I would give 6 stars if I could. Anatolian Kitchen has become one of our favorite places, and at this point it is less of a "where should we eat?" decision and more of a "how soon can we get back there?" situation. Everything about this restaurant makes you want to return. First, the hospitality is just extraordinary. Levent is the kind of manager every restaurant wishes they had -- gracious, welcoming, and genuinely thoughtful. He has a way of making every guest feel valued and comfortable, like you are being welcomed into someone's home rather than just seated at a table. And Melissa is an absolute delight. She is attentive, kind, and so pleasant that she somehow makes a great meal feel even better. The food is spectacular. The flavors are vibrant, fresh, and deeply satisfying without feeling heavy. We especially love the kebabs, salads, sauces, and dips -- everything is beautifully prepared and full of flavor. And just when you think the meal cannot get any better, the coffee, tea, and desserts arrive and remind you that yes, you definitely needed those too. No regrets, only happiness. What keeps us loyal is that Anatolian Kitchen gets every part of the experience right: delicious food, warm service, and a truly welcoming atmosphere. Some places are worth trying once. This place is worth craving repeatedly. read more

Anatolian Kitchen offers both a lunch and dinner menu, and we stopped by during their lunch hours to check out their Anatolian eats. We shared the Combo Appetizer for Two Person, which came with cacik, hummus, piyaz, eggplant with tomato sauce, tabbouleh, and dolma, as well as the Falafel Plate (this was served with salad and hummus). For the mains, I went for the Ribeye Sish, which were marinated ribeye cubes, topped with worcestershire mushrooms and green onion sauce, served with fries. Everything was well-prepared, and the portions were generous, especially the apps, to share. Staff were kind and friendly. +shareable apps +friendly service read more

This place had a great vibe and a super nice staff. They were attentive and caring. My main dish on the other hand wasn't so great. I ordered a Doner Kebab which had strips of beef and lamb with rice pilaf and a salad on the side. The meat was flavorless and the rice tasted like sticky rice and not like rice pilaf. I wouldn't have that dish again. I did get a Baklava for dessert and that was delicious. But super sad and disappointed that my main dish wasn't enjoyable read more

Anatolian Kitchen - Doner Kebab - Mediterranean Near Me - Palo Alto, California

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Levent and his wonderful team offered superb food and service for our international guests, so the next day, here is the message I sent to them: Please accept our sincerest expression of gratitude for the wonderful evening we had at your beautiful place last night. All the participants of our continued professional education program who attended the delicious dinner together with our faculty and staff were thrilled to enjoy the great hospitality you so generously offered. We are also very grateful for your and your team's excellent service and your willingness to work with us regarding all the necessary logistics, and financial and other arrangements. Thank you! We will be back!! Thomy read more

We visited Anatolian Kitchen in Palo Alto for a team dinner, and it turned out to be a great evening all around.. A big plus right off the bat was that there's a public parking lot less than a minute's walk away, which makes visiting very convenient. Levant was an amazing host who took excellent care of our table throughout the night being attentive, friendly, and always on top of things. Everyone at the table had a wonderful time. We started by ordering a mix of appetizers for the table, and they set the tone perfectly: 3-combo appetizer platter - an absolute standout; fresh, flavorful, and beautifully balanced. Everybody enjoyed the contents with the bread that was served. Falafel - crisp on the outside, soft on the inside, and very satisfying Pan-fried calamari - tender and well seasoned Beet salad and Anatolian salad - fresh, vibrant, and refreshing Every appetizer was excellent, but the combo platter clearly stole the show. The main course spread was impressive, with something for everyone: Iskender - rich, comforting, and full of flavor Chicken Adana - bold, juicy, and well spiced Vegetable moussaka - hearty and comforting Grilled chicken shish - tender and flavorful Grilled salmon - perfectly cooked and fresh Grilled lamb shish - juicy and delicious Whole Branzino - absolutely amazing; this was my order and I loved every bite. Vegetarian turlu - (Stewed tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes, bell peppers, zucchini, and carrot served with rice pilaf) well-balanced and satisfying We ended the evening with three orders of family-style desserts, and the desserts were truly standout, rounding off the meal on a high note. I also placed a separate to-go order that included a mixed grilled platter and grilled lamb shish. While the food itself was excellent and tasted just as good at home, the only downside was being charged a large party fee, even though this was a separate personal to-go order. That aside, the quality and flavor were still top-notch, with clear 5-star food written all over it. Overall, Anatolian Kitchen delivers exceptional Turkish cuisine, generous portions, and great service. Minor billing hiccup aside (for the to go order which ideally should have been separate from the table), this was a wonderful experience, and it's a place I'd happily recommend and return to. read more

