I'm stopping in Cafe Sababa after a car emissions test; it turns out since my 2000 Camry is 25 years old that I no longer need it so I'll count this as a free lunch. The interior is very mom and pop with soft lighting and old ceiling tiles but well maintained with an obvious attention to detail and care. There is limited seating inside; you've got long padded benches set in the walls and small tables. They seem ideal for parties of 4 or take-out. You can squeeze maybe one bigger party inside if you really want. I snagged a lamb sandwich on recommendation; it comed your choice of a chopped salad, cup of soup, or rice. I ended up going with the soup of the day which is a curry chickpea. The lamb sandwich was a definite winner. There's a lot of care and that same attention to detail to constructing it. There was a 15ish minute wait but perfectly acceptable since it all came out fresh. The lamb slices were super juicy and flavorful and the sauce added that extra spicy but not too spicy kick that went well with the softness of the pita and the crunch of the fresh lettuce. The soup was piping hot so I had to wait a few minutes to let it cool but flavorful and smooth. I'd gotten it as a potential dip but the sandwich did'nt need it so I'd probably go with the chopped salad next time. Overall, Cafe Sababa does a lot of what I enjoy in Mediterranean. I'd definitely stop in again and try out more items on their menu if I was in the area. A very good first impression. read more

Cafe Sababa - Mediterranean Grill - Lamb sandwich - Mediterranean Near Me - Dunwoody, Georgia

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The shawarma wrap, soup and harissa were delicious! Been missing a good Mediterranean spot and glad I found one here!

Yes. I am sure I could have missed your signs. I wasn't expecting to read all the signage before purchasing. If you are going to charge additional depending on a form of payment in my opinion that needs to be said to the customer at the time of payment. You may feel otherwise. In my opinion you are not giving a cash discount, you are charging extra for a credit card, hence the additional charge for using a credit card. I would like to clarify that I did say I got a sandwich and a side of hummus. I still think a sandwich with a side of hummus at $17+ is expensive. The fact that it is an upgrade, does not change the fact that a sandwich and a side of hummus was $17+. I guess you just want people to know that you can get other sides that are not upgrades, that is fine. Prices are going up, so $17+ for lunch might not be a lot for other people. I apologize I did not like the yellow sauce that I called mustard. It was just bright yellow and had a ton of it poured inside the sandwich. It was spilling out and overwhelmed everything in the sandwich with bitterness. Which was a shame because I think the sandwich would have been good otherwise. Since it was yellow and bitter, I called it mustard. I apologize. I will say that on the description of the sandwich in your menu the bright yellow sauce is not mentioned. I did go back to look at your menu description for that. You may want to add that in there. I do wish you and your restaurant well. The only reason I stopped by was due to a friend's recommendation. I just wish I would have known about the sauce and additional credit card charges. I would have ordered and paid differently. Wish you well. read more

My partner picked up a gyro platter and falafel platter for us - TASTE: 2/5 - not sure if it was an off day, but we were disappointed by our food, especially given the stellar reviews here. The gyro meat was seasoned nicely, the feta and tzatziki were satisfying, and I enjoyed my falafel and hummus. But the babaganoush didn't taste right (and I usually love all types of eggplant) and the chopped salad didn't taste fresh TEXTURE: 4/5 - the hummus was creamy and a good pairing w the pita, and the falafel was crunchy on the outside. However, there was too much liquid w the chopped salad PRICE: 4/5 - each platter was $14, though I expected a little less for lunch SERVING SIZE: 4/5 - decent portions since we wanted a light, late lunch read more

Cafe Sababa - Mediterranean Grill - Gyro platter - Mediterranean Near Me - Dunwoody, Georgia

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My husband and I stopped by yesterday for lunch. This was the best Mediterranean style meal I've had in months! The food was so fresh! The salad was juicy and flavorful. I was really impressed. I wish I'd gotten a picture of my plate. Also, there was a very kind young man than took our order and checked on us after we got our food. He was patient when I ordered and answered my questions about some of the sides. I will be back every time we are in Sandy Springs! read more

