Baba Ghannouj Mediterranean Bistro

Don’t let the place fool you. It’s (currently) primarily a lunch place. I went in the evening & it was empty. Picked up a take out order that was super. I would definitely go here again!

Post-​work & hanger?!
This is a GREAT spot to find relief. Everything is fresh, with attention to detail. The dinner buffet has a couple fewer options than the lunch (I guess; my first time here and in NC for that matter). Buffet has add on options for protein and comes with access to a dessert bar, with pretty decent baklava.
This is definitely more of a lunch place, now. But be forewarned when work of this jewel spreads, you’ll see them coming in droves.
Thanks guys!

Not a bad spot for lunch. The food is not bad for a buffet and has a large selection of items. The standouts were the hummus and the gyro. The gyro could be considered a tad too oily for most folks though. While perusing the buffet, I noticed that there was a distinctive absence of babaganoush. I asked one of the workers there and there response was a small chuckle and a polite no. Not a huge knock against them but if it’s in your name, it should be in your buffet. Just saying. Would come back for lunch but not too often because it was quite pricey for lunch.

I’m tempted to give them 5 stars but I’m gonna say 4.5 for now because of some inconsistencies with some food here from visit to visit. They are definitely in that red range approaching 5… but wait, whaaat? For a buffet You say. Ummmmm… how bout yeah, cause the buffet at Baba Ghannouj is anything but typical and is one of the absolute best around. I can’t think of another buffet that even comes close to the quality and variety of foods offered here, and you just can’t go wrong with a buffet filled with healthy Mediterranean food. I was so upset when they closed down their ⁵⁴⁄₅₅ location, but was quickly consoled when I found out they were relocating to Miami Blvd as it almost entirely restored my faith in humanity.
I love the new space, I think it’s much nicer, cleaner, and it’s significantly larger than the old location. I mean both the dining area and the buffet are larger than before, which works out great because they seem to just keep getting busier at lunch with lines at the cashier and buffet being commonplace. So be warned, just like with other RTP lunch spots the earlier you get here the better off you are (things do move along fast though). The service is always fast, the buffet is always well stocked, and even foods ordered off the menu come out promptly during the chaos of lunch rush.
I can’t think of any other buffet with as many healthy options, especially ones that taste as good. That’s not to say there aren’t any unhealthy items here, there definitely are and they are very awesome too! All the veggie and side dishes here are delicious. The Greek salad, Fattoush, Tabbouleh, Cauliflower, and Eggplant salad all rank above many other Mediterranean places and are all must tries. I’m not even a big fan of Falafels or Grape leaves but I always have to have them here, and I’m a big fan of their Cucumber sauce too. The chickpea and green bean sides here are incredible, and so is anything with eggplant. They usually have the cold eggplant salad and chicken and eggplant off the hot bar and they are both some of the best eggplant dishes I’ve had. I actually didn’t even like eggplant that much until I tried it here and was instantly converted.
I think the lamb gyro meat here is he best in the area. The chicken curry is flavorful and not at all heavy. The chicken kabobs are never dried out and packed with flavor. Lately they’ve had a rotini pasta dish with a cheesy cream sauce that has the chicken kabobs diced up in it. Probably not traditional Med fare but it’s so freakin good. They’ve had new dishes here I never saw on their old buffet and they change from day to day keeping it interesting.
Yes it’s true I’m a buffet junkie, so believe me when I say this is one of the best. Baba Ghannouj is just a great place all around and is one of the quintessential RTP lunch spots. If you haven’t been you should go and don’t forget to try one of their hot sauces they have over by the pitas.

Really nice place with really nice servers. However the food is not great and it is also kind of expensive. Went there once probably never going back again because of the food. I also went there on a friday night dinner time and it was really quiet we were the only one in the restaurant.

Was excited to have lunch at the new Baba Ghannouj buffet location on S. Miami Blvd. and it didn’t disappoint. The restaurant is spacious, and seats 142 people. It is comfortable, but no frills– not for date night. It is a fantastic alternative to fast food, because it is truly fast food; you walk in, pay, go to the buffet and have a seat. No waiting on servers. Also the restaurant can easily accommodate families on the weekend.
The buffet offerings are Mediterranean with a solid mix of authentic Lebanese and Greek dishes. The buffet is well organized by cold dishes, vegetarian, and meat entrees. There really was something for everyone, including a creamy ziti and chicken entrée-​just in case– and it which was delicious.
Cold dishes included two types of salad, dolma (stuffed grape leaves), a Turkish eggplant dish, a spicy cauliflower, fatoush, and tzatziki. Vegetarian dishes included Turkish green beans, spicy chickpeas, and falafel. Meat dishes included gyro, chicken kabab, spicy chicken and eggplant, and chicken curry. There was a good balance of spicy and not spicy dishes and an extensive dessert selection, including a tray piled high with baklava. We will definitely be back.

