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I've visited A Thousand Tales in Mt. Prospect three times now since this review. I had two positive experiences and one bad experience with the service. Upon my first visit on a Thursday for lunch, the waitress Nur provided excellent service to our table. She was patient, pleasant, and provided answers to our many questions. Just loved her service with a smile and uplifting energy. My friends and I ate hard and everyone enjoyed their food. I tried the lentil soup which was wonderful and I had the mushroom guvec with rice on the side that was delicious. We were served tea as an after dinner refresher which was nice. We noticed the bakery on the way out and they had so many treats ready to be ordered and taken home. The second visit was terrible. I came for lunch on a Tuesday and it wasn't busy. The lahmacon is offered as a lunch special and I asked if I could have the cheesemacon for the special. It's the same version with just cheese and no meat. My waiter Jamal straight told me no. I found that very odd so I inquired further because they are the same price on the menu and it's without meat. The answer still didn't change. I simply had a few more questions about other menu items and Jamal seemed agitated by then. He was not even trying to be nice. I ordered two entrees. I paid full price for the cheesemacon and had a pide with kashkaval cheese. Jamal brought my food and NEVER came back to my table. I watched him provide service to all the other tables during that time. I was fine and didn't need anything, but I didn't deserve to be treated that way for being pleasantly inquisitive. I really felt bothered by this because out of all my years of eating out, I never felt that a server treat me poorly personally for being myself. I've had bad service before just because the service is bad overall and that is different. I like the food so I reluctantly returned for a third time and had breakfast. Service was standard and the food was good. My mushroom omelette was fine. The traditional french toast was solid. This review should be one star but it is four without Jamal.
Middle eastern/Turkish food with very good flavors. Overall definitely meat heavy, but it's not overwhelming since it's quite flavorful. We liked the Adana kabob a lot, deep smoky flavors and tender meat. The iskender is also very good, the shaved meats are thin and easy to eat, soaks up the tomato sauce flavors and spices very well. The juice also soaks into the crunchy toasted bread underneath so those "croutons" were so flavorful soft in the inside and crunchy on the outside. However, after it sits for a while it's all a bit too soggy and feels a bit greasy but overall still very good and there's plenty of it. The guvec stew didn't stand out as much but flavor is still really good and it's the only dish with vegetables lol so I enjoyed it. Lentil soup was good too, very smooth and not grainy, with hint of lemon flavor. The complementary bread was fluffy, the babaganoush was light on flavor but texture is good. Olive oil was very good tho. Service was good, food came at when you'd expect, so it's reasonable. It's next to a bakery too, we would def check out more next time. Foods were expensive though, but overall, we enjoyed it quite a bit. Menu looks kid friendly also, so definitely we'd be back!
I was in the area and my friend and I wanted to eat after our event, so I picked this place because it looked yummy. It is white tablecloths inside so it felt fancier (and we saw someone celebrating a birthday with a sparkler on a Saturday afternoon, which was cute), but I was very casually dressed and the staff was still very warm and welcoming. We got the beyti kebab, ali nazik, and lahmacun. My friend liked the ali nazik least but said it's because she isn't as into yogurt things, but I thought everything was good and yummy. I don't know if I'd say it's the best Turkish food I've had but I also definitely don't feel well versed in Turkish cuisine. Overall, yummy lovely meal and the staff was really warm and kind. Great place for a meal in the suburbs.
A Thousand Tales is a wonderful dining experience. The space is much larger than I expected, with a main dining room, an attached bakery cafe and what looks like a banquet room in back. Located in a strip mall, there is ample free parking. Staff is unassuming, professional and helpful, willing to help with any menu questions. We came for lunch to celebrate a birthday and it was an excellent choice. The menu has a lot of clean eating options, including vegetarian and keto. We opted to share a lamb pizza, a tomato and cucumber salad and a meat tray. All were excellent, plenty of food. The pita was excellent. The tea at the end was lovely. Prices reasonable, good food good portions. Absolutely worth checking out and adding into the rotation of where to go.
