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Ali Baba - CLOSED
Category: Restaurants Mediterranean Mediterranean [Edit]
408 Broadway ESeattle, WA 98102
Neighborhood: Capitol Hill
(206) 860-6826
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
48 reviews for Ali Baba
Review Highlights
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"Get it with the drink special, and get the sage tea." In 9 reviews -
"Mmmm mmmmmm mmmmmm to the fried cauliflower." In 7 reviews -
"...coffee is tasty, the lentil soup is superb, & the salads..." In 7 reviews
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48 reviews in English
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Review from cathy g.
Seattle, WA
5/9/2010
Gyros - sloppy and yummy.
Babaganoush - plentiful and flavorful.
Feta salad!!!
Knowing others like the tea is good enough fo r me( I hate tea!).
Coming back from time to time, with a friend who has "dietary" needs. She won't eat many places but this is her CAKE! -
Review from Bryan K.
Seattle, WA
2/18/2008
I didn't know there was such good falafel so close to my apartment. I used to drive all the way to the U District to get my fix. Now it's just a hop, skip, and a jump later and I'm in falafel heaven. Plus the sage tea is delicious.
Thank the gods!!!! -
Review from Emily T.
6/1/2009
The window display is bordering on terrifying. I wouldn't have fed that plastic food to my dolls. And trust me my dolls could put it down. But thank heavens, the real food, the food I shovel in my face, looks and tastes (so I assume) nothing like the discolored, shiny plastic food on display.
Since my neighborhood go to Greek restaurant (Mr. Gyros!) is closed on Sundays, I've ventured to Ali Baba on several occasions to get my falafel or gyro fix. For an extra buck or two you can turn your gyro or falafel purchase into a combo, which I always do, because I am wild about Ali Baba's jasmine rice that is served on the side. Wild! And sometimes I just feel like a crush. Orange.
The tables aren't always wiped off, newspapers are often strewn about and the interior is lacking, but who's looking around when you've got a plate of food siting in front of you?Listed in: Chompin' and Chewin' on Cap.…
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Review from Mona N.
New York, NY
11/11/2009
Do not be fooled by its dumpy exterior.
The gyro pita is a little too thick (for my liking) but that is only a teensy oversight since the greens are so crisp and fresh, the tomatoes ripe and sweet.
The falafel is the best one I've had since moving away from the left coast -- hot, crispy, with just the right crunch. The tahini and tzatziki (or their rendition of tzatziki) is some creamy awesomeness.
The food and ambiance would make it four stars but the owners are so kind, the extra star is for completely selfish purposes. To me, it's all about the overall experience.
I LOVE YOU, ALI BABABA. -
Review from Yoeun P.
2/24/2008
Not much to look at from the outside and the inside is not much better, but who cares when it tastes this good? After graduating from UW and moving to Capitol Hill, I routinely drove all the way to UW just to satisfy my gyro fix. Now it's only a 5 minute walk from my apt! Sweet!
I usually get the lamb gyro special (with fries and drink) and a wedge of their wonderful basbousa. The gyros are great, but not the best. I highly recommend trying the basbousa. I'm addicted.
Besides the food, the service has been great every time. That's what really stands out for me. The guys that work the register are a friendly bunch. You can almost always strike up a conversation with them.
My one complaint is their watered-down ketchup. -
Review from Coleena S.
Seattle, WA
1/24/2008
Ali Baba on Broadway serves delicious Middle Eastern food .
I ALWAYS enjoy my meals there. It's tough to find such food for good prices anywhere else in Seattle. There are better places to eat such fare, but remember I'm rating on cost of food/portion size and taste. You can say Ali Baba is Middle Eastern fast food. It's perfect for Broadway. Most places are over priced and lack the service that I am so accustomed to in Middle Eastern culture.
Whenever I visit Ali Baba I'm always received warmly. The staff there is very kind and usually serves us complimentary Sage Tea (which is delicioso!)
