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    Istanbul Kitchen

    4.7 (42 reviews)
    Open 10:00 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Order Istanbul Kitchen Takeout or Delivery

    Istanbul Kitchen Photos

    Business Info

    ISTANBUL KITCHEN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Good for groups
    Dogs allowed

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    Signage over entrance
    Victor G.

    Istanbul Kitchen opened 5 months ago in Sultan's Grill spot. Interior, paint, flatscreen, seating essentially the same. Ordered at counter, pd. Food made to order. Came in 20 minutes. Cashier & cook same person. Great service. Offerings (Turkish, Mediterranean): burgers, veggie, kebabs, shawarmas, sides, salads, desserts. Sips: Turkish tea (comped) -light, refreshing Bites: lamb shish kebab (19.99) -fresh salad of tomatos, beets?, mixed greens, onions, light dressing. Very fresh, crunchy, generous portion. -hummus tasted the usual, no surprises. Yum! -fresh warmed pita bread, tasty. Saved for later. -lotsa rice underneath 2 skewers. Soaked up juices. -2 medium well cooked skewers of slightly tender big chucks of lamb pieces. Nasty not too juicy. *had small containers of tahnini and chili sauce. **too much for lunch, ate 1/2 later for snack. 5 stars: Great service! Quality: freshly cooked, fresh ingredients. Quantity: plentiful-had leftovers

    Lamb shawarma plate
    Billy L.

    I used to come here when it was the previous Turkish restaurant, so I was disappointed when they closed down. But I'm glad it's still a Turkish spot because there aren't too many around. I ordered the lamb plate to go, which came with rice, salad, hummus, and pita. The portion size was great and they gave a good amount of meat. Overall the food was pretty good. The only downside for me was the salad. It was a little too oily and the flavor wasn't my favorite. The bigger issue though was the customer service. When I walked in, the guy working saw me but didn't acknowledge me at all even though they were busy. When he took my order, he also wasn't very friendly. It honestly made me miss the previous restaurant because the owner there was always welcoming and nice to everyone. Overall I'd still come back for the food, but the service definitely needs improvement.

    DOLMA
    Brandon W.

    I wanted to start out this was for take out food. The restaurant is very clean and well organized. We ordered online and then drove, to pay and pick up our food. We tried the Turkish tea which was great. A mild black tea with a mild flavor and good color. For those that need Dessert Frirst, the display window will show they desserts and Turkish Delights with signage so you know what is what. There was a large variety and there are items pre packed if you are so inclined to purchase. First off, the food was season perfectly and not salty. Like I said earlier, this was take out, and we drove home in ten minutes to eat. The Lamb Shish Kebab was cooked medium well to well, and yet everything was still moist and tender. The lamb juices went straight into the rice which made for excellent eating. Included in the package was a salad of lettuce and tomatos, and slightly picked purple cabbage, dill sauce and seasoned chick peas. We also ordered some sides of dolmas and falafels. The dolmas was perfect and rice just right, and the falafels had a tiny bit of heat it it, but still was very mild. There was two sauces included, one was a orange/pink sauce which looked like the color of Thousand Island dressing, which worked well with the falafels, and a red hot sauce, which I would rate at four out of ten in Heat, with a 5 minute after burn on your tounge. I used this hot sauce on my kebabs and it was perfect. The second entree we purchased was the Chicken Schwarma bowl. This too included a salad with the pickled purple cabbage, a side of hummus and rice. After eating all the lamb kebab and the sides we save part of the chicken for the next day. After this expereinece I would like to explore the menu further both in restaurant and take out, and try ALL the sweets.

    SEAFOD KEBAB
    Marilyn G.

