Efes Restaurant in Cambridge

Very fortunate to come across this restaurant by accident. Lovely meal and great service. We will be coming back on our next visit to Cambridge

We were staying in Cambridge for a few days and came across Efes, we hadn’t booked but took a chance and they squeezed us in. Fantastic vibrant restaurant with an extensive menu, great ambiance and good food and service. Would go back again.

Fortunate find! I was at a loss as to where and what to eat, when I came across this place. It looked cosy and inviting from the outside (the weather was miserable outside!) Fortunately there was a table available. For starters I chose the Special Mezze. On arrival I was amazed at the size! This could easily feed 2! But it wasn't just quantity, it also had quality. Very good start. For mains I had the Shashlik Kebab and the meat was lovely and tender. I had a carafe of the red house wine, which was perfectly adequate at the price. It's a shame that some of the Turkish wines are not available by the glass. I would have loved to try some. Service was swift and very friendly.

Fortunately find! I was at a loss as to where and what to eat, when I came across this place. It looked cosy and inviting from the outside (the weather was miserable outside!) Fortunately there was a table available. For starters I chose the Special Mezze. On arrival I was amazed at the size! This could easily feed 2! But it wasn't just quantity, it also had quality. Very good start. For mains I had the Shashlik Kebab and the meat was lovely and tender. I had a carafe of the red house wine, which was perfectly adequate at the price. It's a shame that some of the Turkish wines are not available by the glass. I would have loved to try some. Service was swift and very friendly.

Highly commended. Fresh meat and chicken. Our server Dicle was absolutely so friendly and Kind served us well and we received what we asked at an even better quality

Really good food and service no expert on turkish food but it was delicious and will go again and take friends 😋

Came here for food and it was outstanding. The food came quickly and was very tasty. The service was top notch and all of the staff were friendly and welcoming. Would recommend the mixed grill

The food was excellent and very fresh, we actually watched it being prepared and cooked.We admired the guy who was in charge of the grill, he was being cooked himself, but he never stopped smiling. The waiters made us feel like a part of the family and their attentiveness had no bounds. Efes is a very busy and popular restaurant so make sure you book well in advance.

Went for dinner here with my daughter. No reservation which was risky on a Friday night but they were able to fit us in after a short wait (we just went to the pub up the street for a drink in the Champion of the Thames - also worth a visit!). Efes seems the kind of independent restaurant that does the important things well: clean and friendly, with a vibrant atmosphere and good food. Tables are close together but in a packed & lively restaurant our conversation still felt private. I felt confident the food would be good for two reasons: the menu was varied without overextending the kitchen with too many options, and the sight of a chef sitting at an open grill. I wasn’t disappointed. I had a liver starter which was both simple and delicious. My daughter very much enjoyed the cheese borek - she was tempted to get it as a main as well! At Turkish restaurants I usually look out for whatever mixed kebab is served with sauce on pieces of pitta. Here it was the yogurtlu (iirc) and it was excellent. Meat was tender, with a dark, tangy sauce, and simple sides of rice and salad. We shared a bottle of Turkish white wine, dry with some stone-fruit flavour, that was a very enjoyable accompaniment to the food. With two courses each and a bottle of wine, our meal came in at about £76 without service which I felt was very good value, and merited a healthy tip. Definitely somewhere I will return to when I’m next in Cambridge.

Very nice restaurant, friendly staff and good food

We visited with my brother and my wife. The staff was friendly and the food was amazing. I would like to thank them for reserving a place for us even though we did not have a reservation. I want you to know that we will definitely go again.

Delicious food, and really nice and friendly staff members.

A Cambridge institute which is always great. The latest time I had an amazing lamb kofte and the manager was so kind as to allow us to get a carafe of a wine they usually sell by the bottle. It gets busy, so always good to book a table by calling. They take card, but good to pay in cash to support a local business.

Excellent, classic Turkish food, friendly people, reasonable prices, good opening hours. Central Cambridge but slightly out of the way so pleasantly busy rather than horribly crowded. Now operating for over 30 years so they must be doing something right!

Antep and shish kebap were really delicious as well as the liver in the meze plate. The waitress was very attentive and kind. We will definitely visit again.

First time here, hopefully not the last. Had a lovely prawn cocktail and a lamb fillet kebab. The waitresses were welcoming. I was surprised to see a restaurant so busy on a Monday evening.

