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Istanbul Grill Virginia

4.3 (302 reviews)
Open • 11:30 am - 10:00 pm

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Kunefe
Zarin B.

Hospitality: 10 stars. I think it's the owner we interacted with - he was sooo hospitable toward us and our dog (who we sat with on the patio). He was able to change the calf liver appetizer to be dog friendly so that my pup could have a tasty birthday meal too :) My partner and I shared the doner kebab, iskander kebab, kunefe, and ayran. The iskander was my absolute favorite. I could devour a whole dish of this on my own. I was surprised that the bread in it was like bread cubes - kinda like a savory meat bread pudding. But it's much tastier than it sounds I swear!! The doner kebab is good but less flavorful than the iskander. I did like the sides that came with it - fresh whole foods. The free pita and olives were tasty as well - the pita was a little dense but it's 100% homemade. The ayran brought me so much comfort!! I could sip on ayran for the rest of my life and die happy. It is like meal-level heavy though, so only an occasional treat for me sadly. If you're not familiar with it, it's a slightly salty rich yogurt drink. And last but definitely not least - the kunefe stole the show of course. It was perfectly gooey and sweet. What a treat. It did take a while to come out (like 35 min) but was worth the wait. I would come more often if the prices were slightly less inhibitive. Our total for the beef liver, two kebab entrees, ayran, and kunefe came out to be just about $100 after tax and tip.

Rakı
BaÅŸak O.

I know everyone like Turkish food! Kebabs, mezzes, doner, iskender,... This is the place that you can find all the kebabs, mezzes and dessert! Also you have try Raki, traditional Turkish alcohol if you are stand up to! It's pretty strong! But goes together with the mezzes. This is how we do in Türkiye. "Raki- Mezzes" or "Raki- Balik" (fish) You have to try iskender and adana kebap here for sure! All the mezzes nice and fresh! Try Ayran instead of coke. Ayran is traditional Turkish drink! Health and fresh! Make by yogurt. And this is a little advice you have to add it your diet instead of any other soft drink! Aaand try baklava for sure because they make it here! One thing rice pudding was a bit thick and less sweet for me. I prefer a bit liquid and more sweet... Service always fast, nice and clean! Ambience also nice after they chance the decoration! I like that huge Bosphorus photo on the wall! They have patio and car parking

Dorado
Scott W.

While the food here is fairly good, there's essentially one dish that really grabs me, and that's the iskender kebab. I've had a few other dishes, and while there's plenty of meat / food, I don't think the flavors "Wow" me. On top of this, I think given the environment, service, and flavor profiles, I do believe the prices are high. Service is ok, but again, given the prices, I think service is lacking. This last trip my wife and I split our meals, sharing an iskender kebab and an arugula salad, partly due to price and partly to balance our meal with having some greens. My son had the Adana kebab.

MIXED COLD MEZE PLATTER
James L.

Istanbul Grill is good...but 4.5 stars good? Respectfully, not in my opinion. But first the positives I noted: * Attached parking lot. Blink and you'll miss it, so be sure to be on the lookout as your driving up, for the small-ish parking lot off the side of the restaurant. In this part of Arlington where parking is a premium, it's a nice benefit for diners. * Menus are...iPads? I think its kitschy, but ultimately a cost conscious decision that this place uses iPads to view menus. The devices have a ruggedized rubber case for protection (since, no doubt they've been dropped before) and it is smart to use electronic devices to updates menu offerings and prices instead of constantly having to reprint. So-So notes: There were about 8 of us in our group, so I ordered the mixed cold meze platter, which was a sampling of dips such as hummus, baba ganoush, etc. It was served in a star shaped platter and was accompanied by a bowl of warm pita bread, and small plate of olives. Overall, I thought the meze was good...not outstanding but good. The baba ganoush was probably the best of the bunch with a nice smoky flavor and the eggplant was grilled to a nice soft consistency. Bread was fresh enough and was perfect for ripping into pieces for sharing. I forgot to take pictures of my entree, which was the mixed grill; but there are plenty of other pictures of the dish on the Istanbul Grill page. Kabobs were well seasoned but slightly dry and chicken thighs needed salt. Otherwise all of the meats had decent char flavor and grilled marks for effect. Also bonus that the serving size was large enough to save some of my meal for lunch the next day. Service was attentive with water glasses being filled and dishes cleared in a timely manner. And we definitely appreciated the fact that the restaurant didn't make a big fuss about breaking the bill into separate checks. I guess with such as high rating I was expecting to be blown away by the food and experience but TBH, everything was just "okay." Meal with entree, splitting the cost of the appetizer, and just water for beverage, with tax and tip came out to about $50.

Complimentary Pita + Olive Oil
Ailun H.

Istanbul Grill is a bit further west from Ballston on Wilson. I came here with a few friends this past Friday evening for dinner and had a decent experience. We were given water and complimentary pita (came with olive oil with olives!) pretty quickly. The pita was good, but a bit dry. The olive oil was very fresh, but we found the olives themselves to be a bit bitter. RED LENTIL SOUP - 7 This looks small, but it was pretty filling. Lots of flavor and it went well with the pita bread that we got. If I was looking for a light meal, I could just get a lentil soup, enjoy it with a couple pieces of pita and be satisfied. I'd recommend giving their lentil soup a try -- it's very hearty and delicious. LAMB SHANK - 25 My friend and I shared the lamb shank since we weren't too hungry. The lamb was so, so tender. It fell off the bone so easily and had a good balance of meat and fat. The tomato sauce was pretty good (not my favorite, but I acknowledge that it's good) and had a variety of veggies (carrots, peppers, etc.) mixed in. There's also a small bed of seasoned rice that you can enjoy with the meat and veggies or on its own. We thought the lamb was pretty under-seasoned and bland, but its tenderness made up for it. Overall, this was OK. Our other friends got the CHEF'S MIX GRILL which had a lot of differently seasoned meats which were good. The steak was super tender and well-seasoned. We thought the kebab was too salty. The thin piece of meat (I think beef) was good. It also comes with a lot of veggies. Overall, glad I finally got to try Istanbul Grill. It was a good experience.

