The food here was actually fairly good. I got a lasagna lunch special with 2 veggies that was pretty good. But maybe I was just super hungry by the time I got it because it took waaaaaay too long to get my food at a relatively light lunch rush. It took close to half an hour for them to get my food out to me in spite of the fact that several others in our group got their food within 10-15 minutes of ordering (still not super-speedy and certainly not "good" but better by comparison). In fact, 3 members of our group opted to have them pack it up and get it to go because we had already been there a full hour and needed to return to work. Placating us with hummus/yogurt/dolmades and promising to "make it up to us next time" doesn't really cut it, sorry. If two guys come in 20-30 minutes after us and place their order and get their food before several folks in our group get theirs, then something isn't quite right. None of the orders were all that exotic, because they don't even have that wide-ranging of a menu. There were 13 total items to choose from, and that's it! The only way I'd consider coming back here is for a dinner where I had lots of time to kill and I think where they run a more expanded menu to choose from.
(1)
Heidi H.
I really like Turquoise. I'm not sure a lot of people know its here because every time I've been been there have only been a few other couples seated. I can't believe I haven't reviewed this place yet. I sort of didn't want I guess because I feel like it's my little secret. I guess I'm a lil selfish, huh? I discovered this place over a year ago on Valentine's day. The ex didn't know to make reservations in Houston- but it worked out because we found this little gem. The chef, who remembered me by name after my first visit (and ever since) is such a nice man, not to mention a great chef! He's very personable making eating here a little unique. I love the inviting atmosphere & hope it stays this way. It's not a big place: has maybe 8 or 10 small tables with fresh flowers on each, the big brick oven, and service make this a family owned & operated business high on my list. They do not have waiters running all over the place asking you if they can refill your glass every 5 minutes. Some might see this as bad service, so you might need to get his attention for refills, check, etc. So don't come if you're in a hurry. I order the Turkish kabobs every time because I love lamb-- then try my best not to fill up on the bread & hummus before it arrives. Last time I visited the lamb was overcooked, but that didn't keep me from eating it :) In short: Good fresh food, reasonably priced, quiet place for a date. The only reason this has 4 stars and not 5 is because I only give 5 stars to restaurants I would kill for. Turquoise Grille hasn't asked me to kill anybody yet.. so I think 4.4 stars is right. (note to TG: all you have to do is ask...)
(4)
ali s.
Never had anything bad here. Lahmcun is terrific, as is any of their grilled meats. Tomato sauce accompanying the Alexander is unreal! Delish!
(5)
Katie F.
Holy doner kebab, Batman! Turquoise Grill is now one of my favorite restaurants in Houston. It's a combination of the fantastic food, doting chef, and relaxed atmosphere that puts this place over the top. Chef Jim puts his heart and soul into his business, and it shows: he greets every customer with the same excitement and welcoming warmth one would expect only from a family member. He remembers your name, gives you special treats like bites of homemade baklava and Turkish tea, and he's just downright enjoyable to talk with. The service isn't particularly fast, but then again, you don't go to Turquoise Grill to get a quick bite. You stay the evening, listen to the happy chatter of the table next to you, and savor your food until well after the sun goes down. If you go on Saturday night, make sure to call ahead for reservations. There's live flamenco dancing, a Ukranian belly dancer, and much more. As for the food, I can't think of a place that is more consistently excellent in the realm of Turkish food than here. The kebabs are a great choice, no matter if you go with the chicken, lamb, beef, or a combination thereof. Make sure to save enough room for both an appetizer (the fried eggplant is excellent) and dessert (yum...baklava). To wash it all down, a nice hot cup of Turkish tea sure hits the spot.
(5)
Jyotsna M.
I went for dinner, and this place is a great find. It's quiet and intimate, the owner came out to greet us and check on our meal, and all the food was excellent. The complimentary pita bread/cheese/olive oil left me wanting more (as in a LOT more). The chicken shish kebab was excellent and my friend who tried the beef enjoyed it as well. I will definitely be back to explore the rest of the menu. Recommended for a quiet dinner when you actually want to hear your companions talk. Good date spot as well.
(4)
Food L.
I LOVE this place. I thought it was just a regular mediterranean place, but their menu includes pretty authentic, legit Turkish food. GOOD FOOD!! Chef Jim is awesome. Lamb is awesome. Beyti is very verrrrrry good. And the flat bread!!! Always fresh and warm. The place is pretty casual and small. They will usually have the soccer games on from Europe. I've never tried it, but their lunch menu seems very good and reasonably priced. I can't wait to go back. The only thing about this place is that it's a little hard to find. You can't really see it from Kirby, but it's in the Baylor Family Med building.
(5)
Sadia R.
I had a party here for my mom and sister..and the owner was very accomodating. the food was divine..they make their own yogurt and it is soo creamy and delicious!!! I always get the Iskander kebab its my favorite entree..the baklwa and turkish coffee hands down the best way to end a meal..overall i just love this place because of the great service they provided when i had over 60 guests at their restaurant and the quality of their food is always fantastic!
(5)
Danny G.
The experience was wonderful. I had dinner with a few friends and the Owner/Chef made us feel as if we were sitting in his home dinning room. The Food was flavorful and fresh, I doubt there is a bad thing on the menu. We were treated to a Belly Dancer and after dinner tea. Memories were made!
(5)
Patrick B.
My wife and I were attending an event in the area on a Saturday morning recently, so we decided to check out the Turquoise Grill based on the reviews we saw here on Yelp. While the food was top notch, the service was lacking at times. I'm willing to give the restaurant a second chance, though, given the extenuating circumstances. When we arrived, we were quickly greeted and led to a table near the window. When we were sat, we weren't given any menus, however. I believe I read that in another review here as well, so it seems like a common problem. Perhaps they get a lot of "regulars" who don't need a menu? We hardly look Turkish, however (I mean, I'm so pale you can practically see through me!) so I don't think anybody thought we were regulars. While not a big deal, it's these small details which can add up to a frustrating service experience later on in the meal. As we browsed the menu, we were given some Shephard Bread, along with some olive oil and spices. This bread was AMAZING. So fluffy and soft, and went so brilliantly with the spiced oil! Nice! As we perused the menu, we were excited to see lots of great dishes. I love Middle Eastern food, so I was excited to dig in! I ordered the Adana Kebab Platter -- the menu describes this as a "blend of spicy ground beef and lamb on our homemade lavash flat bread." This is one of my favorite dishes to order when I visit restaurants like this! I was stoked! My wife ordered the Turquoise Salad, with a grilled chicken add-on. This was a traditional salad with feta, olives and balsamic vinegar and olive oil. The grilled chicken was essentially their grilled chicken from one of their kebabs. The food itself was all very tasty. The kebab was cooked perfectly, well seasoned, and juicy. The accompanying bread was also very good, and the rice that came with it was very fluffy, not at all sticky. My wife's salad was also tasty, and the chunks of chicken were fresh off their grill, and well seasoned. My largest concern with the food was the value for the price. I've been to other similar restaurants, and got twice as much food for around the same price. While the quality was very good here, it wasn't that much better than other similar restaurants. With that said, the service experience, which started with missing menus only got worse. One positive note, before I move to the negative, is that the owner came up to us early in our visit, and greeted us very pleasantly. He then told us of the upcoming game between Turkey and Serbia (I think) -- this international basketball game was about to start, and the flat screen TV would be tuned to this. We got there about 30 minutes before the game started and the restaurant was fairly empty; as gametime approached, however, the small restaurant quickly filled up with Turkish basketball fans, eager to see their favorite sons beat up on the Serbian upstarts. And herein lies the service problem we experienced. Our food came out very quickly, before the game started, and after that we didn't really see our server again. She was too busy taking care of the 20 other new customers. They apparently didn't have any extra help on duty to take care of this event. So as our water glasses went empty, we had to wait awhile before we could flag down our server for a refill. When we were finished with our plates, they stood empty on our table for about ten minutes before the owner noticed, and took them away. Then we waited another few minutes to get a check, and a few more to pay. All in all, very disappointing! If it wasn't for the fact that I love the food, this would be at best a 2-star review. I have to give it the third star because the food was really tremendous -- when it comes down to it, food trumps service. I'll deal with some bad service to get some yummy yummy food. LIke I said, I will chalk this up to extenuating circumstances -- there was a big event going on. I understand that, but that's a management issue -- they should staff accordingly. I will probably try this place again, but I'm hoping that these types of problems won't occur again.
(3)
Brandy Z.
I have gained a liking on Turkish food since being in Texas I dont go much but if Im out celbrating with friends Its a place I consider. Went here the other night. Was in the busness downtown district of Houston. Cafe Style but a relaxing setting. Had a guy singing Turkish songs with his guitar infront of us while we were eating. We ordered a red lentil soup It was awesome guess it was pretty famouse since it was on the cover of a newpaper review on the wall, the food was wicked cheap especially the appetizers most ranged from 3 dollars got a garlic dill dip cant remember the name think it was Babaghnnush but it was amazing. and we pretty much licked the plate clean the the fresh hot flat triangler bread they served with it. For the entree we shared a mixed grill plater Samples of döner (gyros), inegöl köfte, lamb, chicken, & tenderloin shish kebabs. Was pretty good reminded me of middle eastern food very generous amount more then enough to eat there. I like the Cafe Istanbul in Dallas the best still but this place was pretty good and was Zagat rated as well as other awards.
(3)
Steve C.
Our first visit, for lunch, was reasonably successful. The gyro was generous and the herb and seed covered pita it was served in was a nice change. So we were very disappointed that our second visit at dinner time was a total failure. We were welcomed with a small basket of the same bread with olive oil. So far so good. We ordered salads, which were served on what I would call teacup saucers. Surprisingly small for about $3.50, and even more shockingly, both David's salad which consisted mainly of tomatoes and peppers and mine, with lettuce, feta cheese and vinaigrette, lacked flavor. I got the gyro plate - slices of meat, rice and (sadly) pretty much the same bland salad I'd just eaten. The portion of meat was adequate but just barely. David's six meatballs were sausage-shaped, rather small, and reminded him of brown 'n serve. We didn't get any additional bread with our meals, despite it being listed as an accompaniment to our entrees. I guess the two small pieces of bread we got when we sat down counted as our bread for the evening. Perhaps the most disappointing thing was David's iced tea glass remained empty after three visits by our server. We spent $40 and David only half jokingly asked if we could stop by Taco Cabana on our way out, as he was still hungry. I'd love to support a local, obviously family owned and run place that's hard to find and not super busy. I just can't see any reason to do so. Especially since David is eating two microwaved tamales a half hour after dinner.
(2)
Steve L.
Good Mediterranean food and friendly staff. Nice change of pace on upper Kirby.
(4)
Laurie H.
When I worked in this area, I used to eat here fairly often. It is different, and I love the dish they call mediterranean pizza. It appears to be a small family owned business, which is cool. However, I did find that the service was VERY inconsistent, which is why they get 3 stars. I'm not sure how long the place had been around, but at lunch they were sometimes overwhelmed. You order at the counter and they call your number when your food is ready. Once they lost my order. Another time I waited 30 minutes to get my order. I haven't been in more than a year, though, since I don't work in the area anymore. Service may have improved.
(3)
Agnes S.
Just Yummy! and the service is great!
(5)
Armanius M.
Found this place while Yelping and decided to give it a try. I'd been wanting to try out some sort of lamb dish after years of rejecting all lamb dishes because of the gaminess. Weird craving. I had a lamb stew that came in a clay pot which actually tasted pretty good. Given that this was my first time fully embracing a lamb dish (as opposed to nibbling off someone else's plate), the dish was certainly a success. My GF had a beef tips dish, which was even better than mine. So far so good eh? BUT in looking at others people's reviews, one comment that stood out was the slow "European" style service. Boy ... whoever wrote that was right on. The place was not crowded at all (especially for a Friday night), but the service was SUPER slow. Even though the waiter apologized for the slow service and was very nice, there was really no excuse for the slowness. For example, it took the waiter about 20 minutes to bring the dessert to us even though it should not have taken more than 60 seconds to get two pieces of baklava stored behind the glass counter. If it had been a busy night, his slowness would have been excused. But there was only one other table, and that was the table that the owner of the restaurant was sitting in chatting with friends (and they weren't even eating)! The waiter was instead just standing behind the counter chit-chating with one of the kitchen workers. I really liked the food and want to go back again. But the service was so frustratingly slow that it nearly drove my GF and me crazy. This place lost two stars because of the slow service. And typically, I'm actually a fairly patient guy when it comes to restaurant service!
(2)
Les A.
Love the family run atmosphere and friendly service, but the fish and lamb have been consistently over cooked on our visits. Go for the gyros. That seems to one thing that has been tender with excellent flavor.
(3)
Caroline K.
WHAT A TREAT! My three gal pals and I walked in at 9 on a Saturday night and rolled out at midnight happily filled to the brim. Upon entering we were greeted by Jim, the owner/chef. What a guy. His love for his food and restaurant is so apparent that we were immediately put in good moods. He has a very European outlook on meals: the experience one has at a restaurant is AS important if not MORE important than the food itself. Dont get me wrong, the food was AMAZING. Before ordering anything we were brought out wine samples as well as food samples. If we didn't order all of the things he suggested (would have been wayyy to much food) he brought out samples of each of them with our entrees, just so that we would know what they tasted like for next time. We were told stories of how he came to know how to make the signature bread that is served (shepherds bread which he was taught to make by a village woman in Turkey) and of his family. I seriously left this restaurant feeling like I had gained a lifelong friend. We ordered: - hummus and dolmas to start - He created a large family style plate for the four of us to eat. it consisted of chicken kabobs, beef sausage things, lamb chops and salmon... all over rice with salad and veggies on the side. This was served with two sauces... a yogurt sauce and a red sweet sauce... both excellent. verdict: wonderful food to go along with a wonderful restaurant. It really is a gem and I suggest everyone try it out. As others have mentioned, it DOES take longer because everything is homemade and also because no one really seems in a rush... as I said its all about the EXPERIENCE here. For example, Jim decided it was unacceptable when we said we were to full for dessert and just wanted the check. He proceeded to bring more wine, samples of desserts, and his signature hot tea. We ended up staying another hour truly enjoying ourselves. I can not wait to go back! niko who?
