Turkuaz Fine Turkish Cuisine Reviews

I have been to Turkuaz at least 10-12 times since it opened (quite close to my home). Last night I chose the char-broiled lamb chunks that were cooked and seasoned to perfection. My two favorite appetizers at Turkuaz --- the baba ganouj and the zucchini pancakes were also excellent. Saturday night also brings their belly dancer -- a lovely distraction even while enjoying my meal.

I have eaten here in the past and found the food, service and atmosphere to be good. On my recent visit I was very disappointed ... the quality of food and the service have both gone down ... the atmosphere is about the same.

Turkuaz does all the classic Turkish dishes well. It has a pleasing Turkish setting without going over the top. Overall, a good meal at a very good price.

The BEST Turkish food I have had in NY-food was tasty & well prepared. Try the mixed grill and you won't be disappointed. Excellent service & Ambiance as well as fair priced menu. Well worth the visit& would highly recommend w/confidence!!!

Delicious food, reasonably priced, excellent service, nice atmosphere. This restaurant provides excellent Turkish food. I have been to Istanbul before and I tasted the food there. This is even better.

I went to the restaurant at 11:30 pm when they were closing the restaurant. But the owner was nice lady and she asked the guy for stuffed cabbage which was good in taste. I read in some of the reviews about their attitude but I found them completely opposite to these reviews they were nice. The gorgeous lady was so nice. Even she served by herself. I’ll again go there for lamb chops. Thanks

We had an okay lunch, and we will probably go back for dinner. We were not blown away, but on weekends they have belly dancing so we'll go see that.

The food at Turkuaz is flawless, and it gives you a perfect idea of what great Mediterranean food should taste like. Although always great, it is best to go on a Sunday during brunch, since that is when they have a buffet.

Wonderful and tasty grill meats as well as dreamt dipping platter. We will be back for the Sultan’s Delight in the cooler weather. The Kenefe dessert was spectacular and homemade. Reasonable wine and beer list and fine service.. They have a handful of tables in the back small courtyard.

I have been to this neighborhood (Upper Westside) restaurant seven or eight times....it is reliably good, really very good. The menu has extensive choices reflecting Turkish and other Middle-Eastern cuisine. The zucchini pancake appetizer is really excellent. The entree portions are more than amply sized -- and consistently good. The prices are reasonable as well....a very pleasant option for Upper Westsiders!

We live in London and visit Turkish Restaurants, maybe for a quick lunch or for dinner with friends. Some have been very bad and some very good. This one seems to sit in the middle for us. To start we chose two plates, one of Manti and the other being Calves Liver. We liked these. I then ordered a Shish Kebab chargrilled to your taste. I asked for medium rare with the hot seasoning. The waiter warned that it would be hot and very spicy. The lamb was cooked to my taste, but there no heat from the spice and chilies. This is not the first time I had been questioned about spicy food in New York, and asked if it was acceptable. Each time it failed in my expectations for my taste, maybe New Yorkers do not like hot spicy food? However, I doubt this and I will need to learn how to explain that I am not scared of spicy food. My partner chose the vegetable casserole with lamb, again cooked well but he felt seasoning was lacking. We like all types of food, but felt in this restaurant there was a lack of spice. Please do not let me put you off, service was good and the food was enjoyable and at a reasonable price.

Had a nice family dinner with drinks ion the upper West Side. Kebabs, zucchini pancakes, rice, attractively served and reasonably priced. Not gourmet, but more than adequate.

We happened upon this place quite by accident and were so pleasantly surprised with the quality of the food and service that we have been back many times. Never once have we been disappointed. Our friends and family members have become regulars there, too.

I dined here tonight and liked it. I was the only person in the main room, which was concerning. The waiter allowed me to add some hummus to the meal and that ws great. The falafel were not huge, and that was good as there were six of them. A salad was served, which was OK. The bread was nice and fluffy. I liked the Turkish beer that was on the menu. The decor is very nice and gives off a Turkish vibe.

So happy that we picked this treasure after reading reviews of many nearby wonderful restaurants. Saturday night and just a few minutes wait without reservation. Freddy our outstanding friendly jovial waiter clearly is a master of his profession. We followed other readers smart suggestions and totally enjoyed pitcher of red sangria, white bean salad (large enough for 2 or 3), Turkish dumplings, and Turkuaz mIxed grill. All superb. And ended with yummy pistachio pudding. Can’t beat this for a delicious and romantic night out!

We walked into a lovely room that make us feel very comfortable with our choice for dinner. The menu contained all of the Turkish Delights anyone could wish for. Lamb was well represented and the menu had clear explanations in English. We left the restaurant full, happy and ready to return.

My wife, grandson, and I totally enjoyed a pre-theatre dinner at Turkuaz. We were greeted promptly and seated without delay. Our waiter was attentive and solicitous. Two of us enjoyed lamb kabobs. Generous portions of large cubes of tender lamb were perfectly seasoned. My wife enjoyed an entree' of grilled vegetables. An extensive menu is available. I recommend without hesitation.

This is the seond time we have eaten there. last time was 2 years ago and I remembered we liked it but didn't remember why. Well the atmosphere was very nice and we remembered it as soon as we entered the back room. Front area is a bar and you can eat there but the back room has the "tent" ceiling and that's where you must eat. We met friends there early (6:30) on a Saturday night and did not need reservations.

