Good stuff if you're looking for something quick and fairly-priced to grub on.
My office is located not to far from this establishment so it's a 10 minute grab & go for me. I'm never disappointed with the food, it always seems to be consistment. One minor complaint though, I personally think the hummus is a little on the salty side. But remember everyone's palette is different, so don't take my word for it until you go there and try it yourself.
Remember to grab a take-out menu for special coupons and deals.
This place was definitely fast in service, but the food did not really sit well with my stomach.
I ordered the falafel entree which came with a pita pocket (on the side), six falafels, rice, salad, and hummus. Â Most of the food had really good flavor. I liked the rice and the hummus. Those were the highlight of my meal.
However, the falafels were SUPER dry and hard. Â I had to slather each of them into the hummus to get some moisture into them. Â For the portions, I didn't feel it was worth almost $8.
The lady working the cash register also did not ask me if I wanted a receipt when I could see that the receipts were all being printed. She was pushing to get me out of the line that I felt I would be rude if I stopped her by asking for my receipt. Â Thankfully they did not overcharge me.
Not sure if I'll be coming back to this one, especially since my stomach was not doing well after eating here.
Absolutely THE saddest greek salad I've ever tasted. I saw crisp romaine at the counter, but opened the box to find what is obviously pre-packaged chopped iceburg, and the dressing is NOT even at all greek. This is like some craft Italian shiz. Terrible Terrible. Terrible.
The service was also worthy of 1 star, in that the fellow at the counter asked what I wanted, then literally walked away from me, leaving me for minutes to wonder why I'd even entered. When he returned, I asked for a "fresh juice" as they are very largely printed on the menu above, and in broken English he said "no" and was unable to give me a clear explanation as to why "no." I was left again.
Then a relatively kind woman asked what I was waiting on, and proceeded to prepare this ridiculous shamble of a salad. I decided to throw on a side of hummus and pita. Pita - dry, not even heated up, and just bad. Hummus - I won't even attempt to eat, because upon opening, I find it smells like feet. Dirty feet.
I want my $8 back.
I've seen a lot of raters on here slamming the middle eastern food. Â Bottom line, they have decent falafal, make a decent shwarma, and have good gyros. Â The winner here though is the roasted turkey sandwich. Â Every day, they roast multiple whole turkeys and serve fresh pulled-turkey sandwiches. Â They are piled high, juicy, tasty and with chips and a drink are under $7.00. Â It's the best sandwich special in this area. Â They now take Level Up which is a plus.
Review Source:Decided to try this place as it's close to the office in which I'm currently visiting and had a deal featured on Groupon ($3 for a falafel sandwich).
The store itself is pretty small with only about 10 or so tables. It definitely has a fast food feel to it and the service is not all that friendly. In fact, I think the presence of customers was really irritating the chick in front of the register.
The sandwich itself was okay. Like other Yelpers have said, the hummus was pretty bland and the falafel was really dry and flavorless. Overall, definitely not impressed and will be choosing other restaurants for lunch during the remainder of my trip.
NO NO NO! Not even with the hoards of food I got for 5 dollars (groupon) would it be good. Maybe its just the Lebanese in me and how I'm used to eating homemade tabbouleh, homemade grape leaves, fresh meat, etc. This place sucked! Only word I can think of to describe it.
It was like they put bunches of parsley in a processor with a half of tomato. No onion, no lemon juice, or wheat in the tabbouleh.
The rice was bland. Nothing more to touch on.
The meat was so dry! It had been roasting on that thing for probably a week. The spices in the chicken were actually good. Too bad I couldn't even swallow it because of the dryness.
The worst was the grape leaves. The leaf was loaded with a mush of rice. Like, complete mush. Baby food mush. I'm going to gag just thinking about it.
And the guy behind the counter was a jerk too. He looked at me like I had 5 heads when I told him I had a groupon, proceeded to picked up his cell phone and yell in Arabic, and ignore me.
This place is just PATHETIC.
One star because it's the minimum.
One star because it's close to convenient spots and inexpensive.
One star because my best friend eats there habitually.
I wanted to go for lunch since he has great taste (I did mention he's my friend). I've been previously and was not impressed. I thought I didn't order the right things.
I've ordered in the past:
Hummus with pita (5x)
Baba Ganoush (2x)
Tabouli (2x)
The Hummus is blandcity. The Baba Ganoush is not that egg planty or fresh. And frankly both taste mealy. The Tabouli is inconsistent and weird.
So back to present. We ordered:
Chicken Schwarma on French roll
Fresh roast chicken. We got hummus, onion, tomato, cucumber slices on it. The chicken was fine. The hummus was way too light. The roll was not in house made and dreck.
