Ah Bursa, you guys are still on it! My new fave is the Iskander Kofte. Cubes of ground beef and lamb with amazing spices surround a pile of their delicious bread (also cubed), topped with a tomatoe sauce and yogurt. Don't forget to ask for the red chili flakes to sprinkle on top. SO GOOD! They no longer have my beloved Iskander Kebab, but that's OK. This one is a good substitute. Other favorites around the table were the lamb kebab, adana kebab (also ground beef and lamb, only super spicy), and the vegetable kebab. Applause all around. read more

So, apparently, there is a whole strip of awesomeness down on West Portal a short little drive away from my work... why did it take me almost 2 months to discover this? Why didn't anyone tell me about this amazing Mediterranean place called Bursa when I first started? Why isn't this place across the street from my apartment??? The first thing that pops out is the gorgeousness of the interior. For being on a very busy strip, it would be so easy for this place to throw in the towel and just go with meh for ambience, however Bursa did it right! The walls are a nice deep blue, with gorgeous moldings, lamps, hard wood floors, dark wood tables, just a very very relaxing place to sit with good company. The service here was also outstanding. For what seemed like a relatively busy lunch rush, the restaurant only had 2 girls working the entire dining area (hositng, bussing, taking orders, running orders out, etc.) And they did a GREAT job at it!! My diet coke was refilled every time it got low, and our empty plates were cleared out quickly. Now on to the BEST part, the food! OMG when I saw the lunch menu and saw that everything on it was only 8 dollars, I wanted to go into the back, find the owner, and give him the biggest hug ever. The lunch menu consists of everything from salads, to wraps, to kebab plates. Lamb, beef, chicken, prawns, falafel, etc. For a value priced (relative to the area) lunch menu, the quality of the food did not suffer! Since this place didn't appear to be halal, and i've had bad experiences with mediterraean seafood wraps, I went with the falafel wrap with arugula salad. The type of pita this place uses almost reminds me of roti at a thai restaurant, without the flakiness. It's very thin, and a little bit oily, not thick and fluffy like you will find at most places. The falafel wrap I got was HUGE and DELICIOUS! They crammed the falafels in there, with cucumber, tomato, sauce, and to my surprise a big slice of pickle, which worked out perfectly! The falafels were really well prepared. The arugula salad was the perfect side for it as well. I don't think I ate again the rest of the afternoon/evening, this wrap was legit for 8 dollars! Highly recommend this place! read more

Appetizer was the 'combo' plate, it had a bunch of different stuff for the flat breads. Tasty for the start. There was also some bread + oil + spices. The spices were great with the bread. I had the lamb kebobs tonight, awesome job! It came on a bed of rice, with some salad, and yogurt sauce. The lamb was cooked just right, but I felt that it didn't have enough seasoning. It tasted like straight lamb. For dessert, I had a Turkish Coffee. It was quite hot and came in a small cup. It was my first Turkish Coffee, so I don't know exactly what to expect. I guess this shall be my starting point for future Turkish Coffees. One note to consider: We were a group of 12, any group over 6 has an 18% gratuity, okay, that's standard. BUT, the restaurant wanted everybody to spend AT LEAST $35 per person (food/drink)! WTF! read more

Had dinner here with a couple friends a few days ago, and I thought it was pretty good. We first shared the appetizer combo and pretty much everything was at least decent. The falafel was flavorful and crispy, but the inside wasn't as fluffy as Sunrise Deli's. One thing I enjoyed was the Baba Ghanouj with its roasted, almost smoky nuance. It paired really well with the freshly grilled flat bread (pita or lavash?). I had the Beyti as my entree, and it came arranged around a big square plate. I was not expecting it to be like that at all. Although I thought the lavash wrapping could've been toasted or grilled to make it crispier, the beef and lamb stuffing was well seasoned. I think there was parsley and other stuff that gave it a nice herby highlight. Good food and big portions - can't complain about that. read more

Where have you been the entire time that I have attended state? Oh, hiding in my pile of places to eat in the future under ramen and pho places. Wanted to grab a meal after a run and saw this place was rated well and near the house. Their rating is WELL deserved! The place is really cute and the staff are really nice. It was a Thursday evening so they were able to seat us right away. We ordered the combination platter that has all of the Amazing condiments one could want from hummus to dolmas. We also ordered the red lentil soup that was super good, I would get that again and the Adana kabob. OMG there was so much food for the 2 of us. The kabobs were so good, I had a dream about them that night. They were perfectly cooked and the spice was just right. This place is a must try if you have not been! I look forward to having my graduation dinner here soon read more