A Thousand Tales is a great restaurant, and they also have a coffee and pastry shop in the same building. This time, we tried the coffee shop. The pastries are plentiful and beautiful. We had a very hard decisions to make deciding what to get. I don't know what it was called, but we got something that looked like a strawberry Napoleon. I couldn't have any because of an allergy, but my wife loved it. Their coffee bar is also impressive. My wife had a latte and I had a mint tea. They make an elaborate latte. I was a little disappointed that the tea, which was not inexpensive, was made with a tea bag and not tea leaves. But it was good, so no real problem there. There was a short line to order at the counter, but it moved quickly. The people behind the counter were pleasant and seem to enjoy talking with their customers. All in all, the Thousand Tales coffee shop rates up there with the best.
After visiting yelp reviews of this establishment, my sis and I decided to head out to the bakery, which sits next to the full restaurant, and occupies a large portion of a strip mall. Behold! a charming display of mouthwatering pastries and delicacies. The cashier is quietly helpful, although the written request for tips always puts me off a bit. The second zinger comes if you decide to sit down in the cozy table section to nibble...a percentage is added to the bill. I should mention that we have been back twice more, as I needed my Pistachio crumble latte fix and and also wanted try new flavors of their unique goodies. Recommendation: GO
Last December we had the year end Yelpies at A Thousand Tales, my sister Frances was my plus one. This was the first time that she joined my husband, also a Yelp Elite, and I at a Yelp event. She was absolutely impressed by the Yelpies and the restaurant. Recently, she even hosted her birthday party at A Thousand Tales. We were a party of 10, they seated us at the first table near the host area, it's understandable, as it was during the month of Ramadan, the restaurant was busy serving buffet even on a Monday. My sister loved the menu at our Yelpies, and wanted to duplicate that as much as possible, so as to introduce A Thousand Tales to the rest of the family who live close by. She had two of each of the following dishes: Spinach Avocado Salad ($17 ea) Shepherd Salad ($15 ea) Falafel with Hummus ($10 ea) Tales Family Mixed Grill ($140 ea) Some of us ordered Fresh Squeezed Lemonade ($7 ea) Their very fresh ingredients always contribute to delicious dishes. The presentation with dry ice under the Tales Family Mixed Grill was always fun and impressive. The complimentary bread was so good, lightly crispy on the outside, soft and fluffy inside. It was nice that they gave us a huge pot of hot black tea after dinner. Our serving team was very friendly and efficient. Our main server, Akmaral, a young lady who's very pleasant and attentive, worked hard to make sure we had a great time. She even patiently took group pictures for us with at least four different smartphones from us. I need to mention that their very friendly manager Bugra, the owner's son, was absent for a month. When my husband celebrated his birthday here last year, Bugra was extremely friendly, generous and welcoming. He checked in on us several times and gifted my husband a piece of White Dream Cake as complimentary dessert. The presentation of the cake and fireworks candles was so much fun. When I reminded Akmaral that it was Frances' birthday so she would give her a piece of birthday cake. I was quite shocked when she responded that they no longer gave out birthday cake to the birthday person, but she would check (with her management). She came back and the answer was still not a yes. She said only Bugra had the power to give out nice complimentary birthday cakes, she asked me if a piece of cheaper milk cake would be fine. I accepted, but the happy mood of the party has been dampened at this point. It's so different from the generosity that we experienced here at Yelp events, where there were cakes and desserts galore, so much extra free food and desserts for guests to take home. Now, our server had to run around for a while to get permission for a piece of birthday dessert, something pretty standard at restaurants. When Akmaral finally came with another waitress to present the piece of milk cake, it was very fun, Turkish, and happy. It's funny that they also brought 10 forks, and the funniest was that my sister cut that piece into 10 little teeny pieces for everyone to try. It was very moist and not bad. The cake value was not important, it's the gesture and thoughts that counted. Since they don't allow outside cakes, my sister had purchased a big mango "cloud" cake from her favorite bakery, and shared that with everyone at home. I asked for Frances' opinion after the party; she said she would give 3 stars. She did like the serving team a lot, and they had been great. She said it was the hostess Altyn who seemed to be unfriendly to her both on the phone and in person, and no management or substitute checked in on us even once (although our server did). When I called to make a reservation for Frances, Altyn seemed to be fine on the phone, though. Frances was pleasantly surprised that the check was only $500 with the big amount of food, that was very reasonable to her. She said she would return when her son is in town to visit. I am glad that Frances plans on returning. All in all, everyone had a good time. Can't wait to see how another sequel continues.
