Mashawi Damascus Cuisine & Catering — Restaurant in Castle Rock

I really wish I could give it 0 stars. The food wasn't terrible-- It was the service that really stood out, and not in the good way. I had the mango juice, and originally ordered the chicken-on-the-bone entree, but was informed by our server that it has been gone from the menu "for a long time now". So I changed my entree order to the chicken shwarma entree. My partner had no beverage (water), the garlic dip, and one of their sandwiches. My chicken was a little dry, and my entree was pretty small for $15.95. But the flavors were there. The menu clearly states that with each entree, you automatically also get a house salad, hummus, and pita bread. It does not say a word of any additional charges, or any exceptions. So the server brings out 2 waters and my mango juice. After that, we recieve our entrees, the garlic dip, and one basket of 2 pita slices, which are an uncanny resemblance to the pita bread at walmart for under 3 dollars for 30 of them. You know, the paper thin, flavorless, barely warm, clearly microwaved pita with artifical brown burn marks on them. We begin to eat our food when a party of 5 walk in. They get immediately seated while my partner is still waiting on his water refill. We ask for more pita, since pita is usually a free request at most Mediterranean restaurants, and she says of course, how many? We say as many as you can. She returns within a few minutes with another 2 pita slices. We continue eating, run out of pita, and wait for our server to get back to our table. She is very occupied with the party of 5, which were asking many questions about Syria and how to pronounce menu items. We wait patiently. We ask for more pita, and she says sure, no problem, how many? We say a lot......we still have more hummus on our plate. She says of course. My partner never gets his water refilled. We finish, ask for 2 boxes, and box up our leftover hummus. She leaves me with the bill, and we review it. Lo and behold-- charged a dollar 3 times for 3 requests for more pita. Since she failed to inform us on an additional price per pita, (which we would have skipped on extra pita if we were informed, the bill was high enough already) so of course we complain. She says Ill get the manager. The manager comes over. We logically and calmly explain why we can't accept the charges because we were never informed beforehand, not from the menu nor our server. He says he understands, and removes the pita charges from the bill. She returns and says, "This time I will take off the charges, but our pita is handmade everyday and takes a lot of effort to make. Its very costly. This time I will remove it, but next time you must pay it." She gives us a new bill, and asks for my signature. I sign it. This is where it gets incredible: she literally leans over the table to see my tip as I begin to leave from my chair. It was zero. We walk over to our vehicle, begin to reverse out of our parking place, and both our server and the manager walk out arm in arm. The manager says WAIT! So we brake halfway pulled out of the spot and the manager asks why we did not tip. We calmly explain that a tip is not required, and explained again why we did not think the service was satisfactory. The manager says "It's just so messed up that I even removed the charge and you didn't tip her." We explain again that the service was unsatisfactory, she made condescending excuses, and clearly you (speaking to the manager) didn't understand why the charges should not be there. The manager again says "That's so messed up." and THEN YELLS AT OUR CAR "DONT COME BACK!!!". That is the very first time in all my years I have actually had that said to me. Our bill totalled 40 dollars. We were calm during the whole meal, weren't a pain of a table...Ive waitressed before. I can't believe there are so many great reviews of this place, because they truly deserve no further business. The manager will get his wish -- I will never come back. And neither should you, out of...

I’ve loved this restaurant for over one year, and would have given it more than 5 stars. Until today. My daughter and I came in with my grandson at 5 minutes after 6pm on a Friday. There were dirty tables waiting to be bussed, and the wonderful women who usually do such a great job running things smoothly weren’t there. There were two young men in the front, and someone in the kitchen. While the food is still amazing, the young men seem to lack a “command and control” strategy for multiple patrons. We placed our order, (the young man waiting on us was struggling a bit to get that organized) and we asked that he bring some hummus and pita come out immediately, so my 15 month old grandson would be able to start eating—rather than going full on rogue. He’s a great eater, and he especially loves this food. Every other time we have gone to this restaurant, there’s been no issue.

Rather than honor that simple request, the young man serving us brought our drinks, and then wandered about. He finally decided to bus tables, and sweep the floor. The other young man was working very hard settling takeout orders, and bringing out food for other diners. So we sat. Waiting. And waiting. All the other diners got their food. We never got the hummus, and after 25 minutes, I decided to bail. We ended up taking the entire order to go, as bedtime was approaching for a certain hungry diner.

Assessment: these young men don’t really work well together as a team. The one young man serving us seemed as though he might have been a bit high. Coming to work high is only ok if you’re selling ice cream in Morrison. The cook had to be hustling, and the other young man was doing the work of two.

When I moved to Castle Rock, I was stunned by the lack of diversity in the food sector. There’s two dozen pizza places, and a small handful of excellent ethnic cuisine eateries. We rely on that small handful of restaurants when dining out.

I want this wonderful restaurant to continue to do well. We love the food, and usually love the service. But, had tonight been our first visit to Damascus Grill, it would be our last. With a small family eatery, it only takes one employee wandering about aimlessly to cost return business. It’s not worth it. If the service needs to be slow because staffing is an issue, play some middle eastern music, and put candles on the table. Simple things can go a long way in creating an atmosphere where folks don’t mind waiting for fantastic food. The food at Damascus Grill really is excellent, and maybe the takeout business is the...

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ A True Middle Eastern Gem in Castle Rock!

I recently visited Damascus Grill (now Mashawi Damascus Cuisine) on Wilcox Street, and I was blown away — this place is a game‑changer!

From the moment we walked in, the spot felt clean, bright, and welcoming — a huge upgrade from what you’d expect given the exterior . The service? Warm, attentive, and genuinely friendly. Our server shared the kitchen’s pride in reviving the family’s authentic Syrian recipes.

Must‑try dishes: • Hummus & Garlic Dip: Silky, fresh, and addictive—just like Reddit reviews promised (“Garlic dip and Hummus are amazing”) . • Baba Ganoush: Smoky and luscious—Reddit users said it’s “better than before” . • Mashawi Combo Plate: A carnivore’s dream—perfectly seasoned lamb, chicken, kafta, rice, salad, and pita. • Baked Lamb with Rice Sandwich: Tender lamb, fluffy rice, fresh pita—heavenly. • Baklava tray: Decadent and nutty; a sweet finish you won’t want to skip.

The menu is huge—shawarmas, kebabs, dips, pies, soups—and everything we tried was made with passion and real Mediterranean flair .

One Redditor summed it up perfectly:

“The place is beautiful, clean, elegant, with top‑tier service, and most importantly, the food was absolutely mouthwatering.” 

That’s exactly the vibe here: style, substance, and soul.

Final verdict: Whether you’re a Middle Eastern food fanatic or a newcomer, Damascus Grill/Mashawi Damascus Cuisine is a must-visit in Castle Rock. Exceptional quality, authentic flavors, and a polished atmosphere—five stars all day.

⸻

📝 Pro Tip: Come hungry and try the sampler dips, the mashawi platter, and finish with baklava. You’ll leave already planning...