El Turco Grill is a super cute restaurant in the middle of downtown Hackensack, a little sketchy on a Saturday evening, when the place is dark and deserted, but at least you can find parking relatively close by. It's definitely worth it for the food (and BYOB)! We ordered the hummus and the Mixed Grilled Kebab platter. The hummus was rather small, especially compared with other Middle Eastern restaurants. It came with only ~5 pita quarters and just enough hummus to top them. Delicious, but I suppose we're just used to more. However, we enjoyed the Mixed Grilled Kebabs, which came with a variety of meats, including adana kebab, doner kebab, chicken, and lamb kebab. The meat was, of course, flavorful and well-spiced, but we loved how tender an succulent the kebabs were. The platter was enough for two people, especially with an appetizer. We were stuffed after our meal. Additionally, ambiance and service is great! Decor is trendy, instrumental music plays at a comfortable volume, and the waitress was so friendly. We would definitely come back for this cute Turkish restaurant! read more

El Turco Grill - Mixed Grilled Kebabs - Mediterranean Near Me - Hackensack, New Jersey

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Great and delicious food . Very authentic . The service is outstanding. Love going there . read more

One of the best and freshest Mediterranean/Turkish food you can find in the area! Amazing appetizers, great service, friendly atmosphere. Adana kebab is a must have, followed by Kunefe. Take it from the person who tried almost all Mediterranean eateries in read more

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The food is great and it never disappoints! Make sure you check them out when you are in Hackensack!

First time eating at this restaurant and was delicious to say the least. I ordered to go, was happy that the food was warm and meat was nice and tender. Customer service was pleasant when I picked up the food. I noted when I picked up my order the space was nice and clean. Looking forward to dine in. read more

El Turco Grill - Combination Kebab - Mediterranean Near Me - Hackensack, New Jersey

Amazing, HIGH QUALITY food. The servers are some of the nicest people ever, and you can tell they truly care about good service, and for you to enjoy the food. The ambiance and the place is generally all enjoyable, I recommend everyone to try this place at least once in their life!! read more

El Turco Grill - Kunefe - Mediterranean Near Me - Hackensack, New Jersey

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Everything was delicious! The people are so nice, definitely coming back! We shared the mixed grill (everything on it was full of flavor and perfectly cooked) and for appetizers we got the hummus (amazing) and falafel (didn't like the falafel too much, but I encourage you to still try it). For dessert we got a complimentary milk pudding that was just too good! read more

El Turco Grill - Mixed Grill - Mediterranean Near Me - Hackensack, New Jersey

We were looking for a late dinner place on a holiday and fortunately, we ended up in El Turco! The experience, food and ambience was all superb. We ordered a combination meat and shrimp kebab plus hummus for appetizer. We enjoyed the freshness and umami flavor of the food - definitely the best Mediterranean restaurant we've tried so far. The owner was very accommodating and friendly. We enjoyed every single food up to our Turkish tea and caramel cake. We highly recommend El Turco in Hackensack. I'm glad it's couple of blocks away only! Thank you for bringing us a new favorite in town! read more

El Turco Grill - Mediterranean Near Me - Hackensack, New Jersey

From the outside it doesn't look like much but when I entered I could tell immediately that I had made the right choice. Cleanliness= 10/10 Decor/environment= 10/10 Service= 10/10 Food quality= 10/10 Staff is very kind and friendly. I will definitely eat here again whenever I am in Hackensack. In the restaurant there are a couple of large TV's which show videos of historic areas of Turkey. Its as if you are touring Turkey. Very original ... I enjoyed watching while eating. read more

Went there on a spontaneous date night in a long time and it was absolutely perfect Food was delicious and authentic and service was great. Can't wait to come back. read more

Amazing food, the appetizer mix and el turco mix was incredibly delicious. Staff are super friendly and service was quick. Highly recommend!! read more

