Sababa Mediterranean Grill

Middle eastern food meets Subway-​method. It was okay. Nothing to get too excited about. I liked the feta spread. My husband got a shawarma and was «nonplussed».

Sababa is oh so fresh, filling to the max and quite the charmer! With your pita, bowl, salad or hummus-​based dish being completely customizable, this is a great place to go to satisfy all! I got the falafel salad with a bit of both rices (brown with lentils and white with cinnamon), cabbage, cucumber, red onion, tomato, feta, parsley and tahini! The falafel was made fresh as I was going down the line. I ordered a side of pita and hummus as well (pita was warm — swoooon worthy)!
My favorite part may have to be the rice and cabbage — standout ingredients in my opinion! Or maybe the dancing of one of the guys behind the counter when no customers were in line and a good song came on. Or maybe the fabulous customer service with attention to presentation (the guy threw paprika in the air and swooped my hummus under in a big motion so it would dust the top). D) ALL OF THE ABOVE!
I stayed for about an hour with a friend and it never got too noisy and I never felt the «I should leave because someone wants my table» feeling. Many people ordered to-​go. I stayed around, got extra tahini and again, delightful service for that small request. Whether you’re in a hurry or want to sit down and take your good olé’ hummus-​eating time, Sababa is a triple thumbs up with guaranteed leftovers for the next day!

I really love the idea and execution of the food here. Yes it falls into that moniker «Chipotle clone». But, boy oh boy do they do it right.
By the way, isn’t Chipotle Clone really just a cafeteria clone? Point, speak, or grunt to the person behind the glass for what you want. We’ve been trained for this since grade school.
We stopped Sunday afternoon, because we were in the nearby proximity of Gwen’s Check-​in. Please Unilocalers do your check-​ins. That notification influenced my choice in lunch. It’s my second visit for carryout. We ordered 2 gyros. Pita into the bottom of a 5“X9″ recycled cardboard boat. We chose ours with mild gyro, and spicy gyro meat. Medium is also available, as are other protein and vegetarian choices. Here’s what helps them stand apart from other Mediterranean Gyro restaurants. They don’t have a menu gyro recipe. It’s whatever toppings you want on it. I dislike saying «light on this, add that, skip those, extra stuff». It makes me sound like I am that customer who can’t enjoy it the way the chef has created it. Lots of toppings to choose from. The gyro meat was not up on the rotisserie spit. It has been shaved off into a warming pan, simmering in it’s decadent juices. They scoop out your portion, and put it on the flat top with the appropriate heat signature flavor sauce that you ordered. Scooped hot of the grill onto the pita. Pita absorbing all that savory sauce. Down the line we go. I’m not a feta fan, but since it was offered, I’ll take a dash. «That’s a dollar extra». That’s all the reason I needed to pass on the feta. Price was so very reasonable for the amount of food. A+ on value. Friendly helpful staff only added to the experience.
Darn it, I just realized I forgot to download the loyalty app, for my mobile digital punch card.

We stopped in here for takeout on a road trip through Columbus. I was craving a salad after hours on the road and this seemed like a convenient and yummy way to get my meat and veg on. I’m so happy we chose to go here because it was excellent and fresh and easy enough to eat while in a car. My husband and I both ordered our salad bowls with extra meat (living that paleo life!) and both had a ton of leftovers for lunch the next day. Hubby had his salad with olives, slaw, tahini and gyro while I opted for a gyro and chicken combo with nearly all the toppings (the banana peppers were a nice spicy touch). Both meats were super flavorful and tender and I really appreciated that the girl behind the counter put our meat in a separate container so that we could «fit more toppings on the salad.» It also made it easier to heat up our leftovers the next day!
I wish we had something like this close by because I’d be stopping in often!

In the 5 or so years I have been a member of Unilocal,I have written two reviews. I was just never so moved by any place to write any «yea or nay» knid of review. That changed today when I tasted some food brought back by a colleague at lunch. It was from Sababa. WOW, such a unique and delicious combinations of food. .
It is set up like Chipotle, but is a scale of magnitude greater than Chipotle. In fact, it could be the Chlpotle of the Mediterranean. Choose your base (pita, rice and others,) chose your protiein (chicken, schwarma etc) and then add things like garbanzo, banana peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers and top with yogurt sauce or tahini. I can only hope this place blows up (via franchise) so I can eventually get one where I live. So awesome, huge portions, now I want to eat this healthy mélange of flavor everyday but I am leaving tomorrow ;(
Please Franchise (I am serious)

This place is great! A friend recommended that I check it out. I was on the east side and decided to pick up dinner at Sababa. Wow! Wow! Wow! It’s like a middle eastern Chipotle. The portions are generous, the prices are fair, and the employees are really friendly! Truth be told, I can’t wait to get back to Sababa!
Also, excellent place for vegans!

