One of the greatest Turkish restaurants . . . of 1982. Food and presentation (and certainly decor too, although rating is based on food) is dated. For example, rice pilaf is bland Uncle Ben's-style rice; salad is basic iceberg, nondescript bottled dressing, carrots and single ring of onion on top. Chicken shish (kabob) was good but nondescript and chicken was dry (vegetables were just right, however). Pita was pretty good, but was at least always served piping hot. Best dishes were country style chicken (tender and flavorful chicken, sauteed spinach and tomatoes, yogurt--but served with the bland rice pilaf!) and hummus, which was obviously fresh and quite flavorful. read more

Kazan is good, and quite friendly. The imam bayildi is fantastic, as is the cacik. The entrees are not quite to this level, but you can do well if you stick with lamb. Something cooked on the bone, or maybe adana acili. The wait staff is appropriately mannered. Cloying waiters seem to me to be tip hunting. These guys do their job efficiently and unobtrusively. Go to Kazan. read more

great food, excellent service (without being overbearing!), and a pleasant atmosphere. Met a friend for dinner on a THursday night there were only about 4 other tables full in the place. The Turkish wine was yummy as was the appetizer and main course. I also loved that we could hold a conversation and not strain to hear and that our water glasses never got to the empty stage. The waitstaff is solicitous without hovering and made some great recommendations. a good time was had by all. read more

Oh my word. This place is an absolute gem. Visited several Turkish restaurants in NoVa and this has hands down been by far the best! Ordered the imam Bayaldi for appetizer (absolutely delicious), doner kebab (excellent), and lamb chops (you MUST get this!!! So good!!). We were overwhelmed because everything looked amazing on the menu -- and we were gently guided towards these plates by the server (I'd give it 10 stars if I could because of the great service!) Best guidance and service, and absolutely delicious food! You can't go wrong here! read more

Eating my leftovers as I type this and it tastes even better then when I had dinner here last night! This is a very nice restaurant. The outside doesn't look like much, but the ambiance that was created inside is lovely. Servers are very classy and have excellent customer service skills. My fiancé brought me and the kids here last night after he visited the place with his Turkish friend, who is a regular. His friend stated that the Turkish food here is better than the ones he goes to in Turkey. It was my first Turkish food experience, the food was So delicious!! We ordered an appetizer with a variety of hummus like dips.... I could not get enough of the egg plant tasting one!!!! For our entrees I got the lamb steak with rice, yogurt sauce and 2 pieces of sliced eggplant and my fiancé got a lamb shank type dish with eggplant on top. Both were very different and both were EXCELLENT! I also had a cup of Turkish tea, very aromatic, loved it! For dessert some pistachio baklava! I highly recommend this place ! read more

Kazan Restaurant - Turkish Near Me - McLean, Virginia

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This is my go-to restaurant for Turkish food. The excellent food is the attraction here, but the warm welcome and the outstanding service will keep you coming back. I am a fan of lamb and they do it very nicely here. One of my favorites is lamb shanks. Shanks need to cook slowly all day until the fat melts out to be truly delicious. Kazan succeeds and further their shanks are huge. Loads of tasty meat to pick from the bones. Rice is not just a bland side dish here. I love their homemade yogurt for its tartness and clean taste. No thickeners such as powdered milk are added. Appetizers are good. The fried "cigars" are not greasy but crunchy goodness. For folks celebrating an event, they have an appetizer platter with a sampler of everything. My family members love the Doner Kebab. I enjoy it but it's rarely my choice when I can go exploring the other dishes. Parking is very easy as the restaurant is in a small Mall and there's loads of parking off on the side. While you're there, visit the old books' store for an interesting browse. read more

Turkish food done right. We always enjoy our meal,and we have not been in a while so it was nice to stop by. My mom and I were having a toast to my dad in his memory, but we found that the wine tasted very, very cheap. The food was excellent however. I got the country style chicken breast on a bed of spinach with yogurt sauce and rice pilaf. It was perfectly cooked. My mom got the special, I forgot what it was called, but it was basically really tasty shwarma platter on yogurt sauce and pita. Very tasty. For desert we got the kenafeh, very well done. They make it fresh for you so it takes about 10 minutes. It is worth it. We also got a decaf coffee, tasted very generic. We learned to come for the food, not the drinks. For the prices they charge, everything should be fine quality. 4 stars for food 2 stars for beverages read more

