Istanbul Doner Kebab

My new go-to Turkish joint. Made it here 3 days in a row. Döner and adana dishes are superb, reasonably priced, and very generous. Also, you must order their hand-made pistachios & zarftan ice cream 🍨. It’s to die for! Atmosphere and service are fantastic. I highly recommend.

We had an amazing dinner! I got the wrap kebab, which was super tasty, and my fiancée ordered the chicken and beef kabob with a side of rice - absolutely delicious. We also had baklava for dessert and tried their Turkish coffee and tea - both were one of a kind. The staff were so friendly and made us feel right at home. Definitely recommend!

Don’t judge my picture of an empty restaurant- Great Döner!! The bread was soft, absorbed the juices and flavors of the meat, vegetables and sauce perfectly. Every bite was amazing. I could drink their homemade sauce. The salad was fresh and light. Fries were crunchy. I wish I had more time in the city to come back to try more of their menu. Next time! FTR- Don’t judge the picture of an empty restaurant. I came for a really early dinner (5:15) after my conference wrapped up. The DoorDash and Uber Eats drivers were constant throughout my meal.

I had an amazing experience at Istanbul Doner Kebab. The food was absolutely delicious—fresh, flavorful, and perfectly cooked. The staff were so friendly and welcoming, and their service was first class.The atmosphere is warm and inviting. Highly recommend this place if you want authentic Mediterranean flavors and great hospitality ( I would say must try category restaurant). Also they serve halal food for the Muslims.

First visit and I’m already planning to return! Delicious, well-prepared food and exceptional, friendly service made for a fantastic dining experience. Highly recommended.

The food was very good. The linage was excellent. The waiter was nice and friendly. The prices were a bit expensive tho.

Nice atmosphere. Good service. Big portions. Tasty food. I’m happy that have discovered this place and will go back again!

We had a lovely experience at Istanbul Doner Kebab. From the moment we walked in, Fatima made us feel welcome with her warm and friendly service. She was attentive, kind, and truly brilliant throughout our visit. We ordered the family kebab platter, which came with a delicious variety of kebabs, rice, and fresh salad. Everything was full of flavor and cooked perfectly. We also added a few doner portions, and they were just as enjoyable. During our meal, my daughter accidentally broke a water glass, and Fatima handled it so kindly and calmly, which we really appreciated. The food, the atmosphere, and especially Fatima’s service made it a great experience for the whole family. We’ll definitely be coming back.

Not bad at all. Menu was all halal. Clean restaurant. We went on a sunday afternoon at 6pm. Had no problem getting seated. My husband had the doner sandwich, and I had the adana kebab two piece chicken and mixed meat. It was a good large serving. Thought the food was good for the price. Our waitress was attentive and the place is chill vibes. If you like turkish food, it is a great option.

I placed a to-go order and, unfortunately, had a very disappointing experience. One of my dishes (the mixed beef and chicken kebab) was not good, while the other (the pide) was fine. The mixed kebab had an overwhelming amount of garlic. If you're a garlic lover, you might enjoy it, but for me it felt like the ingredients weren't fresh and that extra garlic was added to cover it up. When I arrived to pick up my order, it seemed to be the staff's lunch break. Although they saw me, they ignored me and continued talking and laughing with each other, leaving me waiting without any acknowledgment. After several minutes, someone finally approached to ask what I needed, but by then the interaction already felt dismissive and unprofessional. I hope management takes this feedback seriously and works with the staff to improve customer service and ensure guests are treated with courtesy and respect.

Dropped by for lunch since it was close to our hotel in the Gaslamp District. The interior is clean and modern. The menu was a bit confusing for someone not super familiar with the cuisine so it would've been helpful to have photos. I ordered the special beef döner, which came with a salad. The meat was flavorful and I liked the veggies inside the sandwich. We also got a falafel plate which was fine but probably could have used a sauce. The main downside was the service. It felt really cold and unwelcoming. No greetings or welcomes, just someone standing silently at our table waiting for us to order.

We've been here twice and the food was delicious both times! We've tried the doner wrap and the iskender doner kebab and thought the meat and bread were both so flavorful and the yogurt complimented it well. Service is nice and also speedy and the restaurant is large and clean with plenty of seating. Highly recommend!

Excellent food and large portions. Friendly staff and they let me work on my computer which was nice.

Food was delicious and price is about the right. Desserts were super yummy! Turkish Coffee was very strong flavor and tasty. You don't need a sugar since coffee itself has very good flavor already.

if you are here just for the food, then it's pretty good. in terms of service and atmosphere I would say it's not the best. the AC did not work in 80 degree weather , and the service just wasn't there. there was only one server working, and she was nice but definitely overworked. I would recommend choosing someplace else.

