The Empire in Toronto
1018 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON M6H 1M2, Canada
About
Join us for Fresh and Healthy meal!! With more than 20 years of experience in mid-eastern cuisine, our chef's garlic sauce is a must try. Our staffs are trained to serve the customers fast with no compromise in hospitality because we value our customers and their time. No matter what time of year, you can be sure you're eating the best of the season.
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Fantastic beef shawarma wrap! there is no deal for getting 2 anymore, all individually priced. Also got a chicken shawarma but couldn’t eat it, they give a big portions, usually I buy 2 wraps because they are usually so small, NOT HERE! Service was great, only waited 5 mins for it to be prepared. I got all toppings, next time I may ask for not as much parsley, all in all this place is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!! 5 STARS!
Food was INCREDIBLE! So fresh and tasty, the chicken shawarma was so juicy (which is not always the case at shawarma places) and everything was so flavourful. 10/10 meal
Absolutely delicious food! I am Celiac and need to follow a strict gluten free diet, the owner was happy to go through safe options with me and there are so many yummy options to choose from! Falafel are naturally gluten free and these are in a fryer separate from flour - yay! My go to however is grilled chicken, rice, loads of veggies, pickles and smothered in tahini! Always tasty and a great value!
Came here the other night on a whim just looking for some dinner and thank god I did! The owner was very welcoming when I came in and as soon as he started i knew it was going to be a good meal. He fried up the chicken before adding to my wrap, also asked if i liked onion and added some to fry up with the meat!! Ended up wanting a little side of potatoes and he accommodated that while also giving the already cooked potatoes an extra fry to crispy them up😍 As he made my wrap, he asked if it was my first time here, I said yes & I could tell he was so excited for me to try. He also filled the wrap with everything i wanted then added some lettuce on top so the chicken wouldn’t rip the wrap👌🏾He did so many little things to improve my meal. I sat down in the restaurant, enjoyed, savoured and devoured every single bite of that chicken shawarma wrap. One of the best i’ve ever had Great portions too
We have had shawarmas at many places in thr GTA and in various cities in Canada. This shawarmas here are very, very good. Close to thr best we have had. The restaurant is a casual one, with limited seating and is not fancy. But the food is excellent quality, decent portions and authentic taste. Absolutely value for money.
The service is friendly and fast, and they load you up on the vegies I had the lamb shawarma wrap, the lamb was tender and flavorful. The toppings and sauces were fresh and tasty. Overall top tier shawarma
sheesh! time to finally write my review on my fav shawarma spot in the city!! yes the whole city!!! i don't f with that tired ole alibaba! used to be crispy now they're dusty!! anyways i've been eating here since last year when i found it and it's never let me down. fair warning this review is of the chicken shawarma wrap and the fries only because that's all i ever get. make sure you grab a mango nectar too they're the bomb. anyway the pics speak for themselves. so much meat. i only got onions lettuce and greens on mine with garlic sauce and hummus. meat ratio was easily 50% almost forgot to mention that i got the wrap, small fries with ketchup and garlic sauce, and a delish lime soda for $12.13!!!! are you crazy!!!! eat here or you're fooling around. stop it
Located close to Ossington station, the Empire is an amazing place to try out some good Mediterranean food. Had a good experience at this restaurant. They offer wide variety of options to choose from. Amzing quality and good price. The lamb shank at this restaurant is a really good option. They two types of rice, salads, pita, meat, all blend well together for an satisfing meal. The server is a great guy, very generous and helpful. I would definitely recommend this place.
Absolutely delicious
Amazing shawarma. Good customer service
Floors are sticky, decor is awful, questionable in every way. But the shawarma slaps so who cares.
I frequent this place. Its dishes may appear humble but reliably brim with a variety of pleasing flavours. A veritable Bloor West gem.
Great food and service. Appreciated the slightly above average portions. Sitting area is decent. Would definitely recommend for a takeout.
Has been my favourite shawarma since I was a teen. No one has topped it. They re always so kind and it s affordable. Don t sleep on empire!
Decent
The best lamb shak I ve ever tested just waw Salman best best thank for making this meals so great men Food
Great food and great value. Highly recommended.
