The Best Turkish Restaurants in Abu Dhabi
Turkish is one of the strongest categories in the city and the one with the widest range: a mall restaurant holding a 4.9 across more than eight thousand reviews, a waterfront room in Al Zahiyah, a charcoal kabab counter in Khalidiyah Mall, and a family place in a Khalifa City park. Six worth knowing.
Checked August 2026. Ratings and hours drift. Each entry links to Google Maps for live figures.
Illustrative image, not the venue. Photo: mehmetakifarts / Pexels
How we rate Turkish restaurants
Every place is scored out of 100 on five things, so the order is repeatable rather than a matter of taste.
Google rating
Public rating, with 3.5 treated as the floor.
Review volume
A 4.9 from 550 people is weaker than a 4.9 from 8,500.
Turkish specialist
A Turkish grill outranks a mixed Levantine menu with kebabs on it.
Community word
Local forums and independent write-ups, which surface neighbourhood places.
Price
Value counts, and portion against price is the recurring theme here.
No restaurant pays for placement and none is a GulfOnline advertiser. Figures were read in August 2026 and will drift.
GulfOnline Recommends
Six picks for six different reasons, chosen on the criteria above and not for payment.
Bosporus
A 4.9 across 8,497 reviews, one of the highest combinations of rating and volume of any restaurant in the emirate. Beef iskender and lentil soup are the orders, and the business lunch is the value play.
The Oba
A 4.8 across 1,501 reviews on the water, open from eight in the morning to two at night. The iskender plate gets called top notch, and the salads and appetisers are more creative than the category norm.
Chagh Kabab
Charcoal-grilled adana and the house special kabab, with a smoky finish reviewers rate above the competition. Mall seating rather than a proper room, and the food more than compensates.
Turkish House
A 4.9 across 550 reviews, set in the middle of a park with a kids play area, so children can run while adults finish. Owner-run and unusually attentive.
Hatay
The three-person breakfast set feeds a family comfortably and is the best group value in the category. 4.8 across 2,158 reviews. Ask for proper tea glasses rather than paper cups.
Levanturk
Turkish and Lebanese together on Level 2 of Reem Mall. Juicy, tender barbecue, careful presentation and a lemon mint that pairs with it. Portions run small to medium.
The 6 best Turkish restaurants in Abu Dhabi, ranked
Ordered by score. Ratings and review counts are what Google showed in August 2026.
1. Bosporus
One of the highest-scoring restaurants of any cuisine in the emirate, holding a 4.9 across more than eight thousand reviews. Beef iskender is the dish to order, the lentil soup is properly made rather than an afterthought, and the business lunch is where the value sits. Open from eight in the morning, and the iftar buffet during Ramadan gets particularly strong notices.
- Level 1, Abu Dhabi Mall, Al Maiyani Street
- 8am to midnight, to 1am at weekends
- Beef iskender, lentil soup, business lunch
- Highest review volume in the category
Illustrative image, not the venue. Photo: Yasin Onu / Pexels
2. The Oba
On the water and open from eight in the morning until two at night, which is the widest window here. The iskender plate is what regulars order, and the salads and appetisers show more imagination than most Turkish menus in the city. Service gets named in review after review, which usually means it is consistent rather than lucky. Breakfast is priced above the category and does not always match it.
- Waterfront, Al Zahiyah
- 8am to 2am daily
- Iskender plate, salads, appetisers
- Breakfast is pricey for what it is
Illustrative image, not the venue. Photo: Yasin Onu / Pexels
3. Hatay
The Turkish breakfast is the reason to come, and the three-person set feeds a family comfortably. Grills and mezze the rest of the day, in a warm room done out with some care. Two consistent gripes worth knowing: portions on some items are small, and tea arrives in paper cups unless you ask for proper glasses.