We ate here with friends recently and then did take out a couple of nights later. Everything is homemade and quite delicious. The night we ate in, we had the cold appetizer platter (7) as well as chicken skewers, baked vegetable casserole, and bean salad. For four people, our check was just over $50 and we had leftovers. Service was a bit disorganized. For our take out order, we tried the individual babaganoush, eggplant salad, tzatziki, Turkish salad (cucumbers, tomatoes, parsley), an ala carte chicken skewer and the price was about the same though the portions of the babaganoush, eggplant salad and tzatziki were not much bigger than those provided in the sampler (with a higher price). In retrospect, we should have gone with the sampler. In any event, this is a charming little Turkish restaurant, with well-prepared, delicious and authentic food.

Its a great experience we had at this restaurant. Everything well balanced from the taste of the food, presentation and service with a reasonable prices. I recommend it strongly.

I had dinner with my son a couple of days before Christmas at Turkuaz in a quiet area of New York City. My son walks past it every day when he gets off at his subway stop at 96th St and Broadway, quite away from the hustle and bustle of midtown in an area full of restaurants, shops, and residential buildings, and close to Riverside Park. It's a ZAGAT rated restaurant @ 21/30 good to excellent. I initially thought maybe this visit was a mistake when I first walked in because the front dining area adjacent to the bar was cold and dark. We asked to be seated in the dining room in the back. I was pleasantly surprised that although the back dining area was also dark with lighting provided by lanterns and candles for the most part, it was quite cozy and warm. There was fabric adorning the walls and pulled up towards the ceiling so that it hung resembling a tent. No belly dancers that night, although they advertise such entertainment. Traditional music played softly in the background...OK that was not my taste, but added to the ambiance. I was seated at a table for two but there were other dining configurations, some with bench sofas around a table. The wait staff were all male dressed in traditional Turkish garb with vest and fez. They were very attentive although a bit too serious for my taste, but pleasant to deal with. I was ravenous and started my dinner with a hot appetizer, Içli Köfte stuffed bulgur, a traditional dish made with ground lamb, onion, cracked wheat (bulgur), walnut and fresh herbs. It came with a yogurt dipping sauce and was just delicious! I wanted a meat entree and was not disappointed with Hünkar Beðendi, a classical istanbul dish made with a choice of chicken or lamb chunks served on smoked eggplant puree blended with kashkaval cheese and herbs. I had it with lamb and again I was not disappointed; it was the perfect comfort food dish that really was satisfying. I don't often order dessert while dining, but made an exception and asked the waiter's choice which was Kazandibi, a traditional milk pudding with a consistency of a custard that is served as a slice. It was creamy, not too sweet, a perfectly light dessert. I enjoyed every bit of the dinner as well as a couple of fruity mixed drinks which were too expensive but good and a great cup of coffee. I walked it off back to my son's apartment, as I ate a bit too much, but my overall experience was such that I'll be going back! The prices I would characterize as moderately expensive. PS....this was my first Turkish restaurant, loved it!

Authentically ran Turkish restaurant in Hell’s Kitchen. Went for lunch and the staff were friendly and the food was excellent. Very good sized portions and delicious. Tastes just like it does n Turkey.

I have been here twice and now I really won't return. Decor is nice but food is just OK. Also, we were there to celebrate a birthday and I later found the baklava they gave us to celebrate (we did not order it!) on the bill - a whopping $12, too! Oh, well.

There are several good choices for Turkish food on the upper West or East side... this is not one of them. At dinner, we had four dishes- soup, one cold and one hot appetizer and one main dish. They were all either average or below average. Taste, preparation and imagination were minimal or lacking. Service is friendly, but average. The space is not too inviting. For those who know and like Turkish food, a short cab ride to another place may be the best thing to do.

I ordered the sultan chicken something or the other. The chicken was perfectly grilled moist and deliciously seasoned. The babaganoush and cheesy stuff underneath also delicious. The only reason I'm not giving this a five is because there was a nasty hot pepper on top that got on some of the food. And a restaurant like this should have a more fabulous bread other than generic pita. But I have to say again, the chicken was perfectly cooked and yummy.

Loved this place so much we visited on a Saturday night and then returned to introduce others to this incredible restaurant 3 evenings later. Phenomenal food and ambience. Denise, the owner is a delight and takes great pride in her food and reataurant. A perfect meal.

Turkuaz is one of the rare restaurants these days in which conversations can take place without shouting ( except for the times the belly dancer performs! The music is loud during the performance which lasts about 15 - 20 min.) The food is always fresh and good ; wine list satisfactory. Two dinners with 2 glasses of wine without dessert was $63 before the tip. The decor has cloths draped from the ceiling and, for me, is a bit too dark ( doesn't stop me from returning!) There is a bar with rables in the front as well as a few tables outside. All in all it is worth a try; Turkuaz has been a stable neighborhood restaurant ( 100th and Broadway) for about 9 or 10 years now.

The hummus is good, so is the bread and the spinach dishes and salads are great. The wine is inexpensive and the wait staff is friendly and doesn't rush you. Nice bar area, too, for drinks with friends.

Lovely Turkish ambience with belly dancers on occasions. There is a mouth-watering menu from delicious appetizers, the delicious shepherd's salad through kebabs to baklava and superb Turkish coffee. Highly recommended

Excellent in all aspects! The food, service and atmosphere were all superlative. We plan on making this our Go-To Turkish restaurant in NYC...you should, too!

The venue was the perfect atmosphere for the occasion of our event. We experienced Türkiye in the heart of NYC. Staff was pleasant…Appetizers /food were very tasty. Please see the extensive detailed review from Sue O who summed it up perfectly! Absolutely a night to remember.

