Shish Kabob
7118 N Mannheim, Des Plaines, IL, 60018
Shish Kabob Menu
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Appetizers
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Soups
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Salads
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Sandwiches
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Entrees
Healthy Meal suggestions for Shish Kabob
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Appetizers
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Soups
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Salads
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Sandwiches
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Entrees
Visit below restaurant in Des Plaines for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
7118 N Mannheim
Des Plaines, IL, 60018 - Phone (847) 391-1400
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Ann L.
No frills place. Nice falafel. Tasty hummus.
(3)Jennifer S.
I am not sure if I can rate this place since I havent even been able to eat here. I have been dying to try this place since I saw it was going to open.. Finally it is open. I Yelp it to see if anyone reviewed it and head out to get a falafel for lunch. I get there and it is not at all what I expected. I felt like I was in an Indian restaurant and after I made it through the maze of tables and chairs I made my way to the 'kiosk' of a counter and looked at the menu. Not really identifying what what I am used to in Med. food style I tell the girl I want a falafel to go... she tells me "Im sorry we are all out of falafel." WHAT??? How could you be out of falafel at 1pm in the afternoon?? This is nonsense... I left hungry and disappointed. I am not sure I want to go back.
(2)sebastian o.
I don't usually post reviews on the internet but this time, I am compelled to do so for this restaurant after what happened to me. Ordered one of those plates which comes with a soup or salad. told them tat I wanted a chicken soup. When i was to pay moments later, I realized that I was charged for the soup!!! Told the lady boss (she's the mid aged lady) that and she wasn't happy. talked about customer service.. We argued and I stated that the soup was part of the meal. She relented finally and complained that it's not fair to her. C'mon, it is clearly stated on the menu and I didn't mentioned salad at all in my order.. never once. and what happened to the mantra that customer is important.. This is the second time happening to me and I swear it's the last time I'm visiting them. Service is bad but I will admit that food is decent/ Save yourselves trouble by not going them.. but if you do.. be careful.. cheers,
(1)Chris B.
So I'm always searching for a good Middle Eastern place to eat and this was a pleasant surprise. So far I've only had the Falafel and Humus but both were fantastic IMO. Prices are reasonable (7.50ish) for a Falafel sandwich and order of Humus. The Falafel is fresh and I think made fresh vs bought in and the Humus is perfect, not to thick not to thin and they have a heavier type of Pita that I really enjoy. I've been here 3 separate times and the food has always been consistently good. The service on the other hand is HORRIBLE. I went with the my kids and the waitress looked truly annoyed that we were there. I also had the same experience when I called to place an order for pick up at lunch time. I cant say they were busy I just don't think this women wants to serve people food. I wont let the bad service dissuade me from going back though. I really haven't found a better Middle Eastern restaurant near my office and its a great lunch.
(4)Colleen M.
I was excited to try out the place but ultimately it left me disappointed. I think Jerusalem Cafe in Oak Park has spoiled me. I had the chicken shawarma and found it lack luster. I was expecting something with some spices but it just tasted bland. The pita tasted very dry and hard. For $13 (I also had a piece of baklava) I would have been better off eating at the nearby Chipotle.
(2)Brian K.
Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food is in limited supply in the burbs. Around Ohare, its pretty much Pita Inn only, and Pita Inn is good, but it's sort of fast-Mediterranean. Shish Kabob, while unimaginative in the naming department, has great, unique food. I'm unsure exactly what country the cuisine comes from, but it's more Persian (Iran/Iraq) than Mediterranean. They have your standard Falafel and Shawermas, but also mix in some entrees that I've not seen elswhere. Try the Lentil soup, it's the best I've had anywhere. Shish Kabob is definitely family run, and service may suffer a tad because of it, but only in speed, not politeness. If you want something different from the pizza/sandwhich/fast food junk that is the majority of what's available out here, go to Shish Kabob.
(4)Amanda H.
The food is very good and very fresh. It's a popular place among the business lunch crowd. Prices are great too. I would have to respectfully disagree with a previous reviewer though. I absolutely love the hummus. The only down side is that I don't they serve alcohol. I would love going to dinner there but the draw back for me is that I wouldn't be able to enjoy a nice glass of wine too. Every time I've been here, there has only been one waitress. It does lead to longer wait times and less than desirable service but she does the best she can. During the lunch hour the place is usually packed.
(4)chris c.
This is a nice change of pace for the area. That said I think the execution of the staff here is a little lacking. I came in and ordered the lunch special and got the definite impression that the food had been sitting around a while before being served. The food ranged from warm to cool. I think the flavoring of the food was pretty good but the place needs more effort and enthusiasm put in to it by those who work there. They need to act like they care about it. it's obvious they can cook, now they just need to do it.
(2)Patty V.
