Galit was truly extraordinary. My partner took me here for our anniversary, and it was such a memorable experience. The server was incredibly kind and genuinely excited to share recommendations -- all of which were spot on. The atmosphere was warm, intimate, and perfect for date night. We had the four-course "choose your own" meal, and everything was delicious. I highly recommend the lamb kebab and kubbeh halab -- you won't be disappointed. For dessert, we had the crispy phyllo pie, which was light, flavorful, and beautifully made. Thank you, Galit, for such a wonderful evening! read more

Enjoyed the restaurant week menu. The carrots and the baklava to me were the highlight. Pictured is the hummus and pita which were also incredible. Service was good and ambiance was nice but would've preferred our own table vs community style seating. At least have individual tables that pull out so people can squeeze by. It felt like they just took a regular high table of 8 and made a makeshift restaurant week table for 4 couples. No where to put jackets or bags either. Not exactly the dining experience I was expecting for pre-paying for restaurant week but would definitely come back and try again, hopefully at our own table and not during restaurant week. read more

Galit - Hummus - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Four stars in that I would not recommend / be eager to go back unless someone was very keen to try it but the restaurant seemed of good quality. The food was mostly good but nothing particularly stood out from a flavor profile. The Foie Gras is the dish that probably lost us. I enjoy foie gras in small portions but Galit serves a massive portion on toast for two people (although very well plated). It was too much. My favorite dish was the pastrami which seems odd coming from a Mediterranean restaurant. The ambience was cool. I recommend the counter seating if dining with two people. The counter faces into the kitchen so you can watch the kitchen work while you dine. Very cool concept for foodies! The service was mediocre. Our waiter was very nice and pleasant. The food runner didn't seem particularly friendly / almost annoyed we were there but maybe she was having a bad day. Also, the restaurant had many open seats but they sat us in a back corner next to a service door which seemed like a bad spot but we did make reservations the same day. In summary, for the price point, there are better &more interesting options in the area. Certainly there are other Mediterranean restaurants I'd recommend over Galit but everything seemed high quality and it was fun to try something new. (For an alternative perspective, my date gave it three stars but fortunately I control the Yelp)! read more

Galit - Hummus and accoutrements. - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Came here with my family and it was sooo good! The Limonana was really refreshing. The Saz Arak was also good - had a great sweetness to it. The brisket in the Bubbe's Brisket was perfect and I really appreciated the thick pita. I also enjoyed all of the different picklings/Salatim - the Labneh and Ezme were my favorite. For the Mezze we got the Falafel, Foie Gras, the Iraqi Kubbeh Halab, and the Kibbeh Nayeh. The only one that felt like a miss for us was the Foie Gras - unexpectedly sweet and very creamy. Interesting flavor regardless. Table favorite was for sure the Iraqi Kubbeh Halab - fried perfectly and the lamb was seasoned well. Shining course of the meal though was the third - ordered the Lion's Mane Souvlaki, the Lamb Gorme Sabzi, the Lobster and the Walleye. The lobster was so so good - easily my favorite dish of the evening. The fish skin on the Walleye was crispy - the latkes and the sauce, it all paired really nicely. For dessert we got the Chocolate Cake and the Fijuela - both were amazing. Great ways to end a fantastic meal. Every course really did feel like a treat, the pacing was also well. I felt very full but not rushed to finish everything - really savored it all. Highly recommend! read more

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Galit did not miss on any expectation. It blew me away! With their take on middle-eastern cuisine, my mouth was bursting with flavor explosions. The tasting menu is not any ordinary dinner, it is an EXPERIENCE. From our server being impeccable (perfectly coursed meal, tended to all of our requests, and overall made us comfortable), to the music bringing liveliness to the meal, to each flavor having a unique twist - I was very satisfied. I would suggest getting the tasting menu with 2-4 people. This way you can try numerous things. I left comfortably full when I went with 3 people. The highlights of the meal were below (things I would definitely get again): 1) Iraqi Kubbeh Halab (my favorite dish) 2) Lobster (my favorite savory bite, make sure you eat the squash WITH the lobster for the flavor explosion) 3) Falafel 4) Lamb Basteeya 5) Fijuela (my favorite sweet bite) 6) ALL OF THE PITA AND MEZZE! This place has a Michelin star for a reason! Be sure to check it out. read more

