Sultan's Market

I’ve lived off the Sultan’s Market location on North Ave in Wicker Park. That spot is legendary. I recently stopped by the Lincoln Park location. It’s okay. Same great menu and portion sizes, but I always get the lamb shawarma plate, and the meat was kind of bland. It didn’t have the rich flavor it usually gets from hours marinating on the vertical spit. Everything else was also just okay. This location feels more like a “fast-food kiosk” version of the original.

I visited Sultan’s Market on Clark Street, Thursday, Aug 28, 2025, around 6pm, and placed an online to-go order. My daughter went inside to pick it up, and the Hispanic Latina cashier who handed her the food was unnecessarily rude. When we checked the order, the hummus was missing. That meant I had to drive back through Chicago rush hour traffic in the busy Lincoln Park neighborhood, which was very inconvenient. When I returned, I calmly explained the situation, only to be told the hummus had been placed in the bag. This was simply not true. I asked her to check the security cameras, which would clearly confirm the mistake. Instead of accountability, I was treated as if I were trying to take advantage of the restaurant over an $8 item. That kind of baseless accusation is both unprofessional and insulting. For over 20 years, I’ve gone to the North Ave location, usually paying in cash, and never once had a problem. This was my first time ordering online, and the service was sloppy. On top of that, the chicken was dry and disappointing. I’ve written hundreds of reviews with 200k+ views, only 3 negative total—so for me to write this says a lot. Next time someone accuses me of stealing food, I will demand cameras be checked, not leave until they are, expect an apology, and even make a blog if necessary. This one’s a lesson to all of us as customers and workers. Don’t accuse a loyal customer of over 25 years period without proof.

Husband just took a bite and literally said "wowy!" We love ordering from Sultan's Market because everything is flavorful, the portions are generous, and there are a lot of vegetarian options. We always have plenty left for lunch the next day. I goofed on the online order today and had to call and got the easiest and friendliest answer. Highly recommend the lentil soup and falafel sandwich. Husband, enjoying the meat combo, just said "wow, these flavors are amazing!"

Lentil soup was great. The rice was stuck together, but they offer Tabbouleh (salad) to it. This place is not about middle east atmosphere, just to grab some food.

Sultan Market in Lincoln Park is a must-visit! Fresh, flavorful Mediterranean food, generous portions, and friendly service every time.

I’ve always wanted to try Middle Eastern food, especially Veg Shawarma, so when my husband found Sultan's Market, we decided to visit on a Wednesday evening. Here’s my experience: Food: Unfortunately, they didn’t have a vegetarian option for shawarma, which was a bit disappointing since it’s a common dish in many Middle Eastern restaurants. However, we ordered the falafel sandwich and spinach pie instead. The falafel sandwich was the star of the meal—the falafel was hot, crispy, and packed with flavor. The spinach pie was okay, but it didn’t stand out as much. They also have a salad bar with a variety of fresh options, which is a nice addition for those looking for lighter meals. Ambience: The restaurant has a simple, no-frills vibe. It’s cozy but can seat only a limited number of people inside, so it might get crowded during peak hours. Price: The prices were reasonable—not too high nor too low. It felt like good value for the quality and portion sizes. Parking and Transportation: Street Parking: Metered street parking is available nearby, but it can be limited. Rates are typically 2–4 per hour, depending on the time of day. Parking Garages: SP+ Parking Garage (2610 N Clark St): A short walk away, with rates around 10–20 for a few hours. Lincoln Park Self Park (233 W North Ave): About a 10-minute walk, with competitive rates for longer stays. Parking Apps: Use SpotHero or ParkWhiz to reserve parking spots in advance at discounted rates. Public Transportation: CTA Bus: The #22 Clark Bus stops nearby, and the #36 Broadway Bus connects to the Red Line. CTA Train: The closest stations are Fullerton (Red Line) and Armitage (Brown/Purple Lines), both within a 10–15 minute walk. Divvy Bikes: Bike-sharing stations are available throughout Lincoln Park for a quick and eco-friendly ride. Overall Experience: Despite the lack of veg shawarma, Sultan's Market delivered a satisfying meal, especially for falafel lovers. If you’re in the area and craving Middle Eastern food, I’d recommend giving it a try. Just be prepared for limited seating and consider checking out their salad bar for fresh, healthy options.

