** EXTREME WARNING ** If there was less than a one star rating it should be posted in this restaurant Recently flagged by Health Inspectors after being hit with ten (10) infractions. One of them crucial, five of them significant, three of them minor and one categorized as "other". The crucial infraction involved Failing to protect food from contamination or adulteration!!!!! Inspectors also handed down five significant infractions including: 1. Failing to protect AGAINST harboring of pests 2. Failing to ensure facility surface cleaned as necessary 3. Use food equipment not in good repair Out of the three minor infractions 1. FAILING to ensure equipment surface Earlier this month their 729 Bloor location was given a CONDITIONAL pass after getting hit with Eight (8) infractions. read more

Healthier option among the food places around. This place is good due to their opening hours. Staff is friendly and nice, so it is nice coming over. The place could be cleaner, food could be still slightly better and many people would expect better deals (especially some lunch deal or menu deal). Overall it is a good place and I would give 3,7 star if it would exist. 4 is still too much and three is underrated. read more

This place may not seem like much, but then again the only thing that matters about a restaurant is the food and this place... NAILED IT! It tasted *perfect* this place even gives out free samples! I truly recommend this place. And I suggest you should try the chicken shawarma with pickles and garlic! read more

We were on our way home from visiting my fiances' parents in Brampton and wanted something quick/tasty/cheap so we found this place on Yelp. Bae ran inside to grab take out. I chose lentil soup and a falafel platter, bae chose a mixed shawarma wrap with fries. All of the food was delicious and seemed to be prepared with care. The falafel were crispy on the outside and moist inside, not dry at all. The lentil soup was so flavourful and comforting, perfect for the cold weather. Bae said his wrap was exactly what he wanted. Fries were good too! All in all, a great lunch. Would definitely visit this location again! read more

SO GOOD. Chicken shawarma platter is bomb. All sauces are amazing. I love this place! And they even have a take out window if you are walking your dog so you don't have to struggle to tie him up to go in! read more

I'm not gonna lie, eating inside the restaurant isn't the best experience. It's small, and while sitting near the back, at least during the last visit, you get strong wafts of what smells like the inside of a portable toilet. That being said (and that's the sole reason 1 star was docked), the FALAFEL SANDWICH here is insane. Crunchy falafel, crisp lettuce/tomatoes, pickled turnips, pickled cabbage, tahini sauce, garlic sauce, hummus and onions are nestled in a warm pita, then placed in the panini press. Sides of LENTIL RICE and RICE PILAF are equally as mindblowing, and sides of BAKLAVA are cheap and yummy. Sure, it's a chain, but you can't argue with a damned good sandwich. read more

See all

The best damn falafel in the city. I was lucky enough to live directly across from this lovely restaurant for over a year, which resulted in dozens of falafels sliding down my throat. Haven't tried anything other than the falafel sandwich and falafel platter but both are usually swimming in tahini with pickled beets, lettuce, hummus, and a pita. And a crucial step that is lost on all falafel joints in Seattle is to put the wrapped falafel in the panini press press to get that slightly crunchy exterior on the pita. read more

Ali Baba's - Middle Eastern Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

This Alina's sells old nasty chiken and they always get mad at me when i order it's also very smelly and not enjoyable and the washroom have creepy things written on the walls read more

We were on the run and looking for something good and easy. We picked up some chicken schwarma wraps, fries and dolmas. It did the trick- all were good and we were where we needed to be in time! read more

Messed up order and we're rude after I complained food was also not cooked welll and tasted like shit this was a terrible experience

When I'm looking for quick grab and go lunch I'll pit stop in at Ali Baba's on the corner of Dundas & Ronces. On Tuesdays they have a two for one falafel sandwich for $3.99 which is a total bargain. Whenever I order a falafel sandwich the character behind the counter always says...."you want a falafel sandwich or a sandwich falafel?" Every single time someone orders a falafel sandwich he asks this question and its funny because people actually stop and ponder on it. Ali Baba's is a bargain from a price point perspective. I do have some concerns though at moments about the cleanliness factor. If I get in the store early it's not too bad but anytime after 1:30 p.m. and the steam table is looking somewhat grungy. I also noticed that buddy behind the counter didn't change his gloves as he fills the orders. He would just wipe his hands off on a rag and move on to the next order. I watched him fill four lunch orders before he finally put on a fresh pair of gloves. Mind you, I've always enjoyed my falafel sandwich and have never had any sort of aftermath issues with it. What I like is that Ali Baba's at least gives me a fast food option to the burgers/submarine sandwiches or pizza slices that is still quite quick to pick up and go. read more