The food here is amazing! I was really impressed. I went with a few of my friends and we shared a few dishes: * Kabab Combo: great variety and delicious * beef straganoff: delicious and creamy. * Halibut: absolutely amazing! We ordered as family style and I wasn't even in the mood for fish, but the Halibut was a total surprise, it was so well prepared that I ended up mainly eating that. The rice was really well prepared and flavorful, it all came with salad which made everything fresh and healthy. read more

Stopped off here for a snack (delicious hummus) and a bottle of wine. First off the service was OUTSTANDING- all the staff were so friendly :) Lovely atmosphere an tasty wine. Would recommend. read more

Came here on two occasions with an old high school teacher. we both had the lunch special lamb kebab. IT'S SEVEN DOLLARS! WHAT?! totally worth it. a skewer of non-gamey lamb plus great flavored rice and a salad. btw, lamb kebab will come with bell peppers and onions skewered in between the meat. and they're chunks of meat, not dice, nor ground meat molded to a stick. it's quality meat. they also start you off with focaccia like bread with spiced oil (not in an overpowering way - more like olive oil with spice on top and sesame seeds). you can't go wrong here. they're super nice too. :) can't wait till i crave kebab again. read more

This place knows how to do middle eastern food. My fiancé and I have been here several times. We tried in on our own first and every time we go back we bring someone along to share the awesome food. The bread they start you with is unique and pairs well with the oil and spice dip. We usually get the combination platter for an appetizer, it works well for a party of 4 but is a little much for just 2 people. Their falafel and dolma are up there with the best that I've ever had. Their lentil soup is done perfectly. For main dishes I highly suggest the Kofta Kebab. The yogurt dipping sauce and rice its served with are the perfect accompaniment. If you like spicy food they have a spicier version, I forget what its called. The Beef Stroganoff is great too, though I think mostly due the copious amounts of cream used in it. If you are looking for a healthy meal this probably isn't your plate. For the vegetarians the Musakka is done quite well. The atmosphere is great for a date or a group outing. If you a carnivore and looking for a place where you and your buddies can just mow down some quality kebabs you might feel a little out of place, but it hasn't stopped me before! Service is great with a friendly wait staff, I always bring out of town guest here and they are always impressed. read more

I wanted to go five stars but it was just little too expensive. The food is very delicious and the portions were actually quite good (not crazy good but quite good). I would definitely take someone here if they wanted to try excellent food that is very different. I got takeout so I can't comment on their service except that the order was done on time and they were great about helping me pay and go quickly. read more

Great place- tasty food and good service! Everything is sooo good. My faves are Combo appetizer plate (enough for 3-4 people to share), lamb kebob & beef stroganoff. And safe some place for dessert-they have some good stuff! read more

This restaurant is amazing!! My dad and I stopped in here for lunch last week. We shared a few things and all of them were seriously amazing!! Also, the waitress was super nice and friendly. We had the Esme eggplant appetizer ($7) which comes with pita bread, red lentil soup ($5), and the Spicy Adana wrap ($8). I would order it all again. I want it right now actually. read more

Came to Bursa for lunch and the featured lunch specials all set at $8 is a great deal! The restaurant itself has a great and clean atmosphere and the staff is very friendly. I can't speak to the dinner menu, but the lunch menu features a range of options (both for plant-lovers and meat-lovers)! Each of the lunch specials comes with a light arugula salad and rice for the kebab dishes. The Baba Ghanouj appetizer was a great starter - the eggplant and olive oil spread was flavorful and smooth although the pita bread that came with it was not as doughy as I would have hoped. The Adana (spicy lamb-beef kebab) and Kofte (lamb-beef kebab with parsley and onions) were delicious and quite filling! Prepared over a bed of rice with a variety of herbs and spices, the kebab is a reasonable portion size, especially for $8. I would definitely recommend taking advantage of this great lunch deal if your'e ever in the West Portal area for sure. It's a great place for groups - smaller tables are available for two person parties although there wasn't much room between each table, making it feel just a bit cramped but not overwhelming. Parking in the area isn't too difficult since there is both residential and meter parking available. Great place so check it out if you're craving Mediterranean food for a reasonable price! read more

Get the combo plate appetizer if you want to try a little bit of everything. This place is more of an upscale restaurant with prices that don't hurt your wallet. If you want hummus, falafel, etc. for dirt cheap then I would head elsewhere. Every time I've been here I've left extremely satisfied. read more

The food here is delicious! The atmosphere is nice , good music playing ! The staff is friendly and the food was made quickly ! I will definitely come back here ! read more

