I was really impressed with our meal from here, especially considering it was delivered via Uber…read moreEats. We ordered the whole charcoal chicken platter, and it was both delicious and enormous. The chicken was incredibly flavorful and fall-off-the-bone tender, pairing perfectly with the rice and sauces. The greens were fresh, and every component of the meal was spot on. As a bonus, the portions were so generous that we have plenty of leftovers to enjoy today. Highly recommend!

Located at 6378 Thompson Road in East Syracuse, the Middle Eastern eatery Ali Baba offers a variety…read moreof halal food prepared fresh, from mixed-grill skewers and gyros to chicken shawarma on top of rice or in a sandwich. The restaurant also serves chicken wings and tenders, seasonal soups, tabbouleh, falafel, hummus, and jalapeño poppers, and a couple of its walls are lined with pre-packaged candy. There's also a selection of cakes and smoothies, with flavors of the latter including strawberry, mango pineapple and banana. Kaib Saleh, who goes by the nickname Adam and runs the restaurant with his brother Shihab and their Jordanian business partner Alaa, says he opened Ali Baba because he likes to share all the different Arabic and Middle Eastern food there is to offer, plus the sweet stuff too. The establishment had converted what was briefly intended to be a smoke shop into the sweets section to give off more of a family-friendly and kid-appropriate atmosphere. Starting out, the business was meant to be a convenience store with a carry-out deli, but when the owners noticed that people were sitting down to eat at the chairs and tables used for the grand opening, the trio decided to take out the shelves and pay the extra licensing fee to properly turn their place into a sit-down restaurant with takeout and delivery options. I work in East Syracuse and have driven by Ali Baba every day since it's been opened and thought "I gotta get lunch there one day." I love Mediterranean food, so I decided it was time. I was able to easily order online on their website, and went with the simple chicken over rice combo to try them out. There's a small parking lot to park in, and this isn't an extremely busy section of the city, so there's always open parking spots. Went in and my food was not ready yet. The girl at the counter didn't tell me my food wasn't ready, just took my name and walked over to ask and then stood waiting for it, but she seemed pretty shy so no big deal. It's very nice inside, not at all what I was expecting, with several tables to sit and eat, and a couple tables outside to eat at as well. My food was ready about 5-10 minutes after I arrived. I decided to just eat thee at one of the outside tables, as it was a bright sunny day outside. Everything was tasty, although I could've used a little more of the white garlic sauce personally, and it was enough food to feed me twice. Prices were comparable to similar other restaurants in the area. What I love about the place is that it's open 24/7. I honestly am almost never out late at night, or even near the area other than for work, but I like knowing that if I ever were, there is a place I could go to to get fresh cooked, delicious food at any time, in an age where there are very few late night food establishments open anymore. I definitely plan to go back and try other stuff.

I was at a doctor's appointment nearby and decided to give it a try. I ordered to-go, and they were…read moregracious and held it when I got held up. I did a falafel wrap. Price was very reasonable. Honestly, this isn't the best falafel pita I've had. I found it a little dry - not to say it wasn't fresh, but the pita was very floury and the sauce was hummus or tahini instead of a thinner yogurt sauce and it was very dense - I needed something a little more cooling to balance out the rest. It was satisfying but just not my style. I'd give it another chance and try other items.

We had the gyro pita platter, and it was delicious! Generous amount of filling - vegetables were…read morefresh and the meat was seasoned and grilled to perfection. For the side, we got the pita and hummus, and the hummus was smooth and flavorful!

The food is excellent. Baba ghanouj so creamy and smoky. Lentils are amazing and so well-seasoned…read more Food tastes homemade, nutritious and healthy. Everything I've tried so far has been extremely tasty. Yum yum.

The food was amazing! i really enjoyed the chicken reggie's. I ordered a large order on doordash…read moreand they did not disappoint. They were very timely and organized! The set up was very beautiful, i loved the chalkboard they had!

So so so good. We happened to be there on Valentine's Day and got the special for two which was a…read moresampler of a whole bunch of things. There wasn't nothing we didn't like, but the standouts were the rice and grain, the dolmas, and my husband really liked the meats. I also ordered the spanakopita and I highly recommend it. Dinner for 3 with tip was only $55!

Incredible. Absolutely love their food, it always tastes fresh and is consistently delicious. The…read morehomemade humus, chefs kiss... can't go back to store bought. Their delivery is efficient and the delivery fee isn't an arm and a leg. I haven't been inside the new store front, but hope to soon. Either way Baghdads is on my list of places I'm craving to order from again!

