Ali Baba

Love this place. Remodled clean and the raw kibe is out of this world.Love to visit a couple times a year.

Solid spot for Middle Eastern food on Craig Street. Everyone working there was extremely nice and attentive. Prices are reasonable and the atmosphere is dark and cozy. I enjoyed the Ali Baba chicken shish kebab plate.

My moussaka was so good! I was surprised to find that the eggplant was so soft that my fork easily sliced through it. The potatoes and lamb also went really well with it. I would definitely come back just for this dish! We came on a Friday night, it was pretty busy but we were able to be seated right away. Service was prompt and friendly. I appreciate the intimate ambiance. It's a great place to catch up with a friend.

A true gem in North O. I've been here a couple times and decided to stop in tonight after craving Syrian/Mediterranean food. Family owned since 1972 so you know the food is good if it's been around for that long! I love the ambiance in here - it's so calming yet warm on the inside. The light fixtures and the art in the back wall add great touches to the vibe. I wanted to try something new so I got the lamb sandwich $11, which you can add fries for a couple more dollars too. I really liked it and the white sauce it came with but nothing beats the main entrees they offer. There's a couple draft and bottle beer selections but no other alcohol. Not sure if they're BYOB but I did see a couple who seemed like regulars that brought their own bottle in, I'd call to confirm!

This place has a great reputation around town, so I was excited to go there recently for a dinner with my wife. We enjoyed our meal, had no wait around 6pm on a Friday, and service was fast and friendly.The food was hit or miss. The shish kabob dinner was kind of disappointing. First it came with a tossed salad, which was pretty lame; all ice-berg lettuce with like three little tomatoes and slathered in dressing. The lamb was nicely cooked and tasty but there were only five small pieces. The meal also came with a small-ish and very plain side of rice. All in all, just not exciting enough for their most expensive dinner option.On the other hand, we really liked the veggie trio, which allows you to choose three of their vegetarian dishes for sharing. It was a large plate of food and a great variety. We got mujaddara (lentils with caremalized onions on top), sleek (kale simmered with black-eyed peas), and baba ghanooj. We got a basket of pita with this dish. All were very wholesome and filling for vegetarian options; the caremalized onions on the mujaddara were particularly delicious.

Went in for lunch on a Wednesday . The hostess asked if we had a reservation. Said no and we thought we weren't getting in even though there were plenty of open tables. She did seat us and we each ordered the platter with 3 items. It was as good as I remember it to be. Had the sleek, rice and baba ghanoush. Also a side of 3 mini pies, spinach, cheese and meat. Those were also good. In my opinion I think the cost was a little high for lunch but everything has gone up. Would definitely return and make a reservation next time. Parking is a nightmare over there. There is a CMU garage nearby $22 for 0-3 hours.

new to the area and decided to give them a try. ordered delivery but they missed a couple of items and i was told they couldn't give me a refund but would "give credit" in the future (but not sure how they would remember/know the "next time"). food was on par with some of the NYC area spots so might give them another try in the future.

Absolutely delicious (and authentic) Syrian/middle eastern food! As a half Lebanese person, I am very picky about middle eastern food and am so happy to say that Ali Baba gets 5 stars from me! The restaurant itself is cozy and charming with beautiful but understated decor. The staff is friendly and has good service. But the star of the show is the food which is so tasty and just perfect! The last time I went I got the mini pies as an appetizer, 2 cheese and 1 meat, and they were both great but the cheese one was my favorite. The Ali Baba platter with lamb was excellent: the lamb was cooked well and very flavorful, the rice was delicious (my favorite kind of rice!), and the hummus is truly the best I've ever had, don't tell my Tita! The Syrian tea which tastes a bit like chai but more cinnamon in flavor was the perfect drink for this meal and I got one of my favorite desserts, halawa bi jibn, which was perfection. I am so happy to have discovered this place and have been three times, will definitely be back for more.

Delicious Mediterranean food! I love the swarma wrap as well as the lentil soup - so cozy and warming! The atmosphere is lovely too! Great service! One of my fav Oakland lunch spots!

Been eating here for over 40 years and still it is the best! Mujadara is exceptional as is the baba ghanoush, hummus, rice and spinach pies. Great place for so many vegetarian options.