I love love love this placr! Service is grdat! Place is nice and you can dress up or down as you please. I have my goto food order. It will always be the Grilled platter. Its a variety of meat and its really delicious! If you want to try everything this is a highly suggested order and presentation is amazing! Definitely coming back for more! Happy Eating!!!!
I had a very disappointing experience ordering from Thousand Tales Bakery through their app. When I placed my order, the estimated delivery time was about one hour. After waiting more than 1.5 hours, I called to check the status and found out that my order had not even been prepared. I don't know who I spoke with on the phone, but instead of helping resolve the issue, I was told that I could simply cancel my order. What frustrated me most was the explanation I received: "Sorry, this app doesn't work well." The representative showed little interest in solving the problem. Apparently, the app worked perfectly when it charged my credit card, but when it came to processing and delivering my order, suddenly the app was the issue. Delays can happen, but customers should be informed instead of being left waiting with no updates. I still didn't receive my order after two hours. The customer service was awful, and the lack of communication made the situation even more frustrating. This used to be one of my favorite places, but unfortunately, the quality of service seems to be getting worse.
This place is nothing short of amazing! We experienced a 4 course meal starting with appetizers of hummus, baba ganoush, grape leaves and warm bread followed by a hot tomato red pepper soup and on to a beautiful plated main entree of Turkish style roast lamb with beautiful sides. The show stopper was the flaming salt crusted turkey that a chef unveiled for us. All the food is made fresh everyday and items are all delicious with their own unique flavors. That wasn't all.. they also have a beautiful grocery shop featuring various sweets, bakery, butcher and authentic groceries. Another nice area is the cafeteria style meal place with casual seating! It reminded me of my trip to Istanbul where this is very common to have many dishes offered and you pick what you want at the restaurants. Seating was comfortable and intimate. Then they have another area separate from all this where you can try a number of Turkish delights/Lokum, baklava's and deserts with coffee and teas! Setup as a traditional Turkish tea room as well. The whole family is very nice and puts thier passion and hard work into everything here! When you leave you feel like a Sultan!
This Turkish café is a five star place filled with wonderful aromas, sights and tastes that awaken the palate. The food is made from the freshest ingredients and you can taste the care and passion put into every bite. I loved everything I tried, but a few of my favorites were the pomegranate walnut salad, pesto pasta and meat rolled in a thin pita with tomato based sauce and cheese garnish. Dessert was equally impressive and we tried delicious cheesecake, baklava, and profiteroles served with hot Turkish tea in elegant tulip glasses. The entire night while dining here, we felt like we were part of an exclusive family meal experience. The owner, servers and staff at the bakery counter are all fabulous and we look forward to returning here in 2026!
Stepping into A Thousand Tales is less about eating out and more about embarking on a journey. Located subtly in the heart of Mount Prospect, this restaurant manages to feel both intimate and grand, inviting patrons to settle in and become part of its narrative. I can confidently say that this is a five-star experience, and I am already looking forward to my next chapter there!
I came here on Christmas Eve while I was running errands in Arlington Heights. I was in need of caffeine and after attending two recent Yelp events here, I wanted to come back and support them. (Plus my Yelp bestie Stacy O. mentioned at the last event that she had a pistachio latte here before the event and it was amazing. I haven't stopped thinking about it). I got an oatmilk pistachio crumble latte and I'm not normally a sweet coffee kind of gal, but omg. It was incredible and so worth the splurge. The real pistachios as a topping was a great addition, and they topped it with a small Turkish delight. I will always come back here when I'm in the area and need coffee. Also, all their fudges are delicious, but the pistachio one might be my favorite.
