PROS: Atmosphere is amazing, staff was friendly, Eylul was an amazing waitress that took care of us. Menu variety was plentiful and the prices were good. Good amount of parking in the back and the hours are good. CONS: The adana kebab was bland and needed more seasoning OVERALL: This place was immaculate. They always keep it clean and in regards to the food being bland, that's an easy fix. I recommend coming here read more

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When I had a late night craving for Mediterranean food, we placed a delivery order from Samdan through Uber Eats. What an absolute smash out of the park. We didn't realize an order of baba ghanoush came with pita bread triangles, so we also got an order of the Turkish bread. I wish I'd gotten a picture of it because it was truly a thing to behold. Larger than a human head, just barely warm, and a soft and tender dipping vessel for any gooey and smushy dip. Suffice it to say the subaltern pita triangles went largely ignored once this was unbagged. Speaking of the baba ghanoush, this was also a joy-giving dip. Warm, with a hint of smokiness, and with a drizzle of olive oil, this hit the absolute spot. Our entrees were just as satisfying. Falafels somehow retained their crisp and crunch through the delivery ride, and the ground chicken adana was juicy and flavorful. It's a daring thing to give five stars to an establishment I've never visited in person, but in this case, the food spoke volumes for itself. Since then, this has been bookmarked as my go-to spot for when the Mediterranean yen hits. read more

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Great prix fix spot for lunch with assorted apps and entrees to choice from. Most are simple dishes with simple flavor profiles but all are nicely done. While you won't leave stuffed as a grape leaf, you should be adequately satiated. Samdan - In! read more

I loved the service and the hummus was the best in town! The Adana kabob and baklava was good too. The decorations were nice and the music was soothing. I would recommend this restaurant to others. read more

The resturant is easy to get to, located in the middle of the town in Cresskill. Ample Parking. Nicely decorated. There was a party being prepared for, so the bar was closed. We Had to wait for our group, at our dinner table. We asked for a waiter to get us tap water and cocktails. He dropped off two blue water sealed bottles, we asked for Tap and he walked away - never to return. After 15 minutes, I had to walk up to the 4 gentlemen standing at the front door, asking for a waiter for tap water and a drink order. My only guess here, is they don't understand english. Nothing!! When our entire party jioned us 30 minutes later, they finally stopped at our table. There were only two other tables filled, so not a resource issue. Finally we received two containers of luke warm tap water, Oh this keeps going!! I asked for glasses filled with ice. Again a blank stay!! Never received the ice the entire night. It gets better - the server takes all four water bottles off the table and comes back with one tap - which can only fill up two glasses - that was it for tap water all night. We did not even receive our food yet. Next was no bread - one little plate arrives after I walk up to dudes standing at the front door doing nothing but texting their friends on their cell phones - one plate coveres two people - so we needed 4 more plates - not happeneing!! They finally arrive with one more plate, the server places it on the table and right after that, the apps finally come out - the server had no idea who was eating what, in the mist of this next massive confusion, one of the server took the bread away - you can't make this stuff up!!!!!!!!!!!!! A lot of our guest ordered the Lamb and seafood apps which were all good. If the service was any good, they would have earned 4 to 5 stars read more

The food is always good here. Love the borek, they are filled with cheese and lightly fried. read more

Samdan Restaurant - Chicken Kebab with Yogurt - Turkish Near Me - Cresskill, New Jersey

Overpriced but decent Turkish food! We tried the babghanoush, eggplant salad, and lebne with their hot bread. I ordered the cucina matata cucumber cocktail and then for dessert we shared the Khazandibe. We also got the artichoke special with fava beans and sent back the artichoke salad. It was using canned artichokes so did not like that quality for the price. read more

