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Albasha Greek & Lebanese Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants Middle Eastern Restaurants Greek Restaurants Mediterranean Middle Eastern, Greek, Mediterranean [Edit]
2561 Citiplace CourtBaton Rouge, LA 70808
(225) 216-1444
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
35 reviews for Albasha Greek & Lebanese Restaurant
Review Highlights
"I highly reccommend the chicken shwarma, and any of the..."
(in 4 reviews)
"The best stuffed grape leaves (never mushy), feta salad and..."
(in 3 reviews)
"Best Mediterranean food in the city."
(in 3 reviews)
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35 reviews in English
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Review from Anne Marie B.
Baton Rouge, LA
12/13/2011
Hands down, my favorite Greek/Lebanese restaurant in Baton Rouge. Though we've tried almost everything on the menu, my husband and I usually get the Meza for Two. The Meza includes each of the most popular appetizers and a healthy portion of the Chicken Shwarma, Gyros, and Rice Pilaf. It also comes with a Feta Cheese Salad as a starter. The main meal is served with Hummos, Baba Ghanouj, Kibbi, Falafel, Meat-stuffed Grape Leaves, and Cabbage rolls. The hummos and baba ghanouj are pretty standard, the kibbis are awesome, the falafel are yummy (if a little small), the grape leaves are quite tasty (though not hand made), and the cabbage rolls are really good (pretty sure they're hand rolled.) The feta salad is amazing... perfectly seasoned with a good amount of feta. The chicken shwarma is tender and juicy (I find it gets dried out at other places in town) and the gyros meat is very tasty, as well. The tzatziki sauce (cucumber dressing) is out of this world. We always have leftovers and I always bring home all of the leftover tzatziki. I usually order the spinach pie (spanikopita) appetizer as well.... never been disappointed in this spinach-y, filo-dough wonder! I also can't forget to mention the Lebanese tea... it's to die for! You must try it at least once!
The lamb shank is also quite good, their red fish is quite tasty, the kabobs are always good. The moussaka is the only thing on the menu that I have not enjoyed. I found that there was too much meat in the dish; It was over 75% meat. Some might enjoy this, but it was not to my liking.
Their desserts are also worth trying. The tiramisu and the ashta are both very tasty....
Again, this is certainly our favorite Greek/Lebanese restaurant, if not our favorite over all other restaurants. It's got some pretty stiff competition. But if it tells you anyhing at all, rather than go to a fancy restaurant on our last anniversary, my husband and I went to Albasha. It's a guaranteed good dining experience. -
Review from Ethan J.
Lafayette, LA
1/15/2012
Ordered two plates , one was a combo chicken and gyro and second was shish kebob. the only thing that had any flavor was the hummus and the worst part about the plates was the rice, even the pita bread tasted like cardboard. The whole meal was horrible and for $39 rip off
save your money please ;-) -
Review from Cul A.
New Orleans, LA
1/29/2012 1 Check-in Here
Humus was average. Lamb and chicken good. Rice was average. Bread was poor. Poor beer selection. Bathrooms average, but used water as soap in dispensers. Server was friendly but they had big sections so we did not get a lot of attention.
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Review from Steve K.
Durango, CO
1/12/2012
We found Albasha here on Yelp.. We were driving through Baton Rouge. We took the advice of several reviewers and ordered the Meza. WOW! Flavors explode off the plates, starting with the Feta salad. The Baba Ganousj is as exceptional as it is unique. Same for the hummus. Don't expect to complement your meal with a fine wine, but we had a half carafe of Chianti that was at least palatable for the modest $9 price. Service was good too... Efficient. Overall a great dining experience for small money!
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Review from Jeryn B.
Pascagoula, MS
12/26/2011
My husband took me here when we were dating 2 years ago...it was my first time eating Greek...& I'm hooked! We live almost 3 hours from here...& we try to make a visit every couple of months. We normally get a big combination plate & we're never disappointed!
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Review from SW L.
