Been wanting to come here for awhile. Great vibe inside. The service was quick and the food took about 10 minutes to cook to order. My lemon chicken bowl was fantastic. Tasty flavor, the rice warm and fluffy and the flavors were incredible. I'll be back again very soon ! read more

Ali Baba's Kitchen - The dining room is really beautiful - Mediterranean Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

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Ordered take out from Ali Baba's it was good. I got the combo ginger and kebab chicken full bowl with rice and veggies. It was very delicious. I wasn't a big fan of the ABK sauce but the tahani sauce was just right. To be honest, I was so hungry I forgot to take a picture. But it was good. Huge portion. My mother got the half size and it was still really big. And the best part I still some for leftovers (and honestly the leftovers almost tasted better). Service as good. And although I only stopped by for a second inside looked really nice and spacious. read more

Ali Baba's Kitchen - Sign - Mediterranean Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

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We come here at least 3 times a month and are never disappointed. The staff here is pleasant and patient with customers. The food is always freshly prepared and tasty. I love the seasoning on the grilled fish dinner. The decor and color scheme are relaxing and inviting. I will be back read more

Ali Baba's Kitchen - Grilled Fish over a bed of Basmati Rice - Mediterranean Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

I ordered for pick up on the phone, it was a bit tricky. I picked up my order so I saw the interior of the place. It was clean, open, and straightforward. The staff isn't too pleasant, but I don't mean that in a bad way. The food itself was good, I got a lemon chicken. It was expensive, but good. I found it interesting that they don't out their white sauce on the side (esp for a take out order) and on top of that, they charge for white sauce itself. I don't see myself wanting to stop by because I'm in the area. read more

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Ali Baba's Kitchen is a Middle Eastern restaurant that opened in Hamden, Connecticut in 2014. It was founded by husband and wife Pakistani immigrants Jamshed and Sobia Khalid. Jamshed worked in the fishing industry as a young man, but dreamed of working in the restaurant business. He came to the United States in 1989 and worked for a vending machine business. He finally entered the food industry in 2000 when he started "Mughali Foods": a food cart that prepared Indian and Pakistani food. In 2003, Jamshed became the owner of Noor Mahal, an Indian restaurant in Orange, but continued to run the food cart. He sold the restaurant three years later to focus exclusively on the food cart operation. He later dubbed it "Ali Baba's Fusion" and shifted the menu to halal Middle Eastern cuisine. At one point, Jamshed even had six Ali Baba food carts operating around New Haven. The Kalids opened a brick & mortar location in Hamden in 2014. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, the couple cut down their food cart division to a single cart and put most of the focus on the brick & mortar location which was rebranded as "Ali Baba's Kitchen". The menu was also augmented to focus on healthier food options. A second location opened in North Haven in 2025. My wife and I recently sampled Ali Baba's delicious cuisine for the first time. Although I had heard several great things about them for a few years, I never got around to stopping in. While my wife was recovering from a minor surgical procedure at Yale-New Haven Hospital, I ventured to nearby Cedar Street in search of a cheap lunch. Located adjacent to the hospital, the street features a menagerie of food carts that are often visited by hospital visitors and staff. When I saw (and smelled) Ali Baba's food cart, my decision had been made. I ordered the "Mixed Combo" (grilled beef gyro and lemon chicken strips, sautéed onions, rice) and it was phenomenal. A week later, once my wife was home, I decided to head to the brick & mortar location to get takeout. Once again I ordered the "Mixed Combo", my wife ordered the "Side Dishers Bowl" (chicken biryani with ginger chicken and falafel topped with lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, black olives, pickled onions, tamarind sauce, ABK sauce), and we shared sides of "Samosas" (with tamarind sauce and chana masala) and "Hummus" (with pita bread pieces). We think that the food at Ali Baba's is sensational and we plan to order from them again and again! We look forward to trying out the new location in North Haven because it's just a five minute drive from home! read more

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Great food, very clean, great operation, great service! I plan to return often!!!!!!!!!

