Bosphorus

Nice place — I liked it — but it gone over a year ago.

This restaurant closed 1 year ago!!! Please remove.
This restaurant closed 1 year ago!!! Please remove.
This restaurant closed 1 year ago!!! Please remove.

good food. great price.
first time to eat turkish food. it was really good. the lamb shank was perfect. service was also great.

My boyfriend and I stumbled upon this place purely by accident. Both hungry and looking for a place that served food other than your typical new American establishment and some grown up drinks. The service was outstanding and so incredibly welcoming. The waiter was prompt, gracious and even allowed me to use their bathroom soon after I left the restaurant!
We came during lunch hour and surprisingly it was empty, with only a few other patrons sitting outside. And because it was empty and there were empty booths — well I couldn’t help myself but plop myself into one of those cushy seats… while dragging my poor boyfriend to the other side of the restaurant.
Since having adult drinks was primarily the reason why we chose this place — other than the fact that it wasn’t your typical American cuisine — I ordered the Madras and my boyfriend ordered the EFES Pilsner, both delicious might I add. Of course, I have a soft spot for mixed drinks that include cranberry juice… so I might be a little biased. My boyfriend really liked it, so I’ll give them an A+ for good adult drinks. Strong and sweet. I think I got buzzed at one point, which of course makes the whole experience just a tad bit nicer :)
The waiter was incredibly warm and attentive. Perhaps it was because there were so few people in the restaurant but he definitely made sure our glasses were full all the time. I know I drink copious amounts of water and I totally understand if waiters cannot fill it up all the time but this waiter made sure the waters were flowing well. What can I say? I like being well hydrated.
My boyfriend and I both ordered an appetizer to keeps our mouths preoccupied from drinking our drinks too fast. As avid cheese lovers, we both treated ourselves to fried feta cheese rolls that were neatly organized on leaves of lettuce. Golden, flakiness surrounded the piping hot soft feta cheese. Mmmm delicious.
And because this review is so long overdue, I honestly can’t recall what either of us had for our main course. It was amazing of course, because I remember inhaling the whole dish without batting an eye. It kept me full, but not overly so to the point of puking myself out. Which leads us to dessert…
We both ordered a glass of pomegranate wine. An interesting idea as neither of us have ever encountered pomegranate and wine in the same meal, much less in the same sentence. But as soon as I put my lips to the glass, I could see why it was listed under the dessert section of the menu. It was absolutely sweet with a hint of pomegranate. At this point, I was feeling pretty good.
Both of us were quite content with our accidental finding, we probably will go again.

I dropped in here on a weeknight to grab a quick bite for dinner while at work.
I ordered the Turkish salad and cheese borek. The salad consisted primarily of wet romaine lettuce and kalamata olives. I thought it was overdressed but it was just water with a slight hint of lemon. The borek were interesting. I’ve only had them with puff pastry and these were made with egg roll wrappers. I imagine this is so they can be quickly made to order but it made them very greasy.
I wish I would’ve tried some of the other items. I saw the other table ordered an appetizer sampler and sultan’s delight, but the prices were very high. The salad, appetizer and iced tea cost about $ 18.
The waitress/​hostess was very friendly and the restaurant was very clean. Sadly the restaurant was also very empty.
My co-​workers tell me that Babalou’s down the street has Mediterranean food that is very good at more reasonable prices.
I may try this place again when I’m not alone.

I find that the older I get, the more I respect Wisdom. Perhaps this is natural, I do not know, but Wisdom implies a knowing of life, perspectives that are chiseled with the test of time, and reflect having taken the risks and the consequences, and lived to tell about it.
This has little to do with Bosphorus, a lovely mediterranean restaurant, but has a lot to do with who I came here with, my lovely and mature East Bay Unilocaler/​Foodie friends. I like them because they introduce me to new restaurants for me that are good, reasonable, and enjoyable. Food is meant to be shared and enjoyed, not simply admired and promoted.
Our little group had a variety of dishes here, many of which we shared, and they were all good and tasty. I liked the food, the service was very attentive and warm, and like the friends I came here with, like eating with family.
Nowadays, everyone is an expert food critic in their own mind, and now they have a multitude of on-​line forums to share their tastes and preferences, and expertise, whether there is any expertise there or not.
But let’s not forget the real purpose of a shared meal: to enjoy the company and that happy moment in our lives.
A big thanks to fellow Unilocalers Rinky N and Toni M who organized this dinner, including our guest of honor, Daniel L, along with Fia R, Kim D, Paul O, and their respective family members.