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Came here for my birthday and absolutely loved it! Amazing service and food! The ambience also feels very intimate which makes perfect for a date night! Chicago has a variety of Michelin restaurants to explore but loved all the vegetarian options that galit offers. If you are big into wine, I definitely recommend doing the wine pairing! A few of the wines they have for the tasting are only ones you can have at Galit and were some of my favorites! My husband tried the kessel run and saz arak cocktail and loved both as well! We loved the Masabacha hummus. It was creamy and was perfect with the pita. The falafel was phenomenal. Perfectly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside with delicious flavor! The carrots had so much flavor to it we were pleasantly surprised by how much we liked them! I'm usually not a big fan of grape leaves but surprisingly really enjoyed these. The butternut squash and saffron labneh was so flavorful! The mushroom schnitzel was also really good and very filling with the black eyed peas and kale. It has a slight sourness to it but goes very well with the meaty texture of the mushroom. The chocolate cake was SO GOOD and one of the best desserts I've had! Honestly can't believe I forgot to take a picture of it! Coffee, hazelnuts, and cardamom all in one... YUM! Wish this was an item do not share! :) Would definitely come back! read more

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With two young kids at home, my wife and I do our best to maximize any date night away from the house. We were looking forward to Galit. And Galit left us disappointed. To begin, the restaurant and its staff seem to believe they are TSA agents, not in the hospitality industry. We called before our 5:00pm reservation to let them know that we may be running about 15 minutes late. We were told that they have a 15-minute grace period, so if we showed up by 5:15pm, we would be seated at our table, otherwise we would have to sit at a high top outside the dining room. Relying on that statement, we rushed to the restaurant. Against all odds (two difficult children, traffic, inclement weather), we made it in the restaurant at **exactly** 5:15 p.m.--not 5:17, not 5:16, but 5:15--the precise time we were given over the phone. Yet, the staff still refused to seat us at the table we reserved. Why? That's unclear. But it's not because they had given our table away. No, that was still very much available. Instead, we were told that it's just their "policy." When I pointed out that we arrived at the time given over the phone, we were told, "Well, you see that's right 'UP AT' the time we told you, and we need to make sure that the people coming after you can be seated." We tried to reason with the staff, but it proved futile. Look: I get having a policy, and I would have understood if we had showed up even a minute or two past the 5:15 cutoff. But we didn't. And, either way, when you dine in a restaurant, you expect to feel warm and welcomed, not to quibble over quite literally seconds with staff; we are getting seated to eat a meal, not launching a rocket into space. What's more, the table we were seated at was hardly an adequate substitute and soured the experience. It was long, a communal high top situated in between the bathrooms, a stack of high chairs, the side of the bar, and a drafty rear exit door (on a day with single digit temps). Charm? Ambiance? It did not have such things. But it did have a clear view of the table we reserved, which remained empty and unused for the entirety of our meal. We nearly left. We should have left. And on a less frigid and snowy day we probably would have left. But this place has a Michelin star, we reasoned. Where else could we go now, we asked. The food will make up for it, we thought. Except it didn't. That's not to suggest the food was especially "bad." But it's also not cracking any top-5 lists, even one specifically limited to Middle Eastern fare. The hummus was smooth but bland. Neither of us enjoyed the falafel. The entrees disappointed. To be fair, some things were nice. Like the wine selections, one of the desserts, and the olive oil (yes, the olive oil). But such things elevate a good meal to a great one. They don't do much to boost a mediocre one--which is all that this was. read more

Treated myself to a solo date and it was my first Michelin restaurant experience! Highly recommend! The ambience is sophisticated and clean. Staff was so kind and attentive. They offer kitchen counter seating so you have the view of all the action in the kitchen. Counter seating is great for solo dates. To drink, I got the pomegranate soda (spirit free) which was tasty and refreshing. For $94, you get a 4 course meal that will leave you fully satisfied. And they give you a complimentary sesame chocolate chip cookie at the end of your meal! My choices were: 1) Tehina hummus with included salatim 2) Carrots 3) Walleye 4) Phyllo pie Everything I chose was phenomenal - especially the phyllo pie! Overall great experience :) read more

