My friends and I went here for dinner on our last night in Honolulu because I wanted halal food and it is one of the few places that has some halal meat option in Honolulu. We had to make reservation and the restaurant was quite busy when we got there. Their dishes are overpriced and small in portion. The dishes my friends and I ordered was missing flavor and taste. We had to add extra salt to be able to eat it. The service was ok. They could do better. I wouldn't recommend nor would I go back. After we left the restaurant, I noticed that Whole Food was right across from it. I was jokingly telling my friends we could have gone there instead; could have got better food for better price. I hope they improve the quality, taste, flavor of the food.

Istanbul was a fantastic dinning experience, we had to make reservations well in advance due to their popularity so definitely take that into consideration. The restaurant itself is very nice and we'll put together, all staff adhered to safety precautions, they take your temp and make sure you're wearing your mask. The drinks and appetizers were great, the home made humus was fantastic. All our meals were great, fresh and flavorful and made you just want more. Istanbul is definitely a repeat dinning spot and highly recommend.

The food lacks flavor. It feels as though they simply add sugar syrup and paint to the cocktails. The prices are unreasonably high, and the tablecloths are old, with spools on the tables. My friends have been here several times, and they didn't enjoy it either. If you want good food, I don't recommend coming here. On the plus side, it is a good location, pleasant and smiling waiters and a cute design.

Wanted to try something out of my normal food palate. I must say I actually enjoyed this Istanbul cuisine! It's different, but delicious and service was on point, constantly checking in on us, but not overboard and answered our many many questions about each cuisine. Enjoyed ourselves so much here, we were on of the last groups to leave.

Being a newer restaurant I expected the quality of the food and the service to be fantastic. Istanbul exceeded all of my expectations The food was hot fresh and some of the best Mediterranean/Middle Eastern food I've had in a long time. The service was great, the staff worked as a team they were polite and friendly. Overall great experience 10 out of 10 look at my pictures to get a glimpse of what you'll be eating when you go.

Food was good. Portions aesthetic and decently sized. Three people shared three entrees. It was definitely expensive but we went there looking for a good halal meal. The lamb and chicken were halal if I’m not mistaken..

All around, food, atmosphere, vibes and service was a 5* experience for me. This place was fully booked with reservations and I recommend making one to get in. The ambiance was worldly and beautiful in it's decor. The food was absolutely amazing with a wide range of different flavors. Service was great! My server explained the different dishes to me and spaced things out in a timely manner so I could fully enjoy my appetizer and meal. I'd definitely recommend coming here for a unique dining experience. There's a garage parking lot for easy and close-by parking.

With respect to the price, quantity of the food is very less. They give you food in small 6in (or 8in) skillets. Taste is mediocre. Food was cold, I wish if they warm up the rice or the doner or beef we ordered. After having food at this restaurant, I had to go somewhere else to fill myself up. The red tomato sauce on doner ruins the taste. Chicken doner was tasteless plus red sauce on top further ruins it. Well, atmosphere is good, restaurant is at very good location.

One of the best Mediterranean food we had in a long time. They have very good vegan and vegetarian options and one of the best restaurants in Honolulu Hawaii. We tried their Meze Platter and Cauliflower Sharwarma. It was very delicious. For dessert we had HATAY KUNEFE and it was absolutely wonderful. I would recommend everyone to try this place. It's better if you book a table in advance as it is a pretty busy place.

Amazing menu and unique cocktails. Everything from the appetizers to dessert was delicious. I would recommend the Turkish coffee. The vegetarian "meat" options are seasoned to perfection. I will be back as there are so many other things I would like to try.

Incredible place in the heart of Honolulu. Great vegan / vegetarian options, amazing ambiance, top-notch service, and good portion sizes. Try the falafel and the date seed coffee with the Turkish delight!

