A Thousand Tales Restaurant / Bakery & Cafe

I recently visited Thousand Tales and overall had a really good experience. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, and the food was fresh and flavorful. You can tell they put effort into presentation and quality. The only downside is that it’s a bit on the pricey side for what you get.

This review is for the bakery! This bakery is the BEST in whole of Chicagoland. They make everything to perfection, not just the looks but the quality and the flavors. All of their cakes and baklava and truffles are out of this world. They also make bomb custom cakes with whatever flavors you want and whatever designs you want. You can send them a picture and the cake masters are like artists! We have order multiple time from here. And most recently for my baby’s first birthday. We ordered a large black forest for everyone to eat with a beautiful photo print and delicious inside and one smaller berries and crème for cake smash with space designs and so so delicious inside. We love this place!

Food: I enjoyed everything I tried from the fresh squeezed lemonade, to the lentil soup which was super smooth and non-grainy, to the tales salad which was well balanced with amazing feta and their warm homemade bread is very good too. Atmosphere: The cafe area is super cozy and has nice dessert display cases. I thought the music was pleasant and relaxing in the dining area, but the decor was a bit basic. Overall: Prices for food were a bit on the higher end. It's a good place to try some Turkish staples if you haven't had Turkish cuisine before, but I think their specialty is their bakery/cafe. Their homemade cakes are really good. Especially the chocolate, pistachio, raspberry cake.

What a great dinner party at A Thousand Tales Restaurant & Bakery. The owners were incredibly welcoming and clearly proud of their food and their team — and they should be. Everything we tried was fresh, flavorful, and there were so many different dishes that it’s hard to even pick a favorite. It was all delicious. I can’t wait to go back, and I highly recommend checking out A Thousand Tales Restaurant & Bakery if you haven’t yet.

Mid food pretty place great service. Just a little pricey $32.00 for 2 coffees (The sugar jelly tasted pretty good) 1 eclair (It was good but a little sweet for my kid’s liking) 2 meat dishes (The flakey dish was good but a little oily). Other one was my favorite.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Always an Incredible Experience – Thousand Tales Never Disappoints! Thousand Tales is one of those rare restaurants that consistently delivers excellence — every visit feels warm, welcoming, and delicious from start to finish. The food is beautifully presented and full of authentic Mediterranean flavor, from the freshly baked bread to the perfectly seasoned flatbreads and dips. And the dessert… the pistachio cheesecake is simply divine — rich, creamy, and full of that subtle nutty sweetness that makes it unforgettable. It’s the perfect way to end an amazing meal.

Went here for our anniversary dinner with the fam and I was so impressed with everything. The food was delicious, the ambience was pleasant and service was impeccable. Special shout-out to Sia for taking such good care of us! She made sure we were comfortable and had a good dining experience throughout. Would definitely recommend, can't wait to visit again!

The freshest fresh produce. My date and I had different salads, the chicken shish, and Turkish coffee. Highly recommend for an authentically delicious Mediterranean meal. OMG the desserts melt in your mouth. Very reasonably priced. Beautiful interior.

Love it here! The ambiance the food! The service! We enjoyed it here specially my kids!

A Thousand Tales in Mount Prospect has instantly become one of my favorite niche coffee spots. The Turkish coffee was deeply aromatic, strong without being harsh, and didn't need a sweetener to taste exactly like what I'd experienced in Turkish cafés in Turkey (grounds at the bottom on the cup and all). The chocolate croissant was expectedly amazing - huge,flaky, buttery, and generously filled. The place was absolutely packed with Eastern European families and friends chatting over coffee and pastries, which only added to the sense that this is a genuinely authentic, community-rooted cafe rather than a generic suburban bakery. Warm service, excellent coffee, and a visually stunning, unforgettable presentation of pastries (worth a stop just to see) mean I'll be back often! Next time, however, I'm going to eat at the restaurant/grill which looks like it is going to create the same level of atomic explosion in my head as this bakery has!

I love love love this placr! Service is grdat! Place is nice and you can dress up or down as you please. I have my goto food order. It will always be the Grilled platter. Its a variety of meat and its really delicious! If you want to try everything this is a highly suggested order and presentation is amazing! Definitely coming back for more! Happy Eating!!!!

