Sababa Cafe

Sababa Café is an easy choice since it is by so many office buildings, but it is not necessarily the best choice. Some food items are ok/​good, but whatever you do: DO NOT GET THE FRIES. They are baked and smell like weird chemicals.

Had a Valentine’s Day dinner (my wife and I) at Sababa, it was our first time at the restaurant. We had the kibbeh for an appetizer, and while no kibbeh will ever be as good as what I grew up with at the (sadly departed) Abu’s on Farwell, the ones we had at Sababa were a close second. They were topped with a nice garlic sauce (in a little dish, you choose how much you want). I also had a bowl of lentil soup which needed a little pepper but was quite tasty. For mains, Amy had beef shawarma, which had an excellent, delicious flavor but was a tad cold. I had the «mixed grill», a combo plate with grilled lamb, chicken, and beef. This was really extraordinary — the lamb and chicken were so well marinated that you didn’t need a knife to cut through them. Absolutely delicious as well. We finished with baklava for dessert — made by the owner — and I have to say it was the best baklava I’ve ever had in my life (and I’ve had it on three continents). The only thing keeping this from being a 5 star review was the cold shawarma; we really enjoyed our experience at Sababa and we’ll definitely be back. The waiter (Erik) was cheerful and warm, and we really enjoyed swapping stories with the owner after dinner was over. Total cost for the two of us including one diet Coke was $ 51.00. Worth the money.

This place is across the street from my office so about once a month I end up eating here (food options on campus are weak).
Not much to say other than it’s a little expensive for what you get, but I’m writing this review to bring awareness to the world that they have a Beetwich on the menu that is amazing. Herb ciabatta, goat cheese, onion, lettuce, cooked beets, and a dressing. It is amazing!

I work in the building in which Sababa is located. There is about one reason I go there. If I don’t have food and there is some sort of near natural disaster outside (you know, like mild rain, I’m sweet like sugar, I can’t go out in that stuff) I might think of eating there, and even then I try not to.
It’s not because their food is terrible, it’s pretty average. It’s because of their prices. You pay the price of gold and get bronze. Then you have to pay more to get a side of limestone. I am not sure if my metal/​stone analogy worked there, but lets just say that Sababa is overpriced, by a lot. Everything is a la carte. This is the last place on God’s Green Earth where you have to pay for refills. I had a co-​worker who went down there when our ice machine was broken so she could get some ice. She is a regular patron there. It was 53 cents for a cup of ice. She even brought her own cup. Their minimum order for credit cards is 7.50. Not many places doing that anymore either.
The nickle and diming knows no ends at this place. You can get out of there for under $ 10 with a sandwich, fries and soda, but the meal you paid for is going to be $ 9 and some change, but it won’t be worth anything close to that.
The have daily specials which are more price adequate but still not worth what you pay. The fare is simple American despite having an ethnic name. Subs, warm paninis, salads and soup. Again, their food isn’t bad at all, it’s just overpriced. They also serve breakfast sandwiches (with microwaved eggs despite having a grill) and coffee in the mornings.
You can walk 2 blocks from here and go to Subway, Jimmy Jonh’s or Cousins. All will be cheaper, all will be better. But if your hand is forced, you’ll find OK food and a nice location. The restaurant is modern and comfy, with sofa’s and lounges to sit in. This place is a last resort, but if they bring down thier prices, I can easily change this to a 3. It’s not the fault of the food, it’s just paying too much for what you get.