Food was really good and the service was incredible. Very nice and genuine people work here. They were able to accommodate multiple allergies and substitutions. Food was reasonably priced and very filling. I highly recommend the stuffed chicken and beef shish. Kurdish coffee wasn't overpowering, very nutty, espresso sized. read more

The Gundis Kurdish Kitchen - Sampler - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

First time trying kurdish cuisine and I am a fan. The stuffed chicken was FIRE. I usually don't like chicken breast but this one was so juicy with a rich spinach and goat cheese filling. I also very much enjoyed the rice and vegetables soaked in the sauce. The zaza tofu pasta was also cooked perfectly al dente with a smoky tomato isot sauce and lots of goat cheese (I love goat cheese). I wanna come back and try their kurdish breakfast next time. We came at 5:45 and there were a lot of seats open. Service was pretty quick. They do charge a 3% credit card fee so bring cash if you can. Ambiance was very nice, very aesthetic dining area. read more

The Gundis Kurdish Kitchen - Zaza Pasta Tofu - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I love everything about Gundis! Always a 5 star experience when I go. If you want the full experience, you need to get their breakfast for two. The line up that comes out is outstanding. From housemade jams, to olives, to fries, to spicy omelettes and fresh hot bread, there is always something you'll love. Their fig and walnut pancakes we also very good, with actual walnuts and dried figs in the mix. The cucumber lemonade was so fresh and you could tell immediately its juiced in house. The ambiance is light and always bustling with service being top tier! I can wait to go again. read more

I'm very happy that I closed out my visit to Chi-City at this amazing gastronomy destination! Made a last minute reservation, and the magic unfolded. Beverages: 5/5. I don't see the drink I ordered online and I forgot to take a picture of the menu. That said, it was a superbly blended craft cocktail with whiskey. Cuisine: 5/5. The stuffed chicken was recommended by the waiter and it was superb! Flavorful, filling, and just the perfect meal after walking miles around the city. The milk pudding was a solid closer, but I'd probably order one of their other desserts next time. Service: 5/5. Efficient, which was impressive, given the dinner rush. Ambiance: 5/5. Classy space, nothing to dislike. Buen provecho. read more

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hands down one of my favorite restaurants i've ever been to. the flavors are different than other middle eastern restaurants i've been too. the staff is very friendly and welcoming. we ordered a bunch of dishes and finished them all. great for groups! read more

Forgot to take a before pic because the food was so good and I scarfed it down. The brunch for 2 is such a good deal. You get so much food and a variety. The servers were also super nice and kept chatting with my toddler. Casual place. East too packed on Saturday. read more

The Gundis Kurdish Kitchen - Brunch - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I have since returned twice for dinner. We had a lovely meal 3 years ago and returned lat night reminiscing about it. We found the service to be incredible - warm, sincere, helpful. The staff genuinely cared to deliver a positive dining experience. Our water glasses were always refilled (so many restaurants these days don't do it). The menu is marked so well for allergens - my friend is vegan and I am vegetarian gluten-free - I was able to enjoy the soup, appetizers, and salads. They prepared a vegan cous cous for my friend. I recalled the salads being better - it was mostly greens with very little of walnuts/ beans, etc - the other ingredients that had previously made these wholesome and enjoyable. I might suggest cutting back on overall size of the salad but not on the ratios of the recipe. The soup was flavorful and they provided me with gluten-free bread. And my friend absolutely loved the cous cous - generous portions, flavorful spices. My husband had had the lamb shank last time which he found a bit dry. Last night he gobbled up the stuffed chicken delightedly. read more