- 26 Khor Al Jafrah Street, Al Khalidiyah
- 9am to midnight daily
- Breakfast for three feeds a family
- Ask for proper tea glasses
Illustrative image, not the venue. Photo: Mavi Yldz Restoran Cumalkzk Bursa / Pexels
4. Turkish House
Set in the middle of a park with a kids play area, which makes it the easiest place on this list to bring children. Grills and traditional dishes done properly, owners who take a personal interest, and a room reviewers describe as warm rather than functional. Strong for breakfast as well as dinner.
- At Tiqniyat 1 Street, Khalifa City
- 10am to midnight daily
- Park setting with kids play area
- Grills, traditional dishes, breakfast
Illustrative image, not the venue. Photo: Julia ar / Pexels
5. Chagh Kabab
The charcoal specialist. Adana kabab comes out juicy and properly seasoned with a smoky finish, and the house special Chagh kabab is the other order. Seating is mall seating, so do not come for the room. Two cautions from reviewers: service can be short near closing, and the iskender is not made with doner meat, which purists mind.
- Khalidiyah Mall, Al Khalidiyah
- 9am to 11.30pm daily
- Charcoal grilled adana and special kabab
- Iskender is not doner-based
Illustrative image, not the venue. Photo: Cemrecan Yurtman / Pexels
6. Levanturk
Turkish and Lebanese under one roof on Level 2 of Reem Mall. The barbecue is juicy and tender, presentation is careful, and the lemon mint is the drink to order with it. Good for family gatherings, and the staff are notably good with children. Portions run small to medium, which regulars accept for the quality.
- Level 2, Reem Mall, Al Reem Island
- 9am to 11pm, later at weekends
- Mixed grill, mezze, lemon mint
- Small to medium portions
Illustrative image, not the venue. Photo: Mathias Reding / Pexels
What to order, and what it means
Iskender. Doner meat sliced over pide bread, covered in tomato sauce and melted butter, served with yoghurt. It is the dish most of these restaurants are judged on, and one place on this list does not make it with doner at all, which is worth knowing before you order.
Adana and Urfa. Hand-minced lamb on a flat skewer, grilled over charcoal. Adana is the spicy one, Urfa the mild. Chagh Kabab is the pick for both.
Turkish breakfast. A table rather than a plate: cheeses, olives, eggs, jams, honey with clotted cream, tomato and cucumber, and endless tea. Hatay does the best group version.
Pide and lahmacun. Turkish flatbreads, the first boat-shaped and filled, the second thin and topped with minced lamb. Cheaper than the grills and often better.
Tea matters. Proper Turkish tea comes in tulip glasses. If yours arrives in a paper cup, ask.
The cluster splits between Al Zahiyah and the malls on one side, and Khalidiyah on the other, with Khalifa City and Reem holding the newer family rooms.
Illustrative image, not the venue. Photo: Tahir Xlfquliyev / Pexels
Common questions
What is the best Turkish restaurant in Abu Dhabi?
Bosporus at Abu Dhabi Mall scores highest on our criteria, holding a 4.9 across 8,497 reviews, which is one of the strongest combinations of rating and volume of any restaurant in the emirate.
Where is the best Turkish breakfast in Abu Dhabi?
Hatay in Al Khalidiyah, where the three-person breakfast set feeds a family comfortably and is the best group value in the category. The Oba also serves breakfast from eight in the morning.
Where is the best kabab in Abu Dhabi?
Chagh Kabab at Khalidiyah Mall for charcoal-grilled adana and the house special. Bosporus is the pick if you want iskender specifically.
What is iskender kebab?
Doner meat sliced over pide bread with tomato sauce, melted butter and yoghurt. It is the dish most Turkish restaurants here are judged on, though not every version is made with true doner meat.
Which Turkish restaurant is best for families?
Turkish House in Khalifa City, which sits in a park with a kids play area. Levanturk at Reem Mall is also notably good with children.
Are Turkish restaurants in Abu Dhabi licensed?
Generally no. The standalone and mall Turkish restaurants are dry, which is normal here and does not affect the cooking.
Try another cuisine
Other cuisines in Abu Dhabi, ranked and scored the same way.