Been here twice in as many weeks and both times it was completely amazing. The service was impeccable: friendly, helpful, and prompt. The food was perfection. The shawarma was the best I've ever had, the lamb chops were perfection, the red lentil soup was amazing. Everything was delicious. The restaurant itself is cosy and inviting. A 10 out of 10. I'll be back for my birthday this year.

I came here on Christmas Eve while I was running errands in Arlington Heights. I was in need of caffeine and after attending two recent Yelp events here, I wanted to come back and support them. (Plus my Yelp bestie Stacy O. mentioned at the last event that she had a pistachio latte here before the event and it was amazing. I haven't stopped thinking about it). I got an oatmilk pistachio crumble latte and I'm not normally a sweet coffee kind of gal, but omg. It was incredible and so worth the splurge. The real pistachios as a topping was a great addition, and they topped it with a small Turkish delight. I will always come back here when I'm in the area and need coffee. Also, all their fudges are delicious, but the pistachio one might be my favorite.

Had an amazing first time visiting A Thousand Tales! The food was great and everyone here is so kind. We tried their Valentine's Day drinks, which included an iced strawberry mocha latte and love potion mocktail (a beautiful sparkly shirley temple). They even gave us a complimentary dessert. I got the chocolate mousse one and it was so delicious. The bakery connected to the restaurant also has a huge selection of beautiful cakes, chocolates, and pastries. I will definitely need to come back to try more of their bakery items!

This Turkish café is a five star place filled with wonderful aromas, sights and tastes that awaken the palate. The food is made from the freshest ingredients and you can taste the care and passion put into every bite. I loved everything I tried, but a few of my favorites were the pomegranate walnut salad, pesto pasta and meat rolled in a thin pita with tomato based sauce and cheese garnish. Dessert was equally impressive and we tried delicious cheesecake, baklava, and profiteroles served with hot Turkish tea in elegant tulip glasses. The entire night while dining here, we felt like we were part of an exclusive family meal experience. The owner, servers and staff at the bakery counter are all fabulous and we look forward to returning here in 2026!

This place is nothing short of amazing! We experienced a 4 course meal starting with appetizers of hummus, baba ganoush, grape leaves and warm bread followed by a hot tomato red pepper soup and on to a beautiful plated main entree of Turkish style roast lamb with beautiful sides. The show stopper was the flaming salt crusted turkey that a chef unveiled for us. All the food is made fresh everyday and items are all delicious with their own unique flavors. That wasn't all.. they also have a beautiful grocery shop featuring various sweets, bakery, butcher and authentic groceries. Another nice area is the cafeteria style meal place with casual seating! It reminded me of my trip to Istanbul where this is very common to have many dishes offered and you pick what you want at the restaurants. Seating was comfortable and intimate. Then they have another area separate from all this where you can try a number of Turkish delights/Lokum, baklava's and deserts with coffee and teas! Setup as a traditional Turkish tea room as well. The whole family is very nice and puts thier passion and hard work into everything here! When you leave you feel like a Sultan!

Been going back from time to time to get the Black Forest cake and mosaic chocolate. These are my comfort food. They continue to be amazing! I love that they are not too sweet.

Stepping into A Thousand Tales is less about eating out and more about embarking on a journey. Located subtly in the heart of Mount Prospect, this restaurant manages to feel both intimate and grand, inviting patrons to settle in and become part of its narrative. I can confidently say that this is a five-star experience, and I am already looking forward to my next chapter there!

Wow grabbed some delicious baklava to take home and share with my wife. They looked so good I ate some in the car before I was home. . So good highly recommend checking out their bakery and the restaurant. Welcoming and friendly staff. Definitely a hidden gem !!!

I've been to A Thousand Tales before and visited for a second time while visiting Illinois. It's a nice place to grab a quick bite to eat. The service here tends to be a little slow but the food is fresh. I've ordered the grilled meatballs both visits and it will likely become a go-to. They also have a cafe next door where you can order crafted drinks and pastries to go.

A Thousand Tales was excellent. The food was amazing from start to finish. I ordered a variety of spreads, salads, and kabobs, and everything was incredibly flavorful and delicious. You can really tell the ingredients are fresh and thoughtfully prepared. I was very impressed with the quality of the food, and it easily exceeded expectations. I also grabbed some sweets to go, and they were all fantastic -- the perfect ending to a great meal. I'll definitely be back and highly recommend this place if you're looking for authentic, flavorful Turkish food.

