It was extremely hot inside the toilets were dirty as hell. And the shawarma wasn't that good. On the other hand the staff was pretty welcoming and friendly. This place is overrated, i had better shawarmas elsewhere believe me read more

My Libyan friend took me there. It is good taste! I really like their dressing on veggies and the creamy sauce in the sandwich. The two round fries in this picture is a bit salty for me, but worthwhile to try it! read more

Shawarma Palace - Middle Eastern Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Palace? Um, no. This place was a festering slum, filthy with food all over the floor and infants crawling all over the table tops. I would not go back if you paid me. Quantity is not always the answer. read more

I tried the chicken shawarma wrap, got a side rice and a coke for $14. While the chicken shawarma was delicious, I found the portion size of the wrap small especially considering is was $7 with tax. For some reason they were unable to give me a combo and paid $5 for a portion of rice that was mediocre tasting without any sauce on it. Overall, the wrap was good however, I do not believe it was worth the price and would much rather go to a different shawarma place in the city that charges significantly less for a comparable savouriness with bigger portion. Overrated in my opinion. read more

Best shawarmas in Ottawa! Get the chicken shawarma platter and split it between two people or keep it for lunch the next day. Fast service, incredible proportions, and garlicky goodness! Great for take-out. read more

Shawarma Palace - Chicken shawarma plate - to go - Middle Eastern Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

I moved from Ottawa to Toronto, and it's sad to say but this hands down is the best shawarma place I've been to. Nothing in Toronto compares. Was just here last week on my recent visit and it's still holding up!! Great portions as well! read more

A group of 6 of us arrived in Ottawa and this place was recommended for lunch. It's a fantastic place for shawarma and if you end up choosing this restaurant, please dine in (the servings are generous for dine-in). The chicken shawarma platter, which is one of their most popular dishes, can serve two-three people for approximately $14. It comes with pita, salad, the shawarma (chicken breast marinated with our house recipe, stands on broiler and thinly cut), and there were still leftovers despite the fact that we were starving when we started! I'd definitely come back if I'm in Ottawa again. read more

This place was terrible! Beyond overrated! Awful customer service (all about speed, don't listen, mess up orders.) Toronto schawerma is ten times better! The garlic potatoes were very good! Other than that, it sucked. read more

Shawarma Palace - Microscopic Schawerma. - Middle Eastern Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

This is easily the best shawarma in Ottawa. I used to come here all the time when I lived in Ottawa and whenever I come back I make a point of paying them a visit. The picture says it all. The portions are massive, the meat is well seasoned and everything is very tasty, especially the garlic sauce. Highly recommended. read more

Shawarma Palace - Middle Eastern Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Food here is good, staff is so-so. They have a good amount of seating, but the overall quality of the restaurant doesn't compare at all to the Bank St. location - which is much more modern looking. BUT - the shawarma itself was delicious. One thing I don't like is they only have 1 size sandwich - a small - and I have to get 2 of them to have a good sized meal - I would appreciate if they introduced a larger size for under $10 - that would be the beat value. Overall, any of the 3 Shawarma Palace's in Ottawa are a MUST HAVE if you are in the city - they are the best shawarma's I've ever eaten and I have to have it every time I go to Ottawa for a weekend. read more

Amazing. So tasty. Came in and lucked out without a line and got a table..but 10min later..place was packed and a line of 15people waiting for food. Portions are huge. Flavors amazing...just a but salty! Removed a star for salt factor We mixed the beef and chicken shwarma. Nice fresh salad comes with it.potatoes are really nice and seasoned. Plan to share. One platter feeds 2-3 people easily..Parking behind restaurant. This is now our go-to place in Ottawa for Shwarma. Hands down!! read more

Shawarma Palace - Mix chicken and beef shwarma. - Middle Eastern Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

See all

One of my friend recommended this place Nice and quick, good taste tried there chicken wrap

