This is a must for couples. I am sure families too but it has a mood that screams couples and adults. The weekend lamb shank special was fall off the bone perfection and the shrimp kebob grilled beautifully and the gyro pita tasty. The bread and oil might be the show stealer of the menu BUT the best is the view. It's simply a lovely experience that we found to be a very good value in terms of price and service. read more

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Excellent places. Parking at time came be difficult but that just shows how popular this place is. Good food and drinks. People are really nice . read more

Literally all three categories--food, service, ambiance--are excellent. I've been twice now and can't recommend this place highly enough.

We ordered calamari, fish kebab and chicken sauté My calamari was pretty sticky, my chicken also hard to chew, though when it saute will be soft. But the kebab was great! maybe I should get kebab next time. Also, the bread and tomato dipping sauce is AMAZING, so good! The view was very beautiful, good for a party for sure! read more

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The small plate is absolutely delicious! They have a variety of meats to choose from, so you're sure to find something you love. I highly recommend it! Oh, and the view of the river is stunning! It's a perfect spot for a romantic dinner. read more

Cafe Istanbul - Turkish Near Me - Dublin, Ohio

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The outdoor dining area is a site to see at sunset. Food and service is top notch. Went with another couple and enjoyed the evening.

Great welcome. We had no rez, parking lot full, but we were immediately seated 6:00 PM. Terrific service. Traditional Greek dishes were exceptional, read more

This is a beautiful restaurant along the river. They have a large covered (with glass) dining area that feels like you are dining in a greenhouse. It's a lovely atmosphere. They can accomodate several large parties in this area. I saw 4 large 15+ person groups dining while we were there. The food is tasty and has lots of flavor. I got the stuffed eggplant, and my partner got the stuffed cabbage. I preferred the cabbage more. We also tried the Turkish coffee. I am not a coffee drinker, but I loved the flavors of the Turkish coffee. It was a small sipping drink that I thouroughly enjoyed. It was kind of like a chocolate mocha. Our service was good. It was a bit slow at times, but I think that was mainly due to the larger groups. They brought the drinks out on beautiful serving trays. It was a fun experience and great cuisine. read more

Love the overall vibe and the food here but the meat was a little dry when I get it but the bread they give you is to die for.

Tried this place on a day trip to Dublin, Ohio. I love the ambiance and vibe. The restaurant is pretty spacious with lavish chandeliers. Most of the seating tables got an amazing view of river stream on the right. You would be greeted with house bread and oil as soon as you get seated. The server was polite and friendly. I ordered Stuffed Grapes Leaves which were great having both sweet and savory taste. I would highly recommend this place if you're looking for authentic Mediterranean food. read more

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Food is great and service awesome! Not pricey, a Gem in Dublin, OH! Love the Beef liver, outside is crispy, inside is soft and not dry. Shish Kebab lamb is great! Very tender lamb read more

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First time trying this restaurant after so many good recommendations. The view from the river is just amazing and makes the perfect ambiance for a great meal with family or friends. The menu has many Turkish plates with fresh ingredients and making it hard for you to choose what to try first. We had the appetizer sampler so we could try all the cold options to start our dinner and the hummus is perfectly made, with velvety texture and slight acidic taste. Labneh is always my favorite and paring with hot bread served just after we set was a perfect match. For entree each of us ordered something different but the Shrimp Spinach Casserole was our favorite. The lamb casserole was a little overcooked but everything else was on point and we can't wait to be back to try everything else. Service couldn't be better making it great night. read more

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I love this place when I come to NODA! Get the fried peppers and the Stugotz Cheese steak. You can't go wrong with this combo. Always feels like home. Great location easy to get into in a slow night read more

I am still dreaming about this meal. First of all the outdoor patio here is absolutely stunning, it can be enclosed during the winter and you still get a great view of the woods behind you and if you come during sunset it's awesome. They recently got all new tables and chairs out there as well. They have a full bar and a few good wine and beer options. We went with a Turkish wine because when in Rome? It was fabulous, and they bring out the most delicious fresh bread and dip for you. We started with the babaganoush and the sigara borek which is seasoned cheese in a filo pastry- phenomenal. Then my husband and I split the moussaka and the mixed kabab, both of which were delicious. We finished the night with espresso martinis. Our waitress was so sweet and helpful and wanted to make our first experience there great, and she did just that. I will most definitely be returning read more

