BISHOP INN
102 N Main St, Spencer, NY, 14883
BISHOP INN Menu
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Address :
102 N Main St
Spencer, NY, 14883 - Phone (607) 589-4100
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Emily M.
Taksim, you're fired. The new management at Taksim changed the recipes. The last three times I've ordered the food has been consistently disgusting, so we are done ordering from there for good. The iskander kebab is shaved lamb on top of cubed bread topped with canned tomato paste. NO seasoning, NO spice, NO flavor. Tonight, it was also cold in the middle. The moussaka took the cake tonight as the most offensive excuse for Turkish food I have ever seen. There was NO meat and NO tomatoes. Just plane brown smashed eggplant soaked in oil served alongside plane white rice. Absolutely no seasoning whatsoever. I happen to like smashed eggplant, and with a good deal of salt, it was edible, but it was NOT moussaka. As a loyal customer of Taksim for years, I had ordered these dishes many times before, but the last three times, I have received this dreck instead of their previously delicious dishes. Taksim used to have freshly made Turkish food. They even used to display their daily creations in the restaurant in butcher's case. They removed that butcher's case, probably around the time they stopped making fresh food because they no longer had anything to display. Taksim has proven that they are down for the count unless they can go back to their original recipes. Until then, they are dead to us. All hail Sip Sak.
(1)Krupa A.
I was staying at the Waldorf Astoria for the night and wanted to find some middle eastern food so found this using the yelp app. The tzatziki and homemade bread were the real winners. The falafel was meh, and I wish they served it with a salad instead of fries. There are better places on 9th ave for ethnic food in midtown.
(3)Steve E.
Pretty mediocre place in midtown. Came here right after rushing to the post office to drop off tax returns on tax day. It was pretty empty and tried a couple of different dishes (hummus and falafel) and wasn't very impressed. The service was pretty slow also. We asked for bread and water and it took 20 minutes for it to come out. It appeared that the waitress was either very forgetful, or very slow.
(2)Eric G.
When I studied abroad in Florence, one of the only after-hours foods we could get were Doner kebabs. I think it's safe to say I became pretty addicted. Ever since I came back to the states, I've been on the hunt for these damn things and it's almost impossible to find. I must say though, Taksim's Doner sandwich was the closest thing to what I ate in Italy. I wouldn't say it was as good, but it definitely wasn't disappointing. I really enjoyed it. I'd definitely like to venture away from the Doner sandwich and try some other things on Taksim's menu, as it all sounds really good and I'd like to try more Turkish food. I definitely wanna go back and dine-in as opposed to getting takeout next time.
(4)Mike S.
The food is delightful. I prefer the more traditional dishes, i.e., things your Turkish grandmother would be making you. Service during lunch and weekends tends to be good; however, I did notice some new staff members who are not up to par with what I'm used to. It would be nice to see the familiar faces again and experience their attention to service again. I do recommend this place. You may want to make a reservation as many people in the neighborhood go.
(4)Paul B.
My wife and I have eaten at Taksim many times, however, following what happened this weekend, we will not be returning... Plain and simple, I ordered the chicken adana sandwich (for $11), to go. On the menu, the sandwich comes with fries. The waitress then tells us after ordering, that when you get it to go, it does not come with anything. The price should be less, right? WRONG! They still charge the same $11 for eat-in or delivery, except that when you get it to go, they don't include anything but your overpriced $11 sandwich. Does this make sense to anyone out there???
(1)Edie R.
Terrific restaurant in upper midtown. Nice wait staff, reasonable prices. The ambiance is very warm and comfortable without feeling crowded. The Lamb Stew was really good as well as the kabobs. The bread that comes with the meal was a combo of cake and pretzel, very tasty. Total with tip for 3 was $70 including 2 beers.
(4)Eppy C.
Ordered for delivery as I read other reviews about the homemade bread. I asked for extra "Turkish bread" with my hummus and was given 4 in total at no extra charge. Unfortunately, as another reviewer complained, they delivered our Zucchini cakes without the promised yogurt sauce, leaving them virtually inedible. The hummus wasn't impressive. The only highlight was the Elephant Beans, which were decent but still needed a little something more to make them truly delicious. Probably won't order again, even though the girl on the phone was nice.
(2)Daniel C.
Food's pretty good. No ambiance. My wife and I got the meze platter and the chicken kabobs. Both are solid.
(3)Karen C.
I really enjoyed this place when I dined in - but when I recently got take out I was completely underwhelmed. I also noticed they no longer seem to have falafel on the menu? I remember liking it when I dined in, but as I said, I don't see it on the menu anymore. The salad prices are a little steep, and if you want protein or extra feta cheese, it will cost you...+$5 and +$3, respectively. And the salads are $9-$13 to begin with. Greek salad for take out was completely boring - yes, it had all the right stuff, but it just wasn't that tasty or exciting to me. I felt completely unsatisfied when I finished my dinner and was $25 poorer too, mind you (the boyfriend had a salad as well) I don't think I'll be back. The quest for a good Greek salad in Midtown East continues...
(2)Jen C.
This used to be one of my go to spots for lunch. Excellent dishes and fresh food--greek salad and lamb stew were the best. Recent reviewers mentioned that management changed. I got take out this past week and unfortunately those reviews seem to be true. The quality of the food seems to have gone downhill; food was not fresh and I couldn't even finish my favorite greek salad. Grape leaves were under-cooked; salad items were stale. It was so bad that I don't think I'll give them another try in case they just had an off day.
(2)Katie K.
I was just here again the other day, and I was reminded how damn impressed I am with Egzi, the complete and utter GEM of a waitress who remembered me after she had only served me once, SEVERAL weeks prior, remembered that I had ordered tea that first time she served me, and that I couldn't have wheat. She goes out of her way every time I come in to make sure the other staff knows that I am gluten intolerant, and I never have to say one single thing about it. It's so lovely to feel taken care of like that! I have a feeling that I'm not the only one who is treated so well, as there are many regular customers here. I also have to add a PS to other gluten-intolerant peeps out there: Egzi took the initiative on her own to find out that the puddings have a little bit of wheat in them to thicken them, so those are now on my no-no list. Too bad :-( Still, I wanted to raise the stars from my review below to all five...this is one of my favorite places to go in the neighborhood because the food is consistently good, and the service rocks.
(5)Satish P.
Nice decent place. Seating was little congested thought. Had chicken adana.
(4)Monica C.
Avoid!!! The service is extremely bad, and the food is not tasty. The lamb is over cook and there's no HOT SAUCE!!!??? I've had much better Turkish food in other place!
(1)Stephen C.
Best thing about this meal for two, "it cost less than a hundred bucks." And why is that a good thing, "the food was really good and the Turkish wine we chose even better. Staff was friendly and I even ordered dessert (which I almost never order dessert). Nice spot to walk into when walking home at the end of the day.
(4)Vanessa V.
There is better Turkish food in the area... pretty much everything we ordered was meh. The falafel was wrapped in a tortilla (weird) but otherwise probably the highlight. The zucchini pancakes were soggy and didn't come with promised cacik which left them bland and one-note. The hummus was ok but the focaccia-like bread was too dense. Delivery took almost an hour which explains why everything was lukewarm and soggy. Won't be ordering again. Back to Sip Sak...
(2)Sean Matthew L.
Walked past this Turkish place for the week or two we've been here and finally decided to drop in. The service was really friendly and fast. We ordered two sandwiches from them, a Falafel and a Lamb Adana which both come with a sliced pickle and steak fries. The fries where a nice thick cut and crunchy, which I enjoyed a lot. They offer two different sauces with their food, something closer to a marinara and something close to a ranch. The sauces are great on, well, everything. The bread they offer, the fries, the sandwiches, everything.
(4)Lauren L.
My Friends and I had a such a delicious food experience at Taksim. One friend is a vegan, I'm a vegetarian and the other is a meat eater but we were all able to agree on the dishes we wanted. We thought it would be a good idea to just get a bunch of appetizers and have a little taste of everything. We ordered the meze platters (which by the way isn't on the physical menu in the restaurant but is shown on menupages and their online menu, so don't hesitate to ask). We also ordered the falafel and zucchini pancakes. The meze platter consisted of: hummus, eggplant salad, cacik, tabuli, ezme, grape leaves The hummus was your standard hummus, just chickpeas, tahnini and garlic. I thought the hint of garlic was the perfect amount and the drizzle of EVOO was also the right amount. The eggplant salad (babaganoush), was really nice and smoky. Having that extra touch of tahini and garlic also gave the dip a different spin which I'm typically not used to but thoroughly enjoyed. The cacik, I had never heard of this or had it before so I was rather excited, but I feel as though it's tzatkiki's cousins. It's thickened yogurt with cucumber, garlic, mint and dill. Having both the mint and dill in the dip really gave this alot of flavor which I feel is always so important in a yogurt based dip. The tabuli, was just your standard tabuli. The ezme, another dip I had never heard of, but also very similar to tabuli. Finely chopped tomatoes, parsley, cucumber, roasted green pepper, red pepper, onion with olive oil and pomegranate juice. The touch of pomegranate juice really accented and popped the flavors of the veggie. Grape leaves, again your standard grape leave with the usual filling. They only gave one and I don't really care for them so my friend split it. Also in with the grape leave was a lentil ball, which I don't know if they typically give but we had asked if we should order them or not, so if they were nice enough to give us one I greatly appreciate it because it was delicious. It's mashed red lentils with scallions and parsley. It sounds boring but on the bread served was delicious. The bread that was served wasn't pita either which I thought it was going to be. The bread served is the kind of bread that is typically served in Turkey. I'm not sure of the name but it reminded me a croissant. One piece of bread was plenty to get enough of the meze platter. The zucchini pancakes were delicious!! They are fried but not overly oily at all. They are made with parsley, onion and carrot. served with homemade yogurt sauce. And not just served with homemade yougurt sauce but smothered! The warmth from the pancake with the chilled dip ontop was perfection! The falafel, for 5 falafel balls I'm not sure it was worth 8 bucks and change. But they were served on a bed of hummus with cabbage and lettuce. The falafel were extremely tasty and full of flavor, so I give them credit. For all of this it came to $32. The service was excellent and more than happy to help with menu selections. For a Thursday evening it was rather busy, some locals but also some people just looking for some Turkish cuisine! Cozy little space with great food, can't go wrong!
(4)Ty B.
Fantastic food. Girlfriend and I took my parents there on a Friday night - no wait but was still fairly busy - granted it was only around 7:00 pm. The complimentary bread was awesome, so were the hot (think Frank's and tomato) and yogurt sauces that came with it. We all split the meze platter which was a great way to sample their sides. I'm used to tabouli with plenty of bulgar in it which is what we got. The ezme was good too (it all was). Two of them got grilled branzino and enjoyed it very much. Mom got the chicken with yogurt which was also good - a lot of different tastes in each bite and a hearty portion. And for me, the reason I wanted to come, the stuffed cabbage. Huge portion and ALMOST like my grandma made them. She packed them smaller which gave you a little more cabbage in each bite. Plenty of their yogurt and tomato-based sauces too which was plated pretty nicely as many of the photos here will show. Oh - the service was good as well. 2 servers for a small dining room but they were still attentive enough and gave us some good recs. Cant wait to go back.
(4)JK L.
On a hot summer day, this was the perfect place to cool down and enjoy some light cuisine. The a/c was decent, and the meze platter was mostly good, the bread fresh and warm. The lamb was a little chewy for us, more like a tough skirt steak that hasn't been marinated long enough. Service is a little slow, and you do have to flag them down to ask for water/water refills. When you walk in on a 100 degree weather day, to an empty restaurant at 2 pm on a Friday, you shouldn't have to wait 15 minutes to flag a server down to ask for water. They weren't particularly busy, the restaurant never had more than 2 tables at a time. Yet, we had to flag down a server EACH and EVERY time to ask for water refills. If you are in this neighborhood and craving some turkish food, go for it, but I would not go out of my way to come here. The prices are not cheap, but for this area, they are average.
(3)Samuel M.
This is a lame Turkish neighborhood restaurant. If you are walking by it can be an option, but i won't be back. The falafel wasn't very tasty. The food was average, the greek salad was ok. Not recommended. The service was very slow and the turkish wine was horrible.
(1)Aydan A.
I didn't like the iskender kebob at all but lamb kebob was good. I recommend kunefe for a dessert, lahmacun and falafel for starters. They have Turkish wine & beers. Staff is friendly.
(3)Heather L.
New Turkish restaurant in Midtown East: Börek (w/ phyllo, cheese) was tasty and flaky. Zucchini pancakes are delicious - hot and crispy. You'll never know there are vegetables in there. Turlo was okay - not a lot of meat (this post makes me sound like a carnivore). Desserts: baklava was cute (no, really) - they made a sunflower-shaped trail of honey over the plate, with pistachio dust everywhere. Rice pudding was baked, but cold (wish it were warm). Overall decent, though main dish reminded me of un-spicy Indian food.
