I had the gyro plate here, and it was terrific. Â The hummus was nice and flavorful, and the gyro was juicy and tender. Â The pita wasn't homemade though, so that was bit of a let down, I think they could buy a better brand if anything. Â Kind of a divey looking place, not a great part of town either. Â Some guy tried to borrow my phone while I was walking down the street. Â (Tip: Â Don't let strangers dressed like bums borrow your phone)
Review Source:I would give this 3.5 stars, but rounding up to 4 would less than genuine. Â I have eaten here both as eat in and take out. I definitely prefer the take out. Â The service is pretty much non-existent. The place appears to be a family run business, but the amount of time spent on cell phones makes me think they are all running separate businesses.
The portions are very generous. Especially the gyro and the chicken shwarma. I think that for the price you get a good value, but most of my experience is with their sandwich type dishes. I like the creaminess of their hummus. I agree that it doesn't have as much garlic or tahini flavor as some might expect. If you have it with their falafel I think you will be pleasantly surprised.
Location wise it is one of the better lunch places in the area. Definitely do take out and avoid the disappointment of sitting in a fairly dark restaurant with no one paying attention to you.
Hmm, this place used to be better. Or maybe I've just had much better food at Alibaba Grill in Golden! But I'll always remember Shish Kabob Grill as having the best fries in town! So good that we always make sure to order a side portion if it doesn't come with the entree we order.
As far as desserts go, before this trip, I've only had baklava and Kinafeh (Shredded filo pastry filled w/sweet cheese, topped w/crushed pistachios and sugar syrup flavored w/rose water) and both were good. This time I wanted something custardy and cheesy, so naturally I asked for a Kulage (Filo dough filled w/custard, milk and coconut topped w/crushed pistachios and sugar syrup flavored with rose water) and a Shuyabeyat (Filo dough filled with sweet cheese, topped with crushed pistachios and sugar syrup flavored with rose water). They were less impressive, not sweet enough and had way less pistachios than shown on the menu pictures. I felt ripped off!
Meat Combo Platter had really greasy rice and the portion was quite small for the price (really, look up to Alibaba Grill and Jerusalem and see how they serve big portions of platters!)
Okay, even though I was in a suit and an older gentleman wanted me to help push his Lincoln Town Car out of the snow, I still love this place.
On the ambience front, it's a little rough, I am not going to lie.
I absolutely love their vegetarian sampler (two people can split it) it's awesome and their Greek salad would feed a small family. Their hummus is incredible too.
The pita is good too, a great stop on the way home or pick up if you're coming from downtown.
A good value sandwich shop. Â Decor is pretty basic and not really inviting.
But, AMAZING hummus! Ultra light & fluffy (and you can get it to go!) Lentil soup was also good. Â Gyros was solid. Meat had great spice, but was sliced a bit too thick & tzadziki was also a bit thick. Â
If you have a hankering for hummus, GO HERE!
I came in to this place around 6pm. It was empty besides the two sons and the Mom Working.
I ordered a Water, Turkish Tea and A Gyro sandwich with fries.
I was greeted the second i walked in. I like that. And Had my choice of sitting wherever. But i have seen on lunch when i walk by its busy. The menu has lots of items but not to many to make deciding hard.
Turkish coffee is delicious and different from what you get at Starbucks. It comes out in a little pot that you pour into your little mug. Next time i think ill add a little milk to it and really enhance the flavor. For being little it lasts and goes along way.
My Gyro and fries came out pretty quick, and seeing the rotating spit of meat Mmm Yummy.
The Gyro was huge and packed with meat and tomatoes and fresh onions and lettuce. The Tzatiki sauce was made and was fresh and not overpowering with garlic. The meat was not just moist but juicy. Some places i need more tzatiki sauce just to eat it. Not here though. Literally you could see and taste the moistness in each bite.
The fries were standard variety little bit of salt and pepper on them and they were good.
I almost ordered the Hummus as an Appetizer and Baklava for Dessert. But i would of been just way to full.
Next trip Ill order the Gyro Platter.
