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    Cafe Istanbul

    4.4 (90 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

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    Business Info

    CAFE ISTANBUL ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Cafe Istanbul

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    Combo chicken and beef
    Ernesto H.

    Quick service and great taste , found this place in my maps and decided to give it a try. Getting there is easy and the service is excellent

    Adana plate $22
    Cathrin P C.

    I'll have to give this another try to see if it deserves more than an average 3 stars. I'm a big fan of adanas so I was eager to try the adana plate. Sadly I got the chicken kebab by mistake and when I asked about it, the owner was very nice and told me to keep what I got and she'd ask the kitchen to make me the proper order. I was a little tight on time today but decided to accept since she was so nice. Cafe Istanbul is a little hard to find because the store front is actually on the outside facing out of the plaza so when I first circled around inside, I could not figure out where it was located. That whole plaza is poorly designed with the InNout clogging up traffic constantly. The restaurant itself was large and with casual seating. Although it was very quiet around 5 on a Thursday, food took 20 minutes to arrive and then because of my order mixup, it took a little longer than that for the right order to come out. As for the food itself, it tasted pretty standard. I'm not a fan of chicken kebab as it's usually breast meat. The adana here is on the salty side and a little tough. I've had some really tender and juicy adanas elsewhere. Maybe things were not aligned today but I'd be willing to come back for another try since the owner was so nice. I did see someone order the appetizer combo for dining in and the presentation looked awesome. I'll have to give that a try. The wraps look like they'd be a pretty good value but some of the reviews said there isn't too much meat wrapped... $22 Adana (lamb) plate comes with rice, salad, hummus and pita

    Inside dining area
    Juan D.

    I've been wanting to check this place out for a while and it did not disappoint. I ordered the chicken kebab and it was nicely seasoned, juicy and perfectly cooked. It came with a side of Delicious rice, a fresh salad, pita slices, 2 sauces and hummus. Unfortunately, when I ordered through DoorDash, the order didn't go through, so I just showed up. I gotta say, they have a nice outside eating area as well as an inside dining area. If I could've stayed, I would've ate outside, considering how nice the weather was. But, I had to get back to work. This establishment is really clean, service is friendly in the food came out a short time after ordering. I'm definitely coming back soon.

    Everything was great. We ate are food to quickly so no pics :( but it was really good and service was great. Very attentive. We were there near closing and there was some customers that came in as they closed and they weren't turned away but welcomed in. Was nice friendly environment. Was surprised by a tea at the end of our meal. Sadly we were just driving by and don't live in this area but if we need to come by this way again we will be back!

    My delicious lunch.
    Patrick S.

    Best meal I've had in a long time. Great decor, spotlessly clean, and quick, friendly service. But the reason to go is the food. I got the gyro plate. Comes with gyro meat, hummus, salad with dressing, and hot sauce. Literally every bite was spot on. Everything was fresh and delicious. I will definitely be coming back.

    Cuazzy N.

    Came in for lunch time on a Saturday afternoon and it took 25 minutes to get my food. I ordered the beef/lamb wrap and the portions seen smaller than usual. The meat was a little dry and wasn't as fresh as previous experiences. I really liked this place - not sure if I'll be back.

    Dining area
    Luzcel T.

    Unassuming little cafe at the side of the food plaza that we actually missed it the first time. Had to back track and glad we did! It's a fast food that serves gyros and kabobs. Perfect for when you just need to order, eat and run. Or just order to go! We literally ran out of the cafe that i actually left my purse behind. The wait staff was nice enough to run after us to the parking lot to let us know. Oh yes, the food! My nephew ordered the lamb and beef wrap that came with French fries while I ordered the Kofte platter. The wrap was cooked right and was juicy. The Kofte included humus with pita bread, salad and rice. I thought it was too much for me but I finished about 90% of it. I particularly liked the salad with pickled onions. That was refreshing! I was glad we tried it out. It was just 7 minutes from our hotel that made it very convenient.

    Chicken Gyro Wrap (Full Tray)
    Kris O.

    Chicken gyros wrap.. smell bad second time.. idk why? I cant eat it and trow away. But fries good!

    Chicken Gyros Wrap
    Gabriel G.

    I got the chicken wrap. Really not good. If there was sauce it was just the red sauce and maybe a little bit of yogurt. Other than the sauce it is basically just chicken with raw lettuce, tomato, and red onion for vegetables. Out of the vegetables, there were hardly any. The flavor of the chicken was not that appetizing and didn't pair well with the raw vegetables. I think raw onions work when there are better flavors to work with it, (I have had good Mediterranean wraps and burritos that had raw onions), but here it was extra unappetizing. As you can see from the picture, the tortilla they use is folded and wrinkled, showing that the amount of fillings is not that much. I think they just use a tortilla and not some special Mediterranean flat bread, not great for this type of wrap. They give you a small bag of fries on the side as well, but this is not game changing by any means. I think it is there to try to make up for what is lacking elsewhere.

