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Ali Baba
Categories: Restaurants Middle Eastern Restaurants Mediterranean Middle Eastern, Mediterranean
2243 15th StTroy, NY 12180
(518) 273-1170
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- 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
36 reviews for Ali Baba
Review Highlights
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"...you get the large lavash bread, which is simply amazing..." In 6 reviews -
"Dishes to try: Pita w/ yogurt sauce, the casseroles." In 9 reviews -
"I love their chicken curry pizza and their lavash." In 3 reviews
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36 reviews in English
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Review from Sharon K.
Troy, NY
Updated - 5/17/2012
I have quit eating so much white bread & such. Now instead of all the bread I can pack away, I get a small lavash with the plate of sides from the glass case. My favorites are the veg salads (eggplant, carrot, celery root) and the dips (roasted tomato, roasted red pepper.)
Not the biggest fan of fava beans. I don't very much care for Ali B's hummus or grape leaves, but I am not obligated to order/eat them. I find their baklava too syrupy. (Nora's grocery has the best dolmas, baklava, hummus & babaganouj I ever had.)
It's a nice lunch for 2: small lavash & plate of 5 sides. $10. you're full & happy.
Now go get some!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/22/2010
LAVASH. Ali Baba means one thing to me: LAVASH.
Do not miss the lavash! You'll want to live inside… Read more »
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Review from Rob K.
4/6/2012 1 photo
Ah yes, piping hot Lavash bread from the brick oven makes me oooh and ahhh. I love ripping up this puffed up centerpiece and dipping it into that yogurt and dill sauce. This alone, is enough to entice suburban folks out of their comfortable dwellings. Save Friendly's for another day, eat Lavash today!
The dishes all look incredible, and I've seen every single one. That's because there is a picture of every single item on the menu. How else would I know what Guvech is?
The Chicken Durum is brilliant and although I generally order this on a street corner, I order in at Ali Baba to experience the Lavash with a glass of mango juice. If they branched out and set up a street meat truck in downtown Albany or Saratoga Springs, drunks would be in a late night food frenzy.
Outsiders take note. It's very easy to get here. If you're driving on Hoosick Street, just turn on 15th Street and drive a couple of blocks to Ali Baba.
Three things that would do wonders for Ali Baba:
1. A location change (too hidden)
2. More ambiance (too food courtish)
3. BYOB (too lacking of booze)
If you follow these simple requests, business will be booming. Strong word of mouth, loyal customers, and Yelp will keep you alive, but change will make you legendary. -
Review from Bill K.
Albany, NY
4/5/2012
Two words - FRESH and FLAVORFUL!! That's all you need to know. We got the lavish w/ yogurt sauce, baklava, Mediterranean pizza, & small plate with 5 choices. Everything was delicious for a very reasonable $25.
The location is in Troy and isn't overly appealing, but don't let that scare you away.
The waitstaff was very helpful, courteous, and quick to serve.
Highly recommended!! -
Review from Ben W.
Schenectady, NY
5/17/2012
Real hidden gem in Troy next to the RPI campus. The lavash is out of this world so is the appetizer platter. Generally don't like pictures on a menu but here it is helpful. Middle Eastern food better than the pizza. Very reasonable-unique dishes. Not fancy but prompt service. Great for students and first dates on a budget. Avoid during RPI big events or the beginning of the school year.
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Review from Gelo S.
Troy, NY
5/13/2012
Great food...great service!..
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Review from Melissa C.
Watervliet, NY
3/10/2012
The lavish bread is amazing! The staff is always friendly and so helpful!! Everything I have tried is wonderful! I always leave so full but the baklava to go is a must. Just remember Ali Baba does not serve alcohol.
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Review from Chris W.
Troy, NY
2/10/2012
Food was excellent and well priced. An ethnic gem right next to rpi.
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Review from Roger K.
Clifton Park, NY
6/23/2011
We've been trying to get here for several years. Tonight all the stars unexpectedly lined up behind the clouds. I'm so glad they did.
The menu with pictures is the best thing since sliced brea... oops, their fresh baked lavash rises high above plain sliced bread!!! Wonderful.
