Moussaka Mediterranean Kitchen

Owner/chef Nilgun B. has been producing some excellent Turkish/Mediterranean food and a number of delicious desserts (she's a very creative pastry chef, too). The DR has been recently remodeled for a cleaner and more comfortable look. Do note for those who are unfamiliar with Turkish food, although it does use hot chilis in a few dishes, overall it is NOT a "hot spice" cuisine. Do not expect chili flakes or flamin' hot sauces here; Turkish home cooking (we have several Turkish friends) does not use them. They use many spices, but not the jalapeno/serrano/habanero kind!The pastry case, which used to be on the side near the entry, is now at the back of the restaurant, on the left. Don't miss taking a look; most of her desserts are NOT listed on the regular dessert menu as she changes them often. Tip: if the baklava cheesecake is there, DO NOT MISS IT. Lovers of Philly-style cheesecake will flip over this tall, but exquisitely light and creamy beauty! We came once with friends and all four of us gave this dessert 5-stars. It takes several days to make so it's not always available; just ask the waitstaff.Those looking for keto, diabetic, vegetarian or vegan dishes will find plenty here to enjoy. Meat lovers are well-accommodated too, with hearty skewers, excellent fish, and wonderful lamb dishes. The Hunkar Begendi (pureed eggplant, braised lamb with gravy, soft tasty rice/orzo pilaf) is outstanding; we also love the Meat Moussaka with its Bechamel topping and flavorful tomato sauce.Cheese lovers will adore the flaming Saganaki: halloumi cheese deep-fried and set aflame in brandy. Soft fresh pita wedges help make it the best toasted-cheese snack ever, LOL.Relatively easy parking; residential streets are free but Bancroft Ave. and side streets running west for 1 block are metered.

Moussaka Mediterranean Kitchen is a fantastic spot for quality Mediterranean food--my family and I have loved every dish we've tried. The doner kebab is a standout, tender, flavorful, and cooked perfectly. Their rice side is fluffy and seasoned just right--definitely not one of those bland afterthoughts. The BBQ aroma you smell from outside, and the food absolutely delivers on that promise.One of the highlights for us is the bread with za'atar dip--served warm and tasting fresh out of the oven. It's a crowd pleaser every time.That said, the pricing keeps us from coming here as often as we'd like. Most items are in the $23+ range, aside from the wraps, which are more reasonably priced at $16-17. A lunch special could make a huge difference for locals like us--I'd happily pay $11-$12 for a smaller portion to enjoy their food more regularly. Right now, it feels like more of a "special occasion" spot for us, which is a shame since we live in the neighborhood.Customer service is consistently friendly and welcoming. We've never had to wait in the three times we've visited, which is a nice plus.One menu item that's on my radar is their burger. A burger at a Mediterranean place might seem strange, but with how delicious and charbroiled their meats are, I'm confident it would be excellent. It's on the premium side price-wise, but based on the photos, it looks worth trying at least once.Overall, Moussaka is a solid choice for flavorful Mediterranean dishes and great service. It's not as pricey as Paradiso next door, but it's definitely on the higher side compared to fast-casual options, say in Alameda a quick drive over. While it's not marketed as fast-casual, a lunch special could be a game-changer for folks like me who want to stop by more often. For now, it's a place we enjoy occasionally, but not as much as we'd like!

Delicious and flavorful food~~ We celebrated my birthday here and have had several meals throughout the year because the food keeps bringing us back.The garlic fries, appetizer combo platter with all the baba ghanoush and hummus are so fresh! The Iskender is good and my SO likes to get the Turkish Coffee and Turkish teas.

I really appreciate the decor, the good service and the delicious food. We had a lamb and beed shawarma wrap, kabobs, falafel and salmon. I wasn't a fan of their falafel, they're different from the falafel flavor I'm used to, unique though.

I had this bookmarked for some time now and finally had the chance to try it. The service here is phenomenal. We got greeted, seated, and helped in a fast pace! We ordered lamb shank, kebabs combo, pistachios salad, and pistachio ricotta as dessert plus wine as drink. The lamb shank is really tender and slightly sweet but savory. The kebab wasn't what we expected, we thought there would be more meat in a skewers but it was thinly sliced meat. Maybe we didn't read the menu well enough. We still enjoyed it. We got the salad to have some greens in our system lol. Overall on the food itself was a bit bland because we eat a lot of flavorful foods in general so it might be why we feel like it is on the lighter side. Since there was pepper and salt on the table so it helps. Also, from my assumption there is a decent amount of elderly customers or they are regulars and they usually don't eat super salty food. I also see families with their kids that eat there. I will say, I feel healthy and clean eating here. I will still come back here to eat and bring my parents. I really love the vibe while I was eating here. It can also feel cozy and homey while it is an edgy looking spot at the same time.

Have been here a couple times, either with a party of 4 or 6, and it's been pretty good and I didn't mind being back when people chose it as a meeting spot.My order was the Alexander (Iskender) chef special, which is beef and lamb over warm pita bread, with marinara and yogurt. Costs $23. Pros:- reliably delicious food, with pretty unique and nicer upscale Mediterranean (not your typical Nick the Greek or Pita Pit type of vibe). - Really cute ambiance! I especially love the colorful chairs that you can spin on like an office chair- The servers were extremely friendly and kind- HUGE portions - I used to think it was an expensive place, but for the amount of food you get with each dish it really is like 2 meals. Reasonably priced when you order the things that are under $25. - Wide variety of dish options on if you want to do family style or if everyone wants to order their own meat plate.- I consider this a very San Leandro vibe restaurant, unique and localCons:- sometimes parking can be tricky on weekends or busier nights. I usually park in the residential area near Oakes Blvd and walk over- for some reason both times I've been here the air circulation wasn't great and I felt very hot and sweaty inside, only to feel much relief after stepping into the colder night air. Not sure if it's just the seats to the right of the entryway?

Very good avgolomono soup. Excellent fried cheese. Very tasty souvlaki lavash. Service was good. Dining room was clean and well-appointed. All around a good dining experience. I'm sure I'll be back.

This place is nice, cute little place with prompt service. The food was really good and a really big portion.I had the half chicken half gyro plate and we also had the chicken skewers which were great.It's nice that they give you bread before hand as well and they have a nice drink selection too. I tried their sangria was it was good! Would definitely come back!

Met a friend after work and was craving some Mediterranean food so I found this place on Yelp. The staff was super attentive and would come around every now and then to see if we needed a refills or anything else.The food was delicious I got the chicken kabob plate and my friend ordered a beef and lamb gyro plate. He is a picky eater and he absolutely loved it! We also ordered garlic fries which were perfectly seasoned.We couldn't resist and took a look at the dessert case which had a wide variety of yummy delights. From baklava to tiramisu..which we ended up ordering tiramisu and a lemon tart? I can't remember but all I know is that we did not leave any left on the plates!

Absolutely delicious from the dolmas, hummus falafel!Desserts were delicious!Can't wait to get back again