Kilyos Fish & Grill

Great mediterranean place.

We used to love coming to this place, but the last couple of times that we ordered a selection of pan seared or grilled fish (about 4 – 5 different types of fish), most of it tasted extremely bitter, like it was cooked on old or burned oil.

Great place to get fresh Mediterranean food, emphasis on Turkish. Owner is super friendly and will cater to your needs. Nice find in a neighborhood strip mall. Delish!

I recently tried Kilyos with my dad and stepmom. The owner, Riza, is a former nutrionist, which came in very handy, as both my dad and stepmom have some issues with eating that can make dining out less than easy or pleasant. But Riza took A LOT of time with us before we ordered, explaining what might be good for them, listening to their issues, etc. The food was delicious! We all had seafood of some sort, all of it was cooked to order with rice and veggies on the side. I didn’t have the Lentil soup, but they both raved over it. Everything tastes homemade and fresh.
Try the oil they give with the bread and see if you can figure out the other ingredient. Hint… it’s not vinegar, but it’s delicious!

Was it the best Turkish food i have ever had? No. Was it good enough to go back. Absolutely.
For appetizers, we ordered the Hummus and Cucumber Yogurt dip which were both very good.
I had the chicken shish kabobs which were well seasoned and grilled to perfection. The rice served with he chicken was delicious. My husband had the St. Peters fillet and enjoyed that too.
If you are in the area, looking for some Mediterranean, don’t hesitate to check this place out. The server was warm, welcoming and friendly.

Finding the place was tough, considering that I was looking for a sign that says ‘Kilyos’, but no such sign exists. What I found was «Fish & Grill» in a small, unassuming strip mall on the east side of Bustleton Ave. I drove by here twice before finding it with the help of my GPS. I’m not sure where the name Kilyos comes in with the restaurant. I didn’t see the name anywhere during my visit.
Fish & Grill is unassuming and rundown on the outside. Enter its doors and you find yourself in a homey restaurant with quaint touches. I believe the owner played host, waiter and chef on the Tuesday night I went. He uncorked the Georgian wine I had brought and recommended that it sit for 15 minutes to allow air to circulate in the bottle.
The hummus had lovely texture and flavor. Instead of pita bread (what you’d expect with hummus), we were served warm, crusty bread.
Lamb Kabobs! Wow. Beautifully seasoned and perfectly cooked. The rice and vegetables were delicious. Simple yet well executed. My friends got the chicken kabobs and lamb cutlets. Both were very good, too. And did I mention the Lamb Kabobs?!!
The people at the next table raved about the Turkish coffee and the desserts. My friends and I were too stuffed to even consider stuffing ourselves with a mouthful of food more.
I’ll be going back again for those lamb kabobs!

Had an excellent set of appetizers tonight — the eggplant salad (Patlican Salatasi), spinach pie (Ispanakli Borek), zucchini pancakes (Mucver), yogurt with cucumber, garlic and fresh dill (Jajick-​Cacik) and Turkish (chopped) salad were all wonderful, as was the Turkish coffee and baklava. Lots of garlic throughout, everything tasted very fresh and savory but nothing was too strong (eggplant had the most garlic). Friendly but not intrusive service. Can’t wait to go back for a main course!

This is one of my favorite «safe» spots in NE Philly. The food is not amazing, but it is very good, tasty, fresh. There is a good selection of fish, meat, and veggie items thus making it possible to assemble the perfect meal for one, two or a crowd.
One other thing that I like is the time-​to-​attention ratio. The service is fast, but not all over you, the place is open and small, but still intimate.