Finally had the chance to try the North Haven location. Placed an online order for beef gyro pita, combo beef/lemon chicken plate, and a chicken kabob plate. All of the food was very tasty and worth the price. I added falafel to my combo plate, for the price and flavor I would pass on that. The location is very easy to get into and out of, with plenty of parking and a light to cross Washington Ave. My only recommendation to the owners, if the guy working the counter steps away, then the guy scrolling on social media should at least say we will be right with you. I only stood there for a few minutes staring at the social media employee before someone else finally acknowledged me. It would be different if the place was busy. Two people eating in the place and me at the counter. read more

I was lucky enough to attend an event to honor the beautiful makeover and rebrand of their restaurant. The inside is absolutely stunning. I can't get over how good it looks! The workers and owners are so sweet. The family is wonderful and kind. This is most definitely a family business you would want to support! The hummus is one of the few I will get out because it is done so well! The pita just adds to the beauty of the hummus. The falafel is perfection. Flavorful and perfectly crispy. The rice bowls are delicious from the base to the toppings. I love the lemon chicken is one of my favorite things! I always try to grab a roti roll too! They are so unique and have 860 Kombucha served right in tap! It's so freaking good. I couldn't decide between the chai and and butterfly pea. They were all incredible. This is definitely an easy pick up spot or a place to go and have lunch. read more

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A hidden gem in Connecticut! Ali Baba's Kitchen is serving some of the most delicious Middle Eastern food and I have seriously been craving it since my last visit. 10/10 recommend the hummus with fresh pita bread chips and lemon chicken in a build your own bowl or gyro - just incredible! The interior was just recently renovated as well, and it is beautiful. The ambiance in the room is very bright and welcoming, and the staff is some of the most kind people I have ever met. They also serve Kombucha on tap from 860 Kombucha - locally brewed in Connecticut. It was my first time trying and it is so tasty. It does not taste as vinegar-y as the ones you find in the store. Very refreshing and clean. read more

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Great food, clean restaurant, efficient customer service everything was delicious and the price point was average

The food is great here, customer service is always consistent, and they make your food fresh to order.

Delightful and delicious! My friend and I were very pleased to find that her friend's recommendation, based on the North Haven location, exceeded our expectations. My friend considers herself a foodie, while I like to go out, mainly to socialize, so I was very happy with my lunch. We both ordered Lemon Chicken Bowl. I ordered mine without sauce. She ordered hers with sauce. She also asked for feta. Staff was very pleasant and agreeable to our modifications. We were both very happy with our meal, right down to the basmati rice, perfectly prepared. We had a leisurely lunch without feeling rushed in this casual, very light and pleasantly decorated restaurant. So glad to have found it! read more

Posting a new and updated review as my previous one is 8 years old. With time, some restaurants will see their quality go down. This cannot be said about Ali Baba's. Delicious food made from with scratch with quality ingredients. You can watch the chef prepare your order through the open kitchen. The entire restaurant was recently renovated and is clean, bright and modern. Again, the open kitchen concept allows you to see your order being made. The staff are always happy to point you in the right direction should you need some pointers or recommendations. I LOVE the lemon chicken with white sauce. They make amazing Kati Rolls as well. You seriously cannot go wrong with anything on their menu. The owners pour their heart and soul into their brand and it shows. I wish I lived closer so I could visit more often, but anytime I am lucky to have Ali Baba's, it is a hit. read more

Ali baba's is awesome that food sticks to your guts. You are full for a very long time. I go here a lot as much as I can it's fresh and it tastes great. read more

The KATI PANEER rolls are to die for... along with the lavendar kombucha on tap--- OH MY!

- Loveeeee this place ! 10/10! My office staff didn't know about this place and now we make sure we buy our chicken kabob bowl once a week! Trying the coconut cake this time around! I'll keep you posted haha! read more

Had an issue with an online order but the manager Huda, contacted me and resolved the issue. Great customer service! Thank you! read more

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What a gem! Was down in New Haven looking at schools with my daughter when we stumbled across Ali Baba's Kitchen. Clean, comfortable and some great offerings on the menu. Service was prompt and the food was fantastic. We will DEFINITELY be back! read more

I ordered 2 Bowl it's really Delicious and flavorful. Customer service was great employee was friendly and kind , . And restaurant was so clean and perfect I loved it . 10/10. read more

Ali Baba's Kitchen - Mediterranean Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

The place was pretty clean and The lemon chicken wrap was decent, but if you're going to upcharge for vegetables and beef then the veggies shouldn't be frozen and the beef shouldn't be that mystery gyro meat that comes in a brick read more

Some work colleagues ordered the chicken and veggie kati rolls for us during a lunch meeting. I had the chicken kati roll and it was flavorful and fresh. The chicken was grilled and pulled, marinated in some savory spices and topped with cabbage and mint sauce. Delicious! I've driven by this place so many times and never gave it a second thought. I may have to stop by next time I'm driving along Dixwell Avenue! read more

Fantastic food! Definitely recommend this place! The new decor is fun and makes for a great dining experience.

