4.5 stars. Alihan's Mediterranean Cuisine opened in 2013 and serves Turkish cuisine for lunch, dinner, and special events. The menu lists many meat, seafood, and vegetarian options, and the chefs can accommodate customers on gluten-free and vegan diets. Examples of menu items are lentil soup, babaghanoush, falafel, shepherd salad, lamb chops, many kebabs, sea bass, sautés, house-made desserts such as baklava, and non-alcoholic beverages. My husband and I ate one lunch here. Indoor and covered outdoor seating was available. The employees promptly greeted and seated us, and I appreciated that they recommended specific menu items to help me choose. After a reasonable wait, the foods were brought to our table. Here are my ratings for what we ordered: Grilled Shrimp - 5 stars - Several large, juicy shrimp were on skewers and had been perfectly cooked. Sides were mixed vegetables and a mix of rice and bulgur. Chicken Shish Kebab - 4 stars - The chunks of chicken were large and juicy and had a mild seasoning. On the side was rice pilav. Turkish Tea - 4.5 stars - This black tea was a good size and was served hot. Packets of sweeteners were available. The total price was $55 plus tax and tip. read more

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Service was super friendly. I did not like my salad (Shepherd Salad) and they offered to make me another salad. They were so nice. Ambience is fine. Clean and tidy. Falafel appetizer was very, very hard and chewy. Even with a serrated knife it was difficult to cut! Shepherd Salad was fresh but was mostly red and green bell peppers. Very little tomato or cucumber or onion which I was expecting. Not their fault but mine for not knowing about this salad. Again they were super nice and offered to take it back. Donor Kebab was over cooked. Dry. Chewy. Tzatziki sauce was fine. I ordered two extra mini-cups of tzatziki to help me finish the donor kebab. (Extra $1). Bread was very good. I ordered the Turkish Tea but it never came : ( read more

I ordered to go on DD. Although the chicken was average, the beef was exceptionally tasty. The rice was some of the best I've had in Pittsburgh. But I felt like the meat servings were very small. $30 for a 2 skewer combo only to get 7 shrunk pieces of meat...the food was good but not enough to make me overlook the little portions. read more

Alihan's Mediterranean Cuisine - Mediterranean Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Even though Pittsburgh is pretty cosmopolitan, this was apparently the first Turkish restaurant in Downtown Pittsburgh when it opened in 2013. It didn't surprise me when I entered the premises because it had an old school ambiance with chandeliers, white tablecloths, and personalized plates. Given how chilly it was outside, I didn't have any trouble getting a table without a reservation. It was a matter of moments after I ordered when a basket of presumably Turkish bread arrived with a house tapenade made with olives, walnuts, and olive oil (Photo 8). That was delicious and the bread provided a soft, absorbent vessel. For an appetizer, I went with the $11 Grilled Veggies which was a generous plate of zucchini, eggplant, onions, leeks, green & red peppers, carrots, and tomatoes. The flavors were enhanced by a marinade of herbs and balsamic glaze (Photo 9). It stretched into a side dish for my entree, the $35 Grilled Lamb Chops Kebab. Four plump, tender ones came with an order along with a side salad and a scoop of rice (Photo 7). I thought all the food was pretty good with the tapenade and lamb chops the standouts. I'd come back should Pittsburgh call my name again. FOOD - 4 stars...Turkish delights, hearty portions AMBIANCE - 4 stars...old school and refined SERVICE - 3.5 stars...very quick, little interaction TOTAL - 4 stars...go Mediterranean in downtown RELATED - Exploring Pittsburgh? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/el8ZxqDEGE read more

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Tried Alihan's for the first time this weekend after walking around the Arts Festival. 10000/10. Such a simple dish that was packed with flavor & Not pictured - the Babaghanoush & Havuc Tarator with fresh pita & veggies which I could have made a meal out of just on their own. So fresh, flavorful, clean & perfect for a hot summer afternoon!!! Their patio is the perfect spot to enjoy our meals. Can't wait to go back and try more from their menu! read more

Alihan's Mediterranean Cuisine - Shrimp Skewers with rice & sautéed veggies. - Mediterranean Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The 6of us all enjoyed our meals as well as the deserts. The caramel desert was better than I expected.

