Gosh, it's too bad I had the experience I did...I wanted to love Roti. A) I love the Chipotle concept: being able to pick what you do and don't want and say if you want more B) I love Middle Eastern food, think Naf Naf. Well, this is no Naf Naf nor did I feel comfortable asking for more like I would at Chipotle. I got a Falafel pita, the pita was awful. It definitely had been sitting for awhile. A long while. I added cucumber yogurt sauce (zatziki), tahini, lettuce and the tomato/cucumber mix (Israeli salad) to my pita. Good thing or the bread would have been inedible. The falafels were mushy and undercooked in my book, but I did read that some reviewers liked them that way. I also order the chicken kabob plate. It came with terrible rice, I think it's supposed to be basmati rice, but instead it tasted like perfume, and it was dry. I got the Spanish eggplant, good-tasted like salsa like the worker told me it would, the cous cous which was interesting in a good way and the tomato/cucumber salad which was also good. There was no pita left, so I waited for fresh pita, it was better than the pita for the sandwich but nothing, nothing like the gold standard of Naf Naf. The chicken was fine, the garlic sauce I got was good and made the chicken better. Bottom line, pita is where it's at for Mediterranean food. It's essential for a good falafel sandwich. (So is good falafel, by the way). I could see going again, only during peak hours when the food is fresh and getting turned over, but really, I'll probably go back to my old reliable...Naf Naf and drive further and pay more, but know I'll leave happy.
(2)
A K.
This place is awesome! The service is fast and the food is always fresh. They also have a rewards program so it is very easy to get free food. This place offers unique Middle Eastern food that can't be found at many other restaurants in the area.
(5)
Lora A.
The worst Mediterranean food ever.small portion and unpleasant taste.never ever go back there.
(1)
Sarah S.
Oh my~~~ I am SO full and I only ate half of my rice plate. I was lucky enough to be one of the chosen ones to attend a soft opening for the new Roti Mediterranean Grill in Schaumburg today. The location is insanely convenient to my company and it's a fresh, healthier option than other things in the area so I'm excited. My coworkers that live in the city have told me of the goodness that is Roti, however I had never tried it until today. I must say, I'm now a big fan. I've been to soft openings before, as well as newly opened businesses and Roti was flowing so much more smoothly than most I've been to. We were greeted by a few different people when we walked in. Everyone was eager to explain the food & concept plus all were really friendly. The way you order is a similar concept to Chitpotle : 1. You decide the basic way you want your food - either a sandwich (laffa wrap or pita pocket - $6.95), rice plate (your choice of 3 sides/toppings + pita bread - $7.95) or salad (comes with a pita - $7.95). 2. You place your order with the first person behind the counter & also let them know what type of meat/main item you'd like - Chicken Kabab, Chicken Roti, Steak Roti, Salmon, Falafel or Fresh Veggies. 3. You then go through the line and they ask if you'd like sauce on the side or spread throughout your meal (Dill, Yogurt & Cucumber, Roasted Red Pepper, Tahini, S'hug or Roti Vinagrette) and what sides or toppings you'd like (tomato & cucumbers, feta cheese, fresh veggies, spanish eggplant, olives, sumac onions, red cabbage slaw, cous-cous or hummus). 4. Wham, bam, thank you Ma'am - you're done & you pay, adding any extras you want such as a fountain drink or cookie. *If you're the indecisive type or would like to trust Roti, they have some special combos that you can pick instead of picking your own ingredients* Today they had a steady stream of people coming through the line and all was flowing so surprisingly smoothly, it bares mentioning again. I had their rice plate with Chicken Kabab, Feta Cheese, Cous-cous, Hummus, and Dill, Cucumber & Yogurt sauce over the meat & rice. I was surprised how much I enjoyed the dill sauce. All ingredients tasted quite fresh, nothing was overdone, the chicken was nice & moist and it all was so delicious! The portion was so huge that I ended up taking half home for dinner. They have plastic tops that will snap onto the plate if needed. I really liked the concept of not creating more waste with styrofoam containers and using the plate you were already eating off of as half the take home container. My entire plate was just 568 calories, so eating half of it was the perfect amount of food for me and at just 284 calories a very healthy lunch. They have a fountain drink station which could only be improved if it was a Coke Freestyle. Either that or have another Diet/Zero option aside from Coke. I must say this station was extremely clean and stayed clean throughout the hour we dined in. There were honestly a zillion workers in today making sure all went as planned. I don't know if this is the norm but a nice gentlemen came around and cleared our table for us. Not only that, but another came around to offer us a chocolate chip cookie that was sweet & soft & yummy in my tummy! They have an app in which you can photograph your receipt & earn points towards free food. A great concept that I'm surprised more bars & restaurants haven't picked up on. One downfall is that Schaumburg isn't yet on the app despite them heavily advertising it today. Overall, I had the most wonderful experience at Roti today. With open arms I welcome Roti to Schaumburg and I know I'll be back with coworkers often! Plus they do catering - definitely going to let my company know on that.
(5)
Maged R.
We went to the schaumburg location. Family was not happy. I would give the food quality a 5/10. Rice and meat in Mediterranean cuisine are served hot or at least worm. Our chicken and steak Roti were both cold, so was the rice. The bread was very good, tehini and eggplant were also good. This is not Mediterranean food. I would give service 3/10. The staff that took the orders was not attentive. I had to ask 3 times for 2 steak Roti and one chicken Roti. I asked for two waters and soda when I paid for the order, I got two cups for water but no cup for soda. When I mentioned to the manager that staff was not attentive, she was not apologetic at all, she just said they are new. When another customer mentioned to the manager that the outdoor tables were wobbly, she didn't do anything. I had to go back and ask here again to get something to put under the table legs. I eventually took a menu and folded it to fix it.
(2)
Julie R.
Love the food, hate the meager portions and the price. Roti is a great place to go when you don't want that Chipotle burrito (which is rare) or a lunchtime sammie. The spice, freshness, and variety really stir up your culinary routine. BUT whenever I go through the live I feel like everything I get is so small for the cost. They have the tiniest little scoopers to put on the sides. They don't get you a ton of meat- probably a satisfing amount for an 8 yo child. And they only give you a limited number of sauces. I highly recommend getting the taziki (sp?), garlic, and the dill. Don't get the hummus unless you like bland paste- much more flavor in the other sauces. AND they count the hummus as "one of your three." My husband gets the pita and he always wants to get something additional like the fried balls ( I forget exactly what they're called...) This place IS delicious, clean, and dependable. Just plan on buying two meals if you're starving AND paying a boatload for both. :)
(3)
Bob R.
We went to the Roti in the Chicago Loop several months ago and the experience was fine. While I would say that the staff is pleasant enough at the Schaumburg location, the experience was not as great. The idea of a "fast food" Mediterranean restaurant is really a novelty in my mind. After trying Roti twice now, I'm convinced that the experience of a locally owned restaurant where you can get Felafil, Schwarma, Hummus and other items is really better. I find the quality of the food at other local Middle-Eastern / Mediterranean restaurants to be better at the same or a better price.
(2)
Jason G.
I love me some Roti! Fast and healthy! It is basically the Chipotle of Mediterranean food. I highly recommend adding some Baklava as a desert...theirs is extremely awesome.
(5)
Nic Z.
Updating! In my last review, I wrote that this was something I wouldn't go out of my way for. I LIED! Well, I didn't then, but I would be lying if I didn't change my review now. Round 2: I got a rice plate with chicken kabob and three sides: tomato and cucumber salad, eggplant (YUM), and vegetables. As you can tell, the eggplant was aaaaahmazing. Amazing amazing. As in, I would have had a bowl full of that and just that - amazing. Everything else was good. Not "I'm going to walk back for a second plate" but good enough that I really will come back. I shall call this beauty "Nic's B.P.E." (Best Plate Ever, for Roti first-timers. Except I get half of any trophy or award my version wins.) Bon appetit!
(4)
Alden H.
Food was fresh and delicious. I had the Mediterranean chicken salad. It was great. Staff was pleasant and service was fast. I'll definitely be back for more. Lots of options on the menu that I want to try.
(5)
Andrew J.
It's a Mediterranean Chipotle. The service is fast and great. The food is fresh and uses free range, organic-ish products. The atmosphere is industrial chic (love it). So what's the deal? Well, the deal is I'm just not in love with the food. If you have never had couscous or falafel or schwarma or kabob, this is an OK starter kit, but it's pretty far from the source material. In some ways the comparison to Chipotle really works against a place like this. Here's why: Chipotle, whether you are a fan or not (I am a fan), has got food that is entirely recognizable in form and flavor as Mexican fare. The guac is fantastic and, oddly, rivals some of the better Mexican restaurants in the area. Tacos are still tacos. They are built the same way. Meat on the bottom, followed by sauce and lettuce on the top. Burritos are still burritos. Same as burritos that you get anywhere else (though probably larger). The kabob pita sandwich I had at Roti illustrated that it's different with Mediterranean fare. See, Mediterranean fare is about distribution of elements, not layers of elements. The Chipotle format doesn't allow for any nuances, such as tossing the ingredients together or applying sauces anywhere other than a single area in the sandwich. The pita has to be stuffed in the order in which you choose the ingredients. The result is a pita that is cold and doesn't have much flavor with odd, segregated pockets of pita components. Hummus isn't the sour cream from Chipotle. You can't take a big spoonful and fwap it in the middle of a sandwich. A) This hummus is such a neutral flavor B) It's ice cold and quite dense (and you're putting it on a hot sandwich) C) Hummus is meant to line the inside of the pita to keep the other sauces from spilling out. It should be a persistent flavor and texture, not a big spoonful of cold, pasty sauce in the middle of the sandwich. Also, chicken (or whatever protein) needs to be tossed with cucumbers and tomatoes and lettuce. Again, you can't just have a tomato and cucumber part of the pita and a chicken part of the pita. It's about interplay of flavor. That's not what I got. I just ended up eating the chicken part. But the problems continue with the falafel, which is hardly falafel at all. The flavor and texture are completely different. The falafel at Roti taste like fried samosa filling. It's not bad, but it's not falafel. Good falafel have a much better crunch, a more granulated and bright green interior, and don't taste like coriander or cumin. They taste more like light garlic and herbs. Again, it's not that the falafel here tasted bad, but if this is your first falafel experience, expect something entirely different when you order them elsewhere. My wife had a Sultan Sandwich, which was better than my pita, but neither of us were blown away. The flavor was pretty muted, which is unlike any Mediterranean place I've eaten at. Also the sandwich had more of a pickled flavor than spice, so... ehhh. The thing is, if you're not crunched for time and running out for lunch, there are far, far better pita places in the suburbs that are far more satisfying and are maybe a bit cheaper. You'll wait longer for your food, but if you can afford the time you'll have a better experience and much more flavorful food. While Chipotle can (at times) rival decent authentic Mexican restaurants in flavor, I can't say the same is true with Roti and other places out there. Not everyone likes the same things, so maybe you should check them out for yourself. This restaurant is affable enough, but the obvious comparison to Chipotle just made me think of a place I'd rather be. I'd normally give a restaurant like this 2 stars, but I'll round up because this is a new place, I only had the one experience, and the employees are really likeable folks. Unfortunately, I'm not sure I'll see them again anytime soon. Sorry guys.
