IDOF - I Dream of Falafel

Positives: food was good, restaurant was clean and pleasant, the line worker was attentive, quick, and polite. Negatives: the food was good, but uninspired. It was very generic Mediterranean food. The meat portions were also rather small for the bowl I got. Might be a result of shrikflation.

I have been waiting YEARS to come back to IDOF after they closed the one by me. Finally, I was able to make my return! I got a gyro plate and I think I over sauced myself because when I mixed everything together, the sauce overpowered and also made the meat get cold quicker. The only other reason I give 4 stars is because I was in line for 30 minutes… I’ll be back and hopefully raising my rating to 5 stars

Got the platter where I got 2 options for base, 1 protein and toppings. I got chicken kabad, which had a hint of spice and Overall I think this was a value buy. I am hoping they add some options like cilantro rice or brown rice in future.

This place is awesome! Ate here several times on my trip to Chicago. Some of the best falafel I’ve ever had! Plenty of vegan options. Everything was fresh and delicious - better than comparable fast casual Mediterranean spots.

Great lunch and super handy for our trip to the Art Institute (which doesn't currently offer any in-museum dining). We each ordered a CYO Plate with falafel as the protein. They formed the falafel balls and cooked them as we ordered, so very fresh, hot, and crisp. The nutritional information page on their website provides details for every ingredient. So I was easily able to calculate calories, fat, fiber, and protein for the lunch I planned. Switched hummus (as a second base) for couscous and had a luscious plate for 541 calories and 21 grams of protein. Servers were quiet, but personable and efficient. Space was very clean. Several small tables in back for smaller groups + large long table in front for individual customers to share. We will definitely be back!

Absolutely love this place. I actually walked in next door and left because this place looked so much better. I am very happy with my decision.

Generally pretty tasty food and good portions. Sometimes chicken kabob is not fully cooked.

Food was amazing! Cute place. Staff was friendly and helpful

We found IDOF during a train visit to the Institute of Art. I was pleased to find a healthy and interesting option for lunch so close to our destination. I had a wrap with red pepper hummus and shawarma chicken with tzatziki sauce. The interior was clean with a full open window view of Jackson Blvd. The workers were skilled and efficient at assembling the wraps and bowls. A good find.

You may dream of falafel, and after visiting IDOF, I was hoping to dream of falafel, but I don't think it's in the cards. I guess not everyone can dream of falafel. It would also help if the food was mind-blowing or at least above average. While respectable, it was nothing special--in essence, just okay. If there's something that was stand-out, it's the sauces. The tahini and the spicy did a lovely job rounding out the bowl, adding garlicky and spicy notes without going over the top. The falafel itself was underwhelming. I found the outside too crisp to preserve a great texture, and it overall felt as though it'd been sitting out for a hot minute. Flavors were solid, but the texture is a sticking point. The rest--bases and veggies--were terrifically unremarkable with no standouts. So much so, I couldn't even really tell you what I ordered. Something that also needs a little work is the general setup. First, it would be immensely helpful if the glass or ingredients had some kind of labeling so I could know what they were without asking. No lie, I had my phone out looking at their menu. On the same note, the large menu above the prep stations was partially blocked by a metal ledge, making it impossible to see what the "combos" were. Finally, the good things I can say is that the portion size was robust for the money, and it does seem to be healthier food than most lunchtime options, while also not being rabbit food served at... some terrifically overpriced and underwhelming places that shall remain nameless. As much as I wanted to like IDOF, I don't think a return visit is in the cards. It felt more like I was eating the meal for survival and fuel, as opposed to for the love of eating.

Not sure what has happened with this location. This was one of my lunch go-to restaurants for many years. Lately something is really off here. The vibes are dreadful, the staff seem like they are being held hostage and some pretty elementary features of fast casual dining just don't work properly. The line doesn't move, it is never clear whether they are working on takeout orders or ignoring you for no particular reason, food isn't labeled, no one tells you what dishes come with etc etc etc. Have to move on to other options in the area, sorry.

Great lunch spot if you work in the loop! The portion sizes are perfect, and everything tastes so fresh. This is one of the better quick lunch spots near the offices and you can quickly get in and out with your food.

Immediately sick from eating here. Rude staff. Up charges on everything. I wouldn't recommend.

