So I've eaten here many times enough to say it deserves a 5 Star and more rating…read more They're not the closest restaurant to me but given the chance, I try to come here as much as possible. The goal is to try every item on their menu. It's Mediterranean (Turkish) cuisine folks, which I call "guilt free, healthy eats". What to try you may ask. If you are striving for that "Olive Garden Salad + Bread combo"... let me suggest Kofta's version which is the Coban Salad and Puffy Bread. They're not offered as an all you can eat combo, but it should keep you filled between the two. - Coban Salad (5/5): A must try, soooo delicious. Fresh ingredients. The dressing, I could drink them in shot glasses. - Puffy Bread (5/5): It's made to order. Comes out nice and hot and puffy. Plenty to share with others. - From the Grill menu. Kofta Plate, Chicken Shish, Adana Plate are all good choices (5/5) - Sandwiches/Wraps: Their Doner Wrap was just okay to me (4/5) Service (5/5): no complaints here Pricing (5/5): Best value when you eat during Lunch. But Dinner items are not too pricey. Lastly, Buffets are also offered...on Sundays I believe. I haven't tried it yet but it definitely gives me a great reason to come back to Kofta.

Found this restaurant on Yelp and arrived around 1:30 on a Wednesday. The restaurant was completely…read moreempty so we were a little hesitant at first. Inside, the waitress (who I believe is the wife of the owner of the restaurant?) kindly greeted us and seated us immediately. The menu was extensive, plus they sometimes have off menu specials like fish. We ordered the adana lamb and adana chicken, as well as the mixed appetizer plate and calamari. It was way too much food for two of us, but it was all delicious. The meat was a little bit salty, but it was balanced out by the rice and other vegetables on the plate. The mixed appetizers were delicious. I don't think I would order the calamari again. Overall, great Turkish cuisine, owned by Turkish couple who moved to the United States a few years ago.

Decided to step out with the hubby for a late night bite to eat and Cataluna landed as the place to…read morego. Not my first visit but was surprised at the turn up and live Dj helping catch the vibes. Service wasn't as fast as it usually is but the couples next to us helped pass the time. Food wasn't rushed because of the crowd and was absolutely delicious. Only thing I didn't ask for was a side of cheeks with my meals. Some women should dress accordingly especially at a restaurant where children could possibly be in attendance. If there was a cutoff time for children, I didn't see it. Club setting perfectly fine but a restaurant.... All in all we still had an amazing time and I will return but at an earlier time and different day.

My wife and I came to Cataluna for a late dinner. There is a large shared parking lot and valet…read more There is ample dining area outside. We opted for indoor seating. I was pleased with the overall appearance of the dining area. It was intimate and felt romantic...at first. The place is nice but it doubles as a lounge after maybe 10pm or so. This made what started out as a romantic dinner, turn into a rush to get home. It became super crowded near where we were seated and the service became stretched. The food was good. There was complimentary bread that came with an olive oil dip reminiscent of Carabba's. For dinner I ordered tuna crudo, shrimp and lobster pappardelle , mushroom arancini, and brussel sprouts. I won't go as far to say that anything was mind blowing but the dishes tasted good. The pappardelle was the star it was balanced and loaded with fresh shrimp and lobster throughout. The mushroom dish was pretty much a risotto ball that was breaded and fried. The tuna crudo was okay, fresh but lacking acidity and umami. The brussel sprouts were charred nicely and came with a yogurt sauce. There was an array of dinks. Cocktails, wine, champagne service, and two bars to sit and have drinks or dinner. I ended up getting the Sirocco cocktail x2. The drink was made well and tasted good. I would definitely give Cataluna another shot, just not so close to party time. This place is great though if you like upscale lounge vibes with food. If you want to try something different for a late meal or hangout, make Cataluna a destination to try

We were traveling from Panama City to Vero Beach via Jacksonville way and were in the mood for…read moreMediterranean food. Just Kitchen was "just" what we were looking for! My husband had the beef/lamb pita and I had the chicken pita. Both came with seasoned fries and both pitas were incredibly delicious! The service at the counter was very pleasant and the restaurant itself was very clean We will definitely return and be sure to bring friends!

Fantastic environment. Friendly greetings when we went in. My buddy and I both had the same thing…read more Lamb/Beef Gyros and seasoned fries. Delicious! Plus the service was great. I will definitely be back.

