I was visiting the area on a weekday night with my family and it was almost 9 50 PM when we walked into Cafe 28, which was ten minutes before closing time, but Mohammed welcomed us with a big smile and served us delicious food! I would highly rate the restaurant for several reasons, including customer service, ambience, and quality of entrees. We started off with humus and pita, which was delicious and then ordered the Shish Kabobs, Lamb Chops, Gyro, and an oven baked beef kabob entree, all of which were juicy and delicious! I have this place bookmarked and certainly will revisit when I'm in the area. read more

I honestly have NO idea how this place got 4.5 stars. The food is just ok and terribly overpriced for the portions. The water tasted like potpourri and was undrinkable. When the bill came we noticed a $12 sharing charge, so we asked the waiter about it. We had ordered 3 appetizers, 2 entrees, 2 desserts, and coffee with the intention to share everything. The waiter goes rudely "Everybody knows we have a sharing charge". So we said this is our first time here and also you never mentioned it when we specifically said we were planning on sharing everything, nor does it say on your menu that there is a sharing charge. He again insists that everyone who dines here knows about it. So I politely ask to speak to the manager since we were getting no where ($12 isn't a big deal obviously but this was about the principal of it AND how rude/ridiculous he was in addressing it). So the manager (who is the waiter's father) comes storming out of the kitchen and goes "What's the issue?". So while taken aback by his aggression, we tell him politely we were never notified about this sharing charge". He also goes "Everyone who eats here knows about the sharing charge, next time you come here we will be charging you $10 each instead of $6 each like we did today." (WOW) So we say we understand sharing charges but usually are told beforehand about it. And he essentially starts yelling "My son told you about it". We tell him his son definitely did not because 1 of 4 of us would've heard. I turn to the son and ask him "Did you tell us about the sharing charge?" And with a GIANT SMIRK on his face, he says "Yes". And his dad goes "SEE?? HE TOLD YOU". And we are all just flabbergasted at how ridiculous this situation is. I try to tell the dad calmly "I'm sorry sir but your son is clearly lying. Also why would we ask about the charge if he told us about it?" He starts yelling that his son didn't lie! This goes back and forth for a few minutes where he is essentially ignoring all logic and berating us so I get out my cell phone and start to record him doing this and his son comes towards me to try to grab my phone but my husband pushes his hand away. He then yell at us to get out and we put the amount of the bill which was almost $100 (minus the sharing charge) and leave. Absolutely ridiculous. We got in the car and just looked at each other like wtf just happened??? I looked at other reviews to make sure we weren't the ones who were crazy and saw they had charged another reviewer who went there with 3 people a 20% tip on their bill. Do yourselves a favor and AVOID this overpriced shady place at all costs. read more

Delicious dinner with my daughter. Authentic Egyptian food. Really nice owner/ chef. BYOB.

Amazing hummus... cucumber in yogurt. Authentic Egyptian and Mediterranean dishes . Whenever I'm in the area, is a great meal.....fresh and delicious. read more

This is the best Mediterranean food anywhere around. Everything we tried was authentic and tasty. We arrived and ordered a variety of Mezzas (cold and hot appetizers) as well as a number of entrees. Everything was served fresh and the food was absolutely delicious. The staff was friendly and attentive. I highly recommend Cafe 28. I can't wait to come back. read more

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First to start off, everything we ordered was extremely salty. They did not serve warm oil and bread which is a common thing for Mediterranean restauraunts, which I didn't mind. We ordered the hummus and I could not even swallow the hummus. It was packed with salt and unprepared. The next spinach pastry we ordered as an appetizer was one small bite worth 6 dollars. The grilled medley was the only decent item and it was split between 3 people. We were not provided the white sauce and hot sauce that every mediterrean restauraunt gives with their food and when asked we were charged an extra dollar. It took 45-1 hour for the food to be served when there was nobody else in the restaurant except us. The macroni bechamel was cold and extremely salty ( again so much sodium) and the waiter did not refill out empty water glasses. In the end, we were trying to split the bill 3 ways the waiter told us he could only split our bill between two cards. When we got the check the waiter charged us 6 dollars for splitting?!? It makes sense if two people are splitting that money is tight and instead of making it cheaper they charged us more. When we politely told the waiter that he didnt tell us there was a 6 dollar charge for splitting or else we would have paid with one card he rudely says we should have known and that we should have checked the website. He also stated that everyone who comes here knows the rule but this was our first time. I just checked the website and there is no splitting charge rule. Then he bought out the manager who did not let us speak and told us he was compensating for broken dishes and glasses which did not make sense. Then the manager told us we should tip only on one card. This was the worst experience I have ever had and this food was not authentic at all. Extremely disappointed. read more