We finally had the opportunity to eat at Gundis tonight. We really had a enjoyable experience and I would highly recommend it. I liked the fact that there were plenty of options for my vegetarian husband. I am now a fan of Kurdish food. The environment was warm and welcoming and it was packed on a Saturday night. I will say it was initially very noisy but got significantly quieter as people left. We had great service and our drinks, appetizer and main meals were served with great timing. We started with the sampler plate, which included baba ghanoush, octopus salad, ezme (a Kurdish dish) and hummus. The bread it was served with was delicious. I did feel like everything on the sampler plate, apart from the baba ghanoush, had a similar taste. I think the similarity in taste came from the same seasoning on everything. We still enjoyed it despite. I did love my dinner which was grilled octopus with spicy lemon yogurt and roasted vegetables with mashed potatoes. The potatoes weren't super hot but they tasted great. The portion sizes were very generous. Everyone in our party enjoyed their meal. I would definitely come back as there are so many great options on the menu that I would love to try. I also liked the atmosphere and location. Parking can be challenging so give yourself time. read more

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Presentation was decent but food quality very poor. Some ingredients like the mushrooms and other vegetables were from a can. Meat was tough. Was not of the quality or freshness I would consume. read more

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I love the brunch here but not a big fan of the dinner. Service was great all around, lots of seating too! To start we got the calamari, I love calamari. This wasn't cooked great- extra chewy. For my main I got the fries and the goat cheese and lentil soup. The fries were great! The soup was really lacking flavor. The lentils are also blended so you don't get the texture. I would come for breakfast/brunch as that menu has many options and is great! read more

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I'll be honest, I had never heard of this place prior to going to lunch with a group of friends. We were able to make a large party reservation for 9 the week of which was great! The service was excellent! Our waiter was very attentive, the food came out quickly and was very fresh! They had a variety of options on their menu from brunch to lunch to dinner options so you could certainly go back and even try different options! The ambience was perfect, not too loud, not too quiet. I would certainly return! read more

Gundis food and service makes you feel the same way when you're invited to someone's house for a meal. It's wholesome, hearty portions, and filled with absolutely unique flavours. The grilled calamari was a party favourite for appetiser. You can't get enough of the jus with the bread. If you're a meat eater, the lamb shank is to die for- the meat melts off the bone. Highly recommend the rice pudding w apricot- its cinnamon-y and the absolute best way to end a meal read more

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Located in Lakeview, it is said to be the first Kurdish restaurant in Chicago. I ordered the red lentil soup and Mardin. Both of them were new to me and delicious. I never had **red** lentil soup before. Its darlk orange-red color seemed to come from both the red lentils and spices like chili and paprika. It was topped with smoky Isot pepper and a mild chili powder, giving the soup a subtle heat and complex, raisin-chocolate taste. So rich. But once I added some lemon juice it became refreshing. The Mardin was basically chunks of grilled beef (I chose medium rare) over a bed of creamy eggplant puree, topped with a mixture of vegetables. The puree contained small cubes of eggplant and eggplant seeds, and had a slight hint of creaminess. The beef was quite tender and fresh. Recommended. I also want to mention their naan-style bread. Not salty at all--they just let the food speak for itself. Good for pairing with the soup and Mardin. read more

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The only reason we visited this place was because it was recommended by someone we trust and boy did we love it. Both our host and sever were really polite. Since this was our first time trying Kurdish cuisine, our server recommended Kurdish coffee for caffeine free drinks and Ezme. Both were delicious. They have some really nice vegetarian options. We ordered the beet salad and couscous entree. Portion sizes were perfect which meant we did not have to carry any leftovers. Ambiance was nice and relaxing. Much needed respite after walking around Chicago on a sunny day! read more

The Gundis Kurdish Kitchen - Kurdish Coffee - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I ordered the Halloumi salad, Zaza pasta chicken, and Adana Kabob. The flavors, the food itself, temperature, and everything else were excellent. I made the decision to order a salad instead of an appetizer and it was a great choice since the salad was fantastic. I will go back if I remember too. The costs are reasonable for the food you are getting. I saved $50 versus another comparable place along the same street. read more

Our server was very accommodating- Luckman was his name. We started with soups and move on to the main course. Tea and dessert were gifted to us The inside is very soft light and gives a good and relaxing feeling. read more

