Istanbul Grill & Deli
(713) 965-7494
5613 Morningside Dr
Houston,
TX
77005
29.7157
-95.4147
Neighborhoods: University Place, South Central
What People Are Saying About Istanbul Grill & Deli
The Editor
Contributor
Citysearch
The Scene
Located in the Village, this smallish restaurant--a few tables inside, a few on the sidewalk--features an impressive brick oven in one corner. A couple of nicely done wall mosaics and a handful of gleaming copper pots complete the look. Don't be intimidated by the seemingly eccentric menu--the staff is engaging and happy to explain.
The Food
The seasoning is a bit different, but Turkish food is, for the most part, the kebabs, pita bread, rice pilaf, grape-leaved dolma and cucumber salad you may have encountered in Middle Eastern establishments. On weekends, manti (small pastry shells, filled with ground beef, in a yogurt sauce), su borek (layered dough and meat or cheese fillings) and a wonderfully piquant red lentil soup called ezo gelin are must-try items. And if you're a fan of the Indian yogurt drink lasse, you'll find a kindred spirit in the Turkish ayran.
User Reviews
colt45
May 04, 2009
Always ask your waiter what is good today. Turkish waiters in my experience have always been really honest with me and this place is no exception. Those guys have always told me which meats haven't roasted long enough and which ones have roasted too long. Go there and sit outside. Smoke a cigarette with some mediteranian people. And don't order an iced tea. They have really good hot tea and a bunch of crazy Turkish soda pops. You go now!
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tud
February 18, 2009
My wife and I like this place a lot. Ever since we moved to Houston 2 years ago we have been going there on a regular basis - it's our favorite comfort food. We have taken all visitors to the restaurant and everybody liked it. Istanbul Grill is not fancy, I would not call it romantic, but it is clean, comfortable, laid-back, relaxed, excellent for lunch or dinner. As this place is usually busy the service may be just a bit slow at times, but the servers have always been nice and helpful. All the kebabs on the menu are extremely good: tasty, tender meat, well spiced for taste but not hot, accompanied by rice, a small salad, and good bread. The doner kebab is the real thing, layers of real beef and lamb meat on a large vertical skewer, slowly cooking, not the preprocessed artificial stuff sold in most places. We also really like the red lentil soup and most of the appetizers, especially the eggplant (paste) salad. My wife and I could literally have this food every day. (P.S. The sandwiches are an especially great value.) Overall I highly recommend Istanbul Grill for the great food, good prices, and pleasant, relaxed atmosphere.
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supersupperer
February 09, 2009
My girlfriends and I were shopping across the street (very conveinent) and we were starving, wow were we ever surprised! The hummus, the fresh bread and herb dip, and their specials of the day were phenomenal!! I couldn't even finish half my meal, there was so much food, and as a bonus it was cheap! I plan on going back many, many times and so do my friends. Don't pay attention to the negative reviewer- I was in the service industry for over ten years, tight spaces and full restaurant might make it a little slower, but the service was still very good, and the food came out promptly. We all parked in the garage across the street, there is hardly any parking available in front. If you like savory foods, lots of flavor and not a lot of greasy, deep-fried junk this is the place for you!
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