    I have been wanting to try this restaurant for a very long time since they open and finally tried today. I ordered my food to go and selected the chicken shawarma plate, seafood kebab plate, side order of fries, & mix lokum delight. I was offered tea while waiting for my food which was delicious, cozy, and perfect for the afternoon time. The gentleman assisting me was very kind, calm, & professional yet hospitable. They brought out my food shortly after. The food was freshly prepared, the rice was sooo good, went very well with the shrimp & salmon kebabs along with the salad, hummus, & pita bread. My husband had the chicken shawarma plate and also complimented the rice & the rest of his meal too. The fries were plenty, crispy, and large enough portion to share. we cannot wait to share the lokum delight with our friends, they had a beautiful display of mix lokum delight with some packaged ready to go. it reminded me of one of my favorite travels to turkey when I brought boxes back home for my family and friends to try. The inside had seating, very well kept and clean. This is the perfect spot to stop by after a workout from the local gym if you want to get healthy quality food with fresh protein veggie options. I was satisfied and full from my food, but still full of energy. I'm so glad I stopped by to try it out because I will definitely be coming back to enjoy more and definitely will order for delivery too. If you're looking for some delicious Mediterranean lunch or dinner options, (including pescatarian friendly) this east bay restaurant is one you must checkout.

    Falafels so tasty
    Jodi H.

    My coworker and I wanted to get some lunch together and were craving some shawarma and falafel. We're so lucky we have yummy Turkish food at Istanbul Kitchen here in San Leandro. There's plenty of parking in this shopping plaza. Istanbul Kitchen is pretty easy to find, good signage, and good storefront. The restaurant itself is pretty chill with lots of indoor seating. None outdoors. We visited during Ramadan, but were surprised to see a few other diners enjoying their lunch. The owner or person taking our order was so friendly, he even brought us complimentary turkish tea while we were waiting for our lunch to be made. We both got the chicken shawarma bowl which was so delicious and flavorful. It did take a solid 15mins so if you're in a rush, place your order ahead of time. The rice was SO AMAZING. There's just something in the blood of the countries hugging the Mediterranean Sea. The rice is unbeatable. The display case of gorgeous turkish delight is so hard to resist. They all have nuts in them though. Would 100% enjoy another meal at Istanbul Kitchen. Quality Turkish food by quality people. Sağlığnıza!

    Kofte kebab
    Vincent M.

    Excellent food and dessert and customer service excellent and I would recommend I ended up ordering two orders of the variety package for the Turkish delight and a chicken shawarma bowl as well to go.

    Chicken kebab plate. Four skewers.
    Geraldine H.

    I was pleasantly surprised at this new Turkish place near Target. I ordered the chicken kebabs to go. When I got there, I was immediately greeted by the nice man at the counter and he even gave me a piece of one of their Turkish delight delicacies. I didn't ask for it, but he also gave me a cup of tea. All this for a to go order. I sat a while, drank my tea, chatted a bit with him, enjoying the breeze that came through the door. I thanked him and left. When I got to work, I was shocked that there were four skewers in my order! The portion was definitely larger than other places I've tried. The marinade was excellent, too, and the chicken wasn't dry. The hummus was also very delicious and wasn't overly sour. It's a clean and welcoming place and I was really impressed with the kindness that I received. They're a new place in the complex and I wish them success. I don't doubt they'll do well!

    Van C.

    Ordered the Adana Kebab here and it was delicious. It came with some pita bread which I used to wrap around the kebab. I also got some ayran as a drink and one baklava. Service was friendly and they even brought some complimentary tea to the table which was a nice touch. The Turkish music in the background made for an enjoyable ambiance. Plenty of parking out front as well.

    It's very delicious and the service is very good I recommend, the best Turkish food. مطعم رائعه جدا والاكل جدا لذيذ والخدمة فوق الممتازه وصاحب المطعم جدا محترم

    Mimi T.

    Came here for a late dinner one Sunday night, just after 9 pm. Wanted something light and healthy, so I ordered a lentil soup. Was served a delicious hot tea, and tasty fresh pita bread to go with the lentil soup. The lentil soup was tasty, light, and fresh with a lemon wedge. Great service, and ambiance is nice with soft Turkish music in the background.

    CHICKEN SHAWARMA plate
    Gefei Z.

