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I should preface this post by mentioning that I love Middle Eastern food. Even bad Middle Eastern is pretty tasty to my palate. That said, Garden Grill, next to the Hi Fi Video across the street from Scofflaw, on the corner of Kedzie/Armitage is good to very good Middle Eastern food. Nothing mind blowing, but all the standards are well done: fried-to-order falafel for 50 cents a ball, schwaerma sandwiches for $5.50, creamy hummus, lentil soup, baba, etc. Vegetarian sampler was massive and a steal at $8.50. Fresh pita to boot. Only knock is that there is no tabbouleh at this point. This is probably not destination dining, but it really trumps places like Sultan's Market, Roti, etc. I had been driving about 15 minutes up Kedzie to Salam for takeout, but those days are over for now. Really glad to have this in the neighborhood and I would encourage folks to check it out. The menu online isn't accurate at all (not sure why), so don't go there planning to order something exactly from the online menu.

Garden Grill
3129 W Armitage Ave
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 486-0800
11-9 Daily

Thanks for sharing. I've been riding by it daily since they put the sign up, and because it is set back in the hi-fi-mini-strip, I had no idea it was Middle Eastern. Doesn't H-Fi Video have a hookah shop? Hmmm...

Anyway, goes to show that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. Everything about that sign screamed wraps and salads, and I want nothing to do with any establishment that focuses on wraps and salads.

Look forward to trying it out.

According to Yelp reviews the same family owns or is affiliated with the video shop, the hookah shop, and Garden Grill. If they could just squeeze out the Subway in that strip and open a hookah lounge, that would make for a pretty sweet 1-2-3-4 punch: dinner, hookah, drinks at Scofflaw, maybe another hookah, then movie. Ha.

One thing I neglected to mention is the rice here. Not an afterthought. Buttery, actual basmati rice. Looking forward to leftovers for lunch.

Thanks for this report, I live about a mile west of here and run by this place a few times a week. My wife and I have been wondering about it, but haven't had the chance to stop in. We will now make it a next-up spot to dine. And maybe a hookah after...

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- Mark

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Awesome! I live 3 blocks away. Definitely gonna check this out soon.

Returned tonight. Falafel again stellar,but chicken kabob and schwaerma were dry. Kifta on the other hand was moist and delicious.

In my continuing efforts to increase patronage at the Garden Grill, the website, with an accurate menu, is below:

http://gardengrillchicago.com/

It is my regrettable duty to give a downhill report on the Garden Grill. What was once so promising has turned mediocre. The past several times I've been there falafel has been held for a time and pretty dry, things have been left out of my carryout order, and perhaps worst of all, it has become epically slow. Last night will be my last visit for a while, because I placed a carryout order at 5 p.m. and when I walked in at 5:40, despite there being no customers in the restaurant, it was just beginning to be assembled. No verbal recognition was given of my presence in the restaurant by either of the women working here. I let them know that I was picking up food for a babysitter and was annoyed that it was just now being made. The woman offered no apologies other than to give the excuse that the guy who mans the grill was gone. That might make some sense if a) there were any customers in the place; or b) I had ordered anything to be grilled. Very frustrating. While I was waiting two people walked in, stood around for 5 minutes, and left after no one acknowledged them. Just bad business and a terrible shame, given the initial promise shown by Garden Grill. Maybe they'll turn it around and I'll be back, but not very soon.

As I stated in my initial post, I just can't seem to quit middle eastern food. As such, despite several atrocious experiences at Garden Grill, I went back! Is it back to its former self? Not really, but it has raised the bar back to good basic Middle Eastern food. I've been back twice in the past week and called ahead. No issues when I arrived to pick it up. A few folks chomping on food happily that suggests they didn't wait an hour for it. I'd suggest giving it another chance if you live in the neighborhood.

Solid. The guy insisted on making the falafel fresh, the chicken shwarma was moist and the rice top notch. An off menu tabbouleh had the perfect acidity and crunch. Will be a nice addition to the delivery options in this neighborhood.

Appears to have closed. Been dark for about a month, according to my friends across the street at Scofflaw.

=R=

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