Cafe Sababa - Mediterranean Grill

First-time visit, and I’m already a fan! Cafe Sababa offers a cozy café-style ambiance with cool, laid-back vibes — perfect for enjoying a flavorful Mediterranean meal. Upon walking in, you place your order at the register. If the team is in the back (as they were when I arrived), there’s a little bell to ring for assistance — a nice touch that keeps things flowing. After browsing the menu, I went with the chicken platter, which came with creamy hummus, a fresh salad, and warm, soft pita bread. I also added a side of chickpea curry soup, and let me tell you — the portion was generous, served hot, and packed with flavor. Everything tasted fresh, filling, and well-seasoned. The prices were more than fair, and to top it off, bottled water was just $0.50. That’s rare these days! This family-style Mediterranean spot is a solid yes for me. I felt welcomed, comfortable, and left full and satisfied. Definitely adding Cafe Sababa to my go-to list.

Simple and fantastic. The wait for the food was absolutely worth every minute. The pita bread was warm, fluffy, and perfectly baked. The meat, tender, hot, and juicy! Everything prepared to perfection. The atmosphere made the place unassuming, with mostly 4-top tables and plenty of regulars dining. Their irregular schedule makes the place even more desirable, in my opinion and it should be visited whenever you get the chance!

Authentic. Flavorful. Genuine Service. I love this place!!! Never disappoints.

The food is amazing. I love the cauliflower. The reason I had to give it 3 out of 5 stars because I've only been able to eat here 2 times. It seems like there not open 98% of the time which is frustrating. I have tried to order food at least 20 separate occasions and they were not open. If they are open, definitely try it because the food is amazing. But be warned ⚠️ they dont like to stay open 🙄

Came back a few days ago because wife and i were both craving their gyro and chicken items and we were not disappointed. Though everything was brought out in take out packages, we were indeed allowed to dine-in. The food was fresh, and man that warm pita and flavorful Babaganoush brought a tear to my eye. Everything is delicious, so don't bother asking for a recommendation - my answer will be "yes" for you to try any item!

Cafe Sababa is fantastic. It’s clean and freshly made to order Mediterranean food. It’s not fancy, but you’ll thank yourself for eating here. I had Chicken Souvlaki. It was fantastic. For my side, I ordered the fries. They are crunchy and soft on the inside. They might look like simple ballpark fries, but they aren’t. They are more like Burger King fries vs. Mcdonald's. Excellent. The atmosphere is a little on the dingy side; however, it feels like a homey hole in the wall joint. It’s not unclean; it’s just outdated, but in some way, it gives it a little more charm, in my opinion. I’ll be back!

Love this neighborhood gem. The plaza where is located looks sketchy but this restaurant is amazing, clean and warm. Their lamb is fantastic. I wished they would do Lamb shawarma. I ordered the Lamb Platter for lunch. The meat was so tender and flavorful.

The lamb sandwich was suggested by Ariel. Who by the way was very friendly. It has caramelized onions and there was a huge serving of lamb. I liked it. I was in the mood for Tabouleh and it was crisp with a great lemon tange. Visit for lunch. There is a great special with a drink.

I love the food, service, ambiance and everything about this place. No non-sense. The food and hospitality speak for themselves, but the fact this place is always booming with familiar faces during lunch is a testament to Cafe Sababa. I'm sad it took me so long to discover this place, but this is a new weekly stop for me and it should be for you as well. The Lamb Sandwich and Shawarma Pocket are on another level!