I don't often go to middle eastern restaurants. I've definitely never gone to a Turkish restaurant. But I'm working from home today, and I wanted to experiment. And I've driven by Kazan several times. Kazan is a very large restaurant. Most middle eastern restaurants I've been to tend to be hole in the walls. Not here. Very spacious, upscale decorations. I felt a little underdressed in jeans and a t-shirt. Since it was a Wednesday, I ordered the Doner Kebab special. I had no idea what that was. The only Donner I know was the Donner party. This however, was lamb, not traveler's in the 1800's. My meal started off with a small salad in honey mustard sauce. Yummy. They delivered a side of that flat bread....nan? First time I saw it with butter on the side though. The bread was warm but tougher than I'd like. I thought the Doner Kebab was goign to be a mostly meat dish. Turns out it was sliced lamb covered in a spicy sauce with sour cream, on top of bread. I'm not sure how you're supposed to eat it, so I just started with the top layer of meat and worked my way down. I don't realyl think the different flavors meshed well. The spicy oil on the top, the sour cream, the thick bread, and the lean lamb. It felt like I was eating a mishmash of flavors. Every individual piece tasted good, but as a whole, meh. Once again, I need to emphasize that I'm not familiar with middle eastern cuisine. So this is coming from a newcomer. The meal ended up being barely filling, but not satisfying. I definitely was not stuffed. The service, now that was exceptional. The waiters were very friendly and professional. My water was refilled without prompting. The waiters did not wait on me hand and foot mind you. They didn't ask me how I was doing, etc. But you know, I didn't mind that. I don't know if I'd go back to Kazan. I'm leaning towards no mostly because I don't know what I would order. I'm a meat and potatoes guy, and bred and sour cream just doesn't cut it for me. But if someone said "Hey you want to go to a middle eastern restaurant?" I'd suggest Kazan. There's no reason not to. read more

Good, original Turkish food ( we spent 3 years living there....)...feels like eating at a friends home with the quality of the food. Thank you read more

Love Kazan's! Have been there a few times and they never disappoint. The best things to try are the appetizer for 1 so you can get a taste of everything. The lamb chops and leg of lamb are awesome. But the best thing is the sea bass branzino! I have gotten twice now and it is absolutely divine. Love this place! read more

Can't say enough good about this place. I found myself with my family in the area on Thanksgiving with no turkey plans. After finding a post on chowhound recommending this place, we called. They were open (thank goodness!) so we went. The absolute standout highlight of the experience is the service. It was perfectly top-notch. We were three adults and twin two-year-olds; our waiter absolutely charmed the twins. It's a rare skill. But it wasn't just "they were good with the twins" - the service was timely, friendly, and efficient. They were a delight. The food was good. I'll break that down into two parts. First, the entrees. They were excellent. I had roast duck with an orange sauce; the boys had grilled chicken with rice; the other two adults had filet and turkey. Everything was cooked and seasoned well and was tasty. The desserts, however ... are divine. I had rice pudding. I was expecting a bowlful and was a little surprised when it came as a cut square, maybe 3" on a side and 3/4" thick. No matter. It was dusted with cinnamon and was the best rice pudding I've ever eaten. The other desserts were pistachio baklava and chocolate tiramisu. The twins ate ice cream. What I am saying is this: DO NOT under any circumstances fail to leave room for dessert. That would be tragic. read more

I live in NYC and wouldn't consider DC (and it's surrounding areas) as much of a foodie town but this restaurant blows all other places out of the water. The restaurant is AMAZING from the quality of food and the friendliness of the wait staff. 1. The food - this is the most important criteria in any restaurant and for Kazan the food was phenomenal. I ordered the Doner Kebab and in my opinion this is wayy better than the kebabs that I've had in Germany. We also ordered the baklava (which I normally am not a huge fan of) and it was made superbly. Not overly sweet like most baklava 2, Waitstaff - our waiter was outstanding. He was helpful, receptive and made us laugh from the moment we entered. From his accent and his experience with Turkish food I am assuming he is from Turkey. He seemed to be very knowledgeable about the entire process of creating these dishes and he was kind enough to answer all of our questions. I would highly recommend this place. But my biggest complaint is that they are not open during the day on Saturday or at least for dinner on Sunday. There were a few times when I wanted to go on the weekend but wasn't able to because of their hours. read more

Friends and I met at this place for an evening out. We were looking for a non-corporate restaurant to support and wanted to try this place because of the high reviews. We started off with the mezze plate for an appetizer which was pretty disappointing. Greek and Turkish food is light and lemony and fresh, while this platter was stuffed with piped, overly thick hummus and other dips that were frankly, not very good. The presentation was their priority but the flavors, lightness and freshness was compromised. For dinner we had the chicken shish and shared it. It was just ok. One shish, over a bed of ok rice and some grilled veggies on the kabob. I've had better. The service at this place is fantastic and the staff was great. I've had better Turkish. This seems like a hot spot for special occasions and larger families- don't come here for a great meal. You won't find it. read more

