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The Nile Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Middle Eastern Middle Eastern [Edit]
1611 E 55th St(at Lake Park Ave)
Chicago, IL 60615
Neighborhood: Hyde Park
(773) 324-9499
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 11:30 am - 9 pm
Sun 12 pm - 8 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
101 reviews for The Nile Restaurant
Review Highlights
"they have the best red lentil soup and Turkish coffee."
(in 13 reviews)
"The rice pilaf and chicken shawarma was very flavorful as..."
(in 11 reviews)
"Far and away my favorite hummus in Chicago."
(in 39 reviews)
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101 reviews in English
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Review from Ena J.
Chicago, IL
1/14/2012
This place is awesome. I usually order from Cedars. I am now making this my goto place in the neighborhood for Mediterranean food.
The falafel were delicious, light and crispy. The roasted veggies - which are usually mediocre at Cedars - were fresh, beautifully seasoned, and perfectly cooked. I had it delivered and it arrived in half the time estimated. This place is my new fave. I can't believe I've never tried Nile before. I could have been enjoying them for years!
I just have to note... My food JUST arrived, and I HAD to take time away from my meal to write this review. That's how good it is. ;) My food is delicious, fresh and PERFECTLY cooked. The Shish Taouk is really fresh, tender and juicy. -
Review from Michelle L.
Chicago, IL
12/14/2011
Great little place. I saw the check please! episode with the Nile and the hubby and I have been here a bunch of times since. Good food, cheap, clean, and comfortable. More of a lunch spot in my opinion, and good for take out too.
Lamb shwarma is really good - the wrap is actually better than the regular pita sandwich - more juicy and everything fits in better. A little greasy, but it works.
Salads are amazing - super fresh, the dressing is tasty, light, and seems like there is no oil in it (which would usually be a negative in my book, but they make it work).
Hummus is the best I've ever had. It's super creamy which is how I love it, and served with some lemon and olive oil. The pita is served piping hot and fresh like they just made it.
Finally, the baklava is sooo good - holy cow, you must save room for this nice little treat.
I wouldn't travel out of my way to dine here, but if you're not far it's a must try. -
Review from KChicagoan S.
Chicago, IL
10/22/2011
I had a decent experience at The Nile. I saw it on Check Please! a while ago and finally decided to go with my husband on a random Sunday evening. We were seated right away and immediately asked if we were ready to order. Considering I'd never been there, I need some time. I guess I can fault them for slow service...?
Ordered the hummus as an app and it was fine. Nothing special, just your run of the mill hummus. As an entree I split a combination meat platter with my husband - it came with chicken, homemade lamb sausage, fillet and then rice and potatoes on the side. The meat was overcooked and under seasoned, but wasn't bad.
The prices were VERY reasonable and BYOB never hurts. I may go back and give this place another whirl... -
Review from Krystel M.
Chicago, IL
1/14/2012
My 7 year old student reccomended this place to me when
I was pregnant and had a craving for a falafel sandwich.... now This might not count because I was preganant but I got so sick I thought I was going to go into labor ... and then I realized it wasnt me when my mom and cousin got messed up from it too... so I said maybe it was too greasy I'll stay away from the falafel sandwich . Then I had the lamb in pita... thingy... it was so fresh and good, I loved everything about it...it was simply good so that made up for my disaster. then I had the coffee...weird stuff... -
Review from Ramina S.
University Village, Chicago, IL
1/21/2012
The way the food is prepared taste like the actual dishes you enjoy in the Middle East. The menu has a variety of choices and it includes vegetarian dishes. The waitresses were really nice and they seem to know their regulars and their preferences. I tasted the Chicken shawerma sandwich and it was delicious! It is a great place for lunch or dinner.
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Review from Maram K.
10/13/2011
The food here is as authentic as Middle Eastern/Palestinian food can get. It reminds me of the trips I've taken overseas. The staff is fast, efficient and knows what to recommend.
Also, the owner was kind enough to arrange for a larger family-style dinner party. All we had to do was ask. The price was incredible and we received a lot of food and great service (per usual).
I will always make it my business to patron this restaurant and will always recommend it if they keep up the great food/service. -
Review from Maher A.
Chicago, IL
12/14/2011
This place is nice. They have some authentic middle eastern food that was very nice to try. I don't remember what we ordered exactly but it tasted good and each order was huge that you'd be full before finishing half of your plate. The service was excellent. and prices are just right
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Review from Patrick C.
Chicago, IL
1/9/2012
Menu is hit or miss. Some good appetizers the falafel in particular. If you are in Hyde Park, this is a decent choice.
