An authentic restaurant with flavorful food, friendly service, and a romantic atmosphere. It was fun to go with our teenagers. The Turkish food is a fusion of Mediterranean, Balkan, Middle Eastern. We had a mix of delicious appetizers. Afterwards, as a native Romanian I found delight in tasting their eggplant salad, and their moussaka. My kids enjoyed their large portions of Adana chicken kebabs. The vegetables and the sea bass that my less adventurous husband took were fresh and tasty. The service provided by Baja was fast, friendly, and knowledgeable. And did I mention the deserts? That kunefe was delicious! And the tea was on the house read more

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Talulla's interior provides a middle-eastern/Eurasian ambiance that is perfect for group dinners. I had gone to Talulla's twice, both times for a friend's birthday celebration. The establishment is a bit crowded, and the lighting dark, so the ambience comes off as a little unwelcoming. However, the food is quite exceptional compared to the venue. Both times, my waiter was of typical demeanor - responsive, patient, and attentive. The first time around, I ordered the Sebzeli Musakka, a larger-than-average portion of layered eggplants, zucchini, carrots, peas, peppers, onions, tomatoes, and peppers covered in cheese and tomato sauce. The freshness of the vegetables was undeniable, the cheese stringy and fragrant, and the tomato sauce hearty. Overall, the portioning was a little too much, but the flavors definitely compensated. The second time, I ordered the Patlıcan Oturtması, another large eggplant dish consisting of layered fried eggplants topped with tomato sauce and feta cheese. The eggplants were juicy, moist, and filled with flavor from the tomato sauce and cheese. That said, paying $17 and $15 for two vegetarian dishes is definitely not worth it. There are other restaurants/food trucks that provide even better and tastier plates for even less. If you are willing to spend the money, Tallula's will not disappoint, but will leave you a sensation of emptiness. read more

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Beautiful and cozy place to have a quiet date. Bad place to go if you are allergic to dairy or nuts. In my personal experience telling your server and the owner of the restaurant is not enough to avoid nuts or dairy. read more

Hands down our favorite place to eat when we visit downtown. Everything on the menu has been exceptional.

Love this place- We were able to get seated outside this past Mother's Day, and we were a happy crowd of five. We all ordered several dishes to share, and will continue coming back. read more

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I LOVE talullas! The food is great every time, I really enjoy their weekend dishes and the dip is heavenly :)

I like this place. I've only been twice, and both times, I was deeply impressed. The desserts are always memorable, as are the cheese plates. Seriously getting hungry just thinking about both of those right now. Side note - we went the night of a blizzard. Of a literal blizzard. And there were about 4 other tables in use. The hostess tried to sit us immediately between two other occupied tables, and we had to speak out and ask for a more private, quiet location. read more

My family and I loved our first time at Talullas. It was so so yummy. Truly delicious food and great atmosphere. The meat that was included in my entree was the softest, most delicious meat ever. I had no idea that an egg plant sauce would taste that good either. My salad was not what I expected...turns out it was much better! We've tried to replicate it at home....just can't beat it though. Definitely worthwhile. I wish we lived closer to this restaurant because we would be eating here much more often. Make sure you have enough time to eat here and enjoy your meal before checking out a Tar Heel game if possible! read more

My favorite spot in Chapel Hill. Great food and a wonderful staff. Keep in mind all restaurants are understaffed, so please be patient. The food is amazing. I would recommend any of their pizzas, the baked hummus and mezze sampler. Family friendly and a great atmosphere. read more

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I've been here twice and the first time was enjoyable, with a great ambience and delicious food. However, the second time I came here, I was disappointed. My partner ordered salmon, and only received a few small pieces of it. For $20, you would think there would be a more substantive portion. The worst part was when I ordered the iskender and ended up pulling someone's long hair out of my mouth that was deeply embedded in the meat. It was a horrible experience, and I may have given them the benefit of the doubt and assumed it was mine IF my hair wasn't pulled back tightly in a bun. Once I find someone else's hair in my food, it's game over. read more

We are senior citizens visiting Chapel Hill for medical purposes. Even though we both have mobility issues, this was a fairly short walk for us from The Graduate Hotel. The food was outstanding and the owner and servers were very attentive to our needs. We had the slow-cooked lamb shank and the whole black bass fish. The bread was fantastic and I can't say enough about the roasted red pepper sauce that accompanied it!!! This was our 32 year anniversary and it could not have been better! Both my husband's IPA and my chardonnay were quite nice. We can't wait to eat here again on our next trip! read more

