I tend to go here with family when we visit Charlottesville and have other things to do in town…read more(catch a UVA game, movie, etc.). Even when they were very busy, the wait for a seat is rather short. It's mainly four-top seats but they can push together tables as needed. There's music always playing and not a lot of padding to soften noise so I'd call the location "average" loud. Downtown Charlottesville doesn't really do free parking. You can park at the next corner in open parking to the left or paid parking to the right. But we're talking $2 or so, not a bank-breaking experience and with lots of shopping across the street it's worth staking out a spot and then walking the area. What I like: The food is tasty. The appetizers are solid. There's a large enough menu that you can always try something new. And the portions are ample enough to share. What I'm not so fond of: The waitstaff spend a lot of time at the front scrolling on their phones. They aren't too keen on refilling your drinks either. I say this as someone who has eaten here about a dozen times. Also, I don't normally mind cameras, but there are enough blinking lights on cameras to make it feel more like a jewelry store than a restaurant. That said, if you are not in a hurry, want some good food in solid portions, and plan to do some shopping or window shopping downtown, this has been my go-to place for years.

This restaurant is a prominent corner space and offers a some regional ambiance. The food includes…read moresome vegetarian choices typical of Mediterranean cuisine, and the platter I got included a bunch of them. It's largely cold items and salads and was ready almost immediately. There were one or two things in there I didn't like, but with a sampler this size you've got options. Their spiced mashed potatoes and white bean salad were notably flavorful. A pomegranate tea tasted a bit too much like juice and not enough like tea for me. I'd just get a plain tea if I had to choose again. Having said that, I needed some variety in my diet and I was happy to have received it here.

First of all, know that Babylon is a market that happens to make delicious food. There are about 4…read moresmall tables inside and several more outside. As far as a Middle Eastern market it's pretty typical. They make the best of the shelf space by stocking them to the max. If you've never spent time in the Middle East then it may seem cluttered, but this is normal for this type of store. There were 4 of us and we ate inside. The absolute stars of Babylon are the food and the people. The gentlemen working were very helpful with the menu and super attentive to anything we might need. They're from Kurdistan and were all very very nice. The food was wonderful. We got 2 large sample platters, large hummus, and a small tabbouli salad. One of the gentlemen heard me telling my friends how they make the Saj bread, within minutes he brought out a large fresh Saj for them to try. It was hot and amazing. All the meat on the platter had great flavor. The rice was delicious, flavorful, and extremely plentiful. The hummus was good. The tabbouli was very fresh with a nice citrus flavor. The platter came with falafel, Saj, sauces, small cups of lentil soup, plates of pickled veggies (2 types of cabbage, jalapeños), along with olives, onion, cucumbers, and lettuce. The fresh baklava was absolutely amazing. To cut the sweetness they gave us some delicious black tea to finish the meal. We all loved Babylon and will be going back whenever we're in the area.

Road tripping to PA for a wedding we got incredibly lucky to find Babylon! It looks like a store…read morefrom the outside and it is, however, they have a great food service and a few tables inside. The food was delicious, the people were really friendly and the store was packed with interesting food items. I really wish I had been on my way back as I would have purchased a lot of the foodstuffs, but alas we were still heading north. Next time, I'll plan on it!

Today a friend and visited Natalie's for the first time. We were very pleased either our…read moreexperience. The food was excellent and service was very attentive. The decor was attractive. We started by sharing a hot Mezze platter that included falafel, beef kibbeh, cheese rolls, brussel sprouts, and house-made pickles. For the our main course I had the beef shawarma wrap and my friend had the chicken shawarma wrap. Both were delicious as were the Za'atar fries. The wraps are large enough that we were each able to bring home a half of our wraps and fries. We learned on our visit that Natalie's has a new owner. We had selected Natalie's because they "believe in building and strengthening communities by creating spaces where people of all abilities can thrive and grow in the workplace." I hope the new owner will continue this mission.

