Ghareeb Nawaz
2032 W Devon Ave, Chicago, IL, 60659
Ghareeb Nawaz Menu
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Biryani Items (Rice)
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Curry Items
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Kababs
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Vegi Item
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Thali Items
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Grill Items
Healthy Meal suggestions for Ghareeb Nawaz
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Biryani Items (Rice)
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Curry Items
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Kababs
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Vegi Item
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Thali Items
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Grill Items
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Address :
2032 W Devon Ave
Chicago, IL, 60659 - Phone (773) 761-5300
- Website https://GhareebNawazOnline.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :Open 24 hours
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : No
Good For : Lunch, Dinner, Late Night
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : No
Caters : Yes
Categories
India is the birth place of Chicken Tikka Masala and Curries. Indian foods are prepared with a blend of finely mixed spices quite popular across the region. The spices develop the rich taste in Indian food enough to boggle your mind. The ever-increasing fan base of Indian food around the New York city is steadily increasing because of the large number of Indians who traveled to the land of dreams. The Indians also brought their very own vibrant, colorful, and aromatic authentic dishes for the people in the West. While most of the Indian population is Vegetarian, Indian food is great for people who are looking for vegan or vegetarian food option. If you are a Meat lover, don't get disappointed yet. Indian food also boasts of some popular non-vegetarian dishes too. Few examples are the famous Butter Chicken, Mutton Biryani and Tandoori Chicken are enough to satisfy your taste buds.
Indian food has gained reputation all over the world especially in the United States. You can find many places serving the appetizing Indian food across all major cities in the US. India is a diverse country with different food culture originated from different parts of the country. While the Northern region boasts tandoori dishes and korma offering royal taste, the Western Ghats offers sea foods that is made in naturally sweet tender coconut milk. The South Indian food servers a quality of different dishes made from rice accompanied with spicy chutneys, curries and famous sambhar. Also, the Indian sweets are a delight to relish. If you ever want to have a burst of sugar syrup in mouth, don't forget to try few Bengali Sweets. Be it spicy, tangy, or sweet flavor, you can find everything in the Indian cuisine. Be assured that the melody of spices will surely bring delight to you.
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Jackie T.
By far one of the best places for Indian food in Chicago. Amazing prices and great food. The chicken biryani and lamb korma were excellent. And the cashier/ field Marshall was on top of his game!! He controlled the kitchen staff and the customer line like he could read into people's minds; he knew what everyone wanted before they reached him. Unbelievable!! And the place is always packed. You definitely need to visit this place!
(5)Elisa G.
Sorry but I don't understand this huge love for this restaurant. I understand that is VEEERY cheap... there is a lot of rice... but: - flavors are ok; - the place is a little too dirty for my taste. We tried the chicken biriani, which was definitely a lot of food and could easily feed two people. But the chili chicken was nothing great, really nothing great!!! The parata was good although it was very greasy.
(3)g h.
On a budget? Go here! Not on a budget? Go here!! Like flavor? Go here!!! Like to eat for 2 days for less than $7? Yes, you guessed it, GO HERE!!!!! No entree over $8, most under $5, all big enough to at least fill you up, most will feed you twice. Simple, fast, delicious and home made. GO HERE!! Did I mention? 24/7, drop the mike, walk off
(5)MoMo K.
About time they remodeled! It looks a million times better then before, and they are still working on making it look better. The bathrooms actually look nice and clean. Don't get me wrong though, it's still not a nice family place like Usmania or Sabri Nihari, but it's much better and looks more appealing then before. And for the first time ever, all the tables were clean and we weren't forced to clean it ourselves. They also have water jugs in the fridge! So you don't have to wait in a line to fill one cup at a time like before. I can't wait to see it when its completely remodeled. Food is still 5/5. Must get the chili chicken paratha or the gyros paratha (spicy)!
(5)Anthony N.
One of the best bang-for-your-buck deals in all of Chicago. This is an order at the counter place, but they dish out some outstanding flavors. All of the curries and sauced meats are so good. Chicken or lamb karahi are my favorite items. The only dish that I found to be overhyped was the chili chicken, which I thought was dry and overcooked. The naan here is also too thick for my preference. T chappati or paratha, however, are perfect for soaking up all the sauce. Don't be afraid to eat with your hands here.
(4)Renaud S.
Wish I could rate it more that 5 stars. This place is just everything I love, it brings back all memories from India. Don't expect a super sophisticated restaurant, nor an extraordinary ambiance, also the service is extremely simple... but the food is absolutely wonderful!! I tried several other Indian restaurants in Chicago, but that one is like no other, it is true, authentic Indian cuisine and I love that. Their Butter Chicken is a true wonder, the Chicken Biryani tastes delicious, I loved so much the Samosas, even the Nan and Chappati were succulent. Very good point also, portions are huge: I qualify myself as having a large (very large?) appetite, and I was rapidly full here. Now I have the rest of my meal in a box and I can't wait to finish it!!
(5)Bela B.
Had the veggie thali which came with a lot of food. Food was good. (Comparing it to my mom's). There was spinach, potatoes, chickpeas, and carrot shak with Indian pickle (I really liked the pickle). The finance liked his frontier chicken. Naan was simple. Chai was decent. It was busy but not too crazy. Service was good.
(3)LaVerne A.
The real deal like stepping into India. Fast food, eat and go kind of place. The portions though....OMG we ordered 2 entrees and it was soo much food and cheap! $10.00 was enough to feed like 3 people! Seriously no joke!
(3)Felice C.
Two words: butter chicken. With paratha or naan? WHATEVER. Don't expect the dining to be glamorous or anything because it's not. They also only have spoons and gosh does it get so busy. Everything is under $5...so it's affordable, fast and flavorful. Give it a try!
(5)Chris F.
The Lamb Biryani, Butter Chicken, Lamb Gosht is amazing. Go with the Meat Thali, it is basically a sampler of most of the meat dishes. So if you never had Indian food and you want to try it. Ghareeb Nawaz is the place to be. $6 can feed 2 people easily here and the food is amazingly flavorful with all sorts of exotic spices. So have a couple bottles of water ready you might want it to wash it down. Not that the food is spicy just that its so much flavor you'll want water. And the name of the place I was told literally means LOTS of food for little money. It is right on the money. Once you tried this spot you'll probably never want to over pay for Indian food at the fancier places on Devon Street.
(5)Grace H.
A great place if you want Indian food and a lot of it. I was astonished by the ginormous proportions and the cheap price but unfortunately the quality was not tantamount to the quantity. Lots of people come here and dine or they take their huge portions to go. The restaurant isn't the most beautiful place which might confuse first time yelpers as to why it is given 4 stars. It's simply because it is soo cheap and they give you so much. I finished about 1/4 of my veggie baryhani. Would I go out of my way to go again? I am not too sure. Maybe it would be great picnic food for a bunch of friends but I wasn't crazy about the food to be honest.
(3)Andre W.
I will assume I caught this place on a subpar day as the reviews for this place is quite stellar. A friend of mine raved about this place which is the reason I tried it. The place was quite busy which is no surprise from what I have read about the place. Upon walking in, I had to figure out where the line was as people were just standing everywhere. I was able to look up at the wall menu to choose what I wanted and I noticed the prices were awesome. I chose to go with the butter chicken along with a side of rice and garlic naan. I looked around and most of the tables were full and the areas where it wasn't full they didn't look very clean. Once my food arrived, I noticed it came on a cafeteria style tray. I reached for the tray and it was some white creamy substance all over the bottom; not to mention there was smeared sauce all over the counter. I guess no one thought it would be a good idea to wipe it down before placing food for pick up there. Once I got to my table I realized I needed to wipe it down as I already had sauce on my tray and did not want to add to the mess so I wiped down. I also noticed an empty pitcher and paper cups next to me which were never removed the whole time I was sitting there which leads me to believe no damns/fucks are given to clear out space for people to sit and eat without leftover residuals from the previous patron. My meal was pretty good though as I've never had bad butter chicken and the naan was good as well. If I were to ever eat here again, it would probably be carryout which I noticed quite a few people were doing.
(2)Cindy W.
The chili chicken biryani. After my second visit, I've decided there must be crack or something in it because it's so freaking amazing. Savory, well-cooked, the spices are just so on point. Get it get it get it. I also ordered the goat and lamb biryani but the chili chicken one is wayyy better.
(5)Azhar S.
A very simple place with very great Pakistani food. Another place where you cannot judge a place by its over. Decor: Very simple place. Bare boned no design whatsoever. If you're looking for a place where you want good ambiance then this place isn't for you. Service: From some family members who have been there, the service is very straight forward. Typically nothing extraordinary about the attitude. Food: This is where this place really shines. Fantastic food! Everything from their nihari, chicken tikka, biryani, kebabs and naans are out of this world amazing. I haven't had the samosas but I've heard they're very tasty and we'll done. Price: Price can't be beat. What other place are you going to get large portions of food, that also tastes gourmet, for less than $5?! In fact you might think you're stealing this food. I won't argue with the great price. Overall experience: Great food with an excellent price but very average decor still makes this place a great place to get authentic Pakistani food.
(4)Katie L.
While not perfectly executed, I just want to commend this place for being a STEAL. A huge platter of Lamb Biryani with heaps of basmati rice piled on top, creamy yogurt on the side, yum. One of their huge, stainless steel platters was enough for two people, no questions asked -- and that platter cost $6.50. Pretty cool. The biryani itself was flavorful, and sated my desire for Indian food. However, there were a lot of bones in it, and as a place I think it would be a little uncomfortable to eat in here by yourself. (Takeout, though, would be great.) If you are the kind of person who will be shocked and enthused just at the value (quantity on one axis, price on the other) of your food, definitely come here. Bringing a lot of people may be a good idea if you want to try things, but this may not be that kind of a place. It felt very tied in to the local community. One platter = two people
(4)Bosie L.
So much authentic Indian food. I'm in love with this place. So friendly and clean. The prices were so unbelievably low for so much food. This place is a best kept secret.
(5)Linh L.
All of this food for $20?! My boyfriend and I went here after work for dinner. He made it up for me because I had bland curry for lunch (not made by him lol). The food hit the spot and on top of it, there was enough leftovers for both of our lunches the following day. Don't come here expecting much from the aesthetics. Standards here remind me of Vietnam.
(5)Albert M.
This is a classic dive place with great food. I am not from the region, not Chicago but I can tell you the Veg Tahli was so good and plenty of food. I don't know the actual names of the Tahli that was on my tray but they included yogurt cucumber, spinach, daal, potato, chick peas, and cauliflower and zucchini. They were increasingly spicy as you went from yogurt to zucchini. The Biryani was excellent, a little dry but when eaten with the curry was perfect. We also had Naan done in traditional fashion and a perfect Mango Lassi. Thanks for a wonderful meal and experience.
(5)Hussein A.
Just had their meat thaali and chili chicken paratha.. It's delicious.. They recently renovated the dining area and it's much better than before but the food is always spot on.. Always the best biryani and prices are cheap...
(5)Jon L.
I called to complain about the food I received last time being under quality and to my suprise they were very nice and offered me to come back so they could make it right. This time it was spicy, juicy, and very delicious so I will have to give them credit where credit is due my rating goes back up to 5 stars
(5)Mary B.
This place might not look like much on the inside, nor is it big on presentation, but if you want great Indian food this is the place for you. My cousin and I went here wanting to get a few things and share them. We ended up with a butter chicken, frontier chicken (they were out of chili chicken), a veggie biryani, two orders of extra rice, and an extra naan. All of this cost us $23 and we couldn't even fit it all on the table. Everything was amazing. The spices were fresh and the rice cooked perfectly. One thing we were so excited about was the fact that there were SO MANY different races of people in the restaurant. That was really great. All in all, this place is family owned and just a great spot for cheap but delicious Indian and Pakistani food. We ended up taking home FOUR to go boxes! I think I'll have it for breakfast today....
(5)Hector C.
Amazing food and the prices are way under priced for the amount of food that they serve and it is delicious!!!!
(5)Carlos T.
Its a ok place. The price for the food is not bad. If you want to spend little on food, this is the place. Not your fine dining restaurant, but a quick stop for some cheap food. The food is ok and not bad for the price you are paying. This place is always packed, tells you something about the restaurant.
(4)Yohini S.
I had so much expectations for the comfort food here after reading so many reviews. I would have definitely missed this place if not for all these yelp reviews - so I was glad that I found out about a gem. Unfortunately food didn't taste as good as I had hoped it would. I went in with a few friends so we ordered vegetable biriyani, Channa masala, veggie curry and some naan. Portions were generous as everyone here has mentioned and the bill for four people only came to $12. (I was impressed by that for sure!) Biriyani felt pretty bland and masala did not really bring out the authentic taste. I was so disappointed however I was glad that we got those warm naans. They helped to brighten a gloomy Chicago winter day. I loved holding those warm naans and inhaling the fresh smell so much that we ordered some naan to go. We also tried fish curry and although it was decent I felt it was too salty. I am not sure if I went on an off day but I wasn't really impressed with the taste of food as much as we were impressed by the prices. I would probably be back to order naan for take out. Nothing else probably. I really wanted to love their food but I just couldn't. (Sigh)
(3)Rachel S.
Woah crap! The flavors and prices at Ghareeb Nawaz blew me away. I've never had an entire Indian meal for as little as I paid. That being said, it's a super casual joint. I've also never been to an Indian restaurant where every food item was listed on the wall. This confused me, and I didn't understand at first that EVERYTHING comes separately. If your'e reading this review, plan to order rice separately, in addition to your meal if you want it. That goes the same for naan, or any other bread. Oh, and delicious chai tea with milk! I had Gosht Daal. Woah Lord, was that good. A mistake on my part, that I wouldn't have known prior to my maiden experience at Ghareeb Nawaz - there are no folks, only spoons. The gosht - or goat - was very bony, and difficult to eat. (Amazingly, i had a travel knife and fork on me.) Next time, I would order something a little less awkward to eat, like the daal alone - which was amazing! - or the butter chicken I've read so much about.
(4)Joseph L.
This place is a mixed affair for me. On the one hand, the food and prices are above average. Their selection is great. Their plates are pretty good portions as well. I took off a couple of stars because of the decor and the people that eat there. I can't stand the sight of Muslim women and their repressed life. I can't help but feel sorry for them. They have a prayer room in the back, pretty much for devout Muslims. If you have a resturant and you want to appeal to a big audience, don't put a prayer room for Allah in the back. If you come here just get carry out.
(3)Sarah C.
Although I'm giving Ghareeb Nawaz 1 star, we went here twice. The first time, we ate there, but I don't recommend that because the inside is more depressing than a middle school cafeteria. The food was ok, and it was dirt cheap. Like, unbelievably inexpensive. The second time, we need food in a rush on our way from point A to point B, so we stopped in and got 2 orders of biryani to go. It was tasty, UNTIL I GOT TO THE BUG THAT WAS IN MINE. :( It sort of looked like an ant, but it wasn't an ant, and it had wings. So if you're just looking for the most food at the lowest cost and you don't care if there's some extra protein, courtesy of an insect or two, in your food, go for it. I think most people would rather spend more at the other Indian/Pakistani restaurants on Devon and not worry about gross surprises.
(1)Megan M.
For a broke-ass college student budget, this place is amazing. Ain't nobody got $50 to spend anywhere else on Devon for subpar food!
(4)Tony S.
A Devon Avenue sampler! Came here on a Friday night--found street parking, and ducked inside cause it was bloody freezing outdoors. Not to worry though, as we were soon sweating from our order of chicken biriyani, crisp potato samosa's, frontier chicken, and naan. Mango ice cream at the end for a sweet, smooth finish. Fair warning: this is a cash only establishment. But to be honest, even if they started charging in Pakistani rupees, I'd probably still come out here for the biriyani.
(4)Tabitha P.
Once again I have pleased myself with this place. Today through I added the samosas to my dish. They were good. Spicy and flavorful but cold. And no it was not until i got home, they were so busy I really didn't want to wait any longer so I sucked it up. I do still wish they had other kinds of naan. I like this place because it is cheap and they give you a lot of food. They also have a prayer room in the back so their customers who need to pray. I would suggest you grab your food head home and eat there because it can get loud and very busy. Also I like eating Indian food and watching Parks and Recreation. Great food, cheap. I would suggest you not get the butter chicken, I think just way too much butter but everything else is great! Call in your order as well. It will take way long if you order once you get there.
(5)Sam S.
Wow. OK, first of all, this place is just hella crazy cheap. You won't believe how much food you're getting for your buck. 2nd, the food is frigging great. It's greasy, spicy comfort good, it all comes with Raita and onions, the portions are huge. Everything we got was delicious: Baigere Baigan (eggplant something), Palak Paneer, Vegetable Biryani, Samosas, Paratha and naan were all great. I slightly favor the paratha over the naan but both were good. It's easy to get way too much food here because you're assuming the portions will be small because it's so cheap. Nope. Just lots of great, cheap, spicy food. TIP: their website has more detailed descriptions of the menu items.
(5)Shobana K.
Im a lover of indian/pak food and I saw the reviews and had loads of expectations.HORRIBLE!!! If there was a restaurant in a graveyard,that food would have tasted much better! And it would have been more hygienic as well I dont know where they come up with such weird looking and tasting dishes!The biriyani looked BLOOD RED.So artificial,and tasteless.
(1)Deepan M.
Not many places have Indian food 24 hours. Not many places have breakfast! This place is not pretty! But the food is amazing! The chicken biryani is good, the chili chicken is tasty, but the Haleem was amazing! As an Indian foodie and connoisseur of good indian food, this place is near the top!
(5)Brenda W.
What a great find!! Went here with a group of friends and ate like kings. I am not sure what we ordered because I could not pronounce a thing. So we circled what sounded good and went for it. We will totally be back so happy we found it
(5)Nikhil A.
The food is delicious and the portions are massive. You get what you pay for and then some.
(5)annie r.
ooh. swanky. ghareeb got a makeover. i hadn't been in a couple months...new configuration, opened that back dining room to the front, new counter, still blocked off kitchen (probably for the best). i'm guessing they didn't hire an architect (i would have done the job for a years worth of hunter parathas, just sayin')...we spent the majority of our time waiting for the food critiquing the design and execution and incomplete paint job. but whatever. i'd order those parathas from a dumpster and still rave about them. oh, and they have chili chicken biryani? yes please!
(5)Dennis R.
Pakistani food, how have I not tried you until last night? Came here yesterday at 1am after seeing Tre at the Aragon and I already want to go back. Someone tipped us off and our need to try a new cuisine brought us to Ghareeb Nawaz. Ignore the humble decor, anyone serious about food knows that is the least important factor when determining a notable restaurant. We ordered the butter chicken, chili chicken, four pieces of beef kabab (not sure how it's listed on the menu but it wasn't the plate), biryani rice, some aloo samosa, and naan. My only complaint is the kababs were dry but WOW everything else was outstanding! The naan was so warm and fluffy, perfect for dipping into the butter chicken's sauce. The chili chicken reminded us of this house-made jerky my brother finds in NY Chinatown, and that is a huge compliment if you knew the fresh and tender jerky I am talking about. As if it wasn't enough to serve incredible food, they are open 24/7 and everything is under $5. What a steal. I recommend people familiarize themselves with the menu and gallery on their website before coming because the large illustrated menu on the wall doesn't have descriptions.
(5)Hollina U.
YUMMM. Okay, so I would normally never go to a place like this because the interior really sketched me out and it's WAY out north, and further than I would like to venture, but my friend told me this was the best Indian food in Chicago. Sure, I guess I'll take his word since it's a local. Dirt ass cheap food that is so damn delicious. For $16, the two of us ate until we were about to pop our jeans open, I had lunch for two days, he brought home lunch for his roommate, and I sneaked in another dinner out of the food. We ordered Aloo paneer (spinach), chili chicken (red), green chili chicken, and two parathas. So much food. So good. But I have to say, my friend and his roommate both got sick after eating the food and were blaming the food--- I was definitely fine, but I do have to say I have a stomach of steel. It's called healthy bacteria people.
(4)Mary M.
Great cheap cooked food. Lentils are the bomb. Chickpeas is amazing. If you have a vegetarian friend, bring them over. Recently renovated. Clean. Service is friendly and approachable.
(5)Brianna L.
I've been eating chicken biriyani from here as long as I can remember. I know nothing about Indian/Paki/Desi cuisine whatsoever. My oldest brother would always bring it for me, but most of the time he's in Morocco so I finally asked him where is this place?!? I've been here a couple times myself now. The most recent visit was about a month or so ago. It was as good as I remember. For 3 chicken biriyanis (1 spicy), 3 pops, and 2 pieces of naan it was like $20 or less. We want samosas, but they were either out or not selling them that late I'm noy sure. We left stuffed with leftovers. We looked at everyone else's delicious looking trays wondering what they eating bc it all looked sk good. Next time I venture to this part of town I'm definitely going tk try something new maybe butter chicken or the veggie plate.
(4)Sidekick K.
I had been to this place about 12 years back and it was a good place to get biryani ; So i chanced again to get the biryani ;I asked the gentleman on the counter to give me a spicy biryani he told me try chilli chicken biryani ; The chicken was smelling like saw eggs ; I think they are using same grill top for chicken and some kind of egg paratha or something ; but it had food color ; I just had a nasty experience ; firstly you would think it is only 5.99 so cant get much but the same thing could have been given in a much better format; I tried to eat the dry chilli chicken with in coherent rice ; they are not made to pair together ; I will definitely try out a roti curry combo in future and comment back ; I though it was good service for being on Devon. I really liked the people it was fairly clean.
(1)Earlie C.
Has anyone read Chicago's Department of Public Health food violations on this place? Yes, the food is good and cheap. If you think the restaurant feels dirty take a listen: "Observed evidence of more than 50 plus live roach infestation throughout food preparation areas, coming out from white F.R.P. paneling boards, crawling on walls behind coolers, on cracks and crevices of kitchen shelvings, beneath the work table at cluttered dry stoarge area, on gaskets of front sevrvice 2 door cooler and dead roaches on floors and walls in same areas." This is not okay folks. Don't think we'll ever be back.
(1)Gaurish P.
The biryaani has to be improved a lot. Naan is the best item on the menu. Chicken chilli was extra burnt. Then u would say what can you expect for the price they offer... Still a lot of scope for improvement.
(1)Anthony M.
SPICE UP MY LIFE We recently got back from Asia and decided we needed more Indian food in our life. We ate at an Indian restaurant in Bali that burned us but in a good way and we were now seeking that kind of heat in Chicago. Chicago has a great corridor of authentic Indian restaurants on Devon Ave. The problem is deciding which one to go to. My wife and I ended up here. I am so happy we did! When we walked in my wife wanted to carry our food out. I totally understood why because this place looked aged. In fact, it looks a little scary but I was not going to let the appearance change my mind. I wanted authentic. I did not want a fancy white table cloth place. The lady at the front counter was really nice and patient with us. There is a giant board of food with names and pictures. I realized that the board has the same dish but served three different ways. 1) You can get it as a build your own sandwich. Served on a fancy metal prison tray. That scared my wife but I thought it looked cool. 2) You can get a giant bowl of it. And add on 2 bread or one rice for a $1. 3) You can get it all mixed with rice. Once I realized the dishes then the giant menu board seemed to get smaller to me. I was not really looking for what to order but how I wanted to eat it. Since we were going family style we went for option #2. On a side note, I made up the 1-2-3 ordering process so do not walk in here expecting to see that. You are going to have to still point at the board and pick your dish. We decided to go with Butter Chicken and Chili Chicken. Both were amazing. We also added on one plate of rice and 2 bread. We asked for the Naan but were told that they were out of it. We then asked the lady behind the counter what her favorite was and she said the Paratha. Guess what? That is our new favorite now. I will never ever want Naan again. The dishes also came with a bowl of sour cream and raw white onions. We were using the Paratha and making our own sandwiches. It was so messy with delicious juices running down our hands. If this could be food porn, then it was. Every bite was better then the next. The butter chicken was so yummy. We came home and started looking up recipes. Yes we are going to try this at home one day soon. The sauce for the butter chicken was just decadent. I wanted a spoon to start eating it like soup. The chili chicken was fantastic. I pointed out to my wife that the spices in this dish were similar to the Colonel's Secret Recipe for Original Chicken at KFC. She agreed and is forcing me to mention this in a review. Now I must be honest I haven't had KFC in over 10 years but those original spices stick with you. I am now thinking the Colonel went to Indian and stole this recipe. Yes I am stating that here and for the record. I must say I mean no disrespect to the Chili Chicken here because it is 10 times better then any fasts food chicken at KFC. Next time you are here I want you to think about this before you bite in and then shoot me a note if you agree or disagree. We also mixed our chickens with the rice too. So we had the best of all worlds. Sandwiches and rice bowls plus some samosas on the side. This was a feast for lunch. Our quick lunch excursion took us 2.5 hours roundtrip back to downtown Chicago. Here is the sad thing. As I was driving down Roosevelt Road at Halsted I noticed they had a second location at UIC. What? We could have been here in 5 minutes. I am not reviewing that location yet. That will be for another time. But this is a much cleaner version of the original. Personally I think you have to go to the original to experience it all. On a funny note my wife thought we ate at a different restaurant on Devon. She had a fancy place all marked. So when we walked in here she was in total shock because the photos of the place did not even match. I did not find that out until a week later. We had such a funny laugh when we realized we might have eaten at the wrong place but I love food stories like that because it seems more interesting. Plus it makes for a great story! If your looking for delicious Indian food that isn't going to cost you a lot of money then this is your place. I highly recommend the Butter Chicken and the Chili Chicken. All dishes are under $4.99 and you can add rice or 2 bread for only a $1. Samosas were only .50 cents and came in beef or potato. Go potato! I really did not care for the beef. Our whole lunch was $14 and we even had leftovers to bring home. We are so happy we found this place. It is open 24/7. The interior is not very fancy, so don't expect very much. But I promise you the food is amazing.
(5)Francis F.
One of the best affordable indian places ive been.Supposedly open 24 hrs a day everyday but there was a time late night it was closed. Depending what time you go, there could be a wait. But quick service, street parking and cash only. We always get the butter chicken and chili chicken biryani!
(5)Renee K.
Hole in the wall, but awesome tasting food! I never go in but hubby always picks up. My favorite thing is the chicken boti paratha. My husband's go to is the mix biriyani (lamb and chicken). We also love their beef and potato samosa. I know everyone loves it and it's worth a try, but not a fan of chili chicken in general. I know! I need to venture into other dishes soon. I guess the -1 star is the atmosphere. But the food really is delicious. I love the spices they use to perfectly capture the essence of the dish. A lot of Indian restaurants in the local area take short cuts! But these guys do a great job. My hubby says they could be the "halal guys of New York". Well.... Maybe? The NYC halal food carts hold a special (emotional/college/good old days) place in my heart, but let's say Gareeb is the equivalent in Chicago.
(4)Jina K.
go here and get the butter chicken! eat it with some basmati! dip it with some paratha eat it for days!!! you're welcome folks chili chicken is fire! super spicy, but too spicy for me. i get my colon cleansed each time i eat it so be cautious
(5)George J.