We started with Stuffed Grape Leaves (8 for $5.95) and thought they were good, but not as good as we've had at Athos or those homemade by our friend.
I ordered the Lamb Tandur ($12.95) which came with rice, sauteed onions and pickled cabbage. The lamb had a good amount of flavor and pulled apart easily but was very dry. Wrapped in the lavash and dipped in the yogurt sauce the lamb was quite enjoyable.
My wife had the Curry Iskender ($9.95) with beef and the same onions and cabbage sides as on my dish. It was a nice flavorful, Mediterranean spiced curry. Quite tasty.
The portions were large enough that we didn't have room for dessert, but we both had wanted to try the Baklava. Simple solution, we got the baklava to go - 4 small pieces in an order for $4.95. It had a nice flaky top and sat in a not overly sweet syrup. It hit the spot for that late night snack.
They do not have an alcohol license so choices are your basic sodas (free cup refill), Turkish coffee and tea, hot chocolate, American coffee, juices imported from Turkey (peach, apricot, sour cherry), and Ayran yogurt drink. -
Review from Karden R.
Troy, NY
3/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
Chicken Durum. Best $7 you can spend on a sandwich, period.
Also, the lavash with yogurt sauce is one of the best fresh bread experiences one could ask for.
Lima bean concoction is also delicious.
Beyond that, a lot of the selections seem strange and/or over priced, although, if I felt like taking a risk and spending a bit more money, I'd like to try some other stuff.
The menu is ugly as hell and the restaurant looks like a pizza parlor in Gaza, but I suppose that's part of the places awkward lack of ambiance.
Service is more than adequate and if your nice to them they are nice to you. -
Review from Tarah T.
3/24/2011
Can I just tell you that I am so disappointed that NYC doesn't have a clone of this place? I crave the lavish bread on a weekly basis. So when I come home my mom and I make it a point to come here.
Loves:
The menu has pictures!
Complimentary lavish bread just out of the brick oven
An awesome selection of dishes
Great service
Off the beaten path
No loud music
Dislikes:
It's in Troy... I think we need an expansion to the city.
Bring your friends, order a lot of dishes, and spend some time trying all of them. My mom and I love sharing food and being able to try a few different flavors, and that is one of the great appeals of Ali Baba's. I will be back! -
Review from Regular G.
Troy, NY
8/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
I go here for lunch and occasionally dinner. Nice people and always good quality. The food is fresh and consistent. Not much for ambiance but its the food we're there for. The bread is amazing, and the service is always friendly. In terms of upstate ethnic food, this is a must go!!!
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Review from Bill S.
Troy, NY
8/10/2011
I had never had Turkish fare prior to Ali Baba. I'm Jewish, from Buffalo, and I consider my self I Foodie for certain. I had had Israeli, Lebanese, Moroccan, and a slew of other food from the surrounding region, but Ali Baba blows it all out of the water!
The place is always humming with some customers coming in to dine and take out, I do both and the take out is excellent as well. I recommend the Curry Iskender that is my favorite dish there I order it every time. Also they have good grape leaves and a fair portion for the price. The Lavash is unreal!! the yogurt dipping sauce, similar to a tzaziki is delicious.
Service is great always with a smile and in a timely fashion... I recommend this place with all my heart. Truly a gem to be found in Troy, NY! -
Review from Corey I.
Wilmington, DE
4/3/2007
I'll start with the bad so that it's not all that you remember. Ali Baba's service is pretty bad. There have been times when I've actually left the restaurant thirsty. How ridiculous is that? Waits (whether they're for a table or for a waiter/waitress to take your order) are long when they really don't need to be.
I think the food there is affordable and pretty good. I go to RPI and this is one of the few restaurants within walking distance from campus, so I go there pretty often.
You can pick up your orders. I've never done this, but it's probably a good way to bypass the slow service. -
Review from pete H.
Albany, NY
9/16/2011
We have had take out from here at least 10 times in the last few years.
It used to be awesome but lately, it seems the chicken ishkandar is always over cooked and the portions are smaller.
They have even started cheaping out on the rice. Where's the rice? Rice is cheap guys! Heap it in the aluminum container like you used to do.
