I have walked pass this restaurants many times, and it's warm bustling atmosphere has gotten me curious - it was always packed. Now I know why! The portions are humongous, service is quick and friendly and I can't remember any other time I wanted to lick fingers after having a meal!! I will definitely be back! One small drawback - you can't make reservation online, but don't let it stop you, the meal is definitely worth the effort read more

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I have wanted to go to Elif since it opened as it smells so darn good!! You can smell it a few streets away and it always smells so delicious!! Last night I finally went there with a friend. We went in on a Saturday night on the off chance there was a free table. The restaurant was obviously busy but they accommodated us. We were shown to our table, presented with menus and our drinks order was taken. We both ordered a Karisik, which has a mixture of chicken, lamb chops, Sis and Adana. When it arrived it looked amazing. It also came with some bread and a side salad which was delicious in itself. The meat was cooked to perfection and every mouthful was amazing. Even the rice was perfectly cooked and delicious. The toilets are small. The ladies toilet is a single disabled toilet and the men's toilet is a single toilet. The toilet was clean, tidy, and had a variety of toiletries to use. The only negative thing I can say is that the waiter didn't come over after our meals were served to check that everything was OK, but the restaurant was full to capacity so we can forgive that. This was the nicest kebab type dish I have ever had and the best restaurant I have been to in a long time. I will definitely be going back. read more

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I first tried Elif a few years ago, and my memory of my last trip left me with pretty high expectations this time around. Elif certainly delivered! The food was lovely; we went between 3-6pm and had their Early Bird special of one starter and a main for £12.95. I had the Guvec with king prawn and it was absolutely delicious. Everyone in my group of 4 enjoyed their food, even their salads were top notch. Service was quick, attentive and friendly. And the Turkish delight with the bill was a nice touch. Highly recommended. read more

Elif Turkish BBQ Restaurant - Turkish Near Me - Liverpool, XMS

Turkish cuisine is just up my street, said one of my friends from Lark lane.It's up mine too I replied, just not as literally as was the case with my right honoroble friend, but still. Ever since my first holiday to Turkey it wasn't just the perfect beaches, weather and people that made me fall in love with the place. The food was central to my affinity with this beautiful country. It always seems to look uncomplicated until it enters your mouth, at which point the complexity of the plethora of flavors literally send you in a confused journey of delicious pleasure. With Elif, presentation is not the star of the show in this restaurant. The star of the show here is the food and nothing but the food. The artistry is in the cooking and the seasoning and not decorating the food. I am a massive fan of this type of philosophy. Fine dining has its place, but the majority of my fine dining experiences have been aesthetic fraudulent exercises. Where food was decorated like a piece of art but tasted like feet. The concept here is simplistic they cook the food slap it on a plate for you and let the food do the talking inside your mouth rather than in front of your eyes. Average price per head would barely amount to less than £15 and I can assure you you will leave with an appetite so fulfilled you may never eat again for a week. I am trying to think of something to recommend but for the first time I won't bother. I guarantee whatever you order from this humble abode of a restaurant you will be entirely satisfied. read more

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You can smell Elif as soon as you start to walk down Lark Lane from the Aigburth Road end! You're mouth will begin to water instantly as you look in and see a huge hot plate Barbecuing special Turkish meats and delicacies for everyone to enjoy! Then once you've tried it you'll want to go back every time you find yourself wandering down Lark Lane because this place is truly brilliant. It's great for big groups of people and it's always mad busy, the service is excellent and the food is great! The food is prepared right in front of your eyes in a clean environment which is always reassuring when you go out for a meal! I would recommend the Ali Nazik as a starter and the Patlicanli Kebab as a main! They offer a host of traditional Turkish dishes and Mezzes as well as a great wine list! read more

Elif Turkish BBQ Restaurant - Turkish Near Me - Liverpool, XMS

Elif is a fabulous barbecue restaurant down Lark Lane, and as Marcel has said, you can smell it's delights from the other end of the street. If you're vegeterian I wouldn't suggest it because there aren't many options on the menu and you'll be far too tempted to dig in! My favourites for the starter would be a tie between Taruk Kandi and Biber Kozleme - both absolutely delicious. By now you're bound to be thinking, maybe we should have shared a starter... the portions are huge and the main course is no different. If you order the Adana, you will be faced with a huge pile of yummy lamb. My mouth is watering at the thought. I would advise on dessert but unfortunately I've neve been able to reach dessert... read more

