I've only had takeout from here, but the dining area seems clean and the staff has been friendly and prompt every time. So far, I've come here for one thing: arepas. After trying several other places in the area, I can say this place serves the best/freshest arepas I've tried. I'm not Venezuelan, so I can't speak for authenticity. But I can say they're delicious! read more

So we ordered takeout from here on a Saturday night We got 1 cheese empeñada 1 chicken empanada And 1 chicken and steak dish The empanadas were good and they came with the green sauce which was nice. Unfortunately the mixed dish was disgusting. The chicken tasted sour like if it was spoiled. We had to throw it away cause it was inedible. We probably won't go back due to this. Spoiled food is just something we don't play around with. read more

Let me start off by saying I hate writing these types of reviews, however other reviews left here led us to try this place, and it was a massive letdown. We also ordered delivery, so I won't comment on the service or atmosphere, and our delivery person was extremely fast and had zero issues there. TLDR: If you like authentic shawarma, I would avoid this place as not only is it really not shawarma, it's not even close and the flavor profile won't be what you want. My fiance is Lebanese. I've had shawarma more times than I can count. This was not shawarma. Yes it was chicken, wrapped in pita, served with a "garlic" sauce. However, those don't make this specific sandwich what it's named. The chicken was dry, clearly fried in oil after it was already cooked, and tasted like that old oil. Sort of like Chinese bourbon chicken, except not tender or juicy. The "garlic" cream was a cilantro mayo, with a bit of garlic in it. Their menu doesn't specific this anywhere, and I'm one of those people who can't stomach cilantro. So unfortunately after 3 attempts at trying to eat this, I threw the entire sandwich away. You do get a pile of food, the chicken was literally falling out of the wrap. It's probably 10oz+ of food. We also ordered nuggets and fries (I like them, don't judge). We didn't even receive this, but the giant receipt stapled to our big even shows it. read more

Not sure why this place has 5 stars. It's really hard to find good shawarma in the Orlando area and this place happens to put a spin on it with Venezuelan flavors. Amazing ...Interesting take, yet it delivers! It's a casual eatery conveniently located to an escape room. read more

El Genio del Shawarma - Chicken and beef shwarma - Venezuelan Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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Forget finding buried treasure, I found something far better: El Genio Del Shawarma. Tucked away on a sleepy street, this place is so good it should have a velvet rope. The food was a religious experience--every bite made me question all my past life choices. The staff were absolute angels. Seriously, if you're not eating here, you're doing life wrong. read more

El Genio del Shawarma - Venezuelan Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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LOVE THIS RANDOM FIND! Meat was very very well packed -- they were definitely generous. Sauce was yummy but they also had a counter where you can add more sauce. Shawarma was absolutely delicious and exactly what we needed after a long drive! So awesome! It was quick and good service and you were able to sit and just wait with a buzzer. Area was spacious and they have menu available both in Spanish and English! Ambience was pretty laid back too! read more

El Genio del Shawarma - Venezuelan Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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I was visiting the area and stumbled upon this place at first everything was ok until I placed drink order. The young cashier was taking my order and attending another person didn't give me my drink nor tops for the other drinks. After a 20 minute wait still no pina colada. I go and remind the cashier about the drink she gives me a dumb look and says do you have the receipt I had to remind her then she proceeds to tell me I will bring your drink to you after another 15 minutes she is making someone else's drink and did not even attempt to start mine when I tell her to cancel mine and give me a refund she is still looking with that dumb look. Manager comes out and pretends to look through the register if she put the cash in the register only cameras can tell I got my refund but it took about 10 minutes. If you go to this place make sure you get a receipt and wait at the counter for your drinks beware do not walk away for 1 minute. read more

Everything on the menu here is good! One of my favorite local places in the Orlando area. Never had a disappointing meal here. Has a casual dinning ambiance. read more

I came here for a shawarma. Service sucked, and it took forever to get our food. (Like over 30 mins.) and it was not a packed restaurant. The cashier lady was rude, and I definitely would not return. I asked if it were possible that I add cheese to my shawarma and just pay the extra fee, and she made it clear they cannot make any adjustments to the shawarmas. Why not?!? I think it's absurd when someone says they can't add something even if they have the item you're wanting and willing to pay extra for it. There are too many restaurants that are in the area that I rather spend my money at. Also-I found it weird that their patacones all included ham. Why? What kind of mix is steak and ham? Or chicken and ham? So odd. No thanks. I should've known it was weird that a Venezuelan spot was making shawarmas. No thanks. read more

