I had a confusing experience here today. I walked in during business hours (6pm and all 3 of the open signs were on) apon entering, a man approached us to say they are closed. He was also very rude about it. What made it more unclear is that less than a few minutes later I was able to call in an order and it was accepted without any mention of closing or switching to takeout-only. After seeing some of the other reviews I see I've dodged a bullet! The place also had a very unpleasant smell. read more

When we first moved to this area, we tried to eat here but it was closed. While shopping in the plaza, we decided to finally give it a shot. After placing our order, we could hear the microwave in the kitchen. Kind of disappointing as I was hoping for some authentic Persian food. The Koobideh kabob was very chewy, I only ate a couple bites but couldn't finish. I will say the falafel was really flavorful but not as crispy as I would have like and probably the only thing I kind of enjoyed. The tah dig tasted more stale than crunchy. read more

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We've been customers for years and still love this place! The food is always delicious and the owner is friendly and attentive. Just a few nights ago I ordered and arrived way ahead of the time given. He was concerned I was upset at the wait, which was only a few minutes and entirely my fault! I reassured him I would be back and he was so appreciative. Small local businesses like shish kabob cafe are what makes katy a great place to live! Give them a try!! read more

Informal place. The food is good and authentic. The customers seem to be long term customers. With the prices going up, he's maintained his quality which is a plus. Many restaurants deal with it with reduced quality, portions, etc. not here. Keep it up. read more

Food is never a disappointment. Service is fast and staff so very friendly! Always love to support local small businesses.

The food is always mouth-wateringly flavorful and simply yummy, with a variety of wonderful meats. The rice is exceptional, especially if you ask them to add zeresk (barberries). I regret that there apparently weren't enough requests for the marvelous tabbouleh, but the shirazi salad is always a perfectly seasoned substitute. Furthermore, service is prompt and the owner is wonderfully friendly and welcoming. The decor and overall ambiance is definitely Persian, but comfy and unpretentious. All in all, this is one of my favorite places to eat in all of western Harris County. read more

The food is fresh and authentic. So delicious. I can't wait to go back. I really liked the lady who served us. So sweet and sociable. The plane is very humble, yet clean. Not a bad ambiance, just a mom and pop place. read more

Food was undone and had hair in it, also the customer service was very bad he was very mean. When I walked in it was an ok setting lots of music in the background. To conclude it was a bad experience never going back again. read more

Great small restaurant in the Katy area. Meats are Juicy and very flavorful. Restaurant never seems busy so getting food was very quick. Would come by here if looking for something quick while your significant other shops in the nearby stores. read more

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NOTE THAT MOST OF THEIR GOOD REVIEWS ARE YEARS OLD! This place is not good and their food is clearly old. We arrived shortly after 11 in the morning so everything should have been fresh. We placed a to-go order in the restaurant and waited for our food to be "made." The pita was super hard and dry, the hummus went sour by the next morning even though it was in the fridge (definitely not a good sign! I have no idea how old it was by the time they gave it to me), the meat tasted very old. I was fully expecting to get food poisoning after eating here. Never going back and I'd recommend you never go. I should have paid attention as there was no one is the restaurant the whole time we were in there. There are so many better Mediterranean style places! read more

