Berber & Q - Shawarma Bar in Islington

Disappointing first & last visit here. Came with a friend for her birthday and had arrived early to an empty restaurant & we looked to sit at the first table we saw. Staff looked at us with disdain (we were nicely dressed) and came over to see if we'd reserved- we hadn't, so they said we couldn't sit as they needed that table (it was 515pm) in an hour for a booking. We asked if they could accommodate us and reluctantly they then suggested a table in a dark separate room at the back of the restaurant.. we said no and asked if we could sit outside (there were some unused tables) but that was also a no from Shawarma team. So we pointed at a barside table and asked about that and they eventually acceded. We ordered our food and cocktails and cannot fault the food - it is delicious. However the service was poor & unwelcoming from start to finish. Eg, the table we originally went to, was not inhabited till 630pm so much more than an hour after our arrival, we could have sat there. Midway through our meal we noted the staff organise the unused tables to accommodate another few pairs of friends - yet it was a problem when we asked for us? We were made to feel rushed before and during our food by the staff so when it came for the bill, I requested the discretionary service charge be removed from the bill as we felt there hadn't been a good customer service at all. The male waiter then argued with me and asked why & that it wasnt possible, so I tried to explain our reasons - especially since service charge is not obliged in the UK. He did not like this at all and spoke loudly over me and went to get his supervisor. She then refused to let us speak and proceeded to say loudly that her colleague was correct and we tried to explain our reasons and how we felt we'd been treated but she flat out refused to listen, constantly talking over us saying "sorry you feel like that" in a totally condescending manner and completely vindicating our rationale for removing the tip. I have not experienced such awful and unprofessional restaurant interaction before. I would recommend the food but because the service and treatment from the staff is so awful that I'd prefer to go to one of the many other places on that street. So disappointing especially as it could have spoiled my friend's birthday and this is an independent venue, and we prefer to support those instead of chains but I would not recommend this place at all.

We stumbled on this restaurant whilst walking in Exmouth Market looking for a lunch venue. Although they were obviously very busy, we were kindly soon given a table. The staff were extremely welcoming and helpful explaining the menu. The food was delicious, and the food flavours and combinations interesting. We loved everything that we ordered and it was a fabulous venue for vegetarians. It was a little pricey, but the food was wonderful and so were the team. Highly recommended if you are in the area.

49£ for two plate lamb shawarmas is simply a rip off!! The food was fresh and tasty however, but so is the food at most good shawarma places at half the price. Also worth knowing that they dont do wraps for takeaway dinner, only for lunch.

Dined in last night and had a great meal. Menu caters for a range of flavours but the chicken is always a personal favourite. Only minor negative is that the portions seem to have got smaller (particularly the hummus starter). Organic wine was lovely we had the Vermentino which I’d recommend.

This is a wonderful restaurant. The food is delicious. Each dish excellent and they catered brilliantly for gluten free.

Had a casual family lunch. Menu is interesting and you can mix and match dishes. I had the roast chicken which was good. Exmouth Market has a lot of nice eateries and cafes.

It was one of the best food experiences of my life! Definitely one to come back to. The atmosphere is also superb.

Lovely staff and great menu. I probably ordered the wrong thing. I’m sure other dishes are wonderful. The Iraqi hummus was disappointing to say the least. I should have asked at first sight to replace it. The plating is fussy, the hummus grainy, tasteless and way too salty. The schug/ma’booj, tahini, gherkin and Amba all swimming in a pool of oil. Yes, a plate of hummus should have a nice coating of good oil on top, but this was beyond excessive and uneatable. The dish that clearly takes its inspiration from the Iraqi Sabich should have included the delicious braised eggs- Haminados, as seen on the website photo! here it was a hard boiled egg, a la egg mayonnaise sandwich in Pret. The aubergine and pita were the saving graces, delicious and fresh. I was so excited to treat myself to a good plate of hummus with all the trimmings and instead I couldn’t finish the plate. Very unlike me. The staff explained that the food inspiration comes from many places when I relayed my feelings. Sure, but it still should be eatable and taste good. It will take very little to make this dish do justice to itself. Even reducing the oil by 2/3 would go a long way.

