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Al-Basha Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Mediterranean Mediterranean [Edit]
11321 Village Sq LnFishers, IN 46038
(317) 578-0040
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11 am - 9 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
14 reviews for Al-Basha Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"Authentic Middle Eastern food." In 4 reviews -
"Hands down the best gyros in the area." In 8 reviews -
"...lamb/beef domathes (stuffed grape leaves) are orgasmic, and..." In 2 reviews
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14 reviews in English
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Review from Casey R.
I have a serious problem! Went back for another Gyros last night, still amazing! I will say it is probably the best Gyros I have ever had! I think the best part about them is that homemade pita (which are for sell) and the meat is not greasy. I spent a bit more time in the market, asked a lot of questions (I have a tendency to do that) VERY friendly staff!
Listed in: Great Ethnic Food Places in…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/19/2012
I feel like a jerk, I have lived in Fishers for 6 years and never been here!!! I wish I would have… Read more »
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Review from Jim F.
Fort Myers, FL
Great place! On Friday they offer a buffet ... Wonderful food & good value.
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Review from Avi K.
Indianapolis, IN
4/21/2011 ROTD 8/27/2011
Al-Basha. Hidden (literally) gem of Fishers, IN. I'm south of it, so I always turn on Easy Street and Allisonville Rd, hooking around the left when I go behind the first row of strip malls, to journey into the back. It's adjacent to India Sizzling (good food!) as well.
I don't even know how I found the place originally. I had gone to Bombay Bazaar for some masalas and what not and mentioned glancing at the 'AL-BASHA' sign between two buildings on the way up. The proprietor went, "Pfah! GYROS!" and I put it from my mind; filing it for later use.
I am a huge fan of the cuisine of North Africa, the Levant, the Near East, and the Middle East. I had heard that the place was a grocery store, so I went with that in mind, hoping to score some pita.
Ladies and gentlemen, they make their pita bread fresh every day and it really shows.
When I first went to the place, it was just two rooms. One side restaurant; one side grocery. Now, it seems they've added a hookah bar and a new room.
Item the First: Grocery
If you're looking for specific Middle Eastern cheeses, exotic spams, THE BEST PICKLES EVER, kegs of olive oil, date cookies (mamouls), tahini, teas, coffee, spices, etc. Their prices on spices are great, a large container of cumin for around 5 bucks. You can't beat that. If you ever need spices, I've always recommended to my friends to go to ethnic groceries, because people actually USE the spices often. The price will reflect that, and not the thimble full of coriander powder for 16.00 at the local Korger.
Item the Second: Restaurant
Not only is everything really cheap and reasonable, but the the presentation is great. I love getting hummus there, because I'll see the delicious moat of olive oil surrounding the center ramparts of some whole garbanzo beans. The lamb/beef domathes (stuffed grape leaves) are orgasmic, and the sandwiches are not only gigantic, but full of flavor. I've ordered pretty much everything on the menu, and I've never been disappointed.
VIGNETTE:
I took some friends there, and I ordered a beef shwarma. I asked for some hot sauce on the side. Our waiter said, "The chef can make it spicy for you. How spicy do you want it?"
I said, "As spicy as you can make it, without destroying the flavor."
Waiter said, "We can do that." and vanished into the back. Minutes later, I heard this come from the kitchen.
"MWUAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
It was the best thing ever. I totally wasn't expecting it, but it was hilarious. I thought that this shwarma was going to come out exactly as I wanted it. The waiter came out and warned me that it was really hot, and then waited to see me take the first bite.
The flavor of the shwarma was preserved, and my mouth was lit on fire. My eyes were tearing, and I was sweating... and smiling throughout the whole thing. Truly, an unparalleled experience! Delicious!
BACK TO REVIEW
I also wanted to point out that there seems to be an ever revolving stable of college kids who are hired to wait at the restaurant. I've never had a bad experience with them, but I see that others have had some different experiences.
Item the Third: Hookah Bar/Buffet/Party Room/Restaurant
This area is still new to me. I know you can rent it out for catered functions, but you can also go in there to smoke some shisha. I can't remember if they ever have a buffet here or not, so please don't quote me on that. I got a hookah here once, and it burned well and tasted great. I believe the flavor we got was some sort of tropical thing!
Hopefully, this helps. I would live here, if I could. It's not often that you encounter a place that is easy on the wallet, flavorful and filling. The grocery store is a must for anyone interested in Mid Eastern cooking. Mario is the gregarious heart and soul of Al-Basha, and a pleasure to speak to. -
Review from Dawn T.
Updated - 2/12/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Still think these are some of the best Gyros in town. I've been ordering them take-away recently. Still yummy goodness.
I was updating my review after last night though to say that they have aquired some new adjacent space and have expanded, so now they have 2 little dining rooms. Based upon their web site, I think the new area may also be a hookah bar in the later evenings.Listed in: Get out of town!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/7/2010
I love the Gyros here. The prices are quite reasonable too. The atmosphere is different as it is… Read more »
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Review from Samuel B.
Indianapolis, IN
Hands down the best gyros in the area. They have a typical mediterranean menu. I really like the tabbouli salad. It is the most authentic tabbouli I have had in Indy. The prices aren't bad either. I think a gyro is around $5
What I like best is they also have a little grocery with a ton of hard to find Lebanese ingredients. They make fresh pita and sell them at the store. I think it is on Thursdays that they have whole wheat pitas too. I definitely recommend this place. -
Review from Ruben L.
6/1/2009
I'd go higher, but from a restaurant stand point, it just don't add up
The wife and I had been meaning to get out here for quite some time. This unassuming restaurant/grocery store is in a little hidden plaza behind CarX on Allisonville. If you blink, you just might miss it.
