Chickpea Bar & Grill — Restaurant in Michigan City

A year and a half ago this place was GREAT! Portions were huge and matched the price. Quality of everything was also good. I do not share the same opinion now. Now, the quality has gone down, my order is messed up every single time, the portions are incredibly smaller and it is not worth it. I went a month and a half ago with friends and we each got bowls. There’s a ton of different veggies in the bowl and a few of them were missing. I just brushed it off as I do not like to complain. I told myself then that I wouldn’t be back because I cannot bring myself to spend $16 on a salad and I never know what I’m getting because the salad never matches what the menu says it includes. I still decided to give them one more try. However, this will be my last time giving this business my money. I called in my order. I picked it up and brought it back to my job. The two things I asked to not be in my salad, were in my salad and they loaded me on it! When I ordered on the phone I stated multiple times what my order was. The salad was gross and had an odd taste. They AGAIN, did not include a few veggies and the veggies they didn’t include are my favorite and in my opinion, tie the salad together. The Pepperchini in my salad was soft, I spit it out and saw the seeds of the Pepperchini were brown! It was disgusting! After eating this salad I felt completely ill and the next day I am still feeling a bit off and I do not have an appetite. I called and asked if I could have a refund. They said yes, come back when you get off, so I did. When I walked in, I told them I had called a little earlier and I was told I could get a refund. The woman looked appalled and her and the male were arguing with me. I explained to them that I was told over the phone I could get a refund because I do not want my bowl remade. It was such a fuss! They just wanted to argue and when I mentioned how I felt the quality of the food isn’t the same as it was, they got extremely defensive. I will not be returning. They need to bring Pepe back. He was the best and the food was always incredible when he worked there. Not only was the food great, they were always busy! Chickpea just simply is not the sane as it used to be and I recommend saving your money. My co workers also ordered from them last week and their orders were also messed up! I do...

I have been to a few Lebanese styled restaurants and this one is much better than most that I have been to.. even from a couple in Chicago! Everything is FRESH and flavorful. The employees are very nice. I recommend anyone wanting a healthy and tasty meal, and to support a small business to come here! So, I am silly and when I eat something really good..and am alone I do a little happy dance..well...I danced after this meal!

I will also share a bit of unsolicited good intentioned advise to the owner...because I want this business to do well! I happen to like the zaatar spice, some American tastebuds may not like the flavor though.. so consider a tiny bit less... The falafel's were wonderful! Crispy but not burnt on the outside, ..and thank goodness, moist and flavorful on the inside! Many chefs struggle not to dry out falafels! The dolmas/grape leaves were very well spiced- usually I have had very plain tasting ones or ones with too much lemon juice or olive oil, but these are amazing and I wanted more. I was surprised at several whole olives included on the hummus. Olives are expensive so just a couple would be fine unless it is an actual large salad ordered. I don't know if because I came at a not busy time but I was served Very large portions- like more than a cup of of babaganoush and hummus each...I am so grateful though, it is yummy and I have lunch for the next couple days! :) As business grows, half of what I got would be plenty! More cucumber and tabouleh...and I would like to try some more Mediterranean desserts! It is so good! I will be back! Good luck to...

Recently dined at Chickpea, the local Mediterranean joint, and had a bit of a mixed bag experience. The place is a cute, locally-owned spot that offers a decent lunch option in the area.

The waitress was pleasant, although her attention seemed a little divided, spending a good chunk of our meal chatting with a friend on the patio. It would've been nice to see her a bit more engaged with the customers.

Now, the food was definitely a highlight. The menu, though somewhat limited, and with a couple of listed items unavailable, still offered some tasty options. I went for the chicken shawarma and was pleasantly surprised by the generous portion and delicious flavors. My friend's salad looked fresh and appetizing, and we shared some baba ghanoush which I had never had a chance to try. The dip was quite good, a new favorite of mine, though they could definitely balance the pita to dip ratio better.

So, the verdict? Chickpea is a nice little lunch spot with some room for improvement. Despite the service glitches and a few menu hiccups, the food is good enough to warrant a return visit. It's my second time here, and I'm still willing to come back for round three. It's worth supporting local businesses, and with a little tweaking, Chickpea could...