SHATERA — Restaurant in Gilbert

Growing pains. 3 stars due to the extra wait for my to go order food. My food was great. I got the chicken shawarma with curly fries. My wife’s chicken was tough and hard to chew unfortunately. She got the Shish Tawooq plate with curly fries. Last time it was better chicken for my wife. Last time I came on a weekday. This time I came on a Saturday for dinner.

Anyone who has worked fast food or in a restaurant knows how hard it is sometimes. I did and I get it. If you watched, “The Bear” or “Waiting” you can see it, but it’s different if you have worked in the industry so I always try to be respectful and give grace. Some days are just hard.

Today was that hard day for their crew. They are friendly and they try, but today the rush beat them.

I ordered to go and when I arrived I was told there were 3 people ahead of me. I sat and waited. Two separate couples came in and ordered their food. A third couple came in about 5 minutes after the first two. All three couples got their food before me. When the first couple got their food, I asked how much longer for me. They said 15 minutes.

So I waited. And waited some more. The first couple finished their food and left. I refilled my beverage after they turned on the C02 and waited. They were having issues with their Jones soda machine, certain flavors were out, and they had to keep turning it on/off for the C02 for the soda fountain machine to work. Niche soda brands are probably harder to keep running, so I just went with it and waited.

When I saw the third couple start digging into their meal, I had enough waiting. I was trying to be cool. Clearly to go orders on their website are not a priority compared to walk ins.

I had enough and complained out loud to the employees about three couples getting their food ahead of me and I was irritated. I told them one couple even finished their food and had been gone for 10 minutes and my two plate orders and a dessert are still not ready. My order was 30 minutes late at this point. I hardly complain. I am a go with the flow sort of guy. I usually eat the wrong order regardless or just let it go. They were nice and tried to quickly finish my order after I complained out loud and voiced my concern. I complained as respectfully and calmly as a hungry man could, who watched three couples who ordered after him get their food.

I am writing this because I want to them to continue to succeed. Hopefully in the future they fix the issues in their kitchen that cause delays. It’s rough out there. Good or great food gets you far, but breakdowns in the kitchen lead to paying customers going elsewhere for the money we pay to eat out. I wish them the best, because today clearly was rough for them. Also probably just walk up and order food for now as to go orders have to...

Went today and here's what I have to say!!

I took the boys and we all genuinely enjoyed the experience. The food was flavorful, fresh, and surprisingly neat—nothing greasy, messy, or sloppy. I ordered the falafel pocket and it was absolute perfection. The bread held up beautifully—no tearing or sogginess—and it was stuffed generously with just the right amount of sauce.

Kid 1 went with the shish tawook plate, which came with hummus, rice, and a choice of fries or salad. The chicken was grilled to juicy perfection—not dry or rubbery at all.

Kid 2 tried the lamb pocket, and again, the meat was tender and flavorful. Just like mine, his pocket held together without falling apart.

Overall, everything was well-prepared, well-portioned, and well worth it. Highly recommend—WORTH IT!!

Second review:

Me and my boys went back again last night… yeah, living 12 minutes away might be a problem 🤦‍♀️.

I’m a falafel lady through and through, but I cheated a little and went for the shish tawook pocket — and HOLY MOLY, it was next-level delicious! The sauce? Perfect. The marinade? Magic. The spices and stuffing? Overflowing in the best way.

And the bread? Held it down like a real one. Packed to the max and never fell apart on me — loyal till the last bite.

The fam who runs the place is the absolute sweetest. I love walking in and getting a “hello Shahrazad" before I even make it to the counter.

Shatera is THE place that feeds your stomach and...

This restaurant advertises that it is not fast food and that everything is made to order—but that’s completely misleading. The reality is the food is already cooked and just sitting there. The chicken was sitting on the grill, the sides were all pre-prepared, and all they really do is scoop things together on a plate. There is nothing “made to order” about it.

On top of that, there is absolutely no urgency from the staff to get food out. There were only two employees one taking orders and one slowly piecing plates together and they moved at their own pace, as if it didn’t matter that customers were standing around waiting. I waited over 50 minutes for a single chicken shawarma plate, and when it finally came out, it was nothing special at all. The food was bland, reheated, and definitely not worth the wait.

To make it worse, the price was $24 for a single plate and a drink. For that kind of money, you expect quality food and decent service, but this place delivers neither

If you value your time, your money, or basic customer service, avoid this place. There are plenty of other Mediterranean restaurants in the area that serve the same kind of food fresher, faster, and with far better service. This establishment is a waste of time and not...