The best (and only) Kurdish Restaurant I've ever been to! This small, family-run restaurant has a great atmosphere. The food is fantastic. Prepared fresh. Kurdish food is well seasoned, but not spicy. Similar to other Mediterranean cuisines, but with unique spice pairings that are distinctive. I've eaten the entire menu and haven't had a bad dish. Highly recommend the Dowjic soup and the salted lemonade. read more

Babani's is the first Kurdish restaurant in MN. The interior is lovely. No matter where you look there is something worth seeing. Every bite of food I have had from here has be very good. I always start with the Dowjic soup. The first time I tasted it would be a favorite for life. The service is always kind and welcoming. You won't happy with anything you order, but start with the soup. read more

First time here and it was a fun experience. Love the simple decor of the restaurant. Didn't know that it was a restaurant from passing by every time I would go to the Girl Scout Service Center and glad that I finally tried it. Will definitely go back to try other dishes. The service was great and friendly. Prices are reasonable. If you're not big on tart food, then don't get the dowjic soup because it has a lot of lemon juice. The soup was good with bread to tame down the tartness. The food was flavorful and not overpowering with spices like Indian cuisine. read more

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Not entirely sure how to rate this one. I stopped by with a friend because we were in the neighborhood. It is a lovely restaurant inside. Write an area yet still with a cozy feel. We were welcomed at the door and received several recommendations on the food before we even decided what we wanted. Unfortunately the highly recommended vegetarian item suggested by the host that I really wanted was not available when I went to place my order with somebody else. I ended up ordering an eggplant appetizer that was disappointing. I don't want to write the restaurant off based on one dish, but this was definitely not my favorite. I may stop again in the future. We will see. . read more

Babani's Kurdish Restaurant - Halal Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

We stayed at the intercontinental St. Paul riverside. Used yelp to find a nearby place to eat. So glad this restaurant came up because it was delicious! It was a nice walk over the Mississippi River. The place is cozy and very clean. We were welcomed with so much warmth it was like having home cooking. We started out with the bread with feta. It was so good with the right amount of seasonings. I wanted to try the dowjic soup so I ordered a cup. I loved it! Yes it's lemony and has a lot of garlic which you could think is a lot of salt but these bright tangy flavors were right up my alley. Not to mention that with all that lemon and garlic it's great for your immune system. After a long flight this hit the spot. For entrees I had the bakla with chicken. So healthy and fresh. The rice had dill. Very tasty. My dad and his girlfriend had the Sheik Babani. They loved it. We enjoyed our meal so much that we went back on a Saturday in order to try the chicken Tawa which is only available Fridays and Saturdays. We had first gone there on Thursday. So glad we got a chance to try that too because the chicken was so tender and flavorful. Wish we were able to go again but they were closed Monday on our last day. Congrats to all the staff and owners for making this family restaurant a special place to eat. read more

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My friend introduced me to this delightful restaurant because she wanted to enjoy their dumplings which apparently are often sold out after the lunch crowd. I had never tried Kurdish food before . I ordered Kurdish tea and a dish called Sheik Babani which is meat-stuffed eggplant with rice, bread, and salad. It was Sooooo Flavorful . I enjoyed every bite. If I lived here I would come every week to try all the dishes, seriously. My friend ordered the Kurdish lemonade which was aptly described as tasting like lemonade with ice tea. On top of the great food offerings, the staff is very welcoming and the place feels hospitable and inviting. read more

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I had the Chicken Sawa and lentil soup. OMG, amazing!!! I will be back multiple times and bringing friends and family

I've been coming here for years, drawn by its welcoming atmosphere and ample parking lot--near downtown St. Paul. As the only Kurdish restaurant in the Twin Cities, this cozy, family-owned spot offers exceptional cuisine. I'm a big fan of their Chicken Tiwa, a flavorful lemon chicken dish that takes hours to perfect and is served exclusively on Fridays and Saturdays. I also can't get enough of their fragrant biryani rice paired with kebabs--absolutely delicious! read more

excellent food. always fresh good size portions. service 5 stars. my absolute favorite restaurant period. the owner really is the spice queen. support this restaurant...you won't be disappointed. read more