Cafe 28 - Mediterranean Near Me - Ocean Township, New Jersey

Wow! Talk about making a good thing better. We used to go to Cafe 28 in Red Bank and always loved the food and service in its cozy old location. We were back in Red Bank, parked and walked up to its old home only to be disappointed that it was no longer there. Hell bent not to give up we called and were redirected to their new and current location. We were immediately impressed by its new location and space. It's located in a very nice shopping center and it has a lot more seating space. It now has a full menu. Hot and cold appetizers, soups, smoothies, sandwiches, wraps, entrees, deserts and ahhh that coffee! On this first visit to the new location I had grilled Sujuk, a spicy sausage, over rice. My wife had Kibbeh. Both our dishes were good although my wife wished her Kibbeh had a little more seasonings. Now that is closer to home we'll visit more often. Best of luck to Cafe 28 at their new location. read more

I have now decided that this is not the best Mediterranean restaurant. It may be the best restaurant food I have had of any kind. This time I tried a stew of aromatic greens and a dish of kofta and a stuffed pepper. I normally dont even enjoy stuffed peppers but here it was perfect. The kofta was the best I have had. I dont know how but they manage to make every piece of every meal make you feel like you just have never had food before.....down to the dessert and spiced coffee read more

On this night I wasn't in the mood for a food adventure. I just wanted a simple common dish to satisfy my hunger. But my friend was insistent on picking a place that we had never been before. We looked on Yelp and saw that Café 28 had A good rating and it was close by. So we went there. It was a cold and rainy night. When I walked in I found that it was a restaurant that served Middle Eastern/Mediterranean food. I was a bit skeptical. I was moving Across country the next day and this would be my last chance to have dinner with my friend of almost 40 years. So I went with the flow. I am glad that I did. The food was incredibly awesome! The salmon was to die for! And the other dishes were bursting with flavor. You could see that whoever was in the kitchen used fresh ingredients and put them together with care. Our server was a young girl with a bright cheery attitude that encouraged us to try different things that we were not going to regret it. And we didn't! I wish I wasn't 2500 miles away now. I would be going back again and again. I highly recommend this restaurant. If you were a plain eater and not very adventurous you can feel safe in knowing that this meal will be one that you remember in a good way for a long time. All you need to do is bring your taste buds. Let the chef take care of the rest. He'll take you want to culinary adventure That you will never forget. Thank you Cafe 28 Sorry folks for being long-winded but I really enjoyed myself read more

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This is a wonderful place which - as you can plainly see in so many reviews - inspires lots of passionate endorsements. And you can be sure that the chef is passionate about his chosen profession. I find his dishes refreshing in that he creates intense and rewarding flavors without relying on those old standbys of salt, excessive garlic, chili peppers, deep frying, etc. I have enjoyed LOTS of eggplant dishes - Italian, Indian, French, Israeli, etc. but here the eggplant casserole and eggplant Esmat are simply in a league of their own. Those who don't find rice pudding appealing need to sample the oven baked masterpiece served here. Pure heaven. The owner's gift is virtually unparalleled. we are lucky to have such world-class cuisine down at the Jersey Shore; normally you'd have to head into the City, or perhaps Philly, to find such impressive creations. If you somehow don't appreciate cafe 28, there are plenty of mainstream places which might work for you. you might end up getting a better "deal," but you'll trade quality for quantity. and you'll miss out on an entire world of excellent and satisfying dishes which leave you totally satisfied - and eager to come back next week to try some more. read more

Really good, authentic food. Everything I have tried has been top notch and you can taste the freshness. Highly recommend!

