Review Chez Fatima - Gatineau

I went to Gatineau for a wonderful Saturday dinner. Fatima was so helpful in every way. From my call to book a table for two, to "a la prochaine"... see you next time. And I will visit again. We took advantage of the buffet that gave a great taste of a number of dishes. Everything was spectacular and the authentic taste of Morocco took me back to my first taste of a local dish in Rabat last year. When you go to Chez Fatima in Gatineau... try everything and definately don't miss the falling off the bone lamb.

Humble, simple, authentic are the key words. I had the pleasure to dine in this authentic Moroccan restaurant last week, and to enjoy the buffet offerings, I have had: Lamb shanks, cous cous and a delicious fish dish plus some sides of beautifully cooked veggies and rice. Everything tasted great, the server was ready to answer all the questions and Fatima herself is a wonderful human being. I will DEFINITELY go back! Merci Fatima, à bientôt

I've been meaning to try this restaurant despite the mixed reviews. The space is clean and pleasant. We loved every single flavourful dish on the buffet. There was a vegetable soup, a good selection of salads, as well as chicken, lamb, meatballs and a couple of vegetarian options along with rice, cous cous and potatoes. The desserts were to die for as well. Service was kind but a bit slow since it seemed they were only a few people (who were all working very hard doing everything). I would definitely recommend giving it a try.

A long-standing restaurant owned by two incredibly warm and welcoming women. I was constantly reminded to relax and feel like home and I fed exactly that. During lunchtime, they offer an awesome buffet with loads of vegetarian choices. I haven’t had such a nice lunch in a long time. Thank you very much!

Wonderful place! The atmosphere was nice and welcoming, the food was ridiculously good and came in big portions. We tried lamb couscous and homemade merguez tajine, and finished with an assortment of delicious handmade deserts. Highly recommend!

Amazing place! The food was delicious and authentic, tasted exactly like my grandmother's cooking! Prices are great for the quality of the meals. The staff was also wonderful and made us feel right at home, highly recommend!

THE BEST! Moroccan food is generally rich in flavor, and delicious. It is however at its best when it is homemade. This restaurant makes every meal feel like home meal. The owner is the chef, who is talented at what she does, very organized, and friendly. She asked us for our opinion to make sure we liked the food and had a good experience which we did. The atmosphere is nice and calming. It is fanily friendly, and can be perfect for business too. The decoration is on point and the music is well picked!

Delicious and interesting flavours! Great for exploring Morrocan cuisine. Loved the eggplant dish and lamb dish in the buffet. Desserts were sweet and delicious. Fatima greets you and gives you great service as well! Would highly recommend.

Hostess/waitress is extraordinarily welcoming, warm and cheerful, makes it feel like a family dinner. The food is authentic, varied and interesting -- we all enjoyed it.

I was amazed by the food and service. Wasn’t expecting that much good and homemade food. Went there just because it was on our way without knowing what’s that…

Tried the lamb cumin stew and it was absolutely delicious! Everyone is super friendly and I definitely recommend everyone to visit this place.

My parents are Algerian, I am born and raised in Montreal. On my way back from Calabogie, I stopped by to eat. It tasted just like back home (we have meals in common), and I plan to comeback anytime I'm in the Ottawa/Gatineau area.

1. Delicious food 2. Friendly service 3. Dine-in and all you can eat with a wide variety of options 4. Worth the price 5. Patio and drinks Kindly check this place out for some authentic North African / Moroccan food. Highly recommended !! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If you're hesitating to go this is your sign to do so!! The food is amazing and so is the service. The chicken pastilla is chef's kiss.

Highly recommend for Morcian food, great experience and freidly team

There is a reason why this family owned and run restaurant is rated number 1 in all of Hull/Gatineau on another website (trip-advisor), its because its real, authentic, Moroccan home made cuisine.   I usually go for the lunch buffet, which is a good deal for the price.  Every option in the buffet is made with love, and unlike most restaurants, its not dependant on salt!  So you are actually tasting real food and not being tricked by sodium and/or msg.  The owner/chef and staff are friendly, and after returning just once they will remember you and always make you feel at home.  This place is a gem, definitely in my top 5 in Ottawa/Gatineau.

Went there as a group of 4 on Friday Dec 18.  Service: The service, from the servers to the kitchen was exceptional.  The servers were very down to earth and friendly.  They were genuinely happy to have us as diners - a rare instance nowadays.Food:  We got the feast for 2.  This is an totally reasonable price, given all the food that you get.  The harira soup was beautiful.  Lively and bursting with flavour. The salad was a pleasant start, hints of spices, a citrus, simple as it should be.  Then come out the chicken and almond pastille.  These are chicken and fixins wrapped in filo.  Amazing: tender and flavourful chicken.Then come the tagines.  We had the fish and lamb tagines.  Both were wonderful.  How often do you ask for something only to be disappointed with far less, and lower grade than you thought?  Often, I know.  Not here! A slow cooked Lamb shank complemented with figs, dates, perfect spices, couscous, etc.  And the fresh was a gem: more of a citrus, and sour vibe fish w citrus, olives, tomato, tomato sauce, bubbling hot as it is delivered in the tagine.Everything else:  They knew it was my birthday and gave me a massive piece of carrot cake, even though we didn't ask for it.  They offered our friends (who did not order the feast) the desert bar and team for free, just because.I imagine that the place gets really busy during public service hours, but we went on a moderate night, so that's all I can speak for.  That said, you are getting far superior food, a wonderful change from hipster pubs or garbage chains, servers who want you there, and a place to certainly bookmark for your return to in the future.Excellent work, Fatima and friends.