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I've been a long time fan of Galit and have dined here several times in the last few years. The food is always amazing and the ambiance is always welcoming and friendly! When booking reservations through Resy, the restaurant requires a $25 deposit per person to cover for no-shows. This fee is supposed to go towards your bill, but the last two times I've dined here in the last 3 months, the wait staff has forgotten to take the $100 deposit off my bill. Both times we've had to remind the waiter and make them run a new bill for us, which has been disappointing. I'm concerned this is happening to others, and they're not aware that they're paying extra! I'd hate to ever questions the integrity at Galit, but I feel like they need to be better about this given most of the reservations are made with a deposit. If you're new to dining at Galit, don't forget to double check your final bill! read more

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Galit, located in Lincoln Park, is known for its unique approach to dishes from the Middle East. The menu changes seasonally by the James Beard Award-winning chef Zachary Engel. It was awarded a one-star Michelin in 2022. The online reservations open on Resy every 30 days. I recommend your desired dining date about 3-4 weeks in advance because it does fill up. Galit is doing a four-course tasting menu that you can choose options from (as listed below) with ample portions. As soon as you enter the doors, the hostess is immediately in front. We were seated right in the front of the restaurant, so I did not view the entire restaurant. However, there is an easygoing atmosphere in this modern and brightly-lit restaurant. FOOD: 1. Hummus (pick 1 out of 3 to share) -Bubbe's Brisket (smoky cinnamon, tomato, braised carrots, 5/5): This is the smoothest hummus I have ever tried. It's somewhat fluffy and light, and the flavor is not heavy. I highly recommend it! 2. Salatim (all of the 4 to share) -Labneh (hyssop, sumac, sesame, 3/5): It was decent. I tried a few bites and opted for the next. It is similar to cream cheese in olive oil. -Bulgarit Salad (watermelon, feta, black harissa, 5/5): Delicious! I could eat more of this. Everything meshed well. It's like the sweet (watermelon) and spicy (black harissa) combination. The feta is a medium to bring in the two other flavors. -Ezme (peppers, tomato, walnuts, hot garlic, 5/5): Delicious with a nice crunch from the walnut pieces. This was the favorite spread of the four. If you enjoy red bell peppers, then this is it! -Pickles 4/5: Pickled pickles! Delicious. 3. Mezze (pick 1 per person) -Iraqi Kubbeh Halab (crispy saffron crust, lamb, raisins, almonds, 3/5): The only standout from this is the sauce. We all agreed. It's interesting to try, but I would opt for a different item next time. It has a crunchy exterior shell with a savory mix within that is better with the sauce. 4. Over Coal (pick 1 per person) -Pastrami (caesar, radicchio, malawach, 2/5): I did not enjoy this. It lacked flavor. Our server recommended this dish. You can create a pastrami sandwich with the ingredients served on the plate, but I opted to eat things separately. 5. Dessert (pick 1 out of 3 to share) -Mahleb Cheesecake (raspberries, tea biscuit, almonds, 4/5): I am not a fan of cheesecake, but you have to try this! The tea biscuit crumbs and almonds helped savor the cheesecake. The cheesecake had a slightly different texture but was very smooth. It was a sensory delight. The service was quite pleasant. The servers come to your table promptly and explain the various dishes. The water never touched the bottom of the glass. The manager also comes by and chats with the diners. Our server was personable and helpful with the dishes. Would I come back? Yes but not anytime soon. read more

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This meal made me feel like a real Chicago foodie. I have little faith it can be topped! We came here for our anniversary, and the service is so attentive to detail that we received an anniversary card signed by the staff. And this wasn't rare, many people received thoughtful cards for their birthday, first time visiting Chicago, etc. It was so sweet! This may seem silly, but the two most unforgettable parts of the meal were the Kessel Run cocktail and the pastrami. The cocktail was so remarkable - Light and not overbearing, but so balanced and flavorful!! The pastrami was also so much more than expected - Our waiter recommended it, and it blew us away!! The sauce was remarkable. Also, the cookies to-go are top-notch. Nothing like leaving super satisfied, but also with a new treat for later! Galit is pricey, but you won't regret it as a treat/celebration!! read more