The only thing I will review is the falafal coz thats all I ever eat! Oh, and the fixins that go on the plate including the hummus, tabouli and salads are to die for! And, not to mention the 2 for $3.99 falafal special every tuesday I hope never goes away! Its come down to the point now that even when we are leaving for the weekend, I grab a couple of sandwiches which we eat while driving instead of stopping at a mcdonalds or a BK to get food. Best falafal hands down. read more

They used to be great in the early 90's, then f'd up but got back in gear in like 2013. Now they are WAY OVER priced & treat white people like you owe them more $$$ Really sad since i have known them since day ZERO N love the middle east food. SAD SAD SAD !!! read more

I probably go to this location atleast once a week for a chicken shawarma platter and falafel, no complaints food is fresh and consistent only complaint would be that sometimes the ratio of chicken to everything else is a bit off, staff are friendly for the most part especially the man who im assuming is the owner, very nice and always takes care of me. read more

FINALLY! A shawarma place that makes a great shawarma! :) Stopped in here after a vasectomy consultation because I needed a treat after having a stranger grope my manhood whilst instructing me to cough... TMI?? Anyways.. The price was the standard price range you would expect at any shawarma place ($5.99+) with some decent combo options available for people with larger "eyes".. I went with my standard "Go To" choice when I'm trying out a new shawarma place: the Chicken Shawarma Wrap. The meat was the most flavourful chicken I have ever had in a shawarma wrap! It was absolutely incredible! Amazing and full of heart! My only gripe were the semi-rude, half-competent staff members, and the clumsy decor, sooo that's a paddlin' (-1 star)... They have a large patio in the back though, which is a definite plus! I will definitely be back here, as this is easily the best shawarma I have tried in Toronto so far. Maybe the staff will be in a better mood next time?? Fingers crossed.. read more

This was the first place I ate after arriving in Toronto from Philadelphia. I was super excited because Mediterranean is one of my favorite cuisines. I actually didn't know that Ali Baba's was a chain until I started seeing several of them around the city. Everything from the food to the workers seemed authentic. I got the chicken kabob platter which came with rice, salad, pickled turnip, hummus, tabbouleh, and lots of tzatziki sauce! yum. Generous portion of food and a drink for about $10. Not to mention, they accepted my American money without a problem. read more

I had shawarma platter yesterday, ad it was the worst shawarma I ever ate; very dry and bland :( In the past I ate their falafel and it was ok. Be careful and ask them to cut the shawarma in front of your eyes read more

Very happy to return to Ali Baba's for this week's visit to Toronto. Pros: - Great value for the money - both Don and I got the chicken shawarma plate, which includes rice (lentil rice is my favorite), tabouleh, green salad, garlic sauce (ask for extra!), hummus, and lots of tender, flavorful chicken. If you like spice, you can get hot sauce added to your chicken. We also tried one each of the beef, chicken, and veggie samosas; we liked veggie the best. - Friendly staff. - Quick service. - Excellent location. Cons: - None that I can think of. Worth stopping in for a well-priced, tasty meal. There are plenty of locations around the city for when you're craving some Middle Eastern cuisine. read more

Meh. Went back recently and the staff had changed and they no longer grill your meat before putting on your shwarma. That sucks. Now its the fill up pita and put in a panini maker to warm. What happened to grilling the nice chicken on the grill to make it crispy???? Next time in TO I will try to make it to the Parliament Ali Baba's to see if they too have switched to the bad way of doing things. read more

This place is a great addition to the area amongst all of the resto-pubs and kitchy hipster joints in the immediate area. Great flavors, friendly service and always ample seating. This chain is kind of hit an miss with franchisees running their locations with varying levels of service but this is one of the good ones and needs to be acknowledged for it. The only issue I've had here was dried garlic potatos which were probably a bit old, outside of that this place has never disappointed. read more

2 nights in a row I have indulged in some drunken Falafel. Great customer service and at the right price. Stumbling into here with only Loonies and Toonies left to spend, making demands of extra banana peppers and I am sure smelling like the pub, these guys are very accommodating and helpful. One night I ordered the falafel sandwich, which was inhaled in the matter of minutes and the next night I ordered a plate. The next morning it was next to my bed barely touched and I was so tempted to dig in cus it still looked pretty good but I knew better not to. read more

Indulged in some Falafel. Great customer service and at the right price. Only Loonies and Toonies will get you far with these guys who are very accommodating and helpful. Try their falafel sandwich, which I usually inhale in the matter of minutes. The next morning you'll still be burping it. read more