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4.7/5: icli kofte $14: Deep-fried bulgur balls filled with seasoned minced meat, walnuts, pistachios, and semolina. Flavor is great, but I expected it to have a crispy shell; it was very soft throughout, borderline soggy.. 4.5: Turkish coffee is good but could be stronger and have a bit more grit. 4.5: Espresso is very good. 4.0: Kunefe is high quality. Nicely browned on the iutside. But very soft, almost borderline soggy, and came lukewarm. Ask for it well done. read more

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We came here on a late Sunday afternoon. It was pretty quiet. We sat outside since it was sunny out. The hummus here is very good. The texture was perfect. It wasn't overly puréed and still had texture to it. My son isn't too thrilled about hummus but he really liked this batch and the bread with it. We had the lamb shish kebab, doner kebab and adana kebab. All lamb dishes. Good quality meat. Good flavor. Rice pilaf ok and house salad just ok. We all liked the meat. There's an additional white sauce for the meat. The little bit of green pepper & grilled onions helped the lamb shish kebab. We all liked our meat and would come back again. Nice ambiance. Two nice server's. I was hoping for a double espresso and non carb dessert but no such luck. They took the butternut squash pumpkin dessert off the menu and their espresso machine wasn't working. I did get an americano with Splenda and full milk. The Turkish coffee did have a strong flavor. read more

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Good quality food, great service and lovely ambiance. We usually get the combo appetizer and the grilled fish as well as the eggplant with beef dish. Great restaurant overall. I just think there prices are a tad high. read more

First time trying out this place and it was such a beautiful experience as soon as you walk in staff is welcoming. They're sitting area is really gorgeous. They have a beautiful outdoor seating spot with a beautiful summer weather. It's the perfect date night idea or even going out with friends. I got to try a variety of items my absolute favorite being the chicken shish kebab that was grilled to perfection bursting with flavor and super tender the size salad was super fresh going beautifully with that chicken. You get really good portions with ingredients that are top quality for a reasonable price read more

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cute turkish spot and the outdoor patio was a vibe. I really liked the chicken adena and the muhammara spread. The complimentary bread was warm and came with this rlly good spicy olive oil too. read more

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Delicious dinner. Great service! We celebrated my cousin and aunt's birthday and when I declined dessert because we had cake at home, our waiter still brought out a birthday dessert (pictured here)! Good sized portions and we enjoyed eating outside on the summer night! read more

Anatolian Kitchen - Mediterranean Near Me - Palo Alto, California

The service was good and the food was tasty. My only complaint was that the calamari was overcooked and therefore rubbery and the teriyaki steak was over seasoned and over cooked. read more

Well, what do you know, another favorite Turkish food establishment. For a while, I had none and was not visiting anymore in the bay area. Not until I ran across one in Mountain View and one in Sunnyvale, they gave me hope. And now the 3rd..its the charm. It will take you back to the sights n sounds of Turkey if you are ever so quiet...all you need to do is just imagine. So now the 3rd gem in Palo Alto. Of course, there are dishes on the menu that I always categorize as Greek, but they are the Turkish renditions. And I must say, if you are looking for a Greek type of Moussaka or Dolmades or whatever else, they are not, they are Turkish. Interesting as someone whose partial family hails from the Moorish area of Southern Spain, Turkish food sometimes reminds me of remnants or similarities to Spanish food, as Greek food does as well. Anatolian Kitchen will bring you back to the Turkish food that you love or if you have never experienced it, the Turkish food that you will love and enjoy and come back for more. So, what are you waiting for? read more