This is one of the best meals I've had in a long time! I got the bomba shawarma and the chicken empanada. The serving size was frigging massive! And so tasty. The empanada was really good too, but candidly I don't get empanadas super often so it's tough for me to baseline against others. I'd recommend this spot to anyone in town. Having said that the menu I grabbed was only in Spanish, don't know if they had English ones but this is a spot where I think reading or speaking a little Spanish would be valuable. Plenty of seats for big groups or tables for. -: well. read more

El Genio del Shawarma - La Bomba Shawarma - Venezuelan Near Me - Orlando, Florida

Fun hidden local gem! This place was highly rated on Yelp and I'd completely agree! The food (Venezuelan?) is amazingly delicious and the restaurant was a fun and relaxing place to hang out. Their empanadas are fried, giving a really yummy crunch and flavor. If you want a gigantic sandwich with lots of meat and crunch, try the Pepito Mixto. I loved the juicy chicken and beef along with veggies and crunchy potato bits, all topped with a lot of cheese, that made it a unique and super yummy sandwich. I noticed that people slathered their sandwiches with a variety of sauces and I have to say that it definitely elevated all of the flavors to another level. So good!!! read more

El Genio del Shawarma - Pepito Mixto sandwich and Chorizo & Cheese Empanada - Venezuelan Near Me - Orlando, Florida

The food was excellent! The cashier recommended a potato and cheese pie (can't remember the official name) and it was really good! The empanadas were excellent, especially with a little garlic sauce! The Shawarma was packed full with meat, lettuce and tomatoes. Thankfully we only got one and shared it because it was huge. I loved it but there was one downfall. Whenever we bit into some of the lettuce it was gritty. I think the lettuce just needed to be rinsed off. So we picked all of the lettuce out and it was fine. read more

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Run down old strip mall. Fast food shawarma restaurant with a large menu. The cashier informed us that my wife's $18 chicken grill order was actually for two. We had this dreadful feeling that either the food would be terrible or the portion woefully small. Both worries were completely unfounded. We received a heaping styrofoam container of deliciously prepared chicken, sausage, vegetables, and cheese on a small bed of fries. The ingredients were each prepared perfectly and the amount of each was just the right proportional balance. Topped with a bit of garlic sauce. Plenty for the two of us all for less than $20. Crazy good and ridiculous value. read more

Casual Venezuelan-Mediterranean spot with large portions. Came here after EPCOT as it was on the way back to our hotel. You order at the counter and then you can opt for takeout or dine-in. You'll receive a buzzer that goes off when your order is ready. Free parking available in the front. Credit cards and cash accepted. Indoor seating only (no outdoor option). The chicken gyro was large and the pita bread was soft, but they didn't put any sauce, so it was dry. The mixed cachapa came with ham, shredded beef, shredded chicken, and various veggies. The plantain outside was a bit hard, but I liked the concept of using plantains rather than bread. Two dishes were more than enough for two people's dinners plus leftovers for the next day. read more

El Genio del Shawarma - Cachapa - Venezuelan Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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This place provides a nice fusion of middle-eastern and Latin American food on the cheap. Plenty of protein choices AND what the meats are held in (i.e., flatbread, normal bread, tortilla, plantain slice, corn bread, etc.). This place is basically custom-made counter/fast-food service, so expect your food in about 10-15 minutes. The dining area is super casual funky. We ordered 2 sandwiches, both with shredded steak. This meat sounds fancy but it's basically Mexican shredded beef. The flavors could be stronger but it's not a problem since there's a self-service condiment bar with a wide selection of sauces. The portion size of the sandwiches was more than ample with the plantain entree easily being able to feed 2 people, so this place provides good value. The plantain slice was a bit disappointing in that it was hard and flavorless, tasting like an overcooked pita bread. Better to stick to the more traditional breads like the corn bread, which was very good. read more

El Genio del Shawarma - Shredded steak on plantain slices - Venezuelan Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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Tiene las mejores cachapas, si buscan cachapas compren aquí, buena variedad de bebidas, salsas y comida, buen servicio tambien

This is the most authentic Shawarma place yet. It has a good atmosphere and, they had live music when we were eating here. The food is a great proportion to what you pay. The desserts were so good and delightful that I wanted more. It was mostly spanish speaking, but they had a couple of employees know what I was talking about. read more