NOVEMBER 2024 UPDATE: This place has gone downhill. A few weeks ago we ordered takeout, just one dish. While waiting to pick it up, I heard a host ask another person if they had ordered the same dish. That person walked away with the bag... then came back, because the order was wrong. The bag went back into the kitchen, and then, magically, came back out and was given to me, complete with the greasy receipt stuck to the bottom of the container. Not cool. On the strength of past performances, we returned one more time for dinner. Among other things, we ordered the stuffed cabbage leaves. They were hot on the outside and cold on the inside, clearly (and incompletely) reheated. The grilled vegetables were dry and not particularly hot, having long ago said farewell to the grill. One of us got a dirty fork, and I had a water glass that tasted a little like soap. There was a black fly buzzing around the place... in late November. Recently we tried Olive Tree, apparently opened by one of the senior guys behind Samdan. It's just around the corner, and it was excellent. My advice? Go there instead. This place feels like it's over. read more

Solid restaurant. It's classy, yet you can walk in a tracksuit with a wad of Benjamins building from your pockets. Quality and quantity, coupled with kind service - you will not be disappointed here. Highly recommend for middle eastern food as this has Turkish influence. Parking lot in the back with plenty of spaces, but shared with other businesses in this lot. read more

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i've known of this place for years and swore off it when i saw the cook smoking over the food he was preparing. today i gave it another shot. five appetizers for 43 dollars no meat and stale bread. soooo overpriced for what you get. skip it sorry to say read more

I ordered stuffed cabbage at the restaurant and waited for the food. At home before I left I saw on their menu on their website the price was $24.00. At the restaurant the price was $27.22. I could not get an explanation but was told that hopefully next time that I come in that they would have an explanation about the 2 different prices. I was not offered a refund for the difference which I thought was outrageous. Too many local restaurants to choose from for me to deal with this behavior. read more

Service is pretty bad here. Waited for a pickup order for 10 minutes and just gave up. They should have the order ready at the time they themselves said it would be ready. read more

Words cannot describe how delicious the food is at this restaurant. If you like fish, ask for the grilled and/or ceviche Bronzino. If you like meat, try the saslik lick or the skirt steak. You can't go wrong with any appetizers but definitely ask for the shrimp. The food is just outstanding. read more

Nestled amidst its picturesque streets are eateries where every dish tells a story. One such establishment, Samdan, meaning "candelabra," is located on Piermont Road in Cresskill, where my partner, our friends and I came as first-timers for dinner on Saturday night. Reservation was easily made via Open Table. Upon arrival, we were greeted by the host and got a table in their newly renovated dining room with a modern vibe and relaxing music in the background. Their menu centered around Mediterranean cuisine on lamb, eggplant, olive oil, grilled fish, and some vegetarian dishes. But the prevalent tastes of Turkish cooking featured peppercorns, paprika, cinnamon, sumac, and cumin. As appetizers to share, we opted for Lebni (curd of yogurt with walnuts and a hint of garlic) and Borek (flaky pastry filled with cheese and parsley). As our meal, we decided on Creamy Chicken Special (breast of chicken in white wine, heavy cream sauce, and a hint of garlic served with rice and grilled vegetables), Side of Mashed Potatoes, Lamb Chops (4 pcs broiled baby lamb chops served with rice and grilled vegetables), Chicken Shish Kebab (charcoal broiled tender cubes of marinated chicken with chef's seasoning served with rice and vegetables), and Meatballs (Korte)--ground lamb mixed with bread, onion, and garlic served with rice and grilled vegetables. Complimentary hot bread accompanied with balsamic vinegar and olive oil began our meal. All our dishes had a great artistic presentation that was amazing, made with fresh ingredients, well seasoned, and tasty. The portions were just right. The only complaint was not all dishes came out at the same time. The service team was perfect, as we weren't rushed. They were very friendly and nice, especially our server, Seder. The chef/owner, Chef Emre Yeşil, came to our table to make sure everything was to our satisfaction. The price was comparable to the area. We had a wonderful dinner experience, which we can recommend. read more

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The food was so delicious! The space is very pretty and the staff was very welcoming. The zucchini and eggplant chips were out of this world and the chicken shish was so tender and flavorful! The waitstaff was lovely. My husband had octopus and a lamb dish with truffle fries-they were outrageously good! Can't wait to go back. read more

