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Mon-Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
I found this place from other reviews here on YELP (and double-checking for recent inspection reports on http://Maricopa.gov site...this place usually gets SILVER or GOLD awards! No worries...)
It was EVERYTHING I read about...the food was incredibly inexpensive and really good! I tried the Gyro Deluxe, which is a gyro with onions, feta, dressing, lettuce, & tomato on a homemade pita for about $4.25...really good!
It is 1/2 market and 1/2 sit down restaurant. They have a counter for take-out orders. It's not fancy by any means, but good food in a clean place at a great price is what you can expect here.
The water is nasty Phoenix Tap (not the filtered version), but they sell bottles of Arrowhead water in the sports top for .99 cents in the market part of the place....good price!
If I were driving down the street, I wouldn't had thought about eating here, glad I found Haji-Baba on YELP, I would certainly eat here AGAIN and AGAIN when I am in the area...
A true diamond in the rough! I was very impressed by this restaurant, and also surprised that I had never even seen it. I'm not sure if the complex is new but its pretty well camouflaged.
The food was VERY good. It came out in large portions and very quickly. They offer the usual Mediterranean fare, I ordered the Gyro plate, Georgeann G had the lamb tongue sandwich, and we each also had a stuffed grape leaf. The stuffed grape leaves we served hot (which was a first) but they were HUGE compared to others I've had. The Meat was cooked to perfection (the lamb tongue was surprisingly very tasty) and the sides were freshly prepared as well.
Words of advice: go with the sandwich instead of a plate. The plate came with about 2 pounds of rice that was completely not needed (and the total price would've been much less if ordered separately). If you still want more, add a side salad or something.
The prices were very good and the service was nothing to complain about. It was hard to resist the baklava by the register, and we ended up taking a piece of cashew baklava to go (which was heavenly).
I'm glad I've had a chance to check this place out, and I will definitely go back.
Absolutely my favorite place to eat in Tempe. Cheap prices for great food. Before becoming a vegetarian, my favorite thing to get here was the chicken shwarma plate - and although I have a huge appetite, I still was able to take plenty home for the next day. Now, a falafel plate or pita is the way to satisfy my hunger! Make sure to try their hummous and tabouli! Their baklava is unbelievably good - the almond and pecan varieties are my favorites.
Be sure to check out the grocery section as well - super cheap bulk spices, rice, and legumes (lentils, etc); as well as lots of items necessary for middle eastern and indian cooking.
In all of my years of eating here, I've only once had to wait longer than ten minutes for my food. Usually, it takes less than five, sometimes less than three minutes of time between when I place my order and when it's making it's way into my stomach.The employees and servers here are some of the nicest people I've ever met. It only takes a few visits for them to remember you and your favorite thing to eat. I can't recommend Haji Baba's enough.
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Back when I was amongst the working class before the housing market crashed and builders still needed interior designers to do their model homes, we ordered a lot of lunches a lot of times (seriously, a lot) from Haji. Really, when you order that often, you can just call it Haji. You're free to take that artistic (or maybe culinary) liberty.
Everything I've had is good but I always lean towards the vegetarian choices and often would get the vegetarian plate (I think that's what it's called) with hummus, baba ganush, dolmas and tabbouleh. My husband loves their rosewater lemonade and often stops here to pick some up after the zen center on Sundays. If you haven't been in here, they're not just a restaurant. They stock all kinds of middle eastern grocery items. I even found some of my favorite Belgium berry and raisin filled biscuit cookies. I bought them all. I haven't seen them outside of Belgium. Belgium and Haji-Baba's. Go figure.
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Well I guess I'm going to be in the minority here and say that I was somewhat disappointed. Not too much, but a little.
It is ridiculously inexpensive, and for the money, I thought the food was decent. We started with the homus. I didn't think it was great, but it was okay. The pita bread it was served with was nothing special, similar to the pita pockets from any supermarket. The Arabic bread my lunch was served with was much better, a soft flat bread. I had the chicken shawarma plate which was served with rice and tabouli. The tabouli was very good, although I don't much care for tabouli in general...or rice. So I'm not sure why I ordered the plate instead of the sandwich. Maybe I just wanted to see more food on my plate. That sounds like me. The flavor of the shawarma was good, but I was really disappointed in the chicken. It was everything from larger chunks of meat to itty bitty little scraps, mostly scraps. But again, dirt cheap so you can only complain so much.