The restaurant has a shy entrance, in a little corner on upper west side Manhattan. When you enter the restaurant, a Turkey's atmosphere instantly shows up. You start feeling like you have picked the right place to have your meal. The Turkish waiter is friendly and gentle. I asked for a lamb Kebab with Yogurt (the most traditional). I confess that this was one of the finest Kebabs I've ever tasted in my live (even after 4 trips to turkey, staying over 1 month each trip). Don't miss this restaurant, it is gold on upper west side. Desserts are not exciting like the main course, but the atmosphere and the quality will make you feel good. Prices are reasonable, about 30-40 each person.

This place serves traditional turkish food accompanied with average wine. The food is definitely good, but you will pay for fancier settings and a belly dancing show, not worth the premium they charge, to be honest. It is easy to find similar quality Turkish food for less money, but if you are hungry on the upper west side of NYC, then Turkaz is a good choice.

Very nice food and great service. A casual dining place that serves good Turkish dishes. Nice selection of appetizers and small plates, as well as entrees.

Found this very nice, clean new place only opened 10 days. Food is very traditional and very good. Service was friendly and nice.

I ate here tonight with a friend / colleague, and our experience was excellent. Between us, we ordered Baba Ghannouj and a Green Salad with Feta Cheese to start. For entrees, we got Adana Kebap (lamb) and Tavuk Sis Kebap (chicken). And we finished with an insanely strong Turkish Coffee. All of the food was really excellent. I have not eaten a lot of Turkish food in my life, and I can't claim to have a lot of references to compare to, but I can say that the food here was delicious. The chicken was completely tender and awesome, and the lamb was juicy and spiced just right. The restaurant is actually pretty large -- way larger than you'd realize when you walk past it. There are basically two main public rooms: (1) a lounge in the front, and (2) a dining room in the back. We ate in the dining room and found the atmosphere to be calm and relaxed. The service was great too. I recommend Turkuaz very much if you're in the UWS!

We had the good fortune to have Melisa as our waitress. She treated our group of 12 like family. The food was delicious, we all had a great meal!

The owner Deniz and the staff were very friendly. The food was authentic Turkish, and they did a good job with presentation. I would visit again.

This is a great neighborhood fine--delicious dishes, lovely atmosphere (a small garden in rear), plus a warm and welcoming and very efficient staff. I go back a couple of times each month, at least.

The dining room looks like a huge tent, complete with turkish music and decor..Our waiter was new to the restaurant, we were his first customers.We opened our meal with a glass of turkish wine expertly recommended by our waiter as," not too sweet , but not too dry."next came a combination appetizer , again, recommended by our waiter, whiich allowed us to sample 5 cold appetizers at once with accompnying hot, crisp, yummy turkish bread.!! Our entrees soon followed. I had the,"Sultan'sDelight."-a traditional Istanbul dish of cubes of lamb, eggplant, other veggies and a large hot pepper on the side. My husband has a wonderful concoction of layers of thin turkish bread , ground lamb, eggplant and spices , eaten like a sandwich with lots of shredded lettuce and carrots for in between. Yummy! Desserts was the crowning glory to a wonderful meal. I had a creme brulee- like rolled custard and my husband had the creamiest , most delicious rice pudding we have ever tasted!!! You must go! Prices are moderate for NYC.

The food was great. I got vegetable casserole with lamb, and it was such a comfort food in the cold NYC! The staff were super helpful and gave great service.

Transporting experience in a tent covered room. The food was good, especially the appetizers. The service attentive. The belly dancer provided entertainment. Many large groups. The music production could have been better, and the room got quite warm.

Was wonderful- been all over Turkey and this was very very authentic and wonderful meats, salads, rice, hummus and breads. Our server Hulya was wonderful and so attentive. A must go if near Central Park or Times Square. Interior is beautiful and feels like Turkey. Will be back! Thank you! BB

Service and surroundings were fine, food was average. We ate from their buffet, so food was plentiful. You could eat as much as you wanted but the quality was just average. Perhaps that was because it was sitting there in hot plates. If I went back, I would order from the menu.

When our party of three peered through the front window and saw an empty room on a Friday night, our instinct was to go elsewhere. But it was freezing outside and we didn't want to walk around. Turns out what we were looking at was simply the bar area. We were led to the much larger back room where most of the tables were filled with diners enjoying what we discovered was some terrific Turkish food. The prices were very fair and our waitress couldn't have been nicer. Delighted to have finally discovered this place...long after, apparently, the rest of the UWS already has.

Too bad no lokum (Turkish delight) is served here. The mixed grill platter is big enough for 2 to share. Flavors are very authentic and the staff very pleasant.

Had a party of 8 for my husband's 55 birthday. I chose this place because it was a Friday night and I wanted a quiet place where we could all hear each other talk. Also, we ate there once before and my husband really liked it. The unique decor, great acoustics, authentic and attentive service, and very good food made a wonderful evening for all of us. The food is moderately priced for Manhattan standards. My sister in law is very fussy about food- it has to be fresh, low fat, and healthy. She was very satisfied with the Branzini fish.She is not easy to please!. Also had a couple teenagers who were happy with their dishes. This restaurant doesn't look like much from the street but if you venture in, it is very large inside. It is fashioned after a bodoin tent which gives it a very warm atmosphere. It is dark inside, so it helps to have a flashlight on your phone to help read the menu. There was a delightful belly dancer that arrived at about 9pm for a brief performance. She was very adept and even gave mini lessons to those who wished to participate. She wasn't overbearing, but nice and respectful of her audience. The food is very good, but I was particularly impressed with the service, which couldn't have been more attentive and professional. They are very well staffed. I wouldn't bring young children there, mostly because of the menu which isn't kid friendly.

