Sumaq Iraqi Charcoal Grill - Mississauga | Halal | Shawarma | Kebab — Restaurant in Mississauga

The waiter asked for my review so here’s my honest review: I rate Sumaq 3.5 stars. The reason I’m not rounding up to 4 stars is because I think 3 stars more accurately reflects how I feel about Sumaq.

A 5 star to me is a place where the food is amazing, I leave feeling totally satisfied, and I feel like I got a good deal. A 4 star place is somewhere that may not have the best value or satisfaction like a 5 star place does but I’d still be totally happy to visit for variety, convenience, or to satisfy my craving. I’ve been to Sumaq twice and I think the food is good but not good enough for me to prefer to eat there over any of the other places that I would categorize as 4 stars because in my opinion, they have better food for a better price.

I think Sumaq is overhyped; I’ve seen massive lineups outside which on two or three occasions made me pick someplace else to eat. I’d rate the branding and marketing 5 stars but while that convinces me try out a place for the first time, it’s not what makes me a repeat customer—what makes me return consistently is value.

Hopefully this isn’t too harsh—I would still be glad to eat there if a friend asks me to join them for a meal. I just feel the value isn’t sufficient enough for me to want to return on my own accord.

That’s the end of my review, but I feel it’s only right to specify exactly what I didn’t like if Sumaq is looking for actionable takeaways. The first time I went with my mom, I got the Sumaq Mix Plate and she got the Mixed Kebab Plate. The bottom half of her kebab skewer was missing (probably fell when cooking), no big deal, I gave her some of my meat and it was an overall positive experience. Today we went for our second time. I got us the Mini Mix ($60) to share, the waiter asked if I want hummus or garlic sauce with it, I asked if it’s included, he said no but it would go well with it so he’ll bring us a hummus, I said sure. What I thought was just going to be paid sauce for our food was a $10 appetizer. I didn’t want to pay $10 extra for hummus if I already paid $60 for a plate to share but I accept it was my mistake for being naïve and accepting the waiter’s suggestion. I think $10 for hummus is too much, I also think $60 for a plate that doesn’t come with any sauces or a side salad is also overpriced. We also felt some parts of the meat were too salty. I’m not going to name names because this isn’t an advertisement for competitors but for comparison, there’s a kebab spot that offers a $25 lunch deal which includes a large appetizer, main course, and a small dessert with tea. There’s also another kebab place I go to often which has a mixed combo for two people that costs $36 (both of my parents and I can barely finish...

Great food, but poor service, bad washroom conditions, and accessibility issues that need to be fixed

I had high hopes for Sumaq in Mississauga, and while the food lived up to the hype, the overall experience had serious flaws that need attention.

Let’s start with the positives: the interior is well done. Clean, modern layout, good lighting, and thoughtful touches like utensil holders at the table and toothpicks already set out — small details, but appreciated. You can see into the kitchen, which gives you confidence that things are being done properly back there. One staff member even greeted me warmly in passing, which left a good impression.

But things went downhill from there.

I ordered a Saj chicken shawarma with extra hot sauce ($14.45) at 11:46 AM, planning to dine in. The cashier (a woman wearing a hijab) told me to take a seat at Table 8. I waited… and waited. It wasn’t until 12:10 PM — 24 minutes later — that someone brought the wrap over. I put my hand on it to feel the temperature and immediate the guy who served it said, “Let me warm it up,” and took it to the back.

The server named Rolan came over with the wrap and apologized and explained the issue: the cashier had accidentally rung it in as a takeout order, and it had been sitting up front the whole time. That explained the delay, but still — no one checked, no one followed up. And it’s hard to believe they forgot when customers who ordered after me got their food well before I did. Rolan made it right by giving me a fresh wrap to go for free, which I appreciated.

Now let’s talk about the washroom, which was a total letdown. There was a strong, unpleasant stench as soon as I opened the door. The cleaning log posted on the door said the last time it had been cleaned was May 2nd — I visited on May 20th. 18 days and no cleaning? No wonder it smelt so bad in there. The Dyson hand dryer was filthy lined with hairs and other gunk and there were no paper towels to dry your hands as an alternative. Honestly, the state of the bathroom doesn’t match the effort they’ve put into the rest of the restaurant.

Lastly, the automatic door opener at the front entrance was also out of order, making accessibility an issue.

Overall, Sumaq has excellent food and a nice atmosphere, but the service needs refinement, and the cleanliness and accessibility issues can’t be ignored. I would come back for the food, but I hope they take feedback seriously and raise the bar...

Disappointed and Discriminated after being loyal customers: My wife and I used to frequent Sumaq almost every week, sometimes even multiple times a week. We absolutely loved the food and have waited in long lines on many occasions just to dine here. However, our last visit on February 26th left a sour taste in our hearts—not just because of the food but because of how we were treated.

From the moment we placed our order, the waitress seemed unfriendly and rushed. We initially ordered a shawarma wrap and chicken tikka, but she hesitated and told us they were out of chicken tikka, suggesting BBQ(half Grill Chicken) chicken instead. It was odd for them to run out of a popular item so early in the evening (8 PM), but we trusted her and agreed.

When our food arrived, the shawarma was as good as always, but the BBQ chicken was cold and tough, clearly reheated. Strangely, the drumstick bone was missing, which seemed unusual. At first, we chalked it up to an off day, as even the best restaurants can slip up now and then.

However, what truly baffled us was seeing other diners being served fresh chicken tikka, despite being told it was unavailable. Since chicken tikka is grilled fresh to order, it was clear that the dish was still being made and served. Feeling confused and disappointed, I brought this up when the check was collected. Additionally, we had requested water while ordering, but it was never served, so I asked for it to be removed from our bill.

The supervisor was very courteous and apologetic. He was himself confused as to why we were told chicken tikka wasn’t available. He even offered to bring it for us or pack it to go, but at that point, our appetite had been ruined—not because of the food, but because of how we were treated. We weren't looking for a free dish; we simply wanted an explanation for what had happened.

Unfortunately, this experience made us feel unwelcome and even discriminated against at a place we once loved. To be fair, most of our past visits were good, and the staff we usually interacted with were friendly, even recognizing us as regulars. But after this visit, we don’t feel the same about...