Disgusting! Absolutely disgusting! The food they sold me is old and for sure it has not been cooked on the day I ordered it. This place is a trash and it has to be shut down! Look at the photo of the chicken meat. This meat has been cooked at least two days ago… at least! I paid $21 for an old food that I ended up throwing into the garbage.

I ordered the meat combo and the meat was extremely old and dry. I had to throw it in the trash. They did however issue me a refund without dispute. She said they heated up frozen meat in a pan so that’s why it was bad? The quality has definitely gone down hill. I will not be ordering from them again.

One of the best middle eastern restaurants I've tried in the city. The Chicken Shwarma was cooked phenomenally with crispy skin and beautifully spiced, the hummus was creamy, the rice was well seasoned with peas, and the spicy sauce was just spicy enough to feel the heat but not pull back. It is called Sultan's Market so there were some grocery items for sale, sodas and drinks presumably from the "middle east" and a salad bar. The dining area was like five tables for two people in the only remaining area of the store. The people working the counter were quick but didn't engage too much or make eye contact. Not really an issue, because again the restaurant itself doesn't seem to be aimed towards dining in.

Biiig Sultan's fan! It's super reliably tasty+satisfying. I always opt for the Veggie Combination which comes with your choice of lentil rice or curry rice, tabbouleh, tons of hummus, pita, tahini sauce, hot sauce and their DELICIOUS falafel. It usually covers 2 meals for me, which is a perk! Sometimes I get the Falafel Sandwich, which is a similar vibe to the combination plate but served in a pita (aka a smaller, more easily handheld format). Since I love the falafel so much, I rarely order other items, but I've tried bites of the Chicken Shawerma and the Lamb Shawerma and both were bomb. For sides, I've tried the Mama Masada Chicken Soup (good), the Baked Egg & Cheese Pie (a lil dry but still good), and the Baklava (vvvvv tasty treat). I've never tried their salad bar but at $6.99/lb it seems like great bang for your buck! They also have plenty of fun drinks, chips and other snacks for sale. You can sit and eat there, but it's kinda small & not cozy so I prefer to take it to go. Try it peeeeeeps!

My love wondered why the heck the website for Sultan's Market is chicagofalafel.com...well I guess now we know. We were walking on Clark Street on a fabulous Saturday afternoon and wanted a little snack. It's been a few years since I have had their falafel, but we decided that we needed to try a couple of falafel. Amazingly you can order falafel by the piece for a measly 50 cents each. This price is astounding when you consider the fact that you are in Lincoln Park. The falafels have a slight crunch to them and taste great when dipped in the cup of tahini sauce. The interior of this location is fairly small, but check it out for a fast and casual meal (or snack) that can be very inexpensive. They have a salad bar that is reasonably priced at $6.99 a pound, and they have a water dispenser with cups for your drinking pleasure if you are dining in.

We ordered delivery on GrubHub, and, while some of the food was good, overall a lot of it was too salty. The lentil rice that comes with the chicken shawarma was super salty. I liked the baba ganoush and the hummus, but found the falafel a bit heavy and dense; I prefer a lighter falafel. Again, some of the food was tasty and some was not well prepared.

Delicious!! I stopped in to pick up dinner and got the lamb shawarma platter and 2 baklavas. My total was $20, but this was a TON of food! I think my favorite part was the curry rice. It was definitely a pretty classic shawarma meal! The baklava was amazing and I recommend getting it too!! For a 'cheap food' place the prices still seemed very normal to me and not necessarily cheaper than other restaurants, but I think the good deal is the sandwiches. I definitely want to go back and try the $6 felafel pita!

The order arrived fast through DoorDash. The falafel was packed with flavor, however; it was dry. My hot sauce, nor my pita was in the bag as described.

Delicious, simple, and affordable. I've been eyeballing this place for a few months and it did not disappoint. I see why they've been voted the best falafel in Chicago-- it was phenomenal! So much so that I inhaled the entire falafel sandwich in 10mins! The staff was also extremely friendly! I highly recommend if you live in / or are in the area!

