We had been Shawarma King's loyal customers for about two decades until it was sold. The new owner has decreased the serving size and hiked up the prices. We purchased shawarmas recently and were disappointed to see how shrunken and expensive they were.. Guess now we have to find another place Mediterranean fast food... =( read more

My friend and I had mixed sharwama and it was great! They have nicely decorated outdoor seating, and inside is clean and bright. Very good place for chatting with friends and big stomachs haha! read more

Nothing fancy about this place by any means and that is probably why I like it as much as I do. Driving down Hilcroft if you are not looking for it you will probably miss the place. But if you do come across it I suggest you swing in and give it a try. I always get the same thing, the chicken schwarma, but I have been meaning to try more of the menu. Let me tell you though, this schwarma is the best I have ever had. The chicken is cooked perfectly and the sauce is fantastic. read more

Food is excellent! Always get the chicken shawarma spicy! Highly recommend making a stop and grabbing a bite!

I always enjoy the food and service which comes with a smile. I went in today to pick up my to go order, I was short 13 cents. I told the gentleman that I'll go and get the change from my car to which he said don't worry about it. Not that I couldn't get it and he let me go off 13 cents but a small act of kindness shows that this business cares and values its customers. I wish them great success and will always recommend them for their great taste and hospitality. read more

I used to come here when I used to go to grad sch 2003. It was a lot of food for the buck, but it was always delicious. Now this place is a mess and your orders will be missing stuff doublecheck before you leave read more

Swung by between classes, looking for a quick bite for not alot of green. Getting to the restaurant can be a bit tricky since Hillcroft during rush hour is a giant mess, but the food was definitely worth the trouble. Five bucks for a great Shawarama - generous portion of chicken, flavorful sauces, fresh veggies and a quality pita. Well done, indeed. Traffic is a fight, and the patio seating seems needless since there's nothing there to look at, but still a great little restaurant with some tasty eats. Check it out! read more

We were hungry in the area and wanted Shawarma! It was a quick find and no brainer to check this place out from reading the reviews! It was delicious!!! read more

Always fresh! Friendly family type staff.,Reasonable prices. Diner feel to the place. Nice outdoor patio. Been here several times and for takeout as well. Never disappointing. read more

Shawarma King - Hummus and grape leaves. Yum. - Middle Eastern Near Me - Houston, Texas

Yummy food and they give you a lot! Couldn't finish my plate. Also the patio outside is adorable read more

Shawarma King - Middle Eastern Near Me - Houston, Texas

We ordered beef shawarmas, falafel and tabouleh and everything tasted great. We sat in the patio which was really nice. The only caveat is that the prices are not listed on the board, so you don't really know what the check is gonna be till you actually pay. Also, their customer service is a little too casual for our taste but other than that the place is very good! read more

Horrid place. The layout is lousy. You cannot easily & comfortably get to the restroom or order. It makes things worse because thee bussers are also trying to get through the same two foot wide space. I had the mixed grill plate & threw away most of the food. The beef was dry & the chicken was even drier. The fried cauliflower was cold. The rice was good & the lady fingers were great. If you are handicapped, don't bother going here. You cannot get a wheelchair into the place & can't move around with a walker. One of my friends came in with her service dog - an Italian greyhound. She was told several times to leave - between being repeatedly bumped by the busser, clattering plates, three different people yelling at her & her dog screaming in panic, she never got to explain well that he was a service animal. For those who don't know, it is against federal law to deny service. It is also against Texas state law with the person denying service facing jail time & the business being fined. Look it up, Schwarma King & be glad the police weren't called - only because we were too tired from travelling & being a convention vendor to deal with it. read more

If you have not tried their food, well you are missing out on amazing food + customer service. My husband and I decided to cater from them for our daughter's birthday party instead of serving the adults pizza we wanted something different and that is exactly what we got! From the beginning when I reached out to them about catering and all the details, they were so nice, polite and honest about everything. Not only did our guest love the concept, it was a super hit!!!! Food arrived fresh, hot and on time. Super professional in every way. Customized my order to the amount of guest we had and made sure all of the foods were enough for everyone to enough. If you are planning on having a small gathering or large gathering, you should cater from them!! For the amount of food, the quality, service/delivery.... VERY reasonably priced!!!!!!!!!!!! read more