I had the chicken shewerma and a yogurt drink. It was all in all pretty good and definitely filling. The shewerma could be improved with higher quality vegetables and a lower chicken to vegetable ratio. Good sauce flavor which went really well with the yogurt drink...even though the drink itself wasn't that great alone. Â Overall, I think it is a good place to eat when you are near the capitol. Â It could be great with some minor improvements and a little more flavor added to their food.
Review Source:Arrived for a quick lunch based on a friend's recommendation-whoa, good call buddy! I love good food, but I appreciate good service even more and here I received both from the first step through the door.
So kind, attentive, and timely with quite simply the best hummus I've had in Denver. Maybe ever. Shish Kabob-you've ruined it for City o City-my normal go to place for lunch-as it's not enough to just provide delicious food, nope. You raise the bar by providing amazing service as well. Â Kudos! I'm a fan!
Don't be scared by the dingy appearance of Shish Kabob Grill...the food is out of this world. Â Whatever you do - make sure you try their hummus. Â It is by far the most amazing hummus I have ever had! Â It really puts all others to shame. Â The servings here are huge so it's great to split some of the plates with friends so that you can sample the menu.
The service is a little slow at times - but the food makes up for it. Â This place should definitely be on your list of Denver restaurants to try!
I had been there for couple of times for lunch as it is located closer to my office. Don't be disappointment by looking at the old style chairs and tables.
Lentil soup is so tasty.
I tried falafal sandwich and chicken Shawerma sandwich, both were amazing and delicious.The pita bread was too soft and the chicken was so flavorful.
Superb food for what you pay. Guess this would be a family run restaurant as I saw the same waiter (young boy) and inside the kitchen the same cook (elderly women)
The Best Taste, indeed. I'm pretty excited to live nearby so that I might eat here frequently. We started with the garlic dip, an amazing creamy garlicy creation that previously had been absent from my existence. How have I never seen this on any other menu? I also had the chicken shawerma sandwich which was enormous and delicious. Really, the portions here are incredible for the price. My Turkish coffee was just as powerful as expected and I got to finish off the laban my husband ordered (he didn't like it because it's not sweetened, but it was perfect for me). They were out of mangoes so we couldn't get a yogurt & mango smoothie. It's ok. We'll be back.
Review Source:Split the hummus and went with an old classic in the gyro. Â Good food and huge portions. Â Pretty much rolled out the front door. Â Our server was super nice and excited about baklava when we told him we wanted an order to go. Â Ended up telling us all about his trip to Syria where they make over 50 different types. Â Pretty cool to communicate that kind of passion about your product
Review Source:They had the best hummus and gyros we ever had. The beef and lamb in the gyro was very tender and flavorful. The place was quiet and we noticed quite a number of people coming in to take out (hummus I think). Service could have been more cheerful.
The server who I think is a part of the family looked quite solemn and when I came over to pay, I asked if he had relatives in Syria. He told me about his grandma, aunts and uncles who couldn't leave the country and thanked me for my concern. And I guess this is the reason why he was so solemn.
Overall, great place for Middle Eastern food.
Who licks the remaining hummus left in the container from Shish Kabob? Â I do, unashamedly. Â This hummus is better than anything I've ever tasted. Â Creamy, whipped, garlicky goodness. Â I heard that the way to make really creamy hummus is to peel the garbanzo beans individually? So no thanks, I won't be doing that. Â Instead I'll walk 3 blocks and pay $5 for a tub of hummus that will be gone in a day and a half. Â Kabobs, grilled mushrooms, falafel, all are delicious. Â Their entrees are so huge it becomes two meals for me. Â
Great family-run authentic restaurant. Â The younger sons are the servers, and used to not be overly service-oriented....but either they got a talking to or somebody complained, because they are super attentive and consistently friendly now.
OK, so this is the first time I've visited the SKG (as the kids say), and I got the gyros sandwich. What can I say? I'm a sucker for the classics. Well, I thought it was a bit pricy, but then I got back to work, and pulled it out of the sack like Arthur de-stoning Excalibur. This thing was the size of a watermelon. And it was crammed with all sorts of gyrosy goodness. As I was eating it, stuff kept falling out of the back, but by the time I got to the end of the pita, there was still plenty of meat and veggie. I had to use a fork to gobble up the spilled contents.
