Nora’s Kabob
9338 Baltimore National Pike, Ellicott City, MD, 21042
Nora’s Kabob Menu
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Address :
9338 Baltimore National Pike
Ellicott City, MD, 21042 - Phone (410) 418-5911
- Website https://www.noraskabob.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : No
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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David P.
if this place was a little bigger and/or had more service staff it'd be a 5 star rating easily. Very small restaurant with outstanding food and very friendly staff who are obviously very overworked! Of course, the good point is they're so busy all the time because they deliver very good food on a consistent basis. Claim to fame are their kabobs (duh?) and I've never had a bad one there. The chicken is delicious or you can get the beef (filet mignon tips I believe) that are also excellent. I can highly recommend their gyros as well. The kabob plates are HUGE - loaded with grilled peppers, tomatoes, basmati rice ( you can sub out a greek salad instead) and your kabob. The gyro is just awesome IMHO - nicely grilled & seasoned lamb, tzatsiki, feta, onions - yum! They do serve wine & beer I believe along with canoli ?!? and very good baklava for satisfying your sweet tooth. I've heard people say great things about the hummus (homemade obviously) and there is falafel on the menu as well. All in all we love the place. The service is sporadic and your food will take forever to be served from the kitchen. I'm OK with that - it's straight out of the kitchen and tastes awesome. I will ding them on non-traditional Turkish coffee from a machine. It wasn't horrible but I was expecting the real deal. Fine - that make 2 things for me to whine about :-p I'll still be back again. Probably next weekend.....
(4)Freddy M.
IGNORE THE BAD REVIEWS THIS PLACE IS GREAT! So I always use yelp before going anywhere new and this place is way better than its reviews. I got the chicken kabob and they were to die for. My friend got the fillet minion and that was awesome to! The food was great the taste were Amazing and the waiter was great to. service was fast and good really have no negatives.
(5)Kim Y.
I really liked the idea of this place. The place, according to Yelp photos, looked to be cozy and clean and relatively new (or well renovated). Unfortunately, the lunch special was less impressive than I expected. The cost for all lunch specials are approx. $10. Sadly, the plate was sadly skimpy. A messy scoop of white rice (no yellow stained saffron basmati rice...), 3 cubes of lamb meat (I ordered lamb, instead of chicken or beef), and then a very stale (yet very hot - microwave then tossed on grill?) slice of pita bread. First, the waiter was really young and mechanical-like. He told me to sit and that he would come to me. He never helped refill my water, he never came to check in on me, he never really provided "hospitality" or service. Since this place is really small, it seems like the majority of customers are pick-up or take-out. I dined in around 1pm on a weekday. The entire place was empty. 2-3 customers came in and out to pick-up orders. And still, the kid behind the counter manning the POS system and cashier was also jumping out to the dining area to bring me my food. Honestly, I was disappointed that I needed to even pay a tip, since there was no dine-in service provided. I need to stand up and walk to the counter to ask for more water, and later, go up to ask for the check (after waiting 8-10 minutes after finishing my lunch and waiting for someone/anyone to come and help me with cashing out. Really disappointed. I would have been better off ordering online or calling and then picking up (avoid paying tip, avoid the long sitting/waiting times...). Anyways, then I get to my Second point. The food was underwhelming. The rice was not basmati rice. It appeared and tasted like "Minute Rice" or some cheap instant rice. I was so upset with this alone. The rice was also not seasoned at all, which is normally completely fine, but if they are serving really cheap long-grain instant rice... I'd expect some seasoning. Heck, I'd take a dash of plain salt or even a sprinkle of dried parsley for presentation. None of the sort. I had to ask for sumac seasoning (which I love and normally see all the time in Kebob/Pakistani/Indian food venues and restaurants), and seasoned myself. The pita bread was very thin and not impressive. No grilling or proper heating - kind of like a microwaved pita then sliced, and put on a flat-top for crisp/heat. I'll pass... The lamb meat was good. No complaints with the kebob itself! Seasoned very well and tender. Yum! However, for the small cubes I got in the entire lunch special deal, it was not worth it. I won't go again. And if I must, I will do take-out and focus on meat-only menu items. Perhaps dinner service and dishes are better, but I won't lose sleep over planning a trip there just for that.
(3)Jay P.
I came from the Middle East and I know what is good food Thanks a lot I fell in love with the service and the food!
(5)Vivian I.
I've been wanting to try Nora's for awhile now and I'm glad I finally did. The only big downfall to coming here is the awful parking in the shopping center, which I cannot hold against them. If you can find a spot, you will be golden. The restaurant is VERY small, so I would suggest calling ahead or getting take out. (There are 10 tables at most) Our waiter was ok .. Not overly friendly but I didn't come for conversation, I came to eat, so we will move on from that. We ordered the hummus as an appetizer. It was FANTASTIC. We could really tell it was homemade and it came with delicious hot NAAN bread.. Omg.. Totally amazing! Order this. I got the classic chicken kabob with rice and a Greek salad, my mom got the lamb kabob and my husband got the seafood kabob. Our food took about 20 minutes to come out but it was fresh and delicious. We all enjoyed our meals! My husband did feel like his dish could've had a little more seafood for the price of 19 dollars(it had 2 cubes of salmon,2 cubes of swordfish and 2 shrimp) but other then that it was well made and seasoned properly. Overall it was a good experience and we will be back again for some delicious Mediterranean food!
(4)Lia B.
Stopping by for a quick lunch today. The food was delicious. I ordered the lamb kebabs over Greek salad, and spouse ordered lamb gyro. We both devoured our meal. The only leftovers in my plate was the sliced raw onion which I never care for. Nice clean place but terrible parking.
(5)Deepa K.
Lovely quaint casual restaurant in a strip mall....very busy on weekends definitely recommend making reservations. Super healthy, clean fare....I had the veggie kabob platter which was a huge portion and delicious. I will be back soon...
(4)Ari A.
One of the best Lamb kebab i have ever eaten. Atmosphere is good, nice slow jazz music behind. Prices are reasonable, service is fast. So i ordered another lamb kebab to go bc it is hard to find this taste. After done with dinner try their tea, it has great smell.. I will keep up with their restaurants, this guys earned my business ..