The info says Des Plaines,but...it is in Rosemont,in the strip mall where Target,IHOP and a few other places are located. I would say more like 3.5 stars,so I'll up it just a bit,because I did think it was good.There is a sincere lack of ethnic food in this area,so I was excited to see this place open. I'll agree with Dusty. We were just a wee bit confuddled with how to order.....They have a stand at the end of the restaurant that might imply you order there. The server was far from warm or welcoming and seemed just a bit annoyed we even came in,even after we told her how much we enjoyed the food. I will say that we did enjoy our food and will come back. Probably will get a to go order,but the food is decent. The service.... reminds me more than just a bit of a surly bartender that we knew from our youth.
(4)Claudia G.
My colleagues and I visit here probably every other month for lunch. It is perfect for a mix crowd of vegetarians and non-vegetarians. The food is really quite good. My standing order is the falafel plate and we get an nice big hummus appetizer to share. You will leave very satisfied without feeling too full. The decor is cute, the staff is very friendly and helpful and provides service at a good pace (not too fast or too slow), and the place is well-maintained and clean. It is located in a huge strip mall where Target is as well so there is ample parking...and ample traffic in the lot.
(3)Doe L.
Not a bakery. More of a sit-down place but it has carry-out and delivery as well. I recommend calling in your order though. I walked in to look at the menu and waited a while for it to cook. Not too much selection. I got the chicken and spinach over rice. It was suppose to have meunster cheese over it but it ended up being sliced american cheese. I was disappointed with that because I was really curious on how meunster tasted with chicken and spinach. They gave a massive amount of rice with it too. I might come back for falafels one day. MIGHT...
(3)Adrian W.
Not really a bakery, but I'll consider it one since they bake their stuff right on premises. This is the newest place in the Target strip mall along side Mannheim by the Allstate. This used to Counter Edge, but, well, they moved or went bankrupt, tragic, but glorious for me since this place came in. It opened about a week ago, so everything is still being finely tuned and all that jazz. I ordered the Chicken and got a wonderful helping of delicious rice to come with it. The spices and everything, really, delicious. The chicken was all right, palletable. I also had ordered two servings of hummus and got basically 10 pita bread to go along with it. And an order of feta cheese. This was a mistake since the feta was with cucumbers and tomatoes but overall, not enjoyable, I had ordered it since the lady ahead of me did and sounded good. Anyway, really delicious stuff. You walk in and you most likely hit a few tables, but again, working on kinks. They bake their bread that day and is REALLY fresh since they fire up the brick oven often, so you'll get fresh pita nearly every hour. Coming from a baker, this makes the meal. My co-workers who went on the second day complained about a long wait, something like twenty minutes. I told them to grow a pair since good food takes time. My wait, along the cashier in the three chair waiting area(?) was along the lines of seven minutes. Also, they do the old fashioned shout orders, meaning, no papers to slide from kitchen to front or vice versa, so you may get more or less than you bargained for, or your special order may not be so. After coming back to work, I found my 2 orders of hummus turned into an Adrian W miraculous 5 hummus. Overall, it's pricey, but you'll see me here or the Wendy's. But mainly here for the 20 minutes or so I get for lunch.
(4)Angie T.
The 4 way combo is no longer offered (meats with rice, and sides). They raised the prices two months back. Now they removed a side from their lunch special. I'm not spending $14.00 for falafel. The vegetarian options suck too! No thank you!
(1)Dusty P.
Food: Good but not great hummus, tasty baba ghanouj, and acceptable falafels, which seemed a tad bit on the sweet side. The falafel sandwich is made in 'layers,' which can make it hard to get all the flavors in one bite. Their use of parsley is a little overwhelming, especially in the Combination Appetizer - fresh chopped parsley on EVERYTHING. Dolma was tangy and fresh, a nice offset to the heavy fried flavor of the falafel. Atmosphere: A little confusing for first timers - is this order at the podium in the back of the restaurant, wait to be seated, or seat yourself? There's not a whole lot of direction (it is seat yourself and be served by a waitress; To-Go orders can be placed at the podium). Once you're familiar with it, it's relatively comfortable, but it's obvious they're still working on the kinks. Parking: Plenty, as it's in the Target Strip Mall, right by Office Max, across from Chili's. Price: Pretty decent!! Then again, such has been my experience with Mediterranean food thus far. Service: Lacking; there seemed to be To-go order confusion at the podium, our drinks were never refilled (or even offered to be refilled), and there wasn't much server interaction in general. In their defense, they seemed a little understaffed. I'll go back in a pinch, but it wasn't the best I've had, and if they don't improve their service, I doubt they'll be in business very long.
(2)Jackie M.
Shish Kabob - Wow this place is good. The Kafta Kabob is by far the best. I ate here 3 days in a row it was so good. I have had some really reallly good mediteranean food before and this is up there with all my favorites. The lentil soup is good here as well as the hummous, baba ghanouj and the tabbouleh. The garlic sauce could have been better, but its ok. I also had the chicken kabob, which wasn't as good but I love chicken kabob so I order it all the time anyway. I also got the cold dajinac wich was really good and made fresh. 4 stars. Good service but slow. But I had nowhere to go so no complaints
(4)Shamoon E.
