Istanbul

If you want to eat bread and water go for it. The service sucked big time and me and my wife were the only people there and the service was still slow. Not only that but the waitress was very nervous looking and might have had some serious issues based on her reaction to our explaining that she brought this yogurt and not tatziki. The lamb was the only good thing and even that was like 5 small pieces. Save your time and go somewhere else.

Over priced average food lacking in taste. The salad was boring and bland. The kbob was tough with gristle. The ice water had a few tiny chips of ice. The air conditioning must have been turned off. I have had some good meals there in the past but they seemed to have slipped backwards lately. There is better Mediterranean food to be found around town.

Good food. Nice interior. Service was polite but unattentive and uninformed. The menu said the dolma was fresh. We asked to make sure. «Yes,» came the reply. The dolma was made fresh on the premises. We got seemed canned the canned variety, so we asked the waiter again, who insisted it was fresh. We politely pressed him, so he checked and conceded it was canned dolma after all. Supposedly, Istanbul’s dolma is usually fresh, but the person who made it wasn’t there. It’s not the end of the world, but it’s shady passing off store-​bought cold briny canned grape leaves as homemade. The homemade version is a warm, big, loosely wrapped grape leaf rolled around rice and tiny pieces of savory meat.
The waiter was nice the few times he showed up.
The meats were excellent and seemed genuinely prepared and seasoned over long periods of time as advertised.
I would recommend and try again.

What isn’t there to like about this place?
The prices are fantastic.
The food is delicious.
The ambiance is neat and the smell of the food cooking is intoxicating.
The service is fast and extremely friendly.
You get a clear idea of what you’re in for just by driving up. The sign isn’t fancy, but that blue tiled oven that sticks out from the building definitely is. They’re spending money where it matters.
Probably the only critique I’d make is I that I wish they had fountain soda rather than cans, but honestly that’s not that big of a deal.

This is probably the best mixed grill I have had since I moved to Oklahoma City. As I moved from Jordan. The food tastes like home and we were delighted.
And don’t miss the sweets! The kunefe was excellent too.
We knew about the restaurant on Unilocal.But will definitely go again as the staff are very friendly.

So I LOVED the naan bread that was brought to the table as an appetizer. It was very soft and tasty. I also loved the falafel sandwich I ordered at lunch, and thought it was a great price. When the tickets came, however, there were some discrepancies. One item was on the wrong ticket, and my friends were charged the dinner price for two items they ordered even though we went in at 11:00am and ordered specifically off of the lunch menu. These discrepancies were unable to be resolved. The waitress said that it was too late and she had «already charged them.» She apologized profusely, but the issue did not get fixed and really should not have happened in the first place. I think a language barrier contributed to the issue. Anyhow, the food is great; but be sure to be EXTREMELY clear when ordering, and make sure your ticket is correct when you get it!

Istanbul is a experience that has potential to be a serious hidden gem. As soon as I came through the door the aroma of the bread being warmed and toasted uppercut me right in the nose. The décor looks okay nothing really too fancy, but still comfortable. (Could be a bit more vibrant).
We were sat right away, and the staff seemed friendly. Not being too negative pointing out from my experience, but I wonder how all the servers react under overwhelming busy times? It was semi busy and it seemed a bit of a struggle for our server at some moments, but he was def a nice guy. (The girl who wasn’t our server and got us extra bread anyway was also nice.)
We ordered; hummus, lebnah, eggplant, salad, and the chef’s special. I got to say, all the appetizers were delicious. I may not know what super authentic hummus taste like, but it’s very good at Istanbul. The amount of garlic and tahini in the hummus was spot on for me. The chef’s special was just okay. Good and filling, but just okay. It was pretty much gyro beef & lamb strips on top of potatoes, covered in what taste like pizza sauce to me. Severed in a skillet with white sauce on the side. To be honest I’m not too sure if it was all done on the skillet, or if they used a skillet as the serving dish only? The sauce on the side wasn’t too bad, but maybe it was missing something. I’m no expert, but I wanted more pop, zest, bang, spice, something! Which brings me to the next point, the prices seemed to be a bit higher when it comes to dinner. The prices on the lunch menu seem WAY better, for the quality of the taste of food also I’m not sure if it truly matters, but the overall look of the joint. I’ll pay for rich taste and a fan-​sayy, swanky joint when I can, but not really trying to do that at a place that doesn’t quite fit that whole «fine dining» quality food and look scene. To be honest I’ll pay for just quality-​amazing-​goodness-​set the standard food any day, I don’t care where you serve me take my money.
I’ll be back to Istanbul fo sho, only at lunch time though. Hopefully it won’t be too busy and if it is, hopefully there’s some good team work going on with their team. Watch out for those prices, a bit pricey for something regular, and go nuts on the appetizers. Oh and that bread tho… Heaven

