First time at a hookah lounge and had a great experience! Staff was very friendly and the products were great! Went on a Friday night and it was cozy and quiet. Will definitely be returning! read more

I really enjoyed the hookah on a late night vibe. But The lady that works there was a little rude about using the bathrooms.

Really good and tasty the food!! And it's super cheap, good customer service. The place is so nice and calm. read more

Aladdin Express - Lamb and Chicken Gyro Plate (HALAL) - Mediterranean Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Delicious food and a very wonderful respectable restaurant رمضان كريم وكلّ عام وأنتم بخير read more

At least wear gloves especially if you have a bandaid on your finger! Clothes are not presentable. They are really dirty and raggedy.

It's quite unfortunate as I've been here several times over the last decade. The gentleman taking my order didn't seem to care that I was there. The meal was subpar, and the restrooms were denied to us. What a joke. I have recommended this spot for years but it is not even a shadow of its former self. Please avoid this place at all cost!!!! read more

Usually I have a very good good experience here, so I'm giving an overall rating. But last night was something else! The guy threw the bag of food towards my husband and was inexplicably rude when talking to him! Then this ROCK CAME OUT OF MY GYRO! What the hell, very disappointed this time around. Probably not going to go back for a while. read more

Aladdin Express - Rock embedded in my gyro - Mediterranean Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Stopped in to pick up a quick dinner after work yesterday. 2 stars for reasonable price, big selection and quick service. Walked 3 blocks home to enjoy my gyros pita, fries and baklava. The gyros pita was pretty decent. Good flavor but small. The baklava was somewhat stale but okay. However, the fries were absolutely horrible. How do you ruin fries?? Tasted like they were fried in rancid, old oil. Just terrible. Who knows what their fryer looks like or the last time it was cleaned?!?!? The health department needs to go in for an inspection! read more

I will never be coming back here again. Not only is the food not upto par, the management and staff need much more training to be working a client facing job. You are much better off eating at McDonald's than here. They had cross contaminated food they brought out and would never suggest anyone else to ever eat here. read more

Bravo to Aladdin for great food!! The Lamb Shishkabob was delicious and quite plentifulWe will definitely be back

This place is sneaky delicious for takeout!! I was a little scared by the previous reviews, but dying for some Mediterranean food, so I ordered the combination plate with shish and it was great. The falafel were crispy on the outside but warm and soft on the inside. The hummus was the surprise favorite-- usually hummus is pretty bland and generic, but the flavor in this one was outstanding! I can't speak for the customer service or ambiance, but I do plan on going to the brick and mortar to check it out next time. I'll update when I do! read more

Didn't have anything to eat, although can say that the hot drinks here are a steal! Coffee and tea, totally reasonable, albeit they come in foam cups. I called them up before coming and without even asking, the gentleman on the phone informed me that it was 3 people max per hookah, extras will have to buy their own or purchase some value of food that I don't recall. This was my clue that the community college crowd probably comes here. Probably a good thing since that will keep the prices down. Cushions on the floor is a little cheesy, but gets the job done. Next time I'll sit at one of the diner style booths for more back support. Hey, stuff like that is important to me! Overall, I'd say this is a win because of the friendly staff and good prices. read more

Aladdin Express - Mediterranean Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Went here today with 2 friends. Never been to a hookah bar in Virginia before. I found it strange how its 1/2 restaurant 1/2 hookah bar. We got watermelon hookah. The smoke wasnt really a good or accurate flavor. And it wasn't very thick. There was a draft so we couldnt do smoke tricks at all plus the smoke was really weak. There was also literally no one else in the whole building except for employees. On the bright side, there were 8 credits left on the music playing device (you have to pay like $1 per song which is dumb) but we got like 3 or 4 free songs out of that which was cool. The service was not good though. One of the employees was playing a show off her phone very loudly after we played music and then another employee came to bring more coals and dropped some on the table but hey.. it was fine.. just be more careful bro read more