The last time I dined at Efes was in 2006. I have been away from Cambridge since then. I have visited Efes five times over the last 11 days. Each and every visit has been an excellent and memorable dining experience. Thank you, Efes. We look forward to our next visits to Cambridge and, of course Efes, in the future.

Fresh, friendly affordable. From start to finish everything about Efes is fantastic. Come here weekly. Everyone loves it here, from the food, staff booze.. Absolute gem in the heart of Cambridge

Very beautifully designed restaurant. Food didn’t take long and all started were brought to us immediately. Food had a great taste and wasn’t very greatly cooked. The only problem is if your a vegan or vegetarian theres not lots of options. 5 stars.

Brilliant restaurant! Food is always delicious and service is welcoming and friendly. It's a go to!

The food was brilliant, very generous portions, and tastes great. Reception and hospitality were spot on. Traditional and cosy atmosphere. Will definitely go back when visiting Cambridge again.

We had a wonderful experience at this Turkish restaurant – the food was fantastic, especially the savory dishes. We tried their baklava which is disappointing. It was not real Turkish baklava, might be Greek🤪 (just kidding). The staff was incredibly friendly and accommodating, even arranging a table for 8 of us despite us not having a reservation. However, towards the end, we were asked to leave earlier than expected because they said other people were waiting for the table, but we didn’t see anyone waiting outside. Overall, it was a great meal, but the situation at the end was a bit confusing.

Delightful. We visited for a birthday meal; we booked ahead and would recommend booking as it was busy. The service was on point, we were checked upon several times to ensure everything was ok. The food and portions were perfect. The food tasted freshly made and there was plenty of it. The falafel with hummus for the main was so tasty and presented nicely. I can't recommend this restaurant highly enough; there is something for everyone.

Great service, food, staff was awesome!

Just the best food and service. Consistently great every time.

Ate here last night whilst away on a business trip Very busy restaurant but Alana made us feel very welcome she is a real asset to the business We ate the mixed kebab which was cooked to perfection Washed down with a bottle of Villa Doluca Give it a try you won’t be disappointed Lesley & Stuart

We went there without reservation but they manage to serve us. We were 8 people we ordered different mains. Overall we satisfied from mains but salads and drink(we had Ayran) could be better. I had liver as a main and I liked it very much. But we are not happy with baklava which I don’t dare to call that thing as a baklava as you can see in the picture there was no pistachios between its layers. After everything we had Turkish coffee it was delicious. While we are having our coffees waitress told us we need to leave because they have people waiting outside but after we left the table no one was waiting outside. Separate points for foods and drinks Liver: 4.5/5.0 Yogurtlu kebab 3.5/5.0 Ayran 2.0/5.0 Baklava 0.0/5.0 Turkish coffee 5.0/5.0

Very nice, cozy restaurant with delicious Turkish food. The meat is delicious and tender and the service is great! Aleyna is a sweet and cheerful hostess!

It was a very delicious and wonderful meal, especially the kofta kebab and hummus were fantastic. I definitely recommend it.

The experience was good and the food is so delicious. They are very friendly.

Best Turkish restaurant I have ever seen in the UK. Cozy atmosphere and generous staff, especially Aleyna was so welcoming and passionate. Food is both cheap and super tasty. We got a set menu and throughly satisfied. 10/10 Highly recommended

I came with my Italian friends. My friends liked the Turkish food very much. It is really difficult to find a place like this in Cambridge. The food was really nice. Thank you to the entire Efes family.

Since I’ve been here I was really missing my own cuisine. If you really wanna try Turkish cuisine this place is the best that you can try every kind of taste from my own culture.

One of the best restaurants to eat good kebabs, with fresh meat cooked with care to be tasted exquisitely... apart from being able to enjoy some good starters with a variety of Humus,Berek,Liva,Tasty cooked with a batter that gives it a special touch... Special meze, one of the house specialties... for vegetarians they have where to choose some exquisite dishes. Directed by A team of waiters and chefs who make the stay and the meal a pleasure and satisfaction... recommended, with good prices and above all with a well-filled stomach... don't miss the opportunity

AMAZING restaurant. We go every single year for my dads birthday and are never let down. The twins who run the restaurant are funny and polite and kind with how they serve, as well as the other staff. The food is outstandingly delicious and for the money it costs is great value. Atmosphere is lively but not too loud and always nice and warm whilst not overwhelming. Always a fun mood. I recommend getting the set menu, depending on your appetite get one each or one between two. Everything is delicious though and cooked fast. Would highly recommend.

