Babylon Cuisine

First time visiting will never come here again. Service was horrible and the food was even worse. These people have no idea what they are doing. I would not recommend this place to anyone.

I’ve been here now 3 times.
Each time I have something different. Today, I had the best meal yet.
This chicken was marinated to perfection and broiled to a perfect crisp. You can taste the quality in every bite.
I can honestly say this is the best chicken I’ve ever had, and I’ve had so many different types.
The quality of the food, and the professionalism of the staff is why I choose this restaurant.
The hookah was perfect and lasted for hours too!
Honestly delicious!

So I’ve been wanting to take my sister out for her bday she loves ! Belly dancing and this type of vibe but as I went yesterday night it was not as I expected; I have been trying to call and book like private event no respond so I just said lets just go I had to wait a very long time it wasn’t 5 stars or as good experience! I’m really upset and I’ve been trying to call all day today NO ANSWER! It’s not worth the money I paid now I have to make it up to my sister ! If I can give no starts I would slow service to

Food and service are perfect. A couple of things they need to do some adjustments on them. It’s a new restaurant, so I am sure it will get better. Need to improve sound system, speakers are bad and gives you headache, especially with the low ceiling. Need to find a way to suck out the smoke from the hookahs and cigarettes /​cigars. And after those 2 things are improved, maybe find a little more professional singers and dancers…

Excellent food and service! You must try this place out. One of the best Armenian cuisine I’ve had. All the appetizers were very delicious. All 3 meats, beef teeke, lule, and chicken kebab were all very tatsy. We got the family dinner meal and there was so much food we took some home. Was glad to eat it the following night!
Ask for the soujouk! You will be amazed how good it tastes.
Also, its nice that the owner is usually there making sure all is going well.

What a terrible experience here. A family member ordered food for my sister’s engagement party and I was assigned to pick up the food the day of since it was on my way to my parents house. First I called at least 3 times only to hear a voicemail machine, then when I finally was able to speak to Serj, he tried charging me almost $ 100 more than what was agreed upon. So I finally go and pick up the food, and had a bad feeling about everything, he kind of rushed me and threw everything in the trunk of my car without really confirming the whole order, and gladly took the money. I drive about 30 miles to my parents house, already rushing because the party was going to start in less than an hour, only to find out that he forgot two important dishes and basically put enough meat for each person to have only one piece. $ 800 worth of food should be enough food for everyone to be comfortable not to only make one tiny plate so everyone else can eat. So embarrassing. At this point we called and he said «oh yeah we forgot» and I had to drive all the way back in traffic. Upon arrival Serj did not apologize once, had a smirk on his face and still jipped us when it came to portion. Over all this place really sucks and really made my sisters engagement party a real nightmare.

I recently ordered lunch from Babylon through DoorDash and had a very disappointing experience. On paper, Babylon sounded like the most unique restaurant in the Pasadena area. They serve Greek and Lebanese food with strong Arabic influence. I ordered on a whim.
Here’s what happened:
My DoorDash delivery driver reported to the restaurant at 12:25pm only to find out the restaurant was not open, although the hours listed on Unilocal and Google indicate that Babylon opens at 12:00pm on Saturdays. 5 minutes later at 12:30pm, the driver relayed to me that the chef had just showed up to the restaurant. The chef stated that the restaurant actually opens at 1:00pm.
Either the Google hours are misleading, or the chef showed up late. The former would be strange, because who offers lunch service that starts at 1pm? So I suspect it was the latter. I wouldn’t be surprised if the chef wanted a later start after closing at 2am the previous night on New Years. If this were the case though, a message at the front door, an update on Unilocal or Google, or an automated voice message prepared in advance would be helpful.
I ordered 3 items — shish taouk, hummus, and chicken al fahem. The food was not ready for delivery until 2:38pm, more than 1.5 hours after the restaurant had officially opened.
Tastewise, the food was hit or miss. Everything tasted like it was cooked the same day as it was served, a big hit. My favorite was the shish taouk, these chicken skewers were cooked to perfection on the charcoal grill, neither too dry nor oily, the accompanying garlic sauce gave it bold flavor. The grilled tomato and bell pepper were expertly roasted, and these ingredients were fresh. Perhaps the best part of this meal was the vermicelli rice pilaf (it looked Egyptian style), it was very moist with rich flavor. On the other hand, I found the hummus to taste a little too bland, it was nothing special compared to a store bought version.
Out of the three dishes, the one I looked forward to trying the most was the most elegant, the chef special Farouj Meshwe 3al Fahem. I had read about it as a popular Arabic street food dish. It’s typically served with french fries, but I ordered it with rice pilaf instead. Although the marinade tasted exceptional (strong citrus flavor with subtle minty undertone), the chicken itself was severely overcooked and somewhat burnt. In fact, a portion of the chicken was not edible to me. The free range chicken was reasonably tender (I think it was Halal meat), but not skinless, and unfortunately all the spices and marinade had soaked onto the skin which I usually try to discard. If the chicken were not completely charred, I might have liked eating it more.
Overall, the food was good although not memorable, but the delivery experience was something I would never forget. I thought that ordering food at 12pm would mean it would be delivered by 1pm at the latest. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to each lunch that day until 3pm due to the delays. I don’t know too many people who can wait 1.5 hours for 1 appetizer and 2 entrees. I’m not sure what the bottleneck was. I like that every ingredient is fresh and every dish is made to order, but can anything be prepped in advance during the morning or the night before?
Babylon does not have a lunch menu, so my meal ended up being very expensive compared to alternatives in Pasadena. For example, a shish taouk and an order of hummus cost over $ 20 at Babylon, whereas a comparable Armenian style chicken kebab plate with hummus side would cost under $ 10 at a fast food restaurant like Sahara or House of Basturma. I have a feeling that the core business at Babylon is their weekend evening entertainment, which seems to be popular, so dining at night time may be a better choice than lunch.

