Alis Nihari &amp; BBQ

My love, my life. I…read moremiss living at LUC only because I was close to Ghareeb Nawaz. SUCH good prices per portion size. Everything is always delicious and makes amazing leftovers. Always quickly made! My personal favorites are the Palak Paneer and Chili Gobi. So delicious and great to combine! Add a naan and you are in heaven.

After eating here, I became seriously ill with what appears to be food poisoning. I was up…read morethroughout the night and had to make seven urgent trips to the bathroom, resulting in an entire night of lost sleep. It's extremely concerning to wonder whether proper food-storage temperatures are being maintained or whether basic food-handling and hand-washing practices are being followed. Whatever the cause, something clearly went wrong. I will never order from this establishment again.

Seating and flatscreen

Chili Chicken Paratha

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Bundoo Khan -Chicago

3.9(448 reviews)

0.0 mi•West Rogers Park

It has been a while since my last visit, but this meal reminded me why this spot stands out for…read moreauthentic Pakistani dining. The Food Tandoori Chicken Breast: Remarkably juicy and tender, avoiding the dryness that often plagues white meat kebabs, with great tandoor flavor. Bihari Kebab: Packed with deep spice, melt-in-your-mouth tenderness, and a fantastic smoky char from the grill. Goat Karahi: Rich, deeply seasoned, and perfectly balanced without being overly oily. Sides & Breads:The naan arrived hot, soft, and plump, perfect for scooping up the karahi masala. Even the fries were served piping hot and fresh. The food was so good I didn't even get a chance to take photos before half of the dish was devoured. Service & Ambiance What truly elevated the night was the front-of-house team. We came in during a peak, packed Saturday night rush, and the service was easily the best I've experienced in years. Despite every table being full, the servers operated with remarkable speed and precision--checking in at just the right moments, anticipating refills, and waiting on us hand and foot without a single delay. While the prices sit slightly on the higher side, the exceptional food quality, upscale atmosphere, and unmatched hospitality make it entirely worth it. Highly recommended for anyone looking for authentic Pakistani cuisine in a comfortable, polished setting.

Takes credit card. Busy in weekends. Lots of indoor seating…read more Probably the best food I had on Devon Street. Famous for Pakistani grill meat. Lamb chop $46- 4 pieces. Super super good. Well seasoned, grilled, meat soft, juicy, the fat is nicely rendered. I would get this again but it's so expensive. Probably only for special occasions Chicken kebab bihari $26- super super super good. I would come just just for this. The meat is super soft, tender, moist. I've never had kebabs this moist and tasty. High way chicken kahari with bone $22- white meat, lots of spicy, some heat..complex flavors. Good with rice or naan. Lots of ginger Garlic naan $4- average

7.0 mi•Old Town, Near North Side

Salad

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Mango Lassi

Tabaq Restaurant

3.9(186 reviews)

Late night chai at this place is the bomb.com ! This had to be an octane rating of 93 because I…read morewalked 7 miles thereafter with my friend and still couldn't go straight to bed ! Classic hole in the wall spot so you know they're gonna have amazing food. Will be trying their food this week.

Great atmosphere and hospitality. They also have a masjid so you don't miss prayers if you stop…read morethere. Food is affordable and tasty.

Food changes daily & they never close.

The rice is the bomb here

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Kababish - BBQ & Grill

4.6(103 reviews)

6.6 mi•Near North Side

This is a very very local spot. The food is made fresh for the most part and it's full of flavor…read moreand spices. It does seem a little run down and cramped, but we come here for the food! The Bihari kebab is a beef kebab marinated in spices. You can ask for naan. I got the meat patty and meat samosa to-go for later. The kebab is filling and very very juicy. The naan is one of the fluffiest naans I've ever had. Garlic naan is not an option btw. I must emphasize how local this is. You'll see the taxis and black car services lined up here because the drivers love it so much (they know what's best). It was my first time there, but the people who walk in and order food seem to be repeat customers. There is definitely more I need to try!

I've passed this place so many times and always wondered how it was. Got the goat biryani, it was a…read morebig portion and good for the price, the meat was tender and enjoyable. I ordered chai which was nice as well, lots of the other food options looked good. I would definitely come back if I was in the area and needed a quick bite.

Yea, no fooling around.....order and grab a seat....

Goat madi....that rice.....whew

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Chicken Biryani (only available on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday)

New Zaika Restaurant

3.7(26 reviews)

6.9 mi•Near North Side

There customers are very rude by constantly leaving their trash everywhere in the neighborhood…read more Their customers are always parking in the residential areas as well. Only adult men are in and around this restaurant, unsure if it is safe for women and children to go into considering their manners.