El Turco Grill - Appetizer mix and el turco mix - Mediterranean Near Me - Hackensack, New Jersey

There's a reason for the declining clientele. Some of the cashiers and servers should in fact not work with people, the harsh attitudes and unfriendly demeanors are a restaurant killer and the worst part is that I can guarantee you that these actually bad servers probably think they're good at their jobs. I was one of the first people to eat here and met the chef/owner he did not deliver on his promise of making this restaurant one of the best in Hackensack. The food has been downgraded as well, par cooked and again, lazy. The portions used to fill, now they skimp. Do Turkish restaurant owners think that we don't know the price of the items they sell? I went in for lunch, 16 dollars is already steep and you're gonna give me ONE adana? If you're gonna charge double for my LUNCH menu, at least give me some of my money's worth. That's called being cheap and it reflects on your restaurant. My meal was more rice than meat, more salad then meat. I don't know what happened here but it needs to stop happening with great Turkish restaurants. The cycle of great fresh food at a wonderful price to horrid quality and overpriced. I'll be waiting for what else opens up at this venue since this place won't last long doing what they're doing. Truly sad and disappointing. read more

El Turco Grill - This is never going to be worth 16 dollars. You're insane. This is lunch, dinner is 22 and the same portion. - Mediterranean Near Me - Hackensack, New Jersey

Great food. First time and will go back. Service was friendly and prompt. Able to enjoy conversation with friends.

Food was yet y good but the owner pushed very hard to make us try things we really didn't need It became quite expensive due to this fact, read more

Picked up a grilled combo to my avail there was a roach in my bag! And food looked good but wasn't expecting a critter along w my food! Picked up and attempted to eat in the car and found the roach creeping read more

I found a delightful spot in downtown Hackensack NJ...and I couldn't recommend a restaurant more highly. From a warm, cozy, contemporary atmosphere to an even more lovely and pleasant hostess, Tugce. Portions were generous as well as absolutely delicious. We started off with their scrumptious zucchini pancakes followed by a wonderful salad of tomatoes, cucumbers and feta cheese served with their warm pita bread. We ultimately shared a kebab platter that featured 4 different meats that were cooked and seasoned to perfection and a terrific platter for two to share. If you're looking to explore your first foray into Turkish/Mediterranean cuisine like we did.. DO NOT miss the opportunity to eat at El Turco. You'll be happy you did. read more

So we were headed to another restaurant when the sign on the door caught our eye. It was a joke about how they could survive covid but not the never ending road work. We laughed pretty hard so decided you know what, let's support a new place. SO HAPPY WE DID!! Food was great. We tried several appetizers, entrees and desserts and absolutely nothing disappointed. Customer service was equally as fabulous staff made us feel like part of the family. Teasing us, making jokes, making recommendations on what to try. We will definitely be back! read more

Ive lived in hackensack, ive always seen this place opened, my friends recommended it to me and told me that the food was great! So i decided to try it myself, tje Food is amazing and staff is very nice! read more

Best konafa in East Coast , very nice Restaurant Turkish food the best food ever Delicious, read more

I will definitely be back. We stopped for lunch after hearing wonderful things about the restaurant; they did not disappoint. We had the smokey baba ganoush with yummy grilled, still warm pita, a crunchy flavorful turkish salad, crispy exterior and tender interior falafal, and my favorite beef liver cubes. They were served with a small salad and red onion salad. Fried cubes of tender beef liver with seasoning. Yum! Can't wait to go again. read more

Hidden gem! Was looking for best restaurants in NJ and happened to find this spot in one of the articles and it definitely did not disappoint. To start, the owners and staff were friendly and treated you like family. Made great recommendations and went out of their way to explain each dish and continuously worked to make sure the food and service was good. The food... Speechless. The appetizer was so good we needed refills with the pita. Then the main dish came out and although it was our first time trying Turkish food, they made sure we wouldn't regret it as the food was amazing. From the meat, to the rice and the stew, they were cooked to perfection Finally, had to finish a fine meal off with a good dessert so we ordered the Baklava and Turkish coffee and they were definitely on point to conclude our meal off right. In closing and as the saying goes, you need to see it to believe it. read more

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The food is excellent, the staff are pleasant and offer good service An enjoyable experience read more

Authentic, great food, paired with great service. I would recommend it, if you enjoy whatever type of Mediterranean cuisine.