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We came here for an early dinner on Saturday night, reserved a table for two on Resy with a $50 fee (which goes to the cost of your bill) to prevent no shows, and had a lovely date night dinner at this cozy, romantic restaurant in Lincoln Park. If you would like to dine with less noise, recommend you come in earlier, although by 6-6:30pm the restaurant was completely full. The food came out at a good pace, and we were at the restaurant from 5pm-6:30pm. Our waiter was excellent, and I enjoyed watching the extremely efficient service of the waiters that only brought out your food and described them along with the waiters that cared for the diners. My water never got below half full and our wine glasses stayed full. The kitchen is fully visible if you like to watch the service. The tasting menu has refreshingly good portions, but the price may seem high but it's also for the experience, ambience and the opportunity to try excellent food. Our favorite dishes included the Iraqi Kubbeh Halab, Lobster and Phyllo Pie. For my husband and I, it was our first Michelin star restaurant experience, and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Be ready to pay a relatively high price, $94 per person for the tasting menu, in addition to any price of alcohol, and automatic 20% service charge and 3% for employee benefits contribution. read more

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They have subpar food and subpar service. They charge 24% service fee, without providing much service. The silverware wasn't changed out, plates were stained and food was too salty. read more

Great if you like LOUD PROTESTERS RUINING YOUR $100+ DATE NIGHT! Flashing lights, yelling about foie gras into megaphones. All they do is ask if you wanna make another reservation, umm NOT HERE where they'll turn up again. Foie gras isn't even Israeli, chef cares more about his ego and his precious Michelin star than the neighborhood and his customers. Shameful. DO NOT GO IF YOU ENJOY PEACE read more

An incredible experience. From start to finish, this was a well thought out and spectacular meal! The strength of this restaurant is their attention to detail. Of the initial appetizers that were brought out, the freshly baked pita with the tomato jam and squash babaghanoush was just incredible. The hummus was the smoothest hummus I've ever had in my life! With the brisket it was just lovely. Other highlights included the halva mousse cake with grapes (almost evoking a grown up peanut butter and jelly dessert) and the sun chokes with sesame tahini and mushrooms (so many harmonious flavors in one dish). Our server was wonderful and even gave us a signed card from all the staff for our anniversary! Would not hesitate to come back again. Word of the wise: come with an empty stomach, because you will leave full, I promise you. read more

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terrible service, terrible food. ignored all night until the very last minute i could be checked in on. food came cold

From the moment we stepped in the feeling was of an engaged group of people making it happen! Lots of waiters checking in on us and explaining dishes. The exciting mood is contagious; our waiter, Linus, gave us recommendations on how to put together our meal, as it is a sharing menu. We all got to try the table full of delectable items so we could all give our reactions. For example, the foie gras on toasty challah with hints of raspberries was unforgettable. The pastrami sliced beef plate was superb as was the delicate lobster dish: "butter poached and grilled"--that made it hard to share! The wood fired oven produced the wonderful pitas that accompanied the dishes. The team suggested our paired wines which were unusual , exotic and unknown to us coming from valleys in Lebanon or hills in Israel! Throughout, our waiters consistently kept eyes on us and came around to see if we knew what and how to put our creative and unusual plates together, and for casual and fun conversation. By the time desserts came we were slightly overwhelmed with so many flavors, yet we made room for the delicious last bites that had tea or coffee flavors amid toasted nuts or cardamom. The owners, Andres, and chef Zach came around to make us feel appreciated; they are a hardworking team producing beautiful and delicious food and made us feel like an integral part of the experience. read more

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This Michelin-starred Mediterranean restaurant is a great value. Finally made it to Galit for a late reservation and was thoroughly impressed. Wine was notably inexpensive. It's a bit loud inside. Later in the night, it was pleasant once the crowd thinned out. 4% junk fee and mandatory 20% grat on top of that. read more

