An unexpected stop for lunch during a cruise stop in Old San Juan, PR, the Istanbul Restaurant was…read morea combination of Turkish dishes along with dishes native to Puerto Rico. My brother and I tried dishes from both menus, and found it to be quite good. As we were walking past, a small sign for 'Grandma's Kitchen' caught our eye. My brother had been encouraging me to try Puerto Rico's national dish: Mofongo - mashed fried plantains. Unfortunately, restaurants were just packed with long waits and I wasn't in the mood to wait outside in the sun for a long time. The door next to the sign stated that it was a restaurant called 'Istanbul'. We peaked inside, and was welcomed warmly by a host, who let us know that the restaurant was both Grandma's Kitchen/Istanbul. There was nobody else dining inside, which was weird considering how every other restaurant in the area was packed. The dishes are made to order, so took a bit of time for it to come out one at a time. Mixed Seafood Stuffed Mofongo ($25) - served in a wooden pilon, the tall and narrow neck was stuffed with the mashed plantains, topped with a seafood blend of clams, dense fish pieces, octopus, and squid. The sauce was really well done, not too rich, but buttery enough to accentuate the seafood. I have to believe the seafood was prepared from frozen, but it tasted really good: a definite notch up from the seafood I've been having on the cruise boats. It was the first time having mofongo, and I liked it. This version had fried plantain chips, mixed with the mash of more plantains. I don't think this version had pork skin rinds, and I didn't miss it. It's extremely dense, so ended up eating maybe a third of it while finishing the seafood. It's a solid alternative to rice, though definitely can't eat too much of it. Doner Kebab ($18) - from the Istanbul portion of the menu, this dish was tasty, though the meat was cooked on a flat top grill like a burger patty, instead of on a vertical rotisserie. The lamb/beef patty was loosely formed and well seasoned, with the accompanying tzatziki sauce being a good add-on. Both dishes were cooked very well, the back kitchen has some skills. Service was friendly throughout. Water is not offered, but guessing they will give to you if asked. Payment was provided after the meal, and they do stick on a mandatory 15% gratuity for all party sizes.

I love to use Yelp to find local spots when traveling; however I can't get on board with the high…read morereviews of this spot in old San Juan. The falafels were doughy and undercooked and the chicken kabobs very tough. Service was good, and we were the only ones in the restaurant. It's a little dark but clean.

We have been here a bunch of times when we lived in Condado. Absolutely the best Mediterranean…read moreFood around. The hummas and Naan are a must and the chicken curry dish is delicious. Always very consistent.

We visited Ali Baba while in San Juan, and overall had a great experience! The hummus was…read moreabsolutely delicious, super creamy and flavorful. And the pita bread was top-notch, probably some of the best we've had. We all loved it! My husband and I shared the lamb shish kebab, but unfortunately, it wasn't our favorite. The meat was a bit tough and not cooked quite the way we like it, which made it hard to chew. That said, the wait staff were incredibly friendly, and the atmosphere was so cute and cozy, making the whole experience still enjoyable. I would definitely come back to try a different dish next time. There's a lot on the menu that looked amazing!

Mi restaurante favorito de comida mediterránea. Cuando mi hijo viene de Estados Unidos a visitar…read morecomemos aquí.

Food was different and delicious. Service was excellent very attentive and provided suggestions…read more Ambiance takes you to Cairo from the entrance and decor inside. The only complaint was the dessert, the baklava was not fresh. It was kind of hard and cold. Thank you.

We got the lamb kofte plate and lamb shawarma. The plate comes with rice, pita, hummus, baba…read moreghanouj, and salad - the sides could be more but the kofte were delicious. The shawarma was dry. The server was friendly, and there is a fair amount of seating.

I had this spot bookmarked for a while. Finally got to go after my kid's soccer game. It's located…read morein a strip mall behind Plaza Escorial. From the outside it doesn't look like much. Nothing stands out. But don't let that fool you, the inside is nice. It was early so we were most likely the first customers of the day. We started off with falafels. Very fresh, perfect taste. I'm sure it helped that the oil was also fresh because we'd arrived early, but I'm sure they're always fire. We also ordered the Labneh. This was also good. For the main course I went with the mix platter. It was a good way to try the different meats: chicken, lamb, and beef. It came with rice, salad, and hummus. Perfect for one person. Very tasty. Loved the rice and salad. Overall, great spot not far from San Juan. Worth the trip.

The food was excellent, and the staff was very attentive. This is a small family-owned restaurant…read morewith authentic Turkish food and lovely decorations, including many beautiful lamps.