Terrible services, overpriced hookah, dirty place. I'm surprised this place is still in business. I don't recommend it at. The man in charge seems more interested in having you leave than giving you a good service. Worse part is that the "service fee" is included and they have the nerve to ask for a tip on top of it. One star is too generous for this business. read more

This stupid place deleted my reviews about the moldy chocolate cake. I can do it again

Very friendly staff, the gyro was Excellent!!! Will definitely go again! I really enjoyed this place. read more

Aladdin Express - Mediterranean Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

I wanted to like this place more but it did not live up to my expectations. My gyro was cold and that is never cool. read more

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I was craving something different and a little out of my norm but I just didn't know what it was. My wife had a destination in mind for herself and suggested that I go to Aladdin Express. It's been almost 20 years since I've been to Aladdin's but it was definitely time that I went back. Without any hesitation, I made a call for carry out. I was always a big fan of their steak and cheese. I was hoping that the taste hadn't changed since I last had one. Thankfully, it tasted as good as I remembered maybe even better. The steak and cheese was moist and had just the right amount of lettuce, tomato, and mayo. It also had that twang that I remembered from a seasoning that I can't quite place. I had an order of fries to compliment my sandwich. The fries were even better than I recalled. I can't even think of any good reasons why I hadn't been back in so long but I can say without a doubt that it won't take me another 20 years to go back. read more

Underrated! This place is amazing! The portions are awesome, the ingredients are fresh and not overly processed, delivery is fast AF! Taken about 15 minutes to deliver twice in a row. The falafel is amazing. The salad is amazing. My boyfriend and I LOVE this place way more than I would've expected. Pizzas are great. read more

This place was very disappointing. I went a few years ago and it was great but I went recently and it was horrible. The workers were very rude and unwelcoming. The man was very abrupt and condescending and I will not be coming back. On google and on the door it says the place closes at two (we were hoping to smoke hookah). When we got there he said it closes at 12 as if we were supposed to know and told us to get our food and leave. What hookah bar closes at 12 on Fridays and Saturdays? Not a good experience. read more

For a late night meal, I ordered fried ravioli and the chicken kebab plate. The ravioli was filled with a nacho cheese. Not what I expected but ate them all myself. I did not want to share. The chicken kebab was so juicy and tender. The seasoning was savory and delicious without being overpowering. You will have left overs but they won't last long if left unattended. Glad this was available on Uber Eats, which barely took 20 min from ordering to door. Amazing! read more

Aladdin Express - Fried ravioli - Mediterranean Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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If you're trying to go somewhere for lunch that is not crowded Aladdin Express is the place to go at least until VCU students show back up. Just as a disclaimer this restaurant is also a hookah bar which I did not realize until I ate there today...I did not partake. I ordered a pizza today, looking back there were several awesome options I will try next time including the meat platters and the kebabs. We ate a meat master pizza which was not bad at all, but looking at the menu I would definitely order something more authentic next time. I also ordered garlic knots which were pretty good. They have an extensive menu. There are plenty of different things to try, I will be back for something other than pizza next time. On the way out the management offered us free desserts to sample which were made from scratch, and were delicious. read more

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This was a pretty chill spot. This was the second time I ever did hookah. I was only interested in how their steak and cheese was - that's my go-to at the random spots. I give it 8 out of 10, I don't care for crinkle cut fries, but they were crispy and hot. Steak and cheese had an even portion of meat and bre. They do require a ten dollar purchase before they give you access to the bathrooms. Overall, hookah experience was enjoyable, our server was responsive to the hookah staying lit and refills read more

Aladdin Express - Mediterranean Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

This place makes a falafel pita! I paid for it with my own money and took it home where I ate it and then went to bed!