(3)
Nicole W.
Want a boatload of tasty Mediterranean eats? Look no further than Roti. I'll agree with others, Roti is very much a Mediterranean Chipotle. And I like Chiptole, so there's that. The food is fresh, plentiful and flavorful. It's also faaaaaaast! I dropped in and ordered two rice plates to go. I was in and out in less than 5 minutes for less than $20. One rice plate covered me for two meals and here are a few things I really enjoyed... Chicken Roti - Flavorful, tender chunks of spiced chicken Pita -You can choose one or two pitas per plate. I was kicking myself that I went carb light and chose just one per plate. Dammit. These pitas was warm, pillowy and delicious. Hummus - A nom-worthy addition to any of your rice plate items. S'hug sauce - Spicy, complex perfection! Get some. There are so many combinations to be had at Roti, I know I'll be back to sample more!
(4)
Toni B.
Yum!!!! I do have to say its not as good as the one in the city, but its pretty damn close! I am SO happy they opened one in the burbs! Its nice to have something besides a sandwich and soup shop...how many more of those do we need?!?? It is a bit pricey...I still cant figure out how my lunch was $10... I always get the falafel because they are delicious and the cucumber dill sauce with it...amazeballs! They have a good selection of meats and sides you can choose from, all equally delicious. I came during the week around 12pm and was very surprised it was packed! Its very similar to Chipotle where you stand in line, you pick your meat, sides and find a table. Their hummus is delicious as well! I cant wait to bring the hubby here! Parking is kind of crappy, so park in the back instead of circling around looking for a spot!
(5)
Amna S.
Wanted to desperately try this place! Was disappointed. Food was not fresh at all. Will not return. Staff was nice.
(2)
Zaneta N.
I went to this location twice so far and both times my roti chicken had lots of flavor. All their sides were very fresh. If you love spicy sauce you must try their s'hug sauce - SO GOOD! Our pita bread was hot and fresh out of the oven! Their hummus was one of the best ones I've tried in a while. It's creamy and from organic chickpeas. It's a little pricy, but when you are craving Mediterranean spin on Chipotle this place should be on your list to try.
(4)
Umer R.
Pros: Very clean, easy to order, and food did have some taste. Cons: Everything was cold and portion size was small. Chicken was dry as hell and falafels looked like prunes After my meal I got in my car and went straight to Pita House. Paid the same for a fresh hot meal almost double the portion size. Never going back
(1)
Emily W.
The description and menu of this place looked great to me but I left feeling underwhelmed. The falafel was probably the best falafel I've ever had, but it was also different than any I've ever had. It looked and tasted like the falafel was covered in a thin batter and then fried. It was delicious with a very thin crisp coating and then creamy inside with an occasional whole chick pea left in tact. I was not expecting these to be good because they weren't made fresh to order but they were amazing. I will definitely go back to get falafel. The customer service was very friendly. The rest of our food was mediocre. I had a salmon rice plate with couscous, fresh tomatoes and cucumbers, hummus, olives and feta, cucumber dill sauce, tahini and roasted red pepper sauce. I liked how the salmon was cooked and it didn't taste fishy at all, but it was bland. A little salt and cumin could really help that salmon. The cucumber dill sauce was my favorite sauce and tasted good with the salmon and falafel. Other than that, nothing on my plate really paired well together and nor did anything stand out on its own. The rice was a pretty good plain base. The couscous was good with raisins but nothing I would crave. The hummus was ok- the taste and texture reminded me of plain store-bought hummus. Olives and feta were good but small portions.The tomato and cucumber salad was bland- I would have preferred tabouli. Pitas were soft and good but small. My husband had the Sultan sandwich which came in a wrap, not pita. He did not like it. Skimpy on the chicken and the flavors did not blend well. We both liked the spicy sauce that was on it but something about the whole thing did not taste good- maybe it was the wrap itself? After the falafel was gone neither of us were really motivated to finish the rest of our food. Can't wait to go back and get that falafel though! Only $2.25 for a 3 piece order so I will get at least 2 for myself.
(3)
Sarah F.
To start with, the parking situation was pretty bad on a Saturday night and took 15 minutes of circling before we got a spot in the way back of the buildings. However, the food was real good I thought. A lot of good flavors. I tried each side and topping because you are allowed to put every ingredient in a wrap. My favorite was probably the eggplant. It looks exactly like Chipotle inside and the food reminds me of it to for some reason even though it is totally different options and flavors. I'm sure an actual sit down Mediterranean restaurant in the city is way better but to m me ur was delicious and healthy and convenient so I will definitely go there again.
(4)
Phil S.
Easiest way to describe this place is: Mediterranean version of Chipotle After seeing Sarah S. post that they are serving free lunch today for their grand opening, I hopped in the car got in line. A 20 minute line out the door with people sitting on the cold curb eating. Could it really be THAT good? I ordered the steak rice plate and my wife ordered "The Best Plate Ever." So many options for sides, sauces, and toppings! For being a chain restaurant, I was really surprised at how bold the flavors were and how fresh all the ingredients were. I love Mediterranean style food and this place really hit the spot for a quick lunch style Mediterranean craving. Being located directly across the street from towering office buildings, I can just imagine the lines that'll form here daily during the lunch hour. The roti (bread) was fresh and warm and just chewy enough. Perfect for slathering all that tasty hummus all over. I know I'm repeating myself but I was really surprised at how bold and bright all the flavors were for being a chain restaurant since they usually dumb down the flavors to appeal to the wider, blander American audience. The juxtaposition of sour, sweet, and spicy flavors against the earthy rice and hummus had me swooning for more. I probably looked like a slob shoveling fork after fork in my face without pause, but I didn't care. About a $10 meal with plate plus drink but not a bad deal. It certainly doesn't beat the Pita House deal of $4.95 for lunch but this place just kills it on the flavor scale making this a great lunch, or even dinner, choice. (WTF happened to the well lauded Lincoln Whiskey Kitchen?? Another one bites the dust...probably due to the hefty, and seemingly unjustified, price tag. Womp womp.)
(5)
Nandan M.
It is nice concept (chipotle of Mediterranean) but they need to get their act together. The portions gets smaller as things finish. As we made the way, many choices were not available. The chicken shawarma (which they call chicken roti) was so-so. So was the kabab. In their ignorance they are probably also serving more or less sides. I heard a customer get into an argument. I feel for them and hope they do get their act together. It is a nice concept.
(2)
Kristen G.
This place is ALWAYS packed at lunch time during the week. It's hard to say much about the place because I'm usually only there for about 15 minutes while I run through my lunch break at work, but the staff are always very friendly and helpful and the food is great! The portion sizes are more than enough for your average appetite. I always have left overs for the next day. The cous cous is the best and I love their red pepper sauce and dill sauce!
(5)
H T.
If you lived in a town that didn't have a good Mediterranean restaurant I can see this being a nice way to sample some of its flavor. But having eaten at a number of these types of restaurants, this is a pale substitute. First and foremost these restaurants live and die on their grilled meat which I found here to be dry and over seasoned. I got the chicken kebab since my other choice was even dryer and tasted like Mediterranean bourbon chicken. The rice was also a bit dry but want too bad. I guess I was supposed to drown ever thing in one of the sauces. But prefer just enjoying the simple taste of each component. That brings me to the falafel, they were flat out gross and greasy inside, I had to drench them to get them down. Finally the pita, it tasted like one of those wheat pitas you can get in the store. Oh yeah it was half the size. Maybe I'm being unfair, since this place allows you to pop in and get a variety of food quickly. But I would rather have a little foresight and call ahead for some freshly grilled meat.
(2)
Spencer H.
Imagine Chipolte but with Falafel. For $7.95 I got a rice plate with three sides. I got some falafel & some hummus. The bread was nice & warm & the hummus was pretty good. I was very surprised eating here because I didn't have that high of expectations. To me most Mediterranean food needs long prep times so I was surprised when I saw that they were able to set it up like a Chipolte. The place was about the size of a Chipolte or a Qdoba with the same type of layout. We came right after the lunch crowd but the place was very clean & the staff was friendly. Another plus about this place is that they don't skim on the portions. The portions were more than enough to fill a person up. They have a lot of different sauces & sides that fit a any of the dishes you choose. The parking lot has a lot of spots to park in & it is close to the door. Overall this is a good option for someone looking for Mediterranean food especially since there really isn't any other good options in the area that I know of. This restaurant is located about 3 minutes from Woodfield mall. It is right across the street from one of the roads to their parking lot so it is a convenient location for some mall shoppers. The plaza that it is located in is very new & was built only a few years ago. Lastly for the portion size that you receive the price is pretty good. There will usually be enough food left over to take with you. Overall the food was good, the portion size was big, the staff was friendly & the place was clean. I would eat here again if I was in the area & in the mood for some Mediterranean food.
(4)
Alexandra M.
Solid quick dinner place. My husband and I both work full time and don't always have the time/ desire to cook. This is a great option if you still want to eat healthy, but want some one else to do the work. The salads are great. I almost always get two meals off of one order. And I don't feel guilty (or ill) after eating this fast food.
(4)
John C.
This place is decent for fast food Mediterranean. I have been to a lot of places and for some reason I just didn't like the food or choices that much. The good: It felt a lot like Chipotle and that is always a good thing. The service was speedy and I went at night so since they had no falafals they manager gave me a free dessert and drink. The bad: Eh, felt the chicken we too dry. Even late at night you have to keep the food ready to be served right? The choices for sides were items that I feel are more garnishments than side items. I would never order onions and and call that a side items. Overall the food was good but not great. Pricing was good. Nothing for me to say=, I want to go here when I am looking for something,
(3)
Victoria H.
Roti Mediterranean Grill is new to Schaumburg, and I didn't waste any time heading over to get my hummus on. Think a Mediterranean version of a Chipotle. Ok, well now you've got the picture. You walk up, pick an option (sandwich, salad, or rice plate), and then walk along to choose your toppings and sauces. You get the idea, right? They usually have a good selection of music playing inside Roti. I do enjoy listening to Mumford & Sons while I chow down, although it makes me want to shovel the cous cous, falafel, and hummus into my mouth along with the beat. Speaking of, have you all watched Mumford & Sons - Hopeless Wanderer music video? If you haven't you are missing out. Not only is it a good song, but it is F-ing hilarious! Watch all five minutes, not a minute less, because that last minute or so is where it's at. You can thank me afterwards. youtube.com/watch?v=rId6… You're welcome. Now back to Roti... *The falafel is made with organic chickpeas. Crunchy on the outside, and oh so creamy on the inside. *And hold the phone, they have Salmon! That's right, Salmon! Whoa - whoa - wee- wah! For a couple bucks more, you can add the Gulf of Maine Salmon as your meat option. *The Vegetable Mix near the meats are kind of blah in my opinion, so I would skip them if you've picked a limited side option. If you have unlimited sides, well then do whatever your vegetable lovin' self pleases. *All the other sides are so delicious that I have a hard time deciding which to choose. For your sake, I hope you never find yourself in line behind me. And if by chance you do, you should probably offer to pay the extra 50 cents per each extra side on top of the allotted amount of my rice plate. Hummus, Tomato and Cucumber Salad, Spanish Eggplant, Cous-cous, Red Cabbage Slaw. Get out the quarters, I'm getting them all. *Who doesn't want to add feta cheese, olives, and onions as well? I love me some feta...probably too much, but that's besides the point. Let's be honest, Feta tastes great on any Mediterranean meal. *And the sauces. Don't get me started. Ok, well too late, I've started. I'd say my favories would be the Cucumber and Yogurt, Tahini, and Roasted Red Pepper. It's all dependent on what you're getting, but you can't go wrong. I'm happy that Roti Mediterranean Grill has found a home in Schaumburg, where I can easily satisfy my Mediterranean cravings. I know what I'm having for lunch tomorrow!
