Excellent service, pleasant Turkish music setting the ambience and ABSOLUTELY delicious food! Could not fault anything with the food. The food portions may look small but they sneak up on you. We ended up putting our main course in a to go box as the appetisers (pide and meze trio) filled us up :) read more

Esnaf is our new favorite mediterranean restaurant. Even though it's slightly farther from our home, we love to go there for their beautiful space, authentic food, relaxing atmosphere, and great service. They have interesting dishes and we particularly love their complimentary warm sesame bread. It's ultra delicious and each time my wife and I have to resist the temptation to eat more in order to leave space for the main dishes. It's a great place both for a relaxing family dinner or for a friend's get-together. Highly recommend it! read more

As someone who was born and raised in Turkey, I can vouch for the authenticity of their meals! None of the menu items disappoint and they remind home. Delicious. The staff is very attentive and service was pretty quick. We decided to eat here for my wife's birthday dinner and the ambience was perfect. Certainly looking forward to their breakfast menu as well. read more

We thoroughly enjoyed the Turkish breakfast for two. Every part of the meal, from the bread to the fruit, was fantastic. The service was great as well. We'll certainly be back for breakfast and to try dinner as well. Thanks Esnaf! read more

Esnaf - Part of the Turkish Breakfast meal - Turkish Near Me - San Carlos, California

Esnaf has become one of our favorite places to eat out! The have excellent Turkish food, and an excellent staff!

Oh we had such a nice time yesterday - I had heard of Turkish breakfast and then randomly came across this place and looked at the menu - Turkish breakfast! It's a sign, I must go! Hubby and I came here around 10:30 and the place was half full - I'm glad becasue I don't like a terribly crowded restaurant - but I wish it was full just to keep them in business. I think when enough reviews come out, this place will be booming. We ordered the Turkish breakfast for 2 and we had too much food to finish. The eggs were creamy and light, the tea was hot and delicious, the simit, roll with oil and pomegranate molasses, olives, cheese, honey, preserves, sausage slices, labne - all were so good - a nice presentation of goodies. Next time I'll need to try the menemen and Turkish coffee and of course dessert. I can't wait to come back here. The host and waitress were very nice and personable. The bathroom location is shared with Drakes next door, you have to go all the way through the kitchen to get to it - and since Drakes is larger, there was a line that took a while to get through as there were kids needing help. Hopefully this isn't a consistent problem. Most people don't need to go - I always do lol tiny bladder. Anyway, everyone in the kitchen smiled and I told them the food was delicious. Got back to the table and shoved two more bites down my throat even though I was full because the flavors were so good. Come to Esnaf - you will be so happy that you did :-) read more

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Food was delicious. Ate outside - place is small & I didn't want to deal with navigating my walker inside. Service was friendly and knowledgeable and helpful in making recommendations for dairy free options for one in our party. read more

Another fantastic meal at Esnaf! Took the whole family and everyone loved it--other than they ate too much! Susan was our excellent waitress and all the staff were helpful and accommodating. The appetizers, mushrooms, salad, lamb chop and trio platter were amazing. And the gelato! We will return! read more

We enjoyed this lovely small restaurant when we had dinner there the other night. Three of us shared a number of appetizers plus a salad. The meze trio was very good, especially the eggplant and the haydari. The endless bread to scoop everything up with was wonderful. The fried calamari was light and delicious. And the crispy manti are as tasty as many other reviewers mention. The servers were skilled, pleasant and attentive. Our only complaint is that the music was too loud for that small of a place...it made holding a conversation harder than it needed to be. Overall, a great experience and we all plan to go back. read more

The restaurant management was incredibly rude. It's honestly surprising they chose to be in the restaurant business with this kind of attitude toward customers. Because they didn't like the way our reservation was made, they asked half of our group to leave the restaurant. I've never experienced anything like this before. It felt extremely disrespectful and unprofessional. I would not recommend this place to anyone who expects basic courtesy and hospitality. read more

The food was okay, but it didn't satisfy me. The flavors were pretty bland and nothing really stood out. On top of that, the service was disappointing. We waited a long time, and the staff didn't seem attentive or welcoming. Overall, the experience wasn't worth it. I won't recommend here at all. Take ur business somewhere else. read more

Walked in for dinner at 6pm on a Saturday and nabbed the last indoor seating. Service is super friendly and the decor modern and welcoming. Enjoyed the warm complimentary bread with olive oil while waiting for friends. Best tasting dish was the grilled chicken thighs (tavuk şiş), which was super tender. Was curious about the crispy manti and it was just ok for me--feels a bit over hyped from other reviews. It was not mind blowing nor a dish I'd come back for. The three dishes (which we ordered as our mains) came out separately with probably five plus minutes wait time for each so it was awkward since we were all waiting until the last dish arrived before eating. A good addition to San Carlos dining scene. read more