(5)
Cindy Y.
My husband and I love this unpretentious little restaurant. The food is very good and the staff very friendly and attentive. Their red lentil soup is delicious and the baklava perfect - not too sweet like so many I have tried. If the owner is in, he will always make a point to come talk to guests at the table, ask them how they are doing, etc. Its a very quiet place on weekdays but weekends it really comes alive. We dropped by on a Saturday night to find the place packed and rocking out with two beautiful and talented belly dancers. The atmosphere felt almost like we were guests at a party at someone's home. Highly recommended!
(5)
Zopa H.
I won't consider this place for dating night . The light was awfully bright and my favorite lamb shanks were not there. I went with a friend of mine. She said Lamb chops were great
(3)
Cody V.
Great Greek and Turkish dishes, especially the lamb. The menu selection is a bit limited, as vegetarians will find that they have two or three options at best. Great atmosphere with live (but not intrusive) music, and the staff is very friendly.
(4)
D.M. R.
We went here for our anniversary, just for something quiet and Mediterranean and somewhere new. We had the Mixed Grill and there were two items on the plate that were not good. A long turd looking thing, not sure what it was and the meatball (which is not in the shape of a meatball). The qyro meat and kabobs were really good though and so was the rice. We had attentive staff for the most part and the apps and salads were good. The tabouli wasn't that great, it had a ton of scallions in it and I hate scallions and the flavor it leaves behind even when you pick them out. The "cigars" were especially good when dipped in the accompanying tomato sauce. We didn't try dessert but we appreciated trying something new in a cozy environment.
(3)
Vicky P.
The food here is really good and the owner made a point to come over and say hello. The Turkish food tasted really authentic, however the atmosphere is lacking. I'd come again for lunch but not dinner.
(4)
Summer F.
I probably dont know enough about Turkish food to say whether the food here is good or not. But the service was wonderful. The restaurant stayed open late for us and they turned an evening that started out bad into something memorable. I cant guarantee everyone will have quite such an experience, but we recently went to the Sugar Land location and everyone went out of there way to be friendly also, so maybe it was not just a fluke.
(4)
Cariann G.
I went to Turquoise Grill last night and was happy with my boyfriend's decision to go there for dinner! The hot tea was great. It had a lot of flavor and the bf said his turkish coffee was just what he needed/wanted. another person in our group got one of the Turkish red wines and said it was quite tastey also. The feta/olive oil mix that they bring out with the bread is awesome. Much better than the usual olive oil and herb mix at most places. The bread was great too. It was sort of hard on the outside but perfectly soft on the inside! Everyone at the table got something different but most plates consisted of beef or lamb. The tilapia is pretty good, but the shrimp were very small. The beef and lamb plates were delicious and very similar to greek cooking. The jasmine rice that comes on every plate tasted so much better than regular white rice. I am not usually a fan of white rice, but the jasmine made it worth eating. Along with rice, you get a mix of salad greens, feta, vinagrette, onions and carrots on the end of your plate. It was so pretty to look at, but tasted even better. The only not so great things are the fact that the waiters have a hard time with English and no one in there is in much of a hurry. It was a very relaxing dinner. I definitely would not come here if you are in a hurry or just dropping in for a quick meal. All in all, this place is really good and worth going to when you have the time!
(4)
Jackson M.
I've only been here once but I can't say anything bad about this place. Great location, although kind of hidden on a side street off of Kirby between two office buildings. The food was great (I had an Armenian Pizza type thing and my friend had a salad), the service was quick, and the people were all incredibly friendly. The chef even came over to our table to make sure everything was okay. I will definitely be returning.
(5)
Stephen L.
I have been here twice for dinner. This place has amazing service. The last time I went, I was with a large group celebrating a birthday. The owner came out to greet our group and treated us like family. I recommend this place highly if you have a large group and need a table for dinner. I have never been to a restaurant that has been so accommodating to a large group. I believe that this restaurant does most of its business at lunch, because both of the times I've been here for dinner, the restaurant was mostly empty. However, this is a good thing because our server actually had the time to be extremely helpful and attentive. It is unfortunate that they are in an odd location (first floor of a medical plaza) because I think they would have a packed house at dinner if they were located elsewhere. The food was excellent, very fresh and on par with some of the best Mediterranean places I've been to in Houston. They also have a decent wine selection.
(5)
Donna E.
Great dining experience. The food was very good. I had the Tilapia Alexander, which was great. (Tilapia with a tomato base sauce serviced with roasted veggies and rice). The owner Jim is very warm and friendly. He personally greeted each guest and thanked us with a dessert. The belly dancing performance was good and entertaining.
(5)
Maithili B.
I want to begin by stating that I actually give this place 3.5 stars. I tried a bunch of food here thanks to my friend's wonderful family who were treating me very generously. First up, the apricot juice. It was a bit too sweet for my taste and definitely wasn't super fresh, but came pretty close to the authentic version which is called qamar al deen in Arabic. The Turkish tea was pretty good as well--not too bitter and hot enough that it didn't scald my tongue. For appetizers I tried the spinach feta calzone, which was really delicious. The bread was super soft and tasted like it was freshly baked. For main course I got the falafel platter, which essentially was fried chickpea cutlets with hummus. The falafels were pretty delicious and very filling, but the hummus was alright. Having lived in Jordan for two-and-a-half months, I've become accustomed to homemade, top-quality hummus, so my expectations were high. I have to admit, I was very disappointed with the lack of vegetarian options especially because the restaurant claims to have a "vegetarian menu" (according to my friend who looked this place up before we went) and it totally didn't have one. Service--4/5. Our server was very friendly and had some great recommendations, but I felt like she kept pushing me to get the one vegetarian option on the menu. I'm always slightly annoyed when restaurants oversell the one vegetarian dish on the menu as if it's the best dish ever. I'd just appreciate a straight-up, "I'm sorry we have very few vegetarian dishes, but why don't you try what we do have" vs. "you should definitely get the boiled vegetables, because it's absolutely delicious." Because of course I'll that one veggie dish, what else will I have as a vegetarian? And if you're recommending boiled vegetables, it better be the best goddamn vegetables I've ever eaten. Moving on (sorry for my little rant there), the ambience was just okay. Simple and clean with a few photos. Nothing special but nothing terrible either.
(3)
Alexis B.
Decent Mediterranean restaurant with some vegetarian options!
(3)
Tori U.
You can't really go wrong with some simple Turkish/Greek food near the Medical Center. Especially as there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of competing ventures in the River Oaks neighborhood. I liked the long, tuscan colored interior and the unadulterated menu favorites. The casual Turquoise Grill lets you grab something cafeteria style with its pay and go system up at the counter. Or you can choose to have a sit-down meal in its small, no frills restaurant. It's a bit difficult to find as it's wedged between buildings. It wasn't crowded (actually quite empty around 1:45pm) and we were served quickly. The owner was very eager to tell us the specials and deals and waitress was quick to move things along. My Shepherd salad with falafel was nice but a bit overpriced for the basic dish and portion size. I think going for the $13.95 3-course set lunch is probably the most efficient, but I was in the mood for something not protein based and they didn't have a vegetarian option for the entree. Definitely worth a try if you are in the area and have the munchies for some Mediterranean.
(3)
Jason M.
Let's make this quick and as painless as possible. My friend ordered the Lamb Shank, which had good flavor, except it had just been reheated in the microwave. This was obvious because the meat close to the bone was still cold. They took it back to reheat it, naturally, and it came back with more steam than a sauna. My other friend ordered the Beef Shish Kabob. You would hope it wasn't simply reheated, but who knows? The rice had a really funky texture. I got the Gyro. It came packed with meat, but that's all. No tomatoes? No onions? Let's circle back to the Lamb Shank again. Reheated! That thing ain't cheap, either. Reheated!
(1)
Collette Lapham C.
I had lamb with vegetables, marinara and yogurt sauce. The food was very good. Nothing wowed me but I'd go back again. The biggest complaint I have about this place was the dirty dishes. My coffee cup had residue in it and my spoon had brown residue on it. They really need to clean they're dishes better.
(3)
Noel S.
I really like this restaurant taken as it is. A casual place to get Mediterranean food in river oaks. If you don't expect the world....This place is pretty awesome. Week nights it's empty so you get your food quickly. I recommend the combo app platter and the kabobs, lots of flavor. Also the desserts are good esp. For the price.
(4)
Adam B.
Came early evening right after work with a friend. Seeing as we were the only people there the service was slow and infrequent. The food was more than okay, but drink refill and general awareness was subpar. This place must be better at Lunch than dinner seeing as the other reviews were highly positive. I don't believe we will be returning any time soon.
(2)
Srikanth J.
I went around noon on a weekday. This place is surrounded by office buildings. It was not as busy when I walked in. The lady behind the counter took the order of the person in front of me and disappeared around the kitchen area. There were 2 others( a cook and what seemed like a guy who was the owner). I was waiting there for 5 minutes just to get my order in, and it was not even busy. I hope they re-organize their operations especially around peak times. I give a 3-star for the efforts of Jim, the owner( who responded to my original grievance on yelp) walking around the place, asking customers if they need anything. Will give it another chance sometime.
(3)
Fran B.
A family owned restaurant. Very friendly staff. Fresh food - very tasty. They have a very loyal clientel. It's located off Kirby in a medical center. Lots of free parking. The staff wants you to have a great experience - if you have any questions ask them and they will guide you. They have food to go too.
(4)
Muhammad A.
5 star or 3 star food? Can't say. When this place is on, it's absolutely delicious and you're not going to find better Middle Eastern/Mediterranean in Houston. That's about 70% of the time. But if you go here enough you will get average food on occasion. A lack of consistency can keep a very good restaurant from being great, and unfortunately that's the case for Turquoise Grill. The owner is an awesome and really friendly guy, and if he can monitor his business a little better he'll have one of the best restaurant's in Houston. Everything on the menu is worth trying, and if you're a gyro fan - this is your place.
(4)
Vanesa V.
Good service but terrible food! I really wished the food was better since all the people that worked there seem really nice and friendly but unfortunately I won't be coming back due to the lackluster food. I ordered the chicken kebab lunch special, when the food arrived to the table it smelled great but that excitement soon turned into dismay when I realized my chicken was still extremely raw in the middle. They took the chicken back and put it back on the grill but I think that just made the chicken even worse because it became over cooked and charred. Overall I still think Pasha in rice village has the best Turkish food and they offer delicious complimentary bread at Pasha unlike this place.
(2)
Dani N.
It is indeed cheap! Two entrees and one glass of wine was $30. We used the Yelp check-in offer that said you get one free cold appetizer with the purchase of an entree. I showed it to the server and, although she was very sweet, seemed confused and had a loud discussion with the manager in Turkish regarding its validity just a few tables away. This seemed a little inappropriate and I debated just telling her to forget about it... It was eventually sorted and she did redeem the offer. My husband had the Moroccan chicken and I had the Adana Kebab platter. Everything had good, although strong, flavor, and my only complaint is that the beef/lamb mixture wasn't tender enough. There was absolutely no one in the restaurant at 6:30 on a Friday, which seemed weird. Overall, the food was good for the money, they just need to work on their customer service.
(3)
edgard k.
Nice, quiet Turkish restaurant with convenience parking (you can use the parking garage adjacent to it). Good place to catch Turkish soccer games on TV too. If you've never tried Turkish grilled meat entrees, just order the mixed grill so you can try everything (I like kofte and adana the best) - and please don't miss the jasmine rice as the side. For something that you don't normally find in other restaurants in Houston, try the Sultan kebab. If you're in the mood for bread, order pide or maybe lahmacun for a lighter option. To finish the meal, try the Turkish tea pot to wake you up or rice pudding if you're looking for something sweet.
(4)
Yvette A.
I think it's possible to go from 2 stars to 5 stars with being the same business but in different locations. It's entirely a different experience at this Kirby location. On my 3 visits to this location, the staff is exceptionally friendly and attentive. No loud saxophonists and more of a family-run restaurant feel. All the dinner entrees that crowded the table kept the table satisfied: My köfte plate, the iskender kebab, the dana sis and of course, the sultan beyti kebab looked beautiful, as usual. I even got a small Turkish history lesson from all the hanging pictures from my bf's dad. I must say, my favorite part is the Kunefe. Oh man, it's heavenly. Apparently it's one of the only warm Turkish desserts. It's a shredded wheat type of dough (turns crispy) with mozzarella type of cheese in the middle, warm syrup heavily drenched over, topped with crushed pistachios. Make sure to order some çay to wash this dish down. (I'm even considering changing my "Last Meal on Earth" answer to Kunefe.) I love me some TG Kirby.
(5)
Edward M.
