This used to be our favorite place before they moved. We went to the new location and were disappointed as it was small, but mostly not clean. The floor was sticky, tables not clean. That in itself is enough to wonder about the food and cleanliness in the kitchen? We walked out! We won't be back. I believe, it will close. Sad!
Colleen D.
Excellent food and always quick delivery service. Highly recommend the chicken Shwarma platter! My favorite go to for lunch break at work. Nutritious and delicious with multiple add in options (hummus, cucumber salad, Afghan sauce, etc.) comes with a pita!!
Lacie Hinton
We don't live in New Jersey. But we have family here that we visit and everytime we come, we come to Babur Garden. I like that they have many options for vegitarians. I get the lentil Dal every time. So good and filling.
Michael Yawn
To quote my wife, "this food is awesome!" Very filling meals, reasonable prices, nice owners. Not pretty decor, but everything else is great!
michael mahan
Best food in the area. Friendly staff. I could eat there every day of my life.
NJEyeGuy2
Delicious food, very reasonable prices and the staff is way more than accomodating. I've become a regular there!
Suzy V.
What a wonderful surprise to find such great vegan options in a restaurant also serving meat-rich dishes! I'd never tried Afghan cuisine before, but having found Babur Garden on a vegan-oriented dining app, my fiancé and I decided to give it a try. He had a delicious lamb dish while I enjoyed the cauliflower stew, one of many vegan dishes they offer. Our server (who also seemed like the owner) threw in many extras like falafel, hummus and naan, all of which were delicious! It's a shame we were merely passing through this area on a brief visit to the Jersey Shore, as I'd certainly eat here regularly if I could. You should go, it's great!!
Gina M
This place was pretty nice. It's peaceful exotic an they have really good bread. I'm not sure but I think they make it themselves. I will certainly be coming back here again and again! If you need a quick meal and something different come here. Only one less star for the service which was inconsistent
Kevin Scally
I have been coming to Babur Garden for seven years, ever since they opened in their previous location. The food is incredible and the family that runs the business is incredibly friendly and generous. They have a great range of food - my vegan wife is happy and my carnivore friends are elated. My favorite is their beef kobeeda kabob. I've recommended to friends and family and strangers alike.
Harold R.
Food is burnt! Taste and smells like charcoal! I am not recommending this restaurant. You will waste your money if you're going to eat there.
Only not giving low amount of stars because I know that this business supports a kind family. I would rather just give some advice because my husband and I do love the concept & food (*of the precious location*). They change their recipes so often that you don't know what you're going to get. We always order the same things (chicken/all of the veg. sides/rice/falafel). Their eggplant used to be heavenly. Tender and thick. Now it is super greasy and thin. Watery. The dal used to be the absolute best. It was thick and filling but nowadays it's always a different color, loaded with turmeric and SUPER soup-like. It almost has a sour zing to it. The best days were at the buffet at the old location. Unfortunately, this is a completely different restaurant. They are not that same Babur Garden. FYI:FALAFEL WAS STILL GREAT. We also opted for delivery because I don't really like going to the actual place anymore and the delivery driver handed it to us basically upside down. Dal was all over the bag. Huge bummer. Cool that they deliver, though. I still prefer driving to their old location. I do believe they can improve & we are wishing them the best. #bringbacktheoldbaburgarden
SuzAnne S.