My partner picked up a gyro platter and falafel platter for us - TASTE: 2/5 - not sure if it was an off day, but we were disappointed by our food, especially given the stellar reviews here. The gyro meat was seasoned nicely, the feta and tzatziki were satisfying, and I enjoyed my falafel and hummus. But the babaganoush didn't taste right (and I usually love all types of eggplant) and the chopped salad didn't taste fresh TEXTURE: 4/5 - the hummus was creamy and a good pairing w the pita, and the falafel was crunchy on the outside. However, there was too much liquid w the chopped salad PRICE: 4/5 - each platter was $14, though I expected a little less for lunch SERVING SIZE: 4/5 - decent portions since we wanted a light, late lunch

Cafe Sababa is one of a few eateries in a strip mall. There is an Indian Market, a Thai restaurant, an eyebrow threading shop, and more! I searched for Mediterranean food in the area, and Cafe Sababa was highly rated, so off I went! There is a good amount of free parking in the area. There are several tables and benches outside the restaurant and along the strip for you to eat at as well. Inside, the restaurant is clean, spacious, and has pretty art decorating the walls. The guy at the register was kind and had good energy. He was patient with everyone, too. I ordered the lamb plate, which came with leg of lamb, hummus, Babaghanoush, and a cucumber/tomato salad. Also snagged a bottle of water for 50 cents. I sat outside because it was a beautiful day! They will bring your food out to you. Also included in my meal were two large, fresh pita rounds, some sort of creamy delicious sauce, and a spicy sauce that I paid 40 cents for. Those things were great! The lamb was scrumptious! The hummus was good. However, I didn't really care for the Babaghanoush or the salad, but charge that to my tastebuds and not the restaurant. I have already told my coworkers about the place, and I will definitely return!

Our go-to place for takeout! Lamb's great, Hummus really flavorful, lots of pita. And great sauces. Baklava is yummy!! Food always ready on time. Exiting parking lot is not for faint of heart, but then neither is heavy Atlanta rush hour! Small ethnic grocery shelves are nice.

So I was on the hunt for a good spot for Mediterranean food and I came across this joint. It's in a strip mall and it isnt too big (maybe 10 tables all together). As soon as I came in, my order was read and was still hot. Tried the gyro and chicken shawarma pockets, as well as the hummus. The food was good, and was pretty flavorful, but it needed the hummus to give it a little bit extra pop. The pocket sandwiches were very sizable and you could get full off of one probably. They cut a pita open and stuffed it to the brim, basically. I would come back again.

So, so glad this place survived the pandemic. The lamb dishes are specials and are consistently great...also, I love the attentive, warm service and the general vibe. Great family restaurant with lovely attention to detail.

This was my first time eating here. I was in the area walking a trail and I decided to have lunch here. I'll back back to try something different. I had the Chicken Slovaki Pocket w/ fries cooked and seasoned to perfection.

Wow! Took my bride there yesterday for my first experience there and we were not disappointed. The shawarma was literally the best I have ever had. I am a big eater and I had a hard time finishing it. Service was great and hearing both English and Hebrew spoken made the experience feel even more authentic. Highly recommend and look forward to coming back!

Love the lamb sandwich. I have visited at least 3 times and keep ordering the same thing. The lamb sandwich is full of flavor and fulfilling.

This was my first time visiting. OMG!! This food was delicious and flavorful with each bite! The guy at the register was very inviting and customer service was on point. Another patron told me the soup was very good, so he gave me a sample. Totally agreed with her and bought some. I ate my chicken souvlaki pocket and rice. I was full and the food was filling, but I didn't have that "itis" feeling.

Tried the soup today and my whole review of Sababa has been revamped. Seriously some of the best soup I've ever had and now I'm on the hunt for a comparable recipe! Falafel was fresh and tasty today. Will keep trying things off the menu!!

One of my favorites in town. I do not normally look for restaurants in strip malls, but this one came recommended. Once I ate there I was hooked. Great homemade food. If you want authentic Mediterranean food, this is the place to go.

The gyro was tender and moist; tabouli was fresh . The portions was large and the service was quick. Highly recommend Cafe Sababa when you're wanting a Mediterranean fix.

