Tizi Melloul

by Crystal L.

I will admit I was a little skeptical about going to Tizi.  Mediterranean food isn't exactly on my top 5 fav list.  I am happy I did though b/c its now in my top 5 =)  The happy hour specials here are absolutely amazing!  I have not found a place that can beat this!$3 martinis$3 steamed mussels$3 hummus/pita breadand possibly more..The martinis are not watered down or diluted in any way.  The steamed mussels are pretty good by itself but the key my friend told me is to order the mussels that are not on special (Fire-roasted Prince Edward Island Mussels), keep the dip and continue ordering the steamed mussels for $3.  Isn't she a genius?

by Lauren F.

A group of 18 came for a friends birthday and the highlights were the atmosphere and service. Our waitress was really accomodating and kept her cool for such a large group. Now onto the food:Apps: The mezze plate was decent. The babaghanoush was kind of bland and had a pasty texture. Ive had better but some people liked it. The feta in filo was really good. The bread they gave with the tapenade sucked...it wasnt totally baked and had no flavor. The mussels were pretty good, they had a spicy flavor and Im not usually a fan but I ate a few. Entrees: In a word-SALT. Although cooked well, the food was so damn salty I needed an IV of water. My friend got the salmon and was tempted to send it back but everyone was half way through so she didnt. The waitress said that they put a salt crust on it which I guess explains it all. To compensate she got her another cocktail on the house and some cous cous to cut it but still she barely touched it. I got the chicken pie with really wasnt a "pie" It comes with one piece of grilled breast (with a salt crust), and then a stew like chicken dish. The flavors and textures were good but it was covered up by the salt. Others got the skirt steak which they received too well done and the unlucky ones who got lamb shank were unhappy with that dish as well...can you guess why? SALTY. I think the only happy camper was my friend who had the Marlin. Totally not worth the high prices..Id go back for drinks and maybe an appetizer because the place is really cool and decorated well, but for sure no dinner next time!

by Karl H.

Big thank you to Tizi Meloul for having the yelp community out and I look forward to having dinner here in the very near future.Drinks were potent and creative.  Sangria had a slight chocolate hint to it that at first caught everyone off guard and then we couldn't get enough of them.  Well enough about our group alcohol problem.Hors d'œuvre were very unique so it you where there looking for you favorites you prob lost out to the people who were loving something new.  By the look of the menu that also is what you would get from your main course.I personally can't wait to get back there and get away from the ordinary..Thanks again

by Bette M.

I try not to review places where everyone and their mom has been.  But given how desolate Tizi was last night (on $3 martini night, nonetheless!) it behooves me to write of the exemplary experience we had.I arrived before my date, waiting at the bar and sipping on a delicious--and surprisingly strong for being on special--peach martini.  I held my book on my lap to catch the light from under the bar lip, which was lined with florescence.  The maitre d' saved my eyes by promptly lending a book light to me, making a comical display of attaching it to my book for me.  My companion arrived, and we and the remainder of my drink were whisked to an outdoor table.  (Yes, I made sure to return the booklight.)I sampled the bread--after a drink, I have a harder time saying no to gluten.  Perfect texture, and the sundried tomato dipping oil words cannot describe.  We split the beet salad--red and white beets served with greens, almonds, feta cheese, and pink peppercorn vinaigrette, creating a perfect balance of tart, peppery, earthy, and sweet.Entrees--asjdfka;fnguaghiy!  The chargrilled tofu comes with a side of grilled asparagus, ratatouille, and mustard sauce.  This should be the new national dish, but don't waste time with my hyperbole--Go.  Try it.  Now.Date had one of the chicken dishes, with a side of mushrooms, peas, and currants served in a nest of crispy noodles, almost too cute to eat.I also tried one of the classic martinis, but it merely reminded me that I should stick with gin instead of vodka.  Personal preference, of course.We ordered dessert, but immediately realized that we were already close to being late for a movie and canceled the order.  Our server was super nice about it.  I still regret skipping that course, because the options were quite promising.  I will update once I've had the sweet stuff.The decor indoors almost made me regret sitting outside.  The bar looks vaguely space age, and the dining area should have a harem sitting in the corner.  Even the restrooms are gorgeous.

by Andrea H.

