I've come to Cairo Kebab, an Egyptian restaurant, a few times for lunch and dinner. Below are some thoughts. Mezza [Combo platter including Baba Ghanoush, Hummus, Ta'ameya(falafel), Tabboula(salad): Our favorite was the Banana Ghanoush, as it was one of the most flavorful baba ghanoush I have had and contained a very good char. The hummus was a little more on the sour side, and the texture of the salad was refreshing. The bread was also made fresh and was refillable as well, which we appreciated. My friend liked the falafel, but I think it was a little too dry, and I wish they could increase the intensity of the spices to make it pop out more. The chili sauce helped a lot though. Cairo Platter (Kofta, Chicken, Beef): The Kofta is my favorite-seasoned, soft and tender. Out of the two times I got this, the chicken and the beef were not as moist/juicy-they were okay. Overall I wish they gave us more Kofta though, since there wasn't much of it, and the platter was on the pricier side. Shawarma Plate: The shawarma was tasty and the portions were good. I personally liked adding the chili sauce on top. Macorrona Bechamel: Our favorite dish. It tasted like Mac and cheese but the flavors are even more nuanced and complex. Very delicious and honestly we wished we ordered one per person . Overall I really like the restaurant, and I think some of the dishes were really well made, you just need to find them :). I hope the quality is more consistent as we will visit again. read more

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Updated review: still 5 stars! Fave dish is now the Spicy fried eggplant! The koshary was still delish and this time got a mix of chicken and the beef/lamb (didnt know i could do that before). I personally prefer the chicken bc it's less gamey. I also asked if they could do anything for my bday and they were so kind with bringing out dessert with a candle! The roz bel laban (rice pudding) was nice n light, creamy. Baklava was crunchy, sweet, and rich. I'll continue to bring people here. It's always clean and staff are super kind and accommodating. read more

We always enjoy our food and experience here. Service is laid back but very friendly. The food is well portioned and delicious! read more

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Koshari (7/10): this is my first Koshari, so take my rating with a grain of salt. It was pretty good! The ingredient list definitely sounds like it could be too salty, but they controlled the salt levels pretty well. It wasn't too greasy, either. The beef and lamb shawarma was tender. HUGE portion sizes, by the way. I split this with my wife and we were both full at the end. Rice pudding (8/10): very solid rice pudding! Sweetness level was great. Consistent throughout. Amazing value. Service was great. read more

Cairo Kebab - Koshari - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Tasty food with good portions. Good service. Bright well-lit space. If you are in the area of UIC it is a really convenient location.

Got delivery and had a great experience. Hummus - 4/5. Well made, rich and luxious. Koshary - 4.5/5. Lovely new dish for me. Sweet crunch from the onions, variety of pastas add texture, tangy tomato sauce. Shorbet Adas lentil soup - 3.5/5. Solid, more kick than I prefer. I had it a few days later and it was absurdly salty so maybe it has to be fresh? Taamiya Wrap with falafel - 3.5/5. Good, solid according to my wife. She'd be happy to get again. Came with fries, which worked well for my toddler. Baklava - 5/5. Best one I've had. Super sweet yet balanced due to thick phillo layer. read more

I tried the koshari here and added the beef/lamb sxhwarma. It didn't really feel like it was worth the price without the meat add on. They did give a lot of meat for $6 so that was great. Reading the description of the koshari I was hesitant but then I saw it was Egypt's national dish so I gave it a try. It's definitely different. It's basically a mix of pasta with red sauce and rice with lentils. It does taste what you think that would taste like and I'm not sure I would try it again. But the schwarma was great and it was a lot of food for $22. I would definitely come here again to try something different. read more

I ordered food from Cairo kebab twice this past week. I loved the food so much the first time, that I ordered again. I had their lamb and beer shawarma over rice, lamb over hummus and pita bread. Everything was delicious. The hummus and the sauces were fantastic. Really enjoyed the food from here. read more

The best Kushari in town. Tasty and flavorful plus service was fast and the waitress was excellent. Kushiro is An authentic mix of noodles sautéed in a special red sauce over rice with lentils and topped with crispy fried onion . Served with extra green citrus sause mix and hot sauce. Delicious. You'll feel in Cairo w/ the music and ambience. read more

Cairo Kebab - Egyptian wall poster - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Cairo Kebab is a must visit!! I am already dreaming (and drooling) about my next trip here. We got the mezza, koshary with beef and lamb, and the spicy eggplant. Everything was exquisite and the server was extremely friendly! She brought out a garlicky vinegar to pair with the koshary that was *chef's kiss* and really elevated it. She even gave us little to-go containers of the vinegar to go with our leftovers, which was extremely kind and appreciated! Portions here are extremely generous. Honestly for two people, we could've just shared the one koshary if we wanted to eat everything, and the mezza is an insane deal for what you get. I didn't realize the spicy eggplant was a cold dish and might not order that again (or at least not until summer), but everything was very good, especially the koshary and the baba ghanoush in the mezza. Food came out quickly and the ambiance is cozy and welcoming. It's also in the cute UIC area so you can wander around to a cafe or get boba or mochi donuts of soft serve after! Definitely will be back! read more