(5)Eric L.
I got lamb and chicken combo and it was perfectly medium rare lamb and juicy chicken. It comes with rice and salad and the yogurt sauce. We had to ask for more yogurt sauce since it was so good. It was the right portion size for me. size was maybe a little bit more since I remember I was glad I shared the hummus and pita with friends. a little more pricey so I can't go here that often but good food and conveniently located near my friends house in Ellicott City. I'm happy the owner gave us a free dessert mousse since he made our wedding cake!
(4)Diana L.
After reading the Yelp reviews I decided to go take a try....Many bad reviews, some good...I work down the street and was looking for a place that served kabobs. I can definitely say I had better. I did like the fact that the lunch special includes a kabob, rice and two sides. The size of the kabob was TINY and the flavor was not all that great. The sides were very tasty, I had the humus and the spinach. The rice tasted dry and like it came out of a bag. I really wanted this to be my new lunch spot in Ellicott City, but I think I will pass. I will say that the customer service was great.
(2)Jarrod F.
I gotta be honest here.. I used to like this place a lot more than I currently do. Over the past week my wife and I have eaten here twice. The first time my beef kabob was full of grizzle and the rice tasted like it came straight out of a bag. The second time (tonight), The waiter didn't understand that he charged me $6 extra dollars for a combo kabob. Tried to explain to him but he just couldn't do the math. Plus the kabobs just weren't that good. The chicken was tough an odd tasting while the filet was just bad. I have definitely noticed a severe decline in the quality of the food which is why I'm Updating my review. The place is still clean though and the hummus is pretty good. It ends there. Probably won't be back again.
(2)Barathi S.
Came in here for takeout right before closing. The place itself was cute, clean with a fair amount of tables. Would have probably preferred to eat in but they were closing in 30 minutes so we had to takeout. I ordered the chicken pita sandwich which comes with a side of tzaziki sauce and a pasta salad type dish that I cannot remember the name of. The sandwich was delicious and tasted really fresh. In fact I watched them grill the chicken in the back after I ordered so you know you are getting fresh and hot food. It was a very large portion and fair for the price - 10 dollars. Everything tasted good but it seemed like there was a little something missing.. perhaps spice or salt? It seemed like they had a lot of lunch specials which looked like a good deal as well. Overall a delicious option if you are craving some mediterranean dishes like gyros, falafel, or hummus.
(4)Prianka A.
Nora ' s kabob is a hidden gem in Ellicott City. Their succulent Koobideh and juicy chicken kabobs as well as their flavorful gyro will be sure to bring you back in. This was my second time here but I will definitely be going back soon. They were generous to give us a reserved table even though we didn't make reservations. Extremely generous considering we came at 8pm on a Friday night and we had a group of 6. Overall tip: try their gyro wrap, Koobideh, chicken kabob, and their grape leaves with pomegranate sauce! But come with reservations because they a have very small area for seating!
(4)M H.
If you live nearby and don't have time to drive to one of the other fabulous Kabob restaurant's (like Maiwand), then Nora's is probably going to be satisfactory. But honestly, grilled chicken, a half grilled tomato over more white rice than any adult should consume in a week; it's just not even close to the experience you're likely hoping for. Chicken was nicely marinated and not overcooked, but the plate really lacks variety and sides. I mean no one goes to thanksgiving dinner for the turkey, we're all there for the sides! And don't even get me started on Nora's panini pressed pita bread that they're passing off as nan -- I've never had such a poor excuse for bread. Disappointing.
(2)NK B.
I probably got unlucky! The nan/bread was frozen one, not a fresh naan. Meat was also frozen. My wife got the gyro and eggplant dip. She liked the taste a bit but then she started feeling sick and tired. She realised the meat, rice, bread and salad was not fresh. She had a bad time with her tummy! I personally feel this is NOT mediterranean food. I would rathe recommend Maiwan Kabob or Rudy's Mediterranean Grill.
(1)Ashley N.
My husband and I have been on a Mediterranean kick the last few weeks, so I used yelp to find out this gem. My table got the trio of hummus, domaldes, and eggplant. We also got the falafel. The hummus and eggplant were deliciously homemade and paired with some crisp warm pita. My mouth was happy. The falafel were fair, usual flavored but nothing special. The domaldes were canned, boo! I could make ones better having no instructions. I got the chicken kabob platter, hubby got lamb kabob platter and the mother in law got the shrimp platter. The first two were so damn delicious, seasoned perfectly, tender and melt in your mouth kind of meat. The salad and the rice as the accompaniments were good too. I didn't taste the shrimp but my hubby said they were okay- I wouldn't actually get shrimp at this type of place. We had sangria with dinner too- 5 bucks for a glass was right in my wheel house. Overall, very good flavored in the meat and sauces. I wasn't too pleased with the other things as I've had better. Service is kind of confusing because there are tons of people working behind the food bar. They were all pretty young and dumb and aloof too. Guess the aware ones were back in the kitchen. But overall, a solid place to stop if you're in the area. They're opening another spot in elsersburg soon.
(4)Amir P.
Food and service were good. Rice was a bit bland and you don't get bread served with the meal. I would return except I prefer Persian style kabob and this food was Armenian. The spice is a little different and Persian style rice is better.
(3)Avi S.
This is a wonderful little spot in Ellicott City for some good meditteranean food. We arrived around 9 pm for a late dinner and the place was completely full. Was a little weird when we went in because we were Just standing there and nobody was there to ask us if we'd be dining in. Anyways, a table was free in about 20 minutes And we finally sat down My wife ordered the veggie kabob plate and I ordered the boneless chicken kabob. We also ordered some hummus. The hummus was amazing...smooth and tasty. May have been one of the best I've eaten. My wife enjoyed her dinner but was a little light on zucchini. Mostly peppers and onions. The chicken was good quality and moist. Great taste to it and they give large cubes. That was key because a lot of places you go the Pieces are half the size. The Greek salad that came with it was really good as well. The service was excellent once we got a table and the food was really good. Will def go back often!
(4)Josh G.
