Baba’s Orlando

It was really upsetting that they were so understaffed. Like its a big day for downtown Orlando and they should have prepared to have doubled staff. The food itself was okay. Not a place I would take my family. More like a place I would chill with my friends. They got my order wrong. They were so frustrated and understaffed. They were running out of food items. I went in at 9:30pm and they were supposed to close at 12. They need to get it together. For sure.

Had the Chicken Shawarma here before the name change, and it was not up to the standards Im used to. The white garlic sauce was terrible.

My wife and I picked up some food from here the other night. I got the chicken schwarma with a side Caesar salad and a side of pasta salad. The only thing really worth eating was the sauce on the chicken. We threw most of the pasta salad away as it was dry and over cooked. It had absolutely no flavor and had nothing that could even resemble a sauce or oil coating. The Caesar salad dressing tasted as if it had gone bad and had a flavor that I have never experienced in a salad dressing. It did not have the anchovie taste that a Caesar dressing should have. They also ran out of rice (which comes with basically every dish) and this was on a Thursday at about 8pm.
Overall, the food was so bad that we didn’t even eat most of it. It seems as though babas just changed their name (formally Whitewood) due to all the bad publicity with their numerous health code violations. While it remains to be seen whether they can maintain a clean restaurant, the food on the night we went was not good at all and we won’t be spending any money here again.

Delicious casual Middle-​Eastern food!
Baba’s is nestled into a busy street corner downtown and delivers great tasting food for a decent price. I’ve been here several times (and plan on going many more in the future). During the most recent visit, I walked in right as the line was at a peak, and was a little worried that it would take a long time to order. They were fairly efficient with getting orders taken, and the food didn’t talk *that* long to come out, although if I had been in a rush, I may have been a bit antsy. Always a good sign when the lunch line is long though.
The platters are so the way to go here. You get a ton of food and variety and there is so much to pick from. It is definitely a nice touch that the side of hummus comes with some pita, and that you don’t have to use both sides on the hummus/​pita combo.

Just grabbed lunch to go and it delicious! I ordered a chicken kabob. Great customer service and cool atmosphere. Would definitely recommend

Stumbled upon this place while walking downtown. The food is great and the atmosphere is relaxing.

I stopped here for some late night snackage after a Friday night out dancing (because, you know, I burned off enough calories to earn it… Shhhh). Anywho, I was surprised when I arrived at the restaurant because I had not realized it had undergone a name change (I was used to this establishment going by the name Whitewood). So I was a bit skeptical at first but went ahead and just ordered some French fries. They hit the spot and tasted very similar, if not identical, to what I had been used to being served at this spot. So I would anticipate much of the food tasting the same, although I would have to make anther visit to confirm this. But this place is open late and has some pretty decent Mediterranean food options, so if you’re stumbling around after a club/​bar and you can’t remember where the nearest ihop is, check them out!

Super chill spot in downtown orlando to sit outside on a nice day and order a freshly made chicken shawarma! (My favorite) family owned and the foods amazing. Make sure to support.

Unfortunately the rice was stale and old and the food was lacking in the flavor and spices that the whitewood grill of old use to serve up… Before it gave up quality as well. Skip this spot and go treat yourself to Mexican.

I will not lie the food is great here. Good place to grab a chicken or steak shawarma for lunch.
I went there last night for a chicken shawarma plate which they didn’t have. I asked for whatever they choose to replace the item with, at the same price. Not being a stingy person but i am sure anywhere else you go they would have granted that. I didn’t get that and argued with Sam that it’s not a fair treatment.
I would avoid going there for a late dinner after hours just due to the fact that they can’t serve half their menu items because they are either trying to close quicker or they actually ran out. Don’t go looking for hummus or tabouleh after midnight.

Decided to try this place today. After walking by it a ton of times downtown, I just had to check it out.
I got the Lamb & Chicken Shawarma Platter with Fries and Tabouli. I also go the Grape Leaves side. All the food is is awesome. Chicken and Lamb have awesome flavor. The Tabouli is certainly on point, and so are the Grape Leaves. The fries aren’t great, but decent enough not to warrant a poor review.
All in all I will likely eat here more times and really look forward to try some of the other items on the menu.

