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Categories: Middle Eastern, Vegan, Mediterranean
Neighborhood: The LoopQuincy/Wells (Orange, Brown, Purple Express, Pink)
LaSalle (Blue)
Jackson (Blue, Red)
Mon-Fri. 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
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For a quick lunch not covered in grease, this is definitely the spot. You can get in fast, get your falafel or shawarma and either find a seat at any of their tiny gnome sized tables or take it back to your desk like a true workaholic.
I tried their cucumber salad and it tasted like bitter yogurt, but not in that Mediterranean yummy yogurt way....more like "This yogurt has turned sour and we're going to cover it with spices to try and mask that fact." Don't recommend the cucumber salad, but the shawarma was good with a nice blend of spice -- topped with hummus and you've got way better than a Big Mac next door.
I have been there for lunch 3 times now, and would go back many times. Each time I was able to grab a small table, and the lines moved quickly.
I have tried both the beef and chicken, as well as the falafel sandwich. I get the wheat pita, their red onions and some of the other toppings. Everything is always fresh and tasty. The last 2 times I got a side order of the falafel, and they were cooked perfect. Crispy on the outside, hot and flavorful on the inside. Their spicy sauces could have a bit more kick for my taste, but regardless they are good.
For service, everyone has always been quick and friendly, and prices are good as well.
My friend and I decided to hit up this place to check things out. The main reason for our visit was to use a 10% off discount card. Already I Dream of Falafel knows how to win my heart. I heart coupons!
We arrived at around 11:40am and the place had about 5 patrons. When we left at around 12:15 they had a line of 15 people! The line was almost out the door! My suggestion would be to arrive before noon if possible.
There are a few tables in the restaurant, approximately 8 tables so seating here is slim. Plan to take the food to go if its crowded, or throw up your fists for a good fight!
Overall the restaurant appeared very clean and the staff was very friendly. They have a menu that gives clear instruction on how to order. It tells you step 1, step 2 and step 3, so you wont get confused. Follow that order and you should be fine.
I ordered the Veggie platter which comes with hummus, baba ganoujeh, falafel and dolmas. The falafel does not come prepared for you. They basically scoop everything onto the dish and you have to make your own falafel sandwich. Its a bit more work before you can eat the food, but works out well because you can portion what you want to eat now, and what you want to save for later if you cant finish all the food. Portions are a lot. I wasnt able to eat everything in one sitting.
My one complaint is that the dolmas were a bit too salty and spiced for my taste. The flavors were too strong for me. I didnt really prefer it.
Overall a great place! The food was fresh and reasonably priced. I was impressed!
I'm still dreaming about the falafel I ate yesterday! This is a great lunch spot for Vegans in the loop, most of the menu is Vegan, in fact, everything that's Vegan is clearly labeled with a big V. So I ordered the falafel sandwich (not on the menu) without the white sauce (made with yogurt) and I had hummus added to it instead. I thought the falafel in my sandwich was amazing and among the best in the city, and my sandwich was very good and well above my expectations.
Typically, when I go to one of these falafel places, I expect some old, dirty, greasy restaurant; however, that's clearly not the case at I Dream of Falafel. Not only was it clean, but it was decorated very nicely... I'll definitely be back!
Not to get all MLK on something so inconsequential as a falafel restaurant but I have a dream of something too!
In this dream, I walk to the corner of Franklin and Van Buren and my eyes once again look upon the glory that was Petra Cafe. A simple lunch counter of a Middle Eastern restaurant serving diverse, authentic Lebanese and Israeli specialties inexpensively to a crowd of hungry west loop Middle Easterners.
This dream was once reality but has now been replaced by a nightmare. A nightmare that began when after a winter of being confined to a block radius of my office building, I once again ventured to this corner and found Petra Cafe gone. My tears were stopped a little when a couple of months later, I saw that a new Mediterranean place now occupied Petra's spot.
But stepping inside finally a couple of weeks ago, what I found in reality was nothing like Petra. This place was no longer straight outta the Holy Lands, it was now straight outta Lakeview! A sterilized, hipper version of a falafel shop - all chrome and cheesy wall designs and standardized choices set up in a three part "choose your own" schwarma and falafel (bread, main, sauce) menu. Many people have compared this to Chipotle, but oh how I wish it had that many choices! This menu is TINY!