Cafe Sababa is one of a few eateries in a strip mall. There is an Indian Market, a Thai restaurant, an eyebrow threading shop, and more! I searched for Mediterranean food in the area, and Cafe Sababa was highly rated, so off I went! There is a good amount of free parking in the area. There are several tables and benches outside the restaurant and along the strip for you to eat at as well. Inside, the restaurant is clean, spacious, and has pretty art decorating the walls. The guy at the register was kind and had good energy. He was patient with everyone, too. I ordered the lamb plate, which came with leg of lamb, hummus, Babaghanoush, and a cucumber/tomato salad. Also snagged a bottle of water for 50 cents. I sat outside because it was a beautiful day! They will bring your food out to you. Also included in my meal were two large, fresh pita rounds, some sort of creamy delicious sauce, and a spicy sauce that I paid 40 cents for. Those things were great! The lamb was scrumptious! The hummus was good. However, I didn't really care for the Babaghanoush or the salad, but charge that to my tastebuds and not the restaurant. I have already told my coworkers about the place, and I will definitely return! read more

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Excellent food in family run restaurant. Best Middle Eastern food in Atlanta. The lamb is well seasoned and perfectly cooked. Chickpea soup is delicious. Great hummus. read more

Food was really bad. Didn't taste fresh. Definitely not authentic, recipes seem to be stolen. Would never return or suggest this to anyone.

Hadn't been back to eat here for several years but used to be a regular stop before Covid. We returned to find the food was still amazing but dining in restaurant experience wasn't the same. Now you order at the counter and our meals were brought to our table in Styrofoam containers with plastic cutlery. Bathroom was very dirty. Probably will just stick to takeout going forward. We love the food. read more

So I was on the hunt for a good spot for Mediterranean food and I came across this joint. It's in a strip mall and it isnt too big (maybe 10 tables all together). As soon as I came in, my order was read and was still hot. Tried the gyro and chicken shawarma pockets, as well as the hummus. The food was good, and was pretty flavorful, but it needed the hummus to give it a little bit extra pop. The pocket sandwiches were very sizable and you could get full off of one probably. They cut a pita open and stuffed it to the brim, basically. I would come back again. read more

Cafe Sababa - Mediterranean Grill - Mediterranean Near Me - Dunwoody, Georgia

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This was my first time eating here. I was in the area walking a trail and I decided to have lunch here. I'll back back to try something different. I had the Chicken Slovaki Pocket w/ fries cooked and seasoned to perfection. read more

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Havent been here in months as owner is rude. Food is good but there are a lot more places with food just as good with better service.

Omg, I was kinda skeptical just because I never had Mediterranean that was a "pick your own" type thing. Like chipotle for instance. You pick your own things you want to go in your gyro or bowl. I chose steak... little did I know that they didn't serve steak BUT they had steak for their selves. The owner was so nice and gave me some. The women at the cash register said I deserved it. She was soo friendly, she also added chicken to it. I ordered a bowl with spring salad and turmeric rice. I put steak and a lot of vegetables I liked in it as well as the chicken. Everything was so tasty, had great flavors and had a unique style to it. The hummus was great, but the pita got pretty hard after like 6 minutes of eating. I would definitely go back. Very friendly place. They wear masks and gloves when serving food and there is inside and outside seating. The tables aren't 6 ft apart, but they're wasn't anyone inside anyways. There are two outside tables so first come first serve. read more

I go here every Tues while at the office. Love the food and the staff are super friendly

Tried the soup today and my whole review of Sababa has been revamped. Seriously some of the best soup I've ever had and now I'm on the hunt for a comparable recipe! Falafel was fresh and tasty today. Will keep trying things off the menu!! read more

Cafe Sababa - Mediterranean Grill - Falafel Greek Salad - Mediterranean Near Me - Dunwoody, Georgia

This place is soooo good! We don't live in Dunwoody, but I will start going out of my way to stop there whenever I can. The falafel was the perfect temperature and consistency. Pita...(chef's kiss!), and my lamb was equally delectable. It is a in a strip mall, and somewhat basic in ambiance, but they make up for that in abundance with service, friendliness and, of course, the food! read more

