Isot

Attempted the steak that is quite good but not as great as the other outstanding and consistently superb tasting food. Outstanding service, ambiance, and staff. Will return for more! Need to try other dishes next time but combination plate and Adana Kabab are simply too great to pass up. Can not wait for doner kabob and perhaps an upgrade of the pita that comes with appetiser.

3.5 stars* Average Turkish food. Didn’t have 3 major menu items available on a Sunday night. The Lamb chops were the best of the 3 dishes we tried, very tender. Everything was a smidge too oily. Turkish coffee was too watery. Waiter was friendly. Cute décor but the place really needs to turn up the AC.

Came in on a raining Friday evening and it was packed. The menu is nice and clean, food was good. I came with a Turkish friend so I was curious about their opinion! We ordered a few appetizers and shared. Manti was ok, calamari was fresh and crispy. Staff was friendly and the location is cozy

We went last night for a last minute dinner out. Service was acceptable, atmosphere bland with overly loud Turkish music. We enjoyed the hummus, pita and salad well enough. The seafood casserole was close to worthless: minimally seasoned, loads of rubbery cheese and possibly canned mushrooms for 24.5 bucks. They were out of two of the more interesting entrees. Sorry, I would not go again.

HOW TO ENJOY THIS RESTAURANT:
As a person from Turkey, I need my dose of Turkish food… This is the place that makes my cravings disappear! We all know that when many of international cuisines enters the US market, they loose their authenticity and try to «Americanize». All I can say: the food really tastes like in Turkey! (Well, almost… the ingredients are not from Turkey so nobody can expect exactly the same –but– this is as good as i could get.).
Coming to the suggestions; I would recommend ordering lots of small plates instead of taking individual main courses. Just go through the experience, share plates and taste more! As this is a BYOB restaurant, you can typically bring a bottle of your favorite wine. However, if you really want to go through a Turkish style dinner that involves alcohol, go buy yourself a bottle of Turkish Raki or a bottle of Greek Ouzo. I m sure some of the Turkish waitresses can help you on how to properly drink it but it simply involves 2 glasses, one containing just cold water and the other glass is usually ¹⁄₃ the spirit and rest cold water which turns the clear drink into white magic! ;) Since you have variety of foods on the table that everyone shares, just take a sip from the raki/​ouzo, then wash it with the water and then take a piece from any of the plates and repeat this activity as frequently as you wish between your deep conversations with friends and family.
My favorite combo for ¾ people to share is as follows:
–Starters: Cig Kofte, Haydari, Abugannush, Mediterranean Salad
–Hot Starter: Pick two: Pacanga Borek /​Ali Nazik /​Icli Kofte
–Main Course: Pick one: Coban Kavurma /​Mix Plate
–Dessert: Turkish tea or turkish coffee with some Baklava (optional)
Depending on your level of hunger of course a second main course plate could be ordered or vice versa a hot starter could be deleted. It’s up to you and how much raki and time you got! :)
I hope this helps Philly people to discover and taste what Turkish food is like. My only reason not giving a full 5 start is because of the price level. As a student, the prices are a bit above my budget and I think at least a discount on students would be a great opportunity for many young foodies out there to discover a delicious place like Isot.