Consistently excellent food, nice atmosphere and an open kitchen so you can watch the lovely food cooking.

We are very pleased, thank you very much

We had a lovely meal here - welcomed very warmly and service was speedy. We ordered a variety of dishes and everything was delicious.

Amazing atmosphere.. Big Chef super cool, fun and food amazing. Highly recommended

Highly recommended - felt me like I’m having dinner in Turkey - same quality and high standart

I never ate so bad food in my life. The only good thing was the the smily waitresses. I asked chicken shish well done for food it came burned, plus it was very dry. Rice was very dry as well. Not recommend at all. Really disappointed. P.S. This is served full plate, I ate only 1 piece of chicken and 2 pieces of burned peppers.

Good food grate service 9 out off 10

If you want genuine quality Turkish food in Cambridge then Efes is the place to go. Food, staff and atmosphere is of the highest quality and never fails to disappoint. Go for the set menu and have a taste of everything. As with many small family business,s who are getting strangled by payment card companies charges, they will never complain if you pay in CASH...Still my preferred payment method anyway and long may it last.

Great restaurant I’ve lived in Cambridge all my life and how didn’t I know about this place, fantastic food, service and atmosphere we will definitely be back. Thank you

Would reccomend booking. A little local treasure of a restaurant. Food great, service with a smile.

Even though we called and stated our number, they received a sullen welcome as if to say where did you come from? Unfortunately, they are rude to local guests and polite to foreigners. The mature gentleman serving was very polite and attentive. We were embarrassed by our guest next to us, so we ate quickly and got up. We came with enthusiasm and left unpleasantly.

Türkleri sevmeyen Türk restoranı. Hic gitmeyin. Yabancılara nezaket şakalar, Türklere kaba saygısız davranışlar görmek isterseniz buyurun tecrübe edin.

Very comfortable and nice love it

Restoran çok güzel, çalışanlar saygılı, yemekler çok güzel , ortam çok güzel. Herkesin buraya gelmesini baya öneririm.

Such a great place with amazing food and staff. Aleyna was taking care of our table and she made our night much more special than it was with her fantastic suggestions and customer service!!! They even provided us a food which my girlfriend asked for and wasn’t on the menu which was very surprising. I definitely recommend this place to anyone who wants to try Turkish food in another level!!!

Good food, great atmosphere, great customer service, value for money, specially Aleyna is a really friendly and helpful staff. Also, I wanted an onion appetizer which they didn’t have in the menu but they made it for me specially. Perfect choice for dinner.

Always incredible food and service! I’ve taken a few friends here and we all love it.

The employees are very grumpy. We did not like the service at all. I recommend you to choose different places

I have heard so many good memories about the restaurant and no wonder it still attracts a crowd. The freshly assembled skewers and large pieces of meat!! The shashlik kebab is tender and beautifully grilled. As mom always says, good ingredients only need a dash of salt (and maybe pepper). I’d love to try all the cuts :3 The fried liver is fantastic. Meaty, tender, and flavorful, and not greasy at all. Portion is decent for a liver dish. I will come back for it. The rice is nicely salted. I also appreciate the shredded salad. Simple and refreshing. The service is friendly and very helpful. And the decoration really reminds me of my stay in Efes many years ago (and the table cloth looks very similar to the rug I bought :)

Top Turkish restaurant in the area. Staff friendly and attentive. Food is amazing, would eat there daily if I could lol

One of my family's favourite restaurants in Cambridge! Staff are very attentive, the service is excellent, food wonderful and prices are reasonable. We love it here.

Outstanding in every way, I couldn't recommend this enough.

Nice place to enjoy Turkish dishes in here.

Nice restaurant close to Cambridge city centre. The food was tasty. The kebab was really good.

I ordered a takeaway from Efes as I fancied some marinated lamb cutlets which comes with turkish rice and salad. They did not offer delivery so I collected from the restaurant. On arriving home I opened the container box, the 4 lamb cutlets were awfully small, they had not been marinated. No flavour at all. I had to rub some seasoning salt to add flavour. Costing between £10-20 I expected much more, marinated delicious cutlets, full of flavor. Very disappointing. I have eaten at Efes restaurant before but sadly the takeaway option did not live up to expectation.

