Did not enjoy the food. My sandwich was not fresh. The staff treated me poorly and the resturant did not look well kept. Won't be returning

My best friend and I were in the FiDi particularly around California St. I was tasked with finding a lunch spot, so I Yelped what was around us. I saw that Sababa was conveniently located around the corner, and the menu looked considerably healthy. I liked that Sababa provided assembly line build-your-own bowls, because I was hangry and wanted something made quickly. My best friend and I arrived at Sababa around 1:30pm. I figured that the lunch rush would've died down by then, but the place was still crackin'. Thankfully there was no line to order, but all the indoor seating was occupied. Sababa felt cramped and claustrophobic inside too. Even if there was an available indoor table, my best friend had her baby in tote. There was just no way she could've placed the stroller in a way that would not be some type of fire hazard or would not block other guests from freely moving to and from their tables. We were able to snag an empty table outside though, and it was a plus that it was a gorgeous day. I ordered a Sababa bowl, and I thought it was delicious and filling. I felt stuffed halfway through, but I was definitely stoked knowing I got to continue eating my leftovers for dinner. The bowl came with hummus, and then you had the choice of a protein (falafel, chicken, beef kofta, and sabik), and 3 salads. The chicken and kofta were premium proteins, so they added an extra $2 to the base price. For my protein I had sabik, which was fried eggplant and an egg boiled for 300-minutes. I really liked the way the eggplant was prepared. For my salads I got the Israeli salad, Moroccan Carrot, and Roasted cauliflower. I liked that each salad had its own unique flavors and textures, yet everything complimented each other very well. I had a piece of my best friend's kofta. I did think that the beef was a bit dry, but the spices used were great. Customer service was fine. The staff members were friendly and helpful with the ordering process. read more

Sababa - Bowl: Moroccan carrots, Israeli salad, roasted cauliflower, hummus, fried eggplant and 300 minute egg - Mediterranean Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

It's been 2 years since I had it cuz I don't come into the city anymore after the pandemic. Today I made a trip and I was craving this so badly and walked 25 min to get this. It's still as good as I remembered. So tasty and healthy. The owner is also super nice. Hope this store stays read more

Really solid place in the financial district! Super fast like chipotle and quality beyond chipotle. Came at noon with no line really. Food: I got a half half of eggplant and chicken! I also got the beets quinoa and the cauliflower sides which I liked a lot. Especially the beets, super light and refreshing! The chicken was super savory and the eggplant crisp. Service: Quick chipotle serving and small amount of seating indoors. Ambiance: Super super casual place. Overall will probably come again if I want a solid Mediterranean meal! read more

Sababa - Chicken plate - Mediterranean Near Me - San Francisco, California

Ok, so a fast, fresh, healthy place where you can get delicious tasting food? Let's try Sababa! And I did. Absolutely delicious. You can watch them baking fresh (fresh!) pita bread. If you aren't into bread, they have bowls or rice bowls you can choose from. Follow the menu of choosing a main (falafal, chicken, eggplant with egg, etc.) and sides (cauliflower salad, roasted beets, carrot salad, cabbage salad, etc.). If you're hungry, the bowl will satisfy you. If you're worried about it not, you can get a pita bread to go with it. It's worth it. Each of the sides had it's own deliciousness (the carrot salad had a fresh, citrus-y flavor, the roasted cauliflower salad, and just the right touch of jalapeno pepper). Really everything was delicious. They even have baklava if you want something sweet after your meal. This place is a treasure. Great for vegetarians, and just if you want to eat healthy. read more

I'm Sam Fran for a few days for work, and wanted some Mediterranean food that was nearby. This place has pretty close, so I gave it a try. See below for pros and cons. Pros: --guy behind the counter was super helpful and friendly. Shout out to him. If I knew his name, I would mention it here. --pretty cool "bowl" system. It appears to be modeled after the chipotle system. --the pita is served fresh and hot --they provide samples, in case you don't know what certain items taste like. --the green sauce is a MUST! It's sooooo good. --you can see them prepare them food. (A plus during these Covid times.) --there is outside seating Cons: --the hummus by itself really isn't that good. BUT, it's Surprisingly really good when eaten in combination with the other items. --you can run up the ticket pretty easily with the add-ons. Overall: If I lived in the area, I would probably visit often. read more

Sababa - Bowl with a protein and three salads. - Mediterranean Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

Love their food , simple delicious healthy great combination for lunch at work . My favorite is Sabik bowl ( roasted eggplant ) with different salads read more

