Cafe Istanbul used to be in our regular dining out rotation, but somehow it slipped aside. However, the location at Easton worked for us on a recent Saturday and were we ever glad it did! We went for lunch and the cool, welcoming interior on a hot summer day set the stage for a delicious meal. We started with the combination appetizer and their wonderful bread. Every item on the plate looked as good as it tasted. I particularly loved the cold eggplant and tomato dish. I had the blackened tilapia with rice and salad. Delicious! I would certainly order this again. My fellow diners had the shrimp and the lamb shank, a weekend special. I tasted both and loved both! I took half of my meal home because the appetizer was so substantial and my tilapia was a very generous serving. The wait staff were warm and friendly, but not intrusive, making Cafe Istanbul a very comfortable place. So glad we circled back to an old favorite! Menu last weekend, read more

Heard rave reviews about this place so I was excited to go. Busy dinner as many of the tables were filled. Our server seemed in a rush to take our order but in a polite way. I got the Baba Ganoush and the Chicken Kabab. I thought it was strange the Baba Ganoush did not come with pita bread or chips. It also was a tad on the watery side. The Chicken Kebab entree I enjoyed the kebab but not the rice. I wish I would have gotten more veggies than the rice. Baklava was okay more dry than I would have liked. Maybe I'm a hard critic but I thought this wasn't the best representation of Mediterranean/Middle Eastern cuisine. read more

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UPDATE - Always a pleasure to dine here. Great Turkish food in a lovely atmosphere. I'm adding new pictures of the menu since it's been updated recently. We ordered the calamari appetizer and for main courses we got the Sultan's Favorite (amazing!) and the Mixed Grill Kebab. Food takes a while to come out because it's made to order. Portions are very generous. Service is great. Prices are quite reasonable. Parking available right in front. read more

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OMG, this restaurant surpasses all my expectations, from the beautiful ambience, to Erik- are amazing server, and of course the FOOD! Even the owners stop by your table to see how things are going, and they are extremely personable. I indulged in the beef kebabs, which were so perfectly seasoned and tender. Seriously if it was in my budget, I would eat here every single day. You must stop in and treat yourself to quite the enlightening experience. It's not a 5 star, it's a 10!!!!! read more

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Good seating and fast service. Food and appetizers were ok. Was desiring a little more flavor. read more

Cafe Istanbul - Lamb Shish Kebab*(GF) - Turkish Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Always great, the food was delicious, the service was great for my party of 10, the seated us outside and the ambiance was amazing.

The vegetarian moussaka was very tasty. It was filled with a lot of vegetables. The sauce was a flavorful tomato sauce .The basmati rice was very tender and not sticky read more

Cafe Istanbul - Vegetarian moussaka and basmati rice - Turkish Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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We had a reservation and we're seated quickly. They weren't busy at 6 on a Friday so probably didn't actually need the reservation. They got busier around 7. Service was very good! The food was ok but not great. My favorite part was the pita and oil with spices that came with the meal. We also had falafel (that was too dry for me) and I had the Sauteed Shrimp (good but needed a bit more flavor). I would go back again if someone wanted to meet up there, but it wouldn't be my go to place to eat with all the choices in Easton. Bonus: Free parking just across the street! read more

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We have been going to Cafe Istanbul for years but at the Dublin location. So I was very excited to visit the Easton location. The place was nice and clean and wasn't crowded at all. We were a party of 9 and had a reservation already. We were greeted by a friendly gentleman and seated right away. Due to the large crowd we ordered various dishes, such as hummus, baba Ghanoush, chicken Adana kabob, mousakka, grilled lamb chops and few other dishes. We also order the apple tea, which is my favorite. Just like other visits in Dublin location, the food did not disappoint. Everything was delicious. The only reason I took a star way, is tht after we received the food, no one came to follow up to see if we needed anything else or if the food was ok or not. We had to flag someone down to ask for the check after we were done eating. But the food was delicious and I'll definitely be going back. read more

Cafe Istanbul - Inside - Turkish Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