We also browsed in the grocery part and picked up some packaged goodies and 2 pieces of baklava. Probably some of the best baklava I have had! They were out of the pecan variety, but there was also almond, pistachio, and cashew to choose from. It was something crazy like a buck a piece.
Overall, I'm glad we went, and I would go again. But I don't know I would go out of my way unless their dinner menu is different than the lunch menu, or I was seeking out the baklava.
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If you like Hummus, Falafel, Salad, Chicken, Lamb, Cheap awesome food, great middle eastern markets, tziki, or anything else good in this world. Then go to Haji-Baba. They have the best lunch specials. Their falafel pita is probably the greatest deal in history. I lived off this for a time.
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The cheapest and tastiest middle eastern food in Arizona. Period. There was a time I ate here 2 meals a day 3 to 4 times a week and I'm still in love 6 years later.
Next to mahmoun's in NYC this is the 2nd best falafel I've had and the Gyro deluxe is freaking amazing. If you're coming for classy restaurant experience then what the hell are you doing at a market in a run down strip mall? The ambiance is that of an ethnic market/cafe which is awesome!
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This is a nice place, nice for everyone and great food..however, it helps a lot if you are Abu Jihad here.
If you think its cool that In N Out has a "secret menu"...you know...animal style, mustard grilled and all that...well...this joint has an entire SECRET LANGUAGE! Yep. Arabic spoken here. Same language as them brown terrorists talk in Eye-ran and Pakeestan...according to FOX...so watch you step!
My friend and fellow lover of chicken tikka and other things Bahraini has it right...the Middle Easterners will tell you bah...its OK...not so great...but thats just a smokescreen. You will see plenty of Middle Eastern and Near Eastern and Desi people here. Heck I would tell you this place is just meh if you ever met me. Which you wont. But I digress.
Dont get me wrong...this is delicious inexpensive filling food, not haute cuisine. Most of us secret language types dont go out for food like this all the time because we all can cook it at home. Some of us, when we go out, even for a quick bite we want something we cant cook...and thats why this is so popular with Mr K's ASU Alums and Arizona Natives (of which I am one of the latter incidentally)---they cant begin to cook this stuff!
So. Whats good? Based on our experience: Everything. You cant go wrong. You might even try something you have never had...go ahead...its called living! Drink a mint laban instead of a soda. Or get a plain soda and a mint laban and mix them together. Have a falafel sandwich. Or the shawarma. The sweets are good too...you can buy a bag full on the grocery side for later consumption. They are good with coffee.
And if, while you are dining, you notice a woman with her head covered or people dressed funny and talking funny...try not to gawk at them like they are circus freaks..just remember they love their families, want a safe place to sleep, want to eat wholesome food, and have hope for a better world for their kids, just like you do. Even though these feelings are expressed in a secret language.
A simple masalama (bye) or salaam alaykum (hi) or shukran (thanks) could go a long way here. Although you would never know that from watching FOX.
Five Stars
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their baklava is to KILL FOR !!! Some of the best I've had, and I've lived in the Middle East- Crunchy, Sweet (without being too overbearing), Flakey and Buttery Rich!! Pecan (not traditional) is my fav, followed by walnut, almond and pistachio -- They should have a pine nut version (snobar) made with real lebanese pine nuts !!! mmmm
I limit myself to one piece, if I had it my way I would take the whole tray, but I want to fit through my front door so I'm keeping tabs!
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As a Child of the Mediterranean-
I personally did not like the food here, their baklava though MAKES…
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Imagine a small grocery store.
Now split the grocery store in half...
- Remove groceries from one half so that you have an empty half.
- Add tables and chairs to the empty half.
Essentially, you now have 1/2 a grocery store and 1/2 a restaurant -- which is what Haji-Baba is.
From the restaurant, I recommend shawarma plate, gyros, and any of the kabobs.
The food is cooked fresh, noticeably healthy, in large portion, and is remarkably low-priced.
Following your meal, I suggest you purchase an Almond Baklava from the market. The almond baklava (especially when heated for about 15 seconds in the microwave) is fantastic!
Also, the staff has always been great.
Meals are generally less than $10.
Fantastic value! Please, do not change a thing!
