recommended by a friend, the food and staff were good. The lamb burger was great and had a great conversation with the staff. Overall it was a good experience...I recommend it read more

Shish is one of my favorite places to get a falafel. It is a very casual dining experience because you order at the counter and they bring the food to your table. I didn't see it prior to its renovation, but the decor is very cute. I have only tried the falafel and the hummus here which are both very good. I love the pita is thin with plenty of falafel in them. They put a good amount of toppings such as hummus and tahini sauce. I love heat, so I had some of their home made sauces as well which gives it the right amount of spice. I dont usually get a side because I learned that I over eat if I do since the falafels are pretty decent in size. i have gotten the french fries before with the sandwich which was nothing special. I definitely come back here when I have a craving for middle eastern food. I recommend this to anyone who lives in the area because it is a great place to get a quick bite to eat. read more

Shish has the best gyros I've had in a long time. And I would literally almost die for the carrot cake. They put tomatoes on my gyro when I asked them not to and when I brought it back, they were super nice about it. They fixed it right away and gave me a baklava too. The staff has been so friendly every time I'm there and the food is every bit of spectacular. read more

I love Shish, this is one of the goto places for my family. There's something on the menu for everyone, and the food is as authentic as it can get. I typically get the gyro pita, but I've also had the kebabs, the chicken shawarma, the falafel, and the burgers. I'm never disappointed and typically very full afterwards. The restaurant has recently undergone a remodel and it feels roomier with more seating. If you're looking for a quick tasty bite in St. Paul Tangletown I would highly recommend this place. read more

Love this place! Great breakfast there yesterday. The Jerusalem breakfast was tasty - if you like falafel and hummus. And we loved the casual atmosphere. Can't wait to go back for lunch and/or dinner. read more

I went here for lunch on a Sunday. The place was busy, we waited in line for a while to place our order, the woman at the counter was very pleasant and also very helpful in guiding us to order. A table opened up quickly after we ordered but we waited a while to get someone to clear the table, and even longer to get it wiped off. That wiping off happened just as our food arrived, and it was with a gross, damp "bar rag." Ew. Water is self-serve and the cups are tiny, that was a letdown, wading through the line of people waiting to eat, to refill my water over and over. But with nice people working there, nice ambiance in the restaurant and AMAZ-AZ-ING food, it's worth the trip. I went for lunch. We shared the small hummus with fresh veggies and pita and we shared a gyro wrap. It was all delicious! I only wish I would have also tried dessert -- but not that day! I will be back, a few things could have been better but you know what? That was, hands down, THE BEST gyro meat I have ever eaten. Tender, flavorful, great texture. I don't even like meat that much, and it was flippin delicious. Great quality food, fair prices, great people, pretty place... yeah, I'll be back for sure. read more

Awesome place!!! Bacon Cheese Burger (Lamb Bacon) and the Chicken Shawarma are really good! read more

Superb food. Tried the shish kebab and it was lamb meat (halal) cooked to perfection with side of saffron rice. Note to the management. Think about a double door so that cold air doesnt rush in everytime anyone enters read more

Sheesh should be the name of this restaurant. As in: Run out of Kabobs Food served cold Service is poor Server / manager is rude when you do demonstrate that your dish is incorrect Food is burnt, 3 out of 4 times that we went Messy, dirty, un-clean looking eating area, just sit in a booth In this area of St. Paul, there are so many other places to eat, will not go back, I will eat PB&J sandwiches 1st before ever giving them more money. Go somewhere else. Trust me. read more

it's always great here, the staff is friendly and that bacon that the put on their burgers is amazing. And it's also a very good people watching stop. read more

The dude who is always working here is so rude. My boyfriend loves the food here but I honestly think it's mediocre, maybe it would taste better if it was actually hot each time. Wont be coming back though. read more

We used to like Shish a lot. However the last time we went it was a completely different experience. We did not get our food for 30 minutes and only when i went and asked the manager(?) got a package that was sitting around. No apology, no ensuring the food wasn't cold nothing. Just blah service and cold food. The place has change. For the worse. read more

