Off the spit
The Gyro Joliet Keeps Coming Back For
If you’re hunting for a gyro in Joliet, you found the spit. At AMBA we carve it fresh and pile it into a pita, a wrap or a bowl you build yourself, right in front of you.
What is a gyro, anyway?
A gyro is seasoned meat stacked on a tall, slowly turning spit and shaved off in thin slices as the outside browns. The name comes from the Greek word for “turn”, which is exactly what the spit does all day. The edges get crisp, the middle stays juicy, and every slice gets a little of both.
Most people know the gyro from Greek diners, tucked into warm pita with tomato, onion and tzatziki (a cool yogurt and cucumber sauce). We’re four Lebanese brothers, so we serve it the way we like to eat it: generous, with good bread, fresh toppings and a sauce or two you might not have tried yet.
How we serve gyro in Joliet
The gyro is carved from the spit, our produce is chopped every day and our sauces are made in house. You order at the counter and watch your meal come together. Not sure about something? Ask for a taste first. We mean it.
There are three ways to get it:
Ask for extra crispy edges if that’s your thing. We carve to order, so you get it the way you like it, and nobody behind the counter will judge you for asking for more onions.
- Gyro bowl. Pick a base, a dip, gyro as your protein, up to three toppings and a drizzle.
- Gyro pita or wrap. Our signature wraps and pitas come with a spread, three toppings and house sauce.
- Family Feast Meal. Swap in gyro to feed four to six at home.
Building a gyro bowl, step by step
Bowls are where gyro really shows off. Start with saffron turmeric rice, bulgur and tomato pilaf, fresh mixed greens, or half and half. Add a dip like classic hummus or roasted red pepper hummus. Choose gyro. Then up to three toppings, from sumac onions to pickled turnips to crumbled feta.
Finish with one drizzle. Tzatziki is the classic gyro partner. Toum is our whipped Lebanese garlic sauce, strong and fluffy. Amba is a tangy pickled mango sauce, and yes, it shares our name. Harissa brings the heat. The full walkthrough lives on our build your bowl page.
What to pair with your gyro
Make it a combo for +$6 and you get fresh-cut fries plus our house-made ginger mint lemonade (that’s the in-store menu price, and prices can change). If you’d rather have Greek fries, they come tossed in olive oil, seasoning and feta. Save a little room for honey walnut baklava. Our guests keep telling other people to get it, so we’ll just pass that along.
For toppings, try pickled turnips (the bright pink ones), sumac onions and diced tomatoes. Sumac is a tart, lemony red spice that Lebanese cooks put on everything, and it wakes gyro right up.
Can’t decide between gyro and shawarma? Read our shawarma vs gyro breakdown, or just ask the guys on the line for a taste of each.
Ordering gyro for pickup or delivery
Walk in at 1522 Illinois Rte 59 in Joliet, or order online for pickup. We’re also on DoorDash and Uber Eats. Hours are Monday to Saturday 10:30am to 8:30pm and Sunday 11:30am to 7:30pm. Feeding a crowd? The Family Feast Meal with gyro is the easy answer.
“Husband had a gyro that was absolutely loaded with meat. … The baklava was flaky gooey perfection.”
Good questions
Asked at the counter.
What is gyro meat made of?
Gyro is seasoned meat stacked on a vertical spit and sliced thin as it cooks. Recipes vary from place to place, so if you want to know exactly what’s in ours, just ask at the counter and we’ll tell you.
What sauce goes on a gyro?
Tzatziki, the cool yogurt and cucumber sauce, is the classic. At AMBA you can also go with toum, our Lebanese garlic sauce, amba mango sauce, tahini or spicy harissa. Ask to taste a couple before you pick.
Is a gyro the same as shawarma?
They’re cousins, not twins. Both are cooked on a vertical spit and shaved thin, but they use different seasonings and are traditionally served with different sauces. We carve both, so you can try them side by side.
How much is a gyro at AMBA?
Our signature wraps and pitas start at $11, and gyro adds $2. Bowls start at $15. Prices are from our in-store menu and can change.
Can I get a gyro delivered in Joliet?
Yes. We’re on DoorDash and Uber Eats, and you can order online for pickup through our Clover page. Delivery availability depends on those apps and your address.
Come hungry. Leave family.
1522 Illinois Rte 59, Joliet. Mon to Sat 10:30am to 8:30pm, Sun 11:30am to 7:30pm.
