Shawarma Near Romeoville, Carved to Order

From Romeoville to the spit

I-55 runs right through Romeoville, with interchanges at Weber Road and Route 53. Head south on I-55 past Joliet and get off at Route 59. Route 59 starts at that interchange and runs north, so turn onto 59 and you’re on our road. We’re at 1522 Illinois Rte 59.

That makes us an easy stop on the drive home if you commute on I-55. Weber Road is another option if you’re already on it, since it runs south out of the Romeoville area to Crest Hill, right next to Joliet. For hours and details, see our visit page.

What is shawarma, and how do we make it?

Shawarma is meat stacked high on a vertical spit and slowly roasted as it turns. As the outside browns, it gets shaved off in thin slices. That’s how you get crispy edges and a juicy middle in the same bite. It’s a street food staple across Lebanon and the whole region, and it’s what we grew up eating.

At AMBA, our meat is carved from the spit, our produce is chopped every day and our sauces are made in house. We’re four Lebanese brothers, and our head chef Dany cooks from recipes our family has made for generations. You watch your order get built at the counter, start to finish.

Chicken, steak, or tawook?

People ask us this one a lot. Here’s the honest breakdown:

Our advice: tell whoever is on the line what you usually like, spicy or mild, rich or light, and we’ll point you to a meat and a sauce. That’s half the fun of building it in front of you.

• Chicken shawarma. Off the spit, tender, generous. The one most people fall for first.
• Steak shawarma. Also off the spit, richer and beefier. A $2 upgrade in a bowl.
• Tawook. Not shawarma, technically. It’s Lebanese-style grilled chicken, so the flavor comes from the grill, not the spit.
• Can’t decide? Ask for a taste. We’ll let you try the meats before you pick.

The Romeoville starter order

First visit? Get a chicken shawarma bowl and do it like this. Saffron turmeric rice for the base. Classic hummus for the dip. Chicken shawarma. Pickled turnips, tomato and cucumber salad, and red cabbage slaw on top. Then toum for the drizzle. Toum is a Lebanese garlic sauce, white and fluffy and very, very garlicky. It’s the classic partner for chicken shawarma. Start your bowl on our build-your-own bowl page if you want to plan ahead.

Rather eat it in your hand? The signature wraps and pitas come with a spread, three toppings and house sauce. On our in-store menu they’re $11, plus $2 for chicken or $3 for steak. Prices can change, so check when you order.

Order ahead, skip the wait

If you’re grabbing dinner on the way home from work, order on our online ordering page before you leave Romeoville. By the time you get here, it’s bagged and ready. You can also call us at (815) 566-8881.

We’re on DoorDash and Uber Eats too. Whether they cover your Romeoville address is up to the app, so check there.