Shish Restaurant in Southend-on-Sea

Poor service on entrance, noticed the smell of B.O coming from the waiter. Also menu was incompetent. Drinks were insufficient. Chips were Chinese chips and rice was not Turkish. Over all I would not come back here still having flash backs of that smelly waiter. Omfg, defo doesn’t deserve the amount of stars it’s got!

It's now 2 hours and 20 minutes since I placed my order and the order is now 1 hour over the estimated delivery time. I'd give this zero stars of I could. I have phoned Shish twice in the last 40 mins only to be told the order is on its way and the restaurant can't find out where the driver is. Absolutely shocking service, especially as this is the first time we've braved it and ordered from Shish since the pandemic lockdown. Previous to that we ordered monthly from them. They are now loosing my custom forever. If they can't cope with the amount of takeaway orders on mid week evening like tonight, they shouldn't be operating. I'm all for supporting our local restaurants, but the service this time is atrocious. Such a shame as loved the food previously and had always planned to visit the restaurant in person one day for a meal.

Restaurant was empty when arrived. Had to wait a long time for food. One of Party had they mail meal after all of ate ( of what we could eat). Food was inedible, rice was hard. Food came with sauce which was stated on menu. Fish was so dry couldn’t eat it. Would not return at all. The prices are so expensive. Beware!

Just had an evening meal here and this was the best Turkish meal I have had. Couldn’t make up my mind what to have as I like it all so I ordered the mixed grill, all meats were so tender and really well cooked over charcoal, I state well cooked and not rushed and burnt over charcoal. Portions were really good with a fresh salad and your choice of rice. Good friendly service, expect to wait a little because everything is prepared and cooked fresh so well worth the wait but hey have some lovely Humus and Taramasalata with some warm bread while you wait. Can’t praise this chef and fresh food enough .... thanks for a lovely meal

It was evident that the food was freshly cooked and it arrived hot and in well sealed containers. We order a variety of meat and fish selections which were eaten by us all. There was a choice of bulgar wheat or rice with most of the dishes, and a salad. The salad I think had too much of a watery dressing which was a shame as this overpowered the content of the crisp ingredients. Apart from that, this takeaway was extremely good.

Food was lovely, nice atmosphere, service a little slow considering it wasn't busy, would come again

What a shame ordered a minced chicken kebab but all you could taste was lamb so obviously grilled on the same grill with no consideration if you don’t eat lamb with a choice of 2 sauces which we’re not good The taramasalata was worse than shop bought with soggy pitta bread Unbelievable that they advertise freshly made food Will definitely not be ordering again

This time there were 4 of us on Sunday 1st September and we had another excellent Sunday lunch at around 1.30 pm. The starters Hummus Falafel Tarama with pitta bread olives and sauces were a meal in their own right. We had one Peroni beer and sparking mineral water and I had 2 Turkish coffees, The main meals Lamb and Chicken doner and Chicken shish were delicious! Amazing value which came to about £44. I fully recommend coming to this restaurant which is excellent value for money!

Read the reviews and thought we should give it a go. Turned up at 8pm, only a few tables taken on a Friday night. Ordered food and waited over an hour, even though we only ordered a main each. 2 of my friends ordered chicken shish and got chicken shawarma, which was cold. Asked many times how long and were told on way, yet the chefs were more bothered about the Just Eat orders. Complained about the time we waited and no money taken off bill. Will not be returning.

Sat in this restaurant on a Saturday evening and it’s quiet!! This restaurant is brilliant, food and service. Staff are great with the kids and really like to go the extra for you. Food is spot on with all your usual Turkish dishes. Price is very good compared to others. This restaurant really deserves 5 stars as it is faultless. It’s better than the Turkish in Leigh and right on chalkwell Park. ***** totally deserved.

The five of us had Sunday Lunch on Sunday 14th July 1pm. All of us had the two courses for £7.95. I had the tarama (taramasalata) followed by lamb doner. There was plenty of food and all delicious. I had two turkish coffees and we had sparkling water. The whole meal only came to just £55.80 or £11 each! Amazingly good value. The service was excellent and attentive and I fully recommend this restaurant.

