Sayat Nova Armenian Restaurant

I am Armenian and wanted to treat myself for my birthday and I am sad I waited so long to go! Once you walk in you feel transported. It’s nice and dark, there is great authentic music playing (albeit a tad loud for our taste, hence 4/5 stars on ambience), and the staff is very professional. we were led to a very cozy and private corner booth and were immediately feeling like VIPs in a saucy little food cave. To start we had an Armeni-Teni which was a little sweet for my taste but I’m not a sweets person so take that with a grain. We also had a Sazerac and it was pure poetry. We ended up ordering it again for our nightcap. Food-wise my husband let me do all the ordering because I am familiar with the offerings. We shared all of the following: Lamajoun which is a flatbread with ground beef and peppers. Listen, I’m always going to say that my mom makes everything better, but this was pretty good. Mezza Sampler: We chose the Labneh, Tourshee, and Yalanchi Sarma. Not a single bad choice has been made so far. Next we received the Raw Kibbee and our server offered us regular or spicy. We chose spicy but we didn’t feel the heat when eating it. It was delicious just not spicy! It was a very large portion, way too much for two people. Generous is an understatement! Then we moved on to the Lamb Chops. There are so few times I’ll remember exactly where I was and who I was with and what I was doing with my life at certain ages and times. I hardly remember the 2010s. I will never forget the first bite of this lamb chop I had on Sunday November 17, 2024. Superior. Transcendent. Excellent. The rice pilaf that accompanied it was also a beautiful experience. Fluffy, moist (I knowww the worst word ever but get over it) and spot on. We ate this dish slowly and thoughtfully. It was divine. We did not order dessert but there was no need, one came to us courtesy of the staff. Knafi, which I almost cried tears of joy when it came to the table because my great grandma, my grandma, and my mom all made this during my lifetime. They lit a gold candle and sang happy birthday to me which was just so sweet and above and beyond. And it was scrumptious, we damn near licked the plate. It looks like a big pile of baked shredded wheat and it is filled with custard. Such a unique dessert. I also really appreciated the design of the hand woven fabric on the booths. I grew up with very similar designs on household furniture growing up, and I inherited some cool historic pieces from my family that bear the same designs. I texted my mom a picture and it warmed both of our hearts. So grateful to have found Sayat Nova!!! A favorite on my restaurant list from now on!

Stopped in for a quick bite after an afternoon of shopping and libations. Friendly and attentive staff. The hummus and pita was delicious. I appreciate the staff offering a gluten free option to dip the hummus. The beef and chicken kebabs were cooked perfectly.

Sayat Nova Armenian Restaurant - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Sayat Nova is a hidden gem in Chicago, a place that feels like stepping into a piece of Armenia itself. The atmosphere is cozy and welcoming, with warm lighting and traditional decor that immediately wraps you in a feeling of home. The food is an absolute experience—layered with spices and flavors that transport you across the world. One standout detail is the hot sauce, a fiery red concoction that’s unlike anything else. It has a deep, earthy heat that builds slowly, mingling with notes of smoky paprika and a subtle sweetness that lingers just long enough to leave you wanting more. It’s the kind of heat that warms rather than burns, a perfect complement to their rich, flavorful dishes. From the kebabs to the dolma, every bite is packed with authentic flavors and crafted with clear attention to detail. Sayat Nova isn’t just a restaurant—it’s a journey, a small escape into Armenian cuisine, where each dish tells a story of tradition and taste. A must-visit for anyone looking for something truly special in the heart of Chicago.

Totally nice experience at Sayat Nova last night with welcoming staff, very good food, and cozy atmosphere & music. I've never had Armenian food and it reminded me a little of Turkish & Persian food. Notwithstanding, their lamb meatballs in yogurt sauce was exceptional. Their hot stuff grape was good, but I should have order the cold variety, which I bet were even better (raisins and more goodies). The stuff eggplant was comparable to the aforementioned other cuisines. I really enjoyed the subtle flavor of the red lentil. Finally, the cheese puff pastry turnover was delicious.

I was looking for an authentic Armenian restaurant and this place was recommended. It is not what I expected. Looks like Armenian authenticity is just the name of the place, and probably the owner itself with a small number of dishes on the menu. It's really a mix of Mediterranean/ Middle Eastern dishes. But the food was decent. So if you are looking for real Armenian food this is not the place.

