Babylon Café

Where do I begin… this is probably the best middle eastern cuisine to date I have tried in the lower mainland. The portion size is a great value. The ingredients are fresh and the meat is quite lean.
I usually order the Chicken platter with hot sauce. It comes outfitted with Hummus, salad, pita bread, rice and a lemon potato. Quite a pleasant aroma and flavour all round. I would recommend this to anyone!

My mouth waters every time I pass by this place, so I finally made a point of stopping to actually try their food. My friend and I split the chicken shawarma and it was absolutely delicious!
They assemble the wrap in about 2 minutes, piling on the fillings and sauces, and bam, it’s wrapped and ready to go. I loved the chicken, it was flavourful, moist, and so, so yummy, and the various sauces and veggies crammed into the wrap complement the meat really well.
Prepare for a big mess, as the sauce leaks out of the foil and drips everywhere. Make sure you have lots of napkins and wet-​naps on hand!
I believe this location is closing soon but they have others to satisfy your shawarma cravings.

You can easily smell falafels half a block away. It’s difficult to resist stopping at this place if you are even a bit hungry before or after shopping on Robson St. It’s a mom and pop store and it’s very space challenged. There is barely enough space to fit more then 3 people at a time and that’s still a stretch. It’s basically a quick buy & go as the line usually pass quickly.
I’m not much of a lamb person, so I always get the chicken. It’s good but not the best falafel I ever tasted. The chicken tends to be a little dry but it makes up for it with the flavourful mild sauces and crunchy veggies. It’s a good alternative to fast food.

I don’t get it. I expected something just phenomenally delicious to justify the hype. But really what I got was a OK wrap, the portion was quite generous but the lamb didn’t wow me. In fact my iron tummy felt a little queasy afterwards from the chili and hot sauce?
Probably won’t get it again.

in a nutshell?
meh
I don’t know what the big deal is. It’s good, but not THAT good.
They are a little sloppy and I’m sure I would have benefited if I came on a less busy day.
Everything was good but they don’t take time to ask you if you want white/​brown; mayo/​none/​and you have to sort of pipe in and tell them what you want/don’t want. I get it. It’s busy. But c’mon, a little quality control, please.
And microwaved falafels?
I have got to say that in Vancouver, I get why this place is popular. But cities that actually HAVE a significant middle eastern population? Babylon would be considered at the low average. Poor Vancouverites are thinking that this is good shawarma in a sea of similarly average to poor middle eastern food.

Get ready to wait in line to get a serious Shawarma! either Chicken, pork, or lamb (note: the Lamb often runs out quick) whatever you get is an adventure in itself.
I never really new about this place until i moved to downtown. i always pass this café on my way home from work and almost every time i see long-​ass line-​ups! so one day i decided to give it a try and see what all the hoopla’s about. The people behind the counter were very nice and helped me through out the ordering process. They started out with the wrap and put all kinds of veggies on it., you can always choose whatever kind of veggies you want, its up to you. I went with the works! it also came with this tangy sauce they put on top of your meat. I ordered the lamb, after they wrapped it all up all tight in aluminum foil.
Let me tell you, when i opened it up and took my first bite, it was like freakin sex in my mouth!!! amazing flavor combination’s, The crunch of the vegetables, the tenderness of the lamb the tanginess of the sauce! all wrapped up in a foil condom… damn!!! top it off with a soda and some crispy chips? your done!!! it was delicious! game over! It does get a little messy at the end so beware!

I have seen people waiting in line at this little café, and on the weekend I finally had the chance to see what all the fuss was about. In my opinion, the only thing you should be fussing about is the fact you are paying almost $ 7 for a sub-​par falafel. I gotta say, the falafel places on Davie Street kick ass compared to the ones on Robson. (I can’t speak for you carnivores, perhaps the meat dishes are better, but every restaurant should have at least one killer veggie option, and at a shawarma-​style place, it should be the falafel.)
This place has no seating, so if you actually want to sit down and eat your falafel, you may as well go to Aladdin’s which is like two stores over. At least then you can sit down and not dribble all over yourself. I didn’t see a public bathroom either, so go easy on the hot sauce. It’s not that the falafel was bad, I just feel like if I’m gonna get one, and pay 2 bucks more than most places, it better be worth it. I threw half of it out because I was disappointed, and honestly, I doubt I would bother with this place again. Just sayin.

Best falafel ever! Perfect for satisfying the after school hunger pains — a quick, grab-​n-​go tin-​foiled wrap of chickpea goodness. I usually find myself booking it home, carrying my falafel like a baton while I run like the wind because of my overwhelming eagerness to chow down on this Middle Eastern favorite.
Yes, sometimes you have to line up. But it moves fast. And you are usually too hypnotized either by the waft of the meaty scent which you can smell from a block away, or the way they slice that juicy hunk of chicken, beef, or lamb…*drool*

We have been coming here forever. This is something that I never get tired of.
First of all, the line never means anything. Don’t let it fool you… you will be getting the delicious goods wrapped in a pita in no time at all! Worth the wait. Why? In my opinion, this is the best fast food that you will ever eat, hands down. I am always finding myself craving the chicken donair/schawarma…its tantamount to torture to live in Richmond so very ‘far away’ from it.
The owner is a blessing from God. His staff are preachers of this goodness and never fail to genuinely smile and hand over the wrap you have so patiently waited for. Bravo for great service. I will be coming here for the rest of my life.