Website says one thing but when you get there it's a different thing & they won't honor their mistake. False advertising read more

Samdan Restaurant - Turkish Near Me - Cresskill, New Jersey

Been going to this restaurant for many years, place was sold and has new ownership. Front room was redone, added a beautiful large bar, made the room cozy and perfect for a medium size celebration. Has a large tv to watch the game too. They have entertainment there as well. We went for the main area a little quieter, but still a bit noisy Four of shared appetizers large Shepherd salad, falafel and hummus. All very good with warm pita for dipping. Love there warm pita. For dinner the wives shared chicken shish kabob, and guys had the Adana kabob, a skewered lamb kabob, food is plentiful Food was all good, service was fair, not great. Place was packed with a lot of large parties. We had 2 drinks each, cost 300 with tip. I will definitely come back, but a bit more than others nearby read more

Service, atmosphere, meal was delicious. We had the room by the window and bar and it was very quiet. We had a 10 person party and everyone had a wonderful dining experience. The next time I would prefer a round table verses rectangle. The bread and apps were delicious. read more

This used to be our favorite Mediterranean restaurant 'back in the day.' We moved out into central Jersey so haven't been back as much. I was sad to see that the BYOB is gone and that they now have a full bar, but that didn't stop us from enjoying a bottle of wine with dinner. Hummus... excellent as always Sheppard salad... wonderful Mixed grill... might have liked the meat a BIT less well done, but still, very tasty. Service too, was excellent. We'll be back. read more

Take out review: I made the order on a weekday lunch hour to try this place. Compared to other Mediterranean/Turkish places I regularly visit, Samdan was okay. I order was prepared and packed well, and delivered within an hour. I ordered the Eggplant tomato and calf liver appetizers, ground chicken kabob. The portion size and the taste was decent. I was little disappointed with the liver, as it wasn't cooked the way I was expecting. The chicken kabob also lacked in flavor somewhat. read more

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Our school hosted their end of the year luncheon at Samdan. Caesar was wonderful to work with. He helped us create a wonderful menu and set up their beautiful room to make a comfortable place for us to celebrate. The FOOD was amazing and everyone enjoyed every bite. So many of us are definitely going back to experience their dinner menu. Thank you again Caesar and Seda for making our luncheon so special. If you love Mediterranean food and want great service you should try this amazing place. read more

Samdan Restaurant - Stuffed cabbage leaves - Turkish Near Me - Cresskill, New Jersey

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Our boss gave us a surprise from Samdan today... lunch time for the team!!! I chose from lunch special menu: stuffed grape leaves, hummus and Sheppard salad. It's the first time trying something from here. Everything was fresh, Delicious, well wrapped, I will recommend this place to my friends. God bless you and thank you so much read more

Samdan Restaurant - Humus, Small Shepherd Salad and stuffed grape leaves (lunch menu) - Turkish Near Me - Cresskill, New Jersey