(4)
Laura N.
After seeing rave reviews for this place by a few of my favorite Yelpers, I knew I had to swing by as soon as I could -- which was a cold Black Friday night. However, there's a problem with reading great reviews before trying a new place: you kind of have high expecations. At least, that happened to me with Roti. And I think that's why I didn't love the place as much as I probably should have. Roti is, like several others have mentioned, basically a Chipotle-style Mediterranean food place. You walk up to the counter, choose from several dish options (sandwich, rice place, or salad), select your toppings and sides, and have your meal ready as soon as you've paid for it. Fast food without being typical fast food. It's not original, but it works. I did drool over all the options -- couscous, salmon, veggies, cucumber/tomato salads, etc. -- and took my sweet time figuring out what I wanted. The women working behind the counter were very helpful and enabled me to choose everything I wanted to try. Yet, my jaw nearly dropped when I saw our total bill was $25. I honestly wasn't expecting that. Everything just added up. An extra $2 for the salmon, an extra $4 for our two drinks.... It wasn't terribly expensive, but we were hoping to spend just a little bit less (usually we spend about $15 at Chipotle). It WAS filling, I'll give them that, but it wasn't amazingly delicious. My small portion of veggies (I literally ate the whole portion in two bites) was kind of burned and tasteless, the rice was just rice, and the salmon wasn't impressive (nor did I think it was worth the extra two bucks). The couscous and the tomato/cucumber were my favorite. I skipped the sauces (sauces aren't my thing) but I did try my husband's roasted pepper sauce and it wasn't too bad. I'm not writing this place off just yet. I think next time I just need to skip the salmon and opt for water. That alone will save me a few bucks, and I can better appreciate the food that I actually liked here, while trying a few other items. I mean, I really do need to come back soon.... that couscous was so damn good!
(4)
Shannon S.
I really like the food here. I ordered for lunch and I the same day went back for dinner. The flavor a where just what I needed and wanted. My suggestion is to get the spicy sauce with the plate!!
(4)
Kate L.
Whoever said that Roti is a Mediterranean version of Chipotle got it spot on. Now, I'll admit they had me when I found out they had gluten free pita bread, but what's more? They warmed it up and it tasted absolutely delicious! The guy working there was super patient with me, explaining what everything was and even letting me sample things before adding it to my sandwich! I ended up with a gluten free pita with steak, red pepper sauce, and feta cheese and it was soo good -- probably the best food I've eaten out in a long time. The meat and toppings were so flavorful, I didn't expect this place to be part of a chain. With an up charge for the steak and an up charge for the gluten free pita, the total came to around $10 for a 7-inch sandwich before rolling. But that price won't deter me from coming back -- I just need to take more advantage of all the toppings! Without a doubt, I will be back at Roti the next time I need some quick food near the mall. They blew me away with their customer service and food quality.
(5)
Jenna D.
I love me some Mediterranean food and after having gone to ROTI in the city, I was excited for the suburban opening. There aren't many good middle-eastern restaurants choices around in the suburbs and I was happy to hear they were opening this popular city chain. I 100% agree with Laura N saying that reading some of the raving reviews can cause you to have HIGH expectations. I also agree with other Yelpers that it is a like middle-eastern Chipotle! I will say, unfortunately, I was not as satisfied with this location as I was with the location near Union Station. Either they changed recipes or the Union Station just cranks out better pita sandwiches. Prior to eating at this location, I held Roti at the top of my list for Mediterranean food and unfortunately I left unsatisfied :( The feta is outstanding quality and was the star of the show. Awesome. I had the steak pita with veggies, and spicy sauce and a side of falafel. I'm really picky about meat but the steak here sat well with me. There was a weird (unfamiliar, un-Mediterranean) taste in my sandwich. This highly disappointed me as it tasted like vinegar sweetened with a pound of sugar. Not very Mediterranean at all! The spicy sauce was very good and flavorful and the steak was cooked nicely. The falafel was rubbery and not crunchy like it should be... but it is made with organic chickpeas! If you were disappointed with this location, you should try the city locations because they are 10x better! Finally! The pros: fast cheap convenient many, many choices organics Coke products good Feta The cons: lukewarm food food doesn't seem all that fresh chewy falafel weird sauce
(3)
Candice G.
It's not that I didn't have high expectations when it came to Roti's fare, it's just that I'm not the world's biggest fan of falafel, or Mediterranean food. For the most part, to me, even when it's good Mediterranean food, it's still kind of just meh... So imagine my surprise while trying out Schaumburg's newest chain fast-fare, only to find it's absolutely phenomenal. Like, whoa. If I lived near here, I'd come at least once a week... and obvi join the Roti frequent customer club to get more free falafel. I was waffling between a wrap, pita, or rice plate, but settled on the $7.95 rice plate because I would get to choose 3 sides. Please note, not all sides are listed on the menu, but the person who puts your order together will offer all while building your plate, which is a good thing because otherwise I would've missed out on the most delicious olive salad ever. With my falafel rice plate came 4 falafel balls, I got two mini pitas, a buncha rice, hummus, grilled vegetables, the olive salad and I chose the tahini sauce, though there were a number of sauces I wanted to try, namely the spicy and cucumber dill. Next time. I added on two baklava triangles at check-out for my partner and I, and was on my merry way to a seat in the dining area. My partner said he wasn't hungry, but I knew he'd change his tune once face-to-face with falafel. Lo-and-behold, I was right. We ended up splitting the whole thing and practically fighting for the last few bites. If it hadn't been so close to closing, I would've totally gone up and ordered more. I love that serve both bottles and tap Honest Tea (my favorite!), and that for $11 I got enough food for myself, and my partner with 2 desserts. My partner and I were totally the jerks who stayed until 2-minutes before their closing time and as we left, we saw every employee at the food bar cleaning up AND, get this -- smiling. Not even smiling at us, just smiling amongst themselves, but not in a creepy way. It was really refreshing, just as was the food. Can't wait to haul it back for round 2!
(5)
Pari P.
Schaumburg has a new kid on the block to add to the under $10 restaurant chains, Roti. It's a Mediterranean chain that is quickly taking over the Chicagoland area. It's the next best thing for food packed with flavor without the added calories. Roti is the perfect example that you can eat fast food that's fresh and healthy and delicious. Roti is unique since it draws flavors and popular dishes from all over the Mediterranean like kabobs, hummus, and falafel but it's presented in Chipotle's easy to order format. Not familiar with Mediterranean cuisine? Think spices like turmeric, cumin, and coriander and ingredients like dill, olives, feta, and cous cous. The food is flavorful and healthier since it uses herbs, spices, and vinegars rather than butter and fat. I read the other reviews and it sounds like some people had a bad experience when they first opened but I just went on Sunday and service was fine - the chicken was just a little dry and overcooked. Other than that, the food was great and I'll definitely be back. Pro tip: order the salad since it's the same price as the plate but without the limitations on sides. You can literally order each one of the sides (even add rice) and all of the toppings for no additional cost. For some reason, the plate only allows you to choose three sides but there's no limit for the salad even though it costs the same. Yeah, I know... you're welcome.
(5)
Sean A.
On vacation with my wife and two little girls and they love Mediterranean food. Great food and good quality for the price.
(4)
Neel K.
This was our first time to Roti and we were surprised by the taste. It is basically a chipotle with Mediterranean food. We had the falafel sandwich, salad, and rice plate. It is basically the same food delivered in three different ways. Overall the taste is good but not much in the way of variety. The falafel was very good and the variety of sauces was interesting. Will likely go back if we are craving falafel or hummus.
(3)
Sreejyothi T.
Kinda okie, its not about the location. They need to have more options. I must have eaten so much that I am saturated and at a point where I would like to give up. It might be good to eat once a month. Kababs and rice are good,but its too dry food for me. I am starting to dislike. Location is kinda tricky with parking way too far, makes it difficult during winter. Quality of Food is good, decor is OK, staff are OK, parking not good, quantity of food not ok., flavor is ok
(4)
Ryan T.
I have to say the roti chicken pita is excellent. Everything tastes extremely fresh. I would agree that it is sort of similar to chipotle in terms of ambiance and set up. It's even a great place for someone who has never really tried Mediterranean. The only thing I am a little disappointed in is the portion size for what it costs. You are going to spend about $10+ per person if you get drink or any specialty items. I've been there several times now and I noticed today the portion sizes are even smaller. I usually go every couple of months. I'd probably go more frequently if it was less pricey because it is fast and good.
(4)
Bristena C.
I was really disappointed with this restaurant!!! I love Mediterranean food and living in Chicago gave me the opportunity to try really delicious authentic recipes. We went there recently for Sunday lunch, after a long time that we haven't visited the place ( another bad memory, hopefully changed but it wasn't the case). The food containers barely had anything in them, we ordered chicken roti, one of the most popular dishes and we had to wait like 5-6 minutes for them to cook it on the grill, chicken that was clearly not fresh. It was actually very dry and burnt. The rice was clearly old and the sides were ok, but just a bit there in the containers. The portion was very small, half a spoon of humus( not kidding)!!! We were very disappointed, especially that after half an hour we had some stomach issues!! Very upset and will definitely not go there soon!!! Too bad!!
(1)
Eric P.
Excellent middle eastern food from this Schaumburg location of a chain restaurant. Try the steak rice plate with olives and feta cheese. Freshly made roti (pita bread) tops it off. Very fresh and tasty
(5)
Ishika K.
I came here for the first time and i decided .... If i am hungry and there is nothing else around... I may try it again. I say naf naf grill has 100 times better - rice, falafel ( rotis falafel is smushi and soft), side are awefull. Nothing has flavor in it.
(1)
Marq C.
