Sinbad’s

This is a very high-​quality Middle Eastern place with moderate prices. During the month of Ramadan, happening every night (from 7:30 pm to Midnight) is a wonderful Iftar buffet. Priced at just $ 10 for all you care to eat it is a real bargain. Everything is brought to the buffet in small amounts and is very fresh. We have been there three times during June already and the buffet continues until Jul 5, 2016. (Dates in 2017 will be slightly shifted, since Ramadan is determined on the lunar calendar.) The regular menu is quite good as well and served in a setting facing a delightful park and fountain.

We used to come here all the time and when I say all the time, at least 3 times a week minimum.
We came here because the food was decent and halal and, for the most part, they were consistent in their quality and prep.
Unfortunately their service was rarely on point and today is definitely the last time we come here. We ordered hookah per usual and today it was simply burning the whole time, did not taste good at all.
We immediately told the waiter to see if it could be fixed. When numerous attempts were made to make the hookah better, failed, we told them that we simply did not want it (especially since they weren’t even willing to replace it with a new one). We asked them to take it off the check and got MAJOR shade and «guilt» trips.
Really put a bad taste in our mouth (no pun intended). Sorry Sinbad’s but we are done.

Excellent service, great prices, and very good food! Can’t beat this place. I have had a lot of middle eastern food, and I’m very selective about it. Their kabobs, hummus and tabouli are my favorite.

Lebanese red wine was very good, as was the spinach feta pocket appetizer. Sautéd lamb in the Alibaba was not bad, but a bit tough. The baba ganoush was good.
Atmosphere outside in the courtyard is quite nice.

Went in for some late night hookah and tea. The hookah was great (double apple). The Iraqi tea was good too but a little too sweet. We sat outside at the patio tables. The tables out there are grill-​like with little gaps so when I poured the tea and a little spilled — it fell right through the table and burned my leg. Totally my fault but be careful if you order a hot beverage. Service was alright — a bit slow but we were in no hurry.

Had their food at GV Farmers Mkt. it was so so. I had the lamb kabob in a pita. Pretty bland and a little dry. When they asked me later how I liked it and I told them it was dry and they didn’t really have anything to say. Hummus was pretty good.

Great soup and kabab. Such a nice place close to University.

Great place to hang out. Mint tea was perfect for a chilly afternoon and hooka smooth! Also dog friendly.

Ok. Nothing special. Friendly staff. Food was ok. Had a lamb shish kabob. Turkish coffee. Cannot complain but not sure if I will return.

Staff is incredibly sweet! Cool location right in the center of a little courtyard area… there’s a little water fountain in the middle too!!! A bowl is only like $ 8! They offered me an ice water to go when I left too, very cool!
Only drawback is that smoking is only allowed outside… so it’s super HOT in the summer! They need some fans or misters!!!
Oh yah! The first time I went during «business hours» and they were closed! So make sure u call first!!!

Food and hookah are 90% of the time great. The lamb kabobs are pretty impressive! But the service is poor. Today we got an appetizer, but no plates or silverware (or plastic for that matter). We ate with our hands on napkins. Server was mia. We were sitting outside in the heat, and we wanted water. Finally do not order the vegetable samosa. They are not samosas! They are veggie spring rolls. Very different things.

They need to update their hours; on the web, & on Unilocal.
The food is not very Arabic, they’ve turned a lot of the dishes into something else.
Cleanliness is definitely an issue, as there is a lingering odor in the main dining area (septic, not food related)
I want this place to be much better, the reputation had me hyped, but after a few visits I need to put this nail in the coffin.
Do not go here, & do not assume it was a bad night; the experience is unfortunatley never a pleasure for myself, or anyone I have gone in with.

Very beautiful and cozy place and very good menu and lots of options. The lady makes her own yogurt and pastries. Really delicious .
Patio is much nicer than inside.

Stopped here due to everywhere else being closed, and had a mixture of disappointment and positive surprise. From the food to the service.
First off, the food was pretty solid. The ground beef kabob was below the standards I’m used too, namely from home cooking. A bit undercooked and bit in a piece of fat. The chicken kabob, however, was splendid. The sides that came with it were underwhelming as it was basically a tomato slice, a tiny piece of onion and a few lettuce pieces. Hummus was equal to three tablespoons, maybe.
The service was alright, but it seemed as if they didn’t want us there as we had a toddler. Just ruined it to the point we had to get it to go. Teamed with how overpriced it was, doubtful a return trip would be occur.

