Mevlana Restaurant in Köln

Not recommended; I would normally give it zero stars. Eating doner kebabs at the tables is not allowed. The customer is king, but apparently not in this establishment. This was my first and last time.

The food was average, not particularly tasty. They also don't accept cards; only cash payments are accepted. They'll get rich early and be tax-exempt if they keep this up.

We ate here yesterday. The bill came to around €120. Unfortunately, card payment wasn't possible. Instead, we were directed to an external ATM nearby, which charged an additional €5 fee. We found this annoying and not very customer-friendly. Tip: Check beforehand whether card payments are accepted.

2 Dutch Turks and 1 Korean, we ate our doner together beautifully, we didn't disappoint the waiter and ordered the crispy flatbread, but again we couldn't disappoint, I ordered a plate of tandoori with bulgur rice for the Korean as a practice, the portions were huge, I think the doner was enough for two people but it was a huge doner anyway, good job, the ayran was also good, we drank 2 glasses, the tea that came afterwards was also good, the Korean liked it very much, he said he hadn't eaten anything like it on the Duisburg/Dusseldorf route, our survey ended and then we dispersed.

I had Adana kebab, it was delicious, and I have nothing to complain about. However, I'm giving it one star because of your waiters. They were incredibly tense, nervous, and completely unresponsive. We sat on the other side of the entrance, which is the emergency exit. It was around 8:30 PM last night. We asked a few questions about the food, and the guy was so nervous that if you even pushed him, he'd beat the customer. Despite his attitude, we left a €2 tip, which was small, but I didn't have to. He looked in his account book, saw €2, and didn't even look at us, saying "Good evening, bon appetit." I have nothing to say about the delicious food. I really enjoyed the kebab, but it's very difficult to work with these waiters. Also, in such a big place, it's a shame you don't accept card payments; no one should carry cash. At least put a sign on the door saying cards aren't accepted. We had to go find an ATM in the middle of our meal.

It seems like a family restaurant but I definitely wouldn't recommend it. The food is very good but the waiters are rude and rude. While sitting with my family, they talk behind us, swear at us and laugh at us. They go straight to the mother and wife easily.

Probably the best restaurant in North Rhine-Westphalia! Whether soup or grilled food – everything tastes simply fantastic.

Who knows which table the bread came from? The dough was yogurt-based, so I didn't like it. The soup also had a crust. The Etli Ekmek was good. It was good, but I don't know if I'll come back.

After today, October 29, 2025, 11:45 PM... Never eating here again... The ratatouille guy with the chef's hat from AliExpress deserves the crown... Meat from the day before, frozen, covered in old grease and mixed with fresh meat... Now that's what I call quality, Turkish-style... Seriously... Smoking a cigarette in the back of the kitchen and then throwing the butt into the charcoal grill... A disgusting guy, really... Like I said, never eating here again. Haram. P.S. Below is a photo of the chef ratatouille with the AliExpress hat.

Everything is very good, we are satisfied, I would like to come again.

The food is delicious, I liked it, but the döner is a bit underwhelming. I recommend it.

Visited Cologne again after years and, of course, ate the best kebab at Mevlana. Delicious as always, then and now! Whether after work or after a concert. Always recommended.

I ordered the Ali Nazik kebab, but the portion of shish kebab was so small, it came with 5 pieces of shish kebab, and the price was 19 euros, which has nothing to do with Ali Nazik. I hope they fix it... Also, they don't have a POS machine, so they always ask for cash.

Excellent food, service is hard to beat. The food comes faster than a flash on Netflix. Excellent value for money. Highly recommended. 10 out of 5 stars.

I'm an absolute döner lover and have been to many places in Germany and also in Austria. Döner is perfect – but this chicken doner is perfect! Chicken, meat, and sauce – everything is perfect! For the best döner, you have to eat it. Absolutely amazing! --- I'm a true döner lover and have eaten döner in many cities in Germany, even abroad. But the chicken döner here was the best döner I've ever had! The meat and the sauce—everything was perfect. Absolutely the best döner I've ever had! I highly recommend it!

Terrible place, I wouldn't recommend it. There's only one thing to eat: boiled shank, my blind grandmother makes it. We had meat bread 5-6 months ago. It was great. We had it 3 days ago. Another chef made it, it's worthless. The waiters are 2 out of 10.

€15 for a kebab plate with iceberg lettuce, tomato, and onions. Fries cost another €1 extra... And the meat? No idea what that was. Thick slices of separated meat? Never again, and Cologne apparently has no idea what kebabs are. The grill plate is definitely okay, but anything else is a no-go.

