Dawali’s Mediterranean Kitchen at 4911 N. Kedzie boasts gluten-free food and veggie options, which is good news for anyone on a gluten free or vegetarian diet! Tucked into the corner of a small plaza on the corner of Kedzie Ave. and Ainslie St. in Albany Park, Dawali’s has free parking in the lot and a welcoming atmosphere. Dawali’s is casual, serving the big university community that surrounds it. It’s a good place to go if you have a long break between classes and are looking for a place to study or read.

This was my first time eating Mediterranean food, so I was excited to try the food. The waitress was really nice and attentive. However, she got the order wrong and came back with the beef kabab, instead of the lamb we ordered. No biggie though, because the beef was the bomb. I went with my son and mom and Dawali’s is kid-friendly! However, I don’t recommend going there, or anywhere for that matter, with an eleven-month-old; you won’t be able to fully enjoy your meal.

The falafel appetizer was great. It was crispy and had the right amount of seasoning. The iced tea was okay, but it came from a fountain drink dispenser. The spinach and lamb bread pies we ordered were good, but they could have been crispier. We went with the combination choice, which included several meat choices, basmati rice, grilled veggies, pita bread, and sauce. We chose the chicken shawerma and the lamb kabab. Everything was seasoned well, but the chicken shawerma was a little dry. The lamb kabab order never arrived; instead beef was served. It was good and juicy but not what was ordered.

We didn’t order dessert because they didn’t accept a coupon we had. Apparently, they don’t accept the “Buy $35, get $25 off” coupon anymore, which was a shame because I was really looking forward to the crème brulee that their website advertises. So for all the food we ordered, we paid around $35, counting the tip. The portions they serve are big, but for $35, I expect better food quality. Also, the actual menu at Dawali’s differs from the one online. The desserts are not on the menu and neither are the drinks. That threw us off when we ordered because we already had an idea of what we wanted. When we got there, we had to switch things up a bit.

Overall, I had a good experience and I wouldn’t mind going back. Perhaps next time I’ll be able to try the desserts.