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Jimmy's A & A Deli
Categories: Restaurants Mediterranean Food Convenience Stores Mediterranean, Convenience Stores [Edit]
1401 20 Ave NWCalgary, AB T2M 1G6
(403) 289-1400
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 9 am - 10 pm
Sun 10 am - 8 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
28 reviews for Jimmy's A & A Deli
Review Highlights
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"But those Shawarma are like biting into heaven." In 8 reviews -
"So to this little middle eastern market/deli did we go." In 3 reviews -
"I liked the Falafel one the best - loads of flavour." In 4 reviews
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28 reviews in English
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Review from Thomas M.
1/25/2012
best donairs in the city, mostly because they have the best meat. donairs are overpriced though - they should knock a couple of bucks of the price of each size.
People like to say how "huge" these sandwiches are, but it's really because 75% of the sandwich is lettuce. Order it without lettuce sometime and you'll see what I mean.Listed in: Donairs and Schwarmas in YYC
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Review from Cathy S.
Updated - 5/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
Sorry Jimmy's, you have dropped a star.
In handheld food, the construction of the product is at least as important as the contents. Whoever assembled my last shawarma clearly did not understand this principle. All of my garlic sauce was at the top, all of the hot sauce was at the bottom and my hummus and tabouli were in clumps rather than spread within.
Consistency Jimmy, consistency.Listed in: Adventures in Calgaryland, Swarms of Shawarma
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/23/2011
I know my way around a chicken shawarma and I have to say Jimmy's might be the best Lebanese style… Read more »
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Review from Kate B.
Updated - 4/19/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Time for an update.
My last review was about Jimmy's shwarma, and after trying more shwarmas around the city I've come to realize I don't even like shwarma. Can't fault Jimmy's for that! :) After realizing I wasn't down with shwarma's I decided to come back to Jimmy's to again see what all the fuss was about.
I have had both a small fallafel and a small donair. Both rocked, but the donair really sealed the deal. I will be back for that. I also still love the beverage selection.
I have also purchased olives from the olive bar, and they rule! The feta stuffed olives are a favourite.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/25/2011
I proabably don't know squat about shwarma.
My experience with this place has left me feeling like… Read more »
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Review from Cootie M.
Calgary, AB
5/4/2012
As a 5 year frequenter of Jimmy's, I will say the meat is some of the tastiest I have had in a schwarma. The portions are more than generous, even if there is a bit of lettuce within. Pricing I would say is reasonable for Calgary, considering the oversized nature of the beasts. I think, however, that the side dishes and desserts/baklavahs are grossly overpriced, and not all that impressive compared to other middle eastern bakeries and delis in town.
The store itself is quite interesting, with lots of exotic food items and shisa pipes, etc. The atmosphere used to be a bit more lively when Jimmy was around more often, and I have noticed most of the old school staff have moved on. Sad, but still a great place to go for awesome wraps of all kinds. -
Review from Karen K.
Calgary, AB
5/11/2012
Wow. Just Wow. I Loooove Jimmy's. I grew up in the area, and it was always a treat to go to the ole' A&A for a shwarma or donair. I have never had a bad experience with this place, and with the amount of times my family has gone over the years, believe me that's a bold statement to make. The food is always scrumptious, satisfying, fresh, and served with a smile. If consistency took a physical form it would be a Jimmy's donair. There is something really nice about knowing when you walk in, that you will be happy with what you have when you walk out.
Listed in: cheap eats
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Review from swcgy g.
Calgary, AB
4/29/2012
I would give this place higher reviews but I did not like the bugs flying around inside.The sandwiches are plentiful and tasty, but I am not sure if I would go back because of all the flying insects.
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Review from Ted M.
Calgary, AB
7/11/2011 ROTD 5/22/2012
It's a hot afternoon; even the streets are sweating... you walk up the steel grated steps and open the door...
Now, the heat washes past you, like the waves on desert highways, and you can't help but feel transported to a place that knows what real heat, is all about.
Arroma and music blasts you in the face, like that same desert's wind and enter you must... upon this new threshold.
Just so you know... at Jimmy's, you gotta yell... cuz the music is so bleeding loud... and, it's nice to yell sometimes... to yell, without anger... just to be heard...
I'll leave the interior description to you...