It seems it's got bad here I drive 18 miles thru bad traffic to get Felafel and shawarma I stopped ordering the felafel it's not done inside and burnt outside now the shawarma have 4 pieces of meat wow I guess I going to Phoenicia from now the old owner had it better sorry guys read more

This is supposed to be my family's favorite place for shawarma sandwich but lately, a week ago, their shawarma is dry and chicken is hard to chew. So sad because my son said that they have changed a lot. Change for the worse. read more

The falafel sandwiches, among a handful of their other dishes, should be illegal they're so good. I do not know what they do, but their food is just insanely good. There's no other place that compares for mediterranean/greek food in Houston, except maybe Cafe Lili - for different reasons. Parking is complicated and service is sometimes reasonably slow (it's not fast food, but it's worth the wait). Kudos to this place for being one of Houston's best FOR SURE! read more

I used to be a regular here when I lived closer, so it had been at least a year since I've eaten there. The food is better than I remembered (which I liked a lot) and they seem to have renovated the place somewhat too. Basically, if you like middle eastern food, this place is good. They have a little bit of everything, so you can eat Persian kebabs or Lebanese tabouli. Their food is very tasty, although from memory it's better to get there earlier rather than later because their side dishes are there until they are finished. Their potatoes, for example, are excellent when fresh. I've had them after they appeared to be older in the past and they were dry and terrible, so ymmv. The only other ding here is the cleanliness. They have a place for you to get toasted pita bread from to dip into whatever you are eating, but the plates they had to put the bread on were not all washed very well. Overall, I like this place, but I can get better. Still, it's a solid place for middle eastern food, and I'll try to go back more often. read more

David and I came here a very long time ago and was very disappointed. At that time, it was right after I had my taste of shawarma's at an amazing place in Canada and we were on the hunt for good shawarma's in Houston. Unfortunately at that first visit, we came late at night where the meat wasn't even on the spit. So it was not a good experience. This time was much better. Tender meat, asked for extra garlic sauce. Still not up to par with Canada, but good enough =) Service was great, very attentive and friendly. Will definitely be back. read more

Food is EXCELLENT and service is very good. Been looking for a good shawarma sandwich and was hesitant at first because usually the meat is chewy. The guy taking our order assured me I wouldn't regret my decision and sure enough. I did not! It was soo good and the meat was tender. I would go there again and highly recommend others to try their food. read more

Very tasty beef shawarma and very reasonably priced as well. The garlic sauce and hummus are good too

The shawarma is very good, but so is everything on the menu. The staff is friendly and very helpful, especially to new customers. If you like middle eastern "fast food", this is the place. Hummus, falafel, kefta kebab, shawarma, lamb shanks, so many things... Yum! read more

Great place at the corner of Hillcroft and Richmond. Incredibly friendly staff with all smiles. I had the falafel sandwich and hummus with pita and all were great. They have an outside patio with meditation/Japanese flutes, a fountain, plants and fans to circulate cool air. Oh, and the patio is covered. How cool is that? Great place to bring a date. Just an excellent experience. read more

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Delicious flavor !! Got the kefta kabob and it was amazing comes with 3 kabob and 3 sides a lot of food for $9. Service was great everyone very friendly. Can't wait to go back to try something else read more

Shawarma King - Yumm - Middle Eastern Near Me - Houston, Texas

I have been coming to this Shawama King on Hillcroft for years but it is now under new management. The food hasn't changed but the new owner isn't very nice. In the past couple of months that I've been in here, the new owner has been there and he's not very friendly. He watches over the every item bring rung up at the register as if customers are going to steal. The last owner always greeted his customers with a smile and would check on us after ordering, he was so nice and friendly that we always wanted to come back. We don't even get a thank you for coming from this new owner. The young guys who work behind the counter are always nice but we miss the previous owner!! read more