The Gundis Kurdish Kitchen - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Stopped in for the kurdish breakfast on a weekend. The restaurant is cute and bright, great for a brunch location. I loved the kurdish breakfast experience. Our favorites were the bread and jams, the cheese bread, and the baklawa crepes that we ordered in addition. We got the veggie scramble and I do think it could use some more flavor, and it was slightly watery but overall everything was good. Service was also very attentive and I had several refills of my tea. read more

The Gundis Kurdish Kitchen - Brunch - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Food was delicious. We ordered the Soft Egg with Lamb. It was bursting with flavors. The Octopus Salad was fresh and the octopus pieces were tender. Service was quick and it was nicely decorated. read more

The Gundis Kurdish Kitchen - Soft Scramble and Lamb - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Dining companion, #1 daughter, and I first visited based on her walk past the restaurant and her keen instinct for good, interesting restaurants. Our first time there we ordered individual items. All good. Except the better approach for us has turned out to be to order the Kurdish Breakfast (done the second and following times). The KB has a wide variety of sides with different egg options. The sides include feta, fresh mozzarella, kashar cheese, three house jams, honey, butter, Kurdish sesame butter, black and green olives, fries, cucumbers, tomatoes, fried cheese rolls, and bottomless Kurdish tea. Even better than it sounds! Along with the food, the servers have been helpful and attentive. And always finish (or start) with dessert. Do that here for sure. Sophisticated sweetness! read more

This place has great service, lovely ambiance, and delicious food! They have 3 main vegetarian options and some different vegetarian salads and appetizers. I loved the halloumi salad--their halloumi is cooked differently than the usual and has a wonderful taste; dressing is also very mild but fresh. The pasta was absolutely amazing; I was shocked at how well the tofu went with the dish. The pasta felt very warm and homey--I would say it's between a soup and a pasta because the sauce is more watery but absolutely delicious. All the flavors were great and I will def be back to try more dishes! (I was very upset they didn't have Kurdish coffee or hummus when I visited, but the food makes up for it!) read more

The Gundis Kurdish Kitchen - Halloumi Cheese Salad - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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After walking past The Gundis Kurdish Kitchen and always seeing it packed we decided to give it a try. I definitely recommend making a reservation, otherwise you'll probably be waiting. the staff busses tables extremely quickly, but patrons won't be rushed to leave. We went with the Kurdish Breakfast for two and chose the Lamb Scramble. It's comes with house tea, but we also tried the Kurdish Coffee as it was a popular item. It is definitely enough food for two, maybe three people and you don't feel heavy after. The scramble was soft and filled with peppers and onions, delicious. The jams and jellies were fresh and flavorful. You get orange, apricot, and strawberry. Also honey, butter, a sesame butter (more savory), and black & green olives. It also has some cheese and what are essentially cheese sticks. Overall it was fantastic and highly recommend it. This area of Clark Street has great restaurants. read more

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Came here on a Saturday afternoon with friends to try the Kurdish breakfast & it was awesome! The breakfast includes a scramble of choice (we went with veggie scramble), 3 varieties of jams, sesame bread, honey, butter, olives, sesame butter, fries, 3 types of cheese, fried cheese rolls, tomatoes, cucumber, and unlimited tea. We also ordered turkish coffees which were well loved by everyone. The spread was amazing. Everything was fresh & we loved every single item! We all left The Gundis feeling happy & with full bellies! read more

The Gundis Kurdish Kitchen - Kurdish breakfast - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Had the brunch for two and chose the lamb option. Also ordered the octopus salad. Everything tasted fresh and in season. They were out of the Kurdish coffee so had the tea instead. Service was great! read more

The Gundis Kurdish Kitchen - Brunch for two spread and octopus salad - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came last weekend after a Candlelight show with my wife and her friend. My wife had been here before a few years ago and recommended it, so figured we would try it out. We had a friendly greeting right away and were seated fairly quickly. The whole restaurant had a cozy ambiance to it. Since its still been a little cold in the evening, we got the tea and went straight to ordered. The menu had a good selection of offerings and everything sounded very appetizing. I had difficulty picking between the Stuffed Chicken and Adana Kebab but decided on the Stuffed Chicken since it was one of their signature dishes. My wife picked their salmon dish. Our food came out after a short wait and my stuffed chicken was excellent! My wife really enjoyed her salmon as well. Overall, the service, ambiance and food were all very good. I would definitely love to return and would strongly recommend their food and service. I keep hearing about this breakfast experience and hopefully can return soon to try it out! read more

