Babylon Restaurant
1192 Forest Ave, Portland, ME, 04103
Babylon Restaurant Menu
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Address :
1192 Forest Ave
Portland, ME, 04103 - Phone (207) 797-2740
- Website https://386905166368229725.weebly.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
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Christina C.
This place is kind of under the radar but totally worth a visit for the food. You'll be skeptical as you drive along the not-so-elegant strip of Forest Ave. and see the handmade sign outside the restaurant, but don't be fooled. The food is amazing! They start you off with homemade lentil soup (served in a glass bowl with a lid). It's probably the only time I've said "soooo good!" in reference to lentil soup. All of the entrees I've had there were tasty, but I especially love the Chicken Tikka. It's a skewer of chicken in this magic spice blend, served with rice or hummus (which are also both delicious). I'm deducting a star because the ambiance is not that great. It's a wide open dining room with plastic-coated chairs, and there is a TV playing music videos on one wall. So...not a great choice for a romantic evening. But if you're purely looking for a satisfying spice-laden meal, this fits the bill.
(4)Ellen B.
I have driven by Babylon 1 million times and always wanted to stop in. After reading reviews here, I decided to try tonight. I'm very pleased that I did! The food was fantastic! I had the chicken shawarma with extra spice and falafel. It was the best falafel I have ever had! The chicken was perfectly spiced and delicious. It came with hummus, salad, french fries, the chicken, and a huge piece of Iraqi bread - which was delicious! I could not finish the entire meal by any stretch! Everything was priced very reasonable. The inside of Babylon is clean and bright. The ladies behind the counter were very nice and full of smiles. I will definitely be back and tell friends!
(4)Rachel D.
Oh my goodness, go to here. I've worked down the street from this place for almost a year and due in part to always bringing my own lunch and the street being not very "walking" friendly I haven't been, until today. I ordered the "mix" shawarma sandwich at the recommendation of a co-worker. It was fantastic! I miss the variety of food in Boston up here but Babylon is definitely a good answer for that missing hole in my diet. The flavors were really great, quite authentic sandwich, fresh and not too much sauce (just enough). I couldn't find the menu online but the menu is right here! 386905166368229725.weebl… They do a buffet Friday - Sunday and I can't wait to try it. The place is pretty big so I can only imagine how much buffet offerings they have. Go read Clint B's review for a full run down on their dinner dishes. For those folks who work on outer Forest - definitely stop at Babylon for lunch sometime. I can't recommend it more! $6.99 for a delicious chick / beef shawarma is too good to pass up.
(4)Diane S.
The good: excellent hummous, bread and rice. Soup was good, too. The bad: a young waitress with absolutely no clue. I mean no clue. Didn't know how to take an order. Didn't get what we thought we ordered so settled for whatever it was that came out of the kitchen the second time. Seriously overcooked meat and chicken. They should consider having some sort of form to fill out so you have a better chance of getting what you want. Seriously! No one else there on a Saturday night. How do they even stay in business? So wanted it to be good...
(2)Liviu R.
There aren't many Vegan places around Portland, ME. This place has Vegan options and they are very good. The Foul dish is awesome and the vegetable combo plates can be made vegan - very much recommended.
(5)Clint B.
I was blown away by this place. I have passed by Babylon every single day for almost a year and never bothered to step foot inside until recently. I have only done take-out from here, but I've been impressed every single time. The restaurant is owned and managed by a family, who are all great people. When I get take out, I get the entrees, which run about $12-$16, but are definitely worth it. The entrees come with a LOT of food, so it's good if you're super hungry or if you want to get 2 meals out of it. Every single food item I've had here has been delicious. The falafel, lamb, beef, chicken, bread, salad, veggies, and rice have all been outstanding. But the real key food item is the hummus. The hummus is easily the best I've ever had, and you'll never find anything in a store that will compare. Since this place is on the corner of a very busy portion of Forest Ave., parking can be a pain. But do not let this deter you from this place. Babylon is definitely worth this minor inconvenience. I highly recommend this place. Plus, word on the street is that Babylon will be starting a weekend buffet around the end of June 2014, so look forward to that!