Quite honestly if I could give 0 stars I would and if you know me and my reviews you know its far and few between that I give 1 star. Stopped off here on Thursday for to go lunch- I had to do a few errands and still grab lunch- perfect! this was right on the way back to to the office. 1. I walked in and right away, floor is tacky sticky, tables dirty and stuff from people meals on the floor. But ya know I ignored it. 2. I gaze up at a rather wonderful meal kiosk board (see photo) and right away told no, by the employee behind the counter, that what they have is on the counter paper menu (see photo)- hmm I said Lots of stuff blacked out, he said they were working on a new menu. Okay Cool- but now I am hard pressed to find something. 3. I order the chicken kebab with rice and samosa but told they do not have samosas how about falafel, sure I say. Ring it up- $17.00 about but hey I'm hungry. *From the register- I have a total sight line to the whole kitchen, lady sweeping the floor, refer area, cooking area etc, see photo (glove dispenser) stay with me on this..... 4. The guy behind the counter tells the guy sitting at a window counter seat who had been on his cell phone this whole time to cook my order- WHOA!! this guy gets up, walks to the kitchen puts his cell phone in his pocket, gets the raw chicken out of the fridge jams it on a kebab skewer and plops it on the grill, all with his bare hands.. I think oh, no, but the grill will kill the germs-right?!- but no-- then with his wet hand with chicken juice he starts on his phone again with tech support for something- all the while I am looking at the wall of memories on how the father started the first restaurant in NY city and the legacy- I look around hmm.. 5. The first guy asks what salad I want, he goes through the options, I go with cucumber and tzatziki sauce-- mmm then he doles it into the to go container and puts it in the cooler and walks to the kitchen to check on my order. 6. I see the second guy touching everything his hair, cell phone, his face, nose, hand in his pocket, counter, I-pad and then-- puts my pita on the grill to heat up! NO!! I called the first guy over and said - look with all due respect, he's been touching everything and then touched the pita with NO gloves and could you make me a fresh one- he said ok- grabbed gloves., walked into the kitchen- told the other guy something- but in the mean time that guy had grabbed the pita off the grill and wrapped it foil- so the guy with the gloves-- went to toss it into the trash, it fell on the floor, he picked it up with the gloved hands and tossed in the trash, and then picked a pita from the bag and put the "fresh" pita off the grill to heat, wrapped it in foil got my order together, handed it to me and was like, bye, thanks, later. I was DONE! I got back to my office, left food in the car, had no appetite now and tossed it when I got home. I say, this was one of the most uncomfortable experience I have ever had and its a damn shame, because I absolutely love this cuisine. I'm quite sad about this.
John A.
While our experiences with Afghan cuisine are limited - exactly 3 visits to 3 different establishments over 20 years, we can not recommend Babur Garden. The strip mall location, while easily accessible, was somewhat unkempt, bordering on dirty. Our lunch selections were only acceptable and nothing worthy of note. I suspect that if you want a quick Middle Eastern dining option or you are in a rush, this may fill that need. About the only saving grace was a very social counter attendant (server? - since this a "grab and go" type of establishment, I'm not sure "server" is the correct nomenclature). Oh well, as I inferenced, I've had better.
Kevin M.
Chicken Tikka Kabob was really good! And a good amount of food! Ali was also really nice!
Lauren C.
I'm sorry but the new location has completely transformed the previous family style sit down restaurant to and uncomfortable fast food spot. The portions are now much smaller but the prices remain the same if not more. I'm very sorry I will not be back.
This used to be our favorite place before they moved. We went to the new location and were disappointed as it was small, but mostly not clean. The floor was sticky, tables not clean. That in itself is enough to wonder about the food and cleanliness in the kitchen? We walked out! We won't be back. I believe, it will close. Sad!
Excellent food and always quick delivery service. Highly recommend the chicken Shwarma platter! My favorite go to for lunch break at work. Nutritious and delicious with multiple add in options (hummus, cucumber salad, Afghan sauce, etc.) comes with a pita!!
We don't live in New Jersey. But we have family here that we visit and everytime we come, we come to Babur Garden. I like that they have many options for vegitarians. I get the lentil Dal every time. So good and filling.
To quote my wife, "this food is awesome!" Very filling meals, reasonable prices, nice owners. Not pretty decor, but everything else is great!
Best food in the area. Friendly staff. I could eat there every day of my life.
Delicious food, very reasonable prices and the staff is way more than accomodating. I've become a regular there!
What a wonderful surprise to find such great vegan options in a restaurant also serving meat-rich dishes! I'd never tried Afghan cuisine before, but having found Babur Garden on a vegan-oriented dining app, my fiancé and I decided to give it a try. He had a delicious lamb dish while I enjoyed the cauliflower stew, one of many vegan dishes they offer. Our server (who also seemed like the owner) threw in many extras like falafel, hummus and naan, all of which were delicious! It's a shame we were merely passing through this area on a brief visit to the Jersey Shore, as I'd certainly eat here regularly if I could. You should go, it's great!!
This place was pretty nice. It's peaceful exotic an they have really good bread. I'm not sure but I think they make it themselves. I will certainly be coming back here again and again! If you need a quick meal and something different come here. Only one less star for the service which was inconsistent
I have been coming to Babur Garden for seven years, ever since they opened in their previous location. The food is incredible and the family that runs the business is incredibly friendly and generous. They have a great range of food - my vegan wife is happy and my carnivore friends are elated. My favorite is their beef kobeeda kabob. I've recommended to friends and family and strangers alike.
Food is burnt! Taste and smells like charcoal! I am not recommending this restaurant. You will waste your money if you're going to eat there.
