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    Kitchen Istanbul

    4.4 (599 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 9:30 PM

    Kitchen Istanbul Photos

    KITCHEN ISTANBUL ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Kitchen Istanbul

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    Just order the kadayif already
    Ryan T.

    Service was very hospitable. They were open with every suggestion and we could not wait to eat their specialties. Oh my pants for desert order the KADAYIF. Get this no matter what. It's baked until golden and crispy, then soaked in a sugar syrup and powdered with pistachio. It's THE BEES KNEES. We also went in on the moussaka, tahini piyaz, and muhammara. Moussaka came out bubbling and layered with tenderness. The tahini piyaz hit different -- beans tossed in tahini, lemon shit, fresh herbs cutting through the creaminess. It felt like a sleeper dish, so simple but amazing . They had a Robin Williams photo in there. RIP to the goat. Ambiance is kind of nice but I went in looking like a bum like I'm some m/billionaire wealthy dude minus the wealth. This is a nice date night spot - I'd go here again but it's kind of pricey so keep in mind of that because you're paying for the elegance too. Food was delicious af tho - I want that kunefe kadayif thing agin holy crap it can give you diabetes in one bit. It's great

    Christelle D.

    Perfection. I think many people rave about the wine list but the food is really something to write home about. It's a warmly-lit place and you'll find small and large parties alike, all having a good time and sharing appetizers. They had the tastiest chicken - SF foodies rave about Zuni but HAVE YOU HAD THIS CHICKEN? + a really rich and flavorful moussaka. I think we overdid it but no regrets. Next time I will order ALL the dips to share. Yum

    Atmosphere

    Wonderful dining experience! The atmosphere is elegant and cozy, the service was warm and attentive, and every dish was beautifully presented and delicious. The chocolate profiteroles were an amazing way to end the meal. I'll definitely be back and highly recommend Kitchen Istanbul!

    Adel W.

    Definitely get a reservation, it can get really full in here! A lovely minimal yet classy ambiance inside with a big wine wall, we ordered 3 mezzes and 2 medium plates to share and were super full! My favorites were the Borek and Kebabs, but everything was flavorful. The service was also super sweet!

    Julie N.

    Cute restaurant with very friendly wait staff. The food was okay- classic dishes done well, but nothing very memorable. The moussaka is a popular choice and it's quite filling.

    Kirsten C.

    The staff was so friendly and accommodating in telling me the vegan options on the menu, or items that could be modified. The pistachio salad was delicious - they did say the normal pistachio crumble has butter, but they did whole pistachios for me instead, and it was still so flavorful and fresh! The pickles were also awesome.

    Dining at Kitchen Istanbul offers a solid, journey through Turkish classics, featuring well-seasoned food and exceptionally pita bread. The atmosphere captures a nice balance of charm and modern elegance, making it a pleasant spot for a weekend dinner. While the quality of the ingredients is evident, the steep price point feels more aligned with high-end fine dining than the casual "neighborhood gem" vibe the restaurant projects.

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    2 years ago

    We enjoyed an excellent mousses here last spring! Service was very good. Ambiance was urban and intimate.

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    4 years ago

    This place is truly amazing! Everything is so good and I especially love their dessert. Must try

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    Page 3 of 15

    Kitchen Istanbul Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Kitchen Istanbul

    Is the food halal?

    Hi Faraz. No, it’s not. We are working with local farms.

    Are we allowed to bring our own wine?

    Does the fixed price menu of $60 pp already include the tip?

    Hi Sandra! Tip and tax are not included for the prix fixe menu.

    Thinking of having dinner on a Saturday night when they open with 2 toddlers, are toddlers welcomed?

    We took two young children to Kitchen Istanbul for an early dinner, and the staff were extremely kind and accommodating. The restaurant was also fairly empty during the early evening. You may want to check out the menu first to see if the toddlers… 

    Hi what is included in the prix menu?

    Dinner. You get dinner.

    How much is the prix fixe menu, and how small does your group have to be to order a la carte?

    Hi Vivian, Our prix menu is $60 pp. We are serving for party of 8 and more. Best,… 

    Do they serve Halal meat?

    Hi Salma, No, we don’t serve halal. We are working with local farms.

