Most of the reviews about Cafe Izmir rant and rave about their hummus. This one is no exception. Overall, this is an absolute gem of a place. I throughly enjoy the atmosphere, the thoughtful array of music that is being spun by a live DJ nightly, and ah yes...that amazing hummus. The hummus is like something out of a dream and tastes like heaven. It has a smooth consistency that's served chilled and has cream in it. Served with warm pita bread; you will absolutely drown in this dishes enveloping embrace. All I know is that when I put it in my mouth, I am transported to another realm of happiness. Yes. It's that good. They serve a variety of tapas. So really there is something here for everyone. The chicken- is succulent and tender. The saffron rice is delicate and complements the food very nicely. Other highlights include an especially crisp Greek Salad offering and dolmas galore. Mmm...yummeh! In addition to great meal items, the menu offers up some rather tasty dessert offerings. I recently had a sponge cake with cream that had rosewater in it. I cannot remember what the specific name of it is, but it's pretty magnificent. The waitstaff is incredibly nice and personable. Every time I have been here it's been a most pleasurable experience. I highly recommend eating here, as it's definitely top notch food and selection. read more

Do you like joy? Then you've found your place. I get the impression this place has been around forever, but the people who run it still have a very obvious love of what they do. I stopped in here briefly after getting my hair styled because if I'm within a couple miles of this place, I NEED that hummus. I started chatting with the owner and somehow it came up that the next day was my birthday (what can I say, they keep the wine flowin' at Live Hair Group!). A short while later, to my immense surprise, I was delivered a piece of white cake with icing and berries! And it was SUPERIOR. It wasn't super sweet, it tasted like happiness and flying kittens. And it had a lit candle, natch. ;) (picture added!) This area of Greenville seems to have a very tight family vibe amongst the various businesses and it makes it a joy to frequent them. It doesn't hurt that the food here is delectable and the personalities abundant. This is the the sort of place that makes me wish Yelp had 6 stars. read more

Cafe Izmir - Surprise for me! :D What a lovely place. - Middle Eastern Near Me - Dallas, Texas

Okay, like all the cool Dallas eateries, this one has been reviewed to death. So I'll spare you the details of how my meat and humus was seasoned and just get to the nitty gritty. 1. Lotsa people are on here complaining about the valet parking. Yeah, so the lot ain't that big. But have you tried parking, I don't know, ANYWHERE in Dallas? I work at Parkland (the Dallas County hospital for you outta towners) and STILL have to pay to park! Oh, and take a bus to get there once I arrive. So the valet isn't a star-killer for me. 2. The waiter will try and sell you the "family style meal." Just don't. It's not bottomless, for one. For another, I went with about 6 people and there simply wasn't enough of everything to go around. I had to order falafel à la carte just to try a piece. For anything more than 4 people, insist everyone get their own orders. You'll get what you want, AND it will be cheaper. This was a bigger crime than the valet parking. 3. And as multiple people have pointed out before me, this is a great place to celebrate a birthday. The waitstaff is indeed attentive, the food good, and each birthday girl got dessert and a bottle of wine to take home. read more

Always the best food and family atmosphere! You are welcomed by the owner and staff that have been there for many years warmly and given the very best customer service ever found. The food is amazing. Anything you order is delicious. But my personal favorites are the chicken salad, hummus, pita bread and saffron chicken ! Go , Enjoy, spread the love! read more

Great restaurant! Amazing food for a very reasonable price. We started with a pitcher of their home made sangria. It was awesome! We ordered the chicken kabob, lamb roll, cheese plate, and the grilled Portobello mushroom. For two girls this was plenty of food to fill us up. Everything was cooked wonderfully. So many great flavors. To top off our great night here, our waiter was incredible. We sat for two hours taking our time eating and talking and never felt as if we were being rushed out. He was so friendly and helpful with the menu items. I'll definitely return here and would recommend this place! read more