So disappointing when you find your favorite food and didn't think you couldn't like it. The falafel and tabbouleh both had multiple grains of sand or dirt when you eat crunch. It's hard to clean tabbouleh so I gave a pass but with each time getting dirt there has to be something wrong with the cleaning process. Can't come back here.

Sultans market is a convenient spot located around Chicago! I love their large selection of menu items. Last time I had chicken and pita the chicken was a little burnt for a 5 star review but otherwise everything tasted good! I love their hummus.

A great mix of delicious, affordable, and fast. I had the falafel sandwich and a side of rice and they made for a filling dinner on a busy night. Service was quick and efficient. I took it to go, but there was some limited seating inside as well. Will definitely come back!

The stars are mainly for the workers there! Everyone was so friendly and accommodating while answering all of our questions. We ordered a combo meat plate and I would say the meat is fantastic in terms of texture. Very tender all around including the lamb and chicken. The only qualms I had was the flavor as it seemed a little bland without any spices or lemon that I'm used to. I wish there were more tomatoes and lemon juice in the tabouleh because there really wasn't much taste to it. The hummus could have been much stronger in flavor as well. Otherwise, the meal was very worth the price (~$17) and the service is awesome! The salad bar looks great too and I can see myself coming during lunch for the salad as it's only $6.99/lb.

Got delivery for lunch from here and it was AMAZING. The falafel, zaatar pita, lentil soup, rice and lentils and hummus were all absolutely incredible. So happy with this vegan friendly spot!

This is my go-to for a delicious, quick, & filling bite. No frills but typically fast service and friendly guys behind the counter. Probably go here 2-3 days a week and I'm pretty picky.

I'm using Yelp's prompts to guide my reviews. Today's prompt: tell the story behind the photos. Um, okay! My story, condensed version: they sell great Middle Eastern food at good prices in a small storefront. The regular version: we ordered some spinach pies and falafel sandwiches to go. I took photos of the menu boards, rudely getting in other people's ways, and then standing while waiting for the order in the middle of the shop to get in even more people's ways while they were going up to the salad bar. The sequel: We ate the falafel sandwiches, spicy style, and noticed a few things. 1) We couldn't tell how they made them spicy and they were medium spicy and good. 2) They mixed the ingredients together well for a unified appearance... No more bites of pita and hummus only. 3) The combinations of flavors worked very well... Tahini, falafel, mint, maybe parsley, maybe basil, plus others. It's not at all bland, nor is it overpowering. The trilogy: the spinach pies have some olive and onion flavor and the crust is baked perfectly. They're pretty big as well. The Quentin Tarantino version of the story: censored for violence and language, you sorry mother &$#"':!! The Woody Allen version of the story: oh wow, Chicago is so nice! It's the best city in the world! I should make a black and white movie showing everyone how great this city is, complete with horse and carriage rides through the parks near the lake! The moral of the story: eat falafel, have fun and be happy.

I was so excited to try this place after I saw most reviews raving about getting delicious food for an amazing value, but prices have drastically gone up in just 1-2 years! My lamb shawarma plate that would've costed $8 in 2020 now costs $15 ($17 after tax). Lamb shawarma plate: The hummus was absolutely delicious and SO creamy - definitely the highlight of this dinner plate. Other PROS: the lentils had a nice aroma and the lamb portion was generous. CONS: the curry rice was lacking flavor and the lamb was pretty dry. Overall I did enjoy the meal for what it was, but considering the price, I would rather spend the same to get a better quality meal at a nicer sit down restaurant.

The food wasn't good at all. Not sure how they received so many awards as posted on their window.

Great sized meal I like their chicken Shwarmer. Great meal for after the gym and very filling.

Everything tasted fantastic. Ordered the meat combo via Uber Eats and was thrilled by the value. Lots of food, good variety, great price. Definitely worth getting pita and falafel. Will order again and have to make a trip to dine in person.