My favorites include the vegetarian Ali Baba platter. It's probably the priciest thing on the menu, however you are getting a lot of food. The Lentil soup is always comforting on a cold day and during the summertime it's great to eat for dinner on it's own. Another menu item I order often is the Labneh. Ohhh do I love labneh. Some may say it's an acquired taste. I'm used to mine having mint leaves and more olive oil, but the labneh itself is delicious. My favorite sandwich is the Lamb and Beef Gyro (Halal of course). I'm not one for sweets, but I have tried both the Basbousa (mmm flavored with what I am sure is Rosewater) and their Baklava. Perfect if you have a sweet tooth. I personally always have to share it with someone, because it's too sweet for my taste buds. -
Review from JC R.
Portland, OR
12/29/2007
Doesn't look like much from the outside. They do have plastic representations of the food in the window. That's always amusing.
But go inside anyways. Delicious falafel sandwich! They'll make the falafel fresh for you. Get it with the drink special, and get the sage tea. Comes out to like $5.25. Great option when feeling lazy.
Or eat there, and get the tea for free! A meal under $5 - whoo!
I like it, I should admit I've eating there two nights in a row. -
Review from Alan H.
San Francisco, CA
12/11/2006
This was my first time trying a chicken gyro (me trying to be healthy). It was good, but I think ill come back and get the lamb gyro next time. Ive also had the hummus here before which was outstanding and wonderfully seasoned.
I would like to see more options on the menu here. Why cant they make up a daily or weekly special of a greek dish and sell it for $7-10. I would come here 2-3 nights a week if they had moussaka.
But with all that said a gyro for $5 is a hell of a deal. -
Review from Kevin B.
Seattle, WA
2/2/2007
This place has been on Broadway for a while now and I never really gave it much thought. However, soon after hearing that they had the best Gyros in town I had to check it out.
I took it to go so I can't vouch for the service, but the food was pretty darn good. Eating there reminded me how much I love gyros and that I should be eating them more often.
This is a good thing considering how boring Broadway has become. Woo Hoo! Something good to eat that doesn't involve twinky boys or long waits for mediocre food, BAMBUZA!!!!
Eat there and support local business! -
Review from Charlie T.
Seattle, WA
3/8/2007
Don't be alarmed by the plastic food in the window and although there is picture of delicious tabouli on the wall it is not an option on the menu.
Broadway has only hold an handful of good restaurants. Ali Baba is one of them. They make a great spicy falafel sandwich (vegan) that is responsible for my pant shrinkage.
Service is super friendly and on occasion they have gifted me tea with my meal. A delicious tea with a tun of sugar at the bottom. The tea taste of pine needle and it makes me very happy in a sober way. -
Review from Hans G.
Seattle, WA
8/2/2008
The girl working the counter was an ADD poster child and completing an order seemed to challenge the limits of her ability to task-focus. Which was more amusing than frustrating.
Huge portions and strong flavors, exactly what we were hoping for in a cheap middle eastern takeout place. -
Review from Joey Y.
Seattle, WA
4/21/2008
EDIT: i'll miss you forever, my love! ~
this place is really deceiving, mostly because it looks and the name sounds like it's some huge, gross chain of "mediterranean" cuisine started by some oil mogul's piece-of-shit son.
even the front window displays of food are those horribly kitschy plastic foods i thought they all but destroyed in the late 80's after all the marketing people stopped taking blow. that shit scares people away, it doesn't bring them inside.
anyway, i like this place more than mediterranean express, because it seems a lot less pretentious and the staff here makes me feel a lot more cozy and will never give me the stink-eye if i drop in after working out at the gym.
the reason i'm giving this place 4 stars is because of their falafel sandwich. i fucking love it. their gyro sandwiches are pretty okay, too, but their fucking falafel won me over.
and the price is way better than most of those other places.
also, if you go late at night, the super nice guy behind the counter comps you on tea. THAT'S WHAT I'M FUCKING TALKING ABOUT.Listed in: Oh food! Don't ever leave me…
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Review from Jenn G.
Seattle, WA
8/11/2008
This was the first place I ever got a gyro at in the city, and this will be the ONLY place.
I mean, I thought I had it good with the Falafel Drive-In from my hometown of San Jose(which is EXCELLENT, by the way), but this place just one-ups the hell out of it. The staff is super friendly, even with the complete crazies that just walk in. Like me.
Uhh and the food? Lots of good food for cheap. You can go get some fancy food up the street, but if you're looking for some serious belly-filling gyros.. this is the place. -
Review from Robert S.
