My first and only encounter with El Turco was a delivery meal and we had few complaints. Everything was well-packaged and tasted restaurant-fresh. The baba ghanoush was everything I love in a good eggplant dip and was a definite win in our book - seasoned, textured, and slightly smokey. We intuited this would be delicious by getting two containers of it, and this turned out to be a great life choice. Chicken adana is a fan favorite in our house, and it's done pretty well here. They're like elongated loaves of marinated and spiced ground chicken, and delicious with rice and a dollop of yogurt sauce. We preferred these over the chicken kebab, which were just as flavorful but quite a bit drier. Both entrees were served with a grilled tomato and pepper, which were still warm and charred from the grill. They also came with small side salads, with lightly dressed and slightly wilted greens. My husband appreciated the extra veggies with our meal, but I far preferred the warm and soft pita rounds. read more

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Really wanted the food from here without having to leave home and so I put in a DoorDash order. I got an app of cheese borak, an order of chicken and lamb Adana. Borek was still very crispy and flaking when received, delicious. The meats were fantastic as always over top of their wonderful rice with a side of fluffy pita and crisp salad, chef's kiss. Excellent spot and great staff. read more

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Most creamy, delicious hummus I've ever had! The falafel was on the crunchy side but paired nicely with the creamy hummus and fresh tzatziki. read more

Liva mediterranean cuisine - Hummus - Mediterranean Near Me - Hackensack, New Jersey

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Great spot We dropped in for late dinner on a Friday. I had just gotten into town so this was my first meal in town. This spot was chosen by my sister who comes in with my nephew all the time. It was on the late side when we got in, but they were fortunately still open. The kitchen closed as soon as we put our orders in. According to my nephew, the menu changed. The three of us shared the turco mix along with some sides. Their hummus is supreme and the pita bread was fresh to death when they served it. Like it was just taken out the oven. Every piece I had was perfectly warm. It was so good we ended up getting another order. Safe to say, we ate everything. All plates were cleared. read more

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This place must be new because I never knew it was there after looking up Mediterranean close to home. This clean friendly staff establishment is a nice surprise to the neighborhood. The food is delicious and plenty of it for the price and BYOB. The lamb, the chicken and rice was very good. All I have to say is wow we will be back And bringing friends. read more

Well, with heavy heart.... 4-5 starts for location, 4-5 stars for silverware. The food is the weakest link. Falafel is very far from any falafel known to me. Zucchini pancake is a very strange concoction profusely covered with the cheap supermarket tomato sauce and [probably] yogurt. The only element we could not recognize there was zucchini. Mixed grill was a huge disappointment as well. Lack of seasoning, lack of aroma, hugely overcooked. Even the rice was tasteless and dry. The place was completely empty at 6PM on Sunday. We should have not ignored this sign and leave immediately. Well, we gave it a try.... read more

I have been to this restaurant a few times and every time I had a good experience. My last visit was on Saturday night and once I entered I was able to pick my seating. The place is bright and warm. Started off with fried calamari ($14) that came with some sort of Mayo based sauce and a thin lemon slice that is more of an esthetic plating then using to put on the calamari, it was alright. For my main I got the chicken kebab ($22) which was really solid. My friend got the chicken Adana ($22) which was also solid. If you're in the mood for really good Mediterranean food, I highly recommend this spot. * BYOB * Street parking * Good service * Service charge (3.89%) I believe for using credit card or for BYOB, not sure read more

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I had ordered the lentil soup and that was delicious!! It's more of a purée lentil and there was so much flavor. I also ordered the chicken with rice and salad. Chicken is always cooked so well. It's juicy and tender. Filled with flavor and the presentation is well. They just renovated and it looks more like an upscale dining. It's beautiful! It's also called Liva Mediterranean Cuisine. read more

This place is incredibly overpriced for Turkish food. I got a combo meal (one chicken shish skewer and one chicken Adana kebab) it somehow costed more than the 2 chicken shish meal. $26 dollars for 1 chicken shish and 1 chicken adana is way over priced. The food was also tasteless. Definitely not worth it. If you want authentic Turkish food, go elsewhere. I recommend going to Dervish in Orange, if you're in NJ. read more

Lovely restaurant with amazing food and generous portions! Family styled all of this between 2 people and had a good amount of leftovers to pack home. The meat was seasoned so perfectly and paired incredibly with all four of the dips we ordered. Highly recommend their cheese rolls; that sweet jam was sooo tasty and gave the perfect balance of sweet and savory. Awesome service as well! read more