Went on a Monday night. It was quiet and relaxed. Tuesday night are half off the tapas, I hear it gets packed that night. So come prepared. Defiant try the Lamb roll appetizer with the tzakiki sauce...forgetabout the pico this time and go authentic Mediterranean. Marcello is the master bartender and host. Their food is fresh, full of flavor. It is a must try. read more

Cafe Izmir - Cafe Izmir Champagne Cocktail...it tickles your nose and palette just right. - Middle Eastern Near Me - Dallas, Texas

This place has a great vibe and even better service! The staff is very accommodating and friendly. And let's talk about the food... Very fresh and delicious! The appetizers and small plates are my favorite... The hummus is great- creamy and tangy, though bursting with garlic. Falafels are also crispy and tasty, and come with a delicious green sauce. The veggie Piros are also worth ordering, especially if you are a vegetarian. Skip the roast tomatoes - nothing special. Lamb rolls are also very tender and flavorful. Live music on weekends is also amazing! read more

Cafe Izmir - Delicious desert with bread-like cake underneath caramel ice cream - Middle Eastern Near Me - Dallas, Texas

I hadn't been here in years, but I just stumbled across it on Favor, and I'm glad I did! I bought a variety of dishes, and they were all delicious. read more

Greetings again fellow foodie fans. I'm writing this particular review for one Shristi (hope I spelled it right), bartender at Izmir. No doubt the regulars know her or are getting to. I've been to Izmir several times and the service is typically pretty good, but on this Tuesday... yes Tuesday it was outstanding. I wish there were halves... this would be a 4.5 review 5 for Shristi and a solid 4 for food. No offense Izmir, it is devine, delicious and excellently prepared. But I will always have a place in my heart for Cafe Ba Ba Reeba in Chicago/Lincoln Park. Different as they are Spanish and these are more Turk/Crete; but I digress. Back to Shristi. Me and my buddy get there at 5:00 because on Tuesday this place is a nuthouse. $2 tapas and $14 pitchers of Sangria will do that ;). Being the relatively seasoned tapas eaters that we are; hummus and tabouleh right off the bat and a pitcher of Sangria to start things off. Right away, Shristi smiles and knows we're down for the goodness. Our sangria is right out and shortly behind it our appetizers. She kept a careful eye w/o being intrusive spotting like a hawk the right time for more pita; suggested delicious items on the menu and even repoured our glasses from the pitcher when she came by. Incredibly ebullient personality, knowledge and love of the food. I will *always* ask for her when I get back and I won't be surprised if she knows my name (I'm not going to count on it though ;) ). Food... excellent as always! We had the dolmeh, flavorful, right tooth in the rice with a nice lime/lemon finish. Beef kebob was cooked perfectly and the sumac did it right (suggestion from Shristi). Its the brown stuff on the table for those that didn't know. We also got falafal. Ok... word to the wise here, get this earlier on... oh my lord... it was incredibly tasty but it was like it expanded in my stomach and sopped up all the sangria... woofda! Lamb wrap was very good too. Now, after a delicious Turkish meal... coffee is in order. We already knew we were going to want it and apparently so did Shristi as she just said "coffee?" with a knowing look. Best cup of coffee I've had in as long as I can remember since I left Austin, Tx and lost my Texspresso access... perfectly sweetened, not too hot and straight out delicious. Delicious I tell you!! So, coffee down, I'm thinking Grappa / Uzo or something like it. Shristi says "port". We say, why thank you I think we will! Wish I could recall the name of it but it was excellent and closed out the meal just right. Can't wait to get back there again. Ask for Shristi y'all (that's Christy with a SH - heh how she explained it). Oh and value? Pitcher of sangria, 6 tapas, 2 coffees, two ports... 60 bucks! That's VALUE! K- read more

The food was great--classic mediterranean food. The chicken kebabs were nice and spicy, and the hummus was perfectly garlic-y. Even the grilled vegetables were very good. Even though the food was great, the service was just SO bad. Our server was overly energetic and tried to completely oversell us on everything--I felt like I was being sold a used car and all of the bells and whistles. (The oversell made sense when we found out when we got our bill that 20% tip is automatic for parties of our size.) And while the cold appetizers came out quickly, the main food took about 30-45 minutes to come out after we ordered. read more