Ordered a brown rice plate with gyro meat, onions, banana peppers, garbanzo beans, parsley, feta cheese ($ 1 extra), kalamata olives ($ 1 extra), and all of the sauces, which came to $ 10.50. For another $ 9 we ordered the Mezze Plate which comes with your choice of 3 appetizers. We chose the Falafel, Baba Ghanoug, and Matbucha.
The plate was amazing! We couldn’t inhale it fast enough. The olives really took the plate to another level and were totally worth the extra dollar. Unfortunately the appetizers were disappointing. The Baba Ghanoug was slightly above average, but the Falafel was subpar and we barely touched the Matbucha.
Note: As of March 2016 there is a Groupon which gets you $ 20 of food for only $ 12.

The food here is wonderful as the meat is some of the most well-​seasoned in Cbus but while that’s definitely a point of interest the shining star od this establishment is the owner… Johnny. He’s by far the most genuine, personable and helpful owner that I’ve met at ANY establishment since I’ve been in Columbus. He goes out of his way to make sure that you’re experience is perfect and his genuine concern for the well being of his customers is very evident in how he interacts with everyone. A visit to meet Johnny is worth the trip to Sababa by itself.

Why does this independent restaurant far exceed multitudes of other independent restaurants? Nutrition! I’m currently counting my calories, thus it can be difficult to do that when I frequent solo-​owned restaurants (ones NOT part of a chain) because there nutrition info is not as readily available. Sababa is a fantastic exception! There’s not hidden additives, no fatty ingredients, fresh herbs and spices are abound. The workers were more than happy to separate my salad and meat. Did I also need the feta cheese in its own container? Great suggestion! That would be awesome. The flavors are beyond par. Still as fresh as ever. I’m immensely thankful this establishment is gracing Columbus!

I wish they had one here in Cincy. We were up here for the weekend for work and saw the reviews for Sababa, and decided definitely had to check it out. It’s like Mediterranean food but served Chipotle-​style. A little bit Americanized, fast-​casual, but still solid and very good. One obvious difference is that whatever protein you get is warmed up or made right when you order it. The falafel is formed and fried, and the meats are cooked on the griddle/​stove thing. I wasn’t adventurous enough to stray from chicken shawarma both times since it was too tasty. I got a chance to try the salad (comes with free feta!), and the pita. I didn’t get to try the brown rice with lentils, but it definitely looked tasty in my coworkers’ bowls. The price is really good for the monstrous portions that you get.
I’d definitely come back whenever I find myself in Columbus again!

I go out of my way for Sababa! Often.- Enough Said!
Just kidding; this is Unilocal.You have to say more.
First, super clean and fresh restaurant. Second, best gyro meat EVER. Third, lots of veggies. Fourth, made with love. Fifth, affordable.
I like to order the lentil rice with medium spice gyro or the delicious greek chicken topped with double cabbage (it makes the bowl), pickles, tomatoes, cucumbers, chickpeas, and parsley, along with the magical sauce. Feta is a great add too, but I don’t like paying and extra $ 1 for it.
$ 8.50 for the best meal I’ll find that fast anywhere. Love it. Love it. Love it.

Out of all the fast-​casual Mediterranean places in Columbus, Sababa is definitely my favorite.
The process is pretty simple — Pick your base, protein, veggies, and sauce. I always go with the greek chicken salad or bowl. The brown rice with lentils has a lot of flavor so I would recommend that if you are getting a bowl. All the veggies are really fresh and crisp. I love that I can get diced pickles in my salad! Whatever you are getting, top it off with the house sauce and you can’t go wrong.
The brown to-​go containers are very deceiving. I always think the portions are small until I’m actually sitting down and eating my meal. I usually struggle to finish a whole bowl. They give you a good amount of food for the price.
Oh, and the spicy feta with pita is amazing. Definitely get that.
You must stop here if you are in the area. Even if you aren’t, Sababa is worth the drive to the east side!

Second time here, and I am definitely a fan. This is the «Chipotle served» style on Mediterranean food, and it works really well.
You get a nice warm welcome when you first come in. They will start you off with small samples of their rice’s, sauces and proteins. You pick your base, the Lentil Rice here, I could take pounds of it home with me and eat it for days, I liked it so much. Then your protein. All of which I liked and it just made it harder to determine what I finally hungered. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Finally, all the toppings and sauces you pick. Ohhh that house dressing is so. so. good! mmm! mmm! mmm!
On my first visit, I had an awesome opportunity to try everything here. I really enjoyed everything and there really wasn’t one thing I didn’t like. One thing that stood out was the Baba, they got the smoky flavor just right for my liking. I finally tried grape leaves for the first time, and loved them so much, that’s the main reason I couldn’t wait to come back a second time. It was something new that I’ve never had before. These are served cold and filled with rice and spices. It’s definitely something different. The fries here are excellent as most fresh cut fries can be, but they’re so much better with more of the house dressing to dip them in. :) I really need to buy some of that to take home with me the next time I’m there.

