Istanbul Restaurant

Go for the cheap, tasty food and the fact you can byob... don't go for the atmosphere. If you're looking for a classy, romantic restaurant, this isn't it. BUT... this is a laid-back place for a yummy meal on a budget. more

Nice owners. Casual and family friendly. Reasonable prices. \r \r The white bean soup was nicely spicy, the lentil soup was quite tasy, too. The tarhana soup might be an acquired taste, but it's authentic and fresh Turkish cuisine!\r \r My only complaint was that the parking situation seems awkward I was able to park in front, but lots of people park at the rear and come in the back door.\r \r It was very busy when I went there for lunch.\r \r Be sure to try the baklava, it is wonderful. more

We have now been five times and taken friends the last two times. We love this restaurant! It is casual, and some people may be bothered by the fact that it doesn't have much atmosphere - but once you taste the food, and interact with the lovely people who own it, you won't care! Their soups are to die for, and get the iced tea - it is a special tea from Turkey - and it is delicious! It tastes just like when I was in Turkey! I liked it so much I bought a box of the tea leaves so I could make it at home! I recommend the hummus and the mixed grill platter and the billur kebab - the shaved meat is delicious. Go tonight - and enjoy! Pros: Authentic fresh & delicious Turkish food, great tea more

I have been to Istanbul Restaurant twice since the beginning of May because it is so delicious! The owners introduced themselves to us last time, and we had great service. I love the gyro platter (big enough for 2 people) and the lentil soup! I also got a side of french fries last time, and though they're not turkish/kurdish they are GREAT! Love this place and will be back. P.S. Sometimes on Saturday nights they have live music. When we were there it was Danny Salazar- AWESOME! Pros: Delicious food, super friendly staff, BYOB (no corking fee!) Cons: Not any that would keep me from going here more

I was going to drive the 90 miles from Alabama to shop in Nashville this weekend and did a web search for Istanbul and was terribly dismayed to read the previous review. I have been eating there about 4 times a year for the past 4 years and have always looked forward to the meal and service. I arrived to find the same owner, great service and food as every other visit through the years. I can only guess that the previous reviewer had some reason only he/she knew to leave such scathing comments. My meal and service were excellent as always. If anything, the sauce and Turkish coffee were even better than I remembered. Must try: Lentil soup. The seasonings are perfect. Don?t forget Baklava to go! more

Alas, the old Istanbul we loved is no more. The restaurant appears to have changed hands and the food is now execrable. (We dined on 3 July 2008.) The kofta was mushy and overcooked, the falafel dry and crunchy, and the doner kebab was greasy and tasteless (and the latter definitely was NOT lamb). Even the store-bought pita was stale. We will not return. Cons: Bad food more

When I go to Istanbul, I feel like I'm in someone's home. A very friendly home. Coke's are served out of a can w/ straw, though you're more than welcome to ask for a glass. They never give you a dirty look or anything. Plates are huge and pouring over with lamb kebabs, true basmati rice, heaping spoonfuls of tabouli, and all the 'ranch' dip you'll need. The white bean soup is my favorite, but my boyfriend enjoys the lentil. They even having one of the spinning meat cone thingies. Gyro's are packed full. I am a huge fan of Kalamata's in Green Hills, but I seriously believe Istanbul does it better. While the tables and chairs are more cafeteria style in comfort, the food, by far makes up for it. And, believe it, they're on Nolensville Road with plenty of parking. They have a large tv which plays Turkish television shows, sometimes subtitled. I've enjoyed all of my 20+ experiences there and encourage you to go to, as long as you're comfortable waiting a little longer for service. Pros: extremely reasonable prices, fantastic food, service with a smile more

This place really takes you back to Turkey. The service is a bit slow, but the food is AWESOME. You need to get the Hummus appetizer while you're there. It's so ggooood. Pros: authentic food Cons: slow service more

Everytime I go to Istanbul Restaurant I get GREAT customer service! Everyone is so friendly. There is a very nice warm family environment. The Food is excellent! If you go there try the Combo Plate. If you get the big combo plate you can taste pretty much everything in the menu. It is a lot of food for a reasonable price. If you can't finish your food you can take it home and it is still good the next day. Everything is homemade daily and so fresh ! Every other Saturday there is a alive Turkish music. I go there every week and I recommend this place to everyone. You wont regret it!!!! Pros: GREAT FOOD! more

The food was very tasty and extremely reaonably priced. The restaurant felt very casual and family-oriented. The owner introduced us to his niece who had recently come over from Turkey. Everyone was very eager to make sure we had everything we needed. Very pleasant experience! Pros: Inexpensive, Friendly, Authentic Cons: Sparse Decorations more

The food is great and the prices are reasonable. I've tried gyro plates from most, if not all, of the middle eastern/meditterean restaurants in town and theirs is the best. However, the service was poor. They are polite but not at all attentive. In any case, the food is good enough that I will overlook the service and continue to eat there. Pros: Good food, Inexpensive, Polite staff Cons: Poor service more

The serivce for this place is awsome. they treat you like family and always are fully attendant. If you go to this place you have to try their kefta kabob plate. It's a long kind of hot dog looking beef kabob. If you try this once you'll be hooked and it's a perfect combination of that meat and the basmati rice with noodles in it that will have you coming back every day. Pros: great food, inexpensive, service Cons: location, appearance of rest. more