Zel Restaurant in Karlsruhe

From rice dishes to meat sauté, from lahmacun to beyti, everything they make is fantastic. I've tried Turkish food in many different European cities, and this is one of the rare places where everything is so good together. The warmth of the people is an added bonus.

Family-run business...very good dishes prepared with high-quality ingredients...very friendly service...a feel-good atmosphere in the heart of Karlsruhe ❤️

The best Turkish restaurant in Karlsruhe. Delicious food, excellent service. You feel very comfortable there.

The service, cleanliness, politeness, and speed are very good.

Today was our first time here, and what can I say? The service, the atmosphere, and especially the food were plentiful and delicious – what more could you want?

We were here during our lunch break and got a kebab to go. The best kebab ever, because the meat was incredibly good. Not too fatty and more like a steak. The kebabs were delicious with great side dishes. Very friendly staff and excellent service.

Super service, top food, always happy

I tried the chicken beyti kebab at Zel Restaurant, and both the presentation and flavor were impeccable. The meat was cooked to perfection, and the sauce paired perfectly. I'd also like to thank the staff for their attentiveness and friendly smiles. It was a delightful dining experience!

Three of us ate there and ordered an appetizer plate, along with chicken skewers, lamb chops, and chicken in cream sauce. It came with bread, the usual side dishes, and a drink each. We only partially enjoyed the appetizer plate. The sarma tasted like it came from a can, the Antep Ezmesi was quite bitter and, as is typical for Antep, spicy. The falafel and a deep-fried omelet (which couldn't be identified either visually or taste-wise) were mediocre at best and quite greasy. The rest was okay, but honestly: the plate was nowhere near worth 30 euros. The main courses were okay, but the cream sauce tasted strongly of "made by Knorr." Overall, the food was okay, but nothing more. What's not quite right is the price-performance ratio. 120 euros for dinner at a snack bar with a simple atmosphere is simply too much. And to top it all off, there was no bill, of course. Unfortunately, I don't recommend it.

Delicious food, but disappointing to be charged for tea :( The food was quite tasty. However, we were disappointed to see tea, a staple of Turkish restaurant culture and hospitality, not served, but charged for. Even if we were in Germany, we would expect Turkish tea. This gave the restaurant a somewhat commercial and ordinary feel.

Delicious food with generous portions! The service is incredibly friendly, attentive, and always courteous. You immediately feel welcome here. Highly recommended – I'd love to come back.

After visiting the zoo, my family and I were still looking for a Turkish grill restaurant (we're from Frankfurt). We asked a few people at the zoo where the best places were and where they had veal. Since Zel was recommended to us, we drove into the city center. It was a great recommendation, with great service, very pleasant and friendly. The Iskender was incredibly delicious, and the doner kebab was also excellent. The meat was juicy, crispy, and buttery. It was simply a great restaurant.

"I've been a loyal customer for years and am always amazed by the incredibly delicious food 🫠 The service is also top-notch – very friendly and attentive 🥰. After our vacation, the first thing we did was come here 🙈. I can wholeheartedly recommend this restaurant ❤️❤️."

As always, very satisfied. Service, food... everything was top-notch 👍

It deserves all the stars, both for its taste and its staff. I can easily recommend it.

My wife and I go to Zel regularly. We always order the doner kebab plate, but only with meat and salad. It's always a generous portion, the meat tastes amazing, and the salad is crisp and fresh. Plus, the staff is always so friendly and accommodating. We're sick of going to other places anymore. The whole package here is just perfect!