I am totally going to start following Bryant around since he keeps finding awesome places like Sababa. Sorry in advance about the stalking!
After the fantastic Unilocal event here this past weekend, I brought my husband to Sababa last night. Johnny was working the counter and greeting everyone. He was also handing out samples to every person who answered «Yes» to his inquiry about whether they’ve been there before. Happily, there were a lot of first timers coming in last night.
I ordered basically the same thing I had on Sunday, the husband had the chicken shwarma on a pita. We also grabbed an appetizer of the super tasty hummus. I stuffed my face of extremely good food and watching Johnny work the crowd. He never stopped moving, explaining the menu and handing out samples. This is one of those places that has something for everyone, feeds you well and is super affordable. I am happy that it is so close to my house because we will back often.

I finally got to try Sababa last week and it was deelicious! I have heard so many good things about this place from all my friends and it definitely lived up to my expectations. I am a little sad though that there isn’t a location closer to me, I’d be there all the time! This place is also a «chipotle style» — choose your pita/​bowl/​salad, protiens and veggies. There are a ton of veggies, cheeses and sauces to choose from and they were all extremely fresh and tasted great. I would highly recommend trying their house sauce.
I went with the pita even though I was warned it would be messy! I managed to eat almost half of it before it fell apart in the bowl and then I switched over to the fork and guess what — it tasted just as great :) Their french fries are a DEAL. $ 3 for a huge portion and they have a greek seasoning (kind of like a cajuny meets Lawry’s Season Salt mixture) make sure you ask for this! I loved their spicy feta as well (not sure if they charge extra for this or not).
Anyhoo… Sababa you are far away, you are also yummy so I’ll definitely be back!

I really do like this place. I need to say that up front because I do have some criticisms, and I don’t want to give the wrong impression.
Set up in a former Steak Escape in a little mini-​strip mall on East Broad, Sababa is the brainchild of the family that used to run Mezze, and they’ve applied a lot of the same formulas to create a «Chipotle style» approach to Medditerranean cuisine.
One interesting twist is that instead of setting prices based on protein, it’s based on the style you want it served in. The cheapest option (unsurprisingly) is a Gyro, but you can also get your meal served over rice, as part of a salad, or in a big bowl (well, OK, it’s technically a rectangular take out container) of hummus. That last one was a neat option for me on a day I was really craving some extra protein, but you get pretty good value with any of the options.
You get your choice of proteins (Gyro meat, chicken, Shawarma, or Falafel) in the spice level of your choice (I found the «Hot» to be flavorful and spicy, but not too aggressive) and can add your choice of various veggie toppings or order sides to go with.
Things are prepared right in front of you and generally put together very quickly, with things like falafel or fries being dropped to order.
It’s a good fast casual option, and everyone I’ve talked to there has been very upbeat and friendly. (After just three visits, I’m getting a warm «welcome back!» when I come in!)
So where are my problems? Mostly in the pricing. The base prices for entrees aren’t terrible, ranging from $ 6.75−9, but then you run into a $ 1 upcharge for feta cheese, and a separate $ 1 upcharge if you’d like olives.
Those are both staples of the cuisine, so why not just bump the prices of dishes by a dollar and make them regular options? Or offer a $ 1 upcharge for both?
Sides are also oddly expensive — When you pay $ 7 for your gyro, for example, it’s a bit daunting to pay another $ 5 for a side of fries or hummus.
A tray of falafel for $ 4.50 isn’t as bad (especially since you get a half dozen falafel to the order, but on the other hand I could just ask for double protein on my entrée and have just as many falafel added, and save myself a couple of bucks.
The offer of a 3 for $ 9 plate for appetizers isn’t a bad solution if you’re going in a group, but it’s not really friendly pricing for a solo diner. Maybe they could look at offering half sized sides, and leave the larger portion as stand alone items?
Regardless, I obviously think the food is worth going back for, and I do encourage you to check it out — just keep in mind that you may end up dropping a few more dollars than you would at some of the other Gyro shops in the area.