My fiance and I have been coming to Kazan for a few years now. Their service is excellent and the food is fantastic! It's definitely a pricier meal (usually $65-$70 for the both of us with tip), but the food is well worth it. The meals are always so flavorful and the service is just as authentic as the food. I always get the Cigara Boregi as an appetizer, the house specialty called Doner Kebab and my fiance gets usually gets the Lamb Acili. The warm pita is delicious and the garden salad with mustard dressing and fresh ground pepper is amazing! Definitely a must-try if you are looking for outstanding cuisine and great service! read more

This is the go-to date dinner place for my wife and I. The doner kebab is amazing. Avaialble Friday, Saturday, and Wednesday night, it's just the best dish I've had. And my wife, who almost never is excited about food, finds the doner kebab utterly fabulous as well. The environment is quiet, cozy, and pleasant. We've brought our five year old here, but any younger I'd be very concerned about bothering nearby diners. The ambience is generally very quiet. Outdoor seating is nice in fall and spring, though the surroundings are all suburban "downtown" McLean, so don't expect remarkable views. The wait staff is clear, attentive, unassuming, and entirely receptive to requests to take the evening slow, just delightful. Not inexpensive, we spent $90 with tip and drank no more than soft drinks and a beer. But well worth it. I would recommend it for dates before and after marriage, even for young people. Well behaved families would fit in well too. read more

This is my favorite family restaurant in Mclean, so this review is a bit biased, but I will try and be as objective as possible. (Rohan Siddhanti) The entire package from start to finish of this family restaurant is a very classy experience. There is seating outside and inside, and the waiter immediately walks to your table and helps you start with drinks. The only thing that could possibly be expanded about this restaurant is that they do not have a very large vegetarian selection. It is one thing that other similar restaurants have, which allows them to draw in a larger crowd. However, the food they do have is Zagat Rated, and excellent, especially the chicken sharwshmaha. Parking is easy and convenient, and you can stop at Giant or CVS after your meal. read more

Adana kebap was delicious but bolu pilic yogurtlu was not that much. But overall service and ambiance were good. read more

Kazan Restaurant - Adana kebap - Turkish Near Me - McLean, Virginia

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Very good food! Ordered the hommus and pita bread (fresh!) and had the dinner special doner kebob. Both were very good, big portions, and super yummy. *Tip: make sure to order the yogurt sauce and pita! read more

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EXCELLENT. We ordered the Donor Kabob and the Lamb Mousaka. Both were very, very good. The donor kabob was in the traditional yogurt sauce and was like no other kabob we have ever eaten. It is about $25 and is totally worth every penny. The other dish, lamb mousaka was very good as well and we ordered it with spinach, which was flavored and had onions chopped into it. This dish was good too, but the donor kabob was better. The ambiance is very nice and this would be a great date night spot. Will definitely try again! read more

I have been to Kazan many many times over many years. I love the food! Today I went with four friends, and we needed to pay with separate checks. The waiter told us we could not do that and showed us in the menu that it says they don't do separate checks. Now, I have a problem with this concept in that suppose five of us went alone and sat a separate tables: we would each get our own bill; so what is their problem?? The waiter said we could each give our own credit card but needed to tell him the amount to charge. Three of us had the same thing; we all had one charge with no extra drinks or anything else.Simple. We told him to charge what we each had on our cards. He very nastily said he would do it this time, but would never do it again. When he brought back our cards and receipts, he again nastily reiterated that we could NEVER do this again. No worries; we will not be back! read more

I've visited Kazan twice for lunch and, if you consider that to be any kind of regularity, it doesn't disappoint with consistency. My first visit happened to be on a Friday, one of the two days (the other's Wednesday) when Kazan offers its Doner Kebab special. This is a dish that you should not miss. All three of our party enjoyed this immensely: tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef and veal over a perfect combination of pita and yogurt, with a fresh tomato sauce. In fact, I liked it so much that I dragged a friend there again last week; he had a chicken dish that was superb (he reported) while I had a variation on the Doner Kebab: Kazan Yogurtu, which is almost exactly the same as the Doner but uses diced and sliced lamb instead. This was not quite as good as the Doner but very enjoyable all the same. The service at Kazan is very good, too. The waiter on our first visit went about his business in a very subtle fashion, discreetly meeting our every need quickly and with aplomb. The waiter on our second visit was quite different, with a much stronger personality that he had no hesitation in demonstrating. This was not a bad thing, however, and just made for enjoyable banter. Kazan is tucked away near a Giant and a fire station, making it a bit squirrely to find. I'd highly recommend that you exert the effort, though, and especially on a Wednesday or Friday when you can enjoy the best Doner Kebab in the DC area. read more