(5)Hungry B.
Great, traditional food. One complaint was that our order from 2dine.com was not what we ordered.
(4)Kaamela H.
This was an amazing restaurant! The food was extremely authentic and delicious and the staff were so sweet, felt like eating at home! A must go if you are in Portland!
(5)Charlotte W.
Very good food. Quickly served, large portions, mildly cheap. Good service, family resturant, so completely homemade food. The pre served free lentil soup had perfect taste, perfect portion. I recommend the chicken tikka burrito, or the falafel. For dessert, I recommend the Dahiti. Definitely five stars.
(5)Abbey S.
Babylon is one of my favorite places in Portland to get take out from. I always order the chicken shawarma plate (you can order your shawarma wrapped in delicious bread or not wrapped, which comes with a different delicious bread on the side). This comes with hummus (best hummus I've ever had, truly), salad and fries. The fries are pretty standard, and if you get the unwrapped shawarma plate then you can get rice instead, which is very good. Everything is super fresh and I look forward to eating here at least once a week. Sometimes there are miscommunications- which is understandable given the authentic nature of Babylon. No big deal. Anyway, eat here, and your only regret will be your perpetual craving for it from here on out.
(5)Sandy H.
Our family of six, including two picky kids, all loved the delicious Middle-Eastern cuisine. The sambusas were amazing. The kids loved the chicken tikka and the fried fish. The adults enjoyed schawarma. The lentil and rice soup (served to all as a starter) was excellent. And, the prices were incredibly reasonable, given the generous portions. Loved the baklava, too.
(5)Ivan J.
You've probably driven by Babylon a handful of times and not noticed it. It's in a location where you'll miss it if your not looking for it and they don't have any signage that really pops out at you. But it's truly a hidden gem! Like you'll read in most reviews, we entered and there was nobody else dining. We were greeted by a smile and sat down. We ordered the Shawarma sandwiches and before they came out we enjoyed lentil soup. The soup was very good and I only wish I could've had more! The sandwiches came out promptly. The sandwich is 100% authentic Middle Eastern cuisine. The vegetables were fresh and the spicy mayo was a great topping to bring it all together. Honestly most of the menu items are quite cheap for the amount of food your getting. The bill was so low, I had to ask if she put everything in correctly. The waitress was always asking us if we needed anything and attentive to our water glasses. I really wish they would use social media or change there signage to bring more customers in! You can tell this is an authentic family restaurant, and they definitely deserve the business!
(5)Jim B.
Portland has its share of ethnic restaurants. The one area where the selection is a bit thin is Middle Eastern/Iraqi fare. Babylon is a restaurant set to step in and fill that niche. I've driven by the nondescript Morrill's Corner restaurant a number of times, located at the odd little intersection of Forest Avenue and Bishop Streets. For some reason, I've been tardy about trying it until today. Arriving just after the usual Noon rush hour, Babylon's spacious dining room (hall?) was deserted. My lunch partner had already arrived so we got busy looking over the menu. Babylon advertises that all of their dishes are made with Halal meat, meaning the slaughter and preparation is permissible according to Islamic law. All meals begin with a cup of red lentil and rice soup as a complimentary starter--this was a nice touch. The soup was flavorful with a bit of a tanginess. I love sambuse or sambusa, a phyllo dough-rapped appetizer made with ground chicken or beef, onion, and various spices. I've had these at Somali restaurants before and the ones at Babylon were very good. I opted for the shawarma made with beef. The rotisserie beef was seasoned and flavorful and the hearty "wrap" also had onion, lettuce, shaved carrots, with what I think was a mayo-based dressing. I would describe it as similar to a gyro. All of the "sandwich" entrees come with a house salad, but I asked specifically for the Arabic salad, which I had been instructed in a previous review, to do. I'm glad I did. The fresh salad of diced cucumber, tomato, flattened parsley, and mint (?), along with lemon and olive oil went well with the shawarma. Babylon's portions are ample, so opting for the smaller size is advised. The one caveat I'd offer is that the service is slow; I think this might be more cultural than anything, so keep this in mind--if you need to get in and out quickly, then lunch might not be the time to try Babylon. I did note that there were several vegetarian options, along with a number of other interesting entrees, including several various combo-type meals for the budget conscious.