This place is a nice fancy spot that is awesome for a date The service was great and the inside was very good looking and had a great ambience I recommend ordering one of the kabob plates I recommend the beef/kafta kabob read more

I really enjoy Cafe Izmir. My boyfriend and I have been here a couple times each with a Groupon (seem to be featured a lot, check it out). We did the dinner for 2 for $50 and applied the $20 credit from the Groupon. You get to pick three appetizers, three meats/entrees and three sides. The portions are large and the pita endless! The waitstaff is very friendly and accommodating if substitutions - we ordered baba ganoush as an appetizer and it was not one of the options. Atmosphere is cozy and comfortable. Street parking. We'll be back! read more

Cafe Izmir - Falafel, chicken kabobs, meat dolmas, grilled veggies, lamb wrap and rice. My pictures the 3 appetizers that came beforehand. So much food!! - Middle Eastern Near Me - Dallas, Texas

My girlfriend and I came here one night. The parking is valet only. The food was very good. I had the fried coconut shrimp and I loved it. However what really made this place special was the atmosphere at night. Even on a Saturday night it was not packed at all. The tables were covered in a nice white cloth with nice fake candles. And to top it off the hanging Christmas lights made the room a bit dimmed and really set the mood for a date night. Overall it was a great experience. I gave it four stars because the dessert was a bit overhyped by the waiter. read more

We started off with two glasses of cab. My wife had the darkhorse and i had the Chilean. (The darkhorse was the better of the two). We were encouraged to try the family style which isn't on the menu but is an awesome deal because u can go all veggie, all meat, or one of each which is what my wife and I did. We got falafels, and kabobs and all sorts of other amazing things. Before all that came out we got pipping pita served with hummus baba gnoush and tabbouleh. All three were amazing. Once we ate all we could we got dessert. I got the Turkish coffee and my wife got the baklava. Some of the best of both I have ever had. Atmosphere, service, and food were amazing. The only I didn't care for was being required to pay for valet. I don't mind tipping but being required was a little annoying. read more

Cafe Izmir - Hummus tabbouleh and baba gnoush - Middle Eastern Near Me - Dallas, Texas

I absolutely love this place!! I've been going here for 18 years and this is a true treasure!! First time I did takeout and it was amazing as always!! We ordered the quarantine for 2 and added a few of our favorites. Great value as always. Please try them out if you haven't & support this local business!!!! read more

Date night and we wanted comfort food i.e. Persian. This came up in our search. We had been really excited about this because of the reviews but it was unfortunately a letdown. First we arrived to find no parking - only forced valet. $5 okay. We go in and after a moment were greeted and asked to wait inside at the bar. After over 15 minutes of waiting we were told that a table would be cleared shortly. However, there had been quite a few tables cleared and ready while we waited. Perhaps we were overlooked by the larger parties that arrived after us? I must still be used to the big city where if you wait that long for a table you are given comp drinks or something. We were finally given a table and I will admit it was a nice corner booth. So a star for ambiance. Our waiter came and asked for our drinks order and handed us menus and left. On the menu was a sheet of paper listing the possible items to order. I suppose it is a do-it-yourself theme but typically a restaurant will ask if it is your first time dining at their establishment and will give an explanation of what to do. We ordered the plate of the beef kabob (Persian style koobideh), tabuli, side of Moma's rice, and the saffron chicken. The tabuli and also warmed pita bread came out quickly. Not bad but I've had better. The side salad from the plate dish was served next - nice seasoning for a side salad. Then the rest of our meal was brought and it all kinda of went downhill from there. I asked for a side of lime - it wasn't brought till I had finished eating. The side of rice didn't have saffron as indicated on the menu. Perhaps I misread? The saffron chicken was spicy and dry. The koobideh I wouldn't call Persian, it wasn't... I'm not sure what spice they used but something they used made us feel sick for the rest of the night. The restaurant was busy, quite popular though with a definitely older crowd (we didn't see any Middle Easterns dining there...) That can understandably cause a wait as they were short-staffed. However, needing to ask over 4 times for our check and continuing to wait for it to be brought while our server took additional orders at other tables, as well as continued to serve others was annoying. Really slow refills on water too. Maybe it was an off night for them but we won't be back. read more

