I had booked a 10pm reservation on 28 December for dinner after the symphony. We arrived on time to find the restaurant locked up, the lights out and no one there. We went home to find an email sent at 9:15pm, 15 minutes prior to the end of the symphony, and only 45 minutes prior to the reservation simply saying that the reservation was cancelled. No phone call, just an email while we were en route. Bistro Turkuaz is not a Capitol Hill turn-and-burn that has a high throughput based on a desirable location, or a downtown tourist trap, one has to put in effort to get to Turkuaz making a memorable experience paramount to getting repeat business and positive word-of-mouth recommendations. In an industry the makes or breaks its reputation on customer service this type of inattention to detail is inexcusable. read more

Excellent authentic straight from Turkey food. Great service and just the quant neighborhood vibe. Highly recommend you go. read more

Bistro Turkuaz - Turkish Near Me - Seattle, Washington

One of my favorite restaurants in Seattle! The owner is great- Her homemade raviolis are to dye for- read more

I hear its great if you can get in. Possibly the worst customer service I have ever had. Tried to make a reservation, no reservations. Then arrived at 8 and was told it would be an hour, they took our phone number and said they would call when the table was ready, we went to a pub to wait. Over an hour later they called to tell us the kitchen was closed. Never had that happen to me before. read more

Super tiny portions. rude service. overpriced. non refill soda. bad taste. my worst ever experience in a restaurant. read more

I would return strictly for the service and hospitality of the owner in her charming bistro. However, the food is outstanding, cooked with soul and passion, and so tasty. Save room for a piece of her homemade baklava for dessert. read more

My boyfriend has been talking about this restaurant for years, and last week he finally told me. The waitress is so friendly and her presence is calming. The service was fast. I tried Turkish tea for the first time (would recommend). The food is delicious, and I enjoyed the atmosphere. If you're into eavesdropping, this place is great for that as well! read more

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Very good atmosphere. Like the wine Yakut. The service and food was great. If their pita bread is hot, that would be even better!

WOW! I was just driving around Leschi and Madrona looking for a place to eat, then I thought to check Yelp for a place nearby. Bistro Turkuaz was one of the first results so I immediately headed their way. First, the atmosphere of the restaurant is lovely, dim lighting and cute glassy babys on each table. I ordered the Chicken Kebab with a side of tabouli. Chicken was tender and very flavorful. My dinner mate had the Lamb Shank, which was probably the most delicious dish I have had in a while. It was like a comforting stew with the lamb falling off the bone, I truly recommend it. We finished with the rice pudding which was creamy and topped with chopped walnuts! A perfect finish to our meal. Service was a bit slow but the food was prepared with lots of love and care and all of the wonderful flavors made up for it. Also, the prices were on the expensive side, but the portions were large and plentiful! Thanks Yelp for helping me find this place, my favorite new find! read more

I had the dolmas - tomato purée with yoghurt sauce too. Olives. Yummy. I decided to have the Manti. A light kofte beef ravioli type meal. With pita and two olives. Red sauce. See photo. Mint tea home made! No sugar needed. Such a friendly owner with relatives cooking in the back. Cozy environment with nice wooden tables and chairs. read more

Bistro Turkuaz, you took my heart away with your incredible food !!! The acuka is just fantastic!!! I had the lamb chops (pirzola) the other night, so jucy, and tender!!! How do you do it?!!! I can never cook the way you do! I am half Turkish and half German. It felt like being back home at my mothers house. Also the daughter, Deela was very lovly. Took great care of me and my friends! Will I go back? YES!!!! read more

We are repeat customers since 2011. I loved the food, quality and atmosphere. However, this place has recently been sold to a new owner. The food is average and prices are very high. This is at best average food and not Turkish. It's very unfortunate, but with prices, quality, and lack of basic options like juice this place is now below average. read more

My wife and I were in Bistro Turkuaz last night and although they were about to close they accepted. The food was delicious and we really enjoyed our time there. read more

I come all the way from Michigan to eat here! The food is very well prepared and served. 5 stars for both the taste and the presentation! :D They have great wines too. The restaurant has a very cozy European atmosphere and it feels elegant too. You'll either be greeted by the friendly server or by the owner/chef herself and she'll come sit at your table and chat with you frequently to make sure you enjoy your stay and the food. As for the food, I can't get enough of it :) Highly recommended, a must try if you have never tried Turkish before! I haven't eaten Turkish and Mediterranean food this good even in Turkey! Definitely one of the best in Seatown! read more