(4)Jules A.
The food was delicious and the atmosphere is like a mini trip to the Middle East. Delightful servers. This is one of the best restaurants in Portland. I could see office parties here with their large shawarma plates. The babaganoush was a real treat with its smokey eggplant flavor spiced with a hint of cayenne. This is a great place for kids or babies. The decor is unique and makes me glad I don't need to go to Boston or New York to enjoy this authentic Middle Eastern flair. Try the hummus, lamb, goat, and falafels. All delicious!
(5)Carl L.
We had lentil soup, chicken biryani, beef schwarma platter, hummus, falafel. All were great, all strongly and distinctly flavored. The soup was the best lentil I've had; I'd be proud to have made this. Menu: Yes, the typical Middle Eastern items you'd expect, plus Iragi specialties, a nice change of pace. Atmosphere: spare, casually elegant, large open space, lots of windows, natural light Service: all you could ask, friendly but not intrusive Value: very reasonable prices, entries have plentiful portions
(4)Adria R.
This place was a real find, and we'd love to go again to try more dishes. We were short on time and it was early so we just had appetizers. The place was empty with only one other table occupied. We ordered the Arabic salad which was tasty but more like a salsa (still very good), the hummus which was great, and the falafel. The falefel was delicious, and not too dense, but could have benefited from a side of tzatziki or tahini. The complimentary lentil soup was a nice touch. We'll be back before too long. Update 10/10/2014 We went again, and again it was great. We tried more dishes and were pleased with almost everything. Get the biryani rice, not the regular rice, you'll be rewarded. We had the chicken and lamb tikas, and our party of 6 got lots of apps to share. The only thing I wasn't impressed with was the baba ghanoush that came as a side on a vegetarian plate. It was very smoky, dominated by smoke flavor rather than the natural smokiness of eggplant. The falafel, tikas, and other plates all lacked a "wet" component such as tzatziki, yogurt, or hummus. So order a side of something to go with your meal. The rich dark coffee at the end of the meal was fabulous. Another important note. If you want speedy service, this is not the place to go. The staff, a family, is very, very nice, but the pace here is VERY relaxed, and no one has any sense of urgency at all. You'll need to ask for faster service if you expect it, and you have to ask for your bill, they won't just bring it to you. If you can accept these things you'll have a very nice time.
(4)Seinin B.
Clean amazing food! We had the lamb tikka and vegetarian chickpea, falafel an hummus dishes. Wonderfully spiced! Beautifully decorated restaurant, good service, and charmingly authentic. The traditional ice tea is a must try! Love this place, will return many times!
(5)Marge D.
I've been driving thru Morrill's Corner my entire life and today was the first time I've stopped to do more than buy gas or wait for the traffic lights to change. But yesterday I discovered Babylon (thanks, Yelp!). From the outside you have no idea of the pretty, quiet, spacious dining room inside, with glass goblets and flowers and white-and-gold tablecloths on the tables, and nice chair covers. The food was fantastic, especially the lentil soup that we hadn't expected--I guess they serve it like other restaurants serve a basket of bread--this was super hot, in heavy glass bowls with lids. The chicken sharawma (?) wraps were delicious and HUGE--I took 3/4 of mine home. And our waiter was adorable--a young Iraqi with excellent English despite coming to the US just six years ago with no language training. This place is a great find.