I've been to this establishment several times. I've enjoyed it and talked about it enough that a friend gave me a $100 gift certificate to redeem. I saved it and decided to redeem it a few days before it was set to expire. The waitress said she would have to call the owner; she then handed me the phone so I could talk to him. He said he would honor the certificate because he doesn't use those anymore --he uses cards now, apparently. I told him about the expiration date and he asked if it had a signature. It did not. The certificate had my name, the gifter's name, the gift amount and the owner's business card attached to it. The owner made me feel as if I was trying to defraud him with a counterfeit gift certificate. Honestly, why would I do that? I left the certificate there along with my phone number and asked him to call me back. I have not been able to get a hold of him. He'll likely say that it's valid but now expired, probably. Don't purchase gift cards from here, they'll end up taking your money as they did mine. The experience left a bad taste in my mouth; I won't return.
Great place and its cheap too!! I tried the Alexander (iskender Kebab) and my friend ordered the Adana kabab. This is great Turkish food. My only concern is that we had the yelp deal of a free cold appetizer with an entree, and we showed it to them and asked about it before we ordered. However in the bill they still charged us for the appetizer. I guess, check your bill before paying!
(4)
Frances N.
The food was good for a one-time fling, but baby I wouldn't come back. For the price I paid, the food didn't blow me away. FOOD - 3 stars ===== - Cold Meze Sampler (grape leaves, babaghannush, hummus, etc.) $12.95 - Gyro Calzone $7.95. SERVICE - 3 stars ======== I will say, though, the waitress gave us a priceless memory when she returned our checks with hilariously misspelled names: Dennis became "Donis," Andrew became "Endru," and Frances became "Frensis" forevermore! ATMOSPHERE - 3 stars ============ Restaurant was a bit hard to find and tucked away from the road. We parked in a lot next to the restaurant. NOTE: I came here 8/10/2012 so this review is waaaaay overdue!
(3)
Katie T.
I stopped in here with my mom to order take out for our family. It was a Sunday around 4:30pm. Ambiance - When we walked in I couldn't even tell the place was opening. A middle aged woman and her mother (I suppose) were sitting in chairs on the floor watching TV. They reassured me they were open. I realized I had been here before for a banquet years ago. The place looks like it used to be counter service style with an open grill and long counter with a register. Tables are scattered about pretty close together. If this place was busy it would be uncomfortable. We waited for our order for a decent amount of time. When our order was ready we were given empty cups to fill ourselves with ketchup. Our order was missing an order of fries which we pointed out to the woman. She made us another order. This would be a cute date spot or double date spit, but it doesn't look very family friendly. Food - We looked over their extensive menu. I found multiple dishes that I wanted to try. I decided to stick with my favorite, Felafel Sandwich. The Felafel tasted dry with very little flavor. The bread wasn't special and didn't taste fresh. The side salad was very tiny , about the size of one of the little side dishes in a to-go container. The dressing was awful. My boyfriend wouldn't even finish his salad because of the dressing. The fries tastes frozen and full of preservatives. Prices - For the quality of the food I think the prices were very high, especially for the small sides. Location - They have a parking garage next door where you can park for free on the first level. Scattered parking on the street as well. You can miss this place pretty easily. It's down the street from the Mucky Duck. Final Verdict - I want to try this place again because the appetizers looked good, but if this place bombs again for me I won't be back. Overall "D"
(2)
Catherine A.
We dined here with a Groupon on a Friday evening. The waitress was lovely and provided excellent service. The falafel plate was delicious with great presentation. Unfortunately, my husband was not happy with his gyro plate. Huge slabs of what he said were probably microwaved meat. They looked pretty gross to me, too. And my mother-in-law found the tilapia a little dry. I will definitely go back for the falafels but will have to find myself a falafel-eating friend first.
(3)
Gilbert L.
I am a fan of Mediterranean cuisine. I found this place through a co worker that is Turkish. The best part about this place is the bread and how they make it every day. The food always taste great and retains a distinct style so that it is not confused for Bosnian or Greek foods.
(4)
Hilary G.
great food! i would seperate the kitchen from the rest of the place or put a curtain up. kept hearing loud crashes throughout the meal
(4)
David N.
Restaurants are kind of like relationships. Some start out really nice and then take a turn for the worst while others are smooth sailing and some are always up an down. Well this place takes the route of the first scenario. I had driven up and down Kirby twice before giving up and calling the physical location for help with directions. The owner? picked up the phone and gave me directions explaining that it was connected to the Baylor College of Medicine, so I just aimed for that and found free parking in the garage next door. Off to a great start. Once inside we started our meal off with the hummus and pita bread. They also offer olive oil and pita brea free of charge. Next time I'll just stick to that because this is where it starts getting worst. So other tables who do not order hummus get the same amount of pita bread to start, since we have more dipping stuff you would imagine we would want more bread to dip. Well after devouring our initial serving of bread, we asked for more bread since we had more than half a dish of hummus. She comes back with 1 small piece each and a disgusted look on her face. Really? So even though we had finished off the 2nd batch of bread we opted not to bother her with any more and just use the hummus to add to our entree. My friend and I split the Lahmacun which is like a Turkish mini pizza and the adana kebab plate. The Lahmacun was amazing! A bit on the greasy side but very flavorful, the adana kebab was just meh. Honestly, the food to this point was 4 stars. So why 3? The service continued to be off. We had finished our drinks awhile back and no refill. I tried flagging her down multiple times and was ignored. Finally, she came back to ask how we were doing and I asked politely for a refill. She looked very angry but did come back. I'm not sure of the custom but maybe refills are frowned upon? Anyways, we had to once wait a LONG time again just to get the check and close out. It wasn't for the service this place's food totally deserves a 4 star rating.
(3)
Jason W.
The staff was super nice and attentive and the food was flavorful and delicious. There was plenty of parking on the street and in the garage next to it. My kebab was good and the french fries that came with my dinner mate's dish were crunchy and delicious to steal. It didn't blow me away, but I'd definitely go back to try other dishes.
(3)
Hande B.
I love this place! If you want to try Turkish food this is the place you should try it at!!! You wont regret it try babaganush hummus haydari lentil soup kofte cheese pide adana :)
(5)
Yee Z.
Great experience, would recommend turquoise to anyone looking for a unique experience. The food is very tasty and the service was extremely personable. Thank you turquoise for the wonderful dinner, my friends and I had a wonderful time.
(5)
Iana I.
Who doesn't like getting a kiss on the cheek from the chef's mother? In my book, that automatically shoots you up to 5/5 stars. But seriously, food and service were both fantastic here. I've been here twice total (once two years ago for my birthday and again last night). From start to finish, the chef/owner does everything a business owner should do to encourage repeat visits. Almost within a minute of sitting down, the chef came by our table to welcome us, answer any questions and give us suggestions. Here are the food items we tried: Sarma (stuffed grape leaves) Saksuka Coban Salatasi (Shepher's Salad) with Lamb (not an option but if requested, possible) Sultan Beyti Kebab (amazing!!) Dana Sis (also amazing!!) Throughout our dinner, we did not feel abandoned or as if we were being disturbed too much by the service. The chef's mother came by once to refill our bread (which was fluffed to perfection) and talked to us in Turkish even though none of us spoke Turkish. It was a bit amusing to communicate in basic charades methods like I'm-rubbing-my-stomach-to-say-this-is-delicious. At the end, the chef/owner came by and brought us a free sample of the baklava his mother had just finished making. He made all of us feel like important clients he personally knew. When we were walking out, we went by to say goodbye to his mother (who is the epitome of how you picture a grandmother figure), who hugged both girls in our group and gave us each a kiss on each cheek (European style). Then the chef told us to give him a call next time we were going to stop by. I felt like he honestly knew us and we were regulars. Basically, food is great. Service is even better.
(5)
Lesa T.
Turquoise Grill serves average Turkish food at average prices. Serving sizes are pretty large for entrees and salads, but small for hummus and tabuleh. The bread is pretty amazing here though. Although it was pretty dead on a Saturday night, they had an in-house guitarist/singer who was pretty good. There's plenty of parking on the streets near the joint, so no need to pay for parking. Overall, this is a laid-back place to get decent Turkish food, but I don't know if I would go back again.
(3)
Kristen B.
My problem with Turquoise Grill isn't their food taste, it's their food practice. I've never been into this restaurant to eat as my office usually orders for delivery or someone goes to pick it up. On the menu, the cold sandwiches come with chips, potato salad. I ordered a wrap under that section, it came with NEITHER. So the price of my meal included that and it was not provided. I also ordered a Fruit cup. It was literally as if someone in the kitchen was like "Oh here's my left cantaloupe and pineapple" (literally old cantaloupe and like 2 pieces of pineapple. NOT WORTH IT. Then today I ordered and paid for an extra side of Jasmine Rice, it was the same size as the order of rice that everyone got. So basically I paid them extra money for nothing. After reading some of the reviews coupled with my previous experiences, I have come to the conclusion that they are just super cheap. The food doesn't taste bad (except that "fruit cup") but it just seems like they advertise for things that are not given and they are taking money out our pockets in order to save a buck and that's not right.
(3)
Tony D.
Delicious
(5)
Maria J.
Start off with the gyro quesadillas!! The food and the Turkish beer are great! The service can be a bit slow, but the food is worth it. Try the Alexander.
(4)
Sarah D.
Just went here last night and it was DELICIOUS! I found out about this wonderful place when a friend brought some bread baked at Turquoise Grill to our Easter dinner, as an appetizer. We all stuffed ourselves on the delicious fluffy bread (reminds me of naan, but it's not naan...). And so I decided I had to actually go to the restaurant. My date and I walked in around 9 p.m. and the place still had paying, eating customers, which is pretty impressive on a Tuesday night. As soon as we walked in, the owner, Jim, came over and said hello, then made sure we were seated in a nice romantic little corner. Thanks Jim! ;) We ordered the Pastirmali Humus and the Sultan Cigars for our appetizers (two appetizers because we were so indecisive) and while I thoroughly enjoyed them both, my date wasn't a fan. The humus itself was good but he complained that the pastirmali was a little too salty. In any case I thought it was delicious. The cigars reminded me a little of egg rolls, but they were filled with feta cheese. Careful, they make them fresh so they were smokin' hot when they got to our table! For our meal, I ordered the Manti, which is homemade ravioli covered yogurt, tomato butter sauce, and mint. I took one bite and I was in heaven. I cannot rave enough about this dish. I kept half of it for dinner today, and this is probably the third time today my mouth has started watering simply because I was thinking of this meal. I'm running out of adjectives so I'll reuse one: INCREDIBLE. The interaction between the yogurt and the mint and the hot ravioli... oh pardon me I need to go clean my keyboard, somehow I've managed to drool on it. My date ordered the Sultan Beyti Kebap (Ottoman Palace Special #4) and wowwww it was good. The spicy sauce really kicked it up a notch. The dish reminded me of enchiladas, only Jim was sure to tell us that the tortillas used were all homemade - and we could tell! I'm planning to order this dish next time I'm there, because I AM going back, and soon! When you go, prepare for a little bit of a wait. Like I said, everything is homemade and made fresh for you; trust me, the quality of the food you get is worth it. My only complaint is the service. We had a waiter, and that waiter was not the owner Jim, yet Jim was the one who stopped by our table frequently while our waiter did not. As a result our water glasses went empty a few times, and we had to track down the waiter to ask for our check. Like I said though, we went in late at night. [Side note: I just checked their hours on the site because I figured the service was slacking since we were there at closing - and according to their site, they closed 5 minutes after we walked in! Yet we still got an amazing meal with personal attention from the owner - WOW! Now I'm more impressed, if that's possible] I'll leave my review at 4 stars for now, and on my next visit I'll try to go during more "normal" hours and we'll see what happens! The food and hospitality are definitely deserving of 5 stars!
(4)
Nancy C.
I found this place from yelp reviews. Great service, check (although yes they do go by the European way of dining so they give you plenty of time before they hand you your check). Plenty of parking, no wait to get a table, friendly owner, and I'm going back to try their lunch specials. They have complimentary warm bread and evoo feta dip... Got the grill feast so I could sample the meats... It was grilled to perfection, juicy, huge portions. The manti was strange, too much yogurt on itty bitty dumplings that weren't filled with anything really that flavorful.
(4)
Anh D.
This place was delicious! A little hard to find since the restaurant doesn't face Kirby (turn on Norfolk St and you'll see the parking garage). We had the Babbaghannus appetizer, Turquoise Lahmajun pizza, Adana Kebab Platter. Everything tasted really fresh, light, and healthy. The Shepherd Bread that comes with the entree was extra fluffy and delicious with the Babaghannus. I loved the spicy beef and lamb combo on the Adana Kebab--not overbearing spices like some other places. And the Jasmine Vermicelli Rice had a really nice, light flavor with soft texture vs dry rice. Oh and the Baklava was delicious! Not overly drenched with honey and the right amount of crispiness. Service was amazing. Waiter, Owner, and Cook were all very friendly. My new favorite Mediterranean spot in Houston. And prices are cheap.
(4)
Hande J.
This one is very different than the one in SugarLand... I really like how laid back this place is.Service is good and friendly, food is good. My fav is adana durum.It hits the spot every time :)
(4)
Wesley C.
