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Baladie Gourmet Cafe
Categories: Restaurants Greek Event Planning & Services Caterers Restaurants Mediterranean Greek, Caterers, Mediterranean [Edit]
337 Kearny St(between Bush St & Pine St)
San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 989-6629
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 10 am - 8 pm
Fri 10 am - 6 pm
Sat 11 am - 4 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
About This Business:
Wood Fire Woodie specializes in Italian style wood fired pizzas. Signature pizzas include: The Duke: three cheese blend, fresh tomato sauce & organic… read more »
308 reviews for Baladie Gourmet Cafe
Review Highlights
"Everything you could want in a yellow lentil soup."
(in 47 reviews)
"This place's dip platter is to DIE FOR."
(in 20 reviews)
"The veggie lavash deluxe is delish."
(in 13 reviews)
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308 reviews in English
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Review from Raymond Z.
Milpitas, CA
1/24/2012
This is a pretty good Greek Place near the financial district. The lavash and gyro's are super large and the lamb & beef have a ton of flavor. (But I'm pissed they stopped putting fries inside...they charge you now!)
Groupon has a good deal...$5 for $8 which will cover pretty much any dish there. -
Review from Mark D.
San Jose, CA
1/18/2012
On one hand I debated about three stars because there has been some consistency issues with respect to service and product. On an occasion or two service seemed a bit less friendly than usual. And I immediately became a fan of their lentil soup, but I guess I have had it too many times because there have been some consistency issues.
On the other hand I have debated about five stars. Overall though this place has good food, with good service at reasonable prices. It has met my needs many times without me ever having buyers remorse. It gains bonus points for having extended hours when most shops around are closed and for catering to vegans, vegetarians and omnivores. It does use a microwave for certain things, but will not if requested.
So I settled on four stars. The minor issues I have had with consistency in service and product is not enough for me to not return but enough to prevent me from giving them the full five stars. -
Review from Lauren C.
San Francisco, CA
12/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
Not bad. Nice people working there, and they have a pretty regular groupon deal for the wraps. It's right by the office, so it's fast and easy.
The felafel is good (not great), but the spicy chicken schwarma (sp?) is pretty good. -
Review from omar i.
San Francisco, CA
2/3/2012
falafel sucked ass! by how soft and lame the falafel was you can tell it was microwaved. Your better off getting a box of falafel from Costco.
Message to the owner: if u have the decency to call your establishment a 'Mediterranean' cafe then you wouldn't be serving discussing ,lame Caravan pita bread. You take no pride in your business. -
Review from Gabe R.
Alameda, CA
1/30/2012 1 Check-in Here
I'm officially a fan of their food. It's great to see restaurants not being stingy with their meat. I ordered their Chicken Gyro and it had a good amount of warm grilled chicken slices. I have been at other Mediterranean/Lebanese/Middle Easter places and they usually don't put as much meat as this place. The veggies were fresh it came with lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers along with some white sauce. Really good size too. I might even make a trip out there from across the bay just to have more of this place.
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Review from Derek N.
San Francisco, CA
12/10/2011 2 photos
Ordered their lamb & beef shawarma. Good flavors.
The shawarma was packed with a lot of veggies along with generous meat portions.
It was spicy...just the way I like it. -
Review from Tina J.
San Francisco, CA
11/17/2011
The Lamb and Beef Shawerma here is awesome! A large, meaty, saucy wrap served with warm friendly service. There's only a bit of seating available, but the patrons eat quick, plus there's an upstairs balcony for more seating. The tabbouleh salad is very fresh with just enough lemon.
Any of the platters are nice for a variety of flavors and textures and I love the life-saving lentil soup. -
Review from Timoteo K.
San Francisco, CA
1/5/2012
I ordered a chicken shawerma and thinking it would be small, a bowl of soup. The shawerma came and was the size of a burrito. Needless to say it was so good I wolfed down the whole thing. Then I had the soup. Lentil. Awesome. Fast, friendly service. Good food. Ill be back.
