If you looking for a lite lunch and don't want the headache of a fancy place with high prices, i would suggest Babalou's. The food is great, even if your intimidated by the names. If you go...the portions are large so i suggest splitting a combo meal and one entree for two people. read more

One of my go-to Greek places, Babalou's is always fresh and the guys who take the order and serve the food are just plain nice. Nice like 'Am I still in the Bay Area? Where's all the attitude?' I usually split a single chicken kabob and combo plate (like a mezze plate). This is good because the kabob tastes mmgood when dipped in the combo stuff. The food comes fast and there is a parking lot across the street. My only criticism is that the pita is uninteresting. I notice this only because the best pita in the world is just a block away at Pomegranate. If I owned a Greek place near the best pita in the world, I'd either try for second best or something noteable like whole wheat pita. Don't give up Babalou's! You are faster, less expensive and have better parking than Pomegranate - go for the brass ring of epic pita so we can move you up to a fiver next time. read more

My co-worker took me to this place. First, I love mediterrean food- hummus and baklavas are to die for. I think we talked to the owner of the restaurant and he let us taste some sample food they have- hummus, hummus with eggplant, tabuloeh and etc...I think I'm already full just trying it out...all delisyoso!!! Anyway, we ordered the fried falafel---i remember not liking this the first time but this one is great especially with the hot sauce that comes with it (you know anything fried is gooood!!!) . Then I ordered the combo chicken shawerma and lamb plus tabloueh and hummus plus pita bread and of course for dessert I ordered baklava...geeh, I didn't even finish my food and had to take it back to work and eat it the next day. I'm suprised that they do not charged for extra pita bread when I asked. They guy just gave it to me. The customer service is great and we got our food fast than I expected. Price is at the minimal...check it this out during lunch time! read more

A solid Lamb Gyro. Tasty sauce, good size, and very filling

Babalou's has good food but it is a little on the pricy side for lunch. Especially ordering through the app, be careful what you order as some orders come with fries and others you have to pay extra. read more

This place was absolutely delicious. We walked in unsure of what to order, as we had never really had mediterranean food before, and they were very nice, and gave us tons of samples of everthing. all of the samples were delicious, especially my favorite, the fool salad. and we got kababs. all were just fantastic. and the service was great. they were very helpful and friendly and funny. they made everything fresh for us and it was SOOO GOOD! also, we had a lot of fun looking around the restaurant at the wall mural and naming all of the people. truely an excelent place to go. and not terribly priced either! very good. read more

3 stars...I know, I know--I too am desperate as hell for some good Shawerma and Falafel in WC...but I cannot see this as 5 star or even 4. the Plus: Manager is really cool. The food is fresh. The place is clean. Falafel alright--I have had better Falafel, but just serving the Falafel in the Creek gets you a bonus point with me. Cute mural. The minus: Bland Lamb in a Mediterranean restaurant? I never even thought that was possible. $4.95 for a pot of Mint tea? Ouch! Tabbouleh was very, very heavy on the parsley and light on the Bulgar and rather flavorless. Baba Ganoush was so so...not bad, but not great. I have had better Dolmas out of a jar. Flavorless lumps of texture-less googe. Yummy. The hateful: Both times I ate in and both times the meal came in to go cartons. Nice. All in all a very lukewarm experience. Both times. "Mediterranean" that has been toned down for the Blue haired Rossmoor masses. Where is the Garlic and the spice? How about a little Sumac? Something to make the taste buds Sing and Dance. Just a little... Perhaps I need to down several shots of Ouzo and try again...I hate having to be the Hater. Hell, even "Silk Road" and Pomegranate" are better than this. And pretty close in price. And they serve alcohol. Even though they are owned by the same folks just not as good as "The Mediterranean" at Concord Spark and Pop--errr, Park and Shop I so wanted to like this place... read more

I love Mediterrean food. Falafel is one of my favorites. However, the ones served at this establishment are small and dry. The lamb was dry and not at all tasty. I suspect that it had been cut previously and was reheated. The owner was nice and the portions large but if the food isn't good, it's just not a good experience. Futhermore, the lamb and chicken on the spokes left out seem a little unsanitary to me. Parking is very difficult. read more

I grew up in Jerusalem. Israel and I've had a wide-range of Mediterranean/Arabic food. Babalou, sadly, falls short on the quality of food, their uninviting store front setting, their service and the overall gestalt. If you want a decent and unassuming similar restaurant, go to Burger-Kebab in Lafayette next to TJ. I wish I could have given it a better review but "the emperor really doesn't have any clothes on". read more

