My family and I eat here often. Great atmosphere, tables are white cloth and very clean. The food happens to be consistently great and offer Excellent service. They have the best yogurt dip. Chicken kebabs are juicy and excellent!! read more

Probably the best Turkish restaurant in all of North America. The appetizers are vast. Highly recommend the babaghanouch, humus, calamari, eggplant salad, the pepper dip (acl ezme). The bread they serve is traditional Pide bread, warm and very tasty with hints odf sesame. The staple dishes are the kebabs. They are all beyond delicious. The seasonings and spices used are very well balanced like good ethnic Turkish cooking/barbecuing. The lamb is always fresh and perfectly cooked. If you like seafood, you will not do better than their grilled Bronzini....anywhere. They also serve loads of traditional Turkish desserts such as Baklava, Kazandibi, Künefe (a warm, heavily sweet dish made from shredded Phillo dough). And if you like Turkish coffee, you will like the kind they serve here. The proprietor, Necdet, is a warm, welcoming, engaging host. The rest of the staff is always friendly and attentive. The prices are always fair. The decor is traditional. We go there at least once a month. I cannot recommend this place enough. read more

Local gem! Ordered takeout for the first time and it was so good. Fresh, flavorful and fabulous.

I have been here probably over 100 times in the last 20 years and each time the food is consistent. They recently got a liquor license but still allow outside bottles for a small corkage fee. The donor meat is different and unique and the chicken is also great never over cooked. A must try is the shepherds salad as well as the cold appetizers which are all made From scratch. I would not hesitate to recommend to anymore that enjoys mediterranean food. read more

Samdan Restaurant - Turkish Near Me - Cresskill, New Jersey

Samdan is one our favorite places. Whenever we have our "group" together for a great night out the demands outstanding food, service and a warm experience, Samdan is the venue. This Turkish delight is worth the trip and bring your own bottle! read more

First time coming here and thoroughly enjoyed it! Atmosphere itself is very nice and classy. Wasn't too busy as it was a Monday evening, but I prefer it quiet. Wait staff were very professional and friendly. The food was amazing! Loved the hummus and warm bread together. I ordered chicken kebab for the main course and it was marinated and cooked to perfection. We will be back again and highly recommend! read more

Very reliable restaurant and affordable lunch special. My mom dines here with friends frequently. Bread warm and plentiful. Soup or salad with your choice of hot or cold entree with coffee. The lentil soup is wonderfully smooth and delicate. The shepherd's salad is fresh mix of tomatoes, onions, and cucumber, and kalamata olives in good quality olive oil and vinegar. Simplicity at its best. My mom's fave is the stuffed eggplant with red pepper, onions, and pine nuts. For meat lovers, the kebabs are grilled to perfection. Meat is never overcooked and spiced wonderfully. Falafel is decent, as is the hummus. Get the warm food. Love their hot sauce. Unlike any other I've had. I've only been here for lunch, so I think dinner is the same food with a higher price tag. Good place to go if you're in the area looking for a nice lunch. Good place for a business lunch. read more

I planned a family event there (my dad's birthday). We had about 17 people and it was a great experience! I truly recommend it. The food was great! Everybody was very happy with everything and had a great time. We had a private room and their portions are very generous. We brought all the wine and they only charged us $5 cork charge per bottle. Fish was excellent as well as the lamb shank. Prices are average maybe a little bit on the higher range but it is a very upscale area and any restaurant in the area costs about the same. read more

Not sure why this place gets so much hype. Food is average, like their service, and it's very pricey. You do get plenty of parking in the back but I don't think I would ever go back for that alone. read more

This is an excellent Turkish place in the north of Jersey. We first had babaganoush, hummus, shepherd's salad and falafel, everything was great and tasted fresh. For main course, the kofte was really good, though the rice portion was perhaps a bit big for the dish. Finally, for the best part, the dessert was outstanding. If you're gonna have anything at all, go for the baklava. Service staff was outstanding and though the place was really busy, we were well taken care of. I must also commend Juan for never missing a beat and working hard to clear tables and serving water in a very pleasant and professional way. Busboys are not always commended for their services but our group was impressed. I can't think of any reason to go to Jersey other than to go here. You won't regret it. read more