Amazzzzzzing. I work on Promenade du Portage and have been going to Chez Fatima for about five years now. I usually get take-out but I bring my team there for lunch whenever possible. It is hands down my favourite restaurant in Ottawa/Gatineau. The food is amazing -- fresh fish, chicken, lamb, couscous, garlic potatoes, beets, safron veggies, etc etc. It is always fresh, declicious and healthy. It is a family owned and operated business...they are good people and really care about their customers. Fatima is a sweetheart!

Fatima... I love your restaurant, your team, your couscous. Yes, it is true the place is not coming with cheesy 2$ fake supposed to be Moroccan decorum. Though it comes with a plenty of Moroccan love. <br/>Come in late, with your friends, order Fatima's couscous royal and you'll be exactly in the heart of what Moroccan hospitality does best. The semolina is outstanding (couscous), the merguez (lamb sausage) is home made and truly kickass just like everything. Grab a Moroccan wine, take some time to relax and chill to the always charming mood of your hostess Fatima. Her heart is as big as her portions.<br/><br/>In short..... yalla.... have fun :)

Real, nourishing, delicious food. I had the dinner buffet, and there was a large selection of salads and vegetables that were delicious and felt like real, nourishing food. Their meats were also very good, especially the fish.

Good food, bad service. It was our first time going to Chez Fatima. I read the reviews ahead of time and they seemed pretty decent. We had reservations. Once we got there we were pointed to our seat from a distance. Once seated we waited about 3 minutes to get our minutes. From there we were told about a buffet which we decided to go for. The plates were dirty and crusty. The food was pretty good but the service was bad. The waitress was pleasant but she only attended us twice. We had to ask for more bread and I never got a refill of my water which led me to just get up, pay and leave without tasting the desserts. Don't think i'll be going back.

Sanoulover. Sanou I love you

Great FOOD!!. I am algerian and grew up with a Moroccan influence and I can tell you it's pretty hard to make food as good as my mother's but when I went Chez Fatima I can sincerely say that I felt like I was home. The tajines and pastilla are to die for and Fatima is super welcoming and generous. I strongly recommend this restaurant for a magical Moroccan experience:)

An amazing experience and warm welcome. Fatima and her staff makes you feel at home. A delightful ambiance, amazing variety and exquisite authentic Moroccan cuisine. I will definitely be back and recommended it to friends and colleagues.

I expected more. I read the reviews and many people commented on how good this place is.<br/>I went there for dinner and had the buffet.<br/>I must admit I went there with high expectations but the food selection was poor and the tastes were not as good as I have had in the past in other Moroccan restaurants.<br/>I cannot say it was bad so I will give them another chance and try something from their menu next time. I was mislead by other people's reviews.

Excellent restaurant! Nous y sommes allés moi et ma copine un samedi soir et nous avons été ravis. Accueil, convivialité, très bonne nourriture, excellent rapport qualité prix, le tout accompagné de musique et de danse orientale. Suggestion: accompagnez votre repas d'un bon rouge, par exemple un Domaine de Sahari. Bon appétit!

Amazing Family-like Great place. Fatima is amazing hostess, makes you feel like at home ! the food is amazing and friday/saturday nights with the belly dancer and the fun atmosphere are not to be missed. Fatima was very generous and gave us parting gift for breakfast. I will certainly become a returning customer.

Excellent food and great hostess!. We went there for a birthday dinner on a Monday evening. This was one of the most unique dining experiences I've ever had. We were treated incredibly well by the hostess. The table was beautifully set with Moroccan candle lanterns and hand sewn napkins. We ordered Moroccan wine (good quality), fresh mint tea for the kids (very flavorful) and tagine (lamb, chicken, shrimp - the lamb tagine was really awesome!) with flavorful couscous topped with plenty of vegetables. While waiting, we were offered olives and delicious home made anise bread. We told the hostess that it was our first Moroccan experience, so she offered us a chicken pastilla which is a round pie that combines sweet and salty flavours - a combination of crisp layers of phyllo dough, savory meat and a crunchy layer of toasted and ground almonds, cinnamon, and sugar. We were looking for a warm atmosphere and good Moroccan food and this is exactly what we got. The hostess went out of her way to make us feel welcome. We'll definitely be back...maybe on a Friday or Saturday to see the belly dancer!