This place is seriously delicious. I found this place on yelp and went back twice in a week. I think the baba ghanoush is freaking fantastic, it was probably the best part of my meal. My fathered ordered the artichoke chicken and raved about it. Each piece of chicken was tender and juicy. We ended up getting a pretty big sampler of baba ghanoush, hummus, tabbouleh, falafel and pita bread. I could not stop eating, my self made pitas, they were amazing. The soup, which is a mix of several grains, is delicious and very satisfying. I brought my friend from the big city here, she ordered lamb shawarma, took one bite and said "Oh, this guy knows what he doing!" The baklava is pretty delicious too! Just the right portion after engorging myself! Also, you can bring your own alcohol in, which was a selling point for my family! read more

The first couple of times I went to Cedar Grill, I thought the place was probably at least 3 yelp stars (not to be confused with Guide Michelin or any other official rating scheme). The food was good, Lebanese is a little different than other middle-eastern food, the spices are a little different. The first time, the owner was very attentive, he had made a special dish that wasn't on the normal menu, and a couple of us tried it, I liked it - some sort of ear-shaped pasta in a cream sauce with a big meatball stuffed with, well, stuff. The food was fairly good, but the pita bread was a bit stale (ok, made it easy to stay away from those carbs). We also found the owner to be charming and funny. He wooed us with his sort-of suave foreign panache. I was there with a bunch of gal-pals from our belly dance class. We had hoped to be able to go there after class periodically, sort of celebrate with the proper ambiance. When the owner told us he wouldn't serve turkish coffee until the end of the meal ("we don't do it the American way here"), we laughed and thought it was quirky. For exactly 2 visits. Little did we know that our charming host during our "virgin" experience at Cedar Grill would then toss our easily won virtue aside like we were 2-bit hooers (think Marie Barone, you'll get it). During subsequent visits, the owners was clearly not focused on the restaurant side - I think he is concentrating more on the lunch crowd and catering - and could not provide us with menu items. He could have said they were temporarily sold out, but instead he said he was saving those things for a catering order. Sure made me feel like a valued customer (speaka sarcasm?) The place is closed an awful lot, on Friday and Saturday evenings when you would think it would be open, so then our little group went to Pita House (north-side of Roosevelt Road in Lombard, just west of Main Street), which has consistent hours, good food and friendly service. Now we don't even try to go to Cedar Grill. I wish the guy well, but will not be going back... I also found that the pricing was variable, as another yelper noted, what you pay and the prices listed are not always the same thing. That and the deteriorating service and erratic hours caused me to downgrade to 2 yelp-stars. I hope your experience is better... read more

Saturday afternoon order for pick up. The chicken Shawarma was so so cardboard dry....it hurt to chew...had to add water cover heat just to be edible. Horrible. Good flavor but not edible read more

I ordered the chicken shawarma plate basically just got a bunch of chicken and rice and I was charged over $2.50 for one soda. There are other local restaurants with food that tastes better and is better priced. I simply don't recommend this place. read more

Tried this for the first time yesterday and was pleasantly surprised. First time having falafel but it was great. We got take out so I can't comment on the service. We will be back...soon! read more

Yum! Tasty Mediterranean food. Loved my chicken shawarma, hummus, and tabouli salad. Will be back for sure! Discounts if you sign up for texts too ;) read more

Overpriced and overrated. 15 bucks for a tiny soup, small plate of hummus with bonus stale pita bread and dull vegi shwarma. Dull flavors in all of them. Place is dull as well read more

Maybe it was due to visiting on the weekend around dinner time but the lentil soup we purchased was inedible. It had a weird smell to it and tasted like it was being overpowered by all spice. Our falafel sandwichs came rolled like a burrito and very little ingredients for the price. It made us long for the days of Sultan's Market in Wicker Park. This place is a poor excuse for Mediterrean food. We were looking for a good spot in Downers Grove for this kind of food...guess we will keep looking. read more

Good-to-very good Middle Eastern / Mediterranean food in an area where there are not many similar options. They have remodeled in the last few years, and the restaurant is more comfortable for dining in than it once was. The tabouleh is much better than average, as is the kibbeh. Really I have never had a bad meal here. Bear in mind that this is a cafe / takeout place, so there is a ceiling on how good it can be (IE this is not Hedary's in Dallas), but for what it is, one really could not ask for more. I'd say the quality is very comparable to the Naf Naf grill chain (which I also like), but that the menu is somewhat more comprehensive. Generally if I am in the area and am looking for takeout, this place is always in the discussion, which is telling in a positive way. read more

Great food and great service. Better than naf naf grill. Good kafta and humus.

