Good food and good service! It's a cozy little spot just off the main drag in downtown Oak Park.

Yummy meal! The stuffed grape leaves were delicious. I'm not the *biggest* hummus fan so I would have liked a bit more falafel to kind of balance things out more. Overall a nice dining experience, would go back for sure read more

Grape Leaves Restaurant - Moroccan Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

I don't know where to begin. Grape Leaves is STUPID YUM!! I love the flavors, & the textures. Velvety hummus that I can't get enough of--enjoyed leftovers for breakfast today. I want to try everything on the menu!! See you again soon. read more

Excellent Moroccan food we usually order carryout and sometimes they toss in a treat. Few tables so expect to wait or make a reservation. Been there with 1 server and 2 cooks so expect to wait if more than 50% occupied - we usually order carryout. Favs: cigar sampler, dolma falafel combo, lamb shank tagine, kefta kabob, Moroccan couscous. read more

Ironically, the grape leaves aren't very good here. They're just ok. A lot of the menu is solid! Great hummus. Small space inside but a decent place that often has very tasty specials. read more

B.Y.O.B&B (bring your own booze & baklava) This Mediterranean restaurant offers some wonderful food, but things have changed a bit since I was last here three years ago. Long time back, my Lebanese friend brought me to Grape Leaves and we filled up on giant servings of kebab over beds of yellow rice. Everything was awesome, we brought beer and there was no charge added to the bill. 5* all day! They've remodeled since then and made a few alterations to their menu. While the ambiance is much nicer, the portions seem to have shrunk and they now tack on a five dollar charge if you take advantage of their BYOB alcohol policy. On a date night with Nichole C, we got their hummus ($4) to start. It was tasty like always and served with warm pita triangles, though I would've liked to see sliced peppers or veggie sticks alongside it. I recall last time some diced jalapeños were thrown on top? My beef shawarma sandwich ($6.50) was a hot pita pocket stuffed with meat, cucumbers, and potatoes in a white sauce. Very tasty! NC's shawarma plate ($12) was served over a bed of rice and had essentially the same things. Both of us gave it the thumbs up. We got a baklava ($3) for dessert and it came in two small types: a roll and a square. I understand that the Moroccan-style might not be what I'm used to.......but neither of us were fans. It was pretty dry and not terribly flavorful, certainly doesn't hold a candle to Grecian baklava. Bread = 4.5 Circuses = 4 For a small family-run restaurant, the service is fine. I'm pretty sure there's only one dude bussing/servicing tables and one dude in the kitchen. Food takes a while to come out but it's worth the wait. While not the experience I remembered from 2014, Grape Leaves is still very good. Some places have a corking fee as part of their BYOB policy, others don't. This place is part of the former group and ultimately that's the deciding factor here in the review update. Recommended nonetheless. read more

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My first time at Grape Leaves under the new Moroccan owner. I will say the food is much better than under the previous owner. The babaaghannough was excellent, smoky and some of the best I've had. I also enjoyed the tasty lamb couscous with lots of vegetables.Portions were large.Service was okay though I was disappointed that I wasn't told up front about a $7 corkage fee for my BYOB (it's mysteriously labeled as 'BY Souvenir'). The wine glass offered was very ordinary, and the waiter didn't even need a corkscrew for my twist-off bottle! I liked the food but my enthusiasm for the restaurant tumbled. I dine out frequently but am seriously reconsidering if I want to return because of the presence of the mysterious 'BY Souvenir' charge....Ugh!! read more

The chicken curry and chicken cigar sampler platter and sage tea were AMAZING. The chicken curry was to die for, the perfect amount of spice to awaken the senses with a blast full of flavor. It's a small simple place with beautiful artwork. Service was efficient. Will definitely be going back! read more

Grape Leaves Restaurant - Sage Tea - Moroccan Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