Omg, I was kinda skeptical just because I never had Mediterranean that was a "pick your own" type thing. Like chipotle for instance. You pick your own things you want to go in your gyro or bowl. I chose steak... little did I know that they didn't serve steak BUT they had steak for their selves. The owner was so nice and gave me some. The women at the cash register said I deserved it. She was soo friendly, she also added chicken to it. I ordered a bowl with spring salad and turmeric rice. I put steak and a lot of vegetables I liked in it as well as the chicken. Everything was so tasty, had great flavors and had a unique style to it. The hummus was great, but the pita got pretty hard after like 6 minutes of eating. I would definitely go back. Very friendly place. They wear masks and gloves when serving food and there is inside and outside seating. The tables aren't 6 ft apart, but they're wasn't anyone inside anyways. There are two outside tables so first come first serve.

An unpretentious spot in a strip mall that transports your senses to Ben-Yehuda Street by simply walking in the door. Having been to Israel several times, I thoroughly enjoy the flavors and spices of the cuisine. It's difficult to recommend one particular dish...try them all...you won't be disappointed.

It's so good and you get so much food. Everything fresh clean hot and juicy the flavor are good and it's the best Shawarma in Atlanta

This place is delicious and the owner is a character. We've gotten the chicken shawarma platter, falafel Greek salad, hummus, and fries. and it's all been top notch. From the fresh and warm pita bread to the tangy hummus to the super flavorful Greek salad dressing, they're really on point with the flavors. Even the fries are seasoned so well! We've gone back twice now, and it will be a part of our regular rotation.

Another Yummy Yelp find!! A small "hole in the wall" restaurant that shares a shopping center with other notably diverse eateries that I'll definitely be back to try out : Chinese, Thai and Indian to name a few ... Order/Food Deets: Hummus and Lamb ($8.25) Safe to say this was the BEST Hummus I've ever had. The addition of the ground lamb is the simplest but greatest decision the menu creators could of made! Not sure why I've never seen this served at other Mediterranean style restaurants, but this alone is worth a trip to Cafe Sababa. Falafel Balls ($3.99) Nothing special , but I have a thing for falafel so I must order it every chance I can. A tad bit dense and over fried, but flavor was there. The dipping sauce that comes with the order has a nice tang to it as well ! Shawarma Platter ($12.25) Chicken well seasoned and not over cooked. ( AKA dry ) if you're a dipper like me, this platter works well because the sides of hummus and babaganoush are equally yummy! Daily Special : Morrocoan Stew Chicken ($16.99) Flavors galore!! This stew chicken had hints of spice and savory elements that kept me wanting more. Served on top of a bed of yellow moist rice. This should definitely be on the regular menu, but I imagine it takes a lot of TLC to make. Parking: Only potential hiccup is the parking situation. As I mentioned above the shopping center is booming , and tends to be busy. Expect to be lined up for a parking spot if you plan to come during peak hours / weekends.

The soup, falafel, and gyro were all amazing! We were really bummed to realize their current menu is much smaller and limited than the menu posted here on Yelp (use their website for correct menu) but sadly they didn't have any kabobs, sandwiches, or any chicken breast options :( My husband loved the chicken thighs, but I personally did not at all. I'm not sure if they changed owners or if they just changed their menu, but that's why I'm rating it a 4/5. Cute family-feeling restaurant with very nice people!

Oh my gosh. Lamb sandwich just changed my life. If you are reading this, just go. It's AMAZING.

This is my go to place for lunch service is always wonderful the family is amazing the food is delicious I eat here for lunch all the time

The food was incredible. I had the shawarma platter and I finished completely. I will definitely come back and order it again. The server was very nice. He gave us extra sauce and said goodbye when I left. The ambiance is very chill and the chair are very comfy. Once I finished my platter, I wanted to take a nap right there.

A great spot no doubt, full of energy, great food and great service from only the gentleman waiter who served us. He showed great enthusiasm and provided an overall positive service. The kabobs and the meats were juicy, well seasoned and the rice was sticky, tasty and fragrant. For appetizer definitely recommend the lamb hummus. However the girl waitress definitely had an attitude, was throwing stuff around, no greeting and warmth. Hell we waited 35 minutes to get in and this girl came and threw napkins right in front of us, dropped the plates like it was nothing and did not even look at us proper. She might have some issues dealing with people of different color and it was very aparent to all five of us visiting. I do not have a solution for this but an overall good experience can easily be damaged through such shortcomings. It needed to be said but Ignore it, hopefully no one has to face such problems. Give this place a shot everyone. Carpe diem with your taste buds.