I don't usually write reviews, but this was AWESOME! The place was packed, but within 5 seconds, we were approached and shown to a table. The table was then THOROUGHLY cleaned in front of us and quickly set – 20 seconds later, a basket of bread arrived. We hadn't even ordered yet! So we placed our order. AFTER 5 MINUTES, THE FOOD WAS THERE! Excuse me?? And it was even nicely presented! It tasted delicious! I've only experienced something like this once before in the world, and the prices were in the triple digits. Here, we paid 30 euros for a good dinner for two. Yes, the waiters are stressed. But just look at what they're doing. It's incredible. Restrooms are clean. Cash only. I've never been so happy to be rounded up.

The food is delicious, but how can 1 liter of water cost 7 euros?

Don't pay the waiter; go to the cashier and ask for a receipt, because I paid 60 euros out of a 45 euro bill. 2 soups for 6 lira for 12 lira 1 boiled meat for 11.50 lira 2 drinks for 7 euros 1 plate of plain döner for 15 lira He also forced me to tip him, even though I didn't want to give it.

Nice place despite some waiters. I think you should try their hot meals.

I liked the shop a lot but it is now much too expensive - portions are way too small and they don't want to or try to accommodate small requests such as the meat being more fried

Very bad 65€ for a yaprak döner with hair 🥵then I didn't want to eat döner anymore and ordered pide, I've never seen such a thin pide and the cheese was really salty.. I should have given it zero points!!!

Bad service, you don't really feel welcome. The ambiance isn't particularly nice either. The food was okay, but nothing special.

Best kebab! Really friendly staff. We've been coming here for decades and are always impressed. Thank you!!!

I ate here. I tried to pay by card. I was told they didn't accept card payments. Surprising for a place like Almaya... It's really sad that they don't accept card payments. I think it should be stated somewhere visible at the entrance at least. I didn't like this. As for the food, it was okay. Would I go there specifically? I don't think so... Would I recommend it? Unfortunately, no...

I wish I could give 0 stars. We waited over an hour, and the staff was unfriendly and irresponsible. By the time the food arrived, we had lost our appetite, and the wait wasn't even worth it. The meat wasn't cooked through and tasted weird—the meat was completely soggy. The yogurt at the Iskender had a strange consistency. When we wanted to speak to the manager, he had an attitude along the lines of, "I don't give a damn that you're dissatisfied." Once, and never again!!!!

No card payment and the service was a disaster

The food was delicious and wonderful, despite the crowds, but the organization was excellent and the prices were very acceptable

The staff were terrible, they weren't friendly. The food was also terrible, never recommended!!

We went at my wife's insistence. I'm sorry to say this, but we chose one of the worst places we could have possibly gone. There was a hair in my Iskender kebab, and as if that wasn't enough, a fly got in it. They suggested rice pudding, which was delicious, but we ended up with a very solid rice pudding. It's not a place I'll be visiting again.

I ordered a doner sandwich, and while I was waiting, a waiter came over and told me I wasn't allowed to eat it inside. I asked where I was supposed to eat it, and he said I couldn't eat it inside and pointed at the door. How rude such behavior is—the doner I bought is your product, after all! I'll never eat at your place again, and I'll tell everyone about it...

Thank you so much, my brothers.

The meal started off promising with fresh bread and sauces, but it went downhill quickly. Unfortunately, the doner kebab was dry and lacked flavour.

"The food was okay, taste-wise. Unfortunately, the service had a very negative impact on the entire visit. The staff seemed unfriendly, sometimes with a condescending demeanor, as if they didn't want to work. You don't feel welcome as a guest. It's a shame, because the restaurant actually has potential."

Very unfriendly staff. Upon entering the store, we wanted to take a seat, but were immediately loudly and rudely informed that it was supposedly reserved. However, another member of staff said we could sit there. Furthermore, even though I very politely asked for a napkin, an employee sternly addressed me: "What do you want?" This behavior is completely unacceptable. We immediately left the store. I have never experienced such unfriendly staff.

The doner kebab has become a disaster I do not know if the owner has changed but for 18,50 € 2 doner kebabs and a fries the doner tastes a disaster The bread is not crispy at all There is almost no meat The fries are more like greasy sticks

Impossible! I was sent away with my child this afternoon. "Card payment not accepted," and this seems to be the case all the time, without exception!

The food is very very good. The service is normal but the waiters greet you with a very low face and send you off. Especially the blonde waiter is very bad, he almost swore and kicked us out as if we were harming the customer 🫩. It was also very bad. I felt embarrassed. I wanted to pay by card, they said that it is forbidden in our country and you can never pay by card. Luckily I was not alone, I had a friend and he paid.

