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Food - Cafe Istanbul, Chicago, IL

Cafe Istanbul

4.5 (344)
$30 and under
Turkish
2014 W Division St, Chicago, IL 60622-3154

Make a reservation

A photo of Cafe Istanbul restaurant

Cafe Istanbul

4.5
$30 and under
Turkish
Bucktown / Wicker Park

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 7 times today

About this restaurant

  • Neighborhood gem
  • Good for business meals
  • Good for groups
In the heart of Chicago, there's a charming place known as the Istanbul Café, owned and run by Mustafa Guler. With more than 15 years of culinary experience in Istanbul, Ankara, and Antalya, he brings the flavors of Turkey to the Windy City.

For over six years, Chicago residents have flocked to Istanbul Café for delicious, authentic Turkish cuisine. From mouthwatering kebabs to flavorful mezze, each dish is a testament to Mustafa's culinary expertise.

What set Istanbul Café apart was not just its special wines, homemade baklava, or Mustafa's culinary expertise, but a secret treasure hidden within its menu - the "Cag Kebab." This special dish from Turkey's Erzurum region, and you won't find it anywhere else in the city.

From the talented chefs to the friendly servers, they ensure every visit to Istanbul Café is special. Here, we serve you not just with food but with passion! Come and savor Turkey's essence in the heart of Chicago!

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Turkish, Mediterranean
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Sat 11:00 am–9:30 pm Sun 9:00 am–9:30 pm
  • Phone number
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Mustafa Guler
  • Catering
    2014 W Division St Chicago Illinois,
  • Delivery & takeout
  • Neighborhood
    Bucktown / Wicker Park
  • Parking details
    Private Lot
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Dancing, Delivery, Dog Friendly, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Concierge
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Our AI assistant, Concierge, is here to answer your questions about this restaurant.

Videos

Shared by creators who recently dined at this restaurant.

  • Profile image

    thelifeofmarija

    If you’re looking for Turkish food in Chicago, Cafe Istanbul needs to be on your list 🤩 We tried a few different unique traditional dishes such as lahmacun, sogurme, islim sarmasi, and doner. I can’t even tell you my favorite because I loved all of them 😋 The cocktails were also really good — I loved the espresso martini, and they’ve got new drinks coming later this summer too! We are so lucky Chicago has so many different cuisine types to try that sometimes we don’t even need to leave the city to “travel the world” 🌎✈️ 📍 @chicafeistanbul | Chicago #cafeistanbul #chicagoeats #turkishfood #chicagofoodie #chicagorestaurants cafe istanbul chicago, turkish restaurant chicago, chicago dinner spots

Videos are powered by Seekeasy. How this content is generated

Reviews

OpenTable reviews from verified diners

Reviews from people who have dined at Cafe Istanbul.

4.5

4.5
(344)
  • 4.5Food
  • 4.4Service
  • 4.3Ambience
  • 4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Cafe Istanbul offers a delightful dining experience with "great food, tasty and plentiful" options. Guests appreciate the "fantastic and informative staff" and "wonderful meals." The menu features favorites like the "iskender kebab" and "spectacular branzino." Despite occasional service hiccups, its unique dishes and warm atmosphere keep patrons returning.
344 Reviews
  1. OpenTable Diner

    Toronto1 review

    5.0

    Dined on September 19, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Great food tasty and plentiful people serving were helpful and kind

    Is this helpful?

  2. ziva

    Chicago5 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on September 6, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food and a nice and quite restaurant to dine with friends.

    Is this helpful?

  3. Yavneeka

    Washington DC1 review

    1.0

    Dined on August 29, 2026

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 1
    Restaurant was not open and nobody to contact so we found somewhere else in the area

    Is this helpful?

  4. carl Gold

    Chicago32 reviews

    1.0

    Dined on August 29, 2026

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 1
    The restaurant was closed. A sign in the window read Lost their License.

    Is this helpful?

  5. Kristen Gold

    New York City17 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on August 4, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We come to Cafe Istanbul every time we visit Chicago. Their mezze are fresh and delicious, and the iskender kebab is melt-in-your-mouth tender with tomato sauce and yogurt to die for. Don’t skip the kazandibi!