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A great find for Turkish food on Main Street. Everything arrived hot and seasoned just right, and you can tell they're not using frozen meat. Small place to bring your own drinks, and even if prices are a bit higher the flavor sells it. read more

As usual, absolutely delicious! This is one of my go-to places in Hackensack. Joseph will always take care of you and give you the best food! Did a to-go order today that came out perfect. -Chicken kebabs are so most and flavorful with nice grill flavor. -The rice is so fluffy and tasty! -I normally will not eat fries, but these are the best! You have to try some. -Zucchini pancake appetizer is wonderful! It's the first time I'm trying it. Nice moist texture and great veggie flavor. Big portions of delicious food - you can't go wrong here! read more

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Thoroughly enjoyed our meal. A hidden gem in Hackensack for a quick bite. On a trip back home, I was craving Turkish food. After a quick Yelp search, we landed on El Turco. Atmosphere: Quaint, quiet, and clean while we were there. As we came on a weeknight, the restaurant did not have a lot of patrons which was to our advantage. Service: Service was very good. Good recommendations and checked on often. The food came out as it was prepared which is preferred so that hot dishes are served right away. Food: Enjoyed everything we ate. Appetizers: - COBAN (SHEPHERD'S SALAD): Simple and well-seasoned and dressed. The salad a good mixture of all ingredients which completed each other well. - Lebni: I really missed lebni as it's one of my favorite appetizers of all time. The lebni was a nice portion with good flavor and hit the spot. - CHEESE ROLLS (SIGARA BOREGI): Another hit. Perfectly fried with the right amount of cheese and parsley mixture. Entree: We shared the chicken kebob and really enjoyed it. The chicken was cooked perfectly; moist with excellent flavor. The rice was equally as good. The dish came with additional, traditional sides like sliced beats and french fries. Everything was delicious and re-heated the next day. Overall, definitely recommend. read more

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Always consistent high quality meals. The restaurant renovation is beautiful. Service is always spot on. Eating in or takeout never disappoints. read more

Great food. We had falafel, Kofta and zucchini pancakes. Everything was delicious. The service and atmosphere was welcoming

Ordered delivery with all of our Turkish favorites. Mixed grill platter, cigar borek, dips, and kazandibi for dessert. We also got a side salad, pita, fries and yogurt sauce (cacik?) which come with whatever we ordered. All of the meat on the mixed grill was tender and flavorful. There was plenty of rice on the bottom. The fries were also good and the side salad fresh with a little dressing on top. The dips included hummus, babaganoush, eggplant dip and a spicy paste (contains walnuts?). There were also 4 stuffed grape leaves inside. The pita was toasted and fresh, just wished there were more of it with the amount of dip you get. My favorite dips were the baba and eggplant. The spicy one had walnuts and I'm not a huge fan of those but the rest of the dip was good. Also loved the borek and kazandibi dessert which were both perfectly done. Prices were a little higher than other Turkish places we have tried but I know meat has gone up recently and I dont mind spending a little more for good quality food. Will definitely order here again. One of the top Turkish places in the area! read more

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Love this place! I have went few times and the food is the best! It's a BYOB restaurant which is a plus for me. I enjoy the atmosphere along with the cozy decor and of course, budget friendly. I often go here to celebrate special occasions too! read more

Honestly the food just tasted amazing, the rice, the hummus, the meats, etc. I will give a proper review when I order something different the next time around. Just know that my family always has something to critique about a place and they all thanked me for recommending Mediterranean cuisine and picking this place for Father's Day. read more

Excellent dishes Delightful kebabs and mezze Very friendly service Warm and enjoyable ambiance read more

Ordered "mixed grill" for takeout and it was great, highly recommend. Meat+rice is always a winning combo. Kazandibi dessert was okay. They really poured on the nuts. read more

I really love this place. It's clean, staff is friendly and food is great. I always eat hummus & the grilled chicken platter. In this area, the price and portion are great. Mediterranean food always seems to be a bit pricey. Totally fine, but imo you really get your moneys worth here. read more

Liva mediterranean cuisine - House water. - Mediterranean Near Me - Hackensack, New Jersey

