Kafka was delicious. White rice was bland. Service was slow. Wish we would have gone somewhere else.

Was actually recommended this place by my cab driver haha. So I checked it out, why not. Turns out the staff was super friendly, really great, fun, and just overall happy people which was really nice to see. Had a good chat with some of them. The food here is fairly priced and I enjoyed it. I had never really eaten middle eastern dishes before so it was new for me. I had the chicken and beef but wish I went with just chicken as the beef was kind of dry I thought (unless it was suppose to be like that haha). Overall solid place. 4/5 read more

Great little place to grab a bite to eat if you're in the area. Not the greatest shawarma or falafel you will ever have but it does the trick. Hummus is very tasty and you get free bread ! Service is very friendly. read more

went here one dinner but the victoria park and sheppard location. mmmmmm - mmm the food is good and light. The kind that fills your belly but u feel light after which makes it just right. I'd definitely be coming back!!! Although I can't remember all the names of the for I ate but it was good , we had that light pillowy bread you tear to pieces to eat, chicken skewers, hummus and I don't know what else . read more

Six of us met here for lunch on a Wednesday afternoon. I had called to make reservations for 11:45am and was told that a reservation wasn't required, as Wednesdays at that time was not busy. I'm glad we arrived on time, because by noon the place was fairly busy. What is most striking about the place is the architecture of the building itself (on the inside). The upper dining area (where we were seated) was spectacular. Exposed wooden beams, warm colours with an open atmosphere...it is really quite stunning. Our server dropped by a few moments after we were seated and we ordered an appetizer while we decided on main courses. We opted to go with the Mezza Plate, which was hummus, moutabbal and tabbouleh, all served with fresh bread. It was devoured almost as quickly as it was put down on the table. It was delish. Two of us ordered the Tabliyeh Saj Chicken Shawarma. It's chicken shawarma in pita (an ample portion size) served on a wooden board with fries, stuffed with lettuce, pickles and garlic sauce. It was fantastic. The garlic sauce was VERY garlicy...just the way it should be. I'd go back for this dish alone. Hot sauce was very good....I didn't find it overly spicy but some at our table found it exceedingly hot (some in our group found the garlic sauce had a heat to it due to the high concentration of garlic...but trust me...it is fantastic). Another person at our table ordered a Manakeesh....a middle eastern version of a pizza. She loved it...although she has a very low tolerance for spice and it had a great kick to it...so she turned beet red while eating it...but ate every morsel of it. I can't recall everything everyone else ordered...but not one of us was disappointed with our meals and all of us mentioned we'd come back. Our server was excellent..she was attentive, made recommendations and ensured that we all enjoyed ourselves. On the main floor you can purchase sweets to go. Highly recommend this place..... read more

A lot of people like this place, so I decided to go and have a falafel here. I'm not impressed, its tastes stale. Maybe comparing to dearboorn is unfair, but falafel has to be made to order or it tastes like hockey puck. read more

I can make a meal out of the fresh baked pita bread and moutabbal. I am crazy about their moutabbal. The prices are very reasonable and it is centrally located right next to Dundas Square. It is very informal so if you are coming excepting a fine dinning experience you are in the wrong place but the prices on the menu should console you. Overall, as a fast and inexpensive option with a strong menu it gets 4 stars from me. read more

I ordered a beef and cheese pizza. It was inexpensive ($4.25 I believe) and it was delicious. The complimentary bread as mentioned by other yelpers was fresh and puffy and it reminded me of fresh bread I had in Egypt (nostalgia)! read more

Ordered a lentil soup to start and the fatouleh salad with a skewer of lamb on the side. Lentil soup was great. Salad was mediocre. Lamb was minuscule. There was more chicken in one piece of my friends chicken than there was on my whole dish. I've been to better restaurants like Me va Me etc. and this place can't compete. The staff was friendly but the food was tragic. I wish I took a photo. Don't order the lamb!! read more

I have tried the beef shawarma, tabouleh, humus, kibbeh, kafta sandwich etc...everything is perfect. Love this place!

