Love you Ababu! Hope your iced tea becomes free and unli again!
Used to be a solid 5☆ but since the price hike their meals aren't as sulit as before. Still a high rating though cos their food is really good. Super convenient too for late night food runs since they close late!
Your basic comfort food, any rice meal plus ox brain👌🏼
Some may not understand lol but if you grew up in Katipunan you definitely will. The comfort of eating that not really authentic Persian cuisine, brings back all the crazy memories lol eating there on a budget, after drinking or just plain hungry..
Plus the value for money and taste always hits the spot.
Yum yum yum shawarma rice at half the price. What I love about Ababu was its ability to deliver quality food at a lower price point as compared with orhwr shawarma brands. The taste was a bit stronger and less Filipinized, meaning the sauce was neither sweetish nor too creamy. The motabal had a strong eggplant taste and less cream. The garlic sauce was peppery and the shawarma had beef that was flavorful but not sweet. Plus, service was topnotch!
(4.5/5) Ababu will never fail us! There remains the open-air streetfood vibe in the resto, and even when inflation hit, they never spared in the ingredients! The Chicken Kebab favorite (PHP 145) I have is ever-flavorful, the spicy sauce so magnificent, and the chops of tomatoes and onions overflowing!
The service can improve a little bit, though. If you promised Unli Iced Tea, be very prompt in refilling it. And the airconditioned room is a little unstrategic on your part if you want the servers to come to you easily. It's way too hidden!
Needless to say, Ababu will be a favorite college memory, and the idea that so many Katip students are not finding out more abt this place is upsetting.
Guilty Pleasures Seeker
+5
Only the real Katips locals would know this place. And I was happy I was with one who suggested we eat here. The place is without airconditioning, you will smell the smoke from their grill outside. Price affordable. Portions were big. Meat tasted well, try the chicken
Ababu has recently become our go to place for late night grub. Rice meal servings are hefty, flavors are great and prices are affordable.
I like the Chicken Kebab Rice Meal since the chicken is grilled and it has minimal bones. Love the butter on the rice and the corn.
The Shawarma Rice Meal was unavailable on 2 recent visits so I was naturally curious and ordered a plate for myself. Although the meat was flavorful, some portions were tough to chew and I just couldn't eat them.
Hubby liked his Beef Shawarma Wrap. I wan't able to take a bite though.
The Ababu Dip and Toast was good but the dressing can be nakakumay.
Loved the pitcher of Iced Tea that came with the rice meals.
There are only a few parking slots. We had to wait until one opened up but the food was definitely worth the wait.
*Review based on our December 30, 2018 and January 2, 2019 visits
Mark Abraham Bonifacio
+5
Swabe sa panlasa at sa bulsa! Dito kami lagi pag nag crave kami ng Persian food or pag hirap mag decide kung saan kakain. Basic comfort food!
Forever a favorite and a staple. Keema to die for. Also the ox brain!! Unlimited iced tea too!!! Me and my friends love it here. It's so hard to reach the 140 character minimum.
One of my go to places for cheap eats. I love their shawarma rice, unfortunately it's often unavailable. Free refills for iced tea are great though.
This is always our go-to place whenever we want to eat to our hearts content (after drink hang-out spot). We have been dining here even prior the restaurant being renovated and we still keep on coming back.
After attending a gig at The Pop Up Katipunan, we went for a midnight meal at Ababu. Their Beef Kebab is everything! Their business hours is up until 2am I think so that’s a major plus for me as well.
The food will always be to-go food whenever I’m hungry at night especially above 9 o’clock at night since most restaurants are closed. You will be full in no time since the servings are big
Never fail always satisfying go to late night spot for me and my friends. We saw this place from that small hole in the wall to it's present size. Thanks Ababu!
Good fix for your kabab cravings that won’t hurt your budget. Also comes with big rice serving and free iced tea.👌 Has an indoor and outdoor dining.
Super sulit for students (even for adults)!!! Rice meals have lots of tomatoes + 1 fried(?) egg. I mean where else can you find such sulit meals? THE BEST PERSIAN/MIDDLE EASTERN FOOD!!!! 2 die 4 🌈❤️
If you're looking for yummy filling food on a budget, this is the place to be. My staple order is their beef kebab meal, that comes with rice, tomatoes, chopped onion, fried egg, plus it comes with unlimited iced tea. They'll literally bring you your own iced tea pitcher. I also love their ox brain side, which I dip in toyomansi. They have a separate airconditioned room which comes at a reasonable fee per person, though I usually choose to dine outside.
