Everything was delicious and that black tea in the end Service is nice If you looking for traditional food it's here! read more

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this is a hidden gem. Period. You can't change my mind. Their chicken is so tender and moist one of the best grilled chicken I've ever had. Staff is very friendly. I ask a lot of questions because I'm not very familiar with Turkish food, but they are all good. It's a mom and pop restaurant and the place was quite empty for Friday night. Parking is hit or miss because the plaza is pretty small. Staff kept checking so I appreciate that a lot. Vibe is friendly as well. read more

Izmir - Stuffed Grape Leaves (7pc) - Mediterranean Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Food: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Ambiance: 5/5 I recommend it for all It's enough for two people not one. read more

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The place feel cozy and the staffs are super nice. We love the cigar borek- cheese rolls. It tastes authentic. We also got the chicken kabob and the meatball bread. The chicken is very good, juicy and it goes good with yogurt sauce. My rice is undercooked. It still hard. read more

Izmir - Chicken Kebab - Mediterranean Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

I ordered take-out online from Izmir, and was so impressed not only with the food, but also the service! I was greeted upon walking in, and offered a table as my food was finished being prepared. I ordered the Chicken Kebab Plate and Fire Roasted Eggplant. The Chicken Kebab Plate came with 2 large kebabs, rice, hummus, a side salad, and a pita. Amazing portion size, and absolutely delicious! Everything tasted fresh, and the chicken was cooked perfectly - not dry at all. The Fire Roasted Eggplant was also great! There was smokiness and tons of flavor in every bite. Next time I will ask for an extra pita with the dip. read more

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had such an amazing experience at Izmir Mediterranean Grill! I ordered the chicken plate with hummus, and WOW everything was incredible. The butter chicken was as soft as a cloud, and the chicken itself was sooo juicy and full of flavor. You can really tell the quality and care that goes into their food. The cucumber salad was super fresh and perfectly balanced, which made the whole meal even better. On top of that, the service was amazing, friendly, attentive, and made the experience feel even more welcoming.. To top it all off, they had live music on Friday, which created such a fun and vibrant atmosphere. Honestly couldn't have asked for a better experience. I'll definitely be coming back to try more of their menu! read more

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Stopped in for a late lunch last Saturday. Holy moly this place was delicious! Everything was so flavorful. The meat was so tender and seasoned to perfection. The service was great. I cannot wait to go back. read more

Izmir - Butterfly & Meatball Combo - Mediterranean Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

İzmir has very amazing food, super friendly staff, it is a hole in the wall restaurant that should be tried. There are lots of seating available and they have saxaphone shows on Fridays. Their food is really good, perfect for the middle eastern/turkish pallets. Their rib eye skewers are amazing 10/10 juicy, well cooked, flavorful and everything is served with a side salad and buttered rice and a side of humus or cucumber yogurt. The cheese meatballs are very good too, juicy and tasty 8/10. They have lots of appetizers to choose from and their humus and cucumber yogurt were both good. The manti was also good, unique options, 7/10. It is a small and basic decorated place with good food, fast service. read more

The servers are so sweet and friendly. I love a place where they actually say hello before they rush you to order. We got the beef kebob, chicken kebob, Turkish "meatball", and butterfly chicken. Each one was spectacular - tender and flavorful. The hummus, tzatziki and smoked eggplant were lovely accompaniments too. We made the mistake of eating all of that and not leaving enough space for dessert. But then we ordered dessert which was an overly generous piece of baklava, and it was so so good! The pistachios were popping with bright green and full flavor in the flaky pasty and perfectly sweet honey. Mmmmmm. So good. read more

While the service is good, and the atmosphere is decent, and the food is OK end the cost is pretty high for what you get. The chicken kebab plate is pretty expensive for just two strips of chicken and rice. The chicken itself is good, but the rice definitely could have used something to add more flavor. Even if it was some form of a hot sauce. The chicken thighs on the à la carte menu are decent, but again there's a little bit of flavor lacking. Do not get the ribeye skewer. While it looks like a good price for five dollars, the meat itself barely covers the skewer. It is probably 1 to 2 ounces of meat. Last, the mezze sampler is not worth it and very ok. For the price I expect a better quantity. Additionally, you only get two pieces of bread with the sampler. This is supposed to be something meant for sharing, and having only two pieces of bread is definitely not a sign of this. Overall, I don't recommend the spot as I think the food lacks flavor while the prices do not reflect the quality/quantity received. read more

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The food is amazing and absolutely delicious, and the staff is incredibly friendly and welcoming. My only concern is the building itself, it looks a bit old and small, and there was a strong air freshener scent that was somewhat distracting during our visit. That said, everything else about the experience was excellent. If I could, I'd give it a 4.8 out of 5. The quality of the food and the good service more than make up for the minor drawbacks. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for a great meal. read more

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Not only was the waiter very kind and insightful but the food was on another level. I got the butterfly chicken and my fiancé got the special which was a sort of beef stew over an eggplant base, with a homemade lemonade. Absolutely amazing. Highly recommend! read more

The woman who served us is very kind. First time there, we went to this restaurant because it was very close to OC Fair, so why not. The lentil soup, I didn't expect it to be so liquid, I thought the soup was okay but the hummus is good. I wasn't that hungry but next time I want to to try other dishes. This review should be updated next time I visit. The parking lot itself is not huge and kind of limited but at least there's a small lot available. read more

Hands down the Best food in OC !! Healthy no seed oils ! Best Chicken and filet I've had ! This place is a gem u must visit ! Nouf is the sweetest lady and Alwyas goes out of her way for us eveytime we visit . Can't recommend enough read more

Izmir - Inside restaraunt - Mediterranean Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

I came here for my birthday on a whim and I was NOT disappointed. I was looking for a restaurant that both looked good and was wholesome...Izmir seemed to fit the bill after perusing their menu. Let me tell you...their food is SO so fresh; I couldn't possibly ask for more with the pasture raised meats and organic produce. The flavors married well and each bite was as delicious as the first. Their hummus is flavorful and the Spice Bomb is ADDICTING. The atmosphere was welcoming and felt very much like a family-run affair. I really appreciated their great service as well. I couldn't possibly recommend this place enough- if you're looking for fresh, fast, and flavorful? Try Izmir. Close your eyes and pick a dish blindly and I can all but assure you'll be beyond satisfied. read more

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It's in a small strip mall next to Starbucks that's surrounded by another strip mall so it might be a bit confusing. Also all the parking spots outside say 15 mins but supposedly it's so Starbucks customers don't take up all the spots? Anyways to the actual place itself. Decor is a bit odd but that doesn't matter too much. The food the food is good. The rice was buttery and delicious, the steak was cut into bite size pieces and tender. The lamb shank was worth the order, the sauce it came was with good. The chicken skewer could have been skipped though. Not everything is going to be a winner. All in all it was good and well priced considering it's near south coast plaza. read more

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A Turkish delight! So much flavor! What a fantastic Mediterranean spot, all of the meats are packed with flavor, nicely charred, and super juicy! A real cozy decor, plus the service was great! Parking is absolutely horrible though, it doesn't help that it's next to a Starbucks, get there early! read more

Izmir - The spread! - Mediterranean Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Writing this review feels like I'm telling grandma sorry, your cooking bring me pleasure but your food does not. But I could just be uneducated in the ways of Aegean cuisine. But this doesn't seem like a place for pure vegetarian foods, the meat based dishes looked a lot more alluring than what we ordered, but the burnt eggplant dip was delicious. Good hot tea with sugar shaker/pourer. I wish we had ordered some of those enticing rice but seeing everyone park up and walk to 2 doors down for Mexican food solidified the reservation. read more

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So delicious, great service and great atmoshpere With reasonable prices. Fresh ingredients, healthy Mediterranean diet but at the same time amazing kebabs. I usually don't like chicken but they made me a lover of chicken. Such amazing taste read more

I order this place all the time , the juiciest chicken and well seasoned and they write that it's pasteurized which is rare for restraunt also their rack of lamb is most tender and juicy as well , this place is one of my go to for after workout meal and overall in general . read more

First time trying this place and overall I had good experience. Food was very good. I tried a new dish which is kofte wrapped in eggplant. Also tried lentil soup and their dessert. Service was very good. Restaurant looked very clean. There's plenty of parking in front of the restaurant. read more

