Shawerma Express

I’ve been here a few times — this place introduced me to Shawerma’s. Initially, they had some pricing changes that hadn’t been reflected on the menu so things got a little confusing, but I haven’t been there in some time so I’m assuming and hoping it’s been altered to reflect the most recent prices.
Now onto the food! What I like to order from here most are their wraps. They are HUGE and I go crazy with the topping and sauces. Ironically, whenever I order their wraps — waiting is impossible for me and I don’t like to eat in the restaurant so I begin devouring it in the car. I always happen to be going somewhere other than home and want to get the full experience (fresh & hot). It starts dripping like no other, LOL. Dripping on my shirt, my car, my life. I usually put a plastic bag underneath in hopes of catching the mess early on. Their spicy sauce is very good and spicy yet I still get extra. Garlic sauce is great too — watch out for your breath though if you plan on going out somewhere directly after.
Meat wise, I’ve only ever ordered their chicken because they are usually out of lamb when I come in which is later in the evening; however, screw the other two because I LOVE their falafels and ever since I discovered how amazing they are, that’s all I order and fake vegetarian while devouring it.
I think they have late night hours certain evenings as well.

I wasn’t impressed with my falafel sandwich although my companion enjoyed her falafel bowl. The falafel was kind of doughy. Wasn’t very hot. The condiments were aplenty though. East access to free parking.

Great little hole in the wall. It’s hard to find good shawarma in VA, but this is good. The prices are good the serving size is ok and the quality is good. Certainly a great spot to drop in for lunch.

Good food, and the service was fine. Probably best to call ahead and carry out for maximum enjoyment.

Yumtown Drumtown. Excelllent shawerma.
I had the lamb, garlic sauce, hummus, tomatoes, cabbage, onions. Tahini and hot sauce.
Might consider going light on the garlic sauce. It’s very effective stuff.
Best shawarma I’ve had in the entire area.

The flavor will draw you in, this little place tucked in a Fairfax shopping center is super clean and well maintained, it must be the word of mouth that bring Middle eastern cuisine lovers, I had the the Lamb shawarma with the thin flat bread roll up, great spices and flavor with the salad and pickled items to add on. If they do the meat right !! Which they did nothing can go wrong, however, they could do a better job with pickles and the cold adding tray, the pickles need a brighter color … Nothing more need I to say, they will understand and fix it .
Customer service is excellent and friendly, good luck to you and I will keep on coming back.

Wow! What a difference it was tonight! I decided to go to the restaurant myself and check the place out. I had seen all the Unilocal reviews and I knew it couldn’t be that bad! So, I guess I had just come in on an off night prior, because this time it was sooo much better! The chicken was much better spiced and I liked the garlic sauce! Definitely get it! The food is really good! It is much better than before!

This was recommended to me by a coworker because I love falafel from another restaurant. I loved the fact that the falafel is made for each order. I ordered a bowl and the different veggies and sauces you could add was great. The falafel themselves were about meatball sized and crispy — just a bit saltier that I liked. The rice also had dried clumpy bits in it. All in all it was a pretty satisfying meal.
The service was good and the wait for the food was prepared pretty fast. I would come back to try either meat option or to get a falafel pita.

There were a couple variables that went into my review.
Food/​4
Atmosphere/​3
Service/​3
I had the lamb rice bowl which was pretty good. The lamb was really tasty and not gamy at all. The veggies didn’t taste as fresh as I wanted them to, but the lamb made up for it. $ 8 which wasn’t a bad deal. The atmosphere reminded me of a run down Hookah bar. I know it’s about the food, but there are a lot of other Shawarma places that are more attractive. There was a bit of a language barrier with the service. I’d ask what a certain ingredient is and the guy would just throw it in the bowl before really understanding what I was asking. Several toppings that I didn’t want in there were thrown in, but luckily the lamb really out shined everything. The buff guy at the register was really polite though!
Hate to be a tough critic because the lamb was really good, but there are so many new Shawarma places opening up that I felt like they should make some positive changes.

Best Shawerma I’ve had in a long time. The meat isn’t that pressed fake meat most places use and be careful they run out towards the end of the day. They also gave me a free sample of the falafel which was also damn good.

1^st time, loved it, I had the chk. Shaowrma OMG it was perfect and the fries were crunchy and crispy also the Humos tasted amazing. Next time i will try the falafel

Hole in the wall place with great falafel wraps for vegetarians. I was very impressed.

I’m really sad to give this place such a low rating. I used to love stopping by and purchasing lamb shawarma.
However, in recent months, they have undergone several wait staff changes and it seems quality has changed too. It seems they’re most interested in creating a brand than focusing on quality, which is what made them a previous favorite.
For example, I purchased lamb shawarma yesterday and it was dry, full of gristle and minimal seasoning. Furthermore, the toppings were an absolute joke! My wife’s pita pocket had exactly three shredded pieces of iceberg lettuce on it, but about ¼ cup of onions. It was pretty sad.
I would highly recommend they focus on quality control and ensuring their food is the best it can be vs. printing shirts, signs, etc.
I’ll give this another chance in the upcoming months and hopefully they will take some of the lower reviews to heart.

Some good, some bad balancing it out. The toppings were fantastic. Chipotle style laid out to build your order. They veggies were fresh and the made items had fantastic flavor.
However, the meat was really dry. I got both types so I could see which I liked better. But both were dry, just the chicken more so.
It totally bummed me out. I had so much hope for this place but no one likes to eat dry meat.