Wow, rarely have I been to a paid restaurant and treated with such contempt by the waitress and then tricked regarding the menu. I will say that the food was okay, but I suggest you can save yourself the trouble and the money by going to Med Deli right down the street!! Here is what happened to us: 1) I asked for the Talullas salad and asked for chicken as extra. (On the menu, the salad was $9, they charge us $10.) It was cloying sweet, but it was edible. 2) I asked for chicken on the salad and was given and charged for an appetizer without informing me the change (they gave me the chicken kabob, it was kinda dry and seriously overpriced). I asked the waitress about it and she just rolled her eyes. 3) I can overlook the food, but the service was terrible. For the price they charge, you would think they try to at least try to be courteous. Our waitress was either new or just angry. We went on a Tuesday with a party of 8, there were only one other table beside us. She did not try to answer any question and she forgot our drink. Every time we tried to ask her anything, she would give us a look of disgust like we are bothering her. (Our drink was brought by another server after we asked for it again.) 5) The food was okay; however, it was not as good as Medi Deli down the street. In conclusion, I will not going to Talluas again unless either they improve their service and stop treating customer like a burden. read more

Talullas - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

In terms of taste, one of the Turkish restaurant in the triangle. The meat was well seasoned, juicy and had a hint of char that melts in your mouth. The atmosphere is very lively and cozy. The tables and space inside in general is cramped. The portion sizes are very small and we felt did not justify their prices. We ordered their mantu appetizer and it came as 6 small pieces of mantu swimming in a gigantic bowl of yogurt. We left hungry, definitely a place to come to enjoy Turkish food but don't expect to satisfy your hunger. read more

Turkish restaurant on Franklin that I've never noticed before! Right next to Carolina Brewery. A cute little place with a lot of people. We had a group of 11 and everyone was quite happy with their food. The service could have been nicer, but no real complaints. The menu could use a little more explanation since we weren't familiar with Turkish food. Regardless, it seemed like we couldn't go wrong with the food! read more

Amazing middle eastern food in the heart of chapel hill! Great ambience- adorable window booths, rugs hanging on the walls, very pretty spot. Food is amazing. If the whole branzino is offered as a special- try it! It's amazing and the purple cabbage salad that comes with it is refreshing and light but also delish! read more

Lively, loud, fun restaurant with freshly prepared, well seasoned food that is a nice departure from the usual Thai/Chinese/Indian fare offered for those who want something different from traditional Western food. A convivial, happy place to eat out. read more

Wow, so we are just trying out all the different restaurants and bars on Franklin, stopped here and blown away. We need to eat here, the food looks fantastic, we had a few apps, it will not disappoint the atmosphere is beautiful. Must check it out. Turkish food is amazing. read more

A wonderful Mediterranean option here in Chapel Hill that offers a bit more of a fine dining experience as opposed to the more casual Med Deli down the street. The menu offers a myriad of options, that, from what I could tell, you couldn't go wrong with! We ate family style and were able to try a bit of everything which I highly recommend! read more

Talullas - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

First time visit! It was a great place to be together with friends and family! Tried the Turkish food, a very tasty type of food! Coffee is good! Will come again! read more

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The first time I dined at Talullas in 2005, I was enthralled! It was a great deal like a place I frequented in NYC growing up. The staff was extremely welcoming and made us feel like family. We have continued to dine at T's and truly love it! read more

Ambience, creative cuisine, very flavorful. Can take some time, but always worth the wait

Beautiful and delicious. Cozy and romantic. Tallulas welcomed me and my friends right away on a busy Friday night, when we were on a tight schedule and completely forgot to make dinner reservations. Our waitress did an amazing job describing some of the foods/drinks we were asking about, and the dishes came out pretty quickly. We were served with warm bread with sesame seeds that went perfectly with the red pepper sauce. I ended up finishing this even throughout my meal! I had the 1) Falafel (deep fried patties of chickpeas, celery, parsley, garlic, onions), which was one of the BEST that I have ever tasted, 2) Yaprak Doner Kebabi (only available on Fri and Sat) - sliced lamb (came with vegetables), which was extremely delicious and filling (even for two), and a little treat for myself 3) Seftali Suyu - peach nectar, which tasted very fresh and definitely not diluted with water or anything else. My friends had other dishes that I can't remember but they loved it as well. There are lots of choices, so try them all! I was also impressed with their wine list and cocktails. I had no room for dessert but I plan on coming back! I am in love with their decor on the walls and the quaint candle holder. Great music, good noise level, and beautiful atmosphere to share with your friends, family, and loved ones! read more