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All dishes came out amazing! Turkish wine and beer were great! Service was outstanding! Ambiance was cozy and stylish! Our family had a great time as we tried and enjoyed this new resto! Highly, highly recommend !! You'll thank me for sure :D read more

I couldn't believe the reasonable prices!!! Had Thanksgiving dinner there last night. What a cultural treat! I've never had Turkish food, and while I was a bit worried about the spiciness, the food was indeed rich and spicy but not overly so. Tea with aroma of cloves, salad with heat that slowly dissipated, and ice cream that never melted! Staff was so kind and patient with my ignorance of Turkish fare. The music was a bit loud, but the subtle lighting is romantic and overall ambience was festive. A San Carlos gem! Definitely coming back for lunch. read more

This place runs my taste buds and puts me in a delicious food coma. The pistachio gelato is sooo good and i love the kofte.

Small inside but intimate outside , Service was attentive, food was delicious, and servings were large. The service was phenomenal!

Delicious food, great service. I have been there multiple times, and every dish was outstanding.

Very interesting menu. Staff was very nice and helpful. A little loud, but a nice place. We weren't that hungry so had three appetizers. We had an eggplant dish and a beef dumpling dish. Both came with a delicious very thick garlic yogurt and were very tasty We also split a red lentil soup. I loved the soup- the seasoning was delicious and so subtle. The bread was divine-almost like a popover-and I am a crust lover. My husband had a nice Cabernet. There were other dishes I would have like to try, but we were pretty full. We did squeeze in a kunfe for dessert. Every dish the people around us had liked delicious. read more

Everything is tasty!! I love Mantarli Pide (mushroom pizza??) and lamb chops which is very good pairing with their wine. The service is very nice and friendly. Camilla and Alex are our servers. A++ services. read more

Went for lunch on a Friday. The food was delicious and ambiance was nice However we felt rushed by waitress asking if we want the food packed up when I was not finished eating and was having conversation with a friend. That was really strange. The restaurant only had about 5 tables occupied..Their water glasses are small and we kept asking for water refills. Their bread dip had too much olive oil and not enough balsamic type thing they added...Then the portion of buttered rice on the plate with our chicken and beef entrees was insufficient and lacking for the price of the entrees. Would we go again? Maybe if they improved service and smiled a bit and increased portions of the rice we may go back to give them a 2nd chance..there are many competitive restaurants with more value for the dollar. read more

Nice ambiance, good food. Fresh salad , also they bake their own bread with sesame seeds on top.

Amazing Turkish food. We were party of 4 and enjoyed a leisurely lunch, service was great and they didn't rush us. We enjoyed the prawns, ezme, hummus, kebab platter and pistachio gelato. Ambiance was cozy and had plenty of seating. Highly recommend this spot! read more

Esnaf is a delicious, intimate spot in the San Carlos area. As soon as you walk in, you're greeted by a fragrant aroma. We've been a few times and our favorite dish is the kopoglu - delicious eggplant and peppers over a bed of garlicky yogurt sauce. So delicious and we always wipe the bowl clean with the fluffy complimentary bread. At our latest visit, we also tried several new dishes. The patlican ezme was a simple yet refreshing eggplant salad. The karides guvec was a bold and flavorful prawn dish with a cheesy sauce that came out in a steaming hot dish. The ahtapot (grilled octopus) was slightly lacking in flavor and a bit overcooked which made it chewy. The lahmacun is a large crispy flatbread, great for sharing. The levrek (branzino) was alright, though the cream sauce was a bit heavy. We preferred the branzino that they previously had on the menu which was more flavorful and came with a small side salad - wish they would bring back this prior version! read more

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Fantastic Turkish food -- flavorful, authentic, and even tastier than some meals I had in Ankara. Service was excellent, ambience warm and welcoming. However, one serious issue: the restrooms are at the back, requiring patrons to walk through the kitchen area. As I returned to my table, a large metal door swung open suddenly and hit my left arm -- a narrow passage with no space to avoid it. Thankfully just a scratch, but it's a real safety hazard. Please fix the layout -- everything else about this restaurant deserves praise. read more

Every dish here is so well thought of and made better each time we come. The chef is splendid and the quality of food very high! It's a place not discovered yet by many but am sure if the quality and inventiveness is kept at the same bar with its good service, ambiance and menu choices, this is a Michelin to be. read more

1. Fresh- we watched them making some of the food from our table. 2. Clean, modern ambiance 3. Friendly 4. Tasty - we thoroughly enjoyed our meal. We had the cabbage rolls in garlic yogurt - Lahana Sarmasi , tiny beef meatball in a open pastry with yogurt n tomato sauce- Homemade Crispy Manti, spinach flatbread - Ispanakli Pide. Everything was delicious. We plan to return to try more items! read more

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Food is great; service is exceptional. Being from Turkey, not hard to evaluate food quality which we found to be above expectations. Pide was nice and moist; citir manti really delicious. But the service is just exceptional. read more

Great food, especially the rolls. Nice modern rustic decor. We'll be back. Not much else to say.

