Kitchen Istanbul

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

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

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

Food was amazing. Got right in on a Thurs night without a reservation. Yasemin took great care of us and was a delight!

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

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

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

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

Agreeing with the majority here! Exceptional dinner experience. We even brought our young kids and they enjoyed the dishes! We had a bunch of appetizers plus the shrimp and branzino. Loved it all. Great service and fun SF dinner experience!

This restaurant is EXTREMELY underrated. Part of me wants to avoid writing a review so that I can keep it as a secret for just my pals ;) ...but I won't do that to my fellow foodies! My group of three came to dinner on a weekday night. The dining room was far from busy, which surprised me since Clement Street does have a decent amount of foot traffic around dinner time. We started with the olives and hummus (shoutout to the person that wrote that created the menu-- "you know what hummus is" made us LOL!), which were excellent starters. We also enjoyed the pacanga Borek kasseri cheese, octopus, lamb kababs, and short ribs. Everything was flavorful, plated well, and satisfying. Our server was helpful, accommodating, and kind. In all honesty, this is a true hidden gem. I sincerely hope that someday this restaurant earns the accolades that I believe that they deserve. Keep this place on your radar!

Incredible spot and packed on a Friday night! Glad we got a reservation ahead of time. We got the Muhammara which was amazing - I loved the candied walnuts that come with it. Other notable dishes were the eggplant and the kabob! Their wine was also phenomenal - would highly recommend the wine flight and letting the sommelier choose your pairing. We chose to get more whites than reds and it complemented everything nicely!

Really great experience and such wonderful atmosphere! We had the most wonderful birthday celebration dinner. We loved the cadence in which the wait staff and the wine director checked in with us. I also loved how well the staff communicated with each other so that there wasn't a lot of the same questions to us from different staff members. It was a great flow that didn't interrupt our conversation but also made us feel cared after. The food was delicious! Perfectly cooked and seasoned. We were allowed to stay until the restaurant closed and we weren't even asked to leave. The value was great too! Total was much less than i would expect for that level of service and quality of food. Really appreciate the great experience!

Lovely little restaurant and bottle shop. Very attentive and friendly service. Got some spot on wine recommendations based on pairing with our food orders as well as personal preferences in wine. Staccato notes taken during dinner about the food. Octopus salad. Perfectly cooked octopus, tender. Balance of flavors, but still a clean taste. Lemon. Pacanga borek. Fun. Cheesy. Hearty taste without being heavy. Short ribs. Pull apart with fork. Savory. Comfort en haute. Branzino. Light, so not all that filling if you are really hungry. Feels healthy and refreshing. Decadent pop of flavor in the salsa, but not spicy pop. Bread pudding. Light and fluffy cake, not the dense compacted version. Springy flavors, sweet but not overly. A delicate bread pudding?! Juicy!

This was a superb experience in every way. The service was top notch / attentive and polite and friendly. Our appetizers were delicious, the main courses all great. Chicken Kebobs are so tasty. Sausage wraps were fantastic. Moussaka was very satisfying. Short ribs excellent. The wine list is exceptional, and the ambiance is lovely. Highly recommended!

Amazing dinner. Walked in and was promptly sat. Dining room is gorgeous, huge beautiful windows as seen in the pictures. The food was amazing and the wine even better. I cannot remember the name of the dish with the green sauce but it was a standout app, amazing flavors. The short rib was cooked perfectly. Every staff member that touched our table was super professional and kind. Will go again!

Excellent Mediterranean food & bottle shop. Favorite item on the menu is the Moussaka! It's cheesy, savory, and delicious. All the pita and dips are wonderful, too. A lot of great options for bottles of wine under $80. Service is tentative and friendly. Come here with a small group of friends so you can try more food items, and drink more wine : )

2024 update: We've been coming here since at least 2017! Maybe a little before. My husband and I like to come here for anniversaries/birthdays every year!! We came here for my birthday and i was a little sad/disappointed to see they no longer have the cheese cigars or the zucchini fritters( they were my favorite and what I looked forward to every year!! Can't find those anywhere else!) but the food was delicious as usual! Nothing ever disappoints here and actually the hummus platter was even better than before!(which I didn't think was possible!). I think I just have to get over my nostalgia haha! Food is great, service is top tier, and it had a romantic ambiance as always! Highly recommend this restaurant!!

