Istanbul Grill California

When I used to work in area decades ago, this was my go-to spot for a delicious lunch with colleagues or dinner w/ friends. Their service is always top notch. The food is fresh, always served hot, and consistently tasty! Every time I've gone, the servers are energetic and super friendly. You order first when you enter the restaurant then get find seats after. They gave both tables and booths for seating.I always order the baba ganoush (smoked & roasted eggplant dip), stuffed grape leaves, lamb Adana plate, kofte kebabs (ground lamb/beef) and other combination plates. My hubby typically gets the combo plate as they are a good value. You choose two proteins and it comes with rice and grilled vegetables. For a lighter meal, you could share the combo plate if you prefer. All in all, one the best spots for Turkish food. Give them a try!

Came as a party of 5 on a Sunday at 7:15 PM. There was no wait and you order before you get seated.Parking: The parking lot is decently sized, and finding a spot is easy.Ambience: Casual and cozy with a lively atmosphere. It's a bit loud but perfectly suited for a relaxed, family-style meal.Service: The staff was quick, friendly, and efficient. You order before being seated.Food: The dishes were appropriately priced and had large portions, which made it ideal for sharing.Istanbul Kebab (8/10): The doner and kofte were our favorites, while the chicken was our least favorite. A bit more vegetables would have balanced the hearty meats nicely.Appetizer Sampler (7.5/10): The babaganoush was by far our favorite dip. The other dips were decent but not particularly memorable, and the dolmas didn't stand out. The platter included pita, which was very much appreciated.Summary: Istanbul Grill offers hearty, shareable dishes that are great for groups. The generous portions allows for plenty of leftovers.

Istanbul Grill never disappoints. 2nd time here and was again a v good experience. We got the mixed grill which thr menu says was good for 2 but 3 of us comfortably shared it and still had some leftovers. Great quality of food bu I really missed some flavors and tanginess that I get in mediterranean food in lot of other restaurants. specially with Garlic Sauce , pickles etc which was missing here. You have to order food in advance here before you get seated, the dining area is spacious and they also have courtyard .

I keep on coming back and that's a good thing!!Came here pre Covid, peak of Covid and now. A lot of has changed but their kebabs and meat quality has not. I've been meaning to come back to try their Turkish coffee so I'll be back!Was craving something refreshing and their Shepherd salad does not disappoint. Loaded with cucumbers, tomatoes and onions tossed with their light dressing. YumWe couldn't decide what to get but their mixed plate for 2 was perfect. It came with so many different type of meat and their vegetable sides and cabbage was a perfect pair with the meat. But their white sauce went well with all of their meat. The pita bread that came with the entree was so warm and yummy

If you're craving a true taste of the Mediterranean, Istanbul Grill California is where you need to be. The chicken kebabs here are nothing short of perfection tender, juicy, and packed with an incredible depth of flavor that keeps you coming back for more. You can taste the authentic spices and the time taken to marinate every bite, making each mouthful an experience in itself.And let me tell you about their hidden gem: the lentil soup! It's warm, comforting, and perfectly seasoned. It's one of those items that might look simple but surprises you with rich, layered flavors. A must-try for sure.The staff is incredibly friendly, creating a welcoming atmosphere that feels like home from the moment you walk in. And to top it all off, they offer a complimentary dessert that's absolutely to die for! It's the perfect end to a meal and just another reason why Istanbul Grill California stands out. Highly recommended for anyone looking to enjoy authentic Mediterranean cuisine with fantastic service

We visited this restaurant on the first day of Ramadan. They had a private event on one side, so it may not reflect their usual quality. The place offers table service, and the staff is nice and friendly. However, I found most of the dishes below average--the kebabs were very dry and overcooked, and the chicken shish was burnt (photo uploaded). You can order a small or big pot of Turkish tea, which is a nice touch. Unfortunately, the tea wasn't good either. On top of that, the water from the machine had a strange taste, which makes me think there might be an issue with their water system or filter. While handling large numbers can be challenging, quality shouldn't be the sacrifice--and unfortunately, that seemed to be the case here for us.

I've only had their food at parties that catered it but never had the opportunity to eat at the restaurant. We were craving Kababs so we decided to dine in. It's funny that the restaurant always looks dark if you're driving by so we thought they were not open. Little did we know the restaurant is opened and lit inside. The restaurant alone is much bigger than it looks from outside. The owner, Orhan was there at the front and greeted us right away. He was so friendly and helped us decided what to order. Before getting seated, you have to order first. I actually like that idea for the owner's sake. Pay before you dine in, great idea. Here's what we ordered for dinner:01. Hummus/Pita Appetizer $7.99 - 5 Stars- Super tasty Hummus with warm Pita breads and a yummy Red Dipping Sauce. We couldn't stop eating the warm Pita breads. 02. Kebab Combo (Ribeye Steak & Chicken) $24.99 - 5 Stars- The Ribeye Steak was so tender and tasty. The Grilled Chicken Kebab was so juicy and tender as well, perfectly cooked and seasoned, served with Rice, Grilled Veggies and Pickled Cabbages (Garlic Sauce and the Red Dipping Sauce). 03. Mixed Grilled Kebab $41.99 - 5 Stars- This order can feed 2-3 easily. Comes with Chicken Shish Kebab and Doner Kebab and Chicken Adana Kebab served with 2 scoops of Rice, Grilled Veggies and Pickled Cabbages (Garlic Sauce and the Red Dipping Sauce). Everything was delicious and juicy. I don't know what they do to their veggies but we loved it. It was a lot of food and had leftovers for lunch the next day. If anyone knows what the Red Dipping Sauce is, please let me know. It was nothing I've ever had before and it's AMAZING. LOCATION - In a small plaza across from the old Souplantation restaurant/Tesla Superchargers and Costco Center. Parking is tight as it shares the lot with the Movement Gym. The Plaza is not brightly lit so it's a bit dark, just watch your step and look around. The dining area is quite clean and staff is constantly cleaning the area while you dine. CUSTOMER SERVICE - The owner and staff are incredibly NICE and very attentive. You barely need to make eye contact and they come to you. Food comes out HOT and there's a lot of food. VERDICT - I will be ordering catering for my office and coming back to dine-in with my family. Love that we are close enough to grab food when we are craving Mediterranean or Turkish foods.

My friends and I have become weekly customers here now , the food is amazing , I love the rib eye and chicken cubes , the steak veggies that goes along with it . Amazing service and food !

Not many places I've been outside of turkey get turkish food right, but they do it right here. We split the mixed grill kebab and lentil soup. My favorites were the chicken kebab and the chicken adana while my wife liked the beef adana most. I'm not sure what the white sauce is called (usually it's something yogurt based), but it tasted like a yogurt-ranch mix and it was delicious to dip the meats in. The red sauce that came for the pita (with the lentil soup) was good to put on the rice.-I'm not a fan of celery, wonder if we can request something else in its place of the veggies that come with the mixed platter

I can't believe this place is open till 2 am! That's crazy. You can't beat this level of authenticity and real homecooking at 11:00 pm (when I visited). Omg-- the people of fountain valley are so lucky! The chicken was cooked tender and they bake their own pita bread. Damn. It was sooo good. You're stupid not to visit this place. If I am ever in the neighborhood, I'll be sure to come again. Absolutely delicious.