Stopped here for lunch with one of my favorite seniors for lunch because we were craving some Persian food and had an hour to kill before our next appointment. Usually we go to the oldest one in Houston that's been around for ages so fairly or unfairly, we couldn't help but compare the two places as both are cafe style /no frills style restaurants where you order, get the self service cup for a drink, sit down and they bring your food for you. I prefer this style over restaurants that have a waiter, especially for lunch but the vibe wasn't the friendliest. I kind of get it because this is more of a mom and pop type operation where the owner and a small staff do everything but considering the prices are slightly higher than the other place and it wasn't crowded, it could have been more friendly. I ordered a Chelo Kabob (skewered ground meat / rice) and the old guy got his favorite lamb shank and rice. The food itself was very good. The kabob was nice and thick and tasted fresh and tender. The rice was a little too soggy with butter for my taste it didn't stop me from finishing it all. The lamb shank was a bit plain but well cooked. Again, I hate to compare two places together but the there was only one tomato with the kabob and there was no sabzi (table veggies - mint, etc.), not even a wedge of lemon for the water. In the other place, you can just pick a bowl full of the stuff and they come and offer you tea and such. You can't have Persian food without some sabzi on the side. Perhaps they had it if asked for but again, nobody was really around so I didn't want to bother them. Overall, it's a great place for lunch or carryout, so you'd have some nice food. Perhaps my experience with the other stuff was just a misunderstanding so I'll be back when in the area. read more

One of THE BEST places into eat in Katy. Absolutely delicious grilled meats, nan bread and hummus, gyros and chicken shawarma. The owner is always there personally cooking up your dishes to order and making sure everything it too itch. You can taste the love and pride that goes into this food. Hummus is some of the best I have ever had. Favorite dishes include the Chicken Soltani combo plate with grilled chicken and beef kabobs and the chicken shawarma wraps. You will love it! read more

Shish Kabob Cafe - Soltani Combo plate with beef and chicken - Mediterranean Near Me - Houston, Texas

Food is delicious! I'd recommend coming here, the falafel is actually HUGE and delicious. They are so accommodating and sweet. My boyfriend got the lamb gyro plate and it was so flavorful. I'll definitely be coming back. read more

Shish Kabob Cafe - Falafel - Mediterranean Near Me - Houston, Texas

First time here and I don't know what to order. I've been staring in their menu for like 5 mins and ended up ordering Lamb gyro since I wanted to try their version here in Texas. My aunt and uncle both ordered koobideh kabob. Food came out fresh, hot and in large portions. Lamb gyro is absolutely amazing. It's full of flavor and generously portioned for only $5.99. I should've ordered extra garlic sauce lol. Very affordable prices. Service was excellent and quick. The best Lamb gyro I've had in Houston. Not fancy but I love the simplicity of the place. I definitely will be coming back when visiting my family again. Would recommend this place if you're in the area. read more

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Food was ok but the place is tired and so is the staff. I normally stay away from negative reviews but we were not very happy with the lunch food and service. read more

Food was great owner has always been friendly and respectful... Works hard to make everyone happy.. Nice place to be relax and enjoy the day ... Price is fair and was always lots of people for lunch or afternoon delight... He works hard and makes sure you will enjoy... read more

Horrible service, very unfriendly manager/owner gentlemen. It felt like we were imposing on him by being there and there were only 2 other customers at the time and yet he was very courteous to them. Food was bland and boring, both in appearance and flavor (see photo). Very overpriced for the quality. We didn't feel welcome here. Place felt run down. Everything served on Styrofoam. Owner/manager attitude made us extremely uncomfortable. So many other, better Mediterranean cafés to choose from -- ones with fresh food and better attitude. read more

Shish Kabob Cafe - This was our uneventful lunch plate with hummus, rice and overcooked grape leaves served on Styrofoam. - Mediterranean Near Me - Houston, Texas