(3)Abby V.
Food is delicious!! I eat here often and have never been disappointed. Their salads, kabobs and sandwiches are all great. Service at night on a weekend can sometimes get a little slow considering how busy they are. I'd go back again!!
(4)Shelly A.
Just went here last Saturday--- The service was fantastic! A great staff of servers and hostesses who always have smiles on their faces (not very easy to find in NYC). The food was decent, but nothing I'm too excited to have again. My fiance and I shared an appetizer sampler - it was all pretty good, it came with baba, hummus, and a dill yogurt sauce that truly was the star of the show. For dinner I ordered a ground chicken sandwich and he ordered a lamb kabob sandwich. Both were okay, the chicken broke away with the sandwich easier since it was ground chicken, his lamb kabob took some yanking and pulling! Honestly nothing amazing, but nothing bad either for just your average restaurant. It would make a nice 'mix it up' meal for a 'seamless web' night in. But my honest opinion is that there are great meat and rice carts and great falafel carts on every block in the city. This place really isn't bringing much to the table...
(3)Raafia L.
Solid falafel, pretty good hummus, good service. A little overpriced now, and don't really like the new set-up as much as the old set up.
(3)Stefanie D.
I can't say enough good things about Taksim as a great work lunch spot. I haven't tried everything, but I've tried enough to say this place is solid. They've redesigned the layout to allow for more tables, so there is never a wait for a table anymore. With the redesign came a few changes. They lost the best hostess ever and replaced her with a few spacey waitresses, but they're moderately attentive and get the job done. I usually order the greek salad with grilled chicken, which costs upwards of $12. It's a delicious filling salad (I get the small size) I also love the chicken kebab platter (grilled chicken kebabs, yummy roasted potatoes, great rice and a delicious seasoned mesclun salad comes with). Falafel is above average here. Fantastic hummus. Great borek. Yayla soup is good, and lentil soup is great. The prices have climbed a little recently, and they're getting spotty with their complimentary turkish delight at the end of the meal, but it's just a great place. The one creepy waiter can't really keep me away.
(5)Larisa T.
I had never had "Turkish food" before, but the menu here seemed a lot like a Greek restaurant's menu. I hope I didn't just offend too many Yelpers. Anyways, the food here is really really good. For three of us, we got: -- 3 Meze dips: lentil balls (hehe), hummus, and a pepper/eggplant dip -- A phyllo stuffed with feta and spinach (kind of like a Turkish mozzarella stick?) -- Griiled mixed platter for 2. This thing is HUGE. It has lamb adana (like ground sausage without casing thing, with spices), chicken adana, chicken, lamb chops, potatoes, rice, salad I was disappointed because I thought BYOB means bring your own beer. Turns out you can't, and if you bring wine there's a $10 corking fee. Bummer.
(4)Sarah K.
I've eaten here in the past an had an ok experience. I can honestly blame the ok-ness on it being a bad date and me ordering the wrong item. Since then I've had delivery, and most recently, I went in and placed an order for takeout. That night I was immediately greeted, and the girls who took my order were very friendly. I sat down to wait for my Turlu (a lamb stew with rice) and they brought me water, making sure to refill it when they saw how quickly I emptied my glass. The restaurant is small, but doesn't feel cramped. Whenever I've been there it's always been busy enough, but not too crowded to a point where they'd ever feel the need to rush you out in order to seat other customers. I haven't tried too many of the items on the menu, but I don't know if I'd try much else because the Turlu was so good. The items can seem a little pricey, however, I think it's more a reflection of the neighborhood than that they are setting the prices too high. I find that the food choices aren't the greatest in this area of town, so it's nice to have Taksim as an option. If you're in the neighborhood, this is a great choice for a nice, quiet place with friendly staff and great food.
(5)Becca F.
La la la la la la the food here is cheap. La la la la la la the food here is good. La la la la la la the food here is filling. La la la la la la you should be glad you can't hear me singing. -Lentil soup is scrumptious as is the homemade bread and the hummus.
(4)Paige T.
Food was good, although the service was a little less so. I had the mixed vegetable shish, which was good, perhaps a little bland. Hot sauce is not very hot, but the yogurt sauce was right on the money.
(3)Kealan C.
Taksim is right up the street from my apartment, but I hadn't made the effort to go because of the very mixed Yelp reviews. On Friday night (New Year's day), I resolved to not let websites continue to rule my life and went for it. I'm so glad I did and now have a new neighborhood favorite. We started with an appetizer sampler, which is smaller portions of three appetizers ($7.95). We had the hummus, cacik (pronounced "jajek" and is like tzatziki), and lentil balls. All were tasty, but the hummus and cacik were really, really flavorful and probably the best I've ever had. They're not stingy with the bread, either, which is more focaccia-like than pita. We then shared the lamb shish kebab entrée which was so juicy, tender, and also really flavorful. So, so good! The dish comes with really good rice, potatoes, and salad, too. The meal was so great that we (I) very willingly ordered two desserts - the baked rice pudding and baklava. I've never had baked rice pudding before, and really dug the "creme brulee" effect it had on the pudding. No sugar to break or anything, just the yummy "burnt" effect that was a really great contrast to the pudding. Could have used cinnamon, in my opinion, but it was still unique and delicious. The baklava was pretty perfect - not too sticky, not too dry. Yum. All in all, you can get out of here paying under $30 for two people (sorry, but don't go to a Turkish restaurant for wine - just sayin'). The portions are the right size, the service is friendly, and the food is fab. We desperately need more places like this in this neighborhood!
(5)Larissa S.
c z is clearly connected to this place 1) because they only have a single review and 2) the owners are far from genuine. do not be misled by the flattering reviews! so tonight i ordered a greek salad from taksim for delivery. seemed a little pricey at $15 when you add chicken, but the flavor was ok. my one star is what occured when a few minutes into my salad i came across a hair. gross. any decent restaurant would be embarassed by this and when I called they initially seemed legitimately concerned. First when i asked for a refund (i paid cash) the manager asked me to come pick up my money. who does that? i wasnt asking for the delivery guy to give his tip back just bring me my money! so an hour later the delivery guy shows up with my money. i give him back the salad and he begins to inspect it, turning it around and looking at it from various angles while the doorman stood there in disbelief. he proceeds to accuse me for eating the chicken on top of the salad. well yea i did it was on top and when i got to the salad part a hair was mixed it! it wasnt gingerly placed on top of the chicken. the container was still 3/4 full. so unprofessional and ridiculous. he gave me the money but not without reminding me that next time to leave the chicken. what a joke. beware not only did i find something gross in my food but the people who work there are slimey.
(1)Daniel R.
The Börek used to be amazing but they have stopped making it there because now it tastes like rubber. We have been to Taksim many times but recently the food has been getting worse & worse. Last night was the worst ever. The restaurant is not that large & they had three servers on the floor; half the orders came out wrong, they were running around like crazy people & the attitude was ridiculous. We waited 15 min before anyone gave us a menu, then it took forever to flag down a waiter. The table of 6 next to us, who seemed to know the hostess, came in 20 minutes after us & was served 15 minutes before we ever saw our food...which they screwed up. This is the second time I have had a bad experience here which is a shame because they used to be one of my favorite places to go.
(1)Julie L.
Enjoyed a great dinner at Taksim tonight with great service from Pablo. The food was yummy and it is a great go-to in the neighborhood. The greek salad is a favorite and the atmosphere was perfect for me to catch up with a friend! I will be frequenting Taksim in the future and I will request Pablo as my server.
(4)Ece A.
Ordered food last week to our office, if you like Turkish food this is a place you should never miss. The appetizers are delicious and fresh (try hummus) and lahmacun might be the best one in NYC. They also do catering service so check this place out also for your events.
(4)Cool B.
I was mad and wrote a bad review . Sorry . Yelp sucks - you can't go back and erase it .
(3)Manali T.
I love Taksim. I think it has the best salad and hummus! I used to live by Taksim and order from there all the time but now that I live far from it anytime I"m in midtown I always stop by to pick up a salad and a wrap. The wait staff is always friendly. Can't complain because this is amazing food for a great price.
(5)C L.
Very very tasty! One of the best Turkish food I've ever had!
(5)Andres G.
If I could I would give 0 stars to this restaurant ...... I went there approximately a year ago and I had an amazing time,great food and great service as well I remember seeing all the stuff working and actually enjoying what they were doing,everyone manager,servers,cashier,and cooks (since they have an open kitchen I could see them all) but I went last week and I was surprised and disappointed, the new stuff doesn't know what they're doing and the food was just terrible...... Never going back again :(
(1)Dana K.
The waitress recommended Iskender Kebab. It was just okay. Not sure I made the right choice. I'd go back and try something else. Staff was attentive, nice casual atmosphere.
(4)Tee R.
Taksim has really really good food. i shared the mixed grill with a friend, it was all perfectly cooked and perfectly seasoned. the salads were really good too, elephant bean salad, hummus was great. the hot bread with the hummus was perfect. the room is informal, lots of tile and nice turkish paintings. (my wife asked "why does that woman in the painting have a moustache?") the informality of the room is okay considering the prices, very affordable, a great value. we had the turkish Yakut wine, it was delicious, much better than any california swill. I will definately be back soon.
(4)douglas B.
Such a wonderful surprise. We had looked up places and decided this is where we would go. On the way though we passed packed restaurant after packed restaurant. When we got to Taksim it was almost empty. We began to worry. The space is cute but underwhelming but they make up for it with friendliness. The food though hit the spot. Everything was fantastic, fresh, flavorful and fast. I can not wait to try this place again and suggest you do the same before it becomes packed like all the rest. ( by the time we left there was a decent crowd so maybe we were just early)
(4)Emily A.
Love this place! It's my neighborhood go-to place. Best Greek salad ever! and the Boreks are delicious, as is the Cacik--can't go wrong!
(4)jared g.
if you are in the mood for hummus and shish kabab in a sit down setting this place is the way to go. priced very fair. once in a while the have swordfish shish kebabs as a special, they are amazing.
(4)Ezra N.
I am Turkish and i know good food. This was average. their menu is boring. I am tired of seeing same menu in every Turkish restaurants in NYC. chicken kebab was huge and dry, it wasn't marinated. iskender was dry and it didn't have enough tomato sauce. ezme was cold. probably prepared days ago. only two things i loved were the Pide bread and Turkish tea. I didn't like their baklava either. I wonder if the owner of the restaurant is really Turkish because I don't thing he ever had real Baklava. Also, none of the workers were Turkish in that place. I wish their chef was Turkish and knew what he was serving and how it was supposed to taste. oh! but staff was great! great service!!!!
(3)Jess L.
I ate at Taksim yesterday because of such positive Yelp reviews. I was disappointed. The hummus was dry, and the lentil balls had a strange taste. The lamb kebab was good, but nothing spectacular. I did enjoy the shepherds salad. The cafe/restaurant was quite loud, and it was hard to hear my friend. The desserts were probably the best part: rice pudding (though with a weird layer on top) and almond pudding.
(2)Diane A.
Food: Not tasty. Just average. Atmosphere: Kind of lame. Beverage: Turkish wine is interesting, but not necessarily in a good way. Overall: I've had much better Turkish food all over the city. I don't see any reason to return here. It was just bleh...
(2)katie j.
Turkish food is delish. Lamb, spices, hummus, falafel... what's not to love? Taksim's a wonderful restaurant. A Turkish Delight indeed, Edmund, but this one won't get you in trouble. It's a fairly small restaurant - perfect place to bring 2 or 3 of your friends for a casual, reasonably priced Midtown dinner. Foodnalysis: - Free Bread - Free. What a glorious word, particularly to eatcheaplyists like yourself. The bread at Taksim is great! Flakey, light, perfect for dipping in... - Tarama (aka Taramosalata) - a salty, smooth Greak spread traditionally made from carp roe, mashed potato or bread crumbs, lemon juice and olive oil. The first time I tried Tarama I thought it was much too salty, however it has proved itself to be quite the acquired taste. A recommended appetizer that compliments the endless bread. Give it a try. Taksim's cacik and stuffed cabbage leaves are also great starters. - Borek - Essentially a Turkish egg roll filled with feta cheese. Tasty, but not the best appetizer for the price. - Lamb Shank - Tender, boneless lamb with eggplant and tomato sauce, served over rice. Quite possibly the best item on the menu (see FN1). This is a good pick -- flavorful and filling. - Adana Kebab Sandwich - If you're deciding between Chicken and Lamb, EAT LAMB. You can choose between a platter option served with rice pilaf or, for $3 less, a "sandwich" (read: wrap) option. Well-seasoned meat with Turkish red pepper, onions and tomatoes wrapepd in a large tortilla... mmmm. Here's an tip: fill up on the bread and take half of the wrap to work for lunch. How's that for economical!? I've kindly tested this method for your in advance and can honestly say the wraps passed the decent-leftover test with flying colors. The Bottom Line: Tarama + Lamb = Yum.