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My friend invited me to this place for dinner. I ordered a combo meal for roughly $18 that came with a little salad chicken and beef kabobs, kofta on top of a bed of yellow rice. The food was alright but you get a decent amount for the price. The meat kabobs were kind of dry so I asked for extra tzatziki sauce and that made it better. The kofta was also on the dry side but I liked it the best out of the three meats. The rice lacked seasoning and the salad was just okay. Next time, I will probably order a vegetarian meal. I also tried a Moroccan mint tea, Turkish coffee and baklava. The tea and coffee were small and a little pricey($3.50 for each) but they were the star of the dinner. I would order both of these again. There was nothing special about the baklava and I wouldn't get it a second time. To me, the best part about this place was the service/environment. The staff is very nice, albeit a little slow, and the atmosphere is intimate. This is a great place for lunch or dinner with a small group of friends/family or even for a laid back date. read more

Everything we ordered was amazing!! Service was great! First time trying Lebanon night dessert, it did not disappoint. We will def be back again soon. read more

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This place is awesome. The bobbaganoush is very unique and tasty. It has a Smokey flavor. Highly recommend. The chicken Schwarma was outstanding as well. This place is just an overall good spot. Recommend for lunch or dinner. Great service too. read more

Grape Leaves Restaurant - Bobbaganoush - Moroccan Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

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Love the food. Great options available for those who are vegan, vegetarian, and also some gluten free! I recommend the hummus. It's a small place with beautiful decor. Outside seating is available. Great service as well. read more

Use to enjoy coming to this place but after new management, some policies of change including surcharge for opening a bottle of wine. Which is absurd ... read more

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Not sure if I've completed a review for Grape Leaves before but since I can't remember I probably didn't so here we go I discovered this Moroccan themed restaurant in 2017 when my professional group of social workers and I hosted a dinner for a delegation of social service workers from Casablanca. We wanted to give the Moroccans a taste of home while they were in Chicago as we were pretty sure they were getting tired of our vegetable thin crust AND deep dish pizza. My colleague checked out the restaurant a couple of days to see how packed the restaurant was, how many people left out smiling, and the the intimacy of the dining room. After positive observations he decided to go ahead and cater our farewell dinner for our Moroccan friends. The food was excellent bit most importantly THE MOROCCANS LOVED IT!! Given the thumbs up from the Moroccans, I wanted to go back for a more intimate experience so let's fast forward to today! Because of my extensive visits to Casablanca and other cities in Morocco, I am very familiar with Moroccan cuisine and loved everything described on their menu,. But my absolute fav? Moroccan Chicken with Preserved Lemons and Olives. I ordered this along with a side of couscous, roasted potatoes, and their Fig and Goat Cheese Salad with Pomegranate Dressing. OMG! The chicken was so tender and flavorful! The olives and preserved lemons added the briny and citrus flavor you would expect; however, it was that signature Moroccan spice blend of paprika, cinnamon, and ginger gave it that BAM. I fell in love with this dish when I first tasted it in Casablanca 3 years ago. It brought back memories from my most recent visit there and I'll try not to cry right now because I MUST finish this review!! Moving on, ............ The couscous was perfect as well as the rice; however, I am an admitted "Moroccan Food Snob" and didn't see how the rice accompanied the chicken instead of the staple couscous, hence my reasoning for making it a side order. Rice was good, but Couscous is the STAR!! The salad was fantastic and I would order it again with chicken added next time. Not everyone is a fan of goat cheese but I think it is the best tangy and creamy accompaniment to figs that you could ever put in your mouth - ya know? Something like the expected of peanut butter and ___? That being said, here is my signature review sign off!! Verdict: DEFINITELY ITIS INDUCING! And not because it's heavy or anything, but rather it's soo good you that you can't stop eating until you're way past full. There are many other items on the menu for you novices out there who wouldn't dream of ordering anything off their menu other than the "familiar" shrimp or chicken kabobs. If you're one of them then you're missing out, but if you want to be adventurous and save about $1,500 on a trip to Morocco to try local authentic food, look no further than Grape Leaves in Oak Park! read more

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Small place that is super cozy! The service was so kind and friendly even though there was only one server and a few bus boys. It took a little while to get out orders but if you're hangin out, enjoying yourself than who cares? The food was divine! Also the coffee! Amazing. Overall: will definitely make this a regular spot. read more