The best part of the meal was the bread, the baklava and the Turkish tea. The entree (chicken shish kebab, rice pilaf and steamed veggies) lacked seasoning. I believe it was the manager who waited on us. He had very little idea about how to treat customers. He didn't offer drinks, bluntly said what do you want. read more

We stopped in for a Saturday lunch and got seated right away! The manager was very friendly and told us where she was from in Turkey and stopped by multiple times to see how our meal was going. The Adana Kebab was very flavorful and hot, the pide was fresh but a little bit too cheesy/ oily for my liking. The price point was also a little high in my opinion, but nice for a special occasion. Perfect location tucked into Easton for walking and shopping after! read more

Cafe Istanbul - Adana Kebab - Turkish Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Hummus $7.95 Pureed chickpeas with a hint of garlic, tahini, fresh lemon juice and olive oil. read more

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I had not ate here in a few years. I try to do so whenever I'm in Columbus. Unlike past visits, the greeting when I arrived wasn't real welcoming. Oh well, everyone has a bad day. I started with the small Shepherd Salad with feta and Hummus with a basket of ekmek/bread. Both were nice servings, and both were tasty. Unfortunately, my lamb Adana Kebab was served way too early; I was only able to momentarily enjoy my salad and hummus. Seriously, the timing was horrific. It looked as though I was being served by someone in charge, so they knew better. The Adana Kebab came with mixed veggies and rice. The latter two were good. The kebab had a hot temp, but it was real bland. I lived in Adana, Turkey, for 2 years and have enjoyed this dish in a number of Turkish restaurants all over the planet. This one was not as good as I remembered it to be at Cafe Istanbul. I also had an Efes beer served in a chilled Efes flute and a properly served Yeni raki with water and ice bucket. Both were perfect. This restaurant is beautifully decorated and in a great location near Nordstrom at Easton Town Center. read more

Cafe Istanbul - Shepherd Salad, Hummus, Efes, and Raki - Turkish Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Loved these choices: appetizer hummus/dipping sampler and chicken/lamb kebab entree. The $1 for extra bread was fantastic. Wish they offered flat crisps, chips, or vegetables. read more

The food and service is so good. I would highly recommend. Our server was attentive but not overly. The hummus was creamy. Love their falafel. I was slightly cold in the restaurant even though I sat away from the door. read more

Amazing experience at Cafe Instanbul! The interior is decorated beautifully & the menu has a wide variety of dishes (many which can be gluten free, yay!). Our server even recommended a wine from Turkey was was lovely. Everyone was very kind & went out of their way to give recommendations on dishes. read more

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The meat kabobs are delicious. Everything else there is completely bland. The rice "pilaf" is just regular bland white rice. The soup has no flavor. The massouka (middle eastern lasagna dish) had no flavor. It looks amazing but was just a mushy glob of stuff. Even the meat wasn't seasoned. I love the kabobs the lamb and beef were amazing. It's just so disappointing. Service is good. People nice. Restaurant was clean. But this is a middle eastern restaurant, so people expect spices to be used. Even the vegetables it's served with had no salt. read more

It was my first time here and was excited to try everything. There's plenty of parking around the plaza. Seating is plenty, but felt a bit cramped. The restaurant is beautiful, so warm and welcoming. We got the Moussaka and Sauteed Lamb. The dipping sauce and bread was phenomenal, it was delicious and a good starter to the meal, and you can taste the saffron and herbs. The Moussaka was made well and delicious. It was a pretty big cut and was very good. The Sauteed Lamb was made very well and flavorful. The lamb was tender and the peppers were soft and crunchy. Overall, the meal was great and filling. It came with rice and with the bread, it was overall enough for two people. I felt like the flavors were balanced and flavorful, delicious and tasty. Staff was very kind and accommodating. Staff checked on us multiple times and provided us with great service. They let us know that every meal could be made vegetarian and that's really nice for dietary needs. I would recommend this place for a great authentic meal, great service, and delicious food. read more