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Review from Jenson c.
New York, NY
11/8/2011
When I lived down the block from the Nile, I loved it. I miss those college days. The meat is super juicy and tender, and the falafel appetizer, with the sauce, is awesome
Does anyone know what kind of dipping sauce it is? Is it tahini? I've never had a sauce like it since. -
Review from Amanda S.
6/24/2011
You know, I think the owners of The Nile have checked up on their Yelp reviews and changed things accordingly because:
1. Unless it's a different lady than the one written of in previous reviews (and it may be), she is efficient but she is also friendly.
2. The Chicken Shawarma was not at all dry, but was actually the highlight of the meal. The spices were fabulous, the meat was tender and the "sandwich" (two of us tried combinations, which did not come in pita) was so, so good.
3. Everything we tried was very well seasoned. From the Kafta Kebab to the Baba Ghannouj, appetizers, lentil soup and entrees, everything was so flavorful.
Now, about that lentil soup. It is delicious. Don't skip this one.
We did prefer the baba ghannouj in contrast to the hummus but would not complain about either.
I love that the lady running the cafe left the pitcher of water at our table so we could just help ourselves.
The falafel was not awful, just the opposite. I will definitely consider a falafel pita the next time we visit The Nile.
The stuffed grape leaves were leagues beyond any other stuffed grape leaf I have ever eaten.
Overall, the shish kabab beef was better than the kafta kabab. And, the chicken shawarma (or however they want to spell it) was better than the shish taouk.
As for the things they haven't changed? The weird spelling. "Shawerma" and "hummos" can be found on their menu and, most likely, their menu only. I've never encountered those words spelled in that manner but as long as they continue creating such tasty dishes, I really don't care how they spell it. Also, yes, the decor leaves a lot to be desired. Quite frankly, I was so taken with the food that I barely noticed the place looked like it was decorated by somebody's grandmother.
In other news, their bathrooms are super clean. And, a clean bathroom usually means a clean kitchen. Knowing that the place was spic and span eased my mind so that I could fully enjoy their delicious "shawerma" and "hummos" as I sat in my ugly chair and gazed upon photos of...peaches?Listed in: Sweet Home (away from home)…
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Review from Peter H.
Chicago, IL
7/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
Honestly I've loved every meal ever eaten here. The food is always served fresh, and the pita bread is hot. Spices accent flavors instead of wiping them out. If you're looking to get some of the chicken meals make sure to get there early and not near closing. A friend and I made that mistake and missed out on what we were hoping for. The alternatives were still really good though.
Always a good atmosphere, never noisy and almost never over-crowded. Makes for a great meal. -
Review from Kayce C.
Chicago, IL
3/31/2011
We've passed this restaurant so many times because we just didn't trust it would be a worthwhile experience. And then one night "Check Please" was on TV and some guy was raving about it. and the others seemed to agree. And so it was decided!
It's a very humble looking place that didn't spend on decor and atmosphere, but its better than other places I've enjoyed and its very clean. I was happy with the service as well, nothing to complain about.
Now we get to the juicy stuff. Food.
The food was phenom. My boyfriend and I LOVED it! We started with the Hummus appetizer and declared it the best hummus I have yet to taste. I had ordered a combination entree that provided a sample of their Shish Kabab Beef, Chicken Shawarma, Shish Taouk, and Kafta Kabab. The entree also came with rice and sauteed veggies, all for $13.99?!? I was eating this meal all weekend, it was a ton of delicious food.
My boyfriend ordered one of the seafood combination plates, and it did not disappoint. This was my first time eating Chicken Shwarma, and I'm a die hard fan now. Next time I'll probably just order that.
Writing this review has my mouth watering, I think I'll be going this weekend.Listed in: My Hood (Hyde Park)
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Review from Dion H.
Chicago, IL
This was my first time eating from The Nile Restaurant and I must say that they didn't disappoint. We didn't eat inside the restaurant but the sitting area seemed warm and cozy even though the area was small. Now to the food; the hummus was fresh and had excellent flavor and texture. The rice pilaf and chicken shawarma was very flavorful as well. I wasn't expecting the mixed vegetables of zucchini and carrots to come along with the dinner but it was a nice addition. I will say that the prices here are a little higher than other restaurants like this that I have been to which is the only reason I didn't hive them 5 stars. I will eat there again!
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Review from Jean-Pierre A.
