Sababa Middle Eastern Grill

I love this great middle eastern restaurant. My family and friends spent all night of New Year 2012 here and the staff went out of their way to make sure we had a first rate experience. This is a great place to rent out for an event and comfortably seats 45 people. Mansoor (sp) is great! His restaurant and banquet hall is definitely worth a visit. They will even learn how to cook your favorite dish, in our case that was the olivie salad.

I love the food here and just visited a few days ago, but Groupon just notified holders of outstanding Groupons that this place has closed. It seems so sudden and I’m really bummed out about it.

I just heard this place closed. What a bummer. Their food was amazing. The owner was so pleasant and wonderful. What a loss for Pittsburgh.

I came here with my friend because he had a Groupon that was about to expire (I know we all hate reviews that start this way, so my apology). Since we weren’t planning on a long meal, we went a little before 8:30. They close at 9pm, according to the hours posted on their door. I thought that meant that they stopped seating around 9, but apparently the kitchen closes at 8:30…whoops. Thankfully, they still let us order, so the Groupon didn’t go to waste.
We made a hasty decision and just got the shwarma, babaghanough, and lebanese salad. Everything was delicious! The baba was a little different than I’m used to (creamier and less smoky) but I still liked it. The best part of my meal was, oddly enough, the pita. It’s fluffy! I don’t know anywhere else in Pittsburgh that serves fluffy pita! Unfortunately, we felt super rushed. Although our server assured us not to rush, we still got that vibe since everything was being put away and the other people working there were literally staring at us sending death stares to get out of the restaurant. Plus, they forgot to give us water. Because of all this, we didn’t really get to enjoy our meal to the fullest. I also thought the prices were a little high compared to other Middle Eastern places. I’d still give it another shot, though.

Besides the fact that it’s incredibly clean and friendly inside, THE FOOD! The hummus is perfect. It comes paired with freshly baked pita, still warm from the oven. I’ve had it twice now and it never fails to melt me into a pool of happiness. The appetizers are all pretty swell, but what’ll knock your socks off is the meat. The schwarma is so tender and delicious and the kababa is unlike anything I’ve ever tried in my life. I am a fan!

My husband and I loved this place when it first opened. Like, seriously loved it. We came here pretty frequently because their chicken is addictive. Dark, juicy, perfectly seasoned meat that was prepared fresh, all wrapped up in a fluffy pita… just thinking about it makes me want to cry and salivate at the same time.
But recently, Sababa has been letting us down. Whenever we get the chicken shishlik (or however you actually spell it), sometimes the pita doesn’t seem fresh (it’s started to go hard) or the amount of chicken to pita is off (not enough chicken) or, and this is the worse part, the chicken would be tough in places, indicating that it was probably cooked a while ago and just reheated. I know that one of the issues is that when they first opened, the chicken took forever, because it was made to order. But it was worth the wait! Now, I think they precook some stuff and just throw it together. And it simply isn’t as good. So, slowly, we’ve given up on it.
I’m going to give you one more try Sababa. Don’t disappoint me again.
One thing to note — the chicken is pricey. But, given how good it is/​was, we were more than willing to pay it.

I took me quite a long time to get over their dry-​heave-​inducing Comic Sans sign outside, but I finally made it in. I was craving some shwarma. Then the waitress informed me they were out of shwarma (their signature dish). Okaaaay, I got the chicken shishlik instead. It was pretty good, wish there had been more vegetables though. I think it was rather high priced at $ 16. For $ 16 I expect there to be some leftovers for me to take home. The waitress we had was adequate… apathetic, but did what she needed to do.

Just popped in again to say we got takeout from here, and it was still delicious. We also tried the «kababa» which I think was like a kofte kabab, ground herbed meat wrapped around a skewer. It was delicious and pretty juicy. The schwarma, mujadara, and hummus sababa continue to be good as well. So eat here. Order confidently. Carry on.

We had a Living Social coupon here and decided to try out Sababa, and we were not disappointed. The pitas were as good as any I’ve ever had and the baba ghanooj was fantastic. I’ve been raised to consider Ali Baba hummus the gold standard but this was basically as good. We loved every item on the «Rainbow» variety platter. Our waitress was a bit slow but that couldn’t detract from the excellent experience. I would come here again to dine in or order takeout.
Also, the baklava was unlike any I’ve ever had before – a circular roll, not a flat pastry like I’ve usually seen in the past. It was delicious!

