Today I stopped by Cafe 28 for lunch, the menu was diverse and tough to choose from as everything sounded delicious. The menu also offers options for those that are vegan and vegetarian ( I was having lunch with two friends who were, one is vegan and one vegetarian). I am fairly new to Mediterranean cuisine only having tried hummus, falafel and shish kabob but I am open to various cuisines and discovering new things I love. We started off with a appetizer consisting of flavorful pita bread Lebneh and hummus and two others I don't recall but all phenomenal. We enjoyed a fresh and light salad before our main course arrived. I ordered the oven style meat kofta- once again, the meat was tender and well seasoned just delicious. Cafe 28 is fresh, affordable, healthy and most of all absolutely delicious. I will most certainly be back, so many more dishes I have to try! read more

Every time we come, we are greeted with a smile. The atmosphere is nice and cozy. The owner is very helpful in suggestions and has a great memory in his customers. Overall very pleasant experience and has definitely made me a regular. Don't forget to try the coffee! read more

The food here was excellent! Everything we got was delicious, well seasoned and beautifully presented. The service was mediocre at best and one of the waitresses had a major attitude. She was pleasant enough to us but was so rude to a family waiting to be seated that they left. The other servers were friendly and kind. We would come back again but hopefully the service will improve before then. read more

Tried this after dining at the Mediterranean restaurant in Asbury Park called "Reyla". Reyla was loud, hard to get a table, and the food was very good. The food at Café 28 is significantly better and lacks the millennial tweak of trying to make it different just for the sake of being different. For classic well made eastern Mediterranean food try Café 28. Everything was excellent and subtly complex in flavor. Service was just OK... was but no better at the Asbury Park "Reyla" restaurant. The hummus was astonishing, my wife said it was the best yoghurt she had ever tasted. I almost licked the bowl! Even the rice side to my Egyptian beef stew was delicious. Big mistake to name this place Café 28. They must lose a lot of potential customers browsing internet lists who assume it is a coffee house. ` read more

Break out those extra dollar bills of you want pita with your spreads. They don't even tell you it's not included. Service is sour.

We stumbled upon cafe 28 .. and are we ever glad we did. Some of the best Egyptian/middle eastern food i have had just about anywhere, including in Egypt. The appetizers (we had sujuk, hot humus, muhamara, baba ghanouj, makdus, zaatar with cheese) were all delicious ... especially the tomato sauce with the sujuk and the muhamara. For main course, we split a chicken shawarma and a mixed grill which were also excellent... good quality meat, well seasoned. The Baklava desert was a work of art .. often baklava is a soggy mess of pastry stuck together with minimal filling .. not here, crisp phyllo, generous pistachio filling, just sweet enough and a wonderful presentation Our server was very pleasant and attentive, enhancing the experience We will be back often read more

Nicely and culturally decorated place made us change our take out plans to let's stay and eat here. Ordered the hummus with ground beef and the thinly sliced meat and cheese as a platter recommended by the waiter as a way to try more than one app without paying full price for both but he charged us the full price for each app. Hummm. Over promised a few other things that he didnt deliver but overall he checked back frequently on our experience and was nice. So we chose not to fight that fight. Thoroughly enjoyed the garlicky hummus and the beef on top. The Grilled Medley over rice included the most tender and juicy marinated chicken I've ever had on a skewer. The meat kofta was full of Egyptian flavors and texture. Along with a lamb chop and beef kabob. The rice pilaf suprisingly dry. Hopefully just a mistake for that night. My companion was very pleased with the lamb chops on top a fresh strawberry sauce. Yum! The coffee they brought back from Eygpt with their special spice blend awakened all of our senses. Will definitely go back. read more

Welcome to Ocean! Got take out three times now, great choices ! veggie friendly! While passing thru I noticed great friendly environment, nice cozy dining room, will try eating in soon, great place for dinner for 2. building formerly magic rice. Wife corrects me food AWESOME! read more

Excellent in all aspects. atmosphere, waitstaff,music, and the food was perfect. Welcomed in with friendly smile and rose water. ...strawberry smoothie was too sweet, other that, a solid 5. read more

Wow this place is excellent. All the food is so fresh and it was really nostalgic to see all the authentic Egyptian homemade options. I got the mixed grill and the saguk (grilled sausage) and hummus. It was truly delicious. Even the grilled vegetables were amazing. Try this place if you're in the area! read more

This place has a clean and well decorated restaurant featuring flavorful hummus, healthy falafel, and Mediterranean coffee with 7 spices. The owner/chef provides superior service. read more

Had lunch with a friend, had a Chicken Caesar Salad, it was excellent, very fresh, also had very good smoothie. I am going back to try other dishes and will bring the wife. read more

So let's start with the good. The coffee they have is great. Everything else is ok. Price point is very high for the amount of food you get. They also automatically charge you 20% tip for a party if 3??? I don't think anyone does that... first and last time I'm coming here... read more