Renton, WA
9/30/2011
Delicious!! The best Shish Touk i've ever had! The Shwarma is delicious and the Falafals are tasty! Resonably priced. Fast service. They need a better beverage menu and to dust the overhead fans! Overall the food is awesome!
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Review from Rebecca S.
Los Angeles, CA
4/26/2011
When I was in town a few weeks ago, my friend who lives around the corner from this place RAVED about it, so of course we had to go. We brought a bottle of wine which was immediately opened up by the server and poured and when we ordered, we were asked if we would be on two separate checks or not. How thoughtful to ask!
The food was awesome. We got lamb and chicken dishes and everything was huge and prepared quickly. We went on a week night and there was no rush at all to leave.
Plus, we ran into some of my friends classmates and her adviser too! If they didn't tell me how popular and awesome this place is, I don't know what would.
YUM! -
Review from Steve L.
Chicago, IL
5/8/2011
Like a lot of the more recent reviews on here, my wife and I saw Nile featured on "Check, Please." It looked like our kind of place, so we had to check it out.
We ordered the hummus, tabouleh, Lebanese salad, falafel sandwich, chicken shwarma wrap, and baklava.
The hummus was great. It was super creamy and tasted great. The pita, on the other hand, wasn't much to write home about. Kind of seemed like the stuff you could buy at the store.
The tabouleh was quite good as well, and they give you a massive amount. We are both fans of tabouleh that isn't too dry and doesn't have an overwhelming parsley flavor to it (I know, I know, tabouleh is basically 50% parsley...). This one hit the mark.
I liked the Lebanese salad. I don't know if it'd order it again, but it was very light, so it was a good complement to my wrap. And speaking of the shwarma wrap, it was good, but tasting my wife's falafel sandwich (which was great), I think I would have been happier if I made that my choice. I was going to order the falafel, but I always feel kind of silly ordering the same thing as my wife, especially if it's the first time we're trying a place.
The baklava was decent, but a little dry for my taste.
Overall, we enjoyed our meal, and we'll definitely be back. -
Review from Kate B.
San Francisco, CA
9/1/2010
I go to Jerusalem very frequently and have just been there for several months. Every time I come back thinking how completely sick of hummus and pita I am, how I won't even be able to look at schwarma for another 8 months. Then someone asks me if I want to go to the Nile and my ears perk up.
Gonna say this, if you are not ordering the chicken schwarma, you are missing what the incredible guy who owns this place made famous in Chicago. He brought it here, and his version is perfect in every way. It's cooked till moist and tender, seasoned and piled huge on to a pita with tahine and it's consistently wonderful.
The kifta kabob pita is also heavenly, and all of the food in general is very authentically seasoned. This is also one of the few places that I can find the cubed cucumber and tomato salads (the yogurt one is my favorite!) outside of Israel. Great lentil soup, hummos, baba and other staples too.
The dining room is plain but super clean, and the staff is friendly and I never have to wait more than 15 minutes when I drop in for takeout. Prices are reasonable and you get piles of pita when you order for delivery. My only complaint is that they don't have french fries, which would make for a perfect add-on to their already great schwarma sandwiches. I'd definitely pick this place over Cedars any day of the week. -
Review from Claire S.
Somerville, MA
11/25/2011
My husband and I ordered the combination appetizer plate ($6) with stuffed grape leaves, falafel, baba ghanoush, hummus, and warm pita, and it was so good that we decided to yelp the place, which we rarely do. The entrees seem hit or miss, but the sandwiches are right on (chicken shawarma wrap, $4). A group of 20 walked in for lunch after we did, and they were accommodated quickly. A pitcher of water and fresh cut flowers at each table is a nice touch.
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Review from Nick H.
Ithaca, NY
4/11/2011
Hummus was amazing and the pita was nice and warm.
The lentil soup was quite nice as well.
Service was pretty bad; one guy in our group had his meal delivered so late that he needed to get it to go. (They completely forgot about it the first time around.)
Aside from that, the food was pretty good. -
Review from Winston G.
Chicago, IL
9/12/2010
3.5 stars.
My only experience thus far with The Nile has been through delivery. Ordered dinner the other night - had the chicken sharwarma and the lamb kabobs - found both of the meats to be average. The chicken was a bit on the drier side, which I was not a fan of, but the lamb was moist and tasted good. The lamb probably could have used a bit more seasoning, but otherwise, the meats were just okay.
I did like the yellow rice that came with the dishes and the mixture of vegetables (squash, onions, etc). However, in terms of value, this place is a bit pricey - two of these dinner plates cost around $35 dollars delivered, plus tip and tax. Dinner entrees come with either salad or soup, but no hummus comes with either plate. -
Review from Meg S.
