Ali Baba Mediterranean Grill — Restaurant in Memphis

First and Last time

First Impression: My wife and I entered the resturant, and there was no one standing to take us inside, then after a littlebit a waiter came to take us to our table.

The food: There was a buffet that day which was very limited, five types of meat, pita bread, a middle eastern salad, fries, one type of desert and two drinks that looked like some kind of kool-aid. I grabbed three kinds of meat. I tried the kabob, which I spit it out right away. It was the most disgusting kabob I have ever eaten, imagine eating plain meat that is not cooked well without any spices. I tried about as much as a table spoon of chicken shawerma which didn't taste disgusting, but it was tasteless. Then there was the gyro chicken which I ate 2 strips of. I could only taste black pepper, lots of it that I couldn't eat anymore. I was very disappointed, and my wife as well.

The Service: During the 15-20 minutes we sat down to eat, Not a single time that anyone stopped at our table to ask if we needed anything or about the food. After the disappointment with the food, my wife and I decided to leave. I asked the waitress who brought us to our table to checkout, then to my surprise I am told she isn't our waiter, but another lady whom i saw sitting down at a table on the side since we came in.

Now the Bill, the facebook advertised the buffet for 20$ but we got charged 25$ per person (A possible bait and switch?). On top of that a 15% gratuity Fee (Which i am not sure exactly what for? to remove 3 plates from our table?). so, I paid a little over 30$ for 2 strips of chicken gyro and one thing of pita bread and a whole lot of disappointment.

My advice go to Cedars for a better tasting meal (not exceptional but ok) for less than half of the cost of Ali Baba's or visit Tanoor for around the same cost for much better food and a...

I love this restaurant. But the last time we came we were EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED with ur service we waited one hour and 20 minutes for our food and that was after serving every one in the restaurant. 4 different families came after us and they all got there food before we did and every one else in the restaurant had there food before us, our food came after one hour and 20 minutes

I ordered lamb chops the server told me that they were out of lamb chops 5 minutes later the same server brought 5 plates of lamb chops to a group of 10 guys sitting beside us, 30 minutes later the same server brought another plate of rice and lamb chops to another different table

my whole family felt like the server was extremely prejudice and rasict towards us I felt like I was worthless sitting there I felt helpless because my kids were so hungry and your server was completely ignoring us the whole time when the food finally came the server threw the plates on the table and walked away without asking us if we needed anything else.

The server had that attitude that the 10 guys deserved way more attention just because they were arabians constantly refilling there drinks every 5 minutes I did notice some other non arabians in the restaurant were also not getting good service and also waited loooong time for there food not once did this server refill my drink I had to actually get up and go and get it refilled, I think this server was rasict against non arabians !!!

I am so disappointed in you and your server and your quality for customer service at your restaurant I hope you will change your ways, until then I will not be coming back...

This restaurant was absolutely amazing! I do not just say this lightly. I myself am a chef, and I do take special pleasure in enjoying good food. That being said. We started with Arabic tea w mint, which was yummy 😋. The Ali Baba mix appetizer which included hummus, baba ghanoush, falafel, mix gardenia and banana peppers. When I say they're hummus is top notch I am not over selling it. Then for entrees we had the shawarma mix entree, lamb shawarma wrap, and tahini salad. My wife was 100% anti lamb anything before today, but now... she absolutely loved their lamb shawarma. Also thier falafel was the best I've ever had. I usually do not much enjoy falafel but there's was great! And the tahini salad... LOVED it! Ive included pictures of the dishes we had. The presentation both of the food and the excellent service and attentiveness was just as good as the taste of the food. The atmosphere was family friendly and very chill. They even treated us to a free baklava dessert that was to top things off after such a wonderful lunch the perfect seal the deal to a top notch lunch. I cannot more highly recommend this place! Our server was Imad and he was a very nice and caring attentive man, couldn't have done better making sure we were happy. If your not eating here your missing out in life. So what are you doing? Get up and go!!!! Thank me...