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Ali Baba
Categories: Restaurants Mediterranean Event Planning & Services Caterers Mediterranean, Caterers [Edit]
1429 San Mateo AveSouth San Francisco, CA 94080
(650) 871-2221
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 10:30 am - 8 pm
Fri-Sat 10:30 am - 9 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
About This Business:
Authentic family recipes and quality ingredients since 1981. Taco Bars, Burrito Boxes, and Fiesta Trays to fit any budget & dietary need. We believe in… read more »
79 reviews for Ali Baba
Review Highlights
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"...years when I'm cravin' Mediterranean / Middle Eastern food." In 8 reviews -
"and the new location is excellent." In 11 reviews -
"A nice lentil rice dish also hit the spot." In 2 reviews
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79 reviews in English
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Review from Megan P.
San Jose, CA
4/11/2012
This is truly delicious Mediterranean food at it's best - homemade, fresh, tasty. We ordered a bunch for lunch catering at work and it was great so I stopped by today when I was in the neighborhood for lunch. We got sparkling apple juice and some lunch combos - the chicken and hummus wraps. They come with a side and pita bread, and there are a ton of side choices.. We got the grape leaves and baba ganoush and both were awesome; very authentic and everything was delicious.
The service was very attentive and I got to order from a Presto tablet. You can view pictures of the whole menu, place orders, and pay out right on the tablet from your seat. It was a very cool experience and we got to play food trivia while we waited for our food to be ready! I'll definitely stop here anytime I'm in the area.Two thumbs up! -
Review from Brittany P.
San Bruno, CA
3/11/2012
Driving here, you would never guess that this place existed. It's in the middle of a very industrial area, and as we got closer, we weren't sure what to expect.
Thank god we were pleasantly surprised! My boyfriend and I love Mediterranean food, but we were under the impression that we had to drive to Burlingame or the city to get some. Now we know, there is some good food about 5 minutes away! Awesome.
I had my usual mix of random apps... hummus/pita, falafel, spinach pie. He had a lamb plate with rice and babaganoush. Everything was good. The falafels were flavorful and crispy, and the spinach pie was really nicely seasoned. The pita was warmed on the grill so it had a nice flavor and texture.
The waitress was friendly, and our food came out quickly. Something that was cool was that we opted to try were these little tablet POS things. They're on the table and you can search through the menu, place your order, and even pay on them. While we were waiting for our food to come, we played a couple games on it too. Really cool. We came during a slow period, but I could see how useful this would be to the staff during a much busier time. -
Review from Owen M.
Pacifica, CA
* 3.5 *
Ali Baba's is on the outskirts of an industrial section of SSF, but unlike lots of restaurants around here, this place really isn't a hole-in-the-wall. It's new, clean & spacious. The nicely appointed room accommodates perhaps 50 diners and a couple big screen TVs, and on both of my visits they were piping in tunes you might expect to hear in a restaurant serving this style of food. I don't know what the old location on Linden was like, but this room is comfortable enough for table service should they ever decide to switch gears.
One big plus is apparent before you even walk in the door. Ali Baba has its own parking lot (plus access to an overflow lot across the street for which you'll see signs). In this part of town, that's huge.
Head to the counter and check out the wall-mounted menu or grab one of the paper copies floating around. Order at the counter, get your number & they'll bring out your food when it's ready. Fountain drinks are self-serve.
On my first visit, I ordered ALI BABA'S COMBO #3 ($9.95), a chicken shawerma wrap w/choice of side salad & a fountain drink. http://www.yelp.com/bi... The very nice woman at the register told me I could get falafel as the "salad" component so that's what I did. http://www.yelp.com/bi... There are five salads on the menu if you'd care to be more conventional (El-Raheb, Fattoush, Tabbouleh, Yogurt-Cucumber and Ali Baba Salad)
The wrap was a tasty combination of lettuce, tomatoes and house-made pickles with both garlic and yogurt sauces, but the marinated chicken slices were on the dry side and barely warm. My three falafel balls had quite the deep, dark, sesame-dusted & crunchy exterior, and the insides were not too dense & not too light. Nice use of herbs in the mix to render each bite fairly green. I wish they had been at least warm, though. There's no frying to order here, at least not at lunch. A little greasy, but not unacceptably so. The pickled turnip batons (made pink from beet juice) and the pit-in green olives were nice accents.