(4)Laura A.
Stopped in here while strolling to find dinner on 2nd Abe and very pleased to have found this place! Deliciously seasoned lamb, awesome hummus, and very tasty zucchini pancakes. Highly recommend. Cool that they offer Turkish wines, too.
(5)Samantha E.
Wish they'd open more of them! Even my 4 year old loves it. Delivery is fast and accurate but food definitely tastes in better if you can eat it at the restaurant.
(4)Safone A.
Food sucks! Don't waste your money! Service is poor! Only decor is good! We ordered the kebab it was way over well done! Almost burnt! If you want good middle Easter food go to hummus 21 on 1st ave & 57 street! That's my favorite middle Easter restaurant!
(1)Randy T.
A very nice -- traditional Turkish restaurant. I come here often, rarely finding any issues with the food. The staff is ALWAYS friendly. Always accommodating.
(4)Jackie S.
UGH TAKSIM, YOU DISAPPOINTED ME! A few months back I came with my parents for dinner and we had a good experience (read my old review if you're curious why it went down two stars). I was really looking forward to fulfilling my Turkish craving again! This time I came with my parents and my brother. We ordered the hummus appetizer which was decent, the best was the warm bread that came with it. We also ordered the fried calamari appetizer, which we had last time and liked. This time, the calamari was SPOILED! It came out looking wet, soggy, and gross...not crispy and fried like it's supposed to be. It tasted and smelled overly-fishy and my brother said it tasted off. We ended up sending it back but it was almost like they made it two days ago, didn't sell it, left it in the fridge, and then popped it in the microwave before bringing it to our table. FAIL. My brother had the diner kebab as his entree. I tried some and it was decent. My mom had a Greek salad which was just okay. I had the musakka, which my mom ordered last time. It was definitely the best entree of the evening but I think the portion was way smaller than I remembered it. My dad ordered the dish I was debating between getting, the Turlu, a traditional lamb stew. It was, AWFUL. The sauce tasted like it was straight from a can. The presentation was SAD. It was like someone who's just learning how to cook threw a bunch of ingredients in a crockpot and poured the contents of it on a plate thinking it's suitable enough for human consumption. NOPE. Our kunefe dessert was good, but after everything else that was sub-par, it's basically forgotten about. I once thought I'd be a semi-frequent visitor at this restaurant. NOT ANYMORE.
(2)Sunkara A.
Yum zucchini pancakes and the meze platter filled me up...best hummus and ezme of all times
(5)Seth B.
I had my first taste of Taksim square when my girlfriend and I ordered seamless. We ordered: Hummus with homemade Turkish Bread: Perhaps it's due to the fact that I'm a fat American, but I basically cannot enjoy hummus without something to dip it in (hell, that would just be "unamerican"). So, throwing in the Turkish bread (for only 50 cents extra) was a lucky decision. The turkish bread is kind of like pita bread meets a kaiser roll and I was pleasantly surprised that the bread was still warm upon delivery. The main reason I actually ordered Taksim was due to their EXCELLENT seamless ratings. Now that I'm here, this seems contradictory to their merely good/mediocre yelp ratings. On that, I cannot comment however, at the very least it seems Taksim square has mastered the art of delivery. Rice Pilaf: In general, I adore rice pilaf and Taksim did not disappoint. Tasty and smooth like butter, as it should be. Falafel Wrap with a side of tsziki sauce: Delicious. The falafel was cooked to utter perfection. Crispy on the outside and perfectly colored green on the inside. Although, it is a wrap it is more like a sandwich since they don't cut the wrap in half. However, one is supposed to tear back the tin foil as they descend upon the sandwich and really, that is middle eastern style. Not to mention, this manner of attacking the sandwich lends itself nicely to pouring yogurt sauce on the sandwich and Taksim's was delicious. Bear in mind, however, that the sides of sauce are quite small and I would recommend ordering an extra if you enjoy it/plan on using it. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised and very pleased by Taksim square and would most definitely recommend it.
(4)Ammara J.
Great service. Great food. Especially the mixed grill for two, can never go wrong with it.
(5)Bing R.
It's one of my neighborhood restaurants where locals dine. Not a tourist trap! They make grilled smokey flavor babganoush which I pickup often to go. Their grilled lamb chops served with their rice pilaf is as good as you can have in Taksim Square area in Istanbul. This is authentic right in Midtown. I prefer having the thin bread than the thick one they give you sometimes. It's less carb and better to eat with hummus or babaganoush.
(4)ReMel K.
The food was really good and fresh. Really liked the mixed grill for two. It was awesome.
(5)Chrissy S.
They give you these warm delicious Turkish rolls. So we decided to order some hummus to dip them in. For the main course we split the mixed grilled platter for 2 which came with an assortment of chicken and lamb cuts with rice and a salad!! Seasoned and cooked very well! Unfortunately the 2 dishes we had originally wanted to order(the doner kebab and iskender kebab) they said they ran out of for the night which was disappointing but the service and food definitely made up for the it!
(4)Mike I.
First I called and asked how much woukd the platter be for chicken kebba they said 17 with tax and I asked how many sticks is it they tell me 2 wen I get my good it's only one stick with 5 pieces if I knew would never order from them AVOIDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD and the customer service sucks there very rude
(1)Vernon W.
arrived early Saturday 6:30p and the place had 3-4 tables with guests. We ordered two appetizers, eggplant salad, and zucchini pancakes with a grilled salad. This was enough food for myself and gf. Hot Turkish bread also complimented with the eggplant salad nicely. The zucchini pancake with yogurt sauce was excellent. Then we filled up with the greek salad and washed everything down with a nice glass of malbec red wine. The place is small. The food excellent as people of Turkish decent east here. By the time we finished eating, the place had a hour wait. Definitely would come back and visit again.
(4)Allison C.
I loved Taksim! Everyone gets fresh baked sesame rolls. For an appetizer, we had eggplant spread. My dad and I split the mixed grill platter. Everything was tender, beautifully seasoned.
(4)Jennifer P.
The food is consistently good (a little above average). The service is good (I've always had very friendly, helpful servers). Good portion size and good quality for a pretty cheap price. Taksim doesn't have the BEST Turkish food in the city (that would be Turkish Kitchen,imo), but it will suffice.I recommend stopping by if you're in the neighborhood.
(4)Tash R.
When I first walked in at 12.20pm on a Friday I thought I had chosen a place that wasn't that popular and scared me a little as I had clients joining me. However, after about 10 minutes, the restaurant was full - great sign I think. Food was tasty specifically the lamb Adana - only issue was I wish I had ordered sides because it was only meat!
(4)Farah A.
I visited Istanbul, Turkey last year and I am yet to find a restaurant that can replicate that same taste that I had back when I visited Turkey. This place did it for me. The décor is beautiful. The seating is made up of plush, red cushions embossed with an intricate gold design. The paintings represent different areas of Istanbul. I really loved the painting of the Galata Tower and the painting of the Bosphorous Sea! We went on a Monday night and this place was completely packed with people. I would say that this restaurant can comfortably fit about 50-60 people without getting too claustrophobic. If you're going to go on Thursday, Friday, Saturday--I would definitely make a reservation just in case. We were a group of 5 people and shared everything in "family style." What we ordered: For starters we ordered the Meze Platter. This platter is a combination of hummus, Babaganoush, Tabuli, Ezme, Cacick, Lentil Balls, and Dolma (Grape Leaves). It is served with the beautifully rounded, hot, moist, and unforgettable flat breads! They were so delicious! The Meze platter overall was wonderful and everything was seasoned perfectly. I would definitely order this as a start to your entire meal! Mixed Grill: A combination of lamb shish, chicken shish, lamb adana, chicken adana, lamb chops (served with rice and mixed green salad). Everything was cooked well, and we requested all of the meat to be cooked at a temperature of "medium well." It says MIXED GRILL FOR 2, but 4 people can easily share this. Iskender Kebab: Doner over homemade croutons and topped with tomato sauce and homemade garlic yogurt sauce , mozzarella cheese, served over a bed of rice. I wasn't crazy about this dish, but my cousin loved it! It depends on your taste. It's is made of strips of beef marinated in tomato sauce, garnished with mozzarella and croutons. It's like Italian meets Turkish. Lamb Adana Kebab Platter with Yogurt: This Adana kebab is the best I've had in the United States thus far. I've had other Adana Kebabs and was disappointed because I could smell the scent of lamb and I hate that! These kebabs are cooked to perfection and you can't smell the lamb, you can only smell and indulge in the aromatic Turkish spices! This place is casual; you do not need to dress up for this restaurant. You can if you want but it's not required. If you're looking for a place to go with family, a date, or if you strictly want to eat halal food, this is the place for you!
(4)Joseph H.
I've been here twice so far and think the food is great. I've gotten an appetizer, meal, And dessert and am impressed by all three although I could have skipped the dessert it wasn't anything special. The waiters are friendly and timely and the cost for two is fairly inexpensive for a nice evening dining out. The restaurant is pretty small and, on a busy day, not much elbow room but besides that I have no complaints. So far it's the only Turkish restaurant I've been to since living in NYC for over a year and I am impressed. Will be visiting again soon.
(5)Pamela M.
Great food service was a little on the slow side of the questions were great and very flavourful.
(4)Alli G.
Went here for dinner with my parents when they came up to visit and we were very happy. I ordered the lamb with yogurt and rice, which was delicious. Parents ordered the lamb stew. I ordered the baklava for a take home dessert and was happy I did! It was flaky, crunchy, and soaked in just the right amount of honey. I recommend going here and would go back.
(4)Maeve C.
I came here with a bunch of people for a friend's birthday, and we enjoyed attentive service and authentic Turkish food for reasonable prices. To start, we all got to enjoy free bread rolls that were pretty tasty but would have been even better warmed up. My table and I split two bottles of Turkish red wine, and the waiters were happy to inform us that our choice (the cheapest bottle they had, at $26) was actually a new wine they had just gotten in from Turkey. Score! We ordered babaghanoush to split among four of us, and were impressed with the creamy texture and rich smokey flavor. It didn't seem like they added mayonnaise as many places do, and I think it was better for it. I ordered the lamb kofte wrap, which was basically mini spiced lamb burgers in a wrap with veggies and sauces on the side, served with amazing spiced steak fries. The wrap itself was really tasty and I thought the lamb flavor was assertive but not overpowering. We didn't end up getting dessert but we were so full from the two rounds of bread rolls and our entrees that we didn't miss it. Next time I'm in the no man's land of the east 50's, I'll be sure to think of Taksim Sq!
(4)Dave B.
Been there once. Had the lamb kebab (cubes). The lamb was not at all tender. I couldn't chew through all of it (i.e. parts were effectively un-swallowable). The rice was very meh. This style of food reminds me of a poor-man's Persian food. The bread rolls that come complimentary are tasty, but dense, and I fought myself not to eat them (and lost). They were hot and fresh, and tasted good with the oil. Unfortunately, they don't have butter on premises, and that's a bit of a pain point, as I prefer butter over oil. I like the setup of the place...very simple tables, two main rows, one on each side of the restaurant, kinda facing one-another. Servers were attentive, and not pushy at all. All things considered, service, food, and price, it was fine. I didn't regret the experience, but nothing is pulling me back there, though if a friend wanted to go there, I wouldn't resist it either. Some basic hints I'd give to the owners: (1) offer butter...some people like it (2) use Basmati rice...it tastes better (3) do something with the lamb to make it more tender
(3)Jaafar A.
Delicious food, appropriate pricing, and fantastic service. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for some fresh Turkish cuisine.
(5)Jason A.
Confused by the customer service there. I order from here a couple times a month for the last few years as we live nearby and the food is generally decent for Turkish food although somewhat high on the price. I ordered on seamless and somehow put in the same order 2 times. They called to ask if this was mistake which it was. The food was delivered and was fine. BUT the 2nd order was never taken off my credit card. When I called to tell them about this, I was told it was my problem not theirs. Probably the worst thing any business can say to their customer. The woman was clearly not interested in searching for my order and refunding me for the double order. I asked if it would be easier if I just disputed the charge through American express. She was so happy I brought up this option. This is just bizarre behavior for any service based company. I will be ordering from Naya across the street now as they have better food anyway. Thanks for nothing over these last couple years.
(2)Jaxs P.
Great quality food! I am never disappointed coming in here. Their grill mix for two has so much food and it's all amazing. :)
(5)Liza S.
delicious good! taking a star off for a slow service but the food more than compensated for lack of attention from the server staff. the house made breads are amazing but make sure to keep some to use on appetizer spreads. also, lamb kebab was mouth water however if you cant make up your mind, there's a platter that gets you all meats on one plate (best to split with few people)! I will definitely be back!
