Ottawa Shawarma Palace — Restaurant in Ottawa

Summary: Absolute disappointment. New ownership/management, prices are up and quality is significantly down.

Have been going this location on Carling for the better part of ~15 or so years (including when they were in their older building just one building down the road).

Recently, ownership/management of this specific location have changed (likely to align with other Shawarma Palace locations) and the changes are immediately noticeable. Gone are the friendly former staff and in are new staff - who are quite frankly rude and not as welcoming.

First thing we noticed entering the restaurant, was that the menu graphics have changed entirely - including price increases all across the board. The fridges no longer contain canned beverages, only bottles - likely to force you to pay more if you want a drink. It seems like almost everything now costs extra.

Visually the meats look similar, however they have absolutely gone down in quality significantly. This location was known for the best chicken, both crispy and juicy - of which it is neither anymore. The chicken was dry and lacked flavour, the beef was also similar. Massive decrease in quality and taste, and it is immediately apparent. They also now add a noticeably less amount of meat per sandwich/plate.

For the toppings, cost savings are obvious, such as lack of pickled turnips and instead they've brought in pickled cabbage. This made the sandwich exceptionally soggy. Anything extra (like pickled peppers) cost extra. They refused my colleague an addition of tabouleh in his platter (even though he requested no garlic potatoes) and said it costed extra. They also changed the recipe for the garlic sauce, no longer the thicker toum sauce traditionally used but instead a thinner watery garlic sauce.

This resulted in a very sub-par shawarma wrap, that tasted worse and costed more. It fell apart very quickly due to how soggy it was, despite dining in and eating a few mins after it was served. One side of the wrap was completely soaked due to the cabbage and dressing/garlic sauced used.

Disappointing that a well-loved establishment could fall apart this quickly with new ownership/management, but unfortunately I will no longer be returning to this location, despite going here for well...

Update: since my last review, I want to make it clear that we’ve never stopped coming on a regular basis. Since then, however, I’m happy to report that they’ve gone back to the oval plates and generous portions. That was a welcome change as they’ve returned to the same formula that works the best for everyone! Shawarma is as delicious as ever, which is the best I’ve ever had in my life, lol. Tabbouleh is top notch and those potatoes are to die for. Yesterday, the person who helped us was so awesome, and so genuinely wanting to provide us with the best dish possible. We really appreciated that level of service. Still not a fan of the decor, but I’m older and don’t get the whole grey tones style that has been so popular. Anyway, great job Shawarma Palace, you rock!

My wife and I are pretty much regulars at Shawarma Palace on Carling. Although we only make it out once a month or so, we’ve been coming for years. The shawarma here is typically excellent - there’s nothing better than coming before the rush and getting some of that crispy seasoned meat! Our favourite is the large shawarma mixed plate with those potatoes that are to die for! Recently, the restaurant moved across the street to the old Chinese restaurant. Well, we’re not that happy with the changes. Although the previous location was very dated, it’s better than the stark and bland decor they have now. There is less parking overall and I can see that being a problem. Also, they went from using large oval plates to standard sized square plates. The price was the same for our mixed plate, but there was less food overall. One of the reasons we love this place and keep coming back are the large portions. So, yeah, I guess we are feeling a bit disappointed. Maybe enough people will speak out and the owners will go back to the formula that made them so successful in the...

I just took off another star. After years of great food, I guess shrinkflation caught up with them as well. Food portions, for 5 person family platter have decreased dramatically. I double-checked. Happened with change to awful take-out flimsy paper bags. Food quality decreased. Less food, dry chicken, too much money. I may or may not go there again. Its early May 2024 now. Things change. It may just be our terrible economy. This is sadly not true anymore: Do you want to eat the best Lebanese food in Ottawa prepared and served by a long-established restaurant with skilled and courteous employees? If so, you need to eat here now. You will not be disappointed. Are you on a budget? Don't worry, their portions are generous even for smaller orders. Do you need to feed a lot of people / family / visitors in a hurry? Then you can order their family sized meals for groups. The food quality is Halal, which means you'll be enjoying meat the way it was meant to be. Stop going to fast food restaurants and give yourself a mouth-watering experience in true Lebanese food, not just shawarmas, there's plenty of other absolutely delicious meals. Vegans will love the choices. It's food with fragrance, colour, texture, and healthy minerals and vitamins. Give up your old fast food ways and come savour a real meal expertly prepared at The Shawarma Palace. Finally, the thing you all want to know: Do you want a more exquisite setting like is typical in fine Middle Eastern countries? This is a nice place, clean, and organized for fast eating and service, so this is where the saving is. You don't pay for a fancy establishment like, say, Royal Rooster Shawarma. Secondly, in summer, they will get more five-star rating if they turn on the air conditioning...