It can't just be me, or has no one realized we're 20% into the 21st. century. The cost of living has went up, and wait staff aren't slaves. The food in Samdan is exceptional as are the wait staff. It's been nearly 20 years since I've enjoyed a Turkish meal this good. This restaurant is as good as Topkapi in Cliffside Park back in the 90's. I had all my favorites, Borek, Adana / Chicken Kebab combo and the milk pudding with coffee. If you really like Turkish cuisine, or are newbie, have what I had and enjoy. read more

Extremely disappointed to make the mistake of ordering from here, I ordered through Uber eats the restaurant ended up handing out my food to somebody else then telling me my order has been cancelled which was not , I confronted them with the fact and asked if I can come pick up my food because they are about to close soon , I am a truck driver I had to come out with my truck and trailer to come pick up this crap , when I get here I get the notification that an Uber driver has picked up the food , never again 50$ had I just spent 5$ at a mcdonald's I won't have to go through half the trouble that these folks put me through . read more

Our friend from Turkey took us here... and we enjoyed it immensely. It was so cool that our host ordered the dishes in Turkish. I did not see any belly-dancer and I was afraid to ask for it ;-)... Had an enjoyable evening and will go back - of course for the food! read more

We are celebrating our anniversary today. Like we always do, we researched on yelp for a four star restaurant in our area, at the last minute. We found an Italian restaurant and decided to give it a try. When we get there, we saw that there's another restaurant right next to it, without looking at the restaurant name, we went to this restaurant by mistake. We didn't realize until we look at the menu. Anyway the restaurant is very nice, and the food turned out great, fish was very fresh. It's also a 4 star restaurant on Yelp. read more

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The best! nothing else to say! Fresh food, friendly staff, smooth service, and warm bread! What else i can ask for? read more

Super consistent Turkish restaurant that I've been going to over 15 years. I love the tavuk and starters here. Only suggestion is to make a 100% lamb doner here. read more

If you like Mediterranean food, you will love this place. Although the entrees are varied, and lamb is a very popular item, we generally order a bunch of appetizers( calamari, yogurt with chopped walnuts, eggplant and tomato sauce, etc.) plus a shepherd's salad with feta cheese. Desserts are limited. Turkish coffee is very good. Make a reservation, but it's generally not needed, especially if you go early enough. If you don't find parking in their lot, you can park across the street. read more

Great food, just a little pricey. This is our special occasion middle eastern restaurant. Another trick, order it to go, pick it up, and save 20 percent. Highlights include the kebabs and the shepherd salad. read more

Party of 2 for Sunday lunch. Venue was mostly empty, but slowly filled as lunch hour passed. The most popular seats were against the windows as expected, which faces the park. We got the shepherds salad with feta cheese (good) - got small but may try large next time. Babaganoush - no too bland will try humus next time. Bread is good with smokey flavor. Combination platter - no in general avoid gyro and stick with beef/chicken. (Maybe a personal taste) will try one of the tavlek dishes next time. Waitress stopped by often to check if we were good. I should have mentioned the bland babaganoush, but its all good. Spent around 70, which is reasonable. Nice experience overall. read more

Love this spot! Been coming here for years, but with the recent closures wasn't able to visit. Didn't realize how much we enjoyed it here until we weren't able to come. Patiently waiting for indoor dining to resume so we can get our Samdan fix again. Great food, great staff and an all around consistent experience every time. Highly recommend! read more

I love this place. It's so classy and their food is delicious. And they have a great lunch special. I normally get the sis kebab because I love lamb - the lamb is tender, there are yummy roasted veggies, and savory rice. The sis kebab is one of 5 or 6 options in menu 2 of the lunch special; also included is lentil soup or shepherd's salad, and a soda or coffee. I'm actually waiting for my meal as I write this (for take out). The service is also great - they're friendly and patient. It's definitely pricey for dinner but I would say it's worth it. read more

We ordered takeout from here. It was great! First off, they wrap the items with care so even saucy things don't spill. Everything was somehow still warm and just perfect. The manti were the best I've ever eaten. So small and tender! My husband loved the lamb. We'll be ordering again! read more