An excellent place. It was huge, but still full. Had appetizers, multiple main course and multiple deserts. All were very pretty good. The place looked a bit outdated, need to improve the decor and probably open another branch on Roosevelt Rd. Service was very efficient. The owner was extremely humble and looking after the guests in all possible ways

I was invited to both A Thousand Tales and The Istanbul Cafe/Market through Yelp Elite Squad, so when a family member wanted me to procure "good coffee," I knew just where to go. Prior to the Yelpies award dinner hosted by A Thousand Tales, a fellow Yelper was sipping a pistachio latte in the cafe area and she spoke highly of it so I knew I would want to try one when the time was right. The prices of their lattes were cheaper than other cafes in the area, but that did not mean the flavors were discounted! We ordered 2 hot pistachio lattes, 1 iced pistachio latte, 1 hot chocolate, and 1 white chocolate mocha. My pistachio latte, made with oat milk, was full of actual pistachios. While the drinks were being made, I was admiring all of the desserts I thankfully got to try from the aforementioned Yelp Elite events. The ingredient lists are so simple and I appreciate that! The drinks were made quickly and packed efficiently for me to drive back home with. The cups, lids, and drink tray were all sturdy. The only thing I was missing was one of those drink plugs to keep things extra hot and to prevent splashing. I look forward to trying their Dubai Chocolate Cheesecake sometime soon! 10/10 recommend what I've gotten to taste so far--rice pudding, baklava, fudge, and their Turkish delight. I am happy to make the drive to support a kind family's business!

I ate here for the first time yesterday, Saturday 2/28 and for the 2nd time today, Sunday 3/1! This place was recommended to me by the Turkish boyfriend of 1 one of my friends and 2 Turkish servers I met at the Park Ridge Persian restaurant (Shemroon Kebab), about a year or 2 ago! I came in for Thousand Tales' understandably popular Weekend Brunch Buffet, both days (it runs on Saturdays and Sundays, 9 am - 12:30 pm)! The food is absolutely DELICIOUS! My favorites are the Mennemen (scrambled eggs with tomatoes and peppers) and the Soujuk with 3 Fried Eggs (which their personable, high-energy omelet station chef, Tio, made for me)! I also had hash brown cakes, kibbeh, borek with beef, and 2 cheeses (Sheep Cheese and Kaskaval)! For drinks on each of the 2 days, I had 2 cups of Turkish Coffee, which were spectacularly rich, delicious and energizing! I also had freshly squeezed orange juice and Coke! My servers on both days - Amina and Akmaral- were very quick, efficient and professional! The interior of the place is cozy and elegant (beige, vintage-looking stone walls, dark wood floors, tables and chairs) plus Pottery Barn-chic, chandeliers and light fixtures. Love the chill, contemporary piano jazz tunes playing overhead too! The men's washrooms are clean and well appointed (2 stalls and 1 urinal). Overall, this place is a great addition and a god-send to the Northwest Chicagoland suburban area!! I will definitely be back!!

I love this place. Great food and great service. The ambiance is top notch. The owners and staff are super friendly. E Their bakery area has delicious items. Yum. Their lamb, beef chicken, and rice are delicious. You won't leave here hungry or unsatisfied.

Amazing food! The restaurant is family owned by the kindest people, but every single person takes pride in their work. I recognized the fresh ingredients used in the chicken shish kebabs, fries, & pomegranate salad. Connected to the restaurant is their Delicious bakery full of fresh baked goods & desserts, including the Dubai chocolate. I enjoy the choco berry cake & visit the cafe with family for tea. They are family friendly with great ambiance. They also have snacks from Turkey and food to go! They are also listed on TooGoodToGo; Can't wait to be back for more!

Very friendly and attentive staff. We tried the brunch buffet for $35/person. I probably would not choose that option again and just order à la carte. It was a bit noisy so talking may be difficult.

