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    Istanbul Kitchen

    4.7 (20 reviews)
    Open 10:00 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated 2 weeks ago

    Order Istanbul Kitchen Takeout or Delivery

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    ISTANBUL KITCHEN ATMOSPHERE

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    Recommended Reviews - Istanbul Kitchen

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    Falafels so tasty
    Jodi H.

    My coworker and I wanted to get some lunch together and were craving some shawarma and falafel. We're so lucky we have yummy Turkish food at Istanbul Kitchen here in San Leandro. There's plenty of parking in this shopping plaza. Istanbul Kitchen is pretty easy to find, good signage, and good storefront. The restaurant itself is pretty chill with lots of indoor seating. None outdoors. We visited during Ramadan, but were surprised to see a few other diners enjoying their lunch. The owner or person taking our order was so friendly, he even brought us complimentary turkish tea while we were waiting for our lunch to be made. We both got the chicken shawarma bowl which was so delicious and flavorful. It did take a solid 15mins so if you're in a rush, place your order ahead of time. The rice was SO AMAZING. There's just something in the blood of the countries hugging the Mediterranean Sea. The rice is unbeatable. The display case of gorgeous turkish delight is so hard to resist. They all have nuts in them though. Would 100% enjoy another meal at Istanbul Kitchen. Quality Turkish food by quality people. Sağlığnıza!

    Van C.

    Ordered the Adana Kebab here and it was delicious. It came with some pita bread which I used to wrap around the kebab. I also got some ayran as a drink and one baklava. Service was friendly and they even brought some complimentary tea to the table which was a nice touch. The Turkish music in the background made for an enjoyable ambiance. Plenty of parking out front as well.

    Mimi T.

    Came here for a late dinner one Sunday night, just after 9 pm. Wanted something light and healthy, so I ordered a lentil soup. Was served a delicious hot tea, and tasty fresh pita bread to go with the lentil soup. The lentil soup was tasty, light, and fresh with a lemon wedge. Great service, and ambiance is nice with soft Turkish music in the background.

    Chicken kebab plate. Four skewers.
    Geraldine H.

    I was pleasantly surprised at this new Turkish place near Target. I ordered the chicken kebabs to go. When I got there, I was immediately greeted by the nice man at the counter and he even gave me a piece of one of their Turkish delight delicacies. I didn't ask for it, but he also gave me a cup of tea. All this for a to go order. I sat a while, drank my tea, chatted a bit with him, enjoying the breeze that came through the door. I thanked him and left. When I got to work, I was shocked that there were four skewers in my order! The portion was definitely larger than other places I've tried. The marinade was excellent, too, and the chicken wasn't dry. The hummus was also very delicious and wasn't overly sour. It's a clean and welcoming place and I was really impressed with the kindness that I received. They're a new place in the complex and I wish them success. I don't doubt they'll do well!

    CHICKEN SHAWARMA plate
    Gefei Z.

    Dined in today and it was such a pleasant experience!! We ordered a chicken shawarma plate, and a combo plate w chicken & lamb. The food is tasty and fresh, flavor is on point and the over all vibe is great. Most of all, the owner is such a kind soul! 11/10 experience, i'll probably visit here on the regular now.

    LAMB SHAWARMA BOWL
    Mondo O.

    I stumbled across this place yesterday, and happy I did ! The food was pretty fire ! Definitely coming back to try the other Turkish dishes.

    BEET SALAD, BABAGANHUOUS, LOKUM DELIGHT
    Katelyn W.

    I ordered the beet salad, baba ganoush, a side of pita, and lokum delight. All the food was delicious and the service was fantastic! I came in to pick up my order and the person working there was very friendly, offered me to try one of the dessert fillings, and gave me a home-brewed tea, which was also tasty (I like earthy, herbal teas)! The other costumers' meals looked really good as well. I will be coming back to try an entre soon. The place was also clean! I recommend this place to anyone who likes this style of cuisine.

    Chicken shawarma plate

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    1 month ago

    Always great food and good customer service! The Greek salad and hamburger are my favorites.