We have been there maybe around 5 times always very good. Last time service was bad and the food not good so yesterday we said let’s give them another try. When we walked in we ask for a larger table (the place was nearly empty) so one is the owner said all the tables for four are reserved.
We like to seat next to each other not across.
The waiter was new did not know what Garbazo beans are.
We ordered Musaka and combination Kabab.
The Musaka was without any flavor and old. And the Kabab meat was spoiled.
So they took the Kabab plate back and after 15 minutes returned it without the Kabob with the rest of the food cold.
So we just left.
Mind you the place was still empty Saturday night around 7:00 pm but he said to us all tables are reserved.
So long we have to find a new Turkish place.

I’m real sad to have to give them two stars. I went tonight, and they have changed their menu, and not in a good way. It is so lack luster that there is nothing really that special about it, to set it apart from the other mediterranean in Walnut Creek. We use to order this really good dish called Behti. You could get lamb or chicken. So good, but now it got taken off the menu. We walked out sadly, because the rest of the menu was not interesting enough for us. Also, every time we go in the special of the day is lamb shanks… never anything else.
Sadly, I think this restaurant is heading down hill.

I love Turkish food so I was super excited to see a new Turkish restaurant in walnut creek, but… the excitement didnt last long as the food just wasn’t up to par with any of the other Turkish food I’ve had. Plus it’s fairly pricey for the portions. :(
In my opinion there are too many other delicious restaurants in the creek to waste your time y money on this one… sorry.

I’m so glad to see more and more people coming here and the restaurant filling up during lunch on the weekends! They have an $ 8 wrap special that includes either salad or fries and I’ve had the falafel in the past which was enormous, but perfectly crispy on the outside!
This past weekend, I opted for the veggie wrap which consists of some of the best feta I’ve had in this area, roasted pepppers and fresh greens. It’s wrapped in lavash and is slighter yet satisfying option.
My boyfriend always tends to get either the chicken wrap or salmon kebabs. He’s been happy with both.
I’ve seen the service getting friendlier every time I go back and overall a warmer more welcoming vibe. Nice option if you’re a regular diner in Walnut Creek.
The Unilocal 100 Challenge!

We’ve been here three times, and we really like this place. We order the cold mezze platter every time, with a side of falafel and dolma. The platter came with pita or bread the first two times, and then lavash bread the third time. The dishes are all very good, especially the beyti and the manti (not Te’o). The manti is similar to slimy tortellinis, and is super interesting.
The service the first two times was really good, the waiters took time to explain every thing that came on our plates. But the last time that we went, my parents and sister were there also, and the person who waited on us seemed to be the owner of the place. He was not helpful at all. He was very apathetic and distant. He didn’t offer any suggestions or input, didn’t explain anything to us, and barely waited on us at all. He even forgot one of our orders. The kicker? It was not busy at all, and there was only one other table there at the time.
And at the end when we got up to leave, he asked how we heard of this place. He asked it in a way that sounded like he thought it was very odd that an Asian family would come to such a place for Turkish food. That being the only piece of conversation besides asking us what we wanted to order left a bad taste in my mouth.
The food is good and the service is generally good as well. We’ll be back for the foods.

