Shaaz | Indian Cuisine | Scarborough — Restaurant in Toronto

I recently visited Shaaz | Indian Cuisine | Scarborough, and while the food was mostly enjoyable, the overall experience was impacted by poor service and long wait times. Here’s a detailed breakdown:

Food: • Kadhai Chicken Mandi (5/5) – This was the best dish of the night! The flavors were authentic, rich, and perfectly spiced. The chicken was tender, and the rice was cooked to perfection. Highly recommended! • Chilli Chicken (4/5) – The flavors were good, with a nice balance of spice and crispiness. However, they didn’t provide onions or green mint sauce (chutney), which is typically served with this dish. Also, the chicken seemed like it had been prepared earlier and kept, rather than being freshly made. • Garlic Naan (3.5/5) – It started off well, soft and flavorful, but after a few minutes, some pieces became hard, making it less enjoyable. • Chicken Dhaba Style (4/5) – The gravy was rich and flavorful, giving it an authentic dhaba-style taste. However, the chicken pieces were quite small, mostly bones with very little meat, which was disappointing.

Service & Ambience (1/5): • Extremely long wait times – The worst part of the experience was the long queue and excessive waiting time. We had to wait more than 45 minutes before getting a table. • Limited space – The restaurant is quite small, making it feel crowded and uncomfortable, especially with so many people waiting. • Poor service – The staff was inattentive and did not provide basic accompaniments like onions and chutney with the appetizers. There was a clear lack of coordination, and overall, the service felt rushed and unorganized.

Overall Experience:

The food was mostly enjoyable, with Kadhai Chicken Mandi being the highlight of the meal. However, the long wait time, cramped space, and poor service significantly affected the dining experience. If they improve their service, manage the seating better, and reduce wait times, this could be a much better dining spot

Would I visit again? Only for the food, but not if the waiting time and service...

I visited Shaaz today around 10:30 pm. The waiting was for almost one hour for dine in and we were waiting for a table of 3. After we ordered our food ( Hyderabadi Mutton Kheema, Naan, Soup, Naga Paneer Chili, Paneer Tikka Masala, Methi Matar Malai and Onion salad), we were told that Methi matar malai was out of stock hence we decided to order the Naga Paneer Chili, which to our surprise was extremely salty. We told the server about it and she changed it for us. But to our surprise the second one was also salty. We unfortunately couldn’t eat it but decided to wait for our main course. We got our mutton kheema and naan but we didn’t receive our Paneer Tikka. We waited for almost 20 minutes and then told our server that we haven’t received it yet; to which her response that we didn’t order that dish at all. She was very adamant that we did not order Paneer gravy even though we confirmed the whole order before ordering with her. After telling her respectfully that she was mistaken and we ordered the gravy, she tried to imply that we were lying and she was correct in the whole matter. We were really disappointed and we told her that we won’t pay for naan because they just served us naan without any gravy to eat with. But she told to pack the naan and take home, apparently expecting us to take the naan home, cook our own gravy and then eat it. This whole situation was witnessed by other colleague of her and she was kind enough to understand the importance of the situation. She agreed with us that we had ordered the dish and it was the server who forgot to punch in the order and made us look like we were lying for whatever motive we had according to her. This was one of the worst experience I have had and would request the management to train all their staff for proper client relationship management. Even the fact that we didn’t have our food was still okay but the way the server tried to implied that we are straightforward lying is when we actually realized that their customer service is getting...

If there’s one name that truly stands out when dining at Shaaz Restaurant, it’s Fatima. From the very first moment you walk through the doors, Fatima’s warm presence makes you feel not just like a customer, but like a genuinely welcomed guest. Her greeting is always sincere, her smile effortlessly comforting, and her attentiveness unmatched. Whether the restaurant is bustling with a full house or it’s a quiet weekday evening, Fatima never misses a beat. She remembers regular customers’ names, their favorite dishes, and even tiny preferences like “extra lemon on the side” or “not too spicy this time” — something many servers might overlook. She floats from table to table with grace, making each guest feel like they’re the only one in the room. It’s rare to see someone combine such professionalism with authentic kindness, but Fatima makes it look effortless. Her knowledge of the menu is deep and thoughtful, and she offers recommendations with such confidence and understanding that you feel excited to try whatever she suggests.

What truly elevates Fatima’s service, however, is her exceptional sense of hospitality, which feels deeply personal and heartfelt. She has an incredible ability to read the room — she knows when to engage in light-hearted conversation, when to simply be nearby without interrupting, and when to go above and beyond to accommodate special needs. Whether it’s arranging a surprise dessert for a birthday guest or helping a child feel more comfortable with a special off-menu request, Fatima consistently proves she’s not just serving food, but creating memorable experiences. You can sense her pride in her work, and it reflects in the glowing atmosphere around her. Many come to Shaaz for the delicious cuisine, but countless return specifically because of the warmth and care that Fatima brings to the table. In a world where genuine hospitality is becoming rare, Fatima is a breath of fresh air — a reminder of how beautiful true...