Cairo Kebab - Koshary! - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Authentic, quality and care in presentation, and explanation of the dishes as well. Baba ghanoush was great as well. Service was friendly By far the best value for authentic Egyptian food. Incredibly priced and great to take the family. Baby friendly and middle eastern style seating in the corners. Great for big groups read more

Cairo Kebab - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Good food, fast and good service. Four of us had various shawarmas and all were very good. Fries were basic but perfect for dipping in garlic sauce (which was great!). We went through a lot of garlic sauce. Price was good. Location is close to a bus stop. Overall a great meal. read more

This was the best Egyptian food I have ever ate!!! The babaganoush, hummus, lamb and beef kabob was amazing!! Even the tabbouleh salad was fire!! I would definitely come back when I visit Chicago!! read more

Wow- this koshary dish is so good. Very heavy I will say but if you have a cheat meal, this is a good one. It's rice, lentils, macaroni, fried onions and you can add meat to it. Got the lamb/beef that comes together. The two sauces on the side are a must. I almost wish there was something like a veggie on the side just to cut through the richness of it. The portion is HUGE and will last me 2 meals. The staff was so friendly- you can tell they take great pride in the food. They even brought over an umbrella because I was using a comp to help the glare/heat. I will def be back. I can see myself craving this. read more

Cairo Kebab - Koshary with lamb and beef - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great food and great service. Very chill place to bring the family. The Tamayaa wrap is amazing. read more

Cairo Kebab - Ta'amiya Wrap is amazing!!! - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Pleasant surprise:-) We're in the city for ... whatever... and I look to Yelp for Help ;-) Cairo Kebab pops up and we go .... Yum! My wife and I tried two of the "Chef Specials" (Koshary and Molakheya). Both were delicious! My son had a chicken shawarma wrap, which he enjoyed. It was a dead time of day, but the service was polite and we left happy. Go to Cairo Kabab! read more

Woah, an Egyptian restaurant has opened on Maxwell and close to where I used to live and work in Chicago! After my one visit, I can say it definitely deserves all the stars it can get. Finally, I have a chance to try Koshary, Egypt's national dish. If you look at the reviews and photos, you'll see that it's a mix of rice, lentils, and pasta, topped with a tomato sauce and fried onions. All of it is naturally vegan friendly which made this an easy order for me. I really enjoyed my first experience trying their koshary. The plate looked massive but somehow I was able to finish it on my own. It's definitely a sharable plate so I would recommend that if you are with others and can do family style. Egypt's national dish is a plus in my books. I tried some of my friend's fries from their pitas and they were some of the best fries I've had in a very long time. Service here was super friendly and attentive. They explained the different dishes to us, made suggestions, and even apologized when our food took "longer to come out," which it really hadn't been that long either! Thanks Cairo Kebab for the great meal and I hope that you all continue to stay in business. read more

Cairo Kebab - Koshary - all vegan - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Visiting Chicago for the weekend and this was my favorite meal of the trip. Firstly I am not very familiar with middle eastern food so I did not know what to expect, I was very impressed with everything. Service was fantastic, server helped use decide what to get and was very attentive throughout the dinner. We were also greeted by the chief which was lovely. The dishes were quite shareable, we split 2 appetizers, 2 main dishes, and 2 desserts among 3 friends and had plenty left over. The highlight dishes for me were the Mezza (includes small plates of hummus, baba ghahoush, and taamiya with warm pita bread) and the koshary (lentil rice with macaroni topped with crispy onions). I highly recommend these. Wish to come back and have more. read more

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Delicious food from kabobs to hummus to soups. Our group enjoyed several meals here. The salads were fresh; the kebabs and hummus ( and pita) were spectacular. The baklava and lemon mint drink are highly recommended. Amazing service too! Highly recommended! read more

Cairo Kebab - Baklava - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My first time trying Egyptian food and very happy I tried it!! The service was very nice. The whole staff was kind and even the chef came to check-in. The staff was very knowledgeable and explained what everything was. We tried the... Reyash - tender and succulent grilled lamb chops seasoned with traditional herbs and spices. Lemon mint juice - lightly sweet and refreshing Mezza - baba ghanoush, hummus, tabboula and taamiya with fresh pita bread Koshary - classic Egyptian dish, blend of rice, lentils, and macaroni topped with crispy onions. Served with a tangy dressing. Macaronna bechamel - classic Egyptian dish, cooked macaroni with ground beef, topped with a rice savory bechamel sauce. It's like an Egyptian lasagna. Roz bel laban - rice pudding with Egyptian spices Basbousa - Egyptian dessert made with semolina flour, almonds, coconut, sweet rosewater syrup If you are thinking about trying the food here, this is your sign to go for it. The food is very thoughtfully cooked that you will leave satisfied. read more