Absolutely superb food! Mostly started and finished strong, but otherwise the food was spectacular. The service was super attentive too! When my friend was in the bathroom they cleaned up her spot and straightened her napkin. Very quick to respond to requests too. The inside was also very beautiful and upscale feeling. Would absolutely travel back to Chicago to eat here again. read more

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This place was a pretty big disappointment. I'm sorry to say we came here for our 25th anniversary. They did not have a table for us when we arrived (with a reservation highlighting it as an anniversary weeks in advance). We were seated at the bar where we received pretty watered down cocktails then ushered to our table. We had been at the restaurant over 30 minutes when my wife asked at what point we walk out since we had no water and no waiter. Almost an hour in she was complaining that we had not received any food yet. First course was nice. Second course was not. Wife's "mushrooms" turned out to be slimy zucchini. My lamb dish had been deep fried in unclean oil and tasted of fish. Main course I got the turkey which was middling at best. My wife got the pastrami which was excellent. Dessert was fine. The kicker came when the bill arrived with 24% tip built in and they had the hide to ask for more. Um, not after that poor quality food and middling service. It would not have been terrible for a far lower price but for these prices you actually expect mostly decent food and very good service. Will not be returning. read more

This was one of two Michelin-starred restaurants we visited over the weekend, and while it was very good, there were a few disappointments (very few). The first two courses were absolutely amazing. We went with Bubbe's Brisket, which was tender and very flavorful. The Salatim course was our favorite part of the meal; we could eat it every day. They bring out several plates simultaneously, including Labneh, Tabouli, Baba Ganoush, and pickles with hot flatbread. YUM!! For the third course, we had Falafel, which was good, but the Heirloom Tomato Börek was exceptional. It's one of my all-time favorite dishes! Our entree course was a bit disappointing. I had the Pastrami, which is basically a deconstructed Reuben. It was good but not great. My wife had Turkey Shawarma, which was not good at all. Very tough. We sent it back, and they swapped it out with the Striped Bass, which was quite good. My wife was quite pleased that they swapped it out for us. For the dessert course, we had the White Chocolate Crémeux, which was delicious. My only recommendation is that when you go to Galit, keep in mind that a 24% service charge is added to the tab, and you are expected to tip the server on top of that. I would have been much happier if the menu price reflected the percentage. Given my poor vision, I am not one to read the fine print at the bottom of the menu, so it was a bit of a shock. read more

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Incredible! My husband and I came here for our anniversary dinner and are so happy we picked Galit to celebrate. The menu is a four course choose your own adventure style that allows you try a lot of different offerings which I really enjoyed since the menu is so unique! Here's what we had: 1- Bubbe's Brisket - creamy hummus topped with flavorful brisket, served with outstanding pita. Definitely a standout! The hummus was served with various sides that you could enjoy on their own or with the pita. My favorites were the labneh and ezme. 2 - We ordered the carrots and foie gras. Both were sooo delicious! The tender roasted carrots were topped with feta and crushed hazelnuts. The foie gras was served on toasted challah with a jam. It was very sweet which threw me a little bit, but holy moly this was good! 3- Pastrami and turkey schwarma. The pastrami was incredible! It was served sliced with phyllo bread to make your own mini sandwiches. The flavors all tasted so good together. The turkey schwarma was good, but didn't blow me away. 4 - Olive oil cake - this was yummy, but I think next time I'll go for the phyllo cake. Our server treated us to a complimentary glass of champagne and a handmade card signed by all the employees. Such a special touch! Bravo, Galit team!! We can't wait to come back. read more

The service was fantastic. From the hostess to bartender and our waiter everyone was kind, attentive and just plain nice. The food was delicious read more

