Doner Kebab: Offering genuine German treats

Anyone who has had the good fortune of visiting Germany has most certainly come across the döner kebab, a shaved lamb sandwich specialty. For those of you who haven’t made it halfway around the world, there is a place in downtown Portland where you can find this foreign delicacy.

Not only does the restaurant serve up a mean döner kebab, they do it in style. Owners Johann and Gertrude Marcus certainly run a worthy operation. The restaurant has a great casual atmosphere if you’re interested in sitting down, but they are always willing to wrap up a kebab to go if you’re in a hurry. The great food, combined with moderate prices and an extremely friendly staff, makes this small restaurant worth heading over to.
So, what makes up this tasty treat of a döner kebab?

“It is the meat and a salad bedding, a little touch of cabbage, a few slices of onions and tomatoes and feta cheese, and of course your choice of yogurt or spicy dressing,” said Gertrude Marcus.

Altogether, it is a filling, semi-spicy and semi-tangy sandwich, albeit a messy one. The closest relative of the döner kebab is the Greek gyro, but this German twist is made into a sandwich on thick pita bread that resembles a roll, great for a meal on the go.

“We make all of our bread here, sometimes making new batches two to three times a day. The sandwich itself is unique; you can’t find it anywhere else…it’s magic in a sandwich,” Marcus said.

The restaurant doesn’t just serve great döner kebabs—they also have a variety of other German specialties to choose from. Some of the most popular alternatives include the 틌�skender kebap (a popular Turkish treat), wiener schnitzel, kraut rouladen and sauerbraten, all ranging from $7 to $12.

Marcus said that when people go to Germany, they are much more willing to try out new foods, but that at home in America, they are more wary of the dishes they don’t know. She hopes that people will give the sandwich a chance, and hopefully come back again, she said.

“It’s just a sandwich—you like it or you don’t,” she said with a laugh. Certainly, anyone who tries one of their homemade döners will like it.

The history of this downtown restaurant started when the son of the Marcuses decided college wasn’t for him and the restaurant business was calling. He flew home to Germany to get work with the family’s friends in the business and learn “everything to know.” He worked with his father at a family restaurant in Germany and learned to mix German and Turkish cuisine. They moved back to the U.S. and almost a year and a half ago opened the Döner Kebab in downtown Portland. Although small, the owners truly brought a taste of Germany to Portland.

The restaurant is now open daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and also reopens late (1 a.m. to 4 a.m.) on Friday and Saturday.

“Most places in Portland close early, and when people leave the bars, they’re hungry,” Marcus said. With limited options late at night, Döner Kebab is definitely worth a late night visit. 

Whether you’re looking for an afternoon lunch stop, quick evening dinner or late night pit stop, Döner Kebab is a great option. Served up with true German pride, the Marcuses and their genuine German döner kebab sandwiches are a definite must try for anyone living in Portland.