This restaurant had a nice atmosphere. It was casual, but felt above that. The service was very good and they supplied some type of house tapenade and baguette slices for free. I had Turkish tea and Chef Borek, a cheesy pastry that was savory, but served with a thin honey, flavored sauce, and sweet, cheery tomatoes. Additionally, based on the waitresses recommendation, I tried the beef shish kebabs. Although I requested them medium, they were definitely well done, however, the flavor was very good even though the texture was a little tougher. I do think it's hard to cook a kebab less than well done most of the time. I also purchased some Turkish taffy as a treat for later and haven't tried them yet. If you're in the North Shore area of Pittsburgh, attending a baseball or football game, this is a nice walk across the bridge for something exotic and tasty. I would return for some more good food read more

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Alihan's has already been one of my favorite places for a quality and delicious meal but I've recently discovered they have a lunch special! I got a chicken shish plate with fries, pita and an assortment of sauces for $12. The chicken was unreal. I love this place! read more

Alihan's Mediterranean Cuisine - Lunch Chicken Shish, Pita, Salad - Mediterranean Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Stopped in for lunch today and was so grateful to have found and finally tried Alihans. Food is fresh, tasty and all around stupendous. Our server was friendly and grateful for our patronage. We had two new mezze dips, their best of Pittsburgh, 2021 lentil soup and the sea bass lunch deal with bugler and a salad (homemade carrot dressing). Total with tax for our lunch was $36! Left feeling so satisfied and happy for our healthy choices we chose. Will return. read more

Alihan's Mediterranean Cuisine - Sea bass with bulger rice - Mediterranean Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Decent Turkish food. Decent because I've had better ones in the NYC area. Great location and reasonable prices. Good service. Overall, a good impression, but not 5*. Specifically, the shepherd salad was lacking. The veggies were cut too small and not very fresh read more

The food was so good I came on new years best dinner ever so good I got a chicken kebab, rice, salad. I also got hummus and pita which was also really good. The staff was really nice they give refills and gave us are food really fast. Make sure you make a reservation Or you will get a seat it fills up really fast. The decor is really nice too it is clean and has cute plates on the wall. Will definitely go back. read more

Alihan's Mediterranean Cuisine - Mediterranean Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Gorgeous, peaceful atmosphere, amazing apps like charred eggplant spread homemade bread, and both delicious Mediterranean and Italian food?! Best dining experience I've had in Pittsburgh in 4 years of living here. Amazing flavorful food, great service, classy space, perfect for a date night. I can't wait to go back read more

Alihan's is by far one of, if not, the best restaurant I've been to in Pittsburgh! The service was truly incredible; I think my water was refilled within a minute almost every time. Our food came out insanely quickly (within 10 minutes of ordering I think), and the staff was very friendly and attentive. The free bread and dip was pretty good (4/5), and the hummus was amazing (5/5); it is definitely in the top three best hummus I've ever had. The Iskender kebab was also incredible (5/5) and a ton of food. There was way more meat than I anticipated hiding underneath all the sauce, and it was a unique combination of flavors I haven't seen before! Lastly, the interior of the restaurant is very nice, and it is easy to have a conversation in. Overall, I had an amazing experience and can't wait to go back! read more

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Food was amazing! Service was fantastic. Martina recommended all foods you can't get in other Turkish restaurants. The Turkish teas, the desserts and hummus was to die for! We highly recommend Alihans to all! read more

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Grabbed takeout from here on a Monday night and the food was delish! I wish I had more dressing because as simple as it was, it was so good. The shrimp were grilled to perfection and the salad was a decent size. I stopped in to pick it up and the restaurant was bumping - can't believe how packed it was for a Monday! Decor was really cute and authentic in here. Definitely a great spot if you enjoy traditional Mediterranean cuisine. read more

Alihan's Mediterranean Cuisine - Greek Salad with Shrimp - Mediterranean Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The food is delicious, and what q great value for lunch! They even have a shelf with books to borrow/trade/keep for your wait, which is especially helpful with kids! read more

Alihan's Mediterranean Cuisine - Mediterranean Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The food is delicious. The staffs are good. The place is authentic and cozy. We are driving through Pittsburgh and we ended up in this place by chance. read more

Alihan's Mediterranean Cuisine - Meat Lovers Omelette with baby potatoes and green salad - Mediterranean Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Went back here for another pre-theater dinner. The food was good again and the location is very convenient for a night out in Pittsburgh's cultural district. As a bonus, the restaurant is right below a parking garage, again streamlining the evening. But both my wife and I thought the service had dipped quite a bit since our last time here a couple years ago. There were only a few servers working and they didn't keep tabs on us super well (we had to go find our server to get the check). The restaurant was also out of multiple dishes that we asked about ordering (a couple sitting next to us had the same issue). Still a nice spot for dinner though! Regarding the food itself, they bring a very nice basket of bread prior to ordering (honestly way too much for two people, but who doesn't want bread? We just took the extra home). We got the adana kebab platter, which was very good; nice flavorful pieces of ground lamb. We tried the salmon saute, which came with pieces of salmon and some small chopped veggies all in a very oily sauce ("tomato sauce", but not really very tomato-y). It was a very warming dish, but a tad on the heavy side with all the sauce. The saute came with a side of bulgur wheat, which tasty and much more interesting than the white rice pilaf that comes with other dishes. read more

