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Cafe Istanbul

4.4 (91 reviews)
Closed • 11:00 am - 8:00 pm
Updated 1 month ago

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CAFE ISTANBUL ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Dogs allowed
Outdoor seating

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Recommended Reviews - Cafe Istanbul

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Adana plate $22
Cathrin P C.

I'll have to give this another try to see if it deserves more than an average 3 stars. I'm a big fan of adanas so I was eager to try the adana plate. Sadly I got the chicken kebab by mistake and when I asked about it, the owner was very nice and told me to keep what I got and she'd ask the kitchen to make me the proper order. I was a little tight on time today but decided to accept since she was so nice. Cafe Istanbul is a little hard to find because the store front is actually on the outside facing out of the plaza so when I first circled around inside, I could not figure out where it was located. That whole plaza is poorly designed with the InNout clogging up traffic constantly. The restaurant itself was large and with casual seating. Although it was very quiet around 5 on a Thursday, food took 20 minutes to arrive and then because of my order mixup, it took a little longer than that for the right order to come out. As for the food itself, it tasted pretty standard. I'm not a fan of chicken kebab as it's usually breast meat. The adana here is on the salty side and a little tough. I've had some really tender and juicy adanas elsewhere. Maybe things were not aligned today but I'd be willing to come back for another try since the owner was so nice. I did see someone order the appetizer combo for dining in and the presentation looked awesome. I'll have to give that a try. The wraps look like they'd be a pretty good value but some of the reviews said there isn't too much meat wrapped... $22 Adana (lamb) plate comes with rice, salad, hummus and pita

Inside dining area
Juan D.

I've been wanting to check this place out for a while and it did not disappoint. I ordered the chicken kebab and it was nicely seasoned, juicy and perfectly cooked. It came with a side of Delicious rice, a fresh salad, pita slices, 2 sauces and hummus. Unfortunately, when I ordered through DoorDash, the order didn't go through, so I just showed up. I gotta say, they have a nice outside eating area as well as an inside dining area. If I could've stayed, I would've ate outside, considering how nice the weather was. But, I had to get back to work. This establishment is really clean, service is friendly in the food came out a short time after ordering. I'm definitely coming back soon.

Combo chicken and beef
Ernesto H.

Quick service and great taste , found this place in my maps and decided to give it a try. Getting there is easy and the service is excellent

Cuazzy N.

Came in for lunch time on a Saturday afternoon and it took 25 minutes to get my food. I ordered the beef/lamb wrap and the portions seen smaller than usual. The meat was a little dry and wasn't as fresh as previous experiences. I really liked this place - not sure if I'll be back.

My delicious lunch.
Patrick S.

Best meal I've had in a long time. Great decor, spotlessly clean, and quick, friendly service. But the reason to go is the food. I got the gyro plate. Comes with gyro meat, hummus, salad with dressing, and hot sauce. Literally every bite was spot on. Everything was fresh and delicious. I will definitely be coming back.

Everything was great. We ate are food to quickly so no pics :( but it was really good and service was great. Very attentive. We were there near closing and there was some customers that came in as they closed and they weren't turned away but welcomed in. Was nice friendly environment. Was surprised by a tea at the end of our meal. Sadly we were just driving by and don't live in this area but if we need to come by this way again we will be back!

Dining area
Luzcel T.

Unassuming little cafe at the side of the food plaza that we actually missed it the first time. Had to back track and glad we did! It's a fast food that serves gyros and kabobs. Perfect for when you just need to order, eat and run. Or just order to go! We literally ran out of the cafe that i actually left my purse behind. The wait staff was nice enough to run after us to the parking lot to let us know. Oh yes, the food! My nephew ordered the lamb and beef wrap that came with French fries while I ordered the Kofte platter. The wrap was cooked right and was juicy. The Kofte included humus with pita bread, salad and rice. I thought it was too much for me but I finished about 90% of it. I particularly liked the salad with pickled onions. That was refreshing! I was glad we tried it out. It was just 7 minutes from our hotel that made it very convenient.

Chicken Gyro Wrap (Full Tray)
Kris O.

Chicken gyros wrap.. smell bad second time.. idk why? I cant eat it and trow away. But fries good!

Chicken Gyros Wrap
Gabriel G.

I got the chicken wrap. Really not good. If there was sauce it was just the red sauce and maybe a little bit of yogurt. Other than the sauce it is basically just chicken with raw lettuce, tomato, and red onion for vegetables. Out of the vegetables, there were hardly any. The flavor of the chicken was not that appetizing and didn't pair well with the raw vegetables. I think raw onions work when there are better flavors to work with it, (I have had good Mediterranean wraps and burritos that had raw onions), but here it was extra unappetizing. As you can see from the picture, the tortilla they use is folded and wrinkled, showing that the amount of fillings is not that much. I think they just use a tortilla and not some special Mediterranean flat bread, not great for this type of wrap. They give you a small bag of fries on the side as well, but this is not game changing by any means. I think it is there to try to make up for what is lacking elsewhere.

Outside
Shella P.