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Had the regular sample plate and the vegetarian sample plate. Great hummus, falafel, and lamb. Chicken and gyro meat were ok but not awesome. I could not believe how tasty the meat was. Delicate blend of spices where no one thing is overpowering; a symphonic balance of flavors that melds perfectly.
Their iced tea is refreshingly strong, with more than a hint of cinnamon. Guys behind the counter at the to-go/deli are quite opinionated and will not hesitate to steer customers toward their favorites. I like that.
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Chicken shawerma...
Chicken shawerma...
Chicken shawerma...
Sorry, I may have gotten a little distracted there.
Every time I think of Haji Baba I think of three things: their chicken shawerma plate (which is to die for, as in, I would throw myself in the path of a bullet if it meant I could get some), their delicious lemonade, and the store that's attached to the restaurant which always has new discoveries.
I don't get to go here that often since it's a little far away, and until recently the light rail construction traffic made getting there a pain. But when I do I get that chicken shawerma and I tell myself I can eat all of it. Then I eat half of it and box the rest of it up and have a delicious lunch the next day.
I hope this place never closes. NEVER.
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Haji Baba is a top notch middle eastern grocery store and lunch spot! They offer all of the Mediterranean favorites for a very reasonable price. Although I have my favorite Mediterranean places for different dishes, I come to Haji Baba when I want a quick, cheap bite. You can dine in for under $7 and get in and out in less than 30 minutes.
The ambiance is typical of the standard hole-in-the-wall middle eastern eatery. During lunch time it gets busy, I have seen people waiting for a table to open up. The wait staff is a loyal bunch that has worked there for years and it is always nice to see their familiar faces. The hummus is good and the kalamatas are always a delicious treat. I highly recommend ordering the homemade pita (not on the menu) with your hummus or your pita sandwich....Haji's finest:) The Greek salad leaves much to be desired as it consists solely of iceberg with the usual Greek veggies. Eat here for the sandwiches or plates, not the salads. In the grocery you can get a variety of inexpensive spices, olive oil, fresh olives, feta and many other tantalizing treats. And don't forget to try one of the many different types of Baklava that they make as you are checking out!! My favorite is the almond or the pecan....yummm!
People thought this was:
Damn you Yelpers you steered me wrong!! I agreed to go to this place only after reading all of these glorious reviews on Yelp, only to be in for a rude awakening upon my arrival.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the phrase you get what you pay for has never rang more true for me.
I love Middle Eastern food, like seriously, no joke. So how excited was I to try a new Middle Eastern restaurant not too far from my office with ridiculously low prices?? You can probably figure it out from there.
The meal started out okay. I got a pretty darn big piece of Spanakopita for $1.95, which excited me. It was decent, not very flavorful to be honest but for $1.95 I'll eat them all day long. My boss ordered a side of hummus to start, and his story was pretty much the same.
We then both ordered the Chicken Kabob sandwich for a whopping $3.99 and I was stoked. Until it arrived that is.
I took one bite and could tell right away that something was not right, with the chicken I mean. After I taste a funky piece of meat, that's it. I will not be taking another bite. It just won't happen.
I did however perform a little surgery on one piece on a side plate to discover that as I suspected, the inside was pink, as in NOT FULLY COOKED. It took a bit out of me to not get sick right there at the table.
I was hungry though so I tried to eat around the chicken, only to discover that this was the dryest chicken kabob sandwich I had ever had. I probably should've figured that out by watching my boss douse his with the entire appetizer of hummus to add some flavor, but what can I say, I like to figure some things out on my own.
All in all my meal ending up costing less than $6, which was sweet, except for the fact that I didn't really eat anything.
Oh, and I should probably mention that we got back to the office and my boss didn't stop bitching all afternoon about how badly his stomach hurt. I believe that's called salmonella : )
Anyways, I'm a bit surprised that I had such a lousy experience with so many great reviews before me. Maybe it was an off day, maybe all the reviewers before me were blinded by the price, regardless, I won't be back to find out.
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You know when you absolutely adore a restaurant and it's like they don't even know you exist? Like you're in some endless John Hughes film where you never, ever get to that final birthday cake scene? I hate unrequited love.
But at Haji Baba, the feeling's alllll mutual, baby.
No, really. They love me. I swear. Stop laughing.