We discovered this restaurant purely by chance and so pleased we did. The Houmous with Tahini is the best that we have ever eaten. The chicken dishes were absolutely delicious. We will certainly be returning to this restaurant that well deserves this five star rating.

Lovely food! And great service. Well spaced out tables and fantastic menu, which is not too big which is what I prefer. Great price too for a midweek visit.

Turkish food served lunchtime and evenings. Really quite nice and staff are friendly and efficient. Good value

Wow! What a fantastic meal. Service was relaxed and friendly, but what really shone was the quality and and quantity of the food. Excellent value for money.

Had a takeaway here last night - we always order from here, the chicken donor is lovely and the lamb kofte is equally delicious. Highly recommend to either eat in or take away.

We ordered to take away & the food here never disappoints! It was ready quickly and was piping hot. The staff are always so smiley and accommodating! Thanks Shish- we’ll be back soon

We have been going to this restaurant for a while. The food and service is excellent and it is great value for money. Would recommend

Have eaten here a couple of times and had one of their takeaways and the food and service is absolutely excellent. To The reviewer Who complained about the staff being English.. the senior lady who works as a waitress and whose service is absolutely impeccable is married to I believe one of the Turkish owners. It's a wonderful restaurant and we would thoroughly recommend. 'Westcliff ' village' as I think it's now known around challwell park is such a fantastic place to eat out day or night. Vibrant and cosmopolitan.

Booked this restaurant for my sons 16th Birthday. It could not have gone better, they organised the Belly dancers, two beautiful girls to present his Birthday cake and the entire restaurant sung a Turkish version of happy birthday then we all got up to dance, an amazing atmosphere made the night very special. Must not forget the food which was sublime, i had the Lamb shish, never eaten lamb that was lovely and crisp on the outside yet still succulent and juicy inside, they marinaded it for 24 hours. beautiful, other has the seafood which was just as good, can't wait to go back.

Me and my partner went here as it was recommended by a friend an was seriously disappointed. The food was ok but the service was atrocious. We were the first couple in there and was fussed over by the owner and 2 waitresses, all 3 appeared to be English. We ordered a platter to sample all of the grill and when the owner brought it over she said she didn't think it was for us as there was so much food there. We were the first to order who's would it be for? The platter was average and n where near as much food if we had gone to the terrace in Southend or Anatolia in Benfleet. Both provide better food and welcoming Turkish staff. When we went to pay we waited and waited and had to remind the waitress we wanted to pay. There will not be going back we know better restaurants who actually want our money and provide excellent food and service. If your reading this and think im a moaner Im genuinely not as I only usually put positive feedback but on this occasion I don't want others wasting their money.

Very enjoyable lunch. Food was cooked fresh and was great value with the lunch deal. Friendly staff.

Very good l would recommend the restaurant to anyone who likes turkish food. Will be going back very soon as the food s very good

Ordered a takeaway and have received about two table spoons of rice..same the last time I ordered a takeaway, don't understand why restaurants scrimp on the cheap things most Turkish places give you a separate container just for rice!

The price is right, but unfortunately 1 dish fell flat, the Chicken Shish with Yoghurt, supposed to be grilled breast meat, but there was seriously barely any meat in the dish, 3 small bits, the rest was bread and sauce with yoghurt on top, piping hot but what a let down, maybe it would go un-noticed putting such a tiny bit of meat in.

This is a friendly local restaurant to us The atmosphere is lovely with friendly staff The food is great value and delicious. Would recommend for all

Fantastic night, great food, great hosts, great place . Does a great take away too!! Will definatley be back

A firm family favourite - staff are friendly and welcoming. The food is nicely cooked and always tasty.

