You just don't get enough from this 5 star traditional Yemeni Restuarant. Every time we go there, we get to enjoy the great Yemen cuisine in its full taste and authenticity. Thank you to the chef and his wonderful hosts for their generosity and courtesy. Love it. read more

I came back for dessert, appetizer, and entree with two other people. The food was quite delicious, but the portions again were way too large! It almost seems like a scheme to trick you into paying more when it's unnecessary. However, the areekah dessert was very interesting and unlike anything I have ever tasted before! It had a mix of bananas, cheese, cream, butter, and other ingredients. Keep in mind you MUST need four people to finish it off. Not just because the portion is big, it's just so buttery and rich that you can't eat too much of it. It was really delicious though! The yogurt appetizer was super SUPER garlicky - my mouth smelled like garlic and mint for hours afterward. It wasn't pleasant. The dish itself had spongy bread submerged in the yogurt, and it was alright. Again, you will need four people to share this one. The lamb and rice entree we got was meant for two people, but when it came out, it was OVERLY LARGE (for the three of us). This one is also for 4-5 people. There is a ton of flavorful rice with tender lamb. The dry, fried onion topping was sweet and awesome when mixed with the rice. Bottom line: everything tastes pretty good, but portions and prices are definitely for the larger groups. read more

Way too authentic. I have a friend who lived in Yemen for a couple of years and he wanted to try this place to see how it fared against what he ate over there. He said it was spot on but the place itself is kind of run down and you got people eating bare feet on carpets. Not my thing. I'm not looking for authentic cuisine but if that's your jam then give it a try. I can't recommend any of the dishes cause I don't really remember but I'd suggest looking at the pics people have posted on Yelp to help you pick if you have no idea what you want. read more

This is definitely a hole in the wall type of place, but our friend highly recommended it so the three of us came for dinner. When we walked in they sat us at a table right away. I also noticed that in the front of the restaurant there is an area where people can take their shoes off and eat at tables that are on the floor for a more traditional experience. The menu isn't that big and we figured that the three of us would split a few different dishes. When the waitress came over, she told us that they were out of a few things and basically told us what 3 dishes we would be having. We agreed, since we really didn't have a choice. We ended up with a lamb dish, a beef dish, and a vegetable dish. I'm not a lamb fan so I stayed away from that, but my husband said it was very good. The beef dish was good, but could have used more seasoning. The vegetable dish had a bit of a kick to it, but was decent. It was all and all decent food and wasn't too expensive (about $20/person), but I can't say that I'd go back there. read more

All I can say is wow. Stopped by on a whim with a buddy today and we were extremely impressed. The lamb was delicious, it melted like butter in your mouth. The rice was awesome! The conglomeration of spices were fabulous. We also had Yemeni coffee and tea which were both awesome. The staff was friendly which is also a plus. I will definitely be back! read more

Saba Restaurant - Lamb Mandi - Middle Eastern Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

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Food is good. Service is ok. They got new credit cards machines today (11/15/14) which kept on charging 20 percent tax on bills. So customers check receipts and get refund if you have been overcharged. read more

Saba Restaurant - Masoob dessert - Middle Eastern Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

My wife and I ate here last night and it was delicious! She ordered the Chicken Mandi and I ordered the Lamb Mandi. We also both had the Maraq soup, which was great! The staff was very friendly and we felt very welcomed! When it comes to finishing your meal, they behave in a manner that we are accustomed to in many European countries. There isn't any urgency for you to hurry up, pay, and leave. You can sit there, letting your food digest, and have a conversation. We were actually in a rush to get home so, we asked for our check & it was promptly brought to us. We both really appreciated not feeling like the 'next customer' and we will definitely go back. I highly encourage this restaurant! read more

It's been two days since my meal at Saba, and I can still taste the meal as I write about it - because it was just that good! Located in the 'burbs of Virginia, this place is easy to miss as it's location in a strip mall does not do justice to the yummy nomz that await you inside. The decor is mostly bare bones but my favorite part is when you go up the stairs to a traditional middle eastern sitting area - floor seat, plush carpet, fluffy pillows - definitely the way to dine when you visit this place. Since my friend and I were both new to Yemeni cuisine, the waitress offered us her recommendations as a guide, and we weren't let down. We decided to go with the lamb haneeth and the beef fahsa, and started our meal with the meat sambusa, fresh salad (made the non American way .. just delicious diced veggies, lime juice, herbs, all mixed together), and bone broth soup (rich bone based broth perfect for dipping your sambusa into! this is probably not the right thing to do but it was delicious nonetheless). The fahsa was served sizzling hot in a stone bowl - stuffed to the brim with meat in a delicious broth. It was topped with a sauce which wasn't my favorite, so I just scooped it up and removed it before digging into the meat. The haneeth - oh the haneeth - let me the count the ways of my love for this dish! Tender, fall off the bone, lamb meat .. crunchy fried onions - fragrant fluffy rice - this dish is just *everything*. Definitely recommend everyone try this dish at least once - but likely, you'll order it every time. Can't wait to go back to try more items on the menu! read more

