I was not sure what to expect, but I will be back. Delicious food. The staff kindly gave me a menu with photos after they saw me struggling. We had the sampler platter to start. Fortunately they brought out more bread to eat with the food. It was dipping fabulous. The humus is spectacular. The main course was recommended by one of the owners so that I had a taste of different things. Iskander is the closest spelling I have. I don't care what it is called, delish and large portions. I highly recommend. read more

Zizi's Cafe - One of the owners and her son's English teacher from his sophomore year. - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Very excellent food. Tasted like a home meal. Baklava was super delicious. The service was amazing, we had John as our server and he did an amazing job at making sure we enjoyed our first experience at this restaurant. Definitely will come again! read more

Zizi's Cafe - Chicken Doner Wrap - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Pretty solid. We took it as pick-up, so can't comment on the experience dining there, but I can review the food! I was in Turkey for a couple weeks over the summer and stayed with family who are locals. So was able to try many various Turkish cuisine straight from the source. Zizi's wasn't exactly what I expected, but it did impress/exceed on a few items. To start - the portions were big. We loved that. Both Chicken dishes were huge and had plenty leftover. The breakdown: 1. Kebab Platter - the chicken was great, and was well sauced. Definitely would order again. Compared to Turkey - it had a lot more going on, but I wasn't complaining. 2. Fries - standard, could have been more crispy though. I'm not coming back for fries here but they were fine on the side 3. Pide with Egg and Cheese - Ok so this was awesome. The handful of Pide I had in Turkey was always too bread-heavy and not enough filling. This one though was full of cheese and such, and we loved it. 4. Hummus - seemed standard. Nice to have with the dishes, but nothing mind blowing. *We got a collection of veggies, and sauces. I liked this, and not sure what item it was coming with haha. This is a great place in the neighborhood. I'm for sure going to be back, and maybe upgrade to 5 stars if the in-dining experience means the dishes are fresher/better. read more

We got take-out from here the other night and overall enjoyed it very much. Here's what we got: Red lentil soup: okay but could use more seasoning. We added some fresh ground pepper and it tasted much better Falafel: large pieces but bland tasting Chicken doner kebab platter: my fiance ordered it and thought it was fine. Chicken slightly dry. Melted bosphorus platter: really liked this dish. The portion size was generous. The meatballs were well-seasoned, vegetables plentiful, and the wheat bulgur was excellent. Kazandibi: okay, the consistency was not very smooth Bread: we loved this bread! So fluffy and warm. Overall, everything tasted pretty good, and we still had leftovers for the next day. read more

Zizi's Cafe - Melted bosphorus - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

If I could marry a restaurant, this would be it. Zizis makes you feel loved. Every single thing I've had on their menu is spectacular- everything is homemade and clearly made from family recipes and so much heart! Their soup of the day is typically incredible but the lentil soup is amazing and is always on the menu. Their pita bread is out of this world. The dips (love the carrot spread), kebabs, dolma, all of it, consistently delicious! Not sure what I would do without zizis!! read more

Small neighborhood place but packing a big punch. The owner is quite a guy and brought us some great apps to share. Each was better than the next. We were with a group and I though we might share the Sultan platter but it was so big looking it scared the ladies off. We opted for the combo plate. Lots of great tastes on there and it was enough to share. The chicken was excellent and in loved the little meat patty's with lamb/beef and spiced perfectly. Best thing on the plate. Rice and couscous combo was good. We even had the owner bring a special Turkish pizza. The dough is really good and made in house. As are the other specialty items the owner preps in the am. Loved the Smokey eggplant spread. And the pomegranate "salsa" was spicy and delicious. What a flavor. Our friends let me try the steak kabobs and they were cooked to perfection and tasted great. Big cubes of tender juicy steak and with full flavor. Get it medium rare. The homemade bread was excellent. Served warm. That was a nice touch. Stange table pre-appetizer of a carrot slaw that was tasty and unique. Enjoyed the Falafel too with warm and creamy center and crispy outside. read more

See all

This restaurant is so good it is scary. How can a restaurant perfect its salad, its sauces, its kebab, even its tea, and also be immensely kind? This is a very special place. Highly recommend read more

Adorable little BYO with great food in a casual setting. The spicy lamb kabob and sauce is great. Super nice owners are welcoming. Nice little wine site right around the corner, too. Close to the El read more

Fantastic neighborhood food and a great casual lunch spot. The lamb chops are outstanding, highly recommend.