Good evening, I ate at the Mevlana Restaurant with my family today. We were there around 11:00 PM. Unfortunately, we were not at all impressed with the service and were very dissatisfied. Orders were not taken correctly, and the food was not prepared properly. The only thing we could enjoy was the doner kebab plate—but this order was also taken incorrectly. Overall, we were very dissatisfied, and we found the staff to be extremely unpleasant.

Soup, Adana Kebab and Lahmacun are very good, the service has to make an effort if you ask for a glass for the third time and only get one after 30 minutes, which is not good enough for this place!

The guys are so saturated with work and customers that they have no interest in the work and keep the customers waiting for a long time.

I've been to Mevlana on Keupstraße a few times now, and each time feels like a little immersion into Turkish culinary culture. As soon as you walk in, the atmosphere is lively: full tables, conversations, plates coming out of the kitchen—you can immediately tell something's happening here. I've almost always enjoyed the food. The grilled dishes, like the Adana or the lamb, are particularly well-seasoned and juicy. The portions are also large, so you leave feeling really full. That's a definite plus for me. What I also like: The location in the middle of Keupstraße has its own charm. You feel a bit like you're in another world, and especially in the summer, when it's busy outside, it's really fun. Of course, there are things that aren't always perfect. When the place is full, it sometimes takes longer to be served, and not every server is equally attentive or friendly. Once or twice, I felt like the tables could have been cleaned more quickly. But these are small things that can happen in all the hustle and bustle. All in all, I like going to Mevlana when I'm in the mood for good Turkish food in a lively atmosphere. If you're looking for a quiet, romantic evening, this might not be the right place for you – but if you want to go out to eat with friends or are simply hungry for authentic, hearty food, this is the place for you. For me personally: 4 out of 5 stars. I'll definitely be back.

Old but current… tastes haven't changed, just like in the old days…

It was one of the worst döner kebabs I've ever eaten. I told him it looked like Gavs was forced to work there.

The most delicious food in all of Cologne!

The service didn't speak German. The food simply tasted of garlic. The soup, especially

On Friday evening around 11 p.m., three of us (three women) were at the Mevlana Restaurant and ordered takeaway dürüm and water. When our train was delayed, I politely asked if we could still eat our meal in the restaurant. The employee simply said no and explained that we should have ordered from the eat-in menu. Although the restaurant was barely busy and we had obviously paid for our food, we were summarily turned away so late in the evening. We found it extremely rude and uncustomer-friendly to send three women out at this hour, even though almost all the seats were free. Furthermore, in 2025, it's incomprehensible that card payments aren't accepted here. Conclusion: Inflexible service and a lack of hospitality – we certainly won't be coming back.

Unfriendly service, our chairs almost fell apart, and for €20, the grilled plate was unfortunately a very small portion. Never again at Mevlana!

After a long time, I returned to my old hometown with my Turkish friends. To celebrate the occasion, I stopped by Mevlana for dinner and was served a very tasty meal with friendly, attentive service. The dishes were neither over-seasoned nor enhanced with artificial flavors, and were served with fresh salads and were visually appealing. All in all, a highly recommended restaurant with down-to-earth cuisine that doesn't aspire to Michelin-star status, but rather aims to provide its guests with a pleasant, enjoyable evening.

We went to Mevlana Restaurant on the same street. Frankly, there were other places on the same street. Frankly, even though they had higher ratings, I decided to take them seriously. First of all, I'd like to point out that it's really hard to find Turkish food abroad and capture the flavors of Turkey. I congratulate them for offering daily Turkish food menus in Germany. Regarding our experience: The soups were very good. The İskender was definitely bad - we couldn't eat any of them. The meatballs and chicken shish kebab could have been better - we did. The portions were more than adequate in our opinion. The tea wasn't Turkish and we left without drinking it. It didn't suit us. We asked for the bill and they said they didn't accept credit cards, only cash. We paid cash, but it didn't occur to me to get a receipt. Then I thought two things: Did they ask for cash payment because we weren't local customers? Why wouldn't a restaurant like this accept credit cards in this day and age?

The food is not bad but the staff is not polite

I definitely do not recommend it. The service staff are worthless. You don't pay by card. The döner kebab tastes very good, as I said, even if the food is delicious, the attitude and behavior of the staff takes away all the beauty, that's why me and my family decided not to go.... I am empfehle as a last resort. The service personnel is very unprofessional. The card payment is not good. The döner kebab is really bad, we are worried, the Essen restaurant is not good, but the service and the art of the staff do not make you feel welcome. They have a family and a good attitude, nothing to say.