Yogurt soup
Sheila N.

Great Ambiance. The chairs are so comfortable, the dining room is relax and very relaxing. The service is wonderful and the servers and manager are very accommodating and take their time with explaining the menu and answering any questions you have. The food is very tasty and they have a variety of appetizers/starters and their main courses are authentic, fresh and very deliciously created. Highly recommend.

ISKENDER KEBAB
Christopher M.

The ambiance was nice. It's a beautifully decorated restaurant. One can tell that they took time to design the interior. The service was fine. I enjoyed that they provided electronic tables as the menu. Something I haven't experienced before. Concerning the service, they were kind and respectful. Didn't check up on us as much, but I'll admit that it was busy when we were there. I ordered the iskender kabob and it was good. Solid 4/5. Flavor was there, sauce was good. The base was nice with a yogurt taste and the bread. It was a lot of food for me but it made for good leftovers.

Turkish tea served in a fancy, glass tea cup.
Nina R.

I stopped by Instanbul Grill for take-out. When you first walk in, you enter at the bar. I walked in and they were quick to greet me. I asked for take-out and asked if I could wait at the bar. They said sure. I sat at the bar and it was confusing for a moment, so I asked if I could see the menu and they handed one to me. I had a question about an item and the gentleman there was very delightful and welcoming! He recommended the Doner Kebab and described it as being sliced lamb and veal, very delicious, like gyro but freshly handmade, not frozen. He said it was a very popular item on the menu, so I got it! I also got a side of zuchinni fritters and baklava for dessert. I had a cup of Turkish tea while I waited. As I waited, I noticed plenty of people were coming in for both a sit down meal and take-out. The tea had very good flavor and it was served in a pretty crystal-like glass. Once I got home, I tried everything out and it was pretty good. Unfortunately, the zuchinni fritters were overcooked and had a burnt taste to it. The meat was seasoned a little heavy with salt and pepper for my liking and sort of overpowered the meat. However it still had very good flavor. I really like the bulgur which I think was cooked in a light tomato broth. Thr bulgur was quite tasty. The small side salad was packaged in the same container alongside the hot food. There was an onion salad with herbs in it, maybe chopped parsley, partnered up with either a red cabbage or beet salad, and a handful of chopped romaine lettuce. There was also a chunk of fire roasted green pepper and one half fire roasted plum tomato. The meal came with freshly made bread. Yummy. The baklava was delish, soaked in a delicious sweet syrup type of sauce and sprinkled over with minced pistachio. I would have given 4 stars, however the zuchinni was overcooked. Also, when you check in on Yelp, you get one free dessert. I mentioned I was ready to select my dessert and she said baklava. I asked if I could select it, she said no. So I said I can't chose, it's baklava only? She said yes. I thought that was interesting because it does not say baklava is the only option as the one free dessert. Nevertheless, I would like to go back and dine in, and try a few other items on the menu. I would love to dine outside on the cute patio.

Inside
Evangeline L.

Had seen and heard good reviews of Istanbul Grill so I decided to drop by on my own. The place was spacious. Service: 5/5. Service was awesome! The waiters were so kind and helpful to show me popular dishes. They were also prompt and food came out within 15 mins. Good: 4/5. The bread was pretty fresh, which I appreciated! I got the HUNKAR BEGENDI, which was good but could've used a little more flavor/salt. Overall, it was good and the portion was large, but I do wish it was flavored better. I did take advantage of the free dessert on Yelp and for myself a dessert! That was a huge plus!

Walt O.

We have been to the Istanbul at least six times. Their Lamb Chops are the best in all Virginia. Service is perfect. The Owner and Executive Chef have come to our table each time we have been in his restaurant. The décor - ambiance is authentic Turkey. I lived in Turkey for two years.' This is the real deal.

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19 days ago

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2 months ago

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16 days ago

Very hospitable! And great food and tea. I haven't tried dessert yet but want to next time

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9 months ago

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22 days ago

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

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11 months ago

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2 years ago

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6 months ago

Delicious food and amazing service. Everyone was truly so friendly. Highly recommend!

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3 years ago

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4 years ago

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3 years ago

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9 months ago

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9 months ago

Excellent service, excellent food, quiet ambiance. While limited parking, we had no problems.

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10 months ago

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10 months ago

If you're a meat lover, you should come here! The food is absolutely delicious, and the staff is excellent!

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1 year ago

Great food, great service. Generous portions. A friendly neighborhood ambience. Great lamb dishes

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3 years ago

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Istanbul Grill Virginia Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Istanbul Grill Virginia

Can you bring a dog to their patio?

Yes you can

Will the outdoor patio be open for Phase I?

Yes it's open!

Do they have any Iftar specials during Ramadan?

Yes

Do you serve Halal meat?

Yes all meats is halal.

Do they have beer and wine?

Yes we do. We also have a full bar.

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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Istanbul Grill Virginia - turkish - Updated May 2026

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