Bugün ailece gittiğimiz restoran deneyimimiz hakkında yaşadıklarımızı ve düşüncelerimizi paylaşmak istedim. Restoranın iki bölümü olduğu bilgisiyle, çocuklarımızla birlikte "müzikli" olarak adlandırılan bölüme oturduk. Çocuklu bir aile olmamıza rağmen neden direkt olarak aile bölümüne yönlendirilmediğimizi anlamakta güçlük çektik. Zira oturduğumuz bölümde bizden başka yalnızca birkaç kişi vardı. Yemeğimizin sonlarına doğru, işletmeci olduğunu tahmin ettiğimiz bir beyefendi, yanımıza gelerek çocuklarımıza sert bir dille ve izinsizce müdahale etti. Onlara "susun" demesi, bizi şaşkına çevirdi ve derhal tepki göstermemize neden oldu. Kendisine bu yaklaşımın yanlış olduğunu, çocukların müşterisi olduğunu ve böyle bir üslubun kabul edilemez olduğunu ifade ettik. Bizden daha da şaşırtıcı bir yanıt aldık: "Çocuğunuza sahip çıkın, kendi çocuğum da olsa böyle söylerdim." Bu cevabın üzerine, "Kendi çocuğunuz değil, müşteriye böyle davranamazsınız. Rahatsız oluyorsanız, en başta bizi aile bölümüne almanız gerekirdi, müzikli bölüme değil," şeklinde karşılık verdik. Bu tatsız tartışma, maalesef hiçbir çözüme ulaşamadı. Servis ve yemekler harikaydı, ancak işletmecinin çocuklara ve dolayısıyla bize karşı sergilediği bu tavır, tüm güzel deneyimi gölgede bıraktı. Bir işletmenin, müşterilerine, özellikle de çocuklara karşı daha hassas ve saygılı olması gerektiğini düşünüyoruz. Bu durum, diğer çocuklu ailelerin de benzer bir rahatsızlık yaşamaması adına dikkatle değerlendirilmelidir. Çocuklara yönelik bu denli kaba bir üslubun, bir restoran işletmecisine yakışmadığını belirtmek isteriz. read more

My favorite in all NJ !! My top favorites: Octopus is amazing, juicy Lamb Chops, delicious Doner (gyro), Garlic Shrimp is awesome! the Rice pudding is to die for !! You cannot go wrong with any of their starters, you cannot go wrong with anything in their menu! Delicious! Delicious! Delicious! read more

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Good food, good service, generous portions and always accommodating. Highly recommend to all!

Pass by this place most days because it's close to home and finally tried it out during an impromptu family dinner - good food in generous portions! Pricier than a takeout place (of course), but not nearly as pricy as some similar establishments in the county !! Sat outside, and when the rain started, the waiters opened up large umbrellas that unfortunately didn't cover all of the family but they did their best - they also would've worked for two people. Definitely a nice date spot! read more

Samdan Restaurant - Chicken Shish Kebab / Tavuk Sis Kebab - Turkish Near Me - Cresskill, New Jersey

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Excellent service and food. Nice clean place. Not cheap for the type of food it is but the quality and atmosphere make up for that.

Samoan, the great Turkish cuisine Birthday for two :-) From the salad to dessert, everything delicious! read more

Samdan Restaurant - Birthday for Two :-) - Turkish Near Me - Cresskill, New Jersey

There is not any restaurant like Samdan around Cresskill and surrounded cities. I have been going there since 2015. It was very old looking but they just renovated the restaurant. Their menu also has new exotic and tasty dishes. I was very happy to see my 6 years old eating like she was hungry for last couple days. If she eats at the restaurant real adult food that means the place has right chef and good food. Service was amazing. I did not need to ask twice for anything. Servers' attention was focused. They are also turning out their small party room to real party room which will have a full bar. I start considering to do a nice anniversary party. I highly recommend Samdan. read more

Samdan Restaurant - Grilled baby calamari - Turkish Near Me - Cresskill, New Jersey

Recent upgrades in decor and ambiance are very nice. They now have a bar area which looks very nice but grandfather their BYOB until May 1. Food is consistently great! read more

Super tender fried calves liver. Excellent gyro in yogurt and great stuffed cabbage. Coffee was meh at best. Atmosphere under new owner is more subdued. Lights are dim. You'll need your phone to read the menu if you are my age. Jazz piano background music. We'll be back. read more

Update of review. I am regular of Samdan. Our kids really like this restaurant. Quality of food is very good. Service is usually good but sometimes they make little mistakes when we order takeout. I recommend to double check with them. Prices also went up again. There is a new restaurant open with same menu and they are right near by. We just tried it and food's quality are similar and price was Samdan's old price. read more