This place is awesome. After being burned by two restaurants advertising that they were open when they weren’t (wangs place and nirvana Indian cuisine) I ended up here for a Mediterranean/​Greek treat. Music may be loud for some but it’s part of the atmosphere ppl get up and start dancing… the food and service was excellent. It is an Arabic/​Greek vibe which I highly recommend if you’re looking for an experience. If you like this type of food you will love it. If it’s new to you — and you’re open to something new, give it a try. Kitchen open till 12 and they have a fully stocked bar, hookah service and speciality cocktails.
5 stars.

The food was very delicious and the server was very informative in explaining recommendations. I had the chi me kebab with rice and a side of hummus and a parsley salad. The rice blended very well with the hummus and garlic butter and the chicken was seasoned very well. The atmosphere was very light and relaxing. I would definitely bring a date here for a nice Mediterranean dinner.

Babylon was great tonight. Great food, strong drinks, and great company! I loved the remodeled interior and the heat lamps were great for the cold tonight.

New place looks great, entertainment was perfect, food is much better than before and the drinks perfect… Wife and I will return soon!

As a constant regular at Babylon, I can attest that this place is like a second home at this point. I have no idea what the other reviews are talking about.
The general manager, the waiters, the bartenders, and the rest of the staff are nothing if not kind and attentive. My group of friends and I are a mix of Asians, Indians, Caucasians, Arabic, etc. and we have never been once turned away for service.
The food and cocktails are wonderful. The hookah is superb and the entertainment is always refreshing. I can 100% honestly say as a paying customer attest that I would consider Babylon to be one of the best restaurants around.
Keep it up Babylon! We have nothing but love for you guys.

Hello everyone,
I been trying to find a nice Mediterranean cuisine lately and out of the few ones in Pasadena I liked Babylon the most, i like their hookah, hummus chicken kabob and the service is good price is reasonable, I like the djs and belly dancer in the weekends, maybe their seats isn’t the most comfortable but that’s ok compared to other places that would add few charges to your bill, I recommend that place and will definitely be back !

Came here after being almost ripped off from «Eden Garden Bar & Grill». They insisted that I waste my money on some pre-​set menu, before I could even think about hookah. Called Babylon and they said come along and enjoy our hookah. Drink beer and have a good time.
Came here and had a great time. They had belly dancers and good hookah. Staff are very cool and very attentive. Enjoyed my time here and will be coming back for sure. Very cool place :)

Still a Zero! The owner has the audacity to comment on my post with improper grammer and spelling and doesn’t even pay attention to the date of the origional post over a month ago! Talk about embarrassing yourself! Next time use spell check! Your comments do not discount the discrimination experienced at your establishment and other individuals have experienced the same thing and wrote about it! Who cares about the date that your establishment closed for renovations! While you are spending money on floors and walls it may be a good investment to train your employees on diversity and inclusion… or perhaps those words are too large for your vocabulary!