The appetizers are decent, from the hummus to the falafel and baba ghannouj. The basmati rice is also good. The lentil soup is decent, but could be thicker and warmer on this day. Ok so the chicken and lamb kabobs were horrible. Not only were they not seasoned with the appropriate Middle Eastern spices, they were undercooked. When we approached the waiter about that, he told us that they cook everything in medium. I'm sorry but chicken should be fully cooked all the time and they should always ask about meat. Service could have been better too because we were not approached about refills or any other needed services. I won't be coming back to this place unless I need a quick hummus pickup. You are better off going to Pita Inn.
(1)Len M.
First time visit. Loved it! I am a big fan of Mediterranean food, and this is a great representation. The food is authentic, and has a homemade flavor to it. At lunch it really is a bargain. The lunch plate consists of a meat of your choice (Chicken or shawerma), rice (plof) hummus, baba ghanoush , a filafel and pita. At $6.99, you cannot go wrong. The friendly staff make this place a joy, and I cannot wait to go back.
(4)Roy P.
Food was ok. Service was great though. Place was clean. Food was served fast.
(4)Mike L.
Good prices, food is average. I had the lamb-kabob sandwich. It was OK as the lamb was fairly chewy, odd for kabob meat. The hot sauce is excellent. I like that they also serve tahinni. The sandwich bread was good. A limited selection but would be a very welcome addition to most neighborhoods.
(3)Mark J.
The lunch special is very good for the price. It is a good quantity of good tasting food. I have always found the service good. My favorite part of the place is that they give you a generous bottle of Tahini yoghurt dressing like other places give katsup. I return twice a month.
(4)rin b.
I recently visited Shish Kabob for the first time, and I really enjoyed it. The bread is fresh, thick and doughy, so you know it is made on the premises. You can taste the eggplant in the baba ghannouj -the diced tomatoes make a nice garnish- and the falafel is tasty. Of course, if you have the falafel, make sure you have something to drink on hand since falafel is a dry dish. As for the entrée, I actually went for lunch so I had a chicken kabob sandwich, and the chicken was delicious and juicy. It is simply seasoned, but I'm a carnivore, so I don't mind. The portions are very reasonable. I haven't heard any complaints, but if you're accustomed to more meat than this, you're probably overeating. With the appetizer, just water, the total came to around ten bucks, so this is more than bang for your buck. I've heard that it gets busy, but it was pretty quiet when I went. The decor is so-so, seating is self-serve and the service was good. I didn't see the waitress that so many people have complained about, thankfully, lol. All in all, a great place for lunch, not sure about dinner, definitely healthier and tastier than one of the fast food joints.
(3)Jamal A.
Very good Shawerma sandwich fresh and delicious!
(4)SteveNAnn U.
Ok....so I haven't even gotten my food yet, but I already have made up my mind. Even if the food is decent, the service OR LACK THEREOF has left a bad taste in my mouth. The server is not friendly and it almost seemed as if she didn't want us there. I would have got up & left if my husband wasn't so hungry...
(1)Matthew J.
Food in this place is absolutely terrible. I believe the chef FORGOT to use salt in our food, and the kabobs we ordered tasted very bland. After we made a complaint to the waitress, the chef came out of the kitchen and explained that that's how the food should be cooked: he used NO salt, and it is up to us how much salt we want to add by ourselves. What a wonderful explanation, Mr. Chef: Have you any idea that if you do not use any salt when you cook, any salt added after it's served will only work on the exterior of a meat chunk but not inside? My fellow eaters, do NOT go there unless you want to feel completely disgusted.
(1)robert k.
Had a relatively bad experience here. We were staying near by, getting ready to fly out of O'Hare. We love kebabs so we decided to try this place. Bad idea! First of all, the restaurant was kind of gross - the floors were dirty, some of the condiment containers were sticky. The service was very bleak - barely even a smile from our waitress. And sadly the food took a long time and was very disappointing. Everything seemed like it was reheated and lacked a lot of flavors you expect from good kabobs. No charcoal flavor on the meat, not very much seasoning. The fries were soggy, and the bread on the wrap was not very fluffy or hot. We definitely won't be coming back here when we fly through.
(1)Melissa G.
I really wanted to love them! I've been missing another Mediterranean restaurant near my old office and was excited to try this one out. First and foremost I have to comment on the fact that it was very expensive. ($20 for one after tip). The food was okay. I got the 4 combo because I wanted to be able to try the different options. Yes, the cost was a little higher because of that, but still felt too high. The chicken kebob was very good. And the kefta was seriously the BEST kefta that I have ever had! But the schwarma (sp) was so bland and had a really weird texture like there was retried beans mixed with it (and it wasn't hummus). The beef was okay. Nice flavor but lots of fatty pieces. The salad was okay. And the pita was good, but not as good as the pitas at the place around the corner. I also must mention that they were empty! I was the only person there. And it took forever to get the food. I will try them again, but will only order take out.