So after much convincing, I tried Roti again. And by convincing, I mean my good friend gave me a gift card so I can try it again. I had a pretty bad experience my first time, possibly because I was expecting to be amazed... Well long story short, I used my gift card. Here it goes: Their salad is AMAZINGLY good. Yes, I said it. Add every option possible (except rice) and don't forget the red sauce (I forgot what it was called) but it's hot! Anyway, the blast of flavor will knock you off your seat. This is probably the best fast food salad I've ever had. Now their falafel is another story... Oh. My. God. The best falafel ever!!! Worth the $2 (and change) for a 3 piece 1 biter falafel. MUST HAVE for sure. Now why I gave this place 3 stars and not 4? Because they had the same terrible service from totally different staff than my first visit. (Did that make sense?) what I'm trying to say is the service is bad... I thought my first visit was bad, the 2nd visit is just as bad. They were cooking the steak when I ordered my food so they set aside my plate. After the steak was cooked and placed on the serving dish, 3 other people got served their steak and my rice plate which was getting cold was left sitting there with me standing in front of it and watching other people who were behind me get served. I reminded the girl about my plate and (no joke or exaggeration) age put 4 pieces of steak on my plate. No apologies. The cashier saw and heard what happened so he went back to the dish and added a little bit more steak. At this point I was fuming but didn't want to show my anger to my friend who gave me the gift card. Mr or Ms manager: please train your staff in customer service. It goes a long way. So to sum up: Great: chicken roti, salad, falafel, pita Terrible: service, rice (too hard and dry), steak ( dry and not tender), you will walk away smelling like spicy food- please go home and wash your clothes and shower immediately. If I return to Roti, it's most likely not going to be at this location. Or I'll have my dear friend pick up a salad for me.
(3)
Andrea T.
I went to this location in Schaumburg for a Friday night dinner. First of all I was amazed there was hardly anyone there and it was only around 6PM Friday night. But when I approached the counter to order I was amazed that it didn't look like they were ready for dinner service: many of the containers that hold the meat were nearly empty, only two pita breads available. I ordered my usual chicken roti in a pita pocket with garlic sauce, red pepper sauce, hummus and tomatoes and cucumbers. Noticed that the container that holds tomatoes and cucumbers there was hardly anything in there. The sandwich was good, but then I just now I started feeling 'ick' in my stomach. Never felt that way eating Roti before. I suspect the food there at that time was not fresh at all, it had been sitting there for awhile. It was like they were not ready for dinner service at all. As I mentioned in a previous review - I'll stick with going to the Roti in downtown Chicago.
(2)
Ballerinacake S.
Every time I drive by Roti, I've been dying to try them out. I finally did and it's delicious. It's similar to Chipotle where you tell them what you want. I do think they should have things labeled so the customers don't have to keep asking what each thing is. I also figured out that the chicken roti is the dark meat and chicken kabob is the white meat. I had the chicken kabob rice plate, very yummy. The grilled vegetables were delicious along with the pita. I can't wait to go back!
(4)
Avinash K.
Ok, so I didn't really have major expectations of the place, just wanted to try one of branches out since I saw quite a few ads in the street for a while now. I really liked their food, this branch is just like any Chipotele or Qdoba, order food and take it and sit wherever you like. Found the prices to be very reasonable and worth for the amount of food that was given - everything is based on pita and some form of meat/veggie and/or rice. So I made my own salad for dinner - added in the chicken kabobs (which were good and heavy), then after choosing the meat, you get as many add-ons as possible and then you get choice of 2 sauces - went with dill yogurt and spicy sauce (good combo - definitely recommend it), side of hummus and pita bread. Trust me - it definitely fills a hungry guy up :). If you like Mediterranean you would definitely like this place. I have not tried the cous-cous before , that was also added in the salad, which was good. Servers were helpful and friendly. Tip: You get one or two pita breads with the Do-It-Your-Own salad, so don't need to settle for just one :p. [ This can be used to just about cover everything they have on their menu, like making your own salad I mean)
(4)
Azhar S.
Definitely not on my favorite list. I was not too crazy about the super long wait even though it was not that busy the night I went for the very first time. It was less than $10, but I would paid more for a quality meal. I have only been there once and was not impressed by any means. Even when I got my food it tasted so generic with a lack of uniqueness to it. I will definitely be sticking to the mom and pop Mediterranean places. The food was bland and the customer service was even worse. I was waiting so long that my friend was waiting for me to eat and his food also got cold. So far I have only had their platter, but I am not tempted to go back.
(1)
Marie K.
Wanted to try something new and glad I did. This place is definitely the Mediterranean version of Chipotle but the food is very good and reasonable price. The staff is very friendly and did a good job explaining to me what I was ordering since I wasn't sure since I never had this type of food before. I got a rice plate and it definitely filled me up. I recommend this place to anyone who likes Mediterranean food or who is willing to ttry something out of their comfort zone.
(5)
Sam H.
As previously posted the Arabic version of chipolte. Food is good lots of flavor and they even bake there own pita bread. Extra yummy... The salads are fantastic and don't forget the hot sauce!!
(4)
Ilona K.
It's not the same Roti we visited years ago, that's for sure. They have clearly gone the cheaper cafeteria style. Flavors are still good. But the crappy paper plate barely held the cold rice with 3 heavy sides of which the main entree, chicken, was cold too. It was tough stabbing dry chicken with plastic utensils. By the time two of us paid at the counter the bill was $28 dollars. Everything was extra. Suggestions? Put paper towels in the bathroom so you can open the door and try regular dishes. Revisit your pricing and portions.
(3)
Restaurant Vigilant E.
this is essentially the Mediterranean version of Chipotle. The interior has a lot of stainless steel, the ordering line is set up the same way etc...if you are not familiar with the choices or terms, the staff - while they don't really say anything - you can feel them getting annoyed with you and they do very little to suggest or explain things unless you ask. The problem I see - at least if you are not familiar with the various ingredients - it is hard to know what flavors/texture go well with each other....so I have taken chicken, hummus, olives and feta and mixed them all together in a wrap...it is ok, but I think I got the combination wrong....I would rather go to Pita Pita up in Palatine where the staff is friendlier, the food fresher and I am not left to create my own Frankenstein-Lebanese-burrito thing....sometimes, we need protection from ourselves right? Now that is more of an indictment of myself than Roti - if you asked me to go there right now, I would....their falafel is really good too!!! Prices are roughly the same as Chipotle as well...and you feel a smidge better for pigging out here than Chipotle...
(3)
Ali M.
Worst food I've tasted in Chicago thus far! Overcooked, chewy and tasted like cardboard! A disgrace to Mediterranean food.
(1)
David P.
I thought this place is pretty good. Mediterranean Chipotle is what this is if you didnt know. I thought the sides all tasted good. The meat was not overcooked. I think its a good introduction to Mediterranean because its like whited down.
(4)
Sarah L.
I understand that they are new but they did a horrible job of training the staff. The food was OK but do not get the veggies they have this gross smoke char flavor that makes them taste burnt. The manager had to handle my whole order because the staff had no idea about their product or serving size....they should hire a smarter staff. Will never go back and will tell my company to continue to eat at Pita Pita or Naf Naf.
(2)
Chris S.
Roti you are a vegetarians dream! Heard about you on twitter and now I'm hooked! The falafel sandwich with cucumber dill is omg!!!! Thank you for coming to Schaumburg now???expand there is noo parking in that strip mall and I want me roti!
(4)
Gabe V.
Good food, somewhat, problem is that I don't understand why the cold does it have to be served cold??? Or is it just me???
(3)
Van B.
This is way less than ok. The food is not tasty! There I said it.... Not our typical middle eastern! Hummus tastes like it is canned/not fresh
(1)
Nick B.
Tasty! Tasty! Great food! More Turkish or Libyan Mediterranean than Greek or Italian but oh so delicious! Glad they came into Schaumburg! Great food and a happy staff. Can't wait to return soon!!
(4)
Courtney N.
My dad is vegan so when we go out to eat, it's hard to find somewhere we can both enjoy but this is now a place we can add to our list! I was really pleased with the amount of food you get for the price and how customizable the dishes can be. The only negative I will say is that the teenagers that worked there a couple weeks ago when I went, did not look like they wanted to be there and made me wait forever just to get a piece of pita bread -_-
(4)
Shelley H.
I love this place- it is safe for people with gluten intolerance and I am always pleased when a company understands things like cross contamination.
(5)
Monica K.
I am glad that this place opened up. I am tired of the same old restaurants. I don't have too much experience with Mediterranean food and I am a picky eater. I was able to find something I love, a pita pocket sandwich. I think that it is a good place for me to be introduced to this type of food. I can customize my sandwich to my liking and I like the way the food is seasoned. The other thing is that it is a lot healthier than most other restaurants. If I don't feel like heavy burgers / fries or pizza, I go to Roti. Final thoughts: lower calories and still tasty
(5)
Karen K.
Really not impressed with the food here and I would compare the quality to cafeteria food. I had high expectations because the pictures on yelp looked delicious and many of my yelp friends have reviewed this place. Upon looking at their reviews, it looks like they were reviewed almost 2 years ago.. perhaps the food quality has just gone downhill from then Like everyone said, the food is ordered "chipotle-style". The only thing I really liked was their pita bread. The chicken was ok and the rice was terrible. I felt the portions were pretty large and i was extremely full afterwards but not satisfied with the taste. I missed my Pita Inn as I sat there eating it.
(2)
Andrew G.
Best fast food there is. Period. Delicious, consistently high quality for fast food. Salad 0late is especially good value.
(5)
Prabodh M.
If I have to sum up the food at Roti, I would say, a Chipotle style Mediterranean food. Tried the wrap the first time I was here. I loved it. It was not the regular falafel and pita bread that you get in regular Mediterranean restaurants. These guys have a completely different menu and I loved it. The sauces that they serve here are wonderful!! I also tried veg roti the next time I was here. It was great!! The portion was filling and priced below $10. Update: I loved their hot sauce. It's wonderful!
(4)
kb s.
For fast food, this place has it going on in terms of flavor, quality and nutrition. My hubby and I recently decided we need to eat healthier to so we had this for dinner last night. It was nice to feel good after a meal. We also enjoyed the little baklava treat.
(4)
Zeina A.
This place doesnt even deserve a 1. They got Mediterranean food all wrong. The hummous was just flat out terrible. I really hope a Mediterranean person doesnt run this place otherwise id honestly be very very disappointed in them. They should know better and actually make the food right especially for what they charge. Cant wait to go home to scrub my tongue. Blachh. How hard is it to make good hummous and actual fattouch dressing and the garlic for the shawarma. If youv experience real arabuc/ Mediterranean food then you wont like this place. Dont waste your time or money here. Just sayin
(1)
Dan L.
I frequent the roti locations downtown and really enjoy the food. The food at this location somehow tastes entirely different, in a very bad way. Dry, tasteless, and gummy. Yuck.
(1)
Paulina K.
I was headed to Protein Bar next door but saw this place and decided to try it out because I LOVE falafel. There were only a few people inside and the food looked as if it was sitting out for awhile. I ordered the falafel pita sandwich with feta, sauce, hummus and veggies. Took a few bites and DID NOT like it. The falafels, like someone else said, looked like dried prunes. It was not mashed chickpeas but whole which made it taste almost raw. I went back and told them I did not like the falafel. The person behind the counter let me try another one and again - not good. They were really nice about it and asked me how they could make up for it and refunded my money - so that made up for it. Food wise - I would not go back there and rather go to Maoz Vegetarian in Rosemont.
(2)
Linda V.
