Landmark restaurant: Desert Inn adds comedy night, seasonal dinners without losing history

CANTON − A recent visit to the Desert Inn restaurant was met with both the expected and unexpected.

The Arabic kabob platter is still by far the top-seller. Photos of celebrities who have dined there adorn the walls. And Middle Eastern stylistic touches are prevalent in the lobby.

But something fun was happening in the second dining room, which is used for special events and on busy nights. A Wednesday night comedy show was underway as customers smiled and laughed.

Saturday night comedy shows are also featured some weekends. Comedy nights also add a few new items to the menu such as sandwiches and homemade pepperoni rolls.

Desert Inn works with Canton Comedy Boom when booking acts, said Kyle Stead, who manages the restaurant. The group curates shows and events in the Canton and Akron area, including standup, improv and sketch comedy, as well open mic nights and workshops.

Even the name of the restaurant's $5 comedy shows is funny − Shish & Giggles, which started about four months ago. Shows are 8 to 10 p.m. on Wednesdays. Presented by Youngstown's Funny Farm Comedy Club, "Late Night Laughs" shows are scheduled on some Saturdays; tickets cost $20 presale and $25 at the door. The most recent one featured Chris Harvey.

Comedians at Desert Inn have included Elijah Nevels, Tanc, Patrick Madison, Autumn Carper, Britton Grace, Eric M. Simons, Dan McGinnis, Chevy Terrill, Nicole Knight, Nick Dlouhy, Cooper Braun, Sara Short, Glenn Menteer, Tierre King and Martin Malloy.

Comedy shows are a way for the family-owned restaurant to change things up and stay current, said the 40-year-old Stead, who first worked at Desert Inn as a busboy at age 14.

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Desert Inn also has quarterly seasonal wine dinners with items not normally served on the menu. The recent fall dinner featured homemade pappardelle Bolognese; scratch-made crab-stuffed mushrooms; shrimp-stuffed cod; tenderloin with a mushroom cabernet reduction; carrots and root vegetables glazed in brown sugar; and pumpkin walnut delight dessert.

Desert Inn story begins with a $50 grill

Desert Inn's origins begin with the late John Shaheen, who owned John's Friendly Bar in downtown Canton, said Mark Shaheen, who co-owns the restaurant with his wife, Tina.

Food was added to the menu to satisfy customers who would leave at night looking for somewhere to eat dinner.

Dad bought a $50 charbroiling grill that was powered with gas, Mark Shaheen said with a smile. An exhaust fan was purchased for $500.

That led to what's become the famous kabob platter. John Shaheen opened the Desert Inn on 12th Street NW in 1970, on the edge of downtown Canton, where it remains today, although a new version of the restaurant was built next to the original site nearly 20 yeas ago.

"We got into the food business by accident," the son said with a laugh.

'I've never known anything else.'

Desert Inn gives off an undeniable neighborhood bar vibe.

On a recent weeknight, Shaheen greeted customers and chatted as if they were longtime friends. A patron playfully bid Mark goodbye on the way out: "Bye, handsome," she said.

"We're getting families of families and sons and daughters of families who came in a long time ago," Shaheen said.

Comedy nights and special dinners have been added as a way to introduce the restaurant to new customers, while also giving regulars another incentive to return, Shaheen said.

Shaheen, 65, said he's proud to continue what his father started.

"I've never known anything else," he said. "I've been working here since I was a busser at age 12."

Family members and others involved in the restaurant are in line to succeed Mark and Tina when they retire.

Mark's son, Joe, and daughter-in-law, Danielle Shaheen, work there.

"It feels good that we are still in the same location," he said. "I could have gone to Belden Village and done even better than I've done here."

'The Six Million Dollar Man' and Farrah Fawcett once ate at Desert Inn

Dinner might come with a story if Mark Shaheen is at Desert Inn on a given night.

Standing at the wall of fame, he pointed out stars who chowed down at Desert Inn. Comedian Ron White once walked to the eatery in his pajamas after performing downtown, Shaheen recalled. He ordered the family-style platter.

"I have a lot of pictures and I'm running out of room," he said. Others famous guests have included Stark County native and former NFL quarterback Todd Blackledge, entertainer Joey Bishop, actor Hal Linden, television's "Kojak," and former NFL coaches Weeb Ewbank and Mike Ditka.

Shaheen only learned recently that Lee Majors and Farrah Fawcett, a celebrity power couple in the 1970s, once ate at Desert Inn.

"I couldn't believe it," he said.

Members of the rock band Aerosmith also were happy customers.

When performing at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium during the 2015 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival, the band ordered carryout from Desert Inn three times.

Shaheen admitted he didn't score autographs that time, but he signed his own name to the carryout containers just for fun.

Todd Rundgren and a belly dancer

Another good story dates to the '80s, when Todd Rundgren and his rock band ate at Desert Inn and enjoyed watching the restaurant's belly dancer.

"We got them big pots and they played drums on them," Shaheen said with a burst of laughter. "They just improvised. "

Reach Ed at 330-580-8315 and ebalint@gannett.com. On X (formerly Twitter) @ebalintREP

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Joe Montana, 'Kojak' and celebs have dined at Canton's Desert Inn