Turkwise in Epping Forest

I can’t write a review on Turkwise as it is no longer in Ongar it is now a wine bar Turkwise has not been in Ongar for a good six months

Love this restaurant, love the staff, love the ambience. Delicious food, the best around! Delicious cocktails and the waiters/owners are so lovely that they make your night truly fabulous. Thank you and see you soon!

Good atmosphere,friendly waiters explained the menu,bit expensive but worth it.Unfortunatly it has now closed down to reopen as a Mediterranean restaurant and bar in the near future.

10 of us spent a great evening eating and drinking. We were a little loud at times but the atmosphere was excellent. The food was very good, especially if you like your meats. Wine was great and all very well priced. Highly recommended.

We visited on a whim... We were welcomed by the most amazing and attentive front of house. He seated us in the front of the restaurant. He was so professional and knew the menu inside out along with the cocktail menu. We ate garlic prawns with home made bread and dips , they were succulent and tasty. This was followed by a fried sea bass and a trio of meats. The meats were succulent and flavoured beautifully , the fish was well cooked in a tasty crust. Really too full for desert, but we decided to share the baclava with cream and ice cream this was delicious. This was a very welcome and unexpected lovely evening. Well done for the food and great staff.

We were treated to a lovely dinner at Turkwise. All the food was excellent, and in particular the meats were flavoursome and very well cooked. The service was also excellent. No waiter in sight until you needed one - perfect. Thank you for a great dining experience. We shall return.

We were seated in a lovely booth and the waiters were great. Our food was hot and tasty. Will visit again soon.

The food is absolutely marvellous and the staff are attentive and nothing is to much for them. A lovely place to eat and drink.

Went for lunch with a friend and did the lunchtime saver menu. Although vegan items weren’t on there, they gave me the meal at the same deal. Really friendly, attentive staff. Will deffo be back!

Had a wonderful meal as always last night. The steak I had was well cooked and marinated in chilli it was delicious. Service was fantastic, always a warm welcome. Daniela’s Porn star martinis are the best around.

I really like going to Turkwise. Since it changed hands the new owner works hard to welcome customers, be attentive and helpful. He is friendly and always chirpy when we (regularly) eat here. He recognizes we are regulars and often offers an after dinner drink on the house to thank us for our custom. A nice touch and he is a nice man. The food is always well cooked and tasty. A couple of small notes for improvement in my personal experience of going here many times..... Sadly the pricing structure is that of top local restaurants. The food is good but this is a casual local Turkish eaterie. Not a Michelin starred seafood restaurant or brasserie - therefore I feel they would benefit from reviewing their pricing. For many customers will he unable to afford their food and they may be busier if they heed this advice. If I’m looking to spend £120-£140 for two people to eat 2-3 courses and have a couple of drinks each (I don’t have alcohol but my partner does drink beer), I would be going to the likes of Alecs, Smith’s, Felix and so on. As much as I love Turkwise for lunch, it is “posh meze and nice kebab style food, on a skewer with salad and bread” ....so, it’s not a brasserie nor is the menu indicative of it being so... Turkwise just isn’t in the same playing field of those eateries to be charging such prices. This puts us off from going more often than we do, but that’s not to say we won’t go back when we fancy a lunch time treat here and there. :-) the booth style seating at the front of the restaurant is exceptionally uncomfy, can’t lean back without bum falling off front of seat part (I’m not large - female, size UK8-10 so larger people must really struggle) as the seats aren’t deep enough. Needs attention really for something more comfy/suitable and to reassess their pricing.

I would like to share my appreciation for high consistently of quality food and excellent customer service. I have always been well looked after and always introduced many friends to here. It is by far the best restaurant in ongar, reasonable on the price, execution of the food is perfect and the staff are attentive to a personal level but not intrusive. It's a shame some of the big players in the local area are being put to shame by such a small establishment, the pride and passion within the team is exactly what I expect to find these days. Keep up the good work guys and girls because your absolutely smashing it! Sure to see you soon!