I really wanna thank Matt M. for this recommendation without his review i don't think i would've ever came across this hidden gem. This food in this place is absolutely amazing and their prices are even better. We ordered the Chili Chicken, Butter Chicken (so delicious), rice, 2 naan breads and 2 cans of pop for $16. The chili Chicken was very good, a few of the pieces were cold but the line was way too long and I was way too hungry to wait for another one. Then I tasted the Butter Chicken, WOW, mind blown! That was by far my favorite dish and I will be ordering it every time I go from now on. Their Naan bread was warm, soft and very fresh and the naan bread for me is a very big deal when it comes to Indian food. I ended up with the plain white rice which I was disappointed later cause I didn't get one of their Biryani's which looked pretty amazing but none the less it was fresh and pretty good. I can't wait to go back, I want to try everything here except the goat. Expect to wait in line to place your order but it moves pretty quick. The place is semi clean and the restroom was an absolute nightmare, one of the dirtiest restrooms I"ve ever been in, don't go in there unless you REALLY need to use it. This restaurants food and prices are definitely 5 stars but the lack of cleanliness is what made me go with 4 stars. Don't miss out on this place, it's a must try! Enjoy
(4)Jennie B.
This place was kind of nasty. It was cheap, but the korma in the goat korma was not korma, it was just...oil. The bread was nice, but we got one of those trays that had multiple meat curries on it and one of them was cold. Blech. I love cheap eats and holes in the wall but i was not a fan of this place.
(3)Jami K.
Wow, this place is pretty amazing. I'm not really sure how they do it. You can come here and get food for 3 people for less than $10. Mind you, it isn't exactly the healthiest place to eat. It's also kind of intimidating since its very, very very no frills. Actually a funny thing happened the last time that I was here. Some guy got locked in the bathroom and they had to remove the door or something to get him out. It made me laugh. I thought someone was knocking from a backdoor or something. The veggie thali is quite a bargain for $3.50...it definitely had more food than I could eat. The biryani looks really good, it's next on my list of things to try here.
(4)Conrad J.
I remember eating at Usmania (read: U.S. Mania!) and looking at the prices thinking "why is this so expensive?" when I remembered that the only indian place I ever go to is Ghareeb Nawaz. You know this place is good when the place is always packed, and there are about 11 cabs parked outside on the street. However, if you have never eaten Indian food before or are not interested/excited about trying new things, you probably should not come here. The biriyani plates they give you (which look like prison dinner trays) have what looks very undesireable (unless you know what it is) as a sauce and I remember the first time having it thinking "Hmm, am I really this adventurous?" But wow it is good. For about $5 you can get the equivalent food amount of 1.75 chipotle burritos. They leave all the bones in there, so be careful if you're not used to that. I can't really compare it to anything other than U.S. Mania and I like this place better. Go.
(4)Ramon C.
First off, this is TOTALLY a take out joint. The place is VERY sparse, with a few tables, white walls and maybe 3 posters of Mecca. It's not exactly a place to sit around with a bunch of friends, since the vibe is "get in, get your food, and get moving". This isn't because of the staff, but more the clientle, which is about 25% cabbies at any given moment. As a matter of fact, the decor would get one half star if it was rated by itself. Alright, the food. I just bought 2 Chicken Boti Parathas and what feels like 2 pounds of Chicken Biryani for EIGHT DOLLARS. The Chicken Boti comes in a soft, fresh-made, and i believe buttered, paratha. The chicken is roasted in spices and has some veggies i'm not sure i can identify. Whatever. It's one of the most delicious things you can put in your mouth. One of them will fill you up AND it's only 2.50. They tend to run out of the lamb biryani pretty fast, so today I got chicken. Normally, there's still bones mixed in with the rice, so be open minded. The spice and heat of the rice is distinct and bold, but it's not something that's going to burn your mouth off and make you cry. As mentioned before, it's a GIGANTIC portion that will stuff you and a buddy to the gills for only about 4 bucks. So, if you're short on cash, or heck, if you just got paid, and you want something quick, spicy and unique, Ghareeb Nawaz. Not only will you thank me, you'll pick up a few extra Chicken Boti's to give your friends.
(4)ed d.
I have been coming here for years and still dig it. Chili chicken and the butter chicken are really good. It would get 5 stars from me but I got massive diarrhea twice from here. Considering how much I go there, those aren't bad odds.
(4)Aaron S.
The prices at this place are absolutely insane. $3 tax included (and as far as i can tell no tip expected) for most entrees. You can get stuffed here for cheaper than a Subway daily special. However, and I debated whether or not to include this detail, you stand a 50/50 chance of experiencing Ghareeb's Revenge (tm me) the next day, so make sure you're going to be at home. The symptoms are mild and unidirectional, so for the price of the food I for one will deal with the subsequent, er, discomfort, albeit only once in a while. EDIT: One other annoying aspect. On any given day for lunch at least half the menu will not be available. Last time I called, no butter chicken, no kofta masala, etc. LAME!
(3)Jeannette L.
Great Chicken Biryani. Super prices. Lacking in atmosphere, but look at the prices.
(5)Christoph B.
Take a good hard look at the pic of this place. Yeah that really says it all. For the longest time I thought this restaurant looked just a little too sketchy for my taste. But the sign in the window for $0.50 Naan eventually lured my cheap ass in. It's been my secret Indian spot ever since. Cheapest food around, plentiful, tasty. I don't really want to know when they last passed a city health inspection, but at these prices I will accept some degree of mystery.
(4)Giovanna B.
I probably won't bring the Queen (of England) for Indian/Pakistani food to this place next time she's in town, but don't let that deter you. So what if it's ghetto and "full of foreigners and cabbies" (as a reviewer wrote)? I see that as a sign that a place may actually have decent food, and Ghareeb Nawaz does. I am noooo where close to being and Indian/Pakistani food connoisseur, but I know what I like, and I like this place. True, they don't have too much of a varied menu, or a large selection of desserts, or m-a-n-g-o lassi (blasphemy! I took off one star because of that), and yes, they serve the food on a metal tray that is best suited in front of an inmate over at County Jail, but you know what? The food can actually be quite tasty, and you can't beat the large portions for dirt-cheap prices! I had the chicken biriyani plate for lunch and not only did I enjoy it, but I had enough left over for dinner! For $3!! My friend got the chicken paratha, and that was pretty darned good as well. I guess it's open 24hrs too... bonus!! As some of the other reviewers noted, it's probably not the best place to take someone you want to impress. Before going, mentally prepare yourself for "hole-in-the-wall", if you're not used to eating in places like that, in which case you need to open up your mind because you are missing a world of hella good food! And they take cash only, so make sure you go to the ATM before hand. Will I be going back? Heck, I just ate there again!
(3)Liz J.
Finally tried the butter chicken! It was wonderful!
(5)Jaime J.
i would eat here everyday if i could (weak stomach - spicies kick my arse). food is ready in about 15 mins, plenty of street parking, large eating area and amazing prices. you can purchase two large meals for $10. go check them out!
(5)Andy G.
Okay, i've been here before and i've generally liked their service.. but not after tonight. I ordered 8 samosas, and usually their samosas are made to order in the back, but tonight they were all pre-made and piled onto a tray inside the glass counter. My ticket # was 11, and i waited 5 minutes... all the other customers who ordered after me got their orders, and they ordered actual meals that needed to be cooked. another 5 minutes pass and im assuming they're taking so long because theyre frying some fresh samosas in the back. another 5 minutes pass and im thinking.. no way.. this is taking an absurdly long amount of time. it so happens that the reason it took so long was because the guy behind the counter forgot to tell the employees to pack the samosas. so when he finally remembered to tell them, the employee came out, opened the glass counter, and packed the samosas that were RIGHT BENEATH THE GUY WHO TOOK MY ORDER. seriously!? is this guy pulling my string? he just made me wait 15 minutes for samosas that were sitting inside the counter right next to him... he couldnt even say sorry or give me an extra samosa for waiting 15 minutes? i wouldn't have been as peeved if he had at least apologized. but nope, he did not. safe to say i will not be visiting ghareeb nawaz again. the samosas were cold and soggy, too.
(1)David K.
Great food, very cheap. I usually have the veggie options at about $2 a piece. Nan bread is fitty, yes FITTY cents. They do a breakfast for about $2 that has chana masala, veggie curry and turnip I think. It's served with a pretty greasy paratha but I've asked for nan instead and got it no problem. Beats the crap out of McDonalds or any crappy meal any day. Meat dishes use cheaper cuts but any dish here makes a great base if you want to add your own chicken breast etc. Basmati rice is $1 or you can buy a 10lb bag up the street for about $7 and make your own. Add a few cloves for flavor if you do.
(4)Alyssa V.
Ghareeb Nawaz is cheap and delicious. The veggie biryani is my favorite; on a good day they go ahead and make it nice and spicy. When I first started coming to Ghareeb Nawaz it was sort of a wonderful Indian dive restaurant, but it's come along over the years and done some interesting innovating. The one thing they haven't really done is raise prices and there's always a free booth for dining in-- although you'll end up taking some home anyway. It's nearly impossible to eat an entire serving here!
(5)Sunshine A.
Ghareeb Nawaz!!! How I love theeeee. I have a family of four and $10 literally can fill all of us up... everything from the palak chicken, to chicken tandoori, chicken biryani, gosht biryani...I can go on & on... they are usually open fairly early and stay open late.... yum!
(5)B.S.Detector M.
all day, all night, ghareeb nawaz gots the goods. except when they don't. they'll tell you right away if they're out of biryani rice, naan, or touch with fashion. few places can offer dinner for 4 with this level of yum for less loot. skip the other indo-pak places selling ambiance, and get you some good food at ghareeb nawaz.
(4)monte l.
This place used to be a dumpy cabbie spot with excellent food, now it's a decent spot, good enough to bring your family to with excellent food. Let's not forget, nothing on the menu is over $5 or $6 at the most, but even the meals for $2 can feed a family of 4. The food is down home Indian and Pakistani cuisine, with some newly added falafel and hummus options. It has been around for over 15 years, same owner, and his son is a really cool kid who's into 50 cent.
(5)A K.
So cheap, so fast, big portions. Samosa, dumpling, bread, aloo palak = 4.95 ?! Chili chicken is also good. Get the paratha...mmm.
(3)Liz A.
While I can't say I've loved everything I've had here, they make a mean chicken biryani. Heaps and heaps of it. I'll bike up here, call ahead my order for two boneless chicken biryanis (and the extra buck for the boneless is worth it), and for $10 will have deliciousness for 4-5 meals. Probably not great for me, but hey. I've enjoyed some of the paratha "sandwiches" in my time as well...make for a really easy & tasty meal on the go. However, anything saucy that I've gotten there has been so greasy it hits the stomach like a rock; it may be authentic, but it's just too much fat for me. The eating space isn't fancy, but it's not unclean; I have to say I've never looked into the bathrooms so just don't know.
(4)Stephenie S.
Although the parathas are getting smaller, the food is still delicious. Order before noon and veggie parathas are only $1.
(5)Benjamin H.
I've already given them the full five stars, but I cannot reiterate how delicous and phenomenally cheap the food is here. I just stopped in last night and got some Chili Chicken rice. It was phenomenal. Very spicy, the rice was aromatic and the chicken tender and juicy. The Chana Masala was so spot on. The sauce kept reminding me of an adult version of Spaghettio sauce (I mean that as a major compliment), except that it was spicy and loaded with Jalapenos!! Ahhh, i'm in love.
(5)Kitty K.
First off, do not be scared away by the exterior of the place. It looks dive-y, to be sure, and is on the slower end of Devon, near Misericordia, but we had been looking for a new place to try and found this place from Yelp. It is one of the best finds from Yelp to date. The menu (for those not familiar with Indian food) is very helpful with photos of the dishes, though the staff will explain it to you without any problem. The prices are phenomenally cheap, but all of that wouldn't matter if the food wasn't good, but it is! It is absolutely delicious, and the portions are so generous, that we always walk out the there feeling like ticks about to pop! My son's favorite is the butter chicken, and we all love the glorious, fluffy FIFTY CENT naan breads. The briyani platter has enough on it to choke a horse, and even the little salads are nicely crisp and fresh. Another plus is that the bathrooms are clean, a rarity in even "nicer" Indian restaurants I've been to. The place is always tremendously busy, which says alot for the food, as well as the turnover of food, keeping it fresh and tasty. The dining is small and just plain, uncovered tables and chairs, but if you aren't snobby or trying too hard to impress a date, you will go there and leave a highly satisfied diner. Interesting side note, the ornate clock they have on the wall with a photo of the Kaba (the place where Muslims go for their pilgrimage in Mecca) plays a tune on the hours, but its a CHRISTMAS song, lol!
(5)zubin l.
Ghareeb Nawaz (Place of the poor) as the name suggest is a very good place to eat dirt cheap tasty food. I am sure I wont bring my date over here (definitely not the first) but wont mind bringing her later on. (Lot of people prefer a take out over here) It really has a feel of a run down indian restaurant but I dont care if they serve good food. Almost everything I have tried over here has been good and you can pocket anything within $5. Dont think, go for it.
(4)MC H.
The first time I went to this place, I was in love. It's the kind of down, cheap place which is always packed for the ONE reason an eatery should be packed - the FOOD! Absolutely scrumptious!!! I left Delhi about 8 years ago, and the last time I had a decent Biryani was at Delhi Uni for Rs.20. This Biryani here was equally as good, if not more. The prices here are amazing, the food is awesome!! Whenever my friends visit from outta town, I could take them to a fancy-shmancy Indian rest or dining area...but I always bring them to this throwback dhaba place...just coz the food is so awesome. One word of advice to the owners which would make the experience even more better, a TV.
(4)Jesse I.
They have some of the tastiest chana masala I've ever had, and I think I could live entirely on their veggie parathas for the rest of my life. Five stars despite the counter guys sometimes being weird about taking takeout orders or receiving money from my girlfriend.
(5)Lalal L.
While G.Nawaz is affordable, with great tasting food, I can't help but notice the incompetent and annoying, slow service from behind the counter. Not to mention they don't take debit cards...WHO doesn't take debit cards in this era? Anyway, apart from what I mentioned above, the Chicken Boti Paratha is to DIE for! :-)
(4)S G.
This is strictly carry-out, I repeat reader carry-out. The food is amazing, the Chicken Biryani is my favorite dish, the meat is spicy-hot and comes with rice and a yogurt sauce that cools down your palate nicely. You can't go wrong with the price. The only reason that it doesn't get five stars is that the customer service is non existent but the again you are going for carry-out.
(4)Rayid G.
disclaimer: i normally love hole in the wall places but Ghareeb nawaz, certainly a hole in the wall. just doesn't do it for me. I'd give it high marks for low prices but the food just doesn't taste anywhere as good as all the other places I've tried on Devon. A lot of their dishes don't taste very fresh. Biryani is the most popular thing on the menu and it's just ok. The rolls/sandwiches are ok. If you want cheap biryani (or rolls), go over to Bismillah for a $5 biryani plate that beats ghareeb nawaz easily.
(1)Samantha E.
I'm in love with this place............ my favorites: chicken biryani, frontier chicken, chana masala, chana chicken, hunters beef, nehari and everything else I've ever had.........and they are open for breakfast!
(5)M P.
The butter chicken is incredible - shocking for such an out-of-the-way place. All the food in general is cheap without tasting cheap - the samosas were a little strange but the naan and main dishes were very good. I was surprised! Plus - they are open all the time! Will definitely be back... a lot.
(4)Noah A.
Dirt cheap, excellent food, huge portions. Recommend the staple items... (1) Veggie Biryani ($2.50) (2) Veggie Paratha ($2.50) If you're up for paying near-nothing for excellent food, would rather eat healthier than McDonalds but are quite tired of Subway, venture into this place. It looks like a hole-in-the-wall from the outside, but you'll savor the cultural experience just as much as the food.
(4)Ricardo E.
Based on the food alone, I would probably give this place 4 stars. What bumps this review up to 5 stars, is the people from Pakistan and India eating there, along Devon Ave. is a lot of India restaurants for white people, my experience there was like I was on a real restaurant of India or Pakistan. food was Phenomenal. *****
(5)Brad C.
Great find! My friend suggested this place and it was a nice surprise! I've had my share of Indian food but this place definitely tops the list. Very cheap and one of the best I've had. Cash only! The ATM was out of service so I had to walk a block to get cash out. I've had goat, chicken, lamb. Also one of the few places that i've found beef samosa's. You can't go wrong here!
(5)tony c.
ghareeb nawaz, i'm a fan. my friends may think i'm crazy, but that's okay. also, nice remodel. fast, cheap, tasty - what more could you ask for? probably my favorite chana masala anywhere.
(3)Tony M.
Hmm Lets see about 3 pounds of food for like $3.50 and open like 24hrs and the foods spiced right and the hot sauce is hot what else can you ask for I would hav never known about this place if my friend wasn't a cabi, so go cabis for finding something delicious cheap and bountiful i couldn't be happier . I just wish i lived closer so i could go more often.
(4)imran k.
so much food for your money's worth! & it's authentic hydrabadi cuisine. trust me. it's in my blood. as barney from the simpson's once said, "JUST STICK IT IN MY VEINS."
(5)Lisa K.
I've loved this place for about a year now (thanks Yelp!), and just want to let all the Yelpers know that Ghareeb Nawaz has made some upgrades and gone legit! Not only is the interior remodeled (new lighting, new floor, new layout, etc.), but they now have paper take-out menus, and even give you a receipt with your food. The down side is that they now charge sales tax, but I can live with that. The place might be under new management -- the young man behind the counter seems to be running it and taking it to a new level of efficiency. But so far no change in the food (thank God) or the awesome prices.
(5)Khalid S.
This place is pretty ghetto, but the food is delicious. For its price, this is the best food on Devon. Very much like the home cooked food. It's frequented by the foreign cabbies and visitors to Devon alike. I went there with a couple of people and we were full with quality food under $25. There's a place in the back where you can pray too. Parking is a problem of course, being on Devon.
(4)a w.
Ghareeb Nawaz is a good restraunt for carryout. The restraunt itself is not very well-kept but the food is great. The prices are soooo cheap and the portions are huge! Best of all, the food tastes great and you will be sure to enjoy it!
(4)AR. D.
One star for confusion and misinformation. I found their menu on grubhub.com , and they got great reviews on Yelp, so I was excited to order delivery. However, when I called their direct number it went right to voicemail, and when I called their number on Yelp they said they did not deliver. Don't know what's going on with them...
(1)sarah l.
I can't say enough how much I love this place...Although my first visit was a bit awkward. A friend had recommended them for good Indian food, so another friend & I went expecting a nice sit-down restaurant. That it is NOT. So don't plan any dates here. But for really good authentic Indian food that's cheaper than you can possibly cook...you have to come here. Do take out & stay away from the samosas. You'll be happy. You can easily feed 5 people good food for about 10 bucks.
(5)Jacob C.
If you were thinking of going to the McDonald's at Ridge & Devon, go here. If you only have $2.50 in your pocket and need to be full, head on in. If you were thinking of getting some decent south-Asian food, maybe you should look a little further west on Devon... the food is cheap and greasy, and certainly tasty -- although in the 6 years since I first visited, some of the menu items have gone downhill. And I kind of wonder what color the tabletops would be after a good washing. I guess that's one of the things that keeps a huge plate of chicken biryani priced at $3.
(3)Ali Z.
This is the Taco Bell of desi food...cheap, greasy food at ridiculously low prices. Nothing here is priced more than $4.50. Good place to eat for broke college students and husbands who've been kicked out of the house by their wives. I would not recommend Ghareeb Nawaz as an introduction to Indian food though.
(3)Elvis E.
This is a good bang for the buck place. They just remodeled the place and added a flat screen tv. You an get a real good lamb biryani for only 5 bucks! The chili chicken biryani is great too, only 5 bucks also. They also have a great deal on a mango lassi only 1.25. They also have a 99 cent breakfast deal with an egg, onions, raita, and great fried naan/paratha bread. They have to many things to list, check it out! I have been going here for at least 5 years now. You will not get better quality paki food anywhere for this price on devon street! The chicken biryani is only 3.99, and 4.99 for boneless, they also have beef biryani for 4.99, and also a real good fish tilapia biryani for only 4.99! If you havent went here go! They will be open 24hours during the summer months. You need to get there not too late, not after midnight, because they run out of most of the biryanis, especially the lamb biryani. Overall great place, and in these economic times, this is the place to go to save money! Im going to give this place 4 stars, they need to work on their cleanliness, They should clean the tables floors, bathrooms, plates, and use real utensils instead of plastic! Also they should put more onions, raita, and limes for the customer, if they request them, the place is kinda cheap on that, when I go to other places on devon this is not a issue, otherwise this place would be 5 stars!
(4)A F.
Foods tastes good on days that it wont make you sick .If you start vomiting afterwards, thank Ghareeb Nawaz. Every family member of mine has gotten sick at one time or another after eating here. eat at your own risk.
(2)Garrett S.
Very delicious, very large portions and very cheap. Come for authenticity, not loop-style Indian dining.
(5)r j.
Reasonable prices. Good food. Large portions. Open late. May not have some dishes when you go there. Remember to have cash this place does not accept credit cards. You are there for the food not the looks of the place. I enjoy any of the biryani dishes, butter chicken, the gyro paratha, and the nan.
(4)jenny t.
i'm on a quest for the best meal under $5 and ghareeb nawaz is currently at the top of the list. the chicken and goat biryani is tasty and i had enough food to stuff myself for dinner and lunch the next day. the chana masala and veggie thali are both great, too. i think they're only $3. the samosas are the phyllo dough rather than pie crust kind of samosas so i was disappointed. but the biryani brings me back...
(4)Memon K.
just brought biryani, qeema, daal palak, qorma, and every thing tastes great....halwa puri was huge....enough for 2 people and just 3 dollars...amazing!
(5)Katherine A.
well i went to GN based on the reviews here. having been to india, i found it quite under-whelming. there was a lot of food for very cheap and the interior was reasonably nice. i liked all of that. but the food was not very good. it was ok. the food is all greasy (more than regular north indian fare) chilli chicken biryani was not spicy at ALL, the samosas were freezing cold and had literally had been sitting out under the counter, and aloo palak was just ok. naan nothing special and not warm either. I went during dinner time when it was busy and had a lot of customers so i dont understand why things were cold. overall- fine for the price. just ok.
(3)larry w.
fantastic authentic cheap indo/pakistani food!!
(4)Farid K.
are you guys kidding me!!!!!!!!!!!! its the best food ever you guys have too have too go there i eat the gyro parahtah like 3 times a week and nice wuantity and very very fresh!!!! go ahead and check it out
(5)mike j.
if you don`t have a lot to spend this is the place to go. the food here is really good.
(5)kelly l.
wow. four of us went and ordered copious amounts of food. chicken and beef kabobs (beef better texture. spicier. the chicken was good when dipped in yogurt sauce). the naan is great and only 50 cents for a big old piece of it. the lamb biryani was fine (served on a platter with yogurt and onions, heaping portion of lamb mixed with rice and a sauce). we had both potato and meat samosas, at 50 cents a pop. the chana masala (chick peas in red sauce) was probably my favorite. the big plate of rice we bought for a dollar was probably unnecessary, but good. the mango lassi was amazing. sweet and smooth and a dollar. this place is not fancy. we sat at a greasy booth. you have to serve yourself water in teeny tiny paper cups, which means you're up and down a lot. the only silverware available are plastic spoons. you order at the counter and pick up when ready. but the food is spectacular and we fed 4 people for $30, and had plenty to take home with us when we were stuffed to the gills. yeah!
(5)Jeff L.
I've been here twice, and both times my experiences were quite different. My first time here I don't even remember everything I ordered, But one thing does stick out, and that was their chili chicken rice. The first time I ordered this I came in the restaurant about 10 minutes before they closed. And the chili chicken rice dish was so fresh and tasty. It was just too fucking good. It had everything I love rice, meat, and delicious flavors and spices. Few foods could actually be described as mind blowing. But this chili chicken rice did literally blow my mind. It was so good that I went back the next day to try out more things, and get more chili chicken rice. And the food wasn't a fraction of how good it was the previous night. In fact if you did a blind taste test, people would have a hard time believing that both dishes came from the same restaurant. I couldn't even eat it because it was so disappointing. I wanted my piece of rice, chicken, and spices heaven again. And I was very disappointed. As people have already said this place looks like a hot dog stand. But there's nothing wrong with that. Hot dogs are fucking delicious, you have a problem with hot dogs and places that look like hot dogs stands? WELL EXCUSE ME MR.KING OF ENGLAND I'M SORRY THAT THERE WASN'T A VALET TO TAKE YOUR CAR. AND A WAITER TO TAKE YOUR SMOKING JACKET. LET ME JUST PREPARE YOUR 50 STAR MEAL. Overall I would say this place is actually closer to 3.5, maybe even 3 stars. I'm giving it four because that chili chicken rice I had the first time I went was just too good. And because it's open late, and it's hard to find places that are open late that doesn't taste like shit all the time.
(4)Jason W.
The McDonalds of Devon Avenue. Ghareeb Nawaz is a staple for a good,cheap bite. If you're thinking of grabbing Indian food - this is the best bang for the buck.
(4)Tayler S.
Without a doubt this is the best restaurant I've ever eaten at. It breaks all the rules. -Unbelievably delicious. Seriously, you wouldn't believe me if I told you. -Mindbogglingly cheap. The most expensive dish is $5. -Open 24hrs, non stop. -Not fast food fast, but pretty snappy. -Immense portions. Stuff yourself stupid on $10. My wife and I would get 3-4 meals each on $20. I brought a single coworker here, and later he brought somebody else and so on. Pretty soon dozens of my coworkers became regulars. Hooked, all of us. Especially on the butter chicken and the chili gosht. My pakistani/muslim coworkers vouch for it's authenticity, and insist that it is a phenomenally good example of this kind of cuisine. Go. Go now.
(5)Julia W.
You do not come to Ghareeb Nawaz for the ambiance. You come for the great and inexplicably cheap food. My favorite part of yesterday's meal with my husband and sister-in-law had to be when a fellow patron walked over to our table with a huge smile on his face, saying "I'm surprised to see you here! Do you like it?" We loved it. Kate was sweating over her spicy biryani. He laughed, suggested she order "less spicy" next time and welcomed us, the only three white folks in the place, to come and enjoy their food again. Folks may say not to come here if it's your first Indian food experience, but I actually disagree--while the fellow taking orders at the counter is busy, he will answer your questions and the other patrons we encountered were very friendly and probably would've been happy to make suggestions on what to order. For the price and the taste, I haven't had better on Devon. Here's what hungry bellies can get for $17: Naan - it's $.65, up from .50, I think--still a steal Basmati Rice - $1 for an enormous plate of the fragrant stuff! Veggie samosas - freshly made and pretty yummy Chicken biryani - $3 for a HUGE serving, easily shared or great for leftovers. Spiiiiiicy for my sister-in-law who had to get another soda, but very tasty. Chicken is on the bone, so beware. Palak chicken with good heat, but not overwhelming. Yeah, it sorta looks like the inside of a full diaper, but man--it tastes good. Lamb khorma spicy enough that Justin started schvitzing, but he ate the whole thing and wouldn't share a bite. 3 sodas 1 mango lassi (for $1.00!!!! Yummy!!) All that deliciousness and we didn't even break $20? I guess breaking a sweat is good enough.
