Delicious, flavorful food!…read more Got the family platter for 3 and it was great and a lot of food. (It was more than enough for a table of 4)

This was amazing food Maybe the best Persian and middle…read moreeastern I have ever eaten This can compete with noon o kabob Great kabobs good rice great service and cool inside 4.7/5

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.

Super yummy restaurant. Heard great things and have been wanting to try for a while. Friendly staff…read moreand nice ambiance. Came with four people and we just split a bunch of dishes on the a la carte menu. Loved the tahchin, the berries were a great touch. The kabob torsh was delicious as well. I would totally come back and get the same things or try more of the menu!

I went to Maman Zari for their restaurant week menu! For reference, my partner and I love Middle…read moreEastern food and have never tried Persian food, so we were really excited to check this restaurant out. Also, for your reference, 5/10 is average to me. Service: Upon arriving, they took our coats which I liked! The hostesses were both very amiable, making small talk before seating us. In between courses, they cleaned the table and provided us with new utensils. Also, the server would explain the dish which is always a nice refresher of what unique combinations of ingredients were used to prepare your dish. Overall: 9/10. Ambiance: I liked the decorations & especially liked the dishes the food was presented on. There is only one dining room, so it felt a bit more intimate since you can usually spot your server in the room attending other guests, waiting to serve others, or assumedly in the kitchen. The one bad thing I will say is that the bathroom door lock is tricky- it's a small button that didn't make a sound when it clicked so the whole time I was using the restroom I was paranoid that someone was going to walk in on me. Overall: 5/10. Food: Kashk-e Bademjan (roasted eggplant dip): Out of the two appetizers offered this was the more flavorful choice. The eggplant was roasted to a smoky flavor, which I loved, and was also contrasted by the cool yogurt dressing. The texture was somewhat chunky. 7/10 Zeytoon Parvardeh (olive tapenade): The olive tapenade was great; flavorful and salty. The aesthetics of the dish were also pretty, but I think this stands in the shadow of the Kashk-e Bademjan. 6/10 Salad-E Shirazi (cucumber salad): I loved the presentation of this dish. They drizzle on the dressing in front of you, which I think really highlights how fresh this dish tasted. The aesthetics alongside with the taste was very bright and refreshing. 8/10 Ash-E Anar (split pea soup): This one really floored us. The umami of the dish was amazing; very earthy and savory and cut by the sweetness of the pomegranate. If I could have a whole pot of this, I would. 10/10 Ozonboron (sturgeon): I loved the aesthetics of this dish with the browned butter saffron cream being contrasted by splashes of green. The flavor of the cream was so delicious and subtly fragrant. The potato croissant was delicious but I barely tasted the impact of the caviar on the croissant, so a little bit more caviar could've sufficed. I will say that I thought the fish was missing a little bit of salt to enhance the flavors (which was supported by my partner too). 7/10. Shishlik (lamb chops): This tasted AMAZING! Grilled to a subtle char on the outside and incredibly juicy and tender on the inside. The pistachio herb sauce reminded me a bit of chimichurri enhancing the smoky flavor of the meat. The rice was nicely flavored too but the star of the show was definitely the lamb chops. 10/10. Tiramisu Zafaran Va Pesteh: I love tiramisu, but this one unfortunately missed the mark. Felt intensely sweet due to the syrup the ladyfingers were soaked in. I would've loved to see the sweetness cut with something bitter or rich, but it was overwhelmingly sweet for my taste. I liked the presentation and the flavor was unique. 4/10. Overall: 8.7/10. I really liked the aesthetics of the dishes and the flavors presented. Service was phenomenal. I would definitely come back here.

They've made me a customer for life and I will tell everyone to go to their restaurant for as long…read moreas I talk about Chicago. This restaurant is 50+ years old and has been in the same location for that long too. The inside is a bit darker and there are very few windows but they have ambient lighting and music playing that doesn't make your really realize it. There is a lot of seating for smaller and larger groups. The service is some of the best I've had. The owner, Max, personally comes to take your order depending on the rush and he is so sweet to recommend dishes. The food itself is so flavorful and all of the proteins fall right off the bone. They were also able to accommodate a big group and were so kind to play music and serve cake for my birthday! Truly one of those spots where you will leaving feeling full in your stomach and your heart

Service was top-notch as was the food. Three of us got the dinner for two and the waiter through in…read morean extra soup so that we'd all have a complete meal. Everything was excellent, and I wondered why it was so empty!

