Yaba’s Food & Middle Eastern Grill

I was looking for a place to buy a snack while waiting for my daughter to get her braces on and the lady at the desk recommended this place. I am so glad I came in here. Very nice and welcoming people and the salad I ordered was so fresh and delicious. I was even offered a small cup of soup to taste. It was Lentil Soup and it was so good and I rarely eat Lentils. I will be back again.

So amazingly good! This is the spot you go to when you want a filling and flavorful bite to eat on the cheap. I went for the falafel and was not disappointed. It's probably the best falafel in the city. It is not precooked so you'll need to wait a little but it is so worth it. The falafel wrap had a great tahini sauce and wonderful pickled veggies. The lentil soup has a great depth of flavor you usually don't get from lentil soups. The store/restaurant itself is a no frills bodega style interior. Some merchandise in the front and a few tables in the back. To me, this setting tells you the food is going to be amazing. The owner and his family greeted me warmly as soon as I entered. I will definitely be returning in the near future and for many years to come!

My visit filled me with nostalgia due to the layout of the place. The food was great and the people were extremely kind to us. Found a handle of some nice Lebanese olive oil for like 20 bucks. I really like this type of pita bread and the rice was second to none.

Their chicken Schwarma sandwich is AMAZING! The sauce is absolutely top notch they also have perfect French fries.

We catered food for a staff party and not only were the portions huge, the food DELICIOUS, but it was so affordable! Yaba made the experience so easy and even threw in a little pack of baklava as a gift for me. I cannot recommend enough. Please support this family owned and operated business! (The falafel is chefs kiss!)

So glad we went here on our trip to Chicago. Falafel sandwiches and hummus were the best we've had!! Everyone here is so sweet and welcoming. Thank you for everything!

I popped into town yesterday and needed something quick for dinner. My brother recommended this place on our last visit and now I know why. The food was fantastic! It was the best chicken shawarma I’ve ever had. But that’s not all. The young men who run the store were so hospitable and friendly. They gave me a cup of lentil soup to eat while I waited for my order. Note that I did not ask about the soup. They just handed me a cup. Not a taste. A whole cup of soup. They said it was cold outside so I should have some. Yum. I ordered about 10 different items to try from the menu and was surprised by how inexpensive it was. I had ordered carry out. When they rang me up, they asked if I wanted a receipt. I said sure. It didn’t even have a tip line on it. Refreshing not to be burdened with that moral dilemma of whether or not to tip for carry out just because everyone is now “offering” the option. But in this case, I gladly would have. This place is a gem in more ways than one. To the gentlemen who assisted me- Thank you both for a delightful dinner and visit to your restaurant. I’ll be back next time…every time we visit Chicago.

100000% recommended!!! Guys, the food was delicious and the portion was super big I was thinking about how to eat all the order without doing a waste. The brother (he is orginally Palestinian) in the cashier offered free drink in hot weather, which showed how muslim people think about people's health not profit... Big thank you and may Allah bless you and your business....

Literally some of my favorite middle eastern food I've eaten in a while, and at a good price too. The lunch special in particular is a great deal, and all the meats I tried were delicious. I had the chicken kebab lunch special, and the chicken kebab and rice were amazing. Their kibbehs were a bit pricey, but soooo good. I also love the selection of soda, and the store atmosphere added to the place as a chill comfortable vibe, which I prefer over a more stuffy restaurant. Will definitely be going back and highly recommend to anyone who wants some delicious food! Service was great too! The staff were all friendly and got our food out pretty promptly.

Overall bland and forgettable flavors, the rice was cooked nicely. My salad was brown. Very rude cook was berating me the entire time I waited for my to-go order. Go to Sultan's instead

Hands down the best hommus that has ever been created on this planet. Everyone who works here is so kind and the portions are 2-3 meals. We truly love YABA'S!