(5)Flora F.
Babylon is a family-run restaurant with a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The dining room is simple but there are festive touches, like the sheets tied with ribbons that cover the chairs. Our meal started with complimentary bowls of tangy lentil and rice soup. The "Iraqi biryani", a pilaf with chunks of roast lamb, was delicious, subtly seasoned, with tender meat falling off the bone. The falafel was just as good, fluffy inside and crisp outside. Our server was friendly and prompt, but what really impressed us was the way he ran out to our car in the rain to bring us the box of extra falafel we had left behind. If you are a vegetarian or a fan of Middle Eastern food, or you just appreciate generous portions of comforting food, stop in here. You deserve good things.
(4)Asya P.
Absolutely fantastic!!! Atmosphere and service: 5 stars. Wonderful, family-owned place. I chatted for a long time with the young woman who runs the place, and she was very warm and friendly. Even gave me some cooking tips! Big ballroom set up, I could see this being a great place to have a reception of any kind. Food took a reasonable amount of time- everything clearly made from scratch. We were treated to free appetizers- not sure if this is their standard, or just because it was just us there on a weekday night. Food: 6 stars. Both vegetarian and non-veg options galore. I have eaten a lot of middle eastern food all along the East Coast, and this was easily the best of them all. Everything had this incredible home-cooked feeling, and was just tuned to perfection. Nothing was spicy, but everything was full of deep, thoughtful flavor. Nothing was greasy or overcooked, just tender. Half an hour later, I could still taste each thing I had eaten individually. There were maybe half a dozen things on the menu that were new to me (I think these were more specifically Iraqi dishes), as well as all your middle eastern classics- falafels, hummus, flatbread, etc. Portion size is perfect as well, we were full, and not stuffed. Most things come in 3 size options that are fair price-wise, and allow you to try everything you want. For about around $20 with tip for dinner, we were full and happy. I was told that they will have a $12 weekend buffet Saturday and Sunday from 11 am - 8 pm, starting this weekend!!! GO SEE THEM!! This is a new, fantastic restaurant, and they need a little more help getting off the ground, so please help us keep this place in the neighborhood.
(5)Scott O.
I admit this place has a terrible location with almost no parking and long walk to front door, but if you can get over that the food is very good. This is a very real middle eastern food place, the owner does not speak english and the family wear traditional clothes. the hummus is the best i have tasted in all new england and the price is more than fair.
(5)Porkroll E.
What an awesome establishment. A serious slice of Persian culture in Portland. The food is perfect, incredibly legitimate and succulent. The owners/server are very nice and even made off menu items for us! They are revamping their menu and adding a buffet as of next weekend. Get the biryani!
(5)American M.
Very fortunate to have this wonderful restaurant in Portland. Good variety of traditional Arabic foods for both people who like meat and also vegetarians. This family run business is very caring and they put a lot of attention into preparing the food which is quite authentic and just simply good! Even the decor brings back memories of late night dinners in a typical Middle Eastern city restaurant.
(5)Tom T.
very enjoyable Wasn't sure what to expect but ended up having a delicious dinner served by a very friendly wait staff. Before our food came we were given a complimentary cup of lentil soup. Most lentil soups I have had did not have a lot of flavor, not this soup. Full of flavor and very tasty. I can't remember the names of the appetizer but they were triangle pastry dough with a beef filling, again with great flavors. My wife got the chicken tikka which was well spiced and tasty. I got the lamb tikka which I felt was a little dry and overcooked. Overall my wife and I had a great experience and would highly recommend Babylon.
(4)Martha C.