Turquoise grill is repeatedly and city search winner for best Mediterranean food in Houston. And that is saying something because there are some really good Mediterranean food restaurants in Houston. But there is a reason why? When I look for characteristics in an eating establishment I look at service, atmosphere, food, and prices. And personally I think that this place gets an A in all those areas. First, when you walk in the door, the staff greet you with a warm genuine smile, will spend time talking to you and getting to know you as if you were family. And each time you return they often know you by name and graciously thank you for returning. The atmosphere is also great. It is a small restaurant and has a very quaint feel to it. You can smell the food in the brick oven or cooking on the stove. There are culturally appropriate pictures on the wall and a wall full of various awards the have won. You can go there to relax with a nice warm glass of tea or coffee and bring large groups for an intimate party. The food is amazing. I usually like to start off with an order of hummus and an order of Turkish cigars (possibly the best appetizer on the menu if you like feta cheese) There brick oven pizzas and calzones are great, the kabobs are excellent (try the Alexander Kebab...awesome), and there Ottoman Palace special are delicious. The food is homemade and is prepared for scratch so be prepared for a little longer wait then most traditional restaurants...but it is soooo worth it. Lastly, for what you get the prices are good. Some of the special items can get a little more expensive but the portion sizes make the prices well worth it. So all in all, this is an awesome spot and I would recommend it to anyone
(5)
Ann L.
So..there's good parking...and the waiter was nice. But the food? Not really memorable. The menu isn't actually representative of what's served at the location with most of the entrees being served at the Sugar Land location, which is a let down when you're excited to try something and hear "oh, we don't serve that here." Three times. I had the Adana Kebab Platter which was okay. I would say.. go to Niko Niko's, which is NOT Turkish but has many of the same named items and more. Or try out the Sugar Land location, which apparently has all.
(2)
Nina N.
I went to Turkey last summer and fell in love with their food, there isn't much variety in Turkish cuisine, so I had to eat the same thing for a week, but what they do have is really amazing. I wanted to find a place in Houston to satisfy my cravings and Turquoise Grill did just that. The waiter and owner were very nice, they would both come around and ask us how everything was, and I really appreciated that, but I'm going to give a pretty tough review of this place just because I've been to Turkey and I know the food very well. :) My friend and I ordered the chicken and filet mignon kebab dishes and the meat was cooked to perfection and extremely authentic in flavor. The rice was regular white rice and it came with a slice of grilled tomato, a slice of grilled green bell pepper, lettuce, and pide bread. In Turkey the rice has more flavor and color, and their grilled vegetables are cooked longer so it's softer to cut into and has more released flavor, and instead of a green bell pepper, restaurants in Turkey use a whole green jalapeno pepper which goes much better with the meal. Their pide could of been a little softer, I don't like biting into tough bread, so I wasn't too upset that they only gave us two pieces, in Turkey you get the whole round of bread. We also tried the rice pudding which is a common dessert found in Turkey, it was pretty good, just wish they'd put a flame to the top of the pudding and caramelize it a bit. Also with the Turkish meal, it is customary to serve it with apple tea, a very popular drink over there, but I missed this at Turquoise Grill. With a couple of changes this place could really be just like the Turkish restaurants I adored.
(3)
karen c.
Nothing especially exciting but nothing bad leaves me torn in my rating. The service was very good, food was good and generously-sized, but I would never crave Turquoise Grill when there's so many other great places in the Upper Kirby area. The pro is that it is tucked away so if you're looking for something on a busy night, you likely won't have to wait for a table. Sadly, Turquoise Grill didn't really leave an impression so it's not likely I'll be back
(3)
Ana W.
Turquoise Grill is absolutely delicious! How have I not been here before? Why have YOU not been here before? Probably because it's tucked away inside a medical complex and you won't see it from the street! Out of sight, out of mind. But I really encourage you to make an effort and drive around the building a few times until you find this Turkish gem, it's really worth it! My fiance and I were meeting friends, and as usual we were the first to arrive. We needed a table for 6, and the chef himself personally took care of it for us, although it was kind of messy to get a small table from the other side of the restaurant to join another table without disrupting a lot of other diners. This is a pretty casual place, so it wasn't a huge deal. In the moving table mix-up, our chef and waitress forgot to add additional tableware, which is the only reason I docked a star--all night long we had to remind our waitress to bring extra silverware, water glasses, etc. She was absolutely nice about it, and attentive when we needed her, but it was a bit obnoxious to keep discovering missing items and having to flag her down. I want to be clear that I actually think service here is great beyond this little mishap--the chef checked in on our table every 15 minutes to ask how we were doing and introduce himself to our friends when they arrived, and our waitress was very accessible and sweet. And while it's great to become besties with your chef by the end of the night, the real reason you need to come to Turquoise grill is the food. The chef started us off with bread (it was thicker than pita but definitely not a roll--something more like foccacia, without the herbs) and an olive oil, herb and feta dipping sauce (I think this is standard for everyone, we didn't order it). He also brought out some hummus, which again we didn't order and was also delicious. While the restaurant looks pretty casual, they have a decent wine list (at affordable prices!) and we shared a few bottles of merlot at $19 a pop. And they were good! My dining companions and I went in all different directions when it came to picking our meals--you have the option to get a huge table sized platter of several dishes, but since some of us were vegetarians, and others were heavy meat eaters, we opted to do our own thing. I went with a delicious jumbo grilled shrimp, and my fiance got what looked like a fantastic shishkabab dish. Someone else ordered the falafal (presentation was great), and there were several meat dishes too. All you could hear were "oohs" and "aahhs" from our table--each bite was delicious. I can't wait to go back, ALL THE TIME!
(4)
Will S.
Charming and friendly atmosphere. Live music was just right. The lamb kabobs were amazing and don't forget the baklava! I live in Denver now and I wish I could have brought this place with me!
(5)
Nancy K.
I will give it 3 1/2 stars. I had the platter that basically had a little of every meat. The gyro meat was delicious. Eat it freaking fast, because when it gets cold it gets dry. The other meats are too charred and too dry for my taste. However, my Turkish friend loved it. I think its preference. What makes this place good is not the main entrees but the little things: The service was wonderful and perfect. The owner and the other co-workers were very sweet and helpful. The Turkish tea was perfect. The baklava desserts were freaking amazing!!! The peach juice was so good and creamy. Like everyone said, it's in a bad location though.
I was about to embark on a 10 day trip to Turkey when I decided to try out an authentic Turkish restaurant. After being directed to visit the Turquoise Grill I dragged along the husband. I requested the most authentic, traditional Turkish dish and the waiter (behind the counter) suggested I get the Kofta. I enjoyed the Turkish meatballs, the delicious rice and pida that was served with it. It was very similar to most of the kofta ordered in Turkey! After dinner we ordered baklava which was delicious as well!
(4)
Melissa H.
Let's just start off with location. How badly located can this be? It was hard to find. Or maybe I'm just a little bad with directions. But seriously, you have to look hard to find it. I'll save you time by saying it's located in the building by the parking garage. They're pretty much stuck to each other. Now onto service ... it was okay. Not so great. Maybe I went on a bad night? But it was Saturday night and there was no one but me and my friends and another table. Oh and everything's very turquoise just like the name. The food was good. They give you a lot for the dinner portions and I got filled up on the meet and couldn't even finish all my food. You have to try their bread. It's delicious! I'm not too sure I would go here again though. I've had better Med. like food.
(3)
Eddie G.
La-ma-June, aka Turkish pizza is the best I've tasted in all of Houston..maybe Texas. Really neat family runs this place and their meat and spices will keep bringing you back.
(5)
Courtney H.
I celebrated my 16th wedding anniversary here. The food was delicious and the wait staff was friendly and helpful. I've been there several times since my anniversary. The food has been consistently delicious. My goal is to try everything on the menu! When eating there, you get the sense that the food is fresh. No processed foods made ahead of time. I can't say enough about the waiters. They are always helpful and know the menu well. They have been helpful in suggesting items for me to try based on my likes and dislikes. Jim, the owner is a dream. He is so friendly and appreciative of the business. He completely defies the stereotype of the aloof restaurant owner/chef. You can't go wrong with this restaurant!
(5)
Bill B.
Really good, consistent food. Try the daily special -- it's always great. The staff here are sooo nice and eager to please. I'm always amazed it's not more crowded.
(4)
Richard A.
Lamb gyro was very tasty
(4)
Lilian O.
After driving by this place countless number of times, a female friend and I decided to stop in for lunch. We weren't sure if we could park in the garage next to the restaurant so we ended up parking on the street. Be careful of the street parking as the side directly across from the restaurant is a 30 minute parking zone from 7 A - 7 P. The first table my friend and I sat at inside of the restaurant was way too cold as the AC vent was blasting right at us. Yes it's 96 degrees outside but no need to give us frostbite inside! After switching tables, it was much better. I got the vegetable kabob which came with grilled baby eggplant, tomatoes, bell pepper, and mushrooms. On the side was salad and rice. The grilled vegetables had good flavor to them as some places don't even bother with the spices. When we were getting ready to pay, the owner brought out free baklava for us. It was really buttery, really flaky, and not too sweet. Not very good for you but very tasty. Compared to other Turkish or Mediterranean restaurants in town, this one was just ok in my book.
(3)
Ben J.
The servers greet you as 'my friends'! The food is exquisite and full of flavor. I recommend the 'Alexandar', which is a savory gyro plate.
(5)
ricky k.
Simply put, the food here wasn't anything special. In my opinion, it is not even authentic Turkish food, but I don't claim to be an expert in that type of cuisine. The price was extremely outrageous for the food we got. I paid 72 dollars plus a 13 dollar tip for 3 entrees featuring gyro meat drizzle with tomato sauce on a plate, and 1 entree featuring 4 lamb chops. I am from Chicago, and you can get the best gyros that you had in your life for 7 bucks a plate. You do the math.
(1)
L. H.
Not fresh. This has to be a front for something else. Or the office tenants and their patrons must frequent here because maybe it's just convenient or they feel sorry for the owners. It's certainly not the food. It's close to my house and I wanted tabouli, hummus and some dinner- it seemed like a good idea. First- it's a million degrees in there. It's summer, I get it. I'm hungry, just feed me please. Plates and silverware were dirty. Straight up greasy thumbprint on my knife. Not a good start. Whoever said this is great Mediterranean or Turkish food- I have to politely and firmly disagree with you. This shit was awful. Heard a microwave ding go off more than once. Grape leaves- dolmades were a let down. Tasted store bought. Rice was precooked and then very obviously reheated-- Mediterranean chicken was super dry and not an even temperature (cue the microwave). The sauce that came with the chicken was almost offensive. Like it was a textural nightmare of some left out and forgotten, day old sweet and sour sauce from a Chinese takeout joint sprinkled with a few sesame seeds and some red chili flakes for flare... Slightly reminiscent of corn syrup?! WTF. Why is this included? Vegetables were frozen and reheated-- not grilled fresh. Total rip off. Tabouli was OK it was more parsley than the other usual counterparts. Very little lemon or acidic freshness I think of when I think tabouli. Falafel. Do not order. It tasted like raw pancake batter mixed with chickpeas fried in very old grease--it is not true falafel. And the shape looked like a literal turd. I am laughing as I type this. Friends- I'm serious. Don't eat here. Don't order the turd falafel. I felt like Gordon Ramsey was going to walk through the door and begin an episode of kitchen nightmares. That being said, the one star is for giving me free bread- that will always win a star from this free bread loving lady.
(1)
Kat W.
The friendliness of the staff is the real highlight of this place. As I was thinking about what to select from the menu, the chef whipped up a little sample of the daily special for me to try! (It was barbeque brisket, and though it was tasty, I was in the mood for something more Mediterranean.) I don't remember the name of the dish I had, but it was gyros meat grilled with tomatoes and cubes of bread and topped with yogurt, and it was delicious. I would definitely go back.
(4)
Alicia R.
Almost 4 stars. It's hidden away on the side of a business building, and is a nice little escape from the ordinary. I've been here twice, and to be honest have little recollection of what I had the first time around. The last time I went, I came for lunch with my boyfriend on the weekend. The owner was very friendly. During the day, the inside is bright and refreshing, and there are seats outside. He had a gyro plate, and I had the Moroccan chicken. Both were pretty large portions. My boyfriend's gyro meat was a bit overdone, but not bad on flavor. I'm not sure I would get the Moroccan chicken again, but it wasn't bad. The sauce it was served with reminded me a bit of an Asian sauce, sweet and spicy. I liked the drilled vegetables a lot. Outside of the size of the chicken, it felt like a fairly healthy meal. Best part: baklava. The owner said it was fresh, and it was very delicious.
(3)
Adrianne P.
Good food, portions are very large. The iskendar was very good, gyro meat probably not made in house, but was good considering. Loved the hummus & came with plenty of freshly made bread. Greek salad could feed 4 people!
(4)
Mack B.
Love the homemade lentil and chicken soups. Flatbread from the brick oven makes for great soup-dipping!
Daniel D.
The food here was actually fairly good. I got a lasagna lunch special with 2 veggies that was pretty good. But maybe I was just super hungry by the time I got it because it took waaaaaay too long to get my food at a relatively light lunch rush. It took close to half an hour for them to get my food out to me in spite of the fact that several others in our group got their food within 10-15 minutes of ordering (still not super-speedy and certainly not "good" but better by comparison). In fact, 3 members of our group opted to have them pack it up and get it to go because we had already been there a full hour and needed to return to work. Placating us with hummus/yogurt/dolmades and promising to "make it up to us next time" doesn't really cut it, sorry. If two guys come in 20-30 minutes after us and place their order and get their food before several folks in our group get theirs, then something isn't quite right. None of the orders were all that exotic, because they don't even have that wide-ranging of a menu. There were 13 total items to choose from, and that's it! The only way I'd consider coming back here is for a dinner where I had lots of time to kill and I think where they run a more expanded menu to choose from.
(1)Heidi H.
