Holy COW I think I just found my favorite Mediterranean restaurant. We waited an hour in freezing NC winter for our seats at Bosphorus and it was well worth it. The restaurant came highly recommended to us by some of my mother's friends, all with quite discerning palettes. We dropped by for dinner and were wowed by the food offered. First of all, the restaurant has a nice ambiance and is decorated with a Turkish theme. Service was friendly and prompt. They checked in on us more than I usually prefer, but they were not too intrusive about it. Hot tea is free on request, and the cups they use are almost exactly the ones I've gotten at my Turkish friend's house. We started with the cold meze platter, consisting of several veggie-forward dips and two stuffed grape leaves, and generous slabs of their house-made bread. Before I even get to the meze platter, I gotta talk about their bread!! Pillowy goodness with a perfectly crisp exterior, fresh out of the oven, it was heaven in each bite. My table got two refills for the bread because we kept eating it by itself. Paired with the cold dips, including a smoky eggplant dip, hummus, tabbouleh, a yogurt dip, and two featuring tiny diced veggies, each bite was an explosion of flavor. Mix and match any of the dips, they all go so well together. At this point I was already getting pretty full, and then the main course arrived. We got a lamb pide to share and I got a kofta kebab plate. The lamb pide was a hit with the whole table, we all loved the spices, tender lamb, and amazingly fluffy bread crust. The kofta was incredibly tender, flavorful, and HUGE. it was served on a platter with a little cup of their yogurt sauce and a mountain of tender pilaf underneath. I ate this with the leftover dip from the meze platter and I was in spice and texture HEAVEN. So many unique flavors, so much textural contrast. Just imagine the bite of fresh lettuce, soft meat, smoky eggplant dip, and pilaf. Now imagine that bite 50 times over, with more left on my plate to take home. I was delighted by each bite! Despite being stuffed, we still ordered baklava for dessert. It came with a heaping scoop of soft whipped cream, and the crispy sticky-sweet pastry paired perfectly with the pistachio filling and whipped cream. What a perfect ending to a perfect meal! Bosphorus is a MUST for anyone in the Triangle who loves Mediterranean food. Reasonable prices, huge portions, and truly stellar food. I will be dropping by every time I'm in NC! read more

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We ordered carryout based off the Yelp reviews and were blown away. Incredibly flavorful and prepared Mediterranean food. We ordered an assortment of appetizers and kabobs. Everything was great. read more

When we stopped by here, there was a small line. It was after 2pm, which was not the peak lunch hr anymore. I expected the food to be very good since the restaurant was very packed. However, the food tried was just ok. The best dish is the complimentary bread to me. read more

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Really enjoyed visiting this place during our trip to RTP on a cold, rainy day. Just walking in, you could feel that it was very much a family business and there were regulars/possibly family who the staff were really familiar with which is always nice to see. They start you off with warm bread and a dipping oil which were absolutely delicious and got the whole meal off to the right start. There's also complimentary tea available which is a nice black tea, a little bitter but good. We ordered the boregi which I had never had before but are kind of similar to Turkish mozzarella sticks - melty feta cheese wrapped in crispy filo dough - yum! How could you go wrong.. I also got the falafel which was really crisp, extremely flavorful and herby, and moist inside which is all you can ask for in a falafel. In my top 5 for sure. My husband had the lamb kebab which he really liked - the meat was well seasoned but the sides were minimal and didn't add much to the plate compared to other places we have been to. Lastly, the profiteroles for dessert - a tasty chocolate pudding with cream puffs - what is not to like! Yum, especially with the tea. Overall really great service, lively ambiance and good food. Highly recommend a visit here! read more

