Habibis Middle Eastern Cuisine in Courtenay

180-A 5th St, Courtenay, BC V9N 1J4, Canada

★★★★★
(91 reviews)
Categories: Restaurant

About

Middle Eastern Inspired Eats

Website
order.online
Address
180-A 5th St, Courtenay, BC V9N 1J4, Canada
Plus Code
M2R3+G9 Courtenay, British Columbia, Canada
Time Zone
America/Vancouver

Business Hours

Sunday
12–7 PM
Monday
12–7 PM
Tuesday
12–7 PM
Wednesday
Closed
Thursday
Closed
Friday
12–7 PM
Saturday
12–7 PM

Services

Service options
Takeaway Dine-in
Accessibility
Wheelchair-accessible car park Wheelchair-accessible entrance
Offerings
Alcohol Beer Cocktails Healthy options Small plates Wine
Dining options
Lunch Counter service Dessert Seating
Atmosphere
Casual
Planning
Accepts reservations
Payments
Credit cards Debit cards
Parking
Free of charge street parking Free parking lot Parking

Photos

Reviews

4.8
★★★★★
91 reviews

Most Mentioned

shawarma (17) wrap (12) atmosphere (10) lunch (9) falafel (8) prices (6) seasoning (5) pistachio cake (4) hashweh (3) lentil salad (2)
5 stars
82
4 stars
4
3 stars
2
2 stars
0
1 stars
3
★★★★★
November 25, 2024

Love it. Very groovy atmosphere. Lots of beautiful mosaic art, plants, tapestries and wood touches Great for hanging out and catching up with people. The food is clean, fresh, delicious, and filling. And the flavors are so unique! The front cashier people are very accomodating and friendly and food was prompt. I hope more and more people find out about this gem!

★★★★★
November 2, 2024

One of the best dining experience I’ve ever had. Firstly, the atmosphere in the dining room is thoughtful, cozy, and beautiful. The service is welcoming and kind. The FOOD. The food is absolutely phenomenal. I had a beef shawarma wrap, a lamb soup, an iced tea, and shared the hashweh with my family. The flavour profile on every dish was extraordinary, portions are generous, and prices are reasonable. I particularly loved the lamb soup, which was a special that I would hope could find its way to the permanent menu. I could have eaten 10 litres. The whole operation, from the decor to the execution on the menu, speaks to a unity of vision and insistence on a quality experience that has unfortunately come hard to come by in new restaurants these days. Congratulations on opening this gem!

★★★★★
November 2, 2024

Cannot recommend this place enough, an absolute jewel in the Comox Valley! This was my third time eating there and I’ve been blown away every time so thought I would leave a review. My brother who is a chef and a foodie in Montreal said it was the best middle eastern flavours he’s ever experienced. Everything is beyond fresh, feels mega authentic, generous portions for the price. Everything is clean and thoughtfully decorated. Kindest, loveliest owner and other staff… thanks again for your generosity and making my mom’s birthday sweet and special.

★★★★★
October 18, 2024

Excellent vegan options. We had the Falafel shawarma platter and pumpkin soup. Everything was delicious. Very cozy and beautiful space too.

★★★★★
September 14, 2024

Overall experience was great! - accomodating staff, the atmosphere is cozy and the foods are tasty We got chicken and beef spicy shawarmas and a chicken shawarma plate - the portion is good! The ottoman iced tea is superb! 🙌🏻❤️ Will definitely come back! ☺️

★★★★★
September 3, 2024

**Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐** I recently visited Habibi’s Restaurant in Courtenay, and it was a delightful experience. The Middle Eastern cuisine here is authentic and full of flavor. Although only the lamb was halal, the variety in the menu made it easy to find delicious options. The falafel was perfectly crispy and entirely vegan—definitely a highlight for plant-based eaters. One of my favorite discoveries was the Ottoman iced tea, which was not only refreshing but also beautifully infused with rose petals—a perfect complement to the meal. And I can't rave enough about the pistachio cake; it's absolutely to die for! What truly stood out, though, was the generosity of the owner. He served us additional items that we didn’t even pay for, which made the experience feel extra special. Overall, Habibi’s offers a great dining experience with a warm atmosphere, excellent service, and a personal touch that makes you feel right at home. Highly recommend if you’re in the area!

★★★★★
August 9, 2024

This is my new favourite place to stop after work. The food is very fresh, the serving sizes are quite large, and it's absolutely delicious. I will definitely be back many more times. Highly recommend!

★★★★★
June 4, 2024

I ordered shawarma wrap and falooda, both were really amazing 😋. Staff/ owner is very nice and friendly. 100% will recommend to everyone. Also the taste is so authentic and delicious 🤤. You definitely need to give this place a try

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 21, 2024

Incredible food and reasonably priced. The staff are friendly and welcoming and the place feels like one of those local gems.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 21, 2024

This is a restaurant that impressed me! The flavours are unique, modern, and everything just works. I adore all the wood tones and plants, and a fire playlist on top of all that as well. This is definitely a highlight out of all the middle eastern restaurants I ve been to.