Paramount restaurant on Yonge Street, south of Dundas = really bad Middle Eastern food. This is supposed to be a Lebanese operation, but their food is sloppy, overcooked, and overpriced. Had the lamb takeout with fries. The lamb was flavorless and tough, and the pickled stuff they usually include with Middle Eastern dishes was rancid! So for overcooked lamb, sub-par fries, and rancid sides, it cost me $15.99 + tax. Never again! read more

The food was pretty good. We had grilled lamb plate, veggie pizza and chicken pizza. It's very similar to the kind of middle eastern food you get anywhere else in Toronto, not worse, not better, was pretty ok. The juice was amazing, especially the paramount special with crushed nuts and assorted fruits in it, was definitely the highlight of the meal. I loved the hot sauce. Like any restaurant, I judge them by how good their hot sauce is, and the hot sauce here is definitely a must try. Remember to ask for it early like before getting the big bloated bread. Ideally, I would give them 3.5, but 3 star because 1. what's with using all the paper plates and plastic cups, we didn't get takeout because we were trying to be more enviournmentally friendly, so it was a huge disappointment when they served food using plasticware. 2. the service was slow, the girl who was taking care of our take was too busy with a lot of other tasks. so 5-2 stars. read more

I would love to give this place 4 or even 5 stars...I've eaten here so many times and have brought friends here after one too many tiring shopping trips. I tried to love this place because there's something about it that keeps me coming back even though each experience has been below my expectations. The atmosphere is nice but noisy and the prices are low. You can easily feed yourself for under $10. However, I must admit, I've had better shawarma and falafel elsewhere. I was expecting so much in that first bite of shawarma but something wasn't right. I was expecting the shawarma and falafel to be the best I've ever tasted but it sadly didn't amount to much. I've tried several of the manakeesh as well and I'd say my favourite is the cheese & zataar manakeesh. I was sucked in by the allure of the butter chicken manakeesh and it was just okay (think cheese pizza with chicken topping). I also tried the beef & cheese version which I know I'll never order again. The spices for the ground beef were a strange combo and the whole bread was so soggy, I had to eat it with a knife and fork. I feel like the manakeesh could be cooked for longer because the cheese just slid off when you tried the break up the pieces. I love the baklava here and always get them in a take-away box if my stomach has the room. Now, onto the downsides. Every time I've been here, service has been incredibly slow. Once, our plates didn't arrive until well after thirty minutes so my dining companion and I resorted to staring at Nazeem Khadri's face(s) comically plastered everywhere. It's nice to know he isn't just about hockey but a foodie as well right? Anyways, when our plates finally came, they brought our exact same orders again 10 minutes later. Obviously we turned them down but it was ironic how our first orders came so slow but the order we didn't even make came faster. One major gripe I have with this place is the use of disposable plates and containers for dining in. The manakeesh has come on paper and styrofoam plates and tabbouleh has come in little plastic boxes. The shawarma and falafel have always been served on porcelain plates. The disposable containers cheapen the feel of any restaurant and is definitely unnecessary garbage. It's an overrated place but somehow I still like it and Paramount is definitely a better option than the hell that is Urban Eatery. read more

The hummus as good and their bread was awesome. We had the chicken and beef dish n that was pretty tasty. All and all not too bad

Efficient and Nice staff. By far, one of the best restaurants I have been to in Toronto since I got here 8 months ago. The menu has so many options, for all sorts of taste. The size of the meal is gianormous and the price is very fair. Totally recommend the place. read more

An authentic Middle Eastern venue in the heart of Toronto. Step past the front door into another world of wonderful aromas, loud kitchen staff and chatty customers. There was a 10 minute wait in Friday night for a party of 7. This is the perfect amount of time to check out all the plates on the tables and food passing by. After 10 minutes you will not need a menu. The live (charcoal?) grill is piled deep with skewers of lamb, chicken and beef keftas. The bakery at the back of the house produces an endless stream of freshly baked pita. The menu is geared to groups and large families with plenty of platters for sharing. try a couple of dips (hummus/mutabol) and pizza's for sharing and then move on to the meat! Everything is served piping hot, fresh and authentic. Expect lots of hustle and bustle, including small children, wait staff carrying platters of food, and a noisy kitchen...very real. This is not a venue for a first date, but that should be apparent when you walk in the door. There is also a second floor which is quiter, but then again what is the point?! Great atmosphere, great food and excellent value. read more