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I've driven past this restaurant a lot! I never thought to visit, honestly. My friend and I came on a Tuesday night. The weather was great, so we sat in the patio. It's completely covered, but the windows open with a view of all the foliage and Riverside on the other end. The ceiling also opens up too! Wow! I could see large birds flying close to the building! They give you complimentary bread with sun-dried tomatoes in oil. So delicious! The bread was warm too! We both weren't super hungry, so we ordered apps. We both got our own baba ganoush and falafel. All so good! They didn't give pita for the baba ganoush...not sure if it was because we had the bread on the table? It's a bit of a pricier menu, but the portion sizes looked generous from what I was seeing at other tables. They do have a lot for different diets, especially vegetarian. Ever since visiting, this restaurant has been on my mind! I'm already obsessed! I'll be back to try the meat options! I see why it's such a popular place! It got busier as we sat there. The parking lot seemed like it had a lot of spots, but every single parking space was filled when I was walking to my car to leave. Wow!! You gotta check this place out if you haven't yet! read more

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Awesome food. Been there quite a few times and always enjoyed. Service too was excellent. Will keep going there read more

Very nice place! Great atmosphere and awesome patio, over looking the river. Food is very good and so are the drinks. Serivce is great. Only downfall is that it's somewhat pricey. (I guess go once in awhile) read more

To me, Café Istanbul is the place you take all your out-of-town family members or friends who have disparate taste buds and are generally hard to please as a group - needless to say, I have been to Café Istanbul many times. To the credit of Café Istanbul, every time, every member of our party has come away impressed with how good this restaurant is. Over the years, I have always been impressed at how this place (as well as the Easton location) has been able to maintain its high level every single visit. On our last trip (right after Thanksgiving), we once again experienced great customer service even on a busy Saturday night. The food too was excellent - our group tried the Fried Calamari, the Hummus, and the Baba Ghanoush as starters. The calamari appetizer was made to perfection, and the Hummus and Baba did not disappoint either. Personally, the Hummus at Café Istanbul is the best in Columbus, but the Baba is not too far behind either. Also, the Hummus and Baba came with a ton of Turkish bread, and we were pretty full by the time the main entrees arrived. For main course, our party tried the Lamb shank, the Moussaka, the Chicken Adana Kabab, the Chicken Adana Kabab with yogurt, and a kids' Chicken Adana. All the dishes were cooked to perfection and the wait time for the food to arrive was very decent. Our party also order the Apple Tea (ask for the pitcher), and a few of the mocktails from the drink menu. I tried the Minty-Mango, and it was excellent. We end up eating at Café Istanbul a few times a year (both dine-in and carry-out), and I am always impressed at how consistently good this restaurant is. What I am less impressed with is how it took me this long to write them a Yelp review. read more

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in my opinion this is the best restaurant by food quality, service experience, atmosphere. You can see the owner of the restaurant on the floor constantly, he always want to know how is your food and do everything to take to make your experience there great . Staff know majority of customers by name which make this place very family friendly read more

We came here for a birthday celebration and had a great time. Its a great location along the olentangy with a really nice patio. I do have to admit being right next to riverside drive isnt the best but you don't notice it too much. They have a variety of very interesting cocktails and I ended up getting the Milano which just sounded like a very interesting mishmash of things. Sauvingon blanc, nutella, pineapple, among other ingredients so why not. I really enjoyed it, even though I still couldn't figure out how it all fit together. I'd definitely be interested in coming back for more cocktails. I also got a kebab combination so I could try multiple types of meats. I chose the steak and shish and both were great. I must say I enjoyed the shish more as the steak was just steak. Theres a lot on the menu though and I can't wait to come back and try more of it! read more

Cafe Istanbul - Mixed Grill Kebab - Turkish Near Me - Dublin, Ohio

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I heard there's a stunning view of the cliff here, but unfortunately, we arrived too late to catch it. I highly recommend getting there before sunset to fully appreciate it! The area is quite spacious, with plenty of outdoor heaters that make it warmer than the indoor seating, so choose based on your preference. As for the food, the table bread (focaccia, I think) paired with a sun-dried tomato-flavored sauce was fantastic! My friend loved the stuffed eggplant with beef, and I found the vegetable moussaka to have a pizza-like flavor--though I wasn't sure if the rice was a good match. My friend also enjoyed the orange beer, and the Turkish coffee was strong and robust. A note on the stuffed grape leaves: though they're vegetarian, they're unexpectedly sweet. Service was quick, and the staff made sure our water glasses were always full and that we had everything we needed. read more

