I needed a fix for some good quality Mediterranean food and this was exactly what I had hoped for! I was instantly greeted and welcomed. Menu pricing were a little steep for lunch but I forgot about how much I was paying when I tasted the quality of my food. Ordered the Combination plate with the Chicken & Beef Koubideh with the white rice. It was love at first bite. The person who took my order was really informative about the food and took his time to passionately explain what goes into creating this meal. I plan to visit soon and try their Filet Minon Burg option. I highly recommend this place over Rezas.
(5)
Alexandra D.
5 stars for the service. The server was friendly right off and became doubly enthusiastic when he learned I had a Persian roommate and ordered some off-menu items in Farsi. 1 star for price. I lived near an awesome Persian grill in DC during college (Moby Dick, strange name but it's spectacular and they have several locations on the east coast now) where a plate of meat, big pile of rice, four huge charred tomato chunks, a large piece of fluffy pita baked in a stone oven on site (BK had thin lavash bread - different, much lighter, still very good) a small cup of shirazi salad - basically an ice cream scoops' worth- and a small yogurt sauce set you back about $12. At Baba, my bill, with tip, for a combination platter of meat + rice + two little pieces of tomato (which was $13.95 in itself), a shirazi salad and yogurt plus an appetizer, kashkeh bodemjan, came out to $42 and I had only water to drink. The salad and the yogurt were $4.95 each and they charged me $4.95 for tahdig (the rice that sticks together at the bottom of the pot - usually not on menus but it's awesome chewy tasty -- and at every Persian place I've been to, it's thrown in for free on top on the rice you get with your meat or stew. I was shocked to see a $4.95 charge for it- at the very least they should have disclosed it would cost extra. At Shamshiri in LA, a much more upscale Persian place with elaborate dishes my bill for an app and entree is always around $25 - 30 max. 3 stars for food The chicken was really, really juicy. The kashkeh was more oily than I'm used to, it's typically more of a paste, but it was delicious. As mentioned the lavash was different than the usual pita but good. The beef koobideh kabob was just ok, a bit bland. Shirazi salad was watery, veggies not fresh. Yogurt was fine nothing special (and seriously for $4.95 for a small bowl it should be special) I'm pretty indifferent on decor - happy to eat in a total hole in the wall if the food is amazing. But again at higher price points you expect a little better than a blah looking environ in a strip mall- especially when the food isn't life changingly awesome. Chicago has a dearth of Persian places and Baba is much better than the well-known and very Americanized Reza's. If the pricing was more reasonable aka half of what I paid for basically grilled meat and rice and a basic salad + app I'd give this place 4 stars easily and maybe 5 if they made some tweaks improving the food. I'll wait for my next DC or LA trip for awesome, rightly priced Persian. Will not return to BK, which is a bummer because I love the cuisine of Iran.
(3)
Diane M.
Read all the reviews, got excited. Then after the meal...less excited. Pita great, hummus, average and the meat was kinda strange. Weird texture. nothing outstanding. Average at best.
(3)
Eric H.
Wonderful place! Great food, fantastic tea, great selection in music, truly nice employees who provide top notch service. Just a great experience. Highly recommend.
(5)
Rod G.
Great little place! We stumbled upon this gem Saturday night and were delighted. Fantastic falafel, great kabobs, and excellent service.
(5)
Manpreet S.
These guys are awesome. The veggie appetizers are amazing, we tried 4 and loved em all. The chicken kabobs with dill rice we really good. Our server was the owner herself and she is super nice. We had a nice time and will most definitely be back soon.
My wife was craving for Persian food for about a week and pestering me to take her to Reza's. Instead i wanted to surprise her and also wanted to try something different, so I yelped to find Baba Karam. When I pulled into the parking lot, mine was the only car. My wife was like SERIOUSLY!!! Was this your surprise??? Her mind started changing a bit after she saw that the place was very clean. We ended up ordering Veg combo plate (kashk bademjan, falafel, chef's cheese) and a side salad ( I hear mind voices saying where is the meat) for the lady. I got the chicken combo meal (boneless chicken + Chicken Koubede) and and made it dinner portion size cause I was hungry. Now for the moment of truth... This place is a hidden gem in the burbs. The food was just awesome, the chicken was so soft and the koubede was melting in my mouth. The dill rice which came with the chicken was excellent. Though my wife got all vegetarian options i was forced to dig into that cause that was good too. Especially the kashk bademjan. Will definitely come back.
(5)
Romina A.
Excellent quality food. You should try the Sultani. It was our first time in baba Karam and we are still talking about tender and delicious kababs we had.
Excellent food excellent service. Sizzingly amazingly served food. Juicy beef meat & chicken combos. Dill rice hands down the best ive tried so far. Great food great atmosphere. God bless.
(5)
C C.
Delicious Food! We live in the next town over and have never been here...highlights- hummus, grilled pitas and awesome falafel! Not really anyone in here but it's very clean and well kept. Our server was terrific also...quick and attentive ...great place for date night or girls night out! My husband had chicken Kebob with yummy dill rice...he's picky and he loved it. Will definitely be back!
(5)
Arman G.
Great food. The service is amazing and very cordial. Good location as well, the koubideh and pollo is very good. Good for anyone looking for a Persian or Mediterranean meal.
(5)
KJ L.
Great food. We got barg and kabob combo. The filet mignon is very juicy and tender. The restaurant is very clean and the decoration is very lovely. The waiter is nice and friendly. Will definitely come back!
(5)
Jon B.
Stopped in last night for a late dinner based on the Yelp reviews I'd read. I was a little afraid to try the restaurant because I hadn't met any neighbors who even heard of the place, no less tried it. They should, and so should you. Very good food, surprisingly nice ambiance given the location and exceptionally nice service. The restaurant is BYOB, so I ran down the street to the grocery store to grab a bottle while the rest started on some very good hummus. The appetizer menu is as long as the dinner menu. Most of the items are dips, and while they are similar to other middle eastern ones they all had minor differences to make you realize that Persian food is a little different too. The pita was very good, but a little flatter than we are used to. I enjoyed sampling foods I hadn't tried before. Dinner is mostly kabobs. Son had Barg-a filet kabob. Tasty and tender. Wife had a combo plate of boneless chicken and chicken kubideh while I just had the chicken kubideh. All were very good and came in huge portions along with a huge portion of rice. I can recommend any of the dishes. None of the dishes are hot spicy, but all are quite flavorful and a little different than what you've had before. We all walked away stuffed. Our waitress is the owners wife. Very interested in making sure we were happy all dinner. We were there near closing, so she had time to engage in conversation about the food, the restaurant and other things. I imagine she'd be much busier at dinner time We ended up talking to the husband too and he was very nice too. Go to this place. It's what family owned restaurants are all about. You'll be glad you went before everyone hears about it.
(5)
Arturo V.
FRESH CENTRAL! Really great atmosphere and amazing food. The hummus, falafel, boneless chicken, and filet mignon are all great options. The service is always polite and friendly. On my most recent visit, the owner came out to see how we enjoyed our meal. He seemed very committed to the quality of his ingredients and most importantly, how it is all prepared. While this is currently a hidden gem, definitely give them a try.
(5)
Pam D.
Nice place. The food was good. Loved the bread, but not overly impressed with the hummus. I had lamb shank, which was flavorful, but not as good as some other places I've had it at. Christopher had a special lunch combo and enjoyed it. The service was very friendly. If we are back in the area, we would try it again.
(4)
Lydia W.
Went with the family for lunch. Clean, pleasant environment. Excellent attentive service. We've had falafel at many restaurants and this was by far the best. Enjoyed several appetizers. Food is flavorful. Recommend the baba ghanouj and the torshi. Shared several kabobs and couldn't pick a favorite as all were good. The menu is not expansive but plenty to choose from. Definitely recommend this Villa Park gem.
(5)
Gigi G.
All I can say is..... Whether it's fine dining or not... What makes a restaurant a 5 star restaurant in my book is --- exceptional food, attentive staff, cleanliness and ambiance .... Baba Karam is right there..... For being a brand new restaurant.... It's definitely a place I will visit more often!!! Plus authentic Persian cuisine.... What more can I ask for?! This is about 11 miles away from Darien but my BF and I were craving to try a new place... And I'm glad we did :) It's a small Persian restaurant... Not really busy at the time we got there, around 6pm... Ana greeted us right away ( we learned later on that she is the owners wife ) Menu was simple and affordable... We ordered the ff: baba ghanoush - one of the best I've tasted... Love the texture and creaminess 5/5 Falafel - really good too.... I will request the sauce on the side, next time .... Just to really taste the falafel naked.... So to speak ....I think the crunchy texture will be better without the sauce....4/5 Entree we got the Sultani -- beef koubideh ( beef sausage ) and Barg ( filet mignon ) with dill rice and grilled tomatoes.... Excellent 5/5 ... I can eat the beef koubideh all day everyday.... I'm totally in love.... We also ordered a Combo -- char grilled filet mignon Chenge and Chicken koubideh ( chicken sausage ) dee-lish 5/5 I wish they serve wine.... Otherwise it's worth the drive!!!! They offer complimentary Persian hot tea... Oooooh so soothing :) I was completely blown away ... BTW...The other day... My BF and I spent $160 for fine dining that's so forgettable... We spent $60 here..... I'm just shaking my head... As I write this review..... I love good food, I love unpretentious staff, and I love clean places.... $60?!?! Uhm yeah .... We will be regulars here, for sure.... If you haven't been here yet.... Make that trip I tell ya. If you see my other reviews... My BF and I love to try new places no matter how expensive or affordable it is .... But I always give a genuine yelp ....
(5)
Doug W.
Waited until my 4th meal to review... I'm a fan! Consistent food is very important to me and these folks deliver. We all need to keep going so the doors stay open!
(5)
Rez A.
Very small portions for the price , food quality is average. Obviously they are not even close to 4 stars that they got.
(2)
Milad S.
Excellent service and delicious food! I was on a business trip, found the place here and wanted to try it. This food was truly like a home cooked meal! The people treat you nicely, making you feel welcome. The meat is zabiha and halal as well,for those that require it ( the meat is fresh and clean! )
(5)
Kelly D.
Excellent fresh, handmade food. Service was attentive, friendly, and informative. We'll return for another meal. BYOB
(5)
Michael K.
It lived up to the hype of three previous 75 reviews. Came here for lunch and between my wife an I tried the boneless chicken, the thin cut filet, the cubed filet, and the ground beef, as well as the hummus and salad. All fantastic. Hummus I wouldn't say is the best I've ever had - but it was fantastic, and the best for one person isn't necessarily the best of others. Regardless of your taste though-you're sure to find it delicious. All the meats were fantastic. I love the spicy green sauce you can get at afghani restaurants, and while they didn't have that they mentioned and brought out a spicy tomato based sauce that was also delicious when I asked. Great service, and remarkably delicious food (see me remarking?). A little hike from Hoffman estates, but a nice change of pace.
(5)
Barzeen V.
It's solid...... I had a good experience. I'll definitely come back. It's a little better quality than most Persian places around here, but it's also a little more expensive than most Persian places around here. Definitely a lot nicer than I expected. The appetizers are good ( yes, I've tried them all... I'm fat for a reason) The kabobs are all very tender and taste great. Service was fantastic. The portion sizes are on par with most American places ( you won't leave hungry) but smaller than most Persian places.