I love that this place is open super late! I was in the area and it was almost 9 o'clock and I saw…read morethat they were open so I decided to go in and see what they were about cause I knew that they probably would have Vegan friendly options which they did. I was the only customer in there was just fine. The staff seemed a little bit confused so I was confused if they were even actually open or not, but they were. it didn't take long to get my food, but I was a little disappointed that I didn't get rice and I asked about it and the lady taking my order seems confused. I do love this type of food. I never really had a Pakistani food but I've heard it's close to Indian food so I was down to try overall was really good very spicy. I can't remember exactly what I had. But it was good. It was a big portion and I was able to eat it. In about three servings. I will try it again but maybe at a different time

5.2 mi•Lincoln Park, DePaul

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Tandoor Char House

4.0(1k reviews)

Arnold and Christian took great care of us and the food was amazing! Highly recommend. Music was…read morebumpin but not too loud.

Exceptional service. We went with our toddler and baby, and they went out of their way to…read moreaccommodate us. The food itself was incredibly fresh and authentic. Calm environment, very attentive staff. Will definitely go there again for authentic Pakistani-Indian food :)

9.4 mi•University Village

Our newly renovated Indian Restaurant in Lincoln Park. We have the best Indian samosas. Give us a try!

Tandoor Tasting Menu. Try all your favorite dishes at once.

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Garlic Naan (Catered)

Ghareeb Nawaz Express

3.3(352 reviews)

Absolutely no frills - don't expect nice seating or ambience at all…read more BUT YOU NEED TO GO ANYWAY FOR THE FOOD. It's absolutely amazing! The butter chicken, chicken biryani, and chicken kabob are absolutely packed with flavor, tender, and even more - cheap! Funnily enough, out of all the meals we had in Chi-town, this was the best one.

This place is fire. Specifically, go for the Biryani or the Butter Chicken. Tastes authentic, the…read morerestaurant is decorated authentically, and the price is solid given the portion you are provided, typically enough for 2-3 meals if you get the regular biryani. Don't forget to ask for extra yogurt on the side!

Kheema paratha

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Veggie Paratha

Sabri Nihari Restaurant

3.6(1.1k reviews)

0.1 mi•West Rogers Park

Came on Sunday night. Lots of tables available…read more On Devon Street Takes credit card. Sabri nihari $18- super super good. Great sauce with the soft beef. I would get this again. Some heat. Beef seekh kabob $20- 4 pieces. Thick Kebobs of meat. The flavor was not that good. Garlic naan $4- really really good. Paratha $3- really really good. Good texture. Plain rice $5-

This place is awesome!!! Love this place and we have come…read moreall the way from West coast 3 times and we are never disappointed We loved everything we ordered. Goat biryani was awesome; Karahi gosht is awesome , palak paneer is awesome; even the naan is awesome We also ordered Pistachio Falooda and it was soooo good. Goat biryani was also awesome; go try this place you will love it

Amazing garlic nan!

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Ghareeb Nawaz

4.0(113 reviews)

5.6 mi•Lincoln Park

My husband and I are regulars are this place and were bummed that it temporarily closed for…read morerenovations... but now that it has reopened, we are stoked. It's still the same delicious biryanis and curries we love, but with a cozier and cleaner atmosphere now. Our go to order is a lamb biryani and mango lassi.

Located on Lincoln Avenue, this tiny restaurant offers Pakistani and Indian fare. I asked for mild…read morespice level chicken biriyani which is essentially chicken with rice. Due to the cultures' high spice level, I still get get a very spicy chicken dish. This time I was impressed by the mild tasting dish. I was not impressed by the grilled beef kabobs with onions. I could not taste the beef. Due to the other dining guests, I guess it's authentic food. The dining room was hot due to the close kichen. There's a few tables and did see a few take out orders.

8.2 mi•West Loop, Near West Side

Chicken Biryani with Bone $8 (added fresh cilantro)

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Mango Lassi

ROOP Chicago Innovative Indian Restaurant & Cocktail Bar

4.2(819 reviews)

•$$$

An excelllent dinner on our trip to the city! Was looking…read moreforward to it and it lived up to the expectations. The Spice Queen cocktail was one of the best whiskey cocktails ive had. Dont get scared by the name - the flavours are perfectly balanced and work with each other. The Signature Grill - the best thing to get when you want to try many things. The lamb seekh was moist and flavourful, the malai tikka was tender and yummy and the Shrimp kolivada was just excellent. Lamb Kheema with pav - unexpected looking with a white yoghurty looking topping. But it was yummy and went really well with the soft pav. Butter chicken - I try atay away from butter chicken and chicken tikka masala in most places but reciews seem to rave about it so gave it a shot. Took me back to bombay at my facorite mughlai restaurant that made the bombest butter chicken. Also the garlic naan was also really good. Chicken biryani - Flavourful with tender chicken. Packed with chicken.

