Review Downtown Istanbul - Brisbane

We went to Downtown Istanbul for the first time as recommended by a friend. It was located the opposite side of suburb where I live. But it was worth the drive. My family thoroughly enjoyed the food. The food and service was a delight. The servings were huge. We had the meze platters and the King Adana Mixed Grill. Huge array of dessert on offer. We had the hazelnut baklava. Definitely unique. Ambience was excellent. Highly recommended ✨️ ✨️✨️

Had a Beef Kofte, Pide with everything and Calamari as a starter. Service is friendly, pricing is reasonable and there was plenty of parking available. Quality was great and the amount of food was generous. Most of the seating is open to the air so it might be affected in bad weather. On a nice day like today it was great.

Fantastic service, the staff are very professional & highly attentive. They made our meal & dining experience extra special. The food is fresh, full of flavour & delicious. The menu is extensive with lots of options for different diners, we stayed for lunch and will definitely return and try the dinner experience. We loved the huge bifold doors, which are opened up to provide the restaurant with a lovely alfresco feel. The decor & fit out adds to the dining experience. I know I will enjoy my return visit soon!

Everything was incredible from the food and drinks to the service. We had the haloumi fries, chicken shish, calamari, trio of dips and the falafels. Hands down the best falafels I've ever had. Our waiter (think her name was Jaime) was really friendly and helpful, and provided great recommendations. The cocktail (I can't remember the name but it was the last one on the list and started with an A) is now my new favourite cocktail! Great location and affordable too.

Cannot say a bad thing about this restaurant!! The food is divine and service is great. Delicious fresh food made in house. Try the Baklava with a coffee if you have room!! Best I’ve tried. Thanks we’ll be back soon along with our friends and family.

Great food, drinks list, and amazing service! Love the Lamb Salad and the gozlemes are just incredible and so filling, which is a plus if you want to take home later for a cheeky snack. The sweet potato fries were also a plus. If you're looking for a nice, casual lunch or dinner, I would definitely recommend this place. 10/10

I've eaten here many a time, as it's quite local. Tonight I brought new friends here for their first time. They were running late and we were late for our reservation. The restaurant very kindly both accommodated our lateness and reshuffled things to facilitate our unhurried and full length dining. Much to my dismay though, the restaurant seems to have instituted a no bill splitting policy, which was incredibly disappointing. I'm now much less inclined to bring new friends here as a result.

Brilliant Turkish. Popular with locals, staff are great and excellent value considering the quality of the food.

Food was amazing! The staff were attentative and very accomodating. Can not rate this enough!!!!!

The seafood paella was rubbish and weeks old, the management has poor customer service and had the audacity to tell me the seafood was fresh that morning .

Fast service, Spanish speaking wait staff, good tapas options & authentic flavours. Just 1 piece of advice - catch a cab, you'll want a jug of red sangria!

Great food and friendly staff ... especialy love the veggie paella ... go here often xx

A group of 10 of us were there on Saturday. Amazing efficient service , beautiful food and tasty sangria - it's was my first visit but definately not my last !

Amazing food..Very professional staff..Child friendly and the atmosphere with the guitarist were amazing.. My daughter n niece loved having a dance.. ♡♡

Fantastic food and beverages and fantastic service! Can't go past the lamb belly!! The mushrooms were amazing too! We were VERY impressed

Service is crap. We were told that Paella takes 25 mins -- but took us 45 mins. If the manager is reading my review can you please let your staff know that customers take the staff's word so when you say 25 mins you mean it. If we hadnt followed up our order we wouldnt get it. The waiter told us that there was a mixed up with the orders. Manager offered to give us something in return however it never came. I am not expecting anything but when you say something you should mean it and make sure customers are happy. Words are useless without actions. Very upset! Food was okay tho.

Had some amazing Tapas. So tasty nice staff quick service. Definitely rushing back there. Yum.

Delicious food, brilliant service, the best Sangria!!

Food, staff, ambience ......excellent .

ASSOLUTAMENTE NON CONSIGLIATO Cibo scadente. Non si può chiamare paella del riso con un po' di pomodoro, quattro gamberi, cozze e vongole crude!!! Tempo di attesa eccessivo. Prezzi troppo alti per tali pietanze. Un consiglio? Prima di preparare cibo spazzatura provate a fare un serio corso di cucina! Certi piatti non si improvvisano !