Very tasty and authentic Persian food! I ordered the Koobideh Kabob. It came with rice, roasted…read moretomato, salad with tomato and olive, and tahdig. Everything was solid. I wish the kabob was a bit bigger and mine was a tad bit overcooked, but still delicious and happy to find another Persian spot in Chicago. Persian food the BEST food!

Grabbed carry-out the other day and honestly, the food was excellent. I ordered the pan kabob,…read morewhich was basically kabob koubideh (to those who are familiar with Persian food). The portion was small (perfect for me) and the price was reasonable. Happily made two meals out of a single entree. I wanted to order the ghormeh sabzi, but was hesitant since I didn't know how the food would be. Now that I know it's solid, I'll definitely order that next time. And the gheymeh. Hope they last and eventually get a brick and mortar. Best of luck!

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)

Ema has a great atmosphere and a lot of really good bites. I have celiac disease and appreciated…read morethat most of the menu is gluten free (they have a dedicated GF fryer and knowledgeable staff). The lamb and beef kefta was tasty but very dry. The tune and watermelon salad and hummus were awesome. We were disappointed with the level of service. We were seated 30 minutes after our reservation time and waited even longer to be greeted by a waitress. Our wine took a while to come out and we had to request our check twice.

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

Amazing ambiance. Great service. Great food. We sat inside and will definitely be back on a nice…read moreday to sit outside.

Finally had a chance to try Shemroon, which caught my eye very quickly upon moving to the northwest…read moreside. To start, let's talk parking since I had a hard time finding info about this. I parked in the Park Ridge 90 minute lot across/down the street, which I think folks often use for Panera/Oberweis/etc. I would not recommend parking in the Chase lot. There's also 3 hour city parking near the library, and apparently at 11 N Prospect according to the sign on their door. There's an entrance on Touhy and along Prospect, and there are two different rooms (one near each entrance) so if you're confused and looking for your party like I was, take a look in the other section. Service was really friendly. Our server was attentive, very helpful with all our questions, and happy to get us what we needed. When we didn't have questions, he came back with the answer. I had the green joujeh kebab and it was really good. I've had "plain" joujeh at other places before, and having the different flavor profile was a nice change. I also ordered the dill rice as a substitute for the basmati, which was a slight uncharge. The dill rice was good as usual but next time I might just get the plain since it too would be good, I don't like lima beans (as comes with the dill rice), and I could skip the upcharge. I also ordered a drink, the Windy City, and it was really good! Their cocktail list was very nice. I was here with my book club and everyone enjoyed their meal. The portions were plentiful too; no one went hungry and several people took a portion of theirs home. In addition to the meditteranean food, they have a couple burgers and some wraps too. The soups looked so good but we were here on a rather warm day, so next time I'm trying their chicken noodle soup, made with a tomato base, or their lentil since you can't go wrong with that.

highly recommend the eggplant appetizer. delicious! Service and staff was amazing and the ambiance…read moreis superb!

The foods were wonderful especially the main foods. Service was unbelevible fast .Ambiance was…read morefriendly and restaurant was clean and all foods were healty.

Breakfast edition…read more Food: yummy and generous. Very authentic according to a Turkish friend. I believe served only on weekends. Service: very friendly waiters, fast Ambience: family, big groups friendly!

Good food, eclectic environment but too small to be comfortable. A lot of patrons jammed in to a…read morerelatively small dining area. Usually long lines and some wait time.

I've been to the Purple Pig a few times I. The past. It is still amazing, I sitar the bar next to…read morethe pass...that way I can watch the Chef expedite. Tonight I had the halibut and broccoli, both incredibly prepared. Flavors were perfect and popped with subtle yet distinctive profiles. The service was excellent and caring all of the staff were engaging and efficient. If ever in Chicago you NEED to stop in for a bite