Hands down this place has the best falafel. My wife and I love Mediterranean food, and there’s a lot of places around town that offer it up. We’ve tried a lot of it and this place easily has the most delicious falafel. Everything else is great as well.
It seems like a bit of a hidden gem. The Times we have been it has not been very busy. The restaurant has a nice atmospehere. The service has been a bit spotty, and it seems like there may be a lot of turnaround in the staff, but it isn’t terrible. You’re there for the food anyways!
I would definitely recommend making it out to this place. Well worth it!

They serve a red onion salad, just a bit of garnish, really, but oh my … it is so addictive. And that’s nothing compared to the rest of the lunch menu. Tasty, beautiful and a good bargain for the money. Plus the service is first rate. They take care of you here, checking in on your table, offering suggestions on dishes and generally keeping everyone happy.

Didn’t like the food much, salad was oily, the kabab was ok but the service is nice, they keep checking on you and the decoration is pretty worn out

The appetizer plate was delicious, the small platter was more than enough for two people. The chicken kabob was also wonderful, the chicken was tender and very flavorful. The iskender is what I was the most excited about but it ended up being mediocre in comparison to what I’ve had in other cities. Overall it was a good, not the best turkish food I’ve ever had, but I left very satisfied.

Best Turkish Restaurant so far try their adana kebab. Amazing.

Recently tried Istanbul for the first time because of a Groupon promotion we purchased. Not able to comment on the dine in experience because I picked up the order to go. Liz was a one woman show that brilliantly was taking calls and waiting on tables the night I called. Although busy, she was very friendly and helpful both over the phone and in person. When I arrived she was quick to bring my order and offer plastic ware and even a water to go. Service was five stars.
I ordered the chicken ka bob that came with a salad, rice pilaf and jasmine rice. It was my first experience with Turkish cuisine and I wasn’t sure what to expect. The chicken was tender and tasty without being overly salty or spiced. The salad was a little oily for my taste but not bad. The rice was very satisfying and filling. My wife ordered the Mazzarat (sp?) which was beef, eggplant, and other spices. It unfortunately did not meet expectations. Overall I’d give 3.5 stars for taste quality.
The price was comparable to other Medeterranian restaurants in the metro. We look forward to returning to try some other items on the menu including the hummus and a deliciously described desserts.

Food was phenomenal, wonderful bread, nice, friendly staff. I wonder why is not better known. People should give it a try (that is if they are into Mediterranean food).
The location is not awesome, but it is very easy to get there (just off I-​44 on May, behind the Dunkin donuts).
I loved my meat kebab. The chicken was good but not as good as the meat one. I really liked the falafel and want to try their «meatballs «. Even though I find it to be a little expensive, I will go back to try the mixed plate.
Lower prices and a nicer interior would have earned this place 5 stars.

My husband and I really loved this place! Some of the best bread and baklava in OKC. The falafel with tahini sauce was very tasty.