Quick, healthy lunch takeout option! I got the falafel bowl that came with hummus and 3 salads - I chose the red cabbage, quinoa, and Israeli salad. The falafel was fresh, not dry, and I was given a decent amount too! Happy I tried Sababa! read more

See all

After the treatment I received today, I won't be returning (unfortunate since I've been multiple times & enjoyed their food )... Basically the cashier seemed rattled with my presence --as though I didn't fit a "particular demographic". Prejudice was written all over his face but I chose to overlook it with kindness....but damn how much more sing-songy & polite did I need to be cuz he was bent on me being a nuisance. When I went to pay he *sternly* ordered I hand over my credit card to swipe it (the general machine he said wasn't working so he'd have to do it from his end. Not a problem but I hesitated with the frenzied energy he directed at me--- I currently have THREE cards in my wallet that have been scraped up from mishandling & I didn't want this to be the same . As I hand it over, I POLITELY try to explain to him what my reservation was & he shuts me down & brushes me off like problematic scum. No eye contact the entire time. He then roughly swiped my card! And after, in a fake performative smile blurts "Thank You" .. with colluding energy towards the White Guy standing behind me. I absolutely WON'T be patronizing here anymore. If I'd simply asked for my card back & walked out the store...I COULD TELL NARRATIVE WAS ALREADY BEING SPUN THAT I'D REFUSED CUZ MY CARD WAS PROBABLY "STOLEN". I'm not about to go anywhere where I'm treated suspect or feel threatened to be held hostage off some narrative someone weaves... because *THEY* got issues. ABSOLUTELY NOT! I don't need that in my life. Not happening in 2023. read more

STOP!!! The car cause you cannot sleep on Sababa. I got caught sleeping and don't want you to do the same. Looking for something different than the usual, fresh and filling you have to put Sababa on your rotation. read more

Simple straightforward pita w falafel and humus. Done so good. Fast. Cheap. Easy. Thank god for places like this. I'll come back any time I'm in the area. Sababa is the best. read more

Yummy lo-carb meals. I got their chicken and hummus plate from meal pal and it was quite tasty! Its a big portion of chicken, hummus, carrot medley, tomatoes, cucumber and green quinoa. read more

Sababa - Chicken bowl with hummus and quinoa - Mediterranean Near Me - San Francisco, California

I love variety in my food! Everything they offer looks delicious. I got half and half with both falafels and eggplant - great decision. The falafels were fried very well and moist on the inside. The eggplant was full of flavor (on the saltier side) and completely tender. The creaminess was balanced out with the fresh side salads. My favorite was the roasted beets, so refreshing. Overall a high-quality and well-balanced work lunch. read more

Sababa - Build-Your-Own Bowl - Mediterranean Near Me - San Francisco, California

Was in Fidi for a doctor's appointment and wanted to bring home some dinner. There aren't a lot of Mediterranean options near us so decided to try Sababa. We got a hummus bowl with eggplant and rice bowl with kebab. I love that the hummus bowl comes with your choice of THREE salads. I love good veggie sides! The carrot salad was my favorite. The eggplant was really good too! read more

One of the best Mediterranean restaurants in the city that makes good falafels! The falafels here are made in the house. They fried them frequently so they are usually served freshly made. They are crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. Perfectly seasoned and have a nice crunch. My go-to is the falafel and sabik bowl with tabbouleh, grilled cauliflower and the Israeli salad. I tried the roasted beet before but I didn't like that as much because it doesn't have a lot of flavor to it but it does add a nice touch of color into the bowl. The portion is big enough to split into two meals or between two people if you are not a big eater. Service is really fast so perfect for a quick grab and go. There's not many tables though. Overall I will recommend this place if you are craving Mediterranean food. This place is very consistence with the food quality and flavor. read more

Sababa - Falafel bowl - Mediterranean Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

We stumbled upon this place while walking and got a chicken wrap. It was so good that two days we drove through busy SF rush hour to get the same thing again. I live in SF for 12 years now and think I found a new fave place by accident. read more

I stumbled upon Sababa looking for a quick lunch on the go. Didn't know anything about it nor did my usual Yelp homework. Well, this falafel pita sandwich was amazing! I had heard that in Israel, the falafel are smaller than in other Middle Eastern countries where the falafel are bigger and put in a pita wrap. Here the pita was a pocket filled with goodness: hummus spread, tiny crispy falafels with the right amount of spices and pickled cabbage and other delicious vegetable condiments . Tahini sauce toped the whole thing. I added the pickled red onions that are available next to the sauces and everything was A+ It is $11 with tax but it is a huge sandwich and a complete vegetarian lunch. I noticed the trend in SF for other Israeli based eateries and I can't wait to try others but for now Sababa won me over. read more