MEDITERRANEAN MAMBA! My experience with Cafe Izmir began with their catering, which consisted of many different flavors. From cous cous to lamb rolls to hummus and more, the tastes and flavors seem to dance on my tongue. The food overall was light, but filling, without any overpowering flavors. My first impression was that their food presentation was vivid and lively, with so many colors and different vegetables with their distinct flavors. Easiest way to imagine this is to take an entire buffet and stuff it into catering dishes. SImply wonderful. And now, the glorious food. The Food: LAMB ROLL LAMBADA. I tried the lamb roll, hummus/pita bread, chicken kabob, saffron rice, roasted vegetables and roasted hot peppers. Lamb Roll: HOLY. Don't underestimate this lamb-tacquito-looking wrap, it packs a lot of baked leg of lamb and pico de gallo. It bursts with lamby goodness, without too much of the gamey flavor. The freshness and tartness of the pico de gallo balances the meaty lamb. The lamb roll is filling and is one of the top tapas that they offer. Make no mistake, if you like lamb, definitely try the lamb roll. Hummus/Pita Bread: TYPICAL HUMMUS AND PITA. There is not much you can do with hummus and pita, except to infuse strong and complex flavors. Here, the hummus looks literally like beige-colored blended chickpeas without any additional color or herbs/spices. The hummus and pita bread were plain compared to all the other flavors that Cafe Izmir had to offer (-1 star). Chicken Kabob: Chicken goodness. Marinated and grilled in their spice blend termed Izmir spices. Chewy, but tasty. The spices gave the chicken a flair, even though the chicken was in between moist and dry. Overall, the spices gave it flavor and I live for the flavor of chickeny goodness. Saffron Rice: Simple basmati rice with saffron-infused flavor. Pairs well with the chicken kabob and lamb roll, as well as the char-flavor of the roasted vegetables and hot peppers. Great palate cleanser and highly recommend over the pita and hummus. Roasted Vegetables: BBQ VEGETABLES. Broccoli, bell peppers, and onions in a roasted vegetable medley. Drizzled with the perfect amount of olive oil such that the vegetables retain their natural flavors, as well as the gift that roasting provides them. Can stand alone as a solid dish and main entree for vegetarians. Roasted Hot Peppers: Spicy, tangy, and charred flavor that provide an edge to Mediterranean food. These peppers are serrano peppers, so they add a bit of unexpected heat, but really goes well with the spices and flavors of Cafe Izmir's Mediterranean cuisine. The flavor is less intense compared to jalapenos and due to the roasting, but it adds a sweetness cut by spiciness. Wonderful. The Verdict: THE FLAVORS KEEP DANCING. Overall wonderful flavors and balances between meat and vegetables, and spicy, salty, and sweet. The lamb roll is a must try: light, meaty, and refreshing. I'd skip the typical plain hummus and pita, and go for their saffron rice and/or flavored hummus. The roasted vegetables and hot peppers can stand alone as a dish, but they pair very well with the Mediterranean spices and dishes. Definitely try Cafe Izmir and you'll remember the savory dance on your taste buds. read more

Cafe Izmir - A buffet on a plate. Lamb roll, cous cous, saffron rice, pita bread, roasted vegetables and peppers, and chicken kabob. - Middle Eastern Near Me - Dallas, Texas