Their dishes are so taste, but I don't like the decor. It looks like a mess.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : 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 : No Waiter Service : No Caters : Yes
Lindsay J.
Gosh, it's too bad I had the experience I did...I wanted to love Roti. A) I love the Chipotle concept: being able to pick what you do and don't want and say if you want more B) I love Middle Eastern food, think Naf Naf. Well, this is no Naf Naf nor did I feel comfortable asking for more like I would at Chipotle. I got a Falafel pita, the pita was awful. It definitely had been sitting for awhile. A long while. I added cucumber yogurt sauce (zatziki), tahini, lettuce and the tomato/cucumber mix (Israeli salad) to my pita. Good thing or the bread would have been inedible. The falafels were mushy and undercooked in my book, but I did read that some reviewers liked them that way. I also order the chicken kabob plate. It came with terrible rice, I think it's supposed to be basmati rice, but instead it tasted like perfume, and it was dry. I got the Spanish eggplant, good-tasted like salsa like the worker told me it would, the cous cous which was interesting in a good way and the tomato/cucumber salad which was also good. There was no pita left, so I waited for fresh pita, it was better than the pita for the sandwich but nothing, nothing like the gold standard of Naf Naf. The chicken was fine, the garlic sauce I got was good and made the chicken better. Bottom line, pita is where it's at for Mediterranean food. It's essential for a good falafel sandwich. (So is good falafel, by the way). I could see going again, only during peak hours when the food is fresh and getting turned over, but really, I'll probably go back to my old reliable...Naf Naf and drive further and pay more, but know I'll leave happy.
(2)A K.
This place is awesome! The service is fast and the food is always fresh. They also have a rewards program so it is very easy to get free food. This place offers unique Middle Eastern food that can't be found at many other restaurants in the area.
(5)Lora A.
The worst Mediterranean food ever.small portion and unpleasant taste.never ever go back there.
(1)Sarah S.
Oh my~~~ I am SO full and I only ate half of my rice plate. I was lucky enough to be one of the chosen ones to attend a soft opening for the new Roti Mediterranean Grill in Schaumburg today. The location is insanely convenient to my company and it's a fresh, healthier option than other things in the area so I'm excited. My coworkers that live in the city have told me of the goodness that is Roti, however I had never tried it until today. I must say, I'm now a big fan. I've been to soft openings before, as well as newly opened businesses and Roti was flowing so much more smoothly than most I've been to. We were greeted by a few different people when we walked in. Everyone was eager to explain the food & concept plus all were really friendly. The way you order is a similar concept to Chitpotle : 1. You decide the basic way you want your food - either a sandwich (laffa wrap or pita pocket - $6.95), rice plate (your choice of 3 sides/toppings + pita bread - $7.95) or salad (comes with a pita - $7.95). 2. You place your order with the first person behind the counter & also let them know what type of meat/main item you'd like - Chicken Kabab, Chicken Roti, Steak Roti, Salmon, Falafel or Fresh Veggies. 3. You then go through the line and they ask if you'd like sauce on the side or spread throughout your meal (Dill, Yogurt & Cucumber, Roasted Red Pepper, Tahini, S'hug or Roti Vinagrette) and what sides or toppings you'd like (tomato & cucumbers, feta cheese, fresh veggies, spanish eggplant, olives, sumac onions, red cabbage slaw, cous-cous or hummus). 4. Wham, bam, thank you Ma'am - you're done & you pay, adding any extras you want such as a fountain drink or cookie. *If you're the indecisive type or would like to trust Roti, they have some special combos that you can pick instead of picking your own ingredients* Today they had a steady stream of people coming through the line and all was flowing so surprisingly smoothly, it bares mentioning again. I had their rice plate with Chicken Kabab, Feta Cheese, Cous-cous, Hummus, and Dill, Cucumber & Yogurt sauce over the meat & rice. I was surprised how much I enjoyed the dill sauce. All ingredients tasted quite fresh, nothing was overdone, the chicken was nice & moist and it all was so delicious! The portion was so huge that I ended up taking half home for dinner. They have plastic tops that will snap onto the plate if needed. I really liked the concept of not creating more waste with styrofoam containers and using the plate you were already eating off of as half the take home container. My entire plate was just 568 calories, so eating half of it was the perfect amount of food for me and at just 284 calories a very healthy lunch. They have a fountain drink station which could only be improved if it was a Coke Freestyle. Either that or have another Diet/Zero option aside from Coke. I must say this station was extremely clean and stayed clean throughout the hour we dined in. There were honestly a zillion workers in today making sure all went as planned. I don't know if this is the norm but a nice gentlemen came around and cleared our table for us. Not only that, but another came around to offer us a chocolate chip cookie that was sweet & soft & yummy in my tummy! They have an app in which you can photograph your receipt & earn points towards free food. A great concept that I'm surprised more bars & restaurants haven't picked up on. One downfall is that Schaumburg isn't yet on the app despite them heavily advertising it today. Overall, I had the most wonderful experience at Roti today. With open arms I welcome Roti to Schaumburg and I know I'll be back with coworkers often! Plus they do catering - definitely going to let my company know on that.
(5)Maged R.
We went to the schaumburg location. Family was not happy. I would give the food quality a 5/10. Rice and meat in Mediterranean cuisine are served hot or at least worm. Our chicken and steak Roti were both cold, so was the rice. The bread was very good, tehini and eggplant were also good. This is not Mediterranean food. I would give service 3/10. The staff that took the orders was not attentive. I had to ask 3 times for 2 steak Roti and one chicken Roti. I asked for two waters and soda when I paid for the order, I got two cups for water but no cup for soda. When I mentioned to the manager that staff was not attentive, she was not apologetic at all, she just said they are new. When another customer mentioned to the manager that the outdoor tables were wobbly, she didn't do anything. I had to go back and ask here again to get something to put under the table legs. I eventually took a menu and folded it to fix it.
(2)Julie R.
Love the food, hate the meager portions and the price. Roti is a great place to go when you don't want that Chipotle burrito (which is rare) or a lunchtime sammie. The spice, freshness, and variety really stir up your culinary routine. BUT whenever I go through the live I feel like everything I get is so small for the cost. They have the tiniest little scoopers to put on the sides. They don't get you a ton of meat- probably a satisfing amount for an 8 yo child. And they only give you a limited number of sauces. I highly recommend getting the taziki (sp?), garlic, and the dill. Don't get the hummus unless you like bland paste- much more flavor in the other sauces. AND they count the hummus as "one of your three." My husband gets the pita and he always wants to get something additional like the fried balls ( I forget exactly what they're called...) This place IS delicious, clean, and dependable. Just plan on buying two meals if you're starving AND paying a boatload for both. :)
(3)Bob R.
We went to the Roti in the Chicago Loop several months ago and the experience was fine. While I would say that the staff is pleasant enough at the Schaumburg location, the experience was not as great. The idea of a "fast food" Mediterranean restaurant is really a novelty in my mind. After trying Roti twice now, I'm convinced that the experience of a locally owned restaurant where you can get Felafil, Schwarma, Hummus and other items is really better. I find the quality of the food at other local Middle-Eastern / Mediterranean restaurants to be better at the same or a better price.
(2)Jason G.
I love me some Roti! Fast and healthy! It is basically the Chipotle of Mediterranean food. I highly recommend adding some Baklava as a desert...theirs is extremely awesome.
(5)Nic Z.
Updating! In my last review, I wrote that this was something I wouldn't go out of my way for. I LIED! Well, I didn't then, but I would be lying if I didn't change my review now. Round 2: I got a rice plate with chicken kabob and three sides: tomato and cucumber salad, eggplant (YUM), and vegetables. As you can tell, the eggplant was aaaaahmazing. Amazing amazing. As in, I would have had a bowl full of that and just that - amazing. Everything else was good. Not "I'm going to walk back for a second plate" but good enough that I really will come back. I shall call this beauty "Nic's B.P.E." (Best Plate Ever, for Roti first-timers. Except I get half of any trophy or award my version wins.) Bon appetit!
(4)Alden H.
Food was fresh and delicious. I had the Mediterranean chicken salad. It was great. Staff was pleasant and service was fast. I'll definitely be back for more. Lots of options on the menu that I want to try.
(5)Andrew J.
It's a Mediterranean Chipotle. The service is fast and great. The food is fresh and uses free range, organic-ish products. The atmosphere is industrial chic (love it). So what's the deal? Well, the deal is I'm just not in love with the food. If you have never had couscous or falafel or schwarma or kabob, this is an OK starter kit, but it's pretty far from the source material. In some ways the comparison to Chipotle really works against a place like this. Here's why: Chipotle, whether you are a fan or not (I am a fan), has got food that is entirely recognizable in form and flavor as Mexican fare. The guac is fantastic and, oddly, rivals some of the better Mexican restaurants in the area. Tacos are still tacos. They are built the same way. Meat on the bottom, followed by sauce and lettuce on the top. Burritos are still burritos. Same as burritos that you get anywhere else (though probably larger). The kabob pita sandwich I had at Roti illustrated that it's different with Mediterranean fare. See, Mediterranean fare is about distribution of elements, not layers of elements. The Chipotle format doesn't allow for any nuances, such as tossing the ingredients together or applying sauces anywhere other than a single area in the sandwich. The pita has to be stuffed in the order in which you choose the ingredients. The result is a pita that is cold and doesn't have much flavor with odd, segregated pockets of pita components. Hummus isn't the sour cream from Chipotle. You can't take a big spoonful and fwap it in the middle of a sandwich. A) This hummus is such a neutral flavor B) It's ice cold and quite dense (and you're putting it on a hot sandwich) C) Hummus is meant to line the inside of the pita to keep the other sauces from spilling out. It should be a persistent flavor and texture, not a big spoonful of cold, pasty sauce in the middle of the sandwich. Also, chicken (or whatever protein) needs to be tossed with cucumbers and tomatoes and lettuce. Again, you can't just have a tomato and cucumber part of the pita and a chicken part of the pita. It's about interplay of flavor. That's not what I got. I just ended up eating the chicken part. But the problems continue with the falafel, which is hardly falafel at all. The flavor and texture are completely different. The falafel at Roti taste like fried samosa filling. It's not bad, but it's not falafel. Good falafel have a much better crunch, a more granulated and bright green interior, and don't taste like coriander or cumin. They taste more like light garlic and herbs. Again, it's not that the falafel here tasted bad, but if this is your first falafel experience, expect something entirely different when you order them elsewhere. My wife had a Sultan Sandwich, which was better than my pita, but neither of us were blown away. The flavor was pretty muted, which is unlike any Mediterranean place I've eaten at. Also the sandwich had more of a pickled flavor than spice, so... ehhh. The thing is, if you're not crunched for time and running out for lunch, there are far, far better pita places in the suburbs that are far more satisfying and are maybe a bit cheaper. You'll wait longer for your food, but if you can afford the time you'll have a better experience and much more flavorful food. While Chipotle can (at times) rival decent authentic Mexican restaurants in flavor, I can't say the same is true with Roti and other places out there. Not everyone likes the same things, so maybe you should check them out for yourself. This restaurant is affable enough, but the obvious comparison to Chipotle just made me think of a place I'd rather be. I'd normally give a restaurant like this 2 stars, but I'll round up because this is a new place, I only had the one experience, and the employees are really likeable folks. Unfortunately, I'm not sure I'll see them again anytime soon. Sorry guys.