Small portions. Cold food. Employees so depressed looking I feel like we need an intervention for them, and by the time I get the order I'm depressed too. Bad vibes here. Ambiance is lingering somewhere between "please don't stay" and "gtfo" and this was at lunch hour not close. Sooo many better Mediterranean places to go; avoid this one.

I came here during lunch because I got a free $10 giftcard. I don't usually get Mediterranean food so this was a nice change. I got the plate with chicken shawarma. The toppings were all free along with the sauces! I love that. You get a tasty dish and try a bunch of things at once. For me since I don't eat this food often, it's nice to get to try it all! They even had healthy conscious mixes like chickpea quinoa salad and tabouli quinoa. My whole order ended up being $10.01 and they didn't force me to pay the penny! I'm glad because I've encountered workers who have. It's a penny which I don't mind paying because it doesn't make a lot of difference but I don't want to be pushed to pay it. You definitely won't "falafel" eating at this place. Sorry couldn't resist a pun with a name like theirs!

This place is delicious! You can get any mix of bases, toppings, protein, or sauce and it will always be perfect. They put so much effort into making sure the plates are beautiful and it pays off effortlessly. Colorful, flavorful food. 100% will be coming back!

The food was edible. Fries were hot. The ketchup packets were sticky and gross. The Dr Pepper was completely watery. The food lacked flavor. The chickpea salad was the best with the dried fruit, tabouli was too salty. Undeniably the absolute worst thing about it was the ambiance. There was a radio station playing but the reception was terrible so it was constantly going in and out making the dining experience terrible! It was loud enough that the static was jarring and staff either did not care or were so used to it they didn't even hear the static anymore. I won't be going back to this location, which used to be a Chipotle. Wonder what it will become next.

Great food. Also Alex (one of the employees here) provided excellent service, guy deserves a raise. Definitely recommend

I dream of I Dream Of Falafel! True story: we were just going to eat at the museum cafe at the Art Institute when, at a crosswalk, I spotted a sign on a trash can that said "What the Falafel?! 1 minute walk away." I was sold. (It is sometimes that easy) So, after a quick Yelp search showed a solid 4 stars, we headed over! (I mean...I might take gentle suggestions from trash can advertising....but I put a *little* more faith in the opinions of my fellow Yelpers!) Turns out we got here in the middle of a lunch rush, but the promise of decently priced Mediterranean food had us willing to wait. But honestly, the line moved pretty quickly! I ordered a chicken kabob pita with spinach, cabbage, feta and garlic sauce. It was pretty great, and a LOT of food! That plus a fountain soda cost less than $8! An unexpectedly reasonable price for downtown Chicago! The only downside was the lack of available seating, but prime real estate has some drawbacks, I assume. We were lucky enough to get a couple seats at the high top bar in the front just as a few people were leaving. I think this might be the first and only time trash can advice has steered me in the right direction!

I really liked this tiny Mediterranean store on Jackson near DePaul Roosevelt and SAIC! They had some fun options for their plates like garbanzo salad and dolmades as well as the usual couscous and hummus. The service was extremely friendly. There are 3 small tables on back and then one big bar table up front but we were able to eat comfortable. Homemade pita delicious as well and best baklava in the loop!

Stopped in after a day at the Art Institute and this will be our regular stop when in Chicago. Delicious beyond words.

This week I have been working in our Loop office. With working in the Loop comes trying great lunch spots and a thinning wallet. IDOF did not disappoint, except for my wallet not shrinking too much! The Vegan Dream plate is a true dream for vegans and non-vegans alike. It has so much food for less than $9. It also allows you to try various dishes. When they ask you if you want pita bread at the end of the line, say yes, it's free! I will be dreaming of falafel for weeks!

Had a great lunch here today! My pita was warm and all the ingredients tasted fresh and delicious. I tried the chicken shawarma for the first time it was really well seasoned and it was a good portion for the bowl size.

Take the name seriously... At 12:15 on a Thursday they were out of falafel and I was left dreaming ;)

Nice job on the food and speed. I had the combination platter on hummus. Service wasn't engaging or knowledgeable of the menu items.

