Kabab Cafe

We decided on tongue, brains, sweetbreads and hawashi from the appetizer menu at Kabab Cafe. We weren't impressed with the food but taste will always be subjective. I am more concerned with exposing the owner?s deceptive tactics. On the menu, the items were listed at $9 & $7. When we received the bill, the tongue/brain/sweetbreads were listed at $14 and hawashi at $12. I asked why the dishes were so much more than listed, Ali obnoxiously answered ""That portion is two! You think you get that much when you pay for one""? By the time I realized we got ripped off I had already paid along with a hefty tip (instinctive tipping). For that split second, I accepted his explanation instead of questioning his skewed logic. DO NOT EMPOWER THE OWNER BY GETTING RIPPED OFF! DON'T tell yourself its ok to be overcharged because the food is good, or Ali is nice, this business practice would never fly at any other restaurant we go to. I will be leaving this review on every possible web resource I can find in hopes of arming future diners with some protection against this cutpurse. Pros: Interesting menu, rare ingredients at a glance Cons: Owner seems to have no shortage of victims more

HE WILL RIP YOU OFF IF HE CAN!!! But first, my review. more

I have been going to kabab Cafe for over a decade now. I was a regular of Ali's before the hype, and being a bit of a NYC foodie myself, I can honestly say he is worth the praise. Ali has taken the heavily flavoured street food of egypt, given it a personal gourmet touch, and provided it to the Astoria community with great flair for many years. The fact that the tiny space seats very few patrons at a time, is examplary of the simple nature of the experiene, this is a humble resaurant, that attempts to remind the diner about the joys of a good homecooked meal. Pros: Chef Ali, and the rediscovery of what a simple and beautifil meal can be Cons: idiot Manhattan and Brooklynites who have come out of the woodwork, and wouldn't know great food if it leapt off their mother of pearl china plates. more

This is so my kind of place. No menu, chef Ali just tells you what he has. Seriously, just eat whatever he... more

This is so my kind of place. No menu, chef Ali just tells you what he has. Seriously, just eat whatever he gives you and you're golden. more

I like this place, but I think it has suffered as a result of a couple of TV spots featuring celebrity chefs. Bobby Flay did a feature here several years ago, and more recently, Tony Bourdain and Andrew Zimmern stopped by. Of course, this once hidden gem is now well known to the professional trendies who like to venture out of Manhattan, or the ever growing ones that are now taking up residence in Astoria. What this has done is push the prices up. I tend to think that Ali has a sliding scale of pricing, as many people just ask him to serve them whatever he recommends. The bill comes and I can't help but think it depends upon how you look, Ali's mood, and Ali's financial situation at that time. I can tell you that you will get a much more memorable experience if you go there during off-peak times. On Friday and Saturday evenings, Ali gets far too rushed and although still good, is not as good as he is midweek. All credit due to Ali, the food is delicious, but the best part of the experience is the interaction with Ali when he has the time to talk you through your food. Pros: Atmopshere Cons: High prices more

I had never had sweetbread before and recommended by a friend, I thought this was a good place to try it, and I wasn't disappointed. But don't ask for lamb chops, what you get is a tough piece of meat, that looks nothing like a chop that can be mistaken for pig's feet. Pros: the atmosphere is cozy Cons: the chef is over rated more

wow, after reading all of the glowing reviews of this place I was psyched to try it, especially since it was in my neighborhood. I couldn't wait to try the place and actually was sad that one of my friends wanted to go tonight because I didn't think I was hungry enough. more

Ali is amazing. The combination plate appetizer, the pumpkin dumplings, kushari!!, this is the place I go to feed my soul. Tilapia or sole with Egyptian spices, the homemade yogurt with stewed fruits and spices for dessert. Coming here is like coming home! Pros: Love, food, warmth more