The food was very good, but the service was lacking and the chef was aggressive. The restaurant had only a few customers, yet we waited 30 minutes for a salad and an appetizer. We also waiting a while for our entrees to be served. All of us received rice that was hardly warm--my entree was also close to cold. After sending it back, the chef came out of the kitchen to tell me--quite aggressively--that it had just come off the grill. He actually wanted to have an argument with me. We were all stunned! He backed down and took the plate back to the kitchen where it was reheated and returned. The chef's unwarranted attack ruined our evening and as such, we will never return despite the good food. read more

Excellent Mediterranean cuisine. It is so nice to have authentic ethnic food without having to go to New York. Every bite was delicious. We had the Cafe Special and Falafel/Hummus platters. Delicious! Will absolutely be back! read more

Amazing food! Has a little pleasure twist to the Mediterranean food. Staff was also superb! Would definitely go back again!!!

This was a return visit to this cozy and welcoming restaurant in Cobblestone Village, OceanTownship. The chef/owner shared his ideas about food preparation and his cooking demonstrated his skill and passion. Our vegetarian meal was substantial, everything fresh and flavorful. The Rice Almond Salad, vegetarian Moussaka, Mujadara ( lentils and cracked wheat with herbs and fried onions) were delicious and comforting. Dessert was a novel Baked rice pudding with beshamel - dense, not too sweet and a nice finish to a lovely meal. We were happy with our repeat visit - it will not be our last. read more

Amazing experience. The atmosphere and food were perfect! I went to the Mediterranean in N.J. I highly recommend this restaurant, The owner and cook and server all in the same Mohamed was a delight, Every detail from the presentation to the taste no to mention the at home feeling. I felt as if I was a guest in Mohamed's home. He has a passion for cooking and every dish made with care and love you can see his passion in his country. Give this great establishment a try. I did and will return. read more

We've been to this wonderful place several times (not enough), and most recently had our new year's eve dinner there last night. there is always an amazing range of perfectly cooked and spiced veggie and meat dishes, invariably pleasant and personable service, and a pretty setting with soothing Middle Eastern music in the background. It would be difficult to find better quality, even in the city. I understand the friendly owner/chef trained with the best, both in Egypt and Europe, as well as with his mother Esmat, who must have been an impressive talent in her own right. The eggplant dish named for her is one of my favorites, and every dish was fragrant, beautifully presented, and generously portioned. I'm getting hungry now just thinking of our meal there. The range of salads there is also excellent, with the freshest ingredients and herbs. We loved the beet salad, as well as the lentil and Greek ones. So if you're looking for a meal which is healthy, satisfying and never disappoints, try Cafe 28. You'll thank me in the morning. read more

I heard wonderful things about this restaurant from my family, who have been big fans of Cafe 28 since it was located in downtown Red Bank. I was very pleased to finally try the food in the new restaurant. Everything tasted so fresh and delicious, and the flavors were very well-balanced. The beet salad was refreshing, and the chicken shish tawook was tender with the perfect amount of char. Friendly atmosphere, good service, and pretty dining room. Highly recommend! read more

Owner is a very nice man. But seem to neglect the quality of food. As said previously his food is prepared in the microwave and falafel is terrible and made in advance. If u want fresh food don't go here. Not sure how these reviews r as high as they r either. Owner could do very well just needs fresh good on the spot and no pre made dishes that's a quick turn around read more

I often get wraps here, specially the Chicken Cairo and love it. But today I decided to buy Mohammed's home made Hummus and Baba Ganouch rather than a packaged one like Sabra or Tribe. No Comparison! His are so smooth, so creamy, and just the right amount of garlic that I'm ruined - I can never buy the supermarket brands again. Prices were comparable. And with Mohammed, you get to have a nice time chatting with him while he prepares it - he's great! read more

Cafe28 is a small eatery near Starbucks and the movie theatre in Red Bank downtown. It is so beautifully decorated with an Egyptian feel. I love the great selection of international foods from hummus, falafel, bagels, and deserts. It is all so different and delicious. The welcoming from Muhammed, the owner and chef and baker, was very warm and lovely. I will definitely be returning many time before I leave for college. It was so good! I encourage everyone to try it! -SMFG read more

Very rude service, party of 6, ask to drink my bottled water outside because I didn't buy it there. Guy was slow and rude. Food was average, but better than the service. Serving sizes are very small. Pricey for what you get. Would look elsewhere. read more

Great food and great drinks! the best tasting coffee and falafals ever!! you will never have food like this. it is so amazing and unbelivable! you will not regret it. read more

I'm a little late with my review, but my mother and I popped in a few weeks back after doing a staging job around the corner. This place is a one man operation, but like they say " if you want it done right, do it yourself." I don't exactly remember what I ordered, but my mother got a tuna wrap which she really enjoyed. We had noticed a sign stating that they served tabouli. So good! It's always fresh, made to order. For weeks afterwards, every time I talked to my mother she told me she was craving some more tabouli. Afterwards I decided to get a sweet ( looked like shredded wheat, but flavor wise reminiscent of baklava) and a Turkish coffee. At that time we really got the time to talk to the owner. He seemed like a very honest, hard working guy and I'm happy to see his restaurant doing so well. I look forward to the next time I am in the area. Maybe I'll even be nice enough to bring my mom back some tabouli. read more