Now in the interest of full disclosure, I have not had the namesake dish here. I am not a fan of balls. But as far as the deli choices they try (which is what the old tenants of this address specialized in) - dolma, lentil soup, and the like, this place is falafail! The grape leaves were dry (though at around $2.00 for four, I guess I got what I paid for) and the lentil soup is flavorless (and extremely small).
It seems as though the build your own falafel and schwarma (there are actually three schwarma choices to one falafel choice) sandwich shop is the wave of the future (thanks to all the people who think that's the only thing that qualifies as Middle Eastern) so this nightmare I'm having will probably continue. Or maybe one of these places will wake up and bring back a little authenticity to the loop area Lebanese lunch menu.
I'm not holding my breath, but I am holding onto the dream.
Thank Allah for a a Falafel joint in the loop forward thinking enough to label what is Vegan. Jaffa Bakery lost me because I wasn't sure about their Falafel, and because of their creepy turkey obsession (what is up with that).
This place has good falafel sandwiches on wheat pita (hummus, tomato, cucumber- yum) and the lentil soup is great and cheap. I thought the falafel themselves tasted great; really fresh.
Note to vegans: I highly doubt the Tahini is vegan, probably made with yogurt.
The line was practically out the door and the amount of men making my sandwich made me a little anxious (3 guys touched my sandwich yet it didn't make things go any faster). I think once they streamline service a little bit, they will be GOLDEN.
Three stars for fresh food and labeling everything vegan...bravo
I Dream of Falafel? Mmm, not so much.
I don't dream of falafel, especially not this falafel. Fortunately, I don't have nightmares about it either.
I popped in here on a whim, seeing as it is around the corner from my office and I wanted to try something new. I'm not sure if the guy helping me was mentally spent after a hectic lunch rush or just really inattentive or even possibly hard of hearing.
I got the falafel on a Lebanese roll. Roll really isn't the right adjective to describe this, it's more like something between a pita and a tortilla wrap. The guy put my three falafel balls on it and some hummus and seemed ready to call it a day. When I noted that I wanted some veggies on it, he unwrapped it an added them. WARNING: I love onions, but these were very overpowering. I'm not sure if it's what they're marinated in or what.
Three times I mentioned that I wanted the spicy tomato sauce on the side and three times I was looked in the eye and ignored. Finally, the cashier intervened and made sure it got in the bag. Also, when I told the guy I wanted my falafel to go he put it on a tray?! Again, the cashier intervened on my behalf as I gave the guy my best "are you f-ing kidding me?!" look. I don't know, maybe it was just opposite day and I missed the memo.
My falafel was just ok, I've had better. I didn't really care for the spicy tomato sauce, it was more salsa-like, than sriracha-like; the falafel also seemed a little salty. My favorite part was the flatbread. I'll probably give it another shot, prices were reasonable - under $6 for a falafel, well priced if you load it up with veggies.
Note: For a place called I Dream of Falafel it seems odd that falafel only comprises one lunch option.
For those of us who work downtown, you know that sometimes, you need a quick bite during lunch. This happens to be one right across the street from my building and thus, makes it very convenient for me to skip across Franklin for a bite, especially on those frozen winter days when you don't want to venture too far. I guess I was blessed that way :)
Although I want to say this is a chain...it may seem like it but it's not. I believe this is the only one downtown, and for a fast food joint...it's quite good and inexpensive.
What's even better? The simple menu. This is how it works:
1) You select your starch - rice, lebanese rolls, salad or hummus.
2) You select your meat - Beef shawerma, chicken shawerma, kabobs or vegetarian.
3) You choose your sauce - I personally recommend the tahini sauce.
And starting at $5.25, you get a decent amount of food, expediently served.
So you don't have a lot of time, but your stomach is yearning for middle eastern...try this place out. I have been there a few times and it's quite good!
As someone who often has lucid dreams that involve chickpeas, I was excited to see this place open up in The Loop. Unfortunately, the falafel sandwich is not that good here. The falafel itself was somewhat soggy and had a definite lack of hummus. The staff is not very friendly, and the line is short. A restaurant with a short line during noon in one of the most dense places in the United States should raise a red flag. I would recommend Oasis Cafe on Jeweler's Row as an alternative.