Every time I'm in Ottawa, I make a trip to Shawarma Palace. Nothing in Toronto is quite as good. I was visiting friends in Ottawa over the weekend, and of course I stopped here for lunch. It was just as great as I had remembered. I had the chicken shawarma sandwich. They are generous with the portion - my pita was stuffed with fresh, hot meat (at some places the meat stays on the spit for a long time and gets very dry) and all the usual toppings. I like the fact that the sandwich is not drippy with sauce, which some shawarmas are (and it makes the pita soggy). The garlic sauce is to die for - so thick and creamy. I got a side order of the roasted potatoes just so I could further enjoy the garlic sauce. At the end, I was full and extremely happy. I will say that the place itself isn't the nicest - it's noisy and they don't clear the tables that frequently, but that doesn't deter me. I would highly recommend. The food is reasonably priced and it will not disappoint. read more

Without a doubt the very best shawarma place in Ottawa. They have spoiled me, I can't eat at any other shawarma places because in comparison they are trash. Most places the meat is dry and they have to drench it with sauce, but here the chicken is incredibly moist so that the meat really stands alone in taste. Definitely get a plate, you wont be able to eat it all but the food is all so good that a sandwich just isn't enough. read more

Let me rave about this hidden gem in Ottawa because I'd like EVERYONE to know that THIS was THE go-to Lebanese shawarma spot on many multiple occasions during my college years after nights of winter-clubbing and gambling or anytime I just wanted a quick bite for that matter. Lucky for me, I happened to live right across from the best shawarma in the downtown Ottawa area! Sadly, I have searched all over and tried many others in the US and have not found anything in comparison to Shawarma Palace thus far. I'd go back up to Ottawa JUST to eat here! Their garlic sauce is UNLIKE any other and that's the honest truth! This is the only place I have seen that is family-run with their own grandfather or grand uncle of some sort ACTUALLY sitting at the table and peeling loads of fresh garlic. I mean, C'MON SON! I've witnessed him do this on many of my walk-ins. Anyways, their garlic sauce is money and if you're smart enough, you only know to go to SP because they are the best. Note: Anybody who knows of this place knows you will wake up with crazy garlic breath in the morning no matter how much you load up on mouthwash. It's THAT powerful so first-timers brace yourself! Hahaha. You have the choice of beef, chicken, or lamb with many different toppings to load up on like horseradish pieces, lettuce, etc. You can have it in the form of a sandwich or better yet ask for the platter. You get a massive amount of rice, salad, and a side of your choice. With me being a huge potato lover, naturally I always picked a side of roasted potatoes (pretty much like home fries) with garlic sauce (of course). However, I usually went for the chicken shawarma sandwich because I loved how after they wrap your pita, they would pop it on top of the grill for a couple minutes making your pita on the outside crispy and the inside nice and hot. GAH!, I am salivating just thinking of how delightful their chicken shawarma sandwiches were! I wish FedEx could overnight me a couple of sandwiches and deliver them to me =*( Damn!, I just never knew how good I had it 'til I crossed the border!! Their portions are generous, and both service and food are consistently on point AND best of all, they were open 'til 2-3am in the morning so it was also the perfect late-night spot . Shawarma Palace never fails and continues to be #1 on my list. =) read more

4.5/5 As per other reviews, the shawarma here is exceptional. I think that because it's so busy, the meat from the spit is always fresh; but we had a side order of kebabs and those weren't bad either. Not usually a big fan of big shawarma platters, but a chicken one between two people is totally doable. Love the hummus, love the garlic sauce; nothing really to complain about, foodwise. We were prepared with how busy it was, so that was a non-issue too. I found that the line moves pretty fast, actually. We also managed to snag some seats, so that was a bonus (although note that most tables don't get cleaned right away). Only hiccup was not being able to hear when our kebabs were ready, so it sat there for a bit before we finally came to ask, not realizing it had been called out ten minutes previous. If we're ever in the mood for shawarma again, we'll definitely make sure we make the trip here! Believe the hype, I guess. read more