The bestest service, the nicest chitchat and the friendliest not-creepy flirting. And, of course, the most delicious hummus (with a pickle on top).
OK, so maybe everyone gets the hummus. But does everyone get a big smile and a compliment from the kitchen staff?
Maybe it's because I always stop by after work, gussied up in heels and other lady-things. Maybe it's because I tip on takeout orders. Always. Or maybe it's just because I shop the store like I mean it: canned goods, feta, olives, pita, maybe some naan, baklava, wacky Eastern European chocolate, baba ganoush, spices, pistachios, etc. etc. etc. Not to mention the dirt-cheap, super-tasty kebab, shwarma and koubideh.
And while Haji Baba may be the Sam Schoeffling to my Molly Ringwald, Long Duk Dong has never made an appearance during my meal.
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I managed to beat the lunchtime crush of people heading to Haji Baba by about ten minutes. I had already placed my order. My plate of hummus and my yogurt soda was just arriving when I noticed the place was now packed, and a line of people was waiting for a table.
Two obviously out-of-town ladies sat at the table nearest me. They used loud, awed, slightly bemused voices that hinted they were from the Midwest and had never been "out West" before.
"... couldn't BELIEVE the TRAFFIC!" one was saying as they sat down. "We waited fifteen minutes on the street before we could even turn into the campus!" ASU was having their Student Load-In week; traffic was hellish anywhere near the university.
"It was no better when we unloaded Nicole's things," the other woman said. "We were right in the middle of carrying in everything, and a security guard stopped us an told us we couldn't --"
"Would you like something to drink?" the waiter asked, surprising them both.
They gave him their orders, after asking "what kind of pop" they had. Definitely Midwestern. The waiter walked away, and they continued staring at the menus as they assumed looks of deep confusion.
"What is ... shum ... shoe-marmy?"
"Shoe-arma? Shuh, warma?"
"What IS that?"
"I have no idea. But it comes in a sandwich."
"Like, on bread?"
"It says on a pita."
"Oh .... But isn't a pita a cracker?"
"What about ... baba gub .... Bana gaboosh?"
"Where?" The friend pointed at the other's menu. "Oh my. Bagga boo ... goosh? Excuse me? Sir?" I realized she was talking to me. "Do you know what this is?" She pointed at her menu.
"Baba gannouj," I said. I kind of enjoyed the look of fear that crossed their faces, as though I were uttering a phrase that would summon a lesser demon. "It's eggplant dip, kind of lemony. Kind of like hummus. You dip pita into it. It's great." As I spoke, I watched her eyes grow huge as she saw my glass of fizzy, thick white yogurt soda.
"I've never even HEARD of that!" the other woman said. "What's this fluffoofal?"
"Felafel," I said, and the fact that I avoided laughing then should earn me some kind of award. "They're fantastic here, lots of great spices ... have you had felafal before?"
They hadn't, of course, and I was at a loss to explain it. I decided the shwarma or the gyros were probably too "exotic," so I recommended the chicken kebab pitas. My koobideh plate arrived then, prompting another couple of baffled, wide-eyed stares. I told them to be sure and get a couple pieces of baklava for dessert, since it's better, fresher, and half the price of anywhere else nearby. They agreed, but I got the impression it was more due to the fact that they had heard of baklava before than my recommendation.
Judging by the yummy noises coming from their table as they ate, they enjoyed their kebabs.
I had to withhold a star, as much as I love Haji Baba, because it does not have the best shwarma I've found. It's very, very good ... but not the best.
People thought this was:
Busy, friendly service, good food, super cheap prices, awesome lemonade. I think that about sums it up. After 48 reviews I can't really think of anything that hasn't been said, or even anything witty or crude, so I'll leave it at that. I had the kafta plate with rice and a lemonade for less than $10 and loved every bite.
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This place is probably the cheapest middle eastern food in town. I love it. If you're on a shoestring (read ASU students), then you can have a meal here for under $5. I suggest the falafel sandwich (about $2.75, and filling) and maybe an order of babaganouj if you're looking for a complementary side. Delicious.