Found this little gem and the whole experience was amazing. From the non-alcoholic Pomegranate spritzer to the array of meze and fresh bread this place did not disappoint. As a vegetarian, I had so much choice and for the 3 of us (2 other meat eaters) there was wonderful variety. It's not a massive menu but I could tell that each dish was made with care, love and magic! The hummus had so much depth, the babaganoush just made my mouth water, my cauliflower shawarma kept delivering more and more flavour. A really friendly team had just the right amount of attentiveness. I don't live in London but will definitely go again.

Both times I ate here the food and drinks were perfect, the food was flavorful, the presentation was on point and the bartender was top notch. Order anything on the menu and you win!

The food first and foremost was stunning, underpinned by fantastic service and great wine. Can’t wait to come back

Such great tasting food with such depth. 100% recommend. Was soooooo tasty. Aubergine particularly good.

Super tasty food and very friendly service The humous and potatoes woth whipped feta were especially dellicious. Would recommend

Enjoyed my meal here. The best dishes were the green beans and the harissa chicken shawarma. Some of the starter portions were very small for the price. Overall a tasty meal

We had a group booking on a weekday evening. The place was full and buzzing. The menu is limited but what they have is fantastic. The carrot dish in the mezze section is unbelievable. The cauliflower shawarma makes a refreshing change from halloumi. The meat eaters also enjoyed their dishes. I would def go there again. Another important point - clean toilets.

Second visit. As amazing as the first. Cannot wait to return! Rotisserie chicken - perfection. Intense flavours... beautiful

The food was great but the cocktails, especially the sumac sultan, were surprisingly great. Service was fantastic as well!

We have been coming here for years! Fantastic food and drinks as always. Some amazing new dishes on the Meze section. Standouts are the Iraqi hummus, Beetroot and mussels. Once settled you then have to go for the Lamb Shawarma plate. Perfect for 2/3 sharing!...

Fantastic service, food & atmosphere.1st time here but I will be back soon. Book though, full and turning folk away at 6.30.

I've been to this restaurant a few times now and the food is always delicious and pretty affordable if you don't go too crazy. There's a good vibe inside and - on my most recent visit in particular - the staff are super friendly, smiley...

My partner and I went to Berber & Q Shawarma bar for lunch after a recommendation on the "Off Menu" podcast by Ed Gamble and James Acaster. We had no idea what to expect, but we were truly blown away! We've lived in the UK...

Delicious food in large quantities made for a great evening. The dips with pita bread where scrumptious and the aubergine was fantastic. I had the shawarma is an a pita (the cheapest option) and didn't notice a huge difference with those that had a plate...

We had SUCH a delicious meal here and wouldn’t hesitate to return. The Classic Hummus and Confit Garlic Labneh - served with fluffy bread - to start were delicious. Fried potatoes, Cauliflower shawarma and Balkan Kofte Kebab in soft pita bread were also superb. Service...

Friendly, relaxed atmosphere. The food was incredible. We shared the confit garlic and beetroot salad Mezzes for starters, and had the cauliflower sharwarma and fish kebab for mains. everything was delicious, with the cauliflower sharwarma being one of the nicest things I’ve eaten in a...

We ate here last night as a group of 8, for a family birthday. The food was great (especially the veggie options, the cauliflower was amazing), the atmosphere really nice and we all thought the service was very good. We had a set menu ,...

Great food, great veggie options, great vibe. Have been twice when visiting London and will go again next time we are there!

Probably not the best time to be judging the quality of restaurants, but the truth is that Berber was just okay. Nothing special, but no major complaints. The lamb shawarma was pleasant, but the real flavors were in the accompaniments. If I’m honest, it was...

First thing that comes to mind is the flavour of all the dishes we had. The lamb shawarma in particular was 10/10.

Very tasty food, which is full of flavour and a variety of ingredients. We ordered the meals to our school for lunch, as a reward for the staff (key workers). All we talked about all day was the food!

Seriously delicious lunch - the flavours were out of this world! Just perfect for busy work lunch. Really made my day. Thank you.

Had the most delicious lunch today the chicken melted on my mouth tender and juicy served with a delicious rice. You must try it 10/10

It was good, not brilliant but good. Nice atmosphere. The price was 15% above what it should be though, so we won't return.

First time trying this place - sat outside in stunning exmouth market and just didn’t know what to have- asked the waitress what things were ... and she mentioned it’s her first day... and she was outstanding - picked the perfect food, described the food...

