The rice tasted like how my grandmother used to make it. The place is casual but the food is really good. I'll definitely be back. It's one of my favorite middle eastern places in the US. read more

I've been here quite a few times and each time the food is consistently good and so is the service. My favorite is the moussaka and I always get an order of the baba and baked kibbe. My vegetarian sister loves the veggie stuffed grape leaves and the lentil and spinach soup and always orders a spinach pie. My picky boyfriend likes the cabbage rolls and the moussaka as well. Overall I highly recommend if you're looking for some authentic middle eastern food here is the place! read more

Ali Baba - Middle Eastern Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

I love getting a wrap for lunch from Ali Baba. Super nice staff and a nice eating space. I've noticed beers on tap. Also terrific for catering larger events. Have gone there many times. read more

I've been here a few times for lunch. There are some definite great things on the menu, and some that are just okay. Most recently I got the vegetarian stuffed grape leaves and a gyro. The grape leaves were delicious. The leaves were tender and the filling was flavorful. The gyro was just okay, not a whole lot of flavor, and the pita was a little tough. I think some onions/feta would help improve and maybe some hot sauce. I've also had stuffed cabbage rolls before and enjoyed them, though they were a bit on the sour side and not enough on the savory side. I think my favorite thing on the menu is the spinach and cheese pie, which is utterly delicious. Their hummus is great. I also can say the pricing is fair. It's not horribly expensive, a great price range for lunch. The decor is very nice, and the service is good. Overall, a 3/5 which I consider respectable. A few improvements in the flavor department would really boost this place. read more

I ordered Mujadara, Baba Ganoush, and Hummus on the night of August 11th. It was really delicious! The next morning around 4 am I was puking my brains out. More came up 2 hours later. Felt fine after that. read more

This place is amazing! The outside is unflattering, but the interior is very open and ambient. Food is really good too. It's super fresh and tasty. Service is great as well. read more

Ali Baba - Bar area - Middle Eastern Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

I've been here several times and frankly I don't know why I keep coming back. It's just close to campus I guess. I have always come for dinner but at different times; earlier it's empty, but it can get pretty packed during prime dinner hours. I've tried the meat pie, spinach pie, stuffed cabbage, baked kibbee, kafta kebab (spiced ground lamb meat), hummus, and baklava. The kafta kebab is a solid choice, but several other restaurants serve better kafta. I enjoyed the baked kibbee, but thought it was overpriced like most other items on the menu. Everything else I've tried I have regretted ordering. On top of the subpar food, the service is slow. It's extra annoying because you can literally see the staff chatting among themselves instead of attending to customers. I usually eat here with the same friend and she often has a meeting to catch after dinner, but she's always had to leave before me because it takes forever to get the check. A couple things at Ali Baba are worth trying if you haven't been before, but I will not be wasting my time here anymore. Taste | 2 Atmosphere | 2.5 Presentation | 2 Service | 2 OVERALL | 2 read more

Ali Baba - meat pie - Middle Eastern Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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I used to live in DC and have not found authentic middle Eastern restaurant since moving back. This place is incredible! Delicious authentic middle easter food and the staff was so friendly! I highly recommend Ali Baba restaurant! read more

Great food and service! Got the shawarma and a drink for a very reasonable price. Nl read more

I've eaten a lot of middle eastern food, but Ali Baba stands OUT! Amazing food, great service and most of all consistency! I went with a friend who has been going for 20 years there, and she said it's as good as day one-- she isn't wrong. Keep it up! read more

We were in the area and visited the nearby Carnegie museum before we decided to grab lunch. Spending 3 hours in the museum really worked up an appetite and were craving Mediterranean food. We Yelped and found Ali Baba's so decided to go here. The restaurant is in a cute area of town and is quite charming itself. They were not busy when we went in so we received service immediately. Our server was excellent and was able to point out the vegan and vegetarian options. My husband and I both had the lentil soup as a starter. OMG! It was delicious. I really should have had a bowl of it as it was pure heaven. For our appetizer we had a falafel sandwich. Now it is typically a plate but they made it a sandwich for us. It was delicious. There was falafel in every bite which is not my experience with other restaurants serving falafel. At the end of the day I will say this is one of, if not, the best Mediterranean restaurants around. read more