(3)Eric E.
We are infrequent regulars here. Maybe every 2-3 months, but returning customers. This last visit was not a typical one. The food is usually excellent, and service quite good. This Three Star review is based mostly on the typical experience, as I believe it is the norm. Overall, 3-1/2 stars, moving to four if our next meal is back to normal. This past visit, this week, was not so good. Service was a bit snippy, and since they were preparing for a catering event, it took a while to get our food. The service was very slow! While we were waiting for our food, another customer came in - possibly a limo driver - who also placed an order, which happened to be the SAME lunch special I ordered. He received his meal maybe 2-3 minutes before I did, but we ordered 10+ minutes before him! Not good Customer Service! The quality of the food also seems to have deteriorated. The lunch special was OK, but only the chicken had good flavor and texture. The beef was bland and almost pasty, almost like it was overcooked without seasoning. The Jerusalem Salad was ONLY lettuce, without onion, parsley or cucumber. The frustrating part is that we ordered a Tabuleh salad as well - which is mostly parsley. The server just looked at us and said they were out of cucumber. VERY disappointing service, though the salads were both good for what they were, and very fresh. Falafel, as usual, was excellent. We had some in an appetizer, as well as with the lunch combo, and all were fresh and hot. Hopefully, when the owner comes back from vacation, things will be back on track!
(3)Yvonne I.
I stumbled upon this place recently after getting my nails done near by. I was originally going to grab dinner from Chipotle, but Mediterranean food sounded better. I ended up getting the Veggie Plate. It had grape leaves, hummus, baba ganoush, falafel, pita bread, and salad. Everything tasted average except the baba ganoush. The baba ganoush was more on the sweet side, and I did not like that. I've had baba ganoush at many other places, and this was my least favorite due to the sweetness. Nothing I had on the veggie plate really grabbed my attention in a positive way, but maybe their meat dishes are more exciting. If I happen to stop by again to try a meat dish, I will update the review.
(3)Jennifer S.
If I could give this place zero stars i would. Went there for lunch once and they were out of falafel...really? Waited like 6 months and decided to give them another shot. Ordered a falafel sandwich. It was pita, falafel, few string of lettuce and a slice of tomato. What the hell do you call that. I felt like taking that piece of crap back in there and throwing it at them. I will never eat from there again....
(1)Norah R.
Okay, so today my experience would have been 1 star, but normally its 3-4 stars.. so Im being fair and giving three stars here. I order from here pretty often for work, at least once a month I would say. The food is typically good. I have never ate at the restaurant but just picked it up to go. I typically will get the lunch special that comes with rice, some lettuce/tomato/cucumber mix, four chicken pcs (from a kabob), shaved beef, hummus, and a falafel. Usually its great. But they do have their offs days especially when its busy. Which is odd because normally you would think busy means better. Last time I order with co workers and they were so busy that we had to wait to get the food. Which is okay, but one of the specials was missing a falafel and the other a pc of chicken. Also it was baba ghanoush and not hummus... Which look I'm not complain because I make hummus very often so the baba ghanoush was a treat. But for those people who don't like it, I'm sure they would be upset. Also the last time I ordered, my beef you can tell needed more time on the spinner to cook. It was in little crumbles, which I've never seen before. I think its a good place to try if you want some middle eastern food, but its not a place I'd drive out of my way for. I will say the bread they give is usually really good and fresh and the hot sauce too!
(3)Princess G.
I really wanted to like this place. I previously had their chicken fattoush salad and it was okay. So I went back. This time their dressing was entirely different. It lacked flavor, they used gross shredded iceberg salad (I didn't go to subway for a reason) and drenched in dressing. I ordered the salad to go. I was shocked to come home and see the whole salad was soggy. I would think people in the business if serving food would understand basic things like not dressing a salad to go. I ordered falafel which was rubbery and tasted like freezer falafel. Finally, I ordered my favorite dessert, baklava. What a disappointment, it was soggy and saturated in honey and rose water--there was to variation in texture- it was all mush. All this for an overpriced $17. Wow, if you want to avoid gross food and a waste of money don't go here. Another thing. The girl at the register was dressed in pajamas and crocs taking narcissistic selfies the whole time I waited. And the plastic table cloths were nasty dirty.
(1)Pierre Y.
Stay clear, last time I had it my food tasted like it was soaked in dish detergent. I used to like the place a while ago but I think they changed chefs or owners or something.
(1)Bronwen M.
Super good Mediterranean food. The kebabs were perfectly grilled. The food came quickly and the pitas were fresh. The ambiance is what you'd expect in a strip mall and the place looks like it's family owned and operated. I definitely plan on returning.
(4)Comtesse D.
