My wife and I have been searching for our go to Mediterranean spot since moving back to Cincinnati a few years ago. After our first visit to Ali Baby Mediterranean Grill I think we have found our place. This small restaurant is somewhat hidden in a strip of stores along Red Bank Expressway. Orders are placed at the counter and toppings can be requested as plates are put together. The menu is straightforward and features gyro, chicken, steak, or falafel served as either sandwiches in a pita or on a platter. A handful of Mediterranean appetizers are also available. We choose the hummus and pita ($5), which is plenty for four people. The hummus itself was some of the best around. I ordered the chicken gyro platter and topped it with cucumber salad, baba ghanouj, and tzatziki sauce ($10.50). The serving size is enough for two to share or likely enough to take home for lunch the next day. The chicken was a little dry, which is to be expected as it is not cooked to order, but well seasoned. The real star of our meal was the falafel platter that my wife ordered ($10). This is the best falafel I've had in the city, no doubt. Make sure to try some, even if you just do an appetizer order (6 for $5) but I prefer to make a sandwich with the provided pita and mix the chicken in as well. Ali Baba may not look like much from the outside and the inside could use a little work, but the food is overall very delicious. I imagine we will probably do carry-out next time as our kids don't typically eat Mediterranean. Though I should note chicken tenders and fries are available for the kids. read more

2nd time here but it has been years. Can't figure out why it's been so long. We got 2 gyros. Fries. Really good quality food and generous portions. The owner was very very nice. While the atmosphere is basic. It is a clean and well kept. Enjoy! read more

Ali Baba Mediterranean Grill Cincinnati / AB MED GRILL - Mediterranean Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

So I've always heard a lot about this place, nothing but positive thingsm so when I was craving some Greek food after work I rolled by at about 2:30 on a Thursday a few weeks ago. The gentleman taking orders and making the food was out front smoking a cigarette, which doesn't bother me but I could definitely understand some people not liking it. He was polite enough but a little stern when I asked for extra veggies, and I later heard him reprimand another customer for requesting hummus to be added to the gyro ("No gyro has tazitki, lettuce, tomato, and onion, no hummus!"). From there, he opened the bag of pitas, tossed one in the microwave, and got the chicken going in the skillet (or so I assume, I couldn't see into the kitchen from the dining room). What ended up comingout a few minutes later was a heaping pile of chicken, barely contained in the wrap, a few wedges of tomato, and a sprinkling of lettuce and onions. I actually got up and asked for more veggies, and the girl that was sweeping (while having a conversation on her phone this entire time) took care of it for me - loaded me up with an equivalent amount of veggies! The one thing that really bothered me here, the owner (so I assume, older gentleman that was directing the other two) decided to step out back to smoke as my food arrived. No big deal, except the wind was blowing towards the restaraunt and he didnt want to close the door. So the smell of tobacco accompanied the chicken wrap, to a disturbing level. Otherwise? Pretty solid spot. Definitely not the best Mediterranean in the city (Al Medina still wins that for me), but it was the best in this area and for ~$7 I was more than happy. read more

Ali Baba Mediterranean Grill Cincinnati / AB MED GRILL - Chicken wrap with LTO, with extra veggies - Mediterranean Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

I'm always looking for quick, affordable options when I have a craving for something-- and this place would definitely satisfy a gyro or falafel craving. I got a Mediterranean plate, which was a nice combination of warm, fresh gyro meat, your choice of many sides, toppings, and sauces, and pita. The place is not fancy, but it gets the job done. read more

Ali Baba Mediterranean Grill Cincinnati / AB MED GRILL - Gyro platter - Mediterranean Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Food was fresh and fast. Casual locally-owned spot. Had the gyro plate and falafel. It was delicious. Owner was very friendly as well.