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Food was great the people were great you have to try the Baba ghanoush. Never had it before but omg was super tasty. God bless there business. It's worth a try read more

A real fine. Great food and service. A very nice setting offering truly tasty and enjoyable food. We enjoyed great lentil soup, very nice salads, wonderful humus and falafel and very attractive and tasty sandwiches. The food was fresh and very yummy. We are coming back read more

Neighborhood gem. This was my first time eating Egyptian food and it did not disappoint. Service was great as was the food. Not inexpensive but fairly priced for a high quality meal. We started with the baba ganoush which was absolutely excellent. We then shared a few entrees: the lamb entree was delicious and the authentic molokheya which was basically a flavorful chicken on the bone dish serviced with a green spinach like soup like sauce to put over the side of rice that accompanied the chicken was OK ( probably wouldn't order that entree again but enjoyed trying something totally new). The owner is the chef and his wife was supervising the dining room checking to make sure each table of diners were satisfied. Love the family run business, friendly and helpful service, and excellent food. Recommend ! read more

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Still amazing. Great job. I had a the hummus, chicken, and beef... all amazing. Great seasoning.

Ordered takeout and the food was delicious! The chicken shawarma sandwich was flavorful and had plenty of fillings and pickles. The mezze with hummus, baba ganoush, salad and falafel was also great. read more

Cairo Kebab - Chicken Shawerma Sandwhich - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I was surprised by this place. The foot was affordable & actually had good flavor to it. I'd have to agree with another reviewer in stating that I detect potatoes in the béchamel dish. The garlic sauce paired with the shaewerma sandwich was worth mentioning. I believe it contained yogurt & what I assume was a quite enjoyable mint note. My wife & I spent under $50 which is rare territory. read more

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Needed to alleviate my craving for falafel and saw this place pop up on Google Maps. Why haven't I tried this place before?! The menu is Egyptian which deviates from other Mediterranean cuisines by adding some local Egyptian dishes like Koshary (butchtered that spelling). They also had a sliced marinated liver appetizer, never seen it before but liver is amazing. Their whole menu was screaming at me to order it all! I ordered the Meza appetizer platter, extra falafel, and the liver. Plus a steak kebab dinner and added the lentil soup. Finished the order with baklava. Why not? Pick up was super simple, their service was great. Easy to order over the phone and no ridiculous tipping request for takeout. Their dining room looked really nice! Inside of the Maxwell Street plaza south of UIC, it had a lively ambiance with cultural touches. I'd definitely come back to dine in and try more of their food! Food overall was excellent. All the mezas were delicious, the baba ghanoush, hummus, and tabouli salad were light, refreshing, and not overpowering. I've found some places to be too strong, sour, or heavy, not the case here. The falafels were also very crisp, moist, but not wet. Also light and tasty. Liver. So good. Great flavor, not too gamey, tender, and the sauce pairs well with rice or flat bread. Soup was solid, my wife loved it. Kebabs were delish, fragrant rice and grilled vegetables was a complete meal by itself. I wish there was a little more meat, but I was satisfied with the overall quantity of food. Baklava was amazing. So crispy, flaky, light, not drenched in honey. Just enough flavor, one of the better one's I've tried lately. I'll be back. read more

Delicious food, great service! First time trying Egyptian food and it was amazing! Cute little restaurant in UIC campus read more

Cairo Kebab - Koshary - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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HIGHLY recommended. This was my first Egyptian food experience, and the food was simple and phenomenal. The ful is the perfect blend of savory and tangy, the shawarma was flavorful and tender, and the Arab coffee was wonderful. I will absolutely be back. The atmosphere is relaxed and friendly, and the staff are very welcoming. This is now on my short list. I love Arab food, and Cairo does not disappoint. I rarely give 5 stars, but this place absolutely deserves it. read more

My favorite Egyptian restaurant of all time! You have to order the Spicy Fried Eggplant & Macaronna Bechamel!

