Kitchen Istanbul

Tash House

Absolutely fantastic food and wine service. All of the dishes were perfectly seasoned and balanced. We especially loved the dips, borek, heirloom tomato salad, and moussaka. Will be recommending this gem to friends and returning asap!

Omer Sincer

Absolutely loved our dinner at Kitchen Istanbul SF! Every dish was beautifully presented and packed with incredible flavor. We started with the Levrek Marin and sautéed shrimp, both fresh and perfectly seasoned. The eggplant shakshuka was rich and comforting, and the Adana kebab had just the right amount of spice and smokiness. The service was warm, attentive, and made the whole evening feel extra special. To top it all off, we had the homemade profiterole — and wow, it was the perfect sweet ending. Delicious food, amazing presentation, and top-notch hospitality. Can’t wait to come back!

Raha Mehrkish

I had the pleasure of dining here with my family for my birthday dinner. We all shared the dishes that we ordered, and everything was absolutely delicious. No complaints from anyone. Each of the dishes were very tasty and had a beautiful presentation. The Moussaka was the number one favorite for all of us. A truly perfect dish. The dessert was a newer dessert that they recently added to their menu, and it was absolutely delightful. In addition to the phenomenal food, I really appreciated the great service and cleanliness of the restaurant. I definitely recommend this place for some stellar, high quality Turkish food.

Julio Gonzalez

Kitchen Istanbul is a perfect date night spot. I recommend getting early reservations because this place fills up QUICK. I scheduled our reservation day of for 6:30. We ran a little late and were luckily able to adjust our reservation by 15 min - just in time. Shortly after we sat down the entire restaurant filled up 😅. We were sat quickly and received excellent service. Our waiter had great recommendations and every dish was a hit after hit. What did we order / what should you order? (1) Muhammara roasted red pepper, walnuts, pomegranate molasses - this is a must have (2) Pistachio Salad farm greens, Valencia orange, fennel, candied pistachio - delicious (3) Adana lamb and beef blend, Fresno chile, homemade lavash, traditional accompaniments - so good, order 2 (4) Aegean Branzino preserved Meyer lemon, börülce piyaz, salsa verde, fresh herb salad - skippable. we weren't a fan of the cold beans and beats but the branzino was delicious Would I go again? Absolutely

Lily Thalheimer

- wine: one of the best (if not the best) wine programs in SF - service: so friendly, kind, and helpful - food: excellent, very veg and fish friendly if you want it to be. It’s so so good, and they change the menu up seasonally. We love their warm pita and dips, saksuka, and salads, usually get a fish dish or their short rib and most recently had the Adana kebabs which were a highlight (and I’m not a big meat eater)

Cinde Salazar

This place was absolutely amazing! Dined here for the first time with my girlfriend and we shared the following... Lentil Soup Roasted Cauliflower Arugula Salad Pan fried Shrimp with Shishito Peppers Salmon Kabobs Chocolate pot dé creme Kunefe Turkish Coffee Everything was wonderful, and the big standouts for me were...the arugula salad with Turkish apricots dusted sumac and a pomegranate glaze... the flavors were so unique and delicious! The pan fried shrimp had a little kick but was cooked perfectly and served with shishito peppers on the side in a chili oil. The salmon kebabs were so moist and again so flavorful...one of the better kabobs I've had in a very long time! I love this little neighborhood restaurant. They have a nice selection of wines, and the staff are super friendly and accommodating. Francesca was our server, and she was so pleasant! She was even mindful of our time when we mentioned that we were on our way to see a show in the neighborhood. I'll definitely be back!

Diana

Fantastic dinner!! Dishes are excellent! The menu is constantly updated. Braised beef with Smoked Eggplant Puree it was so tender it melted in mouth. Chicken in almond sauce was incredible. And of course Mega healthy lentil soup. Thank you so much!!!

We just spent an exceptional evening with friends as first time guests at Kitchen Istanbul. Wow, just wow. Our food was so delicious. My husband and our friend loved the 3 course wine tasting add on. My fresh fish was the best I have had anywhere in San Francisco. Our friends loved their moussaka and lamb kebabs. We started by sharing some excellent, flavorful mezze, and ended by sharing an amazing rice pudding to top off our evening. Emrah, the owner was so gracious, warm, and knowledgeable about wine, as was the entire staff. It was a perfect evening and we definitely plan on coming back. Highly recommend!

