Cafe Gullistan is one of my best kept secrets on the west side. The service is always incredible. After all the years of spending summers out here, there is not a single time where service was lacking. The food is always phenomenal. The kebab combo is one that I always seem to navigate too. It's plenty of food. My dad and I have finally learned after all these years that if we split a salad and a kebab combo, that it's the right amount of food for the two of us to not feel like we're going to explode. On this most recent trip, we got the baklava with strawberries. The baklava was just made fresh and was still warm. This was life-changing for me. I never once thought about heating up baklava??? It melted in my mouth. It was such an incredible finale to such a delicious dinner. I will always, always, ALWAYS stop for a meal at Cafe Gullistan. read more

Cafe Gulistan - Freshly made baklava - it just melts in your mouth when it's warm - Middle Eastern Near Me - Harbert, Michigan

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Izgara shrimp. So delicious. Love this place! Great ambiance. Can't wait to come back & try more! read more

A taste of Western Asia in Harbert, Michigan! The ambiance is casual, family friendly, with dim lighting indoors and patio seating overlooking a wildflower garden outdoors. Café Gulistan offers a variety of traditional Kurdish/Turkish dishes, which were all fragrant and delicious! Our favorites included the Kavurma (lamb), Izgara (shrimp), Ispanak (falafel) and the Sultan's Tava (vegetable medley). We truly enjoyed the fragrant and tasty curries, chutneys and Mediterranean spices! All entées were served with fresh pita bread and basmati rice. There was a fun selection of beer from the Middle East, as well as local selections. They also had a varied wine list which included a delicious Turkish red. Café Gulistan is easy to find and is located on Red Arrow Highway, but slow down as you approach...or you may accidentally drive past and miss out on this Kurdish delight in Pure Michigan! read more

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Since raving about this place over a number of years we came back with the entire family this time. I'm less than thrilled unfortunately. Something was amiss. I ordered the combination appetizer and was expecting continued greatness and everything was good till I put it on room temperature all day sitting pita. Sad. We asked for fresh and it came out hot and better. I had my Kurdish wedding favorite and found out that they forgot to add flavor. I ate 2 bites and returned it. I remembered that the mixed kabobs were good from my friend. Well, they replaced it for me and upon getting it the overall look was quite appealing. Too bad this was flavor- flat except for the shrimp which as the star of the show. I asked for salt, pepper, and then a hot sauce which they made in house. I later found that they charged me $2.50 for the hot sauce in a 1 oz dish. No mention of that when we ordered till the bill came. That was a capper for me on what was always a go to place for me. 3 stars was mostly for nice patio, accommodation of our 9 people with 3 baby's. Friendly staff but the kitchen was off for sure. Some of rye read more

Cafe Gulistan - Mixed Kabobs - Middle Eastern Near Me - Harbert, Michigan

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The food was tasty but the service was bad. We waited for 70+ minutes for our entrees without even a glance from our server. When we inquired about our food, they said it was being plated, and it still took 15 minutes to come out. Nobody even said sorry for your wait or cleared the stack of plates left from our appetizers--they were just left on our table thru dinner. Our server seemed angry with us. Very unprofessional and disappointing. read more

Fresh, earthy, and delicate simplicity all rolled into a delicious Kurdish menu surrounded by pleasant ambiance. We spent a warm summer evening on their patio near their lovely gardens. (My sons enjoyed looking for fish and frogs in the ponds). The feta salad and the pesto apps were not only artfully arranged, but the flavors were a beautiful composition of vegetables, cheeses, oils...high quality ingredients without trying too hard to be "upscale". Earthy and "real food" without trying to be part of any fad. Fresh herbs were present in every dish we had and really punched through to lend their flavor profiles to each dish. The food is true to the region of origin while the ambiance highlights rural Southern MI. Lines between East and West, beautifully blurred. If you're a meat lover, you will love Gulistan. If you are a vegetarian, you will love Gulistan. Kids. Those looking for ethnic dishes. My kids loved the chicken kabob. And we loved the tender meats and flavorful (not greasy) falafel. If you want to take a break from cheese curds and bacon burgers, I recommend taking a patio table if weather permits. Make a reservation. By 7:00 pm on a Thursday in July, the patio was mostly full. read more

