In the mood for some type of Middle-eastern food, I happened upon this place last night.  There was legal parking on the adjacent street ,overnight-permit, but this was before 6pm, so no prob.  WOW! I had no idea it was a Hookah Lounge as well as a restaurant! My Ist impression was that I had discovered some fabulous, secret place.  Instead of common tables and chairs, the very large, open room was filled with dark red velour couches and armchairs, with low, coffee-table-height tables.  There were four parties seated: 2 Middle-Eastern groups of men, 1 single man, one very visibly Caucasian couple. I wondered if they felt as out of place as I did. But they seemed very comfortable, leaning over to dine on their meal.  I surmised they'd been there before. Greeted by a pleasant young woman, I said "Wow.  This is amazing...I just came in for carry-out".  Sensing my discomfort, she quietly led me to the back of the room, & handed me a small menu.  I ordered two things on the menu that looked familiar: beef  shawarma meal, and a vegetable samosa.  As I paid for my food, I heard a rythmic, watery sucking noise...& realized the man sitting near me was partaking of a Hookah pipe... I then realized one other party also had a pipe going...As an asthmatic, I realized I couldn't stay in there; & went outside to wait in the fresh air.  When my food was ready, the woman brought my bag towards the door, thanking me (I think she'd noticed the tip).  When I got home, I enjoy a delicious soup with potato that came as part of the meal. The entree was plentiful and tasty...I like things mild. There was also a fresh green salad, which I appreciated, though it had a bit much vinaigrette dressing. The one actual disappointment was what was purportedly an order of  samosas.  I have had & loved samosas in numerous restaurants.  What I got were two small, fried cylinders...maybe they were out of samosas & thought I wouldn't know the difference? I was clearly out of my element... I will try this place again. Sadly- for my lung's health, it will have to be carry-out again. But I'll skip the samosa & get more of that yummy soup. I imagine it can be a very fun place for those with strong lungs to hang out with friends. BTW, am about to finish that beef shawarma for a late breakfast!
Review Source:So let me give you the fair warning up front that I'm not going to bash this place. The previous reviews all come together as one big  bashing party, and I'm not attending.
I've done delivery once and sit down and eat twice, and I actually really like it. The hummus is spectacular, both by delivery and in house... the presentation combined with the taste could be award winning. The main courses are really well priced for the quality/freshness of both the meats and the veggies. One of the times I ate there the shwarma was superb, and the next time it was way over spiced, but the freshness is undeniable. The hookah is pretty do it yourself style... once you get your hookah don't expect someone to come over and check on your coals or anything of the sort (but they bring you tongs, mouth pieces, and two spare coals in the ash tray, so don't hesitate to do it yourself).
The service here is terrible, that I'll admit. Both of the times that I've been here I've had the same waitress and both times she's been inexcusably slow. Neither time was she responsible for more than 4-5 tables. You'll get menus quickly, but you'll have to wait awhile to order. To avoid this, I've learned to order everything at one time and go up to the counter and ask if you need something additional... but no, with gratuity included I shouldn't have to do that. Â
Considering all of this, I've started attending like once a week as a low key date night, decent food, decent price, hookah adds some flair and its really chill. I'd recommend it.
Wasn't really sure what i was getting myself into going here and I'm pretty sure I wont be going back. The food itself was pretty good( hence the two stars), but that was about it. I didn't realize Habibi was a hookah lounge until some folks came in. That made it a little less appetizing to me. I noticed there were "no smoking"signs on all the walls yet people starting lighting cigarettes here and there. Can you even smoke in restaurants here?? Whether it is or not, the signs mean nothing because the waitress brought out an ashtray for them to use. I ordered a falafel wrap before all those folks came in and it still took 30 min to get my food... Before they came in I was the only one there... In my book, that's WAY too long. Then they tack on 18% gratuity no matter what the party size. I don't think my waitress deserved even 10. She was slow, didn't pay any attention to me and i had to walk up to the counter when I was done because she didn't once come by to ask how the meal was or anything. As I said, the food itself is fine so if you have to eat here get take out or something because the service is horrible and I don't like the idea of eating where people are smoking in the booth next to me.
