The people running the show at Efendy have no empathy, are untrustworthy and negligent, are utterly unprofessional, and have zero customer service and communication skills. My mother's 60th milestone birthday party was intended to take place at Efendy for friends and family. The event was booked a month in advance after my mother made an appointment to view the venue and discuss the menu for the event. A credit card was given. Three days before the event, my mother called the restaurant to confirm the details of the birthday party. She was told that due to renovations, the event could no longer take place. The fact that no one from the restaurant even bothered to call my mother as soon as they were aware of this fact is obscene negligence. No one bothered to call at all, leaving no possibility of finding an alternative venue. It is shameful and cruel to be so careless in communicating to your customer that their highly anticipated event can no longer take place: an event that was intended to bring joy and connection in the midst of a pandemic year when people have struggled with feeling isolated. Shame on you Efendy. read more

Great restaurant went there for a 31st birthday, started with dips which consisted of pomegranate, capsicum humus, smoked babaganus and king prawns, shredded pastry, walnut with mini pide breads. For mains we to share, deep fried mussels, zucchini, feta and walnut gozleme, hot chicken wings and sautéed scotch fillet Between 6 ppl it was quite filling! The bread is soft and so good! We kept asking for more read more

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If you sit outside at Efendy and the wind changes ... it can be a smoky affair. It's great that Efendy BBQ their chargrilled meat and veggies in front of everyone. What a show. But the folks sitting outside were, admittedly, right in line to get a face full of smoke with their expensive lunches. Efendy is probably a little overpriced, but you're not just paying for the food -- the old house itself is quite a venue, inside and out. We had lunch here inside, and it was nice and quiet (we didn't have to shout and the oldies could hear ok). Our waitress was an odd but friendly woman who had the decency to tell us we had over-ordered. One dish was phenomenal: lamb & veal with gooey eggplant. Oh my. I think it's one of the best things I've eaten all year. I want to go back - just for the eggplant! Some of the other dishes weren't that amazing - the charcoal grilled chicken and some of the dips were satisfing but not extraordinary, and this place is charging a lot, so you expect something pretty special. Having said that, the zucchini fritters were unbelievably light and fluffy and tasted so ... wonderfully zucchinilike (I mean that in a good way), and we wished we had ordered more of those, and less of some of the other starters. The Turkish coffee comes with turkish delight, a nice touch. A great kids menu! My 4 year old nephew enjoyed the "stretchy ice-cream" and it had the most delectable vanilla fairy floss on top (which he shared with us, hurrah). The upstairs section was a bit dirty (dirty floors, bathrooms not that clean and with no soap). read more

Efendy - Restaurants Near Me - Balmain, NSW

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We had our family Christmas lunch here and the food was amazing. We had outdoor seating and the restaurant was very accommodating, swapping our benches for chairs and providing our Nan with a cushion for her to sit. The whole lunch consisted of 7 share dishes (a cold mezes, 2 seafood mezes, a hot mezes, 2 large plate dishes and a dessert). The whole affair took about 4 hours with a significant wait for the 2 large plate dishes, which were a Clay jug baked lamb shoulder Tandir and a rocket, brown fig, string haloumi salad. We didn't expect the lunch to take that long, but because the first few dishes were so rich and heavy it was actually good to have a break between meals. The baked lamb was delicious and we were told that it had been cooked for 6hrs! The staff were super friendly and very accommodating. We had outdoor seating as that was all that was available when we made the booking. When we first arrived, we were ushered to the table with bench seating. As we had a few elderly members in the family, we requested to have chairs instead and the staff had no problems accommodating that. Later we also asked for a cushion for one of the elderly guest to sit on and again there was no problems there. Great food and would definitely consider having future Christmas lunches there. read more