(4)S P.
Just ate there yesterday morning for the first time. Who would have thought chili chicken would make for a delicious breakfast?! One order of chili chicken w/paratha, an extra order of paratha and a coke for only $4.50 and it was fantastic! Clean, plenty of seating and a large menu to pick from. I'd definitely recommend Ghareeb Nawaz to anyone looking for non-veg Indian/Pakistani food. The only negative I saw was the absence of spoons/forks and paper napkins.
(4)Ayako M.
I ordered delivery from here because I was shocked by how cheap the prices were. I love Indian food but hate the usual $50 bill I have to take out/delivery. Unfortunantly you kinda get what you pay for here. The Biryani tasted stale and old, like the rice was left sitting out all day, and it wasn't really Biryani, it was just basmati rice with a few chips of cinnamon stick and some pieces of chicken...no spice, no flavor. The rest of the food was just ok, none tasted fresh and the both meat dishes were skimpy on the meat and the pieces we did get were kinda fatty and un-appetizing. Probably won't order from here again.
(2)Y M.
I went a few times about 3 years ago but stopped because it was dirty place and I found rubber in my food. Recently I noticed all the new good reviews about this place and gave it a try. Ordered Chili chicken--- Great, I couldn't stop eating after I was stuffed Green chili chicken---ok but not flavorful chana masala--- good aloo palak-- great aloo chicken---great All for $24. yum
(4)Keesh C.
It's no secret: times are tough! But just because my bank account is suffering, doesn't mean my tummy has to! =) Last night I had Butter Chicken with a Paratha. It was absolutely delicious! The chicken was tender and had the right amount of spice and flavor, and the sauce...oh the sauce! was perfectly 'buttery.' It's lasted me 2 days, and I'm still licking my fingers. Best of all, it was only 6 bucks! Their Chicken Biryani is also just as tasty. You get a huge portion of rice and chicken for only 4 dollars! I can't wait to try other things on the menu. I've never made an attempt to actually sit down and eat here though. I can't lie: it's kinda gross. Every time I go in, I have a compulsion to Windex everything! But that's just me and I'm a bit of a germ-a-phobe. Also, expect a bit of a wait, as it does take a little bit of time for orders to come out. Aside from those things, if you're feeling kinda broke, and wanna skip the dollar menu, or are too lazy to make the easy mac, go here. It's totally worth it! Your taste buds and your wallet will thank you.
(4)Vivian Y.
Another great price/performance ratio find! Where can you buy dinner on a Friday night for $19.50 for three people INCLUDING 3 bottles of water? GHAREEB NAWAZ! Where can you find beautiful, fluffy & colorful basmati rice with succulent pieces of boneless chicken (aka. Chicken Biryani)? GHAREEB NAWAZ! Where can you find BEEF KEBABS at an Indian Restaurant? Ok, maybe this is more Pakistani - and they are delicious? GHAREEB NAWAZ! You know this place is good when it's full of families eating their hearts out. No the place isn't really date friendly but its great if you're looking for cheap eats. Thanks to my coworker Vik for recommending this place! I will be back soon to try their curries!
(4)Joanna T.
Love it! Found out about them after googling "late night indian restaurants chicago", and there it was. Since my husband gets home at 11:30 pm, and we recently crave only Indo-Pak food, this seemed like the perfect place to go (11 miles away from home, but who cares?). Guess what? The value of the food completely offsets the gas lost in the trip, and the carbon footprint we leave by going there around two times every week. We absolutely adore the Seekh Kabab Paratha, Aloo Palak and Chana Masala. The Naan is, of course, great and it is always big and fresh. The Mango Lassi is good. If I were to be picky, I would say that it needed more actual mango for thickness, but I'm satisfied with what I get. Other places charge at least $4 for their Mango Lassi, so I'm cool with that. Anyone, who complains about service: this is not a place to go if you want to get pampered. If you're in store for that- go to five star restaurants and let the waiter charm you silly. First of all, those guys are quite pleasant, you just need to take in the atmosphere of the place. Keep in mind this is not McDonald's, where they're required to smile. It's just authentic, without the feel of someone being fake towards you, and that is priceless. We need to try other things there, but we're so hooked on the stuff I mentioned above, that I think we might be addicted. P. S. It's now open 24/7! Yay!
(5)Jacob J.
Read Ali T's review. DO NOT COME here for your first try at Indian food. If you look like a bumb, feel like one, maybe you're hung the hell over, or you are a broke ass.. stop on by. Everything on the menu is dirt cheap. Naan for 50 cents! man, that is a crazy deal. This is a greasy ass spoon. I wouldn't say its great. Once in awhile, its good, or like I said, you're drunken. If someone brought you here on a date, that person is a cheap ass date. Hah. Biriyani is allllright. The tri-colored kind. I'd stay away from food you see on display that isn't covered. Samosa is ok, but avoid the chicken, unless they just made it. Great place to find all kinds of foreigners and Cabbies.
(3)Todd G.
Ok so you don't go here for the atmosphere unless you are into cab driver chic. No one will greet you with a smile as you walk in. You don't go for the bathrooms, which are generally filthy. I try not to touch anything in there. But the food is REALLY good; eat here regularly and your heart will not be happy, eat here occasionally and your stomach will be. Suggest halwa puri as a nice anytime breakfast, hunter lamb or beef if you want meat, or chicken haleem if it's cold and you want spicy comfort food. Try chapatti or naan as a healthier alternative to deep fried puris - or not.
(4)Dessy D.
Behold!!!! Its the NEW GHAREEB NAWAZ..EVERYTHING' s changed..rite from the billing system to the seating arrangement to the walls to the TVs :)...I guess everybody complaining abt the place can put it to rest...I say that because Food was never a question. Fantastic food and now a new swanky place...Go Ghareeb Nawaz :)
(5)Amy X.
dear god, the prices on this menu are a joke. i legitimately laughed out loud when i realized they were seriously serving naan for 50 cents a piece. add some lamb khorma in for $3.99, and you've got some hilarious stand-up comedy. a group of five of us shared 7 entrees, 10 samosas, 3 naans, and 3 chapatis and paid seven dollars each. are you kidding me?! i had biryani coming out of my nose after this meal, all for less than what my boyfriend's mother has paid for a pair of socks (hey, those are made with ALOE). i reserve the final star because some of the items were less than piping hot when they reached our table. however, with prices and flavors like the ones i experienced, i'll be happy to come again.
(4)Nadia S.
this review's for their takeout-- i'd give 4.5 stars if i could... the guy totally screwed our ordered up... we had to drive back there to get the 2 dishes he didn't hear me say when i ordered the food... they're busy as hell and dont give a sh*t about you... but who the hell cares!!!!? the food is freakinnn amazing and SOOO bloody cheap omg. im from india and i gotta say.. they got their food down-- and that gyro masala thing on the menu is AMAZING. just disregard the busy insincere guy at the front desk, you'll forget all about him with your first bite.
(4)Devika S.
Cheap grease on a plate...terrible kabobs and biryani. I definitely will not go back!
(1)Gordon O.
so ok, i was craving for indian food and was looking for indian spices for my pantry. after finding my trek to Devon @ Patel's grocery (which had an awesome line of spices, beans, chutneys and indian related food stuff) i know I had to go to GZ after reading all the write ups, even if I keep forgetting the name of the place. So the place looks like a run down store, but not as bad as what other people wrote. It's really old and needs a facelift but hey for the price of the food do you expect they have enough for renovation money? I got myself the chicken biryani for 3.99 and 2 samsosas, one of each of the meat and potato for 50 cents each. I was surprised when I opened my greased paper bag to see my samosas were made out of spring roll wrapper and not the traditional dough. Probably for cost reasons or it's easier to wrap, I just stopped my brain from judging the triangular pastry and just started to munch on the samosa. It was really flavorful, just the right amount of spice and heat. My only complaint about the meat samosa was there was too little meat! but then again for 50 cents, stop complaining! The potato samosa was really good, especially for the price! Perfect while you're waiting for the 155 bus! O yeah, almost forgot about the chicken biryani, rice was perfectly cooked, huge portion of chicken, spicy, flavorful and really a great value for 3.99! for the ambience conscious, be ready for take out :) the place has a feel like it got stuck in the 80s. But again, for the price, don't complain! just eat!
(4)Eric S.
Are you sick of late night burritos? Then hit this place up. A variety of awesome dishes. It's not fast but it's not River Kwai(R.I.P.) slow. Its not only good for late night eats. This place is very good consistently. The servings are very generous and you walk out without coming close to breaking the bank. I think it was like $13 for my GF and I's food and drinks...No shit. Do it!
(4)Neha M.
Two words: Gyros paratha.
(5)Kelly C.
So last week, the husband suggested we have Indian for dinner. Naturally, I thought we'll be going to Sabri Nehari on Devon. But no we did not, instead, we went to Ghareeb Newaz. It was this hole in the wall we pass every time on the way to Sabri. On the way there, he was raving about how good and cheap this place is and all that. I say sure.... WOW HOLY S**T, It's really cheap and good We ordered (1) Chili Chicken - Great flavor (1) Frontier Gosht - Not bad at all (2) Veg Samosas (2) Meat Samosas (2) Naan (2) cans of Soda All for $16 Had we continue onto Sabri Nehari, that would have been a $35 meal. Nothing against Sabri, but this was damn good and cheap. Be alarmed by the decor, be even more alarmed by the bathroom. I open the bathroom door, take one look and decided that I'm going to hold it until I get home. Go for the take out, do not stay longer than you have to. You should be good to go.
(4)Dan T.
One chana paratha, please! Wait, you don't take orders via Yelp.com review, Ghareeb Nawaz? Well then that must be your only weakness, because you are motherfucking amazing. There is no complaint you could possibly raise against this place when weighing the positive aspects, unless you have been personally murdered here. Have you been murdered at Ghareeb Nawaz, ghost? Then fuck you! Get off of Yelp.com , I don't have time for your morbid revenge bullshit. Go towards the light. You could say "they're always out of samosas" or "it's inexpensively furnished", but you would be a goddamn imbecile. You can get a gigantic, hot, delicious, spicy, meal here for less than $5. Do you understand what I'm saying? Really think about what you're doing by raising a complaint- you are ignoring the cold hard truth that there is nothing else remotely like this place in Chicago. Try the biryani and see if you can bear to open your mouth and say a negative word. Also, food would fall out of your mouth if you did that, which is disgusting. Shut up and eat your delicious biryani you ungrateful dolt. This place has the soul of an angel. If it has a wart, kiss that wart and be thankful. Cad.
(5)John R.
Ghareeb Nawaz is the place to be For twenty-something poor folks (that's you and me). Order the Palak Ghost! Order the Hunter Parantha! Or try a Biryani, veggie or meat! The prices just can't be beat. Ghareeb Nawaz is just a bus-ride away A bus-ride away at the end of the day. Take the CTA! Take the 155! Or hop another, right off the L! You can just follow the smell. Now if you're like me you'll be kind of shy You'll be at a loss to know what to try So, Order the Palak Ghost! Order the Hunter Parantha! Or try something else, Butter Chicken or Nan Oh do go ahead, yes you can! So now that you've learned about Ghareeb Nawaz I want you to give me a round of applause. Love a Connisseur Love a yelp reviewer Show me by leaving a compliment That you liked my review, that my time was well-spent.
(5)Arrow M.
This place might be the single best deal in Chicago. If you like Indian/pakistani food, you really should try Ghareeb Nawaz. As a vegetarian, spicy food lover, this place is simply amazing.
(5)Richard G.
I come here and order the chicken botti parratha it comes with a hot piece of traditional bread and on the side some plain yogurt and onions. I also like to order a couple of beef samosas and a mango lassi all this for $6 dollars, you can't beat that. The food is incredible and the price is a bargain even for this economy but one tip please I advise you to bring in your own wipes to clean yourself and I don't encourage you to use the washroom here other than that this place is golden.
(4)Beth H.
Ghareeb Nawaz is flat out awesome. They're super cheap and have great food! It is one of the few places open late, later than midnight! My favorites are the chicken boti paratha, chicken biryani, and butter chicken. If you want cheap,good eats and you want to watch cricket on a flat screen tv, go to Ghareeb. You won't be disappointed.
(4)Travis B.
I have been going to Ghareeb Nawaz for a few years now. When I first started going, I was one of the few non-Indian/Pakistani customers whenever I went to the establishment. The place was a really basic setup, and there was some Islamic influence on the decor of the place. Today the restaurant has been remodeled. Everything is much cleaner and they got rid of their old bench and table setup for some real chairs. The place has just changed so much, there is a lot more variety in their customers as well. Now, the most important part of any review: THE FOOD! If there's one thing that hasn't changed at Ghareeb, it's the delicious food and consistently low prices. Before getting into specifics, let me tell you that the food here is SPICY. I don't mean chili pepper spicy (Although some of them are that kind of spicy too), but spicy as in flavored. You may have gone to some Indian restaurants that toned down the flavors for a more weak-tongued customer base, well not Ghareeb. The food is very flavorful and authentic. You may want to be careful the first time around! The most popular dishes are the Biryani and Paratha dishes. The Biryani dishes usually come along with a choice of meat, from Lamb, Chicken, Boneless Chicken, beef, or more! If you have a tongue that can handle it, I highly recommend the Chili Chicken Biryani. It is by far my favorite dish on the menu, and is very yummy, I promise! The Paratha is a flat-bread, kind of like the Pakistani/Indian version of a pita. It's very different though! The bread is so good you can eat it by itself, but usually you order it with some meat. If you order it to go, they wrap the meat up in the bread like a sandwich. For $3, you won't get such a big sandwich anywhere in Chicago. There are a lot of choices for Paratha. A good one is Hunter Beef,. which is heavily seasoned sliced beef. Another interesting one is Kheema, which is ground meat. It's the Pakistani version of Taco meat, and damn is it good. Ghareeb is often great but sometimes you will notice the food cooked a bit differently. This is just because of the chef rotation, the food is always going to be good though! If you can handle authentic food cooked Pakistan style, Ghareeb is the place for you. There is a good chance you may not like certain things on the menu, I recommend starting your way from the Biryani rice and meat dishes and working your way into the various curry they offer. Enjoy the great food and saving lots of money!
(5)Jef B.
The only reason I don't give this place 5 stars is that I think the owners could do more to accommodate a non-desi sit-in (not takeout) crowd. It would be nice if they gave numbers for your order rather than listen intently for the items in your order to come up together. I would like a printed menu, because I could check off items the same way many places serve up dim sum. I would like more than plastic spoons, would it kill them to also offer knives and forks? Also, more empty plates so that we can move the food around. The bathrooms were very clean today. This is really fine home-cooked Indian chow, with a substantial vegetarian menu. I am so glad I got over my fear of the hole-in-wall reputation and walked the few extra blocks to eat there rather than at one of the old reliable places closer to the mosque. Yes as other reviewers note, please dress conservatively and respect the predominately Muslim clientele.
(4)Lewis T.
Awesome chicken, it was breaded and the kind of spicy I can handle. The rice was good, not hard or gummy, just nice and spicy too. Spinach/potatoes didn't do it for me. Service was friendly even at 4 am.
(5)Carl B.
Ghareeb Nawaz -- "benefactor for the poor" or something to that effect. I'd gladly give a dollar to every hobo who asked if I knew they were spending it here. Please believe this place is glorious. Sandwiches, if you get them take-out, come in a burrito-like form with yogurt sauce and fresh onions, which helps me eat in my car while I travel down Western at unimaginable speeds to get to my destination . The meat is wonderfully flavored and epically charred. The paratha is evil. They renovated the interior and now they have nice looking tile and granite, bla bla bla. The place used to look awful, but now it's okay to bring the noobs there. They'd get 5 if they cleared the tables efficiently. Might as well let us do it ourselves like Burger Kings. They also have a weak beverage selection, and the water cooler is room temp tap water. Food itself is definitely a 5, though at a price/quality balance. This is one of those places that makes Chicago not suck too much balls.
(4)Suzanne B.
It's cheap, but the food is never consistent. Also, there's a lot of conservative muslims that come there and wash their feet in sinks where customers can visualize while eating. The floors are usually filthy and the whole experience is not worth it for the cost savings. It's an ethnic experience, but there's nothing really worth learning there.
(2)K. N.
I'd step in front of a bus to save the cook's life here. Minus one star for horrible dining area.
(4)Lee C.
The food is always amazing. Love the chana masala the best, I think. Also good are the Butter Chicken, Dal, Gyro Paratha, Chili Chicken, Haleem, Chicken Tikka, ect. etc. etc. Everyone else loves the Chicken Biryani, which is the only thing I haven't loved yet. Don't be afraid to try the Gyro Paratha sandwich. It's really nothing like a gyro, or a sandwich. It's a huge Indian-style burrito, and it's amazing! My advice: Get it to go. And if you do eat there, get a can of soda as people have been known to wash up in the drinking fountain. Also, get something to go anyway because you'll want some more the next day. Bring ten bucks and get two entrees, bread, and a side of chicken.
(4)Farooq C.
Good food for unbelieveable price. I personally like their beef Nihari (beef stew sorta)which is a Karachi specialty. Yes the cashier dude is a bit surly but ignore him. This is a no frills place. Ghareeb Nawaz's literal meaning in Urdu is poor people friendly and they live up to their name. They give you generous portions and keep the spiciness at authentic level.
(4)Peter D.
Just came back from Hyderabad and had the serious Jones for a good biryani. GN did not disappoint! Fluffy, individual grains of rice delicately seasoned with just enough heat, and tender chicken chunks. Don't omit the Mirchi ka salan (the Hyderabadi peanut concoction to accompany). The other must-have is the chili chicken, rich in a paste of paprika, clili and ghee? That's what it tasted like anyway and darned spicy. My favorite of the six dishes ordered. Warning, if you are prone to sweating with spicy eats...be prepared. Absolutely the best quality to price in recent memory with $35 feeding three of us for three giant dinners (we just added our own rice)!! ...and yes, I would only do take-out. It is a bit dingy....then again, isn't that all part of the shtick?
(4)Susie M.
Great food. Excellent portions. Can't beat the price. I always order the chicken biriyani and chili chicken. It always lasts for at least 2 meals, sometimes more. The only downside is they are a cash only establishment....so remember to bring cash!
(5)Al I.
Double yum. First experience here was fabulous. Can't want to go back. And it's a bit cheaper than other Indian places we've gone to. We got our food to go because the dining area was really warm, that was pretty much the only downside.
(5)Omar A.
This place is great for students. @5 bucks they give you enough biryanni for like 2 days. The biryani deals are the best in the city. The rice is ok, not to tasty but they give you a good amount of chicken to compensate. One thing i have to give to them is their halwa poori breakfast is excellant. Much much better then tahoras. So if your in the mood for some cheap biryanni. or wanna have an amazingly beautiful and oily Sunday brunch with some chana and halava. This is your place. Cash only.
(3)Alexis P.
So cheap, pretty good. Palak dal and chana masala are tasty and spicy. The aloo palak also tasted good and the spinach was a good consistency, but the aloo seemed to be absent. They give you the most gigantic plate of rice, enough for 3 people and the naan and pratha are so cheap and delicious. Perfect for takeout if you live in the area.
(4)Mike L.
In the engineering world we have a saying: Fast. Cheap. Good. Pick two. It's clear that GN chose the first two over the last. It's the cheapest Indian food around. It's fast. Unfortunately, it is not consistently good. Sometimes yes, sometimes no. And while the menu is impressive, many items seem unavailable. This includes naan, which is pretty much unforgivable. My advice is to head a few blocks east and south to Bismillah. Slightly more expensive but much better quality. And cleaner, which is not saying much. But if cheap, fast Indian food is paramount, GN is your restaurant.
(3)Ash M.
Thank God they remodeled the inside of the resturaunt! before it was really dirty and it stunk, but now it has a modern feel and is a whole lot cleaner. I would even want to eat there now, Moving on to the food, the best things they have are the gyros paratha and lamb biryani! It is exquisite in flavor and it is cheap and affordable. It is great modern fast food. Great find.
(4)Christopher L.
Chicken bryani is so much better than beef bryani...
(5)Shine P.
Worst Fish Biriyani. Not so good Goat Biriyani. Don't know what is so great all the reviews talking abt.
(2)Kathy C.
I can't help myself, but I always end up ordering butter chicken and naan. That's it, haven't strayed from it. There's always leftovers, so for $7 I get two delicious meals. Friends tell me everything else is just as good. I'll take their word for it.
(4)Kristen H.
So the dude I'm dating decides on a whim that we are going to get some delicious food. Prior to this experience I had never tried Pakistani food, but he he assured me that there was this fantastic picture board to assist me with ordering and that I'd be pleasantly surprised. Sure enough, this was all very true. Being a bit overwhelmed by all the pictures and the chaos going on in the restaurant, my head was spinning and I had no clue where to start. Thank goodness for the seasoned man with me because he took the lead and said I'll order for the table. Despite ordering enough food for 10, we had a great variety to choose from. The Frontier Beef, also available in chicken was definitely my favorite. The blend of yogurt, ginger garlic paste, vinegar, lemon juice and spices is perfect and a delight to eat with paratha (thick flat bread). I got the chance to try to goat biryani which is a goat mixed with the basmati rice - extreme flavors, but be aware of the bones that accompany the meat in this dish. We had a few other items from the menu, but since this was my first visit, I'm not even sure I knew all that we ordered considering that was all taken care of for me. The restaurant has no fluff and don't expect anything fancy, you won't even be given utensils except for spoons. You'll need lots of napkins during your experience. I'll be back to try more.
(4)Andrew S.
best place in chicago. Allahakbar
(5)Daniel V.
At Ghareeb Nawaz, you get huge portions of delicious food at a ridiculously cheap price. All of the biryani dishes are very good and the naan is perfect. My only gripe with the place is that they do not seem to care about keeping the place clean. Whenever I come here, I try very hard not to imagine what kind of condition the room where my food is being prepared is in. Stay as far away as you can from the bathroom. It would be more pleasant to take care of your business in the alley and that is no exaggeration. Also, just go for street parking because the rear parking really sucks and all of the bumps and holes in the alley will destroy your car. Although I have a lot of complaints I'm still giving this place four stars because in the end it's the food that matters.
(4)iddells E.
I probably would have never visited if it weren't for these yelp reviews. Ghareeb Nawaz is another one of those hole-in-the-wall restaurants that can whip up some amazingly awesome food! We ordered buttered chicken, chicken biryani (both boneless) and naan bread for a measly 11 bucks! And we still had a good amount of leftovers, which I will be devouring in the next few minutes! The butter chicken was delicious...the sauce was a creamy tomato goodness with a hint of spiciness. I will definitely go back to try other dishes. We did take out but I wouldn't mind dining in. So glad I came here
(5)Sam C.
I look at 3 main things at a restaurant: -How good is the food? -How big are the portions? -How affordable is it? I don't care about service or decor nearly as much. As long as the staff aren't astonishingly rude and the place isn't filthy, it's all the same to me. A restaurant must get the fundemental component right: make good food . It's amazing how many places fail at this. Ghareeb Nawaz scores high on all the 3 things I look for. The portions are huge, food tastes great, and it's very cheap.
(5)Tian Y.
Super festive even at 3am... maybe because it's the only place open? They apparently restock their supply of stuff at 8am, so by 3am the next day a ton of their more popular items (lamb/goat biryani, meat thali, a bunch of other meats) were already out. The $5 portions of biryani were humongous and pretty yummy! I imagine they cook the rice in giant batches and don't season them as well, because my friend's portion was significantly more bland than mine, but at least the meat was tender and flavorful. The meat:rice ratio is decent, since the chicken pieces were big. Ideally if you broke up the chicken into bite sized pieces, you'd probably get a piece of meat per bite of rice. The boneless beef is shredded and integrates pretty well into the rice. I would probably not come here normally, only for late night munchies .But if they're going to regularly run out of things I want to eat/try during my typical late-night food run hours, that's really gonna discourage me from making the drive here.
(3)Moumita B.
The price is the cheapest I have ever seen, in fact cheaper than a lot of Indian restaurants in Mumbai. But taste was not so good. Price and taste is similar.
(3)Tyler W.
The food was just OKAYY... wasn't the best I must admit. The only thing that is making me give 2 stars is because of how dirty this place was oh and the little indian girl who decided to throw her chicken bone at my leg when she was finished eating as if I was a garbage. Where are your parents?! Won't be back
(2)Abe I.
For what this place lacks in aesthetic/ambiance, it makes up for in deliciousness/affordability. Where else can you find cheap authentic indo-pak food in Chicago for under $5 at 3am? Personally, I don't mind the environment of the restaurant, but if you're uncomfortable with hole-in-the-wall atmospheres, I highly suggest ordering take-out. This place is a godsend for Chicago cab drivers as well as Loyola students who both have late night food cravings...but it's not only them; people of all backgrounds and cultures enjoy the food from Ghareeb Nawaz. If you like spicy food, this place is definitely worth trying. Protips: DON'T plan on using the restroom here, and order the Chili Chicken Biryani (my favorite dish). Also, grab a Watermelon-Kiwi Mystic juice bottle (my favorite drink) from their fridge.
(5)Bethany A.
This place is open 24/7 AND almost everything on the menu is under five bucks. Those two facts alone should make you want to come here. Oh, and it's considered some of the most authentic Indian food you can get in Chicago. I came here for a late dinner with a friend on a Wednesday night and it wasn't packed, but there was quite a few people milling around. The outside of the restaurant isn't very impressive and the inside is not either (it's cold and there is literally no decor and you just order at the counter and sit down and I don't even want to think about sanitation, to be honest). Know your order before you get to the counter because these people are not about frills. ALSO CASH ONLY. Have cash on you. I ordered the chili chicken paratha (3.99) and a bowl of dal (1.99) and after I was done eating, I was stuffed - full out food coma stuffed. The paratha was delicious - I ripped pieces off and stuffed onion slivers and the chili chicken dipped in the yogurt sauce in the paratha, and it was a party in my mouth. The chicken was amazing. Perfectly spiced and super tender - I'd definitely come back again just for that. The dal was also really good - thick and filling with tons of spices and flavor. And I think that was the most food I've ever gotten for just six bucks in Chicago. Only gripes - no forks? That was kind of weird. Had to use a spoon for everything which was a bit annoying. The inside doesn't look the cleanest and the coldness of the restaurant meant that my food cooled super fast. But overall, yeah, you bet I'll be back.
(4)Isaac A.
