Kitchen Istanbul

4.9

1160 Reviews

$30 and under

Turkish

Make a reservation

2 people

Dec 18, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 14 times today

Experiences are available.

Neighborhood gem
Great for fine wines
Good for special occasions

Kitchen Istanbul is an elevated neighborhood restaurant showcasing the flavors of Turkey and featuring an extensive list of wines from around the globe. Led by owner Emrah Kilicoglu, we are a small, tight-knit team dedicated to genuine hospitality. The menu, created by Chef Alican Boynak, comprises dishes from all over Turkey, with a focus on mezes, charcoal-grilled kebaps, and local produce. The wine program, overseen by Joseph DiGrigoli, has been honored by Star Wine List and Wine Spectator and spotlighted in publications like the San Francisco Chronicle and the Wall Street Journal.

We are a family-friendly restaurant suited for everything from a casual glass of wine to celebrations for large groups. Our diverse menu is able to accommodate most dietary restrictions, including options for gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan diners.

We look forward to welcoming you soon.

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Elegant Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Turkish, Greek, Wine Bar
Hours of operation
Dinner Mon, Wed–Sun 5:00 pm–9:30 pm
Phone number
(415) 753-9479
Website
http://www.kitchenistanbulsf.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Alican Boynak
Private party facilities
Kitchen Istanbul is bookable for private events of all dining styles, from wine-and-snacks receptions to seated, multi-course dinners. We can accommodate up to 30 people for a seated dinner at one contiguous table, up to 40 people for a seated dinner at multiple tables, and up to 50 people for standing receptions with wine and passed food.

Location
349 Clement Street, San Francisco, CA 94118
Neighborhood
Richmond District
Cross street
5th Avenue
Parking details
Street parking. Public Parking on 6th avenue between Clement and Geary.
Additional
Beer, Corkage Fee, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

KIFC NYE
$217.24 per party
Dec 31, 2024 only
This New Year’s Eve, we’re turning Kitchen Istanbul into KIFC. We’ll have a special menu featuring Busra’s fried chicken, which has become famous among our staff, Turkish-inflected sides, and plenty of Champagne. We’ll be ringing in 2025 in true KI style. Reservations will go fast, so we encourage you to book soon. Menu price is $200 for starters, 4 pieces of chicken, two sides, and dessert. Menu price is $300 for starters, 6 pieces of chicken, five sides, and dessert. Please note we will only be offering our special menu this evening. However, we will have alternative main course options for vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free diners. We cannot wait to celebrate with you.

Olives$7.00
with mixed herbs
Pickles$9.00
Indian eggplant, Romano bean, cauliflower
Potato Croquettes$8.00
with Girit ezme
Muhammara$8.00
Roasted red pepper, walnuts, pomegranate molasses
Havuc tarator$8.00
Shredded carrots, yogurt, mint, walnuts
Hummus$8.00
You know what hummus is :)
Istanbul-style şakşuka$12.00
Japanese eggplant, Anaheim pepper, tomato
Levrek marin$19.00
Aegean-style branzino crudo, Fresno chile, green apple

Small Plates

Pistachio Salad$17.00
farm greens, cara cara orange, mint fennel, flax seed
Radicchio Salad$17.00
Treviso, frisee, nectarine, honey lavender vinaigrette, eski kaşar
Summer Squash$16.00
Asparagus, zucchini crema, kabak tarator
Paçanga Börek$14.00
Kashkaval cheese, Armenian basturma, Anaheim pepper, frisee
Sautéed Shrimp$20.00
Shishito peppers, chermoula butter, Maraş pepper
Octopus$21.00
Catelvetrano olive, roasted red pepper, chickpea, fried caper, pearl onion
Charcoal-grilled Adana Kebaps$28.00
Sumac-onion, ezme, Fresno chile, homemade lavash

Large Plates

Orzotto$23.00
Maraş pepper okra, hen of the woods mushrooms, Erzincan tulum
Grilled Chicken Kebaps$29.00
Mustard green tabbouleh, Maraş harissa
Aegean Branzino$32.00
Preserved Meyer lemon, cowpea "börulce" piyaz, salsa verde, fresh herb salad
Moussaka$28.00
Spiced ground beef, eggplant, bell pepper, béchamel
Braised short rib$34.00
Urfa chimichurri, smoked firik bulgur, İzmir tulum
Lamp chops$42.00
burnt-butter-roquefort potato puree, confit tomato, cipollini onion, jus

Dessert

Büşra's revani$12.00
simple syrup soaked cake, poached sand pear, homemade whipped cream
Künefe$12.00
Kadayif, traditional cheese, pistachio

What 1,160 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.9

4.9 based on recent ratings

4.9Food
4.9Service
4.7Ambience
4.6Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

San Francisco
Best Overall
San Francisco
Great for fine wines

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Kitchen Istanbul delights with "incredible food" and a "fantastic wine program." Guests rave about the "attentive service" and "beautifully presented" Turkish cuisine. The sommelier offers "thoughtful guidance" on an "amazing wine list." Despite occasional noise, the "welcoming atmosphere" and "unforgettable dining experience" make it a neighborhood gem in San Francisco.

