I haven't had it since they've moved (frankly, we haven't been since they moved, not because we don't like them but more because there are just so darn many GNRs to get to!) but I did quite like the falafel at Olive Mountain in Evanston. Looking at the schnazzy new website, and the now-available online ordering, I'm clearly due for a visit!

Of the falafels I have tried, Big Buns (now called Sahara Kabob ) makes the best. They are made from both chick pea and fava bean flours, which makes them very crisp outside and moist and steamy inside. I especially like the mustard sauce they are served with (by request). They are available as an appetizer, an entree or individually.

Big Buns & Pita / Sahara Kabob
6649 N. Clark St.
Rogers Park
773-262-2000

I made the mistake of having a falafel at jaffa bakery in the loop this afternoon after reading this thread earlier this morning. The falafel were very dry with thin almost stale pita. Nondescript sauce, otherwise blah. This might actually be the worst falafel i have ever had.

Jaffa Bakery
105 W. Madison
Chicago, IL 60606

I like the falafel from Zad in Lakeview. I am fortunate enough to live right nearby and I have this Middle Eastern place on speed dial. They serve a perfectly crispy falafel, none-too-greasy, with a pleasant green, moist interior. The falafel can be ordered a few different ways: in a warm pita topped with Jerusalem salad, as a side dish, or as part of a little vegetarian feast.
The price for the falafel sandwich, only a few bucks, is fantastic and the service is great, even if it's just for in-and-out takeout.

Zad
3112 N. Broadway Ave
Chicago, IL 60657
773-404-3473

^ Zad is awesome. They make a great Baba Ghanoush too.

It is interesting that Sultan's made the best and worst list. Different strokes.

Alpana Singh recently in TimeOut called Sultan's her favorite Cheap Eats and "joneses" for the falafel.

selanator wrote:Sultan's Market (on North): Wasn't huge on it - I like a crispy falafel, but not crunchy.

sultan's has gone downhill a lot in the last few years... (the invasion of the trixies, expansion, they deliver now, yada yada, i'm sure are all contributing factors). i've had a lot better falafel both there years ago and other places now....i still like their lamb shawarma though :]

Mentioned earlier in this thread, I'll add some more praise for the "special falafel" at Semiramis. It's garnished with red cabbage, hummus, tomato, pickle, eggplant, and a touch of harissa. It's quite delicious. I enjoy the thinner lavosh instead of puffier pita with my falafel sandwiches. And, while I find the falafel balls used at Semiramis to be a little too large, the sandwich is really very good.

Cookie and I just polished off a couple for lunch along with their excellent fattoush salad.

Best,
Michael

Semiramis
4639 N Kedzie Ave
Chicago, IL 60625
(773) 279-8900

I agree that Sultan's has taken a bit of a nosedive in the past few years. I've gotten a little ill a few times and I also don't appreciate the behind-the-counter attitudes. It takes less effort to just be nice!
But falafel is fantastic at Semirami's and pretty good at Kan Zaman.

Semiramis
4639 N Kedzie Ave
Chicago, IL 60625
Phone: (773) 279-8900


Kan Zaman
617 N Wells St
Chicago, IL 60610
Phone: (312) 751-9600

Taste of Lebanon makes a wonderful falafel sandwich (with the thin pita which I prefer).
You might want to take it to go, otherwise you will end up smelling like your sandwich
for the rest of the day.
Elie


Taste of Lebenon Restaurant (773) 334-1600 1509 W Foster Ave, Chicago, IL

My favorite falafels are:

Mizrahi Grill (mentioned above)
Highland Park
>More for the sandwich stylings than the falafel itself. Still very good

Larsa's
3724 W. Dempster
Skokie, IL
847-679-3663
>These are a little flatter than typical - 4 to an order, and very crispy on the outside and well flavored. Great tahini dipping sauce too.

Basha
3445 Dempster St
Skokie, IL
(847) 329-8855
>Nice counter take-away Middle Eastern with good falafel

Salam
4636 N Kedzie Ave
Chicago
(773) 583-0776
>The best that I can remember although it's been a while since I've visited. Also the best hummous in Chicago, but that's a different story.

Absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE the Falafel at Taza

176 N Franklin St
Chicago, IL 60606
(312) 201-9885

Not dry, nice and flavorful.

Living in the area, I do enjoy Sultan's every now and then...but their falafel....not so much. As many have already mentioned, it's too crunchy and way too dry. I think the problem is that they don't fry them on a per-order basis. They just make a bunch, and let them sit there; sometimes serving them cold.

As a side note, their shawarma is great...very tender.

For falafel in Bucktown/WP, Babylon is my pick. Lite and crispy on the outside, warm and moist on the inside. They take forever to prepare orders, so call ahead...or just grab a six pack at Polonia(North and Damen, which as of last night, has Dogfish 120 minute ) and enjoy the wait. While you're there, try the lentil soup.

Now I understand that Sultan's is cheap and fast, but if you can spare an extra 50 cents and ten minutes, then do yourself a favor and hit up Babylon for your falafel fix.


Babylon Eatery
2023 N Damen Ave
Chicago, IL
(773) 342-7482

While I definitely enjoy Pita Inn-Wheeling's version, I'm going to cast my official vote for Salam. A recent trip there led to revelatory falafel . . .


Falafel from Salam Restaurant

Piping hot with supremely crispy exteriors and tender interiors. The flavor was outstanding -- distinctively complex and slightly herbacious. I never knew falafel could taste this good.

=R=

Salam Restaurant
4636 N Kedzie Ave
Chicago, IL 60625
(773) 583-0776

Pita Inn - Wheeling
122 S Elmhurst Rd
Wheeling, IL 60090
(847) 808-7733

Oh, my, that looks sublime.

Indeed, Salam's falafel is often excellent. However, the last few times I've gotten it, it was cold.

As far as falafel sandwiches, my vote's for Mizrahi Grill.

cilantro wrote:Indeed, Salam's falafel is often excellent. However, the last few times I've gotten it, it was cold.

As far as falafel sandwiches, my vote's for Mizrahi Grill.

Cold falafel is a bummer but I think it says more about the interval at restaurant than about the falafel itself -- more like good falafel gone bad

I've had the falafel at Mizrahi Grill a couple of times and while it's not my favorite (seems to be lacking that slightly bitter note that I enjoy), it's certainly distinctive, as far as Chicagoland falafel goes . . .


Falafel at Mizrahi Grill

As for their sandwiches -- which you specifically mention -- the variety of salads, toppings and sauces that are available is unlike any other place in town I've seen . . .


Falafel Sandwich at Mizrahi Grill

=R=

Mizrahi Grill
215 Skokie Valley Rd
Highland Park, IL 60035
(847) 831-1400

I went back to Alma-Pita recently and although I don't know that I'd name them best in class in anything, I will give them props for one thing, which is that they make it up fresh when you come in, every time, so far as I've observed. Falafel included. The fact that they don't at Salam unless you wheel and deal with them for five minutes about it is one of the things that keeps me from going there more often.

Alma Pita
1254 W. Wilson Ave.
(773) 561-2787

cilantro wrote:Indeed, Salam's falafel is often excellent. However, the last few times I've gotten it, it was cold.

As far as falafel sandwiches, my vote's for Mizrahi Grill.

I always ask for a fresh falafel at Salam. I think they are the best in the city by a fair margin, but there are indeed occasions where they've been sitting around for a bit too long. I've never been given any kind of problem when I ask them to fry up a fresh batch for me.

Not that I have tried all of these places, which is a shame...

... and that Steve's Shish Kabob has moved even further off our radar (from Marquette Park to Palos Hills), which is a shame...

But! ... Steve's Falafel is just awesome! Just the right size and perfectly crunchy. Flavor just right.

Everyone that has tried them (and I have exposed several serious middle eastern eaters to them and even a few that were not so serious) and they all agree.

Steve's Shish Kabob‎
10719 S Roberts Rd
Palos Hills, IL 60465
(708) 974-3530

Always worth the trip!

ronnie_suburban wrote:As for their sandwiches -- which you specifically mention -- the variety of salads, toppings and sauces that are available is unlike any other place in town I've seen . . .

Right, the falafel itself is certainly not as good as Salam's, but loaded up it makes one hell of a sandwich.