I was drawn to Alihan's by their tagline on their website: "Mediterranean cuisine fine dining without formalities." I took some colleagues there for dinner while they were in Pittsburgh for a conference. We shared a bottle of wine (BYOB --$5 corking fee) and the mixed cold appetizer. In retrospect, I wish I would have just ordered the grape leaves and charred eggplant tapas since those were the clear standouts. My friends both had the falafel entrees and were in agreement that they were fine--just fine. The texture was unexpected, maybe because none of us had previously encountered Turkish falafels. I had the Veggie Sauté with bulgar, which was very, very good. I could have used more bulgar, given how much sauce there was. I took some falafels and my leftovers home and was happy that both dishes tasted good the next day. The falafels were given new life through the reheating process (3 minutes in the air frier), but were still not the best texture. If I go again, I will stick to the charred eggplant, grape leaves, and veggie sauté! read more

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This came so close to getting a glowing 5*s from me, but in the end it was let down by one dish being notably subpar. On the positives, the interior of this place is nice and relaxing. Our server spoke very little English (I'm assuming this is a family business) but we didn't have any major trouble with ordering. He did bring out tabouleh when we had ordered hummus, but that was fixed right away. Bread and dipping oil were free and absolutely outstanding. The bread is clearly made fresh in-house, and it shows. Olive oil with olive tapenade were served with it, and I enjoyed the combination immensely. Even my friend who doesn't particularly like olives found it to be good, because the flavors and spices are just so well balanced. The hummus was one of the best examples of the dish I've ever had. Perfectly creamy, seasoned, and with a hint of citrus to make it really pop. Instead of being served with pita, we had the fresh bread with it and it was stellar. I also had a Turkish coffee and it was well made and came out in a delightfully decorated cup. I had a whole grilled sea bass, and it came out moist and flavorful. The only real downside was dealing with a lot of pin bones, but that's the price to be paid for getting it whole. The iskender was particularly good with a delicious hit of yogurt in counterpoint with acidity of the tomato sauce. Now onto the biggest letdown of the meal. My vegetarian friend ordered the falafel, and it's astounding to me how mediocre it was - almost like something from a completely different restaurant compared to how good everything else was. I thought he had just gotten an appetizer, but the entire meal was four medium sized falafels on a bunch of lettuce. And they weren't particularly good falafels. Fairly bland, mushy inside and not that crisp on the outside. It's just bizarre to me that the same restaurant could serve up one of the best hummus's I've ever tried alongside some of the worst falafels I've ever seen. Even if they had been good the presentation and amount of food on this plate wouldn't justify being priced like a full meal. Just disappointing, and it kept us from going back later in the week. read more

Our dinner here was to die for! We had the appetizer sampler, which was a must in my opinion. The Havuc Tarator was our favorite and we got an order to go as well because it was THAT good! The service was incredible. I would highly recommend eating here. read more

Alihan's Mediterranean Cuisine - Mediterranean Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Fantastic service and delicious food options. You cannot go wrong with any menu item. An authentic Turkish ambiance and staff. read more

Alihan's Mediterranean Cuisine - Hazelnut Waffle - Mediterranean Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Stayed at the Renaissance hotel and this restaurant is right across the street. I was starving and the hotel restaurant doesn't open until 5pm. Whatever you do, just keep walking pass this place. Now I know why it was empty. The food is not good. The service was subpar. The waitstaff kept checking on his car, in and out of the restaurant. Never saw him wash his hands. Someone walking down the street came in, went straight in the kitchen, and took garbages bags and left. I ordered the chicken shish kabobs-no flavor. Not even a pinch of salt. Rice had flavor but it was mushy. Salad was good, but you can't go wrong with oil and vinegar. Pita bread was terrible. What I imagine eating cardboard would be like. Everything needed at least salt and pepper even the oil for the cardboard flavored bread. Now I need to figure out what where my next meal will be. I can't get this taste out of my mouth fast enough. There is another Greek restaurant next door. It has to be better than here. Nice restaurant setting. Indoor and outdoor seating available. That's all I have. read more

