A Smile Goes a Long Way at Istanbul

1108 Auahi Street, Honolulu, HI 96814

https://www.istanbulhawaii.com

808-772-4440

Wed., Thur., Sun. 5PM-9PM

Fri. and Sat. 5PM-10PM

Reservations Recommended

From a vendor at the weekly farmers market to a brick-and-mortar in a luxury condominium, did Istanbul bite off more than they can chew?

Word of Mouth (Max. 5 👄): 

Food: 👄 👄 

Price: Moderately High

Service: 👄 👄 👄 👄 

Ambiance: 👄 👄 👄 👄 👄

Overall Value: 👄 👄 👄 

It is without a shadow of a doubt that Istanbul is visually jaw-dropping inside

and out. When you walk inside the restaurant you will see the tables set with Le Creuset plates, iron chandeliers adorn the ceiling, the high wooden arch shelf at the bar, and the open kitchen with white and blue mosaic tiles. There are nice accents of furniture that give the space a Mediterranean feel. The outside

seating area is simple and elegant with a long trellis stretching above the tables. However, did the smile of Istanbul disguise their service and food? 

We arrived early at the restaurant and the hospitable hostess sat us at the bar while we waited for our table. We marvelled at the diverse ingredients that were on the cocktail menu. We ordered a Ankara to Guadalajara made with reposado tequila and mezcal, rosemary, and turkish balsamic fig shrub. We also ordered a few mouth-coating whiskey cocktails. Our favorite was the Evil Eye that used Angel's Envy Bourbon, cardamom infused calvados, turkish date syrup, and bitters in this malevolent libation. The bar program kept us sipping different drinks throughout the night.  

When we dine out we like to keep a civil tongue, however our server brought out our playful side. He was upbeat, fun, and energetic. His personality matched the high-paced environment that surrounded us. The staff was constantly moving. Different assistant servers came around to drop off our food, remove dishware, and refill our waters (with an embellished copper pitcher). The owner walked around the dining room to check on her guests. And the best part of the night was the owner’s dad brought a special plate of homemade Baklava to our table. 

We are by no means experts of Turkish and Mediterranean cuisine, but with all the “glitz and glamour” of the ambiance, decor, and service, the food left us feeling a little lackluster. Piled not-so-high, the Mediterranean Salata was uninspiring with romaine lettuce, freckles of feta cheese, an olive, cucumber, tomato, and some red onion ($14). Our order of Niʻihau lamb chops sat on vegetables that were soft and provided no texture to the dish ($39). The Icli Kofte, an entree the size of a large meatball, came solo on a saucer plate with no sides. The waiter suggested adding a side of rice, bringing the total to $30. It was the same story for the Souvlaki and Saganaki. Even our side of feta cheese was a letdown. It was not a block of feta, but crumbles of cheese served on a little plate. Overall the food was flavorful, but was underwhelming and turned our smile upside down.

On a positive note, we started with the Meze Platter which had a variety of traditional Turkish dishes. It was on a beautiful platter and appropriately priced at $28. For dessert, the Baklava and Hatay Kunefe—cheese covered with fried  shredded filo, pistachio, and honey—were delightful!

If it were not for Istanbul’s  impeccable look, bar program, service, and the plate of Baklava served by the tender-spirited dad, we would be reluctant to return. We like the warm feeling of a multi-generational, family-operated restaurant, however the food did not fit the setting. We visited Istanbul during their soft-opening and understand new restaurants need time to iron out the kinks. We look forward to trying Istanbul again after their grand opening.