Discovering Naf Naf Grill Chicago: A Taste of Authentic Middle Eastern Cuisine
Nestled in the heart of Chicago's bustling Loop, at 28 S Wabash Ave, IL 60603, Naf Naf Grill offers a vibrant and fresh take on traditional Middle Eastern flavors. More than just a fast-casual dining spot, Naf Naf Grill has carved out a distinct niche by focusing on high-quality, customizable meals built around authentic recipes passed down through generations. The Chicago location serves as a crucial hub, bringing the warmth and zest of the Levant to the urban landscape. It stands as a testament to the enduring appeal of simple, wholesome ingredients prepared with care and served with speed, making it an ideal destination for professionals on a lunch break, students seeking satisfying sustenance, or anyone craving a flavorful escape from the ordinary.
The philosophy behind Naf Naf Grill centers on transparency and freshness. Diners are invited to watch as their meals are assembled, ensuring complete control over ingredients and portion sizes. This interactive dining experience transforms the simple act of ordering food into an engaging culinary journey. From the moment you step inside, the aroma of freshly baked pita and perfectly seasoned meats promises an authentic experience that respects the culinary heritage it represents while adapting seamlessly to modern dietary preferences and lifestyles.
What truly sets Naf Naf Grill Chicago apart in the competitive downtown dining scene is its unwavering commitment to quality and customization. They have successfully bridged the gap between quick service and gourmet taste, proving that fast food doesn't have to mean compromising on flavor or nutritional value. This dedication to excellence resonates deeply with Chicagoans who value both efficiency and substance in their daily routines.
Key Highlights of the Naf Naf Grill Experience
When visiting the Wabash Avenue location, several elements consistently draw praise and encourage repeat patronage. These highlights underscore why Naf Naf Grill has become a staple for many in the downtown area:
The Art of Customization: Naf Naf Grill excels by offering a build-your-own format that is both intuitive and expansive. Patrons begin with a base—be it a pita, bowl, or platter—and then select from a wide array of freshly prepared components. This level of personalization ensures that every meal perfectly matches individual taste profiles and dietary needs, whether one is seeking a light salad or a hearty, protein-packed feast.
Signature Freshness and Preparation: Central to the Naf Naf ethos is the commitment to preparing staples in-house daily. This includes the fluffy, warm pita bread baked to order, the vibrant hummus whipped to creamy perfection, and the slow-cooked, richly spiced proteins like shawarma and falafel. The dedication to fresh preparation elevates the entire dining experience beyond typical fast-casual fare.
Bold, Authentic Flavor Profiles: The menu draws heavily on traditional Middle Eastern spices and techniques, resulting in dishes bursting with complex, layered flavors. From the tangy zest of the sauces to the smoky char on the grilled items, each element contributes to an overall taste that is both familiar to those who love the cuisine and excitingly new for newcomers.
A Welcoming, Modern Atmosphere: While the food honors tradition, the restaurant's ambiance is decidedly modern and clean. The design at the 28 S Wabash Ave location is bright and inviting, providing a comfortable, contemporary space ideal for a quick, restorative meal amidst the urban rush. It’s a place designed for efficiency without sacrificing hospitality.
A Culinary Destination in the Loop
Naf Naf Grill Chicago is more than just a convenient lunch spot; it represents a successful fusion of cultural authenticity and modern dining expectations. Located strategically within the city's core, it serves as a reliable beacon for those seeking vibrant, satisfying, and customizable meals built on a foundation of fresh, high-quality ingredients. The commitment to transparency in preparation, combined with the depth of flavor derived from authentic Middle Eastern culinary traditions, ensures that every visit is a rewarding experience.
Whether you are exploring the diverse culinary landscape of Chicago for the first time or are a local searching for your next favorite go-to meal, Naf Naf Grill at 28 S Wabash Ave invites you to explore the freshness, flavor, and flexibility that define their unique approach to Mediterranean-inspired cuisine. It’s a place where tradition meets the speed of modern life, creating something genuinely delicious and satisfying.
