Great food! I had chicken shawarma and rice, my daughter had a kabob, and my husband had a shawarma sandwich. My daughter and I enjoyed ours, my husband thought there was room for improvement. We agreed about the hummus- delicious! Service was also wonderful. I would have given another star but the bathroom needed some help.
(3)
mo m.
The thing about this place is that it is awesome for lunch and horrible for dinner. I love the lunch buffet so much. They change it up a lot, but usually it's some sort of chicken curry, a veggie thing, pilaf, soup, salad, and baba ganoosh or hummus. It's really fresh if you go at around noon. I like to get the take-out container and eat it for both lunch and dinner, which is a pretty good deal for 10.99. As some other reviewers have pointed out, the decor is terrible. This is why I get the take-out. Unfortunately, they only have the buffet during the school year. I went here for dinner once and it was very disappointing - everything kind of tasted the same, and I felt like it was overpriced for what was offered. So yeah, get the lunch buffet September-May.
(3)
Stacy H.
Sadly it seems Aladdin's has changed. We used to really enjoy this place. Tonight the food seemed overcooked or just warmed up. Server was nice but seemed new and untrained. We arrived at 5ish and noticed a banner saying Happy Hour from 4-7 outside. The server was like "no it's over." The Baba Ganoush is still delicious and smokey. The pita bread seemed store bought. :-(
(3)
Jacob M.
The food was delightful and full of flavor, our waitress was very accomodating and police; no complaints.
(5)
Elena J.
I'm surprised that this restaurant got a bunch of good reviews! I ordered the chicken shawerma sandwich and the quality of the food was so low I could not even finish the first bite. The chicken was not fresh and the tabbouleh salad was awful. Please use fresh ingredients and please please clean your restaurant!
(1)
Sheila E.
Just ate at this place for the first time last night, and I thought it was amazing. I loved my Kafta Kebabs with lemon rice! Really nice staff and reasonable priced. I will definitely be going back there again.
(5)
Jennifer L.
The service was pleasant, but slow. The appetizer combo was served on a metal prison style tray, which was pretty amusing. The food was mostly incredibly bland. The Moroccan Lamb Shank was the only thing with any real flavor. Can't say I'd be returning here.
(1)
Brandon L.
What's not to love. Reasonably priced veggie lunch with excellent middle eastern sweet tea. I have only had lunch, and only the vegetarian mezza platter. But love the food, the middle eastern pop music on the tv, and the local color brought in by the video poker machines.
(4)
Don F.
I have finally given up on Aladdin's Cafe. I am not going back again. I have been dining here since they opened several years ago. The service was always bad -- I lived with it. Over the past couple of years the owners have become scarce (they bought another restaurant), the portions have gotten smaller and now the quality of food has gotten worse and the quantity smaller. The other night we ordered a mezza platter for 2 to go and 3 other dishes, as well. They sent 2 pieces of pita bread. Not the warm yummy bread they use to make fresh to order, but two small store-bought pita breads. Really? This is what they think is quality food and how to treat their customers. I expressed my displeasure to the fellow working the counter. He could not care less. I give up on Aladdin's Cafe. There is another middle eastern place on Alberta.They get my business from now on.
(1)
Jesse D.
I had a fallafel sandwich wrap with some lahem-b-khyar and was blown away at how good it was, and also mostly Vegen! ( lahem-b-khyar has some milk in it for the yogurt). It was so great I even thanked the Chef, Kyle, and plan to come back here repeatidly. If the drive wasn't so far I would probably eat out here multiple times a week! Talking with staff I heard someone mention Hookah coming down the works. Oooo keeps getting better!
(5)
Lisa B.
I can't get enough of the chicken shwarma which is tender and juicy, the bread is light and delicious, the Mehumara is worth the trip, alone, and the basmati rice is made with saffron, the way it should be! Then there's the cheese Safeeha... What can I say, it's all so good. Yum! Yum! Yum, yum, yum! I recently took my first generation, Syrian American, friend with me and found out that the food is reminiscent of her Father's cooking. Getting her approval was the icing on the... well, on the yummy desserts.
(5)
Mathew B.
These guys and gals are great, fantastic food, great service, and super nice.
(4)
Jessica L.
I've eaten at Aladdin's several times in the past (mostly take out since it's near my house) and I've been really happy with the food. So, needless to say I was really excited when I saw a Google Offer for $20 worth of food at Aladdin's for $10. Aladdin's has always been a little bit spendy given how low-brow the atmosphere is...but the homemade flavor and the portion size have more than compensated for the added price. Their food is really delish. I ordered a plate of lamb schwarma and a mazza plate for two, showed up and prepared to pay using my Offer, the total was....$28. WOW. Alot. I feel like the prices have gone up recently, but still I'm OK with it. Until I see my to-go container of schwarma. It's about HALF the portion size I've come to expect from them, or really from any restaurant as a main course. I asked the waitress...."did you reduce your portion sizes?" She insisted they didn't, and if I could show you the picture I took for this review, I would, you would no doubt concur. But it appears their profile will not allow for outside photos to be posted. Not worth $14. I understand lamb is expensive, but at least put enough rice in the container to make it look like a full meal. Then she gave me the mazza...and I opened the bag to make sure I had enough of that awesome hot homemade bread they make....and it wasn't there. In it's place. COLD, cheap pita bread ala Costco-style. I asked about that as well..and was told that's all they have now. I love Aladdin's, and maybe this was an off night, but I can't see myself paying that much money for half a portion of schwarma and some mazza with cold grocery store bread. Bring back the homemade food Aladdin's!
(3)
Angus V.
I've eaten a here a few times, usually with groupons and the family in tow, so we get a pretty decent deal. The last time we went, they'd gotten new plates and served the food differently. Maybe they're trying to improve the presentation? I'm not sure, but the portions seemed smaller. And fifteen bucks for a couple kabobs isn't really worth it. And the service is horrible. Maybe they don't train their servers. Being a former food server, I tend to tip well. It feels weird to give fifteen percent. The little gambling room doesn't help. I don't mind the TV being on; it's set to some middle eastern station. My wife called it "Syrian MTV", semi-jokingly. While it detracts from dining, it's culturally interesting.
(2)
Tiffanee B.
I thought Aladdin's was already awesome, and then they made it better! They've re-vamped their menu and got swankier plates and though they don't quite fit in with the decor, it adds to the odd cuteness of it for me. -Their chicken shawarma is the best I've ever had, I order it every time I go, it's unlike anything I've ever had. But I try my husbands every time because I figure if the chicken is this good, everything else must be too, and I've loved everything he's ever gotten, the falafel sandwich is amazing as is the cheese safia (not sure on the spelling) it's like a fancy cheese pizza, so delicious. Back to the chicken, I'm super picky about my chicken and they've never served any "funny pieces!" -You have to get the moroccan tea. It's so yummy, sweet and warm and on a cold, rainy Portland day, it's the best! -Everyone who works there is super nice and make you feel at home. We took our daughter the other day and they brought out pan-seared potatoes for her to try...being a typical picky toddler she wasn't into them, but we thought they were wonderful! I love it; it's affordable and delicious...and now I'm hungry.
(5)
Lark A.
Aladdin's Cafe has great lebanese/middle eastern fare and I have tried many dishes here. We live pretty close and a few years back we would frequent this place on a regular basis. That was until they raised their prices in a pretty major way. There are at least 3 other Middle Eastern eateries with in a few blocks of this place so I wonder how it still stays open. They do however have a few dishes that the others lack like the Cheese Safeeha and Zaatar Safeeha which are extremely tasty and very much worth trying. Upon our last visit along with the price increase the food wasn't what we remembered. It really made us sad. The cafe itself lacks the ambiance and service necessary to make up for the raise in prices so I will just drive the few blocks over to Alberta street and get the equally good food(or better) with ambiance & service for the same price. Although I will really miss my safeeha in a big way it just isn't worth it.
(3)
Violet B.
Best option for middle eastern food in the neighborhood.
(3)
Scott M.
The FAIL BOAT sails from Aladdin's Cafe.... So I was really excited to try this place after my friends had raved about it. But it was a total fail on so many points. First, we sat down and ordered our drinks. THEY WERE OUT OF BEER. Not all beer (they had Coors and Bud - puke this is Portland and this is not beer). All the local brews were gone. So, I was thinking "whatever, this is a small joint" and let it slide. My friend sipped the white wine with a "wow" and a nauseous face, so I assume the wine was horrible. Next, I ordered my vegan meal (we're vegans, we don't have a lot of options) and they were out of a key ingredient and couldn't make the dinner. So, whatever, and I ordered the falafel sandwich. The rest of our dinner was pretty uneventful. The hummus was very good as well as the pita. The falafel sandwich was cold when it arrived but was tasty. But the sad tale doesn't end there. As with most cold food deliveries, I think you know where this is heading. After a solid day after of nausea and other unpleasantness it is safe to say those that had the falafel sammy is grabbing for the pepto today. Being out of beer, then out of key ingredients, then dosing us with some kind of stomach ailment equals a TOTAL FAIL. And it too bad, really...the place was cute and waitstaff was friendly.
(1)
Curtis C.
Good food and friendly casual service. Shared the veggie appetizer combo. Partner had falafel pita, I had the lamb shank. Lamb was AWESOME, cooked in a yogurt sauce, and was falling off the bone good. We also shared the spinach bread which was simple and tasty, flavored with sumac. Would definitely go back when in the area.
(4)
Chanin N.
ROTTEN FOOD? Come on Aladdin, I know you can do it! The genie is way out of it's bottle limits. I'm ready to get back on to your magic carpet for a tasty ride. The ROTTEN FOOD? I wanted to taste the megadara's caramelized onions but, there were hardly any on the megadara, which was cold, in a melted plastic container. The worst of it was the whole thing was rancid. Rancid, rancid, rancid. Tonight's meal was real bad. What's with the expensive mediocre falafel sandwiches? What the hell. I wish you could see my disappointed face.
(1)
Haley O.
If you use Restaurant.com , this place is probably good to try once...for the $2 it costs you to buy the coupon. We tried this place with some friends and it was a complete comedy of errors. At one point, I expected Ashton Kutcher to jump out and tell us we were on punked. We ordered grape leaves and baba ganoush (not hummus) and had a short conversation about how we didn't want hummus because my boyfriend was allergic to garbanzo beans. Again, no hummus. She brings a heaping bowl of hummus to our table and seems confused when we remind her that we ordered baba ganoush. "The kitchen must have messed it up," she says. Ok, we'll let that one slide. Baba Ganoush, Hummus - I can see how those two names can look similar on a ticket. On a positive note, the hummus was the highlight of our dinner. We all order our food - two shawarma (sp) wraps, Fatoush salad (remember, not the Greek salad) with chicken, and the lamb kabobs. Fantastic...nothing could go wrong now. Enter the two shawarma wraps. Granted, they were the size of a small building (or a rather large burrito). They tasted okay, but could have been a little spicier. Twoish minutes later the salad appears. A GREEK salad. *sigh*. It tastes pretty good, but when we ask the waitress once again says "wow, I guess the kitchen messed that up." Really? Maybe the problem with this place isn't the service or the food, maybe the cook is blind or illiterate. Finally, after we were all finished eating, the lamb kabobs make their way to our table. Oh wait, I meant the burned lamb kabobs. So burned that we sent them back. The cook at one point came over to ask us how everything was to which we replied with blank stares and forced smiles. It's unfortunate that this place is so inconsistent and even felt a little dirty. I feel like calling Chef Ramsey in to film Kitchen Nightmares. Either way, I wouldn't recommend this place. Nope, not even a little bit.
(2)
Aaron F.
I can see this being four stars, but a couple things held it back. First, it's January and they made the executive decision not to turn the heat on. It was 60 degrees in there. I'm from Minnesota, I can handle cold. I was tempted to ask for a five gallon bucket so I could flip it over and start ice fishing right there. Second, the server (daughter?) had an incredible gift of being able to do everything but provide service, even though we were the only one in the joint (5 PM on a Sunday). These rants aside, the fresh pita and appetizers were tasty. We planned on having entrees too, but it was just too freaking cold.
(3)
Jody W.
I have been to Aladdin's several times over the years and have always been happy to go back. Last night's experience changed that all for me. The food quality has gone down drastically - a $11.99 lamb shawarma had perhaps 50 cents worth of lamb with a tiny sprinkling of tomatoes and lettuce. It's clear the restaurant is cutting corners in hopes that customers are going to stand for it. Not me...last night's visit was my last.
(1)
Madeline W.
This was the second time we have been to Aladdin's, a cute neighborhood restaurant that we've often been curious about. The food is great, but the customer service is terrible. We got there at 8 on a Saturday and we were the only people there. We sat down and were noticed by a busser and said someone would be right with us. We sat for at least 15 minutes before someone finally came to take our order. He said he didn't know we were there. We ordered the vegetarian mazza platter for 2. He came back to our table in a few minutes and said they were out of falafel, but would we like some more hummus as a substitute? We looked at him blankly and confusedly. I laughed nervously and asked if there was something else that could be substituted for the falafel (considering that it is the most substantial part of the mazza platter). He just smiled and offered extra hummus. Baffled, we accepted. The mazza platter arrived. The hummus and pita were exquisite, and the baba ghanoush and tabbouleh were pretty good. They served us cold, weak coffee halfway through our meal, with 1% milk instead of cream. We ran out of pita and sat awkwardly waiting for a second piece, which eventually arrived. The service was so bad, and the lack of falafel was so shocking that I expected a discount on the bill or an apology-- but none came. 3 Stars for the delicious hummus and warm pita, and for being a family place?