Really great Turkish food! Everything from the Baba Ganoush to the Adana Kabob was delicious. Really loved the house made bread! The staff were friendly and attentive. It is a nicer restaurant, but still casually approachable. It is great for small or large parties. I'll be back to try their desserts!! read more
1 month ago
I was invited to this restaurant I love the lamb chops it was delicious, my friends loved their food , but the 2 star is for the lamb Tandir I think this not good to be on the menu it's the worst meat I ever had it was very tough to eat , I had few bites , I have to take it home to see if I can do something with it but unfortunately I have to throw it away , not recommend this item to anyone it's waist of money. I have the picture from the menu Plus the potato was on my plate was only 9 slices the menu picture around 20 slices, Come on Thousand Tales restaurant you can Do better than that read more
2 months ago
I've visited A Thousand Tales in Mt. Prospect three times now since this review. I had two positive experiences and one bad experience with the service. Upon my first visit on a Thursday for lunch, the waitress Nur provided excellent service to our table. She was patient, pleasant, and provided answers to our many questions. Just loved her service with a smile and uplifting energy. My friends and I ate hard and everyone enjoyed their food. I tried the lentil soup which was wonderful and I had the mushroom guvec with rice on the side that was delicious. We were served tea as an after dinner refresher which was nice. We noticed the bakery on the way out and they had so many treats ready to be ordered and taken home. The second visit was terrible. I came for lunch on a Tuesday and it wasn't busy. The lahmacon is offered as a lunch special and I asked if I could have the cheesemacon for the special. It's the same version with just cheese and no meat. My waiter Jamal straight told me no. I found that very odd so I inquired further because they are the same price on the menu and it's without meat. The answer still didn't change. I simply had a few more questions about other menu items and Jamal seemed agitated by then. He was not even trying to be nice. I ordered two entrees. I paid full price for the cheesemacon and had a pide with kashkaval cheese. Jamal brought my food and NEVER came back to my table. I watched him provide service to all the other tables during that time. I was fine and didn't need anything, but I didn't deserve to be treated that way for being pleasantly inquisitive. I really felt bothered by this because out of all my years of eating out, I never felt that a server treat me poorly personally for being myself. I've had bad service before just because the service is bad overall and that is different. I like the food so I reluctantly returned for a third time and had breakfast. Service was standard and the food was good. My mushroom omelette was fine. The traditional french toast was solid. This review should be one star but it is four without Jamal. read more
Middle eastern/Turkish food with very good flavors. Overall definitely meat heavy, but it's not overwhelming since it's quite flavorful. We liked the Adana kabob a lot, deep smoky flavors and tender meat. The iskender is also very good, the shaved meats are thin and easy to eat, soaks up the tomato sauce flavors and spices very well. The juice also soaks into the crunchy toasted bread underneath so those "croutons" were so flavorful soft in the inside and crunchy on the outside. However, after it sits for a while it's all a bit too soggy and feels a bit greasy but overall still very good and there's plenty of it. The guvec stew didn't stand out as much but flavor is still really good and it's the only dish with vegetables lol so I enjoyed it. Lentil soup was good too, very smooth and not grainy, with hint of lemon flavor. The complementary bread was fluffy, the babaganoush was light on flavor but texture is good. Olive oil was very good tho. Service was good, food came at when you'd expect, so it's reasonable. It's next to a bakery too, we would def check out more next time. Foods were expensive though, but overall, we enjoyed it quite a bit. Menu looks kid friendly also, so definitely we'd be back! read more
2 months ago
I was in the area and my friend and I wanted to eat after our event, so I picked this place because it looked yummy. It is white tablecloths inside so it felt fancier (and we saw someone celebrating a birthday with a sparkler on a Saturday afternoon, which was cute), but I was very casually dressed and the staff was still very warm and welcoming. We got the beyti kebab, ali nazik, and lahmacun. My friend liked the ali nazik least but said it's because she isn't as into yogurt things, but I thought everything was good and yummy. I don't know if I'd say it's the best Turkish food I've had but I also definitely don't feel well versed in Turkish cuisine. Overall, yummy lovely meal and the staff was really warm and kind. Great place for a meal in the suburbs. read more