The service was pretty bad. We weren't properly greeted at the door, the server just held up her fingers and pointed in the direction of tables. She showed up quickly but was slow with drinks, removing plates to make room on the table, and disappeared frequently. The food was great. I was surprised and we almost left due to service and questioning whether the food would be good or more of a tourist trap. The restaurant was dark and the e lights seemed to flicker, it had a few flies pestering us, but overall seemed clean. Would recommend but be patient and expect a slower service but good food.

Truly enjoyed our dinner here. My husband and I shared that Iskinder kebab plate which was very large and plenty for the both of us. Pita sauted in butter, layered with a flavorful tomato based sauce and beef, big scoops of yogurt sauce on the side. Yummy!

Very nice place, very close to gaslamp district. Looked very clean. I ordered döner kebab, it was cooked very well, although it was a little salty for my taste. Service was good. Overall positive experience. I don't know about parking because I walked, downtown San Diego is always trouble for parking.

Came here for a pre-concert dinner. Right across the street from the HOB venue. Had a doner sandwich meal as I watched the entry line shorten through the high top window. Though there weren't many people in, I imagine this place gets busy later in the evenings when people filter out of the shows or wind down their night out. 3.5

This was my first time trying this place and the food was absolutely amazing. You could really tell they used quality ingredients in all of their dishes. Fatemah was our server and she was the absolute sweetest, very attentive and kind. Also great ambiance. Loved the Turkish music playing in there!! 10/10 would recommend!

A true mom and pop place located in downtown San Diego gas lamp quarter! My girl and I stoped in for some fresh juice smoothies! The man working was so sweet and hooked us up! The service was great! Also the restaurant was just beautiful! I'm sad we didn't eat anything here! The whole place was a huge vibe! Our smoothies for a large was HUGE! Would come back immediately! Need a fresh juice -try this place!!!!

Istanbul Doner Kebab has opened in the northeastern part of the Gaslamp Quarter where a longtime fast casual Italian eatery had operated. It inherited a very large corner suite with enough dining capacity for well over 50 customers. Part of the space was converted into a juice bar to the right of the entrance when you walked in. Unfortunately, only one customer was seated at the bar when I arrived so they need to advertise to drum up more business. The menu was posted on a pillar to the right of the service counter. I had to crane my neck up and down to scan all of the offerings. I initially wanted to order a dish containing a beef kabob. The manager (owner?) told me that shoulder cut was unavailable because the meat was already down to the last pieces on the rotisserie. He did not feel comfortable serving it to me. I appreciated the heads up which changed my decision. The Lamb Chop Kebab with rice became my entree. Six pieces of lamb on the bone were served with a large serving of basmati rice, onions, peppers, garlic, tomatoes, and olives. The lamb chops were cooked nicely. The ratio of rice to vegetables was skewed though. There was too much rice and not enough veggies. The salad was minimal. Some of the carbs could have been replaced with hummus and pita bread slices. That would have been an improvement instead of just rice. The price was fair, and the service was fine. Overall, I gave a 3.5 star rating for my dinner at Istanbul Doner Kebab.

I went here with my boyfriend who is from Turkey and he wasn't too impressed with their doner kebab. The place was empty when we went and it took a few minutes to get greeted and seated. Even when we were seated it took a while for our drinks to arrive and forgot to bring mine which was just water. The other people that came in were served quick and right away so I wasn't too pleased with that observation. The doner kebab was not too bad. The rice was cooked well but the other miscellaneous veggies didn't really mix with the dish (plain lettuce and some pickled beets). The baklava was pretty good and got my boyfriend's approval. I was just kind of rubbed the wrong way more for service. The food was alright but the dessert is great.

