Lovely little spot in Bexley. I work nearby so I am here far too often for their great lunch specials. For under $10, you can get a starter, main dish, and a desert - with a variety of options to choose from. Everything on the menu is just amazing - which is probably a good thing since the last time I cam here, the waitress completely forgot what we ordered and just started bringing stuff to the table, but it was all so good, we really didn't care. Plus, she brought us calamari, which I never would have ordered since so often it can be deep-fried past it's awesomeness stage. Thankfully, that was not the case here - a very light batter which still allowed the calamari to shine through and then it was dusted with some sort of spicy-amazingness. Also, patio space is lovely - which is always a plus in my book. read more

I love this place. Dinner is pricey but they have a heck of a lunch special. I get hummus, kabobs with rice and dessert for like 10.99. The staff is friendly. Food delish and quick. The only reason 4 stars instead if 5 is parking can be a challenge. read more

We picked up dinner last night and it was So good! Nice having someone else sautéing, seasoning, simmering. We had a couple appetizers, a salad, and 2 main entrees mousakka and Shepard pie. Both were delicious, and we have left overs today. Wish we had ordered falafel. read more

The food was fine but I got an order of Hummus and it only came with one piece of bread ... I requested another piece , which was extra $, silly, I will not go back read more

I have been to cafe instabul numerous times, but this last time has been the worst. I have never tried falafel and wanted to step out of my comfort zone. I couldn't find anything good with this dish. It was seriously over cooked (rock-like) and lacking in any flavor. I would rather eat grass out of a yard. To make matters worst the dipping sauce tasted spoiled. Otherwise, the other dishes we average as usual. read more

Ordered from here via Postmates and the quality and quantity relative to the prices is absolutely ridiculous.

My food-maven relatives took me here because they'd had fine experiences at the original branch. 2 of 5 dishes here good, the vegetable stew at 14 or 15$ was an insult. 1/2 celery, 1/4 potatoes, 1/4 carrots in a worthless sauce, a buck's worth of cheap vegies, teensy quantity (not that it mattered, 3 of the 4 tablespoons worth went uneaten. The lamb shank went half uneaten. The complained about cooked-to-death chicken went uneaten, and the waitress, instead of taking at least this one miserable dish off the bill, argued that that is they way they intended to cook it. So if you like cooked-to-death , unskilled, how-much-profit-can-we-make-per-dish cuisine, be sure and visit. read more

Wow. I almost always leave positive reviews, and I'm finding it hard to make my experience jibe with the others yelpers' experience. The dining room is cozy and nice, the waiter did a good job, but the food just wasn't there. Four people, four entrees, 2 of them (the adana chicken kabob and the kefteh) were actually gross: greasy, overcooked. The vegetables (carrot and celery) were cooked into oblivion. The "pilaf" seemed like plain white rice cooked in broth to me; it had no sign of toasting, no nuts or add-ins. Worst of all, when it came time to pay they would not honor the gift card our companion had paid cash for (second time they've done this! I think she's just out the money) even though she had her receipt. Also would not honor their own printed coupon. Manager said they "couldn't" because the waitress had put the total through the credit card machine before she saw the coupon. Of course they could, they just wouldn't! It seems very shortsighted to me, since our friend, who lives nearby, is a regular. Don't they get it: a good customer is eventually going to find someplace else to eat because they can't be bothered to fix things when a check's rung up wrong? Also, aside from my personal bad experience, I think potential customers would be advised to know that Turkish food is similar to other middle eastern cuisines but a lot less flavorful and more meaty. So instead of tasting garlic, sumac, lemon and parsley, you mostly just taste meat. I believe I am being objective about this, that it is not just a reflection of my overall disappointment. I have had the same experience in other Turkish restaurants, though I love kefteh, all kinds of kabobs, lamb, felafel, baba, etc. and I am NOT a vegetarian. The bread is great (you get one piece, and have to beg for more at which point they bring one piece to the diner who asked, not enough for the table) and the place is clean. Liked the chilled wine glasses. Couldn't honestly recommend it. read more

Ate there last night. Food was pretty good--fresh and light. But the service was not good! Although there were only two other tables seated, once our food was dropped off we never saw our server again. My boyfriend and I wanted to order more beer and wine but couldn't, and no one checked in on us after the food was dropped off. It seemed that the servers only cared about the two people sitting two booths away from us. Anyway, they lost our money as we wanted to drink more. read more

My buddy took me here for my birthday which is September 28th. He had a mediocre iceberg lettuce salad. I had a bowl of lentil soup and the sauteed spinach plate with yogurt, and two raspberry vodkas. The lentil soup was excellent. The spinach and yogurt plate was $7.95. One would expect the spinach to at least be fresh. How hard is it to throw a bunch of fresh spinach in some olive oil with some garlic. Well, the spinach was canned. The yogurt was good though. Two raspberry martinis which were mostly ice. The atmosphere is beautiful and the courtyard is a showplace. Unfortunately, parking is also a problem. Seemed like there were plenty of staff available but it took a while to get acknowledged let alone waited on - and we sat at the 5 seat bar. Overall I give the place a C -. I would not go again. If you want to check this place out, do it soon. My dining partner and I agreed it will not be there a year from now. Happy Birthday! read more