A Thousand Tales is a wonderful dining experience. The space is much larger than I expected, with a main dining room, an attached bakery cafe and what looks like a banquet room in back. Located in a strip mall, there is ample free parking. Staff is unassuming, professional and helpful, willing to help with any menu questions. We came for lunch to celebrate a birthday and it was an excellent choice. The menu has a lot of clean eating options, including vegetarian and keto. We opted to share a lamb pizza, a tomato and cucumber salad and a meat tray. All were excellent, plenty of food. The pita was excellent. The tea at the end was lovely. Prices reasonable, good food good portions. Absolutely worth checking out and adding into the rotation of where to go. read more
A Thousand Tales is a great restaurant, and they also have a coffee and pastry shop in the same building. This time, we tried the coffee shop. The pastries are plentiful and beautiful. We had a very hard decisions to make deciding what to get. I don't know what it was called, but we got something that looked like a strawberry Napoleon. I couldn't have any because of an allergy, but my wife loved it. Their coffee bar is also impressive. My wife had a latte and I had a mint tea. They make an elaborate latte. I was a little disappointed that the tea, which was not inexpensive, was made with a tea bag and not tea leaves. But it was good, so no real problem there. There was a short line to order at the counter, but it moved quickly. The people behind the counter were pleasant and seem to enjoy talking with their customers. All in all, the Thousand Tales coffee shop rates up there with the best. read more
1 month ago
After visiting yelp reviews of this establishment, my sis and I decided to head out to the bakery, which sits next to the full restaurant, and occupies a large portion of a strip mall. Behold! a charming display of mouthwatering pastries and delicacies. The cashier is quietly helpful, although the written request for tips always puts me off a bit. The second zinger comes if you decide to sit down in the cozy table section to nibble...a percentage is added to the bill. I should mention that we have been back twice more, as I needed my Pistachio crumble latte fix and and also wanted try new flavors of their unique goodies. Recommendation: GO read more
Last December we had the year end Yelpies at A Thousand Tales, my sister Frances was my plus one. This was the first time that she joined my husband, also a Yelp Elite, and I at a Yelp event. She was absolutely impressed by the Yelpies and the restaurant. Recently, she even hosted her birthday party at A Thousand Tales. We were a party of 10, they seated us at the first table near the host area, it's understandable, as it was during the month of Ramadan, the restaurant was busy serving buffet even on a Monday. My sister loved the menu at our Yelpies, and wanted to duplicate that as much as possible, so as to introduce A Thousand Tales to the rest of the family who live close by. She had two of each of the following dishes: Spinach Avocado Salad ($17 ea) Shepherd Salad ($15 ea) Falafel with Hummus ($10 ea) Tales Family Mixed Grill ($140 ea) Some of us ordered Fresh Squeezed Lemonade ($7 ea) Their very fresh ingredients always contribute to delicious dishes. The presentation with dry ice under the Tales Family Mixed Grill was always fun and impressive. The complimentary bread was so good, lightly crispy on the outside, soft and fluffy inside. It was nice that they gave us a huge pot of hot black tea after dinner. Our serving team was very friendly and efficient. Our main server, Akmaral, a young lady who's very pleasant and attentive, worked hard to make sure we had a great time. She even patiently took group pictures for us with at least four different smartphones from us. I need to mention that their very friendly manager Bugra, the owner's son, was absent for a month. When my husband celebrated his birthday here last year, Bugra was extremely friendly, generous and welcoming. He checked in on us several times and gifted my husband a piece of White Dream Cake as complimentary dessert. The presentation of the cake and fireworks candles was so much fun. When I reminded Akmaral that it was Frances' birthday so she would give her a piece of birthday cake. I was quite shocked when she responded that they no longer gave out birthday cake to the birthday person, but she would check (with her management). She came back and the answer was still not a yes. She said only Bugra had the power to give out nice complimentary birthday cakes, she asked me if a piece of cheaper milk cake would be fine. I accepted, but the happy mood of the party has been dampened at this point. It's so different from the generosity that we experienced here at Yelp events, where there were cakes and desserts galore, so much extra free food and desserts for guests to take home. Now, our server had to run around for a while to get permission for a piece of birthday dessert, something pretty standard at restaurants. When Akmaral finally came with another waitress to present the piece of milk cake, it was very fun, Turkish, and happy. It's funny that they also brought 10 forks, and the funniest was that my sister cut that piece into 10 little teeny pieces for everyone to try. It was very moist and not bad. The cake value was not important, it's the gesture and thoughts that counted. Since they don't allow outside cakes, my sister had purchased a big mango "cloud" cake from her favorite bakery, and shared that with everyone at home. I asked for Frances' opinion after the party; she said she would give 3 stars. She did like the serving team a lot, and they had been great. She said it was the hostess Altyn who seemed to be unfriendly to her both on the phone and in person, and no management or substitute checked in on us even once (although our server did). When I called to make a reservation for Frances, Altyn seemed to be fine on the phone, though. Frances was pleasantly surprised that the check was only $500 with the big amount of food, that was very reasonable to her. She said she would return when her son is in town to visit. I am glad that Frances plans on returning. All in all, everyone had a good time. Can't wait to see how another sequel continues. read more