The best meal we had all weekend! My sister and I walked past this place several times on our way to and from our hotel around the corner. The aroma of the food is what caught us first. Definitely a hole in the wall, as you wouldn't notice it since Ed's is right next door. A bit more pricey, but so worth it!! We had never had Armenian food. The flavor of the food was heavenly, and each bite was perfect. We tried the chicken and the shrimp plates and split them. Will definitely be coming back to try more!!

Amazing atmosphere! You 1000% have to get the chicken xorovats/kebab. It was perfectly cooked tender. Meal came with pita and rice which was also very delicious. For wines I recommend the pomegranate which was surprisingly sweet!

DELICIOUS! Amazing atmosphere and music. The waitress was super accommodating to my vegetarian diet. Such a cool place 10/10 would recommend

We had an amazing time at this restaurant! The ambiance was absolutely perfect--stylish, cozy, and welcoming. The food was outstanding, with every dish cooked to perfection and bursting with flavor. The staff were friendly, attentive, and made the entire experience even better. Everything came together beautifully, and I couldn't have asked for a better dining experience. We were a group of 24 people and everyone loved the place.

Custard perfection like you've never experienced before. That would be the Knafi. Warm custard bondage in angel hair philo dough. Start and end your meal with this. As for the food - they were OK. The meza sampler for $18 is not bad. We got the hummus, Armenian spinach, and labneh. I like the spinach earthy taste - a little "gamy". The hummus was good. For mains we had the Armenian combo. It was fine, not great but fine. Don't forget the Knafi again. Service was excellent!

Super cute place. Very authentic looking. Nice larger curved booths make for a cozy spot. They have some large central tables to accommodate larger groups as well. The stuffed eggplant was my favorite!

DELICIOUS Armenian food. Stopped in as a solo diner at 5pm on a Saturday. I had a reservation but it wasn't very busy at that time so walk-in would have been totally fine. The Lulla Kebab (I got the 2 piece meat only) might have been the best kebab I've ever had. So juicy and bursting with flavor, with a slight char crisp on the outside. Also got the Raw Kibbee appetizer, which can be "regular" or "spicy". I got spicy and it did have a little kick! This is a raw meat dish, but it didn't have the same mouth feel as like a raw steak tartare. I think maybe due to the spices. This dish is heavily spiced/herbed and absolutely delicious drizzled in olive oil. They also gave me a complimentary basket of pita bread which was nice to eat with the Kibbee. Only thing about this dish was that it was way too much for just me, especially with how intensely flavored it was. A side of Jajic provided a nice contrast to the Kibbee. This was creamy and cooling with the mint yogurt sauce, with nice crunchy and lightly garlicky cucumbers. Finally a side of Spinach Boereg was fun as well! The pastry is so light, airy, flaky. With a hot melty spinach filling. Washed it all down with an Armenian beer that was crisp, refreshing, with a slightly sweet finish. Served cold with a chilled glass. Everything was phenomenal and I'm glad I found this place! Ambiance inside was very cool and unique as well. Dimly light with colored walls and Armenian (I think?) music, beautiful fabric benches. I kind of felt like I was in an underground cave on the main floor. Looks like they did have a lower area level as well, though it was empty when I was there.

Amazing dining experience. It's not a big restaurant but the food has been fabulous for over 30 years - very consistently scrumptious ! Literally everything ordered tasted great and the service was 5 stars too. The Armenian food is so delicious and the tea is classical... Real tea leaves in a pot. It was a great experience all around.

Nestled in Streeterville is this family-owned Armenian restaurant. Very busy with two large parties this evening, hard it was to get our server's attention. Time passed, having to use our phone lights to navigate through this foreign-to-us menu ourselves. Luckily our table was pleased with what we ordered. Mediterranean tastes from their "Armenian Combo"; tasty "Sautéed Shrimp"; enjoyable shredded philo "Knafi". Personally, I wouldn't mind coming back when in area next. The price is great, food is good, and, I'll be wiser to include a lamb dish then. Cheers!