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Review from Brian C.
San Francisco, CA
11/22/2011
I got there at 11:45. No crowd.
I got the lamb lavash delux. Pretty darn good. And a good amount of it. Plenty of lamb with the rest of the greek junk. (Spinach feta etc) I paid $8.75 after tax. It was worth exactly that amount. That's why it's a 4 not a 5 -
Review from Teresa W.
Millbrae, CA
8/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
Their Happy Fries are the bomb dot com
Came here two days in a row for my lunch break. I got the Chicken Gyros the first day and the Chicken Gyros Plate the second.
This place is sooooooo good and not expensive at all!
Gets pretty crowded though during lunch hours, and there is not much seating inside or outside.
I will def need to try their popular lentil soup. -
Review from Steven M.
San Francisco, CA
7/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
Got there around 12:10, just barely beat the crowd, so not much wait. I ordered the beef & lamb gyro (spicy). Overall, the taste is great. However, it also cannot escape the fact the spicy sauce are all at the bottom (since you eat it vertically), so it got too spicy at the end. I would recommend not ordering the spicy version.
In terms of value, it think its somewhat overpriced (by a dollar). But it is still under $10 without drinks. So, I would definitely come back again. -
Review from Ron C.
Marin, CA
11/8/2011
This is a small hole in the wall place near the financial district with affordable hearty and tasty food. Try taking the lentil soup and pouring it over the rice on the Mojadara Platter, its hot, moist and delicious !
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Review from Ruby R.
San Francisco, CA
7/12/2011
Small shop in FiDi where I will walk 5 blocks for their lamb shawarma (Sho warm, huh? Sho is) it's about $7 and its the same size as a huge burrito. You can eat there, only 3 tables and seats 2 a piece. prices are decent and the portions are gigantic.
D-Lish -
Review from Theo T.
Oakland, CA
7/1/2011
I just went here for lunch. I bought the lamb and beef lavash and the pita bread. First of all they're extremely fast. The service was friendly and the restaurant just looks really cool. They definitely get a lot of "mood" points. The plants on the inside, and the entire wall is covered with artifacts, it's amazing.
Then I tried the food. I had ordered the lavash spicy with onions, and it was just amazing. The meat was tasty and there was a lot of it. The veges, cucumber and spinach, the potatoes, all blended together so well. The pita bread was good and hot.
So great! I went here with the scoutmob but I'd go again without the discount.
Very good place and a good deal. You get tons of food. -
Review from Kiristen R.
San Francisco, CA
7/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
I decided to give this place a try before the Scout Mob expired.
The Mediterranean Platter was a disappointment. The hummus, dolmas and pita were good but the falafel was cold and not crispy! Cold, limp falafel??? I also didn't care for the spinach pie. Too much lemon??? I gave it to my coworkers who seemed to like it.
I'll stick to Ayola on Montgomery. If I worked closer to Baladie, I might give it another try. The place was packed so it must be good. Guess I just had a bad experience.Listed in: Daily Deal Finds
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Review from Zain D.
San Francisco, CA
4/27/2011
The service was quick but the food has let me down twice.
I got a vegetarian pita once and a feta cheese pita once. Neither of them were that good. Soggy both times. The flavor was decent at best. Three stars because it's not bad like a lot of Mediterranean places and the service is always great. -
Review from Brian G.
Walnut Creek, CA
5/2/2011
I'm really glad I tried this place. It's pretty busy at lunch time. On most things I saw people ordering they asked all the same questions "Spicy and with onions?" The food was good, not amazing, but good. The service and price were great. Very friendly folks work there and the food is real cheap. $6.25 for most of the wraps.
I had the chicken gyro. I wasn't expecting it, but it came out wrapped like a burrito and there was a lot more ingredients in it than I think of in a gyro. I'll definitely be back to this place for the value. -
Review from Alicea W.