Not my favorite. We had a taste for mediterranean food and decided to give Yaba's a shot based on all of the good reviews. Except for one item, which I'll elaborate on, it wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. Husband got the chicken shawarma plate and said it was decent, but asked that we go back to ordering from one of the other places we usually order from. The pita that came with his meal was really thin and I think the same as what was used with my wrap. I got the falafel wrap, lentil soup and sides of hot sauce and garlic sauce. The soup was more watery than I'm used to, but good and arrived smoking hot. I did notice that the price on their website is wrong, but is correct on DoorDash and GrubHub ($9.50 for a cup of soup seemed outrageous). My wrap wasn't great. I got it without pickles and it was smashed so flat my husband wondered if it was more pita. There was definitely falafel, hummus and tomato on it (I skipped the pickles), but the flavor of hummus dominated. The garlic sauce was ok, fairly inoffensive, but someone botched that batch of hot sauce. I nearly gagged it was like biting into a spicy salt lick, saying someone was heavy handed with the salt is an understatement. I tried to power through because I love spice, but couldn't do it. Husband tasted and said it was revolting. Again, I have to imagine it's not like that on the regular, but didn't help our lukewarm opinion of the food. We don't live that far, but it's unlikely we'd make ordering from here again an priority.

I had the chicken shawarma lunch special. I'm not a big fan of falafel but it was really good, the hummus was so soft and delicious. The chicken was flavorful and for the amount of food it was a great piece! Will be back

Food service I can't believe today was the first time I tried!!!! Wow it will not be my last, everyone was so nice. Can't wait to everything on the menu.

We ordered Yaba's for delivery, and the food was absolutely amazing!! Everything was generously portioned for the price, and delicious! I did not know that Yaba's was also a convenience store! Will need to make a trip up to get some goodies!

Absolutely horrendous food. This might count among the 5 worst meals I've ever had. The kababs were rubber, the gyros were disgusting, the rice was stale, the chicken shawarma was barely edible. I have no idea how on earth this restaurant is rocking a 4.5 rating on yelp, it'll be one of the great mysteries of this app.

Elite neighborhood spot. A true hidden gem, with great welcoming ambiance. The family that owns this joint is wonderful and proud of their space and food. Speedy and friendly service, always. And their food is no joke! The hummus, chicken shawarma, and falafel is off the charts. If you haven't stopped by yet, you're missing out.

Got the chicken kebab lunch special and enjoyed it thoroughly. Very kind and attentive service, will be returning.

Well it looks like we have a new Middle Eastern quisine fave! Would highly recommend their babaganoush and hummus (get a large order and you won't regret it!). Their pita bread is bigger than our plates. And the kafta may be a bit dry, but delicious nonetheless.

Made with so much love n care ! And the workers make you feel like family when you come to visit, they always went to leave you with extra food to sample and most importantly make you feel full !!!! A bang for your buck!

Food from here is very good. I've tried other places but this one hit the spot. It is a very humble family owned grill/store. I do recommend to order ahead and they do get a lot of orders from Uber eats. There were 2 tables for two people and a small sofa to wait. Overall the service was great and would definitely recommend.

Yaba, the owner, is a friendly man, generous, and adores his customers. The food is clean, delicious, and made from scratch. The entire team at Yaba's grill rock! They work hard everyday to serve good customer service and delicious food. If you are a meat lover, order Yaba's combo or the Shawarma plate. If you are Vegan, try the lentil soup, Spinach pies, Hummus, and Falafel plate/sandwich. If you're not feeling adventurous, try the Cheeseburger or Chicken Wings with French fries P.S. if you are short on groceries while ordering food, the convenient store will serve the purpose. Also, check out some Middle Eastern sweets and groceries. Yaba is welcome to hear any suggestions to your grocery needs, if you don't find something in particular, let him know.

You know a place is legit when you have to walk to the back of a convenience store to find it. I discovered this place about a month ago but since then have returned numerous times. The gentleman who runs the place is super friendly, exactly what you'd expect from a small family-owned store. Here are most of the things I've tried: - chicken shawarma plate: chopped up chicken simply seasoned, accompanied by flavorful yellow rice and small portions of salad and hummus + pita. - lentil soup: excellent, not too salty unlike a lot of places. - hummus: smooth, creamy, lemony, delicious. Small is a good size for 2-3 people to share, large is indeed quite large. - yaba's combination plate: how can you go wrong when you get 3 different meats in one dish? - grape leaves: yum. - falafel: good but personally I need to eat them with the garlic or chili sauce they give you with the meats to make up for the minimal seasoning (for my tastes) - I'm comparing this with downtown Mediterranean fast food spots where the falafel is a little salty. Overall I'd describe the food here as delicious in its simplicity. Nothing is doused in spices but the fact that everything still tastes excellent is a testament to the quality of their Middle Eastern food. The times I've been, they usually have 1-2 people making food (keep in mind this is a back-of-a-store establishment) so be prepared to wait a bit. Or better yet, order ahead to minimize that wait. Even if you do have to wait, I promise the food is worth it!