Bursa - Chicken kebab! - Middle Eastern Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Wow! I haven't had Turkish food this good anywhere in SF. The Turkish coffee has a perfect hint of cardamom without being overpowering. The Babaghanouj didn't have any fake smoke flavor like most places- it was just heavenly eggplant. The pita is made in house and it shows. It's soft and fresh with a delicate flavor. The ground lamb/beef combos are juicy and flavorful. The lunch menu prices are available even on weekends and you can get a meal for under $10. Fantastic! read more

This is a nice homey place. The falafel was good and crunchy but the lamb kabobs were very good. This was the first time I tried rice pudding and it was a good dessert. The rice could be a bit softer but overall it was good. read more

My Big took me here a few weeks ago because he said it was pretty cheap and the food was good. When we got there, we both were confused when we looked at the price. It was about double what he said it was since last time he went here. But of course my Big being as brilliant as he is, realized that the reason why it was cheaper the other time he ate here was because it was lunch time...so he ordered off the lunch menu...hence the lower prices. haha Besides that misunderstanding, the food was really good. I wasn't too hungry so I ordered the Greek salad. It was a big serving but it was so good that I finished it all. I believe my Big ordered the chicken kebab. The chicken was moist and was excellent with the rice. Inside is really cozy and I have to say pretty intimate. It was fun; the owner/manager was really nice to us and was mingling with everyone. I really want to go back and try the garlic lemon salmon. read more

This place went downhill after COVID-19 reopening, their Lamb kabob is done medium-rare, and when I showed my server the pink meat inside, he said with an attitude "this is how we always cook it, we never ask" seriously? In all other restaurants, you assume the meat will be well done unless the server asks you how do you want your meat done. Never again read more

falafel is a special here. a combination appetizer, is a good start. servings are large. Puff pastry with a creamy cheese. Chicken stroganoff, is good with pickles. kabobs, are good with a bed of rice. lamb roast is a simple dish. $25 read more

Awesome falafel & hummus wrap. My wife got a salmon wrapped and loved it. My kids got chicken kebabs and shrimp kebabs and were in love. My wife & I tried Greek and Lebanese beer to go with our wraps -- excellent stuff. The service was also perfect -- friendly, attentive, professional, even exotic. read more

I've come here for several dinners and this place never disappoints and, at least mid-week, its pretty easy to walk right in and get seated. I highly recommend the appetizer plate and their baklava. read more

Tasty warm sesame bread you can dip in olive oil and spices. falafel: excellent texture & flavor, not greasy. Not all falafels are equal, and this is solid. stuffed eggplant: layers of tasty complementary flavors. A hearty veggie dish. lamb kebob: lean lamb cooked with a subtle assembly of spices that enhance the flavor without overpowering the great natural taste of the meat. They must have a wood-flame grill, the onions and peppers were charred and full of flavor. Had my first Alamaza, a Pilsner from Lebanon. Mild, with hints of honey. Pretty good. Servers were polite and efficient. Comfy leather-upholstered seats and a tasteful atmosphere. On my way out, three ladies were scanning the menu out front. I instructed them to go inside and eat, that they would not be disappointed. I am still looking for a good basic take-out shawerma joint, but for a night out for quality experience, we will definitely be back here again. read more

So far, the Turkish side of Mediterranean food in San Francisco doesn't fail to disappoint. Bursa is a great example of that. We stopped in for an early pre-movie dinner at 6:00 on Saturday night and we seated immediately without reservations. Parking is an issue in West Portal, so go early or take the Muni. The bread was an indication of the meal: fresh, savory, with a spice mix of thyme, oregano, parsley, and toasted sesame. So well made and flavorful with a really good olive. Dip in oil first and then spices. My wife had the feta shrimp appetizer and she pronounced it outstanding. Creatively seasoned with pepperonchini minced with chopped tomatoes and feta and served piping hot from the broiler. Very savory and she at every bit. It could also work for an a la carte entree. We also ordered the mixed appetizer and all the portions were also winners: the mercimek kofte was so tasty and reminiscent of fava bean, but with only bulgur wheat and steamed red lentils. Their hummus was excellent tastes like mine, and I start with dried garbanzos and really good arbequena olive olive, lots of garlic and lemon to taste. The dolmas where fresh and not refrigerated for days before being served. Tender grape leave, tasty and moist rice. Best I've had so far in SF. The eggplant dishes were both distinct and flavorful, and the haydari was a cross between dilly/minty yogurt and cream cheese. Really well done. But the falafel... The falafel was literally the best I've had in San Francisco since I moved here a few years ago. Light, savory and fresh made and as good as Mamoun's in NYC. I would even put it up against the best NYC street cart falafel around Radio City. We had seen the size of the mixed appetizer, so my wife ordered a greek salad (excellent flavorful feta) and I ordered chicken kebobs. Two skewers of very well marinated breast meat kebabs on a rice pilaf with salad. I usually don't order chicken kebabs (I eat a lot of chicken at work for lunch) and I usually don't take leftovers home, but a skewer of the kebabs and much of the salad came home with us. The wine list had good variety, but we didn't drink this evening. No room for dessert or coffee, but with the quality we found at Bursa, we'll be coming back for sure. read more