I intended to drag Mrs. M with me for round 2, but I ended up riding solo b/c she had some training gig at work. I was missing her, though, and so I got what she probably would have ordered had she been along for the ride, the KEFTA PLATE ($10.55), which is composed of ground beef/lamb skewers with onion and parsley, a choice of salad plus rice (white or w/lentils) & pita. I'm an eggplant lover so I opted for the cold EL-RAHEB salad (aka "Monk's Salad"). http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The kefta were fully-cooked, but thankfully not totally dried out. They were very dense & tight, though, which is the usual result of over-mixing. The flavors are understated; don't expect any fireworks. Well, unless you dip into the thimble-sized cup of hot sauce, which was nice 'n perky. The eggplant salad was a little monotone, which I think is b/c it was served fridge cold. I'm used to this salad being served at room temp, which allows the flavors to pop a bit more. It's still OK as a contrast with the earthy lentil rice, though.
On the chance that I wouldn't make it in again before writing this review, I ordered a side of roasted GARLIC POTATOES ($2.25). I wish I hadn't. They were unseasoned, had been prepared far in advance and had lost any semblance of savor & goodness. The tiny cup of garlic sauce, almost a paste, accompanied the spuds and helped out a bit, but it was a matter of too little too late. I didn't eat very many. http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The food probably averages out to 3 stars, but I'm bumping them up a bit b/c of the friendly and lickity-split service, free parking lot and nice new dining room. And b/c it's great to have a place serving Mediterranean food in the neighborhood. I wish they did a few more things - like maybe the falafel - to order and really watched service temps. I know it's hard, but it makes a big difference in my book.
* CCs accepted.
* No booze.
* If you aren't into the shawerma, kebob, falafel type of thing, they also sell rotisserie chickens (1/4, 1/2 and whole).
* There are a few desserts for those with that "separate dessert stomach" thing (Walnut or Pistachio Baklava, Warbat Cream, Knafeh).
* There's a catering menu, if you're in the market for work meeting chow, etc.
* You can order online for both takeout and delivery ($50 minimum, unfortunately, on the latter).
* The menu says that they charge an 18% gratuity on parties of 6 or more. Maybe I haven't looked around enough, but I don't recall ever seeing that in a counter service restaurant. -
Review from Jessica D.
San Mateo, CA
5/22/2012
I had a falafel wrap and it was a bit dry. The baklava was ok, but I felt it had way too many pistachios. The staff was extremely friendly and helpful. The decor is also very nice. It was also a relief to find a decent place out in that airport hotel area. I was struck by the counter having labeled examples of the food items. Handy because my dining partner was from Japan and unsure of what falafal was. The high ratings may have come from similar travelers unfamiliar with how great Mediterranean food can/should be.
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Review from Zena N.
South San Francisco, CA
5/23/2012
Ali Baba was one of the three locations i had in mind to throw my baby shower. I ended up choosing this location due to convience. I was extremely happy with the end result. The staff went above and beyond my expectations with their service, food, and presentation. I would totally come back whether for a dinner or to host another party here. The food was delicious and served hot, which was a concern of mine. I was extremely happy with their desserets and soft drinks. Terry and Maha were very easy to work with which was a plus. Also their portions were great! All my guest that came (about 50) left very happy, which made me happy. Thank you again Ali Baba for serving me exactly what i expected and more!
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Review from Lisa Z.
San Bruno, CA
5/10/2012
Excellent service and great tasting food!
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Review from Jim K.
Kensington, MD
2/9/2012
Worth the 0.8 mile walk from Hampton Inn! My wife and I were marooned for the evening in the South San Francisco maze of hotels, and we just couldn't face another hotel restaurant.
Solution! We walked to Ali Baba where we ate delicious food. Between us, we had Falafel wrap, lamb and beef shawerma wrap, hummus, pita, and delightfully fresh salad. The restaurant facility is sparkling new, and the staff is friendly.
The desserts looked yummy, but we were too full to partake.
Ali Baba is at the edge of an industrial location and near busy streets. But we found sidewalks and traffic signals with "walk" signals all the way. I would be a regular customer if it were 2800 miles closer. -
Review from Javan E.
San Mateo, CA
4/17/2012
This place is a real treat! I am hooked on their shwarmas. I've had the chicken and the beef and both are amazingly delicious. Other places use cheap cuts of meat and it shows but this this place is the opposite. Tender beef every time. The prices are also great. A combo that comes with a shwarma, side and drink for $10. Very good deal. The place is always clean and the service is always warm and friendly. I'm becoming a regular here pronto.
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Review from Tracey M.
San Francisco, CA
4/19/2012
Had the lunch special with one side and drink for under $10.00. Large portions and great taste. My friend had lamb kabob and enjoyed it very much. be back real soon.