    View All 8 Questions

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    Beit Rima

    Beit Rima

    4.5
    (1k reviews)
    2.1 mi
    $$

    We arrived around 5pm and many tables outside weren't cleared but there were many seats available…read more We were told to wait outside when we're supposed to order at the cashier first, so I was confused. The ladies took awhile to get us seated outside, only to then tell me to order inside. The super efficient guy with the red shoes was quick to take our order of chicken shish tawook and Mezze sampler. Portions are large and food was great! We love people watching as the N Judahs goes by. It's Arab comfort food in a cozy indoor/outdoor setting.Sooo good!

    I'd give this place about 3.5 stars. The food was good, but…read moreI've definitely had better elsewhere. I ordered the chicken and beef kabob plate, and while the meat was flavorful, I wish they included more hummus. At around $25- $30 per plate, I expected a more generous portion. I ordered takeout and arrived about an hour later because the app never updated to show my order was ready. Surprisingly, the restaurant wasn't very busy, and they didn't start preparing my food until I got there. I mentioned that I had placed the order an hour earlier and expected it to be ready, but the server seemed to brush off my concern, which was disappointing. One highlight was the hot sauce. I'm not sure if it's house-made or not, but it's so good. The pita, however, was a letdown. I prefer my pita soft, fluffy, and warm, but this one was hard and grainy. Overall, it's a cute restaurant with decent food, but it isn't my top choice.

    Photos
    Dining area
    Dining area
    Chicken Shish Tawook Plate
    Chicken Shish Tawook Plate
    Inside

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    Inside
    La Mediterranee

    La Mediterranee

    4.2
    (1.9k reviews)
    1.7 mi
    $$

    La Méditerranée is a true gem in San Francisco. From the moment you walk in, you're greeted with a…read morewarm, welcoming, family-style atmosphere that immediately makes you feel at home. Service attentive and friendly, adding to the overall experience. The food is excellent, with rich, authentic Armenian and Mediterranean flavors. A standout is the Armenian coffee--strong, rich, aromatic, and perfectly prepared with mini bakhlava. It's the perfect way to end a meal. A place of both comfort and quality.

    This place is fantastic! It's cozy (but not loud or cramped) and the food is varied and delicious…read more My recent trip included a sampling plate of all 4 fillo offerings (the cheese karni and the Levantine meat tart were the best), Armenian potato salad, lemon chicken rice soup, and the saffron chicken kebab over rice pilaf (dinner special of the night). The kebabs were made with chicken breast, but very tender and moist, and the side of hummus was fresh, creamy and delicious. We also tried the sangria which was great- not too sweet and decently strong (not watered down bad wine). For dessert, the lemon cake was tasty but odd that dried cranberries were sprinkled into the whipped cream. I appreciated the variety offered on the menu- not just typical Greek food you find everywhere else that touts "Mediterranean food". The service was super nice and efficient, and I like that it has been family owned and run (sadly an increasingly rare San Francisco characteristic these days)- you can tell the difference in the quality and thought put into the experience.

    Photos
    La Mediterranee
    Falafel Plate
    Falafel Plate
    Armenian coffee and Mini Baklava Bites (2 Piece)

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    Armenian coffee and Mini Baklava Bites (2 Piece)
    Old Jerusalem Restaurant

    Old Jerusalem Restaurant

    4.2
    (1.3k reviews)
    3.4 mi
    $$
    Family-owned & operated
    Outdoor seating

    Old Jerusalem is so yummy! Our eyes were differently bigger than our stomachs. We ordered the…read moreStuffed Falafel, Mosabaha, Meat Combo, Mousakhan, and Kunafa. There was complimentary bread which was insanely good and fluffy and warm plus tahini and an onion tomato sauce I think along with radishes and olives. We are not olive ppl sadly but I tried one and it was pretty okay. The service was great and all the servers were super attentive and accommodating. The Stuffed falafel was so good and huge 1 is enough for 2 people. The mosabaha was very refreshing and so good. The meat combo was good overall and everything was very herbally spiced, I wasn't impressed by the lamb tho but the kebab, hummus, and chicken were great! I haven't had Mousakhan before so not sure how it should taste but to me it was sweet and savory with really well cooked chicken. I honestly felt pretty healthy overall cause I was eating hella veggies and everything tasted so fresh. The kunafa was good we got it crispy and was yummy imo but was a lil oily (I think this is normal tho). Arab food isn't really spicy but it is spiced and very herbal which I felt in the food here, I appreciate that chili sauce is provided for the spice lovers. Overall, would highly recommend. It was about $100ish for everything and they recently increased their prices but tbh the portion sizes are huge and I feel like it is so worth it we had hella leftovers. If we had 4 ppl instead of 2 it would've been perfect portions for everyone.