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Delicious food, bad service. Food was pretty fast, but they won't check on your once they give you your main course, if you needed dessert, napkins, check... You'd be lucky if they check on you... I had to go all the way the waiter and ask for the help. I care for good service more than good food. read more

Saba Restaurant - Haneeth - Middle Eastern Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

Amazing food!!! What can I say. This place was a gem!!! Love it. This was our first time being there and it was just delicious all songs. Lamb was to die for! read more

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Located at corner of Mathy drive and old pickett rd. Food never disappoint. My faves are saltah and haneeth. The lamb is very flavorful and tender. Pour some sauce from saltah on the rice and i am flying to the sky! Great food, great service. read more

Saba Restaurant - Saltah (okra potatoes) yum!! - Middle Eastern Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

It's not Iranian, not Afghan, not Turkish. It is absolutely delicious. Our taste buds were doing backflips. A wonderful atmosphere. The service was excellent. Very helpful when we were making our choices. The portions were huge. You will not be disappointed. read more

It's the best food ever. The employees will satisfy you as you pleased. Great food, definitely recommend.

My "Last Friday Gourmets"group dined here for lunch today and everyone loved it! Felt like we were dining in a great cook's home. Delicious, fresh food, with generous portions. Fast service. We even had the chef come out so we could thank her! Highly recommended. read more

Fantastic addition to the Fairfax restaurant scene. Very pleased with our experience at Saba - a small, family owned and operated, restaurant with HUGE portions. Initially, I was a bit hesitant after looking at the prices of the entrees, but I now know that each entree can serve 2-3 hungry people. This is definitely on our 'must return' list! read more

Saba Restaurant - Very fresh salad! - Middle Eastern Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

The restaurant is accessible and features a traditional (shoes off) seating area in the back for an authentic dining experience. The staff are friendly, though a bit inattentive; I was offered a Pepsi but given a Coke, and sat for a good ten minutes after finishing my meal waiting for a check. However service comes with genuine smiles, and the place has a family-run feel. The appetizer salad that came with my meal was fresh (except for the tomato-based side dish) and well-flavored. I had the Lamb Mandi. The portion is very generous, with whole bone in lamb shank on a king-sized bed of lightly spiced rice. The rice is good, even without sauce, but I was wholly disappointed by the meat. The lamb has the flavor and texture of microwaved Costco lamb shank, with only a dusting of yellow curry for color. If you're hungry and are willing to settle for tender but flat lamb, this is the place for you. If your taste buds demand lamb that tastes like lamb should, try somewhere else. read more

Great food, Excellent service, And Very welcoming. I have gone to this place several times already.... it is not cheap as in you can go there for lunch daily, but the food portion is really worth it. 4 people can share three dishes easily. The service is very outstanding. If you want real tasty Khaleej I (middle eastern food) then this is my recommendation. read more

I took order to go took home and enjoy it so much I love the mandy half chicken the sauce is amazing also the fried onion is soooo delicious definitely made loyal customer read more

Saba Restaurant - Middle Eastern Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

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Their lamb mandi is very good. I tried a lot of their dishes but the lamb mandi is by far my favorite. We live close by and get lunch from there at least twice a month. The lamb shank is cooked really well. Very juicy and the rice is amazing. read more

Bullshit service, ran out of the very few main items they had. We waited for 30 minutes with a party for 4 and we had another group seated before us. Rude and poor service made us leave without ordering anything. read more

I went to this place and I have to say the service was a bit lagging. It took about an hour for my wife and I to get seats and then once we were seated it took about 20 minutes for the waiter to get to us which was just a drag. Once he got to us, he was polite as he should be seeing as he made us wait so long and he got our orders no problem. Our took about 15 minutes. I ordered the lamb mandi and my wife ordered a broth the name of which I forget. My dish was flavorful for sure but the lamb itself was rather chewy. I'm not complaining as I like my meat chewy however I know that that is not the standard. The decor was moderate, nothing special. I expected some Yemeni art and all that but maybe I'm just matching it up to this Chinese joint I know. All in all, it was a good place to eat if you want some exotic food just don't expect gourmet class service, this is an, as the rating says A-Ok place. read more

I really wanted to like this restaurant--but I was not very impressed by the food, other than the salad that came with the meal--the house dressing was full of herbs and fabulous! I judge a lot by the sauces. The salsa they gave us was bland, as was the yogurt sauce. The meal we chose was their most popular lamb dish-I forget the name. The lamb was tender and very good but the huge amount of rice with it was flavorless. Ambiance and waitstaff were very good. The large pita bread was VERY fresh, hot and good. They rely a lot on the carbs to fill you up. Over all, there are too many excellent restaurants in the area, so I'd go elsewhere next time. read more

