What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
MADO Cafe & Restaurant
Review
About
Travellers' Choice
2024
Turkish Food is one of the most delicious and healthy cuisines in the world. At Mado Turkish Restaurant, we hope to open your eyes to traditional dishes that have been handed down through generations. Try something you have never tasted before. Perfect for Lunch, Dining, Functions and Corporate Events. Within easy walking distance of the city centre, South Bank, South Brisbane, Riverside, South Bank Parklands and the Convention Centre.
Features
CUISINES
Mediterranean, Turkish, Middle Eastern
Meal types
Lunch, Dinner, After-hours
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Halal, Gluten free options
FEATURES
Accepts Credit Cards
Dog Friendly
Free Wifi
Full Bar
Highchairs Available
Outdoor Seating
Reservations
Seating
Serves Alcohol
Table Service
Takeout
Wheelchair Accessible
Wine and Beer
Does this restaurant allow dogs or considered pet friendly?
Save this restaurant
Hours
Closes in 13 min
Sunday
11:30 am - 3:00 pm4:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Monday
11:30 am - 3:00 pm4:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Tuesday
11:30 am - 3:00 pm4:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Wednesday
11:30 am - 3:00 pm4:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Thursday
11:30 am - 3:00 pm4:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Friday
11:30 am - 3:00 pm4:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Saturday
11:30 am - 3:00 pm4:30 pm - 9:30 pm
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4.6
(886)
Excellent
656
Good
148
Average
46
Poor
22
Terrible
14
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John P
Brisbane1009 contributions
Apr 2024 • friends
Whenever my wife and I get a craving for authentic Turkish food, we invariably head to Mado. On Wednesday 17th April 2024, we were joined by two other friends for lunch. When my wife and I arrived at the restaurant, we were warmly greeted by Muge, the manager, who is always gracious and welcoming.
Whilst browsing through the menu, I enjoyed a glass of cool refreshing lemon squash while my wife had lemon lime bitters. For my main meal, I opted for Chicken Shish, while my wife chose Ali Nazik with Chicken. Both dishes were mouth-watering and absolutely delicious. Our friends had Karisik Izgara (mixed grill platter) which they liked very much. Our sweet-toothed friends enjoyed their Sutlac (Turkish rice pudding) and Homemade Burma Baklava for dessert.
We were more than satisfied with the outstanding service by the friendly, obliging waiter and the rest of the staff. It is always a delight to dine at Mado as the décor and ambience reminds us of our visits to Turkey, and Mado’s cuisine is par excellence as always. Thank you Muge, Emre and staff.
Written 21 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Canucks-down-under
Melbourne337 contributions
Apr 2024 • couples
Came across Mado while walking Southbank. We were recommended a different Turkish restaurant by a nearby hotel concierge but chose Mado due to the cheerful and friendly greeting by one of the owners when we stopped to look at the menu.
Broad menu with lots of options. Service at dinner was excellent - very friendly, cheerful, attentive staff.
Restaurant deco is full of artefacts and artwork from Turkey.
Really enjoyed the meals. We love Turkish food but there's none near us in Melbourne.
This experience brought back memories of 5 wonderful days in Istanbul.
We will definitely return to Mado next time we're in Brisbane.
Written 7 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sarah h
Brisbane25 contributions
Dec 2023 • couples
This is a large restaurant with plenty of inside and outside dining. It overlooks a flat, grassy spot which makes it great for kids to run off a bit of steam while waiting for meals to arrive. It's not a long wait though; we were there early, about 6.00 pm and while there were already several occupied tables, the food came quickly and was good and hot, a sure sign it was all freshly cooked. We had the Cheese Rolls and Mixed Grill Platter, both shared between two of us. Both came with a small salad, the latter with rice. All very good.
The waiters were all very attentive, friendly and efficient.
We live in the Arbour, above the Little Stanley restaurants but we'll be back to this one - it felt more relaxed, almost like a well-loved neighbourhood restaurant.