Review Source:My brother and I were CA-RAVING food. Munchies mad style. We enjoy Naf Naf Grill in Naperville and since we were at Loyola Chicago, we figured we would search GrubHub for some similar eats. We came across Habibi and order Chicken Shawerma and Hummus with Pita Bread. SUPER disappointed... The Shawerma lacked so much flavor and had no other interesting ingredients involved with the "sandwich". The rice was dry and bland, even the bread was awful - which, quite frankly is the most crucial component. They really need to step up their recipes because this is by far the worst Mediterranean cuisine i've tried in the melting pot of Chicago. I will not order from here again.
Review Source:I have been interested in trying this place for a while. After reading all of the vehemently negative reviews posted here, naturally the closet contrarian in me had to check it out and see if I would be at variance with popular opinion. So, I went into Habibi on a weekday afternoon. I entered to witness what seems to be their signature empty dining area with the intent of ordering food to go. For appetizer, I had intended to order the kibbeh, but then I noticed they also serve samosas. Intrigued at finding a dish that is normally the exclusive domain of South Asian restaurants, I decided to order this with the chicken kabob entree. The wait, for me, was not excessively long. The pleasant waitress brought me water, and I watched the videos of bellydancing performances.
What did surprise me, though, was when the woman in the kitchen (I believe one of the owners) came out to bring me a plate loaded with half of a savory phyllo dough pastry filled with beef and rice, along with one whole savory pastry, and asked me to try it. Really just looking to get my food and go, but not wanting to be impolite, I tried a couple of bites of the half pastry, only then to be asked if I wanted to purchase the complete pastry for an additional $3. Taken aback, I said no, and my rejection was respected, but I was a little disconcerted by the thought of being hit up for more money when I had already given them my money for the food I ordered. Not cool.
At any rate, I got my food and brought it home. It was okay, but I was not "wowed." The samosas were in the shape of miniature spring rolls, and their vegetable filling was not something I recognized from Indian restaurants. They were also tiny, and I don't think their size justified the price when I could have bought the typical triangular (and larger) samosas elsewhere for roughly the same price. For the entree they did provide a lot of food, including grilled chicken pieces, a side of rice, two pitas, and pita chips, but the chicken and the rice were both rather bland. I prefer quality over quantity and would have been happy with a smaller portion of food that was more flavorful.
Having said the above, I have to say that not one of the horror stories mentioned on here happened to me. My wait for food was not extreme, nor was I bullied by anyone regarding my order or the bill, but I have had better Middle Eastern food. Still, I would be willing to give Habibi another try, but I might just order different dish. Their hookah interests me, and I don't have a problem with a restaurant moonlighting as a hookah lounge. Maybe that could be a plus. It is definitely convenient.
Late review: came to this place around December of 2011
If only I could give it no stars. So me and my 3 other friends went to this place because we got the Google Offers coupon. It was great because we've always enjoyed different kinds of food, especially my one friend who lives in Albany Park---tons of Persian and Indian food in that area. So anyway, she and her husband got there earlier than me and my boyfriend. She told us the story of how the manager shouted at the waitress that was assigned to them in front of all the people there. He shouted at her just because she didn't explain properly the deal of the coupon.
It was awkward and we were angry at the manager for doing that to the waitress. Still the waitress still served us really well and was still very attentive. The food was great and had really good portions, although I can't remember what we ordered anymore.
We also enjoyed some hookah. Not too bad, but it was very mild. Then around 9:40pm, the waitress comes along and asked us if we wanted to stay for the party (there will be belly dancers and music from a DJ) but we'd have to pay extra $13.00 each. It was sooo awkward going out of the resto because they were closing the doors and windows for that party.
Horrible service. There are tons more Egyptian restos in Chicago. Deal breaker was definitely the manager being awfully rude to his employee.
Will definitely not go back here again.