Nora's Kabob is a cute establishment located in a strip mall. We tried it on a whim and it was alright, but nothing to write home about. We shared the trio sampler--though they were out of one of the mezze and recommended we try the Mirza Ghasemi or roasted eggplant, which was allegedly their most popular and neither of us liked it. Otherwise, the rest of the mezze were fresh and nicely portioned and accompanied by pita slices. Our entrees were fine, I had a chicken gyro, which was decently sized but I can't say it was anything special. The service was alright, but it seems like they only have one person waiting on everyone so there was some room for improvement. I might consider returning for a casual meal or carry out.
(3)Adiyba A.
Well....I'm disappointed. Rave reviews brought me here. My meal wasn't anything to return for. I ordered the lamb kabob combo. Came with kabob, rice, eggplant side and a few grilled veggies. When I say a few I mean 3 pieces. The rice was ok, the kabob was undercooked and almost red, the bread was ok. I asked for the kabob to be Cooked more and they said "oh you want it well done". No, I want it cooked. I had waited a long time to get the food and to wait more for the kabob was annoying. They were nice enough to give me a chicken kabob while I wait. The eggplant was basically a salsa. No one ever refilled my water until I asked for the check. It was not busy in there. They had 2 empty tables. SN: it's quite small in there too. I have to say that I think the food is overrated and overpriced.
(3)Rafael D.
Hands down the best kabobs in the area; awesome casual/chic atmosphere; superb catering! We've been going back to Nora's for almost two years; the food or service never disappoint. Here's an insider tip for your next catering event: ask them to bring along some extra 'spank' sauce; it takes the food to a whole other level + plus the name makes for some fun conversations!
(5)Derek S.
Valentina's Day was our first visit. We were really impressed with the presentation. It was a prix fix menu but it had a few options for the 2nd thru 4th courses. The food was really, really good. It's a small place with only about 10 or 11 tables that sit two each. But the place is cozy and the decor fitting. We spoke to the owners who are very nice and it's obvious to see they're passionate about what they do and it shows. We definitely plan to visit again soon and try various dishes they have to offer. Highly recommended!
(5)Becca R.
I haven't had a good falafel in a while, so I decided to finally take my parents' recommendation for Nora's Kabob and I was not disappointed. The falafel wrap came with hummus, falafel, lettuce, feta, and a chopped cucumber tomato salad with extra cucumber tomato salad and dolmades on the side. The falafel was absolutely perfect, cooked just right and flavorful. It was not dense and dry like so many other falafels I've had recently. Definitely recommend. We got the eggplant dip with pita bread for an appetizer, but it wasn't necessary. It had a smoky flavor and was very acidic. The falafel was filling enough on it's own. Overall I'm so happy I know about this place now and will be back!
(4)Nicole M.
i got chicken kabob and my friend got the koobide. there were bread crumbs in the meat. the waitress i guess was the owner, she was super rude!
(1)In Y.
Pretty good Kabobs! Can't beat lunch combos where you can get two mezze s and a kebob plate. Been here a few times, i'd recommend lamb more than anything. Beef kabob was a bit dry today though. But hey, yea...
(3)Erika T.
This was wonderful! Came here for a GNO and I was very happy! Its a small place but the small place is nothing to the amount of food you got! We started off with hummus and their roasted eggplant and tomato dip both which were VERY VERY delicious! I ordered the Nora's Combo 3 which were lamb kabobs, chicken and your choice of salad or rice or both. I chose both, I will say wish I JUST chose the salad the rice did taste a little dirty. The salad, very good and so were the kabobs. The lamb was not gamey, cook perfectly the way I like it! They do offer coupons which was great for our group! We loved it and talked about coming here again. If you come here, get the combos with salad and you will not be disappointed!!!
(4)Davit S.
The best kabobs in Maryland. Food was very delivious, i couldnt leave anything in my plate :) Nice dining place, very quiet. Enjoyed armenian beer. This is defenetly made my saturday.
(5)Melanie R.
This place has a killer greek salad....and even more tasty is the pita bread and cucumber dipping sauce. The have a really nice take out menu, where you can get kabobs and various other things to go. I haven't branched out too far past the salad...but I have had it about 5 times now. Its an easy take-out.
(4)Joel L.
The very best in Kabobs,salads and gyros . Served hot and fresh in this little storefront place located in a strip mall in Ellicott City. Very hard to beat the chicken kabob on the salad for dinner. Veg. Kabob is excellent too,
(5)Anne L.
I love this place!! The lunch menu and all the options are simply wonderful. Nora's is well worth the difficulty parking. I have a hunch that this place is not jammed simply due to the location and the difficulty parking. Fantastic food Great service Surprising ++ wine selection Take-out option Nora should be proud!
(5)Janet B.
Dinner on a Saturday evening. Good thing we got there around 6, because it was filled when we left & people were coming in for carryout orders. It was clean, service was quick and pleasant, and the food was very flavorful. We had lobster bisque, humus, lamb gyro & chicken kabob. All delicious... The greek salad was a little over-dressed, so next time (and there will be a next time) I'll ask for the dressing on the side. Reasonable pricing. When chatting with our server, he mentioned that they are soon opening another location in Eldersburg. Good for them.
(4)John A.
Pretty good food. No vegans in my house so found the dolmadas a bit odd...prefer ones with previously fluffy critters. Everything else was great. Lamb kabob, gyros, and especially the filet were all great. Highly recommend the super smooth and tasty humus and the roasted eggplant starters. For the anti-Pepsi snobs, you'll be happy with Coke products.
(4)Brigid R.
Finally tried this cute restaurant and wasnt at all what I expected. While part of a strip mall, the inside is warm and cozy. We enjoyed a trio sampler of hummus, tabouli salad and dolmas. All were very good. The chicken kababs were moist and you can choose between a greek salad, rice or 1/2 and 1/2. And they have a liquor license. Overall a nice low key dinner spot.
(4)Reezle W.