Will be back! So, so good! Great food, atmosphere, cute little place, very nice servers, accommodating, food was awesome! From beginning to end, everything we had was delicious. The Moroccan beef cigars, oh my! You must try. They were so good we ordered a second serving. Also had the creme brûlée. Yum! read more

Grape Leaves Restaurant - Moroccan Sampler Platter - Moroccan Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

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Love the food, service is a bit slow & the inside is very small (seating about 20-25 people). Tried to stop here for a quick lunch (had about an hour) and unfortunately was waiting around 20-25 minutes to even get an order in. It seemed the owner was also the cook, bus boy, and waiter all in one that day prolonging our time to get our food even more. He was very kind and apologetic. The food was delicious none the less, thoroughly enjoyed the chicken tagine and the hummus was packed with loads of delicious spices and flavor. A little bit on the pricier side for a typical "lunch spot" for me. read more

Grape Leaves Restaurant - Chicken tagine (comes with rice) & grape leaves platter. - Moroccan Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

Sorry the pics don't look better. Anywho, this also came with pita and rice. Everything tasted good. I love Moroccan food but the only other Moroccan restaurant I like is on Irving park in Chicago. So I decided to give this place a try since it's a lot closer to me. I got delivery. Next time I'm gonna dine in because I really want to try the Moroccan tea! The Moroccan chicken tasted authentic. Sweet flavors :) read more

Grape Leaves Restaurant - Moroccan Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

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The best Mediterranean restaurant here in the North suburbs. Their eggplant dip appetizer is just very tasteful combined with the Pita bread for dipping. We ordered the salmon and lamb/ground beef platter and the quantity is enormous and very tasty. Servers were very attentive too! We will be coming back! read more

Outstanding Moroccan food! No alcohol but byo. It's a small restaurant but each dish is prepared to order. I love this place!!!

The great: Turkish coffee and the Lebanese dessert. Both were out of this world. I will be seeking out Turkish coffee in the future. The coffee is $2 for about 1.5 shot glasses full of coffee. Read about it before you order it as there are coffee grounds on the bottom and it won't be 'good to the last drop.' The ambient music was also a nice touch. The blah: I heard the microwave go off no less than 5 times while I was seated in the restaurant. The microwave 'ding' is not the sign of a great restaurant, even if the microwave was for the warming of pitas. The kabob was edible, pretty sure that it was not cooked fresh, the grape leaves were also edible, not great. The hummus left much to be desired. While waiting for our food someone came in to pickup a takeout order and offered a Groupon, there was discussion about whether or not to accept it as it was for dining in only(?), not sure how it worked out but nobody seemed upset at the end of the conversation. read more

Grape Leaves Restaurant - Moroccan Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

Delicious, fresh, authentic, and consistent. Highly recommend any platter really. Great portions and taste.

Oak Park's best kept secret. The food here is outstanding. The dining room is tiny with six tables but take out. Service is amazing.

I love this small, but wonderful Moroccan restaurant squeezed into Oak Park Avenue .... paraphrasing Ferris Bueller, Grape Leaves comes at you fast. Blink and you could miss it. That would be a shame because Karim, the owner, specializes in authentic food that cuts right to that warm part of your soul. I stopped in earlier tonight for iftar, the meal to break the Ramadan fast. I didn't even tell the owners I was Muslim, but I think they saw me praying from the kitchen and sent over a complimentary bowl of 'adas, a lentil soup, with some fresh figs. Later, the owners, who were also breaking their fast, sent their shy daughter over to give me some Moroccan sweets. It's nice to see such hospitable touches and one of those things that makes me love Oak Park. The food is spectacular. I don't think anyone does it so flavorful and authentic and it certainly beats much of the Arab food in Chicago, which is often made for people not from the region. This is food meant for Moroccans, but we can all enjoy it. I recommend the hummus, warm grape leaves, Moroccan kitchen, lamb tagine, and the tea. I will be coming back, InshaAllah ! read more