Tabouli
Totally sour and it was apparent from the color and taste that they marry the fresh parsley with dried. It was like eating a seasoning packet mixed with lemon.
I've had their pita MANY times and it's is sooo hard! They don't toast it (which is a flaw) but even so... It felt like a death frisbee Odd Job would toss at Bond.
Speaking of odd. The staff there was constantly in giggle fits and nudging each other looking at the patrons. It's always crowded with white color guys so if that's appealing for you go. Anyways, I was dining across a daper working stiff dude and he didn't give me an ab workout. Maybe if they let me in on what was funny I'd bump this up to five stars. Â
That being said I'll go again for the reasons listed under my three star explanation.
Love this place, overall. Cheap, tasty, filling, and healthier than most Loop options. Minus one star for uncomfortable seating and kind of rude service people.
Oh and to people who complain that it's bland... Um, hello, Falafel and Hummus ARE bland, basically everywhere I've ever been. Even home made is generally somewhat bland. That's what sauces are for.
Sure, this place looks sketchy on the outside - but isn't that how many of the really good, hole-in-the-wall places work?
I ordered a chicken kabob pita and my friend a turkey plate. We were both extremely impressed by not only the hospitality we were shown, but also how delicious, enormous and cheap our food was. Nothing was greasy at all, which is a huge plus in my book. Chicken, pita and hummus at a cheap price...I was in heaven!
What gives with the turkey dishes at these Mediterranean places in the Loop? Seems like every falafel joint is serving up Thanksgiving dinner on a daily basis, and, if what my friends tell me is true, the locals can't get enough of the stuff.
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Why Mediterranean Restaurants Serve Thanksgiving Fare
By Brian G.
After breaking bread with the Indians at the first Thanksgiving, the Pilgrims--being seafaring people, you know--thought the Indians "good shits," and proposed a cruise. Well the Indians didn't have anything going on, and since it was November in New England they thought, "What the hell? We need to get our minds off this whole smallpox thing and dreary weather anyway. Let's go somewhere warm! " And so the new besties packed their ships with candied yams, cranberry sauce, turkey, mashed potatoes, and a distinctive yellow gray.
Now the group planned to hit somewhere warm and fun--Cabo Wabo was most likely the destination--but a severe storm battered the fleet, breaking their sextants and astrolabes, leaving the party at the mercy of the sea. After what seemed like an eternity at sea, the party went ashore in Haifa, Israel. At the mercy of the city's residents, the party had only their cuisine to offer to appease their confused hosts. Well the turkey and mashed potatoes were a hit! To this day Haifa is known as a mashed potato town with an annual, week-long festival called the Haifa Pilgrim Spud Hop that commemorates that fateful trip so many years ago.
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I certainly have had my fill of the hummos and schwarma at Haifa Cafe. Maybe they should direct their energies to improving that stuff, or stick with the turkey and potato game if that's what they really want to do. As their Mediterranean options go, everything is too sweet and juicy--bring a change of clothes unless you wanna to lose your job for being covered in unidentifiable schwarma juice back in the office--and...well...it just doesn't taste right. Skip this place if at all possible.
Meh. Â Honestly I really like good falafel so I went here for lunch today since it's near where I work. Â Everything was BLAND. Â Nothing had any flavor hardly. Â I think the most flavor came from the tomatoes which were part of my meal. Â Maybe it was a bad day, but if it was indicative of a normal day then honestly I won't go back there. Â Bland
The good news is that service is extremely fast and prices are cheap. Â The falafel wasn't too dry either but seriously it barely had any flavor.
I'm on a falafel kick lately. Â Mmm Mmm.
I always meant to go to the Haifa Cafe that was closer to my office (the one buried underneath all the perma-scaffolding along Adams) but I never made it before the aesthetic externalities of the location caused it to fold. Â Alas, there seem to be many more HC's in the Loop, so I was still able to give the franchise a shot.
HC offers many lunch combos. Â I was probably standing there reading the menu for a good five minutes before approaching the counter. Â The combos seemed to have options upon options for customizing for vegetarian-izing your meal. Â Â Deciding to keep things simple, I went for the falafel sandwich.
The sandwich was prepared "Subway-style" - meaning that all toppings/innards are on display for the discerning diner to pick and choose. Â This was helpful in me avoiding sauces I had no interest in trying. Â I'm a simple girl - just falafel and hummus in a pita, thank you very much.
Overall, the falafel was the definition of the Three-Star Rating: A-OK. Â Not too dry, but not the best falafel I've ever had, either. Â On a broad spectrum of all the falafel I've had in my 25ish years of eating solid foods, this falafel was right down the middle.