10 out of flippin 10!!! This place is absolutely amazing! Every dish we got was delicious and filling. The koshary alone could feed 2-3 people depending on your hunger level. We got three dishes: The spicy fried eggplant: oh my words! At first, I was upset we didn't get the baba ghanoush because I looooove that dish. But I was so glad our waiter told us to get this one. It was so refreshing and had a subtle spice that warms you up without being too much. You can eat it on its own or treat it like a dip. And the warm bread that came with it...absolutely incredible. I highly recommend getting at least one appetizer so you can get some of that bread. The koshary: TIP: GET IT WITH THE BEEF AND LAMB SHWARMA it's so good! I've never had a dish like it. It's savory, it's hearty, it's got some sour notes, and it just feels like it was made with love. It gives me a disassembled middle eastern lasagna. The sauces that come with it are also fire. There's a tart dressing like sauce, a spicy sauce, and I asked for extra garlic sauce (which I highly recommend doing). This dish is perfect on a cold or winter day when you just want to warm up and fill up on delicious food. Bechamel: This macaroni tastes like what I imagine a mother's love would taste like. It's so warm, and cozy, homey. It tastes like an elevated Alfredo pasta that's been baked and packed with love. This is a great dish to warm you up and melt your heart during these cold Chicago nights. My only issue with this dish is I didn't get any any of the ground beef. (Granted my friend devoured this dish so I wasn't able to eat that much). The best part of this dish, is it tastes even better as left overs. read more

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Service was slow and inattentive but the food was very fresh and very good. Affordable pricing too. We really enjoyed the baba ganoush and the Cairo platter. I would come back. read more

I'm on board - this place is legit. My husband and I visited on an early weeknight, when it wasn't too busy; by the time we left, it was. The restaurant is small but beautifully decorated and gives a calming, home vibe. All the dishes we had were really good and filling; the shawarma had a phenomenally distinct flavor, and the accompanying yogurt sauce added a cooling feeling to the sandwich that you didn't know that you wanted. That same sauce paired very well with the Marcona Bechamel dish, which was the heartiest pasta dish that I have had in a long time. It wasn't as flavorful as the sandwich, but it was still very good. The dish came with a salad that would have been great to eat with it, but it came much later after I received the pasta for unknown reasons. There were mint drinks that were great palate refreshers and compliments to the meal. All in all, definitely worth a visit! read more

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Well, FINALLY! We finally have an authentic Egyptian restaurant in Illinois. I came to the grand opening and everything we ordered was just so delicious. We tried all the major Egyptian dishes and it's all just so good. Owners are some of the nicest Egyptians you'll find and all the staff are happy and helpful. Everyone is always asking me where they can eat koshary; well finally we have a place people can go to. I'm really excited for the business. By the way, plenty of seating and it's good for big groups. read more

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Food was great, finished the whole plate. Good service, everyone was polite and helpful especially the owner, great guy btw. Ambiance was nice and quaint, definitely wants to make it feel like you're in Cairo. Koshary read more

Cairo Kebab - Koshary with Beef - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Delicious !!! The service is friendly . On a cold day their soups are perfect. The wraps are large and very filling and come with fries. Dining in and delivery the quality of the food is same and that's hard to find. read more

As an Egyptian who loves to cook authentic food from back home I was impressed and missed this amazing comfort food. Koshary, Kebda , Hummus with Beef/Lamb were amazing! The ambiance and music brought me back to Egypt . What a beautiful place with beautiful food Serena was amazing as well!!! read more

Cairo Kebab - Koshary - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Food was just ok, the service very poor. Will not return. Only one person waiting on customers. Wait till the food came to give our drinks and appetizers. read more

Cairo Kebab - Shish Kebab, Yellow Rice. - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Just wanted to let my wonderful Egyptian community (and everyone in Chicago) know that Cairo Kebab on Maxwell and Halsted is absolutely INCREDIBLE! They have the most authentic Egyptian food I've ever eaten outside of Egypt or from my own family. It's not just the standard kebab and shawarma... this menu runs DEEP. Just to name a few items: Macarona Bechamel Koshary Molakheya Spicy Fried Eggplant Tabboula Taamiya Rose bel Laban Basbousa And I cannot stress enough the AUTHENTICITY and FRESHNESS of this food. Like pages right out of my childhood. AND, if you take it to go, they even separate ingredients so not to get soggy on the way back. Just wonderful pride in all their cooking. Please come by and enjoy this absolute gem of a restaurant for lunch or dinner. Even though I'm from the north suburbs, I'll be here every chance I get! read more

Koshary - very flavorful rice based dish, twist of added macaroni was surprisingly good, fried onions toppings was pretty good too. Although the fried onions didn't seem freshly fried Spicy fried eggplant - Very unique dish with beautiful flavors. A wetter roasted eggplant, goes well with pita bread. Eggplant is super soft and juicy inside, with slightly spicy toppings, wrap it in a hot fresh pita is perfect. Molakheya - chicken is very soft and tender, with seasonings well preserved in the meat. It comes with chicken vegetable soup, interesting sour flavor. Baklava - it's perfect. You can feel the layers crunchy and melt in your mouth with right amount of sweetness Staff are very friendly! read more