Excellent food and service Although my Cousin wasn't very impressed with the dessert,which was traditional Koftas I will go again as I think it is one of the best Turkish Restaurants around

On our way back to London ,we decided to do have a quick bite before our food shopping for New year Eve `s party. We saw this Turkish restaurant opposite to the supermarket and decided to try it. We did not even check the review. We ordered the chicken wings and lamb cutlet . The food was tasty and served in good portion. It was not salty at all. The environment /decoration/lighting was tasteful . The service was good. The baklava dessert was light, moorish , but not overly sweet.

Visited with friends one Friday evening. It was unusually quiet the staff said but that didn't bother us. The food was so lovely. We shared a cold and hot plate for starters. I had chicken Shish for main with couscous really good but was far too much food just couldn't finish it!. Not expensive at all and the staff are really lovely people. Will be visiting again.

I have eaten in Shish and ordered a takeaway before and have never been disappointed. My favourite dish is the Lamb Kleftiko and I love the Pilav rice. I hadn't had it for a while so decided to order a takeaway and was really disappointed that the rice is now completely different and tastes nothing like the rice before and the lamb kleftiko looked the part but sadly wasn't soft and didn't fall of the bone like it has done previously. I really hope they haven't started to cut corners! Wouldn't rush to order again :-(

The food her at the shish is amazingly nice and fresh. The staff are like family, they make you feel very welcome. I highly recommend this restaurant and the staff. The night is a great experience.

This place is an absolute gem! We have visited several times now and the food is amazing!! We have tried several items on the menu now and they are always tasty and beautifully presented. The staff are welcoming and friendly and the service overall is excellent, could not recommend enough!

I came here with work colleagues for dinner. The owner was very accommodating from the onset sitting us all down and taking our coats. The ambience is nice and the restaurant is nice and open.

Visited with two young kids for dinner. Restaurant was barely a quarter full and fully staffed. Very slow to serve starters. Kids main courses arrived around 10mins after adults after chasing. No apology. Complained and got a dismissive response, eventually removed kids food from bill. Food was decent overall but really disappointing experience and staff response. Suggest only visiting if you want a very leisurely experience!

Had a lovely evening in Shish with my family. The food was so tasty and fresh and we had excellent service from Ingrid and the other members of staff! Such a lovely restaurant and would recommend to others.

We have eaten as a family In many Turkish restaurants both here and turkey, this restaurant is a lovely little family run restaurant the staff are lovely, the food is amazing the meat melts in your mouth, most, there are two different dessert menus one for bought in dessert and one for home made! It's the best baclava we have ever had all home made but the owner, we went with a big party of us and everyone of us were saying how much we enjoyed it definitely would recommend

We had a lovely meal here with friends. The staff are very welcoming. Good options for veggies and vegans and drinks selection. Food was very tasty and arrived quickly. Worth the visit! I will be back for more.

Visited the restaurant in a party of five for my daughters birthday.the staff were attentive, friendly and efficient. All of us agreed the food was delightful. I started with spicy Turkish sausage followed by mixed shish and rice washed down with a bottle of "draft" beer, my daughter had lambs liver followed by monkfish kebab with cous cous. And some side salad I can't pronounce. Try it! I defy you not to like it.

Went for lunch. Nice venue, friendly service. Set menu for lunch - plenty of choices, staff are very friendly and helpful. Recommend trying the lamb - one of the best, incredibly tasty and moorish. Will do again.

Me and my boyfriend LOVE this place- so much so that when we call or turn up they know exactly what we will order! Great food and service, would highly recommend!

Food was excellent, staff were very friendly. First visit was for a spontaneous meal. Second and third visit were completely intentional. Probably the best Turkish restaurant in the locality. Lamb doner (shawarma) was so tasty. Highly recommend and I will keep going back.

Have been twice, as a couple and with family and children. Enjoyed our larger group with a big table overflowing with food and buzzing with chat (so for me not what I'd call a romantic experience). Tiled floor, wipe clean tables and a bit echo-y. Well cooked food and enormous amounts of it. Haven't been able to finish a whole dish yet, so go in feeling hungry.

Visited as a family of four for an evening meal.

