We were pleasantly surprised by this cozy Mediterranean spot we stumbled upon while visiting New Brunswick. They have takeout downstairs and dining area upstairs. We shared a few dishes: eggplant salad, feta plate and falafel platter with creamy hummus. The tangy feta was served with slices of cucumbers, tomatoes and olives. The smooth humus was served with four falafel placed on top. The eggplant salad was seasoned well. The fresh baked bread definitely elevates the dishes. Everything was incredibly flavorful and clearly made with fresh ingredients. We didn't finish so don't over order. The service was another highlight. Our server was genuinely sweet and attentive as busy as it was. We didn't have room for dessert, but the baklava looked absolutely delicious -- definitely something to come back for! read more

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Ordered via DoorDash so that may have changed the experience. The falafel was very greasy. I could barely eat them. However, the hummus was delicious and so was the pita. Also the babagaloush was very tasty. read more

Efes Mediterranean Gril - Mediterranean Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

I've been to the Efes in Princeton numerous times, but had yet to try the New Brunswick location. The interior of this 2nd floor restaurant is nicer and more spacious than the other location. I love the decor and the lighting fixtures for an authentic Turkish feel. It creates a great ambiance. Our food and service were both great. We started off with the hummus appetizer. Both the hummus and the accompanying pita was fresh and delicious. We ordered numerous entrees from Kabobs, Gyros, to Vegetarian dishes. My friend found her food to be too spicy, while I found my Gyro Platter to be too bland. That's where the wonderful white sauce (yogurt sauce) and red sauce (spicy) added perfect additions to my meal. I would definitely go back here again. read more

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Amazing location and ambiance. Great service with great staff.. Turkish food without a doubt is amazing. Located near Rutgers University on the corner with 2 floors and an attached Cafe and near Robert Wood Johnson Hospital. Prices are decent and transportation is nearby. So many food options that you have to go back. read more

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What a vibe! Upstairs is the main dining area which is very nicely designed. Ther service we recientes was great too - friendly and helpful with picking menu options. We started with the Mediterranean salad which was deliciously refreshing. The zucchini pancakes were great too, great flavor and cook on them, even better with the white sauce that comes alongside the free bread for the table. For the entree I had the chicken kebab yogurt-- not much description on the physical menu but it was recommended as I wasn't in the mood for any red sauce. Chicken had amazing flavor and cook, even the next day for leftovers it tasted great! It doesn't come with any sides which is the only downside of it; a choice of a side like rice, salad, or fries would've been better especially for the hefty price. read more

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Always great food :) Efes has been around for a long time. Cute resturant upstairs. Love the chicken kebab , with rice, and salad. read more

Efes Mediterranean Gril - Mediterranean Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

My wife and I came here on a whim after work before heading home and we enjoyed our meal. The Turkish break with the hummus was really good as were the grape leaves. The Grape Leaves had a sweetness to them I wasn't used to but I loved it! Looking forward to going back and trying more things. Lamb Adana Kebab (not pictured) was solid! (7.5/10) read more

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Sidewalk dining option in summer with some all the traditional veggie options. When you order hummus and falafel, you need to order the pita separately. Of course, you could go with the wrap but the wrapping doesn't include hummus. Note: Nassau street is fairly noisy - so dine inside if you want to have a decent conversation. read more

Efes Mediterranean Gril - Falafel wrap - Mediterranean Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

I've been coming here for years definitely over a decade. My family has always loved this place and now I do. The food is great. I recommend the Chicken Kabab platter (white meat cubes), the Lamb Adana platter, Gyro platter, or any of those as a sandwich in a pita. Also definitely get the Babaganoush. The Tabouleh is also good I get it occasionally. The service has gone downhill over the years. They skimp on the sauce that comes with it now they only give you 1 or 2 sauce containers of the "white sauce" (yogurt) and the red sauce ( hot sauce). Every time I pick up I ask for extra and I would get it but now you have to ask at time of ordering. So I do so but I get home and see they actually didn't give me extra. The standard amount they give is not enough for the platters. Ive never sat inside and at but there's a few tables at front and a dining room upstairs that looks so nice. Parking is a nightmare, street parking. read more

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Recently visited this super cute gem in New Brunswick. Wasn't feeling my best so I went and treated myself to a dimly lit and intimate dining experience. The UPSTAIRS dining is just WOW ...The ambiance, the food, the presentation, and the service was just what my soul needed. Although I was craving a lamb shish kebab pita sandwich, the item is not offered as a dinner entree, only lunch. Thankfully, the server added a fresh and warm pita so that I could satisfy my craving. Everything was fresh.. The lamb was delicious and fries were great. Overall, whatever your mood, you won't be disappointed. Aside from the decor, what I loved the most is the night views over this busy Easton Avenue strip. read more