Ever since this placed opened, I have been addicted. Since I work Monday through Friday in the Loop, I can't help but go there at least once a week. Their food is excellent. I recommend the Veggie Platter. Very filling, and extremely tasty!!
Hands down this is the best Mediterranean/falafel place I've been to in the Loop. It's also not a shit hole like the other places so eating here doesn't make you feel like you need to take a shower once lunch is over. I'll be back.
Like Chipotle, or fellow Chicago restaurant Chutney Joe's, I Dream of Falafel is a quick-serve, build-your-own lunch spot with falafel and hummus and whatnot.
I like that they label all their vegan options, which are standard Middle Eastern things made of chickpeas or eggplant. You can't find labeled vegan food in the Loop very easily.
I had a falafel sandwich ($5.99) (made with whole wheat pita!) and added some tomato and onions and tahini. They also had the option for a spicy tomato sauce or a garlic tomato sauce.
The sandwich was decent on a whole, but not great. The falafel itself was not terribly flavorful and I'm not a fan of mixing and matching loads of condiments and sauces to enhance a dish. The best falafel I've ever had can always stand on its own, without the need for extras, but I Dream of Falafel's doesn't.
That said, this place is not bad by any means and I'm always in favor of more vegan-friendly joints in the Loop. For that, I give this place three stars and would probably return if I ever worked downtown.
As an out of town tourist who spent a wonderful 3 day holiday in Chicago recently (loved Steely Dan!!), I did a little internet research in advance of our trip so I wouldn't be held captive going to overpriced, touristy places. "I Dream of Falafel" had many positive reviews on this page, as well as other review sights that I trust, so my husband and I decided to orde from here. I must add, also, that I lived in Berlin, Germany, for a semester, and believe me when I say that I know falafel! :-) "I Dream of Falafel" lived up to its hype and name, and then some.
The place is quite close (almost across from) the Tower formerly known as Sears (now known as the "Big Willy!), and has a small dining room. We took ours to go.
About the falafel, we ordered the falafel wrapped in the Lebanese roll (whole wheat), which was a large flat bread. We had all the veggies, tahini sauce,and added extra Baba Ganoujeh, which was really worth the $2.75 extra. The falfel was literally wrapped up, so it looked like a burrito. The falafel was seasoned quite uniquely, but it was delicious and satisfying. The toppings all played off one another nicely, All in it was a huge meal, and even with 2 cans of soda, our order was under $20. A++
P.S. When are ya'll gonna open a branch in Dallas?! Come on, please! :-)
You know how you always want to take your coworkers to Taza, but they're a little sketched-out by the whole-in-the-wall vibe? I Dream is a good alternative. The food's definitely up a notch over Roti -- or at least the falafel sandwhich is. $7 for a falafel sandwhich is a bit steep, but the ingredients appeared to be high-quality.
Also, try the "ice cream" flavored soda. I'm not saying it's good. But interesting at least, and green.
An excellent replacement for the further and further away Haifa Cafe.
I went three times last week, and everything I've had had been great. Not that I've sampled around like I should have, but other people have also had complimentary reviews.
My addiction is the hummus - and if you order your meal on a bed of it, you get a massive helping. Not too much garlic, not too much cumin. Excellent. And, if you get hummus as the "starch" then you also get some pita to mop it up, or to stuff with meat, as I prefer.
Other than that, I've had the chicken and the beef shawerma. Both excellent. They tend to get cold a little quickly, and they're not swimming in juice like Haifa, but the meat itself is juicier, so it's not all that necessary. The seasoning is better, in any case, especially the beef, which Haifa doesn't even offer. To put it was over the top, you get a choice of sauces - the raita, spicy tomato, and jalapeno are all excellent - the jalapeno is my favorite. And you can get tomato, cucumber, coriander, onion, and pickles as toppings, all nice changes from the wilted lettuce handful you get from Haifa.
I've also sampled the falafel, and they're excellent. Green on the inside from the coriander, moist and delicious. Again, better than Haifa. Too bad they're 4 for $2 - I really only want one or two, as the humus and shawerma is a ton of food.
Others report the Lebanese roll to be excellent, and the lamb kofta to be tasty but a little dry. I need to try the kofta myself.
Anyway. Good enough, and close enough - I don't think I see many Haifa trips in my future.