For the last thirteen years, I have been an avid customer of Sultan's, and I absolutely love their food! Conveniently located in Lincoln Park, near the corner of Clark and Deming, Sultan's is a quaint little Middle Eastern restaurant. Inside, you can order traditional Palestinian food like Falafel, Shawarma, and Adass, also known as Zarifa's lentil soup. There's also a salad bar with stuffed grape leaves and tabouleh. The owner is very friendly, and the restaurant is super clean. They even sell Ziyad products for you to take home and prepare yourself. The interior decor is adorned with pendulum Aladdin-style lighting and the traditional Arabian music playing in the background adds to the ambiance. The only downside worth mentioning is that the restaurant is super tiny on the inside and seating is a bit tight so I usually order my food to go. Otherwise, I sincerely love this restaurant and highly recommend checking them out.

Fantastic variety of paleo and vegan choices at very reasonable $$ The must try falafel balls are crispy hot or cold!!

I love sultans but I unfortunately got sick after eating here once. If you have a sensitive stomach be careful but the food really is delicious.

Really fantastic falafel sandwiches. Get one with everything, you won't regret it! Staff was very nice. This place does have limited seating, only 2 tables. Normally there are 3 but one is closed off for social distancing, which is probably a good idea.

After leaving Colectivo Coffee. I went across Clark and found Sultan's Market. While I was looking it up on Yelp and checking out the items posted in the window menu a number of people came and went. It must be good w/all the people coming and going. Once inside Sultan's Market the register is to the left, the order station is straight back and there is also a Mediteranean/salad bar to the right for $5.99/lb. They have a number of combination lunches for $8. Chicken Shwarma, Beef shawarma, lamb or kifta. These combos come w/abed of rice & 2 items of either hummus, baba ganoush or jerusalem salad and a pita bread.. The line for the fast food has one server he quickly processed through the people serving them & keeping the line moving. They have limited seating, but many people got their food to go. I ended up getting the kifta combo. They have decent food, but nothing that is really outstanding. Still for $8 it's a pretty good value for the quality & quantity of food..

The best falafel sandwich I've ever had. It was loaded with veggies and tasted delicious and healthy. Great service and location.

Ordered Falafel sandwich. The falafel smelled of fish . Not sure if a fish was fried in the same oil. All other times the falafel had been great. I'll return, but I hope that the oil will not be used to fry fish again .

Great prices for amazing food and good portion sizes. I always get their falafel sandwich or chicken sandwich with baba ganoush to go so I can really pile it on. I hope they stay in business forever!

This place has great food but charges more tax then they should. Tax rate in this area is 11.75% and take a look at my receipt. I'll pay but I don't like hidden fees and sneaky stuff like this. You do the math.

I really wanted to like this place but unfortunately nothing we ordered was good. Not sure if it was just a bad night. The rice was crumbling it was so dry. There were so many bones in my chicken shawarma it was really uncomfortable. The soup was also super heavy on the black pepper. I was chewing on black pepper. I ended up throwing away half the meal which was super disappointing.

So you walk in and the place is tiny. Idk I think I was expecting it to be like a restaurant, but it's in the name "market" very much a grab and go type of place. Okay let's get to the food. I was craving falafel and for some reason expected it to be very mediocre. I think I've been jaded with falafel and even "good" falafel winds up dry and chalky. NOT SULTANS! This falafel was exactly how it should be crunchy on the outside moist and luscious on the inside. It came with everything you expect it to come with hummus, tahini, cucumbers, onions, tomatoes. You can make it spicy too but I have not a strong spice tolerance. I INHALED IT. Some things to keep an eye out for they had a salad bar which looked lovely, i don't know how they're doing that with covid so heads up on that. Everyone was masked and gloved though. I look forward to coming back frequently!

Great lunch at Sultan's Market. This place has a hole-in-the-wall vibe. Tiny inside; limited seating. But quality lunch, reasonably priced! Considering this is primo Lincoln Park location, its a win all-around. Also, you can easily choose healthy options at Sultan's Market! So if, like me, you are traveling thru the area and need a break from the travel-food-blues (i.e. eating too many indulgences), this is a great choice. Daughter ordered a chicken shawarma. She reports that it was good. The chicken was just "okay" she says. I'm not sure if it was all white meat or not, so that may have been why she was slightly less excited about it. But she enjoyed everything else in the shawarma. I went for the salad bar and added two falafel. You pay for the salad bar by the pound. Hi A small container was large enough for several salad offerings. It was all delicious and seemed fresh. Not a gross salad bar at all (like some can be...) There we're also a good selection of salad dressings should you need it and hummus, too! Overall, my kind of meal. I also loved my 1 1/2 falafel (shared some with daughter ;-) I would for sure return if back in the area. Oh, and did I mention our food only cost about $12?!?!? No joke. Now THAT'S a happy meal.

