Restaurant

MEDI Kitchen + Cocktail

Name: MEDI Kitchen + Cocktail
Address: 2138 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL, 60614, US
Price range: $$

MEDI Kitchen + Cocktail is one of the best mediterranean restaurants in Chicago for date night, especially if you want a strong option in Chicago.

Editorial review updated•Jul 28, 2026

On North Halsted in Lincoln Park, MEDI Kitchen + Cocktail is doing something more personal than the city's usual riff on Mediterranean — it's drawing directly from the family recipes of Helen and Hermiz Younan, who immigrated from Lebanon and built a menu rooted in that inheritance rather than in trend-chasing. The shareable-plate format isn't a gimmick here; it reflects how this food is meant to be eaten, passed around a table, in a room dressed in Middle Eastern-inspired decor softened by contemporary touches. At a mid-range price point on one of Chicago's more reliably romantic stretches, this is a room that earns its keep as much by atmosphere as by ambition — though the two are genuinely in conversation. The dishes diners return to are the ones with real lineage. The Baba Ganoush is the entry point regulars cite most — described across reviews as "phenomenal," which in this context means a kitchen that's working from a recipe with conviction rather than assembly. The Chicken Shish Tawook, a Lebanese marinated-and-grilled skewer, is consistently flagged as the plate not to skip — the kind of dish where the gap between a good version and a great one is narrow but decisive, and by all accounts MEDI lands on the right side of it. Save room for the Kunafah: the shredded-pastry-and-cheese dessert, drenched in rosewater syrup, is the dish that closes tables on a high note and keeps showing up in diner commentary unprompted. The move here is to anchor the table with the Baba Ganoush and build around it — mezze before the skewers, Kunafah to close. This is not a solo-dinner destination; the shareable format rewards groups of three or four who want to cover the menu properly. Reservations are available via OpenTable; given the room's scale and Lincoln Park foot traffic, booking ahead for weekend evenings is the practical call.

Sophie Laurent, Food Editor

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Taste Score 7.9/10

Rating (Google) 9.2

713 reviews

Chicago

At a glance

The fastest read on whether this place fits tonight.

7.9/10

Taste Score

Google 9.2 from 713 reviews

Best for

date night

Price and pace

Moderate spend

Neighborhood

Chicago | 2138 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60614, USA

Price

Moderate spend

Taste Score

7.9/10

Address

Chicago | 2138 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60614, USA

Inside the restaurant

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Menu and ordering

MEDI Kitchen + Cocktail menu: what to order

Start with the dishes below, drawn from the restaurant details and TastyPals notes available on this page. MEDI Kitchen + Cocktail is listed in the Moderate spend price range. Menus, availability, and prices can change, so confirm current details before visiting.

Baba Ganoush

Chicken Shish Tawook

Kunafah

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Why go

What makes MEDI Kitchen + Cocktail worth the move

MEDI Kitchen + Cocktail looks like a good night-out option in Chicago because it reads polished without feeling overly formal. Baba Ganoush and Chicken Shish Tawook also give you a decent sense of the menu. It also holds a 9.2 rating across 713 Google reviews.

What to know fast

Public rating

9.2 from 713 Google reviews

Best for

date night

Style

Mediterranean in Chicago

Spend

Moderate spend

Best for

date night

Know before you go

Google rating: 9.2 from 713 reviews

Price point: $$

Popular dishes: Baba Ganoush, Chicken Shish Tawook, Kunafah

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TastyPals Reviews

What diners are saying

0 diner reviews · reviewed by Sophie Laurent for MEDI Kitchen + Cocktail

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Google snapshot

9.2 from 713 reviews

TastyPals notes

Editorial review by Sophie Laurent

No diner notes for MEDI Kitchen + Cocktail yet.

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Plan the visit

Quick details

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Address: 2138 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60614, USA
Price: $$
TastyPals score: 7.9/10
Google rating: 9.2 (713 reviews)
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Neighborhood: Chicago

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Frequently asked questions

What cuisine does MEDI Kitchen + Cocktail serve?

MEDI Kitchen + Cocktail is a Mediterranean restaurant located in Chicago, Chicago. On North Halsted in Lincoln Park, MEDI Kitchen + Cocktail is doing something more personal than the city's usual riff on Mediterranean — it's drawing directly from the family recipes of Helen and Hermiz Younan, who immigrated from Lebanon and built a menu rooted in that inheritance rather than in trend-chasing.

What is MEDI Kitchen + Cocktail best for?

MEDI Kitchen + Cocktail is best for date night. MEDI Kitchen + Cocktail looks like a good night-out option in Chicago because it reads polished without feeling overly formal. Baba Ganoush and Chicken Shish Tawook also give you a decent sense of the menu. It also holds a 9.2 rating across 713 Google reviews.

How much does it cost to eat at MEDI Kitchen + Cocktail?

MEDI Kitchen + Cocktail is in the Moderate spend price range ($$). Google rating: 9.2 from 713 reviews

What should I order at MEDI Kitchen + Cocktail?

Start with Baba Ganoush, Chicken Shish Tawook and Kunafah. These dishes are shown from TastyPals notes or restaurant data on this page.

Is MEDI Kitchen + Cocktail worth visiting?

MEDI Kitchen + Cocktail holds a 9.2 Google rating from 713 reviews. MEDI Kitchen + Cocktail looks like a good night-out option in Chicago because it reads polished without feeling overly formal. Baba Ganoush and Chicken Shish Tawook also give you a decent sense of the menu. It also holds a 9.2 rating across 713 Google reviews.

Where is MEDI Kitchen + Cocktail located?

MEDI Kitchen + Cocktail is located at 2138 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60614, USA. Directions are available via Google Maps.

Is MEDI Kitchen + Cocktail good for a date night?

Yes — MEDI Kitchen + Cocktail is tagged for date night dining. MEDI Kitchen + Cocktail looks like a good night-out option in Chicago because it reads polished without feeling overly formal. Baba Ganoush and Chicken Shish Tawook also give you a decent sense of the menu. It also holds a 9.2 rating across 713 Google reviews.

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