I’m writing this as a wife of a Turkish immigrant and I’ve been to Turkey twice. So my standards may be fairly high. AND I don’t believe in grade inflation. :-)
The food was a mixed bag. We had a party of five that mostly got different things, but most of us started with the lentil soup because it was chilly and they only offer one soup (which is a disappointment because there are a lot of nice turkish soups.) The lentil soup, although it was listed in the menu as «red lentil» soup, was most decidedly made from yellow lentils and turned out to be the kind of lentil soup I don’t care for. My husband, who likes that type though, thought it was good.
The pide (bread) was very fresh and warm, a highlight to go with the soup.
I ordered a couple of appetizers for my main course: an octopus salad and «soslu patlican,» a cold mixture of eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, and other veggies. The eggplant was excellent (clearly doused in olive oil, so of course it was good!). The octopus, on the other hand, I had to send back. The octopus itself was dry, and the salad of onions, tomatoes, and balsamic vinegar that it came mixed with was very strong. It tasted of nothing but onion and vinegar.
My tablemates were impressed with their fish dishes (dorado and sea bass), which the owner deboned for them. I was disappointed that these dishes did not come with any kind of starch or veggie to offset the big piece of fish in the middle of the plate. (But that may be my American sensibilities.)
Another tablemate got a special anchovy dish, which turned out to be nothing other than about 30 fried anchovies arranged on a large plate. That’s a lot of anchovies to try to stay interested in through a meal!
My husband ordered the mucver (zucchini pancakes) and ispanakli borek (spinach pastry) for his entrée. The borek was pretty good but the zucchini was very poor — heavy on the flour which gave it a strange texture.
All in all, it looks like the best way to go at this restaurant is with the standard fish dishes and the cold appetizers.
I was also a little disappointed by our waitress (not Turkish) who took a rather lacksidasical approach to our care. The owner, who took our order and helped serve, was very very nice.

Despite the NE Philly strip mall location and the vague signage (I didn’t see Kilyos anywhere on the front) this restaurant is a great little BYO. The food was very fresh and well prepared. The staff was friendly and accommodating.
The whole fish dishes are a specialty. But even if you’re not into seafood there are plenty of other chicken and lamb options.

wonderful

I went here due to proximity as well as all the great reviews listed on Unilocal.It was nice inside, and the smell was fabulous. I dug the jolly Mediterranean music. However, we kind of got off to a bad start. The friendly waitress wouldn’t give us time to look at the menu. She was almost insisting we order an appetizer right away. She literally rambled on about them, then said she would put the cold appetizer sampler in for us, yet we had never made any verbal inclination to wanting it! When we finally were ready to order our entrees, she gave my boyfriend a really hard time b/​c he ordered meat instead of fish. She said, «What are you? Meat guy??» LoL She kept insisting on the fish, which is understandable b/​c that is what they specialize in. She did not relent until he finally said, «Look, I understand you’re trying to push fish, but I’m just not in the mood for fish today.»
Besides that awkwardness, the food was delicious for the most part. We had the hummus to start, which I found to be way too salty, and the bf was irked b/​c we only had bread for the table and no pita for the hummus. But our entrees were incredibly tasty. I had the surf and turf and he had the ka bobs. Even the veggies and rice that came w it were soooo good. I probably won’t frequent here, but it was a nice change up.

There are no marble steps to climb as you approach Fish & Grill.
No red carpet laid outstretched before you as you enter. No entourage of of seemly useless staff waiting at the door simply as window dressing. Fish & Grill is not Amada, not Tangerine, not… well you get the point. Fish & Grill is just not that kinda place. It, rather, is a true family operation and thankfully one that hasn’t been ruined by success or too many generations of Americanization. (yes, it happens!) It is a place whose food reflects the people who prepare it in its authenticity, generosity, and fervor.
All this will be evident the moment you step though the doors into this pleasant nautically themed mocha and gold 52-​seat BYO
and meet Riza Canca, the Host/​Owner/​Manager/​Desert Chef, who will greet you warmly at the door and seat you. You’ll be handed menus that will divide the ranks of your troop into 2 groups: land-​lovers and sea-​dogs. Those who favor ordering lamb or chicken versus those who order some form of fish, respectively. That is, unless you are too temped, and decide to delay the maritime and meat festivities a bit, in favor of to such appetizers such as fried eggplant, tomato salad, warm zucchini pancakes and, perhaps my personal favorite, veal liver.
(no iron or gamely taste at all. a little paprika and spices…)
The menu reads like many Mediterranean menus but with Turkish flare. No quirky item will left dancing in your mind after you’ve ordered but if you do have a question, ask and marvel how fast the host is table-​side enjoying his job (a rarity, i find). He’ll answer any question — Hell, the man share desert recipes with customers! (me) The food is extremely fresh and is plated thoughtfully. Plus, to top it all off there are little old woman in back, headscarf and all, working her tail off to produce the food your eating. Can’t get more traditional and tasty.
P.S.
The deserts, stay away from ‘em… they are mine!
Fair warning! If arrive there and they are out someone dies!
mmmm, they are so good…(slobber)
P.P.S
Here is a link to a review by
:

