The place is a true gem and authentic Yemeni food in the area....I highly recommend starting with the soup which is simple, yet delicious. They have a number of dishes with protein Such as lamb, goat, fish or chicken on top of a bed of rice or you can get a combination platter....if you are in a bigger group, a combo platter is the way to go. Lastly, their hummus with shredded beef along with fresh baked bread is great as well The only reason why this is a 4 is because of their service which has room for improvement. I would be visiting again soon! read more

Zahra's - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I've been wanting to come here for a while now and we finally got the chance to go today. We had the lamb salta, the chicken salta and the zourbian. Each dish was delicious. The zourbian was accommodated with a chutney sauce. The meat was tender and flavorful. Reasonable prices. I'm not sure if they offer the broth soup here but it would have been nice since today is a rainy cold day. Other then that, overall it was a nice experience. read more

Zahra's - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

There are three location for shibam restaurant. 1. bridgeview - near midway and albawadi. I have never been there. Friends have indicated it is horrible. 2. Elston - Lawrence and Elston this one the food is amazing. It's open 24hrs. The service is amazing. My favorite place to go. Best time to go lunch or dinner. Appetizers - lamb soup is very good (very similar to murgh) They also have chicken or lamb mutabq which is deep fried and it taste amazing Fahsa lamb or chicken with naan is awesome a must try Entree - I usually get the chicken or lamb zurbain (very similar to a biryani) or a chicken mandi. The green sauce is nice and spicy it taste good with the zurbain or mandi. Dessert - is bad (don't bother) Tea - best tea in Chicago 3. Devon - the food is better than the one at Elston. Same menu what makes it better is that it's less greasy. read more

Decent Mediterranean food. Fairly priced. Fast service. Nothing like a grilled salmon for dinner.

It's a authentic Yemenis food Everything is delicious Everything is fresh to order I recommend that everybody To check out this place

Love this place. The service is prompt and courteous. The first time I came here I got the lamb murtabak and the mandi lamb. The murtabak was ridiculously good. (juicy, savory, hot pocket?) I thought the mandi was boring, although the meat was tender and the rice seemed well-prepared. Second time, I got fahsi chicken with bread. Both were excellent. I want to do a mini-rant on people complaining about bones on meat (even when described on the menu). The lamb had bones like a ribeye, so I don't think I saw a complaint about that. But just generally: be cognizant of the food you are shoveling into you face, and recognize that some people leave the meat on the bones. Also, screw places that up-charge for white meat and/or brown rice. I have a feeling bone-haters are the same types that restaurants make a few extra bones (joke?) off of by doing that BS, so maybe it evens out. read more

The best food I ever ate.I came from mi to Chicago to try it no regrets worth all the wait in traffic.I don't know why people don't come here they deserve better. Best customer service. I will be back every time I come to Chicago read more

My cousins and I love trying new foods every weekend and this time we chose to go to Shibam City! We chose this place because it was nearby, had awesome reviews, and the pictures on Yelp looked appealing. Upon walking in, the place was very packed. It was our first time so we weren't sure if it was always like this or whether we came at a peak time. Either way, we decided to stick it out and wait about 20 minutes to be seated - not too bad! When ordering, the server was very helpful in terms of suggesting entrees and explaining what they were. She did so in a very cheerful manner with a smile on the entire time despite being one of the few servers during a very busy night at the restaurant. The food here was absolutely wonderful! We ordered a plate of hummus and several plates to share it family style (they combine all of it into one large platter). The entrees included mandi chicken, mandi lamb, zerbian chicken, and massloug lamb. They were out of beef by the time we ordered. It was served on a huge platter of rice and they gave bread as well. All the meats were delicious and so tender. The lamb and chicken meat fell right off the bone. In addition to that, the rice was so flavorful! All in all, I would highly recommend this place as it has amazing, ethnic food with quality service. Love it! read more

Zahra's - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We ordered a late Friday night Grubhub seafood plate for 2. We expected a little better from this restaurant as my fiancé & I have been wanting to try this restaurant for a long time now. It was definitely unacceptable that it prompted us to write a review. First of all, the food was cold. Second, the seafood (shrimp, salmon & swordfish) were way overcooked! Third, the rice was hard & salty! It almost seemed like we were eating week old leftovers from a buffet that was recooked 5 times. We love having leftovers from time to time but not this. We want our money back! read more

