The Gundis Kurdish Kitchen

“Walking into a space in Chicago that proudly carries our name and identity felt incredibly special. I’ve visited many Kurdish-owned spots, but finally seeing our heritage explicitly represented gave me a profound sense of pride. The food is exceptionally authentic and deeply flavorful. You must try the Stuffed Chicken, it is absolutely phenomenal. Beyond the incredible kitchen, the hospitality was flawless. Our waiter was deeply knowledgeable, sharing beautiful insights into the menu and Kurdish culture. The representation here matters immensely, and the execution is perfect. I will definitely be back, and I highly recommend it to anyone in the Chicago area!”

“The food? Delicious. The service? Impeccable. The atmosphere? Family-friendly and very welcoming. We got the Kurdish breakfast with a veggie scramble to share between two people and ordered the apple pancakes as well. Our waiter, Lokman, rightfully advised us that it was a lot of food and we said we were fine taking some home! Everything was incredible and we were so glad we came here. We were also celebrating a birthday, and so Lokman brought us the burned-bottom milk pudding with a little candle. Oh my gosh….. absolutely unbelievable. Truly one of the best desserts I’ve ever tasted. I highly, highly recommend this place and hope to be back soon!”

“Dare I say this is one of the best restaurants I have ever been to in my life! I’ve tried many of their dishes and this is my 4th time coming here. During this visit we tried the Adana Kebab, Chicken Sac Tawa, Shrimp Tawa, Baba Ganoush, and their Evin cocktails. The shrimp is insanely delicious, this is our third time ordering it. Their food is so full of flavor, it never fails to amaze us. Their food service is also just amazing! They go above and beyond for every customer. It was also very crowded when we were sitting and I was watching them serve drinks to the people waiting to be seated which is the first time I’ve even seen a restaurant do this. They really are very passionate about everything and love explaining the dishes and Kurdish culture to anyone who is interested. This is one of the best restaurants, and most authentic Kurdish restaurants i’ve ever been to. I highly recommend this place and highly recommend that anyone who goes tries their breakfast, Shrimp Tawa and Chicken Sac Tawa!”

“We had lunch at The Gundis today, and it was outstanding from start to finish. We arrived around 1 PM and loved that both the breakfast and lunch menus were still available. We began with the baba ghanoush and fresh pita. The pita alone is worth the visit. Warm, soft, and perfectly made. For my entrée, I ordered the Zaza Pasta with grilled chicken, spicy tomato sauce, îsot, goat cheese, and olive oil. It was absolutely delicious, rich, balanced, and full of flavor. Others in our group had the spicy tofu scrambler and the Mountain Salad with tofu, mixed greens, tomato, cucumber, onion, bell peppers, dried apricot, parsley, walnuts, feta, olive oil, and pomegranate dressing. Both dishes were fresh, vibrant, and beautifully prepared. Our waiter, Lokman, delivered true 5-star service. He was attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable. The restaurant is clearly popular and busy, so reservations are recommended. If you haven’t been here yet, you’re missing out. This is a must-try spot, and we’ll definitely be back to explore the dinner menu. Update: We came back again and had another great experience. Lokman was our server again and once again delivered excellent service. This time I had the spicy red lentil soup and it was outstanding. So good that we ended up taking a bowl to go. I also ordered the Zaza Pasta with chicken again, and it was just as delicious as the first time. I even took some of that to go as well. We also had the hummus, which was smooth, flavorful, and just as impressive as everything else we’ve tried here. The bread deserves another mention. Fresh, warm, and absolutely incredible. For dessert, we had the dark chocolate mousse and rice pudding sampler. Both were delicious and a perfect way to end the meal. This place continues to impress. The consistency, quality, and service are all top-notch. Looking forward to coming back again. Thank you again, Lokman, for the great food and service!”

“Really enjoyed the brunch, everything tasted fantastic. Fries had a hint of sweetness to it which was not expected, one of the top 5 fries I've had before. Had it been a little crispy it would have been mind-blowing. Bread was also really nice and fresh. You can taste the different meats really well and it was well seasoned. The coffee was nothing special, it was more milk than coffee.”