Ask for Tanja to be your server. She was awesome!!! We were excited to try Ugly Restaurant, as we love Turkish food. These folks did not disappoint. Tanja brought us some pita bread and carrot salad to start. That was complementary. We had a couple of cocktails from the bar, which were very good. We next had the Cigar Borek, which were little cheese rolls with a spicy tomato dip that was outstanding! We then ordered the beef doner wrap, which was just delicious! The beef they use for this is really tender and delicious. We cannot wait to return to this lovely Ugly Restaurant. :) read more

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When I see Yelp ratings of 4 1/2 stars on over 80 reviews, my expectations are high. This one let me down for sure. One of the reasons I love Mediterranean food is its use of spices and infused flavors. A complimentary carrot salad mixed with yogurt was served with warm pita bread. This was not good, frankly, and was the start of what would end up being an underwhelming experience. I ordered the mixed sampler platter for an appetizer. The only thing worth eating was the falafel and the cigar borek (fried breaded cheese). My entrée was the chicken shish kabobs that were accompanied by rice, a small chargrilled tomato, a chargrilled pepper and an onion salad. The chicken lack any kind of seasoning. Even salt would've help. This was probably the most bland Mediterranean food I've ever experienced. The presentation was grade A but the lack of flavor resulted in a Grade C. Even the baklava was bland. For $60 (including tip) I could've had a much more fulfilling meal. read more

Ugly Restaurant and Bar - Chicken Shish Kabob - Turkish Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

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This is a Turkish place set away in a strip mall that you would drive by and not notice if you weren't looking for it. The food is very, very, very good and interesting and different than anything I've ever tried before. The staff are amazing and it is very clean! read more

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It's a great place to take people to eat good food, but it's not a date place because there are a lot of tv's. Server was great and was very passionate about the Adana Kabob and he was right. It was delicious! The tomato and onion salad (with sumac I think) was excellent and so were the grilled veggies. With also enjoyed the cigar borek for an appetizer. The spicy sauce has nice heat. We're from out of town, but we'd definitely go back again. read more

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We really enjoyed this restaurant. The complimentary carrot salad was interesting. My husband enjoyed his Doner wrap. The sampler appetizer was a great way to try several staple dishes. The falafel was fabulous. The cigar borek was good. The hummus was bitter--a little smoked paprika and salt would go a long way. The Kibbeh was very good and 3 of the 4 were cooked well... but the last one was burned. Overall this was good food and I'd come back again! read more

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Food was delicious. Plenty of dishes to try. Server was super nice. Ambiance is pretty casual.

It was good, not great. Refreshing to have something other than franchise burger and fries; flavor was good, but the portions were small and I had hardly any meat in my Beef Doner. It was wrapped in what tasted like a grocery store tortilla. The carrot slaw was nice. I know it's hard making money as a new restaurant in this economy, but it's also hard paying $16 for simple wrap and walking away hungry. Even adding a side of rice or pilaf would have helped. Ambience was great! Super clean. Great customer service. Easy parking. Good location. If you want something out of the ordinary then this is a great place to try. This post hopefully helps you set your expectations. read more

I do recommend this restaurant. We were greeted by a lady in the front area, it was later in the evening, so the restaurant was close to closing. It was quiet and clean at that time. Had a craving for a burger, I saw it on the menu and I asked the lady if she would recommend it. She said it was her top three. And so I ordered the burger. It was delicious. The patty was thick and juicy, and all the toppings made it a perfect bite. Perhaps we will go and try some other foods, I do recommend, they do have great reviews. read more

First time to Springfield IL in the past 5 years. Found this place searching to dinner. I lived in Turkey (Izmir) in 1982-1985 in high school while my dad was a linguist at NATO. This is the best place I have eaten authentic Turkish food. Top 3 1st: Tulips (Milwaukee, WI-went out of business during COVId) 2nd: Anatalya (Nashville, TN) Moving these 2 down and moving Ugly Restaurant and Bar Turkish Grill to 1st !!!!! I will be back. Made my day. 5 out of 5 stars rating !!!!! çok teşekkür ederim John read more

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Stopped on our way traveling south. Having been to Turkey a number of times, we were eager to have Turkish food. Ugly did not disappoint. The food is authentic and portions generous. My husband had the manti which was delicious! I had a felafel wrap. I could only eat 1/2. My felafel came with a very good tomato and onion side salad. When we sat down a salad of carrots and? Along with pita bread was delivered. We're so glad we went out of our way to eat at ugly Bar and grill. Our server from Adana Turkey was attentive and pleasant. We would definitely revisit if in the area. read more

I can see they're trying, the flavors were good, but $50 is absolutely outrageous for a mixed grill plate of food I can get for 15-20 in any big city with more meat and similar quality. I'm not sure what the owners are thinking, I root for new restaurants with new cultural flavors being exposed in Springfield but those prices will sink you. Best of luck read more

Ugly Restaurant and Bar - Mixed grill for "2" - Turkish Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

