Doner Kebab House

I moved to Toronto in 2016 and this was the highlight of my move. I never had Turkish Donair before and when I posted it online, all my friends always asked where I got it from.

I'm so sad they closed down and will no longer be re-opening or selling their red sauce.

Someone please recommend me a new Turkish donair place! I'm craving it!

Doner Kebab House is a small shop in downtown Toronto run by the kindest people. Even after serving countless people daily, they still make you feel like the only customer with the sole goal of making your day. They are delightful!

The food itself is good too! I ordered the straight up donor kebab and it was delicious and full of flavor. We got the baklava for dessert and it was large and moist (there's nothing worse than a dry baklava).

If you love Turkish food, go here!

It is very sad to hear that this place closed down. This was the *best* shwarma/doner place in Toronto! It was run by a small Turkish family - an elderly couple and their two sons. They were the kindest and most sincere people. They were always so friendly. They made you feel like it was more than just a commercial transaction. The atmosphere made the already amazing food that much better. This is honestly a great loss for the community.

Update on Doner Kebab House:
I googled the owners to see whether they had opened a new location. I found an interview with one of the sons where he mentions that they will no longer be in the restaurant business.

From reading the reviews here, both my partner and I opted for the mixed chicken/veal rice (without any vegetables because it's just coleslaw and costs an extra $2). I personally thought the food was mediocre but my partner thought it was below average.

Neither of the two meats were tender, the rice was a little hard (my partner suspected it was one day old rice), and the $10 price was not worth it. It was a filling portion but I could get a similar size box for less than $8 at the Roti Roll Caribbean Cuisine just down the street (and although it's a completely different cuisine altogether, the food there is by far much more delicious).

With all the great options nearby, I will not be coming back here.

Doner Kebab is getting to be a rare find along the ever-changing (increasingly in demand) Yonge and Dundas area. It's relatively cheap, but still a delicious and filling meal from a local establishment. They serve up chicken and lamb kebab in a variety of rice, salad and wrap options.

I stopped by for a super late lunch and the server jumped up from a nearby table to put together my order. I went the half and half (chicken and lamb) dinner plate (served with rice and a potato). It was liberally doused with white sauce, and they gave me just a bit of hot sauce on the side when they noticed my initial hesitance over the red stuff. I exchanged the box of $11.50 and was out the door in under 5 minutes.

The meat to carb ratio is excellent, with plenty of meat for each bite of rice or potato. Admittedly, it's a little heavy for a lunch meal if you finish the whole box in a sitting. Throw in a salad and it can easily be stretched out for two meals!

Food - 5
Drinks - 4 (no alcohol)
Staff - 4
Service - 5
Décor - 1 (but what can you expect)
Atmosphere - 5 (mom 'n pop shop)
Cleanliness - 3
Portion - 5
Price-Point - 5

Must-Tries:
- chicken platter includes rice, potato, salad, slaw, your choice of chicken or veal or mixed (for me it's all about the white sauce!! extra extra sauce!!)
- homemade hot sauce is tangy and not too spicy

I can't believe this place has closed down. I discovered this place in my freshman year and have been a regular ever since. I often recommend it as the best "Shawarma" place in Toronto. Everything about the place was perfect. The Food. The Family. Customer Service.

And they closed it down for a Condo....like we need another one of those.

One of the Toronto gems. Doesn't look much from the outside. Terrible signs and seating. The food is inversely related to how it appears from the outside.

They have a special hot sauce chipotle mix. Very unique and goes extremely well with their chicken. One of my top shawarma spots in the city.

This place is a hole in the wall on the corner of Yonge and Gerrard, and most people probably walk by without noticing it. I went in on the recommendation of a friend and I was pleasantly surprised by how friendly the service was. They only accept cash, but they make sure you are aware of it prior to ordering so there is no conflict when it comes to paying.

The food however, was very subpar. I ordered the chicken and rice, and the chicken was flavourless but worst of all, it was smothered in a garlic sauce that didn't taste at all garlicky, and a hot sauce that was 90% sugar and only 10% heat. I felt very gross after eating the food, probably because of how oily and heavy the chicken, rice, and sauces were.

I don't want to give this place a very poor rating, as the service really is phenomenal and I believe they have better food than what I had last time. I will hopefully be returning again in the future to try some of their other menu options but in the meantime, I am leaving 3 stars and am warning people to try the sauces prior to ordering.

I am gutted that this place is now gone. The family who runs the place were warm from my first visit when I was an undergrad to when I began my career and would pop by whenever I felt sentimental.

They would even open the door for me when they'd see me peering in with a sad face because I just missed their business hours. It's a shame places like this are disappearing and disappointing that there are people that feel shuttering family businesses who espouse the best Canadian characteristics is a good thing.

All the best to the family and thanks for all the warm memories.