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I've been meaning to check out this food truck after stopping by it numerous times and finally had the chance to drop by! It was a Sunday afternoon, and there was only 1 person ahead in line, so it was perfect timing! After ordering, we waited for about 10 minutes as they make the food fresh, but it did feel longer probably because our stomachs were already growling! After getting the fresh hot food and finally unwrapping it, I was shocked at how filled these sandwiches were- El Genio is not stingy with their toppings! The meat was overflowing and there was even extra meat slices caught in between the paper wrapping! I tried the kibbeh appetizer which I really liked, and then also tried the chicken shawarma and the beef pepito. I was a little disappointed with the shawarma, as although it was stuffed, it just didn't taste much like a shawarma- and the garlic sauce could've used more kick. The pepito on the other hand was great and I loved the crunch from the potato sticks. Both sandwiches were pretty greasy, but pretty good otherwise. Although I was a little underwhelmed by the shawarma, El Genio stood up to its sizable portions and good food. Bear in mind that after a meal here you may need to sit down and rest for a bit, but other than that make sure to stop by! read more

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Food was delicious and came out pretty fast. Just wish they had more sides and more variety of drinks. Overall I was satisfied with the flavor of the food. 1st time trying the patacon. It was a huge plantain torta like sandwich really good read more

El Genio del Shawarma - Mixed Patacon - Venezuelan Near Me - Orlando, Florida

We have been coming here since they were a food truck and we highly recommend this amazing location! The empanadas are the best in orlando and the interior is very chic! Highly highly recommend the cheese empanadas and beef. (If you ever see the carnitas and cheese get that). The garlic sauce is a must to pair with the empanadas but they have a verity of sauces! They have other things on the menu but we have always come here for the empanadas! Also try the tres leches! There was a line at 8:30 am. There's always been lines at this place (because the empanadas are so good). Please give them a try yelp elite! read more

El Genio del Shawarma - Cheese and beef empanada with garlic sauce - Venezuelan Near Me - Orlando, Florida

Got a beef and chicken shawarma to go later in the night. Flavor was good and it was a big portion. I should have asked for some chili sauce to add more flavor. read more

I'd give more stars if I could...despite the service not being all that great...rung up for 2 of one item that I only wanted 1 of...meh! It was ALL so delicious so it will be eaten. The blend of the Mediterranean and Venezuelan flavors was better than I expected. Truly enjoyed every item we purchased. The seafood empanada was amazing and SO are all the sauces. Ended a great meal with a wonderful sweet treat: tres leches! Soooo sweet and decadent. Can't wait to come back to town and visit this spot...the chocolate cake is next on my list. It looked amazing but I was already overdoing it with the items we purchased...borderline gluttonous ha! read more

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When I saw the word "shawarma" in the name of the restaurant I thought it would be authentic middle eastern food because you know.... Shawarma. Upon further inspection we realized this place was Venezuelan fusion. We were pretty excited to try it out. We dined in and ordered two chicken shawarmas and man were we disappointed. It was just a chicken wrap, It had NOTHING to do with actual shawarma. Authentic shawarma is made with white meat and the sandwich was almost entirely dark meat. There were no pickles or tahini. Also you may assume this place is halal because it serves Arab food but it is not, if anything be aware of cross contamination. We felt kind of scammed because on the website and in store there were screens with photos and video's of vertical shawarma grills but there was none in sight. I did not try anything else on the menu besides the "shawarma" and fries and they were both really really disappointing. read more

I have written many reviews and can't remember the last time I have a place 5 stars. Now I'll admit, I was a little confused w the menu and wasn't exactly sure how the food was going to be. Hamburgers/hot dogs/ shawarma and arepas... The food was absolutely delicious. Very fresh, the beef and chicken were moist and full of flavor. The tabouli was crisp, tasty and fresh. The rice was perfectly Aldenti and iced tea was tasty with lemon, I had 2. We had a Minor miscommunication on how we wanted one of the burgers and when I pointed it out the staff could not of been more courteous and took care of it without any fuss and even checked in w us to see if it was how we ordered it. Even the burger was completely delicious and my kid devoured it. Do yourself a favor and take yourself here. Your tastebuds will thank you. read more

Horrible service, expensive food. Save yourself some time and go elsewhere. Although food was tasty, still a lot to be desired, specially having so many other Venezuelan food places read more