    Dined in today and it was such a pleasant experience!! We ordered a chicken shawarma plate, and a combo plate w chicken & lamb. The food is tasty and fresh, flavor is on point and the over all vibe is great. Most of all, the owner is such a kind soul! 11/10 experience, i'll probably visit here on the regular now.

    LAMB SHAWARMA BOWL
    Mondo O.

    I stumbled across this place yesterday, and happy I did ! The food was pretty fire ! Definitely coming back to try the other Turkish dishes.

    BEET SALAD, BABAGANHUOUS, LOKUM DELIGHT
    Katelyn W.

    I ordered the beet salad, baba ganoush, a side of pita, and lokum delight. All the food was delicious and the service was fantastic! I came in to pick up my order and the person working there was very friendly, offered me to try one of the dessert fillings, and gave me a home-brewed tea, which was also tasty (I like earthy, herbal teas)! The other costumers' meals looked really good as well. I will be coming back to try an entre soon. The place was also clean! I recommend this place to anyone who likes this style of cuisine.

    COMBO SHAWARMA PLATE

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    2 months ago

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    2 months ago

    Great place to eat. The food and service is great. I enjoy it, they take good care of you ( Great customer service and food).I love it.

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    3 months ago

    The food was exceptional and the service was on point. Definitely would recommend. Will be back soon.

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    3 months ago

    Awesome food, amazing service. Restaurant was peaceful and well kept. I cannot recommend this place enough!

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    3 months ago

    Fantastic #1 plate with kebab, rice, house made hummus, green salad! Friendly service. Clean. Would go there again!

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    3 months ago

    Amazing food and service! Place is always very clean and the staff is always very friendly.

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    5 months ago

    Always great food and good customer service! The Greek salad and hamburger are my favorites.

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    Page 1 of 2

    Istanbul Kitchen Reviews in Other Languages

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    Sultan’s Grill Turkish Cuisine - Lamb and chicken shawarma combo

    Sultan’s Grill Turkish Cuisine

    4.5(124 reviews)
    0.0 mi
    $$

    This was my second time ordering from Sultan's Grill and I went with the gyro plate again since I…read morelove gyro meat. I always ask for the meat to be a little crispy and they get it just right. The plate comes with lamb and beef gyro meat, rice, salad, hummus, and pita. I also asked for their orange yogurt sauce and hot sauce. My partner loves the orange sauce and says it has an umami flavor. For me it is just okay, but I really enjoy their hot sauce. It is not the usual sambal you get at a lot of Mediterranean spots. It has more of a salsa style taste which sounds a little odd but actually works really well. It has flavor without being too spicy, though I do like my food extra spicy. The rice here is also worth mentioning because it is so flavorful and has that umami taste that makes you want to keep eating it. The owner is always very friendly and welcoming too. The restaurant is right next to Target which makes parking really easy. Highly recommend this spot. I will definitely be back and next time I'll probably branch out and try something new.

    Love Mediterranean food and was glad my cousin and I stopped by. She recommended this place and I…read morewas happy to try it out. We're assuming he was the owner, but the gentleman who helped take our order and serve us was very kind and helpful! The food itself was really good and it was also my first time trying Dolmas (which was also very good!) We ordered more plates to go, and right before we left the gentleman handed us our food. Very kind and hospitable! Would come again next time! Thank you for your service!

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    Ghazni Afghan Kabobs

    Ghazni Afghan Kabobs

    4.3(1.4k reviews)
    3.1 mi
    $$
    Halal
    Catering service

    Food was delicately spiced and delicious. The hosts were kid…read morefriendly (we went with 2 toddlers). They checked on us frequently to ensure we were comfortable and feeling good about dining here. Potato pancake appetizer was mind blowing. Mango ice cream is chef's kiss! Would highly recommend this place.