So my husband chose this place as we were roaming around in the area and I was skeptical. The outside/​inside décor has much to be desired and it was awkwardly silent once the loud groups waiting for their to-​go orders left. It was weird to talk because everyone can hear what you’re taking about.
However, I’m glad that we tried it because it was surprisingly good food.
Our sever was kind, attentive, and even gave our girls their own «kids plates» so they wee excited. Our Gyro Plates/​Chicken Kabobs were flavorful and came out within 15 – 20 minutes.
I saw that they also offer hookah (if you’re interested!)
We’ll definitely try again! :)

I typically go here for Hookah (on that not alone it’s the most affordable!).
Their food is absolutely incredible, I had an opportunity recently to sit down and talk to the owner. She told me about how when she first moved to the united states, in two months she gained weight because of how bad the food was here. I couldn’t disagree. So she opened sinbads, all organic and all authentic!
And so so so delicious!

I spent 4 years in Tucson, and yet I’ve only been to Sinbad’s once. Now, I didn’t go to eat there either. I came here for hookah of course. No offense, but there are far better options dining wise on University Ave.
This place is a little tricky to find; it’s a hole in the wall place without the hole in the wall feeling. It’s next to the Starbucks on University Ave by the fountain. The price for hookah ($ 15) is very reasonable, and hookah has definitely picked up its popularity in this little college town. Between the bars, frat parties, and gamedays, hookah is the norm in Tucson.
The service is top notch, or it was when I came here. Our group was each given a bottle of complimentary water and enjoyed the different flavors they offer. A typical session should last you a few hours, and you definitely don’t feel rushed to leave like some other places when it gets crowded.
Solid 4 stars for Sinbad.

Just like a real Middle Eastern café! While in Dubai and Qatar, I grew to love sitting outside at a café in the evening to smoke some shisha and have some great arabic food. Sinbad’s is just like that.
Excellent food; I recommend the arabic shawarma. Hookah is perfect, not harsh at all, and best of all, you can smoke it outside on their patio. The hookah and food are better than neighboring establishments, and cheap, too. Wish the also served drinks.
Servers are friendly, but a little slow. Just come to relax and it’s no problem.

Nope! Just went there for lunch today and bad things just kept happening. The inside of the restaurant smells, but not good, it is this funky off food smell you don’t want to have, then we waited and waited for someone to notice us until we got up and took some menus ourselves, a waiter finally came and took our order. About 40 minutes later I was served something I hadn’t asked for and but still ate because at that point I was starving! It was some meat shawarma thing that I did not enjoy.
Bottomline, bad service, will not go back.

If it were possible, I’d give Sinbad’s 4.5 stars. First off, it was a total mission to find the restaurant because it’s hidden in this nook area of the food plaza. After much walking around, we found it thanks to a sign on the sidewalk that had pictures of their dishes.
The décor is interesting. Reminds me of a teenage girl’s bedroom (bright blue sheer curtains, fake flowers, glitter butterflies on the curtains and windows). There was also this odd smell upon entering. It was a mix between an old smell and a bleachy smell. Whatever it was, it was odd.
Ordered the chicken shish kabobs for an appetizer and the lamb shish kabob for my entrée. The chicken was amazingly good! Super juicy, moist, and flavorful. The lamb, on the other hand, was very chewy and had the distinctive lamb smell (something I dislike) so I couldn’t finish it. The lamb was served with rice and hummus and the hummus was delicious!
The presentation of their dishes gets an A+ in my book because it made the food look very appealing. And the customer service is very warm and pleasant.
When in Arizona next time, I’ll be back for sure. By the way, their entire menu is halal! And they have like 50 hookah flavors.

Sinbad’s is a casual place to lounge about if you have the time for it. It is quiet and relaxing but the service is not the greatest. It takes them a while to refill your water and when they are busy your food will take quite a while. When it is light, the speed picks up slightly. It is pretty expensive for a college student budget but when I came in a group once a gratuity of 25% was added.
The food is pretty good. I’ve gotten the shwarma and the shish kabob in the past. The entrees come with hummus which is a bit oily but tastes good. The rice was good this time but a few times it was a bit undercooked. The meat is more tender on the shish kabob than the shwarma. The portions are just enough to feel full. I do enjoy the pita and their tzaziki sauce. The experience is enjoyable with less people in a more loungey mood and the food is above average most of the time.