Wanted to love place (and we did love the food!) but the service was so bizarre I can’t give it more than 3 stars. (TL;DR: BYOB, make a res, sign up online for a free kofte coupon, get the mixed mezze dips, manti, adana kebab or coban kovurma, and Ali Nazik. Don’t expect great service.) Here’s how our night unfolded.
:) Opentable reservation, got a table set off from others towards the back so we weren’t on top of other people, we remembered to bring wine, the place is really cute, great vibe and décor, we’re excited!
: /​The waiter recommends (while looking awkward and apologetic) that we order sparkling water because they charge for bottled water here. My friend starts furiously googling whether that’s legal (ugh lawyers, right?). Ok fine we get a bottle of sparkling and a bottle of Poland’s finest. In the end he didn’t actually charge us for the Poland Spring but we definitely saw other people being brought complimentary pitchers of water, including my sister, who dined here later that night. Weird.
: | Place settings are a mess. I don’t have a fork, oh I have two, do you have a spoon? It’s like go fish with utensils up in here.
: D The apps start coming out and the food is great and the portions are large! The mezze mixed dips come out right away and we decimate the pita within minutes, after a bit of a wait they bring more (they should just put out more in the first place). The manti is delicious and I eat the sauce by the spoonful. We order our entrees and my friend orders 2 apps as her entrée, the waiter doesn’t ask her when she wants these out but tells her it’s a good move so we think that he understands what she’s going for here. The waiter is very understanding and accommodating of my friend’s food restrictions. We are feeling good.
–_​– A HUGE group of young ladies comes in with their rompers, heels, red lipstick and gigantic bottles of wine. There’s a private looking area upstairs where they get seated and can giggle loudly. We realize this is like the La Viola or Banana Leaf of Queen Village, where undergrads can byob, get rowdy and eat carb load for cheap before hitting the clubs (I’m old, I know). At one point the waiter is taking a picture of the giant group next to us, which is so giant that she has to stand behind our table to get them all in.
: \ The waiter brings out my friend’s 2 apps (her main meal) long before or entrees come out. It’s awkward, but we deal. The spinach and feta borek is good but tiny (2 spring rolls size), the Ali Nazik is a large portion and delicious.
:) The rest of our entrees come out (except one)! Everything is delicious. The Coba Kavurma is awesome, the adana kebab spicy but not overwhelming, the side salads are fresh and flavorful.
: (Ok still waiting on my friends lamb kebab ($ 19.95)… We ask a few people. It finally comes out! YAY. Oh wait no this is lamb chops ($ 24.95), not a kebab. But she’s hungry… But let’s clarify with the waiter because it is a significant price difference. He says they’re the same (they’re definitely not, but ok). We figure she’ll get charged the lower price (she doesn’t).
: | The waiter brings out complimentary dessert for all the service mishaps and it’s very good (a walnut baklava like thing). The bill comes out to $ 25 – 35 per person which is very reasonable.
I’d come back for the food and with a big group and a lot of wine, but I wouldn’t come with your parents or people who care about customer service. And next time I’m arguing for that water!

Amazing restaurant
Great people, the server was very kind, nice
The food was amazingly testy and fresh, the meat was so juicy and tender.
I would recommend this place for anyone looking for a great quite atmosphere with amazing food

I loved this place! The food is seriously amazing! This is my first experience with Turkish/​Mediterranean food and it was so good! I would definitely recommend going for the lamb! The service was also spot on! Yavuz was our server and he was super attentive and nice and he was actually from Turkey! He was so funny and taught us how to pronounce the food names correctly and made the overall experience amazing! I’m from California so sadly I can’t come back too soon but anytime I’m in Philly I will definitely return!

Very slow service and overpriced for what you get.
It took an hour for us to get our entrees. Honestly, service was strange the whole time.
The hummus and dips were good.
The seafood casserole was okay. Not that much seafood and lots of mushrooms. Not worth $ 24.5.
Chicken kabob was okay, but you don’t get that much chicken.
Gavur Dagi salad was heavy onion. Mostly red onion. Just okay.
The lamb chops were like 4 thin slices lamb chops! Barely any meat. Not worth $ 25.
Çoban Kavurma was the best thing we had. It did have lots of flavor and was was the most legit portion.
The place seems nice, but prices for high for what you get. Service is weird and slowww.
Overall, I wouldn’t return unless people really wanted to go.

Made a reservation with Unilocal SeatMe and were quickly seated at the table nearest the large front windows. Great Turkish spot off of South Street. Friendly service, BYOB, and approachable menu. We started with the cold mezze platter — the spicy pepper dip was phenomenal — and the hot hummus (also great). Thanks to many Unilocalers, we tried the Monti as will — very flavorful and unique. For an entrée, we split the Kasap Kofte which were phenomenal (though wish I saved more room for them!). Thankfully, found my second stomach for dessert and enjoyed the baklava made with pistachio. Friendly service, and comfortable décor. A win!

We went to this place last night. Great staff and foods. I highly recommended «Adana Kebap». If you like Turkish and Mediterrian cuisine don’t miss.
For Turkish users:
Eger ki caniniz Turk yemekleri cekiyorsa guzel bir alternatif. Mercimek corbasi, mezeler, borekler ve kebap secenekleri memnuniyet verici. Mekanda icki satilmiyor ama disaridan istediginiz ickiyi getirebiliyorsunuz.

