Sultan's Market

What a disappointment!! So I would have given only 2 stars, but their falafel alone is redeeming them (on price, serving size, and taste, a winning trifecta).

Was super excited when sultans opened up, as my other favorite middle eastern place down on Armitage and Humboldt has amazing everything (kebabs, schwarma, rice, baba, soup, and fries even)... except for their falafel. Decided to try out a few of the things here and see how it compares. We got pickup, and there was legit about 8 min from pickup to sitting down to eat in my apartment (so i don’t want to hear any excuses about it being different when it’s fresh).

The meat (chicken on my platter, mixed meats on my roommates) was soooo dry and rubbery. I actually took two bites and said I can’t do this anymore. The rice was meh on as well, and only had a few veggies (mostly peas) sprinkled throughout. The hummus tasted processed like it came out of a plastic container, not fresh at all- and so bland as well! You could have convinced me it was mashed potatoes if i was blind folded. The baba was okay, but overpoweringly smoky with tons of green (parsley maybe) overpowering it. After sitting in my fridge for a week, while I tried to work up the desire to ease my guilt and finish even a little more of my platter, I literally ended up throwing away (something I almost NEVER do).

Redeeming items: the falafel was HUGE- and at 50 cents a pop a great deal. Didnt get a pic bc I was so hungry and devoured them so quickly. Dipping sauce was pretty decent too, and the pita was nice and fluffy when it was fresh....But literally, that was it!! I might be back to grab some falafel at some point, but that’s as much as I’m willing to trust from this place.

If you are from Chicago, you know Sultan’s is well established because of the consistency, quality, and customer service. Once you experience this type of care, you cannot settle for anything less. Get after it my friends:)

By far the best fresh hummus in the region. Very good falafels too when piping hot.