Five stars for food, three for service. There is one waiter for the entire restaurant, taking orders, bringing food, busing tables and cashing the checks. So it's not by his character flaw that the service is lacking so much, but you should know before you go to be waiting much longer than it actually takes to make the food, and good luck making it to even placing an order. That said, the Persian food here is very well made, consistently delicious, if not a little commercial an Americanized. The chicken kebabs are marinated in yogurt and saffron, and always have that nice char while still being moist. The Greek side salad option is honestly one of the main things that brings me back though. It's large, fresh and amazing with the parsley, cucumber yogurt dressing and generous feta cheese. I could nit pick and rant about mistakes made during the meal service but I'm going to let it go and just let it be known that there is going to be a disconnect between the greatness of their food and the attention to detail of their lone waiter. At the end, he kindly offered us a cannoli on him, he really is trying. There is a roasted eggplant tomato dip that is good, but I have yet to try the red pepper hummus. It looks tantalizing though. Their pita is a major pitfall, though. Not homemade. They could do better. I'll be harsh on that, because I know for a lot of people that's a deal breaker. If you need your pita/naan fix, even Maiwand Kebab is a better option. Their koobideh(ground beef and lamb) was probably the best I've had, even better than some I've had homemade by Iranians I've known. It was just grilled right how I wanted it. There is also a pomegranate fillet mignon, which they do very well, though there is not much pomegranate to be found in the dish, and that's a shame. The lamb kebab is also of excellent quality, one of the few kebab places around that won't completely over cook it. So the food here is definitely worth a try, just bring some patience.
(4)Caroline N.
I haven't been here in maybe 9 months or so? It's been a while. Been scared to go back due to my one and only time going... My experience was mediocre. Like others, I walked in during lunch (not busy, just one other group there)... Wanted to eat alone (I LOVE kabobs) and went to the counter to look through the menu. I was asked to sit if I'm "eating in".. And then it clicked: it's a waitress sit down place (uh?... Why?) the place really is too casual and small to not just do a order-at-counter thing. Anyways, the young waitress I had was pretty horrible... And came to check on my water refill ZERO times. No water refill = no tip :/ she wasn't even visible when I was trying to hunt her down for some water 2-3 times.. I eventually ran out of the motivation to stay much longer. Oh I will add that the food was AMAZING! So I did enjoy the food... I found the waitress looking bored (as it was just 2 tables) and for the first time in my life (yup) I gave a 7-8% tip. I normally tip very well... I figured she'd get the idea that her service sucked. I wish I could give this place a second try (maybe in the future...) but my first experience was so bad, i'd rather take my business elsewhere for now... Again, I do have to reiterate though that the food is superb and portions are BIG. Thats why its 3 stars instead of 2! Maybe if there are other waiters, your experience will be good :)
(3)Jimmy S.
Good food, excellent customer service. The only thing I did not like was that it's too small from inside but you can always call ahead and they will have table reserve for you
(5)Adam R.
Absolutely the worst food in the area. This place can not call itself middle eastern, their are no spices of any normal type, and the food is way overpriced. This place charges double the normal price, and people actually go. On the whole, they get one star for ambiance. The food was dry, the people also help it earn one more star for friendliness.
(2)Emily L.
Just a few days ago I was in Los Angeles at an amazingly good hole-in-the-wall Armenian restaurant, complaining loudly about the lack of Armenian restaurants in my hometown. So it was a shock to stop by Nora's Kabob for directions and discover that, not only do they make fabulous Middle Eastern food, but they are also Armenian owned and operated! I was ridiculously excited about this. There are subtle but important differences between Middle Eastern food made by an Afghan / Pakistani chef, one from Syria, one from Israel, etc. Armenian just happens to be my favorite. The place is small, but nicely furnished and modern, with a large bar where you can see and choose your toppings. I was there at lunchtime, so the girl at the counter explained their lunch special: kabob or falafel over rice or salad, plus grilled vegetables, pita and a choice of two sides (hummus, dolma, eggplant and a few others) -- all for $9. They could barely close the styrofoam container, it was so packed! Once home, I unloaded my things and dug in. The falafels were small, but lighter and fluffier than I've had around here. Still not quite the falafel of my dreams, but close -- and with a strong cumin / parsley flavor that I loved. The salad was classically Greek, with chopped Romaine, feta, Kalamata olives, cucumber, ripe (!) tomato and red onion, served with a side of garlicky vinaigrette. The dolma were also quite Greek, rice and seasonings only, and the hummus' terra-cotta color and sweet notes alluded to a red-pepper accent. It was a fantastic lunch, one I can't wait to repeat. Bonus: they sell Armenian wine to go. Not sure if you can drink it there, too, but I plan to try when I go back for some of their koobideh kebabs . . .
(4)Connie L.
I've gotten Nora's kabob twice for lunch. The first time I got the steak kabob with rice and for the sides got the eggplant and cucumber tomato salad (I'm not sure what the official names are). The steak was super dry though and my coworkers said the lamb was super tough and dry too. The sides were so good though! The second time around I got the chicken kabob w the salad and for sides got the eggplant and yogurt w eggplant.. Both were so delicious!! And the salad was so fresh and so good!!! The person working, I believe it was one of the workers let me try a couple of the sides before I chose and he was super nice. The chicken was a little dry too but the delicious sides make up for the not so great kabobs.
(4)Frank L.
I've taken the gaggle to Nora's Kabob a few times over the last year and I have to say that it is some of the best middle-eastern food I've had in a long time. The last time we went we tried a pretty broad variety of their stuff between the four of us. The appetizers were wonderful. Hummus, tzatziki (thank you spell-check), and stuffed grape leaves were just our staters. Among us we tried several of their kabobs as well. Lamb, chicken, and beef... all were uniformly fabulous. I was pleasantly surprised at just how great the food was here. They lose a star because they're kind of spendy, but definitely worth it.
(4)Sarah W.
Great food, great atmosphere. We ordered the appetizer sampler and it was amazing. You will need to ask for more naan bread as they don't provide enough for dipping. Chicken kabob was juicy, tender, and full of flavor. The ground beef kabob was a bit tough but still tasty. Would definitely go back again.
(4)Patti M.
I'm thinking this might be my new fav spot for kabobs! Placed a carryout for chicken kabobs, rice, w veggies. Good stuff! Next visit I'll try the hummus and salad.
(4)Puneet M.