Izmir - Mediterranean Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Small mom and pop type restaurant located in a strip mall off the freeway in Costa Mesa. They specialize in Aegean food. Now, I've never technically had Aegean food, but as I understand it, and I don't mean to belittle it's history/culture, etc., it's essentially Mediterranean food that has elements of both Turkish and Greek cuisines. Based on the name of the restaurant, I think it's safe to say they lean more into the Turkish roots. The folks here are just so friendly. It really does feel family run (if not in fact) and it feels like you're going to a friend's house for a great meal. The aromas, tastes, textures, presentation, fresh ingredients, and reasonable prices - this truly is a gem of a restaurant that feels like it punches way above its weight. When I ordered, I was way too excited and ended ordering much more than I could finish in a sitting, but didn't regret the leftovers. I ordered: - Purple delight: beets/yogurt side or dip served with bread. - Piyaz: Turkish beans with tahini sauce, parsley, tomato, onion, etc. and a hard boiled egg - Meatball Anatolia: comfort food platter that had lots of good stuff. I would personally describe it as a Mediterranean chilaquiles (hopefully that makes sense) - Ayran: a refreshing yogurt drink to wash it all down I wish I could have ordered more. So many of the menu items looked great. read more

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Loved the Saturday night live sax. Food is solid, delicious, and reasonably-priced. I also liked that they cook in olive oil and butter only, just like I do at home. read more

We ate at Izmir for the first time and it was fantastic! We got the hummus, Cheese Rolls for appetizers and both were great. Everything comes out piping hot. Yummy pita bread was served with it too. For the entrees we got the Filet Mignon Kebab plate and the Butterfly Chicken plate with the meatballs as well. It comes with rice and a salad. Everything was phenomenal. The meats were very moist and well seasoned. Service was fantastic and we felt very taken care of as if we were family. The owner Eric was very nice and helpful when we ordered. Our server Nouf was wonderful as well. It's a small cozy place and they have live music on Friday and Saturday nights. They had a live saxophonist playing music! We certainly will be coming back and have already told our family to go check it out as well. read more

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I eat Mediterranean food all the time, but never have I had a meal like this. The quality is undeniable. The food hits your table steaming hot, fresh off the stove. This tastes as if it were cooked by a true Turkish grandmother. I forgot I was in a restaurant because it tasted like a home cooked meal; made by someone with love and a passion for cooking. Jose the chef is incredible, he came out after to ask if we liked the food. Very kind guy with huge talent. Great service and hospitality. Super authentic and comforting Turkish ambiance. I liked the music and atmosphere. I will be back with my family for the live music on weekend nights! read more

Izmir - Chicken Kebab - Mediterranean Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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I'm not too sure why it has 5 stars. I'm so sorry but the food was very underwhelming. It is definitely a cute spot and has nice servers who are attentive and friendly. The food was blah. The soup tasted so watered down. As a person who has been to various Mediterranean countries and been surrounded by Mediterranean food this was very underwhelming. Cool live music. But Luna grill would be a better choice! read more

Service good clean and great staff ms.nora was fabulous great food clean tasty salad exquisite delicious lentils soup awesomeness pure Awesomeness will DEFINITELY BE BACK. read more

I have a new fave! I enjoyed the flavor of this food so much so that after having it for lunch for my first time I came back and had it for dinner. Then I tried the meatball sandwich, it was amazing and look how big that thing is I actually finished it but I needed a nap afterwards! The lady I ordered from and picked up my order from we're very kind human beings. If you're in Costa Mesa or Newport Beach or Santa Ana definitely stop by this place. read more

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I met Chanel and her father on a cruise and they were so pleasant! They told us about their restaurant and my mom and I knew that we had to visit! Today was the day and WOW! We were amazed We saw Chanel again and she provided us with the utmost service. She selected the appetizers: salad, cheese rolls, grape leaves, and pita. The salad was delicious! The cheese rolls my absolute favorite and I could eat a whole plate of them! The grape leaves are served hot. The hot ones are my favorite and many places serve them cold so I was very excited to get hot ones! For entrees, I ordered the chicken kebab with meatballs. The chicken was SO tender and flavorful. The meatballs were tender as well and melted in your mouth. The hummus and pita were fantastic! Warm pita is always delicious. My mom ordered the ribeye kebab plate and it was scrumptious. The meat slid off the skewer and was SO tender. The portions are large as well. We finished off the meal with a slice of pistachio baklava and Turkish tea. The baklava was amazing!! So flavorful and melted in my mouth. The tea is very refreshing and was a lovely way to finish our meal. We really enjoyed our meal and will return with the rest of our family to share the joy. We can truly feel the love and tradition baked into every dish read more