Our dining group decided to give this place a try. It was outstanding and a great bargain. We loved everything we tried. Only two things to note: No alcohol. Not a surprise. Get there at least 45 minutes before close. They want to get home! read more

Amazing food! Excellent service. Homely environment. And beautiful artistry all around. Comfort hospitality at it's Kurdish best

Bright, lemony, flavorful, deliciousness. I've never tried Kurdish food before going to Babani's and now I know what I've been missing out on!! The food was all incredibly flavorful and filling. We had the dumplings and eggplant dish as well as a lemonade. There has to have been at least 12 lemons in our meal it was so fresh and zesty! Everything was reasonably priced and good size of servings. Can't wait to come back to try more. Ample parking and great service! read more

Babani's Kurdish Restaurant - Halal Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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I've never been to a Kurdish restaurant but I will definitely be back to this one. Food had tons of flavor and the service was great!! Never would've thought of this place, a real hidden gem I had the Chicken Tawa: Chicken sauteed in lemon and other spices then baked in layers of potato, green pepper, onion, and dried limes. Served with basmati rice. It was flavor explosion and was just the right amount of food. Appetizer I had: Naska Nan We Panir - Our Kurdish bread comes with a special blend of feta cheese, pure olive oil, oregano, garlic. Served with cucumber, tomato, olives & lemon. The bread was amazing! I would come in just for that! Parking is easy and it's just across the Wabasha bridge so your really close to downtown St. Paul! read more

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Lovely tapestries on the walls and very nice lighting. Enjoyed the music in the background. The waitress let us pick a booth and then brought water and our menus. He ordered Kurdish coffee and I ordered Kurdish tea. Hubby said the coffee was super tasty and minty. My tea was amazing and I wish it was a gallon. Very rich. Refills are $2 and she gave me a top off. Both of our plates were amazing and came with our choice of one of 5 salads. Mine was cucumber and it had fresh crisp parsley. I believe our waitress did everything: cooked, served, cleaned and bussed our table. She was very sweet and served us with pride. Totally recommend. read more

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Such a fun find!! The food is flavorful, comforting, and great portion sizes so well worth the price. Parking is very easy as there is a large lot next to the building. The staff were very sweet and clearly passionate about their food and business. Not pictured here but the Kurdish Lemonade is SOOO good! read more

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One of our favorite places. The food is very good. The dowjic soup is to die for and they serve the best tabbouleh in the Twin Cities. My only complaint is that over the years they've shrunk the menu down considerably. I understand why; Mamma is getting on in years and cooking is hard work! read more

Beef kabob biryani was off the charts. Stopped here after flying all morning for lunch before the meetings...and this place hit the spot.

My sister and I wanted to try this restaurant since we had never had Kurdish food before. The restaurant is very comfortable with beautiful decorations on the walls and lots to look at while waiting. We were able to sit in a booth which we requested so that we didn't have people walking past us. This provided a pleasant and quieter experience which we both liked. We both thoroughly enjoyed our main course/entree. The chicken I had was incredibly tender and flavorful. I would have it again. My sister was disappointed that the coffee and her dessert both had cardamom in them. She asked specifically if cardamom was in them and she was told there wasn't. So, she was not happy to pay for these items that she knew she wouldn't like because of the spice being in them. When she mentioned it to the server, the server merely shrugged - like there was nothing she could do about it. There was no offer to not charge her for the items or give her something in exchange that didn't have cardamom. Other than those issues, it was a good dining experience. read more

Delicious food and our waitress was wonderful! There were 4 of us and we ordered 2 each of #2 and #5. We cleaned our plates and we will be back with more friends. read more