Alright, well since I live in Minnesota and eat lots of Halal/Middle Eastern food, I just had to try some down in Texas, right? There is nothing like naan and hummus with a bit of rice and meat. And I think we were able to find two places in Texas that we were willing to try that were near by. First, lets just start with the warmth of the food. Heat as in temp. not taste. Which was good. I like my food hot and if the food is hot then you know they made it to order versus just scooping it from a pan like how they do at Chipotle. Next lets talk about the rice. I have had more flavorful rice, however it wasn't terrible. The rice was a bit thinner which I am guessing it is because the ethnicity of the owners and their home style cooking is different then what I have had. Which, keep in mind yall, that isn't a bad thing. But I am just making notes so yall know. It might be different than your typical longer grain that you may eat normally. But it is not by any means bad. Its still good, and cooked well. Now, the meat, seasoned well. Cooked very well. I like my meat pretty flavorful in general, so this was good and the meat was pretty delicious on its own but the rice that was with it was nice to complement and almost mix together when eating. You know that feeling when you eat something by itself and its like.. "Okay.. Cool" And you eat something that compliments it and you're like.. "Well.. holy crap.." yeah that feeling. Lastly, the sauce. MMKAY. Yall know.. Well I at least hope yall know, its all about the sauce.. (At least me. I love sauce.) The sauce that is pictured on my togo order, the white sauce on the gyros. I have no clue what that is. What it is called. It could be garlic lard or all I know. All I know is that IT WAS FREAKING DELICIOUS. No joke. It had yummy garlicy flavor and would literally melt in your mouth. If I could get more of that sauce, I would. Cause it made me eat so much, I went to bed with a food baby and woke up with a baby dump. Bottom line: Yeah, I'll do it again. I ate two togo orders... soo..... read more

Shish Kabob Cafe - Mediterranean Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Quality has dropped since the last time I visited. Shawarma wrap was lettuce, tomatoes, and less than 1/4 lb of chicken. Hardly seasoned. Will not be back read more

What a classic old time favorite of mine . Love the chicken shawarma plate with a side of hummus . Can't go wrong . Always consistent!

Worst customer service. Food is expensive for quality. The owner is very rude. You can notice reviews are old or fake. read more

Yeah I'm not a real strip center eats type of gal but this place was recommended by a coworker and I wanted to try a new spot anyway... Walk in and it's definitely very homey, nothing even remotely fancy, mildly reminiscent of what I'm used to. Small, hole in the wall would be an accurate description and at times, some good food can come from places like that so I didn't let it deter me. Older gentleman got up from a table and came to take my order. He was the rough, nice kind...like friendly but didn't really want to answer my questions about what he recommended for first timers, what was his big seller. He did answer but didn't pinpoint anything so he wasn't as much help. Nothing on the menu stood out so I decided to let fate decide. My finger settled on the chicken soltani - chicken breast chunks and a link (far as I'm concerned but they call it a skewer) of beef, served with a slice of grilled tomato, onion, & pepper over a truck load of persian rice. My first time having any of this but that persian rice rubbed me the wrong way. I'm not saying it's not good, just takes some getting used to. Came with some spices sprinkled on top and I was happy to try something new. I played around with the condiments they have laying around just to try different variations. The chicken and veggies were good, the chunks are pretty hearty. The beef skewer, I didn't like the texture so much after a few bites. I was the only customer in the restaurant for most of my dining experience but it was a late lunch 2pm ish so maybe that's why. I would not be likely to return, one of those one time, I came, I saw, I conquered places but the reviews speak of good lamb and perhaps one day I'll venture in and try it out. It would have to be absolutely stellar for me to change my opinion...we'll see :) read more

Shish Kabob Cafe - Chicken soltani... - Mediterranean Near Me - Houston, Texas

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I've been coming here for about 15 years! I love the chicken kabob plate, extra spicy with basmati rice with garlic sauce on the side! The chicken seems to have a lemon pepper marinade which is excellent Ana the rice cooked perfectly! The garlic sauce is divine! read more

Shish Kabob Cafe - Chicken kabobs - Mediterranean Near Me - Houston, Texas

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I feel like this place is a tease. The decor makes you think its a mom & pop joint. Until you order your food and that feeling goes away. The meals were all served on a paper plate. The plastic silverware, sauces and togo boxes were all self service, no waitstaff. Which I was fine with that. My beef koobideh dish was ok. It did not come with pita bread. Usually the other Persian/Mediterranean restaurants give you pita, over here they charge you. Normally they have individual packaged butter on your plate for your rice. At Shish Kabob they already mix the butter all over your rice. I love butter as much as Paula Deen, but this was crazy. When i was boxing up my plate you can see my rice sliding down from the plate to my box We tried the Chicken Shorwama, it wasn't bad and sauce was good. If you experience better, don't expect too much from this place. Just think of how convenient it is. read more

