Turkuaz Reviews

I was here with a group of nine people on a Saturday night, to celebrate a big birthday with my sister. We had an EXCELLENT experience. I really can't recommend it highly enough. And it wasn't just the food. My contact with the restaurant started a couple of weeks before the dinner, when I called them to ask about a group Bday party. They were just great. SUPER flexible, on everything from the menu to the bar (they're BYO until the wine/liquor license comes in). The particulars of the party changed several times in the days before the event - the list got bigger, then smaller; we asked for this, then that on menu changes, etc. They handled it all with ease. As for the food, we ended up with a group small enough to order off the menu, and are glad we did. Another big plus on that: The menu is more genuinely Turkish - and from this I know of what I speak, since six of the nine of us are Turkish-American. They've got things like okra stew and zucchini pancakes, staples of a Turkish menu, that you don't find in the other places around town. We got a range of entrees - stuffed cabbage, various kebabs, veggie stew - and everyone was happy with what they had. Desserts were the same, btw - they have more genuinely Turkish items. All good. Another plus: Great location. It's next door to a comedy club, great bars on either corner of 53rd, and if for some reason you're driving, I got a curb spot 20 feet from the front door. At 6p on a Sat night during Xmas season! When does that ever happen? All this, btw, for a bill that was $380 to feed nine healthy and hungry eaters. Do the math on that - it's a great deal. They didn't even add that super-presumptuous fat service fee for groups that you'll find at a lot of other spots. Like I said above, there's everything to like here.

This is a very belated review. Turkuaz has been my go to place especially for Turkish food for the last 4 years. I stumbled across the restaurant when they had just opened their 55th street location 4 years ago. The food is phenomenal and after the move the the 53rd street, one can now truly appreciate the space and the new additions to the menu as well. The food is phenomenal and the variety on the menu is quite unique. Recently they have added "doner"(Turkish gyro) to their offerings and unlike most other places that offer done, they actually have premium meet used for their doner. Their Turkuaz sis also one of favorites on the menu. Though a common Turkish menu item,I think most places in NYC don't get the sis (skewers) right and it ends up being either ultra chunky or too hard to chew on. Turkuaz sis is the small cubes skewers which is quite hard in itself to make as that small amount would dry very easily and yet overtime I ordered it , it was simply melting in my mouth. Last but not the least Turkuaz has also a catering service which is spectacular. I have used their catering service couple of times for my children's birthdays and all the guests could not stop talking about the food for months. In summer, I love the fact that they have the patio. It has a very nice summery feel with the privacy quite unseen in NY. If you have not already checked it out, I strongly recommend Turkuaz to everyone looking for Turkish or Mediterranean food.

NOTE: Turkuaz is no longer located at Broadway. Turkuaz has moved to 255 W 55th. We do not recommend it. My wife and I were regulars at Turkuaz in its old location at 101st and Broadway. The cavernous space, though dark and a bit dated, was inviting. But more importantly, the food was flavorful, rich, and prepared with care. We were very disappointed when Turkuaz closed, but pleased to learn recently that it had reopened on W 55th. Unfortunately, after our experience dining there this evening, our disappointment was compounded. The space now, though new, is literally a fraction of what it had been uptown; there’s not even a proper bar (it’s a bar-cart). This would be neither here nor there, however, if the menu at least had survived the move. But it hadn’t. One of our favorite appetizers, the Tarama, is no longer on the menu. Nor is one of our favorite entrees, the Yogurtli Adana Kebab. So we ordered three of our other favorites. The bread served with the Babaganoush was terribly disappointing – instead of the fresh, delicious, and house-made Turkish bread that had been served at the old location, the bread now looks and tastes like the bland commercial “pita” one can pick up at any supermarket. The shrimp in the Shrimp Casserole were chewy, and the sauce, once creamy and rich, was thin and soupy. The preparation of the lamb in the Hunkar Begendi was of poorer quality and the portion was noticeably smaller. What is far worse, however, is the breathtaking rudeness we received when we conveyed our disappointment to the owner’s husband. When we told him the food was not the same, he responded with, “Nothing has changed, nothing. We have been using the same recipes for the last hundred years.” He dismissed our criticism of the bread with a strident, “Everyone likes the new bread.” When we conveyed our general disappointment, he actually told us, “Your opinion is wrong.” After being told our “opinion is wrong,” our interchange with the owner’s husband went downhill from there: “Well, I guess there’s nothing else to say,” we said. "Good," he replied. We said, "We won’t be coming back here again.” He responded with, “Don’t come.” Our server was pleasant. Other than that, this was one of our worst customer experiences, ever.

We were served absolutely delicious food and this great restaurant. I will return without doubt to enjoy these Turkish delights.