Thanks to Unilocal,my friend found Bosphorus so that we could have a gfs lunch there. We were looking forward to trying something different. Upon arriving, both the manager and waiter greeted me. Given that I was early for lunch hour, all the tables were open so they let me sit anywhere. Soon after my other gfs arrived, we decided to order a few plates to share.
First, we started with the hot combo platter. A plate of fried goodness. It was perfect bc there were 3 falafels, 3 sigra borek (crispy fried filo dough stuffed with feta) and 2 icli kofte (cracked wheat hand-​formedand filled with ground beef). I liked the homemade falafel the most.
We also ordered two entrees to share. It was plenty of food for 3 ladies and we still had some to take home. We went with the musakka (eggplant, beef, potato, and onion lightly covered with mozzarella, béchamel, and tomato sauce served with rice). It was very flavorful and was like a Turkish version of an eggplant parmigiana. The other entrée we ordered was the chicken shish kebab served with pilaf rice. I liked the rice a lot bc of the unique spices. I thought the chicken breast was a little overcooked. Otherwise, it was a good meal overall.
Great service from the waiter. Our glasses of water were always refilled and he made sure to check on us periodically.
Clean restrooms always a plus. Metered street or lot parking or garage parking. If you cannot score street parking, park in the garage across the street (50 cents/​hr) as opposed to the metered lots (2.00/hr).

A big thanks to fellow Unilocalers Rinky N and Toni M who took turns to organize this welcome home dinner, eleven of us came to this Turkish restaurant that included Fia R, Kim D, Paul O, Wanugee N and their respective family members. The rectangular-​shaped interior was spacious and good for groups. The warm, soft lighting complemented nicely with colorful Turkish paintings, photographs, and a full bar in the back. The décor was eye pleasing, cozy, and unassuming – a clear reflection of the ownership that was first-​class and very gracious from start to finish.
The Cold Combo Appetizer ($ 14.75) came with babaganoush, hummus, ezme, dolma, garbanzo salad, kizartma and cacik. Serving was generous. I particularly liked the babaganoush that came with softened eggplants nicely dressed in olive oil and seasoned with herbs, lemon and garlic. I also liked the ezme, which was a mix of tomato, onions, crushed walnuts, cucumber, and spices for a mix of fresh textures and refined flavors. The dolma was also noteworthy, with herb flavors in between rice and grape leaves in every bite. The creamy hummus was sharable as baskets of warm pita bread were there to keep us company throughout the night.
The Bosphorus Salad ($ 7) was another highlight underscored by fresh greens, tomato, cucumber, walnuts and raisins. The salad was lightly dressed with unsurpassed freshness. I loved it.
The Adana ($ 16) comes with a choice of ground chicken or a mix of beef and lamb. Wrapped in pita bread and sliced into round pieces, the beef and lamb combination was the clear winner as the seasoning was on point and tender. I don’t recommend the chicken as the meat was over done, dry, and subpar in the seasoning.
The Lamb Kebab ($ 16.50) came with three skewers of medium rare lamb, bulgur pilaf, and salad. The lamb cubes were quite small and chewy. I don’t recommend this.
The Turkish Coffee ($ 3) was an excellent finisher. The group also shared a number of desserts that I didn’t have room for, but each Unilocaler said that they were excellent.
Service was by far one of the best I have experienced. Our server was willing to change the room temperature when asked, and went out of her way to make sure that we were well taken care of at every phase of the meal. I’d love to return to try their Musakka, Lamb Shank, and Ribeye Kebab. Some of the inconsistencies came with the entrees but it was another great dining experience and opportunity to see so many great friends. Free wi-​fi. 3.5 stars overall.

I like when Unilocal surprises me when we are undecided where to go for dinner. And this is how I found this place when looking one up.
I like mediterranean food and when I saw that this place has a good review, we decided to have dinner here since we were heading towards WC anyways.
I was greeted by the aroma as we entered the door. I was reminded by the sign I saw outside for their specialty that evening, slow cooked lamb shank. I was tempted to order it but I ordered the Lamb Kavurma instead. It’s a chopped lamb, spiced with dill and garlic served in a huge platter with rice pilaf and yogurt. Really delicious.
Seeing the platter of food in front of me reminded me of my Iranian students back home who always invited me to join them for dinner. I get that same excitement in my face. We always had yogurt next to our rice pilaf and whatever meat they cooked came with it made it extra delicious with the spices they used and the tomato and cucumber salad we put on top of the rice made the rice taste sweet.
We ordered the baklava for dessert and it’s the best we ever had.
The place has a very cozy ambiance, we sat on the small table in the corner that I picked. Since there were only few people there that time, it made it very suitable to have a quiet conversation.
Service was excellent.