Awesome customer service, love their Falafel, Garlic Sauce is Bomb, we really love their plate. Their salad is not typical salad you get in store, its like gourmet mediterranean salad.

I ordered through grubhub and while everything arrived on time, I wish I would have checked my stuff before the delivery guy left. Food was cold, chicken shawarma was overcooked and they left the bones in. My food, since the guy delivering it was on a bike, was all over the place. I understand that driving to do deliveries isn't the best option but that shouldn't mean that when I get my food that it should be all over the place. I used to love this place, they've progressively gotten worse over the years.

Best suggestion I have ever taken from a trash can! Instead of eating at the (probably good but probably not as good as IDOF) museum café, we took a chance on a "What the Falafel?" trash can advertisement. The restaurant is small-ish so coming in the middle of lunch time, there was limited seating. It's like a Qdoba or Chipotle but with Mediterranean food! The works were fast so our wait in line was minimal. I built a pita with roasted red pepper hummus, gyro mean, cabbage, feta cheese, and tzatziki sauce. It was messy and delicious! If it wasn't so windy and sprinkling rain on and off, we may have taken our food and cone to sit in the park, but we were lucky to grab an open seat at the end of the table. Took a chance and the results were AMAZING!

They are expensive for the little amount of food you get. I would much rather go to Roti get two proteins and all the toppings I want which will fill me up than go to IDOF and still be hungry for a similar pricing. Very disappointed.

There food was great, their prices were good, and they had a good variety. I like that most of the food was gluten-free, including the falafel's. Plus, there were many vegetarian options. I was disappointed that (like most restaurants in downtown Chicago) they didn't have a kids menu. they suggested we just order a meal and only get what the kids want, but with small children that's a waste of money. It turns out that even though it's not on the menu, you can order all a cart. So my kids got euro meat, fries, and to the thoughts. They were quite pleased. The rest of us were happy with our meals. The only thing is that I chose this restaurant because a couple other people I would with have their sensitive diet restrictions. After looking at the website, it appeared as though their food was pretty healthy and clean without hitting ingredients. I'm not sure that's the case though because the more sensitive individuals said that it upset their stomachs. I'm not particularly sensitive to food, but I didn't have any issues with it and enjoyed my meal.

Great service - quick and digging the food! I was asked to come here so please keep that in mind but they treated us super nice! Everything was made really beautifully and the staff was extremely nice and helpful! I personally loved their IDOFries and the chicken the most! The kefta was really good too and don't forget the hummus!

Decent spot to grab quick lunch in the loop, loved my first experience! I got a BYO plate, I chose all my proteins and toppings. I decided to get hummus, rice, half falafel half chicken and salad with the platter. They also give fresh pita bread which was so so good with the hummus and falafel. Falafels were fresh, crispy and very flavorful. Portions of the platter was huge; lots of left overs. The service was pretty fast and food was fresh. One thing I would not recommend is the chicken shawrma meat. The chicken just didn't work for me, It was a bit dry with a bad aftertaste. It was a good experience and I will be back to get a falafel sandwich.

Love the food but hate the location--stuffed in a shoebox on a street that never seems to get sunlight. The layout you follow to get your food, drink and suffers as well, and I wonder if they've eliminated a few menu offerings here that other locations have? They also don't offer check-in specials like my neighborhood IDOF has.

Ordered a Chicken kabab bowl via MealPal. Upon arriving there was no order with the staff, my meal was not ready. I was asked if I wanted to supstitue the rice with anything else because there wasen't any ready, I said I would wait after being told it would take 10 min. 2 min later the rice comes out and my order is ready. Get back to work and proceed to begin eating only to discover the chicken is completely undercooked! I mean, I can't even cut through it! I'm six months pregnant and hoping I don't get sick from this terrible meal! P.S. Called and asked to speak to a manager at 2pm, was told no managers were available to speak with me. 1st and last time I will go to this location!

I've never been to IDOF and now I see why. The falafels were cold and hard, and the bowl is extremely small for $10. Even the pita bread was cold! The presentation of falafel bowls at Naf Naf Grill are much better.....and their pita bread is served warm. I also like how Naf Naf spreads the hummus around the side of the bowl; IDGAF..I mean IDOF just gives you a little dollop of hummus in the corner of their little bowl. Forget it if you want to mix the toppings..lettuce, cabbage, onion, tomato, without spilling your food. The tiny bowl will have half of your food on the table. Yum! In search of a vegan meal, pass on IDOF, unless you like cold and overcooked falafel, with a minuscule dollop of hummus for $10..