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Great family restaurant. Very personal staff & I would recommend the establishment to anyone looking for some delicious Mediterranean eats. Koobideh KabobPersian RiceShirazi SaladTabouli read more

Shish Kabob Cafe - Grape leaves, hummus, pita, kabob, Ghormeh Sabzi.... - Mediterranean Near Me - Houston, Texas

I had the worst possible experience of my life in any restaurant. I went there to place a take out order. There was no one at the counter. I waited for 15 minutes and then called by phone and also tapped the desk.But still there was no answer. Then a customer came in to pick up an on line order. Still no one came. One lone customer eating there got up and went behind into the kitchen to fetch the owner who finally came and handed an order to the other customer. When I told him that I had been wanting there for a long time, he rudely replied "it's because we are closed"although the open sign was on and it was only 4pm. He then rudely told me he can only take carry-out order. I placerthe order. My bill came to $27 including tax but he charged me $32. I don't know why. I left in disgusted for be so badly treated. Besides the place is dark and gloomy and run down. Food is also not very good. The presentation is bad. I will never go there again. read more

Both the food and service are substandard. We visited this place during lunch hour and there was only one party other than us. Their sitting arrangement is such that there is a small separate space and we wanted to sit there. What we did not notice that it was cordoned off with a high chair with a small handwritten note. The response of the manager/owner to get our attention was very rude and unprofessional. Now coming to the food, to start with, not all the items listed on the menu were available so much such that a couple of signature items one would expect at Persian restaurant were not available. The quality of food was also not good, it was as if someone back in the kitchen was trying the his hand first day. There was a distinct smell coming from the meat. The rice on which the main dish was totally tasteless. I feel that instead of a yelp review a visit from the food department is more appropriate. read more

Very rude service almost racist attitude will never go back. Poor customer service haven't even tried the food, but that don't matter at this point. read more

Love this place. I usually go with spicy Lamb, chicken or beef..... all with roasted veggies. So good! Do yourself a favor and order the Hummus!! read more

As a Persian, this food is the closest thing you'll get to delicious and traditional home cooked Persian meal. My whole family and I have been loyal customers to the Shish Kabob Cafe for many years because there is no where like it. You won't fine these incredible flavors anywhere else. As for the customer service, we love it! We've grown close friends with the owner and are greeted with kindness from right when we walk thru the door. 10/10 would recommend!! read more

One of the better middle eastern restaurants in the Katy area. Not a fancy place more of a casual setting. I like it, simple and clean. I stopped in and picked up a lamb gyro to go this past weekend. I have to say that I am impressed. The lamb was tender and had a nice flavor. I also had and order of the stuffed grape leaves. They were small but tasty topped with a garlic sauce was fantastic. Prices are reasonable, the gyro was good and the staff was friendly. Yep, I'll be back. read more

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The lamb kabobs are absolutely amazing. The perfect spice and texture. The restaurant is clean the the owner(?)/cook was incredibly friendly. We came on a Tuesday and it was empty, and the cook was the only staff. We weren't sure if we should've seated ourselves and stood there awkwardly until he came out from the back. Still, our food was served promptly. It did take us a second to realize we needed to grab our own utensils and didn't see them right away. Not too big of a deal though. Outside of that, I would have no hesitation to recommend the restaurant. The grilled veggies were fresh, the jasmine rice was flavorful, and the kids meals were decent portions. read more

Brilliant combination of mid eastern flair, healthy combinations, and friendly atmosphere. Ordering here is pretty simple, lamb, Chicken beef or Salmon. Everything is tasty and healthy. The combo's are cheap and owner friendly with good suggestions. The lamb gyro is tender and spicy, with lots of fresh veggies to provide contrast to the tender grilled lamb. While there are plenty of restaurants in Katy, few would make my lunch rotation. This is the place to go if you want to fix those manic Mondays. read more