Istanbul Hawai’i has been open for a couple of years now, and Chef Ahu and her team have evidently built a local and international fan following. I initially reviewed this restaurant back in 2021 after first eating there with my wife and being blown away by the authentic Turkish cuisine & incredible care put into every dish. I have to say that the place continues to impress beyond expectations, and after another meal there for a large family gathering last night, I remain awed by the quality and flavours we experienced. From appetisers to main courses to desserts and beverages, every item was delectable & thoroughly enjoyed by every person at the table. There was not a single complaint, and the team went above and beyond to meet our needs. There are specialities on the menu that one cannot find anywhere else in Hawai’i, and certain things that are hard to find anywhere outside of Turkiye, period. The su borek and saganaki are particularly excellent starters, for example; and getting genuine versions of these in Hawai’i was previously unthinkable! The same is especially true for a dessert like Künefe. It’s amazing, it’s very hard to make properly, it’s very uncommon to encounter it any place besides quality dessert spots in Turkiye. But thanks to Ahu and her team, such a possibility now exists for residents of O’ahu. Note: the restaurant is somewhat expensive; but to have this level of quality & excellence in Kaka’ako (or anywhere in Honolulu) is rare. We definitely get what we pay for here, and it’s worth it. Overall, I simply cannot say enough about Istanbul Hawai’i. It really is one of our favourite restaurants in the world and every accolade that Ahu receives for her incredibly hard work is well deserved. She oversees the prep, the finishing of every dish, the function of the team, the satisfaction of the patrons, the ins and outs and everything in between; it’s obvious when one sees her or talks to her inside the restaurant how much she cares and it comes through in the food and the ambience of the place. Istanbul Hawai’i: still a grand success, and only getting better as it firmly establishes itself as an iconic Turkish gem in the middle of the deep blue Pacific. Hepinize çok teşekkür ederiz, gerçekten. Size müteşekkiriz! Aloha ve görüşürüz!

It was mid. Service was slow. Only 1 bartender. Server & bartender prioritized drinks to the table next to us when we’ve ordered way before those people. Clearly there isn’t a system set in place when orders are taken. Servers chit chat with coworkers when they’re supposed to be working. Server is all over the place… would take orders from us, then another table and continue to forget what we’ve requested. We’ve ordered dolmas and I’ve asked for more of the spicy sauce, but we were being forced to order another appetizer just to have access to the hot sauce. I’ve notified server we need our checks, server even tried to confirm so 2 checks and I said yes, but then server proceeds to give our table ONE check. I’m from the Middle East and I’m very well-versed with this cuisine. It’s great they have grass-fed, organic and prime beef, but this place needs to get their act together internally. Food doesn’t even come out the right temperature. Tatziki was more of cucumber flavored yogurt. Dolmas served cold took 10 minutes to get to the table when there were 6-8 people in the kitchen and plenty of runners. I will NOT bring my Turkish friends here.

Istanbul Hawaii offers exceptional Turkish cuisine and top-notch service. The falafels were outstanding, and the chicken shish and date seed coffee were equally delightful. The fantastic ambiance adds to the overall wonderful dining experience. Highly recommended!

The ambiance, dishes, and service combine to an experience that’s unique to Hawaii. Generous portions were a plus , as was the truly hot sauce (Sultan’s — you’ve been warned). The cocktails were good but flavors were a bit mild considering the ingredients listed. The restaurant is quite busy so reservations are a must. Recommended.

The best Mediterranean on island, or anywhere really. Their food could hold its own against any white table restaurant on the mainland. Reservations are recommended unless you luck into a table in the off hours. The outdoor patio is wonderful but if you’re not a fan of the heat, get a table inside.

Pita bread platter wasn't really worth it in my opinion but the lamb and beef were great. I didn't try a lot of Mediterranean food but I thought this was the best one I had so far. The meat was so juicy, well seasoned, and the rice was flavorful as well. Our waiter was so friendly and the restaurant was very clean and well decorated. Would love to come back here again.

I rarely eat Mediterranean food, but this place knocks it out of the park. I personally enjoyed the lamb shish kebabs as the lamb were juicy and tender. I also enjoyed a multitude of deserts afterwards. I would wholeheartedly recommend coming to Istanbul Hawaii to try out what they have to offer.