Hey now.. Its about time Walnut Creek got a great mediterranian joint. This new, casual setting is perfect for good, wholesome food that really feeds your cravings for flavor. I had a sampler of the chicken & lamb shawarma, along with the dolmas (my personal weakness) and a half dozen other bites. Seriously good stuff, and overall pretty good for you too. I'll definitely be back, and with the kids. read more

Have been wanting to go here since I saw them featured on Check Please. Happened to be in the area so stopped by for lunch......Boring. Don't understand what all the hype is on yelp about this place. The service is friendly but sooo disorganized. The waiter is constantly running around with plates of food asking who ordered what. There were 3 of us and we all ordered some variation of lamb and salad..the food was bland and boring. I think this place is a hit because of it's location...not alot of middle eastern restaurant compitition in Walnut Creek. Don't think they would make it in Berkeley which has several wonderful inexpensive AUTHENTIC tasting middle eastern places to eat. Won't be back. What a waste of lamb and calories. read more

I've been here three times now and this place is outstanding! Ok...the mural on the walls is a little weird but the food is great and the service is excellent too. I highly reccomend the deluxe falafel sandwich. Tons of food and not expensive. Other items we have tried have all been good as well. Great options if you are a vegetarian (as my in laws are) and plenty of good meat options for those who are not. Definitely try the salads and the hummus is very good. Definitely a win for downtown Walnut Creek and VERY reasonably priced given how expensive the food in this area can get. read more

Really impressed here! I came in and they guy behind the counter gave me samples and descriptions of everything. Excellent food, counter service and value! Too bad my husband does not love this type of food, I would eat here all the time! read more

I have never had such rude service - I had ordered tea with lunch and the guy behind the counter said he would bring it to me. I sat down with my friend and was talking - then our food came but no tea. I asked again - the same guy told me - "I told you I would bring it to you" - by the way at this point no one was waiting to order... then half way through lunch I still had not received my tea... I started to need something to drink with my food so I got up again to ask. The guys reaction was as if I was being unreasonable - but really I had said nothing... now there were people ordering so he was busy - I asked for a cup so I could get some water. About 5 minutes later he brought the tea and let me know - "I am so mad at you - don't talk!" I could not believe this. So this guy totally ruined my experience. Oh yeah - the food was just so so - I have had much better mederitanean food. I will not return and I believe there are much better places to go in WC for this type of food. If you decide to go - go at your own risk. read more

Our work loves to order from Bablou's for lunch! Their food is consistently delicious. My only 2 complaints are parking (out of their control) and their service isn't the quickest, but it is worth the wait. :) read more

Just meh on the lamb and chicken plate. Meh on the tabouleh, as everything was too salty for me, and not high on flavor. Price was good for the amount of food though. The best thing I had there was the baklava; that was four stars for the baklava. I'd come back for the baklava only. read more

Just had their food delivered. HORRIBLE. The meat was dry and overcooked and both items were absolutely tasteless. When I called I was told ohh well and that they were busy, then I was hung up on. read more

In the area and need a Mediterranean fixin? look no further! The first thing I noticed as I walked in the door of Babalou's was the the mural painted across all the walls. I literally stared at the walls while I enjoyed my meal. The wall was full of oddities, very creative, and very colorful. The staff is friendly and eager to give you samples and answer any questions. One of them had a little trouble with understanding English, but I ain't mad at cha. Sampled some of their babaganouj, hummus, taboullah, and one other thing I can't seem to recall. After going back and forth on what to order we settled on the lamb and chicken kabob's. The kabobs were served on a plate over rice and topped with a tomato based sauce. You also receive two sides of your choice with the meal and one pita bread. Seeing how I still had babaganouj and hummus left with no pita left I needed more. Don't know if you can get a refill on the pita, but the worker was nice enough to heat some up for me and give it without charging. All the food was good, meat was very tender and flavorful. Rice was perfectly cooked. I could have used a little less or none of that tomato stuff thrown on top, but it was aiiiight. Hummus seemed just a tad off and I don't think I've ever seen it so smooth and bright white like that ever before. The babaganouj gets my vote over the hummus in terms of taste. We both tried the dolmas, but I guess we came to the conclusion that it is an acquired taste... baklava was also not too shabby, but I've had a lot better. read more