I had purchased a discounted dining coupon in my efforts to support neighborhood businesses, so I went to Habibi not having read anything about it. The atmosphere wasn't really conducive to American-style dining, but I had to remind myself it wasn't an American restaurant. Although there's no indication on it's signage, it's really a hookah lounge that serves food, filled with sofas and coffee tables and only a few dining tables. I hear there's a DJ and belly dancing on occasion. Food was good (chicken and beef shwarma with rice and roasted veggies, fresh and tasty hummus and pita), but $5 for a bottle of Heineken was a little pricey for a neighborhood joint. I was caught offguard by the fact that they automatically added 15% gratuity to the check. I generally have only experienced this with larger parties, vs. a party of two. Not sure if it was added beause I used a coupon or if it's their standard practice. I probably wouldn't opt to dine in again, but might consider take-out.
Review Source:I didn't even get a chance to try the food. I had a coupon (from the Entertainment Guide) that clearly stated it was valid anytime until Nov '12 and included dine-in or take-out. Fortunately I asked the waitress about the coupon before ordering. Per the owner, the coupon was not issued by them and not valid. ??? Beware.
Review Source:Go for the food. Â Wow!
We passed this place many times without thinking. Â Stopped in on a Saturday night. Â There are couches, hookas, and very nice servers, who did everything they could to make our dinner enjoyable. Â The ambiance is a bit strange; mostly empty couches/tables, black ceiling, Egyptian murals, hookahs, area cleared for a dance floor like the place might be a club later on. Â Based on the vibe, we were not expecting much from the food. Â
Here's the good news. Â The food is some of the best Middle Eastern in the city. Â Hot fresh pita. Â Tangy Jerusalem salad with lemon and tahina. Â Flavorful well-spiced grilled chops, chicken, etc. Â Smoky, fresh baba ganoush and homeade lemony hummus. Â Herbal arabic tea served in glasses. Â I wish they would drop that food into a small, homey, candelit restaurant -- it would be a runaway hit. Â
We will definitely go back, perhaps for takeout. Â Great deal, great food, friendly service, but not the best dining experience because of the room. Â The food is certainly worth the visit.
I only frequent Habibi's on Friday or Saturday nights, but I can honestly say I have a great time either night! The Hookah is flavorful and well priced, you also can't go wrong with BYOB! The DJ spins the Top 40 and house in addition to music from all over the world (salsa, hip hop, reggae, and African hits from the west, east and south). It's great to hear native Ghanaian music in a middle eastern spot, I was pleasantly surprised. Also, the owner is a true businessman and appreciates those who return. The only thing I would caution is that overall the crowd after 10p seems a bit young, 21-30. If that's an issue for you then you may want to avoid. I also have never had the food, but my cousins went with the beef kabob and rice and enjoyed it. Overall, it's a great, chill time and I plan to return often.
Review Source:I don't understand why this place has such bad reviews...Ok maybe i could understand why..The first time i went here was 2 years back and I had no idea what to expect when i walked in. There are old couches and what seems to be a dance floor in the middle and people sitting around smoking hookas. I placed an order to go and sat there waiting akwardly as I wasnt sure if the place was more of a resturant or a hooka bar. People that come here expecting a classy resturant are wrong especially on a weekend night where it is packed with colleged aged kids, loud music, in a smoky room. This may be why there is such low reviews from others because it could be an awkward dinning experience if you are not sure what to expect. The place seems very laid back and chill. A place that seems more for friends to get together and talk around a hooka while sipping on drinks and eating hummus, not so much for a great dinning experience. But with that all said, i have found myself frequently coming back to habibi for the food. I have never had a dine in experince but always get it to go. The food is some of the best middle eastern food i have had. I love the chicken and grilled vegatables. The vegatables are amazing and they give you so much food. Others have complained about the service but i have found everyone there very nice and seemed like they wanted me to leave pleased. The only draw back this place has is that it may not be for you if you if are looking for a more fancy establishment and don't want to have a meal around people smoking but if you don't mind this it could be a very comfortable dinning experience for you. For me, luckily, they are very prompt with the pick up orders that have kept me coming back again and again.
Pros
-Cheap prices
-Open late till 4am
-Large portions
-Laid back atmosphere
-Friendly staff
-Very good food for a bar or hooka bar, or whatever this place is
-Can order online
-Favorite items..grilled vetatables, the seasoning for the chicken is oustanding, the lentil soup is great, and i love the chicken shawarma
Cons
-Eat in may be an awkward dinning experience
-Weekend nights filled with college kids and smoke
-Although friendly the staff at times seems unsure
-Food seems to change every time i order. It is not consistant but it is still good everytime.