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    Tio’s Mediterranean Grill - beef shawarma wrap

    Tio’s Mediterranean Grill

    4.8(530 reviews)
    2.7 mi
    $$

    I've been there twice and the food and service are consistently good. At dinner service there is…read moreon average during the weekend about a 20-30 min wait. During the week for lunch service I was able to walk in and be seated. We had the Tepsi Kufta, Falafel, and a Kofta kebab wrap. The falafel are a must. They were do fresh, piping hot, a soft in the middle. The Tepsi dishes come with a lot of eggplant sauce that is so tasty and filling, a mound of rice in the middle and 3 pieces of Kofta meat. The presentation is on point, the food is fresh and made to order (not microwaved) and the flavor mix harmoniously. My bf tried the wrap and thought it was excellent. The fries are well seasoned and crispy. Can't wait to go back!!

    Very good Eastern Mediterranean/Middle East eats. Serious care and effort happens here, not just…read moreworkers whipping out afterthought products just to get through a day. To that I simply have to give my respects and give them a shout out. Very calm and relaxing space. Many regulars walking in picking up take-out food. There's a very kind and soft paced table service here that just reminds me of cute and quaint bistros/cafes from the days gone by. Actual dialogue between servers and patrons, questions answered, smiles passed along. A huge gap from QR code ordering and avoidance of interaction that is trying to be normalized from here on out. We ordered a couple of bottled beers, nothing craft brewed-like, just ordinary Euro/Mexican selections. I'm not as rigid as I once was, so just a good clean lager with a meal and some water is very welcoming to me. They brought nice beer glassware and asked if we wanted it poured into a glass. Sure ain't gonna turn that down, especially since it was already there. It did fit with the nice silverware, cloth napkin and candlelit table. Yet nothing was stuffy and formal, just casual locals out for a good time. Kofta Wrap ($19/4*) This wasn't mine but I did taste a piece of the kofta kebab. Theirs is a beef/lamb mix and is well mixed, almost like a firm meatloaf texture, versus a grilled burger texture. It was a good basic kofta, spiced moderately so not strong but also not bland. The inside also has a lot of lettuce, onions and cucs with a tangy yogurt sauce. I did taste a big hint of mint in my bite which I'm assuming are big hits of herbs with the salad and not the kofta itself. And it was wrapped nice and tight with even distribution so every bite got every element. I look for that in every wrap whether a burrito, med wrap and even stuffed pitas. Beef Shawarma Plate ($20/4.5*) Pretty heavily spiced, where you can feel the texture of the warming spice paste in each bite. A little strong but at least it gave you ride to another culture. Properly shaved pieces where the meat texture was still there and nothing like processed gyro meat. Served with yellow rice and an awesome salad with a tangy dressing. I especially loved the tangy green chutney that was so vibrantly herbaceous, a mint and cilantro punch that brightened the spice ladened shawarma. And I also loved the grilled tomatoes and onion garnish on top of the shawarma, just gave it a nice chef's touch. Mansaf ($25/5*) I have never tried this but as soon as I saw it, I had to try it. I was told it was probably Jordan's most famous dish. Super tender cubes of lamb, with a touch of fat on some pieces which I love. Totally swimming in this glorious creamy sauce made of dried yogurt and tumeric. The sauce was mild (spice wise), quite tangy with a noticeable milky flavor. Served again with rice but this time topped with toasted almond slivers, which added a nice texural contrast. I was also told that this was usually made with bone-in lamb, but think they did it this way to make it more restaurant friendly, maybe even American friendly. But I was just imagining if this would have been a bone-in lamb shank, I would have loved it even more. Great dish! Still have to try their extensive kabob offerings and an assortment of their mezzes whether falafels, hummus and other dips. Lots of work yet still ahead of me, but I just know that this is gonna be a smooth and fun ride. Bet.

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    Tio’s Mediterranean Grill - Inside

    Inside

    Tio’s Mediterranean Grill - Appetizer sampler: hummus, falafel, babaghanoush, etc

    Appetizer sampler: hummus, falafel, babaghanoush, etc

    Tio’s Mediterranean Grill - Falafel inside

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    Falafel inside

    Ghazni Afghan Kabobs

    Ghazni Afghan Kabobs

    4.3(1.4k reviews)
    3.1 mi
    $$
    Halal
    Catering service

    I would define the food here as delicious "home cooking," made with love. Where they shine is…read moreexecution. Everything was fresh, tasty, and prepared exceptionally well. My go-to is the triple kebab (which you can customize), and I'm partial to their shami (ground beef), chicken, and chapli (beef patty). The meat is succulent and incredibly well-seasoned, with the shami being a standout...definitely the kind of dish you don't judge by its cover! This dish is served on a bed of rice and small salad. The rice is cooked well. I have also tried several of their appetizers, and my favorites are the samosas and borani banjan (eggplant), though the bolani are also great, and the serving size is enough to feed a small army. The samosas are a nice departure from traditional samosas I am accustomed to, especially at India restaurants. The ones here are large, flatter (almost like an empanada), and not the slightest bit greasy. You can tell they make these fresh. The banjan have a nice acidity and a tasty cream/tomato sauce they are tossed within. The bolani can be prepared with either leeks or potatoes (or ask for a combo!) and are served with a cream dipping sauce. I feel that everything here is a good value, with the triple kebab coming in at $25, and the appetizers all coming in at $10-$15. You will not leave hungry.