I've known Mevlana since I was a child, and the food still tastes really good. You can tell that all the waiters put a lot of effort into it, which makes the experience very pleasant. A glass of çay rounds off the experience perfectly.

The meat is delicious but not like before! They put the meat between the bread with fear and counting ‼️

Very very tasty daily specials, doner kebabs are also highly recommended as well as the grilled dishes

We had a great meal at Mevlana Restaurant. We opted for a mixed doner platter: Chicken Doner 7/10 Minced Doner 6/10 Yaprak Doner 9/10 The Yaprak doner is really good! So I ordered another portion, this time just Yaprak.

You feel very comfortable, and the food is served fresh and delicious. Highly recommended!

A truly delicious kebab. All varieties taste excellent, impeccable quality, top quality, very juicy and delicious, addictive. This is definitely my favorite in Cologne.

I had the meat bread, it was great. But the waiters are very cold and not attentive enough. But the food is great, the place is nice.

Unbelievably good taste and service. You must try all the things that they offer. My favorite is Kelle Paça Soup.

service and food get worse with each visit

The last time we came was 13 years ago, and we were very, very pleased with the service and the staff. The only drawback is that they don't accept card payments; only cash. Other than that, it was truly fantastic. The prices, for a family of four, were truly amazing when I saw how affordable they were. May God bless their business. They provide excellent service. You won't regret it.

I make a point of eating at good restaurants in many major cities in Germany. This is one of the few restaurants that consistently delivers the same high quality in terms of flavor and service. I extend my sincere gratitude to the owner and staff for their excellent service.

Delicious food but service is a no go.

Ordered a kebab to go. It's been the most popular kebab spot on Keupstrasse for years. So incredibly disappointed. The bread was soggy and not warmed up. The meat was soggy and lukewarm. There was only a small amount of salad. It's unacceptable that a cult restaurant could mess up their kebab like that.

I've been going to Mevlana on Keupstraße for almost 30 years now – and for good reason. The restaurant is always very clean, and the atmosphere is pleasant and inviting. I'd especially like to highlight the long-serving waiters, who are always friendly, attentive, and professional. The food has impressed me for decades with its consistent quality and unchanging, authentic flavor. It's precisely this consistency that makes Mevlana unique for me. For me, there's no better place in Cologne and the surrounding area for traditional, delicious, and reliable food. A clear recommendation for anyone who values ​​quality, cleanliness, and friendly service!

I ordered a doner kebab, half a flatbread, and a doner kebab with fries to take away. When I got home, I was in for a nasty surprise: the meat was the worst I've ever eaten in my life! My daughter and I felt sick. It was definitely the worst thing I've ever eaten; the meat was completely rubbery. 🤮🤮 And this shop has lost me as a customer again, since I was last there five years ago. Now I see that I'd already given the shop a bad review back then... And rightly so; nothing has changed.

One of the oldest and most stable restaurants in Cologne. I always go to Brn for soup. The best soup on Keupstrasse is here, especially the tripe soup. However, the atmosphere is stuffy and the waiters are unfriendly and despotic. Just have your soup and leave.

Attention!!! We went to Mevlana Restaurant today. The food was delicious. There's one thing everyone should be aware of! They don't accept card payments, and there are no warnings about this. :( They're putting you in a difficult situation.

By far the best Turkish family restaurant in Cologne

Definitely recommended. The food and service were very good. However, even though there was no rice in our meal, there was a grain of rice on our table!

The restaurant was certainly good once. But that was once upon a time. The ambiance here is pretty old-school, as is the service. They don't accept card payments here—quite unusual for a place with a name. The food wasn't great either. The salad that accompanied the doner kebab was simply lettuce, half a slice of tomato, and onion. You can get more salad variety at the kebab shop around the corner. The service, too—not as friendly as you'd expect from a Turkish restaurant. If he could and was allowed to throw the plates at us, he probably would have. Overall, the visit here was very sad.

You can't eat so well anywhere at any time of day 😊

The manager is so rude, no card payments. Employees are rude. The workers were forced to work. Not recommended at all. Never again.

Attention!!! It's 2025, and they don't use postal devices. Whatever the reason, this is an unacceptable way of doing business. I live in the Netherlands and visit Germany every time I go. I've withdrawn money from an ATM twice in the past few years and ended up paying a €6 fee for no reason. On my last visit, I asked first, and when I learned they still didn't accept card payments, I ate at another restaurant.

I've never met such an unfriendly waiter in my life. He literally threw our plates on the table and was irritated the whole time. The food was unfortunately not up to par in terms of taste and price. I was looking forward to a lovely evening here, but I was visibly disappointed. Once and never again. It's a real shame. And please work on your staff. The fact that the food doesn't taste good is one thing, but the unfriendly staff only makes things worse.