AMBIENCE- so this place has two entrances; one for the grocery store, and one for the restaurant. As we walked into the restaurant, we saw about 8-10 tables, and a counter. Not a whole lot of decoration, they had a rug hanging on the wall, and the divider was basically one of the aisles of the grocery store. Overall, not that impressive. But hey, as long as they have good food, I could care less.
SERVICE- we sat down, and a guy working there (as well as the grocery store) presented us with some menus. The guy was friendly enough, but was not very responsive, and was often missing for long periods of time (usually because he was helping customers on the other side). We were in no huge rush, but c'mon people. There were two guys there. One should focus on the restaurant, and the other on the grocery store.
MENU- menu looked pretty simple. They had typical appetizers such as hummus, baba ghanouj (sp.), grape leaves, sandwiches (shwarma, gyros, falafel), and a few entrees (gyro plate, shish kabob dinner, etc...). The wife and I weren't starving, so we elected to just get sandwiches. I rocked a gyro and my wife got a chicken shwarma sandwich.
FOOD- my wife's shwarma sandwich was ok. The meat seemed a little dry, but it wasn't too bad. My gyro KICKED A$$. Perhaps I had been waiting a bit too long for my food, and I was that hungry, but they jam packed my gyro with meat, and the tomato and onion worked well with the tahini sauce. My wife took a bite and wished she had gotten the same thing.
GROCERY STORE- might as well kill two birds with one stone. The grocery selection did not seem that vast, but seemed to have your basic middle eastern food needs taken care of.
OVERALL- the food was good, but the wait was long. I think this place would be better served if they weren't a "full service" restaurant. Just let me order my food, and I'll bus my own tray when I'm done. The gyro was REALLY good though. I think ordering out is the way to go with this one.
Celebrity Rating- Rob SchneiderListed in: Naptown Dining
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Review from Chuck C.
Noblesville, IN
8/12/2009
This is a great place to buy spices, breads, and hard to find items. And by the way its a great place to eat also.
Remember to eat well and live well and please no chains! -
Review from Bryan K.
Indianapolis, IN
5/5/2010
I love this place for lunch. The people are really nice and the chance to do some shopping while my to-go order is prepared is perfect. I've only had the gyros there, but, they are so good I can't go there without getting one.
We have a few people in our office who will not go to another place for gyros and I'm starting to get close to that mindset.
In an area that typically has chains, it is refreshing to see authentic ethnic food being served.
Great job, can't wait for my next gyro run! -
Review from Betsy A.
Indianapolis, IN
9/27/2008 1 photo
I read a review about this place in Fishers magazine and was intrigued. I finally made it in for a falafel last week and I cannot wait to return. (My stomach grumbles as I write this)
Marwan, the owner, makes amazing falafel! The house-made pita is stuffed with absolutely huge falafel patties that are crispy on the outside and tender in the middle. I've had way too many overcooked, dried out falafel....not the case here! The sandwich also included sliced tomato, onions, tahini (delish!) and some slices of pickles that defy description...just go there, you'll see what I mean.
I also roamed the groceries at Al-Basha - oh yeah, it's a combo cafe and middle eastern specialty store. I bought some loukoum (Turkish
delight) that was rose-flavored (my favorite) and was very fresh and mmmm.....good! Other purchases included a bag of fresh, made in the store, pita bread and a tub of pistachio halva. Marwan even gave me a brief tour of nearly all things Turkish on the shelves and in the freezers after I mentioned being born in Turkey.
Al-Basha also serves gyros, hummus, baba ghannouj and other middle eastern morsels. Word is that a new, expanded menu is about to be launched....seriously, this place is one of the best-kept secrets in Fishers. Plan to wait in line at lunch time if you want take-out, but it's so worth it! -
Review from Loren H.
Indianapolis, IN
5/25/2011
Best falafel in town and the gyros aren't too shabby either. This isn't complicated food, but it is clearly prepared with pride and care.
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Review from Debra F.
Fishers, IN
2/26/2011
My husband and I have been wanting to try this place as most of the reviews are good, so we decided to get takeout from there tonight. We are terribly disappointed! We ordered the baba ghanoush for an appetizer and the flavor was terrible. The house made pita bread was cold, bland and hard in the center. The meal just went downhill from there. We both had the Greek salad with gyro meat for our entrees. There was more lettuce than anything (iceberg, not romaine), our tomatoes were green in the middle, there were about 2 pieces of cucumber and olives, very little shredded feta, and the meat was dry. Everything about this meal was sub-par and we won't be returning. We like to try different places and love all kinds of ethnic foods, but this place just didn't cut it.
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Review from Robin P.
Indianapolis, IN
7/17/2009
This restaurant is a must-go. Yes, it's in a grocery store, yes it doesn't feel like you're in a fine dining spot, and yes the service isn't stellar...but you're eating in a grocery store for crying out loud - what do you expect! I had the extra spicy gyro and it was delicious. Couldn't have been better. Fries or rice are extra...but at $5.99 it filled me up without the add-ons.
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Review from T M.
Fishers, IN
7/15/2011
Truly disappointing! I've eaten gyros from many places and this by far is the worse. The cucumber sauce was splatted only on top of the meat and the meat under the sauce was not flavored and dry. Then, resting at the very bottom of all of the dry meat was one thick slice of raw onion and one slice of tomato. So, I took one bite of each layer, was extremely disappointed and threw it away. To make matters worse, the fries they serve are just as bad. I don't mind too much that they are obviously frozen fries, but they are cheap, mushy, no-flavored frozen fries.
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Review from Bela F.
Wayne, NJ
4/26/2010 2 photos
Authentic Middle Eastern food. The owner is very nice. Very intimate and friendly. We are regular visitors. Highly recommend this place.