What a great place. The restaurant is beautiful, clean and they are very welcoming. From his b the beginning of the meal to the end the staff were attentive and answered all of our questions. They waiter explained the menu and told us how they prepare the food and was very detailed. They also have us advice on what we should order based on our palette. The food was exceptional and tasted really fresh. The meat was not too dry and had a great flavor. I had the mixed grill so I could try a little bit of everything they had to offer :) I had leftovers for the best day. The rice was flavored well and it came with salad and fries. And the price point was great for the quantity and quality of foot. The dessert was definitely a highlight. The kunefe was amazing, I would say make sure you leave room for it. The baklava was light and just the right amount of sweetness. And if you like coffee the Turkish coffee is a MUST! I happy to see a great Turkish place in the neighborhood, and I wish them all the best. We shall be back soon. P.S it is BYOB so make sure you bring a bottle of wine, it will go great with the meats. read more

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Great casual spot for some solid Turkish food. I got the mix grill and shared it with my friend and I loved all 4 meats it came with and for appetizer we had the lebni. Meat was good quality, well seasoned and cooked to perfection. Service was not bad but not great either, they don't check in on you as much as they should so it took a while for us to get the bill. They're very friendly though and they gave us some complimentary tea which was very gracious. I'll definitely go back and recommend others to try it out too. read more

Awesome fresh authentic food. We have dined here a few times and always enjoyed our meal and time here.

This place is rocking as it always has! Its nice to be back inside in our favorite place! read more

El Turco Grill - Mediterranean Near Me - Hackensack, New Jersey

Had dinner here's with an entire family of 10 members on New Year's Eve. This place opened just about 3 weeks ago. I must say, it's impressive how they got things organized and running smoothly with that time frame. We did have to "BYOB" which luckily was a kind reminder by the service staff prior to arriving. Can't miss this place as it is located on the main road with luckily ample street parking. The interior is a very cozy atmosphere with great lighting and surprisingly appealing fake fireplace. Staff is very friendly & the chef did make his appearance few times for quality control. We had the hummus & babaganoush with pita bread which was good. Family ordered various kabobs with the general consensus being chicken kabob being the most flavorful. I liked my lamb shish kabob with rice/salad but can't say it's the best I've ever had. Overall, I'm hoping they continue to do well and thrive. My North Jersey family plans on visiting soon.... read more

El Turco Grill - Lamb Shish Kebab - Mediterranean Near Me - Hackensack, New Jersey

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Had lunch outdoors and it was amazing. Ate with the family and ordered the Doner Kebab, Chicken Kebab, Lamb Kebab, Shrimp Kebab, and Falafel. The portions were just right and everything tasted delicious. The service is great and the owners are very kind. Looking forward to eating here again! read more

El Turco Grill - Doner Kebab and Chicken Kebab - Mediterranean Near Me - Hackensack, New Jersey

Hummus was excellent. Can't remember juicier kebabs (Adana and lamb shish) anywhere. Very good. Just a sprinkle of salt would have made them perfect. Great service. Will return. read more

Everything about this place is amazing! This restaurant is a family favorite. Every time we eat here all the food is extremely fresh and delicious. The wait staff, owner and his wife are extremely welcoming and friendly. We love that it's BYOB and we are always satisfied. The mixed appetizer is great to share with the family and absolutely delicious. The calf's liver appetizer is so fresh and melts in your mouth. The salads and main dishes are all great! Everything is so flavorful. The homemade tea and kunefe is my favorite! I recommend this place to all my friends. read more