I had a nice light dinner here with a friend before seeing a play at the Lesher. Bosphorus is just steps from the theater so it is a great option for a pre-​theater meal.
Upon arrival, we were seated promptly and our drink order taken. I can’t remember which cocktail I chose but when I asked our server if it could be made not too sweet, she happily obliged. Turns out, she was also our bartender and mixed up our tasty beverages.
For food we each ordered a Turkish salads and then we got the babaganoush and hummus to share. Both are served with pita bread for scooping. The salad was nice and fresh with a light vinaigrette dressing and the babaganoush was perfectly smoky and smooth. The hummus was also very nice and both dips were ample portions.
Service was fantastic. During our time there the sun started shining in through the windowed front wall, directly on our table, and we were getting quite warm. Our server moved us no problem, and insisted on moving everything to our new table without our help.
I plan to return with a larger appetite so I can sample foods beyond the delicious salad and appetizers.

Why did this place have to open after I moved to Orange County? Love coming here with the family whenever I’m «home» in Walnut Creek. A wonderful addition to the dining locales in the downtown area.
I usually begin my meal with one of the house’s daily soups. The red bean soup in particular is one of my favorites. It’s perfectly seasoned and you can really taste the beans and red peppers. Before ordering my entrée, I always steal some of the Meze (appetizers) that my parents order. The hummus, tabouleh, and dolma are all solid options! Now comes the difficult decision– what to order for my main dish? You really can’t go wrong with any of the kebabs. If you can’t decide between the chicken, kofte (beef), and lamb, then get the combo which includes all three! It’s also served with pilaf rice and grilled veggies. The Chicken Adana is probably my favorite second dish.
At this point, you’re probably feeling pretty full. But wait! You can’t skip out on the dessert here. The baklava and kadayif are simply amazing. It’s really a pity to only order one, so do yourself a favor and get both.
The restaurant itself isn’t very large. It has a very modern interior with a nice painting of the Bosphorous strait in Turkey spanning one of the walls. The owner/​servers are all welcoming and treat you more like an old friend rather than a customer. I’ll be back here on my next trip soon!

PROS
+ Plush seating, cozy décor/​ambience
+ Good place for a business lunch
CONS
— Portions for plates/​specials are small!
— Pretty dang expensive
— Server was a bit cold, not too friendly
Came here on a Wednesday around noon for lunch with a girl friend. I’ve had my share of kebabs all across the Bay and came here looking forward to a Turkish spin on some of my favorite dishes. I had the KOFTE house special and my friend had the LAMB SHISH KEBAB WRAP. I thought it was really quite incongruous that my friend’s $ 9 wrap was almost a foot long and seemed generously stuffed enough, whereas my $ 15 kofte plate left me hungry after I finished my meal. The kofte plate came with a 7 or 8 inch-​long beef/​lamb kebab, some rice pilaf, and a bit of grilled tomato. That was it. No yogurt, nothing else. The one redeeming thing was that when we asked for a bit of yogurt to help moisten the kebab, we were given a small ramekin free of charge. I’ve had kofte kebabs at other places, and for $ 15, I would have gotten a lot more food. Many other places would automatically give you some sort of yogurt or dipping sauce on the side. I think what you’re paying for is the décor and the pricey downtown-​WC neighborhood.
Small additional annoyance — we had Unilocal check-​in offers for a free glass of house wine, but were told that only one per table would could be redeemed. Perhaps the check-​in offer should state this clearly.