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This restaurant has a very charming interior with great food. I've ordered from them several times, both sit down and take out, and have had great experiences every time! I really enjoy the sultan's delight dish with beef, everything is cooked perfectly with excellent flavor. The bread & dip that is given with meals is delicious and I was ecstatic to find they package it if you have a take out order. The restaurant provided awesome service for curbside pickup as well, if you call. Definitely recommend, even though they are a bit pricey! read more

Fantastic Turkish Cuisine. It is a 30 min drive for us so it is a "special occasion " venue. But it is so worth it. Great to have a new bunch of flavors tickle your tongue. The dip that comes with the homemade bread that greets you, will let you know you made a good choice. The menu choices are very varied with out being overwhelming. We have not been disappointed with anything we have ordered. The food always shows up steaming hot and well presented. As with most restaurants these days they seemed a little understaffed, but the service did not reflect that as the service was actually the best it has ever been, with the two "Servers", who I suspect were the owners, put in a lot of effort. Truly a case of quality over quantity when it come to staff. read more

Best Turkish restaurant. The bread is made in-house and is crispy on the outside, super soft on the inside. It comes with this delicious red sauce with chopped garlic that I ordered two more times! The lamb dumplings were my favorite. Super chewy and delicious. Then came the stuffed grapeleaves with currant. That was sweet and sour and so bomb. Great place to eat at for a fresh and light, flavorful meal! read more

Talullas - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

10 out of 10 my favorite restaurant on Franklin st. Anything in the menu is exquisite! Not a must but a NEED. This place is an experience!

Talullas Turkish fare is well worth trying. We stopped there recently for dinner and loved the flavors, the environment and the opportunity to try some vegetarian options. Service was great even at a busy hour. It was enjoyable to sit at the bar. Check out the menu soon. Lots to enjoy. We will definitely be back. read more

This restaurant was really good. The decor felt very authentic. We like Mediterranean food but have never tried Turkish style. It was delicious. We will definitely be back. read more

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Always delicious Good great service and atmosphere too. They are usually able to accommodate last minute reservations as well.

One of the best meals I have had in a long time. Everything was delicious. Only issue was there seemed to be not enough staff that day. I will be back regardless. read more

An excellent Turkish restaurant can be found on Franklin Street, where great food and excellent service rewards her guests. The hot hummus was rich and made a great start to the meal. The Hünkar Beğendi (Sultan's Delight) served with a creamy smoked eggplant sauce and tomato-pepper puree made the tender beef sirloin really stand out. The bread and roasted red pepper sauce were amazing Finally, the Künefe, shredded wheat wrapped around Hatay cheese, over a mulberry extract, with a housemade syrup, and Turkish coffee ended a great meal. It should be mentioned that when the Baklava was not as good as expected, a freshly made to-go box appeared at the table, compliments of the house. Not inexpensive, but Talullas is a nice find. read more

Talullas - Hünkar Beğendi (Sultan's Delight) - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Such a great restaurant!! I loved everything from the hummus to the eggplant dinner. It was so unique and so amazingly delicious: definitely coming back in the near future!! read more

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I've been here on three different occasions over the past few years, and each time has been a good experience. I'll say first off that the food is very tasty. On my most recent visit, I ordered the Etli Bamya (with lamb), and the two other people I was with ordered the Tavuklu Pide (chicken Turkish pizza) and the Iskender (Doner Kebab with other sides), which I got tastes of. They provide bread and olive oil as a complimentary appetizer, and the bread is delicious. Nice crust on the outside, but soft yet dense on the inside. The olive oil had some roasted red peppers in them, which provided some nice flavor. The Etli Bamya was overall a good dish. I had a few minor gripes about the dish. First, the portion of rice provided with the rest of the dish was not enough. It's just rice - no need to skimp on it. Secondly, the pickled okra in the dish was good, but once I got to the end of the dish, it was a little too much pickling for my liking. It's probably my lack of Turkish food understanding, so I'm not going to make a big deal out of it, but I thought I'd point it out. I enjoyed the meat and the vegetables included in the dish, and it was definitely a satisfying dish. The Tavuklu Pide (chicken Turkish pizza) was well seasoned, and I particularly enjoyed the crust. I'm a big fan of nicely made bread, and I enjoyed the way they made their pizza. The Doner Kebab meat that I got to taste was great as well. The flavoring and texture of the lamb meat was great - bold and savory flavors (with the hints of lamb fat tasted), and a nice sear on some of the exteriors of the meat strips. Nicely done. The service was accommodating, which was much appreciated. I felt that it was all a bit overpriced, though. The portions were satisfying, but it's hard to not compare this place with the surrounding restaurants. Seeing as how Mediterranean Deli is right down the street, they serve great Turkish pizzas and other great Mediterranean food for a much lower price. Granted, the lamb meat is not the same quality, but for the price I'm paying, I'd rather go to Med Deli. Don't get me wrong, the food at Tallulas is great. Just a bit pricey. read more