(3)
Frank S.
Family of four, dining on a Sunday evening, using our Groupon. Value-wise, it is definitely good, if you have a coupon of some sort. Otherwise, it is a little pricy for what you get. (Espcially the atmosphere). The place is a little dodgy looking from the outside and not hugely better on the inside but let's talk about the food... when you get that craving for kebab and hummus, this place did the trick. For us, the winning entries was the lamb kebab (yeah , a bit overcooked but , let's face it, it's safer this way...), and chelo (sp?)/hamburgerish kebab. Chicken kebab was unfortunately a little bland. Accompanying saled...meh. Baba Ghanoush...also uninspiring. But the hummus made up for it. Dessert was also loved. Service was from a young chickie with a bonafide heavy accent...gotta look at this as adding to the ambiance.
(4)
Christine N.
At the insistence of a friend, we gave Aladdin's another whirl. We were the first guests in for lunch and grabbed a great table. We didn't realize that it was right in front of their fan but the owner quickly came over and discreetly turned off the fan. So thoughtful! So this time we had a different server. She was friendly and attentive. We received our ENTIRE order - hooray!! This visit was remarkably better than our first visit. I'm really glad we went back because we had a great meal. Last time we went, the foul mudamas were pretty good. They changed their recipe and now they're perfect!
(4)
Michelle C.
This place has the best mezze platter I have had in Portland (that includes Nicholas, Hoda's, Ya Hala's, among others). I'm not an expert on authentic middle eastern cuisine, but I do love food! Also ask for a side of the rice with sauce. It's only a couple of bucks and it has some amazing cream sauce on it- don't know what it's made from. I don't think it's on the menu as a side, but they will know what you are talking about.
(4)
Veronica P.
We hadn't been to Aladdin's in years but had fond memories of good food and decided to check them out last weekend. I thought they were closed on Sundays but when we called to check, surprise, they are open after all. Our table of 3 shared the Vegetarian Mazza Combination and the Combination Kabob with Lamb and Chicken. The falafel was very well seasoned and crispy on the outside. It was the highlight of my meal, unfortunately everything else fell short. Most notably the bread tasted like it was freezer burned and was delivered to our table at room temperature. It was dry and stale tasting. The basmati rice that came with the kabob combo was also lacking. The texture was mushy and it almost seemed like something out of a box. The lamb and chicken kabobs were fine, nothing special - 3 pieces of meat on each. I'm not sure if it was an off night, if the owners have changed or if they are cutting some corners but in any case I don't expect to visit again soon.
(2)
Chad R.
Imagine a world overrun with zombies! Imagine the zombies of this world survive on Moroccan Lamb instead of brains! This world that you have now imagined would actually be pretty safe. See, all of the zombies would be at Aladdin's Cafe, ravaging the sweet and savory Moroccan Lamb with dates and apricots that's just OH SO EFF'N GOOD! It would be a shame for us, no longer having access to this divine dish, but probably better to have the zombies at one locale than to have yummy, yummy lamb. Best baba ghanoush I've ever had btw, though I doubt the lamb crazed zombies would care. MMM!!!
(5)
Jennifer S.
Yummy yummy! My sister, 13mo baby, and I just enjoyed a small feast for under $50 and everything was delightful! I can highly recommend the vegetarian appetizer plate, the pita bread cheese pizza thing (can't remember the name), the falafel sandwich (nicely grilled), bakalava, and the iced tea. My baby looked like a crazy baba monster because she couldn't stop scooping it into her mouth (or the area near her mouth). The waitress was very friendly and helpful too!
(5)
beatrix p.
Omg, FINALLY! I've been here for a few months now and have been so depressed by what the Portland natives call 'great middle eastern food' What a joke.. Well cry no more for i have found the motherland of excellent middle eastern vegan food. Aladdin's has in my opinion the BEST falafel in town. The only other place i've tasted such deliciousness was in Berlin where we ate falafel almost every day(When you are vegan, you really get to know the falafel joints world wide) We started off with the Mehumara, the homous and a spinach pie. Then we shared a giant falafel with the tastiest little fried balls of joy.. I'm drooling just talking about it..Then we finished off with some scrumptious lentil soup. Dang i say DANG. Just take my word for it. Fresh ingredients, authentic and healthy, great service, absolutely no waiting etc etc. Can't say enough about this place. I'm just so surprised that this isn't on The Best Of Portland list yet.. Oh and the funky decor is really cute. Thank you Aladdin's ! You RULE ! heart heart
(5)
Thomas W.
I love Lebanese cuisine. It is one of those rare flavor profiles that I can consume day after day without fatigue. Only Japanese schools share that distinction, which of course makes me a regular patron of Japanese and Lebanese restaurants. After finding out that Aladdin's was so close to home, I decided that it was time to take a trip. Am I ever glad that I did! Right when you walk in, you know that you are in for a treat. The decor is less impressive than the aroma of freshly prepared schwarma, hummus and kabobs - a scent so encouraging that I knew I had found a real gem. It is a small place, but homey, so you know that the food is the star, and gets all of the attention. Our server could not have been more congenial if we were family. Gracious, polite, and attentive, he took our orders and explained various plates with friendliness and patience. He returned with our drinks, bringing us some of the most delicious and seasoned iced tea I have had in my life. The following hummus was no less surprising - creamy and rich, it came with some of the freshest bread I have ever had - straight from the oven and to our table. Unbelievably good! The kicker, though, was my lamb kabobs - I want there to be no misunderstanding when I say that I have never had a better tasting cut of meat in my life. I don't mean just lamb - I mean ever. Of all time. Of all the meat-based proteins, this was the single most wonderful bite - a beautiful char on the spices, tender, juicy...I am getting WAY too hungry right now just thinking about it! I will definitely be going back - with it being less than 2 minutes from my home, this is a crown jewel in NE's dining scene, and it comes in such a welcoming, unassuming form. Well worth the drive for anyone in the surrounding areas, and a MUST for NE residents!
(4)
Ed L.
A friend of mine recommended this place, since his family eats there like kinda regularly. So, I'm like, ok, let's see what this place is about. The night while my friend and I was there, a group was celebrating a birthday. The atmosphere was casual and the ambiance was alright. We ordered the veggie sampler. It was rather tastey. Then ordered our main meals. I got the sharmana meal or something with a beer. After that, I was full, but ordered a desert to go anyway. I like this place. Simple and casual that takes plastic!
(4)
Erika T.
I really love the homemade pita and hummus, and their chicken schwarma is amazing, but the service is pretty terrible. They don't take a LOT of time to get your order, but then you wait and wait and your drink doesn't even show up until they bring the food. What's up with that?
(3)
Lin N.
The tea is excellent. Food was average. Low rating for poor service and and interior (I don't need anything fancy but the place was in quite a bit of disrepair).
(2)
George P.
"Meh" is a good way to sum up Aladdin's. Food, ambiance, service were all mediocre at best. Scratch that. Service was fine, just a tad bit slow considering the fact that there weren't many other patrons. I'm not huge on ambiance. I really enjoy hole in the wall mom and pop shops, but lack of flavor coupled with lack of ambiance really brought down the overall experience. The chicken and beef skewers were shockingly small portions. The heap of rice was aromatic but lacked flavor. The pita was nice and warm-- fresh from the oven. I suppose the pita was the highlight? A sad experience overall. I recommend passing on Aladdin's. Overpriced and bland. Sorry Aladdin's :(
(2)
Laura N.
Not quite your 'destination' restaurant, Aladdin's ambiance is more functional than decorative. In fact it would be wise to expect everything from the food to the prices to remind you more of a street vendor than a caf. However, they do offer one in-restaurant perk: a small TV in the corner that pumps out Bollywood music videos like they are going out of style. (If that's not worth 5 stars alone, I'm not sure what is.) But don't let the bland dcor serve as any reflection of their food. As soon as you are seated you are instantly greeted with hot pita bread fresh from the oven. Both the hummus and baba ganoush appetizers are smooth and flavorful, balanced with just the right amount of tahini and lemon. They make a fantastic spinach pie, and I have friends that swear by the chicken and lamb shawarmas - which are thin slices of meat, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles, and piquant tahini sauce wrapped in that killer Pita bread I've already credited. Other dishes come with Basmati rice that is not over-flavored (a tragic reflection of Americanized-Indian food), and lentil soup that I wish I could package and take with me for a rainy day. This is not your high-end "shi shi" Lebanese food, but it is some of the best you'll find in the city, with a price that is unbeatable. I always leave Aladdin's Caf with a full tummy and a smile - and of course an intimate knowledge of all of the up-and-coming Bollywood stars.
(5)
Josh W.
Who would have thought you'd find a place like this tucked away in a strip mall? I've had my share of Mediterranean and Lebanese food around Seattle and Portland but have yet to find such a restaurant as consistently good as this one. The Aladdin's combo comes with your choice of lamb (MINE!) or chicken, hummus and tabouli, and plenty of flatbread. This is what I crave. I've also sampled a variety of appetizers, which have all been good. But that lamb, so tender and flavorful...it calls to me. Now I don't speak lamb but I'm pretty sure it's begging to be eaten. Aladdin's is not about ambiance. It's not romantic. It's all about the food. And that's what keeps me coming back.
(5)
Nancy K.
I realize now that I'm not a big fan of Middle Eastern food. I've been to a handful of places and basically order the same thing (veg mezza) and everything tastes more or less the same to me. Nothing really stood out - grape leaves, OK. hummus, OK. falafel, served cold but the flavor was OK. The baba ganoush was probably the best thing on the plate - smokey and rich. The service wasn't that great but what do I really expect from the one girl who was working the tables and disappearing into the kitchen. I probably wouldn't go out of my way to come here but the food ain't bad.
(3)
Jen S.
My friend suggested Aladdin after we'd both had our fill of Arabian Breeze recently (nothing bad about it, just wanted something new). The decor was definitely simple, there was really no ambiance to the place like with AB. But the food was great! The Vegetarian Mazza Combination appetizer included falafel, tabouli, hummous, baba ghanouj, and dolmas - and could've easily been our entire meal. Everything was delish. The fava bean appetizer was also amazingly spiced and tasty. I opted for the cheese safeeha, which was much better with the Combo than the flatbread that was served. And the spinach pie was also excellent. A lot of the food ended up in take-out boxes to be enjoyed again at a later time. Large portions, reasonable prices, a bit out of the way but entirely worth it. Except for the flatbread. Go to Arabian Breeze if that's a dealbreaker for you.
(4)
Danika L.
I came here with my parents after getting a restaurant.com certificate. The restaurant is small and dark on the inside, but we sat outside and it was lovely. Their patio is basically in the parkinglot, but it didn't matter because it wasn't busy, and the street just beyond wasn't either. Service was good, the waiter was jolly and happy to chat with us. We ordered the mehumara (after hearing about it on this site!), lamb shwarma, lamb shwarma plate, and the special, which was lamb shank cooked with honey, apricots, and prunes. For three people, this was too much food! We were so stuffed we could have rolled out of there, and this was even after I packed up half of my sandwich to go! Everything we ordered was excellent. The bill came up to ~$47 (including the 18% tip that restaurant.com certificates require), so after using the certificate the cost was $22 - great value for a meal for 3! If I'm ever in Portland again, I'll definitely return!
(5)
Brian D.
I met Cliff and Mike there for lunch after having passed the place several times. I was surprised it was full service and how quaint it was. We all enjoyed our meal. i had the grape leaves and a swarma (sp?) sandwich. Very nice. I'd like to go back to try some of the other menu items.
(3)
Buck O.
I would probably eat here again. Everything was good. Maybe a touch on the lemon-y side for my liking. Service was reallly off. My entree came out 15 minutes before my boyfriend's food, and our appetizer came out about 20 minutes after that. I will admit that it was endlessly amusing to witness a series of customers trying to pick up to-go orders get seriously dissed with fun phrases such as "Oh, did you still want that?".
(3)
Sherri M.
Tucked in behind the Foodvilla on NE 33rd Avenue it might be easy to miss Aladdin's Cafe. Lovely food and friendly owners & staff. Good choice for vegans and non-vegans (**vegans, be sure to let them know this so they do not serve dishes with a sauce they use a lot which is mayonnaise based) I had seen a rumor posted here that the bread contained dairy, however, I ate there this evening with friends and we asked our wait person to check. The bread IS vegan! Great falafel, hummus, grape leaves, lentil soup, and baba. The megadara is as good as Nicholas Restaurant's. Try the falafel sandwich "Aladdin Style" - which means grilled and delicious!
(4)
Madeline P.
Unassuming and delicious! Super casual environment (try to ignore the video lottery connoisseurs that slip in and out the side door). Homemade cuisine that makes your tummy happy. I recommend the chicken shawarma - tastes like it's been marinating in delectable spices all day long! The hummus is a close 2nd favorite in the city of Portland. Give it a try - what do you have to lose?!
