I past by this place a week ago. I told my wife we have to try it. Today we decided to go in and have lunch. There was only one staff member there and the place was dead. Lunch time and we were the only ones there. We found that a little weird. However, the one staff member was friendly and the food tasted good and fresh. While I can not complain about anything, I do like the taste of the food at other Mediterranean restaurants much more. Just a preference, so I do recommend trying it for yourself.
Jenna O.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Chicago, IL
This place is convenient and delicious. I especially love their lentil soup and the hummus. And both rice sides that come with whatever entrée you order are very tasty and fragrant. Personally, I prefer the chicken or the falafel over the other meats.
Johnny l.
Évaluation du lieu : 1 Los Angeles, CA
No greeting, took forever to get menus, waitress says nothing and walks away. We’re the only people in the restaurant and the waitress actively avoids us. Prices of what I’d always order went up $ 10 and the last time I had been they changed the hummus recipe. Screw this place
Augie V.
Évaluation du lieu : 1 Chicago, IL
I just read a one star review from Dave and I could not agree more. I live down the street from what was once the amazing place called Dawali and I truly miss those days. The food was fantastic. Since the sale and what feels like many management/staff changes the food is mediocre at best. If you order the same dish every time it should taste/look the same every time but unfortunately that is not the case. Consistency is everything. Chicken schwarma used to be crispy and thinly sliced but for some reason they decided that was a bad idea. The appearance is the least of their problems. Simply put the food is tasteless. It is sad to see an establishment that actually had success fall flat this quickly. I actually ended up going to the Dawali location in Lincoln Park and they are still doing things the right way.
Dave L.
Évaluation du lieu : 1 Wilmette, IL
So sad what has happened to this place. We were regulars for years when it was Dawali. In the immediate aftermath of the sale to new owners, they kept most of the recipes. Now it’s all gone and all different. And in this case, different is very bad indeed. Schwarma is now tasteless. Felafel is no longer fresh. Chicken kabob is now bleh. Still some good dishes but sadly, it is now not only mediocre but decidedly way below average. As bad as the food has gotten, the service tonight was abysmal. The server is a seemingly nice person but completely clueless and untrained as to how to serve customers. Here’s a tip, when a customer points out that there is no silverware on the table, don’t bring it all in a big pile and expect customers to do it themselves. And when serving food, don’t pass hot plates of food to the nearest person and expect them to pass it down. And when you serve family style, bring plates. We will not be back.
Alisha O.
Évaluation du lieu : 3 Concord, NC
Today I went to Pita Puff for lunch(they offer 4 lunch specials between 11:00 am-3:00 pm) and got the Shwarma Combo Special — beef, chicken, dill rice, yellow rice, small salad, and pita. As I think about the meal now, the meat was under seasoned and over cooked — like reheated on a flat top drying it out. The rice and salad complemented the shwarma. Outside of that, it was an overall ok meal. My friends ordered the falafel platter with hummus and baba gnonush… the later was awesome and the falafel nice and fresh. I would order that the next time. Service was good and relatively fast. The restaurant is simple, unassuming in style and setup. You imagine it being a go-to lunch spot during the week. I would like to give it more stars but at best it’s average… maybe next time!
Erika R.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Chicago, IL
I didn’t get my free daily dessert for checking in BUT I enjoyed my dinner, I asked for substitutions with in my meal and they were accomodating. It’s a kind of place you just passed by but definitely you should try stopping by.
Waldo I.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 Chicago, IL
I love this place. Great food. Reasonable prices. And the Best lunch special in Chicago.
Seosamh D.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 Chicago, IL
GOHERE! Being in Albany Park and surrounded by so many good«ethnic» restaurants, it’s quite easy to get overlooked. Especially if you’re not on Lawrence, Montrose or Kedzie south of Lawrence. I found PP on Unilocal because I was trying to find some place new. I’m glad I found PP… The food here is excellent and their lunch specials can’t be beat. And the staff and owners are very friendly. Nice place too. Very clean with a big TV if that’s your liking. I hope they have great success. I plan on going back as often as possible.
Brenda M.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 Glencoe, IL
My first visit to pita puff was last month. I have ordered from them at least once a week since then. I love their lunch special(which by the way is super cheap and affordable) and it’s good to see regular faces every time I go
Alan B.
