Food was really authentic and fantastic. They knew real hospitality and took good care of us…read more I will go to Ali Baba whenever I visit Boston. Highly recommended! Great!

Food was a 3 1/2 for me - service was a 5. Would be higher if I was there late night - which is a…read morebonus seeing as they are open late. Would go late night - but wouldn't rush to go otherwise.

I have been to this place now a few times and I have to say that it is a wonderful business! I…read morereally enjoy the Turkish dumplings (manti), the kunefe and the baklava. However I wish you got more baklava for the money!

Ordered through uber eats on a cold Sunday night - and pleasantly surprised with the food - both…read morequality and quantity! The combo kebab platter was very good - juicy kebabs, balanced flavors, and very fresh salad to go with it. I also got a chicken soup (not pictured) that came with bread - very hearty and warming on a cold evening. The rice pudding came as a complimentary item and was delicious - not too sweet, with a puddingy jello-like flavor. The only thing I could have used was some sort of sauce for the kebabs (a chutney or something). I've had the lahmacun before and it's also very good and flavorful. I'll be ordering again the next time I'm in town!

Very competitive prices, excellent food and solid service. Inside was fairly nice, and we…read moreappreciated the robust AC on a hot summer afternoon. Only small disappointment was the bread: for some reason they didn't have the lavash they're named after, nor the fluffy white bread in the photos, just some standard pita bread which they did warm up on the grill before serving so it was decent and went well with their excellent baba ghanoush, hummus, etc. (their meze sampler has 5 different kinds) We also had their grill sampler which was also very good and all the meats were cooked tender including the lamb which was rare as requested---a lot of Mediterranean places overcook their meat, so we were very grateful for that! Even the chicken came out tender and moist, not dry and tasteless like at 90% of restaurants. Tried "Aryan" their yogurt drink, which is interestingly equal parts salty and sour, and quite filling---removed any desire for baklava on my part! Regretfully, they do not have the Turkish national drink, "Raki"---but they are probably keeping halal so no alcohol in the vicinity, alas. Parking was easy, a rarity in Cambridge. Wish they'd have some advertising or signage on the main roads because we never would've found out about this place if it weren't for a friend of mine mentioning that he once worked here. It's literally BEHIND the Whole Foods by Fresh Pond and around the corner from the Apple Cinema next door, so it will become a regular post-movie eating destination for us from now on!

Lavash Grille - Cambridge, MA Total Score: 9/10…read more Lavash Grille in Cambridge delivers a Turkish and Mediterranean dining experience that feels both vibrant and deeply comforting. This is the kind of place that works beautifully for group outings, thanks to the big, long tables that make it easy to settle in, share plates, and actually enjoy the social side of dining. The sampler platters and mixed grill dishes are absolutely the way to go. Portions are generous, the variety is excellent, and everything we tried tasted fresh and well balanced. The hummus and baba ganoush were both standouts, packed with flavor and a great start to the meal. One of the biggest highlights was the manti. These delicate, bite sized dumplings with yogurt sauce were pure comfort food and easily one of the most memorable dishes of the night. The haydari (similar to Tzatziki) was another favorite. Rich, creamy, and incredibly flavorful, it's the kind of dip you keep reaching for long after you're full. For something a little different, the traditional Turkish coffee made with hot sand is such a fun experience and well worth ordering. Ending the meal with coffee and rice pudding felt like the perfect, cozy finish. On a practical note, I was genuinely happy there is some parking here, which is always a welcome bonus in Cambridge. Overall, Lavash Grille is a place I'd gladly return to. Great food, perfect for group settings, and an all around enjoyable dining experience.

Tl;dr Amazing food with large portions. The triple mix platter is a great value and perfect for…read moresharing. The food here is amazing. We shared the triple mix platter for two people, and the portion size was already pretty good. The meat was super flavorful, and I really liked the lamb specifically. Everything tasted fresh and high quality. We sat at the bar and the service was excellent. We asked the server a lot of questions, and they were very friendly and took the time to answer all of them. I would love to come back and try the family plate with more people in the future. The combination of the great service and the generous portions makes this a standout spot for Mediterranean.