I was so pleased to see this place get a face lift. New sofas and tables and lighting. They deserve every bit of success! The place was packed tonight. And the girls working there provided excellent service. So sweet. Great job, guys. Keep up the good work. Food was excellent as usual. (Updated) Holy shmoly! What a discovery. Very few places where you can eat from and find just EVERYTHING to be sexy. I can't breathe rn, but I want mooore! Do try the lamb mandi, mixed grill (lovely chicken and chops in here), and the chicken sandwich. Brilliant job, guys! read more

Zahra's - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We have tried many types of middle eastern cuisine but we were excited to find something new in a Yeminite restaurant in Chicago. The setting is what you might expect of a neighborhood, ethnic joint. Friendly people and functional table settings. Nothing super special but a place you can show up in jeans without an issue. There are a variety of great choices which could please meat eaters but also vegetarians. Most of the dishes are served with Yeminite bread or rice - you can't go wrong with either. The madapaq appetizer was very good - essentially a piece of Yeminite bread filled and then light pan fried. The fahsa lamb was the really outstanding dish - served bubbling hot with bread. We also tried the Ougda chicken which was tasty and spiced deliciously. Portions are generous but not over the top. We didn't have room for dessert and took some leftovers home. read more

Zahra's - Nice selection of dishes - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Unbelievably good food. Haven't had Yemeni cuisine like this since being at the famous and always packed Yemen cafe in nyc. Can't go wrong with any of the dishes here. Lamb mandi was so soft and juicy and the rice and spices accompanying it perfect (the chutney they serve on the side may be very spicy for some but I loved it-added some kick to the dish). The lamb soup is also super tasty. read more

Zahra's - Mandi Lamb - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Just had my dinner with the family there food is ok service very poor and hygiene is a big question mark I do not think I will come back again, neither I recommend this restaurant. read more

I like this restaurant. The kibda (liver) is very delicious especially for breakfast/brunch. The fahsa (with lamb) is one of my most favorite entrees here. Both come with bread (khobz) which is amazing specially when fresh. The staff are very polite and keep a positive attitude with genuine smiles even it's very busy and hectic which it does become so specially on weekends. There is room for improvement on the atmosphere side of things. Overall, I feel like I get a good and healthy meal. read more

Zahra's - Kibda with Hummus - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The food was delicious, cheap and generous serving sizes. The waitress was very helpful and very nice. I will definitely be coming back here! The only bad thing is parking around here but I definitely recommend people to come here. I had the lamb and it was delicious. read more

Zahra's - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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They don't even deserve 1 star rating. Really bad experience. Food was really bad. Worst service ever. Staff did not provide good service. Had dirt on the serving plates. They charged extra for the Gratuity per person plus they charged Non-cash adjustment fee, which i did not understand. We won't be going next time. I won't recommend anybody. read more

Zahra's - I was charged gratuity for bad service plus non cash adjustment - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Amazing! Absolutely amazing! It was the perfect dining experience! My server was very nice. She answered THE question, that I give up on asking because at many restaurants, they won't give you an answer, "What is an absolute must have on the menu?" I said, I was there my first time and she suggest I tried the Fahsa Lamb. Man.. that was freaking unbelievable! It came with a hand made bread, Mandi rice, Sahawiq (grated tomatoes with chili peppers, onions. garlic, black pepper) followed by a cup of Yemen tea. The main dish.. steaming hot, just out of the oven, succulent shredded lamb seasoned with traditional and Yemeni spices melted in my mouth. Absolutely LOVED IT! The Mandi rice was great too! It's not that often that I compliment the rice dish.. you know.. And topped with hot green tea with spices. I liked that is was a little bit sweet. My server was very friendly and I learned that Yemen borders with Saudi Arabia. Yemeni speak Arabic and they understand people from countries like Iraq, Palestine, Saudi Arabia and Syria. Not Iran though.. Iranian speak Persian. Shibam City, a town geographically in the center of Yemen is know for being made of mudbrick. All of that for $14.14, plus generous well deserved tips. read more

Great friendly service, very flavorful traditional food. Check it out!

The lamb chops were some of the best meat I've ever tasted. Juicy and perfectly seasoned and a very good deal at 12.99. They were a little fatty but that's how lamb chops are. The mutapaq with beef was absolutely delicious at well. It says 'bread' but it's more like a paratha, which was slightly burned (in a good way) and the meat was great. We also got the agda Fish curry, which was good and had very generous fish portions with no bone. It could have used a little more spice, but I put spice on everything, so I'm biased. And the rice is really good, lots of flavor. Great meal. read more

Shibam is simply great food. I go to this place anytime I feel hungry and never been disappointed. Open 24 hours a day and the food is always fresh and delicious. read more

