Kitchen Istanbul — Restaurant in San Francisco

Perhaps one of the best underrated Turkish restaurants in the city!

🔸🔸 Atmosphere 🔸🔸

Has a great selection of wine which they boast proudly on the dinning room wall. Was very tempted but opted to stay sober for the experience.

Every table comes with an Aesop hand sanitizer bottle. A nice touch that I wished more places had.

The waiting staff was courteous and paid attention to detail.

It's a rare find to see reviews that mentions the restaurant's bathroom, and personally wished this was more prevalent. It can really throw off the experience when you find disappointment after a delicious meal.

But I got to say, they made the bathroom as an enjoyable experience as the dinning room. Candle lit with a lovely fragrance.

🔸🔸 Food 🔸🔸

The lamb skewers were cooked perfect. A nice charred exterior with a juicy tender interior. It begged a second bite. 😋

The braised beef was very tender. That with the dollop of cream, and the pureed eggplant was a tasty combination.

We also had the Haydari with fresh pita bread. Gosh, the pita came steaming right out of the kitchen and that Haydari dip put a smile on my face. Was so fixated on eating this that the thought of taking a photo slipped my mind. 😅

The icing on the cake was the Turkish Coffee. My Turkish friend mentioned that the quality of the brew is judged by the amount of foam on top. Glad to say this was indeed the case!

The little sweets on the side paired very well with the coffee. I devoured this with delight. Indeed, this was a perfect pallet cleanser, and close to the experience.

🔸🔸Tweak Suggestions 🔸🔸

The only tweak I would make would be the portion size.

Each was a hefty meal. Especially the braised beef, that's easily a portion for two. But there wasn't enough cream to eggplant and beef ratio.

Our appetizer came with a large portion of dip with but only 2 snack sized pieces of pita. So we asked for more pieces of pita 🫓 and it came just as fresh.

🔸🔸TLDR 🔸🔸

That evening was a wonderful experience. And if you're new to Turkish food, this is a great introduction.

Taste and quality was top notch, a solid 4.5. Adjust the portion sizes and keep everything else the way it is and this place easily gets a 5 ⭐. I hope they'll have specials the next time...

Was spending the day with my daughter in SF and came across this restaurant. And since my daughter hadn't decided where to have dinner yet I made the decision to give Kitchen Istanbul a try. Casual attire with a sophisticated atmosphere. White linens kinda vibe minus the dress code. My daughter had the Med falafel patties with haydari, Persian cucumber, pickled fennel and the fried halloumi cheese with paprika sauce, parsley & olive oil while I had the Turkish style braised grass-fed beef with smoke eggplant puree. To say the dishes were delicious would be an understatement. I had a bit from my daughter's dishes but as a piscatarian she declined mine. Each bite was an explosion of taste in my mouth and left me wanting more. The Persian cucumber provided a very nice contrast to the falafels. The taste of the fried halloumi cheese was highlight by the paprika, parsley and olive oil. And eggplant made for a very balanced flavor profile with the braised beef, savory, rich, luxurious. Also for the first time my daughter experience one of the reason why I enjoy black coffee as much as I do. She had a Turkish coffee and without needing to add any sugar she enjoyed it.

Now the downside is that the menu is on the pricey side. But overall I would say it's well worth it. I and my daughter would most definitely eat here again. Make a reservation or come early, they get busy. We were lucky to...

This used to be our to go gem restaurant. It has sadly lost its original charm and appeal. What used to be a delightful spot with reasonably priced, high-quality meal overall experience has turned into a glaring example of greed overshadowing culinary passion. The bills are not only unjustified but also alienating to its once-loyal customers.

Upon entering this restaurant, the lack of a warm welcome is immediately apparent, rarely offering a smile. This is not the inviting atmosphere one expects from an establishment aspiring to serve Eastern cuisine. The room itself suffers from poor acoustics, creating a rather unwelcoming ambiance.

The main letdown, however, lies in the menu and the food itself. Prices are steep, which could be overlooked if the quality of the food and service justified the costs. The high-priced dishes at this restaurant disappointingly fall short in both flavor and presentation, culminating in a dining experience that is far from satisfying.

While the restaurant still maintains a semblance of its former quality, the excessive prices and diminished value proposition make it difficult to recommend. In my view, It's a classic case of a once humble and respected establishment losing its way in pursuit of...