Service is attentive and better than most expensive restaurants in the area. Food is generous and taste is authentic and fresh. Will be back soon👍🏽

We visited this restaurant at the end of June following a recommendation from a friend. It was my fiancé's birthday so three of us went. We had a great evening. The food was beautiful and full of flavours also portions were very generous. We had starters and mix grills for main plus some deserts. My son age of 2 was also very well looked after and enjoyed his diner. At the end the personnel surprised as by bringing a desert with birthday candle and singing happy birthday to my other half. Service was excellent. Would definitely visit again and would highly recommend.

We had walked past this a few times and on the spur of the moment decide to go last evening.

Wanted to dine out within walking distance. Living on Westbourne Grove, Shish seemed ideal. Did not regret our choice. The family platter was just awesome, quantity and quality. Attentive hosts and service with a smile. Will definitely be visiting again.

I have been here few times now it's always good food good service and friendly atmosphere fantastic.

Went to this lovely restaurant after reading the reviews with my son for a birthday treat before a show. The food was lovely and good value for money, sadly they had run out of rice pudding and cheese cake but that only goes to prove how good it was we had the evening special deal. The waitress was very friendly and helpful. Would highly recommend it and will be going back soon,

Fed up with the usual restaurants , we decided on a Turkish meal for Fathers Day . We had passed this restaurant a few weeks ago and keep thinking about trying their lunch . But today myself , husband , 2 daughters and my parents decided on a 5 pm meal , we were the only people apart from 1 other family and 1 single man until around 6-7 and it really started to fill up .There was also a takeaway collected in that time . Brilliant hospitality , polite and friendly staff . The bread , olives and dips were a nice touch . Some of us had a starter , we all had a main and despite being full to bursting , we were treated to a very nice warm traditional rice pudding . The staff were very warm and friendly without being intrusive , an extremely hot day but were extremely attentive and efficient .Comfortable and clean surroundings . can thoroughly recommend as a main the mixed Shish of chicken and lamb , the lamb was succulent and tender ,most of us had that , my Dad had the ribs and he said they were gorgeous . Our daughter is wheat intolerant and they catered for her no problem . Our bread and olives etc was with us seconds after we arrived , our starter followed a while later , there was a welcome rest before our mains , it's nice to relax though and chat and of course freshly cooked good food is not instant , which you have to appreciate . We will be back soon .

Went here last night and was pleasantly surprised, the food was delicious and fairly priced. We had the set evening menu which had a good choice and quite a few vegetarian options. The decor is nice and its very clean. It was quiet but it was a wet and windy Tuesday evening!! If you are in the area I would recommend here. A friend of mine often pops in for lunch as they do a good set lunch menu.

Visited on the off chance with a friend. Food was fab but we had to wait quite a while for our main course even though the place wasn't full our only criticism is the service was a bit slow and the front door kept coming open making it rather chilly. Our waitress Jeanette was an absolute delight. I would recommend a visit the hot mixed meze was good. Xx

We have now had two takeaway meals from this restaurant, both were excellent. The food is delicious, with loads of vegetarian options (a big plus for me). We ordered slightly less this time, as the portions are HUGE! Quick delivery, and very reasonably priced. I would definitely recommend.

Really cannot think of any negatives here, its 100% positive all the way Excellent value

Warmly welcomed by very attentive staff, who were happy to give advice and explain dishes.

For authentic Turkish food reasonably priced and beautifully served in pleasant calm surroundings,you can do no better than to visit Shish. A friend and I enjoyed a tasty lunch and a nice bottle of wine and would have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone to try.

We found this little gem late in the evening as we were leaving Southend-On-Sea.

I visited with a friend as a last minute dinner. It was really great flavourful food. The service was quick and everyone was really friendly.

Fantastic food, fresh and full of flavour. Staff couldn't have been more helpful. The lamb shish was super tender and the authentic Turkish deserts were delicious. Looking forward to visiting again.