Glenview, IL
8/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great food and reasonably priced! Tried the red bean lentil soup that people suggested and it was awesome :). My friend's recommendation: try the carrot juice. Also, a note: if you don't end up liking this place, there are like 5 more restaurants right next to it....
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Review from Michelle W.
Los Altos, CA
6/2/2010
I am a California vegan who was afraid of not being able to find food to eat in restaurants during my trip to Chicago. It is an old prejudice, based on when a vegetarian friend who went to Optometry school in Chicago found it so hard to eat out that she stopped being vegetarian.
Fortunately my prejudices have not born out and I found decent vegan food here at the Nile Restaurant.
The hummus was clearly the star and was delicious 4 star hummus, I would also give 3.5 or 4 stars to the dolmas and the fallafal, but my entre, vegetale tagin, was just ok. And the decor is a bit early 80's cheap dining hall.
The waitress was clearly busting her --- and serving the entire restaurant single handedly in an amazing fashion. But she didn't seem very happy to be doing so. A smile along the way would have gone a long way.
All in al I would give this place about 2.5 stars. I could see rasing them to 3 stars with more experience there. -
Review from Curtis P.
Cambridge, MA
7/18/2010
Do believe all the great reviews of this place. The food is absolutely yummy.
Nile is just a name: the owners hail from Jerusalem. It is certainly not a kosher restaurant, though. It is Middle Eastern as interpreted through Israel.
I cannot disagree enough with the reviewers who did not care for this restaurant. The service was friendly (if slow), but the food was the real attraction. I rather like that the dining room is so spartan: your focus is, as it should be, on the cuisine. -
Review from Katie T.
Westmont, IL
8/25/2010
The Nile is da place to go for good, cheap Mediterranean food in Hyde Park.
The prices are good and the portions fair; it gets most of the basics right (falafel, babu ghannoj, hummus, etc.); I usually just get some combination of appetizers rather than ordering their main courses so I can't really comment on those. The yellow lentil soup is really good, though.
I went with a bunch of meat-eaters once and they all got their meat shawrma sandwiches which were all very big and filling.
The atmosphere leaves much to be desired and I remember when I first saw it, I thought it was some sort of fast food joint like Harold's Chicken and that this couldn't possibly be The Nile. However, what it lacks in authenticity of surroundings, it makes up for it in food. -
Review from Mary G.
Westmont, IL
5/18/2010
I'm so glad this place is in my neighborhood. Every once in a while, I'm walking home from working, feeling faint from shawerma withdrawal, and can walk right in and get my fix!
The restaurant was just recently remodeled, and is now much roomier (which is nice; some of the quieter table were really smushed in there...). It's not a place of high ambience, to be sure, but that hardly matters, because what The Nile is is awesome: a friendly place with great food and reasonable prices.
I love their tebouleh salad, as well as the one with cucumbers and tomatoes. Their hummus is amazing and is served with plenty of warm pita. Their sandwiches are a great value--they're huge and stuffed with yumminess: my favorite is the lamb shawerma, but the kefta kabob is good, too. If you go for the platter, be prepared to take some home. And don't forget to save a little room for their delicious bakalava for dessert!
I've never been disappointed with anything that I've ordered from this place. The Nile is a definite win. -
Review from Natalia C.
San Anselmo, CA
7/18/2011
This is seriously the worst food I've ever had. We wanted to try this place during our visit to Chicago, since it had such great reviews on Yelp, but we had to leave most of the food on our plate because we were afraid of getting sick. I just kept thinking: this is a perfect candidate for an episode of Kitchen Nightmares.
I tried to ask for the dressing on the side for my salad, but they said the salad was already mixed with the dressing, and that it had very little dressing. I thought, "well, maybe is some sort of mediterranean salad..."When my salad came, it was more like a soup than a salad because of the amount of dressing. The tomatoes tasted old like the salad had been made a few days before, and it was kind of warm, like it had been sitting out. The main dish was a huge pile of mushy yellow rice with grilled pieces of chicken and the most horrible grilled vegetables. the cauliflower looked burned, and the eggplant looked like it had been deep-fried a week ago. -
Review from g r.
Chicago, IL
7/13/2009
My south side adventure continues, as a new resident I've been trying out many places looking to build up my list of favorites. We'll another one bites the dust.
I'm having a hard time understanding all the great reviews for this place. The food was okay, I've had better. Nothing outstanding:
Hummos- as it is spelled on their menu, was good, but served with only two slices of pita. so we had to be conservative with our dipping.