Nora Kabob is located in a small strip mall off of RT. 40. But don't let the location and size fool you, Nora's packs a lot of flavor! As mentioned Nora's is small, so either make reservations or get their early, be it for dinner or lunch. Once seated you notice Nora's offers a good array of choices, from chicken, lamb, beef and even vegetarian options. I have gotten some apps before, all have been decent to good, I usually just stick with the entrée since they give you a decent amount of food. Speaking of entrée, I have always gotten the chicken kabob! Ohh so good! One of the great things about Nora's is when you order a meal you get the choice of either rice, greek salad or 50/50!! I love that you get those three options, so you can have a little bit of both! Once the food arrives you see the portions and see that you have gotten your moneys worth! The chicken is great! Soft, tender, juicy and very flavorful! It is also cooked well but not super charred. The chicken is also not covered in sauce or seasonings, you get a great chicken that has been cooked perfectly along with your sides!! Overall the entrée is top notch, one of the best kabob's in the area!! Overall, Nora's is a hit and place we go to often! You get good service, good food and a good value, can't beat that!! So let's throw another shrimp on the barby! Cheers!
(4)Carmen V.
4 for lunch. Very fresh and tasty meal. Delicious humus. Satisfied with portions and very reasonable priced
(4)Leeann N.
My husband and I really like Nora Kabob. The food is fresh and tasty, and prepared healthfully. The staff is on point. I particularly enjoy the lamb kabob. Instead of getting sides, I get a split plate of rice and Greek salad, with the kabob and a piece of pita. YUM!!
(4)Emily L.
I got the koobideh meal and my husband got the lamb gyro both where amazing and were just as good as a place back home I've been dying for. The rice with the tzatziki sauce is my favorite. I would recommend!!
(5)Michael C.
Food is pretty decent but staff were very inattentive, undermining the dining experience. Fairly disappointed despite the good reviews.
(2)Larry H.
Persian done right... Most of the time (for me) the difference between a good Persian restaurant and a bad one is as simple as whether or not the meats are spiced well (not too much, not too little), and browned on the the outside, but still tender and juicy inside (rather than overcooked and dried out). But Nora's definitely goes above and beyond just being a "good" Persian restaurant. This family owned (by two brothers) restaurant offers a fusion of Armenian and Persian flavors in many of their dishes. The scent of mint, onions, garlic, and exotic spices are in the air from the moment you open the door. Nora's is a small unassuming little place in a strip mall just off Baltimore National Pike that you can easily miss if you're not watching closely, but it's well worth finding. The wait staff is very friendly, very informative about their menu selections, and the portions are large enough to either send you home stuffed or at least carrying a "to go" box with your left overs. For dessert don't miss the freshly made, honey and pomegranate reduction drizzled, flaky phyllo, Baklava. It's brought over daily from Nora's own Cafe & Bakery, which is also located in Ellicott City too!
(4)Beth T.
After spending three weeks in Greece a couple of years ago I was looking for something comparable to the wonderful food I was able to taste while overseas. Nora's has the best Greek food I have had on the East Coast. What to eat? Well, it's a tough decision. Their gyros are packed with deliciousness, their kabobs are tender and flavorful (I have had lamb, chicken, shrimp and swordfish)! The hummus is phenomenal and the roasted eggplant is totally addicting. I often order large sides of the eggplant to bring home for the week...served cold or warm it is a slightly spicy treat. Nora's can do no wrong as far as I am concerned!!
(5)Standards H.
Being a small establishment in a run of the mill strip mall, Nora's is easy to pass by and never notice, or at least it was for me. Thanks to yelp, I discovered it and decided to give it a try. Nora's really has everything going for it. The establishment is very clean, the decor is cute, the food is excellent (my lamb gyro was perfection as were the hummus, dolmades, and the baroni spinach), and the service we had was prompt, informative, and friendly. The prices are very reasonable with one exception...see below. $8 for an average glass of sangria that is served in a wine glass that consists of way more ice than sangria is the sole reason I'm taking a star off my rating. While it tasted good, it was certainly not worth $8 for a small glass. There was no option to get a carafe/pitcher/bottle so over half of our bill was our tiny glasses of sangria (and I didn't feel even the slightest buzz)! If you like alcohol with your meal, my advice is stick with a bottle of wine or a beer where you know exactly what you are getting for the price and unless you like over paying for stuff, avoid the sangria! We will most certainly be back but with better knowledge about what certain beverage to avoid.
(4)Behnam M.
Food, service, and atmosphere is awesome. They are really nice and caring and food is great. The mezzes (appetizers) are even better. Specially, the spinach borani and dolmades tastes really good. My favorite one: Roasted Eggplant (Mirza Ghasemi). If they could serve it hot, it would be even better. Foodwise, koobideh and chicken are tasty and juicy. Lamb kabob is fresh. The food portion for the price is good. I invited my non-Iranian friends and they couldn't stop eating. Keep up the good quality Nora Team.
(5)Michaek S.
In the area for a work training- found this excellent place right off Rt. 40 in a random strip mall. I saw "KABOB", and, me a sucker for grilled things on sticks, said "HECKS YES!!". And I was glad I did!! Lunch special is only 8.50- you get protein of choice, rice, half a flat bread, a few grilled pepper slices, some pickled purple cabbage, and two sides of choice- I got the tzatzki and dolmas. We were a large lunch group, so folks got everything from lamb to falafels. All WERE AWESOME!!! Chicken was tender, juicy, nicely charred; rice was fluffy basmati-- standard, but good; dolmas were little tender-crisp lemony rice--filled comfort food; tzatzki was creamy, tangy, fully of cucumber and garlic.mmm.. and request the sauce for kabobs on the side-- seems to be a blend of thinned yogurt, green chilies, and parsley- it was good!!! I had hot tea - booze is available if you aren't a work lunch, or you are and really should be at AA...... Tea was good- hot, unsweetened, and spiced with cardamon. Only minus- bread was fine, but seemed packaged. Fresh baked flat bread would have added an easy star-- as is, half slice of pre-baked flat read was fine, but a bit of a let down. Interior was nicely decorated, service was attentive, quick, and friendly, and it got quite busy at lunch. Great place!! Really, really nice for lunch-- I'm sure it rocks for dinner, too. Nothing hit 20 bucks for entrees, either, on full menu- and that lunch special was great!!!
(4)Jeff A.