Grabbed a chicken shawarma meal to-go that included tabuli and Jerusalem salad and hummus. I also added one falafel to taste. The falafel was good, soft on the inside and nice and crunchy on the outside. The chicken was just ok as were the sides. Not a ton of flavor and lots of fatty pieces. The salads were alright but again lacked flavor. I liked the flavor and texture of the hummus. The price was great and the portion was huge! I would probably stick with the falafel if I visit again.

A local favorite of mine and now a place I visit when I come back to town. The best falafel I've ever had- not too dense or too garlicky. Seriously- this is my standard for falafel and no one else matches up. Light and fluffy- just delicious. If you get the sandwich, I recommend throwing in tabouli with it- super good! The chicken shawarma is top notch. And, I recommend the roasted cauliflower from the salad bar. Staff is great here- they are super friendly and will make sure your meal is just the way you want it. Awesome carry out place- they do have a few tables for dine in (not during the pandemic). Make this a regular stop if you live nearby.

Solid 4 stars, could even be like 4.5 with the value. COVID delivery went smoothly My wife and I both got the meat combo platter. Great option as it has both chicken and lamb schwarma as well as a small kebab along with hummus and a salad. The hummus is good, clearly fresh though the salad was just ok - too much parsley for me. The schwarma was good but, and this is perhaps a delivery issue, but it was a bit dry. It was screaming out for some hot sauce or harissa or maybe tahini. But the value was good, we got multiple meals out of our order. Weirdly the location on Clark didn't have the full menu for delivery - like it had the meat pie but not the egg and cheese pie. No baklava but the one on north ave has baklava. Maybe it's a grubhub issue. But will definitely order again!

Decent, good ingredients, not will formed sandwiches. I think the potential for a great sandwich is there if more attention is given. Had falafel and chicken shawarma sandwiches. I would get the falafel again, not the chicken. Also had the rice dishes before, not bad. I think it is a good quick lunch. The staff are very friendly and helpful. Will eat here again, wouldn't necessarily recommend it for others though. The place felt very clean. For sure not as good and can't be compared to their wicker park location.

Used to be my go-to spot for falafel and shawarma, despite the horrible service. After my last visit I won't be back. Chicken shawarma was inedible. Had to throw it out. Not sure what happened to this place. Very disappointing.

A solid 4 start to this place. Ordered take out from here. Ordered meat combo platter, lentil soup, and hummus. The food was fresh. The lentil soup was my favorite. The hummus had perfect amount of tahini to chickpea ratio, with the right amount of salt. The platter cane with lentil rice and tabbouleh salad which were very tasty. The meat could use a bit more tenderness and seasoning but overall pretty good.

This is the best deal for lunch or dinner around the neighborhood! I was amazed by the price and taste in this small, fast casual restaurant. The menu is on the board behind the food counter and everything is very affordable and high quality. I tried the chicken shawarma dinner ($8) which came with hummus, pita bread, rice and a choice of salad. The chicken was seasoned well but not too salty and it tasted awesome with the rice (the curry rice had a slight hint of it so not too overpowering). The hummus was fresh tasting and comes with some sort of accompaniment on top of it that made it taste even better (think there was some olive oil too). This is one of the few times where I can say that what I ate out was so healthy and delicious. If you want to eat healthy, don't want to break the bank and still eat tasty food, this is the place! Additionally, the people working here are so nice especially the guy preparing the food who let me try half and half for the salad part of the dinner (they have two choices). No one is rushing you to finish and there is a nice but small bench and table seating. This place is also BYOB so it's a perfect place to eat some good food and drink whatever you want to drink. I cannot wait to come back and try their other items like the sandwiches or the pies.

