Osmow's Shawarma — Restaurant in Waterloo

Osmow’s is a popular Mediterranean fast-food chain known for its flavorful dishes, particularly focusing on shawarma, falafel, and other Middle Eastern-inspired dishes. Here’s a breakdown of what makes Osmow’s food stand out and what people generally think:

Shawarma

Osmow’s is famous for its shawarma, which comes in varieties like chicken, beef, and lamb. The shawarma is typically juicy, well-seasoned, and served with a generous portion. Most customers rave about the portion size and taste, especially if you go for the “Super” size for a hearty meal. • Highlights: The signature sauces, like the “Osmow’s sauce” (creamy garlic) and spicy options, add unique flavors. • Best Dishes: Chicken shawarma platter or wrap is a crowd favorite for its tender meat and well-balanced spices.

Platters and Bowls

Their rice platters are a staple, combining basmati rice with a choice of protein, fresh vegetables, and a side of hummus or garlic sauce. Many people appreciate the balanced portion sizes and the fresh ingredients that make each dish satisfying. • Highlights: Their platters are perfect for those who want a more filling, balanced meal with a variety of textures. • Best Dishes: Mixed platter with beef and chicken shawarma is a top choice, as it offers a taste of everything.

Falafel and Vegetarian Options

Osmow’s caters to vegetarians with its falafel and veggie platters. The falafel is crispy outside and soft inside, well-seasoned, and often comes in a wrap or as part of a platter. The vegetarian options are widely appreciated for their taste and freshness. • Highlights: Their garlic and tahini sauces elevate the vegetarian dishes. • Best Dishes: Falafel wrap and Greek salad are go-to options for many.

Sauces and Spices

One of Osmow’s unique selling points is their sauces, ranging from mild to extremely spicy. Their “Extreme” level is only for the brave, as it packs a serious punch. The sauces add a personalized touch to each meal, making it customizable for those who love experimenting with flavors. • Highlights: Try mixing different levels of spice to find your ideal heat. • Best Tips: If you’re unsure, go with medium to test the waters before diving into their spicier options.

Sides and Add-ons

Osmow’s also offers a variety of sides like hummus,, and salads. Their “half & half” fries with a mix of regular and spicy are a popular add-on. Baklava is a sweet and traditional dessert option, though some find it a bit sweeter than expected. • Highlights: The fries are crispy and pair well with their signature sauces. • Best Dishes: Half & half fries with Osmow’s garlic sauce for dipping.

Customer Feedback:

• Pros: Fast service, large portions, flavorful dishes, and a good range of vegetarian options. • Cons: Some find it pricey compared to traditional Mediterranean spots. Occasionally, food can be inconsistent depending on the location, particularly in terms of meat tenderness.

Overall Rating:

Osmow’s gets high marks for its fresh and flavorful Mediterranean food. It’s a favorite for those seeking fast, filling, and tasty meals with a bit of spice. It’s not the most authentic, but it’s a great fusion take on traditional dishes, and the portion sizes often make up for the price. The wide variety of dishes and customizable spice levels make it accessible to many palates.

Best Bet: Go for the chicken shawarma or falafel wrap with a side of hummus, and don’t skip the...

Update: this place is still horrible for service, online orders say ready for pick up. I arrived 5 minutes later and they still haven't even started my order, I waited another 15 minutes for them to get me my food. This place is a terrible place to come too. I would highly recommend NOT coming here, super

Very very bad experience at this location, three orders all messed up. We all called in 30mins prior to us picking them up, I had ordered the fallafel on rocks and it wasn't ready had to wait an additional ten minutes, for some reason it came to $13. The item is listed for $8.99 tax would have came to $10.15, it's almost as if he added a tip for me. This fallafel on the rocks was nothing special, I will not be eating here again.

A co-worker ordered the Philly cheeseteak sandwich asked for red peppers and pineapple, as he started to try and enjoy lunch he noticed a very bland sandwich, no peppers no pineapple. In the description of this menu item it list green peppers and onions, he got just beef, cheese and a stale white bun. I'd say he's not coming back to here anytime soon either

Another co-worker ordered a wrap and asked for extra sauce only to find out there was hardly any sauce on her wrap.

These workers are very slow at what they do and it almost seems like they are high on Canabis. Either not trained very well or just stupid. If you want to eat here make sure you check...

...after being refused the Falafel on the Rox today May 7th 2020 at 12:40pm or so..

A few months ago I experienced this problem as well, the staff answered the phone and promptly told me they do not serve Falafel on the Rox and hung up on me. About two weeks after that, I decided to try again and this time they served the Falafel on the Rox.

Again, I experienced the exact same encounter around Late November 2019.

Again, I was rejected service for Falafel only last week when trying to order in store.

Today my encounter was slightly different; I called in and was told that the worker was too busy to accept any phone call orders and so I had to order in store. The worker told me that the store sells falafel, since I knew to ask... I arrived in store to place my order, the worker told me to sit down for 5 minutes while he finished up orders and so I waited until he called me over to order. I ordered Falafel on the Rox and was told that I can only buy the Falafel Plate with a side of rice and add the sauces so that it is close to "on the Rox" style of rice.

I sent an email detailing my experiences to the restaurant, and the response from "Nitish", whoever that is, is such that they will retrain the staff so that this does not happen again.. what foolishness. I will be avoiding Osmows from now on, clearly management does not care about customer...