(5)
Devon D.
Everyone needs to come here for the incredibly juicy, fall off the bone flavor-bomb lamb shank, which is absolutely cooked to perfection. Maybe begin with the meat mazza plate for decent Kafta, and some of the greatest Homous in the land. The Saturday special was interesting; I'd never seen eggplant cooked that way, strangely tasty drenched in marinara and vegetables. The falafels left a little room for improvement, and the grape leaves were average, but I certainly devoured as much as I could fit in my stomach. The beer selection is small but well chosen to suit the Syrian/Mediterranean dishes.
(4)
Nader A.
OK, there's another Yelp listing for this same place ( yelp.com/biz/aladdins-re… ), but it refers to it as "Aladdin's Restaurant" when the sign, menu, and line-item on my bank statement call it "Aladdin's Cafe" - so that's where my review's gonna go. Middle Eastern (often Lebanese)/Mediterranean cuisine is probably my second favorite ethnic food (behind Indian), and Portland is blessed with more than it's fair share of these restaurants. Aladdin's Cafe is NOT one of the better ones, but it's relatively quick and pretty good. Prices tend to be a bit high given it's less than fantastic ambiance; the place if quite small, though it's never been terribly cramped when we've been there. They DO give you free pita, but really don't they all? And what this really does is almost FORCE you to get some houmous or baba ghanouj, because nibbling on plain, dry pita while you wait for your meal (albeit a short wait) really doesn't do much for me. The last time we were there I had the Kofta Kebab plate (they make it with beef not lamb), which comes with rice for like $11. It's not that the portions were that small (2 medium sized kebobs; roughly the meat you'd get in a pub burger), but if you have much of an appetite you'll definitely wish you ordered some mezzas, so factor that into your dining budget. The rice was fair, but pretty much no frills; no almond slivers anything else to gussy it up - except for being doused in a generous portion of so-so tahini. I thought the kofta itself was a little underwhelming - decently spiced, but a slight bit undercooked (perhaps that's why it was delivered to my table so quickly)...or rather, it was cooked a little too quickly over too high a heat; soft and mushy inside, well done outside. My Lady ordered the "Shawarma Plate" which comes with your choice of lamb or chicken. Little rant here: in my book, shawarma is shaved lamb cooked on a vertical spit; neither the lamb nor chicken Aladdin's Cafe serves and calls "shawarma" is cooked that way...I know this because they mistakenly brought us the lamb before we sent it back for the chicken we had ordered. End of rant. It was tasty, though a bit oily for my liking. It came with houmous (which is why we didn't order it as a meza) and tabouleh. I straight up loves me some tabouleh, and this was pretty good. Not great, but good. We've also had the Bamiye (okra), which was on special that night, but the last time we tried it they really screwed it up. A lot of people don't like okra, and if it's been anything like the way they made it at Aladdin's Cafe I can understand why. It was tough and slimy. When cooked properly bamiye is wonderful, so it was a big disappointment to me. I'm tempted to give this place a 3rd star because it seem so obviously a family-run place, and in truth there's nothing TERRIBLE about it. But, the fact is you've got quite a lot of options for quality Middle Eastern food in pdx, and Aladdin's Cafe is well below the curve.
(2)
Ian M.
Wow... What an amazing place! I must admit, when I pulled up, I was pretty dubious of the restaurant. Once I walked into the building, all doubts left my mind. The place has a very mellow atmosphere, and the food is AMAZING! Not to mention for a very reasonable price. I absolutely recommend this place for families, friends, or just by yourself.
(5)
Kathryn K.
The food was quite enjoyable! We really liked the variety on the Aladdin's Combo (the lamb shwarma was delicious, and the sauce was perfect) which came with hummus and tabouli, and we tried the special of lamb with apricots and prunes - very yummy. Because we had a Groupon we also tried one of the appetizers, mehumara - very unique and filling (we had to take some home). The reason I gave the restaurant three stars, after really enjoying the food, was that we were there to try something new, and potentially, come again if we liked it. We felt like we were treated like 2nd class customers because of the Groupon, and we were not given the soup that came with our meals nor were we offered a choice of dessert as the Groupon specified. We understand that this restaurant is discounting their food to offer this special, but if they want to have repeat customers, who pay full price the next time, they need to treat them well the first time. The waitress was not really rude, but she rushed us, took our plates without asking if we were done, and said "oh, you have a Groupon" and reached across me to grab it off the table. There was no "welcome to Aladdin's cafe, is this your first visit?" It was poor customer service and we were disappointed because the food was so good. We might be back, but only for take-out.
(3)
Tim O.
Fact: Aladdins is a great place to go for some amazing Lebanese cuisine! I highly recommend the exquisite hummus and piping hot small pizza sized pitas that come quickly to your table (if ordered). Also, the chicken shawarma is clutch. I actually ate a beef sandwich this afternoon which was like foot long and tasted like amazing. The $5.50 price tag didn't lighten my wallet too much either. There are very few that actually work there so be patient. Finally, stay for a little Turkish coffee and a tasty baklava to coat your already bursting stomach. Belly dance your way into Aladdins with your friends!
(4)
T. N.
They had the best falafels I've ever had! So moist and flavorful! I've been a big fan of falafels because they're also on the dry and grainy side when I've had them. But these were so good along w/the rest of the appetitizers I got on the vegetarian mezza platter. The only thing I thought was okay were the .....can't remember what it's called right now but it's wrapped w/grape leaves. The lamb shank my husband had and the chicken schwarma I got which both came with rice were excellent also. There were even leftovers and we have 2 small boys who are big eaters. The portions are big. The atmosphere is very casual, could be more on the cozy side.
(5)
Brian M.
Really good food at Reasonable prices flat bread is awesome You can afford to order multiple dishes because the price is so reasonable. Falaffel, Swarma, their pizza like things. All very tasty and well prepared in a quaint out of the way place.
(4)
Zoe M.
Middle Eastern. I'm an afficiando and can hit all the notes in my own kitchen. Visited on a Thursday evening right around 7:30 with a friend who had heard about Aladdin and decided to check it out. Casual atmosphere with a mix of decor. The specials were clearly labeled. Our order came quick but had to ask for serving utensils, additional plates for the Mezza platter we were sharing, to go containers and a bag to take leftovers home in. The waitress was attentive in a distracted way and acted like she would just as soon had us order and leave, switching on lights and acting put out by our few requests. We had the Meat Mezza, lentil soup, Green Bean Special for Thursday. The Orange Blossom Tea was good but the Turkish coffee was tepid. The falafel was lackluster, tahini sauce overpowering without a hint of garlic or lemon. Falafel no seasoning. The hummus was good. Green Bean Special was hardly special. Inexpensive dining, poor service and pretty bland fare. Don't recommend.
(2)
Dawn R.
Mmmmmm. This place is delightful. My friends and I went for a mid-afternoon snack, and ended up having a feast. The decor could use a little improvement, but the food was wonderful. My favorites were two dishes involving large quantities of yogurt and garlic...creamy and gentle on my pained mouth (still suffering for Cuban sandwich bread trauma). The lentil soup was thick and flavorful. My pal ordered a chicken dish with a sauce so succulent I'm craving it already, less than 24 hours later. I'm dying to go back and try the lamb...next time I'm in Portland for sure.
(4)
Courtney S.
We ate here for the first time last night and the food was fantastic, service great and price very reasonable. The hummus is creamy, the pita is fresh and the lamb exquisite. My only complaint was the ambient temperature in the restaurant was chilly and drafty. It is particularly cold (for PDX) right now though so probably not the norm. We will definitely be back here often! 3/8/08- We went back on a saturday night and had the braised lamb special and everything was once again amazing. I was literally thinking about this food for several days!
(5)
Putty B.
Hands down 5 stars without reservation. The tabouleh was fresh, hummous perfect. Dolmas were good. The veg appetizer platter is a meal in itself. Great food, great value. We will be back again for sure. Can't wait to sample more of the menu...
(5)
Kendall C.
Total hole in the wall, but great food. Very authentic decor. Went there for lunch and had the Lamb Shawarma for $11. Top notch!
(4)
Doug M.
I just had lunch here for the first time. It's tacked to the side of the ancient Foodvilla store way north on NE 33rd. Go north past New Seasons. Keep going past the Kennedy School. Look for it on the right before the Lombard/Columbia overpasses. It has a sunny patio and a clean, warmly decorated interior. The pitas are homemade and fresh. The falafel is very tasty and slightly spicy, which I love. The hummus is quite rich. I thought they were as good or better than anything here in town (except, possibly, Nicholas). It's a great addition to this neck of the woods.
(4)
Glen G.
Tasty Lamb dish. Great Turkish Coffee.
(4)
Jack H.
Yes the Veg Mezza is great, but the thin flatbreads were superb! Wow what a taste sensation the Zaatar Safeeha is, thin thin crust with a brown seeded covering full of wonderful tastes, exotic and satisfying. And the Cheese Safeeha makes you wonder why you've ever wasted time on Pizza, when this flatbread is so savory. Falaffels were tasty. I'll be back.
(5)
James J.
The reviews of Aladdin's Cafe and Aladdin's Restaurant convinced us to go there for our get-a-way from South Hill, WA. The cafe is in the middle of a residential area & is easily by passed. Calling the cafe, the owner got on the phone and navigated us in. A bit dated, but a pretty nice Middle Easternesque decor. The daily specials include a lamb shank dish and a nice beef dish. The appetizers were ok. The meals were pretty good and quite flavorful. After finishing the meals, the owner came out and spoke with us for a couple of moments. Very nice touch. We finished the meal with baklavla and Moroccan tea. The tea was wonderful, if a bit too sweet for our tastes. All in all a nice evening at a decent restaurant.
(3)
Kris W.
Relatively cheap Moroccan/Lebanese cuisine in a casual atmosphere. Lots of vegetarian options; the grape leaves are a particular favorite and the falafel is also good. Dips are standard and good options; the vegetarian mazza plate is a nice way to sample everything and they will give you a little extra of whatever you like for a couple additional bucks. Iced tea is minty sweet; the same Arabic music DVD seems to be on all the time. Staff is helpful and friendly. Food-wise, on a par with Karam.
(4)
ApdxR M.
I've had middle eastern food before, and I think it's just kinda "ok"...HOWEVER, I was really impressed with my delicious lunch at Aladdin Cafe ----The food was excellent, and the service was even better. Super nice people in a family restaurant environment. It was very quaint. I had the schwarma (sp?) chicken sandwich (YUM!!) with the vegetarian appetizer plate (stuffed grape leaves, hummus, baba ganush, and tabouleh salad...) All very good. Moroccan orange tea to start....all very good. I will admit though, I was STARVING like mad.
(5)
Alicia J.
Great food, lesser ambiance. Aladdin's makes some of the freshest and cheapest Middle Eastern in town. Their pita melts in your mouth. The falafel is light and crispy. The belly dancer video that plays on a non-stop loop is hilarious. This joint is tucked away on NE 33rd a few blocks North of the Kennedy School. If you see the FoodVilla, turn into their lot, they're attached. I've never had to wait for a table, which is also a major plus!
(4)
Lauren B.
Never mind the liquor store parking lot, never mind the video lottery attached, never mind the dive appearance... just go in, order a glass of the Lebanese white (the only white wine they serve), wait for the great albeit overworked waitress to take your order and relax and take in the authentic smells of made to order lamb shawarma or the out of the oven pita that is brought directly to your table. From the tabouli to the meat pies this unassuming establishment will be a staple in my restaurant repertoire for some time to come.
(5)
Jeremy S.
Pretty durn good. I got take-out since the wife wasn't up for going out proper-like...and I have to say the ambiance wasn't nearly as bad as I was expecting from the reviews. In fact, it bordered on pleasant. Probably the worst thing about the whole place is the neon Video Poker sign in the front window...that and its location next to FoodVilla (side note: oh, how I wish someone would come along and replace the "V" in the FoodVilla sign with a "Z"...I mean, really, what would be better than a mini mart called FOODZILLA???). So, I got the "Aladdin Speical" or whatever, which is Lamb shawarma with hummus, pita and tabouleh. It was good. The hummus was pleasantly lemony, which was a nice change from the norm, the lamb was more stewed and more salty than I was expecting, but still very tasty, and the tabouleh...well, it was mostly parsley, but it was still OK. Oh yeah, and I got a lentil soup, which was kind of watery, but still very tasty. The girl behind the counter said that one serving of lentil soup usually filled up the to-go container only about halfway, but she filled mine up for no extra charge. Thanks, girl behind the counter! Overall, totally decent, and a damn sight better than going to Nicholas' and having to wait 1/2 hour for a table when there really isn't even any place to wait. Plus it's five minutes from the house, if that. Will definitely be back.
(4)
Mike D.
above average food, above average proportions ... probably one of the few 3/5 type places we would probably go back to (meaning its really more accurate representation to give this place a 7/10) wife had lentil soup, was really sort of bland ... also had tabouli which was pretty good i had the grape leaves (decent) and the falafel (really good) the non-vegan pita bread was bland and undercooked (we had to get them to throw it back on the grill) friendly staff was a bit difficult to understand
(3)
Kate K.