See all

This place comes up as a search results when typing in halal food on yelp. BEWARE this place is NOT halal. I tried the Chicken shawarma pita and it was sooo goood. But when I went the second time my conscious was telling me to ask if they are halal or even kosher turns out they are not. I guess I will not be going back, but maybe I can get the veggie option. Bummed this place is truly good, but BE AWARE IT IS NOT HALAL/KOSHER. Yelp needs to take it off the halal search results . read more

See all

Ordered in through DoorDash. Service was fast, food was tasty. Excellent kitchen, will order again.

They didnt even print the ticket for my order when i ordered lmao. Took an extra 30 minutes of standing in a place that wasnt busy. Dont order online ever... read more

You mean the pita is NOT included in the hummus bowl? Anyhow, I came in here without a clue how this place works, other than that they have hummus, falafel, meats, and sides/salads. The hummus bowl looked great, since I really like some good hummus, so I ordered one of those. The person over the counter did not give any direction, so I was semi-blindly choosing stuff. I got the falafel hummus bowl, which started with a scoop of the hummus on the bottom of the bowl, then with the falafel, and then the 3 sides/salads. I picked the beets, Turkish, and carrots. Then I went to pay, and the cashier "offered" a pita and a side of sauce. I said sure, ok, thinking all that stuff was included with the bowl. Nope, the pita was an additional dollar. Slightly over $14 for a bowl and a pita. This better be the best bowl I would have eaten all year. The hummus - seems that the hummus can be very inconsistent based on the various Yelp reviews. Some say it's chunky, some say it's not. Mine was not. It was rather liquidly that I could barely coat the falafels in there. It was more like dressing for the "salads," which was kind of liquid-y in some sense too. The flavor was alright. I would have been just as content with pre-packaged hummus. The falafel - aw, how cute those chickpea balls are. So very cute. They sell 9 of them for under $4, and I thought mine only had 8 in there. Was it 9? Did I eat one and forget? The falafel is pretty good, but can get a bit dry with so much crispy edge or surface area. The salads - not too much flavor to be honest. The beets were very bland. I liked the Turkish salad and the carrots though. Some of it was a bit liquid-y, as toward the bottom of my bowl, there was just so much liquid. Will most likely try some other places similar before I return. read more

Sababa - Hummus bowl with falafel, Israeli salad, beets, and Moroccan Carrot - Mediterranean Near Me - San Francisco, California

I love Sabababababa. Tasty and healthy The restaurant is very clean. It also has a nice outside dinning area. Always packed during lunch time! Protein: Chicken 4.5/5 One thing I love about sababa is that they really give you a lot of meat! Ground beef Kabob 4/5 Fried eggplant 4/5 Surprisingly good! I usually don't go with the vegetarian option, but one time I tried the fried eggplant pita sandwich and fell in love with it! Sides: cauliflower with cucumber and pine nuts 5/5 Super good! After trying it for the first time, I get this side every time. Quinoa salad 4.5/5 Cabbage 4/5 Carrots I don't eat carrots so I won't give it a rating haha. read more

See all

Disclaimer: Didn't have an in-store experience, food was delivered to us for a lunch meeting. I don't eat a ton of Mediterranean food, so I'm going to be upfront in saying I am not an expert when it comes to reviewing this type of cuisine. LOL We pre-ordered our bowls; I had chicken, roasted cauliflower, roasted carrots, and some sort of cucumber + tomato salad in my bowl. The cucumber + tomato salad was supposed to be quinoa, but oh well! The chicken was nice and flavorful, but some pieces were a little knotty. The roasted cauliflower was lacking in flavor for me... Maybe I'm just used to cooking with too much garlic. :/ The tomato + cucumber salad, even though that part of the bowl was wrong, was super yummy. The cucumbers tasted pickled, and I'm alllll about pickled! The bowl also had some hummus in it, and their hummus is super tasty! Definitely a healthy, filling lunch option for sure! Not sure it'd be my first choice, but I'm glad I got to try it. read more

Sababa - Chicken bowl with hummus, avocado, roasted carrots, and Roasted Cauliflower - Mediterranean Near Me - San Francisco, California

My favorite place that serves Israeli, Mediterranean food. Always fresh, delicious and great customer service. Love to order Salad bowl with Falafel, Kofta and Sabik with their Homemade pitta on the side. Thank you Sababa for your delicious food! read more