Quick, fast, and with plentiful topping choices to customize your wrap/​pita/​platter/​bowl to your own liking. You can choose as many toppings as you want, which adds to the excitement.
Fries were piping hot and crispy, but nothing too out of the ordinary.

I love that the «Have it your way» concept is rapidly expanding to more than just sub shops and Mexican fast-​casual joints to include Middle Eastern fare as well! Located in a strip mall slightly off the beaten path (or at least for someone not from around these parts), I would not have known Shawerma Express even existed if it had not been for my fellow Unilocalers– and despite some of the less than positive reviews, My stomach thanks the bellies of others who were also satiated by the deliciousness I discovered here.
I came a little before 1:00pm and shortly after I sat down there was a several person deep line, so I recommend trying to get here before 1:00pm. Although, I did notice the line moved really quickly, so even if you do get stuck in it, you won’t be waiting too long. This place seems to do more take out than dine in, and I definitely can see why. While there is a counter to sit at in addition to a few tables, the place is small and very «no frills». The attitude seems more get in, get out– zero ambiance, but I’m not really looking for that when I only have an hour to eat lunch during work. My experience with customer service was just fine, exactly what I’d expect in a similar establishment anywhere. Just an FYI– you order what vessel you want first (bowl, platter, wrap), specify if you want chicken or lamb, pay, and then move slightly to the right to customize your order. I appreciated that the guy at the register didn’t just let me stand there and told me how the order placing works. I also appreciate the guy doing the customization told me was patient with me while I was deciding what toppings to add to my bowl.
I ordered a mixed meat (lamb and turkey) bowl (no rice although you can get that if you like), with Arabic salad (cucumber and tomato), red cabbage, onion with somak, tahini, and hot sauce. This was about $ 8.25 including tax. In general, this was a HUGE Neal for the price and the quality was excellent too! They were more than generous with all of the toppings. The amount of meat in the bowl was quite more than I’ve typically come to expect. The meat was nicely tenderized and flavorful. It was not dried or old as some have commented. I loved the carmelization on the meat too! The tahini and hot sauce were both added generously and I, personally, liked that the hot sauce had a nice kick, but combined with the coolness of the tahini, it wasn’t the overwhelming flavor I tasted as hot sauce typically is for me when I add it.
The price point and taste can’t be beat, it’s a quick workweek lunch, and with the aspect of customization, there are endless combinations you can enjoy here. I will 100% return for another lunch in the future!

Mmmmm Shawerma…
It’s got a Chipotle type concept. We chose the Shawerma Sandwich and Platter. They offer Bowls and Falafel sandwiches as well. We then chose the type of meat we wanted. You can get Lamb, Chicken, Mixed Meat, or Falafel. Top off your sandwich, bowl, or platter with as many toppings as you want. They are all displayed and very fresh.
Their garlic sauce is amazing, it’s right beside the hummus. If you are a garlic lover like me, definitely try this stuff out. I love dipping my fries in it. Their spicy sauce is awesome too, adds a nice little kick to your meal. Their portions are excellent, super generous. We had plenty of leftovers. The rice they use in the platter is OK, it isn’t the highest quality but still tasty. Topped off with a bunch of delicious veggie toppings, generous serving of lamb and sauces. The platter comes with a side of fries. Once again, it was a generous serving and it can definitely be shared.
There is quite a bit of seating inside. The restaurant is clean and organized. Service was very friendly. We went for lunch right when it opened. The cashier, Farah was very sweet and quick to take our order. The gentleman preparing our meal was kind and generous with the servings. There is no server here. You place your order and watch as your food is prepared in front of you.
We will definitely be back!

I was a little confused when I walked in, because I wasn’t sure whether to pay or order first. For newbies reading my review, you pay first then customize your meal :) If you get the falafel sandwich, I would recommend getting hot sauce. I was expecting it to be more flavorful, but it was mediocre at best. My boyfriend got the lamb shawerma bowl, which was more worth the price as it had more flavor and more meat.
Despite the good service and the okay shawerma bowl, I’m not sure if this is somewhere I would go back to.

My friends and I can’t get enough of this place.
I agree with everyone else that this is pretty much the Middle Eastern version of Chipotle. They have a variety of items that you can choose from and they’re very reasonably priced!
They offer both Chicken and Lamb Shawerma and you can choose if you’d like a platter or just a salad. I will say though, I was a little disappointed in their rice. I thought that they would’ve certainly had better rice.
Another downside to this place is that they’re not very organized with their line up. I would suggest them to make a change to how they’re currently managing their flow. It’s very awkward because you have to walk in, pay first to the left and then you move to the right and wait in line to get your meal. They should have the flow begin on the right hand side, guests can get their meals and then pay at the register, that way if they decide they want more, they can get it instead of having to pay, then go back to the register and pay again. (I hope this makes sense to you as the reader because it sure makes a lot of sense to me) haha.
The sitting area is a little small but it’s a new place, I don’t know if the owner actually thought this place would end up being as popular as it is :) I hope they start opening more locations soon.
Definitely stop by if you’re in the Fairfax area, and hit me up, I’ll join you :)

I think that I like this place better than Chipotle.
I had the platter. The fries were good and extra crispy. They give you a lot. The mixed meat was crispy and well caramelized. The got all the toppinga which i recommend. You will not be able to finish everything. The portions are so good. I think I will just get the bowl next time because it was too much food. I want yo get the falafel next time because they make them fry them fresh.
Service is quick and nice. You just get the food and tell them what toppings you want just like at subway. People who work there are nice and friendly.
The toilet rocks in the bathroom and its not a nicest.
The food is awesome though so i could care less about everything else!