First of all, know that Babylon is a market that happens to make delicious food. There are about 4…read moresmall tables inside and several more outside. As far as a Middle Eastern market it's pretty typical. They make the best of the shelf space by stocking them to the max. If you've never spent time in the Middle East then it may seem cluttered, but this is normal for this type of store. There were 4 of us and we ate inside. The absolute stars of Babylon are the food and the people. The gentlemen working were very helpful with the menu and super attentive to anything we might need. They're from Kurdistan and were all very very nice. The food was wonderful. We got 2 large sample platters, large hummus, and a small tabbouli salad. One of the gentlemen heard me telling my friends how they make the Saj bread, within minutes he brought out a large fresh Saj for them to try. It was hot and amazing. All the meat on the platter had great flavor. The rice was delicious, flavorful, and extremely plentiful. The hummus was good. The tabbouli was very fresh with a nice citrus flavor. The platter came with falafel, Saj, sauces, small cups of lentil soup, plates of pickled veggies (2 types of cabbage, jalapeños), along with olives, onion, cucumbers, and lettuce. The fresh baklava was absolutely amazing. To cut the sweetness they gave us some delicious black tea to finish the meal. We all loved Babylon and will be going back whenever we're in the area.

The restaurant/ store was busy with door dash, regulars, first timers, eat in and take out orders…read more but the service was attentive and the food came quickly. We ordered the Babylon Special to taste a bit of everything, as we were the first timers. Our plate came with bread, kebabs, flavorful rice, chicken and beef swarma, a "salad " plate and few sauces. The meat was all flavorful. The kebabs were moist , I liked the chicken best and my husband liked the beef best. The bread was amazing with a pocket to fill! We were recommended the beef swarma wrap and we know why yum! The sauces topped it off nicely. We had no space for dessert but it all looked yummy! We will be back!

My family returned in January 2026 to enjoy a delicious lunch as a pit stop on our drive to…read moreBlacksburg, VA from northern VA. My two sons one again devoured their chicken / lamb kabob platters. This time, we tried the appetizer hummus plate (which is highly recommended). On Saturday afternoon around 1pm, the lunch service was excellent. The restaurant has a warm and cozy vibe. My wife and I ordered takeout sandwiches (gyro + chicken kabob) which were great. There's plenty of parking available in this strip mall across from the EMU baseball fields.

A & A was a fantastic foodie experience! Extremely fast and good customer service. The mood was…read morevery relaxing, calm place to eat lunch or dinner. Our food came out in a timely manner. We received alot of food for two people, everything was fresh and was seasoned well. You cant go wrong by choosing this place. I would definitely return if Im ever in the area again. Prices very reasonable also.

Wonderful middle eastern food with many delicious vegan options. Had a selection of side dishes -…read moregrape leaves, hummus, tabbouleh, pita, and lentil soup. Clearly homemade with authentic regional recipes. Very reasonable prices and pleasant service. Just passing through the area, so sadly I probably won't have an opportunity to return. If I lived nearby it would definitely be a regular stop!

A small hard-to-find gem tucked into a row of stores. The food was amazing. I had the chicken…read moreshawarma and will definitely go back to try other things on the menu. Service was attentive and friendly. All tables were full while I was there so obviously the place has a loyal following.

I love this Halal store: authentic, good variety, fresh baby eggplant…read more (in season), delicious baklava, friendly and knowledgeable staff, and best of all, they always have my favorite Ahmad Cardamom Tea in a beautiful, reusable tin in stock at $7.99 !! Plus, the owner is always willing to let you try something new - a sample at little or no cost. All are welcome at this store and this is a great corner of Arabic & Middle Eastern culture in The Friendly City. Doc Chapman

Went tonight with my daughter who is a total foodie! The…read moreservice was very personal with our server knowing every detail. The managing partner also came by our table very casually and friendly- I just googled their bios and its very interesting. So I wasn't sure I would like everything we ordered- I only wanted the beet salad. It was amazing!!!!!!! We also had the dip trio which I liked the hummus best with yummy bread. My daughter, her friend and her mom LOVED the calamari and said it was light and delicious. Lamb kebob was tasty. Desert chocoholic was scrumptious and the lemon granita was light and interesting with homemade cotton candy that we laughed looked like ratchet barbie hair but tasted so light. Absolutely delicious!