Ababu is the sole reason I kept my will to live back in college. With nothing but P100 in crumpled bills stuffed in my bag and wallet, I could walk in, have a meal, and attain temporary happiness before returning to my god-forsaken thesis. Their prices have gone up in recent years but I ain't no broke college boy no mo' so IDGAF.
Ababu satisfies the basic needs of my survival: it's cheap, and the servings are huge. I cannot stress enough on how cheap it is. I don't come in here expecting a wagyu shawarma. I expect the quality that comes with the price tag. Only a pretentious cornhole would expect otherwise (seriously, its a notch above a sidewalk stand). My only issue is the inconsistent quality between branches but like I said, its basically an airconditioned sidewalk stand.
Anyway enough rambling, 5/5 would eat here again from now until the end of time, hallelujah, hallelujah, amen
Chelo Kebab Kobideh with pita breas is a staple order. For the price, I must say that Ababu delivers. We always prefer the air conditioned area over al-fresco and almost always leave the place satisfied. They serve the bottomless iced tea in a pitcher which I find okay because you don’t need to ask for refills every time. Only concern is the parking in the side street as we are required to either give tips or pay unreasonable parking rates.
We went to Ababu for dinner and we chose to stay in the al fresco area since we eat here quite often. Servers were very friendly and answered all our questions about the food and which are their bestsellers. I really love their ox brain it was cooked perfectly and the texture is always divine. The calamansi with it made it really pop. My boyfriend ordered the keema rice and I got the beef kebab. I added hummus since I was feeling extra hungry. The service was fast and I like how their iced tea was always not watered down. Food was tasty and warm. I personally don't like eating onions so I chose not to eat mine and it still tasted good. The white sauce was something my boyfriend adored so we finished 3/4 of the bottle they give tableside. I would definitely be back Ababu is like comfort food to me and as always service and food was great.
Ung ambiance ok pwede ka mamili kung sa aircon or sa labas..Okay din ung service. We ordered Beef kebab, keema and ox brain. Mas masarap ung kebab sa keema..un nga lang pareho mej matabang ung timpla. Pero ung ox brain talaga the best! 🙂
I took lunch here on a Sunday and tried their shawarma rice meal. It was decent, but what I really liked was the bottomless iced tea at P35.
Paula Ariel I. Reyes
+3.5
This place is great for drunk nights as it stays open way into the early morning. They have affordable prices with good serving size. I love the beef shawarma rice meal. They have an air-conditioned room though eating outside isn't problematic.
So good and cheap! Their shawarma rice is pretty filling and every order comes with unlimited iced tea. It closes late too, making it an excellent place to sober up after a night of katip bar hopping
The food is good. I ordered the Chelo Kebab Kobideh. The ground beef is tasty. The ambiance is great. I recommend also the ox brain. Must try!
Been eating at this place for a long time, just had to point out that the meat included in the rice meals seems less now compared from before. Great pick me up for your kebab cravings especially in the wee hours of the day. Highly recommend it still!!! :)
I've ordered shawarma rice and pita with hummus which were all really delicious. Price is very affordable and the place is great. They also offer air-conditioned room (optional). I hope they would branch out near Maginhawa because it's difficult to go there if you don't have a private car.
Jose Antonio Lorenzo Delgado
+3.5
Shawarma rice took 30 minutes. 30. Minutes. What could possibly make it take that long?? Shawarma was bad.
Then i ordered the beef kebab. And it was good. And it took them only 10mins.
Great value meal. For P109 I had the shawarma rice, served with egg, corn, buttered rice, onions, unli iced tea. The garlic sauce is free flowing as well.
No frills, order came fast, satisfied with the food.
Really good food! Not to mention affordable. Nice place, wide and spacious. There are tables outside for peeps who smoke so those who are smoke-conscious like me can sit inside their airconditioned room.
Omgosh! So much good food here! Chill environment, and not to mention their ox brain and shawarma and keema! Haha. Sarap pa ng crepe nila. Plus their place looks so much better compared to before. Even the manager, Dennis, approached my table yo check how things were going. Keep up the good work!
Chelo Kebab Kobideh was the bomb! I super love it and their unlimited iced tea! I always drop by to this place whenever I am craving for persian food since it matches my night shift because they're open til 4am! Yay! :)
Just dropped by for a take-out on the way to quezon avenue from marikina. I ordered beef shawarma wrap and keema-mutabal rice. The shawarma was just okay, its beef is kinda salty for me (dont get me wrong, i hv low tolerance for salty food), had to drizzle it more wth the yogurt sauce. The taste is as okay as any shawarma from any filipinized persian restaurants.