We visited this busy local cafe just before the lock down rules so we were actually seated socially distanced. The food was share style but we found it to lack flavor & spice also a little dry.

Great place to experience some great food and great service. Highly recommended and great atmosphere.

TL;DR: While it is going to be a far cry from the favourites that adorn South Bank, or a lot of the top picks down in Melbourne, Downtown Istanbul is not without a good number of factors in favour of giving it a recommendation. They have decent food, that is well portioned and it comes out good and quick from the kitchen. It is one that truly encourages an army to come in for a feed with the sheer variety that the menu has to offer. The nest was feathered for quite a while, and the design might not have the best aesthetics - however, the structure and location are on-point. <br/><br/>Just a stone's throw away from the cinema in Hawthorne, being owned and operated by the former crew behind Ahmets, Downtown Istanbul is less about being the finest in town and more like what it would be like dining among the bazaars in the busiest part of the aforementioned town. Not often does some place try to accommodate as much to this extent without falling short in some areas, but by golly have they done well here. For general lovers of food, this place is a must. <br/><br/>Once again, with a good friend of mine I manage to find some time in the week to meet up with her and go and get some good grub to eat. The ball was in my court this time around, and on the spot it was a couple of minutes I was pondering some options. What hadn't been had in a while, what was enough of a blip on the radar, and especially going for a big one. Those went through my head as I considered many ideas. Next came a shot in the dark, suggesting Turkish - which was approved - with this place in mind. That was that, and in a short while she would be around and that would become the next destination. <br/><br/>How the restaurant has been planned and spaced out, they give off the experience that you are right among the action of the food being cooked, with the kitchen in sight, and all the noises of cooking echo right from the doorway. Much of it comes down to preference, and that is among the more liked for me. It makes the atmosphere more exciting, and dynamic. Not bound by walls, the whole place is open plan. About the most observed interior decor takes place around the main wall with the name of the place on it - some china plates, some tea cups, and a few other things to behold. In shorter terms, they set it out so you can be seen here. <br/><br/>When it comes to the service, it is a'ight. It was a busy night, and I presume it is busy at any time, so the waitstaff were constantly on the go. They were pleasant enough, and busy plus knew the right times to swoop in and ask for orders. So much was going on at once, including UberEats orders being fulfilled, and much bigger groups getting tended to, it really did somewhat resemble a market place around that area. The food comes pretty quick, and they are great at organising when it all comes out. No-one is overlooked, that's for sure. <br/><br/>Anyone with just a bit of experience with Turkish cuisine could tell you this one thing: the cuisine is one that has sharing in mind from the get go, and like a lot of the fine Turkish places around town and the world the menu is directly set up to encourage a group - big or small - to order several bits and pieces as such. Downtown Istanbul is no exception, which is aided more by the structure of customer service. <br/><br/>That is apparent right off the bat. It is not often that the entrees, or in this case mezes, becomes the biggest section on the menu but this is one example. It could well be the first time for me as well. All the favourite bits and bobs present themselves, and the difficult part of it all is to decide what looks the best. A lot of it is several kinds of breads (including their take on garlic bread), various dips to have with the bread, and it just goes from there. It is hot all the way, and most of it being finger food before a couple of more substantial options in the form of soup, and baked eggplant complete the list. Like with anywhere which would have clients struggle in choosing, going for broke and getting a set mixed platter is an option. <br/><br/>Pretty much what I would consider a meze in many ways myself, the next star of the show is in the form of pides. Several varieties are here, mostly with the carnivores in mind and instead of merely replicating the local pizza joints' normal lot they put their own spin on it, making varieties that would be in place around the Turkish area. <br/><br/>They do have stuff that is more substantial on the menu. It would not be a Middle Eastern place if there was not some char grilled meats offered. As usual, lamb and chicken are at the forefront - though not the only ones - and each one comes with a pilaf and salad alongside. That is the main event right there. Also in the mains section, several more ambitious meals are there that don't quite fit any other category on the menu. These are closer to what would be cooked at home. Lunch time offers go with the finger food/sandwich sort of fare - burgers, wraps, and the classic gozleme. <br/><br/>Plus, with any place that goes a bit more beyond, the writers of the menu understand that there is always that inkling to beef the meal up just that bit more (guilty right here). These might be tracking away from traditional Turkish cuisine, but they still can compliment the meats very well. That, and a few kinds of salad (if that is your thing). <br/><br/>It is all finished of with dessert, having a few of the classic sweet Mediterranean bites, a few puddings, plus a dessert platter going in the vein of what the menu was about all this time. Right here is where the traditional coffee and tea is located. <br/><br/>Speaking of drinks, there is no shortage of choices right