This gem in Brooklyn shouldn't be hidden. We had a group of 8 where a third of the party were…read moretoddlers and we were treated with so much care. The service was impeccable, understanding and kind. Now to the food,...chefs kiss. The bread Bastien was warm and soft. The grilled calamari is definitely an appetizer must. But the biggest surprise was the fried liver bites. I couldn't get enough of it. The seasoning, the juiciness, the joy it brought me was unexpected and highly appreciated. Not a fan of the fried calamari but the rest of the adult at my table liked it...to each is own. I didn't get a chance to enjoy my main course because the kids started getting rowdy but the rest of my party ate their meals and couldn't stop raving about the food. Was a little disappointment the almond pudding wasn't one that menu anymore. I really wanted to try it, but the tiramisu was delicious and the whipped cream with pistachio was light and delightful. I didn't get to take any pictures but I would definitely go back the next time I'm in Brooklyn.

We stopped into Tava around 3 in the afternoon for a late lunch. The restaurant was nearly empty at…read morethat hour and we received lots of great attention from the staff. The ambience is comfortable. The tables are a comfortable distance apart, something you don't often find in places in Brooklyn. We sat down and our server promptly offered us water and menus. It was one of the really cold day in early February and I ordered Lentil soup. It really hit the spot-both nice and warm and tasty. My wife and I shared the other dishes that included a superb mixed appetizer plate with really delicious baba ghanoush, humus, labneh and other middle eastern delights. The grilled calamari was a really nice surprise. We typically order fried calamari, our server suggested the grilled. The calamari was tender, sweet and truly delicious. Finally, we shared the Mediterranean sea bass that was also excellent. The fish was very good with a wonderful light sauce. All around a wonderful experience at a reasonable price.

My family and I were on our way to Coney Island, we were looking for a quick bite to eat, we…read morethought we would get donor kebabs in a wrap. This restaurant came up as highly recommended. When we arrived, we were surprised to see that it was a more formal setting as we were looking for something more of a quick takeout type of place. The restaurant is very nice, it has two dining room rooms and sit down service only for the dining rooms. We were approached immediately and sat down at a table by the window. When we explain to the waitress what we were looking for she let us know that we would be able to order gyros or wraps. We ordered two chicken wraps, and one lamb wrap, as well as lamacune. The wraps came with french fries, they were tasty and they came with a white yogurt sauce on the side. The Turkish pizza (lamacune) was delicious, each order has three pieces. The waitress brought us, complementary, hummus and yogurt sauce along with their fresh bread as a starter. Overall, the experience was good and I would go back to this restaurant if I am in the area.

I have been coming to Taci's Beyti since 2013 and frequented it a lot when I lived in Brooklyn but…read morenow moving to Queens for the past few years I still make the trip over 2-3 times a year. The quality of their food has always been top notch and honestly is my favorite spot for a Turkish meal. Their hummus and basically all their skewers, kababs and grilled meats are simply amazing. Fast forward, I haven't gone to Taci's Beyti for over a year and I just recently went for our anniversary dinner over the weekend. Place still felt the same, so I ordered my hummus, mixed grill and the chicken kebab for the misses. When The entrees arrived, I was a bit disappointed. They seem to have changed what use to come with their main entrees. Gone is the bed of thinly sliced onions under your meats, so is the roasted pepper and also the roasted tomato. Three items I actually enjoyed having with my entree. They also changed the pita under the meats as well but they replaced it with a very sad salad instead, with no dressing or even a vinaigrette at that. Just plain dry leaves with some red onions. They also have two prices now, one for cash and one for credit, the cost has gone up (which I understand) but they've also cut the portions and what use to come with it. Yes the food is still good but after that last trip I am rethinking about ever going back. I am disappointed that either through choice, greed, or whatever they decided to cut back. Time to scout and try some other Turkish restaurants in the boroughs I suppose, and no I am not leaving a one star review, their food quality and taste hasn't changed. I am just very disappointed.

I could make this restaurant a weekly habit. The employees provide excellent customer attention…read more The small footprint of Bayridge Turkish Cafe doesn't compromise cleanliness or comfort. Our minimal menu exploration was adequately rewarding. This restaurant delivers well.