We don't order Mediterranean food enough, especially considering how many places we have available…read moreto us in Syracuse. This place was close by and relatively new, so we gave it a go. We've been jonesing for a good shawarma for ages, so we went with beef shawarma over rice, and lamb chops over rice. We threw in some beef sambusas and eggplant salad. The only complaint we had was the wait time. We showed up when they told us to, but ended up waiting about 25 minutes in store for the food. The staff were really friendly, and had we not ordered to go, it would have been a comfortable place to dine in. The lamb meat was tender and delicious. Not a ton of seasoning, but probably because it didn't need it. I'm seeing more and more places doing red and white sauce like the Halal Guys in NYC, and I'm all about it. The red sauce is bold and spicy, the white sauce is cool and refreshing, like Greek yogurt. They go amazing together, and I'd eat them on anything. It included two heavily seasoned pieces of pita. I'm guessing they were seasoned specifically for this meal, because the fresh mint garnish added a huge layer to the lamb meat. If you order this, I recommend asking for a ton of extra pitas seasoned just like that, even if you have to pay more. The shawarma is one of our favorites. They're not stingy with the sauce, and there's a good mix of veggies and lettuce. Extra credit for Lebanese pickles, they went a long way. The beef was a little chewy, but packed a punch. It's coated in a thick brown sauce that tastes similar to A1, but the meat itself is packed with different tastes - most notably nutmeg. I'm guessing they season it with garam masala. We definitely would have ordered some pitas if we knew it didn't include them. The sambusas were packed full of ground beef. The texture was pretty tough, but once you get past the corners they're so packed it doesn't matter. It seemed to be mostly just ground beef with little or no seasoning, but it came with a pretty flavorful dip. Not sure if it has a name, but it's Greek yogurt whipped into a frothy mixture and mixed with mint. It had a super light and airy texture that didn't match our expectations for a yogurt based dip. If you leave it for too long, it'll fall back down into an unpleasantly thin liquid like whipped cream. Texture aside though, the taste is immaculate and turned a bland sambusa into a full spectrum of flavor. Finally, we have the eggplant salad. This was our first time trying it, so I have nothing to compare it with. We tried to Google it to get a feel for what we were ordering, and the images were all over the map. I'm not sure if there's a standard or if it's a free for all. What we got was a very creamy mix of eggplant, roasted red peppers and onions. I'm guessing a lot of the creaminess is tahini, which gives it a toasted/smokey taste. It was unlike anything we've ever had before, and we're absolutely hooked. I'll definitely make sure I have pitas for it next time, it's pretty intense eating something this creamy by itself. This has been one of our favorite take out meals in a while. I hope these guys are here to stay.

I visited this new restaurant today for lunch. I have never had middle eastern food, and I had NO…read moreidea what I was missing. my husband and I chose two very different things to try... both delicious. we live right nearby and will definitely be visiting again. the prices were reasonable, the decor was lovely and most importantly it was delicious. this is my first review I've ever left on Yelp... it was that good.

Lafa Mediterranean by Zeina is like the Cava of Mediterranean food, and I mean that as a full…read morecompliment. It's a build-your-own, line-style setup, and when we arrived there was a good line of people--which is usually a good sign. My friend JD picked the place, so I let him go first and watched how it worked. I ended up getting a bowl with falafel and just loaded it up. I chose salad instead of a full bed of rice, with just a little rice added. By the time we were done building it, my bowl was so full I could barely close the lid and that's exactly how I like it. The food was fresh, healthy, and flavorful. The staff were very friendly and patient while we made our choices. If I lived in this area, this would absolutely be one of my go-to spots for a regular meal: healthy, fresh, nice atmosphere, and good people behind the counter. Easy 5 stars for Lafa

Lafa Mediterranean by Zeina's on Commercial Drive in New Hartford continues to impress with its…read morefresh, wholesome Mediterranean flavors and inviting atmosphere. The restaurant is built around a build-your-own bowl or pita concept, offering vibrant ingredients, aromatic spices, and perfectly balanced textures in every bite. I ordered the chicken shawarma bowl with rice, greens, and plenty of toppings each element tasted clean and homemade. The chicken was tender with that smoky-charred edge you want in shawarma, complemented by crispy chickpeas, tangy pickled turnips, and creamy hummus. What really adds to Lafa's appeal is the modern, comfortable setting and outdoor seating area, perfect for enjoying your meal in the fresh air on a sunny day. The vibe is relaxed yet polished, making it just as great for a quick lunch as a laid back dinner with friends. The staff are friendly and efficient, keeping the service quick without ever feeling rushed. Portions are very generous for the price, and the freshness is undeniable you leave full but never weighed down. Their apple cider green tea is refreshing and pairs perfectly with the bold spices of the food. Between the clean ingredients, generous bowls, and the option to dine outside, Lafa has the balance of health, flavor, and atmosphere perfectly figured out. It's one of those places that keeps you coming back not just for the food, but for the overall good energy.

I absolutely adore this place, their vibe, the menu offerings, chatting with the owner, and the…read moreprompt service. The wings and potato wedges are absolutely top notch, but I've not yet had an item from this place that was less than excellent. Sometimes they have special pricing for certain items, especially in Wednesday afternoons. They also have regular off-menu special items posted in the store but not always online.

Service was quick and friendly. Clean interior with minimal decor. Comfortable seating and several…read moretables. My order came up quickly and you can see your order being made. The burger was tasty and the wedges were flavorful and crispy. I just wish there was some more sauce on the burger.