Alissar Lebanese Cuisine — Restaurant in Ottawa

Worst experience ever. Will never order again. Please, be aware and go eat or order from any other restaurant. Made a order today using Skip The Dishes, based on the good reviews here. I ordered a "Dinner for 4", where it mentions it comes with: "Includes three shish taouk, three shish kebab, and three kafta, served with rice, potatoes, salad, hummus, garlic, turnips, pickles, pita bread and two soft drinks.". My order came with chicken ONLY and no soft drinks. When I called the restaurant to complain, the owner said that I was wrong and my order was supposed to come with chicken only, when it mentions on the menu (described above and also shown in the pictures), that it includes "three shish taouk, three shish kebab, and three kafta", and I only ordered this plate because it was supposed to come with 3 different types of meat. When I called, the owner didn´t let me talk, interrupting me all the time. It was a very frustrating experience and I don´t recommend this restaurant to anyone. He should check properly the menu that is posted on Skip the Dishes before accusing me of ordering the wrong plate (with chicken only). I added...

Excellent food, generous portions and the best garlic sauce in town. The cook is also very friendly!

Edit: My initial review was from 6 years ago and I figured it was time for an update. I have been a regular customer at Alissar's since 2017. They are my favorite Shawarma restaurant in town and I'm sure other regulars would agree the staff is very hospitable and prices are fair. The food is delicious and all of it -from the wonderful chicken, beef, donair and kebabs to the variety of tasty sauces - is homemade. The interior is nothing fancy; there are tables and chairs, sometimes a few boxes piled up next to the soda fridge and some cute pictures of Lebanon. But in my mind, you don't want a shawarma restaurant to be shiny, you want it to be authentic, which I really think this place pulls off. They even often play arabic sitcoms and music, and I love it! It's as if you step out of Ottawa and into a little slice of Lebanon. Thanks so much to the 2 men behind the counter who have been serving me my favorite food for the last 8 years, though the many chapters of my life since we first met. I'll...

Gone in a couple of times now, absolutely shocked by the lack of cleanliness. Panini press looks like it hasn't been cleaned in years, stove and fryers caked in black crust of years of filth. The employees are very friendly yes, but one guy seems more preoccupied by smoking cigarettes out front of the restaurant. Donaire meat was like cardboard, the pickles look like something from a sci-fi aliens pantry, and to be honest, stomach aches have ensued after every visit. Also everything on the menu is ridiculously overpriced. for what you get, medium wrap for 15$ and a large for 20$ at the quality it is is absolutely unacceptable. If you value friendly staff and quick service above all others, go ahead, it's your choice. But if you value your food not being made in an environment where food contact surfaces and cooking equipment look neglected and nightmarishly unclean, that's a GOOD choice, don't go here. I refuse to believe this place has more...