And that sour purple shedded cabbage stuff is nasty. Does enyone even eat that stuff? -
Review from Jess P.
Santa Cruz, CA
12/13/2007
Fortunately, I've never had a problem with service here.
It's delicious, affordable Middle-Eastern food in a fairly no-frills location. Large portions and the perfect amounts of spice.
However, for some reason they have pictures of their food on the menu. These photos do their food no justice whatsoever. I assure you it's far more appealing looking in real-life than the menu might have you believe.
If I lived a little close, I'd go here all the time. -
Review from Skye J.
7/26/2009
Best. Bread. Ever. The food was ok Middle Eastern fare, the service was meh.
But the bread. Holy moley. Drool-like typing detected. The bread is so very, very yummy. -
Review from John N.
Rensselaer, NY
6/27/2010
Just a neat place to enjoy good food without any pretense that seems to accompany so many restaurants. The decor is slightly dineresque but the open kitchen keeps the boys entertained. Watching them cook the lavash in the open oven and bring it out piping hot and puffy like a balloon is just fun.
We have tried the wraps and the open-faced pizza with egg. Not sure what it was called, but it looked good on the picture menu and we were right. Definitely something to try and enjoy. -
Review from Jeff T.
Watervliet, NY
9/18/2011
I really like the fresh lavash and the veggie platter.
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Review from Alex G.
Somerville, MA
2/10/2010
This is one of my favorites in Troy. We went here a lot when I was at RPI for both lunch and dinner.
The inside has a very cool and traditional decor. Its not too flashy, nothing like a fancy restaurant but its nice. Parking can be tough sometimes, you have to park on 15th street where its usually packed.But I generally park on the side of the building or behind it. To this day, I honestly do not know if that's legal parking, because the area behind looks like its parking for the house/apartments there. But so far I never got towed so it should be ok.
Now on to the food. The food here is great , I actually never had a bad experience with it. With most dinners you get the large lavash bread, which is simply amazing, its straight out of the brick oven (literally). For the food my all time favorite is the beef durum (or gyro as most other places call it) I also had the chicken with cury and gyro pizza, both of which were also good.
The prices are more than reasonable last time I went for lunch with my friend, we got two durums, small lavash bread, drink and baklava for about $25, it was more than enough food for 2 people.
This is definitely my favorite place for lunch in Troy that's close to rpi campus. I would recommend it to anyone who love Mediterranean food like I do. -
Review from Daiji K.
Albany, NY
4/3/2011
Reduce, reuse, and recycle and lavash bread. It was the bread that saved this place from a 2 star.
Apparently, this place used to have its own market area selling groceries and spices and stuff, but they decided to reduce its options to just a restaurant. I went there at a pretty late time, and by the end, I saw the guys saran wrap the big kabob meat. It's good to reuse for leftovers, but I hope that they don't use the same meat the next day for customers. Sure, the yogurt sauce is pretty tasty, but they recycle it in many of their dishes. The yogurt sauce they serve with the lavash bread is the same as the sauce they hide underneath the meat in iskender kabob. It even tastes like the aryan yogurt drink uses the same thing too (except with more salt). If you're expecting the aryan to taste like lassi, you're thinking of a different country (hint: India). If you don't like salty drinks, don't get this. I've tried this drink before in Singapore, and I thought I was open minded enough to like it, but I couldn't finish it.
The adana kabob was not what I expected. It really just tasted like an above average meat loaf. But accounting for the fact that the average meat loaf taste is skewed to the right (where the x axis represents taste), this is not saying much. If you understood that, high five! You're a nerd. The iskender kabob was also not that great. In general, the food was not hot (temperature wise) and didn't taste that fresh. The rice was undercooked and this is a big no no, although, not many places in Albany makes good rice. It took them a while to bring the food out, so I wondered what took them so long. I'm thinking all they did to the food was barely heat it up. For the price we paid (it was about $10 each for the kabob), it wasn't worth it. I've had kabobs in Singapore for $3 and they are AMAZING. Maybe I should start lowering my expectations. Maybe Singapore is to blame for my high standards for good food.