(4)
Howard L.
I came by here for a bite after having a few brews at nearby Lunar Brewing. We just found 'em via Yelp. They are only a couple blocks away from Lunar, and given that there is no food at Lunar, they actually pair up well. This place has only been open for a month apparently. I had their barg (filet migon) kabob and it was a nice dish with the dill rice. The dish could have been hotter though, and that would have made it even better. It wasn't very busy on this weekday night. The owner lady was friendly and very nice, and also comp'd us with some hot tea.
(4)
Thomas C.
Hidden gem in western suburb. After finishing our auto emission test in Addison, we yelped for somewhere close, and different. Baba Karam came up on the list with 5-star. The outside didn't quite live up to it, but we went in anyhow, trusting our fellow yelpers. We were glad we did. Best kebab; hands down. The meat was grilled to perfection - tasteful, tender, and juicy. We ordered the combo so we got to try 4 different kinds of meat. Both the dill rice and bread were good. Everything was freshly prepared. Accompanied by friendly service, this is definitely a place to come back for more exploration.
(5)
Osmond S.
I realize I'm the odd one out here, dissenting from the majority. I think this place is pretty good, but certainly not 5 stars good. I liked the hummus. Everything else is about average. I honestly don't understand the vast number of 5 star reviews. Maybe it's harder to find good food in this part of town? Or perhaps I just came on an off day. There's nothing wrong with the place. The staff are friendly as well. But I don't really see any reason to visit again.
(3)
Amit P.
Was excited to try this place and couldn't because they ran out of food. Never experienced that anywhere else was quite unbelievable.
(1)
Sam H.
I feel like I was bamboozled.. I picked this place because it had 5 star reviews.. But its not a 5 start experience. Don't get me wrong the food was good as well as the service being good and friendly. But the filet minion was not filet at all it was some other cut that was overly tenderized to the point where the meat had no texture. Regardless it still had good flavor. The cubideh were very tasty and done very well. The appetizers were nice too but just not to the point of a 5 star experience.... The real killer for me was no desert. How does anybody rate 5 starts with no desert. Over all it's a nice place if your in the area and in the mood for something clean and tasty. But it's not a destination. Well... Your response is to say the least DISTASTEFUL... Specially since you being an avid yelper knowing I could easily change my review to 1 start and completely blast you on my review... But I will leave it as it is and even leave the minion(spellcheck strikes again) the same too so everybody can see it !! It's too bad you don't use people's reviews to better yourself and your restaurant.. And for the record the filet was not even close to being filet and very very far from being the best quality available for food service. So please don't claim that ever and the desert issue well when we asked and were told that you were out if desert. We were ok with it until the table behind us got cheese cake about 15 min after we asked.. Any hoo it's all good. I still enjoyed the meal but won't change the rating simply because you don't merit it.. And another concern you may want to address.. Turn your hood on high or get a bigger hood! Nobody like to leave a restaurant smelling like the plate they were just eating out of! Or better yet buy better meat so there isn't as much fat to drip down on the flame and smoke up the restaurant. Thanks and Bon appetìt!
(3)
M F.
If you are looking for Persian food made the correct way stop your search right here! Amazing food, great appetizers and very relaxing and friendly environment. I can not get enough of their Sultani dish! Absolutely and remarkably delicious!
(5)
Bill G.
I'm hardly adding anything new here, but I still feel the need to review this excellent restaurant. I was there with my daughter and her mother and we had a wonderful meal. I had the lamb shank and it was perfect - melt in your mouth tender, with an unusual tomato based sauce which accented it nicely. We all had the dill rice and the hummus appetizer - delicious.. They also raved about their Chengeh Filet and Chicken. The wife/owner waited on us and was very warm and open about their business. This is a great alternative to eating junk food. Delicious authentic food made by caring people. I'll be back.
(5)
Pooria K.
Amazing, delicious food Very nice and friendly staff They serve you the best high quality rice you can't get from other Persian restaurants.
(5)
Amit S.
Really disappointed with food.. ordered chicken kabob and falafel with baba ganoush.. bland food and felt like eating partially cooked chicken..feels like befooled by previous high ratings/reviews..It was no way near authentic and paying high price for this was not at all worth for..would prefer going to other authentic places.
(1)
James R.
Do you need to take out a mortgage to consider rating a restaurant 5 stars. I think not. Foremost is taste which makes me give Baba Karam high Marks. The service was also very good. We started with the Hummus appetizer which was superb. The bread served with it was also one of the best for restaurants of this type we had. Highly recommend others to try this dish. When asking for a recommendation our main course I first mentioned that I was very experimental and have a wide experience. Not only was the combination dinner suggested, but also a suggestion that we place our order together to give us a taste of all the meats. Following up on this advice, I then also requested the rice for one of us and the Shirazi salad dish for the other. Hence we were able to taste all 4 meats along with the 2 side dishes. My wife and I were delighted in this selection and will likely be the same we will request in our next visit though there are other dishes I would like to try. I want to thank the person who commented about the rice earlier as it was quite a surprise. I commented that I could make a meal out of the rice alone. Called dill rice but it also includes saffron. This rice is not the less tasty rice found in other restaurants of Mideast cuisines. Anna, one of the owners was very pleasant and treated us so well. On the way out I met the husband owner, and I had to tell him how much we enjoyed the food. I commented that the quality and taste of the food here is much better than another older restaurant we have visited. My wife and I go out very frequently and have tasted quite a number of cuisines, in fact when I added up the number of cuisines a few decades ago it was over 60. There is another Persian restaurant we have visited, but we much prefer the tastes of the dishes here. Baba Karam will now become one of our regular restaurants. I might also mention that I liked the table settings and the way they have decorated the restaurant. Some restaurants try to appear classy by placing a cloth table cloth covered by some paper or other material. The latter is something I detest, as the thought of the table cloth being draped across other people's laps over and over again is distasteful. Here the table setting is simple but attractive in its simplicity. My only complaint is why I was not aware of this restaurant some time ago.
(5)
H H.
This is my first Yelp review and I use yelp all the time. The food here is very good and this is coming from a guy who grew up in a Persian household. This is the closest thing to my parents food. The place is clean but the decor leaves somethings to be desired. The service however is super friendly I get greeted by the entire staff and get a complimentary tee every time I come in, which is by the way excellent, but more on that later. I can assure you that the guy in the kitchen knows what he is doing. One of the most essential things in the Persian cuisine is how the rice turns out and these guys make it just right. I have tried the Chengeh which was tender pieces of filet mignon that melts in your mouth the grilled tomatoes were grilled perfectly and the tee was fresh, hot and had the right color. The price is a little above average I would say specially for the locale. The food however makes it all worth it. Overall I hope these guys keep up the excellent quality and stay in business for a long time.
(5)
Chris L.
Great food and friendly owners. The dill rice is fantastic and all of the meat was tender and perfectly cooked. Will definitely be back for more soon!
(5)
Asma Q.
This place was pretty good. The service and restaurant were clean. My husband, kids and I went for lunch. I got the sultani and my husband got the boneless chicken. We also ordered the hummus and vegetable noodle soup. I loved the barg part of my meal which I would strongly recommend. But the beef koubideh was just okay for me. Next time I'll get all barg. The hummus was pretty good and my son loved his soup.
(4)
Peter M.
This place is really a hidden gem. Everything is great, from the special house blend of tea, hummus, bread, and the lamb is so tender it just falls apart so beautifully. It's BYOB and BYOH (bring your own hookah)! I'll be back again.
(5)
K. R.
I've been looking for a terrific Persian restaurant in the area for so long, and I think one's finally popped up! My boyfriend and I ordered the falafel, Baba Karam salad, baba ghanouj, kashkeh bodemnjan, and a side of dill rice. Everything was delicious! The falafel isn't as crispy as some places but was super flavorful and moist, and the sauce the falafel came in was fantastic. The salad was very fresh and the dressing wasn't too oily. The kashkeh bodemnjan and baba ghanouj were both great, and the dill rice was very fluffy. Our order came with bread that was crazy fluffy and tasty, and when we went in to pick it up everybody in the restaurant was incredibly friendly, welcoming, and accommodating. We were offered free samples of their desserts and they even asked us to take a look at our order to make sure they'd given us enough bread. Very thoughtful! Prices were fair and the wait time on the food wasn't too long at all. They'll definitely be getting our business again!
(5)
Scott M.
First look at this page makes me think that all those 5-stars are a setup, but I can honestly say, this place is THAT GOOD. First, let's define a few things. This is a PERSIAN restaurant, a little different from your run-of-the-casbah Falafel joint. Yes, Falafels are on the menu, and if it's Pork you're after, um, try the Polish joint down the street. Persian cuisine is big on Beef and Chicken. The usual line on Persians is the Beef Tenderloin/Filet Mignon dinner you can have at a budget price. I've been to the other Persians in town, and I can say the Filet Kebabs here are the best I've had. In fact all the stuff I've have here is the best I've had of this cuisine, anywhere. My Previous Paragon for Persian (how's THAT for alliteration) was a place in Sunland, California. A little shithole diner that served normal diner fare: Breakfast, Burgers, and Meatloaf Hot plate special (with pie). Run by a Farsi who was pals with the late, great comic Ron Shock, who, in turn was MY pal for many years. If you knew the Farsi (Ron did), and he liked you (He did), he would set a table in his back room, and knock up a Persian feast with ALL the trimmings. This stuff NEVER went on the menu. It should have, though, 'cos this was a straight up gourmet feed, by any measure. Baba Karam reaches that level of freshness, quality of ingredients, and scrumptious flavors. The menu isn't huge, but who cares? I ordered the Kashkeh Bodemnjan, which is Roasted Eggplant with Garlic and other stuff. It was delicious. I then swung with the Kebab Combo-Beef Koubideh and Chengeh with Dill rice. The Koubideh is like a Kifta Kebab, albeit with more flavor-The Portion was huge. the Chengeh is the vaunted Filet M. Again cooked perfectly. I asked for Rare, and got it so, with just the right slight Charcoal kiss. Dill Rice was fluffy and fabulous, how do they get those grains to be so separate? My plate was absolutely bare at the end of the meal, and I was stuffed, happily so. The Owner, Josh, is very exuberant, and gracious. He boasted that his Hummus was the best anywhere. I don't take to boasts, really, so I said, "I'll have to judge that". He brought over a gorgeous small bowl of it, swirled in that distinctive way that I don't know how they do. A small splash of olive oil and a shake of different spices. Josh wasn't boasting. His Hummus was absolutely top-notch. As I was Mr.Creosote-Stuffed, I took the Lion's share of the Hummus home, and sampled it the next day without anything else around. I was right-it was outstanding. The building was once a Taco Bell, now re-purposed (for much the better!) with an open kitchen. It's not going to win any awards for pushing the interior design envelope, but it's inviting and clean. There was soft middle eastern music playing throughout my visit, which always lends a nice perfume to the air. I CANNOT stand when a proprietor sees someone obviously not of the restaurant's ethnic persuasion and swaps out the indigenous tunes for Celine Dion. Leave the Homebrew on the box, Mamnoon! I didn't notice any booze, beer or wine, but then again, I wasn't looking. I also didn't notice Dessert, but again, I wasn't looking. On this street, in this location, in this type of building, the bill seemed a bit pricey, but after a quick recap of the meal, I realized I had a top-notch feed, and the tariff was commensurate with the quality. Believe all the 5 stars. I menchened to Josh, that I was a Yelper, and he said nothing to force a good review. Good form. I read all the other reviews here, and they are right on. This place is a little Jewel Box of foodie heaven. Go there now.
