Everything was phenomenal. Service was over the top. Kofta & Chicken Adana were grilled perfectly! Beyti Kabob was a savory mix of multiple flavors, hard to explain other than delicious! Sekerpare "a heavy, rich & sweet sugar cookie" was a nice ending to a great dinner!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Adana Kebab, Falafel Sandwich
Holly Harless
Amazing customer service and food! Love this place❤️
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mohammed Hossain
Amazing food, amazing atmosphere, and most importantly, amazing service.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mo
Best gyros in town!They also have great baklava and amazing service. Nicholas was wonderful! I can't wait to come here again!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Rhonda Gill- love
The food was amazing, as I am a picky eater and don’t try a lot of stuff outside my norm. The chicken shish was the best . Great customer service and excellent time on food prep . I definitely will go back
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Sandwich
Elizabeth K.
Ali Baba Grill Cafe/Istanbul Food Lovers on 550 Mary Esther Cut Off is a Mediterranean restaurant and it literally has the BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE! I ordered a pickup plate and I was blown away by the service. 1. They offer military discount! 2. They offered me some tea and a Turkish coffee complimentary during my wait! 3. They were kind enough to gift me a dessert! I was blown away by the generosity and the kindness of the associate. The inside is also very nice, lots of space for tables and lots of room for a family style meal. The food prices have increased a lot since the uploaded menu photos like on Google!!!! It's pretty pricey, but huge portions! I ordered a Shrimp Kabob Plate and subbed one of the kabobs for chicken. I also ordered an extra side of Tahini (not tzatziki) sauce. I will say the portion of the protein was not as much as I would like on first glance, but it was A LOT OF FOOD! The portion of the entire plate itself was huge. Two cups of rice, two salads, one huge pita, the meat proteins and one tzatziki sauce. I loved the pickled onions on the salad, so flavorful and delicious! Unfortunately, I was accidentally given two tzatziki sauces instead of an extra tahini, but accidents happen! No problem! I just LOVE garlic, so I felt like the flavors I was desiring was missing? Again, I love garlic lol. I think that the bread, when it came out was warm... got stale really fast? There were only 3 chicken pieces, but they were HUGE! I just think I need to explore more sauce options, because I felt like something was missing. But I still ate a TON and was satisfied after. I was really blown away by the customer service there. The associate, I'm not sure if he was the owner or not, but was extremely generous and kind! He was super friendly, had a smile on his face, and the small goodies really blew me away and made my day better. Thank you!
Will way creative new jersey
So good so beautiful so
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jesi Searles
If I could rate a zero I would. The place smelled like urine. There was a hair in the falafel. The dish I ordered was ice cold (refrigerator temperature) on one side. I asked for it to be heated up and it was. The waiter brought out a desert as a "gift" I noticed some black things on it about the size of rice. I didn't know what it was until it started crawling around. I will not be returning.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Michael Sisti
Great Turkish food with relaxed ambiance. We were directly served by the owner and his son, who were very friendly and accommodating of our large group. The large meat plates were delicious. The baklava was some of the moistest I’ve ever had.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Kimberly Smith
I ordered to go, arrived a few minutes early. Was greated with a beautiful smile and a complimentary tea while I waited for my order to finish. Person who served me made sure I was comfortable even just for the few minutes I was waiting. Great food and great people. ?I have sat in before and ate with my fiance. Atmosphere was just as pleasant then as it was today.
This place is the perfect place to go get gyros. They have an awesome lunch special and it’s never really too busy though. It should be busy. The service is always top-notch and very respectful. I enjoy the music that they play when I am dining there. They make it easy to pay as well. I wish I would’ve took a picture of my Gyro!