Perched on a super busy corner of Forest Avenue where innumerable vehicles whiz past this easy-to-miss oasis, Babylon is indeed an Iraqi restaurant which I wasn't expecting. I was greeted with the warmest of welcomes. Sincere doesn't even describe how I felt. I gazed upon the bleak urban landscape entranced by the lack of humanity - a car wash, railroad switch yard, the empty shell of the Wok Inn and cars, cars, cars all jockeying for position as they try merge into one lane. Nevertheless, my thoughts turned to the subject at hand which was sampling the very reasonably priced and tasty cuisine. The owners simply want to share their rich heritage with Westerners as well as culturally and spiritually similar patrons as I noticed throughout the meal. I felt very conspicuous as a Western woman, without a head covering, dining with a male who was not related to me. I emphasize I was very aware of this cultural difference and felt that even though I was in my home state that there is something to be said for this perspective and maybe, just maybe they have something there that is a takeaway. I always tend to look at cultures like this one, the Amish, the fundamentalist Mormons and the initial reaction is that how can women be treated as second rate citizens? But Westerners don't understand and it's easier to condemn. Well, I would definitely like to go back for the simple reason that I would love to just learn what it is like to be truly giving and selfless, to not be concerned with appearance, to just be and give to others. I pondered all this while enjoying a perfectly seasoned lentil soup, a well-crafted shawarma sandwich as well as sampling the cinnamon-tinged beef sambusas and the refreshing chopped Arabic salad. The only issue I had with the meal was that it was not as hot as I had hoped. It took long enough to prepare so I envisioned the kitchen staff laboring over it to get it just right so that when it was served it would be piping hot. It was tepid but definitely well seasoned. I love the pita bread of the sandwich that was nothing like the dry and frustrating variety sold in grocery stores. Frustrating because when attempting to pry it open, it inevitably tears making it nonfunctional for the purpose of making a sandwich. This bread, however, was light and chewy and didn't tear and the sandwich was wrapped in aluminum foil to contain all the goodies inside. For the beverage I chose the Arabic iced tea that was frothy, frozen and lemony for only .99. What a deal! The interior is serene and resembles a wedding banquet hall. As I mentioned, the majority of patrons appeared to be Arabic, Iraqi, Somali and were all male. I definitely stood out and, for that reason, felt very self conscious.
(4)George H.
Absolutely marvelous!! It does not look like much from the outside, but is a great surprise when you enter. We had lunch there today and were amazed at the quality of the food. Really wonderfully seasoned and served nicely. We wanted to try the recommended Shawarma sandwiches (one beef and one chicken) which amazed us at first bite. The lunch included a delicious lentil soup too. We cannot recommend this restaurant enough! We plan to return soon to try the salads and other specialties.
(5)Seamus F.
Stopped in for dinner while looking for a different place. So glad we did. Wonderful staff and great food. Highly recommended.
(5)Sean O.
It's hard to beat this restaurant's combination of quality & value. I frequently eat here for lunch, and I've taken friends and family for lunch and dinner. Everyone agrees that the food is great and the prices are very reasonable. I highly recommend the Sambusa, hummus (with warm Iraqi bread), falafel, and the Chicken Tikka Sandwich. I have also had the Beef Shawarma sandwich and the Chicken Shawarma sandwich, and both are good - just not as good as the Chicken Tikka sandwich. My friend had the Shish Kebab Sandwich and said it was very good as well. I have had the Lentil Rice Soup, which is very good, and it's usually included for free when I order my favorites (above). The Baklava is outstanding. I haven't tried anything else, so I can't comment. Everything appears to be made-to-order, so you may have to wait 10-15 minutes for your food. The wait staff is very friendly. They take a hands-off approach, so sometimes you have to get their attention when you want to order, need something (e.g. more bread), or are ready to pay. Don't be shy - they are very responsive when they know you want something. The people who work there told me that they're from Iraq and that the owner has owned the restaurant for approximately 6 months (so since March 2013). They do not have a liquor license, but they thought it would be ok to BYOB - they were going to ask the owner, so I'll try to remember to update this review if I get a definitive answer on that.
(5)Derek F.