(5)
Sandra D.
Great food, we didn't have anywhere to go on thanksgiving day so we came to Baba Karan the food is amazing, restaurant is clean, cozy and baby friendly. !
(5)
Aijaz H.
Tried this restaurant out last night. Good but not great. Appetizers were very good especially the egg plant dip. Hummus, Baba Ganouj, Filafil as expected. Barg (steak) below average. Ground beef Kabab was below average. Ground chicken kabab was excellent. Prices kind of high for casual restaurant. As I said good but not great. I think I prefer Reza's in Oak Brook terrace over this one. Just my opinion.
(3)
Aaron C.
I am absolutely delighted by this restaurant. Everything was good, service was warm and personable. The falafel and the baba ghanoush were the best I've had in over 20 years. The restaurant is casual, clean and comfortable. This was a far better experience than anyone has a right to expect for dinner on Black Friday. I'll be back - often.
(5)
Aj K.
Best Resturant in dupage area , specially hummus and food is perfect quality. And of course they have a great customer service. I recommend to try Sultani when you go there
(5)
Katie S.
This was the best hummus and falafel I've ever had! The service was phenomenal, and the restaurant was very clean. I can't wait until I can go back again. If you go- you will not be disappointed! :)
(5)
Mary R.
Love it for the meat selections and vegetarian options. Food always arrives fresh, hot and delicious. The Baba Karam special salad is wonderful with the diced apples tossed in there. There's always something for everyone in our family of 5 and we usually split entrees so the bill isn't too high. Our meat eating kids love the beef and chicken kabobs, while our vegetarian daughter loves the hummus, salads and rice. The owner is friendly. He always comes over to say hi and ask how everything is. We always say the same thing: delicious!!
(5)
Natasha P.
Amazing restaurant!! Awesome, friendly owners. The hummus was phenomenal , as was the rest of the food. They squeezed us in on Valentines Day and we had a great experience!! The red velvet cake finishes off the meal perfectly :)
(5)
Scarlet D.
This food here is, in a word, divine. Having eaten Middle Eastern food in at least 40 states and 5 countries, I can say that this is simply the best I have ever had. There are multiple vegan and gluten-free options and the owner/chef is extremely accommodating and friendly. The atmosphere is lovely as well, and they provide high-end soap and lotion in the bathroom. A spectacular find for a picky traveler! Specific recommendations: the Baba Ganoush, Hummous, and Falafel are all top shelf.
(5)
Adam K.
Oh man I found my new go to lunch special in the hood. Pita inn should take note, by charging an extra 3 dollars (8.95) you get a lot more bang for your buck over here. Super tasty chicken, pasture raised beef, delicious handmade fresh falafel. Believe the hype, I will be back.
(5)
Amber S.
We wanted to try somewhere new so finally gave Baba Karam a shot. It was delicious! All three (3, 5, &9) kids loved it, too. There's no kids menu but they shared entrees and it worked out well. The chicken kabobs, falafel, and baba karam salad were all wonderful. The hummus was good, but the bread was phenomenal. We will definitely be back!
(5)
Alyce L.
We tried Baba Karam for the first time 2 weeks ago and loved everything we ordered. We have had many restaurant experiences with ethnic food and have been delighted to find such a great menu. We are going back again tomorrow! We have passed out their business card to many friends. It is small and very friendly. A nice place to have a very interesting and great tasting meal.
(5)
Meg B.
Wonderful, fresh and economical! I have eaten Mediterranean food all over the world and this holds up. The owners are warm and friendly, a lovely place for families or dates :)
(5)
Farooq F.
Your search for a fine dinning restaurant ends here at Baba Karam. Opened just couple of months ago, the restaurant has gained huge popularity within the community for it's fine dining atmosphere, great food and exceptional service. We have taken my family to a lot of ethnic and American restaurants, the major difference was that we as a family were able to enjoy and have a fine dining experience. The appetizer portions were good and we did order the Hummus like everyone had reviewed and it was great. The kabobs were the highlight of the night, my kids each ordered their choice of kabobs (koubideh and chengeh) and surprising they finished their meal without complaints. We had the sultani combination and I asked for extra grilled tomatoes and the owner brought them out to our table. During the meal, the owner came and spent some time on our table conversing with the entire family. He was a delightful man with a great sense of humor and made our dining more enjoyable. Dining experiences with our 2 young kids had always been a challenge for us but now we can feel more at ease when dining at Baba Karam. Our experience at Baba Karam has been amazing and we will definitely return for more dinners. Anyone reading the reviews can only understand when they come and experience for themselves. You will definitely see a major difference between the restaurants you have previously dined at.
(5)
Ace R.
We came here last night for dinner and I can say the quality of meat that the owner uses in his kebabs was excellent! The filet mignon and steak meat melts in your mouth. Bread was freshly baked and this was the first persian restaurant where I actually enjoyed the rice (dill) as well. Service is spot on and we will definitely be back.
(5)
Archer B.
Best Irani food in the area. All the kabobs are seasoned /cooked perfectly. The falafel and the hummus is excellent and the traditional Persian bread is pure heaven. Highly recommended over Reza's
(5)
Mohsen H.
Great find while I was visiting the area. The food was fresh and tasty. I had the boneless chicken kebab which was moist and flavorful. The homemade Dough(yoghurt based drink) was nice as well. The service was very welcoming and sincere. There are so many restaurants to go to in the area that I usually don't repeat but have to come back here to try some of the other items on the menu.
(5)
Christine D.
5 stars no doubt! The men who works here are so nice!!!! The food is amazingly good. New favorite resto!
(5)
Rhett R.
1st time here...and This quaint Lil place is amazing! Phenomenal hummus.... Also, excellent service and very accommodating! They allowed us to eat early on Valentine's day when they were booked solid! Very nice! Highly recommended to anyone! Cheers
(5)
Mary H.
Tell your friends! Excellent quality food. Attentive service. Extremely clean. Worth the drive from where ever you're coming from. We spoke with the young, energetic hard working owners - please visit them and help with the success of this hidden gem! We'll be going back frequently.
(5)
Matt S.
I was searching for something different and this came up and I just so happen to live 2 minutes away. I just moved to villa park a year ago and never noticed this place, but with excellent reviews on yelp I gave it a shot and I'm glad I did. My girlfriend and I both thought the food was excellent. It's presented very artfully, and cooked just right. Very clean and polite people that own the place. Although the restaurant kind of gives me the fast-food atmosphere by the layout the food is priced as a higher end restaurant. It was about $55 for 2 with 1 appetizer. Would recommend!
(5)
Nanci B.
This place is delicious! I'm from Los Angeles, where Persian food is pretty popular, and this place reminded me of the places I eat back home. The service was also great. Will definitely come back next time I'm in town!!!
(5)
Laura Q.
We had a GREAT meal here the other night. Even though the menu is small (I really like that though!) we had a hard time deciding, and we will definitely go back for more. We ended up selecting a few appetizers and salads - and we all agreed our favorite was Cheese Lover's Delight. Then again, the Hummus was fantastic, as were the Falafel. The meat eater among us had the Kabob combo which was quite a lot - so we all had a bit of that too.
(5)
Hadi A.
we came to this restaurant on the opening day and the place is wonderful . I love what they did with the decor and the food is wonderful. Kabobs, lamb, hummus, rice and much more. The staff was very friendly and the owner gave us dessert on the house. We felt very special and the whole experience was great. We will definitely recommend this place.
(5)
Kathryn C.
Don't let the fact that the place was empty fool you. Baba Karam is an excellent restaurant. The staff was very friendly and helpful and explained all of the dishes to us. We have the Chef's Cheese Feta and the Mirza Ghasemi for appetizers and both were wonderful. We had the boneless chicken kebab, chicken koubideh, and the chengeh. The meat was very tender and the seasoning was excellent. I would highly suggest trying this restaurant. I will definitely be returning!
(5)
Lata G.
Great discovery! Clean, good food, great price, and a friendly owner... Overall pleasant treat. One of the best kept secrets in the area.
(5)
DrA Y.
They serve zabiha halal meat. The owner's husband buys the halal meat. The kabobs were awesome. Very juicy and not spicy. Pita was delicious too.
(5)
Frida K.
I am a vegetarian. I tried every non-meat appetizer on the menu. Each was more delicious than the one before. The baba ghanouj was amazing - my favorite. The rice was great. Even the tea was great. The ambience is a relaxing, lingering minimalism. Its byob and the staff and owners are the most hospitable I've ever encountered at any restaurant. I can't wait to go back.
(5)
Jim S.
Baba Karam is simply the best middle eastern restaurant in the western suburbs. Excellent, melt-in-your-mouth food, attentive service and attention to detail. I especially recommend the Lamb Shank, but everything I tried was good. And, because I am allergic to dairy and gluten, the owners paid special attention that I not get any dishes that would trigger my allergies and modified others to accommodate me. I can't recommend them highly enough, though I hope the place doesn't get too overcrowded for my future visits.
(5)
Sarah T.
Cozy little restaurant. Perfect for date night. I also noticed family gatherings. The baba ghanoush was very light. The house salad with house dressing is VERY tangy. The sultani is very much advised -- platter of one skewer of Barg (Beef filet mignon) kabob and one skewer of Koobideh kabob (ground beef), served with grilled tomatoes and buttered basmati rice.
(5)
Tony S.
We had a great dinner at Baba Karam on Friday night. It was really cold so they started us off with some hot tea, which was great. For appetizers, we started with Hummus. We also had falafel. It was hot and crispy and homemade. Just awesome. My wife is middle eastern, loves to cook, and makes her own hummus at home and this is one of the best hummus she has tasted. It comes with great persian bread that was hot and tasty. We had the lamb shank and the combination plate. The combination was Chengeh Beef and Chicken. Both were awesome. The dill rice that came with was really done well also. The owners were there and are very friendly and proud of their restaurant and food, as they should be. We came back today for some falafel to take home as part of a meal we were serving our family at home. It was a huge hit. Tony and Leah
(5)
Andy M.
A nice unique Persian restaurant that is in an old Taco Bell. Most of the items are vegetarian but there some kebab dishes and the place is pretty nice and fancy given its location fast food history.
(3)
John H.
We chose this place based on the excellent reviews that we saw. And, they were definitely true. The restuarant is located on a main street in town with a parking lot. We arrived on a late Saturday afternoon and were the first diners for the dinner. The person who waited on us (I think was the owner) was courteous and helpful. We ordered the hummus appetizer which came with flat bread. The hummus was fresh and tasted great. We've never had any better. We liked it so much took another order home. We had the Chengeh (char-broiled filet mignon), the Barg (also filet mignon prepared a little differently from the Chengeh), and a combination plate that was Beef Koubideh (ground beef), Chicken Koubideh (ground chicken). The filet was most tender, and the flavors were excellent. The other items were equally tasty. We all ordered the Dill Rice, definitely a winner. The quality and quantity were excellent. The Chengeh portions were generous and the filet pieces were thickly cut. If there were one thing that could be improved, I would have liked the Chengeh to be cooked with more charring. I had asked for medium rare, but it was a bit more rare than I would have preferred, but still yummy. The next time I go, I'll simply ask for the meat to be cooked with the inside pink.