We bought the Yelp deal (great, BTW), and began to enjoy a romantic dinner. When we arrived we were greeted right away by a very friendly man. We chose to sit inside as the mood and lighting were just a little bit more romantic. We ordered the Sangria (special on Sunday--YAY!), and as everyone else has said, it was superb. We started off with Hummus and Babaghonoush (sp?). The pita bread was absolutely fantastic and both dips were flavorful and garlicy. This is where I thought Cafe Izmir could have done better. While everyone else is raving about the service, I thought there were bouts of inconsistency in their service. It started out very well, but then, after the appetizers, they seemed to forget about us. We were ready to order and seemed like one couple of maybe five in the place. It took them a while to notice were ready to order and the busboy/helper gave me a paper and told me I could order by using the paper and pen, or I could wait for our server. I opted for the paper and pen route, and then the helper took the paper and away he went. From there, it seemed to get better, the food came out (tapas-style, so as it was ready), and it was FABULOUS. We had the Dolmas; they were spicy (not heat, but SPICE). The grape leaves were tender and flavorful and they held together nicely. For sides we had the rice and Falafel. Both were great and complimented the meal wonderfully. The meats we had were the Piroshki and Lamb Rolls. Both were absolutely to die for. The Lamb Rolls come in a tortilla stuffed with a spicy pico de gallo mixture. They are very good and the lamb is oh so tender. The Piroshki's were wrapped in a wonton type roll and deep fried. Very good mixture inside of cabbage, etc. We will definitely be back, as I am sure we encountered the waiter in an off-moment, as everyone else raves about the service. read more

Cafe Izmir - Sangria, Hummus, and Dolma - Middle Eastern Near Me - Dallas, Texas

Service| If you want 5 star treatment, I recommend to come here. The FOH crew were unbelievable with their attentiveness and descriptive menu IQ. Let's say my tables waters were never half full and pita baskets were happy. Atmosphere| A great place for a date or a family gathering for a intimate conversations without distractions from todays technologies and enjoying each others company with food that touches the soul. Menu| For the Mediterranean lovers, from apps to desert. Mouth watering, flavorful, and entrees that are soul satisfying. My family ordered freshly made Pita bread and hummus, falafel, chicken, beef kebob platters and pomegranate shrimp platters with veggie plates. I did question if their grandma was in the back bc the entrees had the authentic taste. Recommendation| I would highly recommend this restaurant to others when they want to explore international food. There is not an american twist, 100% authentic even with the staff. The owner, Bo, is amazing individual and great to talk to. He took time to talk to our family for my mom and sisters birthday celebration. I would say the only con, is the $5 valet, I would rather have it to be complementary and we tip the valet. Other than that, LOVE this place. read more

Cafe Izmir - Chicken, beef kebob and pomegranate shrimp platters - Middle Eastern Near Me - Dallas, Texas

Wow! The food here was amazing. Even the coffee was great. The parking there is amazing because at first I thought I wouldn't find parking but the valet team was on it. They saw me pull up and they were ready. Good clean food. Just wow. I was left speechless read more

Cafe Izmir is the best - I've been going in and ordering out for years! I had my birthday dinner for 15 friends on the screened porch last night and no surprise it was delicious and the staff was so accommodating! Marcelo was so helpful and patient with our large group! Thank you Marcelo! read more

Let me start by saying this place has been on my list for yrs, I should have visted sooner as the food is FANTASTIC. Everything we had complimented each other. - Izmir Hummus reminded me of Israel - Sweet Potato Fries - Could be the best in Dallas - Grilled Portobello's - Fresh and marinated well - Grilled Asparagus - you can never go wrong - Chicken Kabob - hearty pieces cooked to perfection - Lamb Roll's - A MUST - Meat Dolmas - Good - Grilled Quail - It might have best my favor. Its a toss up w/ the Lamb roll's Great service, good ambiance and worth going back read more

Cafe Izmir - - Chicken Kabob's, Lamb Rolls, Portobello Mushrooms, Asparagus, Olives, Meat Dolmas, Quail - Middle Eastern Near Me - Dallas, Texas