Yum! Aladdin Cafe has the best babaganoush in Portland, great kabobs, and a unique shawerma. My only complaint? The decor is a bit tired and the chairs are not super comfy. But still a great place to eat -- or for take-out!
(4)
sharai e.
After having a terribly dry kabob here about a year ago, we decided to give Aladdin's another try. There were 2 other tables seated the entire time we were there. We ordered the Foul (Fava bean) appetizer, "Hamburger, plain and dry for my daughter" and Safeeha for my son. My husband and I both ordered Shwarma. They brought us bread. Quite a while later they brought out my son's order. Asked if we wanted more bread. Not wanting to fill up on bread, I asked if we were going to get our Foul soon. "Oh, they're making it. It takes a long time" said the waitress. Then why is it on the appetizer menu? Next they brought out my daughter's "Plain and Dry" burger, filled with onions, lettuce, tomatoes and about a cup of sauce covering it (tzatsiki?). I reminded them that I asked for plain and dry. They took it away, then came back a few minutes later with the same burger, but the vegies scraped off. Still covered in sauce. I said my picky daughter wouldn't eat it. She took it away and went to the kitchen. Came back a few minutes later and said "they are going to make her a new burger. Do you have everything else you need?" Um no, we ordered Shwarmas. By this time, my son was done eating, the rest of us were filling up on bread, so we asked to take the other orders to go. The waitress explained away the delay and confusion, saying "We have had so many to-go orders tonight". So those dining in have to suffer? Good bread though.
(2)
Bethany W.
Although it is one of the closest restaurants to our house, I haven't been there in over a year so when a Groupon showed up I decided it was a good time to give them another try. Promptly remembered why we stopped going - mediocre overpriced food, terrible service. To echo several people below - we had the Groupon out (to ask if we could take it to-go as there were several large parties) and the waitress snatched it off the table and proceeded to purposefully ignore us the rest of the night (we had the opportunity to observe her attentiveness to all the tables around us). I wonder if she realizes she has a self-fulfilling prophecy going...we would happily have tipped based on the full amount of the meal, given the chance. Again as someone below mentioned, the waitress did not ask us if we wanted soup or salad when ordering an entree that came with it and I had to request it later after I re-read the menu. She also brought our appetizer with the rest of our meal and then never brought us any more pita to eat with the multiple spreads/dips we had ordered. Done with it - there are plenty of good Middle Eastern restaurants in Portland to satisfy.
(1)
Sheila J.
Absolutely delicious cuisine. Very casual setting..good for families. Lunch and dinner is just fabulous!! highly recommend this place for casual dine in or take out
(4)
rudy L.
uuum ok food. the chicken schwarma was great! the pita bread and hummas is good. but over all im not all that exited when we go there. the food is nice but the atmosphere needs to be worked on. its generally dark and the lights are very low and there are these annoying music videos of famous middle-eastern singers on a big tv. sometimes u just want some peace and quite while eating.....but no. its family run so thats bonus.....
(3)
snood s.
You know those restaurants that you keep in your back pocket and pull out when you are lazy, hungry, desirous of a satisfying meal, and feeling cheap? Aladdin is my go-to restaurant for these situations. I can always count on the chicken schwarma special to rock my world and fill my belly for $5.50. I took a bunch of family here and they all loved it. Very good hummus, tasty rice, and a menu that has a little something for everyone. The restaurant is simple and straight forward - It is adjacent to a liquor store and connected to a small room with video poker. The inside is comfortable-- nothing too fancy, the dining room shares space with the soda machine and food cooler. In warmer weather you can sit on the patio adjacent to the parking lot.
(5)
Joe m.
While I really appreciate when menus label items that are vegan ( which this cafe does) it is incredibly infuriating to find out that said items are not really vegan at all. Meaning the pita bread has dairy in it. I ordered just the falafel without the bread and the balls were very tasty and a decent price but why lie on your menu?!
(3)
Jethro W.
Excellent! This is a favorite Mediterranean spot for me in Portland. I love the atmosphere, customer service and very delicious food.
(5)
Dustin I.
We ordered two falafel sandwiches and a fried vegetable appetizer for delivery. The falafel sandwiches were underwhelming. The falafel themselves were spiced pretty well and of decent texture- not too hard or mushy. However the falafel sandwich was too dry and did not have enough tahini or veggies. As for the fried vegetable appetizer it was supposed to be "slices of yellow squash, cauliflower, carrots and potatoes deep-fried". Well it wasn't deep fried at all instead it was covered in some sort of weird thick sauce and was basically a big heaping mess. Also, the potatoes were big crinkle cut fries which hardly counts for "potatoes". The false advertising of a "deep fried vegetable appetizer" that was not deep fried at all is a big part of the 2 star rating.
(2)
Rick S.
I'm fairly disappointed. A friend had told me they came here a while ago and loved it. The bread was plentiful, but not very tasty. I had the chicken shawarma plate. The chicken tasted like it came from a can and I'm pretty sure the rice is the same Goya yellow rice I make at home. The side salad I had was nothing special either. The two servers we had were very friendly, but really clueless to anything going on. I'd like to say I'll give it another try, but there are so many other middle eastern places in town that are amazing.
(2)
Leah H.
Delicious food. Well prepared. Flavorful. Attentive staff. Family owned business. Yummy. will definitely be back.
(5)
Bonnie M.
Alladin cafe is a lovely eatery tucked away in Concordia, just N of New Seasons on 33rd. The food is scrumptious, for dinner we ordered all vegetarian including a comprehensive mazza platter. The pita bread is made in house and is light and fluffy perfection. Our favorites were the veggie kabobs and the tangy baba ganoush. Excellent and attentive service. Highly recommended!
(5)
Daniel L.
Great food - great price - service also very nice and did not take very long. I like their kafta kebab or kafta kebab combination The owner very friendly
(4)
Meg C.
They have a Lagunitas happy hour sign in front (its been there for over a year), which initially drew us in, yet they didn't honor the HH sign despite us coming in during the listed hours. A year later I've tried this place again, because I want to like it - it's pretty close to my house and was hoping it was a hole-in-the-wall gem...but for the quality you're getting for the prices they have listed - you have much better options around, and I'd skip this place. The falafel was decent, but the chicken schwarma was a strange chicken salad like texture and the flavor was...almost metallic and it didn't taste very fresh. The service was mediocre and a bit slow given we were the only ones in the restaurant. Most of their traffic appears to be keno-related.
(2)
Li I.
Delicious food!!! and the minty lemonade - Yummy!
(5)
Gordon O.
This restaurant is a bit hidden on the side of a grocery store in a quiet neighborhood and would be easy to miss. But don't let looks fool you. The food is very good, the place is quiet enough for conversation, and the owners and staff are exceptionally friendly. We have dined at Aladdin's Cafe several times and taken friends there for dinner. The food is always very good, with plenty of choices of authentic Lebanese food. The Shawarma Plate and the lamb skewers are especially delicious. It's a good out-of-the way place if you want to get away from the crowds.
(4)
Michael H.
The food is excellent here. Definitely get the hommous and pita bread - you won't be disappointed. The lamb was delicious and the service was great!
(5)
Brandy P.
We sadly had one of the more unappetizing meals ever from this place last night. We have a newborn so we ordered dinner from Aladdin's through Delivered Dish. My wife ordered the lamb shawarma with hummus and what she got was a styrofoam container filled with a hummus only one step above the worst store-bought brand and these pathetic, teeny, chewy bits of lamb thrown atop. The pieces were no more than a half inch around and looked like they should be on nachos, not as the main course of a $14 entree. My chicken shawarma sandwich was only slightly more appetizing and yet it smelled and tasted somewhere between chicken and tuna salad. Disturbing. I'm not quite sure what the deal is with this establishment but we got a good laugh out of it and put it on the Never Again list.
(2)
Humam T.
The food was very good and fast. We love all of their oven baked things like meat pie and egg pie. We will definitely be back. They have so many good things to try. We also will go back for their Ramadan feast...
(5)
Carrie W.
Just moved back to Portland after being away a few years and was excited to get back to one of my favorites, Aladdin's Cafe. Must say that I was disappointed in my meal. The Fattoush salad was so sad :( It used to have a delicious, light, lemony, sumac bite that I dreamt of coming home to. Now it was a salad drenched in sugary sweet balsamic with a sprinkle of sumac powder. The veggie mezza plate was very good! Their humus is so silky smooth, and the baba ghanoush, tabbouleh, and falafel is some of the best in town. Grape leaves are pretty good, too. Lamb shawarma was pretty good. We ordered ours special with half humus/half rice. I like their rice- it's very much like comfort food. Overall, it was just kind of disappointing and the fattoush was SUCH a major let down and the rest of the food was good but not enough to get me excited to rush back.
(2)
Judee M.
I'm so happy to have this one in my own neighborhood. We are also Hoda's fans, but we rate Middle Easter restaurants by their hummus....Aladdin's is pretty terrific! We are chicken shawarma people, so we were pleased with their version. The service was simple and neighborly. It may not look like a big deal from outside, but you can't judge a book by its cover. It's just down the street from McMenamin's Kennedy School, to give perspective on location. We went here first with a Groupon. Sometime restaurants are a bit less attentive when I show them that, but these folks assured my return! Good value, easy to park, kid friendly, handicap navigation friendly....
(5)
Melanie T.
This Friday night was busy and we know why...the food is hot and delicious ! We left stuffed but will enjoy our desserts and leftovers tomorrow. The owner and servers were so friendly even though their restaurant was busy. We ordered lentil soup, hummus & pita, tabouleh, meat pie, cheese pie, egg pie (that's what we call them), falafel and of course syrian coffee. The baklava and date cookies were scrumptious
(5)
Tony K.
We have been to most of the Mediterranean restaurants in Portland, and they are all good. But this place should be better known and placed on your radar. The lamb shwrarma was perhaps the best we have ever had, the sauces were familiar but with a subtle and very pleasing twist. The out side of the building does not look like much, don't let that discourage you, once inside the food is very likely the best Mediterranean in Portland.
(5)
Omar S.
This is my first time in Portland. This is a authentic Middle Eastern restaurant with amazing food and super friendly staff. I definitely recommend and I will come back here again. Try the fresh baked bread, hummus and falafel, shawerma ..
(5)
Jamie R.
The food is the best in town. The lamb shank will have you coming back every week. The falafel is crispy and light as a cloud. But the best is the baba ganoosh. And BTW, the male guy is really handsome and the woman is the business woman. She's sweet and serves best middle eastern food in Portland.
(5)
Kaiao N.
Very friendly staff who do their best to remember your face. Although it looks a little sketchy on the outside it really is a nice, small, intimate setting. My favorite thing to get is the chicken shawarma! I enjoy it with an extra pickle! Also, I had my first falafel here and I enjoyed it!
(5)
Isam S.
I went to Aladdin's Cafe , it was the best food and drink! They have great falafel and kabob , also the best humous in town and the service is excellent!
(5)
Katie F.
Love love love their food and drinks! And service was amazing! My hubby and I will be back again :)
(5)
Hadia F.
Our office catered food from here and OMG so so good!!! I'm middle eastern myself and this food is some of the tastiest dishes I've ever had. We ordered hummus, baba ghanoush, tabouli and chicken schwarma. I will definitely be offering from them again. Oh and the pita bread was delicious as well.
(5)
Geoff M.
Came here on a Groupon with a friend and will definitely be back. The falafel was denser than I expected, but the pieces were smaller than normal so it worked very well. Tabouleh was lemony and light, as it should be, and the hummus was just right. The thyme and olive oil dip went great with the fresh baked flat bread. Friend ordered kafta kebabs and I ordered the lamb leg with honey glaze. Kafta was perfectly seasoned and well cooked. The lamb was fork tender and delicious. The only thing I didn't love was the Turkish coffee; it was heavily infused with cardamom which I didn't find out about until it was delivered. Dayana, the owner and our server, was very kind and attentive and took time to explain each dish we asked about. When we declined dessert due to friend's dairy restrictions, she brought me a little shortbread and date cookie to try... yum! This compared favorably with any middle Eastern food I've had in Portland. Solid 5 star rating.
(5)
Janet M.
My friend had us come visit from far away Bethany and she ordered takeout from this place. She says she gets it all the time and thinks its really good. My daughter and I got a mezze to share and a chicken schwarma with rice. I think we are spoiled. The chicken schwarma and rice we get at Oasis Lebanese in Hillsboro is like crack. This was ok, but the chicken had the texture of canned tuna and was not my favorite. The rice seemed oily and a little bland. They were out of tabouli which made my daughter sad. She loves tabouli. She ate hummus and pita and was kinda done. I thought the hummus, baba ganoush, and pita were good. The falafel was my favorite. Crispy outside fluffy inside, but a teeny bit greasy. The pita was pale and somewhat chewy. They dont have prices on their website. That is annoying to me. I cant remember what we paid but I think the schwarma was $10ish and the mezze for two about $13. I would not go out of my way to eat here. It was adequate. Just a note for pita and hummus fans: Barbur World Foods makes you enormous fresh pita on the spot for $1ish and their hummus is creamy and fluffy clouds of heaven . Trust me. I'd do that before coming here.