This place is a total hole in the wall and I never would've found it if not for Yelp! It's small but the staff Is awesome and the food is phenomenal! I had the special of lamb pita and curry lentil soup. The soup I could've drank. Perfectly savory and smooth. This whole shopping center had a bunch of other ethnic foods so you can get just about any other craving on this strip. I believe it ended up being around $12. Don't forget to check in for your free glass of wine! The lamb was awesome and so was the gyro. My friend ordered that and I tried a little piece. Everything I tasted was excellent so do yourself a favor and give this place a try!

Eh................... I am STILL looking for a gyro that's on the same level as the first one I feasted upon in Chicago in 1997 and the ones I consistently get from Little Athens in Tallahassee, FL. Based on the ratings and reviews Cafe Sababa have, I thought that journey was about to end. I was so wrong. First off, the gyro isn't a traditional gyro. It's served as a "pocket." Not the biggest problem. Then I bit into it.......and tasted mint. I. Hate. Mint. ONLY mint I eat is peppermints to keep the breath fresh. I ain't NEVER.....in 21 years.....eaten a gyro that had mint in it. To ensure I wasn't overreacting, I asked my big cousin if he's heard of that. The reason I leaned on his expertise is because he's the person that introduced me to that first one in Chicago so long ago. He said,"MINT??!!!" Then his kids heard the convo and chimed in,"MINT??!!! WTF??!!!" Exactly. The hummus was good. Had to add a little salt to it but what hummus DOESN'T need salt?! lol Their pita bread was on point as well but I came for the gyros and left disappointed.

Great food, portions and staff! Have eaten here several times and have never been disappointed.

Great spot offering middle eastern dishes in the dunwoody area. Cafe feel with a restaurant touch. Proud to support local business and staff is friendly

You can tell when it's personal. These guys are the real deal. Fresh. Perfect portion. Just great food that's traditional and a departure from blah. I had the burger, a side salad, and Epic Baba Ganoush.

This place is great. Food always delicious and consistent. The owner is genuinely a very nice and welcoming guy!

Delicious! Pick anything on the menu you can't go wrong. I also had Chickpea Curry Soup.

Wow! Just wow! I've just had the most amazing, juiciest, delicious lamb sandwich at Cafe Sababa. I rarely eat meat but when I do it has to be lamb for its lower impact on the environment. Well, let me tell you the CS does a nothing less than PERFECT lamb sandwich. It came with a most delicious tabouli salad which I make at home but this one was amazing!! Give it a try folks!!

Was in the area, read the reviews and because I am NEVER in the area, decided to give it a try. Unfortunately, they are closed until October 5th. (Today is September 1st). I'm sure they deserve the vacation, I'm sorry I won't be able to ever try them.

Best shawarma! Friendly folks, too. Eating here is a given when my daughter comes to visit.

Sababa is one of several Hebrew slang words meaning "great" or "cool" and can express enthusiasm, satisfaction or assent ("sure," "no problem") Very appropriate name I wrote my original review in 2010, a few months after they opened. How many restaurants can maintain their quality, originality and taste for so long. They certainly have done it well This is a family run restaurant (2nd generation now) serving all types of Mediterranean foods. My family must have eaten here 100++ times in this 8 years. Somehow I had not been there in 2-3 months though. I had the Moroccan lamb patties in a stew over cuscus tonight. Slightly spicy, tomato based sauce and three lamb patties. Delicious. And large portion. My adult kids have been usually getting the same thing - son gets a chicken schnitzel sandwich and daughter gets a chicken shawarma platter with soup. They love it, really Wife was out of town, she has eaten many things, but frequently the Friday night special or a kabob platter Service is always great - friendly and efficient. Parking can be difficult at peak dinner time some days. Open Monday through Friday for Lunch & Dinner

This family business is a gem! Really consistently good Mediterranean fare at reasonable prices. Recommend any chicken dish, all the accompanying things too( hummus, babaganoosh , etc.) Israeli salad yummy! Get chickpea soup if available- unique and perfect!

