I really wanted to like this place, but unfortunately the food didn't meet my expectations. The appetizers were great, the service was great, however the main entrees were lacking flavor and juiciness. I had the vegetarian kebob and hummus, eggplant. The hummus was fantastic however the eggplant was a bit bitter. Also it didn't help that they didn't have updated music playlist, but it was rather from early 2000s. The service was great and if I could, I would give them 3.5 stars. I hope all those things improve so that when I get back to Chicago I can try them again. read more

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Found this gem about 3years ago and it was a first time trying Armenian food - I've been back every since. It has an intimate vibe which is super cute & cozy for a date night. They also have live music regularly throughout the week. Always get the soup!! read more

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The food is traditional Armenian and delicious. Nice clean place with nice fast servers. Best Mediterranean food around. I have be coming here for many years! read more

Very average. My friend and I came to eat here one day on lunch. We decided to sit outside and people watch which was great. Our server was fantastic! He was very personable and tended to our needs. I wasn't impressed with the food much. We order the appetizer trio, which was ok. I did love the babaganoush! I didn't like the hummus and their grape leaves are not good at all. They have a sweet cinnamon flavor which is quite weird. I ordered the lamb, peppers and onion which was good. My friend ordered the vegetarian plate which looked great---I was leaning toward ordering that instead of my dish. I'd come back for the babaganoush and to just sit outside. Also, they do not have falafel which is a huge let down. read more

In a touristy area, it's a nice respite from the likes of PF Chang's, Buca di Beppo and Grand Lux Cafe. Located just east of Michigan Avenue, this is another one of those places that I've walked by countless times in my life and wished I'd given it a try sooner. Ah, such is life before Yelp. Well, better late than never. I met my friend here for dinner and based on her review, and the fact that she lives mere blocks away, I knew she'd be down for going here. I'd never had Armenian food before but the cuisine is similar to Lebanese and Greek, and I happen to love both, so I was pretty sure I'd like this place. I arrived early and got seated in a cozy booth and started to look at the menu. The music that was playing definitely sounded familiar...it turned out to be the Armenian muzak version of "Paint It Black." How funny is that? I started with an Effen Cucumber cocktail that proved to be very refreshing on a warm, early-spring evening and my friend arrived and ordered the same. We caught up a bit and decided to order some baba ghannouj to start. It arrived with triangles of pita bread. I thought the baba ghannouj was just average (it was a bit stringy) and wished the pita bread was warm, but it didn't stop me from eating my fair share. For entrees, my friend ordered the 'Armenian combo' and I ordered the lamb shish kebab. The combo is a great way to try a little bit of everything, which is great for first timers. I enjoyed my shish kebab as well. The lamb was tender and flavorful, but erred on the side of being a smidgen overcooked (that's just a personal preference though). The basmati rice pilaf was a perfect side dish and it also came with some grilled veggies. Mains come with your choice of a salad with mint vinaigrette or lentil soup. It was a bit warm for soup but I wished I would've gotten it as my friend always gets it when she comes here, and the salad was nothing special. We declined dessert but our waiter let us sit and talk and we didn't feel rushed, even though it was quite busy by that time. I really liked Sayat Nova and I will definitely return. It's an oasis in a sea of corporate eateries and the prices are more than reasonable for the area. Plenty of options for vegetarians and as well as meat eaters. It's ideal for a date, a group, or just to have a leisurely meal with a friend. And besides, it reminds me of this song that I recently rediscovered (which I love): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsSa8Whfp9A read more

Last week fellow Yelper Brett L. and I were trying to find a place in downtown Chicago for a meet up. After much hand wringing and throwing of things against the proverbial wall, Brett said "how about Armenian?" To which I replied, "huh?" It's just not something one usually hears. It's almost like saying "how about that new Viking food place over on Venice?" But I digress. The food here was delicious, the cuisine not unlike a sublime love child of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean style food. I got the Armenian Combo, which came with Sarma, Boereg, Kufta, and Eggplant. Don't ask me to explain what each of those were, because if you put them side by side and asked me "which one is the Boereg?" I couldn't tell you. But they all were delicious. Actually, I do remember one. The Sarma was lamb in grape leaves cooked in a light garlic sauce. You could also get it vegetarian if you wanted. Brett got Kufta, Armenian-style meatballs stuffed with diced lamb, spices, hot yogurt mint soup. It tasted far better than it looked. The overall ambiance was subtly romantic, perfect for our budding bromance. Topped it off with an Armenian beer and we were set. read more

