Lemon Tree Mediterranean Grill — Restaurant in Chesterton

Update: I’ve been coming here since 2018. I even left a 5 star review last year right up under this one. My experience has usually always been a good one up until today (3-15-24). I came in fresh off of work to order my usual. I usually come here once sometimes twice out the week. I normally get 3 chicken kabobs w/sides of course. To my surprise, there were no chicken kabobs in the pan. Staff told me I would have to wait 10m. I was extremely hungry, so I asked for a cup of soup. The manager (Netti or Netta) came over to apologize at checkout & mentioned something about a free soup. But she stated, she thought I had a punch card for a free one. I asked, “since I have to wait 10m for the kabobs to get finish cooking, will this small cup of soup be complimentary?” She told me, “No.” I also asked, “not even at a discount rate?” She also said, “no.” I thought that was terrible. I come here once or twice out of every week to purchase the exact same thing all the time. I usually spend $20-$23 depending on who rings me up. And I travel 20m away if I’m coming from work; 25m if I’m coming from home. But you mean to tell me, I can’t even have a complimentary cup of soup due to fault on your behalf? I would’ve even been satisfied if I received the soup at a discounted rate. The chicken kabobs should’ve been up & ready to serve for each & every customer. I should not have to wait 10m for kabobs to get finished cooking. That’s ridiculous! Upper management needs to retrain this manager on customer service, because it’s terrible. You do not have to ever worry about me coming back here. I will take my time & hard worked dollars elsewhere. Somewhere I’m better appreciated.

One year ago…(According to Google)

I come to this place a lot and it is so delicious to me. The staff is nice and friendly. The food is great and very healthy. I’m absolutely in love with their carrot salad. When they ask me my two sides, I always get the carrot salad for both. Yum!!! A large bowl with the chicken kabobs are my go to with extra garlic sauce & feta cheese. Keep up the...

I happen to be driving back from Michigan and was really hungry and didn't want to have to veer off the highway too far. This place popped up. It was literally 2 minutes off the highway in a pretty busy area across from a Starbucks. They had a pretty decent sized parking lot. Had no issues. Parking went inside and the area was inviting. I listened to two of the people order ahead of me but I have only been to a Mediterranean restaurant once so I was trying to familiarize myself with the options. It is set up very similar to a Chipotle or subway where you pick your toppings and your proteins as you go along. The lady who helped me was super nice and very patient. She had no problems explaining things that I was a little unclear on and she made the bowl for myself and my daughter with ease and very quickly.

I got a kids rice bowl and a chicken shawarma rice bowl with the carrot salad and the couscous side. The food was so good. I completely forgot I had a pita that came with it until I had less than half the bowl left lol The pita was nice and warm and the rice bowl tasted just as good inside of the pita as it did by itself. I had the tomato rosemary and tahini sauce and both are really good but I did prefer the tomato rosemary on the chicken and rice while the tahini sauce on the cucumbers and the sides. I also got a falafel and it was tasty and warm because they came right out of the fryer.

All in all I would definitely recommend this place. The service was fast, they were very nice and it's in a good location. The people in front of me did sit down to eat so I guess that is the norm but seeing as though I was still 40 minutes from home I took my food to go and enjoyed...

1st- Rude employees & refusal to explain the meals. (If they had, I'd have left without ordering.) The employee demanded I tell her what I wanted, although she wasn't still long enough to make the food. She was bouncing around to this & that then assumed my son was a separate person ordering and said he is going ahead of me. I said that's fine, we are together, and that irritated her more.

Next came something more unexpected misleading menu

2nd- EXTREMELY TINY PORTIONS & beware the "2 side choices" are NOT sides. They are (in the employee's words and in all actuality) only a "half scoop" portion of the choice put inside whatever you're getting. ----That's not a SIDE. ----

(Size of the 1/2 scoop equals - 1/8 to a 1/4 cup MAX)

My son received 5 tiny pieces of chicken for $14.00. Ludicrous!!!!!!

3rd- I've had Mediterranean food across the US and this place isn't even on my radar for another visit. Food was bland and just meh, but to top it off, overall, everything was a tiny portion for the price, especially the protein.

Won't return for 3 reasons.

Also, (restaurant was not busy) it took almost 20 min to order with 2 separate individuals ahead of us. Too much running & bouncing around with nothing being completed.

Fast food would have...