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    Istanbul Kitchen

    4.7 (24 reviews)
    Open 10:00 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

    Order Istanbul Kitchen Takeout or Delivery

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    ISTANBUL KITCHEN ATMOSPHERE

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    Recommended Reviews - Istanbul Kitchen

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    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!

    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.

    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!

    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.

    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.

    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.

    Chicken shawarma plate

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    4 days ago

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

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    4 months ago

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    2 months ago

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

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    Tio’s Mediterranean Grill - beef shawarma wrap

    Tio’s Mediterranean Grill

    4.8(533 reviews)
    2.7 mi
    $$

    I've been there twice and the food and service are consistently good. At dinner service there is…read moreon average during the weekend about a 20-30 min wait. During the week for lunch service I was able to walk in and be seated. We had the Tepsi Kufta, Falafel, and a Kofta kebab wrap. The falafel are a must. They were do fresh, piping hot, a soft in the middle. The Tepsi dishes come with a lot of eggplant sauce that is so tasty and filling, a mound of rice in the middle and 3 pieces of Kofta meat. The presentation is on point, the food is fresh and made to order (not microwaved) and the flavor mix harmoniously. My bf tried the wrap and thought it was excellent. The fries are well seasoned and crispy. Can't wait to go back!!

    Very good Eastern Mediterranean/Middle East eats. Serious care and effort happens here, not just…read moreworkers whipping out afterthought products just to get through a day. To that I simply have to give my respects and give them a shout out. Very calm and relaxing space. Many regulars walking in picking up take-out food. There's a very kind and soft paced table service here that just reminds me of cute and quaint bistros/cafes from the days gone by. Actual dialogue between servers and patrons, questions answered, smiles passed along. A huge gap from QR code ordering and avoidance of interaction that is trying to be normalized from here on out. We ordered a couple of bottled beers, nothing craft brewed-like, just ordinary Euro/Mexican selections. I'm not as rigid as I once was, so just a good clean lager with a meal and some water is very welcoming to me. They brought nice beer glassware and asked if we wanted it poured into a glass. Sure ain't gonna turn that down, especially since it was already there. It did fit with the nice silverware, cloth napkin and candlelit table. Yet nothing was stuffy and formal, just casual locals out for a good time. Kofta Wrap ($19/4*) This wasn't mine but I did taste a piece of the kofta kebab. Theirs is a beef/lamb mix and is well mixed, almost like a firm meatloaf texture, versus a grilled burger texture. It was a good basic kofta, spiced moderately so not strong but also not bland. The inside also has a lot of lettuce, onions and cucs with a tangy yogurt sauce. I did taste a big hint of mint in my bite which I'm assuming are big hits of herbs with the salad and not the kofta itself. And it was wrapped nice and tight with even distribution so every bite got every element. I look for that in every wrap whether a burrito, med wrap and even stuffed pitas. Beef Shawarma Plate ($20/4.5*) Pretty heavily spiced, where you can feel the texture of the warming spice paste in each bite. A little strong but at least it gave you ride to another culture. Properly shaved pieces where the meat texture was still there and nothing like processed gyro meat. Served with yellow rice and an awesome salad with a tangy dressing. I especially loved the tangy green chutney that was so vibrantly herbaceous, a mint and cilantro punch that brightened the spice ladened shawarma. And I also loved the grilled tomatoes and onion garnish on top of the shawarma, just gave it a nice chef's touch. Mansaf ($25/5*) I have never tried this but as soon as I saw it, I had to try it. I was told it was probably Jordan's most famous dish. Super tender cubes of lamb, with a touch of fat on some pieces which I love. Totally swimming in this glorious creamy sauce made of dried yogurt and tumeric. The sauce was mild (spice wise), quite tangy with a noticeable milky flavor. Served again with rice but this time topped with toasted almond slivers, which added a nice texural contrast. I was also told that this was usually made with bone-in lamb, but think they did it this way to make it more restaurant friendly, maybe even American friendly. But I was just imagining if this would have been a bone-in lamb shank, I would have loved it even more. Great dish! Still have to try their extensive kabob offerings and an assortment of their mezzes whether falafels, hummus and other dips. Lots of work yet still ahead of me, but I just know that this is gonna be a smooth and fun ride. Bet.