Service was great and food was good value for price. Left full and happy! Would recommend. read more

Zizi's Cafe - Chicken Wrap - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Excellent place. Ate here sitting out due to the 'rona times. Menu is simple and easy to get through. Had the chicken kabab and the Turkish flat bread with toppings called lahmacun. Excellent and flavorful. Also had a salad. 3 dishes came to approx 40 USD Very much a mom (polish) + pop (Turkish) and kids store. The free bread was excellent and so was the carrot dip. Great value for money Would return and I strongly recommend! read more

Zizi's Cafe - Lahmacun - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Fantastic food and brought fresh, warm bread to the table with a dipping sauce. Felt like we ate like royalty for inexpensive. I got the sample platter and have ample leftovers. I prefer Greek salad with less lettuce but still very tasty nonetheless. Also fantastic baklava, so try that. Very nice people read more

Great service throughout the experience - fast and fresh. I ordered the chicken wrap and it was very good. The fries were a bit undercooked but were seasoned perfectly. The ambiance was decent. Overall 8.5/10. Great portion sizes as well --took half my wrap to go. read more

Zizi's Cafe - Zizi's Favorite Chicken Wrap - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

we've had this on our "to go" list for a while as i've been passing it on my bike and walking for years. finally stopped in this morning for lunch, and so glad we did. such a pleasant experience overall (service and food were excellent). John was a pleasure to meet and was cheerful, helpful in recommending and helping us decide, and all around good dude. the food was incredible, we tried: cigar borek (feta) lahmacun doner iskender platter () doner kebab baklava and also the Turkish soda, which i love. needless to say everything we had was excellent but the iskender was phenomenal. can't wait to go back! read more

See all

I love this place! The food is soooo good and the service is so nice and sweet. I got one of the lamb dishes and the meat is tender and savory. The bread they bring out has the perfect crunch and chew, very fresh. My friend ordered the chicken over hummus. I personally preferred the lamb but definitely could be up to personal preference. Two thumbs up read more

Low-key cafe with friendly service and above-average food. We enjoyed our appetizers, veggie wrap and Adana spicy lamb kabob. Very nice, hospitable staff. Next time, we'll try the flatbread. read more

Zizi's has been my go to spot for the last 3 years and it has never disappointed. My friends and I can all agree that the Iskender plate, tabouli salad & carrot dip are some of the best things on the menu. read more

Amazing authentic Turkish halal restaurant. I loved the pies. They have great variety of options. I would love to come back again read more

Zizi's Cafe - Salmon was delicious - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

We love Zizi Cafe! We always feel like family when we are here. The food is always freshly prepared and very authentic.

Food was amazing, service amazing, highly recommend. Will be back! Was my first time and with a big group and everything was perfect.

So nice, we had to come through twice. This place is bangin'. Food is great, portions are large, and prices won't leave you feelin' like broke boi. Anyhow, we ended up coming here twice within a week span and it was no fluke! Overall ambiance I'd describe as casual. It kind of looks like it was a deli or American cafe at one point and then got a touch of Mediterranean decor upon becoming Zizi's. Once seated, they start you off with some fresh baked hybrid sort of bread that reminds me kind of part bread and part naan. Either way delicious with the sliced carrot dipping sauce. (Apologies I have no idea what any of it was called.) For food... first time around we shared the doner kebab platter and zizi's favorite wrap. Both generous in portion and delicious! Second time around, we shared a shepherd salad and a sultan platter which stated it was good for two people and it was probably enough for 4 people to be honest. While I could probably pass on the shepherd salad as the raw onions and cilantro became a bit overwhelm after some time, I'll say that sultan platter was bangin'. So much meat! Loved the quality of the beef they used, felt like you were cutting into a real quality piece of steak! Anyways if you're feeling pretty hungry or looking to impress the date, the sultan platter won't disappoint. Not much else I got on this one. 'Til next time, cheers! read more