Amenities and More
Accessibility
Wheelchair-accessible entrance
Wheelchair-accessible seating
Wheelchair-accessible toilet
Service options
No-contact delivery
Delivery
Takeaway
Dine-in
Highlights
Fast service
Popular for
Lunch
Dinner
Solo dining
Offerings
Comfort food
Halal food
Healthy options
Quick bite
Vegan options
Vegetarian options
Dining options
Lunch
Dinner
Catering
Counter service
Dessert
Seating
Table service
Amenities
Toilet
Atmosphere
Casual
Trendy
Crowd
Family friendly
Groups
Tourists
University students
Planning
Accepts reservations
Payments
Credit cards
Debit cards
NFC mobile payments
Credit cards
Children
Good for kids
High chairs
Kids' menu
Parking
Paid street parking
Menus
Drinks
Fountain DrinkUS$3.70
Bottled DrinksUS$3.70
Canned DrinksUS$4.05
Sides
PitasUS$1.70
Falafel 4 PackUS$4.75
Naf FriesUS$4.05
Lentil SoupUS$4.05
NEW Crispy Chicken Tenders (Halal) 3 PackUS$7.40
BaklavaUS$3.55
Falafel 2 PackUS$2.40
Extras/Add Ons
CouscousUS$3.10
SaucesUS$0.00
Basmati RiceUS$3.10
Spreads - Baba, Hummus, Spicy HummusUS$1.55
ProteinUS$4.90
ToppingsUS$5.00
Build Your Own
Build Your Own BowlUS$14.45
Build Your Own PlateUS$17.05
Stuffed Pita SandwichUS$12.10
For the Family
Baklava BoxUS$30.70
Family StyleUS$79.30
Falafel DozenUS$13.95
Kids MealUS$7.90
Six Pack PitasUS$9.30
Sides for Trending Favorites
BaklavaUS$3.55
4 Pack FalafelUS$4.75
Bottled WaterUS$3.70
Crispy Chicken Tenders (Halal)US$7.40
CokeUS$4.05
Naf FriesUS$4.05
Lentil SoupUS$4.05
Photos
Reviews Naf Naf Grill Chicago
Amy Thurston
19-12-2025
I love Mediterranean food and always feel good after eating here. We love getting a bowl with rice and hummus for the base, pick a protein, add the toppings (chopped salad, cabbage, onions, pickles) and add sauce- I love the garlic sauce. The side pita bread was tough and not fresh, as was the crispy tenders, but everything else was great.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$10–20
Food: 4
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 4
Wait time
Up to 10 min
Recommendation for vegetarians
Highly recommend
Vegetarian offerings
Clearly labeled vegetarian dishes
Vegetarian options
Multiple vegetarian options for the base of your bowl, veggies toppings, plus pita, falafel, etc
Kid-friendliness
Kids meal: pick protein, two sides, and drink
Hesam Kedinov
11-12-2025
(-) small portions and very limited range of toppings (2-4!!) none of them really exciting
(+) ingredients tasted relatively fresh, the pita was fresh too … More
Edgar Hernandez
05-12-2025
Stopped for lunch. Food was cold. The whole place was also dirty. Do they even have a cleaning person? … More
Allan Crows
26-11-2025
I had a great experience at Naf Naf Grill! The food was fresh and flavorful—I especially enjoyed the falafel bowl, the warm pita bread, and the sweet, flaky baklava for dessert. The atmosphere is casual and modern, perfect for a quick and relaxed meal, and the open kitchen adds to the inviting vibe. The staff were friendly, helpful with recommendations, and kept everything moving quickly, which made the visit even better.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 4
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 4
Wait time
No wait
Recommendation for vegetarians
Highly recommend
Vegetarian offerings
Menu is all vegetarian, Large vegetarian selection, Vegetarian menu or section, Clearly labeled vegetarian dishes
Vegetarian options
there are plenty of vegetarian options.
Dietary restrictions
They offer a menu with allergen and gluten information.
Parking space
Somewhat difficult to find parking
Parking options
Paid street parking, Free parking garage
Parking
mostly limited to metered street spots or nearby paid garages.
Kid-friendliness
yes
Wheelchair accessibility
yes
Pumpkin001
23-11-2025
Really good Middle Eastern fast food, not too overpriced. Rice and salad were flavorful!
