Shawkat's Mediterranean Restaurant — Restaurant in Tulsa

I Finally Made It—And It Was Worth the Wait

I’ve honestly lost count of how many times I’ve tried to come to this place—only to find it closed. Sundays? Nope, they’re closed. Weekdays after 3:00 p.m.? Also no-go, since I get off work at 3:30. It started to feel like the restaurant was always just out of reach, teasing me with the promise of great food but never actually letting me have any.

Fast-forward two years—and yes, I said two years—and I finally made it happen. The weather couldn’t have been more miserable: cold, rainy, and windy. But you know what? That just made the promise of a warm, satisfying meal even more enticing. It was one of those days where you need something to lift your spirits, and thankfully, this place delivered.

As soon as we pulled into the lot and saw it open, I was genuinely relieved. Then I saw how packed it was—and instead of feeling discouraged, I took it as a very good sign. Crowds don’t lie. This place clearly has a loyal following.

We took our time reviewing the menu, trying to figure out what would make this long-awaited visit memorable. There were so many tempting options, and the menu wasn’t rushed or shallow—it had depth. We eventually settled on our picks, just as a small hiccup occurred: the register was down. But in what I’d call a real act of hospitality, the gentleman at the counter—possibly the owner—told us not to worry and to go ahead and grab a seat. That spoke volumes. Instead of making us wait or turning us away, they showed trust and genuine customer care.

We found a booth and settled in. While we waited for our food, we took turns freshening up, and I have to say—I was impressed with how clean the restrooms were, especially given the foot traffic. That’s a big deal for me. Clean bathrooms say a lot about how a place is run behind the scenes.

While sitting there, we noticed how relaxed and at home the regulars seemed. You could tell—this was their spot. We even noticed a few people sipping on hot tea, and I had a moment of regret for not catching that on the menu. It looked cozy and comforting, especially on a day like that.

Now, the food. I went with the lamb wrap with tabouli and hummus. The bread was thicker than what I’m used to, but it was still warm, soft, and full of flavor. My wife had the chicken skewers, and my daughter tried the sampler plate. Everyone was quiet for a bit—which, in our family, means we were all busy enjoying our food.

One thing that really stood out to me happened as we ate: whenever a table emptied, two women would promptly appear and clean it with care and precision. They worked in sync, like clockwork—no hesitation, no corners cut. That level of teamwork and pride in their work makes me think they’re happy to be there, which probably says a lot about the management.

By the end of our meal, we were full, relaxed, and already planning our next visit. The best part? We live just five minutes away. I can see this place becoming our go-to—whether we’re grabbing a quick bite or looking for a cozy spot for a casual date night.

Thank you to the staff and everyone behind this place for the great food, warm atmosphere, and that rare kind of hospitality that sticks with you. Looking forward to next time—hopefully it won’t take me...

Average - *

So I had big expectations for Shawkat as this was the first time me being there and I saw 4.7* in google with mostly good reviews. Being a Mediterranean cuisine fan(as you may have noted from my previous reviews here), I have visited almost every Mediterranean place in the town so was excited to see and experience what they have. The place is little bit congested if large crowd comes but they have fitted the tables and chairs to accommodate as much as they can. You have to order at the counter and they will give you a number and then you can select a seat of your own and wait.

I ordered the Chicken Shawarma platter which is basically a Chicken Shawarma wrap with tahini sauce, tomato, pickles, onion and parsley. Along with the wrap you get pita bread, hummus and tabouli. It costs $12.69. Got the food within 10 minutes. It was pretty hot. Quantity wise, I have no complaints as the platter was more than what I expected. But I was disappointed with the shawarma flavor. I thought they would have bit more spice and it should have tasted better(Sorry to compare but shawarmas at shawarma shack and gyros by ali tasted far better).

Usually shawarmas have tahini and garlic sauce together but here its either tahini or garlic and was missing the kick. Though they had the other ingredients, it felt bland to me. Though the flavor was not good to me, they had enough chicken in the wrap. The pita bread is more harder to chew being the Lebanese style as it is not the Greek style. But pita bread, hummus and tabouli tasted ok so I would give a 3*. You can find more from the pictures.

The ones I loved were Jakes special and chicken shawarma #2. Both of them are worth...

In a word, eat elsewhere. We thought we'd try someplace new. It is a hole in the wall with very limited hours. By suggestion, we ordered a cabbage roll. Tasteless waste of money. I ordered the sampler. Interesting flavors with a dry chicken skewer and dry meat skewer, a dry/stale pita, and the rice was flavorless. $15 My wife's gyro had very little meat, with sauce. No lettuce, tomatoes or anything interesting. $9 Thought we'd try the baklava, but they were out. So at the suggestion of the server/cashier, we tried a "bird's nest." One small little piece, about the size of a quarter, so hard the plastic knife couldn't cut it. My wife took a small bite and I had the other small bite. It was mostly tasteless and hard as a rock. $2(!) When I asked about the expensive one bite, she went on and on about labor costs, cashew prices, blah blah blah. Not worth the price or the explanation. The bottom line: never going back. Don't waste your time or money. The chain, Taziki's, would be cheaper and much...