Turkuaz is a Turkish restaurant on the Upper West side which serves tasty grilled meat skewers and vegetable stews, but the food choice is rather limited compared to other Turkish restaurants in NY. The interior has a nice oriental decor and looks like you are inside a tent. On Sundays it has a great brunch buffet, popular with locals, with lots of choices including vegetarian dishes, yogurt, grilled meat and chicken and salads. On weekdays its rather empty though and noontime service is down to bare minimum: we were the only non-empty table in the restaurant, servers couldn't explain what the dishes were, typical Turkish desserts like Muhallabiya were unavailable and unknown to the waiter... Although we were the only clients it still took several minutes to get the clients attention. Ambiance is non-existent: no music whatsoever, and the only thing you hear is the waiter on the phone ordering beef and turnips..Prices are lower than other uptown Turkish restaurants though and I will still come here for the Sunday buffet.

This restaurant has great ambiance throughout. The dining room has cloth on all of the walls and ceiling so even if there is a lot of people the noise level stays muted. The food is very good, appetizer platter is nice. There is belly dancing on the weekends, which was fun. The service is attentive and quick.

The restaurant is located a little off the beaten track. Once you get there, however, you experience the welcome and taste of an old fashioned Turkey. People are friendly and welcoming. The restaurant has a bistro-like setup near the bar ( fully licensed) and a tent-like formal dining room. You may choose from the the same menu in both and the list of options is extensive and delicious. Take your time and discuss varieties. Do not order the same dishes for all your guests. Just make them serve individual plates and you can share. Wine list is good and reasonable priced with good selection of Turkish wines in addition to Malbec and Cabernet. My wife enjoyed Pistachio mousse for desert. I loved Vishna juice very cold.

Was super excited to eat here, expecting a great culinary experience, but the flavor seemed to be lacking. Heard that turkish food was like greek food on steroids, but left my palate unsatisfied. Don't get me wrong, the food was really good, but not what I was hoping for. It might have been because my expectations were too high, but ther service was outstanding.

We had the Turkish combo, and also the lamb chops that were excellent. We started with a delicious appetizer of Baba ghanoush that was incredible. Our server Jesus, was great describing the menu, but his service was unbelievable, how he was able to get us and other patrons everything they needed. He is an asset to the restaurant and a great server. I would recommend highly the restaurant.

A simply beautiful experience. Excellent Turkish cuisine, healthy and flavorful, with friendly and accommodating service. A lovely setting as well. Reasonably priced with a nice wine selection. The stuffed grape leaves were unlike any we've had before -- delicious with just enough spice. Spinach pastries were so delicate. Enjoyed immensely Vegetable Casserole with lamb and the Turkuaz Sis -- a kebab with small marinated cubes of lamb. Don't skip dessert! Baklava was not overly sweet, but so tasty. We'll be back!

We had a multi- generational dinner here and experienced excellent service along with an interesting variety of Turkish dishes. Everyone found something they liked to eat, the ambiance was good and the staff very helpful in choosing food and drink. Prices were reasonable. Definitely a contender if you're in the market for unique Mediterranean dishes.

I've enjoyed years of eat-in and take-out food from Turkuaz and have never had a bad experience until now. This past experience rates as one of the worst in my restaurant going adult life! We were served lamb not the chicken we ordered. The corrected order came quickly. Too quickly, the chicken was raw and cool to the touch. When returned, it came back with a chewy inedible texture. We were never served bread refills with our humus appetizer. The waiter was never attentive or apologetic. When we brought the inedible chicken to his attention he literally told us that no one else had a problem with it that evening. He then proceeded to charge us for the lamb order...which you will recall...we didn't order. Ungracious to the end. Goodbye Turkuaz

Went there with a friend, good atmosphere, good food nothing special, but really decent homemade turkish food. I personally love Turkish food, so I was looking forward to it. Good value for money.

On Saturday evening a group of 18 of us went to this restaurant for a birthday party and we sat in their private party room. I really had a great time and we were able to celebrate and be loud without disturbing other customers in the main dining room. The food was so delicious and all of us were very happy and thankful to the host for choosing such a wonderful venue. I had the Sis kabab, the meat was tender and fresh very well marinated. The Chicken was phenomenal, specially marinated (Chef’s secret, the server said, his name I guess is Belal!!). The Doner kabab was also exceptional, I must say it’s the best doner I ever had in NJ and NY area. I had the opportunity to speak with the Chef on the way out and ask him the secret of the Doner. His answer was, he uses the best quality of meat and he was so confident in saying that no other similar place uses this quality of meat but him despite the high cost. The desert was so tasty, in particular the sutlaj (spelling) which is the rice pudding and the pistachio putting, after eating we ordered more to go. The service was so attentive and polite complementing the elegance of the ambience. I am definitely going back for my birthday party and highly recommend it.

Because most of the other reviewers think the Sunday buffet is wonderful. But, although there were many items offered, many items were variations on a theme. For example, deviled eggs, an egg white and tomato salad, a salad of eggs, potatoes, and tomatoes. The salads were fresh as were the hummus, yogurt dips, sliced fruit, etc. But the entree choices, especially the meat, were a disappointment. Two chicken dishes, both featuring cut up overcooked dry chicken and the same for a lamb dish. We ate about 1:00pm and the entrees had not been replenished, so we were offered the dregs of what might have been better prepared entrees. The service was polite and accommodating, but perfunctory. Altogether just disappointing.