Turkish food is often overlooked, except by late night drinkers and students - which is probably why it is overlooked. This is something which Greek food has been able to avoid despite the fact the two share much of the same flavours and styles. Elif is a cosy restaurant - yes small but not awkwardly so - and has a family feel to it - I have no idea if this is the case or that the middle eastern people are just very good at generating such an atmosphere?! Like Greek cuisine it is not the best idea for vegetarians but it is a good start to a night down the lane. read more

One of my favourites rstaurants in Liverpool. Good quality of food. My friend is Turkish and she said food in Elif taste like in Turkey. Very nice staff, big portions. read more

Elif Turkish BBQ Restaurant - Turkish Near Me - Liverpool, XMS

My husband and I and 6 other cousins went on our last trip to Liverpool. They had been to the Lark Lane the week before and highly recommended it. We went to the Childwall fiveways location as it is a bit larger than the Lark Lane location. Our cousin called ahead for a reservation for us and when we arrived we weren't in the book. They couldn't have apologized more and asked up to wait upstairs for 10 minutes. Another large party was just getting the check. They got us a round of drinks to compensate for the wait. The menu is really diverse. It has something for everything, even for a picky eater like me. I had the feta salad as a starter which is the same price I would have paid for in the states for JUST the Feta cheese. The vegetables were fresh and crisp. For my main meal I had the Kofte and it was the best I have ever had. The chocolate cake dessert was AMAZING!!!!! We sat just opposite the grill and were a bit worried but the smoke never came over to us. The staff were kind and super nice. We had a great night and a good laugh. Cannot wait to go back to Liverpool and try them out again. read more

Visited here for a small birthday celebration. The restaurant specialises in Turkish Mezes and barbecue. The service was informal but very good. Among our party we had calamari, helim cheese and dolma to start, all of which were lovely and very authentic (the calamari, in particular, was very good indeed) We had grilled fish, Adana kebab and Karisik (a sort-of mixed grill) for our main course which was served with rice and salad (potatoes and salad for the fish) Absolutely delicious and highly recommended. A very well-run business. We will certainly go back. read more

Lured by the waft of an intoxicating charcoal BBQ we'd wandered past the full-to-capacity Turkish eatery many times, and even been laughed at when we rolled up mid-week without reservations. But the hype has burnt to ashes. Avoid if you are seeking solace and one-on-one time. Conditions are cramped with fellow diners sat on your lap set to frantic Turkish bazaar music and Zorba's Dance thrown in for the tourists. Suits complained about taxes and raved about trash movies as rowdy dolled-up women squawked about operations and why men hadn't called, their spasms and shrieks bounced painfully off the exposed brick walls. Every word was audible but served as a distraction from poor service. The waiters' attitude was casual, they were reminded several times about our drinks. We shared a Piyaz butter bean salad with light vinegar and lashings of onion and a smooth Tahini dip with hot, oven-baked bread which we hoped was an auspicious sign of the fresh, BBQ flavour to follow. However, I was underwhelmed when the Sebze Guvec - a hot-pot of okra, aubergine, peppers, potatoes and tomatoes topped with feta cheese -arrived framed by burnt clusters of rice. Paired with a colourful salad there was no dressing or distinct flavouring in this sparse offering, this makes it perfect for Atkins dieters but not a substantial or tasty meal. The chef was a little over-zealous with the salt but failed to mask the overall bland taste - I've had better microwave meals from Marks & Spencer. Onto the carnivore's selection - Kuzu Sis - my partner was miffed by the uninviting presentation of his measly lamb kebab. Cooked on the charcoal grill it had been severed from its skewer and lay scattered, pierced, next to a half-chunk of beefy tomato and green chilli peppers. Though not much to look at, the lamb was lean and tasty. I had flashbacks of economy flight nightmares as I unceremoniously thrusted my crotch in the direction of the diners beside us to make our escape. Elif was most disappointing, a real shame and another mediocre offering from Liverpool's epicentre of boho-cool. Is anyone going to give foodies a real reason to visit Lark Lane? 6 Lark Lane Liverpool L17 8US 0151 728 7362 www.elifbbq.co.uk read more

Elif is a great, tiny place, on Lark Lane. It is a bit far from the city centre and a little on the expensive side for a student budget. Most weekend nights you must make a reservation or there is no chance of eating before 10pm. If you like Turkish food, and can afford the time and money, you won't be disappointed. read more