Best Shawarmas in town !!!
My chicken shawarma wrap was really good and left me satisfied, but the interior of the restaurant had pretty clearly not been cleaned in a long time, which was a bit uncomfortable. The service was not particularly personable, but got the job done. If youre eating here, I recommend planning to take out.
I walked past this place today and decided to stop in for a Chicken shawarma. Well wasnt that a good decision, best shawarma I have had in ages. Nice and thick, not stingy on the portions like other places. I recommend stopping in here if you are in the area, you wont be disappointed!!
Amazing food and service. The prices are way cheaper than most places and the food is way better than the surrounding places.
The best Shawarma wraps! tastes amazing! Way better portions than its three closest competitors who I won t even rate or acknowledge their existence. nice sized portions really fair prices, fresh veg, and no EXTRA charges for parsley or extra toppings. Ice cold soft drinks.. The most friendly and courteous staff and fast service.. but most important
Like people said in the comments earlier, big portion for the cheap price and the taste of the food is pretty good too. What stood out for me at this place was interacting with Salman who works here on the weekends. I swear he made every customer feel welcomed. Definitely a place I would visit again for sure
My partner and I have become regulars here thanks to the consistently fresh food, friendly staff, and generous portions at much appreciated prices. Great option for a falafel plate, and their saffron rice is both gorgeous and delicious!! Dietary restrictions: easy to get a vegan & gluten-free meal by choosing the falafel plate and opting out of garlic sauce
Really great shawarma and falafel. The other veggie options are also great, such as the eggplant and okra. Prices are also incredibly affordable for the portions you get!
The best lamb shawarma you ll have! What a wonderful find and Sam at the store is such a nice guy.
Nice shawrma and food. My favorite place and food I always get my chicken sticks.
Excellent chicken shawarma
Got the falafel plate, amazing portion size and they were quite good rice was honestly really good too! Super friendly staff the only thing id suggest is to try to keep it a bit cleaner, but thats part of the charm. Either way id definitely go back!
Great portion, fresh salad and big potatoes:) We ate a full portion at the park and left the rest for dinner. It was delicious with about 3 large slightly sweet potatoes hidden inside.
Fantastic taste and exceptional services!
one of if not the best shawarma places around
Not a place that will wow you. BUT, it is worth visiting. Please do. Compared to other places that sell the similar food options, this place serves it best in my opinion. Also, if you are a sports fan they always have a loud TV showing some kind of sport. Food
Nice little place with awesome service and delicious food. You can enjoy an original Shawarma here. Food
We were just walking down the street and find here. We really liked their shawarma. As they promised it was clean and fresh.
My orders have been cancelled 3 times on 3 different days with UberEats. Do yourself a favour and close your restaurant if you dont know how you should operate a business.
Salam and lucky are the best people at this location. Loved their food and service
Easily the best shawarma in west downtown Toronto! Strong sense of community here aswell, definitely the type of spot that has regulars who have been coming for years !
Had a falafel and chicken shawarma. Wonderful. Lots of veggies and as the namesake says, it tastes FRESH.
The chicken shawarma was good!
Salmaan gives a special experience with his shawarmas that come with quality meat and fabulous taste! Service is another level here
Great service and friendly atmosphere it almost seemed like everyone that came in there was smiling and warm to each other even though none of us knew each other! The food was professionally and proficiently prepared, even for out large order. Sanitary standards were observed throughout, and presentation was conscientious. Quality is consistent as per my sister in law who is a regular. Worth visiting and making a regular party of your favs.
you know its good when cuisine is misspelled on the sign.
I used to like the place,because it was good. My last visit was an okay experience. Spices were weak on the chicken. Chicken wasnt good this time. I got only a few pieces of chicken, and 3 of the pieces were fatty,probably chicken skin. Service is always good,friendly, and kind.
They cancel orders lol
They canceled my orders twice on UberEats, 2 different days. Get off the platform if you don t wanna work punks.
Ingredients seemed fresh but tasted bit salty. Portion does need to be much larger for the price. There are other better shawarma options out there
Always consistent .fresh chicken which is full of flavour. Great customer service and a lot of soul goes into the food
Your standard shawarma joint. Pretty fresh and quick.