The best of the best of great Indian food at the cheapest prices. There's no place like this in Chicago. Been in business since the 80s! and still going strong with the same menu items and same recipes for over 30+ years! Authentic Indian food. I've been to India and this food is literally the best Indian Cuisine. Their Chicken and Chilli Chicken Biryani is better than anything you'll find anywhere else. Guaranteed. Meat falls off the bone and everything is made to perfection. My mouth is watering just writing this review, and I am NOT kidding. I recommend: Chicken Biryani. Chilli Chicken Biryani, Gyros Paratha.. and anything else!!! OPEN 24/7 YOU CAN GET GOOD FOOD AT RIDICULOUSLY CHEAP PRICES ANYTIME! ITS AMAZING! Oh yea and bring an appetite/friends because you definitely won't be able to finish their signature items by yourself!!! ***ALSO!--T hey recently updated the interior and made new bathrooms.. The new bathrooms are awesome.. but as far as the new interior, I preferred the classic feel of the old design.. But thats just me because I've been a long time regular here.
(5)Arvindram R.
Now let me make this loud and clear this is the 1st place in my last 7 years I ate a complete Indian meal under 7$/person period. I do not care about all those so-called cleanliness freaks writing bad reviews, I did not see any cockroaches nor any kind of uneasy dirt around the dining area (obviously its not a michelin star).We ordered chilli chicken, frontier chicken, chana masala, thala gosht with parathas and Chicken biriyani. Pretty much everything was good and the portions were satisfying for 4 hungry guys. To be frank I was indeed impressed with the service which was more on a friendly level rather than on a submissive one which we have come to expect.Understand one thing this is a desi joint in a desi area so once u enter in forget about the fact that you are in US imagine yourself in India or Pakistan and you will be able to enjoy the true aura.
(4)Maya B.
Ghareeb Nawaz is where I go for comfort food. The low prices, generous portions, and out of this world taste satisfy my family's palette without complaint. If you're unaccustomed to South Asian cooking (particularly North Indian/Pakistani styles), you may find most of the food too spicy: but for us it hits every note of flavor with perfection. Much of the food comes with mutton or lamb options for non beef eaters, but a fair portion of the salan also comes with onions and garlic (for those who don't eat either). I would suggest taking your food to go. Every effort here is focused on the food, rather than the decor.
(5)Charmaine D.
We had a small party for 12 people and I ordered from here. I went there the day before to place the order. The food was good. I especially loved the Chili Chicken. I think I'll go back just so I can have some of that again. Only negatives: No delivery & Cash Only.
(3)Jennifer H.
Recommended by a colleague from India. After living overseas for the last several years and eating tons of Indian food, I can vouch for the authenticity. Pros -price, a few bucks for each item -serving sizes are big -tastiness -authentic -definitely a 5 star in the one $ sign category -butter chicken, khorma, any of the daals and veggie dishes -frontier chicken is popular, but we prefer more saucy dishes -open late Cons -can be inconsistent with the level of spiciness, cuts of meats -don't expect white table cloth with a full set of silverware and serving spoons -- it's a hole in the wall -cash only If you're looking for authentic Indian food, it's a worth a visit. Try carry out if the ambiance is too casual for your taste.
(5)Richard C.
This place is great - best Pakistani place I have been to on Devon. Highly recommended
(5)Alicia G.
Great food. Stellar prices. Explains the roach problem. Friends and I used to go dine-in regularly, but after two separate incidents of our table being joined by roaches who had zero fear instilled in them, we decided it was time to end the relationship.
(2)Phil P.
I've been coming here for over 10 years, and shame on me for waiting soooo long to write this. But in this whole time, nothing has changed! Look folks, by no means is this a date spot... and if your girl ever chooses to go here on her own free will, marry her! That's a smart woman right there! The food is cheap, the setting is simple, and the portions are MASSIVE! Even if they charged double (please don't, though), it would still be affordable based on taste, quality, and size. Everything on the food wall menu is awesome, their parathas are huge and filling. The best items have to be the original chicken biryani, lamb biryani, chicken boti, lamb kheema, and the parathas. A recent visit found 4 hungry adults with enough food to beast on while there, plus plenty of leftovers, for less than $40 (cash only, BTW)! Take my advice: if you want authentic Indian food, with huge portions and tiny prices, then keep driving past all the overpriced, Americanized options on Devon and head straight here!
(5)Sara D.
To anyone who gets home cooked lamb biryani, kudos to you. Natives would definitely call this TheMcdonalds of Pakistani food, find me a place that is open 24 hours serving better quality food and a place that won't gyp you on the quantity of meat let alone the price for the food.
(5)Andrew D.
Holy cheapest take-out in all the land! Any time I am in this neighborhood (which isn't very often at all), I make it a point to stop here, order two entrees and some bread, because I know it will feed me for two days! The place isn't the most glamorous and appears to be a feeder to the Chicago cabbie scene, but the food is pretty darn amazing! I would recommend any of the biryanis, the chili chicken, or any of their paratha wraps. Also, like most Indian restaurants, the vegetarian offerings are great. The grime and seediness of this place at night make me never want to actually sit down and eat, but for take-out, it doesn't get any better!
(4)Ryan L.
Such cheap food and it's so freaking delicious. Never thought that there would be this amazing of a place this far out. Honestly some of the best curry I have had and the e most affordable. Great job guys!!!
(5)Laila N.
Best Pakistani food EVER!!! I love the gyros paratha!!! Yummy!!! Such an awesome idea guys! I would have given them 5 stars but the place could use some renovating and the tables sat dirty for a while (we were waiting for a place to sit, food in hand, while 4 tables sat dirty)
(4)Elizabeth M.
Great spot for late night indian!! And the food is served hot and the meats are tender and oh so good. Can't wait to come back here to get food before my 6 AM class.
(4)Raj C.
Super cheap. That is the bottom line when It comes to ghareeb nawaz biryani. Although it is cheap the taste and meat that you may get with your meal is disappointing. But heck no one in the world can criticizes its no spices biryani because its 5$ seriously. By far the cheapest place I have ever visited
(4)Jamal A.
Food is not bad. A lot to choose from and prices are very cheap. But the restaurant is very dirty. Washrooms are filthy and i will stop right here because i dont want to say any more. I hope the owner will read this review and make some serious changes to take care of his reataurant cleaning issues specially washrooms. Im honestly surprised this place has four stars on yelp. Did anyone notice the filth issues ? or the cheap prices made everbody blind ! I might go back if they do deep cleaning everyday and hire some new staff to clean.
(2)Moe T.
Know what you're getting into when you're coming here. It's not fancy, not even close... probably the opposite. It's where cabbies come late night to grab a bite. It's incredibly cheap and the food is A-OK. This is somewhere you can go at any time, day or night, to satisfy your desi food cravings and I'm glad it exists.
(4)Dan F.
Super cheap, friendly, and way above average quality. If it's 24/7 and cabbies are eating there around the clock you can't help but to trust it. Bottom line: I'll take it!
(5)Lin N.
Good, cheap and plenty of delicious Indian food. Love the biryani that's similar to Burmese style biryani. Good customer service as well. Will come back again.
(5)Zeinab A.
The food here was great and the prices were very good. Everything was fresh and the staff was very friendly. I'll definitely come back here when im in chicago again.
(5)Nick K.
My new favorite restaurant in Chicago. Cheap, authentic and delicious. It feels like you're in South Asia when you're eating in here. It's also 24 hours. Probably the best place ever.
(5)Dee S.
This is a humble little spot a little further east than most of the eateries on Devon Ave. Don't let the "corner store" vibe fool you, they have some serious food inside..The Chili Chicken is crazy good, pretty spicy but it is well seasoned and prepared. The potato curry is really solid too, and the naan is extra cheap.. EVERYTHING here is at MOST $5.00, and they are open 24/7...Not my favorite spot of all time as far as Indian food, but its pretty damn good..I shall return..
(4)Qasid B.
Food was good and cheap but for tea they made me wait 40 mins I was so pissed coz they forgot about my order!
(1)Joe P.
Woohoo, almost as good as it gets, for authentic mom and pop Indian food. There's absolutely nothing fancy about this place; it's simply good food. Get in line, order from the Excel spreadsheet of plates, pay dirt cheap for it, and scramble to get a seat in the cafeteria-style dining area. I compare it to Pho shops: if there's one that has some silly name--"Get Pho'd up!"--and caters to non-Vietnamese people, it's likely not very good. Take the non-fancy digs of Ghareeb Nawaz in in the same light. It's legit. Cash only; cheap as dirt; huge helpings.
(4)Patrick W.
Service is not so great. The guy at the counter is just a little rude. Asked if we could have the food spicer and he said no, because the food was precooked. I don't really care about all of that because it's so cheap there. A gentlemen emerged from the back with orange sauce on his hands. Then took a napkin and started to blow his nose while talking to a customer. Then back into the kitchen. He came out maybe 30 seconds after blowing his nose and handed me my food. I'm not sure if he cooked my food but it grossed me out. Guy at the counter also argued with me and said I ordered two naan when I really ordered 4. Again, not a big deal, but it was annoying. Food was alright. Naan was stale tasting. Rice had a lot of seasoning. Chicken was tender. Woooo. Probably won't go back.
(2)Saifuddin M.
Good food at very low prices ....Must try the Red Chilli chicken Biryani ....good Authentic Hyderabadi food which is rarely to find here , other stuff to dig for is chicken tikka , gyro and lot of other spicy stuff ...good for carry out .
(5)Pari P.
Dishes cost only $5-6 on average and open 24 hours? No wonder this place is popular. It's fast, cheap, and flavorful - that's all to be said about Ghareeb Nawaz. Not the best cuisine that you ever had but I can see myself coming here often if I lived in the area after a night of drinking or for lunch. The chili chicken biryani looked great in photos but was literally just chunks of chicken with rice. Some veggies or cilantro could have made the dish more complete but I can't complain since it was only $4.99 plus tax. It wasn't a true biryani but more of an Indian version of fried rice. I'll have to try the other items on the menu for a more full experience. This might be a better value than the dollar menu at McDonalds. Try the kulfi afterwards. It's an Indian ice cream with dried fruits and cardamom.
(3)Ernest K.
I don't understand how this place exists. It's too good to be true. The food is tasty, the portions are huge, the price is ridiculously cheap, and it's open around the clock. The chili chicken, lamb khorma, and naan are my usual orders and then I rotate a 4th order to try the other dishes. All that for under $20 and I walk out with what feels like 10+ lbs of food. To be completely critical, the downsides are that it's cash only, and the food can be a little inconsistent (my chili chicken was dry once and another time, my butter chicken was very light on chicken), but the pros are just too good for me to dock it a star for that alone. Oh, I also want to add that I always order take-out here, so I don't mind the environment, but if that matters to you, then you should know the place looks a bit run down.
(5)Justin B.
In terms of value proposition, this might be the cheapest restaurant of the roughly ~400 that I have hit in Chicago, with not a single dish over $5. It helps that most of what I ate was really good; butter chicken, naan, paratha and the biryani in all of my dishes were incredible. The chili chicken was a little weak, if anything because the bones in my chicken dish outnumbered the boneless pieces of bird...and the aloo platter I tried was a little too murky for my tastes. But overall, this was incredible, and for three people, I left in pain for just under $22. We could have easily spent $16-18 and been fine, and that is ridiculous. Adding to the street cred, only Indians, cab drivers and cops were eating here when I showed up...this place is legit.
(4)Alan K.
I am a big fan of Indian food, and I went here for the first time because of good reviews and low prices. Food was mediocre at best, the next morning I woke up with the worst case of food poisoning imaginable. Violently sick for half the day, and now it's the third day and I still feel queasy. I would never go back to this place ever ever ever.
(1)Laura C.
First time eating here! The menu is big, and most dishes are in the $5-$7. I ordered the chicken chili which is SERIOUSLY SPICY. That one dish could have served 3 people, but is mostly comprised of a mountain of rice. I ate it the next day for lunch! I will definitely be back to try another dish if I'm in the area or if I get sick of $5 subs. Pros: CHEAP prices, HUGE portions Cons: DIRTY outdated restaurant, CASH ONLY
(3)Shambavi K.
I have not been inside I have only had the food when my friends get take out. The lamb biryani was great and the bright red chili chicken too (this can be quite spicy so beware). I have yet to try the green chili chicken. Can get a bit greasy but that's part of the package for main street Pakistani food. The samosa's seem a bit more authentic to me because the outside dough shell is much thinner and crispier. The closest replacement to chicken and rice plates on the streets on NYC so far.
(5)Marzia A.
Great food at super reasonable prices! Sucks it's cash only, but still worth it. Chilli chicken alone or chilli chicken rice as well as the chicken seekh kabobs are deliciously on point :) I prefer carry out versus dining in.
(4)Fred H.
As a former cabbie, I've come to appreciate, even prefer, these late night, cheap, Indo/Paki joints, as opposed to fancier fine-dining restaurants. This place is exemplary of those establishments; a typical entree w/2 breads, (I usually go for the oily but tasty paratha, the naan is not a strong point here) will go for $6.50. Rich flavors, moderate to fairly intense heat in the spicy dishes, & generous portion sizes. The interior is utilitarian, & the bathroom a bit frightening, (I'd avoid it if possible). But the food is so satisfying, definitely one of the best bargain meals to be had in the city. If you're not intimidated by these types of eateries, this is late-night eats that's hard to beat!
(5)Mira S.
Legit neighborhood place. that was constantly hopping while we were in there. Chicken biryani, was huge, mostly rice, but enough chicken for 2 meals. Paratha and chapathi were both good. Potato samosa was good, onthe smaller side and not puffy, but nicely seasoned. Everything seemed super fresh, made right in the back. Food took maybe 10 minutes to come out. Beverage selection was very limited, a collection of cans of soda that seemed sort of random.
(4)Leyla A.
It's Friday. I slept in and forgot to pray. I cleaned my house, took a shower, straightened my hair, put on lipstick, perfume, and my favorite shirt. Then, I went to this 100 % zabiha halal place on the corner, ordered tea, and tried not to look at the handsome bearded men while I ate goat palaw with my hands. I did not realize how far Sheytan had pushed me off of the Muslima wagon, until I reached up to adjust the pin holding my hijaab in place only to realize I was out in public alone with my strands exposed. When they cleared my plates away, someone offered me a cigarette. Cheap, spicy, zabiha halal food. Ca$h only.
(5)Rebecca D.
I grew up a couple blocks from Ghareeb Nawaz and didn't know how lucky I was. Their portions are enormous for the price, the biryani is always spiced just right, and if you are picking up dinner at sundown during Ramadan they offer you dates to break fast. I'll admit that I always order for pick up rather than dine in. What can I say? I prefer binging on chili chicken and veggie paratha in the comfort of my home rather than under fluorescent lights.
(5)Fei Y.
By no means am I an expert at Indian food, but am definitely a good fanatic. This place is one that you definitely can not judge by its cover. This was recommended by a friend and it's by far the best Indian I've ever had and for the price it's unbeatable! We had the lamb bryani, butter chicken and achar gosht. The spice levels were perfect and I left with a happy and full tummy! Totally worth it and have already been there twice in 1 week!!
(5)Melanie O.
Okay so..... Me and my significant other decided to give this place a try, in lieu of the 4 star rating. Let me tell you in over simplification, ( mud but) utter utter, just mud butt. Not to mention the fact! That everyone was staring at us as tho we stepped on a small animal and laughed about it. We just came from our jobs, and were dressed professionally, they don't take kindly to good looking, well dressed Americans. Save your money and go to McDonalds You'll get cancer the prick, but at least no mud butt.
(2)Sasha M.
Went here once because yelp suggested it with these reviews against my better judgement. I could not believe that this place had a 4 star rating and people still eat here: Cockroaches are EVERYWHERE!!! The kaka roach in the bathroom handed me a mint before I left. The tables chairs floors and door were all painted with greasy smelly hand prints. The food was cheap greasy microwaved. Yes that's what happens when you pay 3 bux for a "meal". You do get what you pay for. It smelled funny everywhere. And there were cups left In the men's bathroom everywhere... When asked wth that was about was told it's to clean butts? Ummmmmmm I'm so Effin out of here! Butt cleaning and food shouldn't be that close. It blows my mind how yelpers destroy establishments that are clean, hard working and talented because they may have not refilled your water quick enough, but this place gets4 stars????I don't get it. Anywho will never come here again and let's not forget to mention the gut wrenching diahreah all of us had. Yeah that's not your fiber supplement... It's the 5 day old biryani. Owners have no excuse not to clean if they are serving "food" 24 hours a day. Health department must have called in sick one too many times . "Come again" said the kaka roach that escorted us out.
(1)Rockstar R.
Food was excellent, even though the appearance of the restaurant made me want to run for the hills. Not the least bit attractive, but don't let that deter you. Ordered veggie biryani, chili chicken, and boneless butter chicken. The curries/rubs were very flavorful, and I've had plenty of both before to compare. Top notch. The chili chicken is a bit TOO spicy, but it's so tasty you won't be able to stop eating it. The veggie biryani was very good, but lacked "veggies." There was ONE broccoli piece and 2 green peppers in the entire container. Total rip-off. Will definitely order plain biryani next time. Also didn't like the fact that the cashier was trying to get me to buy more, saying i needed bread to go with my meat. If I wanted rice AND naan, I could make that decision for myself, sir. Overall, the food was great and because I hadn't planned on dining in, I am happy with what I received for takeout. If I had sat in the restaurant, however, I would have definitely lowered my review to 2.5 stars.
(4)Paul M.
The food here is excellent.....and cheap! Who can beat that? Sure, the decor and presentation might not be great, but you can't beat the food you get. Make sure to get the meat thali.
(5)Ryan C.
My last visit wasn't a pleasant experience at all. Honestly, I can't think of a time that I've ever gone to a restaurant and left so furious. Yes, the staff was rude beyond belief. However, I like the food and had been there so many times and missed going there. If you read my previous post, it wasn't nice. I did receive a message from the owner, he was very apologetic and sincere. Moreover, he realized a few things needed to be changed. Mohammed, thank you for acknowledging it. It was a very professional move on your part. I went back and had my favorite chili chicken biryani. I even took someone there with me and she it was good. But, we understand it's not an upscale place. Where else can you get a dinner, split it for two for under $7? You can't. I like it cheap and that's part of the reason for going there. It was cleaner than before. I would still recommend a place to dump your trash so you don't have a ton of tables with dirty trays and plates. It makes sense and would also give someone else more time to wipe tables down to accommodate everyone when it's full.
(4)Dem L.
2.5 stars (When is Yelp going to start paying attention and let us give 1/2 stars???) The good: -It's cheap and there are lots of options -It's open 24 hours if you need that -The food is flavorful The bad: -If you order a meat dish - the amount of meat given is inconsistent -You have to know what you want or whether or not you need to ask for something to be less spicy. We ordered a winter goat special and it was so hot that we couldn't eat it. -You have to order rice/naan/chapati separately from your meal. The day we went they did not have naan. What kind of Indian restaurant runs out of naan? The rice was tasty! -The inside is dirty and dingy -The bathroom is unisex...and dirty and dingy Overall, I still prefer doing Indian buffet so I can get a wider assortment of foods.
(3)Nick R.
The food here is absolutely delicious. It's a shame that I had to give it three stars but the place just feels dirty inside. The guy serving the food was hairy and did not cover up which is a recipe for disaster. The place gets busy and there is no order on how you line up. It's kind of a free for all and you really don't know when your next in line. Surprisingly though. I would come back just because the food is that good. The samosas are incredible and the beef curry is delicious. Make sure to get the naan bread as well. I think in the future I will just get takeout
(3)Monica E.
Food is phenomenal. They're open 24/7 so whenever you're having that late night curry craving, if you ever do have one, this is definitely the place to go BUT... It upsets me that I have to give this place 3 stars due to it's lack of cleanlieness. Every time I have come to eat there has always been dirty tables with the trays of food still on there. I'm sure it's not a pain in the ass for the employee to pick it up and clean off the table.
(3)Piyas B.
Absolutely love their chicken biriyani and frontier chicken. Food is cheap. They don't take credit cards though. You have to pay with cash. The restaurant is dirty. Even dirtier is the restroom. Nonetheless, I never forget to visit this place whenever I go to Chicago.
(4)Sara S.
Everything is just so good here and reasonable pricing. I love the butter chicken, frontier gosht, chili chickens. The only downside is you will be hit with food coma, I believe theres way more grease at Ghareeb than elsewhere.
(4)Arsalan A.
The food is good and reasonably priced. The place is packed most of the time, the bathroom are not even worth opening the door with your bare hands. the costumer service is sometimes really bad. The owner is a really nice guy himself but the new staff can be rude sometimes. If ready to deal with all of this then its your place otherwise go to Usmania 3 blocks West of it.
(3)Sujith S.
Get the CHICKEN BIRIYANI! It is $3.99 w/bone and $4.99 boneless. Served on metal plates in proportions enough to satisfy anyone. Great for delivery as well! The paratha is also delicious, and one of my favorite spots down Devon Ave that is open late. Being a student at Loyola University, I've missed the 155 bus a couple times and decided to walk which was a terrible idea because of the cemetery on Devon Ave... way too spooky for me. In all seriousness, this place reminds me of going to small restaurants back in India where they serve you good food at a cheap price. For a kid who grew up in India, this place is a haven for delicious Indian food.
(4)Nick N.
If you have a hang-up about eating at a restaurant that probably hasn't been cleaned in 5 years then you should avoid this place. Me and my girlfriend stopped up here one night because we had a late night craving for Indian food. We could see immediately when we stepped in the place that cleanliness wasn't a priority there. We didn't think much of it. We ordered our food and sat down to wait. The floor had old forks, spilled food, and discarded napkins laying about. We still didn't think too much of it. We used the restroom and on our way to the bathroom we seen what looked to be a homeless man (or worker?) sleeping under one of the tables. OK. The whole restroom area was obviously unsanitary. I felt disgusting even touching the doorknob. Still, I wanted to eat and enjoy myself. We got our food and the portions are definitely satisfactory. The price is great as well. While eating, we saw a cockroach on the wall above our table. I started to reach my breaking point. I tried to ignore it. It disappeared and I continued on. A few minutes later it was on the floor. I stepped on it. A few minutes later it was on the wall again. And within another minute there were at least 3 of them around our table. It was one of the most disgusting experiences I've had at a restaurant. We had a mountain of food in front of us and zero desire to eat it. We walked out and left our food there. Unless you have no qualms about eating in a restaurant that obviously has sanitation issues, avoid this place.
(1)Cindy L.
This place is awesome for a quick sit-in lunch (if you're not opposed to the lack of decor or weird smells) or carry-out (however it seems you get less food when you ask for it to-go). It's not the nicest place but if you're just looking for super yummy Indian food, look no further! The food is top-notch. I grew up eating Indian food on Devon Ave and this is place is our go-to for chicken biryani. So much so that I crave it when I'm in LA. The prices are great for the amount of food you get and the spices are authentic. I have also tried the vegetable samosas, lamb curry, naan and tandoori chicken - all delicious! It's cash only but totally affordable and worth it. Lunch is super busy but we've always been able to find a table. Lots of street parking as well.
(4)Tariq A.
The food maybe less than average but this place is filthy, there is a weird smell and it looks like it needs to be fumigated, I ate a mandi meal and i honestly couldn't finish it in the restaurant
(1)Natalie S.
My new favorite find! Where have you been all my life?! I went in with my dude, my mom and the kiddos. We got a whole mess of food to try. My favorite was the chili chicken biryani. Awesomely delicious. I also sampled the butter chicken and it was yum. My dude ordered a beef dish that I thought was just ok but overall, the food was amazing. It's got a fast food atmosphere. You order at the counter (cash only) and pick it up on a tray. The prison like metal plates add to the awesomeness of the experience. Delicious food AND it's open 24/7? I can't wait to go back.
(4)Paul R.
Based on price, I had low expectations. But damn! Delicious inexpensive, quick no frills Indo-Paki. I've paid twice as much for worse food. I go at least once week, and I've been to at least half the restaurants on the block. It's a dirty place. The bathroom is right out of Lahore. If that's a problem I wouldn't suggest it. That said...5/5
(5)Thomas N.
Cheap and plentiful but no frills. Basically much glorified cafeteria style. Mango lassi is 1.25 but you get what you pay for. Locals go for the chili chicken biryani. Not sure that you can find more food in the city for $5 or less and please message me if you know where! Eclectic crowd of local families, cheapskates, students and yelpers.
(4)Thomas S.
Really great food, try the chili chicken biriani or the gyros paratha. The food is so cheap and well proportioned you could seriously feed a family of 10 for 15 dollars and have left overs. Again, the food is amazing. It can be slow, however. Almost every time I go there with friends, some people get their food 15 minutes before others. Its not a glamourous place though, metal cafeteria tries piled high, weird decor, and I think some of the regulars don't appreciate good of fashioned americans coming in. I brought a few white girls in there on our way out to a party (and they were dressed like it), and we got stares of clear disapproval. Seriously, lots of old men staring our direction the whole time and visibly shaking their heads at us in an intimidating way. Also, roaches. Lots of roaches.
(3)Kelley P.
This place doesn't look like much, but the food was delicious. I am a Indian food novice. I don't know what most things are. The gentleman behind the counter was very patient helping each of us decide. He recommended essentially a sample plate for me that was exactly the right thing. The place got fairly busy at lunch and though we were obviously tourists at a neighborhood joint, we felt very welcome.
(5)Sohel K.
the best food on Devon for sure
(5)Hager B.
I live a couple min away and I'm so grateful they are open really late. The food is GREAT and portions are ENORMOUS. My favorite is the butter chicken and lamb biryani
(5)Greg K.
It's not the most user friendly place in the world as far as ordering and understanding what you're ordering, but you only spend $5 for a large portion of food and it tastes good. So just pick something and eat it, you'll be good.
(4)Anna K.
This little hole in the wall joint always has customers when I drive by it. I was drawn to it because it's walking distance from my parent's house, open 24 hours, and everything on the menu is about $5 or less. I've tried the chili chicken, butter chicken, and makhani paneer. I ordered the chili chicken due to all the rave reviews on here, but I personally felt like it was way too salty. The spice was definitely there, which gave a good amount of heat, and I love myself some spicy food. I just couldn't stomach the heaping amount of salt and ended up tossing the rest of the chili chicken. The butter chicken and makhani paneer were both good. Not the best I've ever had, but definitely the cheapest. I feel like the price is right for the flavor, and portions are large. I'm not trying to downgrade the hype, but realistically, don't come in here thinking you're going to get superior Indian food for $5. I've noticed some of reviews on here say it's the best food in Little India, but I don't agree. It's not that kind of gem. But for large portions and good flavor, this place is definitely worth a shot. It's cash only, and you can add 2 breads (paratha or naan) for $1, or add rice for $1. I've had the naan once and it tasted a bit stale, so I've decided to go with paratha ever since. I'm glad that I did. Lastly, the place is dingy. I would never actually bring my boyfriend in here because he would want to leave immediately, but that's why you order to-go. Make sure you mention it too, because the lady who works the cashier won't ask you and will automatically put your order through as dine-in. I've had workers give me the stink eye for having to repack it into to-go containers.