8 months ago
I love love love this placr! Service is grdat! Place is nice and you can dress up or down as you please. I have my goto food order. It will always be the Grilled platter. Its a variety of meat and its really delicious! If you want to try everything this is a highly suggested order and presentation is amazing! Definitely coming back for more! Happy Eating!!!! read more
4 months ago
I had a very disappointing experience ordering from Thousand Tales Bakery through their app. When I placed my order, the estimated delivery time was about one hour. After waiting more than 1.5 hours, I called to check the status and found out that my order had not even been prepared. I don't know who I spoke with on the phone, but instead of helping resolve the issue, I was told that I could simply cancel my order. What frustrated me most was the explanation I received: "Sorry, this app doesn't work well." The representative showed little interest in solving the problem. Apparently, the app worked perfectly when it charged my credit card, but when it came to processing and delivering my order, suddenly the app was the issue. Delays can happen, but customers should be informed instead of being left waiting with no updates. I still didn't receive my order after two hours. The customer service was awful, and the lack of communication made the situation even more frustrating. This used to be one of my favorite places, but unfortunately, the quality of service seems to be getting worse. read more
10 months ago
This place is nothing short of amazing! We experienced a 4 course meal starting with appetizers of hummus, baba ganoush, grape leaves and warm bread followed by a hot tomato red pepper soup and on to a beautiful plated main entree of Turkish style roast lamb with beautiful sides. The show stopper was the flaming salt crusted turkey that a chef unveiled for us. All the food is made fresh everyday and items are all delicious with their own unique flavors. That wasn't all.. they also have a beautiful grocery shop featuring various sweets, bakery, butcher and authentic groceries. Another nice area is the cafeteria style meal place with casual seating! It reminded me of my trip to Istanbul where this is very common to have many dishes offered and you pick what you want at the restaurants. Seating was comfortable and intimate. Then they have another area separate from all this where you can try a number of Turkish delights/Lokum, baklava's and deserts with coffee and teas! Setup as a traditional Turkish tea room as well. The whole family is very nice and puts thier passion and hard work into everything here! When you leave you feel like a Sultan! read more
Business owner information
Mert Ş.
Hi Michelle;…
This Turkish café is a five star place filled with wonderful aromas, sights and tastes that awaken the palate. The food is made from the freshest ingredients and you can taste the care and passion put into every bite. I loved everything I tried, but a few of my favorites were the pomegranate walnut salad, pesto pasta and meat rolled in a thin pita with tomato based sauce and cheese garnish. Dessert was equally impressive and we tried delicious cheesecake, baklava, and profiteroles served with hot Turkish tea in elegant tulip glasses. The entire night while dining here, we felt like we were part of an exclusive family meal experience. The owner, servers and staff at the bakery counter are all fabulous and we look forward to returning here in 2026! read more
Stepping into A Thousand Tales is less about eating out and more about embarking on a journey. Located subtly in the heart of Mount Prospect, this restaurant manages to feel both intimate and grand, inviting patrons to settle in and become part of its narrative. I can confidently say that this is a five-star experience, and I am already looking forward to my next chapter there! read more
I came here on Christmas Eve while I was running errands in Arlington Heights. I was in need of caffeine and after attending two recent Yelp events here, I wanted to come back and support them. (Plus my Yelp bestie Stacy O. mentioned at the last event that she had a pistachio latte here before the event and it was amazing. I haven't stopped thinking about it). I got an oatmilk pistachio crumble latte and I'm not normally a sweet coffee kind of gal, but omg. It was incredible and so worth the splurge. The real pistachios as a topping was a great addition, and they topped it with a small Turkish delight. I will always come back here when I'm in the area and need coffee. Also, all their fudges are delicious, but the pistachio one might be my favorite. read more
Business owner information
Mert Ş.
