Istanbul Cafe and Restaurant in Clifton - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

It was expensive compared to meal

I recommend it Good food, filling, affordable, nice respectful service, free turkish tea for me every time i go, i guess they like me 😂😇 Ċok lezetli yemek ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Always love coming with my family

Store was closed at the most inconviniate time and I can’t wait for it to be opened again.

İt is horrible menu for breakfast. I have to order whatever I want but they are telling you to order min 2 order for same thing. What the hell is that. First time I have heard like that. Lots of noisy. We couldn’t hear each other. I am not recommend to anyone. For breakfast it is too expensive.

Istanbul is the Best Mediterranean. The food is fresh, the staff is attentive & welcoming ! Grilled Chicken chops A++

I have been coming here for over 4 years and love this restaurant. The interior is beautiful and spacious, and parking is never an issue. It is not the best Turkish food in the area but it is still extremely good. Iskender and Beyti Kebab are on point.

As a Turk, I don't enjoy Turkish restaurants overseas. Once again, I was right; it was below average compared to Turkish restaurants in Turkey. The ayran (yogurt drink) and kazandibi (a Turkish dessert) were really good. I should also mention the salad with walnuts and sour pomegranate juice, which was delightful. The main issue lies with the main courses, particularly the unique Turkish kebabs. The Iskender kebab was not good; its texture was too minced, causing it to fall apart easily. The lahmacun (pide with minced meat) was also disappointing; it had an intense tomato or pepper paste flavor, and the pide could have been crispier. Lastly, the chicken grill didn't taste like authentic Turkish chicken grill, possibly due to the chicken itself being tough and fibrous. I'm not sure if these dishes justify their prices; they're not cheap at all.

Couldn't have asked for a better experience for our 2nd time eating Turkish food. We were served immediately and had our appetizers brought so quickly. The food was delicious and the decor impeccable. Beautiful restaurant to eat with a lovely atmosphere. This is the kind of place you will want to come and stay for awhile with friends.

It's super expensive 😫 But other things are good 👍

Traditional Turkish breakfast. But large lunch a dinner menu.

I recommend it to everyone..the service is great, it is completely halal, you can be sure. Taste, everything, Istanbul cafe restaurant, I recommend it to everyone. Moreover, you won't have to look for a mosque, there is a masjid, it is simply a wonderful restaurant, may God bless the owner 👏👏🤲🤲🤲🤲🌺🧡🧡🧡

Very nice and quiet and the food taste good

Unbelievebly delicious food, great service and pleasent atmosphere. If you’re hungry, this is the real deal!

The best Turkish food I’ve ever had. The staff is so friendly and the food never disappoints. There are so many options on the menu and every dish is rich in flavor. 10/10

Avoid, Avoid Avoid. The place boycotts major all American companies and brands. We came in, the place is big, but was completely empty, when I was making an order, I asked for Coke, waitress told me that they don’t have, because of boycott related to war in Gaza. I said ok and asked for Pepsi, they tell me we also also boycott it. I stood up told them it’s unacceptable to me and left immediately, not spending a dime there. Coke and Pepsi are a staple of what America is all about and these companies are apolitical, they don’t discriminate against anyone. There are plenty of good Turkish restaurants in the area whose owners love America and respect our values, so avoid this place. Let them eat their own food.

Chicken sheesh kebab was amazing!! Turkish coffee one of the best in US. Recommended this place absolutely!!!

Super nice breakfast experience with lovely staff.

I hate leaving negative reviews! My Turkish in laws and I drove from NYC to celebrate a birthday. What a disappointment, service was extremely slow and inattentive to our table. Rice was salty, hummus was salty, and all other appetizers were bland. We ordered two plates of lamb chops but it was more like tire chops, they were tuff and under seasoned (Almost as if they thawed out the meat last minute)that side of frozen mixed veggies is not Turkish either, Maybe some grilled onions, tomato and a pepper would’ve saved this plate? The chicken mix platter was also not good at all, bulgur was salty and chicken was bland. The only good thing that we ate for dinner that was remotely good was the bread and the shepherds salad. We left feeling hungry and sick afterwards! This place has so much potential as the place itself has a nice family dinner ambiance but truly was missing all the components of GOOD Turkish food. They should also inform that they have a mandatory tip. Overall, the place is over priced, food is missing the true Turkish taste (not Turkish mom approved), and desperately needs better services. You live, you learn and you don’t go back!