Killllerrr hummus and pita! Seriously fresh pita bread and the hummus tastes amazing. Only problem was the appetizer came out as a huge plate of hummus and only 4 small pita squares. Hummus to pita ratio was pretty weak, especially for 4 people. All we had to do was ask for more bread, and the server was happy to bring us a warm basket. The falafel wrap was really good, falafel was very tasty wrapped in hummus, tomato and cucumber. The service was on the slow side like the other reviews, but it wasn’t a problem. The server was friendly and the cook/​owner? came to our table to ask how everything was, always a classy move. The other dishes at the table were a vegetable couscous (average) and two shawarmas, which were much enjoyed. I’d go back — good prices, byob, good food!

I found this place thanks to Groupon, as did many other people. The seating arrangement when we were there was… awkward. Over the years, I’ve gotten used to getting crammed into tiny booths, breathing down the necks of my neighbors while I casually rub my elbows against them. Sababa had the opposite problem. There was so much space that it feels empty. This isn’t a bad problem per se, but it just felt odd.
What really ruined the experience was the service. Our server took our order, brought us water, and then never returned. There comes a point where a server should come to tell the customer «hey, the kitchen’s really backed up, we’re sorry.» It’s not much, I’m not asking for a free meal or anything, but our server just didn’t stop at our table at all. She continued to walk by us, give other people water, and take other tables’ orders. The owner finally came out and gave us our appetizer and said our dessert was on the house (though we didn’t order dessert). An awful experience all around, and I whole-​heartedly suggest you avoid this place.
The food itself was generic and mediocre– really nothing to write home about.

I had a combination platter with shwarma and chicken shishlik. The shwarma was good but wasn’t really to my tastes, but my boyfriend really liked it. The chicken shishlik was phenomenal! The chicken was very tender and so flavorful. The rice was cooked to perfection.
The only problem we had was that we waited quite a while for our food. But since we were sitting at the counter, the owner of the restaurant apologized to us multiple times. It wasn’t a big deal, we were enjoying talking to each other and watching the cooks.

The sad, icky ghost of Mr. Willy’s did not curse Sababa! The owners have really transformed this space, and the food– the food! The falafel was so fresh and crispy and not greasy. The hummus had a great texture, and the pita bread was warm and poufy. The main courses come with rice, majadra or fries, and you get fresh grilled veggies. My shwarma was really delicious. The baklava is made in more of an Israeli fashion than the Lebanese-​style baklava I’ve had before, but it was still pretty good.
While we were eating the cook/​owner came out to greet us and was really welcoming. They’re BYOB, but didn’t charge us a corkage fee for our bottle of wine. My kind of place!

This is a phenomenal Middle Eastern restaurant, definitely the best I’ve ever had and I consider myself somewhat of a connoisseur. The interior is decorated in a warm, inviting peach tone and the picture windows offer a fantastic street view. We didn’t know, but it’s BYOB and the couple sitting next to us was sharing a bottle of wine.
I ordered a cup of mint tea and was pleasantly surprised when they brought me a steeping hot mug with fresh mint floating in it… wonderful! We started off with hummus sababa, which was very generously sized; the hummus was drizzled with lemon, olive oil parsley and flourished with hard boiled eggs. The pita that came with it was hot, soft and very tasty. I couldn’t stop eating it. We shared a large bowl of lentil soup, probably the best I’ve ever had.
I was nearly full when our main dishes arrived. We ordered from the quick bites section (priced $ 6 to $ 10 for large portions) instead of the entrée section, the only difference being that the entrees come with sides. I ordered the kababa lafa wrap, which is shaved ground beef with herbs and spices, and my husband ordered the falafel lafa wrap. Each was seasoned perfectly, with the falafel having bits of pepper in it that gave it a wonderful flair, but I liked the kababa best because it was melt-​in-​your mouth perfection.
Needless to say, we were too full to order dessert but we had a delightful experience. The owner came around mid-​meal and drifted from table to table to make sure everyone’s dining experience was good, it was a personal touch that really topped off the evening. The only complaint I have is that it closes at 9 PM.