Written 20 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Linda P
Massachusetts533 contributions
Mar 2024 • couples
I am very familiar with Armenian food so this was right up my alley. Knowing that I would be very critical it was a test! Well MADO passed the test.
We requested to sit inside which had tons of character, loved the decor! Our waitress was amazing, very helpful and sweet! Lucky for us we were there on the night there was entertainment in the form of a belly dancer. She only performed for a short time which was just perfect before our meal arrived. We started with the mixed dip platter and grape leaves, yummy!!!! Our meals were just as good a couple of us ordered the mixed gill platter which was devoured and my husband got the kofte kibbeh, he did enjoy them very much but the ones he has around here are smaller and to him just a bit better. We finished off with amazing desserts. The baklava was A+ not too sweet just right. The turkish coffee and turkish delight was gorgeously presented on a pewter tray with the pot of coffee and cup with the turkish delight in the center. A great way to finish our meal.
Written 23 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Anne N
1 contribution
Feb 2024 • couples
A totally lovely experience of Turkish meze! Everything tasteful and home made. We know Turkish food, so we know what to be happy about☀️
Service is excellent, and our waitress for the afternoon knows her menu!
Thank you! We'll be back☀️☀️
Written 18 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nene M
Melbourne64 contributions
Dec 2023 • couples
Visiting from Melbourne where we have a fantastic range of Turkish eateries casual and more formal, we were keen to try Brisbane’s ‘award winning’ Turkish on the river. Unfortunately there were no icli kofte available, the falafel were dry, the vine leaves commercial, and the boat (stuffed) eggplant was pedestrian. All were served with a commercial (packet) salad mix and unappetising in appearance. So disappointing!
Written 3 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jess S
13 contributions
Oct 2023 • couples
Excellent service even with restaurant at full capacity. Staff were attentive and engaged without being annoying. We had no booking but the bloke conducting seating welcomed us with open arms and promptly seated us. Food was something we had never experienced before, in particular we had the Mixed Grill which comprised of a variety of Turkish favourites. A taste I wouldn’t give justice to if I tried to explain. To top off the night, a belly dancer came out to entertain about 8pm!! She was great, vibes of the restaurant were amazing! We would LOVE to go back when next in Brisbane!
Written 22 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
peterpetam
2 contributions
Feb 2024 • family
We were delighted with our lunch on Tuesday, it was my wife's birthday, and we hadn't had a Turkish meal for some time. The ambience was amazing, and the service was brilliant being the highlight of our lunch. We couldn't fault our experience with a special thanks to Burcu (Not sure correct name). she was the only waitress on this day the 6th of February 2024. We were surprised with a dessert topped with a candle and singing Happy birthday. After paying the bill we were given a lovely traditional bracelet for good luck. We judge a restaurant buy the way we were welcomed making us feel like we were family. Thank you so much for a truly wonderful Turkish experience.
Written 8 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
elainej465
Queensland397 contributions
May 2024 • friends
Fancied Turkish and the decor pulled us in plus the friendly waiter.
Menu caters for all tastes and prices. As we were 3 decided to share: bread & 4 dips ($28), mixed grill ($40). On the mixed grill was chicken skewer, beef skewer, lamb chop, rice, small side salad & bread.. soo plenty of food for us. The dips were so fresh and tasty, baba ganoush, carrot,tzatziki & hummus , bread warm. The meat was succulent and rice fluffy.
A great place
Written 25 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sightseer26701770821
4 contributions
Feb 2024 • couples
There was a waiter who could speak a little Japanese and was very kind to us.
The food, especially the meat, tasted great, and the dance performance by the dancers was dazzling. We had a really good time.
The dessert was also delicious and we finished it in no time.
Written 9 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kath
Palmerston North4 contributions
Apr 2023 • couples
Our last night in Brisbane and we were looking for somewhere to eat dinner. Loved that this restaurant seemed relaxed and away from the traffic. Even better, the staff were all friendly, helpful and happy to answer our curious questions about other people's interesting looking drinks (which happened to not even be on the menu). To top it off the food was amazing. Everything was delicious and we finished saying that we think that was one of the best meals we've ever eaten anywhere. Highly recommend.