But how did it taste? I've had gyros all over this town, all over the western US, and even a couple in Greece. (By the way, when I was there, they were sorta hard to find- I don't know if that is still the case.) And this was the best I've ever had. The spice was subtle and perfect, there was a ton of meat, a ton of veggies (and it was not all lettuce! There was actually a very decent supply of grilled onions, tomatoes, and I think some parsley), and there was not too much tzatziki, which can ruin a perfectly good gyros, IMO.
So now I sit here at my desk, dreaming of the next time I get to go and try something else. According to all these other reviews, the hummus is not to miss. Looking forward to that. And I have reached an anaconda-like state, wherein my belly is packed to bursting point, and I feel like I don't need to eat for another month. And I may be on the verge of a coma.
But it was sooooooo goooooood!
All in all, a tad pricey, but absolutely worth it.
This place rocks. Some of the best hummus I've ever had. Slightly less crazy people than the greek place on the other side of Colfax. You know the one.
The owners (I'm guessing that's who we were interacting with) are great. They do not serve alcohol, just as a heads up. They are Syrian and have political signs up, the place has character and flair. It's genuine and you feel a reflection of the culture of the people working there in the food and environment which I have not noticed many places. I wish it was in my neighborhood because I would go here all the time if I lived closer.
I stopped in today for a vegetarian combo, based on positive reviews. I ordered take-out and am glad I did, as the incessant noise from the door chime and the crowded, diner-style feel of the restaurant were a little overwhelming.
There was a sign on the front door that warned patrons to check their to go orders before they left and that the restaurant would not be responsible for mistakes or items left out. Not the greatest "welcome to our restaurant" vibe, but I was there for the food anyway. The guy at the register was quite literally surly, which was another strike against the service/atmosphere. I was just hoping the food would make up for it. Waited about 15 minutes, during which time the owner (maybe manager?) was nice enough to offer me a gratis serving of the pickled veggies that were taunting me from their perch on the counter. Nice to see some positive aspect of the service.
We got the food (and checked it for accuracy!) and left for a nearby park. All in all, the meal was good, but nothing really stood out. I prefer the hummus at Damascus and the babaganoush at Marrakech Grill to what Shish Kabob had to offer, but that may be a personal preference. I found the hummus' texture to be a bit too "fluffy" for me. It was almost like it had been whipped. The babaganoush was tasty, but I like it with less tahini so that the smoky flavor shines and it was a bit too smooth for me.
I did enjoy the falafel, which had bits of veggies in it and the green bean/tomato/onion dish was nice as well. The salad was just a basic green salad and the rice was pretty standard as well. Sadly, as with nearly all Middle Eastern restaurants in Denver, the pitas were store bought. However, they were warmed up, which is more than many places do. I like the fresh pitas at Damascus and Amira Bakery myself.
I would eat here again, but would not go out of my way to do so. I encourage those who love Shish Kabob to venture down towards Colorado Blvd./Iliff and check out some of the restaurants in that area. I think it's safe to say you'll be happy you did.
From the outside, it looks like a place you might get stabbed. But from the inside, it's a wonderland full of all your favorite Middle Eastern foods: falafel, gyros, hummus, and of course, kabobs. The lamb kabob, like the falafel, is ridiculously tasty and makes me question the wisdom of eating non-kabob food.
To top it all off, Shish Kabab Grill is inexpensive, service is good, and the menu is extensive.
What I had? Â Meat Combo Platter (Three skewers of mixed beef and chicken shish kabob and beef kifta kabob). Â Served w/rice, cucumber & yogurt, hummus, garden salad and one pita bread.