here. It is a place for a social night out, henceforth expect a big range of wines in all the varieties, heaps of beers and ciders that are both bottled and on tap, and cocktails in which you can rest assure they will conjure up concoctions not on the menu. They look after those who don't drink alcohol, with various types of soda, and the espresso-based coffees. <br/><br/>It doesn't have to be such a big menu for me to know I will have a hard time choosing. And when dining out with the good friend here, it is always a case of negotiating how to tackle the menu and get the most out of it. While it was a bit on the small side to what I can eat (she has far less capacity in her stomach), there was still a bit of success in getting a taste for the menu, and the entire place. <br/><br/>It was three rounds with this place, the first getting a couple of mezes to sample. My friend reckoned that kofta balls were always a good choice, and I have to agree with her there. So it was an order of those. For me, there were a few other ones that looked good but I ended up ordering the ege borek: in this classic pastry, the filling combination was a mixture of cheeses, seasoned with parsley, shallots, and dill. <br/><br/>No surprise in saying that the kofta balls were delicious. They often get the best kind of lamb or beef meat, and find a good marsala to mix in before cooking it quite well. That was the case here. Sometimes though, they serve it on the dry side. Not here, has it was covered in a delicious mint chutney that while nice enough on its own really came into vogue with the red pepper sauce. That latter one gave it a real bite that is hard to forget. <br/><br/>Then it was the borek. The closest analogy in brevity is a slightly toasted sandwich. Anything can be put into it, and they make for a great bite on the run. Right here, the one served had several melted cheeses that combined flavours and aromas that was brought out with the chosen herbs, in particular the under-rated dill. With a swirl of mint-infused yoghurt, and a crusty filo loaf, this is good enough as a snack as it is an introduction to a much bigger meal. <br/><br/>Second round, it came down to one of the classics. It is almost not a meal out with Turkish if a pide is not on the agenda. The variety that was ordered ended up being the "Ottoman: pide, which came with a combination of pastrami, chilli, egg, feta cheese, and mozzarella. It has already been said, and it is worth repeating - pides are a must try item, especially at Turkish restaurants. Who doesn't like pizza? And going from that, the similarity to pizza will draw you in. There was such a bite of spice from the chilli that made you take notice, the pastrami had a slightly different flavour to other meats of its ilk that I can't quite place my finger on, and feta is always good for both a bite, and a unique texture. Plus, mozzarella just goes on pizza - case closed. With the egg, you could barely notice it was there. Cut into soldiers, the pasty that forms the base is solid and made from a good dough, coming with a garnish of coriander and some lemon to squeeze. <br/><br/>I've come to a conclusion, as a sweeping statement, that to showcase how good a place really is, it can come down to how they tackle the chips. Or it is just an excuse in ordering the beer battered fries. I still rest my case that the fries can indicate their attention to detail in cooking the meals. On that note, they more than pass that test. It was most likely from them being beer-battered. These fries were surprisingly plentiful, with a good amount of salt covering them, a crispy outside, and soft inside plus aioli on the side, you can bet that these went down a treat. <br/><br/>We get to the third round, and as it can be expected that was the avenue in getting some coffee. None other than the Turkish variety, and that is the excuse to finish it off with a sweet. That was a Turkish delight. Taste-wise, it is pretty much what is expected of Turkish Delight - having that sweetened rose-water flavour that is a bit like strawberry but not really simultaneously. Appropriately, they were served with a sprinkling of rose petals, and strawberries on the side. Adding onto that, they were given a much more significant sprinkling of icing sugar to cover them - at some points entire surface areas were covered with the sugar, and thick at that. Soft, and delicious, with that odd flavour that is hard to pinpoint, it all went down a treat in finalising a good meal out. <br/><br/>Plus, the Turkish coffee is always something to behold. From the way it is presented, to the sheer strength that it could raise the dead, you won't soon forget the experience. The cup is around the size of one in a doll's tea party set, maybe even a bit smaller perhaps. However, what it might be lacking in size it will make up for in strength - as it was already implied. Beneath the strong punch is a slight cardamom taste, which settles in the longer you linger around. More credit is given right here to presentation; the cup was put in a holder which looked like a warrior's helmet from an ancient civilization. You don't have to be ten years old to know how cool that is. <br/><br/>This part of town is blessed with such a variety of fantastic places, and exotic bite as far as the eye can see. Downtown Istanbul is yet another one of them in a long line that will continue drawing folks back time and again. Whether it is like the real deal or not, the portions here are pretty decent and come out quickly. In one way, it is almost like eating at a Turkish place in Melbourne where they focus less on the decor and more on the social aspect about going to one of the trusty locales. Adding onto that, with the proximity it has to everywhere, the central location just adds more to the whole vibe, and allows it to come across as one more ideal place to hit on a whim with a hungry crew in tow. <br/><br/>Final rating: 4.0 - solid in pretty much every area, though it is nothing mind-blowing.