(3)Nicole W.
Want a boatload of tasty Mediterranean eats? Look no further than Roti. I'll agree with others, Roti is very much a Mediterranean Chipotle. And I like Chiptole, so there's that. The food is fresh, plentiful and flavorful. It's also faaaaaaast! I dropped in and ordered two rice plates to go. I was in and out in less than 5 minutes for less than $20. One rice plate covered me for two meals and here are a few things I really enjoyed... Chicken Roti - Flavorful, tender chunks of spiced chicken Pita -You can choose one or two pitas per plate. I was kicking myself that I went carb light and chose just one per plate. Dammit. These pitas was warm, pillowy and delicious. Hummus - A nom-worthy addition to any of your rice plate items. S'hug sauce - Spicy, complex perfection! Get some. There are so many combinations to be had at Roti, I know I'll be back to sample more!
(4)Toni B.
Yum!!!! I do have to say its not as good as the one in the city, but its pretty damn close! I am SO happy they opened one in the burbs! Its nice to have something besides a sandwich and soup shop...how many more of those do we need?!?? It is a bit pricey...I still cant figure out how my lunch was $10... I always get the falafel because they are delicious and the cucumber dill sauce with it...amazeballs! They have a good selection of meats and sides you can choose from, all equally delicious. I came during the week around 12pm and was very surprised it was packed! Its very similar to Chipotle where you stand in line, you pick your meat, sides and find a table. Their hummus is delicious as well! I cant wait to bring the hubby here! Parking is kind of crappy, so park in the back instead of circling around looking for a spot!
(5)Amna S.
Wanted to desperately try this place! Was disappointed. Food was not fresh at all. Will not return. Staff was nice.
(2)Zaneta N.
I went to this location twice so far and both times my roti chicken had lots of flavor. All their sides were very fresh. If you love spicy sauce you must try their s'hug sauce - SO GOOD! Our pita bread was hot and fresh out of the oven! Their hummus was one of the best ones I've tried in a while. It's creamy and from organic chickpeas. It's a little pricy, but when you are craving Mediterranean spin on Chipotle this place should be on your list to try.
(4)Umer R.
Pros: Very clean, easy to order, and food did have some taste. Cons: Everything was cold and portion size was small. Chicken was dry as hell and falafels looked like prunes After my meal I got in my car and went straight to Pita House. Paid the same for a fresh hot meal almost double the portion size. Never going back
(1)Emily W.
The description and menu of this place looked great to me but I left feeling underwhelmed. The falafel was probably the best falafel I've ever had, but it was also different than any I've ever had. It looked and tasted like the falafel was covered in a thin batter and then fried. It was delicious with a very thin crisp coating and then creamy inside with an occasional whole chick pea left in tact. I was not expecting these to be good because they weren't made fresh to order but they were amazing. I will definitely go back to get falafel. The customer service was very friendly. The rest of our food was mediocre. I had a salmon rice plate with couscous, fresh tomatoes and cucumbers, hummus, olives and feta, cucumber dill sauce, tahini and roasted red pepper sauce. I liked how the salmon was cooked and it didn't taste fishy at all, but it was bland. A little salt and cumin could really help that salmon. The cucumber dill sauce was my favorite sauce and tasted good with the salmon and falafel. Other than that, nothing on my plate really paired well together and nor did anything stand out on its own. The rice was a pretty good plain base. The couscous was good with raisins but nothing I would crave. The hummus was ok- the taste and texture reminded me of plain store-bought hummus. Olives and feta were good but small portions.The tomato and cucumber salad was bland- I would have preferred tabouli. Pitas were soft and good but small. My husband had the Sultan sandwich which came in a wrap, not pita. He did not like it. Skimpy on the chicken and the flavors did not blend well. We both liked the spicy sauce that was on it but something about the whole thing did not taste good- maybe it was the wrap itself? After the falafel was gone neither of us were really motivated to finish the rest of our food. Can't wait to go back and get that falafel though! Only $2.25 for a 3 piece order so I will get at least 2 for myself.
(3)Sarah F.
To start with, the parking situation was pretty bad on a Saturday night and took 15 minutes of circling before we got a spot in the way back of the buildings. However, the food was real good I thought. A lot of good flavors. I tried each side and topping because you are allowed to put every ingredient in a wrap. My favorite was probably the eggplant. It looks exactly like Chipotle inside and the food reminds me of it to for some reason even though it is totally different options and flavors. I'm sure an actual sit down Mediterranean restaurant in the city is way better but to m me ur was delicious and healthy and convenient so I will definitely go there again.
(4)Phil S.
Easiest way to describe this place is: Mediterranean version of Chipotle After seeing Sarah S. post that they are serving free lunch today for their grand opening, I hopped in the car got in line. A 20 minute line out the door with people sitting on the cold curb eating. Could it really be THAT good? I ordered the steak rice plate and my wife ordered "The Best Plate Ever." So many options for sides, sauces, and toppings! For being a chain restaurant, I was really surprised at how bold the flavors were and how fresh all the ingredients were. I love Mediterranean style food and this place really hit the spot for a quick lunch style Mediterranean craving. Being located directly across the street from towering office buildings, I can just imagine the lines that'll form here daily during the lunch hour. The roti (bread) was fresh and warm and just chewy enough. Perfect for slathering all that tasty hummus all over. I know I'm repeating myself but I was really surprised at how bold and bright all the flavors were for being a chain restaurant since they usually dumb down the flavors to appeal to the wider, blander American audience. The juxtaposition of sour, sweet, and spicy flavors against the earthy rice and hummus had me swooning for more. I probably looked like a slob shoveling fork after fork in my face without pause, but I didn't care. About a $10 meal with plate plus drink but not a bad deal. It certainly doesn't beat the Pita House deal of $4.95 for lunch but this place just kills it on the flavor scale making this a great lunch, or even dinner, choice. (WTF happened to the well lauded Lincoln Whiskey Kitchen?? Another one bites the dust...probably due to the hefty, and seemingly unjustified, price tag. Womp womp.)
(5)Nandan M.
It is nice concept (chipotle of Mediterranean) but they need to get their act together. The portions gets smaller as things finish. As we made the way, many choices were not available. The chicken shawarma (which they call chicken roti) was so-so. So was the kabab. In their ignorance they are probably also serving more or less sides. I heard a customer get into an argument. I feel for them and hope they do get their act together. It is a nice concept.
(2)Kristen G.
This place is ALWAYS packed at lunch time during the week. It's hard to say much about the place because I'm usually only there for about 15 minutes while I run through my lunch break at work, but the staff are always very friendly and helpful and the food is great! The portion sizes are more than enough for your average appetite. I always have left overs for the next day. The cous cous is the best and I love their red pepper sauce and dill sauce!
(5)H T.
If you lived in a town that didn't have a good Mediterranean restaurant I can see this being a nice way to sample some of its flavor. But having eaten at a number of these types of restaurants, this is a pale substitute. First and foremost these restaurants live and die on their grilled meat which I found here to be dry and over seasoned. I got the chicken kebab since my other choice was even dryer and tasted like Mediterranean bourbon chicken. The rice was also a bit dry but want too bad. I guess I was supposed to drown ever thing in one of the sauces. But prefer just enjoying the simple taste of each component. That brings me to the falafel, they were flat out gross and greasy inside, I had to drench them to get them down. Finally the pita, it tasted like one of those wheat pitas you can get in the store. Oh yeah it was half the size. Maybe I'm being unfair, since this place allows you to pop in and get a variety of food quickly. But I would rather have a little foresight and call ahead for some freshly grilled meat.
(2)Spencer H.
Imagine Chipolte but with Falafel. For $7.95 I got a rice plate with three sides. I got some falafel & some hummus. The bread was nice & warm & the hummus was pretty good. I was very surprised eating here because I didn't have that high of expectations. To me most Mediterranean food needs long prep times so I was surprised when I saw that they were able to set it up like a Chipolte. The place was about the size of a Chipolte or a Qdoba with the same type of layout. We came right after the lunch crowd but the place was very clean & the staff was friendly. Another plus about this place is that they don't skim on the portions. The portions were more than enough to fill a person up. They have a lot of different sauces & sides that fit a any of the dishes you choose. The parking lot has a lot of spots to park in & it is close to the door. Overall this is a good option for someone looking for Mediterranean food especially since there really isn't any other good options in the area that I know of. This restaurant is located about 3 minutes from Woodfield mall. It is right across the street from one of the roads to their parking lot so it is a convenient location for some mall shoppers. The plaza that it is located in is very new & was built only a few years ago. Lastly for the portion size that you receive the price is pretty good. There will usually be enough food left over to take with you. Overall the food was good, the portion size was big, the staff was friendly & the place was clean. I would eat here again if I was in the area & in the mood for some Mediterranean food.
(4)Alexandra M.
Solid quick dinner place. My husband and I both work full time and don't always have the time/ desire to cook. This is a great option if you still want to eat healthy, but want some one else to do the work. The salads are great. I almost always get two meals off of one order. And I don't feel guilty (or ill) after eating this fast food.
(4)John C.
This place is decent for fast food Mediterranean. I have been to a lot of places and for some reason I just didn't like the food or choices that much. The good: It felt a lot like Chipotle and that is always a good thing. The service was speedy and I went at night so since they had no falafals they manager gave me a free dessert and drink. The bad: Eh, felt the chicken we too dry. Even late at night you have to keep the food ready to be served right? The choices for sides were items that I feel are more garnishments than side items. I would never order onions and and call that a side items. Overall the food was good but not great. Pricing was good. Nothing for me to say=, I want to go here when I am looking for something,
(3)Victoria H.
Roti Mediterranean Grill is new to Schaumburg, and I didn't waste any time heading over to get my hummus on. Think a Mediterranean version of a Chipotle. Ok, well now you've got the picture. You walk up, pick an option (sandwich, salad, or rice plate), and then walk along to choose your toppings and sauces. You get the idea, right? They usually have a good selection of music playing inside Roti. I do enjoy listening to Mumford & Sons while I chow down, although it makes me want to shovel the cous cous, falafel, and hummus into my mouth along with the beat. Speaking of, have you all watched Mumford & Sons - Hopeless Wanderer music video? If you haven't you are missing out. Not only is it a good song, but it is F-ing hilarious! Watch all five minutes, not a minute less, because that last minute or so is where it's at. You can thank me afterwards. youtube.com/watch?v=rId6… You're welcome. Now back to Roti... *The falafel is made with organic chickpeas. Crunchy on the outside, and oh so creamy on the inside. *And hold the phone, they have Salmon! That's right, Salmon! Whoa - whoa - wee- wah! For a couple bucks more, you can add the Gulf of Maine Salmon as your meat option. *The Vegetable Mix near the meats are kind of blah in my opinion, so I would skip them if you've picked a limited side option. If you have unlimited sides, well then do whatever your vegetable lovin' self pleases. *All the other sides are so delicious that I have a hard time deciding which to choose. For your sake, I hope you never find yourself in line behind me. And if by chance you do, you should probably offer to pay the extra 50 cents per each extra side on top of the allotted amount of my rice plate. Hummus, Tomato and Cucumber Salad, Spanish Eggplant, Cous-cous, Red Cabbage Slaw. Get out the quarters, I'm getting them all. *Who doesn't want to add feta cheese, olives, and onions as well? I love me some feta...probably too much, but that's besides the point. Let's be honest, Feta tastes great on any Mediterranean meal. *And the sauces. Don't get me started. Ok, well too late, I've started. I'd say my favories would be the Cucumber and Yogurt, Tahini, and Roasted Red Pepper. It's all dependent on what you're getting, but you can't go wrong. I'm happy that Roti Mediterranean Grill has found a home in Schaumburg, where I can easily satisfy my Mediterranean cravings. I know what I'm having for lunch tomorrow!