I love the food, service, ambiance and everything about this place. No non-sense. The food and hospitality speak for themselves, but the fact this place is always booming with familiar faces during lunch is a testament to Cafe Sababa. I'm sad it took me so long to discover this place, but this is a new weekly stop for me and it should be for you as well. The Lamb Sandwich and Shawarma Pocket are on another level! read more

This was my first time visiting. OMG!! This food was delicious and flavorful with each bite! The guy at the register was very inviting and customer service was on point. Another patron told me the soup was very good, so he gave me a sample. Totally agreed with her and bought some. I ate my chicken souvlaki pocket and rice. I was full and the food was filling, but I didn't have that "itis" feeling. read more

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Another Yummy Yelp find!! A small "hole in the wall" restaurant that shares a shopping center with other notably diverse eateries that I'll definitely be back to try out : Chinese, Thai and Indian to name a few ... Order/Food Deets: Hummus and Lamb ($8.25) Safe to say this was the BEST Hummus I've ever had. The addition of the ground lamb is the simplest but greatest decision the menu creators could of made! Not sure why I've never seen this served at other Mediterranean style restaurants, but this alone is worth a trip to Cafe Sababa. Falafel Balls ($3.99) Nothing special , but I have a thing for falafel so I must order it every chance I can. A tad bit dense and over fried, but flavor was there. The dipping sauce that comes with the order has a nice tang to it as well ! Shawarma Platter ($12.25) Chicken well seasoned and not over cooked. ( AKA dry ) if you're a dipper like me, this platter works well because the sides of hummus and babaganoush are equally yummy! Daily Special : Morrocoan Stew Chicken ($16.99) Flavors galore!! This stew chicken had hints of spice and savory elements that kept me wanting more. Served on top of a bed of yellow moist rice. This should definitely be on the regular menu, but I imagine it takes a lot of TLC to make. Parking: Only potential hiccup is the parking situation. As I mentioned above the shopping center is booming , and tends to be busy. Expect to be lined up for a parking spot if you plan to come during peak hours / weekends. read more

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So, so glad this place survived the pandemic. The lamb dishes are specials and are consistently great...also, I love the attentive, warm service and the general vibe. Great family restaurant with lovely attention to detail. read more

Wow! Took my bride there yesterday for my first experience there and we were not disappointed. The shawarma was literally the best I have ever had. I am a big eater and I had a hard time finishing it. Service was great and hearing both English and Hebrew spoken made the experience feel even more authentic. Highly recommend and look forward to coming back! read more

A great spot no doubt, full of energy, great food and great service from only the gentleman waiter who served us. He showed great enthusiasm and provided an overall positive service. The kabobs and the meats were juicy, well seasoned and the rice was sticky, tasty and fragrant. For appetizer definitely recommend the lamb hummus. However the girl waitress definitely had an attitude, was throwing stuff around, no greeting and warmth. Hell we waited 35 minutes to get in and this girl came and threw napkins right in front of us, dropped the plates like it was nothing and did not even look at us proper. She might have some issues dealing with people of different color and it was very aparent to all five of us visiting. I do not have a solution for this but an overall good experience can easily be damaged through such shortcomings. It needed to be said but Ignore it, hopefully no one has to face such problems. Give this place a shot everyone. Carpe diem with your taste buds. read more

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This place is a total hole in the wall and I never would've found it if not for Yelp! It's small but the staff Is awesome and the food is phenomenal! I had the special of lamb pita and curry lentil soup. The soup I could've drank. Perfectly savory and smooth. This whole shopping center had a bunch of other ethnic foods so you can get just about any other craving on this strip. I believe it ended up being around $12. Don't forget to check in for your free glass of wine! The lamb was awesome and so was the gyro. My friend ordered that and I tried a little piece. Everything I tasted was excellent so do yourself a favor and give this place a try! read more

Cafe Sababa - Mediterranean Grill - Mediterranean Near Me - Dunwoody, Georgia

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Love the lamb sandwich. I have visited at least 3 times and keep ordering the same thing. The lamb sandwich is full of flavor and fulfilling. read more

The lamb sandwich is EPIC! The food here is bar none the best in the area. Fresh, delicious, unique.