I did not like this place. I went in the afternoon and it was completely empty. The chef/owner/greeter was sitting at one of the empty tables, talking on his phone. I needed a menu due to it being my first time there and I couldn't decide so I simply got a chicken wrap with eggplants. When I arrived home (5 mins later), the wrap was soggy and the eggplant was overcooked. Also, the chef stayed on the phone the entire time he made my dish. This is a restaurant I will not revisit. read more

What a great find for lunch!!!! Its definitely small and people are starting to realize how good it is, so get there early. The food is delicious and service is fabulous. So much to choose from, I had the falafel and hummus platter. The hummus is nothing like the store bought kind... its creamy, fresh and delicious. My husband decided on the Cairo Chicken after all the reviews here and it definitely lived up to the hype :-) Added a bit of marinated eggplant, yummy! Finished off our lunch with turkish coffee - unlike anything i've ever had, it was really really good! Next time you are in Red Bank, check it out! read more

Really delicious Mediterranean food! Good service, very flavorful and fresh ingredients. Tastes very authentic and homemade recipes. Excellent local healthy and tasty option. Very generous portions. Will definitely be going back! read more

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It was extremely disappointing of our experience in Cafe 28. We read all the good reviews and deliberately dropped by to try it out on our way back home. We ordered a Cafe 28 Special platter. The portion was quite small at the price point of $11.95 in this fast food setting. The salad came with rotten vegetables. When my husband asked for replacement, the person/owner was very rude and eventually replaced exactly 3 leaves for us:(. Not surely what went wrong. We did not get good food nor good service like others. read more

Cafe 28 - Mediterranean Near Me - Ocean Township, New Jersey

So glad to have a delicious, reasonably priced, comfortable, hospitable BYO restaurant so near by. I love middle eastern food and it is wonderful here. Mohammed, the owner, has come out every time we've eaten here to be sure that we are pleased. I love the Goulash Platter, the lentil soup, the haloumi salad, the coffee ... the servers have always been ultra polite and professional. I would love to see more people trying out this restaurant, because I want it to succeed, for selfish reasons : ) (and because the owner seems like a good man/chef and neighbor. read more

Ate here for the first time last night and am already thinking about getting lunch there today! This place is the exact nexus of delicious, authentic and affordable that marks my favorite favorite places. The Fella and I each had a sandwich (gyro and falafel), chips, drinks, desserts and amazing Turkish coffee, all for around $35. The falafel sandwich was one of the better ones I've had (and I've traveled to the Middle East), and the Fella's gyro was even better. The real star, though, was the muddy and sweet Turkish coffee... with a hint of cardamom, this was an exotic and addictive version of a traditional pensive favorite. He does, indeed, only have one table, so plan to take out or go on a nice day and eat in the nearby riverfront park. read more

Stopped in for a late lunch today after reading previous Yelp reviews, and it was awesome! The owner/chef Mohamed made me instantly feel like I was at home, and even offered me a complimentary cup of fresh cut watermelon to enjoy as he freshly prepared my Chicken Cairo sandwich. I asked if I could have a side of stuffed grape leaves, even though it wasn't on the menu, and he did it without issue. The sandwich normally comes with tzatziki sauce, but he suggested I try a different spread he made up and doesn't always have. He let me try it first - it was a different yogurt-based sauce, garlicky and yummy! It was great on the sandwich, and while the dolmades weren't the best I've ever had, they were still good. I even picked up some mini chocolate-filled butter cookies (Mohamed makes those too!) for dessert...very good! It takes some time for the food because everything is prepared fresh, but it's totally worth the wait! I'll definitely be returning for more great food and even better service! read more

Amazing! Mohammed is a professional! This place is a gem. Food is delicious and the service is fantastic. Grilled chicken is juicy and delicious. Everything is super clean and there is an incredible selection of chips and drinks. If you love quality food this is the place for you. Delicious and healthy...can't go wrong. I will be back! Update: He makes special drinks...he just made Hibiscus peach iced tea with a bit of rosewater! Wow so refreshing. I seriously love this place! read more

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What an amazing surprise to have a wonderful Middle Eastern restaurant right in my own backyard. Recently moved from Red Bank with an expanded menu, this family affair is a true gem. The long list of hot and cold appetizers could make a wonderful fun dinner for all to sample many dishes. The hummus was fresh and creamy and the stuffed eggplant with walnuts fabulous with a drizzle of Mediterranean EVO. The vegan stew of chick peas, pasta, rice, garlic and veggies topped off was unique and oh so good. We topped it off wit a perfectly seasoned chicken kabob. Lastly, the best part is the charming family that works so hard to make sure you are pleased. read more

I stop in frequently when I am in Red Bank. The location is convenient while I am picking up my mail at the UPS store. The food is wide ranging, very well prepared and tasty. I have eaten the Gyro, Tuna Wrap, a plain old Turkey Sandwich and all were FRESH and delicious. The pastry is also great if you leave some room. Muammad is also very friendly and great to chat with if you catch him on that rare occasion when he is not busy He was kind enough to sell me some of the awesome Coffee Beans that he uses in the store. Hint: Park on the side of the building to avoid the Red Bank parking nightmare. read more