Today was a day I had to run errands, so I got the car rather than my husband. I took advantage of it by planning a couple of meals out. Lunch was at a place neither of us had been to yet. Istanbul. I had been there before the new place got put in and had not been expecting the change over. It was a wonderful surprise.
The ease of parking and several ways to get back on the road later to take my husband to work (I prefer having a light when making left turns) was a big plus. Not something they did as it is part of the little shopping area, but still a plus for placement.
Going inside the tone was perfectly relaxing and comfortable. I enjoyed the brown and mahogany tones with the brilliant blue tile on the wall of the kitchen area. The rounded arches and themed lighting fixtures really made us feel we were being pulled to another place. The quiet space to enjoy not only the food but the company was relaxing and peaceful.
Our server was a delightful lady. She explained that the storms had knocked out their stoves the night before so there would be a bit of delay on the bread. Not a problem for us, to be sure. Can’t help mother nature after all.
We ordered the Turkish Black Tea to drink. It was unsweetened which for me was great. However, sometimes the tea can be bitter. This was a strong tea, but had a great flavor. My husband did add sugar but he is not diabetic like I am. Liz, our waitress, kept the tea glasses full. A definite plus in my book.
So many wonderful new to us dishes to chose from on the menu. We had a time deciding, let me tell you. We did order from the lunch menu though we were tempted to do regular entrees as the pictures just looked yummy. Erring on the side of caution, it was new to us after all, we just did the lunch menu. The amount of food ended up being the perfect amount as we were filled up.
My husband got the Chicken adana lunch platter and I got the Lamb shish kebab platter. These came with a choice of lentil soup or salad. We chose salads. The salads were simple but light and tasty. I forgot to take pictures. Just got distracted as we were talking and hungry when the food arrived. You will just have to trust me that the plate was pretty to look at. The smell was divine as well. You will just have to go try it yourself as there is no app for sharing smells as of yet. Wait a few years, they will figure that one out too. Grin.
After the meal, we had to try a dessert. I am not supposed to, but besides chocolate, I have a weakness for baklava. It was just a small little piece after all right? umm no one tell my doctor please. It was heavenly. Light and delicate pastry and using the tiny fork, I could make tiny bites to make it last longer and savor it with more than two huge bites that I would normally make of it.
This is a place to visit if you haven’t yet. We plan to return.

Looking for authentic Turkish cuisine? This is your place! I love visiting Istanbul for an adventure for my taste-​buds. They have a wide-​array of dishes to choose from & always have fresh turkish tea on the menu. I usually order hummus as an appetizer and the turkish meat-​pizzas for dinner. The flavors are out of this world and the service is fantastic. Every now & then, you might catch the owner hanging out in the restaurant. Check it out if you want to get adventurous!

From the owners of Cous Cous Café comes Istanbul Turkish restaurant. I have to say that customer service is the best part of this restaurant — five stars for sure. Our main waiter was Shawn and he was the nicest guy and did a great job accommodating our large group of over 20 people.
The food, however, did not leave a lasting impression. It was decent but not something I’d recommend. I got the chicken shish kebab plate, pretty standard right?
*The chicken was a bit too chewy
*The two types of rice that came with the entrée weren’t up to standards for this Asian (trust me, I know my rice)
*I got to try a sampler plate of different hummus/​dips and I think only two stood out
*The pita bread was meh
The dining room was a cozy place. This is a great place for any kind gathering: family, date, group, meeting… etc. Most entrees were about $ 12-​ish. We got our food pretty fast considering the amount of people that were in our group. I just had higher expectations for the food considering I was already a huge fan of Cous Cous.