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Review from Jessica S.
South San Francisco, CA
3/27/2012
I always eat here for lunch but today we wanted to try something new my co-workers and I wanted to try the catering menu. Let me tell you it was unbelievable the food was great like always and the way it was set up my boss was impressed. Even the driver that brought are food was every friendly. I love this place because the food is great the serves is amazing, the people who work there are all so friendly and to top it off the place is always clean no matter how busy they are. This is my number one place and I strongly recommend everyone to come in and try this place you well not be disappointed. ALI BABA IS MY BABA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Review from Tasha D.
Oakland, CA
3/27/2012
We had Ali Baba cater our company lunch, it was recommended by lots of employees. The hummus was awesome, they are pricey and not very negotiable with the budgets. The beef & lamb kebobs were VERY tough and the meat was luke warm on arrival. It was so/so, nothing to brag about.
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Review from Olivia B.
San Francisco, CA
3/31/2012
The woman behind the counter was very unwelcoming and stated that she was still on break, implicating our unwanted presence. I suppose one would be wiling to tolerate such despicable service if the food was incredibly fantastic but it was only mediocre. There are HUNDREDS of mediterranean restaurants throughout San Francisco with exceptional service and better food that people can patronize. No one needs this.
So bottom line, the service stinks, food is a mediocrity, and situated in an undesirable neighborhood. My cousin is a food critic for a known paper in San Francisco. I will let her know how terrible the service is. -
Review from Beau C.
Henderson, NV
3/8/2012
Nice thing about having an office in San Bruno is there is no shortage of good places to eat. Used to go the Linden Ave location since it was just down the road. At Ali Baba go for the Lamb & Beef shawerma and some hummus w/pita. Even if you feel like a fish out of water ording something you can't pronounce, go for it. One of our business contacts took me here, taught me to say "shawerma" now we go when we are in town.
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Review from Kate E.
San Francisco, CA
3/8/2012
Absolutely amazing little hidden gem in South City! The food is fresh, delicious and a great price. I would definitely suggest the falafel sandwich, its their most popular menu item for a reason. The kitchen is also really fast at preparing the food, which makes it perfect grab-and-go lunch spot.
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Review from Dave H.
10/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
Thanks to my fellow yelpers for the assist. It took me 3.5 hours to drive from Sacramento to the SFO airport hotel and I was in no mood to drive back up to SF to grab dinner.
Zuhair was very helpful in guiding my dining choice. I wasn't real hungry so I went for the vegetarian combo. It was all great. And I especially like the tzatziki made with yogurt. A nice lentil rice dish also hit the spot. -
Review from Jenny S.
San Francisco, CA
9/22/2011
Ali Baba was recommended to us by a Lebanese friend. We finally went yesterday- it was worthy of it's reputation. The restaurant is a little tough to find, so make sure you get your gps out to navigate successfully.
The food was excellent and the ambiance was comfortable. The staff- including the owner- were so wonderful.
Ali Baba holds all the elements you want in a dining experience: friendly staff, excellent food, and a relaxing atmosphere.
I live in SF and there are very few excuses that lure me out of the city (visiting family, visiting friends, and Target runs come to mind). This has made that all-star list. -
Review from Julia C.
San Francisco, CA
11/10/2011
Luckily the phrase "You are what you eat" is just that. Or else I would be a falafel wrap from Ali Baba (not that that would be a bad thing actually..)
I worked in the barren industrial wasteland of South San Francisco for a year and a half, Ali Baba being the only bright light in a sea of tractor trailers and storage facilities. I ate there on average 3 times a week. I diverted from the falafel wrap maybe 10 times (in a year and a half, yes).
It is a delicious bundle of crunchy falafel, creamy hummus and tahini and pickled turnips (mouth watering as I write this). Get it alone(it's pretty filling!) for 5.55 +tax or with a side salad and fountain drink for 7.55. Their side salads are pretty good too, sometimes I wished there was more selection-but this is probably because I dined there every other day for a year and a half. They also have delicious baklava.
Owners are super friendly, service is fast, their new spot is very clean and always has entertaining music videos playing to ogle while you dine. For me, Ali Baba is the sole reason to go to South San Francisco. -
Review from Sarah O.