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We had an amazing dining experience here for our anniversary dinner. You can dress as casual or as fancy as you like. We were seated in the "outdoor" area by a window overlooking the river. It was wonderful. The outdoor area has heaters so you don't even feel like your outside, and the ambiance is beautiful. Our service was top notch from the hostess, to the waiter, to the food runners. Such nice people. The food and drinks were outstanding. We thank everyone for a fantastic evening! We highly recommend this restaurant and this location. read more

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Beautiful Patio! Once we were seated our server brought us warm, freshly baked bread, and a tomato based dipping oil along with it. We ordered the Shepard casserole based upon the servers recommendation and the chicken w/eggplant. Both were very good but not overwhelmingly flavorful which is why I gave 4 stars instead of 5. Overall, very good, great ambiance, easy parking. Give it a try! read more

Fantastic ambiance combined with delicious food. Cafe Istanbul has multiple locations in Columbus and this location on Riverside Dr near Dublin/Upper Arlington is great. Weather permitting, sitting on the patio is lovely. Spacious and wonderfully decorated with flowers to compliment a view of the river. Service was attentive, welcoming, and warm during our weekday lunch. Heads up that they're unfortunately no longer offering the multi course lunch special. Entrees range from $20-$30. We opted to share an Istanbul salad ($13) and mixed grill kebab ($30). Salad: almonds, apricots, cranberries, and tomatoes with a honey mustard dressing. Great combination of textures a variety of sweetness. Nice start to the menu. Mixed grill: chicken, doner, shish, and adana kebabs. Super flavorful clearly grilled over an open flame. Served with a side of rice and veggies. Excellent freshness and meat quality. Also a shout out for the complimentary bread. Outstanding chewiness and temperature. Tasty dipping sauce as well. Then if you have room, treat yourself to some Turkish coffee. It's brought out on a gold tray. Outstanding flavor and perfect amount of sweetness. Overall a very enjoyable, memorable meal! read more

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Love this location with views overlooking the river and the big windows that can open up the patio. We had not visited in a while and stopped by while on the Celtic Cocktail Trail. The drinks we ordered were all made with care and tasted great but the food was the star! We ordered a pide and a swordfish kebab. Our friend ordered the appetizer sampler which looked delicious. Every time we've even here it's been wonderful and this trip was no different. Absolutely worth a visit. read more

Cafe Istanbul - Turkish Near Me - Dublin, Ohio

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Location - 5 Ambiance - 5 Service - 4 Food - 2 Food is not authentic middle eastern. It's actually very bad middle eastern food. Much better options in cbus compared to this. read more

I'm so glad I was able to come for dinner. It's been on my list for a long time. I was excited to sit on the patio, but unfortunately, it was still hot at 5:30 and we didn't sit on the side by the river because the sun was beating down. Next time, I will make later reservations. There weren't that many people on the patio, but then it was still early for a Monday night (and holiday). Our hostess and server were both super nice. I got a cocktail that had popcorn on top - see photo. Loved it. We started with calamari and they also brought bread with olive oil/tomatoes. The calamari was a pretty big portion for the two of us. My entree was the Chicken Curry that came with rice. It was fabulous - rich flavor with mushrooms. I had it boxed to take home because I was full, but then I couldn't resist dessert. The Almond Pudding was perfect. It had slivers of almonds, and topped with whipped cream. I will absolutely return - the food is too good not to. read more

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Food was amazing, house cocktails were amazing, will definitely be back on a less busy night. We made a reservation but had to still wait 45 min. to get a table. read more

Stopped in at opening for an 11am early lunch with a friend. This was our first time and service was attentive, Turkish food was amazing, the decor was really nice. Parking was easy in/out and tons of seating. Lunch crowd was a good turnout in the short time we were there on a Tuesday. Tables and chairs are all artfully sculpted of wood. We really loved the inside out feel as the roof can retract and the sides can open up to river views. Our server brought the most amazing fresh baked bread and dipping oil w/ herbs. I had the Shepard Pie which was lamb, peppers, onions, herbs in an amazing sauce with amazing rice on the side. My friend had the stuffed grape leaves which came with a side of yogurt to offset the flavorful spices. They have a full menu with everything and a lot of GF options. This place is a keeper and a must visit. read more

Cafe Istanbul - Inside/ out Decor - Turkish Near Me - Dublin, Ohio

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This was our first time trying Turkish cuisine and we could not have been more impressed with everything! Café Istanbul has such a great space just outside the Bridge Park area. We immediately loved the cocktails and fresh bread and oil served, and things just kept getting better from there. For appetizers we tried the Sautéed Liver Cubes and the Sigara Borek, which were both delicious. For our entrees we had the Swordfish Kebab and Lamb Sauté. Everything was great, and the portions were a good size so we even ended up with leftovers! read more