Food review: Â I went here with some work buddies and decided to stray a little bit from what everybody else was ordering. Â It's been quite a while since I've had kabobs on a skewer and it just sounded good. Â We started out with some hummus and pita bread. Â Some reviewers had been put off by the texture which is definitely different than most any other hummus I've had out there. Â Very creamy. Â That didn't really bother me much but what I didn't really care for was how "sharp" the taste was. Â I don't know if it's some kind of different seasoning or what but I found myself thinking the hummus was just ok because of it. Â Then I moved on to the kabobs which surprised me a bit. Â It ended up having a little bit more of a "sweeter" taste to it due to whatever sauce was on it. Â The platter as a whole was generally alright but nothing to ride home about. Â
Service? No complaints
Other thoughts: Â Hypocrite warning. Â :-) Â I get on people's case about going to a restaurant that was recommended, getting something different than what was recommended, and then finding it either just ok or just not good at all. Â I definitely took that route this day. Â I really wish I had gone with what had been recommended (the Gyro Sandwich). Â Next time I will definitely do so. Â :-)
If you want a Gyro in Denver this has been my best yet. Unassuming place right off Colfax with typical strip mall interior, but I've found that decor rarely has anything to do with food. The people who run the place are nice and friendly.
Still the reason we're here is the food and it is a good reason to be here. I have gotten the Gyro sandwich several times and it comes out with the regularity you would expect from a chain and the quality of a one of a kind place. Fantastic lamb, well seasoned, and freaking huge.
This place is a great deal and if you want to eat lunch for the price of a fast food meal and not feel bad about it this is your stop. If your a smaller person or just not ready to eat your own arm off after 2 minutes of not eating like me, I see no reason this couldn't count at two meals.
I come to this place once every few months and this place has just gone down in it's service and food quality.
My wife and I were super hungry today and came to eat here today. We told our server to hurry up our order. There was only one other couple in restaurant eating their dinner. We waited almost 15 minutes before we got our order of hummus and salad despite out request. Then the main course took another 20 minutes and it seems like I was served leftover from the day before because the gyro was hard and dry. I won't recommend this place anymore to anyone!
Sorry Shish Kabob...you really disappointed us!
This is a great place for lunch. Sick of the standard and often boring choices in LoDo, I ventured over here.
Ordered a gyro sandwich. Wow. This gyro sandwich was delicious and stuffed with meat and vegetables. They certainly do not skip on portion size (couch, chicken /meat from Chipotle, cough).
The service was also friendly. Although  it isn't a traditional sit down plate, the waiter would always provide prompt refills.
Shish Kabob Grill is a great place for lunch, I highly recommend it.
I've been going to this place for awhile now and have really appreciated the $6.99 gyro sandwich. There's a TON of great tasting meat in there at a great price!
The fries, though, are truly awful institutional-grade foodstuff. And what's even worse: I *swear* there was Hidden Valley Ranch on my gyro and not tzatziki the last time I went there. It was disgusting!
Oh, and there are multiple (super tacky) signs around the restaurant explaining that they are not responsible for not getting your takeout order correct (uh, what?) and imploring you to double check the order before you leave. I'm glad I did, since they didn't include any of my sides in the bag they handed me. Just weird.
I'm willing to give them another try, since the gyro is delicious and the hummus is great, too.
Hummus. That is all you need to know. Â Shish Kabob grill, hands down (unless its busy shoveling hummus in your mouth) has the best hummus and baba ghanoush ever. Really... ever! Â I stop by at least once a week to pick up a take home tub of it just for myself.
On top of all that, best gyros in the Denver area, and its huge. Â I love that the meat is in nice big chunks instead of long thinner strips. Â Plus the garlicky sauce on the pita is an amazing trade for tzatziki. Â Oh, and whatever that ice cream machine they have is, I love it too. Â Often my coworkers and I will come in just for a tasty cone! (Weird, but try cotton candy and pistachio swirl) Â This is a Denver must.
I'm enamored with their food -- the meats you get have such wonderful flavor, it makes other places seem bland and uninteresting. Â The gyros and beef kifta kabob are both outstanding and worthy of a try. Â The hummus and baba ganouj are a great way to start. Â
A lot of older reviews took these guys to task about the staff; I've been eating there since they've opened, and I think they've gotten a lot better. Â If those reviews kept you from going in the past, it's worth another try now.