Good share plates for lunch, kitchen layout is good and setting is nice place for some time with the family. The balsamic salad was a little sweet which was a bummer but aside from that the food was well presented and flavoured which is always a bonus.

Disappointed in meal overall, service was ok. No comparison to the real flavours of Turkish food, very bland. Great location shame the same cannot be said of food.<br/>

The food was ok. Was happy with the pricing but do not go if your a large group! They can't split bills or even bill you correctly and the manager is a complete knob. He was rude, unreasonable and wouldn't believe we had paid until I found the nice staff girl who had to correct him. Will not be going back!

I had lunch here for my birthday recently and it was beautiful.  I had the chicken shish plate and everything was fresh and flavourful.  The meals are all beautifully presented and the restaurant is very light and airy.  I had not enjoyed Turkish food in Brisbane before I tried this restaurant!  So good! Can't wait to go back!

Bland is the best word to describe this food. Ordered the lamb pide and while a generous portion, was absolutely tasteless. Also ordered chicken shish which was better but nothing outstanding. Staff and decor were lovely though. Much better places to eat in the area.

We've been here twice and both times, really good. I ordered the Pilic sehrazat and my partner always orders different items each time. While the seating can be cramped, really what do you expect, this is Hawthorne and there is minimal space left anywhere in the better suburbs. Staff have always been friendly and attentive, although the first time it did take a while for our alcoholic drinks to come out. This didn't stop the deliciousness of our food. My food is always amaze balls! Both times, perfectly tender and juicy chicken with very flavourful and spot on rice as well as a beetroot dip/relish that is to die for.....and I do not even like beetroot! Our entree was the bread with three dips, hummus, olive and mutabal. Really good. I would definitely recommend this place and will definitely go back. For those who complain about limited space, flies, etc, this is Australia and the restaurant is in Hawthorne, either live with it or go elsewhere.

Can't complain about the food, but nothing fantastic.<br/>we had takeaway, my partner had chicken shish which was nice, tasty & I had the pizza pide. The Pide was huge portion, but quite bland tasting.

Look, it's pretty average, and there's no atmosphere. We had a table that seemed like a bit of an afterthought "let's squeeze an extra table right next to where people pay their bills" Took forever to have a drinks order taken, and it wasn't overly busy. I don't know if I'd go back, I mean I do enjoy meals where you're sharing everything and the food wasn't terrible (maybe just lacking flavour and everything was a bit over cooked) however was just a bit underwhelming.

I thought I'd give this place a go despite negative reviews I'd read & I was left utterly disappointed. Bland is the perfect word to describe the chicken feta & spinach gazleme that I picked. How is this place still in business?! Complete waste of money. I have officially given up on Turkish cuisine. This is the last straw.

Food was quick, service attentive but underwhelmed by overall experience. Have dined next door before and felt ambiance, here I felt very exposed as we were seated in a table literally on the road! Being offered this awful space was just the beginning of a woeful experience, wanted to love it but just didn't. Turkish pide was nice and would usually rave but tonight just wasn't the hightlight.