Wow! Stopped here with my husband after reading good reviews on Nextdoor. So glad we did! Haven't had a gyro since I lived in London and these were DELICIOUS. The size was incredibly generous, the beef and lamb combination was tasty and flavorful, the salad and bread were super fresh and the tzatizki was excellent. Great value for $7. Grab a fork and loads of napkins. You'll need them! I'll be picking this up to bring home since I drive by after work. read more

Ate there on a late Fri. afternoon. Steak kabobs were flavorful and the plate loaded with a great array of fresh and tasty veg's along with some of the best hummus I've ever had. Also, the tzatziki sauce was smooth and rich. My partner had the falafel plate and though it was more than she could eat, it, too, was made fresh. Crisp outside and tender inside. Very tasty. All in all, excellent Mediterranean fare in a simple little order at the counter restaurant. read more

Ali Baba Mediterranean Grill Cincinnati / AB MED GRILL - Steak kabob. - Mediterranean Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Love this place! Ali Baba is conveniently located near my work and I get carryout at least once every 2 weeks and it never disappoints! not only is the food great but I love coming in and saying hi to the owner and chatting with him for a little bit, which always makes me feel special as a customer. in fact, every employee who works there is super friendly and it just has a great ambience and I am happy to say that they deserve five stars!!! read more

Best Gyro in town, hands down. Quick service.. was in and out for lunch. I'll be back for sure! read more

Ali Baba Mediterranean Grill Cincinnati / AB MED GRILL - Mediterranean Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Great fast and yummy takeout Mediterranean food. If you're on the go and want something tasty from a small business, this place is for you! I stopped in to Ali Baba because my friend has been telling me for months that they have the best gyro in town. I got a gyro pita sandwich and a falafel pita sandwich to go with a side of fries. They then cooked the meats and falafel fresh, which was good to see, and topped the falafel with a mountain of veggies. The sandwiches were very generous portions, but the price was maybe $1 too high at ~$8. The falafel in particular was very very good, I loved all of the toppings (eggplant, peppers, tatziki, etc.) and you could taste that the falafel was recently fried. The gyro meat was also very good, and the portion size was at least double what I thought it would be. The fries were run of the mill frozen steak fries, but the portion was GIGANTIC (filled up an entire to go container) for just $2.50. The atmosphere feels like fast food, so I would probably just get food to go. The young man serving me was very friendly and nice. I walked in to place my order and waited about 5-10 minutes for my food, but if you're in a bigger hurry you can always call ahead. They take credit cards. Overall, a great takeout joint, and I will come back for sure! read more

This restaurant is a solid 4 if not a 5. The only reason I didn't give it a 5 what because it didn't blow me away. (The inside seating isn't amazing and maybe wished for bit more tsziki sauce but it was a to go meal). The food quality is fantastic and the quantity that they give you is great. The price for the value is also unbeatable. For less than $8 you can get an amazing Gyro.... and the give you plenty of meat. Will definately be back! Try it out! read more