Looked forward to an authentic Turkish meal, as this restaurant had been highly rated on Tripadvisor. A warm greeting. This is quite a large restaurant. It was hot, and I asked for the a/c to be put on. We chose the back room, for quiet. It was very dark...hard to read the menu. The waitress was from Istanbul, and very nice. The eggplant salad was salty, as were both main courses we ordered. The food was, sadly, ordinary, and not memorable. I'll look elsewhere next time.

food was great. We had kebabs and also sampled the starters. Salad was fresh and yummy. Meat nice and tasty, juicy. Service was very friendly. Nice atmosphere

My wife and I went with another couple from our neighborhood for dinner a few nights ago and, again, we were quite pleased with our meal. Not many other diners that night so the place was very quiet and easy, therefore, to hold a conversation. The service was prompt and helpful. The prices were reasonable and, most importantly, the food was very good. It's important to note that the options are not just Turkish but Middle-Eastern in general. Lots and lots of choices, including vegetarian and fish options.

We went on Mother’s Day and had a great experience. Turkuaz offered its regular Sunday brunch buffet at usual $24.99 price, very reasonable. Seating was comfortable, restaurant interior was darkish but daylight let in appropriately. Unique décor featuring much drapery and many Turkish (?)/Middle Eastern items. Numerous servers were always clearing away plates and refilling water. Restrooms were downstairs, so bit unaccommodating. The buffet items included 2 kinds of chicken: roasted chicken parts with bones in herbs, and chicken chunks in spices, both tasty. There were also a fish in spices, a dish resembling lamb souvlaki, and ground lamb rolls—all quite good. Lentil soup was hearty and outstanding. Grilled veggies were out of this world. Babaghannouj was so smoky I thought the stuff came from an ashtray … excellent. Even their rendition of mundane egg salad was superb; it had a very understated Middle Eastern spice flavor. Zucchini pancakes were good. Tzatziki, hummus (all kinds) and other dips were great. Pita-like bread was crisp and fresh. There were in addition: a dish similar to stuffed cabbage in a terrific sauce, stuffed bulgur OK, fried rolls filled with spinach or cheese which were fantastic. We didn’t even eat the 2 kinds of rice offered. Various salads (eg white bean salad), were all good. They had a whole okra dish that my companion loved, noting the rarity of getting an entire okra. Dessert items were fruit bowl, almond pudding. Baklava was almost too sweet and tad soggy. A mimosa and coke ($10 and $3 respectively) were not included in buffet tho coffee was. Some reviewers far more expert than we were in Turkish/Middle Eastern cuisine had significant criticisms, but for us the bottom line was we like what we ate authentic or not, whether there was inclusion of canned components on occasion—to us everything was prepared properly and not overwhelmed by spices.

Very good Turkish food, excellent service, live music ( not too loud so you could actually have a conversation). Although the prices seemed high but when you consider the fact that they don't accept tips the prices really do makes sense ( the tips are factored in). And the service is great. The waiters and the manager (or maybe an owner) go out of their way to please you and make you feel welcomed. We really enjoyed this place. Highly recommend!

Even for Manhattan, this place is way too expensive. The food was lacking in flavor and uniqueness, and the service was lackluster. Disappointed.

The food was good but the service is excellent. I arrive with my friend who is disabled and we called ahead to make sure it is handicap accessible and as soon as we arrive they were so accommodating and friendly! Emre, who is not originally a server, was so friendly with us and help us feel like home. We even had the opportunity to meet the owner himself. Nice and cozy atmosphere!

Too dark to read your menu. Waiters forget you and gave fights on the phone near the kitchen. Plus the food is far better at Turkish Kitchen on the East Side in the Twenties.

The main dining room is dim. Very dim. Sort of fun with the tenting everywhere. I hear there are belly dancers some nights. Not when I was there. Had dinner with 2 friends. made reservation on OpenTable. The place was empty. I asked for the corner booth, and was told it was "reserved". We had to ask for menus- twice. The service was slow. The food is average- some dishes just tasty by nature. Yogurt with cucumber and lemon and crunchy bread to mop it up with- you can't go wrong. The chicken kabobs were bone dry. The side dishes tasteless. Wish I had better things to say. The place just feels tired. I believe they also have a buffet brunch but I have not been to that either and maybe they kick it up a notch there. Willing to think they were having an off night, but the service is inexcusable. No one ever sat in the "reserved" booth.

This is my second time dining at Turkuaz. Everything is as great as it was my last dine in. The food is fresh and tasty .. service is attentive and classy.

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.

I had an amazing experience at this restaurant! The food was absolutely delicious—authentic Turkish and Mediterranean flavors that truly stand out. The lentil soup was rich and flavorful, and the Lamb Adana Kebab was perfectly cooked. The baklava, made with walnuts, was a delightful end to the meal—clearly fresh and authentic. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, with a cozy, family-owned vibe, and the service was attentive and friendly. I also appreciated the complimentary tea while waiting, a thoughtful touch that added to the experience. If you’re looking for authentic Turkish cuisine in NYC, this place is a must-visit.

Authentic Turkish restaurant on the UWS of Manhattan. Well prepared ample portions and always highest quality ingredients. Stuffed cabbage, fresh grilled fishes and lamb dishes are tops.