Small but very unpleasant experience. Sadly. I'm a huge fan of middle Eastern and Mediterranean food. But this one didn't sit well I my tummy. Didn't order much, just a side of fries since my friends and I were waiting outside for a show at the house of blues on a Friday night, since fries would take 5 minutes to have them ready it was the best option at the time to snack while we waiting outside in line. I hadn't eaten dinner but my other 2 friends had, so I was starving. I ate the most, one of my friends picked at the fries here and there, and my other friend declined as she didn't have an appetite form eating dinner right before we met up. We didn't finish the fries up because we got to the front of the line rather fast. Get home a good 3 hours later and my stomach is upside down. Couldn't sleep from upper abdominal pain. I ended up with food poisoning!!! Noooooo!!!. Horrible way to spend a Saturday, with all the icky symptoms. Half the day my stomach felt like it was on fire. My other friend who had picked here and there at the fries also had stomach pain along with other symptoms but not as bad as mine, my friend who didn't eat any fries was perfectly fine. So here we had the common denominator. Now were they good? Were they worth it? Hmmm I mean they were fries. Shoe string cut, no seasoning, but a very strong smell of oil, very greasy, kinda like some kind of canola oil or something and I think that's what it might've been. My friend noticed the strong taste of oil on the fries as well. I had to pick myself up Saturday afternoon because I had promised my neighbor's daughter I was taking her out and didn't want to disappoint her. But it was a very hot day and I tried my best to keep it together for her. The only reason for giving it two stars because the person at the counter was very kind and welcoming. Offered a seat to get comfortable at even though I was ordering take out. Sadly I can't say I'd be wanting to come back here from this awful experience. The last time I had food poisoning I was about 10 years old, forgot how awful it is

Terrible service and foods is not even Turkish food do not go and spend ur money + I hope they fire that girl who has split smile

My husband and I came here thinking the food was Turkish. It's not! My husband is Turkish, and I lived in Turkey for almost 4 years. I've never had such tasteless food. Both lamb and chicken were so dry. They put so much sumac on the meat that it ended up being too salty. It was extremely disappointing !.

TLDR: Kind service, pretty good food, meets expectations. Pros: -Open late -Accommodating to requests -Pretty good kebabs Cons: -None really Food: I ordered a mixed kebab plate of koobideh and chicken, both of which were well prepared and tasty. Even though it was late and few customers, the skewers appeared fresh made so that's a plus. I took it to go, which it came on a huge platter of rice and a small side salad. The menu said it includes pita but I think they forgot it. I asked for a side of tzatziki and something spicy, which they had a creamy spicy sauce that had a nice kick. Unsure what it was though. The salad was rather small, would've loved half the rice with more veggies but no real complaints. Everything was delicious and the cashier was very nice.

Never had Turkish food before visiting but I enjoyed my experience and the food was great! The portions are very generous. The service was responsive and our waiter was nice. The restaurant was also very clean.

If you're intrigued by this place or overwhelmed by the menu, just get the special beef döner kebab and finish it with a coffee and the best baklava I've ever had. Going back home to Greek and generic Mediterranean versions of these foods will be hard. The in house made bread was just as good as the perfectly seasoned and flavorful meat. The coffee was perfectly matched by sweet but not too sweet baklava. The owner was humble and so nice. Please support this business if only for the fact that I'll know where I'm going first when I get in to town; Istanbul Döner Kebab.

The food here is amazing we always stop by when go to San Diego. But this time around the young girl with long hair was VERY rude! We came in said a party of 6 and she asked if we had reservations we responded no, since we never needed them before in the past. She looked at us and SIGHT very loud and kinda rolled her eyes. She grabbed the menus and walked to a table which she wanted us to follow her she didn't say anything. She was also the server she never checked on us anymore. The other guy was nice the runner he asked us if we needed anything else to let him know. I didn't pay for the food one of the ones in the party did i would've not tipped her if she doesn't like her job she needs a NEW job!

We ordered the Greek Salad and added doner kabob to it for protein. The salad was packed with a variety of fresh veggies. My friend ordered the Special Istanbul Adana Kabob... it was delicious. It was juicy, flavorful with a kick of spice. It was amazing. I almost stole his plate. The tea and bakhlava also hit the spot. The walnut bakhlava was my favorite. My friend really liked the pistacio. Can't wait to go back! O yeah and very nice ambiance.... chill and clean

Oh. My. God. Didn't think I'd get the best Turkish food in Gaslamp but that is what happened. The staff took time to patiently explain their offering despite my ignorance of Turkish cuisine. Sorry for no pictures because I gobbled everything up too fast. My recommendation would be the chicken breast kebab that is grilled to perfection although the beef kobideh was not too shabby. Oh and they make their own bread unlike most kebab serve store-bought bread. As Arnold said, "I will be back" for more food.

