Cedar Palace

The food and service are consistently great - the noise level can be tough but really it's such a great place it's worth going.

Cedars Palace is a hidden gem -- wonderful food, excellent service and quiet ambiance. Inexpensive for Lincoln Park neighborhood. We are regular customers.

This place is certainly a little gem, and after our first visit there we hurried back only 5 days later. The beef shawarma is spiced to perfection, and we couldn’t get enough of the kibbeh and meat boorak. It’s also BYOB, which is always nice. The chef even came out to talk with us for a few minutes, and when we returned on our second visit, we were received with big smiles and a “Welcome Back.”

Loved it! Excellent value, especially with the byob. Warm and friendly staff, owner came around and talked to everyone. Already can't wait to go back!

First time here and the food was outstanding! Can’t wait to go back.

Outstanding, delicious, high quality, fresh and healthy food! What more could one ask for? Family owned and operated by Silvana and she makes you feel like you are one of the family dining there. Best Levantine food in Chicago for Vegetarian Mezze in my book, highly recommend!

Fresh food, homie Mediterranean cuisine. Chef visited our table and was delightful!

Would come again. The food and value were amazing

Amazing food and large portions. Will definitely be back

Excellent food and service and the owners are wonderful. Don't miss it.

What a wonderful neighborhood gem! Our group of six had a fantastic dinner here on the night before Thanksgiving. A couple of other groups were doing the same - the cuisine is perfect for groups as they will put together excellent platters for family style dining. Not that it wouldn’t also be great for singles or couples. Don’t forget to pick up your own adult beverages beforehand since they do not sell alcohol. Friendly and efficient service and such amazing food! Must try the baba ghanoush!

friendly and feel of a home as its in a refurbished apartment

Always a fabulous experience!!!

By far my favorite restaurant in Chicago. Silvana is an outstanding chef/owner and the staff is always warm and friendly. Cedar Palace serves authentic food of the Levant. I am vegetarian and all the dishes I have tried are super delicious and healthy. The cuisine at Cedar Palace feels more like quality home cooking than restaurant food. Highly recommend. Love this restaurant!

Proprietors came out and spoke with us, very nice people, great food and atmosphere.

Always a great meal! Would recommend sitting on the patio if the weather is nice.

Cedar Palace, continues to be one of my favorite restaurants in the neighborhood. The food is of exceptionally high-quality, very fresh, and made with love. The portions are quite generous, and I often have enough for lunch the next day. The owner/chef often comes out to speak to you personally, and make sure you are happy with your experience. You can tell she is a genuinely warm and caring person who wants to make sure her guests are treated well and satisfied.

It’s a great place for vegetarian/vegan options as well, as is typical for a Mediterranean style restaurant. They have always gone above and beyond to accommodate any special requests me and my friends have had. It’s a great place to take small groups of people, and is affordable for most any budget. It’s BYOB on top of it, one of the only places in Lincoln park that I found. I just can’t say enough good things about this restaurant!

Too many visits to count. The food never disappoints when you have a hankering for Mediterranean food, and the owner shows so much pride in her cuisine. I keep bringing friends because we love a good BYO. PS No corkage fee!

Homemade Lebanese food... need I say more? OK I will: Best babaganoush ever!!! Cozy spot with outdoor patio in the warm weather.

Absolutely amazing!!!! Great service, beautiful patio, food was outstanding, order the feta and olive plate for sure!!! A definite must go!!

This was our second visit this summer to Cedar Palace for lunch and we would enthusiastically recommend you try it. We enjoyed Hummus appetizers and 3 salads.. Feta, Fattoush and Lebanese.
Also the Lentil Soup. Unfortunately the outdoor cafe was not open, always our preference if weather
permits, but inside was more than adequate with prompt attentive service and the pleasant visit
from Silvana the owner/chef. We hope to return when we have the opportunity again.

Excellent food at reasonable prices
Family owned and operated
Not fancy but just good delicious food

As usual, an excellent experience!! Great service, food and atmosphere.

Fairly typical middle eastern menu selections but superbly prepared with fresh ingredients and just the right touch of seasonings. Wide choice of both veggie and meat offerings very reasonably priced especially considering the not unsubstantial portions. We have not been disappointed with any of our selections ranging from appetizers to dessert. This is a family operation using family time tested recipes and served by a young, courteous staff many likely with a family connection. They are very attentive to any special dietary needs/restrictions when informed of such. The chef-owner frequently table hops to pleasantly schmooz with her diners and overall you feel more like a guest in someone's home than a retail customer. Two suggestions: the Baklava is outstanding and for the short Chicago outdoor season, they have crafted a comfortable homey back-yard patio with complete table service which should be enjoyed. This is a true neighbor gem !

Great casual place with great food. Nice patio and great service.

This was our first visit to Cedar Palace and it exceeded all expectations. The food was delicious. Some of the best hummus I’ve ever had. And the owner/chef is so friendly. She makes a point to speak to everyone in the restaurant and make sure they are satisfied. Cedar Palace has made it onto our list of favorite Chicago restaurants.

Excellent authentic Middle Eastern Food. Homemade everyday. Fresh and deliciously seasoned. Always a pleasure.

Deborah Todd

The menu is intriguing and the food is exceptional.

The owners are so personable and make an effort to ensure that everything about your experience is enjoyable. The food is consistently delicious, and a great value. The vibe is cozy inside, and on the patio. Love it here!

The food is always delicious, authentic and fresh. The outside patio was so lovely. The garden atmosphere made me feel transported to another place. Excellent!

The food was delicious. We loved everything we tried. The atmosphere is great and we love that there is outdoor seating. Be prepared to have leftovers. The portions are large!

Loved it. Super fresh, tasty and plentiful. Service was impeccable, decor was very cool and atmospheric. Overall YES. Just go and eat!

Delicious food and great tasting

Terrific service

Nice neighborhood place

A real treat

We very much enjoyed this new Mediterranean restaurant. The environment is cozy and casual. The servers are very friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. Food was delivered promptly. My daughter is vegetarian and she thoroughly enjoyed the vegetarian combo. Lots of vegetarian options on the menu. The Shish Tawook chicken was wonderfully seasoned and moist. The owner and chef came by the table at the end of the meal to add a personal touch and chat. Look forward to coming back.

We chose Cedar Palace because it was a reasonable walking distance from Steppenwolf. We were dining pre-theater, and the main restaurant was empty. We later discovered that the patio—which was full of happy locals— has a separate entrance on Orchard Street. The food was excellent: we had hummus, falafel, and two different kebabs, all delicious. The generous side dishes included the option of bulgar instead of rice, which we enjoyed. The chef/owner came out to chat with us—a welcoming touch. Cedar Palace is a neighborhood gem! Note: it is BYOB.

We loved our experience. Food was authentic, fresh and delicious. We will come back every time we visit Chicago. Wish you would come to Denver!

Delicious, authentic Mediterranean food. The owner/ chef Silvana always greets you like a family member! New outside patio is large and lovely!

What a fabulous dining experience! Silvana, the owner, gives highly personalized service to each and every guest. The food is delicious, made to order and fresh! This will be my go to spot!

Absolutely wonderful experience. Authentic cuisine and service. Will be back often.

Very nice menu. Featuring items that were very different and very delicious. The owner and cook was very
friendly and enthusiastic about the restaurant. We were 4 friends out to dinner and all of us enjoyed the food and the service. We all plan to return and to tell out friends about our great find.