I really wanted to hype up all the 5 star reviews but my experience was not good. I read the reviews how this was the best fast Middle Eastern food in state and it's far from that accolade. I stood in front of rhe register with no line for 5 minutes before someone reluctantly came because it was starting to get awkward. I ordered the lemon chicken bowl and they charged me for extra feta cheese which I didn't order and wasn't on my bowl. The service, as I previously stated, was ineffective. I really wanted the food to make up for everything else. It didn't. The food was subpar at best. I'm trying to understand why they put Canned black olives in the food? Not a good overall experience. I would not drive out of my way to eat here. Maybe if you're local read more

Ali Baba's Kitchen - Lemon Chicken with canned black olives? - Mediterranean Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

Wow, what a fantastic meal we had at Ali Baba's Kitchen! We did the beef gyro and lemon chicken over rice with chickpeas, feta, lettuce, tomato, and olives, and it was delicious and filling. Their falafel was amazing too! We tried Kati rolls for the first time, and each one was delicious (chicken, lamb, and cauliflower). The babousha was a nice dessert. I would definitely come back! read more

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Eating at Ali Baba's was one of the best surprises I've had in my 50 years in Connecticut! First: The food is fresh! Second: the food tasted excellent! And the choices were quite amazing for a sort of fast food place. I mean it doesn't seem like fast food, but it comes fairly quick. You order at the cash register and you pick up your own stuff so that's the similarity with fast food. It was all prepared excellently and healthy and fresh and tasty. The ambience is better than fast food places. Not, like an upscale restaurant either. But I was comfortable there. Also: the service was good and they were very friendly. You're missing out if you do Ty try this place! read more

I wanted to try Mediterranean flavors in the area and stumbled upon this restaurant in my search. We enjoyed every bit of our order. Kati rolls, gyro bowls, and sauces are amazing!! Flavors are on point, and portions are pretty decent, too. Definitely going to be ordering again in the future!! read more

Look no further for a pretty good meal. They have tasty options and each looks pretty filling. It's a really nice place inside lots of room and clean bathrooms. They even have a selfie wall which is fun . Today was my 1st time popping in and the ordering process was fast (10/15) min wait time. You can hear your food sizzling on their grills. I went with the gyro dish with rice . It was fantastic! It came with the sauce(tzatziki) to put ontop yourself which I like best. It was loaded with meat and topping so filling . I had to bring the rest home . read more

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SOOOOOOO GOOOOOOD. i no longer have random craving for different foods, ONLY ALI BABAS. Normally, I don't like lemon flavored anything but the lemon chicken is amazing!!! It's not like crazy lemony or anything (I don't like lemon flavor and it's not like that). It's just so good. The chicken, the rice, the veggies, the sauce, the salad on top... words and pictures cannot do it justice. Just do your soul a favor and go get this RIGHT NOW. read more

Ali Baba's Kitchen - Lemon Chicken - Mediterranean Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

Reliable when I need a quick, affordable meal that still has a lot of flavor! Lemon chicken bowl is my go to

I did not respond to initial reach out because there was nothing to investigate and you guys asked me to take my review down. I said what my order was in my review which was the lemon chicken. There's nothing to investigate. I always ask for my dressing to be put on the side. You guys even have a sign in store that says you guys will do that, but it never happens. My name is on my order. You guys can look through your history and do whatever investigation you need. The show that you're putting on a yelp is not needed. Food is good. But all I ask is for my dressing you put on the side and it never is. read more

