Harem

9.5 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  10     

My girlfriend wanted to try this restaurant because she lived in Turkey for a few years and has been telling me how she missed authentic Turkish cuisine.
I have tried other Turkish restaurants in Brisbane (and I don't want to name names) and found them pretty mediocre so I was keen to find a better alternative.

We were greeted warmly by the host as we entered the restaurant and he quickly showed us our table. We decided to order the banquet. I really liked the dips and the freshly cooked Turkish bread. I could just eat that bread as my main course. When I complimented on the bread, the host thanked me and showed me their in-house oven.

The prawns in Turkish chilli sauce was so delicious. It was one of the most delicious prawn combination I've ever had, full of flavor. The mixed grill was very delicious. The meat pieces were obviously marinated before they were cooked on charcoal. Very nice.

For dessert we had homemade Rawani cake with some good Turkish Coffee. While we were having our desserts, the belly dancer came on stage. She was very friendly, very athletic. She looked Turkis/Greek and could really dance. She encouraged other customers to dance and was very cheeky. I have been to other Turkish restaurants and believe me most of them have belly dancers who only shake their shoulders and pretend they're belly dancers.

We then wanted to have some drinks at Caxton street but the host offered us some wine on the house while we were paying our bill. We enjoyed our wine at the terrace of the restaurant overlooking the city lights. Beautiful atmosphere! We were very impressed!

The host was very attentive and he went out of his way to make sure we were comfortable.

May 18, 2011 

4.8 Average

Food  4      Ambience  6      Service  5      Value  4     

Our meal was a poor effort in almost every regard by a restaurant with extensive room to improve. Dolmades were small, hard, thumb-sized store-bought types, not very fresh and lacking in taste. 4 for $10 is poor value ($10 a kilo at supermarket for exactly the same thing).

We ordered chargrilled lamb shish and chargrilled mixed shish. Lamb was reasonable, moist enough, well-trimmed and well seasoned, served on a cute sword (really like that presentation - best part of the meal!). Same lamb was also good in mixed grill. Chicken was tolerable, skewered nicely again but full of gristle, and beef was shocking, some mixture of sausage or processed meal (ala-late nite kebab shop) shaved and served in a very small pile (not as big as another shish).

Didn't really take like beef either, more like sausage, fatty but dry, overcooked and gross. If they had run out of proper beef they should have told us! Also sausage is not cool for those of us who are gluten free! Side salad was very ordinary supermarket packet mix with roughly chopped tomato and cucumber, fresh herbs at least.

Standard kebab store pink pickles and rice was oily and unpalatable. A $26 main is not exactly cheap and you would expect a lot more, better care in presentation, much better quality and better serving sizes - for this, not something I could easily buy at the store and throw together at home (except for the mini-swords).

Got seated near the kitchen door, despite making a reservation, restaurant being empty and obviously on a romantic date. Maybe they considered us a 'captive market' - we were already 'locked in' so no need to treat us well? Sorry but if I've gone to the trouble of booking with you that's because I want a reasonable table for a special night out.

Wait staff took our knife and fork with entree plates then didn't bring new ones for next course, had to chase them for cutlery for our mains. Not impressed.

Corkage was the $5 standard, surprised it's not more actually given overall inflated prices. We each had half a glass of wine left at the end of our meal, as you do but were really unimpressed with wait staff hovering impatiently for us to finish so they could shunt us out of there.

Seriously, think about letting people relax at the end of a meal and at least finish the wine in their glasses! On second thoughts, such a low-grade experience, why would you want to linger? Especially when you've already stiffed us for such cruddy food!

Add to this that the main waiter was surly as hell, obviously hadn't heard of service with a smile! At least the belly dancer had the good grace to look faintly embarrassed at having to perform in such a joint. She was also obviously considerate, only selecting girls to dance with her who were at an all-girls table, which was thoughtful for those on a date who would have felt embarrassed or self-conscious to spontaneously belly dance in a public restaurant or to have semi-naked goddess gyrating in front of her man. (Such thoughtfulness didn't occur to the gross bogan who openly ogled her in front of his mortified date).

Kind of a disappointment since my last visit - around a year ago - was more enjoyable. Overall - overpriced, under performing and sort of sad.

Mar 08, 2011 

9.3 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  10      Value  9     

Great atmosphere, lovely setting, excellent food and friendly service. What else could you ask for?

Jul 23, 2010 

3.3 Below Average

Food  3      Ambience  4      Service  3      Value  3     

I had been to this Harem a few years ago and had thought it was fabulous.
This time around it was horrible. The restaurant was basically empty yet it still took the waitress a good 15-20 minutes to bring out just a bottle of water for the table.

The entree and meals took even longer and when they finally arrived, the turkish bread in the meal was soggy and the bowl was surrounded by a thick layer of orange oil. Not only this but the meal which was meant to be an exotic mix of flavours from meat and vegetables, tasted like slop where you could not determine what you were eating.

Overall, I would definitely not recommend eating there.

May 06, 2010 

9.3 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  10      Service  9      Value  9     

Eating at this restaurant time and time again, what can I say we love it! The food and service is great although we don’t like to get up and dance it's always nice to be invited! My belly isn’t what it use to be! The live music is a treat and goes perfectly with the decor and adds to the great ambience of the whole restaurant. Pick anything on the menu. The food is always delicious and in large portions!

Jun 27, 2009 

6.8 Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  6      Value  4     

Very good food and child friendly staff. Service was very 'relaxed' to say the least, but if you are not in a rush to eat or get away it is OK. Although belly dancing isn't my thing, I found the show entertaining and it contributed to a lively atmosphere. The portions were not on the large side, but were tasty and well presented.

Jul 27, 2008 

3 Below Average

Food  3      Ambience  5      Service  2      Value  2     

Third time we have been there. First was on opening night and did not disappoint. Second was for a friend's 30th. Ordered and banquet which was small and contained no vegetarian options at all. Rude staff. Third and last our booking somehow got lost despite the fact we booked on Thursday for Sat night. Food was ok but the service was less than satisfactory and overpriced compared to similar restaurants in Sydney and Melbourne. On the upside, the belly dancing show was good.

May 25, 2008 

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  10      Service  8      Value  7     

Great food - a tad expensive - service was good but not amazing but the atmosphere was fantastic! Great group night out!

Feb 27, 2008 

8.8 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  10      Service  8      Value  7     

A bit expensive but the food is very good. The atmosphere is great! The best belly dancer I have ever seen, kids were well catered for as well and the wait staff were very patient with the youngsters. Look forward to it every time I go back to Brisbane.

Oct 17, 2007 

7.5 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  8      Service  7      Value  7     

The Harem looks awesome. The atmosphere was good although I am sure that things spice up once the Belly Dancers arrive. We went on a Tuesday and it wasn't too bad - there was a traditional two man band playing and Turkish style dance/rai during their breaks. The food was great - I had the mixed grill but it took the waiteresses a while to come around to take our order. It wasn't too bad plus it gave me the chance to go back to the bottle shop and buy a second bottle of red. The apple tea was just amazing - strongly recommended. And the water pipes, well since the Government brought in the no-smoking laws these have been scratched from the menu. Definitely worth checking out between Thursday and Saturday night (these are the nights when the dancers come out and play apparently).

Oct 16, 2006