If you're looking for a fresh, satisfying Mediterranean meal in downtown Chicago, Nesh Mediterranean Grill is an easy recommendation. Although it gets busy during the lunch rush, the restaurant is well organized and maintains a welcoming atmosphere that's perfect for a casual lunch. I like the Taste of Nesh, a sampler platter featuring chicken shawarma, chicken kebab, falafel, rice, hummus, Jerusalem salad, and warm pita bread. It really gives you a taste of Nesh. Every bite tasted fresh and well prepared; the meats flavorful, the falafel satisfying, the hummus and Jerusalem salad added freshness, and the warm pita tied everything together. Every bite made me want another, and the generous portion size left me comfortably full. Overall, Nesh delivers exactly what it promises - fresh ingredients, generous portions, flavorful Mediterranean cuisine, and speedy service. I would gladly return and order the Taste of Nesh again, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a quality casual lunch in Chicago. read more

Nesh Mediterranean Grill - Taste of Nesh - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I love coming to Nesh! It's my go to lunch spot and have enjoyed everything I have ever ordered. I always go for the salad bowl and enjoy some falafel on it. The dressings are fresh and they always put on the perfect amount. Their kabob plates are also delicious. I especially love the hummus and various salads to go on the side. The staff is very nice. They also don't mess around! Those lines keep moving and they do it with a smile. There's also plenty of seating for those that want to dine in. It's very clean, spacious, and bright. I come to Nesh as often as possible. It's authentic Middle Eastern food done by authentic people. read more

Nesh Mediterranean Grill - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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If you love Mediterranean food, stop what you're doing and get yourself to Nesh Mediterranean Grill--this place is next level. I've eaten my way through just about the entire menu (yes, really), and every single dish has been fresh, flavorful, and downright crave-worthy. My latest order was the Chicken Shawarma Bowl, and wow... the chicken was juicy, perfectly spiced, and full of flavor. The veggies were crisp and vibrant, the rice fluffy, and the pita still warm like it just came out of the oven. And the sauces? They're the real stars here--creamy, tangy, and so fresh they taste like they were whipped up just for you. I always ask for extra because they're that good. Since coming under new management, Nesh has gone from great to absolutely fantastic. The new owner clearly cares about quality--everything tastes brighter, fresher, and more thoughtfully prepared. You can taste the upgrade in every bite. They're also on every major delivery platform, so getting my Nesh fix is dangerously easy, and their catering is a total game-changer--huge portions, beautiful presentation, and food that makes everyone happy (even the picky eaters). Bottom line: Nesh isn't just a lunch spot--it's one of Chicago's best hidden gems for Mediterranean food. Fresh ingredients, bold flavors, and an owner who's raising the bar in every way. Go hungry, and thank me later. read more

Nesh Mediterranean Grill - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Chicken shawarma wrap w/ fries and drink 1) Tortilla 2) chicken okay 3) veg fresh 4) fries boring I did eat everything. Not worth the price ($18+) The service was friendly, though. read more

Close to my work and super tasty. Their lentil soup is delicious, love the falafel and the chicken kabob chunks too.

Such lovely staff members and delicious falafel! I love stopping in here for lunch or a quick snack while I'm at work

Finally got to check out this place in the Loop. It seemed like it was always closed, but they've been open more often recently. Nesh has a lot of counter service Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food such as falafel and shawarma. Make an order and get it fast. The prices aren't that cheap, but not that bad for around here for the most part. Came at lunch to get some falafel. It's a pretty limited time you can come here. This place is only open weekdays. One of those places that's order at the counter. Seems pretty casual, but the food is better than that. It's about $11 for a typical wrap or something. The signature item is the Shawafel Shrock, which is a big wrap. Has a lot in it. There's falafel, and they typically put steak. If wanting to get it vegetarian, they put in more falafel. There's typical toppings like Jerusalem salad, onions, and pickles. Also whatever else to put on it. They also have loaded fries with Mediterranean types of stuff. Good place to come in at lunch for a casual bite. It's pretty easy to make an order, and it's usually fast getting it. There's meaty items like steak, and vegetarians can get falafel and whatever other toppings. read more