Our go-to place for takeout! Lamb's great, Hummus really flavorful, lots of pita. And great sauces. Baklava is yummy!! Food always ready on time. Exiting parking lot is not for faint of heart, but then neither is heavy Atlanta rush hour! Small ethnic grocery shelves are nice. read more

This is my go to place for lunch service is always wonderful the family is amazing the food is delicious I eat here for lunch all the time read more

Cafe Sababa - Mediterranean Grill - Mediterranean Near Me - Dunwoody, Georgia

You can tell when it's personal. These guys are the real deal. Fresh. Perfect portion. Just great food that's traditional and a departure from blah. I had the burger, a side salad, and Epic Baba Ganoush. read more

Cafe Sababa Mediterranean Grill is located about in the middle of a shopping center on the Eastern side of N Shallowford Rd (to the right if you're traveling North) that also contains Bay Leaf and Indian Bazaar grocery. This is a neighborhood eatery that features near-Kosher Mediterranean foods with fresh flavors, good portions and reasonable prices.The menu is also plainly marked vegan (V) and/or gluten free (GF) for those of you who care (obviously not me!). I've been a bit hesitant writing about Sababa - I've been coming here for many years and it's become one of my favorites for lunch - call me selfish but I did not want to spoil my great experiences there by bringing too much attention to the place, however over the years word has gotten out. The restaurant is family owned and run with a small staff and limited seating (they do quite a bit of take out). The simple dining room has padded benches along the walls and a few tables to either side of the path from the door to the counter. You can sit and and eat inside or at the tables outside under the awning that stretches across the shopping center. Parking is a bit limited, especially during lunch so I try to go early, around 11:30 AM or so to ensure a spot both in the lot and in the restaurant. The menu is fairly simple, broken into a handful of categories. I usually go for the plates over the wraps but everything I've had has been very good. For lunch each of the plates have more than enough food for one to get very full. For dinner, do try some of the starters - I'm a big fan of the lentil soup and the Appetizer Combo These are my favorites: Appetizer Combo - with falafel, hummus, babaganoush, tabouleh, chopped salad and pita, there's plenty to go around. You'll find the tabouleh very fresh and the falafel very well prepared, with a fresh-parsley flavor that is quite good. Falafel platter - this well-organized platter is similar to the Appetizer Combo above - actually if you're hungry I'd recommend the combo over the platter since you git a bit more for a dollar more. My vegan friends like this quite a bit and I'm very fond of it myself. Shawarma Platter - seasoned chicken "strips" with babaganoush, shopped salad, hummus and tehina - this is one of my "go to" dishes. Schnitzel Platter - breaded chicken breast cutlet, pan fried served with rice and grilled veggies. I've only had this once and honestly, there are better things on the menu. I'm sure fans of fried food will like it, but it seemed a bit dry and uninspired to me. Gyro Platter - I have this quite often and if asked they will admit that the gyro meat comes pre-packaged. No rotisserie of succulent meat spinning in the background at this restaurant, so you're not getting that full-Greek effect. However the quality of the meat is quite good and the supporting ingredients - cucumber-tomato salad, and the side romaine salad are both also very good. The Platter comes with quartered pita but you can ask for whole if you want to assemble a wrap. The tzatziki sauce is thicker than what I'm used to but I still like it quite a bit - I believe they make then pre-package to refrigerate to keep it fresh. It's certainly not the heavy-mayo sauce found at other gyro restaurants. Lamb Burger - this is my recommendation if you're "iffy" about Mediterranean food in general - I can't remember anyone to whom I've recommended this succulent sandwich to who hasn't raved about it. Served on ciabatta bread with choice of side. I especially like this for take-out. Roasted Leg of Lamb sandwich - as good as the lamb burger is, if they have the roasted leg of lamb as a special, go for this instead. It's unusually flavorful and quite inspired. Service is quite good and usually handled by Doni's son (it's been fun watching him grow up a bit over the years). For drinks there are a few house-wines (and if you check in you'll usually receive a "free glass of wine" offer. Beers include Mythos Greek Lagar, Peroni, Blue Moon and Sweetwater Blue (not that I'm drinking during lunch). Cafe Sababa also does a fantastic job catering - we've had them supply food for several events at work and the food is always fresh, well proportioned and delivered on time. (a more detailed review with accompanying photos can be found in my blog). read more