While this Turkish restaurant might not look like much given it's exterior and location -- it's a great spot to stop in if you are craving authentic, fresh Turkish dishes at reasonable prices. The service is super welcoming and friendly and the food comes out really well paced for you to enjoy a leisurely dinner. For dinner, I ordered the rolled feta which was essentially like a feta egg roll that came out piping hot and crispy, a chicken kebab platter that came with about 8-10 pieces of chicken pieces that were super juicy, that came served alongside some rice pilaf and salad. The dips that we ordered as appetizers were also really fresh (ordered the hummus and babaganosh.It's really clear from the freshness of the dishes that everything is made to order and in house, flavors are not super bold (I felt like a lot of the flavors were actually pretty muted, but the quality and the preparation of the dishes were really good. Will be back here to take advantage of their lunch specials. Kebab dinners range from $24 to $28. Atmosphere is pretty casual and relaxed. read more

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Food was delicious and fresh tasting. The chicken was perfection, even the day after with my left overs. The service was also great - they provided complimentary hummus to start and tea to finish the night which was a wonderful treat! They were also patient with all my questions as it was the first time we were there and had Turkish food. One thing I will say is that I was a bit taken aback by the pricing of the main plates, makes it hard to want to order to go more often...but after the full experience with the additional items they provided, I think it is definitely worth dining in! read more

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ABSOLUTELY AMAZING FOOD! My wife and I are always looking for GREAT restaurants to put in our 5 STAR/Go-To spots and El Turco Grill Is Always On The Top Of Our List. -QV.Smith- read more

Amazing quality Turkish food. Babaganoush - freshly made and melts in your mouth Chicken Adana skewer - incredibly tender read more

Liva mediterranean cuisine - Chicken Adana - Mediterranean Near Me - Hackensack, New Jersey

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This is the spot for excellent food and excellent service and hospitality. Joe the owner is a absolute gentleman and he truly cares about the quality of his food. Def make your way here. My wife and I split the appetizer sampler and substituted grape leaves w labne. We also split a lamb shish kebob entree (we weren't that hungry). Def leave room for dessert and get the kunefe (so good). Traditional Turkish tea and Turkish coffee is available which I enjoy w dessert. Will def be back to sample more of joes excellent food. read more

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Great atmosphere, clean, friendly owners. Food quality simple but delicious and fresh Reasonable price. read more

Amazing best around, the grape leaves are really good as well, food taste amazing, fast service, casual clothes you can also order take out read more

Liva mediterranean cuisine - Chicken Kebab - Mediterranean Near Me - Hackensack, New Jersey

I found this place randomly while looking for a Mediterranean place in Hackensack and I was intrigued that a place could be 5 stars with over 150 reviews, so I came here with my out-of-town friends. The food was very good, but we left the restaurant feeling a bit confounded, hence the 4 stars. Was even thinking about giving 3 stars, but the food was definitely good, so I'm sticking to the 4 stars. ***In a rush? Skip to the end for my tips.*** First, let me focus on the great things about this place. - Staff is super friendly and helpful if you have any questions. Service was super-fast. - Everything we ordered was very delicious. For four people, we had plenty of food with leftovers. For appetizers, we had the mixed appetizer and the lebni. I love lebni, so I was super happy. They refilled our basket of pitas, which accompanied our appetizer, quickly when it became empty. For our entrees, we had the El Turco Mix and Sautéed Shrimp. For dessert, we had the pistachio baklava. - Despite being a Saturday night, they didn't rush us to leave even if we lingered for a bit after our meal. Maybe it was because the place wasn't super packed or there wasn't a line of people waiting. But I appreciated the fact that they didn't throw hints and looks at us to leave. Now, here are the things that made me take off a star and I was tempted to take another star off. I usually am pretty generous with my reviews and ratings, but I want to make sure that someone else won't feel the way I did, especially someone who is introverted or chooses to be passive to not cause any friction or problems. - Long and detailed rant below, so if you don't want to read everything, the bottom line was that the servers are super pushy, which overshadowed the good food here. - When they asked us what we wanted to drink and suggested their fresh mango juice, which sounded good (I'm a bit skeptical now about whether it was freshly made mango juice), so some people said sure, but not everyone at the table said yes. Yet, the server was like, "Okay, mango juice for everyone." So, the other people were like, "Um, okay, I guess so." - Then, it was time to order appetizers and my friends and I were initially thinking about the mixed appetizer, but we were like, "Nah, we don't even like grape leaves and we don't want hummus, spicy pepper dip, or the eggplant in tomato sauce." So, pretty much the only thing we wanted from that dish was the babaganoush. So, I suggested we get the babaganoush and the lebni because I love it and my friends have never tried it. However, when the server came and we told him what we wanted to order, he brushed us off and said we should get the mixed appetizer because it's a better deal for a lot more choices and food quantity at $17.95 rather than getting only 2 dishes, which will cost more, almost $20. (I calculated afterwards, it would've been $16.20 if we ordered our original choices.) And again, we were like "Um, okay, sure." We ended up spending more on the appetizers because we got the mixed appetizer and the lebni ($26.20). *insert face palm* - Fortunately, there was no pressure about what to choose for our entrees. Whew! - Then, after our meal, the server came over with another person who held a tray of pistachio baklava and asked if we wanted some. We were kind of hesitant because we were planning to get dessert somewhere else, but the server insisted that we should have the baklava and that it perfectly came in 4 pieces for each of us and that they will give us complimentary tea. Again, we were like "Um, okay, sure" because he was so insistent and we felt uncomfortable saying no. He actually had all the tea, forks, and plates ready before we even said yes, so as soon as we said yes, there was no chance to change our mind. Obviously, it was us who ultimately gave in so easily, but we were just not the type to say "No, back off, this is what we want" and I bet there are other people like us, so I want to make sure people are aware of this beforehand. Maybe this unpleasant experience was a fluke and only happened to us, so I might give this place another try because I will reiterate that their food is very good and it is conveniently located near me. Tips: - Interestingly, on their amenities list, they don't specify about parking other than bike parking. You will have to street park. You have to feed the meter on Monday-Saturday from 8am-6pm. Parking is free after 6pm and all day Sunday. - As other mentioned, this place is BYOB. - Here is something I do want to give you a heads up about before going here (details about why is in my review). The servers are very friendly, but very pushy and you might end up laughing uncomfortably along with them and then end up getting something you really weren't planning to order or suddenly be eating baklava that you were not intending to order at all. - There is a 3.89% processing fee for card payments. read more