I've been coming to Paramount for the last 4 years since I first discovered the Mississauga location. Both locations are great but the Yonge street location is where I've been going lately. I always get the vegetarian options. This last visit was for a Saturday lunch. I ordered tabbouleh, and falafels and my companion had the lentil soup and stewed okra. Between our orders and the complimentary piping hot basket of pita bread placed on our table, we were stuffed. This is great value for your money and the service is prompt and friendly. read more

Fresh bread and hummus is some of the best I have head. The meat tends to be over cooked, with multiple experiences. Very pricy compared to the availability of halal and middle eastern food in Toronto. However, customer service can be much better. read more

Amazing hummus. I wish they had an appetizer plate with hummus, grape leaves, and tabouli. If they had this I would give 5 stars. The staff was great. I left my phone, they recognized me and brought it right over when I came back for it. I would go again just for the hummus. read more

One of the best shawarma's I have had in TO. The sandwich was only $5.99 which I consider a very economical meal in downtown core. They also serve hot bread on every table. I went for lunch and got in just before the crowd. I highly recommend this place for a good Middle Eastern treat! read more

Awful, awful service! After waiting for 30 minutes and basically begging for my food to be served, I got half of the order. On top of that, the beef shawarma looked like dog food served in a bowl! Nothing like in other Lebanese restaurants. The good thing about this place, the bread, the waitress never brought it. I had to leave after 30 minutes wait, an incomplete order and horrible food! This was the Ottawa location. read more

Came for take out and was expecting the worst, as I've been here before for take-out and have waited for anyone to even acknowledge my order. It's not new news that this place struggles with customer service at times, so if you come in with that understanding, your visit will be a lot more bearable. Got the lamb 'sandwich' (which is actually a wrap) and a manakeesh (cheese & zaatar, my fav). Lamb was quite sinewy and chewy, which was disappointing since the last time I got it it was great. Loved my manakeesh, particularly because I stopped by for a snack one day for one and they said they ran out of zaatar. Not sure how this happens...it's like saying you ran out of salt & pepper... but they lost a customer that day. I recommend trying it if you're unfamiliar with zaatar, its quite tasty and if you don't like it, it's only $4 and you tried something new. My friend got the shish tawouk plate and he seemed satisfied with it. I do admire how efficient they TRY to be; they have their meat skewers ready to go in front of their grill, dips packaged up, and smoothies displayed enticingly. Atmosphere is always humming and bustling so if you like that energy definitely stay for a seated meal. If not, or are in a hurry, beware of slow, slow take out. p.s. I remember coming here for dinner last year and suddenly arabic music was blasting from all corners and you got the urge to bust out some belly dancing moves. Apparently it was someone's birthday upstairs, so be prepared if you come for a birthday! read more

There food is really good one of the nice Arabic food. I have tried this place in toronto downtown and in Mississauga. The food quality in both locations are the same however Mississauga one more quite and nicely organized. I recommend mix grill plate for a big guy like me or for 2 regular people :) read more

I had the half chicken with rice, the chicken was so over cooked it was dry & hard and not eat able...! Not the best middle eastern place but great ambiance and there mango & strawberry smoothies are to dye for. read more

I was forced to give more than 15% of tips!!!!! Which is unheard of!! I don't mind give more tips, but she told me to choose among 15, 20 and 25 percent, don't even give me the choice of pushing the "other " button! I have been to this place many times, this is the first time. And I will not come again. Nobody likes to be pushed! read more

While the pita bread was excellent -- fresh and puffy like golden pillows -- the rest of the food was pretty much average, and with much more oil than I would normally like. While it is customary to dribble a little oil on top of dishes (such as the hummus), these were swimming in it. And it even prevented the bread in the fattoush from cripsing properly. Cheese bread was soggy due to pooling of oil. The chicken wasn't dry but was not properly seasoned. Staff was pleasant, but a bit difficult to locate at times. One thing which needs to be rethought is the lighting. It is far too bright and really heats up the dining room. Dimming them slightly would result in a more pleasant dining experience. All that being said, I'd still rather go here than to any fast food restaurant or food court place in the neighbourhood. read more

Vibe is super casual, it's like a cafeteria more than a restaurant inside. The complementary pita bread is fresh and tasty. I got the chicken shawarma plate. Mmmmm the garlic sauce is to die for. I'd come back again just for the sauce. read more

Paramount Middle Eastern Kitchen - Chicken shawarma plate - Middle Eastern Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

The homemade hot sauce is great! You get a ton of food and the meats, hummus and falafel are super.