On a snowy day in January, I was offered an opportunity to lunch with a good friend of mine at Sayat Nova, and Armenian restaurant along Ohio in the Streeterville neighborhood that's been there for like 200 hundred years. Ok, maybe not that long, but I do recall going past there as a KID when they had a very large blue sign...that's all changed now. Aaaaaand, you might be asking, as I was all week that week, what exactly is Armenian cuisine? Being the Armenian neophyte that I am, I automatically generalized it as "middle eastern". And. although the pictures and some of the names may seem familiar, I assure you, Sayat Nova is most definitely NOT generic "middle eastern" eats. Let's just go to what I had....FOR LUNCH (indeed I fell asleep in my cube...it was a sweet slumber): We started with a Mezza sampler that included Hommos, Yalanchi Sarma/Sarma, and Spinach Boerg. I have to say that the Hommos is the best I've ever had. Honestly. It is made by hand every day, and I understand they use actually dried chick peas that are re-hydrated, then mashed and mixed with appropriate spices. Wow. The Sarma, which are stuffed grape leaves, were delicious as well -- one sweet with rice and raisins and pine nuts and goodness, and the other savory with minced lamb and rice and deliciousness. And, don't get me started on the Spinach Boerg -- sauteed spinach, cheese and scooped up with warm pita. Right? Then we had Lamajoun. The only way I can explain it, just like SN does in their menu, is that it is a thin-crust pizza-style appetizer that has ground lamb, with onion and spices, spread all over the surface, baked until the "crust" is blistery and crispy, and, I couldn't manage to stuff more into my mouth. It became the favorite dish from lunch that day -- I can NOT wait to go back and have more. Aaaaaand, now for the lunch entrees -- yes plural, I said entreeS! We had Kibbee and Lulla Kebab. First, the Kibbee, which, to me at first sight appeared to be "baklava"....I soon learned it was layers of cracked wheat and ground lamb baked into a savory, toothsome, hearty little bit of absolute delight. The ground lamb can also be ordered as Raw Kibbee (the appetizer), but baked between layers of cracked wheat became something different, and just as tasty, altogether. Lulla Kebab looks like a "hamburger patty" in a pita, but apart from its appearance there is NOTHING burger-like about it whatsoever. The ground lamb kebab was moist and flavorful...the pita was good, but is mainly there as a "handle" to transport that fantastic kebab to your mouth. Slather as much Jajik (garlicky yogurt with cucumbers and mint) as you can all over it, then shove it as fast as you can into your mouth. Do it before your dining companions can get any, it's THAT good. Oh, yeah, if the food doesn't wow you, the beautiful interior sure will. Gorgeous space, and totally unexpected as you enter off of Ohio. This is not standard "Mediterranean" or "Middle Eastern" cuisine -- it is Armenian, I swear, there is a huge difference, just pay attention to what you're eating and you will be able to tell....I SWEAR IT. Excellent value for the price. And, the owner is such a warm and friendly guy who greets you with a big smile and hearty handshake. I really enjoy it here...and, even if you're not a regular, you will too. read more

I'm not gonna lie, I was torn at first between being super excited that an Armenian restaurant existed and being skeptical that anyone could make Armenian food even nearly as good as my grandma/aunt/mom/etc. However, for those who care about authenticity: they do Armenian food right here. My parents came to town and wanted to take me and Stacey A out to dinner. My mom remembered that I had mentioned that there was this Armenian restaurant in Chicago, so we said "hey, let's get kebabs!" and headed down to Sayat Nova. Ignore the scaffolding and whatnot near the door. There might be construction going on outside, but the inside is cozy. It's a little bit dark, and there are these fabulous cut-out lanterns hanging from the ceiling (I want them for my house). There's traditional Armenian music played at a volume that's audible but not distracting. The tables are big enough to hold your plates, but otherwise quite small - it makes conversation really easy. My boyfriend commented that if it were an Italian restaurant instead of an Armenian one, it'd be just the kind of place you take someone to dinner before you whack them. Get the boeregs. I'm pretty sure cheese boeregs are my absolute favorite food on the planet, but I am just too lazy to spend hours folding the phyllo dough into little triangles. Sayat Nova has GIANT boeregs, and they're on par with my grandma's (although I like mine a little bit burnt, and the ones here are just golden brown). Even if you're new to Armenian food, you'll like the kebabs. I got the shish because I always feel like chicken kebabs get too dry, but the combo is really great because you can get the lulla (beef + lamb) too. The rice pilaf is amazing, and tastes almost identical to the kind my mom makes - maybe a little bit less buttery, but still delicious. Bottom line? I'm Armenian and I approve. I'm psyched that I can come in and get cheese boeregs instead of spending 3 hours making them myself. read more