Baton Rouge, LA
12/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is our go-to Middle Eastern restaurant in a city crowded with choices. We always start with Fried Cheese. We usually get the Chicken Shawarma Fatoush Salad, but our new favorite entree is the Lamb Chops.
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Review from Bobby B.
New Orleans, LA
7/16/2011
Thank you Albasha for saving us after we made the mistake of eating somewhere else on our rare Baton Rouge trips. We wanted to try something new since every time we go to Baton Rouge, we eat at Albgasha. BIG mistake. We ended upwalking out of the other place and running right back to you. My lamb shank was tender and perfectly prepared over a ton of beautifully prepared rice, a large side salad, amazing falafels and great hummus.
The girly's Moussaka was amazing too.
SO again, we are very sorry we went somewhere else and we WILL be back.
p.s. Open a location in New Orleans, please. -
Review from Ben N.
4/12/2011
For basic and dependable Mediterranean food in nicer-than-average surroundings, the Baton Rouge-based mini-chain Albasha is a good bet.
This Albasha location is in a sprawling shopping area plagued by snarls of traffic, but it's worth navigating to if you're in the older part of town. The lunch menu includes humongous portions, at reasonable prices ($7-11?), of typical Med fare like shawarma, kebabs, and gyros; most of these plates come with hummus and a nice salad with feta cheese (and a little too much of a rather heavy dressing). My lamb was slightly overcooked, but still decent. The restaurant is comfortable and well-appointed, with a rather officious atmosphere at lunchtime that seems to suit the business folks who make up much of the crowd at that time of day.
From what I recall of an evening meal a couple of years back, the food was a little better, the lights were lower, and the atmosphere was accordingly a little more relaxed and enjoyable. -
Review from Beth A.
Plano, TX
11/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
Excellent service, food is classic.
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Review from Cindy T.
12/6/2010
I ordered the Chicken Schwarma Plate and it came in pretty big portions! I was excited when it came out because it looked so delicious! However, I was disappointed with it because the chicken was dry.
However, my friends ordered the Lamb Shank and they said it was amazing! A little gamey but overall it was really tender.
The atmosphere was really nice, similar to Serops. I'll come back here again to try their other dishes, but if it fails again, I'm going to Serops. -
Review from Toe H.
Grand Rapids, MI
2/3/2011
I'm in BR from Michigan on business and I wasn't expecting to get good greek/lebanese food, but I was wrong.
On the whole the food was good. Side salad was good, shameful beer selection, hummus awesome, pita lame and the falafel was decent (a little burned). I had the lamb shank for my entree, and it was THE SHIT! The meat fell off the bone with nothing more than a dirty look onto a bed of pleasantly seasoned rice pilaf. Not sure what the seasoning was, but the rice was able to play nice with the meat. I will sing the praises of Albasha's lamb shank to all.
The service, however, sucked butt. I didn't get asked for another beer until my meal was over and I was her only guest at the time. My waitress was a shade above inattentive, but the food came quick. Another waitress spent more time on her phone than working. Another looked like a sweet southern bell, but swore like a sailor (which I'm actually kind of ok with).
I would recommend this place to a friend, but I would tell this friend to, "Get you some Lamb Shank to go!" -
Review from corey G.
2/11/2010 1 photo
Now, "wow". I love Albasha. I've been here several times while visiting the Baton which is Rouge. I love Mediterranean cuisine, and Albasha serves it in full force with no punches pulled.