This place came highly recommended to me by a friend from Greece. Needless to say I was excited to dine here, and entered with high expectations. My initial first impressions: lovely little bistro. Located on a quiet block in Madrona, pleasant interior, and a friendly server who was working the front of the house solo, but did a superb job in making every table feel welcome and attended to. Hence, my expectations of the food were, I guess...high. Maybe it was an off-day in the kitchen, but I wasn't wowed, and given the rave reviews I heard I was expecting to depart Bistro Turkuaz amazed. The downer was my entree of borek (a.k.a. spanakopita). Let me first explain something, on the menu borek was listed as an entree, with "Greek salad" as somewhat of an afterthought, listed after borek (an obvious runner-up to the entree, if you will). Well when the plate arrived, my borek was dwarfed by a massive Greek salad, which was well and good, but my intention in ordering this plate was definitely not for the salad. In addition, my borek was alas... soggy. The dinner was slightly redeemed by an excellent baklava, but I'm afraid the damage had been done. My boyfriend had the same ho-hum experience over his beef kabobs, however, I feel like I can't give this place less than 3 stars, because I feel it really does have potential. read more

Really good food. Although I haven't tried any real Turkish food before, the owner was kind enough to walk us through their dishes and have a pleasant conversation with us. We had gone there for the manti, a type of dumpling filled with cheese but sadly the chef who makes it was out of town. The other food we ordered was delicious and we had such a great time there. With such a wonderful experience and missing out on the manti, I am definitely going to come back. read more

Walked in on Tuesday evening and ordered right away. Waited an hour and a half for our food. When our food finally arrived was extremely disappointed in the lack flavor. The part owner was walking around, overheard her say that she was filling in for her cousin(other owner) while she was in turkey. Maybe you'll have better luck with taste when the half German cousin is cooking. read more

Excellent food and great atmosphere. My husband staged a surprise birthday party for me here and the staff were very accommodating.

I went for dinner on a Friday night. The space is lovely. If you have a quiet voice like me and don't like to shout, know that the room itself is not loud (compare to: echoic metal-clad faux-industrial), and the music is on quite soft, quite enough that you can hear other tables' conversations. The owners are also very sweet: they will talk to you, hear about your travels, tell you about that day's grocery delivery. You can tell that they have a lot of pride and love for their business and customers. But it is not a good value for your time or money. The food comes slowly, and there is noticeably little protein per entree. The server apologetically brought out another appetizer while we waited, which, again, was very kind, but I would have been happier with a more substantial entree executed with alacrity. (It seemed that our table was mostly delayed by one dish, the fish -- other restaurants show that they care about your time by advising on the menu if a dish takes extra long to prepare.) As a final note, order wine with caution, as it may be stale. I ordered the Syrah, which came out tasting as if it was halfway to vinegar. read more

Fabulous - that's really all there is to say. Everything was delicious in that you-can-really-taste-the-flavors sort of way. I can't even explain. Just go there. Trust me! read more

Last night, my husband and I were introduced to this tiny, positively charming little bistro by two very culinary-savvy friends, and we have a new favorite place to share with others! Walking into the place feels as welcoming as walking into the staff's home - but much smaller. I am a psuedo-vegetarian (dairy and seafood are ok - I consider myself a "sustainabilitarian") and between the extensive appetizer and entree list I had more than enough mouthwatering options. The group started strong sharing some uniquely-spiced dolma for an appetizer, though we were tempted by the beet dish with an orange dressing. The waitress even tossed on an extra dolma (4 instead of the typical 3) so we could each have a taste for no additional charge! Everyone at the table had a different entree: one cioppino-like seafood stew, one chicken skewer of a certain seasoning, one lamb & eggplant skewer of a different seasoning, and a ravioli dish. Though not the most exciting sounding when read on the menu, the crowd favorite was by far the ravioli! These little cheese and spinach-filled pillows melt in your mouth, and the indescribable sauce was so delicious it put expressions of "Yum" on my companions' faces like I had never seen before! Finishing out the meal we had a chocolate baklava and Turkish coffee, which were the perfect endings to a lovely, completely reasonably-priced meal. Also of note, our waitress was so funny and helpful that you couldn't help but instantly want to be friends with her. I also loved asking her about Turkey as I have never been and she describes it so passionately. Go! Try this one for yourself! read more