While in Chicago, I took a chance on this eatery after having tried many Armenian restaurants in my travels. Aside from the loud Armenian disco music in the soundtrack, there was not much Armenian about this place. The decor is quaint and cosy with small tables and half moon booths throughout. The bar at the entrance is a small well stocked counter with led ultra violet light show. We were greeted by a young lady who was busy texting, most of the staff were Hispanic. Our waiter was curt and didn't know a lot about the menu. We ordered six appetizers and two desserts as we navigated the menu: - Tabouleh salad was nothing like it should be, it was more a Mexican fixed tomatoe salsa with a dash of bulgar wheat and parsley; it was also bland lacking lemon, salt and pepper, no thanks! - Sarma, stuffed grape leaves with raisins and nuts was pretty good and tasted home made - Labneh, a fermented plain yogurt dip was ok served with pita; it was doused with oil, Cinnamon and paprika which had to be scooped up to be enjoyed, what a chore!!! - Red Lentil Soup, it was the highlight of the meal, very well done, light and tasty but didn't come here for only soup... - Cheese bieureg, two very light and fluffy filo pastry triangles were great but the cheese inside was liquid like cheese whiz and was runny and skimpy, nothing Armenian about this signature item, no thanks! - Lamajoun, minced ground beef with a hint of tomatoes and spices layered on a baked pita were good for what was served, but it was definitely not the Armenian standard which comes on an ultra thin tortilla with a tomatoe mixtures, a bit of spice while the meat is minced very thin and layered onto the dough - Kneffe dessert was very good, baked shredded pastry with custard cheese filling, definitely a winner - mohalbye dessert, a cold custard topped with pistachio crumbled shavings and rose water was way too too sweet and didn't taste fresh, no thanks! So all and all you get an average mediterranean Lebanese cuisine restaurant, nothing really Armenian about except for the background music, with Hispanic staff, very average yet inattentive service and bad Tabouleh for sure; no regrets but won't be back next time we are in town... Next! read more

First time trying. Not too bad. The food didn't seem unique from other Mediterranean food I've had but was good nonetheless. It's a nice setting for date nights and weekend get together. It's located by Michigan Ave and so it's a nice place to stop after walking and shopping endlessly. read more

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For the last three days I've been eating Middle Eastern & Mediterranean food meal after meal. Not by choice, but because of circumstance and so far everything had been great. This last time was due to a visitor's suggestion which was based on rave Yelp reviews, his thinking was this has got to be great. In one visit I discovered a negativity toward food, I haven't felt in a long while. First off, kudos for attracting attractive women on a cold winter's night. Second, service was not bad but lacked personality. No warm invite, no suggestions, just a person that brought food. Third, this is where the ball dropped. Not sure whether their bartender was or is aware of which glasses are to be used for making certain cocktails. Also a couple of the cocktails had bad pours, but maybe that's a decision by the restaurant. The food was tasteless and far too plain for my palate. The hummus was a bore. The Lamb couscous terrible. Couscous was soggy, lamb overcooked and the tomato broth did nothing to accent the dish. I'm not sure I tasted tomato. I had 95% of the entree still on the plate when they asked whether to bag it or not. I'd hoped someone would stop me for food money on the way home, so that I could pass off this dish to a hungry person in need. Someone lacking teeth would have loved it since it was mush. No such luck. I hated my entree, enough that I started thinking about a Big Mac. Now, I'm not the type to go running to McDonald's whenever, wherever but in this instance, I was angry. I still am. My belly was hungry and all I had to show for it was a suck ass experience and $25 plus tax & tip wasted on bad food. Bill split four ways. (I wrote this review at 2 am, my stomach was growling for food, but I forced sleep on myself.) Oh, and the kabobs were dry. Bah!! Never again. P.s. the Men's room could use some burning incense. Someone had left behind a ghastly deuce staining the air. read more