The worst middle eastern dining experience I've ever had. It was like a comedy routine. Ordered the vegetarian combo. First they brought my plate out and it had meat on it, so I hear the waitress yelling at the cook, "No meat! No meat!" Then they bring out the food and my gf takes a bite to try my egg roll and contorts her face as she realizes she's bitten into meat. when I express my dismay she asks me if I want to take them home with me. When I say "Nooooo!" she tries to push them on me, "You sure? Come on, take them with you." What possible use could a vegetarian have for meat egg rolls? She finally comes out with the veggie ones and they are ice cold in the center. And like everything else on the plate, tastes disgusting. My plate consists of the most tasteless and off-color hummus, runny baba ganoush, dry falafel, and a dry iceberg lettuce "salad". My gf's "fresh lemonade" tasted like chemicals. And the bread was obviously taken out of a package, not freshly baked. Do yourself a favor and steer clear of this dump. I hope I don't get food poisoning.
(1)Ted M.
I would give them 3.5 if that were an option - I saw all the bad reviews, we gave them a chance ANYWAY. I liked the baba ghanouj, lentil soup, dolmas and the soft, fluffy homemade pitas. They were in the midst of interior renovations when we were there, so we took ours to go. The woman who took our order was polite. I think there are better places in the area, but this one's close by... Everyone has a right to earn a living.
(3)Stephen K.
Pretty reliable middle eastern lunch option. Had the beef shawerma, plenty of rice well presented. Seating was available, service better than average, special is priced well at 7.99 plus a drink. A great little lunch spot.
(4)Abraham V.
Great service. I had the lunch special which had a variety of things included and everything was DELICIOUS! I will definitely be back to try more of they're menu. Good prices and generous portions
(5)Becky D.
I judge a place by the falafel. They were average. Unfortunately, I also was compelled to judge this place by the hummos, which was disappointing. Last point of judgment here: the cranky owner/chef/whatever, who glared at the hostess/server and at me as I ordered, and glared at me occasionally as I ate. Naf Naf, you win this corner hands down. 1:07 and I'm the only person in the place. Too bad.
(2)Leyla A.
İ had hoped to have a healthy, halal meal before my flight, and stopped by Shish Kabob on my way to the airport. I ordered a small babaganoush and Chicken Kabob salad. The babaganoush was ok, but the salad was literally shredded iceburg lettuce with 4 tiny Roma tomato wedges, and had miniature cubes of cold chicken . It was not hot and was only about 2 öz of chicken. Definately not worth waiting 10 minutes or paying $12, for food I almost had to throw away since it was not fresh or delicious at all. I was disappointed and won't go back .
(2)Tom C.
Shish Kabob is located in a shopping center lot and was pretty obvious in what kind of food it had to offer. I ran into this place while looking for a quick bite to eat before my flight out of Chicago O'hare. I went on Sunday night and business seemed slow. I was not expecting much, but I actually really enjoyed the food. We were served a basket of pita bread and salad with our meals. Nothing special there. I ordered the two way combo, which consisted of chicken kabob skewers and kafta kabob. The kafta kabob was especially savory and the star of the two-way combo. Total excluding tip, it cost about $13. Service was pretty fast as it took about 10 minutes to get our food. The lady server was very nice and checked up on us often to see if we needed anything. This place served its purpose for me. Fed me for one meal and I probably would not come back here again. It's not a bad place though! I would still recommend going to Shish Kabob for decent Mediterranean food, if you're in the area.
(3)Tamara M.
Basic, no-frills place in a Target strip mall with a few other shops. The food is solid, and prepared to order. Portions are generous, and prices are in line with what you'd expect. Their hummus is especially good. Lamb was decent, though not especially memorable.
(3)Nicholas B.
I was in the area with my mom & we love Middle Eastern food. I have passed this place many times going to & from Target. We came in earlier today for dinner after work. The first step in is very confusing like others mentioned. We did not understand if we had to seat ourselves or go to the podium in the back to place our order there. You seat yourself & wait for the waitress to come to take your order. The WAITRESS WAS VERY RUDE. she had an attitude from the moment we came in even though Mom & I had smiles on our faces excited to try this place. She gave us water with no ice in it. Our dinners came with an appetizer. Mom had the house salad and she said it was very fresh but heavy on the onions. I had the lentil soup with fresh lemon wedge which I thought was good. She took our order. FOOD came after a long time but was still hot. I had Chicken Schwarma & mom had Tilapia fillet. Both came with yellow rice & pita bread. My chicken seemed like it was reheated and was on the dry side. My mom's fish seemed freshly fried. The pita bread was not warm & didn't seem fresh even if we waited so long for our food. Mom and I both thought the YELLOW RICE WAS EXCELLENT. I am giving this place 2 stars only because if service. The waitress was not friendly at all but was much nicer to a group of middle eastern men behind us. Also, the waitress was arguing with an employee about his hours right in front of us & other customers. To top it all off, one man sitting alone eating called the waitress. Mom & I overheard him asking the waitress if the hot sauce was a new recipe because he eats there often & t tastes different than it usually does. She took it as offensive, told him that's his opinion & that they have been there for 7 years. Then she went to the kitchen & we all could hear he & her husband screaming about sauce. Then the husband approached the customer like he was about to bury him in a grave saying, "SO YOU DON'T LIKE MY SAUCE?!?!" Very loudly. THEY WERE GANGING UP ON THE POOR GUY. what happened to "THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT?" Especially since the poor guy is a regular at their place. HOW UNPROFESSIONAL! SUMMARY: *Try if you are in the area of Target in Rosemont but DON'T WASTE GAS & MAKE A SPECIAL TRIP! *Get the fish fillet dinner with yellow rice. *DON'T EXPECT FRIENDLY SERVICE!
