Baba G

My sister brought us to eat here because they do not use seed oils to cook their food. This is a pretty great selling point, as I am sure most places, if you ask them, use seed oils to cook the food. That being said, I believe prices here are a little hiked up compared to other Mediterranean places because of this detail. I had been craving Mediterranean food for a while now, so I felt really open to the idea of coming to eat here. I must say it did not satisfy my craving so much, but it was still good. What I liked about this place was the fact that you do not need to wait for seating or anything like that. You just order food at the counter then sit and wait for it to be ready. The workers were nice enough to bring the food to us at the tables we were sitting despite it being busy. Other than this, the food was alright but not exceptional. I had a grilled wrap with chicken shawarma and some other things thrown in and though it was of a fair size and filling, I would not say it was anything special. I feel it might be best to come back and try some of the other items on the menu.

Absolutely incredible!! I got the burger and it was by far the most incredible burger I have ever had in my life. I was blown away by the depth of flavor. The burger itself was charred perfectly on the outside and deliciously moist in the center, the sauces and condiments brought a tangy and creamy flavor and texture. The bun is sweet and light and all works together to create a symphony. I’ve had many burgers in my life from some pretty amazing places but nothing tops this!!! Will absolutely be back!

Baba G has fantastic service, but I really didn’t think the food was worth the cost. My salad was over salted and the bread was tasteless and super dry. My friend however had a good chicken shawarma but not amazing for what they charge. Everyone is super friendly, but I just couldn’t go back again. Sorry for the review but hopefully it helps to get this place on track.

Returning for the first time since the son took over, I was delighted to find that the essence of this establishment's culinary excellence remains intact. The food, as always, is delicious, providing a comforting familiarity that makes it a cherished spot. However, a tinge of nostalgia lingered as I discovered one of my all-time favorites, the tabbouleh, had been removed from the menu. Despite this slight disappointment, a silver lining emerged – a pleasant interaction with the owner. Being nice and expressing my fondness for the tabbouleh led to a delightful surprise; they graciously prepared a fresh batch on the spot. It's a testament to the personalized and accommodating service that adds a special touch to the dining experience. Even with the menu change, this place remains one of my favorite spots to grab lunch in the circle. The enduring deliciousness of the food and the warm hospitality make it a go-to destination, and I look forward to many more satisfying visits in the future.

Food was okay there were some items that were not authentic: Greek salad was not fully Greek salad it was a fusion, had romaine lettuce in there didn't have any bell peppers. The chicken was marinated quite well, not very greasy, everything else was wonderful. I especially like the Turkish coffee, though it was a bit pricey. The ambiance was great, service was great.

Finally, a modern Mediterranean spot in the Orange Circle that gets it right! 🌿 Delicious, healthy, and nearly all gluten-free — no seed oils and portions so generous I’d probably spend more making it at home. Fresh, vibrant flavors in a clean, welcoming space. Orange finally has a restaurant that takes health seriously without losing taste. Highly recommend!

Been here a handful of times already. It’s an okay spot but the food isn’t consistent. My pita chips I ordered with my plate today are just plain greasy. Another time, the plate was too salty to enjoy, etc. I tried liking this place since I loved coming to the restaurant before but it’s just not the same. There’s potential but I’d say there are other Mediterranean spots I’d prefer like Pita Pita.

My husband wanted to try their Turkish coffee so we thought we'd try this place. Walking in we were greeted by a very nice host. She sat us right away. The whole place is very nice. The ambiance is welcoming and the customer service is Superb. Jordan took our order and we asked for suggestions. He gave us great ideas on what to order since it was our first time here. We started with the hummus and pita bread. It was yummy! I ordered the FABulous salad with chicken Kebab. It was so delicious. My hubby ordered the Lebanese Breakfast and he LOVED it! We really enjoyed our meal and Jordan was AWESOME! We highly recommend this place to anyone wanting to try something different but delicious! We also ordered the Baklava. Omg! SO GOOD!!!

Just wow. The pic speaks for itself honestly but I don't mind adding how delicious this was. Couldn't even finish it so I had very delicious leftovers! Can't believe I hadn't been here till now and I'm so glad I tried it out! And the staff was also sooo friendly! Be back soon xoxo

My sister brought us to eat here because they do not use seed oils to cook their food. This is a pretty great selling point, as I am sure most places, if you ask them, use seed oils to cook the food. That being said, I believe prices here are a little hiked up compared to other Mediterranean places because of this detail. I had been craving Mediterranean food for a while now, so I felt really open to the idea of coming to eat here. I must say it did not satisfy my craving so much, but it was still good. What I liked about this place was the fact that you do not need to wait for seating or anything like that. You just order food at the counter then sit and wait for it to be ready. The workers were nice enough to bring the food to us at the tables we were sitting despite it being busy. Other than this, the food was alright but not exceptional. I had a grilled wrap with chicken shawarma and some other things thrown in and though it was of a fair size and filling, I would not say it was anything special. I feel it might be best to come back and try some of the other items on the menu.