Daly City, CA
2/15/2012 1 Check-in Here
Amazing food. I was craving Mediterranean cuisine but didn't want to drive into the city. Went to this place and was blown away. It's out in the middle of some industrial area and was totally empty ( lunch place it seems); I thought I had made a mistake but the food was amazing. All fresh ingredients. Fresh pastries for that day. A lentil soup that was incredible. Hummus where you can taste the chickpea. Warm tasty pita. We ordered three plates and two appetizers. I then went back up to the counter to order an additional shwarma plate because it was so good. We spent about 80 bucks but we had a ridiculous amount of food and took several deserts to go. I am definitely coming back for more!
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Review from Pam S.
7/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
Old Ali Baba in Linden closed and replaced by this new, even better Ali Baba.
Place is bigger. No more worrying about getting there early to scoop a table. Nicely decorated. Total upgrade from the old one where they had small tables, ugly plastic chairs and paper plates. Still casual ambiance but definitely more family friendly now.
Same good food, they probably jacked up their prices by 25-50 cents.
My Kefta plate was really good. Meat wasn't dry at all. One of my co-workers ordered the Warbat ...shredded cheese, we thought were carrots, with filling inside. It was really good. -
Review from Colleen P.
San Bruno, CA
2/14/2012
I LOVE THIS PLACE! Strongly recommend the combo #3 with Baba Ghanouj. Seriously, this is the best Med food around here, and to top it off the staff is SO polite and caring. You really feel welcomed and considered. I love the interior of this location and the beautiful lights.
Well done, I come here at least once a week!! My hubby finally got on board and loves it as well. -
Review from Steven C.
8/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
Came to this place for lunch with a buddy and ordered the lamb kabob plate.
It came with 5-7 small piece of lamb that were cooked well done. There is no service since you walk up to order and they bring the food to you and thats it so there wasn't much conversation
im rating this place on the food alone and it was AIITE. As i stated before, the meat was tough and the rice was okay. The hummus was decent too.
I do not think I'd come back since I have a pretty high standard for kabobs because I have eaten some of the BEST kabobs in my life when I was in LA.
you want real kabobs? go to LA bro. glendale to be exact -
Review from Charmian W.
San Francisco, CA
7/24/2011
Parking was interesting.. They have an additional parking lot that's across the street from them, but crossing it is kinda scary 'cause you're essentially jaywalking on a street where the cars are going kinda fast.
Anyway. Food was pretty good. We got the chicken and lamb&beef shawarmas, and although both were pretty tasty, I was VERY thirsty afterward. Hmm. Service was good. If I'm in the area again, I'll be back. :) -
Review from CR G.
Alameda, CA
2/27/2012 1 Check-in Here
Good taste, got the mix kebob and needed less rice, more meat. Salad and hummus was good.
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Review from Ken B.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 7/18/2011 5 Check-ins Here
Must have hit a bump in the road when I was there a few months ago. Had a bit of a bad experience, but the owners/managers were very willing to set it right.
More recent experience was much more enjoyable...falafel was nice and fresh and warm :)
With regards to parking (it gets busy there during weekday lunch,) there's a lot across the street available for patrons. Check with A.B. for details.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/30/2011
When the location was on Linden, the parking was more ample, but the seating was cramped. Also, the… Read more »
Comment from Dana K. of Ali Baba 5/12/2011
Thanks for the review Ken.I promise we'll do better next… More » -
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Review from Brandon D.
San Francisco, CA
7/26/2011
I'd like to believe that I came on a bad day, but this restaurant's ratings are much too high for them to be slipping up and serving nearly indigestible food.
I had a strong craving for a good falafel and I didn't want to drive into the hustle and bustle of the Mission or Haight to get one, so I figured cruising down 101 would be the best option. After reading the awesome reviews for Ali Baba, I was really looking forward to eating there.
Suffice to say, my hopes were crushed. My falafel was small and had way, way, way too many of those pickled, pink, spear-like vegetables, (not sure if they were carrots or what) and I could barely taste the falafel balls. And the best part is even though I asked for eggplant and got charged for it, there was absolutely none present in my meal. Now my friends' Ali Baba Plates (which consisted of shawarma meat, hummus, and pita) were just unbearable. The meat was ridiculously dry and unflavored. I had to submerge every bite in a blob of hummus just to choke it down.
On the plus side, the service was great with a friendly staff, the environment was clean and fresh, and the serving time was fast. Perhaps, as I said earlier, I just happened to come on a bad day, but I will definitely not be testing that theory any time in the near future. -
Review from jazzy l.
San Francisco, CA
7/26/2011 1 photo
I've been wanting to try this place since it was on Linden Blvd.
I finally ordered a to-go sandwich today because I was around the area.
Tasty - Kefta kebob lamb sandwich. $7.75.