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Peckish for Turkish? Most Turkish places offend thee? Efendy is easily the best Turkish food outside of the Mother Country. What a treat for a Southern Californian where the only thing that's Turkish and decent is a towel. And what a pleasant surprise, no sweaty belly dancer gyrating in my face insisting that I get up and make a fool out of myself for all the Turkish truck drivers. You want some of that? Go to Erciyes in Surry Hills where the pide is to die for and the dancing is to die from. Back to Efendy (gentlemen in Turkish). The place is quietly inviting, the staff is patient, helpful and enthusiastic. Our server cleared her throat and shyly recommended 3 orders of King Prawn Wrapped in Kadaifi (shredded filo), nestled in a mound of Red Bell Pepper (Capiscum) Muhammara Sauce. It was so good it would have forced a Kosher Vegan off the wagon. Next time I will ask for the same 3 orders and hog them all to myself. The mezze are amazing. Humus with Pomegranite Seeds was so differnet from the Persian glop you get in most places. It transported a simple dip to a simply elegant dish. Next came Smoked Eggplant with Pepitas and Barberries, Black Sea Style Aged Kashir (Kasseri) cheese with Polenta and Walnuts both of which were delicious. Pan Fried Sardines elevated that lowly bait fish to heroic heights. Beer Battered Mussels with Almond Tarator made me believe that it is good to batter a mussel. Battering your spouse for grabbing the last one, not so good, but understandable. The Braised Leeks with Pickled Grapes and Goat Curds (good thing they spelled that correctly), made me want to eat all my vegetables.The Lamb Mini Pide was good, not great, but by that time I had already swilled two sour cherry martinis and dust bunnies sprinkled with Z'atar would have worked. The Duck Borek with Crushed Almond and Cinnamon in Filo was a riff on Pastilla and soared. And when there was absolutely no more room for a fennel seed out came the Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder baked in a custom made pan with fresh rosemary, smoked oregano and bay leaves fuming underneath and perfuming the huge chunk of bone in prime lamb. The couple at the next table had obviously ordered that before as they went positively feral with the bone. It looked like a Turkish Bath House in the 60's. They were gnawing on both ends of the bone and sucking the marrow like a pair of dingos. I thought that was so uncilivilized until I tasted the lamb and then happily joined the pack. You want the best Turkish food in Sydney? Look no further. You want the best Turkish food outside of Istanbul. You just found it. read more

I was here with a group of six yesterday - Efendy is in a classic old Victorian house that has had an immaculate renovation. We sat outside in the courtyard under a large table with an umbrella and the smells from the charcoal grill were all around us. Barbecue and exotic spices. Beautiful. I had the char-grilled whole snapper. It was probably the best fish I've had in recent memory. Everyone else had the lamb and the chicken dishes and everyone loved their meals. Afterwards we had coffees. I had the Turkish coffee which I grew up drinking with my Serbian grandma (supposedly reading my coffee cup was her way of finding out about the boys in my life, haha!). We sat around being silly and pretending to read each others coffees. The service from the wait staff was good. My only real gripe is the price and the value of the appetizers -- totally outrageous even for Balmain! It would be outrageous even in New York City! They charge per piece and one little kofte ball is $6!!! What have you got in there? A gold nugget? We also ordered the shrimp appetizer and on the menu it says "one king prawn", so I'm thinking that has got to be one hell off a king prawn! You know the kind that is about as long as your hand or something? But no... pretty average looking shrimp, not even sure I would classify it as a "king"... $7 a pop! I would come back to Efendy, but certainly no appetizers ever again. Oh yeah, and the Turkish Delights were soft and fragrant and had nuts in them. I love the kind with nuts in them! Lucky, I had to only have one and share the rest with everyone else, because I could have easily eaten all of them, lol. read more

Came here for breakfast over the weekend with my family. The set menu is versatile and really great value for $30. The menu is all inclusive and serves more than enough varieties of dips, breads, fruits and cheeses. Finishing with some eggs and sujuk. The staff were attentive and friendly and the restaurant was gorgeous. The setting is great for a long brunch session either with family and friends. I loved the variety of cheeses they had and our family liked mixing and matching with the dips. Certainly would recommend the breakfast but bring an open mind to try it all and a big appetite. I recommend the Turkish tea for those who haven't had the cuisine before as the coffee can be a bit strong. read more

Efendy - Restaurants Near Me - Balmain, NSW

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On the breakfast / brunch menu is a magnificent breakfast spread fit for royalty! Admittedly, most of the spread is dips and bread, but still, there is a huge selection and it looks super impressive when it comes out. The selection of dips are varied and unusual, as are the Turkish breads. The vegetables are standard cucumbers and tomatoes. There is a huge serving of 3 types of cheeses, including stringers! (I'm sure they're not the Stringers that were popular in the late 90s / early 2000s). The decor is cute and Turkish. Love the expansive courtyard. This is the place to take a group of hungry friends! read more

Had a 1 month wedding anniversary here. Incredibly impressed did the $95 set menu with Turkish wine and it was great. The service was excellent, the food was great, the wine was pretty good and everything was in incredibly fast. Make sure you check out the mini pide with pomegranate molasses and olive oil. read more

Great food, great service, what more could you ask for? This restaurant showed great potential and a high level of Turkish cuisine. One of the best Turkish restaurants I have ever been to. I highly recommend this restaurant to someone looking for a good not to expensive Turkish dinner. The people working here put a smile on your face. They were very nice and caring. This is a great restaurant. 5 stars! read more

Efendy - Restaurants Near Me - Balmain, NSW

Always fresh, always quick and always amazing. Service is great. I have always left this place happy and impressed. Couldn't recommend it enough. Decided to stop in as its been a month! Way too long a wait people...and believe it or not I don't work for this place! read more