Loved the food. The service was great and the price/quality of the food was awesome. It's a small place and it's absolutely a treasure in Red Bank.. Will be visiting again! This cafe is a hidden treasure of Red Bank Not on the main strip of Broad Street and can easily be missed if you don't know it's there. The owner was very friendly and truly seemed interested in how i enjoyed my meal. He obviously an culinary expert! Don't miss this restaurant in Red Bank! read more

This little cafe is an amazing place if you want to try genuine Mediterranean food. The owner is super nice and the place has great ambiance. I tired today cafe 28 special platter, fresh pomegranate and lime juice and Turkish coffee. Everything tasted amazing and I will be back when I visit Red Bank again. read more

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OCEAN NEW JERSEY'S BEST KEPT SECRET!!!! it is the cutest place, cleaner then my home ( sorry honey) and the owner is amazing! You can see and taste how much pride he puts into every dish! Do yourself a favor and save room for dessert because they are not from this planet. Do yourself a favor and give it a try! I am sure you will make it a weekly destination!!!!! read more

This gem can be easily overlooked as it's located right next to the hobby store and not out on Monmouth St where all the main eateries are. The owner is very kind and everything on the menu including his pastries seem to be made with great care. I stopped by last Saturday with my companion around 6 in the evening to find the place empty. For a small deli the inside is very welcoming and cozy so it wasn't off putting at all. The ambiance is surprisingly charming and we had the place to ourselves which was a plus. After reading some of the reviews here we ordered the Cafe 28 Special, a sandwich, and Turkish coffee (a secret item). Everything was delicious, clean, and filling. The owner even dimmed the lights for us while we were eating to create a more romantic setting (thank you!) We took a piece of baklava to go which was a magical experience. I can't wait to come back. read more

Five stars is not enough for this place! It was absolutely incredible!!!! My girlfriends and I went out for a girls day out shopping excursion a Tinton Falls. We are all from different parts of the North East. One of my friends and I are from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and the other is from the Bronx, New York. When we walked in we thought ok this can go many different ways! Boy were we in for many surprises! The decor was traditional Egyptian, not necessary modern but screamed authentic! The restaurant is incredibly clean and right away a gentleman approached us asking us to have a seat anywhere we wanted. He brought us silverware, got us drinks, and presented menus. As soon as we took a sip of our water we realized there seemed to be a hint of roses!! Delightful!!!!! We ordered the hot humus with beef and almonds! The same gentleman who greeted us presented the Dish. We polished the whole thing off! You could tell the pita was homemade!!! We figured out that gentleman was the chef as he presented our next course. Our dishes were amazing!! The spices were spot on and made you feel like you were transported to Egypt and it was truly authentic! The chef is literally the owner, the waiter, the buser- everything! INCREDIBLE! We didn't wait long at all for our food and he was such a delight! We ordered the baklava and some to go. I highly recommend. We also enjoyed the ice coffee! It's made with his love! He's got a wonderful story to share and it's amazing through all of the tough times he's challenged adversity and has nailed it in the park. My friends and I are looking forward to driving back 2 hours to the outlets just to enjoy his food again! He left a lasting impression on our hearts and our palates!! read more

The food was sooooo good! Everything we ordered was made fresh and very tasty! The Molkiya, hummus, foul, tabouleh, stuffed peppers, kofta, manaeesh, and chicken kababs and falafel sandwiches were all EXCELLENT! Kanafaa was different than what we expected, but excellent! The Turkish coffee is FABULOUS! We will be back the next time we are in the area! Chef Muhammad was kind and accomodating! read more

Excellent Egyptian/Mediterranean cafe serving very fresh salads, homemade hummus and other regional specialties. The dishes were not only very flavorful, with the proper spices and herbs, but artfully presented. Warm service rounds out the experience. Highly recommended for a light meal option although they have dinner items as well. read more

Really delicious food, gracious waiter and owner who were excited that we were interested in the food.