    Outside
    Shella P.

    This place just opened up about a week ago. My boss wanted to try them so we did. We got a couple of: Lamb and Beef gyro wraps - I liked the best but can definitely use more meat. But I get it they're still new. Chicken wrap - a little too dry but after some sauce it's good to go. Hummus - decent French fries - nice and crispy and used their sauce to dip with. Overall the place was clean. Plenty of tables and chairs to eat. Has a bathroom. The lady that helped me looked like one of owners and was really nice and friendly.

    Beef and lamb gyro with fries

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Tube ek wrap de cordero y ternera y estaba delicioso volveré para probar el wrap de pollo

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    Cafe Istanbul Reviews in Other Languages

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    Lotus Falafel and Shawerma-San Bruno - Beef/Lamb and Beef Shawerma plate

    Lotus Falafel and Shawerma-San Bruno

    4.6(432 reviews)
    2.5 mi
    $$

    Another great meal here. Today I ordered the lamb and beef shawarma plate along with falafel. This…read moretime I went with a dozen, and they were perfectly crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. They tasted even better dipped in hummus. The shawarma plate was just as satisfying, with tender and flavorful meat. I like that it comes with two types of rice, fresh salad, hummus, and warm pita bread, which makes it a complete and filling meal. The ordering process is simple. You place your order at the counter, get your number, find a table, and the staff brings your food when it's ready. Service was smooth and efficient. It's a simple, laid-back space where you can enjoy your meal without feeling rushed. Overall, I really enjoyed my meal and appreciate the great service. :)

    Food ordered thru door-dash for dinner as of 8/17/26: 1…read moreorder of chicken kabob sandwich on lavash wrap 1 order of beef & lamb sandwich on lavash wrap 2 orders of baklava 2 hot sauce 1.50 each 2 garlic sauce 1.50 each My review: The chicken lavash wrap tasted very good. The chicken was tender and tasty. The sandwich portion size of the wrap was generous. It was soft when it was sliced with a knife and the meat was kind of spilling out. I'm surprised they didn't grill it first before wrapping it in the foil. The beef & lamb lavash wrap was also generous in portion. However the taste of the beef & lamb lavash wrap was very bland & the meat was very dry compared to the chicken. It was also sliced thin which explained the dry part. To me it tasted like eating a piece of cardboard or thick paper. It wasn't to my liking at all and I will not be ordering this again. The fries were very good, and generous in portion, however they sprinkled too much salt on them. I had to use a napkin/tissue paper to wipe the salt. It would be advisable to request no salt if I need to order here again. When I was placing my order, I was surprised that the food didn't automatically included the sauce on the sides. Some restaurants in the same area does provide the sauce w/ their food. So, I needed to order the garlic sauce and the hot sauce in addition to the sandwiches. The garlic sauce was very good in taste, however the hot sauce, has a bitter after taste and it was also too salty when it was added to the lavash wrap sandwiches. I will skip the hot sauce next time and use whatever we have at home. The baklava was good, flaky & a little sweet. I've made baklava before, so I expected it to be sweet. Overall my first experience in trying this restaurant thru door-dash was just okay. Maybe next time, I will try their other plated dishes instead of the sandwiches. Overall rating for the food is 3 star.

    Photos
    Lotus Falafel and Shawerma-San Bruno
    Lotus Falafel and Shawerma-San Bruno - Chicken shwarma sandwich

    Chicken shwarma sandwich

    Lotus Falafel and Shawerma-San Bruno - Special 6/6/26

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    Special 6/6/26

    Watani Spot - Chaplee Kebab with Rice

    Watani Spot

    4.8(63 reviews)
    0.9 mi

    This afternoon, May 2, 2026, I decided to try out a local spot for Afghan food since it's been a…read morefew months since I last had kabuli pulao. I ordered the kabuli pulao and a Coke for pickup through DoorDash, planning a tidy lunch to enjoy near the bay once I got off work. When I arrived at the food truck, the gentleman working there unfortunately informed me that the items I had just ordered were sold out. He kindly suggested an alternative of tikka kabob, which I gladly accepted. The tikka kabob was tasty and well-seasoned, delivering a satisfying depth of flavor with each bite. The rice was fragrant with softly shredded carrots and raisins, adding subtle sweetness and texture that complemented the smoky kabob nicely. A generous addition on top of my order were complimentary Watani fries, drizzled with a sauce reminiscent of a tangy chimichurri. The food truck itself sits in the same lot as the mosque in Burlingame, which is a convenient spot to park. It's also just a couple of blocks away from the bay shore as well, making the entire experience easy to fit into a pleasant outing for lunch by the water: While I initially sought kabuli pulao, the recommended tikka kabob turned out to be a great alternative. The flavors were strong, the rice provided a nice counterpoint, and the chimichurri-like sauce on the fries was a standout touch. Service was friendly and kind. Definitely open to trying the original kabuli pulao on a future trip, but I'd gladly rely on the team's thoughtful substitutions again. Overall, this place was lovely and definitely will return again.