My husband and I stopped in before heading to a museum. This was our first time doing fast casual Mediterranean meal in a chipotle type establishment. The staff at IDOF were really patient and kind while my husband and I were being indecisive. I got a baba famous/chickpea quinoa base and falafel protein. I got tahini sauce and most of the veggie toppings. The chickpea quinoa was fire! The babaghanoush had a weird texture and hardly any eggplant taste. I wouldn't do that again. The falafel was green and had great seasoning. I was a little bit dry so you need to have it with a hearty sauce helping. They give you a piece of pita bread on the side and it was really good. Overall, you are basically spending 9-12 dollars for an entree and it only goes up if you add a drink or chips as a side. I feel it's a tad over priced. It it were $1 to $2 dollars less per meal it would be perfect.

This place is a must try. Make sure to try their chicken and gyro! Obviously their falafel is to die for. I've been "dreaming" of IDOF since I left!

Ate here for the first time today. Delicious falafel. Moist, crispy, and cooked just right. I like the variety of bases for the plate. I had the red pepper hummus. It was creamy a flavorful. The pita was light and fluffy. Not sure if fresh baked but it was awesome! Service was fast and courteous. I highly recommend you walk past the usual fast food and try this place.

After a month of eating almost no carbs, I decided to indulge with a full-on "cheat day" and picked the IDOF fries as the mother of all cheat meals. I'm so happy I did. This combination of flavors was one of the best meals I've had the pleasure of eating in a long time. Like a cross between Greek fries and nachos. So yummy. (The photo doesn't do this dish justice.)

Food is delicious and service was amazing (skip the pita chips). Came in early on Saturday right after IDOF opened and it was high energy inside. A large catering order had come in recently, but Javier and the team wad able to quickly accommodate a few other patrons and I. I got a falafel wrap with a side of pita chips and a fountain drink. For a business with falafel in the name you bet theirs were delicious. Made fresh (I saw them cook mine right before my eyes), the seasoning was strong but not overpowering, moist and chickpea flavor coming out in the mix. For sauces I'm partial to the garlic sauce, flavor pairs well with the food and add just a little bit more oomph. The pita chips were oily, more so than even potato chips, so I recommend skipping those and choosing another side. I'm a large guy with a big appetite, and the wrap and chips were enough to fill me up, significant portion sizes. Lastly Javier was apologetic that the food took so long to prepare, even though it was clearly made fresh. Just indicative of the attentive service you get here. All around positive experience and I'll definitely be back!

Pita how do I love thee, let me count the ways. As a displaced Californian living in Texas, my appetite for GOOD Mediterranean fare has been growing exponentially with each passing day separated from the Bay Area. Yelp has steered me well on this business trip to Chicago and BAM the streak continues. Had pita with baby ganouj base, gyro meat, and all the fixings. The pickled turnip is a must but the whole pita package exceeded my wildest of fresh-food dreams. Friendly staff, clean/modern atmosphere, and a varied but not overwhelming selection of options from wrap to pita to plate. Sauces spot on including the spicy tomato which was perfectly hot abd flavorful. After your Italian Beef and Chicago dog, stop here for a healthier, lighter, veggie-laden treat.

I'm so happy this place is near my work! I got the hummus and baba ghanouj as bases, chicken shawarma, tabouli, onion, cabbage, cucumber and tomato salad, and peppers, with tzaziki dressing. So fresh, tasty, and healthy. Please don't ever close, IDOF!

BYOD (build your own dish) at IDOF. This place was not crowded at all, even during the customary lunch rush. When it comes to Mediterranean, I prefer this place far above Roti with its mystery meat. The pita bread was fluffy and the house-made falafel I would indeed go for again. Sauces were good, especially the tahini and red pepper hummus. The cucumber salad also added a refreshing touch. Just when you think it can't get any better, the fountain has Dr. Pepper. I also sampled one of the pita chips while I was waiting to order. Although I wouldn't go out of my way to get this as an add-on, it was nice of the establishment to provide samples so that patrons' hunger could be quelled while waiting in line.