The heavy turnover allows this place to offer some of the freshest and hottest Middle Eastern food I've ever had in North America. The portions are humongous and the plates (one is plenty for two people) include a nice variety of sides. The shawarma was flavourful and not dried out. Even the starches (rice and potatoes) are well seasoned and not left to languish and congeal in a steam tray for hours on end. The salsit tum (garlic sauce) is delicious but not crazy pungent -- I found the one at Shawarma King to be stronger (which I like better). The long lines move pretty quickly. It's more of a cafeteria than a restaurant, with its somewhat tatty furniture and murals that look like a 7th grade art project. The décor coupled with the noise level and amount of traffic don't make it a place you want to linger for a long time lost in meandering conversations sharing remembrances of things past. Perfectly fine if you just want to tuck into an enormous heap of food. My only disappointment is that the falafel balls were not cooked to order, but just heated up in the microwave. They were still good, but I like mine fresh out of the fryalator wherever possible. I realize not a lot of places are able to do this, but it would be nice. read more

To pronounce something as vulgar is to make a judgement on its subjective excessive nature. For instance, any house in suburban Canada that has a hint of a Greek column in a decorative or practical function is vulgar. Food, too, can be vulgar. The snobbery that most middle-class North Americans imbue upon the slightest difference in taste between bistros is vulgar. Garlic can be vulgar, but often, it is a fine vulgarity. In almost an excess, garlic is fine. My girlfriend shaves raw garlic onto pasta, asparagus, or anything. She makes me eat raw cloves of garlic when I get sick. Most of the time, I get better, and for the sake of the relationship, I give full credit to the garlic cloves. Shawarma Palace puts so much garlic on their shawarma that it makes it darn near impossible to eat. This is probably the point of shawarma, but then, I guess I don't like shawarma. I mean, you are eating from a meat cylinder that has been sodomized by a hot rod all day. That cannot be good. The fact that this is the #1 rated eatery in Ottawa sort of speaks for itself, I guess. It's not even cheap. The potatoes were small, over-cooked, and soggy with oil. The veggies, best as I can recall, were fine. The meat, too, was very greasy. Again, this might be the point of shawarma. I realize that as I write this review I am incredibly out of my depth in regards Levantine Arab meat preparation, although I am certain that you can get it better from some of the places on Rideau. read more

Anything and Everything i never knew i always wanted but was always lacking about Shawarma until now! I grew in Los Angeles, CA. We have Armenians selling shawarma for days.... but damn they do it absolutely NO justice. Leave it to Arabs and Lebanese to bring me to the light, the end of my journey, to the real deal HOW YO TUMMY FEEL? My wife is from Ottawa so when my brother in-law asked, "Have you tried Shawarma Palace?" he has it all the time as his go-to meal. And me thinking ive already had it so many times thought... fuggit, Late night munchies... shawarmas always a good choice. BUT MANNN OH MANNNNNNN!!!!!! I didnt realize the only way Shawarma is good is; 1. There are 3-4 5 gallon-barrel sized meat rolls roasting behind them. 2. The husbands are taking your orders in the line. 3. They are scooping your potatoes, rice and hummus and flinging it into your containers without looking. 4. Theyre slicing meat by the shovel and then shoveling them onto your plate/box. 5. The order taker man is squeezing flavored olive oil, or tziki sauce from a plastic bottle positioned over his head and into every box/plate on their food line WITHOUT LOOKING and its hitting the meat and sides perfectly. 6. you pay his wife or mom at the end of the counter. 7. Soda must be in refrigerators next to the cash. This is the ONLY way to shawarma. Its not pretty, and its PERFECT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! read more

I had dinner at Shawarma Palace while staying in Ottawa for business. I went around 7.30pm and was pleased to see it was busy and processing orders quickly. Always a good sign! The guys at the counter were friendly and efficient - fun to watch them working. I ordered the Beef plate, which came with rice, potatoes, hummus, two pitas, salad, garlic sauce and of course, the beef. It was 12.99CAD and worth every penny. Easily three servings of delicious, piping-hot food. In all, little to complain about. If you want shawarma, this is a great place. Don't go expecting anything else - they do this one thing very well! read more

Shawarma Palace is more than a 5 out of 5 - It's a BENCHMARK. This place defines the cuisine and if you haven't tried it, you must. Do take note, once you go Palace....PSYCHE! No lame witticisms or obscure wordery will do when the simple fact of the matter is that Shawarma Palace is a 100% must try establishment. This is easily in my top five spots for Ottawa. read more