Really, really nice family running this establishment. For a place without tables and take out only, rarely would I find such warmth and hospitality. Even Yaba's 10 year old son is back there hustling and helping out. I judge Mediterranean/Middle Eastern establishments on three criteria: Lentil soup, felafel and hummus. The lentil soup was fantastic! Hands down awesome! It was silky, flavorful and clearly something made with love. Next up was the hummus and felafel. This was where things got dicey. The felafel was nice and crunchy on the outside, but painfully dry and dense inside. The hummus was good but was a tad on the bland side. The chicken shawarma however, was really terrific and was what I come to love at places like this. Maybe it was a bad night, so I'll go or it a go again. Yaba is a wonderful individual with a beautiful family so I'll definitely give him another shot soon.

FRESH food from such friendly people. The real deal.

I ordered the falafel plate and it's great! Everything tastes fresh and it's not as heavy as other mediterranean restaurants. I prefer the thin pita over the thick, store bought pita served at other restaurants. The people that work there are very kind and always accommodating.

Delicious food, sweet owner, and a quaint little kitchen tucked away inside a bodega like shop. Will be coming back again!

I've ordered from here a few times already and each time the food is on point. Their store front isn't very appealing but the owner is super nice. Their meat is well seasoned, the gyro meat has that good charr flavor, chicken kabobs are tender, and all their sides are pretty good except their cucumber-tomato salad and their rice tastes more like from a box not like real basmati. I wish they had dill rice!! The last time I ordered from them they forgot to give our Baba Ganoush to the GrubHub guy, so they had one of their own guys drive it to us when the snow was getting bad, And even sent us an order of baklava for the inconvenience. They go out of their way to keep their customers happy.

Ordered my food. The gyro platter and wing combo. Not only did I get my food late. But it was cold as well..... And worst of all no tzaziki sauce. Like since when do you not get cucumber sauce with gyros? I was incredibly upset. Doubt I'll order again.

Hidden gem! Great food. Really like their soup. Don't let the fact that it's in the back of a convenience store discourage you. Take the food to go or have it delivered.

Yaba's has delicious food! We ordered a large amount for a family dinner and shared almost everything. Great service and so convenient for pick up during Covid. Owner is super friendly and they deserve all the business that they can get during the pandemic, he's been open throughout and has been serving the neighborhood for years! Highly recommend.

New go to for Mediterranean food. Everything was good (especially hummus & lentil soup). In usually very critical of lentil soup. Spinach pie was delicious. Uniquely bready. Only issue was there was no pita delivered with our hummus. It was torture cause it looked so good. The owner insisted on bringing us out bread. And gave us baba ganous and another spinach pie on the house. Completed unneeded but saved our dinner. Thank you, sir. We will be back!

This family run spot is such a delight! Tucked in the back of this bodega is a really solid Palestinian falafel/shawarma take out. I lovvvve their combo plate, falafel and lentil soup! Super affordable for HUGE portions! The owner and his family are some of the most kind and genuine business owners (and just people in general) you can come across. He also mentioned to me yesterday they are contemplating opening a dining area and patio next door which would be amazing. Really hope Logan Square supports this place as its hard to find solid middle eastern food in the area and as previously mentioned I really appreciate their positive energy. Pop in and try them out!

Yaba's is some of the best middle eastern food I've had in Chicago, and even better, it's a short walk away from me in Logan Square. The portions were enormous for the price. Definitely a great value. Everything was made quickly and the entire staff was very kind. The gyro sandwich came with a huge portion of fries and the falafel was perfectly crunchy with a smooth center. A gem in the neighborhood for sure !

We find ourselves craving falafel to needing pita bread all the time! It's great because this is right in the neighborhood. The hummus here is also pretty good that was my favorite.Also the owner is super sweet and welcoming- def recommend.