(4)Laura N.
After seeing rave reviews for this place by a few of my favorite Yelpers, I knew I had to swing by as soon as I could -- which was a cold Black Friday night. However, there's a problem with reading great reviews before trying a new place: you kind of have high expecations. At least, that happened to me with Roti. And I think that's why I didn't love the place as much as I probably should have. Roti is, like several others have mentioned, basically a Chipotle-style Mediterranean food place. You walk up to the counter, choose from several dish options (sandwich, rice place, or salad), select your toppings and sides, and have your meal ready as soon as you've paid for it. Fast food without being typical fast food. It's not original, but it works. I did drool over all the options -- couscous, salmon, veggies, cucumber/tomato salads, etc. -- and took my sweet time figuring out what I wanted. The women working behind the counter were very helpful and enabled me to choose everything I wanted to try. Yet, my jaw nearly dropped when I saw our total bill was $25. I honestly wasn't expecting that. Everything just added up. An extra $2 for the salmon, an extra $4 for our two drinks.... It wasn't terribly expensive, but we were hoping to spend just a little bit less (usually we spend about $15 at Chipotle). It WAS filling, I'll give them that, but it wasn't amazingly delicious. My small portion of veggies (I literally ate the whole portion in two bites) was kind of burned and tasteless, the rice was just rice, and the salmon wasn't impressive (nor did I think it was worth the extra two bucks). The couscous and the tomato/cucumber were my favorite. I skipped the sauces (sauces aren't my thing) but I did try my husband's roasted pepper sauce and it wasn't too bad. I'm not writing this place off just yet. I think next time I just need to skip the salmon and opt for water. That alone will save me a few bucks, and I can better appreciate the food that I actually liked here, while trying a few other items. I mean, I really do need to come back soon.... that couscous was so damn good!
(4)Shannon S.
I really like the food here. I ordered for lunch and I the same day went back for dinner. The flavor a where just what I needed and wanted. My suggestion is to get the spicy sauce with the plate!!
(4)Kate L.
Whoever said that Roti is a Mediterranean version of Chipotle got it spot on. Now, I'll admit they had me when I found out they had gluten free pita bread, but what's more? They warmed it up and it tasted absolutely delicious! The guy working there was super patient with me, explaining what everything was and even letting me sample things before adding it to my sandwich! I ended up with a gluten free pita with steak, red pepper sauce, and feta cheese and it was soo good -- probably the best food I've eaten out in a long time. The meat and toppings were so flavorful, I didn't expect this place to be part of a chain. With an up charge for the steak and an up charge for the gluten free pita, the total came to around $10 for a 7-inch sandwich before rolling. But that price won't deter me from coming back -- I just need to take more advantage of all the toppings! Without a doubt, I will be back at Roti the next time I need some quick food near the mall. They blew me away with their customer service and food quality.
(5)Jenna D.
I love me some Mediterranean food and after having gone to ROTI in the city, I was excited for the suburban opening. There aren't many good middle-eastern restaurants choices around in the suburbs and I was happy to hear they were opening this popular city chain. I 100% agree with Laura N saying that reading some of the raving reviews can cause you to have HIGH expectations. I also agree with other Yelpers that it is a like middle-eastern Chipotle! I will say, unfortunately, I was not as satisfied with this location as I was with the location near Union Station. Either they changed recipes or the Union Station just cranks out better pita sandwiches. Prior to eating at this location, I held Roti at the top of my list for Mediterranean food and unfortunately I left unsatisfied :( The feta is outstanding quality and was the star of the show. Awesome. I had the steak pita with veggies, and spicy sauce and a side of falafel. I'm really picky about meat but the steak here sat well with me. There was a weird (unfamiliar, un-Mediterranean) taste in my sandwich. This highly disappointed me as it tasted like vinegar sweetened with a pound of sugar. Not very Mediterranean at all! The spicy sauce was very good and flavorful and the steak was cooked nicely. The falafel was rubbery and not crunchy like it should be... but it is made with organic chickpeas! If you were disappointed with this location, you should try the city locations because they are 10x better! Finally! The pros: fast cheap convenient many, many choices organics Coke products good Feta The cons: lukewarm food food doesn't seem all that fresh chewy falafel weird sauce
(3)Candice G.
It's not that I didn't have high expectations when it came to Roti's fare, it's just that I'm not the world's biggest fan of falafel, or Mediterranean food. For the most part, to me, even when it's good Mediterranean food, it's still kind of just meh... So imagine my surprise while trying out Schaumburg's newest chain fast-fare, only to find it's absolutely phenomenal. Like, whoa. If I lived near here, I'd come at least once a week... and obvi join the Roti frequent customer club to get more free falafel. I was waffling between a wrap, pita, or rice plate, but settled on the $7.95 rice plate because I would get to choose 3 sides. Please note, not all sides are listed on the menu, but the person who puts your order together will offer all while building your plate, which is a good thing because otherwise I would've missed out on the most delicious olive salad ever. With my falafel rice plate came 4 falafel balls, I got two mini pitas, a buncha rice, hummus, grilled vegetables, the olive salad and I chose the tahini sauce, though there were a number of sauces I wanted to try, namely the spicy and cucumber dill. Next time. I added on two baklava triangles at check-out for my partner and I, and was on my merry way to a seat in the dining area. My partner said he wasn't hungry, but I knew he'd change his tune once face-to-face with falafel. Lo-and-behold, I was right. We ended up splitting the whole thing and practically fighting for the last few bites. If it hadn't been so close to closing, I would've totally gone up and ordered more. I love that serve both bottles and tap Honest Tea (my favorite!), and that for $11 I got enough food for myself, and my partner with 2 desserts. My partner and I were totally the jerks who stayed until 2-minutes before their closing time and as we left, we saw every employee at the food bar cleaning up AND, get this -- smiling. Not even smiling at us, just smiling amongst themselves, but not in a creepy way. It was really refreshing, just as was the food. Can't wait to haul it back for round 2!
(5)Pari P.
Schaumburg has a new kid on the block to add to the under $10 restaurant chains, Roti. It's a Mediterranean chain that is quickly taking over the Chicagoland area. It's the next best thing for food packed with flavor without the added calories. Roti is the perfect example that you can eat fast food that's fresh and healthy and delicious. Roti is unique since it draws flavors and popular dishes from all over the Mediterranean like kabobs, hummus, and falafel but it's presented in Chipotle's easy to order format. Not familiar with Mediterranean cuisine? Think spices like turmeric, cumin, and coriander and ingredients like dill, olives, feta, and cous cous. The food is flavorful and healthier since it uses herbs, spices, and vinegars rather than butter and fat. I read the other reviews and it sounds like some people had a bad experience when they first opened but I just went on Sunday and service was fine - the chicken was just a little dry and overcooked. Other than that, the food was great and I'll definitely be back. Pro tip: order the salad since it's the same price as the plate but without the limitations on sides. You can literally order each one of the sides (even add rice) and all of the toppings for no additional cost. For some reason, the plate only allows you to choose three sides but there's no limit for the salad even though it costs the same. Yeah, I know... you're welcome.
(5)Sean A.
On vacation with my wife and two little girls and they love Mediterranean food. Great food and good quality for the price.
(4)Neel K.
This was our first time to Roti and we were surprised by the taste. It is basically a chipotle with Mediterranean food. We had the falafel sandwich, salad, and rice plate. It is basically the same food delivered in three different ways. Overall the taste is good but not much in the way of variety. The falafel was very good and the variety of sauces was interesting. Will likely go back if we are craving falafel or hummus.
(3)Sreejyothi T.
Kinda okie, its not about the location. They need to have more options. I must have eaten so much that I am saturated and at a point where I would like to give up. It might be good to eat once a month. Kababs and rice are good,but its too dry food for me. I am starting to dislike. Location is kinda tricky with parking way too far, makes it difficult during winter. Quality of Food is good, decor is OK, staff are OK, parking not good, quantity of food not ok., flavor is ok
(4)Ryan T.
I have to say the roti chicken pita is excellent. Everything tastes extremely fresh. I would agree that it is sort of similar to chipotle in terms of ambiance and set up. It's even a great place for someone who has never really tried Mediterranean. The only thing I am a little disappointed in is the portion size for what it costs. You are going to spend about $10+ per person if you get drink or any specialty items. I've been there several times now and I noticed today the portion sizes are even smaller. I usually go every couple of months. I'd probably go more frequently if it was less pricey because it is fast and good.
(4)Bristena C.
I was really disappointed with this restaurant!!! I love Mediterranean food and living in Chicago gave me the opportunity to try really delicious authentic recipes. We went there recently for Sunday lunch, after a long time that we haven't visited the place ( another bad memory, hopefully changed but it wasn't the case). The food containers barely had anything in them, we ordered chicken roti, one of the most popular dishes and we had to wait like 5-6 minutes for them to cook it on the grill, chicken that was clearly not fresh. It was actually very dry and burnt. The rice was clearly old and the sides were ok, but just a bit there in the containers. The portion was very small, half a spoon of humus( not kidding)!!! We were very disappointed, especially that after half an hour we had some stomach issues!! Very upset and will definitely not go there soon!!! Too bad!!
(1)Eric P.
Excellent middle eastern food from this Schaumburg location of a chain restaurant. Try the steak rice plate with olives and feta cheese. Freshly made roti (pita bread) tops it off. Very fresh and tasty
(5)Ishika K.
I came here for the first time and i decided .... If i am hungry and there is nothing else around... I may try it again. I say naf naf grill has 100 times better - rice, falafel ( rotis falafel is smushi and soft), side are awefull. Nothing has flavor in it.
(1)Marq C.