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Very friendly place! We got the meatball sandwich and ribeye plate. The meatball sandwich was SO GOOD! The meat was very flavorful (maybe needed just a TAD more salt), the bread was delicious, pillow-y and soft, but still had structure. The tomato and onions added the bit of freshness it needed. The ribeye plate was seasoned well and went well with the white rice, which was firm and delicious. The salad was also well dressed. We got the spicy yogurt with the plate and it changed the way we saw yogurt dips - just full of smoky flavor from the chilly, and the yogurt was perfect with our dish. Our only nit-picky thing was the meat was a bit small on the skewers, but we didn't actually mind the quantity of meat we got. We just expected the pieces to be bigger. However, we don't eat Turkish food often, so unsure if this is normal practice, so can't comment! Either way, we still enjoyed it. We did order an extra side of pita bread (usually $1.50) that came with the spicy yogurt, but they were so nice and didn't even charge us for it. We ended up just tipping more to make up for it and for their kind gesture. Come support this awesome place, we will definitely be back for that sandwich! read more

First time trying Turkish food was after the Silverstone Formula One race in 2022. Driving back from the track I noticed a turkish restaurant. Amazing food, I was hooked and would add turkish food to my preference for Lebanese and Persian food if I want to eat health mediterranean food. This small and quaint establishment has delicious food, servers are attentive and kind, it just makes you want to come back for more. Fresh ingredients, well seasoned and cooked. I came for just an entree and sampled much more! The after dinner tea they provided was just as delicious, and helps digest. Highly recommend!!! read more

Izmir - A whole lotta goodness - Mediterranean Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Extremely fresh and delicious food! The owners and staff are kind and attentive. We came in with no expectations and were blown away by the quality of the ingredients and amazing taste! 10/10! read more

Izmir - Butterfly Chicken, Marinated Artichokes - Mediterranean Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Saw an instagram post and decided to try this place. We came on a weekday for dinner and we were the only customers from start to finish of our meal. The side dishes were all really good, especially the cheese rolls. The meats, not so much, some were a bit tough to eat. The soup was blah and so the dessert just ok. I would come back for the side dishes. Decor is homey. While we got a parking spot in this plaza, there's very limited parking spots. read more

No words are needed--the empty plates speak for themselves. The butterfly chicken and beef casserole are sooooo good! Restaurants that take food seriously deserve to be rewarded. I hope this place is always packed! read more

Izmir - Hummus Butterfly Chicken (Lunch) Fire Roasted Eggplant Butterfly Chicken (Dinner) - Mediterranean Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Phenomenal. Such a great dinner spot. Totally awesome vibe. Aurelia was our server. She was attentive, funny and great. She suggested the beets yogurt yum. The shashuka was another recommendation that was great too. I ordered the chicken kebab and husband had the ribeye kebab. Loved it and had food to take back. It was great for a cute little neighborhood restaurant. read more

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Great service, amazing food! Everything was awesome and delicious! The tea and baklava was cherry on top! As a tea love I can say this one one of the best teas I've ever had! read more

WOW!! Izmir was warm, welcoming and most importantly the food was DELICIOUS! I'm not sure how it's humanly possible to make such fluffy rice, but this place sure knows how! The cheese stuffed meatballs and meze sampler with spice bomb and hummus were the standouts! We will absolutely be going back! 10/10! read more

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Our neighbors (Steve&Shelley) bought the butterfly chicken dinner and I have to say.... It is the best chicken I've had ( the salad, hummus, tzatziki, and butter rice were outstanding too) anywhere. So tasty, huge portions ( yay leftovers!). Thanks to everyone who helped make this delicious meal. We're looking forward to dining in the restaurant next time! read more

First time trying this charming Turkish restaurant and it was very very delicious. The portions are enough for two people if not very hungry. The filet and chicken kabob are some of the best I've ever tasted. Seasoned perfectly. We had rice pudding and tea after dinner. Also the best rice pudding I've ever had. They serve it warm with cinnamon and walnuts. Fantastic. Service was excellent. Will definitely be back. read more

Very good food and ambiance. I enjoyed the Izmir Kofte. It came with a salad, cucmber yogurt, and pita. I also enjoyed the baklava and Turkish tea. read more

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