BabaG is a build your bowl Mediterranean concept, similar to CAVA. Ordering is done at the front register, and after a short while they prepare your bowl and bring it out to your table. Unlike CAVA toppings are not unlimited, you are only limited to 4 here before they charge extra and you can't specify extra toppings like CAVA. BYO Salad Bowl ($18) - This came with a base of green lettuce, wish there was more variety in the greens like CAVA. I went with the chicken shawarma as my protein. Unfortunately it wasn't very tender and over cooked and dry in quite a few pieces. For my 4 toppings I went with cucumber, sumac onion, olives and crunchy garbanzo beans. Didn't care for the crunchy garbanzo beans, they were a little too hard. For my dips/sauces (limited to only 2) I went with hummus and baba ghanoush. Both were good. Overall the bowl was overpriced and costs 50% more than CAVA's bowl. CAVA offers unlimited toppings and more dips/sauces. I also thought the chicken shawarma could have been better. Service was friendly.

Conveniently located near the "Circle" in the City of Orange with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Ordered a build your own chicken pita wrap -- it was huge and really good! Also had a build your own 1/2 salad 1/2 rice and chicken breast with hummus and garlic sauce -- so yummy. Street parking is a challenge during peak times with such a popular area.

Been here a few times since the recent remodel. But again like I've told them their menu is completely confusing and needs to be revamped. Also, their portions are way too small for what you pay for. If they don't start making changes I'm pretty sure they'll be closed in six months. I do like the fact that they have a sign that says that they don't use seed oil so my only question is what do they use? I'm someone that would eat here probably 2 to 3 times a week if I knew what oil they're using. This business is a case of being your own worse enemy with the confusing menu and small portions. Also, when I came in here, even though it wasn't very busy, it took an extremely long time to have my food ready. A gyro that should've took five minutes took like 20 or 25 minutes. I can sit down with the owner for free to get them some advice.

Definitely fell in love with the sweet eggplant side OMG. The beef and the sides were all tasty, the rice plate was able to be shared by 2 of us. Note: no pita unless you get as separate side or as a wrap. All in all, I would definitely go back and I'm NOT the biggest Mediterranean food fan.

New restaurant right off of orange circle. You order at the front and they bring the food out to you. They have 10 tables on a small patio in the back as well as indoor seating. They don't offer reservations, but we had no problem finding seating for 6 on a Thursday at 12:30 for lunch. I got a bowl with rice and lettuce as the base, with chicken breast, hummus, baba ganoush, and an assortment of pickles. All the ingredients seemed very fresh. Chicken was on the dry side but when combined with the rice and toppings, it wasn't very noticeable. The sweet baba ganoush was different, I've never had a sweet version before but it was a nice twist. Service was very friendly with someone checking in on our table throughout the meal.

I visited Baba G's on a Tuesday around 5 pm. I parked in a lot about a five-minute walk away. There were only a couple of other people inside when we arrived but more started coming in as we were getting ready to leave. There's plenty of seating, both inside & out in the back. I ordered the chicken shawarma salad bowl with crunchy garbanzo, pickled cabbage, cucumber, sumac onion, za'atar labneh, & tahini sauce, while my sister got a chicken shawarma rice bowl (I didn't catch which toppings she chose). I thought the chicken was well-seasoned, & I liked how nicely it paired with all the toppings I had. The portions were generous, but we were hungry, so there were no crumbs left by the time we were done. I appreciate that they're a 100% seed-oil-free restaurant. I would love to visit again!

First time ordering takeout and it was absolutely fabulous. The hummus was Devine. The pita chips were so crunchy and full of seasoning. My mouth watered. Falafel's were amazing. Taboleh was so fresh. The cauliflower was also super incredible. The young girl that helped me was super kind. The place is super cute and loved the openness.

Has been waiting for this place to open and forgot about it for awhile until I walked the circle. The cashier Chloe was extremely kind and answered my numerous questions about ingredients to accommodate my diet. I got the chicken shawarma plate and it was DELICIOUS! The place was very clean, warm, and inviting; I am coming back very soon!