We were looking for a good Mediterranean restaurant close to where I got my haircut, and decided to try Bosphorus. It's in a small commercial area in Cary. We immediately were given a table for 2 without waiting, and the waiters were friendly. There's a Turkish/ European feel to the ambience, a good spot for wine but not too fancy. We both ordered the mixed kebab (lamb & chicken) but my wife asked if she can switch the chicken for more lamb, and the waiter said they can do that with no additional charge. They're about $20 each. While waiting for our main course, we were given a plate of delicious bread with a tasty red/orange sauce that looks spicy but it's not. It's kind of like flavored crust. We didn't wait too long to receive our orders, but when they arrived opn our table, we were a bit disappointed. For the price, the amoount of food is small, and other than the kebabs, we only got a small portion of some uncommon Mediterranean rice we've never tried before and a bit of fresh salad. Overall, the quality of meat is good especially with Tatziki sauce but nothing you can't find in an average Mediterranean restaurant. Let's compare the value to Habibi in Raleigh - Mandy Lamb or their mixed kebab platter comes with a lot of Mandy rice, Mandy sauce, and your choice of side like hummus or baba ghanouj, so there's good amount of quality foood for the same price. Even the kebab platter in the Mediterranean spot in Crab Tree mall's food court offers more for slightly lesser price. The Mediterranean deli in downtown Chapel Hill also offers more value and options for same price. Bosphorus could have included baba ghanouj or another side with the meal but platter is not just satisfying. Why would we go here when we have better options (such as what I mentioned above)? If it wasn't for the bread appetizer being refillable at no extra charge, we wouldn't have been full. My wife was glad the refill of bread was free, so we were thankful. Making payment was fast with a cashier taking the portable card machine to you but we prefer the traditional method where we can decide tip amount more privately. Overall, the dinner was not bad, just not as satisfying as the other Mediterranean restaurants we've been to. read more

Bosphorus - Dinner Mixed Grill Kebabs - Turkish Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

Food and staff never disappoint! When I get a craving for liver, I am on the way! Hot soup and tea too!

Great service and delicious food. Came on a Friday lunchtime and was seated after a short wait. The yogurt kebab with adana and the rice pudding were delicious. Wish I could've tried the Iskendar kebab but it's only available Sundays. read more

Bosphorus - Rice Pudding - Turkish Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

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Food is good. Not great but good and well made. Love the ethnicity from the chefs to the servers. Friendly service and meals are no nonsense and consistent. A definite go to place you can add to your list. read more

Delicious food. The meat dishes are great, the pide ( something like a Turkish personal pizza) is very good. The complementary warm bread and seasoned oil on the table is a treat. Unfortunately they seem to struggle with having enough wait staff. It's a busy place. Very festive atmosphere. read more

We came here for lunch on a Friday and were seated right away. Bread is immediately served with a special sauce! We ordered the Lahmacun Turkish Pizza and the Lamb Shish Kabob plate. Both of which were delicious! The Lahmacun was packed with ground meat and vegetables on a super thin crust. Try dipping it in the sauce for the bread! The lamb plate came with a type of flavored rice, lamb, and salad with tomatoes. The white sauce paired well with the lamb! It was a lot of food for 2 people and we were stuffed by the end of the meal. Service was great and ambiance was casual. Overall, highly recommended getting the kabob plates! read more

Bosphorus - Lunch Lamb Shish Kebab and Lahmacun - Turkish Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

This place was definitely worth a try for something different! I especially liked the turkish tea.

Ended up here based off of Google reviews. This place did not disappoint, we enjoyed all of our meals, and the service was good. Please give them a try. Let them persuade you with their meal options, it's worth it.! Hope to see you guys soon. read more

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Great food and service! I had the pastrami pide. It was delicious! The bread and oil they brought to the table was delicious as well.

Looking for a place that serves authentic food with a simple elegance .. then come to Bosphorus (by the way the name comes from Turkey - Bosphorus is a waterline terrain in turkey..I really want to visit Turkey now) This place is simple, cozy, feels like you are sitting in home.. They do what is needed to be done 'Serve authentic fresh food' without unnecessary bells and whistles ! Menu is simple, servers are polite, ambiance is inviting... you cannot go wrong with any choice on the menu but here my favorites are Veg Platter with samples of dips (yes they all have traditional names but I am not putting them here to make it easy for readers) Falafel Sandwich Chicken shawarma Chicken Pide Prices are extremely reasonable. Turkish tea is on the house .. there is everything you will love.. Visit once thank me later ... hidden gem for sure read more

Man is this a hidden treasure! Bosphorus definitely seems like a family restaurant. They were so welcoming and made us feel at home. I lived my mixed grill kebabs and the mezze was next level! That hummus rivals the best hummus I have ever had. And the bread...!!! Cool place and definitely worth the trip. read more