I visited Turkey over New Years and had the most delicious food ever especially the Mercimek (Lentil Soup) so naturally coming back to my hometown of San Diego I scoped out Turkish restaurants to have some of the same delicious food I missed so much. I first step in on a Sunday evening only one other diner was in the whole restaurant. The decor and ambience was stunning and Turkish music videos were playing on the plasma TVs made me feel like I was in Istanbul again. But that was where the comparisons and good feedback ends. I wasn't greeted by anyone and I wasn't helped right away. It took over 5 minutes for someone to finally. walk up to the register to ask me for my order. Even though only one person was dining. I then only ordered the Lentil Soup (Mercimek) to go. Simple. It was 7$ on the menu a little steep but it came with pita bread. With taxes it was 7.34$ on the pos machine however the hostess verbally told me it was 8$ I hand her 8$ and she doesn't give change back. I sit down waiting for my food average wait time of about 10 minutes. She then stands by the counter doesn't walk up to me with my order. I awkwardly grabbed my things purse, shopping bags, and backpack (I Just came from out of town via train so I was carrying alot of stuff from travel) and head to her I would think you would atleast meet me halfway since where I was sitting was so far from where she was standing. When I finally get home (10 minutes later) the soup was disappointing. Cold and watery very low on flavor nothing like what I ate in Turkey and the pita bread was hard like chips not soft! I was beyond disappointed. Service was terrible food was terrible. The only redeeming quality was the ambience. Might also be worthy to note I am a young black woman and I can't help but think if they could've played apart in poor service or not.

The food was absolutely delicious. Meat had all the flavor it was supposed to as if you were in any place in Turkey. The portions were perfect and we appreciated the good customer service. I would definitely recommend to any person. I would return to this restaurant if I came back to San Diego for vacation again. I would recommend adding a slice of pita bread and less rice so you could really experience a Turkish plate as if you were in Istanbul. Otherwise I wouldn't change anything!

The worst service I've ever experienced. I'm not sure if the waitress couldn't hear, didn't speak English, or had some other complications going on. After we sat down, we waited around ten minutes before she came over to get our drink order. I asked her which Iced Tea was unsweetened- Green or Black or both. She said, "Yes, iced tea". After a few tries to get an answer I got the black tea and some falafels as an appetizer. After another five minutes, I noticed the table next to us was looking around for the waitress. They didn't have drinks and they were there before we got there. They ended up leaving (Smart Move) before our waitress came back. The iced tea had no ice and it was cool at best. I asked her if I could get a glass of ice, and she said, "Yes, iced tea". I finally got her to understand the word "ice" and she came back about five minutes later with a glass. We ordered and then I put the tea into my ice glass. Holy cow, I've never had a drink that tasted like meat before. I had my wife try it and she couldn't identify the flavor. So I'm parched and waiting for our food because the waitress was too busy talking with the cooks to come over and check on us and the other two people in the restaurant. About ten minutes later our food arrives. I ask the waitress if my tea was the black tea because it was greenish. She said, "No, that's black tea". I told it was funky and asked if I could have the green tea instead. My wife had a chicken wrap but she was not impressed. I had a chicken kabob which was meh, and a beef Lula kabob which was good - hence 2 Stars. But the portions were small and the prices are high. I would not go back just on that alone, but the service is another thing. After we finish out dinner and waiting around for the check the waitress drops a water on my table and says, "Green Tea". I replied with, "Are you kidding? We're done eating, could I just get the check." I look at the tea (Pictured) and it is barely darker than the water. She comes back with lighting speed not seen before in that establishment. I notice that she charged me for a green tea and a black tea, even though I didn't drink either. I didn't even care and just wanted to leave the post apocalyptic hell scape. Needless to say, I am never going near this place again.

Great service. Greeted with a warm welcome and smile. Recommends the best items on menu, if you are not sure what to try. Highly recommend.

Thursday at 11am arrived and found the place closed. Nothing aggravates me more that checking a website the indicates hours "10-10" and the doors locked and closed after driving to downtown and parking.. I lived in Turkey 2 years and was hoping to make this a regular stop. UPDATE your damn website! They modified their website and opened at 11am today! Wife and I ate there. The ambience is upscale middle eastern. Food was 7 out of 10. I had Adana kabob and wife had salad. Family owned and very good service. Give it a try.

Have been wanting to try out this spot that took over Biga's place. Came on a Thursday at noon, and we were the only 2 in the restaurant. Ordered 4 beef skewers, with rice, salad and bread. Took a bit to get our food, but good flavor, and friendly service.

Just TRIED to eat a Chicken Donner wrap form this place they call a restaurant. I threw 70% of it in the garbage. Meat was cut off of the rotating spit and then put in the microwave. Have you ever had chicken out of a microwave....rubber! How about throwing it on a grill like every other donner place. The wrap was horribly constructed, I picked it up and it immediately fell apart. Meat had little to no authentic middle eastern spice flavor you should get. Woman that made the wrap, I'm sure is a nice person, but seemed clueless. Restaurant had 1 table of 2 people sitting at it in the heart of lunchtime at 12:30. Zero chance this restaurant is here in 6 months. Go to Shawarma Guys, Falafel Cali or any other real good places downtown. Waste of $ here.