It is a very great Turkish restaurant and I highly recommend it. I think main dish is a little bit normal.

Sadly, not impressed with the quality of the food at Talullas. First impression-wise, the interior decor was amazing: beautiful tapestries are hung everywhere (and are for sale, apparently!), and lamps that emit nice, dim lighting. Since there were very few people eating there, we got to choose our own table, so we sat in a cozy corner booth with pillows and curtains that created a nice sense of privacy. Our server was very friendly, and the food came out very quickly; no complaints about service at all. However, I was just not a fan of the main dishes that we ordered. Manti: "dumplings" which were basically little lumps of dough with a bit of meat inside, swimming in a strangely spicy yogurt sauce. Iskender: pretty decent! Mostly meat and cubed bread though, so while it tasted good, it could have some different flavor elements from, say, vegetables. Talulla's Gve w/ shrimp: unexpectedly spicy, which I found a bit off-putting. Vegetables, and the entire dish in general, were also rather formless and soupy. Portion sizes were definitely large, which was a bit of a bummer because we had no room left for dessert. However, it pains me to say that I'm probably not coming back to eat at Talullas anytime soon. read more

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If any of you have ever seen me at a dance club (Remember me, baby, I'm the guy who sat in the corner staring at you all night before making an awkward romantic advance while dancing in a manner that the bartender derisively deemed, "convulsive"), then you know that I don't do too well with it. I'm a wallflower, which is a lot nicer than saying "rhythmless freak." That's why I love Talullas. I've never found a place that I've felt so comfortable in just sitting around doing nothing but listening to the music and sipping on a cocktail (Christina's right, those mojitos are pretty bangin). The place is very comfy to all five senses and the crowd is universally happy to be there, without the slightest dodgy attitude that you find in most places like this. Definitely my favorite place to go dancing on weekend nights... Try it out. read more

Talullas - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Omg. Delicious. On the pricier end for a random dinner outing, but so so worth it. Entire experience started great with warm bread, and this delicious tomato olive oil blend. I could've eaten just that for dinner. Then for actual dinner got the sultans meal with lamb shank...I didn't love the tomato sauce mixed....but the eggplant and the lamb was delicious! I was stuffed after the bread, and still somehow finished my meal. Service was curt but efficient. Ambiance very cute. Overall delicious Turkish food. Will definitely be back and am pretty sure my next review will have 5 stars. read more

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Fantastic food, fantastic service! Recommend getting a reservation on weekends! New favorite place in chapel hill :)

This place was an awesome find on the best street in Chapel Hill. I love pretty much any ethnic food to be found but this was pure deliciousness. They served authentic Turkish Coffee that tasted perfect.... A nice combo of coffee and sweetness served in real cups. The food melted in my mouth from the appetizers to the mezze plates.... Nothing bad to say about this place! read more

Talullas - Turkish Coffee - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Amazing serendipity, finding this gem while exploring Chapel Hill. We just moved locally from Dallas, which really has a vibrant food scene, including Turkish and Middle Eastern. I thought I'd stop in for wine and a small plate, but from the moment I stepped off the sidewalk inside, I was dazzled by the rich interior. Then came the menu, which was also dazzling, but the server described a fresh branzino special. to which I responded enthusiastically, "YES!" Glad I did, and glad I stopped wolfing down the warm, crusty loaf with red pepper sauce because the fish was STUNNING, especially with a chilly glass of Spanish cava. If you seek a culinary respite from college town burgers and pizza, look no further. read more

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