    Looks like family owned amazingly managed restaurant, they do have few outdoor tables. Our orders…read morewere taken immediately, appetizers came out quickly, and warm bread was given earlier. We had borani kaddu - butternut squash with yogurt and garlic sauce. This was a good alternative to the common borani banjan. the texture was perfect, not overly cooked, went well with the warm bread. perfect for vegetarians. Our vegetarian companion had borani banjan - smoked, grilled eggplants in the tomato yogurt sauce similar to the appetizer we had. But served with rice and salad and green chick pea side provided enough serving. it was delicious - they have an option to make it vegan as well. Now quabili palaw was the star! massive size of lamb shank, well seasoned, well cooked, perfectly seasoned. The rice was fantastic with enough sweet carrots and raisins. Will be back just for this! Shami kabob came with two kababs (picture only one as our little one already sneaked one!). Kababs were juicy, perfectly spiced, with enough rice and salad. Between quabili palaw and shami kabob was enough for two adults and hungry child... Khoshmazeh!

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    Healthy lunch !

    Ghazni Afghan Kabobs - Dal Challow (lentils) Absolutely Fantastic!

    Dal Challow (lentils) Absolutely Fantastic!

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    Shami kabobs !

    Falafel Flare - Menu

    Falafel Flare

    4.6(530 reviews)
    3.1 mi
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    Grab-and-go

    Excellent the best burger Very clean hygienic Resturant…read more Masood the owner takes a great pride off his restaurant and a great personality I would recommend Falafel Flare to everyone.

    Cool spacious and airy space with solid Middle East eats. I've driven past many times but finally…read morejust checked them out recently. Crazy ambitious menu with pizza, burgers, wings, kabobs, wraps and many Mid East favs like falafels, dolmas, gyro and babaghanoush. I only tried a couple of items, so I do need to try a few more things eventually. Order at the counter and food will get brought out. Seems like a place popular for take-out/deliveries. On a casual lunch I was impressed by the diversity in the place, as it is downtown Hayward. Young, old and cultural garb from several cultures spotted. Service at the register was friendly, dude gave off ownership vibes. Falafel Wrap ($11/4*) Very fresh and satsifying wrap. Big, soft and puffy pita bread is filled to the brim with fresh salad-like veggies. Chopped lettuce, tomato, onions and a couple of pickled items. Stuffed also with a decent amount of fat disk of falafel and a good dousing of tahini sauce. I loved the bites for the most part as I was full without feeling weighed down for the lunch hours. The falafels had good flavor but just didn't seem as crisp as I usually prefer, didn't seem fresh out of the fryer, which the places that are known for this definitely do. I especially liked the bites more when a pickled veggie entered the bite, so I should have ordered extra...next time. Beef Kabobs ($25/4*) Got this for take-out and it was still good hours later after a reheat. Beef is in small cubes and cooked pretty well done. A bit dry but at least it was flavorful. Definitely taste more Afghan in spicing/marinade, pretty bold with lots of garlic and herbs. De Afghanan out here in the east bay is the gold standard for these types of kabobs and those are cut into bigger chunks and are juicier by a lot. Kabob plates comes with a good amount of seasoned basmati rice, a pita bread, a small green salad and a small scoop of hummus. Even tho $25 seems a bit pricey, there is enough food to justify the price. I was able to make 1.5 meals out of it with a good dinner and a small work lunch. I actually want to try a pizza here and definitely a lamb kabob. I hang out in this downtown area often, so great having another casual option in my back pocket. Yeah Buddy!!