(5)
doni d.
I would definitely recommend eating here, the food is really delicious. Owner is friendly and professional, place is clean. Try it you gonna love it.
(5)
Ashley G.
Went to baba Karam the other day and wow they have the best mediterranean food in the Chicagoland area hands down ! I would recommend this place to anyone reading this. Try any of there kabobs there just amazing and can't wait to come back
(4)
Katherine V.
Food and service was great. A lot of vegetarian options. Lunch prices were very reasonable. I will definitely be back.
(5)
S K.
Who us writing these reviewers??? This its the worst middle eastern food I have had in Chicago. The chicken tasted like fish and was slimy. No flavor at all my rice was cold and my wife's salad had green tomatoes to it. The hummus was good but how hard is it to mess that up? Very disappointed
(1)
Mamabear C.
The food is great, and the service is splendid! Chicken Koubideh is my favorite with dill rice. However, I haven't tasted anything less than fantastic at this establishment!
(5)
Carol B.
I went here for lunch with two other people. We each had something different and we all loved what we had. The food presentation was beautiful. It was our first time at the restaurant and our waiter was very helpful. I will go back and I will recommend it to others.
(5)
Dave K.
Really great food, super fresh, and the staff couldn't have been nicer. Beef and chicken kabobs were delicious and extremely tender as well as quite large, and the dill rice was awesome while not being too overpowering. Mirza ghasemi was a new one for me, not a huge eggplant fan but this was very tasty, smoky with just a little tang. Check this place out, the location has been through many owners but this one deserves to stay.
(5)
Anah B.
We went to this place after discovering nuevo tea at stratford square mall in Bloomingdale where we met with a persian, friend with the restaurant owners. We enjoyed the food, the place and meeting the owners who succeeded to mix Polish and persian culture in a subtile, delicious way and refreshing way. We will certainly go back. The meat is just melting in your mouth, the quality comes first.
(5)
Sanjay S.
Went here based on all the great reviews. Food and service were both excellent. The dill rice is amazing and so are the all the meat dishes! Would definitely recommend this place and will be back soon.
(5)
A W.
Went here for the first time tonight. Two families brought their own wine. Great food. I'm persian, so it was nice to find a nice persian place to eat that was authentic and tasty. I don't have a lot to compare it to though.
(5)
Saeed F.
Great authentic food. All the kabobs are good but the Joojeh (chicken) kabob is really good and the fresh bread with appetizers are tasty. The owner is friendly and the place is clean.
(5)
Angie M.
We went on a Saturday afternoon and there was literally no other customers, we don't understand why because we loved the food. Just a side point.. I liked the white dinnerware and flatware that all the food was served on. I had the Mirza Ghasemi and lentil soup, which were both excellent. My husband got the Chicken Koubideh and meat was tender and rice not dry. Most Persian places he has to ask for butter because its just too dry. They had the best hummos plus you don't get the standard pita bread but warm Persian flat bread. The owner was super nice. Maybe a lunch menu would bring more people in or maybe we just went on an off day. If we're back in the area we will stop in.
(4)
Ali A.
I found this place by accident. I tried 3 different dishes and they were outstanding. I'm Persian and know this food well. This guy is top of the line, and his prices are great. I recommend them 100%.
(5)
Har K.
If I could give less than one star I would. I ate here three months ago, and the rice was spoiled. Two days later I was still sick from the rotten food. When I called to complain, the manager simply told me to "f off" and promptly hung up telling me to never Call again and that he did not want my business.
(1)
Alefiyah M.
Came here on a Wednesday night with a party of 5. The place was completely empty, which made me nervous. Between the 5 of us, we ordered the hummus appetizer, the mirza ghasemi appetizer, baba karam special salad, chicken koubideh (ground chicken), barg (sliced filet mignon), and a combination plate of boneless chicken and chengeh (pieces of filet). The meat here is phenomenal. You can tell it's fresh. Everything just melts in your mouth. Next time we'll skip the appetizers and salad and just order the entrees. It is a little pricey, came out to $85 with tax and tip, but totally worth it.
(5)
Palak Q.
For those who are seeking authentic Persian and Mediterranean food, this is the place to go. You'll get personal attention from the management to make sure everything is okay. That's what I call real hospitality. It's so obvious that they're here to grow their business with love and not money. I love these kind of places. My husband ordered the steak and ground beef kebab and the refreshing drink called dough. Both were delicious and flavorful and cooked to perfection. I ordered two appetizers as my entree - falafel and this green beans dish which was delectable. The think that struck me the most is how clean the place was. I've been to a few Mediterranean/Persian restaurants and I've seldom seen such cleanliness, both within the restaurant and the restroom areas. They do a great job with attention to detail. This place gets five stars for excellent hospitality, good food, clean place and genuineness.
(5)
Jake S.
So last saturday night, I see that a new Persian restaurant is now open just a five minute drive from my house, and they have later than usual hours for most Lombard restaurants. Hmmm. Well, let's see how they do, I thought. I noticed that it was a touch pricier than other mediterranean options in the area, but I am always willing to pay more for better food. I ordered the hummus, the chicken kebab, and the sultani (combo beef and Filet Mignon), with the dill rice with chicken and white with the Sultani. Holy hannah, this place is fantastic. The dill rice has just the right amount of tang to offset the chicken, and the white saffron rice accompanying the Sultani was understated but tasty. The hummus was some of the best I've had, and the cucumber/lime/mint salad I tried will absolutely be ordered the next time I order from here. The fresh ingredients they use really make their fare worth the little extra you pay. Absolutely estatic that they're here, and I hope they really thrive.
(5)
Arch A.
Absolutely THE best middle eastern restaurant anywhere in the western burbs - the falafel is crispy outside and moist inside with incredible flavor - the hummus is creamy and the most flavor of any restaurant - the kebabs are all very flavorful and moist (even the chicken which is usually dry at most restaurants) - the Persian tea is tasty too
(5)
Brian D.
We started out with falafels which had a excellent sauce! Then for entrees we had The Sultani and Boneless Chicken both were tender and plenty of flavor. The server was attentive and friendly. We would definitely recommend this restaurant!
(5)
Lesli K.
I have been looking forward to getting a meal at this restaurant from when I first saw it open, and then after seeing the stellar reviews here there was no question that I was going sooner rather than later. Now that I've eaten here, I agree...5 star! Nice and attentive staff, very clean dining room (and bathroom!), fresh food, fluffy, well-seasoned rice, generous portions; everything was delicious. And my Chengeh kabob was cooked perfectly to order, medium rare, which I found impressive. Believe every good comment posted here, and try it out yourself!
(5)
Amir B.
This is the best restaurant if you want fresh and gourmet Mediterranean food for great prices. My family and I have been going to Reza's for many years but this place is something else. It is not as big as Reza's but the food is 10000 times better. if yuo have a small birthday party or want to do a cozy dinner you will love this place. The owner and his wife were so friendly and amazing people. They did not try to push us on anything and everything we tried was fantastic. I hope they open more locations near Chicago. Thanks and we will be back soon.
(5)
John G.
Great food and service. The Sultani was a great choice. Will be coming back soon!
(5)
Keith B.
My wife and I got the boneless chicken and the chengeh, both were fantastic!!!!! Best of all, this place is within 5 mins from our house. Very friendly and attentive.
(5)
Kristin X.
Baba Karam is the answer to my wish of having a Middle Eastern Restaurant open in Villa Park. There are a lot of familiar foods on the menu and some less known Persian dishes - so it's a great mix. The owners and staff are very accommodating. Welcome to the neighborhood!
(5)
John B.
Great Persian food and wonderful food. Chef's Special Cheese appetizer alone would have made the meal worth it but OMG the kabobs and the dill rice!
(5)
Yvette C.
We stumbled across this place needing a place to eat around 10 pm on a Saturday night. One of the first things we noticed is how clean the place is. That is always a good sign. Second, the waitress was very attentive to our needs and very cordial. But the last thing and best is that the food was some of the best I have ever had. I have lived in the mediterranean area and have experience many different foods because of that, but this was really top notch. The hummus was outstanding, the chicken skewers were very flavorful and not dry at all. Everything was so good. I highly recommend trying this place. You won't be disappointed.
(5)
Swim Fish W.
Excellent new restaurant! The food was all very fresh and prepared with a great deal of care. The hummus is the best we have ever had. They were very friendly and attentive.
(5)
Dianne W.
What an excellent meal! Our party of three ordered the cheese lover's delight of Danish cheese with peppers, olives, tomatoes and perfectly seasoned with herbs. It was more than enough for us to share. The barg, hummus and shirazi salad that we shared were well prepared and the portions were satisfying. Highly recommend for a good culinary experience in a quiet, Mediterranean atmosphere.
(5)
Amir F.
We've been to many Persian restaurants before trying to find the authentic Persian dishes we always crave for and finally we found this restaurant! We have read sufficient reviews on Yelp that made us decide to go and try it. The restaurant is small but once we walked in, we received such a warm and friendly welcome. The place was so tidy, well organized and homey; it made us feel instantly very comfortable. The staff was so friendly, very attentive, prompt and caring, yet, the best part of it all is the awesome service and the appetizingly great food we had. The Lamb shank was so tender, perfectly seasoned and prepared. It is the best amongst the lamb shanks dishes we've ever had. The other dishes we ordered like the Kashke Bademjan, Combo plate of beef and chicken Khoubideh, and Torshi were a great choice - just like the taste of homemade cooking. We really had a great time savoring the food and enjoyed the pleasantness of the staff as well as the good ambience. The owners, Josh and Ana were very nice, warm and friendly. Now we definitely know where to go for fine dining and highly recommend this great restaurant.
(5)
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Address :117 W St Charles Rd
Villa Park, IL, 60181
Takes Reservations : Yes 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 : Quiet Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Harris I.
I needed a fix for some good quality Mediterranean food and this was exactly what I had hoped for! I was instantly greeted and welcomed. Menu pricing were a little steep for lunch but I forgot about how much I was paying when I tasted the quality of my food. Ordered the Combination plate with the Chicken & Beef Koubideh with the white rice. It was love at first bite. The person who took my order was really informative about the food and took his time to passionately explain what goes into creating this meal. I plan to visit soon and try their Filet Minon Burg option. I highly recommend this place over Rezas.
(5)Alexandra D.
