Always great! I've had the chicken shawarma sandwich, the gyro, and bowls and they're always consistent. Great people as well!

With seemingly hundreds of Mediterranean offerings in the area, I was curious to see what made Taza Cafe stand out from the rest... and it was pretty clear... the amazing falafel. I had ordered the Chicken Sharma plate on my first visit. The portion was quite sizable. A healthy scooping of chicken, a bed of nicely spiced rice, hummus, Jerusalem salad, were enough reason to stop by here, but it was the one ball of falafel that changed my attitude for the whole meal and has made me a somewhat regular. The chicken was slightly dry but seasoned nicely. The rice while flavorful, really was more fitting for dinner than for lunch. The salad is nice and the hummus is about average from what I would expect. The pita that comes with the meal is nice and chewy with an interesting taste. However, the falafel is awesome. It is super flavorful and well spiced. They are fried to a perfect brown and crumble nicely when bitten into. After my first visit, I now frequently order the falafel plate which comes with a bed of lettuce with falafel, Jerusalem salad, pita, and hummus. I top the falafel off with some nice tahnini sauce and some housemade spicy sauce (quite heavenly). Overall, I really like this place. At around $8, the plate is around the average Loop price for food. I might give the meats another try, but so far have found little reason to stray away from my new found usual. read more

See all

I pass this place every day on the way to work, so figured I'd try it out for lunch. Unforunately, I wasn't too impress. It's a tiny space, so you may want to go on off lunch hours if your looking to eat in. Service was great! Everyone was really friendly and greeted you when you came in. I went with the Falafel Hummus Dinner Plate. The Falafel's were okay, but something was off in the seasoning. I did however, like the texture and the fact they weren't ridiculously hard like some places. The Hummus was very bland and I didn't care much for the salad. It was okay, but compared to the Hummus Plate I normally get at Naf Naf it really didn't do it for me. read more

Taza Cafe - Falafel hummus dinner plate - Greek Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

FALAFEL!! That's such a fun word. That is hands down the best thing here. I got a plate of chicken shawarma and falafel which also came with some freshly chopped tomatos, cucumbers, and some other vegetables with some sort of dressing. The shawarma was good but the falafel stole the show. My whole plate was about $7-8 bucks and I was near food coma by the end of my meal, so I'd say it was a really good deal. The owner is so friendly! He gave us free hummus and pita because we told him it was our first time at this restaurant and we were visiting from California. The next time I'm in Chicago, I would love to stop by and support this business. read more

Taza Cafe - Falafel and shawarma YUM - Greek Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Oh, man. I'm disappointed that I had a bad experience, while others had better. I ordered the chicken Shawarma salad, while my beau had the gyro combo special with two falafel balls and a drink. Per my picture, the chicken Shawarma looks appetizing. My first bite was filled with disgust due to the dryness of the chicken. Maybe it was because the chicken was pre-shaved for the lunch crowd and sitting in the buffet warmer for too long. Who knows? I didn't stroll in way past lunch time though - came in at 1:15. The falafel was also dry for me, but at least the gyro meat was moist and fresh. My chicken Shawarma salad was so unappetizing that I took two bites and decided to throw the rest out and I am the type of person to dislike wasting food. I wouldn't come here again. Next time I want Mediterranean, I'm going to Roti. read more

Taza Cafe - Chicken Shawarma Salad - Greek Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I really wanted some shawarma, and Taza Cafe delivered! I had the Taza Combo (chicken shawarma and gyro) and a side of fries. Both were totally delicious! Staff was super friendly and helpful. read more

I recently ordered takeout and I can't wait to get it again. The have easy online ordering so you can choose a pick-up time. The food was ready when i arrived and they even threw in some extras! The food was delicious and fresh. Wow the falafel was some of the best i've ever had. The chicken shwarma was well seasoned and there was plenty of it too. We're lucky to have such a restaurant in the loop! read more

Pretty happy with my experience at Taza. Their falafels were definitely amazing and I highly recommend their Jerusalem salad. The shwarma was good but not what I expected of the normal version. Overall, this is a casual and small place that is good when you're in a rush or wanting take out. read more

Taza Cafe - Hummus shwarma dish with a falafel - Greek Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

One of my favorite Mediterranean spots in the city. Their gyros, shawarmas and pitas are delicious. And their house hot sauce goes incredible with all of their dishes. read more

Let's face it - you have a lot of Mediterranean options in Chicago. Some of my personal favorites includes Roti (for the healthy corporate route) and Sultan's (on the weekends). BUT if you're looking for a genuine mom and pop hole in the wall joint in the Loop for your weekday lunch option, this hits the spot. I've been coming here for 10 years now (no lie!) and the place is solid, consistent, customer friendly and I can't find the Gyro/Turkey meat combo anywhere else. read more

As a Middle Easterner, I have to say that this is hands down the best Middle Eastern spot in Chicago!! The food is always ready (served Chipotle-style), and although during lunch hour the line can get long, it moves quickly. The Taza combo is my favorite. Customer service is excellent; you always feel welcomed in as the owner/staff greet you. read more

Nothing beats crispy, fresh falafel in between a perfect pita covered in beautifully seasoned veggies and sauces from Taza. The owner is one of the nicest people, and always takes care of his customers. Oh and it's less than ten bucks. One of the best options in the loop period. read more

This is my favorite lunch spot!! Try the chef's special with hot sauce. It's amazing!