The new Halva on Main Street brings all the good of the previous location PLUS new items on the…read moremenu. Try the beef flatbread. Fun to eat and super tasty!

Here in Boston for a family reunion! This lovely restaurant…read morewas a short walking distance from our rental townhouse. Bahar our server was super helpful, attentive and kind. We enjoyed sitting outside on the patio where the steady cool breeze refreshed us. The small appetizer plate with falafel and hummus was my favorite part of the meal. The falafel were flat and oblong, crispy and flavorful. I appreciated the texture of the hummus and babaghanoush (hearty and chunky, rather than smooth). The lamb adana and chicken Adana were delicious as well, complemented with pickled purple cabbage, red and white rice, and roasted green chili pepper (caution--spicy even if you remove the seeds!). Generous portions! We shared three entrees among 4 of us, along with two small appetizers and had two take home containers!

Love love love this place…read more First night in Brookline and walking to Whole Foods for supplies, we saw two big families leaving here looking happy and sated and rubbing their tummies; so after our shopping we came for dinner right at dusk, and immediately sat outside. Our server Bahar was so kind and helpful: I have a dairy allergy and really wanted to try the Ali Nazik, but the lamb marinade has dairy, we we got the Sultan's Delight (same smoky eggplant puree with baked lamb). We also ordered Chicken Adana, and the small appetizer with falafel and hummous; all to share for 3 of us. Our fourth got the Iskender Kabob for himself. Bahar first brought a bean salad (so fresh and light) and bread (yum). Then the appetizer: the falafel was flat (not spherical) which meant the surface area of crunchiness increased--so delicious; and the hummous was much grainier than I've had, which gave it such a lovely texture. Bahar came out with the Sultan's Delight, and rushed back apologetic that the chef used dairy today, so we ordered a second appetizer with babaganoush and falafel (we really needed more falafel once we got a taste)--the babaganoush was, like the hummous, grainier in texture than we were used to and so pleasing to eat. If it weren't for my dairy allergy, we might never had ordered the chicken adana kebab, which was so flavorful and lovely: the orange rice was so nutty and made my mouth happy. We realized that we wanted to try the Lamb Adana Kebab, which had such a phenomenal flavor palate with a nice spicy kick. The peppers that came with the entrees were like sneaky super hot shishito peppers in flavor. Bahar took such lovely care of us, we had an amazing meal.

Pasha never disappoints. When we are in the mood for Middle Eastern/Mediterranean comfort food, it…read moreis in our top five places to go, to enjoy wonderful food and to relax in a warm, cozy atmosphere. We were greeted by the owner and made to feel comfortable as soon as we walked in. This time, as usual, we started with the red lentil soup and hummus. Both delicious and the hummus as smooth as silk and not over-loaded with tahini. We tried the fried calamari for the first time, and I wouldn't order that again; I think it's a frozen product they simply reheat; the sauce that came with it was good and the calamari tasty, but not what you're looking for if you want calamari. Our choice of entree is usually get the Fainting Imam, stuffed eggplant with vegetables, pine nuts and raisins, and it is heavenly, but this time I decided to experiment and ordered the Vegetable Mousakka With Béchamel Sauce. I was a little disappointed in the dish; it was made up of a variety of vegetables, sliced thin and layered. There was a piece of fried potato I couldn't cut through; it was really crunchy-hard. I ate it; it was good, but too done. What disappointed me was the absence of Bechamel sauce; it may have been there, but if it was, I couldn't taste or see it. Maybe a foam??? That was one of my reasons for trying the dish; I expected more of a Pastitsio-like layer of Bechamel or at least something I could discern in the dish. The Shepphard salad did not come with my entree (I don't know why? It comes with the Imam?), but I had to order it; it is out of this world. Simple and delicious. Particularly appealing to me is that they do not include large pieces of green pepper in the salad; there were a few bits, but not overwhelming. Next time, I might just get that salad, the soup and some hummus!!! I may have whined a little here, but don't let anything I said keep you away from Pasha. The owner, the staff and the food are wonderful.