I have only come here for lunch and dinner, not weekend nights. I love Babylon, but I do have some suggestions for them. On occasion, they are not consistent with their dishes, but when it’s good, it is VERY GOOD! Sometimes the service is not the best and they can take a short while to bring the food, but this is the risk I take, because it is worth it to me. I go with the mindset that it will take a little while, I know what to expect and I am fine with that. Again, perhaps because I do not go on weekend nights.
My favorite is the chicken kabob with rice. The rice is very tasty. I have also tried the lule kabob, shrimp salonica, greek salad, tzatziki, and all are delicious. Now, the moussaka could be improved on. It is a little dry and salty. Overall, Babylon is my favorite spot.
Babylon, please take my suggestions to help you improve. I love your restaurant and hope you remain in business for a long, long time. I love you guys.

So many things to love about this place. Food, Hookah, Full bar, entertainment (weekends) etc. The location is kinda random being in the «quiet» area of Pasadena (even though this place has been a restaurant for 15+ years) but it sure beats the overcrowding and the limited parking situation in Old Town.
Besides Babylon, there aren’t many Mediterranean/​Middle Eastern restaurants in the area that i would go, to grab a bite along with hookah, its usually either or. The hookah at this place is as good as the food. Not literally. You know what i mean!
I usually go at nights during the week, since I personally don’t prefer the busy/​loud weekend scene, but been there and its fun.
The secret of Mediterranean cuisine is in its appetizers, and they do a great job at it. I advise that you try as many appetizers as you can before ordering entrees.
Perfect-​Pairing suggestions: Arak (alcoholic drink) + Muhammara (olive oil, pepper paste and bread crumbs) + Hummos (OBVIOUSLY) + Babylon Spicy Salad + Lemon Mint Hookah (Apple head)
You’re welcome!

My friend had a deal from one of the sites (can’t remember which one) and we were seeing a show in Pasadena so — Babylon it was.
I thought the staff was very charming — helpful, friendly and actually fun to talk to. Everyone there seemed to really want to be there, which is not the case in too many restaurants. It makes a huge difference.
I had a selection of vegetarian appetizer options (I felt like noshing) and my companion had a Greek salad and the beef kabob. We liked everything… fresh tasting and well made. My white wine was nice and chilly, just like I prefer.
All around a nice and relaxed dining experience. I would go back, and would probably be welcomed like a regular. It’s that kind of place.

Despite the high ratings, our experience here was sub par.
Lets start with the highlights:
— hummus & pita were great
— the falafel was good
— my glass of rose was good
— our server was attentive
This is where it all went wrong:
We were there for father’s day dinner with my family. My sis called ahead to make reservations AND to make sure the belly dancers were there. My father was super excited to see the dancers. The woman she spoke to over the phone confirmed of the entertainment and seated us inside.
**BIG MISTAKE**
No belly dancers on Sundays!!!
They had a one-​man music band who sang songs from «You are always on my mind» to «We Speak no Americano.» We were the only audience sitting inside. He obviously knew he needed to liven up the place so he pumped up the speakers so loud to the point we could not speak to each other or the wait staff. We were practically driven out of there.
AND the food…
— I did not like the grilled Octopus, it was too tough and plain
— the Mesquite Grilled Shrimp was overpriced at $ 19 for 9 pieces of regular shrimp
A father’s day to remember… we would reconsider coming back here.

In between Colorado and Foothill, a little tucked away near the trees.
Your choice of indoor or outdoor seating. On a nice gorgeous day in sunny LA, you must sit outside.
*Regular hummus was good and tasty. Unlimited pita bread, keep them coming!
*Hummus with beef on top was delicious, the oils from the beef mixed into the hummus gives it a wonderful taste and just glorious. I liked it soo much I was tempted to order some to go.
*Grape leaves, with rice insides and wrapped with grape leaves, it’s a cold dish. Flavorful, not too salty.
*Chicken kebab with rice and salad. The rice was very different but good, it looks like noodles mixed together with rice. I wasn’t sure what it was but it was really good.
Chicken was a bit dry, flavorful but maybe it was overcooked. Salad was tossed in a really good sauce, lettuce, cucumber and tomato.
*Flour less chocolate cake, I wouldn’t try this again, it tasted like a block of chocolate and it was hard to eat. Really thick chocolate.
Service was great, for the most part I liked everything. There was just small things that didn’t give it a 5 star.