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Honestly, the food was alright. The service was slow. And the ambiance was fine. Lamb Chops were overcooked and lacked flavor, but the Turco Mix was pretty solid as a meat lover. Had higher expectations, but still decent. read more

I'm usually very leery of an empty restaurant which was how this place was at 12:30 for lunch. But the friendly staff and quick service erased those concerns. All the traditional middle eastern fare was on the menu and we ordered a bunch of appetizers and a mixed grill to share. There was plenty of food and everything was quite good. Certainly worth revisiting. read more

Food was decent, but one would think when you pay $20 Uber eats) for inegol kofte , you'd at least get a side of sauce. The kofte was a just a tad dry, maybe over cooked and thus was not juicy as I was expecting it to be. It did not help there was no sauce to make it better. The price is already higher on the app, so to not include something basic like a garlic sauce , tahini, tzatziki, etc is a disappointment. read more

Liva mediterranean cuisine - Inegol kofte - Mediterranean Near Me - Hackensack, New Jersey

Food was flavorful, plentiful, and delicious. Prices are on the higher side, but the plate of food reflects that. Decor matched the cuisine offered, but was surprised to hear Greek instrumental music instead of Turkish. I thought I was sitting at Sofia's Mediterranean restaurant... read more

Liva mediterranean cuisine - Chicken Kebab Platter - Mediterranean Near Me - Hackensack, New Jersey

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Only sorry I don't take pics of this amazing food that brought us back to Istanbul and Beirut!ale sure you ask for Helena. She's amazing! Wow what a treat! The home made Baba Ghanoush appetizer is delicious. I particularly loved their Kibbeh. The stuffing is not to be believed (believe me I've had my share of Kibbeh for the past 60 years and this is 1st class! Out of this world! The Zucchini Pancake crispy on the outside and mouth watering on the inside. Can't get enough. We shared the mixed kabob chicken and lamb. Both cooked to absolute perfection. I'm always worried about the lamb as so many times it's tough, but the taste and texture was like my sitto (grandmother) had prepared it. 5 stars are not enough! Highly recommended! Thanks for Alaynaa read more

Tried this place for healthy date night and we absolutely loveddddd it! The price is perfect, this platter is usually $45 and we both ate and had left overs! We were also taking our time, loved that we didn't feel rushed. At one point we did feel a little neglected but when we ordered dessert they gave us free tea for the wait. Will definitely go back! read more