Chicago, IL
12/19/2008
Don't know why this place never seems that busy, but hey it means I get my food that much faster then so be it
they guys here have always done a damn good job of cooking some grub up I like to get the Gyro and rice with Tzatziki sauce on it it always fills the tummy
and the hot tea they have here is really good for a after meal drinkListed in: Top Restaurants
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Review from Hanafi L.
Seattle, WA
8/22/2007
Anyplace that can get me to eat cauliflower EAGERLY, deserves note.
Not only does it deserve note, it deserves praise! I can't imagine what ever possessed me to order the fried cauliflower, but that moment of madness brings me back here regularly.
I'm not a huge fan of their lentil soup, but its definitely pretty good. It just takes more than that to garner my Eager Praise Rating. Everything I've ever eaten at Ali Baba has been quite tasty.
There are very few places on Broadway that bring me back to eat, but these guys have one of those prized spots.
I'm a sucker for friendly service too, and its always there. -
Review from Steven N.
7/26/2007
Ok.. so maybe the falafel is good here (per jedstrano's review) but the Gyro here is hardly the best in town (or I sure hope it's not - 'cause that'd be pretty sad).
The Gyro I had for lunch was mediocre at best. Too much leatuce and not enough onion/tomato/tatziki. The pita was not really warmed very much. Meat was chunky and tasted good, but I prefer Gyros with the meat lightly seared/roasted, and sliced off the cooking spit. The gyro meat in my sandwich seemed warmed, but not roasted. Not sure how the guys at Ali Baba prepared the meat as I could not see back into the kitchen.
The french fries that came with my combo were ok, but the crinkle cut just made me think of high school cafeteria fries.
A plus with this meal was an interesting "homemade" Ice Tea that had an interesting spicy flavor that I could quite place - sorta halfway to a Chai or a Thai Tea perhaps.
Overall I left Ali Baba a little unsatisfied. -
Review from Angie B.
1/23/2009
Maybe I just picked the wrong thing (a babaganoush sandwich), but it wasn't anything spectacular (I've had way better) and the side salad was equally boring.
I have walked by a million times & finally stopped in. Probably would go elsewhere in the future. -
Review from Benjamin J.
Tacoma, WA
1/19/2009
Greek fast food is an art and a science.
It takes a clever combination of quickly-cooked but tasty meat, proper saucing, and attitude. It has to be traditional but interesting, spicy but not devoid of natural flavor. It's easy to make bad Greek fast food. Fortunately, Ali Baba avoids all of these traps.
This is more a donair place than a gyro joint (although not so advertised), with flavor and spicing geared toward the Middle Eastern. Sandwiches are good and sides are hardy. Not the cleanest place (it's McDonald's-style clear-your-own-table fare), but it's hygienic. I prefer Mediterranean Kitchen Express down Broadway into First Hill. But this place is solid, casual fun. -
Review from S P.
East Bay, CA
1/14/2008
*- Friendly
*- Delicious
*- Occasional Free Hot Tea
*- Dolmas (aka Grape Leaves) are great - always a good sign.
*- You can people watch if you sit in the front window -
Review from Albert F.
Seattle, WA
2/28/2009
Ali Baba has fantastic vegetarian food. The Falafel is great and I could eat their Foul Mudammes until I burst. Everything tastes so good I always order twice as much as I need knowing the leftovers will be tomorrow's treat.
Great food and the customer service is fantastic!
If you are looking for a quick, delicious and filling meal on Broadway you can't do much better -
Review from Yumiko K.
2/19/2010
I have eaten at Ali Baba twice. Tonight, my boyfriend and I ordered a combo platter (non-vegetarian version). It had chicken shish kabob, lamb shish kabob, lamb meat, feta salad, hummus, baba ganoush, pita bread, and drink. We also got some hot tea (sage tea), which was delicious. The total was only $15 after tax. There was plenty enough food for two of us (we can eat a lot of food).
Everything was tasty, and all the meats had wonderful flavours. I usually don't like getting chicken at any restaurant because it tends to be bland. Not their chicken! It was juicy and super tasty. Personally, I loved the tea and baba ganoush. I could smear that stuff on a pita and eat it every day. Mmmmm
It is not the most exciting or attractive looking restaurant on Capital Hill, but the food is absolutely delicious. (People who work there are nice too!) -
Review from Whitney B.