See all

How do you screw up feta platter and smoked eggplant dip? Use old feta and pink, hard, inedible tomatoes and add water to the dip? Was it frozen? And the bread was warm but after an hour it was hockey puck worthy. Microwaved I guess. Disgusting. read more

Let's start by saying I walked in and wasn't seated for 5 minutes. The waitress walked past me several times, definitely noticed me, but didn't say a word to me. The waitress continued by saying I could sit wherever. They should put up a sign for you to seat yourself. During my time there she didn't talk much to me just handed me my food. Would have given 3 stars but this definitely knocked it down to two. Hummus was 6 dollars. Came with 4 pieces of sliced carrot and 4 pieces of sliced cucumber. By just looking at it, the amount looks worth it, but the hummus was very average. Nothing else comes with it, BUT they do give you bread before that pairs well with the hummus. Honestly, not that worth it. I also ordered the Zizi's Favorite Pizmahmagun Wrap with lamb, which came with fries. The wrap was huge!!! Again, just looking at it you'd say it's worth it. I ate half and it was absolutely delicious but as I got towards the end, all that I got in a bite was red onions and cilantro. The half also began to fall apart towards the middle (of the half). The fries had a light crisp on the outside, but were also a little soggy. They were lightly salted and over peppered. Ultimately they weren't as enjoyable as I thought. Mainly just came since it's near my apartment, and probably will only come back if I'm insanely hungry and nothing else is open. read more

Zizi's Cafe - Hummus $6 - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Authentic Turkish food!!! Ask for the fish baked in salt. Not sure what it is called on the menu. Ask for the smoked eggplant salad. The Sultan Platter is a must for meat lovers! It is a family run business and it is like a home cooked meal. The portions are girnormous. And...end the meal with the baklava or their homemade Polish cakes. It is not the baklava pieces that you get premade. It is freshly prepared and made. Loved it and I do not have a sweet tooth. Comes on a steaming metal dish! read more

The food and service here was awesome. Started with the bread and carrots with yogurt and it was delicious. My wife got the asparagus soup as that was also very good. We split the platter with all the meats and enjoyed all of it. Everything was tasty and the rice was perfectly cooked. I would highly recommend this place. read more

Zizi's Cafe - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

The best Turkish cousin in Chicago area, great customer service, generous portions, and very testy!

The bread that starts the meal is so fresh and soft. It comes with a carrot sauce that is like nothing I have ever tasted before and it is delicious. OMG I just tasted the food and it is out of this world!!! All 5 of us ordered different things and they were all ALL of them GREAT! You can not go wrong with any choice. The restaurant is clean, the service is friendly, the price is fair especially considering the GIANT servings. Mmmmm It is just perfect!! This is the best restaurant on YELP! Don't miss it! And then right after we couldn't love it anymore, our sweet waitress gave us a complimentary dessert and it was FANTASTIC! read more

See all

Food is amazing, great atmosphere!!!!! The server named Ines is great. Ask her about pool and Spain she'll go on for hours. Let me know how it goes !!!! Fun times!!! read more

This place was on our way from a little walk we were taking so we decided to stop by. As we came into the restaurant we were greeted with great happiness and enthusiasm. As we sat down, we were given bread and this carrot dip both of which were amazing. The bread was still warm and was like cotton. I ended up ordering the falafel wrap which Was far from great. The falafel came out to be very bland tasting. The wrap did not have anything except the vegetables and falafel which did not help the blandness. I asked for hot sauce and was given sriracha from which I was slightly disappointed as I expected an authentic sauce since the carrot dip was so good. At the end of the meal we were given some baklava which was the BEST part of the meal. Honestly I could say the best baklava I've ever had with the perfect amount of sweetness and that hint of cinnamon. read more

Zizi's Cafe - Falafel Wrap - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great find! Staff attentive but not overbearing. Homemade bread and pitas. All ingredients very fresh. Falafel had a great texture. Definitely will go back. read more

I have had the pleasure of dining at Zizi's several times and am just getting down to writing a review. It is an absolute hidden gem in Lincoln Park and I honestly crave their food. Service is always so warm but the food is delicious. I love the handhelds, specials and desserts. The owner, Zizi and his son are also warm and suggest options on the menu I would not have chosen myself. Definity check them out if you have not already! read more