First, this is a BYOB which we like. Second, if you go to a Middle Eastern restaurant for the first time and you like meat, try the Cedar Mixed Grill, which has delicious tender marinated pieces of Chicken, Beef Kofta (beef & lamb) and steak. This all on basmati rice with green peppers and tomatoes. It also comes with pita bread and OMG garlic sauce as well as a cup of soup for dinner. My wife and I share it and the portion is enough to fill both of our appetites. Bring some wine and order the mixed grill platter and you will not be disappointed. Staff is very friendly and helpful. Busy time is between noon and 2 pm. read more

Fantastic Falafel! Great for vegetarians and veggie lovers. they steam the pita and it comes out soft and hot, falafel has a crunch and veggies were fresh. the baba ganoush and hummus is also made to order and very tasty. The platter is a great value for two people, 6 pieces of falafel and a basket of round 8 halves of pita for 8 bucks. under 10 for two? cmon! best med deal in down! Also, they have a pretty big 50 person or so capacity dining room that would be nice for big groups or parties, very well appointed bright and clean spaces. Kitchen is also kept very clean which is goes noticed. read more

I love Middle Eastern/Med food, and I feel like this place is the best I have tasted, the food is fresh and high quality. The service is very friendly and prompt as well. The only reason I do not eat there everyday is because I cant afford it LOL!! I have had almost everything on the menu and I have never been disappointed! read more

Very tasteful place to come to once in a while. I always have the cravings for Kabobs and a plate of hummus. The food is a bit pricey but it is well worth it. I see people complaining about the prices, but you know what I;ve been to places where they barely fill up your plate and charge you double. So in my experiences, I think it's reasonable. read more

I was driving by this morning and saw this Mediterranean cafe next to the Sara Lee bakery. I decided to come back for lunch. The place was fairly busy but not crowded. I ordered the Super Deluxe sandwich, which was falafel, hummus, and tabouli wrapped in lavash bread. I also ordered a piece of baklava. Both were mediocre. The lavash bread was a little dry and there wasn't enough filling for such a large amount of bread. The baklava was also dry and the serving quite small. I saw a couple of the entree dishes and they looked really good and were quite large. All the prices seemed reasonable. I might give it another try if I were around that area more often. read more

Been searching for good falafel in the Fox Valley area since moving from So Cal where there's a 'hood for everyfood. I'm still looking.I did find some rockin falafel in Oak Park @ Jeruselem Cafe. Don't get me wrong the baba ganouj was great & the spinach pies better. The feta/olive/tomato salad was incredible. In the past my falafel experience was of heaven,round,fluffy balls deep fried until just golden. These we almost burnt little crispy patties made by some who looked more hispanic than middle eastern. I have to agree that owner could pass for the "Soup Nazi" guy, but he hooked me up w/ giant bag of food for under $20.00! read more

Sucky service, but great Mediterranean fare.

A close friend introduced me to this place & the food was great & so was the service! The lentil soup was outstanding! I had the combination plate which was great however a little towards the salty side for me today (usually perfect the last times I have been there) but still delicious. Overall, it is a great place to try if you are in the area. The price is fair, the food is fresh, the place is clean, & the service is friendly! I would go back again if i were in the area! read more

Food was good, you should try the chicken sharwama sandwich.

I came here got during lunch hour from my work location. I got the steak gyro with everything possible on it. I found it delicious and made me content, but I wasn't full to potential and the price was alright. I enjoy everything about the gyro though with the steak, ranch, onion. read more

You will never EVER ever have a falafel that tastes as good as Cedar Grill's. Number 1 reason why I go there. All the while I stock up on their garlic sauce. It's just that good! You HAVE TO GO AND try them out! Seriously. read more

I work nearby this restaurant and for lunch the guys at work order the Mixed Cedar Grill which is a combination of rice and 3 different types of meat. Food is great , but , in my opinion a little pricy. We continue to order from this restaurant and would recommend this place to others. read more

So happy to have found this hidden gem! Amazing middle eastern food. Huge fan of their falafels!! Large servings but a bit pricey for a casual fast food-like service dine-in place. They have 2 vegetarian options (the sampler and a green bean & rice dish), both were delicious! I didn't get to try their rice pudding since they were sold out :/ so it must be good, haha. Would def go again. read more