Did you say Adana Kebab? I found the best in Karlsruhe. It was so spicy, I almost cried while eating it, but I kept eating it, saying "spicy food is good," even though it burned. For those who don't like spicy food, my recommendation is clear: stick with Urfa Kebab. The lamb chops are also fantastic, perfectly seasoned. I asked for well-done, and it really did come well-done – I think I've formed a telepathic connection with the chef. There's also salad, of course, as a complimentary item. The flavor isn't bad, but it's a little shy about the salt; I added a touch of it to give it life. The sauce is a bit "okay," but it has a little garlic, flirting with the yogurt. Still no salt. Maybe I've developed an emotional connection with salt, I don't know. The lavash bread comes in a basket, a presentation fit for kings. And the best part is: if you ordered a drink with your meal, hop! Tea arrives as soon as you finish – that's also complimentary. Little pleasures. The place isn't huge, but it's intimate. There are no high hopes for the decoration, but when you go with friends, the atmosphere becomes more festive. And most importantly: You don't regret eating it. Above all, the employees are friendly, courteous and completely customer friendly. So in short: It hurt, but it was worth it. Adana Kebab? In Karlsruhe hab ich den König gefunden. So scharf, dass mir fast die Tränen kamen – aber lecker war's halt, da isst man auch brennend weiter. Für alle, die mit Schärfe nicht klarkommen: Greift lieber zum Urfa Kebap. Das Lammkotelett war auch richtig gut, die Gewürze schön abgestimmt. Ich hab „gut durch“ bestellt – und genau so kam’s auch. Als hätten der Koch und ich telepathisch kommuniziert. Der Salat kommt als kleines Extra dazu. Geschmacklich okay, aber beim Salz etwas schüchtern. Mit 'nem Hauch Salz lebt er richtig auf. Die Soße? Joa entered. Schmeckt ein bisschen nach Knoblauch-Joghurt-Light-Version. Salz? Fehlanzeige. Vielleicht bin ich auch einfach zu salzverliebt, wer weiß. Zum Essen gibt’s dunes weiches Fladenbrot (im Lavash-Stil), eine Art türkisches Wrap-Brot im Körbchen – ein kleines Highlight. Und das Beste: Wenn du zum Essen ein Getränk nimmst, bekommst du danach einen Tee aufs Haus. Kleine Geste, große Wirkung. Der Laden ist nicht riesig, aber gemütlich. Die Deko ist jetzt nicht der Wahnsinn, aber mit Freunden kann man’s sich dort richtig gutgehen lassen. Und das Wichtigste: Man bereut kein Bissen. Dazu noch ein super nettes Team – freundlich, aufmerksam, einfach kundenorientiert. Fazit: Es hat gebrannt, aber es hat sich gelohnt.

A difficult matter. The ambience is stylish and understated without being overly lavish. The grill area, in particular, appears clean and tidy. On the culinary side: I had a yufka with all the usual ingredients. The vegetables were fresh and still quite crisp. The meat had plenty of flavor and juice, meaning the yufka didn't need much sauce, which is a positive thing! On the other hand, the meat was too salty for my liking, and both I and another customer unfortunately found pieces of bone in the meat. Nevertheless, a decent amount for a hefty price of €9.50. Which brings us to the last point: the price. Zel is a restaurant, not a snack bar. This is clearly reflected in the price and may be off-putting for some looking for a kebab. That's the crux of the whole story. Anyone looking for a filling kebab at a fair price during their lunch break won't be happy here. However, if you're looking for something high-quality or sophisticated for dinner, you won't find it here either, in my opinion, as the culinary offerings are still mainly comprised of doner kebabs, yufka, and pizza. So, Zel is somewhere between a snack bar and a restaurant, but neither really. The service is good, both in terms of friendliness and customer service.

The pide kebab was good and enough for two people for lunch. However, we were shocked by the €7 for a 0.75l bottle of mineral water.

Beware does not tell you they do not take visa or Mastercard until you are paying . Forced to pay cash so they can keep 9 euros as "tip"

I wish great success to the owner and all his employees.

Excellent value for money. Here you actually get something for your money, a perfectly fair portion, and delicious too. I'd gladly come again.

Very good pizza. My friends were also satisfied. Addendum: I went there again yesterday. Large doner kebab plate. It tasted good, but the doner meat was standard. Quick update: After extensive research, this Turkish restaurant really does have the best mixed grill. Update: I discovered they have kurufasulye. It tastes absolutely amazing with bread and I ordered extra ayran. For me, it's the best Turkish restaurant in Karlsruhe.