Great authentic food, excellent service and ambiance. Owner is great, talking to customers, making sure everyone is feeling the Turkish hospitality. read more

The kebab was excellent, as were the bread and French fries. Family-run place -- it isn't flashy, but they care that you have a great experience. Loved it! read more

Back on another 24 hour trip, this time in Chicago. We've gotten here at 1:30PM, are server was super nice. Recommend us stuff that we agreed with. You could see the dönner kebap and the rest of the kitchen. The food was good and flavorful and the bread was soft. This is one if the best Mediterranean/Turkish, authentic aswell. Also 100% Halal!! read more

I had walked past several times and finally decided to grab take out this evening. I called to place my order and spoke to the kindest woman on the phone, then was greeted by her when picking up my meal. Her kindness and smile really lit up the room. I brought my food home and couldn't wait to try it and it didn't let me down. I had the chicken kebab platter which was accompanied by flavorful rice and grilled veggies, a side salad, hummus, and homemade bread. Everything was truly incredible and I look forward to my next order! read more

I'm really glad I got to try this place since I've been having a craving for Turkish/Mediterranean food since coming back from Turkey. I ordered Zizi's favorite wrap and the portion size is quite tremendous. While it was satisfying and I liked the meat, it fell quite short of what I had in Turkey (look up Durumzade - a shrine should be made for that restaurant). It was savory but I wished there was more vegetables and flavor inside the wrap. The fries are average and could have used more seasoning. Still, it's a nice environment and it would be a great place for a quick lunch. They were relatively empty when I came in the early afternoon. read more

Zizi's Cafe - Generous portions - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came here with my family as my cousin lives here and stated this was her favorite restaurant.. I can totally see why... this place is DELICIOUS. I ordered the combo platter.. it had gyro meat, salmon and chicken... the flavors were ON POINT and the serving was very generous. Had the hummus app which was also very good. The bread and carrot "dip" they brought out to us was DELICIOUS. Had the Shepard salad too. Everything was so yummy. One more reason to fly back to Chicago now. Seriously, this place has great food. Next time we are in town we will definitely make a point to stop here again. read more

Zizi's Cafe - Combo - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Overcooked Adana and dry kofte kabob... This place is okay foe Turkish, much better off at Pera, cafe Istanbul or Turquoise... The meat was a bit over cooked and too try...having lived in Istanbul for two years this place was definitely overrated and way overpriced ... We ordered a kofte, Adana, cig kofte and salad the bill was $70...seriously too expensive for subpar food read more

I can't say enough good things about this place! Our server was SO incredibly nice and went above and beyond beyond for us. The food was great (falafel, hummus, chicken kebabs and beef wrap, baklava and cheesecake)! They gave us tons of fresh, hot bread for our appetizers. When they didn't have an vegan dessert options for one person in our party, our waitress brought out a free plate of fresh fruit and chocolate for her. Highly, highly recommend the food and service here! read more

I recently checked out Zizi's with a friend because it was on his list of places to visit. I was pleasantly surprised by the food I ordered. I really like that Zizi's is located right off the brown line ans only a few blocks from the red line. I did not have an issue locating the restaurant. My friend and I were able to sit outside since it was beautiful outside. The inside of the restaurant is spacious enough to hold a variety of group sizes. The waitress was very attentive and didn't try to rush us to order since we were busy catching up. I ended up ordering the Zizi's Favorite: Pizmahmagun Wrap. I would say the wrap is the best bang for your buck because it is large and not too expensive. The wrap was absolutely delicious and I was able to have the second half for lunch the next day. It sat really well which is a plus. I was not impressed by the carrot spread. It was runny and flavorless. It was not great especially with the bread that was offered. I am just happy that it was a complimentary item. I will say there is one thing that really confused me during my visit. I arrived at the restaurant a little early so I stood outside to read the menu posted on the outside wall. A gentleman that worked at the restaurant ended up watching me a little too close. He stood in the doorway, he did not say anything to me, but watched me which was slightly odd. read more