Edited to reply to owner: Your response is NOT true at all. You did not offer a solution in the two interactions we had yesterday and it's very DISHONEST that you're making it seem like you did. As I told you, this was the second time I came to your restaurant. The first time the wings were cooked correctly. This time they were undercooked, I came to the counter and told you they were undercooked, you replied by saying you cant do anything and to next time ask for them well done. I don't like them well done, I like them cooked properly so that I don't get sick or food poisoning from undercooked chicken. So after you refused to correct the issue, I asked if you can cook them through which you did unhappily and with a bad attitude. After they were handed back to me, they were overcooked and the wings were inedible and very tough to chew. You then asked how they were and I told you they were not good but you seemed to not care and walked away. Again, you didn't try to remedy the situation. I had to throw them away. You're making it seem like taste preference but in reality it's about being consistent in the way the food tastes every time and making sure they are cooked properly. They were good the first time but not this time. It's very important to offer HONEST hospitality and great service to all guests. If you treated me like this, I'm pretty sure this behavior will continue for future guests, who can make their own informed decisions. As a restaurant, It really matters how you handle constructive feedback (in real time and in your reply). Take accountability and fix the issue instead of making it into a bad experience. If you would have handled the situation in a nice/better manner, you would still have a customer (& referrals to my friends/family) and a good review instead of a bad one. My review was not ONLY about the food quality but also the rude behavior I received in person and how I was treated. Food was not cooked properly all the way through. When I went to the counter to tell them, the owner was standing there and she basically told me to deal with it. She did not try to fix the situation at all. She told me that I should have asked for it well done, like what? Instead of apologizing and trying to fix the issue she made it seem like it was my fault. Very manipulative and such bad customer service. Will never eat here again. Please do better and treat your customers with respect and try to solve problems so that you can keep customers. It was handled very poorly and if she handled it in a nicer way, I would have been understanding. You're in the restaurant business, you need to learn how to to respond to food quality issues instead of blowing them off and making the customer feel bad. Hopefully this review can help you treat the next person, who has an issue with their food, better. read more

Can't believe I didn't come to this place sooner!!! I recently moved back to CT after living in NY for the past 15yrs and Ali BABA'S didn't DISAPOINT!!! From the first time you walk in, to the eye-catching decor of the restaurant, the super friendly FOH staff, and then to the FOOD!! Flavors on flavors, it was just the most yummy home cooked, fresh food that reminded me of NY so dearly. Tamarind wings are a FOOTBALL season must! read more

Their lemon chicken rice bowls with mixed vegetables is one of my favorite meals to grab after school. Extremely affordable and the customer service is amazing. read more

The food is always delicious and I love the renovations that have take place. It looks really good on the inside. I have yet to dine-in but look forward to doing so soon. read more

First time ordering. Arrived to pick up food 5 minutes ahead of time assigned. Drove 3 minutes home. Food was cold. Both ordered with salad, one with their 'sautéed vegetables'...DONT. Not fresh. These were canned mixed vegetables tossed into a pan, not fresh. Tried to call to advise and were unable to get through , then placed on hold and forgotten. When I sent an email, was told they were just so busy, and yet noone but me there at pickup time. This is not a good food place and their customer support doesn't care even when you take the time to write. $25 wasted. And we still had to order somewhere else. Horrible experience. Might have chalked it up to a bad night but Customer service reply received reinforced our opinion that this place is not responsible to improve customer experience just to deny, deny, deny. read more

This place was solidly good. I stopped in to grab a bite while I was picking up some items in the New Haven area. The place is newer & has a very clean minimalist exterior & interior decor. It was very clean & causally appointed with 6-7 foot top tables dotted throughout the interior dining area. The lighting was great because of the floor to ceiling windows. The menu marquee was easy to read. The young lady taking orders at the Counter was very courteous, informative, helpful, efficient & professional. I settled on the Lemon Chicken Pita wrap. It had grilled chicken, chopped tomatoes, onions, black olives & iceberg lettuce. It was wrapped in a nice medium sized piece of pita bread & served piping hot. It was accompanied with 2 condiment cups of a ranch, lemon, tabasco sauce that was pretty good. (I am not a huge fan of ranch bc it seems to be the de facto sauce for every food item lately). It had a nice size portion of all ingredients in the wrap. It was solidly good. The ginger chicken & gyro both sounded really yummy also. There is easy street parking right in front of this establishment. This place is a very convenient, simple & reliable Mediterranean sandwich stop in the New Haven area. ENJOY! read more

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Delicious - fresh cooked chicken and veggies. I always get a cauliflower koti roll. It's my go to when I want healthy take out.

Incredible food, seriously; the biryani was fragrant with just a little heat and very well cooked, the naan had a delicious char, and the falafel was just the right amount of moist while still retaining some crumble. Great food, really made my night. read more

There are no words to describe how delicious the lemon chicken bowl is. I love this place so very much.

Wow - thank you Yelpers for all the reviews, which sent us to Ali Baba. This was totally our style: unpretentious and delicious! More a take out/ fast food restaurant than a sit down place, but that might change once their renovations are complete. Regardless of whether you eat in or take out, you order and pay at the window. There were ample tables for those of us who chose to eat in. We had the lemon chicken and a biryani plus we shared a cauliflower Kati. All superb! Bathrooms were clean as well. A bit out of the way for us but we will gladly go out of our way again because everything was that good. Yummm! read more