Salam Restaurant

What can I say, this place is so amazingly good. This place is right off the brown line Kedzie stop, perfect location when you want something right after work. The food is cooked to perfection. I usually get the combination platter. Beef, chicken, rice, salad, falafel, sausage. What more can you for. The portions are enough to share… but I dont. Lol. Make sure you order the hummus and pita bread. The staff is a bunch of younger kids (i say kids as early 20s) but very respectful and kind. Great job!!! You have a customer for life.

As a local customer, I am humiliated to present this food to other people. However, the chicken and the falafel are good. Avoid the Kifta Lamb/​Beef except chicken. I’m not ready to recommend this place some of my friends.

I got some kunafa for take out. I like it but the one i’ve tried in Dubai was more tasty. But the service was fast and pleasant. I made on order by the phone and picked up my sweets in 10 min, it was ready and packed.

VERY disappointed. Paid $ 5 delivery charge on a $ 10 meal, tipped another $ 3 and the food was ICE cold!!! When I called to request a refund on the delivery fee I was told «we don’t refund for cold food.» Food was mediocre at best. Meat was gristly and chewy. Hummus was very watery with little flavor. Won’t be ordering from here again.

Their food is usually pretty good but I’ve been there twice in the last two weeks and the food has been below average, when we got our food it was cold and they forgot some of our order and we still got charged for it, they have one side closed off for construction and it’s super crowded, horrible experience!

My most favorite restaurant. I like the tilapia with fries. Taste verygood. Also chicken tikka. Love this place

Excellent place! My family and I went here for lunch the other day the food was perfect. Our server was a young tall guy forgot his name (sorry dude) but he was very informative and patient with us. We couldn’t decide because everything on the menu looked good! I ended up getting a combo of beef and chicken sharmawa (I know I know I’ll be more adventurous once I study the menu). My lunch/​dinner was nothing shy of perfect. You have to try the spinach pie it’s delish! We’ll be back. Oh and how could I forget the hummus?!! I don’t even like hummus but theirs is out of this world good!

From a Middle Eastern-​view, not good at all.
Not a clean establishment, and the food is mediocre at best.
Semiramis and Noon-​O Kabob nearby are your best bets here! Semiramis has the best food and beautiful setting/​people; Noon-​OKabob is family-​friendly/​casual.

Lie. They always say one tahini is «on the house» but the next is 25cents. Their prices went up about 25% the food decreased about 10% but all that is irrelevant when it comes to cursing at a customer. The «owner» said, «this is my business, I can do what I want! What are you, Pakistani, indian? You cheap motherfu*kers!»
All because we wanted to substitute one meat item for another in a combination. Is it really that serious? Taking your bad day out on the customer. If they deny this, they’re lying.

I will absolutely return here when I visit Chicago.
They know meat and they know how to prepare it very well. I am not sure I have had better. The falafel is more perfect here, than any other place I’ve had it. And I’ve visited many. My mouth and stomach were very happy to eat here.
If I had two more stomachs, I would have ordered one of everything on the menu. I’ll have to drag an unsuspecting soul or two here. They will be content.
I got the business lunch, and they most certainly gave me the business! Thank you, Salam!

This place is consistently pleasant and reliably delicious. You always get more food than you’d expect and it’s reasonably priced. If you haven’t tried this spot, don’t hesitate. Semiramis is across the street and that’s a wonderful restaurant also, this one is much more bare bones but the food is delicious.

My aunt who has lived in Ravenswood for the majority of her life kept telling me that this is her favorite Middle Eastern joint in the city. Well, I finally tried it and I fully understand why. I actually purchased a Groupon they had available, $ 12 for two $ 10 coupons, great deal! I ordered online through Unilocal for pick up and it did take a little longer than I had expected. Also they were off by their ETA by almost 10 minutes but hey sometimes people get busy and spit happens so I forgive them.
They greeted me at the door and immediately helped me, big plus for me. It is a little bit of organized chaos in there but it’s charming in a way and hey if you get the food right I’m okay with that. All the gentleman working were very polite and friendly. I was extremely happy with the staff. I ordered the chicken kebab sandwich, ala carte falafels, and their hummus because I heard so much about it. The sandwich was probably my favorite– big pieces of juicy chicken, tomators, lettuce, some type of banana pepper? I don’t know but I loved it. And of course tahini sauce. So good! The falafels were pretty good not too special but the hummus lived up to it’s hype. They give you so much food too! I had a whole other meal left when I was full.
Looking forward to coming back and possibly dining in. Thanks guys :)

