Famous King invites you to their dining room. They are open nightly all week. You can get there by car and public transit and visit them in a neighborhood known as stimulating.
I love donairs, especially when I watch them being chopped fresh from the vertical spit.. (The old owners used to do this).. I now find the donairs in this place dry and overcooked.. Wish a new place would open up so I could indulge in one of my favourite treats without having to sacrifice quality...
The WORST donair we have ever tasted. It was so overly seasoned with cayenne pepper or some other type of hot spice that you couldnt even taste the meat. The doanir fell apart in our hands and ended up all over us. Even tho the price was good for the portion size it was just to to full to even handle. I would never ever go back nor recommend to even a dog. Speaking of which our dog wouldnt even eat the meat. We ended up throwing out our meals which was 50.00 down the drain.
Tell me This is Not My Only Option for Lebanese in Kingston!
Kingston really has something to learn from the Lebanese restaurants in Ottawa. First of all, the portion size is HALF of what they give for a Chicken Shawara Plate (if not even less). To be fair, the cost was $10 (taxes in) and usually the plates in Ottawa are about $12.50 including tax. But still. There was no potatoes or pita bread included in the plate either. What's the point of giving me hummus without pita bread? I asked and they said that the plate did not come with it. He could have told me that it was 25 cents extra. Although I think it should have been included with it, I would have paid the 25 cents! On top of the very very small portion size, the food was very salty. I usually like salty food but this was a bit over the top. My recommendation if anyone were to eat here is to go with a sandwich instead. I saw them preparing one and for the portion size, this is better value at $6.50 (taxes in). My stomach is grumbling right now a few hours later since I did not get to eat enough. Last of all, the establishment was quite grungy looking with a funny smell which made me a bit concern about the sanitary conditions. This is coming from the gal that usually loves to go to hole in the wall type places and for me to be concerned that is saying alot. Sigh - I may have to just wait to eat Lebanese food until my visits to Ottawa.
Finally decided to try out this place - from the outside sure looks weird with those wooden benches / gazebos, and I never remember seeing patrons inside. Still I was hungry and decided to give it a go ordering a falafel sandwich. The food was "adequate" but nothing to write home about: falafel was ok but toppings not so much> they included few scant pieces of lettuce, 2 pieces of tomato and few turnips. I am not sure if I would dare order any meat sandwiches just because I would be concerned about freshness: the meat spits were empty and not clean and as mentioned there are never any patrons there when I walk by - the worrying sign. They also need to get a better atmosphere going - maybe by get rid of the roofs for the benches: very un-necessary...
Reading the other reviews of this restaurant make me laugh, it is a love it or hate it kinda place.. Personally, I like it..
If you like your donair a little on the crispy side and with more meat then you can imagine, then this is the place for you. Huge portions, I have tackled the Belly buster, and survived to tell about it.
If you are only able to go once, i recommend the Donair Pizza, with sweet sauce as the base and piled high with meat,
It was my first time at this shop. I was curious as it has been around for a long time. The Donair was awesome. Really great flavour. There was also a Falafel Plate that was adequate. It wasn't amazing like the donair.
The atmosphere was terrible. The entrance to the restaurant has an air conditioner positioned to drip water on you as you enter. The tables were not wiped, the carpet was stained and nasty, and there is some kind of wooden structure assembled inside the space... weird.
I feel like a may sneak in for a Donair from time to time but I will be getting in To Go.
Potatoes were icky and reheated 5 times over, or so it tasted and the rice was not authentic Lebanese. The chicken was not off the spit, it was pre shaven and this bothers me. The chicken was weird, dry and sort of greasy. The owner was unauthentic in his friendliness and it was sort of creepy in there. I will not give recommendations to anyone to go here and I will not return as a patron. Weird dark atmosphere with no music, just eerie not to mention 12$ was overpriced. It's Just a weird little place.
I just arrived from Montreal and they have some AMAZING LEBANESE there, so this stuff is just garbage.
I would like to correct the information for the...