Cafe Gulistan - Feta Salad - Middle Eastern Near Me - Harbert, Michigan

Ambience - 3/5 (indoor was small and needed some updates but they have a cute patio in the front) Food - 4/5 Service - 4/5, friendly but nothing special Value - 3/5, a bit on the pricy side, especially for being in a small town in SW Michigan The food was very good. Lighter fare, but still filling. The flavors were complex and unique. The sampler platter for an appetizer was fantastic and included a variety of things with pita. We got a rack of lamb, which seemed on the smaller size, but was very tender and had great flavor, especially with the sauce it was served with. The baklava was okay, it didn't seem like it was baked enough. I would come here again, but probably get a different meal. read more

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Amazing food, friendly and welcoming staff, pleasant interior and magical exterior - we go occasionally in the summer to eat in the garden area and watch the frogs, fish, and butterflies. It's on the expensive side compared to some of the options in the area, as some reviewers note, though that's really only for a few specialty items. But it should be - it's a very high quality restaurant with unique cuisine, and would easily fit into any major city with rave reviews at twice the prices they charge. read more

Best food around. Great staff. Service outstanding! Would highly recommend. Must try restaurant!

Always a pleasant meal. Ibrahim and his family have run this place for years and are still very invested in their customers. They will treat you like family. If you have Turkish or similar dishes you want but not on the menus, ask and they often accommodate. They really care here and treat you like family. read more

Horrible server. I sat down for about 20 minutes, and my waitress ignored me. I am still trying to figure out what her problem is. She flat-out ignored my attempts to get her attention. This is a long shot, but please reconsider where you work. Working in public means you will get many people walking into your door. As a waitress, you need to respect your customers, show a desire to help them and stop being rude to certain ethnicities. The owner seems a sweet man; unfortunately, his staff is just rude for some reason. read more

my girlfriends walked in tonight to grab a drink and dessert. we were promptly seated but then waited about 20 minutes and no server came to wait on us or bring water. the waitress who sat us saw us proceed to get up and walk out and they said nothing. absolutely terrible service. read more

Go for a visit every year when we stay at the Lakeside Inn. The food is always wonderful as are the Lebanese wines that they offer. They were very accommodating to our group of 11, and the service was excellent. Definitely stop if you are anywhere nearby. read more

Got takeout and really hope I can come back for the Ispanak. Ispanak - 5/5. One of the best dishes I've had in a while. Sweet honey sauce that was still full of spice flavor. Melt in your mouth falafel. Solid veggies. Basmati rice surprisingly flavorful. Pasta Pesto - 3/5. Fine pasta, nice cheese, good crunch from almonds, but the pesto was far too creamy. Baklava - 3.5/5. Probably better super fresh but nice flaky quality, sweet nut flavor. read more

Kurdish food, really good, in the middle of nowhere, homey modern physical space, you should try this place. The sampler platter with baba gannoosh, hummus, purple cabbage with vinegar, chutney, warm pitas, this not your grandmother's relish tray, unless you're from Turkey. Lotsa food very tasty and even healthy. Entrees with lamb are excellent, the garlic chicken is world class, and the cheap tasty reds by the glass complete the banquet. Best in the off season, nice setting for a winter meal. read more

Was really looking forward to having good Indian food. I really disappointed. My husband and I both got the lamb. Mine was tough, dry and there was no sauce to speak of even though the description mentioned sauce. My husband had the ground lamb. Both dishes lacked flavor and were bland. When I've had lamb previously in Indian restaurants they are usually fork tender and in a super savory sauce. Service and atmosphere were good. read more

Used to love this place but so disappointed in our last visit. First, the food prices for the serving sizes are absolutely ridiculous. A $12 side of grilled chicken was four bite size pieces. The entrees all were lacking salt and very very very small is size. It's a terrible feeling to spend $25 + per person and to leave still hungry. read more

Love, love the food. Never disappoints. Creative , fresh, authentic. I look forward to eating there when we are in the neighborhood

My wife and I love Mediterranean food and we were thrilled to discover this gem while vacationing in Union Pier, Michigan. The restaurant is located in Harbert, just to the north and serves authentic Kurdish cuisine. Each of us love our dishes (vegan, our choice). My husband & I had the falafel platter, crispy on outside and delicious, soft and moist inside and the Ispsnak, A delicious dish made with spinach, onions, mushrooms, bell peppers and walnuts marinated and mango coconut curry sauce served over a side of basmati rice along with falafel. Both shareable dishes. A family owned establishment with many other dishes including seafood, chicken, beef & lamb. We sat outside surrounded by a beautiful tended garden! This is a must stop on a trip to this region. Five stars! read more