I stopped by to get some lunch to go after finding them on Yelp. I looked at their menu online and decided I would get the half chicken, half beef shawarma sandwich. I went in, looked at what they had and saw some lamb shank on the food warmer. I decided to go for that with some rice and potatoes. There was a mix up with what I wanted and what I thought the special was. She started topping the rice with the special instead of the lamb shank. When I told her that wasn't what I wanted, she gave me an attitude and rolled her eyes at me all because I accidentally made a mistake thinking that the lamb shank was the special. It was my first time there...give me a break! The portion was huge. I only finished half the lamb. I'm really not a lamb person, but it all depends on how it's made. This lamb shank turned out to be better than I expected. I probably won't get it again...too much lamb gets to me. After reading good things about the chicken shawarma, I do want to go back and try it out, but the service makes me rethink that. Maybe one day..... read more

Some of my favorite shawarma in town. The shawarma sandwich has a delicious garlic tahini sauce. It's very filling and cheap. And the chicken has a wonderful cinnamon and cardamom flavor. The hummus is very creamy. I think they use a sesame oil on the hummus but whatever it is, it's really good. The plates are great too and a lot of food. Oh and I LUV their hot sauce. It's hot - but not a heat that stays long enough to burn your palate. The staff is very friendly and they've updated the place since my last visit. The outdoor patio looks really nice with new cushions on the chairs and fans. They repainted the inside, hung new window treatments and whatnot. It's still has that hole-in-the-wall vibe, but now it has a bit fancier look. read more

Above average shawarma at a reasonable price. I really wish there was a sexy solid shawarma joint somewhere within these 50 states and I was hoping that with a name like the "shawarma king" this could be the place. The portions are well sized and filling. Between the beef and the chicken shawarmas, I would recommend the chicken as the beef is just not tender enough and tends to be tough. This is also the reason that a real shawarma is never made out of beef but out of lamb, but now I am just being nitpicky. bottom line: cheap shawarma joint, where the sides outshine the meat sometimes. The hummus is good. Chicken shawarma is the way to go. p.s. if you are ever in london and want to know what a real shawarma is meant to be like. grab a "mix, extra spicy" from beirut express. read more

So I took a couple of my older friends from Unity Church a block away after the service on the Sunday before the 4th of July to this place, having been here a couple of times before. I wanted to give them more of an authentic cheap mid.eastern food and atmosphere (rather than going to other alternatives that are more upscale or trendy looking) I got my usual beef Shawarma and 3 sides and we had a similar plate and 2 chicken kebobs. I know for fact that my friends liked their chicken kabobs and those plates indeed looked very delish. On the shawarma, I still was disappointed to get the older stuff from the back instead of a fresh cut from the roll on the machine. Although it was a tad bit stale obviously, the taste was as usual and just okay. nothing incredibly special, and to some extent a lil saltier than before. pitas were not fresh at all and our food took a good 20 minutes to come out even when we were the only customers in the store. The manager/owner lady kept coming to our table as is her practice to make sure everything was okay which is highly appreciated in a joint like this, but kept repeating "delicious, huh?" in a subliminal brainwashing type of way which got a lil annoying towards the end. ONE SIDE NOTE: PARKING is not incredibly big or comfortable for maneuvering for the unwashed hands behind the wheel, be advised! read more

Shawarma King - figured this may help, valid as of March 2011 - Middle Eastern Near Me - Houston, Texas

Writing this review 3:00am from the restroom... while i recall what all i ate this morning. Pros: its cheap, service was above par, halal(musim equivalent for kosher). Cons: the beef shawarma taste is almost authentic to the real deal, which has fat drizzling from top. But for some reason my platter was cold. The chicken was dry. what could have been an awesome dish ended up more like a rushed food truck version of shawarma. After ordering from the front, the employee asked for 3 sides i opted for baba ghanouj, hummus and kibbeh. for extras got cheese and meat fattayar(pies). The plate momentarily disappeared back in the kitchen (to nuke it in microwave?). No pita bread was served, the server later on asked if i needed some and brought over pitas that were cold, dry and almost chips like in texture. I decided to give them another shot at warm food and ordered chicken kabob skewers. Could tell they went straight from freezer to the grill (inside was cold while outside was charcoal) . Baba ghanouj is from a can, so is the hummus... no fun. Overall for the place is fair on the price, But did not live up to my expectations when it comes to food temperature and authentic cooking (not hard to make fresh batch of hummus and baba ghanouj). Its unfortunate but most halal joints run like this.. dont know why i was all excited. read more