    I really wanted to love Ghazni's but it just didn't hit the spot for me. The parking on the site of…read morethe building is extremely convenient. The inside from my guess seats about 40 people max but seems that they may receive more takeout orders. I appreciated the chicken serving on the Grilled Chicken Salad but, there was definitely not enough greens. I also feel that red onion would've leveled up the salad. The chicken was not dry at all. The beef kabob was tasty however, the meat serving sizes for the kabob plate was quite small.

    Photos
    Ghazni Afghan Kabobs - Healthy lunch !

    Healthy lunch !

    Ghazni Afghan Kabobs - Dal Challow (lentils) Absolutely Fantastic!

    Dal Challow (lentils) Absolutely Fantastic!

    Ghazni Afghan Kabobs - Shami kabobs !

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    Shami kabobs !

    Oaktown Kabobs

    Oaktown Kabobs

    4.8(45 reviews)
    3.4 miEast Oakland

    This place has popped up on Yelp for me a few times, so when I was craving Afghan food I decided to…read moregive it a try. I placed an online order for lamb kabob and chapli, but shortly after I got a call from (I'm guessing) the owner letting me know they were out of chapli. I switched to the tikkah kabob instead. The restaurant is in a pretty sketchy area, but the owner was very nice and welcoming when I picked up my order. The portions were generous with plenty of meat and rice. I did notice that some Yelp photos showed a salad included, but mine didn't come with one. I think the meal could really use some greens to balance out the heaviness of the meat, rice, and pita. The tikkah was a little on the salty side, but the lamb was good. The highlight for me was the green sauce which tasted fresh, citrusy, and cilantro-based. My partner loved it too. The pita bread, however, didn't come with any sauce. I wish it had something like hummus or a yogurt dip to go with it. If I go back, I'd want to try the chapli. Overall, it was solid but not a spot I'd make my regular since I can usually find Mediterranean or Middle Eastern food under $20 that comes with meat, rice, and salad included. Here, it looks like they charge $5 extra for a salad, and factoring in the location, I don't think I would pay that.

    Holy hole in the wall!!! If you are looking for a delicious hole in the wall place to grab some…read moreamazing food - this is the place for you! We needed a place to grab food with our kids post-zoo trip and this hit the spot in every way. How does this place have so few reviews?! Extremely unassuming exterior, but we were very pleasantly surprised it had 5 parking spots attached to the building. Only one table inside plus two window seat areas, but it was very clean and inviting. The staff was friendly, helpful and were SO nice to our 2 and 4yo. Majority of the menu has zero spiciness which was great for our kids who still only aspire to like spicy. They had a couple takeout orders picked up while we were there but no other dine in folks (this was 6-7p on a Saturday). -pita + hummus - this is when I knew we were in for a treat. We got this as a starter to help tie hangry kids over, but hoooo boy. The pita was amazing and the hummus spices were so good. If my 4yo hadn't loved it so much I probably would've eaten it all myself before the other dishes showed up. - lamb shank was truly fall off the bone meltingly amazing. The sauce was also so good. My 4yo couldn't get enough! It came with a full plate of flavorful spiced basmati rice that my 2yo ate by the handful + perfectly crisp fresh salad. The amazing salad dressing meant I couldn't help but eat most of it... which is saying something because I'm usually averse to cucumbers. - combo kebab with chicken and steak was well cooked, moist and not dry. Our 4yo also gave the chicken a thumbs up too. While we live far away in South Bay, we will definitely be back again next zoo visit. Highly recommend as dine in or take out! Looking forward to trying more dishes next visit, maybe a dessert too!

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    Oaktown Kabobs - Menu

    Menu

    Oaktown Kabobs - Tikkah Kabobs

    Tikkah Kabobs

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    Combo kabob plate.. lamb and chicken.