First things first, our server was the bomb! She was very nice, welcoming, and totally made our fairly large group feel at home. Dang, I just wish I caught her name, because she definitely deserves props for handling a table of science nerds! ;)
I'm easy. I'm easy when it comes to Greek food. I can totally go with the masses and take nibbles from everyone else's plate like a big ole mouse. Ultimately, I jumped in with two others and we ordered the gargantuan Alabasha's Meza (serves 3). What a freakin' deal. Here's what we got:
-Platter of Feta Cheese Salad
-Hummos
-Baba Ghanouj
-Kibbi
-Falafel
-Rice
-Grape Leaves
-Cabbage Rolls
-Combination of Chicken Shwarma and Gyros
**it's ok, you can wipe the slobber from your mouth---I won't stare (for too long)**
Everything was soooooo good, and I swear I had dreams about sleeping in a bed of all this tasty goodness for the next two nights. Needless to say, we weren't able to finish this feast (but we tried). Had a couple bottles of Mediterranean beers with our meal, and I was in food heaven.
The ambiance is nice here, and you can't complain when they have futbol showing on their TVs. Such a unique treasure for Baton Rouge. A solid 4.5 stars for Albasha (I'm rounding up because of our spectacular server). -
Review from K W.
Philadelphia, PA
1/18/2011
when i'm in baton rouge, i love eating at greek and lebanese restaurants because, while new orleans has mona's (which is decent), i *heart* serop's, roman's, and albasha more.
i recently ate here and got one of my usual entrees - the gyros salad. it was as good as i remember. the lettuce was fresh and topped with a moderate amount of tangy feta cheese dressing and a generous amount of warm, perfectly-spiced gyro meat. it comes with a side of grecian sauce (thick yogurt, cucumber, dill) which i like to mix with the lettuce and meat. as i am gluten-free, i don't eat the bread, but for those who do, the salad comes with a side of pita. at about 10 usd, it's not a bad price for a quality and filling meal.
full menu of other standards and favorites. plenty of parking. opens at 5 pm for dinner. wait staff is attentive but not suffocating. -
Review from Cori M.
Somerville, MA
1/2/2008
Living up here in Yankee Land, I miss truly great Lebanese and Mediterranean food like Albasha. This goes on my long list of must-visits with I'm in the Stick.
Growing up, my best friends and I always loved to grab dinner here. When we come home for visits, we always plan an Albasha lunch.
The highlights of the menu here are the chicken shwarma, the gyros salad, the to-die-for tzatziki sauce, the baba ghanouj, and the hummus. Any combination of this order will leave you happy and quite full. A surprising must-order: the lemonade. It's amazing. If you ever tell me it's from some mix and I'm being duped, I'll cry.
The decor certainly leaves something to be desired, and I just can't get in to the whiny, vaguely Greek-sounding music that is required play. However, none of these things keep it from being one of my favorite places in the city.Listed in: We Are BR
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Review from Jackie D.
Baton Rouge, LA
9/6/2010
Best greek food in Baton Rouge, and I've tried them all because I LOVE greek food. The service is always great, and they are knowledgable about the food, ready to give recommendations when asked.
I strongly suggest the Mujadrah (sp?), which is an appetizer with lentils and rice. I have ordered this with a group before and EVERYONE loved it. The other appetizer that you simply cannot pass up is the fried cheese. This stuff is more addictive than that ridiculous bread at the Little Village. Pan-fried in oil and served in its drippings with olives and cucumber, the fried cheese is a perfect start to any meal.
For an entree, I suggest the lamb shank. Now I love the chicken shwarma and gyro as much as the next girl but sometimes you need something different. In search of that something, I tried the lamb shank and now I don't order anything else! Not the least bit gamey, tender and juicy, this is the way to go. -
Review from Liz B.
4/11/2007
Seriously great Mediterranean food. The best I've found in Baton Rouge. (When are we going to get Tapas? Sigh.) The best stuffed grape leaves (never mushy), feta salad and tabbouleh salad (so fresh!), hummus (perfect consistency), lentil soup (perfectly flavored), fried haloumi (never greasy, always hot and delicious), and fallafel (when it's not overcooked).
I have noticed that the waitstaff don't really seem to get along with each other, which doesn't affect service outright but doesn't add to the atmosphere. My only complaint: they always play the same CD. It's laughably bad.
Roman's has better Lebanese tea, spinach pie and baba ganoush. -
Review from Queenie V.