Sababa - Chicken Pita Sandwich - Mediterranean Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

Yummy, fast, pleasant people, clean and pleasant place to sit and a good deal. I got the falafel bowl with rice, couscous and cucumber/ tomato salad. And they have a bathroom, too! read more

Ordered a Falafel Pita Sandwich, as seen on the box. Due to a dietary restriction, I am not able to eat chicken or meat at the moment, so I went with the falafel option. However, upon opening my sandwich, it had zero falafel and was stuffed with chicken. read more

Sababa - Mediterranean Near Me - San Francisco, California

Wow - amazed by this place. I lived in Tel Aviv for 8 years and miss the food. The food at Sababa is so authentic and fresh. I could have been in Israel!! Highly recommend. Insider TIP: Go beyond falafel- which rocks - also try the Sabich, a favorite of locals in Israel. its eggplant in a pita, served like falaffel read more

Sababa - Awesome sabich (eggplant, egg and hummus - Mediterranean Near Me - San Francisco, California

The best health food, the best pita and chicken bowl in years. A absolute must have if you're in town read more

Sababa - Chicken Bowl - Mediterranean Near Me - San Francisco, California

Wow. The food here is always delicious! The service was impeccable. Every time I come to SF, I make sure to come here! The pita bowl and the pita wrap was delicious. I got the chicken shawarma with 3 salads. My bf got the kofta wrap- delicious! The employees were so kind and gave us extra falafels. I will always come back! read more

Sababa - Chicken shawarma bowl - Mediterranean Near Me - San Francisco, California

For better or worse, I don't currently work in the FiDi, so when former colleagues tell me about new places in the area they've tried, I usually utter an inchoate "hmmm", resigned to the likelihood that popular eateries in the area are generally closed after 3PM when I am nowhere near the area. Indeed this place does close at 3PM, but perhaps acknowledging the ongoing presence of a workaholic population, they reopen at 5 and stay open until 9PM. So on one recent evening, I took advantage of a bank errand on Kearny to come here. When I arrived, I suddenly recalled this space was previously occupied by a Cuban fast-food spot called Paladar where they made a pretty good Cubano sandwich and sweet plantains. Alas, trading Cubanos for Israeli fast food sounds like an epicurean detente, but the transition has produced a cafe with healthy and tasty results. The execution was certainly familiar, an assembly line production much like Chipotle, Mixt, or sweetgreen where you customize your plate or bowl one ingredient at a time. Everyone in the FiDi knows the routine. In my constant avoidance of a carb overload, I chose a $12 Bowl and added Chargrilled Chicken in Shawarma Spice for an additional $2. It came with a dollop of hummus and three salads out of a selection of five. First up was the fresh-tasting Israeli Salad with chopped tomato, cucumber, and onion. Second was the sweet and savory Roasted Beets with labane cheese and za'atar spices. Last was the hearty Roasted Cauliflower with pine nuts, celery, and Serrano pepper (photo: http://bit.ly/2AEOAwv). The sum of the parts meshed well into a filling and flavorful meal. As if that wasn't enough, I weakened when the cashier asked if I wanted some pita to which I nodded my head mindlessly (photo: http://bit.ly/2zMHPsc). There were a number of unique condiments on a self-serve shelf like pickled vegetables and spicy sauces that worked as ideal components to the soft, warm round of pita (photo: http://bit.ly/2ictZb0). The chef is Israeli-born Guy Eshel from One Market and the late AQ, so this is truly restaurant-quality food served in a very casual setting. This was definitely not a Chipotle burrito bowl. It was far more thoughtfully created with the flavors well balanced. FOOD - 4 stars...delicious albeit a bit pricey Israeli food disguised as a Chipotle burrito bowl AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...could be more spacious for those of us who dine in SERVICE - 4 stars...quite obliging and generous in their portions TOTAL - 4 stars...casual Middle Eastern fare done right read more

See all

WOWW..... omgggg !!! This is seriously the BEST GREEK FOOD I HAVE EVER HAD beats nick the Greek by far. I accidentally stumbled upon this place nestled in San Francisco and I'm so happy I stopped here. I'm really extremely picky anyone that knows me and have severe food allergies so a lot of times food is so disappointing to me but ... YOU HAVE TO COME HERE! You will not be disappointed read more