I had lunch at the Bosphorus and only tried one item, the Gyro Sandwich. It was good, but the charcoal flavor from grilling the meat was a little too much for me. Otherwise, it was a nice sandwich at a decent price. Service was good and the menu had a lot of items worth trying. read more

Bosphorus - Gyro Sandwich - Turkish Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

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I have visited the Bosphorus twice for a weekday lunch both times with a group of four while in Raleigh on a work trip. On both occasions I had the the best Turkish food I've had in my life outside of eating in Istanbul Turkey. They bring this indescribably incredible bread out with a dipping sauce to each table. Be careful or you will fill up on this. I have had the lamb pizza and would definitely order again, the Meze Platter is a must order and is huge, the Adana Kebab is really good. Don't forget the Greek salad. Yeah I've only been twice and over ordered both times but it's so good! The portions of everything are extremely generous. The staff is amazing and I don't think they understand how fantastic their food is. I could not tell them enough how much I appreciates their authentic food! read more

Mediocre Turkish food. The complementary bread and oil was the best thing we had. With suggestions from the waitress, We ordered: Cigar bourek: pretty good. Good feta and the filo was nice and flaky. Gyro plate : the meat is NOT FRESH and grilled in-house. I saw the boxes that it comes out of when leaving the restaurant. Do not recommend. The taste and texture is not pleasant. Pepperoni pide: meat had a strange after taste. Only ate 1 piece of it and left the rest. Adana kebab: decent but not worth ordering again. Only good entree we had. We were not offered the tea which is supposed to be complementary. Service was incredibly poor. Drinks were not refilled until we asked although there were waiters walking around, sitting in the booth near us talking and on the phone, and serving others. Noone stopped to ask how the meal was. We had leftovers which were thrown away. The atmosphere is lacking. The place doesnt look clean. We eat Mediterranean food in the US and abroad often and this doesn't stack up to any that I have had. Skip this and go to Med Deli. read more

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I just moved to Cary and have been working my way through my giant list of restaurants to try. Bosphorus is hands down the best place I've tried so far! I ordered takeout on a Saturday and I'm so impressed. The food tastes amazing, very fresh and flavorful with a beautiful presentation even as takeout (see photos). Great portion sizes and prices. Obsessed with the bread! It's perfectly crusty on the outside and soft inside. The staff were super friendly and everyone was smiling. I would recommend calling the restaurant directly to place a takeout order rather than going through Grubhub if you're not doing delivery. read more

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While the food was strictly average, the service experience today was extremely disappointing. After waiting 20 minutes to be seated, our server handed us menus and then did not return. We waited another 10-15 minutes before having to request a different server to take our order. Once the food was served, no one checked in on our table or offered refills. Several staff members were standing near the counter engaged in conversation instead of attending to guests. When we asked one server for assistance, she left without acknowledgment. Eventually, we had to stop another server to request a to-go box and the check. read more

Food & service & workers are very good and nice it's always fun to go eat there with my friends.

Bosphorus has a small, quaint interior. We ordered the Falafel appetizer and Ali Nazik for takeout, and our order was ready quickly! Our hostess was also kind enough to give us extra bread. The Falafel was flavorful and perfectly breaded. The savory meat in the Ali Nazik went well with the accompanying sauces. We thought that our food held up quite well as a to-go order, and we hope to dine in at Bosphorus soon! read more

Bosphorus - Falafel Appetizer - Turkish Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

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Food and Service was awesome! Our first time and will definitely be returning. The ambiance was nice as well. Location was right under our nose! Hidden gem read more

As you've probably seen from other reviews the bread is AMAZING. It's very delicious. Oh my goodness, it was incredible. Freshly baked and served warm, this bread was the perfect accompaniment to the meal. It was so good that it almost stole the show, and I found myself reaching for slice after slice throughout the meal. We even asked the server for more at the end. Of course, the shish kabobs were also delicious. Tender, juicy meat cooked to perfection and served with a delicious array of vegetables and rice. But for me, the bread really stole the show. And let's not forget about the price - it was very reasonable for the quality of food and service we received. Overall, I can't recommend this restaurant enough. If you're looking for a delicious meal with great service and the best bread you've ever tasted, this is the place to be! read more

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Food tasted good. Portion is big. The lamb pizza is really great! Definitely for meat lovers. Sometimes the parking lot is really full.