Have you ever seen the misadventures of Nedim Sahin, the guy who went viral with videos at his…read moreBaruthane Pilavcisi restaurants? He claimed to taste the first spoonful of each new batch of food to ensure that it meets his mom's standards. There is a well-known Turkish proverb he quotes from - "pilavdan dönenin kaşığı kırılsın". In literal translation it's "break the cooking spoon of the pilaf maker who falters in its task". It's understood as either "see it though come hell or high water" or "bring your A-game or don't bother showing up". Eh, I wonder if the guy who served me this kofte platter at BayRidge Turkish cafe has ever heard the quote? When it came to Turkish food, certain items are universally loved, like çorba (soup) and kofte (meatballs). Çorba has such an elevated status that a commander of the Ottoman elite military corps (Janassary) is known as a çorbaci (soup man). Even today, the term is used in modern Turkish slang as "boss". There's an old saying in Turkish that the best kofte is made by your mom, but the best çorba is from the local kebab joint. What makes for good Turkish kofte? It's supposed to be fluffy juicy pillows of meat the size of say, a mini Snickers bar, made with ground beef and sometimes lamb, with some diced lamb tail fat whipped into the mixture, seasoned with sweet and savory spices like cumin, mint, coriander, mace and such, then grilled over coals. In Turkey the usual service is with a bowl of buttery Turkish lentil soup (often accompanied by their bread), ice cold Ayran, piyaz (navy bean salad), then kofte fresh off the grill, and maybe some rice pilaf (buttery rice with bits of toasted orzo within) on the side. Who does a good version in Brooklyn? Kofte Piyaz in Sunset Park - it ain't cheap, though. So what is up with this 15 dollar kofte platter I got at Bayridge cafe? Well, the size of the kofte is odd, like breakfast sausages (my wife is much less charitable on the comparison and said it looked like something from a kitty litter box). It tasted dry and shriveled up, with no flavor at all, like it was air fried once too many. The iceberg lettuce and tomato salad that came on the side just bleeds off the mediocrity. The rice is just white rice and not pilaf. The inexplicable part is when they serve up lentil soup and gave us slices of American white bread. Not toasted, not buttered, and certainly not Turkish bread. Me and my wife bursted out laughing. The soup is...serviceable, but it certainly won't make any Ottoman Sultan dance for joy or fuel warriors into battle - it tasted flat (the version that I make has tomato and pepper paste, onions, garlic and dried mint...which this didn't have) and we didn't see the usual shaker of aleppo (pul) peppers for sprinkling onto the soup to give it a kick. The bean stew that we ordered (Kuru Fasulye) was watery and without much distinctive flavors. So, eh, is this place bad per-se? Not really. Despite the disappointing kofte, it comes with a small bit of eggplant salad that was honestly not too bad. The Turkish tea was on-point (well, they used Caykur Tomurcuk, which is a Turkish Earl Grey grade) and they used a double boiler to do the tea, which means that it's legitly brewed in the Turkish fashion with the right flavors. The Tulumba wasn't nearly as good as, say...Safa in Istanbul, but it isn't a disappointingly soggy mess like the ones at Djerdan Borek or coyingly sweet with salad oil stench like the ones at Artion bakery in Astoria. It was like how you imagine a good churro would be - warm, not too oily, sweet but not too much so. Crisp exterior, honeyed interior, goes well with a cup of hot tonic Turkish tea, served strong and fragrant. So yeah, it's not hopeless. But geez, guys, save your wonderbread for the American sandwiches and toss pitas or Turkish bread with your Turkish fares, and talk to your mom about serving up proper kofte. I can excuse the soup but that kofte is a travesty. Köftedan dönenin isgaralar kırılsın - either make something worthwhile or don't bother at all.

Shawarma Mia in Brooklyn might literally be my favorite spot in New York City. I used to live in…read moreDubai, and I've traveled to Turkey, so I know good shawarma, and this was so fresh and flavorful. You can taste all the seasonings, and you can tell the meat and ingredients are fresh. I got the chicken bowl with yellow rice, cucumbers, tomatoes, baba ganoush, tabbouleh, beets, and cabbage. It was easily one of the best bowls I've had in New York City and definitely competes with the food I used to eat while living in Dubai. I'll absolutely be back.

Shawarma Mia! Definitely going again! My, my get to Shawarma Mia!…read more This small place serves gigantic wraps and bowls that are tasty. The service is quick and fantastic. The ambiance is quaint, though unfortunately there is not a lot is space to sit, but that's the only small thing you'll find here.

My fav caesar salad. The dressing is more of a garlic aoili than an actual caesar dressing and I…read moreLOVE it. Can't go wrong with anything on the menu!

Great location and very attentive wait staff. The food from appetizers to drinks was delicious and…read moreyou feel like you are into in Brooklyn but some place that is far away and you are fully emerged into the culture. They salads were fresh alike they were just picked from the garden. Highly recommend for everyone and will definitely be returning soon.