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I was here in NJ and had to cater a meal for an event. Spoke to Brandon who was very professional and patience with me. The food for pick up was ready on time. The portions were reasonable and it tasted really good. My only advice is to ask for more yoghurt sauce and salad dressing. read more

Order is always ready on time. Food is always exceptional and very tasty. Definitely owners and staff take care to serve quality food and maintain excellent standards. Very convenient location in downtown New Brunswick business district and very near to Rutgers University, NJTransit station and RWJ University Hospital campus. I live out of town but always look forward to Efes Mediterranean Grill when I am in the area over the years. read more

I returned to Efes for lunch pre-theater. It was excellent (food quality & service) Facilities are clean. They are a 15-min walk to the theater STNJ.org Near many parking garages near by. read more

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Good food, mediocre (at best) service. First, they wouldn't give us a booth because they were all "reserved." None of these "reservations" showed up the whole time we were there. Ok, it's *possible* that they were reserved and no-showed, so I won't ding them for that. Started with tap water without ice. Room temperature. Uh, a bit odd but ok I guess. Next, looked at the silverware and there was old food crusted on the knife. Ick. Pointed it out to the server who just swapped it with one from an adjacent table. No apology (if I were the server I would have apologized). I ordered a gyro platter. I like to make a pita sandwich with my gyros so I ordered an uncut pita with it. Platter came out, no pita. I asked again for an uncut pita; a few minutes later they brought me a pita cut into 4. Once again, an uncut pita please. They finally brought it. Did not refill drinks, even water, at all during the meal. Did not ask how everything was until at least 20 minutes after we were served, by which time we were done and waiting for the check. The food *was* pretty tasty, I can't take that away from them. But for a Sunday night that was not busy at all (maybe 20% tables occupied) the service could have been a lot better. Also, not for nothing, but every person in the restaurant pronounced it gyro, as in gyroscope. I mean, you work there, you should know. read more

Absolutely love the vibe and energy here! Definitely try to dine in and sit upstairs if you can. The restaurant is absolutely beautiful inside, you almost feel transported to another place in time. The waitstaff is all Turkish so if you're seeking authenticity, they are really great about helping you. The food is really great. It has your typical Turkish fare, iskender, and adana. But it's all very well done and delicious. Their hummus is really good and their shepherds salad is a real shepherds salad. The prices are not the cheapest but you're paying for the experience which is worth it. Definitely recommend getting a coffee at the end and enjoying yourself while you're here. I believe the food is halal which opens up options for many people. Overall excellent experience. read more

Efes Mediterranean Gril - Chicken Adana - Mediterranean Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

My partner and I stopped by to grab dinner before heading back to the city, and this place is so cute! The first floor looks like a normal take out place, however, if you go up the stairs you'll end up in their sit down restaurant. This place can get really busy after 730pm, so make reservations if you can. The service is a bit slow, but the food is delicious! My partner and I ended up getting a platter to share, which was enough for us. The meat was perfectly cooked and seasoned. The lamb is good quality. We also ordered the Turkish coffee and Turkish tea, which was a nice end to our meal. All in all, great place! Stop by if you're in the area! read more

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They have vegetarian mantı! Bu restorandan dışarında New York alanında vejeteryan mantı bulunmaz. Ne lezzetliydi - buraya gelene kadar ben İstanbul'da yediğim ıspanaklı mantıların hakkında sık sık düşünüyordum. Bugünden beri mantı isterken ben İstanbul'a değil, New Brunswick'a gideceğim! read more

My go-to mediterranean dine in and delivery restaurant. BYOB! Always have great service, everyone is always so friendly. The dining area is up the stairs but take out can be taken on the first floor. The lentil soup is a classic if you are in the soup mood. It comes with a lemon which brightens up the flavors. They offer some type of bread on the table when you dine in, I suggest to dip it in the soup! Can't go wrong with a cold appetizer; babaganush or ezme. Always fresh and also pairs with the bread. There was a point in time when I would always order the Mucver (zucchini pancakes) they went so well with their yogurt based sauce. On days I just want a salad, I get the Sheppards salad with lamb or chicken. They cut up tomatoes and cucumbers thick so it's easy to eat with a fork. Also have had the Chicken Gyro Doner or Gyro Doner, a higher quality version of a platter since the meat is very tender and seasoned well. Have been recently trying their desserts and my new love is the Kunefe. Highly recommend to eat it when it's served because it is hot and adds to the experience. Love this place ! read more

Efes Mediterranean Gril - Gyro Doner - Mediterranean Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