My first time to try the combo keema-mutabal, i liked it, though the eggplant may not be broiled but just boiled because there was no smoky taste of the mutabal... i liked the creaminess, it has also tomatoes plus the yogurt and hot sauce, the palate experience is lingering!
In my later visits, I tried their beef kebab. The beef was grilled just right, so tasty and not rubbery.
. The rice had too much butter or margarine on it.. Next time, i'll have the tomatoes grilled not chopped raw..
I've been eating dinner here for nearly four years and have always had consistently good food. While most customers use it for curing hangovers, I try to find time to sit and enjoy my food.
Their Shawarma Rice is yummy but their Chelo Kebab and Keema are THE BEST. The meat was juicy, succulent, and flavorful. Plus, they give you generous portions so you'll always leave satisfied.
The menu is quite extensive but all the items seems so good and affordable. If it's your first time here, I highly recommend the set meals because they come with bottomless iced tea! Service was also prompt and friendly which I thoroughly appreciate. Definitely a must-try when you're in the area.
Good place especially during those "wasakan" nights. Keema rice meal is my key to sobriety, filled with spicy sauce. Tanggal ang amats mo, sira ang diet mo. Haha. Place is good and for the 5th time I've been here, service is fast. ;)
The neighborhood old time favorite Ababu.. ang shawarma rice meal na babalik balikan dahil sa kanilang yoghurt sauce.. with their extended restaurant and 8php addtl per person charge when seating in their ac dining area.. the price point is still el cheapo..
Shawarna rice meal 109php
Chicken kebab rice meal 129php
All rice meal comes with bottomless iced tea , buttered rice, sides of corn, onion and tomatoes
Ababu is a no-frills Persian food place. Its location along Xavierville Ave. is close to the entrance of the village, and even closer to watering holes Xavier Point (former Loading Point) and Papu's. This makes it perfect for a lazy Sunday family brunch or even sobering up post-chillnuman with friends.
I love Ababu so much that I even go there solo.
I usually take the beef kabob meal, which comes with the whole pitcher of iced tea (even if you're alone). The meat is served atop or alongside rice, buttered corn, onions, and tomatoes. I'm weird because I don't use the sauces, but they have the typical spicy and garlic ones available.
And all of this costs less than 120 pesos:
Go and try it if you haven't!
*cue judgers* Reconnected with Ababu after 10 years! Syet, ang sarap! Beef is tender, taste is perfect, serving is big! With unli iced tea!!
I discovered Ababu whilst I was on my way to Katipunan – for my usual Sunday food-trip destination. My attention was easily captured by their yellow branding and their open-dining area that is usually full of diners when I’m passing by. My top pick for from their menu list is their Charcoal Grilled Chicken Breast. As a fitness enthusiast, I need to comply with my daily protein requirement in order to feed the muscle that I’ve worked out in the gym. I can say that this Ababu grilled chicken is one of my favourite post-workout meal as it is not just an ordinary chicken breast.
Ordered their Beef Shawarma Meal, which comes with egg, corn kernels, tomatoes & onions, rice with butter plus bottomless iced tea.
Definitely good food at an affordable price. Just don't expect a fancy ambience and food presentation. But if you are really into Persian food, this is the place to go!
My S.O. and I are SUPER BIG fans of Rex Navarrete, a Filipino American stand-up comedian. We try to catch him whenever flies to Manila for a show. When I found out he was performing live at the Henry-Lee Irwin Theater in Ateneo de Manila University (our Alma Matter), I immediately got my cousin to buy tickets. The show ended at around 10 PM and we hadn’t had dinner yet, so my S.O. and I decided to visit a place that all Ateneo students know about.
Tried their beef kebab last night and it was satisfying enough with the onion, corn kernels, tomatoes and egg. Adding their own recipe of hot sauce and garlic sauce made it much better.. Along with that they have unli ice tea too thats why its a good deal for a 109 pesos meal..
A no frills but cozy place to eat. My favourite is the kebab as it just hits the right notes. For me even better than the hyped "Halal Guys"
I was in search of a restaurant that can serve my post workout meal when I decided to give Ababu a try. I was so glad that they serve a charcoal grilled chicken breast. The amount of serving was great - the rice seemed to be 2 cups in my mere estimate and the size of the chicken breast is big enough that I can say it completed my protein intake requirement for the day! :)
I find the food guilt-free (because I just ate half of the serving of rice).
Btw, the price is good because a single platter doesn't just come with a meal that could feed 2 persons but it also includes the bottomless iced tea.
The place is just like an ordinary canteen but they are currently innovating - soon to open an air-conditioned room.
Good food for low price = happy tummy!
