Kitchen Istanbul

Kitchen Istanbul reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Review summary

1. A

   Anne

   San Francisco1 review

   5.0

   Dined 5 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Our favorite neighborhood spot. Excellent food and incredible wine to pair with it.
   

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2. A

   Ana VIP

   London24 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on April 20, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Fabulous food paired with great wines and super attentive staff, we will be back!
   

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3. M

   Mike

   Washington DC3 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on April 18, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Always a great experience. Thank you again. We will be back!
   

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4. K

   Ken

   San Francisco11 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on April 13, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Kitchen Istanbul is a such a lovely neighborhood San Francisco gem and deserves all the recent media accolades they’ve worked so hard to earn. The staff are kind friendly helpful and very efficient. In addition to the delicious savory and sweet offerings, one big draw here is their wine program, and is one of the absolute best in the city. It is thanks to wine director Joseph DiGrigol, who is absolutely knowledgeable and spot on with his selections, and offers top notch wine service to boot. The markups are very reasonable, and the thought here is to make wine accessible to everyone and yet expand beyond local regional wine. It is here you will find that Burgundy, Loire Valley, Italian and Spanish (including other niche) red and white (and sparkling) wines, can pair very nicely with the food here. The selections are broad and include icons as well as up and coming producers, but most importantly match with the food. The food is not overly spiced like some other restaurants and yet their textures further facilitate pairings with wine. In other words, everything is thoughtfully done here. There is a reason Kitchen Istanbul has so many fans and is so well loved by fellow industry people also. If you also need a vegetarian dinner but want your wine as well, it is a non brainer solid choice here.
   

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5. k

   kevin VIP

   San Francisco20 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on April 11, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   A bright minimalist environment to enjoy a sumptuous meal.
   

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6. J

   Jan VIP

   Los Angeles2 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on April 7, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Great food and staff. Everything was prepared with a deft touch - as good as I've had outside of Turkey.
   

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7. R

   Rachel

   San Francisco5 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on April 5, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Loved the food and ambiance. Service was incredible too. Will return.
   

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8. c

   christina

   Los Angeles13 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on March 29, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Beautiful food, great wine, and lovely service. Will be back. Elevated with cozy feel.
   

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9. E

   Elysa

   Washington DC1 review

   5.0

   Dined on March 28, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   If you’ve ever dreamed of stumbling into a cozy little corner of the Mediterranean without needing a passport—or even a reservation—this is your spot. It’s the kind of place that makes you feel like you’ve discovered a secret, even though you’re pretty sure the rest of the city already knows. The vibe? Intimate, warm, and humming with the soft clink of glassware and good conversation. Think: small plates, big flavor, and a layout that encourages just the right amount of eavesdropping. Now, the food: delightfully fresh, confidently simple. Every dish seemed to whisper “I woke up like this” while casually being the best thing on the table. I found myself Googling “how to make ___ at home” before dessert hit. (Spoiler: you can’t. Don’t even try.) But the real star? The wine program. Oh my god, the wine. The wine guy (can we knight him?) was an absolute gem—warm, curious, and the sort of enthusiast who talks about wine the way poets talk about love. He guided us to a bottle so good, I may or may not have written it a haiku on the walk home. If you want a place that feels like a well-kept secret, with food that slaps and wine that sings, go. Just go. But maybe not this Friday—I want a table.
   

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10. K

    Karen VIP

    San Francisco6 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 25, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5

    A neighborhood gem! A great dinner. Delicious food with interesting flavors. Very fresh ingredients. Excellent service.
    

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