Taksim

I absolutely love Taksim. From there delicious amuse bouche (tiny cup of pomegranate soup that is to die for!) to the trio of dips (try it with the flower bread instead of the pita to make it extra special) to the perfectly grilled lamb shanks, every dish is scrumptious and beautifully presented. Their cocktails are excellent as well. I had a gin/peach concoction that was the perfect beginning to dinner on a hot San Francisco summer evening. The service is also excellent- everyone is so nice, accommodating and happy to explain each ingredient!

Taksim is a modern take on traditionally Mediterranean foods and techniques -- with a particular focus on Turkish cuisine. Just like its converted airy modern-industrial setting, the food invites you to enjoy its novel-yet-familiar character while imagining its original inspirations. After eating through an array of starters and mains, it's clear that each item on the menu has been carefully thought out. I'd definitely recommend sharing food family-style, as an efficient way to try a bit of everything! Cocktails here were also tasty and creative. Particular highlights for me were: - Lamb Carpaccio: I found the flavors of the various ingredients here to work together very well. - King Shrimps: The shrimps used in this appetizer were shockingly fresh, and the crunchy texture from the kadaif pushed the dish into "wow" territory. - Branzino: The fish was fresh and well-prepared (notably, flesh was not dry while skin was crispy), and the portion was generous. But besides that, the naturally-salty sea beans and the anchovy rice pilaf both complemented the branzino nicely to produce a well-balanced entrée. - Turkish Donuts: This dessert actually has chocolate prepared 5 different ways. The donuts themselves were not that sweet, but were still chock full of chocolate flavor. Overall, this was an enjoyable dining experience, and I'll definitely be back to try the items I didn't/couldn't get to this time.

This place is a gem. I never write public reviews but we have been here at least five times since they opened, and every time we are are impressed with the immaculately prepared food and the exceptionally gracious service -- they deserve accolades. Freshly fired pitas and flower bread, unparalleled lamb carpaccio (delightfully popping from pickled garlic and fried shallots!), delightfully springy manti, and every soup we've had there is unexpectedly packed with complex (but cozy!) flavors... Also the legendary, buttery, kadaif-wrapped shrimp are colossal and unforgettably delicious. And the juicy kebabs! *swoon.* We usually reserve but have had luck as early walk-ins, too.

Mixed reviews on food and service here. I went there with my friend’s recommendation so I was excited to try Turkish food in the city. Food - I liked the kebab most among what we ordered. The 5 dips were nice too but a bit disappointed with the bread came together with the dip. The worst is the chicken breast! It looks like they cut the half of chicken breast and serve it and even dry on some parts. I don’t recommend. Cocktail was really good and well balanced. Our server was okay but a bit felt judged on what we ordered. Overall, i felt like it’s hit and miss based on what you ordered and somehow the place wanted to be upscale place but it seemed like they need to put more quality on food. I don’t mind paying more money if the food worth it but definitely feel like there is something important is missing

Good place to catch up with friends. Great cocktails. Pita was made to order. Dips were good but probably wouldn’t choose the hummus again. I really liked the pea salad. The shrimp was great but there was one that the shell was undercooked. The duck was cooked really well. The scallops were more cooked than I would like. Dorade was good. Overall we were full from the plates we shared.