caravanserai

the food was nice. no complaints but not really any 'standouts'. i would like to eat the food again but the service was terrible. had to ask for wine glasses, ask for water, wait over 40 mins for our food, the guy next to us was smoking! & they ran out of dessert & ten we had to ask for the bill while they were packing up chairs around us.

awful dining experience! (noisy, dim & disappointing).. dined on a friday night at an 830 reservation. after being stuck in a dark corner (where the light overhead was blown) we had to farm candles from other tables and use the light from our phones in order to read the menu.

we had decided on the ottoman meze ($29) for entree and the istanbul sublime share platter ($65) for main. upon ordering these items, the waitress suggested we order something instead of the ottoman due to duplicate items across both platters (although this didn't seem to be reflected on the menu). we ordered dips (baba ganoush & hummus) but the waitress said they were on the sublime platter as well & suggested we choose yet another alternate item. we settled for ispanak borek ($26) for entree. and mentioned if it wasn't enough food for the group (3 people) we would order some more a little later. the waitress said this was fine.

the entree arrived fairly quickly but was somewhat oily. when plates were cleared we had to keep our dirty cutlery to use for main. when the sublime platter arrived it was served on two small plates and it was explained that the restaurant had run out of big platters. as we wistfully looked at other diners enjoying a full sized platter we couldn't help but note the quantity of food on ours was substantially less. we also couldn't help but notice there was not any hummus, baba ganoush (as the waitress had advised) on the platter either. we did note 3 staff members standing in the kitchen were eating their own meals. we called for the menu to order again and upon closer inspection the only common items from the meze platter was haloumi cheese & a prawn skewer. we were then informed we couldn't order anything else as the kitchen had closed at 9pm! it was approximately 920 & there was a good 30 diners left in the restaurant. the waiter suggested they could give us some "left over mussels that the staff were just going to eat". we declined this offer and expressed our disappointment. we were told there was nothing that could be done; the oven was off.

surely they weren't out of dips or other items that could be prepared on a stovetop or alternative heating method!?

the dessert menu was thrust upon us and we declined as we were still hungry for savoury and substantial fare. the bill was then unceremoniously slammed down in front of us, where full charges were applied and no offer of a discount or even a complimentary turkish tea was offered.

the staff were uncooperative, inhospitable and unprofessional. i have never been treated so atrociously.

never going back. do not recommend.

lovely!. we had a beautiful meal and the service was fantastic.
the restaurant is very popular and very loud on a friday night but the food and service makes it well worth the visit and i highly recommend it for a great night :)

fab choice. was there for dinner this week and the food was really great, soooo tasty. the meats had been marinated to perfection and the turkish bread and dips were yummy. their homemade lemonade is the bomb to wash it all down with. very friendly staff who were very efficient. been there twice now and will be a regular, good value for money too. byo only, so take your wine and bon appetite!

brilliant food great night.. we went here on saturday night for a birthday dinner with a table of 6. the food was brilliant, everyone loved what they ordered. the entree's, main's and deserts all arrived quickly and the staff were very friendly and helpful. we ordered a variety of entree's to share and own main meals. the portion sizes were very generous and the food tasted beautiful. the vegetarian main was exceptional. we managed to fit a bit of desert in, and happy that we did, as the deserts and coffee's were very tasty. the slice of the day and the baklava were the standout deserts.


-----13 mar, 2013-----

brilliant food brilliant atmosphere. we went here for a family birthday on the weekend with a large table. the whole group enjoyed their meals. the food was absolutely beautiful! also the service was brilliant and professional. we needed a high chair and this was provided with no hesitation by the staff. i would recommend caravanserai to anyone who wants a great night out with tasty, fresh and beautiful food.

excellent!. our dinner experience at caravanserai was exceptional. we ordered all of our food to share between 4 with extra servings of bread. in this way we were able to taste a sample of everything. all of the food that was delivered tasted fantastic and the service was pretty good considering how busy the restaurant was - no empty tables at around 8:30. we left very full and satisfied.

excellent... an excellent evening,a five minute wait though we had booked.
shows how popular this place is and the young man came to find us to tell us a table was now waiting.excellent food served by friendly and pleasant staff.
good food,excellent setting,wonderful staff.

highly recommended. from the moment we walked into this beautiful and atmospheric place, we were greeted by the friendly and warm staff. the service was genuine, charming and efficient. i had the mussels for a starter, it was one of the most delicious seafood soups i have had for a long time. the banquet we ordered was expertly crafted and every morsel was worth the trip to west end. the meat was marinaded and cooked perfectly; the greens beans were done just right; the pilaf was impeccable. we finished off with some turkish delight and some tea. we were well looked after the whole time despite the busy night. we loved the service, the food and the ambience. excellent!

love it. we go here all the time and get the banquet. the staff are awesome, food is amazing and its such a bargain however you go. it can be really busy so you might need to book but it has to be one of the best restaurants in brisbane.

went on a tuesday night and it was packed! must have been due to the $30 banquet special which we also decided to order. thought it was a main each but everything comes out for the table to share. was a bargain for the amount of food that you got but one of the listed mains were missing which was a little disappointing. chicken shish was delicious and loved the salad that came with it but kofta was the stand out by far. vegetarian inclusions were a little meh but still nice. highly recommend feta pide with sweet chilli. service was great at the beginning of the night but was impossible to find anyone after finishing mains which was irritating when we just wanted to wrap up and leave. all in all a great evening but slightly ruined by the lack of service at the end of the night.

still on the fence with this one.... yep, title says it all... the food is reasonable, we always get the platter to share. some items are hit and miss tho... the ambiance is a little bit off somehow, and you really have to pick your nights - if it is busy you will wait ages for a table, even longer for your meals. the seating is unnecessarily close, making for a somewhat awkward and claustrophobic experience if it is packed. the table cloths are always sticky and in need of a good clean. yet for some reason we still go back when the mood strikes...

first time at caravanserai tonight and the whole experience blew me away! they were absolutely packed to say the least and it is a testament to the wait staff that the service wasn't impacted by the mass of people they had to look after, amazing! the food was delicious, i have no idea how that kitchen generates all that food, those chefs know what they're doing! the service and food quality is a real testament to the staff. our waitress (emily) was always there when we needed her and was always smiling giving everyone what they needed despite the horde of people she had to serve. try this place out!


-----30 aug, 2013-----

went to caravanserai last night and was very impressed to say the least! we had the three course banquet and the amount of food and variety was sensational. the atmosphere and decor were beautiful and was set off even more with a large table of belly dancers having dinner putting on an impromptu show. will definitely be going back!

we will return!. i went here with a small group of five and had the deluxe sultan’s banquet. when the meze platters came out we were a little disappointed to see that most items were in sets of four (one person missed out) and we felt a little jipped. however, then the mains came out and there was more food that we could fit in. the food quality was outstanding, everything was delicious and fresh. the setting was a little dim but it did create atmosphere with the beautiful glass lanterns.
the value was excellent and we shall return for sure.

try it.. been here many times before and even though the prices have gone up and the sublime platter no longer has lamb cutlets on it (hint hint) the food is always great. would recommend to all, served with a smile however can get busy so may have to wait for food depending on the time you arrive.

this is a great local place, food is very good and is good value. i great place for a large group with their share plates and the main meals are an average size so feel free to over order on food