5 stars for the service. The server was friendly right off and became doubly enthusiastic when he learned I had a Persian roommate and ordered some off-menu items in Farsi. 1 star for price. I lived near an awesome Persian grill in DC during college (Moby Dick, strange name but it's spectacular and they have several locations on the east coast now) where a plate of meat, big pile of rice, four huge charred tomato chunks, a large piece of fluffy pita baked in a stone oven on site (BK had thin lavash bread - different, much lighter, still very good) a small cup of shirazi salad - basically an ice cream scoops' worth- and a small yogurt sauce set you back about $12. At Baba, my bill, with tip, for a combination platter of meat + rice + two little pieces of tomato (which was $13.95 in itself), a shirazi salad and yogurt plus an appetizer, kashkeh bodemjan, came out to $42 and I had only water to drink. The salad and the yogurt were $4.95 each and they charged me $4.95 for tahdig (the rice that sticks together at the bottom of the pot - usually not on menus but it's awesome chewy tasty -- and at every Persian place I've been to, it's thrown in for free on top on the rice you get with your meat or stew. I was shocked to see a $4.95 charge for it- at the very least they should have disclosed it would cost extra. At Shamshiri in LA, a much more upscale Persian place with elaborate dishes my bill for an app and entree is always around $25 - 30 max. 3 stars for food The chicken was really, really juicy. The kashkeh was more oily than I'm used to, it's typically more of a paste, but it was delicious. As mentioned the lavash was different than the usual pita but good. The beef koobideh kabob was just ok, a bit bland. Shirazi salad was watery, veggies not fresh. Yogurt was fine nothing special (and seriously for $4.95 for a small bowl it should be special) I'm pretty indifferent on decor - happy to eat in a total hole in the wall if the food is amazing. But again at higher price points you expect a little better than a blah looking environ in a strip mall- especially when the food isn't life changingly awesome. Chicago has a dearth of Persian places and Baba is much better than the well-known and very Americanized Reza's. If the pricing was more reasonable aka half of what I paid for basically grilled meat and rice and a basic salad + app I'd give this place 4 stars easily and maybe 5 if they made some tweaks improving the food. I'll wait for my next DC or LA trip for awesome, rightly priced Persian. Will not return to BK, which is a bummer because I love the cuisine of Iran.
(3)Diane M.
Read all the reviews, got excited. Then after the meal...less excited. Pita great, hummus, average and the meat was kinda strange. Weird texture. nothing outstanding. Average at best.
(3)Eric H.
Wonderful place! Great food, fantastic tea, great selection in music, truly nice employees who provide top notch service. Just a great experience. Highly recommend.
(5)Rod G.
Great little place! We stumbled upon this gem Saturday night and were delighted. Fantastic falafel, great kabobs, and excellent service.
(5)Manpreet S.
These guys are awesome. The veggie appetizers are amazing, we tried 4 and loved em all. The chicken kabobs with dill rice we really good. Our server was the owner herself and she is super nice. We had a nice time and will most definitely be back soon.
(5)Pizza L.
Yep, unfortunately, the 2 star rating says it all: meh, I've experienced better. much better. I've drove past this restaurant a few times and noticed it was a 'newer' addition to this town so I was intrigued to explore yelp reviews. I'm always 'in' when it comes to middle eastern food. I absolutely love it and have had my fair share of experiences eating it. I know what flavors to expect and how the kebabs should be cooked. With the abundance of 5 star ratings I decided to give it a taste and ordered take-out to bring to a friend who was homebound while feeling 'under the weather'. While the menu is rather modest in comparison to restaurants of this type of fare, they still had traditional Persian offerings which was fine with me.. Dinners consisted of the combination Chengeh & boneless chicken kabob with dill rice, Chengeh kabab w/dill rice & for app's: falafel & kashkeh bodemnjan (warm, sautéed eggplant with oil, garlic & mint). Upon arriving at my destination and opening the white styrofoam containers I was immediately taken aback, stunned, puzzled, flabbergasted and astounded!! TINY itty bitty pieces of meat!!! Itsy-bitsy, teeny weeny, pee wee pieces. No joke. While the menu states 'pieces of filet mignon' (and we all know what a filet looks like or should resemble) this was sadly miniscule. Though they provide two skewers, with an overflowing amount of rice, you could 'dig' for this dwarf meat. I wish I would have taken pictures and posted here. The kabobs looked NOTHING like the pictures shown here. Simply put, I felt swindled. Was it because I was a 'take-out customer'?? That was my initial thought to be honest... It's a shame because the chengeh was very tasty, cooked perfectly and very tender. You could taste the marinated onion & lemon as with the boneless chicken. The dill rice which I love and have tasted from my Persian friends who make this, was just 'OK'. Little on the dry side. I did like the amount of dill, but lima beans were sparse..I've had better at Reza's. The falafels did not 'wow' me, and the pureed eggplant was nothing impressive. The pita was rather 'thin' as well. I really would have given 3 stars because I did enjoy the lilliputian chengeh flavor... But I just can't get over spending $18.00 (YES $18.00!!!) per entrée when what I actually received was an $8.00 entrée at best. This will likely be my first and last visit here. If they plan to do more business on carry out orders, with these prices and lack of providing 'appropriate' pieces of meat - customers will not return. *MY RESPONSE TO OWNER'S COMMENT*: I have every intention of contacting your restaurant regarding my order. I am extremely offended that I was given very small pieces of meat for the price I paid. I also am an honest person, so if I am telling you that the meat was no where near what the pictures on your site look like, you should rather offer an apology to your customers, that is good customer service. I am not a liar and do not like leaving negative reviews, however I did feel very ripped off by the meat given to me. I never said your food was not good nor fresh, my complaint was based on the size of your meat.
(2)Govi S.
My wife was craving for Persian food for about a week and pestering me to take her to Reza's. Instead i wanted to surprise her and also wanted to try something different, so I yelped to find Baba Karam. When I pulled into the parking lot, mine was the only car. My wife was like SERIOUSLY!!! Was this your surprise??? Her mind started changing a bit after she saw that the place was very clean. We ended up ordering Veg combo plate (kashk bademjan, falafel, chef's cheese) and a side salad ( I hear mind voices saying where is the meat) for the lady. I got the chicken combo meal (boneless chicken + Chicken Koubede) and and made it dinner portion size cause I was hungry. Now for the moment of truth... This place is a hidden gem in the burbs. The food was just awesome, the chicken was so soft and the koubede was melting in my mouth. The dill rice which came with the chicken was excellent. Though my wife got all vegetarian options i was forced to dig into that cause that was good too. Especially the kashk bademjan. Will definitely come back.
(5)Romina A.
Excellent quality food. You should try the Sultani. It was our first time in baba Karam and we are still talking about tender and delicious kababs we had.
(5)Raj D.
Came to check out the hype... left wishing for more!!! .The BEST HUMMUS I'VE EVER HAD! My wife and I shared the combination entrée and picked the chenghe filet mignon and bonkers chicken... filet was perfectly cooked and slightly pink inside just the way I like it cooked and the be chicken was mouth watering and juicy on in the inside. The hummus is served with persian flat bread, although not home made, was a nice trade off to typical pita bread nd easy on the carbs. The chef brought us his homemade hot sauce which reminded of a charred salsa which was unqiue but not quite spicy like PITA INN. The chef came to check on everyone which is something you don't see often and showed the caring environment of this small restaurant! ABSOLUTELY PLAN TO GO BACK.
(5)Rehan A.
Excellent food excellent service. Sizzingly amazingly served food. Juicy beef meat & chicken combos. Dill rice hands down the best ive tried so far. Great food great atmosphere. God bless.
(5)C C.
Delicious Food! We live in the next town over and have never been here...highlights- hummus, grilled pitas and awesome falafel! Not really anyone in here but it's very clean and well kept. Our server was terrific also...quick and attentive ...great place for date night or girls night out! My husband had chicken Kebob with yummy dill rice...he's picky and he loved it. Will definitely be back!
(5)Arman G.
Great food. The service is amazing and very cordial. Good location as well, the koubideh and pollo is very good. Good for anyone looking for a Persian or Mediterranean meal.
(5)KJ L.
Great food. We got barg and kabob combo. The filet mignon is very juicy and tender. The restaurant is very clean and the decoration is very lovely. The waiter is nice and friendly. Will definitely come back!
(5)Jon B.
Stopped in last night for a late dinner based on the Yelp reviews I'd read. I was a little afraid to try the restaurant because I hadn't met any neighbors who even heard of the place, no less tried it. They should, and so should you. Very good food, surprisingly nice ambiance given the location and exceptionally nice service. The restaurant is BYOB, so I ran down the street to the grocery store to grab a bottle while the rest started on some very good hummus. The appetizer menu is as long as the dinner menu. Most of the items are dips, and while they are similar to other middle eastern ones they all had minor differences to make you realize that Persian food is a little different too. The pita was very good, but a little flatter than we are used to. I enjoyed sampling foods I hadn't tried before. Dinner is mostly kabobs. Son had Barg-a filet kabob. Tasty and tender. Wife had a combo plate of boneless chicken and chicken kubideh while I just had the chicken kubideh. All were very good and came in huge portions along with a huge portion of rice. I can recommend any of the dishes. None of the dishes are hot spicy, but all are quite flavorful and a little different than what you've had before. We all walked away stuffed. Our waitress is the owners wife. Very interested in making sure we were happy all dinner. We were there near closing, so she had time to engage in conversation about the food, the restaurant and other things. I imagine she'd be much busier at dinner time We ended up talking to the husband too and he was very nice too. Go to this place. It's what family owned restaurants are all about. You'll be glad you went before everyone hears about it.
(5)Arturo V.
FRESH CENTRAL! Really great atmosphere and amazing food. The hummus, falafel, boneless chicken, and filet mignon are all great options. The service is always polite and friendly. On my most recent visit, the owner came out to see how we enjoyed our meal. He seemed very committed to the quality of his ingredients and most importantly, how it is all prepared. While this is currently a hidden gem, definitely give them a try.
(5)Pam D.
Nice place. The food was good. Loved the bread, but not overly impressed with the hummus. I had lamb shank, which was flavorful, but not as good as some other places I've had it at. Christopher had a special lunch combo and enjoyed it. The service was very friendly. If we are back in the area, we would try it again.
(4)Lydia W.
Went with the family for lunch. Clean, pleasant environment. Excellent attentive service. We've had falafel at many restaurants and this was by far the best. Enjoyed several appetizers. Food is flavorful. Recommend the baba ghanouj and the torshi. Shared several kabobs and couldn't pick a favorite as all were good. The menu is not expansive but plenty to choose from. Definitely recommend this Villa Park gem.
(5)Gigi G.
All I can say is..... Whether it's fine dining or not... What makes a restaurant a 5 star restaurant in my book is --- exceptional food, attentive staff, cleanliness and ambiance .... Baba Karam is right there..... For being a brand new restaurant.... It's definitely a place I will visit more often!!! Plus authentic Persian cuisine.... What more can I ask for?! This is about 11 miles away from Darien but my BF and I were craving to try a new place... And I'm glad we did :) It's a small Persian restaurant... Not really busy at the time we got there, around 6pm... Ana greeted us right away ( we learned later on that she is the owners wife ) Menu was simple and affordable... We ordered the ff: baba ghanoush - one of the best I've tasted... Love the texture and creaminess 5/5 Falafel - really good too.... I will request the sauce on the side, next time .... Just to really taste the falafel naked.... So to speak ....I think the crunchy texture will be better without the sauce....4/5 Entree we got the Sultani -- beef koubideh ( beef sausage ) and Barg ( filet mignon ) with dill rice and grilled tomatoes.... Excellent 5/5 ... I can eat the beef koubideh all day everyday.... I'm totally in love.... We also ordered a Combo -- char grilled filet mignon Chenge and Chicken koubideh ( chicken sausage ) dee-lish 5/5 I wish they serve wine.... Otherwise it's worth the drive!!!! They offer complimentary Persian hot tea... Oooooh so soothing :) I was completely blown away ... BTW...The other day... My BF and I spent $160 for fine dining that's so forgettable... We spent $60 here..... I'm just shaking my head... As I write this review..... I love good food, I love unpretentious staff, and I love clean places.... $60?!?! Uhm yeah .... We will be regulars here, for sure.... If you haven't been here yet.... Make that trip I tell ya. If you see my other reviews... My BF and I love to try new places no matter how expensive or affordable it is .... But I always give a genuine yelp ....