- No delievery
- The falafals are only ok
Habibi...a very misunderstood place..
Wow, where to begin...
We ordered dinner from Habibi through GrubHub. I had heard about it and we decided to give it a try. We each ordered two items. When the food arrived, he handed it to me with a printed itemized receipt from GrubHub listing what SHOULD have been in the bags. Out of four items, two were wrong (veggie combo instead of veggie couscous, salad instead of salmon).
I immediately called to inform them of the error. The man who answered the phone very rudely attempted to insinuate that what I received WAS exactly what I ordered. After two minutes of attempting to explain what went wrong (holding the aforementioned receipt in my hand as indisputable proof), and two minutes of him basically accusing me of either being wrong or being a liar, I hung up the phone in frustration and drove down there. Kinda defeats the purpose of having ordered delivery in the first place, huh?
When I got there (6 p.m. on a Sunday) NOBODY was there except for a few employees. They had one order to execute and screwed up half of it! I handed over my receipt (along with the two messed-up items) and they set about rectifying the situation. In their defense, they were apologetic, but the fact that it had come to that stage, rather than them believing me in the first place and fixing the problem, was inexcusable.
And when the salmon finally came, it was tough and dry. And they were out of the mashed potatoes I ordered as a side. I will never return to this place. Never ever ever.
This place is disgusting!!! OMG, I walked in & walked out. Ewww!
It looks like a major dump, even from the outside. Then u walk in & it still looks like a dump. How is this place even allowed to be in business? Something is veryyyy fishy here!
I walked in & the first person I saw was the chef "smoking a cigarette". It's Chicago & the law is no smoking inside. How disgusting!
Then I spoke w/ the manager & he said anyone can smoke in here.
Yes, I do know that it's a hookah bar, but CIGARETTE smoking is a different issue.
I looked on here before I went, Â & did see all the bad reviews. But of course, I wanted to give it a chance. Well, I wish I would have listened to all the BAD reviews. You people are right. This place sux!
Will not be back!
UPDATED:4/13/12
1)I can't believe they are still in business.
2)I didn't want to try this place again, but we had a coupon so we said "what the hell"
There was nooooo one there & guess what? They of course would NOT let us use the coupon. So we left.
3)I am 100% I will never be back!!
I don't really know what to make of this place. I saw that it didn't have the best reviews but it was 2 am and I was hungry so I decided to go anyway. As soon as I walked in I was confused. Is it a restaurant? Is it a lounge? I had no freaking clue. There were old couches EVERYWHERE and no real tables and chairs. We were greeted and seated and handed our menus. I was a tad disappointed that they no longer had the cinnamon tea I read about in the reviews so I settled for the green tea instead.
The hummus was fresh and the warm pita bread was delish, but that was about it. When I got my lamb, it looked like one of those cheeseburger hot dogs they sell at the 7-11 from the rolling machine, except it was dry and it tasted rubbery. I don't recommend the food. The hookah was great tho.
I will be coming back for the hookah and possible the hummus.
I really like the hookah offered at Habibi. However during the college semesters on weekends there is a cover fee and it is flooded with college kids without IDs looking to get an overpriced drink and to go on the dance floor.
I can't speak as to the food, but the hookah is great and it's almost deserted so it's a great place to go with friends on the weekdays (and Sundays. NOT fridays)
How to have a good time at Habibi:
1. Check your expectations at the door. Â Go ahead and feel like you are in someone's basement (perhaps in Egypt) circa 1996, drinking wine or beer you maybe shouldn't be drinking, and eating hummus. Â
2. Â Don't go for the food. Â The hummus, falafel and baba ghanoush was good, but this place is no gourmet. Â Go for the hookah, the old couches, and the fact that it is BYOB. Â If you go on a Friday, stay past 10 for the dj to start. Â He was actually quite good and I could see a dance party happening with the right people.
3. Â Bring a lot of friends, a lot of booze, and appreciate Habibi for what it is. Â If you manage to figure out exactly what Habibi is, please let me know.
