Shawarma Palace — Restaurant in Ottawa

Updated (September 2025): Downgraded from all 5 ☆'s. Was out there last week. Veggie Platter veggies were all cold, and the single falafel was overly salty. So glad I decided to opt for the veggie platter instead of the falafel platter. Places that make their own falafel need to taste them themselves prior to serving them up just blindly to customers. Being met with the tip prompt at the cash register, especially on take-out just doesn't sit right with me (and remember all veggies on my veggie platter were stone cold - along with my single overly salty falafel). When I was handed the debit machine, the tip prompt was facing me - with pre-programmed tip choices of 15%, 20%, 25%, and 30%. Tipping has so gone overboard with me. I gave 15% because I didn't feel like figuring out how to circumvent the tip option while in line. The only reason they are now still getting a half decent rating out of me here - is because our puppy loved / inhaled his chicken. But, our puppy gets great chicken off the spit from other places too.

My love affair with this place is done / over.

What next? One day I'll be going through the cash at a Walmart, Loblaws, or Canadian Tire - and if I get hit with a tip prompt ... well, I think I may just absolutely lose it. ‐------------------ My Previous Rating (details below)

Eat-in or take-out, this is the best Shawarma Palace in the city.

HOWEVER, if you are hungry and want quantity / value for your money, avoid their sandwiches. They don't do large sandwiches unfortunately. So, for the price of 2 of their sandwiches, grab a plate instead - and you will not be disappointed. They do the BEST plates!!!

Tip: Buy a their $100 gift cards for $79.99 at Costco. A really good deal.

(We drive out from downtown to this location when we are jones'in for plates. I do veggie, and my accomplice consistently does their chicken.)

Everything is always so fresh. And, aside from the smallish à la carte sandwiches, portions are very generous! Repeat: Plates are the...

I recently visited the Shawarma Palace in Orleans with my parents, hoping to treat them to the delicious flavors we usually enjoy at the Rideau St. location. Unfortunately, our experience at the Orleans branch left much to be desired.

To begin with, the quality of the food seemed to have taken a drastic dip. While the team behind the line worked diligently, the taste of the dishes we ordered was noticeably absent. This was particularly disappointing for me as I am a regular at the Rideau St. branch, where the food consistently meets high standards.

Our order consisted of 5 platters, 2 sandwiches, and 2 shawarma poutines the bill came up to $210. Despite requesting extra garlic on the side (as usual at the Rideau St. location), we were given only one small side of garlic. When I asked for more, the cashier informed me that additional garlic would cost 70 cents per side. The way she communicated this information was far from professional, leaving a sour taste in my mouth even before trying the food.

It was evident that the Orleans location prioritized quantity over quality. The portion sizes were massive, but the flavor and overall quality did not match up. This was a letdown, as I have come to expect excellence from Shawarma Palace.

The cashier's lack of customer service further added to the disappointment. The interaction left me questioning whether I would be willing to return to this particular location in the future. While the kitchen staff worked diligently, the overall experience suffered due to the cashier's attitude and the apparent focus on quantity rather than maintaining the high-quality standards I associate with Shawarma Palace.

In conclusion, my visit to the Shawarma Palace in Orleans was far from the exceptional experiences I've had at other locations. I hope the management takes note of customer feedback to ensure that both the food quality and customer service are consistently excellent across...

Update:

Unfortunately, after a break from takeout for a couple months at the end of Winter, the food quality and service have dipped significantly upon coming back.

Old, dry pita, poorly prepped salad, and lower quality, improperly trimmed meats. I see someone else reviewing the dip in quality from just before we started ordering from here again—the first time we noticed a massive change in food quality. That time, despite a request for extra garlic sauce on our plates, there was none and we had to go buy some at the grocery store, which was closer than going all the way to the restaurant. The meat was all dried out and far more fatty than it used to be.

Fast Forward to today, and every bite of meat has gristle and fat! Why are you selling that to people?

We'll be going elsewhere unfortunately. Really disappointing. Hope you get it fixed soon.

All your replies to customers read like they are AI-generated. Hopefully a human will check these honest reviews from previous regulars (nearly four years this has been our shawarma place, ordering frequently), and do something about it.

Having lived in the Middle East when I was younger, I distinctly remember the flavour of a well made shawarma. I tend to find locations in Ottawa that at least come close to this specific taste/ quality. Shawarma Palace is nearly identical to what I remember from living in Riyadh. Their portions are massive on their platters and they don't skimp on toppings or sauce. Garlic sauce is on point!

Only suggestion I would give is serving staff need to slow down just a bit. Costumers feel incredibly rushed even during slow periods.

Other than that the place is great and I'm quite happy that this company took over from Montana's which was also a favourite at this...