(5)Doug W.
Waited until my 4th meal to review... I'm a fan! Consistent food is very important to me and these folks deliver. We all need to keep going so the doors stay open!
(5)Rez A.
Very small portions for the price , food quality is average. Obviously they are not even close to 4 stars that they got.
(2)Milad S.
Excellent service and delicious food! I was on a business trip, found the place here and wanted to try it. This food was truly like a home cooked meal! The people treat you nicely, making you feel welcome. The meat is zabiha and halal as well,for those that require it ( the meat is fresh and clean! )
(5)Kelly D.
Excellent fresh, handmade food. Service was attentive, friendly, and informative. We'll return for another meal. BYOB
(5)Michael K.
It lived up to the hype of three previous 75 reviews. Came here for lunch and between my wife an I tried the boneless chicken, the thin cut filet, the cubed filet, and the ground beef, as well as the hummus and salad. All fantastic. Hummus I wouldn't say is the best I've ever had - but it was fantastic, and the best for one person isn't necessarily the best of others. Regardless of your taste though-you're sure to find it delicious. All the meats were fantastic. I love the spicy green sauce you can get at afghani restaurants, and while they didn't have that they mentioned and brought out a spicy tomato based sauce that was also delicious when I asked. Great service, and remarkably delicious food (see me remarking?). A little hike from Hoffman estates, but a nice change of pace.
(5)Barzeen V.
It's solid...... I had a good experience. I'll definitely come back. It's a little better quality than most Persian places around here, but it's also a little more expensive than most Persian places around here. Definitely a lot nicer than I expected. The appetizers are good ( yes, I've tried them all... I'm fat for a reason) The kabobs are all very tender and taste great. Service was fantastic. The portion sizes are on par with most American places ( you won't leave hungry) but smaller than most Persian places.
(4)Howard L.
I came by here for a bite after having a few brews at nearby Lunar Brewing. We just found 'em via Yelp. They are only a couple blocks away from Lunar, and given that there is no food at Lunar, they actually pair up well. This place has only been open for a month apparently. I had their barg (filet migon) kabob and it was a nice dish with the dill rice. The dish could have been hotter though, and that would have made it even better. It wasn't very busy on this weekday night. The owner lady was friendly and very nice, and also comp'd us with some hot tea.
(4)Thomas C.
Hidden gem in western suburb. After finishing our auto emission test in Addison, we yelped for somewhere close, and different. Baba Karam came up on the list with 5-star. The outside didn't quite live up to it, but we went in anyhow, trusting our fellow yelpers. We were glad we did. Best kebab; hands down. The meat was grilled to perfection - tasteful, tender, and juicy. We ordered the combo so we got to try 4 different kinds of meat. Both the dill rice and bread were good. Everything was freshly prepared. Accompanied by friendly service, this is definitely a place to come back for more exploration.
(5)Osmond S.
I realize I'm the odd one out here, dissenting from the majority. I think this place is pretty good, but certainly not 5 stars good. I liked the hummus. Everything else is about average. I honestly don't understand the vast number of 5 star reviews. Maybe it's harder to find good food in this part of town? Or perhaps I just came on an off day. There's nothing wrong with the place. The staff are friendly as well. But I don't really see any reason to visit again.
(3)Amit P.
Was excited to try this place and couldn't because they ran out of food. Never experienced that anywhere else was quite unbelievable.
(1)Sam H.
I feel like I was bamboozled.. I picked this place because it had 5 star reviews.. But its not a 5 start experience. Don't get me wrong the food was good as well as the service being good and friendly. But the filet minion was not filet at all it was some other cut that was overly tenderized to the point where the meat had no texture. Regardless it still had good flavor. The cubideh were very tasty and done very well. The appetizers were nice too but just not to the point of a 5 star experience.... The real killer for me was no desert. How does anybody rate 5 starts with no desert. Over all it's a nice place if your in the area and in the mood for something clean and tasty. But it's not a destination. Well... Your response is to say the least DISTASTEFUL... Specially since you being an avid yelper knowing I could easily change my review to 1 start and completely blast you on my review... But I will leave it as it is and even leave the minion(spellcheck strikes again) the same too so everybody can see it !! It's too bad you don't use people's reviews to better yourself and your restaurant.. And for the record the filet was not even close to being filet and very very far from being the best quality available for food service. So please don't claim that ever and the desert issue well when we asked and were told that you were out if desert. We were ok with it until the table behind us got cheese cake about 15 min after we asked.. Any hoo it's all good. I still enjoyed the meal but won't change the rating simply because you don't merit it.. And another concern you may want to address.. Turn your hood on high or get a bigger hood! Nobody like to leave a restaurant smelling like the plate they were just eating out of! Or better yet buy better meat so there isn't as much fat to drip down on the flame and smoke up the restaurant. Thanks and Bon appetìt!
(3)M F.
If you are looking for Persian food made the correct way stop your search right here! Amazing food, great appetizers and very relaxing and friendly environment. I can not get enough of their Sultani dish! Absolutely and remarkably delicious!
(5)Bill G.
I'm hardly adding anything new here, but I still feel the need to review this excellent restaurant. I was there with my daughter and her mother and we had a wonderful meal. I had the lamb shank and it was perfect - melt in your mouth tender, with an unusual tomato based sauce which accented it nicely. We all had the dill rice and the hummus appetizer - delicious.. They also raved about their Chengeh Filet and Chicken. The wife/owner waited on us and was very warm and open about their business. This is a great alternative to eating junk food. Delicious authentic food made by caring people. I'll be back.
(5)Pooria K.
Amazing, delicious food Very nice and friendly staff They serve you the best high quality rice you can't get from other Persian restaurants.
(5)Amit S.
Really disappointed with food.. ordered chicken kabob and falafel with baba ganoush.. bland food and felt like eating partially cooked chicken..feels like befooled by previous high ratings/reviews..It was no way near authentic and paying high price for this was not at all worth for..would prefer going to other authentic places.
(1)James R.
Do you need to take out a mortgage to consider rating a restaurant 5 stars. I think not. Foremost is taste which makes me give Baba Karam high Marks. The service was also very good. We started with the Hummus appetizer which was superb. The bread served with it was also one of the best for restaurants of this type we had. Highly recommend others to try this dish. When asking for a recommendation our main course I first mentioned that I was very experimental and have a wide experience. Not only was the combination dinner suggested, but also a suggestion that we place our order together to give us a taste of all the meats. Following up on this advice, I then also requested the rice for one of us and the Shirazi salad dish for the other. Hence we were able to taste all 4 meats along with the 2 side dishes. My wife and I were delighted in this selection and will likely be the same we will request in our next visit though there are other dishes I would like to try. I want to thank the person who commented about the rice earlier as it was quite a surprise. I commented that I could make a meal out of the rice alone. Called dill rice but it also includes saffron. This rice is not the less tasty rice found in other restaurants of Mideast cuisines. Anna, one of the owners was very pleasant and treated us so well. On the way out I met the husband owner, and I had to tell him how much we enjoyed the food. I commented that the quality and taste of the food here is much better than another older restaurant we have visited. My wife and I go out very frequently and have tasted quite a number of cuisines, in fact when I added up the number of cuisines a few decades ago it was over 60. There is another Persian restaurant we have visited, but we much prefer the tastes of the dishes here. Baba Karam will now become one of our regular restaurants. I might also mention that I liked the table settings and the way they have decorated the restaurant. Some restaurants try to appear classy by placing a cloth table cloth covered by some paper or other material. The latter is something I detest, as the thought of the table cloth being draped across other people's laps over and over again is distasteful. Here the table setting is simple but attractive in its simplicity. My only complaint is why I was not aware of this restaurant some time ago.
(5)H H.
This is my first Yelp review and I use yelp all the time. The food here is very good and this is coming from a guy who grew up in a Persian household. This is the closest thing to my parents food. The place is clean but the decor leaves somethings to be desired. The service however is super friendly I get greeted by the entire staff and get a complimentary tee every time I come in, which is by the way excellent, but more on that later. I can assure you that the guy in the kitchen knows what he is doing. One of the most essential things in the Persian cuisine is how the rice turns out and these guys make it just right. I have tried the Chengeh which was tender pieces of filet mignon that melts in your mouth the grilled tomatoes were grilled perfectly and the tee was fresh, hot and had the right color. The price is a little above average I would say specially for the locale. The food however makes it all worth it. Overall I hope these guys keep up the excellent quality and stay in business for a long time.
(5)Chris L.
Great food and friendly owners. The dill rice is fantastic and all of the meat was tender and perfectly cooked. Will definitely be back for more soon!
(5)Asma Q.
This place was pretty good. The service and restaurant were clean. My husband, kids and I went for lunch. I got the sultani and my husband got the boneless chicken. We also ordered the hummus and vegetable noodle soup. I loved the barg part of my meal which I would strongly recommend. But the beef koubideh was just okay for me. Next time I'll get all barg. The hummus was pretty good and my son loved his soup.
(4)Peter M.
This place is really a hidden gem. Everything is great, from the special house blend of tea, hummus, bread, and the lamb is so tender it just falls apart so beautifully. It's BYOB and BYOH (bring your own hookah)! I'll be back again.
(5)K. R.
I've been looking for a terrific Persian restaurant in the area for so long, and I think one's finally popped up! My boyfriend and I ordered the falafel, Baba Karam salad, baba ghanouj, kashkeh bodemnjan, and a side of dill rice. Everything was delicious! The falafel isn't as crispy as some places but was super flavorful and moist, and the sauce the falafel came in was fantastic. The salad was very fresh and the dressing wasn't too oily. The kashkeh bodemnjan and baba ghanouj were both great, and the dill rice was very fluffy. Our order came with bread that was crazy fluffy and tasty, and when we went in to pick it up everybody in the restaurant was incredibly friendly, welcoming, and accommodating. We were offered free samples of their desserts and they even asked us to take a look at our order to make sure they'd given us enough bread. Very thoughtful! Prices were fair and the wait time on the food wasn't too long at all. They'll definitely be getting our business again!
(5)Scott M.