A surprising find in Springfield. The food was quite good and very affordable and the service was quite adequate. My only drawbacks were that it was very cold inside with vents blowing hard directly on us and it was a little dark inside, but I would definitely return if I were in town again. read more

This is a newly opened restaurant in town. Glad to give it a try in its first month! I ordered Cigar borek and beef guvec. Food was quite delicious. The Cigar borek was stuffed with a generous amount of Turkish white cheese. The guvec dish was even better. It was basically small beef chunks cooked in tomato sauce, with onions tomatoes and mushrooms. The beef was tender and the sauce was very thick and fresh--u can even see smashed tomato inside! It was served with some pita, rice pilaf and a side onion salad, so the portion size was HUGE! The restaurant was so new that there are still places not open now, seems like there will be a gaming place in the future. Service was okay but not very good. My waitress forgot to give me the side salad at first, and I did not know why but she was surprised that I did not want to have a to-go box, which made me a bit awkward. However as it is still new I give 5 stars hoping the business can grow and improve read more

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The food was so good. We were there for lunch and their lunch menu was not expensive with lots of choices, and big portions. We also were given a complimentary appetizer of carrot salad and warm naan bread. Excellent service and kind people. Would definitely return read more

Well the Title says Ugly but there's nothing ugly about it! This restaurant and bar is bringing alternative dining to Springfield. Springfield has been known for its hamburgers, horse shoes, hot dogs and steaks but with places like this...grown ups can dine out and feel like they've taken a vacation across the ocean. This experience was an unexpected one. While I've seen the Ugly Restaurant and Grill in my Google searches recently, I hadn't actually seen it and I couldn't visualize the location. But it's in the same strip mall with Jersey Mike's and Small Cakes. We walked in to a very modern setting that I'd describe as casual elegance. The environment is fairly quiet even though there are multiple TVs on the walls. The sign said seat yourself so we did though we were greeted right away. Upon being seated we were brought a carrot salad and sliced pita bread to go with. For lunch, we ordered the Turkish fries and a couple of items from the kids menu so that we could sample different options. The Doner came with a red onion salad that was absolutely delicious. The wrap itself was served warm and included the meat, lettuce tomato and pickles, with tomato based sauce. The pilaf was warm and quite a sizable portion for a kids order, a mildly seasoned mix of rice, chicken and chick peas. We'll this was a first but we will definitely be back to explore the spicy side of things. I tell you this the food and the service are equally well served. Thanks to the team at the Ugly Restaurant and Grill, a Turkish Grill. read more

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Delicious food! The Beef Guvec was fantastic! What a great mix of flavors that complement each other so well! The Iskender Doner was also very tasty! Our server was very attentive and friendly. A must try in Springfield! read more

Very interesting restaurant, the ambiance was fine but they were still in the middle of construction and the location is not very large. The cuisine was outstanding, some of the best pita I've had and the hummus was outstanding. Honestly, I ate too much hummus to fully enjoy my main meal - I was beyond full. My wife and friend enjoyed their meals and both said they would come back to try other dishes. The service was great, no complaints there and for a first time experience in a newly opened restaurant I really can't complain! read more

Ugly Restaurant and Bar - Turkish Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

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This is a Springfield hidden gem. The food was delicious. We didnt leave anything behind. We couldnt tell out of the 4 meats which one was the favorite Staff were extremely helpful and make the experience even better. The restaurant wasnt too busy. A plus is the beer is only $4 and they have a nice wine selection as well. read more

Ugly Restaurant and Bar - Mix grill for 2 - Turkish Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

Lamb was great and so was the carrot appetizer with pita bread My husband ordered burger and fries, good portion.

I must admit we were hesitant to visit this place. The name is, and I do not mean to offend, quite odd at least to someone who grew up in Central Illinois. Likewise, I have not had Turkish food. To summarize our experience in one word I would say impressive. The food was flavorful, well presented, and just plain good. The people were even better than the food. They were patient with us and helped us to order things we would like, and they were right. I was glad we went when there were six of us and we ordered things in such a way that it was easy to share. I hope more people overcome their internal thoughts like the ones I had and give this a place a try as I think you'll like it. We now order it to-go when family is in town because it's a great way to share good food and new experiences! read more

We had not discovered this place until a friend commented about eating here and so glad she did! The food is great, service terrific and priced reasonably. We enjoyed splitting two appetizers and an entree. Had lots to eat and some leftovers for later. Definitely recommend. Give it a try! read more

My family and I went to the restaurant yesterday, and it was amazing! Not only was the food tasty and well-portioned, but the mimosas were dreamy and not too sweet. I also have two kids, one of them picky and one with food allergies, and the owner did a brilliant job of recommending items for them. For the first time, I had Turkish delight with my Turkish coffee, both wonderful. We will definitely be frequenting this restaurant when we visit, and I am going to tell my Union to have breakfast there. One more thing, the owner is a phenomenal host. I enjoyed talking to him. Great service, great food, affordable prices. I would give this place ten stars if I could. read more