Raleigh, NC
3/1/2010
This place is very filling. Oftentimes, I would go and get the gyro plate if I wanted extra fattiness from the lamb-beef combo, or I would get the chicken schwarma platter when I wanted something a little bit cleaner tasting. I would eat the pita and hummous, which was very good and had a few whole garbanzo beans included (nice touch, in my opinion) and take the main entre to go, which would be even better, hours later or the next day.
Their lebanese sweet tea, though also having a nice touch included by way of having pine nuts floating on top, was a little too sharp and oversweetened. I found that by asking for water and a spare glass, I could water it down to my own taste.
Service was often excellent, the people remember you after you come a couple of times, but keep in mind they close early, I think around 9. If I recall correctly, they also close after their lunch rush, so be sure to call ahead to double check hours. -
Review from Kallie C.
Beaverton, OR
3/6/2009
4.5 stars!
Well, I used to frequent Falafel Drive-In in San Jose on Stevens Creek, and haven't had a falafel sammy in the past SEVEN AND A HALF YEARS that even comes close to theirs.
Until I went to Albasha. It is glorious!
I'm so glad my friend took me here, because the Lebanese tea and hummus were amazing as well.
I've had some horrible hummus and theirs makes up for it. The pita was nice and warm, too.
Normally you get some shitty hummus with cold, cut pieces of pita from a Wal-mart pita bag. Not here! They also refill the pita basket, unlike most places I've been to.
I'm sure I looked like an idiot trying to fish for pine nuts from the bottom of my cup, but whatever. It's their fault for being so yummy.
Also, I did not notice any problems with the waiters...? They were all "ethnic" and none of them seemed to have drama. Prices are great. I didn't run into any of the problems that the previous reviewers did.
Are you expecting the chicken shawarma sandwich with fries to be $4?! Get out of here with that madness. They're totally reasonable! -
Review from Matthew P.
DeRidder, LA
4/3/2010
If you get the chance to go, this is a must. The food is exceptional and well proportioned and the wait staff is attentive and friendly.
Do check the operating times before you go as they do close down for a while after lunch before opening back up for dinner. -
Review from Frankie B.
Biloxi, MS
9/10/2010
Was only driving through the town that bleeds purple and gold and stopped here for lunch. Used to see it when I lived in Baton Rouge, but never had a chance to check it. Glad I finally did. Had the shawarma lunch and a kibi. The kibi was excellent (3 stars) as was the shawarma (4 stars) and I'll definitely return. My only gripe, and not really even worth mentioning, is the pita bread served with the meal had been nuked and was tougher/stale as it cooled. Like I said, not a true gripe or really worth mentioning. The service, too, for being during lunch was very fast, friendly, and efficient.
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Review from Nikki T.
Baton Rouge, LA
10/28/2010
The best chicken shawarma in town!! And the spinach pie appetizer is wonderful too!!!
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Review from Mike Y.
Cary, NC
7/23/2010
I LOVE ALBASHA. It's one of the best Mediterranean restaurants I've ever been to. The inside feels very relaxing and all their dishes are great. The humus and baba gannoush are freshly prepared and their meats are always super juicy and never dried out pieces of leather like you get at a lot Greek / Lebanese places. Also, try out their baklava and lebanese iced tea. They are awesome. Lebanese iced tea = refreshment on a warm summer day.
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Review from Naveed B.
Lafayette, LA
4/27/2010
I've been eating Greek & Lebanese food for as long as I can remember. A family friend of ours was from Lebanon and he would always bring Lebanese food over much to my delight. The best Greek & Lebanese restaurant in Baton Rouge in my humble opinion, is Albasha's. Albashsa's has the best overall quality of the Greek & Lebanese restaurants in Baton Rouge. Some places may have better fried cheese, or better fattoush salad ,or whatnot, but overall you really can't beat Albasha's. Albasha's is about the only place that knows how to make grape leaves correctly, as every other place I've ever had them makes them so sour I almost gag. If you're looking for chicken shawarma, gyro's, or any other Greek & Lebanese fare, Albasha's your best choice.