From start to finish, a wonderful experience and delicious meal. Highly recommend this spot in Bay…read moreRidge if you have a family or large group. There are plentiful tables and even a downstairs special event space. Plus, the bathrooms are very clean so you know this is a quality place. Food: 5/5. Huge portions! You can easily feed two people with an entree. We had the Fahsah Chicken in a hot clay pot...so good! It had a plethora of spices and herbs but was not too spicy. And the shwarma was the best we have had in Brooklyn! Ambiance: 4/5. Clean and tidy, they have alot of Yemeni decorations and clay pots that add to the authentic vibe. The doors have a slight draft so it was a tad chilly but nothing too harsh. Overall a lovely spot Value: 5/5. Huge portions of quality food, great service and extra bread. We loved it!

Stopped by Brooklyn Kebab House for a quick takeout and decided on the lahem seghar ($18) which…read morecame with a massive round of homemade bread straight from the tannur. The staff member who took my order warned me that it would be spicy, but I thought it was quite manageable (or perhaps she made it non-spicy) but overall I thought the flavor was quite bold and the bite-sized lamb made it easy to scoop up with the bread. The restaurant space is fairly large so I'd like to return for sit-down service and to try more Yemeni specialties.

I love a good solo date, especially on a hot summer day, but I definitely made a mistake coming…read morealone because I think I've found my new favorite restaurant. I started with the Fried Calamari, which is always an amazing classic with its crisp and flavor, but I was so excited to try the Mussel Dolma. I didn't know what to expect, so I was definitely surprised to see it was served cold. The combination of the mussel, rice, currants, and warm spices were truly immaculate and blended together seamlessly. For the main course, I ordered the Iskender Steak: a 10-ounce grilled Black Angus strip served over flatbread with brown butter, tomato sauce, and yogurt. Every single bite was rich, savory, and satisfying. I paired it with a side of their Cherry Rice, and I would've never thought to add cherries in rice... but let me tell you, this was easily my favorite dish of the night.. It added the perfect touch of sweetness to the savory rice, making every bite more elevated. To finish, I had their pistachio dessert served with a ladyfinger cookie, and it was the perfect light and creamy ending to an incredible meal. I would love to come back and order Rana's Table to get a sample of all they have to offer.If you're looking to try something beyond the usual dinner spots, Rana Fifteen absolutely deserves a spot on your list!

My friend and I ate dinner at Rana Fifteen during a trip to Brooklyn. We went on a Friday evening…read morearound 8pm and were seated immediately without a wait. The inside of the restaurant is decorated nicely, however one of the lights above us was flickering for the entire meal which was annoying at first, but we eventually tuned it out. We both shared the Rana's Table. This was a really cool experience. This smorgasbord includes a sampling of 8 appetizers, 4 mezes, 1 entree, 1 side, and 1 dessert. For the entree we chose the Iskender Steak. For the side we got the Yogurt Potatoes. The dessert was chosen for us - some sort of pistachio mousse. All the food was good. Between the 8 appetizers and 4 mezes - some we loved, some were just ok. But a lot of that opinion is based on personal preference. If you're planning on eating here, bring your appetite and definitely consider the Rana's Table. Being able to try so many options all at once was a fun and unique experience. Service was good. Multiple staff checked in and took care of us.

Safir was an amazing experience. The food was incredibly fresh, flavorful, and thoughtfully…read moreprepared. The grilled octopus is a must-have, and the lahmacun and mixed grill were outstanding. The bread and bread-based dishes were light, fresh, and delicious. The staff made the experience even better--they were warm, attentive, and knowledgeable, taking the time to explain the dishes and make great recommendations. We left satisfied without feeling overly full. I highly recommend Safir and will definitely be back.

My Turkish husband and I were meeting friends for drinks in LIC but we were super early so I…read moresuggested getting a quick bite at Safir, because we always like to try Turkish places and we hadn't been here yet. After our visit, I was left lamenting "why did we wait so long to come here?". We came in early on a Monday, before 6:00 and the place already had several tables full. We received a warm Turkish welcome and quickly settled in with menus. Our quick bit turned into mixed appetizer (hummus, babaghanoush, muhmmara, haydari and pink sultan), followed by sigara borek and lamacun. Everything was so good that we overate! I was full after the mezzes but the lamacun was so good...among the best we've had in the NYC area. Service was great too. Just a nice vibe with the friendly owners stopping by each table and saying hello. It was clear there were many regulars eating here and we anticipate more visits ourselves. They have some nice images of Istanbul on the wall and we were just in Turkey a few weeks ago so it felt like we were back there! This place is really a gem and I highly recommend it. Just make sure you bring your appetite because you will fill up when you eat here!