Good Shawarma and great customer service
Amazing
I think you could actually find me to have a rather large shwarma content level in my blood because of this place.
Great food, thanks guys
Excellent shawarma plate and falafel, large portion and a very good price. Bit gritty inside but the staff were super polite. Will definitely come back here again.
The best middle eastern food I have found in this city hands down! You can tell it is made with love and care, everything is always fresh and delicious!!
Nice food
Good taste , good quality of the food
Best shawarma in the city. So sad to be leaving this hood and moving to a hood without an empire.
Yum, flavor galore! Definitely hit my Mediterranean fix.
I love their beef shwarma so much I would get it in a wrap or a plate it was so delicious
Best shawarma and falafel in the city hands down! Nicest staff. Been going for years and no other place compares!
best felafel sandwich
Cold food, dry rice, cold pita bred but kind people. The shawarma is better than plates.
The shawarma tasted very good. Very affordable prices and diverse menu. plenty of space! Food : 5/5
Just a darn good falafel. Although there are a couple other falafel places close by, this one just tastes a little better to me and I dont know why. Maybe you will figure it out.
Had the chicken shawarma and beef shawarma sandwich really good food, fresh ingredients.
10/10. The food is always flavourful and fresh.
Very good food and friendly staff. Delicious shawarma and falafel. Fresh:)
Best authentic shwarma Ive had, the chicken shwarma wrap is stuffed full with delicious perfectly cooked chicken, all your typical toppings such as lettuce, tomatoes, onion, pickled veggies but the tabbouleh was so amazing. The hummus, garlic mayo, tzatziki and hot sauce all taste homemade. 100% would recommend this place, food is super fresh & tasty & a huge portion for the price.
Amazing shawarma. Got the beef and I ve been getting it for years here. Only shawarma place I will EVER go to. Real talk famm.
Great pricing and even better flavors, also the toppings were fresh! Would recommend!
Yucky. Never again!
A hidden gem! Food is fantastic (highly recommend the lamb) and service is great.
Big portions for a cheap price and its always delicious. The owners are nice and the place is always open. Cant ask for anything more.
Walked in the other day for lunch. The line went very quickly with only one person working. Also they were very friendly. I had a chicken shawarma and it was great. I will be back.
Empire is great. Consistently fresh and served by very nice people
Delicious. I have spoken.
Super polite, lovely and GREAT tasting food. Items that always cost extra other places are included with the veggie platter!! Thrilled to have found them! New fave.
Place is nice, been around for as long as I can remember. Place has not be updated according to modern trends. Food is okay and portions are generous. I go here from time to time and will recommend to others.
Amazing place.
Best tasting and fresh shawarmas and falafels. The wrap is full of meat and really fills you up, unlike other places. They also dont charge extra for tabouli salad or more cabbage on the wrap. Staff are friendly and wash hands / change gloves regularly, which I appreciate. I also saw the owner giving some food to a homeless man which really warmed my heart. I recommend this place to everyone i know. Fresh toppings, nice flavours.
Good Indian food and the best service
Very tasty food and very friendly staff .
Super good fast service! Everything was so fresh and the hot sauce packs a really really good punch!
Very nice place to sit down and enjoy your food and stay I do recommend it to everyone
Agreed
I haven t gone in a while due to far distance, but there are incredible shawarmas here! Absolutely amazing!!! Workers are super warm as well! Definitely recommend!
Wow.... this is absolutely the worst shawarma beef or chicken I have ever had. Everything was just bad. I dont know how this is rated 4.7 probably becoz of the fake reviews or people not knowing what real shawarma taste like. Me and my wife both felt sick after eating it and threw out the rest of the food. Dont know go there its absolutely terrible.
Great food with taste
One of many excellent very affordable falafel/shawarma shops in the area
The food is amazing there
The lamb shank plate for 12.99 makes this place a must-visit for all foodies
Friendly service and awesome food!
foodie lover
Best of best, so amazing place !!!! Good quality, reasonable price, healthy foods
Shawarma was top notch
Food is delicious!
Really like the falafels here.
I wonder how these guys earned good rating
Best Shawarma ever!! Will visit again!