Five stars all around for Yaba's - great food, awesome value and some of the nicest people around. From the minute you walk in, you'll likely be welcomed with a cup of soup (well, at least in pre-COVID days) to sip on while you wait. Everyone is super friendly, and Yaba himself is usually there working the kitchen. We stopped in once a few weeks right before ABC 7 did a segment on them back in January, and the excitement and pride that Yaba exuded as he told us about the upcoming air date was so earnest- which is beyond heartening, to know there are such hardworking and passionate small businesses to support in the neighborhood. There is a fair range of options to order especially given the space constraints of their kitchen, but mostly have the same base ingredients (rice + meat/falafel + pita in some combination), as well as generous portion sizes in common. Only downside for me is that I'm not in love with the falafel here; the texture is very fine and I like it more uneven and chunky... But everything else, from the shawarma wraps or plates to the lentil soup (TRANSCENDENTAL, we have tried and failed to replicate this at home), and the super smoky baba ganoush (my personal favorite), hits the spot if you're craving middle eastern food. Best part is that you'll probably end up with leftovers so you get to enjoy it a second time!

This might have been the worst falafel joint I've ever been to in my life. The grape leaves are from a can, I could taste the metallic flavor. Very small falafel that when cooked to get that nice hard outer crust it left the inside so dry not even the tahini could help it. Onto sauces, seriously charged for every sauce that I asked for, $0.50 for hot sauce? Nothing here was complimentary. $7.00 for a chicken shawarma sandwich with barely anything in it and yeah the chicken tasted good it was very average and not worth the up charge . I have no idea how or why there are so many positive reviews here, drive down to Wicker and there are so many places to blow this out of the water. Even Masada a few blocks over is a better deal than this place. I left this meal feeling sad, maybe I had hopes for a good affordable spot in the neighborhood.

Yaba's Food and Middle Eastern Grill is exactly what this neighborhood needs: a great meal at an affordable price for the time-starved but hungry on-the-go neighborhood resident. The owner explained to me that he's been in the grocery business for thirty years and decided to open a to-go restaurant to meet the changing tastes and shopping habits of the neighborhood. He's a super friendly man who personifies old Chicago. I saw several neighborhood locals come and go in my time waiting for my order, and he knew them all by name and could chat with everyone. Yaba's is take out only as there's no room in the grocery store for tables, which is a shame because I could have chatted with the owner for hours. You're greeted with a cup of lentil soup on the house, free refills upon request, which helps to get your appetite going. We ordered a decent selection of the Falafal Sandwich ($5.99), Chicken Shawarma ($6.99), Grape Leaves (6 for $3.99), and the Baba Ghanoush ($3.59). All in we're talking $22.00 for a fabulous dinner that was so huge we'll have the leftovers for lunch the next day. You should really give Yaba's a try and support what will rapidly become a neighborhood go to.

Chicken in the chicken shawarma looked and tasted like small loose pieces, it didn't look like it came sliced off of a spit roast. Hummus was pretty bland. Rice in the stuffed grape leaves had an undercooked texture. Pita's are more thinner, wrap-like that a thicker pocket (not a negative for me, just different).

It may have taken a professional archaeologist to discover the 10,000 year-old lentils in Franchthi Cave. But it's somewhat easier to find much fresher lentils in soup form, tucked away in the back of a convenience store. And one could argue that a cup of hot lentil soup is much more welcome on a below-freezing day in Chicago than it had even been closer to its Mediterranean origins. I didn't ask for the soup, they just put it in my hands while I waited for my order- Yaba's Combination plate, a sampler of chicken kebab, kifta, and gyro served with hummus, a salad, pita and a generous portion of excellent-grade rice. This sampler is a good value at $14, enough to feed two mouths or (in my case) one mouth, twice. And while you wait, the surrounding store is your one-stop place to shop if you ever need to pick up an avocado, boxer shorts, and a rat trap in one fell swoop.

Generous portions and to my pleasant surprise they fulfilled my special request with my order however, to be completely honest the food was lacking flavor and very bland.

Hands down the best gyros I've had since Greece. They do a great job and delivery is always hot. Love Yaba!

Very nice owner. Instead of accepting a tip for the food, he gave me free baklava. Food was solid

There is a charm to this no frills eatery in the back of a bodega. It is apparent that this is a family run establishment which gives it a very pleasant and wholesome ambiance. The food is always fantastic and reasonably priced. This is a gem in the neighborhood and the type of place that deserves your hard earned dollars.