It was just great. The hummus & garlic sauce was deliciously tangy (after I told my husband that hummus was made of chickpeas, he said, "I'm uncomfortable with how much I'm enjoying this hummus" as he thinks chickpeas are for vegetarians), the beef and the chicken were tender and tasty, the salad was just right, the garlic potatoes were splendid, and the pickled who-knows-what vegetables were good. We were in Ottawa for three nights, and ate at the Palace the first two (and I wish we had eaten at it for the third night, instead of burgers at The Works... those were very bland). The first night we went there the line was really, really long - it went down from counter to front wall and back again, but I figured this must be a good sign! And the wait wasn't terrible, and the food was DEFINITELY worth it. So if you go there and there's a line, just stick with it. You will be happy that you did! Thank you, Shawarma Palace, for deeeelicious food :) read more

Shawarma palace is the BEST shawarma I've EVER had! I've been all over the states and this tops any experience anywhere else. My gf has been talking this place up for months after I was impressed with Paramount in the GTA. SP takes it to another level! Couldn't agree more with reviewer S.K. After a long car ride from Buffalo (5.5 hrs) we were famished and headed straight to SP. We ordered the mixed platter and let me warn first by saying its more than enough for two people. Watching the man behind the counter assemble this plate was akin to watching a skilled artist at work, adding layer on layer of depth. I didn't know you could get so much on a plate! This monstrosity contains the following items: Choice of brown or white rice Potatoes with a heaping dollop of Toum (garlic paste) Chicken shawarma Beef shawarma with a squirt of tahini Pickled vegetables Hummus with olive oil Salad Two pieces of pita Tips: 1) Ask for an extra plate per person to prevent spilling the big plate. 2) Show your student ID at the register to get a discount. At $12 a plate it's a great value for two meals. I don't know what they put in their garlic paste (crack?), but it's amazing. read more

So this place has been highly recommended to me, and while I was waiting for an appointment at the optometrist I decided to check it out since I can't get enough Shawarma lately. This place is sooo busy, it was PACKED at about 4PM on a Monday. There seemed to be a lot of regulars talking to the staff. They had 3 spits turning with delicious glistening Shawarma meat, none of it looked like it has been turning for too long. See, in my other reviews I mentioned I hate when you go into a shawarma shop and it's completely dead, so the spit has been turning around and around without anyone shaving the meat off so it just becomes burnt and disgusting. NOT HERE! Anyway I got a shawarma plate, with sweet sauce and garlic sauce. I never tried the sweet sauce so I took a risk, but it goes REALLY well with the garlic sauce! The two mixed together and it was a delicious combination. The meat was tender, and soft like I was hoping. The garlic potatoes were the best I've had, they didn't microwave them, so they weren't soggy. They were crispy and the garlic sauce was soooo garlicky and on the potatoes it was one of the tastiest things I've eaten. Because of the huge amount of people who are here, the food is the freshest I've ever eaten at a shawarma shop and it made all the difference. Now, if only they had the spicy sauce, I would probably live there. read more

The lone star reflects the un-esteembable place that the "Esteemed Vegetarian Platter" occupies in their menu. I walked in late afternoon on a Saturday with a cavernous appetite and a hankering for vegetables. The menu described the Esteemed Vegetarian Platter very attractively. However, what was described on the menu and what was on my plate were universes apart. The vegetables on my plate had become cold and limp in the Paleozoic Era; the broccoli, eggplant and cauliflower were just plain greasy and plain sad. True to the other reviews, there was plenty of food on my plate with the tabouli salad and the hummus being the only saving grace. This place ain't for those wishing to nosh on the green side of things. If a massive plate of meat is your thing, then walk right in. read more

I have eaten a lot of shawarma and kabobs, and this place is hands down one of the best I've ever had. The decor is nothing special - it's a little ghetto actually, and the restaurant is a bit expensive for the casual atmosphere, but the food more than makes up for it. I had a chicken kabob plate. If you get a kabob, they throw them on the grill immediately. The potatoes, the yogurt flavored dip, the garlic sauce, the rice and the grape leaves were all excellent! The portions are huge and sharing is definitely the way to go. When I went, we also had excellent service - the guy mixed both brown and white rices so I could try both, and threw in some pita bread for free as well. Obviously, you can't count on that, but it was a nice touch! Open til 2am! read more