Ababu is definitely my new favorite shawarma hub. I ordered their kebab and it taste more than its price. They offer it with egg and lots of tomatoes (which I really love about shawarma meals haha). Plus points also to their unlimited iced tea. I hope they open their airconditioned place soon.
Persian food at student-friendly prices. Come here with your barkada before, after, or even during your drinking spree at the nearby bars. They have set meals with bottomless iced tea. They serve an entire pitcher on your table so you won't have to keep calling the attention of the waiters for another refill. I usually get the shawarma rice or the beef kebab meal. Perfect with ox brain!
Air conditioned area soon to open for just an additional P8 per head. Not bad at all.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
This is a no-frills place to eat when you're 1) hungry, 2) craving for kebabs and the like. Don't expect fancy fancy setttings / presentation or food here. They serve you value for money + good-tasting Persian / Middle Eastern dishes.
You can order the meats (kebabs) ala carte. I ordered the Chicken Kabab @ Php 90 for takeout. Be informed though that they charge Php 10 per takeout container. It's funny and irritating that they don't inform you about it & you just see it in your bill. Before they used to wrap it in foil only (no-charge) but now they put it in containers right away.
I always get their chicken rice meal (Php 139 - Charbroiled marinated chicken (chicken kebab) seved with egg, corn, onions & rice topped with butter. Everything is just served/put literally on top of the rice. It might not look that presentable but the combination of all those served on the plate is fantastic. Their chicken is well seasoned, serving size is okay (before though it used to be a lot bigger). This is also served with unlimited iced tea! (Powdered iced tea kind, of course). Isa itong solid at sulit na kebab meal.
The only con during my experience was they got OOS of eggs but didn't bother to tell us at all, good thing I noticed we were being shortchanged. Imagine if we didn't call them out for it they would charge us for the same amount! It sucks they didn't tell first that the dish they're serving is incomplete. I had to ask why the dish was incomplete and ask them what they plan to replace it with in return since they are charging us the same amount. This happened to me more than once already. I hate the idea that they practice the "kung makalulusot" mindset.
Also, they don't give official receipt.
If only management/service was better, I would give this establishment 4.5 stars since their food is really good and sulit. Nevertheless, I know I will still eat here again... and again.
If you're looking for a quick shawarma fix then this is for you. They offer unlimited iced tea so that's a big plus for me. The kebab and the shawarma is decent. Not a big fan of their yogurt sauce and chili. The price is relatively cheap.
The place a bit hot. Hope they open their airconditioned area soon.
This is the place for you if you need a Persian food fix and if you're very very VERY hungry. For around P150, I got a mountain of keema, rice and sides all in one plate. Not the best presentation I've seen but who cares if it tastes good. My friend ordered chicken kebab and it is very tasty, infact, better than my keema. You can try the ox brain but you can skip it if you're not really a fan.
Really good for its price! Really love their keema rice here, plus they serve unlimited iced tea. They used to serve unlimited soft drinks too, hope they would do that again.
Karla Mylin Cruz Bautista
+5
Who says traditional cuisine is expensive, and that it can only be found in posh restaurants? Who would have thought that the most authentic persian food can be found in a laid-back, open-air hangout, with reasonable prices to boot? No other fancy schmancy persian restaurant in bgc or makati can ever compare to the goodness of Ababu. Fresh, char-grilled beef that's so delicious you won't believe it costs so little. Their servings are big, their iced tea is unlimited for certain orders, and the chill atmosphere is perfect for barkada hangouts. Try their chicken and keema rice meals, each made from natural ingredients and with their own unique flavors that you'll only be able to enjoy at this spot. If you're feeling brave, try their ox brain! Each table comes with Middle Eastern yogurt and chili condiments that amplify every taste.
My favorite persian restaurant. Uhhhhg. I love their beef kebab and keema. It us very affordable and delicious. But their place i not that good. But swear their food is a must try! Love their garlic white sauce tooooo!
Ababu is set like a simple carinderia that serves good and filling food. Don't expect authentic Persian food but it's grat value for you money. Ox brain is quite good for 59 pesos and you can really taste the yogurt in the garlic sauce.
Best Persian Restaurant so far. Ababu has always been my comfort food. It's cheap & delicious at the same time. I love their Shawarma Rice with corn, onion and tomato! Their Ox Brain is also the best Ox Brain I have ever ordered in a Persian Restaurant! The plus point here is the unli Iced Tea and their great condiments! I really love it!
Ababu has always been a favorite. Cheap persian food. And I must say, the ox brain is TDF!
An error has occurred! Please try again in a few minutes