Literally was here and have had about every vegetarian option on their menu. The waiters probably know me by name... I love everything on their menu - literally. every. veggie. option. I've never gotten anything that I haven't liked. The ambiance is pretty nice and low key so it's good for all occasions. The food is also pretty cheap (besides the entree) if you stick to the a la carte menu (which is extensive and large portioned) then you're set! I'm surprised more people haven't checked this place out because this is close to Pitt and Cmu campus and the food is beyond comparison! Bottom Line: One of my favorite restaurants in the 'burgh. read more

Ali Baba - Middle Eastern Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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A decent place for a sit-down lunch among the varied options on Craig Street - usually does a booming business with students and workers from the nearby offices around lunch and has fairly fast service considering. After having tried several of the lunch options I tend to favor the simplicity of a spinach and lentil soup and a hummus. Some of the appetizers are more hit and miss. I'm a fan of other dishes like the sleek but it may be intended as a thing to share because it doesn't come with anything else to accompany it. In terms of local "Middle Eastern" restaurants I prefer this over Aladdin's. read more

Ali Baba - Middle Eastern Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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We love Ali Baba and at each visit (over 20 years) we have remarked at how it seems immune from the ravages of trends and time. Sadly, no more. We visited today and they have made some clumsy changes to the interior. It looks like replacing the floor had a snowball effect and the interior just feels less comfortable, noisier, and actually kind of cheap and cruddy. We're sad. I feel the same (three years after renovation). It is just not as pleasant inside, or as special feeling. Food is still great though, although we definitely don't visit as much as we used to. read more

Amazing service! Great portions--especially the rice and pita! The salad is a must and really is a huge portion as well. I always get the small with feta and it is delicious. I dream about this salad. All the workers there are great! So friendly! Very kid friendly. read more

Ali Baba - Middle Eastern Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

If you are looking for authentic middle eastern cuisine in the city, this is it. I have never been disappointed. The food is amazing and the wait staff friendly and attentive. Make sure to get a piece of their baklava for dessert. The only challenge to Ali Baba's is parking. It is well worth it! Make sure if you are hungry for Middle Eastern good the best Hummus, Tabbouleh, and Mohamara, you will find in the region read more

A beautiful restaurant with a great vibe and fantastic service! the food was incredible and authentic. 10/10 would reccomend

Just waited 20 minutes for a meat pie that was burnt black. This was a take out order, so someone knowingly wrapped up a burnt meat pie and hoped I'd walk away with it. I could smell it through the bag! Very disappointing from a place I've patronized for years. read more

First time I went here was with a group of coworkers for lunch and we ordered everything that started with an M on the menu and shared it. Was very very pleased. Have come back less than a week later and ordered Sleek(a warm kale, bean, onion plate of heaven). Wait staff are very efficient and friendly , even during busy rush periods. read more

Ali Baba - Sleek - Middle Eastern Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

I have ordered from here a handful of times, sometimes dining in and sometimes carrying out. The food is pretty tasty and they have a good variety of dishes on their menus. I especially like their falafel sandwhiches. I have tried their humus as well which was pretty good. The restaurant is nice, although I'd say the service is not consistently something to rave about. Good prices for the food. Great option for somebody on a budget. read more

Decent Syrian food in a quiet atmosphere perfect for conversation. They accommodated our walk-in group of 6 on a weeknight right away. Service was friendly and relatively attentive. My kafta kabob was somewhat dry, as was the meat pie. But the koozi and mousaka were reportedly good. We recommend the tabouli over the house salad, which is mostly iceberg lettuce. Ask about the entrees that come with dessert, and then order the baklava. Each order of baklava comes with two pieces, good for sharing half or taking it home, as I doubt you'll have room for both after all that good food! Fine for Oakland, and easily affordable, but I prefer Istanbul Sofra for better Middle Eastern food. read more