[I posted this same review under the page for Al Huda, since that's still on the site and has more reviews. It's the same place, just under new management and with a new name.] The restaurant is right in Morrill's corner, but they have off street parking in a lot on Bishop St. You just have to make sure you're driving on Forest Ave. so you can turn onto that street. The new owner are (I believe) an Iraqi family. Anyway, I went this afternoon with four other people and all of us enjoyed what we had. We all tried the sambusa, which was the best any of us had had. I had a beef shawarma plate, which was very good. I made a point of saving some for lunch tomorrow. I also tried some of my girlfriend's falafel and hummus plate, which was very good, especially the olive oil. We considered checking at the halal market next door to see if that's where they got it. My girlfriend also liked the banana and milk drink she got. The Iraqi coffee my friend got was also a hit with him and his girlfriend. Anyway, the food was great and the people there were very nice. They even gave us baklava after our meal!
(5)Keith C.
I attended a work meeting in Portland that catered food from Babylon. It was delicious! One of the meeting attendees is a member of the family who owns the restaurant and so she may have gave us the best dishes, but that said, they were all great. The chicken shawarma sandwiches were tasty and a chicken biryani dish had great seasoning. It not only had rice, but also some short noodles mixed in. As a noodle lover, this was a nice touch. The falafel was actually pretty light, which I appreciated, since sometimes falafel can be heavy as a deep fried item. Finally, I've saved the best for last: the kibbeh. I've never had kibbeh like this and found out that what I'm used to is probably closer to a Syrian variety, which has a darker brown crust around the ground meat filling. This kibbeh, on the other hand, is lighter, a more yellow color and the crust is apparently made from mashed rice. I found out that this is an Iraqi preparation. D-LISH-US!
(5)Dana G.
Have been meaning to write this review for a while. We are regulars at Babylon since we first visited in October--have probably been at least six or seven times. The food is amazing, the wait staff is friendly, and--did I mention--the food is amazing? My husband speaks fluent Arabic and has lived all over the middle east, and thinks this is some of the best food he has ever eaten. My father, who hasn't had much Middle Eastern food and is more of pasta guy, couldn't stop raving about the food when we took him for dinner and always wants to go back when he is visiting us in Portland. Our 5 year old daughter also loves it and always asks to go here (she loves the falafel and the Iraqi bread and the hummus). We have had almost everything on the menu and it is all just wonderful, and then of course after eating to the gills, the total cost is shockingly reasonable. Favorites: the foul, the falafel (these are truly the most amazing falafel we have ever had--so moist and so flavorful!), the soup (free with dinner!), the musabaha, the lamb kabob...oh, it's all good. Just go, and go often, so they stay open. It is right out of Middle East central casting, from the arabic tv playing to the chairs decorated with ribbons--odd, not fancy, but just fine. The owners apparently ran a great restaurant back in Iraq. We are so lucky to have this amazing, authentic restaurant here in Portland. Just go. Tonight. Now.
(5)Christa H.
I'm not sure what to say about this place. I've had some amazing Middle Eastern food in the past and I was pretty letdown by my experience here. I had a chicken shawarma plate that came with hummus, french fries, a small salad and a huge piece of Iraqi flatbread. I thought the hummus was pretty good and flavorful but the rest left me underwhelmed. We did get complimentary bowls of their lentil soup (which were warm!) and I thought it was really tasty. It was probably the best thing I had during the meal. I wanted my food to be warm and it wasn't. My chicken was room temperature and super dry. I liked that it was spicy but it definitely wasn't what I was expecting for shawarma. I also wish that my flatbread had been warmed up too. It was room temperature as well and made it difficult to rip off pieces and eat because it was so incredibly tough and chewy. The service wasn't awesome, but it wasn't the worst I've ever experienced. It was just slow which seemed strange because we were the only ones in the entire restaurant. Granted, we were a big group so that probably contributed to it. We had to ask for more water refills and one of our party had to get up and ask for our checks. Once we got our food, no one ever came back to ask us how it was. It felt like they didn't want us there, which is the wrong kind of impression you want to make as a business. I'm glad they were able to handle our separate checks correctly for the most part. I know someone sitting next to me got something extra on her bill that she didn't order. I'm on the fence if I want to go back. On the one hand, I got a lot of food for my money and I left feeling full even if I didn't enjoy it all. But at the same time, my food wasn't warm and the shawarma made me sad with its dry texture and strange spices. I would like to give them a second chance with a smaller group of people. Maybe the food would come out warmer if there were only 2 of us eating? I have no idea. Do I want to roll the dice with that? I just don't know.