Great food. The best mix grill ever and the best lamb shawarma.

I had a great experience at Istanbul Cafe and Restaurant. The food was delicious and the service was excellent. The atmosphere was cozy and inviting. I highly recommend this place for a tasty meal with friends or family.

Foods 10 out of 10. Nice to see they have prayer room. May Allah give barakah on their business.

Everything was terrible, lentil soup is okay, pita and lahmacun products are absolutely inedible, we heard some of the waiters say to their friend next to them, look at these.

Lahmacun and etli bread are a disgrace, the service is zero, you ask for cola, they bring something else, the waiters are like neighborhood bullies and they write whatever they like, the food came late and was ice cold.

Very very Expensive. You go there and hope that you will be happy, but you will be surprised by extremely expensive prices for food and service that are not worth all these costs. In addition, they charge an 18% tip without telling you about it. I strongly do not recommend it, it is just an illusion.

What a lovely restaurant, food fresh delicious.service was great . definitely hope to go back.”

The food is alright. They have nice proportions and tasty food but compared to other restaurants with similar prices, the food could be much better. Additionally, the waiting time is very long. It took almost up to 50 minutes to receive a simple gyro plate. With that being said the restaurant looks great. It truly reflects the Turkish culture. It is a large restaurant and I found it to be hygienic. Overall, it is a good place but it could have better food and a shorter wait time.

Excellent turkish food. As close as Turkey as it can be. Great service.

It is very inappropriate to tell a customer that he just wants to enjoy a coffee, you have 30 minutes to drink it, letting him know that if you are not going to buy food you should leave, very poor management on the part of the gentleman in charge of the 5:30 pm shift.

As a Turkish-American Man Yesterday i came to Paterson for iftar, I dont make any reservation some good place, They are fully Booked and we decide to Go to Istanbul Cafe, I didnt go there over 4 years, last time i had a very bad memory, But i would like to give them another chance to Try. And We did. Food Still Below average, and No Taste. And I understand it is iftar They are busy but. You should know and you should prepare before, And Service was terrible, and They Charge us to our bill %18 tip.. Which is they dont deserve it.... . I live Westchester. I love to come paterson For Shop & Eat. Now Main street Paterson almost Food District. a lot of choice more restaurant coming for good News for competition

I visit this restaurant 3 years ago, it was good and like a Restaut, now they change to for lahmacun place, we got lentil soup I think it’s not daily soup, is old we gots kebabs, it ok, service is terrible We will not go there again

Absolutely one of the best Middle Eastern Turkish Restaurant in Northern New Jersey. The food quality is out of this world, and their hospitality & services are phenomenal 👌🏼 👌🏼👌🏼

Due to urgency, we went in to use the sink and asked the Turkish waiter friend if we could use it. However, this waiter friend of ours said that the sink is only available for customers who spend money, and I said that I wanted to spend money at the venue. This time, the smart waiter made up another excuse and said, "You have to sit in the restaurant and you can use it that way." I have no respect for this place, which has such poor quality and unruly waiters. This is their attitude. If you want to see this attitude, I recommend you to stop by one evening, but not for food :).

Great food and excellent service.

Unbelievable delicious food. I ordered the Istanbul Mix (assorted meats vegetables and rice) this is now my favorite place

This is an unfortunate place. The food was alright however, the way they sneakily overcharge you is ridiculous and embarrassing for an establishment. Will not be back!

Date night and we' were in the mood for Turkish cuisine. My GF decided on Istanbul Cafe & Restaurant, a local gem conveniently equipped with ample parking space. The restaurant's interior boasted a charming Turkish flair, enhancing the overall dining experience. To kick off the evening, I opted for a Turkish coffee, and it turned out to be the best I've had in quite some time. The brew exhibited a remarkable taste, impeccably layered with no discernible harsh notes. Moving on to appetizers, I tried the stuffed grape leaves, which were ok, with the pine nuts providing a distinct flavor and crunchy texture. For the main course, we ordered the Sac Kavurma and the Cokertme, both featuring lamb. The Sac Kavurma emerged as a standout, possibly the best Turkish dish I've ever savored. The seasoning and flavors were nothing short of perfection and had me picking food off of my GFs plate. In contrast, the Cokertme held its own as a good dish but couldn't quite match the excellence of the Sac Kavurma. Turning to dessert, we tried the kunefe and pistachio baklava. While the kunefe was good, it had a fault in being excessively sweet, prompting me to suggest offering sugar level options for customers. On the other hand, the baklava fell short, displaying a somewhat stale and dry texture, hinting at extended exposure. Despite the mixed dessert experience, the overall impression of Istanbul Cafe & Restaurant was highly positive. The outstanding Sac Kavurma alone is reason enough for a return visit. With a slight improvement in the dessert department, this spot has the potential to become a regular dining destination for those seeking an authentic and flavorful Turkish culinary experience.