5 stars for a delicious lunch at a very reasonable price of $8! I had the Kofte Kebab and bf had the Citrus Chicken wrap. Both were delicious and bf was happy they served it w/arugula rather than romaine salad. We will be back for dinner in the near future. Also a plus when staffs are very friendly and attentive during busy lunch hour. read more

Cannot say enough wonderful things about the food here at Bursa, nor enough great things about the staff or the attention to flavor and detail. We ordered the rack of lamb and it was amazing, maybe the best lamb I have ever tasted. The meat was fresh, perfect. The spices and how it was cooked were both excellent. We also ordered some additional meat dishes and the shrimp kabab. We loved everything! The desserts are also very impressive. Will definitely come back! read more

I wouldn't call this a Turkish Restaurant because the food here has very arabic taste. There is no complementary bread with olive oil which you would typically expect from a Turkish Restaurant so that's an imporant missing piece. The prices are good especially on lunch time, I had $8 for Adana kebap but unfortunately the Adana Kebap was nowhere near what it should taste like, I have been all over the world and the taste of this kebap was definitely Arabic but not Turkish and if you don't know, let me tell you: there is a lot of difference. So if you would like to taste Arabic food, This might be the place, but I don't see anything Turkish about it. Although service was good with full capacity, I don't like when Restaurants call themselves Turkish food and it doesn't even taste like it, It's misleading for people. I know there are other great Turkish Restaurants in the Bay Area which are way better. They might think about changing the name because Bursa is known for it's Alexander kebap and I don't even want to know how it would taste because my Adana Kebap had too much Arabic spices in it so I had to dip it in the sauce to get rid of that taste. read more

Always a pleasure to eat here the chicken stroganoff is literally mouth watering and a must have! Love the owner super sweet!

Absolutely delicious! We tried the fried cigar pastries, haydari kefir cheese and hummus to start. All of it was wonderful. The haydari kefir cheese was rich and creamy with the perfect dill accent. The cigar pastries were fun. We had the chicken and kofte kebabs, both were wonderful. I thought the chicken was a tad dry, but not too much to interfere with the meal. Very much enjoyed it. Service was friendly and helpful. Definitely a place to visit again! read more

Bursa is probably the best restaurant in West Portal (maybe Fresca can give it a run, but I prefer Bursa) and one of the best Mediterranean places I have ever eaten in. It is an unpretentious, family-style, warm restaurant that is reliably delicious. The combo platter is a must to all those new to this place and is something we get every time without fail. I usually share this with my husband and then just get a small plate or soup. I would recommend the crab cakes and the red lentil soup. The fish entrees are wonderful as are the kebabs. And be sure to leave room for dessert--they are all wonderful. Nice wine selection, super-friendly and attentive service, and I have never waited more than a few minute for a table. read more

The food here is pretty decent, it was nice to find a good Mediterranean place in West Portal, doesn't get more convenient if you're about to go to the movie theatre. I had the falafel salad - very filling on its own! I had to take a star off for the service. We were rushed through dinner and had 3 or 4 different servers attending to us, constantly checking in on us which is a nice thought but it got to be too much. Every two minutes we were asked what else we needed. When the check finally came, they ignored us for twenty minutes! We couldn't get anyone's attention in order to pay. It wasn't crowded either - 5:30 on a Friday evening, there were plenty if tables open so I don't know why we were rushed and then completely ignored. read more

We came here for a 4 pm early dinner on a Sunday. My dinning partner had chicken kabob plate, and I had lamb kabob plate. The chicken and lamb were high quality meat cut, well seasoned and grilled perfectly -- with tiny bits of charred edges. The plate came with sides of rice and green salad, fresh and flavorful. The turkish bread before the meal arrived was good, but would have been better if warm. Pistachio baklava took a long time to arrive. We thought they were taking time to heat it, but it turns out the server probably just forgot it. It came cold and underwhelming, tasted a few days old. Service was good. read more