By far the best Turkish food I have ever had. Be sure to get their baba ghanoush it was amazing. I wish it was a little bigger sized restaurant because it was a little cramped. But overall five stars, great food, great service. read more

One of our all time favorite restaurants. The sampler platter can be a meal, and the bread is incredible. It's all fresh, great flavors, and accompanied by good advice. Highly recommended! read more

The interior of the space is really nice. I ordered the hummus and the Döner Kebab (Turkish gyro). Both were great. It did not really look like a lot of food but i was full at the end. I ordered off of the lunch menu and it was right around $10 total and well worth it. read more

I eat her somewhat regularly and am just getting around to writing this review. Cafe Istanbul is solid in every aspect. They have an extensive menu and the staff knows it well and can make recommendations. I have tried a dozen or so dishes here and am yet to be disappointed! Every item it well prepared, well played, and always delicious! Big thumbs up for the pre meal bread and oil. I don't know exactly what's in the oil but it is addictive. Also, if you're in the mood for dessert, the almond pudding is delicious. I highly recommend! read more

Best Lunch in Bexley, love taking my son there after a trip to the library. Outdoor is great. The food is always good. I get the Okra with Lamb and Baba Ganoush is amazing. Bread is so good - you want to try and control yourself. read more

As a Turk, I was disappointed to discover NO Turks work here. Food was not authentic - we do NOT overcook all our food. Waitress was very rude (we saw her 3 times only - had to hunt for our check). Come to real Istanbul - we are warm people with great foods! But do not judge us from this place - eşeğe altın semer vurmuşlar eşek yine eşşek kalmış read more

Husband and I tried this place for the first time last week and loved it! Great menu and great service. We had a lovely young Turkish man who gave us great recommendations and catered to our every need. Highly recommend. read more

Everything here is amazing. I made sure to stop by everytime I visited Bexley. The weekday lunch menu is super affordable and delicious. And you get this bread and oil dip that is to die for. read more

Glad to have Cafe Istanbul in Bexley! Great appetizer sampler. Lovely patio. Disappointed by falafel. Not as many vegetarian options as I would like. Portions are huge, plan on sharing or bringing some home. read more

Excellent food. I would definitely recommend it. Absolutely go great. Very kind and very polite people

Overpriced sub par food. We came on a weekend so there was no lunch special, the meals are very pricey. The food I had was bland and underseasoned. Someone else in my party got the flatbread which In reality is a Stromboli. The hummus and bread are good but I think that's about it. read more

New Bexley Restaurant My wife and I have been fans of Easton's Cafe Istanbul for years. We made our first trip to their new location in Bexley yesterday. The owner's have transformed the building into a beautiful space with wood paneled walls and a spacious outdoor dining area. We took advantage of the lunch special. For $9.95 we had a choice of several appetizers, salads and entrees. Dessert was a flavorful almond pudding. I ordered the tabuli and the chicken adana kebab. My wife ordered the lentil soup and the doner kabob. Both meals were delicious. The entrees arrived with generous servings of rice and steamed vegetables. While waiting for our appetizers, we enjoyed flatbread and dipping oil. It was so good, we brought home the leftover bread. The wait staff was eager to please and very friendly. The manager, Secil Unal, stopped by our table several times to chat and to make sure we were having a good experience. We're pleased that Cafe Istanbul chose to make Bexley their second location and plan to eat there often. Michael Armstrong Bexley, Ohio read more

We stopped for dinner on a Sunday evening, looking for something a little upscale from the chains, and were not disappointed. We could see from the large terrace that it must be a great place to eat outdoors, but, since it was snowing, we chose the cozy interior. Nice wood walled decor. The seats of the booths were a bit low (or the tables too high?), but the service was prompt and friendly. The food arrived quickly, preceded by the delicious bread JBL mentions. We have perhaps eaten better eastern Mediterranean food, but the stuffed cabbage leaves and moussaka were very good. The portions were just right, as was the price, around $30 for the two of us. We'd go back again. read more

Okay... I'm hesitant to put up a review because then one of my favorite places is more likely to get crowded and end up making me fight for my favorite table on the patio. The beautiful patio is right on Main street, has two fountains and is expansive. I will mourn the passing of weather warm enough to enjoy this hedonistic delight. The food is great- from the unique, hot bread with oils to the entrees (which are entree priced, but huge and delicious), I have yet to be disappointed by a selection. Admittedly, my orders are often a gamble since I have not been experiencing the delights of Turkish food for long and I have yet to be disappointed. The baklava is better than the stuff I had in the country of Turkey. No joke. Favorite drink? Pomegranate mohito. Sounds gross. IS refreshing and delicious. Bonus tip: ask if anyone can read your fortune in the Turkish coffee grounds. Say-cheel (that's how I pronounce it) does a great job and it adds a fun touch to any meal and is worth buying a cup of (order it sweet) Turkish coffee. read more