We went here because we saw that they were newer and seed oil free. We will definitely be back again because the food was so good! I tried the greek fries and the amount of feta in them was perfect. My brother tried the burger and said he would come back just for that. The place was small inside but had a nice outdoor are too and it was very clean. Also the workers let us put a couple tables together to accommodate a larger party which was nice of them. If you like greek food, this place is worth a try.

Baba G is one of my fav seed-oil free places in OC! fresh food, solid portions and ofc no seed oils!!!! everyone who works there is really friendly and it's my go-to for quick and healthy food

Incredible food, even better service. We will definitely be coming back. Thank you for keeping the Byblos vibe alive with a new and refreshed look. All we need is the lentil soup.

Tried this place for the first time and wow it is so fresh and full of flavor. The spicy hummus is great and it all blends perfectly. I'll be back for sure. It was so good I forgot to take a picture before I ate it all! Staff is very nice and helpful and the back patio is a great place to relax and enjoy

If you like Cava, you'll love Baba G! My wife and I were regular visitors at Byblos, so we were a bit skeptical of the transition to this fast casual version. Now, I think I like it even more. The create your own bowl option is the way to go. The chicken shawarma and koobideh are perfectly cooked/seasoned and super tender. After picking a protein, you get to choose 4 toppings and add 2 sauces for $18. Bowl was pretty massive, so I took half home for later. Service was exceptional too. The staff took time to explain the menu, checked in to see how we liked the food, and even got us a to-go box before we even had to ask. Great food with great service at a great price.

I've been to Baba G twice now, and both times I left disappointed. The food is just okay it tastes like something from a cafeteria. There's really no difference between this place and any other average spot; it's just plain food with no flavor that stands out. The service is fine, and the place is clean, but for what you get, the prices don't make sense. Each time I've come here, it's been around $65 for three people, and honestly, the value just isn't there. If I'm spending that kind of money, I'd rather go to Panini Kabob the food quality is way better, and the price is about the same. The only thing Baba G really has going for it is the location but the downside the parking is terrible, but when I go out to eat, I want to actually taste the food, not just eat something because it's there.

I don't post reviews often but this place needs a shout out. The food was delicious, fresh, flavorful, satisfying portions and responsibly priced. Soooo Good!

Finally, a modern Mediterranean spot in the Orange Circle that gets it right! The food is not only delicious but also thoughtfully prepared -- no seed oils, a focus on health, and nearly a fully gluten-free menu. Everything feels fresh, clean, and made with real care for both taste and wellness. It's rare to find a place that balances vibrant Mediterranean flavors with such a strong commitment to healthy cooking. The atmosphere is modern and welcoming, making it a perfect spot for both casual meals and meeting friends. So glad Orange finally has a restaurant that takes health seriously without compromising flavor. Highly recommend!

Fresh delicious and healthy! Will definitely be back! It's just a short walk away and located right in the happening part of town.

Great food and great service! Decided to dine in, the staff is super friendly and ambiance is great. Love what they did to the place. Highly recommend Baba G!!

A little disappointed to be honest. The person who took my order was super friendly and nice so I was hoping the food would be as good but it wasn't. I honestly think they gave me the chicken shawarma even though I asked for chicken breast and that was the main problem. The veggies were fresh, the hummus was okay. I'm just not a can't of chicken shawarma. I ordered chicken breast but it wasn't like the ones in the photo, it was more yellow marinated meat which makes me think they gave me the wrong item. And it was $20 so to get home having paid that and it not being the right thing was disappointing. Also, $20 for lunch without a drink is too much. I won't be back unfortunately.

Great Mediterranean food! Chicken shawarma and filet mignon were tender and flavorful. All the topping options were good. Note: the chickpeas are jawbreakers. The Za'atar Labneh is BOMB definitely try it. Portions are big, but it is a bit pricey. Nowadays what isn't though? Check it out if you're in the area!

I was curious about what the sign was that said, "No seed oils." Plus it smelled really good. The lady at the register said they mainly use avocado oil and extra virgins olive oil. The smell I was smelling was the Baba's Burger. It was to die for. They have people who know how to season and cook the meat properly to hold the juices in. The area is very cute, well ventilated, but not too cool. They have an indoor seating, outdoor and upstairs. The people here are knowledgeable of healthy and good-tasting food. I regret not coming here earlier. It is on the pricier side, but so worth it. I'd rather sit here than the other fancy places around.