Service was incredible. The hostess was warm and friendly, checking on us multiple times. Our server was not a native English speaker but so cheerful and good-​natured. We requested a desert menu but he just brought us the check. An honest mistake given we stuffed ourselves on the apps and cleaned our plates on entrees.
The manti was a bit less meaty than I was expecting but flavorful. My mom’s kasap kofte was incredible. I had the Adana which was good but not as delectable as the kofte. Want to try the hot hummus next time.
The ambience was clean, uncluttered and inviting. Definitely an intimate and welcoming vibe for dinner. I’d love to return with my boyfriend for a cozy romantic dinner!

Huge disappointment for the food. The worst part was meat. Adana tastes so spicy and felt like plastic. Lamb and beef kebab usually comes 8 – 10 pieces. There were only 6 pieces of Meat and it was dry. For the price this is like a joke or maybe someone got hungry and ate my food on the way. (joking :)
Seriously as a Turkish person I don’t think they can stay long.
Although servers and manager is friendly and nice waiting time was disaster. Total time spent 2 hours. Eating time 15 – 20 mins. Rest was waiting for foods.
Not recommended.

I figured this place would be great based on the Unilocal rating. Went here around 8 pm on a Saturday night (party of 2) and they had barely any staff for the night so that should’ve been a red flag off the bat.
We were seated and given silverware but no napkins and no water. It took a while for anyone to come over to take our order at which time to had to ask for water. Throughout the meal we then had to ask for the water to be refilled multiple times.
Placed our order and the food didn’t come for far too long. We ordered a cold appetizer too (mezze sampler plate) so it was unclear what the holdup was. When it finally came, we had to ask the waitress what was what, at which time she told us that we didn’t get the full sampler because they ran out of some appetizers, which would have been nice to know when we were ordering. Had to ask for napkins at this point too.
The entrée was split was good (Adana kebab) but nothing out of this world and small given that it was around $ 20. All in all disappointing experience. I wouldn’t go back.

Isot is a great BYO place found off South Street. The food was great. We got three appetizers and shared an entrees.
The shrimp umburger was our favorite and blew us away. We got the mixed plate entrée to try a bit of everything and the meat was cooked perfectly. The only thing I didn’t «love» was the Manti appetizer which is described as a Turkish dumpling. Too small and too much of the wrap/​breading. It was still good but falls short compared to the other dishes we ordered.
My only complaint (and a very minor one) was that our waitress didn’t know the menu very well and made some minor mistakes where I could tell she was new. She suggested an appetizer and began describing it but was actually describing an appetizer by a different name. She told us later on it was just her second day so it’s understandable but I still think there were some parts of the night where she could have been better trained. Again, she was serviceable, friendly, patient and did everything right but some experience will definitely help her.

It’s not easy to find a place in Philly that serves excellent kebabs, but I believe I have found one. I came here with a good friend on a Monday night, and it was pretty quiet in the restaurant. It’s not a huge place, but it has a very open and nicely decorated layout, which can be good for a dinner gathering with friends or a date. The atmosphere is classy, yet casual, and the pricing is reasonable.
The Isot Kofte was ok — but that may be because it was my first time trying this kind of kofte and the flavor seems like an acquired taste. However, the Adana Kebab was delicious — grilled tender and flavorful skewers of ground beef and lamb, finished with a nice char, and nicely balanced with generous sides of bulgur and vegetables. I was full AND didn’t feel terrible after my meal, which is a rare event. For dessert, I highly recommend their baklava, which is very fresh and well-​made. The service was a bit clunky when I was there, but the food more than made up for it. I definitely want to go back to try some of their other dishes.

What a gem! Located just south of South Street on 6^th this place is just a few steps away from the craziness but nestled in a realm all its own. In fact, I may not have noticed it if a friend hadn’t made the suggestion we meet for a later evening dinner. Bonus — BYOB!
We started with the Manti and Hot Hummus. The Manti was simply wonderful. These perfect little dumplings swimming in a delicious sauce or yogurt with what seemed like hints of curry. I am still thinking about them 3 days later! The hot hummus was also delicious and was quickly devoured by our party of 3.
I went with the Kofte which was so filling and delicious. The meat practically melted in my mouth and the tabouleh and the onion salads were a perfect compliment.
Service was also great. Our server was friendly and very well versed in the menu.
Overall this was an OUTSTANDING dining experience. I can’t wait to come back!