    Is this helpful?

  6. Zachary

    Chicago4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on July 18, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fantastic and informative staff. Great service and wonderful meals.

    Is this helpful?

  7. David Gold

    Philadelphia4 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on July 10, 2026

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    The food was served hot and delicious. Our server was friendly, pleasant and efficient. I'll be back!

    Is this helpful?

  8. Susanne Gold

    Chicago72 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on June 28, 2026

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    The restsurant was very accommodating- they changed my chair so I could use my lumbar pillow and they made a kabob for my dining partner without the usual marinade because it contained garlic which my friend is allergic to. They also went out of their way to make sure my friend didn't eat the spread they give to each table because it contained garlic. The salad we split was supposed to be an appetizer but it was huge and delicious with lettuce, apples, walnuts, plums and cheese with a delicious dressing. My seafood fettuccine was terrific and also huge - 6 large muscles and 5 large shrimp with olives, cherry tomatoes in a wonderful garlic and white wine sauce. Most entrees were under $30 and those over that amount were priced reasonably (i e. $40 for a whole branzino). I would go again though street parking is difficult to find.

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  9. michael

    Chicago2 reviews

    1.0

    Dined on June 24, 2026

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 1
    They refused to serve alcohol to a 48 year old member of our party, even though he had both an ID (expired) showing his birthday and a photo of his passport. Out of multiple hundreds of dining experiences in Chicago no one has ever been so obviously ridiculous with respect to this. There’s other better Turkish restaurants nearby.

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  10. Nil

    Unspecified1 review

    1.0

    Dined on June 1, 2026

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 3
    Whenever we go to Chicago, we will definitely visit here, but this time I think it was our last time. First of all, let me say that the food was great, but the service was completely zero. There was not much density because there was a festival outside, a waitress came to the table, took our orders, the food came and no one came again. Almost half an hour later, she just left front of us and she didn't give us any explanation. After that, nobody didn't come anyway, we waited for 15 minutes with dirty plates in front of us, when there was still nobody my husband went inside and asked for the dessert menu and asked them to clean the table, the dessert menu waited for 15 minutes on our table still no body , we were going to order kunefe for us, but when no one came, we change our mind .So it was completely disappointing.

    Is this helpful?

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Turkish, Mediterranean
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Sat 11:00 am–9:30 pm Sun 9:00 am–9:30 pm
  • Phone number
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Mustafa Guler
  • Catering
    2014 W Division St Chicago Illinois,
  • Delivery & takeout
  • Neighborhood
    Bucktown / Wicker Park
  • Parking details
    Private Lot
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Dancing, Delivery, Dog Friendly, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

FAQs

Portions at Cafe Istanbul are generous, many guests describe dishes as large, shareable, and say they often leave with leftovers.

You can dine in the cozy indoor dining room, enjoy the shaded outdoor patio (heat lamps available for cooler nights), or sit at the full bar.

Yes, Cafe Istanbul has outdoor seating; guests report enjoying the shaded patio (an August patio lunch) and reviewers note outdoor seating with large heat lamps for cooler evenings.

Casual dress is the guide, comfortable, everyday clothing is entirely appropriate for a visit to Cafe Istanbul.

Cafe Istanbul is especially lovely at Sunday brunch, reviewers call the Sunday Brunch “outstanding” and praise its traditional Turkish breakfast offering.

Yes, Cafe Istanbul's inviting, intimate dining room and attentive service make it a lovely choice for a date night.

Cafe Istanbul feels cozy and inviting, an intimate indoor dining room with white tablecloths, a convivial, sometimes-busy atmosphere at peak times, plus a pleasant patio; staff will accommodate quieter-table requests when asked.

Cafe Istanbul welcomes private parties, private gatherings are part of their offering.

How FAQ content is generated

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Chicago / Illinois
  4. Chicago
  5. Bucktown / Wicker Park

Make a reservation

A photo of Cafe Istanbul restaurant

Cafe Istanbul

4.5
$30 and under
Turkish
Bucktown / Wicker Park

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 7 times today
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