I LOVED my meal here! Ēma (Ay-mah) brings some glamour and glitz to the Mediterranean dining scene,…read morewith an airy, elevated hotel-lobby feel that still doesn't demand a dress code. Dresscode: Smart Casual / Casual Noise Level: Medium (it gets buzzy after 5:30pm) Thursday night Happy Hour was lively, so it took about 10-15 minutes for someone to come around, but service was attentive once we got going. The food is where Ēma really shines. From the Happy Hour menu, the Charred Eggplant Hummus and Crispy Potatoes were generously portioned and great for sharing. On the main menu, the Indian-Mediterranean fusion Bhel Hummus was a party for my taste buds, while the Hot Honey Halloumi and Chicken Kefta rounded out the table nicely. The halloumi is more of a side than a main, but that sweet-and-salty hot honey combo was chef's kiss. For our finisher, the Chocolate Torte knocked us out. Decadent, delicious and chocolate with lots of depth. Overall, Ēma is an excellent spot to order a bunch of dishes for the table and get an elevated meal without feeling stuffy, and delicious without taking itself too seriously. DO's: - Make a reservation ahead, especially for happy hour 4-6pm - Treat apps like small plates, order 2-3 to sample - Entertain their wine list, they have a lot! - Bring vegetarians here, there are plenty of options DON'Ts: - Dismiss the desert menu. It's fantastic and shareable! - Forget to ask for extra pita with the hummus! - Miss out on the LettuceEats loyalty points (check-in with your server before paying your check)

Mixed feelings on this place. Really pretty decor and nice vibe, but portions have greatly…read moredecreased in the last few years. The food is good, but I don't like that the portions have gotten smaller with the price staying the same. I've added pictures to show the difference. Their spicy hummus is probably my favorite hummus I've gotten from a restaurant, but it isn't always on the menu. The Kefta kabob is always good.

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!

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!

Great spot in Chicago. The food had amazing flavors, the space was beautiful, and the overall…read moreexperience felt special without being too formal. A place I'd gladly visit again.

Ambiance was great, food was quite good, and service was good. I recommend for the ambiance…read moreespecially, since the decor is so nice!

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.

This is a wonderful place with some great food. It's in a convenient location with its own parking…read morelot. Inside, there was one room with basic tables, and another with linen tablecloths (choose which you prefer). You order at the counter, get a number, get your own utensils and such, and they bring the food to your table. I went with some friends who got the lunch special (very good), but I couldn't resist the Spring Lamb Shank. Oh, that was so good. The lamb shank had incredible flavor, good seasoning, and tons of jus. The carrots and onions on that platter were perfectly cooked - just enough, but still with a crunch (onions) and a bite (carrots). It comes with a platter with rice (I got both kinds), hummus (could have used a bit more of that), sauce, onions, pickled turnips (perfect for balancing the richness), and bread (lavash?) that is great for making a wrap. They have very good to-go containers (it's a lot). This is a flavor-bomb and great food.

I ordered the Beef & Lamb Koubideh with dill rice. Good flavor, not dry, not juicy either. Dill…read morerice was properly cooked but wasn't particularly flavorful. Great portions. Friend's chicken kebab was a little dry. Bread and veggies were fresh and tasty. Service was good and friendly. Plenty of seating inside.

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!

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

Falafel and Grill has become a neighborhood favorite for my little family. The falafel is soft and…read morefluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside. Large selection of vegetarian and gluten free options on the menu. Prices are good and the food comes out quickly every time. Though it's a casual place, it's clean and pleasant inside, with a decent amount of seating. The falafel platter is where I'd start, but return to get a gyro sandwich.

Our friends took us here as a house welcoming dinner for buying our first home and what a treat!…read more We got the sampler dip and the spicy eggplant was my personal favorite. I can't stop thinking about the potatoes. The mushrooms were incredible. The waiter told us to order more, which i was grateful for because my friends were like THIS IS PLENTY. But no. Gimme the Hawaiian crudo for the rest of my life. The rooftop was dope but it was hot as hell and not all the fans were blowing? Felt bad for staff. There was a longer wait in between the courses, but they brought champagne for the inconvenience. We will be back!

Good food. Good service. Hidden Fees…read more I came to SIFR for a business dinner and it's definitely a place I would return to. We ordered a variety of dips to start (they were all absolutely amazing but the braised rib eye humus was delicious! My main was the lamb kebab with a side of rice, both were very good. If I were to come back I'd probably either do the prix fixe menu or order family style to get more variety of entrees. The service was friendly, accommodating and reasonably quick. One star was lost for me with the hidden fees. They charged a 4% service charge automatically. Our boss from UK almost mistook this for auto-gratuity and then we had to explain the technical accounting involved in Chicago tipping- awkward. Restaurants really need to end these hidden fees, just raise your prices. Overall I would definitely come back and recommend it as a solid option

Can never go wrong with either option whether if it's chicken or lamb. Food at sultans is always…read moretasty and affordable. Service is fast, and the interior is always clean with good music playing.

Ordered this for delivery through DoorDash, and I cannot recommend it enough! The food was…read moreinexpensive, the delivery was quick, and the portions were HUGE. We ordered two meals and a side of pita and that was enough for two meals for two people ( could have been more as both meals were very filling). I would highly recommend the lamb shawarma dinner. I will definitely return to their physical location in the future.