(2)Roberto F.
Wow! Blown away by the food is all I can say. I've been coming off and on for the last few years and it's always been pretty standard food here. Nothing to exciting but and with limited Med places around it was a good choice. However on my last visit there they really stepped it up a notch. Their falafel are tasting fresher and fuller, their lentil soup is hardier and finally there pita bread is mind blowing. For me the pita is the biggest difference. Before it tasted like something bought out of a store but now it's so fresh and amazing. I hope they keep up the good work and keep whoever is making the new food.
(5)Brian G.
I'm usually too lazy to post a review but this place was pretty bad. Falafel was old and greasy. Chicken and beef were reheated and dry. Pita Inn is 10 times better for the same price. There is also a Naf Naf grill around the corner in the same plaza. They're a little expensive but worth it compared to coming here. Sorry, I don't like leaving bad reviews but try to avoid this place.
(1)Bobby S.
This place might have good fresh food in the afternoon when it's busy, but at night it's all reheated. I'm middle eastern and know what falafel should taste like and how the texture should be when it's fresh or even an hour old. What I had was cooked twice. Seriously nasty. The beef shawirma was also terrible. The rice was hard and microwaved. Seriously upset with the food. Bread was good though. The best thing about the place was the server. She was very nice and welcoming. I saw her write down "side salad" yet the "cook" ignored it and gave me dry hard rice instead. Had about two bites and wasted my money. Luckily there is a Culver's in the parking lot out front.
(1)Jay B.
I drove past this place several times on my recent stay in Chicago and was intrigued, but after skimming Yelp reviews I thought maybe it was a bad idea. That was until I actually READ the reviews, and found that Yelp Chicago is plagued by the same problem Yelp Pittsburgh has with many of their reviews. If a restaurant even mentions some sort of ethnicity, the reviewer expects to be adopted by the owners and taken back to their native country for any non-Christian holidays and can finally let go of their white guilt. Fortunately for me, I stopped in here to enjoy a lunch while my fiance took care of the business she was attending to in town. I was greeted upon entry by a nice woman and read through the menu. One thing I did know from reading the reviews on here was that I wanted to try the lentil soup, so I was thrilled to see that their entrees come with your choice of soup or salad. I went with the 2-Way Combo and loved it. For your enjoyment, I've posted pictures of the soup and main plate too. The chicken and rice were definitely the standout parts of the meal, with the lentil soup being everything other reviewers were raving about. When you walk in and see the set up, the menu, and the prices, not to mention the mass amounts of people coming in to pick up food to go, I find it hard to believe that people want so much more than a Mediterranean spin on a Chinese takeout joint. If for some reason I'm ever in the area again, I'd gladly stop by Shish Kabob for round two.
(4)Kyle H.
Was so excited to see a Middle Eastern place tucked away in the Target strip mall! Perhaps my excitment at finding this place, and from having good middle eastern lunch places when I worked downtown made my visit to Shish Kabob lackluster. Was excited to see a Falafel Sandwich on the menu, but you can't order the Sandwich as a Plate special...the lackadaisacal waitress was no help, and didn't even try to upsell me on hummus or tabouleh. The falafel was cooked nicely, but wasn't even lukewarm when it was brought to the table. The decor is an afterthought and the table service lackluster. I don't see myself coming back even with a complete lack of ethnic options nearby. 2.5 stars.
(2)Elizabeth W.
I have to update my review for two reasons. 1) They apparently no longer bake their own pitas. I looked forward to enjoying warm, fresh pita bread on my visits here and am very unhappy about the switch to cold, stiff pitas like I could get prepackaged at Jewel or Dominick's. 2) They keep running out of falafel! On two of my last five visits, they were out of it. That's like an Italian restaurant running out of pasta! This went from a regular dinner destination and a local favorite to someplace we visit when we're burned out on our usual places. I hope they undo whatever changes they made in suppliers or whatever it is that took this place downhill. Should they go back to fresh-baked pita and start actually having everything on the menu again, I'll be sure to tell Yelp all about it, just as soon as I'm done stuffing my face.
(2)Lawrence Y.