I go here quite often and as you can imagine there are times on the weekend that it can be packed. One night my SO and I showed up at just the wrong time. Everyone seemed to have just sat down, more were standing around and then we arrive. We were met by Bo and he had told me that he would take care of us, but that being said there were so many people there was no way to be taken care of the wait staff could barely get through much the less any room to spare. "Mom" walked in like a boss, too my arm and said, "Bo will take care of you" and then went to the kitchen. Again everyone was nice, but there was just nothing to do. Just as I wondered if I should try my luck somewhere else, a lovely lady, Shristy, pushed her way through the crowd with a glass of wine in one had and a tray in the other. She said, "take this" and held the glass of wine in front of me. I told her I didn't order wine. She then asked, "do you want it?" I did and stood waiting on a table while I drank two glasses of wine. By the time one table was ready, there were several available. Again we just arrived at the wrong time. I have never figured out why hummus can be so good. This is my favorite hummus ever. We always joke since the bowl is always dry by the time the food arrives. The pomegranate shrimp was so tasty with slight sweetness. There is a ton of flavor packed in them. With the Dolmas the grape leaves are the perfect tenderness. The felafel were hot, crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. If you don't get immediate service "Sam" will show up and take your drink order. It is okay if you don't know what you want, he is always up to give his recommendation, and he has only picked winners for me so far. read more

Cafe Izmir - Middle Eastern Near Me - Dallas, Texas

Cafe Izmir had some misses tonight, but it is still one of our favorite places in the 'hood: - white wine bottle was not cold, like it had been in the frig for 10 mins - service was slowest ever, about 25 minutes wait for our few simple tapas - greek pound cake was painfully dry- should not have been served We'll keep coming back, and hopefully the misses dissipate over time. read more

I've heard about this little gem for several years. Marked it on Yelp last year and just got a chance to stop by. First, don't let the parking situation scare you. The valet is right there for $5. The place is small so I'm sure they get crowded. We started with hummus which was delicious. Moved on to a glass of super wine that was reasonably priced. Dolmas were fresh and the beef kabob excellent. I suggest you go soon. read more

See all

This is an example of a restaurant where even if the food was bad...you'd go back due to the outstanding service. Everyone makes you feel like family and are extremely friendly. Having said that...the food is outstanding as well. They brag a bit about their hummus and with good reason. It is simply divine. We attended for our second visit on NYE and our out of town guest were still talking about it the next day! If you are looking for good Mediterranean food, stop looking now and go to Cafe Izmir. read more

Location: Parking in front of the restaurant is non-existent. Its either $5 valet, or park across the street in the parking lot. Greeting: Warm & friendly, low key, cozy with less-is-more decor, although the plastic plants on the tables & in the restrooms are a little cheesy. Service: Very good Food: Had the regular hummus, olives appetizer, both recommended as they were prepared unlike anything I've ever tasted before, and the olive marinade is awesome with the flatbread. Side salad was good. Chicken Ka-bobs entree: awesome chicken with steamed broccoli & long white rice. Ambience: Very good with a Mediterranean vibe & appropriate music. Was shocked as I left the venue to discover a man sitting on the bar playing guitar singing in a native tongue! I thought it was a recording read more

I keep getting that sexy waiter who likes to touch his female patrons on the shoulder as he is talking to you. It works!! I always tip a little extra. BEST hummus. Their tabouli was a little lemony the first time I had it, but when I came back, it was right on point. The chicken is tender and very flavorful. I have had both the chicken kabobs, and the saffron infused chicken. I am not a fan of the lamb rolls. It is basically a tortilla with veggies and some shredded meat they say is lamb. The flavor on that was pretty bland. The veggie plate is good. Perfectly crisp veggies cooked in some kind of oil that has a slightly sweet taste. I also had their Greek cake a la mode. I would at least recommend trying it. It is not as sweet as what I am used to with American desserts, but like I said, I'd recommend trying it as well as the other desserts I saw floating around there. I love this spot. FYI your Groupons and Yelp deals are NOT valid on Tuesdays, becasue that is customer appreciation night, and they have a discounted menu that night. It would be nice to know this ahead of time. read more

