The atmosphere was great for our 6 person group for brunch! Service was fantastic…read more A very nice ambiance that wasn't too loud for a brunch at 11am where we could all hear each other, sat at a round table so we could see each other. That part was lovely because often I find that with larger groups it's hard to ensure everyone is able to interact (especially since I was taking my parents) Lamb shakshuka was a winner in my book!! So flavorful and perfect hearty brunch. The skewers my parents got were wonderfully cooked. Others got a more standard scrambled egg breakfast that they said was nothing special. Definitely opt for a Mediterranean breakfast if you're at a Mediterranean spot imo.

I was really disappointed with my experience at Ema. The portions were much smaller than expected,…read moreespecially considering the prices. The biggest issue was that our drink glasses had a terrible odor, as if they hadn't been washed properly. We mentioned it to the manager, who promptly replaced the glasses, and the new ones did not have the smell, which confirmed there was an issue with the original ones. I ordered the short ribs, which cost $35 and the portion was extremely small. One of the pieces was also mostly fat, leaving very little actual meat. For the price, I expected a much better-quality dish and a more satisfying portion. Overall, the experience did not live up to the restaurant's reputation or pricing. Unfortunately, I won't be returning.

one of the best and most consistent restaurants in wicker ive been to, i used to work next door and…read moreit was my go tomorrow lunch spot! the workers are very personable and helpful! not to mention well kept and very clean, overall delicious food and amazing service you will not be disappointed!

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.

My new favorite restaurant! the food is DELICIOUS and the staff was incredible. I don't give…read morereviews much but just loved it here so I had to :)

This place had a line that went out of the door during the multiple times I've crossed the…read moreMagnificent Mile bridge in Chicago. Made last minute reservations for brunch next day after the infamous architecture tour. It was quiet as we've put in an early morning. All the more better to savor all intricate dishes from start to finish. Like the name, The Purple Pig, their specialty is pork dishes so majority of our orders were this. Daily special of the bone marrow bacon jam toast - glazed, slippery off the bone, savory and sweet. Always love a good bone marrow dish to get the sweetness off it. This was so good that there were bits of the marrow and jam left stuck to the bone, I took a piece of the toast and scooped the bone dry. Nothing left for anyone to attack this. Non pork dishes were the Mushroom 3 ways and Spanish octopus. Mushroom dish was savory with all the coated sauces elevating this. Spanish octopus was kicked lightly and easily can bite in to enjoy the tender and charred portions. But the award went to my main course - the braised pork shoulder with saffron, apricots and Swiss chard. Aside from the rippable pork meat when dining on it, the sauces fused together on this dish elevated it and had everyone coming back for more. I needed an official Chicago culinary experience and found it at The Purple Pig without a doubt.

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

Tried Roti for the first time this past week after walking by it a million times and wanting to…read morecheck off another fast-casual Mediterranean spot in the city. Overall, it was just okay for me. Chicago has a ton of strong options in this category, and I don't think this one stands out as the best. I ordered the Mezze protein bowl with steak, chicken. The lettuce wasn't great so I mostly picked around it, and the steak was a bit more well done than I'd prefer. Everything else was solid and what you'd expect from a classic Mediterranean fast-casual setup, but nothing that really wowed me. Not a bad spot by any means, just one where I'd probably choose a few other places in the city first before coming back.

We stopped by as a group of 5 for dinner Sunday night and we were promptly seated. We visited…read moreChicago for St. Patty's, but my two Persian friends were eager to show us some authentic food and Kabobi did not disappoint. The food was absolutely delicious and I particularly loved the Shami and Koubidehs. The koubidehs were so tender and juicy. The service was phenomenal and they even brought us some tea and dessert (bamieh) for free. Kabobi is open late and was the perfect spot to chat while the rain died down. Definitely coming back when I'm in Chicago next time!

My family loves coming to Kabobi Grill. It's one of our favorite places to enjoy a family-style…read moremeal together. Even when it's busy--which is most of the time--they do a great job of getting everyone seated without a long wait. We almost always order the family meal. It starts with their fresh Persian salad and creamy hummus, which are the perfect way to begin the meal. The kabobs are always flavorful, tender, and cooked perfectly, and the rice is just as delicious. My only suggestion would be to include a few more grilled vegetables on the family platter, as they pair so well with the rest of the meal. The service is consistently friendly and attentive, which is one of the many reasons we keep coming back. If you're looking for delicious Persian food that's perfect for sharing, Kabobi Grill is a great choice.

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

I lived in Chicago ten years and always wanted to try this place. Sadly it took me moving away to…read morefinally give it a try! This place is a local gem: simple, quick, casual, but packed with flavor. The falafel is crispy crunchy and herby served with two sauces (the red is bright and spicy - my fav), and you can see that juicy shawarma rotating in the window as you pass. Though unassuming on the outside, this place serves yummy Lebanese food at high ROI. Of the two shawarma plates I tried, I fancy the beef, but I tend to lean beef. The chicken was clean and flavorful. The hummus is creamy and delicious and the plates are served with a balsamic fresh salad on the side. The guys behind the counter are working hard and if you're picking food up to-go, you're likely in and out of line with hot fresh food in under 10 minutes. Definitely a spot to try if you've never had shawarma or Falaffel, or need a quick bite while on your lunch break. Also wouldn't be a bad late night snacky

food was delicious, great serving size and fresh !! customer service was also fantastic, super…read morefriendly and accommodating. will be coming back

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.

We came here on Saturday for their brunch and I wanted to say our server was amazing!! The food was…read moregreat especially the Meijoo dates. We got a lot of dishes to share between four people and it was more than enough. A lot of the dishes had eggs which is great and everything was so flavorful. We choose to sit outside and it's so lovely and nice. Will be back to try more on their menu.

This came highly recommended by multiple people, and for a good reason! Our friend made a late…read morenight reservation, which was perfect after the architecture boat tour. This location runs a long narrow path with tables on the right and bar seating on the left. Beware, you'll be pretty cozy with your neighbors since some of the tables aren't split up. Mediterranean food is usually a hit for group dinners since we get to try a ton of small dishes. - Endive peach salad: delicious parm greek yogurt on the bottom, and was just what we needed after a day full of carbs. Light and refreshing - Wild mexican prawns: they added another for us since it usually only comes with 3. Make sure to dip the pita bread in the sauce - Chorizo stuffed dates: not a favorite for me, it was a bit too salty - Hummus with glazed short rib - this one was also just ok, the short rib was quite fatty - Heirloom tomatoes: another light and refreshing, but very savory starter. Loved this with the endive salad - Shwarma spiced chicken: we had to order this after seeing and SMELLING our neighbors' chicken. The spices are so fragrant and reallly good. I don't usually order chicken because it's usually dry, but even the white meat was moist As you can see, we left STUFFED. happy bellies