I really like Turquoise. I'm not sure a lot of people know its here because every time I've been been there have only been a few other couples seated. I can't believe I haven't reviewed this place yet. I sort of didn't want I guess because I feel like it's my little secret. I guess I'm a lil selfish, huh? I discovered this place over a year ago on Valentine's day. The ex didn't know to make reservations in Houston- but it worked out because we found this little gem. The chef, who remembered me by name after my first visit (and ever since) is such a nice man, not to mention a great chef! He's very personable making eating here a little unique. I love the inviting atmosphere & hope it stays this way. It's not a big place: has maybe 8 or 10 small tables with fresh flowers on each, the big brick oven, and service make this a family owned & operated business high on my list. They do not have waiters running all over the place asking you if they can refill your glass every 5 minutes. Some might see this as bad service, so you might need to get his attention for refills, check, etc. So don't come if you're in a hurry. I order the Turkish kabobs every time because I love lamb-- then try my best not to fill up on the bread & hummus before it arrives. Last time I visited the lamb was overcooked, but that didn't keep me from eating it :) In short: Good fresh food, reasonably priced, quiet place for a date. The only reason this has 4 stars and not 5 is because I only give 5 stars to restaurants I would kill for. Turquoise Grille hasn't asked me to kill anybody yet.. so I think 4.4 stars is right. (note to TG: all you have to do is ask...)
(4)ali s.
Never had anything bad here. Lahmcun is terrific, as is any of their grilled meats. Tomato sauce accompanying the Alexander is unreal! Delish!
(5)Katie F.
Holy doner kebab, Batman! Turquoise Grill is now one of my favorite restaurants in Houston. It's a combination of the fantastic food, doting chef, and relaxed atmosphere that puts this place over the top. Chef Jim puts his heart and soul into his business, and it shows: he greets every customer with the same excitement and welcoming warmth one would expect only from a family member. He remembers your name, gives you special treats like bites of homemade baklava and Turkish tea, and he's just downright enjoyable to talk with. The service isn't particularly fast, but then again, you don't go to Turquoise Grill to get a quick bite. You stay the evening, listen to the happy chatter of the table next to you, and savor your food until well after the sun goes down. If you go on Saturday night, make sure to call ahead for reservations. There's live flamenco dancing, a Ukranian belly dancer, and much more. As for the food, I can't think of a place that is more consistently excellent in the realm of Turkish food than here. The kebabs are a great choice, no matter if you go with the chicken, lamb, beef, or a combination thereof. Make sure to save enough room for both an appetizer (the fried eggplant is excellent) and dessert (yum...baklava). To wash it all down, a nice hot cup of Turkish tea sure hits the spot.
(5)Jyotsna M.
I went for dinner, and this place is a great find. It's quiet and intimate, the owner came out to greet us and check on our meal, and all the food was excellent. The complimentary pita bread/cheese/olive oil left me wanting more (as in a LOT more). The chicken shish kebab was excellent and my friend who tried the beef enjoyed it as well. I will definitely be back to explore the rest of the menu. Recommended for a quiet dinner when you actually want to hear your companions talk. Good date spot as well.
(4)Food L.
I LOVE this place. I thought it was just a regular mediterranean place, but their menu includes pretty authentic, legit Turkish food. GOOD FOOD!! Chef Jim is awesome. Lamb is awesome. Beyti is very verrrrrry good. And the flat bread!!! Always fresh and warm. The place is pretty casual and small. They will usually have the soccer games on from Europe. I've never tried it, but their lunch menu seems very good and reasonably priced. I can't wait to go back. The only thing about this place is that it's a little hard to find. You can't really see it from Kirby, but it's in the Baylor Family Med building.
(5)Sadia R.
I had a party here for my mom and sister..and the owner was very accomodating. the food was divine..they make their own yogurt and it is soo creamy and delicious!!! I always get the Iskander kebab its my favorite entree..the baklwa and turkish coffee hands down the best way to end a meal..overall i just love this place because of the great service they provided when i had over 60 guests at their restaurant and the quality of their food is always fantastic!
(5)Danny G.
The experience was wonderful. I had dinner with a few friends and the Owner/Chef made us feel as if we were sitting in his home dinning room. The Food was flavorful and fresh, I doubt there is a bad thing on the menu. We were treated to a Belly Dancer and after dinner tea. Memories were made!
(5)Patrick B.
My wife and I were attending an event in the area on a Saturday morning recently, so we decided to check out the Turquoise Grill based on the reviews we saw here on Yelp. While the food was top notch, the service was lacking at times. I'm willing to give the restaurant a second chance, though, given the extenuating circumstances. When we arrived, we were quickly greeted and led to a table near the window. When we were sat, we weren't given any menus, however. I believe I read that in another review here as well, so it seems like a common problem. Perhaps they get a lot of "regulars" who don't need a menu? We hardly look Turkish, however (I mean, I'm so pale you can practically see through me!) so I don't think anybody thought we were regulars. While not a big deal, it's these small details which can add up to a frustrating service experience later on in the meal. As we browsed the menu, we were given some Shephard Bread, along with some olive oil and spices. This bread was AMAZING. So fluffy and soft, and went so brilliantly with the spiced oil! Nice! As we perused the menu, we were excited to see lots of great dishes. I love Middle Eastern food, so I was excited to dig in! I ordered the Adana Kebab Platter -- the menu describes this as a "blend of spicy ground beef and lamb on our homemade lavash flat bread." This is one of my favorite dishes to order when I visit restaurants like this! I was stoked! My wife ordered the Turquoise Salad, with a grilled chicken add-on. This was a traditional salad with feta, olives and balsamic vinegar and olive oil. The grilled chicken was essentially their grilled chicken from one of their kebabs. The food itself was all very tasty. The kebab was cooked perfectly, well seasoned, and juicy. The accompanying bread was also very good, and the rice that came with it was very fluffy, not at all sticky. My wife's salad was also tasty, and the chunks of chicken were fresh off their grill, and well seasoned. My largest concern with the food was the value for the price. I've been to other similar restaurants, and got twice as much food for around the same price. While the quality was very good here, it wasn't that much better than other similar restaurants. With that said, the service experience, which started with missing menus only got worse. One positive note, before I move to the negative, is that the owner came up to us early in our visit, and greeted us very pleasantly. He then told us of the upcoming game between Turkey and Serbia (I think) -- this international basketball game was about to start, and the flat screen TV would be tuned to this. We got there about 30 minutes before the game started and the restaurant was fairly empty; as gametime approached, however, the small restaurant quickly filled up with Turkish basketball fans, eager to see their favorite sons beat up on the Serbian upstarts. And herein lies the service problem we experienced. Our food came out very quickly, before the game started, and after that we didn't really see our server again. She was too busy taking care of the 20 other new customers. They apparently didn't have any extra help on duty to take care of this event. So as our water glasses went empty, we had to wait awhile before we could flag down our server for a refill. When we were finished with our plates, they stood empty on our table for about ten minutes before the owner noticed, and took them away. Then we waited another few minutes to get a check, and a few more to pay. All in all, very disappointing! If it wasn't for the fact that I love the food, this would be at best a 2-star review. I have to give it the third star because the food was really tremendous -- when it comes down to it, food trumps service. I'll deal with some bad service to get some yummy yummy food. LIke I said, I will chalk this up to extenuating circumstances -- there was a big event going on. I understand that, but that's a management issue -- they should staff accordingly. I will probably try this place again, but I'm hoping that these types of problems won't occur again.
(3)Brandy Z.
I have gained a liking on Turkish food since being in Texas I dont go much but if Im out celbrating with friends Its a place I consider. Went here the other night. Was in the busness downtown district of Houston. Cafe Style but a relaxing setting. Had a guy singing Turkish songs with his guitar infront of us while we were eating. We ordered a red lentil soup It was awesome guess it was pretty famouse since it was on the cover of a newpaper review on the wall, the food was wicked cheap especially the appetizers most ranged from 3 dollars got a garlic dill dip cant remember the name think it was Babaghnnush but it was amazing. and we pretty much licked the plate clean the the fresh hot flat triangler bread they served with it. For the entree we shared a mixed grill plater Samples of döner (gyros), inegöl köfte, lamb, chicken, & tenderloin shish kebabs. Was pretty good reminded me of middle eastern food very generous amount more then enough to eat there. I like the Cafe Istanbul in Dallas the best still but this place was pretty good and was Zagat rated as well as other awards.
(3)Steve C.
Our first visit, for lunch, was reasonably successful. The gyro was generous and the herb and seed covered pita it was served in was a nice change. So we were very disappointed that our second visit at dinner time was a total failure. We were welcomed with a small basket of the same bread with olive oil. So far so good. We ordered salads, which were served on what I would call teacup saucers. Surprisingly small for about $3.50, and even more shockingly, both David's salad which consisted mainly of tomatoes and peppers and mine, with lettuce, feta cheese and vinaigrette, lacked flavor. I got the gyro plate - slices of meat, rice and (sadly) pretty much the same bland salad I'd just eaten. The portion of meat was adequate but just barely. David's six meatballs were sausage-shaped, rather small, and reminded him of brown 'n serve. We didn't get any additional bread with our meals, despite it being listed as an accompaniment to our entrees. I guess the two small pieces of bread we got when we sat down counted as our bread for the evening. Perhaps the most disappointing thing was David's iced tea glass remained empty after three visits by our server. We spent $40 and David only half jokingly asked if we could stop by Taco Cabana on our way out, as he was still hungry. I'd love to support a local, obviously family owned and run place that's hard to find and not super busy. I just can't see any reason to do so. Especially since David is eating two microwaved tamales a half hour after dinner.
(2)Steve L.
Good Mediterranean food and friendly staff. Nice change of pace on upper Kirby.
(4)Laurie H.
When I worked in this area, I used to eat here fairly often. It is different, and I love the dish they call mediterranean pizza. It appears to be a small family owned business, which is cool. However, I did find that the service was VERY inconsistent, which is why they get 3 stars. I'm not sure how long the place had been around, but at lunch they were sometimes overwhelmed. You order at the counter and they call your number when your food is ready. Once they lost my order. Another time I waited 30 minutes to get my order. I haven't been in more than a year, though, since I don't work in the area anymore. Service may have improved.
(3)Agnes S.
Just Yummy! and the service is great!
(5)Armanius M.
Found this place while Yelping and decided to give it a try. I'd been wanting to try out some sort of lamb dish after years of rejecting all lamb dishes because of the gaminess. Weird craving. I had a lamb stew that came in a clay pot which actually tasted pretty good. Given that this was my first time fully embracing a lamb dish (as opposed to nibbling off someone else's plate), the dish was certainly a success. My GF had a beef tips dish, which was even better than mine. So far so good eh? BUT in looking at others people's reviews, one comment that stood out was the slow "European" style service. Boy ... whoever wrote that was right on. The place was not crowded at all (especially for a Friday night), but the service was SUPER slow. Even though the waiter apologized for the slow service and was very nice, there was really no excuse for the slowness. For example, it took the waiter about 20 minutes to bring the dessert to us even though it should not have taken more than 60 seconds to get two pieces of baklava stored behind the glass counter. If it had been a busy night, his slowness would have been excused. But there was only one other table, and that was the table that the owner of the restaurant was sitting in chatting with friends (and they weren't even eating)! The waiter was instead just standing behind the counter chit-chating with one of the kitchen workers. I really liked the food and want to go back again. But the service was so frustratingly slow that it nearly drove my GF and me crazy. This place lost two stars because of the slow service. And typically, I'm actually a fairly patient guy when it comes to restaurant service!
(2)Les A.
Love the family run atmosphere and friendly service, but the fish and lamb have been consistently over cooked on our visits. Go for the gyros. That seems to one thing that has been tender with excellent flavor.
(3)Caroline K.
WHAT A TREAT! My three gal pals and I walked in at 9 on a Saturday night and rolled out at midnight happily filled to the brim. Upon entering we were greeted by Jim, the owner/chef. What a guy. His love for his food and restaurant is so apparent that we were immediately put in good moods. He has a very European outlook on meals: the experience one has at a restaurant is AS important if not MORE important than the food itself. Dont get me wrong, the food was AMAZING. Before ordering anything we were brought out wine samples as well as food samples. If we didn't order all of the things he suggested (would have been wayyy to much food) he brought out samples of each of them with our entrees, just so that we would know what they tasted like for next time. We were told stories of how he came to know how to make the signature bread that is served (shepherds bread which he was taught to make by a village woman in Turkey) and of his family. I seriously left this restaurant feeling like I had gained a lifelong friend. We ordered: - hummus and dolmas to start - He created a large family style plate for the four of us to eat. it consisted of chicken kabobs, beef sausage things, lamb chops and salmon... all over rice with salad and veggies on the side. This was served with two sauces... a yogurt sauce and a red sweet sauce... both excellent. verdict: wonderful food to go along with a wonderful restaurant. It really is a gem and I suggest everyone try it out. As others have mentioned, it DOES take longer because everything is homemade and also because no one really seems in a rush... as I said its all about the EXPERIENCE here. For example, Jim decided it was unacceptable when we said we were to full for dessert and just wanted the check. He proceeded to bring more wine, samples of desserts, and his signature hot tea. We ended up staying another hour truly enjoying ourselves. I can not wait to go back! niko who?
(5)Cindy Y.
My husband and I love this unpretentious little restaurant. The food is very good and the staff very friendly and attentive. Their red lentil soup is delicious and the baklava perfect - not too sweet like so many I have tried. If the owner is in, he will always make a point to come talk to guests at the table, ask them how they are doing, etc. Its a very quiet place on weekdays but weekends it really comes alive. We dropped by on a Saturday night to find the place packed and rocking out with two beautiful and talented belly dancers. The atmosphere felt almost like we were guests at a party at someone's home. Highly recommended!