I loved the lamb haneeth and the chicken mandi. I loved the haneeth much more. Surprising the lamb haneeth was delicious and so fresh and juicy and superior quality and it filled up two people and we had to take the chicken mandi to go. The portions are huge and the quality is good read more

Yemeni food was a cuisine that I've never tried until I walked into Saba Traditional with a couple of friends. Lamb Mandi - this was pretty good, especially with the fried onions and yogurt sauce. Chicken Mandi - this dish was a bit bland and left much to be desired. The rice paired with all of the dishes was good too. It was a fluffy long grain rice. I look forward to coming again. If you come, be sure to get the yogurt sauce on the side. It adds to the dish. read more

It is very nice place to eat there. The foods were so delicious. I ate meat hanith with rice and masop. I want to come back next time to this place read more

Amazing place with great atmosphere and delicious food. Will definitely come back. Fresh food, I had chicken mandi which was great.

Their food are delicious, tasty, and huge portions. I went twice and no disappointment. First time, I had hummus with shawarma chicken. My husband had a mandi chicken. He got a half chicken with a lot of delicious rice. The second time, I went for Iftar buffet. All food is very good. This was the best way to try Yemen cuisine. All you can eat buffet for $21 plus tax and tip. Make reservation before you go to this kind event. It is always full. The staff are friendly and responsive. I will be back and recommend this place. read more

Very disappointed with this place. Also, extremely overrated. With the bread as the only exception, everything else was tasteless and lacking. Service was terrible as well. First and last time. read more

Very good hidden spot! I ordered Lamb Mandi and it was delicious - not spicy but subtle yellow curry flavours!

Excellent authentic food. Great friendly service. My favorite menu item is the Fahsa (a kind of beef veggie stew). Will definitely be coming back! Best food ever, best service, hospitable friendly staff. Love Saba! read more

This is a gem in the DC/NoVa area for Arabic food. Very high quality lamb and chicken mixed with incredibly flavorful rice. The fahsa is so amazing and comes out boiling. The bread is great. LOVE the prices. All of this meat (some of the dishes feed two or three) for such a low price!!! I will come back again and again and again. read more

Went with family n tried several dishes. One of my fav places to go for mandi and haneeth. Jameel usually takes care of me and he is the best. Honestly all are good hosts. Also Tried Mandi, lamb Mandi n stir fried lamb n loved everything...after haneeth must try Bint-e-sahan, and that would just make the perfect ending to a lovely meal. read more

Very good traditional Yemeni food. The flexible traditional seating was excellent.The food was fresh and flavorful.

This was my first visit to Saba. I ordered haneeth because slow-roasted lamb sounded great. It was very good. If it hadn't been just a little bit dry, I would have rated it as a 5-star dish. The flavor was excellent. The portion size was generous -- more than I could eat at one sitting. What really surprised me was the rice. It was delicious! Usually rice bores me, but this was wonderfully well seasoned, and its texture was perfect. The bread my friend ordered was astonishingly good. The decor was very nice, and the room didn't have the loud noise that is so common and so annoying in many restaurants. I will definitely go back to this place. read more

Just really great food with impeccable flavor. Hands down one of my favorite spots. The portions are huge so it may be a good idea to share or plan for leftovers. Personally, I prefer the latter. read more

I had the Sambousa with Meat to start with. Followed by Haneeth and Lamb Mandi. All three dishes were excellent. I personally thought they could have reduced the amount of rice on the 2 lamb dishes. The lamb was cooked to perfection falling off the bone. read more

The food as expected was excellent, but it was crowded at 7 and the staff was not up to it: my wife lacked silver,her ice tea was not deliverd until I went to the front and asked for ; they forgot the rice But the strangest thing of all is that we never ordered: we asked about a dish and intended to order it as well as hummus.Well,soon enough the dish arrived, no hummus of course. read more

It was first time I been Yemeni restaurant! And everything was amazing! The best food the best service! Real rice real lamb! Thank you guys! read more

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Stopped in for lunch today. It is located just down from the Cinema Arts. The food was amazing and the people extra friendly! Recommend giving it a try. Understand there is a lunch buffet during the week. read more

This is a hidden charm of Yemen food. you will sure be able to find the best Yemen food here. The restaurant has an good size. they have 2 area where you have table, or sitting on the carpet (Yemen style). That makes the place looks very cook and foreign. The food is excellent. We ordered the Lamb dish. It was really good. The meat was tender, moist. They seasoned the rice really well. The rice has a very nice yellow color. The smell of the lamb and rice created a nice aroma. The flavor was just right without being overwhelmed by the spices. The portion is big which is very nice. The employees were nice and friendly. Overall, This is a must go if you want to experience Yemen food The only keeping me from giving them a 5 star is, the menu is a bit limited. They do not have lots of option to choose. If they improve that, it will be perfect. read more