Food: Very tasty and high quality ingredients. I will give 5 stars Price: Little expensive. They should reduce it . Other things: The people making your wraps they are very good but little lost on the procedural steps. Overall a balanced restaurant with prices on higher end.

Great concept and similar to Naf Naf Grill & Roti, but sadly not as good. I was hoping it would be great because it is so close to me but it just lacks the "fresh" quality that it mentions or at least it was that way today on 4/20. Didn't feel too good after having my laffa and the shawrma was cold. It might just be that I am middle eastern and I am more used to this than others. Sorry 3/5

I've been to this location several times. Service is fine although not super friendly. The food is good. Love getting the bowl with red pepper hummus and rice. Chicken shawarma is pretty decent here. A good lunch option in the loop. Warm pita is served with bowls and there are cups for water by the soda machine. Solid.

Delicious! Our family of 3 each had a CYO pita and they all were very tasty. It will be tempting not to order from IDOF again tomorrow!

One extra star for cleanliness and good hummus. Beyond that, not good. Chicken is 100% dark meat and fatty at that. The pita bread is like wonder bread pressed into a different shape. The pita chips are so oily I could barely taste the chip. It was basically just oil. And on top of all this, they have Pepsi and not coke. No thanks. OK update. As I was walking out I saw they have chicken kebab as well. My fault for not looking more closely, although when I asked for chicken I wish I would have been given the choice. They also have say bread which was much better than the pita. They graciously offered some of this to me at no charge. The kebabs aren't amazing but very liveable. I'd Co side trying one more time.

This place ROCKS! I am new to Mediterranean food. A co-worker of mine from Turkey recommended this place to me. If it is good enough for him, I figured, why not! The lentil soup is to die for!! Make sure you get the lemon wedge with it., it adds another layer of intensity to the soup. I have tried the "IDOF's Chicken Shawarma " wrap and the Falafel Rice plate. Both were VERY good and a lot of food for the price! The staff here is incredible! Very friendly and warm!! Have a question about the cuisine, ask them, they are here to help! If you stop by, be sure to pickup a "Lunch Club" card. By ten, get one free... Enjoy!!

My favorite lunch in the loop. Fast, friendly and tons of food. Usually I'll have leftovers for dinner or a snack later in the day. The chicken shawarma plate is my favorite and their hummus is the best!

I haven't had much here, so maybe this review isn't really fair, but what the hell. I had the baba ghouj and was really underwhelmed. It was more of a paste than the stringy eggplant that normally makes up the dish. To top it off, the pita just wasn't right. I don't know how to explain the super mediocre/subpar taste. It just wasn't great.

Skip this place. Food was decent, but the area has better options at better prices.

The place looks nice and it's organized. I ordered a falafel pita pocket and it was meh. They give a tiny spoonful of hummus that barely covers a corner of the pita bread. There were 3 small cold undercooked falafel on the bottom topped with layers of toppings. Maybe it was just today, but I probably wouldn't go again for falafel.

The guy working was really nice and helpful. I ordered the All-In platter and it was good. The falafel and Kefta were freshly cooked and the chicken/meat shawarma were both cooked perfectly. Definitely not authentic taste, but it still was a good meal. The price is kind of high for the amount of food given. Overall it was a good experience, better than Halal Guys(nothing can beat the original NY Halal Guys)!

I go here regularly. I've yet to have a bad experience. It's near my office, so it's a real blessing. The line moves fairly quick. If I had one complaint, if anything, its that it can take a while to get their falafel ready if they'd run out. But that could just be I show up when the lunch rush takes a dip. Other than that, the quality of food is solid, I recommend the CYO plate, it's a great deal and leaves me feeling satisfied. All for under $9, that's a steal in the loop!

DePaul student get a nice discount. So I'm spending $5 bucks everyone for a large portion. People are friendly and the food is definitely healthy.

I was initially at Chipotle down the block, but the line was too ridiculous for me to stand in, plus I had to head to class. I'm so glad I decided to give this place a shot. Everyone was so nice and they weren't packed like Chipotle. I decided to create my own rice platter and had their lamb kabob. Great quality food, very flavorable, and reasonably priced. My dish was less than $10!