Amazing culinary experience from start to finish! Our group of 4 enjoyed sharing harissa and…read moreza'atar bread with feta and hummus, tuna and the carrot salad. We then went for the lamb shank for our main course. 1 order of the shank at that point was enough for all of us. Everything was absolutely delicious! Everyone enjoyed their drinks as well. Service was impeccable. As soon as we arrived we were greeted warmly. We arrived early thinking we could sit at the bar but unfortunately seats at the bar are also reserved so best to avoid coming early for your reservation since there is no room to hang out inside. Luckily you could order drinks and they'd bring them out front to you! Once seated you can take in the beauty of the restaurant itself. Serene indoor area and a lovely outside courtyard as well. It's absolutely beautiful outside too. Nestled in a residential neighborhood with plenty of street parking.

Please go. It's the best decision you'll make all week. They…read more have a fantastic Happy Hour, get the Habibi or the Fried Smelt and a glass of which ever gorgeous natural wine the bar staff tells you to get, trust them, they won't steer you wrong Here's what I never get tired of eating: Whipped feta and sea salt bread Fava Bean Falafel Fattoush Salad Seared Octopus Crudo (it changes occasionally and trust me, no matter what fish it's always sublime) The Roast Chicken might be last rites meal. The Braised Lamb Shank comes a close second. If you're lucky you saved room for Basque Cheesecake. The staff is so generous and attentive, just the absolute the best! I wish for a place like Othello for everyone's neighborhood, I'm so incredibly grateful to have it in mine.

Just a wonderful time!! i was first impressed with stylish interior, then headed out to outdoor…read morepatio equipped with fans forca warm night! The server was from lebanon and so kind friendly and attentive Food was authentic and delicious with generous proportions Will come back

We dined in on a reservation and were seated promptly. We started with a mini khachapuri which was…read morefull of melty delicious cheese,the tabbouleh salad had just the right amount of lemon and was generously sized, the shawarma was grilled to crispy perfection, the fries were crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside and the creme brûlée was creamy and delicious. The service was attentive an we would definitely return.

The hummus was delicious, I really liked the pita bread too. Cheese rolls, falafel and grape leaves…read morewere great, too. Chicken kebab had flavorful meat but needed a better dipping sauce and more veggies. Service was slow. Outside eating area was nice if hooka smoke doesn't bother you.

I really wanted to love Beirut and will give it another chance, but my first impression wasn't…read moregreat. I came in as a solo diner and was seated quickly, although my table was kind of nestled underneath the high outdoor bar. That meant hearing some of the bartender's phone conversations. I ordered a glass of Lebanese rose wine and liked it! But my meal wasn't impressive. The vegetarian grape leaves (one of my favorite dishes, generally) were OK, although several were split up on my plate (but hey, it happens). I thought the flavor was underwhelming; there was a lot of acidity but nothing else. I also ordered a side of "extra crispy seasoned potato fries" which just turned out to be generic crinkle fries with salt. Definitely wouldn't order those again. I thought maybe there would be some sort of twist on them? The big frustration was service. The restaurant was far from full when I went -- I counted maybe a dozen seated tables. After I finished eating, I spent more than 30 minutes trying to get my waiter's attention to get my check even as I sat with my plates pushed away, glasses empty, and credit card out. He walked by multiple times to wait on and check with other tables, and I saw at least five other employees working in the front of house and walking by me. Even when I got his attention for the check, it took quite a few minutes to get it, despite him walking out to other tables. (Although I will note he seemed busier than the other employees!) My check before tip came to $24, which felt on the pricey side for what I got. I hope I'm wrong, but I got the vibe that I wasn't exactly their favorite type of guest -- a solo diner who wasn't smoking hookah. (I noticed another solo non-smoker go similarly unnoticed by staff.) Maybe they heavily favor regulars, too. But they weren't at capacity, and I'd have gotten out quicker had I been able to pay. Maybe it was just an off night. But it's just not a great feeling to be ignored.

Excellent food! We…read morewere visiting the town and looked for a highly rated unique cuisine and found this place. The place is nice inside, welcoming and selling some cool things alongside the food items. We both had a platter, one with falafels and the other with the marinaded chicken. They played had incredible salad and a red cabbage salad. Both were excellent! The bread was sold and warm and very fresh too. Then there was some white rice included and it was delicious too! It was jasmine rice and very tasty. We will have more items in future visits. Also, the platters came with a cup of their lentil soup, which for us was slightly different as it must have been made with tomatoes. Stop here and give them a try. You will love it!