Rice- tasted like instant Uncle Ben's that food coloring was used on.
Chicken Schwarma- good, but not trimmed of fat. I know I'm a snob.
Vegetables- overdone and limp, again I'm a snob.
Soup- The lentil soup was very good, it's one star of this review.
Service- just okay, they never asked us if we wanted anything to drink, they put down a pitcher of water, which was good because they gave us the smallest of water glasses. Which was another strange thing, the table across the way had small and medium glasses on it, then across for them the table had nicer regular water glasses. Just very random.
We ordered the Chicken Schwarma entree with the rice, if you order it with rice, you get no pita, or at least we didn't, other places I've been to give you some to go with it. We did ask for some, then about ten minutes went by I we told her to forget it and just give us the check.
Ambiance- I have no idea what's going on here. Clean the place up, just a bit. The carpet could use a shampooing and at least vacuum The baseboards by the windows on the west side had visible peeling paint, and the window sill had loose paint and plaster on them. (Are they remodeling?) The table where we sat had a chair rail with uneven paint on it, some brown color. The other chair rails didn't, strange design?
The tables have seen better days and so have the cafe style chairs. I don't know the place seemed very tired, so did the staff. I'd like to think it was the pricing, yes reasonable, however I've been to less expensive places that are cleaner and not exhausted. In my years of property management, I know old peeling paint when I see it, actually I'm sure you do too.
It's really to bad, because it could really be a cute place. I know it's cliche, but I really wanted to like this place. However, the longer I sat there, and the more I saw I just got the heebie jeebies. Paint peeling, dirt here and there and ceiling tiles with water stains on them. This is what you see. Makes me wonder about what you don't.
Was I really in the same place as the other reviewers? Or, I guess I'm that much of a snob, it's okay I know I'm picky. However, I have no weirdness about NYC street vendors, but something put me on edge here. Oh yes, non-snobby will eat just about anything husband, felt the same way.Listed in: Things South of the "0"…
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Review from Natanael M.
Darien, IL
7/17/2011
I thoroughly enjoyed my meal hear and look forward to going back.
I happened to go on a night where there was a large party from a conference that was taking place nearby so the restaurant was pretty loud and there was a lot going on around us.
We figured we would start out with an appetizer sampler so we could try out a couple different things. The hummus was pretty tasty but I enjoyed the baba ghannouj much more. They platter also had stuffed grape leaves which i wasn't a fan of but the falafel that came with it were delicious. We also had the taboulle salad on the side which was light and refreshing but not the best taboulle I've had.
My main dish came with a choice of salad or lentil soup. For some reason I love soups with lentils and this one had a great flavor and a good density to it. Rather than serving whole beans this was more like a puree. The main dish however was what probably sealed the deal on me going back to the restaurant. The chicken shawarma had a great flavor and each piece of chicken had at least one side that had a nice sear on it. The entree was enough for two people with the appetizer. The rice was your typical mediterranean style and the vegetables that came with it was seasoned and cooked perfectly. My only complaint is that it didn't come with enough yogurt to complement the rice and chicken. -
Review from Kara B.
Chicago, IL
7/30/2008
The Nile is the red-headed step brother to Cedars. Basically, it serves the same food, at similar prices but doesn't do as good of a job. It has decent everything, but nothing to write home about.
Their delivery is average. The portion sizes are large and you get a choice of salad or soup plus potatoes or rice with any entrees. But if you want to eat good Mediterranean food in Hyde Park, why not just go a few more blocks to a much better restaurant?Listed in: Eating in Hyde Park
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Review from Michelle T.
Chicago, IL
5/2/2011
I went to The Nile after seeing it in check please, and was Very disappointed. I will never go back. I have been eating at Pita Inn for years. I masked for some spicy sauce, and they brought me out some red thai hit sauce!!!!!! This was not worth my time. Bad food & Horrible service
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Review from Liz S.
Overland Park, KS
3/4/2008
I had just spent 4 hours at the Science & Industry Museum and was in dire need of nourishment. I had look previously to see what restaurants were in the area and this one popped up. I'm so glad it did.
The restaurant is a bit of a dive (BUT ohmygoodness I've never seen such a clean bathroom), but the food makes up for it. I had a chicken schwarma sandwich and split an appetizer with my friend. When the check came it was 17 or so dollars. A wonderful deal for a filling and delicious meal. I'll definitely be hitting up this spot if I'm in the area. -
Review from Josh K.
