Bosphorous Turkish Cuisine - Dr. Phillips — Restaurant in Dr. Phillips

We visited this place with family group during our vacation in Orlando. Granted we were a rather larger group, so it was expected by us that it would probably be difficult to accommodate all of us at once and sit us around the same table. So we went inside and asked if they had tables available for us. Initially we’re told we may have to be broken into three smaller groups to be able to sit inside or sit outside as one big group. We wanted to sit inside because it was about to rain outside and weren’t sure if the sidewalk cover on the outside would be able to completely keep the rain away. So we decided not to take our chances and said “no, thanks” and were about to leave… but then their either the manager or the owner showed up as we’re about to leave and insisted she can make it work if we decide to sit outside and assured us that even if it rains it won’t get to us. So we took her word and went with the proposal. It was a steady but surely downfall from there on out.

Since the sidewalk is built with bricks and tiles our chairs and tables were constantly wobbling. Shortly after we got our appetizers it started raining and by “shocking surprise” everybody who was sitting by the road side got wet both by the rain and by splashes from the passing cars. We also had to constantly remind about some of our orders to the waitress as they kept forgetting about some of the items from our orders. Food was decent, however, for those prices they charge food wasn’t all that impressive.

I travel a lot and visit various restaurants during my travels. By far it was one of (if not) the most expensive mediocre restaurant I’ve ever visited both in the United States and abroad. All in all we ended up spending around $485 +/- for 6 adults and 4 children (ages 9, 7, 5 and 4). And we ordered very conservatively too, ordered 3 mix kebab plates for adults, couple of bowls of lentil soup, 3 kids plates and shared them amongst our group. I couldn't think of us spending that much ever at any of our previous visits to any restaurant. We travel often together as a group and this was the first time we spent over $300 on a single tab for dining.

Considering the facts that our service wasn't anywhere near to be decent, despite us predicting the outcome we're insisted that rain won't get to us and sure enough half of our group got wet once it started raining, and the food was sub par compared to their prices we surely won't be coming back to this overhyped restaurant.

I normally try to be very careful and fair with my reviews but in this instance I would give ‘no stars’...

I took a trip to Florida and one of my very good friends stated I want you to try this Turkish restaurant. It’s one of her favorite places to eat prior to heading to or coming home from the airport. The Turkish restaurant is about an 8 minute drive from the Orlando (MCO) airport. We had reservations for 5 at 4:00 PM on a Tuesday.

The parking garage was free and there was plenty of parking. The location is in a beautiful area. Music was playing outside. As we walked to the restaurant I noticed an outside seating area for the restaurant.

The restaurant was beautiful on the inside. It wasn’t crowded and seemed very spacious between each table.

For drinks we ordered the Turkish wine (Isabey Sauvignon Blanc) which was so good. Not too sweet and not too bitter. The wine paired well with our meals and we ordered two bottles which were well worth it.

For appetizers we all shared the following:

Hummus - Freshly puréed chickpeas with tahini, garlic, lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil. It was nice and creamy and had a slice of tomato. We placed two orders for the table.

Ezme - Spicy blend of chopped tomatoes, red & green bell peppers, red onion, walnuts, garlic, parsley, dill pickle, jalapeño pepper & lemon juice. The dish was beautifully plated. We placed two orders for the table.

Some mixed hummus and the enzme on our plates and it was pretty good. We dipped in the lavas (hollow bread).

Lavas (Hollow Bread) - Baked-to-order bread creation. Highly recommended for all soups & appetizers. The bread was filled with air and we took a fork or broke a piece of the bread and it deflated. It was soft and delicious. I was left craving for more but needed to save my appetite for my entree.

Several of the ladies, including myself, ordered the Chicken Adana Kebap. Grilled skewers of ground chicken seasoned with fresh garlic, red bell peppers, light hot peppers & parsley. The entrees we ordered were served with rice pilaf, pickled red cabbage & beets, fresh carrots & red onions. Everything was delicious. The seasonings on the ground chicken were perfect and mixed well with the rice, carrots, and red onions. I tried one on the ladies lamb and it was soft, moist, and did not taste gamey at all.

I would definitely recommend this place. The atmosphere was casual and the waitstaff was friendly and answered any questions we had while also providing suggestions.

Please try this place in your area and want a good place to eat. I wish I had taken...

Disappointing Experience, Overpriced and Lacking in Flavor

I recently visited Bosphorous Turkish Cuisine in Orlando and unfortunately, my experience was far from satisfying. I ordered two doner sandwiches, understanding that it might not match the taste of authentic Turkish doner, but what I received was simply terrible. The sandwiches seemed to consist of only 3 or 4 very thin pieces of flavorless doner, with no marination whatsoever. To make matters worse, the majority of the sandwich was filled with lettuce, tomato, and onion, making it feel like I was eating a salad instead.

Despite my specific request for only those three ingredients and no sauce, my sandwiches arrived cold and overwhelmed by an abundance of sauce that I explicitly asked to be omitted. It was evident that the kitchen staff didn't pay attention to the order details, which was disappointing.

To make matters worse, the pricing was exorbitant. I was shocked to be charged $55 for just two doner wraps and two drinks (ayran), which are normally priced at $12 tops elsewhere. Such an inflated price for mediocre quality is completely unjustifiable. Oh this is only the lunch menu prices by the way , I’m not even mentioning their dinner plates which has no difference in size but double the price.

The only positive aspect of my visit was the server, who was kind and attentive. However, even they made a mistake by disregarding my request for no sauce.

In conclusion, I strongly advise against visiting Bosphorous Turkish Cuisine. The lackluster food quality, high prices, and failure to adhere to customer requests make it an establishment that does not deserve your hard-earned money. Save yourself the disappointment and explore other Turkish restaurants in the area that offer better value and...