We came here for lunch. The service was great even though the place was very busy! They had a lunch menu which is good from 11 am to 5 pm (Monday - Friday), price is very reasonable and good portion size too! We ordered: 1. Lunch Beef Doner $14 - thin strips of beef with tortilla 2. Lahmacum $8 - this had two large tortillas with ground meat on top. (I like this the best) 3. Lunch Chicken Adana $14 4. 3 choices of cold appetizer mix plate $13 - baba ghanoush, beet dip, hummus (all the dips were really tasty, my fav was the beet) Then we also order the Adana Kebab -$29, not really worth it, it look the same as the lunch chicken Adana except it was double in price and it was with beef! They serve bread (very soft and good) with olive oil mixed with spices! they also serve complimentary hot tea! Overall, it was very good and definitely will come back and try other menu entrees!

Had a great lunch at A thousand tales. The value is great as the portions for lunch specials are awesome. Great complimentary tea as well. This is hospitality! Loved the experience a sthe staff was really good and the food matched as well. Good value. It was quite busy for a Wednesday afternoon, most of the tables were full and active. We ordered mainly off the lunch specials and ate them family style because why not? We were pleased with the food, great value and portion. We had a great time. The stoneware and decor is excellent as well as they have a refined experience. I'll definitely be back. Plenty of parking and also EV charging (evgo) in the strip mall.

Came here for lunch and the food was good like usual but sad my Dubai chocolate barley had filling in it and there was so much hard chocolate!

UGH! OBSESSED! A Thousand Tales is a lovely restaurant that also has a bakery/cafe. This Mediterranean spot is family owned and has so much love to it. My most recent visit was for a weekend lunch and it was paaaaacked. Service started out great but then got very slow. My friend and I attempted to get our server's attention several times but, that didn't stop us from enjoying ourselves. We were understanding of how busy it was so it wasn't a problem for us. We had gotten our food at that point so our bellies were happy. For food I tried the mushroom guvec and devoured it. It was full of bold flavors and was absolutely delicious. My goal was to bring leftovers home for my husband... that didn't happen, haha! I ate EVERYTHING and was so full, but, there was no sharing this meal. It was waaaaay too good not to eat in 1 sitting. DO NOT SKIP ON THEIR BAKERY!!! Even though I didn't save any room for dessert, I got it anyway. I tried a slice of the chocolate mouse cake and goodness it was moist, rich, and delicious. I would order this every single time I'm there.

Went here for a quick snack on way to airport - Ohare! It's like 10 min away from the airport. They have separate dining and coffee/ dessert lounge area. We sat in the lounge. Both the areas were super busy and quite crowded. They have outdoor seating as well. In the lounge we need to order before we seat. Got two coffees and a couple of cake bites for snacking! Over all good experience.

The restaurant food and bakery are both unique and incredible. This is my wife's favorite restaurant in Illinois. We're always treated very well and the food is consistently excellent. The bakery for dessert is a must.

There's a thousand other restaurants from which you'll have better tales to tell. We had a 5:30 reservation, so were able to order off the a la carte menu. There was a Ramadan buffet menu starting at 6pm, $35pp, which I wasn't aware of, from reserving on Yelp. The cuisine is Turkish/Mediterranean, and there are plenty of choices. Prices are quite elevated. $17 for a mixed hot appetizer plate, which had 2 mozzarella sticks, 2 falafels, a fried meat dumpling, 2 crispy cheese rolls, and a couple dollops of hummus. My salmon was $35 and tasted very mediocre, with the few potatoes barely cooked through and the salad overdressed. My kids ordered the cheese pizza, which has a very thin crust. My husband tried the meat pide, which was like a thin meat flatbread for $23. The service was off putting, as the waiter only made eye contact with my husband and directed all comments and questions to him, despite us being a party of 4. "Anything else, sir?" "Enjoy the appetizer, sir." "Can I bring anything else, sir?" I wouldn't return to dine here, on this alone. With the food mediocre and the high prices, I definitely won't be back and don't recommend it. We tried 2 cake slices from the bakery, and it would have made sense for us to pack up our entree leftovers and clear away the dirty dishes and silverware, but the waiter brought the desserts out with everything still on the table and cluttered up. 18% gratuity is automatically added to all bills, regardless of party size. Easy parking in the big lot. The restaurant is located in a dated strip mall. I had this place bookmarked for well over a year and am extremely disappointed with the experience here. Skip it.