(4)Suby B.
Food is not fresh, unstaffed, too spicy, not real. Dirt cheap food is not the answer to success... It need to taste like the name of the dish.
(2)Inna B.
If you have $6 in your wallet, you can come here and feast like a king. The menu is enormous and a little intimidating for a beginner, but of what I've tried so far my favorites are the lamb/goat or chicken chili byriani, chicken chili paratha, and the aloo palak potato and spinach dish. Don't come here if you are looking for a nice atmosphere for a dinner out. Also, keep in mind that this place is Cash Only & that they do have to go containers if you can't finish your enormous byriani heap.
(5)Skyler S.
The food here is always delicious (love the biryani and the chili chicken) but more importantly the service is great, the staff is really nice, and the prices are amazing!
(5)James K.
Cheap, authentic, and open 24/7. This is a great place to try things outside of your comfort zone since there's nothing on the menu that cost more than $5. My personal favorites are any of the biryanis, butter chicken, lamb korma and a side of their breads (naan or paratha). If you want to go spicy, you have to get the chili chicken paratha or biryani. The interior has much to be desired and is a bit run down, but that's not exactly why you go here.
(5)K. K.
What an amazing little place. The best compliment I can give to this place is that it brought me back to India. Indian food is garbage at 99% of the restaurants that serve cream heavy shit and flabby naan. This place was the most authentic restaurant I have been to in the US. On top of this, the prices are insane. 1 chicken gravy dish. 1 chili chicken, 1 dal, 1 naan, 1 rice and 2 sodas cost: 16.00 dollars. Also, that was over ordered, we could have easily had a third person eat till full.
(5)Edin B.
By far the worst food experience I've ever had. By far is an understatement. The food is really cheap and basically you get what you paid for. Never, ever going back again.
(1)Tiffany L.
This place is awesome because 1. Everything is under $5 2. It's open 24:7 3. CHILI CHICKEN BIRYANI You will probably question whether or not they reuse the plasticware here and you will definitely leave with your hair smelling like indian spices until your next shower, but it's worth it.
(4)Janine T.
This place has really good food. I can't believe how cheap it is either. The only reason they don't get five stars is because of cleanliness. I'm not sure how they pass inspection. Having gone to India, I guess I understand, but the tables are usually caked with grime from previous customers and the bathrooms are repulsive. Kind of makes you think what the kitchen must look like.
(4)Sam H.
I've been going here for over 8 years. I saw it go from a hole in the wall to a slightly better than hole in the wall Indian joint. Cheap, delicious food; the prices are going up though, so get it while it's still dirt cheap.
(5)AJ M.
Either you love it or hate it ghareeb is a Devon staple and a must try, for Indian food fans. Sure it's not fine dinning, or the cleanest most appealing place, and parking sucks but you can say that about most places on Devon anyway. The best thing about this place is that it doesn't try to be a fancy overhyped place to fall short, ghareeb is what it is. It's a spot you can go any time of the day to get flavorful food at fraction of the cost as it competitors. For $5 you will get a pretty large meal that beats flavors in any other fast food joint around.
(5)Kay P.
We went back to this place coz the food was great the last time. So we took our friends there and had biryani with chicken and goat, butter chicken and tandoori chicken.the food was tasty and we had a great time until 4am. All six of us got very sick and had terrible stomach pain. It ruined our entire next day and our trip to Chicago. It's a pity that a place with such good food got us so sick...
(1)Stephanie T.
This place is right across from my job. If I were to rate this place on food alone, I'd give them 5 stars, but truth be told, the lady at the counter always looks mad and the interior could use a little cleaning. Impressions DO make an impact! Anyway, when I do come here, it's always packed. There's never a day when there isn't a person in line, even on the snowiest days. My favorite to order is always the Chicken Biryani. I don't know how traditionally the food is supposed to be made, but it is very filling, very tasty, and they give very large portions. The food, in my opinion, is excellent and reasonably priced! Also, I always catch myself looking at other people's plates. I plan on trying half their dishes that they have on their menu there, and trust me, it is a long list, but is well worth it. Go to Ghareeb Nawaz if you're looking for good food, but mind you, the place can be a mess. Also, as a side note, the food could be a bit spicy.
(4)Kayee I.
I met up with some friends at this original location of Ghareeb Nawaz and was more than pleasantly surprised with this find. Approach the counter and you are overwhelmed with the selection of items! Luckily, there are the semi idiot-proof photos of each dish on the wall. It was hard for me to grasp that there were hardly anything on their menu over $5. So much so that the first time here, I figured the portions must be small, so I ordered a lamb khorma, daal, okra, a side of rice, and a naan ... all for $9. When they brought out my food, it was on TWO lunch trays. And, as I started to walk away in embarrassment, the guy told me to hold on ... I still had the naan coming! Needless to say, I had to consolidate and threw my naan on top of my trough of food. Not only is this place a budget eats place, the food is consistently good. I've been back a few times since and have yet to be disappointed. I'm glad that they now have an Express version of Ghareeb Nawaz nearby me now ... but their menu is severely limited when compared to this location, which means that I may still have to make a trip back again soon.
(5)Lexie V.
I know there is this stereotype that Indian food is rough on the Western digestive tract. I have never found this to be true.... Until eating here. My roommates and I ordered our standard 'enough food for an army' dinner from here the other day. Days later, we still thoroughly regret this decision. I will spare you the details, but our apartment has been a dark, dark place for the last three days. For the record, my roommate has a penchant for eating street food-- and by that I mean food he finds sitting on the street. Pizza, doughnuts, even sushi. He has (and will continue to) eat it all. His stomach of steel has never been affected, even by raw fish he has eaten off of the sidewalks of Milwaukee ave. It is Ghareeb Nawaz that has challenged all of our stomachs, from those made of steel to the more fragile sort. All of us feel as though we have been poisoned. We are looking at it as a sort of new-age dieting method. We all look more gaunt (see: heroin chic) on the days following our Ghareeb dinner. I understand that this look is desirable for some. If that is the case, I recommend eating here. I prefer a more healthy glow and freedom from the bathroom, therefore I will not be patronizing this place again. 3 stars because yeah, it was delicious and yeah, I probably should have known better. If you can get 10 lbs of food for under $20, the quality probably isn't the best. You've been warned!
(3)Brent G.
Probably the best food in Little India. We brought the whole gang here one recent Saturday afternoon. While not much to look at from the outside, the food was absolutely top notch. We tried butter chicken, goat and lamb biryani, palak paneer, and a pile of naan. Everything was fresh and both the heat and spices were well balanced. The portions were generous and the prices very modest. Cash only.
(4)Sergey R.
Don't believe it has four stars. Restaurant was very dirty. Restroom was dark and terrible. Chicken Biryani which everyone recommend was extremely spicy! I like indian food but couldn't eat that. Disgusting place
(1)Amanda C.
Cheapest most delicious Indian food!!! I'm not a huge fan of Indian food but for some reason I like the food here. It is a family restaurant, prices are extremely fair and they serve a ton of food per order. I love the beef nahari!!!
(4)LeTran B.
The food here looks and tastes like something my mom would make for you at home, if my mom were Indian. The food doesn't get dressed up like at a typical restaurant, it just looks like what my mom would make and say "Here's your dinner, eat it and then do the dishes!" The pros: - Food is tasty, really tasty. - The chili chicken is the bomb! - Super cheap. $6 could score you a meal that stuff you up like the Thanksgiving turkey. - It opens 24 hours! The cons: - It doesn't get dressed up like this highendfood.files.wordpr… - That wasn't really a con.
(5)Natalija S.
This is honestly the place to go to if you're starving and on a budget, you can have a feast for five dollars, which is like music to my ears. Even my friend who's never had Indian food before was amazed by how affordable it was and she loved the veggie thali. The aloo palak and biryani rice was amazing! Listen to your stomach and come here.
(4)Nancy C.
This place will not disappoint when you find yourself hungry on Christmas day (or any other day/time of they year for that matter) and are craving some biryani. Literally came in at midnight on Christmas and was in and out with an order of chicken biryani and butter chicken in less than 10 minutes. The chicken biryani is the shiznit, but beware the lurking jalapeno pepper.
(4)Patrick T.
I like this place for its location, its hours, and its prices. You know you've found something good when you can grab chicken tikka masala and a mango lassi at 2am. The prices are quite reasonable, with a $10 bill you are armed and ready to fill the stomach of a reasonable person.
(4)Matt M.
yum yum yum, I love this place so much I am ignoring the outrageous berating I saw some chick lay on her dbag boyfriend and the 15 year old indian kids dropping n-bombs on each other like they are from Compton!!! If your food is good enough to make me forget all of that and ride on 2 buses to get to, then I don't think words can express any better how I feel about this place.
(5)Anne S.
Wow is this place cheap! So I have a confession to make. I got Indian food from 2 different restaurants on Friday. I know that's insane, but I don't get up to Devon often so I figured I would get a lot of food. I had a nice dinner with Cassie D a few blocks away, but the reviews for here were good and the prices were so cheap, I thought I would get a few things from here to eat over the weekend. For $18 I order 4 samosas, 2 naan, 1 veggie biryani, 1 spicy aloo masala, 1 daal lentil, 1 chicken nihari, and 1 haleem. That is an amazing deal! The samosas did not do so well the next day, but that was my own fault for thinking they would keep. The naan was huge and good. It was still soft and chewy the next day! I wasn't crazy about the veggie biryani, next time I will just get basmati rice. The aloo masala and daal lentil were really good. Everyone liked both of them! The chicken nihari was fine, but I did not like the haleem. (In fairness, I have never had either of the chicken dishes anywhere else, so I cannot say that I would like them better anywhere else. I just learned not to order haleem in the future). The food was quick enough. (As other people have said, slow enough so they are clearly making it fresh, fast enough so I wasn't wondering what happened to it). There was an odd assortment of people eating here on a Friday night. Broke college kids, people scrapping to get by, business men, groups of friends, families coming for a good deal, etc. I like it when places have different types of customers! It shows that everyone likes the food!
(4)Michelle M.
Great food for an amazing price. plus the portions were huge. Decor kinda basic - but food out weighs the looks. We were a family of four and paid 34 including drinks tools food home.
(4)Gabe S.
This is a good place to go eat for really cheap and still have a lot of left overs. The service is nice and the food is decent to good. The reason why I give this place 3 stars out of 5 is due to the cleanliness of the place. The tables and bathrooms can be a little more clean. But if you're looking for a quick and cheap bite this is the place to go at Devon.
(3)Srini S.
We tried this because of the reviews, however did not care for the food as much. The place does not have a decent restroom, would not go there again.
(1)Robert K.
Cheapest restaurant food in Chicago. Great portions, well seasoned, though can be of somewhat uneven quality, and sometimes runs out of items. Also,needs improved sanitation. Roaches in the food are unacceptable, even in the cheapest place.
(3)Jerry B.
very nizzzze parathas, chappati, and samosas. i like the spicy gyro masala and karahi gosht and chili chicken biryani. NOTE: the chicken in chili chicken biryani is MUCH BETTER than the chicken in chili chicken. i do not know why
(5)Dane K.
While it's probably not the highest quality food on Devon it's probably some of the most inexpensive..... and that is what it's good for. Especially late at night since it's 24 hours. Order at the counter and sit down or take it to go. It's on a slightly quieter block of Devon which makes a quick drive by and grab of food slightly less crazy to navigate.
(4)Natasha P.
My husband and I have been on a quest for good biryani and nihari ever since we've come to the U.S. and I think we've found it. This place is not for the faint-hearted. It's not in the least bit fine dining, but oh! the food was outstanding. We ordered the goat biryani, the beef nihari and the chicken haleem. The others in our party ordered the green chili chicken biryani and a regular chicken biryani. We also ordered the beef samosas. Waaaay too much food for the four of us, but it was all delicious, and we took the leftovers home and ate it. Now I'm not Pakistani, and have no clue what a good Pakistani biryani is supposed to taste like. But I do know what a good biryani (Hyderabad, India) is like and both the biryani and the haleem were terrific. We are going to have to make very many more trips to Chicago so that we can get this fabulous food. Ps. They do not take credit cards. It's cash only.
(5)dan p.
the old saying is to not miss the trees for the forest but on devon avenue, chicagos go to spot for all things indian and pakistani, it might be changed to dont miss the diners for the buffets. because for myself, this was literally true. for many years, once i discovered the gustatory delights of indian food buffets, i failed to see much else crammed onto this wonderful street. grocery stores, sweet shops, sari palaces, electronic stores and more vied for my attention. but still....i missed them. until one day, not famished but a little hungry, and with it being late in the day, i was drawn to the little place with the impossibly cheap prices on the sign on the side of the building. i did not expect much but i am at my most adventurous with food so in i went. the first thing one will notice is the ethnicity of the customers were mostly indo/pak and when not, largely asian. this is a good sign for me as it implies some degree of authenticity. i stepped up to the counter and looked at all the different dishes, nicely photographed, all insanely cheap. would this place suck, would i get sick? im happy to report neither.i have repeatedly returned and brought others. the portions are huge, the nan bread amazing, the vibe good. i stick with the vegetarian dishes as i am mostly one and my rule is that i dont usually do meat in ethnic places. the dishes i have tried are all uniformly spicy (not for the faint of heart) but they provide a side of yogurt to cool the mouth down. i will say this place does not always appear to be the cleanest or most organized but i have never had any problems at all. so.....when faced with buffet choices when one has less than that available in ones stomach, give this little place a try. you will be glad you did
(3)Jamie S.
I was craving Indian so I stopped in to pick up a few things. Wow! Talk about HUGE portions for a low price! I had the chili chicken biryani and I got 3 meals out of it. It was nice and spicy and the chicken was delicious. I also got an order of aloo palak and that was in a huge container, again getting 3 meals out of it. They did not have naan bread but paratha instead which was a nice surprise. The samosas were crispy and spicy and only 50 cents each. All the entrees are between $3 and $5 so it's a good place to pick up a bunch of different things for everyone to share. There is ZERO ambiance here though... it's not a nice sit down restaurant. It's a place to go to eat a quick lunch or pick up a to-go order. There is nothing but a few tables, a counter, and a giant menu on the wall showing all the food and the prices. Best part is they are open 24 hours!
(4)Jennie T.
Cheap, cheap, cheap Indian food! My boyfriend took me here for a quick dinner. We ordered a chicken biryani rice plate with a side of boneless chili chicken to share. The chili in the chili chicken will kick in after a few bites. The meal was pretty filling and pretty delicious for what it's worth. The place is cash-only, and they do have an ATM machine inside.
(4)Daniel H.
So this place has made some substantial improvements and deserves some credit. First they renovated the place. It's cleaner, brighter, and they're using space in a much more efficient and pleasing way. It's still not the cleanest place on the planet, but that's part of the fun when you go diving. They also took all the middle eastern items off the menu. I'm glad they did this; stick to what you do well. No need for a hummus paratha... However, there is still a gyros biryani on the menu, but I have NEVER seen this actually offered and it might be up there for the sake of seeming creative or having an interesting picture on the wall. The food is really not bad. It's not the most delectable thing you'll put in your mouth, but at $5 or less for a dish, it's tough to beat. They do take some noticeable shortcuts though. I ordered chili beef and got shredded beef with a sauce that was more sriracha than anything else. Now, it wasn't bad actually (and surprisingly), but it's apparent laziness... but again, the cost...
(4)david s.
I took out a couple new dishes, Bihari chicken and Seekh fry plate. These are 'winter specials', only to be on the menu for a while. :( But they're two of the very best dishes on the menu. The chicken is boneless and well-trimmed with a nice spicy sauce. The beef is an intensely flavored spicy ground beef mix.
(5)Khalada A.
The chicken biryani is phenomenal! It is a must every time I come here. All their other dishes are delicious too. Prices are very reasonable, the owners are kind and they serve quick too!
(5)Alex S.
If you're looking for dine-in ambience, you won't get it here. If you want Indian food that stands up to every place in town, come here. Entrees with meat at all around $5, as are the biryanis. Naan and samosas are 50 cents, paratha is 75, veggie dishes are $2-4. The food is perfect and the price is such where you can sample a wealth of new things if you're unfamiliar. My Indian family and American friends have never been disappointed.
(5)Chad D.
Cheap. Tasty. Indian. Get a buttload of food for like, practically free. Sure, it's not necessarily going to be the best Indian food you've ever tasted, but the value cannot be beat. And it's open 24 hours. Recommended: Butter Chicken, Spicy Gyro Masala, Samosas... you can't really go wrong with anything though.
(5)Shahul K.
I've been here many times here within the last 12 years and It has the cheap and the best food. The Chilli chicken is our family favorite. We always take out Biriyanis and it is worth for every cent paid.
(5)Sameer R.
Inexpensive and good old fashioned food from back home
(5)Abdul Y.
Hmm.. I guess more pros than cons. The food actually tastes pretty good, they don't go cheap on the meat when you order somehing like a chicken tikka paratha or gyros paratha (which is awesome btw) the prices are probably the lowest out of all the desi restaurants and the owners seem to be very nice people. The only thing that repels me from this place is the sanitary issues. I first started caring about this after years of eating their food when I went into their bathroom which seems kind of run down (even the door) and then I noticed they had a little container under the liquid soap dispenser which collected the soap that might slide off people's hands as it's dispensing. . I started thinking what if they're pouring that back in there to save a little $?! That combined with how they were shut down by the city (I think twice), I thought it best to stay away despite their awesome gyro parathas and low prices Anyway, if you can look past the sanitary issues and want good tasting food at low prices, this place is pretty good. The reason I give it 4 stars despite my suspicions is because I never confirmed if these suspicions were true or not
(4)Rachel W.
Coming here was such an experience. Both the staff and the customers were very friendly and chatty. The food was remarkable. I can even say that the type of "full" I had after eating was the perfect type.
(5)Luke S.
Cheap and delicious. Anticipate a nap after that meat thali though...
(4)Chris W.
I love this place. They're open 24/7 and every night I've ever gone they've had NOTHING that I wanted. And I'm not a picky eater but I've gone with a few friends of mine when it's later night looking for food to bring back to the house. "Do you have x?" "No." "Do you have y??" "No." "DO YOU HAVE Z?!?!?!" "No." It's not the guy up fronts fault I suppose that they stop cooking half their menu at night but nonetheless its become a running joke on the way there. And then there are times we've gone and what they didn't have last time they do the next time! What gives these guys the stars is that they're authentic, the food is delicious, the prices are reasonable, and you get obscene portions of whatever you order. That's all I need to say!
(4)Lloyd S.
I've been to 5 Indian places on Devon and this one knocks it out if the park!! Amazing taste, we had the butter chicken, best I've had also lamb seek the best (2.99!!!!!). Samosas great at 50 cents each. Two of us ate like kings with leftovers to take home for 16 bucks with chapati bread to die for. Definitely a hole in the wall, ATM charge was 1.50 as they only take cash. Locals eat there. All I can say is it's amazing! When u get your order your eyes will bug out from amazement on quantity.
(5)Minu M.
I think I will be hard pressed to find a better Indian restaurant in the USA. Till then, Ghareeb Nawaz will be my best Indian restaurant in the US! We frequented the place 3 times in our 2 day trip to Chicago. We ended up trying goat biryani, chicken biryani w/o bones, chicken biryani with bones, chilli chicken biryani, green chilli biryani, chilli chicken paratha and haleem. Save the haleem, the other dishes were undoubtedly the best I have had outside India. And I just can't comprehend how the prices can be so freaking low! Yes, there are lot of inconsistencies in their service, the place is not very clean. But, if they manage to turn up such exceptional food, everything else can be forgiven!
(5)M M.
Pros: Reasonable, plentiful, yummy, healthy, parking Cons: Small tables, lack of chairs, crowd My nephews were in town from Kentucky so Uncle Roy and I took them out for another fun-filled Chicago adventure. I found this restaurant on Yelp. Went here on a late Saturday afternoon where there was still a steady crowd of all nations of people flowing in. My main concern was having a table to eat. After I cleared and sat down a vacated table, some African guy was trying to steal it away from me, he finally ended up at the table next to me but took our chair so we were short a chair. Another Indian man sat down at the table thinking I was alone there was a bit of a communication gap, I would be flattering myself to say he wanted a date with me, but I really think he just wanted to rest his feet while he waited for his order. soon after he took his seat, the boys came and it was clear what I was trying to tell him. After 15 minutes the boys orders came out first. I gasped at the site of 3 bowls of what they called "Butter Chicken" thinking chicken pieces drenched in ghee wasn't heart healthy, later the boys assured me the only butter in the dish was butternut squash. I thought it odd, why wouldn't they call it butternut squash? The added orders of samosas (not so great, glad this wasn't my first experience with samosas), giant plates of biryani rice, and freshly made giant naan breads immediately filled the table leaving me with hardly any space when my order finally arrived about 15 minutes after. A total of 30 minutes, Chili Chicken must take longer to make. From the vast menu on the wall, almost everyting appealed to me, yet I made my choice with the idea that chili helps with metabolism. While I was waiting for my dish the boys let me try their delicious Butter Chicken and I was wishing I had it. The Chili Chicken (which had no sauce) and Butter Chicken would have actually went great together. Next time go here, I will be a little more familiar about the paratha selections that appear to be smaller versions of the entrees with a side of rice and bread on a silver tray that will conveniently fit the small tables. Or if I order the bigger entrees it will definitely be take out unless I decide to go when there are less people. It was tough fighting for another chair and then because of the lack of table space I was doing a balancing act with one hand holding the heavy plate of rice, while picking at my entree and nan from the table with the other hand. The good part is that I was burning calories at the same time I was consuming calories. The idea that this place is opened 24/7 sounds so inviting for future late night visits. 4/11/12 CORRECTION I couldn't stop thinking about that "Butter Chicken" so a couple days later I looked up the recipe. Guess what...no butternut squash involved! I called Uncle Roy up right away and told him he was a BIG FAT LIER! He was laughing like crazy. It is actually a few tablespoons of butter but in consolation, most of what the chicken is soaking in is yogurt. RIP, Uncle Roy. The boys and I will miss going out with you on their visits from KY. It won't be the same without you.
(4)Vali B.
I aint a classy bitch im a raspy bitch
(4)Jason L.
I wish they accepted credit/debit, but the food is great and very cheap. I'm a lifer here.
(5)Jessica B.
I love this place! Vegetarians: get the vegi thali and some naan. Sooo good. Get there early for hot, crispy samosas. Later they run out, or they get cold. Very cheap food, and I always eat twice off my order. Bring cash, tho. It's cash only, and the atm is broken. No frills at this place, not always super clean, but cheap, delicious Indian food isn't easy to find.
(5)Rod W.
The food was really good. Well spiced and just the right amount of heat. Both the naan and the paratha were good. I had the chili chicken biriyani. I tasted one of the gosht, but I don't remember which one. It was also very good. My only complaint was the refrigeration in the drink cooler was not working and all of the beverages were room temperature. I was pleasantly surprised because of all the reviews saying how dirty this place was. It was pretty clean. And it was really busy, too. They seemed to be keeping up with the tables. Will definitely go back. Three of us ate for about $30.
(4)Katherine I.
Great food, portions, and service! The prices are low and eating with a group is a fun way to try new things. I highly recommend it.
(5)Candice V.
Payment: Cash only Ambiance: Ghareeb is a dive in the best sense: the facilities aren't particularly awesome or trendy, but it's always filled with a wide variety of people, and that's a solid indicator of a good restaurant. Do the locals eat there? Yes? Good. Food: I got 2x naan, chili chicken, and boneless beef biryani for $12 including tax. 2 meals out of the chicken and naan, 3 out of the biryani, All told, about 7 lbs of food. The naan was freshly baked and fluffy, charred in places, and not oily at all. It was delicious, and warms up almost as good as fresh. (Microwave in a wet paper towel 30 seconds). You can't beat the price - $0.50 each, and bigger than your head! - with a stick. (I generally like paratha better, and will try that next time I'm in. The boneless beef biryani was mildly spiced, and really could stand a gamier meat -- I adore their goat biryani, bones and all! -- while the beef itself tasted like really delicious pot roast. Still, I'll be going back to my favorite goat. The chili chicken, while not the magenta color promised by other yelp reviewers, was a beautiful maroon. The chicken was mostly dark meat, and boneless; I think this was a good choice, and wonder whether white meat would stand up to the spices. The flavor was highly complex -- I could taste about 17 different things going on -- before the heat hit. And the heat: Fwhoo, did it ever hit. The chili chicken has both dried and fresh peppers in it, and gets hotter the longer it sits. I'm pretty sure the cooks makes it as hot for the patrons as for themselves as a matter of course. I could only finish a half portion, but that is okay because it became snacks, breakfast nibbles, and dinner the next night. One note: If you order this, YOU WILL NEED BREAD. I went in at noon on a Sunday as opposed to at nine at night on Christmas Eve (the last time I was in), and genuinely could not discern any difference in quality. Staff were pleasant, cooking was fast, food was delicious. This is a third date place, one of those, "let me take you to my favorite favorite restaurant you might not go into on your own" haunts. A+ would nom again. (Next time I will try different things!)
(4)Emily P.
The price is right, the food is delicious and plentiful (and spicy. Some of it, in fact, is SPICY. Palak Ghosht with spinach had me sweating and, okay, crying a little bit -- but I couldn't stop eating it. Butter chicken was much more reasonable).
(5)Ushna A.
Best chicken Briyani , which is better then Some five star restuarants.. Buttery and tasty! Affordable prices
(4)Joe D.
Good food, great hours. I'm hooked!
(4)Diane S.
I've been hearing about this place and driving past it for far too long... took my Sous Chef here after a seated dinner that we had to work. Amazing. The prices are ridiculously low. So much food for so less money... that alone is a reason I'm going to come back over and over again. I will go and pick it up, since they don't do delivery. And I don't mind. Got Butter Chicken, Palak Paneer (spinach with cheese), and Lamb Korma, as well as a biryani rice. I should have gotten two biryani rices but now I know for the future. This food is spicy. The mildest of the dishes was the butter chicken, but that's still up about four notches from what I'm used to. It's delicious, though, and you can't stop eating it once you start. So yeah, two people, three dishes each, cost 26 bucks. That's ridiculous for what we got and the quality of it.
(5)Michael W.
this place is nuts amazing
(5)mike f.
I can't count how many times I have eaten at Ghareeb. It is one of the city's hidden treasures. Always stays open, always tastes the same, and you get your food with blazing speed. There aren't enough good things to say about it. Anyone who walks in here and thinks they need insane attention or special treatment is mistaken. Get your food and enjoy it!! You will never get more good quality Indian food for the ridiculously low prices. If you bring 3-4 dollars with you, you will leave full.
(5)Dave L.
Hands down my favorite Indian/Pakastani place. Dirt cheap and big portions. The butter chicken is my go to dish here.
(5)Abby D.
The best non veg food in devon you can get... Being in north west suburbs it is not very easy to find very good briyani place.. this is an awesome place.. 4 star only because they could make the ambience a little better... My favourite is chicken botti partha with chicken briyani... :D best briyani for best price...