Excellent food, wine and service. Nice setting outside and just all around enjoyable. LOVE the kourish style coffee Only suggestion inside is a little boring decor Outside Please buy some standing fans to blow the the gnats and mosquitos away Will still come read more

Great service and food, fast dishes and amazing lamb. Very aware about customer worries :) read more

Cafe Gulistan - garden area - Middle Eastern Near Me - Harbert, Michigan

The food was DELICIOUS. It was artistically presented and with good portions. The waitress was very friendly. The price was reasonable. The ambiance was nice. It has has been recently updated. read more

I absolutely love, love, love the grilled rack of lamb!! Did I mention o love them!! :)

My husband and I stumbled upon this place on a Saturday night right as it was supposed to be closing. We turned around at the doors when we saw the hours, but the server came outside and invited us in. It was the best decision of our day! The food was amazing and the service unparalleled. Everything was fresh and the flavors were divine. 100% recommend, we will return, and you should go. read more

We had to wait for more than 15 minutes fir someone to come up to us at the table and only when we went to get hostess' attention she came up to the table. Food was fresh except that curried vegetables were a frozen mix with no hint of curry. Most likely will not be back. read more

Our absolute favorite place to visit on the red star highway. We've been there many times over the last two decades. Great service, personal attention from the owner and excellent food. In the summer eating overlooking the garden is our favorite. read more

I've been going here since they opened which was great for a young vegetarian. Over the years the restaurant has expanded, so has the menu, and I have started eating seafood. Their seafood and drinks are amazing. All the food has stayed consistently amazing over the years. I highly recommend Cafe Gulistan. read more

Good food lovely atmosphere Enjoy a great biz in harbor country Kebobs all cooked to perfection read more

Yummy yummy food! Love vegetarian options. There is also lots of outdoor seating and easy parking. Staff is super friendly!

On a road trip, we just pulled off the interstate because of a craving for Mediterranean. Luckily, Cafe Gulistan popped up. Oh boy! So glad that we did! I usually don't get falafel... can't deal with the heavy oily ones that I've gotten in the past. Based on reviews, I decided to try it out with the garlic-dill yogurt. So so good!! Crisp, flavorful, and not oily or heavy. My daughter got a stewed lamb and it was gone in a blink! We ended with baklava... perfect. So glad we happened upon this cafe. We're thinking of going back on the return drive! read more

Simple yet delicious food, with great service. One of our favorites in Harbor Country. read more

Wonderful outdoor dining space. Delicious food and wine. Knowledgeable server helped us decide what to order. I hope to make this an annual summertime tradition. read more

Great that this type of cuisine is in our backyard. Tasty and flavorful, for sure. Entrees good and filling with spices that fill your mouth. Appetizers and desserts are full disappointments. Very small servings not worthy of the price. The $8.95 piece of baklava was literally a 2x2 slice, leaving our sweet tooth fully unsatisfied. We understand inflation costs and the Covid nightmare, but this felt like a full-on price gouge, leaving us surprised and disappointed. read more

We love Cafe Gulistan! The garden is lovely, the food is very good, the people are friendly and helpful.

A wonderful find. Food is great and the menu is varied. Drinks were great and the entertainment on the porch was subtle and very talented. Thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. read more

Loved this restaurant. Excellent food. Server was helpful, but I don't think we could have gone wrong with any of the choices! We enjoyed the red wine selection from Turkey. Mushroom appetizer was a delicious start. Outdoor patio awesome. Will return! read more

Such great flavor. Each of us ordered a separate dish and everyone loved it. The lamb was tender, the shrimp was so flavorful, and the variety of side dishes added to the overall flavor of the whole dish read more

Excellent Turkish food. Were in the area from Chicago and went there 2 nights in a row. Best Falafel ever. Very tasty shrimp and appetizer platter. Beautiful outdoor atmosphere. read more

It's a lovely restaurant that has a very homey feel. The service was great, even though they were probably a bit short staffed. Kavurma was my choice for dinner, and it was amazingly delicious. I wish I could take that stew home with me. I'll definitely be back next time I'm in town. read more

Great food and drinks...nice atmosphere and friendly service, very nice owner (Ibrahim) who is always present.