Bayridge Turkish Cafe — Restaurant in New York

Update:

I will try today to see if I can actually get inside and if what I order is available. Fingers crossed!

Thank you to the owner for responding. That is always a really good sign that the people in charge are accountable. I hope to change this review entirely today when I go.

(I have not gotten this restaurant confused with another. I live 2 blocks from the restaurant and walk past it a minimum of 3 days a week. I even have a landmark association that is specifically memorable with the restaurant, as I walk 2 blocks down 3rd Avenue and then turn at the corner where the restaurant is located to go to the closest grocery store in the neighborhood.

I will make a point to go in today, so I don't leave this review without a resolution. I would really like this restaurant to be available, as the middle-eastern food within 2 blocks is limited. There are a couple of middle eastern restaurants in the area, but they are hookah bars, making the food there unappealing.)

Another restaurant of similar fare (an Israeli restaurant) closed recently. They had a problem with the restaurant being entirely family-run (I think.) Family issues would cause the restaurant to close early for the day without notice, since a family issue would affect everyone (or almost everyone) there, leaving no one available to come in during a family emergency. They also had an issue with menu prices being $1-5 more per item, causing a meal for 2 that included an appetizer, meal, side dish, and dessert for each person (the menu was mostly a la carte) to be anywhere from $8 to $40 more than other restaurants in the area. A $50 meal would become $58-$90, depending on the choices made.

The food was rather good, albeit not worth potentially doubling (or more) the cost of eating the same items at a different restaurant. With other good middle eastern restaurants being within 10 blocks (especially if you walk over to 5th Avenue,) I was surprised that this Israeli restaurant had survived for decades (I was told.) The price discrepancy was from before COVID and the out-of-control inflation in 2021 and 2022. I hadn't been inside in over a year (because of how expensive it was) so I do not know if the restaurant raised the prices of their food with the inflated prices of ingredients.

IMHO, a block on an avenue in Bay Ridge without a good middle eastern restaurant is a missed opportunity. There are thai, chinese, indian, greek (which is middle eastern, but a more specific cuisine,) mexican, peruvian, dominican, italian (formal,) italian (pizza,) german, and restaurants of other cuisine in the Bay Ridge area. Most restaurants are exemplary, due to the high quality of the food, the atmosphere, and the customer service in restaurants in this area. This is great, but the population of Bay Ridge is predominantly midddle eastern. There should be more middle eastern restaurants to go to, to cater to the populus in Bay Ridge.

I do hope this restaurant works out - really. I am headed there now. Wish me luck!

Original post:

I tried for 2 weeks after this place opened and they told me that half of the items on their newly printed menus were not actually offered by the place - what?

After that, I have tried multiple times to come get something, but they change their closing time - as much as 3 hours early, some days. I can't seem to be able to stop in at all now, since I don't eat breakfast and am not available before noon.

I don't see this place making it to the 1 year mark. Changing hours, menu items unavailable (on a new menu, no less,) and difficulties with third party ordering places (store is listed as not taking orders randomly on different services, and I can't seem to pay for my order to complete it on the ones that I can order in the first place.) Did no one plan this restaurant? Is it a front for something else? I know at least 20 kids in elementary school who could have planned the logistics for this with better results.

Place looks nice from the outside. Too bad it won't...

What I don’t understand is how this place gets a good review. This is the second time going into this place. I got an acma it was hard like a rock. All of their pastry and breakfast items are delivered from Divan or Safir. They give you the day old stuff and not even mention to you. They could actually do a better job with this place since they charge an arm and leg for food they get from other places. Today I gave them another chance and my order was close to 50 for old stuff and 2 small lahmacun for 20 dollars when I could of gone to another Turkish place and got 3 lahmacun along with the salad mix that is suppose to come with it. And let me tell you that Lahmacun takes times to make and I am pretty and sure this place got it from another place because it was fast. And I know he heated it up in his little oven. Then my son went back to get a fork and the guy told him no! Shame on you after we spent close to 50 dollars. Stay away from this since you have real coffee places in bay ridge. And if you want Turkish go to a Turkish restaurant or a real Turkish bakery like Divan or Safir. At least you get...

I recently had breakfast here with a friend, and we loved everything about it. The highlight of our meal was the Dubai chocolate, which was incredibly good and offered a unique twist compared to other versions we’ve tried. The pastries were served warm and were absolutely delicious, making for a comforting start to the day. To top it all off, the coffee was rich and flavorful, perfectly complementing the pastries. Overall, it was a fantastic breakfast experience, and we will definitely be coming...