I'm in Pittsburgh for a conference, and thought I'd grab some Middle Eastern carry-out for dinner. It's Sunday night, I called them up and found out they're open until 9:45PM! I was really surprised, since most places don't stay open that late on Sunday. I ordered the Vegetarian Special ($6.95 entree), Spinach & Lentil Soup ($2.50/cup), and Baklava ($1.50/piece). I'm saving the baklava for later, but the other two dishes were excellent. The soup was freaking awesome, seriously. It had maybe a little too much oil, but otherwise, it was very tasty. The entree had rice (not memorable), hummus (okay), and baba ganouj (excellent). Yeah, you could totally taste the grilled eggplant goodness of the baba ganouj. I would definitely at least add a side dish of this if you eat here. read more

Ali Baba - Ali Baba's Vegetarian Special with Spinach & Lentil soup and Baklava. - Middle Eastern Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

So very disappointed in Ali Baba! Had ordered over $50 worth of food to take to a friend's for Thanksgiving appetizers. Was embarrassed to find there was just one large piece of pita bread with each order of baba ganoush and hummus. When I called to let them know how unhappy I was, I was told the manager would call me back. That was the day before Thanksgiving. He has yet to call! read more

I have visited Ali baba multiple times and have always loved the food and atmosphere. They are a little intimidating to walk in because the restaurant is not well marked, but once inside, you feel cozy and confident. The Muhammara(pictured) is to die for. Great meat and great vegan options, staff is very nice and accommodating. read more

Ali Baba - Muhammara - Middle Eastern Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

What a great Middle East restaurant in Oakland. All the food was made to order and was very good. Atmosphere was casual with friendly and attentive staff. read more

Nothing impressive. Noodles were soggy. Tasteless. I was expecting big bold flavors . And they were renovating when i picked up my food. It was sitting on a drywall dust covered table. read more

Recently, I had been to Ali Baba for dinner and overall I thought both the service and food quality were great. For my entree, I had the chicken delight which was marinated chicken in tomato sauce and sliced onions. I liked the juiciness of the chicken and it was cooked pretty well in my opinion. If there was one thing I would change, however, is to add some spice to the tomato sauce. The pita bread was moist which helped with scooping up the tomato sauce from my plate. I don't live in the Pittsburgh area, sadly, but plan to come back to Ali Baba again whenever I visit Pittsburgh. read more

we stopped by ali baba for dinner this week because we were craving middle eastern food. my so ordered the kafta kebab plate and i had the lentil soup and falafel...we split the hummus appetizer. the lentil soup, which i had to remind the waitress i had ordered, was the best part of my meal. i wish i had ordered a cup instead of a bowl. that and my so's side of rice, was the only reason ali baba received three stars. the kebab was okay, not great, and the falafel was a patty with no flavor. if cilantro was in it, it was well hidden. the hummus was tahini heavy. pita was skinny and dry. service was prompt, but we were there relatively early (7:30pm). there are so many outstanding restaurants in this category (istanbul sofra, casbah, daphne cafe), i would not go back to a.b. read more

I'd think most of my Yelp buddies won't care about this review, but oh well! It was way overdue. This place is really close to my (former) school and some of the communities at school loved to throw events there or bring their foods at school events. So, I have tried most of their foods either inside the restaurant or at school. This is supposed to be a Syrian cuisine but you'll find some Persian foods in their menu such as shish kabob or koobideh (Kafta). And sure, I've heard so much arguments about whether or not Shish kabob or koobideh are Persian, so don't contact me on this unless you have a time machine that can send me back to see it for myself. Generally speaking, their rice is bland, their beef is dry, and Spinach pie is meh. I like their pitta bread, lentil soup, and tossed salad. Fatoosh is also a hit or miss... I haven't heard of any other middle eastern restaurant near that area and if you really crave this kind of food, I'd suggest to go here but don't expect much. Service is friendly but inefficient. The location is great and its nice and clean... It has been there since 1972 and is pretty popular. It is also big enough compare to other restaurants in the Craig street. And you can have a nice walk around it when you are done eating! There are coffee shops, bookstore, boutiques, people walking, etc! read more