Sababa not only makes me throw down all my stars, but also makes me want to give them all my money. It’s that good. I mean… your food had better be pretty good when you have the falafel balls to name your restaurant after the Hebrew slang word for ‘awesome.’
I assure you, the name does not set you up for disappointment.
Sababa is the latest brainchild of Johnny Baransi, who — so graciously — brought Mezze to our city and our tastebuds. So if you liked Mezze, which he no longer owns, you’ll love it here. The food is Mediterranean + Middle Eastern, and Johnny makes everything fresh and from scratch every single day.
Vegans, vegetarians, paleos, and GFers rejoice: there are countless, delicious options for you! Here’s the scoop on ordering:
1. Choose a base. There’s hummus, salad, and two types of rice. I’ve tried everything except one type of rice that has vermicelli and is not GF. You seriously can’t go wrong with any of them.
2. Choose a protein. I’m a big fan of the chicken shawarma, and the falafel (which is made fresh to order) is my favorite in the city.
3. Go crazy with the toppings. The veggies here are no afterthought; they’re outstanding. Some of my faves include: kalamata olives, Israeli pickles, banana peppers, and feta.
My order usually rings in around $ 10, and I always have leftovers to take home. I think that’s a total steal for such high quality, fresh food. Add on top of that the stellar customer service, and Sababa is a homerun for me. Sure, it’s a bit out of the way, but this food is so craveable — it’s worth the drive.

I had this place bookmarked for a while so I wanted to visit it so many times. My friend even told me how great it is. This place used to be a Steak Escape and how I would know that is my sister would come here all the time. I’m assuming she is still coming here even with the name change because my family loves Mediterranean food being brought up with that food in our culture.
Let me say I first came in clueless as to what the menu was like and it took me some time to think about what I wanted. I let several people go in front of me as they were coming in just so I could think about what I wanted. Let’s just say I want my first experience to be good that I will want to come back no matter what the situation is. I saw Unilocaler Greg and it looked like he was enjoying his meal.
Finally, I make up my mind within 20 minutes and say let’s just go with a simple salad. Although I asked for gyro meat inside I don’t mind I got the mild chicken. When your a clueless customer anything sounds good as long as the restaurant has left a good impression on you from the service to the food you receive. I was pleased with the service as the man working there apologized for my wait even though I did it purposely to look through their menu and give myself some time to understand what I really wanted.
The atmosphere is like a Piada or Chipotle fast and you pick you base of rice, salad or pita. Next you pick your protein of gyro, greek chicken, chicken shawarma, falafel or veggie. You then choose your toppings and sauce. When you pay the dessert is on the side of baklava. Someday, I will learn to make baklava myself so that I don’t have to buy it at a restaurant not that I don’t like it there.
You have your choice of fountain drinks, bottled water, iced tea or San Pellegrino. So you definitely have a wide array of options available to you.
I highly recommend this restaurant if you want fresh Mediterranean food. I know I’ll be coming back here soon!

Not sure what to eat for lunch… check Unilocal!
Sababa is part of the new trend similar to Subway and Chipotle… pick your base and add the extras. The difference between Sababa and the rest, Sababa is FRESH! They make the falafel fresh right in front of you, and the rest of the ingredients are fresh as well! The house dressing is AMAZING!
I can’t wait to try more of the menu. I hope this restaurant does very well, and continues to expand.

My buddy and I saw a ‘Coming Soon’ sign for this place a couple months ago in the old Steak Escape spot on East Broad going toward Blacklick and were eager to give it a shot, since we love gyros, falafel, and all that jazz. It looked almost complete, but I don’t think they opened until the past two weeks. Well, that’s when I started seeing reviews pop up on here, so I knew it was time to check it out.
Do you like Mezze? If so, then you will love this place, since it’s almost entirely the same; all the way down to the taste and shape of the falafel. As for me, Mezze is one of my favorite lunch spots in Columbus, so I instantly fell in love with this place. The owner/​manager was super friendly and offered everyone free samples of the meats without them asking. We didn’t have a lot of time, so we opted for the gyro on a Greek style pita (Yes, they have Middle Eastern style just like Mezze). This place is essentially a Mediterranean Chipotle where you pick our your base (pita, rice, salad), proteins, toppings, and sauce.
You can add olives, feta, and/​or spice it up for a little extra (Mezze?). I went with the spicy sauce. Unlike Mezze, you go down the line picking out the veggies and toppings you want on your pita or bowl, just like in Chipotle. I ordered falafel along with the gyro, and the gyro was way more filling than I thought it would be, and I had to muscle down the falafel, which are served with a thin hummus. Everything was absolutely delicious. My buddy ordered the same thing but had fries instead and thought it was great as well. He made a comment though that I had to agree with saying that if you blindfolded him, he wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between Sababa and Mezze. To me, this is a good thing, since I love Mezze, but a bad thing for Mezze, since this is a bit closer to my work.
The only issue I ran into, is that they don’t offer foil or a piece of paper to wrap around the pita to make it easier to eat, and the house sauce and hot sauce are both pretty thin, and it made a mess everywhere, including my shirt. Be prepared! That is my suggestion to them, and they should really think about it!
Parking is super easy to find, since the tiny strip mall they’re in has plenty. If you’re a fan of Mezze and live on the East or Southeast side, then you’ll find yourself having a very similar and tasty experience at Sababa. As for me, I’ll be back often (so sorry, Mezze!).
EDIT: Apparently this is the former owner of Mezze which makes a whole lot of sense.