Samdans is my favorite restaurant in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD. I live up in Massachusetts, but my father's family lives in the Westwood/NYC area, so I get a good many opportunities to eat here--and I go every time I visit. Their adana/donar kebab is absolutely to die for, with just the right blend of spices, and the way they present each dish--with sumac on the rice, lemon and hot pepper--presents a perfect complement to their Turkish cuisine. I've tried just about everything on their menu and there isn't one thing I don't like: for appetizers, get the sampler which has all of their finest; if you can only get one or two, tarator-lebni and Acili Ezme are the ones to try. The service is very warm; the waiters and waitresses are very professional and are fully capable of answering questions about the menu and fulfilling any special requests. The atmosphere is a more formal-casual; it won't meet the stereotype of middle-eastern restaurant with rugs all over the place. Rather, it's a bit plain, with hotel-like decor, but the food will more than make up for any deficency. If you're anywhere near this restaurant, check it out--you'll willingly drive through 5 or more states to get there. __________ Update: They've done some re-decorating and it's fabulous! New window treatments, a nice stone accent wall, new artwork...I love the updated look, and their food has only gotten better. God, I want to go back NOW! read more

Always fresh and delicious Mediterranean food here. Appetizer spreads are the best. This is my family's favorite Turkish restaurant by far. Better than anything in the city. My favorite is the lamb kabob and Adana doner. Also the Sheppard salad is spectacular and light. read more

There is truly something to be said for consistency. The Turkish food here is not fussy and prepared to an expert degree that is hard to duplicate. All white meat chicken kebabs which are hard to cook well and keep juicy are exactly right. the lamb kebabs are juicy but not pink, gamey or extra chewy as with cheaper cuts...rather it is delicious and perfectly prepared. the adana kebabs are wonderfully seasoned and will make you plan your next visit before you leave. Must have apps are the coban salad - chopped tomatoes cucumbers parsley with high quality (you can really taste it) olive oil and vinegar & borek - fried crepe with feta or goat cheese filling. the service is friendly and attentive and the menu broad which begs and deserves multiple visits. This is our 4th visit and our party ranged from toddlers to 80 year olds...everyone was pleased by the quality and quantity of the food. you will not be disappointed. read more

Although it does look fancy, jeans and a nice shirt are acceptable. They had many choices for my father and I who are not fans of Middle Eastern food. I even tried some new things. Their cold bean salad was really good as an appetizer. It could have been my main course it was so good. I thought the bread they put on the table was a little dry and needed oil or butter or something. I had sis kebabs. The chicken was delicious and very tender. I loved the rice! For dessert I had lemon sorbet. It was refreshing and not filling. I also liked that it was served in a lemon however, the lemon was frozen but thankfully, I was given a paper napkin which I used to hold it. read more

Went here with my business partner for lunch today and we both agreed that this place was spot on. I have been to many middle eastern restaurants in Cliffside Park and Edgewater but this place rivals them. Everything was so delicious especially the adana kebab which had to be one of the very best I have had period! The lunch platter with rice and veggies were so fresh and you can see they use very high quality ingredients. Also not to mention the service by the staff was excellent and they were very attentive. Food came out super fast as we were in a rush and made them aware they more than accommodated us. Highly recommend and will be coming back more often! read more

Oh boy. This restaurant opened my eyes to (some) turkish food. While it is a bit expensive, it is worth it. For starters, they give you a basket filled with flatbread, pitas, and bread, which is good and especially good to save for dipping. I also love how they serve the water, in it's own pitcher and an entire bowl filled with ice so you can keep refilling your glass and keep it as cold as you'd like. I always start with the shepards salad with cheese. The small is large enough for two people. I'll usually get the babaganoush, and use the bread basket for dipping. My favorite dish here is the Yogurtlu tavuk. The crunchy fried bread is an excellent contrast to the chicken, and the garlic yogurt sauce is awesome. I've also had the lahana sarma, and its some of the best stuffed cabbage ive had. When I was here on friday, I got the Kedayif for dessert, and it was really great. I'm still undecided on if the pistachio filled one is better than the cheese filled one (unfortunately not available here). I want to try the Kayisi tatlisi next time. While they don't have all of the turkish dishes i've come to enjoy (maanti), It's really great! read more

Have tried alot of middle eastern resturants and the most consistant one has alway been Samdan for me. Highly recommend there gyro (doner) the best in the try-state area. read more

Place is a rip off!!! Walked in and there was about 5 servers just sitting around cause there was no one in the place. This felt uncomfortable. This place charges you extra for everything. Get a small salad which is less salad than a small side salad in an Italian restaurant and they charge you additional 3 dollars for a tiny bit of cheese . Ordered the salad with onion only... You would think this would be easy... Nope they gave me all cucumber and no onion. I would not waist my time or money here again. read more

