Alfarsi Restaurant

Excellent service and delicious food! Each dish we tried was delicious. High quality meat with amazing flavor. Definitely try the Persian bread and dill rice too!

Amazing food! Each dish we had was fantastic. I can’t wait to go back for more. The staff was friendly, hospitable, and attentive. They brought us the mushrooms to try on the house-both a very generous thing and we were blown away by how delicious the umami flavor was. I will be back here to dine in or takeout soon. 🤩

We live in the neighborhood and absolutely love this restaurant. It is one of our favorite places to eat and truly a hidden gem. We come here often and always leave happy, so we really hope it’s here for a long time. The food is consistently delicious, fresh, and perfectly seasoned. We recently celebrated a birthday here with a group of 16 people, and they were incredibly accommodating. The staff is always so kind, welcoming, and attentive. Our friends agreed it was some of the best Mediterranean and Persian food they have had in Chicago. Even though the food and service are excellent, it often doesn’t look very busy. I think this may be because the atmosphere is not very cozy or intimate. With a few small changes, like warmer lighting instead of fluorescent lights, adding dimmers, or even candlelight at dinner, the space could feel much more inviting. I believe these updates would bring in more customers who want to dine in and help this great restaurant get the attention it deserves.

Alfarsi just recently opened up but it’s already shaping up to be a strong contender for great Persian fare in the city. We visited for a weekend lunch and ordered the hummus, baba ghanoush, muhammara, boneless chicken wrap, and the lamb koubideh entree. The standouts were hands down the lamb koubideh and muhammara. The koubideh was bursting with flavors and impressively juicy. Paired with fluffy and fragrant rice, it was a delightful dish. The muhammara struck a perfect balance between sweet and tangy, lightly smoky with a pleasant texture. The baba ghanoush was also great: smoky and garlicky with a refreshing subtle tartness from the lemon and a texture that landed nicely between smooth and chunky. The hummus was a bit bland, needing more garlic, lemon juice, and salt. The chicken wrap was skimpy on the chicken and had lots of lettuce as filler. The chicken itself had some nice charred bits but was a tad dry and could also have used more seasonings. All in all, Alfarsi shows a lot of promise. Once they’ve had time to settle in and fine-tune a few details, they would be hard to beat.

The food was absolutely delicious, rich in flavor, the shrimp kabob was hands-down my favorite. The staff were warm and welcoming. I’ll definitely be coming back!!

Had a bad experience at a nearby restaurant and ended up here instead. It did not disappoint! They had only been open about a week but, everything was running smooth and quick! The owner was friendly and even brought out some babaganoush on the house. Everything we tried was delicious. Our favorite kabobs were the filet mignon and chicken koubideh. Also tried the kashkeh bademjan and loved it. If you're a fan of Persian food, please give this place a try!

Heard about this new Persian restaurant from my husband. We came to try it on a Monday night and it wasn’t crowded. Our server was nice and patient with us taking a lot of time to order. We ordered beef sultani and chicken sultani - both were amazing. The hummus was good too. I want to try the Persian yogurt drink next time!

This was our first visit, and we chose the restaurant to celebrate the New Year while introducing friends to Persian food. Unfortunately, the experience was a disappointment from start to finish. We ordered similar platter combinations, but when the plates arrived, the presentation alone was underwhelming and didn’t spark much excitement. The first bite confirmed our concerns. The dill rice showed visible dill, but the distinctive herb flavor was completely missing—it tasted nearly as plain as white rice. The meat kabobs were acceptable but bland, lacking any char or depth of flavor. The vegetable kabobs were barely edible, half-cooked and without any meaningful seasoning. The hummus and pita were also disappointing—again, bland and uninspired. Even the tea was tasteless. Having dined at other Persian restaurants, this one simply does not compare. It’s especially unfortunate because the menu sounded promising, but the execution fell flat across the board. For the price, the food was unremarkable, portions were stingy, and the overall experience left us feeling utterly disappointed.

A real neighborhood gem in North Center. Excellent beef & chicken kebabs, Persian dill rice, tabouli, muhammara & breads. Reasonable prices, friendly service, byob. Highly recommended!

Great Food, Bad Fluorescent Lighting I came to this restaurant excited by the buzz around its menu--and the food truly lived up to the hype. Every dish was thoughtfully prepared, flavorful, and clearly crafted with care. Flavors were bright, plating was clean, and you could tell the chef cares. From the appetizers to the desserts, there wasn't a single miss. If I were judging on taste alone, this place would be an easy five stars. Unfortunately, the atmosphere didn't match the quality of the kitchen. The harsh fluorescent lighting cast a sterile, almost cafeteria-like glow over what could have been a warm and inviting space. It made the dining experience feel less comfortable and far less charming than the food deserved. Bottom line: Come for the fantastic food, but be prepared--the lighting may have you wishing for dimmers or a candle or two. With a simple ambiance upgrade, this spot could be truly exceptional. I hope the owners realize this is an easy upgrade to a once former quick takeaway place.