So... I came here for lunch. First thing to mention: The prices are way too high for the amount and quality of the food. I mean $10 for a FULL plate of rice and 2 small pieces of chicken! We had: Chicken Legs and Thighs ($10): The taste and crispiness of the chicken was great. However, there was no sauce or anything to put on the boatload of rice they serve with the 2 very small pieces of chicken. That was a disappointment, needed water with every bite. Sarma ($5.50): Again, this was good - the taste was good. BUT... there was too much rice and it was way too dry. I had to ask for more sauce to put on it. Stuffed Eggplant ($5.50): This was the best part of lunch. The eggplant was moist and the ground lamb (or beef) was seasoned well. Paklava ($5): Too sweet. I ate half of one piece and brought the other two to work to give to my cubicle neighbor. All in all, I will not be going back to this place again. I actually only went here because they give Southwest Rapid Rewards points. But, even with the lure of free flights - I shan't return. read more

This place is a great secret lunch spot. It is regularly frequented by Tribune employees. The restaurant itself doesn't look like much from the outside, but that just hides the cool interior. They have fabulous sunken booths, with great Armenian lighting -- often made of colored glass in an antique middle eastern looking metal container. The food is consistently good, but I have to say I usually went for the hookah. This is the only time that I get annoyed with the smoking ban in Chicago. But, their lentil soup is one of the best in the city and the meat dishes are excellent. UPDATE: Went there for dinner last night and the quality seems to have gone downhill. They told us they had a new manager. The prices are a little steeper and you get less for your dollar. The Location is still beautiful though, so maybe try it for lunch? read more

If I had to pick one thing not to like about my dinner at Sayat Nova, it would be that I was there with a group of seven instead of just mah beloved. I was so pleased with the whole evening, so I will for sure be back for the datey-date-night experience too. On the late summer night in question, the drink special was a $6 mojito. It was almost too much of a good thing: strong and possibly served in a pint glass (memory foggy). At the risk of mischaracterizing the drink, I will just say it was like John Goodman, if John Goodman were great. My entree was the chicken and spinach couscous, which was a win but could use more spinach. The Other Beth ordered the chicken kabob, and the chicken on her plate was quite good looking. Like, Cook's-Illustrated-sexy. While I was not interested in the other entrees (steak, lamb) as a quasi-vegetarian, I know that they were all enjoyed. As others have mentioned, the interior is warm, exotic and welcoming. I tried not to watch too much of the dates in the booth-nooks around us, but the shapes and textures and lighting are so picturesque, it's hard not to. To top it off, they play great music, and a variety of it. I heard Beastie Boys(!) and Bob Marley in addition to a lot of other soulful beats that I could never name. The service tied the ribbon on the pretty package of our night. We arrived and were accommodated right away, in spite of our reservation getting lost. The servers and bussers were attentive but inconspicuous. I never noticed plates coming or going, and there was none of the hustly-bustly activity of other busy places. The focus was on friends and food. On all fronts, WIN. read more

Great food and a great experience. I love the booths. The food is excellent and reasonably priced. Service is friendly and prompt. Definitely recommended. read more

I don't know anything about Armenian food. I used to work with an Armenian lady who made the best baklava though. I have a friend in town at a conference downtown and we decided to have dinner down there. Since I don't spend much time in the loop I was at a little bit of a loss, but when we drove past this place I remembered having seen it on Check Please! We walked in with absolutely no wait. We started with a 1/2 carafe of the house red for $16 and an Armenian flatbread pizza. It was made with ground lamb and was kind of a cross between a pizza and a quesadilla without the cheese. All meals come with your choice of red lentil soup or a salad, we got one of each. The salad was fresh and crispy, but the soup. Oh the soup! It was delicious. I'd come back just for a vat of that fabulous soup!!! I'm tempted to give an extra star just for the soup. We had a lamb cous cous and a kebab combo for our meals. Both were very nice. On to the service....it was interesting. When we knocked over our carafe of wine shortly after we arrived, it was replaced very quickly and the bartender came over to help us clean up. We waited a really long time to place our orders. We received our app and still hadn't placed our dinner order. We waited and waited. I swear, they were playing a game of "don't make eye contact" with us. It was almost weird. The place was only about 25% full and there appeared to be plenty of staff. It wasn't bad service, just inattentive. I don't think that I'd make my way downtown just to eat here, but if I'm in the neighborhood and have a hankerin' for soup, this is where I'm going. read more