Galit offers interesting Mediterranean flavors in a four-course meal. You get hummus + mini-salads, appetizers, entree, and dessert. For hummus, I chose the brisket one. The hummus was very creamy, but I have had better hummus elsewhere. Their olive oil was very good, so maybe I should have chosen the tehina hummus drizzled with tons of olive oil. I didn't care much for the mini-salads composed of labneh, tomato spread, and pickles -- everything just tasted sour (1 star off). The highlight of the meal for me were the kubbeh halab (kind of like a lamb croquette), pastrami, and kataifi "cigar". The kubbeh halab had a nice crispy saffron crust. The pastrami had an intense smoked flavor that was better than those served at barbecue joints I have been to. The kataifi...well, I just really like kataifi! With several options to choose from in each course, it's best to come here in a small group so you can sample more of the menu. Note: Galit adds two additional charges, a 20% automatic gratuity and a 4% employee benefits charge for everyone. Even if you are a one-person party sitting at the counter with scant service, they charge you extra 24%. If this applies to everyone and everyone is placed on a prix-fixe menu, why not just incorporate it into the base price? It's just sneaky to add additional (required) 24% to a lower published price. read more

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The host had great energy, and led me back to my party - we had a long high boy table semi-secluded in the back. The Hummus starter accompanied with the fresh bread, alongside the Salatim was amazing- I'd say the highlight of my meal! My main was the Mushroom Tagine the char was nice with the delicate texture however it lacked significant flavor compared to the over-salted collard greens that the rest of the dish was swimming in its broth which unfortunately made it inedible! The Malabi is a beautiful light dessert with amazing texture. The wine pairings were very complimentary to each course. I'll definitely be back for starters and maybe have better luck with my entrée read more

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Second time here, had to wait 20 minutes past reservation in vestibule. Manager never said anything. Hostess said she'd comp around of drinks for delay, that didn't happen. Food sub par, for five of us bill was $800. Server was good but terrible treatment and food fair. Not going back sadly! Lots of other restaurants to drop $$ read more

What a delicious meal in a cute little restaurant! All the courses were fresh, delicious and very unique. I highly recommend the mushroom schnitzel! It is probably the most delicious kind of mushroom I've ever had. My only feedback is the timing of the courses - the second course came out before I was even finished with the first and then it took some time for the third to come out, so I felt rushed to finish my first course for no reason. Also, highly recommend the wine pairing, if you're up for it! read more

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I was very excited for this dinner. It was my father in law's 70th bday. The restaurant was attractive and comfortable. We arrived promptly at 6pm and sat down. We had a party of 5 which meant we were able to try all of the offering on the fixed menu. Our server was nice. We ordered our drinks and food around 6:10 and by 6:16 we had our first and second course served together. Now, for this next part I specifically looked at my watch because I couldn't really believe what I was seeing. At 6:28 pm, they started taking our plates away and we were not done. We were really enjoying the fresh pita, the preserved tomatoes, the labneh, the hummus, etc. but they were just taking it away. Didn't ask if we were done. And they didn't need to ask, we were obviously not done. Very shocking for a Michelin rated place to be hurrying us through our meal and we hadn't even been there for 30 minutes. It was really off putting and soured the rest of the meal. Also, I was never asked if I wanted a second cocktail. Seems like this place is focused on the back of house but not on the front of house. The falafel during the third course was good but it was two falafel balls for per order. Seems a bit stingy. The grape leaves were a bit under seasoned, but still decent. I will say that the fourth course was the weaker part of the meal. The smoked turkey was good, the pastrami had decent elements. The mushroom schnitzel wasn't all cooked evenly. The walleye was just fine. The desserts were pretty solid. I will say the food was good but the service was off putting enough to not want to come back or repeat. read more