Last night, my boyfriend and I stopped by for our annual anniversary dinner at Kitchen Istanbul. We're still still in love with this place even after moving away from the Inner Richmond area. Some minor updates: * There's been some recipe changes in the Spreads Trio, specifically with their hummus & haydari. They were beautifully made before, but with the update they somehow taste even better? Better as in we ordered an extra 2 servings of pita bread. The hummus is even creamier with a few chickpeas and olive oil to top it off. The haydari has more notes of cheese and fresh herbs. * The wine list has expanded even more since our last visit! We wanted to try a new bottle of chardonnay, and were presented with 3 options. Ultimately, we picked the 2018 Jérémy Arnaud Chablis 1er Cru 'Vau de Vey' Chardonnay, Burgundy/France. Beautiful, elegant, well-balanced with layers of texture, and the nicest finish. The best find yet! * Met new staff members since our last visit and both were so incredibly kind, knowledgable and helpful with recs.

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

We had a fantastic meal. The food was delightfully unique and tasty. Each dish received five stars from everyone in our party of four. We started with the muhammara roasted red pepper, potato croquettes, and Istanbul-style saksuka. (If you are thinking hummus, try the mihammara instead. Wonderful!). A pistachio salad and sautéed shrimp comprised our second course. We finished with adana (spicy ground lamb) grilled kebap and braised short ribs. Everything was excellent. The service was attentive and the atmosphere serene.

Great representation of Mediterranean cuisine and an amazing wine selection. Service staff is super professional and friendly at the same time. Warm ambiance, at the corner of a busy stretch of Celement st. Dark chocolate Pot de Creme was great too..

What an unforgettable meal and wine experience! Despite the incredible wine list, we opted for the sommelier's three-glass progression, and the wines were fantastic. We can't wait to come back just for this. The service was friendly and incredibly attentive. The food highlights included the muhammara, chicken kabobs, and branzino. Thank you, Kitchen Istanbul, for an amazing evening!

An absolute gem! The food was splendid- everything was seasoned properly, prices were reasonable. Service was excellent and timely. The owner, who was so kind, he came by and said hello. The restaurant itself is quaint and has a solid wine selection. Can't wait to return!

Courteously serving the highest grade Turkish food in town in a beautiful wine-shop looking space. Best Moussaka, and by far the best Sigara Böreği (phyllo dough feta cheese rolls) and a canned beer + tax & tip -$68

We started with the trio spread and the lentil soup for our appetizer. We loved both. For our entrees, we had the lamb chops and the chicken kebab. I must say, the lamb chops were fantastic - no smell or taste of typical lamb, but all of the softness and juiciness you expect. The kebab plate came with a nice bulgur pilaf and paired well with the kebab. Excellent wine selection and knowledgeable servers, which were super kind and hospitable. The vibes were immaculate! Such a fantastic find in Richmond.

Food, service, value, and atmosphere is all top notch. The wine list is extensive and their knowledge of what pairs with their menu is exactly what you'd hope - dialed in and spot on. Pricing is pretty good for this level of restaurant too. I never feel rushed and always feel very full and happy walking out of this place. Is it hard to get a res sometimes? Yeah, it's for a reason - this kitchen knows what they're doing and are absolutely a neighborhood gem.