This place was hopping at lunchtime. On the corner of Orange and Central in downtown Orlando, Baba’s has an ideal spot to feed the hungry working professionals. The space is small and better suited for takeout rather than an office lunch but the few guys working the grills and cashing out kept the orders coming.
Undeterred by the shop’s size, my coworker’s and I decided to eat in. I got the falafel platter with Greek salad and hummus as sides. The falafels were very light and not dry. I am used to a dense and heavy fried chickpea patty. There was also a slightly different flavor but it was tasty and I would get it again. My coworker’s were very satisfied with their kabob platters and we all agreed that this would make the list of places to return to.
If you and a friend want to grab a table it is definitely a place to people watch. And with the way the people kept coming in, I hope it will be a lunch spot that sticks around.

Babas is the best joint to get healthy food when you’re drunk. I wish they had cute Lebanese and/​or Israeli guys working the grill though. 5 stars anyways!

Lunch was delicious. Atmosphere was nice with the window walls all open. It is a little higher priced than other quick service places nearby. Lots of menu options to choose from. Portions are large.

The food is very fresh and the guys are always pleasant. Perfect place for a quick mediterranean lunch. My fave is the chicken shawarma platter with Greek salad. They have typical Mediterranean desserts but also cheesecake and chocolate cake which is a plus :)

A small place in a great location, I’m amazed I’d never found Baba’s before given how often I’m in downtown Orlando late at night and that I like Middle Eastern cuisine. They stay open until 3am – at least on weekends – and do a booming business from club-​goers late in the night. I hit them up once back from the Citrus Bowl after an Orlando City game. As they profess, their food certainly tastes fresh and as other reviewers have claimed, the staff is very friendly and helpful. Food comes out rather quickly but not as fast as you might expect for the fast-​food atmosphere and feel of the place. Which is to say, for fresh and well-​prepared food it’s out fast enough but some people may expect it even faster just because that’s how some people are – and that won’t happen here. They weren’t too awful busy when I stopped by and still were prompt but not exactly super-​speedy.
I had the chapli kebab and it was good if a bit dry and a tiny bit too salty. The rice however was perfect and dolmas (stuffed grape leaves) I ordered as a side were very good and not soggy as they often are at other restaurants. The baba ghanoush I ordered for my other side was fine, pretty standard, but fine. And again, everything tasted fresh and made in-​house.
So I would strongly recommend this place for if you’re downtown especially late at night. I’m not giving five stars because I think they’re very good, but not fully exceptional. It’s easy to gush about a place where the staff are nice and the food is fresh and good, but really, those should be basic expectations most anywhere, right? Baba’s is a place that should become a standard for many years for downtown Orlando, but I don’t see the legendary qualities here of, say, Paris’ famed L’As du Fallafel. But check them out: they’re certainly quality and I expect they’ll be around a long long time.

My friends and I were visiting Orlando from a different state, and we just looked for the nearest restaurant that looked appealing, and this was it. The location is great because it is in walking distance from all the downtown attractions like the bars and clubs. The staff was friendly and made the girls and I felt comfortable. I believe I ordered the chicken shawarma with roasted potatoes and pasta salad. The pasta salad was bland, but the chicken was great. I usually don’t eat Mediterranean food, but Baba’s definitely left a great and lasting impression.

Loved the Steak Shawarma. The steak had great flavor, but it’s a bit dry (actually how I prefer it, so no complaints here). Just be forewarned. I got the platter, so it came on a bed of rice (prepared perfectly) with two sides. I chose the hummus, which is a definite must, and the tabouli, which was good, but I’ll probably try something else for the next time I visit. They have a ton of options.
The service was great, both gentlemen working were very helpful and pleasant.

Sam is awesome!!! The food here is delicious and in the center of every club/​bar so you never have to walk far for food! Get the shawarma with steak!!!

By far this is the best Resturant in down town
Food is so great, fresh made, quality was so great and all our driver loves the food
We are glad to have that kind of Resturant in downtown it’s time for change to a better food service
Owner came to our table and thanked us for been his customers. What a customer service A++++
The atmosphere is great and the food is delicious. We’ve never had any part of a meal be less than amazing. The falafel — is one of the best I’ve had on Years