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After living in Dunwoody for almost a year now, and seeing this restaurant pop up every single time I trying searching for a highly rated Yelp restaurant around the area, I finally made it out. The plaza is small, with very limited parking, but there was some parking across the street, too (although I'm not sure how legal it is parking there at night after normal business hours). The free pita was crispy and soft at the same time, slightly salted but not overwhelming. Fridays and Saturdays, Cafe Sababa has a couple of specials only avaialable these two days, one of which 3/4 of my table ordered... The Moroccan Beef Brisket over rice. Maybe I was starving since it was 8pm, but it was quite good. Pretty flavorful, tasted very similar to a Chinese style of Hong Shao (cooked with tomato, like the popular beef noodle soup). Nothing special, but the beef was tender and rice was soft and fragrant. A sizable side salad is also included in the $15.95 cost, so I ordered a Greek salad, which was hearty and pretty filling... When you check in on Yelp, you also get one free glass of wine! You get to choose from any of the house wines on the list, so we all ordered some Cabernet to go with our beef brisket. Wasn't anything special... but I'm always up for free drinks! They limit it to one a day, so any time you check in on Yelp you can some free wine! Good thing I live 0.4 miles away. Will be here again soon :) read more

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Nice Mediterranean option for the Dunwoody neighborhood. Ambience is casual, service is friendly and the food is pretty good. I was also drawn by the positive reviews from my favorite Yelpers. My recommendations - Babaganoush and Chicken Shawarma. I'd probably skip the Tilapia ... this isn't a seafood restaurant :) I came w/ a party of 5 and while their entrees are designed for individuals, we ate family-style and it worked fine. Ordered 1 app and 4 entrees. Love friends who love eating and "love love" friends who love sharing food :) FALAFEL AND BABAGANOUSH - $7.75 How perfect they have a combo for two of my favorite Mediterranean apps. Falafels were pretty good and babaganoush was yummy - loved the smoky flavor. SHAWARMA PLATTER - $11.99 Highly recommend this dish - in addition to Chicken Shawarma (very good), also came w/ Babaganoush (yummmmmy), Chopped Salad (cucumbers), Hummus and Tahini Sauce. It was like an appetizer and entree all in one :) COMBO KABOB PLATTER - $20.99 Picked the Ground Beef (reg. $11.50) and Lamb (reg. $15.50) for our combo. The Ground Beef was "spiced and seasoned chargrilled Angus beef logs" but tasted like a regular burger to me - still good though. The lamb kabobs were also good - no lamb flavor at all which is a plus for me. Also came w/ grilled zucchini (honestly my favorite part of the dish, haha) and rice pilaf. TILAPIA PLATTER - $11.99 Bland and fishy :( Described though as "seasoned tilapia filet cooked w/ homemade sauce of caramelized onions, San Marzano tomatoes and roasted red peppers, served with rice pilaf." We couldn't even finish it. BAKLAVA - $2.99 Their baklava is huge and mmmmm .... very good. Overall pretty good and next time I'd like to try their Lamb Burger which was raved about in the Yelp reviews. Also do Yelp check-in and get a free glass of wine. Almost everyone at our table got wine - just $3.75/glass. *********************************** UPDATE (1/22/15) - LAMB BURGER - $9.75 Finally got to try lamb burger and loved it - I'm not a lamb person either. 8oz freshly ground and seasoned lamb, lettuce and tomato on grilled ciabatta with roasted red pepper and garlic aioli. The flavor of the aioli reminded me of pimento cheese. Also comes with a side - I got the Tabouleh Salad which was fresh and yummy. Service was super friendly and attentive. read more

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Food and Service are all excellent. Ambience is casual.try it. We always like it and I think he will too

One of my favorites in town. I do not normally look for restaurants in strip malls, but this one came recommended. Once I ate there I was hooked. Great homemade food. If you want authentic Mediterranean food, this is the place to go. read more

