12/17/24 - My wife and I came to Al Bawadi for my birthday dinner. We have eaten here many times before & as usual the food was exceptional. For a change we didn't order a seafood platter & were rewarded w/chicken seasoned & cooked to perfection. The chicken was juicy a& moist w/just the amount of seasoning w/a little heat which I really enjoyed. The Kifta Kabob of ground beef & lamb was also excellent, both meals came w/2 different kinds of rice & is enough for 2 meals We first went to the Al Bawadis in Bridge view but it's so far south. When we heard they were opening the one in Niles we were so excited. It took over 5 years for them to open this restaurant. I'm so glad they did. Outstanding food, ambiance & service

My kids took me for dinner here and we had a good experience. We came in for a Sunday dinner, around 6pm. We were immediately greeted and seated by the host. We tried several dishes since we have been wanting to dine here for a while. On this visit, I tried: KUFTA CASSEROLE- rich and delicious MIXED CHICKEN & MEAT SHAWERMA- the chicken, lamb, and beef were all tender and seasoned well CHICKEN TIKKA BONELESS SKEWERS- the chicken was very tender although it was kind of bland. FILET MIGNON KABAB- very tender and delicious meat SAMOSA- this was just ok HUMMUS & PITA- wonderful hummus with the warm and fresh pita KENAFA- delightful. Great with coffee too. Parking was not too bad when we got here because it was still a little early but it did get very busy. I like the interior and cleanliness of the place. Service was very efficient and friendly. The food was delicious and satisfying. I will definitely come back here to try other dishes on the menu. Til next time!

We had a reservation for 10 people to celebrate a birthday. I've been to the Bridgeview location but this was my first time trying the Niles location. We ordered both of the mixed platters to share family style because each is meant for 5-6 people. Honestly it was so much food we probably didn't need to order both! We also ordered the samosas, falafel, and mozzarella sticks for appetizers. The bread they provide is unlike any bread I've had at other Middle Eastern restaurants. It was fluffy and slightly crispy topped with a seed, maybe black sesame seeds. It was super tasty with the delicious hummus and garlic sauce that come with the platter! The garlic sauce and hummus is a must. The platter also comes with a salad and baba ganoush as well. The tray brings two types of rice topped with various grilled meats. We also ended up ordering separately a plate of lamb chops because the platter only came with 4 pieces. The second platter comes with a spicy tandoori style chicken kabob. That's the primary difference between the two platters. I will say the only thing that was disappointing was their hot sauce! Other than that, I was very pleased and I had leftovers. This is a fantastic spot to try if you have a large group.

I've been trying to come here since Al Bawadi opened during the pandemic. My experience? Lets just say that a simple check off of my list will not do. This place deserves many more checks (as in visits)! We experienced nothing less then top tier courtesy and service from entrance to exit. The place is beautifully decorated. We were warmly greeted. I celebrated my wife's birthday here. Since we had a large group, we ordered platters to share family style along with a few appetizers. Fantastic muthawama, baba ghanouj, mouth watering hummus, delectable Syrian cheese, grape leaves, all with fresh, warm pita. Great salads and tea. Don't sleep on their grilled wings, they're yumzy. We ordered large mixed meat platter with shish kabab, kufta kabab, chicken kufta, shish tawook, fish, quails, lamb chops, shawerma, grilled onions and tomatoes. We also ordered a large mixed kabab platter with shish kabab, kufta kabab, shish tawook, and shawerma. I can never turn down a good kunafa, but I also didn't turn down their baklava..or chocolate cake..the bloating was worth it. Everything was delicious. In my opinion, the platters are a great value. You get a TON of perfectly grilled, delicious meat on top of fragrant rice. This was an evening appealing to the eyes, ears, and mouths of course.

Al Bawadi is a phenomenal Jordanian/Palestinian restaurant! The highlight was the Knafeh dessert, a sweet cheese with a crispy dough crust that looks like vermicelli noodles. The mixed grill and seafood mixed grill dishes were phenomenal. I love the two types of rice and the slivers of nuts that give it a nice crunch. The chicken, kufta, and beef were delicious. You can really taste the wood smoke on all the kebabs. The pita bread, hummus, and baba ghannoush were all so fresh and delicious. We also had the meat toshkas which is pita bread stuffed with beef, lamb, and melted Syrian cheese. Service was phenomenal, the servers checked in frequently and had a good demeanor. This is a great restaurant to eat family style. This was a great amount of food for 4 people and we still had leftovers. Parking was easy since they have a parking lot and there was no wait on a Saturday at 8:30pm. I still think about this food and want to go back for the Knafeh. This is also a great spot to celebrate birthdays, I saw other tables where they bring sparklers out and sing a birthday song. For the high quality and volume of food I found the price to be really reasonable too, about $25 per person before tip was really great. I love the ambiance and decor which feels luxurious but also casual.

I've never had middle eastern food before but I was in Chicago for a work trip and we came to eat here for a team dinner. Super authentic restaurant! Once you walk in , the aroma is filled with the grilled meats which smelled so good! Our team ordered the mixed meat platter which is a various amount of meats served on rice. I tried the chicken and it was juicy and really good! Service was fast and knowledgeable in what they were serving! Will come again!

Service was great. The servers are very attentive and nice. The place looks nice and inviting. The food was prepared well and fast. They give you an appetizer of eggplant dip with the bread. We ordered the large meat platter and more than enough for 7 people. There are more to-go. The food is flavorful, even the rice. It's good to try but to combination of spices for me. My friends enjoyed the food though. I love the dessert we ordered-Kenafa. Lightly sweetened cheese withthin noodle like pastry on top. It's so yummy. Plenty of parking space.