A few friends hyped this place up for me, and I'm glad I checked it out. Their chicken shawarma sandwich was very good compared to some of the other places I've been. The play by play, you ask? Started out a little disappointing, and with each bite, it got better and better to the point in which I was picking at the wrapper with my hands. Thumbs up. Verdict? Worth checking out. I don't know if I would recommend driving 10 miles for it, but if you do, you won't be let down. Seating is spread out, and there's an outdoor option. Food is cheap... $5-6 for a delicious sandwich? Sold! Service is friendly and awesome. Parking is so-so. A lot depends on when you go... Thursday night? No problem! read more

Nice food , very nice service , The owner is very friendly , I love this place the shawarma beef or chicken is the best in town! And the humus the best read more

Shawarma King - Middle Eastern Near Me - Houston, Texas

I was invited to have dinner here with a friend one night, because he raved about how great the Shawarma was here. Honestly, I've had better Shawarma and this wasn't it. The ordered the Chicken and 3 sides, but the chicken was so dry. The Hummus was creamy and tasty. I think that was the best thing here. The spicy roasted potatoes weren't so spicy. In fact, the texture was hard, indicating they've been sitting out for awhile. The rice was also dry and hard to swallow at times. It was probably the fact that we were dining an hour before closing, who knows. I'll probably give this location another shot during the day, when it's busier. Other than that, the workers at the location were very nice and the price was cheap. read more

This is a great hole in the wall. It seems like a great place to take a date as well. It's not fancy yet not ugly, more like comfy arabic decor. I loveeeeeee the potatoes and I substitute the sauce in the shwarma wrap for humus instead. Everything looks yummy and a great pregnant lady craving for me. Just remember ladies, no tabouli while pregnant. read more

Shawarma King - His and her dishes. I believe I couldn't fit his meat in the pic - Middle Eastern Near Me - Houston, Texas

Love the food, especially the kibbeh bi Laban (kibbeh in yogurt sauce) on Wednesdays, rice, hummus, and salad. My husband typically orders a half chicken with rice/hummus/potatoes - also tasty. They have decent Shawerma and Arabic desserts. Atmosphere is nice and quiet and the line/wait for food is never too long. All of the employees are nice and amenable. My only complaint is that the owner, Samir, is kind of an ass. read more

Shawarma King - Middle Eastern Near Me - Houston, Texas

I wish I could give it 0 starts. As a middle eastern I have grown up eating this food, So trust me when I said it is the most flavorless food you would ever eat. The lady who brought our food didn't know the difference between Hummus and baba ghanugh!! She also yelled at me for correcting her!! She also yelled at the other guy working there right in front me!! Aside from the experience, the food tasted horrible. Would recommend this place to my worst enemy. read more

Best chicken shawarma I've had in years! We were in town for a few days and were so happy to have found this place. Authentic Arabic shawarma. Yum. read more

A nice cosy place with outdoor seating. We had their sandwich with potatoes and sandwich with salad combo. The beef kabob was flavorful with spice, the lamb kabob we were informed requires a wait time of 10 minutes. We were not expecting that the lamb was not so tender here. You can pay after you have eaten which is good if you order add-ons like we did for hummus and baklava; we would recommend the lady finger. read more

Wow, that's all Wow. I ordered both the beef and chicken shawarma. They were awesome!Super friendly staff, clean restrooms. If you've never had shawarma go here! read more

So sad, I don't know what happened to this place, but it's definitely not what it used to be. Terrible all around!!

I used to love this place and eat here at least once a week. New owners have raised prices, lowered portions, and ruined The old Shawarma King for me. If you want to do well in Houston, take care of your customers. I don't need your new skimpy meal options dictated to me like I'm stupid to expect my regular, good service. I am now shopping around for a new place for the first time in years. I've heard House of Kabob is great and close by on Westhiemer. I am done with SK. read more