Solid really good middle eastern food. Falafel was awesome. Hummus was very tahini-ey. Didn't love the baba. Fresh. Big portions. Good value. read more

Totally just OK. Pita bread was stale and hard. I had the chicken schwarma and it was good but not great. Guess I ordered the wrong thing but dont think I'll be back to try something else. read more

I tried this place maybe a year ago and couldn't understand what all the hullabaloo was about! It's okay. The taboullah was decent and I can't remember what else I got...a schwerma sandwich? It was okay, but nothing to write home about. I realize I'm dealing in cliches here, but it was jus meh. read more

Lamb schwerma! I think this is the only place that is reasonably priced in all of downtown walnut creek. Good flavors, not too salty, and just enough spice! Definitely filling. YUM! read more

Love their combo lunch as I can have a little bit of everything... salad, pita, hummus, grape leaves, etc. Never ending bread refills!! Had lunch in their tiny outdoor patio and it was quite nice during a work day. Recommended! read more

They are lucky the food tastes good else I would have been an unhappy customer. Went for dinner tonight....husband saw the good reviews for the lamb shawarma and ordered that..I got the lamb combination plate...and some falafel's....everything tastes great except that we didn't really get what we ordered. My husband got the chicken Shawarma instead of the lamb...first bite and he knew it but it tasted great so he ate that...my plate had few pieces of lamb and few chicken pieces they threw in thr by accident or purpose I am not sure...may be they ran outta lamb? Anywho it tasted good so....not sure what thr timings are..certainly the timings on yelp isn't right...it says open till 10...we went around 7:30 and I think they closed soon as we left...no timings outside the store so may be they just close whenever. read more

Sitting is not very comfortable, but the food is awesome! The babaganoush and balda-something are fantastic! The falafel is very well prepared and good. The hummus is absolutely delicious! I've been coming back to this place and have enjoyed each time! I highly recommend it! read more

Maybe it's because I live close to Dearborn where one of the largest Arab populations outside the Middle East resides, but Babalou's does not do their food justice. The four dishes I've tried here just were not as flavorful as they should be, even for a fast-food type restaurant. On the plus side, they do have a few peculiar beers available. read more

Wow. A nice find. I've had the falafel deluxe, regular falafel, and lamb shawerma wrap. I've also had their baba ganoush which is similar and just as delicious as the place in Concord that serves Mediterranean cuisine. I definitely prefer this spot though. The wraps are all a great portion size. The falafel wrap was even hearty and I rarely call vegetarian foods hearty. The wraps are all grilled to a nice crisp which pairs well with the softer interior (whether it be lamb shawerma or falafel). The fixings in each wrap were the sauce, raw onion, and tomato. The lamb shawerma was moist and tasty but I do lack "experience" in knowing what makes a good shawerma. But the falafel is truly delish with a crisp exterior. The sauce itself goes well with the wrap but I don't love it..it doesn't taste like much but seems like its only purpose to me is to make the wraps more moist. The baba ganoush is delightful. The slight smokiness of the eggplant and herbs mixed harmoniously is heaven. Falafel deluxe includes potato and eggplant while the reg falafel does not. And if you say you want it spicy, it isn't spicy at all. It is more of the taste of chili rather than actual heat. read more

I love this place! Super authentic Med food, great prices and filling portions. Everything here is good and the falafel is the best I've had. We come here all the time and it never gets old. Guy who runs it is so nice too - always wants to make sure customers are satisfied. read more

Great food, cool hang out and super service. Love coming here for felafel and yummy salads. Everything is always fresh and very affordble!

3.5 stars, really. Pros: Overall very good food. Great Schwarma, both chicken and lamb, decent sized portions, prices were pretty fair given the area. Their 20 for 10 groupon made it a great deal. Cons: Service was reserved and unfriendly, which is very different than what others are describing. Maybe that's how they treat all the good looking women, but not the ugly ol' men. They were cold before I produced a coupon, so it's not one of those kind of deals. The selection of beers was nothing to look twice at, there was nothing I hadn't seen before many times, so don't put too much stock in what other Yelper's are claiming. A Mediterranean place lives and dies by its hummus and falafel, and I was impressed by neither at Babalou's. read more

Enjoyed the chicken shwarma which I think they called chicken wrap. Be sure to order with fries if you want them. Ordered ahead via Yelp app and they were very courteous when I arrived. Good service. I'll return. read more