Thoughtful ownership, delicious food, not much more to it than that. If you're not sure about middle eastern/Mediterranean food, try this place. If you know you love that food type, try this place.

Absolutely amazing food!!! Literally everything on the menu is amazing!!! Their pita and hummus is amazing and the brownies... OMG!

Love this neighborhood gem. This is a family owned business with lots of charm. The food is delicious. the prices are great, and the family that owns and runs this place are SUPER sweet folks. We adored eating here (pre-covid) but with their indoor and outdoor seating. And now, during the pandemic, we've had great takeout experiences here. There is something for everyone here, and the food is totally kiddo approved. Their homemade lemonade is also a kiddo fave!

Great local family run Mediterranean restaurant. I have a friend who HAS to eat these for the Jerusalem style hummus every time he comes into town. Don't let the strip center fool you, eat there.

I've been eating a lot of Mediterranean food these days. I'm not sure why, but I'm guessing because growing up it was something foreign to me. Thank goodness for handy Yelp where it lead me to find this place. It's located in a complex with a bunch of other restaurants, from Chinese to Indian food. The restaurant is smaller in size, maybe about 15 tables (or could be less). They had a sign outside of their special of the day, which was fried cauliflower. We were seated immediately and a server gave us menus. Service here is really good since all servers checked up on us, which is awesome. We tried the fried cauliflower and man was it delicious. For entree, I ordered the Koobideh kabob platter; it was Angus beef logs served with yellow rice and grilled zucchini. I asked for tzatziki since the meat was kinda dry to my liking but I made it work. I honestly cannot wait to go back!

Try it! You'll like it! It's not fancy but the food is good. I don't remember ever being disappointed.

I do not know how I have not reviewed this neighborhood gem. They open from Monday through Friday. This change was before the Pandemic era. Their food maintains their quality through the years. It is authentic Middle Eastern Food. I you are in the area you should try it.

I usually do take out on weekdays when I am craving falafel. I usually order the falafel platter that comes with pita, babaganoush, hummus and salad. The quantity is good and food is delicious.