★★★★★
December 15, 2024

Vancouver Islands Best Shawarma & Hashweh!! Lots of love for Habibis

★★★★★
December 1, 2024

Delicious flavors!

★★★★★
Local Guide
November 24, 2024

Amazing food. fresh, healthy, delicious!

★★★★★
Local Guide
November 22, 2024

Had the shawarma platter and it was so fresh and delicious! Loved the pistachio cake as well

★★★★★
November 22, 2024

Amazing flavours, lovely atmosphere, and wonderful service. Highly recommended!

★★★★★
November 22, 2024

This is my new favorite place in town. Im going to have to impose hard limits on myself here.

★★★★★
November 22, 2024

Hands down my new favorite. The warm lentil salad and the special lamb soup contain flavors Ive never experienced. I shall be back too often.

★★★★★
November 22, 2024

Delicious! I got a falafel and then couldnt decide between the pumpkin soup or lentil salad. I went with the soup, and when it was served I was brought a small complimentary dish of the lentil salad to try. Such a thoughtful gesture. Excellent service. Excellent food. Did I mention the pistachio cake is next level?!

November 22, 2024

Ordered two times both I got poisoned.

Local Guide
November 22, 2024

Took forever for the food to be made. The shawarma s were very disappointing. And other customers who came in after us got their food first. Edit: No they did not just get hummus or toum, it was a full plated entree.

★★★★
November 22, 2024

The atmosphere and music were nice. We were with a party of 6 and ate at the restaurant, but still ordered our food as if we were take-out customers. It would have been nice to have sat at our table and order from a menu. I ordered a wrap that stuck to the paper and was rather messy to eat. Those who took our orders and served us were great.

★★★
November 22, 2024

We really wanted to like this place but found the food to be underwhelming. The goat wraps were dry, and the pita wasnt anything special. The hummus was grainy.

★★★★★
November 22, 2024

Friendly, central place with a very good vibe. We stopped in for a snack (schwarma) and it was excellent. Definitely recommend. Also, my spouse spilled part of a drink and was brought another one instantly. Service is top notch.

★★★★★
November 22, 2024

5 Stars for fantastic Habibis in Courtenay. You gotta eat here. Fresh, flavorful, delicious! To top it off ... the owner and staff are wonderful and the atmosphere is very special.

★★★★★
November 22, 2024

The service/food/atmosphere was amazing! It was my first time eating there and it just may be my regular spot now. This isn t your average restaurant. Keep up the great work!

★★★★★
November 22, 2024

I was so excited that a Middle Eastern restaurant finally opened up in the valley but WOW! Not only is the food very tasty (love the freshness of the veggies and falafel), the staff is so friendly and the room is so beautiful and thoughtfully designed. It brought some joy to my Monday night. Ill be back for sure!

★★★★★
October 22, 2024

Best restaurant experience my family and I have had in a long time. Amazing food, generous portions, kind staff, banging music, reasonable pricing, go eat here! Kid-friendliness: Very kind and accommodating to kids! They even gave my three year old a free juice!

★★★★★
October 22, 2024

I had the chicken shawarma wrap. It was delicious.

★★★★★
October 22, 2024

Yum yum food and not too expensive. Very fresh.

★★★★★
October 22, 2024

Delicious food, great atmosphere and really nice staff. Highly recommended! :)

★★★★★
October 22, 2024

The platter was a little bit if everything and it all tasted delicious. Balance of flavours and textures fantastic!

★★★★★
September 22, 2024

My 14 yr son says this food is the best and I agree it s fresh, very flavourful and filling

★★★★★
September 22, 2024

I had the Shawarma beef wrap and did not want to leave a single piece of food in my plate. So flavorful! + the Ottoman Ice tea, refreshing, looked beautiful and again a explosion of flavours. Is great to have an option of lunch that is not fried and full of delicious spices. 10/10

★★★★★
September 22, 2024

Such a beautiful little spot, friendly staff and FANTASTIC food!! The beef & chicken shawarmas are to die for. Very impressed and will be a regular!

★★★★★
September 22, 2024

The food here was amazing. I will be back.

★★★★★
Local Guide
September 22, 2024

Just had the falafel plate off SkiptheDishes and Wow! Delicious

★★★★★
September 22, 2024

Super cute place, lovely food and service.

★★★★★
August 22, 2024

The people that work here were super kind, they were respecting the costumers. The food was fresh/ well made.