Buzzy, informal, young place with interesting menu and efficient, friendly, relaxed atmosphere and service. Menu is just a little different from the usual middle-eastern offering, enough to make it really interesting. There's a short wine list and a slightly longer beer list, both esoteric and...

The food is good but not good enough to make up for a very rude attitude about tables and seating. They don’t take reservations, supposedly have a process for seating and yet - we were treated as if we should feel grateful for a corner...

We visited the place together with our infant baby and the place is the family friendly. Food and cocktails were dilicious

First time at this lovely restaurant last night, and I hope it won’t be the last. It was a recommendation by the hotel we stayed at nearby and I can thoroughly endorse that recommendation. There were two of us, which was fortunate as the staff...

We stumbled upon this place one Saturday afternoon. I was exhorting the usual hummas mezze, grilled meat. This place is that and so much more. The food here is very considered and packs tons of flavour. We ordered the lunch taster menu and it came...

We just dropped in for a quick bite to eat before going to Sadlers Wells so didn’t get a chance to sample the full range of dishes. We did however have time to have a chicken shishlik in pitta and a lamb shawama in pitta....

Although busy, one of the best eastern meals I’ve had in the city. Loved the hummus & IoW tomato starters, & the main course shawarma was incredible! Very generous with portions & staff couldn’t be nicer or more helpful. Definitely going back or trying out...

I've been to Shawarma a number of time with a variety of friends. It had good food, with a balanced variety and at a reasonable cost. However this time things seem to have changed, and we left with a horrible taste in our mouths. We...

We three ordered seven dishes and that was plenty with the lovely bread given to each of us in a paper bag. We had the following: mixed nuts to go with the bottle of Chardonnay followed by Beetroot and Feta, Baba Ganoush - good, Ground...

Very impressed, good sized portions and delicious flavours, highly recommend. Service was good and the whole atmosphere was pretty chilled, we had to put our name down and come back for a table- which is isn’t take long.

A great bite. The hummus was to die for and the main plates were very good too. Extremely filling and not overpriced with very flavorful dishes. Would visit again!

The food is fantastic, fresh and the service was brilliant. The choice of mezzes is amazing and we over ordered as wanted a taste of everything because it was so good

A thoroughly lovely evening , delicious food, great service and amazing attention to all of our allergies

Our niece and her partner took us for dinner at this gem of a restaurant and I’ve honestly not eaten better in London. We shared all but one of the sharing plates and every one was full of flavour. My niece had the aubergine main...

Amazing food, excellent wine, let down when trying to pay by amex and comments from barman. Don't make quips about it not being your job to pay for air miles when we had to wait 15 minutes for wine and pay 12.5% service charge. Close...

Excellent lamb shawarma, perfect in every way! So tasty! Lamb cooked to perfection and the service is great! Try the Beirut Lager, crisp with good malt, no hoppy bitterness! Open kitchen, outdoor seating, friendly staff. Located on a pedestrian-only street in the Exmouth Market. Great...

I had to drive to Africa and back in a week the food on french motor ways will kill you Spain ok and morocco in Ramadan you will starve arrived home desperate for anything to eat went some were local I managed to miss and...

We happened by this place whilst in Exmouth Market. We nearly walked by but a lady was going in as we looked at the menu and told us it was highly recommended. we were nit disappointed! Great sharing food. We shared babaganoush and chilli hummus...

Used to be one of my favorite restaurant in London and last time i went quality was not there. The lamb was very dry, not juicy (like it used to be!). Hope they will do something to get the quality back otherwise...

Fun little restaurant tucked away near Exmouth Market. Seated at the counter, the place had a good vibe and the food that was coming out looked really clean and good portion size. I started off with a Baba Ganoush with Pomegranate, which was amazing. Possibly...

Apparently very busy at night but we went early on a Saturday Lunch and the food was nothing short of amazing, all 3 mezze and a shared shawarma. Definitely not cheap, but worths it.

This place has it all...really refined and clean Middle Eastern food with a twist. Some fantastic dishes which you won’t see anywhere else and the service is great too. I will be going back ASAP. The cauliflower shawarma was epic!

I have visited this gorgeous place alone whilst on a work trip to London and it was one of the best restaurant experiences I have ever had in my entire life. The atmosphere of the busy, warmly lit place was so calming and so inviting...

Food was fabulous! Even the cauliflower, which I wouldn’t normally order was spectacular. Was nearly my favourite thing!! Coming back..