Beloit, WI
12/4/2010
The lentil soup is without equal.
The chicken shawarma is as good as you will get anywhere.
Everything else on the menu rates somewhere between solid and excellent.
Far superior to Cedar's and any faux northside competition, absolutely worth making a special trip. -
Review from Anne S.
8/3/2009
I had dinner here Saturday night, and the place was pretty empty.
I ordered the lamb kabob with a salad. I thought the lamb was amazing, and the rice was pretty good. The salad was perfectly fine as well.
The service was pretty mixed. We had several people attending to us. Some were very nice. They left a pitcher of water on our table, which I was appreciate since I drink a ton of water! However, the person that handled the bill was awful. First she asked me directly if I wanted a box, when I had an empty plate in front of me but my fiance's mother had food in front of her. I thought this was odd. But then when she returned the check, she gave the credit card to me, even though my fiance's mother was the one who gave her the credit card.
Needless to say, she was not impressed. -
Review from Lisa L.
Chicago, IL
7/7/2009
I was solidly impressed by this little spot in Hyde Park. I went here with a friend a bit ago, and we decided to split a couple appetizers and a sandwich a piece - definitely a poor plan! I was mislead by the cheapness of the appetizers, thinking that anything under $2 had to be a sample size, which was not the case at all. We could have easily skipped the sandwiches and just dined on the starters. All told, the two of us left stuffed and with leftovers in tow for a little over $20; if we had known about their portion sizes, we could have left for half of that.
Aside from the cheapness of the place, it was also very tasty. Next time I would like to test out some of their entrees just to see if the flavor translates into a bigger dish.
I'm happy to find more Middle Eastern places on the South Side; I love the cuisine but hate having to go out of my way to get it on the North side. I'm definitely going to be a repeat customer here! -
Review from Jason L.
Chicago, IL
3/29/2007
If you are looking for great Mediterranean cuisine on the South Side, look no further than the Nile. This Mediterranean restaurant is a staple in Hyde Park. There is usually plenty of places to sit, and if you have a group of 5-6 people, this place can be astronomically cheap.
The same little Asian woman is always serving the guests, usually by herself. This is why the service can at times be slow. However, once you lay your lips on their signature red lentil soup, you'll be glad you waited.
I always order a cup of red lentil soup, a Jerusalem salad, chicken shwarma sandwich, and hummus. This usually runs me about 7-8 dollars, an unusually cheap price for this size and quality of a meal.
The atmosphere is not really unique, or indicative of most Mediterranean restaurant aesthetics, but it is clean and tidy. If you are a U of C student, a passer-by or a long-time south sider like myself, this place is always a sure thing! -
Review from Piercy T.
Madison, WI
11/30/2006
One of the better Middle Eastern restaurants in the region.
Outstanding Schwarmas, Falafel, Lentil Soup, Jerusalem, Lebanese and Tabouli Salads, Shish Taouk and Kababs.
Worth going to Hyde Park just for dinner. Also a perfect place for lunch after going to Museum of Science and Industry or other Hyde Park attractions. -
Review from Roro r.
Chicago Ridge, IL
10/11/2011
shawarma is good, and salad good too i like it
the place is good -
Review from Honey B.
Chicago, IL
5/15/2007
Oh, I love love love The Nile.
The atmosphere is lacking, and some of the entrees are just so-so... but the appetizers are amazing.
Cheap cheap cheap for large portions of satisfying food- I usually pay under 6$, and end up eating my meal for both lunch and dinner.
Take out/delivery is best.
Keep in mind, though, that this is a Hyde Park rating-- meaning that this is compared to the dorm food and Harold's chicken. -
Review from Allison E.
Chicago, IL
5/22/2009
This place is pretty good. I have nothing to say about the decor or the service, but the food is quite excellent, especially the hummus. I never really know how to rate a place that has such mediocre decorations and absolutely nothing remarkable about anything, and then delivers such a fantastically delicious meal.
But really, when I go to a restaurant, my purpose is eating, and the Nile doesn't disappoint in that department. Really, with food this good, who cares about anything else? -
Review from Sam K.
Chicago, IL
12/21/2007
Stopped there for a $5 sandwich - the lamb Shawarma. It was delicious - really flavorful and tender. It was also a LOT Of lamb - if I cared about my colon more I would have saved some for another meal . . . .
On the negative it hardly had any veggies with it. When I go back, though, I'd probably just spring an extra dollar and ask for extra vegetables. It would still be a great deal. I'll be back, for sure.Listed in: My obligatory South Side List