We came here for lunch because I was in the mood for Mediterranean food. I had asked our server what their lunch special was, and she pointed to a picture and I think she went through the whole alphabet in a foreign tongue, because I didn't understand a word she said. And, it's not that I'm ignorant, she just didn't do a great job of explaining what it was. I had asked what the dish was called and she told me the price. Um, uh, thanks. Regardless, when the food came out, it was plenty for a lunch portion. But it needed some more flavor. Hummus was kinda plain and the pita bread wasn't amazing. She didn't really come back to check in on us (granted I know it's a fast-foody establishment) but it also took forever to get things boxed up and our check.
(3)Paul M.
Three in the group, we were all impressed iwith our different selections. Homey feel, server helpful and courteous.
(4)Gerry X.
I usually go here for the schwarma sandwiches, and they are pretty damn good. I think I even brought my mom here once and she liked it. So I went here with a friend I picked up at Ohare and was telling him about this place. Now there is a Mediterranean place by my house I also love, and I thought prices would be similar. So we both ordered combo plates. So...kefta, rice chicken and schwarma and beef. Beef was tough and dry, the rest was pretty good. How much did these plates cost? $17. Was it worth each plate being $17 apiece? No sir. Mind you that also included a can of pop...which was a dollar. So have to say sadly disappointed. I will still go there but will take the looking at the menu a bit more seriously.
(3)Steve S.
Hell yes. I was pretty excited to sit down in a dinning room with murals of the pyramids and the sphinx. It takes me back to when I used to smoke pot out of this scarab beetle en-crested pipe and drop acid in college. Honestly who hasn't had one of those pyramid style ancient Egyptian head trips where you think you got the universe all figured out? Not only that, but the Iraqi waitresses are super friendly, and the lentil soup is stunning. Again, THE LENTIL SOUP IS OUT OF THIS WORLD. The prices are really great too. I work not too far from this place and it's quickly become my favorite stop. Give it a try!!
(3)David B.
I really wanted to give this place more than 3 stars. (In fact, I'd rather call it 2 1/2 stars but Yelp doesn't allow this.) You see, Pita Inn is my benchmark for excellent, affordable Meditteranian food in the suburbs. And that place is hands down my favorite restaurant in the Chicago area. I could eat there every day and not get tired of it. Knowing this, the missus and I are always into checking out other options. To whit... We showed up early one Sunday morning, so the place was empty save for the waitress who directed us to sit wherever we'd like. Decor is fine, though the TV blaring was unnecessary. (How about some ethic music to get in the mood, hey?) Menus and water provided. The waitress seemed quite nice if a bit reserved. She did state that the lunch special was offered on the weekend, so this was a plus (not the case at Pita Inn). I ordered that. Wife ordered a chicken/kabob combo. Her order came with a small bowl of lentil soup. Excellent! (she was gracious enough to share, not a small issue when she enjoys a good dish!) Warm pitas and silverwear were provided, too. Also squeeze bottles of tahini and hot sauce. (good, too, because we love both) It took a while (at least 15 minutes) before the food arrived. Mine was a combo of chicken kabobs, beef shawarma, rice, hummus,baba ghannouj, lettuce, tomato, cucumber and one lone falafel. I always attack the falafel first, so I get to dig the true flavor and consistency of these little footballs of goodness. This little guy did not disappoint. Hot, crispy, tender and moist. Not a trace of oiliness. Get this: BETTER THAN PITA INN FALAFEL. That's a fine achievement. The chicken, on the other hand, was tender and fresh, but a little dry and bland. The shawarma was just okay--it had the look and consistency of shards of meat--small pieces no bigger than an inch long and a quarter inch wide. I imagine the cook shaved off as much "cooked" shawarma off of the rotating spit and then grilled it to cook it a little longer. The flavor was decent, but there just wasn't much of it. By contrast, the Pita Inn shawarma comes served in big slabs of meat several inches long. More flavorful, too. Ditto the chicken breast. The hummus and baba ghannouj were creamy and tasty. The baba ghannouj had a very interesting smoky flavor. The rice was excellent. As I mentioned my wife and I love us some tahini and hot sauce. We put it on everything except our water. My wife thought the tahini was great. I thought it was just okay--a little watery and sharp tasting. The hot sauce was a disappointment. Just hot, a little too ketchup-y. No real character. The pita bread was decent, though by the time we got our food (recall it took a while), our bread was cold. Not great. Just decent. Dunno if they bake it here, but I have my doubts. Alas the meal didn't end well. Both of us had gone through our water glasses about 2/3rds of the way thru the meal. Yet our waitress never stopped back to refill them. Never stopped back to ask us how the meal was. Never stopped back to present our bill. We had to walk up to that central counter (which looks like it would be where you order but you don't) and actually look into the kitchen to get her attention so we could settle up. In summary: fantastic falafel (better than Pita Inn!), excellent lentil soup (never had Pita Inn's so cannot compare), mediocre to good entree meats/sides, meh to poor service. It's too bad, too, because if the place wanted to not provide table service and do the Pita Inn model of "order at the counter, pick up at the counter" it would have been a better experience. Probably cheaper, too. Other than getting a take out falafel order with some lentil soup, I'm tempted not to return. Pita Inn still the champion.
