Ali Baba's Kitchen — Restaurant in Hamden

Edited to reply to owner: See picture below of owner reply on Yelp.

Your response is NOT true at all. You did not offer a solution in the two interactions we had yesterday and it's very DISHONEST that you're making it seem like you did. As I told you, this was the second time I came to your restaurant. The first time the wings were cooked correctly. This time they were undercooked, I came to the counter and told you they were undercooked, you replied by saying you cant do anything and to next time ask for them well done. I don't like them well done, I like them cooked properly so that I don't get sick or food poisoning from undercooked chicken. So after you refused to correct the issue, I asked if you can cook them through which you did unhappily and with a bad attitude. After they were handed back to me, they were overcooked and the wings were inedible and very tough to chew. You then asked how they were and I told you they were not good but you seemed to not care and walked away. Again, you didn't try to remedy the situation. I had to throw them away. You're making it seem like taste preference but in reality it's about being consistent in the way the food tastes every time and making sure they are cooked properly. They were good the first time but not this time. It's very important to offer HONEST hospitality and great service to all guests. If you treated me like this, I'm pretty sure this behavior will continue for future guests, who can make their own informed decisions. As a restaurant, It really matters how you handle constructive feedback (in real time and in your reply). Take accountability and fix the issue instead of making it into a bad experience. If you would have handled the situation in a nice/better manner, you would still have a customer (& referrals to my friends/family) and a good review instead of a bad one. My review was not ONLY about the food quality but also the rude behavior I received in person and how I was treated.

Food was not cooked properly all the way through. When I went to the counter to tell them, the owner was standing there and she basically told me to deal with it. She did not try to fix the situation at all. She told me that I should have asked for it well done, like what? Instead of apologizing and trying to fix the issue she made it seem like it was my fault. Very manipulative and such bad customer service. Will never eat here again. Please do better and treat your customers with respect and try to solve problems so that you can keep customers. It was handled very poorly and if she handled it in a nicer way, I would have been understanding. You're in the restaurant business, you need to learn how to to respond to food quality issues instead of blowing them off and making the customer feel bad. Hopefully this review can help you treat the next person, who has an issue with their...

I attempted to place an order by phone three times during the week, but each time, whoever answered would say "Ali Baba, please hold," leave me on hold for over 20 minutes, and then forget to pick up again. While I enjoy their food and decided to visit in person, I found their customer service to be lacking. It's always the same lady who answers the phone, and it seems she deliberately avoids taking the order. This is quite unkind. Despite the inconvenience, I went in, but they were not busy at all. At the very least, they could have informed me of the wait. I'm giving them zero stars for customer service. I hope the owner addresses this issue with the front staff to improve their customer service. It's disheartening to experience this, especially since I prefer halal food and there aren't many halal options around. As a result, I have started visiting other places. If you are the owner, please instruct your employees to refrain from saying "Ali Baba, please hold" and then neglecting to pick up again. It's quite rude and unprofessional, particularly when a customer is trying to place an order.

Response to reply: Thank you for responding to my review. I want to clarify that my intention was not to attack but to provide constructive feedback based on my personal experiences, to contribute to your growth. This has happened three times, and most recently, I received an incorrect order which necessitated an additional trip to rectify the issue as well.

I understand the pressures small businesses face, especially when it comes to managing customer expectations while ensuring efficient operations. My suggestion regarding monitoring staff interactions and communication comes from a place of wanting to see your business thrive by delivering excellent customer service consistently.

One aspect that particularly needs attention is the phone interactions. I have found the tone of the female staff member who often handles phone orders to be rude. This, coupled with the extended wait times on the phone, adds to the frustration. During peak times, if staffing is a challenge, it might be helpful for her to suggest online ordering as an alternative, instead of making customers wait for an extended period only to have the call disconnected eventually.

My aim is to support local businesses and see them succeed. It’s clear from your response that you value customer feedback and are committed to improving your service, which is commendable.

Thank you for taking my feedback seriously. I look forward to seeing the positive changes in your customer service operations and wish you the best in your continuous...

I am not big on writing reviews but the ownerr needs to hear about the service and review the video Today 12/18/24 there service was absolutely horrible. I called to place a order and a young lady placed me on hold. I drove from North Branford to Hamden and continue to be placed on hold. As I walked into the at 8:28pm I restaurant I could hear there phone beeping letting them know someone is still holding. There were four people in front of me. A couple who just recieve there food, another woman who was paying for her food and another customer picking up for door dash. As it was my turn to place my order, I ask the young lady why was I on hold for over 21mins. The lady begin to tell me how busy they were. It did not look busy to me when I walk in nor did I hear there phones ringing. Everybody that was waiting in the lobby recieve there food less than 6mins so how busy could they be. One thing she did not know, I walked into the restaurant with my phone still being on hold. Once I showed the lady my phone her facial expression change as if she was surprised herself.

I waited for 21minutes and 34sec. If I did not hang up when I showed her my phone I would of been on hold until they probably closed. Maybe I would understand if they had one person working the front end/cashier but they had two woman working at the cashier stations. We our at the end of the year and you guys by far have been the worse service I have came across. It is a skill set that you need aquire to work the front end to keep thing going at a steady pace like...