Cafe Izmir

by D S.

I've celebrated countless occasions and non-events here. I keep coming back because I'm never disappointed in the eye-popping art (for sale, rotating shows) or the food and service.What you can count on at Cafe Izmir:a warm greeting and generally attentive servicenice wine BTG pricesan excellent assortment of grilled goodies and sidesMy top 3 thrills in dining here:(1)Luscious hummous, hands-down the best in the city; actually, the best I've ever tasted.(2)Arguably the best pita bread around--soft and fluffy (3)Magnificent meat--you never really have to decided between beef or lamb; you get both, always perfect.An inside tip: always order the meat or veggie dinner, rather than the "tapas" off the a la carte menu.

by Remy M.

I'm a regular at Cafe Izmir...Great Mediterranean tapas and the service is great. Nice people who don;t take themselves too seriously and have good customer sense.Very good hummus, sweet potatoes, quail...Should maybe make some progress on the sangria.Recommended.

by Regan W.

This is one on my favorite places in town!! I go almost every Tuesday night (where almost everything is only $2!!). My friend and I go and we usually spend $16 between the two of us ($8 each) and we are FULL...just because they are tapas doesn't mean they aren't filling. I recomend the chicken salad, lamb rolls, veggie dolmas, hummus, and the saffron rice. I have a craving for Izmir after writing this review...YUM!!!

by Ari T.

Outstanding place! I'm not sure if mama is still doing the cooking there but it sure tastes like someone's mother is. Appetizers are good but the real experience are the grilled meats and vegetables. Vegetarians... if there's one time to go off the vegan path this is it! You'll thank yourself in the morning.

by Layla B.

I lived about 4 blocks from here for a year and a half and never went here.  I'm kicking myself for the wasted days of non-Izmir-Hummus-eating.  Really, the hummus is awesome.  We did the Tuesday Tapas thing, so it was packed.  Thankfully we had reservations, so we didn't have the wait that had so many looking forlorn at the door.We got lamb roll, hummus, tzaziki, beef and chicken kabobs, grilled veggies and an assortment of other things to taste and they were all good.  The standout, surprisingly, was the chicken.  It was intensely flavorful and moist.  Also good was the Pomegranate Grilled Prawns which had a sour tangy start but then was mellowed by the garlic, if that's at all possible.  It was cooked perfectly, which many places can't do for some reason.The downside:  the place was ridiculously hot and cold.  The heat would start blowing, literal gusts of hot air and the shut off and the place would get extremely cold.  It was loud, but not to the point you couldn't have a conversation.  Valet is $5.  Who charges for valet in Dallas?  Maybe it's me, but it seems weird.  Or maybe I don't get out enough.We'll definitely be back!!!

by Bob G.

Yes.  This is THE Hummus.  You've had hummus, but you haven't had THE Hummus until you've had Izmir hummus.  The perfectly silken texture, the just right bit of garlic.  They have a take out just down the street.  Buy all you can carry/afford.The rest of the meal is pretty darn great too, and it's a fun neighborhood spot in a fun neighborhood.  Just say "meat" or "veggie" and let 'em load you up.

by Aimee Z.

If you go on Tuesday night for Tapas night... make sure you make reservations!!!  We ended up waiting for about 30 minutes for a table.I will echo the other reviews that this place has, by far, the best Hummas you ever put in your mouth.I loved the grilled veggies, the cheese plate, the grilled portabello and the tzitziki sauce.  The beef kabob wasn't as near as good as the chicken.For the three of us, we racked up a $70 bill on $3 Tapas night.  Good thing we didn't go on a regular night.  It was also a really good thing that I'm the only one in my group who is good about eating LEFTOVERS!

by Kacie M.

Stopped by here after shopping at The Buffalo Exchange, and was impressed. We were more there for a snack then a full dinner, so we just had the pita and hummos, a  ground beef and goat cheese roll thing, and chicken kebab. The hummos, as everyone has said, is the standout. It's slightly spicey, which is really fantastic. YUM. And the pita is warm with little charred grill marks that add the perfect flavor. The chicken kebab was wonderfully tender and well-seasoned. The service was great. I reallllllllly want to go back and try their Turkish coffee and baklava.

by Adam R.Teresa R.Dallas D.Remy M.Azam K.