One of the cutest coffee shops in the neighborhood with amazing Turkish desserts. Sweet tooth people s heaven. Staff is polite and helpful and also provides quick service Ambiance was cozy and comfortable. Definitely a good place to hang out with friends or a mini date.

When I wrote my review of the "It's a Meze Party! Yelp Elite Event at A Thousand Tales," I promised a sequel--and here it is! I'm excited to share that we celebrated my husband's birthday at A Thousand Tales, and I'm so glad we did. After having such an amazing Yelp event here, I had set the bar high, and the restaurant exceeded every expectation! From start to finish, every member of the staff was friendly and welcoming. The maître d', our server, and even those cleaning tables or simply passing by were warm and attentive. A special shout-out goes to the manager, Bugra (pronounced bu-gra), who went above and beyond. Not only did he greet us personally, but he also checked in several times throughout the evening. He even asked my husband about his cake flavor preference and personally delivered the yummy complimentary "White Dream" cake with two firework candles with our server, all while the birthday song played with Turkish music in the background. It was such a fun, celebratory touch! A Thousand Tales is a family-run business, and as they proudly say on their website, they treat every patron like a guest--not just a customer. The venue itself was elegant and beautiful, with white tablecloths that added to the ambiance. We were seated in the last booth in the corner, which offered a bit of privacy thanks to the high backs. It was a pleasant surprise to see the restaurant bustling on a Tuesday evening, and even more so that many of the patrons were Turkish. That's always a great sign for authenticity! For dinner, we started with Turkish Wedding Soup, Falafel with Hummus, a Tales Salad (a delightful mix of mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, cheese, orange, walnuts, carrots, and pomegranate, all drizzled with lemon juice and olive oil), and the Tales Grill, which is a hearty platter for two to three people, featuring chicken shish, lamb shish, adana kabob, lamb chops, lamb shawarma, and meatballs. The ingredients were incredibly fresh--this was especially noticeable in the salad and even in the berries used in the birthday cake! My husband and I shared the Turkish Wedding Soup for the first time, and it was rich, creamy, and flavorful, with a perfect balance of beef and yogurt. The three of us shared the rest of the dishes, and everything was fresh and tasty. The lamb chops from the Tales Grill were my favorite--tender and bursting with flavor. The falafel was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, though I should note that they were served as six flattened pieces rather than the four round falafels shown in the menu. The flattened falafel pieces were a little harder and had a slightly less green filling than the round ones, but they were still delicious. We had freshly squeezed drinks--lemonade for me and orange juice for our daughter. Hubby ordered a large pot of hot tea and they gave each of us a nice glass teacup to share, and they generously refilled the entire pot toward the end of our dinner. This was a truly satisfying and memorable birthday celebration, and I'm already looking forward to the next sequel!

A wonderful meal at this establishment the other night. We went for a weeknight meal and I would say the place was still consistently busy even having initial sit downs even as late as 8:30pm. The space is beautiful and had a great atmosphere. Very conducive to sitting and chatting for awhile after dinner. We ordered the babaganoush and the Tales Grill to share. The babaganoush was good, you could definitely taste that it was freshly prepared. The Tales Grills is a decent portion enough for 2-3 people to share with a wide variety of grilled meats, about 2 pieces of each of the grilled meats. The flavor for each of the meats was excellent. They also give you bread to start with an olive oil dip, very good bread, not your typical complimentary bread. The service is phenomenal, the staff is very attentive but not trying to push you out or rush you. After your meal they offer tea to drink. Overall a great experience and I would love to come back to try some other items on the menu.

After trying A Thousand Tales Restaurant / Bakery & Cafe at a Yelp event, a bunch of us wanted to back and try some more. We got the Tales Family Grill (combination of chicken shish, lamb shish, Adana kabob ,lamb chops, beef doner, meatballs, beyti kabob, lahmacun, mix salad, rice, bulgur and French fries) to try their most popular items. This tasted just as good as we remembered. The meat was fantastic and it includes surprises like how good the bulgur tastes. After the main course, I went into their bakery and had a slice of the chocolate mousse cake. This was ok but could have had a richer flavor. A Thousand Tales Restaurant / Bakery & Cafe has amazing food and I highly recommend it. A note about service. Our waitress stood near our table all night, which was awkward, but I still had to ask for water three times throughout our meal.