August 22, 2024

My wife and I were at the restaurant today to have our lunch. Both of us ordered one wrap each(chicken for wife and beef for me). The service was okay, and food tasted okay, too. Unfortunately, after eating the wraps which we ordered, we felt very tired and sleepy like never before. Plus, we had diarrhea and bloated stomach after a while. We had to go to the washroom multiple times and still continue. Feels more like we are food poisoned. Just ruined our day.

★★★★★
August 22, 2024

Incredible food and beautiful energy in this place! Can t wait to come back

★★★★★
August 22, 2024

Happy to have stumbled upon this shawarma place while shopping on 5th St. We had chicken wrap, falafel wrap and Jazar salad it was all very good. Highly recommend Food

★★★★★
August 22, 2024

Food was fabulous - pistachio cake was so yummy that I took an extra to go. Chef/owner was as delightful as the food and the place is absolutely gorgeous. Can t recommend it enough.

★★★★★
August 22, 2024

Absolutely delicious lunch here. Well worth a look. Sit outside in the sun or inside and soak up the atmosphere. Loved the iced tea, chicken & falafel shawarmas. Outstanding. Vegetarian options: Definitely. Lots of great food for all. Kid-friendliness: Yup Wheelchair accessibility: You can get up the slight slope easily. Sit outside or in.

★★★★
Local Guide
August 22, 2024

Really enjoyed the Hashweh

★★★★★
August 22, 2024

Great lunch spot in Courtney after a shopping on fifth street. Amazing wrap!

★★★★★
Local Guide
August 22, 2024

I ordered pick-up from Habibi s, and I couldn t have been more pleased. The chicken Shawarma bowl I had was simply excellent. It was garlicky and well seasoned, but not overly so, and I loved the turmeric potatoes and daikon that it came with. The kale tabouli was delicious, lemony and fresh. The hummus was a little bit strange tasting, but that may be because it was sitting out for a little while before I ate it. It just had a slightly canned or processed taste. The jazar salad (carrots with pistachio) was also excellent, and could have easily served as a light dessert or a salad. I would definitely come back often if I lived in the neighborhood.

★★★★★
August 22, 2024

Best shawarma in town! Great vibes, good prices, and absolutely delicious food :)

★★★★★
Local Guide
August 22, 2024

When youre from the shawarma capital of Canada, you have a high bar for quality shawarma. Habibis vaults that bar with ease! If you like fresh, if you like flavour, then Habibis is for you! The prices are very reasonable for very, very tasty food. We got two chicken shawarmas, and its all there: the veggies, the sauce, the seasoning... simply fantastic! Everything shawarma should be, even down to how they end in a delicious mess youll be licking of your fingers. Helpful and professional staff offer great service, the vibe is very relaxed, and the food is great. Get down here, and get yourself some tasty, healthy food!

★★★★★
August 22, 2024

Best food I ve had in a few weeks, the person that served me made sure I had everything I needed and was very nice. Definitely am going to return

★★★★★
August 22, 2024

We have eaten here a couple of times now and it has been amazing every time!!! I had the platter which was such a great selection of tasty food then had the falafel wrap and it was the best I have ever had!!! Service is polite and welcoming and I can t recommend it highly enough to anyone who hasn t tried it!! Love this place!!!

★★★★★
Local Guide
August 22, 2024

My wife and I both really enjoyed the falafel plate. Normally, we find falafel is a bit dry for us, but this falafel was really good. Probably the best falafel we have had. And the rest of the platter was excellent too - this is one of the best vegetarian meals you can get in the Comox Valley. We will be going back soon! Vegetarian options: Falafel plate is vegetarian, very good Dietary restrictions: Falafel plate is dairy free

★★★★★
July 22, 2024

Foods unreal, had a shawarma wrap. Owner and staff are super friendly and nice. Recommend giving this place a try

★★★★★
July 22, 2024

So so good!

★★★
Local Guide
July 22, 2024

Friendly service + good atmosphere. I ordered the chicken shawarma, and the chicken was dried out unfortunately and it didn t quite have a shawarma taste.

★★★★★
July 22, 2024

My friend and I had lunch at Habibis today. The aromas and descriptions of the dishes made us want to try everything! We had the Shawarma plate and wrap with sides of jazar salad and the amazing olives in Toum. The flavours were varied and complimentary with just the perfect amount of heat. The lemonade had basil seeds that provided a little crunchy texture and a subtle taste. The interior was spacious and cool and super clean! This restaurant is a delight!

★★★★★
June 22, 2024

Just went down to try it out and grabbed myself a swarma wrap for lunch. Got the chance to talk to the owner and Learn his story a bit. Food was top-notch and staff were very friendly and helpful. I even got to sample their house made Ice tea. It was delicious and Id personally recommend it. My only regret was only getting one wrap. Definitely coming back to this place. Keep doing what youre doing, guys! It was amazing

★★★★★
June 22, 2024

I got the chicken plate and it was incredible! The chicken was so tender and the flavour of the whole plate was amazing. I will be back again and again!