You know that smell when you are at the corner of Granville and Robson that just spells of delicious MEAT?
That’s Babylon. A little shack with the people lining up out the door.
It’s worth the wait. only if you’re ready to have a BIG meal and starving.
Both the lamb and the chicken are delicious. The meat is generous and the veggies and sauces are plenty. I cannot guarantee that the next time will be just as consistent but I definitely got my fix.
While we were waiting, a bling bling car pulled up and these «high rollers» got out, picked up their wraps, and left. Comes to show that people will drive here to get the goods.
Be aware when you get to the bottom, it will get messy and all the sauce will get all over your hands so have plenty of napkins ready.

I’ve eaten here twice over as many months, and I’m not convinced it’s great. In general though, I’ve found their schwarmas — while good, are too small in comparison (and in quality) to what you can get at Abdul’s near Metrotown for the same price. Yes, I know, I’m comparing a downtown hole in the wall to a suburban hole in the wall (where rents are naturally cheaper), but I just expect a little more, I guess.
But really, you can’t go too wrong for $ 6. It’s either that or have the saltiest crêpe of your life at Café Crêpe for about $ 2 more. If I’m stuck downtown and need food, I’ll probably be here again. But will I search it out on a day off? probably not.

Insane lines on big tourist /​shopping days.
It is very tight quarters in this place, so take off your backpack.
The shawermas were tasty and fresh. The flavor was mild with not much spice. The staff was a bit slow and distracted overall. There were only 4 of us in line. There were 40 in line a few days before.

Did I go wrong with my order? A plain ol’ falafel wrap.
Unfortunately, I don’t know and I don’t think I’m going back to find out. The falafels were dry, and tasteless with no flavor. Yes, I’ve experienced better and I expect better. So I’m afraid you ain’t going to get more than 2 stars from me.
And what’s with the debit card machine that will accept only «Canadian debit cards»? Talk about plastic card profiling!

I saw a line forming near Robson St. at 2pm and I had to try this place out! We had the lamb sandwich, which was quite tasty. It had just the right amount of spice and seasonings.
Food quality: 5
Food quantity: 4
Service: 4
Ambiance: n/​a
Authenticity: I can’t comment.
Overall deal: 3
Pros: pickled peppers are a nice touch, well wrapped sandwich for convenience and there was no mess.
Cons: little pricey for what you get

My first one-​star… :(
Worker cutting up and snacking on some kind of piece of fruit with bare hands, then immediately going to making my food, then going to handle cash… ewww.
(I ate the food anyway, because I was that starving. But I won’t be going back.)
Also, they were talking about a customer in another language right when he was standing in front of them. Classy.

Vancouver has a crap load of pizza and shawerma (gyro) joints in and around town, so the best way to find best ones was Unilocaling it up. This time around, Unilocal totally took me to the wrong place.
Hands down NOT the best shawerma I’ve ever had. I’ve had my share of this pita filled goodness and this place doesn’t cut it. The meat was dry and flavorless. The pita wrap was thin so after a ten minute walk to my hotel room, it got all soggy because of the yogurt sauce. One thing I remembered them adding on the shawerma that made it different was spread on a bit of hummus, I thought it was going to be a good idea, but after trying it, I wasn’t really feeling it. I’m not sure what all the other Unilocalers ate when they reviewed this place but it pretty much blew balls.
All that for a shawerma that cost over $ 7, I’ll have to pass. Don’t waste your dough here, there are tons of other places to get your shawerma on.
Cash and only Canadian debt card.

Answer me quick: What’s the difference between shawarma and donair?
WHY GO THERE? Shawarma from Babylon Café is awesome especially if you’re on a low-​carb diet. The pita wraps are thin, the meaty choice of lamb or chicken is filling, and the veggies fresh.
WHATCHA GOT? I’ve tried chicken, but lamb is my fave. It’s tasty and goes well with the sauce. For some reason I associate lamb with the term shawarma, more than donair or gyro but they’re all the same.
YOU GOT SERVED. Quick and efficient. The space inside is so tight, the workers and customers are like tunas in a can. My Vancouver trip is not complete without a stop at Babylon Café.

Wow — thanks Unilocal,for another awesome find!
I had heard mentions of this place a few times, but never really knew much about it or even where it was. Now that I’ve been… wow, I’ll be going back!
Awesome lamb shawarma, soooo tasty and a great mix of fresh vegetables, meat, sauce, etc. Nice and spicy but not over the top, and a great deal!
The only reason I’m not giving this place 5 stars is that the layout is terrible — I know it’s small, but considering the lineups, they don’t do a good job of funnelling people through — they need a door on each side and the register on the left or something — a couple of small changes and it would flow so much more easily.
But, it’s only 2 blocks from work and I’m sure I’ll be here lots!

Always a line up. Worth standing in the pouring rain and cold for? Definitely. I always get the chicken one, with extra white sauce and tomatoes, and it’s never failed me. For the days when I put shopping before food, I stop here for a quick grab and go meal.(I can keep shopping while eating!)
The ingredients is the perfect mixture of lettuce, tomato, chicken… all stuffed into the pita. Economical too, which means I can spend more on that pair of black stilettos that I’ve been eyeing.

It’s a tight squeeze to get in and get out, but man is that one tasty chicken shawarma! As Chloe mentioned, at the lunch rush they make ‘em to order all lined up on the counter, so try not to jostle around too much lest you confuse the cooks.
Extra points for having my Peach Snapple ice tea in the cooler — so many places only have that icky Lipton or Nestea crap.
Yumsville.