The Gundis Kurdish Kitchen - Crusted Isot Salmon - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The sampler appetizer plate was a great way to taste a little bit of everything! It had the hummus, baba ghanoush, octopus salad, and ezme+walnut. The octopus and ezme were the winners. The pasta was nice and flavorful, and the staff was very accommodating to substitute the goat cheese out for tofu. The dessert platter had chocolate mousse, coconut milk pudding, rice pudding, and baklawa. It was absolutely delicious and I can't wait to come back again! The interior had very nice ambiance and there was plenty of space between all the tables. The waitstaff were very quick and attentive. Altogether, a great experience and very deserving of the rave reviews here on Yelp. read more

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Burnt food, loud establishment impossible to hear each other, rude service, no idea what reservations mean. Will not be back

We were in a rush to get to the airport on a busy Friday night, and our waiter was totally on board. We ordered the vegetarian stew with bulgar, and both were very tasty and served hot. The bread that they offered was really, really good and also very hot. (They don't automatically bring bread out, so if they don't happen to offer it, make sure to ask for it,) The restaurant itself is fairly loud, but that seems to be the latest build-out vibe from the 2020s. All staff were very polite and we are definitely going back soon! read more

The Gundis Kurdish Kitchen - They're also open on the weekends for breakfast and lunch. - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The food and service was phenomenal. This was our first experience with Kurdish food and we really enjoyed it. There was lots of food and the only thing we didn't eat much of was the fries, but that was also the only thing that we had plenty of experience with. The Turkish coffees were enjoyable and great for a cold day, and the Kurdish tea that came with the breakfast for two was also tasty and really smooth. The ambience was nice as well, a restaurant that probably held 60-70 people that had music playing and was probably 1/2 full when we went but not too loud as to limit conversation. Highly recommended!! read more

LOL they massively overbook reservations on Valentine's Day. Got there and there were at least five other tables full of people with reservations standing around looking lost. Big Delta Airlines energy. Only minus the government-mandated vouchers. So maybe more like DMV? read more

We came here for the Kurdish breakfast, it was a new experience. The breakfast was pretty light and didn't feel heavy at all with all the food. The meal came with Kurdish tea which strong, but good. The breakfast came with various cheeses, jams, sweet butter, honey, Kurdish sesame butter, black and green olives, fries, cucumbers, fried cheese rolls, and bottomless tea. It also came with your choice of scramble and we picked the soujouk scramble which is scrambled eggs with spicy beef halal sausage, tomatoes, bell peppers and onions. There was also freshly baked bread with some black sesame inside it. Staff continuously refilled our teas and offered us more bread during the meal. Since there was a lot of things flavors and items, you could taste different combinations. I would say the price is on the higher side, but it's a nice experience and good quality food. We made a reservation in case it was busy, and once we sat down the restaurant got busier. read more

The Gundis Kurdish Kitchen - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The service was great and everyone was so helpful when deciding what to order. The food was delicious and so filling, such good flavors. The overall vibe and atmosphere/ambiance was delightful! Would come again! read more

Recently came to The Gundis for brunch and had a great experience! I walked in on a Sunday at 11 without a reservation and was told it would be 15 minutes for a table for 2, not bad at all. Once seated, we decided to get the Kurdish breakfast with the veggie egg scramble. Along with the scramble we got a variety of cheeses, jams, olives, bread, fries, tomatoes/cucumbers, fried cheese rolls and tea! I also ordered Turkish coffee and it was delicious, but definitely on the strong side, so beware. It was such a big spread for only about $55-60 for two! Definitely worth the money. This was such a fun and unique brunch that I definitely enjoyed. However, I don't know how often I'd come back for brunch. I'd love to try their dinner options though. Definitely recommend if you're looking for a unique brunch meal! read more