This is by far the most beautiful café in the area, with a warm, inviting atmosphere and a cozy ambiance. We've visited multiple times and tried many of the sweets they offer -- and I can honestly say they all taste delicious! My little son absolutely adores this place; he thinks he needs to take off his shoes when he sits down because of the rug. The staff is incredibly kind and welcoming. All in all, I would highly recommend this café and wouldn't hesitate to bring any guest here if I had to choose a place that best represents this area!

I've been here before for an event and I'm happy to say the place holds up! This spot is phenomenal! Amazing food and wonderful service in a comfortable space, what more could you want? I met some friends for a long overdue dinner, we had about 10 people, and we had a great time. We ordered the giant platter with everything... 2 of them actually. Love the presentation on this one, they set off some dry ice before setting it down. Very cool effect! The food itself is fantastic, all fresh and grilled to perfection. Everything on this plate is good, even the fries stand out. Some favorites of mine are the bulgur wheat and the beyti (spelling?) Kabob. The chops are picture perfect as well. Don't leave without hitting the cafe and getting some dessert to take home! They really shine with their cakes and authentic sweets, you can't go wrong here. Really I can't say enough good things about this place. It's a trek from me but worth every minute of the trip, so don't miss out and stop by!

I've heard nothing but good things about this place and have finally had a chance to try it and let me see it definitely lives up to the hype. A group of friends and I made reservations and they were able to accommodate our group of eleven. Our server was attentive and gave us enough time to look through the menu. Being a large group we decided to order the mixed hot appetizer plate and the tales family grill, a pide with kashkaval cheese. The presentation of the food was amazing and the taste was spectacular. There was plenty of food to share and everyone got a chance to try everything they wanted. Their lamb seasoned delicious, surprisingly their fries are addicting. They did not miss at all. Make sure to save room for dessert. They also have a bakery connected to it where you can get your fill of Turkish treats.

how have I not been to this place sooner?! everything we had here was DELICIOUS!! I am still thinking about the lamb chop; it was so well cooked, tender, and the right amount of char. We wanted to the try the hummus and falafel and we definitely over ordered, because we were able to finish everything- so that tells you that portions here are pretty large!! The dessert was just great!! It was our first time having Turkish delight and we loved it. We also enjoyed the baklava especially the pistachio one!! The service was awesome! Our server was very attentive and made sure we had everything we wanted. I am excited to bring friends and family here!

First time at a Turkish restaurant and it was amazing. The portions were generous and reasonably good priced. The staff were kind and helpful. The food was flavorful and comforting. I liked that at the end they had some Turkish coffee! And we got the chance to grab stuff from their bakery and then it was brought to our table. The Turkish delight was my favorite! Definitely a unique and nice place to try out some great new food!

I was really excited to try their breakfast but didn't realize they only serve the buffet option for breakfast. when i click on their website, i went straight for their menu option and should have scrolled down to see the reservation tab where they show the price. the buffet definitely had a lot of standard breakfast items like eggs, omelette, cheese. berries... with SOME turkish food I got to try. I've been here before for their food so was a little disappointed at the lack of turkish food options. in addition, they charge 18% for tip automatically and they did not explain what was included. If i knew what was included i would have ordered more items that were not out on the buffet table. apparently you can order drinks from the menu and they are included? it was not clear at all and it was basically $45 for me to eat standard breakfast food. There was also little to no direction on who to place our drink orders with since we were sat in the other room away from the food and away from staff. I hope they offer more unique menu options. their turkish tea is just so dang good though.

I am seeing good reviews on this place but never been. Finally went there on Saturday morning to have brunch and they have a buffet. We went around 11:45am and the buffet ends at 1230pm. We still decided to eat because the spread of food looks amazing. They have lots of choices, omelet and pancake bar, cheeses and dips. I love they dips with honey. They are not too sweet and goes well with the cheeses. I really love the sheep cheese. There are different food also like the menemen which is good, chicken kabob, sausages, different savory breads with or without filling called borek and pasha. Love each of them. Turkish bagel is good too dipped with turkish cream cheese. You can ask for the tea is a pot which looks really pretty. Service is superb. They are very attentive. They charge $35 for the buffet but I think it's worth it. I will surely come back here. There is a bakery also. I haven't bought anything but everything looks good. They have the famous Dubai chocolate and cake. Will try next time.