9/9/2011
This is a great place for lunch in the FiDi. It gets pretty crowded, and there are not many tables, so I usually just order take-out. Gyros are good, falafels are big, and lentil soup is divine. Shoot, I think I just drooled on my keyboard!
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Review from Angel S.
Long Island, NY
2/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
The natural inclination is to compare Baladie to Ayola three doors down (not my favorite band, btw), and I'm under the impression that a lot of folks prefer Baladie because of larger offerings and portions.
The two establishments pretty much feature the same items for the same prices - falafels, shawarmas, gyros, lavash, etc. for just under $10. While Baladie's items are considerably more generous, I still prefer Ayola in terms of quality.
I tried the beef and lamb shawarma. The darn thing was as big as my....
...forearm (I'll spare you from shameless self promotion). It was decent, for the most part, but I thought it had a subtle sour aftertaste. The meat, though plentiful, was slightly dry as well. Plus, I really missed the turkish hot sauce next door.
Still, on its own, Baladie fits the bill for a good lunch, but ceraintly not quite at the level of hype when it was featured on Check Please Bay Area. I think a blind taste test is in order. I'll do just that and update my review with results. -
Review from Caitlin H.
San Francisco, CA
5/18/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Portion sizes here are fantastic. You can certainly get a lot for your money. I love the lavash wraps, and the Mediterranean platter lasted me two meals for $9.50. I can't think of any part of my meal that I did not enjoy. This is a fantastic option in the financial district. I was happy that Scoutmob had a 50% off deal here so that I could discover it.
Their lamb/beef meet combo is super tasty, dont miss it! I was really excited when I was asked it I wanted my stuff spicy: YES MAKE IT SPICY, and YES ADD OLIVE OIL.
The place is super grungy, but the service and value is FANTASTIC. -
Review from Alexa B.
San Francisco, CA
3/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
I had never heard of a falafel until my cousin told me about it. I hadn't heard of it for 2 reasons, 1) I am from Missouri, I mostly only ate American food. 2) I just recently became a vegetarian and probably wouldn't have chosen it over meat.
I'm so glad that I have discovered it though. All 3 times that I have been to Baladie's , I got the falafel pita pocket. It is amazing and such a good deal. It will no doubt fill you up! I must say though, it is messier than a Chipotle burrito. The pita falls apart :(. But I find a way to eat it.
Maybe I'll try something else next time I go. -
Review from Sus.annah B.
San Francisco, CA
1/6/2011
I love the fact this lunch spot that caters to the daytime downtown crowd is still open when I get off of work. I also love the fact that the gyros and lavash wraps are filling and cheap, and good of course. I also love their fries and the spices on them - delicate and crispy, slightly thicker than the shoestring variety. I recently tried the dolmas, and if the rest of the food is as good, I can never go wrong here.
I think I have a crush on cylindrical shiny objects that contain foodstuffs. Those found at Baladie are no exception. 4.5 stars. -
Review from Ty C.
Berkeley, CA
7/11/2011
I have had a few different things here and all have been good, but not exceptional. Baladie is definitely good for a change of pace. The prep is a bit slow, but I don't hold that against them b/c they assemble everything to order.
I like the fries, they put a little seasoning on them that makes them unique.
It is usually pretty busy in here, so people must like it more than I do.
The prices are okay, but I went with a deal I got on scoutmob which made it much better, but that won't be available every time.
This place is close to my work and I'll probably be back.
You should at least try it once to form your own opinion. -
Review from Darcey B.
Alamogordo, NM
8/24/2011
My husband and I stopped in here for a late lunch while on vacation. It has a very "hole-in-the-wall" feel, which usually means the food will be very good or very bad. We ordered a chicken shawerma and a beef/lamb shawerma to share. Our food was ready in a few short minutes and we sat down to enjoy. They were very large and the pita bread was soft and delicious! The shawerma were very good, although the hummus was a little bitter for my taste. I would go back to Baladie if given the opportunity and try something without hummus, I'm sure it would be delicious. This was a great meal for a good price!