Mekân çok şık tasarlanmış yemekleri çok güzel garsonların güler yüzlülüğü ve hizmeti çok iyi rahat kafayla yemek yemek istiyorsanız tercihiniz olsun

Have been there today. Honestly me and my friend left unhappy. We came to have a good time, to talk, to eat nice food. But, the food really disappointed. The only good food you can order here - red lentil soup. That’s it. Today it was really good and fresh. Shish kebab was terrible. Meat was red inside, not fried at all. Impossible to eat it! Veal liver also terrible, overcooked, not salted and it’s became tough. Also prices for the water, 4$ for each bottle of Poland spring. Well… when I asked to bring a water with no ice I thought it’s gonna be for free, but instead we saw in check 8$ charge for two bottles of water. So my suggestion is please learn how to cook food. And after that include 18% tips into your check . Over all no complaints about customer service. The waitress were fast, pleasant.

My family loves this place. The ambiance is as good as the food. Authentic Turkish cuisine 😋😋

We went there my three friends, I got the mixed grill plate and lamb doner was the best doner I ever had in US. Adana kebab and lamb skewers was average. Only thing I didn’t like was mandatory tipping (%18). I suggest you guys give it a shot!

As a Turk I really dislike the taste of their food. I visited 3 times hoping to get a good turkish food but each time was a big disappointment. The oil they use is definitely not healthy. The service is extremely slow and the prices were unfairly expensive as well. The only good thing was the vibe but they just can’t find a simple “curtain” or “second door” solution for their outside door which was letting the cold wind in every time they open their door to let new customers get in. Won’t go back again.

Sipariş ettiğim lahmacuna kitap yazılır. Ancak bu kadar basit ve lezzetsiz olabilirdi. Serverler suratsız ve yaklaşımları çok ilgisizdi. Hesabı istediğimde ise bana sormadan %18 tip ekleyip kendilerini daha da küçük duruma düşürmeyi başardılar. Hayatınızda eğer kötü bir deneyim yaşamak istiyorsanız şiddetle tavsiye ederim.

Absolutely we won’t eat at this place again, this is the fifth time we go there me and my friends, from out the State. Before we complained about the food they said we are busy that’s why the food didn’t come up right, Now, this Monday,(Christmas Day) we went there to eat hopping that the food and the service will be better. Let’s start with the bread, they served us a totally different bread from the one usually served and cold, Second thing is the Salad we ordered contained only Tomatoes, and Cucumbers. Also salty, the meats has no flavour at all. The kid’s didn’t like the food al all. Now the worst part is when you ask for Olive oil, they bring you 2 tablespoons of olive oil for a group of 9 people. Now the drinks came almost after we about to finish eating after we went to the front desk to ask for it. Not to mention a half hot pepper for a table of 9. All their excuses is that sorry we are busy. If they will continue like this, gradually they will Loose their Customers.

Excellent service. Thanks Yusuf!

Me and my husband went there during our nj/ny visit and we loved it. Will come again

Very EXPENSIVE. The food is good but they are REALLY OVER PRICED!! The annoying part is that they add the tip to the bill without consulting you. They charged me mandatory $90 tip!!!!!

Loved it! Great people. Even better food.

The restaurant is good, but the prices are high. I didn’t like the mandatory tip or service fee which you aren’t told in advance. They make you pay %18 of your overall bill, and you cannot avoid that. I found that when i was paying bill.

Great service all the waiters are kind. The atmosphere is great and the food is delicious.