1,160 Reviews

S
Stacy
San Francisco
53 reviews
5.0
53 reviews
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great staff, menu and service. Excellent wine selection and food is wonderful.
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j
jeffrey
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Four of us dined together to celebrate an upcoming wedding and we were greeted warmly by Joseph, the sommelier. We loved the pistachio salad, Muhammara roasted red pepper dip, the shrimp with shishito peppers and the charcoal grilled Adana beef and lamb kebab. Jospeh is not only a master at his craft but he also makes you feel like "this is your spot". We placed ourselves in his capable hands and we enjoyed a wonderful Burgundy followed by a wine from the Loire Valley. My only suggestion to the restaurant is that they slow the pace of the food brought to the table, especially if you want to savor the wines from their outstanding (and well priced) wine list. Highly recommended!
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M
Mike
Washington DC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 5 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Outstanding service and wine recommendations. Food flavors danced on our palate with every bite! We will be back again! Thank you for a delicious and delightful meal!
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M
Munci
Minneapolis
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on December 8, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Always a pleasure to dine in this gem! Great food, ambiance and wine.
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S
Shruti
Greater Boston
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on December 8, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Amazing experience with innovative food and incredible service
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E
Ellen
VIP
San Francisco
14 reviews
5.0
14 reviews
Dined on December 1, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We had a delightful evening at Kitchen Istanbul. The food was terrific - we particularly enjoyed the Andana kebab and the mezze options. The wine was delicious and we loved talking with the sommelier about our options. We will be back very soon.
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N
Natalie
San Francisco
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on December 1, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Beautiful experience from start to finish. The food was amazing!
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L
Leonor
VIP
New York City
8 reviews
5.0
8 reviews
Dined on November 26, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We had to wait an extra 15-20 minutes for our reservation but our host made sure we were comfortable. He brought us some snacks and bubbles. The food was fresh and delicious and the service was expertly and warm.
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M
Marc
San Francisco
7 reviews
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on November 24, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Unexpectedly amazing experience. Creative and well executed Turkish cuisine. Wine pairing progression program is fantastic. Go!
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M
Mary
San Francisco
6 reviews
3.0
6 reviews
Dined on November 22, 2024
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 2
A good meal, but at a price point that's a little hard to understand. The seating was closer to other diners than one would like, and despite having a reservation two of the three table options we were given were in inconvenient spots. There is limited space in the restaurant, but in any case the configuration did not make for a great experience. Once all the tables are occupied, the noise level gets rather high. The wine list is excellent, and we received thoughtful guidance on the wines by the glass. We had appetizers and entrees, and they were fine. I just didn't feel like any of the food was really special. For almost $100 a person (which included tip), there are many better places in San Francisco. The service was conscientious, and may have been the best part of the experience. Lastly, I should mention that the restaurant requires a credit card for a reservation -- and has a 24-hour cancellation policy, otherwise charging $50 per person. There's also a 15-minute limit on the reservation hold. Again, all this is just a bit much. I know there are challenges to running a restaurant in a costly city, but in sum these policies detract from a sense of welcomeness.
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FAQs

Kitchen Istanbul offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (415) 753-9479.

Kitchen Istanbul is rated 4.9 stars by 1160 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Dec 18, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 14 times today

Experiences are available.

Order delivery or takeout

349 Clement Street, San Francisco, CA 94118

Dining areas

Additional information

Cross street
5th Avenue
Neighborhood
Richmond District
Hours of operation
Dinner Mon, Wed–Sun 5:00 pm–9:30 pm
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Turkish, Greek, Wine Bar
Dining style
Elegant Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Street parking. Public Parking on 6th avenue between Clement and Geary.
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Alican Boynak
Additional
Beer, Corkage Fee, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.kitchenistanbulsf.com/
Phone number
(415) 753-9479
Private party facilities
Kitchen Istanbul is bookable for private events of all dining styles, from wine-and-snacks receptions to seated, multi-course dinners. We can accommodate up to 30 people for a seated dinner at one contiguous table, up to 40 people for a seated dinner at multiple tables, and up to 50 people for standing receptions with wine and passed food.

Kitchen Istanbul

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

KIFC NYE

Mezes

Olives$7.00

Pickles$9.00

Potato Croquettes$8.00

Muhammara$8.00

Havuc tarator$8.00

Hummus$8.00

Istanbul-style şakşuka$12.00

Levrek marin$19.00

Small Plates

Pistachio Salad$17.00

Radicchio Salad$17.00

Summer Squash$16.00

Paçanga Börek$14.00

Sautéed Shrimp$20.00

Octopus$21.00

Charcoal-grilled Adana Kebaps$28.00

Large Plates

Orzotto$23.00

Grilled Chicken Kebaps$29.00

Aegean Branzino$32.00

Moussaka$28.00

Braised short rib$34.00

Lamp chops$42.00

Dessert

Büşra's revani$12.00

Künefe$12.00

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

Does Kitchen Istanbul offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Kitchen Istanbul restaurant rated?

Is Kitchen Istanbul currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information