I hate to write this as I don't want anyone else to know about this place, but I also want to ensure that it stays open for my future enjoyment. Only open for the past 2 months, but I hope it will become an institution. I'm from the East Coast and grew up eating Dolmas, Hummus, Baba Gannoush, and other staples of ME food, thanks to all the ME restaurants in the area. This is the first restaurant in Seattle that I've eaten at since I moved here 8 years ago that actually knows how to prepare ME food correctly. We had the Turkuaz Plate, a sample of Hummus, Babe Gannoush, Dolma, and Cacik (yogurt-based dip). It was wonderful, served with warm pita, each dip had a distinct and wonderful flavor. The perfect amount of food for 2 people to share as an appetizer. Then, we had the feta: two pieces of feta, baked with pine nuts, tomatoes, olive oil, and served with pita - just delicious. For those who care about such things, the atmosphere, wait staff, etc., were all perfect complements to the food. But, the food is the star here and you should experience it yourself - quickly, before this place becomes as popular as it should be. Simple, affordable wine list - reds and whites for $20 - $35; a few beers; some non-alcoholic drinks as well. I'll be returning shortly and bringing more people to ensure that we can sample everything on the menu. read more

We have visited Bistro Turkuaz several times. The food tastes home-made and the service is good. Also, we had them cater a party for 50+ people. Here is the letter we sent on that occasion: EVERYONE LOVED YOUR FOOD. The praise was heard repeatedly at the party and afterwards. Everything was absolutely delicious and wonderful. I have no shortage of people who want to come over for the leftovers. My deepest appreciation to you for making my birthday so special and memorable. You were a pleasure through the whole process and I could see your kindness and devotion to the culinary presentation - every step of the way. read more

My wife and I have been here twice within the past year or so. The ambience is very romantic (in the heart of Madrona) and the place is clean. The food is amazing and the pricing is decent. The service is good, although the second time I had to ask for a water refill. Try there either of their appetizer plates and also try their baklava dessert with chocolate. I don't recommend their Turkish coffee, unless you like very strong coffee...make sure to mix it well before you drink. Overall, we will definitely go back again and again. read more

The food was quite excellent. Madrona has another gem.

I lived in Turkey for a year about six years ago, and found that Turkuaz has the best Turkish food I've had since coming back to the states. The menu isn't all that extensive and didn't include some of my favorites, but what I had was delicious: carefully prepared dolmas (stuffed grape leaves) with fresh ingredients (i can spot the canned ones easily, and these were not those), baba ganouj, Mediterranean salad and kebabs. The service was excellent and the atmosphere reminiscent of dining in someone's very cozy home. It was a treat to eat at Turkuaz and I am definitely coming back the next time I'm in Seattle. read more

We live in the neighborhood and couldn't have been happier when Turquaz opened, as we're huge fans of Mediterranean cuisine. It's since become one of our favorite places and we eat there at least once a week. The owner and her daughter are great and the food is amazing. What people need to know is that this place is very small--10 tables. They didn't take reservations for a long time and only recently started taking phone numbers and calling people. Because it's so small, there's very little room for people to hang out and wait for a table. If people linger at their tables, as is easy to do, since the food and atmosphere is so great, I can see how it could happen that a table might not open up. It's part of the place's hospitality that they don't rush you out the door. So if you didn't get a table after waiting, that's unfortunate, but short of the owner kicking people out, there's not much they can do without angering other customers. It's worth the wait, so just chill out and, if you're in a big rush and it looks like it's going to be a while, go somewhere else. More for the rest of us. : ) read more

Look, in Turkey we pay nearly 1/4th the price we pay here and the food is 1000 times better! Not sure why all of the pretentious attitude and over-pricing. They are obviously using the cheapest of American ingredients to make Turkish dishes and it really shows. This place hurt the pocket book but more so hurt the nostalgia I was seeking. Hosçakal Bistro Turkuaz. Bu lokanta sevmiyorum. read more

Incredibly cozy place with nice ambiance and great food. Had the Chicken Kabob and Lamb Kabob... both delicious. Very nice family running the restaurant. Owner was very accommodating even though we arrived a half hour before closing. They will adding a Mexican theme and food on Mondays, which should also be nice. read more

This is a wonderful little neighborhood gem tucked away in a corner of Madrona. It's run by a mother/daughter team. The daughter runs the front of the house and the mom cooks. Once in a awhile the Mom comes out to visit the tables and she gives some great insights on the food, ingredients and teases her very formal daughter. The food is wonderful with lot's of Mediterranean influences. I love the mixed plate of appetizers to start. The zucchini dumplings are very tasty especially with the yogurt sauce. The chicken or shrimp kabobs are my favorites with the homemade tabbouleh instead of rice. In response to some of the negative comments, yes the service can get spotty when they get busy and yes the prices are on the high side, however, this is a family operation and I think that often adds to the charm. The flavors and the portions of the food make up for the pricing in my opinion. read more