Meditterannean restaurant at New Brunswick, Nj Took out lamb gyro sandwich, lamb shish kebab and tabuli. I liked the kebab with rice and salad, gyro was salty, their version of tabuli had no tomatoes but scallion in it which i didn't like. When i added tomatoes and lemmon juice, it tasted much better. read more

Great authentic Turkish food, super friendly service and wonderful atmosphere. I highly recommend for dining in, it is group friendly. read more

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I was really looking forward to trying this place since it's close to me and has good reviews. I was so disappointed after ordering the "gyro doner". I ordered a large without rice and fries and just got it with salad. It came with a 2 pita breads and some red sauce and tzatziki/white sauce. When I got home and opened the bag I was immediately disappointed at the size but still hoped for a win in flavor. Well the disappointment did not end. The meat was very bland and the sauces couldn't add flavor because they also had no flavor. Both sauces were watered down versions of what they should have been. The tzatziki which should have been the consistency of yogurt was instead the consistency of milk. The salad was very basic. If they added some feta, it could have added some flavor. I spent $20 and still had to take the meat out, add it to a pan, and season it for it to be palatable. This also allowed for some pieces to get a little crispy which made it better. The pita bread was also very dry and needed a decent tzatziki to eat it with. Sadly, this place is a no for me. read more

Efes Mediterranean Gril - Watery White sauce - Mediterranean Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

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My friend and I visited one of the many Mediterranean restaurants in the New Brunswick area, Efe's, as a late lunch/early dinner! It was nearly empty around 4:30 pm and we were seated immediately. The service was very good and we were presented with compliments warm, fresh pita with two different sauces! My friend ordered the falafel platter and I got the grilled chicken with fries. The chicken bites were very moist, tender, and flavorful and the fries were well-seasoned! I enjoyed the decor and vibe of the location, and my only complaint is that the food was slightly salty. read more

Efes Mediterranean Gril - Mediterranean Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

Efes was a wonderful place to celebrate a friends birthday!!! Waiters were very friendly and quick to fulfill our requests for more water, pita etc. They also allowed us to pick a cake from the bakery next door and then brought it to the table with candles! Very helpful and friendly staff! The food itself was ALSO amazing. My group ordered a large variety of kebabs, mine was the lamb shish kebab and it was probably the best I've ever had. Perfectly spiced and cooked! Our table also had rave reviews about the lamb Adana, mixed grill and chicken gyro. Decor was beautiful too with Turkish artifacts and lamps and pictures on brick walls and nice lighting to create a very nice ambiance. read more

Efes Mediterranean Gril - Lamb Adana Kebab - Mediterranean Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

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I ordered the zucchini pancakes to start, and for entree had the gyro sandwich. The zucchini pancakes reminded me of latkes and were crisp and tasted great ! The gyro sandwich itself was great and they did not skimp on the meat!! Lastly the fries were crispy and fresh with plenty of flavor. Overall the service was quick and we got our food quickly. Highly recommend ! read more

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On Christmas Day, I ordered Efes at work and it was the fastest delivery I've received. I ordered the falafel plate and it is served with lettuce , tomatoes, onions, rice, and falafel. The easy Mediterranean salad was fresh and crisp. The rice was cooked perfectly and had an excellent flavor. You can taste the seasoning in each grain. The falafel balls were simply delicious; crunchy exterior with a warm, vibrant green interior as soon as you bite into it. Efes is on a pricer end, but the quality is amazing. read more

Efes Mediterranean Gril - Falafel plate - Mediterranean Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

The kebabs are phenomenal. The service is good and the ambiance is enjoyably Mediterranean. The desserts, too, are excellent.

The food is okay, I would say the chicken is good, however, there better options near the area.

We had a hankering for some quality sit-down Mediterranean dishes after hanging out with friends downtown and were glad we stumbled upon Efes. Located on a street corner, they have a downstairs to order take-out or a cozy, dimly lit upstairs adorned with traditional Mediterranean art. The upstairs makes the place look authentic and sets the mood quite well. Their menu has a good variety of dishes at great prices. They offer small portions and large portions, which make it great for ordering multiple dishes to share. We decided to go with a Large doner plate and the falafel hummus appetizer. The falafel hummus was delicious. The hard-crust outside of the falafel combined with the soft inside made it perfect for keeping its consistency while dipping in the tzatziki (I think) and balsamic sauce. The pita bread was a bit hard, but the fresh hummus really made up for it. The chicken doner plate was excellent for sharing after the appetizer. It was light, fresh-tasting but also filled us both up just enough. The vegetable variety and garden rice mixed quite well on the plate. It wasn't too crowded when we went on a Sunday afternoon, but I imagine the place could get crowded at times during the school year. It looked like a family business and I'd gladly support this local business any time. It's street parking only, which is unfortunate, but on Sundays street parking is free (if you can get a spot). read more