My husband and I were strolling on California Ave. with no set dinner plans. We figured we'd look at the menu of a few restaurants before settling on a spot. Anatolian Kitchen was the first place we stopped by, and it was the one that left us a lasting impression. We're both fans of Mediterranean cuisine and especially moussaka, which they had on their menu. Although we didn't have a reservation at Anatolian Kitchen, we were seated right away in the main dining area. The restaurant was beautifully romantic with its wine wall and chandelier fixtures. Great place for an intimate dinner. Customer service was excellent. Staff members were attentive and especially friendly. It took a while for food to come out, however. I've had Turkish food before, but I wasn't quite sure what to expect from Anatolian food. We ordered the calamari, Manti, and moussaka, which she shared family-style. I got that the food tasted like a blend of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean flavors. The tableside bread and dipping sauce was a pleasant surprise. No clue as to what the sauce was, but it was like an olive oil with some type of aromatic spices like cinnamon, cardamom, or allspice. Never had anything like that sauce, but I was all for it. The bread was also soft and spongey, which I liked. The calamari was meh. I would skip this next time. I liked the lightness of the batter, but the calamari meat was mushy. I also thought that the calamari was heavy on the salt. Of the 3 dishes, Manti was the one that represented more of Middle Eastern flavors to me. Manti consisted of these little dumplings with minced beef and lamb. The tartness of the yogurt was way too overpowering that I couldn't taste the meat inside. The texture of the dumplings was nice though. They were perfectly al dente, so they had a bite to them. The moussaka was outstanding. This was a lot more tomato-based than the Greek-style moussaks we're used to, which are heavier on the bechamel. That being said, we both loved this dish and would get it again. This also came with a seasoned rice, again something I'm not used to getting with moussaka, but the rice was delicious as well. read more

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Brought my mom this time for a spontaneous dinner. She loves lamb, but I have never had a good lamb experience. We ordered the lamb shish kebab (which I had my reservations about, but she really wanted it), manti (because I loved it so much last time), red lentil soup, truffle fries, pistachios baklava, and Turkish tea. The lamb shish kebab was actually amazing!!! I won't say I've converted to a lamb fan, but rather a California-Ave's-Anatolian-Kitchen-lamb-fan! Each time an item came out, we were pleasantly surprised by the portion size--honestly, you get more than what you pay for. It's decent portion sizes for the price! We ate more than our fill, and we had leftovers to take home. Sat outside on the patio with our dog, love the table lamps, love the heat lamps, really clean drinking glasses, clear and clean flat water, and kind servers (ALL of them!). read more

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So my fiancé found this spot because they catered one of his work lunches earlier in the week and he said it was so yummy that we had to go on a date. We tried an assortment of things and so many other items on the menu were still calling our name - I am not someone who likes beets or is a fan, but I can strongly recommend the beet salad! The amount of toppings on the salad complements I can imagine any other dish you pair it with. I would also recommend the combo appetizer because it definitely allows you to try a lot more items on the menu. Most importantly, just be willing to try what sounds the most exciting for you. Even if you have dietary restrictions. Please do not be discouraged as other items on the menu may slap as hard as the dishes we've got today. I will also add that the service was unbelievable! As they got busier - one can assume that people tables would go forgotten. This was not at all the case, as they made sure we were OK and they took care of us at any given instant - even when questioning what to get for dessert read more

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Along with having great food and kind service this place is actually a great place to take a large group. They can easily slide together many tables and they gave use the back part of the restaurant that worked out so well for our big family. Some of the food items people really loved were the appetizer plater, lamb shops, koftas, and sea bass. The sauce that comes with it so good and I put it on everything! The dessert is also really good and my favorite was the baklava. The location is also really accessible to many parking spots! We had an awesome time! read more

Anatolian Kitchen - Dessert plater for large group. - Mediterranean Near Me - Palo Alto, California

