Cafe Istanbul Dublin

Chen Fang (Eva)

Super busy on a Tuesday night. Waited 15 mins to sit inside even after booking. Plenty seats outside, but it's too hot a day to do that. Waiter is very busy too. Waited 20 min until someone came to take our order, 30 min between our appetizer and main dish. Food is good. Probably coming during lunch time would be a better choice.

B

This place has a very light and open feel, the energy is good in this place. Feels a little formal like you dress up and not be out of place but at the same time it also feels casual, but not bring your dog casual.. the river views are amazing and it’s usually not packed so a spot with a view is usually available. When I went the service was pretty slow, but they were polite and the food is excellent. I highly recommend this place for small parties for lunch or dinner

AM

One of my favorite places to go to in Columbus, went there with a big group and they were very accommodating we sat outside on the terrace and enjoyed the unbeatable views. The food is 10/10 everything was cooked and flavored perfectly, the staff were awesome I highly recommend this place for everyone in the Columbus area.

V-Man

Every year I make reservations for Cafe Istanbul for my birthday (Christmas Eve) for my family and I. Previously, I would visit the Easton location which was how I initially realized how amazing Cafe Istanbul is, but Easton has gotten a bit out of the way from where I live so I go to the Dublin location now. BOTH are amazing, but this review is for the Dublin location. The 4 of us were sat in a closed off "outside" seating area, which looked brand new and fancy (don't remember it being there in 2019 or 2020). They start off by serving their complimentary fresh Turkish pita bread with their dipping oil which I believe consists of sun-dried tomatoes and a variety of different spices. I would absolutely take this stuff home with me, it's amazing. Did I mention it's complimentary? The 614 Columbus cocktail caught my eye off the bar menu. The ingredients were all local and sounded like they would mix together well, but I absolutely couldn't stand the taste. I'm by no means a picky drinker, and I always try to venture out experiencing different cocktails. However, the 614 Columbus tasted like what I imagine cleaning supplies would taste like... Not sure if it was mixed disproportionately by the bartender or it's actually supposed to taste the way it did, but I had to return it and the waiter took it off the tab thankfully correcting the one-time mishap out of all the times I've been here. For starters, we ALWAYS order the $8 Babaganoush off the cold-starter section (smoked eggplant purée flavored with tahini, olive oil, and garlic) with more pita bread (WAY better than hummus, trust me!), and decided to try the $9 Sigara Borek off the hot-starter section (hot flaky phyllo pastries filled with feta cheese, fresh basil, dill, and parsley). Both appetizers are delicious, but the Babaganoush is by far the best starter especially for 4 people! We were practically full at this point from the appetizers, until our main meals arrived. I ordered the $30 Mixed Grill Kebab which comes with half portions of Chicken, Doner, Shish, and Adana Kebabs, with rice pilaf and vegetables. This is the perfect meal to sample a variety of meats that Cafe Istanbul has to offer. Def check out my picture. It tasted just as good later that day! My table also ordered the following: - $23 Swordfish Kebab (marinated cubes of char-grilled swordfish, served with mixed green salad and rice pilaf). Swordfish is like the ocean's steak. Amazing taste, and literally melted in your mouth. - $19 Chicken Sauté (cubes of chicken sautéed with tomatoes, onions, garlic, red, green peppers, and serviced with rice. Can confirm tasted amazing! - $20 Chicken Kebab (chicken cubes marinated in homemade sauce and char-grilled over open flame), which I know is delicious because it's included in the Mixed Grill Kebab. By the end, everyone tapped out of dessert but it was my birthday so I had to go 1 more round. I ordered the $5.95 Keskul (almond pudding with walnuts and cream), and I wasn't really sure what to expect but this was really creamy and sweet. Not a heavy dessert, but the portion is big enough to split between 2 people. Cafe Istanbul continues to be where I take my family on my special day, highly recommend it to everyone! Even if you are a picky eater, there is something on the menu for everyone!