(4)Edward M. R.
Very tasty food. We ordered takeout. Taksim had a "long cooked" lamb shank. We also ordered lamb shiskabob and adana kabob, along with an extra of hummus. All of the food was good. The packaging for the takeout is fine, with dividers between the salad and the meat. They pack the rice separately. The rice is not plain rice, instead it has a few almonds in it, and also has been flavored. It is very good. They also give extras of the yoghurt sauce and the hot red sauce to accompany the meal. The service was polite and efficient. This is a popular place, so make a reservation.
(3)Canny F.
I came here during my lunch break and I really enjoyed it. Probably b/c of the sesame bread they gave. Our waitress was awesome. She kept giving us more and more bread. It was really good and went well with the appetizers. Appetizers: Zucchini, eggplant and peppers- went well with bread. Eggplant salad- Also used as a drip for bread. It was a hummus texture. Then I mixed both dip textures together and place it on the bread and it was fab. Zucchini pancakes- nice crisp, not that oily. Entree: Traditional Turkish Turlu- ehh. mixed veggies with 2-3 pieces of cubed lamb with rice. We wanted the dish to be without the lamb but the waitress told us it was already made with the lamb and we could pick it out b/c there was only a few pieces in it. I didn't like this dish. It was bad. Dessert: Baklava- this was the second time I had Baklava and I didn't like the way they made it. It was soggy. Rice pudding- eh, I had better. Overall, the service was fab and the bread is the best. You don't have to feel guilty about eating so many b/c it really is addicting and the server keeps offering. I enjoyed the appetizers a lot.
(4)Muna H.
I have eaten at Taksim many times before and was always impressed by the quality of the food. This past weekend I placed an order with them to cater for my wedding. Let me just say, the food was definitely the crowd pleaser! Everything was seamless working with them and the ordering, payment, delivery, A+ service. Definitely recommend them for dine in, take out, catering, anything!
(5)Venera V.
This is for their online ordering. They deliver the food fast, and it looks great, it's not a mess, and very tasty too! I ordered the dorado grilled fish, it was cooked to perfection!
(5)Dario P.
The food was fresh and tasty, türlu is a must have dish. The service should be more attentive for sure.
(4)Adam S.
I'm a big fan of this place. I have not eaten in the restaurant, only friday take-out at work. The lamb and chicken kebabs are great, rice is nicely spiced, and the white sauce (similar to tzatziki) is good. The stuffed cabbage leaves are good but a little too soggy after delivery. The salads here are good too. Just don't let them sit too long if you're getting delivery because them come dressed. I have not yet tried the sandwiches but I hope to soon. I definitely recommend this place and I wish they hadn't closed their east village location.
(5)Jenn B.
In defense of their falafel - it is different, but it is good especially for midtown east where I can't find a falafel for lunch. The sauce is not sour cream it's yogurt. It comes with hummus which is nice and that strange wrap style is easier to eat at work. As for it's authenticity maybe I'll update this review after I make it to Istanbul. The rest of the food looks awesome too, just never had the time to stay for a full meal.
(3)Joanna L.
Geez I've never given only 1 star before... but let me talk about good and bad falafel. Good falafel is tasty by itself. It doesn't need sauces or flavoring. It is just tasty plain. Now fast forward to Taksim's falafel sandwich. Maybe it was the fact that I ordered falafel and none of the meets, but seriously... I wouldn't even call that falafel... rather it was "falafel" pretending to be a burrito. Wrapped in a burrito tortilla and it even came with... SOUR CREAM? What is this crap!? It's NOT falafel. I went to Taksim to order Doner Kebab only to find out that they don't sell it anymore. Well needless to say, I'm not going there again. EVER. Worst falafel I've ever had in my life. The falafel wasn't very tasty and the sauces made it worse. I don't even know what to think. Though it was not AWFUL (for food in general)... it wasn't what it was supposed to be. If someone can convince me otherwise, then maybe I'd go back someday and order something else.
(1)M And M P.
Got the lamb kebob sandwich. Excellent flavor. But too small a sandwich for 10 plus dollars. And they have a minimum credit card charge of $13...they get kudos for making an exception to my $1 under order...but to expensive!
(3)Justine M.
Yum, Yum, Yum. I have been three times in the past two weeks.. (upon discovery). Everything I have had is delicious! The shepherd salad, the tabouli, the sea bass, the pita, the hummus..list goes on and on. Wait staff is very friendly and they give you turkish delight with the bill. Now, if only they did that with the takeout.. mmm. And... best of all they are a block from my office. We are all hooked now!
(5)K T.
This Turkish restaurant had great service and great food. And plus it's BYOB! My friend ordered Lamb steak, which was perfectly baked and flavored. I ordered Stuffed Cabbage Leaves, which was also great. More than anything else our waiter was A+++. He was extremely friendly, well-mannered and treated us very well. I have seen many waiters/waitresses who gets less nicer as they get busier. He was NOT like them. We went there around 7pm, when there were not many people, but by the time we left the restaurant, there was a long line of people waiting for there seats.
(4)Laureen L.
After finding out that The Smith was too noisy and other restaurants my Mom and I wanted to go to were too long of a wait, we stumbled upon Taksim tonight. I've had some so-so experiences with Turkish food thus far in New York and one exceptional one, so my skeptical factor was high. We were very impressed! For appetizers, we ordered the tabouli and the zucchini pancakes (Mucver). Both absolutely delicious, especially the pancakes. For an entree, we shared the Turlu special which was stewed vegetables - eggplant, carrots, potatoes, green beans and some other vegetables with the most moist lamb I have tasted thus far. For dessert we had turkish tea and a very light baklava (most places make their baklava too sweet - this one was just right). Will recommend this place to anyone looking for a great Turkish spot that is reasonably priced, provides great service, impeccable food, and has nice decor.
(5)Jimmy C.
A great place with excellent food. Loved the grilled combo and would suggest ordering appetizer with the grill combo as the main course. The price is affordable, highly recommended.
(4)Chris E.
I went looking for doner kabob but was disappointed since they no longer serve it. Well after talking with the very informed server I choose another type kebab, called Adana. It was absolutely amazing. It is lamb kebab kneaded with red peppers. It was perfect. The bread was good. The Turkish delights at the end of the meal were a perfect end to a fantastic meal. Though I went for one thing and left with a belly full of Turkish cuisine. This place gets 5 stars for being clean, nice, friendly atmosphere, and an overall great place to dine. I will be going back. A word about their food though. Being of someone that has very slighted and great taste for Turkish food this place helps fill a void in place of my favorite Turkish place in Washington DC, Cafe Divan, and dinner with a real Turk that can help you order some specialties that will knock your socks off. Thank you Kemal no Turkish place can fill the void without you and cafe divan. But for now this will have to substitute.
(5)Tony Y.
My first Turkish restaurant experience. Their appetizers are amazing as well as the grilled fish entree! Not too expensive either. The waitress was super nice. I'd definitely go back, my date was just as impressed as I was.
(4)Justin W.
Great food in a bit of a dead spot so even more appreciated. Not that there is not good choices around but for good middle eastern fare this is the spot. Pretty impressive selection and a nice staff. The falafel is pretty solid, I thought the eggplant zucchini dish was the best I have had. Worth a try no doubt.
(4)April C.
Wow, that was the BEST Turkish food I have ever eaten! We had the spinach, hummus, borak, lentil soup, tabuli, falafel and two types of chicken and all were 5 star worthy! The service was great and do was the food! I can't wait to go back!! Run, don't walk there and hurry!
(5)Olga R.
I'm a vegetarian now and I still dream about their grilled meat platter. They also have the best greek salad I have ever tasted.
(5)Melissa M.
I've been to Taksim twice and both times it's been pretty tasty - not the best food ever but good for a casual weeknight dinner. The yogurt dip is really creamy, the lentil balls are pretty good (I was pleased since they weren't made with flour), the elephant beans were on the bland side and the eggplant zucchini dish was pretty good. Nothing overwhelmingly bad and nothing overwhelmingly amazing. My biggest complaint was that the waiter kept trying to clear our plates (literally every minute) while there was still food....it was a bit strange since there was no one waiting for a table. Maybe they were short on plates in which case they should just buy more.
(3)Alison E.
Really want to give 3.5 stars, but that's not an option. Great place for takeout (not so sure about the restaurant atmosphere). I recommend the Lamb Adana - it's a solid filling meal and the red spicy sauce is fantastic! Not a gourmet meal, but great for everyday yummy Turkish food!
(3)Anita C.
One of my new favorites in the city, but alas, it's not close to my casa. Delicious Turkish food, with a long list of appetizers and lots of lamb dishes. Most of the appetizers are vegetarian. Everything is soooo yummy but the piece the resistance is the baked rice pudding. I'm not usually a huge rice pudding fan, but this stuff is so good I want to take a bath in it!! The restaurant is colorful and well lit, and the servers are brisk but pleasant. This is the perfect place to go to dinner with your boyfriend on a weeknight. The website has pics of the food that will make you droll on your keyboard.
(5)Betsey L.
my work used to order from this place every day for dinner. and some would still order it for lunch. menu highlights: GREEK SALAD. ask them to go light on the feta cheese or you'll get a ton of it. it is tossed in a light lemon juice dressing and comes chuck w/ the shepherd's salad and elephant beans (fyi these beans make you gassy) w/ a stuffed grape leaf on top. I have several out of town friends that ask for this salad when they come visit NYC. $7 sm / $10 lg TURKISH BREAD. automatically comes to the table and makes the hummus taste good. make sure its hot and toasty or send it back. Grilled Salmon. I used to order this almost every day for dinner. Its simple. Slab of grilled salmon on top of a green salad (dressed in lemon vinegerette). $15 I also enjoyed the roasted chicken and stuffed cabbage leaves entree. The rice pudding is a good dessert.
(4)Tae K.
went here because it's close to work. despite the mixed reviews and complaints about portions, i figured i'd try it to see if the food was good. the food was indeed very good, but jeez, the portions were tiny for the prices they were charging ($9.50 for a sandwich the side of a mcd's snack wrap). they were also very cheap with the bread. you reek of the restaurant after you leave. probably will nto be going back.
(3)Marysa M.
This place is the perfect break-up spot. Food is excellent. Price was super low. And it's very well lit so not romantic at all.
(4)Sonia K.
Loved it. The service is great and the staff is very friendly and helpful. The food came out pretty quickly. We had the hummus to start and it was good but not out-of-this-world - the pitas, however, were amazing. SO soft and delicious - I think we got 3 orders! We had the Chicken Adana Kebab which was good but a little dry. Also had the fish which I heard was very good. My favorite was the Lamb Shank. Tons of flavor on melt in your mouth lamb. Overall good food but a little on the dry side with the chicken - even with a side of yogurt and hot sauce (which was more like very sweet ketchup). Definitely worth a try!
(4)Grace S.
Their Chicken Adana Kabob with Yogurt sauce is delicious.
(3)Zando E.
Taksim has some good dishes, but for the price, the portions are minuscule. An entree here is the size of an appetizer elsewhere. It's a pity, because I live in the area and like the food, but they basically give you a sandwich's worth of meat, add rice, call it an entree and charge $12+ for it. We order out all the time and would love to add Taksim to the usual rotation, but its not enough even for my wife, who's a very light eater. If you like this type of food, head downtown to Bereket on Houston. Better food, lower prices, generous portions, and open 24 hrs. Taksim won't last long.
(2)j c.
I was stranded in an unfortunate walk-up nearby and Taksim was the saving grace of my misguided rental. Large selection of salads and delicious chicken and lamb - I like the roasted chicken, which is tomato-y and fresh but quite flavorful. Although I've since left the scary (think: Dope Sick Love) walk-up, thankfully Taksim is available through SeamlessWeb.
(4)Eric M.
I ate there hours ago and am still holding my belly! I had the moussaka, which was delicious followed up with a plate of baklava. The service was friendly and attentive. The food came out quick and I think you know how I feel about the food!
(5)Serk K.
chicken adana was very delicious. i also liked the eggplant salad
(5)Diana T.
Wanted a decently priced good Turkish restaurant and found this one on citysearch. It's small but very cute and the first time I went it was packed on a weekend--second time was a Monday and much easier to get a table. We shared the falafel/hummus platter and cous-cous like dish (forgot the name) with the house pita (it was more like a fluffly bread loaf) which were delicious. My falafel sandwich was such a steal at under $5 and it came in 2 pieces in a wrap with delicious tzatziki and tomato sauce. Friends got the chicken which was tender and juicy despite being all white meat. Wouldn't recommend the lamb but then again I don't usually eat it. And a great end was the turkish delight candies that were presented with out bill. Definitely a great date spot--try it if you're on the UES =)
(4)Canny F.
