Sayat Nova

I searched using LTH search function and Google, and somewhat surprisingly, it seems no thread is devoted to this old Chicago standby, which I have not visited in maybe 30 years.

If I just didn't find an existing thread, please let me know and I'll move/delete this query.

Armenian food is certainly one of Chicago's neglected cuisines, so the place is of interest to me (though it's clear from looking at the menu that they serve a lot of things you can find at many Middle Eastern restaurants; still, there do seem to be some offerings that are likely to be distinctively Armenian).

Sayat Nova
157 E. Ohio
312.644.9159
http://www.sayatnovachicago.com/

It's been more than a few years but when I worked in the Equitable building from 1995 to 2002 I ate here weekly and loved it. Doesn't seem like the type of place where much changes. The raw kibbe was a favorite but I also remember this being one of a very few places where I was completely happy sticking to the vegetarian side of the menu. Might be a good place for a resurrection of the Loop Lunch group...

I started going to Sayat Nova in the 1970s and always liked it -- never had a bad meal.

Now that we're in the burbs, there's less opportunity but we still go when we can. Several months ago wife #1 and I were in the City and had an enjoyable meal at Sayat Nova.

I've often had the kebabs but this time I opted for the trout while my bride chose her favorite, the Kufta dinner (Armenian style meatballs, hot yogurt soup). Both were very good as was the baklava we shared for dessert.

Quick summary: Sayat Nova provides consistently good (though not great) food in a pleasant atmosphere with friendly service and reasonable prices for the area.

I understand the family owns the building which is how they've survived for so long and can keep prices down. It's the best value around for a good meal in the pricey north Michigan area.

I used to work a couple blocks away, but only managed to stop in once for dinner. It was ok, but I didn't get the impression I was discovering a hidden gem. At the time (about two years ago), I pinned it on the Check, Please effect. I got the impression that they had renovated and raised prices shortly before my visit, but it was still one of the most affordable sit-down options in the area.

George R wrote:I understand the family owns the building which is how they've survived for so long and can keep prices down.

That probably explains a big part of why they will survive. Their sign in front has a disco-era feel to it.

oooh... that also explains the existence of the cozy and dive-y gay bar and tarot shop in the floors above!
I love it. Keepin' it real in the neighborhood. I miss the old random dive-y establishements of that area.

Sad to say though, I have not dined at Sayat Nova. I need to correct that soon.

Love Sayat Nova! I work next door and in the past month I have been there three times. Everything has been delicious, from the hummus, to Kibbe, to their herb crusted tilapia. And the prices are very reasonable! This is where we stop when we want a sit down lunch but don't want to pay over 25 per person.

No one has even mentioned their interior, which is amazing. It's fairly elegant, and quite different from what you would expect from the outside. They have these tables which are sort of built into the walls, almost like you are sitting halfway in a cave. The result is a very intimate dining experience.

Nothing but good things to say.

Oh, and the dive gay bar is great too.

I have been there a couple if times but had no idea it has been around for so long. Love their sarma and cheese boereg. The dimly lit room also feels very nice and cozy on cold chicago days.

Good, not great describes my one meal here. I had a class nearby over the summer and didn't head back, not because it was bad, but because I saw no reason to walk further than I would for a torta and chocolate-hazelnut cookie at Xoco.

I do not remember the specifics of what I had. I thought the food was tasty, but was in no way unique. Maybe it was the geography, but prices seemed higher than similar food I had elsewhere.

I've eaten there twice and both times it was enjoyable but not memorable. They did serve a good selection for vegetarians (one meal was with my veggie son).