Shish Kabob Cafe - Mediterranean Near Me - Houston, Texas

Woohoo! A good gyro place near work!! I don't usually venture to the south side of I-10 for lunch, but I was really tired of the same old lunch spots. Yelped, and found this establishment with good reviews. After doing some research, it sounded like the lamb gyro was a good choice. I decided to go with the plate instead of just a wrap (I was hoping it'd be big enough for 2 meals.. and I was right!) The man working the front was nice and friendly, seemed really busy though. But was very helpful and when I asked for extra garlic sauce, they DEFINITELY provided. =) I ripped off pieces of pita and created my own little bites of lamb, garlic sauce, lettuce and tomatoes. Really glad I discovered this place! read more

Shish Kabob Cafe - Lamb gyro plate with extra garlic sauce. Enough for 2 meals - Mediterranean Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Food is amazing. Pick any Kabob dish and you will not be dissatisfied. Owner is super friendly and great conversation. Place is clean and nothing fancy. Just great food and great service. Cheaper than most places that have these plates for sure. read more

My last experience was not the best, gryo meat was just too salty and dry, didnt feel too great after the meal. Going to lay low from this place for a while. read more

Been coming here since 2010 and it's still amazing. The owner has always been very kind to my son and I. He works alone so he can get his hands tied which is understandable. The best hummus ever; it's moist and flavorful. The food is always made fresh, consistently. My favorite is the beef and chicken kabob combination dish. Totally recommend. read more

Not sure why this place got good reviews from others - perhaps you guys never had real Persian or Mediterranean food elsewhere. Try AlSayad at westheimer and you will know the difference. For Persian good try Cafe Caspian, Bijan. My first visit at this place was not something I would want to remember ever. I would like to delete my memory that I came to place it was that bad! - I came here with my wife, and two kids. Wife ordered Beef Koubideh, I ordered chicken gyro sandwich, and for kids one beef Koubideh kids, and Lamb Gyro. All of our food cost around $40 - for lunch hour which is towards the higher end of lunchtime in the area as there are many other good choices around in the area for that much. Now the food: wife's Koubideh came with white rice - very hard to swallow and the kebab were full of grease. My chicken shawarma was empty shell - chicken was rare; lettuce was abundant with some garlic sauce. Kids Koubideh was one skewer but cut into two. The other kid was just gyro and rice. All rice were dry and very hard to swallow. None of the stuff good quality food. Service: they have no courtesy of asking for condiments or drinks. Just delivered the food and no smiles, no service. Once delivered the lady never came back. I had to get up many times to pick silver ware, ketchup, hot sauce - you get the picture? Conclusion: we will never come back. Granted there are many good places in Katy area to eat for lunch hour. This one is not on my list and would be deleted from my memory. Thanks An unhappy customer. read more

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Always order to go and the food is ready in 10 minutes of calling. Never have to wait for my food, and it's always really good. Never have any complaints out of the 20+ times I've ordered. Definitely recommend it to everyone read more

Went to lunch with my wife here. I had the ground beef kabob gyro sandwhich and she got a customized falafel plate with grilled veggies on the side. We both expected to have some grilled onions and tomatoes on her plate but it was just squash - let down there. I got a side of fries (steak cut) which were excellent - crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. It's all about the right oil temperature and frying enough time. The falafels were also very good - next time I should just get a falafel gyro. My beef kabob sandwich was good but not 4-star good. I ordered it spicy but it didn't have much kick. I had to add the chili sauce on top of it. Overall a nice option but I need to try out all the other Middle Eastern places nearby off Mason Rd to get a good comparison. read more

Shish Kabob Cafe - Divey prices but nice decor and cool vibe inside. - Mediterranean Near Me - Houston, Texas