Very unsatisfied with the bowl chicken was very dry like it's been sitting out for a while. Rice tasted like sushi rice and was very dry. The hummus was very bitter and I got a spicy one and they put like a chili oil sauce on it which was very weird and the pita bread was dry and Not tasteful at all no flavor. Not find this place again. Service is very great. The people there were very helpful.

I love the new concept on this place quick convenient and excellent quality food 10 star for the place and crew. Quality is price less , Definitely this is the new spot for me Hamburger is excellent .

Baba G's new fast casual concept is my new favorite place to go! Quick, convenient, and full of flavor. You order at the counter, pick a seat, and your food is brought to you in to go containers. Ordering is simple: Step 1: Choose your protein - I went with the chicken shawarma (so good!). Step 2: Pick your toppings - I chose tomato, sumac onion, cucumber, and Arabic pickles. Step 3: Add your sauces - I went with hummus and tzatziki, both packed with flavor. Everything was delicious, but the sumac onion, chicken shawarma, hummus, and tzatziki really stood out. Fresh, bold, and super satisfying. I'll definitely be back.

The bowls are structured well with nice choices and a good amount of food. Ingredients are tasty and love the customizations. My only complaint is after twice getting the chicken shawarma is that it's over cooked and can be hard to eat. If that is fixed it would be perfect. Falafel is great.

I had the loaded french fries at Baba G during their opening week. The restaurant is beautiful inside and is laid out wonderfully the food is fresh, seed oil free, made to order and absolutely delicious. I can't wait to go back and try the burger that's next on my list.!! Cheers!

The staff member handling our order seemed inexperienced. When I saw the receipt, I noticed one item was missing. She checked and said she had five orders, but she had actually missed one. She also told us both the crispy beef shawarma and mixed one both would be $5 extra, but we were ultimately charged $2 for beef and $5 for mixed. She didn't apologize for the missed order and had us walk back to the cashier to pay. Additionally, the food was overly salty, which affected our experience.

Interesting little revamp of Byblos, fast style Mediterranean food cooked without seed oils, what a great concept. We had the Koubideh which was decent but not the best I've had, the rice was a bit odd but traditional basmati, the sides were very basic such as cucumber, tomatoes, hummus overall a decent quick stop, just not a cravable choice for me.

Delicious and beautiful displays of food. Large helpings. A meal for two was not cheap, but I felt the food was good quality, so I was able to justify a higher price point. Also a great spot for people watching.

I made my own bowl with Baba's chicken breast, chicken Shawarma, and beef filet mignon, some feta cheese, cucumbers, the spicy hummus and the hot sauce. It was delicious. The service was impeccable with a smile and fast. The ambience is your typical sit down, fast casual restaurant but it's on a beautiful street with a lot of other restaurants with a bustling sidewalk life, don't miss this place. It's definitely worth a trip .....oh and they have ice cream - Soft Serve ....they just got it and it's delicious. It's seed oil free.

Fresh, healthy, and quick. Been a couple of times already since they opened. Forgot to grab picture the first time. Had the baba wrap with filet and it was great. This time went with a salad added the chicken breast. Filling salad. Added the hummus side and it was a huge portion, I highly recommend ordering extra pita because it's enough for a couple servings. This place is similar to a Luna Grill but in my opinion much better food. This is perfect for that spot in between fast food and a sit down dinner. I could see a lot of work lunches or when you need a healthy quick bite or take out.

Sooo yummy! Great service and delicious fresh food. I'll definitely be coming back! Love the new design and menu items!

WOW I could eat here everyday. I got the half rice half lettuce bowl with chicken breast and extra toppings. It was so much food I could barely finish half of the bowl!The burger is soooo good, not like anything I've had before. And you have to get it with the zatar fries!! The service much more like a full service sit down restaurant than what you'd expect for a fast casual restaurant. The girls up front were so welcoming and helpful with the menu. They checked on us throughout our meal and cleared our table! I will be back soon Baba G!

Not really impressed with the food at all. The two stars is for the service. As far as the food goes, it was not good at all. I had the chicken shawarma which had too much cumin and turmeric. I don't think I will go back since there are so many great Mediterranean restaurants around.