I came here during my lunch break and I really enjoyed it. Probably b/c of the sesame bread they gave. Our waitress was awesome. She kept giving us more and more bread. It was really good and went well with the appetizers. Appetizers: Zucchini, eggplant and peppers- went well with bread. Eggplant salad- Also used as a drip for bread. It was a hummus texture. Then I mixed both dip textures together and place it on the bread and it was fab. Zucchini pancakes- nice crisp, not that oily. Entree: Traditional Turkish Turlu- ehh. mixed veggies with 2-3 pieces of cubed lamb with rice. We wanted the dish to be without the lamb but the waitress told us it was already made with the lamb and we could pick it out b/c there was only a few pieces in it. I didn't like this dish. It was bad. Dessert: Baklava- this was the second time I had Baklava and I didn't like the way they made it. It was soggy. Rice pudding- eh, I had better. Overall, the service was fab and the bread is the best. You don't have to feel guilty about eating so many b/c it really is addicting and the server keeps offering. I enjoyed the appetizers a lot.
(4)Muna H.
I have eaten at Taksim many times before and was always impressed by the quality of the food. This past weekend I placed an order with them to cater for my wedding. Let me just say, the food was definitely the crowd pleaser! Everything was seamless working with them and the ordering, payment, delivery, A+ service. Definitely recommend them for dine in, take out, catering, anything!
(5)Venera V.
This is for their online ordering. They deliver the food fast, and it looks great, it's not a mess, and very tasty too! I ordered the dorado grilled fish, it was cooked to perfection!
(5)Dario P.
The food was fresh and tasty, türlu is a must have dish. The service should be more attentive for sure.
(4)Emily M.
Taksim, you're fired. The new management at Taksim changed the recipes. The last three times I've ordered the food has been consistently disgusting, so we are done ordering from there for good. The iskander kebab is shaved lamb on top of cubed bread topped with canned tomato paste. NO seasoning, NO spice, NO flavor. Tonight, it was also cold in the middle. The moussaka took the cake tonight as the most offensive excuse for Turkish food I have ever seen. There was NO meat and NO tomatoes. Just plane brown smashed eggplant soaked in oil served alongside plane white rice. Absolutely no seasoning whatsoever. I happen to like smashed eggplant, and with a good deal of salt, it was edible, but it was NOT moussaka. As a loyal customer of Taksim for years, I had ordered these dishes many times before, but the last three times, I have received this dreck instead of their previously delicious dishes. Taksim used to have freshly made Turkish food. They even used to display their daily creations in the restaurant in butcher's case. They removed that butcher's case, probably around the time they stopped making fresh food because they no longer had anything to display. Taksim has proven that they are down for the count unless they can go back to their original recipes. Until then, they are dead to us. All hail Sip Sak.
(1)Krupa A.
I was staying at the Waldorf Astoria for the night and wanted to find some middle eastern food so found this using the yelp app. The tzatziki and homemade bread were the real winners. The falafel was meh, and I wish they served it with a salad instead of fries. There are better places on 9th ave for ethnic food in midtown.
(3)Steve E.
Pretty mediocre place in midtown. Came here right after rushing to the post office to drop off tax returns on tax day. It was pretty empty and tried a couple of different dishes (hummus and falafel) and wasn't very impressed. The service was pretty slow also. We asked for bread and water and it took 20 minutes for it to come out. It appeared that the waitress was either very forgetful, or very slow.
(2)Eric G.
When I studied abroad in Florence, one of the only after-hours foods we could get were Doner kebabs. I think it's safe to say I became pretty addicted. Ever since I came back to the states, I've been on the hunt for these damn things and it's almost impossible to find. I must say though, Taksim's Doner sandwich was the closest thing to what I ate in Italy. I wouldn't say it was as good, but it definitely wasn't disappointing. I really enjoyed it. I'd definitely like to venture away from the Doner sandwich and try some other things on Taksim's menu, as it all sounds really good and I'd like to try more Turkish food. I definitely wanna go back and dine-in as opposed to getting takeout next time.
(4)Mike S.
The food is delightful. I prefer the more traditional dishes, i.e., things your Turkish grandmother would be making you. Service during lunch and weekends tends to be good; however, I did notice some new staff members who are not up to par with what I'm used to. It would be nice to see the familiar faces again and experience their attention to service again. I do recommend this place. You may want to make a reservation as many people in the neighborhood go.
(4)Paul B.
My wife and I have eaten at Taksim many times, however, following what happened this weekend, we will not be returning... Plain and simple, I ordered the chicken adana sandwich (for $11), to go. On the menu, the sandwich comes with fries. The waitress then tells us after ordering, that when you get it to go, it does not come with anything. The price should be less, right? WRONG! They still charge the same $11 for eat-in or delivery, except that when you get it to go, they don't include anything but your overpriced $11 sandwich. Does this make sense to anyone out there???
(1)Edie R.
Terrific restaurant in upper midtown. Nice wait staff, reasonable prices. The ambiance is very warm and comfortable without feeling crowded. The Lamb Stew was really good as well as the kabobs. The bread that comes with the meal was a combo of cake and pretzel, very tasty. Total with tip for 3 was $70 including 2 beers.
(4)Daniel C.
Food's pretty good. No ambiance. My wife and I got the meze platter and the chicken kabobs. Both are solid.
(3)Eppy C.
Ordered for delivery as I read other reviews about the homemade bread. I asked for extra "Turkish bread" with my hummus and was given 4 in total at no extra charge. Unfortunately, as another reviewer complained, they delivered our Zucchini cakes without the promised yogurt sauce, leaving them virtually inedible. The hummus wasn't impressive. The only highlight was the Elephant Beans, which were decent but still needed a little something more to make them truly delicious. Probably won't order again, even though the girl on the phone was nice.
(2)Karen C.
I really enjoyed this place when I dined in - but when I recently got take out I was completely underwhelmed. I also noticed they no longer seem to have falafel on the menu? I remember liking it when I dined in, but as I said, I don't see it on the menu anymore. The salad prices are a little steep, and if you want protein or extra feta cheese, it will cost you...+$5 and +$3, respectively. And the salads are $9-$13 to begin with. Greek salad for take out was completely boring - yes, it had all the right stuff, but it just wasn't that tasty or exciting to me. I felt completely unsatisfied when I finished my dinner and was $25 poorer too, mind you (the boyfriend had a salad as well) I don't think I'll be back. The quest for a good Greek salad in Midtown East continues...
(2)Katie K.
I was just here again the other day, and I was reminded how damn impressed I am with Egzi, the complete and utter GEM of a waitress who remembered me after she had only served me once, SEVERAL weeks prior, remembered that I had ordered tea that first time she served me, and that I couldn't have wheat. She goes out of her way every time I come in to make sure the other staff knows that I am gluten intolerant, and I never have to say one single thing about it. It's so lovely to feel taken care of like that! I have a feeling that I'm not the only one who is treated so well, as there are many regular customers here. I also have to add a PS to other gluten-intolerant peeps out there: Egzi took the initiative on her own to find out that the puddings have a little bit of wheat in them to thicken them, so those are now on my no-no list. Too bad :-( Still, I wanted to raise the stars from my review below to all five...this is one of my favorite places to go in the neighborhood because the food is consistently good, and the service rocks.
(5)Satish P.
Nice decent place. Seating was little congested thought. Had chicken adana.
(4)Monica C.
Avoid!!! The service is extremely bad, and the food is not tasty. The lamb is over cook and there's no HOT SAUCE!!!??? I've had much better Turkish food in other place!
(1)Stephen C.
Best thing about this meal for two, "it cost less than a hundred bucks." And why is that a good thing, "the food was really good and the Turkish wine we chose even better. Staff was friendly and I even ordered dessert (which I almost never order dessert). Nice spot to walk into when walking home at the end of the day.
(4)Vanessa V.
There is better Turkish food in the area... pretty much everything we ordered was meh. The falafel was wrapped in a tortilla (weird) but otherwise probably the highlight. The zucchini pancakes were soggy and didn't come with promised cacik which left them bland and one-note. The hummus was ok but the focaccia-like bread was too dense. Delivery took almost an hour which explains why everything was lukewarm and soggy. Won't be ordering again. Back to Sip Sak...
(2)Sean Matthew L.
Walked past this Turkish place for the week or two we've been here and finally decided to drop in. The service was really friendly and fast. We ordered two sandwiches from them, a Falafel and a Lamb Adana which both come with a sliced pickle and steak fries. The fries where a nice thick cut and crunchy, which I enjoyed a lot. They offer two different sauces with their food, something closer to a marinara and something close to a ranch. The sauces are great on, well, everything. The bread they offer, the fries, the sandwiches, everything.
(4)Lauren L.
My Friends and I had a such a delicious food experience at Taksim. One friend is a vegan, I'm a vegetarian and the other is a meat eater but we were all able to agree on the dishes we wanted. We thought it would be a good idea to just get a bunch of appetizers and have a little taste of everything. We ordered the meze platters (which by the way isn't on the physical menu in the restaurant but is shown on menupages and their online menu, so don't hesitate to ask). We also ordered the falafel and zucchini pancakes. The meze platter consisted of: hummus, eggplant salad, cacik, tabuli, ezme, grape leaves The hummus was your standard hummus, just chickpeas, tahnini and garlic. I thought the hint of garlic was the perfect amount and the drizzle of EVOO was also the right amount. The eggplant salad (babaganoush), was really nice and smoky. Having that extra touch of tahini and garlic also gave the dip a different spin which I'm typically not used to but thoroughly enjoyed. The cacik, I had never heard of this or had it before so I was rather excited, but I feel as though it's tzatkiki's cousins. It's thickened yogurt with cucumber, garlic, mint and dill. Having both the mint and dill in the dip really gave this alot of flavor which I feel is always so important in a yogurt based dip. The tabuli, was just your standard tabuli. The ezme, another dip I had never heard of, but also very similar to tabuli. Finely chopped tomatoes, parsley, cucumber, roasted green pepper, red pepper, onion with olive oil and pomegranate juice. The touch of pomegranate juice really accented and popped the flavors of the veggie. Grape leaves, again your standard grape leave with the usual filling. They only gave one and I don't really care for them so my friend split it. Also in with the grape leave was a lentil ball, which I don't know if they typically give but we had asked if we should order them or not, so if they were nice enough to give us one I greatly appreciate it because it was delicious. It's mashed red lentils with scallions and parsley. It sounds boring but on the bread served was delicious. The bread that was served wasn't pita either which I thought it was going to be. The bread served is the kind of bread that is typically served in Turkey. I'm not sure of the name but it reminded me a croissant. One piece of bread was plenty to get enough of the meze platter. The zucchini pancakes were delicious!! They are fried but not overly oily at all. They are made with parsley, onion and carrot. served with homemade yogurt sauce. And not just served with homemade yougurt sauce but smothered! The warmth from the pancake with the chilled dip ontop was perfection! The falafel, for 5 falafel balls I'm not sure it was worth 8 bucks and change. But they were served on a bed of hummus with cabbage and lettuce. The falafel were extremely tasty and full of flavor, so I give them credit. For all of this it came to $32. The service was excellent and more than happy to help with menu selections. For a Thursday evening it was rather busy, some locals but also some people just looking for some Turkish cuisine! Cozy little space with great food, can't go wrong!
(4)Ty B.
Fantastic food. Girlfriend and I took my parents there on a Friday night - no wait but was still fairly busy - granted it was only around 7:00 pm. The complimentary bread was awesome, so were the hot (think Frank's and tomato) and yogurt sauces that came with it. We all split the meze platter which was a great way to sample their sides. I'm used to tabouli with plenty of bulgar in it which is what we got. The ezme was good too (it all was). Two of them got grilled branzino and enjoyed it very much. Mom got the chicken with yogurt which was also good - a lot of different tastes in each bite and a hearty portion. And for me, the reason I wanted to come, the stuffed cabbage. Huge portion and ALMOST like my grandma made them. She packed them smaller which gave you a little more cabbage in each bite. Plenty of their yogurt and tomato-based sauces too which was plated pretty nicely as many of the photos here will show. Oh - the service was good as well. 2 servers for a small dining room but they were still attentive enough and gave us some good recs. Cant wait to go back.
(4)JK L.
On a hot summer day, this was the perfect place to cool down and enjoy some light cuisine. The a/c was decent, and the meze platter was mostly good, the bread fresh and warm. The lamb was a little chewy for us, more like a tough skirt steak that hasn't been marinated long enough. Service is a little slow, and you do have to flag them down to ask for water/water refills. When you walk in on a 100 degree weather day, to an empty restaurant at 2 pm on a Friday, you shouldn't have to wait 15 minutes to flag a server down to ask for water. They weren't particularly busy, the restaurant never had more than 2 tables at a time. Yet, we had to flag down a server EACH and EVERY time to ask for water refills. If you are in this neighborhood and craving some turkish food, go for it, but I would not go out of my way to come here. The prices are not cheap, but for this area, they are average.
(3)Samuel M.
