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!

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.

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.

Let's start with the good stuff - tasty bowls that offer a large serving size. The rice was also…read morereally good. It came with hummus (more on that later) and sauces. The not so good - the hummus to me was tasteless and you don't get to customize your bowl. I prefer spicy and there were not jalapeños offered. The red chili sauce I used entirely and it offered so- so spice. I would certainly eat here again, but I would probably be more vocal about what I want extra of for my salad!

Good food, eclectic environment but too small to be comfortable. A lot of patrons jammed in to a…read morerelatively small dining area. Usually long lines and some wait time.

This was such a life changing experience from a flavor perspective! We were in town for the…read moreweekend and stopped by because we'd heard amazing things about what The Purple Pig does with pork and we were not disappointed! We started off with the bone marrow; it was incredibly flavorful, paired nicely with a nut jam and some greens and bread. We also got the Agnolotti pasta, and this was our favorite bite of the evening by far. The beef short rib, paired with more marrow and the butter sauce were absolutely incredible and we will be thinking about them for a long time to come. We ended with the pork tenderloin and it was a lovely ending dish. The pork was cooked to perfection and paired with sautéed oyster mushrooms and corn. Service was exceptional and quick! We will come back with a bigger group the next time we are in the city!

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.

Delicious, flavorful food!…read more Got the family platter for 3 and it was great and a lot of food. (It was more than enough for a table of 4)

This was amazing food Maybe the best Persian and middle…read moreeastern I have ever eaten This can compete with noon o kabob Great kabobs good rice great service and cool inside 4.7/5

best middle eastern food I have ate in in the USA chicken shawarma and the hummus was great 5 starsread more

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

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.

Yum yum yum! I came here for lunch left thoroughly impressed and full. $26 prefix menu includes…read morechoice of soup, choice of salad or sandwich, choice of baklava or fudge. Now for $26, this is such an incredible steal. We actually got to choose between the soup or we got the chorizo stuffed dates which oh my GOSH. These really sent the tone for the rest of the lunch. They are served in a bacon and piquillo pepper-tomato sauce that I honestly could have drank. Highly recommend! My husband went with the lentil soup and love it as well! I got the chicken shawarma which was also absolutely delicious. The flavors were so good and portions are legit. Ended the meal with a baklava which also hit the spot! Forgot to mention we also got two starters: the heirloom tomatoes and hummus. I cannot think of a single bad thing to say about our experience. The service, ambiance, and most importantly, THE FOOD, were all top notch. I'm sold on the dinner menu now and will absolutely be back!

Originally thought the restaurant was French because of the name. It isn't French. Good food. We…read morestarted with some drinks. I got a Negroni it was made well. Friend ordered some small plates that relieved our hunger until entrees. We got calimari and salmon and I'm forgetting an appetizer. For our mains we got pizza and pork shoulder. The mushrooms on the pizza were savory and tasty. The pork was tender and life giving. Even with 3 people had food left over. For dessert we shared the honey peach cake. It reminded me a lot of a tres leches.

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!

If you only know of the Kurdish people or culture through the news, it's time to remedy that-- head…read moreover to Avaspi for drinks and snacks at the generous Happy Hour or for a full dinner. The beautiful bar is set back in the glowingly dining room that has a painting of the Kurdish area in Turkey from where the owner comes from. Remixes of contemporary tunes gives a kind of clubby feeling inside, and the large sidewalk patio (on the side street) to enjoy the season is a completely different vibe. It's not just another variant on Mediterranean/Middle Eastern/ Persian cuisine, though you'll find familiar salads, spreads and cuts of meat. The presentations and flavors are different. The friendly (and easy on the eyes) staff will guide you through the menu. Very nice wine list as well as creative takes on standard cocktails (some mocktails too) complement the meal. Come in a group so you can sample many things; I assure you it'll all be good. Loved the calamari and the meze plate on this last visit. Grilled haloumi and shrimp were great previously. Easy to get to so get going!