Annie S.
Great food! I had chicken shawarma and rice, my daughter had a kabob, and my husband had a shawarma sandwich. My daughter and I enjoyed ours, my husband thought there was room for improvement. We agreed about the hummus- delicious! Service was also wonderful. I would have given another star but the bathroom needed some help.
(3)mo m.
The thing about this place is that it is awesome for lunch and horrible for dinner. I love the lunch buffet so much. They change it up a lot, but usually it's some sort of chicken curry, a veggie thing, pilaf, soup, salad, and baba ganoosh or hummus. It's really fresh if you go at around noon. I like to get the take-out container and eat it for both lunch and dinner, which is a pretty good deal for 10.99. As some other reviewers have pointed out, the decor is terrible. This is why I get the take-out. Unfortunately, they only have the buffet during the school year. I went here for dinner once and it was very disappointing - everything kind of tasted the same, and I felt like it was overpriced for what was offered. So yeah, get the lunch buffet September-May.
(3)Stacy H.
Sadly it seems Aladdin's has changed. We used to really enjoy this place. Tonight the food seemed overcooked or just warmed up. Server was nice but seemed new and untrained. We arrived at 5ish and noticed a banner saying Happy Hour from 4-7 outside. The server was like "no it's over." The Baba Ganoush is still delicious and smokey. The pita bread seemed store bought. :-(
(3)Jacob M.
The food was delightful and full of flavor, our waitress was very accomodating and police; no complaints.
(5)Elena J.
I'm surprised that this restaurant got a bunch of good reviews! I ordered the chicken shawerma sandwich and the quality of the food was so low I could not even finish the first bite. The chicken was not fresh and the tabbouleh salad was awful. Please use fresh ingredients and please please clean your restaurant!
(1)Sheila E.
Just ate at this place for the first time last night, and I thought it was amazing. I loved my Kafta Kebabs with lemon rice! Really nice staff and reasonable priced. I will definitely be going back there again.
(5)Jennifer L.
The service was pleasant, but slow. The appetizer combo was served on a metal prison style tray, which was pretty amusing. The food was mostly incredibly bland. The Moroccan Lamb Shank was the only thing with any real flavor. Can't say I'd be returning here.
(1)Brandon L.
What's not to love. Reasonably priced veggie lunch with excellent middle eastern sweet tea. I have only had lunch, and only the vegetarian mezza platter. But love the food, the middle eastern pop music on the tv, and the local color brought in by the video poker machines.
(4)Don F.
I have finally given up on Aladdin's Cafe. I am not going back again. I have been dining here since they opened several years ago. The service was always bad -- I lived with it. Over the past couple of years the owners have become scarce (they bought another restaurant), the portions have gotten smaller and now the quality of food has gotten worse and the quantity smaller. The other night we ordered a mezza platter for 2 to go and 3 other dishes, as well. They sent 2 pieces of pita bread. Not the warm yummy bread they use to make fresh to order, but two small store-bought pita breads. Really? This is what they think is quality food and how to treat their customers. I expressed my displeasure to the fellow working the counter. He could not care less. I give up on Aladdin's Cafe. There is another middle eastern place on Alberta.They get my business from now on.
(1)Jesse D.
I had a fallafel sandwich wrap with some lahem-b-khyar and was blown away at how good it was, and also mostly Vegen! ( lahem-b-khyar has some milk in it for the yogurt). It was so great I even thanked the Chef, Kyle, and plan to come back here repeatidly. If the drive wasn't so far I would probably eat out here multiple times a week! Talking with staff I heard someone mention Hookah coming down the works. Oooo keeps getting better!
(5)Lisa B.
I can't get enough of the chicken shwarma which is tender and juicy, the bread is light and delicious, the Mehumara is worth the trip, alone, and the basmati rice is made with saffron, the way it should be! Then there's the cheese Safeeha... What can I say, it's all so good. Yum! Yum! Yum, yum, yum! I recently took my first generation, Syrian American, friend with me and found out that the food is reminiscent of her Father's cooking. Getting her approval was the icing on the... well, on the yummy desserts.
(5)Mathew B.
These guys and gals are great, fantastic food, great service, and super nice.
(4)Jessica L.
I've eaten at Aladdin's several times in the past (mostly take out since it's near my house) and I've been really happy with the food. So, needless to say I was really excited when I saw a Google Offer for $20 worth of food at Aladdin's for $10. Aladdin's has always been a little bit spendy given how low-brow the atmosphere is...but the homemade flavor and the portion size have more than compensated for the added price. Their food is really delish. I ordered a plate of lamb schwarma and a mazza plate for two, showed up and prepared to pay using my Offer, the total was....$28. WOW. Alot. I feel like the prices have gone up recently, but still I'm OK with it. Until I see my to-go container of schwarma. It's about HALF the portion size I've come to expect from them, or really from any restaurant as a main course. I asked the waitress...."did you reduce your portion sizes?" She insisted they didn't, and if I could show you the picture I took for this review, I would, you would no doubt concur. But it appears their profile will not allow for outside photos to be posted. Not worth $14. I understand lamb is expensive, but at least put enough rice in the container to make it look like a full meal. Then she gave me the mazza...and I opened the bag to make sure I had enough of that awesome hot homemade bread they make....and it wasn't there. In it's place. COLD, cheap pita bread ala Costco-style. I asked about that as well..and was told that's all they have now. I love Aladdin's, and maybe this was an off night, but I can't see myself paying that much money for half a portion of schwarma and some mazza with cold grocery store bread. Bring back the homemade food Aladdin's!
(3)Angus V.
I've eaten a here a few times, usually with groupons and the family in tow, so we get a pretty decent deal. The last time we went, they'd gotten new plates and served the food differently. Maybe they're trying to improve the presentation? I'm not sure, but the portions seemed smaller. And fifteen bucks for a couple kabobs isn't really worth it. And the service is horrible. Maybe they don't train their servers. Being a former food server, I tend to tip well. It feels weird to give fifteen percent. The little gambling room doesn't help. I don't mind the TV being on; it's set to some middle eastern station. My wife called it "Syrian MTV", semi-jokingly. While it detracts from dining, it's culturally interesting.
(2)Tiffanee B.
I thought Aladdin's was already awesome, and then they made it better! They've re-vamped their menu and got swankier plates and though they don't quite fit in with the decor, it adds to the odd cuteness of it for me. -Their chicken shawarma is the best I've ever had, I order it every time I go, it's unlike anything I've ever had. But I try my husbands every time because I figure if the chicken is this good, everything else must be too, and I've loved everything he's ever gotten, the falafel sandwich is amazing as is the cheese safia (not sure on the spelling) it's like a fancy cheese pizza, so delicious. Back to the chicken, I'm super picky about my chicken and they've never served any "funny pieces!" -You have to get the moroccan tea. It's so yummy, sweet and warm and on a cold, rainy Portland day, it's the best! -Everyone who works there is super nice and make you feel at home. We took our daughter the other day and they brought out pan-seared potatoes for her to try...being a typical picky toddler she wasn't into them, but we thought they were wonderful! I love it; it's affordable and delicious...and now I'm hungry.
(5)Lark A.
Aladdin's Cafe has great lebanese/middle eastern fare and I have tried many dishes here. We live pretty close and a few years back we would frequent this place on a regular basis. That was until they raised their prices in a pretty major way. There are at least 3 other Middle Eastern eateries with in a few blocks of this place so I wonder how it still stays open. They do however have a few dishes that the others lack like the Cheese Safeeha and Zaatar Safeeha which are extremely tasty and very much worth trying. Upon our last visit along with the price increase the food wasn't what we remembered. It really made us sad. The cafe itself lacks the ambiance and service necessary to make up for the raise in prices so I will just drive the few blocks over to Alberta street and get the equally good food(or better) with ambiance & service for the same price. Although I will really miss my safeeha in a big way it just isn't worth it.
(3)Violet B.
Best option for middle eastern food in the neighborhood.
(3)Scott M.
The FAIL BOAT sails from Aladdin's Cafe.... So I was really excited to try this place after my friends had raved about it. But it was a total fail on so many points. First, we sat down and ordered our drinks. THEY WERE OUT OF BEER. Not all beer (they had Coors and Bud - puke this is Portland and this is not beer). All the local brews were gone. So, I was thinking "whatever, this is a small joint" and let it slide. My friend sipped the white wine with a "wow" and a nauseous face, so I assume the wine was horrible. Next, I ordered my vegan meal (we're vegans, we don't have a lot of options) and they were out of a key ingredient and couldn't make the dinner. So, whatever, and I ordered the falafel sandwich. The rest of our dinner was pretty uneventful. The hummus was very good as well as the pita. The falafel sandwich was cold when it arrived but was tasty. But the sad tale doesn't end there. As with most cold food deliveries, I think you know where this is heading. After a solid day after of nausea and other unpleasantness it is safe to say those that had the falafel sammy is grabbing for the pepto today. Being out of beer, then out of key ingredients, then dosing us with some kind of stomach ailment equals a TOTAL FAIL. And it too bad, really...the place was cute and waitstaff was friendly.
(1)Curtis C.
Good food and friendly casual service. Shared the veggie appetizer combo. Partner had falafel pita, I had the lamb shank. Lamb was AWESOME, cooked in a yogurt sauce, and was falling off the bone good. We also shared the spinach bread which was simple and tasty, flavored with sumac. Would definitely go back when in the area.
(4)Chanin N.
ROTTEN FOOD? Come on Aladdin, I know you can do it! The genie is way out of it's bottle limits. I'm ready to get back on to your magic carpet for a tasty ride. The ROTTEN FOOD? I wanted to taste the megadara's caramelized onions but, there were hardly any on the megadara, which was cold, in a melted plastic container. The worst of it was the whole thing was rancid. Rancid, rancid, rancid. Tonight's meal was real bad. What's with the expensive mediocre falafel sandwiches? What the hell. I wish you could see my disappointed face.
(1)Haley O.
If you use Restaurant.com , this place is probably good to try once...for the $2 it costs you to buy the coupon. We tried this place with some friends and it was a complete comedy of errors. At one point, I expected Ashton Kutcher to jump out and tell us we were on punked. We ordered grape leaves and baba ganoush (not hummus) and had a short conversation about how we didn't want hummus because my boyfriend was allergic to garbanzo beans. Again, no hummus. She brings a heaping bowl of hummus to our table and seems confused when we remind her that we ordered baba ganoush. "The kitchen must have messed it up," she says. Ok, we'll let that one slide. Baba Ganoush, Hummus - I can see how those two names can look similar on a ticket. On a positive note, the hummus was the highlight of our dinner. We all order our food - two shawarma (sp) wraps, Fatoush salad (remember, not the Greek salad) with chicken, and the lamb kabobs. Fantastic...nothing could go wrong now. Enter the two shawarma wraps. Granted, they were the size of a small building (or a rather large burrito). They tasted okay, but could have been a little spicier. Twoish minutes later the salad appears. A GREEK salad. *sigh*. It tastes pretty good, but when we ask the waitress once again says "wow, I guess the kitchen messed that up." Really? Maybe the problem with this place isn't the service or the food, maybe the cook is blind or illiterate. Finally, after we were all finished eating, the lamb kabobs make their way to our table. Oh wait, I meant the burned lamb kabobs. So burned that we sent them back. The cook at one point came over to ask us how everything was to which we replied with blank stares and forced smiles. It's unfortunate that this place is so inconsistent and even felt a little dirty. I feel like calling Chef Ramsey in to film Kitchen Nightmares. Either way, I wouldn't recommend this place. Nope, not even a little bit.
(2)Aaron F.
I can see this being four stars, but a couple things held it back. First, it's January and they made the executive decision not to turn the heat on. It was 60 degrees in there. I'm from Minnesota, I can handle cold. I was tempted to ask for a five gallon bucket so I could flip it over and start ice fishing right there. Second, the server (daughter?) had an incredible gift of being able to do everything but provide service, even though we were the only one in the joint (5 PM on a Sunday). These rants aside, the fresh pita and appetizers were tasty. We planned on having entrees too, but it was just too freaking cold.
(3)Jody W.
I have been to Aladdin's several times over the years and have always been happy to go back. Last night's experience changed that all for me. The food quality has gone down drastically - a $11.99 lamb shawarma had perhaps 50 cents worth of lamb with a tiny sprinkling of tomatoes and lettuce. It's clear the restaurant is cutting corners in hopes that customers are going to stand for it. Not me...last night's visit was my last.
(1)Madeline W.
This was the second time we have been to Aladdin's, a cute neighborhood restaurant that we've often been curious about. The food is great, but the customer service is terrible. We got there at 8 on a Saturday and we were the only people there. We sat down and were noticed by a busser and said someone would be right with us. We sat for at least 15 minutes before someone finally came to take our order. He said he didn't know we were there. We ordered the vegetarian mazza platter for 2. He came back to our table in a few minutes and said they were out of falafel, but would we like some more hummus as a substitute? We looked at him blankly and confusedly. I laughed nervously and asked if there was something else that could be substituted for the falafel (considering that it is the most substantial part of the mazza platter). He just smiled and offered extra hummus. Baffled, we accepted. The mazza platter arrived. The hummus and pita were exquisite, and the baba ghanoush and tabbouleh were pretty good. They served us cold, weak coffee halfway through our meal, with 1% milk instead of cream. We ran out of pita and sat awkwardly waiting for a second piece, which eventually arrived. The service was so bad, and the lack of falafel was so shocking that I expected a discount on the bill or an apology-- but none came. 3 Stars for the delicious hummus and warm pita, and for being a family place?
