Qvevri — Restaurant in Helsinki sub-region

Absolutely disgraceful experience — borderline discrimination. I don’t normally leave reviews, but this needs to be said — loudly.

My friends and I visited this place around 11 PM to try their overhyped shawarma. There were three of us. I asked if they had seating, and the staff said yes, so we sat down. Only I planned to eat — my friends just ordered water.

I asked if they had chicken shawarma. The waiter flatly told me they were out and only pork was available. I reluctantly went with pork. That’s when things went from mildly irritating to absolutely appalling.

Minutes later, a couple walked in and, out of nowhere, we were told to move because our table was “reserved.” No sign, no heads-up, nothing. We complied, thinking it was a minor mix-up. But the table we were moved to was filthy — sticky with dried sugar drinks, completely ignored by the cleaning staff.

Fine, I thought. Maybe they’re understaffed. I tried to give them the benefit of the doubt.

But then came the kicker. While I was halfway through my meal, a group of guys walked in and ordered six shawarmas — including CHICKEN. Yes, the same item I was told was unavailable. I watched it get entered into the system and heard the order with my own ears.

I asked the waiter to explain — after trying to get his attention THREE times. And what did he say?

“Oh… I thought it would take too long for you to wait for the chicken.”

Excuse me? You lied to my face because you assumed I wouldn’t wait? Or were you just trying to push the pork because it wasn’t selling? Either way — you chose deception over basic customer respect.

This wasn’t a misunderstanding. It was a deliberate choice to lie, to manipulate, and to disrespect. I don’t know if it was because I wasn’t spending enough, because we weren’t “the right kind” of customer, or something else — but I do know what discrimination and poor treatment look like.

To add insult to injury, when I questioned the service, I was arrogantly told: “Well, you’ve never worked in this industry, so how would you know?”

Actually, I have. And here’s what I do know: Every customer deserves honesty, regardless of what they order. Every guest should be treated with respect, not shuffled around like an inconvenience. And no one — I mean NO ONE — should be lied to, condescended to, or treated like they don’t belong.

This wasn’t just a disappointing visit. It was a complete breakdown of hospitality, integrity, and basic professionalism.

For a place that runs flashy ads and pretends to care about its reputation, this was a total embarrassment.

You don’t deserve the hype. You deserve...

What a disappointing experience. My friends and I recently visited this place late in the evening—around 11 PM—because we were curious to try their much-hyped shawarma. There were three of us. I asked if there were any available seats, and the staff said yes, so we sat down. I asked if they had chicken shawarma, but the waiter told me they had run out and only pork was available. My friends just ordered water, and I was the only one planning to eat. That’s when things started to go downhill.

A couple walked in shortly after, and we were suddenly asked to move to another table because the one we were sitting at was “reserved.” There was no reservation sign on the table. Still, we moved—only to sit at a dirty, sticky table covered in spilled sugary drinks.

Then my food arrived. As I started eating, a group of guys walked in and ordered six shawarmas, one of which was chicken. I clearly heard them place the order, and saw it get entered into the system.

Naturally, I was shocked — I almost choked on my pork shawarma. I tried calling the waiter over three times. When he finally came, I calmly but firmly asked: Why were they allowed to order chicken when I was told it wasn’t available?

His response? “Oh… I thought it would take too long for you to wait for the chicken.” Seriously? Either he didn’t feel like waiting, or he wanted to push the less popular pork option. In either case, he lied — and that’s unacceptable.

Why are staff lying to customers? Why were we moved mid-meal to accommodate others? Why such disrespectful and, frankly, discriminatory behavior?

This wasn’t my first time at this restaurant — the first visit was fine. But this time was a complete disaster. They run big ads, but the experience doesn’t match the image at all.

It’s sad that some people open restaurants without knowing how to deal with people — especially people of different backgrounds or nationalities. To top it off, when I questioned the poor service, I was told, “Well, you’ve never worked in this industry, so how would you know?”

Well, guess what? I have worked in the restaurant business, and I know exactly how things should be handled. No matter what the customer orders — even if it’s just water — they deserve respect and honesty. And lying will get you nowhere.

What a shame. Attaching a photo to prove I was actually there — just in case someone tries to claim I...

A fine dining restaurant at the close proximity of one of the busiest public transportation conjunctions in Helsinki. Strange place to have a restaurant indeed.

However this establishment is a grand place to have a dinner with your friends or beloved ones. Table reservations are a must here because it's most likely packed.

There's surprising amount of space here because there's downstairs area which is tremendous part of this restaurant if you're looking for much more relaxing dining experience. Just ask for quieter space for dining and book your table beforehand and more than a week before if you truly want to have well place to sit here.

This place isn't cheap but that shouldn't be a surprise. We're talking about a fine dining solid and liquid enjoyment facility here. They make only make two hour reservation for each table so that gives an idea how popular this place is especially during holiday season.

Atmosphere is good here. It's best described as cozy and relaxed especially downstairs where that quieter dining area is located.

Food is homemade like with restaurant sized portions. It's good but super hungry person it's recommend to take appetizers and maybe even dessert. Price tag is going to be ok for those who are supporting unit and fans of gentrification. Some might find these prices even cheap but those people usually don't visit this kind of restaurants especially at the location where this establishment is.

Service was pure golden. Waiter was foreign accent with Finnish language skills but they seem to prefer English or some other languages. I really appreciate the relaxing and funny service they have here.

I recommend to visit here if you're looking for a finer dining experience with amazing public transportation opportunities. This a bit better restaurant for common people who still don't want to spend their arm and a leg for restaurant. They don't have too bad prices. Atmosphere and service is the best things here. Food was something that you might not find from other restaurants...