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Review from Dustin F.
1/20/2011
I was in the neighborhood for a conference I was at and spotted this little joint by the big Greek Food sign. The place is small and definitely a "hole in the wall", but the menu is perfect if you want to satisfy a little Greek craving. I ordered the Lamb & Beef Gyro sandwich and two dolmas.
The sandwich - which is actually a wrap - is huge! The meat is SO tender and absolutely delicious - the sauce is great and if you like spicy, it really adds a nice kick. Here's the problem - a good 25-30% of the wrap is filler lettuce and other crap that just takes away from the meat! I would order extra meat next time. Also, it is a bit messy - my wrap dissolved into a platter of beef, lettuce, and wrap very quickly (and despite the weird looks I got from passerby's, it was still delicious).
The dolmas were average to poor at best, but hard to find good ones these days.
Definitely a great stop for a good gyro! -
Review from Natalie M.
San Francisco, CA
7/31/2011
This is definitely one of my fav places for lunch! I've ordered their dip platter- amazing and I've ordered their eggplant salad- also amazing! Their Tabouli is some of the best I've ever had. Also, the prices here are very decent; I first came with a Scoutmob, but even without the deal I've never spent more than $10 and that included a drink!
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Review from Vicky L.
Yanny S. is a genius. It was her idea a few months ago to have lunch at the Ferry Building on a gorgeous day (Acme sandwiches!), and today, it was her idea to meet up for some Greek food at Baladie. I love having smart friends.
Cute, tiny shop on the inside with just a few tables for two. Your typical wonderful Greek/Mediterranean food, with gyros, shawerma, falafel, and salads, all for under $10.
I opted for the beef and lamb gyro ($7.25) and it was a large, warm, soft pita bread with lettuce, tomato, tzatziki sauce and large chunks of the beef and lamb mix. It was bigger than your average burrito (I couldn't even finish it in one sitting, OMG!), and with the weather cooperating, we took our food to the redwood park to enjoy.
Delicious, efficient, reasonably-priced, especially for the portion size. Because it was sunny outside, I didn't mind taking my food elsewhere. However, when the rainy cold weather hits SF, I don't know how often I'd brave the storm to grab take-out here if there were no spots left inside.
Thank you Baladie, for satisfying my Mediterranean cravings, and leaving me sleepy for the rest of the afternoon. Working from home ftw.Listed in: Financial District Lunchtime
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Review from Jason B.
11/24/2010
My chicken shawarma was mysteriously missing the tomato as advertised on the menu board. But a fantastic combination of mesquite grilled meat, hummus, lettuce and cucumbers more than made up for it.
This is burrito sized goodness served at lightning speed, and you'll savor every single bite. And you probably won't miss the tomatoes. -
Review from Mister B.
Aptos, CA
8/4/2011
A great lunch spot - only four tables seating about eight. Order at the counter and carry-out or find an open table. It gets crowded at noon.
We ordered the Chicken Lavash Deluxe and the Mojadara Platter. Both were excellent and we'll return the next time we're near Union Square. -
Review from christin a.
San Francisco, CA
11/4/2011
Perfection in the FiDi - 5 starts for this small mediteranean place in the FiDi.
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Review from jennifer t.
San Francisco, CA
8/25/2011
Ok food but ayola is better and next door.
Dolmas were mushy! -
Review from Eric L.
Woburn, MA
1/27/2011
Near the corner of Kearney and Pine in San Francisco's financial district, Baladie Cafe hits the spot for a hearty Mediterranean meal. On mornings that my mind wanders to Baladie mesquite grilled chicken, I'm thinking about it until lunch.
I enjoy Baladie chicken several ways. I'll go for the chicken shawarma which includes some tahini salad and hummus in the wrap. Sometimes I'll go for the chicken lavash which also adds some lentil tabouli to the mix.
