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Cafe Istanbul
Category: Restaurants Mediterranean Mediterranean [Edit]
4200 Wade Green Rd NWKennesaw, GA 30144
(770) 424-4856
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
12 reviews for Cafe Istanbul
12 reviews in English
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Review from Shannon S.
Atlanta, GA
2/21/2012
I'm very impressed! Great service, great food...and best yet, GREAT drink! Given the drinks and the location...I don't think I'll ever go to Imperial Fez again!
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Review from Sara A.
Stomach: "Oh Hell Yeah! Give me MORE!"
I have had Turkish food many times and I have to say that Cafe Istanbul serves it up right. From start to finish everything we ordered was cooked perfectly and very flavorful.
We shared an order of Hummus and Lavash bread as an appetizer. The bread lightly coated with oil and spices. Delicious!
I ordered the Lamb Iskender and my husband ordered the Lamb Adana Kebab for our entrees. The Lamb Iskender is thin slices of lamb in a light tomato sauce with yogurt, served atop a bed of lavash bread cubes. The lamb was cooked perfectly - lightly char-grilled, and tasted fresh. At other restaurants the dish is served with plain yogurt, but at Cafe Istanbul is was flavored with what tasted like garlic and maybe a little lemon juice...Wow! I ordered a side of Basmati Rice, which was light, fluffy, and the perfect compliment to my entree. My husband's Lamb Adana Kebab was also char-grilled and had very good flavor. His entree was served with rice and red peppers.
The portions on both entrees were large and I had enough for lunch today. The cost seemed a bit high for the location, count on $20 per person, but the food and service proved worth it. Our server was very attentive without being intrusive.
There are murals painted throughout and you have your choice of sitting on the floor with cushions or at traditional tables. There is a decent sized dance floor and full bar as well and I will be coming back on the weekend to see the action. I hope that Cafe Istanbul catches on because when we walked in there were only a few tables seated during prime dinner time. If you are looking for excellent service, a unique atmosphere, and quality Turkish food I highly recommend Cafe Istanbul!
UPDATE 3/31/12: Went there tonight and was disappointed with the atmosphere and the food. I expected music and a belly dancer on weekends but the music was SOOOOO LOUD I had to scream just to try to have a conversation. Seriously, it was night club loud and no one was even dancing - it was complete overkill. Also, the flavored yogurt which differentiated Cafe Istanbul's Lamb Iskender in the past had disappeared and I was served a plop of plain yogurt - it sounds like a small thing, but it really impacted the overall flavor of the dish. I don't know if they have a different cook on the weekends, but I was very disappointed during this visit. I will be back because of my past experiences, and hope that Cafe Instabul delivers the excellent cuisine that I have come to expect from them.Listed in: These Are A Few Of My Favorite…, Little Gold Stars
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Review from DeeAnn S.
Kennesaw, GA
3/17/2012
Food is good but pricey. The drinks are good but some get pricey too. Love the ambiance and the belly dancers!!
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Review from Erica M.
Smyrna, GA
10/23/2011
(Phone) Ring, ring, ring...
My Turkish- American Girlfriend: "Hey girl wanna go out?!?!?"
Me: Absolutely!!!
My Turkish- American Girlfriend: "Ok fabulous, meet me at 4200 Wade Green Rd NW Kennesaw, Ga 30144, Cafe Istanbul 2 at 7p"
Me: Yooouuu Gooottttt It!!!
@ arrival:
Pier 1 Imports would be jealous. I adore the Mediterranean feng shui of Cafe Istanbul. Drapes, Pillows, Various Colors, and delicious aromas rich enough to feed the heart, stomach and soul. Dining on the floor was a pleasure, totally something I was eager to try! I planted my back against the wall and ordered a succulent peach martini. Strong, chilled, and sweet! Definitely tipsy by the time I finished one.
Waitress: "Would you like another?"
ME: "Yes, indeed!"
We started the evening with an appetizer (baba ganoush) an entree which includes six dips (eggplant, hummus and more...)along with toasted pita. Amazingly FRESH! I ordered the lamb, long grain rice and greek salad as my entree. My son had the mozzarella, feta (w/ homemade sauce) pizza. Score: 10! i was VERY pleased.
Pricing is a tad bit high for these foods. I was waiting for complimentary HOOKAH! With children in our party I would have declined but with entrees at $18 each something was definitely missing! Nevertheless, I was definitely comfortable, engaged and having an awesome time. There weren't any belly dancers on this evening. The owner did however turn up the jams allowing everyone to hit the dance floor by 9/10ish!