Seattle, WA
4/25/2010
Their gyros here are a mess, and I do not mind messy gyros, but this is an upsetting kind of mess. It is approximately twice the size of the range of my mouth and more than a handful for both of hands to grab.
I tried the beef and lamb combination gyro. They put a lot of salad with their gyros and large cut onions, I am not a big fan of that. Also, as a sauce, it is like some tangy mustard sauce. Very little of it, too. I've definitely had better gyros just making it on my own. I'm really disappointed because when I ate here, I got quite a show.
A 20-something year old man with tattoos on his face came in to the store, with just my friend and I eating and the woman working there, and broke out into song right in front of us. We think to Pat Benatar's song, something about heroes. The confused lady kept asking, "Just one gyro?" Haha, sums up Capitol Hill for you. -
Review from Burr-Lee E.
Seattle, WA
12/31/2009
My boyfriend said we should go here, so we did.
I am not high maintenance about my restaurants, but walking in here made me question his sanity after all his talk about how great it was.
I ordered a gyro, assuming it would be better for me to stick with something I know in case of any unwanted surprises.
I sat at the weird formica table and looked at all the clashing decor. Piles of old newspapers, plastic food, random lighting that belonged to a fast food joint.
The younger man working the counter brought us our food. My gyro came in a thicker pita than I am used to and had something that wasn't quite tzatziki.
I hesitated, my boyfriend sighed and glared at me.
I took a bite. I fell in love.
AMAZING. I have my favorite gyro spot already (Mr.Gyros!) but the food here is clearly off the charts when it comes to fresh. I have to know ali baba, are you buying your produce daily at the QFC?
The counter person was a little shy, but extremely nice and helpful. Once I ate the decor made sense in that "it doesn't actually make any sense still, but who cares, I came here to eat not be aesthetically pleased" sort of way.
Eat here.
Seriously. -
Review from Ben D.
Nashville, TN
2/12/2010
This is one of my favorite lunch spots, even though it's too far for me to walk to on my normal lunch breaks and the route 8 is too never-on-time for me to get a quick trip up there.
Their lamb and beef gyro is really solid. Veggies are always fresh, sauce is flavorful without being overpowering, and the meat is delicious.
The combos are well-priced. Get the fries and add them into your gyro, makes it taste like magic.
Every once in a while they've given out samples of their hot tea. It's really different than what I normally drink and has a basil flavor. -
Review from Janette B.
Seattle, WA
1/28/2010
Great eats! I have been visiting this place almost since it opened, 6 years ago. I have eaten almost all from the myriad of choices. I love all but I seem to order mostly the falafel and lentil soup or if craving meat I get the souvlaki, the best lamb - why can't I make such tender lamb at home? For a late breakfast I like to order a side of their lebneh or the hummus, best in town.
It is a casual atmosphere, great place to bring my 4 nephews. I wish they would get the internet there cause I could station myself at their window bar seat and work on my laptop. If you visit, ask them to get the internet. -
Review from Amber A.
Seattle, WA
9/4/2008
Mmmm mmmmmm mmmmmm to the fried cauliflower!!
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Review from Sophia M.
Mountain View, CA
7/4/2009
I like stopping by at Ali Baba for a quick bite because everything is consistently fresh. If you have salad, it's always crunchy, fresh, and juicy - as if they have a vegetable garden in the backyard. Their hummus, baba ganoush, tatziki sauce have never let me down. It's a perfect inexpensive little place for a quick gyro fix. And Ali Baba's fried cauliflower gyros are absolutely lovely!
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Review from amanda r.
Seattle, WA
1/8/2008
The hummus and pita alone are worth 5 stars. Be warned that you WILL become addicted to the hummus! Try the AliBaba platter for $11.95 you get a portion of hummus, baba ganoush, fried eggplant, fried cauliflower with tahini sauce, pita bread, saffron rice, and a wonderful bowl of lentil soup. I always have to share it with a friend because there is too much to eat.
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Review from Beth S.