Isot is located on 6^th street, just off South near Bainbridge. It is located next to Beau Monde and Bistrot La Minette. Isot is very charming inside and well designed. It is both casual but sophisticated with a modern but simple Mediterranean décor. The floor tiles are really unique and old world.
Isot has been open for 3 months now. Our server was excellent and the owner also greeted us. The entire staff was very pleasant, helpful and attentative.
The dishes we had were:
*ABUGANNUSH-​CHAR BROILED EGGPLANTAND TOMATOES WITH THINLY SLICED GREEN PEPPERS, GARLIC, PARSLEY IN A SPECIAL POMEGRANATE
* ALINAZIK/​ALI KIND –CHAR BROILED EGGPLANT AND GREEN PEPPER IN A YOGURT GARLIC SAUCE TOPPED WITH TENDER PRIME SELECT MEATWITH RED PEPPER SAUCE
* MANTI — TURKISH RAVIOLI STUFFED WITH GROUND BEEF MIX, SERVED IN A SPECIAL STRAINED YOGURT SAUCE
* LAMB CHOPS — GRILLED LAMB CHOPS OVER FETAMAS, AND SAUTÉED SPINACH WITHGARLIC CHIPS. FINISHED WITH HOUSE MADE DEMI GLAZE SAUCE
* ADANA KEBAB
Everything was fantastic and well prepared. The ingredients were high quality and presentation was also very good. There were nice accompaniments on each dish too and the portion size was just right also.
For dessert we had the sampler and the Baklava was the best we ever tasted. Isot imports the pistachio nuts from Turkey. Isot is not inexpensive but not outrageous either; it was about $ 30.00 a piece for the three of us before tip. We had a lot of food too. Isot is BYOB that also helps keeps the tab down.
4.5 stars — We will be back again as this was truly a stand out meal and restaurant.

Bf and I had been meaning to check this place out, and I’m so glad we finally did. The place is beautifully decorated with a very cozy atmosphere.
Upon checking in we redeemed our free meze platter full of an assortment of things to dip pita bread in. This included hummus, yogurt, potato salad, an eggplant mixture and I can’t remember what the fifth thing was. They were all delicious!
Next we shared the ichle kofta (sp?) Which reminded me of Jamaican beef patties (except smaller) as they seem like fried dough filled with ground beef.
For our entrée we shared the lamb kebab which came with veggies and Bulgar rice. All of our choices for the evening were delicious and if we had known how delicious the desserts were going to be, I would have saved room for that. I’ll definitely be returning for those!
The service was great, both our server and the owner were extremely pleasant to interact with and we could tell this place is starting to become a neighborhood favorite as there were clearly regulars dining in.
I’m shocked more Unilocalers haven’t ventured over here. It’s really worth it and is definitely a hit in my book.

A very hot and new Mediterranean restaurant in Bella Vista, and I am spreading the news like Peanut Butter or Nutella.
The inside of Isot was laid back, with a total come one, come all vibe, it ould make a perfect dinner date spot in a cozy atmosphere, yet romantic.
The restaurant served a wide variety of traditional turkish items. I briefly skimmed the menu, and another awesome place was just about to keep me from having to cook again, as if I ever did ;)
The complimentary appetizer was brought out prior to my entrée, that was a sampler of four cold Turkish specialties, served with triangles of warm pitas. The plate included: Humus, Abugannush, Rus salatasi, and Saksuka. Again, I’m eating something i cant spell!
Hot off the grill, a beautifully presented mix grill plate, was truly scrumptious!
The entrée was a «combination of, Kushbashi and chicken kebab and kasap kofte, it was served with bulgur rice, onion parsley salad.»
Fresh beef patties, tender beef and chicken cubes, very flavorsome!
P.S: Isot’s Turkish coffee wasn’t the greatest I’ve ever had, and it cost $ 4.95!
For a taste of Istanbul, Four Unilocal