Phenominal Food! Leo and his team are AWESOME!!!!! Ask them for Extra Garlic Sauce... OMGG!!!!!! When Leo is there he comes out to ask you how your food was. He wants to make sure everyone who is there comes back again. The Greek Salad and the Combo plate ROCK!!!!!!! read more

This is an awesome find in a great location. They have really good savory food for breakfast with potatoes, eggs and toast. Lunch and dinner is Mediterranean good like gyro, hummus and a big variety of sandwiches and wraps. Large portions so can share. My only negative about breakfast was too many onions but I could have specified that in my order. I had the Mezzah plate appetizer which is big enough for a meal and offers a great variety. The desert case is filled with giant cakes and baklava. My friend tried the chocolate pistachio and said it was good. No was she could finish it though! The best part is the location with a cool bookstore across the street called Daybreak with an interesting book collection and gifts. We had lots of fun at shish and daybreak. I had 2 meals there while in town and would go back for sure:) read more

Love this place. Something different than I would usually eat but it was amazing. Service was great. read more

Shish - Everyone is cleaning their plates! - Middle Eastern Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Food was mediocre. My partner and I thought the chicken shawarma was good until we both got violent food poisoning from it.

We LOVE Shish for carry out and indoor dining, having been loyal customers for a decade. Through the worst of the pandemic, we got carry out a lot, and it never disappoints. What IS disappointing though is their customer service as regards catering. I was planning an event and having them cater it was my first thought since we love their food so much. I spoke with the manager on the phone, and she said that she'd send me a quote that day. After 2 days it did not arrive (in my spam folder either) so I called again but had to leave a message. Same thing a day later, and again a day after that. So I went there mid-afternoon a week after I first talked with the manager and explained the situation to the very nice server at the counter, and she assured me the manager would call me, and verified my contact info. To this day, a week later still, no response. What gives? I'll still get food there for take out but I definitely do not recommend them for catering. Very very disappointing. read more

Actually, this is a 4.5. We got the shish trio and a slice of carrot cake. Perfect meal for 2 after a bike ride from Minneapolis to Saint Paul. I especially liked the white garlic sauce and the lamb kabob. So good, I will def be back, wish I lived closer. read more

Shish - Carrot cake - Middle Eastern Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Got takeout tonight and was blown away! Great flavor and tasted so fresh, will absolutely be back again soon! Not only was the food good, but they gave a cute Easter basket for the holiday with lots of goodies inside! read more

I like to come here for breakfast on a weekday when it's not so busy. The Turkish coffee takes awhile but it's delicious. And the omelets are very good and very different from standard breakfast places. If it's warm enough they have a few sidewalk tables. read more

As a vegetarian it can be hard to find a nice veggie burger at a restaurant. Usually I'll be presented a fancy overpriced Morning Star Burger made in the microwave. Not here! The restaurant has four different veggie burgers to choose from that are sure to get the taste buds going. I also recommend the rice or the fries with their home made garlic sauce. Never in my life would I think that I wouldn't need ketchup to go with my fries! The garlic sauce is heavenly and is also great on a plate of side veggies. The staff is also great here and the atmosphere is awesome, making this place a 5 star restaurant in my books! This is a must for anyone who is willing to try something new. PS: The cakes here are to die for! read more

A family favorite. Great to eat there, take out, and love it for catering too. Brunch is amazing ... and they're patient w our crazy toddlers. Fatoush salad with chicken is my favorite. read more

I used to love the food here -- breakfast lunch and dinner. Whatever is going on now-- new owner? New cook?-- the breakfast bowl today was almost inedible. Every single thing about today's breakfast--Including a weird dirty tabletop smell -- was bad. I used to drive fairly far out of my way to come here -- and I have just returned after being overseas for 6 months. I'm not coming back here again. I should have sent the food back and asked for my money back. Truly terrible food. read more