$1.75 for arrowhead sparkling water.
See the beautiful lantern photos that I took. Clean, bright, and limited parking near an Industrial part of SSF and San Bruno. -
Review from vache a.
Redwood City, CA
One of the better shawerma places In the bay area
I visit this place once a week for the past few years and every time its the same great quality of food they provide. and the new location is excellent.
the other day I took my Buddy's on a sat I knew they where open because I spoke to the owner a week prior asking about weekend hours.
all my Buddy's loved Ali Baba's -
Review from Alicia L.
Oakland, CA
5/3/2011 22 Check-ins Here
This place is on the short list of lunch options for myself and many others at work.
I always get the falafel. Some of the best I've had. Crispy outside, moist and flavorful inside. The kebobs and shawerma are tasty options. The meat is juicy and not overcooked. Their hummus is also heavenly. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
Now that they have moved to a larger location, their menu is expanding. They now offer fresh lemonade, which I recently tried. The lemonade is not cloyingly sweet, has a hint of mint, and is refreshing.
They are also open on weekends now. -
Review from Motaz H.
San Francisco, CA
3/8/2011
I only give 5 stars if the restaurant satisfied me completely. I am middle eastern and know how real middle eastern food should taste like. I had a long flight, so I needed to have some good food before I head home to sleep.
Honestly, this is one of the few restaurants that has the exact right taste of the middle east :) I tried, the Falafel, Shawarma, and Kabob sandwich. They were so tasty.
I completely recommend this place as one the top middle eastern restaurants -
Review from Marella M.
Fremont, CA
11/14/2011
I LOVE this place! The service is always great, the place is clean and provides a really nice ambiance.
The food is always good, never disappoints. I love the hummus and the falafels are delicious!
We often have our meetings catered by them in the office, so this is how I came to find out about it. And I'm always so relieved when I walk into a conference room before lunch and discover it's Ali Baba's for lunch. The meat is always well-seasoned and food is plentiful. I would highly recommend it for office functions as it serves vegetarians and carnivores well!
My only complaint for the physical location would be the parking - it can be pretty tricky. But, go early and you'll be just fine. But, you order your food and they bring it to you - with a smile. -
Review from Joanna T.
Hillsborough, CA
2/1/2011
My husband and I went to check out Ali Baba last week. He usually doesn't particularly like Mediterranean food. But at Ali Baba's, he ate everything. We especially liked the baba ganoush and the yogurt and cucumber salad. My husband noted how soft and tender the lamb was - obviously high quality meat.
Besides the five-star food, the friendly atmosphere was also awesome. The owners were there celebrating the grand opening of their new location and it seemed like they knew almost every customer by name and face. They even spent time chatting with us as we ate. Good people. -
Review from Bianca M.
Sunnyvale, CA
2/28/2011
I've been a longtime Ali Baba fan, and this new location is great! It's now a full-fledged restaurant, with really cool decorations (check out the paintings and the lamps on the ceiling), great ambience. If it were located elsewhere (e.g. SF), it would be an upscale restaurant. There is always ample parking space.
The food is always very fresh, and to-go orders are very quick (you can now order online as well). I am a fan of the delicious, juicy Chicken Shawarma sandwich (it's really a wrap, not a sandwich), it's about $7 (a tad expensive but worth it, they use high-grade meat). My only quibble is that they used to put a lot of beets and tomatoes in the sandwich, and now the beets are gone.
Owners, if you are reading this, please bring back the beets! I love beets more than Dwight Schrute from the Office! -
Review from Francesca M.
South San Francisco, CA
3/6/2011
I am a big fan of their Chicken Kabob plate. The chicken wasn't overcooked and was marinated just right. I love how they have an assortment of different side dishes to choose from. I always get their salad though.There was a lot of food and I had some left overs to take home too. Their falafel was pretty tasty too. The prices here don't burn a hole in your wallet and the owner is very nice and welcoming.
I really like the new decor compared to their old location. Their new location's interior is very bright and has this middle eastern feel. The only thing that would be a downfall is their parking. The parking lot right in front parks like 5 cars. I'd imagine if you had a large group of people or come during lunch time, you would have trouble finding parking so you would have to find parking on the street. -
Review from Kristina N.
San Jose, CA
5/8/2011
I am giving this 3 stars instead of 2 because I really liked the ambiance.
I came here during lunch and ordered the chicken shwarma. It was wrapped up in foil like a burrito, which already gave me the impression that this wasn't going to be good. I was right, the chicken dry and quite tasteless.