After walking past this place several times I finally decided to try it this week. Sayat Nova checked all the boxes and I'm absolutely certain I'll be back. The inside is dimly lit and cozy making it a great spot for a date. They have booths against the wall that are in little alcoves offering privacy and a unique set up. We split a mezza platter and had a few kebabs. The hummus and lebnah were tasty and the pita came out piping hot. The pita wasn't anything special or seemingly homemade but it did the job as a vehicle for the spreads. Both the chicken and steak kebabs were cooked well and delicious. Taking away one star because as the restaurant got crowded the service became sparse. We had to flag down our waiter multiple times for water refills and waited a while for our check. He was running around so much it was difficult to get his attention even.

I ordered takeout from this restaurant and randomly came upon it as I was walking home. They told us some of the meat options are Halal (would definitely ask to clarify which items) and it was delicious. The meat had the right amount of tenderness and flavor! Their takeout service was great! I had walked over in high heels and they let my husband and I sit down and kindly served us water as we waited for our takeout order. The vibe was nice too and some day I'd love to sit down and eat there!

Came in for a weeknight dinner and we were seated immediately. The ambience is really unique both in the design as well as the music/lighting. The menu is straightforward in terms of the number of dishes being offered. The sampler platter is a nice way to try specialty dishes that you may have never had before without committing to an entire plate of them individually! Overall the food and desserts were good and the prices were very reasonable. Knocking one star because of the drink we had, which was a slightly off putting flavor. Otherwise highly recommend!

Food is good, Service is good, The ambiance is somewhat dark for my preference. The dishes were good sized and quite filling. Dessert I thought was the best. Kanifi desert filled with custard was spectacular!! (see photo) the dessert had a crisp outer shell lightly deep fried while the inside custard was warm. Would come again- give it a try if in the area and want a descent place to escape and enjoy!

This was by far one of the best Armenian restaurants we have ever been too. The food and service were amazing! We enjoyed every bite, and cannot wait to visit again. The lamb-beef kabobs, and lahmacun were on point!

I just had to share with you how consistently fantastic the food and service is at this particular spot. Whenever I make my way to Chicago throughout the year, this is the place I never miss visiting. The owner's hands-on approach and dedication to working alongside the staff really sets this place apart. It's heartwarming to see familiar faces each time I stop by, showing how well the owner takes care of his team. While everything on the menu is excellent, my absolute favorites are the hummus and kabobs. Trust me, you can't go wrong with anything here, but those two are my top picks for sure.

Excellent service, excellent food, but be prepared. It is a little dark, but that sets the mood if you're looking for something Romantic

Amazing hidden gem in streeterville!! I stumbled upon this place to dine solo and it was AMAZING. Perfect spot to dine alone. Very cute, Armenian vibe with dim lighting. Service was amazing - Food came out within 5 minutes. the mezza sampler was great for trying a few things. My favorites were the sarma and labneh. All so flavorful and fresh tasting. Will be back!

First time trying Armenian food. The lamajoun and the Armenian platter with some Armenian specialties like stuffed eggplant and kufta was delicious.

Absolutely delicious! I tried the Armenian combo and it did not disappoint! The ambience is awesome with lights all around and the staff is fabulous ! When visiting Chicago I will be back! 10/10!

After being closed for SOOOOO long, Sayat Nova is finally back and better than ever! Unfortunately, like so many, I chose takeout (sorry, Sayat Nova) due to the pandemic issues. So I ordered Sarma (stuffed grape leaves with lamb), Red Lentil Soup (incredibly addicting), and sauteed chicken with rice pilaf, and it came with warm pita bread. Everything was outstanding, just as it always was in the past. Hugely generous portions and so flavorful!! And for anyone with allergies, they are allergy-friendly for sure! I appreciate that. Mine are particularly tough to deal with as sesame and nuts are part of my "unable to consume" items. Yep, that means no tahini. I have never had a problem eating any of the food here. Sooooooooo good. So glad they are in my neighborhood and have reopened!! I would give them 10 stars if I could. WELCOME BACK, SAYAT NOVA!!! You've been so missed!

I absolutely loved my dinner at Sayat Nova. The previous night I went to dinner at a Michelin rated restaurant but Sayat Nova blew it away. The lamb kabob was succulent and delicious. The Armenian red wine was full bodied and paired well. The mahalabia dessert was cool, creamy, and flavorful perfumed with warm spices. The Armenian coffee was the perfect end of the meal. It had some spice in the background I could not place but it made it extra special. I should also mention the atmosphere was lovely. I felt like I had been transported to some far away land. I highly recommend you check it out if in the Chicago area.