(3)Sarah R.
I took my family here a few weeks ago. The staff were friendly, but the service was slow. Like other commenters said, the beef shawarma was a bit dry, but I'm not a big fan of meat so it didn't bother me. My husband said his lamb was fine. Other people claimed the hummus was "the usual or plain". Maybe the hummus comes out different in every batch because the hummus we ordered was very good, definitely better than what you'd get from the store. It was very garlicky, but we LOVE garlic, so that was a good thing. We all thought the falafel was very good, flavorful and moist. In other reviews there were some minor grumblings about the lack alcohol. I'm pretty sure this business is halal, and observant Muslims don't drink alcohol, so what do you want. Maybe that's why people found the meat to be different. Perhaps halal meat can be slightly different than what most are used to. All in all, the experience was positive. The prices were good, the portions were good, everything but the beef was good. My family all enjoy Middle Eastern food, so we'd go back.
(4)Tony W.
So happy that this place is about 8 feet from my house. I let the weird hand drawn(?) sign and the plastic-coated furniture kept me away for way too long. Drop what you're doing and try this place right now. I coaxed a vegan into coming to this place with me, and after checking out the menu, she consented. There were things she could actually eat without egregious substitutions or dining sacrifices. That's the beauty of middle eastern food: you can either eat a giant plate of veggies or a giant plate of meat, and they're both normal dining food options and perfectly normal meals. The food here is superb, better middle Eastern than anything else I've experienced in Portland. Every meal begins with a delicious (vegan) house lentil soup. On this occasion we also ordered the hummus (SO GOOD) and kibbeh,which was hot out of the fryer. Also great. I had the beef shawarma plate. Not the best I've ever had, but 'the best' usually involves a night of crazy drunkenness in London that ends in a doner kebab shop at 2:30 in the morning. Not fair. I think shawarma varies by region. I've had Turkish shawarma that had lettuce pickles, sauce etc in a pita, but this particular shawarma was straight up beef in a doughy wrap. Still very good, just different from what I'm accustomed. The French fries were really good! Over fried to perfection. Our server was delighted that we decided to stop in on a Saturday night at 8pm. The place empty - where was everyone? Oh yeah, this is north Deering - everyone's in the old port. And the bill? $12.50 for hummus, kibbeh and my beef shawarma. Those are 1983 prices folks. Eat here soon, before the owners realize what decade we're in.
(5)Courtney C.
I came here with a group of 10 people (someone had made reservations way in advance) on a Wednesday night. I was there for about a hour and a half at peak dinner time and no one else was in the restaurant when we got there and no one had come in during the time I was there. I noticed that a lot of people in our group had trouble ordering because they were out of a lot of items. I know I had my heart set on beef shawarma before I got there, but they were all out of beef! Very odd since it seems half of the menu includes beef. I ended up choosing a chicken shawarma wrap instead that comes with hummus, fries (weird?), and a small salad. It tasted fine, maybe a little dry. The spices were great though it was very well seasoned (I asked for spicy). The hummus was plain and what you would expect to find from a hummus container at the grocery store. The fries were plain and I could have done without them. I also ordered the small falafel appetizer (6 pieces). I didn't really care for the falafel, it was my first time eating it so maybe I just don't like falafel, would not order it again. It came with a weird salad dressing type dipping sauce that I hated the taste of, and definitely didn't go well with the falafel. The service was slow, I understand we had a big group but we were the only patrons in the restaurant the entire time. We ran out of water and had to ask someone to refill our pitchers on the table. Also, after we finished eating we waited for a while for someone to bring the checks. Eventually someone in the group had to walk over to where they were chatting and playing with their phones to ask for checks. PS They do not have any alcohol here. Not going to lie I was pretty bummed about that!