We have eaten at Shish a couple of times now, first time was just after they opened and I couldn't review it as they were not listed on here at that point. On both occasions we have had a really excellent meal. The first time I mentioned to Mustafa the owner that I thought the lighting was a little bright, sure enough on this visit he had changed it and the place has now got a much nicer feel to it. The restaurant is quite large with an open kitchen, Mustafa is a great guy and really goes out of his way to ensure you enjoy yourself and that you are happy with everything. If you like Turkish food it is a must.

The staff were attentive and yet not at all pushy the food was amazing well worth a visit, I would advise o go asap as at the moment it's a hidden gem when he word goes out it's going to be the place to eat or sure. The bill came and that was very good too. Top marks we will be back.

Great food, fast service and friendly staff which improved the atmosphere. Will definitely visit again!

We had the lunctime deal which was 2 courses for £7.95. Excellent value for money. The food is very fresh and tasty and the service is excellent. I would highly recommend this restaurant.

Delicious lunch and only £7.95 for two courses!! Bargain. Very clean with lovely helpful staff. I'll definitely go back soon.

Use this place for Lunch every few weeks, truly remarkable value with NO cutting of corners to accommodate the £7.95 2 course deal, NO service charge either, Fresh made food, Nice presentation theres an Evening deal on too, 2 Course @ £12.95, (add only £2.50 for dessert if you like) that we will try out soon.

A good variety on the menu and plenty of vegetarian options which now seems to be becoming a rare thing. The food was amazing, really fresh and flavourful.... and the desserts were awesome. Great service, really friendly and I love that you can see the food being cooked. Highly recommend a visit.

Love this place! Turkish is my favourite food so I'm very critical. It's always lovely, good portion sizes and very well priced. We eat here on a regular basis and have never had a bad meal. Customer service is always brilliant which makes it even better!

Fantastic food and very very friendly staff and a welcoming atmosphere would recommend..desserts were to die for...

My husband and I who are recently retired saw this new restaurant was opening and when it did and had a special deal for lunches, we decided to try it. The meal was very good and very tasty: Adana kebab was my choice and shish kebab was my husband's choice. My husband chose a beer and I chose a turkish coffee. Turkish coffee can sometimes be grainy, but this was smooth and strong - just as it should be. I could not resist having a couple more coffees and they were all equally well made. The food was lovely and fresh and the staff were most welcoming. At the end of the meal we were given a turkish pastry that was delicious and home made. Try this restaurant it is worth it.

We went here for lunch it was a great service and the food was all perfect and so very tasty we will definitely be going back

The food is great! Really well looked after and fantastic for vegeterian! Some of the best good in Southend area

I had a very enjoyable evening here with my friends. I couldn't have asked for better service and the dishes were presented beautifully which also tasted great. We all felt very welcomed to be there as staff were very friendly. I would go again and I recommend everyone to come here.

Had a nice quite lunch with my partner service was great food was to die for and the rice pudding in a must this has now become my number 1 take out as well as food come is the same as when eating in

I visited this restaurant mid week with my wife and a friend, the Shish has only been open a few months and is local to my friend, Being mid-week the place was quiet so we had no trouble getting a table. We were welcomed by the owner and head waiter, he was very friendly and informative about the dishes on the menu. The menu has a good variety and as we couldn't decide what we wanted opted for a MEGA special, this is a sharing platter, we were a little concerned that there might not be enough for the 3 of us, (see photo) it consisted of 2 portions of 3 dishes 4 lamb chops and ribs etc. Do Not be deceived. with the starter (included), we could not finish it all. The Lamb Cutlets were marinated and had so much flavour, some of the best I have ever had. The food is well cooked on a char grill and as with most BBQ for Char grilled food it is best eaten soon after cooking. All our food was hot except the salad obviously. The location of this restaurant is opposite the Aldi store on the main A13 near chalkwell park so parking can be a bit of an issue at busy times. A Google search will tell you this place is open on Mondays it is not. I will be going back here again The food brought back memories of times spent in Northern Turkey and the serviced was good and not in your face. Definitely recommend. And it has a 5 star health and hygiene rating.

Popped in for the Lunch deal, £7.95 2-course (been twice now), many choices from the Menu,