Great little restaurant. Wish there were a lit more Armenian cuisine restaurants in the heart of the Chicago River area. Can't wait to try again.

Excellent food and good serving. The KEBAB COMBO was excellent and so was the Mezza Sampler. We were visiting from Los Angeles and will definitely come back again when we in Chicago next time.

Finally got here - nice decor, Armenian music over the speakers, great service and great food. Had the shawarma, jajic, and cheese borek with Almaza Pilsner - perfect! Thank you for keeping Armenian culture alive - I don't think one patron was Armenian - great job teaching others about our amazing food! Bravo!

It was ok. Pretty dead inside with not many customers. It always looks empty when I walk by... Food was good but not worth $25 a plate with only one side. Feel like you can get a better meal for the amount we spent on hummus, 2 glasses of wine and and 2 entrees. Service was ok too. Not amazing, nice but the staff looked bored.

Lovely ambiance and delicious meals- this was one of my favorite dining experiences in Chicago! Cozy seating nooks with beautiful lighting. Great drink menu and lots to explore with the menu. I've never had Armenian food and wasn't sure what to expect. We tried the combination platter to get a little of everything. Mouthwatering! Can't wait to return!

Sayat Nova is a spectacular restaurant! They have great food, excellent service, and amazing atmosphere! I've been several times and highly recommend!

i would give it a 7/10 food was decent, a little expensive. Vibes were nice for a couple cute little booths.

Excellent food. Very family friendly environment. Armenian cuisine is very unique and delicious. Service impeccable. Will definitely be back.

Food was outstanding, service was excellent! Have been going to Sayat Nova for over 40 years and they never disappoint.

I was visiting chicago and i stumbled upon this place... boy was i happy!! Food was delicious, service is amazing, and man is the place beautiful. This place is true to Armenian culture, the food met my high expectations. All i can say is, if youre ever in chicago you have to stop by and eat at Sayat Nova!

Based on the yelp rating I wouldn't eat here but I was given a gift card so I tried. The food was rather bland. I don't think it is worth the price.

Great food - authentic preparations. When I want to connect to my heritage and eat the food my grandmothers made - this is where I go.

10/10 experience! Great friendly staff & amazing fresh food!!! Very satisfied with our visit here!

I had the beef kebab -- flavorful, savory perfection. The restaurant is very cute. I'll be back!

Walking around near our hotel, I noticed an Armenian restaurant. It was late at night and they were closing. So we decided to come for lunch on Friday. As a proud Armenian, I always try to support Armenian establishments whenever I run across one around the planet. We walked in and there were no Armenians anywhere (Patrons and/or staff). Looking at the menu, it looked more like a Persian restaurant menu than Armenian. Words like Kibbee aren't Armenian at ALL! But I decided to order few things just to tie us over till our next meal. The waiter came by to get our drink order. I asked for an Armenian staple which is Tahn (yogurt drink). He told me that they don't serve Tahn. This was the beginning of several disappointments. We ordered... Raw Kibbee Spinach boeregs Vegetarian eggplant Raw Kibbee (kufta) is something I make regularly. This was the oddest version ever! There was raw ground beef with bulgur mixed and pasted on the oval plate. There was red onion and parsley chopped on the ends with sliced tomatoes over it. It was disappointing. I had to remove the tomatoes. Mix it and add salt and pepper to it and drizzle it with olive oil. The Spinach boereg looked right till the cheese was dripping out of it. Clearly, they used the wrong type of cheese. Vegetarian eggplant was the absolute worst! That thick cut eggplant seemed to have been cooked days ago with similarly old sautéed onions with bell peppers. I am disappointed by the food. What upsets me even more is that someone who's never eaten real Armenian food will eat this and have a bad impression of one of the best cuisines of the world. The only thing I'm glad about is that I didn't order more things to be disappointed by.