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My wife and I loved this restaurant. We shared the Mixed Kebab plate, stuffed grape leaves, and an order of the Lahmacun Pide (a Turkish flatbread with ground lamb and vegetables). The Kebabs (chicken, beef, and lamb) were each juicy, flavorful, and perfectly grilled. The plate also came with sliced Doner meat and a yogurt sauce. We finished our meal with Turkish tea and Kunefe (an amazing dessert of crispy, delicate pastry, honey, and goat cheese). Everything we tried was delicious, the atmosphere was warm and welcoming, and our waitress was extremely friendly. The portion sizes are generous, and the prices are very reasonable for the quality of food. I highly recommend this place for middle eastern food in the Columbus area. read more

Cafe Istanbul - Mixed Kebab plate and the Pide - Turkish Near Me - Dublin, Ohio

So this place is right on the river with plenty of seating with a view of the river. The staff is very helpful in selecting items and explaining things. I would say it's good food, but I feel the premium for the view is too much. You can find better food for a better value, you just won't get the view. read more

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

We have been to this place many times. We have dined in and did takeouts. The staffs there are always friendly and the place is always clean. Last time we ordered we did take out. We ordered their chicken Adana kabab, steak kabab, and hummus. Everything was great but the steak kabab lacked a little seasoning. Other then that, their food is always on point. Definitely recommend this place! read more

Cafe Istanbul - Steak kabab - Turkish Near Me - Dublin, Ohio

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Food and cocktails were amazing but service was incredibly slow . We waited 20 minutes for our waitress to bring water and take drink order. Waiting another 25 for our cocktails to arrive. Waited 40 minutes for our entrees to come. Great food for a reasonable price but slow service. read more

First bad experience after many good ones. Food and drinks still awesome but our server was horrible. Usually servers here are A++ but the one today ignored us completely for 10-15 min on 3 occasions during our Lunch. He only had a few tables, walked by us but purposely looked down and away at each passing so to not make eye contact. He also spoke so softly, muttering really, that none of us could understand what he was saying. We had not seen him prior visits so perhaps new but next time we visit I will look for him and would refuse to sit at table he served....was that bad. Will be back next week so....owners? read more

Located looking over the Scioto River, the Cafe Istanbul features amazing food which you can enjoy either inside the dining area or theirvery attractive outside patio with beautiful flower plantings. I chose the interior dining area which has large ceiling to floor windows and offers a unobstructed view of river. I arrived around 3 pm for diner. There were some customers already dining but for the most part the Cafe Istanbul was empty. I was able to get window seating. They have a full bar which is separate from the dining area. I just had water with a twist of lemon. The Zaatar was brought out quickly with Pide (a type of flat pieta bread which was very flavorful. My chose of entree was the Lamb Saute ($22), cubes of lamb sauteed with tomatoes, onions, garlic, red and green peppers served on a bed of rice. The portion size was large andvery tasty. It certainly filled me me up. It took about 20 minutes to arrive as the entries are made to order. My water glass was refilled twice and the overall service was attentive and professional. The menu is large with a sizable selection of deserts such as baklava with pistachios and moussaka. Parking is conveniently available next to the restaurant. I have found Turkish cuisine to be very flavorable and Cafe Istanbul has a great chef. Show less read more

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My husband and I went here on a spur of the moment day date thanks to the parents watching our daughter. It was GREAT! The restaurant is just gorgeous on the inside and you have amazing views of the river which is just so great! The food was wonderful, I could have eaten just the free bread they bring and been in heaven! I had the falafel wrap and my husband had the okra stew. Each was great! If I would change anything I'd maybe not get the fries as they were a little underwhelming for the rest of the deliciousness! The service was great too our cups remained full and the waitress was so sweet and attentive! Lots of veg options, the perfect place for a date night! (Or day date) read more

I recently discovered this place while working near OSU. The food is amazing. Both times I topped off the meal with Baklava and Turkish coffee. Best Baklava ever sweet honey with a hint of butter. I'll be back. read more

One of the prettiest patios in Columbus! The restaurant is beautifully decorated. One of my favorite dishes is the wood fired Branzino. It is large enough for two to enjoy....comes w/ a small salad, rice and veggies. The Greek salad topped w/ grilled chicken is another favorite. So many amazing lamb dishes that you have to try a new one each time you visit. A must is to wrap up your meal w/ a Turkish coffee. read more

Everything we ordered here was delicious. I highly recommend getting the appetizer sampler so you can try a little of everything. The bread with dipping oil was also amazing! read more