(4)Taufiq H.
Always good value for the food. I really like the place .. good food and quantity for the money. Okra and chicken tikka is not good.
(4)Jayne F.
I'm giving this place 4 stars because even though the food mostly runs 2.5 to 3 stars, it is open all night, and the prices are amazing. A friend and I came at midday, and actually spent less ordering a la carte, than we would have at one of the nearby lunch buffets. While the bathrooms were pretty bad, as other reviewers noted, the rest of the dining room and counter area didn't seem THAT dirty, and nothing we tried made us sick. They offer lots of standard fare, with a few unusual items (including cold cans of diet ginger ale) and the portions are really ample. On the basis of value alone, not to mention the 24-hour convenience factor, I will most likely be back. Stuff we sampled: meat thali (super deal!), side of plain biryani (just ok), tandoori chicken tikka (a little odd, but would order again), frontier chicken (just ok), meat samosas (greasy and limp, but still worth the low price) and potato samosas (tasty and a bit crunchier.)
(4)Hina Q.
Yes the food is dirt cheap, but then just remember the saying "you get what you pay for!". We ordered: butter chicken (good flavor, little chicken), beef kebabs (old, broken into tiny pieces as if someone scraped up leftovers from various plates, and they looked old and hard...lets not even go to how they tasted!), gyro salan (meh), paratha and nan (which were good, but at this point I didn't really care if the paratha was good). Yes yelpers gave this place 4-5 stars, hmmm, to each is their own. Heard a lot about it, read a lot of good things, so I gave it a shot. It's just not my kinda place.
(1)Oscar S.
Im not a Pakistani or Indian food expert.But I have eaten at many in the Chicagoland area and also in the burbs.Ghareeb Nawaz is one of my favorite spots for this type of cuisine.Just love this place.Anytime Im in the area I make a point to eat here wether Im hungry or not .Im not in the area everyday so I try to take advantage when I am.TOTALLY RECOMMEND!!!!
(5)L V.
Chicken Biryani--Tasty!
(5)Nastia P.
Great food!!! Better and cheaper than any fast food restaurant but with a REAL food that is always fresh and clean ! Ready in just few minutes! Open 27 hrs
(5)Polyana W.
took one star away because the food seems to have gotten bland the last few months. What are you doing? Bring back the spicy food I fell in love with!
(4)Edwin M.
I have been coming here for over 13 years. This is my spot if i want a quick Indian meal. Chili chicken rice and lamb briyani is my fav. If your into really spicy try the chili chicken. For the amount of food they give you for less than 5 bucks is amazing.
(5)Nihant N.
Best biryani I ever had. A perfect Hyderabadi biryani. The price us just $4 and definitely worth the quantity :)
(5)Lida L.
The past few months, I've been exploring a number of restaurants on Devon hoping to find my go-to Indian restaurant(since I don't cook as much as I like to). I found a few prospects, however consistency has always been an issue. So far, this restaurant sits at the top of my list in terms of quality as well as value(which is always a bonus). Last night's carryout consisted of 2 Samosas, an order of Chicken Khorma and Naan. Everything came out to be about $6, which is amazing. I'm typically not a fan of Samosas, but these were delicious. It was the perfect crispiness without being overly oily. The chicken was tasty and the Naan was puffy and soft. I thought it was funny that the Naan came in a plastic bag and reminded me of eating noodles in a plastic bag in Thailand - which was delicious by the way! The reason I gave this restaurant 4 starts only, was due to its cleanliness. While the food is great, I would absolutely opt for carryout only. That said, I'm excited to come back and try the Tandoor Chicken and the Lamb Biryani!
(4)Amy L.
I am impressed. I went with yelp recommendations: chili chicken boti paratha and chicken biryani. I thoroughly enjoyed the biryani as the rice reminded me of my favorite rice at a mediterranean placed called Reza's. It was light, fluffy and flavorful. The chicken was so tender. It was mainly ordered for my two year old boy because it is probably the mildest dish there. We asked for it to be not spicy too and it wasn't. It was a big amount for just a couple bucks. Awesome! Then the chili chicken boti paratha was what I ate. I liked the wrap part a lot. It was better than the regular naan. We left the place bellies stuffed and a box for the leftover biryani. It was too much amount for my son hehe. But it was delicious the next day for lunch! I love the divided trays that they used. It reminds me of being a kid. Paid street parking. Ample seating. Clean too. Doesn't reek of Indian food in the restaurant, score! No offense!
(4)Ibrahim S.
The food was just about okay in the price it came. This place does not accept cards! Which is another drawback. The restaurant also lacks quality customer service.
(2)Viet H.
The chili chicken biryani is one my faves with naan. It's a hit or miss here. Sometimes the food taste old and sometimes it's amazing. If you like curry and spices. Then you've come to right place. Reasonable prices so I can't complain.
(4)Jeff L.
Who would ever go to Denny's when this place is open all night and has delicious dishes for $3, $4, $5?!?! Absolutely delicious, fast, no nonsense. (really gross bathroom, though)
(4)Helena G.
This restaurant made me remember my travel in India.I can assure that it's very authentic! I highly recommend that you bring your own hand sanitizer to avoid the restroom. I think the best option is the take away because the restaurant is a little bit dirty... But the food is good! We tasted the lamb korma, karahi gosht, meat samosas and parata. The pakistani food is a little different from Indian. The korma isn't sweet or soft and I couldn't feel any coconut milk. It's very spicy. I really liked the parata, for me It's very similar to naan. The meat samosa was ok, tastes better with plain yoghurt. The restaurant doesn't have forks or knives,only small spoons and it's hard to take the meat out of the bones with a plastic spoon,.. Good luck! ;)
(3)Johnny T.
I was VERY hungry and in the mood for Indian food. A quick search of the Yelps came up with a charming sounding place called Ghareeb Nawaz. Promising. Before I made my mind up, however, I had to consult my Desi council. I sent a text to Preet ("Don't do it homes! You're gonna get shanked!"), Payal ("Umm, are you sure?") and Krsna (no response) and decided that it was the right move! Ordinarily, this tale would be packed with emotion-churning hubris. I would have learned a lesson, tears would be shed, a tertiary character would have met a sad fate, and I would have emerged stronger, wiser and hungrier for the experience. But, what's that? It's a new dawn and new day. This time around, I make the rules and I decide to go with my gut: Ghareeb is teh (yes, teh) awesome. Is it high-end? No. Would you woo/impress a potential underpants shower by a trip here? Depends. Will you be able to eat two meals worth of tasty Indian food for less than $10? Yes. Oh, yes!! And, in these hard times, isn't that all you need to know? I guessed it was authentic when I was one of four non-Desis I spied during my time here. I assumed it was cheap when I couldn't get a seat but for 4536336 college kids pigging out in every.single.booth. I knew it was no longer a scary place when I tripped over two strollers and was forced into my happy place thanks to the wails of unhappy babies/toddlers. I was in the right place. The front counter is a bit confusing. There's lots of pushing and shoving and there doesn't appear to be much of a system. My best advice is to get in where you fit in and be ready with your order. I used my attributes to my advantage (bony elbows and side-eyes of steel) to force my way to the front and ordered biryani rice ($1.99), two samosas ($1), naan ($.50) and chili chicken ($4.99). The clerk took it and moved to the next guy. Ugh! I forgot the lassi. Oh well. There'll be next times. After an appropriate wait (long enough to make me think my food was being freshly prepared but not so long that I got angry), I took my bounty home and feasted. The rice was fragrant and well-prepared. I could have eaten 4 samosas. Each one was packed with a delicious potato puff. Naan is naan (except when it's nasty) and my chili chicken was tasty. The heat index wasn't insane, but there was copious amount of cubed chicken and the spice profile was decent. Indeed, I had enough of all my food choices to warrant making another meal out of them. That's saying a lot when you're as dead sexy as I am. Perhaps I need to request hotter and spicier next time. Yes, there will be a next time. It's 24 hours, y'all.
(4)Gerry X.
Been a long time since I been here. They changed the inside a bit but it looks less divey and a bit nicer. Food was good: goat and lamb briyani. I also got something ( I forgot the name ) that looked like spanakopita or a tiropitaki, but it had ground meat and there was a potato version also. (only 50 cents.) Guy behind the counter was friendly, place was busy, parking was streetside, and it wasn't too difficult to find a spot. (Devon can be one hell of an annoyance though) They have a website also... its ghareebnawazonline.com What I liked about the food was it started what I thought was bland, but then it hits you like a smooth dewars...and the curry taste was a pleasant addition. Bones surprised me but not too bad. Don't forget to get your canned drinks if you ordered them. They have assorted Ice cream (from what I saw) as dessert. Pics soon to follow.
(5)Annie N.
Super cheap food - you can easily spend $20 here for food that would last you couple of days. If you eat in, prepare to spend about $5 to $10 per person for plenty of food. I especially love their naan, roti, and samosa, which runs at 50 cent to $1 a piece. There is also no waiter services, so don't worry about tips. You just order at the counter, wait for your food, and eat at one of the tables. The food comes out pretty fast too, so if you're still hungry, just come up and order more. During my two trips here, I didn't eat in but instead just take the food to go, so I can't comment on the atmosphere, but expect a mix of people. The first time I visited, which was in Jan/Feb, there were tons of regular Indians/Pakistanis grabbing a quick bite. But I saw tons of white and other ethnic couples on my last trip there. Who wouldn't like it here though? It's cheap and delicious! That being said, my experience the first time here was only ok. Like I said, I ordered lots of food to go for dinner, and while the food was really good, my dinning partner, who wasn't used to spicy food, couldn't eat a lot. Also, and I apologize for being straight forward, the spices led to an uncomfortable experience in the bathroom. So after the first time here, I decided to hold off writing a review for this place. It might have been a one time unfortunate event. Perhaps I should have gone with something milder, but I am somewhat of a snob about my tolerant for spicy food. HOWEVER, now that you are forced into reading TMI, I would say that my second trip here was A LOT more pleasant. One night, a friend and I were walking toward the busier part of Devon for dinner. Thanks to the 155 that never showed up, we were both about to faint from the long walk and hunger. So I told him about this spot, and we walked in to get some small bites for the road, i.e. the next 15 mins walk to our dinner spot. He, being somewhat of an expert in Indian/Pakistani food, loved the food and the atmosphere, and insisted that we would come back here again. And after that second visit - I will definitely come back despite the almost one hour commute via train and bus. I'd recommend it to everyone too - places like this don't exist everywhere in Chicago. Also, the meat is Halal, if you are looking for that!
(4)Jenny R.
I knew this was going to be good when I saw how many cabbies were dining there. You get huuuuuge portions here for very cheap prices. They serve the food native style, meaning if it's a dish usually served spicy, it will be SPICY. We get the mango lassi & it cools your palate right down. My favorite dish here is called Frontier Gosht. The best way I can describe it is Indian pot roast. It's so tender, I could cut it with a plastic spoon. The single portion was enough for 2 meals. The naan here is good. Be prepared, this place can get very very busy.
(4)Kenny O.
I've always loved Indian food (and basically anything with lots of spices), so when I found out there was an Indian place open 24 hours a day, I was hooked! Main things about Ghareeb Nawaz: * Open 24/7. * You will be lucky to get a seat before 10pm almost everyday. It gets packed here! * Biryanis are bomb. The boneless chicken one is my go-to. * Two pieces of bread (it's not na'an) for $1 with each meal is a great deal. ALWAYS get this. * Cash only. * Free parking in the back if you find a vacant spot. * CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP prices! It seems like nothing costs more than $5--even when it's over a plate of food! Insane. * With that said, it's good (and amazing for its price), but there are plenty of other places on Devon that you'd go to for better Indian food. TL;DR - Cheap. Good. 24/7.
(4)Vinay K.
This is some place that reminds me of the Dhaba i used to visit during college days. Awesome food at such cheap price, I wonder how they manage it? All the dishes are served hot and very quickly. The best part it its open 24 hours!...U can never go hungry and 2 ppl can have a decent meal of 2 sabzi and naan at $10. u cant beat that! The ambience is totally dhabaish!...plastic chairs, no interiors..only the mud walls are missing!. However I can totally ignore these for the food which takes the trophy!... The best to have are Shiekh kabab and Chilly chicken!... Totally mindblowing! A must for every kabab lovers!
(5)Rebecca J.
Twice in the last week I've had a serious craving for Indian food, but I wasn't looking to spend "dinner out" kind of money. I remembered this place being recommended to me by an Indian friend back when I was a broke grad student. Both times I ordered carry out, and frankly I wouldn't be interested in dining in. McDonalds might have more ambience. But for the price, this is totally satisfactory Indian food. If they charged more, I'd give them fewer stars - the food isn't THAT good - but it's good enough if you like Indian food and aren't too picky and you're feeling cheap like I was. I had both veggie and beef samosas, and the 2nd time the veggie ones had chunks of hot peppers, a little too hot for me. The first time they were so good I ate them all on the ride home and had to tell my husband they were out! We also both really enjoy the butter chicken, though it's true there is a tooooon of sauce and not that much chicken. Buuuuuut for $5 what do you expect? Honestly you can cook up your own chicken breast and enjoy it with all that extra sauce! Anyway, this will be my go-to place when I just want the flavorful kick of Indian without the price tag.
(4)Allen T.
Ghareeb Nawaz, the poor person's food. At least that's what my friend told me what their name meant. On some days, I can finish a plate of biryani; but on others, I gotta take some of it to go. 5 dollars for a lot of biryani is definitely a good deal. I only go here for their cheap biryani. Yes, you can find higher quality biryani somewhere else down Devon, but it's probably twice or three times the price here.
(4)Ron Z.
I won't to Ghareeb Nawaz after a trip to India a couple of years ago and wanted to get authentic food. This place hit the spot. The food made me feel like I was back in Pondicherry. I recommend the chili chicken bryani and the gyro paratha. These have been the staple of many of my trips. The butter chicken is also a favorite. They have really fast service, low prices and will never disappoint.
(5)Sabrina C.
So I ate at this place a month ago....yes the portions are large and yes its sooo cheap. I love indian food...and this is tasty but....(excuse my tmi moment) it left me and my boyfriend running to the bathroom a whole day. What was laxative a secret ingredient in the biryani?
(2)Liz A.
My mom, sister and I decided to make the long journey down to Devon for Indian food. My friends at work had recommended this place so we decided to try it out. I didn't expect anything fancy just good food and cheap prices. You certianly get what you pay for. We ordered and determined the food was good, a bit greasy but nevertheless for the price we paid it was good. At that moment my rating would have been 3 stars. However, before leaving I decided to use the restroom and boy I am glad I did or else I would have returned. I saw two small roaches! Absolutely disgusting and unacceptable, no matter how low your prices are. I withheld this information from my mom and sister until the following day because I was so grossed out I wanted to puke and I didn't want them to feel the same! Needless, to say I will never return.
(1)Gary C.
An Indian restaurant NOT in Little India? Weird. Well, Ghareeb Nawaz is on Devon but just outside of Little India. The place is open late, and if you drive by it on any given night, you'll see a ton of taxi drivers lined up for some cheap grub. And that's not me being stereotypical or anything. It's true. This is the spot for daytime drivers and overnighters looking for a quick and cheap bite. Northsiders alike also head over to Ghareeb Nawaz for some authentic and cheap Indian food. The menu is huge...stupidly huge. AND everything is under $7. One would think that for $7 you're going to get a small plate of crap*. But not here. You'll get a lot of food for your money. There are a number of very spicy dishes. Ask them how spicy some of the things are, because you will get a nice, spicy surprise in your mouth. It's pretty far north for most, but it's definitely worth it. *Rumor as it that you might get a small plate of crap...the next day.
(4)Melinda V.
Wow! When people say cheap food, they mean it! We ordered: Chana Masala Chicken Korma Chili Chicken Naan x2 Samosa x2 Bottled Water x2 Raita Rice and our total was $18. It took me a second to realize she was serious. We had enough food for 2 starving people to eat and take home half for later. We ate there. Not the cleanest, not the dirtiest. Ordered at the counter and the staff wasn't gushingly friendly, but not rude. We waited about 10 minutes or so for our food. The food was pretty good! For the price I was expecting a disaster... Chana masala was more than acceptable, chili chicken was delicious (a few bites into it it tasted like delicious fire...), Korma gravy tasted like cleaning supplies and was oily (the only bummer), rice was good, the raita was plain and a bit runny-tasted fine, naan were amazing and samosas were average. So the korma sucked. I am truly ok with hit or miss food what I can order multiple entrees for the price of one elsewhere... I will gladly try the whole menu. If this place were not so cheap it would be in the 2-3 star range (3.5 for sure if the korma hadn't been pinesol), but at $2.99 for an entree... No complaints here! 24 hours is a sweet deal too!
(4)Sampad D.
Cheap and great food. Ambiance is below average . Con:-They only accept cash. I had to go to nearby ATM to withdraw money to pay the bill.
(3)Cecil S.
This is one of my most favorite Indian food establishments, mainly because it's open 24 hours. Indian food is usually not available 24 hours/day, and I'm pretty sure that this is one of the very few places that is (that I know of) I laugh at all the other reviews commenting on poor service, because that can be solved with a simple phone call and by placing the order by phone. That way you have a good 15-20 minutes to get there, pay, and leave. However, if you don't plan ahead, expect a wait time of roughly 15 minutes (regardless of what you ordered, for the most part). A safe bet that pretty much EVERYONE loves, no matter if you're American OR Indian, is the butter chicken (or 'chicken makhani') and a few pieces of naan, porottha or chapathi (in order of most favorite bread to less favorite). Samosas are also a good go-to appetizer. If you're REALLY craving some food, their menu is pretty big, and you could look at the biryani plates that have a lot of rice and meat. I like this place so much, I plan on bringing my parents here eventually (which they'll love since they're south Indian). They do have plenty of seating area, but expect a pretty middle eastern/late night crowd depending on what time you go. Overall though, the price that they charge for such decent Indian food is what earns them their 5th star. I've been to A LOT of Indian food places and none of them are as convenient, affordable and good quality as Ghareeb Nawaz.
(5)Becky M.
It's all been said already. Get your poor ass to Ghareeb Nawaz and eat like a king. My favorites: Aloo Palak (spicy spinach and potatoes), Chili Chicken (it's bright magenta!), and my staple: Butter Chicken. JUST ORDER IT. You can bring your own metal fork if you're not into eating with a tiny plastic spoon or naan-hands. Check out the fancy new paper take-out menu if you're unfamiliar with the cuisine-- it has helpful descriptions to go along with the often-vague picture menu on the wall.
(5)Jerry D.
Best Indian food in chicago you can get, especially for the price!! My wife's dad, who is Pakistani, took us there and we weren't disappointed. You can have a ton of great food for at least three people for less than 20 bucks. You can't beat this place. Our favs are the red chili chicken, lamb khorma and the potato samosas. The rice and nan is also amazing. You will definitely have leftovers due to he copious amounts of food you get.
(5)Nooruddin G.
Biryani: Goat for nice an spicy and Beef for plain. Enough said! Great place for other Pakistani food. The ambient is not bad and it is much cleaner than what it use to be 2 years ago.
(5)Jenny D.
Butter Chicken and Samosas at 1:30 in the morning?!?! And there's a Mango flavored Sunny D?! Yes, Please. What is going on here? Simple menu on the wall with pictures, just in case you are stumbling in from having a couple drinks with the girls on a week night. What?! Who would do that...?! ::insert sarcasm here:: I kept hearing about this magical Indian spot open 24/7. Usually our only late night drunkie munchies options are Chinatown, Taquerias, or Maxwell's (there's nothing wrong with them.... but change is nice). no thrills no frills, order from the intense man behind the counter... take a seat and wait for them to call out your order. cheap, quick, and delicious. bing bang boom. chicken biryani, butter chicken, a couple samosas, and 2 drinks for all under $20 holler. I'll be baaack. PS. I was warned me not to go into the bathroom, perhaps I should pass along that advice.
(4)Edward C.
Why is this place friggin great? -It's so cheap and it's soooo good -You can come by literally at anytime of the day My personal fave here is an order of the butter chicken. I normally get 2 orders of nhan. My mother, who will not eat Indian food (because it's too savory) finished my butter chicken leftovers without telling me. But to be honest everything on the menu is amazing. The only thing I have ever ordered that I did not enjoy was a Spinach dish. Do yourself a favor, try this place out, and if you like yogurt try the yogurt drink.
(4)Harry B.
It's not often you find authentic Pakastani/Bengali food served this fresh, hot and at such a bargain price. Having just dined ~last night~ at another (high priced) restaurant on the same (Devon) street... I'm sorry i didn't find Ghareeb Nawaz first. I'd have eaten there twice. Beware when you order... low prices might make you assume that the portions are small. That would be your first mistake. I packed back enough food to feed my family of four an additional meal for less than half the price of the ~other~ Indian restaurant. The Chili Chicken was superb. Biryani outstanding. My hard-to-please teen implored me to give the Karahi Chicken five stars. The Naan bread was fantastic. Ambiance ? If you want ~fine dining~ then the high priced Indian restaurant down the street might be your thing. Ghareeb Nawaz was reminiscent of the fine Indian food I enjoyed while traveling in Malaysia. I'n my book it does not get any better than that ! Our five-year-old says " it was really hot, and good, and really nice and spicy !" I'll be back there tomorrow, and the next day. I wish they consider moving near my home in Michigan :^)
(5)Seosamh D.
This place is FABULOUS!!! GREAT food and cheap prices.
(5)M D.
LOVE Chili Gosht and Chili Chicken. They are awesome but crazy spicy, don't order them together. This place is insanely cheap. Ignore the sketchy cafeteria style layout, lack of service, and lack of silverware. Instead focus on stuffing your face and reveling in that fact that you didn't break the bank ordering all that food.
(5)Sylvia E.
Astronomically low prices for phenomenal food. Although the decor and vibe of the actual restaurant is without question more than a little sad, peeling walls, and dirty tables. This is without question a carry-out kind of place, but the food's still so good I'm giving it five stars!
(5)Valerie R.
Yum, yum, YUM! I tried Ghareeb Nawaz for the first time last week (with a friend who is pretty much addicted to their food) and I loved it! I had the veggie paratha and also tried the chick pea one (lots of veggie options!)- both super tasty and you get just the right portion. You'll be full, but not gut--busting full. Annnnnd, everything here is SUPER cheap. You can't get dinner for $3.99 many places, and I can guarantee if you find a place that offers this, the food won't compare to Ghareeb Nawaz.
(4)Becky G.
Amazing food. I had an idea of what I wanted but consulted the menu (pictures on the wall with names and prices) and ordered away. Everything was delicious - so much food for such a great price! Definitely authentic. Very spicy - I don't think you can go wrong here.
(4)Phyllis S.
So, it's ungodly late at night, you are desperately craving Indian food, and you've only got 6 bucks in your wallet.....What are you going to do?!? Easy, hop in the car/bus and go get what you need from Ghareeb Nawaz! As every other reviewer has already mentioned, everything on the menu is under 5$. If it's your first time eating there, and you aren't too familiar with Indian food, be sure to grab a menu from the front desk first, 'cause it explains what's in each dish better than the pictures on the Wall Of Food menu above the cash register. (Also, next time you can order your food over the phone and just run in to pick it up!) Be warned, culinary wusses might find the food to be rather spicy. If you are one of these poor souls, you might want to purchase some Kheer (a rice-pudding-like dish, made with vermicelli noodles). It is yummy and kills the burn. (They've got it on the top shelf of the soda cooler.) The food is super-tasty, nicely spiced and PLENTIFUL. You WILL be taking home leftovers, unless you are REALLY hungry. I had the Chickpea Chicken, some Nan, a samosa and Kheer when I was there last week and thought every dish was outstanding. I also tried one of the drinks made on site, which seemed to be apple juice with lime wedges and mint leaves floating in it. I liked it. Oh, one last thing. This is not a place to bring a date for a quiet evening of conversation, if your goal is impressing them with your sophisticated tastes. The place is nice and clean, but busy, loud and cold in the winter. I'm pretty darn broad-minded, but the chaotic atmosphere was not to my taste for a dine-in experience. Also, FYI, the only parking is on the street, so you may have to park a block or more away. Update 1/29/12: Okay, I've been intrigued by the "Gyros Marsala" for some time. Well today I decided to give it a try, I mean, I like Gyros, I like Marsala. Why not? Turns out, it is really good! (And a bit spicy.) Be aware, if you want to go for for a gyros like-experience, you have to buy a side order of paratha or naan, cause the dish consists of JUST the masala, with some yogurt and raw onion slices.
(4)Sarah M.
In a nutshell I would describe my dish as fresh, healthy, delicious, filling and a bargain! This no doubt applies to everything on the menu. I certainly vouch for the palak daal. The lentils were slow cooked, smashed and turned really creamy, the spinach was plentiful and the spices were just about perfect on the taste and heat scale. The 50cent naan deal helped too - 2 pieces that were bigger than my head! Two meals (1 full, the rest as leftovers) for $3.49! I couldn't believe my luck over the portion size. Polite and efficient owners. I was so busy eating that I didn't look around at the overall ambiance of the place, but with food this great, could you blame me?! I look forward to returning.
(5)Dan M.
Behold, a review because my girl is giving me shit for not reviewing stuff. Hope you enjoy it. I'm tired. Gimme some spicy shit and I'm a bit of alright. Spicy chicken with rice did the trick. I was surprised at how much food you get for five bucks! And here's the kicker, it's fuckin tasty! Plus they have RC cola. How can you go wrong with the RC? You can't so stop bringing it up. Fuck! Leave me alone! Alright, for me there was some bad. No, not the food. The experience. I felt like I was eating in a hospital cafeteria. White walls. Metal trays. Uneven chairs. It's a very odd feeling eating so much awesome food in such a... well, not uncomfortable place... just overtly plain. Will I brave this pedestrian looking place again? Oh hell yes! I would eat there no matter what the decor. It's just great food at a great value. Buy some rugs.
(4)Sonia B.
My family is from Hyderabad, India aka the city that invented Hyderabadi Biryani. So, like millions of other Hyderabadi Indians, we are very snobby about our Biryani, but we have found our native fix in Ghareeb Nawaz. Ghareeb Nawaz has been in my life since I was born, but don't let its sketchy appearance, and creepy old men scare you away. They have some ridiculously good Indian food. I highly, highly recommend any type of Biryani (Beef, Chicken, or Lamb). They are delicious, cheap, and they give you a tonnn of food.They also have some delicious Thalli and Curry dishes, so check those out if you're not in the Biryani mood. I also loved their Haleem Dish ( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ha… ), but sadly I think they may have stopped serving it. BOO. Anyway, I can't say enough good things about their food and quick service, but you should definitely check it out for yourself. All I ask is to turn a blind eye to its crudity, and enjoy some spicy and exotic deliciousness!
(5)Chet M.
Awesome hole in the wall. If you're new to Indian food, just order away. The prices allow you to experiment. Can't go wrong with chicken or lamb biryani or the dal. Never came here at 2am but good to know they're 24/7. Only knock is the man taking orders can be slightly surly and fish curry tasted like brown mustard. Plus I love the name of this joint. If you know and frequent this place, you're a hard core foodie!