Cafe Izmir - Lamb rolls, veggie plate, falafels, chicken kabob, saffron chicken kabob - Middle Eastern Near Me - Dallas, Texas

See all

I love the food at this restaurant. My husband and I have been going to eat at this restaurant for the past 10 years. It's a family owned Mediterranean restaurant and the food is consistently good. The service is also good, but the drinks are average. As for food, i love the hummus, pita bread, cheese plate, baked sweet potato, chicken salad, lamb rolls, coconut shrimp, saffron rice, the dolmus meat rolls and the Eegra eggplant dish. I always get all of this and take the left-overs home. read more

Great restaurant to visit if you're looking for somewhere new and intimate. It's located down the street from the Granada Theatre on Greenville so if you've been there then valet at the restaurant is definitely worth it during peak dinner hours. It's a small but very romantic setting. The decor is elegant but still allows for semi formal and casual wear, however most people are there for some type of occasion during the weekends. The staff is beyond accommodating and friendly, everyone really goes the extra mile to make sure you have an excellent experience. The portions are tapas so you'll be ordering several small dishes; it makes for a different and more interactive dining experience since you'll most likely be sharing a few things. There is excellent live music on Fridays and Saturdays. The guitarist is not too loud and plays anything from American singer/songwriter hits to Latin guitar, Brazilian romance and even Persian acoustic. It adds nicely to the ambiance. The food is some of the best Medittarian/Persian food I've had in Dallas. If you're not sure just ask your waiter what's good, they are all of Persian or Latin descent and very helpful based on your likes and dislikes. I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking to have an intimate night out or going somewhere different and elegant with a close group of friends. read more

See all

It is rare when a place gets everything right. Cafe Izmir is one of those places. I'm still glowing from a magical evening. I have to say that it is one of the most romantic spots in Dallas. From impeccable service to unbelievable food...it was an almost perfect date night dining experience. What would have made it perfect? Maybe if they had comped our meal for gracing them with our presence...but I didn't really expect that. First, let me start by encouraging you to make reservations. We did not, but I think we just got lucky. We were immediately sat at a very small table for two, and very apologetically told it was the only seat in the house. We found it perfectly acceptable, especially since we showed up unannounced. Not more than ten minutes after we were seated, there were at least five tables on the waiting list. Second, lets talk ambiance. Cafe Izmir is very small, but even fully sat with more people waiting at the door, it never felt overcrowded. The overhead lights were dim, but not so much that reading the menu was challenging. Twinkling strings of white lights added to the romance. The noise level in the bustling restaurant was completely tolerable, and the lovely live guitar music coming from the bar area was at a perfect volume--louder than the buzz of conversations around us, but not so loud that we had to raise our voices to flirt with each other. The tapas-driven menu is perfect...I always feel like there is something intimate about sharing food. So let's get to the food. We started with the hummus (check in on Yelp and it is free!). We passed on the garlic free Date Night Hummus, and threw caution to the wind. We figured there wouldn't be a problem if we both indulged. It was a well-calculated risk, the full-flavor hummus was maybe the best in Dallas. Yes, better than Ali Baba's. Really. And if either (or both) of us had offending breath, we didn't notice. Next up was the ground beef kebabs, or Kubideh. The tapas plate was a nice-sized serving for two and it was excellent. It came with a bit of ziziki (yogurt and cucumber) sauce that was a nice addition. We also ordered the Pomegranate Shrimp Spicy--five large shrimp over a small serving of rice. An amazing, tart, white wine and pomegranate sauce gives the kick to the shrimp and the rice. It was a favorite for sure, as was the Saffron Chicken Kabob. Tender, bone-in, flame-grilled chicken with the perfect amount of seasoning. Yum. We ordered the grilled vegetables to complement our selections. They were fantastic and we ate every bite of the onion, mushroom, okra, bell pepper, squash, asparagus and pineapple medley. It was truly a standout. We also tried the meat dolmas--our server recommended them over the veggie ones. They were the only sub-perfect element to our meal. The grape leaves were tough and the dolmas fell apart when we tried to eat them. Finally, I'd be remiss if I didn't give props to the bread. It tasted freshly made and authentic. No prepackage pita here. Are you hungry yet? As wonderful as the food was, the service was even better. Our waiter was engaging and attentive, our drinks were filled at appropriate times and even the owner came by our table to make sure we were satisfied. All of this and we found the prices to be extremely reasonable. Even more so with a Groupon discount. Cafe Izmir will definitely be a go-to date night location in the future! read more