Got takeout tonight from Samdan and found the food to be excellent. I ordered a Vegetarian Zucchini Pancake, Has Has Kebab, Okra with Meat, and Lamb Kebab with Yogurt. Everything was well made and tasted fresh. I particularly liked the Has Has Kebab and Zucchini Pancake. Food was packed well and the prices are reasonable. I'm a big fan of Turkish cuisine and this is one of the better options I've tried in Bergen County. read more

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In the mood for Turkish food, Samdan is the place to go if you are in the Cresskill area! Beautiful and classic ambiance and decor and the service was outstanding! They have all the traditional dish options you would expect and we literally wanted to order everything on the menu but decided to get the lunch special chicken kebab with a shepherds salad and a side of baba ganoush. Also, borek stuffed with feta and spinach, roasted eggplant spread and stuffed grape leaves. Everything was cooked to perfection and was seasoned just right! They provide a basket of different breads and home made olive oil! Most importantly, the service was great!! I can't say enough amazing things about this restaurant. Can't wait to come back! read more

Possibly the best doner kebab (Greeks call it gyro, Middle Easterners call it shawarma) in all NJ! All the appetizers are delicious, nicely garnished and generously sized. Friendly service and the personal touch from the owner himself makes a very pleasant experience. I'm sure you'll be asking for extra pita bread! Will be going back soon! read more

Samdan Restaurant - Lamb shank and doner kebab - Turkish Near Me - Cresskill, New Jersey

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Excellent food, very nice well established restaurant. That has withstood the test of time. A go to place for middle eastern food

Out of all of the Turkish restaurants I've been to, this one has a luxurious vibe to it. It feels like an upscale Italian restaurant, but with Turkish food. That being said, it is a wonderful family-oriented atmosphere and the food is good too! The food is similar to other Turkish spots, but as I mentioned the atmosphere is what sets this place apart from the others. Great place for a date if you ask me! read more

Samdan Restaurant - Turkish Near Me - Cresskill, New Jersey

Delicious Turkish food and a really friendly staff! The food is really good! Everything looks amazing on the table ! read more

Samdan Restaurant - Turkish bread, Turkish food, Has Has Kebab Turkish bread Pita Bread Falafel Imam bayildi S.Pellegrino Sparkling Water (33.8 OZ) - Turkish Near Me - Cresskill, New Jersey

Shepherds salad with cheese is my go to for both in house and take out. Food is fresh and delicious. A little pricey

Beyond disappointed in the service here... Made reservations last Saturday night for my father's birthday for a group of ten. Some of us showed early and so they sat us at our table right away....and then completely disappeared. No menus. No water. Eventually bussers brought bread for the table. The rest of the party came in and still no menus or water. It took another 20 minutes to finally see the waitress and ask for the menus (STILL no drinks) ...and then when she finally came back again to take our orders, she had an attitude as if it was an inconvenience to her to take the orders - mind you, there were maybe 6 other filled tables in the restaurant.. and other staff waiting those tables. As for the food: such small portions. We go to Turkish restaurants quite often and we ordered a large chopped salad and it barely was enough for the ten of us (and waitress suggested it'd be enough). We also ordered calamari which was maybe 10pcs.. again, not enough for ten people. I personally ordered İskender, and there was barely any meat and so much bread under it.. so the portion looked big but really it was just an illusion. I also brought in a cake for my father's birthday and asked them to bring it out after dinner. They took half of our plates, and again, disappeared lol. My sister went to the front and asked if they can bring the cake out because my father has an injured leg and he was feeling uncomfortable and wanted to leave soon, and they told us once they clear all the plates, they'll bring the cake. Okay, great... That could've been done when they took half the plates earlier ... So I patiently waited another 15 minutes until I went up myself and told them to take the plates and bring the cake asap. The reason I got so annoyed is because there was a musician in the other room and all the staff are literally standing outside that room, looking in and dancing to the music. I get you want to have fun, but it's super unprofessional if you're not waiting your tables. They still didn't clear the plates, but they brought the cake out. Very poor and slow service. Food was good, small portions but still good - only reason I'm even giving two stars. I was going to come here with another group this week, but from that experience, we won't be returning. read more