Nesh Mediterranean Grill - The Schawafel Schrock - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Nesh is under new ownership--and it shows. I've been coming here for a long time, and while the food was always decent, things have really stepped up lately. The flavors are better, everything feels fresher, and the place just runs more smoothly overall. I've been trying to eat a little healthier, and their steak shawarma salad has become a regular order for me. The meat is tender and seasoned just right, and the portion size is honestly huge for what you pay. It's one of those meals that feels satisfying without being heavy. The baba ghanoush is another favorite--smoky, creamy, and really well-balanced. What I've appreciated most is how open the new team is to feedback. They actually ask for it, and the best part is, they do something with it. I've noticed small changes over time that directly reflect conversations I've had with them, which makes it feel like they're really paying attention. It's still a fast-casual spot, but it feels more intentional now. The staff are helpful, the ambiance is chill, and it's just a solid place to grab a flavorful, filling meal. They also offer catering and run occasional promos through apps like ChowNow and Uber Eats if you're ordering in. Definitely worth checking out if you haven't been in a while. read more

Nesh Mediterranean Grill - Nesh Golden Rice, Kofta, Steak, Chicken, 3-Piece Falafel - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is my go-to spot for lunch during the weekday. It's fast, really good every time and the environment is friendly. I like it too because the food quality is high compared to the reasonable price. Surprised the reviews here are lower than google review tbh. read more

The food is fantastic. It's under new ownership and every time I go, I try a new dish. Any choice is a great choice!! read more

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Amazing food, service, and hospitality! Recommend it any day for a quick bite at work or catering

Not bad food. Give it a try if you are seeking a place to try food.

Delicious food and amazing service!! Loved this cute restaurant esp their chicken shawarma. Very chill and casual place to come hang out.

Nesh Mediterr Grill has amazing food and an even better atmosphere! A nice gem in the heart of Chicago where so many places are just there for the finance people and the weekdya traffic. This place definitely does that, but then they do more! Would highly recommend Nesh for any of your lunch or dinner or catering needs. read more

Great food. The best middle eastern in the city. Great lentil soup and very friendly people. Mo let me sample a piece of falafel with the Shaka sauce. Deeeeelish. Not too spicy read more

I was on my way to Equinox in the morning, and I was surprised to see someone was preparing pita from scratch that early in the morning. Decided to try this place for lunch and it was absolutely delicious and fresh!!! read more

TL;DR Enjoyable lunch in the loop! I really liked the Build Your Own Shrock; seems very similar to Naf Naf, Roti, and the like. Fast service and pleasant interior. What to watch out for: - the garlic sauce and seasoned onions are potent - the spicy red pepper sauce is actually reasonably spicy ===== Got takeout here using Ritual for lunch one day - it was a very good deal at $3.50 for a "Build your own Shrock." (regular price ~$8) To be frank, a "shrock" does not sound appealing either because I am uncultured or because it is a made-up word, and all that really comes to mind is a weird combination of Shrek and Dwayne Johnson and shamrocks. I was pleasantly surprised, however, and the shrock was very good! I got the chicken shawarma and added basically all the vegetables and the garlic and spicy red pepper sauces. The shrock was sizable and fairly filling and I liked the thicker, wheat tortilla-like thing that is used to contain everything. All the toppings were good and the consistency of the couscous was nice and chewy. Nits: I wish the bread wrapper of the shrock were slightly more cooked - parts of it were doughy. The sauces were spread on two ends of the shrock so if I wanted to eat both of them at the same time interesting bite physics were required. Some parts of the chicken shawarma were dry. Note: I also like that they don't stuff your takeout bag with utensils and napkins that you might not want - you can just take what you need from the side when you pick up your food. read more