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This place is simply amazing, I have been going there since high school and have not yet found a better meal for the price.. However i supposed that my review is rather limited since every time i go i order the same thing... Gyro with light feta... for around 3 bucks you really can't go wrong, its filling, and definitely one of the best gyros in the phoenix area...
staff has always been cordial... they're not bursting at the seams with friendliness, but have always been polite enough that I leave with a smile every time...
word to the wise: if you're ordering to go, don't sit down at a table to eat, about a year ago i was corrected by one of the employees who recognizes me as a regular... he was not rude about it, but simply mentioned that if we're not planning to order as a sit down, try not to take up the seating in the dining area (which makes sense considering that the waiters are relying on these tables as a source of tips)
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I'd go here again and again throughout my life if it remains open. There are better places to pick up a good pita, but this stuff is authentic. There are hispanic men in the back cooking the meals, and the employees are of middle eastern descent. I don't think I've ever had to wait for a table at Haji Baba's, and the meals come out quick and they're still hot.
The pita is one thing, but I feel the rest of the meal lacks luster. The lentils are just "ok" and the rice serves the same. Something dull about the flavor. Maybe I'm too american for their own good.
The hours of operation at this place are extremely weird. If you go on Sunday I believe, it's closed. It also closes early on the week days. But they are good for pick up if you want to order in.
This is another one of those "you get a lot for your money" places.
It's worth the trip, but don't expect fireworks.
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Who didn't give Haji's 5 stars? They are mental.
I've been coming here for 15 years. I have never had a bad meal, and always leave with a smile on my face. Super inexpensive, amazingly tasty. Really. I wish the rating system for Yelp went to ELEVEN.
I now live in San Francisco and have for about year....you know, the San Francisco that is supposed to be one of those culinary-Mecca type cities? There isn't Mediterranean food in all of SF that is anywhere near as good for 3x the price.
Love the Haji-Baba. You simply don't know how good you have it.
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Best falafel in the valley. Swear.
I love the falafel plate that comes with delish hummus and tabouli.
The staff is friendly and very efficient.
Doesn't look like much on the outside but seriously they make the best middle eastern food in town. Check them out!
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Haji Baba's elegancy and efficiency is best expressed in a style mimicking Ernest Hemingway's famous six-word short story:
Falafel sandwich. $2.99. Delicious. Bring friends.
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I stop in here about once every other week. I first discovered this place in the mid 1990's through an old friend.
They have very friendly staff. The chefs are the best.
I love their chicken kabob plate. I always ask for extra tomatoes and cukes on my salad. Also ask for a extra pita with a side of gyro sauce. Try dipping the chicken kabob pieces in the gyro sauce.
Some people don't need "atmosphere" to enjoy really good food!! I think Haji would lose it's way if it was a place to see and been seen! Its better to just sit back, relax a little and savor the flavors. Expect about a 15-20 minute wait for that Chicken Kabob to arrive. Its never rushed and I have NEVER had to send anything back.
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When I first moved to Tempe, I was told by my friend who has lived in Tempe all of his life that this was the first place I had to check out and had to get their Gyros. From a grocery store/sit down store? A place called Haji-Baba? On Apache and McClintock? What? Surely you can't blame me for doubting his convictions.
One day we finally went in. I looked at the menu full of foreign foods and was overtaken by fear. "What is all of this shit?", I thought to myself. Of course, this was just a sign of how uncultured I was (and still am). Luckily, my friend took the work out of deciphering the menu and ordered a gyro for me. We got it to go.
I opened up my gyro and saw huge chunks of meat. You know those places that have gyros with thin, insulting, child sized strips of meat? Yeah, this isn't one of those places. This is a gyro for a grown man. So, good start, right? I took a bite. It was... amazing. Their feta cheese, onions, and meat combined for one of the best foods I have ever tasted to this day. It was messy, juicy, the meat was packed so thick that it was difficult to eat (all positive notes), and wow, it was just brilliant. You know that feeling you get when you walk into BevMo for the first time and realize you're in alcohol heaven? When you realize you've stumbled upon something special and that you'll be back again and again? Yeah, that's the feeling.
I ate at Haji Baba's again the next day. And about twice every week for a month afterwards. Later I learned that their "Deluxe" gyro is even better. I also discovered that they have some kickass foods in there. Special mention goes out to the chocolates..
Unfortunately, I still haven't tried anything else on the menu. This is probably a result of a combination of me being terrified of the menu due to having no idea what those other foods are, and me internally weighing out the risk of eating an average or only above-average food as compared to eating one of my favorite food items in existence. Easy choice.