Service
Dine in
Food: 5
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 3
Wait time
No wait
Leonard
09-11-2025
Pretty good Mediterranean spot. They made my pita fast and it was tasty. They don't have alot of options but the ones they do offer are good.
Staff are chill, not overly anything. Place is bland. Really just to grab food, fuel up, and go.
Service
Take out
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$10–20
Food: 4
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 3
Recommended dishes
Talia Reo
26-10-2025
I like this place. I haven't been in the restaurant but my job had them for catering. Their toum is great. I like that they have red cabbage as an option. In an ideal world the chicken would be shaved like kebab style but it is still good. The pita is good too
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Zaki Ghauri
13-10-2025
Came across this Naf Naf Grill in downtown and really disappointed that their service is really bad. They charged me extra, and when I went to reimburse for it, they gave just a few falafels and baklava. Don't cheat your customer by … More
Uchizi Phakati
02-10-2025
Came here for lunch, tried the new spicy meatballs over rice and spicy hummus. The meatballs were so delicious, so was the hummus. However, the rice so chewy which was disappointing. The servers had a little attitude. The sitting area is quite nice with views of the street. My friend enjoyed her food too. It’s a nice restaurant but could deliver better.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$10–20
Food: 4
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 4
Kymberly Traveler
25-09-2025
I recently had the pleasure of dining at Naf Naf Mediterranean Food, and I must say it exceeded all expectations. From the moment I walked in, I was greeted with warmth and hospitality. The ambiance of this. Casual restaurant was inviting, with colorful decor that transported me to the heart of the Mediterranean especially Egypt which I love.
The menu offered a delightful array of authentic Mediterranean dishes, each bursting with flavor and expertly prepared. From the savory falafel‘s to the fresh salads and mouthwatering hummus, every bite was a culinary delight. The ingredients were clearly fresh and of the highest quality, and it was evident that great care had been taken in the preparation of each dish.
What truly set Naf Naf apart, was the impeccable service provided by the general manager Kash. She/They went above and beyond to ensure that my dining experience was nothing short of perfect. Their attention to detail and commitment to customer satisfaction were truly commendable.
Overall, I cannot recommend Naf Naf Mediterranean Food highly enough. Whether you're craving a taste of the Mediterranean or simply looking for a memorable casual dining experience, this restaurant is sure to impress. Five stars all around!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$10–20
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Vegan
Recommendation for vegetarians
Highly recommend
Vegetarian offerings
Large vegetarian selection
Paco Jimenez
15-09-2025
Can't tell you just how much I enjoyed this post-Chicago Marathon meal! So delicious and so satisfying. Totally hit the spot after running 42km. The lentil soup is so good and their falafel is scrumptious! Don't forget to "Naf it up"! Great chips!
Chandra Shekhar Rao Pathki
10-09-2025
Food platter was delicious. I ordered a veggie feast. Though the order took sometime to be delivered, I loved the food. Restaurant is easy to notice as it is located right across the street. Not very crowded. The falafel and pita is very delicious to eat along with the platter. Will visit this once again for sure 😊 …
Charmi Patel
06-09-2025
During my first visit to Naf Naf Grill, I had a deeply disappointing experience. The staff member who prepared my bowl was exceptionally rude, frequently making unpleasant facial expressions and even using profanity. I felt thoroughly … More
Hamid Chefchaouni
04-09-2025
the location of this restaurant is great, and inside is somewhat clean. The staff is trying their best but visibly overwhelmed.
And I was not impressed with the middle eastern food here. The food was not … More
William Clewis (Will)
04-09-2025
Update: I returned to this location recently and ordered a chicken and rice bowl. The whole meal tasted cold and there was some undercooked chicken it.
Normally, I like going to this location as the food is great and the service is decent. But recently I went in with some friends visiting here and they had already started cleaning and putting the seats away, so there was nowhere to sit. Mind you, this was at around 7:30 pm and this location closes at 9 pm. It’s not like we came in right before closing. I get wanting to tidy things up before closing but an hour and a half before?? We weren’t interested in take out so we went elsewhere.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 1
Service: 1
Atmosphere: 2
Recommended dishes
Shawarma Bowl
Eran Dromy
29-08-2025
Nice place. Usually there is a line during lunchtime due to all the offices nearby (can be 5 minutes wait).