Individuals travelling for the first time to Ottawa will quickly notice the abundance of Middle Eastern cuisine establishments available in the city. From Shawarma Kings to Shawarma Queens - the true royalties lie at Shawarma Palace located on Rideau Street right in the heart of downtown. Prices are reasonable for the quantity of food that is served and to this day... I still struggle to clean off my Shawarma Chicken plate. The entire dish is rich in eastern spices and the potatoes are cooked to perfection and never dry. However, I believe that Shawarma Palace's signature garlic sauce earns the throne. It is thick, creamy and boastful in its garlic and lemon ingredients. The establishment itself is worthy of a royal upgrade, but the food is enough to ensure you remain loyal. read more

When I had my first bite of chicken shawarma from here, my eyes lit up like a little kid in a commercial. I can only vouch for the chicken shawarma, since it's so exquisite that I'm hesitant to try anything else and miss an opportunity for transcendent chicken-garlic flavored bliss. Everything in the styrofoam box that constitutes the platter is flawless, especially the tangy pickled turnips. Their hummus is ideally balanced - neither too creamy, too lemony, nor too garlicky. The platter is enough food for three meals: one gluttonous meal immediately upon arriving home with The Box, and two normal sized ones the next day. Sometimes the line is long. Too many people know about this place. I take everything back! This is the worst shawarma in town! Go elsewhere. Six stars for fantastic chicken shawarma, minus one for environmentally unfriendly packaging. read more

I could not believe the amount of food in one platter. We had enough food for 2 ppl and them some. Food was delicious. Got the mixed meat platter read more

We stopped at this place for a quick lunch before we head home.Its a small joint with a very limited menu . We ordered for chicken sandwiches and shawarma wrap.Both were delicious . There was a hot sauce on the side which was great as I like my food spicy . I would definitely come back here next time I am in the city. read more

Great shawarma plates, TERRIBLE SERVICE on 22 April 2021. My friend went to get a shawarma plate for him, and a wrap and grilled vegetables side for me. We have both been here many times and this day was the first time that he had encountered (and I had heard of) a particularly rude server. First, the server rushed my friend even though he was not being slow/indecisive since he knew exactly what he had wanted, because he always gets the same thing and I had wrote down my order for him. Second, the server made my wrap WITHOUT THE SPECIFIED SAUCES INSIDE because he claimed "we do not put them in the wraps here", and instead put the sauces into containers--even after my friend specifically said to put them in the wrap. So yes, I received--for the first time anywhere in Ottawa--a dry wrap. It's almost laughable if we had not paid money for it. And this place (and every other place that I've been to) puts by default all the sauces inside the wraps. Thirdly, the server--again, unlike other servers at this and other shawarma restaurants--did not first ask the customer, my friend, which type of rice he wanted. And when my friend corrected him, the server acted visibly annoyed. Fourthly, when my friend reached down the order line, near the cash registers, where the grilled vegetables are, and asked for an order of the vegetables, the server snapped at my friend. The server basically scolded my friend by saying he should have order at the beginning, and that he should get back in line if he wants the vegetables. My friend, not exactly a push-over type of guy, firmly told the server that that was not going to happen. It isn't my friend's problem that the order line is set up such that it suggests you tell the servers what you want for customisation (of your sandwich or plate, if that is part of your order) as you go down the order line. So if they place the grilled vegetables at the end of the order line, of course a customer would ask for them when he/she reaches it--especially if the side is only part of an order of mains. I myself have in the past ordered vegetables when I reached the cash register, and it had never been a problem. Finally, when asked to add some hummus onto the vegetables, the server put the hummus in a container, again as a side. And charged it as a side. Without first telling my friend. Again, in my past experience, they did not do this here. My friend isn't someone who becomes displeased easily, nor is he the kind of customer who expects servers to kiss his feet. He merely expects people to do their jobs properly and at the very least not be explicitly rude (which is NOT the even the same thing as being polite). But because of this server, he nearly walked out without finishing the order. But he isn't a pr*ck so he paid the $40 for the order and for the experience of having someone piss him off. So whoever it was working as a server on Thursday, 22 April 2021 at approximately 18:45, congratulations, you have lost a frequent customer. And if you don't check your contemptible attitude then do not be surprised if you will lose more. And maybe pay more attention to your training because my dry shawarma was a disgrace to the usually great food of this restaurant. read more

