Habibz Corner — Restaurant in Richmond Hill

Ok so I happen to be a local in the neighbourhood and I even get my haircuts right next door in the same plaza.

So real talk, this corner unit used to be an AYCE sushi place called Naha Sushi back in early 2000 to 2009-ish. Then one of the Naha chefs decided to buy out the owner and rebranded the resto name to Tanaka Sushi (while keeping the AYCE theme). Tanaka closed down somewhere in the mid 2010s and then another resto called Wok In took its place. I must admit, I frequented Naha and Tanaka a lot but never stepped foot inside Wok In for various reasons/rumours.

Well, fast forward to like 2-3 years ago and Wok In goes under and Habibz Corner replaces it. Like it's predecessor, I'm a lil hesistant because it feels like a cursed unit with a rich history. But as it was around midnight on my way back home from a badminton session on a friday night, I looked around on google and yelp for places still open and would you happen to know, this place opens until 5 AM???!

So I figure, oh what the hell, it's time to get rid of my pre-conceived notions and try this place out.

Turns out, the food absolutely slaps.

Sweet chili chicken on rice w/ salad: The chicken is no joke here. They use breast meat that is chopped up in chunks, seasoned to the core and then drizzle sauce on top of it. The sweet chili sauce they use here actually has quite a kick to it. But it beats out the bbq sauce imo.

Bbq chicken on rice w/ salad: I tried this later just to compare it to the sweet chili one. The sauce is really bold and heavy. I think the sweet chili is more unique and pairs with the heavily seasoned chicken better.

Chopped cheese sandwich w/ onion rings and spicy mayo dip: Ngl, I don't think I can find a chopped cheese anywhere in toronto. There's a famous guy in NYC who makes chopped cheeses the "ocky way" and this sandwich here is the closest one you're gonna get. The roll is so soft and toasty. The cheedar is real cheese. It was my first time trying chopped cheese so I have nothing to compare it to, but it tasted pretty damn good.

Habibi burger w/ sweet potato fries and chipotle sauce dip: The burger patty was SO juicy, the ingredients super fresh (real cheese like I said previously) and the burger sauce; holy cow that chipotle sauce is drinkable.

The double double cheeseburger burger still SLAPS like no other and the sauces are insane. That double double cheeseburger might just be one of the best hidden secrets in the richmond hill area. For $7.99 you're getting AAA freshly ground beef that completely destroys the Mcdonald's big macs nearby. I honestly think it even gives Hero Burger and Fresh Burger a run for their money. Best bang for your buck in the area imo (Fresh Burger raised their prices a lot).

Side note: For $3.89 the sides are MASSIVE. They come in a paper box by themselves that can be shared by 2 ppl (not to mention the quality of the sides is incredible). Some of the best fries and onion rings I've had in recent memory.

Anyways, the fact that they're open super late, close to me in proximity and the food is bomb means that I might be a regular...

3AM @ Habibz Entering the space was disgusting mess... There was garbage overflowing with 6 male staff in the small kitchen... There were coupons on the floor and the front counter a mess... The Kitchen and Bathroom should always be a reflection of cleanliness... Because the food is rated high stars, should never dismiss the service and space... The space the food is prepared and people preparing the food should be well kept!

This was my first and last visit... 🤬 the ratings...

The male staff that served me were rude without warrant, when I made relevant inquiries for asking (food options on how dressing my meal Poutine vs Special) and we inquired about the coupons (how are they given)...

After ordering my meal, the guy went to the back, another comes out.

My sister inquired if the female staff that she regularly gets is working, for better service... one male staff said she is in the back (optically no where to be seen) - we assumed break... Then a follow up, the other male staff said no she isn't and we couldn't get a coupon (it was all good, not that serious to us).

When he returned to the back, peering through the kitchen curtains, you can see the group of males chattering and laughing over the food as they prepared it ...

I asked myself: Why there are so many male staff (counted 6) congregating in the kitchen?

He returned, with a smirk. I asked and made a statement I hope they never tampered with my food. Shortly, the food was packed, I checked it ... and my gut was like do not eat this food.

I returned home and threw it in the garbage. The next day, I bought unbeatable Shelby's Shawarma...

24hr, cheap, tasty (according to ⭐) never means better...

I intended to leave the food right on your counter and walk off, I didn't want to be offensive.

Suggestion: wear hairnets, mouth mask, gloves, you are operating the front do not operate/socialize around food prep without washing your hands, clean garbage 🗑️ bins your patrons piled and have overflowing, no matter the time (regardless if afterhours)...use a bell 🔔 system if food is ready, for front staff taking orders to stop being in the back...it...

This is an update almost a year after opening:

Prices have significantly increased, portions have significantly decreased. It seems they have begun to take advantage of the small cult following they built up last year, ordered a buy one get one chicken platter and received less protein in both platters then in a single platter I have received in the past. Burger price is up 1 dollar, subsituting no salad for all rice has increased in price, double meat has increased in price as well.

The scarborough location seems to still have the old pricing model, so it seems they think they can take advantage of the demographic in richmond hill with the new pricing scheme. I will be very hesitant going back here for the next little while.

I recently had the pleasure of visiting Habibz Corner in Richmond Hill and I couldn't be more impressed with my experience. I walked in to find the restaurant had just opened, but the employee greeted me with a warm smile and was more than happy to assist me. The restaurant was spotless and I was impressed with the level of cleanliness. The employee went above and beyond by putting on music he knew I would enjoy and even put down some chairs for me to sit, which was a nice touch.

I ordered 4 cheeseburgers, not specifically for the fact that they were halal but I was pleasantly surprised to find out that they were halal, and let me tell you, they were fantastic! The meat was juicy and flavorful, the ingredients were fresh and of high quality. The bun was perfectly toasted, and it held up well to the delicious toppings. The cheeseburgers were cooked to perfection and were some of the best I've had.

I would highly recommend Habibz Corner to anyone looking for a delicious cheeseburger, regardless of whether you're looking for halal or not. The restaurant has a great atmosphere, friendly staff and delicious food, and the employee's attention to detail and customer service made it an even more enjoyable experience. I'll definitely...