We were looking forward to this restaurant after reading many excellent reviews. We were served water right away; fine! But it was tepid and tasted as though it had collected dust for quite a while. We asked for it to be changed and got slightly fresher water, still not very palatable. Menu descriptions of entrees were enticing. The shish-kabob and vegetarian casserole were both tasteless: no spicing at all. Meat quality was excellent though. Overall, an extremely disappointing and expensive adventure.

We began with the 7 appetiser dish which had some incredible dips etc and nice bread. Very attentive service. Being quite full we ordered two appetisers- the dumplings, which were tiny like a large blueberry and awful, we tasted and went no further. The fried calamari were OK but we were given ketchup rather than the tartare on the menu. When questioned we were told they go well together. No they don't! Then that the kitchen had none. No concessions were offered. So sad, we were talking about coming back to sample other parts of the menu after course 1 but won't return.

Turkuaz is one of those places you visit for the first time and wonder 'why have I never come here before?!?' It is located right down the street from the Broadway Hotel & Hostel, where we normally stay when we visit NYC. I have noticed Turkuaz several times, but aside from reading the menu in the window, never stopped in. This visit we treated ourselves to places we had never been to, Turkuaz being one of them. We made reservations for Christmas Eve, and had a wonderful time, brought into a different world in the fabric draped dining room. Our dinner started with traditional Turkish flatbread, which is like a thick pita with more rise. We ordered sparkling water & Sigara Boregi a beautiful hot rolled pastry stuffed with feta & parsley to get started. We chose two Begendi dishes for entrees. Both had a base of smoked eggplant puree with Kashkavel cheese, smothered with wonderfully spiced meat. The eggplant was a surprise presentation of a familiar food, neither of us could have ever imagined preparing it like this! Mine was covered with thinly sliced Doner (lamb & veal) Kabobs, my wife's sliced chicken. The portions were great, just right, not too much, not too little. The flavors were unbelievable… layers of spices & textures to enjoy. We relished the pace of dinner, we had a nice table, our server was informative and attentive and the environment was not frantic but quiet & relaxed. This was a very welcome break from the crazy loud engagement we had the night before at a downtown national chain steakhouse. The pace let us enjoy coffee after dinner with Sultac Rice Pudding & Antep Fistikli Muhallebi, which is a light pistachio pudding. Our first visit will not be our last, there were way too many interesting things remaining on the menu that we will have to try out!

There are two rooms and we ate in the front room. It was casual in an outdoor patio type way. Décor was comfortable and cozy. The back room looked festive and all the tables were full on a Saturday evening. The food was great. Lamp chops were perfect, wonderful cold appetizer plate, and the chicken dish was smashing. The best was the little lamb dumplings in the yoghurt sauce. All in all a very nice meal.

Nice setting restaurant in New York. We went for lunch on our final day. The lady that served us was borderline rude and the guy didn’t say a single word and looked annoyed because we asked for salt ! Well if your food isn’t seasoned enough customers will ask for salt 😂. Very quiet while we were there but the presentation was beautiful and taste was mediocre. The chefs kept walking in and out of the restaurant which was annoying. Overall a nice experience

We ordered the large (7-item) cold appetizer plate; notably, the fresh flatbread was crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. The red lentil soup did not need the squirt of lemon juice. I loved my turlu and tried to get the recipe but the chef did not divulge his secrets. He relayed his response through the waiter: "the vegetables cook in their own juices." My mother-in-law would have preferred her chicken adana in chunk versus minced form. My husband liked his fish kebap. My father-in-law liked his doner kebap. We had baklava; though it is a few simple ingredients, the chef knows how to make the best baklava I've ever tasted. The decor seemed a little tired.

Lovely turkish food, went here twice, once for dinner and then once for lunch just before leaving NYC. Would recommend.

The web site says "Belly dancing on Friday ad Saturday evenings at 9:30 PM". Note that the Belly dance lasts for half an hour only. So, if you get to the restaurant after 10:30 PM, like we did, don't expect to see any belly dancing, like we did! :) There are a few vegetarian things on the menu, which we had checked in advance. We ordered Piyaz (White Bean Salad) - quite tasty, Cacık (Yogurt with cucumbers) - very tasty, and between three friends, all three vegetarian entrees on the menu! The entrees were all good, but certainly nothing exceptional to our taste buds. Our friend decided to have a Turkish coffee not realizing what it was. Unfortunately, her expectation was to find something bit more like Cappuccino, but she ended with something a bit more like a strong shot of Espresso! Did make her quite alert for the drive back home to Long Island! :) The decor is nice - they have made a fake fabric ceiling to give it a tent like appearance, and it must be nice to see some belly dancing in that decor! Oh, well!

The food is always well preparedand the service excellent. It's a great addition to this neighborhood. I'd like to see occasional specials, particularly not grilled ones, as well as more desserts.

Authentic Turkish food, well prepared and fresh. Great stuffed cabbage, wonderful white bean salad, and yogurt dishes galore. Service is spotty so be prepared to go and find your server ! Outdoor tables available.

I was visiting the city again and like to try new food for different cultures. I made a reservation 15 mins before I arrived and it didn’t show up in the system. That’s okay! The hostess was very nice and they already had full reservations but were able to move a table over to seat me. All the staff were very friendly and I felt like I was a guest in their home. The food was a bit expensive ranging from mid 20s to 40s. For a manhattan restaurant I expected this, and the food was delicious. The atmosphere was comfortable. White table cloths, Mediterranean music, LED strip lighting, and dim overhead lights. One of the best things I liked about it was that the tip was include so there wasn’t any pressure to figure out a good tip. It reminded me of when i visited Granada, Spain and ate at a Moroccan restaurant. Overall a great experience!