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The food here was very bland. My parents and I ordered from the vegetarian menu and for appetizers we ordered hummus and the mini falafel. The falafel was delicious but the hummus was a little too runny and there wasn't a lot of salt in the hummus. For the main entree there were only 4 entrees we could choose from the vegetarian menu. So, we ordered the Turkish style falafel and the Veggie Saute as they were out of the Imam Bayildi. The veggie saute wasn't flavorful at all. The Turkish style falafel was okay but it wasn't too filling so we ordered some baba ghanoush, more hummus, and pita bread as we wanted to feel full. The food came out relatively fast, but the woman serving us was being short with us the entire time. The location of alihan's is great, but I would not come back due to the bland food and attitude of the servers. read more

Was quite shocked by how rude the short young hostess in the front was treating everyone. She was being impolite and gave people attitude, unacceptable behavior and completely low standards . I will not be trying this place anytime soon read more

Really more like 3.5 if half stars were allowed/ I'll start by saying that the food was absolutely delicious. I loved everything I ate and was very pleased with the flavor profiles. Two reasons for the lower rating. Service and portions. Service was really slow and inattentive. I had to ask three times before my water was refilled (I'm used to experiences where if a server notices low water they will ask if you want a refill). I also had to ask more than once for my check and to go boxes. Then they brought the check but forgot the to go boxes. Little touches can make such a positive difference and I just felt that service could have been much more attentive. I ordered the bean salad with the add on of a lamb kebab. The salad was $16 which seemed steep for just beans, but when it arrived I really was surprised at the relatively small plate size and portion. Especially so for the added on lamb. I paid $13 extra for five tiny pieces of meat. They were so small it was barely a one bite piece. I was expecting meat similar in size to what is served in the dinners. It was almost like they' took two pieces from a dinner portion and cut it into thirds. It was definitely not worth the cost for the amount of meat served. That being said, the meat was tender and full of flavor. I just wish there would have been more of it. Same with the beans themselves. Wonderfully seasoned and great consistency. Just wish there had been more of them. I also had the havuc tarator. It went perfectly with the complimentary bread. It was savory with a touch of sweetness. Definitely something I would order again. Overall a delicious experience and someplace I would try again. I just wouldn't order add on meats for a salad.. And Hopefully the service would be better. read more

I've ordered takeout from here in the past, which has always been good, but we walked by and chose to dine in on the patio this past weekend. The outdoor seating was extra cushioned and comfortable. Great people-watching as you wait for your food. The server was very kind and sweet. The bread with the olive dip was great. The bread had a nice crunch and was very soft inside. We ordered the mini falafel appetizer and the adana kebab with hot sauce. The falafel was very fresh and crispy on the outside, and very well seasoned. The adana kebab was juicy and had nice spices inside - very flavorful. Paired great with the hot sauce. Rice was buttery and also good. We will be back! read more

Alihan's Mediterranean Cuisine - Adana Kebab - Mediterranean Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Made reservations before a show. All 3 of us were first time diners. We got the hummus for an app- paired with the fresh Turkish bread was delicious! Meals - lamb, fish and chicken - everyone commented on how tasty the food was, everything was flavor full. We ordered desserts and coffee, I got the American coffee - the coffee was dark and wonderful. Desserts, I would suggest saving your calories, they were ok. The staff was very attentive and pleasant - everyone said we would return! read more

Great service and delicious food. Very quiet and not too crowded for a Friday night. So many things looked good. We'll definitely return. read more

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We tried 3 different lunch meals Falafel, Kofte and Gyro. Along with Lentil soup, hummus and chef borek. We were very disappointed with our meals. The all food was lacking in flavor. The falafel was hard as a hockey puck. The Gyro was dry $70 down the drain live and learn. read more

Visiting Pittsburgh, I decided to get take-out at Alihan's because it was close to my hotel. I ordered a Mediterranean salad ($17) with Chicken on the side ($10) and a small cup of lentil soup ($6) -- all of which was tasteless. The salad "looked" good but there was no taste it -- no flavor to the dressing and literally NO spices; there were ~5-6 pieces of chicken that were cubed -- they were tender but again, tasteless; and the soup had no flavor. None. I love blended lentil soup but the only flavor was the squeeze of the lemon wedge on top. While I waited, the restaurant decor was really bad -- there were stacked cushions by the main door; a bar cluttered with pitchers and other things -- overall, no joie de vivre. HARD PASS. read more