    We've come across and heard about Old Jerusalem before and felt like having middle eastern food…read moretonight, so we took a chance and tried them out. When we arrived at around 7:30 pm, there were tables available. It's a comfortable cafe-like restaurant with mural paintings on the wall. Service was friendly and helpful. Unfortunately, the food wasn't as good as the ambiance and waitstaff. ***OUR PICKS*** BEEF SHAWERMA ENTREE ~ the beef was overly salted, saffron rice was ok, hummus was really thick, like peanut butter. My guy ordered this and thought it was average. 3/5 LAMB SHISH KEBAB WRAP ~ this was my dish. I ate one half of the wrap and it only held two cubes of lamb meat. The lettuce and tomatoes made the wrap bland. The meat was seasoned, but everything was plain, so it needed more seasoning. Honestly, this was missing flavor! I'll have to add something to it when I eat the rest of this wrap at home. 2.5/5 HALF ROASTED CHICKEN AND RICE ~ Our friend ordered this dish. It needed more sumac. This tasted like plain roasted chicken. Maybe it needs more seasoning while marinating. It wasn't dry, so that's a relief. Rice was ok and it wasn't dry or soggy. 3.5 We've been spoiled and have had better food in San Francisco and the Bay Area. Nothing stood out for any of us. Prices are a bit high for what you get. Sadly, probably won't be back.

    Photos
    Mansaf
    Mansaf
    Lamb Chops
    Lamb Chops
    Shish Taouk Plate

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    Shish Taouk Plate
    Truly Mediterranean

    Truly Mediterranean

    4.1
    (1.5k reviews)
    2.6 mi
    $$

    Set your expectations right and this place is close to perfect: it's a small counter spot near 16th…read moreSt BART, mostly takeout, a few stools inside and a couple of tables out front. It is not a sit-down restaurant and doesn't pretend to be. What it is, is consistently excellent food at prices that still make sense in a city where that's getting rare. We're regulars, and we usually go on Sunday evenings after my girlfriend gets off work. Falafel wrap and chicken shawarma are our usual order -- the falafel has that crisp-shell, tender-middle thing going, and the wraps are generously built. We've branched out plenty and everything we've tried has been good. The other reason we keep showing up is the people. Turna usually takes our order, and she is genuinely lovely -- friendly in a way that isn't a customer-service script. My girlfriend and I always walk out in a better mood than we walked in with, which is worth a lot. Practical notes: halal, lots of vegetarian and vegan-friendly options, open until midnight Fri/Sat, and they cater. Grab some napkins if you're eating the wrap on the move -- it's a big one, and that's a compliment.

    Solid Mediterranean spot. The meat tastes fresh, and you can actually see it being prepped when you…read moreorder, which is always a good sign. I'm a big fan of the chicken shawarma--it's really flavorful and hits the spot when it's done right. That said, on a couple of my previous orders the meat was a bit on the dry side, but I still find myself coming back because when it's on point, it's really good. Staff is friendly, and most of the time you can stand on their ledges to eat or sit outside. There were 2 small tables that seat 2-3 per table. Pro tip: ask for the tahini and hot sauce on the side and load it into your wrap--it takes it up a notch.