Were there a lady deserving the honor of decorating my presence and augmenting my crushing handsomeness with fine, feminine grace, the crowning achievement of her life would take place here. Never, never, and, I repeat in the stentorian tones of deepest authority- NEVER have I had a meal here that did not essentially elevate my mood, well being, and palate and lead me to conquer and, figuratively speaking, secure power for my caliphate. Try the Turkuaz Special- I defy you to beat back the onslaught of a sublimely delicious alliance of eggplant, pita bread, lamb, hummus, tomatoes...the fruits of the world all laid in front of you in their many colors... read more

Wow, wow , wow is all I can say! Amazing service, food and atmosphere. Baked Feta, lamb kebob, Karides Guvec and Baklava ! I could not stop eating cause it was too good! I came with my family and everyone was overly impressed! I will be back 100 times-for sure! read more

I am sad to see all the negative reviews! We were thoroughly impressed. I'd never had Turkish food before, although I have had all other varieties of Mediterranean food and really like it. The service was wonderful, the food was fantastic, and there were lots of veggie options. The Mucver was so good, my husband and I ended up ordering two of them! We actually got take out from them again the following night when we had some vegetarian friends over - that's how impressed we were. Hope they can correct the issues that have bothered others, because for us it was 5 stars all the way. Yum! read more

Really delicious chicken kebabs, but for $20, I expected a little more food. It was about the size of a large appetizer. And the $9 dolmas are also delicious, but each one is small, and you only get 3. So, delicious, but you don't get a lot for your money. read more

Small, intimate cafe in quaint Madrona neighborhood. Short menu of perfected specialties. Unfortunately for me these don't include my favorites like cabbage rolls and other items closely resembling the best of Turkmen food. read more

Enjoyed a wonderful meal with friends in an intimate setting with great service. The server was warm and informative. She allowed us time to enjoy our food and conversation. I can't wait to return for the ravioli which we learned will now be served every Wednesday evening. I will return to this delicious neighborhood restaurant. read more

Probably one of the worst experiences I have had The food is average, especially the main course. and the service is really really bad. The waitress ignored us completely, the food was brought out of order with the appetizers coming in after the entrees. read more

Wonderful discovery! Turkuaz is a tiny little place nicely tucked away. The service was excellent, the food was excellent, the price was perfectly decent. Also, I love Turkish food and I haven't come across too many authentic Turkish restaurants around here! The lady- owner and waitress-daughter make a perfect team! The owner came out at one point and made sure to greet everyone. We struck up a conversation and her and her daughter ended up joining us at our table (it was closing time). We discussed a few issues, and then it came to my attention that I could possibly get a recipe from her. My husband had eaten an eggplant dish in Istanbul a year ago and we were completely unable to find it since. The owner played a guessing game with us until she figured which of the thousands of eggplant dishes we were talking about. She gave me a pen and paper and the whole recipe! She also gave me some very useful websites. Oh yes, and the food was great! We had two appetizers: mixed appetizers including dolmas, hummus and baba ghannoush. I know my mezze really well -- and these were excellent. I'm particularly picky about dolmas and these were a little spicy which was a wonderful twist. I also discovered a new appetizer: Acuka. It is roasted red peppers, walnuts, lemon juice and olive oil made into a paste -- wow! I was a little less enthused over the entree i picked: a marinated shrimp dish, but that is only because I am not crazy about shrimp in the first place. Last but not least we discussed bringing our own meat for the cook to prepare (as we have strict halal dietary guidelines). She was completely open to the idea and we discussed the logistics. I'm not sure we would do this unless we had a party of +10, but its great to now how accommodating some people are willing to be. Authetic Turkish food, authentic people. Greeat place to visit every once in a while when you need to remember what good food/great service tastes/feels like :) read more

My wife and I enjoyed everything about Bistro Turkuaz. We started off with the zucchini pancakes and dolmas which both tasted fantastic. For dinner, I had the ravioli which were unlike any other ravioli I had ever had and looked a bit like a tortellini with no hole in the center and thicker shell and it was delicious. My wife had a the Turkuaz special which was also tasty. The ambiance was just as advertised, small and on the intimate side and the service was perfect. We will definitely go back. read more

Yum! Went here for a catered private event for the first time. Could not have been more pleased. Everything was amazing! We had the lamb and chicken kebab. Both were cooked to perfection. The food was so tasty and comforting. I can't wait to go back. Only wish they had prices on their website. read more