Hi Kate;…
Wow grabbed some delicious baklava to take home and share with my wife. They looked so good I ate some in the car before I was home. . So good highly recommend checking out their bakery and the restaurant. Welcoming and friendly staff. Definitely a hidden gem !!! read more
11 months ago
I've been to A Thousand Tales before and visited for a second time while visiting Illinois. It's a nice place to grab a quick bite to eat. The service here tends to be a little slow but the food is fresh. I've ordered the grilled meatballs both visits and it will likely become a go-to. They also have a cafe next door where you can order crafted drinks and pastries to go. read more
7 months ago
We came here on a Thursday after 8pm dinner to a packed restaurant & we were able to be seated with 5 minutes which was great! The environment was classy with white table clothes & all servers wearing black pants & button downs but the other restaurant goers were a mix of dressed up or casual. They give complimentary bread & olive oil. It was very addicting and could have ate all of it but saved room for the main course. We ordered Lahmacun & Beytzi Kabob then got pastries (not pictured) at the cafe next door: pistachio cheesecake & baklava. Everything with tip included was around $75. I am new to Turkish food but everything tasted amazing! The kabob was my favorite because it came with yogurt sauce and the meat was so tender. Nothing was too salty & all the flavors were very balanced. I would come here again to try more foods! read more
1 year ago
Amazing food! The restaurant is family owned by the kindest people, but every single person takes pride in their work. I recognized the fresh ingredients used in the chicken shish kebabs, fries, & pomegranate salad. Connected to the restaurant is their Delicious bakery full of fresh baked goods & desserts, including the Dubai chocolate. I enjoy the choco berry cake & visit the cafe with family for tea. They are family friendly with great ambiance. They also have snacks from Turkey and food to go! They are also listed on TooGoodToGo; Can't wait to be back for more! read more
Had an amazing first time visiting A Thousand Tales! The food was great and everyone here is so kind. We tried their Valentine's Day drinks, which included an iced strawberry mocha latte and love potion mocktail (a beautiful sparkly shirley temple). They even gave us a complimentary dessert. I got the chocolate mousse one and it was so delicious. The bakery connected to the restaurant also has a huge selection of beautiful cakes, chocolates, and pastries. I will definitely need to come back to try more of their bakery items! read more
8 months ago
Been going back from time to time to get the Black Forest cake and mosaic chocolate. These are my comfort food. They continue to be amazing! I love that they are not too sweet. read more
Business owner information
Mert Ş.
Hi Sheyenne;…
First time at a Turkish restaurant and it was amazing. The portions were generous and reasonably good priced. The staff were kind and helpful. The food was flavorful and comforting. I liked that at the end they had some Turkish coffee! And we got the chance to grab stuff from their bakery and then it was brought to our table. The Turkish delight was my favorite! Definitely a unique and nice place to try out some great new food! read more
I was invited to both A Thousand Tales and The Istanbul Cafe/Market through Yelp Elite Squad, so when a family member wanted me to procure "good coffee," I knew just where to go. Prior to the Yelpies award dinner hosted by A Thousand Tales, a fellow Yelper was sipping a pistachio latte in the cafe area and she spoke highly of it so I knew I would want to try one when the time was right. The prices of their lattes were cheaper than other cafes in the area, but that did not mean the flavors were discounted! We ordered 2 hot pistachio lattes, 1 iced pistachio latte, 1 hot chocolate, and 1 white chocolate mocha. My pistachio latte, made with oat milk, was full of actual pistachios. While the drinks were being made, I was admiring all of the desserts I thankfully got to try from the aforementioned Yelp Elite events. The ingredient lists are so simple and I appreciate that! The drinks were made quickly and packed efficiently for me to drive back home with. The cups, lids, and drink tray were all sturdy. The only thing I was missing was one of those drink plugs to keep things extra hot and to prevent splashing. I look forward to trying their Dubai Chocolate Cheesecake sometime soon! 10/10 recommend what I've gotten to taste so far--rice pudding, baklava, fudge, and their Turkish delight. I am happy to make the drive to support a kind family's business! read more
6 months ago
Awesome place to dine in. A real great atmosphere with beautifully designed ambience. Foods are so authentic and so delicious. The menu is full of a list of different turkish food and make you want to order all same time. Simply it is a place you MUST visit and and experience yourself:) read more