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[TLDR]A very good gyro joint, one of a very few on the east side of town, with a far better than average set of gyro options/toppings[/TLDR] I consider Ali Babas just a half a notch notch below the best gyro joints (see: Sebastians, Aretis) in the Greater Cincinnati area, and a bit expensive for what you get. 4.5 stars for food, -0.5 star for above average prices for this sort of food A typical gyro in the Cincinnati area right now will almost always run in the 4 to 6 dollar range. At Ali Babas, a basic gyro (which is very good) will run you 7 dollars. A dollar extra gets you either more meat or additional toppings from their toppings bar, which is just to the right of the spot at the counter where you order. You can freely substitute tahini for the customary tzatziki, which is a bonus for me since I don't like tzatziki and I love the creamy, slightly smoky taste of tahini. It is a big plus that they have a steak gyro (which is VERY tasty, with very tender and well seasoned steak chunks) and a chicken (schwarma) gyro. A falafel gyro is also 7 dollars, which is very pricey for this particular item; and worse, their falafels (while prepared to order, a huge plus) are doughy and leaden, with an offputting taste. If you want extra sauce, you get a condiment container roughly half the size of what most other places do for 50 cents extra. A quick note: You will see the terms "doner" and "gyro" on the menu. if you order a "doner" you get a slightly smaller pita that is carefully slit open and the fillings are stuffed inside. If you get a "gyro" you get a somewhat larger pita that is wrapped around the fillings. Both are good, but the doner seems a little less messy and the gyro seems to get you a bit more food I thought it odd that while they are attending to small details like the made to order falafels, they were failing on more basic steps, like warming the pitas for the gyro and doners in the microwave rather than on their flattop grill. A long while back, they had a vertical spit not just for the gyro loaf, but also for the schwarma, and that had huge appeal for me, but the schwarma spit has been gone a while. I liked that they had 3 varieties of baklava, whereas most gyro joint just have 1, sometimes none Service was a bit uneven, with dour-faced employees who went about their work mostly in silence. However, as I have become a bit more of a regular customer, and engaged them in conversation, I see big smiles more often than not. I have to give them kind of a small ding for their napkins. Yes, their napkins. :-) Laugh it up :-) This sort of food can get kind of messy, especially the tzatziki and/or tahini, and the small, flimsy napkins they provide just aren't up to the task of handling this kind of mess. Make sure you ask for extra extra napkins, and expect to use 2-3 at a time They have plenty of seating space inside, enough to accommodate small (8 persons, perhaps) groups. There is plenty of parking in the strip center lot they share with 4 other businesses, tho it can get a little tight at peak eating hours 20161228 EDIT: Service is getting better, as is the food, except the falafel. Same menu, same folks, just everything seems overall better now. Raising them to 4 stars. Recommended read more

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TLDR: Great but slightly pricy mediterranean. I stopped in and got some food to-go after work because I was craving some mediterranean food. I got a steak dinner. The meat was tender and juicy with lots of flavor without being overwhelming. It was a nice portion of food and came with a pita pocket that I loved. The food was freshly prepared upon ordering, which is always nice to see. With all the different components and vegetables that came with the steak dinner, the portion size was decent. It was a little pricier than I expected since it wasn't a heaping amount, but definitely gets the job done when the cravings kick in. Extra points for being right across the street from work. Will be back when I'm craving some solid mediterranean food. read more

Food was simple but absolutely delicious! I had the steak platter and was surprised at how much steak i got for the price! I would highly recommend this place! read more

Falafel, Gyro, and tilapia are excellent. Great value. They even serve CINCINNATI style chili now, but haven't tried yet.

Stayed in the area and found this great eatery. Food was delicious all 4 evenings. Not sure if we came back for the food or the fun conversations we shared with the owner. read more

Not an elegant place but good food at reasonable price with nice food portion. Very easy to get to. Great customer service. read more

Ali Baba Mediterranean Grill Cincinnati / AB MED GRILL - Mediterranean Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

First thing I noticed: the furnishings and place in general are pretty bare-bones. They reminded me of any one of the many Mexican food places in SoCal -- plastic booths, tables, and chairs. However, just like those Mexican places, I trusted that the food at Ali Baba would make up for its sparse furnishings. I also trusted that the considerable patronage on the night of my visit was an indication of how good the food was! I agree with the person who said that there is confusion about where to order. I walked in and the menu wasn't right in front of my face, so I asked the owner where it was. "Over there," he said, pointing to the wall on my right, which was of course covered by the huge red menu. Oh. Of course. Teehee. After minutes of indecision, I went for the beef shwarma. There was a choice of wrap ingredients: I got lettuce, tomato, baba ghanoush, grilled veggies, and tkazaki sauce. It ended up being a great and flavorful combination. The only weird things were that there was the choice of a "wrap" or pita bread, and the wrap ended up being a tortilla; also, the beef was pretty hard to chew. I kind of wished my incisors were sharper. Then, I wished I wasn't such a nerd. Would I come back? Hell yes!!! There is a need for more good, affordable Middle Eastern food places around here. So far, Ali Baba is pretty much the only place in Cincinnati that fits the bill. Next time I'm trying the falafel because everyone seems obsessed with it... read more