Don't leave without eating kebab in the oven.

Very nice place, I recommend it

Not everything tastes so disgusting and weird…

I was there today with eight people, and the service was terrible. Three of the dishes didn't come out as expected, and there were insects and flies in my food and salad. Never again. Tell the manager, Keller, that they can offer him something else. This place is a filthy mess.

It's unclear whether we were beaten or eaten. The waiters' attitude is terrible. After paying the bill, they throw the money on the table, saying "take it and spend it outside." The meat bread was okay, but the döner kebab was terrible. I wouldn't recommend it.

My favorite restaurant in Cologne!! The shop that brought Turkey to Germany!!! From kebabs to soups, everything is as it should be!! I had the döner kebab with minced meat and mixed leaves, it was simply amazing!! The bread with meat between the knives was crispy, just like in Konya.

To be honest, the mixed grill was good 👍, the pacha soup was good 👍, and the döner kebab was terrible 👎. The waiters were inexperienced. BUT, who's the head waiter or the boss anymore? You're a shopkeeper, not a mafia boss! Fix your attitude immediately. Telling a customer, "We don't accept cards, only cash," as if you were extorting money is unacceptable. I will never come back, and I don't recommend it to anyone.

I really liked the tenderloin. The staff is also very friendly.

The XL doner kebab and mixed grill were very tasty. One point deducted because the grill was a bit expensive, in my opinion.

The grape leaves were delicious

The liver was delicious, not Adana minced meat, but original like armored meat.

You ate Yaprak Döner, it was delicious, I recommend it.

I'm this old, and this is the first time I've seen such tasteless and shoddy food in a restaurant. We went on a family trip from Bielefeld, and I chose this place for dinner. My wife and son were so hungry they left halfway through. They say İskender kebab yogurt is served on the bottom, brother, where have you seen it? That chef should put hot sauce on yogurt at home and eat it, see if it tastes as good as it is. My 11-year-old son told me about the tomatoes and peppers on the side, "Dad, what kind of peppers and tomatoes are these?" I didn't think to take a picture out of anger, but I didn't want to argue so my son wouldn't be impressed, and we left halfway through. Believe me, I'd be ashamed to leave that pepper on the plate. You did the right thing. Afterward, we had çiğ köfte wrap. I've eaten at many places in Germany and Türkiye, which I didn't like, but I've never seen a place as disgraceful, understaffed, and tasteless as this restaurant. I'm being honest. I was ashamed that I took my family there after a nice trip to Cologne, I don't forgive them, I don't forgive them... I have never eaten such tasteless food in my life.

Everything is great.... Delicious and affordable prices.... I especially recommend the meat bread...

Beyti Sarma was absolutely fantastic, as was the lamb, and plenty of bread and pasta as a starter!

The food was delicious. The service was very poor. You don't feel comfortable there. Sorry for the one star.

Brother Fazıl took very good care of us, super service, super food, our friendly waiter brother

A customer for years, always delicious. Best regards, Onur

The Etliekmek was good, the mixed grill was so-so. We wanted to take our leftover food with us, as well as the bread that was brought to our table, which was left over from the appetizer, because everywhere else it gets thrown away, and it's a shame. Each table gets a basket of bread with the appetizer. We asked the waiter if he could pack the bread, but he said no, because whatever's left over will be served to the next customer, and I found that awful. Who knows how many people grabbed it before it was served to us.

I used to live in Cologne and came back here for a visit after years. The quality was still just as excellent. I highly recommend Mercimek and Adana Yogurtlu. The service is very fast and friendly.

This restaurant is quite dated and no longer has anything to do with "like in Turkey". The decor has long since seen its heyday and the dishes lack any kind of refinement. The waiters are not particularly customer-friendly; they just get things done. When we asked for the bill, we were told that card payments were not accepted. There was no notice about this on the entrance door. We had to go to the nearest ATM to withdraw money for a fee of €6.00 so that we could pay our bill. We told the waiter this, and he remained largely unmoved. We will not be setting foot in this restaurant again. Luckily, there are many other good, authentic Turkish restaurants that know their craft and value their guests!

Great spot for authentic Turkish food and dining. Food: I ordered Döner teller, with a mix if meat, french fries, and salad. The meat portion was very generous and tasted great. Service: our server was very kind, and was happy to take group photos of us when we asked. Atmosphere: authentic Turkish dining atmosphere, clean and neat.

It didn't taste good at all. I had a stomach ache shortly afterward.