We came here for lunch. The service was great even though the place was very busy! They had a lunch menu which is good from 11 am to 5 pm (Monday - Friday), price is very reasonable and good portion size too! We ordered: 1. Lunch Beef Doner $14 - thin strips of beef with tortilla 2. Lahmacum $8 - this had two large tortillas with ground meat on top. (I like this the best) 3. Lunch Chicken Adana $14 4. 3 choices of cold appetizer mix plate $13 - baba ghanoush, beet dip, hummus (all the dips were really tasty, my fav was the beet) Then we also order the Adana Kebab -$29, not really worth it, it look the same as the lunch chicken Adana except it was double in price and it was with beef! They serve bread (very soft and good) with olive oil mixed with spices! they also serve complimentary hot tea! Overall, it was very good and definitely will come back and try other menu entrees! read more
Had a great lunch at A thousand tales. The value is great as the portions for lunch specials are awesome. Great complimentary tea as well. This is hospitality! Loved the experience a sthe staff was really good and the food matched as well. Good value. It was quite busy for a Wednesday afternoon, most of the tables were full and active. We ordered mainly off the lunch specials and ate them family style because why not? We were pleased with the food, great value and portion. We had a great time. The stoneware and decor is excellent as well as they have a refined experience. I'll definitely be back. Plenty of parking and also EV charging (evgo) in the strip mall. read more
1 year ago
UGH! OBSESSED! A Thousand Tales is a lovely restaurant that also has a bakery/cafe. This Mediterranean spot is family owned and has so much love to it. My most recent visit was for a weekend lunch and it was paaaaacked. Service started out great but then got very slow. My friend and I attempted to get our server's attention several times but, that didn't stop us from enjoying ourselves. We were understanding of how busy it was so it wasn't a problem for us. We had gotten our food at that point so our bellies were happy. For food I tried the mushroom guvec and devoured it. It was full of bold flavors and was absolutely delicious. My goal was to bring leftovers home for my husband... that didn't happen, haha! I ate EVERYTHING and was so full, but, there was no sharing this meal. It was waaaaay too good not to eat in 1 sitting. DO NOT SKIP ON THEIR BAKERY!!! Even though I didn't save any room for dessert, I got it anyway. I tried a slice of the chocolate mouse cake and goodness it was moist, rich, and delicious. I would order this every single time I'm there. read more
Went here for a quick snack on way to airport - Ohare! It's like 10 min away from the airport. They have separate dining and coffee/ dessert lounge area. We sat in the lounge. Both the areas were super busy and quite crowded. They have outdoor seating as well. In the lounge we need to order before we seat. Got two coffees and a couple of cake bites for snacking! Over all good experience. read more
There's a thousand other restaurants from which you'll have better tales to tell. We had a 5:30 reservation, so were able to order off the a la carte menu. There was a Ramadan buffet menu starting at 6pm, $35pp, which I wasn't aware of, from reserving on Yelp. The cuisine is Turkish/Mediterranean, and there are plenty of choices. Prices are quite elevated. $17 for a mixed hot appetizer plate, which had 2 mozzarella sticks, 2 falafels, a fried meat dumpling, 2 crispy cheese rolls, and a couple dollops of hummus. My salmon was $35 and tasted very mediocre, with the few potatoes barely cooked through and the salad overdressed. My kids ordered the cheese pizza, which has a very thin crust. My husband tried the meat pide, which was like a thin meat flatbread for $23. The service was off putting, as the waiter only made eye contact with my husband and directed all comments and questions to him, despite us being a party of 4. "Anything else, sir?" "Enjoy the appetizer, sir." "Can I bring anything else, sir?" I wouldn't return to dine here, on this alone. With the food mediocre and the high prices, I definitely won't be back and don't recommend it. We tried 2 cake slices from the bakery, and it would have made sense for us to pack up our entree leftovers and clear away the dirty dishes and silverware, but the waiter brought the desserts out with everything still on the table and cluttered up. 18% gratuity is automatically added to all bills, regardless of party size. Easy parking in the big lot. The restaurant is located in a dated strip mall. I had this place bookmarked for well over a year and am extremely disappointed with the experience here. Skip it. read more
2 months ago
AMAZING FOOD! I got the Pide it was delicious and the lamachun and some coffees and pastries from the cafe section. I love the concept, of a restaurant and a cafe and to have both taste amazing is impressive! read more
One of the cutest coffee shops in the neighborhood with amazing Turkish desserts. Sweet tooth people s heaven. Staff is polite and helpful and also provides quick service Ambiance was cozy and comfortable. Definitely a good place to hang out with friends or a mini date. read more
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More info about A Thousand Tales
2340 Elmhurst Rd
Mount Prospect, IL 60056
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(224) 534-2160
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https://www.thousandtales.com
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Do I need to make a reservation or is it optional?
Optional unless you have a party of 10 or more then I would call so they can accommodate you for time you want.
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35 reviews that are not currently recommended
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