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First time dining here. Restaurant is cozy and our wait person was very personable. Service was great. We ordered a couple of appetizers to start - hummus and muhamurra. Hummus was a little too 'beany' for me but tasted great. The muhamurrah was delicious and the dipping oil that came with it was delicious. I think it was a sumac infused oil. Tasted great with the muhamurrah. Our waiter kept the bread coming! Bread was more of a focaccia bread than a lavoosh, so it was a little heavier but we totally enjoyed it. Thank you! We also had a lychee martini and a smoky old fashioned. Both were excellent. For our entree, we ordered chicken Adana kebab, Adana kebab (lamb), chicken shish and the octopus salad. The kebab entrees came with grilled vegetables and rice pilaf. The person who ordered the octopus salad commented that there were a lot of octopus in the salad and said it was delicious. We were too stuffed to have any dessert! Would definitely come back again. Food and service were excellent. Note: lighting was a little dim so it was difficult to get great pictures of the menu. Rating: 4.5 read more

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The following is what we ordered and my rating of each: Appetizers: Fried calamari 5/5 Cacik (cucumber and yogurt dip) 5/5 Bread with lemon infused olive oil and herbs 5/5 Entrees: Chicken shish kebab 3/5 (was not evenly cooked and not marinated enough, was on the firm side) Adana kebab 0/5 (was dry and overcooked, not edible) Köfte 4/5 (The only entree that was acceptable IMO) Doner 2/5 (was dry and overcooked) Lamb shish kebab 3/5 (was on the firm side) Rice/pilaf 5/5 Mixed vegetables 5/5 Service 5/5 very friendly waiter In summary, the appetizers and service were very good, but the main dishes are not up to the mark. read more

I ordered pick-up for lunch from here, and the food was good. I especially enjoyed the warmth and comforting flavors of the red lentil soup. I also ordered the lamb shish kebab, which was very flavorful, and I liked the fresh salad that accompanied it. The meal was satisfying and convenient for a quick lunch. I would consider ordering from here again. read more

Had a great time visiting Anatolian Kitchen! They have all the Turkish classics but we elected to try the mixed grill and the manti. Both were fantastic, super flavorful and well seasoned. The prices are a bit high but the quality matched. The service was prompt and friendly and there was no wait for seating. Overall would definitely return! read more

Anatolian Kitchen - Mixed grill - Mediterranean Near Me - Palo Alto, California

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The service is excellent. They really pay attention to details. My first time here. Everything is super clean. Easy parking. I got the icli kofte, karniyarik, turkish tea and kunefe. They were all great. Authentic. Highly recommend the icli kofte. Strongly recommend them if you are craving a nice, delicious, authentic Turkish Cuisine. read more

Anatolian Kitchen - Icli Kofte - Mediterranean Near Me - Palo Alto, California

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We had a super experience here. The sidewalk cafes are really pleasant on California Ave, and they have terrific happy hour specials here. We got a platter of vegetarian appetizers for only $16. There was mummahara, two kinds of eggplant, yogurt with cucumber, and hummus. And great bread. We did not take a chance on the house wine, but got Albarinos from the regular menu for 14. They were just OK. Service was a bit inconsistent, very friendly, but sometimes a bit slow. But our entrées were fabulous. I got vegetarian moussaka from the regular menu, and my friend got the happy hour special for salmon. All in all, it was exceptionally reasonable for a ton of delicious food and a fabulous patio. I would come here again!! read more

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Nice outdoor space, and food was decent. It tasted exactly like the pictures show. Service was very nice and friendly. However, I would say that it was a little pricey for what you get, and they also charged a 3% credit card surcharge they didn't tell us about before we paid. That being said, it was still a pleasant experience for lunch ... read more

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Great date night spot in Palo Alto! First of all the restaurant is a small but cozy and beautifully decorated. Our server came to our table right away providing water and then taking out order shortly after. The food arrived promptly and was very good. We ordered the Manti, Mixed Grill plate, Sigara Boregi, and were served a complimentary bread basket. The bread was warm and soft and the herbed olive oil was a great compliment. The sigara was so perfectly made, rich cheesy filling and crispy dough and not too oily! The manti was very unique, a tiny beef filled dumpling dish with a garlicky yogurt sauce and herbed paprika butter. The flavors in this dish were amazing but I do wish the dumplings were a little softer, they felt tough and possibly undercooked. My boyfriend got the mixed grill and all the meats were cooked very well with lots of flavor. Our favorite was the lamb shish! Overall very good spot for a date night in Palo Alto :) read more

