Mezbaan Restaurant — Restaurant in Ottawa

I was really looking forward trying this restaurant, but unfortunately, my experience was disappointing both in terms of food, atmosphere and service. We ordered 4 traditional Afghan dishes that two of them but sadly— Mantu and Qabuli uzbeki — were far below expectations. The quality and taste just didn’t reflect the care these dishes usually deserve. The only highlight was the white bread, which was fresh and well-made. soltani kabab plate also was fairly good.

What was more disheartening, however, was the service. While we noticed a warm welcome was given to some non-Afghan guests upon arrival, we didn’t receive the same treatment from a woman was sitting behind the front desk. To make things worse, our food was brought to the wrong table and left there for a while where customers objected that they ordered something else. When waitress transforms them to our table, we pointed this out, one dish was briefly taken back to the kitchen and then returned to us — not with an apology, but by the same woman at the front desk, who seemed very annoyed and put the plate in front of us without care. Her long nails were also uncomfortably close to the food, which raised hygiene concerns.

Overall, I hope this feedback is taken constructively. With some serious attention to both hospitality and food quality, this place could improve significantly. We will never go to Mezbaan again and dont recommend it to...

This was our first time trying out Mezbaan while traveling to Ottawa. We ordered their chicken shami kebab plate and half tandoori chicken plate. We upgraded the rice to Qabuli rice. We ordered one drink (a can of pop) that was shared. The quantity and the quality of the food was great! The naan was soft and prepared fresh. Chicken tandoori came apart quite easily and tasted exceptionally good ! Amazing flavors! The chicken shami kebab plate was delicious as well. The whole meal was prepared well and was fresh ! We loved the salad that came with it and the Qabuli pulao unlike the ones that we get in Toronto were well flavored! We love our rice and these people certainly know how to make it. The only thing that gave us quite a bit of shock was the price that we had to pay for the meal. A delicious meal no doubt but a very expensive one (approx $50). I know we upgraded the rice for both the plates but did not expect such a huge difference to come out of it. Other than that the service was very friendly, welcoming and professional. Definitely do recommend them but I do hope they reconsider their pricing !

P.S I would just like to add that this was the only location of theirs that did justice to the food. Unfortunately cannot say the same of the other...

Absolutely the best Afghan food in town! Excellent service and quality. The kebabs are all cooked to perfection with a wonderful blend of spices that pleases everyone from toddlers to even the elder aunties! You can even find some unique styles of kebabs here like ground chicken patties and ground beef patties (chapli kebab). Amazing stuff!

I booked Mezbaan for my wedding on Thanksgiving Sunday and they blew away my expectations. Uncle Fazel, the owner, was so accommodating and understanding, his experience really helped us narrow down the perfect menu for our wedding. He even included specialty items like mantoo (dumplings), made with a well balanced beef filling - a crowd favourite!

The actual wedding food was identical to the quality in restaurant. It was surprising but oh so delicious. There was absolutely no shortage despite guests going back for seconds and thirds! Seriously, if you're interested in having top quality food and service, go with Mezbaan.

I have no reservations in recommending Mezbaan for a delicious sit-down meal or for...