Review Taksim Square - Moonee Ponds

There were many friends recommended the place so I had to go. The food was good. Dips were great. Especially I’ll go back for their Adana Kebabs. The place gives you the feeling of a Mall food court. High ceilings and bright lights gives an image of a shopping centre setting. The waiters and waitresses were great. Very helpful. It is pricey but it’s understandable while too many workers at the kitchen. Overall, I’ll go there again. May be a background Turkish music would have been nice. Keep up the good work Taksim!

A very cozy Restaurant in Moonee ponds, Melbourne. They have Turkish cuisines serve in warm Atmosphere. Their service could be better. The menu is well prepared and offer varieties of different Turkish foods. We ordered ADANA BY THE METRE. Although expect more bread/side.m, but it was Yum. Will definitely go back for different dishes.

The food is excellent, generous portions and great prices. The service was fast and friendly. The life music on Saturday night was the best entertainment. I highly recommended it if you are in the Moonee Ponds area.

Amazingly delicious food in a great intimate setting with excellent service. Highly suitable for family night. Service was top notch and felt above and beyond. I'd highly recommend and will be back. deserves a much, much higher rating! Among my top 5 restaurants in Melbourne.

Amazing Turkish food and great service. We had Adana Banquet Menu and it was delicious. Service was really good, while restaurant was packed. At one point l dropped my fork and the waiter came within a minute, with a clean fork without me even asking for it. That’s how great the service was. Thank you and we will be back for sure.

The food was beautiful and atmosphere great. However, order your entree, drinks, main and dessert all at once because there was absolutely nil table service. That being said, I was extremely impressed with the Adana plate and I eat lots of Turkish food. The staff were also lovely. Just nil table service.

We had the best kebab ever in this unbelievable perfect athmosepher, I could not put in words how delicious the meals were, all, starter, main dish and dessert. Finally I want to mention the staffs were so friendly and helpful with everything from what the dishes are and all about the details given that I asked to many questions and they reply pationatelly. lastly I want to thanks Vural, for being so so so friendly and makes my day. please let him know about this review and convey my sencere thank you to him. Thank you Vural and Thank you Taksim Square Team

We had a good time there but I think it was not worth it AT ALL!!! We went there on a Saturday night, and we had to order from a SET Menu. I believe we paid $56 per person mostly for dips and live Turkish music! I really don't mind spending money on a good dish or a new experience, but this restaurant is very stingy with everything! We were 4 and they cut 1 tomato into 4 pieces! And can't believe while we had already paid $240, they charged us $6 for an extra piece of bread!!!!! Funny! While Adana kebab was delicious, I Do NOT Recommend this restaurant..

Very traditional Turkish food done extremely well. Babaganoush, zucchini fritters and slow cooked eggplant were outstanding. Will be back to try the Adana kebab.

We had the banquet at Taksim last night as a group of 16 in a full restaurant and the service was pretty seamless (other than a few water requests). There’s a great ambiance in here and it’s definitely established a firm following since the time I walked past an empty restaurant in its opening week to a year or so on where it was still pretty pumping at 11pm! <br/><br/>There are several banquet options to chose from, ours started with several mezze items including bread and assorted dips, saganaki (okay that ones Greek), calamari which was quite yummy, the mucver which is a zucchini fritter and really well done, and also the cheese borek which had a beautiful crisp pastry. <br/><br/>We then had huge garlic prawns and blue eye fillets which was followed by the meat platters which appeared impressive and tasted great too. My favourite on here was the lamb cutlet which is something I don’t usually go for but it had a lovely flavour. By this stage everyone was ridiculously full. <br/><br/>The standard banquets do also include dessert but I have a feeling we customised ours to swap out the calamari instead as this is a calamari OR saganaki selection in the standard. Definitely great value either way and a great option for dinner in a group big or small

A few weekends ago my friend and I visited Taksim Square on a busy Saturday night (November 2nd)! We are Turkish, so we love visiting new Turkish restaurants all over Melbourne! I’m so happy to say that our 50 minute drive was incredibly worth it. We ordered the Taksim Square banquet, as on Saturdays it’s a set menu only and they really didn’t let us down. Not all the food we got is pictured, but every dish we had was so delicious! Tender meat and good portion sizes, leaving us so full at the end of it all! Our gorgeous waitress with the blonde hair (we missed out on getting her name) was so helpful and kind to us! Her service and friendliness made us feel right at home and made our night. What an amazing asset she is to your restaurant! It was great to see live entertainment, which is what we expect for Saturday nights and they were great too. Despite how busy they were, we were never left waiting long before our next dish came. A nice touch was that the kitchen was open, so you could see them cooking your meal right in front of you. A great atmosphere with authentic Turkish food and music.... you can’t keep me away much longer!! The only downfall was the price being slightly expensive, however for the quality of the food it is worth it. Can’t wait to be back.