Had a short wait to find a spot in this tight dining room on Saturday eve. The staff was friendly and attentive throughout the meal. The layout and decor makes this look like a counter service spot, but we had a waiter. My wife had the falafel sandwich. I had a trio of mezze as a dinner: hummus, eggplant, and dolmades. All was very good with the exception of the grape leaves which had a flavor which just wasn't to either of our liking. The bread the accompanied dinner was also pretty uninspired. It seemed to be purchased in bulk from somewhere rather than made fresh on site. We got a beer each and ended up paying $32 before tip. Our friends though both ordered kebabs, split a hummus appetizer, and 2 drinks each: a beer, a wine, and 2 sangrias. The beer was $4 and everything else was $8 each. Their total was $70 before tip. Though the food was good, they felt that the bill seemed out of line with the overall experience (we agreed). For our friend who ordered the 2 sangrias, 2 drinks is pretty unusual and yet she didn't notice any effect from having what would have left her giggling normally. We all have assumed that the drinks were much more soda and juice than wine. And $8 a pop seems steep as a result. On the topic of beer, don't expect anything decent or many choices. They have four: Heineken, Corona, Amstel Light, and Bud Light. This might be ok for a strip mall joint with counter service - but I expect better in this area. One other nit was the floor. It's some sort of laminate that allow tables and chairs to slide freely. We had to adjust our table multiple times during the meal when someone leaned on it too much. And when the table behind me stood up to leave, because its so tight my chair slid forward several inches. I don't think the guy who bumped into me even realized it since my chair slid so easily. Not sure what to suggest as a fix, but it was a bit annoying. Bottom line is that this is a place you can get some good food and service, but watch what you order to avoid leaving feeling like you overspent. We may come back some time, but it probably will be for carry out falafel.
(3)R A.
We've been to Nora's in the past and it was pretty good. The last time we ordered food, the meat was not plentiful in the platters...it was more rice than anything else. It's been a while, so we tried again tonight and were completely disappointed. The lamb and beef kabobs were completely undercooked (the lamb was almost raw, the filet was rare) and both were more gristle than meat. I think I got a tiny taste of the lamb from an entire kabob, the rest were gristle and silver skin. The filet was nearly as bad... The chicken was just okay, bordering on dry but passable. The rice was fine, but nothing to write home about. I liked the bit of hummus that came on the side of the falafel (which were okay, but not impressive) mezze, but I can get hummus pretty much anywhere at this point. I don't know what happened from when it first opened, but there's absolutely no reason whatsoever to go back again. Still searching for a great kabob place.
(2)Jeremy J.
Wow, we were really impressed by this place. The location is unassuming and the restaurant is small but nicely decorated. We went for lunch on a Saturday and it was very busy. The one waitress was friendly and efficient but hurried. We started with the hummus appetizer. It's probably the best hummus I've had in this area. Fresh, subtle flavors. Warm pita bread. My wife got the chicken kabob platter and I got the traditional gyro. The portions were large. My wife loved the kabob. The accompanying greek salad was delicious but the rice was a little bland. Tzatziki cause was excellent. It's difficult to find a good gyro in this area. Fortunately Nora's was very good. Meat was sliced thick and very juicy. Not the hard thin gyro you get at cheap places. It was served with feta cheese, vegetables and tzatziki sauce. It came with a small marinated vegetable salad and two tasty grape leaves. Next time we want to try some other meze appetizers and experiment with their wine selections. They also have cheeze/olive boards that sound tempting.
(5)Erick P.
We called Nora's for carry out. The young lady on the phone was very challenging to order from. Did not seem to know the menu. Did not seem to know what was included. Did not seem to know basic phone order taking etiquette. To make matters worse, when we picked up our food, they had packed the to-go kabob on a salad together. Who puts hot chicken and veg on a cold salad for a to-go order?? Needless to say by the time we got home our $10 salad was inedible. The chicken was salvageable but a bit overcooked and dry, but the salad was warm and wilted beyond recovery! Not going back and recommend you drive right by. A real shame because this area of 40 really needs something like this, but the service and food need to be good-otherwise just another wasted location. Oh and the best part is the two owners were actually onsite. One was texting on his phone and did not even acknowledge us, the other was counting cash-relying on the young lady (see above) who was already clueless to handle our whole customer service experience. WOW, this bad even when owners are onsite!!
(1)Pratip C.
Great, great spot for lunch. Food was delicious, menu has great choice. Good and attentive service. I had the ground beef and lamb kabob and it was really top notch.
(4)Terry P.
Nora's is our go to place for Kabobs. The food is excellent. The staff are friendly and accommodating. They want you to come back. We eat here frequently.
(5)Matthew C.
We went to Nora's for the first time tonight. Everything was fresh and delicious! I had "Nora's Famous Chicken Kabob" with a side of Greek salad and my husband had a lamb gyro. We also shared some hummus. I wound up taking home some food for lunch tomorrow as the platter portions were very generous. Next time I'll try to save room for one of their delicious looking desserts.
(5)Michael Z.