I came with my family for the breakfast buffet. The food is beautifully staged. There are plenty of fresh and clean options as well as an omelet and pancake/waffle station. I enjoyed the food but I was disappointed that the only drink options included are water and coffee. Also, for such a large restaurant, there are only two bathroom stalls in the women's restroom. The bathroom is very dark inside and it gets cramped when waiting for a stall to open because it's such a small bathroom. Regardless, we enjoyed the food and I'd probably go back to try the dinner buffet.

Was not impressed with their iftar menu. Found it overpriced and limited. There was also an unexpected 18% gratuity fee that was included without prior notice. I would have rather ordered off their regular menu for my iftar meal but that was not an option. Ended up paying $50 per person with no dessert. Service was okay nothing too impressive. Cafe part always has many options which is appreciated but again overpriced and the few times I visited the staff have been very cold. Would not come out of my way to visit again.

They have some great quality Turkish cookies and Dubai chocolate. Every time i go I try something new, but my standards are the pistachio dream and sesame cookies. The cafe is really cute and well decorated. Perfect place to catch up with friends or do some remote work.

This place is amazing i went for a Ramadan event. had a full meal with lentil soup cucumber tomato salad with complimentary Ramadan special baked bread it was delicious couldn't stop eating it. also got some hot appetizer sampler with falafel hummus and farmer cheese egg rolls. order chicken kebab plate and beef shawarma entree. then got delicious dessert almond coconut pudding and Tres leches cake. everything was well seasoned not spicy and the desserts weren't overly sweet either. I bought a Dubai chocolate at the bakery brought it home and it was super delicious. the owner even stopped by the table to check in to make sure everything was good. Def I'll be back again I loved this place. highly recommend coming here for a nice dining experience

This was my first time going to a Turkish restaurant. The parking lot gets insanely busy on Saturday nights, I had to circle around to find a spot. When you walk in, they have a bakery on the left side and the restaurant on the right side. I recommend securing a reservation on the weekend just to be on the safe side. Luckily, I made one since all of the tables were occupied. Service was friendly and they checked up on us often. There were 3 of us so the portions were more than generous. Pricing was fair since there are not too many Turkish restaurants around. We went to the bakery after dinner for dessert. By that time, most of the people in the bakery had already left. -Turkish wedding soup 5 - I should have ordered a bowl of this. The yogurt taste is subtle and it's more of an after taste. The beef is very tender and juicy, the texture reminds me of beef stroganoff. -lahmacun (Turkish pizza) 5 - this is very light so best to use as an appetizer. It's grounded beef and you use the fresh ingredients as toppings. -adana kabob 5 - the meat is ground lamb and beef blended. It's tender and robust with flavor. Remember to eat it with the bread, tomato, yogurt sauce, and grilled pepper -Tales grill 5 - we got the smaller one made for 2-3 people. It was more than enough for 3 people. The combo has chicken shish, lamb shish, adana kabob, lamb chops, lamb shawarma, and meatballs. There was also bread on the bottom, white rice, and bulgur pilaf. This is also great if you don't know what to get. -beyti kabob 5 - this is grilled ground beef and lamb wrapped in flatbread. So, you want to eat the kabob with the yogurt, tomato, and grilled pepper in one bite. You'll have a more flavorful bite. -tres leches 5 - I love how moist and easy to eat this is. This is a nice dessert after a filling meal. -kazandibi 5 - classic Turkish dessert. It's a caramelized milk pudding. It's not heavy. It was delicious, I wished I had a huge piece of this. -creme brulee 5 - everyone knows of this. Not as creamy as the Balkan version but still pretty good.