It's been years since we've been here. Recalled the food & service being good so chose to come here for a special celebration. Restaurant was very busy but we were seated quickly since we had reservations. It was a busy night so it was a bit loud and chaotic inside. Service was inattentive and we were rudely rushed despite them knowing that we were there for a special occasion. We had to ask for water & other items several times. The servers obviously didn't communicate with each other since there was confusion on who's doing what. Food was just ok. The meats in the mixed grill were very dry & overall the taste of everything was just ok. We had brought a cake for our celebration which was held in the kitchen. When we were done with our entrees, one of the servers came immediately over with the credit card machine to obtain payment. Obviously there was no communication or coordination among the staff that we had planned to serve the cake. Overall, it was NOT a good experience. With so many other Middle Eastern restaurants serving similar (& much better) food, I will not be repeating this experience. read more

The food was amazing. That's the only way to adequately describe it. Seasoned perfectly and overall a very unique experience. The menu is perfect. There is literally something for everyone here. Lots of vegetarian options for anyone interested. Appetizer was perfect. Bosphorus Meze Platter. Nice sampling of different offerings and Yaprak Dolmasi is the best I've ever had. Tabouli is unique and very flavorful. Beyti is amazing. Simply amazing. I've never tasted anything like it. Thank you for an AWESOME experience! read more

Ordered a great deal of food for pick up when i was visiting Cary. It was almost closing time and the place was still extremely crowded. Ordered - Hummus - it was okay, i have had better hummus Tabouli - never tasted before but was not a fan Baba ganoush - if you like smoky flavour you'll love this other you can pass on this one Falafel - they were really good but extremely oily! Vegetable pide - this was good Bosphorus salad - i liked the salad a lot, many greens and cheese Grilled halloumi cheese plate - this was good never tatsed halloumi cheese before but loved it Baklava - i have had better Overall the taste was okay, but the portions was extremely small for the prices. $8.76 for a very small portion of tabouli baba gounush, hummus - around 10 oz! Plus they forgot a few things on my order they were missing which was really disappointing!! read more

We had a wonderful lunch here before COVID and was in the area (unfortunately) on an early Friday evening and decided to pop in. Our experience was completely different. Things were busy, yes, but several tables were empty. We were seated promptly by the door. Service was fairly quick and friendly. We ordered the Bayti and the Falafel plate (substituting the Greek salad for the house salad). By now the place was filling up (on a Wednesday night) and it was evident that there is a lot of love from regulars and locals who came in. The food was delivered and we tucked in. Sadly, for both of us, we are gravely disappointed. First of all we came back to have some wonderful warm, sweet Turkish Coffee. They were not serving this, even though it is a staple item on their menu; well, there goes dessert! As for the food...When my husband substituted the salads, they left the rice pilaf off the plate! Since no one checked on our meal, this omission was never remedied. Also, the falafels were hard. For Both of us the meals were majorly under seasoned. The Bayti was only have eaten, thinking I could jazz it up at home. There is no salt or pepper on the table to help either. Neither of us could finish. The next day, both takeout boxes were trashed without eating them. We had a unique experience while eating, and it is tied specifically to the booth next to the door. Like I said, it was early, 5- 6pm on a Friday and we were confident of getting a table at that time. When the tables became full, the line at the door started. As you can see from the picture, I was VERY uncomfortable eating while people's butts were inches from my head! One lady was sick and actually turned her head toward the booth to cough and blow her nose! So gross! A partition is needed at least. We are still trying to remember that first wonderful meal and will be debating a return if we do. My final advice, don't sit by the door and don't order the Chicken Doner Plate - see attached photo read more

Bosphorus - A partition is needed here! - Turkish Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

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The restaurant itself is near the heart of Cary. Service was good, and I love the complimentary Turkish tea that comes with the food. I prefer other Mediterranean restaurants in the area, but this place was fairly good. read more

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This was our first time trying Bosphorus and it was amazing! We went for lunch on a Tuesday and they were very busy. They brought out bread to start with some oil mixed with spices and some complementary tea, which we enjoyed. The entree we ordered was 10/10! The prices for entrees were very reasonable. We also ordered Baklava for dessert and it was not bad, a little pricey for the amount you get, but delicious. We left happy and full and will definitely come back. I highly recommend checking this place out! read more