First look at this page makes me think that all those 5-stars are a setup, but I can honestly say, this place is THAT GOOD. First, let's define a few things. This is a PERSIAN restaurant, a little different from your run-of-the-casbah Falafel joint. Yes, Falafels are on the menu, and if it's Pork you're after, um, try the Polish joint down the street. Persian cuisine is big on Beef and Chicken. The usual line on Persians is the Beef Tenderloin/Filet Mignon dinner you can have at a budget price. I've been to the other Persians in town, and I can say the Filet Kebabs here are the best I've had. In fact all the stuff I've have here is the best I've had of this cuisine, anywhere. My Previous Paragon for Persian (how's THAT for alliteration) was a place in Sunland, California. A little shithole diner that served normal diner fare: Breakfast, Burgers, and Meatloaf Hot plate special (with pie). Run by a Farsi who was pals with the late, great comic Ron Shock, who, in turn was MY pal for many years. If you knew the Farsi (Ron did), and he liked you (He did), he would set a table in his back room, and knock up a Persian feast with ALL the trimmings. This stuff NEVER went on the menu. It should have, though, 'cos this was a straight up gourmet feed, by any measure. Baba Karam reaches that level of freshness, quality of ingredients, and scrumptious flavors. The menu isn't huge, but who cares? I ordered the Kashkeh Bodemnjan, which is Roasted Eggplant with Garlic and other stuff. It was delicious. I then swung with the Kebab Combo-Beef Koubideh and Chengeh with Dill rice. The Koubideh is like a Kifta Kebab, albeit with more flavor-The Portion was huge. the Chengeh is the vaunted Filet M. Again cooked perfectly. I asked for Rare, and got it so, with just the right slight Charcoal kiss. Dill Rice was fluffy and fabulous, how do they get those grains to be so separate? My plate was absolutely bare at the end of the meal, and I was stuffed, happily so. The Owner, Josh, is very exuberant, and gracious. He boasted that his Hummus was the best anywhere. I don't take to boasts, really, so I said, "I'll have to judge that". He brought over a gorgeous small bowl of it, swirled in that distinctive way that I don't know how they do. A small splash of olive oil and a shake of different spices. Josh wasn't boasting. His Hummus was absolutely top-notch. As I was Mr.Creosote-Stuffed, I took the Lion's share of the Hummus home, and sampled it the next day without anything else around. I was right-it was outstanding. The building was once a Taco Bell, now re-purposed (for much the better!) with an open kitchen. It's not going to win any awards for pushing the interior design envelope, but it's inviting and clean. There was soft middle eastern music playing throughout my visit, which always lends a nice perfume to the air. I CANNOT stand when a proprietor sees someone obviously not of the restaurant's ethnic persuasion and swaps out the indigenous tunes for Celine Dion. Leave the Homebrew on the box, Mamnoon! I didn't notice any booze, beer or wine, but then again, I wasn't looking. I also didn't notice Dessert, but again, I wasn't looking. On this street, in this location, in this type of building, the bill seemed a bit pricey, but after a quick recap of the meal, I realized I had a top-notch feed, and the tariff was commensurate with the quality. Believe all the 5 stars. I menchened to Josh, that I was a Yelper, and he said nothing to force a good review. Good form. I read all the other reviews here, and they are right on. This place is a little Jewel Box of foodie heaven. Go there now.
(5)Sandra D.
Great food, we didn't have anywhere to go on thanksgiving day so we came to Baba Karan the food is amazing, restaurant is clean, cozy and baby friendly. !
(5)Aijaz H.
Tried this restaurant out last night. Good but not great. Appetizers were very good especially the egg plant dip. Hummus, Baba Ganouj, Filafil as expected. Barg (steak) below average. Ground beef Kabab was below average. Ground chicken kabab was excellent. Prices kind of high for casual restaurant. As I said good but not great. I think I prefer Reza's in Oak Brook terrace over this one. Just my opinion.
(3)Aaron C.
I am absolutely delighted by this restaurant. Everything was good, service was warm and personable. The falafel and the baba ghanoush were the best I've had in over 20 years. The restaurant is casual, clean and comfortable. This was a far better experience than anyone has a right to expect for dinner on Black Friday. I'll be back - often.
(5)Aj K.
Best Resturant in dupage area , specially hummus and food is perfect quality. And of course they have a great customer service. I recommend to try Sultani when you go there
(5)Katie S.
This was the best hummus and falafel I've ever had! The service was phenomenal, and the restaurant was very clean. I can't wait until I can go back again. If you go- you will not be disappointed! :)
(5)Mary R.
Love it for the meat selections and vegetarian options. Food always arrives fresh, hot and delicious. The Baba Karam special salad is wonderful with the diced apples tossed in there. There's always something for everyone in our family of 5 and we usually split entrees so the bill isn't too high. Our meat eating kids love the beef and chicken kabobs, while our vegetarian daughter loves the hummus, salads and rice. The owner is friendly. He always comes over to say hi and ask how everything is. We always say the same thing: delicious!!
(5)Natasha P.
Amazing restaurant!! Awesome, friendly owners. The hummus was phenomenal , as was the rest of the food. They squeezed us in on Valentines Day and we had a great experience!! The red velvet cake finishes off the meal perfectly :)
(5)Scarlet D.
This food here is, in a word, divine. Having eaten Middle Eastern food in at least 40 states and 5 countries, I can say that this is simply the best I have ever had. There are multiple vegan and gluten-free options and the owner/chef is extremely accommodating and friendly. The atmosphere is lovely as well, and they provide high-end soap and lotion in the bathroom. A spectacular find for a picky traveler! Specific recommendations: the Baba Ganoush, Hummous, and Falafel are all top shelf.
(5)Adam K.
Oh man I found my new go to lunch special in the hood. Pita inn should take note, by charging an extra 3 dollars (8.95) you get a lot more bang for your buck over here. Super tasty chicken, pasture raised beef, delicious handmade fresh falafel. Believe the hype, I will be back.
(5)Amber S.
We wanted to try somewhere new so finally gave Baba Karam a shot. It was delicious! All three (3, 5, &9) kids loved it, too. There's no kids menu but they shared entrees and it worked out well. The chicken kabobs, falafel, and baba karam salad were all wonderful. The hummus was good, but the bread was phenomenal. We will definitely be back!
(5)Alyce L.
We tried Baba Karam for the first time 2 weeks ago and loved everything we ordered. We have had many restaurant experiences with ethnic food and have been delighted to find such a great menu. We are going back again tomorrow! We have passed out their business card to many friends. It is small and very friendly. A nice place to have a very interesting and great tasting meal.
(5)Meg B.
Wonderful, fresh and economical! I have eaten Mediterranean food all over the world and this holds up. The owners are warm and friendly, a lovely place for families or dates :)
(5)Farooq F.
Your search for a fine dinning restaurant ends here at Baba Karam. Opened just couple of months ago, the restaurant has gained huge popularity within the community for it's fine dining atmosphere, great food and exceptional service. We have taken my family to a lot of ethnic and American restaurants, the major difference was that we as a family were able to enjoy and have a fine dining experience. The appetizer portions were good and we did order the Hummus like everyone had reviewed and it was great. The kabobs were the highlight of the night, my kids each ordered their choice of kabobs (koubideh and chengeh) and surprising they finished their meal without complaints. We had the sultani combination and I asked for extra grilled tomatoes and the owner brought them out to our table. During the meal, the owner came and spent some time on our table conversing with the entire family. He was a delightful man with a great sense of humor and made our dining more enjoyable. Dining experiences with our 2 young kids had always been a challenge for us but now we can feel more at ease when dining at Baba Karam. Our experience at Baba Karam has been amazing and we will definitely return for more dinners. Anyone reading the reviews can only understand when they come and experience for themselves. You will definitely see a major difference between the restaurants you have previously dined at.
(5)Ace R.
We came here last night for dinner and I can say the quality of meat that the owner uses in his kebabs was excellent! The filet mignon and steak meat melts in your mouth. Bread was freshly baked and this was the first persian restaurant where I actually enjoyed the rice (dill) as well. Service is spot on and we will definitely be back.
(5)Archer B.
Best Irani food in the area. All the kabobs are seasoned /cooked perfectly. The falafel and the hummus is excellent and the traditional Persian bread is pure heaven. Highly recommended over Reza's
(5)Mohsen H.
Great find while I was visiting the area. The food was fresh and tasty. I had the boneless chicken kebab which was moist and flavorful. The homemade Dough(yoghurt based drink) was nice as well. The service was very welcoming and sincere. There are so many restaurants to go to in the area that I usually don't repeat but have to come back here to try some of the other items on the menu.
(5)Christine D.
5 stars no doubt! The men who works here are so nice!!!! The food is amazingly good. New favorite resto!
(5)Rhett R.
1st time here...and This quaint Lil place is amazing! Phenomenal hummus.... Also, excellent service and very accommodating! They allowed us to eat early on Valentine's day when they were booked solid! Very nice! Highly recommended to anyone! Cheers
(5)Mary H.
Tell your friends! Excellent quality food. Attentive service. Extremely clean. Worth the drive from where ever you're coming from. We spoke with the young, energetic hard working owners - please visit them and help with the success of this hidden gem! We'll be going back frequently.
(5)Matt S.
I was searching for something different and this came up and I just so happen to live 2 minutes away. I just moved to villa park a year ago and never noticed this place, but with excellent reviews on yelp I gave it a shot and I'm glad I did. My girlfriend and I both thought the food was excellent. It's presented very artfully, and cooked just right. Very clean and polite people that own the place. Although the restaurant kind of gives me the fast-food atmosphere by the layout the food is priced as a higher end restaurant. It was about $55 for 2 with 1 appetizer. Would recommend!
(5)Nanci B.
This place is delicious! I'm from Los Angeles, where Persian food is pretty popular, and this place reminded me of the places I eat back home. The service was also great. Will definitely come back next time I'm in town!!!
(5)Laura Q.
We had a GREAT meal here the other night. Even though the menu is small (I really like that though!) we had a hard time deciding, and we will definitely go back for more. We ended up selecting a few appetizers and salads - and we all agreed our favorite was Cheese Lover's Delight. Then again, the Hummus was fantastic, as were the Falafel. The meat eater among us had the Kabob combo which was quite a lot - so we all had a bit of that too.
(5)Hadi A.
we came to this restaurant on the opening day and the place is wonderful . I love what they did with the decor and the food is wonderful. Kabobs, lamb, hummus, rice and much more. The staff was very friendly and the owner gave us dessert on the house. We felt very special and the whole experience was great. We will definitely recommend this place.
(5)Kathryn C.
Don't let the fact that the place was empty fool you. Baba Karam is an excellent restaurant. The staff was very friendly and helpful and explained all of the dishes to us. We have the Chef's Cheese Feta and the Mirza Ghasemi for appetizers and both were wonderful. We had the boneless chicken kebab, chicken koubideh, and the chengeh. The meat was very tender and the seasoning was excellent. I would highly suggest trying this restaurant. I will definitely be returning!
(5)Lata G.
Great discovery! Clean, good food, great price, and a friendly owner... Overall pleasant treat. One of the best kept secrets in the area.
(5)DrA Y.
They serve zabiha halal meat. The owner's husband buys the halal meat. The kabobs were awesome. Very juicy and not spicy. Pita was delicious too.
(5)Frida K.
I am a vegetarian. I tried every non-meat appetizer on the menu. Each was more delicious than the one before. The baba ghanouj was amazing - my favorite. The rice was great. Even the tea was great. The ambience is a relaxing, lingering minimalism. Its byob and the staff and owners are the most hospitable I've ever encountered at any restaurant. I can't wait to go back.
(5)Jim S.
Baba Karam is simply the best middle eastern restaurant in the western suburbs. Excellent, melt-in-your-mouth food, attentive service and attention to detail. I especially recommend the Lamb Shank, but everything I tried was good. And, because I am allergic to dairy and gluten, the owners paid special attention that I not get any dishes that would trigger my allergies and modified others to accommodate me. I can't recommend them highly enough, though I hope the place doesn't get too overcrowded for my future visits.
(5)Sarah T.
Cozy little restaurant. Perfect for date night. I also noticed family gatherings. The baba ghanoush was very light. The house salad with house dressing is VERY tangy. The sultani is very much advised -- platter of one skewer of Barg (Beef filet mignon) kabob and one skewer of Koobideh kabob (ground beef), served with grilled tomatoes and buttered basmati rice.
(5)Tony S.