After many months of eating chicken nuggets, sausages and fish fingers on repeat, it was so nice to go somewhere with an awesome selection of meaaaaat! There are veggie options here having said that, but being a Turkish restaurant its probably about 60% meat. We went here for a stag dinner and was the first time I've been, though others in our group had been before. The restaurant is small but cozy with good seating and an open grill where everything is cooked. Its always nice to see how your food being cooked rather than in an invisible kitchen, and smells great. For a starter we all shared a meze platter, which was a whole load of turkish nibbles, all really tasty. I opted for the mixed kebab on others recommendation. Platter of different meats, rice, side of raw shredded veggies, and some sauces. Took me a while to finish, very good portions but not gigantic. By the time we were done with that I was too full for desert, which is rare for me. Went with normal coffee after but Turkish is in offer as well. Price wise its very reasonable for centre of Cambridge. They also do some very good value set menus for £22ish, so for around £20-25 per head in central Cambridge...that's rare now days, even rare for food that's actually good!

Excellent food and service. Good atmosphere. Recommended

Much better than the service in Türkiye

We ate there on a Sunday night whilst visiting Cambridge. Can't fault anything about this restaurant. The food was top notch and the staff were friendly and attentive. Definitely recommend and will go back next time we are in Cambridge.

The best Turkish food around. Good service and good prices. I RECOMMEND

Take here for my birthday lunch, had the Meze, it was delicious. The staff made a huge effort putting candles in my baklava. Will definitely be going here again. Top tip, book your table.

Friendly staff, and the food was great. Would recommend.

It is a cosy and bustling Turkish restaurant with a good atmosphere. Very welcoming and attentive staff. Very good service, delicious food, and generous portions.

Food was cooked perfectly, served by the lovely Alaina, thank you will definitely come again :)

I've honestly never met such disrespectful staff before. So unwelcoming, rude. The design of the restaurant is awful. Its so cramped, and you are squished between a deli of raw meats, watching the meat be cooked and a bar. We asked for the meals to be packed and they added completely different meals together in the same packet, rendering it unappetising and inedible. Terrible customer service. I wouldnt go back here even if my life depended on it. Avoid at all costs! Wouldnt wish this experince on my worst enemy. The manager is particularly rude, unaccomodating and very stingy

Accommodated late and given nibbles to tide us over. Open bbq and delicious mixed greill

This place is fantastic! We attended a big family outing, 29 of us for a birthday celebration. The staff were so friendly and helpful before the event and throughout our meal. They organised a set menu for us all to enjoy, kept the drinks coming and laughed and jokes with us through our night. Would highly recommend this restaurant for anyone who loved fantastic greek cuisine! The food was delicious!

Used to be best.. Now is ok potion are small. Campared last I visited, tasted just ok, side salad tasted less..

The lamb kebab was WAY overcooked- dry and hard to eat. Yuck! Not happy that I paid for this.

Got lunch as a group of 7 at around 12.30 on Sunday. The service was great and the staff were super friendly. We had to make some short notice changes to our booking but the staff were very accommodating. We ordered a variety of starters and mains and a bottle of the house wine. The food was great, brought out in a timely manner, we didn't have to wait for long. I personally liked the stuffed vine leaves and the antep kebab. My group liked the falafel, spinach tarator, carrot tarator, chicken efes, yoghurtlu kebab, chicken, seafood and mixed kebabs. We also ordered the baklava and ice cream for dessert and also some apple tea and turkish coffee which we loved. Staff checked in on us frequently to make sure we were okay, and the atmosphere was lovely. Spoke to the chef at the end and he even posed for a picture! 😄 Had a lovely time here and would definitely come again in the future. 👍

One my favourite diners In Cambridge , Kept its standard and staff since I can remember coming to the restaurant . You are also allowed to bring your wine for a corking fee .Good value for monety

Recently been twice to celebrate birthdays. Hosted our huge table of 30 and we couldn’t fault the food& service we will definitely be returning

Very authentic tasty and varied food with great quality and quantity for the price. It is quite unique to have the BBQ near you (but don't worry, you won't smell a thing!). 4 stars to service because whilst they were friendly and helpful, they have started taking part of the empty plates before everyone finished.