I've never sat down to eat at Haji-Baba, but when getting the food to go there has never been a problem. The workers are friendly enough for satisfaction without being friendly to the point of irritation or perceived pretentiousness. There's also never a line and it's $3-4 for a Gyro. God damn I love this place.
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What an absolute delight!
Stepping into the tiny grocery/cafe, i was washed in delicious smells of curry and every imaginable spice. My dad chose this place for dinner as it conveniently sells leg of lamb (our family's traditional Christmas eve main course).
Myself, my dad & mom, my sister and 7-year old niece found a relatively comfortable table and set up shop. While we waited for menus, my sister & I eagerly gazed at the shelves of exotic foods just a few paces away. After selecting a wide variety of menu items, my sister and I bolted for the grocery area while my dad entertained my niece.
My sister found some curry pastes and I goggled at the biryani rice mix, the watermelon jam, and the super-cheap olive oil. I love places like this!
Our meal came quite quickly, so we barely made it through the 3 small aisles. We rushed back to the table to dig in.
I ordered a gyro on the side to keep for lunch the next day (was it really $3.50 for this massive thing??) My mom ordered a falafel sandwich (she's a vegetarian most of the time), dad started in on his shwarma sandwich (the beef was shredded and tasted like machaca; very flavorful!). My niece is a picky eater but our server accommodated and instructed the kitchen to create a "chicken-on-a-stick." She had a disbelieving, almost grossed-out, expression on her face when it was placed before her (it was basted in a mild yellow curry). After trying the meat, she devoured most of it (we were SO proud!).
The piece d' resistance was the combo platter that my sis & I shared. Gyro meat with the lovely cucumber sauce, 2 falafel (some of the best I've ever had, light, fluffy, melt-in-your mouth), a huge serving of taboli (sp?) salad, 2 warm dolmas (delicious!), an odd little tasty cake (i know it has a name but I'm too lazy to search for it) that had seasoned ground beef sandwich between layers of a slightly sweet wheat cake. Finally, my favorite, the deep fried beef eggroll. The meat was amazingly seasoned but the wrapping was that sweet dough. My sister described it as "pumpkin pie except with beef." Weird combo, but Divine!!!
I'm going back & taking my friends....there are 5 kinds of baklava that we have to try!!!
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I have always wanted to write one of these reviews as a letter to a personified establishment. Like the cool kids.
Sweetest Haji Baba,
I am so happy that I waited for you. Had I lost my falafel virginity to anyone but you I surely would have regretted it. Thank you for knowing I was ready to be deflowered. The taste of your falafel lingers on my lips when I think of that day.
I thought we may be a fling, but you are so deep. You have two sides, delicious dining, and grocery I think I am in love. The way your staff is friendly and seem to actually appreciate my business leaves me longing for your sweet lunch.
Your plate of olives is like a plate of olives, heavenly aroma building my hunger for you.
Distance makes the heart grow fonder love, and next time I find myself in Tempe, we will be as though we never parted. Wait for me.
Your dearest,
Nathan "Bear Hands" S.
People thought this was:
Haji is by far one of my favorite lunch places in the area. The staff is always on top of their game and the food is consistently great. Maybe the owners feed the staff hummus before their shift. I don't know what the secret is behind their food and staff but it's a fantastic place to go.
They serve the most delicious tongue ever. Their lamb tongue is mild in flavor, very tender, and compliments a side of some of the creamiest and most flavorful hummus I've ever eaten.
Haji-Baba is a great place to go for lunch and for authentic Middle Eastern groceries. If you haven't gone you're missing out. If you do go you have to try their tongue. As they say you won't stop talking about it.
People thought this was:
Haji Baba is good. Not exceptional, but good. I don't understand all the fuss about this place, kind of like Fez where everyone raves about it and I just don't get it, so maybe it is me.
There is no atmosphere to speak of, what so ever, not that its a bad thing. The place is sectioned off into two portions, one a dining area, and one a grocery store. We were seated at one of the tables in the grocery store, like.... IN the grocery store. No complaints here, I find something oddly comforting about eating in a place like this.
The food was good, hummus though was very good. We had a nice array of salads, gyros, shwarmas, hummus, spanikopita, baklava, etc. All sorts of shit was at the table, and it was all good, but none of it made me go oh man this is the best I've ever had.