Noisy. People with me liked it. I thought it smelled bad. Not someplace I would go again. However, plenty of food with orders. Serve yourself, cleanup after yourself. I recommend putting felt or carpet on the feet of the metal chairs and turning the music down a couple of notches. That alone would earn it another star. read more

Soy de Miami, estaba pasando un fin de semana en Orlando y estaba antojada de comer empanadas, me recomendaron este lugar, fuimos un domingo en la mañana, pedimos empanadas de pabellón, arepa de carne y queso amarillo, papelón con limón, una cocada de oreo, pastelitos, un helado que te hará recordar al famoso batí batí, súper recomendado! El servicio estuvo agradable, pides en la caja y luego lo retiras cuando esté listo. Realmente me gusto bastante. Me gusto mucho el estilo y ambiente de los Simpsons que tienen, y el cartel de San Antonio de Los Altos. La comida tardó un poco pero de igual forma no estábamos apresurados así que esperamos. Volvería por el bati batí, tenia hasta el chicle por dentro y así recordar viejos tiempos read more

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meh. it filled me up and it was fine enough. I ordered at the counter and ate inside. real silverware instead of plastic would have been nice. for the price of the chicken / steak shawarma, I was expecting to have a side item included as well. I think that there are too many things on their menu. It was difficult to know which was best. If you have so many things on your menu, can you really be doing any one of them particularly well? read more

The food was delicious and it had great customer service. The vibes of the place is also really nice. It feels very calm and happy. The only problem that we experienced is getting the food late, but it was a busy night. Overall i would definitely recommend this place as a last night meal to go to with family and friends. read more

Service and food was amazing.the portions were large and delicious.the inside of the resturant was very modern with large screens.

The food tasted ok but for the quality of food the price is too high, the atmosphere is very informal, it's self serves restaurant, like a food truck. I order 2 sandwiches and 2 drinks and I paid almost $50 read more

Overall good food and a lot of space to seat. The service was friendly and very attentive. Food didn't take longer than 10 minutes.

Don't come here expecting anything close to an authentic shawarma. We had their chicken and beef shawarma, their version is simply huge chunks of meat (poorly marinated) and loaded up into a pita bread. Look elsewhere for your middle eastern fix. read more

Please don't let the stars of others fool you. I ordered Uber eats and tried this place on a layover for the first time. Let me tell you this is not authentic shwarma. I should have been weary at the "Venezuelan fusion" part. The wraps are big but the meat was unflavored and the food tasted old. Like if the meat was cooked days ago. It also had pieces of tendon which is gross when u expect everything inside to be soft. If it wasn't for the sauce ( that they fill half empty btw) it has NO flavor. I threw it half away. Wish I never bought here! read more

Just amazing! Food is completely delicious. Every time I'm in Orlando, I'm make sure to eat here!

I was driving by and hungry, so I decided to try this place on a whim as soon as I saw "shawarma"! The place is not bad at all. You should expect a little bit of a wait. I didn't mind the wait, because they were making it fresh! I ordered the chicken shawarma sandwich, which came out hot and fresh, loaded with meat and veggies. You definitely get your money's worth! It was pretty big and I couldn't finish it. I agree with a previous yelper that said you will need a rest after! I'm giving four stars because, I don't really think the flavor was consistent with shawarma. I would just call it a chicken wrap or something. Good, but not what I was expecting for "shawarma" and I have tried tons of shawarma. Overall, fresh and tasty though. read more

El Genio del Shawarma - Chicken Shawarma Sandwich - Venezuelan Near Me - Orlando, Florida

We ordered 2 mixed boxes with chicken, rice, pita, kippe and a box with all meats and some sides in it. When I saw the name I expected more Middle Eastern type of Shawarma, but the food is a fusion of Middle Eastern and Venezuelan foods. We all thought it was a great mix and we truly enjoyed it. the portions are large and the sauces that comes along are great. I definitely recommend people giving this restaurant a try. read more

Amazing LOCAL HIDDEN GEM! It's in a parking lot but don't let that deter you. The shawarma is so fresh and flavorful!! Make sure to try all of the sauces. Wonderful owners and incredible bargain ( the portion size is WOW!). Also try the hot dogs and tequenos. Support local. read more

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Estuvo delicioso, el shahuarma estuvo riquísimo igual la chicha, recomiendo ampliamente este lugar.

Great Service, Great Food, Friendly Environment,, a good Venezuelan Food!!!! Deserve 10 Stars