For years, I've been a happy guest at this family-run restaurant! I can say it's a tradition! They're always friendly, with the highest quality, freshest ingredients, and reasonable prices! Mercimek (in winter, yum, delicious), but otherwise, too, the menu is all over the place... Enjoy your meal and keep up the good work!

Extremely delicious food, fair prices, and super friendly staff! :) We'd love to come back ❤️

Expensive, but at least it was a good portion and I was very full.

I ate lentil soup there. Firstly, it was too expensive and secondly, it didn't taste good. The service was very friendly, but the atmosphere wasn't very inviting.

A very high quality and clean place, a restaurant that I can definitely recommend.

One of our favorite restaurants for years

The best restaurant for this type of cuisine that I know in Karlsruhe.

Doner kebab price-performance-taste worth a maximum of 5 euros and not crazy 10 euros. I actually went in to eat a grilled plate, but for just under 30 euros!!! You dear man 😆 I don't really know what's going on with the kebab stalls... arrogant prices!! A quick word about my kebab, too little meat, otherwise no taste experience, and never for 10 euros.

Food was delicious, service was very good and friendly.

Really loved the dinner here. On a Friday night around 9pm it was really busy. The waiter took our order promptly after we were seated. The menu has pictures too which we liked. We order the mix meat platter. It was served with salad, rice, fresh hot bread and dips. The portion size is huge. Loved the kababs specifically the adana kabab and the lamb chop. Will highly recommend.

Very good kebab, consistent in quality and taste for years. The service is top and the prices are normal average. One of my primary kebab stops in KA.

Way too small Yufka!! Hardly anything in it

Credit cards are not accepted :) so we didn't know if it was good or bad so we went back 🙃

top yufka special and lentil soup.db

Best İskender Kebab I've ever eaten 5 stars Mercimek Çorba 1A. Very nice service

The best Doner I have ever eaten

Turkish cuisine, good value for money, cards not accepted

Best Turkish restaurant in Karlsruhe.

+ delicious + Food came quickly Food 8/10 Ambience 6/10 Parking 6/10 Prices 6/10 Service 10/10

Fast and friendly service and good taste.

I've been a regular customer since it opened, where the Yufka/Kebab cost 4 marks. Unfortunately, today the quality is worse, the portions are smaller and I don't even want to talk about the prices. It's a shame Zel, you used to be really good

I have always been very satisfied so far

Eines der schlechtesten Restaurants was es in Karlsruhe gibt. Wir haben Fleisch mut Raki bestellt. Zudem Raki gab es die typischen beilagen nicht. Einfach einen trockenen Raki gebracht ohne dazugehörigen beilagen. Das Fleisch war auch nicht in Ordnung. Nie wieder ZEL. Definitiv nicht zu empfehlen

Best Turkish restaurant in Karlsruhe. Great service. Very very clean. Always my pleasure.

I ate here a few days ago and first of all I have to praise the service. The waitresses are very friendly, you are served quickly and there is always someone available. The restaurant is clean and nicely decorated. Unfortunately, the food didn't convince me. Lahmacun was very thin and, above all, soft and limp, the taste was neither good nor very bad. Unfortunately, the kebab meat had no taste whatsoever, as did the sauce. The salad, on the other hand, was tasty and the portion size was also okay. It was okay to try out, but I wouldn't come again. Nevertheless, there are two stars for the service and the ambience.

Very tasty food and generous in quantity with attentive service

Simply perfect, the food was super tasty, large portions, very thorough service. Saved us today😎 the homemade ayran is a dream

Food quality is good, and the service is super. Specially a lady who is very generous with guests and helps you a lot while choosing a menu.

I have been a regular customer for a good 3 years. So far for me it was really the best kebab in the city, but for a few weeks now a different meat has probably been used, which unfortunately doesn't make the kebab as tasty as before.

Everything is really delicious and delicious.

I have to correct today... What did you do with the meat??? Why did you change it?? Before there was no fat, no cartilage and today... Disgusting death, unfortunately I didn't take a picture! I might not come back until you have the old one. Bye

I got the Yufka! So, small, expensive and I didn't like it!