We went to turkwise after a Christmas event. The owner is so nice and always makes us very welcome. The food and drinks are always to a very high standard and taste so good. The platter is lovely and the cocktails to die for (pornstar) I wish more people would use it as the place deserves to be fully booked every night

I've been promising to go back here for months and finally made it! Had an amazing meal, food was spot on. My friend had the lamb shank special and said it was the best meal he'd had in ages. I had the trio for mains and it was perfect!! Staff were lovely as always, will definitely be back soon!!

Visited on Friday night. Staff welcoming and had a sense of humour which is always good in my book! All the food was tasty and well presented. My husband had the lamb and he said it was delicious. I liked the side dishes that came with the food and the warm pitta style bread. We sat in the front at one of the booths however the back room of the restaurant looked equally lovely. Will be visiting again. Oh and toilets were immaculate!

food was very good, staff very friendly but a little expensive and the menu needs to be more choices.

Popped back to Turkwise last night for a little birthday treat with the wife.

We decided we would try this restaurant as we had heard so much about it. We were not disappointed. Staff attentive ambience spot on. But the food was the star of the show. We met the owners who were very kind and offered us a drink which my wife declined but I accepted. A great hidden gem. We’re booking over Christmas going for another steak

This restaurant is so small but so cute! The lay out inside is absolutely beautiful!! The cocktails are amazing and the food was even better! Couldn’t fault anything on our visit! We will definitely be going again that’s for sure! X

This is the type of restaurant that stands out for the service and the passion shown by the staff. Very family orientated and thriving to make you feel comfortable and have a great experience. The food is good and so are the portions. A nice basic variety of Turkish classics. The table are not the most comfortable and what originally must have been a nice traditional furniture set up, now looks a bit dated. Overall a good experience.

Myself, bf, my bf's Sister and her partner all enjoyed a Sunday evening meal at Turkwise.

Turkwise was recommended to us by a couple of people who regularly eat there and almost everywhere else on this planet, so we figured that they were worth listening too!

Great set lunch, in a nice friendly restaurant. Our waiter was lovely and filled us in on the history of the building while serving us a lovely two course lunch. Starters were tasty, with yummy bread. We both had wraps, which were nice. Oregano mayo was different and good.

My friend and I had lunch here as a convenient place to meet up . We had three course set lunch menu just 31 pounds for the two of us , it is not high cuisine but tasty food served by very friendly staff , nothing was too much trouble my friend had a yeast allergy , and was offered vegetable sticks with the Mezze starter.I had the squid starter , it was superb soft texture and not rubbery at all

I visited this Restaurant with a friend, it’s a place I hadn’t heard of before but it was suggested and I enjoy that type of cuisine. Very unique set up and the staff/owner were extremely friendly (nothing was too much bother and service with a smile). I hope to be going back there soon.

We visited Turkwise for the first time last night and what a great find. The food was excellent and the service was top notch. Very friendly staff that made you feel extremely welcome and comfortable. I highly recommend the Turkwise Special cocktail, absolutely delicious. My husband had the Borek (feta & parsley filo rolls with a sweet chilli dip for starters which was to die for). Our mains which were the chicken shish & mixed grill were all to a great standard! With backlava dessert and after dinner cocktails, the whole dining experience was fantastic and we’ll certainly be visiting again soon.

Had Sunday lunch in here, staff amazing couldn’t do enough for us. Food was delicious and plentiful Hallumi chips were my fav and the platter was delicious Would recommend and return

Visited Turkwise for the first time tonight. The food was all beautifully cooked and presented, the service was attentive and lovely. We all had such a lovely evening. Will be back soon. Thank you to Billie and the Turkwise team.

We are Regular customers, this restaurant serves amazing food, has lovely staff, is very welcoming, and is definitely a place to visit x

Me and my mate are regular customers and we absolutely love it here! Best food and drinks & fantastic service, warm and welcoming x

I have visited Turkwise a few times and it never disappoints. I recently took my Boyfriend (who lives in Brighton) to this quaint little village of Ongar to show him my favourite restaurant. Needless to say he was soon raving about it too!