Jimmy's is a true eastern Mediteranean (I learned to spell that in grade 6, forgive me) shop, all the wares that one might expect, and all the smells that give the glands reasons to seep.
Hmm, I'm wondering if this review is turning into something more... sorry,
Jimmy's is the best place to get flat breads filled with glorious beef, chicken and falafel fillings. They also sell houka pucks, weird and wonderful canned goods from the world-wide and they are some of the friendliest people you will meet.
My only crit.. is the upstairs eating chamber... don't go there, go outside and feast on the amply packed "I can't eat another bite" Shawarma and donair and falafel.
Cheers,
Ted
P.S. no spell check... sue me. -
Review from Michael H.
Calgary, AB
9/21/2011
Was out walking with my friend, her and her dog, around River Park. After her dog had its fill of someone's picnic dinner, she suggested we go grab a bite to eat ourselves.
She happens to be Calgary's pre-eminent Donair expert and she mentioned that she knew of a place not too far that was one of her faves.
I eat anything. I agreed. Besides, I don't get to see this friend very often, and she's about as awesome as they come, so any extra time in her company is time well-spent. She could have suggested we go eat dirt, and I would have agreed.
So to this little middle eastern market/deli did we go. I'm not judging the ambience here. It's a little corner store/deli. You only rate a place on ambience if it's the type of place where you'd expect some ambience. Thus this review is only concerning the donairs (and the little desserts we ate afterwards.)
As far as donairs go, these were pretty good. Not sure if it distinguished itself from other pretty good donairs I've had elsewhere. Basically a pita, some tasty donair meat, some veggies, and tzatziki sauce. So, about 3.5 stars for the donair, and 0.5 stars for Jimmy and the stories about the place from my friend. Jimmy's has a bit of history behind it.
The desserts were good. We had something called a honey finger, if I recall, though it looked more like a thumb. It was tasty and not overly sweet.
I would not drive out of my way to eat here, but if I was in the area, sure, definitely would return.
My friend has promised to introduce me to every other donair eatery in Calgary. So beware more reviews. -
Review from Kyle H.
Calgary, AB
2/22/2012
Good effort . Big wraps.
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Review from Jennifer L.
Calgary, AB
7/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
Okay woah.
Jimmy's A & A is a true hidden gem located on the corner of 20th Avenue in the NW, sure it may look ghetto but its ghetto good!! Its a small place with a ton of food.
Whenever I go, I always order a shawarma which is a Arab sandwich-like wrap. They make the BEST CHICKEN SHAWARMAS in all of Calgary. They're truly amazing. Sometimes they can be out of the chicken or beef so you would have to wait a couple minutes, but its definitley worth the wait! Fresh chicken or beef? Yes please!!
Just like everyone else said, the SMALL is huge! (~$9) They stuff the wrap with the meat and have this amazing garlic sauce, lettuce, pickles, onions and tomatoes (if you want all of the toppings) and you can get it spicy or not. The spice is just some hot chili sauce they squeeze on. But the wrap itself has SO MUCH FLAVOR! Not only can you taste it, but you can actually see the spices on the meat. Its mouth watering. There is a very strong garlic taste but I love garlic! So I dont mind.. They do have a big selection of food, from salads to shawarmas to samosas to baklava! I ordered 3 random pieces of baklava for after and they were nice and flaky. They seem really oily (which they are) but they're delicious!
Ps. If you order a shawarma, be sure NOT to take the shawarma completely out because it can get very messy...the paper bag and wax is like a support system for the wrap. Keep it in or it'll all fall out! :)
Pps. If you haven't been there, I suggest you to go ASAP!!! You won't be disappointed. -
Review from Cori L.
Calgary, AB
1/28/2012
Close to work and so yummy this is a well frequented stop for my office.
Jimmy is hilarious - he's the lebanese cowboy. The decor is a bit strange. The food is very good. The prices are right. The lines at lunch can be VERY long. Don't wear your best because it can be a messy eat.
Parking can be hard to find, if you park in a non-1 hour zone you will likely get ticketed (they are patrolled a lot) and there is only places to eat outside in the summer which is a bit disappointing.
That's about it - a simple review for a simple joint. -
Review from Kit L.
8/22/2011 2 photos
The service from the staff was excellent, the food is very generously portioned... the baked goods isle is mesmerizing.