(3)Frank S.
Family of four, dining on a Sunday evening, using our Groupon. Value-wise, it is definitely good, if you have a coupon of some sort. Otherwise, it is a little pricy for what you get. (Espcially the atmosphere). The place is a little dodgy looking from the outside and not hugely better on the inside but let's talk about the food... when you get that craving for kebab and hummus, this place did the trick. For us, the winning entries was the lamb kebab (yeah , a bit overcooked but , let's face it, it's safer this way...), and chelo (sp?)/hamburgerish kebab. Chicken kebab was unfortunately a little bland. Accompanying saled...meh. Baba Ghanoush...also uninspiring. But the hummus made up for it. Dessert was also loved. Service was from a young chickie with a bonafide heavy accent...gotta look at this as adding to the ambiance.
(4)Christine N.
At the insistence of a friend, we gave Aladdin's another whirl. We were the first guests in for lunch and grabbed a great table. We didn't realize that it was right in front of their fan but the owner quickly came over and discreetly turned off the fan. So thoughtful! So this time we had a different server. She was friendly and attentive. We received our ENTIRE order - hooray!! This visit was remarkably better than our first visit. I'm really glad we went back because we had a great meal. Last time we went, the foul mudamas were pretty good. They changed their recipe and now they're perfect!
(4)Michelle C.
This place has the best mezze platter I have had in Portland (that includes Nicholas, Hoda's, Ya Hala's, among others). I'm not an expert on authentic middle eastern cuisine, but I do love food! Also ask for a side of the rice with sauce. It's only a couple of bucks and it has some amazing cream sauce on it- don't know what it's made from. I don't think it's on the menu as a side, but they will know what you are talking about.
(4)Veronica P.
We hadn't been to Aladdin's in years but had fond memories of good food and decided to check them out last weekend. I thought they were closed on Sundays but when we called to check, surprise, they are open after all. Our table of 3 shared the Vegetarian Mazza Combination and the Combination Kabob with Lamb and Chicken. The falafel was very well seasoned and crispy on the outside. It was the highlight of my meal, unfortunately everything else fell short. Most notably the bread tasted like it was freezer burned and was delivered to our table at room temperature. It was dry and stale tasting. The basmati rice that came with the kabob combo was also lacking. The texture was mushy and it almost seemed like something out of a box. The lamb and chicken kabobs were fine, nothing special - 3 pieces of meat on each. I'm not sure if it was an off night, if the owners have changed or if they are cutting some corners but in any case I don't expect to visit again soon.
(2)Chad R.
Imagine a world overrun with zombies! Imagine the zombies of this world survive on Moroccan Lamb instead of brains! This world that you have now imagined would actually be pretty safe. See, all of the zombies would be at Aladdin's Cafe, ravaging the sweet and savory Moroccan Lamb with dates and apricots that's just OH SO EFF'N GOOD! It would be a shame for us, no longer having access to this divine dish, but probably better to have the zombies at one locale than to have yummy, yummy lamb. Best baba ghanoush I've ever had btw, though I doubt the lamb crazed zombies would care. MMM!!!
(5)Jennifer S.
Yummy yummy! My sister, 13mo baby, and I just enjoyed a small feast for under $50 and everything was delightful! I can highly recommend the vegetarian appetizer plate, the pita bread cheese pizza thing (can't remember the name), the falafel sandwich (nicely grilled), bakalava, and the iced tea. My baby looked like a crazy baba monster because she couldn't stop scooping it into her mouth (or the area near her mouth). The waitress was very friendly and helpful too!
(5)beatrix p.
Omg, FINALLY! I've been here for a few months now and have been so depressed by what the Portland natives call 'great middle eastern food' What a joke.. Well cry no more for i have found the motherland of excellent middle eastern vegan food. Aladdin's has in my opinion the BEST falafel in town. The only other place i've tasted such deliciousness was in Berlin where we ate falafel almost every day(When you are vegan, you really get to know the falafel joints world wide) We started off with the Mehumara, the homous and a spinach pie. Then we shared a giant falafel with the tastiest little fried balls of joy.. I'm drooling just talking about it..Then we finished off with some scrumptious lentil soup. Dang i say DANG. Just take my word for it. Fresh ingredients, authentic and healthy, great service, absolutely no waiting etc etc. Can't say enough about this place. I'm just so surprised that this isn't on The Best Of Portland list yet.. Oh and the funky decor is really cute. Thank you Aladdin's ! You RULE ! heart heart
(5)Thomas W.
I love Lebanese cuisine. It is one of those rare flavor profiles that I can consume day after day without fatigue. Only Japanese schools share that distinction, which of course makes me a regular patron of Japanese and Lebanese restaurants. After finding out that Aladdin's was so close to home, I decided that it was time to take a trip. Am I ever glad that I did! Right when you walk in, you know that you are in for a treat. The decor is less impressive than the aroma of freshly prepared schwarma, hummus and kabobs - a scent so encouraging that I knew I had found a real gem. It is a small place, but homey, so you know that the food is the star, and gets all of the attention. Our server could not have been more congenial if we were family. Gracious, polite, and attentive, he took our orders and explained various plates with friendliness and patience. He returned with our drinks, bringing us some of the most delicious and seasoned iced tea I have had in my life. The following hummus was no less surprising - creamy and rich, it came with some of the freshest bread I have ever had - straight from the oven and to our table. Unbelievably good! The kicker, though, was my lamb kabobs - I want there to be no misunderstanding when I say that I have never had a better tasting cut of meat in my life. I don't mean just lamb - I mean ever. Of all time. Of all the meat-based proteins, this was the single most wonderful bite - a beautiful char on the spices, tender, juicy...I am getting WAY too hungry right now just thinking about it! I will definitely be going back - with it being less than 2 minutes from my home, this is a crown jewel in NE's dining scene, and it comes in such a welcoming, unassuming form. Well worth the drive for anyone in the surrounding areas, and a MUST for NE residents!
(4)Ed L.
A friend of mine recommended this place, since his family eats there like kinda regularly. So, I'm like, ok, let's see what this place is about. The night while my friend and I was there, a group was celebrating a birthday. The atmosphere was casual and the ambiance was alright. We ordered the veggie sampler. It was rather tastey. Then ordered our main meals. I got the sharmana meal or something with a beer. After that, I was full, but ordered a desert to go anyway. I like this place. Simple and casual that takes plastic!
(4)Erika T.
I really love the homemade pita and hummus, and their chicken schwarma is amazing, but the service is pretty terrible. They don't take a LOT of time to get your order, but then you wait and wait and your drink doesn't even show up until they bring the food. What's up with that?
(3)Lin N.
The tea is excellent. Food was average. Low rating for poor service and and interior (I don't need anything fancy but the place was in quite a bit of disrepair).
(2)George P.
"Meh" is a good way to sum up Aladdin's. Food, ambiance, service were all mediocre at best. Scratch that. Service was fine, just a tad bit slow considering the fact that there weren't many other patrons. I'm not huge on ambiance. I really enjoy hole in the wall mom and pop shops, but lack of flavor coupled with lack of ambiance really brought down the overall experience. The chicken and beef skewers were shockingly small portions. The heap of rice was aromatic but lacked flavor. The pita was nice and warm-- fresh from the oven. I suppose the pita was the highlight? A sad experience overall. I recommend passing on Aladdin's. Overpriced and bland. Sorry Aladdin's :(
(2)Laura N.
Not quite your 'destination' restaurant, Aladdin's ambiance is more functional than decorative. In fact it would be wise to expect everything from the food to the prices to remind you more of a street vendor than a caf. However, they do offer one in-restaurant perk: a small TV in the corner that pumps out Bollywood music videos like they are going out of style. (If that's not worth 5 stars alone, I'm not sure what is.) But don't let the bland dcor serve as any reflection of their food. As soon as you are seated you are instantly greeted with hot pita bread fresh from the oven. Both the hummus and baba ganoush appetizers are smooth and flavorful, balanced with just the right amount of tahini and lemon. They make a fantastic spinach pie, and I have friends that swear by the chicken and lamb shawarmas - which are thin slices of meat, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles, and piquant tahini sauce wrapped in that killer Pita bread I've already credited. Other dishes come with Basmati rice that is not over-flavored (a tragic reflection of Americanized-Indian food), and lentil soup that I wish I could package and take with me for a rainy day. This is not your high-end "shi shi" Lebanese food, but it is some of the best you'll find in the city, with a price that is unbeatable. I always leave Aladdin's Caf with a full tummy and a smile - and of course an intimate knowledge of all of the up-and-coming Bollywood stars.
(5)Josh W.
Who would have thought you'd find a place like this tucked away in a strip mall? I've had my share of Mediterranean and Lebanese food around Seattle and Portland but have yet to find such a restaurant as consistently good as this one. The Aladdin's combo comes with your choice of lamb (MINE!) or chicken, hummus and tabouli, and plenty of flatbread. This is what I crave. I've also sampled a variety of appetizers, which have all been good. But that lamb, so tender and flavorful...it calls to me. Now I don't speak lamb but I'm pretty sure it's begging to be eaten. Aladdin's is not about ambiance. It's not romantic. It's all about the food. And that's what keeps me coming back.
(5)Nancy K.
I realize now that I'm not a big fan of Middle Eastern food. I've been to a handful of places and basically order the same thing (veg mezza) and everything tastes more or less the same to me. Nothing really stood out - grape leaves, OK. hummus, OK. falafel, served cold but the flavor was OK. The baba ganoush was probably the best thing on the plate - smokey and rich. The service wasn't that great but what do I really expect from the one girl who was working the tables and disappearing into the kitchen. I probably wouldn't go out of my way to come here but the food ain't bad.
(3)Jen S.
My friend suggested Aladdin after we'd both had our fill of Arabian Breeze recently (nothing bad about it, just wanted something new). The decor was definitely simple, there was really no ambiance to the place like with AB. But the food was great! The Vegetarian Mazza Combination appetizer included falafel, tabouli, hummous, baba ghanouj, and dolmas - and could've easily been our entire meal. Everything was delish. The fava bean appetizer was also amazingly spiced and tasty. I opted for the cheese safeeha, which was much better with the Combo than the flatbread that was served. And the spinach pie was also excellent. A lot of the food ended up in take-out boxes to be enjoyed again at a later time. Large portions, reasonable prices, a bit out of the way but entirely worth it. Except for the flatbread. Go to Arabian Breeze if that's a dealbreaker for you.
(4)Danika L.
I came here with my parents after getting a restaurant.com certificate. The restaurant is small and dark on the inside, but we sat outside and it was lovely. Their patio is basically in the parkinglot, but it didn't matter because it wasn't busy, and the street just beyond wasn't either. Service was good, the waiter was jolly and happy to chat with us. We ordered the mehumara (after hearing about it on this site!), lamb shwarma, lamb shwarma plate, and the special, which was lamb shank cooked with honey, apricots, and prunes. For three people, this was too much food! We were so stuffed we could have rolled out of there, and this was even after I packed up half of my sandwich to go! Everything we ordered was excellent. The bill came up to ~$47 (including the 18% tip that restaurant.com certificates require), so after using the certificate the cost was $22 - great value for a meal for 3! If I'm ever in Portland again, I'll definitely return!
(5)Brian D.
I met Cliff and Mike there for lunch after having passed the place several times. I was surprised it was full service and how quaint it was. We all enjoyed our meal. i had the grape leaves and a swarma (sp?) sandwich. Very nice. I'd like to go back to try some of the other menu items.
(3)Buck O.
I would probably eat here again. Everything was good. Maybe a touch on the lemon-y side for my liking. Service was reallly off. My entree came out 15 minutes before my boyfriend's food, and our appetizer came out about 20 minutes after that. I will admit that it was endlessly amusing to witness a series of customers trying to pick up to-go orders get seriously dissed with fun phrases such as "Oh, did you still want that?".
(3)Sherri M.
Tucked in behind the Foodvilla on NE 33rd Avenue it might be easy to miss Aladdin's Cafe. Lovely food and friendly owners & staff. Good choice for vegans and non-vegans (**vegans, be sure to let them know this so they do not serve dishes with a sauce they use a lot which is mayonnaise based) I had seen a rumor posted here that the bread contained dairy, however, I ate there this evening with friends and we asked our wait person to check. The bread IS vegan! Great falafel, hummus, grape leaves, lentil soup, and baba. The megadara is as good as Nicholas Restaurant's. Try the falafel sandwich "Aladdin Style" - which means grilled and delicious!
(4)Madeline P.
Unassuming and delicious! Super casual environment (try to ignore the video lottery connoisseurs that slip in and out the side door). Homemade cuisine that makes your tummy happy. I recommend the chicken shawarma - tastes like it's been marinating in delectable spices all day long! The hummus is a close 2nd favorite in the city of Portland. Give it a try - what do you have to lose?!