This is a lame Turkish neighborhood restaurant. If you are walking by it can be an option, but i won't be back. The falafel wasn't very tasty. The food was average, the greek salad was ok. Not recommended. The service was very slow and the turkish wine was horrible.
(1)Heather L.
New Turkish restaurant in Midtown East: Börek (w/ phyllo, cheese) was tasty and flaky. Zucchini pancakes are delicious - hot and crispy. You'll never know there are vegetables in there. Turlo was okay - not a lot of meat (this post makes me sound like a carnivore). Desserts: baklava was cute (no, really) - they made a sunflower-shaped trail of honey over the plate, with pistachio dust everywhere. Rice pudding was baked, but cold (wish it were warm). Overall decent, though main dish reminded me of un-spicy Indian food.
(3)Aydan A.
I didn't like the iskender kebob at all but lamb kebob was good. I recommend kunefe for a dessert, lahmacun and falafel for starters. They have Turkish wine & beers. Staff is friendly.
(3)Jason A.
Confused by the customer service there. I order from here a couple times a month for the last few years as we live nearby and the food is generally decent for Turkish food although somewhat high on the price. I ordered on seamless and somehow put in the same order 2 times. They called to ask if this was mistake which it was. The food was delivered and was fine. BUT the 2nd order was never taken off my credit card. When I called to tell them about this, I was told it was my problem not theirs. Probably the worst thing any business can say to their customer. The woman was clearly not interested in searching for my order and refunding me for the double order. I asked if it would be easier if I just disputed the charge through American express. She was so happy I brought up this option. This is just bizarre behavior for any service based company. I will be ordering from Naya across the street now as they have better food anyway. Thanks for nothing over these last couple years.
(2)Jennifer P.
The food is consistently good (a little above average). The service is good (I've always had very friendly, helpful servers). Good portion size and good quality for a pretty cheap price. Taksim doesn't have the BEST Turkish food in the city (that would be Turkish Kitchen,imo), but it will suffice.I recommend stopping by if you're in the neighborhood.
(4)Tash R.
When I first walked in at 12.20pm on a Friday I thought I had chosen a place that wasn't that popular and scared me a little as I had clients joining me. However, after about 10 minutes, the restaurant was full - great sign I think. Food was tasty specifically the lamb Adana - only issue was I wish I had ordered sides because it was only meat!
(4)Jaxs P.
Great quality food! I am never disappointed coming in here. Their grill mix for two has so much food and it's all amazing. :)
(5)Liza S.
delicious good! taking a star off for a slow service but the food more than compensated for lack of attention from the server staff. the house made breads are amazing but make sure to keep some to use on appetizer spreads. also, lamb kebab was mouth water however if you cant make up your mind, there's a platter that gets you all meats on one plate (best to split with few people)! I will definitely be back!
(4)Edward M. R.
Very tasty food. We ordered takeout. Taksim had a "long cooked" lamb shank. We also ordered lamb shiskabob and adana kabob, along with an extra of hummus. All of the food was good. The packaging for the takeout is fine, with dividers between the salad and the meat. They pack the rice separately. The rice is not plain rice, instead it has a few almonds in it, and also has been flavored. It is very good. They also give extras of the yoghurt sauce and the hot red sauce to accompany the meal. The service was polite and efficient. This is a popular place, so make a reservation.
(3)Abby V.
Food is delicious!! I eat here often and have never been disappointed. Their salads, kabobs and sandwiches are all great. Service at night on a weekend can sometimes get a little slow considering how busy they are. I'd go back again!!
(4)Shelly A.
Just went here last Saturday--- The service was fantastic! A great staff of servers and hostesses who always have smiles on their faces (not very easy to find in NYC). The food was decent, but nothing I'm too excited to have again. My fiance and I shared an appetizer sampler - it was all pretty good, it came with baba, hummus, and a dill yogurt sauce that truly was the star of the show. For dinner I ordered a ground chicken sandwich and he ordered a lamb kabob sandwich. Both were okay, the chicken broke away with the sandwich easier since it was ground chicken, his lamb kabob took some yanking and pulling! Honestly nothing amazing, but nothing bad either for just your average restaurant. It would make a nice 'mix it up' meal for a 'seamless web' night in. But my honest opinion is that there are great meat and rice carts and great falafel carts on every block in the city. This place really isn't bringing much to the table...
(3)Raafia L.
Solid falafel, pretty good hummus, good service. A little overpriced now, and don't really like the new set-up as much as the old set up.
(3)Stefanie D.
I can't say enough good things about Taksim as a great work lunch spot. I haven't tried everything, but I've tried enough to say this place is solid. They've redesigned the layout to allow for more tables, so there is never a wait for a table anymore. With the redesign came a few changes. They lost the best hostess ever and replaced her with a few spacey waitresses, but they're moderately attentive and get the job done. I usually order the greek salad with grilled chicken, which costs upwards of $12. It's a delicious filling salad (I get the small size) I also love the chicken kebab platter (grilled chicken kebabs, yummy roasted potatoes, great rice and a delicious seasoned mesclun salad comes with). Falafel is above average here. Fantastic hummus. Great borek. Yayla soup is good, and lentil soup is great. The prices have climbed a little recently, and they're getting spotty with their complimentary turkish delight at the end of the meal, but it's just a great place. The one creepy waiter can't really keep me away.
(5)Larisa T.
I had never had "Turkish food" before, but the menu here seemed a lot like a Greek restaurant's menu. I hope I didn't just offend too many Yelpers. Anyways, the food here is really really good. For three of us, we got: -- 3 Meze dips: lentil balls (hehe), hummus, and a pepper/eggplant dip -- A phyllo stuffed with feta and spinach (kind of like a Turkish mozzarella stick?) -- Griiled mixed platter for 2. This thing is HUGE. It has lamb adana (like ground sausage without casing thing, with spices), chicken adana, chicken, lamb chops, potatoes, rice, salad I was disappointed because I thought BYOB means bring your own beer. Turns out you can't, and if you bring wine there's a $10 corking fee. Bummer.
(4)Sarah K.
I've eaten here in the past an had an ok experience. I can honestly blame the ok-ness on it being a bad date and me ordering the wrong item. Since then I've had delivery, and most recently, I went in and placed an order for takeout. That night I was immediately greeted, and the girls who took my order were very friendly. I sat down to wait for my Turlu (a lamb stew with rice) and they brought me water, making sure to refill it when they saw how quickly I emptied my glass. The restaurant is small, but doesn't feel cramped. Whenever I've been there it's always been busy enough, but not too crowded to a point where they'd ever feel the need to rush you out in order to seat other customers. I haven't tried too many of the items on the menu, but I don't know if I'd try much else because the Turlu was so good. The items can seem a little pricey, however, I think it's more a reflection of the neighborhood than that they are setting the prices too high. I find that the food choices aren't the greatest in this area of town, so it's nice to have Taksim as an option. If you're in the neighborhood, this is a great choice for a nice, quiet place with friendly staff and great food.
(5)Laura A.
Stopped in here while strolling to find dinner on 2nd Abe and very pleased to have found this place! Deliciously seasoned lamb, awesome hummus, and very tasty zucchini pancakes. Highly recommend. Cool that they offer Turkish wines, too.
(5)Jackie S.
UGH TAKSIM, YOU DISAPPOINTED ME! A few months back I came with my parents for dinner and we had a good experience (read my old review if you're curious why it went down two stars). I was really looking forward to fulfilling my Turkish craving again! This time I came with my parents and my brother. We ordered the hummus appetizer which was decent, the best was the warm bread that came with it. We also ordered the fried calamari appetizer, which we had last time and liked. This time, the calamari was SPOILED! It came out looking wet, soggy, and gross...not crispy and fried like it's supposed to be. It tasted and smelled overly-fishy and my brother said it tasted off. We ended up sending it back but it was almost like they made it two days ago, didn't sell it, left it in the fridge, and then popped it in the microwave before bringing it to our table. FAIL. My brother had the diner kebab as his entree. I tried some and it was decent. My mom had a Greek salad which was just okay. I had the musakka, which my mom ordered last time. It was definitely the best entree of the evening but I think the portion was way smaller than I remembered it. My dad ordered the dish I was debating between getting, the Turlu, a traditional lamb stew. It was, AWFUL. The sauce tasted like it was straight from a can. The presentation was SAD. It was like someone who's just learning how to cook threw a bunch of ingredients in a crockpot and poured the contents of it on a plate thinking it's suitable enough for human consumption. NOPE. Our kunefe dessert was good, but after everything else that was sub-par, it's basically forgotten about. I once thought I'd be a semi-frequent visitor at this restaurant. NOT ANYMORE.
(2)Plain White T.
My co-workers and I visited for lunch and enjoyed the food overall. We shared an appetizer sampler platter that was more than enough for four people and delicious; my favorite is the eggplant dip. The dipping bread they serve arrives warm and doughy. Our entrees were decent, although I felt my lamb entree particularly was overpriced and a small serving. Other than that, prices are extremely fair which is why I would return for lunch to try more of their menu offerings. Service was fine, but they just need to refill the water glasses more frequently and be more present in the dining area in case customers need to ask for something.
(4)Sunkara A.
Yum zucchini pancakes and the meze platter filled me up...best hummus and ezme of all times
(5)Chrissy S.
They give you these warm delicious Turkish rolls. So we decided to order some hummus to dip them in. For the main course we split the mixed grilled platter for 2 which came with an assortment of chicken and lamb cuts with rice and a salad!! Seasoned and cooked very well! Unfortunately the 2 dishes we had originally wanted to order(the doner kebab and iskender kebab) they said they ran out of for the night which was disappointing but the service and food definitely made up for the it!
(4)Mike I.
First I called and asked how much woukd the platter be for chicken kebba they said 17 with tax and I asked how many sticks is it they tell me 2 wen I get my good it's only one stick with 5 pieces if I knew would never order from them AVOIDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD and the customer service sucks there very rude
(1)Seth B.
I had my first taste of Taksim square when my girlfriend and I ordered seamless. We ordered: Hummus with homemade Turkish Bread: Perhaps it's due to the fact that I'm a fat American, but I basically cannot enjoy hummus without something to dip it in (hell, that would just be "unamerican"). So, throwing in the Turkish bread (for only 50 cents extra) was a lucky decision. The turkish bread is kind of like pita bread meets a kaiser roll and I was pleasantly surprised that the bread was still warm upon delivery. The main reason I actually ordered Taksim was due to their EXCELLENT seamless ratings. Now that I'm here, this seems contradictory to their merely good/mediocre yelp ratings. On that, I cannot comment however, at the very least it seems Taksim square has mastered the art of delivery. Rice Pilaf: In general, I adore rice pilaf and Taksim did not disappoint. Tasty and smooth like butter, as it should be. Falafel Wrap with a side of tsziki sauce: Delicious. The falafel was cooked to utter perfection. Crispy on the outside and perfectly colored green on the inside. Although, it is a wrap it is more like a sandwich since they don't cut the wrap in half. However, one is supposed to tear back the tin foil as they descend upon the sandwich and really, that is middle eastern style. Not to mention, this manner of attacking the sandwich lends itself nicely to pouring yogurt sauce on the sandwich and Taksim's was delicious. Bear in mind, however, that the sides of sauce are quite small and I would recommend ordering an extra if you enjoy it/plan on using it. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised and very pleased by Taksim square and would most definitely recommend it.
(4)Samantha E.
Wish they'd open more of them! Even my 4 year old loves it. Delivery is fast and accurate but food definitely tastes in better if you can eat it at the restaurant.
(4)Safone A.
Food sucks! Don't waste your money! Service is poor! Only decor is good! We ordered the kebab it was way over well done! Almost burnt! If you want good middle Easter food go to hummus 21 on 1st ave & 57 street! That's my favorite middle Easter restaurant!
(1)Bing R.
It's one of my neighborhood restaurants where locals dine. Not a tourist trap! They make grilled smokey flavor babganoush which I pickup often to go. Their grilled lamb chops served with their rice pilaf is as good as you can have in Taksim Square area in Istanbul. This is authentic right in Midtown. I prefer having the thin bread than the thick one they give you sometimes. It's less carb and better to eat with hummus or babaganoush.
(4)Ammara J.
Great service. Great food. Especially the mixed grill for two, can never go wrong with it.
(5)Randy T.
A very nice -- traditional Turkish restaurant. I come here often, rarely finding any issues with the food. The staff is ALWAYS friendly. Always accommodating.
(4)ReMel K.
The food was really good and fresh. Really liked the mixed grill for two. It was awesome.
(5)Farah A.
