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    I-Cafe

    4.2 (185 reviews)
    Open 9:00 am - 11:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

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    I-CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Borstch
    Dan R.

    Definitely one of my new favorite spots in the neighborhood. The portions are huge and the restaurant is very authentic. The staff is friendly and I'll definitely be back. Ambiance is definitely authentic as well.

    Şekerpare- my fave!
    Ozzie T.

    Stopped by a couple weeks ago because the kids were craving pide and lahmacun. The sucuklu pide was delicious! We also got lahmacun but it was just OK. It got a little soggy by the time we got home - no fault of the restaurant but the flavors were OK. I remembered it being tastier in the past.

    Menu, front cover

    Cozy and convenient dive for comfort food. The staff are very polite and fluent in Kyrgyz, Turkish, and English. Cuisine reflects diverse cultures of Central Asia and the Mediterranean.

    Delicious pide. Chicken and veggies
    David A.

    Mathis place is a hidden gem off the Irving Park brown line. They have decent coffee as well as tea. The pide is probably one of the best in the city. It's baked to perfection and it's so cheesy and delicious. A great spot especially for lunch. Staff is pretty friendly and it doesn't take long to receive your order. Highly recommend the chicken pide or the vegetarian one.Beef and Cheese Pide is also good.

    Iskender
    Rafael B.

    I came by for the iskender and it was delicious! Personally I would've preferred a bit more yogurt and less of the melted butter but the meal was pretty close to what you'd get in Turkey. Price felt a bit expensive, $20 with taxes for the dish alone. I came by just after lunchtime on a weekday and there was plenty of space available.

    Side salad
    Walid S.

    Super friendly staff. Located next to the Irving Park Brown Line train station. A small an assuming location with a great opportunity to enjoy the famous turkish delicious causine. The new owner have kept the original chef/cook to maintain the fan favorite menu tastes. We had the Lentil Soup, Pide and lahmachun as appetizers. Huge quantities were served. Making our gang of 12 get enough to start from three appetizers. Kebab combo was very flavorful and came with rice, veggies, and salad. Iskandar doner kebab was a big hit. This us the first time we get acceptable tasting Iskandar in the US. Unfortunately the doner was not cut thin enough to complete the almost authentic experience. We will be visiting Chicago again in a few weeks and already looking forward for a repeat visit.

    Cubed beef piede

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    3 months ago

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    26 days ago

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    8 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    11 months ago

    Amazing food but terrible service. Everything is super slow. Very very upset. Did 1 soup in 45 minute.

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    I absolutely love their chicken. Have gotten it often as a takeout and it is consistently good.

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    2 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Very good food nice and clean I recommend it for you to try Very good food nice and clean I recommend it for you to try

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    6 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Delicious. Iskender and chicken sish especially. Sigara borek for appetizer. Liked the pot of Turkish tea too.

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    5 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Cannot recommend more. Do not sleep on this place.... ambiance thru the roof!! and delectable food.

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    5 years ago

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    Page 1 of 5

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    Aba - Short rib

    Aba

    4.5(2k reviews)
    4.8 miFulton Market, West Loop, Near West Side
    $$$

    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 enjoyed a tasty brunch here with friends on a bustling Saturday morning. We ended up splitting…read moreplates, trying the crispy short rib hummus, a unique concept that combined the crispiness of the short rib with grilled onion and hummus, and whipped feta, which was light and airy with pistachio and olive oil. The crispy potatoes also hit the spot, especially due to the scallion cream it came with. Not to be outdone was the house pita bread, which was wonderfully spiced. I also appreciated the mocktail options offered as well! Service was excellent, ambiance was beautiful, and food was tasty. Overall would recommend this place to anyone looking for a gorgeous and yummy brunch location in the West Loop!

    Photos
    Aba - Interior

    Interior

    Aba - Muhammara

    Muhammara

    Aba - Frozen Greek yogurt

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    Frozen Greek yogurt

    Ema - Salmon bab.

    Ema

    4.3(2k reviews)
    4.9 miNear North Side
    $$

    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.

    Photos
    Ema - Ema tables and bar

    Ema tables and bar

    Ema - Double chocolate.

    Double chocolate.

    Ema - Inside

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    Inside

    Al Bawadi Grill - Family Platter (serves 5-6 people)

    Al Bawadi Grill

    4.1(1.2k reviews)
    16.6 mi
    $$

    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.

    Photos
    Al Bawadi Grill - 20 minute wait for two. Food smells delicious though

    20 minute wait for two. Food smells delicious though

    Al Bawadi Grill - Kenafah

    Kenafah

    Al Bawadi Grill - Lotus cake

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    Lotus cake

    Avaspi - Babaganoush

    Avaspi

    4.8(110 reviews)
    1.2 miLakeview

    Firat, Avaspi manager, helped us plan a surprise birthday party for a friend, which included 10…read moreguests July 8, 2026. The table was beautifully set with red cloth napkins and small lanterns adding to the ambiance of the place. He welcomed adding our own decorations- paper placemats and a balloon bouquet. The area was set apart from the main dining area which made the experience more intimate. The food was served family style on platters, attractively presented and absolutely delicious! The individual printed menus at each setting described the wine choices, the first course Meze, the Main course choices , and 2 Desserts. Each course was tastier than the next! We chose: 1st course 2 platters of Mixed Meze, homemade bread, 2 Mushroom Tava, and 2 Calamari. 2nd course: 3 platters of "Mixed Plate for two" had Chicken kebab, Beef delight, Lamb Delight, Lamb Chops, Haydara, Ezme, Fries, and Rice. 2 Orange Salmon platters and Green Olive Salad. 3rd course: Baklava and Coconut Cake. The portions were more than enough for the 10 guests In order to try almost every food choice. Our server, Maine, timed each course very well. He also cleared European-style waiting until everyone was done eating. A pleasurable change as we weren't rushed! The water glasses and wine glasses were consistently filled. Though we had dined at Avaspi for both Happy Hour and Dinner, all 8 guests expressed how enjoyable the cuisine, wine selection, service and ambiance was throughout the evending. We all plan to return!

    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!

    Photos
    Avaspi - Avaspi bar

    Avaspi bar

    Avaspi - Bread

    Bread

    Avaspi - Cool bar

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    Cool bar

    I-Cafe - halal - Updated August 2026

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