(5)Devon D.
Everyone needs to come here for the incredibly juicy, fall off the bone flavor-bomb lamb shank, which is absolutely cooked to perfection. Maybe begin with the meat mazza plate for decent Kafta, and some of the greatest Homous in the land. The Saturday special was interesting; I'd never seen eggplant cooked that way, strangely tasty drenched in marinara and vegetables. The falafels left a little room for improvement, and the grape leaves were average, but I certainly devoured as much as I could fit in my stomach. The beer selection is small but well chosen to suit the Syrian/Mediterranean dishes.
(4)Nader A.
OK, there's another Yelp listing for this same place ( yelp.com/biz/aladdins-re… ), but it refers to it as "Aladdin's Restaurant" when the sign, menu, and line-item on my bank statement call it "Aladdin's Cafe" - so that's where my review's gonna go. Middle Eastern (often Lebanese)/Mediterranean cuisine is probably my second favorite ethnic food (behind Indian), and Portland is blessed with more than it's fair share of these restaurants. Aladdin's Cafe is NOT one of the better ones, but it's relatively quick and pretty good. Prices tend to be a bit high given it's less than fantastic ambiance; the place if quite small, though it's never been terribly cramped when we've been there. They DO give you free pita, but really don't they all? And what this really does is almost FORCE you to get some houmous or baba ghanouj, because nibbling on plain, dry pita while you wait for your meal (albeit a short wait) really doesn't do much for me. The last time we were there I had the Kofta Kebab plate (they make it with beef not lamb), which comes with rice for like $11. It's not that the portions were that small (2 medium sized kebobs; roughly the meat you'd get in a pub burger), but if you have much of an appetite you'll definitely wish you ordered some mezzas, so factor that into your dining budget. The rice was fair, but pretty much no frills; no almond slivers anything else to gussy it up - except for being doused in a generous portion of so-so tahini. I thought the kofta itself was a little underwhelming - decently spiced, but a slight bit undercooked (perhaps that's why it was delivered to my table so quickly)...or rather, it was cooked a little too quickly over too high a heat; soft and mushy inside, well done outside. My Lady ordered the "Shawarma Plate" which comes with your choice of lamb or chicken. Little rant here: in my book, shawarma is shaved lamb cooked on a vertical spit; neither the lamb nor chicken Aladdin's Cafe serves and calls "shawarma" is cooked that way...I know this because they mistakenly brought us the lamb before we sent it back for the chicken we had ordered. End of rant. It was tasty, though a bit oily for my liking. It came with houmous (which is why we didn't order it as a meza) and tabouleh. I straight up loves me some tabouleh, and this was pretty good. Not great, but good. We've also had the Bamiye (okra), which was on special that night, but the last time we tried it they really screwed it up. A lot of people don't like okra, and if it's been anything like the way they made it at Aladdin's Cafe I can understand why. It was tough and slimy. When cooked properly bamiye is wonderful, so it was a big disappointment to me. I'm tempted to give this place a 3rd star because it seem so obviously a family-run place, and in truth there's nothing TERRIBLE about it. But, the fact is you've got quite a lot of options for quality Middle Eastern food in pdx, and Aladdin's Cafe is well below the curve.
(2)Ian M.
Wow... What an amazing place! I must admit, when I pulled up, I was pretty dubious of the restaurant. Once I walked into the building, all doubts left my mind. The place has a very mellow atmosphere, and the food is AMAZING! Not to mention for a very reasonable price. I absolutely recommend this place for families, friends, or just by yourself.
(5)Kathryn K.
The food was quite enjoyable! We really liked the variety on the Aladdin's Combo (the lamb shwarma was delicious, and the sauce was perfect) which came with hummus and tabouli, and we tried the special of lamb with apricots and prunes - very yummy. Because we had a Groupon we also tried one of the appetizers, mehumara - very unique and filling (we had to take some home). The reason I gave the restaurant three stars, after really enjoying the food, was that we were there to try something new, and potentially, come again if we liked it. We felt like we were treated like 2nd class customers because of the Groupon, and we were not given the soup that came with our meals nor were we offered a choice of dessert as the Groupon specified. We understand that this restaurant is discounting their food to offer this special, but if they want to have repeat customers, who pay full price the next time, they need to treat them well the first time. The waitress was not really rude, but she rushed us, took our plates without asking if we were done, and said "oh, you have a Groupon" and reached across me to grab it off the table. There was no "welcome to Aladdin's cafe, is this your first visit?" It was poor customer service and we were disappointed because the food was so good. We might be back, but only for take-out.
(3)Tim O.
Fact: Aladdins is a great place to go for some amazing Lebanese cuisine! I highly recommend the exquisite hummus and piping hot small pizza sized pitas that come quickly to your table (if ordered). Also, the chicken shawarma is clutch. I actually ate a beef sandwich this afternoon which was like foot long and tasted like amazing. The $5.50 price tag didn't lighten my wallet too much either. There are very few that actually work there so be patient. Finally, stay for a little Turkish coffee and a tasty baklava to coat your already bursting stomach. Belly dance your way into Aladdins with your friends!
(4)T. N.
They had the best falafels I've ever had! So moist and flavorful! I've been a big fan of falafels because they're also on the dry and grainy side when I've had them. But these were so good along w/the rest of the appetitizers I got on the vegetarian mezza platter. The only thing I thought was okay were the .....can't remember what it's called right now but it's wrapped w/grape leaves. The lamb shank my husband had and the chicken schwarma I got which both came with rice were excellent also. There were even leftovers and we have 2 small boys who are big eaters. The portions are big. The atmosphere is very casual, could be more on the cozy side.
(5)Brian M.
Really good food at Reasonable prices flat bread is awesome You can afford to order multiple dishes because the price is so reasonable. Falaffel, Swarma, their pizza like things. All very tasty and well prepared in a quaint out of the way place.
(4)Zoe M.
Middle Eastern. I'm an afficiando and can hit all the notes in my own kitchen. Visited on a Thursday evening right around 7:30 with a friend who had heard about Aladdin and decided to check it out. Casual atmosphere with a mix of decor. The specials were clearly labeled. Our order came quick but had to ask for serving utensils, additional plates for the Mezza platter we were sharing, to go containers and a bag to take leftovers home in. The waitress was attentive in a distracted way and acted like she would just as soon had us order and leave, switching on lights and acting put out by our few requests. We had the Meat Mezza, lentil soup, Green Bean Special for Thursday. The Orange Blossom Tea was good but the Turkish coffee was tepid. The falafel was lackluster, tahini sauce overpowering without a hint of garlic or lemon. Falafel no seasoning. The hummus was good. Green Bean Special was hardly special. Inexpensive dining, poor service and pretty bland fare. Don't recommend.
(2)Dawn R.
Mmmmmm. This place is delightful. My friends and I went for a mid-afternoon snack, and ended up having a feast. The decor could use a little improvement, but the food was wonderful. My favorites were two dishes involving large quantities of yogurt and garlic...creamy and gentle on my pained mouth (still suffering for Cuban sandwich bread trauma). The lentil soup was thick and flavorful. My pal ordered a chicken dish with a sauce so succulent I'm craving it already, less than 24 hours later. I'm dying to go back and try the lamb...next time I'm in Portland for sure.
(4)Courtney S.
We ate here for the first time last night and the food was fantastic, service great and price very reasonable. The hummus is creamy, the pita is fresh and the lamb exquisite. My only complaint was the ambient temperature in the restaurant was chilly and drafty. It is particularly cold (for PDX) right now though so probably not the norm. We will definitely be back here often! 3/8/08- We went back on a saturday night and had the braised lamb special and everything was once again amazing. I was literally thinking about this food for several days!
(5)Putty B.
Hands down 5 stars without reservation. The tabouleh was fresh, hummous perfect. Dolmas were good. The veg appetizer platter is a meal in itself. Great food, great value. We will be back again for sure. Can't wait to sample more of the menu...
(5)Kendall C.
Total hole in the wall, but great food. Very authentic decor. Went there for lunch and had the Lamb Shawarma for $11. Top notch!
(4)Doug M.
I just had lunch here for the first time. It's tacked to the side of the ancient Foodvilla store way north on NE 33rd. Go north past New Seasons. Keep going past the Kennedy School. Look for it on the right before the Lombard/Columbia overpasses. It has a sunny patio and a clean, warmly decorated interior. The pitas are homemade and fresh. The falafel is very tasty and slightly spicy, which I love. The hummus is quite rich. I thought they were as good or better than anything here in town (except, possibly, Nicholas). It's a great addition to this neck of the woods.
(4)Glen G.
Tasty Lamb dish. Great Turkish Coffee.
(4)Jack H.
Yes the Veg Mezza is great, but the thin flatbreads were superb! Wow what a taste sensation the Zaatar Safeeha is, thin thin crust with a brown seeded covering full of wonderful tastes, exotic and satisfying. And the Cheese Safeeha makes you wonder why you've ever wasted time on Pizza, when this flatbread is so savory. Falaffels were tasty. I'll be back.
(5)James J.
The reviews of Aladdin's Cafe and Aladdin's Restaurant convinced us to go there for our get-a-way from South Hill, WA. The cafe is in the middle of a residential area & is easily by passed. Calling the cafe, the owner got on the phone and navigated us in. A bit dated, but a pretty nice Middle Easternesque decor. The daily specials include a lamb shank dish and a nice beef dish. The appetizers were ok. The meals were pretty good and quite flavorful. After finishing the meals, the owner came out and spoke with us for a couple of moments. Very nice touch. We finished the meal with baklavla and Moroccan tea. The tea was wonderful, if a bit too sweet for our tastes. All in all a nice evening at a decent restaurant.
(3)Kris W.
Relatively cheap Moroccan/Lebanese cuisine in a casual atmosphere. Lots of vegetarian options; the grape leaves are a particular favorite and the falafel is also good. Dips are standard and good options; the vegetarian mazza plate is a nice way to sample everything and they will give you a little extra of whatever you like for a couple additional bucks. Iced tea is minty sweet; the same Arabic music DVD seems to be on all the time. Staff is helpful and friendly. Food-wise, on a par with Karam.
(4)ApdxR M.
I've had middle eastern food before, and I think it's just kinda "ok"...HOWEVER, I was really impressed with my delicious lunch at Aladdin Cafe ----The food was excellent, and the service was even better. Super nice people in a family restaurant environment. It was very quaint. I had the schwarma (sp?) chicken sandwich (YUM!!) with the vegetarian appetizer plate (stuffed grape leaves, hummus, baba ganush, and tabouleh salad...) All very good. Moroccan orange tea to start....all very good. I will admit though, I was STARVING like mad.
(5)Alicia J.
Great food, lesser ambiance. Aladdin's makes some of the freshest and cheapest Middle Eastern in town. Their pita melts in your mouth. The falafel is light and crispy. The belly dancer video that plays on a non-stop loop is hilarious. This joint is tucked away on NE 33rd a few blocks North of the Kennedy School. If you see the FoodVilla, turn into their lot, they're attached. I've never had to wait for a table, which is also a major plus!
(4)Lauren B.
Never mind the liquor store parking lot, never mind the video lottery attached, never mind the dive appearance... just go in, order a glass of the Lebanese white (the only white wine they serve), wait for the great albeit overworked waitress to take your order and relax and take in the authentic smells of made to order lamb shawarma or the out of the oven pita that is brought directly to your table. From the tabouli to the meat pies this unassuming establishment will be a staple in my restaurant repertoire for some time to come.
(5)Jeremy S.
Pretty durn good. I got take-out since the wife wasn't up for going out proper-like...and I have to say the ambiance wasn't nearly as bad as I was expecting from the reviews. In fact, it bordered on pleasant. Probably the worst thing about the whole place is the neon Video Poker sign in the front window...that and its location next to FoodVilla (side note: oh, how I wish someone would come along and replace the "V" in the FoodVilla sign with a "Z"...I mean, really, what would be better than a mini mart called FOODZILLA???). So, I got the "Aladdin Speical" or whatever, which is Lamb shawarma with hummus, pita and tabouleh. It was good. The hummus was pleasantly lemony, which was a nice change from the norm, the lamb was more stewed and more salty than I was expecting, but still very tasty, and the tabouleh...well, it was mostly parsley, but it was still OK. Oh yeah, and I got a lentil soup, which was kind of watery, but still very tasty. The girl behind the counter said that one serving of lentil soup usually filled up the to-go container only about halfway, but she filled mine up for no extra charge. Thanks, girl behind the counter! Overall, totally decent, and a damn sight better than going to Nicholas' and having to wait 1/2 hour for a table when there really isn't even any place to wait. Plus it's five minutes from the house, if that. Will definitely be back.
(4)Mike D.
above average food, above average proportions ... probably one of the few 3/5 type places we would probably go back to (meaning its really more accurate representation to give this place a 7/10) wife had lentil soup, was really sort of bland ... also had tabouli which was pretty good i had the grape leaves (decent) and the falafel (really good) the non-vegan pita bread was bland and undercooked (we had to get them to throw it back on the grill) friendly staff was a bit difficult to understand
(3)Kate K.