Restaurantji Recommends
Only not giving low amount of stars because I know that this business supports a kind family. I would rather just give some advice because my husband and I do love the concept & food (*of the precious location*). They change their recipes so often that you don't know what you're going to get. We always order the same things (chicken/all of the veg. sides/rice/falafel). Their eggplant used to be heavenly. Tender and thick. Now it is super greasy and thin. Watery. The dal used to be the absolute best. It was thick and filling but nowadays it's always a different color, loaded with turmeric and SUPER soup-like. It almost has a sour zing to it. The best days were at the buffet at the old location. Unfortunately, this is a completely different restaurant. They are not that same Babur Garden. FYI:FALAFEL WAS STILL GREAT. We also opted for delivery because I don't really like going to the actual place anymore and the delivery driver handed it to us basically upside down. Dal was all over the bag. Huge bummer. Cool that they deliver, though. I still prefer driving to their old location. I do believe they can improve & we are wishing them the best. #bringbacktheoldbaburgarden
Quite honestly if I could give 0 stars I would and if you know me and my reviews you know its far and few between that I give 1 star. Stopped off here on Thursday for to go lunch- I had to do a few errands and still grab lunch- perfect! this was right on the way back to to the office. 1. I walked in and right away, floor is tacky sticky, tables dirty and stuff from people meals on the floor. But ya know I ignored it. 2. I gaze up at a rather wonderful meal kiosk board (see photo) and right away told no, by the employee behind the counter, that what they have is on the counter paper menu (see photo)- hmm I said Lots of stuff blacked out, he said they were working on a new menu. Okay Cool- but now I am hard pressed to find something. 3. I order the chicken kebab with rice and samosa but told they do not have samosas how about falafel, sure I say. Ring it up- $17.00 about but hey I'm hungry. *From the register- I have a total sight line to the whole kitchen, lady sweeping the floor, refer area, cooking area etc, see photo (glove dispenser) stay with me on this..... 4. The guy behind the counter tells the guy sitting at a window counter seat who had been on his cell phone this whole time to cook my order- WHOA!! this guy gets up, walks to the kitchen puts his cell phone in his pocket, gets the raw chicken out of the fridge jams it on a kebab skewer and plops it on the grill, all with his bare hands.. I think oh, no, but the grill will kill the germs-right?!- but no-- then with his wet hand with chicken juice he starts on his phone again with tech support for something- all the while I am looking at the wall of memories on how the father started the first restaurant in NY city and the legacy- I look around hmm.. 5. The first guy asks what salad I want, he goes through the options, I go with cucumber and tzatziki sauce-- mmm then he doles it into the to go container and puts it in the cooler and walks to the kitchen to check on my order. 6. I see the second guy touching everything his hair, cell phone, his face, nose, hand in his pocket, counter, I-pad and then-- puts my pita on the grill to heat up! NO!! I called the first guy over and said - look with all due respect, he's been touching everything and then touched the pita with NO gloves and could you make me a fresh one- he said ok- grabbed gloves., walked into the kitchen- told the other guy something- but in the mean time that guy had grabbed the pita off the grill and wrapped it foil- so the guy with the gloves-- went to toss it into the trash, it fell on the floor, he picked it up with the gloved hands and tossed in the trash, and then picked a pita from the bag and put the "fresh" pita off the grill to heat, wrapped it in foil got my order together, handed it to me and was like, bye, thanks, later. I was DONE! I got back to my office, left food in the car, had no appetite now and tossed it when I got home. I say, this was one of the most uncomfortable experience I have ever had and its a damn shame, because I absolutely love this cuisine. I'm quite sad about this.
While our experiences with Afghan cuisine are limited - exactly 3 visits to 3 different establishments over 20 years, we can not recommend Babur Garden. The strip mall location, while easily accessible, was somewhat unkempt, bordering on dirty. Our lunch selections were only acceptable and nothing worthy of note. I suspect that if you want a quick Middle Eastern dining option or you are in a rush, this may fill that need. About the only saving grace was a very social counter attendant (server? - since this a "grab and go" type of establishment, I'm not sure "server" is the correct nomenclature). Oh well, as I inferenced, I've had better.
Chicken Tikka Kabob was really good! And a good amount of food! Ali was also really nice!
I'm sorry but the new location has completely transformed the previous family style sit down restaurant to and uncomfortable fast food spot. The portions are now much smaller but the prices remain the same if not more. I'm very sorry I will not be back.