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Very nice food and service thank you for Saturday day we will make sure we will come back read more

Anatolian Kitchen - Very nice service and food thank you for Saturday night - Mediterranean Near Me - Palo Alto, California

This is my first review since they moved to the relatively new location on California Avenue a few years ago. Unfortunately, the place lost a lot of its charm in the process and inside feels more like a wine bar converted into a Turkish restaurant than anything else. It's also quite crowded in the interior, crowded enough that I won't be back. (They say the rain last night forced them to move a few tables inside,) So, the ambiance is modern, neutral, non-descript. The food however remains very good and the service is great. We had the dolma (just ok) and the fried cheese cigars (very good) to start and then the adana kebab (excellent) and the chicken shish kebab (excellent) for the main courses. The food was great, the portions were perfect -- not too big. We shared profiteroles for dessert and they were very, very good. Net: food is very good, interior is tight, the outside tables look nice, and the service is friendly. I probably won't be back because I can stay in Los Altos for a similar experience at Urfa. I'm sure the move has made this place more profitable, but it's lost a bit too much charm in the process. read more

Anatolian Kitchen - Adana kebab. Excellent. - Mediterranean Near Me - Palo Alto, California

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My wife and I have been searching for a nice little date spot and I came across Anatolian. This restaurant is nice and spacious which you wouldn't imagine by the size of the exterior. We went during lunch so they weren't that busy. They have patio dining which was pretty full and we were one of two tables inside. Everything we ordered was amazing. From the appetizers, which we ate before we could take a picture of, to the dessert everything was incredible. The whole meal was absolutely perfect and we can't wait to come back for a dinner. The only reason I'm giving 4 stars is because the service left a little to be desired. Otherwise, it was a great dining experience in a beautiful part of Palo Alto that we'll be back to visit. read more

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The best thing about this place was the service. Everyone was so gracious, and just acted as if us enjoying our meal was the most important thing to us! Our waiter, and the rest of the staff were all so sweet and warm, and made us feel like family. Cute, narrow space with an upscale/romantic vibe. Both indoor and outdoor seating, with heat lamps. These days I have to have a glass of wine with dinner, and they had a nice selection and I enjoyed the red that was recommended. We ordered the following: Girit- a thick cheese dip perfect for dipping with their complimentary bread Branzino- in general, I prefer thicker juicy fish, but I'd say this was pretty standard for branzino. The fish was thin, but it was a ample portion, not particularly tender but flavor was good. Chicken Kebab- well flavored, I felt it wasn't that tender, but my husband felt that it was as tender as chicken breast kebabs can be. They offered us a refill of the complimentary bread, freshly baked to-go. I told him we were in a hurry so didn't have time for dessert, and the waiter said we just had to try their sweets and gave us a complimentary pieces to go! BEST service!!! read more

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If I could give this place 10 stars I would!! We had a huge party, and the servers were excellent, attentive and personable! You will not be disappointed! Book today. read more

One of the restaurants open on Thanksgiving! They were serving their regular menu. The service was initially not so great. It wasn't busy and the wait person wasn't on the look out for anyone coming in...which he admitted. We had to approach him in the back of the restaurant to get seated. After that, everything went well. The food is super flavorful. I had this dish called Manti, which is tiny beef dumplings with a yogurt sauce and a spicy tangy oil which totally made the dish. The portions are large. I was able to have Manti for 2 more meals at home. So happy to have found this place. Definitely will come back again. read more

Pretty empty for weekday lunch so we had the patio to ourselves. Everything was seasoned really well and had great flavor, but the lamb kebab I ordered was a bit tough and dry rather than succulent and juicy, so it was probably overcooked. The bulgur beef balls also weren't juicy and were dry-ish balls that crumbled, so not the most satisfying. The bread with spiced oil was delicious though and the presentation was great. read more