I probably wouldn’t have ever been to this place if it weren’t for the supper clubs that went tonight. The restaurant is tucked away in the corner of a little shopping center just south of 36^th on May. (Some may be interested to know that it is across the lot from a hookah lounge that is also not well known.)
When the first half of our group showed up, the staff was very welcoming and showed us a little cove set up for our party. Our server Shawn was pretty quick to take our drink order, giving a list of what they had in an articulate and easy to follow manner, and bringing them out. He allowed us a few minutes to look over the menu while waiting for the rest of our party to show up. I felt that he did a wonderful job in making sure that everyone had a full glass and explaining what each food was when asked.
I decided on the hot Turkish tea, which was very yummy. I had mine with sugar, but I heard it was great without as well. It had a full flavor without being bitter or dwelling.
With our party, they automatically brought out a sampler appetizer for everyone to partake in, but also automatically charged $ 2 per person, whether you partook or not. I found the first few pieces of pita bread to be very crunchy, but the second batch was warm and slightly fluffy/​chewy/​soft and I enjoyed it. All of the dip/​sauces/​hummus on the sampler were great, in my humble opinion.
The menu consisted mainly of kabobs with a few other things such as salads, a humus section, soups, and sandwiches (generally not meat between two slices of bread). Everything that came out seemed to be something under the umbrella of Ottoman cuisine rather than Turkish. My father who lived in Turkey for a while recommended the Turkish dishes that are eggplant based, such as Kızartma or Şakşuka, but I did not see any of the sort.
I decided on the adana kebob, which my eyes kept wandering back to because it included red bell pepper, onion, garlic, parsley, and lamb in a kebob with rice pilaf, half a grilled tomato, and a small salad. Shawn told me that it was an excellent choice. I do believe he was right. I found it to be very flavorful, and had to make myself stop eating. The plate was fairly big, and I ended up taking half of it home.
They brought the food for our party of 21 out as soon as each dish was ready, one or two at a time. So, there were a couple of people that didn’t get their food for quite a while; however, I don’t think that there is much that could be done about that for such a large party.
Once we had all seemed to be finishing up our meals, Shawn offered desert with a description of the items. I decided against it, but was able to try a friend’s rice pudding. I will definitely be ordering the rice pudding next time. It was perfectly sweet and smooth with just a spattering of lumps.
However, there were a few things that I thought could have been presented better. One waitress wore a shirt that said «I’ve stopped listening; I don’t know why you haven’t stop talking», or something along those lines. Also, they brought out the check for the person next to me, but didn’t bring out the check for the rest of the group until desert had been delivered — whether you ordered desert or not.

Plenty of parking… It is in the shopping strip… north of Patty Wagon… south of Starbucks. Used to be Taste of Egypt. As you approach the restaurant, the aroma makes your mouth water. You know it is going to rock your socks off.
I arranged a Meetup with a UYE group which fused very well together. I had called a few days prior to arrange 15 – 20 people and talked to Rashid, who emailed me a copy of the menu. Carly and Spencer were intricate in conglomerating and picking this place out.
I arrived a few minutes early to ensure everything was setup and to discuss what the manager (Mohammed) would do for our group. He said he would take care of us, and by golly, he sure did. They brought out sampler appetizers which included, but not limited to hummus, babaganush, grape leaves, pita bread, olive oil with basil seeds?, etc (see picture). They brought out 4 or 5 of these for 21 of us, which was more than enough. They added $ 2 on the tab per person which was very reasonable. If people did not want this, I take responsibility for having it set up that way.
Our waiter Shawn was very attentive and spot on. They did have a couple of other waiters helping out to ensure we were well taken care off and was informed that they were short one waiter, but this had little to no impact on us.
The mixed grill plate for 2 was phenomenal as it gave you a taste of the works for $ 26.99 which consisted of Chicken kabobs, beef kabobs (taste explosion in your mouth), chicken shish kabobs, lamb shish kabobs, 2 different rice items, salad, pita wedge, grilled tomato wedge, etc. I am glad we picked this.
The Turkish tea was hot and pretty tasty and only $ 1. I had it with sugar at 1^st, but skipped the sugar the next time and both were equally good.
I got the bread pudding dessert which was in a little bowl was quite exquisite. It was cold but looked like the top was baked, similar to a crème brûlée. The baklava looked good.
As far as the bill is concerned, we got charged for the sampler, the Turkish tea and the mixed grill for 2 + tax = $ 32.50 for 2 people. They did not charge us for the dessert so that brought additional satisfaction to my face and wallet.
As Spencer says, this is probably the best Mediterranean food in the greater Oklahoma City area. I am coming back fo sho.