The shish kabobs are excellent. The quality of meat used has to be choice. I feel bad for the owner when people go there and order a hot dog. I asked about this and he mentioned he wouldn't survive without hot dog sales. A truly sad day for food lovers. read more

A pretty good place, I have never had this type of food before so it was a new experience for me. I can't say how good the food compares to other Mediterranean food but it was good enough for me! I got the Shish Kabob combo, the chicken and beef were delish. The lamb was a bit overcooked but I'm not fond of sausage anyways. The rice was terrific, so was the lentil soup and stuffed grape leaves. A bit pricey I felt read more

Cedar Grill met all expectations. Service did its job. Food filled the belly. Clean. Descent value. As you can see by the star rating and earlier adjectives, it was good enough but nothing that reaches out and says "I'm the best". If I was back on Ogden, I would give it another visit. If I was craving some shawarma or falafel, this wouldn't be the first place I run do to quench the med diet! Probably would have to find me some Naf Naf grill if I was really Jones'ng, but I do recommend giving it a try. read more

It was great food, I ordered Chichen Kebab plate, it came with Soup, Kebabs , Rice and Pita bread.. food was great! Kebabs were awesome and will definetly do it again.. Highly recommend! Tip: If you order Schawarma or falafal, it will be served faster vs if you order kababs because they grill fresh.. it can involve a bit of waiting on busy time like Friday lunch time but thats reasonable.. & no complaints read more

4 stars for this little place on Ogden near Belmont in Downers Grove. Probably not more than a dozen tables which were all full at lunch. I ordered the chicken kabob wrap with fries. Pretty tasty. I give the fries a 7.5 on my fryometer. It's fun to hear what everyone orders and it seemed as though many ordered a falafel deluxe which I don't think is on the menu. I'll be back. read more

The food is so good! We ordered so much food and had to take most away for lunch the following day. The falafel was delicious!!! The hummus was creamy and had a lot of flavor! The combination plate with the chicken shwarma and beef kabobs were super tender! This place has pretty decent food. It's not comparable to Naf Naf grill but still a pretty cafe to grab something quick and delicious to eat if you're craving Mediterranean food! Pricing is fair since you get a pretty good portion! The only gripe I had was the soda machine had no ice. read more

This is my favorite Mediterranean food place in the area. The chicken is incredible! Their schwarma sandwhiches are on point, I also feel like the family that runs the place is super friendly. They are always eager to help. I have been coming here for several years and I've never had something I didn't like. read more

FREAKING GOOD FOOD! 1st time here, staff is friendly and helpful, food is prepared fresh and delicious.

LOVE this place for dinner. The dinner plates come with a cup of delicious lentil soup and 2 pitas. I'm a fan of kifta, so haven't tried the other menu options. I'll grab a dinner plate on the way to the office and it serves as lunch and dinner. Yum! read more

I LOVE Cedar Grill! The menu is pretty standard, but everything tastes great... the hummus is what makes this place shine! If your with a picky eater they also offer hot dogs, hamburgers and french fries, it's a win win. The wait seems like it takes a while but its only about 5-7 minutes, if your worried just call and place your order ahead. read more

There food is great the best middle eastern food in the area , LOVE IT !!

My first time there yesterday. I loved the beef shawarma wrap with lettuce and pickles. I will definitely go back and try the vegetable deluxe falafel wrap next time. read more

This is my favorite lunch spot in Downers Grove. Food is consistently delicious and I've tried most everything. I love the chicken shawarma wrap, hummus is amazing and the tabouli has a slight nutmeg taste, it's awesome. BUT you must try the Kebbie; it's a party in your mouth! read more

Yummy food, flavorful. Nice simple and easy service. Good price. No complaints at all.

Outstanding gyro's and Shawarma Plates! I go here weekly with people from work because we all get a taste for it. Never disappointing, a true gem. Love this place. read more

Great place! The beef shawerma is very tasty and fresh.

This place is amazing for fresh, tasty Lebanese/Medterranian food. I am addicted to their Super Deluxe(falafel, hummus, & tabbouleh all wrapped up in a pita.) I have also passed this addiction on to the girls at work. This is the best falafel I've had since leaving NYC, and who would expect it on Ogden Ave in Downers Grove. I haven't tried anything else other than the chicken schwarma, which was fair but no Super Deluxe. For $5 you can't get a better sandwich in my opinion. The cooks are really nice guys and once they even let me pay for my sandwich the next time I was in because I only had a credit card. When does that kind of thing ever happen anymore? Try Cedar Grill you won't be disappointed. read more