Our son told us to come here. Beautiful restaurant inside, outside looks fabulous as well. It was just too hot. The service was perfect. The food was remarkable. The carrot dip and bread comes with every table, and it is unbelievably good. I have the seafood salad, which was stunningly, beautiful, and delicious as well. I had a bite of the lamb wrap, it was fantastic. Six stars if I could. . . They have a wide variety of food on the menu and I can't wait to go back! On a cooler day/dinner, the outdoor seating would be perfect read more

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Hey, Cafe Istanbul. We need to talk. So, let's start with the good. I've been here several times in the past, and the food is always delicious. I've come with friends and with a Time Left group, and I've never had a bad meal here. When I've taken home leftovers, they never last more than 24 hours before I polish them off. Last Thursday the food did not disappoint. Where things get sticky, unfortunately, is the pricing. Now, in the U.S., consumers expect to pay the price on the menu, plus tax and tip. Sometimes a credit card fee if the restaurant is especially nickel-and-dimey. These are just part of the experience of eating at a sit-down restaurant. However, when a restaurant throws on an 18% service fee, and then sets the tip auto-calculations to show that this was not the tip, and that the expected tip is still 18%-22% on the whole bill, including all taxes and fees, the way those percentages compound, including tax, the *consumer ends up paying 61.3% more than the menu price.* This is not an acceptable level of unwritten cost and in fact passes the boundary of "hidden fees." At that point, why even bother having prices on a menu at all? You could replace the numbers with emojis and they would have about as much meaning. Personally I prefer knowing the cost of something I'm buying before I make the choice to purchase, not while sitting at a dining table having already consumed the goods. The number on the check I received last Thursday night was so significantly higher than the number we ordered (and therefore consented and agreed to pay) that I thought I dreamed it until I woke up the next day and still had the screenshot.) If the 18% is an autograt, then it needs an appropriate label so that people do not tip twice. (To be clear, given that tipping is a necessary evil to protect workers from the evils of wage theft in the U.S., I do support autograt. However, I do not support being swindled into double-tipping). If it is not an autograt, then it needs to be removed and the menu prices appropriately adjusted to meet the cost needs of your business so that people can make informed decisions about what they would or would not like to purchase before doing so. It is not acceptable to essentially dupe customers in this way. Please don't respond saying you'll "take it under consideration" as people have been complaining about this since 2022, and you've been giving the same canned reply. If I've already read it, I have no need to read it again. Actions speak louder than words. Do better, please and thank you. read more

Cafe Istanbul - Photo of a receipt with issues highlighted, including wine price, 18% service fee, and a note about tip calculations. - Turkish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We were all really confused by this restaurant. I thought it was a Turkish restaurant, but they had french onion soup and pesto risotto. We started off with this mystery dip that tasted like a heavy on the mayo tuna salad??? The eggplant spread was decent, but the hummus was terrible. It tasted like 99% tahini and olive oil. Honestly, I initially thought it was really random that my friend's uncle ordered french onion soup at a turkish restaurant, but upon the end of the meal, I think he might have ordered the best thing on the menu. read more

The food and service was great! The lamb was delicious! I came to try Lahmacun and it was good, but maybe I just wanted a meaty pizza. read more

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We flew from LA just to try this restaurant and it didn't disappoint! The food and service were excellent! Everything was delicious and the portions were very generous. If you want to taste an authentic Turkish food this is the place! We will be back! read more

We usually do a substantial take out because of a family members disability. They always bag rice and chocolate pudding deserts. However, service is always great and there is good but simple ambiance. The food is always consistent, fresh and of high quality ingredients. read more

Have ordered delivery from here multiple times, and have had good experiences. Their food is solid, with large portions, and the packaging is good, so everything stays hot and in place (including the soups). Would recommend for a low-key, quick and tasty meal in. read more

Super shady with the tipping process. Went there the first time with a group of 6 so it was understandable that they added the tip to the bill although, they didn't mention the tip was already on there so we almost didn't catch it and almost double tipped when they handed us the pad to add another tip. Fine. We caught it. Crisis averted. The next time we went there it was just me and another person. Again, they added the tip and handed us the pad to add another tip. That's not normal and seems shady as hell. I wonder how many people they swindled with this method. Shady tactics will keep me away read more

Absolutely an amazing array of beautifully prepared and delicious tasting food! We opted to just have appetizers and it was more than enough food!! The portions are generous! The Baklava is unique and incredible!! read more

Today we must had the "B" team working as this was prime dinner time. We tried to order but seems there were only 1 waiter and the two were not able to take our order. I ordered the Onion soup and hummus for starters which was a bust, the croutons in the soup was soggy and both starters were tasteless. Ordered three entrees which was the chicken and adana (chopped lamb shoulder) cubed Kebab - Both were decent. I ordered the doner (lamb and veal) sliced like a gyro (the meat was excess salty) I was unable to eat this. Table of 4 and they charge 18% service charge for a upsetting service. The only thing we took home was the rice the rest was not humanly possible to digest. I really wish I could enjoy the food. read more