By the time my drinks and meal were consumed, I hit the dance floor too! I wanted to grind my hips and feel the intoxication of my liquor. My meal had kicked in... I felt full of culture, energy and life! The ambiance mixed with all of the beautiful vibrant colors sent me into a trance! I had such a wonderful time! One more dance, I promised myself ... then I am outta here! #funtimes
Exiting Cafe Istanbul you are on a high. You take a breath of fresh air and you feel intoxicated with excitement and fulfillment. I LOOOVEEEE CULTURAL DINING...
Cafe Istanbul certainly served up a flavorful tantalizing experience.
GO seek and shall find the same... Enjoy your time!
#F.O.
-E -
Review from Madeline M.
Boston, MA
8/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
Food: 4
Bread was not warm, food was tasty but also a little cold.
Service : 3
Waitress was ok, a bit slow and not very attentive.
Ambience: 5
Awesome!!! The belly dancer was great, loved the floor seating and decor was nice. Loved that they had hookahs too. Maybe next time. -
Review from Stephanie F.
Kennesaw, GA
6/12/2011
We enjoyed our experience at Cafe Istanbul. The wait staff are dressed in Turkish attire and the restaurant has a night club vibe. They have a section where you can sit on the floor and eat and a traditional restaurant section for those uncomfortable with sitting on the floor. I imagine this place could get busy so I recommend making reservations or calling ahead since the seating in the non-floor area appeared to be limited.
We had hummus and baba ganoush as appetizers and both were very good. We also had the lentil soup and it was tasty. For entrees, my husband had a shish kabob and I had a dish that I can't remember the name of (tiny pieces of dough with lamb inside). The shish kabob was flavorful and and the lamb was tender. My entree was unique and flavorful. I did feel like it should have been served with something (rice maybe) since I kind of got bored with the same textures and flavors in every spoonful.
The negative aspects of our experience were the horrible sound system in the place. About once an hour, they have a belly dancer perform and the music is then turned up incredibly and uncomfortably loud. We could hear crackling in the speakers. I think the authentic vibe they were shooting for could be accomplished without making it painfully loud inside. We were relieved when they turned the music down.
All in all, we would return to the restaurant and would like to try other items on the menu. It would be a fun place to have a group dinner due to the fun and unusual atmosphere. -
Review from Angela P.
Acworth, GA
8/18/2011
We ate here for the first time tonight and loved it! They have a couple of seating options: floor or table/booth. We chose the floor seating against the far wall because you sit on a cushion and lean back onto cushions. It's very comfortable and relaxing. Our waiter was Faharid (I hope I spelled his name right!) and he was so friendly and attentive.
For our appetizer we ordered the "feta cigars." YUM. My husband had the manti (little lamb dumplings drizzled with a red sauce and a yogurt sauce) and it was delicious. I had the kofte (meatballs) which were served with a generous portion of rice, a Greek style salad, and grilled tomatoes. Also delicious. We will definitely be going back soon! -
Review from Kristin S.
Western Springs, IL
12/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
Yum Yum. Had the sampler platters... it was great. Good pita. Excellent baklava. Loved the tables/pillows you sit at. Would come again.
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Review from Rick M.
6/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
Traveling from Atlanta to Chatanoga decided to stop here for something different. They were very friendly and food was good.
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Review from Chuck C.
Kennesaw, GA
10/20/2011
This place is awesome, decorated very nice, very spacious, food is very good. Been here twice, last time my wife and I brought a couple friends and our server recommended that he just bring us plates of random stuff and share it, and we enjoyed every bit of it, I like how I can lay down next to the table after I've eaten and enjoy a tasty hookah.. Weekends they are open late and have a DJ playing music that is appropriate for the surrounding ...Belly dancers are beautiful and talented here..
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Review from Tommy W.
Smyrna, GA
8/15/2011
Tried to eat here for lunch, but the door was close? But finally get to try it for dinner and it was a surprise. It was a Saturday, they were busy and it was an unique experience for me to be sitting on the floor and got very close to the tables next to us. Importantly, the service is good and the appetizer and the beef dish I got were very tasty. I love the bread (similar to naan) that they serve, and I got to say the rice is flavorful. I will surely visit again.
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Review from Daniel G.
Hiram, GA
8/22/2011
Went here for dinner and was pleasantly surprised. Being in Kennesaw, I was expecting a run of the mill looking restaurant with ok food. What I found was an out of the ordinary and pleasant atmosphere and great food. In the majority of the dining area you sit on cushions on the floor but they do have a row of regular tables and chairs. The belly dancer was impressive but the music that accompanied her was a little too loud. My companions and I had to lean almost all the way toward each other and yell to talk. Overall a great experience with great food.