Exceptional experience! The food was so good and the service was fast. The waiter and waitress were very polite and often checked on us. It'd a little pricey and you need reservations but if this is your style of food then you won't be disappointed

One of the best Turkish restaurants with amazing vibe and fantastic food! So many good options for vegetarians! Reservations are recommended and there's both indoor/outdoor seating. We walked in at 5 pm on a weekday and got a table without reservation but definitely need one if you are dining it later. We had the mezze platter which is a must try, I loved the muhammara! Also tried the cauliflower kofte with rice. The cauliflower was delicious and the rice was very tasty. There were sides along with the dish. Drinks were great too. We parked at the Wholefoods across the street. The service was quick and friendly. Loved the attention to detail on the plates and glasses. We came back to this place since we loved it so much. Definitely check this place out!

This restaurant serves real Turkish food with Ingredients imported directly from Turkey. Doesn't get more authentic than that. Be careful. Its insanely easy to spend over a $100 for food but its so delicious. Waitresses are extremely friendly and atmosphere is so nice and welcoming

I only write review for places that are good to share with people in a constructive and positive way and worth a visit. (My profile doesn’t contain any low star rating or dramatic complaints) This restaurant serves healing and healthy food, but very delicious at the same time. The fresh organic ingredients and the level of sodium, sugar is perfect to calm your soul and nourish your body. I saw the owner and their crew phenomenally young and healthy. Fair price and good service.

If you want to try this restaurant out I highly recommend you make a reservation weeks in advance because if you don't you'll walk up and end up sitting side by side at the adjacent window table like myself! We were happy to even be seated but if you want a more intimate evening (I didn't care because I was with my sister) that doesn't include watching people walk back and forth outside, make a reservation!! Also keep in mind that you will have to park in the free Anaha parking garage but it's not far from the restaurant - about 3 minutes walk. This restaurant did not disappoint, everything was absolutely amazing - even the water glasses were a nice esthetic. We started with some well-made cocktails, the Cezve Martini and The Thief of Fire. For an appetizer we had the Meze Platter and I was not disappointed - the Muhammara was my favorite with the pita bread but the Babaganush was a very close second. The Spanakopita was also a star on the platter, it had a good crisp and wasn't soggy - the best I've ever had. Because the platter was so filling, we ended up sharing an entree. We had the Lamb Tenderloin Shish and OH MY GOSH that was THE BEST LAMB I have had in my life. The lamb wasn't too gamey, very tender, and super flavorful with the Turkish spices. The Tzatziki sauce was well made for the lamb and the rice was also flavorful. All in all, the whole meal was amazing, our server was swift and knowledgeable, the bathroom was clean, and the restaurant had a nice layout. Such a great restaurant to try!

I can say enough good things about this restaurant. The place was beautiful, the staff was beyond amazing, and the food was absolutely great! We went on Christmas and even with it being a holiday, the servers were sooo on top of everything and just amazing. I want to try their lunch also and can't wait to come back.

The ambiance, the service, the food! It was a great lunch experience! Definitely make reservations.

Love the food and service. I've had the Lamb Pirzola, Ribeye Shish and Ottoman Steak. For appetizer we always get the Meze platter so we can have a bit of everything. Also, there baklava is a fan favorite. This place is a definite recommend. 👌

Istanbul Hawaii is a very nice restaurant for dinner. The outdoor patio is very cute and cozy. The food is delicious. We had the mezze plate to start. The dips are fresh and tasty. The chicken shish is juicy and flavorful. Doner is tender and savory. The cocktails are made well and the service is friendly. This is a good place to stop in for a nice meal.

I love the concept of mum and daughter running a restaurant so I wanted to support their business. Food was good, tableware was all fancy and service was pleasant. However, it's definitely overpriced and overrated. I know they say that they use high quality ingredients but still... small portion and high price. Difficult to reserve a table? It shouldn't be. Turkish friend says that it's sad that this is only one place on Oahu to represent Turkish food. Parking is free because it's located in Ward Village.