L & I met up with a friend for dinner one night with low expectations - the idea of 'great' that most people have for certain dining destinations usually leaves me cold. So I expected a mediocre meal, and was pleasantly surprised when the food I had was actually quite tasty - not great, but palatable and enjoyable. We started with a selection of mezza -- stewed beans, grape leaves, labneh and cabbage salad. Everything tasted fine -- with the exception of the grape leaves, which were too sweet for my liking (and in case you question my Armenian-food eating experience, I'll have you know I cut my teeth on this stuff in Watertown, MA, the Armenian capitol of the USA, where I purchased a cookbook I've been using faithfully for the last 20 years). Our main dishes were well-prepared - I had a perfectly cooked kebab, and L& our friend enjoyed their mixed plates. The lighting is great in a sort of tacky way - geometric shadows cast by distinctly middle eastern light fixtures. The banquettes are roomy for two and made me feel for a moment that I was in an old school night club. I'd go back for lunch if I worked in the loop, definitely. But for those of us living and working outside the loop, it isn't worth the effort. read more

Armenians are a funny bunch, they are talkative and very welcoming and warm. My friend came here from Hollywood knowing absolutely nobody, but because he looks like an Armenian warrior http://bit.ly/10qICra and he is Armenian, he made friends with the owner here right away. The owner is a really nice dude who took the place over from his dad. He sat with us for awhile and chatted. You kind of have to know what to get in a place like this, with all this different cuisine. Lentil soup - it was the yellow and this was wonderful. Very tangy and complex. Beef kabobs - Nice one. Very tasty. Hommos - excellent, well done, very tasty, I wish I could get this everywhere, but it seems like nobody can do it consistently. Spinach Boureg - like a wonderful spanikopita, but I am sure every Armenian dude will argue that they came up with it first until their beards fall off. Lamajoun - WOW man, this was exceptional, I have never had this before, and it is for sure worth returning to get some on a cold night. Really nice with the sauce it comes with. Armenian Sangria - I know this has a different name but it was a special, when it is on the menu, try to get it its devine. Tastes alot like a spanish sangria but I didn't want to say anything that would make anyone lose their beards. Give them a shot if you are looking for someplace intimate and cozy with a very reasonably priced menu for being in the loop. I will return to try the chocolate mousse and grape leaves. Not together. I guess that depends on how much sangria I consume. read more

Pretty damn tasty. The place is cozy, the service was good and the food was excellent, yet I somehow left feeling like it wasn't quite perfect. Maybe because of the prices? We had a half-carafe of the hosue cabernet which was $16 (the full was $30; there were no bottles of wine under $30). We shared a plate of rice, the armenian pizza (which is more like a quesadilla) the farmer's cheese and some stuffed grapes leaves. It was all pretty tasty (Dan said he'd had better grape leaves, but I loved the farmer's cheese) and filling, but we still left feeling like we didn't get the best value at 4 apps and some wine for $40. (most entrees were about $15 so maybe that would have been the better way to go) Maybe we've just been hitting too many budget BYOs lately? It's kind of off our beaten trail so I doubt I'd be back any time soon, but if you want to try something different, this is a pretty good option. read more

It is unique experience to try the food here. We ordered a lamb chop and lunch combination 2. The lamb chop is good, and we especially like the rice coming with the lamb. The vegetable combination is interesting. read more

Sayat Nova - Lamb chop - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Another Check Please recommendation that truly hit the mark! After a long evening of Mag Mile shopping my mom and I decided to try this place for dinner. 8pm on a Saturday night and it was only a 15 minute wait. We managed to grab a few seats at the bar and ordered an excellent bottle of Syrah/Grenache for a reasonable $30. The menu (and friendly owner) mentioned that all the wines served at the restaurant were from small family owned farms. Loved the concept. For appetizers we ordered the hummus and the phillo wrapped cheese dish. Both were simple dishes done really well. For dinner we decided to split the Kufta meatballs and the combo Kebab. I was truly impressed with the Armenian specialty Kufta meatballs. They were HUGE meatballs filled with ground spiced lamb and in the most delicious lemon cream type sauce. Both me and my Mom were blown away by them. We also enjoyed the kebabs, which I thought were not only well-seasoned but also had an excellent grilled flavor. The staff is small and the crowd keeps them busy but they all managed to stay friendly and deliver great service. The owner was also very friendly and chatted with us for a few minutes about the place. This restaurant is truly a gem in the mix of the tourististy Cheesecake Factories and TGI Fridays of Michigan Avenue. Go, order the meatballs, drink a bottle of wine and thank me after. read more