(3)Jennifer B.
Is mediocre ethnic food better than abysmal chain restaurant food? More often than not, yes. Which is why this restaurant has become a regular stop of mine during the workweek. Are there any standout dishes? Not especially, but I've yet to run from the place either screaming or sorely disappointed. Their hummous is creamier than most. Their hot sauce is vinegary-ier than most. Their beef shawarma is chewier than most (in a good way). Their portion sizes are also smaller than most you can find at comparable middle-eastern restaurants in the city. Given that I'm not driving back to the city during my lunch hour at my office in Des Plaines, this is a non-issue. Their lunch specials are decently priced, yet way too rice heavy. I understand the value of fillers, but if I wanted a plate of empty carbs I would've stayed at the office and popped some microwave corn. I'm also a bit puzzled by the logic behind taking a perfectly healthy fish entree and mucking it up by "lightly" sauteeing it and semi-coating it in flour. If I wanted deep-fried fish filets, there's a Long John Silver out here...somewhere...I'm guessing? One cringeworthy move is that they used to show foreign news channels on their television during the afternoon...but each of my recent visits has been filled with the intellectualisms of daytime trash talk shows. Oh no they did...nt.
(2)Anna B.
I'm knocking off a star because I hate their pita and hot sauce. I don't know what they put in it, maybe vinegar, but it's not good. It actually ruined my sandwich the first time I used it. As someone else said below, their pita is really hard. It actually crumbles when you pick it up. However, the falafel is good and tasty. Always hot and perfectly cooked. Their falafel sandwich is pretty generously sized and filling. They also have really good dill rice. YUM! My buddy swears by the lentil soup, but I have yet to try it. The service is really quick, which is a huge plus when on lunch. Everyone in the restaurant is really friendly and seems genuinely happy to have you dine at their place. Shish Kabob is a welcome relief from the corporate chain restaurants in the Rosemont area.
(4)Paul G.
Remarkably impressed with the food...tried the "4 way combo" (a plate with 4 different meats on a bed of rice) and was very pleased.... lots of food for $15. All the other restaurants in the mall were very busy, but this wound up being a very good choice. Whenever you've got an event at the Allstate Arena, I'd suggest giving this place a try.... it's right next to Rosatis near the north end of the strip mall. And the soup is very good too...dip the pita bread in it.
(5)Eric B.
Beef Shish Kabob was extremmly dry. Almost couldnt eat it.
(2)Henry M.
The kifta kabob is great. The other meats... egh, not so great. The bread can be great, but oftern it's just pita. The falafel is pretty good. Personally, I spring for the kifta plate most of the time. The lentil soup is pretty good. The salad is not. Just too much parsley for me. Yes, the service can be hit or miss. Just speak up, and they'll take care of you.
(4)Susan P.
We were so looking forward to a fresh, delicious Mediterranean meal...Sorry to say, it wasn't here. It was just awful. First, we ordered soup and an appetizer and hot tea before our entrees. The tea came but never the rest, though we asked two times (the waitress even wrote it down). The promised pita bread never came nor did the refill of tea we requested. Resigned to the fact there would be no appetizers we ordered our entrees, lamb kabob ($12.45) and a combo of chicken, beef kabobs, shawarma and kefta ($14.95). The food was cold, the rice obviously old, kabobs were dry, tasteless and cooked to a tough rock. The shawarma was so dry, it cracked when you picked it up, the kefta was just OK. I showed the food to the waitress, she just said sure, I can reheat it. When I explained more heat wouldn't help, she insisted I take another kefta. After a 15 minute wait, it did come out and much to our surprise, it was not hot, either! I'm happy some reviewers here seemed to catch them on a better day but I see others had the same experience we did. Sorry for such a bad review but please be warned ~ I wouldn't waste your time or money here.
(1)Victoria B.
As Patty V pointed out, there is a "sincere lack of ethnic food in this area". I was delighted when Shish Kabob opened since I've been eating Mediterranean food since I was a kid. The first time I tried it for lunch while working then brought my husband in later that same week. So far we've had the Hummus, Baba Ghannouj, Shawerma sandwich, and the Lamb Kabob. He liked it so much he went there on his own and brought me dinner when I had to work one night. The owner and his staff are very friendly and the place is always busy when I've visited. They are decently priced and give you a good amount of food. The only thing is I always ask for a side of lemon with the Shawerma sandwich, but that's just me. My husband said he'd stick with the Hummus because the Baba Gannouj wasn't that great. I can't comment since he ate all of it. I do hope they'll do good business and stay in the area for a long time. It's a nice and delicious change from the burger and fast food joints in the area.
(4)