I was in town for work and enjoyed the most incredible solo dinner at ROOP!…read more I was really torn on what to order and my waiter was so helpful with recommendations. I got the sweet potato chaat to start which was really flavorful. I got the jackfruit cutlet as well which was delicious, and tried the Saag paneer kofta -SO yummy! They also gave me some mango sorbet for free which was really kind. Beautiful ambiance inside and the service was awesome. Highly recommend to anyone looking for an incredible meal!

Interior (upstairs)

Lamb Keema Hyderabadi ($28) - Potato Mousse, Green Peas, Buttered Brioche Pao. Delicious!

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Sweet Potato Chaat

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6 reviews that are not currently recommended

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Hassan G.

Elite 26

550

390

2057

2 months ago

While visiting Chicago, I knew I had to make a stop on the famous Devon Avenue, one of the best places in the city for authentic Pakistani and Indian food. Instead of revisiting an old favorite, I decided to try Ali's Nihari & BBQ, a restaurant that had been recommended to us--and it definitely lived up to the recommendation. We ordered the Nihari, Seekh Fry, Chicken Pakoray, and plenty of fresh naan. The Nihari was the highlight of the meal, featuring a rich, deeply spiced gravy with incredibly tender beef that had been slow-cooked to perfection. The Seekh Fry was packed with smoky flavor and finished with fresh onions, cilantro, and green chilies, giving it an extra kick. The Chicken Pakoray were crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and paired perfectly with the house dipping sauces. Fresh, hot naan straight from the tandoor tied everything together and was perfect for soaking up every bit of the flavorful curries. If you're looking for authentic Pakistani comfort food on Devon Avenue, Ali's Nihari & BBQ is definitely worth adding to your list. The portions were generous, the flavors were rich and authentic, and everything tasted freshly prepared. Whether you're craving a hearty bowl of nihari or classic BBQ favorites, this spot delivers a satisfying meal that showcases some of the best flavors Pakistani cuisine has to offer. Highly recommended! read more

Basma S.

1

24

1

3 months ago

Had a wonderful experience at this kabob place! The Sindhi Kabob and Bihari Kabob were absolutely delicious -- full of authentic flavor and perfectly cooked. Every bite was yummy! Special thanks to Kashif for his excellent customer service. He was friendly, attentive, and made us feel very welcome. Highly recommend this place for great food and hospitality! read more

ZD H.

0

1

0

8 months ago

Ali nihari has the most authentic Nihari and desi food I have had in America. Will be back soon

Asim R.

0

7

0

2 years ago

Good food, amazing service, and clean restaurant! We always have an amazing experience.

Kamal K.

0

1

0

3 years ago

Bad mannered management. They kicked everyone out so rudely and were offensive.

Dilshad P.

0

1

0

3 years ago

food and service both great . Love the great taste of Nihari

Alis Nihari & BBQ - indpak - Updated September 2026

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Bundoo Khan -Chicago

3.9

(448 reviews)

It has been a while since my last visit, but this meal reminded me why this spot stands out for…read moreauthentic Pakistani dining. The Food Tandoori Chicken Breast: Remarkably juicy and tender, avoiding the dryness that often plagues white meat kebabs, with great tandoor flavor. Bihari Kebab: Packed with deep spice, melt-in-your-mouth tenderness, and a fantastic smoky char from the grill. Goat Karahi: Rich, deeply seasoned, and perfectly balanced without being overly oily. Sides & Breads:The naan arrived hot, soft, and plump, perfect for scooping up the karahi masala. Even the fries were served piping hot and fresh. The food was so good I didn't even get a chance to take photos before half of the dish was devoured. Service & Ambiance What truly elevated the night was the front-of-house team. We came in during a peak, packed Saturday night rush, and the service was easily the best I've experienced in years. Despite every table being full, the servers operated with remarkable speed and precision--checking in at just the right moments, anticipating refills, and waiting on us hand and foot without a single delay. While the prices sit slightly on the higher side, the exceptional food quality, upscale atmosphere, and unmatched hospitality make it entirely worth it. Highly recommended for anyone looking for authentic Pakistani cuisine in a comfortable, polished setting.