I had been wanting to eat at Tizi Melloul for quite some time.  We ate in the main dining room.  The atmosphere is very warm and inviting and good people watching if you are seated by the floor to ceiling windows.  I was hoping that the menu would match the unique and exotic ambiance, but sadly, I found it uninspired.  We started with the Tizi Mezze, which was delicious, but unfortunately, the highlight of the meal for me.  I ordered the Traditional Moroccan Pie because it seemed to be the only dish on the menu that I couldn't order at any number of restaurants in the area.  The presentation was not at all like the photo on yelp.  It was sliced up chicken and a separate little dish of the components of the "pie".  I found it to be kind of bland.  Good, but not a standout.  The ice cream selection was unique and good, but I tried three different kinds and they all had a very similar taste.The experience was good, but not great, and I couldn't help but think of the other places I've been to that have done it much better.

by Candyce P.devyn c.Jasmine L.Candice R.

for our regularly scheduled "date night", i decided on a new place to try. i'd read about it quite a bit, and was excited about it, just by looking at the menu.the place we went to wastizi melloul, a moroccan restaurant in the heart of chicago. it's near a lot of other cute, trendy restaurants, like sushi samba rio.our first impression - kinda small... but the decor is just so very-near-authentic, we were blown away. if i didn't look out of the window at the fanny-packed tourists trekking by, i would have thought we were in some faraway land.the place is beautiful, classy, sexy.the food is just the same. we ordered steamed mussels as a starter, which i had read about online, and which our server also recommended. everyone around us was getting them too.they arrived sizzling hot, and the smell... yum! they even smelled spicy and exotic. they mussel shells hold all the seasoning... it's pasted with what must be a mixture of paprika, and masalas, kosher salt? who knows, all i know is that it's delicious. probably the best mussel dish ever. EVER.so you pick the mussels out of the shell, rub it on the shell's seasoning a bit, then dip it in the harissa butter sauce. so so so good!then it was onto the entrees. i ordered the grilled hanger steak, while e got the lamb loin. i am a huge lamb fan, but i wasn't thrilled with this one. e loved it though. and i loved my hanger steak. and i also love that it came with french fries... which i lovingly dipped into the accompanying sauce.dessert was... eh. this is not a dessert place. if you want something yummy, get the fondue from sushi samba rio up the street.our server suggested the poached pineapple brulee. while the brulee'd pineapple slice was delicious, the rice pudding was the blandest i've ever had. it seriously needed sugar, or syrup, or molasses! lol.oh well... due to my lack of interest in my dessert, she could tell i wasn't impressed. but the complimentary champagne was a nice touch.the customer service at this place is just on point. they make sure you're attended to (e.g. it was a busy night, but the*manager*came over to take our orders)... they check back on you at the perfect times... the manager makes rounds to ask about the food and service. at the end of the night, you leave knowing that you're going to visit again, and indulge in those mussels.DO NOT GO!!!!!I had my friends birthday party here on a friday night, 11/13/2009.  The food is mediocre at best and the service was HORRIBLE!!!  The waitress mixed up our credit cards, which I don't know how you can do when there are only two, and charged us the wrong amount.  We called back the next morning to dispute the charges and were told that we had to wait until Tuesday to be refunded.  FOUR DAYS!?  Well guess what?  Still haven't been refunded!!!  I called back, the manager/owner then chewed me out because I got an attitude.  Yea, I'm sorry.  You overcharged my account by a hundred dollars and we tipped your server $60...  Save yourself the headache and money and go some place elseI was really excited to try out Tizi Melloul, especially with all the reviews from fellow Yelpers. However, my night out at this Middle Eastern restaurant wasn't exactly spectacular.My mom, sister, and I ate dinner here tonight to (belatedly) celebrate my birthday. The service was awesome. The maitre'd was very helpful, and prompt, and our server was discrete, while efficient at taking care of refilling our water goblets and clearing out plates and all waitress-y responsiblities.We were ushered into the Crescent Room, I think. The room was a lot smaller than I expected, but very cute. There was only one other person there (we came early, about 6 PM). The room was darkly lit and very quiet. I liked the plushy seat cushions that I could lean against while eating. There are two bathrooms, and the women's is very clean and smells really good. Anyway. The food. The only reason I'm giving this place 3 stars is because of my awesome steak. We ordered the mussels, the steak for me, the vegetable tangine for my sister, and the grilled tofu for my mom. We had complementary goat cheese creme brulee for dessert. OH MAN! My steak was awesome! A healthy dose of goat cheese was slathered on the crispy potato fingerlings, and the perfectly grilled (medium rare) steak was artfully arranged onto delicious pesto and arugula. I seriously wiped my plate clean! That pesto was out of the world! Best steak I've ever had. Ever. My mom really liked her grilled tofu, but I was so-so on it. It had a crust of tandoori or something that didn't really appeal to me. It came with deep-fried green beans which were cool, and the tofu was nestled in a pool of spicy sauce. My sister said it tasted like less-spicy siracha...which is weird. But my mom really liked it. Oh, the vegetable tangine. I had high hopes for you. My sister was really excited about the tangine, because she'd watched The Next Iron Chef on the Food Network and thought it would be like it. Blegh. The rice was mushy, there was no flavor at all, and the vegetables were overcooked. But. The best part of the meal? The goat cheese creme brulee. SO GOOD! I love goat cheese, but my sister and mom aren't great fans, and we all really enjoyed it. The caramelized sugar on top was a bit burnt, but other than that, it was a scrumptious, creamy delight. It came topped with a very tart sorbet that I don't remember what it was, which I personally didn't like, but was gobbled up by my sister and mom.Final verdict? The prices are a little bit high for the quality that came out (except for the mussels. HOLY CRAP! There were like 30 mussels, spicy and yummy, for just $9). I probably won't come back here again, but it was a good experience.I'm bumping them up to three stars just for their customer service. The owner of this joint contacted me and asked if he could refund my money, since we were so dissatisfied with the food. I really appreciate that kind of customer service, especially when the owner made it a point to say that he didn't expect me to change my review. Well, of course I would after that kind of generosity, and my boyfriend and I both agree to give this place another shot, but definitely not the crescent room - we'll try out a couple of drinks and an appetizer at the bar. I was here with my boyfriend on Saturday. I read such great reviews of this restaurant that I was…