That said, I have one huge problem with this place: Â the door chime. Â Really. Â Every time a person walks in or out, the thing goes off at a high volume. Â If someone is standing in the doorway, it goes off incessantly. Â It's a tiny place and they always have someone standing at the counter; it's completely unnecessary, and it's completely irritating. Â As a result, I eat-in very infrequently, especially during lunch. Â It's enough to drive a person batty if you're eating there. Â When I'm going out with a group to eat, we decide on whether or not we want to go based on whether or not we can handle the chime. Â It really is that bad. Â
So give them a call, and get your food to go. Â You won't be disappointed. Â But if you hang out, bring ear plugs.
I work near SKG and have eaten there many times for lunch, picked up meals to go and eaten in for dinner as well.
My favorite items:
the hummus - so silky, smooth and tasty! No matter how hard my friend and I have tried, we cannot replicate the texture or flavor of their creation.
the lentil soup - hearty and absolutely delish! Someday I must get this to go so I can lick the bowl clean like I am always tempted to do while dining in.
the falafel - crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside - yum!
the gyros - I may be wrong here, but I'm sure they make their own and do not purchase the pre-made gyro meat that virtually all other restaurants that serve gyros do. The meat is more flavorful and the texture is better than any place else I have ever had. The portion is also HUGE.
I also love the small touches at SKG, such as the dusting of sumac on the hummus or on a salad.
As for the service that so many other reviewers have mentioned, I have to say I agree and that is why I can only give 4 stars. A friend I sometimes dine with there has a distant connection to the family, and when I am with her, the service is fantastic. However, when I return without her, not so much. The sons that wait tables would likely prefer to be doing something else and I would say that waiting tables isn't one of their better skills. Â That aside, the food is fantastic and I can easily forgive this based on the merits of their delicious hummus alone.
Extremely tasty kabobs and gyros the size of your face? Hell yes, please! Not to mention it's one of the best bang for your buck within several city blocks. The decor may not have much, but it's everything you need and everything you don't. That's my kinda place for a weekly bite!
While you're there, pick up some hummus for the road. You'll want to be thinking of this place when your stomach's craving some delicious, fill-you-tl-you-pop affordable grub!
Here's the thing:
THIS HUMMUS IS AMAZING. It is the smoothest, most flavorful hummus I have ever had. It's so good, in fact, that we decided that we need to put a cooler in our car for our cross-country drive with some of their hummus.
The seasoning on the chicken shwarma is complex and mouth watering. Â This place is one of the things that I will TRULY miss in Denver.
Same kids working every time, polite and shy, but always friendly.
I live about five blocks from Shish-Kabab Grill, so I've been in for a meal quite a few times.
This afternoon, I called over to order a gyro for pick-up. After placing the order, the man who answered asked for my name, and said "thanks." No total, no time estimate. I asked how long it would be, and he replied "um, twenty minutes?"
I headed over to be there a couple minutes ahead of time, and the gyro was ready. Boy, was I looking forward to this. In my first few experiences, these really were the best gyros in town - packed full of tasty, tender meat, with enough lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and sauce to make the perfect meal. Things seemed a bit off the last time I was there, but I chalked it up to a rough day. Anyway, I got it home and dug in.
Sigh. The meat is still incredibly plentiful, and definitely tender, but seems to have been drowned in salt. Some pieces were burnt. There were almost no onions or tomatoes, and the itzatziki was just about non-existent. The onion rings were definitely frozen food, which was a let down because they used to be outstanding.
Previous reviewers have noted that the staff isn't exactly friendly, and this is pretty true. They're never downright rude, but its certainly not a warm atmosphere. For this reason, picking up the food has always worked well for me.
I hope my last couple times there have been flukes, because I've enjoyed Shish-Kabob Grill's food for years now. But lately, it just hasn't been up to par.
Thank you, Omar, for making me want to become obese. Â It's your menu, my friend, and the home cooking. Â
To those out there not named Omar...this is the best gyro in Denver, in my opinion. Â That said, I hardly ever order it. Â Why? Â Because the rest of the menu is fantastic, too. Â
Why do I think the gyro is better here? Â Several reasons, but first and foremost, the meat. Â It's not that dried out, thinly sliced stuff you get pretty much anywhere else. Â Here, it's thicker, juicier, and about the size of my pinky. Â Not YOUR pinky, MY pinky, and that's a big pinky.