Sher nice. Large portions and delicious. Very nice

Hello, I was a regular customer at Zel Karlsruhe for years and also a friend of mine. The meat always tasted great, no gristle, very well ground, no leftover tendons, that was just one reason why I enjoyed eating at Zel. The previous speaker, Houssein, already described it well: The meat was suddenly brought from somewhere else because it was cheaper? Why? Now you can hardly chew it, it doesn't taste good anymore etc etc. What's the point? How do you plan to keep all your regular guests? Why do you simply destroy a functioning system? In addition, you have a few new, incompetent waitresses, you can barely speak German, you forget a lot of things, and then you have to run back and forth several times. Did you fire other waitresses who were very capable and nice or what? How can you make such blatantly wrong decisions and drive away so many customers? Don't you want to make money? The management and marketing is a disaster for the store, perhaps even its downfall at some point.

The picture shows what the kebab meat used to be like... not greasy, no more fat than meat... you could taste the meat. I can only explain why the meat is like every other kebab shop now because you get your meat from somewhere else (probably somewhere cheaper....) I SPEAK FOR MANY, PLEASE BRING THE OLD DÖNER MEAT AGAIN!!! That would be great!

We left your place, which we found through Google recommendation, on our return trip to Italy, full and happy. The place is clean, the food is delicious, your service is extremely good. The soups were delicious and the kebabs were delicious. Thank you.

I'm surprised the store is still running. Food is bad and you pay extra for everything. Expensive dry tasteless. Never again

Ready-made dishes that didn't taste good cost me €40 here. Just sad

Nice staff and good food. I like to go there when I want to eat Yufka

I ate beans and rice, my daughter ate Schnitzer, very, very delicious food. I was really pleased with the friendly staff. It is a worthy place to go again and again. It is highly recommended. Bon appetit in advance 😋😋😋😋

Very friendly people and they know how to make döner plates

I feel treated unkindly. And nine euros for the yufka.

I was just there and ordered a Yufka to take away. Because he seemed too small to me, I went over to the Rewe to weigh him on the scales. There were 550 grams of aluminum foil there. I went back to Zel afterwards and said he was too light. The boss took the Yufka in his hand and said it was normal. My conclusion: 550 grams of Yufka with aluminum foil for 9 euros is too expensive. I'd rather walk 50 meters further. You don't do that with regular customers. Reply to the operator: on July 4, 2024 at 10:07 p.m.: If the operator doesn't notice that I'm complaining because I'm afraid of not being full, I can't understand why you charge 9 euros. A little more meat and cabbage would have been enough. I'm not talking about a kilo of meat for 9 euros, but about getting full for 9 euros.

I like coming to Zel because they have my favorite soup. Which comes to the table very hot and fresh every time. Not just for the soup they offer lots of Turkish culinary food. What I find a little depressing, however, is the ambience. It's too oppressive and a bit dark for me. But nonetheless, I can still recommend it 👍👍👍

We have known Zel Restaurant for years. We often eat something there and are always very satisfied. The food always tastes very good, the waitresses are very friendly and the Turkish mocha is fantastic 🤩. Very highly recommended.

Very cool kebab and great service

Been a regular customer for 10 years and suddenly they just changed the kebab meat which is negative. The kebab meat tasted much better before. I hope the meat changes again then we'll be happy to be regulars again

Everything is very good, the taste of the food is excellent. It is a place where you can go with your family in Karlsruhe. I definitely recommend you to visit 🤩 also the waiters are very friendly ☺️

Nice cozy restaurant. The food tastes very tasty.

There today, as you can see from my picture, the food was flooded with oil. Fries were tasty but some were also bathed in oil. Beyti didn't taste good and was far too fatty. I just threw up several times and am now lying in bed with a stomach ache. It used to be really tasty but unfortunately not recommended now. A pity. I could have saved the money.

Best Yufka in Karlsruhe! But all the other dishes are also great! The employees are extremely friendly 😍

Delicious and large Yuffka. The waitress was very nice and smiling.

Super friendly service, especially the lady of the house. A really tasty, good Turkish restaurant. The extra 2 hours of travel to Karlsruhe were worth it just because of the “Yufka Spezial”. Full and satisfied.