★★★★★
June 22, 2024

Delicious chicken shawarma wrap. It s packed full with some amazing flavour and the perfect amount of spice. Extremely quick and kind service.

★★★★★
June 22, 2024

A much needed addition to the valleys food options, affordable and so delicious! Vegetarian options: Lots of vegetarian options

★★★★
Local Guide
June 22, 2024

Had the beef shawarma was ok. Beef was pretty dry. Odd cut for a wrap. Was like strips of pot roast. I would suggest having the meat hotter too. The veggies were pretty cold, so it made for a luke warm wrap. I would toast the outside or something. Seasoning and spice were on point, and the pickled radish was great.

★★★★★
June 22, 2024

Such a friendly bunch. Food is authentic, soo delicious. Im hooked.

★★★★★
June 22, 2024

What a lovely restaurant charming space , Clean , my husband and I had the shawarma chicken wrap , the lemon drink and cold tea was home made and very refreshing! Love that you chose Courtenay to do your thing . We are blessed Food

★★★★★
June 22, 2024

Great falafel! Reasonable prices :)

★★★★★
June 22, 2024

Finally an authentic and noteworthy shawarma place in the valley! 100% worth a visit, amazing flavours, absolutely delicious and very generous friendly staff. Highly recommend!!

★★★★★
Local Guide
June 22, 2024

Dont sleep on this place, its ridic good!

★★★★★
June 22, 2024

Fantastique : accueil chaleureux et sympathique, ingrédients frais et de qualité, assaisonnement délicieux et assiettes copieuses. A essayer absolument ! Vegetarian options: Shawarma falafel

★★★★★
May 22, 2024

In moving to the island a good Shawarma was something we all missed...This place just opened up and we were some of the first customers and we will be coming back....Often. Salads and Shawarma wrap were very delicious. Great flavours and a nice place to grab take out or dine in. I see this place getting busy over the lunch hour. Go early! I told the owner he was getting a review! Keep up the great work!!!!

★★★★★
May 22, 2024

Amazing shawarma! My husband and I are from Ottawa and we were really missing this type of food in Comox, I m so glad to see it here now! 10/10 recommend

★★★★★
May 22, 2024

Amazing food, and the owner/chef is an absolute weapon in the kitchen. Moving at lighting speed! Thanks for the great meal and I m so happy to have good shawarma in the valley!

★★★★★
May 22, 2024

Finally! A shawarma restaurant in the valley, and its amazing!

★★★★★
Local Guide
May 22, 2024

The restaurant is beautifully decorated with a nice atmosphere. This is a 1 person show, so go easy on the man as he builds what I hope is a legacy in the Valley. The menu is limited, but everything was absolutely delicious. I had the chicken shawarma plater, and olives on tourm. Very fresh, well seasoned and on point. To those that have not tried this cuisine before, you should try it and Habibis does it right. Hopefully this restaurant grows and the menu expands to some of my Middle Eastern favorites. As is it fills a culinary void here.

★★★★★
Local Guide
May 22, 2024

The most amazing food. The owner is doing it on his own. EVERYTHING! Worth the wait! Even when he is slammed he has a smile on his face. Support local!

★★★★★
Local Guide
May 22, 2024

What a diamond in the rough! As I write this review, Habibis has been open for just a week and the owner operator is doing it all! The place already has a line up for a good reason - Once you place the order the food is served promptly and the taste is divine. Ill certainly be back to try the rest of the menu but so far, so great!

★★★★★
May 22, 2024

Had a beef shawarma its was ok. Hummus the bread was cold and the chicken shawarma was dry like sawdust. Won t likely be going back.

★★★★★
May 22, 2024

Amazing food and my card declined and he gave it to me for free. Will definitely go back and will tip largely

★★★★★
May 22, 2024

I often have a shawarma wrap when I work for lunch - it is absolutely delicious. Comes with a really yummy sauce, pickled onions and turnip. The falafel is to die for!

★★★★★
May 22, 2024

The food was delicious, the portion size for each person was plenty and the price affordable! The owner and staff were very nice and the food was ready for pickup on time!

★★★★★
May 22, 2024

Great food and even greater service

★★★★★
May 22, 2024

So delicious and fresh! Glad to have this restaurant in Courtenay. We ll definitely be eating here again.

★★★★★
May 22, 2024

Came here on a lunch break out of curiousity and was EXTREMELY impressed! The service was quick and kind, the atmosphere was welcoming and bright and the food was out of this world... Ill be returning regularly. Very excited to have you in the Valley, a much needed healthier take out option. Super filling, well priced for the amount of food you get (so much food it lasted me two meals), not to mention its all homemade, and now I crave it all the time! If youve been to Super Baba in Victoria/Vancouver, this is the valleys version of it!