My daughter and I enjoyed a scrumptious lunch at Natalie's the other day. We love the ambience…read morehere; the décor is attractive and we love the artwork. It's a great place for a celebration or even a quick meal. We chose a variety of items to share - chicken Shawarma, brussels sprouts, eggplant fries, and baba ghanoush. Every dish was perfect and delicious! David was very attentive to us and checked back with us several times to be sure we were enjoying everything. When we mentioned that we were celebrating a belated Mother's Day and birthday, he was kind enough to bring us baklava! He also prepared us some excellent strong Lebanese coffee, which was a great end to our meal. When we go to Natalie's, one of our favorite restaurants, we always feel that we've had a very special dining experience.

Went over the summer, sat outside. Other than the occasional loud car going by, it was a great…read moreexperience. Food was good, waitress was helpful with all aspects of the meal.

Orzo was heaven to me. I had the salmon dish and it was cooked perfectly. Well seasoned, each bite…read moremelted in my mouth. My companions had the bolognese and the grilled New York steak and there was not a single complaint. They had a wonderful wine menu and a decent beer selection. Our server Stephen was phenomenal, extremely personable and attentive to our needs. It's a fairly dark restaurant, not loud, comfortable vibe.

My salon was amazing we both loved are dinner with salmon had so much fun ... I enjoyed a salad,…read moreHermaine lettuce with tomatoes and onions and feta cheese inside order of salmon. With a lemon dressing and black olives, or maybe they were red olives and cucumber..

Placed a pick up order for my daughter who is a fan of CAVA and this location,…read more Parking can be challenging with it being tight. The strip has ABC store beside it. The order was placed in the pick up area. It was ready within 10 minutes. The two staff I interacted with were both helpful and friendly. Most of the pick ups were UVA students. The dining room was pretty busy and looked clean. Trash containers were within their boundaries. CAVA offers healthier options and good quality.

This is my first time going to Shawarma Bistro since it arrived on Parham Road. It was such a great…read moreexperience! The shawarma was one of the best I've ever had. There was seating inside and carry out. So, both options are available. The falafel was nice and crunchy. Honestly the pita bread was absolutely incredible. The people who worked there were some of the nicest people I've ever met. Would highly recommend. As a single mom, I went in there and felt happy, relaxed, and very full!

This place was amazing and delicious! Great service as well. Definitely a banging place for lunch!read more

You will notice there's no photo attached to this review…read more.. That's because my salad did not survive long enough for a picture. The Lebanese Salad was so simple, but so good!. Delightfully fresh and filling. Lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, sliced red onions, chickpeas, dill, mint, a bit of lemon and some olive oil... and I got mine topped with a generous portion of gyro meat. Absolutely amazing. The gyro meat was tender and flavorful, and the lemon and herbs in the dressing gave the salad an extra brightness and freshness that made the whole thing so delightful. I didn't think it was possible to enjoy a simple salad so much. I'm sitting outside of the restaurant right now seriously deciding if I want to go back in and order one more to take home.

Yes! Eat here! The minute you walk in it smells amazing. The food is amazing, the produce is fresh…read moreand the service is wonderful. The environment is also very clean.

I had this place like 8 years ago and I could not remember the name of it because we went in a whim…read morelooking for find while are a conference! But! I found it again! Fabulous! Delish authentic options to eat for sure but the people The people who work there so kind just like the last time I was there. In a world of people that seem to be getting nastier and nastier, THIS place is a gem! Service and Food!

Quaint bakery with a hot food bar, deli, dessert rack and small market. It was clean and organized…read more First time there, so of course I needed help and they were very willing to help. I think you can get a combo meal with two sides on most of their entree items. I got a spinach and feta and chicken fatayers, which is like a giant bread pocket with filling inside. I enjoyed it, very flavorful. I think if I wanted it again, I need to be in the mood and have the craving for it. Their hummus was tasty, but not as thick as I like my hummus to be. It's good, just the texture got me. Their tabbouleh was amazing. Also bought a pistachio baklava which was incredible. Never had that flavor and this will be the biggest reason I return to their bakery. Very fulfilling lunch. Thank you for the experience!