Sheesh, I eat here at least once a week for lunch and never grow tired of it! They are making wraps now. I usually get the chicken gyro wrap and they were out for maybe a week in May due to their vendor upping the prices of flatbread; But now everything is gravy! I've fallen in love with their lunch portion spinach salad-spinach, onions, tomatoes, goat cheese, walnuts, dried cranberries, and raspberry vinaigrette dressing. It's quite refreshing! I ordered the salad to go once and when I got home realized there was no goat cheese so I went back and they apologized. The chef even gave me a desert for the mistake. read more

Food is decent but the restaurant manager (the owner himself) over charged my card - doubled my bill! Very classy. Mind you later I realized that DoorDash has already paid for my order..so they 3x charged me very knowingly. The week before that I added a cake to my take away order just to find out it wasn't there when I reached home, however they conveniently charged me for it. If you must eat there pay attention to your payment and get a receipt. The staff is cool the owner is sketchy. read more

SO why two stars? I need to say first off that I have been a Shish customer and fan since it opened... The gal and I like the Meze platter, the Shawirma (get the sandwich not the wrap. Wrap is inauthentic less tasty and costs more). I love the red lentil soup. Omelets are tasty too, but can be oily. Cakes are very nice but overpriced. Baklava is decent though not stellar. Overall the food is (was?) quite good if not perfectly authentic. One pet peeve is that they persist in using cottony winter tomatoes. Just skip em guys, or get ripe ones! MidEast food MANDATES under the law of GOD (any monotheistic God will do) that tomatoes be ripe and good. Check the Bible/Koran/Torah, I'm sure it's in there. We have brought many friends here over the years and they have loved it. SO why two stars for the place I say I like? Cuz I don't anymore. See, in recent visits (since perhaps last fall) I have found the staff completely overwhelmed, rushing out poorly prepared or under-cooked food. I have seen some dubious kitchen practices, really filthy prep areas, and a recent omelet I ordered featured potatoes fried in the most rancid grease imaginable. How does that even happen in a well run kitchen? I have enough professional years in the food world to know when a kitchen crosses from "messy from busy time" to "dirty because it's not cleaned". Shish has crossed over... If you go at non-rush times you may have a better experience, and I don't really blame the staff for whats happening. Though I have to say there is one guy up front who has a very cavalier attitude about handling food, really sloppy. I suspect cavalier/disengaged staff or manager is behind some of these new problems... The owner needs to get a good manager in there, consider staffing levels and tune in to health and cleanliness issues. I *REALLY* hope he does, because I don't want to lose my Shish! He has opened another restaurant and I think it is seriously distracting him from managing Shish. He may regret that if Shish slips as much as it has lately and customers vote with their feet, like we are. Also, after four years don't you think its time to fix the broken/cracked toilet seat in the bathroom that has annoyed my girlfriend lo these many years? As she observed, that kind of sends a message to your customer (she's even mentioned it to owner several times). On behalf of the half of the world who must sit to do what needs to be done, a sliding, shifting cracked toilet seat so easily fixed is an insult to the 50% of those who yearn for merely a stable moment whilst they pee. Tell them you care, Mr. Shish... Ah, but I digress--- Anyhow, I am taking a Shish break. I will check back in several months perhaps. I hold out hope for my old friend Shish to get it's act together! read more

This place is great! The food is always good and I especially love the leo burger! Perfect casual place to go with friends!

Now does not allow substitutions.This used to be a good restaurant. I was A regular client spending between 30 and $50 every time I ordered. However the last few times I've ordered carry out I've had to twist their arm to get them to substitute iceberg with spinach lettuce on my salad. Tonight they flat out refused. I was told by the manager Cicero that the owner would lose money on the side salad if he substituted the lettuce type. I canceled my whole order and will no longer be eating at this restaurant. read more

We went to Shish for a late lunch. Our menu: baba ganoush for appetizer, falafel sandwich and kofte burger. All were quite good. Fresh ingredients, large portions. The service wasn't great (probably because there was only one person working as a cashier and a waitress) but this is a place I'd definitely recommend. read more