SERVICE We came in for a belated Valentine's Day dinner,…read moreand the staff immediately seated us when we got int. Everyone was friendly and professional without being too formal. Our server served us waters and let us peruse the menu. Most spots will have the waiter come by and ask you how things are, and our waiter didn't come by at all after setting down the food which was interesting -- not good nor bad but probably were also busy. AMBIENCE The space felt upscale but still easygoing, which made it perfect for our Valentine's night out. There's no dress code, but most people looked like they'd put a little effort in, matching the polished but comfortable vibe. Loved the open kitchen all the way towards the back by the bookshelf area gave the room some energy without making it feel noisy. Definitely struck a great balance between date-night fancy and laid-back cool and casual. FOOD We started with the Beet Salad Ribbons and the Meze Trio. The beet salad mixed earthy ribbon-sheet beets with hazelnuts and a bright pomegranate vinaigrette that surprised me! Loved the pairing of the beets and cheese and hazelnut crunch. As a texture fan, this really hit the spot! It was colorful, fresh, and really well balanced. The Meze Trio had charred eggplant, a yogurt-goat cheese dip, and a seasonal hummus. Each had its own flavor and texture, and everything felt super fresh and well-seasoned. Favorite was the seasonal hummus. The yogurt-goat cheese dip was good but definitely sweeter than I personally perferred! The Calamari was also quite good and had decent number of chunky pieces that weren't just breading. The only small letdown was the pita bread since we had more dips than pita left. We expected refills might be complimentary, especially for a place like this, but they weren't. Not a big deal, just something that stood out in an otherwise smooth and thoughtful experience! The Manti Dumplings were a highlight too -- probably so much handwork in making these look like they do! The Sharondale mushrooms gave them a rich, savory flavor, and the pepper butter sauce added just the right touch of spice. The burger was also great -- juicy, flavorful, and paired with house fries and an amazing urfa pepper aioli. You could tell both dishes were elevated but still comforting, showing off the chef's fine-dining background in a really approachable way. For dessert, we shared the Baklava Cheesecake and a Chocolate Hazelnut special. The cheesecake was unique -- cheesecake filling sandwiched between baklava. It was delicious but not what I was expected! It was creamy and nutty with pistachio layers, and the chocolate dessert was incredibly rich without being heavy. Both were perfect finishes. We even took home the leftover goat cheese dip because it was that good. Overall, pices were a little on the higher side ($23-$29 for mains, $14 for dessert), but for the quality and thought put into every dish, it felt worth it and would come back again for a special occasion! This was definitely elevated ambience and the food was well executed in our opinion. I can see the hype! Definitely not a spot I'd frequent often but for the special days -- this is it to impress your date or family!

Best rice I've ever tasted never had less than a wonderful meal at Sultan Kabob and the owners are…read morefantastic!

I tend to go here with family when we visit Charlottesville and have other things to do in town…read more(catch a UVA game, movie, etc.). Even when they were very busy, the wait for a seat is rather short. It's mainly four-top seats but they can push together tables as needed. There's music always playing and not a lot of padding to soften noise so I'd call the location "average" loud. Downtown Charlottesville doesn't really do free parking. You can park at the next corner in open parking to the left or paid parking to the right. But we're talking $2 or so, not a bank-breaking experience and with lots of shopping across the street it's worth staking out a spot and then walking the area. What I like: The food is tasty. The appetizers are solid. There's a large enough menu that you can always try something new. And the portions are ample enough to share. What I'm not so fond of: The waitstaff spend a lot of time at the front scrolling on their phones. They aren't too keen on refilling your drinks either. I say this as someone who has eaten here about a dozen times. Also, I don't normally mind cameras, but there are enough blinking lights on cameras to make it feel more like a jewelry store than a restaurant. That said, if you are not in a hurry, want some good food in solid portions, and plan to do some shopping or window shopping downtown, this has been my go-to place for years.