Efes Mediterranean Gril - Falafel Hummus dip - Mediterranean Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

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Happened to go again for Mediterranean cuisine second time in a day. An addiction for over 10 years now. I think, this is the best Mediterranean restaurant in our area. * * We ordered : Cold Appetizer Platter Stuffed Grape Leaves Chicken Adana Kababs Lamb Shish Kababs Everything I eat here is very very tasty. I never ever had anything unflavorful here. The staff is very friendly and helpful. I love you efes ! Food : 5 Stars Ambience : 4 Stars Service : 5 Star read more

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I ate at Efe's on 2/11/21 and I am giving them 4/5 stars. I ordered over the phone and picked up the food myself. I certainly recommend this as it takes a little while to make and even their estimate was a little off from when the food was actually ready. My initial reaction to opening up my takeout was disappointment. I did not think the meat looked very good and was worried. But I was incorrect to judge this book by its cover. I throughly enjoyed the gyro and it was cooked to perfection. The salad is really just there for show and just to mix it up a little. It brings very little flavor or benefit to the dish. I did enjoy the white sauce very much. However, the red sauce was not for me. It wasn't very flavorful and didn't add to the overall experience. The standard pita is always a welcome addition for me and I enjoy it very much. I will certainly be returning because there are many fine dishes on this menu to look into for the future! read more

Efes Mediterranean Gril - Gyro Doner - Mediterranean Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

Very disappointed in this place, especially because it had a 4 star review. First off, there is a take out area downstairs with only 2 tables and no signs to indicate there is a full sit down restaurant upstairs which is what I was looking for but did not know as it was my first time there. We had already placed an order in the take out area and when we went upstairs, thinking we could find a table to sit at we were told we could not sit there because what we ordered was not served at the sit down restaurant! With only 2 tables to sit at in the take out area downstairs, we were forced to eat in the car. One table was even being occupied by their own workers eating at it. There is a cafe connected next door that seems part of the same restaurant, which had seating but they also told us we could not sit there! The food was horrible, for a Greek place you'd expect the gyro wrap to be in a pita but it was just meat with lettuce in a tortilla wrap. The service was also extremely slow, especially for a simple meal to be put together. One of the worst dining experiences I've had and there are so many better options in the area!! read more

The food is delicious and fresh. I especially love the bakery section, they have a variety of good sweets.

Good food. Always consistent and flavorful. Service is fast. Family friendly. Noise level is moderate. Informal setting. read more

Love love their food. The yogurt kababs soooo good. The garlic chicken is delish!! Their falafels are good but sometimes a bit salty for my tastes buds. I'll update with pics next time I order. read more

Always Fresh & Quick. These guys do a GREAT JOB!! I Always get lamb GYRO or Chicken (Sandwich) Highly recommend. Picture of the aftermath....lol That did not SUCK read more

Efes Mediterranean Gril - Mediterranean Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

Can't go wrong with Efe's. I don't eat lamb but the way they seasoned and cooked it, I would eat it again. I love their grilled chicken and of course baklava for dessert. Highly recommended! read more

Food is bland. They take foreverrr to bring your food out. Servers weren't very nice either. It looks pretty but thats all its got. Id suggest just go to sahara down the road instead. read more

My sister and brother-in-law took us to this place for dinner after smashing a few beers at a near by brewery. This place was busy at around 9:30 pm, which is when we were here. Service is a bit slow and the staff always looked extremely stressed. Food is delicious, but expensive. Between the 4 of us, we ordered 2 Entrees, Chicken Pirzola, which was a relatively small portion but priced at ($17). Everything was great, until an extremely loud group seated right next to us. Difficult situation for restaurant owners to control such groups, but I wish the staff had at least made an attempt. read more

Efes Mediterranean Gril - Chicken Pirzola ($17) - Mediterranean Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

Wow Efes....even take out was great ! If you are looking for a place to order takeout from, this is it. They are super clean and handle your food with the care that is needed in this time. They are very fast and accurate with the time your food will be ready. They also give you wipes with your utensils that I think are ideal when ordering take out. We ordered their chicken garlic and their tas kebab. Great in flavor. My friend mentioned how he thought the chicken garlic had an overpowering amount of garlic not really letting him enjoy the other flavors & I do agree. However, everything was great and I highly recommend. We also got a bag full of pitas that I thought was pretty neat. Hope you guys give it a try ! read more

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My husband and I stopped in for an early dinner and the food was excellent. He ordered the lamb kabob and I ordered the chicken kabob. We also ordered the stuffed grape leaves for appetizer. For dessert we had kunefe. The service was attentive, friendly and warm. The ambience was relaxing. We look forward to coming back the next time we are in the area. read more