SH Kebab House

by Mike G.

THANK YOU FOOBOOZ!  Discovered this new place there and the mention of the kebab sampler for 21.95 got me jonesing for some tender, grilled meats!The staff: super friendly and attentive.  Lots of personal care and informative as they are swift with service.The food: For three of us, we decided the foobooz lauded Karisik Izgara (combination Grilled Kebabs) for 21.95.   Absolutely every bit of this dish was easy for us to devour!  Tender, tasty and a good variety.  We decided to order a shared salad: small, Coban Salata (Sheperd Salad) of cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, onion and herbs... all fresh and all healthy enough to knock the edge off of any risk of guilt that one may have from gorging themselves on a super platter of kebabs.When we couldnt choose a dessert to settle on sharing, the waiter was smart to just promise a good sample of each.  The Baklava was incredible.  The Rice Pudding was baked and while I didn't exactly expect it to be cold (is it just Indian restaurants that heat it?)  It was so good and not exactly what I expected either.  It had a surprising taste in a very good way.  Third, we had some pudding with a caramel base that was light and flan-like rolled up goodness.  It was sooooo good.  The charming owner promised us that next time we go, we can try his newest addition to the dessert menu which he had only just completed in the kitchen.   He assured us it would be on the menu soon!    The price was good, the atmosphere nicer than expected and the welcoming staff made it all the more a great meal for us.  Cant wait to go back.

by rachel s.

not expecting it, but this was fantastic. a few friends and i were wandering around south street saturday in search of something ethnic, cheap and with outdoor seating. we walked by this place and though the people outside were a little aggressive for my taste, we did take a look at the menu and were instantly won over by the lunch special. this has to be one of the best deals in the city. $7.95 entree and appetizer special and it goes until 4pm!! so make it an early dinner! the staff was really accomodating and moved tables around for us so we could sit together. it's nice because it's close to south st., but tucked back enough that there's not a lot of traffic. i ordered the lamb meatballs and it came with 2 kinds of pilaf and some greens. my friend had the salmon kebab, which was also good, but i think mine was the best. we all ordered different "appies" and shared which i would totally do again. the hummus, babaganoush and something that started with an "hy" were delightful. i will definitely be back next time i've got a pita hankering around 3pm.

by Luis G.

This place is a godsend.  After working in this area for over ten years, I was thrilled to see a place this good open up.  The Turlu is amazing and always made fresh.  Their lunch wrap specials are a great value for the amount of food you get (7.95 for a good sized sandwich and soup).   The Lamb and Okra stew has been the best thing I've tried from them so far.  Fresh okra that still snaps in your mouth, tender, well seasoned lamb chunks, and a slightly spicy tangy tomato sauce that makes your mouth water.

by Clarissa D.

Outside seating + BYOB + yummy turkish food = amazing.  Every single time I come here, I leave so happy and so full and so content that I wonder why I dont come here more often.  I always get the Doner Kebab which is this wonderfully seasoned lamb meat with rice and veggies and peppers.  Sounds simple, but each and every item on that plate is done so perfectly and so yummy that when it all comes together its miraculous.  And I always have leftovers which means the next day's breakfast or lunch or dinner or all 3 are super great.  Sometimes just hours after Ive come home, I sneak downstairs and eat the leftovers cold :)In addition to the Doner Kebab, I have tried the hummus (yum) and the fried zucchini which is this lightly fried thin patty of grated or julienned (not sure) zucchini with a really nice almost crunchy outside  (super super yum).  I also tried the liver which is not something I ever would try - Ive only had liver once before and it has sort of a crumbly, dry, gritty texture with NO flavor.  But the liver here is ever so lightly breaded and gently spiced and when you bite into it, its a really smooth, creamy bursting of flavor.  TRY THE LIVER!!!I also cant NOT mention the desserts - Ive tried the baklava and this cream cinnamon thing which were not overly sweet, but very delicate and a perfect ending.They also recently started offering hookah.  I had the most amazing night sitting outside smoking the hookah.  Much friendlier and more relaxed and less drama atmosphere than Shouk nearby.  Where else can you sit outside, people watch on South Street, eat tasty well-executed not overpriced food, drink whatever you brought AND smoke hookah???

by Helen N.