The staff was very nice, the service was quick and the ambiance was nice. This review is exclusively for the food: eh. I have eaten a lot of Mediterranean in my lifetime and this place is definitely just OK. I got the wrap, and because the pita is so thin it gets soggy very quickly. The food is super salty so it sort of just tastes like a flavored sodium bomb. read more

Decided to stop by here for Friday lunch. Was there pretty early during the lunch hour therefore was able to order right away. Ordered a chicken shawarma in a pita pocket & an order of regular fries. The chicken shawarma with chicken tomato and cucumbers (aka Jerusalem salad) and hummus with sauces was very tasty and the pita was soft and fluffy. It was fun to see the fillings falling out so I was able to eat the fillings separately. Fries were made to order and they were good as well. Very generous portion and I wasn't able to eat them all! Overall I did enjoy lunch and glad to find a new lunch spot in downtown Chicago. read more

Nesh Mediterranean Grill - Inside of the restaurant - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I have been going to this place for years before pandemics. I always loved the food and I think they have one of the best falafel in the Chicago area. Last week we had a big event and we catered food from them for more than 60 people. We all loved the food. The quality of the meat was fantastic. Also, the vegetarian section was fantastic. Baba Ganoush was a very popular dish. read more

Nesh Mediterranean Grill - Selection of salad, meat and chicken shawarma and grilled vegetables - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I witnessed this place from being a vacant storefront to this nicely decorated Mediterranean lunch spot because I walk by it every morning when I go to work. I soooo wanted to be the first person to review it! Dam Yelpers, you guys are too fast! Anyways, it's a typical Mediterranean fast food place, VERY similar to Roti. You can choose wrap, plate, salad, etc, then choose meat or falafel or vegetables. I got the taste of Nesh because I wanted to try everything--the beef Shawarma was a little chewy, but nicely seasoned. The chicken kabob was definitely wayyyy better than the chicken kabobs at Roti. My favorite was actually their falafel--it was soooo moist in the center and with great flavors. I tried falafels at numerous Mediterranean places, and 9 out of 10, they were very dry. Nesh, on the other hand, knows how to cook its falafels. On the flip side, their hummus was not that good. It's just kind of meh, no flavors, nothing special... With that said, given how long Roti's lunch line is and how yummy Nesh's falafels are, I will definitely be back! read more

Nesh Mediterranean Grill - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

At any given time Mediterranean would be my one of my top most options for food. I love the flavor it. I moved to downtown for work recently and it is my husband who actually introduced this place to me. It is the closest (Working on Adams). Their menu isn't as that big but it's not a disappointment either, got handful options there. Ordering your food isn't tricky either, you walk in and if you are lucky(Weekday lunch hours are quiet busy) you just pick what you want you pay and outta there. I went with a chicken kebob plate(With Salad). I tried with rice and I prefer salad one. For a downtown restaurant the price you pay vs the amount and quality of food I would give a 5 star. It isn't that expensive, you would get decent amount of food for $10. You can pick as many side ons you want and you won't be charged extra(That works for me ) It's was spot if you are working nearby, parking is difficult though(Better Not to think about that option). I like their Pita too, m not saying it's fabulous but it's decent compared to lot other Mediterranean places. Their Mint lemonade is refreshing, worth trying. If I am in a rush and needed to grab something good and quick for my lunch..this is my place. read more

Nesh Mediterranean Grill - Chicken Kebob Plate(Salad) - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I've been to early every Mediterranean place in the loop and this place just doesn't do it for me. The first time I got a wrap I ordered online, picked it up within five minutes, and it wasn't even Luke warm. The chicken wasn't warm at all. I got the rice plate to test it out and they give half a pita with it whereas other places give a full pita bread. I like that they grill/toast it, but it's overall less food. The hummus was very weird looking, it looked a bit more runny than other locations as well. read more