Sultan Abi has a special place in my heart…read more I can't recommend this place more than enough! The food is amazing, the staff is amazing and the chairs are soo comfy! I always order the same because is just so so so good that I don't want to change‍ The seasonings are just perfect, the Hummus is the best Hummus you will have in ANY restaurant. Lately I've been ordering To-Go because of the baby, but they have NEVER given me an incorrect order. The Shredded lamb is on the things that sells fast VERY quickly so I highly recommend ordering it. The plate I ordered is the Turkish Delight where you have the best of everything. You get the shredded lamb, chicken and flank steak with any complement you like! If you are in the area please do visit because it is literally Turkey in Puerto Rico!

Authentic Mediterranean food!!!! Great service and prices. Ottoman plate my favorite.read more

Great location, even better food. Must go if you like Mediterranean food. Best chicken and pork…read morekebabs in San Juan!

Went for Sunday late lunch with the family. The restaurant was very accommodating when we called to…read moresay we would be late for our reservation. Our waitress was very attentive to our older guests and patient! The traditional humus is outstanding. And don't get me started on the lamb chops. WOW!!! What an amazing delightful meal!!! Next time I would pass on the eggplant humus, the regular humus was way too delicious. They only have baklava for dessert and my family loved it. It was fresh and tasteful. Don't miss out on their Turkish coffee. It was yummy!!! The restaurant is clean, ambiance is more like a traditional old world place. Don't miss out! And save space for the ribs. You'll want to have seconds.

Another hit spot on my trip to PR, my bf found this spot and it looked good. We tried to go on…read moreSaturday for the belly dancing, but we were too late since they closed at 9PM, which was surprising for a Saturday night, and had to go somewhere else. We came back on Sunday and were promptly greeted and seated right away. The staff was very friendly, and the inside was cozy with decor styled in Mediterranean. The drinks were delicious and refreshing. As for the food, we had the hummus, salad, and kebabs, all of which were very delicious. I wish we had more time to enjoy, but they were wrapping up for the night, and we didn't want to keep them. I recommend going early and not too late since they seem to stick to the closing time. Overall, I had a great time and would definitely go back for the belly dancing show. Mediterranean food in PR--who knew!

They denied service to carry out, so when we asked to then sit down they said we were getting a…read morechicken gyro , we've been clients for a long time, we mentioned that we wanted Lamb gyro, they told us that they do it this way now to prioritize people that eat at the place , we were like we said to eat here, still we had to eat what they wanted us to eat , never setting food there again and will tell all the people that I have recommended the place to , which they have been allot , the way they are working now, awful service , also watch for the salad on the gyro sometimes it's starting to spoil they still use it

It's incredible that Turkish food this good is served in PR. We keep coming back because we love…read more Warning, parking is at a premium so be patient or walk. It's well worth it.

I wasn't expecting to find Turkish food in a food court, yet here it was. And it was good. I…read moredecided to sample some of their sides like the falafels, dolma, and spanakopita. The falafels (order of 2) and the spanakopita (order of 3) were very tasty. I haven't had a falafel that good in PR. As for the dolma (order of 6), I didn't like that they heated them. I'd never had hot dolmas before. I've always had them either room temperature or cold. The heat zapped the flavors and made them mushy. I took the home and placed them in the fridge, then ate them at night... much better. I also tried the Turkish coffee and the pistachio baklava, Both were very good. Overall, I enjoyed the food. The only complaint is the hot dolma.

Returned for a 2nd time and ordered the lamb and beef doner.. Still just as good. I also tried…read moretheir falafel. That was a real treat. Next time I will order the falafel sandwich.

Carthage Express in San Juan, PR was such a great find that we ended up coming back again!!! this…read moretime for breakfast. From the first visit, the food stood out as fresh, flavorful, and thoughtfully prepared, which immediately made it a place we wanted to revisit. When we returned for breakfast, it didn't disappoint. Everything was delicious, well made, and satisfying, making it the perfect start to the day. You can really tell they care about quality and consistency in their food. The atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming, and the service was friendly and attentive on both visits. The staff made us feel comfortable and appreciated, which added a lot to the overall experience. Carthage Express quickly became one of those spots we'd gladly return to again and recommend to anyone visiting or living in San Juan.

Avoid this place at all costs! If you want your food to look like the tempting photos on the menu,…read moreyou'll need to ask specifically, and be prepared to pay extra. The so-called fresh orange juice is a complete misrepresentation--it's pre-bought, not squeezed in-house, and tastes just like store-bought store-brand juice. Four of us ordered breakfast, and every single plate came out cold and dry, as if it had been sitting out from yesterday. The ambiance is barely welcoming, worsened by a waitress who seems to have an excuse for every problem with the food. Can a restaurant be sued for false advertising? They display a tempting photo on the menu, then tell customers, 'If you want your French toasts just like in the picture, you need to ask for it, and it will cost extra'--ridiculous! This might just be the worst dining experience in Old San Juan... Horrible place and experience....