We had a great dinner at Baba Karam on Friday night. It was really cold so they started us off with some hot tea, which was great. For appetizers, we started with Hummus. We also had falafel. It was hot and crispy and homemade. Just awesome. My wife is middle eastern, loves to cook, and makes her own hummus at home and this is one of the best hummus she has tasted. It comes with great persian bread that was hot and tasty. We had the lamb shank and the combination plate. The combination was Chengeh Beef and Chicken. Both were awesome. The dill rice that came with was really done well also. The owners were there and are very friendly and proud of their restaurant and food, as they should be. We came back today for some falafel to take home as part of a meal we were serving our family at home. It was a huge hit. Tony and Leah
(5)Andy M.
A nice unique Persian restaurant that is in an old Taco Bell. Most of the items are vegetarian but there some kebab dishes and the place is pretty nice and fancy given its location fast food history.
(3)John H.
We chose this place based on the excellent reviews that we saw. And, they were definitely true. The restuarant is located on a main street in town with a parking lot. We arrived on a late Saturday afternoon and were the first diners for the dinner. The person who waited on us (I think was the owner) was courteous and helpful. We ordered the hummus appetizer which came with flat bread. The hummus was fresh and tasted great. We've never had any better. We liked it so much took another order home. We had the Chengeh (char-broiled filet mignon), the Barg (also filet mignon prepared a little differently from the Chengeh), and a combination plate that was Beef Koubideh (ground beef), Chicken Koubideh (ground chicken). The filet was most tender, and the flavors were excellent. The other items were equally tasty. We all ordered the Dill Rice, definitely a winner. The quality and quantity were excellent. The Chengeh portions were generous and the filet pieces were thickly cut. If there were one thing that could be improved, I would have liked the Chengeh to be cooked with more charring. I had asked for medium rare, but it was a bit more rare than I would have preferred, but still yummy. The next time I go, I'll simply ask for the meat to be cooked with the inside pink.
(5)doni d.
I would definitely recommend eating here, the food is really delicious. Owner is friendly and professional, place is clean. Try it you gonna love it.
(5)Ashley G.
Went to baba Karam the other day and wow they have the best mediterranean food in the Chicagoland area hands down ! I would recommend this place to anyone reading this. Try any of there kabobs there just amazing and can't wait to come back
(4)Katherine V.
Food and service was great. A lot of vegetarian options. Lunch prices were very reasonable. I will definitely be back.
(5)S K.
Who us writing these reviewers??? This its the worst middle eastern food I have had in Chicago. The chicken tasted like fish and was slimy. No flavor at all my rice was cold and my wife's salad had green tomatoes to it. The hummus was good but how hard is it to mess that up? Very disappointed
(1)Mamabear C.
The food is great, and the service is splendid! Chicken Koubideh is my favorite with dill rice. However, I haven't tasted anything less than fantastic at this establishment!
(5)Carol B.
I went here for lunch with two other people. We each had something different and we all loved what we had. The food presentation was beautiful. It was our first time at the restaurant and our waiter was very helpful. I will go back and I will recommend it to others.
(5)Dave K.
Really great food, super fresh, and the staff couldn't have been nicer. Beef and chicken kabobs were delicious and extremely tender as well as quite large, and the dill rice was awesome while not being too overpowering. Mirza ghasemi was a new one for me, not a huge eggplant fan but this was very tasty, smoky with just a little tang. Check this place out, the location has been through many owners but this one deserves to stay.
(5)Anah B.
We went to this place after discovering nuevo tea at stratford square mall in Bloomingdale where we met with a persian, friend with the restaurant owners. We enjoyed the food, the place and meeting the owners who succeeded to mix Polish and persian culture in a subtile, delicious way and refreshing way. We will certainly go back. The meat is just melting in your mouth, the quality comes first.
(5)Sanjay S.
Went here based on all the great reviews. Food and service were both excellent. The dill rice is amazing and so are the all the meat dishes! Would definitely recommend this place and will be back soon.
(5)A W.
Went here for the first time tonight. Two families brought their own wine. Great food. I'm persian, so it was nice to find a nice persian place to eat that was authentic and tasty. I don't have a lot to compare it to though.
(5)Saeed F.
Great authentic food. All the kabobs are good but the Joojeh (chicken) kabob is really good and the fresh bread with appetizers are tasty. The owner is friendly and the place is clean.
(5)Angie M.
We went on a Saturday afternoon and there was literally no other customers, we don't understand why because we loved the food. Just a side point.. I liked the white dinnerware and flatware that all the food was served on. I had the Mirza Ghasemi and lentil soup, which were both excellent. My husband got the Chicken Koubideh and meat was tender and rice not dry. Most Persian places he has to ask for butter because its just too dry. They had the best hummos plus you don't get the standard pita bread but warm Persian flat bread. The owner was super nice. Maybe a lunch menu would bring more people in or maybe we just went on an off day. If we're back in the area we will stop in.
(4)Ali A.
I found this place by accident. I tried 3 different dishes and they were outstanding. I'm Persian and know this food well. This guy is top of the line, and his prices are great. I recommend them 100%.
(5)Har K.
If I could give less than one star I would. I ate here three months ago, and the rice was spoiled. Two days later I was still sick from the rotten food. When I called to complain, the manager simply told me to "f off" and promptly hung up telling me to never Call again and that he did not want my business.
(1)Alefiyah M.
Came here on a Wednesday night with a party of 5. The place was completely empty, which made me nervous. Between the 5 of us, we ordered the hummus appetizer, the mirza ghasemi appetizer, baba karam special salad, chicken koubideh (ground chicken), barg (sliced filet mignon), and a combination plate of boneless chicken and chengeh (pieces of filet). The meat here is phenomenal. You can tell it's fresh. Everything just melts in your mouth. Next time we'll skip the appetizers and salad and just order the entrees. It is a little pricey, came out to $85 with tax and tip, but totally worth it.
(5)Palak Q.
For those who are seeking authentic Persian and Mediterranean food, this is the place to go. You'll get personal attention from the management to make sure everything is okay. That's what I call real hospitality. It's so obvious that they're here to grow their business with love and not money. I love these kind of places. My husband ordered the steak and ground beef kebab and the refreshing drink called dough. Both were delicious and flavorful and cooked to perfection. I ordered two appetizers as my entree - falafel and this green beans dish which was delectable. The think that struck me the most is how clean the place was. I've been to a few Mediterranean/Persian restaurants and I've seldom seen such cleanliness, both within the restaurant and the restroom areas. They do a great job with attention to detail. This place gets five stars for excellent hospitality, good food, clean place and genuineness.
(5)Jake S.
So last saturday night, I see that a new Persian restaurant is now open just a five minute drive from my house, and they have later than usual hours for most Lombard restaurants. Hmmm. Well, let's see how they do, I thought. I noticed that it was a touch pricier than other mediterranean options in the area, but I am always willing to pay more for better food. I ordered the hummus, the chicken kebab, and the sultani (combo beef and Filet Mignon), with the dill rice with chicken and white with the Sultani. Holy hannah, this place is fantastic. The dill rice has just the right amount of tang to offset the chicken, and the white saffron rice accompanying the Sultani was understated but tasty. The hummus was some of the best I've had, and the cucumber/lime/mint salad I tried will absolutely be ordered the next time I order from here. The fresh ingredients they use really make their fare worth the little extra you pay. Absolutely estatic that they're here, and I hope they really thrive.
(5)Arch A.
Absolutely THE best middle eastern restaurant anywhere in the western burbs - the falafel is crispy outside and moist inside with incredible flavor - the hummus is creamy and the most flavor of any restaurant - the kebabs are all very flavorful and moist (even the chicken which is usually dry at most restaurants) - the Persian tea is tasty too
(5)Brian D.
We started out with falafels which had a excellent sauce! Then for entrees we had The Sultani and Boneless Chicken both were tender and plenty of flavor. The server was attentive and friendly. We would definitely recommend this restaurant!
(5)Lesli K.
I have been looking forward to getting a meal at this restaurant from when I first saw it open, and then after seeing the stellar reviews here there was no question that I was going sooner rather than later. Now that I've eaten here, I agree...5 star! Nice and attentive staff, very clean dining room (and bathroom!), fresh food, fluffy, well-seasoned rice, generous portions; everything was delicious. And my Chengeh kabob was cooked perfectly to order, medium rare, which I found impressive. Believe every good comment posted here, and try it out yourself!
(5)Amir B.
This is the best restaurant if you want fresh and gourmet Mediterranean food for great prices. My family and I have been going to Reza's for many years but this place is something else. It is not as big as Reza's but the food is 10000 times better. if yuo have a small birthday party or want to do a cozy dinner you will love this place. The owner and his wife were so friendly and amazing people. They did not try to push us on anything and everything we tried was fantastic. I hope they open more locations near Chicago. Thanks and we will be back soon.
(5)John G.
Great food and service. The Sultani was a great choice. Will be coming back soon!
(5)Keith B.
My wife and I got the boneless chicken and the chengeh, both were fantastic!!!!! Best of all, this place is within 5 mins from our house. Very friendly and attentive.
(5)Kristin X.
Baba Karam is the answer to my wish of having a Middle Eastern Restaurant open in Villa Park. There are a lot of familiar foods on the menu and some less known Persian dishes - so it's a great mix. The owners and staff are very accommodating. Welcome to the neighborhood!
(5)John B.
Great Persian food and wonderful food. Chef's Special Cheese appetizer alone would have made the meal worth it but OMG the kabobs and the dill rice!
(5)Yvette C.
We stumbled across this place needing a place to eat around 10 pm on a Saturday night. One of the first things we noticed is how clean the place is. That is always a good sign. Second, the waitress was very attentive to our needs and very cordial. But the last thing and best is that the food was some of the best I have ever had. I have lived in the mediterranean area and have experience many different foods because of that, but this was really top notch. The hummus was outstanding, the chicken skewers were very flavorful and not dry at all. Everything was so good. I highly recommend trying this place. You won't be disappointed.
(5)Swim Fish W.
Excellent new restaurant! The food was all very fresh and prepared with a great deal of care. The hummus is the best we have ever had. They were very friendly and attentive.
(5)Dianne W.
What an excellent meal! Our party of three ordered the cheese lover's delight of Danish cheese with peppers, olives, tomatoes and perfectly seasoned with herbs. It was more than enough for us to share. The barg, hummus and shirazi salad that we shared were well prepared and the portions were satisfying. Highly recommend for a good culinary experience in a quiet, Mediterranean atmosphere.
(5)Amir F.
We've been to many Persian restaurants before trying to find the authentic Persian dishes we always crave for and finally we found this restaurant! We have read sufficient reviews on Yelp that made us decide to go and try it. The restaurant is small but once we walked in, we received such a warm and friendly welcome. The place was so tidy, well organized and homey; it made us feel instantly very comfortable. The staff was so friendly, very attentive, prompt and caring, yet, the best part of it all is the awesome service and the appetizingly great food we had. The Lamb shank was so tender, perfectly seasoned and prepared. It is the best amongst the lamb shanks dishes we've ever had. The other dishes we ordered like the Kashke Bademjan, Combo plate of beef and chicken Khoubideh, and Torshi were a great choice - just like the taste of homemade cooking. We really had a great time savoring the food and enjoyed the pleasantness of the staff as well as the good ambience. The owners, Josh and Ana were very nice, warm and friendly. Now we definitely know where to go for fine dining and highly recommend this great restaurant.
(5)