Came by for dinner the other night and it was a mediocre experience. Made a reservation and our table was ready upon arrival after checking vaccination status and ID. Parking was available on the street. Dining room was indoor only. Staff were all wearing masks covering both their mouth and noses, without gloves. Started off with the zucchini fritters and they were the highlight of the meal! Lightly friend with tons of juicy zucchini inside along with the side dip that was excellent! The lamb chops were a disappointment, comparing with Evvia and Kokkari. The entrée came out with 4 huge chops cooked to a medium rare as requested. The flavor profile wasn't super balance and the lamb chops weren't super hot when they came out. The side of mashed potatoes were decent. Service throughout the meal was great by the waiter.

Amazing dinner, owner came up with an amazing wine parí option, we chose a Pinot to go with their special appetizer that was AMAZING! Highly recommended. Definitely coming back!

Mediterranean restaurant located in a busy section of Clement. We started off with the crispy spiced Brussels sprouts with Aleppo aioli sauce. Then, we had the shrimp with shishito peppers with garlic paprika butter and Aleppo. Delicious! Then we dug into the Moussaka (this one is beef). And then we also shared the Turkish-style braised beef with smoked eggplant purée sultan's delight & Lebni. Don't know what food or what combination here that caused it, but I got a slight heartburn after eating here.

My friend has been talking about this place forever and I finally got to try it! This place isn't a casual lunch spot, but a more upscale place. Service was great and food was delicious. Highly recommend the lamb kabobs. I'm not a huge fan of lamb but this was delicious! Cauliflower and dips with pita were good too. Moussaka was different than anything I've tried. I'm not sure if I loved this dish. Definitely get the kunefe if you have room for dessert!

Spicy Tofu Soup was to die for. I didn't order a lot on this visit, as I was only craving soup. But I'd come again; service was great.

This is a great neighborhood gem of a restaurant. Family owned with family recipes, amazing wine list with great selection that is updated on a regular basis and with experienced sommelier, wonderful food and great friendly service. My favorite dishes are the spreads with warm pita bread, zucchini fritters, shrimp, moussaka (I love it!) and the amazing kunefe for dessert!

I would think again before making a reservation here using the Open Table app. I had planned a dinner with friends (as I previously raved about this restaurant and had come many times before) for 1 month out. The app, which has a very small area for date and time, did not take the future date and defaulted to the day of, which I had no intention of going as I had previous plans made 4 months ago to go to airport. My friend has the same experience. Open Table registered the wrong date had me as a no show and the restaurant charged me $250! I called the owner to explain the mistake, and he didn't budge on any ground to meet me even half way. Open Table doesn't have customer service so they will do nothing. The restaurant doesn't take phone calls for reservations or walk-ins so its a singular policy and very strict. Not worth my business given this kind of response to a good customer, who always shows up. Think twice before you book it!

Absolutely delightful food! Every dish we tried was so incredibly flavorful. The Pistachio Salad and the Muhammara were both outstanding. Extensive wine selections, minimalistic decor and warm hospitality. They did a great job accommodating my vegan dietary preferences. Highly recommend reservations. It was pretty busy even on a weekday. We will definitely go again.

Wait Time & Service: We came to visit our cousin who wanted to try out this place so we put our name down for 4 and was seated in about 35-40 minutes. They have a wine wall which we browsed while waiting & selected one for our table to drink. The staff is so professional & diligent. I watch the waiter set out table and saw how concentrated he was setting each utensil and place. We received amazing service from our waitress and had out plates/utensils changed out after appetizers for our main course. 2015 La Perdida A Mallada Mencia, Galicia/Spain ($67): The waiter noted that people either love this wine or hate it. My fiance & cousin both love it while I did not so it's really a taste preference. Warm Olives With Fresh Herbs ($9): I never order olives as I'm not a huge fan but these were good. A bit salty so I would prefer to eat this with a salad or drink water in between. Feta Cheese Cigars ($14): These were so freaking amazing & highly recommended. They're like fried cheese sticks with like a wonton wrapper dressed with pistachios & honey syrup. The cigars were crunchy, the cheese was warm & gooey, and the syrup was just divine. Roasted Cauliflower With Green Onion, Honey Grilled Lemon, & Urfa Pepper ($15): Also good but didn't stand out like the other appetizers. Lentil Salad ($16): This salad was good but a bit salty similar to the warm olives. Slow-Cooked Braised Beef ($29): The beef is soft but it's not as flavorful as I would like it to be so I prefer the Vietnamese braise beef stew over this. Moussaka ($27): This is a traditional casserole with ground spiced beef, eggplant, bell pepper, & bechamel topped with a layer of cheese. This was delicious and didn't feel heavy. Grilled Grass-Fed Lamb Chops ($45): These were really good & cooked correctly. They weren't gamy & were really soft. My fiance said this is one of the best lamb he had. Kunefe ($13): This dessert is filled with sweet cheese & pistachios and better than baklava in my opinion. It's heavy but so bomb that I would eat the whole thing if I could. After having this final item for the night, it's clear that they know how to do cheese.