I'm not sure if I've ever eaten a shawarma while sober so I can't say with certainty that it's good but I did enjoy the garlic laden hunger killer here. Locals say it's the best although there is some debate. Bit of a walk away from the Market but still good. read more

Given the hype I'd heard surrounding this place over the 5 years before I tried it, I suppose a letdown was inevitable. Its popularity is its own detriment, given the relatively small amount of square footage. Expect long lines and plenty of bump and grind (not the good kind) to get in, eat your food, and get out. The food is fine; not significantly better than the other shawarma I've tried in Ottawa. Try it, but go in with lower expectations than I had. One strong thumbs down for SP is the hefty surcharge on Interac. Given that they're a bit on the pricier side of shawarma, I'm not sure why they feel the need to ding us again. On the evening I went, they screwed up my order and rather than accept the mistake, they dinged me again to run the transaction for the forgotten item. Short sighted on their part. They saved themselves 50 cents, but lost any return business from me and mine. read more

There is no better Shawarma There is ALWAYS a line up (but it's fast) There is always friendly staff serving you There is always a satisfied customer when you eat at the palace! Seriously, if you're in the great Ottawa region and you want Shawarma, make your way to this place. My parents will take the 30 minute drive into town just for their sandwiches, I bring back plates to Montreal because they are hands down THE BEST. read more

If you get their platters, then you get the best bang for your buck. However, the shawarma sandwiches are very small and not worth the time and money you spend. I would recommend this place to everyone as the best and the only authentic shawarma place in Ottawa and nearby areas. But only get their shawarma plate dinners and NOT the sandwiches. Platters are huge and they do NOT cheap out on meat. On the other side the sandwiches are small and expensive. read more

Shawarma Palace - Middle Eastern Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

See all

I went to this place around 6pm on Sunday and had to wait approximately 15-20 min in line to receive my order and food. I got the chicken shawarma wrap for $5.75, which was an extremely reasonable price for the portion! If you get the plate, which is just over $10, the portions are HUGE and it'll probably last you two meals, if not three. My wrap was in a white tortilla (unfortunately no whole wheat options), and filled with ingredients! I would recommend this place to those who are searching for something super filling, but also very affordable! Would come again :) read more

Shawarma Palace - Chicken shawarma wrap - Middle Eastern Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Just wasn't my thing, unfortunately. I prefer my chicken spiced and cut smaller, and I like the pita when it's not split in two and then put back together. The bottom fell out while I was eating my shawarma because of how poorly it was put together. The potatoes are good, but nothing to write home about. The garlic sauce wasn't garlicky enough, I think that's personal taste though, I happen to like a lot of garlic. Won't come back here again when visiting Ottawa. Just wasn't as good as I had read. read more

I was in town for a wedding, and we passed by this place and decided to go there the next day. I've had shawarma from many different countries and from many different places in the states. This place was hands down the best darn chicken shawarma sandwich I ever had. The chicken was tasty and tender and the the price was SUPER reasonable. You can't not go to this place if you're in Ottawa. read more

I was in Ottawa on business and had heard that there was good shwarma to be had. I chatted with a cab driver, learned he was Lebanese, and asked for a shwarma suggestion; he unequivocally recommended this place. Later that day, another Lebanese cab driver corroborated his recommendation. So, I had to go. Absolutely fantastic shwarma -- both beef and chicken are excellent, though I was partial to the beef due to the marinade it was prepared in. This place also gets a lot of traffic which keeps the rotisserie fresh (very important!). Make sure to get the garlic sauce -- it is amazing. I'm pleased to say that I returned and my second experience was as good as my first. Often times, you think a place is good and when you return it doesn't live up to expectations -- not the case here. This is definitely the best shwarma I've had in North America. read more

My meat was burnt and tasted bad. The vegetables were rotten in salad. The rice was hard. The kafta was burnt and had a bad taste. The chicken shawarma platter was dry and hard. Waste of money. I also took a picture of the kafta because of how disgusting it was. read more

Shawarma Palace - Middle Eastern Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario