Walking down King Street, there is no lack of eating options, and Istanbul on King in many ways looks like your typical kebab shop. And in some ways it is: it has zero ambience (unless you like Turkish pop music), customer service is polite but terse, and the offerings are something you find anywhere in the greater Sydney metro area. Nor is the late night clientele an advert for dining here: given the plethora of Newtown drinking spots, you can find a fair number of off-their-t*ts punters on late Friday and Saturday nights fighting their ill-advised alcoholic binges, and trying to stave off the inevitable and well-deserved hangovers by a bit of Middle Eastern carb-loading. But all that said, they actually make a mean kebab. Such quality may be lost on the clientele mentioned above, but if you go in during more reasonable hours, you'll find the quality of the ingredients and the cleanliness of the place are definitely above average. And although prices a bit higher than they used to be, it's still a good spot, day or night. Sloppy, savory and filling, Istanbul is a reliable go-to. read more

The first time I had an Istys Chicken Burger my eyes bulged in excitement and I raved about 'the-best-chicken-burger-I've-ever-tasted-in-my-life' for the rest of the night. Having ducked out of Istys neighbouring Marly Bar for a midnight meal, I was certain that I had never tasted a burger so good in my life. The chicken was tender, cheese melting perfectly over the sumptuous breast, the soft bun toasted to perfection and lined with a crisp and juicy crunch of lettuce, all drizzled with the perfect equation of chilli sauce and aioli. There was a chicken god, and it was making its way into my tummy. And yet, the next morning when I spoke of my uncovered treasure to friends, they smashed my crysal bubble of love with one statement: "Everything tastes good at 1am on a Saturday night". Rocked by their refusal to accept my new relationship with Istys, I was left questioning, could they be right? Was it not in fact that the burger was delicious, but simply that I was satisfying an after hours hunger pang? Would it have been just as beautiful if it were a kebab, hot chips, or even McDonalds? Would I still feel the same if I had it again? After battling the turmoil in my head, I knew there was only one thing I could do. I would have to go back and eat another Istys Chicken Burger. At least then, no matter what the outcome, I would know for sure. So I left for Istys in a flash, not being able to stand another minute of not knowing. Nervously, I approached the counter and ordered my $7 burger (I hadn't even noticed how cheap it was the night before - it didn't matter, you can't put a price on love) and waited, my breath shallow, my mouth trembling in a mixture of hunger, anticpation and fear... Yep. It was still as good. Best Chicken Burger ever. (Rachel and Istys went on to live a long and tasty life together.) read more

Istanbul on King - Middle Eastern Near Me - Newtown, NSW

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The late night kebab shop. And so much more... This is pretty much the only thing open late night at this end of King Street. If I was near the station I would go Saray, but this is north end, marly end. It was the best place to get some food after stumbling out the the newtown hotel at some horrific hour. But the Newtown has closed (again) much to everyone's dismay and this place is frequented by the patrons from the other nearby pubs - marly and kuletos. They have awesome turkish pides and pizzas all ready to go. They even put tomato sauce on it for me. The kebabs and burgers look good but I am never in the correct frame of mind to go about ordering one. I just eat what I see in the window, which is tops. Coming home from anywhere else late at night and get the cabbie to take king street and stop opposite while you get some food. You will be grateful the next day. read more

Istanbul on King - Middle Eastern Near Me - Newtown, NSW

Istanbul offers the best chicken burgers with chilli sauce I have ever had. The burger is $7.50 by itself and it contains melted cheese, lettuce, chicken and the best chilli sauce (optional). Approximately a 5 minute wait and is definitely worth it. Istanbul is open late at night so if you're ever wandering around Newtown enjoy a quick burger and some nicely seasoned chips. read more

Istanbul on King - Istanbul chicken burger with chips - Middle Eastern Near Me - Newtown, NSW

Food is pretty good! And the service was actually pretty good too! I came here for lunch one day and I was pleasantly surprised by the taste. I think overall anything on the menu is good I've had their sandwiches, salads, and chips. Overall, good food for a quick bite. Obviously, don't come here expecting some 5 star restaurant. read more

Been here a few times and the food is quite nice. Our favourite is lamb shish. Unfortunately, tonight we wanted a lamb shish roll instead of a big plate meal. Despite the store having shish on the menu, the guy behind the counter insisted that they couldn't make a roll even when I offered to pay the price of the plate but just make a roll. Istanbul on King missed out on another $60 order tonight from us and probably any future orders so his argument that it wasn't cost effective to offer a customer what they wanted has lost a lot more money and any future transactions and a bad review. read more

