Alibaba is probably the oldest Turkish restaurant in the Albany area, and it recently got a nice…read moreupgrade -- from the furniture to the serving plates and menus. The place feels much more modern and inviting now. Our family especially enjoys the beyti kebab, the güveç, and their pide. I haven't tried the pizza yet, but since their pide is very good, I imagine the pizza would also be solid. For me though, the real highlight at Alibaba is the mezze. In Turkish cuisine, grilled meats and kebabs are almost always enjoyed with a variety of mezze. They might technically be sides, but they're a big part of the whole experience. These days there are several Turkish kebab places in the area, but none of them offer a wide selection of fresh, house-made mezze like Alibaba does. At many places you're lucky if you find one or two options, often just a basic ezme. At Alibaba you'll find around ten different mezze and each one tastes distinct and freshly made. Every time I tell myself I'll just take a little... and somehow I end up filling a big mezze plate. Honestly, even when we grill at home, our motivation is picking up mezze from Alibaba to go with it. I'm not sure if it gets the credit it deserves, but don't skip the mezze here -- you'd be missing out. In fact, start with the mezze and figure out the rest later :))

So so so delicious! We are visiting from NYC and so happy Ali Baba was opened despite the snow…read morestorm; the staff were so friendly and the food was phenomenal! We had my 3 yr old son with us who was a little loud but they never made us feel unwelcome which is always a relief! Will def come back next time we are in town; wish there was one in queens near my neighborhood!!

This place had very delicious food and good customer service! We had a great time. The environment…read morewas great as well.

If you love high quality, reasonably priced, fresh Middle Eastern food and you are in Albany then…read morehead over to Zaffron. Some friends and I were passing through and came here. After tasting some of the food we all decided that we will definitely return. Absolutely an incredible experience.

Really enjoyed our dinner here! We ordered the platter for two, the Adana kebab, and kunefe for…read moredessert. Everything was fantastic, very tasty, and we would definitely recommend it. We will absolutely be back!

Upon entering the restaurant, it is very clean and well decorated. We were immediately greeted by…read morethe friendly owner who answered many of our questions and made great suggestions. We ordered the meal for 2,minds blown, fresh, great cuts of meat, to die for salads, fresh bread you name it. We finished our meal with a shared Turkish flan and Turkish tea. We will be back for sure. Between the amazing price and freshness, the icing on the cake was the friendly owner.

This is my go-to Greek spot! They have the friendliest staff and the food is top notch…read more I recently went after the Troy Farmers Market on a Saturday afternoon. Heads up that they are CASH ONLY. I ordered the Chicken Shishkabob Plate, which came with chicken skewers, lemon potatoes, Pita, and tzatziki. Everything on the plate was delicious, and the chicken was nice and juicy. It also came with a Greek salad, which is one of my all-time favorites. Most places make it the American way with lettuce, but after visiting Greece, I realized it doesn't have any lettuce. It's cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, olive, and Feta. In the summer, it's especially good because it's light and refreshing. My boyfriend ordered the lamb Gyro, and it was cooked perfectly. Such a delicious meal! We also had a great conversation with one of the staff members, who was so welcoming and appreciative of our business. I highly recommend The Greek House!

I don't like writing negative reviews. Also I was there about 3 years ago and with all the positive…read morereviews I hope that is the case. Maybe they changed ownership. Even though I am Greek that has nothing to do with this review. It was lunchtime there were only 2 tables occupied. Not a good sign. I had the Moussaka and it was tasteless and past it's time as far as being tresh. I truly hope new ownership has taken over due to the positive reviews. I sincerely hope so. I don't like writing negative reviews but it was disappointing. With the location and the need for authentic Greek food in the area the potential Is endless. Sorry for the negative review. This was 3 years and maybe more. I live in Albany and with the positive reviews l could be there in a heartbeat. I apologise for the restaurant review but honesty is a must. Best of luck to the restaurant.

Friendly staff, fresh and delicious food, wish we were local and got to try all dishes on the menu…read more Highly recommend!

Got chicken shish kebab wrap for take-out. Came with the wrap, a bag of chips, and small containers…read moreof hot sauce and white sauce. As soon as my friend and I walked in, the chef offered us beef and lamb samples to try. They were very kind and patient as we decided what to eat. There are bar stools and tables to sit and eat at, with provided sauces, plastic utensils, and napkins. Many student discount deals available! Service was fast and we got our food within 10-15 minutes. As for the wrap itself: it was massive and definitely filling. The chicken was juicy and soft, and had great taste! It had a smoky, grilled flavor too that I enjoyed. It also had lettuce, onions, and white sauce inside. Amazing taste -- I will definitely be back for more.

Beautiful atmosphere, friendly and efficient staff, and delicious food and drink…read more Portion sizes could be bigger, but honestly this a place to look good and fancy for a date you're trying to impress. It's not a great bang for your buck place that will fill the gut. The Spanish octopus, for example, was delicious, but the serving size is small, and it's in the share category on the menu! It's got a great view outside and was certainly packed during Valentine's day weekend. I'd recommend going if you want the experience.