Goodness I love Turkish food and am delighted Downtown Istanbul is less than a 5 minute drive from my place! I visited for the second time last night with some girlfriends and enjoyed it immensely for the second time around! <br/><br/>I had the mixed mezze platter for a main meal and loved every little morsel. The dolmades are the best I've had at a restaurant. One girlfriend had the chicken shish and one the lamb, apparently the lamb was a little dry but still flavoursome. <br/><br/>The service is incredibly attentive and friendly also. <br/><br/>Would definitely recommend!

We went on Saturday for lunch. Lovely decor. But outdoor dining area means that there were many flies buzzing around. <br/>The cheese bread is overcooked, dry and chewy. I ordered the Adana shish for main. The lamb is super GAMEY! My friend ordered the prawn. She ended up getting soft and cracked shell prawns.<br/>I complained to the waitress. She said: "sorry" and that is all....

Yes quality local dining options – YES! Date night with the wife took place at this new Hawthorne dig after the Morningside AFL club decided to randomly close their bistro on a Saturday evening. However, if it wasn't for that venue's business ineptitude, we wouldn't have reached this fantastic destination, so slow clap for the Panthers. The food at Downtown was plentiful, delicious, and quick to arrive. We split a meze platter, sweet potato fries, salt and pepper calamari and a vegetable salad. Ate like royalty, and still managed to leave with a takeaway container stacked with food. The dolmades were ridiculous. The squid was perfectly cooked. We couldn't fit in dessert, but based off what we saw getting around, the sweet side of things looks pretty special too. You know we'll be back.

Had a great catch up dinner on a weekday here. Food were absolutely generous in portion and not lacking in flavour either we were all happy campers after the great feast. Will be coming back soon!

We had a lovely waitress who was being run off her feet but still kept her cool. The chap next to us was deeply attached to his phone, so when she asked him about his order, he didn't even look up. We were very impressed that she was polite and patient with this obnoxious twit. Service was prompt and friendly, especially considering how busy they were.<br/>Both of us chose from the char grill section of the menu for our main. I had the grilled chicken, while Mr P. had the minced lamb and beef skewers. The chicken breast was slightly dry and a wee bit tough, but other than that, the flavours were good. I really enjoyed the tangy beetroot relish that came with it. Everybody knows chicken and mushroom are a match made in heaven, so the sauce went down well too. This may sound a bit picky, but as much as I loved the creamy mushroom sauce, and really loved the beetroot relish, they didn't go together. Separately fabulous; together not so much.<br/>They have a bit of everything here on the menu. Turkish pide (like pizza), salads, and sides including beer battered and sweet potato chips. You can get a cocktail, wine, or beer; burgers, flatbreads and share plates of dips and breads plus more of the usual Turkish suspects. The desserts sounded interesting too: chocolate tart with Turkish Delight icecream? Yep, I need to try that one. Next time.

We on a Wednesday night with a group of friends to try it out. We ordered dips and Turkish bread and then mains from the charcoal grill section. Limited bread given, had to order a second basket. The Adana Shish (pictured) was good, but lacked spices and was overlooked. My friends ordered the lamb skewers, they were overlooked aswell and chewy. The rice pilav served was seasoned well and perfectly cooked. Service varied between staff, however we acknowledged that this is a new restaurant and probably still having teething issues. Hopefully it will continue to improve! It's in a great location and that area needs a new Turkish restaurant since Ahmets left Bulimba.

Enjoyed the food - fresh and tasty. Some dips to start and some shared mains for a casual lunch. A little slow on the service - perhaps some teething problems. Happily visit again.

We absolutely love this place! The staff and manager were welcoming and friendly. The food was amazing - you must try their grilled plates - absolutely perfect! We can't wait to go back. If you are ever in the Hawthorne Deluxe Precinct and tossing up between this restaurant and the one next door - DEFINITELY go for this one! The food and customer service here is far superior.

Went here for dinner last night & had a nice time! Busy for a a Wednesday night but the staff were friendly and all our food was quite delicious. Would happily return.

After a terrible experience at British Colonial Co, this place was a total blessing. Great food, great drinks and great service.  We loved the experience and would absolutely recommend this place to everyone.  Brilliant in everyway. Thanks so much for an awesome experience.

Tried out this new Turkish restaurant after visiting the nearby new deluxe cinema. The food was ok but missing some punch of flavour; maybe some seasoning or herbs? Our food and drinks were slow. <br/>Decent enough but won't be rushing back.