We enjoyed a lovely dinner with family who are fussy eaters. Choices for all and everyone loved their meal. Perfectly paced so that we were able to get to theater with time to spare.

delicious, tasty and fresh. Its a homemade. My friend described it as "yummy" . Beautiful place and the prices are very reasonable. . Love this place

Delicious food with good Turkish dishes and quality. Service very fast and friendly and very reasonable prices. We liked it so much that we went twice during our trip.

Everything was very good. The meat is very tender, and the soup very warm. The staff is friendly and welcoming! I recommend!

While small, its large in hospitality. I love stuffed grape leaves and these are the absolute best I've ever had, followed by hot appetizer of zucchini pancake. Omg. The entrees were so damn good ( vegetable casserole for me, shrimp casserole for my husband) Our shared dessert of pistachio pudding was the perfect cold cold temp, while the Turkish coffee was hot, rich and velvety

We were so disappointed last year while on our annual winter trip to NYC to find Turkuaz on Broadway had closed. It never occurred to us that they could have relocated. What a pleasant surprise to find the same wonderful food & service in their new location at 255 W 55th. We called ahead at 9PM on a Sunday night to make sure they were still open, and were treated to a fantastic meal. We started with two dippable appetizers to go with the hot grilled pita, Cacik, a yogurt based dip with lebne, cukes, mint & dill and Babaghannoush, a grilled pureed eggplant dish with tahini,garlic, yogurt & spices. Our waiter did a great job supplying us with extra plates to share the delicious dishes. We went traditional for the main courses, I had Turkish Dumplings, perfectly prepared gems of garlic & herb ground beef with yogurt & tomato sauce. My wife had the Stuffed Cabbage, a ground lamb & rice dish with herbs, tomato sauce & yogurt on the side. There was less sharing going on with these dishes ;>). Being the last customers in the store, we closed out with a medley of desserts, Baklava, which was too dry for my taste, Pistachio Pudding, which was out of this world, creamy & delicious, and a wonderful rolled milk custard with cinnamon adornments. These were served with both Turkish coffee & Turkish tea, both flavorful & relaxing. We left, filled just right, savoring the flavors and looking forward to visiting again on our next NYC trip. We found the lost gem, and it still sparkles!

This was by far the best restaurant experience during our short stay in NYC. The food was excellent and the staff went out of their way to answer questions and make recommendations. Really enjoyed our dinner experience. Recommend the Stuffed Grape Leaves, Babaghannoush, Zucchini Pancake and the Turkish Dumplings. Baklava was the best we'd ever tasted.

Lovely small restaurant, attentive and eager to please staff with delicious starters, mains and desserts! The restaurant is spotless with delightful decor.

been in NYC for a week this is the best and tastiest restaurant i ate at.it clean and the food is amazing. looks like a family run business. service is excellent and staff is very friendly. plus its Halaal for the muslim clients. #5star

We had a very delicious and enjoyable meal at Turkuaz and will definitely be back. We ordered the selection of 5 cold appetizers. All were excellent and fresh, with the spicy mashed vegetables, the hummus and the house-made stuffed grape leaves especially delicious. My char-grilled bronzino fish was moist and flavorful. My husband enjoyed his “Sultans” lamb dish . Service was very friendly.

This place is fantastic. Food is always fresh with great consistency. Place is clean and well appointed. The shepherd’s salad was very fresh, with great flavor. We ordered the cheese pastries and zucchini fritters as appetizers, and a chicken kabob dish and manti as our main courses. The chicken was incredibly juicy and the manti was reminiscent of what I've eaten in Turkey. I must say that this place serves up the most delicious Turkish food! Really enjoyed everything. Its the best Turkish restaurant I ever been. Will continue our great experience. Show less

Oh, so yummy - fresh - flavorful! Nice atmosphere, great price - great staff. Only wish we had gone back again for another meal before leaving town... regrets

I booked this restaurant partly because my dinner companion is Turkish. It was midway between our hotel Doubletree Hilton Times Square West and our venue (Lincoln Center for our opera Turandot). We really enjoyed the lamb chops and the lamb kebab. I ordered the humous, and we both had the Turkish coffee, which was served in the traditional ornate metal cups. The service was very attentive. Keep in mind that the tips are not accepted on credit card, that if you wish to tip, it is in cash. I was caught off guard by this, however my friend was equipped with cash, just be forewarned.

We eat in Turkuaz two nights ago with our children. The food was excellent. We had the babbaganoush and the zucchini fritters, followed by the sultan platter. Everything was delicious. The restaurant is beautifully decorated. The highlight however was Julia, our server. She was so pleasant and efficient and provided the best service of our entire NY stay. I would highly recommend.

Each of our dishes were really good from the stuffed grape leaves to the falafel to the pizza to the Adana chicken kabobs. And the service was perfect.

4 of us had a fantastic dinner on the private patio. The service was attentive, the food was fresh and tasty and the portions were huge!