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We made a reservation for a midweek dinner. When we arrived, the place was already packed. We got seated right away and received outstanding service. We made reservations for the kitchen counter. I'm not sure if there was any dining tables available as an option when I booked my reservation. The kitchen counter was cool, because you can see how the kitchen operates throughout your meal. It's a Four course meal, and they start you off with your choice of Hummus and serve you their Salatim with your hummus order. We ordered their Bubbe's Brisket hummus. It came with tomatoes and braised carrots and the brisket pieces were tasty. It was served with two pieces of freshly baked pita and should be enjoyed with their Salatim. All this was honestly quite filling and a perfect way to start a lovely dinner. The Second course was their Mezze. My wife ordered their Carrots and I ordered their Foie Gras Torchon. The carrots came with a cuminy-orange glaze, Bulgarian feta, and hazelnut duqqa. This was really delicious. It was light, but very flavorful. My Foie Gras Torchon was a little bit on the heavier side but just as delicious. It was served with Thomcord grapes, orchid root, and tehina all on a toasty challah. The server described it as a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, it's really the only way to describe this. Definitely did not expect these flavors out of this dish, very unique and tasty. The Third course was ther Over Coal. The main entree course. I ordered their Lamb Kebab el Babor. It was served with donko shitakes. I'm not a mushroom guy, but these were good. The dish was ok, the lamb was very flavorful, but the overall dish was a tad bit too salty for me. My wife ordered their Pastrami. It was served with urfa Caesar, radicchio, and malawach. This dish was amazing. The pastrami was cooked perfectly and had a nice smoky flavor to it. The meat itself was delicious, but when you eat it with the rest of the items on the plate, you get some very explosive flavors. You scratch your head a bit when you see pastrami on the menu at a Mediterranean restaurant, but this dish right here is a must order. Our Fourth course was their desert. We ordered their Parsnip Cake. This was a perfect way to end our dinner. It came with a Yemen-spiced buttercream, coffee and brown butter. The cake was good on its own, but you really have to have a little bit of everything to truly enjoy this desert. Overall, I was left very impressed with Galit. It definitely surpassed my expectations. Michelin rated restaurants can honestly be a let down sometimes, but not Galit. I can see myself returning here. read more

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Food was absolutely delicious, with amazing customer service from the staff. So accommodating with my food allergies, with someone that has nut and seafood allergies, I really appreciate they can modify some dishes and did a full walkthrough of the menu for us. Definitely recommend coming here during special occasions as well. Would 100% come back here once I'm back in the city. read more

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We were seated right away, and shared a menu. I did think it a bit strange as we were told that there was a QR option to look at the menu that way as well. I would rather we both get a physical menu or we both have to look on our phones. In any event we did the 4 course and added a couple additional items. We got the brisket hummus to start and for the second course we got the other items that were delicious with the naan bread. The third course we each got to choose something so we went with the asparagus, foie gras, and added the Kubbeh Halab. For the main dishes we went with the lamb, turkey shawarma, and the striped bass. Everything was delicious with the exception of the lamb being a little dry and just ok. The pistachio cigar dessert was a great way to end the meal. The service was great and nice to see a Mediterranean spot take on Michelin star here in the city. read more

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Awesome price for a 4 course Michelin star meal ($85pp)! The meal started out excellent with the hummus selection and the Salatin. We loved everything except the lamb merguez which was a bit dry and spicy. The turkey was incredible though! Everything else was honestly great and we would absolutely come back whenever in Chicago. The falafel was fantastic. The staff was able to accommodate for gluten free and were very considerate about it which was awesome! The service was great overall and the ambiance was upscale but not fancy! Super cute little restaurant. The best part was we even got cookies to go! They were very delicious. read more

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After coming back from Chicago I heard they were known for their Michelin Star restaurants! I had to immediately book one for myself. It gets packed fairly quickly. The portions are HUGE, the appetizers are meant to be SHARED but if you're dining solo it's ALL YOU. The hummus and assorted dips were INCREDIBLE, so smooth. I had the Brisket that melted in your mouth. I took a bite of everything and called it a day. The cookie was AMAZING. Anyways, I defintely recommend y'all make a reservation and come HUNGRY. read more

Best restaurant I've been to in the city so far! Did the wine pairing with the 4 courses, which I definitely recommend. Food as simple as carrots was done so well here I could taste every spice and ingredient in each bite! Amazingly done read more