Friendly service and food is delicious. I got Zatar bread thought it would be soft but their style is more of crunchy. The chicken shawarma is just the best.

I Really Enjoyed this neighborhood Gem! It's staff is Friendly, the Food is Great Quality, and the Portion size is Fantastic!! I came here for a dinner to-go and all was Great, except for the lentils soup, which they very kindly replaced the Next Day!! This is what I call quality service and customer appreciation!

Waste of $$. I would have taken the food back but I don't live close. My hairdresser swore by this place, especially the spinach pie. I'd think if you use a thick pita bread there would be more spinach. Same with the meat pie. I have to agree with the prior person who responded. The lamb was so crisp it was difficult to chew and digest. My brother says the lamb was way over cooked. I thought it was overcooked beef. ‍ So glad they didn't hear me order the Lamb sandwich. The RICES - NOPE‍ Absolutely NOT! NOPE to the soups as well. UGGHHH just tasteless water with vegetables. The large Homemade Chicken Soup with two chucks of chicken was disgusting! The broth taste worse than hospital food. Great customer service though.

Came here for dinner on a weeknight. Tried the chicken shawarma dinner, which was a TON of food for $8. I would come back to try their salad bar ($5.99/lb)! Overall: 4.1/5 Flavor: 3.5/5 - Overall the flavors were good but not spectacular. The chicken wasn't consistent--sometimes tender and juicy, but sometimes dry and hard. Service: 4.3/5 - The food was prepared very quickly and the staff seemed nice. Ambiance: 4.5/5 - Really liked the decorations and lamps. They made the restaurant feel very cozy. Not much seating space though. Value: 4.6/5 - Good price for a filling meal in Lincoln Park but the flavors left me wanting.

This place is great. Awesome chicken shawarma dinner for a very reasonable price considering what other places are charging these days. Their chicken shawarma also tastes distinctly different from other middle eastern places I've tried. The outside almost has like an outside crust to it which I really like. Also, they give you two choices of unique rice sides. One is curry rice and the other has lentils in it. I've tried both and they're both very good. Tabouleh is solid and so is their hummus. Throw everything in one of their pitas and you will have yourself a great meal.

Falafel sandwich is a great cheap eat! I have also had the lentil soup and love it! This is a monthly craving!

Great prices, very friendly staff. I've tried kefta and lamb shawarmas, both are great! Hummus and falafel and best I've had!

I picked up the lamb Shawerma platter for lunch today from Sultan's Market and it was absolutely delicious. The lamb had a lot of flavor and my meal came with hummus, pita, tabbouleh salad, feta cheese, and two sauces. The ingredients were fresh, the portions were generous, and the food was tasty. Will definitely return soon.

Finally made it back here after almost two years! Still as drool-worthy and yummy as ever! I split the meat combo with my mom; the portions were huge and filling for the two of us. Everything was very good. I always recommend this place to my friends. Can't wait for my next visit! :)

tl;dr: Excellent value middle eastern food that I much prefer compared to IDOF. If you've been to IDOF before, I would describe Sultan's Market as a toned-down IDOF, flavor-wise. I found the hummus at IDOF to be unbearably sour whereas it is much less sour at Sultan's Market. On the flip side though, I preferred IDOF's falafel to Sultan Market's because it was more flavorful. The rice and barley was a little bland and dry, but that's also how I like my grains. Something else that has to be mentioned about Sultan's Market is the value. The falafel are $0.50 each and the Meat Combo dinner plate, which we got with rice and barley, generous portions of all three of their meats, hummus, a salad, and a pita bread, was only $10. $10! Off of the top of my head, the only restaurant that provides more food per dollar is Chipotle (and that's only when you start getting double toppings).

Stopped by for a quick falafel. An extremely generous portion of falafel was put into a pita. Serious and flavorful. I almost wish there were more veg and less falafel! A great quick lunch choice.

I have been on the hunt for the best falafel pita sandwich in Chicago and I've finally found it. This place is unmatched. It's so so good. Not only is the falafel delicious but so is the chicken shawarma, all the meals and the baklava. An added bonus is that prices are so affordable. I will forever eat here and tell others to eat here. So good.