Seattle, WA
4/22/2009
This is the best place for gyros in Seattle! The plastic food in the window, the spare dining area, the middle eastern music on the stereo, the tangy ancient/refill ketchup and the (sometimes free) sage tea all transform with time, from the weird to the sublime. Everything is fresh and tasty, and even the veggie options are delicious (fried cauliflower? brilliant!)
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Review from Kim B.
Seattle, WA
6/16/2008
I love to grab a falafel here right after purchasing a book at Bailey-Coy (just next door). It's a great little place -- never too busy and the staff is super nice. It's an excellent option for dining on Broadway.
Listed in: 4 Stops on a Sunday Afternoon
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Review from Gloria H.
8/22/2009
I really only like the appropriate sizing here. Not to big, not to small as far as grabbing a quick bite. But the place all ways smells like pee!
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Review from Ramon N.
Seattle, WA
1/6/2008
This was a seriously disappointing experience, largely due to history. There use to be a restaurant in the space that is now Linda's that was also named Ali Baba. It has been gone for probably 15 years. So when I saw this spot open up I could not help but harken back to that wonderful Lebanese food of the old Ali Baba, especially the Shawarma and Shish Tawook. Suffice to say this spot did not measure up. Oh well, I guess I am hampered by memories of meals from bye gone days.
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Review from Andrea H.
Seattle, WA
8/26/2010
Inexpensive and tasty. Love the sage tea!
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Review from A M.
Seattle, WA
5/5/2006
Fantastic! Eveything is so good & healthy. I always go back there. The people who work there are super nice. The turkish coffee is tasty, the lentil soup is superb, & the salads are ALWAYS fresh. Prices are very reasonable/inexpensive.
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Review from Alison L.
Seattle, WA
6/4/2008
Oh. Man. This little place is so lovely. I have been told the fact that I have no love for falafel makes me some sort of freaky weirdo, but I don't care. "They" are not the boss of me. What I can say is that the hummus dished up by the sweet folks that run this establishment is equaled only by that which I sampled in the Levant. So good, my mouth moistens at the thought of it.
Also, I remember the first time I tried zatter. It has a peculiar, lavishly drool-inducing flavor that is unlike anything else I've ever tasted. Its a mish-mash of oregano, sesame, sumac (not poison?) and feta. I love it. I'll be truthful; when I saw it on their menu- I almost peed a little. I was that excited. If you also stay away from the land-meat, or are a real vegetarian - not a half-ass-atarian like myself, and you always go for the falafel combo, try the zatter. Spice things up.
Lastly, we all have bad days sometimes. If you happen to be on/near Broadway on one of those shitty days where you need a hug from the inside out, go to Ali Baba and get the sage tea. For real. It will make everything okay, at least until you hit the bottom of the glass. But don't worry. They will offer you more. PS: Hubby says the falafel is delicious. -
Review from Kare W.
Seattle, WA
3/11/2010
I love this place. Excellent falafel. Boyfriend got the beef/lamb gyro that they said was popular and it was also delish. Get the rice as a side, it's dern good! Everything ridic fresh, i could feel the lettuce crunch, pop, and splash in my mouth. Extremely tasty. I thought it was going to be a sit-down restaurant with a hand-held menu/server, but it isn't - you order at counter, sit down and they bring it over to you. Fun place, try it!
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Review from Charlotte G.
Seattle, WA
3/7/2009
Great babaganoush, great prices. Plus, when i went to get the takeout the lights were really funny... they had pictures of meals over their lighting that look like absolute crap. But don't let the plastic food displays in the window put you off, this place has tasty cuisine!
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Review from Chris B.
2/3/2010
Really, really solid but standard in a good way menu. I had the Ali Baba plate which included lentil soup, salad, drink, falafel, roast cauliflower and eggplant, pita and hummus. Totally worth it. I am definitely coming back.
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Review from Charlie G.
Seattle, WA
4/4/2008
The Kuftka dinner plate is pretty good, but the service is slow and they are skimpy with the sauce. I also tried the Chicken Gyro which was underwhelming. The Chicken Souvlaki at Gyro World across the street is better.
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Review from Cece C.
Seattle, WA
6/20/2010
I can't believe this place is CLOSED!!!! I loved their hot sage tea and their lamb and rice plates were soooo soooo delicious! I'm gonna miss it!