We had the beef donair and chicken schawarma. We ordered the small, and it was already bigger than the size of my face. Beware of super garlic-y breath after consuming food from Jimmy's. Awesome beyond words. You can also get everything from hookas to pita bread while you're there waiting for your food to be served. What a great little local joint! -
Review from Cal S.
Calgary, AB
6/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
Jimmy's has the both the biggest and best donairs I have ever seen! It's on my way home from work, and I'm becoming a regular.
The large is the size of your face. If you have a huge face. Eat here.
Yay! -
Review from Arinn W.
9/22/2010 ROTD 3/18/2011
Great food; insane service. I mean, Jimmy is engaging, but also kind of scary. Who is that friendly all the time? The portions are big, prices are small, and the deli has tonnes of specialty mediterranean items (if you are looking for rosewater or mysterious canned goods with only arabic writing). You can buy hookahs & shisha too.
But seriously: try the falafel, shawarma or donair if you're into beef. This place is a gem. -
Review from Ken I.
Calgary, AB
1/16/2011
Jimmy's A & A probably is the best value for shawarma in Calgary. I've been going here since it was a real convenience store and they have not changed a thing. The decor inside the store now looks a lot more like a donair shop with all the middle eastern deli items.
The shawarma/shish taook's here are gigantic. Well... not the biggest in the world I presume, but when you order a small you get a wrap filled with about half a kilo of meat in it.
If I'm ever having a craving something heavy garlicy and delicious I go here. -
Review from C T.
Calgary, AB
12/30/2010
Wow! I can't believe that this tiny little place can hold so much food and fresh items!
We ordered the Falafel, the Beef Donair and the Chicken Shawarma pita sandwiches. They were all Mediums and they were huge! One pita sandwich with tons of stuff on them. I liked the Falafel one the best - loads of flavour!
We also ordered a couple of the Stuffed Grape Leaves and the Tabouli Salad - quite good! The Tabouli salad was very fresh and lemony.
Paid almost $35 for 3 people - pretty good price.
Other food items to note - olives, samosas, caribbean patties, empanadas, cheese (like feta, halloum), sweet Mediterranean desserts.
FYI - cash and debit only. -
Review from Jeff K.
Calgary, AB
11/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
If you know the difference between shwarma and Shish tauk you need to go to A & A. YUM!!! Anything bigger than a small and you need two hands and a lot of napkins!!
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Review from Sarah C.
1/5/2011
Best chicken shawarama in the city.
Nowhere to eat it, and they are quite messy and will leave your breath garlic-y all day but they are so tasty it is sometimes worth it.
The staff are all very friendly and outgoing and its a fast service. Its pretty pricey but the portions are very large. -
Review from Sapna G.
Calgary, AB
1/9/2010
Jimmy's A & A Deli is la creme de la creme, the icing on the cake, and in this case, THE best schawarma and falafel place I have been to in Calgary. Oh, and did I mention that not ONLY is the food taste bud- tantalizing, but the prices are some of the cheapest around?!?!? I'm talkin' 2 people can eat a DISGUSTING amount of food, feel like they've been to heaven and back AT LEAST a couple of times, and want to come back for more for the rest of their lives. And at what cost comes this whole body experience you ask? $15 dollars...for BOTH people. SAY WHAAAAAT?!?!?!
Where else in the city can you get a meal bigger than your head for less than $8?!?!? YOU CAN"T.
During the winter it's a grab and go kinda place, there's nowhere to sit inside, so you KNOW the service will be fast. In the summer, the service is just as fast and exceptional and if you're in the mood, you can pull up one of the chairs they set up for their patrons and eat, digest and enjoy the view, all at once.
Seriously people: if you haven't tried Jimmy's A & A Deli, you haven't lived a full life. Put it on your bucket list and GET THERE. -
Review from Lindsay K.
Halifax, NS
10/13/2009 3 photos
Picture Homer Simpson when he sees something really delicious that he wants to eat. His eyes close a bit, his mouth waters profusely, and he makes that mouthwatering gargling sound. Do you have the image in your head? Well, that's probably me exactly when I think about eating at Jimmy's! It's so delicious that whenever I think about it, I have an instant craving!
The amount of food you get for the price is unbelievable! The donairs and shawarmas are so big I struggle to finish one. Even when I'm stuffed to the brim, I can't bring myself to throw any away, so I always make myself sick by force feeding the remaining wrap into my mouth. I wouldn't for one second dream of wasting a Jimmy donair. I know that everyone who goes here will all be saying the same thing: it's so delicious and marvelous that nothing else will ever be satisfying again!