(5)Zopa H.
I won't consider this place for dating night . The light was awfully bright and my favorite lamb shanks were not there. I went with a friend of mine. She said Lamb chops were great
(3)Cody V.
Great Greek and Turkish dishes, especially the lamb. The menu selection is a bit limited, as vegetarians will find that they have two or three options at best. Great atmosphere with live (but not intrusive) music, and the staff is very friendly.
(4)D.M. R.
We went here for our anniversary, just for something quiet and Mediterranean and somewhere new. We had the Mixed Grill and there were two items on the plate that were not good. A long turd looking thing, not sure what it was and the meatball (which is not in the shape of a meatball). The qyro meat and kabobs were really good though and so was the rice. We had attentive staff for the most part and the apps and salads were good. The tabouli wasn't that great, it had a ton of scallions in it and I hate scallions and the flavor it leaves behind even when you pick them out. The "cigars" were especially good when dipped in the accompanying tomato sauce. We didn't try dessert but we appreciated trying something new in a cozy environment.
(3)Vicky P.
The food here is really good and the owner made a point to come over and say hello. The Turkish food tasted really authentic, however the atmosphere is lacking. I'd come again for lunch but not dinner.
(4)Summer F.
I probably dont know enough about Turkish food to say whether the food here is good or not. But the service was wonderful. The restaurant stayed open late for us and they turned an evening that started out bad into something memorable. I cant guarantee everyone will have quite such an experience, but we recently went to the Sugar Land location and everyone went out of there way to be friendly also, so maybe it was not just a fluke.
(4)Cariann G.
I went to Turquoise Grill last night and was happy with my boyfriend's decision to go there for dinner! The hot tea was great. It had a lot of flavor and the bf said his turkish coffee was just what he needed/wanted. another person in our group got one of the Turkish red wines and said it was quite tastey also. The feta/olive oil mix that they bring out with the bread is awesome. Much better than the usual olive oil and herb mix at most places. The bread was great too. It was sort of hard on the outside but perfectly soft on the inside! Everyone at the table got something different but most plates consisted of beef or lamb. The tilapia is pretty good, but the shrimp were very small. The beef and lamb plates were delicious and very similar to greek cooking. The jasmine rice that comes on every plate tasted so much better than regular white rice. I am not usually a fan of white rice, but the jasmine made it worth eating. Along with rice, you get a mix of salad greens, feta, vinagrette, onions and carrots on the end of your plate. It was so pretty to look at, but tasted even better. The only not so great things are the fact that the waiters have a hard time with English and no one in there is in much of a hurry. It was a very relaxing dinner. I definitely would not come here if you are in a hurry or just dropping in for a quick meal. All in all, this place is really good and worth going to when you have the time!
(4)Jackson M.
I've only been here once but I can't say anything bad about this place. Great location, although kind of hidden on a side street off of Kirby between two office buildings. The food was great (I had an Armenian Pizza type thing and my friend had a salad), the service was quick, and the people were all incredibly friendly. The chef even came over to our table to make sure everything was okay. I will definitely be returning.
(5)Stephen L.
I have been here twice for dinner. This place has amazing service. The last time I went, I was with a large group celebrating a birthday. The owner came out to greet our group and treated us like family. I recommend this place highly if you have a large group and need a table for dinner. I have never been to a restaurant that has been so accommodating to a large group. I believe that this restaurant does most of its business at lunch, because both of the times I've been here for dinner, the restaurant was mostly empty. However, this is a good thing because our server actually had the time to be extremely helpful and attentive. It is unfortunate that they are in an odd location (first floor of a medical plaza) because I think they would have a packed house at dinner if they were located elsewhere. The food was excellent, very fresh and on par with some of the best Mediterranean places I've been to in Houston. They also have a decent wine selection.
(5)Donna E.
Great dining experience. The food was very good. I had the Tilapia Alexander, which was great. (Tilapia with a tomato base sauce serviced with roasted veggies and rice). The owner Jim is very warm and friendly. He personally greeted each guest and thanked us with a dessert. The belly dancing performance was good and entertaining.
(5)Maithili B.
I want to begin by stating that I actually give this place 3.5 stars. I tried a bunch of food here thanks to my friend's wonderful family who were treating me very generously. First up, the apricot juice. It was a bit too sweet for my taste and definitely wasn't super fresh, but came pretty close to the authentic version which is called qamar al deen in Arabic. The Turkish tea was pretty good as well--not too bitter and hot enough that it didn't scald my tongue. For appetizers I tried the spinach feta calzone, which was really delicious. The bread was super soft and tasted like it was freshly baked. For main course I got the falafel platter, which essentially was fried chickpea cutlets with hummus. The falafels were pretty delicious and very filling, but the hummus was alright. Having lived in Jordan for two-and-a-half months, I've become accustomed to homemade, top-quality hummus, so my expectations were high. I have to admit, I was very disappointed with the lack of vegetarian options especially because the restaurant claims to have a "vegetarian menu" (according to my friend who looked this place up before we went) and it totally didn't have one. Service--4/5. Our server was very friendly and had some great recommendations, but I felt like she kept pushing me to get the one vegetarian option on the menu. I'm always slightly annoyed when restaurants oversell the one vegetarian dish on the menu as if it's the best dish ever. I'd just appreciate a straight-up, "I'm sorry we have very few vegetarian dishes, but why don't you try what we do have" vs. "you should definitely get the boiled vegetables, because it's absolutely delicious." Because of course I'll that one veggie dish, what else will I have as a vegetarian? And if you're recommending boiled vegetables, it better be the best goddamn vegetables I've ever eaten. Moving on (sorry for my little rant there), the ambience was just okay. Simple and clean with a few photos. Nothing special but nothing terrible either.
(3)Alexis B.
Decent Mediterranean restaurant with some vegetarian options!
(3)Tori U.
You can't really go wrong with some simple Turkish/Greek food near the Medical Center. Especially as there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of competing ventures in the River Oaks neighborhood. I liked the long, tuscan colored interior and the unadulterated menu favorites. The casual Turquoise Grill lets you grab something cafeteria style with its pay and go system up at the counter. Or you can choose to have a sit-down meal in its small, no frills restaurant. It's a bit difficult to find as it's wedged between buildings. It wasn't crowded (actually quite empty around 1:45pm) and we were served quickly. The owner was very eager to tell us the specials and deals and waitress was quick to move things along. My Shepherd salad with falafel was nice but a bit overpriced for the basic dish and portion size. I think going for the $13.95 3-course set lunch is probably the most efficient, but I was in the mood for something not protein based and they didn't have a vegetarian option for the entree. Definitely worth a try if you are in the area and have the munchies for some Mediterranean.
(3)Jason M.
Let's make this quick and as painless as possible. My friend ordered the Lamb Shank, which had good flavor, except it had just been reheated in the microwave. This was obvious because the meat close to the bone was still cold. They took it back to reheat it, naturally, and it came back with more steam than a sauna. My other friend ordered the Beef Shish Kabob. You would hope it wasn't simply reheated, but who knows? The rice had a really funky texture. I got the Gyro. It came packed with meat, but that's all. No tomatoes? No onions? Let's circle back to the Lamb Shank again. Reheated! That thing ain't cheap, either. Reheated!
(1)Collette Lapham C.
I had lamb with vegetables, marinara and yogurt sauce. The food was very good. Nothing wowed me but I'd go back again. The biggest complaint I have about this place was the dirty dishes. My coffee cup had residue in it and my spoon had brown residue on it. They really need to clean they're dishes better.
(3)Noel S.
I really like this restaurant taken as it is. A casual place to get Mediterranean food in river oaks. If you don't expect the world....This place is pretty awesome. Week nights it's empty so you get your food quickly. I recommend the combo app platter and the kabobs, lots of flavor. Also the desserts are good esp. For the price.
(4)Adam B.
Came early evening right after work with a friend. Seeing as we were the only people there the service was slow and infrequent. The food was more than okay, but drink refill and general awareness was subpar. This place must be better at Lunch than dinner seeing as the other reviews were highly positive. I don't believe we will be returning any time soon.
(2)Srikanth J.
I went around noon on a weekday. This place is surrounded by office buildings. It was not as busy when I walked in. The lady behind the counter took the order of the person in front of me and disappeared around the kitchen area. There were 2 others( a cook and what seemed like a guy who was the owner). I was waiting there for 5 minutes just to get my order in, and it was not even busy. I hope they re-organize their operations especially around peak times. I give a 3-star for the efforts of Jim, the owner( who responded to my original grievance on yelp) walking around the place, asking customers if they need anything. Will give it another chance sometime.
(3)Fran B.
A family owned restaurant. Very friendly staff. Fresh food - very tasty. They have a very loyal clientel. It's located off Kirby in a medical center. Lots of free parking. The staff wants you to have a great experience - if you have any questions ask them and they will guide you. They have food to go too.
(4)Muhammad A.
5 star or 3 star food? Can't say. When this place is on, it's absolutely delicious and you're not going to find better Middle Eastern/Mediterranean in Houston. That's about 70% of the time. But if you go here enough you will get average food on occasion. A lack of consistency can keep a very good restaurant from being great, and unfortunately that's the case for Turquoise Grill. The owner is an awesome and really friendly guy, and if he can monitor his business a little better he'll have one of the best restaurant's in Houston. Everything on the menu is worth trying, and if you're a gyro fan - this is your place.
(4)Vanesa V.
Good service but terrible food! I really wished the food was better since all the people that worked there seem really nice and friendly but unfortunately I won't be coming back due to the lackluster food. I ordered the chicken kebab lunch special, when the food arrived to the table it smelled great but that excitement soon turned into dismay when I realized my chicken was still extremely raw in the middle. They took the chicken back and put it back on the grill but I think that just made the chicken even worse because it became over cooked and charred. Overall I still think Pasha in rice village has the best Turkish food and they offer delicious complimentary bread at Pasha unlike this place.
(2)Dani N.
It is indeed cheap! Two entrees and one glass of wine was $30. We used the Yelp check-in offer that said you get one free cold appetizer with the purchase of an entree. I showed it to the server and, although she was very sweet, seemed confused and had a loud discussion with the manager in Turkish regarding its validity just a few tables away. This seemed a little inappropriate and I debated just telling her to forget about it... It was eventually sorted and she did redeem the offer. My husband had the Moroccan chicken and I had the Adana Kebab platter. Everything had good, although strong, flavor, and my only complaint is that the beef/lamb mixture wasn't tender enough. There was absolutely no one in the restaurant at 6:30 on a Friday, which seemed weird. Overall, the food was good for the money, they just need to work on their customer service.
(3)edgard k.
Nice, quiet Turkish restaurant with convenience parking (you can use the parking garage adjacent to it). Good place to catch Turkish soccer games on TV too. If you've never tried Turkish grilled meat entrees, just order the mixed grill so you can try everything (I like kofte and adana the best) - and please don't miss the jasmine rice as the side. For something that you don't normally find in other restaurants in Houston, try the Sultan kebab. If you're in the mood for bread, order pide or maybe lahmacun for a lighter option. To finish the meal, try the Turkish tea pot to wake you up or rice pudding if you're looking for something sweet.
(4)Yvette A.
I think it's possible to go from 2 stars to 5 stars with being the same business but in different locations. It's entirely a different experience at this Kirby location. On my 3 visits to this location, the staff is exceptionally friendly and attentive. No loud saxophonists and more of a family-run restaurant feel. All the dinner entrees that crowded the table kept the table satisfied: My köfte plate, the iskender kebab, the dana sis and of course, the sultan beyti kebab looked beautiful, as usual. I even got a small Turkish history lesson from all the hanging pictures from my bf's dad. I must say, my favorite part is the Kunefe. Oh man, it's heavenly. Apparently it's one of the only warm Turkish desserts. It's a shredded wheat type of dough (turns crispy) with mozzarella type of cheese in the middle, warm syrup heavily drenched over, topped with crushed pistachios. Make sure to order some çay to wash this dish down. (I'm even considering changing my "Last Meal on Earth" answer to Kunefe.) I love me some TG Kirby.
(5)Edward M.
I've been to this establishment several times. I've enjoyed it and talked about it enough that a friend gave me a $100 gift certificate to redeem. I saved it and decided to redeem it a few days before it was set to expire. The waitress said she would have to call the owner; she then handed me the phone so I could talk to him. He said he would honor the certificate because he doesn't use those anymore --he uses cards now, apparently. I told him about the expiration date and he asked if it had a signature. It did not. The certificate had my name, the gifter's name, the gift amount and the owner's business card attached to it. The owner made me feel as if I was trying to defraud him with a counterfeit gift certificate. Honestly, why would I do that? I left the certificate there along with my phone number and asked him to call me back. I have not been able to get a hold of him. He'll likely say that it's valid but now expired, probably. Don't purchase gift cards from here, they'll end up taking your money as they did mine. The experience left a bad taste in my mouth; I won't return.
(1)Cindy Y.
My fiancé and had a client in the same building so we decided to grab lunch without having to travel too far and Turquoise Grill was just on the corner of the building. The workers there are extremely kind the prices however aren't though. We got the Tilapia w/ veggies, rice & vermicelli and it wasn't anything special. The tilapia was cooked perfectly; nice and crispy on the edges. The rice w/ vermicelli was delicious. The tomato sauce that came with it wasn't anything special. Was just tomato sauce out of the can. Made the dish very boring. The portions were very small for the price you pay. The bread you get is extremely tough. They were kind enough to give us another basket of bread on the house on their own accord but even that one was too tough.
