Les Grillades

This is my favourite breakfast spot in Ottawa. Their eggs with steak and hummus with pine nuts is to die for!
The owner, Leila, is phenomenal! Great food and great people… can’t beat that!
Great price in my opinion for the level and freshness of the food.

The BEST chicken shawarma I have ever had, hands down!
To those reviewers complaining about cleanliness: they are cooking over an open coal fire here INDOORS! So of course there is going to be some soot in the exhaust ducts. IMHO, keeping that in mind, it is pretty remarkably CLEAN.
It also has some of the most tender, most flavorful grilled meat I’ve ever had. Lunchtime the menu is more limited (only chicken and falafel) but also equally good and much cheaper.
I have found the family that runs this place to be very accommodating. Some of the family members are friendlier than others, yes. But if you start talking about food, it’s very clear they genuinely want you to enjoy it.
They do not serve alcohol.

I’m very so-​so about this place; wasn’t as impressed with the overall experience as I thought I would be, given all the hype given to it by my colleagues at work.
Here’s why: First of all, maybe I’m a food snob, but I really do prefer sit down service (especially for a work function), but this place is cafeteria style. We were not offered menus, so those of us who had no idea what we could order had no idea what to ask for. However, there was a sign above the glass counter showing a felafel sandwich with a side order and a drink for $ 10, but they had run out of felafel by the time it was my time to order — and it was only 12:20pm or so! I ended up ordering a salad with chicken on top (which a colleague and ordered and it looked appetizing). For the price they charged for lunch ($ 13.00 + taxes and tip), I still would have preferred wait service.
I can live with climbing stairs, especially before a meal. The space was actually not bad — on 2 levels, with bright windows on the lower level. It was a little darker up by the kitchen, but sufficient light poured in from the windows. But both the «chefs» behind the counter were surly and unsmiling. Was it just a bad day?
But there were other things too that didn’t work that well, like they weren’t ready for us although I had made a reservation; and the cook didn’t know how much the food would be and had to ask the cashier (there are no signs posted anywhere). The cash was perched up on a teeter tottering thing at the end of the counter, making it crowded for the people sitting at tables there.
In the end, although the food was good and the company was great, I will not be in a hurry to go back.

I have been reading reviews on Unilocal for a few years now, and I never felt motivated to sign up and write my own until I made it to the second floor of this dumpster.
The place: filthy carpets, ripped menus, dust filled window shades. The tables by the dirty windows sit over a heating system that spits out a horrendous odor. You only need to take a quick look at the sludge filled vents above the cooking area/​cashier to understand how hygiene is neglected. If you’re invited and end up using the stairway rails on your way up, your hand sanitizer will come handy.
The food: if you are a charcoal grill purist, you will immediately see, then taste, the lighter fluid war launched on the meats. Here’s a tip: To judge a Lebanese restaurant, always check out its basic appetizers, like the spicy potatoes or baba ghanouj. If the business can’t get it right, walk out. Not to save your money, but rather to be kind to your digestive system.
The service: moot discussion, but expect your server to be underage and uninformed about what is in your food.
Verdict: Naji’s has its flaws and its newer property and cleaner kitchen could be giving it an edge over Les Grillades, but the real difference between these two are the people running these businesses: One believes in gourmet philosophy, the other lacks it.

I was introduced to Ali’s famous grilled chicken several years ago. Truly a taste sensation. I think they realized that it was good and way too cheap so the price isn’t what it used to be — but still worth every penny. Whole almost boneless chicken grilled and served with beautiful rice. All the other usual traditional sides available. I live with a vegetarian — and so the chicken dinner is great… and lasts me for 4 meals!
Ali the Chef/​Owner makes amazing hummos, baba ganouj and many other things. It is simple. They haven’t made the place more than a basic restaurant — which for me is just fine because I go for the food.
One night I was there and saw them bringing out a gorgeous platter of lamb. I asked Ali about it… and he told me he does half and whole lambs. I didn’t hesitate — and spend several months figuring out what event I could create to get a lamb. Finally, I figured it out and last January ordered a whole lamb for 2 nights — and had a small intimate dinner party one night with a dozen friends and a larger buffet with the rest of the lamb the next night. Ali and his staff delivered both nights… and I have one friend who knows his lamb (he is Greek)…and he said it was up there with the best. He even took the head and brain home to enjoy.
If you like Lebanese food… this is the place for a great dinner.

Finally a place that makes garlic sauce that rivals Shawarma Palace.
Before the main course comes out, you are treated with, what I assume to be, their home-​made pita bread. It is served warm and is probably the best pita bread ever as it is still fresh and soft unlike other places where it’s stale and brittle that it starts to crumble when you pick it up.
The hummus is probably the best in the city as it’s not overly thick, instead it is exceptionally smooth.
We ordered the whole chicken which was big enough to feed the four of us.
I decided to treat it like shawarma and wrapped it in their awesome pita bread and covered it in garlic sauce. The chicken was very moist, however in some spots, it was burnt. I don’t even know how it’s possible to have moist and burnt in the same thing but it happened.
Our other friend also had the lamb which was also delicious.
The staff there is very friendly.
I would definitely return !

The best part besides the food was their service for sure. They are a friendly, family run business. Reasonably priced, good Lebanese food.
MUST try the Fatteh (breakfast dish with toasted pita, yogurt sauce, chick peas and toasted pine nuts garnished with parsley) usually it comes with meat but I get it without, it’s amazing. It’s the best and freshest fatteh I have ever eaten out.
The food is all fresh, delicious and good service.

We went to Les Grillades on a beautiful spring evening. The food here is delicious and reasonably priced. To start we had the Sambousik which is kind of like a Lebanese peirogie. We ordered the Grilled Sujok and Boneless Grilled Half chicken. The charcoal main plates come with hummous and pickled turnip to start. Everything was fresh and delicious. Although, the table next to us got something called a ‘mixed appetizer’ which was not on the menu and I would have liked to order that. One thing to note, Les Grillades is not licensed so only pop and water. A good local ethic resto for a reasonably priced meal out.

Delicious reasonably priced, eat-​in or take-​out Lebanse food. Friendly service too. Try the kafta.