Al Kababjii — Restaurant in Melbourne

Update at the bottom

I ordered Mixed skewers, lamb shawarma sandwich, lamb shawarma plate, and mixed shawarma plate. The mixed skewers was good, but unfortunately it ends there. They showcase a shawarma skewer on charcoal but there is absoluetly no charcoal taste in it, and I have had charcoal shawarma many times before. Shawarma is supposed to be thinly sliced pieces of meat or chicken. We had chunks of meat, not shawarma. It felt like it was cooked in a pan, or reheated leftovers from a previous skewer. Since some other reviews say the same, I am led to believe that this is case, which is dishonest from the owner or staff. I mainly went there for the shawarma, but ended up enjoying another plate more and hating the pan-cooked meat chunks advertised as charcoal shawerma.

UPDATE Initially, I had given this place two stars because there was something that I liked, but after the response from the place to my review, I reduced it to a one star. It seems that the place managers do not understand customer service as their response to bad reviews should not be attacks on the customers, but they should take the feedback and try to figure out what is going wrong, especially when several customers say the same thing. But this is what they do, so they will probably continue to receive bad reviews. The started my review saying that the mixed skewers was good, but they said my review was fake, so I guess you’re saying that your mixed skewers are bad and that I am lying when I say they are good? I guess they have not really thought well before raging at me in their response. They said I completely finished the plate and I am saying it is bad. If you check your cameras to about 6:30 PM the day prior to my review, you will see that I and my family left your place with all of our plates full except for the mixed skewers plate which we all liked. The picture is from the next day and we emptied the plate to through it in the bin after trying to reheat and give it another try but couldn’t stomach it. As you can see the picture is at home, and not at your seating area. The shawerma is sliced into very big pieces and that is something you need to work on. Traditional middle eastern shawerma is not cut that way. Take the feedback and improve your product so people can come back. Hiring an influencer to come and say your food is good will attract customers to come try your food, but if the food is not good, they will never come back. If you attack customers for their reviews, they will spread the word and more people will not visit your place. Have a think about this! I hope you learn from...

The main guy serving has a serious manner problem. Customer service skills non existent. Menu is overpriced. Ordered a shawarma & a HSP. I’m a person that definitely chooses quality over quantity but this place really lacked quantity. I think if food was processed correctly here it would actually be nice. It’s a shame because theres so much hype around this place, because there isn’t any other shawarma joints around or else customers would know what a real shawarma tastes like.

Pros - Even though the food lacked flavour & quantity it was relatively clean & healthier than its cousin, the notorious turkish kebab. Street parking & outdoor eating area is good.

Cons - bad customer service. Over priced. Very stingy on servings (I don’t even like food that is too packed but just the right amount will do.)

Overall 2-3 stars out of 5 but will leave 3 because I believe this place has potential to be better. The main focus should be improving customer service, because I would rather eat at a place where the customer service is good & have bad food rather than a place with bad customer service & good food. Also improve food quality & preparation & if done correctly, can keep high prices as is because would be worth it then as there are no other shawarma places around. I will try this place again in about 6 months and update my review if it...

This is a great local gem that’s definitely worth checking out. The sandwiches are incredibly tasty — packed with flavor, freshly made, and satisfying every time. You can tell the ingredients are fresh, and the care they put into preparing the food really shows.

The renovated outdoor seating area is a standout feature, offering a relaxed and casual vibe that’s perfect for enjoying a meal on a nice day. The indoor space is quite small, so it can feel a bit cramped during peak times, but it adds to the cozy, local charm.

One thing to note: the wait times can get pretty long when it’s busy, and unfortunately, some of the main menu items can run out during rush hours. It’s a bit frustrating when you’re craving something specific (especially when you see it on their social media), but the quality of what is available usually makes up for it.

Overall, Alkababjii is a spot I’ll definitely be coming back to. Despite the minor downsides, the food and atmosphere make it a solid choice for a casual,...