Évaluation du lieu : 1 Chicago, IL
This place almost hit rock bottom. I tried its Shawerma on and off for the last year and a half and I can honestly say that the food I brought from there yesterday was garbage. Let me explain why: I had stopped buying Shawerma wraps from Pita Puff until last month when I discovered they is now selling them for the same price as everyone else around($ 5.99). When I bought the same wraps yesterday, I discovered they had raised the price again. Major tip Pita Puff: Yes, good food matters, put price makes part of the decision. Speaking of good food, here is the food experience my girlfriend and I had yesterday: — Chicken Shawerma wrap: a little less than ok dry and crusty chicken with vegetables that has been there at least next to a hot place for a day if not more. The taste of something rotten inside the wrap was so obvious I had to stop half-way and throw it away. — Beef Shawerma: Average or less, almost like other’s only with a higher price tag. — Fries: Too salty even for me(I like salty fries) I paid a little more than $ 20 including tax for the above(take-out order) and I had to navigate my way with their very inexperienced server who could not maintain the minimum level of positivity you would come to expect from any one you order food from anywhere around Chicago. Definitely not a return-customer to Pita Puff again.
BJ K.
Évaluation du lieu : 2 Chicago, IL
We’re giving up on this place. The last two times, the chicken shwarma was dry, stale and crusty — the sign of a not-very-busy restaurant. There are so many other Mediterranean restaurants in Albany Park to choose from, this has fallen to the absolute bottom of our list. The bottom.
Rosa J.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Chicago, IL
I’ve been discovering many Mediterranean restaurants in the city. With my intention to continue this streak, I have passed Pita Puff several times commuting back and forth between Albany Park and North Park neighborhoods. I certainly paid attention to their new color-changing neon sign, with customer parking available in the shared lot. Most businesses in Albany Park aggregate on Lawrence. Since Lawrence plays a vital role for local and commercial businesses, the entire road allows paid street parking only. Rosa J. is known for her quest for finding new restaurants and businesses in the city of Chicago, on foot or on public transportation. She tends to stay in her neighborhood on the weekends, so she doesn’t compete with the crowd heading to more trendy, popular neighborhoods just north of the Chicago loop. Pita Puff is located on Kedzie, north of Lawrence on the northeast end of Albany Park. I went with my usual routine: lentil soup and hummus with lamb, while hubby went with the hummus with portobello mushrooms. We realized the entrée prices were a bit on a higher side($ 10.50 for portobellos; $ 11.50 for lamb) in comparison to similar joints in various Chicago neighborhoods. However, you would take home at least half of the order if you’re a healthy human being, even with a good appetite! I enjoyed the lentil soup. It was tangy because of a strong presence of lemon juice to top off. I happened to like the taste of lemon very much so it was right in my alley. Their pita bread was soft and fluffy. They came out so hot and fresh that I accidentally burnt my tongue! That wasn’t a big deal, because«big girls don’t cry,» said Fergie. Their hummus was one of the creamiest I’ve ever had! The lamb was tender and flavorful. With generous portions of pita bread, hummus, and meat, my stomach could only house half of the entrée. If you’re a vegetarian like hubby, try the portobello mushrooms with hummus. I know there are many mushroom lovers out there. Do you know that«mushrooms to vegetarians are analogical to steak to meatheads?» Their portobellos were pretty delicious. The young lady who was in charge of the dining room was courteous, so was the manager who was running the kitchen. There was an issue that occurred when we were ready to pay: one(1) male customer was here to pick up his order; however, he had no prove of purchase with him. He was abrasive, even though the staff was more than willing to work with him. In the end, the kitchen manager accommodated this customer by going ahead with this order without the receipt. The young lady cashier/server was preoccupied with this issue, so we had to wait until such matter was temporarily resolved. That minor glitch wouldn’t deter me to come back again when I want to get my Mediterranean fix. I’ve heard the falafels here are worth every penny, so that will be the reason to make it back here when I can.
Anne H.