It was my first time coming and the restaurant was empty. Cashier lady took us to our table however I don't think speak English much and she does not smile even. Any how: we ordered the Combo for two people. The food came and the quality and quantity amazing very delicious food cooked very well. The spices and taste really good. The only thing it was very expensive. But we enjoyed the experience I hope the cashier smile more.

Bomb kabob!!! Very impressed. We only ordered take out, but it was amazing. Got the Adana kebab wrap.

Wonderful ambiance and excellent food! The rice and all the kabobs were delicious. Additionally, the tea with cardamon and bakhlava was an excellent combination.

This place is absolutely amazing the food is the best, deserts are out of this world I totally recommend this place if you're in San Diego you should try their food for sure

The family platter was the perfect plate for a large group. We enjoyed the lamb shank the most!! Love the decor and vibes of the place too! Def recommend!

Stopped by here for dinner while we were staying in SD for the week and it was very tasty. Service was great, and it was nice and clean. I ordered the mango juice and it was kind of like a smoothie and quite aromatic, really enjoyed it. GF and I got wraps and mine was beef and hers was kebab. The beef actually had a nice chew to it, not overly tender and I liked it. The wrap was super thin and light, not heavy like a pita can be. The veggies were all fresh and flavorful. The sauce may be a bit much for some people, I'd think maybe offer a couple sauce options. Otherwise was very fresh and flavorful. Had to get the baclava. It was actually pretty flaky and airy, sometimes it can be a little too much candy like but these ones were great. Walnut beat out the pistachio in my opinion. Sucks we're leaving SD soon, this is a great little spot, wish we could come back.

Unbelievably awesome service. Delicious, fresh Halal option near the convention center. The lamb shank indeed fell of the bone, the chicken was light, the rice fragrant with a hint of cardamom and every component in the salad was fresh. The food was 9/10, the kind brothers who were preparing and serving the food are an 11/10.

Stopped here for a quick bite before a concert and it was delicious! Super friendly staff and the falafel was so fresh! Definitely will remember the next time I'm downtown for a concert!

Wow! This food is better than the food in Istanbul! I got the chicken doner and it was so juicy and tender. The juices melted into the amazing bread. I had this with a delicious lemon and mint juice to hydrate me during the summer, This place is def a must try! This was my first time

The food was very blend and way different from the picture on the menu. I got Adena kebab. In the picture, it comes with grilled tomato and saffron and berry rice. I got an undercook white rice and no tomato. The salad was so bad that it went directly to garbage.

Great food, tea, and service. That lam and wraps are amazing the rice is fresh and zesty.

We arrived late and they served us very well, excellent service!!! the food was wonderfully tasty and the quantity was very good!!! Unfortunately, as we arrived late and hungry, we forgot to take pictures The room is spacious and clean, with super-comfortable chairs.... I highly recommend it and hope to return soon...

This place is 10/10. But, the Prices are very Expensive. That's why I took out 1 star, which I Really hate to do so. The Location is Great, in Downtown San Diego. Next to the Antique Looking Grandfather Type Clock.... It is in an Inspiring and Diverse Atmosphere where City people are if you Like to People watch. The Triangle Beef Kabob Sandwich that was Recommended to me is SO DELICIOUS. It is a TREAT. It is of Quality. The Bread is Crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. The Steak Bites were Sooo Goood. I Love the peach colored sauce that goes with it. The Greek Salad is Good. However, it does tend to Become Soggy from all the Juices. The Greek Salad is Quite Simple. And, Pricey..in my judgement. I do However Love Coming Here. Side note: I do think the Bathroom is Haunted due to the Smells of the plumage. The smell is only in the bathroom though.

Wow, Usually I love the Lamb shank plates. Me and my girl stopped here for some Instabul Doner Kebabs. I got me a Chicken plate for 2. Food was delicious here, and a beautiful upscale place. NIce waiters and waitresses here. Can't wait to come back again.

Beef and chicken kebabs were authentic and delicious over rice. Sauce for kebabs was outstanding!!!

The food was delicious and the service was great! Very clean and nice place. Overall i was very happy!

I picked up two plates to go after 10pm and truly enjoyed my dinner from here. The shaved beef, salad and rice is a healthier and much appreciated alternative in this area. They serve long grain rice that has a great texture and was cooked perfectly. I was especially happy that even at this late night hour all my food was hot, cooked properly and had good flavor. The man that took my order was very nice helping me choose from their extensive menu and everyone was courteous. Definitely a place I will visit again.

the food was very yummy. the service was good too. the tea was very good make sure to get that. the kunada as well. matter of fact get the tea and kunafa together