Galit - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Galit was a great experience. First, the service is amazing -- as it should be for a place with a Michelin star. Our waiter was attentive, friendly, knowledgeable. I like how you make all your decisions at the beginning of the meal about what you're going to eat and they space it out perfectly. No rushing to finish one plate to get to another. I also love that the kitchen is open to the restaurant. I was mesmerized watching the kitchen work. I think we made some mistakes in our ordering but that's okay -- that's on us! Overall, I really enjoyed my experience at Galit but I'm not sure if I would return. I'm not sure if my meal wowed me to the point where I would spend that much again on it (although in the whole scheme of things-- Galit is fairly priced!). read more

Galit - Crispy Phyllo Pie - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Superb Michelin-rated Middle Eastern Cuisine For starters, Galit has earned a 1 Michelin star rating and it's easy to see why. It's not for being an overly formal, pretentious, ornate restaurant rather it's for providing amazing food and service in a casually upscale environment. These types of restaurants IMHO offer the best dining experience. Upon entering the rest, we were greeted immediately and and shown to our table. It was a Thursday night and the restaurant was packed. Advance reservations were a must. Food: it's a pre-fixe menu with a few options for entrees and sides. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and meticulously prepared. Service: Very attentive and friendly. Ambiance: Upscale casual with warm tones and a sophisticated design. Summary Food: 5 stars. Some of the best hummus, pita, shawarma, and falafel I have ever eaten Ambiance: 5 stars. Great place to celebrate or for date night Service: Superior in every way. read more

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Galit is an inviting Middle Eastern restaurant situated in Lincoln Park. My coworkers and I went here for dinner while on a business trip at the recommendation of another and were absolutely delighted! Upon entering, we were greeted with hospitality and kindness throughout. Our party arrived a bit late, which I was worried was going to cause an issue, but the restaurant did not seem to mind and welcomed us to our table immediately. Upon being seated, my party continued to feel like we never had to wait an extended period or wonder what was going on, since we were constantly apprised by our meticulous waiter and staff. Drink wise, my coworkers and I ordered mezcal and gin based cocktails which we loved, followed by two of us ordering the wine pairing. The wine pairing was excellent and I felt all of the wines were vibrant, regional and delicious. Moving to food, the menu was generally scrumptious. The highlights for my party in lured the fluffy-but-complex hummus, the dense-yet-soft pitas, the life-altering tartare dip, the delectable pastrami, the carrots, and the semi-sweet parsnip cake. Each of this dishes felt thoughtful and balanced... and we devoured them. The only forgettable (through not bad) dishes were the passion fruit dessert and the fish over consommé. Notwithstanding the two dishes that were a bit lacking, the primary reason that I would not award Galit a five is because I felt the tasting menu was more of a pre fixe menu, making it hard to fully enjoy the wine pairings since we had to select from a variety of entrées, not all of which sung in perfect harmony with the pairings as well as I would've hoped. All in, Galit is a treat (and a reasonably priced one for a Michelin restaurant) that I highly recommend it to those in Chicago! read more

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My family and I stopped in here on a Friday night for dinner. We were seated right away and took a look at the menu options. Since the entire tables does the pre fixe, it was pretty easy to pick. We also decided to do the wine pairing as well. We did the Tehina and Masabacha to start, Meze selections were sunchokes, kubbeh, and parsnips, and Main selections were pastrami and mushroom schnitzel. The food great and the flavors were really unique. Though it adds a bit to the price, the wine tasting was definitely worth it. Ambiance is nice. Very modern and bright inside. It's a little noisy inside, so not a place for quiet conversation. Service was pretty good too. Everyone was very friendly and attentive throughout the night. We did have a few pacing issues, where our wine came well before the course or vice versa, but aside from that, we enjoyed! Overall, Galit is a really nice place for a celebration. It's extremely expensive and I will say I expected a bit more service wise from a Michelin Star. That aside, It's well worth a stop in! read more

Just came here expecting a cultural experience, and realized I was served everything but authenticity. This is not authentic Middle Eastern/Arabic food, it's cultural appropriation of other culture's cuisines and labeling it your own. The meat was dry, the portions were stingy, and the dips were mediocre at best. In light of everything going on in the world, I recommend we come together, and support authentic restaurants and families from the countries that actually invented this cuisine. The food is better. read more

Very inconsiderate staff and the food is really nasty. Do not go here under any circumstances.