This place just opened up about a week ago. My boss wanted to try them so we did. We got a couple of: Lamb and Beef gyro wraps - I liked the best but can definitely use more meat. But I get it they're still new. Chicken wrap - a little too dry but after some sauce it's good to go. Hummus - decent French fries - nice and crispy and used their sauce to dip with. Overall the place was clean. Plenty of tables and chairs to eat. Has a bathroom. The lady that helped me looked like one of owners and was really nice and friendly.

Beef and lamb gyro with fries

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2 years ago

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8 months ago

Kebab or doner kebab is not good, they can't make it, they cook with a sour face, I will definitely not go again.

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10 months ago

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2 years ago

A great place where you can enjoy a meal with peace of mind. The food is delicious, and I highly recommend giving it a try!

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2 years ago

Food was delicious and price is reasonable! Had chicken shawarma, gyros, and kuftas. Everyone was happy with their selection

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1 year ago

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2 years ago

Best Gyro in the Bay Area. Good vibe, a secret gem hidden in Millbrae. Clean, big, everything appears to be made in-house

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

The service was great and the food was delicious. Looking forward to going back again for some more chicken kabobs.

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2 years ago

Very good middle eastern food. Falafel is fluffy and crispy, and good sauces and flaky lavash. Also very nice owners and service is nice.

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2 years ago

Good food good service will be back again good experience The place was very nice and the atmosphere was nice.

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Another great meal here. Today I ordered the lamb and beef shawarma plate along with falafel. This…read moretime I went with a dozen, and they were perfectly crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. They tasted even better dipped in hummus. The shawarma plate was just as satisfying, with tender and flavorful meat. I like that it comes with two types of rice, fresh salad, hummus, and warm pita bread, which makes it a complete and filling meal. The ordering process is simple. You place your order at the counter, get your number, find a table, and the staff brings your food when it's ready. Service was smooth and efficient. It's a simple, laid-back space where you can enjoy your meal without feeling rushed. Overall, I really enjoyed my meal and appreciate the great service. :)

Came in here as I was recently in the area and saw the great yelp reviews. I was so excited to try…read morethis place out, went in and ordered the schwarma fries and a drink. Customer service was not their strong suit as when I greeted the cashier, he seemed to not care at all. Once my food came out it looked great and I was ready to dig in. First fork full of fries and the beef/lamb meat and this is when it hit me. SALTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTYYYYYYYYYY It was just overpowering the amount of salt on this meat. I ate what little I could and left most of the meal. I would consider going back and just getting the veggie combo meal.

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Millbrae Kebabs and Gyros - Combo Plate

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I had a chicken gyro, and it was tasty! The place has that warm atmosphere you often find in…read moreTurkish restaurants. The service is friendly, though minimal: the cashier is also a server. Many people get takeout

Labor Day Weekend you can bet we are going to be celebrating the holiday at Millbrae Art & Wine…read moreFestival. It was been a ritual and tradition for the past 22 years of its 55 years existing. We decided to meet up with my mother-in-law and friend for lunch after we enjoyed strolling the Arts, crafts, variety of food trucks vendors for a few hours. We wanted to enjoy a late afternoon lunch as well as watch the festival begin the wind down on Sunday. Millbrae Kebabs & Gyros we smart and were serving lemonade and other drinks outside the front of their café. We ordered at the counter by the cashier/manager who was prompt, helpful and efficient in taking our order. The restaurant has good seating inside as well as a table of 4 in front where we sat. They have a side courtyard as well and they were very busy with to go and dine in patrons. My wife ordered or selections which included grilled chicken kebabs, salad, rice, hummus and tiana for mine entree. The chicken was hot, perfectly grilled and tasty; the salad was.fresh and the rice & hummus very good..She and her Mom selected a falafel which very good. Our only issue was the time it took our food to arrive at our table. The french fries arrived almost immediately very hot, crispy on outside and soft on the inside Perfectly prepared..our table of 4 devoured quickly. After 20 minutes my wife commented on why it was taking so long? I went to the folks cooking and inquired about our order..The server seemed surprised..she thought she had delivered it. I shared we only recieved the french fries..soon after I entrees arrived. Overall very good experience..I saw a group of 6 at a nearby table and their order looked amazing!

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Every single item here was purely out of this world! We ordered chapli kabob wrap, chicken kabob…read morewrap, chicken kabob plate, watani fries, and we wanted the mantu but they were out. Every single item was nothing short of amazing, full of flavor, and perfectly served. They do big portions here. They make the fries fresh here and you can taste it. They put alot of tlc into their food which is why it can take a bit. Only thing forgotten yesterday was chutney, and we missed it with every item. We will have to go back and try more again soon.

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Pizza ordered on a Monday night, wait was only 15 mins for a walk in. Ive ordered delivery plenty…read moreof times from her and food was no change, VERY GOOD! I got a half and half 333 cheese with chicken garlic gourmet. Their crust has a nice buttery taste to it, really good and really filling. We'll worth the price. Inside the restaurant is pretty simple, a couple TVs and a bar, I love how they also serve a selection of Indian food to which I've heard is pretty good. Parking is a little challenging, so I suggest looking for some on the side streets and then walking over. This place is a staple for sure!

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Cafe Istanbul - mediterranean - Updated October 2026

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