I have eaten at Babani's four or five times and each visit was marked by excellent service, delicious food and the ambiance was peaceful and esthetically satisfying. Also, I have brought friends with me for their first visit and each of them hoped or planned to come back. I love a dish that is eggplant covering a mound of delicately spiced ground beef - which may have included lamb - and a sauce that brings it all over the top! Next time I'm going to try something new if I don't lose my resolve and stick with what I know. Oh yes, there's a light and savory chicken soup that you wouldn't want to miss, unless you're a vegetarian. read more

Don't judge by the exterior; the interior is cozy and comfortable and the food is wonderful and perfectly portioned. The bread is fluffy and light and the hummus is exceptional. We tried as many dishes as possible and they were flavorful and satisfying! read more

This place is INCREDIBLE!!!! So so so so so good!! We went for lunch take-out. I don't remember the names but we got one set of meat patties and a rice dish-both had incredible flavor. They both came with a side and we loved the cucumber one without sauce. The best thing was the feta appetizer with bread!!! Yummy!! Wish there was more! So good!!! And the owners are so nice!! read more

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Honest to god best food in St. Paul !! No lie !! Also the owner is absolutely delightful. Anytime I go to St. Paul I ALWAYS make sure to come here. Food is great price and SOOOOOOO delicious! read more

First time having Kurdish food and it was delicious! This place is a hidden gem. Never knew they existed nor that they're the first Kurdish restaurant in the U.S. Awesome that there's a huge parking lot in front. Service was excellent, so friendly, and helpful with suggestions. Went with Babani's Family Style for groups of two or more $17.95 per person Includes: Naskanan Appetizer/ Cup of soup per person/ Combination salad plate/ A choice of entrees that total one more than your group. Perfect for our date and trying a bit of everything. Only bummer thing their specials wasn't included in the entree deal. That's okay, because we didn't have room for extra anyway. Had to order baklava to go. We loved them so much we left a 50% tip. read more

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Website and Yelp clearly indicated the restaurant closed at 8pm. Arrived at 7:15 thinking no problem. Turns out the kitchen closed at 7:15. Unable to eat and leave a review on the food. Just be aware the times shown on website and Yelp don't reflect reality. Also, my date and I got a 5 min mansplain from owner that it's universal when restaurant says it closes at a specific time, that it's really the kitchen that closes at that time, and the patron needs to subtract reasonable time from that (45 min?) to figure out when they stop seating. read more

I am so so so happy I found this place. I've been looking everywhere in the twin cities for good authentic kebabs, and this place is delish!! I definitely recommend the Beef kebabs with a side of Jaajic sauce (it's a super fresh yogurt sauce with cucumber, dill, etc.). I also got the Kubey Brinj, which is filled with spiced meat and fried in a super light, super crispy rice shell. So good. I'm definitely going to be going back and trying more new items off the menu. I'm new to Kurdish food but it has so much flavor. My bf got the lentil soup and also loved it! Def check this place out, try some new cuisine, and support our local restaurants :) read more

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We arrived at 7:10 pm on a Friday night and requested a table for 4. We were told we were too late - but I replied that their website said they closed at 8 and we would be quick. She said that the kitchen closes at 7:30 - but I said it was only 7:10. We were told they were closing early since they weren't busy. Perhaps they are not busy because they aren't willing to be open during their published business hours? We won't be back - and I can't recommend a restaurant that closes early on a Friday night and thinks that is ok. read more

I continue to give the absolute highest praise. A must-visit for all those that have a passion for Middle Eastern food, and an even more necessary stop for those who haven't yet discovered the historically and culturally unparalleled cuisine of the cradle of civilization. Everything is good - most recently I had the dowjic soup (chicken, yogurt, rice, basil, lemon) is a tangy flavored soup which you have likely never tried before - all I can say is try it. The kubay sawar (crushed wheat dough filled with beef, spices, and onions, then fried in olive oil) is also flavorful and unique, with accompanying tabbouli or jaajic (cucumber, dill, garlic, and yogurt). Dessert? Kurdish coffee and baklava, of course. Great atmosphere, wonderful service, kind staff, and fantastic food. You would be remiss if you did not make a trip here. read more