Family of 3, we got the maza appetizer, and 3 different wraps, and beef stew. My child is unbelievably picky, she loved everthing, we couldn't find one thing that wasn't the most delicious thing we've ever ate. Down to the cucumbers, I hate cucumbers and with their dressing they are amazing. Not cheap, but you could do a lot worse for 50 bucks for 3 people. 'Arabic Tea' is amazing too, with milk and honey. read more

food is good but at times greasy. Also be aware that just because you order a gyro doesn't mean it will come in a pita. It could just be meat sprinkled on rice read more

Another overpriced and underwhelming grand avenue restaurant. Tiny, dried out over cooked shish-kabobs...check. Equally dried out falafel...check. Completely boring spinach salad with single chunk of feta and whole unpitted olives ripe for tooth cracking fun...check. The vegetables were decent... The rice was old and already in clumps. The cheese and spinach pies were good, but as my husband pointed out... Deep frying can mask the worst things into a guilty pleasure. We really love Mediterranean food, but this place seems more into guages, tattoos, interesting dye jobs and hipsters than making delicious food. $50 for $15 worth of food. Won't be back. read more

The team made a mistake and went the extra mile (literally) to correct. I've always loved the food but the customer service makes me loyal. Thank you! read more

Everything about this place was awesome--excellent service, large menu (lots of vegetarian options), and delicious food. We got the veggie curry and the roasted vegetable bowl. The bowl came with housemade tzatziki sauce and hummus on the side, while the curry came with rice and a side salad. Highly recommend checking this place out! Next time I will try the chicken shwarma bowl! read more

Shish is a consistent winner. I had the happy opportunity to join friends for a brunch party. First, because I had not been there in a few months, I was amazed at the redesign. The interior is warm, open and inviting. Second, the menu appears to have been greatly expanded. I stuck with a falafel sandwich, which was good, although a little messy. I think in terms of St. Paul, the falafel is best at Abu Nader, next-best at Shish, and pretty good also at Mim's. Back to Shish -- it now also has breakfast offerings and way more. In fact, I was a little overwhelmed by the menu, which is hand-chalked on a giant blackboard. In all, it was a another good experience at what has become one of our neighborhood favorites. read more

If this were a restaurant where you were seated and served, it would get at least three stars, if not four or even five for really good service. Instead, there is no service, so the two stars are for the food only. Yes, this is yet another one of those Culver's-style places where you pay ahead and are given a number to sit down and place on the table while waiting for food to arrive. You chow, then leave anonymously and quietly without so much as a thank-you or a please-come-again. I must be old-fashioned, because at a place like this I nearly feel obligated to strictly order take-out. Because when I dine inside a restaurant, I enjoy being served and tipping the server after the meal. These sort of places skeletal staffs are the new world order, perhaps due to higher minimum wages. But they certainly cannot expect me to tip X% before I've even been served, especially after ordering a $16+ entree. This cognitive dissonance detracted from what was an otherwise a very decent meal. I won't go back here only because I'd rather dine at a proper restaurant if I am paying restaurant prices for food. read more

Great new addtion to Grand Avenue. My only gripe is that they charge you extra for pita w/meals. I don't begrudge paying for it but would rather have it included in the price. read more

I used to live going to Shish in college, but going back there recently was one of the worst experiences I've had. The server at the counter was so rude to my friends and me, and had the worst attitude ive ever encountered. He laughed at or faces when we asked about a coupon that the restaurant was offering. My friend ordered the lentil soup which was so bland and inedible that she sent it back. The server didn't do anything about it and preceded to ignore her. Honestly the food was mediocre at best; I had the falafel burger which was dry . But the even if the food had been great, the male server was so rude he should probably just be fired. read more

Good, but not wow! They seem to take the menu in too many directions, and while the flavors in my falafel were good, too crispy an exterior. Salad with Italian dressing is not a fit. Then again, I make and learned under an excellent cook of Middle Eastern food, and that being said, there different ways to prepare the same "dish". read more

I've been to Shish many times. Which is why I give it 3 stars and not 5. The quality of the food is not consistent. Sometimes it is really good, sometimes not so much. The other night the dolmas were mush and the Greek salad was just okay. I know if I go back that could be very different. Maybe they need to train their cooks better. Or, do more quality control when the food goes out. read more