We come here with a friend from Bulgaria who feels this food is pretty authentic and we haven't had to wait. The front dining room is interestingly decorated, the back is nicer but I don't think they open it if they aren't busy.

I had the veggie casserole, and it was yummy, but I paid $20 for a plate I could have easily made for $5. Apple tea is hot apple cider, and it's soo good. The setting here is really cool —in a tent, essentially, with draped chairs and low-lit candles. It was fun to try out, and it makes good Turkish food, but my husband and I both left feeling like we paid far too much for our dishes. There are cheaper places nearby. If you're just looking for a fun, ethnic food-tasting adventure that won't break the bank, this isn't your stop.

I have been to Turkuaz on 5 occasions. The Sunday brunch is amazing. There is a very wide selection of cold Turkish salads, such as red lentil, eggplant salad, taramasalata, tsatziki, grilled vegetables. The hot entrees include fish, chicken, lamb, okra, and soup. There are plenty of options for vegetarians. The strong black tea is served traditionally in small glass mugs. The dinner menu is more expensive but the servings are generous. The baba ganoush is wonderfully smoky. The wines are OK--adequate but not much more. With the exception of one visit, the service is pleasant and unobtrusive. Although I have not taken advantage of it, there is a Monday night special with a free bottle of wine.

Turkuaz is invaluable in this neighborhood where restaurants are few and usally not very good. It is an attractive restaurant, with Ottoman decor, and the food is authentic. I think the menu could be expanded a bit. Lately there has been a smaller choice of desserts, for example, and some entrees have also disappeared. I was particularly disappinted at the loss of tandir, a succulent lamb dish. And Turkish cooking has many more mezes, or appetizers, than the ones Americans are most familiar with. A little more light would be good, too.

So we went there 10 years ago. Not so good. Over cooked. Now it survives a decade in a very competitive environment. Tried it again. Really first rate. Food is lovely, grape leaves from heaven, and the belly dancer a real entertaining plus. So we will return regularly now and maybe be more forgiving in the future. Great hummus. Really lovely service. Oh and it ain't loud and the barkeep is generous.

My wife and I were visiting the city and were looking forward to a delicious and enjoyable dinner experience. We were very disappointed with Turkuaz for several reasons: 1) The food quality was mediocre. I ordered the vegetable casserole with lamb and the vegetables were bland and unequally cooked. And the meal came out lukewarm at best. It appears this restaurant gets food out very quick as our table and the two adjacent tables all received food soon after ordering. It’s fine if the food has been prepared ahead of time but make sure it’s warm when you serve it to your customers! Also, my dish came out without lamb and it took the wait staff several minutes to bring additional lamb for the dish. 2) The service was subpar to poor. We had to request water twice at the beginning of dinner before we received it. Also, the manager (owner?) was walking around and talking to select patrons throughout the night (mostly older (40/50 year old+) patrons and one Turkish woman). However, he did not come to our table once during our meal, not even when we had issues with our food and service! As an American couple in their 20/30s, maybe we didn’t fit his demographic. 3) To top it all off, we made a reservation on OpenDoor, but received an email later in the night that we “didn’t show up for dinner”. The situation was rectified but led to my wife receiving a call from the restaurant at midnight!! My wife left a similar review to this one on Google Reviews and the restaurant staff called to confirm the opentable reservation but also to request that she remove or modify her google review (at the request/threat of his manager). How shady! Overall, I felt like my wife and I wasted a dinner in NYC. We won’t be returning and I wouldn’t recommend this place to any family or friends!

We dined her for lunch last week and took advantage of the $11 lunch special. The food was absolutely fantastic and enjoyed by all. Very authentic cuisine and a lovely little restaurant in the theater district.

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, and the service was reasonably good. 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 a supermarket. The shrimp in the Shrimp Casserole were chewy, and the sauce, once creamy and rich, was now 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 told him, “We won’t be coming back here again.” To which he responded, “Don’t come.” Our server was pleasant. Other than that, this was one of our worst customer experiences, ever.

beautiful interior, can be noisy

We've had dinner in Turkuaz a few times already, both inside and outdoors, and we were always delighted with the food, the friendly service, the excellent Turkish wine, the decor and that the tables are well spaced. We love the shepherd's salad, the warm pita at the start (better than most others we've tried), the grill plates (chicken Adana is exceptional), the stuffed cabbage, and so much more. It is truly one of the better neighborhood places, and it's reasonable prices are an added and very welcome bonus.

Given our Armenian-Lebanese home cooking experience (mother-in-law from Aleppo) wirh high overlap with Turkish cuisine, we chose menu items not so frequent at our home dining table. The white bean salad was amazing, the most memorable of our choices. The manti were very good, then the ground lamb adana kebab (yum!) finishing with the kunefe shared with my dining partner who resists most desserts. We even shared our first Turkish Efes beer, having arrived after our hotel complimentary happy hour wine. Our waitress was very friendly, as was all the staff. We are out of towners so we will keep it in mind for our next visit.

We stopped here for a late lunch on a weekday. It was empty and quiet but the staff were quite friendly and the front room we sat in was beautifully decorated. The small sampler plate was more than enough bread and various kinds of dips/sauces for the two of us, and very tasty, especially the hummus.

The front room of this neighborhood restaurant is nice and plain, the back room "Turkish" and dark. The service is prompt and friendly and the food is average. All we ordered tasted good but prepared without much love: the "Tara" didn't have much fish roe, the "humus" was watery, the meat balls dry and no sauce the tiny ravioli more dough than meat etc

A gem of a restaurant on the Upper West Side. Excellent food, beautiful ambience and efficient, friendly service. In a neighborhood with several really good Middle East restaurants this one stands out. Highly recommended!

I am not an expert on Turkish cuisine but I do know good food. We chose Turkuaz as my wife does truly enjoy Turkish cuisine. Although it was not a very highly rated resto on Tripadvisor it was highly rated on other sites. The bottom line is that hopefully with this brief review, the rating will go up. In our party of seven we had excellent fish, meats, cabbage rolls as well as various delicious appetizers. i don't drink but from the guzzlers at the table the various mixed drinks and the bottle of Turkish wines were also a hit.

We had an early dinner in the bar area of the restaurant. The food was well prepared and nicely presented. As the night wore one, many couples chose to eat in the more intimate back area of the restaurant. Live entertainment is lots of fun!

Dined here a year ago, had the Sultan's Delight then and enjoyed it very much, so returned this year to explore the menu further. This time I ordered the Turkuaz Begendi (House Special) which is sliced meat over a cheese layer on top of pureed smoked eggplant, plus a tomato. The layers both contrast and complement each other nicely and smoked eggplant is a smooth exotic flavor I would love to duplicate in my home kitchen. The atmosphere is appropriately Turkish (my table must have survived the Ottoman empire) and relatively quiet, despite a number of other diners. Wait staff were pleasant, answered questions, very attentive, but not hovering. Prices are quite reasonable for New York City and I fully recommend this restaurant!

On Tuesday, June 21st, an excited group of Engin Akyürek Uniting Hearts Worldwide members met at Turkuaz to celebrate the first anniversary of UHW. One of our members who lives in New York recommended Turkuaz for an authentic dining experience and it exceeded expectations in every way! We chose to have our dinner downstairs in ‘The Cave’, a rustic room with a stone entrance decorated to resemble a wine cellar; the ambience was warm and intimate, a perfect setting for our special event. The food was outstanding! A round of Prosecco to toast UHW’s successful first year as a global group was followed by an array of mouthwatering appetizers. Entrees were ordered individually though many members mixed and matched to sample more of the delicious dishes. We didn’t order dessert as we had brought in our own cake for the celebration. Nevertheless, we were each given a sweet piece of baklava to complete our meal. Delicious! Jesus, our waiter, was very organized and efficient. Attentive without being intrusive, he was the perfect host, greeting our every request with a smile and immediate follow-through. Julia, a native of Türkiye, was also very friendly and helpful, ensuring that our experience was everything we had hoped for. We were surprised to find that tips for the waiting staff are not expected, following the tradition in Türkiye, although there is a 10% fee added for groups of 10 or more. We felt that a 10% tip was inadequate and we gave Jesus a tip in line with the exceptional service he provided. After dinner, we met the Turkish owner, Ali, who was very curious about our group of 1.2K members, from ~150 countries, which was founded on a common love for the incomparable Turkish actor Engin Akyürek. Having met this down-to-earth man, we now understand why his restaurant has a delightful ‘family’ feel. We will definitely consider going back to Turkuaz for future events … or perhaps our next event will be a sunset cruise on the harbor, catered by Turkuaz!

For an after theater dining experience, Turkuaz hit the spot! The staff were delightful. Even without a reservation, they graciously were able to accomodate us. The choices were great. My friend and I decided to go for a spread of appetizers and soup. It was a perfect choice. We ordered the hummus, the warm spinach pie, the zucchini pancakes and red lentil soup. There was room at the end of our meal for the baklava. Every dish was prepared with fresh ingredients, lovely flavors and care. The prices are what they should be. And to my surprise, the prices listed include tips! Gratuities are not expected! I don't remember dining at a place where this is expressed (both on the menu and on the check itself) in recent history. The atmosphere was lovely. I'd go again in a heartbeat if I were back in the neighborhood.

This restaurant has really delicious food, great atmosphere , you must go and try :)i really liked the baklava, all of the guys working there are really kind !

Covid restrictions had just lifted. My husband and I opted to order a glass of wine at the bar and order food to go. We ordered three wraps to go and hummus. An amazing meal. I am a Mediterranean food fanatic and have hummus made for me from scratch back in CA. The food did not disappoint. My kids and our bellies were satisfied. We will be back!

Had dinner here one evening while in Hell's Kitchen. Totally enjoyed the large cold appetizer plate which had 7 different spreads and the best stuffed grape leaves we've ever tasted. We were stuffed by the time the mixed hot appetizer plate arrived and probably didn't do that enough justice. Service was good and prices were fair for where you're at in NYC.

Everything on this menu is excellent!! We were so impressed with the quality of food and service that we went back 3 times. The hummus and pita as a starter is an absolute must.

I thoroughly enjoyed our recent visit to Turkuaz. Having been to Turkey many years ago, I was happy to be able to order rake. The bread, and cheese boregi, were as I remembered. Our mains were absolutely delicious (mine iskendar kebap, my husband's hunkar begendi) -- my husband's dish in particular was mind-blowing. Coffee was served in traditional Turkish tulip cups. We were on a budget and found the prices very reasonable. The location was convenient to the subway at 96.

This is a restaurant that does everything well. Can't wait to come back for more. Everything from the food to the drinks to the service is excellent. The large serving area is nicely decorated and dimly lit, which helps create intimacy in what could otherwise easily have felt like a big open hall room. Saw a mix of families, groups of friends, and couples here. Despite a rather large group across the seating area from our table, it was quiet and peaceful.