The air is thick with a pungent scent of middle eastern spices, waiters dressed in full black attire bustle around the restaurant delivering mouthwatering dishes and taking what scraps are left of peoples meals. Samdan has drawn the attention of people all around the tri-state area. From the moment you walk in, your senses are loaded with wondrous wafts of grilled meats and roasted vegetables. The amicable doormen greet everyone with a smile and direct customers to the eating area. Although the wait can get a bit long in a popular restaurant like this one, it is well worth every minute of stomach grumbling anticipation! After a brief wait a staff member will lead you to your table, following the royal red carpeting through the lamp lit hall. The high ceilings give a feeling comfortable feeling of space to sit back and relax while the warm colors throughout the restaurant add to the serenity as well. While Samdan does tend to get quite busy during dinner hours, the noise levels stay pleasantly low due to the wide spacing between tables. It is easy to speak to others at your own table at a comfortable volume and the waiters can traverse between diners with ease. Price-wise, Samdan is very fair for its food quality; with such delicious food comes a comparable price. A meal for one can be anywhere from $15 to $25 but their group meal prices are much more reasonable. When eating with a large party, Samdan has very fair prices and 5 star quality food. Being one of the few Turkish restaurants in the area, Samdan offers food variety that many people wouldnt have an opportunity to try otherwise. From Gyro to a Mesi Platter, Samdan provides quality food for a great price. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone! read more

What a treat to step into a restaurant with a white tablecloth on the table but you can still go to for an informal occasion. The food has always been delicious and my family has been coming here for 15+ years! Some things that you should get are the hummus, the Shepards salad with cheese, and the Samdam Combination mixed grill. If you're in the area, you should definitely check out this Mediterranean heaven! read more

We have been here numerous times and recently the service has significantly declined. This time they did not care about the allergy of a member of our group. We specified when we ordered and had to send back the appetizer and main course. Be careful. The waiter was not caring and did not acknowledge any issues. This was unpleasant. read more

Excellent dinner. We had the shrimp kebab and the salmon special; both were memorable, fresh, and perfectly prepared. Highly recommended.

Great place for a dinner party! Excellent food, staff and service! Very family oriented Turkish restaurant.

If you like Mediterranean food, you will like Samdan. A must is their shepherd's salad with extra cheese. A large will feed four adults. We usually order lots of appetizers instead of entrees so we can get a taste of different foods. Try the fried calamari, eggplant in tomato sauce, yogurt with walnuts. The pita bread here is the best I've tasted. It's probably a good idea to make a reservation. read more

Very nice restaurant run by nice people. We had several dishes including meat samplers.My only complaint is that the dishes were served with no sauces of any kind which made the meals unnecessarely dry. When I asked about a sauce I was told I would have to order an appetizer assortment to get that. That's fine but they should have suggested that beforehand. A great meal which could have been greatly enhanced by some nice dips. read more

I love Turkish, and I have been to quite a few different restaurants. I have to admit this was my favorite so far. Salads were tasty, meats were succulent, and service was friendly. A little bit pricier than your typical Turkish, but it shows in the ambiance and quality of the dishes. Will definitely be coming back. read more

Finally! An authentic Turkish restaurant that offers the popular dishes done right. As an old fan of the long-gone Seven Hills of Istanbul in Highland Park, I've tried nearly a dozen other restaurants up and down New Jersey since, with very little success and satisfaction. Apparently, it is that hard to have a good Turkish restaurant that doesn't close in on itself. On a recommendation of a mall salesperson with the same passion for Turkish food, she sent us here. Finally, our run of bad luck was over. The dishes were well-portioned and tasty, from the shepherd's salad to the kebabs. The desserts topped off the dinner perfectly. Luckily open this Thanksgiving night, it was nice and quiet. Our server was very accommodating and attentive, not much more you could ask for. We'll be definitely coming back again. read more

This is one of my favorite restaurants in Northern New Jersey. The menu has so many different selections, and I've probably tried them all by now. The food is authentic, and you can tell they go out of their way to ensure that the diners are satisfied. They have a prix fixe menu which is offered before 6 PM. On this, they have a large variety of appetizers and entrees along with either soup or salad, and a dessert. In many other restaurants, I've found that the portions are much smaller on the prix fixe as opposed to a' la carte. That's not the case here. You are served a good portion, quite comparable to the a 'la carte. It's a very good value. read more