Got a takeaway from here on Saturday. Completely booked out but really friendly service from the guys. They were clearly stretched but had everything under control. I ordered the chicken thigh shwarma with rice and cauliflower on the side. Absolutely delicious. I think this is...

Friend and I enjoyed dinner here a while back. Whilst it's pretty dark and cosy at the back (not always a bad thing) the food is killer. Would definitely recommend.

The food looked, smelt and tasted amazing - the cauliflower was out of this world! Lovely staff and great service.

Visited on a Saturday lunchtime, early and it was already filling up. The food was beautifully presented and delicious. I had a reasonably priced cocktail and I could have drunk gallons of it as it was so nice. I had the cauliflower with some fried...

Are all the good restaurants in London at Exmouth Market? After Moro et Morito, we wanted to try The Coin Laundry, but the music was too loud for middle aged people like us... Walking past this restaurant, we saw the contents of the plates of...

Amazing food. Friendly staff, great intimate atmosphere. The way each dish is served is carefully spiced, or with a dollop of chutney of some sort, everything you know of middle eastern, Turkish, Berber kicked up a few more notches. Highly recommended.

Had an absolutely delicious meal here. Got a selection of vegetarian food - all so flavoursome, fresh and excellent vegetarian and vegan choices. Service and atmosphere both great too and very reasonable prices. Would highly recommend!!

Excellent Middle Eastern food: lamb shawarma with tahini and salads was absolutely delicious. Starters were good also, especially tomatoes. Food may be a bit spicy for kids. The background music may be a bit loud for those looking for a quiet meal, but it didn’t...

I actually just found this place walking by. Really nice interior inside and the menu looked like it had a great selection. The flavours were new and delicate and I think this restaurant will do great in the future once it gets its regulars. I...

The food is absolutely delicious, staff is smiling and helpful. A lot of vegetarian options. The ambiance is colorful and vibrant. I loved it and definitely recommend it.

Was invited to this restaurant by a good friend and he was quite excited about visiting this place. I never heard about it and I like Lebanese food, so I was all up for it! The staff were nice, but I can see why the...

Found this gem on a Tuesday night. Wasn't too busy so got a table straight away. The crowd was mixed and I was with my parents but instantly said it would be great with a bunch of friends and the menu was very reasonable. The...

The food here was delicious and we were looked after so attentively it made our evening wonderful. I would definitely recommend the chicken

We live walking distance from this restaurant which is a real treat - we love it so much we probably eat in or get takeaway one or twice a month. I can’t decide whether I like the chicken rice bowl or the lamb bowl more,...

We spent about 20 minutes deciding what to order as the menu was extremely brief & didn't have enough information as to what comes with each dish (i.e. sides with the mains, or bread). Nice waitress explained everything clearly, but we still ordered too much....

We visited this restaurant following the excellent reviews of its food. We decided on the meze, choosing the five for £25.00 deal, making it clear that was our mains order. No warning was given that this meant five tiny saucers of food, accompanied by a...

Mmmmmmm. Yummy Please go I beg you. I would hate for anyone to miss out on something so special 👌🏼 Great service, good vibe best food 🥘 loved it all.

Really lovely food, with great service and gorgeous lamb. I had a lamb pita, salad and chocolate cake. All beautifully done. Can’t wait to go back!

Delicious and tasty dishes, an Amazing discovery! The cocktails are also Perfect : original, astonishing and very...very tasty!! I'd like to point out the kindness and professionnalism of the french waiter (and i' m sure all the staff behave the same). A real moment of...

We had the sharing menu - loads to eat, some unusual dishes but all really tasty. They cater for vegans. The background music was really great too.

popped into the bar as we were looking for something quick and tasty. sat at the bar and ordered a couple of sharing small plates. they werent so small! that said were beautifully presented and very tasty. had a third to finish off and we...

We had a fantastic all-veggie meal in Exmouth Market's Berber & Q Shawarma Bar. The Mezzes are mostly vegetarian and all delicious. For mains, we all had the yummy, fresh and filling cauliflower rice shawarma bowl. So much food we had to take some home....

On a cold and rainy night we arrived at this amazing place. We had the full whack, several starters all delicious then on to chicken thighs, lamb shawarma and the beef. The food was sensational and 6 of us left feeling full and very satisfied....