I have to admit, (blush) I am a sucker for romantic setting. The lights are dim, there are small mirrors on the walls, the booths are charming, when I went there, they were short handed and we waited a very long time for our order, but I love ethnic food and to me it was worth the wait. The food was very tasty... I did lick my fingers...lol. I loved sitting and chatting by candle light, there were little vases with flowers on every table, the environment is definitely the right for a romantic evening. Hey Valentines is just around the corner, a one symbolic rose, a little stuffed toy and a dinner at Sayat Nova... That would be lovely. read more

I've been past this place a million times, without any urge to actually eat there...until last night. It was late, almost 10:00 PM on a Thursday night. They had a few tables and patrons at the bar, so I figured...they must be doing something right! We were immediately seated in a half circle booth built into the wall with a beautiful lighting above and behind our seats. The music and atmosphere was airy and romantic. Service was a little slow....but the food makes up for the lack of attentiveness. Everything we ordered was delicious! To top it all off, the prices were so reasonable! For two people, a total of $40! WOW! read more

As a child and now a grown man - I have never uttered in speech or writing the word "yummy." Today, will be the first. The Kibbee I ordered at Sayat Nova was 'ABSOLUTELY YUMMY!" For three full minutes, I ignored my lunch date - not intentionally though. Who goes on dates to channel the energy of Charlie Chaplin? Exactly - not me either. I didn't know that much time had passed as I tasted one of the best miracles known to man - Jajik Yogurt Sauce. I even dipped my baked ground lamb in it and let me tell you, it was absolutely pleasurable. It's located east of Michigan Avenue and west of St. Clair in the Streeterville area. But don't give away all of your attention to the army of pigeons that dominate the area. If you do, you'll walk right by one of the best Armenian restaurants Chicago has to offer - inconveniently the size of a cafe with very little distinctive outside decor. But I'll tell you a secret - what it loses in decorated facades - it makes up for in interior miraculous-ness! read more

Any classy looking place that will allow me to walk in wearing an oversized hoodie, shorts, and flip flops (like a true American tourist in a 3rd world country) gets at least 4 stars in my book. The outside isn't much to look at, but the inside is quaint - nice romantic lighting, cozy half-shell booths, ambient (Armenian? possibly Spanish?!) music. The food was tasty. The price was good considering the area, and the fact that ... this is the ONLY Armenian restaurant in the city. Food recommendations: Get the salad instead of the soup. And try the Armenian Combo... mmmm. read more

This place gets 2 stars because I feel cheated in terms of my expectations. One of my biggest pet peeves when eating at a restaurant is feeling suckered into paying for more than what I get. I don't mind if I try a new dish and just don't like the flavors- you have to expect that will happen, but I absolutely hate when I feel like I paid for more than I should have, and that is how I feel about my dish at this restaurant. A dish that was described on the menu as having rice, vegetables and lamb, but I was bummed because the 'vegetables" consisted of only a grilled onion and tiny piece of green pepper. It was really more of a garnish than part of the dish. The rice was tasty, but the lamb was mega dry. I felt like this dish's price was too high for what I got, because it didn't have that much complexity or flair. For the record too, I like Armenian food, just not this restaurant! The service like the rest of my dining experience was "meh" as well. The waitstaff was not friendly, just kind of indifferent to us. Neat ambiance, but it didn't quell my anger after getting the bill. read more

Place has potential but failed on delivering anything noteworthy. The service was good but the food was close to average. I had a platter of the hummus, tabouleh and baba ganoush. All of which I can make better at home. Probably pass at this spot on my stroll down the street next time. read more

Sayat Nova is one of my favorite romantic restaurants in the city. The cozy alcove booths, the wonderful Armenian food, and the welcoming staff make Sayat Nova a date night favorite. I've never had anything I didn't like here. A few favorites are the Kufta (meatballs with hot yogurt and mind soup) is very good, the Boureg (phyllo triangles stuffed with cheese) are so yummy, and the kebabs are all good. The waitstaff are always able to answer questions about the menu quickly and don't leave you looking for attention. read more