Real score 3.5 out of 5. A nice place. There’s lots to like here but there are also a few negatives.<br/><br/>First, it’s a nice looking place. It has a pleasant fit out and a modern airy feel. There’s a good atmosphere and there was lovely music on as well. And, it’s always pleasant being able to glance over at an open grill in action.<br/><br/>Now, this is classy not cheap Turkish fare here. We’re a long way from those cheap and cheerful places. This is significantly up market on those places and that comes at a cost.<br/><br/>The food was really good. We started with dolmas which were thinner than you usually see but very nicely made. Their flavour was lovely. Next, the eggplant dip which was superb. It was very classy and luscious with a deep smoky flavour. I actually saved some of this with bread (which was also very good) to have as my last bite of the meal. The chargrilled calamari was lovely too. Very tender and flavoursome. The mixed shish with lamb and chicken met with approval too although I thought the lamb was a tiny bit chewy but my partner disagreed. Certainly the chicken was faultless. It was very tender. Both meats were cooked very skillfully. We had the Pinot Gris from the economical but perfectly sound wine list to with the meal. It was a good wine to go with this food. Service was lovely from multiple servers. Polite, efficient and attentive. Even nicely humorous at times. It couldn’t be faulted.<br/><br/>Normally I’d look for every reason to round a score up rather than down but I just couldn’t do it this time. We both thought the meal was a bit too costly, probably by about 15-20% for what we got. It’s a judgement call of course but that’s what we both felt. We liked the place and we enjoyed the food. We just thought the value was lacking slightly hence the rounded down three rather than the rounded up four.

Saturday nights option was a banquet , definitely not enough food and very disappointed with the service, as we were eating some of the plates with food still on them were taken from the table and on one plate there was two small bits of fish and calamari that was picked up by the staff and also taken away ! Not relaxed at all, had to complain about the amount of food served after spending almost $500!!!

Nice place, friendly environment though the food is just average and over priced for the taste. Have to say, nice presentation and arrangement of the food

Had a fantastic night with the family. Food was fresh, flavoursome and presented superbly. Service was attentive and friendly, however staff were overwhelmed and a few extra floor staff would have helped. Overall, very happy to have such an awesome Turkish restaurant locally that showcases beautiful flavours and culture.

oh my god how nice and clean venue, food and appetizers are great. 1 meter Adana kebab is like a dream. Thank you for opening such a venue in melbourne.

We were pleasantly surprised with the food and service. It exceeded our expectations. We ordered the banquet and did not leave hungry.  All the dishes in the banquet were delicious and well presented. It's nice to have another cuisine choice in Moonee Ponds! We will be back again.

My Key Three Pointers <br/>* Some places need a second chance and this second chance was spectacular. <br/>* The food was fantastic.<br/>* You get to experience what Turkish Cuisine is about. Not modernised or a Kebab Van.<br/><br/>I visited Taksim Square when it was newly opened and the food was fantastic but it did have a few teething issues. I opted not to review immediately as I wanted to give it another try and felt these things could easily be fixed. I’m so happy I walked through those doors again. I was not disappointed and very impressed, I can confidently recommend a Turkish restaurant, I hope they keep up these standards.<br/><br/>We had a very large group of 25 and the service was excellent. The food service did not take long and everything went very smoothly. I was very surprised for a group of that size they did not force a set menu on us. I usually hate set menus but the Adana Banquet is definitely on my best set menu list. It was very good, excellent value and not one person left our table unsatisfied. The dips are very nice, perfect flavor and well balanced, the fried liver was a standout dish for me. The Adana kebab was juicy and full of flavor. It is about 1mt long for about 6 people and also had additional chicken wings. The kids are not required to get a set menu and we got the kids meals. The decor was pleasant and we did not feel it was very noisy but I can’t comment on how loud it would get if the band was playing. They have a full bar and the food quality is also on display. The Adana kebab is cooked in full view of customers.<br/><br/>I think it’s very unfair for people to come to Taksim Square and compare it with other Turkish restaurants on Sydney Road. I rather pay slightly more and get food that is worth paying for, enjoyable and most importantly edible and that’s exactly what they offer. You can’t even compare the food quality. Why can’t a Turkish restaurant charge more than what a takeaway kebab is worth if they have such good food.? There will be many Turkish mums and Dads that complain because they can’t come to terms with paying money for food they can cook at home. On the other hand, there will be many millennials who can’t cook Turkish food and are delighted they have an affordable option.<br/><br/>Well done to the owners and staff at Taksim Square. I will be happy to dine at your restaurant all the time

Set Menu! Yum omg so much food we had to take some home in a take away book. All the food was delicious and the staff so friendly. Thanks so much for a great night.