(3)Tom A.
Came here last night with a large group of people. I should have followed my golden rule for a restaurant, if no one else is eating there, turn around and find another place. But due to the large group I took my seat and looked over the menu. Some things sounded so good I wanted to try a few different things. When we ordered our food, I was surprised how many times I hear "no we are out if that". Really? There isn't anyone else in this place, how are you out of anything? Even when the drinks came out I noticed they may had been out of ice too. My food wasn't anything to write home about but I guess enough to write a yelp review about. The meat was dry and of it wasn't for the spice would had been tasteless. Hummus was ok but nothing special. Overall 2 out of 5, I could go without another visit.
(2)Rebecca W.
I was excited to try a new style of cusine, especially after read all the raving reviews. The decor is lovely with cozy couches, beautiful table clothes, interesting wall art and a casual vibe. Our server was polite but inattentive. We were the only people in the restaurant. We never got drink refills, except for the water pitchers already on the table. No one checked in to see how meals were. We waited and waited until someone had to go ask for checks. We did all however recive complimentary lentil rice soup, which was thick and flavorful. The portions were large and the prices were cheap. I was with a group and the orders came out a few at a time. I asssume because t he kitchen was very small. I'm ok waiting for my food and talking about what everyone has ordered or tried, but please remember what I ordered. A few people had to ask for the courses they ordered as everyone else were eating their meals. I ordered the sambuse and it never came, but I did get cahrged for it. I ordered the shwarma plate, but had to remind him what i ordered. They offer beef or chicken for most entrees, but were out of beef. The had no pastry pies made. There were also out of pickles, which should have come with my falafel plate. All the food was served at room temperature, weather is was salad or meat. The chicken was dry, like it had been reheated. The hummus was plain and smooth, but I could buy the same at hannaford. The bread was a nice texture but tough. The falafel from the falafel plate was good. It had good spice and wasn't too dry. Most entrees are served with french fries, which was unexpected but average. Definately not an experience to repeat
(2)Juliet A.
After gorging ourselves on non-stop seafood for days straight, my husband and I decided to switch things up one night and get some good old Middle Eastern food. Babylon came up as the best reviewed option in the area, so we gave it a whirl. The restaurant is quite large, and appears to be the kind of place where people would hold good-sized receptions or events. There was only one other table of patrons while we were there, so we grabbed a table by the window and began to peruse all the tempting dishes on the menu (with some good-and-cheezy Persian music videos on in the background just to add to the ambiance). It was a cold and dreary day, so we ordered some hot tea to warm us up (I was very glad to see it served in the traditional delicate glasses). My husband and I went back and forth between several different options, and finally each decided to get a platter - I got the beef shawarma (wrapped in Iraqi bread) and he ordered the lamb kebab platter. Word to the wise - the portions are HUGE so either come really hungry or prepared to take some of the goodness home with you! We were given a red lentil and rice soup to start, which was a nice surprise - we didn't know it was complimentary with our entrees. Both of our platters came with a small salad, hummus, bread, and fries. The meat was tender and clearly had been well marinated. I did prefer my husband's lamb to my beef, but both were tasty. By the end, we were too stuffed to order dessert, but they have some delicious and very inexpensive options - I don't know the last time in the USA I saw baklava for only $1! Service wasn't great - despite the restaurant being practically empty, no one came to check on us or even pour our water. That didn't really bother me, but I know how important that is to some people. In all, a great and reasonable option for tasty Middle Eastern fare!
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