As of this writing, I am the only person with an uploaded photo and more than 1 total reviews on Yelp to have written a review for this establishment.
You all know what this means.
QMH ftl.
Formerly known as Petra Cafe, I believe this is the same ownership but re-branded and a different… Read more »
I Dream of Falafel is a welcome addition to the Loop. Now I don't have to walk a mile to Taza to get quality Middle Eastern. It's a vast improvement on the previous occupant, Petra Cafe, whose falafel were like sawdust.
I've already been here several times for lunch and have taken several people with me - all enjoyed. I usually order a Lebanese roll with either chicken or beef shawerma. Both meats are tender and served in a roll that serves much more like a wrap than it does an open pita that many other restaurants serve. You can choose your toppings - onion, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and a sauce. I've tried the spicy tomato and the yogurt - both are delicious.
I usually get a side of falafel or hummus. The falafel are simply among the best in the city. I like to think I've eaten my share of falafel and since I discovered Middle Eastern food about 7 years ago in L.A., I know a good falafel when I taste one. These are great! They are large, golden brown on the outside, green and moist on the inside. The hummus is also fantastic - prepared with a bit of oil. Just a side of falafel and hummus can make a meal.
I also tried the lentil soup, which is among the best in the city. It's comparable to some of the best you can find in Albany Park. If you really like Middle Eastern food and need a good alternative to most of the garbage in Loop (see the nearby restaurants) you should try I Dream of Falafel. I'm going to make it at least a weekly lunch stop.
eh.
Don't get me wrong. My lunch here was decent. I paid $5.50 or so for a falafel sandwich. It just wasn't anything special. The falafel wasn't all that fresh but it wasnt old and hardened either. The sauces were fine. The pita itself was pretty tasty (and they roll up the falafel in a unique and interesting way).
The best thing I got was a small lentil soup which went awesomely with the slice of lemon they put in it.
I suppose I'd come back if I'm at work and REALLY in the mood for falafel. But for now, Sultan's doesn't exactly have to start looking over it's shoulder.
one word. GOOD. silly name, sure, but the food is great, fast, and decently priced compared to other food sources in the area. the chicken shawarma on the lebanese roll with garlic sauce is amazing.
i wish the lentil soup (fantastic, by the way) were a bigger portion, but at $1.75 you can't really complain.
Best middle eastern food for lunch in the loop. The meat here is actually the best middle eastern styled/flavored meat I have had in the city. The portions are generous, the price is fine and the service is quick. I'm not sure what everyone is complaining about.
The loop can be a really frustrating place to go get lunch quick...but I Dream of Falafel stands out as a quick, delicious, reasonably priced place.
Not bad, not great, but I'd go back and give it another try. I tried the beef schwarma on the salad trio with spicy tomato and the garlic sauce. Definitely not spicy at all. But the meat was flavored well and the salads were pretty fresh. The trio consists of fattoush, jerusalem (I think) and just plain lettuce. It was a nice size portion for $7.
If you order the traditional salad, be aware that it comes with what I think is the jerusalem...tomatoes, cucumber, red onion and pita croutons. I brought this back for my co-worker and he was a little snarkity about the fact that there was no lettuce.
Whoever said it was set up like Chipotle, was exactly right; which I think is nice so you can see what you're getting. On this particular day, the falafels all looked burnt...if I hadn't seen them, I probably would've given them a try.
If you work nearby, I think this is a decent place vs all of the chains in the loop, but I wouldn't go too far out of my way to eat here.
I went across the street to pick up lunch with a coworker and really wished I was stepping into Petra instead. This hip new Chipotle-esque spin on Middle Eastern food was at best lacking. And by that I mean lacking in much flavor, Falafel, sauce and toppings. The only thing it was not lacking was a high price tag. At least Chipotle knows to charge less for vegetarian "wraps" than ones filled with more expensive ingredients such as meat. I will have a hard time picking it when there are many other Middle Eastern food options in the loop.
I liked it! it's better than Haifa Cafe and Mezza, the lamb shwarma was very nice, pink in the middle and juicy, the veggie platter was very filling, I am very pleased with this place for a lunch option in the loop. It's the best so far. They are very nice also.
I went here today for about the seventh or eighth time, and I have to admit, I'm a fan. While it's certainly no Falafel King, (Winter St., Boston, MA), it is simple, fast, good and tasty middle eastern food at a very reasonable price.