So after much convincing, I tried Roti again. And by convincing, I mean my good friend gave me a gift card so I can try it again. I had a pretty bad experience my first time, possibly because I was expecting to be amazed... Well long story short, I used my gift card. Here it goes: Their salad is AMAZINGLY good. Yes, I said it. Add every option possible (except rice) and don't forget the red sauce (I forgot what it was called) but it's hot! Anyway, the blast of flavor will knock you off your seat. This is probably the best fast food salad I've ever had. Now their falafel is another story... Oh. My. God. The best falafel ever!!! Worth the $2 (and change) for a 3 piece 1 biter falafel. MUST HAVE for sure. Now why I gave this place 3 stars and not 4? Because they had the same terrible service from totally different staff than my first visit. (Did that make sense?) what I'm trying to say is the service is bad... I thought my first visit was bad, the 2nd visit is just as bad. They were cooking the steak when I ordered my food so they set aside my plate. After the steak was cooked and placed on the serving dish, 3 other people got served their steak and my rice plate which was getting cold was left sitting there with me standing in front of it and watching other people who were behind me get served. I reminded the girl about my plate and (no joke or exaggeration) age put 4 pieces of steak on my plate. No apologies. The cashier saw and heard what happened so he went back to the dish and added a little bit more steak. At this point I was fuming but didn't want to show my anger to my friend who gave me the gift card. Mr or Ms manager: please train your staff in customer service. It goes a long way. So to sum up: Great: chicken roti, salad, falafel, pita Terrible: service, rice (too hard and dry), steak ( dry and not tender), you will walk away smelling like spicy food- please go home and wash your clothes and shower immediately. If I return to Roti, it's most likely not going to be at this location. Or I'll have my dear friend pick up a salad for me.
(3)Andrea T.
I went to this location in Schaumburg for a Friday night dinner. First of all I was amazed there was hardly anyone there and it was only around 6PM Friday night. But when I approached the counter to order I was amazed that it didn't look like they were ready for dinner service: many of the containers that hold the meat were nearly empty, only two pita breads available. I ordered my usual chicken roti in a pita pocket with garlic sauce, red pepper sauce, hummus and tomatoes and cucumbers. Noticed that the container that holds tomatoes and cucumbers there was hardly anything in there. The sandwich was good, but then I just now I started feeling 'ick' in my stomach. Never felt that way eating Roti before. I suspect the food there at that time was not fresh at all, it had been sitting there for awhile. It was like they were not ready for dinner service at all. As I mentioned in a previous review - I'll stick with going to the Roti in downtown Chicago.
(2)Ballerinacake S.
Every time I drive by Roti, I've been dying to try them out. I finally did and it's delicious. It's similar to Chipotle where you tell them what you want. I do think they should have things labeled so the customers don't have to keep asking what each thing is. I also figured out that the chicken roti is the dark meat and chicken kabob is the white meat. I had the chicken kabob rice plate, very yummy. The grilled vegetables were delicious along with the pita. I can't wait to go back!
(4)Avinash K.
Ok, so I didn't really have major expectations of the place, just wanted to try one of branches out since I saw quite a few ads in the street for a while now. I really liked their food, this branch is just like any Chipotele or Qdoba, order food and take it and sit wherever you like. Found the prices to be very reasonable and worth for the amount of food that was given - everything is based on pita and some form of meat/veggie and/or rice. So I made my own salad for dinner - added in the chicken kabobs (which were good and heavy), then after choosing the meat, you get as many add-ons as possible and then you get choice of 2 sauces - went with dill yogurt and spicy sauce (good combo - definitely recommend it), side of hummus and pita bread. Trust me - it definitely fills a hungry guy up :). If you like Mediterranean you would definitely like this place. I have not tried the cous-cous before , that was also added in the salad, which was good. Servers were helpful and friendly. Tip: You get one or two pita breads with the Do-It-Your-Own salad, so don't need to settle for just one :p. [ This can be used to just about cover everything they have on their menu, like making your own salad I mean)
(4)Azhar S.
Definitely not on my favorite list. I was not too crazy about the super long wait even though it was not that busy the night I went for the very first time. It was less than $10, but I would paid more for a quality meal. I have only been there once and was not impressed by any means. Even when I got my food it tasted so generic with a lack of uniqueness to it. I will definitely be sticking to the mom and pop Mediterranean places. The food was bland and the customer service was even worse. I was waiting so long that my friend was waiting for me to eat and his food also got cold. So far I have only had their platter, but I am not tempted to go back.
(1)Marie K.
Wanted to try something new and glad I did. This place is definitely the Mediterranean version of Chipotle but the food is very good and reasonable price. The staff is very friendly and did a good job explaining to me what I was ordering since I wasn't sure since I never had this type of food before. I got a rice plate and it definitely filled me up. I recommend this place to anyone who likes Mediterranean food or who is willing to ttry something out of their comfort zone.
(5)Sam H.
As previously posted the Arabic version of chipolte. Food is good lots of flavor and they even bake there own pita bread. Extra yummy... The salads are fantastic and don't forget the hot sauce!!
(4)Ilona K.
It's not the same Roti we visited years ago, that's for sure. They have clearly gone the cheaper cafeteria style. Flavors are still good. But the crappy paper plate barely held the cold rice with 3 heavy sides of which the main entree, chicken, was cold too. It was tough stabbing dry chicken with plastic utensils. By the time two of us paid at the counter the bill was $28 dollars. Everything was extra. Suggestions? Put paper towels in the bathroom so you can open the door and try regular dishes. Revisit your pricing and portions.
(3)Restaurant Vigilant E.
this is essentially the Mediterranean version of Chipotle. The interior has a lot of stainless steel, the ordering line is set up the same way etc...if you are not familiar with the choices or terms, the staff - while they don't really say anything - you can feel them getting annoyed with you and they do very little to suggest or explain things unless you ask. The problem I see - at least if you are not familiar with the various ingredients - it is hard to know what flavors/texture go well with each other....so I have taken chicken, hummus, olives and feta and mixed them all together in a wrap...it is ok, but I think I got the combination wrong....I would rather go to Pita Pita up in Palatine where the staff is friendlier, the food fresher and I am not left to create my own Frankenstein-Lebanese-burrito thing....sometimes, we need protection from ourselves right? Now that is more of an indictment of myself than Roti - if you asked me to go there right now, I would....their falafel is really good too!!! Prices are roughly the same as Chipotle as well...and you feel a smidge better for pigging out here than Chipotle...
(3)Ali M.
Worst food I've tasted in Chicago thus far! Overcooked, chewy and tasted like cardboard! A disgrace to Mediterranean food.
(1)David P.
I thought this place is pretty good. Mediterranean Chipotle is what this is if you didnt know. I thought the sides all tasted good. The meat was not overcooked. I think its a good introduction to Mediterranean because its like whited down.
(4)Sarah L.
I understand that they are new but they did a horrible job of training the staff. The food was OK but do not get the veggies they have this gross smoke char flavor that makes them taste burnt. The manager had to handle my whole order because the staff had no idea about their product or serving size....they should hire a smarter staff. Will never go back and will tell my company to continue to eat at Pita Pita or Naf Naf.
(2)Chris S.
Roti you are a vegetarians dream! Heard about you on twitter and now I'm hooked! The falafel sandwich with cucumber dill is omg!!!! Thank you for coming to Schaumburg now???expand there is noo parking in that strip mall and I want me roti!
(4)Gabe V.
Good food, somewhat, problem is that I don't understand why the cold does it have to be served cold??? Or is it just me???
(3)Van B.
This is way less than ok. The food is not tasty! There I said it.... Not our typical middle eastern! Hummus tastes like it is canned/not fresh
(1)Nick B.
Tasty! Tasty! Great food! More Turkish or Libyan Mediterranean than Greek or Italian but oh so delicious! Glad they came into Schaumburg! Great food and a happy staff. Can't wait to return soon!!
(4)Courtney N.
My dad is vegan so when we go out to eat, it's hard to find somewhere we can both enjoy but this is now a place we can add to our list! I was really pleased with the amount of food you get for the price and how customizable the dishes can be. The only negative I will say is that the teenagers that worked there a couple weeks ago when I went, did not look like they wanted to be there and made me wait forever just to get a piece of pita bread -_-
(4)Shelley H.
I love this place- it is safe for people with gluten intolerance and I am always pleased when a company understands things like cross contamination.
(5)Monica K.
I am glad that this place opened up. I am tired of the same old restaurants. I don't have too much experience with Mediterranean food and I am a picky eater. I was able to find something I love, a pita pocket sandwich. I think that it is a good place for me to be introduced to this type of food. I can customize my sandwich to my liking and I like the way the food is seasoned. The other thing is that it is a lot healthier than most other restaurants. If I don't feel like heavy burgers / fries or pizza, I go to Roti. Final thoughts: lower calories and still tasty
(5)Karen K.
Really not impressed with the food here and I would compare the quality to cafeteria food. I had high expectations because the pictures on yelp looked delicious and many of my yelp friends have reviewed this place. Upon looking at their reviews, it looks like they were reviewed almost 2 years ago.. perhaps the food quality has just gone downhill from then Like everyone said, the food is ordered "chipotle-style". The only thing I really liked was their pita bread. The chicken was ok and the rice was terrible. I felt the portions were pretty large and i was extremely full afterwards but not satisfied with the taste. I missed my Pita Inn as I sat there eating it.
(2)Andrew G.
Best fast food there is. Period. Delicious, consistently high quality for fast food. Salad 0late is especially good value.
(5)Prabodh M.
If I have to sum up the food at Roti, I would say, a Chipotle style Mediterranean food. Tried the wrap the first time I was here. I loved it. It was not the regular falafel and pita bread that you get in regular Mediterranean restaurants. These guys have a completely different menu and I loved it. The sauces that they serve here are wonderful!! I also tried veg roti the next time I was here. It was great!! The portion was filling and priced below $10. Update: I loved their hot sauce. It's wonderful!
(4)kb s.
For fast food, this place has it going on in terms of flavor, quality and nutrition. My hubby and I recently decided we need to eat healthier to so we had this for dinner last night. It was nice to feel good after a meal. We also enjoyed the little baklava treat.
(4)Zeina A.
This place doesnt even deserve a 1. They got Mediterranean food all wrong. The hummous was just flat out terrible. I really hope a Mediterranean person doesnt run this place otherwise id honestly be very very disappointed in them. They should know better and actually make the food right especially for what they charge. Cant wait to go home to scrub my tongue. Blachh. How hard is it to make good hummous and actual fattouch dressing and the garlic for the shawarma. If youv experience real arabuc/ Mediterranean food then you wont like this place. Dont waste your time or money here. Just sayin
(1)Dan L.
I frequent the roti locations downtown and really enjoy the food. The food at this location somehow tastes entirely different, in a very bad way. Dry, tasteless, and gummy. Yuck.
(1)Paulina K.
I was headed to Protein Bar next door but saw this place and decided to try it out because I LOVE falafel. There were only a few people inside and the food looked as if it was sitting out for awhile. I ordered the falafel pita sandwich with feta, sauce, hummus and veggies. Took a few bites and DID NOT like it. The falafels, like someone else said, looked like dried prunes. It was not mashed chickpeas but whole which made it taste almost raw. I went back and told them I did not like the falafel. The person behind the counter let me try another one and again - not good. They were really nice about it and asked me how they could make up for it and refunded my money - so that made up for it. Food wise - I would not go back there and rather go to Maoz Vegetarian in Rosemont.
(2)Linda V.
Their dishes are so taste, but I don't like the decor. It looks like a mess.
(3)