Great food and service! My family and I visited on a Wednesday afternoon around 2pm, and it was surprisingly pretty busy. We took that as a good sign! It was our first time there, but the menu was easy to understand, which made it easier for ordering. My husband and I ordered bowls (mine was 1/2 rice, 1/2 salad), and my two teenage sons ordered wrap meals - which included pita chips and a drink. The total was over $90 which I thought was sort of pricey for this kind of quick service restaurant. The food came out correct and was great! My husband commented on how he thought there should be more protein for the price we paid. I liked the 1/2 salad, 1/2 rice option. The passion fruit iced tea was good, but my boys didn't care for the different soda options. We sat on the patio, which was nice, but there were a lot of flies that seemed to be coming from the trash in the back alley. The lady who brought our food was very nice, and she checked on us toward the end of our meal. I appreciated that she warned my son his wrap was "saucy" and brought extra napkins. Over, it was a nice family lunch, but it's not a place we can afford to go often. **we were really hungry and started eating immediately, so I didn't get any photos of the food.

We were happily surprised by our visit to Baba G. We liked it a lot more than the previous Byblos cafe. If it looks empty as you pass by that's probably because it's a great takeout place. We ate ours as a picnic by the fountain. We tried the salad with chicken shawarma, a wrap, and fried cauliflower. My toddler loved the crispy garbanzo beans, the beets, and the labneh. The shawarma chicken is (obviously) more tender than the chicken breast. The fried cauliflower was lemony. The pita chips are fried and really crispy. Yum!

Sadly, the new format was very disappointing. No ambiance, cold sterile environment, restricted menu, and no table service. A very modest meal which was over- priced. Definitely not suited for a relaxing Friday night out!

It was fine. The food was fine. It was really hard to get to, there was almost no parking nearby. I had to walk in from pretty far. The service was quite nice and definitely helpful. There's no seed oil and that's definitely nice.

Disappointing. We ate here yesterday and a few weeks ago. We loved the previous Byblos restaurant. It was one of our favorites in the circle, so I wanted to give the new place a chance. First, I'm not a fan of counter ordering, especially with the prices. Wine comes in a plastic cup and if you want a second one you have to go up and get it yourself. The food is ok but not as good as before. Why would you change things when it was already so good? The hummus used to be better, and the beet salad is now basically lettuce and small pieces of beets. I also missed the appetizer plate they used to have. We will not return unless it becomes a full service restaurant again.

We used Baba's G for catering for a corporate event. The experience start to finish was great. Tim was super helpful is making a special request happen and the office was raving about how great the food was. We are excited to use Baba G's in the future!!

Wow, absolutely delicious! What I appreciate the most is that the chicken tastes like chicken, not an over marinated saline chicken from a bag. I'm also really happy with how good I feel after eating there, clean ingredients and good for you food. I can tell the kitchen staff cares about what they are serving. Location is perfect for a day of shopping and eating.

The food was delicious and the ordering process was very organized and a simple process. The service was amazing and the employees were very welcoming and attentive. The setting of the newly designed layout was refreshing and fits perfectly with the new layout of the quick service format. All of this along with the fact that the owner Tim is making a concerted effort to make everything fresh and healthy without sacrificing the quality that Byblos Cafe was so well known for. The menu is 99% seed oil free to top it all off! Give it a try and you won't regret it!

Great tasting food!! Friendly service, clean restaurant and restrooms. Portions are nice and filling. Highly recommend this new restaurant. The best part is the reasonably priced 100% SEED OIL FREE food. It is hard to find a place that is 100% seed oil free.

I love this place... not only the food WHEN I eat it but AFTER I have it I love how I feel. You can TASTE the quality with the no seed oils, its incredible they care so much to spend MORE money for our health. Baba G is a place I will come back to over and over again - so happy to have it close to my work!

Love, love, love! It's about time - SO happy we finally have a seed oil free eatery in the Orange circle! We had the chicken wrap and fries - both were fantastic and the garlic sauce is addicting. The staff were all very friendly and welcoming - we loved everything about it and can't wait to come back.

Great ambience, friendly workers and food came in fast and tasted delicious! Will be coming back soon.

Where do I start with Baba G?! OMG!!!! The food, the service and the ambiance was SO amazing!! Timmy the manager and Tim the owner (who's carrying on his family legacy with a twist to make it his own) are great, warm, welcoming and attentive as well as the rest of the staff. And the FOOOD, OMG! It is SO hard to find not only delicious, fresh food (because EVERYTHING is made in house) but something that's healthy and health conscious. They cook with seed free oil, they use avocado oil and it just so happens to be vegan friendly. They also source their hard seltzer and beer locally. This place is truly a GEM & A MUST TRY!!! You won't regret it! For reference I got the falafel wrap and the fries with cauliflower, let me tell you *chefs kiss* I'm telling everyone I know about them! I'll definitely be back.