Ali Baba Restaurant — Restaurant in Simi Valley

Oct 2022 Yes, I will be back.

Hidden Gem of the Simi Valley area! I have to say, the services quite top-notch. The owner, or was he the manager, was really helpful and deciding what to choose off the menu. It's a sit-down place but feels like a takeout place as well. Good atmosphere, delicious food.

A buddy and I opted for the lamb, made two different ways. He opted for the lamb kebab, which was quite a hefty portion, and also a Mediterranean style salad. The salad was great, it's like a chopped iceberg lettuce, with some tomato, feta cheese, Kalamata olives, and some onion in the mix. Seasoned with oregano, olive oil come on a dash of vinegar, it's Tangy and refreshing all in one bite. The salad was huge, definitely a huge Bowl full.

I got the sliced lamb plate, which also came with hummus and a salad. And some pita bread as well. It's like chipped beef, but lamb. Really tasty, quite flavorful. It's tangy, it's juicy, it's tender and moist. Since it comes with a few Pita breads, I made little mini Gyros, if that's what you want to call them. Spread some hummus in, put in some sliced lamb, and you're good to go.

Service was great, both the waiter, and a person who I believe was either the owner or a manager came by to check up on us quite a few times over the course of 45 minutes or so. We took our time, and the outdoor seating was very pleasant this time of year.

I think people who would really get the most out of this would be smaller families, and also Travelers passing through the area, like people riding their bicycles or motorcycles. It's definitely a place where you can hang out, enjoy some fresh air outside, or...

It’s always a great feeling to walk into your favorite restaurant, but what makes a great restaurant? For me, it’s the atmosphere, the one-on-one to-go orders (friendly chat as I wait), the amazing food, and whatever else you’re thinking about. Typically, I end up ordering towards closing time because of my work schedule and commute, and 100% of the time I only wait 10 minutes, maybe 15, depending on the order. Today I witness an upset customer who’s power is out due to the crazy winds and whatnot. The customer was very vocal about their impatience and desire for the yum yum, even with the line of folks and the phone ringing (the entire time I was there tonight AND they were taking orders as able to), and decided to walk out on their pick up order.

First of all, it should be common curtesy to at least inform the hostess or whoever that you are leaving without your order. Mind you, it is Monday evening, and a Pandemic curfew times. Anyway, the hopeful common curtesy mentioned above will allow the person to hand (and perhaps comp) your meal for the inconvenience. Or maybe not. Who knows. All I want to say is, don’t let one big cluster mess of an era affect your willingness to wait for the best Mediterranean food your stomach will obtain tonight. Pick this place, you won’t regret it. My favorite is the chicken and lamb swarma sandwich with red...

We went driving and just looked around town before craving Mediterranean food. We saw Ali Baba. It was our first time dining at this restaurant. We were immediately welcomed and chose our table. No one was there at the time. Sophie was our waitress and took our order. She was very friendly and attentive and made us feel comfortable. The food was very delicious. Our order went in. Around 5 other parties arrived and filled up the restaurant. I ordered the grilled chicken breast sandwich. It is served on pita bread and stuffed with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and tahini sauce. She ordered the Lamb Shawarma Plate. It had thinly sliced lamb marinated in Baba’s sauce and then grilled perfectly. Lamb was paired with rice, hummus, and Baba’s Salad. One item that stood out the most was the hummus. It was delectable, with just enough heat not to overpower it. We dipped the pita bread and even my sandwich. Finally, we had the Harisa. It was a light honey coconut cake. It had a cornbread texture. It had a light crumble. The honey helped balance it out. I like the healthy meal choices with the exotic flavors. These foods are made from scratch. You can taste the quality, richness, and flavor. I knew that we made a great decision to dine here. From the entrance to us leaving, I say yes to being a returning customer. Thank you, Ali Baba...