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    Oaktown Kabobs

    Oaktown Kabobs

    4.9(48 reviews)
    3.4 miEast Oakland

    Picked up Oaktown Kabobs for dinner tonight and it was delicious!! If you haven't tried Oaktown…read moreKabobs what are you waiting for??!! I had the chicken Mediterranean bowl, it had lettuce, tomato, cucumber, basmati rice, chicken seasoned to perfection and came with creamy cilantro and creamy spicy sauces. I also had a side of their grilled tomato...loved! So fresh and the bowl was packed with chicken, rice and veggies for only $15, amazing deal. My husband had the combo kabob plate with chicken and tri tip along with basmati rice, it comes with grilled tomato but he's not a tomato fan so we omitted it. My 8yr old had the kids chicken tenders and fries. I was so thankful they had a kid friendly menu. Lastly but definitely not least the service was top tier! When I was on my way they called to let me know their parking lot was full and to just call them and they would bring it out, so thoughtful! Thankfully I found parking and was able to come in and meet the owner who was so kind as was the lovely young woman working the front counter. Truly a 10/10. Please come out and support this local Oakland business you won't be disappointed! I also recommend following them on Tik Tok that's how discovered them!

    Don't sleep on this place--it's hella good. They serve a unique mix of Afghan and Mexican fusion…read morefood, and everything we ordered was delicious. We tried the lamb and chicken kebobs, the beef bowl, fries, and Sheer Chai. The lamb was the standout: incredibly juicy with a perfectly seasoned marinade. The chicken and beef were both tender and flavorful, and even the fries were packed with seasoning. The cilantro and spicy dipping sauces were excellent, and took everything up another notch. I loved the Sheer Chai too, which was traditionally flavored with cardamom and pistachio, and a lovely pink color. The owners were incredibly kind and attentive, especially since we dined in. The restaurant itself is very small and tucked into Foothill Square next to the liquor store, so it seems like most people order takeout. The food is absolutely worth the visit though. We will definitely be back.

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    Bab Al-Yemen

    Bab Al-Yemen

    4.2(124 reviews)
    4.4 mi

    Completely different Yemeni food experience: - lamb haneeth…read morecomes wrapped in parchment and foil - piping hot even after the delivery! Bones were tender enough to chew easily and excellent flavors from spices - bread was a nice consistency and still warm - salad was seasoned and lightly oiled - so fresh and crisp - the lamb broth, depth of flavor from spices and veggies, great slightly thick mouth feel - rice could use some tinkering - not too much flavor Satisfying meal and price point is fraction of their competitors in the area $40 via DD with their current $5 off $30+ order. Go with Bab Al-Yemen, it's the better choice IMHO.

    Honest review ! NOt a negative but constructive review…read more We walked in and were surprised to see the place has changed after the last visit long time ago. Not even close to any of the photos shown here on Yelp and I decided not to add the current ambiance during lunch coz maybe better during dinner service . The Glass case was empty and this is not a negative review but we have to be honest and share our experience. We will still visit again because the food is on point and fresh and delicious. You just need to clean the area and especially the restrooms. . Here is our story. Walked in for lunch and hesitated as it was shockingly not the same and is like walking in to another time zone in a bad way ! We were asked to order at the counter after sitting for more than 10 minutes and they said to order from a minimal selection and we did and got 2 beef shawarma's. The food looked good and the guys that helped us was very nice and we were glad we stayed but the ambiance like third world and is nowhere what we remembered and what the photos is showing on Yelp. Maybe because We went in for lunch ? Is why the place was outdated. Is it different at dinner time ? There were plastic table covers that were slipping on all the tables and the guy was mopping the floor with a cup of concentrated chemical that hurts your nose and what smells like fabuloso cleaning solution as it was blue and he was pouring this all over the floor while stepping on a rag smearing it and then yes ! He proceeded to Spraying the windows etc. and all this with us and another couple waiting for our lunch orders just past 12 noon. We nearly walked out there but we know the food is delicious so we hunkered down waited. While waiting we washed our hands and surprisingly The bathroom is in need if attention with water leaking and the smell of the urinal is unbearable. The flooring will make you go back to your vehicle. LOL. Overall we liked the food but please clean the place before you open and visit the restrooms to see what needs attention. Food is on point that day but have to give 2 stars for now due to place needs work and restrooms are terrible and wonder what the kitchen looks like but will edit the review on the next visit if we drop by again.

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    Bab Al-Yemen - Logo

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    Istanbul Kitchen - mediterranean - Updated September 2026

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