We made reservations here Sunday night before a show. Ambiance was a little disappointing because it is a small place, tables are close together, and room was warm. We planned on eating lighter meals so we could have desserts but after we ordered our server told us both Sultans Delight and Kunefe desserts we wanted were not available - disappointing since that's what made it attractive for us to make reservations. As a result we changed our entrees from salads to more substantial choices. So how was the food we did eat? The shrimp saute in a cream sauce was wonderful! The lamb shish was tender and flavorful. Combined with fresh and warm bread these were excellent meals. Unfortunately the tap water was warm without ice. read more

The good and the bad. The hummus appetizer and bread were wonderful. I had vegetables sauté with rice on the side. The vegetables were over cooked in a large soup bowl with a lot of broth... did not like it. Please take them off the menu. My wife had the eggplant parmesan and salad. She said delicious. Prices were reasonable. Service was good. Desserts were good. read more

We had brunch here. We each had crepes - one sweet, one savory. Food was fresh and came out quickly. I'd love to return for dinner

I would place it in the upper tier of Turkish cuisine restaurants in Pittsburgh area in terms of service flavor, vibe and atmosphere. The classic Turkish doner and lamb Adana here are some of the best I had in the city - very flavorful. read more

Can't believe I haven't reviewed this restaurant before as I've eaten here a few times - always outside due to the weather cooperating. Watching the cultural district crowds walk by adds to the entertainment value. As far as the menu, Alihan's has something for everyone, including a good selection of vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free dishes. Each of my visits was with a group of friends and we all agree the quality and flavors are top-notch. I highly recommend the eggplant parmesan, which is quite different (better) than most Italian restaurants. I also recommend having the lemon cucumber water as a great balance to the warm flavors of the food. The staff has always been very pleasant and accommodating, if a little scattered at times. This would be a five-star review but for the fact that Alihan's seems to always run out of some of their more popular dishes. It was particularly awkward when three of us ordered the same dish only to then learn that only ONE serving was left. All in all, a great dining experience. read more

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Usually I'm not the hugest fan of Mediterranean food but this place was so good! Everything was made really well and the staff was really nice. It definitely got quite busy during dinner time but still it was a solid place. Also BYOB which was pretty cool. read more

Alihan's Mediterranean Cuisine - Mediterranean Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

What a gem. This is THE Mediterranean restaurant I was looking for. Turks tea, amazing service, terrific filled grape leaves, and the beat grilled whole sea bass. Sat outside to enjoy the nice weather, couldn't be happier to find this place. If you're reading this, just go, best decision you'll make all week. read more

Alihan's Mediterranean Cuisine - Sea Bass - Mediterranean Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

This is the best restaurant that I came during my visit in Pittsburgh. The drink a good, the food is not super oily, the rice is great, and the on-house bread is good too! Highly recommend it! Before going, a reservation would be good. read more

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This was the second visit to this lovely restaurant. We needed a place to eat before a show at the Greer Cabaret Theater and this was very convenient. We made a reservation for 5:30 on a Wednesday but we probably didn't need one . It wasn't crowded when we arrived and didn't start to fill up until after 6 or so. We were told we could sit anywhere we liked and chose a table inside, although they offered outdoor seating as well. The doors to the patio were open and as a result some flies were coming in and landing on our food. There were four of us and we decided to order a couple of entrees and the cold appetizer plate to share. I also started off with a delicious Turkish tea. Bread was complimentary with an olive oil dipping sauce. We ordered the Mixed Cold Appetizer which said it was good for two people to share, but we had enough of a taste of everything with four people sampling it. This is a good way to find out what you like or dislike without committing to a full portion. Unfortunately our waitress didn't write it down or didn't hear or understand us and we didn't get it before our main courses came. We found out the mistake and they promptly put the order in. Only problem was that the tables are small and with entrees in the middle to share it was too crowded with all the plates at the same time. Spacing it out would have been better. The main dishes we chose were the lamb and chicken Shish Kebab mix and match plate and the Iskender Kebab. We chose bulgur to go with chicken and lamb kebab. Both were delicious! But the Iskender was deemed the most flavorful. The cold appetizers were also all very good. Especially the hummus. Some found the babaghanoush to be too smokey. And the tabbouleh was extra citrusy. The bread they served with all was delicious. I could have eaten the whole basket scooping up that hummus! Feta cheese was really a good quality and the grape leaves were delicious. So to summarize, the food was wonderful and other than the glitch with the appetizer, the service was too. Great place before a show. read more

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