Fantastic food! Falafel hits the spot, place is clean, and customer service is on point. Stop by to see Ameen!

Ordered for my office on ezcater.com under the name "Greek Heaven." Everyone loved the food. Great falafel, amazing dill rice, fantastic rotisserie chicken, awesome grilled veggies, yummy hummus. Having celiac disease, I was very happy that they label everything gluten-free/vegan/etc., *and* they actually wrapped up the pita (for the rest of the staff) and marked it "gluten!" so that I would steer clear. I had to call and ask if the items we purchased had dairy in them because they were so savory - nope, no dairy. Double win! They included a small container of baklava and extra falafel with the request to leave them a review, so ... okay! They won my belly! Its the least I can do. Yum yum yum yum and yum. Thanks Taza Cafe or Greek Heaven. read more

In town for business & stopped by for lunch. This place is awesome! Best flavors for Mediterranean that I've had; each item was exceptional. The staff was so welcoming and friendly...I wish this place was in my town! read more

Taza Cafe - Combine plate lentil rice, gyro, chicken - Greek Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

This food is AMAZING. It is so good. We had gyros, chicken shawarma, rice hummus and pitas. Everything was seasoned perfectly and was very filling. 100% would eat there again! read more

Was craving something middle eastern near work and upon doing some research discovered this little gem. It was so good! I got a lunch Combo/special with chicken kabob and dill rice (not white rice). Some people were ordering turkey?! But I'm not sure how I feel about turkey and rice to be honest. The food actually kind of reminded me of a mix between Pita Inn in Skokie and maybe Reza's Restaurant ?! Quality was up there. Some places give me a stomach ache because they use a lot of oil etc but I felt great after eating this. It was a bit on the pricier side for a lunch special. I think I paid $11. But it was worth it. It was an unforgettable lunch. I've been meaning to go back! read more

Great food, friendly and welcoming people are working there. One of the best Mediterranean spot I've been to. Thanks!

Great service! The people working there r friendly and nice. They gave me samples to taste. But I'm not a big fan of Mediterranean food read more

Taza Cafe - Greek Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The bread of the sandwich is quite different! The shopkeeper also very nice to introduce the menu if you don't know read more

Taza Cafe - Yummy! Delicious sandwich - Greek Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This Mediterranean/Greek/Persian spot is just fantastic!! The staff were all very friendly & accomodating. There is a large lunch menu with something to please everyone. I recommend the gnocchi and the salmon looks delicious. read more

Pleasantly surprised. The food tasted fresh and the staff were really nice. I will definitely be back. And that's all I have to say about that. Jackee read more

Love ordering takeout from this spot! Prices are super fair and everything I've had has been so good! Falafel pita, Greek salad, and fries all came tasting super fresh and yummy read more

A quick jaunt to Chicago from Indy looking for something fast but yummy and I FOUND IT. Very casual, FRIENDLY & fantastic place! I ordered the sharma salad which was fresh, tasty and customized to my preference (be sure to get some pickled turnips .. YUM)! Topped this with the FRESHEST babaganoush (spelling ) & pita .. YUMMMMM my friends had sandwich/gyros they both raved on. Don't skip the baklava great place, friendly, fast & priced perfectly!! read more

Great food, the gyro meal was delicious, the falafel was crispy, the hummus had a great flavor, and the Jerusalem salad was perfect. Will order from here again. read more

Very friendly local Mediterranean fast food. They allow to customize the plate. Far better service than Mediterranean chain restaurants around downtown read more

Taza is the kind of restaurant everyone hopes to find - friendly, local-owned, cheap, delicious, and filling. Taza is the best Mediterranean lunch spot in the loop, period. read more

I was craving hummus, so I decided to come by for lunch. Nothing fancy, but the hummus shwarama bowl was really good. And their falafel was amazing. I also tried lentil soup for the first time. Not my favorite, but it was still tasty and it really hit the spot during the cold weather. The employees were all very friendly. The cashier who helped me was smiley and polite, and the guy who served my food made sure to check in on me. Definitely enjoyed my experience! read more

Wonderful food and incredibly kind staff. I cannot recommend this place enough! Great falafel, especially!

I recently relocated from the east side of the Loop to the west side of the Loop so now's the time to try new places. I'm a sucker for Mediterranean food and the loop has lots of good options. Taza leaves all others behind. I've never been a fan of falafel. I've tried it many times and I've always been "meh" about it. The ones I've had have always been hard and dry. My opinion quickly changed after the first bite of my first visit. I don't know if they add crack to these, but they're SO addicting. Falafel has now gone from being the "optional" part of my meal to the staple of my meal. Falafel sandwich combo with a side of falafel and I'll even grab some samples when they're available. :-) Might as well get some falafel to take back to the office for an afternoon snack... Ok, the shawarma isn't so bad either. Get the Chef's Sandwich which is shawarma AND falafel stuffed in a pita with hummus and all the other goodies. This is easily one of the best sandwiches I've ever eaten. Maybe someday I'll get burned out on this and try it with gyro meat just to mix it up a bit. read more

Got it as take out during the trip to Chicago. The chicken is tasty and the fried rice comes with is it superb too!