Takes credit card. Busy in weekends. Lots of indoor seating…read more Probably the best food I had on Devon Street. Famous for Pakistani grill meat. Lamb chop $46- 4 pieces. Super super good. Well seasoned, grilled, meat soft, juicy, the fat is nicely rendered. I would get this again but it's so expensive. Probably only for special occasions Chicken kebab bihari $26- super super super good. I would come just just for this. The meat is super soft, tender, moist. I've never had kebabs this moist and tasty. High way chicken kahari with bone $22- white meat, lots of spicy, some heat..complex flavors. Good with rice or naan. Lots of ginger Garlic naan $4- average

Sabri Nihari Restaurant

3.6

(1.1k reviews)

Came on Sunday night. Lots of tables available…read more On Devon Street Takes credit card. Sabri nihari $18- super super good. Great sauce with the soft beef. I would get this again. Some heat. Beef seekh kabob $20- 4 pieces. Thick Kebobs of meat. The flavor was not that good. Garlic naan $4- really really good. Paratha $3- really really good. Good texture. Plain rice $5-

This place is awesome!!! Love this place and we have come…read moreall the way from West coast 3 times and we are never disappointed We loved everything we ordered. Goat biryani was awesome; Karahi gosht is awesome , palak paneer is awesome; even the naan is awesome We also ordered Pistachio Falooda and it was soooo good. Goat biryani was also awesome; go try this place you will love it

Kabab King Grill

4.5

(65 reviews)

Found this place after we attempted to go to a Thali restaurant that was undergoing repairs. We had…read morelow expectations but were very pleasantly surprised. Place was clean and we were quickly greeted at the door and seated. Menu is not huge but there were enough choices for us. Picked garlic naan, butter chicken and beef kabobs. Naan was delicious and order contained 4 large pieces. Butter chicken was outstanding and a little spicy but very tasty. Kabobs were 2 gigantic logs of spicy beef which were covered with raw onion slices. Butter chicken didn't come with rice but we ordered white rice which also was a very large portion. Service was good. Took home enough food for 2 days!

Food was amazing, Ambience was great, clean. Service top notch with a great smile and super friendlyread more

Khan BBQ

3.5

(292 reviews)

Stopped by for lunch. It's been a tradition now to stop and have some bbq at Khan BBQ whenever in…read moreChicago. We were there right when they opened so no crowd. We were seated right away in the inside hall. The place was clean and the staff were very attentive. We tried something different this time. Ordered the beef chapli kabob and the frontier chicken roll. With a couple of naans. The food came out relatively quick. It was very hot and fresh. They had a couple of condiments on the table. Tamarind chutney and mint chutney. The kabob was very well spiced and cooked perfectly. It was more on the hot side from a spice level but tasty. A little drier than I would have liked but very enjoyable with the tamarind sauce. The frontier chicken roll was very good. The paratha for the roll was soft, the chicken was spiced perfectly with small pieces that were not dry at all. The flavors the freshness and the taste was spot on. Would definitely do that again. Overall it was a good dining experience as usual. Will be coming back here and keeping the tradition alive.

Frontier chicken roll was pretty solid and the chicken was fresh. I wish there were more veggies in…read morethe wrap and a tad bit less oil. I also thought it was missing a sauce element. The staff were all very friendly and the chai was amazing

Hyderabad House

3.4

(166 reviews)

Fantastic place that will fill you with deeply authentic Indian food at super generous prices…read more Owner is an incredibly nice man and should be proud of what he does.

Hyderabad house used to be one of the best Hyderabadi restaurants on Devon Street, which is why I…read morewas really looking forward to our visit. Unfortunately, this time the experience was very disappointing. We ordered the Chicken Biryani and Goat Biryani, and the overall food quality was far below our expectations. The biggest issue was the biryani rice--it did not taste fresh at all. For a restaurant known for Hyderabadi biryani, that was particularly disappointing. It's sad to see a place we once considered one of the best on Devon Street fall short of the quality we remember.