I have been eating there since the early 70's and always had a good meal. This place whose decor has been very nicely modernized recently and benefits now from a very nice but small enclosed terrace seating area on the sidewalk in the summer, is still owned by Arsen Demirdjian and managed by his son Roupen. Arsen is an Armenian who lived in French-occupied Syria during WWII and then moved to Beirut. No wonder then that most dishes have an Armenian root but that their cooking style is also strongly influenced by Lebanese cuisine. All lamb dishes are very well prepared and the rice that goes with them is very flavorful. Their daily specials for lunch are attractively served at reasonable prices. My preference goes to the Thursday Couscous with grilled chicken leg, lamb, vegetables, and home made harissa. Ask for a small bowl of the sauce on the side. Sarmas, Hommos, Boereg, and the very tasty red lentil soup, are great appetizers.
Very well selected wine list. Great bar. comfortable booths allowing private conversation during a romantic date.
And as always the place is populated with a bunch of regulars, including a few local journalists and Middle-Eastern natives who enjoy the discrete but friendly welcome from both owners, Arsen's stories, and a smiling and competent bartender.
Best deal around Michigan avenue.

Inspired by this thread, I'm heading there for lunch today. First time in over thirty years.

Thanks to Alain40 for his informative post above. Being only an infrequent visitor I have not had the opportunity to try as many dishes as he, but I certainly agree that the lentil soup is excellent.

Paul SL wrote:Inspired by this thread, I'm heading there for lunch today. First time in over thirty years.

Delicious. Even better than I remembered. I ordered my mainstay from back then-- the marinated, sauteed chicken with rice pilaf. My companion ordered the beef shish kabob. Both were wonderful. We started with an order of hummus, which turned out to be some of the best I've had.

Ok, finished gushing. Still, it's nice to have such a venerable restaurant, one that has even improved over time, so close by.

alain40 wrote:I have been eating there since the early 70's and always had a good meal. This place whose decor has been very nicely modernized recently and benefits now from a very nice but small enclosed terrace seating area on the sidewalk in the summer, is still owned by Arsen Demirdjian and managed by his son Roupen. Arsen is an Armenian who lived in French-occupied Syria during WWII and then moved to Beirut. No wonder then that most dishes have an Armenian root but that their cooking style is also strongly influenced by Lebanese cuisine. All lamb dishes are very well prepared and the rice that goes with them is very flavorful. Their daily specials for lunch are attractively served at reasonable prices. My preference goes to the Thursday Couscous with grilled chicken leg, lamb, vegetables, and home made harissa. Ask for a small bowl of the sauce on the side. Sarmas, Hommos, Boereg, and the very tasty red lentil soup, are great appetizers.
Very well selected wine list. Great bar. comfortable booths allowing private conversation during a romantic date.
And as always the place is populated with a bunch of regulars, including a few local journalists and Middle-Eastern natives who enjoy the discrete but friendly welcome from both owners, Arsen's stories, and a smiling and competent bartender.
Best deal around Michigan avenue.

Sayat Nova is one of of the few restaurants that's held up against the increasingly anonymous generic nature of Streeterville East of Michigan/south of Chicago Avenue. I've lived in the neighborhood for 10+ years, and from a culinary standpoint, aside from Markethouse, the vast majority of places are either bland fusion (Lan's Bistro Pacific and Niu), uninteresting bar food (PJ Clarkes and Dublin's), or tourist-friendly steakhouses (Ron of Japan, Capital Grille et al), at a level where Gyu Kaku seems like a revelation. You can certainly get more challenging Middle Eastern/Mediterranean food elsewhere - Dawali, Semiranis, Turkish Cuisine - but it's worthy of note as a place that is good to very good, and has maintained itself as it is, was, and will be. And I like the sauteed chicken, and lulla kabob with harissa too:-). If there's such a thing as a neighborhood hangout for Streetville veterans which defines us, Sayat Nova is it.

Stopped in just for pre-theater mezze tonight: Armenian spinach, boereg, pickles and cucumber salad. A pleasant experience, and I need to go back for a full lunch or dinner.

As we walked out, a young couple was walking in, and the girl said, as no doubt many have said before her: "Ohh, it's so pretty in here."