Chipotle must be glad that it was first to market with the assembly line approach to food preparation. Several other restaurants have since applied that same technique to their experience. Nesh Mediterranean Grill is one of them. Chicken schawarma. Rice. Couscous. Hummus. Olives. The chicken was tender, but the spices were very mild. The rice and couscous were worthy. There was a pungent kick to the hummus, something I've never experienced at any Mediterranean restaurant in America or in the Mediterranean proper. It may have been just a slight modification to the recipe. And for a small upcharge of 50 cents, I got four whole green olives. Once you have had any Mediterranean food from one or more restaurants in the Albany Park neighbourhood that serve the best Mediterranean food this side of the Atlantic Ocean, the bar gets set high for any new Mediterranean haunts that open their doors for business. While Nesh has gotten onboard with the whole Mediterranean-food-fast business model (ala Roti, Falafill, and I Dream of Falafel), the flavours are American with a hint of Mediterranean. This is ideal for the milder palate and the unexposed palate. Those who want to ease into Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dining will find that Nesh is a great entry. They should definitely try out Nesh, especially if in the immediate vicinity of West Loop and want to sample something with a Mediterranean flair to it. read more

Nesh Mediterranean Grill - Chicken plate with humus, couscous, rice, and olives. - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

First off I've been coming here because its across the street from my job for over 7 years! So I can say the quality of this place has gone out of the window. First off the service is down right horrible they treat me very rushed and disrespected. Second the food has dwindled in quality, just today my French fries were under cooked and my chicken was pink. It's not cheap at all and you pay for the quality and food. The best part is that the place is clean because they don't care for you to eat inside. I would go down the street to BenjYehuda - La Salle they are beyond delicious and the workers all have an amazing vibe! I say farwell to the old NESH! read more

Was craving Mediterranean and wanted to try something different that wasn't to far from the office so I decided to check out Nesh Mediterranean Grill. I went with the Taste of Nesh plate. This gives you 3 pieces of chicken kabob, steak shawarma and 3 pieces of falafel. Let's start off with the pita bread. The pita bread was pretty tough and hard. It wasn't good at all. The hummus was well, looked and tasted like it was out of a frozen food section. Just didn't taste fresh at all. The meats and falafel were fine. The garlic sauce was interesting. It wasn't a sauce at all. It was like a scoop of ice cream. Not saucy at all, never seen that before. All in all I thought this was place was just OK. I spent $13 on the Taste of Nesh. Will I come back here again? I'm not so sure. I think there's better options for Mediterranean food. Bummer was hoping this place would be a hit. read more

Nesh Mediterranean Grill - Taste of Nesh - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

It's like a mom and pop Roti. Highly underrated. So good. More people need to check out this place. It's excellent.

I'll start by saying I generally like Nesh salads. However, it is extremely frustrating that Nesh does not publish nutritional information. The website's Nutrition tab has said, "More nutritional coming soon!" for literally years. I am a vegetarian. Today I ordered lentil soup which is a generally safe option for veggies at most restaurants. Nesh's lentil soup looks like it may be made with chicken broth. I was not able to confirm whether that's true because I could not find any information about it online. Nesh doesn't even put little v's or plant symbols on the menu to denote vegetarian items. So, today I wound up giving my soup away to a coworker. These days the majority if not all other fast casual restaurants in the Loop have nutrition information published. Nesh needs to get it together. read more

I went here for lunch this past week I wanted a falafel salad since I haven't eaten falafel in a long time. The food did not disappoint. The salad was $10 which ok for a nice salad. The customer service was friendly and helpful. I went here around 2 so it wasn't busy. I'll definitely be going back to try something else. read more

Nesh Mediterranean Grill - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

i love the food, best I ever had! it will be a staple in my go to restaurants Molly C. read more

One of the best resturant I have been to! It has the best mediterian food ever! The kebab there is the best kebab you will ever find! I recommend this resturant to anyone who likes mediterian food! Definitely coming here again! read more

Nesh Mediterranean Grill - Best mediterian food! - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Absolutely the best middle eastern food ever. If you love Baba Ganoush which is not smooth but chunky and smoky, like how it should be as well as amazing Hummus, Pita, Grilled Vegetables and salads, this is a must visit place. My meat eating colleagues also raved about the Beef and Chicken bein extremely moist and flavourful. read more