Title: Disappointing Experience at Ali Baba Cafe and GrillI recently had an unfortunate experience with Ali Baba Cafe and Grill that compelled me to share my thoughts. I ordered a variety of dishes totaling $45 (that was also inclusive of the tip), but the experience left much to be desired.1. Missing Hummus:To my disappointment, the hummus was missing from my order. Given its significance in a Middle Eastern cuisine, this absence significantly impacted my overall satisfaction with the meal. The fact that I paid immediately but received an incomplete order was frustrating.2. Burned and Rubbery Falafel:The falafel, a dish I was particularly looking forward to, turned out to be a letdown. The falafel balls were overcooked, bordering on burned, and had a rubbery texture. The taste was far from the flavorful and crispy falafel I expected, making it a disappointing part of the meal.3. Unpleasant Lamb Dish:The lamb dish, which should have been a highlight, was far from appetizing. The meat had a terrible taste and emitted a pungent smell that was off-putting. It was a significant departure from the quality I anticipated when ordering a lamb dish.4. Communication and Refund Issues:Upon realizing the missing hummus and the subpar quality of the food, I promptly contacted the cafe. While they acknowledged the mistake, the communication regarding the refund was lacking. I was assured a refund on the same day, but unfortunately, no specific time was provided (which is crucial since food was picked up and missing item was mentioned). The inability to refund immediately, considering the circumstances, added to the overall frustration. The lady mentioned that the money will be Zelle to my account however my question will be, will it take more than an hour for Zelle to be completed? I have used zelle for transfers and it take seconds to be completed. Why do I have to wait when the restaurant didn't wait to take the money out of my account for the food I've ordered?5. Overall Experience:In summary, my experience with Ali Baba Cafe and Grill was highly unsatisfactory. The missing hummus, the poor quality of the falafel and lamb, and the communication issues regarding the refund left me disappointed. It's disheartening when a dining experience falls short of expectations, especially considering the investment made in both time and money.I hope this review serves as constructive feedback for both the establishment and potential customers. It's essential to receive the quality of service and food that one expects, especially when dining out.Photos attached and please judge yourself.Update as of 1326hrs: After making another call to check on the refund, they then zelle me the money. At this point it's no longer about the money but quality and service.
Food: 1
Service: 1
Valerie Powis
Great Turkish restaurant. I believe it's called Taste of Imstanbul now.Lighting is dim and romantic at night with eloquent decor. Service was spectacular. We went for Valentine's Day and had a great time. We ordered an appetizer instead of a full meal, but it was more than enough for 2 people.Gotta try the grape leaves & baklava!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Walnut Baklava 2 pcs
sokhna keinde
Thank you Mehmed and Kan for your hospitality. We appreciate it.
Everything was phenomenal. Service was over the top. Kofta & Chicken Adana were grilled perfectly! Beyti Kabob was a savory mix of multiple flavors, hard to explain other than delicious! Sekerpare "a heavy, rich & sweet sugar cookie" was a nice ending to a great dinner!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Adana Kebab, Falafel Sandwich
Amazing customer service and food! Love this place❤️
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Amazing food, amazing atmosphere, and most importantly, amazing service.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Best gyros in town!They also have great baklava and amazing service. Nicholas was wonderful! I can't wait to come here again!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The food was amazing, as I am a picky eater and don’t try a lot of stuff outside my norm. The chicken shish was the best . Great customer service and excellent time on food prep . I definitely will go back
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Sandwich
Ali Baba Grill Cafe/Istanbul Food Lovers on 550 Mary Esther Cut Off is a Mediterranean restaurant and it literally has the BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE! I ordered a pickup plate and I was blown away by the service. 1. They offer military discount! 2. They offered me some tea and a Turkish coffee complimentary during my wait! 3. They were kind enough to gift me a dessert! I was blown away by the generosity and the kindness of the associate. The inside is also very nice, lots of space for tables and lots of room for a family style meal. The food prices have increased a lot since the uploaded menu photos like on Google!!!! It's pretty pricey, but huge portions! I ordered a Shrimp Kabob Plate and subbed one of the kabobs for chicken. I also ordered an extra side of Tahini (not tzatziki) sauce. I will say the portion of the protein was not as much as I would like on first glance, but it was A LOT OF FOOD! The portion of the entire plate itself was huge. Two cups of rice, two salads, one huge pita, the meat proteins and one tzatziki sauce. I loved the pickled onions on the salad, so flavorful and delicious! Unfortunately, I was accidentally given two tzatziki sauces instead of an extra tahini, but accidents happen! No problem! I just LOVE garlic, so I felt like the flavors I was desiring was missing? Again, I love garlic lol. I think that the bread, when it came out was warm... got stale really fast? There were only 3 chicken pieces, but they were HUGE! I just think I need to explore more sauce options, because I felt like something was missing. But I still ate a TON and was satisfied after. I was really blown away by the customer service there. The associate, I'm not sure if he was the owner or not, but was extremely generous and kind! He was super friendly, had a smile on his face, and the small goodies really blew me away and made my day better. Thank you!