Looking for a new place to eat? Go no further for amazing authentic Yemeni food that tastes like home. Shibam is the place to go to for always freshly made finger licking good food. Order ahead for speedy take out or dine in for a cozy experience and great service. read more

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Second time trying them, was disappointed again, there will be no third! Portions were small except for the mounds of rice the meat portions were extremely small, dry and I would say overcooked, but burnt would be a better description! read more

ordered lamb rourbian , it used to be good but not anymore .. lamb meat is so smell that after few bites i can take it any more .. rice have really strong garlic flavor.. i used to buy a lot from them .. but this is it now ! read more

Zahra's - lamb zurbian , very smelly meat and taste is horrible! - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Best authentic Yemeni food , food is flavorful and staff are super friendly I highly recommend it read more

Best mutabq i had in a long time. Mandi is just upto the mark. Fahsa was terrible. The deserts taste good as well. read more

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They are few times when an image and thoughts of a special dish you like comes to your mind and make you crave for it. Last night, I obeyed those images of a generous plates of original Yemeni Food and visited this place, and it was just great ! A dish of Mandi (lamb spiced and cooked in a special way, with rice) made perfectly with a fresh and tender meat and spiced rice. Fahsa (kind of pulled lamb cooked in a special Yemeni pot) was absolutely the best! Very well-cooked meat in a flavorful stew, the pot continues boiling and sizzling on your table ! served with Yemeni bread. Masoob (sweet dish with Yemeni wheat bread mixed banana) amazingly topped with honey, cream, cheese and black seeds .. and a cup of Adani Chai (tea with milk and a touch of cinnamon and cardamon) made my day ! People there are really nice and friendly, having there brand new restaurant, which will definitely make me a new regular customer after this visit .. read more

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If you miss your flight to San'aa and get stuck in Chica go, you can still find authentic Yemeni Classic cuisine at Shibaam City and There is a new Chef in town! Try the magalag or the liver, followed up with Cay Adani and masoob. Even if you are full, order the masoob to go. Its a heavy cream and banana bread pudding. You can have it for breakfast. Order two or three things so that you can study and decide not to cook for an entire week. Freeze some and take it to work for lunch. 100% zabiha halal , clean , and tastes like the food my Grandfather used to cook for me on his farm in Michigan when he would ask if I was hungry and then go outside and say "Bismillah" as he slit the throat of a baby lamb and then fry its liver still hot and quivering in front of my eyes while my Grandma and I made the fresh bread to dip into the liver and garlic yogurt sauce. Enough to make you cry or try and fail to turn vegan. My Grandpa is dead now, just like that baby lamb ....but when you taste the food at Shibaam you will be alive and well in the San'aa countryside where there are no Saudi or Emirati or Iranian war planes daring to drop bombs into your air space. Pray for the Balkis's of Yemen and the Aydin's of Chicago, and eat at Shibaam. Sit and eat in comfort at a table or on the floor. And they now deliver to your door. What more could you ask for? read more

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Thank you AboHanni Best Yemen food in Illinois, Chicago kebdda was amazing with Amazing bread, Foul, was tasty, Marsha, Massoob, massoob was nice with banana and honey, Don't forget the adani tea, read more

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Not the same place I knew. Had ordered once for office party. That time the food was amazing. Went there for some takeout. Ordered shakshoka, chicken mandi and chicken fahsa for takeout. Shakshoka here is nothing but scrambled eggs (that were not even whipped properly) and had whole garlic bulbs. My mistake that I didnt read the description of shakshoka and assumed it to be the usual one (one with lots of tomato base and feta cheese). Nothing like that. Also, dont understand why anyone would call basic scrambled eggs shakshoka! Chicken Fahsa was what I had before and made me go again this time. Good flavor but extremely salty. Chicken mandi only looked good. The half-chicken in the chicken mandi was not at all fresh and certainly re-heated to a level where it was absolutely bone dry. So not worth it. I understand that a lot of places have taken a hit due to the lockdown but dont understand why has the quality of food deteriorated so much? Completely forgettable food. I hope they come back to what they were before. P.S. - for an establishment to mention "no mask, no service" on their door, shouldn't people working inside be wearing masks as well? Apparently not! read more

I went there yesterday and i'm on my way back again now for the next day... As simple as that :) Awesome flavored food, reasonably priced, I recommend it, no regrets for sure :) read more

Zahra's - Mandi mixed with Mathbi - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Wow! This place is awesome! The food is so yummy and light it melts in your mouth! The meats are tender, fresh and juicy. Good easy menu selection! Mandi is great! Lamb glaba was juicy! Sandwiches are great as well. Yemeni milk tea was energizing. The ambience should be definitely improved! Need to upgrade this place! Will check out the basement sit down area next visit. The food is more tasty than the Yemeni food I had in Dearborn. read more