I'd return for two reasons, one is the price. Dinner for 4 with more than we could eat was less than $30. reason two is the great service. We didn't more than 5 minutes for ANYthing. They are quick here, and very accommodating.
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Been eating here for over 10 years now and won't stop any time soon. Having worked in a "Mediterrenean" restaurant for a couple of years I can cook most of this stuff myself but their hummus and sandwiches are difficult to beat. Actually, my friend and I try hummus just about everywhere we go (esp in other cities, countries, etc.) and keep agreeing that Hadji's makes the top 5 list every time, number 1 in AZ.
One thing about Hadji's is that you always have to remember to ask for the "Hand-made Pita" when ordering your sides and sandwiches, it will make a world of difference. And when you are done you can always pick up some Baklava or they have a rack of Eastern European chocolates and candies right next to the dining area, YUM!
Simply, it's difficult to find a meal this good for a completely reasonable price.
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One of the most ironic things about this place is that it's a stone's throw away from Pita Jungle, yet they're completely different restaurants.
At Haji-Baba the exquisite architecture and the scantily-clad waitresses, don't get factored into your bill. Basically because there aren't any.
It's basically a dive attached to a market.
I love the decor at Pita Jungle but I can't make that justify the food prices.
You can order a appetizer at Haji's that can serve as your meal or just a simple gyro which comes served in tin foil.
The iced tea is great and the baklava comes in more flavors than Baskin Robbins has ice cream.
This place is also a fave of many college students.
One thing I can't understand about Haji's is the service. It's kinda like they don't care. Clearing tables is more important to them than taking care of patrons already at a table. Many times I've gotten up and refilled my own drink.
Prices are low, food is good but check the hours before you go. It doesn't keep standard restaurant hours and I think it takes Sundays off. Odd.
Great great food. No ambiance but for a great chicken kabob plate or beef kabob with a cold lemonade you are in for a treat. Love the Humus and Kibi.
When in Tempe, stop here for a good meal for two for around $20.
I love Haji Baba, it is a Tempe landmark and that food is so so good and so inexpensive. The servers are all cool. My favorite ME Restaurant in town by far!!!
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This place is always near the top of my list of places to dine when I'm visiting my old Arizona stomping grounds.
It's fast, it's healthy, it's cheap, and they have best pita bread around. They have about 7836487236 different kinds of fresh baklava in their case by the register; I go for the pistachio, but you can't go wrong with any of them.
I always order the chicken kabob with tabouli instead of their regular green salad; their hummus is killer.
The restaurant is half-grocery store and half restaurant (well, more like 1/3 restaurant and 2/3 store), and you can get everything from henna and dry lentils and spices to fresh feta, freshly-baked pita and DVDs. It's a one-stop Persian shop!
LOVE.
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I ate here today for the first time since I was an ASU student long ago - it was as good as I remember. Better, because i have a more sophisticated palette now.
The hummus was yummus.
The baba ghanooj nearly made me spooj.
The tabouli ruled me.
I love the olives. Real olives. Not from a shitty can. I am an olive snob. Trust me. Order the side of olives. Do it!
Yes this review is shamelessly blatantly fishing for cool and or funny ratings.
Give me one then go to Hajis.
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Dear Gyro Plate,
Your meaty goodness never ceases to amaze me, smothered in tasty tzatziki, that strangest word of words, accompanied by your vegetarian friend Mr. Salad in a creamy dressing flanked by an army of white rice over which I generously sprinkle sumac spice.
Sometimes I get you all wrapped up in a pita depending on my appetite and a desire to fit other tasty goodness in my belly such as a river of hummus or babaganooj traveling on little pita boats. Though not often, and I do apologize for such, at times I must divert completely to pay homage to Messrs. Falafel and company.
Your many cousins (varieties) of baklava often follow you up on your trip through my body.
Aside from the fact you exist, alongside the space in which you are served exists a strange and wonderful place called "the rest of the store" where one can find such treats as candy covered fennel seeds, a myriad of spices, gallons of olive oil and many many other, sometimes strange, sometimes familiar items from far away lands.
You would be my last meal.
Sincerely,
-Tom T.
P.S. I love you Hanuta!
P.P.S. I have marked you as Moderately priced due to inevitable additional spending in the rest of the store.