Anatolian Kitchen - Mediterranean Near Me - Palo Alto, California

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Came on Sunday evening after work and had a great time - food was great, service is amazing. Located right on California ave in Palo Alto with plenty of parking near by (California street is bike and pedestrian friendly, no cars allowed). Definitely will be back read more

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Great service ! great food.. the manager checked on several times to make sure we were happy with our service and food even moved us to more convenient table away from the whole draft. Will definitely come here again. read more

We had a great experience! The food and the ambiance were both wonderful, and the staff is very friendly! Shoutout to Levin

This restaurant has great options for indoor and outdoor seating. I've been here a few times and I almost always get the Adana kabob. It's super juicy and tender. All times I came I had a reservation so seating was quick. Service is also in general pretty quick and waiters were all fun and friendly My only reason to knock off a star is because I don't feel like the pricing matches the portion size. Portions are pretty small and you can probably for the same price get double portions at comparable Turkish restaurants. read more

Anatolian Kitchen - Adana kabob with fries instead of rice - Mediterranean Near Me - Palo Alto, California

Good Food (limited vegetarian options) with good ambiance (limited sitting inside and good sitting area outside) Service was very slow as we were around ~40, but I guess if you are small party service would be good. We tried many dishes, Veggie Moussaka, Turlu, Mix Appetizer Platter, Hummus, Shepherd Salad, Mixed Green Salad, etc. All were good in taste except Moussaka. It had too much cheese (shortcut to meet god!), and I would recommend Turlu over Moussaka. All the desserts were amazing and good portions (Baklava, kunefe, profiterole, etc.), I like baklava and profiterole as best. Tried a few drinks all good. Overall, it was a good experience. read more

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Such a beautiful lunch! It's so nice sitting outside and enjoy a delicious Turkish and Mediterranean meal. Mix appetizer platter (4/5): 6 samplings of their appetizer served with pita. This is great to share with a group. Grilled octopus salad (5/5): the octopus was grilled perfectly and had so much flavor. Next time I would ask for the dressing on the side since there was a lot in ours. Branzino (5/5): Branzino is delicious and this one is too. Such a large portion and served with salad and some potatoes. We would definitely come back just for this. Manti (3/5): these tiny beef dumplings were interesting. It was served brown herb butter and garlic yogurt sauce so quite a heavy dish. We also found it to be bland and wished the meat filling had more seasoning. Alexander's favorite (3.75/5): this was almost like a deconstructed gyro but baked in sauce so the bread underneath was soft. We liked it but not what we had expected and probably not something we would order again. Ambiance and service (5/5): the restaurant is modern inside and we enjoyed the outdoor space. Staff was very friendly and attentive. read more

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Had the chance to try Anatolian Kitchen this past weekend and really glad I did! I had seen this pop up in the Palo Alto area and the food looked delicious! This is a great spot for date night or hanging out with friends - the ambiance is super cozy and the service is amazing. Once we got here we were served with bread and some olive oil sauce which was looked yummy but a little on the blander side. For the food we ordered: * eggplant with bell peppers in a tomato sauce - this was cold (which it's supposed to be) and went well with the bread. Definitely flavorful *chicken kabobs - this was really yummy - the chciken was juicy, the rice was delicious and the salad was refreshing. The veggies on the side were well roasted. Overall fantastic food and service was great. I am knocking off one star only because I felt that the prices were on the higher side compared to the portions that were served. Definitely check this spot out though! read more

Anatolian Kitchen - Eggplant in tomato sauce - Mediterranean Near Me - Palo Alto, California

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Wonderful food and service! I was pleasantly surprised by what a good meal we had. Stopped by for a late lunch on Sunday afternoon and was seated right away. Our order was taken right away and we were checked on and had our waters filled up several times throughout the meal. The food was flavorful and presentation was spot on as well. I'd suggest doing family style so that you can try a few different dishes. I'd highly recommend and will definitely be back! read more

Anatolian Kitchen - Mixed grill meat entree and calamari appetizer. - Mediterranean Near Me - Palo Alto, California

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