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Got served with cold food which was not fresh. The place itself was dirty and not maintained and bad hygiene. They charged $20 extra for just dining in plus additional service charges on the top. Never going there again and would not recommend anyone to go there. read more

Food is decent, but not aesthetically pleasing. I do eat with all five senses, and the majority of my senses weren't satisfied here. Lamn haneeth: 2.5 Yogurt with cucumber: 2 (prefer the Assyrian/Greek style over Arab gulf style). Rice: 2 Service: 2.5 Atmosphere: 1 Cleanliness: 1 Food is ok (although the sanitation makes me question this goodness), but everything else here is bad. It is a generous 2-stars. Unlikely I'd return, unless I find myself in Albany Park, and craving the Red Sea's cuisine. read more

I have no clue, why this place has so many good reviews! This place is hands down horrible! Jerusalem salad has no dressing, spices or any flavor at all. Lamb fahsa was barely ok in terms of however full of bones, same thing with chicken Kabsa. The only positive was that portions are huge. Hummus with liver was ok, liver was good barely any hummus around. The worst part was the service and the desert!! We took masoob! And it was absolutely disgusting! Literally tastes like someone's shit with honey and melted ice cream! I would recommend staying away from this place! read more

I ordered take-out from here recently on my quest to explore the ethnic food scene in Chicago. When you put their address in the GPS, it takes you to a storefront, that then directs you to walk 2 min back down the road to their real store. I've never had Yemeni food before so I wanted to try a few things. I got the mandi combo (chicken and lamb), chicken agda, and a small Yemeni tea. Honestly, the mandi combo was not exceptional. The meat was dry and lacked flavor - both features are the main reason why I tend not to order roasted or grilled meat dishes. The agda chicken was ok, meat was again dry but at least it came with a tomato sauce. The ingredients in the sauce didn't taste particularly fresh, looked like frozen vegetables. The adeni tea was good though, it's like sweetened tea with some milk. Overall I thought the portions were generous but the flavoring and cooking method not great. read more

Zahra's - chicken agda - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Been here twice now and I can't wait to come again. All I can say is Zourbian. YOU MUST TRY IT. Be aware it's a little spicy. It's a mix of biryani and maqlooba. I haven't really tried anything else, but I've tasted from other people and everything is on point. Even their fool (favs beans) was so good. I'm getting hungry from just writing this. read more

Food was horrible and raw and on top of that customer service was horrible lady is so rude for no reason! There's no reason to be this rude to customers who are giving business to your poor "Establishment" . They charge for EVERYTHING HERE like seriously I was too scared to use the bathroom. I've been sitting here looking and hearing customers getting the wrong food and not being told sorry which is Crazy! read more

That was delicious. We had never tried Yemeni food before and really liked it. The goat curry was really good & a large enough portion for 2 meals. The veggie stew was good too. The desert was like a bread pudding that isn't over sweet at all. The yogurt drink was not at all what I imagined, I thought it might like a Lassi or Kefir but was instead very sour and frothy without any sweetness. I liked it but it was a total surprise, which is part of the fun of trying unfamiliar foods. I do wish the staff and families eating there were more cautious with mask wearing , some did some didn't. I don't want to remove a star for that but I'm glad I got take out rather than trying to eat in there. read more

5 stars for the world class best Haneeth in the US. I have been following a strict diet. However...When it comes to haneeth at Shibam with the best foodie friends including Yelpus Maximus Ahmad A, diet and cost can step down for a moment. We have been coming here on a regular monthly basis. As Ahmad A mentions in his review, do get the haneeth only here. Do not make a mistake and order other stuff. Haneeeeeth and haneeeeeth only. It is a glorious dish of the most tender, most flavorful, perfectly season roaster bone-in lamb with a rice basin. Served with a slasa and yogurt salad. In a city like Chicago, it is a shame to try the same restaurant twice because of the million restaurants and exploding cuisine scene. Having said, if the meal is lamb haneeth At Shibam City Restaurant, coming here every month is a mandatory habit. Ahlam, one of the staff here, has been the loveliest to us, adding to our haneeth amazing experience. She greets every single customer with her big welcoming smile. This is a cozy warm place with outstanding haneeth. read more

No words to describe how food is delicious there . I ordered Lamb Mandi - the rice is fantastic and lamb -so soft and tasty ! Highly recommend to everyone who love middle eastern food! read more