I would give this place zero stars if I could. It appears this owner doesn't want real business. I went here with eight friends. Imagine how much future business he could have had from us if we'd have a good experience! He'd rather bully and cheat his customers than have legitimate business.
My friends and I brought our own wine, but most of us ordered coffee, baklava, and two hookahs. When it was time to leave, the waitress "told us" our total. She refused to show us an itemized bill. When we asked what we were being charged for, the manager said we were being charged a corkage fee. The corkage fee was not listed on the menu or anywhere else (which is illegal). We realized he doesn't have a liquor license and was trying to get away without paying taxes on BYOB. He also refused to let patrons who wanted to smoke go outside and made them smoke indoors (also illegal).
Of course, we refused to pay what they said without an itemized bill! Two of my friends who didn't even actually order anything (they came later) "didn't want to argue" and paid $17.50!
If you do go here (but you shouldn't), don't pay what they tell you without an itemized bill! We calculated what we owed and paid that. We offered to let him call the police on us, but of course, he did not take us up on that.
Yeah, if you've ever wanted to go eat at a place where someone can smoke right over your hummus, then this is the place for you. Also, if you're in love with the idea of having the owner of the establishment push you because you disagree with him, then you better come running. Â The tables don't get bussed, yet they insist that the $10 minimum they tell you that you have to spend is worth it. I will not be going back
Review Source:I went back to Habibi a couple of months after this review. Â The food was, again, very average. Â The wait was still pretty long. Â However, I knew these things going in, and went because I wanted a quiet spot to write while sipping on coffee. Â I knew Habibi would be perfect since nobody is ever in there!
They seemed to change the decor since then, and added Hookahs to the options. Â I walked by them many times, and felt bad about how they seemed to be trying so hard (with superficial things, not quality or service) and it was always empty. Â Sometimes I almost went inside to get some falafel to go, but never did.
Good thing, too. Â Just the other day I walked by again, and it was empty still. Â However, now it's because of the large "LICENSE SUSPENDED" sign plastered on the front door. Â
So! Â Indifferent service, terrible decor, average to bad food, AND major health code violations! Â Star Grill, I think you need to annex this place.
This place has really good food, and delicious cinnamon tea. It's almost always empty when I'm there, which is surprising to me because the food is delicious. I've been there a few times, and each time was relaxing up until the last... It was a surprisingly warm day out and I wanted something crisp and refreshing, so not realizing what a "salad" meant on the menu I guess, I assumed it meant a leafy green salad with a cucumber yogurt mint dressing, but that's not what it was. It was actually just a plate of yogurt with some chopped cucumber and no mint.
When the owner, who's apparently always there, came over to ask how things were, I of course responded that they were fine--I just misunderstood the menu, so I didn't mention it. He came back later, and asked me why I wasn't eating the cucumber salad. Well, if someone asks me a question, I'm going to respond honestly. I just told him that it was a little different from what I had in my head, but it was good. (plus, my entree had already arrived, so I wasn't going to keep eating a salad when it was served hot and in the middle of my cold appetizer) Well, he grew very angry with what I'd said, and immediately grabbed a menu and started yelling at me about how he gave me exactly what was described on the menu and how wrong I was.
You know.. giving a customer a plate of yogurt with cucumber in it, makes for a really heavy, rich meal. I took it to go but tossed it when I left, I just knew I wouldn't eat it again and the guy was so rude to me about it that I just didn't want to eat.
I would go back, but I will never again be honest with them about what I'm thinking--apparently they can't take it, as nicely as I say it to them. I also will never order the "salads" again. The kabob sandwich is good though.
I have lived in some poor countries with terrible restaurants! Â (Hygiene--yucky and service--abysmal!) Â This place reminds of all the sh_thole restaurants I've ever visited in SE Asia!
We went early on a Saturday night and they were "out" of hummous. Â What??? Â Very few folks in there and they can't even get us menus, cutlery, etc. Â These men would walk past unbussed tables and just stare (Are they just used to their wives clearing the tables at home? Â Do they think they don't need to do that???)