This place replaced Blackfoot, which was one of my favorite restaurants in Exmouth Market. Luckily, I really enjoyed what I had there and am planning on going back, so that makes me a little less sad about Blackfoot no longer being there. We had the...

Very nice mezzes and ok prices. When choosing wine though, the cheapest glass was £6.5 and not a large one. I would suggest you add some cheaper wines to the list? Food and staff very nice.

I came for dinner recently and I had a great time. People were nice, food was good. All good except the wine. I ordered a 30£ bottle of Beaujolais and I received it inside a glass table water bottle. I mean, seriously? How can you...

Stumbled upon this lovely place the other night and man-oh-man were we lucky to find it. The service was excellent, the food outstanding, the atmosphere brilliant. Very good value for money and generous portion sizes, all combined with super speedy service. The mezze were amazing...

No bookings. Crowded. Dark. Lively. The food is unsurprisingly Middle Eastern - with a selection of about eight mezze, four different hummus and some grilled dishes: cauliflower shawarma, lamb shawarma, rotisserie chicken, chicken thighs with harissa. The flavour combinations are great and sometimes unusual. The...

Simply outstanding food. Highly recommend, perfect for a couple of drinks and wind down on a Friday evening. Great service and good value for money. Can't talk highly enough.

One of the best restaurants on Exmouth market that is not to be missed and that we bring all our friends too. Amazing range of options, even for vegetarians - amongst our favourite are the Iraqi Hummus, the lamb shawarma and the not-to-be-missed Cauliflower Shawarma!

Exmouth Market's gain has been the arrival of the Berber boys with a spin-off version that still hits home on wonderful flavours and concoctions. Vegetarians are also well catered for and if the weather's good enough, you can sit on one of the small outside...

First an oddity, you can book for groups 6 or more but are then limited to the set menu. If you prefer the full range, you can turn up with 6 and try your luck. I guess the set menu it makes it easier to...

Having spent a lot of time travelling around the Middle East.. this is the next best thing. Every single bite needs to be savoured and there is nothing on the menu I didn't like. The dream babaganoush, the most amazing homous, lightest pita bread and...

Very friendly and helpful staff at this cozy Israeli inspired restaurant. I had the Lamb Shawarma and it didn't disappoint. The smells across the restaurant were appetizer enough, but I also ordered the Labneh which is made up of tomatoes, Dill and Harissa oil. Very...

So glad we decided to eat in this restaurant rather than one of the usual Italian restaurants around. We very nearly didn't go in as on first impressions we thought music was slightly too loud and from the outside didn't feel particularly welcoming. But as...

Love the flavours and quality of food here and it's such a cool vibe. We sat at the bar and ate and chatted to the friendly staff. Everything's delicious. Big props to the owner!

I work close to Shawarma Bar and it has become a new fave. I've been 4 times now, twice with my husband and twice in a group. I've tried almost everything on the menu and love it all. My favourites include the rotisserie chicken, shawarma...

Time Out clued me into this place, and mentioned the cauliflower shawarma. It's one of those stand out dishes that you continue dreaming about for days to come - smoky, spicy, and head and shoulders above its lamb counterpart. Vegans, dig in! On top that,...

The flavour combinations in this place are truly exceptional. Love the shawarma concept and the sharing dishes. We ordered a big sharing beer, the lamb shawarma was incredible, as was the lamb kofta and cauliflower shawarma. We had a couple of extra sides such as...

On the hottest Saturday in June we walked through the historic streets of Clerkenwell to the fabulous buzzy atmosphere of Exmouth Market - home of many excellent restaurants such as Moro and Morito - and took our table for 6 in Berber &Q Shawarma Bar....

Was looking forward to a nice Shawarma for lunch and had heard great things about this place. Staff were nice, although a bit slow to attend to us and the location lovely as we enjoyed open window seating. I'm not on a budget however never...

Stopped in for an early dinner and were pleased to get a table. Were seated promptly by a very friendly waiter. Ordered labneh, hummus (tahini), cauliflower shwarma and chicken thighs. All really nice and paired beautifully with a nice carafe of red wine. Very enjoyable...

I have to say the meal I had here is arguably one of the best ones I've had in London (I live here) and top 5 tastiest middle eastern restaurants (and I've been to Lebanon, Israel, and Turkey). I would say the dishes are probably...