We enjoyed lunch at Nesh Mediterranean Grill today. The owner and his employees stood ready and smiling at the counter. We were greeted and assisted right away. M got a falafel shrock and I got a chicken shawarma plate. I was given yellow rice and sides: baba ghanoush (my absolute favorite), red cabbage, Jerusalem salad, and a bonus of Israeli cous cous. On top of my chicken shawarma, I got some refreshing tzatiki sauce. My meal was absolutely delicious. I was surprised that I loved the rice as much as I did. It was light, had a slightly citrus-y flavor, and was wonderful! However, my favorite was the baba ghanoush. It was chunky, smokey, and amazing. Another surprise was the falafel. It was moist and had rich flavors. The outside was perfectly light and crispy. The inside was moist, warm, and soft. The space at Nesh was clean, modern, and sleek lines. Combined with the delicious food and friendly faces, Nesh is a real winner. read more

Nesh Mediterranean Grill - Chicken Shawarma and sides - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My first inkling this was likely to be a less than stellar Mediterranean dining experience was being able to walk in at 12:30 on a weekday and not wait in line. Handy, but a rarity at any of the solid lunch spots in the loop. I ordered a falafel shrock* with hummus, cabbage, jerusalem salad and hot sauce on the side. The shrock is like a thin tortilla, maybe too thin as it did rip as I ate my wrap. The falafel balls were good, better than ones you'd find at a place like Roti, but not as good as ones you'd find at Benjyehuda or Taza. The hummus was good, but deceptively creamy. I was tempted to have them add more to my wrap and am glad I did not, its creaminess overpowered my meal a bit. And well, jerusalem salad and cabbage is...jerusalem salad and cabbage. The hot sauce was where it lost major points for me. I like some heat, but can't handle a ton of it, so I usually get my sauce on the side. This *hot sauce* may as well have been ketchup it was so unspicy. Boo! Overall, the combination was rather bland and unremarkable. As Ryne D pointed out, there are no shortage of Mediterranean options in the loop; you could throw a rock and hit at least two. That said, there's not much point in wasting time on bad or average Mediterranean, this being the latter. Service was friendly and efficient, but then again there were only a handful of people in the store. I might give it another shot, but it's not likely with some of the other (better) options equidistant from my office. * Out of curiosity, I Googled "shrock," the only things that came back were references to Nesh and people with the name shrock. It's neither here nor there, but I found it interesting. read more

In all fairness - I tend to lean towards Mediterranean food for lunch. This place was another find while wandering the streets near my building. Long line that was fast. I ordered a chicken kabob box with lettuce, Jerusalem salad, cabbage, and pickles. The food was fast and fresh and tasted good. The price was reasonable for a downtown restaurant. Seating is tricky around lunch time but not bad. They have a large seating area. You'll mostly find people in this location on a quick lunch break from their office - although it would be fine to bring your family. The service was fast and nice. The menu is compact but choices for vegetarians and carnivores. The location is near the Sears Tower and The Federal Reserve. Parking is going to be difficult and expensive- best to take an Uber, walk, or take public transportation read more

My buddy took me here for lunch, since I suggested GRK. He said, if I love GRK, which I do, I would think that Nesh is heaven. He was pretty close to right. This place is similar to GRK in set up and Chipotle. The plates are cheap and fresh. I got the chicken wrap with felafel and everything with spicy hummus and tahini. It's kinda weird as a wrap though, that your meat is hot and your hummus is really cold, so it took me back. I think next time I will do a plate with a pita side. read more