This place HAS got to be a FRONT for something because they have absolutely NO CLUE on how to run a restaurant. Â Not even their Pita Bread was fresh. Â
STAY AWAY! Â This truly is the worst restaurant I've ever visited in the United States (and I've been to a LOT)
I will concede on one point mentioned in previous reviews. Â This is not a place you're going to walk in and walk out of in short time period. Â This is a place where you're going to sit back, enjoy hot cinnamon tea, and know that your meal is being cooked fresh for you right when you order. Â If you want carry-out, I'd suggest calling ahead.
Every experience I've had here has been positive. Â I fell in love with the lamb kufta with tahini sauce on my first visit and it's never been disappointing. Â When a friend and I went and we both wanted to order kufta, the owner recommended that we get two different dishes and share. Â A fabulous idea! Â He said he'd make us a lamb shank and it was delicious. Â The meat was tender, it fell off the bone, and had a great flavor. Â I've never eaten much lamb, but Habibi has made me a fan.
The prices are reasonable and the servings are huge. Â Expect leftovers. Â The cinnamon tea is delicious and wonderful accompaniment to the meal. Â (I'd go in for tea alone, actually!) Â The staff has always been friendly and willing to make suggestions. Â Definitely one of my favorite places to go.
Some of the previous reviewers are right about one thing. Â Expect to take your time at this place. Â To me, it fits the atmosphere...laid back. Â Occasionally, I like to just sit back and just enjoy the food. Â And I did here. Â Me and my family had stuffed grape leaves as well as hummus, which we all liked. Â I had the kufta which I really did enjoy. Â The tea was wonderful, and the cup was always being refilled, freely by the waiter. Â It was a nice relaxing meal.
The reason I didn't give this place five stars was the ackwardness when we first arrived. Â We walked in, but it almost seemed like the place was closed. Â I figured it was because we went during the Super Bowl.
I do plan to return to the place again, because I am craving their stuffed grape leaves. :)
If you want a really awkward, LONG dining experience--definitely check this place out. Â This is the site of one of the strangest dinners I've had in Chicago since I've lived here...going on four years.
My friend and I walked in to a completely deserted restaurant on a Friday night and immediately I felt not good about the whole thing. Â More than a few empty tables were not bussed, littered with remnants of meals long past. Â We were seated by a nice enough guy who promptly disappeared for roughly a half hour.
Finally, we ordered and then waited...and waited...and waited. Â It took nearly another half hour to get OUR DRINKS (which were cans of soda while there was clearly a fountain visible in the back). Â Then the appetizer (hummus and pita...pretty standard) came out about 15 minutes later. Â At one point, I thought we were going to have to leave without eating because it was just taking so long. Â The rest of the meal went this way. Â 3 hours later, we finally were able to get the hell out of there.
If the food and service were spectacular, I could overlook a lot of that scenario. Â But neither were even remotely good, let alone spectacular. Â The food was bland...I was shocked that middle-eastern could actually be made to be bland...like requiring copious amounts of salt and pepper. Â The kicker for me was that when we got it, it was cold. Â WHAT WERE THEY DOING BACK THERE!!!!
Do not go here. Â Don't do it. Â You will realize your mistake within moments and then have to live it out over and over again for the next significant part of your evening. Â Be kind to yourself. Â Choose otherwise.
Score. Â Food near work. Â Students- Check it Out!
I work at Loyola, and when I don't bring food to eat, I usually resort to the "Rambler Room" for cheap, healthy eats. Â The neighborhood doesn't have much great food within walking distance for me to fetch between classes, or there are some good places, but I always have to order a big meal.
But this was my first trip to Habibi for take out. Â I ordered Humus with lamb Shawerma, and like wow! Â This is so good.
I was easily charmed by the free cinnamon tea while I waited, and appreciated it on this cold day. Â My only disappointment came when I discovered they don't have Kalmata olives, which is a little strange for a Middle Eastern Place.
This place is better then it looks. Â Its not a fine dinning place, by any stretch. Â I've walked by it like a hundred times before stopping in today because I thought the decor looked just too crazy, too... Middle Eastern Discotecca! Â But I recommend you give the place a chance if you are in the area.
It is a damn shame, given that I just moved into this part of Rogers Park, that  Habibi just isn't good.