My daughter took me here the night before my holiday. Food was delicious meat was so tender. Service was very attentive.

Me and the wife went here a few days ago and has a meatball starter followed by a sharing platter.

Love the idea of a Turkish restaurant in Ongar but from the outside it’s always looked a bit posh to take children into. Pleasently suprised after seeing a Sunday special board outside and asking if they had a highchair and they do! Not sure how many they have but they have at least 1!

I went to turkwise in may 2018.

Delicious from Start to Finish, from Food to Drinks!

Last night we came here for a meal and what can I say, the service was amazing and so was the food, I had the chicken sheesh and my husband had the trio.....it was yummy; if you haven’t been already, do try it here, it’s a real gem.

We have been to Turkwise several times since they took over from the Fat Turk. The food on each visit has been outstanding. The Sunday special is a particular favourite. It involves a selection of steak, lamb chops, chicken and turkish sausage on a platter, all exceptionally well cooked and served with Turkish salad, crispy roast potatoes and dips. If you are a white wine lover I recommend the viognier - sharing a bottle of this with my husband while enjoying the Turkwise Sunday platter is one of my favourite ways to spend a Sunday afternoon! Our 14 year old son is also a big fan (not of the viognier!) he didn't stop remarking on how delicious everything was - although there was complete silence while he ate his chocolate brownie dessert with icecream!- when we got back today he asked when we were going to Turkwise again. The owner is super friendly and his attention to detail is evident throughout. I cannot recommend Turkwise highly enough.

As a group of 7, we reserved a table in the back room. From start to finish, the service was friendly and professional. Any special requests were sorted with no problem.

We had a lovely family dinner here, service was great and they could have not been more helpful/ informative regarding ingredients in the dishes, for my son who has various food allergies. Ongar is an old town and the restaurant fits in well there. Would definitely go there again.

Popped in for lunch on a Wednesday and picked from the lunch set meal £13 for two courses. Explained I was vegan and they adapted the menu for me and asked if I could try their new dish... which I did.

I’ve had a takeaway from Turkwise twice now and the first time I was left feeling very disappointed but I’m really pleased to say that the second time I am a lot happier.

This is the second time I’ve been to Turkwise for lunch and can say I’ll be back again .

I have been to Turkwise on a number of occasions and the quality of food and customer service has never seemed to falter. The restaurant gives a diverse range of traditional Turkish food as well as a selection of steaks that have all been seasoned differently to suit them. (My favourite being the sharing Porterhouse) The staff are extremely welcoming and have a wide knowledge of the menu which compliments the food perfectly, especially when deciding what wine to have with your meal. The whole experience will be the reason I will continue to return to this restaurant.

Visited for the first time yesterday and cannot fault the place.

Turkwise delivers great food and excellent customer service every time we visit. All the team actually know what they’re doing and can explain the menu choices in detail. It’s not just steak or chicken.

We just had an amazing night Maria and her staff really looked after us all and the food was lovely. We had the rear room and had lovely personal service too. Would definitely return and want to thank everyone for a special and memorable night.

We go lunch time the deal For a 2 or 3 course is amazing and the staff friendly and helpful and food wow defo a must 😘

I absolutely loved this place. I found that this wasn’t too far from me so would give it a go and I can honestly say that it was a pleasant surprise and I can’t believe we have now found such a great, hidden gem!

Since opening we frequently eat here. Food is always of the highest quality. Owner is charming and will go above and beyond to provide you with the best experience. Highly recommended.

All adults family of 5, food amazing service couldn’t have been any better drinks a bit expensive but a really lovely evening would definitely go back

Delicious food, lovely cocktails, attentive and knowledgeable staff and reasonable prices. Much prefer Turkwise to The Fat Turk, which used to be here. Will return soon.

Lovely to have a good restaurant within walking distance of home. Very good steaks and lamb dishes. Staff are very friendly and helpful.

Visited today with my wife for lunch.

New owners, new menu, nice food, lovely staff. We like coming here for Saturday lunch and sitting in the window seats! I particularly liked the chicken in paprika coating with the yummy roast potatoes. And then there's always the chicken wrap for my daughter!