High quality food and exceptional service. Kitchen Istanbul has half wine bar half restaurant. One of the hummus variation we tried was outstanding. My eggplant casserole was seasoned just right but my dinner partner's short rib was a little on the dry side (so 4.75 stars). The service was attentive, but not overly so. Our server was patient with our questions and the dishes were served at a relaxing pace. An enjoyable dining experience overall.

First of all, I was slackin' for hella long not coming in. The BLM signs, the solidarity poster of the Chinese grandma in their window... their minds and hearts are already in the right place. For once, I didn't take any food pix! I'll try to be as descriptive as possible. Wine selection - just YES. All the way yes. V impressed with their selection and pricing. Last night I had a glass of the Syrah, and it didn't disappoint. Mezes- cauliflower, zucchini fritters and Brussels sprouts. All the fried things. It's just so hard to mess up fried things. The cauliflower had a chili pepper flake crust and it was just enough spice for an appetizer. Zucchini fritters with the yogurt dill sauce was amazing and perfectly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Brussels were also perfectly crispy! Veggie Moussaka - sooooo good! Perfect layer of cheese on top and the vegetable diversity was fab. If you couldn't tell, I'd definitely be back soon!!

Kitchen Istanbul did not disappoint! I love the charming atmosphere, great date night spot. The wine selection is so impressive! My husband always appreciates a wine menu with a wide variety and great depth. The staff was so warm, genuine and made us feel like we were at home and part of the family. We had the spreads with pita. The pita was warm, thick, but light and chewy. The dips, oh my goodness the yogurt was so smooth and rich and simple. The smoked red pepper dip, perfectly blended, whipped but still a little bit of chopped peppers. And the hummus so good! Honestly some of the best spreads and pita I've ever had. We also had the fried zucchini. The zucchini was shredded up and made into a ball and then fried perfectly with a lovely seasoned breading. We also shared the Mousaka which was full of flavor. Not too saucy, wonderfully seasoned with a nice béchamel and cheese top. We can't wait to go back and try every other dish!

Last night, my girlfriend and I, had the pleasure of experiencing this treasure. The service was brilliant and welcoming and fun. Food was Delicious!!!! Run to this place. The owner and staff are wonderful!!!

With the pandemic finally ending, I've begun catching up on those restaurants that were previous favorites. This Sunday it was Kitchen Istanbul. The owners here have done a wonderful thing. They've taken out some of the tables thereby giving patrons more and safer space. And the food remains as good as ever. First course was creamy lentil soup. This isn't a knock your socks off starter to a meal. It is comforting. Next up was roasted cauliflower with scallions, honey grilled lemon and urfa. This is a wonderful plate of food with its assertive spicing. Finally, an appetizer sized portion of a loin lamb kabob. The thing about this kabob is that the lamb is tender but not gamey. Just nice, tender lamb. Prices are higher now, what with the pandemic and inflation. But Kitchen Istanbul is worth every nickel, dime and dollar you spend here. For the food and venue and service as well are that good.