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Review from emily m.
Houston, TX
5/3/2007
good mediterranean fare. the chicken schwarma is tasty, and the hummus and pita bread will not disappoint.
prices are also reasonable, and the servers are super friendly.
the location's also great if you wanna grab a bite before heading over to a movie. -
Review from S. C.
Baton Rouge, LA
10/6/2010
All good reviews you read are true. Excellent everything.
Was there for supper just last night with large-ish group of friends. Very accommodating, no trouble splitting the check, all food dishes arrived together and in perfect order. I had the gyro sandwich platter and recommend it highly. First, it's about the least expensive of items on the dinner menu. Yet, it's substantial and delicious. Comes with an option of fries, or a salad and hummous on the side. Forget fries, get the good stuff and you'll be happy. -
Review from Jason B.
Napa, CA
5/2/2006
Try the chicken schwarma plate! It's terrific. Served in large portions, you can split it with another person and still have some left over. Service is fast and friendly. They close the kitchen at 2:30 and reopen around 5, so bear that in mind if you're doing a late lunch.
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Review from Cathy E.
Baton Rouge, LA
5/27/2011
Never a disappointment!!!! Love their gyros!
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Review from Rachel H.
Baton Rouge, LA
10/25/2010
I love the Greek Foods! and Love the Vegeterain Plate! and Love the salad too! Great Service!! and great foods!
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Review from Mike O.
Ann Arbor, MI
3/27/2010
Good food. Service started out slow but once they realized we sat down, they were very responsive. Would go back again!
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Review from Brian D.
Baton Rouge, LA
3/15/2009
Best Mediterranean food in the city. I've never had a bad meal here, though a couple times the service could've been better. Great hummus, as good as my Greek grandmother makes, which is really saying something. I highly reccommend the chicken shwarma, and any of the kabob or gyros plates. Lebanese tea (ask for extra pine nuts) is also a must if you're eating here.
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Review from Matthew S.
Baton Rouge, LA
4/1/2011
Best Greek food in Baton Rouge! Besides the obvious chicken and gyro, their fried cheese is ridiculous and the Lebanese tea is top notch.
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Review from Erin K.
Baton Rouge, LA
6/30/2006
Service can be a crapshoot, but the veggie combo plate is so delicious (I'm not even a vegetarian). And you can't beat carafes of wine to split with your friends. Reasonably priced, and everything is just so damn tasty.
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Review from lila k.
Baton Rouge, LA
12/16/2009
very good middle eastern food. i like to go for lunch rather than dinner as the atmosphere is rather generic.
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Review from David L.
San Diego, CA
2/27/2010
For years, people often drive here from New Orleans to have lunch or dinner. All the way from New Orleans, arguably the food capitol of the South if not the USA, gives an idea of the quality.
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Review from Ashley P.
Baton Rouge, LA
6/29/2010
For starters, let me say that I have been a customer of Albasha since it opened many years ago. Until my most recent visit, I always believed they had the finest Greek/Lebanese food in Baton Rouge. On 6/23/10, my husband and I ate lunch there. We each ordered the Vegetarian Plate and we shared an order of fried cheese. The Fried Cheese was about half of the portion size it has always been, with tiny little servings of cheese, yet still $6.95. When they brought out the Vegetarian Plates, half of the plate was covered with salad and the falafel were tinier than they have ever been before. When I tasted the hummus and salad dressing, both were bland and clearly missing ingredients, perhaps olive oil? Neither had the typical tangy punch and the salad dressing was watery. The spinach pies (both mine and my husband's) were undercooked and chewy. When I spend $35 for lunch, I expect it to be high quality and tasty and I don't expect the restaurant to take such cost cutting measures as to destroy their own fine recipes. I will never visit this Albasha again, which is a shame because I used to really enjoy it, but I don't feel like getting robbed again.