Delicious. A wonderful dinning experience in Dallas where everything from the food to the staff and owner are truly looking out for your absolute best. I would recommend Izmir to anyone looking for a wonderful night out in Dallas.The Hummus, rice, and Turkish coffee are the best I have had in years. Everything else was wonder but do not miss the hummus and Turkish coffee.This has been on of my most beloved Mediterranean spots in Dallas for years. A good friend of mine and I would venture here every Tuesday for $2 tappas! The service is always fast and I love to support a good family business. The pitchers of sangria are always a hit with a group of 3 or more. With the option of $2 tappas on Tuesdays you can go pretty crazy with ordering the side portions of food and just splitting them amongst the table. Some of these items include, hummus and pita, grilled portabello mushrooms, baked sweet potatoes, tabouli, ziziki, babaganoush, eegra, falafel, saffron rice and more. Proteins are also available such as chicken kabobs, lamb chops, and Pomegranate Shrimp. These items of course are a little more expensive, but throwing it all together to make a complete meal is always fun!I had a birthday party of 18 people at this tiny little place a few years back and the staff did a great job of accommodating though we were such a large group.Also, if you are interested in trying the food here but not dining in they have a deli just a block away where you can easily and quickly order items to go.Family run, fresh ingredients, wonderful recipes. Basically the best way to go is to order veggie or meat and the food starts pouring in. When in a group or couple order both. The best hummus, the best babaganouj and pita. Grilled peppers, tender meats and wonderful hand rolled dolmas. Plenty of daily specials for this very intimate restaurant. makes for a wonderful first date. Not too pricey and a great wine selection. Downside, bad parking. You are forced to pay for valet six feet from the front door. But this goes without saying in this lower Greenville neighborhood (almost across the street from Granada). Say hi to the matron of the family, found in the kitchen most evenings. beautiful and funny woman. the sister is a half block away in their take out deli. Once on a particular busy night we sat in the little alcove outside just near the valet stand. it was very romantic and we got to watch all the people come and go outside. Monday Half price wine list on selected wines all night. Tuesday Customer Appreciation Night... Discounted Tapas, $14 bottles wine, $15 Sangria pitchers Wednesday $3 glass of Sangria until 8pm Thursday Girls Night Out (It's OK to Wine!) $14 bottlers of wine, $15 Sangria pitchers Friday Date Night / Dinner for 2 and bottle of wine for $50, Live Spanish guitar music by Helio Portales Saturday Live Spanish guitar music by Helio Portales Sun: $3 glasses of Sangria until 8pmI'm a regular at Cafe Izmir...Great Mediterranean tapas and the service is great. Nice people who don;t take themselves too seriously and have good customer sense.Very good hummus, sweet potatoes, quail...Should maybe make some progress on the sangria.Recommended.My review is based on only one visit to the place.I was here last week with my wife and cousin and ordered 2 Meat Dinners and an extra order of Hummus.  It was enough for three adults and toddler.  First the Hummus came out and one plate seems just about right for one person.   I think the reviews over rate their hummus, I know how good hummus is supposed to taste and their's is good but not heavenly.   The meats were cooked well and had mild hints of spices.  I liked the ambiance, the dining area is like an enclosed porch with a strip of party lighting on the walls.   Their Turkish coffee is really good, it really tastes like Turkish coffee and not some hot black liquid that some cafes like Cafe Istanbul like to pass as coffee. Parking is not easy especially on a Friday night.  We did not find any street parking and ended up valet parking.  Valet is a mandatory $5 so make sure you carry cash.  I'm giving 5 stars to their food but only 4 stars for ambiance because the music was too loud.  We got the corner table and the speakers were near my ear and were annoying my 2 year old.

by Stan L.

decent food.. great hummus.. but cafe izmir is too pricy for the small portions you receive.. i understand these are tapa sized portions.. but it's borderline ridiculous..