(4)J B.
Abso-effling-lutely disgusting. That was not food. That was someone went out to a landfill and harvested rotting scraps, sprinkled some turmeric and salt on it, and threw it in the microwave. The vegetable dish was literally garbage-rotten stale. Don't do what I did and let your half-curiosity half-hunger justify an attempt. I went to save you the misery. Now you don't need to go. Trust me.
(1)Ben M.
Let me reiterate - this is the first five star I have ever given, and it is well deserved. This is an absolute hole in the wall with the best Indian food I have ever had! Together with a friend, we were the only white folks inside, which is usually a good sign. Typically that leads to being ignored and overcharged, but no! They were very nice and patient with us, because we were totally overwhelmed by the menu (get the goat and the chili chicken - although that one is REALLY spicy). For two people, 16 bucks was enough for two dinners and two lunches. This place is a bit out of the way, but if you take into account the cost of a cab there, its about as expensive as Indian food in the loop, only it tastes a lot better. I think if this place made their name more digestible to white folks (I have tried to recommend this place 5 times in person, and never could I remember the name, only the initials), and marketed them self to downtowners, the restaurant would take off. In the mean time, please go visit this restaurant.
(5)Atulya B.
If you are willing to look past the mind-numbing interior, the lackluster ambiance, the dingy restroom, the disinterested (and sometimes missing) wait staff, the idiosyncratic cash only feature, and sometimes (though not often) unclean tables, Ghareeb Nawaz offers a true Pakistani/North-Western Indian culinary experience unlike any other restaurant on Devon Ave. The food here is remarkably and surprisingly good. Oh! And I have to mention that all items on the menu are available at dirt cheap prices.
(4)Theo E.
So I got the butter chicken, naan and two beef samosas, all for 7 bucks. The naan and the butter chicken were both excellent, though the butter chicken could have been spicier for my taste (but I like things *very* spicy). The samosas weren't bad, but they weren't hot. They were also 50¢, so honestly it's hard to complain at that price. While there is better Indian food out there, at this price, I will definitely be coming back!
(4)Rodger W.
Carried out again on my way back to Detroit and was surprised that they are upgrading the surroundings! A flat screen HDTV, new tile, paint and clean windows. The counter has moved and is now fake granite! The fella working the counter said they are negotiating with the Alderman to get a few free short term parking spots in front. That is huge given the impending rape that is coming to the driving public due to the outrageous parking meter contract that King Daily signed. Rest assured though... The food is still dynamite in a foil container. Text on the carryout menu: "$25,000 REWARD For Anybody Who Can Prove That Our Meat Is Not Zabiha Halal" These boys rock...
(5)Pavithra M.
We got carry out from here for dinner last night, motivated by the low prices. We should have stuck with our original idea of Hema's Kitchen, which has the best prawn biryani I have tasted this side of the Atlantic. But...this is not a review of Hema's Kitchen...I wish it were, it would be much easier. Our dinner last night - chicken boti rolls, chappatis and chicken tikka masala. The most common Indian dishes served in Chicago I would think. I cannot imagine how they screwed it up that badly. We started with the rolls - extremely oily, thick parathas wrapped around equally oily, fatty pieces of chicken...not grilled in a tandoor but pan fried (at least it tasted like it was). I took two bites and decided to abandon the effort. Scene Two - chicken tikka masala and chappatis - pieces of chicken in cream of tomato sauce - again very oily and completely lacking in any flavour. The chappatis were thick and rubbery. I have learned to be less picky about Indian/Mughlai food since moving to the US ten years ago..I will mostly eat mediocre food and just enjoy the feeling of nostalgia that washes over me. Not here. This place is definitely not a repeat....i would rather not eat Mughlai food at all.
(1)Daniel C.
This place was super cheap and they did not skimp on the spices! I got 2 naan, 2 meat samosas and chicken korma for $6 even! I'm kind of a baby when it comes to the spice department but I've always had korma and it's been more on the sweet side. Not here! It was on the very edge of too spicy but still delicious. The samosas were really good. I went in for pick up and they had my order out very quickly. This is cash only but there is an atm inside.
(4)Andrew D.
The combination of low price, high quality, and proximity to the Bio-Dome ... perfect. I've left Evil V.'s at all hours and the place is still open - that 3am samosa really hits the spot. A sampling of Chicago Desi's was uniformly effusive. It's a bit brightly lit, don't seve alcohol, and is in no way "cool" - so just set expectations accordingly.
(4)Mike L.
The food is fine. The prices are very reasonable. But the service leaves a lot to be desired. I once waited 25 min. for a $3 item. In a city where you have a multitude of options, my opinion is to try something else.
(2)Mohammed B.
Hello everyone my name is Mohammed Bozai owner of Ghareeb Nawaz restaurant. I wanted to thank everyone for the great reviews. I understand that there are some things that need to be taken care of, the main one being cleanliness. I am currently planning on renovating the entire restaurant. Hopefully this will resolve a lot of the concerns. I have been getting a lot of requests for deliveries so I am happy to announce that Ghareb Nawaz will start delivery very soon. Once again I want to thank everyone for the reviews and would like everyone to keep updating me on how we are doing. Thank You All
(5)Beth B.
It's hard for me to eat Indian food anywhere else these days. Not only is the food authentic, flavorful and delicious, it's CHEAP. Crazy cheap. For $15 you can get 2 entrees, 4 pieces of naan, 2 samosas and 2 drinks. Wowza. I've tried a handful of items on the menu, but usually settle on the lamb biryani. I'd also recommend the chili chicken - be warned, it's v. spicy.
(5)Megan G.
I cannot believe you people didn't tell me about this place sooner. Cheap, delicious Indian food relatively close to my house available late night without the crazy parking situation farther west on Devon? Yelp, you've been holding out on me. Indian food is probably my favorite cuisine, but I typically avoid the Devon restaurants because in general I find the driving/parking situation down there too stressful to deal with. A friend clued me in to this amazing little spot slightly outside the main Devon corridor. Four of us visited for lunch on a Sunday. First off - I was able to easily get parking right down the street. Already, this trip was off to a better start than my Devon adventures tend to be. When I walked in and saw the menu board I could not believe the prices - entrees top out at $4.99 which is about one fifth the prices at the other Devon Indian restaurants. I opted for the palak daal lentils and spinach ($2.99), rice ($1) and naan ($0.50). So lunch was right about $5. You can't go to Burger King for that! With prices this low, I was expecting tiny portions or iffy quality but I was shocked - portions are huge, I could easily have gotten two meals out of my order and my food was delicious. I snagged a bit of the lamb biryani and it was also incredible. Okay, so the atmosphere leaves a little something to be desired - it's pretty much a cafeteria. But the food is so amazing (and amazingly inexpensive) that you won't care.
(4)Harrington p.
I discovered this wonderful restaurant some late night around 1999 and have had a loyal affection for it ever since--so much so that my siblings like to tease me about it! There's something about the atmosphere and flavors that I can only describe as truly special. I can't apologize for being vague and not bombarding you with adjectives......I love the Beatles too but couldn't really tell you why! I have very few favorites of anything but this is definitely my favorite restaurant. I used to make the trip from Oak Park twice a week sometimes. I no longer live in Chicago, but I try to get to Ghareeb Nawaz every time I visit. I could eat their Chicken Biryani and Parathas until the goats come home.
(5)Deborah W.
Omg I love this place. Chili chicken, biriyani, naan or the paratha, tandoori chicken, butter chicken. It is so good and RIDICulously cheap (and for a big cheapskate like me, this is as good as it gets!). I've never eaten there (just takeout) but it always looks busy.
(5)Sifat A.
Cheap, pretty quick, and delicious. I don't think they have any dishes over 5 bucks, but the portions are more than filling.
(4)Malcolm Jamal W.
4 stars for a mountain of tasty food for cheap late at night. -1 star for not having the first two menu items I asked for. After asking "Well, what DO you have then?" I ended up with the chilli chicken biriyani, which was quite spicy and very good. Again, I received a mountainous pile of food which the plate could scarcely contain for $5.50. But the ambiance was shabby, and the raita was a bizarre consistency. I'd love this place if I were drunk and famished at 2am; otherwise, I think I'd go somewhere else like Bismillah's on Ridge nearby.
(3)Hannah E.
OK, usually for me to give five stars, everything on a restaurant's menu has to be equally amazing, but screw it, Ghareeb Nawaz's palak dal and green chile chicken carry it alone. Forget that the goat biryani was only moderately good, rather than out-of-this-world amazing like the other two. Though the rice tasted a little like lemon sink cleaner, they did include giant pre-cracked lamb and goat bones that we could eat the marrow out of with spoons, and that was worth it to me. Yummy. Marrow. Anyway. The palak dal and green chile chicken. How can I describe the wonderfulness of these two dishes? They're not meant to go together, I don't think, but they do, perfectly. The chicken is very, very fresh... fresh enough that describing it that way would immediately come to mind. It's cooked hot and fast and greasy with a spicy slick of green chile sauce, and is just all around unimprovable. Except maybe by dipping it in the fiery, veggie-filled dal, in which you may unearth whole peppers if you're not careful. This dal can be eaten as soup, if you're brave, or scooped up with the buttery, crispy-edged naan that costs something like 50 cents for a huge slab of it. This combination, which easily feeds two people, will run you about $8.50. For $4 per person, I challenge you to find a more well rounded, tastier meal for miles around.
(5)DJ M.
If you want some of the best Indian food in Chicago AND you want it at four in the morning, come to Ghareeb Nawaz. This is where I always get my cravings fixed for Indian food. Portions are large for the price (an entrée is no more than $5). Definitely a must-go in Chicago.
(5)Taranika E.
It was a LONG drive from the Loop. But you can feed 6 children under $15 and have some left over for lunch. They serve an insane amount of rice within their dishes! And they don't skimp on the meat portions. It's a "mom and pop" shop. The flavors must feel like home to a lot of people. On top of it all... it is very clean.
(3)Dmitri G.
Ok, so.... I kept going back there and... realized how greasy the food actually is. Make sure to request when ordering to go easy on the oil, otherwise the meat is swimming in oil, it can get for a lack of a better word disgusting! Also, my friends and I think that the sign outside that reads "egg sandwich 99 cents" is hilarious...
(2)Ian V.
Went here for a late night dinner with a few friends. The place is kind of a haul to get to without a car but I'd say if in the area it's good for a tasty and cheap meal. The setup is 2 areas, the first part has the counter and a large picture menu on the wall that is really helpful for novices, like me, to pick out what to order. the other area is the seating section and there are a good number of tables. When ordering, there's a bit of anarchy because you place your order and there are a bunch of people waiting and things don't come out in the order in which people place them. But I guess that's a good sign since one can figure their stuff is newly made. I ordered the daal, lentil soup, and it was nicely seasoned and a good amount for what i paid. if I had gotten some naan, which i should have, that's a meal right there. but I also ordered the goat biryani. I do enjoy a good goat and this goat was quite tender and came in large amount. It' came with a white sauce that you pour all over it and it helped make the rice more moist and add some extra flavor. For paying less that $10 i got a ton of food, enough for 2 or 3 meals even. Though that didn't stop me from trying the other dishes my friends ordered. the masala was excellent and so was the other briyani my friend had. I think this is a cash only operation, but there's an ATM there. Also there are a bunch of pop's in a fridge that you can grab. I think next time I'll order a lassi cuz I think that was available. Overall this is a great place to get good cheap food at basically any time of the day. I recommend it if one's in the area, but i'm guessing i'd only reach the area by car.
(4)Jonathan W.
OK - this place is awesome. I can't believe how cheap it is for some of the best Pakistani / Indian food I've had in town. I mean this place is CHEAP. I think the most expensive thing they had on the menu was $4.99. You get what you pay for however in terms of ambiance which in my opinion is negative 5 stars. Very crowded, somewhat challenging to get a table. You order from a counter where you also need to awkwardly hover around to wait for the guy to bring your food out and and call it out to you (softly). Fluorescent lights and shitty chairs. The only utensils used are tiny plastic spoons. Water is served from a dirty cooler under the TV and, when it actually has water in it, there are no cups. The toilets look like you need to flush them with a pail. Keep in mind the food is great...great flavors and good spice levels. I love the chili chicken. The biryanis are awesome (I had the goat) and are huge. My friend's hunter beef was fantastic. The veggie thali was only $3.99 and full sized (came with dal, chana masala, some mixed vegetable thing and a spinach dish). Also came with bread rice and raita. The food is so cheap that you think the portions will be small but they are full sized. Only gripe about the food was that it was sort of luke warm. Very friendly staff as well.
(4)Jarret H.
The best place for awesome eats and awesome prices. This place is exactly what your looking for after a hangover or just a craving. Since I moved closer to this place we've been here about 12 times. things to get- Green chili chicken-Chili chicken- The Gyro masala, Dont know what the heck it is but i get it everytime. Absolutely fantastic and the spice is just enough. I recommend this place to everyone.
(4)Wali R.
This place rocks! It is the most unique restaurant model. It is low-priced, quick, and good taste. What else could one want. The look of this place is not that great, but it is not that bad to be honest.
(5)Laila C.
In order of my favorite things to order 1. Chili Chicken: duh. 2. gyros masala: cubes of deliciously flavorful gyro meat 3. Spicy Aloo Masala Curry: big bowl of potato curry, lots of liquid to drown your rice 4. Dal Curry: sometimes I get the spinach, depends on what I'm feeling Depends on my mood... Green chili chicken: very cilantroy and spicy but is a much milder flavor than the other dishes so it can get drowned out. Great if you have a fresh palate and not tainted by other super salty, spicy dishes. Lamb Curry: sometimes I LOVE, sometimes...I don't. Sometimes it's too gamey and becomes hard to handle. The sauce is plentiful and great to mix with the other curries. Butter chicken: again, like the green chili chicken, it's a less explosive than my other favorites but still very good. Lots of sauce, which is always a plus for me. Fish dish: flavorful and good...but I can't eat it as leftovers, too fishy smelling, I dont' want my co-workers to hate me. I tend to favor the Chapatti over the Paratha which is more like a thin roti. The chapatti is more of your traditional naan.
(4)Daniel C.
Great spot for a quick, super cheap lunch. Tons of delicious, quick Pakistani items for dirt cheap prices. My favorite is the Hunter Beef (sort of the Pakistani equivalent of shredded corned beef), which comes with thinly sliced onions, yogurt sauce, and a big piece of naan for $2.99. I would suggest coming here during the day or early evening. They are open SUPER late, but it seems like the B-team is in the kitchen for the late night crowd. The food, while decent, is just not as good as you can get during the day.
(4)Ren N.
I have known this place since they opened in 1996 or '97 (I don't remember exactly the year). They got exptremely popular upfront within probably a month of opening the restaurant..because they served enormous portions..and the food was extremely good (almost home made)..and their prices were unbelievably low. They pretty much with their opening of the restaurant..ushered in the cheap but good eats in the Indian-Paki scene..and since then a lot of copycats have come and gone. And it was started by two Pakistani brothers..who along with their wives used to cook..when they started the restaurant..with barely enough employees. But within a month of word-of-mouth, they got extremely popular. One of the brothers, is still active in the business..I don't know about the other one. But seriously when they started, their most popular dish used to be the chicken and lamb biriyani. They used to serve a heapload of basmati rice flavored with spices and aroma..and a ton of moist succulent meat. I remember the prices for chicken biriyani used to be $3..and the lamb was $4. Insanely cheap, and yet so fulfilling and tasty. And they got popular..because the scene back then were almost of a monopoly of Indian restaurants..west of Western Ave. on Devon..serving not so good Indian food for jacked up prices. And being an Indian myself, I remember those times well. I still love eating over there..and they've introduced some new dishes like chilly chicken biriyani..which is pretty good actually. Gareeb Nawaz and I go back long time! P.S. - Also the tag should be updated to reflect it as a Pakistani restaurant as well.
(5)Jeremy S.
I sometimes get the shakes when I need to get my Ghareeb fix... This restaurant is a gold mine dive operation for the following reasons: -The food is awesome. The Chili Chicken is the money spot. The fire pink coated morsels are quite delectable I like it hot so this is perfect but beware for those with sensitive taste buds, you might be in for a fiery surpise! I have eaten at the Indian Garden, Sabri Niahri, Bismillah and the food quality and taste is just as good or better at Ghareeb. -The prices are absurdly cheap. A huge bowl of chicken and some pieces of nan bread will set you back about $6-$7. Need I say more. -This place is darn authentic. I am usually the only white person in there, things are kinda clean-ish, and everyone is eating with their hands. -Their hours are 8am - 2am... so any normal human being can eat here at anytime. Honestly, I wish I had Ghareeb right now. If it wasn't snowing and the Bears weren't playing I would be consuming the most scrumptious Indian/Pakistani food on Devon Ave. Happy Eating Y'all!
(5)Andrew C.
Wide selection, dirt cheap, vegan friendly, open 24 hours. What more could you ask for.
(5)Hanh B.
For cheap fast late night indian/pakistani food, this is the place to go. It is sooo cheap and so good. You definelty can get full off of 5 dollars at 3am at this place. For being dirt cheap, the food never seems to lose integrity the numerous times i have had it. The inside is nothing to brag about but they are very fast for pick up orders. I would recommend the butter chicken, hunters ghost, mix veggie, beef kabab, and the naans.
(4)Nicole C.
My BF and I moved to West Rogers in June, and Ghareeb was the first restaurant we visited in our new neighborhood. In fact, it was my first Indian restaurant ever. I am a bit of a sissy when it comes to spice, so I had been scared to try Indian due to everyone telling me how spicy it was. Man, am I glad I did. This place is awesome. Yes, the inside isn't much, and yes, most of the time you have to wait a while for your food. But the food is damn good, and, as everyone else has mentioned, damn cheap. Plus it's open 24 hours. How can you go wrong? I will say, the mango lassi here isn't worth ordering. Just get water. Everything I have tried food wise has been good (channa chicken, butter chicken, frontier chicken). Check it out. If you don't like it, who cares, you will only be out ten bucks!
(4)Saira K.
The restaurant's name means "giver to the poor." The huge portions for the low prices are perfect for students and anyone who was wants a great, huge meal for a low price. The biryani is a favorite, but it was a bit spicy for me, but if you love spicy food, you'd enjoy this.
(3)Thomas B.
We went here last night with a Meetup group of about thirty people! The hardest part was choosing among the eighty items on the menu board. After some coaching by people in the know, I selected the Chicken Biryani and a few potato samosas and some naan. The food was excellent with just the right amount of mouth tingling spices. The place was bright, cheerful and packed with locals who have obviously discovered this place. The atmosphere here is nice and comfortable, clean and plenty of space. I just wish they'd give you more than a spoon to eat with. Would it be too much to ask for plastic knives and forks in addition to spoons? Bring your own utensils if you wish to dine in!
(4)Matt T.
Yo....that chili chicken did some damage to my stomach! Ooof, I can usually handle pretty spicy food but this thing was extra extra spicy. Almost to the point I didn't enjoy it. Chicken was tender enough and there was lots of flavor for sure. Paratha bread was good and cheap and the hunter paratha sandwich was really good. Tender chucks of beef. The samosas were not a favorite of mine here so I'd skip these tiny triangles. This place is open 24/7, is cash only and dirt cheap for a lot of food. I'll go back to try some other things. The food is decent, it's not Sabri Nihari. It didn't blow me away but it's not bad by any means. I'll have to update this review with another trip. I will say that if you are carrying out (which I recommend - there are some tables and chairs) call ahead. I waited nearly 30 mins for my order and then they got it wrong. Luckily, the fix was quick. If you've never tried Indian food before, don't go here. You may have stomach pains for days. Get acclimated at Sabri or another nice spot on Devon first - build that resistance up! Do lots of push ups and crunches and then walk your ass in here and get down on some cheap food at 3am.
(3)Stacy C.
Found my new favorite place to eat!! My boyfriend and I LOVE Indian food and we're always excited to find a new place. After a long debate about what we wanted for dinner, and finding every place we wanted to go to was closed or just closing...I searched yelp and found this little gem! As everyone has already stated, and restated, but is oh-so-important, this place is CHEAP! In price only, definitely not in quality. My boyfriend and I ordered 3 dishes, 4 pieces of naan and a desert, it was only $19. Today we got lunch, 2 dishes, 2 naan and desert...$11!! You can't beat the prices and it allows you to try new things guilt-free. So far, I've had Chana Chicken, Butter Chicken, Grilled Chicken, Mutton Daal and deserts Kheer and Double Ka Meetha. Everything I've had has been great. Portions are enough for leftovers. I would say it's pretty spicey but I also consider myself a novice with spicey food, and it wasn't overpowering. Nothing I've had here is the least bit bland. Very good flavor, the meat is all very tender... try it now!! I'm sure they're open! :)
(5)Jordan K.
One of my favorite restaurants in the United States. Nothing over $5.00. Huge portions. Really wonderful and diverse flavors. Open 24-7! Really, the best. 'nuff said.
(5)Jeff B.
I'll be as concise as I can. For $5, you can buy happiness for the better part of a day. Longer, if you save some for leftovers. If you order their biryani plates, this is almost a guarantee. I've been coming here for a long time - on a good day I can walk here. Hell, on a bad day, I'll walk here and it's still worth it. Sure, it has about as much ambiance as a grade school cafeteria, but walk in, close your eyes, and breathe deeply, and you'll likely realize that you don't care. And if you do, then there are plenty of places down the street that offer you beauty and flair while they're charging you $15 for your chicken korma. The only poor experiences I've ever had here were the handful of times they ran out of lamb. In all fairness, all of those times were after 11pm. As fortune would have it, pretty much everything else there has been delicious, so a minor substitution isn't the end of the world. Spice alert: their chili chicken biryani is a little on the flammable side for the light-weights. But if you can handle it, the deliciousness is worth the tingle.
(4)Beth G.
Shortly after Roommate moved in, he started telling me about some place on Devon that is super cheap, super delicious and not too far away. But he didn't remember the name. I had been past this place and wondered if this was the place he was talking about. I now know that it is. 4 years later, and I can say that I have finally tried it and yes, it is all of that. And more. Manfriend and I went here one day when we had time to kill before returning the I-Go car. We didn't have time to dine there, but figured to go would work. We got a stupid amount of food for just under $25. The counter dude could tell we were a bit baffled by the menu and was actually quite helpful. We got the butter chicken, which is my new most favorite thing EVER, and a bunch of other stuff that I don't remember the names of. But it fed us that night and through the next day. It did take a while for them to get all of our food ready. We were getting a little nervous about getting the car back on time. The counter dude who had been so helpful actually saw/ heard our comments about getting the car back on time and told us it was almost ready. I only mention this because our experience seems to be so much better than the norm for the reviews of counter dude. I was impressed with him completely. We were there at an odd time, around 3 pm on a Saturday and it wasn't super busy which might have been part of the reason. We need to go back. Soon. Especially since is actually walkable from our place.
(5)Telugu A.
Food is yummy, very tasty, super authentic and dirt cheap.. It reminded me of the traditional dhabas in India. Parathas are the best. But again you get what you pay for... Service isnt that great and probably because they are so busy.. Always crowded with a mob... They take cash only which is weird... Take out is better than dine-in. If you care less about ambiance than food itself, then I guess you can eat there.
(4)Tuyen T.
Where can I get some butter chicken curry at 2AM? Okay... so that hasn't actually happened, but it's good to know I have the option of getting just that. Ghareeb Nawaz (please don't even ask me to try to pronounce it) is a great place to get some real good, real cheap Indian food. So far, I've tried the butter chicken curry (my favorite), chili chicken, gyro masala (I think that's what it's called. I don't like it, I don't even know if it's meat??), and the chicken biryani. Each of these will cost you no more than $5. Promise. Cash only. ATM available inside the restaurant.
(5)Shirley A.
i love whole in the walls! especially if they come as random as possible...total cabby place but i LOVE the chili chicken here! Also, must try the butter chicken too. Yum!
(4)Ravi P.
VERY CHEAP, OPEN LATE!!! those are the best ways to describe this place. We pick up food from here about once a month when we are craving biryani in the late night. I believe they are open all night. 4 stars only because with the really cheap food, the quality naturally suffers a tad bit, also it looks like a cab headquarters more than a restaurant. But still very worth it!!!
(4)Will I.
Despite Devon Avenue's plethora of quality authentic Indian joints and my discriminating taste for Indian food, this dive remains my favorite for two simple reasons: quality and price. I can gorge myself on a wide selection of delicious Indian food for next to nothing (consult the menu on their website for prices and selection). No item on the menu exceeds $4.99 and most are less than that. Portions are handsome. I challenge anyone to find me a better deal than their $0.99 egg or veggie breakfast paratha (available until noon). The place epitomizes dive and is reminiscent both in terms of the food and atmosphere to the Indian places I grew to love while studying in Malaysia. The counter order, tacky decor, the constant cricket matches on TV, and of course the food comprise a pleasurable, laid back experience. People are always coming in and out, even in the wee hours near closing time, but service is always fast and friendly. I probably spend way too much time at Ghareeb Nawaz, but I certainly do not spend too much money there.
(5)Emily N.
There's a ton of things that I love about being a south sider. There's typically easy parking, good Chicago BBQ joints, cheap bars, the White Sox, tons of taco joints, China Town, and the list goes on. However, not much indian food to be had. Which is precisely why when the boy and myself found ourselves on Devon ave a couple of weeks ago, I demanded that we have indian for dinner. So our journey started at roughly Devon and Ashland. As it was a beautiful day I suggested the we stroll west, as I had no real game plan on where to go. By the time we got to Hoyne, I was getting tired. That's quite a bit of walking for this gal, as I am extremely lazy. So I see this hole in the wall looking joint and figure what the hell. The boy pulls out the handy dandy iphone and checks out the yelp reviews. 4 stars for roughly 90 reviews? Let's do this. After perusing the picture menu board, here's what we decide on. butter chicken with biryani, chili chicken, aloo palak, a couple of samosas, two orders of naan, and two cans of pop (they had Squirt, SCORE!) Everything was absolutely delicious. Now, I'm no indian food expert, but I knows what I likes. And me likey very much. The butter chicken was super moist and the sauce was rich and creamy without the greasiness that sometimes comes along with it. The chili chicken had a great smokey flavor and the rice was amazing. The samosas were pretty good, albeit, not made fresh to order. The giant naan for fifty cents? word. Only thing that I didn't so much care for was the aloo palak. It was alright, I mean I ate it. But I prefer the aloo gobi, of which they were out. *sad face* . All of this grub ran me $21 and some change. For reals. The portions were ginormous! I mean, stuffed my face until I was about to burst, and had plenty left over for another gut busting meal. I will for sure go back. And I'll probably take the red line so that I'm forced to walk. That way I can work up an appetite getting there, and work off some of the calories on the walk back.
(5)Matthew P.