Bosphorus - Lahmacun Lunch and Kofta plate for lunch - Turkish Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

The food was fantastic. Not only was our server fantastic but multiple family members of the restaurant popped into to help out on our large party. Highly recommended. read more

This is hands down one of my families' FAVORITE restaurants (not just locally - definitely a top 10 for us in the Country), in large part because the food tastes just like the dishes our friend Canan cooked for us when we all lived together in International housing. My Mom and I always get the Kofta Kebabs, my Dad loves the Adana, we usually split the Shepherd's salad (if we're really hungry), and then fight over the bread and accompanying dipping sauce, the latter of which is BEYOND addicting. Could live off that bread and sauce alone - swear. Restaurant itself is somewhat small and unassuming, and if they're really busy, be prepared to wait, but it's ALWAYS worth the wait! read more

If you haven't tried Bosphorus you are missing out. I have yet to try one item from here that didn't taste amazing. I highly recommend the Adana kebab and the stuffed grape leaves. Don't get me started on complimentary pre dinner bread and oil, nothing quite like it around. All of our servers have been kind and attentive, and they always oblige us in a cup of delicious Turkish tea. Atmosphere is chill and especially great for a family dinner or a lunch with friends. I have been quite a few times and will continue to return. read more

Bosphorus - Enjoying complimentary bread and tea - Turkish Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

Excellent food, freshness, seasoning and authentic. Never had a bad meal here. I love everything on the menu.

I can't get enough of this place. From the kababs to the piede to the donor and the mezze platter the food is sooooo consistently tasty (and filling) that I could probably live off of it. Moreover the people who work here are a fixture of this community. They have been treating my mom (who comes in several times a week) like family for the past 10 years, which speaks volumes about caring who they serve. It's not a large place but they usually can accommodate small parties but it can get really busy for lunch and dinner, especially on the weekends so a reservation for a larger group never hurts. read more

This place was incredibly good! Such a hidden gem in the triangle area! I recently moved from central FL and currently live near Topsail Island. I visit the Wake Forest area where family lives and have been craving good Turkish food, and this really hit the spot! There are some amazing Turkish restaurants in central FL, and I've been looking for one here in NC and was so happy to find this restaurant! If this restaurant starts serving kunefe, it'll be perfect ;). We tried quite a bit and loved it all! We got the meze platter (loved this!!), Cigar Bourek, Pastrami Pide, mixed grilled kebab plate, and profiteroles for dessert. It was a feast! This is a must try if you love Turkish food! Very authentic and delicious! Can't wait to come back! read more

Bosphorus never disappoints. We had Mezze platter, mixed grill, lentil soup and cup of strong hot tea. Everything was fresh and delicious. Bill was also surprisingly low. Will keep coming here again and again. read more

I have been using yelp for years, but it is the first time I feel inclined to write a review, and sadly a bad review. Absolutely horrible service from the front door. Looking at the reviews we were excited to try this restaurant. We waited 10 minutes in front of the podium by the front entrance waiting to be greeted. Although the staff kept walking by and looking at us, nobody cared to acknowledge us. It wasn't until one of their friends walked in that one of the staff members proceeded to greet that person and immediately went to find him a seat, in spite of that friend telling the server that we were there first (which the server brushed off saying "I know I know"). That was the last straw making us take our business somewhere else, and we walked off immediately. I am really sad to say this but I really hope we were not treated fairly and respectfully because we were of the wrong color. read more

This place is closed for dine-in so you have to order take out (call ahead so you don't have to wait.) The inside is really nice so I can't wait to come back when they open up again. Came here because we heard a lot of good reviews and it didn't disappoint! The food was excellent- flavorful, fresh, and filling. We were told it was one of the most authentic places and the food definitely reflected that. Two plates were enough for the 3 of us and the service inside when we went inside to get the food was great and everyone was kind and helpful. I would probably just get the kofta and chicken kabob if I came back but I don't think you could go wrong with anything on the menu. My mom was a big fan of the bread they serve with the food as well. Also will be back for an updated review once I get to try the Turkish pizza!! We also got the cigars which was sooo good and the perfect appetizer. Definitely try if you want a perfect crispy fried cheese bite. read more

Bosphorus - Kofta Kabob and Mixed Grill Kabobs - Turkish Near Me - Cary, North Carolina