    Photos
    Truly Mediterranean
    Falafel
    Falafel
    DELUXE LAMB SHAWARMA WRAP

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    DELUXE LAMB SHAWARMA WRAP
    Kokkari Estiatorio

    Kokkari Estiatorio

    4.4
    (5.6k reviews)
    3.6 mi
    $$$$

    I was so happy to return here after like 12 years! I love their lamb chops, salads, desserts and…read moreappetizers. Yes, it's a somewhat expensive dining experience but you are paying for top notch service and great quality food. I am not talking about these cheap midnight specials in Las Vegas. This is type of food where you take your time eating to savor your food to taste the silky texture of the meat or let the sauce soak into the octopus appetizer to soften it and tastes good. I would have ordered a salad but with the health scare of salads recall made me hesitant to order any, although the specials sounded great! You can still cannot go wrong as every dish was great experience and great execution. Love the melted cheeses in appetizer and custard in dessert with pistachio ice cream! The meats really shined as we asked for medium rare and both steak and lamb chops cooked perfectly. Would I go back? , oh yeah and splurge on this place for sure. It just felt special to me. That flourless cake by kitchen I was debating should I take the whole thing and run? lol Restroom is a maze I do must say as you take an elevator one level down.

    Super clean flavors, quality ingredients, and a menu that feels elevated without trying too hard…read more It has that classic San Francisco charm while still feeling a little bougie. The area itself can be a bit off putting with the number of unhoused individuals nearby, but once you're inside it's a completely different experience. Stephanie was our waitress and she was absolutely amazing. So warm, attentive, and genuinely kind. Her service alone is one of the reasons we continue coming back. Being married into a family that specializes in Mediterranean cuisine, I admit I'm a bit biased. The flavors here lean more Greek inspired, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I found them to be a little too subtle for my personal taste. I tend to gravitate toward bolder Mediterranean flavors, so I wasn't extremely impressed by the food itself. That being said, I can absolutely understand why this restaurant is so popular. The dishes are approachable, balanced, and refined in a way that I think appeals to the American palate. The food is consistently good every visit. My favorite dish is the octopus, and I also love the biscuit platter from their selection of sweets. Everything tastes fresh and thoughtfully prepared. The restaurant itself is beautiful, although the seating near the entrance can feel a little cramped when it's busy. The vibe is formal casual, if that makes sense. Maybe don't show up in training clothes like I did once, but even then they were nothing but kind and welcoming. Super cute spot and definitely the type of place where the men with trust funds who are somehow 6'5" seem to gather for lunch and after work drinks. Calling ahead for reservations is your best bet.

    Photos
    Inside with roasting lamb in the back
    Inside with roasting lamb in the back
    Grilled sea bass, deboned with head and tail removed
    Grilled sea bass, deboned with head and tail removed
    Kotopoulo Souvlaki/Chicken Souvlaki

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    Kotopoulo Souvlaki/Chicken Souvlaki
    Souvla

    Souvla

    4.1
    (1.9k reviews)
    2.1 mi
    $$

    This place is so reliable. Good service up front. You can order and eat inside or in their cute…read morebackyard. They keep the options limited but you can mix and match your style. It's a pick your protein and pick your style. I usually get the chicken wrap. But occasionally get the salad with chicken. Their hot sauce is delicious too! We often grab it to go and eat it up the hill in Alamo Square for a lunch with a great view on a nice day. Souvla offers very tasty food with good ingredients prepared faithfully time after time. It's an easy go-to choice for me and my wife on a sunny weekend day.

    This place you can eat here or order to-go and pick up at their pickup window. The only saving…read moregrace of this place is the food comes fast. We ordered the Chicken Sandwich, Lamb Sandwich, Greek Fries, Juicy Potatoes, and Baklava Crumbles & Syrup. The Chicken Sandwich was very mediocre since it was pretty much just Shredded Chicken with Veggies and the Pita Bread, which also was a weird texture and meh in flavor. The Lamb Sandwich was was also very meh. The Lamb itself was on the tough side of life and this didn't really have any flavor to it besides the taste of Feta Cheese. The Greek Fries were the best thing and those were also pretty okay. They were nice and crispy but that was all. The Juicy Potatoes were indeed juicy, but that was really it. The problem was that they didn't have any flavor. The Baklava Crumbles and Syrup was okay. The Frozen Yogurt was okay and the Baklava that went with it was very meh in terms of taste and texture. This was definitely the worst Baklava tasting thing that I have tasted before and wish that there was the Pilo Dough to give it some texture instead of being mushy. Overall, very mediocre in taste and overpriced in terms of taste.

    Photos
    The inside of the restaurant.
    The inside of the restaurant.
    Plain Frozen Greek Yogurt
    Plain Frozen Greek Yogurt
    Greek beer

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    Greek beer

    Kitchen Istanbul - greek - Updated August 2026

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