The food here is literally incredible, out of this world, incendiary, wonderful, and many other adjectives. From salads to appetizers, entrees to risotto, I have truly loved every item ever ordered. You can tell the food is cooked with care and years of experience. The Shepherd's salad is a must-get with delicate beets and a tangy dressing. The service leaves everything to be desired. After working in restaurants, it's easy to see sections. Our server's section was full but tables seated after our party of 4 with the same amount of people were able to finish and leave while we had not yet received entrees. The other servers did help pick up the slack, but our server spent most of the 2 hours we dined on his phone near the register and barely talked to our table. The prices are reasonable for the amount of food and take caution with the pepper on the plate! It is delicious, but might be too spicy for some folks. read more

Enjoyed a tasty meal at Café Istanbul on Christmas Day with three friends. Between us, we had four different entrées, broccoli, and spinach sides, a couple different wines, baklava, and Turkish coffee. Not a complaint about anything we ate. In fact, to a person we all loved our meals. On the way home, someone mentioned that they didn't like baklava, but they decided to try it and realized that it was probably the best they'd had... something about the mouth feel and not too sweet. Didn't think to take a photo but, it was a great way to celebrate the holiday. read more

4.5. Formidable kitchen. Pokey but pleasant service. Some exotic and interesting twists. Outside seating in the warmer months. Winning.

Delicious! 5 stars! Authentic Turkish dining. I will be back to try the rest of the menu. read more

Cafe Istanbul - Turkish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Friendly service, good atmosphere. Was packed on a Saturday night. Food was excellent. Really hit the spot for Turkish meat plates. Easy to share amongst a group, staff helped us order a perfect amount. The various lamb kababs were fantastic and we went for a pesto risotto dish to mix it up, and it was phenomenal. Prime Rib entree was amazing. read more

A MUST VISIT! EXCELLENT FOOD AND CUTE CAFE! This cafe came highly recommended from friends and for right reasons. The waitress was very friendly and gave us great recommendations and was really patient while we decided what to order. We order Sogurme ( amazing smoked eggplant dip), Turkish delight ( a refreshing medley of vegetables with hummus) and Doner kebabs ( so tender and delicious). To finish it of we ordered knafeh ( as suggested by the server and it was AMAZING! It paired so well with out Turkish coffee :) read more

Cafe Istanbul is a literal "slice of Turkey". We were lucky enough to have the owner and head chef "Mike" greet us and help make our dinner selection. Chicago has some incredible selections when it comes to ethnic dining and Cafe Istanbul is no exception. A simply outstanding selection and mix of Mediterranean/American choices with a comprehensive reasonably-curated wine selection for any taste. This was our first time to Cafe Istanbul and I have to say the food was delicious and the staff treated us like family. Tips: This place gets busy... visit on a Monday night. Eating meat? Enjoy it with their surprisingly tasty house Cabernet. Be sure to mix your food selections with their incredible vegetable choices, I recommend anything with mushrooms if you like those as much as we do. Sides are delicious... you can't go wrong with any of them. We tried 4. Their deserts are home made "in house" (see photo) If the night is still young, consider complimenting your dessert and evening with their authentic and robust Turkish coffee. Get a double! Cafe Istanbul... a great choice for dinner and a great value for the experience. read more

Cafe Istanbul - We asked them to "Surprise us" with dessert - this is what we got and ate every last bite. - Turkish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

the people at cafe istanbul were SO hospitable and kind, and the food was amazing! we had a delicious eggplant dish and zucchini fritters, which were sooooo great. The vibe in the cafe was very lovely, the decor was cozy and warm and the host made us feel very at home. Thank you so much for making our day :) read more

The food was good and simple! We got the beef kebab. I don't know what they put in their rice, but it's so good that I ate it all. Service was great, the chef even gave our table a free desert which was incredible! read more

Rolled into Cafe Istanbul in Wicker Park last week for lunch and had a nice surprise. Split the hummus and lahmacun to start, then got the charcoal‑grilled chicken kebab with rice pilaf and their famous Turkish coffee, ended up spending around $32 before tip. The wood‑fire flavor hits different, crust on the lahmacun was crisp and the chicken juicy, just enough smokiness. Vibe's cozy and low‑key, servers were friendly but not on your case. Only ding was it was a tiny bit salty on the rice pilaf, so that kept it at four stars. Definitely comin' back, though. read more

Amazing kebabs. The seasoning is on point, the rice is always perfect, and the chicken is especially tasty!