Cafe Sababa Mediterranean Grill is located about in the middle of a shopping center on the Eastern side of N Shallowford Rd (to the right if you're traveling North) that also contains Bay Leaf and Indian Bazaar grocery. This is a neighborhood eatery that features near-Kosher Mediterranean foods with fresh flavors, good portions and reasonable prices.The menu is also plainly marked vegan (V) and/or gluten free (GF) for those of you who care (obviously not me!). I've been a bit hesitant writing about Sababa - I've been coming here for many years and it's become one of my favorites for lunch - call me selfish but I did not want to spoil my great experiences there by bringing too much attention to the place, however over the years word has gotten out. The restaurant is family owned and run with a small staff and limited seating (they do quite a bit of take out). The simple dining room has padded benches along the walls and a few tables to either side of the path from the door to the counter. You can sit and and eat inside or at the tables outside under the awning that stretches across the shopping center. Parking is a bit limited, especially during lunch so I try to go early, around 11:30 AM or so to ensure a spot both in the lot and in the restaurant. The menu is fairly simple, broken into a handful of categories. I usually go for the plates over the wraps but everything I've had has been very good. For lunch each of the plates have more than enough food for one to get very full. For dinner, do try some of the starters - I'm a big fan of the lentil soup and the Appetizer Combo These are my favorites: Appetizer Combo - with falafel, hummus, babaganoush, tabouleh, chopped salad and pita, there's plenty to go around. You'll find the tabouleh very fresh and the falafel very well prepared, with a fresh-parsley flavor that is quite good. Falafel platter - this well-organized platter is similar to the Appetizer Combo above - actually if you're hungry I'd recommend the combo over the platter since you git a bit more for a dollar more. My vegan friends like this quite a bit and I'm very fond of it myself. Shawarma Platter - seasoned chicken "strips" with babaganoush, shopped salad, hummus and tehina - this is one of my "go to" dishes. Schnitzel Platter - breaded chicken breast cutlet, pan fried served with rice and grilled veggies. I've only had this once and honestly, there are better things on the menu. I'm sure fans of fried food will like it, but it seemed a bit dry and uninspired to me. Gyro Platter - I have this quite often and if asked they will admit that the gyro meat comes pre-packaged. No rotisserie of succulent meat spinning in the background at this restaurant, so you're not getting that full-Greek effect. However the quality of the meat is quite good and the supporting ingredients - cucumber-tomato salad, and the side romaine salad are both also very good. The Platter comes with quartered pita but you can ask for whole if you want to assemble a wrap. The tzatziki sauce is thicker than what I'm used to but I still like it quite a bit - I believe they make then pre-package to refrigerate to keep it fresh. It's certainly not the heavy-mayo sauce found at other gyro restaurants. Lamb Burger - this is my recommendation if you're "iffy" about Mediterranean food in general - I can't remember anyone to whom I've recommended this succulent sandwich to who hasn't raved about it. Served on ciabatta bread with choice of side. I especially like this for take-out. Roasted Leg of Lamb sandwich - as good as the lamb burger is, if they have the roasted leg of lamb as a special, go for this instead. It's unusually flavorful and quite inspired. Service is quite good and usually handled by Doni's son (it's been fun watching him grow up a bit over the years). For drinks there are a few house-wines (and if you check in you'll usually receive a "free glass of wine" offer. Beers include Mythos Greek Lagar, Peroni, Blue Moon and Sweetwater Blue (not that I'm drinking during lunch). Cafe Sababa also does a fantastic job catering - we've had them supply food for several events at work and the food is always fresh, well proportioned and delivered on time. (a more detailed review with accompanying photos can be found in my blog).

Awesome. Great family owned local restaurant. The lamb and hummus is fantastic. Watch for specials, I've never been disappointed.

Small intimate restaurant with great service and pretty good food. The servers stop by my table at least six times in a 30 min time span to see how things were going. Service may be too nice haha. -Lamb burger ($11): comes with a side in which I chose the daily soup below which comes with a slight up charge (less than $1 I believe). One of the best lamb burgers I've had. Meat was very succulent and the orange sauce on the side was hmm hmm good -Chickpea curry soup: soup of the day at the time. Comes with cilantro. I was surprised how good this was and liked the viscosity Overall, great place for food. Would come back again just for the A+ service. Only thing stopping it from being 5 stars was the price. Spent $14 (w/ tip) which is kind of pricey for lunch. There were many plates $20+ so def not a fast casual economical restaurant.

Too costly for the money and location. Food is not that great is another Middle easter restaurant nothing woooo

This food is always good. The menu is not that extensive but all the choices are good and some of the most authentic Mediterranean food I've had in Atlanta. My favorite is the chicken shnitzel.

What a great little restaurant. I went there for the first time for lunch and was pleasantly surprised. I thought at first the plaza it is located in did not look that great, but the restaurant itself is adorable inside (they also offers a few tables for outside seating out front). I really appreciate that they note on their menu which items are vegetarian and gluten-free. TIP: Check into Yelp! when you get there for a free glass of wine with your entree. I ordered the Gyro platter. It came with a good amount of gyro meat, a side of tzatziki and a greek salad ($11.99). There was also a pita bread basket for the table. I was definitely full by the time if I finished my meal. Others at our table ordered the Shawarma Platter ($12.25) and the Lamb Pocket w/soup. Everyone agreed that the food was excellent and we will definitely come back - and bring our co-workers! I heartily agree with the other posts that the service here is great. Even though we sat outside, the wait staff was very friendly and we had someone checking on us on a regular basis. Once we finished our meal we did not have to wait around for the check - which is important when you are on a restricted lunch 'hour'. Cafe Sababa is going to be added to my lunch rotation. :)

Absolutely healthy and delicious servings at great prices. The owner and staff are friendly and courteous.