Absolutely fantastic meal and wine service. The dishes are creative yet rooted in tradition. The team was lovely and the owner was also there greeing tables and serving guests. I especially appreciated the half-pour option for the wine tasting since I was the driver. Book a reservation and plan a little time for parking in the neighborhood if you're driving.

wonderful set menu. absolutely a fun space to have gatherings. had a blast the other night for a 3 hours dinner! the short rib is a must-try!

We had the best dinner! Every dish we ordered was amazing. The dumplings and mussels were two that stand out. The somm was super helpful for picking an amazing bottle of wine. We told him our price point and what we like and he nailed it. Can’t wait to go back!!

Beth JS

We just spent an exceptional evening with friends as first time guests at Kitchen Istanbul. Wow, just wow. Our food was so delicious. My husband and our friend loved the 3 course wine tasting add on. My fresh fish was the best I have had anywhere in San Francisco. Our friends loved their moussaka and lamb kebabs. We started by sharing some excellent, flavorful mezze, and ended by sharing an amazing rice pudding to top off our evening. Emrah, the owner was so gracious, warm, and knowledgeable about wine, as was the entire staff. It was a perfect evening and we definitely plan on coming back. Highly recommend!

Maryam Ahmed

Absolutely fantastic meal and wine service. The dishes are creative yet rooted in tradition. The team was lovely and the owner was also there greeing tables and serving guests. I especially appreciated the half-pour option for the wine tasting since I was the driver. Book a reservation and plan a little time for parking in the neighborhood if you're driving.

Zohaib Patoli

Went there randomly for dinner last night. Didn’t look it up or plan it. Just saw it while driving and decided to stop in. Funny enough, I was talking about Turkey like an hour before. Glad I did. Had the Bodegas El Paraguas La Sombrilla with their Muhammara, Mani, Adana Kebap, and Chicken. The Muhammara was perfectly savory with just enough pomegranate tang to cut through it. The pita was fresh, fluffy, and unreal. The chicken melted in your mouth, full of flavor and perfectly moist. The Adana Kebap was packed with flavor in every bite. Definitely one of those random finds that ends up being a gem.

Ashley

We had the best dinner! Every dish we ordered was amazing. The dumplings and mussels were two that stand out. The somm was super helpful for picking an amazing bottle of wine. We told him our price point and what we like and he nailed it. Can’t wait to go back!!

A F

A great spot for dinner and a date night. reservations open up a month in advance - would suggest getting one. Servers were very friendly and attentive. Ours recommended 5-7 dishes for 2 people, I think 4 would have been enough for us plus dessert, but really fresh good flavors and liked trying all the dishes.

Istanbul Kitchen was an overall great experience. The wine pairing was spot on, the hummus was amazing, and the eggplant dish was packed with flavor. We really enjoyed the service and the convenient location. That said, a couple of areas could be improved. The sound level was very high, making it difficult to hear my partner during dinner. Also, the charred kebabs wrapped in pita ($30) were a miss—the heavy smoke flavoring was overwhelming and took away from the dish. Still, the highlights of the meal stood out, and with a few adjustments this could easily become a top dining spot. Service was top level,

Awesome appetizers! Hummus is thick and flavorful, pita bread was so fresh and steaming. Appetizers definitely beat entrees. Great selection of wine as well. While this place does cary Turkish flavors it is California influenced, and I like that a lot.

The service is great here. The staff is very friendly and attentive. The food was generally pretty good. Definitely highlights were the spread, the feta cheese cigars and the kunefe. The meatballs were tasty but a bit firm. While overall the food was fine, the portions were definitely on the small side. The moussaka was listed as an Entrée but the size is what you would expect as an appetizer. If I ordered that as my Entrée I would not have been full. In general even the apps weren't particularly big. So ends up being quite pricey for the amount of food you get. Had a good experience here and food was tasty but for me it was a bit overpriced for the amount of food.

I especially liked the moussaka! It was super tasty! The service is good except they close kind of early. Maybe cause I was there on a Wednesday. By 9:30, they were already wrapping up for the night. I wouldn't mind get another drink or two with my friend. Overall, good experience.

Been wanting to try this place for a while. A solid meal, the paçanga borek was the best dish by far. Solid service nice atmosphere.