Taksim Square in Moonee Ponds was my first venture into Turkish food – having tried a handful of Middle Eastern restaurants before, but none so specific to Turkey. It was definitely a worthwhile experience, from the moment we stepped into the spacious restaurant, with all its beautiful furnishings and the open plan kitchen, we knew we were in for a journey into Istanbul from the heart of Melbourne – in Moonee Ponds. A restaurant of all occasions, we saw business partners, families, couples out for date nights – if you’re in the Moonee Ponds area then you’re in luck! If not, it’s worth checking out anyway!

Absolutely Terrible Service!!! The waitresses were friendly and tried their best but had little knowledge. The waiters however were arrogant and so rude. We were sat down, no water, no drinks - had to ask a few times to order! Never again.

Yes/no? Yes <br/>Came here for Adana kebab but they didn’t have any :( so instead I get the seftali kebab with some dips and cheese pastries. <br/>It’s very classy and the pricing is a bit up in comparison to other Turkish places around Melbourne <br/><br/>The meat is flavoursome and tender, the lentils were cooked to perfection, the Fillo pastries were nice and crisp. I also had dessert which consisted of baklava which was perfectly sweet and crispy. <br/><br/>The portion sizes were on the smaller side but I guess it’s what you expect from a classy restaurant.

Did not live up to what i had heard at all went on a saturday for the adana and they only do banquets which was dissapointing no adana, the dips were average, the calamari dry and overcooked, the prawns has the strangest marinate i had ever tasted not nice at all, and the meat was all undercooked will not go again

Great service and atmosphere, very tasty food albuterol small servings. The adana kebab is a speciality with the metre long kebabs being very popular! Highly recommended!

Great new Turkish restaurant to add to the ever expanding range of restaurants in moonee ponds. This place has it all. Charcoal fired grill and meat. What more can you ask you. All the meats were tender and succulent. The service was good. Place is nice and big so you don’t feel crammed.

It was not one of the best Turkish meals that I’ve ever had. Dips were not tasty; the lamb mince in the Adana platter was over-cooked; and the kisir that came with the lamb shish was tasteless. On the bright side, the lamb shish itself was excellent and the restaurant ambiance was decent. Hence, I give this restaurant an average score.

Had the set menu, dips were good, calamari was tasteless as was the fish and prawns. The meats, grilled veggies and salad were all flavoursome. Way too much to eat. Service was ok though the guy wandering around with the trolley of cold meze was a bit naff

When I booked a table for my family I checked out their set menu and saw that it was a decent amount of food for $58 per person , once we got there they first don’t allow anyone to share a set menu, fair enough! But once the food came out I was shocked at the lack of food we were served! I’m not sure if others have had this issue with them or that they just couldn’t cater for a big table! B careful when u order the set menu because you only get 1 item per person! Which means 1 kofte,1 prawn ,1 cutlet!!! And all r tiny pieces.When we questioned it the waitress looked stressed and walked away to serve another table!! Our bill came to over $1000 coz there were so many of us! But no one was happy and will not go back! They made a fortune that night!!!!!!!

This place is amazing! A must try with friends and family. The most delicious, carefully prepared Turkish food I have ever eaten. I am pregnant and have absolute no worries about eating at this clean and transparent restaurant. I love how you can look straight into the kitchen and see the food being prepared with the kitchen staff appropriately dressed (e.g. hair up, head banners on etc) and also watch the chef cook the food over the open fire. The food is extremely well priced and the two times my family and I have been there, we are not at all left with hunger. I am also not a big meat eater, but boy do I love the meat prepared at Taksim Square. Really I love everything that was prepared for us when we enjoyed the banquet, it was an absolute feast of meat, fish, veg and the most delectable array of dips. My family and I will come back over and over again! Thanks Taksim Square for the most amazing Turkish food! I always liked Turkish cuisine but now I LOVE it thanks to you!

This new Turkish restaurant is amazing. We just had lunch here with a group of 8 and were very impressed with the service and the delicious food.<br/><br/>One of the best Turkish restaurants in Melbourne!!

Excellent food. Excellent service. Melbourne was long missing a real Turkish Restaurant at this level. Will come back and recommend without a hesitation.

The best Turkish restaurant in Melbourne. Great atmosphere, nice music and lovely people. Should try chef’s special and rice pudding. Thanks a lot!