I love this place! I always get the same thing so I can really review on anything but the lamb gyro with amazingly seasoned fries. I get frequent craving for it. The staff is very friendly , prices are great, and It has a mom and pop feel inside. read more

Great place for lunch, the food is good and the veggies are always fresh!!! If you haven't tried it yet you need to get here already!!! read more

Ali Baba Mediterranean Grill Cincinnati / AB MED GRILL - Falafel!!! Vegetarian options!!! Served fresh!!! - Mediterranean Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

We're really rooting for these Ali Baba guys, who opened this little strip-center eatery two or three months back, because the East Side of Cincinnati has forever needed a decent-priced Middle-Eastern/Med place. But these guys, despite being friendly and hospitable, are not making it all that easy to cheer them on. Don't get me wrong: Their food is terrific. Since that's the great part of Ali Baba, I'll address that first. For both quality and quantity, this is one of the best deals in the city. You can get an overflowing pita sandwich--shawarma, gyro, kebab, or felafel--for just six bucks. You can get a heaping feast of a plate with any one of those proteins, accompanied by tabouli, babaghanouj, hummous, and cucumber-and-tomato salad, along with rice and pita, for just a dollar or two more. All this simple stuff, for a modest joint like this, is fresh-tasting and delicious. Felafel, especially, has been top-notch, and grape leaves are great and lemony. It is a huge bang for the buck. But if you've ever watched that Food Network show "Restaurant: Impossible"--and I'm somewhat embarrassed to admit I have--you know that the musclebound and rather buffoonish Brit, Robert Irvine, "rescues" failing American restaurants by whipping the food, decor, and service into shape, mainly with a lot of yelling and scenery-chewing. Now, as suggested, Ali Baba doesn't really need any help with its food, but it still could use a visit from Mr. Irvine to whip all the peripherals into shape. The layout of the counter area, where the orders are taken, is chaotic and confusing. There's the little food bar with condiment and side items for pita sandwiches, which misleads you to believe when you enter the restaurant that it's cafeteria-style service. Instead, you order at the cash register and take a seat. When more than just a handful of people are in the restaurant, the order-taking process is insane: the proprietors don't take your name or give you an order number. Instead, they just holler out orders and hope the right person gets it. When a pita sandwich is ordered, they try to identify the person who ordered it and summon him to the condiment/side-item area, where the orderer selects the items he wants to accompany his protein or felafel. When more than a few customers are present, wait times can be daunting. Our orders have been lost at least once. The drink station seems to run out of cups and/or ice pretty regularly. The decor is pretty shabby looking. I can't really say this is a four-star experience, overall. At least not yet. But on potential, it could be even better than that. Despite the flaws, we've already been a half-dozen times or so, and we intend to keep going back. read more

Being a Yale grad with a PhD concentration in Literature, every time I see Ali Baba I of course think of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves (the classic medieval Arabic story). But for you common folk out there, every time you see Ali Baba while driving on Red Bank Road near Madisonville, you should think exceptional Mediterranean grub. The main attraction here is the gyro. Priced at just six bucks, it's shaved off of a large chunk of perfectly spiced lamb to order. It's topped with tomato and cucumber salad, tzatziki sauce, and anything else you can dream up (actually that's an exaggeration, they have about 12 other toppings to choose from). I like my gyro served with the classic Middle Eastern dish, onion rings. But for you picky American eaters they offer such favorites as tabbouleh and ghannoush as well. I've been to Ali Baba a few times and every time I go it continues to get better. Fixed are the problems of the past such as cluttered and confusing countertops. Everything is now clean and organized with a brand new menu board in which to order amazing falafels and dank hummus from. They have also replaced the old worn out booths and replaced them with nice new Greek tables and Turkish chairs (I made up the Greek and Turkish part to add flair). Even the drink station got a revamp! I definitely recommend this place for somebody looking for a good gyro or some other type of Greek and Turkish fare (I didn't make it up that time)! read more