    Every single item here was purely out of this world! We ordered chapli kabob wrap, chicken kabob…read morewrap, chicken kabob plate, watani fries, and we wanted the mantu but they were out. Every single item was nothing short of amazing, full of flavor, and perfectly served. They do big portions here. They make the fries fresh here and you can taste it. They put alot of tlc into their food which is why it can take a bit. Only thing forgotten yesterday was chutney, and we missed it with every item. We will have to go back and try more again soon.

    Photos
    Watani Spot - Supreme Watani Wrap

    Supreme Watani Wrap

    Watani Spot - Chicken Kebab Wrap

    Chicken Kebab Wrap

    Watani Spot - Salad

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    Salad

    Atlas Pizza Parlor - 7/1/23- Tandoori Chicken. Fine. Big chunks of chicken. Nothing particularly Tandoori about it.

    Atlas Pizza Parlor

    4.4(780 reviews)
    2.5 mi
    $$

    The restaurant is a two in 1 - it contains both Atlas pizza and Noori, which used to be across the…read morestreet. Both menus are available to order from and there are plenty of tables inside and out for you to choose. Table side service is available. If you like indian pizzas, this is a must try. But if you're more a fan of the traditional italian pizzas, they also have that on the menu. We ordered the tandoori pie, which our waitress told us was one of their more popular items. We also got a cheesier garlic bread and some veggie samosas off the Noori menu. Everything was delicious, cooked to order, fresh and hot, cheesy but not greasy. We had our little ones with us, and they were also happily eating everything, which is a great sign. Looking forward to our next visit!

    Pizza ordered on a Monday night, wait was only 15 mins for a walk in. Ive ordered delivery plenty…read moreof times from her and food was no change, VERY GOOD! I got a half and half 333 cheese with chicken garlic gourmet. Their crust has a nice buttery taste to it, really good and really filling. We'll worth the price. Inside the restaurant is pretty simple, a couple TVs and a bar, I love how they also serve a selection of Indian food to which I've heard is pretty good. Parking is a little challenging, so I suggest looking for some on the side streets and then walking over. This place is a staple for sure!

    Photos
    Atlas Pizza Parlor - Seating and Bar

    Seating and Bar

    Atlas Pizza Parlor - Samosa Chaat Pie

    Samosa Chaat Pie

    Atlas Pizza Parlor - 7/1/23- Curry Chicken. Thin crust. Chicken had curry flavor. Everything else was a regular cheese pizza. Just okay.

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    7/1/23- Curry Chicken. Thin crust. Chicken had curry flavor. Everything else was a regular cheese pizza. Just okay.

    Curry Pizza House South San Francisco

    Curry Pizza House South San Francisco

    4.4(117 reviews)
    4.2 mi
    $$
    Discounts available
    Free WiFi

    This restaurant is located in the basement of a building off Grand Ave. There's plenty of street…read moreparking in the area. I ordered the lunch special for $11.99 that came with an 8" pizza and a soda. I picked the chicken tikka pizza which had a white sauce, cheese, tomatoes, red onions, green onions, chicken, and cilantro on top. The vegetables were fresh and colorful. They blended well with the chicken, cheese, and sauce. The smell of the fresh cilantro really stood out. The crust was perfectly crisp on the bottom and airy in the middle. It was delicious. The dining room, bar, restroom, and kitchen were all very clean inside. There's an interesting mural on the back wall of the dining room that dresses up the place. The service was good and it didn't take long to get my food. Five stars.

    If you're in the mood for something different from a traditional pizza, Curry Pizza House is worth…read morechecking out. We ordered a couple of vegetarian pizzas, including the paneer pizza, and really enjoyed the unique combination of Indian flavors with a classic pizza crust. The toppings were generous, the paneer was flavorful, and the spice level was well balanced. The service was friendly, and our order was ready on time. The restaurant itself is clean and casual, making it a good option for a quick lunch or dinner. While the pizzas are a bit pricier than your average pizza place, the creative flavors and quality ingredients make them worth trying. I'd definitely come back to explore more of their vegetarian options.

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    Curry Pizza House South San Francisco
    Curry Pizza House South San Francisco
    Curry Pizza House South San Francisco

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    Cafe Istanbul - mediterranean - Updated September 2026

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