Baba Ghannouj Bistro

My husband and I have been to three different chains of Baba Ghannouj around Durham (I don't know how many there are) and we have never been disappointed. This one on 54 is literally next to where I work. I walked through my parking lot to get there and was once again not disappointed. I ordered 2 chicken shawarmas to go and was even offered a drink while I waited. Despite it being lunchtime, the place wasn't severely busy as most people opt for the lunch buffet. Service was timely, and very polite. One of the best shawarmas I've ever had! I would, and have, absolutely recommend BG to someone I love. :)

I was craving Greek food. Wish I had waited. Go to the Olive Tree Deli, reviewed at Tripadvisor. The BEST Greek food, but you have to go to Winston-Salem, NC. Owners at Baba Ghannouj should go to Olive Tree to see what best Greek food can be. Salad at Baba was chopped up Romaine lettuce with tasteless dressing. Gyro had too highly seasoned chicken, and sauce not good. I was really disappointed.

I eat this kind of food all the time in Vancouver and Montreal. Some of the places are holes in the wall and the quality varies but there are some cardinal rules to the formula that they always hit. This particular Baba Ghannouj missed on all points. Cleanliness: buffet was in rough shape, meat was hidden away (red flag!), it felt like a dark and dirty place and I was not comfortable ordering meat here. That's a first for me. Quality: falafel was literally hard, with a strong green coloring I've not seen before. Texture was not good at all. I had to wait 10 mins for my sandwich yet the ingredients were not fresh. The hummous was not thick enough and had a very bland taste. Location/Hours: Terrible spot, hidden away. I'm sure the rent is low but at what cost? They are open mornings but close at 3PM??? Service: well its takeout so I can only comment that the service was a bit slow and the guy at the counter handled money and food without washing his hands which is probably a health violation.