Super nice service, the people put their heart and soul into it, the food came promptly and was super tasty! Highly recommended

Never had a better kebab. World class 😍

Best kebab in town with outstanding meat.

We have been eating the very tasty and really large Yufka kebab for more than 20 years, always in the Zel Restaurant. We are always impressed by the very friendly and attentive service and the very well-kept rooms. But today, on February 1st, 2024, at the first Yufka in 2024, we were slightly shocked because the still tasty Yufka kebab is now significantly smaller, but significantly more expensive at 9 euros. We are more than surprised that such a good restaurant overextends itself so much. We hope that normal levels will return

Here you get the best Yufka/Kebab...whatever. Food really great. Service was nice and accommodating. Always worth a visit😀

I've been here several times in the last few years. The staff is very friendly and also responds to requests. The staff explained the questions I asked. For me that is Turkish food.

Went there again today after a long time. The kebab is good, nothing exceptional. I remember the meat much better. The highlight is the bread from the wood-fired oven. But €9 for a kebab??? Sorry guys, I just expect a lot more!

We liked the restaurant for its Adena kebabs and the ayran. They were open during the Christmas Days.

Nettes Personal, Leckeres Essen... Immer wieder gerne 😁

Sehr gutes Essen und sehr nettes Personal.

Super netter Service, sehr gutes Essen. Einfach klasse, danke 👌💐

Ich bin seit 4 Jahren hier Stammgast. Das Essen ist mega und das Personal keine Frage. Ich weiß das es für die Gastronomie schwierige Zeiten sind und das die Inflation diese schwer trifft mit Fixkosten etc. Aber ich finde es ist leider mega teuer geworden. Vor nem Jahr hatte der döner beyti noch 15 Euro gekostet welcher mittlerweile 19 Euro kostet. Das ist in meinen Augen viel zu viel und auch schade. Ich würde mir über die Preise nochmal etwas Gedanken machen.

Wir sind nur selten hier, sind aber noch nie enttäuscht worden, schnelle und freundliche Bedienung...das Essen ist lecker und wird zügig serviert...hier ist eines der guten Dönerlokale

Wir waren gerade da sind begeistert Einfach super essen und mega Service schon lange nicht mehr so gut gegessen

Traditionslokal im Herzen von Karlsruhe. Hier stimmen Qualität und Preis. Äußerst freundliche Bedienung und ansprechendes Ambiente. Komme gerne wieder

Еда была безумно вкусной! Быстро принесли заказ 👍🏻

Hallo liebes Zel Team, ich komme ab und an mit meinen Jungs extra aus Gaggenau um eure Speisen zu essen. Das spricht denke ich für sich. Das Angebot ist Klasse und die Qualität ist Top. Leckeres Essen und super Bedienung. Gerne wieder! Grüße aus Gaggenau!

Schmeckt sehr lecker weiter zu empfehlen 👍

Eine super tolle freundlichkeit und dazu schmeckt das Essen auch noch gut. Seit 20 jahren esse ich nicht woanders wenn ich mal draußen essen gehe. Kinderfreundlich und ein sehr nettes Personal. Freuen uns immer wieder wenn wir dort sind.

Sehr gute türkische Küche, wir kommen wieder 😉

Essen Service top werden wieder kommen wen wir in Karlsruhe sind 🥳👍😎

Ich habe dort einen Döner zum Mittagessen bestellt. Es war ein bisschen teuer für ein Döner (8€) aber war lecker und schmackhaft. Es wurde kein kleiner Döner serviert, aber er stand auf der Speisekarte. Die Kellnerin war auch sehr nett. Die Dekoration und die Musik im Restaurant waren schön und besonders. Die Tollette war auch sauber. Ich habe eigentlich sehr gute Erfahrungen gemacht und würde es weiterempfehlen.

Unser Lieblingsdöner seit Jahren!! Super lecker und super freundliche Menschen. Macht weiter so! Wir kommen immer wieder.

Schöne Atmosphäre gutes Essen freundliches Personal