I ordered a double combination platter and specifically put «extra meat» option from Seamless. They did not give the extra meat which I paid for.
The food cam eon time. But the delivery driver ASKED for a tip. like «wheres the tip. the tip». to the person I sent to the door. before we even gave him the tip…
Bad experience. The food is always good but they always forget something. and they are VERY STINGY with sauces. they only give 1 of each sauce. other middle eastern restaurants ive ordered from give at least 3 of each.
Its sad a place with good food has terrible service.

Dropped in for lunch today and got the lunch combo instead of the shish taouk by itself and it was a mistake. The shawerma was OK as was the falafel and the taouk portion was outstanding as usual but the meat part (kufta and kebab) were really not good at all. Super dry and not flavorful. Kibbe was good but not as good as I remember.
I still like this place a lot but will just focus on the shish taouk or maybe the chicken tikka which seems out of place but these guys hit it out of the park.

Once I ordered my carry out I realized I made a big mistake. I noticed a dirty smelly mop leaning up against the wall. The counter tops were nasty and full of clutter. The same guy who was mopping the floor was also the server and never stopped to wash his hands after washing the floor. Yuck!!!
My husband asked me if I was sure I still wanted to eat there, But didn’t want to be rude and cancel my order. I just couldn’t get past the filth to eat my carry out. I was totally disgusted.
When I want Middle eastern food next time, I will go somewhere else.
D. Preston

Salam serves up solid Middle Eastern food. The meats are decent, they have been dry at times and other times moist and delicious. The rice is great, the salad is tasty and the white garlic sauce is the perfect compliment to any meal, really. Order extra!

The single worst place ever.
They were out of everything.
The server had a very bad attitude.
Nobody came to check if we needed water or more food.
They wouldn’t even let us split a check.

Ordered pita, got wrap. (twice)
Ordered sprite, got charged and didn’t get my sprite.
Refused to refund me and wanted to credit me the value but why would I want to return?!
It has been a couple of weeks.
I still haven’t gotten refunded.
I was basically robbed.

Authentic.
From the rotisserie chicken to the manager’s mustache this place is as authentic as it can get. Coming back from years in the West Bank I was looking for a restaurant that mirrored the street restaurants of my village, I found it. The food itself is amazing with the lemon scented rice to the meaty shawarma sandwiches, this place is awesome!

I am a regular althouh I don’t live in the hood
I eat here every time I drive by
Food is always excellent, service is excellent and prices very affordable
I love this place and this food
5 strong statr
BEST Mediterranean around. Excellent food and best waiter in Chicago, Mr. Alberto Shadi! This guy is an institution, hands down! He speaks more than 15 languages!!!
I also buy their Nazareth Sweets, they are outstanding!!!

Khallas .
Try to order an economical business lunch special, like the chicken kofte sandwich, and you won’t be able to. They never have it. So you order an eggplant sandwich.
Try to sit in the back, facing away from other customers so you can eat in Peace/​Salam and focus on your work and you will be asked to move to a smaller table front and center even though the place is empty.
Try to ask for no tahini, but garlic sauce instead; and you will be force fed the tahini and have to ask again for garlic sauce.
Try to wait for a glass of water while you are hungry and thirsty, only to have to ask just for a glass of water that other tables get right away.
Try, lastly, to use the Buy one Lunch, Get One free coupon when you check in on Unilocal,only to be humiliated at the cash register when you inquire why you were charged for both your entrée and a sandwich. The coupon is for Entrée only.
Try to order mint tea but never get it because they decide to boil the water after your lunch break is over.
Try to not come back, though, because the food is delicious.

5 stars seems generous for such a casual place, but their food beats the pants off other Middle Eastern restaurants!
Their falafel recipe is perfect and has been since I started eating here 8 years ago. It is worth driving to eat here. I drove an hour & a ½!
The meat is never over-​seasoned and their hummus is creamy and dreamy and I drool with hunger when I think of it.
Oh! They serve 5 different teas that are Middle eastern style and Arabic coffee with baklava. Love this!
For the Middle Eastern diner, come eat food that will take you home. Everyone is welcome, the owner and servers are friendly, and it’s fantastic food!