Yum! Aladdin Cafe has the best babaganoush in Portland, great kabobs, and a unique shawerma. My only complaint? The decor is a bit tired and the chairs are not super comfy. But still a great place to eat -- or for take-out!
(4)sharai e.
After having a terribly dry kabob here about a year ago, we decided to give Aladdin's another try. There were 2 other tables seated the entire time we were there. We ordered the Foul (Fava bean) appetizer, "Hamburger, plain and dry for my daughter" and Safeeha for my son. My husband and I both ordered Shwarma. They brought us bread. Quite a while later they brought out my son's order. Asked if we wanted more bread. Not wanting to fill up on bread, I asked if we were going to get our Foul soon. "Oh, they're making it. It takes a long time" said the waitress. Then why is it on the appetizer menu? Next they brought out my daughter's "Plain and Dry" burger, filled with onions, lettuce, tomatoes and about a cup of sauce covering it (tzatsiki?). I reminded them that I asked for plain and dry. They took it away, then came back a few minutes later with the same burger, but the vegies scraped off. Still covered in sauce. I said my picky daughter wouldn't eat it. She took it away and went to the kitchen. Came back a few minutes later and said "they are going to make her a new burger. Do you have everything else you need?" Um no, we ordered Shwarmas. By this time, my son was done eating, the rest of us were filling up on bread, so we asked to take the other orders to go. The waitress explained away the delay and confusion, saying "We have had so many to-go orders tonight". So those dining in have to suffer? Good bread though.
(2)Bethany W.
Although it is one of the closest restaurants to our house, I haven't been there in over a year so when a Groupon showed up I decided it was a good time to give them another try. Promptly remembered why we stopped going - mediocre overpriced food, terrible service. To echo several people below - we had the Groupon out (to ask if we could take it to-go as there were several large parties) and the waitress snatched it off the table and proceeded to purposefully ignore us the rest of the night (we had the opportunity to observe her attentiveness to all the tables around us). I wonder if she realizes she has a self-fulfilling prophecy going...we would happily have tipped based on the full amount of the meal, given the chance. Again as someone below mentioned, the waitress did not ask us if we wanted soup or salad when ordering an entree that came with it and I had to request it later after I re-read the menu. She also brought our appetizer with the rest of our meal and then never brought us any more pita to eat with the multiple spreads/dips we had ordered. Done with it - there are plenty of good Middle Eastern restaurants in Portland to satisfy.
(1)Sheila J.
Absolutely delicious cuisine. Very casual setting..good for families. Lunch and dinner is just fabulous!! highly recommend this place for casual dine in or take out
(4)rudy L.
uuum ok food. the chicken schwarma was great! the pita bread and hummas is good. but over all im not all that exited when we go there. the food is nice but the atmosphere needs to be worked on. its generally dark and the lights are very low and there are these annoying music videos of famous middle-eastern singers on a big tv. sometimes u just want some peace and quite while eating.....but no. its family run so thats bonus.....
(3)snood s.
You know those restaurants that you keep in your back pocket and pull out when you are lazy, hungry, desirous of a satisfying meal, and feeling cheap? Aladdin is my go-to restaurant for these situations. I can always count on the chicken schwarma special to rock my world and fill my belly for $5.50. I took a bunch of family here and they all loved it. Very good hummus, tasty rice, and a menu that has a little something for everyone. The restaurant is simple and straight forward - It is adjacent to a liquor store and connected to a small room with video poker. The inside is comfortable-- nothing too fancy, the dining room shares space with the soda machine and food cooler. In warmer weather you can sit on the patio adjacent to the parking lot.
(5)Joe m.
While I really appreciate when menus label items that are vegan ( which this cafe does) it is incredibly infuriating to find out that said items are not really vegan at all. Meaning the pita bread has dairy in it. I ordered just the falafel without the bread and the balls were very tasty and a decent price but why lie on your menu?!
(3)Jethro W.
Excellent! This is a favorite Mediterranean spot for me in Portland. I love the atmosphere, customer service and very delicious food.
(5)Dustin I.
We ordered two falafel sandwiches and a fried vegetable appetizer for delivery. The falafel sandwiches were underwhelming. The falafel themselves were spiced pretty well and of decent texture- not too hard or mushy. However the falafel sandwich was too dry and did not have enough tahini or veggies. As for the fried vegetable appetizer it was supposed to be "slices of yellow squash, cauliflower, carrots and potatoes deep-fried". Well it wasn't deep fried at all instead it was covered in some sort of weird thick sauce and was basically a big heaping mess. Also, the potatoes were big crinkle cut fries which hardly counts for "potatoes". The false advertising of a "deep fried vegetable appetizer" that was not deep fried at all is a big part of the 2 star rating.
(2)Rick S.
I'm fairly disappointed. A friend had told me they came here a while ago and loved it. The bread was plentiful, but not very tasty. I had the chicken shawarma plate. The chicken tasted like it came from a can and I'm pretty sure the rice is the same Goya yellow rice I make at home. The side salad I had was nothing special either. The two servers we had were very friendly, but really clueless to anything going on. I'd like to say I'll give it another try, but there are so many other middle eastern places in town that are amazing.
(2)Leah H.
Delicious food. Well prepared. Flavorful. Attentive staff. Family owned business. Yummy. will definitely be back.
(5)Bonnie M.
Alladin cafe is a lovely eatery tucked away in Concordia, just N of New Seasons on 33rd. The food is scrumptious, for dinner we ordered all vegetarian including a comprehensive mazza platter. The pita bread is made in house and is light and fluffy perfection. Our favorites were the veggie kabobs and the tangy baba ganoush. Excellent and attentive service. Highly recommended!
(5)Daniel L.
Great food - great price - service also very nice and did not take very long. I like their kafta kebab or kafta kebab combination The owner very friendly
(4)Meg C.
They have a Lagunitas happy hour sign in front (its been there for over a year), which initially drew us in, yet they didn't honor the HH sign despite us coming in during the listed hours. A year later I've tried this place again, because I want to like it - it's pretty close to my house and was hoping it was a hole-in-the-wall gem...but for the quality you're getting for the prices they have listed - you have much better options around, and I'd skip this place. The falafel was decent, but the chicken schwarma was a strange chicken salad like texture and the flavor was...almost metallic and it didn't taste very fresh. The service was mediocre and a bit slow given we were the only ones in the restaurant. Most of their traffic appears to be keno-related.
(2)Li I.
Delicious food!!! and the minty lemonade - Yummy!
(5)Gordon O.
This restaurant is a bit hidden on the side of a grocery store in a quiet neighborhood and would be easy to miss. But don't let looks fool you. The food is very good, the place is quiet enough for conversation, and the owners and staff are exceptionally friendly. We have dined at Aladdin's Cafe several times and taken friends there for dinner. The food is always very good, with plenty of choices of authentic Lebanese food. The Shawarma Plate and the lamb skewers are especially delicious. It's a good out-of-the way place if you want to get away from the crowds.
(4)Michael H.
The food is excellent here. Definitely get the hommous and pita bread - you won't be disappointed. The lamb was delicious and the service was great!
(5)Brandy P.
We sadly had one of the more unappetizing meals ever from this place last night. We have a newborn so we ordered dinner from Aladdin's through Delivered Dish. My wife ordered the lamb shawarma with hummus and what she got was a styrofoam container filled with a hummus only one step above the worst store-bought brand and these pathetic, teeny, chewy bits of lamb thrown atop. The pieces were no more than a half inch around and looked like they should be on nachos, not as the main course of a $14 entree. My chicken shawarma sandwich was only slightly more appetizing and yet it smelled and tasted somewhere between chicken and tuna salad. Disturbing. I'm not quite sure what the deal is with this establishment but we got a good laugh out of it and put it on the Never Again list.
(2)Humam T.
The food was very good and fast. We love all of their oven baked things like meat pie and egg pie. We will definitely be back. They have so many good things to try. We also will go back for their Ramadan feast...
(5)Carrie W.
Just moved back to Portland after being away a few years and was excited to get back to one of my favorites, Aladdin's Cafe. Must say that I was disappointed in my meal. The Fattoush salad was so sad :( It used to have a delicious, light, lemony, sumac bite that I dreamt of coming home to. Now it was a salad drenched in sugary sweet balsamic with a sprinkle of sumac powder. The veggie mezza plate was very good! Their humus is so silky smooth, and the baba ghanoush, tabbouleh, and falafel is some of the best in town. Grape leaves are pretty good, too. Lamb shawarma was pretty good. We ordered ours special with half humus/half rice. I like their rice- it's very much like comfort food. Overall, it was just kind of disappointing and the fattoush was SUCH a major let down and the rest of the food was good but not enough to get me excited to rush back.
(2)Judee M.
I'm so happy to have this one in my own neighborhood. We are also Hoda's fans, but we rate Middle Easter restaurants by their hummus....Aladdin's is pretty terrific! We are chicken shawarma people, so we were pleased with their version. The service was simple and neighborly. It may not look like a big deal from outside, but you can't judge a book by its cover. It's just down the street from McMenamin's Kennedy School, to give perspective on location. We went here first with a Groupon. Sometime restaurants are a bit less attentive when I show them that, but these folks assured my return! Good value, easy to park, kid friendly, handicap navigation friendly....
(5)Melanie T.
This Friday night was busy and we know why...the food is hot and delicious ! We left stuffed but will enjoy our desserts and leftovers tomorrow. The owner and servers were so friendly even though their restaurant was busy. We ordered lentil soup, hummus & pita, tabouleh, meat pie, cheese pie, egg pie (that's what we call them), falafel and of course syrian coffee. The baklava and date cookies were scrumptious
(5)Tony K.
We have been to most of the Mediterranean restaurants in Portland, and they are all good. But this place should be better known and placed on your radar. The lamb shwrarma was perhaps the best we have ever had, the sauces were familiar but with a subtle and very pleasing twist. The out side of the building does not look like much, don't let that discourage you, once inside the food is very likely the best Mediterranean in Portland.
(5)Omar S.
This is my first time in Portland. This is a authentic Middle Eastern restaurant with amazing food and super friendly staff. I definitely recommend and I will come back here again. Try the fresh baked bread, hummus and falafel, shawerma ..
(5)Jamie R.
The food is the best in town. The lamb shank will have you coming back every week. The falafel is crispy and light as a cloud. But the best is the baba ganoosh. And BTW, the male guy is really handsome and the woman is the business woman. She's sweet and serves best middle eastern food in Portland.
(5)Kaiao N.
Very friendly staff who do their best to remember your face. Although it looks a little sketchy on the outside it really is a nice, small, intimate setting. My favorite thing to get is the chicken shawarma! I enjoy it with an extra pickle! Also, I had my first falafel here and I enjoyed it!
(5)Isam S.
I went to Aladdin's Cafe , it was the best food and drink! They have great falafel and kabob , also the best humous in town and the service is excellent!
(5)Katie F.
Love love love their food and drinks! And service was amazing! My hubby and I will be back again :)
(5)Hadia F.
Our office catered food from here and OMG so so good!!! I'm middle eastern myself and this food is some of the tastiest dishes I've ever had. We ordered hummus, baba ghanoush, tabouli and chicken schwarma. I will definitely be offering from them again. Oh and the pita bread was delicious as well.
(5)Geoff M.
Came here on a Groupon with a friend and will definitely be back. The falafel was denser than I expected, but the pieces were smaller than normal so it worked very well. Tabouleh was lemony and light, as it should be, and the hummus was just right. The thyme and olive oil dip went great with the fresh baked flat bread. Friend ordered kafta kebabs and I ordered the lamb leg with honey glaze. Kafta was perfectly seasoned and well cooked. The lamb was fork tender and delicious. The only thing I didn't love was the Turkish coffee; it was heavily infused with cardamom which I didn't find out about until it was delivered. Dayana, the owner and our server, was very kind and attentive and took time to explain each dish we asked about. When we declined dessert due to friend's dairy restrictions, she brought me a little shortbread and date cookie to try... yum! This compared favorably with any middle Eastern food I've had in Portland. Solid 5 star rating.
(5)Janet M.
My friend had us come visit from far away Bethany and she ordered takeout from this place. She says she gets it all the time and thinks its really good. My daughter and I got a mezze to share and a chicken schwarma with rice. I think we are spoiled. The chicken schwarma and rice we get at Oasis Lebanese in Hillsboro is like crack. This was ok, but the chicken had the texture of canned tuna and was not my favorite. The rice seemed oily and a little bland. They were out of tabouli which made my daughter sad. She loves tabouli. She ate hummus and pita and was kinda done. I thought the hummus, baba ganoush, and pita were good. The falafel was my favorite. Crispy outside fluffy inside, but a teeny bit greasy. The pita was pale and somewhat chewy. They dont have prices on their website. That is annoying to me. I cant remember what we paid but I think the schwarma was $10ish and the mezze for two about $13. I would not go out of my way to eat here. It was adequate. Just a note for pita and hummus fans: Barbur World Foods makes you enormous fresh pita on the spot for $1ish and their hummus is creamy and fluffy clouds of heaven . Trust me. I'd do that before coming here.
(3)