An Armenian restaurant isn't exactly the kind of thing you find too easily in the Twin Cities, so I was rather surprised to run into this as I was job searching today. The menu had just the type of food I was looking for, so I decided to stop in for lunch before I went back home. The hummus was OK, but not very impressive. I didn't enjoy the flat bread served with it and even adding salt and pepper didn't save the taste. With that as the starter, I was a little worried about what the entree would be like. But I was pleasantly surprised. The rice pilaf was plump and flavorful. I don't know what seasoning they use for the peas and carrots, but I ate it right up and I don't even like peas! Best part of the meal was the cheese and spinach covered chicken. Some of the best chicken I've had in ages! read more

I'm so glad this restaurant is in my neighborhood. It's great to have, within walking distance, a really nice yet chill place to get something to eat, and the food is pretty healthy and dang tasty as well. Living downtown can be a little touristy. Most days, I just don't want a Bucket of Boat Trash at Bubba Gump's. Is that wrong? Me thinks not. Armenian food is somewhat similar to Greek food. They have stuffed grape leaves and a variety of kebabs. ..things of that nature. With dinner, you have a choice of red lentil soup or a salad with a mint dressing on it. I have always gotten the lentil soup (hooray for fiber!), as salad a la mouthwash doesn't really appeal to me, but my peep gave the salad the thumbs up. I may have to try it sometime. I'm a fan of the Armenian combo dinner, which includes a stuffed grape leaf (called 'sarma'), a meatball in this yummy yet unidentifiable (in a good way...) sauce, cheese wrapped on phyllo (mmm...dairy...), and an eggplant dish (hello, my friend...). I couldn't pick my favorite if I tried. Prices are reasonable; service could maybe be a smidge better, but nothing ruffled my feathers. Also quite vegetarian friendly. Just go. read more

This place is very "hit or miss". The first time I went there I thought it was fabulous. The food took a while to get to us, but when it finally showed up it was well worth it. However, this time around, it was just the opposite. Granted it was a Sunday night, but the food tasted like one of the waiters cooked it. The lemahjoun was terrible. I got the Lamb and Shrimp Kabab and I would have gladly swapped it for someone's shoe instead. I realized kababs are supposed to be dry, but they're not supposed to break your teeth when you bite into it. That said, my wife's food was pretty good. She got the Armenian Combo and it turned out well. The Boerga (I think it's called) was really really good. I couldn't help but steal bites of her food while she was not looking. Whatever helped me avoid looking at my plate was fine by me. I want to give this place 3 stars, but really cant. Especially at $16+/plate I just don't know if this is going to be coming back any time soon. I'd rather drive up to Lake View / Lincoln Park and get some REAL middle-eastern food there. read more

We came here on a whim while visiting Chicago. We actually found this restaurant on OpenTable as it was one of the only places with an open reservation for 9 (always a tough one). Couple quick things about expectations of the place: We were a little hesitant going here as it had received so-so reviews on both Yelp and Open Table. In addition, the place was pretty empty when we got there. The emptiness probably had to do with the location (a little hard to find - especially being out of towners) and the weather (it was raining that night so most people probably chose not to go out). The food - really good actually! I was super impressed by the appetizers. I love a good hummus and tzatki. We ordered a couple samplers and the server made sure to bring us extra pita which was great. The extra pita is definitely a must when trying out these dips! I ordered the mixed kebabs which were actually pretty good. I was a little disappointed by the rice - not as much flavor as I would have liked but that may have been the goal so it didn't overpower the meat. The atmosphere - super small and cozy place. They keep the lights pretty low which adds to the cozy and intimate atmosphere. There are some neat booths along the side that give you some privacy. We were at a large table in the middle so it wasn't quite as intimate but it could be fun for a date night. The service - this is where they lost me. Our server wasn't that great. If the place had been super busy I would have understood her forgetting things or taking awhile to bring something but the place was almost empty. She forgot one of my co-workers drinks and so he was sitting without for a bit. In addition, she just seem kind of irritated with us the whole time and I'm not sure why. I know that big groups can be a pain but I thought we were relatively laid back and not demanding. As I was only visiting Chicago, this will not become a regular spot for me. However, if you're looking for some good Middle Eastern food, you should definitely check this place out. read more