No need to leave a detailed review, as plenty of the previous reviews have already covered how amazing this place is, but I just wanted to say that this is a very yummy and reasonably priced BYOB that is a great addition to the neighborhood with plenty of outdoor seating! I also second the zucchini pancakes and sampler!

by Robert D.Ilya H.Catherine L.Steph H.Tia L.

John had dined here once before - and raved about the food - so we decided to try it out on Friday night. We arrived early - round 6pm - and the space had a few deuces in the process of dining, but there was plenty of room. Hopefully (for them) the room picked up later in the evening!Sebastian was our server and was charming and quite attentive. John started with grape leaves stuffed rice, onions, pine nuts black currants and herbs - not overly oily and easily a few bites per leaf.I began my dinner with a white bean salad - the small (which I got) was a large serving - I'd only suggest ordering a large if you were going to share it with the table. It was a heaping amount of white beans with tomato, red peppers, green peppers, parsley, onions and chef's special dressing - really nicely done.I decided to go with a chef's recommendation of the traditional lamb shish kebab - tenderloin cubes of lamb marinated in seasonings, char-grilled on skewers, served with pilaf, garnished with grilled whole tomato and pepper. Although not hot, it was spicy and had just the right kick this ol' sensitive tummy can handle!John went with the shrimp shish kebab -  shrimp marinated in seasonings, char-grilled on skewers, served with rice and house salad. Simple but filling.Honestly - we had no room left for dessert - the food was that good (and that filling). Although it's quite casual - the dining room offers a chance to have a relaxed meal and all in all, a fine dining experience and one I would recommend to a friend; especially one searching for more than take-out level of kebabs!Went there for dinner on a Friday night, unfortunately I was informed that due to Ramadan there will be no belly dancers, disappointing but not the end of the world. We stated with an appetizer of the Babaganush  which was very good (being from Israel I had my fair share). For my entree I went with Doner kebab which is a sort of Shawarma ( a personal favorite) which was extremely good and wort every penny, my date had the chicken kebab which was nice and juicy. Good cheap food with nice size servings. great bang for the buck!Right off South Street, away from the inner city boardwalk of a street, you can walk 10 paces and find yourself at S H Kebab house (BYOB, accepts credit cards!) for some seriously affordable middle eastern eats.  That's what happened to us after we found Fourth Street Souvlaki closed for vacation and Ansill inexplicably closed until the end of the summer. (uh?)Lunch is super duper affordable.  $7.95 gets you your choice of appetizer/salad/soup and your main dish.  You can't beat the value here - they're generous with the portions and you can eat to your heart's content without breaking the bank.They give you plenty of homemade pita to start - warm from the oven along with your first course.  (I recommend getting a mix of the spicy Turkish vegetable salad - which is more of a dip and the cool yogurt tzaziki-esque spread - it's delish!!) Your main course is enough for two meals and they don't scrimp on the meat (Get the Doner, ask no questions!)  The food isn't out of this world, (it's not in the ranks of, let's say, Zahav) but it's basic, good and cheap.  Where can you go wrong here? Oh, and keep in mind that they charge for each soda/iced tea refill so stick to water if you keep your final bill at reasonable price.I'm giving SH kebab house 5 stars, not necessarily because of the food (though it was totally amazing) but for a much bigger reason. While eating I observed Sal (the owner) standing outside his restaurant saying hi to people and shaking the hands of the neighbors who passed. This man isn't just trying to build a business, he's cultivating a relationship with a neighborhood - and that's something truly beautiful. Our server (I think his name was Jason or Justin) couldn't have been nicer. At the SH kebab house you really feel like you are being welcomed into someone's home for dinner.  Have a dinner here, please. If you're going to spend your money in the city, don't give it to huge restaurant chains or other companies that won't appreciate it, give it to a place like this that really wants and needs your business! and Sal's tip of the week - you don't have to feed the meters on wednesday nights .. for whatever reason.You know that feeling when you REALLY want to see a movie and then it doesn't live up to your expectations. Well, I felt that way of S H Kebab House.  Don't get me wrong, the food is good, but after looking forward to coming here for so long, I wasn't too impressed.  It was a little more expensive than you expect for dinner. The outdoor seating has potential, although I definitely suggest not going on a Saturday night or you get the thumping base off South Street and my chair was not thoughtfully placed right by someone's apartment entrance.  Might grab food from take out.

