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

This restaurant space is beautifully done inside and you can also sit out on their balcony patio,…read morewhich is such a nice option as well. They have the decor down to the details. We got the smoky garlic hummus, whipped feta, brussel sprouts, and lemon meringue bar for dessert, and honestly everything was amazing. The harissa honey on the brussel sprouts was so good, and the lemon meringue bar with the citrus crema and graham cracker crust was the perfect sweet item to round out the meal. They bring complementary pita with your hummus and dips and the bread with za'atar itself was delicious. They recommend 2-3 share plates per person, but we ordered 3 plus dessert for two people and still had leftovers. So I'd say it definitely depends on how hungry you are! We went for lunch/brunch and were pretty much the first people there, so service was super fast. Our server was lovely and incredibly attentive with topping off water and clearing plates. Definitely would come back to try some of their larger plate options.

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)

Came for a late lunch. Split a meal: *Whipped spicy feta -…read moreVery tasty. The pita was warm with lots of za'atar. Enough to share with 2-3 people *Braised short rib sandwich - In a pita stuffed with cabbage. The beef was extremely tender. Unfortunately there was several large pieces of cabbage core vs shredded. The fries were crispy and seasoned with za'atar. The au jus provided, tasted it had a bit of red wine vinegar. That was a winner! Would order both items again. The decor is beautiful. Sat at the bar and the bartender wasn't in the best mood. Minus one star for the combination of the large pieces of cabbage core and sat at the bar for about 15 minutes - no one was there to serve us.

I got delivery from here, interesting take on middle eastern food. I go the falafel wrap, with…read morehummus, it did not come with many veggies on it, the falafel itself was quite dry and the hummus was not very flavorful. My partner got a falafel plate. He liked the meal. He also got a salad, which he reports was good. I also got some French fries with tahini and extra garlic sauce. Overall average.

Let's start with the good stuff - tasty bowls that offer a large serving size. The rice was also…read morereally good. It came with hummus (more on that later) and sauces. The not so good - the hummus to me was tasteless and you don't get to customize your bowl. I prefer spicy and there were not jalapeños offered. The red chili sauce I used entirely and it offered so- so spice. I would certainly eat here again, but I would probably be more vocal about what I want extra of for my salad!

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.

This was such a life changing experience from a flavor perspective! We were in town for the…read moreweekend and stopped by because we'd heard amazing things about what The Purple Pig does with pork and we were not disappointed! We started off with the bone marrow; it was incredibly flavorful, paired nicely with a nut jam and some greens and bread. We also got the Agnolotti pasta, and this was our favorite bite of the evening by far. The beef short rib, paired with more marrow and the butter sauce were absolutely incredible and we will be thinking about them for a long time to come. We ended with the pork tenderloin and it was a lovely ending dish. The pork was cooked to perfection and paired with sautéed oyster mushrooms and corn. Service was exceptional and quick! We will come back with a bigger group the next time we are in the city!

pros: -fast and friendly service…read more-such a yummy meal!! i ordered the harissa chicken bowl -clean tabled and restaurant cons: -none

Good quick service and options for food. Very filling meal. Spacious and great for dining in…read more Ambiance is good.

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

best middle eastern food I have ate in in the USA chicken shawarma and the hummus was great 5 starsread more

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

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.

I really liked this place. They have parking in front of the restaurant and back. I highly…read morerecommend a reservation on Friday-Sunday even if you are just one person. I called them because I wasn't sure if the online version would be too slow. We were a group of three that came in Saturday night at 7 pm. It was moderately busy. The staff were all welcoming with smiles on their faces and attentiveness. Prices were fair for the amount of food you receive. Food portions are colossal so I would recommend one appetizer and one entree if you are a couple. They give you a complimentary dish. We ordered arayes with meat, meat toshka, mixed grill with baba ghanouj, fillet of basa fried, and mint lemonade. They also offer you fresh Arabic coffee before you leave. This is about a 4.5-5. -arayes with meat 4 - this was not bad. It's like a tamer version of the meat toshka. -meat toshka 5 - I prefer this over the arayes because they add the Syrian cheese. This one was bursting with flavor the moment you took a bite out of it. The minced beef and lamb just melt in the mouth. -mixed grill 5 - this came with 3 big skewers (shish kabab, kufta kabab, and chicken tawook. It also has tomatoes and onions to help cut down the meat when digesting. There are two heaping portions of biryani and saffron rice and baba ghanouj. The baba ghanouj was creamy and flavorful. It goes well with the pita bread. The meats were cooked medium well unless you want something. I think next time I'll ask for the shish kababs to be cooked medium rare or medium for a more juicy taste. The chicken tawook and kufta were both succulent. -fillet of basa fried 5 - the two pieces of basa fillet were astronomical. It also comes with two different kinds of rice. The fish was flaky, moist, and seasoned. Make sure you add the lemon and eat it with the sauce. -mint lemonade 5 - this was very refreshing after eating a heavy meal.

I went to Avec based on a friend's recommendation. It was easy to snag a reservation for 6 people…read moreon a Friday night! Service is wonderful! They are very kind, attentive, and had great recommendations! The stand-outs here are the CARBS. The hot pita, the cheese- stuffed focaccia, just order lots of breads and appetizers and dip it in all the sauces!! The hummus here, although not pictured, is AMAZING!

We came here for an early dinner on a weekend. It's conveniently located a few blocks from Ogilvie…read moreTrain Center and we were able to catch our train ride back home after. I booked through OpenTable for two people at 5:15pm, but arrived at 5pm and we were able to be seated right away. We sat in the main dining room on the first level with communal seating however we were the only two at our large table for most of our dinner. The seats have no cushions so not comfortable to sit at for any long period of time. Staff was friendly and food came out very quickly, and waters filled. We ordered the small plate of hummus and large plate of pork shoulder. The hummus was delicious and came with with two large pita breads which were fluffy and freshly made. The pork shoulder (no bones) was very tender and a heavier dish but the sauce and vegetables in the dish were delicious. For two mildly hungry adults this was the perfect amount of food. We came here due to the Chase Sapphire Reserve tables credit. The pork shoulder was a bit pricey for the portions but it is a $$$ restaurant. But we thought the hummus was a great size for its price.

If you only know of the Kurdish people or culture through the news, it's time to remedy that-- head…read moreover to Avaspi for drinks and snacks at the generous Happy Hour or for a full dinner. The beautiful bar is set back in the glowingly dining room that has a painting of the Kurdish area in Turkey from where the owner comes from. Remixes of contemporary tunes gives a kind of clubby feeling inside, and the large sidewalk patio (on the side street) to enjoy the season is a completely different vibe. It's not just another variant on Mediterranean/Middle Eastern/ Persian cuisine, though you'll find familiar salads, spreads and cuts of meat. The presentations and flavors are different. The friendly (and easy on the eyes) staff will guide you through the menu. Very nice wine list as well as creative takes on standard cocktails (some mocktails too) complement the meal. Come in a group so you can sample many things; I assure you it'll all be good. Loved the calamari and the meze plate on this last visit. Grilled haloumi and shrimp were great previously. Easy to get to so get going!

An absolutely standout meal, each dish better than the next. The stuffed dates, however, were about…read moreas spectacular as anything I've had. A perfect place to go with a group to try as many different things as possible. And don't sleep on their happy hour, which makes the experience even better!