That about sums it up for Haji Baba, hands down the best middle eastern food I have ever had.
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I discovered the delights of Haji-Baba when I was in grad school at ASU (gulp) 10 years ago. I decided to take the BF for dinner recently when we were in the Tempe area. I was pleased that Haji-Baba has stood the test of time.
The decor was exactly as I remembered it. The market side was still chock-full of Middle Eastern staples. The bakery case was filled to the brim with homemade baklava. The dining area even had the same murals on the walls. Very little has changed indeed at Haji-Baba in the last 10 years.
Haji-Baba offers great value-for-your-dollar. You get a large quantity of tasty food for a very wallet-friendly price. Don't get me wrong, this isn't the greatest Middle Eastern food served in the US, but it's very solid. There's a reason Haji-Baba has been a staple with ASU students over the years.
The hummus was tasty and so were the olives. The Gyro Plate had so much meat on it that I had to take half to go for lunch the next day. The gyro meat is very good here, but it's not the best I have ever tasted. That was at Jimmy's Gyros in Mykonos, Greece. But I can certainly make do with Haji-Baba.
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Thank You Erica.O and Praise to Allah that I finally found some Baklava worthy of the sacred journey through my Gullet.
Now onto the rest of my review, I met a friend for lunch, I started by ordering the Hummus and a Spanakopita (see pics)
The hummus was good, although I didn't get the the thick fresh pita I saw everyone else eating? I guess you have to ask for the good stuff, Newbie mistake #1, the pita I got wasn't too bad though.
The Spanakopita wasn't all that it, tasted too "green" not enough flavor of feta, and by microwaving it the flaky crust became unflaky and jut soft and chewy, not good.
I ordered the Vegetarian Combo she ordered the Shawarma plate (see pics) My plate had babaganoush, falafel (hiding under the tomato salad) Tabbouleh and 2 stuffed grape leaves served with a side of yogurt / tatziki sauce.
I thought everything was really good and tasted pretty fresh except the grape leaves, they were atrocious, the rice inside was unrecognizable, it was so overcooked it completely turned to a mushy paste, bummer, grape leaves are my favorite. ( I will make them for us Andrea, I Promise)
I wish I had more of their falafel I pretty much filled up on the tatziki, babaganoush and pita. Now I know what to get next time.
So our waiter come over and says "Since this is your first time, I'll take care of the bill, just take your ticket to the counter"
WOW~ Are you serious, how generous!!
We wait in line, give our ticket to the guy and he keeps asking us to pay???
Well Apparently there was a confusion of some sort, I don't know what the waiter meant by that, We though our lunch was going to be free.....it wasn't....but that's OK.
That's when I ordered my baklava, one piece.........I go to the car to eat it and went back in for 2 more pieces.....YUM!!
4 stars for the Baklava at least
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If you want an authentic experience, if you really want to feel like you have some manner of ethnic experience, you need to come to Haji Baba.
It's a little middle-eastern market. It's a corner grocery. It's a family-run restaurant. It's freaking good.
The hummus is pretty good, with fresh-made pita. The feta cheese app is really good. The chicken shawerma plate is top-notch, and my god is there a ton of food. Heck, order the gyros plate for around $6 and when it arrives, mounds of succulent meat, tzsaziki sauce, rice and Greek salad, go ahead and take a bite before you decide to pull a Johnny Depp from Once Upon a Time in Mexico and go back to kill the cook because it's just too good.
It's cheap, it's filling, it's quality, and it's ridiculous that it's not packed from open to close.
Good ol' Haji Baba.
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I've been going to Haji Baba since '99 and I have NEVER been disappointed. Nothing that I write will do this place justice. I have had everything but the Kibbi (sp?). Their hummus is always spot on. The Fallafel is always crispy but maintains moistness. Their gyros are delicious. The chicken is beyond reproach.
Afterwards its is always fun to peruse the store. Good prices all around!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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good, authentic, cheap middle eastern food. The restaurant is attached to a market so you can pick up some goodies for later as well.
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Tempe, AZ
Category: Middle Eastern
Tempe, AZ
Category: Middle Eastern
Tempe, AZ
Category: Middle Eastern
Tempe, AZ
Category: Greek
Tempe, AZ
Category: Vietnamese
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