This place is great. Had a great time with some friends here and we were treated so well. The service was top notch, the food super fresh and really affordable! The others really nailed it with the description of the actual food here. All I can say is it’s not exaggerated and also that the coffee’s really good!

So we just got back from Fish & Grill and it was excellent! We shared the cold appetizer platter which had 6 different dishes which were enough for 7 of us to taste (along with several baskets of yummy bread). I loved all of them. There were two eggplant dishes, hummus, tziki, another cucumber thing and a roasted pepper and garlicy dish (really good!). For entrees we all ordered fish, except one of us had the mixed grill which was chicken kebobs and lamb. I’m not usually into plain fish, but the Bronzini was really good. We got 4 desserts for the table which were all polished off completely. I particularly liked the flan. The bill was only $ 20 each for me and the Mr. since we split a entrée. It was just over $ 30 for everyone else which I think is really reasonable for food this good. The owner talked with us about how they only use fresh and organic foods and no butter or margarine. I usually tend to shy away from foods once I know they’re good for me, but this food was delicious. The location is an unlikely strip mall, but you kind of forget that once you’re inside. Our waitress was a lot of fun — (she’s only 14 and happens to be the owner’s daughter). The vibe was very relaxed and friendly. It’s a real gem in the Northeast, and well worth the 25 min drive up 95 from Fishtown.

I agree with Vicki, eccept that I do want people to go here! I do not want this little gem to disappear.
I went on a Friday night and we were one of three small groups there. The restaurant is new, very bright, with a nautical/​Mediterranean look. One benefit of it being so empty when we went was we got to have a nice conversation with the owner, who runs the place with his family.
Lets start off with the fact that all their food is very fresh, very tasty and well made. (Next time I go I am taking a camera to take pics of the plates) We ordered two hot appetizers, the Ispanakli Borek (Spinach pastries) which were filo dough with spinach & onion inside, and the Sigara Boregi (Cheese pastries) cigar shaped pastry stuffed with feta cheese, parsley & dill. Both were crispy fresh and served with a yogurt, cucumber, dill, mixture as a sauce. When then proceeded on to the entrees, we all opted to try their lamp & meat dishes. All of the shish kebabs were great, well seasoned/​marinated and cooked well, but not over cooked or dried out. Our over all favorite from the dishes was the Kofte (lamb patties). Then came the desserts, all of which are made fresh in house. We ordered their baklava, kadayif (Greek shredded wheat pastry with honey & walnuts), and a chocolate crêpe Suzette. All were amazing. They have a large selection of coffees & herbal teas to compliment their lovely desserts. What else can I say? This is definitely going to become a favorite spot of mine. Do yourself a favor when you are in the far Northeast and try this restaurant.

Please don’t go to the restaurant, because it will become crowded and I’ll have a longer wait next time I go, which hopefully will be every time I go to Philly for me from now on!
Great Turkish/​Mediterranean cuisine, and great atmosphere!
Relatively cheap for fresh fish (my St. Peter’s fish, complete with rice and veggies was somewhere around $ 11.95). You get a LOT of food, no matter what you order. My boyfriend ordered the lamb kebob and he says that it was also good. We also got a plate of hummus (a very sore point for me since I’ve become quite the hummus connoisseur since my time in Israel), and it was good… homemade with fresh bread.
The establishment, I think, is a family establishment and everyone was very helpful and very friendly, not the fake kind of friendly you encounter at Tchotchke’s-like establishments, but genuinely interested in how we were doing.