Thanks, Yelpers, for directing me to the kabobs. I knew this was where the group chose, so I did a quick scan for the gem of the menu. I ordered the shish kabab, served on rice, and it was delicious! Marinated just so! The appetizers we ordered were not very memorable, though. The lamajoun was tasty, but I'll probably try something else next time. The hummus was average or average-good for a restaurant. However, the ambiance was great! Very cozy little place with lots of these alcovy seating - appropriate for 2-4 people at each. read more

This little place was so awesome! Great food, super friendly staff. What more could you want? It was clean, the food was tasty, hot, served quickly with a smile. read more

Sayat Nova - Lebnah, Yalanchi Sarma, and Hommos with the Armenian Coffee Martini. All VERY good! - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We had never had Armenian food, so wanted to give this place a try. The owners were working the whole place (pretty much) and were really busy. The place is beautiful. V romantic. Booths are cozy and look like little private stone houses with lovely carvings backlit with 'flame'. They have nice wine and sangria. Appetizers are standard Mediterranean fare, stuffed grape leaves, hummus, baba ganouj, pickled cabbage, but spiced differently. Very mild but flavorful. The stuffed meatballs in yogurt soup were yummy. The Armenian platter had stuffed eggplant, stuffed grape leaves, kofta - all lovely. The lentil soup is excellent. Had the rich chocolate mousse cake for desert, and the coffee which was very good. read more

Excellent food! So nice to have a taste of home. We highly recommend the jajic and pickles and kebabs. Their eggplant is absolutely incredible! And the boureg is also delicious. Definitely a place to come in Chicago! read more

The restaurant had good reviews so we went. I was disappointed. I was really looking forward to the lamb. It was dry and overcooked. Service was not very good. It was hard to get the server's attention during the meal and again when it was time to pay. I can't even remember what else we had. An unmemorable evening. I don't plan on returning. read more

Love this place so much! Armenian food is soo delish and authentic. Came today for Saturday lunch and had to leave a review, finally.. How can you beat $2 wine and beer plus incredible food?! David was our server and took such good care of us. I'm coming back next weekend! read more

Sayat Nova - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I ducked in here for lunch with The Bud while seeking shelter from the Chicago wind. What a serendipitous find. The menu consists of kebabs in all manner of meat and mezze plates. The kebabs are served with a flavorful rice pilaf. Their cocktail menu spans the alcohol spectrum, and their beer list includes an Armenian beer/lager. I had the Paloma, a tequila/grapefruit/lime/soda concoction that I recommend with tequila-infused enthusiasm. If I were looking to dessert, I would have tried the Armenian coffee martini that is a combination of vanilla vodka, Baileys and Armenian coffee. Because. Coffee. We were seated at a booth in a row of half-moon booths along one wall where the wall behind each booth is decoratively cut away and back lit. It makes for an intimate and cozy conversation and eating area. This is a perfectly respectable place to stop for a quick lunch before getting back to the vital business of supporting the economy of the Magnificent Mile. I'm willing to bet it's downright romantic in the evening when the Moroccan-style lighting fixtures can really throw their geometric light shapes around the place. read more

My wife and I were in Chicago for our first anniversary and I was looking for a quiet neighborhood Middle Eastern restaurant for a dinner on Saturday night. Sayat Nova fit the bill perfectly. All the previous reviewers who describe the restaurant as romantic and intimate are right-on. The place isn't large, but it has a lot of quiet charm. The half-shell booths are cozy, and have interesting geometric patterns cut into the wall that are lit from behind - a nice touch. And this might seem like a small point, but the place was quiet! We were able to talk and chat without shouting to hear each other - I really appreciated that. It helped that the restaurant wasn't full when we were seated. In fact, we didn't have to wait at all for a table (this at 8 pm on a Saturday night!). Our waiter was friendly and helpful when we asked questions about the menu items we weren't familiar with. We started with hummous, which was creamy and exactly to my liking. It was served with pita bread still hot from the oven. For the entree, I went out on a limb and ordered the Kufta Dinner, which is Armenian-style meatballs stuffed with diced lamb, spices, hot yogurt mint soup. The hot yogurt soup gave me pause, but it was delicious! And to top it off, the desserts were outstanding. My wife ordered the Mahalebeya - a rice flour custard with crushed walnuts and cinnamon that she couldn't stop raving about. I had the chocolate mousse, which rivaled the best I've had anywhere. Bottom line, it was a great experience, and just what I was looking for. We'll definitely come back again. read more