I would like to correct the information for the commentator below (Wil)
1- The price of small Donair has been $7.00 (including taxes) for a long time and it is still the same quantity of beef and it is way bigger in size than any similar restaurant and equal to large in most restaurants.
2- Since five years the onion and tomatoes mix has been served the same way, and it have been stored in a flow air counter cooler not in a hot counter as he mentioned, it is always fresh because the vegetable is always cut and served right away because the restaurant is busy and there is no possibility that the food can be stored for a long time.
3- The recipe of the Donair has not been changed since the restaurant was opened five years ago, neither the way it steamed and served.
4- The sweet sauce it is creamier than before and more thickly, as for the flavour it can’t be changed because it can only be made one way strictly. I wish this man can tell us how to do sweet sauce in different way.
5- I believe this gentleman who called him self (wil) has it all wrong and maybe he is motivated to write such comment because nothing has been changed in the food quantity and quality since the restaurant was operated, customers of the restaurant are spread from Quebec city to Montreal to Ottawa to St Catherine in the south up to pitawawa in the north, people drive for hours just to enjoy Famous King food and specially Donair and Shawarma, because you can’t find the perfect quality of this food anywhere else in Ontario.
Sad really.
Famous king was so good for so long...
Sad really.
Famous king was so good for so long ,but alas all good things come to a end.
A small (and I do mean small donair) are now seven dollars 7$.
The onion/tomato mix usually tastes old and stringent ,because they have been chopped and chucked together, and left out on the hot counter for hours...yummm!
The donair meat in itself tastes less in distinction and favourless compared to the old style of donair meat used while Hassam was running the shop.
Lastly is of course the sweet sauce ,which is signature to any decent donair joint worth it's salt.
This too,seems to have changed -from a creamy rich and favourful ,but no to sweet sauce-to a water down sugary flavoured shadow of itself..
I keep going back,thinking "this time it will be great"
Sadly the time has not come back round,and so I realize that this shop is not the place I want to spend my money anymore
Customer service is lack lustre at best,little or no conversation-prep it,bag it.straight to the register.
The King has lost its crown,at least for me,as a fellow who has frequented this business since it's inception .
It is definitely time to seek out a new place to fall in love again..
cheers!
wil :)
The food is a Canadianized version of their so-called "authentic" Lebanese. The service is unhelpful and rude. On two separate occasions the server has been rude to me for no reason. I might consider going back if I can't find another halal Middle Eastern restaurant in Kingston.
From the minute I entered the door, I was warmly welcomed. Then, the owner Fouad, made me one of the best shawarma I have ever tasted. Much better than the competition (if you can call it that!) on Division Street.
I will return to Famous King for my shawarma :)
People in Kingston must be on crack to like this place
After living in a middle eastern area of Toronto for several years I became accustomed to falafel and shwarma that was outstanding.
I had people recommend this place but I honestly have NO idea why people would do so. Keep in mind I live about 100 feet from this place and have been several times to give it a chance (or because nothing else was open).
The falafel and chicken shwarma are abysmal. Both are pre cooked and microwaved infront of you, done in a thin tasteless pita with old veggies.
I cannot stress how awful both of these items are and overpriced. I used to get sublime falafel in Toronto for 3 bucks with fresh veggies, REAL hummus, and crisp well flavoured falafel balls.
The guy that works there is very nice thats about the only positive thing I can say for this place. I tried to give this place at least 6 seperate chances but every time it disappointed.
Ignore any other review in this list that says the falafel and shwarma are anything but an insult to Mediterranean cooking.
- Amazing food, best middle eastern place in Kingston hands down.
- Large amount of meat, small donair is enough for one person.
- Kafta is simply amazing, tender,soft, & juicy.
- Extra toppings such as garlic sauce and extra sweet sauce are kinda pricey, but totally worth.
- Delivery Charge of $3 kinda sucks.
- Kind and great service over the phone and in-person.
I've been a repeat customer over the past year or...
I've been a repeat customer over the past year or so.. trying their shawarma, donair, and donair pizza.. AWESEOME FOOD, big quantities of meat and good service.