This place is incredible. As someone who loves Cava, but lives in Northern California, I am always on the hunt for a great build your own Mediterranean bowl. This place delivers and might even be better than Cava. I ordered the bowl without rice (it is filling enough without). I got half eggplant and half falafel (they gave me four of them). They do not give the egg if you go with half and half, but I was okay with that. For salads I got the Israeli and the cauliflower (both were amazing). The whole salad was incredible and the hummus at the bottom was really a great addition. I cannot recommend this place enough. It's really a great spot downtown. It was also extremely quick. I went at 12:20 and the line was a breeze to get through. read more

Sababa - Mediterranean Near Me - San Francisco, California

Yummy and fresh food! Their pita bread is always warm, fresh baked, and delicious. I took out a star because I ordered on their website for pick up and they did not include my sauces and utensils, but they were on the order ( I double checked.) I should have checked the bag, but they are always so friendly. Nothing is more frustrating then getting back to the office, super excited and ready to devour your lunch, only to find there is no utensil to eat it with and no sauces to pour over. Always check your order and don't assume the employees didn't forget anything. read more

Did not like the falafel. Bread was not fresh. I have had much better falafel at other places.

If you are in SF and looking for a quick bite that is not chipotle -- you're in luck. Wow!!! From the flavor to the fresh ingredients. To the kind staff and efficient ordering. Can't wait to be back. read more

Sababa - Sandwich!! - Mediterranean Near Me - San Francisco, California

Took my friends to this place. Yummy food, quick ordering, lots if choices. Loved it! Will come back!

Sababa is a small little pita gem located on Kearny st. I always look forward to a good Greek/Mediterranean eatery so decided to stop by and try it. I ordered a pita stuffed with falafel and eggplant. One bite into their falafel immediately made me think 5 stars! Seriously in contention for the best falafel I've had. They were fried perfectly and retained a tender cake-like texture. Very good flavor as well, I was tempted to order some falafel on the side. The eggplant was alright, super tender as well but I regretted getting half and half. The pita itself is very fluffy and made FRESH! Also, the pita comes in this very well designed box that you can carry around contained and tears in half for easy access. Plus everything they give you is compostable (brownie points for being green!). The place is quite small so seating is limited but since the pitas are so portable you can take it Togo. Prices are very reasonable for fresh and healthy hot food. Good portions, fast service. Overall, very impressed and would highly recommend if you're in the area. Food: 5/5 Value: 4.5/5 Service: 4/5 Overall: 4.75/5 read more

Sababa - Pita with falafel and eggplant - Mediterranean Near Me - San Francisco, California

They know me! Do you ever go to a place often enough that they know your face? Well for me, Sababa is that place! I regularly order MealPal at Sababa every week. I've tried everything from the chicken, kofta, and falafel bowls. My favorite has to be the falafel! It's the perfect texture of crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The other meals are great, too. Although I'm limiting my bread consumption, I make an exception for Sababa. The freshly baked pita is phenomenal, especially right out of the oven. Fresh pita is so much better than store bought, which Mediterranean places often serve. It's fluffier and has a way better texture that also melts in your mouth when you combine it with hummus. I am also a big fan of the quinoa that comes in the bowl, which is a fantastic healthy grain! If you order MealPal, this place sells out after 30 minutes. If you don't have MealPal, go anyway if just to taste freshly baked pita bread for the first time in your life. Staff is absolutely wonderful!! Eatery is small, but a great lunch spot in the FiDi with a couple outdoor cafe tables. read more

Sababa - Pita fresh out of the oven - Mediterranean Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

I guess I get what the buzz is all about for Sababa. It's quite a lot of branding and packaging really but the hype might be justified for delicious falafel and the meticulous assembly of their pita sandwiches. The falafels are wells seasoned, crispy on the outside, and not too dry. I think they rival Sunrise Deli. As mentioned before, the pita sandwiches are meticulously assembled so you get the falafel, hummus, tomato, cucumber, onions, red cabbage, and tahini all layered in such that you always get a bite of everything. Ingredients are fresh. Pickled veggies on the side add a nice and bright counterpoint. The box folds down should you want to save some for later. It's a pricier Mediterranean fast-casual lunch. A lunch bowl with meat takes it over $15 though the falafel sanwich is closer to $10. Still, it's a delicious meal which makes Sababa a worthwhile lunch spot to consider. read more

Sababa - Mediterranean Near Me - San Francisco, California

Yummy Shababa is like a chipotle of me Mediterranean food.. the food is always fresh and never disappoints.. u can't go wrong with anything on the menu .. if your vegetarian or plant base this is weee u need to be .. dnt forget to grab some sauce especially the hot sauce read more