Istanbul Restaurant Sheldon — Restaurant in Birmingham

Me and my husband decided to stop at this restaurant as we both enjoy turkish food and wanted to try this place out. On arrival menus had been given to us and as we both where quite hungry we order the £14 meal for 2 to share. We arrived at 20.30. Our table was served with the bread and sauce which normally is given once the order is made at this point we also orders our drinks from the waiters Approx 15 minutes later we asked a different waiter for our drinks as the sauce which is served with the bread is extremely hot and spicy and also wasn't something either of us had in a Turkish restaurant before. We continued to chat and started noticing tables that had orders taken after us had been served food this was at around 21.00 at this point my husband decided he would give the restaurant main phone a cheeky call and ask where the order for table 16 was at which point we noticed complete mayhem and staff all looking at our table and whispering among them selves as they walked pasted a few times. Eventually a middle aged women came along and asked if we had given our order we explained we had and hence we made the call. The lady started to ask if the person we gave the order to had a book with him and started pointing out staff and asking if it was them who took them despiteus explaining several times who it was that took the order and rather then accepting fault she added insult to injury by stating it can't have been half an hour ago that you ordered and then stated well non of us have taken your order... As I stated to this lady 1.Why if you don't have a order for us is there bread and sauce on the table which bearing in mind is only put there once a order is taken? why are you refusing to answer when I asked you to check your cctv to indeed confirm that we had been in the restaurant for 30 minutes Why would you have customers sitting in the restaurant for 30 minutes without having their order taken in the first place when you had atleast 10 empty tables? Customer service is key and lying to a customer to cover your mistake is the root...

I visited had a beautiful lamb shish with salad and chips, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Based on that experience, I returned the next and ordered the same dish, this time with a Turkish salad. Unfortunately, today's experience was disappointing.

The older gentleman who had provided great service yesterday wasn't there; instead, a lady was serving alongside a cook. She brought me overcooked, lukewarm chips well before the lamb was ready, so I sent them back. The replacement batch was inconsistent—some were hot, others overcooked and hard, some lukewarm, and some soaked in oil as if they had been fried twice.

When my lamb arrived, it came with rice, even though I had specifically asked for no rice and only chips as per the menu. The lady insisted I wasn’t charged for the rice, but that wasn’t the issue—I simply didn’t want rice on my plate, so the dish had to go back to be fixed.

On top of that, my meal arrived in stages: first the chips, then the lamb, and I had to ask for the Turkish salad, which I ended up asking to be wrapped up because I was so dissatisfied. To make matters worse, the Turkish salad was missing red cabbage, which was listed on the menu.

It was clear the lady didn’t understand or acknowledge my concerns about the poor quality of the chips. The restaurant wasn’t busy—I was the only customer—so there was no reason to rush. Yet she spent most of her time on her phone with headphones on.

Eventually, the gentleman from yesterday returned, and I explained the situation to him. The lady attempted to justify the charges (£9 for the lamb shish with chips or rice and £3 for the Turkish salad), but given my dissatisfaction, the meal was comped.

I drove 10 miles to eat here and left hungry and disappointed. A few pieces of lamb and salad simply weren’t enough to make up for the experience. I won’t...

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Istanbul Restaurant, and it was truly an exceptional experience from start to finish. From the moment I walked in, I was warmly welcomed by the staff, who were friendly, professional, and attentive. The service was outstanding—fast, organized, and delivered with genuine hospitality that made me feel right at home.

The food was absolutely delicious and clearly made with care and expertise. Istanbul Restaurant offers a wonderful variety of halal dishes, combining the best of Arabic and Eastern flavors. The meats were fresh, perfectly cooked, and seasoned with authentic spices that brought every dish to life. Each bite was full of rich, traditional taste that reminded me of true Middle Eastern home cooking.

Cleanliness is another area where the restaurant shines. The dining area was spotless, well-organized, and comfortable, with a calm and welcoming atmosphere. The restrooms were also impeccably clean, reflecting the restaurant’s overall high standards.

Overall, Istanbul Restaurant provides an excellent combination of flavorful halal food, warm and efficient service, and a clean, relaxing environment. It’s a perfect place for anyone looking to enjoy a genuine taste of the East in a respectful and comfortable setting. I highly recommend it and look forward to coming...