Ali Baba is an Oakland, Craig Street landmark. With a menu filled with healthy, delicious and innovative selections a 5 star rating is a given. However, there are many other distinguishing features of this restaurant that are worth note. Foremost is the affordability of the menu items. For me student days are a long ago memory, but the search for value on a student budget still resonates. It is for this reason that it is wonderful to have a place of Ali Baba's Ilk located close to major university campuses. Bravo to them for keeping high quality at reasonable prices. At Ali Baba it is possible to have a simple nutritious meal or a veritable feast. Their Baba Ghanooj is the best in the city. Meat or spinach pies are always tasty. On a cold day how about some Syrian or Spinach an Lentil soup? My personal favorite is baked kibbee soaked in hot sauce or a milder version served with cucumber and mint yogurt. The Ali cheeseburger, made with lamb meat and served on pita bread is like none that you have ever had. For the feast, bring some friends to share. Rice with pignoli nuts is simple and unique. Kebabs, stuffed cabbage or grape leaves are great lunch or dinner fare. Healthy, tasty vegetable selections include a variety of salads, the Tabooli salad with bulger wheat and a lemon juice dressing is primo. Don't forget dessert. All their desserts sound wonderful, but I've only had Baklawa, why stray? Of course you should order Arabic coffee. There is frequent staff turnover, but all are enthusiastic, friendly and very efficient. Get there off rush and be sure to be to class on time. The owners treat guests like family. Location can't be beat. If you are traveling in from the burbs you are walking distance to universities, museums, places of worship ... Ali Baba also offers take-out and delivery to satisfy that craving in your own house if so chosen. For combination of taste quality, value and convenience Ali Baba receives my highest rating. Enjoy!!! read more

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Ali Baba has been somewhere I wanted to try for a while, but I just came in a few days ago with a friend. We had an hour for lunch, and this was within walking distance of CMU. First, if you have a strict hour for lunch, this is not the place to come. Service is not a priority. You will be brought your food and not much else and need to ask for a check. This part could really be improved. We were in the, mostly deserted, restaurant for an hour and fifteen minutes, and we rushed the waitress. She was sitting at a table playing on her phone for most of our lunch. The Falafil Wrap ($6.45) was OK. The falafil part was yummy, but the pita was slightly chewy, which was odd. As others have mentioned the tahini sauce here was a bit more unique and very savory. I found it too be almost sour tasting but not in a bad way. Unfortunately, it was a bit over-powering for the wrap and would have been better on the side. All in all, a cheap and decent stop for lunch on Craig Street but not terribly special. read more

Ali Baba is on a busy stretch of Craig Street near CMU and the museums, etc. When I grabbed a late lunch today at around 2:00pm today they were still pretty crowded but the atmosphere and crowd were "cool" and the service was good. For some reason, I have turned into a baba ganoush fanatic lately. The baba at Ali Baba (say that 3 times in a row and a genie will appear) was very fresh tasting but was a little bit on the bland side in my opinion. There was a little too much oil (actually a puddle of oil) on top of the baba but there was some nice citrus taste to it. The large portion of baba was definitely enough for 2 - I brought half of it home. I also tried a spinach pie. Good - not great. Nice and toasted on the outside but just a tad undercooked and doughy on the inside. Also a little on the bland side. I wish they had a spinach-feta cheese pie option on the menu - maybe I should have asked. My last trip to Ali Baba was over 10 years ago. That visit included an incredibly hilarious and embarassing moment that I cannot post on the internet. Well maybe one of these days after a few beers I will reveal - ha ha. Ali Baba is a good choice on Craig Street but there are better middle eastern choices in my opinion at Kassab's (Southside) and Taza 21 (Squirrel Hill). With that said, I will try Ali Baba again one of these days. I am intrigued that Ali Baba has it's roots in Syria so maybe I just need to appreciate the differences and give it another chance. read more