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Stopped in to support this small business and try some raved about food. All was great!! The server was friendly & knowledgeable, the dishes were fantastic and the portions were generous. Great experience in a welcoming atmosphere, I'll be back again! read more

I am a huge fan of Turkish food, and was extremely disappointed with food we received. The falafel wrap was wrapped in a mission tortilla (yuck!), the falafel was dry, and the toppings were very skimpy I also ordered the babaganush, which was tasteless, and served with store-bought naan bRead from Sam's (i saw the bag on the counter. It would have been nice to at leastt be served with proper pita. Homemade pita is the key to good falafel. Also, I don't think there was even any tahini sauce on it. The menu is sad. It doesn't even have stuffed grape leaves. In sumMary, the food is very poor quality, and I will not be returning read more

Excellent! The inside reminds one of being in Chipotle, but the tables are clean, menus, and wait staff. This is not a stand-in-line operation. Having lived in Germany, I have missed the ever popular Döner Kebab. They have them and without reservation, did not disappoint! (they spell it Doner). They are on the pricey side, but my other two guests were pleased with their choices and made no complaint. I'll go back. read more

A friend told me about this place, and said it was very good. I ordered the lamb chops and it did not disappoint. The Turkish coffee was wonderful; I appreciated the beautiful cup & saucer. Everyone there was super friendly and glad to educate me about food, language and customs. I had a lovely time! read more

Ugly Restaurant and Bar - Lamb chops, pickled onion, rice, doner, Turkish coffee - Turkish Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

We stopped on a whim, just sick of the same old choices. My wife and I each ordered a kabob and according to some of the lower ratings we expected to leave hungry. This was not the case, we were stuffed and took the equivalent of another meal home. The meat was cooked perfectly and was full of flavor. Pricing was good considering the quality and quantity of the food. This was a nice surprise and we will be back! read more

Food was flavorful, unique. A great addition to the Springfield food scene. Everyone enjoyed their meals. Service was great too. Nice atmosphere. read more

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By far the best Turkish food I've had outside of Turkey!! Everything was so fresh and made to perfection. We tried the iskender Döner and Mantı. Both were out of this world. Very courteous and prompt service. The ambience was just right, well air conditioned and authentic Turkish pop music in the background. Everything and everywhere was so clean and well kept. All good and ingredients were fresh and it was obvious no expenses were spared. I was visiting Springfield and wish we had a Turkish restaurant like this in my City. What a blessing for Springfield, IL. read more

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Good food for take out. The steak was well cooked and tender. Definitely worth giving a try

Ekmek and Hummus was perfect with turkish tea. Service was impeccable. I had flash back Adana cafes from my youth.

Absolutely amazing food! The staff is truly wonderful and so nice. I will definitely be eating here more often!

Ugly this place is NOT! Here's the only question I have about this fabulous establishment: Why. The heck. Are the lines not OUT THE DOOR? The food is... COMPLETELY. UNIFORMLY. ALWAYS fantastic. I cannot gush enough about the Guvec, beef and chicken. One's a little spicy one's a little less so; I never remember which is which but just ask the phenomenal waitress there and you CANNOT go wrong with either. The kebabs too are juicy and flavorful. The owners are kind and the restaurant has comfortable seating and you can literally park right in front and stroll in. The bread you get at the beginning and the little dip is FANTASTIC. I was in town from New York/New Jersey for just a couple of days and having eaten here once I made a point of coming back: gotta get both Guvecs. And the lamb chops!! If I lived anywhere nearby I would eat here a MINIMUM of twice a week. Everything ordered from there was majorly well-made, delicious and worth any penny that you spend. This is by far and away the BEST food in the area and the lovely person that we had - I cannot believe I'm blanking on her name - as a wait person was just sweet as sugar and charming. Seriously. Give. This. Place. A try! This is NOT an "okay" restaurant: it is DESTINATION DELICIOUS. read more

Atmosphere, service and food were all great. One star off for only for price compared to portion size. Still a good experience. read more

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Food is so delicious here and great service! Will definitely make a point to come back whenever I am in Springfield.

Food is so good!! Glad to have some variety of food in Springfield that isn't cheese fries. They have a carrot salad with flatbread they bring out before the meal and I'm obsessed. I recreated it at home and make it all the time. Service is good and friendly. Their meat is always super juicy and tender. Can't wait to go back again! read more

The food is AMAZING and the service was friendly and efficient. I had the lamb which was delicious.

Very fresh and healthy food! Our server was very friendly and helpful in explaining the menu. 4.5 stars

Great food and awesome service. It's right across the road, so we'll definitely be back soon!

As soon as you walk in the delicious aroma hits you and you can hardly wait to order. The ambiance is a warm faux wood that is very welcoming. The servers will provide recommendations if needed. Bring a big appetite as they serve you plenty of delicious food! read more