Sometimes you find a restaurant so good that it is practically category defining. A Thousand Tales is one of these restaurants for Mediterranean food. We recently had a holiday dinner before the busy Christmas and Hannukah holidays and despite having people come from as far as Gurnee and Naperville, the party decided we had to go to A Thousand Tales, despite it being nearly an hour drive (through a snow storm) for some people. Fortunately, this perseverance was well rewarded with one of the most delicious meals I've had in my life. Outside of the delicious food --- this restaurant fits many needs for hosting a large party well. The dining room is spacious and able to be configured to fit large parties (we had 12), the service is quick and friendly, prices are very reasonable for the quality and quantity of food that you're getting, there's plenty of parking, and the bakery/cafe side of the business gives an option for casually sitting around to chat after you've finished your main meal. Bread lovers are in luck here as everything from the dinner bread to the pide with kashkaval cheese is delicious. I've had the Tales Family grill every visit but this is so delicious and full of variety that I can see myself continuing to get this over and over again the future. The chicken and lamb shish are super tender and flavorful without being overly salty. The Adana kebab is probably the best anywhere in the area as the lamb flavor comes out well with a perfect mix of spices and herbs and a good strong charcoal flavor. The lamb chops are always a favorite as they are incredibly tender and flavorful and match the quality of the ones that I've had at Concorde banquets. The beef doner is pretty good, though if given other options this would be the item I'd skip if I'm too full. The beyti kabob is bar far the best I've had anywhere. The flavor is incredibly savory and satisfying and the mix of tomato sauce and yogurt is absolutely perfect. The lahmacun had just the right amount of dough to meat ratio and went well with all the other items. I was also quite surprised at how much effort there was to prepare the rice, bulgur, and french fries to the same level of delicious flavor and textures as the other items in the family grill. Instead of being an afterthought, these all matched very well with all the other food. Overall, this is one of the restaurants worth going out of your way for. The food is exceptional and you'll remember it long after you've dined here.

We went out to dinner with one of our Turkish friends and she recommended we come here to try out authentic cuisine. It's located in a plaza and easily the best looking establishment. There is some outdoor seating on a turf patio. As you enter, the establishment there is an entrance to the bakery and an entrance to the restaurant. There is a large dining room with large tables indicating that they are used to serving large groups. There is also a large banquet hall on the north end of the building. When you get to the table you're greeted with bread and a seasoned olive oil. It was quite delicious. My wife and I split the Tales Grill. The lamb chops were perfectly cooked and made me wished I had ordered some more. We also ordered some Lahmacun to share with the table. That was a really tasty bite. I wish I had tried some of the bakery food. This was a solid spot and clear that it is a cultural staple within the community.

Nice food and good service just little pricey .................,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,........................

The food was superb and portions are generous. Service is friendly and efficient. Ambiance was a bit noisy. Very bustling. Not recommended for romantic evening because they try to maximize the space for guests so it gets very full. I love this restaurant and look forward to trying it again.

Wow, if you like Turkish food or food in general try this. It's wonderful made with love and fresh ingredients. The service, the ambience A plus. The lamb chops were delicious so tender and moist seasoned beautifully . The bread the wonderful dips, beautiful presentation. The staff and the owners top notch. This has been on my radar and was thrilled to finally try this gastronomic delight. If you love top quality fresh food made with lots of love , please come here Huge space great place to have a party. Or dine in for two. They have an outdoor area which is very nice. The indoor area was lovely. Looking forward to coming back with the kids .

The ambiance of this cafe is super cute, I was hoping it could become one of my regular cafe stops but unfortunately it won't be. The oat latte for starters was so disappointing. It does not have a good taste. The coconut pudding looked appealing but it lacked any kind of flavor, it was just sweet and bland. The cocostar was the only edible thing. I wouldn't recommend this place for coffee and pastries.

I've never actually ate here. I had never even heard of the restaurant until an anti food waste app. I'm so glad I opted to check it out. I ordered 3 bags to go. I couldn't believe the quality and quantity of the food I received for the price. They each included a bag of bread, soup, rice, and like a bulger/farro in a tomato sauce and a can of coke. The entrees varied- one bag was chicken leg quarters with potato, one was a stuffed eggplant, and the last was a kabob with vegetables. I tasted everything and it was all very good. The rice was some of the best I had ever had. The farro/burger dish was interesting. The bread was phenomenal!! It was so light and airy with a sesame and maybe cumin seed? Topping. The eggplant was a bit greasy. Chicken had a nice flavor. The kebab was very tasty (probably my favorite). The restaurant itself is so beautiful inside and out on the patio. I will definitely need to come back and experience the full service.