Fresh local food
Amazing variety of flavours and large quantity of food on their combo plates for a great great price
Ordered the beef shawarma. Tasted pretty good but not amazing. Ambience was nice inside so giving it 5 stars. Would recommend for quick cheap eat.
Chicken shawarma plate with added falafel, delicious!
best
Just stop by coz I was tooo hungry : ) turns out delicious shawarma. I like the beef the most.
Quality was good and quick! I would say equal to some Ali babas
Wordless
Dont let the appearance fool you. The food here is fantastic, the portions are large and the price is fair.
Very good food. Great customer service! In need of a paint job
Good middle eastern food, love the shwarma.
I really enjoy the schwarma s, and ful beans dish!
Best falafel in town
Good seasoning in the food, and their salad is always fresh
Great customer service. The food is always above satisfactory. One of my favourite places to eat at.
Flavourless and yuk
It is a delicious place to eat shawarma, grape leaves and Middle Eastern food. One of my favorites!! Super recommended, with good prices, good packages and you can pay by card.
Came on a Tuesday night - friendly and quick service. Theres a few tables in the restaurant but tables werent really wiped down that well. Got 2 beef shawarma sandwiches for $11.49 + tax.
Awesome chicken shawarma wrap! Try adding eggplant to it! Salman is a great guy!
real deal right here
I come here at least once a week! The food is amazing! And I HIGHLY recommend the chicken shawarma plate with the works!!
Ive eaten falafel in Toronto for 20 years, and these are the best falafel I have ever had by a mile
Great falafel and shawarma.
Got the chicken shwarm combo. 10/10. Fresh tasty hit the spot not too heavy but am full. Very tasty and used to go there 5 yrs ago - quality has stayed the same. Very friendly man served me today, probably an owner. I left happy. Place was not empty either but not too busy.
Nice place
Good fresh food cooked right in front of you.I leave this place with my belly always full.I love this place!
often do i think of this majestic slice of Mediterranean paradise and how I ate there four times in the six days i was in Toronto
I use to work there and they have d best food in Toronto Canada there Sambousa is something to talk about and not to mention there Shawarma its to dead for its the BEST the owner is very nice.cant wait to go back to Canada for there FOOD!!!!
My go-to place for shawarma. Delicious food at a very good price. Try the Lamb dinner plate!!!
The quality and price are perfect
very good meat on the shishtauk, filling and relatively healthy.
The food is amazing and friendly staff
My friend was excited to show me this place, and for good reason. Delicious, delicious food, and friendly service to boot.
Really good food and extremely friendly staff. Portion size could easily be split between two. The beef is extremely tasty and the jalapeno sauce that is made in house is absolutely delicious. My only issue is that they do not offer any chicken breast options, closest they offer is the boneless chicken thighs but I only eat chicken breast. Besides that, a great spot for lunch with some awesome food.
My personal favorite.
The overall review of this place speaks volumes, I go there on near daily basis for the falafels 2 for 11:75 if Im not mistaken and they have a special every, day 2 falafel sandwiches before 7pm is like 9bucks . And my personal opinion is ;I prefer The Empire instead of Alibabas they are expensive the flavour is just not there its bland and what I dislike is that Alibabas charges extra 50 cents for tabuli The Empire does not charge you extra!
Great food at a good price.
Nice food & good price ..
Great food at great prices!!!
Great inexpensive food. I just wish they didnt use disposable cutlery, for the sake of sustainability, since theyre already washing the plates.
The best Falafel in the 6.
Great food!
Best shawarma restaurant ever
Absolutely delicious, fresh food, good prices, friendly staff. The tastiest shawarma in the city in my opinion!
Excellent beef shawarma sandwich at a great price!
Nice place to go to for Schwarma. Portion sizes are good and puts in the right amount of food in the schwarma sandwiches
Best falafel Ive had in Toronto. Good price and a good drink selection.
Good food, fair prices - recommend
Best falafel in the city !! Great value !!
My bf and I got food poisoning from their falafel wrap not sure how but it happened.
Great place to falafel and watch soccer
Really yummy food! Staff is friendly. Portions are big and the price is good. Definitely a must try!
The best falafel in Toronto.
Best shawarma in toronto!