Stopped in for a quick lunch with my friend Bryonie before heading up to the village theater to see Batman...on a Tuesday afternoon. Given that the place was completely empty, I would have expected a bit better service than what we got.
The cinnamon tea is a nice feature, but my falafel sandwich was pretty mediocre. The falafels were mushy and there wasn't enough other toppings inside to compensate for the mushiness. And who the hell serves a falafel sandwich with fries and ketchup? Totally weird. The hummus was pretty good, but it didn't really come with enough pita.
The tunes are pretty sweet, though. HABIIIBIIIIIyeahHABIIIIBIIIIIyeah
Maybe I'll try it again sometime, but, ugh, I hope it's not anytime soon, given that there are so many other options for cheap mediterranean that actually offer something I'd feel happy about eating.
Worst. Carry Out. Ever.
Lets see, I waited nearly 20 mins in a barely filled restaurant to carry-out. Yikes.
Here's a little tip: If I'm here to get Carry-out, I don't want to sit in the dinning room, I don't want coffee and water, I want my food and I want to leave because I'm in a hurry. Either have a system set up for carry-out or don't say you offer it. It's really that simple.
Also, if you want to save some time, let people order and pay at a counter. You don't have to take my money in that fancy little restaurant/check case thing. Just take my money and give me change. Have these people ever seen how a real place does this?
But, I don't think eating in would be that good. While I was there, I noticed many people having to flag the one waitress (which it HAD to be her first job as she was clueless as to the menu or how to do her job). There were also two separate couples who had to complain to the manager about various billing issues INCLUDING over charging for the tax. (Apparently at Habbi the water is so good, they some how slip in a charge and tax for it).
Now, I can get past a lot, if the food is good. But this is just alright. They were stingy with the fries (and the ones I got were soggy). The sandwhich was passable. It was like a gyro but with a little curry. Â Meh. I guess it was cheap...so that's something....
The problem is there are SO many better joints exactly like this that I don't see the point in going to this one. Go to Big Buns and Pita or the place just up Sheridan past Loyola next to Chipolte. There is no need to waste your time on this joint, it probably won't make it with food and service like this.
Habibi, your falafel is reasonably priced
It's neither good nor bad,
But Habibi, your shawarma should be sliced
Not tough and dry and sad.
Habibi, I thank you for the tea
That's on the house and smells
Of cinnamon, but can't you see,
That the world compels
Me to go, I cannot stay
And linger as I will
On your free tea. I must away.
Can't I have my bill?
I stopped in for takeout, site unseen the other night and I'm pretty excited about this place. The menu isn't terribly vast, but what they do carry is exceptional. Great execution, wonderful flavors and a nice price.
Habibi carries a nice assortment of hot and cold appetizers, a number of different kabob dishes and mixed grills, along with the typical Middle Eastern sandwiches.
I picked up a bunch of smaller items. I started with a very nice fatoush salad with delicious dressing and homemade croutons. A creamy lebneh (a yogurt dipping sauce with seasoning and olive oil) was waaaay too good, fattening and could top driftwood and make it a success. The Kibbeh is silly good, a deepfried meat-stuffed meat and grain ball that is even better slathered with lebneh.
We also enjoyed a vegetarian platter that included great falafel, a smokey, delicious baba ganoush and a hummos that was rich and creamy.
All told, a delicious meal and under $20! The service was great; the lone waitress insisted I sit and relax at a table while I sipped free tea (the cinnamon tea is as good as advertised) and looked over the menu. Our order was turned around pretty quickly, although the place was practically empty.
So why the four star? The food is great, but nothing I have never had before. And...
BE SURE TO SPECIFY THAT YOU NEED BREAD. The lebneh, the baba ganoush and the hummos cry out for lots and lots of dipping bread and yet? I got none with my order, which I found a little weird.
However, I called them up and they were more than happy to drive out a fat wad of pita to me free of charge! Thanks Habibi!!! I'll be back. Quite good!
We've ordered to go a couple of times from Habibi but have never been or sit-down dinner, even though we're only a couple of blocks away. Â The food here is good and, it sounds strange, but I like the smaller portions (than, say, Reza's or Big Buns and Pita) and the prices are great. Â Delivery is fast and easy and the food (so far we've had the mixed grill and some of the kabobs) have been excellent. Â This is a place we'll call on often for a quick delivery.