I dunno maybe it's a cultural thing but I find most the staff pretty rude. Like today when he carelessly put the garlic sauce and hummus sauce on the pita, I asked him if he could spread it a bit instead of huge globs in one spot. He then got all weird and overexagerated the spreading. After about 20 seconds of this, I said "your being ridiculous, stop" It's close to home, I still go often but the staff seriously need to check in with themselves. read more

This particular location of Ali Baba's gets five stars because it delivers the most consistently delicious, well-prepared, food and has the most consistently positive and welcoming atmosphere of all the ones I've tried in the city. They are more generous than other locations, providing ample servings of the garnishes, dressing etc. and they don't weasel you with extra charges for things like pita with your platter (yes, I'm talking to you Bloor & Bathurst!). Dining in options are limited and not too picturesque but take out service is quick and friendly. read more

Great chicken shawarma . Everybody else was closing at ten p.m. on a weeknight and these guys took care of me and fed me very well. Chicken was tasty, fresh grilled. Tons of sides and toppings. Near to my best meal all week and all for about five bucks. read more

Got hooked on shawarma while in the GTA. Ali Baba's came well recommended, and, thankfully, they're almost as ubiquitous as Tim Horton's. We hit this on on the way out of town. One chicken and one beef, loaded, $9. Fast, delicious, cheap, fantastic. read more

I ordered beef shawarma but they put everything a lot except beef! I think their portion is too small

Worst shawarma i've ever had. Chicken was super dry. Eggplant is cold and covered in oil. On a more positive note, falafel balls were decent and the food was cheap. read more

Just ate here for the first time. I ordered a chicken shawarma. I must be spoiled because it does not compare (at all) to Sofra Grill which is right by my house. Plus, the guy who served me jipped me on the toppings (which weren't the greatest either and he was not friendly at all. read more

Had a chicken sandwich on saturday night which was excellent. Returned on sunday night for another, but was disappointed. The chicken was dry. I suspect that the chicken and gyro/lamb+ beef meats are "leftover" a little too long. Was also concerned with the cleanliness of the place, but have not suffered any "revenge". read more

Been coming here for the past 15 years! I've tried plenty of shwarmas in the city yet no one compares to this place!! I get the chicken shwarma sandwich and when in the mood, the meat samosas.... Been coming here for the past 15 years! I've tried plenty of shwarmas in the city yet no one compares to this place!! I get the chicken shwarma sandwich and when in the mood, the meat samosas.... read more

DO. NOT. EAT. HERE. Do not eat shawarma from here. There are multiple better shawarma spots than Ali Babas. As a Ryerson student, It was quite convenient for me to pick this up. The chicken in their chicken shawarma must have been expired because I got stomach posioning and an insane amount of diarrhea. read more

Very good food, came late before getting a bus back to NYC, and they stay open, which is nice. Guy at the counter thought I was trying to give him a fake American 20 dollar bill. At first I thought he was joking, but then, he takes it, shines it up to the light, asks another employee if they take American money, asks it out to dinner, etc. Like, really? Seriously? I actually said to him, who do you think I am? It was a little off-putting and let's just say, he didn't get any kind of tip. Excellent combo deals, a good amount of food and a soda for under eight dollars. I would come back. read more

I've been coming to Ali Baba for over 10 years. I have tried a bunch of shawarma across the city and I think that this one is best. The meat is great, and the fillings are generous. The garlic and hot sauce are perfect. I get both plates and sandwiches - lentil rice is the best pick for your plate. Someone complained about dry meat -- you need to look at the skewers. I don't know if I'm going beef or chicken until I get there and check out the skewers. If one is a sad almost fully-carved-away remainder, I go with the other. The staff has changed over the years, but in general they've all be really nice. read more

I love these guys! I moved to Vancouver and this is the restaurant I miss the most. They catered my 30th b-day (we had about 75 samosas). Their garlic sauce is the best. Every time I'm in Toronto I B-line it for Ali-Baba's. read more

Still can't find a place that compares to the quality of Ali Baba's. Not any Ali's but this one in particular. Ahhh do i miss you.

The falafel plate is pretty delicious but the male server behind the counter was a right grumpy c*nt. When I asked for less rice and more salad he got angry and very rude, even when I said I'd pay extra for it! I don't need that kind of energy when I have lunch and so I won't be coming back here... read more

Good place for fast food. Pretty small and in summers are very hot inside so it's better the take out meals.

The owner is really friendly I grab lunch there occasionally it's better then any other alibabas I've tried !

I enjoy coming here almost every Tuesday for the falafel special. It's so tasty!!! I always have one for lunch, then take the second home for dinner. The staff are also very nice! read more