First and foremost this restaurant has an excellent wine program. If you are looking to dine at a place where you can learn about wine and purchase allocated producers - this is the place. In addition, in my daughters words (4.5yr) " Mommy I want to go to that fancy restaurant that has all those yummy dips and delicious breads all the time." And yes those dips are delicious and can make any person of any age happy. Lastly, this is the kind of fine dining restaurant that has a modern/casual vibe. Great for groups and families and generally not the kind of place that needs advanced reservations.

We enjoyed an excellent mousses here last spring! Service was very good. Ambiance was urban and intimate.

Nicely decorated and great menu, we dined here last month and ordered the lamb chops and moussaka. The celery root purée served with the chops were divine, yet kinda wished the moussaka was a larger serving for better sharing. Attentive service.

It was ok Nothing special Over priced big time Not gonna back there !!!!!! Not a real Turkish food , more of the show

This place has such a beautiful asthetic Lamb Chops - was just delicious and we mainly came here as I was craving for künefe ... Roasted Cauliflower was finger licking ... I loved their tea too ... the coffee was a bit too strong for me Love love the vibe and food

Delicious, authentic, intimate, and cozy. A true feeling of Istanbul mixed with Western Fusion. Highly highly recommend.

I've come here twice and both times I have been blown away! We came for my birthday dinner with 8 people with a very last minute reservation request which was initially declined but the group that was supposed to be there that night canceled last minute and got the spot. We ordered a bunch of food to share. I recommend getting the meza platter with extra pita. It is phenomenal. We also loved the lamb which is cooked absolutely perfectly and comes with mashed potatoes. Sooo good. They have a great wine list too. The only thing I wasn't head over heals for was the salmon kebabs. Seriously don't wait on this get yourself here and in the door. If coming on a weekend night definitely make reservations to ensure a table. Great date vibes as well. Right now this is my favorite restaurant in San Francisco.

My husband and I stopped in after dinner with our two kids to have a glass of wine and the owner made several excuses for not serving us despite half the restaurant being empty. This place was a favorite and now we'll never come back.

Was looking for a place to eat probably around 830/9pm on a monday and everything around clement street was already closed or wouldn't let us in. So i said lets just see that place on the corner might as well try lol. Well lucky for us it was open or maybe they just let us in haha either way im glad we got a chance to eat here! Very cosy corner restaurant with a huge wine and other alcohol selection. The owner? came up to us and asked if we wanted to drink lol we had no idea what is good and he explained a bunch of stuff for us. Food selection was great not to confusing and most of the items on the menu looked amazing. I never had istanbul cuisine so i was excited to try it. Appetizers: Zucchini fritters 5/5 even my friend who doesn't like fried food ate two of them Brussel Sprouts 3/5 it was good just a little burnt even for me who likes burnt food Arugula salad 4/5 i liked it a lot but it felt kind of dry maybe thats how its supposed to be. Main course: I went for the traditional casserole Moussaka 5/5+++ This was so good nice and cheesy gooey goodness with a good amount of spices inside with the meat i loved it. Lamb Chops 5/5 this was wonderful it was a little to raw for our liking we still enjoyed it but next time will definitely ask to cook to a Medium well maybe Anyways glad everything on that block was closed because now i have a spot i can look forward to go eating its such a nice place!

When we go out to eat we either dine or simply go to an eatery. Our intention in coming here was to dine, but their inclusion of a patron's yapping and snapping dog changed this into just an eatery. Our party of 4 arrived on Sunday evening and with reservations, we had a comfortable table. Istanbul Kitchen has an assortment of quality foods and wine and their prices reflect it. Our party ate and drank a couple hundred dollars of items and shortly after we started, a woman brought her dog into the restaurant. First we thought she was just ordering something to go, but her actions with the wait staff indicated that she was known to them. They allowed her and dog a table near us and eat. Shortly a patron came up to her table and the dog started yapping and snapping. This behavior destroyed the ambience of our dining experience. What fine dining restaurant would allow a dog (not seeing eye) into a restaurant and allow this type of behavior. Because of this, I dropped the rating 1.5 stars and doubt that I would recommend this place to anyone seeking a fine dining experience.