Liva mediterranean cuisine - Kunefe - Mediterranean Near Me - Hackensack, New Jersey

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We drove to hackensack after coming across this restaurant on Yelp and we were not disappointed. This Turkish grill had a simple but well rounded menu of traditional Turkish dishes, drinks and desserts! We ordered their Cheese Rolls (Sigara Boregi) to start. Omg, they were so delicious. Soft lightly fried wrapping filled with gooey feta cheese and parsley inside. I literally could have eaten all four but sharing is caring so I gave my boyfriend 1! Then we both ordered their Shepherds Salad with chicken. Literally one of the best salads I have eaten over the past few months. The grilled chicken was cooked perfectly and the salad was seasoned just right. Oh, and I can't forget their fresh Mango juice, which was so refreshing! This restaurant is definitely on my favorites list! read more

Liva mediterranean cuisine - shepherd salad w/ Chicken Kebab - Mediterranean Near Me - Hackensack, New Jersey

Came here for lunch recently and it was a solid experience. Very warm and inviting welcome upon arrival. Clean, pretty intimate setting. I did see a table for a large party if you're thinking of it.. Service was very fast! I ordered the lunch platter with falafel as my protein, which came with two very fresh sides of a red cabbage salad and a great salad. Also, served with rice which was very tasty. I started off with the red lentil soup, which was delicious. The hot sauce and white sauce that came with the meal were spot on. I found this through Yelp and was very glad that I did! read more

We stopped by El Turco Grill for my birthday instead of one of the higher end restaurants in the area, and we have absolutely no regrets. When we first walked in, we were greeted warmly and knew immediately that the restaurant would serve us authentic Turkish cuisine. Our waiter was super helpful with menu suggestions. We started with the mixed appetizer which includes hummus, babaganoush, soslu patlican (eggplant in tomato sauce), acili ezme (spicy tomatoes and peppers), dolma, and pita. All four were delicious but the hummus and soslu patlican were our favorites. The hummus was the best hummus I have had with a deep flavor. We also got the cheese rolls (not pictured), lentil soup, and Shepards salad. All three were fantastic, but the cheese rolls are a must. For our entree we got the El Turco mix to share (shish kebab, chicken kebab, Adana kebab, and doner kebab). The entree was a large portion and all of the kebabs were very tender and flavorful. I liked the chicken kebab the most while my boyfriend liked the shish kebab the most. 10/10 would recommend the mixed platter for people who want to try a lot of different kebabs. For dessert, we ordered the kunefe and we were given Turkish tea and kazandibi on the house! Both desserts were amazing and you can't go wrong with either. Overall, we loved our experience and the food at El Turco Grill. It surpasses the more established Middle Eastern restaurants in the area and will be a go-to spot for us for Turkish and Middle Eastern food. Only regret is that we didn not discover this place earlier! read more

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We ended up here for lunch after the restaurant we were headed to was closed. The place gets amazing reviews, but we were not impressed, and frequent many similarly styled places in Bergen County with much tastier food. We were helped right away and ordered a falafel plate and doner kebab from their lunch menu. After taking our menus, the server, who seemed like the manager, pressured us into adding hummus to our order. The hummus was just OK, as was the rest of the food. The falafel was fried way too hard, leaving very little filling. We got the check to find the hummus was $8, so I guess they were trying to increase the profit on our table by pushing the up charge. We didn't appreciate that at all, and combined with the lackluster food, definitely won't be coming back. read more

Liva mediterranean cuisine - Falafel Lunch Platters - Mediterranean Near Me - Hackensack, New Jersey

The food and service here are outstanding. Food: My boyfriend and I shared the hummus with warm pita. I could eat their hummus forever. The server came around and gave us extra pita to our delight. We both ordered combination platters. I got the chicken kebab and lamb kebab, both meats were seasoned and cooked to perfection. With generous portions, my boyfriend and I were so full, and I happily had enough leftovers to save for another meal. Service: The server had such a warm and welcoming personality. We felt right at home. She also kept refilling our Turkish teas. One of the managers or owners came around to each table to make sure everyone was enjoying their meals. Love to see that. I can't believe I just discovered this restaurant in the next town over from me. Definitely a new go-to/delivery spot for me and my boyfriend. I highly recommend coming to El Turco if you're craving Mediterranean food. read more

Liva mediterranean cuisine - Combination Kebab - Mediterranean Near Me - Hackensack, New Jersey