by Amanda C.

My experience with this restaurant is only limited, as my boyfriend and I went on Valentine's Day to enjoy their special four-course V-Day meal. So keep that in mind as I write the review.The good: Amazing ambiance. Beautiful, luscious decorations that provide a decadent yet sensual atmosphere. Low-lit candles. This is the perfect place to take a date and feel "in the mood" just by your surroundings. The hostess and maitre were professional and courteous. Valet drivers efficient and non-evasive. Creative cocktails (the cucumber martini was delicious) and good, albeit small, beer selection (try the Turkish Pilsner).The bad: The V-Day dinner consisted of a four course meal, one version with meat and one for vegans. I am a vegetarian, not vegan, but I was more than happy to try the fare. My disappointment: This 'vegan' menu was not thoroughly thought-out and mostly consisted of regular menu items sans meat and cheese. This is not filling, nutritious, nor pleasing to the palette, and I especially don't appreciate paying the same $50 that my boyfriend paid for lamb and seafood for greens on a plate. I appreciate the attempt, but I think doing some homework about vegan diets (i.e. including a proper protein) would have been greatly appreciated. On another note, the 'coat check' could use some improvement.Overall conclusion: This is an excellent date place and would definitely recommend it for omnivores. My boyfriend said he had one of the best meals of his life. Vegans/vegetarians may want to look elsewhere, for the price.

by devyn c.

DO NOT GO!!!!!I had my friends birthday party here on a friday night, 11/13/2009.  The food is mediocre at best and the service was HORRIBLE!!!  The waitress mixed up our credit cards, which I don't know how you can do when there are only two, and charged us the wrong amount.  We called back the next morning to dispute the charges and were told that we had to wait until Tuesday to be refunded.  FOUR DAYS!?  Well guess what?  Still haven't been refunded!!!  I called back, the manager/owner then chewed me out because I got an attitude.  Yea, I'm sorry.  You overcharged my account by a hundred dollars and we tipped your server $60...  Save yourself the headache and money and go some place else

by Erika V.

The best thing about Tizi Melloul is it's atmosphere.  Vibrant colors, exotic decor... this is the place where even a t-shirt jeans girl like me wants to get dressed up.  There are 3 different sections to this restaurant - the main dining room, the Crescent room, and the bar/lounge. The main dining room is perfect for larger parties.  We enjoyed food from the a la carte menu.  The Crescent room is smaller, more intimate, with its own 5-course menu.  Great for smaller groups and couples.  The bar/lounge is also very cool.  I've had cocktails and appetizers at the bar.  I recommend getting the Rockin Moroccan (vodka, lime, mint, soda) and the Fizi Tizi (sparkling wine pomegranate juice).If Sex the City was based in Chicago, the gals would probably go here  :)

by Suzanne E.

Tonight's tapas menu included a fish stew. $3 for a bowl of saffron-suffused fishy treats including soft shell crab?  What is this, 1970? Nicely offset by a very potent $3 martini and a view of the El snaking behind the buildings from the sidewalk terrace (empty of everyone but me, because the bar is admittedly very cool, but it was a lovely night). I'm worried that if more people find out about the $3 martinis and tapas on Mondays and Tuesdays,…