    Photos
    Tio’s Mediterranean Grill - Inside

    Inside

    Tio’s Mediterranean Grill - Appetizer sampler: hummus, falafel, babaghanoush, etc

    Appetizer sampler: hummus, falafel, babaghanoush, etc

    Tio’s Mediterranean Grill - Falafel inside

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    Falafel inside

    Nick The Greek

    Nick The Greek

    4.4(557 reviews)
    7.7 mi
    $$
    Outdoor seating
    Kid friendly

    Tried this with my husband on a Saturday night. The food…read morewas so great, tasted delicious and healthy. Service was quick, food was served in 5-10 minutes. And the place was quiet,lots of tables and chairs. Will go back again. We ordered the chicken gyro bowl and chicken souvlaki plate and the baklava. It was around $40 with the baklava. The place is beside Starbucks, the baklava was so good with tea.

    Mediterranean franchise that serves up delicious gyros and fries that can get loaded with extras…read morebut beware that the extra toppings may not be proportional to their price. Nick The Greek has all the classic schwarma and kabobs you're craving for from Mediterranean cuisine with a more modern, convenient twist through their pita and plate combos consisting of standard fries as well as those loaded with generous portions of meat and sauces. As with most gyro places, the schwarma slices are the highlights and Nick The Greek has a good beef/lamb schwarma that came with crispy ends in my most recent order. The combo of fresh veggies, fries, and schwarma made each bite a hearty one. The crunch from the lettuce paired well with the soft pita bread holding the whole thing together. With each order, you're able to request add ons for additional costs but for the amount you pay, you'd expect a generous portion of the add on but it doesn't seem to be the case. A request for "extra fries" amounted to about 6 strings and tomatoes and olives were almost non-existent. Fortunately, I was able to cover most of the costs with a coupon code so it wasn't too big of a deal that there were less toppings or things completely missing. To go with my gyro, I also ordered a side of their Nick's Fries which are just fries topped with meat, sauces, and some green onions. I opted for the beef/lamb schwarma and it was certainly a meal in itself at this point. The fries still had some rigidity but because of the sauces, they were pretty soaked. The flavors were still enjoyable and the giant slices of meat made for a very filling side. I also got a cup of their strawberry dragonfruit juice and it was refreshing. A bit sweet but the tartness was good balance and quenched my thirst as I was consuming the savory meal. The staff were welcoming and quick to fulfill the order. I had ordered take out and everything was ready by the estimated time and packaged nicely - no messes by the time I got home to enjoy the meal. It definitely helped to have such a large parking lot which made the quick pick up that much quicker. For those looking to dine in, they have plenty of tables inside the shop and a few outdoors if you're keen on soaking in some sun. Overall, Nick The Greek satisfies that Mediterranean craving with their menu of pitas, plates, bowls, salads, and fries. The staples you'd expect like schwarma and falafel are made well here and the prices are reasonable for the quality and amount of food you get. With their mobile app, you may earn rewards that can be redeemed for more food so if you're a frequent visitor, you'll benefit greatly! If you're looking for a quick lunch or early dinner, Nick The Greek rarely has a line and can get your food ready to go and packing in your belly in no time.

    Photos
    Nick The Greek
    Nick The Greek
    Nick The Greek - Pork souvlaki salad and gyro bowl

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    Pork souvlaki salad and gyro bowl

    Falafel Flare - Menu

    Falafel Flare

    4.6(519 reviews)
    3.1 mi
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    Grab-and-go

    I've going their since 2024, I highly recommend this place in Hayward CA. Parking is very…read moreaccessible. The food quality is amazing and I like that is Halal. I love their cheeseburger, fries and buffalo wings and their chicken, Gyro wrap.

    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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    Falafel Flare
    Falafel Flare
    Falafel Flare - Chicken platter

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    Chicken platter

    Istanbul Kitchen - mediterranean - Updated May 2026

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