Five stars!!! Delectable food! We had the falafel and chicken doner pita pockets. The chicken doner was super full & both were super tasty with very fresh pita pockets, sauces and crisp veggies. I especially liked the roasted veggies, baba and hummus in with the falafel. With walnut baklava for dessert, we went home full and happy! read more

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Absolutely delicious. My girlfriend got the chicken doner platter. The portions are very generous and you get to pick from any of the sides you want. I ordered the stake doner and it was packed with meat. I can't wait to go again and try the gyro. Prices for 2 can be about $20+ dollars which I thought was a little pricy. Aside from that it's a great place to go for people who love Mediterranean or newbies. read more

Ali Baba Mediterranean Grill Cincinnati / AB MED GRILL - Chicken platter - Mediterranean Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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I'm really big middle eastern food fan, and so I was absolutely thrilled to hear about this place. I was even more thrilled after I ate there the first time. And I was thrilled further to take my parents a few weeks later and see their eyes light up with glee. The basics are all solid - falafel, shawarma, gyro, you name it. Solid. But the sides are really what takes this place over the top. With a platter, you can basically get a little bit of everything (and there's a lot of things to choose from). With all of those everythings, you get a wonderful smorgasbord of food to keep the meal interesting until the very last bite. The only thing I don't like about this place is that it was closed for the day the last time I drove over. That was a sad day for me. I guess I'll just need to go back again! read more

Great neighborhood gem that really needs applause. A great value and wonderful food. Generous portions and delicious. The stuffed grape leaves, Greek chicken salad, and gyro platter were amazing in taste and value. You get to pick your sides on a platter. Walking in, the place is unimpressive. But the staff is responsive and efficient and the food is a great surprise. It's BYOB, too. We called ahead and got the okay to bring our own beer. FYI. read more

I love this place. Is now one of "our favorites" in the city. Fresh and delicious food. Hummus and falafel are out of the world. The owner is nice and efficient . Happy to support local business! read more

Not bad, but not very Middle Eastern. The food was very plain. The Shawarma sauce was non-existent or so watered-down that it had no taste. It was like eating chicken on a piece of pita bread with lettuce and tomatoes. I won't be going back. read more

this place really just has excellent food! I recommend the Gyro Platter, it's amazing. the gyro meat is pretty lean as gyro meat goes, and is cut from the spit. you then get to choose from their list of sides (there's a good pic in the pictures) if you want to check it out. Roasted eggplant is super tasty, the hummus is pretty standard fare, but good. the baba ganoush is sweet smokey and awesome. basically, it's all delicious and very fresh. really just get the platters (any meat you want) then you can take little bites of everything together and it's a different taste every time. i was sad when i finished my meal, i think that's the sign of thoroughly enjoying something! I've also had the gyro sandwich and falafels which were both excellent. i also had the chicken shwarma which was pretty mediocre, i'd stay away from that. also, the guys are friendly, which is just a bonus. read more

I was very excited to try this restaurant because I love Mediterranean food. Unfortunately, I wasn't satisfied with the quantity of food I received for the price I paid. I pretty much received a "snack", instead of a "meal". Also, I wanted almost 30 minutes for my order. read more

It's really hard to beat Ali Baba for great and easy Mediterranean dishes. There's something for the whole family. It's great for lunch and dinner. Friendly staff. Easy and clean inside for a good lunch with coworkers. I've not been disappointed with anything on the menu. Everything has been terrific. read more

I love Ali Baba! Fast, clean, and everything tastes so good! Their hummus is amazing! I really like the open kitchen that lets you see how all the food is prepared and the easy way to choose your sides. read more