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We were in Columbus for a couple of days so I scoped out places to eat and Cafe Istanbul popped up right away. My husband is from Istanbul so I thought he might like this and he did! The restaurant is nicely decorated and all of the staff members were very friendly. If you like Turkish pop music, you'll enjoy the ambiance a lot. Turks are known for their hospitality so we figured portions would be gigantic and we were right. We tried not to order too much but we still couldn't finish everything. We started off with a small meze sampler. Everything was delicious and fresh, but the baba ghanoush was the standout for me. I just loved the subtle smoky flavor. I would have been happy to just eat that with the wonderful warm break they served. We also got some lamachun. One order comes with three but they were kind enough to let us order just one and it was amazing. The crust was so crisp and the flavors were wonderful. There's no way we could have eaten two more. For a main, we split the mixed grill. Everything was great and the adana was particularly wonderful. I actually would have liked a little more rice to eat with everything but we still couldn't finish the entire plate. If you haven't tried Turkish food, you should definitely give this place a shot. And if you love Turkish food already, this should be part of your regular restaurant rotation! We eat at a lot of Turkish restaurants and my husband says this is the best Turkish food we've had in a long time. read more

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It was a wonderful find!! The portions were generous, the staffs were friendly. I was traveling for work and was by myself, my only regret was not having people with me to share more variety of dishes ! Babaganous appetizer was creamy and delicious, with a hint citrus. The grilled tenderloin was a surprise surprise! Tender and juicy, a good size servings (ok, more like 1.5-2 meal size), it was so good. Yet, the biggest surprise was the rice!!! Normally not a rice person. I just could not stop eating their rice. It was cooked with some hint of coconut (?), cannot be sure, regardless, it was tasty. The ambiance was comfy, not loud and you can just sit back and relax. Will be back ! read more

Cafe Istanbul - Juicy flavourful tenderloin, but the rice was the real highlight. - Turkish Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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First time to eat at Cafe Istanbul, the preparation was authentic. The atmosphere was excellent.

Okay, Great ambience, fast and friendly service HOWEVER the foods could've been better. Everything just lacked seasonings. We had the following: 1. Liver cubes for appetizer bland. 2. Lamb Chops - cooked right but really bland. No saltiness whatsoever. 3. Mixed grill - a lot for even sharing, 4 diff kinds of meat, nicely charred and grilled but again bland! All the foods lacked seasoning. They all looked great on a plate but blah. If you're on a very little to no sodium diet this is the place for you. read more

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Speedy service! Excellent environment, great place to host meetings!!! Book club was a joy to have there.

The last time I went there the grilled meats were really tough to chew especially the steak, and we got the fried liver which did not agree with my tastebuds. The ambiance was wonderful. read more

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Cafe Istanbul at Easton is a delightful departure from the hustle of the town center into a mediterranean meal, especially on their palatial patio. The offer complimentary bread with oil which was so good we ate it all plus more with our hummus appetizer. They also have an extensive cocktail list and many seafood and vegetarian options. I ordered the swordfish kabobs and my husband got their Kafka dinner plate and both were flavorful and fresh. The service was also very polite and quick. The only thing of note is that if you have a gift card it has to be used at that specific location. We received a gift from the Dublin location not realizing it couldn't be used at Easton but now we just have an excuse to go back! read more

Cafe Istanbul - Swordfish Kabob with Mixed Green Salad and rice - Turkish Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Very inviting atmosphere, friendly service. Good food, the menu selection is large with kebabs served either with rice and veggies or with yogurt and tomato sauce w bread. The portions are very hefty, worth your while to come here! read more

Cafe Istanbul - Weekend special- Lamb Shanks - Turkish Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Great service. Was on a date there. The food was fine. Bathrooms are clean. I made a request to have flowers delivered to my table and it went off great. Got me the 2nd date (which went pretty poorly...) Definitely recommend them for a chill spot. I'm not impressed by the food but I think it's the type of food. The food isn't bad, I like a bit more seasoning and flavor. read more