Intimate, warm interiors, and delicious Turkish flavors. Everyone in our party enjoyed their meal and the pistachio gelato with tahini halva was an unexpected delight. read more

Had a midweek date night here and everything was great! Cozy spot that is easily accessible by train and had no issue getting a reservation. Servers were diligent in ensuring all our needs were met and so kind. For appetizers we tried the ege zeytinleri (olives) and it was a decent portion. The fresh baked bread and oil were also a nice touch and very fresh. For entrees we ordered the tavuk sis (chicken) and sea bass and both were decent portions that tasted fresh and delicious. Finished with the katmer dessert which was WONDERFUL! Very nice experience and will definitely go back. read more

Amazing food, reminiscent of flavors I had in Istanbul. Had a relaxed and beautiful lunch, efficient and friendly service. Beautiful decor. They bake bread fresh and bring right to your table read more

Took my friend here for her birthday and I was so impressed with this place. Lately, it is very difficult to find a good restaurant. The food was wonderful and I loved everything, the staff is professional and nice, the restaurant is clean which is a so important to me and without the smell of chemical cleaning products. Very nicely decorated with such good taste. I really liked that you played Turkish music as you should. Love Turkish music. Overall, çok güzel. read more

Esnaf - Turkish Near Me - San Carlos, California

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I've been to Esnaf many times at this point, it's a favorite spot. The service is always attentive and excellent. The food is really delicious. Last night we ask the server for a recommendation on an appetizer and ended up with open-faced beef dumplings served over garlicky yogurt and it was one of the most delicious things I've ever had. Their shish for two is very economically priced (for the area and quality) and *will* fill up two people, maybe even three. Portions are generous. Bread is freshly made. Environment is peaceful and welcoming. This is one of those places that you kind of want to keep to yourself because it's SOO GOOD and you like that you can always get a table and have a really nice time -- but also recognize if you keep it to yourself, then it won't be successful... so I'm sharing my secret here in hopes that others are inspired to try it and maybe become regulars themselves. I believe this is one of the best restaurants in the Bay Area. read more

Tasty Turkish flavors. One star taken for the serving size. We felt like we had tapas for the price of a full meal. We ordered the starter meze trio. It's basically hummus, tzatziki sauce and a pistachio spread. The pistachio spread is special, the other two taste regular. The crispy mantis are very tasty, but they made quite a small starter for the $23 price tag. The flatbread Lahmacun has a perfect grilled taste and crispy texture, paired perfectly with tomato and lemon, but again a small portion due to the thin texture. We enjoyed the service from the waiter that looked after our table. He was very welcoming. The interior design is tasteful and clean. A good add to this neighborhood. read more

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I just had lunch at Esnaf with my boyfriend. We both enjoyed it. Everything we ordered came out quick. We sat at a table near opened windows. It was a great seating. I like my waitress and she was so nice and attentive. I forgot to ask for her name. One of the dishes i didn't like much was Hummus. It is a little salty. We definitely come back to try other dishes next time. read more

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Everything was fantastic! Great appetizers and perfectly grilled meat. Very friendly and courteous staff. read more

Cozy little spot to try out some Turkish food. Staff is friend and attentive. Been here a few time (on a weekend and weekday). Service is spot on. read more

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Best Turkish food in the Bay Area. I love this place so much!! Would highly recommend.

Beautiful decor and friendly service. Indoor and outdoor seating available. You get delicious fresh baked complimentary bread with olive oil dip. Enjoyed everything we ordered especially the crispy manti and lamachun. They have beer and wine available too. Free public parking garage available on Walnut St (4 min walk) if you can't find parking that is closer. read more

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Had a delicious lunch at this newly opened gem of a restaurant in San Carlos. The atmosphere is cozy but not tight, with both indoor and outdoor seating. The decor showcases a lot of Turkish pottery in a warm, contemporary space. We began our meal with a generous portion of complimentary homemade pide served with seasoned olive oil for dipping. The bread had a delightfully chewy crust with a soft pillowy center. We shared an appetizer of Citir Manti which consists of mini meatballs wrapped in a delicate dough topped with a tomato sauce and garlic yogurt. The presentation was so beautiful, each dumpling component shaped to form flower petals. Next came our main, the köfte plate which included 6 köfte, charred peppers, buttered rice and a fresh tomato-onion salad. The meat was perfectly seasoned and tender, cooked to medium. The heat of the pepper balanced perfectly with the meat and the coolness of the tomato salad. We completed our meal with some Turkish black tea brewed smooth and served in traditional tulip-shaped glass cups. The service was exceptional. Food came out quickly and our waitress was very friendly. It gave one the impression of being invited to a homemade meal. We will definitely be back soon to enjoy exploring the other offerings on the menu. read more

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