Excellent middle eastern food and service. I just got a chicken kabob with saffron rice instead of the chicken kabob plate (which seems to just have maybe a few more chunks of chicken and a side salad which was pretty average). Apparently, we were supposed to order the hummus here because it's what they're known for, but they gave it to us for free because we needed to try it. Definitely will order it next time! It was really smooth and had a nice garlic taste as well. The chicken was cooked well, but I feel like they could've seasoned it a little more. Saffron rice was standard. Overall excellent and quick service. Parking might be a little difficult because the whole lot next to the restaurant is reserved for the pizza place next door. I just parked on a side street. read more

I come to this place all the time. Chicken gyro over rice is always on par. It usually gets two meals for me. Love this place.

Incredible food - the veggie spring roles, lamb wrap and falafel were the favorites. I'd highly recommend!

I highly recommend this place after bringing a bunch of friends here to host a birthday party for a friend. I was blown away with the generosity and level of service the server/manager gave us. Everything from making sure our table was ready to accommodate our large group in time to remembering and addressing me by name every time we talked--everything made it a super inviting experience. My friend definitely had an amazing birthday (cake included). I really enjoyed the ambiance of the place and the food, especially the kabobs were great given the price. I was thoroughly impressed. I don't often leave these reviews but these guys deserve it for the great experience! read more

The girlfriend and I decided to take a stab at this place for Mediterranean-ish food. Were very impressed by the romantic, low-lighting ambiance and welcomness. The menu was easy to navigate through if you're new to this type of food. Food was delicious as well as the wine (Sangre de Toro). Not a 5-Star review just because the Hummus has dairy and my girlfriend is lactose intolerant. Overall, great pick. read more

Cafe Izmir - Middle Eastern Near Me - Dallas, Texas

Finally I have time for a review! I have been a customer of Izmir for about 3 years now. Never disappointed. Taste is perfect! As others said, hummus is a must have, try all the tapas as they are perfect to try out a variety of things! Wine is always great to have and they have a beautiful little seating at the back. The customer service is always superb as they ask if you need anything else, recommend you things to try and will make small talks to ease you in :) Don't like small talks? it's okay too as they recognize that and leave you! :P Just come in and you will love it read more

Cafe Izmir - All amazing food! We have the saffron chicken, the beef kebab, portobello mushrooms , lamb wrap and of course the hummus! - Middle Eastern Near Me - Dallas, Texas

Hmm. I want to review this place well but they nearly ruined my birthday. They "lost" my reservation so we had to wait an additional 45 minutes to be seated. The server accidentally poked my friend in the eye... and then they fought with her over a discount code (after erroneously choosing one of the people in the party to just charge an extra $20 on their tab) and in the process of trying to show it to them, they managed to log her out of the account and she didn't know the password to get back in. It was all a mess. They tried to make up for it by giving me a bottle of wine to have my guests sign and they started with a happy birthday from cafe Izmir, but a 2.5-3 hour meal riddled with one disaster after another left me less than thrilled to return again in the future. read more

This place is delicious. We have only had about 25% of what's on the menu and everything has been fantastic. We recently tried the spicy cabbage and it was so good. I would highly recommend eating here. They are super friendly as well. Look forward to trying more of the menu soon. read more

Absolutely fabulous. Highly recommend the hummus and pita bread to start, amazing and the bread comes nice and warm. I order the quail and it was the best I've ever tasted. It was marinated and grilled served with couscous. read more

Cafe Izmir - What's on the menu - Middle Eastern Near Me - Dallas, Texas

See all