Bar BQ Tonight

3.6

(8 reviews)

I wanted meat, spice, and heat. At Bar B. Q. Tonight, ask and ye shall receive. There are a couple…read moresmall caveats, but a good experience nonetheless. I ordered the Garlic Naan, Mutton Peshawari Karahi, and an order of white rice. I also ordered the Sweet Lassi to drink. The naan was okay, but forgettable. Not something I necessarily disliked, but I've had hotter, fresher, and more garlicky. The white rice was cooked and salted perfectly, plus the little bit of cilantro helped add some herbaceous notes. My note here is, despite the little bit of steam, it was warm rather than hot. Not a big deal as I ordered rice to absorb extra sauce from the Karahi, but still an oversight. Also, even with prices being what they are, $5 for a plate of rice is way high. As for the Karahi, this was fantastic! While I'm not typically a fan of bones, the meat was tender as can be and fell right off the bone. The overall dish had a tremendous amount of flavor from the spices, just enough freshness from the herbs, and a perfect (for me) level of heat. Tabasco is salty vinegar to my taste, so YMMV. While the dish was very oily, I understand a Karahi requires a high amount of fat/ghee to carry the flavors, so no complaint there. Then, we arrive at the Lassi. It had the perfect amount of sweetness and tang, a whisper of sour, and a consistency that screams homemade. Regarding their service, while the Karahi came out in a reasonable timeframe for something hot and fresh, other things, like naan or rice took longer than I would expect. The service also could have been more attentive throughout the experience, notably when I was finished and looking to pay. In terms of prices, while some things are understandable, Bar B Q Tonight runs on the high end. $23 for the Karahi makes sense, $5 for white rice does not. Final verdict: the sign out front called to me every time I passed by. I am thrilled there is not only meat, but terrific deliciousness. I am, however, less thrilled with the overall prices and inattentive service. Actually 3.5 stars, rounding to 4.

Came here for my birthday dinner (and early dinner) with loads of expectations - after all, the…read morename and its reputation precede itself. Was not diaapppinted at all. The food was phenomenal, with the BBQ items being the highlight of the menu. The chicken corn soup was okay, but I was just grateful that a desi place even had decent soup on their menu. Their roti was great as well. We ordered chicken resume kabab, and the seekh kabab. The naan were hot, fresh and delicious. Overall a great experience. The service was exceptional, and the ambiance is great as well, with lots of remnants from when this was Al Badia. Overall, the food was missing the "char" that BBQ tonite is famous for, but that doesn't mean the food isn't worth it. Definitely a great spot!!!!

Himalayan Sherpa Kitchen

4.4

(114 reviews)

I finally made it to Himalayan Sherpa Kitchen and cant recommend enough this place. We ordered Momo…read morewith chicken. The sauce is just wonderful and Momo tastes very fresh and juicy. We went on to order a variety of curies with family style/sampler like with chicken. All tasted great and fresh. It was very flavorful and chicken in one of the curries was so tender and flavored inside out. We ordered garlic and regular nuns. They were crispy outside and chewy inside. Also wonderful. The chai we ordered was rich in its flavor. The server was very nice and she had a wonderful smile. We can request how spicy dishes should be and we requested mild and that was perfect. I will go back for sure and can't say enough good things about our experience at the same time, I kind of want to keep it hidden.

Happen to stumble upon this wonderful gem. Food is delicious, excellent and friendly service…read more Will be back again next time I am in Chicago. I highly recommend.

Sukhadia Sweets and Snacks

3.0

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It's Lenten season, and throughout March I've been making an effort to explore more vegetarian…read moreoptions. This time, I visited Sukhadia Sweets and Snacks at 2559 W. Devon St., an area known for its incredible variety of Indian restaurants. A friend of mine wanted to ease me into Indian cuisine and suggested this spot as a great starting point. Since I'm in the final weeks of my fast, I needed to stick to some pretty specific dietary guidelines, and this place made that easy. I ordered the idli with sambar and a side of green chutney, while my friend had the rava dosa. I was able to try some of hers as well, and it was really tasty. The chutney was especially delicious and came with onions. I tend to prefer cooked onions over raw, but even so, the flavors were enjoyable and well-balanced. The restaurant operates in a counter-service style, and the cashiers were very helpful in answering questions about the menu. The space itself has a casual, café-style feel, more like a quick lunch spot than a full-service restaurant, but still comfortable enough to sit, eat, and have a good conversation. If you're looking for a quick, flavorful vegetarian meal in the area, Sukhadia Sweets and Snacks is a solid choice. Since this was my first time trying Indian cuisine in this setting, it's a bit hard to fully compare, but based on this experience, I'd definitely come back and explore more of the menu. 4 out of 5 stars.

Buttery chai and homemade sweets. This is a great place to start a Devon adventure. Friendly serviceread more

Ghareeb Nawaz Express

3.3

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