Me and my partner live close by so we regularly visit Turkwise.

All I can say is every time I visit the food is just amazing ! Delicious freshly cooked authentic food and the best service ever ! So personable and friendly , I shall visit time and time again but must share my reviews and photos for you all to see. This time I had the sharing steak and was mouth watering ! 5 stars all the way !

My children took me there for Mother's Day. Down stairs gives you the feeling your are in a turkeys restaurant but up stairs is like being in a cafeteria just plain tables and chairs

We were in the uk for a wedding and family suggested this restaurant. Good choice. The menu was limited but our dishes were well cooked and presented-though the side accompaniment was disappointing. Decor was interesting and quite unique. The wine choice was ok but for our red selection it was necessary to let it breathe before drinking. It made a real difference. The highlight though had to be the quality and attention from the staff. And to the young waitress with the infectious smile "thank you" for making our evening.

We visited there one evening for our wedding anniversary So glad we did, great food and ambience, the waitresses and Mihai the manager are very polite and can't do enough for you We highly recommend a visit to this establishment!

Wow, went on Wednesday with a couple of friends and had a great meal, we all picked from the lunch menu and was very happy with the amount of food we was served, the Haloumi fries was to die for, the calamari was the best and the dips and bread well, all I can say is Yummy,

Visited this restaurant last weekend with family and friends, variable ages, including children. The atmosphere was great, staff accommodating as a member of the group had special dietary requirements. Catered for all our needs, very pleased indeed.

We love Turkish food. Although not particularly close, this restaurant came very highly recommended by friends so we thought we would try it. It is set on the High Street in Ongar so easy to find. There was plenty of off-street parking within a few minutes walking so access was really easy.

Had a nice meal here quite tasty and reasonable prices it's a shame the service was poor a friend had 3 different hairs in her meal when we complained and asked for a manager no one came back so the meal was left they still charged for it

We have visited Turkwise as a couple and as a family. On both occasions it didn't disappoint. The staff couldn't do enough for us. Our daughter loves to eat steak and even though a small portion for a child isn't on the menu they catered for her and cooked it perfectly. She LOVED it. Cocktails are a great way to start and finish dinner and the Espresso Martinis are a nice way to end an already delicious meal.

Friendly staff but service poor and food average. Main course was delivered before we had finished our starters. Returned later on a cold plate and the chicken kebab was dried up etc. Not a patch off the Fat Turk. I won't be returning

I visited Turkwise Saturday night and I couldn't have had a better experience. The Turkish meze and mixed grill was perfect and my friends that had the steak said it amazing. The cocktails also came highly recommended by my friends but being pregnant I wasn't able to indulge. I willl be back though to make my way through the cocktail list . Brilliant food, service and a 10 out of 10 evening.

Had heard good reviews from friends, so as were seeing friends that live very close to the restaurant we thought we'd give it a try. Nice friendly greeting upon arrival, with interesting and attractive decor. Great cocktail menu, with good choice, and my Turkwise Special did not disappoint. Nice choice of starters served with good warm pitta bread. My chicken shish was good, my husband said his steak was excellent. Good size portions of food, in fact we were all so full we couldn't manage dessert. Very nice food and pleasant service. Worth a visit, if you're in the area, and good value too.

I cannot rate my experience here highly enough. The quality of food was outstanding and great value, the staff, very pleasant and knowledgeable of the menu, 5 star toilets and decor also. We are blessed indeed to have this in our village.

Have been here a few times and always found the food excellent, however, on this visit the meals were cold and we sent them back. I have honestly never seen staff be that upset and take that much care over us to correct the situation. Mistakes happen but it's how they're handled that really shows high standards and great customer service . I would recommend anyone to visit here , and can't speak highly enough of the staff and the service we received, oh and btw the food is excellent too.

First time here since new owners took over. Familiar menu but with some exceptions. Good choice for a quick lunch and not too overpriced. Nice chap serving and very attentive which was nice to see. Food was very good and well-presented. Great place to eat in Ongar!