I don't give out 5-star ratings often but the Cafe Istanbul checked all the boxes. Besides ice water they serve warm bread, it looked like a wheat type bread and serve you a "gratis" appetizer that appeared to be sauteed eggplant, stewed tomatoes, and onion. It was good and had a little kick to it. We started off with Hummus, to begin with, nice portion, and my friend said it was the best Hummus she ever had with a smooth consistency and really good olive oil in the center for dipping. I ordered the Kofte Kabob (photo) with Basmati Rice, Tomato, Pepper, and two wafer-thin pitas. There are four seasoned beef & lamb kabobs with just the right amount of heat per order with a generous amount of Basmati Rice. Also, they give you a ramekin of what appears to be a dill/yogurt sauce for dipping or drizzling on top. My friend ordered the Chicken Lemo which is sauteed Chicken Scallopini in brown butter, capers, white wine sauce, and sauteed Bok Choy. She said it was very good and seldom eats about half of her main course but this time she put a good dent in it this time. The waitstaff is prompt, knowledgeable, and attentive refilling the water and iced tea but I have two minor criticisms. The first one is the size of the type on the menu, I would say it is a 6 or 7 point size, most reading material is 10 point. The second minor complaint is the Wine & Spirits List is pricey, most wine by the glass starts at $11.00 on up and the second minor complaint is they only list heavy/dark scotches, not even one light scotch such as Johnnie Walker Red, J & B or Dewars White Label that most people order, myself included. I would go back in a heartbeat we had such a pleasant experience. read more

Cafe Istanbul - Kofte Kabob - Turkish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Amazing food! Friendly service! The lamb chops were delish! Perfectly paired with the grilled seafood salad. Big portions so best to share. read more

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Came here for dinner. Heard of this place from tiktok. We arrive at the restaurant and saw a parking lot. Which is a plus however the lot is share with couple store. There is indoor and outdoor seating. We choose to sit outside because the weather is nice. We got the menu and decided to order the mussel for appetizer. Then I got a seafood risotto and my boyfriend got the cag dza kebab. The kebab is delicious very juicy and well marinated however the salad you can tell it's store brought. The risotto flavor is good but the risotto can be cook a little longer. I would give them point for their flavor. read more

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Happened to see the news excerpt on this special Turkish restaurant and just had to try it. Decided to order take out for the office, but after tasting the dishes I can only imagine the dine-in experience you'll have, with the truly unique flavors and the ambiance you are sure to enjoy and wonderful meal. The woman that took our lunch order was so helpful with offering up some recommendations, so we could really get the Turkish cuisine feel. Honorable mentionable would absolutely be the hummus and complimentary seeded bread, the octopus and grilled calamari were absolutely phenomenal. Meat grilled to perfection and entrees served with a mini dessert to cleanse your pallets. Read the story on their website, and submerge yourself in the tradition, culture, and flavors of Turkey read more

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We ordered: 1. Lahmacun - thin dough topped with minced beef, seasoned vegetables, served with sliced tomatoes, onions, and organic arugula 2. Cag "Dza" Kebab - Originating in Turkey's Erzurum province, horizontally stacked marinated rotating lamb kebab served with basmati rice 3. Doner - Lamb and veal combined, seasoned with herbs and blend of spices, cooked on a vertical rotisserie and served with flatbread and basmati rice Lahcuman was delicious when I topped the crispy minced beef dough with the provided fresh vegetables, folded it, and ate it like a taco. Doner was dry. The cag Dza Kebab was excellent - flavor, tender, and fatty. Basmati were properly cooked but could have been more tasty if cooked with dill/lemon. Service was good. There's a small parking lot which is amazing on the busy Division st. Prices were reasonable for the amount of food you get. read more

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TL:DR Objectively the greatest Turkish Restaurant in the Midwest (within my historical reach) with its powerful flavors, authentic vibes, and remarkable service. One of my coworkers who was born and raised in Istanbul, told me that when he comes back to the United States, he always comes to Café Istanbul if he wants to get the most authentic Turkish experience anywhere in this country. This coworker is very happy, jovial, and often speaks in hyperbole, so I wasn't quite sure what to make of this statement. However, I could tell immediately from the moment when I walked in the restaurant that he may have had something truthful behind the statement. The staff were incredibly kind and cordial, and their variety of both Turkish and non-Turkish alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages All tasted amazing. I came with a group of eight, so we had the privilege of being able to sample a wide variety of libations. Additionally, as a large group we tried 4 different for kebabs, five different appetizers, my personal favorite, which was the Iskander entrée (Donor meat slathered in a homemade tomato sauce with a side of garlic yogurt). They have a variety of other non-Turkish options on the menu from different parts of the Mediterranean, but you can clearly tell that they escalate the level of flavor with their unique blend spices you can find in that particular region of the world. My only regret is that I did not take pictures for this post. But I absolutely will be coming back, and I cannot emphasize how much I recommend this restaurant to others read more