Disgusting!!!!! Should be a health hazard, my cheesecake was MOLDY. I regret ordering from here, never ever give them your money. You will be sick. read more

Wtf is a 1hr and 1 person limit on a hookah.The atmosphere was dreary and the customer service was terrible. Gyro was cold and I didn't do pick up I sat down and was served a cold gyro. The hookah was decent but I wouldn't ever go back . read more

The kabob plate was terrible. Ending up ordering food late night after recovering from jet-lag and this was one of the few options available. I wish I would've read reviews before ordering because I literally wasted my money! Will never order here again! One star rating for purposes of review. This place gets ZERO stars! read more

If you only here for the food, that's ok to go with but if you want their hookah I am not recommending it, you have to buy one hookah for each person which I understand because of COVID but the quality of their hookah is honestly not worth your money if you want to go chill for a bit, server does not know how to make one properly and if you ask him to fix it he will not fix it for you and consist of you are not smoking right lol and they are not letting you touch the hookah to fix it yourself and they will say if you keep touching the charcoals they will have to make you leave. Very much wasting your time and money. I mean idk where did I spend my money on. So go for the food not for the hookah!! read more

Worst experience ever! The Hookah guy was so rude, he asked me to leave before i even finished my drink, he said they have a 1 hour rule for hookah! I was by myself, ordered hookah and dinner, so i spent more than $35 and was asked to leave! The place was empty except for 1 more guest sitting on the other side of the room! This place is horrible. read more

This was one of many visits I made to this place, I have not visit it for the last 8 months and I believe they either change the owner or the cooker but the food was horrible the humus was liquid and bitter. The lettuce was also bitter the falafel was made on old oil. I wont be back. read more

Aladdin Express - the menu of the restaurant - Mediterranean Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

IF YOU WANT TO GET RIPPED OFF, YOU'VE COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE!!!!! RUDE, DISRESPECTFUL, UNETHICAL, PETTY and VERY SHADY and this is why I am writing this review, this was the final straw with management/employees and mind you I am a regular and I was keeping away from writing a negative review, I really wanted to like this place. ----CAUTION ---- Always ask what you are being charged for since they DONT give you an ITEMIZED RECEIPT! We've been ripped off so many times and when you call them out for it they become defensive. SHADY PRACTICES: They always ask you if you want to add basic ingredients to your hoagie and the guys that work there make it sound as if its free, but charge you without telling you, that's not how you do business here in the US. -The round overgrown kid with the glasses (who's probably asking for hair on his balls for Christmas) charged me for a hot sauce that he filled HALF WAY in a small dixie dipping cup probably no more than 3 tbs for $1 and then proceeded to CHARGE TAX on top of that, that is just F***'d up and just plain WRONG!!! -They charge for a 1 Tbsp amount of store bought mayo for $1 Once, my Fiancé and I were eating there one night and an employee who had just come from the kitchen saw and sat right next to us and just started to smoke like a chimney! These people simply don't respect there customers! I once asked the clever older gentlemen who worked behind the counter -what he puts in his hot sauce, he then responded in a serious manner with how much was in my bank account lmao and he then proceeded to justify why it costs a $1 for a small size of his house made hot sauce and how he sells that all day for $7 a bottle lool Another time when I walked in with my girl, she ordered something around $8, I was undecided on what to get and the older man asked me in a thick middle eastern accent "YOU WANT ME TO SURPRISE YOU!" I am like sure man, he surprised me alright... WITH THE MOST EXPENSIVE ITEM on the menu!!! the total came out to $32 loool, Legend has it, that item has yet to be found. When analyzing both the son and Father- It seems like conning people runs in the family. I will only give them a star for there steak and cheese Hoagie which is pretty damn good and is the only reason I returned. I seriously do not know how these people go to sleep at night ripping off others especially students. It feels good that I am not the only one complaining about there shady business practices and how they nickel and dime you for the most basics of things. DO NOT be surprised If they charge you for sitting down occupying space in their restaurant, or charging you for a plastic plate or even charging for tap water. read more

One of the best things about towns with a university in 'em is late-night drunk-food options in the uni area. This place is terrific, with totally edible gyro and pizza options. They won't win any awards for Restaurant of the Year, but they're a kind bunch of folks, very friendly, and happy to serve up something to soak up all the PBR or rail vodka you've hoovered in over a night at a nearby club. Eat it there, take it home, either works. Tasty, satisfying, and won't make your morning hangover any worse. And if you get a pizza, you'll have cold pizza in the fridge for breakfast in the morning, too! Total throwback to junior year in college, right? read more

