the salads were so perfectly seasoned, and the meat was absolutely perfect. Definitely check this place out!

A Hidden Gem in Chicago - Taste of Lebanon Restaurant…read more Taste of Lebanon Restaurant 1509 W Foster Ave Chicago, IL 60640 If you're looking for authentic Lebanese food, Taste of Lebanon is an absolute must-visit! Every meal we've had here has been fresh, flavorful, and made with care. You can truly taste the quality and tradition in every bite. The lamb shawarma is outstanding--perfectly seasoned, tender, and packed with incredible flavor. The chicken shawarma is just as delicious, juicy, and cooked to perfection. But the true star of the menu is the lentil soup. It is hands down the best lentil soup I've ever had--rich, comforting, full of flavor, and worth coming back for on its own. It deserves to be the #1 item on the menu! What makes this place even more special is the amazing customer service. The entire staff is welcoming, friendly, and professional, making every visit feel like you're dining with family. A huge shoutout to Ali, who consistently goes above and beyond to make every customer feel appreciated. His kindness, professionalism, and genuine hospitality are second to none. He takes the time to make sure everything is perfect, and his positive attitude truly elevates the entire dining experience. Whether you're stopping in for a quick lunch or picking up dinner, Taste of Lebanon never disappoints. The food is authentic, the prices are incredibly reasonable, and the service is exceptional. I highly recommend Taste of Lebanon to anyone in Chicago looking for some of the best Lebanese food in the city. Thank you, Ali and the entire team, for your outstanding hospitality. We'll definitely be back again and again!

Favour heaven! The hummus, tabouli, pickles, schwarma, if it's Taste of Lebanon time, it's feast…read moretime. I think of them and my mouth waters

This is our first of many adventures to eat in Little Palestine. I had this place on my list for…read moreawhile. We came on a Saturday night around 7 pm and we were able to find parking immediately. To be clear, the parking area is kind of tight and cramped. If you can't find parking here, you can try seeing if parking is available in the neighborhood or next door. Inside Al Manakeesh, they have a plentiful amount of tables. You order at the front, receive a pager, and wait for your food. They have additional drinks in the back. They are known for making Middle Eastern flatbread pizzas and kaaks (bagel). Customer service was great. They were very efficient at making the food and drinks. Everyone was nice. No one was pushy when we ordered our items. Prices were good, they were inexpensive. We ordered egg/meat/cheese, pepperoni, mixed meat bagel, sfeha with tahaina, and zaatar/akkawi cheese/cherry tomato. Honestly, everything was a 5/5. I liked that the pizzas weren't floppy and none of the ingredients slid off. The portions were huge. I also got a peach matcha. After mixing it, the peach taste was very noticeable: -The pepperoni tastes cleaner and more flavorful than the American places. For some reason, the American ones are so greasy and oily. -For the egg/meat/cheese pizza, the egg taste really stands out. -Sfeha is halal ground beef and has more flavor than regular ground beef. The tahaina helps make it pop. -The zaatar/akkawi/cherry tomato is an awesome combination. When you take that first bite, you'll immediately taste all of the ingredients. It's that prominent. -The mixed meat kaak has halal turkey, halal roast beef, halal salami, mozzarella, Mexican cheese, and their signature sauce. They give you two cups of sauces. One I think is the signature sauce and the red one is a little spicy. The portion is big enough to share between 3-4 people.

Tried Sfeha with Tahaina, Eggs with Zaatar, Turkey and Cheese Bagel, labneh with makhdous, Meat…read morewith Cheese, eggs with Mozzarella Cheese and chicken!! Everything was sooo delicious! I had this delivered but can't wait to go in person and try everything fresh. My favorite was meat with cheese.

I first visited Al Bawadi Grill at their Bridgeview location, and it was an outstanding experience…read more The food was delicious, and the service was exceptional, which is why I kept coming back. I've since visited the Niles location several times. The food has always been consistently excellent, but unfortunately the service has never matched the quality of the kitchen. Today's visit was by far the worst. It took over 10 minutes for our server to come to the table to take our order. Throughout the meal, I had to repeatedly flag her down whenever we needed something. To make matters worse, she seemed to disappear halfway through dinner--I'm assuming she clocked out--because we had to get another server's attention just to receive basic assistance. The food, however, was fantastic. I ordered the Al Bawadi Seafood Mixed Grill, and it absolutely delivered. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and cooked perfectly. That's what makes this so frustrating. This restaurant serves some of the best Middle Eastern food in the area, but when you're paying premium prices, you expect service that matches the quality of the food. I still recommend the food without hesitation, but the consistently poor service at the Niles location is making it harder to justify returning.

I cannot recommend this restaurant enough. If you are looking for delicious food in a beautiful…read moreroom with excellent service, you've come to the right place. Our server was so kind and never let us make the mistake of ordering the wrong thing. She gave us her recommendations every step of the way and every single one was perfect. What we got: Mint lemonade: 5/5. SO refreshing and delicious. Perfect sweetness and the little bit of pulp you get is great. I only wish there was more of it! Chicken arayes: 4.5/5. Crispy, cheesy, garlicky. Need I say more? Get some extra garlic on the side if you wanna take it up a notch. Fried halloumi: 4/5. These are like a soft mozzarella stick, so tasty. Definitely eat the pickles with them. Lamb chops: 4.5/5. 4 tender lamb chops seasoned beautifully. Definitely recommend the red rice over the yellow if you can handle a little bit of heat. Kanafeh: 5/5. Whoever thought that cheese, sweet syrup, phyllo, and pistachios would go together is a genius. Definitely don't leave without getting this dessert. The salt of the cheese perfectly balances out the sweetness. No notes! And get some peppermint tea to go with it too. And the portion sizes are huge! Definitely get your money's worth here. My only issue is this place is right by my job so now I'm gonna go broke getting food here all the time. But that's a problem I'd love to have!

Best lamb and rice. Fire Service is always great. Friends…read morestaff. Chef always make sure u satisfied

I love their chicken shawarma meal. I used to live in Oak Park and that location was my JAM. I…read moremoved back to Lombard and was THRILLED when I found this location. I needed to update my review because the prices have become quite high. They used to have a little salsa/sauce bar where you could pick your hot sauce, and pickled items like pickles/onions/etc., but now you have to pay PER item and it escalates quickly. Lately a meal is costing me like 26.00 here and for that price I could literally go out to dinner. It makes it hard to justify coming in lately. TO clarify on the sides, pickles are 1.69 plus 2 small hot sauces at .69 each is another 1.38, plus turnips for 1.39 if you choose. So, yes it adds up. And I've never had to pay for salsa or hot sauce at any other restaurant.