Beautiful atmosphere, delicious food, and wonderful service - what else could you ask for? Recommended appetizers: babaganoush, Moroccan cigars Recommended entrees: chicken tagine, lamb casablanca, or lamb tagine Recommended beverages: moroccan mint tea, mango juice, guava juice read more

Terrific food, from the lamb to the baba ghanoush jasmine tea afterwards! Highly recommend

Best food for the money you will find. Every flavor pops out at you, and I highly recommend the Moroccan cigars. Service is good I always feel very welcome here. read more

While the eponymous grape leaves were different from what I've typically had - warm and with a lot of sweet raisins - the falafel was excellent. Perhaps the best ever. The hummus was interesting, with almond slivers. Considering the costs - very worthwhile. read more

We just purchased a home down the street & were looking for a family owned small restaurant to feast at. Well , we found our new favirote place to eat! Every bite mattered to my palate when we are here. thank you so much for being our new Rendezvous and we will see you soon! read more

Grape Leaves Restaurant - Moroccan Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

First time for me coming here with my mom and I enjoyed it. We went on a Friday, so it was kind of busy for seating and for one guy who worked the counter and was literally serving everyone. Great jobs man. He gave exceptional service, very nice and careful putting plates down. My mom and I enjoyed our meals. We shared a plate of hummus, had some tea then I ordered the lamb chops and she ordered something else. Everything was great, nothing really struck out which is okay because I was there just to eat. read more

Grape Leaves Restaurant - Lamb Chops - Moroccan Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

We have been going to Grape Leaves for years, recommended by our realtor. The food - mostly chicken shawarma for me, chicken tagine with vegs for my wife - has always satisfied, and is so generous. My search for great Moroccan food ended the first time we went there; it can't get better than this! read more

As you walk in you are greeted by beautiful assorted hanging lamps from Morocco. Wonderful smells from the kitchen. And a friendly face welcoming your. We began with the babaganous and hummus all freshly made with warm pita bread. Then our second course was the feta salad and lentil soup. Again all fresh yummy mix greens, chopped cucumbers and tomatoes and feta with a hint of tahini and mint. Lentil soup broth smiling at us with so much flavor. We could have stopped there, but why? I had the chicken shawarma plate. The chicken was so tender and savory a great combination with the salad that accompanied it and rice of course. Chicken sumac pita sandwich. I didn't have a chance to try his but he said it was delicious. read more

Grape Leaves Restaurant - Chicken Shawarma with salad and yellow rice - Moroccan Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

Superb lunch with unique flavors and touches. Most highly recommend. Highlights: - Appetizer sampler --- best hummus we have ever tasted, as if the chickpeas are ground in a special way to create an earthy flavor; also, the Moroccan cigars (like Chinese egg rolls) filled with ground meat are very special. - Lamb shank tagine (on the bone) --- cooked with prunes for a special flavor; meat is so tender. - Shrimp and vegetables over rice --- grilled shrimp is seasoned to perfection - Tamarind creme brulee --- brings back childhood memories of Chinese candies. read more

I've loved this place for years! It's an unassuming little hole-in-the-wall, but the best middle eastern food I'd ever had. Their chicken shawarma and baba ghannouj is pure comfort food, and their Turkish coffee is amazing! (Word of warning, the tiny cup packs a powerful punch!) Also, since my Dad is vegetarian, I appreciate having a place I can bring him when he visits that provides plenty of good veggie options. He loved it here! I know the service isn't super attentive, but it's a tiny establishment and the staff is always pleasant. And I feel like the food here is truly worth the wait! read more

Great food and even better service. My friends and I decided to dine here for our monthly meetup, and I can tell you we made the right decision. We sat outside the restaurant, and we enjoyed our stay. Everyone was so welcoming to our group. I cannot wait until our next visit. read more

We have order from Grape Leaves for years, and this year for my daughter's birthday we catered the chicken kabobs and rice from them and it was a hit! The presentation was beautiful and our guest loved the food! Thank you so much! read more