All-round is very apt as that would be my shape if I came here every day, hahaha!

The restaurant had new owners who proved to be a charming Romanian couple. I had heard that previous diners had found the portions small. However with new ownership we had 3 mezza starters which were more than ample. Our kebab main courses were large, served with plenty of rice and very, very tasty. A great Baclava for dessert.

Friendly entrance greeted by staff. Originally Booked table for 8,changed last min to 11 persons...staff happy to accommodate,Grt Atmosphere/Drink/Food/Service had by all..2 family members celebrating Birthdays,perfect venue!!! Also very happy with the service provided by head waitress Marie/a who pleasantly finished the eve off with surprise pudding treats for the Birthday Boys!!!...Thank u all @Turkwise

Great Turkish restaurant, meat is to die for! Food really fresh, staff very friendly and attentive, great for couples or a larger gathering

I went here with my wife for her birthday and we had a lovely time. Service from the start was attentive and welcoming and both the waiting staff and manager were friendly and helpful. Cocktails were good and all food was delicious. We had a few Turkish dishes to start all of which were of a superior standard for that type of food. I had marinated rib-eye steak and my wife sirloin and both, along with the chips and salad were really nice. Before ordering, we were shown a board to see exactly what the different cuts were. We were unfortunately too full for desserts, however it didn't stop them giving my wife a free one for her birthday (New York cheesecake which was also extremely good!) I would definitely recommend this place and it is a welcome addition to Ongar High Street! Apparently it has no connection to the previous owners.

Popped along for dinner to celebrate a family birthday. Firstly, the service was great. Friendly and attentive. Really good. The starters, prawns and Kalamar were both excellent; so fresh. For the mains, we went for a variety of shish kebabs; they were well marinated, cooked well and the accompanying salad very tasty (the dips were great too). A simple meal but delivered to an excellent standard in a friendly atmosphere. A very nice evening.

There are fewer Turkish main courses than when managed by the Fat Turk, but the starters remain first class and there are now wonderful marinated steaks available. A very pleasant and attentive waitress brought a board of uncooked steaks to the table to help us choose. Our sirloin steaks were really exceptional. I also recommend the Turkish style tomato and onion salad and lovely chips.

So glad that this restaurant has re-opened and the new management team are lovely!

Visited quite a few times now and the food and service is always excellent. The management go that extra mile to make sure you are looked after and nothing is too much trouble.

I have visited for the first time and can say it is now my favourite steak house.

Tried this for the first time since its opened. Food was ok, plentiful but nothing special. Customer service was the most annoying I've ever experienced...we were served by 4 different people, each one giving us their own recommendations for cocktails, starters, mains, deserts, cuddly toy, you name it they recommended without invitation. 3 barely dead chunks of cow were shoved under our noses asking "are you steak fans? Let me explain these to you" err, no thanks, despite me saying yuk no and looking away the waitress babbled on for a good 5mins telling us about the marinades they use blah blah. Starters weren't even finished before our mains arrived and we're shipped away. "Our chef has done an excellent choice and I'm sure you'll agree" oh go away! When the desert menu was bought over the waitress read it out to us, pointless! Throughout the meal we were approached about 4247 times to ask how we were enjoying it; well the food is ok but the constant interruptions into our conversations were unbearable. A very annoying and bizzare evening.

The food was delicious, the king prawns are highly recommended. Steaks are bought out to be viewed and your waiter explains the cuts ... staff are very courteous and friendly ... most definitely worth a visit

Amazing. Better than ever. Food great and friendly service. Definitely on our top 5 list I believe it's new owners but they have added another level

Fantastic now the restaurant is open on a Sunday. Had a fabulous meal with friends with a great wine selection to go with it. We will be back very soon was so welcomed by the staff x

Top notch service with amazing food and cocktails. The restaurant is beautiful and cozy. Definitely coming back, highly recommended... Already have to a few friends.

Josper grill which makes the porterhouse amazing, wonderful service and real attempting to detail. These guys are fantastic. One of the best restaurants I can think of