Walnut Creek has never stunned me with its ethnic cuisine, but this place was EXCELLENT!
My mother and I stopped by for lunch today. She ordered the Kofte Wrap (hand-​formed mix of seasoned ground lamb and beef, romaine, and tomatoes) with a side salad.
I ordered the Bosphorus Falafel Wrap (falafel, hummus, eggplant, tomatoes), but I passed on the tahini. I ordered it with fries, but the waitress brought me salad instead. I didn’t want to say anything, but my mom piped up that she had made a mistake. The waitress brought us fries anyway. What a sweet lady.
The falafel tasted wonderful, really hot and fresh. I was so hungry, I was probably stuffing my face at a breakneck speed. It was just that good!
The food was delicious, filling, and reasonably priced.
The service is fast and friendly.
I can’t wait to try their veggie kabob plate. Someone a few tables away ordered that, and it looked AMAZING.

Gayle and I had a very pleasant meal here last night. I also continue to be impressed on how many excellent Middle East food options there are in Downtown Walnut Creek.
I met Gayle at Eleve where her employer was just finishing up a farewell party for one of here closest work friends (and the person who married us). My Wife was in tears, so we decided to take a walk and maybe get something to eat. Later on, we also had tickets for the ARF Comedy Night at the Lesher Center. That turned out to be good for a multitude of laughs thanks to Dana Carvey, George Lopez, Brian Copeland, Mark Pitta, and others.
We walked by Bosphorus and it was something about the open windows, the cool Istanbul (not Constantinople) pictures along one wall, and the TV screen streaming images of Turkey (including Whirling Dervishes) that drew us in. The friendly, prompt, and helpful service kept us there as we totally relished our meal. I enjoyed the Adana (a mix of spicy minced lamb and beef served with bulgur pilaf and grilled vegetables) while Gayle equally savored the Lamb Kebobs. I ordered an amazingly good Turkish Stout to wash it all down, while Gayle was impressed with a Turkish white wine that went very well with the Lamb.
It was also nice to sit at the window and watch both the Restaurant (which was busy on this early Friday evening) and the Street. We got a chance to relax and talk about a lot of stuff, as many things seem to come flooding back the first week after the Holidays are over. A twirling dainty demitasse of thick, fragrant Turkish coffee sealed the deal for our dinner here, and I’m sure that we’ll be back for another Ottoman adventure.

We did our annual trip to NorCal during the last week of December to close out 2011. Decided to meet some friends for dinner and apparently Boy Toy had some input on the dinner locale decision making. Something about a choice between Turkish or Thai? Turkish it is!
Started off with a Cold Combo Appetizer (hummus, taboule, babaganoush, chickpea salad, etc) & a Hot Combo Appetizer (falafel, kofte, feta filled egg roll, etc). Apologizes for the «etc» but I am not that familiar with Turkish cuisine & I forgot to take a pix of the menu. Either way, splitting those 2 appetizers between 7 people with warm fresh bread was a good starter (w/​a side of dark Turkish Efse beer for me). We literally wiped the plates clean. One of the waiters clearing the plates before the entrees arrived jokingly said his dishwasher would be really happy with these plates.
Boy toy proceeded to try something new called the BURSA ISKENDER which was deliciously flavorful, juicy with lamb/​beef I believe in a red tomato based sauce that was all over some cubed bread pieces. It had a side of yogurt. I wish I’d gotten this plate but I let him eat the majority of it.
I wanted to order a safe dish as I had no idea if the Bursa Iskender would be amaze-​balls or barely edible… sorry but none of us had ever been here & last year, the restaurant Vesna/​Vesu/​? fell flat on it’s face (apparently it’s shut down now & called something else). So I ordered the BOSPHORUS COMBO KEBAB plate (beef, lamb, chicken) with a side of bulgur pilaf, green salad & this giamongous green pepper that was so spicy, it gave me pause… made my lips tingle… and then I polished it off! The kebabs were tasty but a little more cooked/​dry than I like my meat. The bulgur was tasty & made me feel like I was being more healthy than having regular rice.
We ended the meal with BAKLAVA that was yummy pistachio goodness of flaky yet honey juicy crust.
Service was friendly, attentive & informative. If Boy Toy & I ever end up moving up to NorCal, this will be one the restaurants I’d like to become a regular at.