First time here and will be back!! Spinach side and black-eyed beans in sauce were outstanding! Koshari with its spices was delicious. Steak special with the homemade sauce also outstanding. Rose water served with meals compliments the peppery flavors. Yum, yum, yum. read more

Wish I had taken some photos before I scarfed the food down. Came here for lunch and loved it. Great salads and everything was fresh and delicious. Will definitely be back. read more

I agree with Kevin C. After eating at Cafe 28, it's impossible to enjoy store-bought hummus and baba ganouch. My whole family loves Mohammed's Greek Salad, Falafel, Eggplant Sandwich, Chicken Cairo. The Turkish Coffee - fabulous! The owner Mohammed has an upbeat attitude and presents food with care. Food is primarily take out - Lots of items for people who want "regular deli" but the Mediterranean food is my favorite. It may be a minute out of your way - on Monmouth Street by Hobby Shop - but it's worth it! I want to add one more thing: We just had a fabulous family meal catered by Cafe 28: Rave reviews! We had spanakopita, chicken kabobs, falafel, hummus, Greek salad, & baklava. Very easy to work with and delicious food we all enjoyed. read more

A very tiny local restaurant with friendly environment. The food was very good but definitely not the best mediterranean food you could get in NJ. We had a gyro and a special platter, the falafels were not coherent and on the first touch they would decompose to a few pieces! Babaghanoush and dolma were not tasty enough. Over all we are happy with the food and service, and may go back again. read more

Very small, cute little Greek place. The employee was very nice. The food was pretty good, I've definitely had better though. I ordered a salad with pears and apples, which were both very bruised and not fresh. I ended up having to throw them away, the goat cheese totally made up for not having the fruit. I probably won't be running back to this place craving it. It's just conveniently located and close to my job. read more

Wonderful food prepared and served by a spectacular chef and gentleman - go and enjoy a very special dinner!

Really tasty delicious food. Impeccably clean establishment, great service, Mediterranean /middle eastern specialty foods and american classics. Reasonably priced. The hot chicken salad with almond & feta on a pita ($6.95) with added special sauce was delicious, ( this coming from someone who is not a sauce person),,the lamb gyro on a pita with tsaziki sauce ($7.95) and the gyro and hummus platter with mixed greens (($9.95) were very fresh, tender and equally delicious. We also had the hot salab which is a thick, foamy, sweet, milky drink kind of like a steamed latte but thicker, with cinnamon and specific to the Middle East. My kids loved it and everything I ordered...Mohammad is precise, quick, expert in everything he creates for you and takes great pride in the quality of the food he presents. This is a business owner who is doing an excellent job and should be noticed... We will certainly be back again.. read more

0 stars if possible,, food I rwcieved was old and dry, I call up owner gives me nasty attitude! food quality is lacking !

It's alright, but their servings are rather small. For 8 bucks, I expected my gyro to be bigger than the size of a hot pocket... Also, the owner tried charging me an extra 4.95 for some extra white sauce. I don't know if he understood me correctly when I asked for some extra on the gyro, but he was unhappy when I declined, so I paid for the gyro and walked out annoyed. The gyro itself was tasty, but definitely not worth the trip... Or my patience. read more

I will never buy hummus in a store again! Everything I've eaten here has been absolutely delicious and made with extreme care. I will need to try the coffee at my next visit after seeing others mention it in their review. Love this wonderful little place! read more

We stumbled upon this Mediterranean gem and loved it. Staff & Chef were friendly. There were gluten feee options as well. Can't wait to return. read more

Had lunch there today. Salad and add on chicken. Salad was great, very fresh and not the usual run of the mill things, some little extras to make it different and taste so much better. A little heavy on the dressing, so next time I will ask for less dressing. Chicken was ok, but nothing special. Water, the free kind. Not at all what I expected. I mean it was cool water and this is where it usually ends, but not this time. They have added, a little something to give it a hint of taste, just a touch, my guess would be mint, but did it make a difference! Delicious! I could easily drink a gallon and not have enough. They also talked me into Turkish coffee. I do not ever drink coffee black and the only flavor I like is hazelnut, i might go for raspberry, nothing else. This was different, a hint of something, not sure what (maybe cinnamon, but there was something else with it), made it outstanding. Milk was provided, but didn't need it. All in all, I would definitely go back, again and again. Service was good too. read more

This place is amazing! The food is out of this world! Mohammed takes such pride in everything he makes. We have sampled several things here - all delicious, but the shish kebab is out of this world! Cooked to perfection. The hummus is divine. I have yet to order something that I didn't like. The restaurant is tastefully decorated, and feels very homey. Order the rice pudding for desert - you won't be sorry! I can't say enough about this special restaurant. read more

I went with the Cafe 28 Special and it was simply delicious, very fresh and flavorful! Mohammed is super nice. Will be back for sure!