A pretty quaint and cozy little restaurant. Although it may be in a semi-dark strip of stores, looks are deceiving as they have pretty good service and food. The menu items are somewhat limited, but they make up for it on the quality side. The average meal averages about $12 to $14. I remember there was a pretty good appetizer and salad option so that took pretty much a good chuck of their menu space. I had the schnitzel platter. It was $11.99 (?) while my friend's special of the day was $14.99. My schnitzel platter came with a basket of pita bread. The bread was really warm when it came out. I think with a selection under the platter section, the pita basket is a standard. I would definitely come here again and give their special of the day a go. I think they had the chicken risotto special when I was there with my friend. The portion size was also about the same size as my plate. It was pretty delicious from the sample I tasted off his plate. Lastly, if you check into their restaurant, you can get a free glass of wine! Oh the perks of checking into Yelp. ;) Bon appetit! read more

Cafe Sababa - Mediterranean Grill - Schnitzel platter. - Mediterranean Near Me - Dunwoody, Georgia

The gyro was tender and moist; tabouli was fresh . The portions was large and the service was quick. Highly recommend Cafe Sababa when you're wanting a Mediterranean fix. read more

Sababa is one of several Hebrew slang words meaning "great" or "cool" and can express enthusiasm, satisfaction or assent ("sure," "no problem") Very appropriate name I wrote my original review in 2010, a few months after they opened. How many restaurants can maintain their quality, originality and taste for so long. They certainly have done it well This is a family run restaurant (2nd generation now) serving all types of Mediterranean foods. My family must have eaten here 100++ times in this 8 years. Somehow I had not been there in 2-3 months though. I had the Moroccan lamb patties in a stew over cuscus tonight. Slightly spicy, tomato based sauce and three lamb patties. Delicious. And large portion. My adult kids have been usually getting the same thing - son gets a chicken schnitzel sandwich and daughter gets a chicken shawarma platter with soup. They love it, really Wife was out of town, she has eaten many things, but frequently the Friday night special or a kabob platter Service is always great - friendly and efficient. Parking can be difficult at peak dinner time some days. Open Monday through Friday for Lunch & Dinner read more

Not all my friends are open to Mediterranean food, but I'm always up for it. I was looking for restaurants in Dunwoody to try out, and wanted to stay away from the malls and chains. My friends got the falafel platter (I'm definitely getting that next time) and falafel wrap, while I got the lamb burger and fries ($9.75). I'm always up for a burger, but I'd never had a lamb burger before. The meat was seasoned well without it being overpowering or gamey in flavor, the lettuce and tomato were fresh, and the ciabatta bun was grilled perfectly. The roasted red pepper and garlic aioli added an even more unique flavor to the burger...so I started dipping my fries in it too. I wish this was something I could buy and add to everything, because it's way better than ketchup or any other condiment on a burger! I'm really glad the food wasn't oily, because I feel like a lot of Mediterranean restaurants go on the greasier side of things. I've had a lot of baklava in my time, but theirs was definitely the best I'd ever had before. For $2.99, the portion is HUGE and great for sharing with company. :) I'm so used to baklava being tiny pieces that are way too sweet, but this was just enough syrup, sweetness, and flakiness. Our server Doni was really fun, he generously kept the pita coming and made our dining experience really enjoyable on top of the great company and food already. I'm glad this place is somewhat on my way home from work, because I think I'll have to start coming here regularly...even if just for the baklava. I'd like to one day try everything on their menu LOL read more

Cafe Sababa - Mediterranean Grill - Lamb burger, roasted red pepper and garlic aioli, fries - Mediterranean Near Me - Dunwoody, Georgia

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The soup, falafel, and gyro were all amazing! We were really bummed to realize their current menu is much smaller and limited than the menu posted here on Yelp (use their website for correct menu) but sadly they didn't have any kabobs, sandwiches, or any chicken breast options :( My husband loved the chicken thighs, but I personally did not at all. I'm not sure if they changed owners or if they just changed their menu, but that's why I'm rating it a 4/5. Cute family-feeling restaurant with very nice people! read more

It's so good and you get so much food. Everything fresh clean hot and juicy the flavor are good and it's the best Shawarma in Atlanta read more

Oh my gosh. Lamb sandwich just changed my life. If you are reading this, just go. It's AMAZING.