First time customer, went for lunch with a friend. What a delicious place! Decor to match the…read moreauthentic food, and service with a smile. I tried the lentil soup (absolutely recommending it!!!) and the shepherds salad (refreshing and quite filling!). My friend had the sampler, so we got to experience some of the in-house delicacies. Middle eastern vibes and the food is a recommendation by itself. If you are looking for a lovely place to impress your dining companions... this is it!

I came to Istanbul Diner cafe after seeing some great reviews online and it did not disappoint…read more When I arrived, the ambiance was very quaint. It was a smaller restaurant with a fair amount of seating. The servers were very friendly and able to assist in what I should get. I got the CHICKEN SHISH BOWL which had rice, lettuce, cabbage, pita, grilled chicken and a white sauce (whatever it is, it made the dish) Great experience and will be recommending to others !

I walked over here for dinner, I wasn't sure what to get. The lady behind the counter was very…read morehelpful and went over the menu with me and explained what various dishes were and told me some of her favorites. I ended up getting a bowl of lentil soup, and border of grape leaves, and an Iskander kebab platter. It was waaaaayy toooo muuuuuch food!!!!! It was also very very good! She gave me garlic sauce and hot sauce both of which were great but the food didn't even need it!! The Iskander platter was so good, thinly sliced meat on a bed of croutons with a tomato sauce and cool creamy yogurt sauce beside it. Next time I'll probably only get they - but only because the soup and grape leaves just made it too much food!! She tried to get me to get rice pudding too but I had nowhere to put it.

An Uber driver who's from Morocco first told me about this place, and am so glad I went to check it…read moreout. It's just a few blocks down the street from the Somerville car wash where I often go, so I've driven by many times but never noticed it for some reason. It's EXACTLY the kind of family-run hole-in-the-wall restaurant with reasonably priced and best of all, AUTHENTIC ethnic food that's practically impossible to find in much of the Boston area, which is overpopulated with bland, overpriced and overhyped tourist food *pretending* to be from this or that part of the world, but really panders to timid local palates. First, the complimentary homemade bread is TO DIE FOR. And that's coming from someone who usually avoids carbs...this was just way too good not to indulge, haha. My only small niggle here is that they gave us far too little butter to go with it, but they graciously gave us more upon request (and the butter was not kept at room temperature but came straight out of the fridge so it was hard to spread). The bread itself though was perfect in every way. We had the mixed grill which easily fed three people, as well as the hummus and tabouleh to go with a second serving of that exquisite bread, which we could tell was definitely freshly made as well. Afterwards my two friends ordered dessert---a strawberry creme cake of some sort, and a blueberry creme cake. The first was good, the second was outstanding. Next time we'll try the baklava. Oh and there will be many "next times" I think!

Great food great vibes. Been ordering here for years I usually get a chicken wrap or something but…read moretoday I got the stuffed eggplant and damn! Super fire. They hooked it up with a little extra beans and a small loaf of bread and I'm really grateful

Ambienting Life Experiences in Details all over…read more I feel most comfortable to hang out in here since I came in for the very first time Everyone was treating me like I am their closest friend. I had two Turkish coffees but I had credit card issues bank card problems so that I had to go visit my bank branch to get cash. Even so staff members never rushed me and patient with me all the time. They trusted me to leave shop to get money. Just so wonderful warm people are working there and including their customers as well. Lately I had a some unwanted unfortunate experiences at restaurants around but Coffee Turco's warm homemade love made my great day. What an pleasurable experience !! Definitely I will come back.

Best food, pastries and cakes…read more Won't accept $100 bills, charge 3% for credit card - but written in tiny sign. I'm not sure I'll ever go back here for these bad practices.