I consider myself a bit of a kabob fanatic. As such I am constantly seeking out the various kabob places that seem to spring up in strip malls throughout the area. I saw Nora's pop up on my radar and figured I'd check it out. The location is, per usual for kabob joints, your standard strip mall. This one is situated on Rt. 40 with all that brings - easy access, 3 visible liquor stores from the parking lot, gas stations, weathered asphalt as far as the eye can see, etc. The front of the restaurant is unassuming. Your basic sign above a window hints you inside. That's quite alright though - you come to expect the serviceable utilitarian structure when visiting a restaurant on Rt. 40. The interior of the restaurant is decorated fairly well. There are televisions hanging above the diners in the (rather small) dining area and an open kitchen where you can see the titular kabobs being cooked. Honestly though I feel like if they hadn't gone with the open kitchen look it would have felt like you were dining in somebody's closet, so good on them for making that decision. My date and I got our seats - a booth that upon sitting in seemed to not be attached to anything like a wall or a floor as it moved slightly as I sat down. This brings me to the strangest part of the dining experience. This location being as tiny as it is feels like it would lend itself more to the counter service style of ordering food with the food being brought out after the patrons have taken their seats. Instead there is presented a very strange table service option for patrons dining in where the waiter goes no more than what seems like 20 feet away from you during the entire experience (remember the open kitchen). Our waiter seemed very inexperienced to boot - having to ask for a beverage and naan multiple times before he brought them out. Honestly it seemed like he felt like this place should be counter service too. The menu is fairly extensive for what you'd expect going to a kabob place. You've got varying kinds of kabobs, rice, hummus, bread, desserts, etc. Prices were reasonable ($10-15 range for most kabob entrees) though I was shocked to learn that non of the entrees came with complimentary naan. What kind of kabob place doesn't give you naan with your kabobs? Oh and the menu is hilariously and i mean hilariously full of typos. It became a bit of a game between my date and I to see who could identify the most typos and spelling mistakes. I believe we had well over 10 by the time the waiter returned to take our order. So finally let's talk about the food. The naan served here was quite possibly the worst naan I've ever had at a kabob place. It literally tasted like room temperature pre-made naan that you can buy in the grocery store. The fact that it is referred to simply as "flat bread" on the menu does not inspire much confidence. The kabobs themselves were very delicious. By far the highlight of the meal. They exceeded my expectations. The lamb was delicious and tender. Top tier level of deliciousness. The kabob'd veggies also tasted very fresh. The rice was average. Very much par for the course although I will compliment the amount of rice provided as being rather large. With so many Kabob options in Howard Country I see no reason to become loyal to Nora's Kabobs - which is a shame as the kabobs themselves are very strong contenders. It's just everything else that needs improvement. Especially the ridiculous typo filled menu and dining environment that can only be defined as "awkward".
(2)Amy P.
What can I say? Just absolutely wonderful food! We had the Meza trio sampler with dolmades, hummus and tzsikiki. Then for dinner we had Nora's combos. I had the chicken and lamb combo. The chicken and lamb were so juicy and wonderfully marinated. grilled veggies were yummy and so was the saffron rice. Hard to believe the place has only been open for 5 months. I can't recommend this place enough. It's a must visit at least once a week. Prices were just right. They also do catering. May have to try this out the next get together I have. I plan on spreading the word about this place because it is that good. Thanks again for the amazingly delicious dinner!
(5)Kem W.
Great Mediterranean food. It's way better than fast food. Expect a relaxed dining experience. Check out the lamb gyro or the chicken kabob. I like the mirza ghassemi (roasted eggplant, tomato, and fresh garlic) and zeytoon parvadeh (green olives marinated in pomegranate sauce and walnut with warm pita) sides. The tabbouleh is just OK. Parking can be an issue as it's in a strip mall.
(4)Sanaz M.
Nora's Kabob is amazing. I frequently dine and purchase many baked goods and pastries from Nora Cafe & Bakery, and learned that they were opening Nora's Kabob soon, so I was really excited and looking forward to their new establishment like many others. I dinned at Nora's Kabob last week for lunch and can say that it is by far one of the best Persian restaurants I have had kabob from besides of course my grandmother's cooking. Their kabob's are cooked to perfection, very tender with a nice selection of sides including mast-o-khiar( yogurt with cucumber similar to the Greek Tzatzaki). Congradulations and great customer service :-)
(5)Asa B.
I was there today, it located in Village Green shopping center between Oreck Vacuums and Audiology associates, It's a small Middle Eastern Cuisine, It's comfy, beautiful interior and decoration, Great Customer service and very clean Inside! I ordered a Koobideh Kabob to eat inside and chicken Kabob to go! Waiting to prepare the food was short less than 10 min! Their food was fresh, warm and delicious, I really enjoyed my visit there and hope I get another chance to stop by and order more with them!
(5)Terri S.
I love this place All the food is fresh made, never had a bad meal. I eat there at least three times a month. Everything is made fresh. Where can you say something like that? I would give it 5 stars but it is a little too expensive.
(4)David J.
The Chicken Kebob was pretty good, lamb kebob was surprisingly tender. My friend had the salmon and she seemed to enjoy it. Decent ambiance and I like the fact you can have some alcohol with a kebob. The portions seemed small. I usually leave a kebob place stuffed silly, but I left feeling hungry this is the only reason i am giving it three stars.
(3)Fred J.
Nora's is great for parties. We called and told them what our requirements were and they prepared a delicious feast of kabobs, salads, rice, and bread. The kebabs were perfectly cooked and seasoned, especially the chicken. The Greek salad was filled with olives, feta, and it was enormous. They even threw in a bunch of Mediterranean appetizers (humus etc.) above and beyond our order. Everything was ready to go at the agreed upon time. It's about time the culinary wasteland of Rt. 40 had something worth the trip!
(5)Jim L.
If you want Kabobs this is the place to go. Everything seems fresh and the food is good. We have been going there since they opened and every time we have enjoyed our dining. You have to want Persian food so don't expect to get a cheeseburger.
(4)E.E. R.
Very tasty. We had the veggie kabob, chicken kabob, and the minced lamb kabob. All good! The roasted eggplant dip was so yummy, and we really liked the falafel too. My only complaint (minor) is that the rice is a tad dry. Maybe add more oil or butter to moisten it a little? Also it would be nice to include a tzaziki sauce with the kabob. Love this place though!
(4)A.J. S.
Great food - you cant go wrong with anything; we also used them to cater for a party and the crowd was amazed. EVERYTHING is perfectly cooked. The only complaint is the portion size - it can be larger..... but hey - its the Mediterranean diet!
(4)Alicyn D.
I had been trying to make it out to Nora's Kabob since it opened. The last time I attempted, there was a wait for a table and I just didn't have the time. I purchased a "groupon-type" certificate online and knew it would force me to continue trying. My boyfriend and I went for dinner last week and we had a fantastic experience! SERVICE Everyone was attentive and accommodating. I like how everyone worked together to make sure everyone was taken care of in the establishment. Waters were always filled too - which is a plus. FOOD Starters: We had the spanikopita, which was good and we also had Pomborn small plate, which is beef in a pomegranate sauce. The pomborn was INCREDIBLE. The beef was perfectly cooked and the flavor was great. Salads: We had the shirazi salad and greek salad - both were good and plentiful. We probably could have gone without them because it was so much food. Entrees: I had the lamb kabob platter and my boyfriend had the beef and chicken kabob platter. The lamb was OUT OF THIS WORLD. It was not over seasoned and was cooked perfectly! It came with a ton of basmati rice and grilled vegetables. I tried my boyfriends dish and his was great too...even the chicken and I hate chicken out, especially on kabobs, because it is always dry...not at Nora's! The food tasted even better the next day. Dessert: We had the baklava and it was very good and super sweet, so we really should have ordered 1 piece instead of 2...but it is okay...leftovers! I highly recommend this place and I will be frequenting it a lot.