Charm and style. One of the more cozier places to dine in even though there are two large rooms to be seated in. It is easy to get lost in conversation without realizing the other patrons. That's the style cafe Istanbul gives you. This place holds a bit of charm that the waiters carry with them. Always eager to help and recommend any of their fine dishes. There is a separate drink menu listing a variety of cocktails and Turkish wines. A must try. I ordered the lamb and was delighted with my choice. I will warn you though, the bread your served can be a meal of it's own washed in fine oil and herbs. I am putting cafe Istanbul on a short list of favorites I will continue to return too. read more

The decor is fabulous. The colors are perfect. You will feel like you are out of the country. Your night will start with fresh warm bread with a delicious olive oil dip while listening to soft Turkish music. If you have read any of my past posts I do not like loud music when dining. Moreover, I don't like music that doesn't fit what I'm eating. Meaning if I go to a Chinese restaurant I don't want to hear rundmc or charlie pride. The food was excellent. The vegetable mazuka was excellent. Great sauce and then if you had leftover bread you could dip it. The lamb kebabs are also great, medium, well tender and juicy. Easy to choose. Plenty flavor with fresh vegetables. The rice had a great flavor to it. I could get more rice. It was really good. The sauce I asked for extra so I could dip the bread. Everything was great. This is a place I would bring a friend from out of town. The prices are all above $20. However it's perfect for dates night. My only issue is if you ask the server what is their favorite they didn't give us a clear answer. They just said everything is good. If you know me I love the server to order for me however this case it didn't happen. However what we ordered was great and we will return. read more

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Food was really good! Really good value as the meal for four of us was under $200 which included drinks, and appetizers.

We arrived at reservation time and were seated right away. Restaurant was not busy. We received water from courteous staff. She then brought our oil for bread that would later come. During this time, the table next to us were receiving their appetizers. The waiter walked away not noticing us. By this time, our bread was gone and no wait staff had approached us to ask for drink order or food order. Another table next to us seated more customers. As the waiter came back to the first table to check on them, he then walked past us to wait on the new table. At least 15 minutes had passed since we walked in. We decided to approach the manager who was also waiting on tables. He assigned someone to us who was not the waiter on both sides of us. The waitress apologized that she was unaware of serving us and we began our requests. Though this situation was very uncomfortable for us, and was offered no compensation, it did end nicely. The food is delicious. What is most disturbing to us is this is our second visit to this restaurant and the same thing happened before. We had no wait staff come to us for our order! The exact same manager had to be flagged down and told we had no wait staff. He ended up taking our order. I have never seen anything like it. read more

I am not familiar with Turkish food, but I had a picture of a dazzling array of warm spices. We had a party of five with four different dishes, but still most of the dishes ended up tasting similarly with a mix of bell peppers and slightly bland tomato sauce. We had some steak that was ordered medium rare and was well done instead. The best part was the pita bread basket that was served free. The pita was fluffy and soft and the dipping oil had the taste of whole spices I was looking for (with actual visible whole spices). I ended up pouring that sauce on my rice for some much needed flavor. This restaurant is well furnished with a warm color scheme, carpet tapestries on the wall and sturdy wooden furniture and warm, low ambient lighting. The space is oblong and can fit large parties such as we were and is well suited for families, but also slightly cramped feeling. The wait staff have an open, extrovert demeanor and our waiter was very thoughtful, giving us an extra dessert so we wouldn't have to split a bakalava. I certainly wish I could give a higher rating. The location is at Easton mall, and unfortunately did taste like mall food, but with an oversize price tag, plus tip. There were some moments of nice, tender meat on one of our plates. And the portion sizes were generous with the rice. I feel as the food could taste far more authentic and complex. I cannot imagine that Turkish food should taste like it was premade hours ago and has been sitting in a burner for a while and someone forgot to add the whole spices to the stew. I think more salt and more seasoning and more contrast in texture and flavors would help matters a lot. It's good to have more cultural expression in the restaurants in the area. I liked trying strong flavored Turkish coffee for instance in the tiny cup. I sincerely wish Cafe Instanbul can put more pride in their cooking to become a staple in the area. read more

Mean people and if you're not one of them they shun u. Look for butter chicken. That is their best dish