I have no idea if the food is "authentic" and frankly, I don't care. It's just tasty.
I went here for lunch today and was happy to see only 2-3 people in line as opposed to Subway next door with a line out the door. I was hungry! I am not 100% familiar with the names of some of these items so I took a minute to see what other people were ordering. I ended up with the Lebanese Roll with chicken and chose both the Spicy Tomato and the Garlic sauce along with cucumber, tomato and onion for the toppings. THIS SANDWICH ROCKED. The chicken was perfectly seasoned with hints of cinnamon or nutmeg (?) and the sauce combo was amazing. The whole wheat pita that it came wrapped in was slightly toasted and delicious. There was a ton of tasty chicken and the sandwich alone was totally satisfying. This is my new favorite thing. So happy it re-opened and is so close!! A wonderful lunch for under $5.
I Dream of Falafel (what a goofy name) is in the spot where Petra used to be. IDOF has a pleasant and subdued interior as opposed to the former cafeteria look of Petra. I enjoyed my grilled lamb kefta kabob on a bed of golden rice, which costs more than if you order it on a Lebanese roll. The platter contained three dense and flavorful hunks of kefta, topped with a bit of toum (garlic sauce), and the rice was just OK. The falafel was pretty good, though I don't think I will be dreaming of them. My friend had the chicken shawerma on whole wheat roll, and he liked it but it was not the best he has ever had. I will probably return to IDOF, since it is very close to my office.
I've tried the chicken, the lamb, and the falafel and all are good. Definitely get the Lebanese roll. It's the closest I've tried in Chicago to Laffa bread (which is heavenly). Not the best middle eastern food I've ever had but it does the trick. I intend to go back regularly.
Just tried this place today after becoming intrigued with middle eastern food.... To my surprise there was a longish line but it did move pretty quickly. I had the beef shwarma on the lebanese roll (you also have a choice between yellow rice, salad, hummous at varying price points). The meat was OK....could be marinated more. My initial thought was they skimp a lot on the tahini and ingredients. My final assessment is that its just OK...a little on the bland side and a little on the small size. The baklava tasted ok, but it was quite hard. had to saw through it with a knife. This place is still worth trying if you want something different for lunch and work in the vicinity. Overall, it pales in comparison to Old Jerusalem, Brian's Deli, and Andi's.
I wish this place was still Petra Cafe. The falafel is OK, nothing special. My falafel sandwich came with 3 pieces of falafel, pretty weak. They also raised there prices and now you get smaller portions. I will be looking for a new place to get a falafel sandwich.
this spot gets 3.5 stars...not 4 because Nesh got 4 and Nesh is much better. excited to try a new lunch spot in the Loop, so went today and got there at 11:45am. there were only 2 people in there and no line - i was shocked. unfortunately, i had to wait on a friend that i was meeting, and he didn't show until noon, so in that 15 min timeframe, i kid you not, those falafel dreaming folks served up at least 50 people!! they are so quick! the line got really long, almost to the door, at about 11:50am and never went away the whole time i was there (about 30 mins)! very popular spot...probably due to the Metromix review - that's how i found out about it.
anyways, on to the good stuff...i had the chicken shawerma on a wheat lebanese roll and loaded it up with 3 sauces: tahini, spicy yogurt and jalepeno. added fresh tomato, onion, lettuce, parsley, and this was one d@mn tasty sammy ($5.25)!! the sauces were a perfect spice and they didn't skimp on loading it on there, which i loved. the roll was nice and thick, and unlike pitas, didn't break in my hands when i was eating it even though i had all that saucy goodness in it. a major plus! i also got a side of falafel and thought i was going to get only one, but i got four ($2). they were really good, not greasy or burnt like i've read in some reviews. Nesh def has them beaten on the falafel front though, although I Dream has better rolls. and this really was enough food for 2 meals...of course, i shoved it all down my throat like i hadn't eaten in days, but it was so tasty i couldn't stop!
the restaurant is nice and clean and new, not like a dive hole in the wall spot like Haifa Cafe (which i like as well, but the place just looks like it's violating all kinds of health codes). and the servers were all very friendly and expeditious. overall, solid lunch spot that i will frequent.
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