I have to agree that it's better to order a bunch of the a la carte items than the platters. I had the vegetarian special here. It came exactly how the menu described it: rice with pine nuts, hummus and baba ghanooj. But I was still taken aback by the beige-ness of the plate--when I think "vegetarian," I think green. (I don't know. Am I crazy?) Maybe a tiny bit of salad on the plate? The plate is less expensive than the meat platters that come with salad--but I'd think that the meat, not lettuce, accounts for the price difference. But, to be fair, the menu description didn't promise a salad. The baba ghanooj was the best thing on the vegetarian platter. The hummus and rice weren't bad, but next time I'll just order the baba ghanooj a la carte and some other small dishes. I prefer Aladdin's for its larger variety of vegetarian dishes, though. The water glasses here are really, really small. I came here on a warm day and my friend and I were really thirsty, so we kept draining our glasses. Our waitress was pretty good about refilling them--but I couldn't help but think it'd be a lot easier on her if the place had bigger glasses. Less waste, more eco-friendly, maybe? read more

Disappointed. I ordered here for years (1-2X/month). Tonight, I included a large order of baba ghanooj for takeout (~2 cups), and it now comes with just 1 pita (used to be 2 pitas). I thought this was a mistake with new kitchen help, but they assured me after asking the manager that it's one pita. Perhaps they tried to consume that quantity of baba ghanooj with a SINGLE 10-in pita...? Anyway, I was told they could include more pitas for $0.30 each, but obviously, this was an (unhappy) surprise when I opened my takeout at home. read more

Love, love, love this place! I'm a little biased, because I grew up on middle eastern food and this has the authentic taste of home. I come here all the time for lunch, and sometimes for dinner. I'm always seated quickly by the friendly staff, and the service is very prompt. They are also great about splitting the bill if you need it. Some favorite food items: Spinach and Lentil soup Vegetarian Special Healthy Variety Hummus Baba Ghanooj Spinach Pie Grape Leaves Tabooli Can't speak to the meat dishes, but vegetarians can always find something delicious here! read more

Ali Babas is a favorite of my family and i and we've been eating here for a good part of my life! I've never been to a Middle Eastern restaurant with such authentic Syrian food. The Shiska Bob is to die for and the Falafal is absolutely delicious, and I love how they give you a salad with your meal, and the hummus is delicious too. Very tasty tempting food and very filling. I think everyone should try it! read more

Ali Baba - Middle Eastern Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Fatoush is a fun word. And delicious! I've eaten here many times, but am just now getting around to posting a review. My usual is the fatoush. The babaganoosh and hummus are also very very good. This past time I was absolutely famished so I didn't think a little salad would do the trick, so I got the spinach pie. It was good, but not what I expected. I think I expected something like spanikopita but this was more tart - I think maybe because they added lemon juice. The dough was good though. A bit dissapointed in my meal, but it filled me up. I've had such great experiences every other time, that one set-back on one menu item won't turn me away. read more

I had almost forgotten about this lunch option on Craig St. until my research lab came here for lunch recently. Although I didn't pay for my food on this particular visit, I couldn't help but notice how incredibly economical the prices were! Most of the entrees on the lunch menu were $5 or less. Our table split one order of hummus and one order of baba ghanouj, and I had the syrian style chicken sandwich. The hummus and baba were very tasty. The syrian style chicken sandwich was more of a burrito than a sandwich... a burrito densely packed with deliciously spiced shredded chicken and oniony goodness! It was a huge portion for lunch, a steal at only $5.95. I could barely move after I had my share of the dips followed by this sandwich. The food here is decent and you get lots of bang for your buck. I deem this one of the better lunch options on Craig Street, though I guess that is not saying too much! read more

Nice middle-eastern place near CMU. I usually get the 'Vegetarian Special' which is box with rice, hummus and baba ganoush (and bread). They also have awesome 'Sleek' which is this awesome concoction of kale, onions and beans.. tried it for the first time today and loved it. The owner seems to really care about his food... always reminds me to hold box the right way when I get take-out.. seems like he really knows his middle-eastern food. Awesome place, but a bit on the pricier end, I could get a more diverse platter of food for cheaper at the middle-eastern truck at margaret morrison st. read more

Good recipes, nice atmosphere, and an interesting menu are frequently ruined by inattentiveness in the kitchen. Meats are often dry, tough, and overcooked, though the vegetarian options are still delicious. Ali Baba is a place with a lot of potential, but it needs more skilled professionals behind the curtain. (Also, the water glasses are unusually small, requiring many refills and usually causing periods without water during a meal--you can ask for a bigger one, though, something I didn't learn until my third visit.) read more