I went to Efendy for the Turkish BBQ event that they had back in November. The deal was all their food was cooked outside over some nice slow burning charcoals. As you walked by you could smell the lamb mixed with herbs and spices fill the patio. At the same time you could hear the crackle and sizzle of the fat from the lamb keeping the meat perfectly moist and tender. I ordered some Ezmeli kebab, which is a mixture of minced veal, lamb, and lamb belly (mmmm fat). A friend of mine got the Tavuklu kebab, which is yogurt marinated chicken thighs. We had to try each others and I can easily say neither choice is better than the other. Both were perfectly cooked and full of herbs and spices that remind you that this is how a real kebab should be. read more

Great food, incredibly helpful staff, really nice outdoor seating area, well worth a visit. The salmon falafel was one of the nicest things I've eaten all year. A must visit place. read more

Efendy - Salmon falafel - Restaurants Near Me - Balmain, NSW

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Efendy has become one of my favourite local restaurants. The menus changes slightly with the seasons but the food and service are consistently impressive. The lahmacun is an irresistible staple (even if it has gotten smaller over the years). I highly recommend this place for a slow-paced, relaxing dinner under the stars. read more

Nice sitting outdoor when it's a warm day. I like they have lot of small plate to pick and share. The main dish is big enough to share with 4 people. We bought our own bottle wine but Sat is only day of the week that we can't bring wine in... Too bad. But they have good wine list to choose. The slow roast lamb was impressed!! The dessert just a so-so to me. Too much rose water in it, it's smell like soap or hand cream. read more

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Honestly my toddler could have made bEtter food at home. The food was bland and unoriginal and there were no options other than the set board of dips. read more

We had a very enjoyable dinner here. The food was very well cooked and presented with love. The staff were beyond hospitable and super friendly. This would be a great place to sit outside in the summer with a friendly sized group of people. For a cheap meal not the best placed to come, nor is it the best place for huge servings of Turkish food. But you pay for you get and the quality is amazing. Special. read more

Yum. Went here for breakfast. $30 each for shared food platter including eggs, chorizo, pasties, cheese, fruit and dips. Tea and coffee included. I didn't try the coffee but the Turkish tea was great. A different experience for breakfast. Attentive service. Will definitely return read more

Snog. I had been wanting to try Efendy for some time and finally made it for dinner on a Saturday night with friends. It was a balmy end of summer night and we were lucky enough to get one of the tables outside. The staff were very attentive and helpful with our orders. With two quasi vegetarians , we needed plenty of green stuff in the order, but it was easily done without sacrificing taste. To start we had the very good humus with pomegranates. baba ganuj, beer battered black mussels and the bomba, a really tasty dish of smoked eggplant, feta, and haloumi. For mains we had sardines, duck borek (delis)h , salads and gorgeous melting off the bone  slow cooked lamb. All the food was great and I am looking forward to going back and trying some more of their very good menu. read more

Nice set up, but way, way overrated food. We had the preset menu for breakfast, heralded as one of the best breakfasts in Sydney. Yeah, nah. Essentially served us eggs and breads and dip, honestly tasting like they came out of a can. Setting up fruit and dips on a nice platter doesn't make it taste nice. If you want real Turkish food, head to Auburn. read more

If you are looking for great atmosphere, all smiles and fanatstic service, feeling welcomed with kids and DELICIOUS food, than you can't go wrong. We've been there a dozen times, and the food, wine, dessert and service are consistently fabulous. The lamb shoulder and kofta are must tries. We are great fans , especially my three year old. See you again : ) read more

One of the better places in Sydney especially for a warm sunday brunch. Dips and pastries along with jam and meat. A wide range of tastes perfectly blended. Unlimited Turkish tea is also a positive read more

I'm not sure why this place always gets great reviews; when I went here 1 year ago with 3 other friends - the food was meh and the portions were super tiny and it was way expensive - being at least $40-$50 a person. I was not impressed. We were all really disappointed. read more

Consistently friendly, efficient and the food is delicious. This is a great place to bring a group, or just with a friend. This is real hospitality... read more

I have never enjoyed Turkish food so much. Efendy manages to serve up a variety of unique, delicious plates without going over the top with garlic. I loved the pomegranate humus, prawns and, baked eggplant and burghul salad- all were beautifully prepared and tasted amazing. The waiters were friendly, attentive and loved sharing their Turkish heritage with us. The prices add up, but is well worth it for genuine Turkish gustatory experience! read more

This is not a Turkish experience. They must've been having a bad day. We got a terrible experience. To pay $170 for breakfast for 4 and looking at my child the whole time like if she was going to break something was utterly rude. There's a lot more better options in Newtown area. I rarely write a review, however, this was worth noting. read more