Late post* I've only been in Columbus, OH since July but this has to be the best restaurant that we've visited. The food was unbelievable. We've only been here once but we'll definitely be back. I can taste the food while I'm typing this lol. Great food, great service and a great ambiance. Keep up the good work! read more

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As soon as you walk in, you get the warm aroma of spices from far away places. The hummus appetizer was yummy but we had to ask for veggies to go with it. The gyro meat on top of cubed bread served with yogurt was so incredibly flavorful and a mix of spices I've never had before. The servers were polite and attentive. I will be back soon! read more

I was hungry but didn't have an appetite for anything before I walked by Cafe Istanbul. I looked at the Yelp food options and knew exactly what I wanted. This 100% satisfied my appetite and I highly recommend this place to anyone. You can tell they truly care about the food they serve, the ambiance is fun and inviting and the service is great! read more

Cafe Istanbul - Moussaka - Turkish Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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A delight for the senses... From the moment you walk into this restaurant, you will be greeted with the aromas and hospitality of the culture. Our very first Turkish dining experience in Columbus Ohio, and we were not disappointed. Our waiter helped us navigate the menu, made suggestions, and checked on us frequently throughout our meal. It was a mild day, weatherwise, and they had the doors open to the outside, inviting a summer breeze into the restaurant, filled with Mediterranean colors and accents. Each dish arrived promptly, with a good sized portions, and obvious attention to detail. Terrific for a date night. Don't be afraid to try something new! read more

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The food is ALWAYS delicious! The bread and oil is so good. Love me some carbs! The chicken kebabs are my go to everytime, I know they will be great. The hummus was my favorite dip in the sampler... the others were just ok, a little bland actually. Even though they were busy and understaffed, the wait staff was kind and did their best to be quick. Will definitely return again! Also, the rice is delish.... One of my favs read more

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Older guy who never identified who he was, on the phone when we entered. On the phone when he asks what we wanted. Strike 1 Reservation for a quite table for two. We were seated next to a couple with a 2/3-year-old who was not quite. Strike two The unidentified man also appeared to be our waiter; how much better can this night get. Still no hi, hello my name is, it was more along the lines are you ready to order, 30 seconds after he laid down the menus. Maybe because he knew that kid was going to start crying, which she proceeded to do. I ordered an old-fashioned markers mark, that was the best thing of the whole dinner, should have had two. I ordered calamari & baba ghanoush, husband ordered mix grill. Bread was great! oil flat. Baba ghanoush came out first not sure why when I ordered it for my dinner. Straight from the can with a little olive oil spilled along the edges. Strike 3. Husband dinner arrived shortly, still no calamari. I tried some of the mixed grill lamb kabobs were good not great, chicken not good, shaved lamb meat dry, your typical dry hanging meat used in gyros. Rice was good, finally the calamari have arrived. WHAT a DISAPPOINT frozen over COOKED served with tartar sauce. I wish they had forgot it. Husband still insisted try baklava, guess what they were out of the regular baklava they serve. He did not like it, more whip cream then whatever was served in its place, still paid for the price of baklava listed. Tried the rice soup/rice pudding it was sweet and soupy. I have never seen rice pudding this soupy, & runny. Waiter or whoever he was never stopped by to see how the food was, I would have sent back those overcooked calamari. Never seen him until it was time to pay. It killed me to leave a tip, since we both have worked in food service. I left one helping it would go to the bussers who pretty much did everything but take the order. So 98.00 later a waste of money and time. I wanted to go Lavish, but husband wanted to go to Cafe Istanbul, says he would never go back or recommend. My husband is from the Middle East. read more

Located on the same road as Nordstrom at Easton. Split one of their lunch specials. We chose Hummus and Doner (gyro) wrap. Almond pudding was the dessert for our lunch special. The hummus is served with slices of hard pita bread and oil for dipping. Doner gyro kebab wrap is packed with sliced meat and onions. Very flavorful. If you think it's dry, just add some hummus. Perfect condiment. The almond pudding is not for me but is a very thick custard served cold. read more

Cafe Istanbul - Dining area - Turkish Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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