First time reviewer on Yelp and first time diner at Kazan. Hands down one of the best places I've eaten at in the DC area. Really loved the experience. Great service and great food, that's all we asked for and that's what we got. No wonder Kazan has been around for 25 years. Ordered couple of mezzes and one spicy lamb entree between two people. The waiter was really helpful when deciding what to order. Loved the dessert too! A must visit place in McLean if you are around. Looking forward to going back! read more

I've been here a couple of times, and the food is really only so-so. The last time I was there, I got a lamb dish that was very reminiscent of the gyros you get in NYC. However, the meat here in general tends to be really dry and overdone. If you luck out, your food might be especially salty. The service is good and the location is also pretty good, being in McLean. Like the other reviewers said, it is pretty expensive. You basically get a dish you can get at other establishments for twice the price, but then again, it's in McLean, someone has to pay the rent! read more

My second visit was at dinner time. It was packed. The food was okay, service was okay, however, I couldn't stand the lights from car headlights and from big parking lot flood lights that were in my eyes inside the restaurant. They should put up curtains. I had glaring light in my face the whole meal the way my table was situated. The prices are high for the dining experience and the food could have been better. I must say though that the manager who was present both times I came to Kazan is very nice. I think I will only come back at lunch time when lights are not a problem and when the place isn't so crowded. read more

Based on reviews chose Kazan for dinner. Busy atmosphere and service was good. The food was outstanding. Hummus was yummy though would have enjoyed a lil bit of olive oil on mine. Got the gyros special and was impressed. Not the presentation I was expecting since it came out looking more like something from a french restaurant. But the flavors are Turkish and was worth the waiters recommendation. I'd definitely go again and recommend. read more

It is a good thing to leave a restaurant stuffed...with enough leftovers to last for the next night's meal. My fiance surprised me by taking my to Kazan's last night - upon recommendation from a co-worker engaged to a Turkish gal. Pretty good recommendation, if you ask me. Having lived in Turkey myself, I am always up for finding new and excellent restaurants serving fine Turkish cuisine. The food definitely was tasty - but not the best I've had. However, this place still merits four strong stars because... 1) the service was amazing. 2) the servings were enormous - I know that doesn't always translate to good quality, but the food was good. 3) sarma (stuffed grape leaves) just how I like it - little bit of sweet tang 4) the cay comes served with sugar cubes, just as in Turkey 5) lots and lots and lots of meal options, all of which look divine 6) They actually have ayran (a salty yoghurt drink - don't knock it till you try it) My only complaint, really, was that they didn't have mercimek soup (red lentil - I feel like every Turkish restaurant should have that on hand at all times) and the "traditional cay" (tea) most definitely was not. Earl Grey poured into a tea glass doesn't count. In terms of the food, we had side salads and the meze dish (including hummus, cacik, sarma, sigara borek, feta cheese, and an artfully designed tomato flower). For entrees, we both had lamb dishes - mine was the spicy kofte (like meatballs) with pilaf and a perfect yoghurt sauce, and my guy had lamb chunks - oh so tender - in an eggplant puree. On Wed, Fri, and Sat nights (I believe...) Kazan also prepares a doner kebab (like shwarma) -- I will have to come back to try that. read more

A "Very special meal for you" .... It may have been just a pitch by our server, but it worked. I did feel very special. I really didn't even look at the menu. It's like the guy new exactly what I wanted (what our entire table wanted). Freaky! The vegetarian got only veggies.... My boss got the special of the day, and I, being a meat lover - got lots and lots of grilled meat and fish. The service was excellent, and the history of the restaurant is amazing as well - but the lack of 5 stars comes from the dessert. No Bueno..... It was some Turkish sweet thingy, with cheese, but seemed very bland to me - and according to my boss, not the typical recipes. However, it is a must stop if you're in the area. read more

Just ate here last night. Meeting up with a girlfriend to catch up. The location is right off the highway in a shopping center next to the grocery store. They have indoor and outdoor seating. We opted to sit outside since it was a gorgeous evening. My girlfriend and I haven't seen each other in awhile so we had a lot of talking to do. Which seemed alright to the waiter. He had to come back a few times before we settled on something to eat. Apps: Hummus- delicious hummus, the pita that came with it was obviously bought but came out piping hot so I'll forgive them for not making it themselves Fried Calamari- It was your standard calamari. Breading was a little heavy for me and came with cocktail sauce and I believe tartar. Could've been a little more inventive but decent enough Dinner: We shared the beyku kuku (sp?) which was chunks of lamb stewed in tomato sauce on top of cooked spinach with pilaf. The lamb was very tender and the rice was well cooked. There was this spice in the spinach that I wasn't a fan of. Overall it wasn't bad but I don't think I would order it again. It was a nice place with outdoor seating and a very attentive waiter. Our water cups stayed full and we weren't rushed at all. (We stayed for 4+ hours). A decent restaurant with good service and food. read more