Ali Baba is a good place to grab a quick satisfying bite. don't expect anything other than food. I mean no real restaurant atmosphere. you just come in order your food and find a table to sit at or take your food out. we only came here once and the experience was quiet good. you order your type of meal or sandwich then add the toppings you want. the Falfel was really tasty but the Hummus was a little bit dry maybe too much Tahini was added! but the most delightful thing here was the chicken it came very tender and juicy just perfectly to my liking. they have many toppings but not all good. i prefer less topping options but better quality. btw taboleh is not a good choice here. It tastes nothing like real tabouleh and the parsley was not fresh. if you work or live around Ali baba you should definitely give it a try. you won't be disappointed. read more

Yum. House made falafel. Husband had the steak donor; I had the gyro. The marinade on the steak is memorable and perfect! Both were delicious and priced just right for the portion; a fair deal. The walnut baklava was on point. Friendly staff, clean, albeit dated decor/facility. The only thing this place is lacking is the option for a cold beer with your meal; bottled beer = my five star vote. read more

I like this place as a good carry-out for when I don't feel like cooking. I have eaten here a number of times and really like their falafel. It is some of the best falafel I have had in Cincinnati, perfect texture of crispy outside and fluffy inside. I usually either order the falafel sandwich or else a platter. If I get a platter I get the Venetian but instead of chicken or steak shawarma I replace that with either falafel or gyro meat. The Venetian platter comes with hummus, baba ghannoush, cous cous, and tomato and cucumber salad. At least that's what their menu says; it seems they are eternally out of cous cous. That is fine because they let me substitute and I often ask for tabbouleh in its place. I have tried the chicken and steak shawarma meal as well though and it is also good. I just like falafel and gyro meat better. The service is often slow. I have actually been there and had an employee just sit there and look at me but not help or ask another employee to help me. Or even just say to me that it will be a moment. But they used to (and maybe still do) have a very nice young man as an employee and it was nice when he was working. I have only eaten in the restaurant once but if you call in your order and then wait a little while your food will be ready when you pick it up. I have purchased multiple platters when headed to a friend's house on more than one occasion and everybody always likes the food. I definitely recommend trying it as the food is very good. read more

This is a small Mediterranean restaurant in the middle of a dirty shopping centre. That being said, the food is delicious, and the portions are large. The ambience leaves more to be desired, so I would probably recommend takeout. I've tried the chicken and steak shawarma which were both delicious. They also have a great bar with all the Mediterranean side dishes that you can get with your platters. I think all-in-all I wouldn't recommend this place for a dine-in but for take-out and some tasty Mediterranean food, I definitely recommend it. read more

We got the beef skewer platter and lamb gyro. Beef skewer platter came with a side of hummus, salad/tomato/cucumber. Beef was tender and lots of flavor. Too bad they didn't have some dressing for the salad. Lamb gyro was good also. They really loaded the pita sandwich w gyro meat. Would come back! read more

Ali Baba Mediterranean Grill Cincinnati / AB MED GRILL - Beef platter - Mediterranean Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Love it. We ordered carry out today for lunch. First time ever visiting. It was delicious! I had the steak platter, which was perfrct for lunch. The salad that was on the side, I wish it could have been bigger cuz I didn't want to stop eating it! Hummus was so good! Can't wait to order again! read more

We had an office lunch and brought in a lot of different items from the menu. I really enjoyed the Gyro; the meat was cooked and seasoned well. The falafel and baba ganush were tasty side dishes. The chicken shawarma was ok, but I'd stick with the steak. I didn't enjoy some other items much, but I think that's just a matter of personal taste, not due to their cooking style. Everything had positive reviews from at least one or more people in the office. The only concern was saltiness. After lunch, multiple people commented about feeling dehydrated and thirsty. But others who had eaten there before said they hadn't experienced that previously. So perhaps the salt level was just high in this particular instance. And while I enjoyed the gyro and would definitely get it again, I can't rate it as my favorite in the Cincinnati area. read more

This place has the best tasting food. Most fresh and the people are so nice. Portion size is great. It's not an upscale place but it's very clean. I have been there several times and will go there again. My favorite Mediterranean place in Cincinnati. read more