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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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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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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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

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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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

Food, service and the ambiance of this restaurant are always a 10/10 for me. I am Turkish- so I enjoy having my favorite dishes I've grown up having. Manti is my all time favorite dish and Izmir does an excellent job of filling that craving for me. I can never eat enough dolma (stuffed grape leaves or stuffed bell peppers )!! Their Sekerpare is the best I've had in the U.S. and you can never go wrong with Baklava. So I highly recommend enjoying anything off their menu -whether it's your first time trying it or if you're craving your favorite dish you haven't got to eat in a while. read more

They have a more limited menu then they show on google maps or yelp... They should make it clear about that because we went there expecting more variety read more

Izmir - Chicken Kebab (Tavuk i) - Mediterranean Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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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

First time my wife and I been here. I'm glad we did . Excellent food , the best . The rice pudding is something else The service was amazing, our server : chanell did excellent job good smile , very friendly We will be back for sure read more

Great food and excellent service This has been my favorite spot for the past few months. They also offer daily specials--definitely worth checking out. read more

Izmir - Mediterranean Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Our new favorite restaurant! As soon as we walked in, the vibe was welcoming and the servers were attentive. It was clean and we liked the homey touches, like how they brought us placemats with the utensils and complimentary warm tea after our meal. But it was the food that make us really love this restaurant. We got the cheese stuffed meatballs and chicken kebab. We asked for no rice and no bread and they surprised us with sautéed onions instead. The huge side salad was perfectly chopped and had about 15 or more delicious ingredients, including perfectly ripened tomatoes. The food was so fresh and flavorful, like the charred veggies and cucumber yogurt The open kitchen made it feel like a home, especially since we had a whole conversation with the chef while he was preparing our meal. We look forward to going back. read more

We had a fantastic meal here. Even with the good reviews, we were pleasantly surprised. Our server, Oralia, was incredibly kind and friendly, and made us feel very welcome. We had two favorite dishes. The lentil soup was hearty and comforting. The fire, roasted eggplant had a very smoky and interesting flavor, and was well paired with the pita. We were really eyeing the lamb shank, but it was out of stock, so we had the ribeye skewers. The skewers were good. We had a white bean dish, Piyaz that was fresh and healthy, although we thought it tasted just OK. We also tried to order the exotic, sounding drinks on the menu, but Oralia was nice enough to let us sample them first. We found them a little too salty for our taste so decided to pass. Overall, we were really impressed with the food and atmosphere and friendly service, and can't wait to be back again read more

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Wonderful tasty food with amazing service. Would definitely recommend The shakshuka eggplant appetizer was to die for and chicken kabob was juicy and flavorful. The meatballs were good but not the best like the rest read more

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Tried their hummus sample as well as chicken kabob, everything was very fresh, portions were big! Will def be back

Great service, great food, will be back again soon! They all are very friendly family-owned! read more

Izmir - Lots of food for $22! Danny was very friendly and the food is amazing. Coming back soon - Mediterranean Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Delicious! So satisfying. The meats are excellent, so juicy and flavorful. Definitely make this place a regular on your list.

Delicious Cuisine, just like in Türkiye We loved it.. And the service is excellent.. Family owned cozy and nice place.. We will always come and enjoy it with our Friends & Family.. read more

Amazing for dinner! Ambiance was great with live music. I'll have to come back for lunch!

We had the best Turkish food with AYRAN and all the salads that come with it. It's super delicious and the cost is very reasonable. The staff and the atmosphere is wonderful. read more

Izmir - Mediterranean Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Excellent food! The quality is great and I'm so happy that they don't cook with seed oils. I'll definitely be back and telling all my friends. read more

I picked this restaurant for lunch because my Turkish husband often misses the flavors from his home country. I'm vegetarian so we started with a selection of meze. 2 different types of eggplant dishes and the cheese rolls were the standouts. They were just how I remember them being made by my mother in law in Fethiye. The service was friendly and quick. We also ordered the manti and it was great. If you love Turkish food this is the place and if you haven't tried Turkish food now is your chance! All the authentic flavors we were looking for. It seems that there is live music at certain times but we were there for lunch and it was nice and quiet. read more

Friendly customer service that makes you feel welcome from the moment you open the door, seems to be family owned business. Simple decor with a couple of tvs showing Turkish cuisine. Their dishes are generous, fresh and flavorful without being salty. read more

What a great surprise this place was! We really like Turkish food and this place had great reviews on yelp. Makes sense because the food was absolutely delicious. Quality of the food is excellent as well, the staff are super friendly and welcoming, and they give you free hot tea at the end! read more

This place was amazing! Visiting our kid at Vanguard and so happy we stopped by to try this place. Had the soup, the fillet and chicken kabobs. The Turkish tea was also a nice mellow tea. Will be back! read more