I was excited to try this restaurant and left supremely dissatisfied. The service was poor: food took a long time to leave the kitchen, "hot" items arrived to the table cold, the waitress never refilled our drinks, the waitress came by maybe 4 times total over the course of 2 hours, and when we expressed dissatisfaction with the service the staff seemed unconcerned. The restaurant was mostly empty when we arrived so these issues were not excusable to me. The food was okay: the lamb was dry/overcooked, the rice was bland, the beef was the best item on the menu, the portions are astonishingly small considering the price The ambience was beautiful. Makes you feel transported. This place might be an nice spot to visit the bar, grab a drink with friends, and enjoy the ambiance. Would not recommend going for dinner though.

The vibes were super cozy, service was great and the food was delicious! Definitely recommend

Middle Eastern style (Armenian) salads here are super. Spinach and onions was also terrific. Grape leaves were fresh and flavorful Excellent service and a long history (been coming here since 1983). Bar and happy hour.

Came to Chicago from Los Angeles; I am Armenian and was looking for an Armenian restaurant. I ordered a lula kebab and tabouleh salad, and so the rice was overcooked, the salad was delicious. But only the name of the restaurant is Armenian, and the food is more from the Arab countries

Flavorful food at reasonable prices. Appetizers could be a meal in themselves, so much diversity in tastes. The kabobs were outstanding as well, especially the lamb and steak. Friendly, helpful service.

Walked past here at lunchtime and stopped in . Only myself and one other time during lunch time Great service , restaurant is super clean and quiet . Several vegetarian and vegan options : burek,lentil soup , hummus, pita and so much more . There are several lunch specials or you can order a la carte. Don't forget to get the mint tea

I had a great experience at Sayat Nova. I appreciate their menu not bending to fatty, oily, dull American palettes. I ate here with two girlfriends; we were in the mood for Mediterranean food and we know we can't get it in the city we're from. Chicago didn't disappoint! We started with the mezza sampler: Armenian spinach, yalanchi sarma and hommos. Nice starters; all delicious, all chilled. Nothing was overpowering over anything else, so I think we chose 3 complimentary dishes. I ordered the red lentil soup as well, and I'm really glad I did. Kinda hard for me to describe, but if I had to choose a word it'd be "pure." It was such a small bowl of kapow. The lentils, the carrot, the onions. A perfect meld of flavors and textures. For dinner, I got the trout with fine herbs. This was an interesting dish. The fish looked delicious, but I found it a tad bland which was surprising as it had tons of herbs on it (mainly parsley). Squizzing the lemon on it and eating it with bites of the charred onion helped it a lot. It was till a good dish, I was jut expecting more flavor. Wonderful, respectful service. A little flirty, which I'm 100% down with. Nothing like a smile, a blush, and a giggle to go along with your meal. Two cons: the seating was pretty low. We sat in a booth (with a chair on the end). One of my friends is 5'1" and petite and she had a hard time scooting in her seat because her thighs were right under the table. I had the same issue getting in my chair on the end (I'm 5'7" and hefty). The other con is it was pretty dark in here. I appreciate ambiance, but we had to use our cell phone lights to even see the menu. Other than that, excellent experience!

The food is delicious, the service is exactly what you need without being overbearing, and the ambience is perfect, in my opinion. If you're a coffee enjoyer, you NEED to try their Armenian Coffee.

Highly recommend the cheese boureg, eggplant appetizer, lulla kabob, shish kabob, khafi dessert (delicous!), and armenian coffee - can not go wrong with any of these! Will definitely be back, perfect ambiance for a date night!

Wow. This place is really special. Excellent. The chilled, vegetarian sarma were incredible (preferred them to the hot meat ones), and the lamb & rice dish with tomatoes was absolutely exquisite. The portion sizes were quite generous as well. Everything was so flavorful, and cooked perfectly. Plus, the ambience was beautiful, and the staff was extremely friendly. My dad asked the server what spice was used in the sarma because he liked it so much, and the waiter came back with a list of every ingredient written down by the chef. You will not be disappointed.