Mike and Kennyz, thanks for the tip on asking for freshly-made. To tell the truth, I'd been reluctant to do that since it's so ridiculously cheap.

I can't get enough of Semiramis's falafel special ("special"= tomato, cucumber, eggplant, purple cabbage, pickles, hummus, tahini sauce, harissa). However, they're closed on Sunday, and the wait on Friday and Saturday night has become prohibitive.
Where else can you get the best decked-out falafel sandwich? If you're familiar with Semiramis or with L'as du falafel's falafel special, then you've got the idea.

I'm not familiar with Semiramis, but Pita Inn has a mighty fine version. Pomegranate in Evanston has a nice messy one, but I think Pita Inn's is better.

checkout Mizrahi grill in highland park... They have a very good falafel sandwich.

For me the question of the best Falafel begins and ends with Sultan's Market on North and Hoyne. The Falafel is to-die-for, and with my blood pressure that pretty much seems to be the situation.

NAV MAN wrote:For me the question of the best Falafel begins and ends with Sultan's Market on North and Hoyne. The Falafel is to-die-for...

I really like the falafel at Sultan's (though I go to the one on Clark - it's on my bike ride home), though I'm sometimes disappointed that the balls themselves have been sitting for too long under a heat lamp. If they fried them fresh-to-order, I think it'd rival anything else in the city. Likewise, I actually enjoy their chicken shwarma, but I now will ask the guy making the sandwiches how fresh the meat is. If it's hot and fresh off of the spit, it's juicy and crusty at the same time - just phenomenal - but if it's been sitting, it's dry and not worth eating.

-Dan

dansch wrote:I really like the falafel at Sultan's (though I go to the one on Clark - it's on my bike ride home),
-Dan

Bike ride home? What, you have a paper route or something? At my age Id go into cardiac arrest if I tried to self propel myself back from work. My Lancer takes me to and from.

On topic, lately ive been rockin' the falafel over at Casbah @3100 Broadway. Not bad.

NAV MAN wrote:

dansch wrote:I really like the falafel at Sultan's (though I go to the one on Clark - it's on my bike ride home),
-Dan

Bike ride home? What, you have a paper route or something? At my age Id go into cardiac arrest if I tried to self propel myself back from work. My Lancer takes me to and from.

I work in the loop as a product manager - I ride a bicycle downtown every day (well, most) and switch in to slacks and a dress shirt once I get there. Faster than the El and lets me eat basically whatever I want without gaining weight...

-Dan

p.s. For everyone who does drive - please do check your mirrors before merging or opening your door! Learn more and take the No More Doors Pledge over at http://anti-dooring.org

I used to live in Albany Park and you cannot beat the gracious shopkeeper attitude you get at almost any of the spots along Kedzie ( I have not lived there in forever, so forgive the lack of names). Every time I would head in and order falafel, I was always given one to eat while I waited for my order. I have a thing for that kind of attitude. It was the same at Mitchell's when they passed out freshly prepared cake doughnuts (I have never liked cake doughnuts, but appreciated the offer) and milk duds if you were idiot enough to wait for breakfast on a weekend downtown. Jonathon at Spacca Napoli is the same with bits of truffled pizza crust( if you have to wait for a table) and baby cannoli as a goodbye and good night exit.

Enough digressing, Pita Inn-Skokie was my first falafel over 20 years ago and is still the winner and champion IMHO. I have not had the special sandwich before, but I bet I will on my next visit. I am not a fan of tahini so I get the sandwich dry and order a small baba ghanoush. Spread the baba on the inside of the pita, add their hot sauce, a lentil soup and a mint tea (with sugar, of course) and it is the best meal for under 10 bucks around! I live a few blocks away from Old Jerusalem, my husband adores it, but he knows if he died tomorrow I would never go there for falafel or anything middle eastern. I would get in the car and drive to Skokie!

dansch wrote: I ride a bicycle downtown every day

me too!

dansch wrote:Faster than the El

so true

dansch wrote: and lets me eat basically whatever I want without gaining weight...

how I wish that were true but enough of the digression.

On topic, we got a bag of falafel from Dawali late Friday night (11:15 or so? They're open until midnight on weekends) and they were very tasty, fried fresh to order.