The first time I went in here I had no clue what I was doing or what I wanted to eat. Lucky for me, Jimmy was behind the counter serving people and he pointed me in the right direction of something yummy. He was super friendly and extremely helpful. Don't tell Jimmy but I kind of have a little crush on him. Maybe that's why I keep going back. Nah, it's because of how fantastic the food is.
Besides the donairs and shawarmas, they also have a bunch of little desserts you can buy. There is a whole display of baklava and other yummy looking treats. Along with the food, Jimmy's is also a great place to go if you want to buy some shisha or hookah pipes. They have a large assortment of different sizes and shapes, and all the flavours that you can imagine smoking.
I seriously love Jimmy's so much. I miss the days when a friend used to live behind the store and we ate there almost everyday. Now I have to go a little out of my way to get there, but it's totally worth it every time. I love Jimmy's so much and I'm positive that everyone who goes there loves it too. It's just one of those awesome finds that everyone in the world should know about. *insert Homer Simpson drooling here* -
Review from Jessica A.
9/9/2011
The food was excellent (chicken shawarma and veggie samosa) and Jimmy was warm and welcoming. Will surely eat here again.
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Review from Katie C.
Calgary, AB
11/11/2009
I was craving shawarma europe-style, and I'd been out of the city for so long. My friend dragged me out to Jimmy's, and I had a few good memories but nothing really clear. I balked a bit at the prices - $7.50 for a small shawarma?! And then I SAW the small shawarma, and I'm not sure whose lexicon they're using, because that thing was MASSIVE. You really are getting a good deal. The large makes its own gravity.
These huge portions are also amazingly delicious. Juicy, lightly seasoned meat, fresh veggies, and they accommodate your weird requests without a fuss.
I love the lore that goes with this place. I've only been served by Jimmy a few times, but he is very much a character. The staff are great in their own right, cracking jokes and having fun. The baklava is decent, and so is the selection of lebanese basics. Run-of-the-mill corner store basics will cost a pretty penny.
But those Shawarma are like biting into heaven. You never want to stop. Best in Calgary, hands down. -
Review from Joel S.
Calgary, AB
4/17/2011
This particular establishment is hard to for me to be objective about because over the past several years I have been frequenting them, I have become friends with the family. For those who are reading this blog, I must qualify my review as being slightly biased. However, I am being truthful when I say that pretty much everything they sell is expertly prepared, locally made and fresh.
My favourites are the Kafta (a potato and ground beef dish - Lebanese Shepards Pie?), that Zatar (pita shell baked with herb, tomato, or ground beef), Fatyre (a Lebanese pastry stuffed with either feta and sour spinach or spiced ground beef), the olive bar, and, of course, their Donair and Sharwama sandwiches. A large sandwich is good for two meals. Take some Baclava home with you for dessert.
Three months ago they converted the floor upstairs into a well maintained very clean dining area. -
Review from Piper P.
4/17/2011
Go. Right now. And expect to come home with a bag full of homemade groceries.
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Review from Cat S.
Calgary, AB
2/5/2011
Best chicken shwarma ever!! The portion is HUGE! I usually get medium and I am stuffed. I love all the fresh fillings and the staff is always upbeat. Never been disappointed from this place. The only downside is no where to sit in the winter. And don't attempt to eat in the car, you will be a disaster. And although the shwarma is amazing, save it for at least a second date, its kind of awkward to eat and you might end up wearing it!
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Review from Mark B.
Calgary, AB
11/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
Awesome shawarmas great service and good fun!
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Review from Andrew M.
2/2/2009
This is some of the best shawarma in Calgary! It is flavorful and so delicious. Just walking up to the front door makes my mouth water. If I ever have a craving for some middle eastern food this is one of the first places that I think of. Don't think... just go right now!
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Review from jose m.
Calgary, AB
9/7/2011
jimmy's has the best chicken shawarma, bar none! you can go for larger, but i usually just go for the small size and even then i am always stuffed! very generous portions and sooooo good. super great deal and the staff are always very warm and friendly. if you talk to any of the family that owns jimmy's, especially 'mama', they will talk and treat you like family.