Our new favorite Mediterranean restaurant! We found this place on Yelp and the pictures made us come. Boy, were we not disappointed. This place pride's itself on cleanliness and freshness and it shows. Everything was fresh and delicious. Their chicken was perfectly cooked, as was the rice. Their tea is amazing and their Baklava is to die for! They have a lot of take out business too. Do your belly a favor and come eat here! read more

That place is terrific! I am from the city Izmir in turkey and the taste of the food is similar to ones in my hometown :) Hospitality + Taste together is a great experience :) I recommend everyone :) read more

Izmir - Mediterranean Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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I know the owners of the restaurant from their previous restaurants. They use the best available seasonal ingredients. They are great in cleanliness. In this new restaurant they added daily specials & many meze dishes. I strongly suggest this restaurant in their newly refurbished place. read more

Every dish I have tried on 7 or 8 visits has been amazing. Best Grilled Chicken sandwiches around. Really warm and amazing staff too.

This is some of the best Mediterranean food I've ever had. The chicken shish kabobs were juicy and flavorful. The steak was also flavorful. read more

Best Mediterranean Food! Family owned business with exceptional quality customer service and delicious food. One of my favorite go to spots. The food is consistently good- soup is my favorite. I also get the chicken kabob and have had the specials which are unique and flavorful. They don't use seed oils and are conscious about quality which is important to me. The staff are lovely, and the service is great. Friendly place that makes you feel welcome. Definitely recommend this restaurant read more

Amazing place!! The food is so good and authentic, they handmade the dishes with love and you can tell! On top of that amazing service and a homely vibe in the place! read more

Just had dinner for the first time. Good food, good portions, amazing service! We had the meatball anatolia, butterfly chicken, grape leaves, cheese rolls, and fire roasted eggplant. We're addicted to the grape leaves and cheese rolls, sooo good. We will be back! read more

Izmir came to my apartment complex as a vendor so my bf and I got the chance to try it out. We got an order of the chicken kabob to share and I wished I got a second plate! Everything was so fresh and light. My bf loved the salad that they provided with our meal. I would definitely be coming to their restaurant :) read more

Izmir - Mediterranean Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

It's such a joy to see Izmir Kitchen back in Costa Mesa! Before COVID, they were known as Mr. Kebap, a hidden gem for authentic Turkish cuisine. Now they've returned under a new name, but with the same warm hospitality and mouthwatering flavors that made them a local favorite. Their "çöp şiş" (marinated, grilled lamb skewers) is tender, juicy, and bursting with flavor, reminding me of the street food stalls back in Turkey. The "Izmir Köfte" is another must-try--perfectly seasoned meatballs served in a rich tomato-based sauce that pairs wonderfully with their fluffy rice and fresh salad. Everything is made fresh, portions are generous, and the atmosphere is cozy yet casual--perfect for a relaxed lunch or dinner. It's clear they cook with love and pride, and you can taste it in every bite. Welcome back, Izmir Kitchen--you were missed, and you've come back better than ever! read more

It's my second time at the İzmir restaurant, and both times the food was great and the service was awesome.

I am Turkish and whenever I feel like homesick, I come by. I have their special of the day and chopstick kebab. I am good as new. I ask for Turkish tea in a Turkish Tea cup once the meal is over. This pretty much sums up an authentic Turkish dinner for me. The restaurant has several rectangular tables. Walls are decorated with nostalgic items and 3 TVs showing movieclips from Turkey. 90s Turkish pop music is in the low volume behind. I would take a date here :) read more

I've just come back again and always wanting to try something new with any of their recommended items of the day. I tried their Turkish pozole, a spinach dish, and their eggplant daily special and they knocked my socks off again! I am not a vegetarian but WOW, they know how to make use of all the flavors in the dish: that sautéed saucy spinach with yogurt eaten with pita bread. *chefs kiss* The Turkish pozole I loved more than my own homemade Mexican pozole. I think they use garbanzo beans or chickpeas instead of hominy which has a higher nutritional value and the flavors were rich and warm. Eggplant stuffed with ground beef was also one of my favorites. Service here always feels like you're visiting family, always loved and taken care of. Ambiance was amazing. Fun music and other friendly restaurant goers who we chatted with discussing Turkish adventures. 11/10 super happy Thank you again, Izmir family. read more

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Eat here regularly - maybe 2 times a week. I order their lunch time chicken skewers meal and it's amazing every time. Highly recommend them to anyone in the area looking for Mediterranean style food. read more

Came here on a whim, never had Turkish food but looked like a good healthy option. So glad we took a chance on this place, incredible staff, but more importantly the food was PHENOMENAL! No joke! Wish we were locals but we live about an hour away, may come up with excuses to venture back. It's worth it! read more

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