I had walked by this place, with its open doors and pizza by the slice on display for what looked like hours, and did not have the highest hopes. But when the need for a cheap dinner struck and I read some of the reviews, I learned my hopes had been misplaced. Istanbul on King has a great thing going for them. From my online order for pickup to my enjoyment of the meal, I had a solid experience through and through. I ordered the chicken burger with chips and it got better with every bite. The blend of sauces and aioli, though a bit strong at first, became remarkably good on the last, perfect bite. The type of bite where you have all the components of the sandwich in one, compact grand finale. The chips also were very good, with a little bit of crispiness and nice salting. Some sort of sauce would have made them better, but that was my fault for not asking, I'm sure. Though I had little interaction with the staff, they were helpful and gave me exactly what I needed. The online ordering through menulog was another huge plus, as I could walk right over there and grab and go. And, unlike many of the Asian places, on King, Istanbul on King takes credit, a boon for me. While not changing the game, Istanbul on King is pretty damn good at it. I would recommend this place sober or not for a good dinner (or lunch) on the cheap and quick. read more

There's a buzz about this corner shop, it's right in the midst of the Newtown night scene and it is open late almost every night of the week. they do a range of hot food and their pizza slices that are made on Turkish bread can be bought singly and they are packed with a cheesy punch. There is also kebabs, burgers and chips. It is lit up bright and does have an air of festivity about the place. It reminds most of that drunken night out in Newtown when we went for a kebab. Prices are mostly under $10 and there is a range of cool drinks to choose from too. read more

Istanbul on King - Middle Eastern Near Me - Newtown, NSW

Absolutely love Istanbul on king. The food is always fresh and the staff are friendly. I'd recommend the kebabs to anyone. Always quick for delivery too. teşekkürler read more

This place was terrible. It said chicken breast but it was thigh meat. Never going back.

Istanbul on king has great food! I ordered a Lamb Snack Pack and their Istanbul Special Pizza and got them delivered to my place. The delivery took a while (1 hour) despite me living 15 mins away from the shop. When the food arrived, the snack packs were a little soggy and the carton container they put them in was falling apart. That being said, the snack pack itself was still very good! The pizza was really yummy but a little small (10" for $12). Highly recommend this place but perhaps go there in person to have the best experience they can offer. read more

The lamb for my kebab was precut, not fresh, poorly heated on a grill then once filled, my kebab wasnt put into a flat/ press toaster. It was barely warm and full of grissle and large pieces of fat. The cabbage rolls were mushy and bland with no spice. Never again and such a shame because the previous management had such a great reputation. read more

A Newtown institution. Istanbul is the only very late night option this end of Newtown, conveniently located close to popular bars such as Kuletos and the Marley Bar, closing at 4am on Fridays and Saturdays to cater to the punters leaving these bars. Whilst Istanbul serves good post-pub food, it's also pretty good sober food too, and they have a nice little seating area open during the day. The pides are the pick here, I always get the sausage pide when I come here and it never disappoints. read more

If you eat at this place "SOBER" you'll be dissapointed. I've eaten there twice " the second time to give the food the benefit of the doubt". Both times I've found the kebabs and burgers "bland". The 2nd time around I asked for extra sauce and yet, still BLAND. The meat on the kebabs - both chicken and beef is very fatty and has chunks of grissle - especially the chicken. The cheese, sauce and meat has next to no flavour at all. My friend said the pizza was nice as I watched the oil dripping down his arm. The pro's are that it's open late and relatively cheap, I might try them again next time I'm tanked and need a greasy fix at 1am, but otherwise, I may as well eat cardboard !! read more

You know what it's like - 2am and feeling a little giddy after a good night out and STARVING hungry. It's likely that anything you consume in this alcohol-induced fug would taste like Chef Hat food, but don't succumb to any old salty burger. Choose Istanbul on King Street if you want delicious kebabs, chips or flat breads. You can choose what you fill your soft wrap with - things like falafel, chicken, pork, tomato, HOT chilli sauce, cheese - heavenly. I don't care if my taste buds had been addled by drink - it tasted marvellous, and I'm sure you would've felt the same. Take your freshly made kebabs and sit on the sofas around the back to ensure you really savour the deliciousness (and rest tired feet). But Istanbul doesn't have to be restricted to 2am - it could be the perfect end to any night - whether a trip to the cinema or a late library session - I'm confident it would taste just as good. read more