Made reservations for 10. Fast service, no mixups, friendly staff and most importantly absolutely fresh and delicious food. Not a single complaint! Great job guys!!!! read more

100% reccommend!! I grew up in Turkey, and moved to NJ a few years ago. I tried several Turkish food places in the area and none of them really did it for me, and they were usually very expensive. Went here late at night, not knowing much about it, just because i wanted to make my american friend try turkish food. This place is open really late, which is why we chose it, and I'm really glad we did! We got a mixed appetizer plate, and the portions of each were quite big, and every single appetizer itself was amazing. We also got the mixed grill plate, as recommended by the owners, and it was also incredible and reasonably priced. Our favourite was the chicken, but the beef and lamb were also amazing!! The server told us her and her husband just opened the place. They were both very nice and you can tell that everything is made by hand up to true Turkish standards! Nothing was from a can or frozen. read more

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First timers and what an experience. From the service to food. It was just a pleasure to be there. Except for the mosquitos. The table next to us offered us mosquito spray. Thank you!!! Now the fooood!! The mixed grill meat platter was amazing. It was not salty at all. Usually the gyro meat is salty but it was just right and the meat was so tender and juicy. The chicken was also juicy, not dry at all. We also had the Turkish sausage with jalapeño. They were so nice and such a delight, they had also gave us Turkish dessert. It almost tasted like the Korean dessert. It was almost a sticky rice cake but Turkish style. I liked it a lot. Will be definitely going back there. read more

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*****F*****I*****V*****E*****S*****T*****A*****R*****S***** Amazing Food, service, desserts Turkish coffee, and tea, great place for an evening's dinner We had gone out on New Year's Eve for dinner. We went to El Turco restaurant thinking it was another restaurant. We had decided to stay and eat. The FOOD and SERVICE was amazing. Fresh food, using fresh ingredients to start off the New Year, El Turco offers the BEST Ambiance, Super FRESH Food, excellent service and reasonably priced. We ordered a sampler plate of cold appetizer served with pita wedges. One of the appetizers was supposed to be spicy, when I commented it wasn't really spicy, I was brought another plate, which was definitely spicy, but FANTASTIC. For dinner we shared a mixed kabob's, served on a large cutting board an assortment of meats, rice and French fries, and salad (they even made the iceberg lettuce salad taste great), definitely enough food for two people. The presentation of the food was perfect. We couldn't decide on what dessert to order so we asked for a sample plate of desserts; after all we had a sampler of appetizer and entrée, the server was more than happy to accommodate, we had stuffed apricots, baklava, and kunefe, a sampler for 4 people. To finish do yourself a favor and order some authentic Turkish coffee or fresh brewed Turkish Tea, different from the coffee you get elsewhere but well worth a taste. Definitely a must try, we will be back! read more

What a wonderful hidden gem. True and authentic Turkish food. Every dish is prepared fresh and all the meats and perfectly seasoned. The staff will great you with a big smile they will ensure everything turns out great for you. Chef Yusuf is amazing and he greets everyone at each table and will frequently visit you at your table to socialize and will ask if all the food turned out to your satisfaction... Can you ask for more personal attention? Please go and experience this amazing restaurant. read more

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Sooooo yummy! We sat outside and it's a cute little gem. Food is amazing. We ordered the El Turco Mix. Staff was very attentive. Coming back soon! read more

El Turco Grill - Mediterranean Near Me - Hackensack, New Jersey

Really good Turkish good and great service. Good for dinner or lunch. The lunch menu has great options for a quick meal.

Great place to enjoy authentic mediterranean food. Took a vegetarian friend who was back in town here and we were able to eat our fill. They also let us sit outside in the beautiful dusk of an August night. read more

My first time here, I love Mediterranean food, great service. The restaurant is very cozy and very nice. The food is very fresh and delicious! Also BYOB can't wait to go back ! read more

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