(3)Mariam Z.
Great place and its cheap too!! I tried the Alexander (iskender Kebab) and my friend ordered the Adana kabab. This is great Turkish food. My only concern is that we had the yelp deal of a free cold appetizer with an entree, and we showed it to them and asked about it before we ordered. However in the bill they still charged us for the appetizer. I guess, check your bill before paying!
(4)Frances N.
The food was good for a one-time fling, but baby I wouldn't come back. For the price I paid, the food didn't blow me away. FOOD - 3 stars ===== - Cold Meze Sampler (grape leaves, babaghannush, hummus, etc.) $12.95 - Gyro Calzone $7.95. SERVICE - 3 stars ======== I will say, though, the waitress gave us a priceless memory when she returned our checks with hilariously misspelled names: Dennis became "Donis," Andrew became "Endru," and Frances became "Frensis" forevermore! ATMOSPHERE - 3 stars ============ Restaurant was a bit hard to find and tucked away from the road. We parked in a lot next to the restaurant. NOTE: I came here 8/10/2012 so this review is waaaaay overdue!
(3)Katie T.
I stopped in here with my mom to order take out for our family. It was a Sunday around 4:30pm. Ambiance - When we walked in I couldn't even tell the place was opening. A middle aged woman and her mother (I suppose) were sitting in chairs on the floor watching TV. They reassured me they were open. I realized I had been here before for a banquet years ago. The place looks like it used to be counter service style with an open grill and long counter with a register. Tables are scattered about pretty close together. If this place was busy it would be uncomfortable. We waited for our order for a decent amount of time. When our order was ready we were given empty cups to fill ourselves with ketchup. Our order was missing an order of fries which we pointed out to the woman. She made us another order. This would be a cute date spot or double date spit, but it doesn't look very family friendly. Food - We looked over their extensive menu. I found multiple dishes that I wanted to try. I decided to stick with my favorite, Felafel Sandwich. The Felafel tasted dry with very little flavor. The bread wasn't special and didn't taste fresh. The side salad was very tiny , about the size of one of the little side dishes in a to-go container. The dressing was awful. My boyfriend wouldn't even finish his salad because of the dressing. The fries tastes frozen and full of preservatives. Prices - For the quality of the food I think the prices were very high, especially for the small sides. Location - They have a parking garage next door where you can park for free on the first level. Scattered parking on the street as well. You can miss this place pretty easily. It's down the street from the Mucky Duck. Final Verdict - I want to try this place again because the appetizers looked good, but if this place bombs again for me I won't be back. Overall "D"
(2)Catherine A.
We dined here with a Groupon on a Friday evening. The waitress was lovely and provided excellent service. The falafel plate was delicious with great presentation. Unfortunately, my husband was not happy with his gyro plate. Huge slabs of what he said were probably microwaved meat. They looked pretty gross to me, too. And my mother-in-law found the tilapia a little dry. I will definitely go back for the falafels but will have to find myself a falafel-eating friend first.
(3)Gilbert L.
I am a fan of Mediterranean cuisine. I found this place through a co worker that is Turkish. The best part about this place is the bread and how they make it every day. The food always taste great and retains a distinct style so that it is not confused for Bosnian or Greek foods.
(4)Hilary G.
great food! i would seperate the kitchen from the rest of the place or put a curtain up. kept hearing loud crashes throughout the meal
(4)David N.
Restaurants are kind of like relationships. Some start out really nice and then take a turn for the worst while others are smooth sailing and some are always up an down. Well this place takes the route of the first scenario. I had driven up and down Kirby twice before giving up and calling the physical location for help with directions. The owner? picked up the phone and gave me directions explaining that it was connected to the Baylor College of Medicine, so I just aimed for that and found free parking in the garage next door. Off to a great start. Once inside we started our meal off with the hummus and pita bread. They also offer olive oil and pita brea free of charge. Next time I'll just stick to that because this is where it starts getting worst. So other tables who do not order hummus get the same amount of pita bread to start, since we have more dipping stuff you would imagine we would want more bread to dip. Well after devouring our initial serving of bread, we asked for more bread since we had more than half a dish of hummus. She comes back with 1 small piece each and a disgusted look on her face. Really? So even though we had finished off the 2nd batch of bread we opted not to bother her with any more and just use the hummus to add to our entree. My friend and I split the Lahmacun which is like a Turkish mini pizza and the adana kebab plate. The Lahmacun was amazing! A bit on the greasy side but very flavorful, the adana kebab was just meh. Honestly, the food to this point was 4 stars. So why 3? The service continued to be off. We had finished our drinks awhile back and no refill. I tried flagging her down multiple times and was ignored. Finally, she came back to ask how we were doing and I asked politely for a refill. She looked very angry but did come back. I'm not sure of the custom but maybe refills are frowned upon? Anyways, we had to once wait a LONG time again just to get the check and close out. It wasn't for the service this place's food totally deserves a 4 star rating.
(3)Jason W.
The staff was super nice and attentive and the food was flavorful and delicious. There was plenty of parking on the street and in the garage next to it. My kebab was good and the french fries that came with my dinner mate's dish were crunchy and delicious to steal. It didn't blow me away, but I'd definitely go back to try other dishes.
(3)Hande B.
I love this place! If you want to try Turkish food this is the place you should try it at!!! You wont regret it try babaganush hummus haydari lentil soup kofte cheese pide adana :)
(5)Yee Z.
Great experience, would recommend turquoise to anyone looking for a unique experience. The food is very tasty and the service was extremely personable. Thank you turquoise for the wonderful dinner, my friends and I had a wonderful time.
(5)Iana I.
Who doesn't like getting a kiss on the cheek from the chef's mother? In my book, that automatically shoots you up to 5/5 stars. But seriously, food and service were both fantastic here. I've been here twice total (once two years ago for my birthday and again last night). From start to finish, the chef/owner does everything a business owner should do to encourage repeat visits. Almost within a minute of sitting down, the chef came by our table to welcome us, answer any questions and give us suggestions. Here are the food items we tried: Sarma (stuffed grape leaves) Saksuka Coban Salatasi (Shepher's Salad) with Lamb (not an option but if requested, possible) Sultan Beyti Kebab (amazing!!) Dana Sis (also amazing!!) Throughout our dinner, we did not feel abandoned or as if we were being disturbed too much by the service. The chef's mother came by once to refill our bread (which was fluffed to perfection) and talked to us in Turkish even though none of us spoke Turkish. It was a bit amusing to communicate in basic charades methods like I'm-rubbing-my-stomach-to-say-this-is-delicious. At the end, the chef/owner came by and brought us a free sample of the baklava his mother had just finished making. He made all of us feel like important clients he personally knew. When we were walking out, we went by to say goodbye to his mother (who is the epitome of how you picture a grandmother figure), who hugged both girls in our group and gave us each a kiss on each cheek (European style). Then the chef told us to give him a call next time we were going to stop by. I felt like he honestly knew us and we were regulars. Basically, food is great. Service is even better.
(5)Lesa T.
Turquoise Grill serves average Turkish food at average prices. Serving sizes are pretty large for entrees and salads, but small for hummus and tabuleh. The bread is pretty amazing here though. Although it was pretty dead on a Saturday night, they had an in-house guitarist/singer who was pretty good. There's plenty of parking on the streets near the joint, so no need to pay for parking. Overall, this is a laid-back place to get decent Turkish food, but I don't know if I would go back again.
(3)Kristen B.
My problem with Turquoise Grill isn't their food taste, it's their food practice. I've never been into this restaurant to eat as my office usually orders for delivery or someone goes to pick it up. On the menu, the cold sandwiches come with chips, potato salad. I ordered a wrap under that section, it came with NEITHER. So the price of my meal included that and it was not provided. I also ordered a Fruit cup. It was literally as if someone in the kitchen was like "Oh here's my left cantaloupe and pineapple" (literally old cantaloupe and like 2 pieces of pineapple. NOT WORTH IT. Then today I ordered and paid for an extra side of Jasmine Rice, it was the same size as the order of rice that everyone got. So basically I paid them extra money for nothing. After reading some of the reviews coupled with my previous experiences, I have come to the conclusion that they are just super cheap. The food doesn't taste bad (except that "fruit cup") but it just seems like they advertise for things that are not given and they are taking money out our pockets in order to save a buck and that's not right.
(3)Tony D.
Delicious
(5)Maria J.
Start off with the gyro quesadillas!! The food and the Turkish beer are great! The service can be a bit slow, but the food is worth it. Try the Alexander.
(4)Sarah D.
Just went here last night and it was DELICIOUS! I found out about this wonderful place when a friend brought some bread baked at Turquoise Grill to our Easter dinner, as an appetizer. We all stuffed ourselves on the delicious fluffy bread (reminds me of naan, but it's not naan...). And so I decided I had to actually go to the restaurant. My date and I walked in around 9 p.m. and the place still had paying, eating customers, which is pretty impressive on a Tuesday night. As soon as we walked in, the owner, Jim, came over and said hello, then made sure we were seated in a nice romantic little corner. Thanks Jim! ;) We ordered the Pastirmali Humus and the Sultan Cigars for our appetizers (two appetizers because we were so indecisive) and while I thoroughly enjoyed them both, my date wasn't a fan. The humus itself was good but he complained that the pastirmali was a little too salty. In any case I thought it was delicious. The cigars reminded me a little of egg rolls, but they were filled with feta cheese. Careful, they make them fresh so they were smokin' hot when they got to our table! For our meal, I ordered the Manti, which is homemade ravioli covered yogurt, tomato butter sauce, and mint. I took one bite and I was in heaven. I cannot rave enough about this dish. I kept half of it for dinner today, and this is probably the third time today my mouth has started watering simply because I was thinking of this meal. I'm running out of adjectives so I'll reuse one: INCREDIBLE. The interaction between the yogurt and the mint and the hot ravioli... oh pardon me I need to go clean my keyboard, somehow I've managed to drool on it. My date ordered the Sultan Beyti Kebap (Ottoman Palace Special #4) and wowwww it was good. The spicy sauce really kicked it up a notch. The dish reminded me of enchiladas, only Jim was sure to tell us that the tortillas used were all homemade - and we could tell! I'm planning to order this dish next time I'm there, because I AM going back, and soon! When you go, prepare for a little bit of a wait. Like I said, everything is homemade and made fresh for you; trust me, the quality of the food you get is worth it. My only complaint is the service. We had a waiter, and that waiter was not the owner Jim, yet Jim was the one who stopped by our table frequently while our waiter did not. As a result our water glasses went empty a few times, and we had to track down the waiter to ask for our check. Like I said though, we went in late at night. [Side note: I just checked their hours on the site because I figured the service was slacking since we were there at closing - and according to their site, they closed 5 minutes after we walked in! Yet we still got an amazing meal with personal attention from the owner - WOW! Now I'm more impressed, if that's possible] I'll leave my review at 4 stars for now, and on my next visit I'll try to go during more "normal" hours and we'll see what happens! The food and hospitality are definitely deserving of 5 stars!
(4)Nancy C.
I found this place from yelp reviews. Great service, check (although yes they do go by the European way of dining so they give you plenty of time before they hand you your check). Plenty of parking, no wait to get a table, friendly owner, and I'm going back to try their lunch specials. They have complimentary warm bread and evoo feta dip... Got the grill feast so I could sample the meats... It was grilled to perfection, juicy, huge portions. The manti was strange, too much yogurt on itty bitty dumplings that weren't filled with anything really that flavorful.
(4)Anh D.
This place was delicious! A little hard to find since the restaurant doesn't face Kirby (turn on Norfolk St and you'll see the parking garage). We had the Babbaghannus appetizer, Turquoise Lahmajun pizza, Adana Kebab Platter. Everything tasted really fresh, light, and healthy. The Shepherd Bread that comes with the entree was extra fluffy and delicious with the Babaghannus. I loved the spicy beef and lamb combo on the Adana Kebab--not overbearing spices like some other places. And the Jasmine Vermicelli Rice had a really nice, light flavor with soft texture vs dry rice. Oh and the Baklava was delicious! Not overly drenched with honey and the right amount of crispiness. Service was amazing. Waiter, Owner, and Cook were all very friendly. My new favorite Mediterranean spot in Houston. And prices are cheap.
(4)Hande J.
This one is very different than the one in SugarLand... I really like how laid back this place is.Service is good and friendly, food is good. My fav is adana durum.It hits the spot every time :)
(4)Wesley C.
Turquoise grill is repeatedly and city search winner for best Mediterranean food in Houston. And that is saying something because there are some really good Mediterranean food restaurants in Houston. But there is a reason why? When I look for characteristics in an eating establishment I look at service, atmosphere, food, and prices. And personally I think that this place gets an A in all those areas. First, when you walk in the door, the staff greet you with a warm genuine smile, will spend time talking to you and getting to know you as if you were family. And each time you return they often know you by name and graciously thank you for returning. The atmosphere is also great. It is a small restaurant and has a very quaint feel to it. You can smell the food in the brick oven or cooking on the stove. There are culturally appropriate pictures on the wall and a wall full of various awards the have won. You can go there to relax with a nice warm glass of tea or coffee and bring large groups for an intimate party. The food is amazing. I usually like to start off with an order of hummus and an order of Turkish cigars (possibly the best appetizer on the menu if you like feta cheese) There brick oven pizzas and calzones are great, the kabobs are excellent (try the Alexander Kebab...awesome), and there Ottoman Palace special are delicious. The food is homemade and is prepared for scratch so be prepared for a little longer wait then most traditional restaurants...but it is soooo worth it. Lastly, for what you get the prices are good. Some of the special items can get a little more expensive but the portion sizes make the prices well worth it. So all in all, this is an awesome spot and I would recommend it to anyone
(5)Ann L.