The other main distractions from the Gyros are:
Chicken Shawarma (again, juicy and well seasoned). Â The sandwich is HUGE. Â One of the best deals in Denver. Â
The shish kabob is heaven on a stick, perfectly roasted and seasoned meats, onions, peppers. Â This description doesn't do it justice, but I am at a loss for words here. Â
I could go on and on. Â This is one of those menus where you don't know where to start or end. Â I refuse to get a gyro anywhere else because I know I will be disappointed. Â Omar has ruined me for all others.
If you trust my reviews at all and like Middle Eastern food, this is a must try. Â I guarantee if you go once, you'll return.
One of my only regrets about moving from my old 'hood at 14th and Penn is that Shish Kabob isn't just down the street from me anymore. Okay, now they are only 10 more blocks away, but for some reason that's just outside of my I'm-starving-I-need-food-immediately range. So, I don't get there as often as I used to.
To be honest, I've driven past this place about 6 times in the last few months fully intending to stop for some of those delicious grape leaves and hummus, but parking is hellacious....so, usually I just drive by with a sad look on my face, and end up coming home and digging around in my fridge, pretending that I'm eating something from Shish Kabob. Seriously, they still have some of the most flavorful Middle Eastern food in town. You should try it. I miss it. I think I'll try to go there again tomorrow.
P.S. Commence with the biking! Why do we need cars, anyway?
DO NOT SUPPORT THE SHISH KABOB GRILL
First of all, let me say that this is not a review of their food which has generally been good the times I have eaten here. However I will not be returning and this is why...
After reading through the reviews for this place I saw a disturbingly repetitive theme: food good, service and attitude bad! I just got back from lunch there and was unfortunate enough to witness some of the same problems that others have observed, and as a result I won't be going back. I was finishing up my chicken schwarma sandwich when I heard the cook behind the counter start to get very agitated. Over the next few minutes I heard her repeatedly call one of the servers "stupid" and nearly shout that she was "working with stupid people." It appeared to be a problem with an order, but as a patron of any establishment, I am not going to spend my money in a place where any employee is berated so publicly and aggressively.
As I paid and prepared to leave I told the cashier that I would not be returning and explained why. He tried to explain it away as a "recurring problem" and a result of the "pressures of working back there." I'm not buying it, literally. Anyone who has worked in food service knows that mistakes happen and there are much more constructive (and private) ways of addressing these issues besides publicly humiliating an employee.
I read several reviews for this place that complained of a general culture of bad tempers and poor service and it appears to be pervasive from the top down. If this server gets fired in a fit of misdirected anger about my parting comments, I can only think that he will be better for it. No one should have to deal with that kind of abuse in their work place.
Service was good and really attentive but, damn, it took them foreverrr to get out the food. It was definitely worth the wait, however.
I'd already decided that I was gonna order the Gyro Sandwich ($6.99). Compared to other Middle Eastern/Mediterranean restaurants, I thought this seemed a bit pricey, but SKG's gyro is better than anything I've had before. I was totally wowed by the thick, juicy perfectly-spiced chunks of meat. The grilled onions were a surprise (I would have preferred them raw tbh), but everything had a delicious fresh and smoky flavor which was complemented perfectly by the light and not overly-garlicky tzatziki sauce. The fries were nothing special but who cares. The gyro was phenomenal!
He had the Vegetarian Platter ($12.99). While he really loved the green bean concoction and the tender buttery rice, over all he preferred the Vegetarian combo at Phoenician Kabob. SKG's falafel was on the dry side, the spanakopita-type thing was rather bland, and the pita and dips just weren't quite as tasty.
If you're a gyro fan, I definitely recommend this place (5 stars). I think I'll go back next weekend to check out the Chicken Shawerma - it looked amazing!
The first thing you'll feel about this place is how clean it and neat it is. Stainless steel kitchen is shiny, ceiling is different from most middle Eastern spots, it is clean, nothing hanging from it.
Service is awesome, food comes out on a good timely matter, waiting staff very attentions, and restaurant owner greets his customer.
Food is good. I had the Kifta sandwich, came with onion rings. Kifta was well prepared and very tasty.
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