This is one of those places that's right at 3.5 stars but I rounded up because the line moved extremely fast and it was cheap and filling lunch. The more detailed review is that this is definitely not the best Mediterranean food around. But for 10 bucks you can get the Taste of Nesh plate that has a both chicken and steak, rice, hummus, cucumber and tomato salad and dill pickles. For a buck more I added the lentil soup which was one of my more favorite items. I think the issue for me was that because they're trying to feed hundreds of people it seems like, everything is made in huge batches and maybe some of the items missed out on the seasoning. The rice was a bit bland and the chicken was really chewy for some reason, but the steak was tender. The cucumber salad also lacked any flavor and really just took up space on my plate. The hummus was no better than the stuff you buy from the deli section of a grocery store but the tzatziki sauce was great. And the pita bread was cold. Great quick lunch for pretty cheap , but I didn't feel the love for the food coming here. read more

Nesh Mediterranean Grill - Taste of nesh plus soup 10 bucks. Great lunch - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Really unimpressive food. Fallafel wasn't the worst I have ever had (that belongs to Roti actually), but it wasn't good either. I enjoyed the fresh pita bread, but the rest of the ingredients were sort of bland, and the meat followed suit. I am not sure why all of these middle eastern/mediteranean restaurants are opening in the loop, but most of them are pathetically average at best. Save your money, go to Taza on Franklin. Next! read more

Nesh is a chain Mediterranean restaurant in the Chicago Loop, serving all the things you would normally expect from this sort of place. You are probably eating lunch here because it is close to your office, and/or because you are trying to avoid more mediocre offerings elsewhere. You may or may not be disappointed. GOOD: Fast, efficient, and complete. It serves all the things you've come to expect from this kind of place. Want schwarma, chicken, Jerusalem salad, pickled onions? Yeah, they have that. Will seve it to you on a plastic plate, or in a pita. Just like all the other similar places around, but perhaps a tad better. The chicken kabobs were moist and tender. The beef had a nice seasoning to it. The Jerusalem salad was a tiny bit better than other similar places. The falafil had nice flavor, and is most likely what I'll order exclusively if I return. BAD: The whole experience, from ordering to eating, felt dehumanizing and sad somehow. I ordered the "Taste of Nesh" plate, which included beef, chicken, falafil, Jerusalem salad, choice of hummus, and pita bread. The beef, though it has a nice flavor, was some of the most gristley meat I've had served to me at this kind of restaurant -- and in a microscopically small serving. The chicken on the other hand was juicy and amply served, but had little flavor of its own. (For this reason, I'm wishing I had elected the spicy sauce instead of the tahini.) Topings were handed out very stingily. And I'm pretty sure I was charged an extra $0.50 for onions, which come on now should have been free of charge. The prep line servers smile less and become gradually more ornery the further down the line you progress to the cash register. Special dishonrable mention for the extra fluffy pita bread that looks or tastes nothing like pita. Why would anyone want to ruin pita? I suppose for $10 (including my $0.50 upcharge for onions) the "Taste of Nesh" is not the worst value for a fast and efficient lunch of this serving size. But for what you'd get, I'd like to see at least a small improvement in quality or a slight decrease in price. read more

Nesh Mediterranean Grill - "Taste of Nesh" plate - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

If there's one thing lacking in the Chicago Loop dining department, it's Mediterranean. Sure, there are very few (if any) Filipino, Hawaiian, Vietnamese, Jamaican, Puerto Rican or African restaurants, but what we really need are more falafel places. Yeah, that's sarcasm. I can see Mezza from Nesh's front door, and I Dream of Falafel is only a couple blocks away, not to mention the thousands of other options downtown. So how does Nesh stack up in this sea of hummus? Well, I was pleasantly surprised to be offered a sample of lentil soup. Definitely welcome as winter is starting to make an appearance. I went with the shrock, which Roti and Benjyehuda call a laffa wrap. Basically what I got was a steak and falafel Mediterranean burrito. Unfortunately, the steak was mostly flavorless, the falafel lacked a distinctive crunch and was mushy, and overall my shrock didn't even feel warm. Definitely disappointing as winter is starting to make an appearance. With so many other options around, I can't see this one doing too well. Want an established favorite? Try Taza or Oasis. Something new? Well, Ba Le should be opening in the Loop soon. It's not falafel, and thank goodness for that. read more