Had a Groupon for Sababa Grill so went for a quick lunch during the week. The restaurant is open and inviting.
We ordered the hummus sababa to start, and highly recommend it. The hard-​boiled eggs were a nice addition. The pita served with the hummus was warm and fresh, but it would have been nice to get more pita (just a testament to the generous serving of hummus!)
We both had the falafel sandwich, and it was great. The size is perfect for lunch, and the price is right.
Am planning to return for dinner; would recommend this place for someone needing a break from Aladdin’s!

Consistently good food!

I had a really good experience at Sababa tonight. We had two appetizers – falafel plate and the Rainbow, which is a seven-​dish sampler platter. For us, the Rainbow included stuffed grape leaves, roasted red pepper, pickled egglplant, hummus, baba ganoush, tabouleh, and a cucumber-​tomato salad. The roasted red pepper was particularly wonderful, but everything was flavorful and well-​seasoned. The falafel was also great – perfectly cooked and very tasty with its hummus garnish.
Both plates were plated very attractively. The Rainbow in particular was great – it was served in attractive small coral-​colored dishes arranged on a lazy susan, perfect for sharing with a group.
The pita bread was also fresh, poofy, and wonderful. I am guessing that their falafel pita sandwich would be a pretty great lunch.
After sharing these appetizers, my wife and I were full but we ate baklava anyway. It was great – walnut filling inside, pistachio on top. It was not as drenched in honey as some baklavas, and that could be a plus or minus depending on your tastes.
The only negative is that the place is BYOB. However they don’t seem to charge a corkage /​glass fee, so that’s something.
The restaurant on the whole has a very nice atmosphere – white table cloths, clean and light décor – but it’s cheap. There are many options at $ 10 per person or less.

Yes, there are a lot of places for Middle Eastern food in Squirrel Hill. Sababa’s a newcomer, and I hope it sticks around the neighborhood.
The Rainbow, a sampler of all the appetizers, is a must-​try dish. I agree with Henry T. in that the roasted red pepper is the star appetizer, though the pickled eggplant was a close second for me. The stuffed grape leaves were a bit mushy, and the red cabbage salad and the cucumber-​tomato salad could have both used a little vinegar, but these appetizers were still tasty. (Vegetarians: every appetizer is veg-​friendly. I may even just get the Rainbow to eat as my main course on future visits).
Major bonus: the complimentary pita here – unlike some similar Squirrel Hill establishments – is served warm. And it’s the nice fluffy kind.
For my entrée, I got the shakshuka, which had two eggs over easy in a tomato-​pepper-​onion stew, and which came out in an individual frying pan. Nothing fancy, but enjoyable. My brother seemed to enjoy the shwarma, and noted that the rice and lentils that he had chosen as his side was good, too.
Since my brother was in the mood for watermelon, we got that as our dessert. Holy moly that was a lot of watermelon – maybe a quarter of a fairly large fruit.
Our waitress was very pleasant and at one point the chef came over to our table to see if we were enjoying the food. We most definitely were, and I’ll come back again.

I would say 3.5. The restaurant is spacious and has a nice atmosphere. Our waitress was nice and ready with answers. I would come back here, the food was good but not fabulous.

I made my first trip out to Sababa this afternoon and wanted to preempt my official FoodBurgh post with a quick review here. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the former Mr Willies space has re-​appeared as a fantastic new family owned Middle Eastern restaurant.
The space is large, so there’s plenty of room for good table spacing. The tables (covered by white tablecloths and white paper) each hold a single potted herb as a centerpiece (_​amazing_​idea). The menu is split into a few sections: appetizers (which seem to be primarily vegetarian) and vegetarian options on the first column and grilled meat on the second. The chef tells me that all of their meat is Kosher (though I don’t know about everything else).
I ordered a Sababa Salad and found it to be just the right type of cool dish on a hot day. Avacado, hearts of palm, sliced tomato, and navy beans all sat atop a bed of mixed baby greens. A citrus-​based dressing and sprinkles of flaked sea salt topped it all of.
The salad’s flavors came together exceptionally well to create a brightly flavored but completely balanced salad – and one I didn’t even have to feel guilty about eating. Very good.
If you’re at all interested in Middle Eastern food (and I hear they have amazing Falafel), then this place is definitely worth a try.