Grape Leaves Restaurant - Chicken Kabob and rice - Moroccan Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

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I can't say enough about this place. The food is wonderful. It's really tasty has a lot of flavor to it. The service was just unbelievable and I have to give a big big thanks to the owner who when I had a minor medical incident. He took care of me and made me feel like I was part of his family, it only last a few minutes but in those few minutes I felt well taken care of. I can't wait to go back and try the food again. I had the The Moroccan cigars and the vegetable cigars. And they were both very very good. I also had some lemonade. It was really good and the mint tea I can't say enough about this place. you really should try this place. read more

I love coming to Grape Leaves for inexpensive, healthful food. I love meeting friends here because it's BYOB. That's ballin' on a budget yo. I love meeting vegetarian/vegan friends because we both eat well. That's why I chose Grape Leaves to cater part of a huge wedding celebration I had. I expected some vegetarian/vegan friends and family to come and (let's be honest) I wanted some healthy options to contrast the indulgence of fried chicken, barbecued ribs, potato salad, and coleslaw. The owner and I sat down about a week before the party to discuss menu items and number of guests. He put it together for me in a concise text message with a quote that very evening. I told him I wanted to cut that number in half: $300. "No problem!" He replied. The day of the party he brought over pans of baba ganoush, hummus, falafel, and grape leaves. Yusssssssssssss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! All of my favorites from the restaurant. They were big winners at the party - especially the baba ganough. M's grandmother, poppa, and step mom had never had that taste-y delight before and they all loved it. My sister and Nick M raved about the grape leaves. Anyway, it was perfect and just what I wanted. read more

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I'm giving Grape Leaves what may seem like an unjustified favorable review, so even though the place can tend to over salt their food, I'm still a fan. Mostly because the ingredients are very fresh and delicious but also because the service is always outstanding and it's a true 'locals' spot. It should be noted that the two dishes they went heavy handed on the sodium front, they quickly, happily, and apologetically, without hesitation, made another dish that was prepared to perfection. Highlights: Hummus. See pic and just do this nearly compulsory start to your Middle Eastern meal, some of the best i've had. The Tabbouleh is equally outstanding and fresh and highly recommend. Chicken Kabob and Shrimp Kabob...great portion size of quality chicken and shrimp with excellent balance of flavor. Not served Kabob style but great nonetheless. Both are accompanied by charbroiled vegetables, rice and sesame sauce. All dinners include soup or salad and can definitively recommend the Lentil soup which is good for both body and soul. Vegetarian Kibbeh - grilled and finely diced veggies, almonds and spices filled in a ball of cracked wheat which is crispy deep fried and served over Lebanese and Jerusalem salad. The two items which were overly salted imo...its names sake, the Grape Leaves and also a special there were running one night, the Moroccan Chicken. Both righted in quick fashion. Do yourself a favor and check this place out if you're in the OP, it won't disappoint. read more

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My mom suggested this place for lunch, rather than one of our regular spots. Her girlfriends really like this place so we decided to give it a shot. This place was a hit with me and my parents for the following reasons: * Lunch specials. Generous portions at really low prices, I don't think anything was more than $6. This made my dad very happy, since he was picking up the tab. 3 meals and 2 teas for $21 and we walked away stuffed - score! * Tea. My parents both ordered the mint tea. I tried a bit and it was really tasty - they put fresh, whole mint leaves in it. My parents only complaint was that it wasn't hot enough - they like it hot enough to scald your throat, for reals. Our server quickly heated it up so that it was so hot it was practially bubbling. * Food. My mom ordered lamb and potatoes over rice, my dad the chicken shwarma and I had a falafel combo (falafel, tabbouleh, hummus and babaghanoush). My dad's only critique is that he would've preferred less chicken and more veggies on his. My mom and I had no complaints, our meals were tasty and the portions generous. * Service. Service was decent, the place is tiny - 6 tables tops, so it wasn't hard for our server to check on us periodically. Bottom line: I think this place has officially been added to my hometown parental dining rotation. Good food, hearty portions, cheap prices, need I say more? read more