Shawarmix Grill has replaced Got Burger on Cross Street, bringing a new menu, staff and look to the restaurant near Eastern Michigan University’s campus, while remaining under the same ownership.
The restaurant, located at 301 W. Cross St., opened as Shawarmix Grill on Aug. 24 after owner Khaled Al-Soliman decided to renovate and rebrand the former Got Burger. Al-Soliman purchased Got Burger near the end of 2022.
Khaled Naser, manager of Shawarmix Grill, translated for Al-Soliman during an interview with The Eastern Echo.
Al-Soliman said he had considered remodeling Got Burger since purchasing the restaurant because the building and equipment were outdated, but financial considerations and other responsibilities delayed those plans.
Eventually, Al-Soliman decided that remodeling the restaurant would also provide an opportunity to give the business a fresh identity.
“The only thing that’s the same is the owner, essentially,” Al Soliman said, translating for Naser.
Shawarmix has new employees, equipment and a different menu concept from Got Burger. While burgers remain available, the restaurant now focuses primarily on Middle Eastern food, particularly shawarma.
Al-Soliman said Middle Eastern cooking, including shawarma, is an area in which he has more experience than traditional burgers. The team had considered bringing the concept to Dearborn, but ultimately decided to keep the restaurant in Ypsilanti.
“Ypsilanti deserves a restaurant like this,” Al-Soliman said.
The restaurant’s menu includes chicken and wagyu beef shawarma, wraps and other Middle Eastern dishes, along with burgers.
According to Naser, the meat used for the shawarma is stacked and prepared each morning. The restaurant uses a Syrian marinade recipe that is also incorporated into the preparation of its sandwiches.
Al-Soliman created the menu based largely on dishes he was familiar with cooking and wanted to offer customers, Naser said.
The restaurant also plans to continue expanding its menu. Al-Soliman said that he hopes to introduce more wagyu-based items, including steaks and ribs, in the coming months.
For customers visiting Shawarmix for the first time, Al-Soliman recommended trying either the chicken or wagyu beef shawarma.
The restaurant’s name also comes from its menu. Naser said the idea for “Shawarmix” came from the Shawarmix plate, which has chicken and beef shawarmas with garlic sauce and tahini. The combination stood out to Al-Soliman while he was developing the menu, and he eventually used the name for the restaurant itself.
Beyond the food, the restaurant is also trying to establish itself as a place where EMU students can spend time.
Naser said Shawarmix offers an EMU student discount and has joined a university-affiliated discount program. The restaurant also plans to improve its Wi-Fi so students can sit inside and study or complete homework.
“We welcome all the EMU students,” Naser said. “We’re trying to cater to the students here with a nice vibe; a nice welcoming area.”
Al-Soliman said he wants the restaurant to develop an atmosphere where customers from different backgrounds feel comfortable and welcome.
The goal, Naser said, is to create one big, happy family.
Shawarmix’s opening also represents an effort by Al-Soliman to separate the restaurant from the reputation Got Burger developed before the rebrand.
Al-Soliman said through Naser that problems with the previous operation contributed to his decision to make significant changes rather than simply renovate the existing restaurant.
With a new staff, new equipment, and a different menu, Shawarmix is intended to function as a new restaurant rather than simply Got Burger under another name.
Shawarmix Grill is open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 1:30 a.m., Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