Bland, bland, bland. Got the falafel and the stuffed eggplant. Falefel was overcooked, tahini sauce was okay, main dish was just mushy and horrible. I'm super confused because I would never expect to have bland food at a aTurkish restaurant. Did they run out of spices? The cooks maybe should focus on cooking the food instead of staring at the patrons. I was weirded out the whole time because I was facing the kitchen and every time I looked up, one of the cooks was looking right at me. Maybe the other locations are better, but I will never go back to this one. Seriously overpriced, tasteless food. read more

This has become our go to place for lunch when we are: Famished Wanting a bit of spice (not hot, just tasty) Don't have a ton of time The lunch special is a fantastic value and the food is consistent and delicious. The atmosphere is nice and always clean and the servers always pleasant and helpful. For some reason every time we go it i raining or super hot or cold so we have not enjoyed the lovely patio but hope to soon. read more

Their food is nothing compared to other Mediterranean restaurants out there! Its way over priced and their food tastes like paper. The meat is never cooked right and the service is so bad. They need to learn how to make good authentic food first. They should have a one star but I'll do 2 only because they're in Bexley. read more

I love the food but this location is terrible. Terribly slow service. A group of us arrived at 1230. This is obviously during lunch hours.. It took 40 min just to get our hummus plates. When we asked to get our lunches to go because we had to go back to work we were informed that we should alert them when we arrived that we were in a hurry. This is lunch hour. That should be implied. Ten minutes later we got our meals, had to wait another 10 for our checks, then ten more minutes for our change. Don't go if you are in a hurry. It's not worth it. Our meal took 1.5 hrs to get. read more

I've been to their Bexley location with a friend of mine. We went to their easton location together before and it was great. So we decided to check the new location to see if everything is in same quality or not. Appetizers were great as the entrees and of course the desserts. I agree with the other visitors, the prices are a bit high but i guess most of them are reasonable especially for the grill items. Overall, I had a great dining experience and I would recommend Cafe Istanbul in Bexley. read more

It food was good, but don't use your bank or credit card there. The day after we had lunch and left a cash tip myself along with my 2 coworkers found that they charged my credit card an extra $2.00 and their's the same. After calling they said this is common practice at most restaurant and to call my bank to have it corrected. Our waitress was friendly, however another woman there was not. She was very crass. I will not eat there again. If you have eaten there and used a credit card you should check your statement. read more

My first time and last time coming here. Ordered the chicken kabob with yogurt, which is essentially just chicken over bread with yogurt and tomato sauce. It took over 30 mins for only chicken and bread and it wasn't even warm. read more

Great place to eat. You must experience this place. cafe Istanbul has a very unique and special ambience.

Cafe Istanbul in Bexley is the only one I've been to. We tried it last year when it opened and thought the food was average for the price. Tried it again last month because the patio is so nice but we will not be back. There were maybe 6 families there and staff seemed to be running round like crazy but you could tell quickly that people were not happy. We sat for 15 min waiting for menus.. ordered drinks... Kendall Jackson ... yes I do know what that tastes like. We got our drinks at about 30 min in and the wine tasted bad. ... waiter didn't come back so I started for the inside bar.. ran into the waiter told him and he said the would talk to the manager. She then brought out another glass... still tasted bad. We flagged her down again and asked if she was sure that it was Kendall Jackson. Her response well no it's not her wine distributor said it was just as good. I said that I didn't think it was right to charge full price for KJ when that isn't the wine provided. You would think they would have let me know after complaining about the first glass. Our meals came and my husband questioned what was put in front of him. Said he didn't think that was what he ordered and he was assured that he must have made a mistake when he ordered because that is what the waiter wrote down. Mine again... average... nothing interesting about it. Again, won't try it again. For those that are surprised at the negative reviews... I was surprised at the positive. We live in Bexley and drive by there frequently and they rarely have more than two tables going. I'm surprised they are still open . read more

The food was excellently prepared and the service was great! It was my friends first time and they were very impressed!

The food was decent albeit a bit overpriced. My main gripe is with the service. The owner just sat and glared at me as I was giving my order. I was very polite with a yes ma'am no ma'am but maybe she hated my face? read more

I have only used Cafe Istanbul Bexley for take away, however, my experience was awesome. The dishes were wonderful and the customer service tremendous. I even asked for a regional dish not on the menu and the chef himself offered to make it for me. The prices are very reasonable and the food very good for Turkish cuisine. This is now becoming a weekly spot for me. read more

I am a fan and have been to their locations many times with friends, family or a quite date dinner with my husband. For my 50th birthday a dear friend bought me a giftcard and we were excited to use it (we often forget we have them!) We had a great meal and went to use the giftcard and we couldn't. They sell specific giftcards for their locations which is really odd. They have 3 locations under the same name! Yet this week I received a coupon in the mail for all three locations??? Confusing to say the least. read more

We love this restaurant and it's unique menu options. It has been a wonderful addition to the dining options in Bexley. The service is good, the food is delicious and both the atmosphere inside, as well as on the large patio, is enjoyable. The new umbrellas have been a nice addition to shelter from the sun. read more