    Bab Al-Yemen

    Bab Al-Yemen

    4.2(124 reviews)
    4.4 mi

    Completely different Yemeni food experience: - lamb haneeth…read morecomes wrapped in parchment and foil - piping hot even after the delivery! Bones were tender enough to chew easily and excellent flavors from spices - bread was a nice consistency and still warm - salad was seasoned and lightly oiled - so fresh and crisp - the lamb broth, depth of flavor from spices and veggies, great slightly thick mouth feel - rice could use some tinkering - not too much flavor Satisfying meal and price point is fraction of their competitors in the area $40 via DD with their current $5 off $30+ order. Go with Bab Al-Yemen, it's the better choice IMHO.

    Honest review ! NOt a negative but constructive review…read more We walked in and were surprised to see the place has changed after the last visit long time ago. Not even close to any of the photos shown here on Yelp and I decided not to add the current ambiance during lunch coz maybe better during dinner service . The Glass case was empty and this is not a negative review but we have to be honest and share our experience. We will still visit again because the food is on point and fresh and delicious. You just need to clean the area and especially the restrooms. . Here is our story. Walked in for lunch and hesitated as it was shockingly not the same and is like walking in to another time zone in a bad way ! We were asked to order at the counter after sitting for more than 10 minutes and they said to order from a minimal selection and we did and got 2 beef shawarma's. The food looked good and the guys that helped us was very nice and we were glad we stayed but the ambiance like third world and is nowhere what we remembered and what the photos is showing on Yelp. Maybe because We went in for lunch ? Is why the place was outdated. Is it different at dinner time ? There were plastic table covers that were slipping on all the tables and the guy was mopping the floor with a cup of concentrated chemical that hurts your nose and what smells like fabuloso cleaning solution as it was blue and he was pouring this all over the floor while stepping on a rag smearing it and then yes ! He proceeded to Spraying the windows etc. and all this with us and another couple waiting for our lunch orders just past 12 noon. We nearly walked out there but we know the food is delicious so we hunkered down waited. While waiting we washed our hands and surprisingly The bathroom is in need if attention with water leaking and the smell of the urinal is unbearable. The flooring will make you go back to your vehicle. LOL. Overall we liked the food but please clean the place before you open and visit the restrooms to see what needs attention. Food is on point that day but have to give 2 stars for now due to place needs work and restrooms are terrible and wonder what the kitchen looks like but will edit the review on the next visit if we drop by again.

    Photos
    Bab Al-Yemen
    Bab Al-Yemen - Logo

    Logo

    Bab Al-Yemen

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    Yummy Grill Afghan Kabob House - Tandoori Chicken

    Yummy Grill Afghan Kabob House

    4.3(183 reviews)
    6.9 miEast Oakland
    $$

    Okay listen up, come here and get THREE THINGS that are GUARANTEED TO BE FANTASTIC, The Bolani,…read moreChapli kabob, and Kaubli Pulao -- Everything else, is up to you. Ive been coming to this place for YEARS. Like almost 8 years now. So I can concretely say it is a for sure given 5 stars. The first time I walked into this place out of curiosity, there was some veterans, who've I assumed fought in Afghanistan, eating at this place. As I gazed around, the veterans told me to try this food and ever since they been back to the USA they could not find authentic Afghani food except this place exclusively-- SOLD!!! True story, and it's what got me into this place A TON. Service is straight forward, parking is hard, food is excellent.

    Yummy Grill review…read more 1. Location and vibe * Oakland spot. * Area is a bit sketchy. * Inside is simple. * Food makes it worth stopping. 2. Kabuli Palau with lamb shank * Amazing dish. * Lamb shank was very tender. * Fell apart easily. * Rice was fragrant and balanced. * Easily the highlight of the meal. 3. Triple combo platter (lamb option) * Three cubes of lamb, three cubes of chicken, one chapli kebab. * Everything tasted good. * Recommendation: ask for it cooked a little less so the meat stays juicier and more tender. 4. Mantu * Very delicious. * Dumplings were soft. * Sauces were excellent and made the dish. 5. Gandana Bolani (leek/chives) * Absolutely delicious. * Crispy outside, soft inside. * One of my favorite items. Met the owner and both the owner and staff were friendly

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    Yummy Grill Afghan Kabob House
    Yummy Grill Afghan Kabob House
    Yummy Grill Afghan Kabob House - Menu April 2025

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    Menu April 2025

    Istanbul Kitchen - mediterranean - Updated May 2026

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