Évaluation du lieu : 3 Chicago, IL
The food is fantastic! Creamy hummus, bright fattoush and perfect classic falafel. I could eat here several times a week and have a great meal plus another yummy meal of leftovers. I can not say enough wonderful things about the food. Now that the most important information is out, I am going to move on to the service– awful, rude and under staffed. I am basing this off of 5 or more visits. The first visit was great– we dined in with our toddler– they were accommodating and even brought out complimentary dessert for us all. After being heartbroken about Dawali closing, I was more than happy to have this replacement. I ordered a carry-out the next week– the gal that answered the phone didn’t say«Pita Puff» when answering and hung up on me after I said the first item. No big deal, I called back and the carry-out was delish so no harm, no foul. Fast forward to dine in– rude service, most likely because she was the only server/order taker/carryout preparer on a Friday night. A few more of the same interactions took place with dine in and carry-out and most recently I place a carry-out for my husband to pick up. When he arrives, they told him that I must have picked up the order because they didn’t have it. But minutes later they found it and made it. 15 minutes later, my husband pays(and no, I did not sneak out of the house to pick up the order and pay) and brings home a wonderful meal. 2 days later as I am checking my bank account online, I see that Pita Puff charged us twice. Huh? Is that possible? I called the manager, who was not friendly, borderline rude, who tells me that he is a new manager that started Friday, the day after my carry-out was pick-up. And? I was still charged twice– reimburse me. He agrees to giving me a free meal for the same price I was charged, no apology and certainly not polite. I decided then and there that my free meal was going to be my last at Pita Puff. Then we had the meal. It was heavenly. So, I have to take this all as a learning lesson– carry out only, pay cash and enjoy the amazingness that is Pita Puff. I just hope that Pita Puff gets their act together with their staff so that they do not have the same demise as Dawali.
Bill M.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Chicago, IL
Pita Puff is in the former Dawali location. Actually the menu is very similar as well as the setup of the restaurant, so if you liked Dawali you should also like Pita Puff. Recently I ordered the meat galaya with lamb for takeout, and if you like a meaty stew heavy on tomatoes and onions then you will like this tasty dish. The foil wrapped serving somehow survived my journey home without much spillage. It also came with a heap of pita bread. The falafel is still the best thing on the menu — order as many as you can! The pieces of falafel are crunchy on the outside and have a creamy texture on the inside, and they are simply delicious.
Marie B.
Évaluation du lieu : 3 Chicago, IL
I really enjoyed Dawali when it was here. I decided to call in an order, but phone line was not working. When I arrived, the ladies taking the order were nice but unorganized. The phone rang and she picked it up and hung up on the person as she was talking to me. The food though was good. I ordered the shawarma plate. Flavorful and the serving size plentiful. A good go to place, but may not eat in as the service was poor.
Jonathan P.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 Saint Louis, MO
Friendly service, easy going atmosphere, delicious food and large large quantities. What more could one want? My friend and I were famished. We shared a large hummus. We each ordered the 2 meat combo plate. I hardly put a dent in mine and fortunately, brought it home for a great reheated dinner. Highly recommended. The picture speaks for itself!
Diana W.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 Chicago, IL
Pita Puff does not get enough love. I live on the block, but I’ve tried every Mediterranean vegetarian platter in Albany Park– this is the best. Their food is really good, but the value is even better– particularly their lunch specials. You can get a super cheap sandwich-type deal every day during their lunch hours, and you’ll almost assuredly have leftovers. Sometimes I’ll just stock up on falafel and veggie saniya, then live off of it for a few days. HEAVENON A PITA, MAN. Tough competition with places like Salam down the street, but Pita Puff is just as good… with cheaper prices. Getting«PITAPUFFPRINCESS» tattooed on my lower back, and I won’t even regret it. #falafelforever
Kat N.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Chicago, IL
Very nicely remodeled big tv to enjoy while you dine in. Price is fair compared to other local similar places such as this. Very pleasant eating experience, hot fresh food with good table service.
Yanyao N.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 Chicago, IL
I loved Dawali when it was here, and was a little skeptical coming in. However, the menu is pretty much exactly the same as Dawali’s. The hummus, baba ghanoush, and lentil soup are all top-notch, and the chicken shawarma plate has seen a vast improvement by the additional of a dill rice to the plate. Yes, 2 different types of rice on a single plate — these people really get me. The hot sauce is delicious. The portions are huge — be prepared to take home leftovers. One of my favorites in the area. The parking lot is definitely a bonus.