El turco — Restaurant in Miami

El Turco is a very unique spot nestled in Upper Buena Vista area. The restaurant sits within a beautiful botanical-style courtyard, and the setting alone is enough to make your visit enjoyable. The atmosphere feels refreshing and perfectly complementing the dining experience.

The food at El Turco is consistently delicious from appetizers to entrees, every dish is thoughtfully prepared and full of authentic Mediterranean flavor. The service is friendly and attentive, which adds to the overall pleasant experience.

That said, the prices tend to be on the higher side compared to other Mediterranean or Turkish restaurants. While the quality and presentation justify some of it, you might still feel you’re paying a premium for the ambiance as much as the food.

I’ve dined here several times and have always been impressed by the flavors and freshness of the dishes, though I do wish the pricing were a bit more balanced. Still, El Turco remains one of my favorite spots in the area just choose your dishes wisely if you’re...

I expected much more from a Michelin-star restaurant. We had a 1 PM reservation but were told they were double-booked and had to wait about 30 minutes. Once seated, we learned they were already out of lahmacum, one of their signature appetizers, and later found out they also had no rice (quite surprising for a Turkish restaurant, where rice is a staple side dish). This was a few hours after they opened so it’s quite odd. Two doner wraps came out cold and they had to tale back to warm up and food was coming out slow too so something must have been going on with them that day.

It was my birthday, so we still made the best of it, but the experience fell far below what I expected. The only saving grace was our waiter, Andrés, who went above and beyond to make up for whatever was happening that day even when it wasn’t his fault. He truly deserves credit for his great attitude in the middle of the chaos. Hopefully just an off day, but definitely disappointing for a...

El Turco Upper Buena Vista in Miami truly exceeded our expectations. It’s hard to find a place that represents Turkish cuisine so authentically and deliciously. The food was absolutely amazing — everything was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. Especially the breakfast plates and mezes were just perfect, full of taste and tradition.

The service was just as impressive as the food. A special thanks to Mr. Alp, who constantly checked on our table, made sure everything was clean and organized, and treated us with such kindness and attention. The overall atmosphere was warm, welcoming, and spotless — it honestly felt like being back in Turkey.

El Turco is definitely one of the best places to experience true Turkish hospitality and cuisine in Miami. Highly recommended — five stars for food, service, and...