This kitchen is classy and cozy, serving Mediterranean fare using fresh local ingredients. Tucked away in the Inner Richmond District. They have an extensive wine list evidenced by the wall and world of wines. We had the 2017 Beaune, recommended by our server. We were seeking something light, bright, refreshing and not too sweet. The chosen was spot on. Try as many Meze as you can. All delicious! One of my faves is the Pan fried shrimp w shishito peppers, garlic paprika butter, and Aleppo. Two entrees are a must, the moussaka, and the grilled grass fed lamb chops. The traditional moussaka is so delicious! The ground spiced lamb and eggplant melts in your mouth. So comforting! The lamb chops grilled to perfection, juicy, tender, and packed w flavor.

My friend and I came in Thursday 8PM and had an amazing, mouthwatering time! Bottom line: a must-eat in San Francisco! Vibe: upscale, elegant, cute, family-esque. Food: meat moussaka and 8-hour braised beef: OH MY! Hands down the best moussaka I've ever had - "it tastes like Christmas!" is what my friend said. And the 8-hour braised beef was was smokey, tender, creamy(??) just lifted my senses entirely. I did not know beef could taste like that. It was covered with this amazing eggplant sauce + white sauce; 15/10 stars. Service: the waitress was very sweet and helpful. She provided great recommendations. Sommelier was knowledgeable and paired our dinner with a delicious italian red (forgot the name). Parking: lots of space and didn't have to look too hard. Might get tricky on the weekends as there quite a few restaurants/bars in the area.

One of my dear friends is a vegetarian. I, most decidedly, am not. It can be a real struggle to find a good restaurant that offers a great selection of both vegetarian and meat dishes so we were really happy to find this restaurant when we decided to catch up on a Saturday night. We shared a bunch of Mezes (all vegetarian), including the arugula salad, crispy Brussels sprouts, roasted cauliflower, falafel patties and fried halloumi cheese. Everything was great, particularly the Brussels sprouts and roasted cauliflower. For the main entree, it was all about the lamb chops. That was an impressive plate of food - perfectly cooked lamb chops medium rare with pomegranate molasses, mint relish, potato and celery root purée. Pretty much licked the plate. Service was nice and attentive and I love the decor of the place. With tax and tip and a limonata each, this ended up being $75 per person - really good for an SF fine dining experience. Highly recommended!!!

I have not eaten at Kitchen Istanbul yet, but I can't wait to! I want to testify to owner Emrah's incredibly kind generosity to me when I was injured in a bicycle accident recently. He took gentle care of me as we assessed my injuries, and was enormously reassuring. If he lends a fraction of that kind of care and attentiveness to his restaurant management, food preparation and service I am certain it will be exquisite. I am looking forward to patronizing his family business as often as possible. What a gem of a helper, with a unique precision response to the needs of others. What more could be asked of a restauranteur!

A wonderful experience! We were not planning on eating out, we were walking and dropped in. The restaurant was fully booked, but the owner kindly gave us a table at the window. The food was excellent, the wine was great, the waitress Arielle was awesome. This will be our last time going there. Next time we will dress up a little bit

The service was great, just as I remembered, but the menu seemed more limited and the portions not as generous for the price. The atmosphere / decor has been refreshed and maybe I'm being sentimental, but I'm partial to the cozy, warm vibe that it used to be. The food and flavors are very good.

Came here with a friend on a Monday evening after pondering around Clement Street about where to dine for dinner. Think of tapas but with Turkish food; and I only have 3 words - OH MY GOD. The food, though simple, it was delicious! I wasn't able to photo all of what was ordered but I would have been happy to eat their house made hummus and pita bread on its own. My friend ordered a bowl of lentil soup and ate every drop of it. I also ordered the Turkish style braised beef; I thought I needed a starch such as rice but decided to dip pita bread into the sauce and that was indulgent enough. The food was scrumptious and service attentive and prompt; would definitely return for more.