(5)Jolie W.
Great new restaurant! They have all the dishes made to order, but ready to go like a fixings style. Lunch runs about $8.50 and very large portion. Greek salad with stuffed grape leaves, feta, olives, marinated cabbage, tomatoes, with meat choice-grilled beef, pork, chicken or vegetable. 2 side choices of many selections...trying the gyro next time!! Fast and convenient lunch-lots of leftovers. Don't waste $$$ and calories on baklava-not good and $3.50-wow!
(4)Assface J.
We just got back from dinner. The food was good but really overpriced. It's not bad compared to what else you can get in Ellicott City. $15 for a kebab plate is ridiculous. Service was weak. The place is small, and so that means people that want your table just stand there and stare at you while you talk about the time that you served in prison in upstate New York.
(2)Darlene E.
On the whole liked their food didn't care for the spinach pies but loved my chicken gyro platter and the dolmas were good too
(4)Brian F.
Stopped by for lunch today as i was in the Area on Business. Place was crowded and the parking lot of the shopping center was full. As I walked in a table was leaving and the girl behind the counter told me I could have that table, and she'd be right there to wipe it down; a side note, they used windex (in a marked windex bottle) on the tables, not a food safe sanitizer to clean the tables. I ordered the Lunch Lamb Kabob over greek Salad with Hummus and Dolmades.Food came out VERY quickly. Overall very good meal, with only a few minor issues. The Lamb was slightly over cooked and lacked seasoning/flavor but was still very tendor and had no noticable fat/grissel, and the salad was over dressed. They pita bread was fresh and warm. Domades were served chilled and were a simple rice filling, but had a wonderful consistancy. Many times the rice in Dolmades can get 'mushy', and this was not the case. The Hummus was full of flavor. It was raining out today and i asked if they had Avgolemono Soup, and they did not (nor any soup). this was only a minor disappointment, as overrall the food was very good, the service fast and friendly. My major recomandation would be to go at 'off-peak' hours as the place is TINY (less than 10 tables). If I find myself back in the area I will stop in again.
(4)Rachel S.
Very good kabob! The hummus was a little strange to me. Longer than expected wait time for take out. (I was told 20 minutes and it took 40.) Happy to have a great place to get kabobs in EC!
(4)Ed B.
Great little cafe. Service was a little slow but the food was really good! I'll be going back.
(4)Juan J.
We are totally excited that EC now has this kabob place. Their food is slightly different than Mimi's in Clarksville or Maiwand's in Columbia but still very tasty. Everything has been delightful. The only ding is that the chicken kabobs have been on the dry side. Do not pass up the beef kabobs!!! Lastly, I wish they would have an order of pita bread and hummus as a side as we would always get it. They will give some if you ask.
(4)Marin G.
Really nice addition to Ellicott City! From the moment I walked in, I really liked the atmosphere. It really clean and nicely decorated. We went to sit down and the waiter (who I'm guessing was the owner) immediately wiped down our table. We had an eggplant appetizer, and it was phenomenal. The smoky and garlicky flavor was just perfect. For dinner I had the lamb gyro, which was tender and delicious. The cucumber salad and tzatziki on the side were really good. My husband had a grilled sirloin with rice and grilled veges, and he also loved his dish. His rice was addictive, it was so good! For dessert we had the baklava, which I liked and was good, but I prefer baklava with a little different flavor (a little less sweetness). My husband had a cannoli, which was ok. We will definitely be back to try some other dishes on their menu.
(4)Doug H.
I order carry out every other week and it's usually ready to pick up in 20min. Love the koobideh kabobs and yogurt w/roasted eggplant, the portions are great and the prices are reasonable.
(4)Maz M.
The best Persian food around! Great food served by great people in a relaxed atmosphere. Authentic flavors executed perfectly. The ambience is modern and casual, and impeccably clean. The staff is friendly and welcoming and excel at customer service; I frequent middle eastern and meditaranean restaurants on a regular basis and, unfortunately, customer service seems to be an afterthought at most of them. The owner stoped by to chat with us and he is a very impressive young man. I hope they expand and add more locations (hopefully in northern Virginia!).
(5)marye v.
Just had carryout from Nora's Kabob and have to admit that it was fantastic. This is my third visit, the first two were a mixed bag. I ordered the lamb gyro and it was indeed a delight. The lamb was tender, well marinated and flavorful. It was huge. The sides of yogurt cucumber sauce and the chopped marinated veggie stuff were super good. I don't know the names of the food but I enjoyed everything I ate. This might be the best lamb gyro I ever had. I don't like the fact that on weekends there are no lunch sized portions so the prices are higher but......... Did I mention fresh? Everything tasted fresh, my gyro meat was cooked to order and the spinach yogurt sauce that I ordered was also very good. It was loaded with garlic so be forewarned if you are not a garlic fan. I went in about 5:30, ordered and came back in 10 minutes to pick up my order. This place is very small and has a tough go with all of the restaurants and fast food places around it. i went there tonight because I wanted something different and healthy to eat. I have had the kabob platter twice when they first opened and wasn't thrilled but this lamb gyro has brought me back.
(4)John M.
Great Middle Eastern food. Quick, friendly service. The food is fresh and perfectly prepared. We've only had carry out but every time we have been really impressed. We've tried just about all of the kabobs and the gyros. All were fantastic. Definitely worth a try if you like food from that region. We would highly recommend Nora's.
(5)Steve J.
I've been working in Ellicott City for five years and I'm very health conscious. I was delighted to find Nora's Kabob. I recommend it if you are a vegetarian or if you are simply trying to avoid fried foods. The roasted red pepper hummus is wonderful. I have always found the staff to be friendly and the restaurant to be clean. Low carb is easy to do here if you're into that. I have found the portions to be just about perfect for me. I find it to be a great value at less than $10 for the lunch combo.
(5)