Love this place. Based on a referral from a friend I visited. The place is lovely. Reminiscent of old dining. The owner served us with great care. He explained how he prepares food and each order is handled as it is shared. The babagonush was best I have ever had. We had eggplant with sauce and almonds and finally beef .. every course was delicious. We did not have dessert. This place is white table cloth..BYOB I will be back many times. Cafe28 is a keeper. read more

Nice little place for quick bite of Mediterranean food. Price is reasonable, food is fresh and tasty. read more

Cafe 28 - Mediterranean Near Me - Ocean Township, New Jersey

Today I stopped by Cafe 28 for lunch, the menu was diverse and tough to choose from as everything sounded delicious. The menu also offers options for those that are vegan and vegetarian ( I was having lunch with two friends who were, one is vegan and one vegetarian). I am fairly new to Mediterranean cuisine only having tried hummus, falafel and shish kabob but I am open to various cuisines and discovering new things I love. We started off with a appetizer consisting of flavorful pita bread Lebneh and hummus and two others I don't recall but all phenomenal. We enjoyed a fresh and light salad before our main course arrived. I ordered the oven style meat kofta- once again, the meat was tender and well seasoned just delicious. Cafe 28 is fresh, affordable, healthy and most of all absolutely delicious. I will most certainly be back, so many more dishes I have to try! read more

Small place: More of a take out deli setup but has tables & bathroom. I usually eat in. Mediterranean salads, falafel, hummus and really excellent marinated Eggplant. Good fresh subs. Wraps. Gyros. Falafel and hummus platter. Fresh brewed strong coffee. Been here more times than I can count. The owner Mohammad is always present and insists and making sure your happy; even if he has redo your order. Bathroom is behind the counter; just ask for access. read more

Cafe 28 - Inside. - Mediterranean Near Me - Ocean Township, New Jersey

Conveniently located on White Street in Red Bank. They have their own parking lot so it's ultra convenient. What can I say about the food and the owner??? AMAZING! So sooooo good! So much flavor and love put into his food! I can't say enough about this place! There should be a line out the door for lunch! read more

Cafe 28 - The owner surprised us with a falafel and eggplant sandwich and the other half was dolma sandwich. SOOO GOOD! - Mediterranean Near Me - Ocean Township, New Jersey

Every time we come, we are greeted with a smile. The atmosphere is nice and cozy. The owner is very helpful in suggestions and has a great memory in his customers. Overall very pleasant experience and has definitely made me a regular. Don't forget to try the coffee! read more

The food here was excellent! Everything we got was delicious, well seasoned and beautifully presented. The service was mediocre at best and one of the waitresses had a major attitude. She was pleasant enough to us but was so rude to a family waiting to be seated that they left. The other servers were friendly and kind. We would come back again but hopefully the service will improve before then. read more

Tried this after dining at the Mediterranean restaurant in Asbury Park called "Reyla". Reyla was loud, hard to get a table, and the food was very good. The food at Café 28 is significantly better and lacks the millennial tweak of trying to make it different just for the sake of being different. For classic well made eastern Mediterranean food try Café 28. Everything was excellent and subtly complex in flavor. Service was just OK... was but no better at the Asbury Park "Reyla" restaurant. The hummus was astonishing, my wife said it was the best yoghurt she had ever tasted. I almost licked the bowl! Even the rice side to my Egyptian beef stew was delicious. Big mistake to name this place Café 28. They must lose a lot of potential customers browsing internet lists who assume it is a coffee house. ` read more

Break out those extra dollar bills of you want pita with your spreads. They don't even tell you it's not included. Service is sour.

Stumbled across this place while looking for an early dinner - not only is the owner incredibly nice and friendly, but the food is INCREDIBLE. Had the falafel and hummus platter, even the side mixed green salad was delicious. Next time I'm in town I plan on stopping by again - a must try for anyone who enjoys Mediterranean food! read more

Cafe 28 - Falafel and Hummus platter - Mediterranean Near Me - Ocean Township, New Jersey

We stumbled upon cafe 28 .. and are we ever glad we did. Some of the best Egyptian/middle eastern food i have had just about anywhere, including in Egypt. The appetizers (we had sujuk, hot humus, muhamara, baba ghanouj, makdus, zaatar with cheese) were all delicious ... especially the tomato sauce with the sujuk and the muhamara. For main course, we split a chicken shawarma and a mixed grill which were also excellent... good quality meat, well seasoned. The Baklava desert was a work of art .. often baklava is a soggy mess of pastry stuck together with minimal filling .. not here, crisp phyllo, generous pistachio filling, just sweet enough and a wonderful presentation Our server was very pleasant and attentive, enhancing the experience We will be back often read more