By Nargis Rahman
Royal Kabob is a restaurant on the corner of Caniff and Gallagher Streets in Hamtramck. Over the years it has become a staple in the city, serving Middle Eastern foods
Owner Moorthada Obeid purchased the restaurant in 2010, with a business partner who co-owned his family business Malek Al-Kabob in Taylor.
“Royal Kabob was one of the famous restaurants in Hamtramck and among Detroit. A lot of Detroit residents used to come to eat in Royal Kabob,” he says.
Obeid was born in Yemen and moved to Hamtramck when he was 13-years-old. He attended Hamtramck Public Schools, Henry Ford Community College and later Davenport University.
In 2020, the restaurant shut down due to a small fire, which caused smoke damage. Obeid says he wanted to fix the damage, but also expand the restaurant.
“Since we closed because of smoke, we decided to redo the restaurant, since it’s closed already, and redesign it,” he says.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic caused construction delays. He says it took about 2 ½ years to sort through the insurance, redo the layout with an engineer and get city permits.
“Because of COVID, we had issues with materials. If you want to buy a fridge, it takes about six weeks to 16 weeks to get these things,” he says.
In 2024, Obeid decided to give Royal Kabob renovations his full attention. It took an additional seven months, taking the project a total of 4 ½ years to complete.
Royal Kabob reopened its doors on October 7, 2024.
However, Obeid says construction on Holbrook and other main roads in Hamtramck in late December to early January, blocked the restaurant and potential customers.
“It was bad. You can’t get delivery, you had to go through the neighborhood small streets to get to us and then go through the alley to park,” he says.
But Obeid says that did not deter the restaurant from coming back with a big bang.
“Business started picking up,” he shares.
The restaurant has a new look and logo, adding a private room for family style seating for up to 20 people.
The space can also accommodate business meetings.
“We can bring a projector screen, microphones, and technology here for their needs,” he says, sharing the space can seat up about 100 people.
Obeid says Royal Kabob is a part of the community.
“Maybe these four years we were disappearing from the community and being active in the community, but now we are back. We will be part of the community and their activities,” he says.
Obeid says Royal Kabob is always looking for ways to give back to the community.
“Our community knows that Royal Kabob was one of the best businesses that sponsor sports, sponsor religion places, sponsor schools, all kind of activities. It doesn’t matter who they are, what religion, what race, we always support our whole community,” he explains.
Obeid, who is Yemeni, says he is proud of his culture, and the kind hardworking nature of the Yemeni people.
“Yemeni American businesses are growing so fast and they come in with new ideas, new technology, new way to serve things to present our culture, our food, our business in a different model than it used to be,” he shares.
He says today Yemeni business owners have expanded their business from serving primarily the Yemeni community to serving everyone.
“You open a business for everybody and let your community come to you. So my business is non-Arabic, non-Muslims,” he says.
He says he serves diverse people among his restaurants in Hamtramck, Taylor, Trenton and Dearborn.
“We are one of the first people who took our mentality of business from the old way, the old style to try it outside our community. We tried it in different communities and they loved it,” he says.
Obeid says his favorite dish at Royal Kabob are the juicy tender lamb chops.
“They melt in your mouth. It’s one of the best items we have,” he says.
Although the Middle Eastern restaurant doesn’t serve Yemeni style food in-house, people can order Yemeni food to cater for events and weddings — such as whole lamb, or lamb haneeth, a slow roasted spice rubbed lamb that cooks until the meat falls off the bone.
He says recently the restaurant catered a 1,500-guest wedding.
Obeid says the Yemeni business landscape has grown over the years, with Yemenis investing more in the U.S. than in previous decades.
“From 2005 till now, within the 10 years, the number of Yemeni business opening… it was crazy, he says.
He says many Yemenis are becoming entrepreneurs.
Besides running several restaurants, Obeid was elected to serve as a Hamtramck Public School board member in 2016. He is serving his second term as the vice president until next year.
“Now we are focusing on the school… building, safety, all that’s needed. We’re not perfect yet, but we are working,” he says.
Back at the restaurant, Obeid says he wants everyone to know Royal Kabob is back in business.
“Our food comes from the heart. Our recipes come from the heart. That’s why we are different from other people,” he says.