I visited Istanbul, Turkey last year and I am yet to find a restaurant that can replicate that same taste that I had back when I visited Turkey. This place did it for me. The décor is beautiful. The seating is made up of plush, red cushions embossed with an intricate gold design. The paintings represent different areas of Istanbul. I really loved the painting of the Galata Tower and the painting of the Bosphorous Sea! We went on a Monday night and this place was completely packed with people. I would say that this restaurant can comfortably fit about 50-60 people without getting too claustrophobic. If you're going to go on Thursday, Friday, Saturday--I would definitely make a reservation just in case. We were a group of 5 people and shared everything in "family style." What we ordered: For starters we ordered the Meze Platter. This platter is a combination of hummus, Babaganoush, Tabuli, Ezme, Cacick, Lentil Balls, and Dolma (Grape Leaves). It is served with the beautifully rounded, hot, moist, and unforgettable flat breads! They were so delicious! The Meze platter overall was wonderful and everything was seasoned perfectly. I would definitely order this as a start to your entire meal! Mixed Grill: A combination of lamb shish, chicken shish, lamb adana, chicken adana, lamb chops (served with rice and mixed green salad). Everything was cooked well, and we requested all of the meat to be cooked at a temperature of "medium well." It says MIXED GRILL FOR 2, but 4 people can easily share this. Iskender Kebab: Doner over homemade croutons and topped with tomato sauce and homemade garlic yogurt sauce , mozzarella cheese, served over a bed of rice. I wasn't crazy about this dish, but my cousin loved it! It depends on your taste. It's is made of strips of beef marinated in tomato sauce, garnished with mozzarella and croutons. It's like Italian meets Turkish. Lamb Adana Kebab Platter with Yogurt: This Adana kebab is the best I've had in the United States thus far. I've had other Adana Kebabs and was disappointed because I could smell the scent of lamb and I hate that! These kebabs are cooked to perfection and you can't smell the lamb, you can only smell and indulge in the aromatic Turkish spices! This place is casual; you do not need to dress up for this restaurant. You can if you want but it's not required. If you're looking for a place to go with family, a date, or if you strictly want to eat halal food, this is the place for you!
(4)Joseph H.
I've been here twice so far and think the food is great. I've gotten an appetizer, meal, And dessert and am impressed by all three although I could have skipped the dessert it wasn't anything special. The waiters are friendly and timely and the cost for two is fairly inexpensive for a nice evening dining out. The restaurant is pretty small and, on a busy day, not much elbow room but besides that I have no complaints. So far it's the only Turkish restaurant I've been to since living in NYC for over a year and I am impressed. Will be visiting again soon.
(5)Alli G.
Went here for dinner with my parents when they came up to visit and we were very happy. I ordered the lamb with yogurt and rice, which was delicious. Parents ordered the lamb stew. I ordered the baklava for a take home dessert and was happy I did! It was flaky, crunchy, and soaked in just the right amount of honey. I recommend going here and would go back.
(4)Pamela M.
Great food service was a little on the slow side of the questions were great and very flavourful.
(4)Vernon W.
arrived early Saturday 6:30p and the place had 3-4 tables with guests. We ordered two appetizers, eggplant salad, and zucchini pancakes with a grilled salad. This was enough food for myself and gf. Hot Turkish bread also complimented with the eggplant salad nicely. The zucchini pancake with yogurt sauce was excellent. Then we filled up with the greek salad and washed everything down with a nice glass of malbec red wine. The place is small. The food excellent as people of Turkish decent east here. By the time we finished eating, the place had a hour wait. Definitely would come back and visit again.
(4)Allison C.
I loved Taksim! Everyone gets fresh baked sesame rolls. For an appetizer, we had eggplant spread. My dad and I split the mixed grill platter. Everything was tender, beautifully seasoned.
(4)Maeve C.
I came here with a bunch of people for a friend's birthday, and we enjoyed attentive service and authentic Turkish food for reasonable prices. To start, we all got to enjoy free bread rolls that were pretty tasty but would have been even better warmed up. My table and I split two bottles of Turkish red wine, and the waiters were happy to inform us that our choice (the cheapest bottle they had, at $26) was actually a new wine they had just gotten in from Turkey. Score! We ordered babaghanoush to split among four of us, and were impressed with the creamy texture and rich smokey flavor. It didn't seem like they added mayonnaise as many places do, and I think it was better for it. I ordered the lamb kofte wrap, which was basically mini spiced lamb burgers in a wrap with veggies and sauces on the side, served with amazing spiced steak fries. The wrap itself was really tasty and I thought the lamb flavor was assertive but not overpowering. We didn't end up getting dessert but we were so full from the two rounds of bread rolls and our entrees that we didn't miss it. Next time I'm in the no man's land of the east 50's, I'll be sure to think of Taksim Sq!
(4)Dave B.
Been there once. Had the lamb kebab (cubes). The lamb was not at all tender. I couldn't chew through all of it (i.e. parts were effectively un-swallowable). The rice was very meh. This style of food reminds me of a poor-man's Persian food. The bread rolls that come complimentary are tasty, but dense, and I fought myself not to eat them (and lost). They were hot and fresh, and tasted good with the oil. Unfortunately, they don't have butter on premises, and that's a bit of a pain point, as I prefer butter over oil. I like the setup of the place...very simple tables, two main rows, one on each side of the restaurant, kinda facing one-another. Servers were attentive, and not pushy at all. All things considered, service, food, and price, it was fine. I didn't regret the experience, but nothing is pulling me back there, though if a friend wanted to go there, I wouldn't resist it either. Some basic hints I'd give to the owners: (1) offer butter...some people like it (2) use Basmati rice...it tastes better (3) do something with the lamb to make it more tender
(3)Jaafar A.
Delicious food, appropriate pricing, and fantastic service. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for some fresh Turkish cuisine.
(5)Chris E.
I went looking for doner kabob but was disappointed since they no longer serve it. Well after talking with the very informed server I choose another type kebab, called Adana. It was absolutely amazing. It is lamb kebab kneaded with red peppers. It was perfect. The bread was good. The Turkish delights at the end of the meal were a perfect end to a fantastic meal. Though I went for one thing and left with a belly full of Turkish cuisine. This place gets 5 stars for being clean, nice, friendly atmosphere, and an overall great place to dine. I will be going back. A word about their food though. Being of someone that has very slighted and great taste for Turkish food this place helps fill a void in place of my favorite Turkish place in Washington DC, Cafe Divan, and dinner with a real Turk that can help you order some specialties that will knock your socks off. Thank you Kemal no Turkish place can fill the void without you and cafe divan. But for now this will have to substitute.
(5)Justin W.
Great food in a bit of a dead spot so even more appreciated. Not that there is not good choices around but for good middle eastern fare this is the spot. Pretty impressive selection and a nice staff. The falafel is pretty solid, I thought the eggplant zucchini dish was the best I have had. Worth a try no doubt.
(4)April C.
Wow, that was the BEST Turkish food I have ever eaten! We had the spinach, hummus, borak, lentil soup, tabuli, falafel and two types of chicken and all were 5 star worthy! The service was great and do was the food! I can't wait to go back!! Run, don't walk there and hurry!
(5)K T.
This Turkish restaurant had great service and great food. And plus it's BYOB! My friend ordered Lamb steak, which was perfectly baked and flavored. I ordered Stuffed Cabbage Leaves, which was also great. More than anything else our waiter was A+++. He was extremely friendly, well-mannered and treated us very well. I have seen many waiters/waitresses who gets less nicer as they get busier. He was NOT like them. We went there around 7pm, when there were not many people, but by the time we left the restaurant, there was a long line of people waiting for there seats.
(4)Olga R.
I'm a vegetarian now and I still dream about their grilled meat platter. They also have the best greek salad I have ever tasted.
(5)Melissa M.
I've been to Taksim twice and both times it's been pretty tasty - not the best food ever but good for a casual weeknight dinner. The yogurt dip is really creamy, the lentil balls are pretty good (I was pleased since they weren't made with flour), the elephant beans were on the bland side and the eggplant zucchini dish was pretty good. Nothing overwhelmingly bad and nothing overwhelmingly amazing. My biggest complaint was that the waiter kept trying to clear our plates (literally every minute) while there was still food....it was a bit strange since there was no one waiting for a table. Maybe they were short on plates in which case they should just buy more.
(3)Alison E.
Really want to give 3.5 stars, but that's not an option. Great place for takeout (not so sure about the restaurant atmosphere). I recommend the Lamb Adana - it's a solid filling meal and the red spicy sauce is fantastic! Not a gourmet meal, but great for everyday yummy Turkish food!
(3)Anita C.
One of my new favorites in the city, but alas, it's not close to my casa. Delicious Turkish food, with a long list of appetizers and lots of lamb dishes. Most of the appetizers are vegetarian. Everything is soooo yummy but the piece the resistance is the baked rice pudding. I'm not usually a huge rice pudding fan, but this stuff is so good I want to take a bath in it!! The restaurant is colorful and well lit, and the servers are brisk but pleasant. This is the perfect place to go to dinner with your boyfriend on a weeknight. The website has pics of the food that will make you droll on your keyboard.
(5)Betsey L.
my work used to order from this place every day for dinner. and some would still order it for lunch. menu highlights: GREEK SALAD. ask them to go light on the feta cheese or you'll get a ton of it. it is tossed in a light lemon juice dressing and comes chuck w/ the shepherd's salad and elephant beans (fyi these beans make you gassy) w/ a stuffed grape leaf on top. I have several out of town friends that ask for this salad when they come visit NYC. $7 sm / $10 lg TURKISH BREAD. automatically comes to the table and makes the hummus taste good. make sure its hot and toasty or send it back. Grilled Salmon. I used to order this almost every day for dinner. Its simple. Slab of grilled salmon on top of a green salad (dressed in lemon vinegerette). $15 I also enjoyed the roasted chicken and stuffed cabbage leaves entree. The rice pudding is a good dessert.
(4)Tae K.
went here because it's close to work. despite the mixed reviews and complaints about portions, i figured i'd try it to see if the food was good. the food was indeed very good, but jeez, the portions were tiny for the prices they were charging ($9.50 for a sandwich the side of a mcd's snack wrap). they were also very cheap with the bread. you reek of the restaurant after you leave. probably will nto be going back.
(3)Marysa M.
This place is the perfect break-up spot. Food is excellent. Price was super low. And it's very well lit so not romantic at all.
(4)Sonia K.
Loved it. The service is great and the staff is very friendly and helpful. The food came out pretty quickly. We had the hummus to start and it was good but not out-of-this-world - the pitas, however, were amazing. SO soft and delicious - I think we got 3 orders! We had the Chicken Adana Kebab which was good but a little dry. Also had the fish which I heard was very good. My favorite was the Lamb Shank. Tons of flavor on melt in your mouth lamb. Overall good food but a little on the dry side with the chicken - even with a side of yogurt and hot sauce (which was more like very sweet ketchup). Definitely worth a try!
(4)Grace S.
Their Chicken Adana Kabob with Yogurt sauce is delicious.
(3)Zando E.
Taksim has some good dishes, but for the price, the portions are minuscule. An entree here is the size of an appetizer elsewhere. It's a pity, because I live in the area and like the food, but they basically give you a sandwich's worth of meat, add rice, call it an entree and charge $12+ for it. We order out all the time and would love to add Taksim to the usual rotation, but its not enough even for my wife, who's a very light eater. If you like this type of food, head downtown to Bereket on Houston. Better food, lower prices, generous portions, and open 24 hrs. Taksim won't last long.
(2)j c.
I was stranded in an unfortunate walk-up nearby and Taksim was the saving grace of my misguided rental. Large selection of salads and delicious chicken and lamb - I like the roasted chicken, which is tomato-y and fresh but quite flavorful. Although I've since left the scary (think: Dope Sick Love) walk-up, thankfully Taksim is available through SeamlessWeb.
(4)Eric M.
I ate there hours ago and am still holding my belly! I had the moussaka, which was delicious followed up with a plate of baklava. The service was friendly and attentive. The food came out quick and I think you know how I feel about the food!
(5)Serk K.
chicken adana was very delicious. i also liked the eggplant salad
(5)Diana T.
Wanted a decently priced good Turkish restaurant and found this one on citysearch. It's small but very cute and the first time I went it was packed on a weekend--second time was a Monday and much easier to get a table. We shared the falafel/hummus platter and cous-cous like dish (forgot the name) with the house pita (it was more like a fluffly bread loaf) which were delicious. My falafel sandwich was such a steal at under $5 and it came in 2 pieces in a wrap with delicious tzatziki and tomato sauce. Friends got the chicken which was tender and juicy despite being all white meat. Wouldn't recommend the lamb but then again I don't usually eat it. And a great end was the turkish delight candies that were presented with out bill. Definitely a great date spot--try it if you're on the UES =)
(4)Becca F.
La la la la la la the food here is cheap. La la la la la la the food here is good. La la la la la la the food here is filling. La la la la la la you should be glad you can't hear me singing. -Lentil soup is scrumptious as is the homemade bread and the hummus.
(4)Paige T.