Great turkish food, been there several times, the Doner kabab is their specialty and it is always good. Their appetizers are great as well. read more

Kazan Restaurant - Doner Kebab, Delicious :) - Turkish Near Me - McLean, Virginia

We went to Kazan Restaurant today for Mother's Day brunch. The food was really great and the staff was very nice. It is a cute small neighborhood restaurant and if you live in Mclean or Tyson's area I definitely think it shouldn't be missed. I enjoyed the Doner Kabob and the kids loved the duck that they ordered. Great experience & we will definitely go back! read more

Still one of my very favorite restaurants! I have been enjoying Kazan's for many years. They adapt and change over time, and each change brings new dishes and possibilities. Our favorite appetizers are dolma and babaganush. I still love their donor kabab and Yogurtlu, and there are plenty of vegetarian and seafood choices for the vegetarians and pescatarians in our family. For dessert, we love the Orange Baklava a la Kazan, the creme caramel, and the rice pudding. And, in addition to the scrumptious food, we have always been treated like family, with lots of excellent service and attention to our dining needs. Yes!! read more

The nicest staff i have ever encountered. They truly try to make you feel at home, as if you were family. The food, of course, is amazing. If you havent tried Döner kabab, this is the place to experience it. read more

Consistently great service, great food, HUGE portions (my favorite part), and excellent decor. I normally order lunch to go from here, and had dinner there a handful if times. Personal favorites are the chicken shish, döner kabob, and adana acili, orange baklava and tbe rice pudding. It is the ONLY place where I eat baklava, as other places can't seem to get it right. This place has the winning combination. Great friendly service, excellent home made food, excellent decor, clean and very professional. read more

The restaurant has some good food especially if you are looking for authentic Turkish food. I ordered salmon kabob which was pretty Americanized and did not have much flavor! Appetizers were good and I especially liked the wraps in Grape leaf. Service is top notch. The food is on the pricy side and for some reason they did not have lunch menu! I would have loved the salmon kabob if they would have given some sides like onions/yogurt which come with lamb! read more

Kazan Restaurant - Salmon Kabob - Turkish Near Me - McLean, Virginia

We stopped in this restaurant expecting Greek food but it wasn't. Service was mediocre along with the food. I will not be returning to this restaurant. read more

An upscale Turkish restaurant in a strip mall in McLean. The restaurant is set up in classy way. There is an interesting bar in the back with a lot of interesting artifacts from Turkey. A small restaurant though. The food was wonderful. We ordered Lamb shank with rice Pilaf and a vegetable sampler. The sample came with baked eggplant, mushrooms, rice pilaf etc. The Lamb shank meat was tender and a tomato sauce was poured over it. It was a hearty piece of meat. Ordered Ayran and it seemed to prepared fresh and tasted so. Service is wonderful with enough attention given. A good meal to be had here. read more

Service was excellent at this place.....definitely deserves 5 stars in that area...... The food was good, but I would only give it 4 out of 5 stars......got calamari as an appetizer and can honestly say I've had much better, for half the price. As a main course, I got the doner (lamb/veal), which was excellent.......nicely seasoned and comes with a tasty yogurt sauce.....again though, I think the price was a bit steep......the food was good, but not that good....I think the main course cost about $22 a person. Definitely would like to go back to this place another time and try one of their other dishes...... read more

The food is great! especially the doner beef kabab and mezze. read more

Kazan Restaurant - mezze - Turkish Near Me - McLean, Virginia

One of the more authentic delicious Turkish places in all of the DMV area! A true gem. You can't go wrong with any food item. I typically always take the lentil soup as a starter and we share appetizers such as hommos, cheese/meat cigars, and a main meal of either Adana Acili or Acili Kofte (both delicious meat dishes). Staff is super super friendly and very hospitable, always greeting us with a smile. Will always remain a loyal customer and bring family and friends. :) read more

Ate here solo, Ayhan, the owner's brother sat and waited on me. He was incredibly attentive and polite. I had the feta, tomatoes, & olives for an appetizer, kept it simple and it was great. I asked Ayhan what he recommended and as I like spicy food, he recommended the Adana Acili, I was not disappointed in the least. It was great! Overall great experience at Kazan! read more