Delicious. This really is a hidden gem. I've lived in Logan Square for over two years and this is the first time I've had Yaba's, cannot believe I've been missing out for so long! Perfect crisp falafel, and the gryo meat is well seasoned and avoids the dryness that plagues so many other establishments. The portions are also sizable. Alongside the delicious food (better than Sultans Market, Falafel Grill, Pi-Hi), the owner is extremly friendly. Will be returning many times.

Tried Yaba's for the first time today based on all the wonderful reviews. 2 stars because the falafel and dolmeh were delicious, but they didn't include any sauce for the falafel. The hummus & baba ganoush were bland. The rice was dry and tasteless. The lentil soup was way too thin and not as flavorful as others I've tasted. Worst of all the pita was stale. I won't be ordering again.

We found our go-to spot for Middle Eastern food!! The food is amazing and the falafel and lentil soup have actually been rated as the best in Chicago. Yaba and his son, Muhammad -- well really the entire staff -- made me feel like long-lost family when I came to pick up the food.

First time trying this place today and it was amazing. Huge, tasty, cheap portions and an incredibly friendly family cooking up all the food. I highly recommend you try this place!!

I stopped in here after ordering a whole variety of items online on a Friday night. The owner and his son offered a friendly greeting and introduced themselves as I waited for the order to complete. Yaba, the father and namesake handed me a sample of the lentil soup also, and it was excellent. Altogether, we ordered beef kofta, chicken shawarma, lentil soup, baba ghanoush, falafel, and Yaba added some spinach pies on the house. All the food was excellent. The standouts were the lentil soup and the falafel, which had a terrific crunch and a very prominent parsley flavor. I highly recommend this place. It outranks most Mediterranean food joints in Chicago in my experience, and the owners were friendly and gracious. We'll be back again soon.

I been going to this place for years! Great customer service, friendly and for a small store/restaurant coming up they have a little bit of everything. It's a hidden gem, with the best hums I've ever had. Run and operated by family, this place is the best example of what Chicago is all about. Keep up the amazing job. I recommend this place to anyone and everyone whether you need a couple household items or a nice meal or maybe both.

This place is amazing! Got it delivered and came early. Food was fantastic, chicken kabob was a little over cooked for my liking, yaba platter was amazing. Highly recommend.

Doesn't look like much when walking by. Looks more like your typical corner store for quick run of the munchies. Boy was I wrong! A real 5 stars for their plates. Got the Yaba combination plate and for my boyfriend the chicken kabob plate. Just deelish! Soft lamb, very nicely seasoned chicken and juicy steak kabob. Huge thin pita. Very big portion of hummus. Side salad. The side sauces also very good. Very big portion of rice also and not greasy at all! Recommend 100%

Yaba put together a lovely catering tray for our party of 14. The food and presentation were perfect and delicious! He even personally called the next day to make sure everything was to our liking. Love this place; love Yaba too!

One of my new favorite bites in the neighborhood. Tucked in the back of a mini market. It's quick, cheap and delicious! Our favorite right now is the gyro. The perfect amount of char and sauce. The chicken shawarma and lentil soup is also super good! The employees are friendly and efficient! Great spot to have in Logan Square!

I do not get all the positive reviews. I ordered the chicken shawarma plate and it is the most bland shawarma and hummus I have ever had. Even the rice was bland. Besides being bland, the chicken was also chewy. Maybe it was a fluke, but I won't risk trying them again.

Best food I have ever eaten the owner is vary nice and so humble it's so so good it's a must have everything is so good I recommend this place to everyone

We had picked up dinner at Yaba's once before and enjoyed it, so I gave them a call to see if I could order food to be delivered in 2 hours for a graduation night celebration. Yaba did not disappoint. The owner took my order personally and delivered it himself in a torrential downpour. Everything arrived hot and exactly as expected. The gyros, shawarma and hummus were all outstanding plus a surprise bonus order of falafel that we all really enjoyed. SO much food, I'm thrilled to have leftovers. Perfect presentation, delicious food, attentive service and great value. Highly recommended!

Wow - the lentil soup and falafel are incredible. The gyros plate was excellent. Super friendly, great food, very fast. 10/10 would come back again.