Either way, I agree with everyone that the lavash bread is delicious. They also do take-out so that's nice. It recognizes itself as a gourmet place, but I wouldn't take it that far. I would only go as far to say that Ali Baba found the cave that only had one golden goblet marked "lavish." But this place has won consecutive awards in the capital region since 2002, so in Albany standards, I guess it's worth checking out. -
Review from Renee G.
Albany, NY
A staple restaurant. I can't count how many times I've been here but it's my top place in Troy and most of my friends agree. When people move away and return to visit, they always want to go to Ali Babas.
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Review from John R.
Troy, NY
7/3/2011
We love Ali Baba, and despite our fear that all of you will start going there and make it crowded, we'll let you in on why.
First, the place is not fancy. Service is great and the staff is very polite and accomodating. Great for familiy, large groups, etc.
Favortes are the eggplant salad (roated eggplant), the salad sampler (we get ours with chemen, ajuka, ezme, red peppers, roasted eggplant, and eggplant salad). Greek salad is great too, as is the accompanying lavash.
Curry chicken is great, as is the veal guvech, eggplant kebab, etc.
Worth a trip to Troy. Give it a try. -
Review from Dennis L.
Wellesley, MA
4/29/2009
I'll just note that I have not been here for about six years, so their first year or two of operation is my perspective, back when I was a student at RPI. One of my co-workers at the RPI Bookstore recommended me to come here when they opened. When I ate here, I was an ovo-lacto vegetarian through most of college and this was a welcome reprieve from the other foods in the area. This was a sketchy hole-in-the-wall joint next to a laundromat, but the food is very surprising. It had all the elements of a dive, including... a random sketchy-looking fish tank in the corner at the time? The same guy who used to pump $4 cheap pizzas out a block from my old apartment then made absolutely wonderful oven-fired pita bread topped with cloves and brushed with oil, the layers separated on the massive disk offered each time I came. The yogurt I had to go with it is comparable to even what I've had at The Helmand and Oleana in Cambridge. It was just plain yogurt, but very light. I enjoyed the eggplant and cucumber dishes I would order from there, as well as the vegetarian casserole I'd typically order. The casserole was topped by a myriad of vegetables in a spicy sauce on top of rice that I remember was very fluffy. I only ordered non-vegetarian from there once, and I fear my memory fades me from specifics, but enjoying the similarly sauced lamb casserole.
Next time I visit Troy, I'll swing by again, but being no longer vegetarian, I can now try a broader spectrum of their menu.
Dishes to try: Pita w/ yogurt sauce, the casseroles -
Review from Katie V.
Valatie, NY
8/2/2010
Ali Babas is as good as they come - fresh, spicy, and delectable. The tandoori oven they have makes everything crispy and amazing. I love their chicken curry pizza and their lavash. It's fun to watch them cook. I take my friends here when they visit because they have a wide selection of entrees (great for vegetarians) and they don't disappoint.
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Review from Cory N.
Albany, NY
2/5/2009
Affordable and delicious, though I'm not convinced that there is anything healthy on the menu.
Their wood-fried lavash bread with yogurt sauce is second-to-none, but the rest of their Mediterranean menu is difficult to approach from newcomers, as the dishes have no descriptions and often have pictures of the food before it has been cooked, which was always a bit of a laughing point for my friends and I back in the day.
The service is, without exception, slooooow. Don't go to Ali Baba if you're exceedingly hungry or looking for a quick meal. The 4 star review for Ali Baba's DOES NOT account for the slow service which, as a repeat customer, I've come to expect and factor into the experience. -
Review from Shab S.
Alameda, CA
4/30/2010
Well the lavash bread was pretty good. I had the beef gyro wrap. It was cheap and pretty big. The service was pretty fast too. 3 stars just cause it was OK. Nothing special though
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Review from Matt H.
Chicago, IL
6/2/2010
This place is a good option for vegetarians in Troy. I went with a group of 9 folks for lunch one day and the waitress was only able to thinly veil her disdain for us. Granted, we did have one person who was on a gluten-free, dairy-free diet asking all sorts of questions, but the rest of us were pretty laid back. The hummus and yogurt sauce and bread were all very good. The bread is made in an open-fire oven and sprinkled with sesame seeds. Nothing else i had was very memorable like the babaganoush or stuffed grape leaves... I think that the prices are a little high, but I'll probably be back only because I'm spending the summer in town and Troy doesn't have that many other options, especially up the hill.