But really, I go to Baladie for the Sultan's Iron Bowl. This hearty rice and lentil soup is packed with the tasty grilled chicken plus caramelized onions and spinach. The cheap plastic spoon that Baladie provides will bend and bow as you mix it. I end up eating it with a fork, it's so thick. Spicy food lovers can request an order extra hot. Baladie will add their chili sauce. You can cut the heat with the sliced pita pocket and lemon that Baladie provides on the side.
Gorge yourself in one sitting or save some for later, but don't miss out on Baladie Cafe. -
Review from Che H.
Danville, CA
11/30/2011
This used to have great Greek wraps! Big, tasty, and very filling, but the wrap got much smaller in my last visit. The meat didn't used to be as dry before. This place also gets crowded during lunch.
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Review from Thomas C.
Denton, TX
7/18/2011
Less than twenty bucks for dinner for two in SF from a non chain restaurant? You betcha! Shawerma was the size of a toy dog! Happy fries made me happy. Highly recommended.
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Review from Aaron M.
Berkeley, CA
8/18/2010
Seriously, $1.75 for a bag of hot crisp and uniquely spiced fries?
How can you not upgrade to happy...fries? -
Review from Mark W.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 5/31/2011
This place has really good Mediterranean food. Large portions, great tasting food, excellent price. I've walked a mile at lunch just to eat hear. Really cool decor and nice streetside seating. My only wish is that they had more indoor seating and better drinks.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/16/2010
Super good, affordable, and you get to stare at the people walking down Kearny beneath the B of A… Read more »
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Review from Koffee G.
San Francisco, CA
6/21/2011
Delicious meals. Lots of vegetarian options. I love their soups, spanakopita and salads; way better than many other Greek/mediterranean places in FiDi. The staff is friendly. It's great for take out, the place is small and have just a few tables. The only thing that bugs me is the cleanliness - if they clean up the ceiling and the fan, it would be a 5 star place.
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Review from Dave H.
San Francisco, CA
9/14/2010
Had a lamb and beef gyro ("spicy") and the "happy fries".
The meat was very flavorful and abundant. The sauce was real nice. I really liked that the skin of the cucumber was taken off. Tomatoes and red onion in most bites. My only complaint would be that the actual wrap is either too thin or too delicate - it didn't take long before it tore open down the side.
I could only get about 2/3rds through it before I had to admit to myself that wrapping it back up was the wise decision. Unwisely, however, I think I'm going to open the cold leftovers right now, just 90 minutes later.
The happy fries were decent fries with some spices on them. Pretty good, but I don't think I'd get them again.
Looking forward to going back, but not certain I'll make the special trip. (It's a good hike from where I work).Listed in: SF Lunch Spots, Falafels etc
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Review from Aaron L.
San Francisco, CA
Unless you work around here, there is absolutely no reason to come around this area to get something to eat. Jesus, the parking it TERRIBLE. My girlfriend and I originally drove to to Kearney because we wanted to eat at Muracci's but my stupid self didn't check if they were open. Muracci's is closed on weekends.
Anyways, out of that disappointment, we found Baladie's a couple doors down. I ordered a Lamb Sandwich and my girlfriend ordered a chicken gyro. They looked exactly the same, save the meat filling.
-Lamb sandwich/gyro was pretty tasty. $7.25 for a decently sized wrap. Spiciness was just right. Could've used more yogurt or sauce because it was a little dry.
-Chicken sandwich/gyro was alright. $7.50. Pretty much the same as the lamb.
There's really nothing special about this place. Unless you work around here, theres no reason to go out of your way. It's a great deal for the amount you get and everything, but I've had better mediterranean food. -
Review from Tee Jay R.
8/21/2010
Gyros, falafels, salads, etc., are OK, but it's all about the Iron Bowl. Rice, spinach, lentils, and lots of chicken. Sounds healthy, and it probably is.
SF mediterranean / middle eastern food is kind of terrible, and the Financial District affordable dining options are truly dismal, but this place is a most welcome exception on both scores. It has saved me on many a hungry afternoon when I just couldn't face another sandwich.