The food is okay. Service is good , but this place is really overpriced for the quality.. Moreover, they charge you mandatory tip of %18, which amounted to almost $30 for a group of 4. Though, this mandatory tip is not mentioned anywhere in the menu. I bought white leaving some Turkish dessert (baclava). One of the pieces priced at almost $2.5 was cut very small, almost half piece when the guy was carving it out. Still, he charged same price for it as a whole piece and didn’t even offer to replace it with a whole intact piece. See the picture! Really not good experience

Delicious food, pleasant atmosphere.

We were a party of 5 and had the platter. The presentation was just amazing. The food was very delicious and the servers and the manager were too good. They really know how to treat their customers. This was my second visit, and I would definitely go there again. If anybody needs a 5 star experience, they do not have to go to nyc, they better go to this place in our local area.

Çalışanlar çok güleryüzlü ve ilgiliydi. Yemekler çok lezzetliydi. Herkese tavsiye ediyorum.

Worst kabab i ever been tasted.and the lamb one was so smelly.and the other kabab also so bad.this is not called kabab.my big mistake to choose this place.and the price ohh noo unbelievable.

Worst kebabs ever in tristate area! I just wasted $65 including gratuity fees 18.00% . Not taste ! I we cannot even eat only we drink soda from there. I never had this kind of Turkish kebab! Highly not recommend! Sorry

Friendly service, decent food, only complaint was menemen was cold.

Nice spacious restaurant with good food and service. Ample parking outside the restaurant. Good for large groups as well.

We had a birthday party while we had a deal to offer enough food for everyone. They offered less amount of food and it was embracing experience. The guests left not happy by this experience. Not recommended place for parties.

Toast bread is old bread. It's not fresh. French fries are heated in the microwave. Otherwise, everything is ok.

Super clean friendly staff delicious food.

The server might have had a long day but she was still very polite and mannered

Bu kadar güzel bir müessesede bu kadar cahil ve bu kadar yüzsüz bir garson çalıştırılır mı? Yurt dışından gelen misafirimle yemeye gittik, baş garson diye birisi tüm akşamımızı mahvetti.o kadar çok saygısızlık yaptı ki diğer müşteriler bile rahatsız oldular. Sanki ben garson o müşteri gibi , saygısızca sözler kullandı. Diğer çalışanlar da ona uydular müesseseyi rezil ettiler. Yazık…

We really enjoyed here. Coffee, çay , food, and desserts, everything was delicious. Service was really good. Our waitress , Aysu was so nice and very helpful. We will be back again. Thanks!

The place is confortable, Hazan was an attentive and helpful waiter. A little bit overpriced compared to surrounded restaurants. The baklava was dried but the traditional dessert was really delicious. Gratuity is 18% and is included in the Bill. I do not think there was music so it did not seem like a traditional turkish place (at least the area I was seated) but looks nice if it would be a Coffee shop. There should be a dessert menu to upsell or just to offer it.

I didn’t like the service. It was a disappointment.

Nit an American breakfast spot.

Great service and great dessert and hot tea.

Turkish coffee they can definitely do, the pastries were run of the mill and the waitresses had something better to do than serve us. More of a local hang-out than an "experience", still, coffee was definitely good.

They were extremely hospitable and the food was great.

The best breakfast I've had in a long time 😋

We loved the appetizers of bread and butter We also liked the scenery and everything about this restaurant 😊

Simply delectable food, freshly prepared. I'm a big fan of Choban salad 🥗, and salep is my absolute favorite. As of the update on 06/10/2023, the food remains consistently delicious, featuring fresh ingredients. Not only do I enjoy the food, but I also appreciate the wonderful people here ❤️.

This restaurant is amazing!! Decided to come here with family for breakfast, The person taking everyone's order was extremely nice, and helped us with our selections from menu. must try their authentic platters and tea . their eggs and bread is fantastic - will go back again to try more options - maybe lunch very nice dinning area

The food portion was extremely good and atmosphere was fine , and waiters are very nice

The wait staff was more than hospitable! Very accommodating and professional! The food was DELISH! Hummus....amazing! Zucchini pancakes melted in my mouth and so flavorful. The tea was relaxing and very good. I would definitely good back to this place and bring my friends!