Written 12 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
John P
Brisbane1009 contributions
Mar 2023 • none
Our party of three (my wife and I, and a dear friend of ours) chose to lunch at Mado on Thursday 9th March 2023.
Our dishes comprised Lamb Shish (Kuzu Sis), Chicken Shish (Tavuk Sis) and USTA's Special Kofte Izgara (Lamb Patties). Each of us had apple tea to go with our meals.
The Lamb Shish was grilled to perfection - well done (not rare or medium rare) and the meat was succulent and delightfully tasty and tender. The Chicken Shish was tender, nicely seasoned and absolutely yummy. The Lamb Patties were delicately flavoured, juicy and a treat to the tastebuds. The Turkish bread slices and dips, rice, and the salad were fitting complements to the meats.
For afters, we enjoyed cappuccino and English breakfast tea.
Thank you, Emre, for your hospitality. Much appreciated. Also, thanks to "Jon" for your efficient service at our table. We truly enjoyed our visit to Mado and would recommend your restaurant very highly.
Written 9 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bernice
Melbourne3 contributions
Oct 2022 • none
We sat outside on a warm evening and quickly enjoyed a rapport with others sitting nearby to help us see and select from the menu. Our meal was perfect for what we wanted with a range of delicious shared plates. Staff were helpful, and prompt, and gave great advice for us as interstate travelers. We left a hat behind and they kindly returned it by mail- a great indication of the type of place this restaurant is. We highly recommended for travelers and families.
Written 15 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AussiePD
Alexandra Hills2038 contributions
June 2021 • none
Attended for a group lunch on a Sunday. Place we quite full along with our group of 40odd.
The menu is quite extensive and if you haven't eaten Turkish previously the names and descriptions can be a bit vague. The menu did not have pictures which would have helped.
English for the waitress was obviously a second language so I would suggest that the tip here is, check their web site before you go and maybe make choices from that.
Anyway - when they collected orders our choice had 'run out' so we quickly picked a Turkish Manti.
BAD CHOICE
It was tasty enough but was more of a dish you would share with others and just have a spoon full as a sampler.
Our second choice was a Turkish Salami Pride - quite nice and tasty but again would be better as a dish to share along with others.
Among our group of 40 the good & very good reviews came from those who had the Lamb Cutlets, the Lamb Shish, Chicken Shish and Calamari.
I expect we shall return and try those as they looked much better and more substantial than our choices.
Written 25 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mei Leng L
Singapore761 contributions
Aug 2022 • none
We (6 pax) found Mado by chance as while exploring South Bank precinct & decided to having an exotic dinner 😊
I have not been to Turkey & can not comment what comprise as authentic Turkish dishes. I was happy to find the award winning Mado as the food was super.
We have ordered:
: stuffed vine leaves (stuffed with herb rice and cooked with olive oil, served cold)
: grilled haloumi cheese
: lamb iskander
: adana kebab
: vegetarian boat eggplant
: char grilled barramundi
: baklava
The serving staff were friendly & our food was served promptly. Although the restaurant was not full-on Monday evening, we constantly have to get their attention to order food & dessert. Perhaps there was not enough front of house staff.
Its menu has a range of vegetarian option & I absolutely loved my eggplant dish. My cousin has enjoyed his lamb dish where the meat was tender& succulent.
For dessert, we ordered their home-made Baklava . Baklava is well known as a sweet dessert, we had ordered 3 pieces to be shared among 6 of us. To our surprise, it tasted full of fragrant & NOT sweet. We decided to go for 2nd ordering of 4 pieces.
The waitress (a young Muslim lady wearing tudung, sorry forgot to ask for her name) highly recommended us to try the Apple Tea, it turned out a great way to finish the meal.
Overall, it was a delightful evening, we were happy we had visited Mado. The food is definitely one of their success factors for winning award.
Although prices are on the higher side, perhaps it is the location at South Bank precinct but is worth for a nice meal.
Do give this restaurant a try should you are in Brisbane.
Regards
ML LEONG
SINGAPORE
Written 15 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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