I and my partner just had dinner here. We had walked past Sayat Nova a couple times the over previous few days and after checking the yelp photos of the food, we decided it looked good enough to try, and I'm really glad we did. We happened to go on a Tuesday; relevant because apparently on Tuesdays bottles of wine are half off! ...since we didn't need to drive, we got a bottle of dry red (it was an Armenian wine too!) which went well with our food. We got the appetizer sampler with baba ghanoush, the vegetarian sarma (grape leaves wrapped around rice with stuff, like dolma/dolmades), and the assorted pickled vegetables. All three were very good, and slightly different from their similar counterparts I've had before at other "mediterranean"/"middle eastern" restaurants. For our entrees we both got different items, the sauteed lamb for him, and I got the lamb cous cous. He really liked his dish, and I really liked mine. Pictures will be uploaded, too, naming which dish was which. The cous cous in my dish was well seasoned, the lamb was very tender, and the overall balance of flavors was delicious; it came with veggies cooked with the lamb, namely zucchinis, carrot, potato and onion from what I could tell, all perfectly tender and thoroughly cooked (but not mushy, they really did them well). It came with a kind of hot sauce on the side, I tried it, but it was too spicy for me. It was nice that it was served on the side, perfect for trying and adjusting to your tastes. Anyways, if I went back again I would probably order another cous cous dish (and split it with a friend, for I was too full after appetizers to get even close to finishing it!), because I really loved it. I can't say much about the sauteed lamb dish my partner got since I did not try it. My partner does not really wax poetic on food... but I can say he ate all the meat + vegetables and most of the rice pilaf and he said it was good! Both of us agreed that we really liked our server. He never let our water run dry (but he didn't hover-- he just had good timing/was attentive), and was nice and able to help us select a wine. Overall will definitely come again the next time we're in Chicago. We were far too full to try the desserts, but next time I want to come during the day so I can get some coffee after our meal and sample some desserts. I love baklava, and my partner loves knafi (shredded phyllo/filo which sandwiches or surrounds a custardy filling), and they have both at this restaurant! Maybe we'll stop by tomorrow for coffee and desserts in the afternoon... Mmmm. - - - - - Restrooms: nice. Womens' restrooms had two stalls, two sinks, was well lit, and pretty clean. It's downstairs from the restaurant main room but clearly marked and easy to find. Big plus for me, having good restrooms!

The lighting is a little bit dark. However, the atmosphere is nice with great music too. The waiters and waitresses are awesome. Freevo is accepted here. They have a great menu. In addition, the Armenian ale is great. It has a nice robust flavor.

I staying next door and grabbed takeout. There was a bit of a wait, but the food was good.

This place was delicious! I've lived in Streeterville for years, and always walk past it but never went in. Well that was a mistake - Should have entered years ago! I had my daughter with me, they made it so easy to get the stroller situated where it was out of the way for everyone but easy for me to tend to her should she have woken up. So kind! The decor is lovely and very relaxing. The food was so good and the setting was perfect for a lunch book club. The whole staff was so kind and never rushed us through lunch. I'll definitely be back and need to bring my husband for a family night out.

I've walked by this place many times over the years I finally had an opportunity to stop in for a quick drink and a meal while I was there the owner stopped by to say hello and see how everything was and made some recommendations he recommended the sautéed shrimp minus the tomatoes it was so good I cannot wait to go back and get another one and try other items on the menu check it out

Sayat Nova is frozen in time, and that's a good thing. When my long-time friend Karen suggested we have lunch at Sayat Nova "for old-time's sake" I readily agreed. From the mid-1980's through the early 1990's, I spent many an hour here, eating kabobs and beoregs and tabouli, and drinking way too many vodka tonics. It was a regular lunch and after-work hangout, until work took me away from downtown. When we walked in at lunchtime, we stopped in shock. The place looks exactly the same. Still kind of dark, the same arrangement of tables and booths . . . only the bar area looked like it had been updated a bit. Sayat Nova still feels like an oasis from the craziness of North Michigan Avenue and the relentless tourist traffic. No vodka tonics anymore -- just ice tea at lunchtime. An order of delicious hummus to share, spinach beoregs for Karen, and a vegetable kabob for me. Everything was delicious and cooked perfectly. The people who work at Sayat Nova have worked there for years, some for decades. They know the menu intimately. The systems are smooth and efficient. Food is still cooked to order, so it doesn't come out as fast as your Big Mac does through the window. That's as it should be. You can still eat quickly and get out quickly at Sayat Nova, but if you've got the time, linger for a bit. Have a couple appetizers. Relax into a booth. Soak in the quiet atmosphere. Enjoy a leisurely meal. You'll be glad you did.