Wow, based on my limited travels on the Indian subcontinent, it doesn't get any more authentic than this. Most Indian restaurants feature spotless white tablecloths, cloth napkins, over-attentive service and a bubbling array of stuff in a buffet. Now, when I was in India I probably could've found places like this in any tourist hotel but I was traveling on a severely restricted budget, so I stuck to local restaurants where I saw actual locals eating. There, often as not, the restaurant featured giant heaps of food served on a tin tray in a scuzzy building full of people watching cricket on T.V. The food would generally not be stunningly good, but it would be packed with spice and exotic flavors (and grease. Lot's of grease). Lo and behold that is exactly what Ghareeb Nawaz is. It is a restaurant transported, brick-by-brick, patron by patron, from Karachi to Chicago. The building is scuzzy, the food is served on tin trays and cricket is on TV. The food isn't great, but it is about as authentic as it gets. There is no cutting down on the spices for the timid, here. What you are eating is exactly what you'd be eating in Pakistan. Embrace it or run like hell, those are your choices.
(3)Amy L.
Steak n' Shake----- Nope! Huck Finns-----Nope! 24 Hour Denny's----- Definitely not! Ghareeb Nawaz----- ***DING DING DING*** WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER! I usually come here in off hours such as midnight or even later. They satisfy my indian cravings and leaves my wallet a little heavier. The way I like it. Nobody like an empty wallet. I usually get the chicken biranyi as well as the lamb curry and chicken makhni. Everything is great and the prices are dirt cheap. Everything on the menu is around $5 give or take. I knocked off one star because the food can be inconsistent at times. Sometimes there will be a lot of lamb in the curry but at other times, there are a measly 3 pieces with a lot of sauce. Not too happy about that, but being about $6-7 bucks, can I really complain? Same thing too about the chicken makhni. Sometimes a lot and sometimes absent. Decor: I heard it really cleaned up since a few years ago. It used to be a hole in the wall that taxi drivers would frequent. The metal trays are reminiscent of prison (not that i've been to prison but if I did, I'm sure I would find those trays). But all and all, definitely a good place to eat at all times of the day! Hopefully next time, I'll luck out and find more lamb pieces on my prison tray!
(4)Hasham Y.
this is the cheapest and dirtiest Pakistani restaurant i have ever been to. It is a real hole in the wall place which serves finger licking food at bargain prices. i had biryani and a paratha roll for under $9. There naans are like 50 cents which gives me compelling enough reason to carry them all the way to California :) I mostly do take outs because of seating environment. i will not mind eating here even if the owner increased the food price as it will still be cheap good food
(4)Eugene K.
The Good: I don't know many places where you can buy a whole meal for $2. The quality of the food was top notch even though it's so cheap. I had the chili chicken briyani, chili gosht (beef), goat korma, 4 samosas, 2 naan, and 2 bottles of water for $20!! During the time we ate I think I heard about 20 orders of chicken briyani go out the door. So when in doubt I'm sure that's a sold buy for $4. The Bad: Located outside of the busy part of Devon. It might not be a bad thing since parking is easy to find, but if you wanted to eat and go walk off your food coma there's nothing really exciting to see that far east. The Ugly: The dining experience wasn't really self explanatory. If you order a curry you do not get rice with it. Lucky for us we ordered naan, but remember you only get what's the picture. Also if you have no clue what any of the Indian dishes are you can only base it based on pictures. There are no descriptions as to how to decipher the menu. This is definitely a place I will be back with friends... Or maybe if I find myself with no money I'll just pan handle for $10 and get myself breakfast, lunch and dinner here. My fellow yelpers, if you want a sampling of Indian fare this is the place to do it. The price will justify your over curiosity and propensity to gorge yourself on food.
(4)Lady D.
Hands down, the best place ever. I LOVE this place. My absolute favorite dish is the chicken korma. How do they get the chicken this tender, I ask myself each and every time. Its a true find in Devon.
(5)abs t.
Ok... So the last several ( and by that I mean about 20. Lol) times that I've been since my last review, the service has really improved. I think it's because they have the younger guy working the counter most of the time. Have I said how good the food is??? And cheeeeeap! Love this place. Yum!
(4)William C.
The best Pakistani food on Devon. The food is really well seasoned and really well priced. You can order a chicken briyani and two paratha to share with two people and you both will be stuffed. Everything else on the menu is great. I love coming for their paratha sandwiches. If you haven't been here you are definitely missing out. It is a little dive-y. It reminds me of a diner. Definitely not a place to go if you are looking for a formal dinner. But if you are in the mood for great food and not worrying about what you are wearing than go for it!
(5)Chibi V.
good food for such cheap price.. i dont think there's any other place where you'd get such a deal. The Chilli chicken biryani could be a bit hotter than norms.. coming from a south indian, take it as a caution. it was too spicy for me to handle, and i have literally lived on spicy food my entire life. not only the food, even the drinks (soda cans) are damn cheap. another plus is that, its open 24/7, I can't think of any other place with Indian/pakistani cuisine that's open 24 hours..!
(5)Yav A.
Huge disappointment!!! After reading so many reviews, I ventured to try Ghareeb Nawaz.The place may have been remodeled but the only appetizing thing are their prices. It is low grade, edible food. Chicken biryani was awful. Gyros paratha tasted like unseasoned meat from a left over mutton dish with sour cream. If you can avoid Ghareeb Nawaz, then you should do so. Looking out for mankind.
(1)nikki s.
After wandering aimlessly around downtown to find good Indian food, I found myself on Devon, the mecca of Indian/Pakistani delights. What a find! The process of ordering and getting your food is a little unorganized but man, is it worth it. People don't come for the atmosphere, ambiance or customer service. They come for the food. In and out --that's it! The place stays busy and both times I've been there, I have ordered Butter Chicken w/their gigantic elephant ear-like naan both times. It beats any butter chicken than I've ever had. When you get that itch for Indian food, the good thing is this place is open 24 hours/7 days a week. Prices are unusually cheap, as a friend and I ordered two meals plus a drink and 2 orders of naan--all for about $16!
(5)Jessica K.
This place actually used to be 10x worse years back. I mean, the seats were worse, the walls were crumbling and there was no light! This is a vast improvement now with that huge t.v. playing soccer and cricket all day. For all the ladies, please do not come in dressed like some ghetto hoochy mama's in the summer as much as it is your right. The cabbies, the regulars and some families are strict Muslims and are offended by the sight of too much flesh. Just saying... The menu is unlike any Indian restaurant on Devon and trust me, I've been eating on Devon for 19 years and it makes me feel really old to say that. Get the gyros paratha and the CHAI TEA. Even in the summer, I'll get the chai tea 'cause it is like no other. So flavorful and with a wonderful finish, I'd gladly burn my tongue impatiently getting to that tea. The front dining area was originally just the men and the back dining room for families and women. Now because of all the tourists and non-regulars coming in, they've integrated the two. Now isn't that progressive? They still yell your order to the kitchen and make no effort to be nice but I bet they'd have to start charging more for that like other places huh?
(4)Ivan L.
As far as I'm concerned, this is the best bang-for-buck Indian/Pakistani restaurant in the entire city. The food is delicious, the portions are generous and the prices are very reasonable. I haven't ordered anything I didn't like yet but my favorite would probably have to be the goat biryani. Fantastic.
(4)Archer B.
This is easily one of the Top Five places to eat on Devon Ave. Green Chili Chicken Biryani is Freakin Hot and Awesome at the Same Time. if you cant handle it then go for regular chicken biryani and order a Baghare Baigan to go with it. Seekh Kebab are not bad either... Hand made chapati is also great. Be Sure to Bring CA$H... they dont take Plastic.
(5)Kathleen D.
Did I move to be near this place? Maybe. I always get sick after I eat here, but I've yet to determine if that's my stomach's unwillingness to deal with my mouth's preferred spice level, the sheer amount of food I consume, or if I actually am being slowly killed. Either way, I will continue to eat here until I am, in fact, dead.
(4)Rebecca P.
I love this place. I eat hear regularly. It's perfect for what it sets out to do. Perfect--that's why 5 stars. It is impossible to spend ore than $5 here on a full day's worth of food. It's open 24 hours, you can see actually vegetables in your meal, and it's not burger king. I haven't eaten meat in years, so I can't comment on that, but it is all halel which friends tell me has a better taste. The food is sometimes greasy. It's cheap, and it's not the worst thing in the world. I usually eat there late at night and find it significantly better and less greasy then... don't know why. I especially love one of the evening guys. He's very attentive when orders are up. "Veggie tali!" (Looks at you, because he remembers who ordered it.) "Veggie Thali, my friend!" I would avoid the samosas. They're not really samosa-like, at least in my opinion. For 50c, I guess it's worth seeing how you like it. At least, the veggie one's are really just potato wrapped in filo, and they're small. It's cash only, by the way. They recently got an ATM in the shop, but it's rarely on. There is a convenience store two doors down with an ATM, but it's not 24hours. This place is sooo good. I think I'll head there now. Oh, by the way, there is a small amount of parking in the back. It's usually not full. I might have saved myself a couple of metered parking hours if I'd known that sooner. There is a lot of non-metered parking around the area, too. Directly in front of the restaurant, however, is metered. Oh, and there menu is excellent. There are pictures of everything, so you can tell what you're getting. ONE MORE THING! Whenever I have been adventurous and ordered anything "Hyperdabad" style, I've been VERY. Disappointed. It just seems like a mashed up whatever-vegetable-you-ordered, but salty and SWIMMING in oil. Like, straight oil. Maybe it's good on rice, I don't know. At least, don't make it your first order. I'm definitely a fan of there masalas, but the Thalis are wonderful because you can sample a whole bunch of things.
(5)Carol K.
If you happened to be spice shopping on Devon stop by Ghareed Nawaz. It's really really good Pakistan and Indian food. Apparently the place is open 7 days a week and 24 hours a day and I imagine it works out for them, there has never been a time where there wasn't a line of people waiting to order, yet you never wait more than 10 minutes for your fresh delicious food. Few reasons why I really enjoy this place, one everything is home made, two it's all super affordable ($10 a person including a drink), third its a no muss no fuss ambiance, four the local Pakistan and Indian families flock there, five the portions are plentiful and options vast. Definitely try it, it's well worth the drive.
(4)Khushnood I.
Don't know why this place is overrated. It's exactly like the name suggests, "GAREEB" meaning poor. I guess the only thing good about this place is that it's open 24/7. There are other restaurants along Devon street that serve much better food. I would not recommend this place to anyone. The only reason I'm giving this place 2 stars is because the quantity of food for the amount paid was a more than what I expected, may be that's why it tasted so horrible.
(2)Megan M.
I used to love this place, but the last 3 times I've gone, the service has been terrible. It wasn't even busy, and I waited about 30 minutes for my food each time. I noticed that people that came after me were getting their food first. I didn't order anything complicated or excessive, so I didn't understand why it took so long. One of the last times I went, I asked where my food was after waiting about 30 minutes. They forgot to put in my order and did not apologize. The last time I went (in December 2012) the cashier was very rude and the food took long again. I had to ask for my mango lassi that I previously ordered. He tried to ring me up for it even though I already paid for it. After I finished eating, I went to the bathroom. There was a bug on the toilet seat so I decided to grab a piece of paper towel to clear off the seat. When I grabbed a piece off the roll, another bug popped out. I ran out of the bathroom and held it until I got home. I will not be going back there again. Their food is tasty and cheap, but after three bad experiences in a row, I give up.
(1)Adam K.
The name 'Ghareeb Nawaz' means poor house. This place is for cab drivers from all over but primarily India / Pakistan who have nothing but their cab to sleep in. The owner does not try to profit from this place. There are cots in the back for them to sleep on and showers for them to shower in. For you assholes to say this place is a 'shit hole' or 'not cool' is fine. It is not intended for you. It is a POOR HOUSE for POOR CAB DRIVERS WITH NO MONEY. If you have a craving for late night Indian food and are in the hood, fine. But don't be loud and annoying, sitting next to you or possibly lying in the back is a guy trying to sleep who works 18 hour days for peanuts to make sure his kids don't starve to death back in India.
(5)Justin H.
HOLY HELL SPICY... I made sure I ordered something that wasn't marked as spicy and it turned my mouth into a ball of fire! To make it worse when I went up to get the mango drink that helps with the fire mouth thing... the guy fulfilled 3 other peoples orders completely before filling the cup for me. So I'm standing there... red faced... tears running down my cheek and the jerk knows I ordered a drink... I stood and waited almost 15 minutes for that drink... But even though it was hella spicy... I really enjoyed the bread dipped in the spiciness...
(3)Linda M.
I haven't been here in about 2 years, had NO idea they remodeled! The menu on the wall was never descriptive, but at least they have pix now. In any case, the food was just as good as it used to be. We both had the meat Thali and ordered a side of aloo gobi an extra paratha and 3 drinks for $18. It was supposed to be a cheapskate night out, but we couldn't help ourselves and ordered some extras. Still not bad though! Perfect spice, although it was alot tamer than I remember. I used to have to blow my nose it was so hot. Maybe it's me? All the meats were tender, the naan was not greasy at all, paratha was good. The aloo gobi was so good I could have just kept eating! I do have one complaint, it was so damned cold in there the paratha and naan got gold really quick! I had to keep my scarf on and my hands were freezing by the middle of the meal. It was really uncomfortable, but the food is so good I doubt it will deter people. What evs, I will continue to eat here. . .
(4)Rod S.
The atmosphere, service, and parking for this place is pretty bad. and its not really a great place to sit down and eat in a relaxing, pleasant atmosphere with waiters waiting on you hand and foot... BUT! If you want GREAT INDIAN FOOD, fast and cheap... there is really very few places better. EVERYTHING on the menu is UNDER $5!! And the portion sizes are HUGE! I barely got through the main dish I ordered (the goat biryani) and our friends had plenty to take home for leftovers. Definitly a place that is great for pick up orders and if you want some good cheap Indian food. The drink selection is just pay per beverage out of a refridgerator (they do have several drink machine concoctions that are types of smoothie). Another great thing about this place is that it is open very late (maybe even all night, although the sign said 2 am), and when locals and cabbies frequent the place... you know it is good. Definitly plan on eating there much more in the future.
(3)John C.
Best nan and paratha period. Very cheap. Open really late, so perfect drunk stop too. All I have left to say is: don't come here, you will slow down the line and process. This place is crowded enough when I come here.
(4)Lee R.
I've been eating here for a couple of years now. It's gone through a lot of changes -- most notably, it now has that sort of glossy outside that most indian restaurants on Devon have. It used to be a real dive looking place, with scuffed floors and scuffed walls that probably hadn't been cleaned up in months. Now, it looks a lot more like a fast food restaurant than the back of someone's house. This place is epic. The veggetable biryani and chana masala are my favorite one-two punch. The chili chicken is delicious, too, and most any paratha will do you fine. What everyone says about portions and cost being wonderful is true.
(5)Angela D.
Oh. My. God. Cheap and delicious. The Veggie Thali is $3.99. Under 4 bucks! Hello! My favorite individual dish is the Dahi Ki Kadi, a yogurt curry concoction with fried pakora floating in the middle. Yum. Add a couple of hot paratha for $1 and I'm in heaven (and well fed for under $5 with a can of ginger ale). Friendly counter staff, utilitarian decor but relatively clean. There's often cricket playing on the widescreen TV, if you're into that kind of thing. If you're like me and value good food for very little $$$ more than "ambiance" or whatever, do yourself a favor and go!
(5)Deepika T.
Whats a girl to do right after redoing the entire living room? Brown-bag lunches and Ghareeb Nawaz, d'uh! This place is C-H-E-A-P. But the food is good too. I love the veggie biryani and the channa-paratha. And the servings are inversely proportional to the amount of money you pay!! Don't forget to have some cash in hand, they don't accept credit cards. But did I mention the place was cheap? Of course, its unpretentious, but clean enough. If you're the type that doesn't go to an eat-out if the interiors aren't straight out of a magazine spread, why don't you try the takeout then! It is definitely worth the try..
(4)Krsna V.
Where do I even begin writing about this place?? This was one of the Indian restaurants (I should not call this place a restaurant but, what the heck) I ate in the first week I moved to Chicago. I have to tell you, the food is pretty good and dirt cheap. My friend and I filled up for $8 and we ate so much that we had a hard time walking. The biryani is the tri colored kind, not really my favorite, but it is OK. The chicken items are good, specially the boti. Naans are 50 cents each and tasty....where else will you find that? All the food looks fresh except for the samosas sitting outside on the counter. I have had various items from here and have always been happy. The Achar Gosht is my favorite along with chicken boti paratha. Just like someone said, do NOT go there if it is your first time trying Indian food. In fact, do not go there if you have a weak heart. The place is not so clean and the crowd is mostly cab drivers and students. It is better to pee in your pants (or a skirt) than visit the bathroom. It is not a place where you take someone for a dine in. Better to get a take out. It is open late, I once got food at 2 AM. I assume this place was shut down before by CDPH for health code violations. I may stop eating there when a dead rat shows up in my plate. Until then, I am going to get the chicken boti. One of the best places to eat cheap Indian/ Pakistani food.
(4)Vijay A.
Pretty good! Biryani, Quantity, price, quality is good on the weekends!
(4)Jay Z.
The place is a bargain and the servings are huge for the price. The menu has lots of options. We have been there 3 times and had biryanis (chicken, goat), curries, paratha, etc. The only thing I can say about the taste is that it is your luck. Once we had great tasting chicken chili biryani. But the same tasted horrible when we ordered it on our next visit. The same goes for other things. The quality of the food was not great (well you cannot expect 5-star quality for the price they offer). But at least I hoped for tasty food which is not the case always. The staff is efficient and polite. The place is not very dirty but then not very clean. The last time I went there I saw a cockroach in the bathroom, and that's the time I decided not to go there again. Overall, if you want bargain priced food and not very specific about the authentic Indian taste or a 5-star restaurant, then you can visit this place.
(3)A O.
Very good food & excellent value for the money. I prefer to get carry out rather than dining there.
(4)Muntaser Q.
This place is pretty decent for the price. It is good food and pretty cheap. I'd go their once in a while, but not everyday.
(4)Susie L.
Obviously not a place to go if you're looking for great service, cleanliness, ambiance, whatever. This place is straight up about the food and the freakishly low prices. It is definitely worth a trip. The biryani dishes are huge and amazing. The aloo palak is so flavorful and spicy, the lentils were on the mild side but a great balance to the spicy dishes. The samosas were crispy and packed with flavor. The chicken dishes are all amazing. They give you tons of rice. I don't think I know any other place where 2 people can feast like royalty for $12. TRY THIS PLACE. And remember it's CASH ONLY!
(4)Saira C.
I think I could eat here every day. Usually picture menus are questionable and best left to McDonalds, but really, it's pretty awesome to point at something random and have it be delicious. Why this place will make your heart beat.... 1. Two people can eat pretty much whatever they want for under $10. 2. I've never ordered something gross, and that's really saying something. 3. The new guy working the counter is more personable than the girl was, but she's pretty solid too. 4. There are always tons of cute children with fancy sandals. 5. Watch some random South Asian sporting event (Cricket, Soccer ect) on the television above that questionable two-way mirror. 6. They have ginger ale, Dr Pepper, aaaaaand RC cola.
(5)Ervin M.
I've seen this restaurant go from cab stand food sanctuary to hipster hell. I've only had the chili chicken so my review is biased. But with all good places you can judge them by the basics, awesome yogurt, paratha and nan made fresh, clean, hospitable, and mighty affordable.Forget all the hype about what you read, this place rocks donkey balls!! To all the hipster demigods, leave this place alone, it is only for the haute coutoure cab generation not your trust fund pockets that relish on cheap eats. effen jerks... Enjoy!
(5)Ambreen K.
Came from Toronto on our 1st ever visit to this amazing city! Had to go to Ghareeb Nawaz coz we r a foodie family for sure;) unbelievable food, ton of stuff and bill came to grand total of $36 for food that lasted 2 days for 8 people!!! Can't wait for our encore trip this summer!
(5)Juan A.
SO i will not say much about this place since everyones said it all... other than you cant beat the high food quality to low cost ratio anywhere else in the city! If you never tried indian/pakistani this place is friendly enough to try it out.. Kudos to the new remodeling it is very nice inside now. Favorite dish Chicken boti piratha ($2.50 and its as big as a typical gyro sandwich) ...although many ppl come for the biryani (rice dish)... you can ask for the food to not be spicy a plus in my book.. overall great establishment hope they venture out again to the skokie... this needs to become a franchise asap!!
(5)Rahul I.
Good Fish Paratha
(4)Jean K.
4 stars: Cheap, good Indian food! I'm not a connoisseur of Indian cuisine, but the food at Ghareeb Nawaz tasted pretty good and seemed authentic to me. What really won me over was the prices - I'd love to go in one day and order everything on the menu. There's a lot of choices and variety on the menu, but even still, I probably wouldn't go broke completely because it's so cheap! We ordered the Chili Gosht (beef), Goat Korma, Chili Chicken Briyani, 4 Samosas, 2 Naan, and 2 bottles of water for $20! And the leftovers fed the both of us for 2 meals! It's self service here and the restaurant is set up like a dingy cafeteria - so good for takeout, but not an ideal place for special occasions. Anyway, I'll be back here for sure!
(4)Dan P.
The first time I cam here was in '06. The place was a shit hole. There were no tiles on the floor, the chairs and tables were all mismatched and there was a giant tv playing old IndoPak music with images of B.Spears that star swiped into other random crap. The food came on prison trays and the silverware was all bent and grimey. I got a glass bottle Fanta with my order and when I opened it, the rim of was covered in rust.... however I was stoned enough to just go ahead with it.... however I promised I would never come back to this dump. Fast forward 5 years. Ghareeb has cleaned up! The interior looks nice, and there is no more cheese dick video on a giant screen playing. The food is good... good only because we're on Devon, the mecca of Indian dining. Super cheap, and really quick it is perfect for a quick bite. I applaud you Ghareeb, but since we are on Devon, I must say, there are better Indian spots.
(3)A E.
I'm a native Detroiter this was my first visit to Ghareeb Nawaz !! My f and I hit up this joint and I would have to say that this is probably overall THE best indian restaurant I have been to in Michigan/Illinois. The decor is very simple: glass door +cashier + tables and chairs (oops did I mention a dispenser for some ice cold h2o) The food: Amazing!! We had: Chili Chicken Biriyani Aloo Masala w/ 2 parata Chili Gosht Parata Kemma (I think thats what it was called) 2 mango lassi (just the way I like it: not too thick) and all of this cost us $20.90 Just a WARNING: the portions are extremely huge so you better have a massive gut or share with a friend. To be honest this place does deserve 5 stars but since I had to wait too long it loses uno star-o ! cons: 1. They do not accept credit/debit cards but they do have an atm in the store. 2. I must modestly admit I am easy on the eyes but I did get a few too many stares from my fellow Indian brothers....just a FYI 3. Don't ask for too many take out boxes..the guy at the cashier desk might ask you to come back tomorrow..well, he did say that to a kid LOL Parking Tip: I would park for free on the side streets !
(4)Nick J.
As a college student, the prices and the amount of delicious food are astounding. If I lived next to Ghareeb Nawaz, I would eat there every day! I got Veggie Biryani for about $2. And I had leftovers! The Chicken Biryani is huge as well! One of my favorite places to eat in Chicago.
(4)Angelo P.
I will never get tired of Ghareeb Nawaz! When I'm poor, Ghareeb Nawaz is always there to take care of me. They may not have some kind of fancy decor and a friendly waiting staff, but what they do have is great food! Dinner for 3 is often cheaper than getting 3 footlongs at Subway and let me tell you, you will be much happier with food at this joint! The eggplant, goat/lamb biryani, and basically any other dish on their menu is simply awesome. I often go in and randomly choose a dish I havent had before, and I always walk out happy. Paratha goes well with every meal here, and I enjoy having a laugh watching Indian television on the LCD screen. You can't beat the price and you can't beat the quality of the food. Definitely worth the visit...come with a group of friends and share all of the dishes in true Desi fashion. You wont be disappointed.
(5)Luis L.
I've been coming here since 2003, but somehow have always forgotten to write a review. This place is absolutely AMAZING. After my very unfortunate experience at Chicago Curry House in the South Loop, I decided that unless I was visiting someone's home, there's no BETTER place for authentic Indian/Pakistani (etc.) food than Devon street. And as far as price, portions, taste, food, quality, and service goes, Ghareeb Nawaz is absolutely TOP NOTCH, CREME DE LA CREME, AMAZING! I've come here countless times, but I RECENTLY visited and ordered one of their sandwiches, which comes wrapped in a paratha. I got a spicy chicken one and my friend got a spicy beef thingy. Although his was better than mine (because his was spicier and I LOVE spicy) both were GREAT. We also split a daal dish, which was tasty, HOT, and delicious. Sure the place doesn't look too clean on the outside, and it barely looks clean inside, but you will neither get sick (as I did when I went to REAGLE BEAGLE downtown) nor be served some FROZEN, half microwaved/half steamed bs (as I was when I went to Chicago Curry House in the South Loop). As far as food and service goes, this place is TOP NOTCH! And the fact that it's cafeteria style (NO TIPPING!) makes the whole experience (if you dine here) more pleasant. I do have one complaint, and ONE thing I'd like to yell at the owners. CLEAN UP YOUR BATHROOMS!!!!!!!!! CLOROX. It works.
(5)David S.
This place is the gem on Devon in Chicago. Its name means "poor man" in Urdu. If you got a couple of bucks, that will do you right. The Gyro-paratha (greek gyro meat, indian spiced) is great, as it the spicy chicken paratha. The Biryani is also good and enough for 3 people to eat for less than $5. There is a Masjid in the back for the cabbies that wait in the long lunch and dinner lines. So listen, this is how it is. Go. It's fantastic. Get two (yes two) parathas. I recommend the gyro-paratha. Get one to go, and one for there. The to go paratha will be wrapped up like a burrito. The one for there is served on a steel plate with everying in little compartments. You really have to experience and enjoy one of each. Its phenomenal.
(5)Chris P.
Holy tits! Devon is a staple when it comes to Indian food, we all know this. Obviously by the plethora of reviews indicating that the prices here are very low, any literate person can conclude that the food is very fucking cheap. I'm not going to rant or rave or even mention the prices again because it seems to be rather redundant. Go here for a very authentic, unadulterated Indian dining experience. It comes complete with your typically hard to understand servers, picture book wall menu, and people putting babies on top of the roof of their car. Yes, yes i get it. That last part doesn't make any goddamn sense but its true.... Indians love to put babies on the roofs of cars. Seriously the food is wonderful..
(4)Dean B.
This dumpy jewel MUST serve more chicken biryani than any place in town, and it's excellent. For $4 you get a huge portion; I sometimes can't finish it, and I'm a big eater! Also try the dals. A single problem -- they only show cricket matches on TV, and the game is incomprehensible without a lengthy explanation that will just go over your head.
(4)Lyubomir S.
The best indian food in Chicago. The butter chicken is amazing. I can eat it till I die... sooo goood !!!
(5)