by Ritu K.

I'm super surprised by the other reviews posted here.. I was expecting the most amazing meal and yelp usually never leads me astray. Clearly I ordered the wrong thing. To start with the outdoor tables offered a lovely view of Condom Kingdom (gotta love South Street). Its a little seedy out there so we opted for an indoor table.  Inside the interior was a little strange, but the service was fantastic so whatever. I ordered the lamb with okra-huge mistake! The lamb in the dish was nonexistent, the okra overcooked and the sauce it came in a huge tomatoe mess! I picked the few pieces of lamb out of the dish and then pushed around soggy pieces of okra, while drooling at everyone else's kebabs. The kebabs were decent but not super super good.   The most disconcerting part of the meal was the "entertainment". Belly dancing- of course!!! So the music was ear defeaning- I ain't that old but its rough when you're yelling at the person sitting right next to you. We sort of ignored the half naked lady cavorting around the room, but at one point we looked up and noted that she was balancing a large sword on her head- now that's talent :) Guess I was in the mood for a good meal and good conversation, which was next to impossible at S and H.

by Ilya H.

Went there for dinner on a Friday night, unfortunately I was informed that due to Ramadan there will be no belly dancers, disappointing but not the end of the world. We stated with an appetizer of the Babaganush  which was very good (being from Israel I had my fair share). For my entree I went with Doner kebab which is a sort of Shawarma ( a personal favorite) which was extremely good and wort every penny, my date had the chicken kebab which was nice and juicy. Good cheap food with nice size servings. great bang for the buck!

by Jim G.

The short version- I ate the entire kebab sampler platter myself because it was so good. It's enough meat for 3 or 4 people. Longer version- I live a few blocks away and was very excited about my neighborhood getting a Turkish restaurant. SH has not let me down. The kebabs (or kebaps if you rather) are all flavorful and moist and the lamb chops are among my favorite in the city. The Turkish Cheese Rolls are another winner if you like cheese, dough, and fried foods, which everyone should. Even the rice got cleaned off my massive plate o' meats. Flavor everywhere. Our waiter was completely unfamiliar with the menu and was obviously very new, but was nice enough and tried his best. Everyone was friendly and very concerned about our enjoyment of the meal; a little off-putting to some, but understandable that they want the feedback. Major bonus points for the fact that they make take-out a snap.

by monica s.

Decided I was in the mood for some kebab delights and hit up my magic 8 ball (aka Yelp). Based on the rave reviews, I decided to try it out for today's lunch. I live less than a mile away and I never even knew this place existed. When we arrived, my friend and I were greeted by the nicest hostess. She gave us the option of sitting indoors or out, and since the farmer's market was going on next to the outdoor tables, we opted for the outdoor seating. While we waited for our waiter (which took no time at all), the sweet scent of strawberries wafted in my direction. It piqued my appetite for sure. The real astonishment came when I looked at the menu and saw little starburts filled with the numbers "7.95." Wait, seriously? All this food for $7.95? Yes! It's part of their lunch special. I ordered the Chicken Adana Kebab with the hummus plate as my app, and my friend went with the Lamb Adana Kebab, babagannush as her app. When the apps arrived, she and I housed them in seconds flat. The kebabs were just as amazing. This is my new favorite lunch spot. Skip the South Street hype and head to this side street treasure. Oh and if you lunch there on a Tuesday, you'll get to check out the farmer's market too. Joy!