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Review from Chris F.
East Greenbush, NY
6/22/2010 1 Check-in Here
Tasty lavish bread, and overall tasty fare can be found at Ali Baba. We grabbed take-out from here on the way home for dinner, since we were in a bit of a time crunch. The service was fast and the wait-staff very helpful and friendly. Food was great, we'll definitely be going back.
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Review from SUSAN R.
Arlington, VT
2/15/2008
We like the food here- especially the wood fired Lavash - made to order and served with yogurt dipping sauce ( or is it sour cream with fresh dill ?) This sauce is also a delicious and necessary accompaniment to many of the entrees. The only complaint I have is that most everything is over-salted.
Since writing the above, I had the grilled chicken curry and asked for NO added salt. It was superb!! The lavash is the main attraction for me - I would be happy just to eat that. It used to come with the meal, but alas, now they have to charge for it. Understandable, since the price of flour went way up. I think that they raised prices in general, but it is still pretty reasonable. The Baklava is not good - soggy. Would that they had their liquor license. Beer would go well with the spicey food. A word about service which was critisized above. We had no problem recently, infact, it was downright quick! The food is cooked to order and that is a good thing! -
Review from Jennifer K.
Portland, OR
5/22/2008
First off I'd like to say that I've only eaten take out from Ali Baba. My rating is entirely on the food and not service. It is delicious and I would recommend the appetizer sampler that they have with all the different dips every time you eat there. Make sure you get extra bread!
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Review from Corinne C.
Brooklyn, NY
2/16/2011
A friend showed me around Troy, NY during a work trip to Albany. A very cool little city on the rise. She was excited to take me to this turkish place. I checked the online reviews and was a bit wary, but I'm glad I trusted the friend. Not only was the decor lovely and the staff VERY friendly (only suggestion: the lights are too bright for my New York City dining-eyes), but the food was outstanding. IMHO, it's hard to find a decent restaurant in this area (save the wine bar and bistro on Lark in Albany proper and Dinosaur BBQ in Troy)--this one is a keeper. We shared the lavash with a lovely yogurt sauce that I'm still trying to figure out in my mind, apricot nectar mixed with seltzer water, and I had an iskender kofte, which was delicious. The portions were so huge, I couldn't finish it. The lavash was like a huge puffy-fish when it came to the table, a real treat! My only regret: not getting some baklava to go!
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Review from b f.
Schoharie, NY
6/17/2009
Easily one of the best restaurants in Albany area.
The owners have gradually spiffed it up as thay have owned it
I am pretty sure that these people make EVERYTHING from scratch. Even the stuffed grape leaves- they pickle their own leaves!
I have never had bad service.
I have never had anything that wasn't fantastically fresh and delicious.
I have always left feeling extremely satisfied, and only disappointed that I couldn't have found room to eat more.
Order anything in confidence, try someything you haven't had before.
As mentioned- the mezze platters are a great way to sample. -
Review from Agung J.
Poestenkill, NY
2/15/2010
Good food, good price.
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Review from Jake d.
Cohoes, NY
9/15/2010
My wife and I loved trying new foods and are absolutely hooked on Ali Baba in Troy. Even when we cant head over there to dine in, we'll order it from work and pick it up on the way home for dinner. Our favorites so far have been the chicken curry dinner, chicken and beef durums (like a gyro) and the chicken kebab. Oh, and the hot-out-of-the-oven lavash bread with the yogurt sauce is a must every time! LOVE Ali Baba!
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Review from Chris K.
New York, NY
5/3/2009
One of our family faves - we always try to go here at least once each time we're in the region. The hand-baked lavash bread and yogurt sauce are reason alone to stop in. We usually have the appetizer with the chicken durum ( chicken, lettuce, onions, etc., rolled up in a lavash with the yogurt sauce). Reasonable prices.
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Review from R M.
Troy, NY
3/5/2010
Great place for Troy. The food was consistantly good, service was friendly. This is also one of my trusty go-to places.