If nothing else, the price is right. Â My sandwich was only $4!
I used to eat here at least once every week, but starting about a few months ago, the food here has really declined. Â The chicken schwarma (sorry for the spelling) started lacking in whatever flavors they used to spice it, and the rice tastes like its been diluted with chicken broth.
The things that are still awesome here that haven't changed is the hummus and filafel. Â If I could combine the sandwich offerings at Taza with the chickpea sides from this place, I'd eat there every day.
I had time to kill before my train back to nowhere and I was sadly unable to make my way up to the Indian joint my (indian) friend recommended and really did not want McDs, Subway, blah, blah so I popped into Haifa figuring that it would be a little different.
I ended up getting the turkey platter - large helping of white and dark turkey over a bed of rice, hummus, lettuce/salad, a falafel, and a pita. The turkey was solid - not a lot of fat, nice and moist, good taste. The hummus was fair - I've had better but I've also had worse. The lettuce was just confusing and the rice was bland. I'm not a falafel connoisseur so I can't really pass judgement on it - I don't like them much anyway.
Overall I was happy with my choice for lunch - I felt less like a tub o' lard than typical fast food would have made me and I had a full belly for the train ride home.
Have you every felt ANGRY for eating somewhere? I take my food seriously and when I give up my stomach space for beyond mediocre food...I get seriously pissed. Â Food normally tastes better when you're absolutely famined - which was my case. Â But not here - so sickly upset when I left. Â Unsatisfied.
I went yesterday after a meeting downtown. Â What they serve here is NOT chicken shawarma. Â It's boiled stringy chicken. Â What blows me away further is that the chicken was dark meat (which I love) and usually never stringy no matter how it is cooked. Â Their boiled, tasteless rice was gross. Â They claim they serve a "salad" with the meal but all I got was a 1/4 cup of shredded lettuce. The falafel was cold - and tiny. Â All I could actually stomach was the pita bread and hummous which was also just "meh".
This place is dingy, dark. Â I had read decent reviews on this place and thought I would try it out. Â Never again.
Should have gone to Taza instead. It's only a couple of blocks away.
Haifa always hits the spot mid work day. Â Where else in the city can you get a fresh turkey sandwich right off the bird? Â Trust me and get it with the house hot sauce, it is to die for!
My usual order is the turkey on a pita with hummus and hot peppers (hot sauce on the side, of course), but it is a nice change of pace to go with the plate where you get rice, falafel, hummus and veggies too. Â I would advise getting there early because they occasionally run out of the favorites.
If you are looking for a healthy alternative to the typical takeout lunch, look no further!
Really...you call that a shawerma? I beg to differ. Their "shawerma" was nothing more than dry, rubbery pieces of chicken slathered with a bit of bland seasoning. The rice was gross. The hummus was okay. The falafel sandwich was godawful. Even the coke tasted funny! This place is shockingly bad.
Review Source:This place is a nightmare or a joke. A smelly, oily, bland, oversalted, over-priced, no hot-peppers-or-lemon-having joke.
What the hell did those poor lentils ever do to anyone?
Dumping 2 ounces of oil on top of everything does not make up for poor quality food or poor preparation. It sure will get you out of work early, but you won't be enjoying your afternoon off.
I think I've been pretty frank, so I'll leave accounts of bad service right out.
The hummus is all right, once you drain it and get a hold of a lemon. Best of luck!
Mediocre at best.
Had the chicken schwarma and it was terrible. Â Over-spiced, weird tasting, and very, very dry.
The rice was good and the hummus was fantastic. Â The included falafel ball was decent, although a bit too crumbly.
I got the chicken falafel combo and it cost $7.85.
Yikes.
I'll give them another shot next week to see if things are better, but I'm not ready to give this anything more than 2 stars at this point.
Maybe the problem I have with this place is that in Jerusalem, you can get far better falafel and schwarma on the street for a few bucks than you can in a restaurant trying to specialize in it.
It's sort of like getting a delicious philly cheese steak in Philadelphia and finding a restaurant in chicago that charges more and only sells phillies that taste like rubbery cat food....
Sad.
This place could make a mint if they provided better food.
I really, really want to like this place. Â But I just can't. Â I've gotten too many cold platters and bland falafel to give this place another shot.
The concept is great - quick Mediterranean. Â But the execution just doesn't work. Â The falafel were bland and tasteless, and it didn't look like there was parsley in it. Â The rice tasted like rice-a-roni, and the chicken was dry and tasteless (and cold!). Â
I've given this place many shots, but I won't be back. Â There are better choices around.