Terrible service , terrible food, terrible hookah. Would never recommend this place to anyone. Not only it's horrible but it's disgusting as well. read more

They have the worst customer service. I called in for an order and they mistakenly made me something else. When I got there to pick it up and complained that I didn't order this I got yelled at lol imagine that by the lady that was in their and was told it's my mistake obviously. I would never go back. The food was ok but it's not worth to get treated like that. read more

Awesome food. Love the combonation platter! The homemade taziki tastes better than any I have ever tasted anywhere. The lady there was super super accommodating with my order too, was willing to tweak and create exactly what I wanted on my plate. Recently had her make me a Falafel wrap the way she likes it... and man ohh man... heaven!! It was jam packed with veggies and dripping with tahini sauce not a dry crumb to be seen! Yummm. read more

Aladdin Express - Special order BBQ chicken pizza. It's the best bbq pizza EVER!!! You have to ask for it though. OMG Yummmmm. - Mediterranean Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

In all honesty, I was disappointed. The food was subpar, but it was ready quickly and served late which was appreciated. Would not eat here again however. read more

There's a lot I could say so I'm just going to simplify it. I used to love this place a lot but it literally changed very vastly. After my last visit I do not think I'll be returning. They used to provide free tap water when you dined in but they changed it and you would have to purchased tap water. Next, the music and lightening, I'm not against it, personally I like it but compared to other lounges, the music is fairly pound and the lightening was nice and dim. Finally, my last visit I had a water bottle, an empty water bottle, attached to my backpack. Once I entered I was immediately told I could not come in with the water bottle. I then ensured him that it was empty. The man kept repeating that I could not come into the dining area if I have a water bottle but everyone else that I was with was allowed to go in. I literally opened my bottle turned it upside down to show that I was completely empty and I would put it inside my backpack if it was such a hassle. Again, the man kept telling me know and then said I could just leave it outside( on the street) if I wanted to enter. Nonetheless I left, I just did not understand reasoning. read more

I picked up some food from here a few nights ago. It was my first time trying this place and I regret it. I ordered the chicken platter with rice which came with a few sides: hummus, baba ghanouj, pita bread and falafel balls. The food had this awful burnt taste to it, the meat was unidentifiable and the falafel balls were dry and burnt. Disgusting. I know real Arabic food and this was a joke. Another thing I didn't appreciate was all my food was served in ONE container. I had the baba ghanouj, hummus, the yogurt cucumber sauce all on top of each other. The rice and chicken were almost on top of the sides too. I'm never coming into this place again. read more

Aladdin Express - I wouldn't even serve this to a dog - Mediterranean Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

I don't know about their hookahs, their wait staff, or anything like that, I just get the delivery and MAN is it GOOD! I admit that yes, I do eat this when I am wasted, but I remember it from when I am sober and it holds up. I usually get the white pizza and the lamb gyros because the tzatziki sauce is do die for; I think their must be some addictive drug or like some get unknown thing in it that only they know about. I feel like if I end the night with a gyro from here the possibility of a hangover is greatly diminished as I indulge in the perfect night cap. If you have a sweet tooth, eat the almond cake and baklava because it doesn't get any better. Don't forget to pay cash cuz plastic ain't worth nothing to these people. They don't wanna break off nothing for the credit card companies and how can you blame them? read more

I came here for lunch with my co-workers. We came in at about 12 noon on a Thursday and it was dead ...we were the only ones in there ...they were playing great oldies but it was a tad bit on the loud side ...walking in the place looked a lil sketchy but the service was really nice and sweet so I felt more at ease...I am not a huge fan of mediterranean food so I just got chicken fingers and fries but everyones food looked good and there was nothing left of on the plates ...I heard this is a pretty good place for the VCU students but for someone like me this was not my scene ...will not return because I am not a fan of the food but they had great customer service and enjoyed the music selection...thanks guys :) read more

Aladdin Express - Mediterranean Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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