Review Source:even if i got to eat here free anytime i wanted to, i still wouldn't.
the inexcusable wait was ungodly excruciating.
(there was only one other table there
and they already had been served.
plus there were five cooks back in the open kitchen
shuffling around, seemingly doing nothing and everything.)
the food was intensely unpleasant to digest.
all the complimentary tea and baklava serves no purpose.
the family who runs the place is incredibly nice.
so get it together, habibi.
Habibi is so gross! Â I really did not enjoy any of the food I had. Â the fatoush salad was the best thing I tasted and even that was not very good. Â I was freezing the whole time and my falafel sandwich tasted like it had been poisoned. Â
  The reason i was freezing is not because I was ill or under dressed, it was because they do not have a double door so whenever someone comes in it lets in a great draft; also they have multiple fans going full speed throughout the dining room. Â
  The owner was nice enough to give us free tea that we assumed was hot water with red hots crushed into it.  I will say that I did enjoy the king tut tapestry on the wall and the finely padded dining chairs but that is about all that I enjoyed at habibi. Â
  They are making a valiant effort, but they need to try harder.  Sorry Habibi but you lose.
We tried Habibi for dinner on Monday and overall I'm happy with this new spot on Devon. I think they'll be in direct competition with Big Buns & Pita - both places deliver and have similar menus, but Habibi's space is larger and more sit-down-dining oriented.
To start us off, we were given cinnamon tea compliments of the house. It was amazing. We watched them brew it on the spot. And they kept refilling our glasses!
We tried their falafel appetizer and it was delicious! The falafel was very flavorful and not dry. For $2 you get eight pieces. That's a ton of falafel. We ended up taking half of it home.
My partner tried Habibi A, which is a mixed plate of beef, chicken, and lamb, and had mixed feelings. The chicken was fantastic, the beef was just ok, and the lamb was a bit tough.
I tried the chicken shawerma plate, which was very good. (I do prefer the shawerma from BB&P.) With most of their dinners, you get a choice of two sides (rice, vegetables, or fries). The rice and vegetables were both good. I'm not sure why fries are even on there - they just don't fit!
I wanted to try the baklava, but I was too full. The owner was very nice and asked us for feedback after our meal. Our waiter was shy, but very nice. The decor is a bit odd, but nothing alarming. I agree on the temperature though! Not only does the door let in a draft - they also had the ceiling fans going. Brrrrrr.
We went on the early side (6 PM) but by the time we ate there were about 7 or 8 tables filled. I think this place will pick up. I definitely recommend giving them a try.
The good:
-The hummus is wonderful, with parsley and great olive oil and a little paprika. Â Some of the best hummus I've had, served fresh with hot and fresh pita bread.
-The falafel sandwich is excellent, the falafel perfectly done, in good bread, served with a great salad of tomato, cucumber, and sauce. Â I ate every bite, which is rare for me. Â I hate cucumber, but the mix in the sandwich was perfect. Â This is the best falafel sandwich I've ever had.
-The prices can't be beat. Â There were 5 of us and with 5 falafel sandwiches (comes with fries) and two orders of hummus; we paid $7 per piece, and that included tax and tip!
The not so good:
-The french fries were not raw and they were hot. Â But that's all I can say for them. Â A first time home cook could make better fries from scratch. Â No texture, no flavor, no reason to ever want them again.
-The ambiance is not comfortable. Â The decor is awkward, and the tables are covered with thin plastic-bag-like material. Â Some of the worst ambiance I've ever felt, uh, anywhere.
-Freezing cold! Â I think I'm remembering correctly that they do not have double doors, so anytime anyone came in or went out, the place was swept with a freezing cold draft. Â By the time the food came, I had my heavy winter coat on.
The icing on the cake
-Extremely friendly service
-The owner, Muhammad, asked us to stay for an extra minute so he could give us free baklava on our way out. Â He was so sweet.
The verdict
-NOT a place for a date, or even for anything resembling a "dining experience". Â
-Excellent food for cheap prices, and thus....
-IDEAL for take-out???
I hope this place makes it, but I'm worried.
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