Service is fine, food is great.
Pumpkin001
13-08-2025
Really good Middle Eastern fast food, not too overpriced. Rice and salad were flavorful!
Service…
More
Ruiyu Liu
29-07-2025
I found a small plastic bag squeezed into my bowl, mixed in with the toppings. I almost swallowed it! Photo is after I expanded it. Additionally, we had very few protein in both mine and my wife's bowls, and the pita had a strange texture. … More
Bilyan Belchev
23-07-2025
Don't visit past the lunch rush. Or ever. I love Naf Naf and have been to this location years ago, many times. This time, no falafel, no pita, the babaganou was sour and clearly old. I was charged full price for it. Veggie plate. I got onions and hummus that were edible. I hope I don't get poisoning from trying the babaganou. More
Anthony
11-07-2025
I went in because they had a poster outside for a chicken shawarma. I went inside and they do not offer chicken shawarmas. The meat was dry, the staff was standoffish and the food was meh. More
Rob Hebestreit
29-06-2025
The food was very good. I loved the falafel and the chicken strips. The sauce was great too. Excellent Baklava!
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Sylvia Lin
17-06-2025
Got a Chicken Shawarma Baba Ghanoush Bowl but did not get a pita bread, like I did in the other location. A bit disappointed since the biggest attraction with this chain is the fresh pita bread. More
Jennifer Gelman
28-05-2025
This is a fast casual Mediterranean restaurant. I wasn't hungry, so I just got a cup of lentil soup. It was delicious and thick, not watery. My husband got shawarma and it was delicious. The food was ready quickly, there was enough seating, and the air conditioning worked pretty well. More
Janie Hernandez
25-04-2025
Awesome service and awesome food. All of the workers were so nice from beginning to end. And the food was 10/10 I got a chicken shawarma bowl with chopped salad. It was delicious and I would definitely come back to try some of their other food. More
SueEllen B
20-04-2025
Do NOT order from this place! Yes, that is a giant bug on my food delivered from them. As if that wasn’t bad enough, Uber eats is refusing to provide a refund from this restaurant when this is clearly a food health safety issue. DISGUSTING More
T BELL-ABERCROMBIE
19-04-2025
Quick take away order. Wonderful beef and chicken with rice platter with Arab bread. Couldn’t wait to try NNG. Look forward to trying again. More
Erin Pratt
28-03-2025
Awesome choice for quick and tasty Mediterranean. Food was fresh even later into the evening and service was great! Plenty of seats and was nice and clean!
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Alex Burlakov
16-02-2025
Got my lunch for to-go and found their a hair. Not hungry anymore thx:)))
Upd 10.14.19: last Friday I took the meal back to Naf Naf and got fully refunded. Still not pleasant experience. I’d recommend to make their staff wear hairnets...
Rebecca Rodriguez
07-01-2025
Tasty, healthy food. I came in in the evening, the employees were helpful, the restaurant was clean. The food was super good and healthy. I was able to save some for later. Would come again.
Phyllis Liu
06-01-2025
This location of Naf Naf gets pretty busy during lunch time, but the service is quick and not such a long wait. I love getting the falafel bowl with pita! There's ample seating area and they play pretty good music :)
Akanksha Wankhade
04-01-2025
I love having a meal at naf naf grill. It has never failed me.
The location is great and has a good downtown view. The place was clean and tidy.
I had a veggie hummus and falafel bowl & the food was fresh and tasty. The pita was soft and warm. The fries though were a little oily and didn’t seem to be that fresh. But overall experience was excellent.
As a vegetarian I love that I have good options here to choose from.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$10–20
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Salad, Falafel Bowl, Pita Sandwich with Falafel
Recommendation for vegetarians
Highly recommend
Vegetarian offerings
Vegetarian menu or section
Vegetarian options
Good option to choose from. Vegetarians can have hummus, salads, rice and falafel
Reviews Naf Naf Grill Chicago