The Gundis Kurdish Kitchen - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Wow wow wow!! My friends and I came here for breakfast while visiting Chicago after one of my friend's raved about it from his last trip. We split the Kurdish breakfast and it was everything you could ever want! All the jam, cheese, and honey accompaniments were so fresh and mouthwatering. We also tried the soujouk and lamb scrambles and they were delicious. The service was quick and they were very friendly, and the restaurant was bustling with energy! I loved everything about the Gundis and will be adding it to my itinerary whenever I am in Chicago. read more

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I had an excellent meal at Gundis, but the main thing I wanted to note in my review was how accommodating this restaurant is for gluten free, vegetarian, and vegan diners. My date and I shared the grilled halloumi- they brought grilled gluten free bread separately for me. I also enjoyed the eggplant stew. The menu notes that fries can be prepared in a separate frier for those with gluten allergies, and dishes with gluten are clearly marked on the menu. I'm not vegetarian but about half of this menu is! My meal was delicious and the ambience was relaxing. read more

The Gundis Kurdish Kitchen - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Went here on a Saturday late afternoon. Did not have what everyone is ordering. Has the lentil soup and the shawarma the soup was great, fries were great. Shawarma was pretty good. Service was prompt. read more

I didn't even know what Kurdish cuisine was but now I'm a huge fan! The lamb shank was one of the best lamb shanks I've had in the states. (The Best was in Greece.) The meat just fell right off the bone. I could've used a butter knife or just my fork! It was so flavorful and juicy, and the rosemary sauce was perfectly fragrant without being overpowering. The bed of mashed potatoes were nice and creamy, and a perfect match to the delicious lamb! My partner had the stuffed chicken with goat cheese and spinach which was also lovely. We rarely order chicken when we go out bc it tends to be dry but the chicken at Gundis was perfectly juicy and flavorful. The two starters we had were grilled halloumi cheese and the baba ganoush. Both were tasty but we were definitely blown away by our mains! Service was on point and the restaurant had a warm and welcoming vibe, like we were at a big family get-together. This is one of our new faves and we're sure to be back for more lamb!! read more

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we got the sojouk scrambler for the Kurdish breakfast for two, and that was probs the best egg ive ever had lol. the bread was really warm, fresh, and soft, and paired well with all the jams and cheeses. i rlly loved the sesame butter as well! these were also the best olives ive had haha the portions are pretty small tho and it is expensive. but tbh the experience is fun so i would recommend trying it atleast once read more

The Gundis Kurdish Kitchen - Kurdish Breakfast - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We met up with some friends who recommended this place. While the menu didn't have indication of gluten-free, the wait staff came by to explain it thoroughly, so for us that have gluten intolerance could order accordingly. The dessert menu did have GF indication, so that's helpful! The food was flavorful with spices, and grilled to the right temperature (salmon) which I always overcooked! The desserts were just about right in sweetness, not overly sweet. Pairing with a cup of tea was perfect! Check this place out! I saw that they serve brunch in the weekend, and would be interested to come back and try more items. read more

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I went here over the weekend for brunch and was able to get a reservation the night before via resy for a party of 2. Win, win when a lot of places around don't even take reservations at all! My friend was running late, but they were kind enough to let me sit and wait for my friend at the table. We wound up ordering the Kurdish breakfast (spicy tofu scramble) and it was sooo good. I will note that the price and everything is for 2 people. It was a bit pricey but it was a lot of food. My friend is known for being a bottomless pit, and even he was satisfied. The bottomless tea included was a nice touch too. I would definitely get it again! The spicy tofu scramble had a little kick but it definitely wasn't too spicy. My friend and I were both big fans! read more

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Really good Kurdish halal/zabiha food, the pasta was so good and honestly everything we ordered on the menu including the fries. The service was good and it wasn't very busy when we went, with a nice ambience. read more

The Gundis Kurdish Kitchen - Baba Ganoush, French fries - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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