Yummers!
I tried the lunch buffet at the newly opened Baba Ghannouj in Durham/​RTP area off of Miami Blvd, and I didn’t come away disappointed.
They have a decent variety of salads, meats, veggies and desserts for the lunch buffet (I guess Mediterranean buffets are generally smaller than Chinese). Everything I tried I liked. This included eggplant, falafel, rice, chicken, gyro beef (I think), cucumber sauce, cauliflower and pita bread.
I wanted the baklava for dessert, but unfortunately they had run out it seems, as the pan was empty (you must need to get there early for baklava). Oh well, the cake they offered made for a nice second choice.
I am sure I will return again for the delicious lunch buffet served by this Baba Ghannouj location!

This delicious Mediterranean buffet is excellent and for a reasonable price! I imagine it’s busy as can be during the work week since it’s right in RTP, but on a rainy Saturday afternoon for an Elite Unilocal event it was laid back.
The owner is so gracious and inviting. He wanted us to try each and every thing on the buffet, but I choose to settle for a select few.
The hummus is smooth and delicious, grape leaves perfectly wrapped with wonderful rice filling, gyro meat was delectable and the cucumber sauce perfectly suited for it and refreshing. There’s a pasta dish with chicken that was just divine! It was all so good I had to go back for seconds!
I only had room for one of the dessert options, the baklava which was sweet and filled with nuts. Yum!
Nice to know there’s such a great option available so close to home!

My family and I enjoyed everything about our meal and experience here! Chicken Shwarma was a great call complete with French fries on the pita! Need to come back for lunch to try the buffet! Staff was very friendly and restaurant was super clean.

Variety is the spice of life! That’s why I enjoy the opportunity to dine buffet style .and this one offers just that: variety and spice!
I dined here for lunch and liked everything that I tried. The salads offered were fresh. The sauces were a plenty. Vegetarian And Meat options were available on hot bar. Free hot tea with cream and sugar to accompany one of the 4 dessert selections on the dessert bar.
Some of my personal faves: the cauliflower, the beet salad, the yellow rice, the eggplant and chicken, chicken peas, curry, the baklava, oh and the gyro. even made my own gyro sandwich with the pita bread. Buffets allow you to mix and match, try things you never had before and enjoy things you love over and over again.
For some of the best Mediterranean you can have in Durham. go here !

Newly opened! Nice and clean! Buffet 6 days a week/​closed on Sunday’s!
They have three sections at the buffet… Cold salads, hot veggie dishes and lastly meats. If you are a vegetarian you can choose to pay less and only eat from the salads and hot veggie dishes.
There were about 6 – 8 options for each section (hot, cold, meats). Most of the meat dishes were chicken. They had one meat gyro and one lamb dish. The chicken dishes were good but some pieces were a bit fatty.
Overall good experience.

Friendly staff, simple menu and good value for the money is what you get at Baba’s. This new restaurant is more setup for the lunch crowd than dinner, though. I came for dinner but would return for the lunch buffet. I had the Mixed Gyro platter with hummus and a Greek salad. It was good so give this place a try!

This place is ok. I should have clued in it wasn’t great when they called a gyro a Girow. It wasn’t bad, just wasn’t the good Greek food I was craving.

I went for lunch today and the food and service was amazing. This place is also HUGE and looks great for parties etc. I highly recommend the buffet which is a big selection of fresh items and there is no wait. Amazing place to visit with kids or during work lunch.

Such amazing and flavorful food! I’ve been told this a very good restaurant in the past but haven’t got a chance to try it. I’m so glad they opened up a branch super close to work. The lunch buffet is about $ 11 and had a wide variety or salads, sides and entrees to chose from. My favorites were the dolma, chicken and eggplant curry and spicy chicken curry.

I went to this place this afternoon with my friend and had lunch buffet… The food was amazing and we enjoyed alot… The food is more similar to our Indian food and the dishes were so tasty… They had a lot of varieties in chicken which were amazing and even very well cooked eggplant and cauliflower!!! Nice food to try… Had an awesome experience!!!