I can't even begin to explain how much I loveeeeeeeeee Bodrum. I lived in Sicily and was overseas…read morefor a few years when I was in the Navy, and Bodrum's incredibly fresh food brings me right back there with each and every bite. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu here. My usual go-to will be to start with the Shepherd Salad and one of the Shish Kabob or Gyro platters which comes with your choice of shish or gyro meat, rice, salad, and some kind of carrot or cabbage drizzled with an olive oil mix dressing. Just delicious and hits the spot every time. I've eaten at Bodrum a handful of times, but have ordered for delivery probably a bit more and everything is just as good as if you are sitting right there in the restaurant. However, I do love eating in because the ambiance of the restaurant is wonderful with the owners not leaving out one detail to make diners feel right at home. We are so lucky to have such a wide swatch of Mediterranean restaurants throughout Jacksonville. Bodrum is right there at the top.

I had a great experience at Tabouleh Cafe in Jacksonville, Florida. The restaurant was clean,…read morewelcoming, and the staff was very friendly. I ordered the chicken kebab and shish kebab with rice, and everything was delicious. The meat was tender, well seasoned, and full of flavor. The rice was perfectly cooked, and the grilled onions on top added an amazing taste to the dish. Fresh, authentic, and satisfying I'll definitely be coming back. Highly recommend!

A small local place. We have been saying for years we wanted to try it. We finally tried it and was…read morenot disappointed. When we were there it appeared that they mostly get to go orders, but they do have a seating area. You can call ahead or order at the register for to go orders. I did not find an online ordering option. We ordered several items including salad, hummus, kabobs, and meat pies. All of it was tasty but I enjoyed the meat pies the most.

Frequent Flyer at This Terrific Spot! The appetizers, entrées, adult beverages, and desserts are…read moreall delectable! We love coming on the bellydancing nights! They are spectacular! Charbel, thank you for making our night perfect: you are so attentive, friendly, and wonderful! Btw, the cafe is located in a very nice spot for elegant shopping & specialty-cocktail barhopping.

Our dinner plans for tonight started last night when my wife said she wanted to go somewhere with…read morehummus on Friday. I said "you know what? Let's use this as an excuse to finally go to The Casbah Cafe Cabaret & Hookah Lounge for the first time". They're at 3628 St Johns Avenue in Avondale. We've heard so many good things and finally made it there tonight. We started with the Old City Sampler because it has hummus along with a whole bunch of other stuff. I mean....a LOT of food for the price. This is probably going to come as a surprise but among as a surprise to many but because of the sampler we both had grape leaves for the first time ever tonight. We loved them! And yes, my wife really liked the hummus. I ordered the Shawarma Platter with Lamb for my entree. Normally I wait til the end of a review to shout a server but I'll throw that part in here. Not only was Victoria delightful but she REALLY saved me from mistakes I was going to make in picking sides. I was trying to go as plain as possible with my sides and she really steered my towards Baba Ganoush. Again, this was my first time ever trying it. Listen to Victoria. Order the things she tells you to order. It was great! The lamb itself was great but honestly, I expected it to be. I was more taken with the fact that everything worked together so well given I'd never tried a whole side dish before. On her own accord, my wife tried something entirely new to her as well. She ordered Musakhan Wraps. She loved how tangy the meat was even though she wasn't expecting it and she liked the texture a lot. The wrap dough was flaky and great. She got to pick one side so she chose more hummus because that's what brought us to the dance this evening. This was a GREAT first visit to Casbah. I totally get why we've heard such great things. Like so many places, I'm sure there's a ton on the menu we need to go back for too. Even though I already gave her a shout out, it's worth saying one more time that Victoria was an awesome server! A version of this review originally appeared in the Jacksonville Fun, Eats & Drinks Facebook group.

This food truck came to my work and I enjoyed my euro wrap. I guess I haven't read the menu…read morecarefully as I was expecting tzatziki sauce, but it was more of some sort of green sauce that was very good, but it was drenched in it. I was hoping for a bit more cucumber or tomato as pictured but overall the flavor was good and the euro meat was great. I liked the fries too, and the dipping sauce was nice. Food was very quick.

Saffron Mediterranean kitchen came Julington Lakes yesterday. The food was outstanding. I had the…read morecurry, tofu and bananas. I also had the falafel salad and hummus. Outstanding meal! The falafel was very moist, not gritty, very good flavor. Absolutely delicious!