Food was good, although the service was a little less so. I had the mixed vegetable shish, which was good, perhaps a little bland. Hot sauce is not very hot, but the yogurt sauce was right on the money.
(3)Kealan C.
Taksim is right up the street from my apartment, but I hadn't made the effort to go because of the very mixed Yelp reviews. On Friday night (New Year's day), I resolved to not let websites continue to rule my life and went for it. I'm so glad I did and now have a new neighborhood favorite. We started with an appetizer sampler, which is smaller portions of three appetizers ($7.95). We had the hummus, cacik (pronounced "jajek" and is like tzatziki), and lentil balls. All were tasty, but the hummus and cacik were really, really flavorful and probably the best I've ever had. They're not stingy with the bread, either, which is more focaccia-like than pita. We then shared the lamb shish kebab entrée which was so juicy, tender, and also really flavorful. So, so good! The dish comes with really good rice, potatoes, and salad, too. The meal was so great that we (I) very willingly ordered two desserts - the baked rice pudding and baklava. I've never had baked rice pudding before, and really dug the "creme brulee" effect it had on the pudding. No sugar to break or anything, just the yummy "burnt" effect that was a really great contrast to the pudding. Could have used cinnamon, in my opinion, but it was still unique and delicious. The baklava was pretty perfect - not too sticky, not too dry. Yum. All in all, you can get out of here paying under $30 for two people (sorry, but don't go to a Turkish restaurant for wine - just sayin'). The portions are the right size, the service is friendly, and the food is fab. We desperately need more places like this in this neighborhood!
(5)Jen C.
This used to be one of my go to spots for lunch. Excellent dishes and fresh food--greek salad and lamb stew were the best. Recent reviewers mentioned that management changed. I got take out this past week and unfortunately those reviews seem to be true. The quality of the food seems to have gone downhill; food was not fresh and I couldn't even finish my favorite greek salad. Grape leaves were under-cooked; salad items were stale. It was so bad that I don't think I'll give them another try in case they just had an off day.
(2)Larissa S.
c z is clearly connected to this place 1) because they only have a single review and 2) the owners are far from genuine. do not be misled by the flattering reviews! so tonight i ordered a greek salad from taksim for delivery. seemed a little pricey at $15 when you add chicken, but the flavor was ok. my one star is what occured when a few minutes into my salad i came across a hair. gross. any decent restaurant would be embarassed by this and when I called they initially seemed legitimately concerned. First when i asked for a refund (i paid cash) the manager asked me to come pick up my money. who does that? i wasnt asking for the delivery guy to give his tip back just bring me my money! so an hour later the delivery guy shows up with my money. i give him back the salad and he begins to inspect it, turning it around and looking at it from various angles while the doorman stood there in disbelief. he proceeds to accuse me for eating the chicken on top of the salad. well yea i did it was on top and when i got to the salad part a hair was mixed it! it wasnt gingerly placed on top of the chicken. the container was still 3/4 full. so unprofessional and ridiculous. he gave me the money but not without reminding me that next time to leave the chicken. what a joke. beware not only did i find something gross in my food but the people who work there are slimey.
(1)Daniel R.
The Börek used to be amazing but they have stopped making it there because now it tastes like rubber. We have been to Taksim many times but recently the food has been getting worse & worse. Last night was the worst ever. The restaurant is not that large & they had three servers on the floor; half the orders came out wrong, they were running around like crazy people & the attitude was ridiculous. We waited 15 min before anyone gave us a menu, then it took forever to flag down a waiter. The table of 6 next to us, who seemed to know the hostess, came in 20 minutes after us & was served 15 minutes before we ever saw our food...which they screwed up. This is the second time I have had a bad experience here which is a shame because they used to be one of my favorite places to go.
(1)Julie L.
Enjoyed a great dinner at Taksim tonight with great service from Pablo. The food was yummy and it is a great go-to in the neighborhood. The greek salad is a favorite and the atmosphere was perfect for me to catch up with a friend! I will be frequenting Taksim in the future and I will request Pablo as my server.
(4)Ece A.
Ordered food last week to our office, if you like Turkish food this is a place you should never miss. The appetizers are delicious and fresh (try hummus) and lahmacun might be the best one in NYC. They also do catering service so check this place out also for your events.
(4)Cool B.
I was mad and wrote a bad review . Sorry . Yelp sucks - you can't go back and erase it .
(3)Manali T.
I love Taksim. I think it has the best salad and hummus! I used to live by Taksim and order from there all the time but now that I live far from it anytime I"m in midtown I always stop by to pick up a salad and a wrap. The wait staff is always friendly. Can't complain because this is amazing food for a great price.
(5)C L.
Very very tasty! One of the best Turkish food I've ever had!
(5)Andres G.
If I could I would give 0 stars to this restaurant ...... I went there approximately a year ago and I had an amazing time,great food and great service as well I remember seeing all the stuff working and actually enjoying what they were doing,everyone manager,servers,cashier,and cooks (since they have an open kitchen I could see them all) but I went last week and I was surprised and disappointed, the new stuff doesn't know what they're doing and the food was just terrible...... Never going back again :(
(1)Dana K.
The waitress recommended Iskender Kebab. It was just okay. Not sure I made the right choice. I'd go back and try something else. Staff was attentive, nice casual atmosphere.
(4)Tee R.
Taksim has really really good food. i shared the mixed grill with a friend, it was all perfectly cooked and perfectly seasoned. the salads were really good too, elephant bean salad, hummus was great. the hot bread with the hummus was perfect. the room is informal, lots of tile and nice turkish paintings. (my wife asked "why does that woman in the painting have a moustache?") the informality of the room is okay considering the prices, very affordable, a great value. we had the turkish Yakut wine, it was delicious, much better than any california swill. I will definately be back soon.
(4)douglas B.
Such a wonderful surprise. We had looked up places and decided this is where we would go. On the way though we passed packed restaurant after packed restaurant. When we got to Taksim it was almost empty. We began to worry. The space is cute but underwhelming but they make up for it with friendliness. The food though hit the spot. Everything was fantastic, fresh, flavorful and fast. I can not wait to try this place again and suggest you do the same before it becomes packed like all the rest. ( by the time we left there was a decent crowd so maybe we were just early)
(4)Emily A.
Love this place! It's my neighborhood go-to place. Best Greek salad ever! and the Boreks are delicious, as is the Cacik--can't go wrong!
(4)jared g.
if you are in the mood for hummus and shish kabab in a sit down setting this place is the way to go. priced very fair. once in a while the have swordfish shish kebabs as a special, they are amazing.
(4)Ezra N.
I am Turkish and i know good food. This was average. their menu is boring. I am tired of seeing same menu in every Turkish restaurants in NYC. chicken kebab was huge and dry, it wasn't marinated. iskender was dry and it didn't have enough tomato sauce. ezme was cold. probably prepared days ago. only two things i loved were the Pide bread and Turkish tea. I didn't like their baklava either. I wonder if the owner of the restaurant is really Turkish because I don't thing he ever had real Baklava. Also, none of the workers were Turkish in that place. I wish their chef was Turkish and knew what he was serving and how it was supposed to taste. oh! but staff was great! great service!!!!
(3)Jess L.
I ate at Taksim yesterday because of such positive Yelp reviews. I was disappointed. The hummus was dry, and the lentil balls had a strange taste. The lamb kebab was good, but nothing spectacular. I did enjoy the shepherds salad. The cafe/restaurant was quite loud, and it was hard to hear my friend. The desserts were probably the best part: rice pudding (though with a weird layer on top) and almond pudding.
(2)Diane A.
Food: Not tasty. Just average. Atmosphere: Kind of lame. Beverage: Turkish wine is interesting, but not necessarily in a good way. Overall: I've had much better Turkish food all over the city. I don't see any reason to return here. It was just bleh...
(2)katie j.
Turkish food is delish. Lamb, spices, hummus, falafel... what's not to love? Taksim's a wonderful restaurant. A Turkish Delight indeed, Edmund, but this one won't get you in trouble. It's a fairly small restaurant - perfect place to bring 2 or 3 of your friends for a casual, reasonably priced Midtown dinner. Foodnalysis: - Free Bread - Free. What a glorious word, particularly to eatcheaplyists like yourself. The bread at Taksim is great! Flakey, light, perfect for dipping in... - Tarama (aka Taramosalata) - a salty, smooth Greak spread traditionally made from carp roe, mashed potato or bread crumbs, lemon juice and olive oil. The first time I tried Tarama I thought it was much too salty, however it has proved itself to be quite the acquired taste. A recommended appetizer that compliments the endless bread. Give it a try. Taksim's cacik and stuffed cabbage leaves are also great starters. - Borek - Essentially a Turkish egg roll filled with feta cheese. Tasty, but not the best appetizer for the price. - Lamb Shank - Tender, boneless lamb with eggplant and tomato sauce, served over rice. Quite possibly the best item on the menu (see FN1). This is a good pick -- flavorful and filling. - Adana Kebab Sandwich - If you're deciding between Chicken and Lamb, EAT LAMB. You can choose between a platter option served with rice pilaf or, for $3 less, a "sandwich" (read: wrap) option. Well-seasoned meat with Turkish red pepper, onions and tomatoes wrapepd in a large tortilla... mmmm. Here's an tip: fill up on the bread and take half of the wrap to work for lunch. How's that for economical!? I've kindly tested this method for your in advance and can honestly say the wraps passed the decent-leftover test with flying colors. The Bottom Line: Tarama + Lamb = Yum.
(4)Adam S.
I'm a big fan of this place. I have not eaten in the restaurant, only friday take-out at work. The lamb and chicken kebabs are great, rice is nicely spiced, and the white sauce (similar to tzatziki) is good. The stuffed cabbage leaves are good but a little too soggy after delivery. The salads here are good too. Just don't let them sit too long if you're getting delivery because them come dressed. I have not yet tried the sandwiches but I hope to soon. I definitely recommend this place and I wish they hadn't closed their east village location.
(5)Jenn B.
In defense of their falafel - it is different, but it is good especially for midtown east where I can't find a falafel for lunch. The sauce is not sour cream it's yogurt. It comes with hummus which is nice and that strange wrap style is easier to eat at work. As for it's authenticity maybe I'll update this review after I make it to Istanbul. The rest of the food looks awesome too, just never had the time to stay for a full meal.
(3)Joanna L.
Geez I've never given only 1 star before... but let me talk about good and bad falafel. Good falafel is tasty by itself. It doesn't need sauces or flavoring. It is just tasty plain. Now fast forward to Taksim's falafel sandwich. Maybe it was the fact that I ordered falafel and none of the meets, but seriously... I wouldn't even call that falafel... rather it was "falafel" pretending to be a burrito. Wrapped in a burrito tortilla and it even came with... SOUR CREAM? What is this crap!? It's NOT falafel. I went to Taksim to order Doner Kebab only to find out that they don't sell it anymore. Well needless to say, I'm not going there again. EVER. Worst falafel I've ever had in my life. The falafel wasn't very tasty and the sauces made it worse. I don't even know what to think. Though it was not AWFUL (for food in general)... it wasn't what it was supposed to be. If someone can convince me otherwise, then maybe I'd go back someday and order something else.
(1)M And M P.
Got the lamb kebob sandwich. Excellent flavor. But too small a sandwich for 10 plus dollars. And they have a minimum credit card charge of $13...they get kudos for making an exception to my $1 under order...but to expensive!
(3)Justine M.
Yum, Yum, Yum. I have been three times in the past two weeks.. (upon discovery). Everything I have had is delicious! The shepherd salad, the tabouli, the sea bass, the pita, the hummus..list goes on and on. Wait staff is very friendly and they give you turkish delight with the bill. Now, if only they did that with the takeout.. mmm. And... best of all they are a block from my office. We are all hooked now!
(5)Laureen L.
After finding out that The Smith was too noisy and other restaurants my Mom and I wanted to go to were too long of a wait, we stumbled upon Taksim tonight. I've had some so-so experiences with Turkish food thus far in New York and one exceptional one, so my skeptical factor was high. We were very impressed! For appetizers, we ordered the tabouli and the zucchini pancakes (Mucver). Both absolutely delicious, especially the pancakes. For an entree, we shared the Turlu special which was stewed vegetables - eggplant, carrots, potatoes, green beans and some other vegetables with the most moist lamb I have tasted thus far. For dessert we had turkish tea and a very light baklava (most places make their baklava too sweet - this one was just right). Will recommend this place to anyone looking for a great Turkish spot that is reasonably priced, provides great service, impeccable food, and has nice decor.
(5)Jimmy C.
A great place with excellent food. Loved the grilled combo and would suggest ordering appetizer with the grill combo as the main course. The price is affordable, highly recommended.
(4)Tony Y.
My first Turkish restaurant experience. Their appetizers are amazing as well as the grilled fish entree! Not too expensive either. The waitress was super nice. I'd definitely go back, my date was just as impressed as I was.
(4)