So..there's good parking...and the waiter was nice. But the food? Not really memorable. The menu isn't actually representative of what's served at the location with most of the entrees being served at the Sugar Land location, which is a let down when you're excited to try something and hear "oh, we don't serve that here." Three times. I had the Adana Kebab Platter which was okay. I would say.. go to Niko Niko's, which is NOT Turkish but has many of the same named items and more. Or try out the Sugar Land location, which apparently has all.
(2)Nina N.
I went to Turkey last summer and fell in love with their food, there isn't much variety in Turkish cuisine, so I had to eat the same thing for a week, but what they do have is really amazing. I wanted to find a place in Houston to satisfy my cravings and Turquoise Grill did just that. The waiter and owner were very nice, they would both come around and ask us how everything was, and I really appreciated that, but I'm going to give a pretty tough review of this place just because I've been to Turkey and I know the food very well. :) My friend and I ordered the chicken and filet mignon kebab dishes and the meat was cooked to perfection and extremely authentic in flavor. The rice was regular white rice and it came with a slice of grilled tomato, a slice of grilled green bell pepper, lettuce, and pide bread. In Turkey the rice has more flavor and color, and their grilled vegetables are cooked longer so it's softer to cut into and has more released flavor, and instead of a green bell pepper, restaurants in Turkey use a whole green jalapeno pepper which goes much better with the meal. Their pide could of been a little softer, I don't like biting into tough bread, so I wasn't too upset that they only gave us two pieces, in Turkey you get the whole round of bread. We also tried the rice pudding which is a common dessert found in Turkey, it was pretty good, just wish they'd put a flame to the top of the pudding and caramelize it a bit. Also with the Turkish meal, it is customary to serve it with apple tea, a very popular drink over there, but I missed this at Turquoise Grill. With a couple of changes this place could really be just like the Turkish restaurants I adored.
(3)karen c.
Nothing especially exciting but nothing bad leaves me torn in my rating. The service was very good, food was good and generously-sized, but I would never crave Turquoise Grill when there's so many other great places in the Upper Kirby area. The pro is that it is tucked away so if you're looking for something on a busy night, you likely won't have to wait for a table. Sadly, Turquoise Grill didn't really leave an impression so it's not likely I'll be back
(3)Ana W.
Turquoise Grill is absolutely delicious! How have I not been here before? Why have YOU not been here before? Probably because it's tucked away inside a medical complex and you won't see it from the street! Out of sight, out of mind. But I really encourage you to make an effort and drive around the building a few times until you find this Turkish gem, it's really worth it! My fiance and I were meeting friends, and as usual we were the first to arrive. We needed a table for 6, and the chef himself personally took care of it for us, although it was kind of messy to get a small table from the other side of the restaurant to join another table without disrupting a lot of other diners. This is a pretty casual place, so it wasn't a huge deal. In the moving table mix-up, our chef and waitress forgot to add additional tableware, which is the only reason I docked a star--all night long we had to remind our waitress to bring extra silverware, water glasses, etc. She was absolutely nice about it, and attentive when we needed her, but it was a bit obnoxious to keep discovering missing items and having to flag her down. I want to be clear that I actually think service here is great beyond this little mishap--the chef checked in on our table every 15 minutes to ask how we were doing and introduce himself to our friends when they arrived, and our waitress was very accessible and sweet. And while it's great to become besties with your chef by the end of the night, the real reason you need to come to Turquoise grill is the food. The chef started us off with bread (it was thicker than pita but definitely not a roll--something more like foccacia, without the herbs) and an olive oil, herb and feta dipping sauce (I think this is standard for everyone, we didn't order it). He also brought out some hummus, which again we didn't order and was also delicious. While the restaurant looks pretty casual, they have a decent wine list (at affordable prices!) and we shared a few bottles of merlot at $19 a pop. And they were good! My dining companions and I went in all different directions when it came to picking our meals--you have the option to get a huge table sized platter of several dishes, but since some of us were vegetarians, and others were heavy meat eaters, we opted to do our own thing. I went with a delicious jumbo grilled shrimp, and my fiance got what looked like a fantastic shishkabab dish. Someone else ordered the falafal (presentation was great), and there were several meat dishes too. All you could hear were "oohs" and "aahhs" from our table--each bite was delicious. I can't wait to go back, ALL THE TIME!
(4)Will S.
Charming and friendly atmosphere. Live music was just right. The lamb kabobs were amazing and don't forget the baklava! I live in Denver now and I wish I could have brought this place with me!
(5)Nancy K.
I will give it 3 1/2 stars. I had the platter that basically had a little of every meat. The gyro meat was delicious. Eat it freaking fast, because when it gets cold it gets dry. The other meats are too charred and too dry for my taste. However, my Turkish friend loved it. I think its preference. What makes this place good is not the main entrees but the little things: The service was wonderful and perfect. The owner and the other co-workers were very sweet and helpful. The Turkish tea was perfect. The baklava desserts were freaking amazing!!! The peach juice was so good and creamy. Like everyone said, it's in a bad location though.
(3)Lauren T.
I can't believe I just found out about this place! I love Mediterranean food, but until I tried Turquoise Grill, I hadn't found any place that I really loved in Houston. Most of the Mediterranean places (Niko Nikos, La Fendee, Aladdin's) have a cafeteria/fast food feeling, and many don't serve alcohol--all of which is fine for a quick bite, but usually when I bother to go out I prefer something a bit more upscale. Turquoise was exactly what I've been searching for. It has a quaint, European café feeling to it--very relaxing and charming without being the least bit stuffy. All the food we tried was delicious. I am a huge fan of hummus and baba ganoush, both of which were excellent here. The feta cigars were tasty, but I'll skip them next time--a bit heavy and salty for me. For main courses, we got the shrimp geveche (shrimp cooked in a clay pot with veggies and spicy tomato sauce) and manti (beef ravioli with yogurt sauce), both of which were very good. At $60 for dinner including a bottle of wine, we'll definitely be back. Next time, we're going to try their pizzas. The only downside was that there were a few glitches in service: they forgot to give us menus when we sat down, and they initially brought me the wrong entrée. Both issues were cleared up quickly and they were very nice about it, so it wasn't a huge deal for me, but don't expect top-notch experience wait staff if you go to Turquoise. I'm hoping that, if I go back a few times and there are fewer service issues, I'll be able to bump up to 5 stars. Also, a note for those trying to find the place: It's in the Baylor Family Medical building, but the restaurant actually fronts on the south side of Norfolk street, just east of Kirby. If you turn onto Norfolk from Kirby, you'll see it on your left.
(4)Abby B.
I was about to embark on a 10 day trip to Turkey when I decided to try out an authentic Turkish restaurant. After being directed to visit the Turquoise Grill I dragged along the husband. I requested the most authentic, traditional Turkish dish and the waiter (behind the counter) suggested I get the Kofta. I enjoyed the Turkish meatballs, the delicious rice and pida that was served with it. It was very similar to most of the kofta ordered in Turkey! After dinner we ordered baklava which was delicious as well!
(4)Melissa H.
Let's just start off with location. How badly located can this be? It was hard to find. Or maybe I'm just a little bad with directions. But seriously, you have to look hard to find it. I'll save you time by saying it's located in the building by the parking garage. They're pretty much stuck to each other. Now onto service ... it was okay. Not so great. Maybe I went on a bad night? But it was Saturday night and there was no one but me and my friends and another table. Oh and everything's very turquoise just like the name. The food was good. They give you a lot for the dinner portions and I got filled up on the meet and couldn't even finish all my food. You have to try their bread. It's delicious! I'm not too sure I would go here again though. I've had better Med. like food.
(3)Eddie G.
La-ma-June, aka Turkish pizza is the best I've tasted in all of Houston..maybe Texas. Really neat family runs this place and their meat and spices will keep bringing you back.
(5)Courtney H.
I celebrated my 16th wedding anniversary here. The food was delicious and the wait staff was friendly and helpful. I've been there several times since my anniversary. The food has been consistently delicious. My goal is to try everything on the menu! When eating there, you get the sense that the food is fresh. No processed foods made ahead of time. I can't say enough about the waiters. They are always helpful and know the menu well. They have been helpful in suggesting items for me to try based on my likes and dislikes. Jim, the owner is a dream. He is so friendly and appreciative of the business. He completely defies the stereotype of the aloof restaurant owner/chef. You can't go wrong with this restaurant!
(5)Bill B.
Really good, consistent food. Try the daily special -- it's always great. The staff here are sooo nice and eager to please. I'm always amazed it's not more crowded.
(4)Richard A.
Lamb gyro was very tasty
(4)Lilian O.
After driving by this place countless number of times, a female friend and I decided to stop in for lunch. We weren't sure if we could park in the garage next to the restaurant so we ended up parking on the street. Be careful of the street parking as the side directly across from the restaurant is a 30 minute parking zone from 7 A - 7 P. The first table my friend and I sat at inside of the restaurant was way too cold as the AC vent was blasting right at us. Yes it's 96 degrees outside but no need to give us frostbite inside! After switching tables, it was much better. I got the vegetable kabob which came with grilled baby eggplant, tomatoes, bell pepper, and mushrooms. On the side was salad and rice. The grilled vegetables had good flavor to them as some places don't even bother with the spices. When we were getting ready to pay, the owner brought out free baklava for us. It was really buttery, really flaky, and not too sweet. Not very good for you but very tasty. Compared to other Turkish or Mediterranean restaurants in town, this one was just ok in my book.
(3)Ben J.
The servers greet you as 'my friends'! The food is exquisite and full of flavor. I recommend the 'Alexandar', which is a savory gyro plate.
(5)ricky k.
Simply put, the food here wasn't anything special. In my opinion, it is not even authentic Turkish food, but I don't claim to be an expert in that type of cuisine. The price was extremely outrageous for the food we got. I paid 72 dollars plus a 13 dollar tip for 3 entrees featuring gyro meat drizzle with tomato sauce on a plate, and 1 entree featuring 4 lamb chops. I am from Chicago, and you can get the best gyros that you had in your life for 7 bucks a plate. You do the math.
(1)L. H.
Not fresh. This has to be a front for something else. Or the office tenants and their patrons must frequent here because maybe it's just convenient or they feel sorry for the owners. It's certainly not the food. It's close to my house and I wanted tabouli, hummus and some dinner- it seemed like a good idea. First- it's a million degrees in there. It's summer, I get it. I'm hungry, just feed me please. Plates and silverware were dirty. Straight up greasy thumbprint on my knife. Not a good start. Whoever said this is great Mediterranean or Turkish food- I have to politely and firmly disagree with you. This shit was awful. Heard a microwave ding go off more than once. Grape leaves- dolmades were a let down. Tasted store bought. Rice was precooked and then very obviously reheated-- Mediterranean chicken was super dry and not an even temperature (cue the microwave). The sauce that came with the chicken was almost offensive. Like it was a textural nightmare of some left out and forgotten, day old sweet and sour sauce from a Chinese takeout joint sprinkled with a few sesame seeds and some red chili flakes for flare... Slightly reminiscent of corn syrup?! WTF. Why is this included? Vegetables were frozen and reheated-- not grilled fresh. Total rip off. Tabouli was OK it was more parsley than the other usual counterparts. Very little lemon or acidic freshness I think of when I think tabouli. Falafel. Do not order. It tasted like raw pancake batter mixed with chickpeas fried in very old grease--it is not true falafel. And the shape looked like a literal turd. I am laughing as I type this. Friends- I'm serious. Don't eat here. Don't order the turd falafel. I felt like Gordon Ramsey was going to walk through the door and begin an episode of kitchen nightmares. That being said, the one star is for giving me free bread- that will always win a star from this free bread loving lady.
(1)Kat W.
The friendliness of the staff is the real highlight of this place. As I was thinking about what to select from the menu, the chef whipped up a little sample of the daily special for me to try! (It was barbeque brisket, and though it was tasty, I was in the mood for something more Mediterranean.) I don't remember the name of the dish I had, but it was gyros meat grilled with tomatoes and cubes of bread and topped with yogurt, and it was delicious. I would definitely go back.
(4)Alicia R.
Almost 4 stars. It's hidden away on the side of a business building, and is a nice little escape from the ordinary. I've been here twice, and to be honest have little recollection of what I had the first time around. The last time I went, I came for lunch with my boyfriend on the weekend. The owner was very friendly. During the day, the inside is bright and refreshing, and there are seats outside. He had a gyro plate, and I had the Moroccan chicken. Both were pretty large portions. My boyfriend's gyro meat was a bit overdone, but not bad on flavor. I'm not sure I would get the Moroccan chicken again, but it wasn't bad. The sauce it was served with reminded me a bit of an Asian sauce, sweet and spicy. I liked the drilled vegetables a lot. Outside of the size of the chicken, it felt like a fairly healthy meal. Best part: baklava. The owner said it was fresh, and it was very delicious.
(3)Adrianne P.
Good food, portions are very large. The iskendar was very good, gyro meat probably not made in house, but was good considering. Loved the hummus & came with plenty of freshly made bread. Greek salad could feed 4 people!
(4)Mack B.
Love the homemade lentil and chicken soups. Flatbread from the brick oven makes for great soup-dipping!
(4)