This cute place is run by great people. Hasan was very friendly and welcoming…read more Thank you for making us feel home, Hasan. We will be back! :) The food was very tasty and the atmosphere is extra cozy. 5 stars

Overall a great lunch spot. They have all the ingredients for a high quality and fresh…read moreMediterranean style bowl at a fair price. You can easily eat here for less than $20, which all things considered is worth it. Basically, the chipotle style experience but with a homemade and quality ingredient components. I especially liked the mashed lentils, cucumber salad, roasted sweet potato and of course the chicken schwarma. Also the atmosphere is pretty hipster/industrial and contributed to the experience. The only negative I have is that the falafel was a little dry and chewy, but to be fair I got the last ones before they cooked a new batch. Overall, I will return for lunch again next time I visit Charlottesville.

Emily is wonderful and I always look like a million bucks after she cuts and styles my hair . Can't…read morerecommend her enough!

This place is buried off the street in a complex near the heart of the university. I ordered in…read moreadvance; it was a place you could eat inside or outside at, but nothing fancy and I was on the go so I was happy with my decision. The falafel wrap yielded a fairly tubular creation; adding hummus made it a bit messy as drippage would occur. The flavors were mild, but I did enjoy the hint of carmelization on the bread. I was a bit surprised that there were no fries on their limited menu; maybe that's fair enough to wherever they're from but falafel and fries is just such a classic combination to me. Regardless, a good meal but not the best one of this sort I've had in Charlottesville.

It is good, and I can appreciate the variety of micro nutrients and halthier alternatives to our…read moreknown traditional fast food options. Positive review, but I was as little disappointed to see the chicken portion of the mezah classic. I bought the felafel classic and the mezah classic, and to make sure the main proteins (felafel and chicken) were proper, I purchased the boost option for both bowls. So should have been double chicken and felafel. I wouldn't have felt justified complaining about the felafel bowl or the portion (was true double and what was expected), but the chicken portions were pretty sad in my fair opinion. The additional chicken was placed in a separate container. At first glance, just looking at said container, I thought it was light, considering I paid about $33 for two bowls (same price each). When I sat down to eat the mezah classic (with the double meat) at the end of the day, I noticed that the amount of meat in the bowl, was about a 4th of the amount of chicken that was in the separate container that I thought was light. I could see my self purchasing the felafel bowl again at some point, and maybe explore some of their other options. We need places like this as alternatives to less healthy options, but I would like to be able to rely a little more on reasonable expectations of portions (excluding felafel bowl - no complaints, and haven't explored other dishes). I think this review is fair considering the said price I paid, but maybe I should be a little lighter with my constructive criticism considering the variety of micronutrients as a convenience purchase without breaking the bank, as that's something worth appreciating. Best of luck.

This is my new favorite joint. Ordered the power steak bowl…read moreand it was delicious. I love all the elements combined together...I also ordered the spicy shawarma pita chips which were excellent. I definitely will continue to make my way through the menu.

I called in an order for a beef shawarma sandwich and side salad…read more The order was ready shortly after I arrived. The restaurant is quiet with music playing in the background, but not so loud that you cannot talk. It was very clean with tables spaced well enough that you do not sit right next to someone else. The food, I was happy to see that they used Romaine instead of iceberg lettuce in the salad, the dressing is vinegar based with oil and herbs. It was a nice side. The shawarma sandwich has a very nice complexity of flavors and textures. The smell and flavor of the spices are warming. I would order it again and I would like to try the chicken shawarma sandwich next.

We stopped here for dinner for the man's birthday. We have been planning something fancier, but in…read morethe end there we were. We started with an order of grape leaves, which tasted good, but were really tiny. He ordered the chicken kebab platter for his meal which he says was great. I ordered the moujadarah, which was quite dried out and overcooked. I mentioned this to the manager/server when he came to check on us. He looked at my dish and replied that yes, it was overcooked. He did not offer to bring me anything different, he did not offer to bring me a fresh meal, and he did not take the cost of the meal off our bill. The two guys working in the restaurant were both nice, but I was disappointed that, although they knew we were there for a birthday (they overheard us and told my partner happy birthday), they did not attempt to make my meal right in any way.