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Can't wait to go back! Cute, cozy atmosphere and great service. A hidden gem in the heart of St. Paul. My table got the bread appetizer, sheik babani, Biryani, vegetarian Nineveh, Niskena, Silopi, baklava, and tabouli. Everything was fantastic. The silopi was fresh and tangy. I loved it. Portions were a good size and prices are fair. I will be back to try the Dowjic soup and garbanzo shilla! read more

Great food and friendly service. Going there at least once per week for lunch is probably the thing I miss the most about not working in downtown St P anymore! read more

Awesome family owned place. Great food and a unique atmosphere, not like everyplace else in town

Have always liked this place, going back at least 15 years. Eternity in the restaurant business. Really loved the old location, but the newer spot is fine. Stopped in today, down time..rice dumplings are really good. Glad to see them soldiering on, unique place. read more

Food was delicious! We ordered takeout and it was ready very quickly. Great service too!

Excellent!!! Highly recommend. We had stuffed eggplant. Exquisite spices. savory and memorable. Both soups, a red lentil and lemon were a great start. The feta cheese was so fresh, unlike any one can buy. The tomato's were nicely ripe and it was winter in MN. And the baklava was fragrant with cardamom. Definitely authentic and handmade. The dining room transported us to Kurdistan....lattice work overhead, beautifully woven rugs on the wall. and a photo of the restaurant owners home city of 5,000. It sits on a shocking rock outcropping. Definitely treat yourself to dinner here. read more

There were few vegetarian options. They would not substitute biryani for regular rice. What I ordered was just meh, okay. I thought what we ate was overpriced, or maybe we were overcharged. Two entrees and an order of hummus cost over $60. We drank water. I treated my friend and added a tip, then learned later that my friend had also left a tip; no one told her they had already received a tip. I wanted to like this place, but don't see a reason to go back. read more

The owners and their son are extremely kind, knowledgeable and willing to share the story behind their food. We tried tow appetizers, the hummus and the Naska Nan Wa Paneer, delicious!!! Then we split a bunch of entrees and every one was phenomenal. My personal faves were the Niskena lentil soup (so creamy and wholesome) the beef kabobs with biryani AND the Kubay Sawar "dumplings "! We were new to Kurdish food and our waiter was extremely kind and patient, explaining the menu. If you're new to Kurdish food, know it's not spicy at all, just amazingly flavorful. I can't wait to go back!!! read more

Been wanting to try this Kurdish restaurant right across the Robert St bridge from us since we moved to downtown St. Paul a year ago. Finally made it for lunch today, and maaaann was it worth the wait!! Everything was exotically delish and at the same time evocative of familiar middle eastern food. We started with a small order of the Naska Nan bread served with feta, tomato and cuke, plenty for two people, and it was incredible! I ordered the Sheik Babani eggplant dish with a side of the tanyata salad, like tabouleh with yogurt -- yummm! Hubby had the Kubay Brinj dumplings with a Silopi cucumber salad. The rice dumplings filled with meat had such a wonderful texture and taste -- chewy and crunchy and juicy!! Heaven! The decor is casual but nicely appointed with Kurdish pictures and flourishes, and the owner who served us was gracious and efficient. Can't wait to go back! read more

Babani's Kurdish Restaurant - Kubey Brinj dumplings with Traditional Silopi Salad - Halal Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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My most favorite restaurant in the twin cities, delicious! Try it. Everything is very good!

This place is the most amazing restaurant in St. Paul. Their food has the most flavor of any food I have ever had. I describe it as your taste buds being punched with flavor. I have essentially had everything on the menu. Would recommend for a new flavor experience the Kurdish lemonade and the dowjjc soup. I also love their stir fry beef dish with vegetables, and the kebabs. I day dream about their food. read more

This place is a gem and I can't wait to keep coming here for years to come - great service, lovely decorations, and the food can't be beat - the bread is absolutely fantastic and the soups are both just about impossible to top! read more