The three Haifa Cafes are my favorite places to eat in the loop, bar none. I get all my friends who work or study there addicted to this inexpensive, tasty, healthy food, with my favorite humus in town. Only complaint: They close soon after lunch and aren't open for dinner!
Love the falafel sandwich, and the eggplant is to die for. I can't believe I'm saying that. Well, it's true. On the eggplant tip, I had friends who detested baba ghanoush until they tried it at Haifa. Also love the fresh vegetable and fruit drinks, which are generally limited in options but completely fresh and tasty.
Oh, and remember to check the take-out menus for special deals and coupons.
The falafel sandwich is your usual falafel in a pita with iceburg lettuce and hummus and i think jerusalem salad. It's a mess but delicious, i inhaled mine. I also got a side of baba which is pretty good. Service is friendly. I look forward to going back and trying the highly rated eggplant sandwich.
ETA: Eggplant sandwiches also a mess but delicious nonetheless!
UPDATE: service has been spotty, food lower quality and they run out of eggplant all the time.
I ate there today. Definitely beats Subway.
I had a falafel sandwich and lentil soup. I loved both, but I am wondering - is there anyone here savvy enough to tell me whether the lentil soup is supposed to be this watery? I decided just to drink mine from the bowl. Using a spoon seemed pointless.
I love the food here but I have to take off a star because of the very limited seating inside and ugly ambience. I am not a carryout type lunch person. I have to get out of my office for lunchtime to be worthwhile.
I eat here before noon, and have never had trouble getting seated.
I think it's weird that the restaurant serves only Middle Eastern food, but everyone behind the counter seems to speak mostly Spanish. As I eat my lunch, I hear not Arabesque but some cheesy Spanish station.
Oh well. Good food.
By far, the worst  mediterranean food I've ever eaten. I suspect their livelihoods are dependent on people who've never really eaten authentic mediterranean .
For one thing, the falafels here are brown. That means there's no parsley in their mix. Parsley in a falafel is like tomato sauce to a pizza. I guess you can make a falafel without parsley, but it's bland and utterly devoid of authenticity.
The hummus is incredibly pasty and bland too. It makes me want to grab the owner and force-feed them their own food just so they can understand what people are giving them money for.
I only ate there once because it was so bad, but someone ordered it for a company lunch and someone else ordered it for a potluck.
Dry chicken. Stale cous cous.
Maybe the other locations are better. I wouldn't bank on it.
Maybe their food is intended for construction like brick and mortar because that's what their falafel sure tasted like.
Maybe I've just been spoiled. Â That could very well be it. Â
But after eating at places like Pita Inn and Reza's, I can't fathom how everyone seems to love this place!
I went here for the first time a couple of weeks ago with one of my co-workers...
NOT. Â IMPRESSED.
The chicken itself in the chicken shwarma was super dry. Â I wasn't impressed with the hummus. Â The veggie selection looked like something the local lunch lady in my catholic grade school would have dished out.
Two stars for you.
One for being the only place I could find falafel around work.
And another star for the super friendly staff.
I always feel like I'm eating healthy when I grab lunch at Haifa Cafe. Who knows if that's the case... Â But the turkey plate is amazing. Be sure to get white and dark meat (the white meat is sometimes dry). Â It comes on a bed of yellow rice that catches the turkey juice, a side of humus, a half a pita and one falafel ball. Â Great stuff.
Review Source:The hummos tastes like peanut butter and the falafel sandwich was majorly cold. Â The falafel(s) inside the sandwich were room temperature and the tahini sauce was practically frozen. Â
The guy behind the cash register didn't understand when I said "combo" even though it says combo includes chips and soda, right on the wall above him. Â I had to say "drink" and pay another buck when I was done waving my arms and yammering, "yes, a Coca Cola please". Â
I won't be back.
Haifa Cafe gets my business whenever I need to get my Jew on. Great middle eastern food at reasonablish prices. My fave is their combination plate with chicken shawarma. You get a lump of hummus, some lettuce with tomato, a single falafel and a whole lot of saucy chicken shawarma that looks a lot spicier than it actually is.
Overall it's not the best middle eastern in Chicago but easily the best downtown and especially the fastest for the lunch crowd. It's a refreshing hit of semitic heritage for me whenever I'm feeling the man encroaching on my soul.
This tiny "healthy choice" eatery has no atmosphere whatsoever, with only a few tables and a couple of stools at the counter facing out towards Wells Street. The Mediterranean-style food is not bad, though I have had better food of this sort elsewhere. My combo plate featured falafel, chicken shawerma, and hummus along with pita bread and a soft drink, and is quite a filling meal for lunch. You can also get a made-to-order turkey sandwich, and you can see the whole roast turkey on display.
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