For food taste I would give them four star. For price/qty would give them 2 star. One would expect more quantity when paying $14 for a combo meal. Customer service could also be improved. The Indian gal working there seemed to have a consistent frown on her face. read more

Order at the counter, they bring to you at the table. The workers here mean business. At least when I visited Babalou's, they didn't care about conversation. Give them your order... you won't be sorry. In fact, you will be very pleased with the service, and the taste of the food! This is probably the best Mediterranean food place in Walnut Creek. And for reasonable prices. The customers are regulars during the week... even though it was my first time there, I spoke with other customers and one guy said it's his favorite restaurant and he comes everyday! I had the lamb schwarma, delicious! And my wife had the lamb and chicken plate... she was also very satisfied. I asked for it to be spicy... but I will say that I didn't taste much spice. I would have like it to be spicier. The food was also served with no sauces. I requested sauce, and they gave me a small cup of some so-so kinda bland sauce. But you really can't complain because everything did taste excellent, the service is fast, and the prices are very reasonable! You get to stare at a fun mural and identify the celebrity and historical figures that are painted there. Came to about $32 for two people, includes drinks, entree, and a dessert we split, the baclava. ENJOY! GIVE THEM YOUR BUSINESS! read more

I ate lunch at Babalou's today and had a spicy falafel, baba ganouche, dolmas, turkish delight and baklava. The falafel were fried to order, the sauce, the harissa, and everything else inside the generously big lavosh wrap was fresh, tasty and full of zip and flavor. The baba ganouche perfectly balanced and served with warm pita. Even the salads and sides in the refrigerated display window (which I didn't get to try this time) all looked fresh and appealing. Bravo! I will definitely be back for more. read more

So disappointed from the food in general, bought shawarma chicken wraps, less chicken and full of tomatoes sauce with a strange taste of spices on it, also ordered chicken kebabs but wasn't good. The owner was friendly. read more

Maybe this is a little overzealous but The Falafel Lavash Wrap I ordered today was definitely 5 stars.. I know, I know; "I only tried ONE item from the menu" and I get that. I'm a big fan of Mediterranean Cuisine and I know a good falafel! These falafels are made to order- LOVE that! Nice crunchy, crusty exterior and moist interior. All the sauces were seasoned well and not over done. The cucumbers and tomatoes were fresh. Plus, I've never had the lavash grilled and it's so much better with a couple grill marks ;) I want to go back and remember to order a turkish coffee and maybe get some pastries to go.. who knows?! They have the nicest staff that will help you figure out exactly what you want and remember all of your modifications if you're a bit particular about onions, like my self. And if you like to add feta on everything, like my self. Give it a try, don't let the names of the different items scare you! Ask and you shall receive. Oh and I'd say most item can definitely be "split" or boxed up to go for a delicious left over. Great Value. read more

Babalou's Mediterranean - Falafel lavash wrap. To me, this is an extra lrg! Compared to that soda can after some bites - Mediterranean Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

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The best thing about this place by far is their falafel wrap. If I was judging it based only of their falafel this place would get a 5 star - and I am not a huge fan of falafel. Their falafel is fresh and delicious, and they really know how to make a wrap. I really felt I was back in the old county eating it on the street. The rest of the food was a disappointment. I love lamb shawarma, so I couldn't wait to taste theirs after reading the reviews. It was a huge disappointment. Shawarma is supposed to be rotating on a rotisserie like devise. Their Shawarma was more like a lamb stew... not very good. Their kabob was a bit dry. The rest of their food was decent, their tabbouleh, babaganoush, Tachini and hummus are all fine, nothing to write home about. The prices are fair, and the food is fine. I am planning to go back only for their falafel wrap, which I highly recommend. read more

The food is great but they are very inconsistent about staying open during their posted hours. On two occasions I went when they were supposed to be open and they were closed. Call first! read more

Not a fan of the lamb shawarma wraps here anymore. Owner changed. The meat no longer tastes hot or fresh. It tastes like dry thin slices of meatball. There's no succulent juices or distinct flavors in the meat. Not only that but they substituted the awesome sundried tomato/hummus/goat yogurt sauce with straight up mayonnaise and maybe some hummus mixed in. GROSS. I think the hummus is still okay though so maybe not everything here went down the crapper. I'm probably going to The Mediterranean in Concord from now on. read more

Food was good but management sucks, not sure if he was the owner but he was not welcoming at all, I second guess if we should even order anything but we were so hungry and wanted Greek food. He was so rude that my food tasted salty. read more