Ordered th beef shwarma. Was kind of dry and skinny on th beef. Was here 7pm on a tues and th front bar area was vacant but had dirty dishes. Not licensed for alcohol. read more

My family came to visit me, and when we wondered in Toronto downtown very late. We were surprisingly to fine this restaurant was so popular. Food was big, the meat was juicy. We all love it read more

The bread is still kinda tasteless even with hummus and the beef shawarma is ok. The place is quite busy tho....

Signs of serious decline. Have visited 10 times in the past, this time things were seriously bad. Food - No flavor, tasted same as frozen and reheated Service - Horrible, non-existent. Even though it was 4 pm and the restaurant was empty, they tried to seat us in the extreme back corner. Wait staff was in a hurry to talk among themselves, not really interested in serving. Food arrived long before appetizers and bread (had to ask twice if bread was coming) Will not be going again. Was good in the past, but this experience is enough for us to say bye-bye. read more

My wife and I decided to try this place out for dinner. She had never had Arabic food before and she really liked it. The falafel was delicious! The service was very slow but our waiter was very helpful. read more

We are visiting from Chicago & just had dinner at Paramount this evening. Lovely Lebanese cuisine with yummy hummus, falafel & zaatar. Having lived in the Middle East, we crave for authentic Lebanese food & this comes super close! The one thing that could've been better was the khubz (pita) which was really hard & dry. Authentic pita should be warm, soft & spongy! Nevertheless, 4 stars for the awesome food & pleasing demeanour of our waiter! read more

This was the worst Paramount location I have been to. The service was SO slow. There was one waitress working for the whole bottom floor. I ordered the fatoush salad with kafta and the salad was soggy and the greens were turning brown. I didn't even want to eat it. The kafta itself was dry and cold. We ordered a kanafe for dessert and that too was a disappointment, it was mushy and over soaked in syrup. I wouldn't call it a kanafe. There are many other paramount locations to go to. Avoid this one. read more

Came for lunch with a friend and was quite pleased with the service and food. The only negative I can think was that the tables were very close to each other and did not get the privacy of having a conversation. read more

I eat here at least twice a month. The food is always delicious, fresh, healthy and reasonably priced. I have had my meal at the restaurant and have done take out (you can call ahead and they will have your food waiting for you). The staff are really nice. Paramount tends to get packed at certain times of the day - when that happens the service can get a little chaotic (you may not get your complimentary hot pita bread or you may have to remind them to bring you something you ordered). It is a tight space with lots of tables jammed in. But this kind of adds to the experience. Bring your patience when it is crowded, the food is definitely worth it! read more

Been here a couple of times and I'd give it 3 stars at best. Other reviews are correct on the pita. Freshly made in house, it's the best I've ever had but unfortunately best on their menu. The rest of the food is a hit or miss. They have good seasoning but the quality in general lags. They also don't serve your entire table at once so while you wait for your mates to get their food, yours has gone cold. read more

This was a fine experience while in Toronto. Would perhaps consider it to be $-$$ rather than $$ as there are some very affordable mid-east pizza style dishes on the menus that are quite good and very affordable. Busy place and certainly the word ambiance would not be used here, but it was a nice change of pace. read more

Ate at Paramount during TIFF, it's really close to the Winter Garden/Visa Screening Room. I stopped there for an in between film meal and ordered the falafel as appetizer and a feta cheese salad with chicken. Quick friendly service and reasonably priced. The falafel tasted almost like a muffin and melts in your mouth, I have never eaten any falafel like it! The salad was good too, but nothing spectacular. I would try it again the next time I'm in Toronto. read more