A treasure. We came for Turkish breakfast (first time) and enjoyed very carefully prepared plates for eggs with great spices, kashkaval cheese, and sujuk sausage (a kind of pepperoni). Greas dessert based on almond pudding. Very charming owners!! Worth finding in the Turkish crossroads of downtown Clifton

Great atmosphere, great staff and great food! Had Turkish breakfast there with family and everything was amazing

I like their service and atmosphere, with no consistency of food

My friend brought our family to this restaurant. It was the first time to enjoy authentic Turkish dishes in a place. The restaurant was clean, and the staff was amiable. We ordered a lot of food, and everything, including a cheeseburger, was lovely. The combination of warm slices of bread and sac kavurma was a pleasant start. My friend strongly recommended lamb shank, and he was right. It was a lovely dish. Pide, which could be close to the origin of dumplings and pizza, was also good. The mixed grill had a mountain of meats. It is a pricy restaurant but a nice place to enjoy nomadic dishes.

I ordered Chicken Sàute for take out but they didn’t close the lid nicely. The bag started dipping onto my car. I went back to restaurant, manager was there, he said ‘sorry’ and gave the container to waiter to wrap it again. When waiter came back, he started accusing me that I probably shake the bag, instead of saying ‘sorry’. I said I didn’t, it was just not closed nicely. Any slow motion could cause dripping if you don’t close a liquidy food nicely. He kept accusing me that I was not holding the bag correctly. You need to learn how to say ‘sorry’ to a customer if there’s any fault instead of accusing them.

Very good food, felt portions were a bit smaller for group size I came with. Friendly staff. Made in a timely manner. Decor was good and tables were clean.

The desserts were scrumptious. Almond pudding was the best. Ali Nazik and liver fry were awesome !!!

Average food, very very salty. I will not come back to this restaurant.

افضل مطعم تركي في نيوجرسي الاكل نظيف وطعم مالته

Great place, best Turkish coffee

You can have the taste of Turkey in this place. Atmosphere and service are great. Parking is always available, i love having breakfast there.

I really enjoyed eating the traditional Turkish food. However, I still give it 4 starts because the staff and waiters/waitresses were a bit rude and did greet nicely. They barely smiled or said anything. I don't know if they prefer only Turkish customers. I would recommend that they may change their serious attitude toward customers.

You can't go wrong coming here. I selected the meals I'm most familiar with but take your pick.

This place is absolutely amazing! The food is sooo delicious and tasty! We loved it all! We will definitely be back

Love to gi there anytime of the week

Amazing food! I’ve been around Turkish/Mediterranean cuisine in the US for 20 years and have travelled to over 25 states but nothing compares to this place. Especially their Pide! I wish I can go more often but I live out West but whenever I am in the area this is my must go location.

Excellent service and even better food. The atmosphere of the place might even be the best part, it feels like one second you’re in Nee Jersey, one step inside and all of a sudden you’re in Istanbul. I’ve eaten at every single Mediterranean spot in North Jersey and nowhere comes close!

The food is delicious, my goto for any event. Customer service could be a little better since sometimes you’re just waiting for the waiter to stop by. Maybe they’re understaffed?

Hi guys I invite you guys to visit this cafe and restaurant ! To start off I went during a week day on a Tuesday evening . So parking was good had a spot infront of the restaurant and it wasn't that packed. Once we arrived we were greated by the waiter who was super nice. Shout out to her; service was great . They them provided us the menus .Here I will include some tatlilar and iceceklers I enjoyed . Kabak Tatlisi, it had some pumpkin, pectin / gelatin,crushed walnuts , and it included tahini also . And my favorite Taze Sikma Limonata . Enjoy 😁my pictures from my visit .

We placed our order at 11 am for Iftar at 7:20 pm. the food was served 20 mins after Iftar time! The prices on the menu are not same as they come on reality. For example istanbul mix grill is for 37.95 $ in the menu online but in reality 44$ . 1 lg bottled water is for 6$ instead of 3.45$ on the menu. Adding to this they asked for 18%in the 🧾 as tipping! Taste wise the chicken cubes and lamb cubes were tasty in the mix grill(lamb cubes were medium not well done , i prefer it well done). I didn’t like the kebab chicken(was very spicy). The vegetables in the dish doesn’t look presentable at all !

Food took over 45 minutes to come out kids were crying because of their hunger. Overall never coming here again

Took forever for food to come. Place is clean and food was ok but nothing special

It was sooo tasty 😋 Thank you 🙏

I like the foods, they are fairly well but not the staff. They are hell slow.