For some reason, many of my friends want to eat here for lunch so I've been here many times. I find the food reasonable but bland, usually ordering a kebab plate or wrap. (The 'spicy' Adana kebab is okay, a bit spicy but often dry.) The service at lunch has always been good and friendly. Today we were a group of 10 for lunch, and I split the combo appetizer plate and a kebab plate with a friend, more than enough food for both of us. I was extremely pleased with the combo plate and will always order that whenever I go there again. As it was Veterans' Day, it became very crowded, so we were asked to give up our tables to accommodate the other customers. We didn't mind since we had already finished our lunches at a leisurely pace. read more

If you haven't visited Bursa lately, you should put this restaurant at the top of your list. They hit every beat right: service, presentation and taste are all in sync. So far I haven't had anything that I didn't like, but I want to especially recommend the Feta Prawns appetizer. Every bite is an explosion of flavor. When you factor in the great prices and the fine-dining atmosphere, we've got a real gem in SF. Plus, don't miss their wonderful lunch menu, where you can sample on a budget. Their wraps are heavenly... read more

Great restaurant. Walked in and was immediately greeted by the owner. Very nice guy who welcomed me, and just started to chat until my table was ready. Felt like I have known him for years. Waitresses and waiter were very attentive, and it was a team effort. I appreciated that. I'm not a fan of restaurants where you ask another waiter for something and they roll there eyes at you. You def. do not have that here. Bubbly sweet waitress made our dinner great. You could tell she enjoyed working there. So on to the food. I had the shrimp appetizer which was recommended when I asked what was a house favorite. It was delicious, saucy, spicy goodness. Dinner we had the salmon and the shrimp kabobs. Both were just right. The Salmon was very fresh, moist, with a great house sauce that complimented the fish, but didn't overwhelm it. The kabobs had a great BBQ smokiness. Cooked just right with some tomatoes. It was accompanied with a Greek style salad and pilaf. The salmon had the same pilaf and asparagus. Good food, fare price, outstanding service. Neighborhood gem! read more

The Hummus and Falafel were very good. The lavash that came with the Hummus had a nice smokey flavor to it and the Falafel had a nice crunchy exterior, while still being soft and moist on the inside. I don't know for sure if they do, but it seems like they might fry the falafel in animal fat. That doesn't bother me - in fact, I liked it, but if you're a vegetarian you might want to double check with them before ordering it. I could be wrong about that, though. For our entrees, we had the Iskender and the Chicken Kabob. The beef in the Iskender was tender, but lacked flavor. It wasn't a bad dish, but it could have used something more. The Kabobs had great flavor, but were a bit on the dry side. The restaurant's decor is pleasing. The walls and ceiling are painted a very soothing shade of deep blue, and the art on the walls is modern and tasteful. Things also seem to be on the clean side, which is nice, and like most SF restaurants the space is very, very cozy. Service was mostly above average, although I must say that I was a bit annoyed by how it felt like they were pushing us out the door immediately after we finished eating. It was late enough that there were many open tables for seating more customers if they needed to (they didn't - it was dying down), but it wasn't even close to closing time, so we wouldn't have been in danger of keeping the staff late because we were still there. Overall, though, the experience was a positive one, and if I were to ever find myself in the area and craving Mediterranean food I would go back. read more

Tonight was our first night at Bursa... and we will be BACK! The service was excellent - so friendly, helpful and attentive. We never had to ask for a thing! Even the owner's cute, young son was so eager to help that he seated us, chatted with customers, and walked the aisles checking tables, removing dirty glasses, etc. So nice to see a boy who's not glued to a video game! As for the food, it was so delicious I finished my entire plate, as did my husband... and that was AFTER downing several pieces of the yummy, warm bread that every table gets. read more

Wonderful meal! The food was terrific and the service was awesome! Highly recommend! Following our waiter's advice, we started with dolmas that were just lovely - a little sweetness to them. Then a terrific goat cheese filled falafel salad. Followed by a great halibut in a peanut sauce. And ended with an amazing baklava and a chocolate creme brûlée! Fantastic! read more

Family dinner last night. We each ordered the non spicy Adana, which is the beef and lamb ground beef on a kabob. Very tasty and good. It came with jasmine rice and a salad. We all enjoyed our dishes. For appetizers, we ordered the fried cigar pastries, which we enjoyed. Overall, 4 out of 5, we will go back. read more

I came after seeing it featured on "Check Please!" It didn't disappoint. I loved the kebab and fries and sitting outdoors was perfect. The prices were all very reasonable too and with generous portions, I wouldn't hesitate to come back again and again. read more