The food, the service, and the environment is soo friendly and cool. Lot of complimentary items are given so please check this place out!! Its amazing!! read more

My absolute favorite lunchtime place...these guys and gal are super kind and sweet! The food is well seasoned and the difference between this place and others is their dill rice, hummus and falafel which I tend to never give 5 stars too. On colder days, I tend to get my lentil soup and side of dill rice. In the warmer months, I get their salads which are fresh or if I'm super duper hungry (piggy status), I get their gyro plates are awesome with big portions. Even the side of their Baklava has the right amount of sweetness that just makes this place the best. As for pricing, you can't get better than a $7 sandwich with fresh ingredients, plates are around $10-13 depending on what you get. I love supporting smaller business like this that produce great food. Go Taza! :) read more

Delicious and fresh food! The hummus was awesome, as was the salad, falafel, chicken and gyros! Highly recommend. We had it catered at work and rave reviews all around!! read more

Our organization ordered a ton of food for a work celebration and all the food was delicious! Everyone loved it so we will definitely do this again. Authentic and great. Owner is great too! read more

Ordered Taza Cafe for an office lunch for around 45 people, they were on time, the delivery driver was extremely helpful. Everyone in the office loved the food which came piping hot. Will definitely be ordering from Taza again. read more

What can I say about Taza?!? I love this place...Ellie B. introduced me to Taza because I was asking her what all the rage was about on Yelp? How could this tiny little spot be so highly rated on Yelp? So we went...That was about 4 weeks ago, and I have been there about 15-18 times since. Taza has an excellent blend of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern fare. My staples here consist of the Chicken Shawarma sandwich (topped with lettuce and Tzatziki, lentil soup, and two pieces of Falafel. All of this, with a drink is just under $10. When I leave, I am pleasantly full, not disgustingly so...and I feel as though I accomplished my mission. The mission is to eat a healthy, affordable meal. Sure, I have two, maybe three pieces of deep fried Falafel, but they are high in protein and fiber, so they won't be in here too long!!! It's quick, it's good, and it's convenient. The soup is GREAT on a cold day! If you work in the loop, or are in the loop during the day, try it out!!! One thing that sets Taza apart from all the other businesses in the area is the owner's ability to recognize all of his customers and really get to know them. I have become a die hard regular here, and his, as well as his staff's eagerness to please and provide a wonderful experience is truly impressive. He brought in some of his own homemade baklava as opposed to the usual baklava that he purchases, and as someone who loves baklava, I can tell you it may have been the best I have ever had! He actually called me a few weeks ago after I had given him my business card, just to see where I had been? When is the last time a restaurant owner called you to make sure everything was ok? That's service! read more

We came here when we had a few extra hours to kill before leaving the city. The number 3 plate was delicious. Excellent both gyro meat and chicken. Definitely would come again! read more

The rave reviews of my Yelp friends led me to Taza for lunch, so I have decided to evaluate the said reviews and see if my friends really know what they are talking about. Brett D calls Taza "a great spot to grab some quick Mediterranean lunch fare and on the super cheap!" With a gourmet falafel sandwich priced at just $4.95, I don't know many other places in the loop that are cheaper. Amanda C says, "Very good falafels, well-seasoned and crispy." True. I was eyeing a chicken shawarma till I tried a free sample of a hot hot falafel. The well-seasoned, crispy, fried ball of ground chickpeas quickly changed my pick to a falafel sandwich. Kyle H mentions the "spicy red sauce that packed a zing!" The sauce does pack a zing but is not overpowering. Without it I wouldn't have enjoyed my sandwich quite as much. Cassie D claims "the ratio of falafel to Jerusalem Salad to hot sauce to hummus to pita was just perfect." Right you are, Cassie. The falafel tastes good on its own but only when combined with perfect ratios of all the other components in the gourmet sandwich does it taste great. Helena B opines, "hands down - best falafel in the Loop." This is definitely the best falafel I have had in the loop too, but it is also the only falafel I've had in the loop. Kellie K declares, "their falafel sandwich with all the fixings, plus hummus, and "normal" hot sauce has me ready to go back for more." Me too, Kellie; me too. Let me know when you want to go back, I am coming with you. Rhonda G states, "The best hummus and chicken shawarma ever!" No, I didn't have both a falafel sandwich and a chicken shawarma for lunch. How greedy do you think I am? I did get a chicken shawarma to go, and I have to agree with Rhonda that it was pretty darn good. I can safely conclude that my Yelp friends do know what they are talking about. Thanks, guys, for helping me find a cheap, tasty lunch spot close to home. read more