Great service, prices, and location. Such good side sauces and they always are willing to give extra

Great spot! Delicious food and really friendly service. Lunch is wonderful. Not much ambience in the dining room but it is very clean and the tablecloths are a nice touch. Really big selection. Great Kebobs, felafel, hummus, mushrooms and eggplant. Fairly easy street parking but during busy hours you might have to drive around a little. Worth it.

Delivery was fast, well packaged, generous portions and delicious. We had steak, beef and chicken kabob meals, and a veggie kabob appetizer. Would recommend all!

Just had a great meal here. Best Falafel in Chicago! Baba was great too. Everything was fresh and tasty. The lamb koubedih was so juicy and flavorful.

The food was sooooo delicious. The service was amazing too- they were attentive and polite. The ambiance is casual and calm. The plate settings seem fancy but no dress code.

Good food, good service and nice people.Very personable. Great value for your money. Close to my home so that really helps!

Mediterranean sit down family run restaurant with fresh healthy and delicious foods. This is no longer a greasy spoon hotdog stand. White table cloths, real silverware, cloth napkins, and table service by the brother owners. Expect new takes on dolmahs and classic hummus plates. The lamb entrees are done to perfection. There is a very reasonably priced lunch menu that come with large portions of dill rice and baba ghanoush. I will definitely make this a weekly stop.

We did pick up but there is eat in. The food was delicious. So happy to have a Mediterranean place in the neighborhood. Chef's special was good as well as the lamb and filet kabobs. Sorry to lose Stella's but this place is a nice replacement

Very authentic, high quality food! From the hummus, to feta to kabobs, and dill rice. Service very hospitable and kind!

Warm welcome to this five-star platinum+++ restaurant! I walk by the corner often and was glad to see that a new dining option was in the works. As soon as the menu was posted in the window, I pretty much knew I'd be there early and often. The food is solid Middle Eastern with some way-less common items that make it stand out from the pack. Hummus, falafel, baba ghanoush and Holmes? Yep, but also muhammara, kashkeh bademjan and roasted feta on the app side. Mains go deep into kabob territory, deliciously so, and also flaunt ground meat koubedih and some nice plant-forward entrees. Inside track says the lamb shanks are sublime and I intend to find out soon. The place is spotless and the staff as welcoming, kind and efficient as can be. Count me in as a regular, the next time taking advantage of the lunch specials! ​​

Fantastic food and service - this is a hidden gem, I'd highly recommend. The management/staff was EXTREMELY accommodating to us on a busy Saturday night, they don't (yet?) have table service, it's order-at-counter (perhaps they will offer this on weekends at some point?). They were Extremely gracious and treated us very well, in addition to delicious food, from grilled mushrooms to lamb shank and kabob entrees. Also it's byob. Will definitely return and support this great local business with top-notch customer treatment.

Had a bad experience at a nearby restaurant and ended up here instead. It did not disappoint! They had only been open about a week but, everything was running smooth and quick! The owner was friendly and even brought out some babaganoush on the house. Everything we tried was delicious. Our favorite kabobs were the filet mignon and chicken koubideh. Also tried the kashkeh bademjan and loved it. If you're a fan of Persian food, please give this place a try!

Solid Persian food. I had take out. I recommend the flat bread and feta sides and kabobs

Stopped in with my mom for lunch today. She had a fattoush salad and I had the chicken kebab lunch special. Food was absolutely delicious and staff was so friendly. We'll be back!

The food was delicious, we had baba ghanoush, dolmas, and the mushroom appetizer, then the lamb kabob and dill rice. Topped off by perfect baklava - it was wonderful. The service was great as well. Highly recommended!!!

Great new neighborhood spot with delicious food, generous portions and friendly service.

Enjoyed a delicious salmon kabob dinner. Exquisitely seasoned overall with dill rice and sauteed vegetables - very light on the oil. Flat bread was like a delicate pastry - excellent. Lemonade perfectly sweetened. Friendly service for indoor dining -also take out. Don't miss this gem. Street parking to problem around dinner time on a Tuesday.

Got takeout and food and service was great. Definitely will be back. Great addition to the neighborhood.

Wonderful food (not bland) and service! This place injects a lot more flavor, and less oil, than the other Persian/Middle Eastern restaurants in the area. We are putting this place on our regular rotation!

What a surprise! We had lunch at this new restaurant in North Center today. It is Mediterranean/Persian and totally authentic. The food was fresh, excellently prepared, and the service was outstanding. The room is newly renovated and plays authentic music which contributed to the atmosphere. The value is tremendous and I would recommend this restaurant to anyone seeking this type of cuisine.

Hands down best Mediterranean food in the city. Authentic cuisine and service ran by a hardworking man and his team. Thank you very much for my weekly visits!

Great new spot! 4 of us, chicken and lamb koobideh and kabobs delicious. Spices were perfect, presentation lovely. Service and hospitality could not have been better. Will definitely return.

The food in this new restaurant is incredible and I go to many Chicago restaurants where it's well known that Chicago is a foodie town. The hummus, eggplant, falafel, wraps and the kabobs are the best I've had, and I can't recommend this place more! The service is fast, courteous, and friendly.