Also, it took them 15-20 minutes to bring out the food (they were not busy at the time). It wasn't until we kept looking at the cashier that she noticed we didn't have our food yet. She came over to apologize and ask to see our receipt because the kitchen didn't get our order. Said there was some "receipt miscommuncation" between the cashier and the kitchen. Usually, I'm forgiving to mistakes like these, but I only had 1 hour for lunch...
I'm not impressed by this place. I've had way better Mediterranean food at all other places I've been to... -
Review from Roni L.
South San Francisco, CA
6/11/2011
1st visit to the new digs, it was okay. I recall having a better meal at the old place... Parking at the new place is crappy...
Nicely decorated and very clean inside. Friday lunch is kind of a disaster in terms of organization. Took forever to get a wrap combo... those pink radishes that came with it were really soggy and bitter, beef/lamb wrap was fine albeit a bit puny. I'll need to try it again not during the huge rush of lunch time. -
Review from Mark F.
San Francisco, CA
6/21/2011
Found this place almost by accident wandering around near the airport, and have been back at least 3 times since then.
My wife's family is from the Middle East and this is the first time I have had food at a restaurant that could compare to the home cooked food I've grown to love. We always end up spending way more than we intended and leaving happy and stuffed. -
Review from Nizaria D.
San Francisco, CA
5/10/2011
Excellent warbat (cheese-stuffed pastry triangles) and not bad chicken shawarma which was a little dry by the time we finally got it home but still very flavorful & tasty especially with that garlic/lemon aioli they provide! The dessication was mostly our fault for stupidly driving around for 2 hours running errands instead of devouring it on the spot, juices intact, as any good shawarma deserves. I will be back to try the mujaddarah.
New location is beautiful and spotless, no problem with parking either. -
Review from Vicky L.
4/12/2011 7 Check-ins Here
Our Mediterranean offerings around our office area are pretty meager and slim. We ventured a bit further north and tried Ali Baba for the first time today. The drive wasn't too bad, about a 10 minute drive northbound, couple that with not having to find parking made this comparable to circling in downtown Burlingame.
This place is counter service but the staff was extremely nice and helpful. Jenn W. and I both got the combos, which came with a wrap/sandwich, salad, and a drink.
Chicken was extremely well seasoned, the wrap size was on par with the other places we ate at down south. The best part of the wrap aside from the chicken was the amazing pickles they put in there. I LOOOOOVE their pickles! We got our wraps with a side of the cucumber yogurt salad. I doused my food with their awesome Mid Eastern hot sauce and cooled it off with the yogurt cucumber.
We also got a side of hummus, it wasn't too much to write home about since it was very heavy with tahini and it didn't taste too "garbanzo beany."
Stick with the amazing wraps and salads! Service was pretty fast and we wolfed down our food.
Definite place to put on the lunch rotation to satisfy our Mid Eastern food craving! -
Review from Raman S.
Fremont, CA
6/30/2011
Great place for lunch if you want to get a quick bite before your flight from SFO or before you drop off somebody there. We were there recently after dropping off some friends at SFO and the food was great. We tried lamb and beef Kebab.
The lady running this place was very friendly and she helped us through the menu. The price was very reasonable and the place is very clean and well organized. I would go back there when I am heading to SFO or If I am around that area. -
Review from Ted P.
San Francisco, CA
4/8/2011 4 Check-ins Here
Definitely one of my weekly haunts for lunch for the past 4 years when I'm cravin' Mediterranean / Middle Eastern food. They recently moved to this new location on San Mateo Ave. At the old place, it was kinda dark and "cafeteriaish". It was a blue collar place, pretty much good at what they were since there was really no competition for them in the area. The food was good - okay for what they did.
Now they moved to the new place. It's nicer looking, and more of a "sit-down" place. But no waiter. Just like the old place, order your food, and they bring it to you. You know. No pressure. Counter service - I like that. Maybe it's because of the area. It's industrial - it's SSF. No frills please. And maybe it's me, but the food has gotten better. Not that it wasn't to begin with, but it's just better. Can't explain it, so don't ask.
The food. Not bad at all. I do wish that their sandwiches (falafel and shawarma rolls) were a bit bigger. But I always get the combo with a side salad and drink, and I'm good - satisfied. I pretty much had everything on the menu. If I really want to be full and lug my heavy ass around the SSF bio-tech area on a full belly, then I'm going for one of the plates. I usually need a nap after that.
* FYI. I discovered this place when they catered one of the accounts I service in the area. I've been a regular ever since.