Went here for a dinner with friends on a weeknight and we were seated right away. The place is…read morebeautiful! It would make a nice spot to grab a drink, sit out on their patio, which overlooks the river, or enjoy dinner in their main dining room. Since we were a large group, we ordered several appetizers, including the Ricotta Bread, Smoked Burrata Skillet and Tuna Tartare. Everything was absolutely delicious! For my entree, I ordered the King Crab Spaghetti, which had lumps of king crab mixed in the pasta. It was light and flavorful. I definitely recommend it! They also have a ton of cocktails, wines and a few beer offerings. I got a Watermelon Mule mocktail, which was so refreshing. Our server, Sarah, was so friendly and attentive to our group. I highly recommend Sea Smoke for a delicious dining experience!

Fresh and delicious food (try the Kabob plate!), friendly service, quiet eating! Was fantastic and…read morewill certainly return!

Order at the counter and food is brought to the table. The order taker helped me choose. Food came…read morehot and quickly. Delicious chicken shawarma and seasoned fries. I also ordered fried cheese borek that was a new taste for me and delicious. Restaurant is clean and quiet and Nicole decorated.

Before Mamoun's Falafel, I would have confidently told you that I'm not a falafel person. Turns…read moreout, I just hadn't had good falafel before. And now that I have, it's actually a bit of a problem -- because whenever I travel and order falafel somewhere else, it almost always ends in disappointment. Mamoun's completely changed my opinion. The color, the texture, the seasoning, and that perfectly crispy bite in every mouthful -- whatever their secret is, this is the falafel that made me love falafel. The owner is also one of the kindest and most welcoming people you'll meet. Always polite, well-dressed, and genuinely warm. If you see him there, say hello -- he's a pleasure to chat with. Beyond the falafel, I've tried most of the platters on the menu. The kebabs are very flavorful and juicy. The baba ghanoush, hummus, and falafel are consistently fresh and delicious. The bourani might actually be my favorite way to eat spinach, and the mjadra is a fantastic, flavorful alternative to the usual white rice. I've been coming here for years and the quality has never changed -- which is rare and worth appreciating. I sincerely hope it stays exactly the same for many years to come. PS: unfortunately they are open just for take out since Covid-19

I loveeee the gyros at Mamoun's. It a go to lunch for me. My favorite thing to get is the falafel …read more It is so fresh and tasty, even the lettuce tomato and onion. Their sauce is fresh as well, and you have to try the mint lemonade. Fantastic! The owner is so friendly and sweet and they have been here for years. It's takeout only now so you have to either call and place your order or order online and pick it up. Works for me! Love it here!

Surprising discovery on our roadtrip, this hidden gem has delicious food and great service!read more

I wanted to absolutely love this place since it's a favorite of a dear friend…read more The best part of our meal was the cold sampler: a variety of dips with warm pita, falafel and dolmas. I could have (should have?) made a meal of that, but I saw the Moroccan stew on the menu and was very excited to try it. Full disclosure...I used to make a mean Moroccan stew myself so I was expecting it to taste similar to the recipe that I followed....but I found their version to be rather bland, unfortunately. I would go back sometime and try something different...or maybe just get that sampler platter again.

I can't believe it's been 3 years since I last set foot in Mumu's Cafe for breakfast. The visit was…read morelong overdue. I had some time to spare recently after dropping my dog off at a veterinary clinic in Troy. I ordered the Turkish Breakfast Plate which turned out to be the most expensive breakfast on the menu. It came with a lot of food. It included eggs, Simit ( a Turkish sesame bagel), grapes, toast, honey, olives and cream cheese. I also ordered a Turkish coffee which is a little stronger than what I'm use to. It hit the spot. Service is fast and friendly. The restaurant small but clean and cute. It looks as though the owners might have added a table. There are three or four tables in all. There's a new partition in the kitchen providing a little more distance between customers and those working on food prep. Gone are the beautiful ornate gold detailed Turkish dinner plates and teacups. I found them charming though not practical. I sort of miss them but they looked like heirloom items which wouldn't be appropriate for day-to-day use. They've been replaced by simple white dish-ware. Much more cost effective. FYI. There are no restrooms for customer use. That issue never came up for me but an older couple came in looking for a restroom and the owner advised them to go to the fast food restaurant down the street. As for the food, it was every bit as good as I expected. Some things don't change. I took the leftovers home and made another meal of it the next day.

Ordered 2 bacon egg and cheese croissants for delivery and this is what I was given. The saddest…read morepiece of bacon in the smallest sandwich I've seen in a very long time. Portions were incredibly tiny small, from the bacon to the small egg. The food also arrived pretty cold. The taste was alright, but for what you get, I wouldn't say it was worth the price. I just couldn't believe the tiny portions. After eating one of the sandwiches I was still starving.