So good so beautiful so
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
If I could rate a zero I would. The place smelled like urine. There was a hair in the falafel. The dish I ordered was ice cold (refrigerator temperature) on one side. I asked for it to be heated up and it was. The waiter brought out a desert as a "gift" I noticed some black things on it about the size of rice. I didn't know what it was until it started crawling around. I will not be returning.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Great Turkish food with relaxed ambiance. We were directly served by the owner and his son, who were very friendly and accommodating of our large group. The large meat plates were delicious. The baklava was some of the moistest I’ve ever had.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
I ordered to go, arrived a few minutes early. Was greated with a beautiful smile and a complimentary tea while I waited for my order to finish. Person who served me made sure I was comfortable even just for the few minutes I was waiting. Great food and great people. ?I have sat in before and ate with my fiance. Atmosphere was just as pleasant then as it was today.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Gyro Plate, Sandwich, Wrap
Restaurantji Recommends
This place is the perfect place to go get gyros. They have an awesome lunch special and it’s never really too busy though. It should be busy. The service is always top-notch and very respectful. I enjoy the music that they play when I am dining there. They make it easy to pay as well. I wish I would’ve took a picture of my Gyro!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
the food was great and the staff were
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Walnut Baklava 2 pcs, Desert Walk, Gyro Platter
Title: Disappointing Experience at Ali Baba Cafe and GrillI recently had an unfortunate experience with Ali Baba Cafe and Grill that compelled me to share my thoughts. I ordered a variety of dishes totaling $45 (that was also inclusive of the tip), but the experience left much to be desired.1. Missing Hummus:To my disappointment, the hummus was missing from my order. Given its significance in a Middle Eastern cuisine, this absence significantly impacted my overall satisfaction with the meal. The fact that I paid immediately but received an incomplete order was frustrating.2. Burned and Rubbery Falafel:The falafel, a dish I was particularly looking forward to, turned out to be a letdown. The falafel balls were overcooked, bordering on burned, and had a rubbery texture. The taste was far from the flavorful and crispy falafel I expected, making it a disappointing part of the meal.3. Unpleasant Lamb Dish:The lamb dish, which should have been a highlight, was far from appetizing. The meat had a terrible taste and emitted a pungent smell that was off-putting. It was a significant departure from the quality I anticipated when ordering a lamb dish.4. Communication and Refund Issues:Upon realizing the missing hummus and the subpar quality of the food, I promptly contacted the cafe. While they acknowledged the mistake, the communication regarding the refund was lacking. I was assured a refund on the same day, but unfortunately, no specific time was provided (which is crucial since food was picked up and missing item was mentioned). The inability to refund immediately, considering the circumstances, added to the overall frustration. The lady mentioned that the money will be Zelle to my account however my question will be, will it take more than an hour for Zelle to be completed? I have used zelle for transfers and it take seconds to be completed. Why do I have to wait when the restaurant didn't wait to take the money out of my account for the food I've ordered?5. Overall Experience:In summary, my experience with Ali Baba Cafe and Grill was highly unsatisfactory. The missing hummus, the poor quality of the falafel and lamb, and the communication issues regarding the refund left me disappointed. It's disheartening when a dining experience falls short of expectations, especially considering the investment made in both time and money.I hope this review serves as constructive feedback for both the establishment and potential customers. It's essential to receive the quality of service and food that one expects, especially when dining out.Photos attached and please judge yourself.Update as of 1326hrs: After making another call to check on the refund, they then zelle me the money. At this point it's no longer about the money but quality and service.
Food: 1
Service: 1
Great Turkish restaurant. I believe it's called Taste of Imstanbul now.Lighting is dim and romantic at night with eloquent decor. Service was spectacular. We went for Valentine's Day and had a great time. We ordered an appetizer instead of a full meal, but it was more than enough for 2 people.Gotta try the grape leaves & baklava!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Walnut Baklava 2 pcs
Thank you Mehmed and Kan for your hospitality. We appreciate it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5