The food was very delicious, but what I liked most about it was the atmosphere. It really made me feel like I was in Turkey. Everything was so characteristic, the chairs, sofas, tables. I would totally go back again

Restricted menu. Most dishes came in the same sauce. Very limited desserts menu.

Delicious Turkish grill and clean food. Hummus Lentil soup is delicious We ordered three types of delicious grills that come with rice. I wish it was bulgur, the same as Türkiye Fast service, crowded place The price is high

The food was very good, our waiter brother was very naive, but also thank you for the charge, brother.

An easy choice if you want to get some nice food, lovely atmosphere, and a relaxed dinner.

Delicious mezes, friendly staff. 30/04/2024 (update): recently had kebabs here and they were amazing! Definitely best kebab in town and around! I don't need to go to London for good kebab anymore!

Not the best turkish. Overpriced and not a very friendly staff.

I’m a black person and I wouldn’t recommend this restaurant to any black or person of colour. I had the worst treatment ever, I love Turkish foods and been to several Turkish restaurants but by far I received the most discriminatory service ever. Paying no attention to my family and I, ignoring us the whole period, thought it was just how they were until I realised everyone was treated nicely except us of course the people of colour!! Very bad experience!

I had the most delicious meal I've eaten recently here. It's a fantastic restaurant in every way.

Down to earth restaurant with amazing food + really good prices, especially for Cambridge. Good selection

The staff was very helpful, the food was delicious, everything was very good.

The food and service were excellent as it always is. Thoroughly enjoyable

We went to this restaurant on Sunday 14 April. We took a chance going in, as we have always walked past and seen this restaurant always busy. The kindly gentleman greeted us on entry and we felt like we received a very warm welcome from him and the other staff. We were shown to a lovely little table and the man came to help us with our order. My wife has a gluten, dairy and egg free diet and this was not an issue at all. The kind man advised us on the foods to order and we felt comfortable. It is a relaxed environment. The staff just remember your order and show care to everyone in the same way. You can see the food being cooked right near to you and the decor is very ambient, traditional and cosy. We really enjoyed our meals as the food is all cooked to order and very fresh. We had some lovely Turkish tea to finish. We could see why this restaurant is always busy. We felt that we received excellent service. We would definitely return and recommend to others.

Excellent quality food. Love this place.

akh i been sat here waiting 1.5 hours for my food fam it’s peak and dem man don’t even sell chips

Amazing service, lovely food. Great place

Wow what a find this restaurant was. The food is superb. All the food is cooked on a charcoal grill at the rear of the restaurant. It is well cooked and presented. It tastes delicious. Staff are very welcoming and the service is very good. Prices are very reasonable. Highly recommended and a place I can't wait to go back to.

This is 2nd time we came as a family and we could’ve not been treated any better! Food was outstanding and the restaurant has such a homey environment. If I could give 1000 stars I would. Certainly will be back over and over again. Thank you so much. My dad could’ve not enjoyed his 45th birthday any more than he did. 10/10 for everything

The food was relatively good, but the customer service was appalling. We had not been there for more than 5 minutes before the waiter came to take our order. I replied that I was still deciding on what to eat because there were so many options. He shouted at me and said "after all this time, are you still thinking about what to eat?" He then left. The restaurant was not full. I went there after a long day at work. I don't appreciate being told off and shouted at. It was uncalled for.

Amazing food and excellent service. A very welcoming atmosphere that made for a wonderful experience overall.

Always lovely food and lovely service , my family has been coming here for years one of our favourites , never had an issue

Went over there from google research and love for Turkish cousin. When we walked in we could smell damp which was in time covered by cooked food. Tiny place which gives family business feeling which is very lovely. We were welcomed straight away and given the choice of a table. Ordered one bottle of Turkish wine which hit our spots, very mild and not dry. We had meze starters which were very good but not enough bread and some of the meze were bland- lacking flavors. Main course arrived with cold rice and sauce which is a huge minus but meat was proper temperature, cooked perfectly, nice and tender. Whole dish lacked spices, flavor, I found it pretty bland from Turkish flavors. There were 3 men on the floor serving to customers and the bar- when they got busy, they were struggling with paying enough attention. We asked for a bill and once delivered, we had to put the hand up to get attention to pay. Another spot- Turkish tea made from electric kettle and tea bag dipped in and out ( for another customer).