Solomon Zoubi

Istanbul Kitchen was an overall great experience. The wine pairing was spot on, the hummus was amazing, and the eggplant dish was packed with flavor. We really enjoyed the service and the convenient location. That said, a couple of areas could be improved. The sound level was very high, making it difficult to hear my partner during dinner. Also, the charred kebabs wrapped in pita ($30) were a miss—the heavy smoke flavoring was overwhelming and took away from the dish. Still, the highlights of the meal stood out, and with a few adjustments this could easily become a top dining spot. Service was top level,

Larry R

Awesome appetizers! Hummus is thick and flavorful, pita bread was so fresh and steaming. Appetizers definitely beat entrees. Great selection of wine as well. While this place does cary Turkish flavors it is California influenced, and I like that a lot.

Derrick Pang

The service is great here. The staff is very friendly and attentive. The food was generally pretty good. Definitely highlights were the spread, the feta cheese cigars and the kunefe. The meatballs were tasty but a bit firm. While overall the food was fine, the portions were definitely on the small side. The moussaka was listed as an Entrée but the size is what you would expect as an appetizer. If I ordered that as my Entrée I would not have been full. In general even the apps weren't particularly big. So ends up being quite pricey for the amount of food you get. Had a good experience here and food was tasty but for me it was a bit overpriced for the amount of food.

Linda Grigorik

I especially liked the moussaka! It was super tasty! The service is good except they close kind of early. Maybe cause I was there on a Wednesday. By 9:30, they were already wrapping up for the night. I wouldn't mind get another drink or two with my friend. Overall, good experience.

AJM

Been wanting to try this place for a while. A solid meal, the paçanga borek was the best dish by far. Solid service nice atmosphere.

Follow me on Instagram for more reviews! @hopeless_ramen_tic 📍 Kitchen Istanbul - San Francisco, CA ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Food: **Hummus** - Just okay, I’ve had better versions elsewhere. - Wouldn’t order this again. **Muhammara** - First time trying this and it was a hit! - Absolutely addictive; we didn’t leave a single bite. **Haydari** - Average, nothing special. - It’s pretty much Greek yogurt with a hint of dill. **Moussaka** - It was alright but lacked the wow factor. - Could have been more flavorful, especially for the price. **Adana Kebabs** - The highlight of our meal! - Perfectly seasoned meat paired wonderfully with fresh onions. **Knafeh** - Crispy and nutty! - Delicious but I’ve had better in Philly. I dined here with my boyfriend and a friend. The meal was a mixed bag—some dishes were delicious while others fell flat. The pricing was steep; the least expensive wine was $21 per glass! We ordered three dips for three people and received only four small pitas, with an extra charge of $4 for four more, which seemed excessive. This experience, especially the issue with the pita, was disappointing and makes me hesitant to return. Date Visited: 8/3/2024

Michelle Curreri

Follow me on Instagram for more reviews! @hopeless_ramen_tic 📍 Kitchen Istanbul - San Francisco, CA ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Food: **Hummus** - Just okay, I’ve had better versions elsewhere. - Wouldn’t order this again. **Muhammara** - First time trying this and it was a hit! - Absolutely addictive; we didn’t leave a single bite. **Haydari** - Average, nothing special. - It’s pretty much Greek yogurt with a hint of dill. **Moussaka** - It was alright but lacked the wow factor. - Could have been more flavorful, especially for the price. **Adana Kebabs** - The highlight of our meal! - Perfectly seasoned meat paired wonderfully with fresh onions. **Knafeh** - Crispy and nutty! - Delicious but I’ve had better in Philly. I dined here with my boyfriend and a friend. The meal was a mixed bag—some dishes were delicious while others fell flat. The pricing was steep; the least expensive wine was $21 per glass! We ordered three dips for three people and received only four small pitas, with an extra charge of $4 for four more, which seemed excessive. This experience, especially the issue with the pita, was disappointing and makes me hesitant to return. Date Visited: 8/3/2024

We visited as a party of 4 and, unfortunately, left feeling quite disappointed. Despite spending $200—which only included one glass of wine and two non-alcoholic beers—the portions were so small that we actually had to go to a nearby bar immediately after just to get a real meal. While the atmosphere was nice, the value for the price just isn't there. We expected to be fed, not just sampled.

I was really disappointed with this place. The portions were extremely small — honestly more like tasting samples than a real meal. For the price they charge, I expected much more food and better value. The food itself wasn’t bad, but it’s hard to enjoy when you leave still hungry and feeling overcharged. Definitely not worth the money. I wouldn’t come back or recommend it unless portion sizes and pricing improve.