I couldn't go to Chicago without visiting Cafe Istanbul again, we had another amazing meal. We had to order the Shepard Salad & Pide again because they were our favorite appetizers during our last meal. This time it was so cold outside we tried the Onion Soup & it was amazing! This time I got to try some of the more traditional Turkish dishes, I ordered the Kuzu Sis and it was some of the best lamb pieces I've ever had. The meat was marinated so well. Cafe Istanbul doesn't fail to disappoint with their delicious food & service. It is still my favorite restaurant I've been to in Chicago. read more

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The service is poor and the tacky part is they add %18 tip automatically to the bill!!! And 3% surcharge. Besides the service, my food, iskandar kabob was burned and dried which they changed it after I showed it to our server. I ordered Adana kabob too which was very good. read more

Cafe Istanbul - Turkish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Can't rave enough about Cafe Istanbul! Flavors and quality meets value and ambiance. For anyone looking for a nice upscale-ish Mediterranean dinner without breaking the bank, this is your place for it. There is a parking lot available and it is located in on the border or bucktown/Ukrainian village. I came on a Thursday night and made a reservation. It did fill up quickly by later evening. The service was fantastic as well. Would definitely put this place in my Chicago top 10 list. read more

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Food was wonderful. Service was very slow although it was very busy. They add on a hefty surcharge to the bill without any notice which, to an already high bill, was unexpected and made to a disappointing end of the night. BUT.. the food really was wonderful. read more

5 star meal. Amazing service. First time visiting, will be back asap. All around great food & experience

Still amazing. I couldn't resist the Iskender again. We also had the Doner which was pretty great. Cafe Istanbul is always a solid choice! read more

Cafe Istanbul - Iskender - Turkish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Hands-down, the best Turkish food in the Chicago area. Regular customer for five years now, and there has not been a single visit where the food wasn't fresh and/or tasty. My all-time favorite dish on their menu is the Lokum; no words to describe how amazing this dish is put together and tastes. The juiciest meat I have ever had in my life at any restaurant, period. Their Lahmacun is to die for; even better than the ones I have when I visit Turkiye. They also bring out the food in such a reasonably timed manner. This is one of those establishments that I would much rather gate-keep, but they do deserve all of the great recognition they can get. read more

I love this place. Service very good and food always delicious. Every dish is tasty . read more

Cafe Istanbul - Seared salmon $22 - Turkish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My husband and I came here for lunch. I ordered lahmacun - $11. The dough was thick, not like the traditional Turkish lahmacun which dough is very thin. They added 18% tip to the bill When we paid by credit card, we were also charged additional fee (who doesn't use credit card???) Their prices are also high comparing to the other Turkish restaurants in town. We would not be going back! read more

Cafe Istanbul offers traditional Turkish cuisine at a very reasonable price. The servers are extremely attentive and it was super easy to make a reservation. It's a large space with its open free parking lot, which is a huge perk for the area! We ordered hummus as an appetizer, along with the eggplant imam bayeldi. The hummus was very unique and likely made in-house, but I didn't think the eggplant dish was anything special. It came out as three little pieces with a side of rice. The complementary dish that was put on the table at the beginning of the meal was my personal favorite of anything I had (not sure of the name!). Overall, it's a quaint spot that's probably better for dinner than lunch. I'm sure their lamb is delicious, but I didn't have a chance to try it. It's worth checking out, but just not my personal preference of food type! read more

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Came here with a couple of friends after seeing so many amazing reviews for the restaurant! I've never tried Turkish Food before, so I was especially curious. And I truly was not disappointed by the quality and taste of the dishes. First off, the complimentary bread was TO DIE FOR. I think we all collectively gasped when it was brought to the table. Super fluffy with a thin crispy outer crust. It was so delicious it almost felt sinful. Believe me when I say the bread is worth it enough to pay Cafe Istanbul a visit. As for the rest of the food, we ordered the Turkish Feta Salad, Eggplant Imam Bayeldi, Iskender, and the Cag Cza Kebab. The Salad was super fresh and refreshing. The eggplant dish had an incredibly unique taste and paired well with the bread. The Iskender was meat in a tomato sauce which came over cubes of bread! We all gasped because it is such a genius idea to have the bread underneath soaking up all the sauce. But my personal favorite was the Cag Cza Kebab which had a delicious char and depth of flavor. I was absolutely addicted and would consider the dish a must get! Come here to get your fix of Turkish food--you won't regret it! read more

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Lots of food choices and portions were generous and it all tasted great! I placed an order 30minutes before a lunch and they were able to prepare the meal on time. read more

The food here is phenomenal (stuffed chicken breast, lahmacun, even the bread and rice was great) and the patio out front is beautiful. I had a wonderful time dining here. Great date night spot! read more

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