Crest Hill, we see you
Mediterranean Food Near Crest Hill, Done Right
Crest Hill and Joliet share a border, so when you want Mediterranean food near Crest Hill, IL, we’re a quick hop over. AMBA Mediterranean Grill is at 1522 Illinois Rte 59, and the steak shawarma is waiting.
How Crest Hill folks find us
Crest Hill sits right up against Joliet, and we’re on Route 59 on Joliet’s west side. You’ve got a few ways over. Route 30, which runs through Crest Hill as Plainfield Road, meets Route 59 up in Plainfield. Weber Road starts at Route 30 in Crest Hill and soon crosses Caton Farm Road, and Caton Farm Road crosses Route 59. Pick whichever is closest to home, get to 59, and look for 1522.
Honestly, your phone’s map will sort it out in two seconds. What matters is what you order when you get here. More on that below, and hours are on our visit page.
The order Crest Hill should start with: steak shawarma
Most people walk in thinking chicken. Nothing wrong with that. But if you’re coming from Crest Hill and you’ve never been here, let us push you a little: get the steak shawarma. It’s carved off the spit, so you get those browned, crispy edges with a tender middle, and it soaks up whatever sauce you put on it.
Steak is a $2 upgrade in a bowl, per our in-store menu. Here’s how we’d build it:
- Base: saffron turmeric rice. Golden, fragrant, gluten free.
- Dip: spicy feta. One guest said he’d eat it on a shoe. We get it.
- Protein: steak shawarma.
- Toppings: fire-roasted corn, sumac onions, pickles.
- Drizzle: amba mango sauce. Amba is a tangy, pickled mango sauce. Sweet, sour, a little funky, and great on steak.
A lunch break that actually feels like a break
On a lunch break you’ve got a short window, so we keep it moving. Walk the line, point at what you want, watch it get built. If you want to skip the line entirely, order on our online ordering page and just pick it up.
Hungry enough to go big? The combo upgrade adds fresh-cut fries and a ginger mint lemonade to your bowl for $6 on our in-store menu. The lemonade is house-made and people talk about it more than we expected. Prices can change, so check when you order.
Feeding the office or the crew?
If you’re the one in charge of lunch for a Crest Hill office, shop or team, look at our Party Trays. They’re chicken shawarma or tawook wraps with fresh-cut fries and your choice of dip, $59.99 on our in-store menu, with steak available for $10 more. Tawook, if it’s new to you, is Lebanese-style grilled chicken.
For something bigger, we cater office events with build-your-own bowl bars, so the vegetarian, the gluten-free person and the guy who only eats meat all leave happy. Send us your date and headcount through the catering inquiry form, or call (815) 566-8881.
Who's behind the counter
We’re four Lebanese brothers. Dany is the head chef and cooks from recipes our family has made for generations. Johnny keeps the team grounded. Rabih is always cooking up new ways to make your visit better. Rami keeps it all running, day in and day out. We opened in fall 2021 with one idea from our parents’ kitchen: sharing food is sharing love. Come see for yourself.
“All kinds of flavors going on in my bowl. The hot feta? I think if you put it on a shoe i would still eat it. It was that good.”
Good questions
Asked at the counter.
Is AMBA close to Crest Hill?
Crest Hill borders Joliet, and we’re in Joliet at 1522 Illinois Rte 59. Route 30, Weber Road and Caton Farm Road are all part of how Crest Hill folks get to Route 59. Use your map app for the quickest way from your door.
What is steak shawarma?
Shawarma is meat stacked on a spit and slowly roasted, then carved off in thin slices. Ours comes off the spit right in front of you. In a bowl it’s a $2 upgrade on our in-store menu, and prices can change.
Do you cater offices in Crest Hill?
Yes. We cater office events, family gatherings, weddings and more, including build-your-own bowl bars. Fill out our catering inquiry form or call (815) 566-8881 with your date and headcount.
When are you open?
Monday to Saturday from 10:30am to 8:30pm, and Sunday from 11:30am to 7:30pm.
Is there anything for vegetarians?
Yes. Falafel and roasted veg are vegetarian proteins, and most bases, dips, toppings and drizzles are vegetarian. Try falafel over bulgur and tomato pilaf with roasted red pepper hummus and tahini.
Come hungry. Leave family.
1522 Illinois Rte 59, Joliet. Mon to Sat 10:30am to 8:30pm, Sun 11:30am to 7:30pm.
